changeset 84028:6f0e856b9948

Move to ../doc/lispref

--- a/lispref/symbols.texi	Thu Sep 06 04:14:25 2007 +0000
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,598 +0,0 @@
-@c -*-texinfo-*-
-@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
-@c   2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007  Free Software Foundation, Inc.
-@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
-@setfilename ../info/symbols
-@node Symbols, Evaluation, Hash Tables, Top
-@chapter Symbols
-@cindex symbol
-
-  A @dfn{symbol} is an object with a unique name.  This chapter
-describes symbols, their components, their property lists, and how they
-are created and interned.  Separate chapters describe the use of symbols
-as variables and as function names; see @ref{Variables}, and
-@ref{Functions}.  For the precise read syntax for symbols, see
-@ref{Symbol Type}.
-
-  You can test whether an arbitrary Lisp object is a symbol
-with @code{symbolp}:
-
-@defun symbolp object
-This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a symbol, @code{nil}
-otherwise.
-@end defun
-
-@menu
-* Symbol Components::        Symbols have names, values, function definitions
-                               and property lists.
-* Definitions::              A definition says how a symbol will be used.
-* Creating Symbols::         How symbols are kept unique.
-* Property Lists::           Each symbol has a property list
-                               for recording miscellaneous information.
-@end menu
-
-@node Symbol Components, Definitions, Symbols, Symbols
-@section Symbol Components
-@cindex symbol components
-
-  Each symbol has four components (or ``cells''), each of which
-references another object:
-
-@table @asis
-@item Print name
-@cindex print name cell
-The @dfn{print name cell} holds a string that names the symbol for
-reading and printing.  See @code{symbol-name} in @ref{Creating Symbols}.
-
-@item Value
-@cindex value cell
-The @dfn{value cell} holds the current value of the symbol as a
-variable.  When a symbol is used as a form, the value of the form is the
-contents of the symbol's value cell.  See @code{symbol-value} in
-@ref{Accessing Variables}.
-
-@item Function
-@cindex function cell
-The @dfn{function cell} holds the function definition of the symbol.
-When a symbol is used as a function, its function definition is used in
-its place.  This cell is also used to make a symbol stand for a keymap
-or a keyboard macro, for editor command execution.  Because each symbol
-has separate value and function cells, variables names and function names do
-not conflict.  See @code{symbol-function} in @ref{Function Cells}.
-
-@item Property list
-@cindex property list cell
-The @dfn{property list cell} holds the property list of the symbol.  See
-@code{symbol-plist} in @ref{Property Lists}.
-@end table
-
-  The print name cell always holds a string, and cannot be changed.  The
-other three cells can be set individually to any specified Lisp object.
-
-  The print name cell holds the string that is the name of the symbol.
-Since symbols are represented textually by their names, it is important
-not to have two symbols with the same name.  The Lisp reader ensures
-this: every time it reads a symbol, it looks for an existing symbol with
-the specified name before it creates a new one.  (In GNU Emacs Lisp,
-this lookup uses a hashing algorithm and an obarray; see @ref{Creating
-Symbols}.)
-
-  The value cell holds the symbol's value as a variable
-(@pxref{Variables}).  That is what you get if you evaluate the symbol as
-a Lisp expression (@pxref{Evaluation}).  Any Lisp object is a legitimate
-value.  Certain symbols have values that cannot be changed; these
-include @code{nil} and @code{t}, and any symbol whose name starts with
-@samp{:} (those are called @dfn{keywords}).  @xref{Constant Variables}.
-
-  We often refer to ``the function @code{foo}'' when we really mean
-the function stored in the function cell of the symbol @code{foo}.  We
-make the distinction explicit only when necessary.  In normal
-usage, the function cell usually contains a function
-(@pxref{Functions}) or a macro (@pxref{Macros}), as that is what the
-Lisp interpreter expects to see there (@pxref{Evaluation}).  Keyboard
-macros (@pxref{Keyboard Macros}), keymaps (@pxref{Keymaps}) and
-autoload objects (@pxref{Autoloading}) are also sometimes stored in
-the function cells of symbols.
-
-  The property list cell normally should hold a correctly formatted
-property list (@pxref{Property Lists}), as a number of functions expect
-to see a property list there.
-
-  The function cell or the value cell may be @dfn{void}, which means
-that the cell does not reference any object.  (This is not the same
-thing as holding the symbol @code{void}, nor the same as holding the
-symbol @code{nil}.)  Examining a function or value cell that is void
-results in an error, such as @samp{Symbol's value as variable is void}.
-
-  The four functions @code{symbol-name}, @code{symbol-value},
-@code{symbol-plist}, and @code{symbol-function} return the contents of
-the four cells of a symbol.  Here as an example we show the contents of
-the four cells of the symbol @code{buffer-file-name}:
-
-@example
-(symbol-name 'buffer-file-name)
-     @result{} "buffer-file-name"
-(symbol-value 'buffer-file-name)
-     @result{} "/gnu/elisp/symbols.texi"
-(symbol-function 'buffer-file-name)
-     @result{} #<subr buffer-file-name>
-(symbol-plist 'buffer-file-name)
-     @result{} (variable-documentation 29529)
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-Because this symbol is the variable which holds the name of the file
-being visited in the current buffer, the value cell contents we see are
-the name of the source file of this chapter of the Emacs Lisp Manual.
-The property list cell contains the list @code{(variable-documentation
-29529)} which tells the documentation functions where to find the
-documentation string for the variable @code{buffer-file-name} in the
-@file{DOC-@var{version}} file.  (29529 is the offset from the beginning
-of the @file{DOC-@var{version}} file to where that documentation string
-begins---see @ref{Documentation Basics}.)  The function cell contains
-the function for returning the name of the file.
-@code{buffer-file-name} names a primitive function, which has no read
-syntax and prints in hash notation (@pxref{Primitive Function Type}).  A
-symbol naming a function written in Lisp would have a lambda expression
-(or a byte-code object) in this cell.
-
-@node Definitions, Creating Symbols, Symbol Components, Symbols
-@section Defining Symbols
-@cindex definitions of symbols
-
-  A @dfn{definition} in Lisp is a special form that announces your
-intention to use a certain symbol in a particular way.  In Emacs Lisp,
-you can define a symbol as a variable, or define it as a function (or
-macro), or both independently.
-
-  A definition construct typically specifies a value or meaning for the
-symbol for one kind of use, plus documentation for its meaning when used
-in this way.  Thus, when you define a symbol as a variable, you can
-supply an initial value for the variable, plus documentation for the
-variable.
-
-  @code{defvar} and @code{defconst} are special forms that define a
-symbol as a global variable.  They are documented in detail in
-@ref{Defining Variables}.  For defining user option variables that can
-be customized, use @code{defcustom} (@pxref{Customization}).
-
-  @code{defun} defines a symbol as a function, creating a lambda
-expression and storing it in the function cell of the symbol.  This
-lambda expression thus becomes the function definition of the symbol.
-(The term ``function definition,'' meaning the contents of the function
-cell, is derived from the idea that @code{defun} gives the symbol its
-definition as a function.)  @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias} are two
-other ways of defining a function.  @xref{Functions}.
-
-  @code{defmacro} defines a symbol as a macro.  It creates a macro
-object and stores it in the function cell of the symbol.  Note that a
-given symbol can be a macro or a function, but not both at once, because
-both macro and function definitions are kept in the function cell, and
-that cell can hold only one Lisp object at any given time.
-@xref{Macros}.
-
-  In Emacs Lisp, a definition is not required in order to use a symbol
-as a variable or function.  Thus, you can make a symbol a global
-variable with @code{setq}, whether you define it first or not.  The real
-purpose of definitions is to guide programmers and programming tools.
-They inform programmers who read the code that certain symbols are
-@emph{intended} to be used as variables, or as functions.  In addition,
-utilities such as @file{etags} and @file{make-docfile} recognize
-definitions, and add appropriate information to tag tables and the
-@file{DOC-@var{version}} file.  @xref{Accessing Documentation}.
-
-@node Creating Symbols, Property Lists, Definitions, Symbols
-@section Creating and Interning Symbols
-@cindex reading symbols
-
-  To understand how symbols are created in GNU Emacs Lisp, you must know
-how Lisp reads them.  Lisp must ensure that it finds the same symbol
-every time it reads the same set of characters.  Failure to do so would
-cause complete confusion.
-
-@cindex symbol name hashing
-@cindex hashing
-@cindex obarray
-@cindex bucket (in obarray)
-  When the Lisp reader encounters a symbol, it reads all the characters
-of the name.  Then it ``hashes'' those characters to find an index in a
-table called an @dfn{obarray}.  Hashing is an efficient method of
-looking something up.  For example, instead of searching a telephone
-book cover to cover when looking up Jan Jones, you start with the J's
-and go from there.  That is a simple version of hashing.  Each element
-of the obarray is a @dfn{bucket} which holds all the symbols with a
-given hash code; to look for a given name, it is sufficient to look
-through all the symbols in the bucket for that name's hash code.  (The
-same idea is used for general Emacs hash tables, but they are a
-different data type; see @ref{Hash Tables}.)
-
-@cindex interning
-  If a symbol with the desired name is found, the reader uses that
-symbol.  If the obarray does not contain a symbol with that name, the
-reader makes a new symbol and adds it to the obarray.  Finding or adding
-a symbol with a certain name is called @dfn{interning} it, and the
-symbol is then called an @dfn{interned symbol}.
-
-  Interning ensures that each obarray has just one symbol with any
-particular name.  Other like-named symbols may exist, but not in the
-same obarray.  Thus, the reader gets the same symbols for the same
-names, as long as you keep reading with the same obarray.
-
-  Interning usually happens automatically in the reader, but sometimes
-other programs need to do it.  For example, after the @kbd{M-x} command
-obtains the command name as a string using the minibuffer, it then
-interns the string, to get the interned symbol with that name.
-
-@cindex symbol equality
-@cindex uninterned symbol
-  No obarray contains all symbols; in fact, some symbols are not in any
-obarray.  They are called @dfn{uninterned symbols}.  An uninterned
-symbol has the same four cells as other symbols; however, the only way
-to gain access to it is by finding it in some other object or as the
-value of a variable.
-
-  Creating an uninterned symbol is useful in generating Lisp code,
-because an uninterned symbol used as a variable in the code you generate
-cannot clash with any variables used in other Lisp programs.
-
-  In Emacs Lisp, an obarray is actually a vector.  Each element of the
-vector is a bucket; its value is either an interned symbol whose name
-hashes to that bucket, or 0 if the bucket is empty.  Each interned
-symbol has an internal link (invisible to the user) to the next symbol
-in the bucket.  Because these links are invisible, there is no way to
-find all the symbols in an obarray except using @code{mapatoms} (below).
-The order of symbols in a bucket is not significant.
-
-  In an empty obarray, every element is 0, so you can create an obarray
-with @code{(make-vector @var{length} 0)}.  @strong{This is the only
-valid way to create an obarray.}  Prime numbers as lengths tend
-to result in good hashing; lengths one less than a power of two are also
-good.
-
-  @strong{Do not try to put symbols in an obarray yourself.}  This does
-not work---only @code{intern} can enter a symbol in an obarray properly.
-
-@cindex CL note---symbol in obarrays
-@quotation
-@b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, a single symbol may be interned in
-several obarrays.
-@end quotation
-
-  Most of the functions below take a name and sometimes an obarray as
-arguments.  A @code{wrong-type-argument} error is signaled if the name
-is not a string, or if the obarray is not a vector.
-
-@defun symbol-name symbol
-This function returns the string that is @var{symbol}'s name.  For example:
-
-@example
-@group
-(symbol-name 'foo)
-     @result{} "foo"
-@end group
-@end example
-
-@strong{Warning:} Changing the string by substituting characters does
-change the name of the symbol, but fails to update the obarray, so don't
-do it!
-@end defun
-
-@defun make-symbol name
-This function returns a newly-allocated, uninterned symbol whose name is
-@var{name} (which must be a string).  Its value and function definition
-are void, and its property list is @code{nil}.  In the example below,
-the value of @code{sym} is not @code{eq} to @code{foo} because it is a
-distinct uninterned symbol whose name is also @samp{foo}.
-
-@example
-(setq sym (make-symbol "foo"))
-     @result{} foo
-(eq sym 'foo)
-     @result{} nil
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-@defun intern name &optional obarray
-This function returns the interned symbol whose name is @var{name}.  If
-there is no such symbol in the obarray @var{obarray}, @code{intern}
-creates a new one, adds it to the obarray, and returns it.  If
-@var{obarray} is omitted, the value of the global variable
-@code{obarray} is used.
-
-@example
-(setq sym (intern "foo"))
-     @result{} foo
-(eq sym 'foo)
-     @result{} t
-
-(setq sym1 (intern "foo" other-obarray))
-     @result{} foo
-(eq sym1 'foo)
-     @result{} nil
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-@cindex CL note---interning existing symbol
-@quotation
-@b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, you can intern an existing symbol
-in an obarray.  In Emacs Lisp, you cannot do this, because the argument
-to @code{intern} must be a string, not a symbol.
-@end quotation
-
-@defun intern-soft name &optional obarray
-This function returns the symbol in @var{obarray} whose name is
-@var{name}, or @code{nil} if @var{obarray} has no symbol with that name.
-Therefore, you can use @code{intern-soft} to test whether a symbol with
-a given name is already interned.  If @var{obarray} is omitted, the
-value of the global variable @code{obarray} is used.
-
-The argument @var{name} may also be a symbol; in that case,
-the function returns @var{name} if @var{name} is interned
-in the specified obarray, and otherwise @code{nil}.
-
-@smallexample
-(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{No such symbol exists.}
-     @result{} nil
-(make-symbol "frazzle")        ; @r{Create an uninterned one.}
-     @result{} frazzle
-@group
-(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{That one cannot be found.}
-     @result{} nil
-@end group
-@group
-(setq sym (intern "frazzle"))  ; @r{Create an interned one.}
-     @result{} frazzle
-@end group
-@group
-(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{That one can be found!}
-     @result{} frazzle
-@end group
-@group
-(eq sym 'frazzle)              ; @r{And it is the same one.}
-     @result{} t
-@end group
-@end smallexample
-@end defun
-
-@defvar obarray
-This variable is the standard obarray for use by @code{intern} and
-@code{read}.
-@end defvar
-
-@defun mapatoms function &optional obarray
-@anchor{Definition of mapatoms}
-This function calls @var{function} once with each symbol in the obarray
-@var{obarray}.  Then it returns @code{nil}.  If @var{obarray} is
-omitted, it defaults to the value of @code{obarray}, the standard
-obarray for ordinary symbols.
-
-@smallexample
-(setq count 0)
-     @result{} 0
-(defun count-syms (s)
-  (setq count (1+ count)))
-     @result{} count-syms
-(mapatoms 'count-syms)
-     @result{} nil
-count
-     @result{} 1871
-@end smallexample
-
-See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for another
-example using @code{mapatoms}.
-@end defun
-
-@defun unintern symbol &optional obarray
-This function deletes @var{symbol} from the obarray @var{obarray}.  If
-@code{symbol} is not actually in the obarray, @code{unintern} does
-nothing.  If @var{obarray} is @code{nil}, the current obarray is used.
-
-If you provide a string instead of a symbol as @var{symbol}, it stands
-for a symbol name.  Then @code{unintern} deletes the symbol (if any) in
-the obarray which has that name.  If there is no such symbol,
-@code{unintern} does nothing.
-
-If @code{unintern} does delete a symbol, it returns @code{t}.  Otherwise
-it returns @code{nil}.
-@end defun
-
-@node Property Lists,, Creating Symbols, Symbols
-@section Property Lists
-@cindex property list
-@cindex plist
-
-  A @dfn{property list} (@dfn{plist} for short) is a list of paired
-elements stored in the property list cell of a symbol.  Each of the
-pairs associates a property name (usually a symbol) with a property or
-value.  Property lists are generally used to record information about a
-symbol, such as its documentation as a variable, the name of the file
-where it was defined, or perhaps even the grammatical class of the
-symbol (representing a word) in a language-understanding system.
-
-  Character positions in a string or buffer can also have property lists.
-@xref{Text Properties}.
-
-  The property names and values in a property list can be any Lisp
-objects, but the names are usually symbols.  Property list functions
-compare the property names using @code{eq}.  Here is an example of a
-property list, found on the symbol @code{progn} when the compiler is
-loaded:
-
-@example
-(lisp-indent-function 0 byte-compile byte-compile-progn)
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-Here @code{lisp-indent-function} and @code{byte-compile} are property
-names, and the other two elements are the corresponding values.
-
-@menu
-* Plists and Alists::           Comparison of the advantages of property
-                                  lists and association lists.
-* Symbol Plists::               Functions to access symbols' property lists.
-* Other Plists::                Accessing property lists stored elsewhere.
-@end menu
-
-@node Plists and Alists
-@subsection Property Lists and Association Lists
-@cindex plist vs. alist
-@cindex alist vs. plist
-
-@cindex property lists vs association lists
-  Association lists (@pxref{Association Lists}) are very similar to
-property lists.  In contrast to association lists, the order of the
-pairs in the property list is not significant since the property names
-must be distinct.
-
-  Property lists are better than association lists for attaching
-information to various Lisp function names or variables.  If your
-program keeps all of its associations in one association list, it will
-typically need to search that entire list each time it checks for an
-association.  This could be slow.  By contrast, if you keep the same
-information in the property lists of the function names or variables
-themselves, each search will scan only the length of one property list,
-which is usually short.  This is why the documentation for a variable is
-recorded in a property named @code{variable-documentation}.  The byte
-compiler likewise uses properties to record those functions needing
-special treatment.
-
-  However, association lists have their own advantages.  Depending on
-your application, it may be faster to add an association to the front of
-an association list than to update a property.  All properties for a
-symbol are stored in the same property list, so there is a possibility
-of a conflict between different uses of a property name.  (For this
-reason, it is a good idea to choose property names that are probably
-unique, such as by beginning the property name with the program's usual
-name-prefix for variables and functions.)  An association list may be
-used like a stack where associations are pushed on the front of the list
-and later discarded; this is not possible with a property list.
-
-@node Symbol Plists
-@subsection Property List Functions for Symbols
-
-@defun symbol-plist symbol
-This function returns the property list of @var{symbol}.
-@end defun
-
-@defun setplist symbol plist
-This function sets @var{symbol}'s property list to @var{plist}.
-Normally, @var{plist} should be a well-formed property list, but this is
-not enforced.  The return value is @var{plist}.
-
-@smallexample
-(setplist 'foo '(a 1 b (2 3) c nil))
-     @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
-(symbol-plist 'foo)
-     @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
-@end smallexample
-
-For symbols in special obarrays, which are not used for ordinary
-purposes, it may make sense to use the property list cell in a
-nonstandard fashion; in fact, the abbrev mechanism does so
-(@pxref{Abbrevs}).
-@end defun
-
-@defun get symbol property
-This function finds the value of the property named @var{property} in
-@var{symbol}'s property list.  If there is no such property, @code{nil}
-is returned.  Thus, there is no distinction between a value of
-@code{nil} and the absence of the property.
-
-The name @var{property} is compared with the existing property names
-using @code{eq}, so any object is a legitimate property.
-
-See @code{put} for an example.
-@end defun
-
-@defun put symbol property value
-This function puts @var{value} onto @var{symbol}'s property list under
-the property name @var{property}, replacing any previous property value.
-The @code{put} function returns @var{value}.
-
-@smallexample
-(put 'fly 'verb 'transitive)
-     @result{}'transitive
-(put 'fly 'noun '(a buzzing little bug))
-     @result{} (a buzzing little bug)
-(get 'fly 'verb)
-     @result{} transitive
-(symbol-plist 'fly)
-     @result{} (verb transitive noun (a buzzing little bug))
-@end smallexample
-@end defun
-
-@node Other Plists
-@subsection Property Lists Outside Symbols
-
-  These functions are useful for manipulating property lists
-that are stored in places other than symbols:
-
-@defun plist-get plist property
-This returns the value of the @var{property} property
-stored in the property list @var{plist}.  For example,
-
-@example
-(plist-get '(foo 4) 'foo)
-     @result{} 4
-(plist-get '(foo 4 bad) 'foo)
-     @result{} 4
-(plist-get '(foo 4 bad) 'bar)
-     @result{} @code{wrong-type-argument} error
-@end example
-
-It accepts a malformed @var{plist} argument and always returns @code{nil}
-if @var{property} is not found in the @var{plist}.  For example,
-
-@example
-(plist-get '(foo 4 bad) 'bar)
-     @result{} nil
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-@defun plist-put plist property value
-This stores @var{value} as the value of the @var{property} property in
-the property list @var{plist}.  It may modify @var{plist} destructively,
-or it may construct a new list structure without altering the old.  The
-function returns the modified property list, so you can store that back
-in the place where you got @var{plist}.  For example,
-
-@example
-(setq my-plist '(bar t foo 4))
-     @result{} (bar t foo 4)
-(setq my-plist (plist-put my-plist 'foo 69))
-     @result{} (bar t foo 69)
-(setq my-plist (plist-put my-plist 'quux '(a)))
-     @result{} (bar t foo 69 quux (a))
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-  You could define @code{put} in terms of @code{plist-put} as follows:
-
-@example
-(defun put (symbol prop value)
-  (setplist symbol
-            (plist-put (symbol-plist symbol) prop value)))
-@end example
-
-@defun lax-plist-get plist property
-Like @code{plist-get} except that it compares properties
-using @code{equal} instead of @code{eq}.
-@end defun
-
-@defun lax-plist-put plist property value
-Like @code{plist-put} except that it compares properties
-using @code{equal} instead of @code{eq}.
-@end defun
-
-@defun plist-member plist property
-This returns non-@code{nil} if @var{plist} contains the given
-@var{property}.  Unlike @code{plist-get}, this allows you to distinguish
-between a missing property and a property with the value @code{nil}.
-The value is actually the tail of @var{plist} whose @code{car} is
-@var{property}.
-@end defun
-
-@ignore
-   arch-tag: 8750b7d2-de4c-4923-809a-d35fc39fd8ce
-@end ignore