Mercurial > emacs
changeset 84078:e72038a03c43
Move here from ../../lispref
| author | Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> |
|---|---|
| date | Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:21:06 +0000 |
| parents | efcba214fdbb |
| children | 249785f6d816 |
| files | doc/lispref/keymaps.texi |
| diffstat | 1 files changed, 2785 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-) [+] |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/doc/lispref/keymaps.texi Thu Sep 06 04:21:06 2007 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,2785 @@ +@c -*-texinfo-*- +@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, +@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. +@setfilename ../info/keymaps +@node Keymaps, Modes, Command Loop, Top +@chapter Keymaps +@cindex keymap + + The command bindings of input events are recorded in data structures +called @dfn{keymaps}. Each entry in a keymap associates (or +@dfn{binds}) an individual event type, either to another keymap or to +a command. When an event type is bound to a keymap, that keymap is +used to look up the next input event; this continues until a command +is found. The whole process is called @dfn{key lookup}. + +@menu +* Key Sequences:: Key sequences as Lisp objects. +* Keymap Basics:: Basic concepts of keymaps. +* Format of Keymaps:: What a keymap looks like as a Lisp object. +* Creating Keymaps:: Functions to create and copy keymaps. +* Inheritance and Keymaps:: How one keymap can inherit the bindings + of another keymap. +* Prefix Keys:: Defining a key with a keymap as its definition. +* Active Keymaps:: How Emacs searches the active keymaps + for a key binding. +* Searching Keymaps:: A pseudo-Lisp summary of searching active maps. +* Controlling Active Maps:: Each buffer has a local keymap + to override the standard (global) bindings. + A minor mode can also override them. +* Key Lookup:: Finding a key's binding in one keymap. +* Functions for Key Lookup:: How to request key lookup. +* Changing Key Bindings:: Redefining a key in a keymap. +* Remapping Commands:: A keymap can translate one command to another. +* Translation Keymaps:: Keymaps for translating sequences of events. +* Key Binding Commands:: Interactive interfaces for redefining keys. +* Scanning Keymaps:: Looking through all keymaps, for printing help. +* Menu Keymaps:: Defining a menu as a keymap. +@end menu + +@node Key Sequences +@section Key Sequences +@cindex key +@cindex keystroke +@cindex key sequence + + A @dfn{key sequence}, or @dfn{key} for short, is a sequence of one +or more input events that form a unit. Input events include +characters, function keys, and mouse actions (@pxref{Input Events}). +The Emacs Lisp representation for a key sequence is a string or +vector. Unless otherwise stated, any Emacs Lisp function that accepts +a key sequence as an argument can handle both representations. + + In the string representation, alphanumeric characters ordinarily +stand for themselves; for example, @code{"a"} represents @kbd{a} +and @code{"2"} represents @kbd{2}. Control character events are +prefixed by the substring @code{"\C-"}, and meta characters by +@code{"\M-"}; for example, @code{"\C-x"} represents the key @kbd{C-x}. +In addition, the @key{TAB}, @key{RET}, @key{ESC}, and @key{DEL} events +are represented by @code{"\t"}, @code{"\r"}, @code{"\e"}, and +@code{"\d"} respectively. The string representation of a complete key +sequence is the concatenation of the string representations of the +constituent events; thus, @code{"\C-xl"} represents the key sequence +@kbd{C-x l}. + + Key sequences containing function keys, mouse button events, or +non-ASCII characters such as @kbd{C-=} or @kbd{H-a} cannot be +represented as strings; they have to be represented as vectors. + + In the vector representation, each element of the vector represents +an input event, in its Lisp form. @xref{Input Events}. For example, +the vector @code{[?\C-x ?l]} represents the key sequence @kbd{C-x l}. + + For examples of key sequences written in string and vector +representations, @ref{Init Rebinding,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. + +@defmac kbd keyseq-text +This macro converts the text @var{keyseq-text} (a string constant) +into a key sequence (a string or vector constant). The contents of +@var{keyseq-text} should describe the key sequence using almost the same +syntax used in this manual. More precisely, it uses the same syntax +that Edit Macro mode uses for editing keyboard macros (@pxref{Edit +Keyboard Macro,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}); you must surround +function key names with @samp{<@dots{}>}. + +@example +(kbd "C-x") @result{} "\C-x" +(kbd "C-x C-f") @result{} "\C-x\C-f" +(kbd "C-x 4 C-f") @result{} "\C-x4\C-f" +(kbd "X") @result{} "X" +(kbd "RET") @result{} "\^M" +(kbd "C-c SPC") @result{} "\C-c@ " +(kbd "<f1> SPC") @result{} [f1 32] +(kbd "C-M-<down>") @result{} [C-M-down] +@end example + +This macro is not meant for use with arguments that vary---only +with string constants. +@end defmac + +@node Keymap Basics +@section Keymap Basics +@cindex key binding +@cindex binding of a key +@cindex complete key +@cindex undefined key + + A keymap is a Lisp data structure that specifies @dfn{key bindings} +for various key sequences. + + A single keymap directly specifies definitions for individual +events. When a key sequence consists of a single event, its binding +in a keymap is the keymap's definition for that event. The binding of +a longer key sequence is found by an iterative process: first find the +definition of the first event (which must itself be a keymap); then +find the second event's definition in that keymap, and so on until all +the events in the key sequence have been processed. + + If the binding of a key sequence is a keymap, we call the key sequence +a @dfn{prefix key}. Otherwise, we call it a @dfn{complete key} (because +no more events can be added to it). If the binding is @code{nil}, +we call the key @dfn{undefined}. Examples of prefix keys are @kbd{C-c}, +@kbd{C-x}, and @kbd{C-x 4}. Examples of defined complete keys are +@kbd{X}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{C-x 4 C-f}. Examples of undefined complete +keys are @kbd{C-x C-g}, and @kbd{C-c 3}. @xref{Prefix Keys}, for more +details. + + The rule for finding the binding of a key sequence assumes that the +intermediate bindings (found for the events before the last) are all +keymaps; if this is not so, the sequence of events does not form a +unit---it is not really one key sequence. In other words, removing one +or more events from the end of any valid key sequence must always yield +a prefix key. For example, @kbd{C-f C-n} is not a key sequence; +@kbd{C-f} is not a prefix key, so a longer sequence starting with +@kbd{C-f} cannot be a key sequence. + + The set of possible multi-event key sequences depends on the bindings +for prefix keys; therefore, it can be different for different keymaps, +and can change when bindings are changed. However, a one-event sequence +is always a key sequence, because it does not depend on any prefix keys +for its well-formedness. + + At any time, several primary keymaps are @dfn{active}---that is, in +use for finding key bindings. These are the @dfn{global map}, which is +shared by all buffers; the @dfn{local keymap}, which is usually +associated with a specific major mode; and zero or more @dfn{minor mode +keymaps}, which belong to currently enabled minor modes. (Not all minor +modes have keymaps.) The local keymap bindings shadow (i.e., take +precedence over) the corresponding global bindings. The minor mode +keymaps shadow both local and global keymaps. @xref{Active Keymaps}, +for details. + +@node Format of Keymaps +@section Format of Keymaps +@cindex format of keymaps +@cindex keymap format +@cindex full keymap +@cindex sparse keymap + + Each keymap is a list whose @sc{car} is the symbol @code{keymap}. The +remaining elements of the list define the key bindings of the keymap. +A symbol whose function definition is a keymap is also a keymap. Use +the function @code{keymapp} (see below) to test whether an object is a +keymap. + + Several kinds of elements may appear in a keymap, after the symbol +@code{keymap} that begins it: + +@table @code +@item (@var{type} .@: @var{binding}) +This specifies one binding, for events of type @var{type}. Each +ordinary binding applies to events of a particular @dfn{event type}, +which is always a character or a symbol. @xref{Classifying Events}. +In this kind of binding, @var{binding} is a command. + +@item (@var{type} @var{item-name} @r{[}@var{cache}@r{]} .@: @var{binding}) +This specifies a binding which is also a simple menu item that +displays as @var{item-name} in the menu. @var{cache}, if present, +caches certain information for display in the menu. @xref{Simple Menu +Items}. + +@item (@var{type} @var{item-name} @var{help-string} @r{[}@var{cache}@r{]} .@: @var{binding}) +This is a simple menu item with help string @var{help-string}. + +@item (@var{type} menu-item .@: @var{details}) +This specifies a binding which is also an extended menu item. This +allows use of other features. @xref{Extended Menu Items}. + +@item (t .@: @var{binding}) +@cindex default key binding +This specifies a @dfn{default key binding}; any event not bound by other +elements of the keymap is given @var{binding} as its binding. Default +bindings allow a keymap to bind all possible event types without having +to enumerate all of them. A keymap that has a default binding +completely masks any lower-precedence keymap, except for events +explicitly bound to @code{nil} (see below). + +@item @var{char-table} +If an element of a keymap is a char-table, it counts as holding +bindings for all character events with no modifier bits +(@pxref{modifier bits}): element @var{n} is the binding for the +character with code @var{n}. This is a compact way to record lots of +bindings. A keymap with such a char-table is called a @dfn{full +keymap}. Other keymaps are called @dfn{sparse keymaps}. + +@item @var{string} +@cindex keymap prompt string +@cindex overall prompt string +@cindex prompt string of keymap +Aside from elements that specify bindings for keys, a keymap can also +have a string as an element. This is called the @dfn{overall prompt +string} and makes it possible to use the keymap as a menu. +@xref{Defining Menus}. +@end table + +When the binding is @code{nil}, it doesn't constitute a definition +but it does take precedence over a default binding or a binding in the +parent keymap. On the other hand, a binding of @code{nil} does +@emph{not} override lower-precedence keymaps; thus, if the local map +gives a binding of @code{nil}, Emacs uses the binding from the +global map. + +@cindex meta characters lookup + Keymaps do not directly record bindings for the meta characters. +Instead, meta characters are regarded for purposes of key lookup as +sequences of two characters, the first of which is @key{ESC} (or +whatever is currently the value of @code{meta-prefix-char}). Thus, the +key @kbd{M-a} is internally represented as @kbd{@key{ESC} a}, and its +global binding is found at the slot for @kbd{a} in @code{esc-map} +(@pxref{Prefix Keys}). + + This conversion applies only to characters, not to function keys or +other input events; thus, @kbd{M-@key{end}} has nothing to do with +@kbd{@key{ESC} @key{end}}. + + Here as an example is the local keymap for Lisp mode, a sparse +keymap. It defines bindings for @key{DEL} and @key{TAB}, plus @kbd{C-c +C-l}, @kbd{M-C-q}, and @kbd{M-C-x}. + +@example +@group +lisp-mode-map +@result{} +@end group +@group +(keymap + (3 keymap + ;; @kbd{C-c C-z} + (26 . run-lisp)) +@end group +@group + (27 keymap + ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-x}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-x}} + (24 . lisp-send-defun) + keymap + ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-q}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-q}} + (17 . indent-sexp)) +@end group +@group + ;; @r{This part is inherited from @code{lisp-mode-shared-map}.} + keymap + ;; @key{DEL} + (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) +@end group +@group + (27 keymap + ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-q}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-q}} + (17 . indent-sexp)) + (9 . lisp-indent-line)) +@end group +@end example + +@defun keymapp object +This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a keymap, @code{nil} +otherwise. More precisely, this function tests for a list whose +@sc{car} is @code{keymap}, or for a symbol whose function definition +satisfies @code{keymapp}. + +@example +@group +(keymapp '(keymap)) + @result{} t +@end group +@group +(fset 'foo '(keymap)) +(keymapp 'foo) + @result{} t +@end group +@group +(keymapp (current-global-map)) + @result{} t +@end group +@end example +@end defun + +@node Creating Keymaps +@section Creating Keymaps +@cindex creating keymaps + + Here we describe the functions for creating keymaps. + +@defun make-sparse-keymap &optional prompt +This function creates and returns a new sparse keymap with no entries. +(A sparse keymap is the kind of keymap you usually want.) The new +keymap does not contain a char-table, unlike @code{make-keymap}, and +does not bind any events. + +@example +@group +(make-sparse-keymap) + @result{} (keymap) +@end group +@end example + +If you specify @var{prompt}, that becomes the overall prompt string +for the keymap. You should specify this only for menu keymaps +(@pxref{Defining Menus}). A keymap with an overall prompt string will +always present a mouse menu or a keyboard menu if it is active for +looking up the next input event. Don't specify an overall prompt string +for the main map of a major or minor mode, because that would cause +the command loop to present a keyboard menu every time. +@end defun + +@defun make-keymap &optional prompt +This function creates and returns a new full keymap. That keymap +contains a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with slots for all +characters without modifiers. The new keymap initially binds all +these characters to @code{nil}, and does not bind any other kind of +event. The argument @var{prompt} specifies a +prompt string, as in @code{make-sparse-keymap}. + +@example +@group +(make-keymap) + @result{} (keymap #^[t nil nil nil @dots{} nil nil keymap]) +@end group +@end example + +A full keymap is more efficient than a sparse keymap when it holds +lots of bindings; for just a few, the sparse keymap is better. +@end defun + +@defun copy-keymap keymap +This function returns a copy of @var{keymap}. Any keymaps that +appear directly as bindings in @var{keymap} are also copied recursively, +and so on to any number of levels. However, recursive copying does not +take place when the definition of a character is a symbol whose function +definition is a keymap; the same symbol appears in the new copy. +@c Emacs 19 feature + +@example +@group +(setq map (copy-keymap (current-local-map))) +@result{} (keymap +@end group +@group + ;; @r{(This implements meta characters.)} + (27 keymap + (83 . center-paragraph) + (115 . center-line)) + (9 . tab-to-tab-stop)) +@end group + +@group +(eq map (current-local-map)) + @result{} nil +@end group +@group +(equal map (current-local-map)) + @result{} t +@end group +@end example +@end defun + +@node Inheritance and Keymaps +@section Inheritance and Keymaps +@cindex keymap inheritance +@cindex inheriting a keymap's bindings + + A keymap can inherit the bindings of another keymap, which we call the +@dfn{parent keymap}. Such a keymap looks like this: + +@example +(keymap @var{elements}@dots{} . @var{parent-keymap}) +@end example + +@noindent +The effect is that this keymap inherits all the bindings of +@var{parent-keymap}, whatever they may be at the time a key is looked up, +but can add to them or override them with @var{elements}. + +If you change the bindings in @var{parent-keymap} using +@code{define-key} or other key-binding functions, these changed +bindings are visible in the inheriting keymap, unless shadowed by the +bindings made by @var{elements}. The converse is not true: if you use +@code{define-key} to change bindings in the inheriting keymap, these +changes are recorded in @var{elements}, but have no effect on +@var{parent-keymap}. + +The proper way to construct a keymap with a parent is to use +@code{set-keymap-parent}; if you have code that directly constructs a +keymap with a parent, please convert the program to use +@code{set-keymap-parent} instead. + +@defun keymap-parent keymap +This returns the parent keymap of @var{keymap}. If @var{keymap} +has no parent, @code{keymap-parent} returns @code{nil}. +@end defun + +@defun set-keymap-parent keymap parent +This sets the parent keymap of @var{keymap} to @var{parent}, and returns +@var{parent}. If @var{parent} is @code{nil}, this function gives +@var{keymap} no parent at all. + +If @var{keymap} has submaps (bindings for prefix keys), they too receive +new parent keymaps that reflect what @var{parent} specifies for those +prefix keys. +@end defun + + Here is an example showing how to make a keymap that inherits +from @code{text-mode-map}: + +@example +(let ((map (make-sparse-keymap))) + (set-keymap-parent map text-mode-map) + map) +@end example + + A non-sparse keymap can have a parent too, but this is not very +useful. A non-sparse keymap always specifies something as the binding +for every numeric character code without modifier bits, even if it is +@code{nil}, so these character's bindings are never inherited from +the parent keymap. + +@node Prefix Keys +@section Prefix Keys +@cindex prefix key + + A @dfn{prefix key} is a key sequence whose binding is a keymap. The +keymap defines what to do with key sequences that extend the prefix key. +For example, @kbd{C-x} is a prefix key, and it uses a keymap that is +also stored in the variable @code{ctl-x-map}. This keymap defines +bindings for key sequences starting with @kbd{C-x}. + + Some of the standard Emacs prefix keys use keymaps that are +also found in Lisp variables: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@vindex esc-map +@findex ESC-prefix +@code{esc-map} is the global keymap for the @key{ESC} prefix key. Thus, +the global definitions of all meta characters are actually found here. +This map is also the function definition of @code{ESC-prefix}. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-h} +@code{help-map} is the global keymap for the @kbd{C-h} prefix key. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-c} +@vindex mode-specific-map +@code{mode-specific-map} is the global keymap for the prefix key +@kbd{C-c}. This map is actually global, not mode-specific, but its name +provides useful information about @kbd{C-c} in the output of @kbd{C-h b} +(@code{display-bindings}), since the main use of this prefix key is for +mode-specific bindings. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x} +@vindex ctl-x-map +@findex Control-X-prefix +@code{ctl-x-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x} prefix key. +This map is found via the function cell of the symbol +@code{Control-X-prefix}. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x @key{RET}} +@vindex mule-keymap +@code{mule-keymap} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x @key{RET}} +prefix key. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x 4} +@vindex ctl-x-4-map +@code{ctl-x-4-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 4} prefix +key. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x 5} +@vindex ctl-x-5-map +@code{ctl-x-5-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 5} prefix +key. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x 6} +@vindex 2C-mode-map +@code{2C-mode-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 6} prefix +key. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{C-x v} +@vindex vc-prefix-map +@code{vc-prefix-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x v} prefix +key. + +@item +@cindex @kbd{M-o} +@vindex facemenu-keymap +@code{facemenu-keymap} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{M-o} +prefix key. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@item +The other Emacs prefix keys are @kbd{M-g}, @kbd{C-x @@}, @kbd{C-x a i}, +@kbd{C-x @key{ESC}} and @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}. They use keymaps +that have no special names. +@end itemize + + The keymap binding of a prefix key is used for looking up the event +that follows the prefix key. (It may instead be a symbol whose function +definition is a keymap. The effect is the same, but the symbol serves +as a name for the prefix key.) Thus, the binding of @kbd{C-x} is the +symbol @code{Control-X-prefix}, whose function cell holds the keymap +for @kbd{C-x} commands. (The same keymap is also the value of +@code{ctl-x-map}.) + + Prefix key definitions can appear in any active keymap. The +definitions of @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-h} and @key{ESC} as prefix +keys appear in the global map, so these prefix keys are always +available. Major and minor modes can redefine a key as a prefix by +putting a prefix key definition for it in the local map or the minor +mode's map. @xref{Active Keymaps}. + + If a key is defined as a prefix in more than one active map, then its +various definitions are in effect merged: the commands defined in the +minor mode keymaps come first, followed by those in the local map's +prefix definition, and then by those from the global map. + + In the following example, we make @kbd{C-p} a prefix key in the local +keymap, in such a way that @kbd{C-p} is identical to @kbd{C-x}. Then +the binding for @kbd{C-p C-f} is the function @code{find-file}, just +like @kbd{C-x C-f}. The key sequence @kbd{C-p 6} is not found in any +active keymap. + +@example +@group +(use-local-map (make-sparse-keymap)) + @result{} nil +@end group +@group +(local-set-key "\C-p" ctl-x-map) + @result{} nil +@end group +@group +(key-binding "\C-p\C-f") + @result{} find-file +@end group + +@group +(key-binding "\C-p6") + @result{} nil +@end group +@end example + +@defun define-prefix-command symbol &optional mapvar prompt +@cindex prefix command +@anchor{Definition of define-prefix-command} +This function prepares @var{symbol} for use as a prefix key's binding: +it creates a sparse keymap and stores it as @var{symbol}'s function +definition. Subsequently binding a key sequence to @var{symbol} will +make that key sequence into a prefix key. The return value is @code{symbol}. + +This function also sets @var{symbol} as a variable, with the keymap as +its value. But if @var{mapvar} is non-@code{nil}, it sets @var{mapvar} +as a variable instead. + +If @var{prompt} is non-@code{nil}, that becomes the overall prompt +string for the keymap. The prompt string should be given for menu keymaps +(@pxref{Defining Menus}). +@end defun + +@node Active Keymaps +@section Active Keymaps +@cindex active keymap +@cindex global keymap +@cindex local keymap + + Emacs normally contains many keymaps; at any given time, just a few +of them are @dfn{active}, meaning that they participate in the +interpretation of user input. All the active keymaps are used +together to determine what command to execute when a key is entered. + + Normally the active keymaps are the @code{keymap} property keymap, +the keymaps of any enabled minor modes, the current buffer's local +keymap, and the global keymap, in that order. Emacs searches for each +input key sequence in all these keymaps. @xref{Searching Keymaps}, +for more details of this procedure. + + When the key sequence starts with a mouse event (optionally preceded +by a symbolic prefix), the active keymaps are determined based on the +position in that event. If the event happened on a string embedded +with a @code{display}, @code{before-string}, or @code{after-string} +property (@pxref{Special Properties}), the non-@code{nil} map +properties of the string override those of the buffer. + + The @dfn{global keymap} holds the bindings of keys that are defined +regardless of the current buffer, such as @kbd{C-f}. The variable +@code{global-map} holds this keymap, which is always active. + + Each buffer may have another keymap, its @dfn{local keymap}, which +may contain new or overriding definitions for keys. The current +buffer's local keymap is always active except when +@code{overriding-local-map} overrides it. The @code{local-map} text +or overlay property can specify an alternative local keymap for certain +parts of the buffer; see @ref{Special Properties}. + + Each minor mode can have a keymap; if it does, the keymap is active +when the minor mode is enabled. Modes for emulation can specify +additional active keymaps through the variable +@code{emulation-mode-map-alists}. + + The highest precedence normal keymap comes from the @code{keymap} +text or overlay property. If that is non-@code{nil}, it is the first +keymap to be processed, in normal circumstances. + + However, there are also special ways for programs to substitute +other keymaps for some of those. The variable +@code{overriding-local-map}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap +that replaces all the usual active keymaps except the global keymap. +Another way to do this is with @code{overriding-terminal-local-map}; +it operates on a per-terminal basis. These variables are documented +below. + +@cindex major mode keymap + Since every buffer that uses the same major mode normally uses the +same local keymap, you can think of the keymap as local to the mode. A +change to the local keymap of a buffer (using @code{local-set-key}, for +example) is seen also in the other buffers that share that keymap. + + The local keymaps that are used for Lisp mode and some other major +modes exist even if they have not yet been used. These local keymaps are +the values of variables such as @code{lisp-mode-map}. For most major +modes, which are less frequently used, the local keymap is constructed +only when the mode is used for the first time in a session. + + The minibuffer has local keymaps, too; they contain various completion +and exit commands. @xref{Intro to Minibuffers}. + + Emacs has other keymaps that are used in a different way---translating +events within @code{read-key-sequence}. @xref{Translation Keymaps}. + + @xref{Standard Keymaps}, for a list of standard keymaps. + +@defun current-active-maps &optional olp position +This returns the list of active keymaps that would be used by the +command loop in the current circumstances to look up a key sequence. +Normally it ignores @code{overriding-local-map} and +@code{overriding-terminal-local-map}, but if @var{olp} is non-@code{nil} +then it pays attention to them. @var{position} can optionally be either +an event position as returned by @code{event-start} or a buffer +position, and may change the keymaps as described for +@code{key-binding}. +@end defun + +@defun key-binding key &optional accept-defaults no-remap position +This function returns the binding for @var{key} according to the +current active keymaps. The result is @code{nil} if @var{key} is +undefined in the keymaps. + +The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default +bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (@pxref{Functions for Key Lookup}). + +When commands are remapped (@pxref{Remapping Commands}), +@code{key-binding} normally processes command remappings so as to +returns the remapped command that will actually be executed. However, +if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}, @code{key-binding} ignores +remappings and returns the binding directly specified for @var{key}. + +If @var{key} starts with a mouse event (perhaps following a prefix +event), the maps to be consulted are determined based on the event's +position. Otherwise, they are determined based on the value of point. +However, you can override either of them by specifying @var{position}. +If @var{position} is non-@code{nil}, it should be either a buffer +position or an event position like the value of @code{event-start}. +Then the maps consulted are determined based on @var{position}. + +An error is signaled if @var{key} is not a string or a vector. + +@example +@group +(key-binding "\C-x\C-f") + @result{} find-file +@end group +@end example +@end defun + +@node Searching Keymaps +@section Searching the Active Keymaps +@cindex searching active keymaps for keys + + After translation of event subsequences (@pxref{Translation +Keymaps}) Emacs looks for them in the active keymaps. Here is a +pseudo-Lisp description of the order and conditions for searching +them: + +@lisp +(or (if overriding-terminal-local-map + (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map) + (if overriding-local-map + (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map) + (or (@var{find-in} (get-char-property (point) 'keymap)) + (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists) + (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist) + (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist) + (if (get-text-property (point) 'local-map) + (@var{find-in} (get-char-property (point) 'local-map)) + (@var{find-in} (current-local-map)))))) + (@var{find-in} (current-global-map))) +@end lisp + +@noindent +The @var{find-in} and @var{find-in-any} are pseudo functions that +search in one keymap and in an alist of keymaps, respectively. +(Searching a single keymap for a binding is called @dfn{key lookup}; +see @ref{Key Lookup}.) If the key sequence starts with a mouse event, +or a symbolic prefix event followed by a mouse event, that event's +position is used instead of point and the current buffer. Mouse +events on an embedded string use non-@code{nil} text properties from +that string instead of the buffer. + +@enumerate +@item +The function finally found may be remapped +(@pxref{Remapping Commands}). + +@item +Characters that are bound to @code{self-insert-command} are translated +according to @code{translation-table-for-input} before insertion. + +@item +@code{current-active-maps} returns a list of the +currently active keymaps at point. + +@item +When a match is found (@pxref{Key Lookup}), if the binding in the +keymap is a function, the search is over. However if the keymap entry +is a symbol with a value or a string, Emacs replaces the input key +sequences with the variable's value or the string, and restarts the +search of the active keymaps. +@end enumerate + +@node Controlling Active Maps +@section Controlling the Active Keymaps + +@defvar global-map +This variable contains the default global keymap that maps Emacs +keyboard input to commands. The global keymap is normally this +keymap. The default global keymap is a full keymap that binds +@code{self-insert-command} to all of the printing characters. + +It is normal practice to change the bindings in the global keymap, but you +should not assign this variable any value other than the keymap it starts +out with. +@end defvar + +@defun current-global-map +This function returns the current global keymap. This is the +same as the value of @code{global-map} unless you change one or the +other. + +@example +@group +(current-global-map) +@result{} (keymap [set-mark-command beginning-of-line @dots{} + delete-backward-char]) +@end group +@end example +@end defun + +@defun current-local-map +This function returns the current buffer's local keymap, or @code{nil} +if it has none. In the following example, the keymap for the +@samp{*scratch*} buffer (using Lisp Interaction mode) is a sparse keymap +in which the entry for @key{ESC}, @acronym{ASCII} code 27, is another sparse +keymap. + +@example +@group +(current-local-map) +@result{} (keymap + (10 . eval-print-last-sexp) + (9 . lisp-indent-line) + (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) +@end group +@group + (27 keymap + (24 . eval-defun) + (17 . indent-sexp))) +@end group +@end example +@end defun + +@defun current-minor-mode-maps +This function returns a list of the keymaps of currently enabled minor modes. +@end defun + +@defun use-global-map keymap +This function makes @var{keymap} the new current global keymap. It +returns @code{nil}. + +It is very unusual to change the global keymap. +@end defun + +@defun use-local-map keymap +This function makes @var{keymap} the new local keymap of the current +buffer. If @var{keymap} is @code{nil}, then the buffer has no local +keymap. @code{use-local-map} returns @code{nil}. Most major mode +commands use this function. +@end defun + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@defvar minor-mode-map-alist +@anchor{Definition of minor-mode-map-alist} +This variable is an alist describing keymaps that may or may not be +active according to the values of certain variables. Its elements look +like this: + +@example +(@var{variable} . @var{keymap}) +@end example + +The keymap @var{keymap} is active whenever @var{variable} has a +non-@code{nil} value. Typically @var{variable} is the variable that +enables or disables a minor mode. @xref{Keymaps and Minor Modes}. + +Note that elements of @code{minor-mode-map-alist} do not have the same +structure as elements of @code{minor-mode-alist}. The map must be the +@sc{cdr} of the element; a list with the map as the second element will +not do. The @sc{cdr} can be either a keymap (a list) or a symbol whose +function definition is a keymap. + +When more than one minor mode keymap is active, the earlier one in +@code{minor-mode-map-alist} takes priority. But you should design +minor modes so that they don't interfere with each other. If you do +this properly, the order will not matter. + +See @ref{Keymaps and Minor Modes}, for more information about minor +modes. See also @code{minor-mode-key-binding} (@pxref{Functions for Key +Lookup}). +@end defvar + +@defvar minor-mode-overriding-map-alist +This variable allows major modes to override the key bindings for +particular minor modes. The elements of this alist look like the +elements of @code{minor-mode-map-alist}: @code{(@var{variable} +. @var{keymap})}. + +If a variable appears as an element of +@code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist}, the map specified by that +element totally replaces any map specified for the same variable in +@code{minor-mode-map-alist}. + +@code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist} is automatically buffer-local in +all buffers. +@end defvar + +@defvar overriding-local-map +If non-@code{nil}, this variable holds a keymap to use instead of the +buffer's local keymap, any text property or overlay keymaps, and any +minor mode keymaps. This keymap, if specified, overrides all other +maps that would have been active, except for the current global map. +@end defvar + +@defvar overriding-terminal-local-map +If non-@code{nil}, this variable holds a keymap to use instead of +@code{overriding-local-map}, the buffer's local keymap, text property +or overlay keymaps, and all the minor mode keymaps. + +This variable is always local to the current terminal and cannot be +buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Displays}. It is used to implement +incremental search mode. +@end defvar + +@defvar overriding-local-map-menu-flag +If this variable is non-@code{nil}, the value of +@code{overriding-local-map} or @code{overriding-terminal-local-map} can +affect the display of the menu bar. The default value is @code{nil}, so +those map variables have no effect on the menu bar. + +Note that these two map variables do affect the execution of key +sequences entered using the menu bar, even if they do not affect the +menu bar display. So if a menu bar key sequence comes in, you should +clear the variables before looking up and executing that key sequence. +Modes that use the variables would typically do this anyway; normally +they respond to events that they do not handle by ``unreading'' them and +exiting. +@end defvar + +@defvar special-event-map +This variable holds a keymap for special events. If an event type has a +binding in this keymap, then it is special, and the binding for the +event is run directly by @code{read-event}. @xref{Special Events}. +@end defvar + +@defvar emulation-mode-map-alists +This variable holds a list of keymap alists to use for emulations +modes. It is intended for modes or packages using multiple minor-mode +keymaps. Each element is a keymap alist which has the same format and +meaning as @code{minor-mode-map-alist}, or a symbol with a variable +binding which is such an alist. The ``active'' keymaps in each alist +are used before @code{minor-mode-map-alist} and +@code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist}. +@end defvar + +@node Key Lookup +@section Key Lookup +@cindex key lookup +@cindex keymap entry + + @dfn{Key lookup} is the process of finding the binding of a key +sequence from a given keymap. The execution or use of the binding is +not part of key lookup. + + Key lookup uses just the event type of each event in the key sequence; +the rest of the event is ignored. In fact, a key sequence used for key +lookup may designate a mouse event with just its types (a symbol) +instead of the entire event (a list). @xref{Input Events}. Such +a ``key sequence'' is insufficient for @code{command-execute} to run, +but it is sufficient for looking up or rebinding a key. + + When the key sequence consists of multiple events, key lookup +processes the events sequentially: the binding of the first event is +found, and must be a keymap; then the second event's binding is found in +that keymap, and so on until all the events in the key sequence are used +up. (The binding thus found for the last event may or may not be a +keymap.) Thus, the process of key lookup is defined in terms of a +simpler process for looking up a single event in a keymap. How that is +done depends on the type of object associated with the event in that +keymap. + + Let's use the term @dfn{keymap entry} to describe the value found by +looking up an event type in a keymap. (This doesn't include the item +string and other extra elements in a keymap element for a menu item, because +@code{lookup-key} and other key lookup functions don't include them in +the returned value.) While any Lisp object may be stored in a keymap +as a keymap entry, not all make sense for key lookup. Here is a table +of the meaningful types of keymap entries: + +@table @asis +@item @code{nil} +@cindex @code{nil} in keymap +@code{nil} means that the events used so far in the lookup form an +undefined key. When a keymap fails to mention an event type at all, and +has no default binding, that is equivalent to a binding of @code{nil} +for that event type. + +@item @var{command} +@cindex command in keymap +The events used so far in the lookup form a complete key, +and @var{command} is its binding. @xref{What Is a Function}. + +@item @var{array} +@cindex string in keymap +The array (either a string or a vector) is a keyboard macro. The events +used so far in the lookup form a complete key, and the array is its +binding. See @ref{Keyboard Macros}, for more information. + +@item @var{keymap} +@cindex keymap in keymap +The events used so far in the lookup form a prefix key. The next +event of the key sequence is looked up in @var{keymap}. + +@item @var{list} +@cindex list in keymap +The meaning of a list depends on what it contains: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is the symbol @code{keymap}, then the list +is a keymap, and is treated as a keymap (see above). + +@item +@cindex @code{lambda} in keymap +If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is @code{lambda}, then the list is a +lambda expression. This is presumed to be a function, and is treated +as such (see above). In order to execute properly as a key binding, +this function must be a command---it must have an @code{interactive} +specification. @xref{Defining Commands}. + +@item +If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is a keymap and the @sc{cdr} is an event +type, then this is an @dfn{indirect entry}: + +@example +(@var{othermap} . @var{othertype}) +@end example + +When key lookup encounters an indirect entry, it looks up instead the +binding of @var{othertype} in @var{othermap} and uses that. + +This feature permits you to define one key as an alias for another key. +For example, an entry whose @sc{car} is the keymap called @code{esc-map} +and whose @sc{cdr} is 32 (the code for @key{SPC}) means, ``Use the global +binding of @kbd{Meta-@key{SPC}}, whatever that may be.'' +@end itemize + +@item @var{symbol} +@cindex symbol in keymap +The function definition of @var{symbol} is used in place of +@var{symbol}. If that too is a symbol, then this process is repeated, +any number of times. Ultimately this should lead to an object that is +a keymap, a command, or a keyboard macro. A list is allowed if it is a +keymap or a command, but indirect entries are not understood when found +via symbols. + +Note that keymaps and keyboard macros (strings and vectors) are not +valid functions, so a symbol with a keymap, string, or vector as its +function definition is invalid as a function. It is, however, valid as +a key binding. If the definition is a keyboard macro, then the symbol +is also valid as an argument to @code{command-execute} +(@pxref{Interactive Call}). + +@cindex @code{undefined} in keymap +The symbol @code{undefined} is worth special mention: it means to treat +the key as undefined. Strictly speaking, the key is defined, and its +binding is the command @code{undefined}; but that command does the same +thing that is done automatically for an undefined key: it rings the bell +(by calling @code{ding}) but does not signal an error. + +@cindex preventing prefix key +@code{undefined} is used in local keymaps to override a global key +binding and make the key ``undefined'' locally. A local binding of +@code{nil} would fail to do this because it would not override the +global binding. + +@item @var{anything else} +If any other type of object is found, the events used so far in the +lookup form a complete key, and the object is its binding, but the +binding is not executable as a command. +@end table + + In short, a keymap entry may be a keymap, a command, a keyboard macro, +a symbol that leads to one of them, or an indirection or @code{nil}. +Here is an example of a sparse keymap with two characters bound to +commands and one bound to another keymap. This map is the normal value +of @code{emacs-lisp-mode-map}. Note that 9 is the code for @key{TAB}, +127 for @key{DEL}, 27 for @key{ESC}, 17 for @kbd{C-q} and 24 for +@kbd{C-x}. + +@example +@group +(keymap (9 . lisp-indent-line) + (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) + (27 keymap (17 . indent-sexp) (24 . eval-defun))) +@end group +@end example + +@node Functions for Key Lookup +@section Functions for Key Lookup + + Here are the functions and variables pertaining to key lookup. + +@defun lookup-key keymap key &optional accept-defaults +This function returns the definition of @var{key} in @var{keymap}. All +the other functions described in this chapter that look up keys use +@code{lookup-key}. Here are examples: + +@example +@group +(lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f") + @result{} find-file +@end group +@group +(lookup-key (current-global-map) (kbd "C-x C-f")) + @result{} find-file +@end group +@group +(lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f12345") + @result{} 2 +@end group +@end example + +If the string or vector @var{key} is not a valid key sequence according +to the prefix keys specified in @var{keymap}, it must be ``too long'' +and have extra events at the end that do not fit into a single key +sequence. Then the value is a number, the number of events at the front +of @var{key} that compose a complete key. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +If @var{accept-defaults} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{lookup-key} +considers default bindings as well as bindings for the specific events +in @var{key}. Otherwise, @code{lookup-key} reports only bindings for +the specific sequence @var{key}, ignoring default bindings except when +you explicitly ask about them. (To do this, supply @code{t} as an +element of @var{key}; see @ref{Format of Keymaps}.) + +If @var{key} contains a meta character (not a function key), that +character is implicitly replaced by a two-character sequence: the value +of @code{meta-prefix-char}, followed by the corresponding non-meta +character. Thus, the first example below is handled by conversion into +the second example. + +@example +@group +(lookup-key (current-global-map) "\M-f") + @result{} forward-word +@end group +@group +(lookup-key (current-global-map) "\ef") + @result{} forward-word +@end group +@end example + +Unlike @code{read-key-sequence}, this function does not modify the +specified events in ways that discard information (@pxref{Key Sequence +Input}). In particular, it does not convert letters to lower case and +it does not change drag events to clicks. +@end defun + +@deffn Command undefined +Used in keymaps to undefine keys. It calls @code{ding}, but does +not cause an error. +@end deffn + +@defun local-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults +This function returns the binding for @var{key} in the current +local keymap, or @code{nil} if it is undefined there. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default bindings, +as in @code{lookup-key} (above). +@end defun + +@defun global-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults +This function returns the binding for command @var{key} in the +current global keymap, or @code{nil} if it is undefined there. + +@c Emacs 19 feature +The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default bindings, +as in @code{lookup-key} (above). +@end defun + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@defun minor-mode-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults +This function returns a list of all the active minor mode bindings of +@var{key}. More precisely, it returns an alist of pairs +@code{(@var{modename} . @var{binding})}, where @var{modename} is the +variable that enables the minor mode, and @var{binding} is @var{key}'s +binding in that mode. If @var{key} has no minor-mode bindings, the +value is @code{nil}. + +If the first binding found is not a prefix definition (a keymap or a +symbol defined as a keymap), all subsequent bindings from other minor +modes are omitted, since they would be completely shadowed. Similarly, +the list omits non-prefix bindings that follow prefix bindings. + +The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default +bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (above). +@end defun + +@defvar meta-prefix-char +@cindex @key{ESC} +This variable is the meta-prefix character code. It is used for +translating a meta character to a two-character sequence so it can be +looked up in a keymap. For useful results, the value should be a +prefix event (@pxref{Prefix Keys}). The default value is 27, which is +the @acronym{ASCII} code for @key{ESC}. + +As long as the value of @code{meta-prefix-char} remains 27, key lookup +translates @kbd{M-b} into @kbd{@key{ESC} b}, which is normally defined +as the @code{backward-word} command. However, if you were to set +@code{meta-prefix-char} to 24, the code for @kbd{C-x}, then Emacs will +translate @kbd{M-b} into @kbd{C-x b}, whose standard binding is the +@code{switch-to-buffer} command. (Don't actually do this!) Here is an +illustration of what would happen: + +@smallexample +@group +meta-prefix-char ; @r{The default value.} + @result{} 27 +@end group +@group +(key-binding "\M-b") + @result{} backward-word +@end group +@group +?\C-x ; @r{The print representation} + @result{} 24 ; @r{of a character.} +@end group +@group +(setq meta-prefix-char 24) + @result{} 24 +@end group +@group +(key-binding "\M-b") + @result{} switch-to-buffer ; @r{Now, typing @kbd{M-b} is} + ; @r{like typing @kbd{C-x b}.} + +(setq meta-prefix-char 27) ; @r{Avoid confusion!} + @result{} 27 ; @r{Restore the default value!} +@end group +@end smallexample + +This translation of one event into two happens only for characters, not +for other kinds of input events. Thus, @kbd{M-@key{F1}}, a function +key, is not converted into @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{F1}}. +@end defvar + +@node Changing Key Bindings +@section Changing Key Bindings +@cindex changing key bindings +@cindex rebinding + + The way to rebind a key is to change its entry in a keymap. If you +change a binding in the global keymap, the change is effective in all +buffers (though it has no direct effect in buffers that shadow the +global binding with a local one). If you change the current buffer's +local map, that usually affects all buffers using the same major mode. +The @code{global-set-key} and @code{local-set-key} functions are +convenient interfaces for these operations (@pxref{Key Binding +Commands}). You can also use @code{define-key}, a more general +function; then you must specify explicitly the map to change. + + When choosing the key sequences for Lisp programs to rebind, please +follow the Emacs conventions for use of various keys (@pxref{Key +Binding Conventions}). + +@cindex meta character key constants +@cindex control character key constants + In writing the key sequence to rebind, it is good to use the special +escape sequences for control and meta characters (@pxref{String Type}). +The syntax @samp{\C-} means that the following character is a control +character and @samp{\M-} means that the following character is a meta +character. Thus, the string @code{"\M-x"} is read as containing a +single @kbd{M-x}, @code{"\C-f"} is read as containing a single +@kbd{C-f}, and @code{"\M-\C-x"} and @code{"\C-\M-x"} are both read as +containing a single @kbd{C-M-x}. You can also use this escape syntax in +vectors, as well as others that aren't allowed in strings; one example +is @samp{[?\C-\H-x home]}. @xref{Character Type}. + + The key definition and lookup functions accept an alternate syntax for +event types in a key sequence that is a vector: you can use a list +containing modifier names plus one base event (a character or function +key name). For example, @code{(control ?a)} is equivalent to +@code{?\C-a} and @code{(hyper control left)} is equivalent to +@code{C-H-left}. One advantage of such lists is that the precise +numeric codes for the modifier bits don't appear in compiled files. + + The functions below signal an error if @var{keymap} is not a keymap, +or if @var{key} is not a string or vector representing a key sequence. +You can use event types (symbols) as shorthand for events that are +lists. The @code{kbd} macro (@pxref{Key Sequences}) is a convenient +way to specify the key sequence. + +@defun define-key keymap key binding +This function sets the binding for @var{key} in @var{keymap}. (If +@var{key} is more than one event long, the change is actually made +in another keymap reached from @var{keymap}.) The argument +@var{binding} can be any Lisp object, but only certain types are +meaningful. (For a list of meaningful types, see @ref{Key Lookup}.) +The value returned by @code{define-key} is @var{binding}. + +If @var{key} is @code{[t]}, this sets the default binding in +@var{keymap}. When an event has no binding of its own, the Emacs +command loop uses the keymap's default binding, if there is one. + +@cindex invalid prefix key error +@cindex key sequence error +Every prefix of @var{key} must be a prefix key (i.e., bound to a keymap) +or undefined; otherwise an error is signaled. If some prefix of +@var{key} is undefined, then @code{define-key} defines it as a prefix +key so that the rest of @var{key} can be defined as specified. + +If there was previously no binding for @var{key} in @var{keymap}, the +new binding is added at the beginning of @var{keymap}. The order of +bindings in a keymap makes no difference for keyboard input, but it +does matter for menu keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). +@end defun + + This example creates a sparse keymap and makes a number of +bindings in it: + +@smallexample +@group +(setq map (make-sparse-keymap)) + @result{} (keymap) +@end group +@group +(define-key map "\C-f" 'forward-char) + @result{} forward-char +@end group +@group +map + @result{} (keymap (6 . forward-char)) +@end group + +@group +;; @r{Build sparse submap for @kbd{C-x} and bind @kbd{f} in that.} +(define-key map (kbd "C-x f") 'forward-word) + @result{} forward-word +@end group +@group +map +@result{} (keymap + (24 keymap ; @kbd{C-x} + (102 . forward-word)) ; @kbd{f} + (6 . forward-char)) ; @kbd{C-f} +@end group + +@group +;; @r{Bind @kbd{C-p} to the @code{ctl-x-map}.} +(define-key map (kbd "C-p") ctl-x-map) +;; @code{ctl-x-map} +@result{} [nil @dots{} find-file @dots{} backward-kill-sentence] +@end group + +@group +;; @r{Bind @kbd{C-f} to @code{foo} in the @code{ctl-x-map}.} +(define-key map (kbd "C-p C-f") 'foo) +@result{} 'foo +@end group +@group +map +@result{} (keymap ; @r{Note @code{foo} in @code{ctl-x-map}.} + (16 keymap [nil @dots{} foo @dots{} backward-kill-sentence]) + (24 keymap + (102 . forward-word)) + (6 . forward-char)) +@end group +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Note that storing a new binding for @kbd{C-p C-f} actually works by +changing an entry in @code{ctl-x-map}, and this has the effect of +changing the bindings of both @kbd{C-p C-f} and @kbd{C-x C-f} in the +default global map. + + The function @code{substitute-key-definition} scans a keymap for +keys that have a certain binding and rebinds them with a different +binding. Another feature which is cleaner and can often produce the +same results to remap one command into another (@pxref{Remapping +Commands}). + +@defun substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap &optional oldmap +@cindex replace bindings +This function replaces @var{olddef} with @var{newdef} for any keys in +@var{keymap} that were bound to @var{olddef}. In other words, +@var{olddef} is replaced with @var{newdef} wherever it appears. The +function returns @code{nil}. + +For example, this redefines @kbd{C-x C-f}, if you do it in an Emacs with +standard bindings: + +@smallexample +@group +(substitute-key-definition + 'find-file 'find-file-read-only (current-global-map)) +@end group +@end smallexample + +@c Emacs 19 feature +If @var{oldmap} is non-@code{nil}, that changes the behavior of +@code{substitute-key-definition}: the bindings in @var{oldmap} determine +which keys to rebind. The rebindings still happen in @var{keymap}, not +in @var{oldmap}. Thus, you can change one map under the control of the +bindings in another. For example, + +@smallexample +(substitute-key-definition + 'delete-backward-char 'my-funny-delete + my-map global-map) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +puts the special deletion command in @code{my-map} for whichever keys +are globally bound to the standard deletion command. + +Here is an example showing a keymap before and after substitution: + +@smallexample +@group +(setq map '(keymap + (?1 . olddef-1) + (?2 . olddef-2) + (?3 . olddef-1))) +@result{} (keymap (49 . olddef-1) (50 . olddef-2) (51 . olddef-1)) +@end group + +@group +(substitute-key-definition 'olddef-1 'newdef map) +@result{} nil +@end group +@group +map +@result{} (keymap (49 . newdef) (50 . olddef-2) (51 . newdef)) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end defun + +@defun suppress-keymap keymap &optional nodigits +@cindex @code{self-insert-command} override +This function changes the contents of the full keymap @var{keymap} by +remapping @code{self-insert-command} to the command @code{undefined} +(@pxref{Remapping Commands}). This has the effect of undefining all +printing characters, thus making ordinary insertion of text impossible. +@code{suppress-keymap} returns @code{nil}. + +If @var{nodigits} is @code{nil}, then @code{suppress-keymap} defines +digits to run @code{digit-argument}, and @kbd{-} to run +@code{negative-argument}. Otherwise it makes them undefined like the +rest of the printing characters. + +@cindex yank suppression +@cindex @code{quoted-insert} suppression +The @code{suppress-keymap} function does not make it impossible to +modify a buffer, as it does not suppress commands such as @code{yank} +and @code{quoted-insert}. To prevent any modification of a buffer, make +it read-only (@pxref{Read Only Buffers}). + +Since this function modifies @var{keymap}, you would normally use it +on a newly created keymap. Operating on an existing keymap +that is used for some other purpose is likely to cause trouble; for +example, suppressing @code{global-map} would make it impossible to use +most of Emacs. + +Most often, @code{suppress-keymap} is used to initialize local +keymaps of modes such as Rmail and Dired where insertion of text is not +desirable and the buffer is read-only. Here is an example taken from +the file @file{emacs/lisp/dired.el}, showing how the local keymap for +Dired mode is set up: + +@smallexample +@group +(setq dired-mode-map (make-keymap)) +(suppress-keymap dired-mode-map) +(define-key dired-mode-map "r" 'dired-rename-file) +(define-key dired-mode-map "\C-d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted) +(define-key dired-mode-map "d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted) +(define-key dired-mode-map "v" 'dired-view-file) +(define-key dired-mode-map "e" 'dired-find-file) +(define-key dired-mode-map "f" 'dired-find-file) +@dots{} +@end group +@end smallexample +@end defun + +@node Remapping Commands +@section Remapping Commands +@cindex remapping commands + + A special kind of key binding, using a special ``key sequence'' +which includes a command name, has the effect of @dfn{remapping} that +command into another. Here's how it works. You make a key binding +for a key sequence that starts with the dummy event @code{remap}, +followed by the command name you want to remap. Specify the remapped +definition as the definition in this binding. The remapped definition +is usually a command name, but it can be any valid definition for +a key binding. + + Here's an example. Suppose that My mode uses special commands +@code{my-kill-line} and @code{my-kill-word}, which should be invoked +instead of @code{kill-line} and @code{kill-word}. It can establish +this by making these two command-remapping bindings in its keymap: + +@smallexample +(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line) +(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-word] 'my-kill-word) +@end smallexample + +Whenever @code{my-mode-map} is an active keymap, if the user types +@kbd{C-k}, Emacs will find the standard global binding of +@code{kill-line} (assuming nobody has changed it). But +@code{my-mode-map} remaps @code{kill-line} to @code{my-kill-line}, +so instead of running @code{kill-line}, Emacs runs +@code{my-kill-line}. + +Remapping only works through a single level. In other words, + +@smallexample +(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line) +(define-key my-mode-map [remap my-kill-line] 'my-other-kill-line) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +does not have the effect of remapping @code{kill-line} into +@code{my-other-kill-line}. If an ordinary key binding specifies +@code{kill-line}, this keymap will remap it to @code{my-kill-line}; +if an ordinary binding specifies @code{my-kill-line}, this keymap will +remap it to @code{my-other-kill-line}. + +@defun command-remapping command &optional position keymaps +This function returns the remapping for @var{command} (a symbol), +given the current active keymaps. If @var{command} is not remapped +(which is the usual situation), or not a symbol, the function returns +@code{nil}. @code{position} can optionally specify a buffer position +or an event position to determine the keymaps to use, as in +@code{key-binding}. + +If the optional argument @code{keymaps} is non-@code{nil}, it +specifies a list of keymaps to search in. This argument is ignored if +@code{position} is non-@code{nil}. +@end defun + +@node Translation Keymaps +@section Keymaps for Translating Sequences of Events +@cindex keymaps for translating events + + This section describes keymaps that are used during reading a key +sequence, to translate certain event sequences into others. +@code{read-key-sequence} checks every subsequence of the key sequence +being read, as it is read, against @code{function-key-map} and then +against @code{key-translation-map}. + +@defvar function-key-map +This variable holds a keymap that describes the character sequences sent +by function keys on an ordinary character terminal. This keymap has the +same structure as other keymaps, but is used differently: it specifies +translations to make while reading key sequences, rather than bindings +for key sequences. + +If @code{function-key-map} ``binds'' a key sequence @var{k} to a vector +@var{v}, then when @var{k} appears as a subsequence @emph{anywhere} in a +key sequence, it is replaced with the events in @var{v}. + +For example, VT100 terminals send @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} when the +keypad @key{PF1} key is pressed. Therefore, we want Emacs to translate +that sequence of events into the single event @code{pf1}. We accomplish +this by ``binding'' @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} to @code{[pf1]} in +@code{function-key-map}, when using a VT100. + +Thus, typing @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}} sends the character sequence @kbd{C-c +@key{ESC} O P}; later the function @code{read-key-sequence} translates +this back into @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}}, which it returns as the vector +@code{[?\C-c pf1]}. + +Entries in @code{function-key-map} are ignored if they conflict with +bindings made in the minor mode, local, or global keymaps. The intent +is that the character sequences that function keys send should not have +command bindings in their own right---but if they do, the ordinary +bindings take priority. + +The value of @code{function-key-map} is usually set up automatically +according to the terminal's Terminfo or Termcap entry, but sometimes +those need help from terminal-specific Lisp files. Emacs comes with +terminal-specific files for many common terminals; their main purpose is +to make entries in @code{function-key-map} beyond those that can be +deduced from Termcap and Terminfo. @xref{Terminal-Specific}. +@end defvar + +@defvar key-translation-map +This variable is another keymap used just like @code{function-key-map} +to translate input events into other events. It differs from +@code{function-key-map} in two ways: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@code{key-translation-map} goes to work after @code{function-key-map} is +finished; it receives the results of translation by +@code{function-key-map}. + +@item +Non-prefix bindings in @code{key-translation-map} override actual key +bindings. For example, if @kbd{C-x f} has a non-prefix binding in +@code{key-translation-map}, that translation takes effect even though +@kbd{C-x f} also has a key binding in the global map. +@end itemize + +Note however that actual key bindings can have an effect on +@code{key-translation-map}, even though they are overridden by it. +Indeed, actual key bindings override @code{function-key-map} and thus +may alter the key sequence that @code{key-translation-map} receives. +Clearly, it is better to avoid this type of situation. + +The intent of @code{key-translation-map} is for users to map one +character set to another, including ordinary characters normally bound +to @code{self-insert-command}. +@end defvar + +@cindex key translation function +You can use @code{function-key-map} or @code{key-translation-map} for +more than simple aliases, by using a function, instead of a key +sequence, as the ``translation'' of a key. Then this function is called +to compute the translation of that key. + +The key translation function receives one argument, which is the prompt +that was specified in @code{read-key-sequence}---or @code{nil} if the +key sequence is being read by the editor command loop. In most cases +you can ignore the prompt value. + +If the function reads input itself, it can have the effect of altering +the event that follows. For example, here's how to define @kbd{C-c h} +to turn the character that follows into a Hyper character: + +@example +@group +(defun hyperify (prompt) + (let ((e (read-event))) + (vector (if (numberp e) + (logior (lsh 1 24) e) + (if (memq 'hyper (event-modifiers e)) + e + (add-event-modifier "H-" e)))))) + +(defun add-event-modifier (string e) + (let ((symbol (if (symbolp e) e (car e)))) + (setq symbol (intern (concat string + (symbol-name symbol)))) +@end group +@group + (if (symbolp e) + symbol + (cons symbol (cdr e))))) + +(define-key function-key-map "\C-ch" 'hyperify) +@end group +@end example + + If you have enabled keyboard character set decoding using +@code{set-keyboard-coding-system}, decoding is done after the +translations listed above. @xref{Terminal I/O Encoding}. However, in +future Emacs versions, character set decoding may be done at an +earlier stage. + +@node Key Binding Commands +@section Commands for Binding Keys + + This section describes some convenient interactive interfaces for +changing key bindings. They work by calling @code{define-key}. + + People often use @code{global-set-key} in their init files +(@pxref{Init File}) for simple customization. For example, + +@smallexample +(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-\\") 'next-line) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +or + +@smallexample +(global-set-key [?\C-x ?\C-\\] 'next-line) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +or + +@smallexample +(global-set-key [(control ?x) (control ?\\)] 'next-line) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +redefines @kbd{C-x C-\} to move down a line. + +@smallexample +(global-set-key [M-mouse-1] 'mouse-set-point) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +redefines the first (leftmost) mouse button, entered with the Meta key, to +set point where you click. + +@cindex non-@acronym{ASCII} text in keybindings + Be careful when using non-@acronym{ASCII} text characters in Lisp +specifications of keys to bind. If these are read as multibyte text, as +they usually will be in a Lisp file (@pxref{Loading Non-ASCII}), you +must type the keys as multibyte too. For instance, if you use this: + +@smallexample +(global-set-key "@"o" 'my-function) ; bind o-umlaut +@end smallexample + +@noindent +or + +@smallexample +(global-set-key ?@"o 'my-function) ; bind o-umlaut +@end smallexample + +@noindent +and your language environment is multibyte Latin-1, these commands +actually bind the multibyte character with code 2294, not the unibyte +Latin-1 character with code 246 (@kbd{M-v}). In order to use this +binding, you need to enter the multibyte Latin-1 character as keyboard +input. One way to do this is by using an appropriate input method +(@pxref{Input Methods, , Input Methods, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). + + If you want to use a unibyte character in the key binding, you can +construct the key sequence string using @code{multibyte-char-to-unibyte} +or @code{string-make-unibyte} (@pxref{Converting Representations}). + +@deffn Command global-set-key key binding +This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current global map +to @var{binding}. + +@smallexample +@group +(global-set-key @var{key} @var{binding}) +@equiv{} +(define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} @var{binding}) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end deffn + +@deffn Command global-unset-key key +@cindex unbinding keys +This function removes the binding of @var{key} from the current +global map. + +One use of this function is in preparation for defining a longer key +that uses @var{key} as a prefix---which would not be allowed if +@var{key} has a non-prefix binding. For example: + +@smallexample +@group +(global-unset-key "\C-l") + @result{} nil +@end group +@group +(global-set-key "\C-l\C-l" 'redraw-display) + @result{} nil +@end group +@end smallexample + +This function is implemented simply using @code{define-key}: + +@smallexample +@group +(global-unset-key @var{key}) +@equiv{} +(define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} nil) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end deffn + +@deffn Command local-set-key key binding +This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current local +keymap to @var{binding}. + +@smallexample +@group +(local-set-key @var{key} @var{binding}) +@equiv{} +(define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} @var{binding}) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end deffn + +@deffn Command local-unset-key key +This function removes the binding of @var{key} from the current +local map. + +@smallexample +@group +(local-unset-key @var{key}) +@equiv{} +(define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} nil) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end deffn + +@node Scanning Keymaps +@section Scanning Keymaps + + This section describes functions used to scan all the current keymaps +for the sake of printing help information. + +@defun accessible-keymaps keymap &optional prefix +This function returns a list of all the keymaps that can be reached (via +zero or more prefix keys) from @var{keymap}. The value is an +association list with elements of the form @code{(@var{key} .@: +@var{map})}, where @var{key} is a prefix key whose definition in +@var{keymap} is @var{map}. + +The elements of the alist are ordered so that the @var{key} increases +in length. The first element is always @code{([] .@: @var{keymap})}, +because the specified keymap is accessible from itself with a prefix of +no events. + +If @var{prefix} is given, it should be a prefix key sequence; then +@code{accessible-keymaps} includes only the submaps whose prefixes start +with @var{prefix}. These elements look just as they do in the value of +@code{(accessible-keymaps)}; the only difference is that some elements +are omitted. + +In the example below, the returned alist indicates that the key +@key{ESC}, which is displayed as @samp{^[}, is a prefix key whose +definition is the sparse keymap @code{(keymap (83 .@: center-paragraph) +(115 .@: foo))}. + +@smallexample +@group +(accessible-keymaps (current-local-map)) +@result{}(([] keymap + (27 keymap ; @r{Note this keymap for @key{ESC} is repeated below.} + (83 . center-paragraph) + (115 . center-line)) + (9 . tab-to-tab-stop)) +@end group + +@group + ("^[" keymap + (83 . center-paragraph) + (115 . foo))) +@end group +@end smallexample + +In the following example, @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key that uses a sparse +keymap starting with @code{(keymap (118 . describe-variable)@dots{})}. +Another prefix, @kbd{C-x 4}, uses a keymap which is also the value of +the variable @code{ctl-x-4-map}. The event @code{mode-line} is one of +several dummy events used as prefixes for mouse actions in special parts +of a window. + +@smallexample +@group +(accessible-keymaps (current-global-map)) +@result{} (([] keymap [set-mark-command beginning-of-line @dots{} + delete-backward-char]) +@end group +@group + ("^H" keymap (118 . describe-variable) @dots{} + (8 . help-for-help)) +@end group +@group + ("^X" keymap [x-flush-mouse-queue @dots{} + backward-kill-sentence]) +@end group +@group + ("^[" keymap [mark-sexp backward-sexp @dots{} + backward-kill-word]) +@end group + ("^X4" keymap (15 . display-buffer) @dots{}) +@group + ([mode-line] keymap + (S-mouse-2 . mouse-split-window-horizontally) @dots{})) +@end group +@end smallexample + +@noindent +These are not all the keymaps you would see in actuality. +@end defun + +@defun map-keymap function keymap +The function @code{map-keymap} calls @var{function} once +for each binding in @var{keymap}. It passes two arguments, +the event type and the value of the binding. If @var{keymap} +has a parent, the parent's bindings are included as well. +This works recursively: if the parent has itself a parent, then the +grandparent's bindings are also included and so on. + +This function is the cleanest way to examine all the bindings +in a keymap. +@end defun + +@defun where-is-internal command &optional keymap firstonly noindirect no-remap +This function is a subroutine used by the @code{where-is} command +(@pxref{Help, , Help, emacs,The GNU Emacs Manual}). It returns a list +of all key sequences (of any length) that are bound to @var{command} in a +set of keymaps. + +The argument @var{command} can be any object; it is compared with all +keymap entries using @code{eq}. + +If @var{keymap} is @code{nil}, then the maps used are the current active +keymaps, disregarding @code{overriding-local-map} (that is, pretending +its value is @code{nil}). If @var{keymap} is a keymap, then the +maps searched are @var{keymap} and the global keymap. If @var{keymap} +is a list of keymaps, only those keymaps are searched. + +Usually it's best to use @code{overriding-local-map} as the expression +for @var{keymap}. Then @code{where-is-internal} searches precisely the +keymaps that are active. To search only the global map, pass +@code{(keymap)} (an empty keymap) as @var{keymap}. + +If @var{firstonly} is @code{non-ascii}, then the value is a single +vector representing the first key sequence found, rather than a list of +all possible key sequences. If @var{firstonly} is @code{t}, then the +value is the first key sequence, except that key sequences consisting +entirely of @acronym{ASCII} characters (or meta variants of @acronym{ASCII} +characters) are preferred to all other key sequences and that the +return value can never be a menu binding. + +If @var{noindirect} is non-@code{nil}, @code{where-is-internal} doesn't +follow indirect keymap bindings. This makes it possible to search for +an indirect definition itself. + +When command remapping is in effect (@pxref{Remapping Commands}), +@code{where-is-internal} figures out when a command will be run due to +remapping and reports keys accordingly. It also returns @code{nil} if +@var{command} won't really be run because it has been remapped to some +other command. However, if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}. +@code{where-is-internal} ignores remappings. + +@smallexample +@group +(where-is-internal 'describe-function) + @result{} ([8 102] [f1 102] [help 102] + [menu-bar help-menu describe describe-function]) +@end group +@end smallexample +@end defun + +@deffn Command describe-bindings &optional prefix buffer-or-name +This function creates a listing of all current key bindings, and +displays it in a buffer named @samp{*Help*}. The text is grouped by +modes---minor modes first, then the major mode, then global bindings. + +If @var{prefix} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a prefix key; then the +listing includes only keys that start with @var{prefix}. + +The listing describes meta characters as @key{ESC} followed by the +corresponding non-meta character. + +When several characters with consecutive @acronym{ASCII} codes have the +same definition, they are shown together, as +@samp{@var{firstchar}..@var{lastchar}}. In this instance, you need to +know the @acronym{ASCII} codes to understand which characters this means. +For example, in the default global map, the characters @samp{@key{SPC} +..@: ~} are described by a single line. @key{SPC} is @acronym{ASCII} 32, +@kbd{~} is @acronym{ASCII} 126, and the characters between them include all +the normal printing characters, (e.g., letters, digits, punctuation, +etc.@:); all these characters are bound to @code{self-insert-command}. + +If @var{buffer-or-name} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a buffer or a +buffer name. Then @code{describe-bindings} lists that buffer's bindings, +instead of the current buffer's. +@end deffn + +@node Menu Keymaps +@section Menu Keymaps +@cindex menu keymaps + +A keymap can operate as a menu as well as defining bindings for +keyboard keys and mouse buttons. Menus are usually actuated with the +mouse, but they can function with the keyboard also. If a menu keymap +is active for the next input event, that activates the keyboard menu +feature. + +@menu +* Defining Menus:: How to make a keymap that defines a menu. +* Mouse Menus:: How users actuate the menu with the mouse. +* Keyboard Menus:: How users actuate the menu with the keyboard. +* Menu Example:: Making a simple menu. +* Menu Bar:: How to customize the menu bar. +* Tool Bar:: A tool bar is a row of images. +* Modifying Menus:: How to add new items to a menu. +@end menu + +@node Defining Menus +@subsection Defining Menus +@cindex defining menus +@cindex menu prompt string +@cindex prompt string (of menu) + +A keymap acts as a menu if it has an @dfn{overall prompt string}, +which is a string that appears as an element of the keymap. +(@xref{Format of Keymaps}.) The string should describe the purpose of +the menu's commands. Emacs displays the overall prompt string as the +menu title in some cases, depending on the toolkit (if any) used for +displaying menus.@footnote{It is required for menus which do not use a +toolkit, e.g.@: under MS-DOS.} Keyboard menus also display the +overall prompt string. + +The easiest way to construct a keymap with a prompt string is to +specify the string as an argument when you call @code{make-keymap}, +@code{make-sparse-keymap} (@pxref{Creating Keymaps}), or +@code{define-prefix-command} (@pxref{Definition of +define-prefix-command}). If you do not want the keymap to operate as +a menu, don't specify a prompt string for it. + +@defun keymap-prompt keymap +This function returns the overall prompt string of @var{keymap}, +or @code{nil} if it has none. +@end defun + +The menu's items are the bindings in the keymap. Each binding +associates an event type to a definition, but the event types have no +significance for the menu appearance. (Usually we use pseudo-events, +symbols that the keyboard cannot generate, as the event types for menu +item bindings.) The menu is generated entirely from the bindings that +correspond in the keymap to these events. + +The order of items in the menu is the same as the order of bindings in +the keymap. Since @code{define-key} puts new bindings at the front, you +should define the menu items starting at the bottom of the menu and +moving to the top, if you care about the order. When you add an item to +an existing menu, you can specify its position in the menu using +@code{define-key-after} (@pxref{Modifying Menus}). + +@menu +* Simple Menu Items:: A simple kind of menu key binding, + limited in capabilities. +* Extended Menu Items:: More powerful menu item definitions + let you specify keywords to enable + various features. +* Menu Separators:: Drawing a horizontal line through a menu. +* Alias Menu Items:: Using command aliases in menu items. +@end menu + +@node Simple Menu Items +@subsubsection Simple Menu Items + + The simpler (and original) way to define a menu item is to bind some +event type (it doesn't matter what event type) to a binding like this: + +@example +(@var{item-string} . @var{real-binding}) +@end example + +@noindent +The @sc{car}, @var{item-string}, is the string to be displayed in the +menu. It should be short---preferably one to three words. It should +describe the action of the command it corresponds to. Note that it is +not generally possible to display non-@acronym{ASCII} text in menus. It will +work for keyboard menus and will work to a large extent when Emacs is +built with the Gtk+ toolkit.@footnote{In this case, the text is first +encoded using the @code{utf-8} coding system and then rendered by the +toolkit as it sees fit.} + + You can also supply a second string, called the help string, as follows: + +@example +(@var{item-string} @var{help} . @var{real-binding}) +@end example + +@noindent +@var{help} specifies a ``help-echo'' string to display while the mouse +is on that item in the same way as @code{help-echo} text properties +(@pxref{Help display}). + + As far as @code{define-key} is concerned, @var{item-string} and +@var{help-string} are part of the event's binding. However, +@code{lookup-key} returns just @var{real-binding}, and only +@var{real-binding} is used for executing the key. + + If @var{real-binding} is @code{nil}, then @var{item-string} appears in +the menu but cannot be selected. + + If @var{real-binding} is a symbol and has a non-@code{nil} +@code{menu-enable} property, that property is an expression that +controls whether the menu item is enabled. Every time the keymap is +used to display a menu, Emacs evaluates the expression, and it enables +the menu item only if the expression's value is non-@code{nil}. When a +menu item is disabled, it is displayed in a ``fuzzy'' fashion, and +cannot be selected. + + The menu bar does not recalculate which items are enabled every time you +look at a menu. This is because the X toolkit requires the whole tree +of menus in advance. To force recalculation of the menu bar, call +@code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}). + + You've probably noticed that menu items show the equivalent keyboard key +sequence (if any) to invoke the same command. To save time on +recalculation, menu display caches this information in a sublist in the +binding, like this: + +@c This line is not too long--rms. +@example +(@var{item-string} @r{[}@var{help}@r{]} (@var{key-binding-data}) . @var{real-binding}) +@end example + +@noindent +Don't put these sublists in the menu item yourself; menu display +calculates them automatically. Don't mention keyboard equivalents in +the item strings themselves, since that is redundant. + +@node Extended Menu Items +@subsubsection Extended Menu Items +@kindex menu-item + + An extended-format menu item is a more flexible and also cleaner +alternative to the simple format. You define an event type with a +binding that's a list starting with the symbol @code{menu-item}. +For a non-selectable string, the binding looks like this: + +@example +(menu-item @var{item-name}) +@end example + +@noindent +A string starting with two or more dashes specifies a separator line; +see @ref{Menu Separators}. + + To define a real menu item which can be selected, the extended format +binding looks like this: + +@example +(menu-item @var{item-name} @var{real-binding} + . @var{item-property-list}) +@end example + +@noindent +Here, @var{item-name} is an expression which evaluates to the menu item +string. Thus, the string need not be a constant. The third element, +@var{real-binding}, is the command to execute. The tail of the list, +@var{item-property-list}, has the form of a property list which contains +other information. + + When an equivalent keyboard key binding is cached, the extended menu +item binding looks like this: + +@example +(menu-item @var{item-name} @var{real-binding} (@var{key-binding-data}) + . @var{item-property-list}) +@end example + + Here is a table of the properties that are supported: + +@table @code +@item :enable @var{form} +The result of evaluating @var{form} determines whether the item is +enabled (non-@code{nil} means yes). If the item is not enabled, +you can't really click on it. + +@item :visible @var{form} +The result of evaluating @var{form} determines whether the item should +actually appear in the menu (non-@code{nil} means yes). If the item +does not appear, then the menu is displayed as if this item were +not defined at all. + +@item :help @var{help} +The value of this property, @var{help}, specifies a ``help-echo'' string +to display while the mouse is on that item. This is displayed in the +same way as @code{help-echo} text properties (@pxref{Help display}). +Note that this must be a constant string, unlike the @code{help-echo} +property for text and overlays. + +@item :button (@var{type} . @var{selected}) +This property provides a way to define radio buttons and toggle buttons. +The @sc{car}, @var{type}, says which: it should be @code{:toggle} or +@code{:radio}. The @sc{cdr}, @var{selected}, should be a form; the +result of evaluating it says whether this button is currently selected. + +A @dfn{toggle} is a menu item which is labeled as either ``on'' or ``off'' +according to the value of @var{selected}. The command itself should +toggle @var{selected}, setting it to @code{t} if it is @code{nil}, +and to @code{nil} if it is @code{t}. Here is how the menu item +to toggle the @code{debug-on-error} flag is defined: + +@example +(menu-item "Debug on Error" toggle-debug-on-error + :button (:toggle + . (and (boundp 'debug-on-error) + debug-on-error))) +@end example + +@noindent +This works because @code{toggle-debug-on-error} is defined as a command +which toggles the variable @code{debug-on-error}. + +@dfn{Radio buttons} are a group of menu items, in which at any time one +and only one is ``selected.'' There should be a variable whose value +says which one is selected at any time. The @var{selected} form for +each radio button in the group should check whether the variable has the +right value for selecting that button. Clicking on the button should +set the variable so that the button you clicked on becomes selected. + +@item :key-sequence @var{key-sequence} +This property specifies which key sequence is likely to be bound to the +same command invoked by this menu item. If you specify the right key +sequence, that makes preparing the menu for display run much faster. + +If you specify the wrong key sequence, it has no effect; before Emacs +displays @var{key-sequence} in the menu, it verifies that +@var{key-sequence} is really equivalent to this menu item. + +@item :key-sequence nil +This property indicates that there is normally no key binding which is +equivalent to this menu item. Using this property saves time in +preparing the menu for display, because Emacs does not need to search +the keymaps for a keyboard equivalent for this menu item. + +However, if the user has rebound this item's definition to a key +sequence, Emacs ignores the @code{:keys} property and finds the keyboard +equivalent anyway. + +@item :keys @var{string} +This property specifies that @var{string} is the string to display +as the keyboard equivalent for this menu item. You can use +the @samp{\\[...]} documentation construct in @var{string}. + +@item :filter @var{filter-fn} +This property provides a way to compute the menu item dynamically. +The property value @var{filter-fn} should be a function of one argument; +when it is called, its argument will be @var{real-binding}. The +function should return the binding to use instead. + +Emacs can call this function at any time that it does redisplay or +operates on menu data structures, so you should write it so it can +safely be called at any time. +@end table + +@node Menu Separators +@subsubsection Menu Separators +@cindex menu separators + + A menu separator is a kind of menu item that doesn't display any +text---instead, it divides the menu into subparts with a horizontal line. +A separator looks like this in the menu keymap: + +@example +(menu-item @var{separator-type}) +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{separator-type} is a string starting with two or more dashes. + + In the simplest case, @var{separator-type} consists of only dashes. +That specifies the default kind of separator. (For compatibility, +@code{""} and @code{-} also count as separators.) + + Certain other values of @var{separator-type} specify a different +style of separator. Here is a table of them: + +@table @code +@item "--no-line" +@itemx "--space" +An extra vertical space, with no actual line. + +@item "--single-line" +A single line in the menu's foreground color. + +@item "--double-line" +A double line in the menu's foreground color. + +@item "--single-dashed-line" +A single dashed line in the menu's foreground color. + +@item "--double-dashed-line" +A double dashed line in the menu's foreground color. + +@item "--shadow-etched-in" +A single line with a 3D sunken appearance. This is the default, +used separators consisting of dashes only. + +@item "--shadow-etched-out" +A single line with a 3D raised appearance. + +@item "--shadow-etched-in-dash" +A single dashed line with a 3D sunken appearance. + +@item "--shadow-etched-out-dash" +A single dashed line with a 3D raised appearance. + +@item "--shadow-double-etched-in" +Two lines with a 3D sunken appearance. + +@item "--shadow-double-etched-out" +Two lines with a 3D raised appearance. + +@item "--shadow-double-etched-in-dash" +Two dashed lines with a 3D sunken appearance. + +@item "--shadow-double-etched-out-dash" +Two dashed lines with a 3D raised appearance. +@end table + + You can also give these names in another style, adding a colon after +the double-dash and replacing each single dash with capitalization of +the following word. Thus, @code{"--:singleLine"}, is equivalent to +@code{"--single-line"}. + + Some systems and display toolkits don't really handle all of these +separator types. If you use a type that isn't supported, the menu +displays a similar kind of separator that is supported. + +@node Alias Menu Items +@subsubsection Alias Menu Items + + Sometimes it is useful to make menu items that use the ``same'' +command but with different enable conditions. The best way to do this +in Emacs now is with extended menu items; before that feature existed, +it could be done by defining alias commands and using them in menu +items. Here's an example that makes two aliases for +@code{toggle-read-only} and gives them different enable conditions: + +@example +(defalias 'make-read-only 'toggle-read-only) +(put 'make-read-only 'menu-enable '(not buffer-read-only)) +(defalias 'make-writable 'toggle-read-only) +(put 'make-writable 'menu-enable 'buffer-read-only) +@end example + +When using aliases in menus, often it is useful to display the +equivalent key bindings for the ``real'' command name, not the aliases +(which typically don't have any key bindings except for the menu +itself). To request this, give the alias symbol a non-@code{nil} +@code{menu-alias} property. Thus, + +@example +(put 'make-read-only 'menu-alias t) +(put 'make-writable 'menu-alias t) +@end example + +@noindent +causes menu items for @code{make-read-only} and @code{make-writable} to +show the keyboard bindings for @code{toggle-read-only}. + +@node Mouse Menus +@subsection Menus and the Mouse + + The usual way to make a menu keymap produce a menu is to make it the +definition of a prefix key. (A Lisp program can explicitly pop up a +menu and receive the user's choice---see @ref{Pop-Up Menus}.) + + If the prefix key ends with a mouse event, Emacs handles the menu keymap +by popping up a visible menu, so that the user can select a choice with +the mouse. When the user clicks on a menu item, the event generated is +whatever character or symbol has the binding that brought about that +menu item. (A menu item may generate a series of events if the menu has +multiple levels or comes from the menu bar.) + + It's often best to use a button-down event to trigger the menu. Then +the user can select a menu item by releasing the button. + + A single keymap can appear as multiple menu panes, if you explicitly +arrange for this. The way to do this is to make a keymap for each pane, +then create a binding for each of those maps in the main keymap of the +menu. Give each of these bindings an item string that starts with +@samp{@@}. The rest of the item string becomes the name of the pane. +See the file @file{lisp/mouse.el} for an example of this. Any ordinary +bindings with @samp{@@}-less item strings are grouped into one pane, +which appears along with the other panes explicitly created for the +submaps. + + X toolkit menus don't have panes; instead, they can have submenus. +Every nested keymap becomes a submenu, whether the item string starts +with @samp{@@} or not. In a toolkit version of Emacs, the only thing +special about @samp{@@} at the beginning of an item string is that the +@samp{@@} doesn't appear in the menu item. + + Multiple keymaps that define the same menu prefix key produce +separate panes or separate submenus. + +@node Keyboard Menus +@subsection Menus and the Keyboard + + When a prefix key ending with a keyboard event (a character or +function key) has a definition that is a menu keymap, the keymap +operates as a keyboard menu; the user specifies the next event by +choosing a menu item with the keyboard. + + Emacs displays the keyboard menu with the map's overall prompt +string, followed by the alternatives (the item strings of the map's +bindings), in the echo area. If the bindings don't all fit at once, +the user can type @key{SPC} to see the next line of alternatives. +Successive uses of @key{SPC} eventually get to the end of the menu and +then cycle around to the beginning. (The variable +@code{menu-prompt-more-char} specifies which character is used for +this; @key{SPC} is the default.) + + When the user has found the desired alternative from the menu, he or +she should type the corresponding character---the one whose binding is +that alternative. + +@ignore +In a menu intended for keyboard use, each menu item must clearly +indicate what character to type. The best convention to use is to make +the character the first letter of the item string---that is something +users will understand without being told. We plan to change this; by +the time you read this manual, keyboard menus may explicitly name the +key for each alternative. +@end ignore + + This way of using menus in an Emacs-like editor was inspired by the +Hierarkey system. + +@defvar menu-prompt-more-char +This variable specifies the character to use to ask to see +the next line of a menu. Its initial value is 32, the code +for @key{SPC}. +@end defvar + +@node Menu Example +@subsection Menu Example +@cindex menu definition example + + Here is a complete example of defining a menu keymap. It is the +definition of the @samp{Replace} submenu in the @samp{Edit} menu in +the menu bar, and it uses the extended menu item format +(@pxref{Extended Menu Items}). First we create the keymap, and give +it a name: + +@smallexample +(defvar menu-bar-replace-menu (make-sparse-keymap "Replace")) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Next we define the menu items: + +@smallexample +(define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [tags-repl-continue] + '(menu-item "Continue Replace" tags-loop-continue + :help "Continue last tags replace operation")) +(define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [tags-repl] + '(menu-item "Replace in tagged files" tags-query-replace + :help "Interactively replace a regexp in all tagged files")) +(define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [separator-replace-tags] + '(menu-item "--")) +;; @r{@dots{}} +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Note the symbols which the bindings are ``made for''; these appear +inside square brackets, in the key sequence being defined. In some +cases, this symbol is the same as the command name; sometimes it is +different. These symbols are treated as ``function keys,'' but they are +not real function keys on the keyboard. They do not affect the +functioning of the menu itself, but they are ``echoed'' in the echo area +when the user selects from the menu, and they appear in the output of +@code{where-is} and @code{apropos}. + + The menu in this example is intended for use with the mouse. If a +menu is intended for use with the keyboard, that is, if it is bound to +a key sequence ending with a keyboard event, then the menu items +should be bound to characters or ``real'' function keys, that can be +typed with the keyboard. + + The binding whose definition is @code{("--")} is a separator line. +Like a real menu item, the separator has a key symbol, in this case +@code{separator-replace-tags}. If one menu has two separators, they +must have two different key symbols. + + Here is how we make this menu appear as an item in the parent menu: + +@example +(define-key menu-bar-edit-menu [replace] + (list 'menu-item "Replace" menu-bar-replace-menu)) +@end example + +@noindent +Note that this incorporates the submenu keymap, which is the value of +the variable @code{menu-bar-replace-menu}, rather than the symbol +@code{menu-bar-replace-menu} itself. Using that symbol in the parent +menu item would be meaningless because @code{menu-bar-replace-menu} is +not a command. + + If you wanted to attach the same replace menu to a mouse click, you +can do it this way: + +@example +(define-key global-map [C-S-down-mouse-1] + menu-bar-replace-menu) +@end example + +@node Menu Bar +@subsection The Menu Bar +@cindex menu bar + + Most window systems allow each frame to have a @dfn{menu bar}---a +permanently displayed menu stretching horizontally across the top of the +frame. The items of the menu bar are the subcommands of the fake +``function key'' @code{menu-bar}, as defined in the active keymaps. + + To add an item to the menu bar, invent a fake ``function key'' of your +own (let's call it @var{key}), and make a binding for the key sequence +@code{[menu-bar @var{key}]}. Most often, the binding is a menu keymap, +so that pressing a button on the menu bar item leads to another menu. + + When more than one active keymap defines the same fake function key +for the menu bar, the item appears just once. If the user clicks on +that menu bar item, it brings up a single, combined menu containing +all the subcommands of that item---the global subcommands, the local +subcommands, and the minor mode subcommands. + + The variable @code{overriding-local-map} is normally ignored when +determining the menu bar contents. That is, the menu bar is computed +from the keymaps that would be active if @code{overriding-local-map} +were @code{nil}. @xref{Active Keymaps}. + + In order for a frame to display a menu bar, its @code{menu-bar-lines} +parameter must be greater than zero. Emacs uses just one line for the +menu bar itself; if you specify more than one line, the other lines +serve to separate the menu bar from the windows in the frame. We +recommend 1 or 2 as the value of @code{menu-bar-lines}. @xref{Layout +Parameters}. + + Here's an example of setting up a menu bar item: + +@example +@group +(modify-frame-parameters (selected-frame) + '((menu-bar-lines . 2))) +@end group + +@group +;; @r{Make a menu keymap (with a prompt string)} +;; @r{and make it the menu bar item's definition.} +(define-key global-map [menu-bar words] + (cons "Words" (make-sparse-keymap "Words"))) +@end group + +@group +;; @r{Define specific subcommands in this menu.} +(define-key global-map + [menu-bar words forward] + '("Forward word" . forward-word)) +@end group +@group +(define-key global-map + [menu-bar words backward] + '("Backward word" . backward-word)) +@end group +@end example + + A local keymap can cancel a menu bar item made by the global keymap by +rebinding the same fake function key with @code{undefined} as the +binding. For example, this is how Dired suppresses the @samp{Edit} menu +bar item: + +@example +(define-key dired-mode-map [menu-bar edit] 'undefined) +@end example + +@noindent +@code{edit} is the fake function key used by the global map for the +@samp{Edit} menu bar item. The main reason to suppress a global +menu bar item is to regain space for mode-specific items. + +@defvar menu-bar-final-items +Normally the menu bar shows global items followed by items defined by the +local maps. + +This variable holds a list of fake function keys for items to display at +the end of the menu bar rather than in normal sequence. The default +value is @code{(help-menu)}; thus, the @samp{Help} menu item normally appears +at the end of the menu bar, following local menu items. +@end defvar + +@defvar menu-bar-update-hook +This normal hook is run by redisplay to update the menu bar contents, +before redisplaying the menu bar. You can use it to update submenus +whose contents should vary. Since this hook is run frequently, we +advise you to ensure that the functions it calls do not take much time +in the usual case. +@end defvar + +@node Tool Bar +@subsection Tool bars +@cindex tool bar + + A @dfn{tool bar} is a row of icons at the top of a frame, that execute +commands when you click on them---in effect, a kind of graphical menu +bar. + + The frame parameter @code{tool-bar-lines} (X resource @samp{toolBar}) +controls how many lines' worth of height to reserve for the tool bar. A +zero value suppresses the tool bar. If the value is nonzero, and +@code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar expands and +contracts automatically as needed to hold the specified contents. + + If the value of @code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is @code{grow-only}, +the tool bar expands automatically, but does not contract automatically. +To contract the tool bar, the user has to redraw the frame by entering +@kbd{C-l}. + + The tool bar contents are controlled by a menu keymap attached to a +fake ``function key'' called @code{tool-bar} (much like the way the menu +bar is controlled). So you define a tool bar item using +@code{define-key}, like this: + +@example +(define-key global-map [tool-bar @var{key}] @var{item}) +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{key} is a fake ``function key'' to distinguish this item from +other items, and @var{item} is a menu item key binding (@pxref{Extended +Menu Items}), which says how to display this item and how it behaves. + + The usual menu keymap item properties, @code{:visible}, +@code{:enable}, @code{:button}, and @code{:filter}, are useful in +tool bar bindings and have their normal meanings. The @var{real-binding} +in the item must be a command, not a keymap; in other words, it does not +work to define a tool bar icon as a prefix key. + + The @code{:help} property specifies a ``help-echo'' string to display +while the mouse is on that item. This is displayed in the same way as +@code{help-echo} text properties (@pxref{Help display}). + + In addition, you should use the @code{:image} property; +this is how you specify the image to display in the tool bar: + +@table @code +@item :image @var{image} +@var{images} is either a single image specification or a vector of four +image specifications. If you use a vector of four, +one of them is used, depending on circumstances: + +@table @asis +@item item 0 +Used when the item is enabled and selected. +@item item 1 +Used when the item is enabled and deselected. +@item item 2 +Used when the item is disabled and selected. +@item item 3 +Used when the item is disabled and deselected. +@end table +@end table + +If @var{image} is a single image specification, Emacs draws the tool bar +button in disabled state by applying an edge-detection algorithm to the +image. + +The default tool bar is defined so that items specific to editing do not +appear for major modes whose command symbol has a @code{mode-class} +property of @code{special} (@pxref{Major Mode Conventions}). Major +modes may add items to the global bar by binding @code{[tool-bar +@var{foo}]} in their local map. It makes sense for some major modes to +replace the default tool bar items completely, since not many can be +accommodated conveniently, and the default bindings make this easy by +using an indirection through @code{tool-bar-map}. + +@defvar tool-bar-map +By default, the global map binds @code{[tool-bar]} as follows: +@example +(global-set-key [tool-bar] + '(menu-item "tool bar" ignore + :filter (lambda (ignore) tool-bar-map))) +@end example +@noindent +Thus the tool bar map is derived dynamically from the value of variable +@code{tool-bar-map} and you should normally adjust the default (global) +tool bar by changing that map. Major modes may replace the global bar +completely by making @code{tool-bar-map} buffer-local and set to a +keymap containing only the desired items. Info mode provides an +example. +@end defvar + +There are two convenience functions for defining tool bar items, as +follows. + +@defun tool-bar-add-item icon def key &rest props +This function adds an item to the tool bar by modifying +@code{tool-bar-map}. The image to use is defined by @var{icon}, which +is the base name of an XPM, XBM or PBM image file to be located by +@code{find-image}. Given a value @samp{"exit"}, say, @file{exit.xpm}, +@file{exit.pbm} and @file{exit.xbm} would be searched for in that order +on a color display. On a monochrome display, the search order is +@samp{.pbm}, @samp{.xbm} and @samp{.xpm}. The binding to use is the +command @var{def}, and @var{key} is the fake function key symbol in the +prefix keymap. The remaining arguments @var{props} are additional +property list elements to add to the menu item specification. + +To define items in some local map, bind @code{tool-bar-map} with +@code{let} around calls of this function: +@example +(defvar foo-tool-bar-map + (let ((tool-bar-map (make-sparse-keymap))) + (tool-bar-add-item @dots{}) + @dots{} + tool-bar-map)) +@end example +@end defun + +@defun tool-bar-add-item-from-menu command icon &optional map &rest props +This function is a convenience for defining tool bar items which are +consistent with existing menu bar bindings. The binding of +@var{command} is looked up in the menu bar in @var{map} (default +@code{global-map}) and modified to add an image specification for +@var{icon}, which is found in the same way as by +@code{tool-bar-add-item}. The resulting binding is then placed in +@code{tool-bar-map}, so use this function only for global tool bar +items. + +@var{map} must contain an appropriate keymap bound to +@code{[menu-bar]}. The remaining arguments @var{props} are additional +property list elements to add to the menu item specification. +@end defun + +@defun tool-bar-local-item-from-menu command icon in-map &optional from-map &rest props +This function is used for making non-global tool bar items. Use it +like @code{tool-bar-add-item-from-menu} except that @var{in-map} +specifies the local map to make the definition in. The argument +@var{from-map} is like the @var{map} argument of +@code{tool-bar-add-item-from-menu}. +@end defun + +@defvar auto-resize-tool-bar +If this variable is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar automatically resizes to +show all defined tool bar items---but not larger than a quarter of the +frame's height. + +If the value is @code{grow-only}, the tool bar expands automatically, +but does not contract automatically. To contract the tool bar, the +user has to redraw the frame by entering @kbd{C-l}. +@end defvar + +@defvar auto-raise-tool-bar-buttons +If this variable is non-@code{nil}, tool bar items display +in raised form when the mouse moves over them. +@end defvar + +@defvar tool-bar-button-margin +This variable specifies an extra margin to add around tool bar items. +The value is an integer, a number of pixels. The default is 4. +@end defvar + +@defvar tool-bar-button-relief +This variable specifies the shadow width for tool bar items. +The value is an integer, a number of pixels. The default is 1. +@end defvar + +@defvar tool-bar-border +This variable specifies the height of the border drawn below the tool +bar area. An integer value specifies height as a number of pixels. +If the value is one of @code{internal-border-width} (the default) or +@code{border-width}, the tool bar border height corresponds to the +corresponding frame parameter. +@end defvar + + You can define a special meaning for clicking on a tool bar item with +the shift, control, meta, etc., modifiers. You do this by setting up +additional items that relate to the original item through the fake +function keys. Specifically, the additional items should use the +modified versions of the same fake function key used to name the +original item. + + Thus, if the original item was defined this way, + +@example +(define-key global-map [tool-bar shell] + '(menu-item "Shell" shell + :image (image :type xpm :file "shell.xpm"))) +@end example + +@noindent +then here is how you can define clicking on the same tool bar image with +the shift modifier: + +@example +(define-key global-map [tool-bar S-shell] 'some-command) +@end example + +@xref{Function Keys}, for more information about how to add modifiers to +function keys. + +@node Modifying Menus +@subsection Modifying Menus + + When you insert a new item in an existing menu, you probably want to +put it in a particular place among the menu's existing items. If you +use @code{define-key} to add the item, it normally goes at the front of +the menu. To put it elsewhere in the menu, use @code{define-key-after}: + +@defun define-key-after map key binding &optional after +Define a binding in @var{map} for @var{key}, with value @var{binding}, +just like @code{define-key}, but position the binding in @var{map} after +the binding for the event @var{after}. The argument @var{key} should be +of length one---a vector or string with just one element. But +@var{after} should be a single event type---a symbol or a character, not +a sequence. The new binding goes after the binding for @var{after}. If +@var{after} is @code{t} or is omitted, then the new binding goes last, at +the end of the keymap. However, new bindings are added before any +inherited keymap. + +Here is an example: + +@example +(define-key-after my-menu [drink] + '("Drink" . drink-command) 'eat) +@end example + +@noindent +makes a binding for the fake function key @key{DRINK} and puts it +right after the binding for @key{EAT}. + +Here is how to insert an item called @samp{Work} in the @samp{Signals} +menu of Shell mode, after the item @code{break}: + +@example +(define-key-after + (lookup-key shell-mode-map [menu-bar signals]) + [work] '("Work" . work-command) 'break) +@end example +@end defun + +@ignore + arch-tag: cfb87287-9364-4e46-9e93-6c2f7f6ae794 +@end ignore