# HG changeset patch
# User Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
# Date 1166895003 0
# Node ID 5fffe049d3bf10989bc2ad17ba4d08088959abcf
# Parent  2cd58794c74362450a1b263862e3131f7df9eac5
(Regexp Search): Explain why forward and reverse regexp
search are not mirror images.

diff -r 2cd58794c743 -r 5fffe049d3bf man/search.texi
--- a/man/search.texi	Sat Dec 23 10:29:59 2006 +0000
+++ b/man/search.texi	Sat Dec 23 17:30:03 2006 +0000
@@ -488,6 +488,13 @@
 you have searched for @samp{foo} and you add @samp{\|bar}, the cursor
 backs up in case the first @samp{bar} precedes the first @samp{foo}.
 
+  Forward and backward regexp search are not symmetrical, because
+regexp matching in Emacs always operates forward, starting with the
+beginning of the regexp.  Thus, forward regexp search scans forward,
+trying a forward match at each possible starting position.  Backward
+regexp search scans backward, trying a forward match at each possible
+starting position.  These search methods are not mirror images.
+
 @findex re-search-forward
 @findex re-search-backward
   Nonincremental search for a regexp is done by the functions