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1 | @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 | @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
651f374c | 3 | @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, |
ceb4c4d3 | 4 | @c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
73804d4b RS |
5 | @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 | @setfilename ../info/keymaps | |
7 | @node Keymaps, Modes, Command Loop, Top | |
8 | @chapter Keymaps | |
9 | @cindex keymap | |
10 | ||
11 | The bindings between input events and commands are recorded in data | |
12 | structures called @dfn{keymaps}. Each binding in a keymap associates | |
8a36c244 | 13 | (or @dfn{binds}) an individual event type, either to another keymap or to |
f9f59935 RS |
14 | a command. When an event type is bound to a keymap, that keymap is used |
15 | to look up the next input event; this continues until a command is | |
16 | found. The whole process is called @dfn{key lookup}. | |
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17 | |
18 | @menu | |
b3540319 RS |
19 | * Key Sequences:: Key sequences as Lisp objects. |
20 | * Keymap Basics:: Basic concepts of keymaps. | |
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21 | * Format of Keymaps:: What a keymap looks like as a Lisp object. |
22 | * Creating Keymaps:: Functions to create and copy keymaps. | |
23 | * Inheritance and Keymaps:: How one keymap can inherit the bindings | |
24 | of another keymap. | |
25 | * Prefix Keys:: Defining a key with a keymap as its definition. | |
59e58738 RS |
26 | * Active Keymaps:: How Emacs searches the active keymaps |
27 | for a key binding. | |
28 | * Searching Keymaps:: A pseudo-Lisp summary of searching active maps. | |
29 | * Controlling Active Maps:: Each buffer has a local keymap | |
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30 | to override the standard (global) bindings. |
31 | A minor mode can also override them. | |
59e58738 | 32 | * Key Lookup:: Finding a key's binding in one keymap. |
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33 | * Functions for Key Lookup:: How to request key lookup. |
34 | * Changing Key Bindings:: Redefining a key in a keymap. | |
229644e7 | 35 | * Remapping Commands:: Bindings that translate one command to another. |
f044bf27 | 36 | * Translation Keymaps:: Keymaps for translating sequences of events. |
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37 | * Key Binding Commands:: Interactive interfaces for redefining keys. |
38 | * Scanning Keymaps:: Looking through all keymaps, for printing help. | |
f9f59935 | 39 | * Menu Keymaps:: Defining a menu as a keymap. |
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40 | @end menu |
41 | ||
08244b81 CY |
42 | @node Key Sequences |
43 | @section Key Sequences | |
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44 | @cindex key |
45 | @cindex keystroke | |
b3540319 RS |
46 | @cindex key sequence |
47 | ||
48 | A @dfn{key sequence}, or @dfn{key} for short, is a sequence of one | |
917b8227 CY |
49 | or more input events that form a unit. Input events include |
50 | characters, function keys, and mouse actions (@pxref{Input Events}). | |
51 | The Emacs Lisp representation for a key sequence is a string or | |
52 | vector. Unless otherwise stated, any Emacs Lisp function that accepts | |
53 | a key sequence as an argument can handle both representations. | |
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54 | |
55 | In the string representation, alphanumeric characters ordinarily | |
56 | stand for themselves; for example, @code{"a"} represents @kbd{a} and | |
57 | and @code{"2"} represents @kbd{2}. Control character events are | |
58 | prefixed by the substring @code{"\C-"}, and meta characters by | |
59 | @code{"\M-"}; for example, @code{"\C-x"} represents the key @kbd{C-x}. | |
60 | In addition, the @key{TAB}, @key{RET}, @key{ESC}, and @key{DEL} events | |
61 | are represented by @code{"\t"}, @code{"\r"}, @code{"\e"}, and | |
62 | @code{"\d"} respectively. The string representation of a complete key | |
63 | sequence is the concatenation of the string representations of the | |
64 | constituent events; thus, @code{"\C-xl"} represents the key sequence | |
65 | @kbd{C-x l}. | |
66 | ||
67 | Key sequences containing function keys, mouse button events, or | |
68 | non-ASCII characters such as @kbd{C-=} or @kbd{H-a} cannot be | |
69 | represented as strings; they have to be represented as vectors. | |
70 | ||
71 | In the vector representation, each element of the vector represents | |
72 | an input event, in its Lisp form. @xref{Input Events}. For example, | |
73 | the vector @code{[?\C-x ?l]} represents the key sequence @kbd{C-x l}. | |
74 | ||
75 | For examples of key sequences written in string and vector | |
76 | representations, @ref{Init Rebinding,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. | |
77 | ||
78 | @defmac kbd keyseq-text | |
79 | This macro converts the text @var{keyseq-text} (a string constant) | |
80 | into a key sequence (a string or vector constant). The contents of | |
81 | @var{keyseq-text} should describe the key sequence using almost the same | |
82 | syntax used in this manual. More precisely, it uses the same syntax | |
83 | that Edit Macro mode uses for editing keyboard macros (@pxref{Edit | |
84 | Keyboard Macro,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}); you must surround | |
85 | function key names with @samp{<@dots{}>}. | |
86 | ||
87 | @example | |
88 | (kbd "C-x") @result{} "\C-x" | |
89 | (kbd "C-x C-f") @result{} "\C-x\C-f" | |
90 | (kbd "C-x 4 C-f") @result{} "\C-x4\C-f" | |
91 | (kbd "X") @result{} "X" | |
92 | (kbd "RET") @result{} "\^M" | |
93 | (kbd "C-c SPC") @result{} "\C-c@ " | |
94 | (kbd "<f1> SPC") @result{} [f1 32] | |
95 | (kbd "C-M-<down>") @result{} [C-M-down] | |
96 | @end example | |
97 | @end defmac | |
98 | ||
99 | @node Keymap Basics | |
100 | @section Keymap Basics | |
73804d4b RS |
101 | @cindex key binding |
102 | @cindex binding of a key | |
103 | @cindex complete key | |
104 | @cindex undefined key | |
105 | ||
b3540319 RS |
106 | A keymap is a Lisp data structure that specifies @dfn{key bindings} |
107 | for various key sequences. | |
73804d4b | 108 | |
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109 | A single keymap directly specifies definitions for individual |
110 | events. When a key sequence consists of a single event, its binding | |
111 | in a keymap is the keymap's definition for that event. The binding of | |
112 | a longer key sequence is found by an iterative process: first find the | |
113 | definition of the first event (which must itself be a keymap); then | |
114 | find the second event's definition in that keymap, and so on until all | |
115 | the events in the key sequence have been processed. | |
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116 | |
117 | If the binding of a key sequence is a keymap, we call the key sequence | |
118 | a @dfn{prefix key}. Otherwise, we call it a @dfn{complete key} (because | |
87b2d5ff | 119 | no more events can be added to it). If the binding is @code{nil}, |
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120 | we call the key @dfn{undefined}. Examples of prefix keys are @kbd{C-c}, |
121 | @kbd{C-x}, and @kbd{C-x 4}. Examples of defined complete keys are | |
122 | @kbd{X}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{C-x 4 C-f}. Examples of undefined complete | |
123 | keys are @kbd{C-x C-g}, and @kbd{C-c 3}. @xref{Prefix Keys}, for more | |
124 | details. | |
125 | ||
126 | The rule for finding the binding of a key sequence assumes that the | |
127 | intermediate bindings (found for the events before the last) are all | |
128 | keymaps; if this is not so, the sequence of events does not form a | |
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129 | unit---it is not really one key sequence. In other words, removing one |
130 | or more events from the end of any valid key sequence must always yield | |
131 | a prefix key. For example, @kbd{C-f C-n} is not a key sequence; | |
132 | @kbd{C-f} is not a prefix key, so a longer sequence starting with | |
133 | @kbd{C-f} cannot be a key sequence. | |
134 | ||
135 | The set of possible multi-event key sequences depends on the bindings | |
136 | for prefix keys; therefore, it can be different for different keymaps, | |
137 | and can change when bindings are changed. However, a one-event sequence | |
138 | is always a key sequence, because it does not depend on any prefix keys | |
139 | for its well-formedness. | |
73804d4b | 140 | |
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141 | At any time, several primary keymaps are @dfn{active}---that is, in |
142 | use for finding key bindings. These are the @dfn{global map}, which is | |
143 | shared by all buffers; the @dfn{local keymap}, which is usually | |
144 | associated with a specific major mode; and zero or more @dfn{minor mode | |
145 | keymaps}, which belong to currently enabled minor modes. (Not all minor | |
146 | modes have keymaps.) The local keymap bindings shadow (i.e., take | |
147 | precedence over) the corresponding global bindings. The minor mode | |
148 | keymaps shadow both local and global keymaps. @xref{Active Keymaps}, | |
149 | for details. | |
402fe423 | 150 | |
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151 | @node Format of Keymaps |
152 | @section Format of Keymaps | |
153 | @cindex format of keymaps | |
154 | @cindex keymap format | |
155 | @cindex full keymap | |
156 | @cindex sparse keymap | |
157 | ||
08244b81 | 158 | Each keymap is a list whose @sc{car} is the symbol @code{keymap}. The |
73804d4b | 159 | remaining elements of the list define the key bindings of the keymap. |
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160 | A symbol whose function definition is a keymap is also a keymap. Use |
161 | the function @code{keymapp} (see below) to test whether an object is a | |
162 | keymap. | |
73804d4b | 163 | |
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164 | Several kinds of elements may appear in a keymap, after the symbol |
165 | @code{keymap} that begins it: | |
87b2d5ff | 166 | |
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167 | @table @code |
168 | @item (@var{type} .@: @var{binding}) | |
169 | This specifies one binding, for events of type @var{type}. Each | |
170 | ordinary binding applies to events of a particular @dfn{event type}, | |
171 | which is always a character or a symbol. @xref{Classifying Events}. | |
73804d4b | 172 | |
f9f59935 | 173 | @item (t .@: @var{binding}) |
73804d4b | 174 | @cindex default key binding |
f9f59935 RS |
175 | This specifies a @dfn{default key binding}; any event not bound by other |
176 | elements of the keymap is given @var{binding} as its binding. Default | |
177 | bindings allow a keymap to bind all possible event types without having | |
178 | to enumerate all of them. A keymap that has a default binding | |
db8af011 LT |
179 | completely masks any lower-precedence keymap, except for events |
180 | explicitly bound to @code{nil} (see below). | |
f9f59935 | 181 | |
229644e7 RS |
182 | @item @var{char-table} |
183 | If an element of a keymap is a char-table, it counts as holding | |
184 | bindings for all character events with no modifier bits | |
185 | (@pxref{modifier bits}): element @var{n} is the binding for the | |
186 | character with code @var{n}. This is a compact way to record lots of | |
187 | bindings. A keymap with such a char-table is called a @dfn{full | |
188 | keymap}. Other keymaps are called @dfn{sparse keymaps}. | |
189 | ||
f9f59935 | 190 | @item @var{string} |
73804d4b RS |
191 | @cindex keymap prompt string |
192 | @cindex overall prompt string | |
193 | @cindex prompt string of keymap | |
f9f59935 | 194 | Aside from bindings, a keymap can also have a string as an element. |
73804d4b | 195 | This is called the @dfn{overall prompt string} and makes it possible to |
e465fdc2 | 196 | use the keymap as a menu. @xref{Defining Menus}. |
f9f59935 | 197 | @end table |
73804d4b | 198 | |
d64b177a SM |
199 | When the binding is @code{nil}, it doesn't constitute a definition |
200 | but it does take precedence over a default binding or a binding in the | |
201 | parent keymap. On the other hand, a binding of @code{nil} does | |
202 | @emph{not} override lower-precedence keymaps; thus, if the local map | |
203 | gives a binding of @code{nil}, Emacs uses the binding from the | |
204 | global map. | |
205 | ||
73804d4b | 206 | @cindex meta characters lookup |
f9f59935 | 207 | Keymaps do not directly record bindings for the meta characters. |
5f1f5955 GM |
208 | Instead, meta characters are regarded for purposes of key lookup as |
209 | sequences of two characters, the first of which is @key{ESC} (or | |
210 | whatever is currently the value of @code{meta-prefix-char}). Thus, the | |
211 | key @kbd{M-a} is internally represented as @kbd{@key{ESC} a}, and its | |
212 | global binding is found at the slot for @kbd{a} in @code{esc-map} | |
213 | (@pxref{Prefix Keys}). | |
214 | ||
215 | This conversion applies only to characters, not to function keys or | |
216 | other input events; thus, @kbd{M-@key{end}} has nothing to do with | |
217 | @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{end}}. | |
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218 | |
219 | Here as an example is the local keymap for Lisp mode, a sparse | |
220 | keymap. It defines bindings for @key{DEL} and @key{TAB}, plus @kbd{C-c | |
221 | C-l}, @kbd{M-C-q}, and @kbd{M-C-x}. | |
222 | ||
223 | @example | |
224 | @group | |
225 | lisp-mode-map | |
177c0ea7 | 226 | @result{} |
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227 | @end group |
228 | @group | |
177c0ea7 | 229 | (keymap |
8a36c244 RS |
230 | (3 keymap |
231 | ;; @kbd{C-c C-z} | |
232 | (26 . run-lisp)) | |
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233 | @end group |
234 | @group | |
8a36c244 RS |
235 | (27 keymap |
236 | ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-x}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-x}} | |
237 | (24 . lisp-send-defun) | |
238 | keymap | |
239 | ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-q}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-q}} | |
240 | (17 . indent-sexp))) | |
73804d4b RS |
241 | @end group |
242 | @group | |
8a36c244 RS |
243 | ;; @r{This part is inherited from @code{lisp-mode-shared-map}.} |
244 | keymap | |
245 | ;; @key{DEL} | |
246 | (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) | |
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247 | @end group |
248 | @group | |
177c0ea7 | 249 | (27 keymap |
73804d4b | 250 | ;; @r{@kbd{M-C-q}, treated as @kbd{@key{ESC} C-q}} |
8a36c244 RS |
251 | (17 . indent-sexp)) |
252 | (9 . lisp-indent-line)) | |
73804d4b RS |
253 | @end group |
254 | @end example | |
255 | ||
256 | @defun keymapp object | |
257 | This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a keymap, @code{nil} | |
87b2d5ff | 258 | otherwise. More precisely, this function tests for a list whose |
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259 | @sc{car} is @code{keymap}, or for a symbol whose function definition |
260 | satisfies @code{keymapp}. | |
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261 | |
262 | @example | |
263 | @group | |
264 | (keymapp '(keymap)) | |
265 | @result{} t | |
266 | @end group | |
267 | @group | |
aa2ac20c RS |
268 | (fset 'foo '(keymap)) |
269 | (keymapp 'foo) | |
270 | @result{} t | |
271 | @end group | |
272 | @group | |
73804d4b RS |
273 | (keymapp (current-global-map)) |
274 | @result{} t | |
275 | @end group | |
276 | @end example | |
277 | @end defun | |
278 | ||
279 | @node Creating Keymaps | |
280 | @section Creating Keymaps | |
281 | @cindex creating keymaps | |
282 | ||
283 | Here we describe the functions for creating keymaps. | |
284 | ||
171920a6 RS |
285 | @defun make-sparse-keymap &optional prompt |
286 | This function creates and returns a new sparse keymap with no entries. | |
287 | (A sparse keymap is the kind of keymap you usually want.) The new | |
288 | keymap does not contain a char-table, unlike @code{make-keymap}, and | |
289 | does not bind any events. | |
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290 | |
291 | @example | |
292 | @group | |
171920a6 RS |
293 | (make-sparse-keymap) |
294 | @result{} (keymap) | |
73804d4b RS |
295 | @end group |
296 | @end example | |
297 | ||
298 | If you specify @var{prompt}, that becomes the overall prompt string for | |
b08d86c6 | 299 | the keymap. The prompt string should be provided for menu keymaps |
e465fdc2 | 300 | (@pxref{Defining Menus}). |
73804d4b RS |
301 | @end defun |
302 | ||
171920a6 RS |
303 | @defun make-keymap &optional prompt |
304 | This function creates and returns a new full keymap. That keymap | |
305 | contains a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with slots for all | |
306 | characters without modifiers. The new keymap initially binds all | |
307 | these characters to @code{nil}, and does not bind any other kind of | |
308 | event. The argument @var{prompt} specifies a | |
309 | prompt string, as in @code{make-sparse-keymap}. | |
73804d4b RS |
310 | |
311 | @example | |
312 | @group | |
171920a6 RS |
313 | (make-keymap) |
314 | @result{} (keymap #^[t nil nil nil @dots{} nil nil keymap]) | |
73804d4b RS |
315 | @end group |
316 | @end example | |
171920a6 RS |
317 | |
318 | A full keymap is more efficient than a sparse keymap when it holds | |
319 | lots of bindings; for just a few, the sparse keymap is better. | |
73804d4b RS |
320 | @end defun |
321 | ||
322 | @defun copy-keymap keymap | |
87b2d5ff | 323 | This function returns a copy of @var{keymap}. Any keymaps that |
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324 | appear directly as bindings in @var{keymap} are also copied recursively, |
325 | and so on to any number of levels. However, recursive copying does not | |
326 | take place when the definition of a character is a symbol whose function | |
327 | definition is a keymap; the same symbol appears in the new copy. | |
328 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
329 | ||
330 | @example | |
331 | @group | |
332 | (setq map (copy-keymap (current-local-map))) | |
333 | @result{} (keymap | |
334 | @end group | |
335 | @group | |
336 | ;; @r{(This implements meta characters.)} | |
177c0ea7 | 337 | (27 keymap |
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338 | (83 . center-paragraph) |
339 | (115 . center-line)) | |
340 | (9 . tab-to-tab-stop)) | |
341 | @end group | |
342 | ||
343 | @group | |
344 | (eq map (current-local-map)) | |
345 | @result{} nil | |
346 | @end group | |
347 | @group | |
348 | (equal map (current-local-map)) | |
349 | @result{} t | |
350 | @end group | |
351 | @end example | |
352 | @end defun | |
353 | ||
354 | @node Inheritance and Keymaps | |
355 | @section Inheritance and Keymaps | |
356 | @cindex keymap inheritance | |
357 | @cindex inheriting a keymap's bindings | |
358 | ||
0521d6f5 RS |
359 | A keymap can inherit the bindings of another keymap, which we call the |
360 | @dfn{parent keymap}. Such a keymap looks like this: | |
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361 | |
362 | @example | |
0521d6f5 | 363 | (keymap @var{bindings}@dots{} . @var{parent-keymap}) |
73804d4b RS |
364 | @end example |
365 | ||
366 | @noindent | |
367 | The effect is that this keymap inherits all the bindings of | |
0521d6f5 | 368 | @var{parent-keymap}, whatever they may be at the time a key is looked up, |
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369 | but can add to them or override them with @var{bindings}. |
370 | ||
0521d6f5 | 371 | If you change the bindings in @var{parent-keymap} using @code{define-key} |
73804d4b RS |
372 | or other key-binding functions, these changes are visible in the |
373 | inheriting keymap unless shadowed by @var{bindings}. The converse is | |
374 | not true: if you use @code{define-key} to change the inheriting keymap, | |
0521d6f5 RS |
375 | that affects @var{bindings}, but has no effect on @var{parent-keymap}. |
376 | ||
377 | The proper way to construct a keymap with a parent is to use | |
378 | @code{set-keymap-parent}; if you have code that directly constructs a | |
379 | keymap with a parent, please convert the program to use | |
380 | @code{set-keymap-parent} instead. | |
381 | ||
382 | @defun keymap-parent keymap | |
383 | This returns the parent keymap of @var{keymap}. If @var{keymap} | |
384 | has no parent, @code{keymap-parent} returns @code{nil}. | |
385 | @end defun | |
386 | ||
387 | @defun set-keymap-parent keymap parent | |
388 | This sets the parent keymap of @var{keymap} to @var{parent}, and returns | |
389 | @var{parent}. If @var{parent} is @code{nil}, this function gives | |
390 | @var{keymap} no parent at all. | |
391 | ||
392 | If @var{keymap} has submaps (bindings for prefix keys), they too receive | |
393 | new parent keymaps that reflect what @var{parent} specifies for those | |
394 | prefix keys. | |
395 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 396 | |
6a0f8bed | 397 | Here is an example showing how to make a keymap that inherits |
73804d4b RS |
398 | from @code{text-mode-map}: |
399 | ||
400 | @example | |
0521d6f5 RS |
401 | (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap))) |
402 | (set-keymap-parent map text-mode-map) | |
403 | map) | |
73804d4b RS |
404 | @end example |
405 | ||
6a0f8bed RS |
406 | A non-sparse keymap can have a parent too, but this is not very |
407 | useful. A non-sparse keymap always specifies something as the binding | |
408 | for every numeric character code without modifier bits, even if it is | |
409 | @code{nil}, so these character's bindings are never inherited from | |
410 | the parent keymap. | |
411 | ||
73804d4b RS |
412 | @node Prefix Keys |
413 | @section Prefix Keys | |
414 | @cindex prefix key | |
415 | ||
f9f59935 | 416 | A @dfn{prefix key} is a key sequence whose binding is a keymap. The |
969fe9b5 | 417 | keymap defines what to do with key sequences that extend the prefix key. |
f9f59935 RS |
418 | For example, @kbd{C-x} is a prefix key, and it uses a keymap that is |
419 | also stored in the variable @code{ctl-x-map}. This keymap defines | |
420 | bindings for key sequences starting with @kbd{C-x}. | |
421 | ||
1911e6e5 RS |
422 | Some of the standard Emacs prefix keys use keymaps that are |
423 | also found in Lisp variables: | |
73804d4b RS |
424 | |
425 | @itemize @bullet | |
426 | @item | |
427 | @vindex esc-map | |
428 | @findex ESC-prefix | |
f9f59935 RS |
429 | @code{esc-map} is the global keymap for the @key{ESC} prefix key. Thus, |
430 | the global definitions of all meta characters are actually found here. | |
431 | This map is also the function definition of @code{ESC-prefix}. | |
73804d4b RS |
432 | |
433 | @item | |
434 | @cindex @kbd{C-h} | |
a9f0a989 | 435 | @code{help-map} is the global keymap for the @kbd{C-h} prefix key. |
73804d4b RS |
436 | |
437 | @item | |
438 | @cindex @kbd{C-c} | |
439 | @vindex mode-specific-map | |
f9f59935 RS |
440 | @code{mode-specific-map} is the global keymap for the prefix key |
441 | @kbd{C-c}. This map is actually global, not mode-specific, but its name | |
442 | provides useful information about @kbd{C-c} in the output of @kbd{C-h b} | |
443 | (@code{display-bindings}), since the main use of this prefix key is for | |
444 | mode-specific bindings. | |
73804d4b RS |
445 | |
446 | @item | |
447 | @cindex @kbd{C-x} | |
448 | @vindex ctl-x-map | |
449 | @findex Control-X-prefix | |
a9f0a989 RS |
450 | @code{ctl-x-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x} prefix key. |
451 | This map is found via the function cell of the symbol | |
f9f59935 | 452 | @code{Control-X-prefix}. |
73804d4b | 453 | |
1911e6e5 RS |
454 | @item |
455 | @cindex @kbd{C-x @key{RET}} | |
456 | @vindex mule-keymap | |
457 | @code{mule-keymap} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x @key{RET}} | |
458 | prefix key. | |
459 | ||
73804d4b RS |
460 | @item |
461 | @cindex @kbd{C-x 4} | |
462 | @vindex ctl-x-4-map | |
f9f59935 RS |
463 | @code{ctl-x-4-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 4} prefix |
464 | key. | |
73804d4b RS |
465 | |
466 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
467 | @item | |
468 | @cindex @kbd{C-x 5} | |
469 | @vindex ctl-x-5-map | |
f9f59935 RS |
470 | @code{ctl-x-5-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 5} prefix |
471 | key. | |
73804d4b RS |
472 | |
473 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
474 | @item | |
1911e6e5 RS |
475 | @cindex @kbd{C-x 6} |
476 | @vindex 2C-mode-map | |
477 | @code{2C-mode-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x 6} prefix | |
478 | key. | |
479 | ||
480 | @item | |
481 | @cindex @kbd{C-x v} | |
482 | @vindex vc-prefix-map | |
483 | @code{vc-prefix-map} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{C-x v} prefix | |
484 | key. | |
485 | ||
486 | @item | |
f141c9bb | 487 | @cindex @kbd{M-o} |
1911e6e5 | 488 | @vindex facemenu-keymap |
f141c9bb | 489 | @code{facemenu-keymap} is the global keymap used for the @kbd{M-o} |
1911e6e5 RS |
490 | prefix key. |
491 | ||
492 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
493 | @item | |
c5568a11 LT |
494 | The other Emacs prefix keys are @kbd{M-g}, @kbd{C-x @@}, @kbd{C-x a i}, |
495 | @kbd{C-x @key{ESC}} and @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}. They use keymaps | |
496 | that have no special names. | |
73804d4b RS |
497 | @end itemize |
498 | ||
f9f59935 RS |
499 | The keymap binding of a prefix key is used for looking up the event |
500 | that follows the prefix key. (It may instead be a symbol whose function | |
501 | definition is a keymap. The effect is the same, but the symbol serves | |
502 | as a name for the prefix key.) Thus, the binding of @kbd{C-x} is the | |
a9f0a989 | 503 | symbol @code{Control-X-prefix}, whose function cell holds the keymap |
f9f59935 | 504 | for @kbd{C-x} commands. (The same keymap is also the value of |
73804d4b RS |
505 | @code{ctl-x-map}.) |
506 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
507 | Prefix key definitions can appear in any active keymap. The |
508 | definitions of @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-h} and @key{ESC} as prefix | |
509 | keys appear in the global map, so these prefix keys are always | |
73804d4b RS |
510 | available. Major and minor modes can redefine a key as a prefix by |
511 | putting a prefix key definition for it in the local map or the minor | |
512 | mode's map. @xref{Active Keymaps}. | |
513 | ||
514 | If a key is defined as a prefix in more than one active map, then its | |
515 | various definitions are in effect merged: the commands defined in the | |
516 | minor mode keymaps come first, followed by those in the local map's | |
517 | prefix definition, and then by those from the global map. | |
518 | ||
519 | In the following example, we make @kbd{C-p} a prefix key in the local | |
520 | keymap, in such a way that @kbd{C-p} is identical to @kbd{C-x}. Then | |
521 | the binding for @kbd{C-p C-f} is the function @code{find-file}, just | |
522 | like @kbd{C-x C-f}. The key sequence @kbd{C-p 6} is not found in any | |
523 | active keymap. | |
524 | ||
525 | @example | |
526 | @group | |
527 | (use-local-map (make-sparse-keymap)) | |
528 | @result{} nil | |
529 | @end group | |
530 | @group | |
531 | (local-set-key "\C-p" ctl-x-map) | |
532 | @result{} nil | |
533 | @end group | |
534 | @group | |
535 | (key-binding "\C-p\C-f") | |
536 | @result{} find-file | |
537 | @end group | |
538 | ||
539 | @group | |
540 | (key-binding "\C-p6") | |
541 | @result{} nil | |
542 | @end group | |
543 | @end example | |
544 | ||
b6954afd | 545 | @defun define-prefix-command symbol &optional mapvar prompt |
73804d4b | 546 | @cindex prefix command |
db8af011 | 547 | @anchor{Definition of define-prefix-command} |
f9f59935 | 548 | This function prepares @var{symbol} for use as a prefix key's binding: |
62f20204 | 549 | it creates a sparse keymap and stores it as @var{symbol}'s function |
f9f59935 | 550 | definition. Subsequently binding a key sequence to @var{symbol} will |
b6954afd | 551 | make that key sequence into a prefix key. The return value is @code{symbol}. |
f9f59935 RS |
552 | |
553 | This function also sets @var{symbol} as a variable, with the keymap as | |
b6954afd RS |
554 | its value. But if @var{mapvar} is non-@code{nil}, it sets @var{mapvar} |
555 | as a variable instead. | |
f9f59935 | 556 | |
b6954afd | 557 | If @var{prompt} is non-@code{nil}, that becomes the overall prompt |
b08d86c6 | 558 | string for the keymap. The prompt string should be given for menu keymaps |
e465fdc2 | 559 | (@pxref{Defining Menus}). |
73804d4b RS |
560 | @end defun |
561 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
562 | @node Active Keymaps |
563 | @section Active Keymaps | |
564 | @cindex active keymap | |
565 | @cindex global keymap | |
566 | @cindex local keymap | |
73804d4b | 567 | |
d38edfc3 | 568 | Emacs normally contains many keymaps; at any given time, just a few |
59e58738 | 569 | of them are @dfn{active}, meaning that they participate in the |
d38edfc3 RS |
570 | interpretation of user input. All the active keymaps are used |
571 | together to determine what command to execute when a key is entered. | |
572 | Emacs searches these keymaps one by one, in a standard order, until it | |
59e58738 | 573 | finds a binding in one of the keymaps. |
d38edfc3 RS |
574 | |
575 | Normally the active keymaps are the @code{keymap} property keymap, | |
576 | the keymaps of any enabled minor modes, the current buffer's local | |
577 | keymap, and the global keymap, in that order. Therefore, Emacs | |
59e58738 RS |
578 | searches for each input key sequence in all these keymaps. Here is a |
579 | pseudo-Lisp description of how this process works: | |
580 | ||
581 | @lisp | |
582 | (or (if overriding-terminal-local-map | |
583 | (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map) | |
584 | (if overriding-local-map | |
585 | (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map) | |
586 | (or (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'keymap)) | |
587 | (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists) | |
588 | (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist) | |
589 | (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist) | |
e98a14ff | 590 | (if (get-text-property (point) 'local-map) |
59e58738 RS |
591 | (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'local-map)) |
592 | (@var{find-in} (current-local-map)))))) | |
593 | (@var{find-in} (current-global-map))) | |
594 | @end lisp | |
595 | ||
596 | @noindent | |
597 | Here, the pseudo-function @var{find-in} means to look up the key | |
598 | sequence in a single map, and @var{find-in-any} means to search the | |
599 | appropriate keymaps from an alist. (Searching a single keymap for a | |
600 | binding is called @dfn{key lookup}; see @ref{Key Lookup}.) | |
73804d4b | 601 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
602 | The @dfn{global keymap} holds the bindings of keys that are defined |
603 | regardless of the current buffer, such as @kbd{C-f}. The variable | |
604 | @code{global-map} holds this keymap, which is always active. | |
73804d4b | 605 | |
d38edfc3 RS |
606 | Each buffer may have another keymap, its @dfn{local keymap}, which |
607 | may contain new or overriding definitions for keys. The current | |
608 | buffer's local keymap is always active except when | |
609 | @code{overriding-local-map} overrides it. The @code{local-map} text | |
610 | or overlay property can specify an alternative local keymap for certain | |
611 | parts of the buffer; see @ref{Special Properties}. | |
73804d4b | 612 | |
a9f0a989 | 613 | Each minor mode can have a keymap; if it does, the keymap is active |
d38edfc3 RS |
614 | when the minor mode is enabled. Modes for emulation can specify |
615 | additional active keymaps through the variable | |
616 | @code{emulation-mode-map-alists}. | |
617 | ||
8ed9e36a | 618 | The highest precedence normal keymap comes from the @code{keymap} |
d38edfc3 RS |
619 | text or overlay property. If that is non-@code{nil}, it is the first |
620 | keymap to be processed, in normal circumstances. | |
621 | ||
7fdc81ab | 622 | However, there are also special ways for programs to substitute |
8a36c244 | 623 | other keymaps for some of those. The variable |
d38edfc3 RS |
624 | @code{overriding-local-map}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap |
625 | that replaces all the usual active keymaps except the global keymap. | |
626 | Another way to do this is with @code{overriding-terminal-local-map}; | |
627 | it operates on a per-terminal basis. These variables are documented | |
628 | below. | |
73804d4b | 629 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
630 | @cindex major mode keymap |
631 | Since every buffer that uses the same major mode normally uses the | |
632 | same local keymap, you can think of the keymap as local to the mode. A | |
633 | change to the local keymap of a buffer (using @code{local-set-key}, for | |
634 | example) is seen also in the other buffers that share that keymap. | |
73804d4b | 635 | |
969fe9b5 | 636 | The local keymaps that are used for Lisp mode and some other major |
d38edfc3 | 637 | modes exist even if they have not yet been used. These local keymaps are |
969fe9b5 RS |
638 | the values of variables such as @code{lisp-mode-map}. For most major |
639 | modes, which are less frequently used, the local keymap is constructed | |
640 | only when the mode is used for the first time in a session. | |
73804d4b | 641 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
642 | The minibuffer has local keymaps, too; they contain various completion |
643 | and exit commands. @xref{Intro to Minibuffers}. | |
73804d4b | 644 | |
a9f0a989 | 645 | Emacs has other keymaps that are used in a different way---translating |
f044bf27 | 646 | events within @code{read-key-sequence}. @xref{Translation Keymaps}. |
a9f0a989 | 647 | |
87b2d5ff | 648 | @xref{Standard Keymaps}, for a list of standard keymaps. |
73804d4b | 649 | |
59e58738 RS |
650 | @defun current-active-maps &optional olp |
651 | This returns the list of active keymaps that would be used by the | |
652 | command loop in the current circumstances to look up a key sequence. | |
653 | Normally it ignores @code{overriding-local-map} and | |
654 | @code{overriding-terminal-local-map}, but if @var{olp} is | |
655 | non-@code{nil} then it pays attention to them. | |
656 | @end defun | |
657 | ||
658 | @defun key-binding key &optional accept-defaults no-remap | |
659 | This function returns the binding for @var{key} according to the | |
660 | current active keymaps. The result is @code{nil} if @var{key} is | |
661 | undefined in the keymaps. | |
662 | ||
663 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
664 | The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default | |
665 | bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (above). | |
666 | ||
3250aca2 | 667 | When @var{key} is a vector containing an input event, such as a mouse |
4e963ca8 RS |
668 | click, @code{key-binding} first looks for the binding in the keymaps |
669 | that would be active at the position where the click was done. | |
3250aca2 | 670 | |
59e58738 RS |
671 | When commands are remapped (@pxref{Remapping Commands}), |
672 | @code{key-binding} normally processes command remappings so as to | |
673 | returns the remapped command that will actually be executed. However, | |
674 | if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}, @code{key-binding} ignores | |
675 | remappings and returns the binding directly specified for @var{key}. | |
676 | ||
677 | An error is signaled if @var{key} is not a string or a vector. | |
678 | ||
679 | @example | |
680 | @group | |
681 | (key-binding "\C-x\C-f") | |
682 | @result{} find-file | |
683 | @end group | |
684 | @end example | |
685 | @end defun | |
686 | ||
687 | @node Searching Keymaps | |
688 | @section Searching the Active Keymaps | |
689 | ||
f044bf27 | 690 | After translation of event subsequences (@pxref{Translation Keymaps}) |
59e58738 RS |
691 | Emacs looks for them in the active keymaps. Here is a pseudo-Lisp |
692 | description of the order in which the active keymaps are searched: | |
693 | ||
694 | @lisp | |
695 | (or (if overriding-terminal-local-map | |
696 | (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map) | |
697 | (if overriding-local-map | |
698 | (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map) | |
699 | (or (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'keymap)) | |
700 | (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists) | |
701 | (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist) | |
702 | (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist) | |
e98a14ff EZ |
703 | (if (get-text-property (point) 'local-map) |
704 | (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'local-map)) | |
705 | (@var{find-in} (current-local-map)))))) | |
59e58738 RS |
706 | (@var{find-in} (current-global-map))) |
707 | @end lisp | |
708 | ||
709 | @noindent | |
710 | The @var{find-in} and @var{find-in-any} are pseudo functions that | |
e98a14ff | 711 | search in one keymap and in an alist of keymaps, respectively. |
59e58738 RS |
712 | |
713 | @enumerate | |
714 | @item | |
715 | The function finally found may be remapped | |
716 | (@pxref{Remapping Commands}). | |
717 | ||
718 | @item | |
719 | Characters that are bound to @code{self-insert-command} are translated | |
720 | according to @code{translation-table-for-input} before insertion. | |
721 | ||
722 | @item | |
723 | @code{current-active-maps} returns a list of the | |
724 | currently active keymaps at point. | |
725 | ||
726 | @item | |
727 | When a match is found (@pxref{Key Lookup}), if the binding in the | |
728 | keymap is a function, the search is over. However if the keymap entry | |
729 | is a symbol with a value or a string, Emacs replaces the input key | |
730 | sequences with the variable's value or the string, and restarts the | |
731 | search of the active keymaps. | |
732 | @end enumerate | |
733 | ||
734 | @node Controlling Active Maps | |
735 | @section Controlling the Active Keymaps | |
736 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
737 | @defvar global-map |
738 | This variable contains the default global keymap that maps Emacs | |
59e58738 RS |
739 | keyboard input to commands. The global keymap is normally this |
740 | keymap. The default global keymap is a full keymap that binds | |
87b2d5ff | 741 | @code{self-insert-command} to all of the printing characters. |
73804d4b | 742 | |
d38edfc3 | 743 | It is normal practice to change the bindings in the global keymap, but you |
87b2d5ff RS |
744 | should not assign this variable any value other than the keymap it starts |
745 | out with. | |
746 | @end defvar | |
73804d4b | 747 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
748 | @defun current-global-map |
749 | This function returns the current global keymap. This is the | |
750 | same as the value of @code{global-map} unless you change one or the | |
751 | other. | |
73804d4b | 752 | |
73804d4b | 753 | @example |
87b2d5ff RS |
754 | @group |
755 | (current-global-map) | |
177c0ea7 | 756 | @result{} (keymap [set-mark-command beginning-of-line @dots{} |
87b2d5ff RS |
757 | delete-backward-char]) |
758 | @end group | |
73804d4b | 759 | @end example |
87b2d5ff | 760 | @end defun |
73804d4b | 761 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
762 | @defun current-local-map |
763 | This function returns the current buffer's local keymap, or @code{nil} | |
764 | if it has none. In the following example, the keymap for the | |
765 | @samp{*scratch*} buffer (using Lisp Interaction mode) is a sparse keymap | |
ad800164 | 766 | in which the entry for @key{ESC}, @acronym{ASCII} code 27, is another sparse |
87b2d5ff | 767 | keymap. |
73804d4b | 768 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
769 | @example |
770 | @group | |
771 | (current-local-map) | |
177c0ea7 JB |
772 | @result{} (keymap |
773 | (10 . eval-print-last-sexp) | |
774 | (9 . lisp-indent-line) | |
775 | (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) | |
87b2d5ff RS |
776 | @end group |
777 | @group | |
177c0ea7 JB |
778 | (27 keymap |
779 | (24 . eval-defun) | |
87b2d5ff RS |
780 | (17 . indent-sexp))) |
781 | @end group | |
782 | @end example | |
783 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 784 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
785 | @defun current-minor-mode-maps |
786 | This function returns a list of the keymaps of currently enabled minor modes. | |
787 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 788 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
789 | @defun use-global-map keymap |
790 | This function makes @var{keymap} the new current global keymap. It | |
791 | returns @code{nil}. | |
73804d4b | 792 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
793 | It is very unusual to change the global keymap. |
794 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 795 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
796 | @defun use-local-map keymap |
797 | This function makes @var{keymap} the new local keymap of the current | |
798 | buffer. If @var{keymap} is @code{nil}, then the buffer has no local | |
799 | keymap. @code{use-local-map} returns @code{nil}. Most major mode | |
800 | commands use this function. | |
801 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 802 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
803 | @c Emacs 19 feature |
804 | @defvar minor-mode-map-alist | |
ca1b0914 | 805 | @anchor{Definition of minor-mode-map-alist} |
87b2d5ff RS |
806 | This variable is an alist describing keymaps that may or may not be |
807 | active according to the values of certain variables. Its elements look | |
808 | like this: | |
73804d4b | 809 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
810 | @example |
811 | (@var{variable} . @var{keymap}) | |
812 | @end example | |
73804d4b | 813 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
814 | The keymap @var{keymap} is active whenever @var{variable} has a |
815 | non-@code{nil} value. Typically @var{variable} is the variable that | |
816 | enables or disables a minor mode. @xref{Keymaps and Minor Modes}. | |
73804d4b | 817 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
818 | Note that elements of @code{minor-mode-map-alist} do not have the same |
819 | structure as elements of @code{minor-mode-alist}. The map must be the | |
a40d4712 PR |
820 | @sc{cdr} of the element; a list with the map as the second element will |
821 | not do. The @sc{cdr} can be either a keymap (a list) or a symbol whose | |
822 | function definition is a keymap. | |
73804d4b | 823 | |
8a36c244 RS |
824 | When more than one minor mode keymap is active, the earlier one in |
825 | @code{minor-mode-map-alist} takes priority. But you should design | |
87b2d5ff RS |
826 | minor modes so that they don't interfere with each other. If you do |
827 | this properly, the order will not matter. | |
73804d4b | 828 | |
f9f59935 RS |
829 | See @ref{Keymaps and Minor Modes}, for more information about minor |
830 | modes. See also @code{minor-mode-key-binding} (@pxref{Functions for Key | |
831 | Lookup}). | |
832 | @end defvar | |
833 | ||
f9f59935 RS |
834 | @defvar minor-mode-overriding-map-alist |
835 | This variable allows major modes to override the key bindings for | |
836 | particular minor modes. The elements of this alist look like the | |
837 | elements of @code{minor-mode-map-alist}: @code{(@var{variable} | |
a9f0a989 RS |
838 | . @var{keymap})}. |
839 | ||
1911e6e5 | 840 | If a variable appears as an element of |
a9f0a989 RS |
841 | @code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist}, the map specified by that |
842 | element totally replaces any map specified for the same variable in | |
843 | @code{minor-mode-map-alist}. | |
f9f59935 | 844 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
845 | @code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist} is automatically buffer-local in |
846 | all buffers. | |
87b2d5ff | 847 | @end defvar |
73804d4b | 848 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
849 | @defvar overriding-local-map |
850 | If non-@code{nil}, this variable holds a keymap to use instead of the | |
d38edfc3 RS |
851 | buffer's local keymap, any text property or overlay keymaps, and any |
852 | minor mode keymaps. This keymap, if specified, overrides all other | |
853 | maps that would have been active, except for the current global map. | |
73804d4b RS |
854 | @end defvar |
855 | ||
5fe8e44d RS |
856 | @defvar overriding-terminal-local-map |
857 | If non-@code{nil}, this variable holds a keymap to use instead of | |
db8af011 LT |
858 | @code{overriding-local-map}, the buffer's local keymap, text property |
859 | or overlay keymaps, and all the minor mode keymaps. | |
5fe8e44d RS |
860 | |
861 | This variable is always local to the current terminal and cannot be | |
862 | buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Displays}. It is used to implement | |
863 | incremental search mode. | |
864 | @end defvar | |
865 | ||
4b4b65a6 RS |
866 | @defvar overriding-local-map-menu-flag |
867 | If this variable is non-@code{nil}, the value of | |
868 | @code{overriding-local-map} or @code{overriding-terminal-local-map} can | |
869 | affect the display of the menu bar. The default value is @code{nil}, so | |
870 | those map variables have no effect on the menu bar. | |
871 | ||
872 | Note that these two map variables do affect the execution of key | |
873 | sequences entered using the menu bar, even if they do not affect the | |
874 | menu bar display. So if a menu bar key sequence comes in, you should | |
875 | clear the variables before looking up and executing that key sequence. | |
876 | Modes that use the variables would typically do this anyway; normally | |
877 | they respond to events that they do not handle by ``unreading'' them and | |
878 | exiting. | |
879 | @end defvar | |
880 | ||
f9f59935 RS |
881 | @defvar special-event-map |
882 | This variable holds a keymap for special events. If an event type has a | |
883 | binding in this keymap, then it is special, and the binding for the | |
884 | event is run directly by @code{read-event}. @xref{Special Events}. | |
885 | @end defvar | |
886 | ||
229644e7 RS |
887 | @defvar emulation-mode-map-alists |
888 | This variable holds a list of keymap alists to use for emulations | |
889 | modes. It is intended for modes or packages using multiple minor-mode | |
890 | keymaps. Each element is a keymap alist which has the same format and | |
891 | meaning as @code{minor-mode-map-alist}, or a symbol with a variable | |
892 | binding which is such an alist. The ``active'' keymaps in each alist | |
893 | are used before @code{minor-mode-map-alist} and | |
894 | @code{minor-mode-overriding-map-alist}. | |
895 | @end defvar | |
896 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
897 | @node Key Lookup |
898 | @section Key Lookup | |
899 | @cindex key lookup | |
900 | @cindex keymap entry | |
73804d4b | 901 | |
87b2d5ff | 902 | @dfn{Key lookup} is the process of finding the binding of a key |
59e58738 RS |
903 | sequence from a given keymap. The execution or use of the binding is |
904 | not part of key lookup. | |
73804d4b | 905 | |
f9f59935 RS |
906 | Key lookup uses just the event type of each event in the key sequence; |
907 | the rest of the event is ignored. In fact, a key sequence used for key | |
8a36c244 RS |
908 | lookup may designate a mouse event with just its types (a symbol) |
909 | instead of the entire event (a list). @xref{Input Events}. Such | |
59e58738 | 910 | a ``key sequence'' is insufficient for @code{command-execute} to run, |
f9f59935 | 911 | but it is sufficient for looking up or rebinding a key. |
73804d4b | 912 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
913 | When the key sequence consists of multiple events, key lookup |
914 | processes the events sequentially: the binding of the first event is | |
915 | found, and must be a keymap; then the second event's binding is found in | |
916 | that keymap, and so on until all the events in the key sequence are used | |
917 | up. (The binding thus found for the last event may or may not be a | |
918 | keymap.) Thus, the process of key lookup is defined in terms of a | |
919 | simpler process for looking up a single event in a keymap. How that is | |
920 | done depends on the type of object associated with the event in that | |
921 | keymap. | |
73804d4b | 922 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
923 | Let's use the term @dfn{keymap entry} to describe the value found by |
924 | looking up an event type in a keymap. (This doesn't include the item | |
969fe9b5 | 925 | string and other extra elements in menu key bindings, because |
87b2d5ff RS |
926 | @code{lookup-key} and other key lookup functions don't include them in |
927 | the returned value.) While any Lisp object may be stored in a keymap as | |
969fe9b5 | 928 | a keymap entry, not all make sense for key lookup. Here is a table of |
87b2d5ff | 929 | the meaningful kinds of keymap entries: |
73804d4b | 930 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
931 | @table @asis |
932 | @item @code{nil} | |
933 | @cindex @code{nil} in keymap | |
934 | @code{nil} means that the events used so far in the lookup form an | |
935 | undefined key. When a keymap fails to mention an event type at all, and | |
936 | has no default binding, that is equivalent to a binding of @code{nil} | |
937 | for that event type. | |
73804d4b | 938 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
939 | @item @var{command} |
940 | @cindex command in keymap | |
941 | The events used so far in the lookup form a complete key, | |
942 | and @var{command} is its binding. @xref{What Is a Function}. | |
73804d4b | 943 | |
bfe721d1 | 944 | @item @var{array} |
87b2d5ff | 945 | @cindex string in keymap |
bfe721d1 KH |
946 | The array (either a string or a vector) is a keyboard macro. The events |
947 | used so far in the lookup form a complete key, and the array is its | |
948 | binding. See @ref{Keyboard Macros}, for more information. | |
73804d4b | 949 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
950 | @item @var{keymap} |
951 | @cindex keymap in keymap | |
952 | The events used so far in the lookup form a prefix key. The next | |
953 | event of the key sequence is looked up in @var{keymap}. | |
954 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
955 | @item @var{list} |
956 | @cindex list in keymap | |
957 | The meaning of a list depends on the types of the elements of the list. | |
73804d4b | 958 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
959 | @itemize @bullet |
960 | @item | |
961 | If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is the symbol @code{keymap}, then the list | |
962 | is a keymap, and is treated as a keymap (see above). | |
73804d4b | 963 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
964 | @item |
965 | @cindex @code{lambda} in keymap | |
966 | If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is @code{lambda}, then the list is a | |
91055930 RS |
967 | lambda expression. This is presumed to be a function, and is treated |
968 | as such (see above). In order to execute properly as a key binding, | |
969 | this function must be a command---it must have an @code{interactive} | |
970 | specification. @xref{Defining Commands}. | |
73804d4b | 971 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
972 | @item |
973 | If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is a keymap and the @sc{cdr} is an event | |
974 | type, then this is an @dfn{indirect entry}: | |
73804d4b RS |
975 | |
976 | @example | |
87b2d5ff | 977 | (@var{othermap} . @var{othertype}) |
73804d4b RS |
978 | @end example |
979 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
980 | When key lookup encounters an indirect entry, it looks up instead the |
981 | binding of @var{othertype} in @var{othermap} and uses that. | |
73804d4b | 982 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
983 | This feature permits you to define one key as an alias for another key. |
984 | For example, an entry whose @sc{car} is the keymap called @code{esc-map} | |
bfe721d1 | 985 | and whose @sc{cdr} is 32 (the code for @key{SPC}) means, ``Use the global |
87b2d5ff RS |
986 | binding of @kbd{Meta-@key{SPC}}, whatever that may be.'' |
987 | @end itemize | |
73804d4b | 988 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
989 | @item @var{symbol} |
990 | @cindex symbol in keymap | |
991 | The function definition of @var{symbol} is used in place of | |
992 | @var{symbol}. If that too is a symbol, then this process is repeated, | |
993 | any number of times. Ultimately this should lead to an object that is | |
f9f59935 | 994 | a keymap, a command, or a keyboard macro. A list is allowed if it is a |
87b2d5ff RS |
995 | keymap or a command, but indirect entries are not understood when found |
996 | via symbols. | |
73804d4b | 997 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
998 | Note that keymaps and keyboard macros (strings and vectors) are not |
999 | valid functions, so a symbol with a keymap, string, or vector as its | |
1000 | function definition is invalid as a function. It is, however, valid as | |
1001 | a key binding. If the definition is a keyboard macro, then the symbol | |
1002 | is also valid as an argument to @code{command-execute} | |
1003 | (@pxref{Interactive Call}). | |
73804d4b | 1004 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1005 | @cindex @code{undefined} in keymap |
1006 | The symbol @code{undefined} is worth special mention: it means to treat | |
1007 | the key as undefined. Strictly speaking, the key is defined, and its | |
1008 | binding is the command @code{undefined}; but that command does the same | |
1009 | thing that is done automatically for an undefined key: it rings the bell | |
1010 | (by calling @code{ding}) but does not signal an error. | |
73804d4b | 1011 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1012 | @cindex preventing prefix key |
1013 | @code{undefined} is used in local keymaps to override a global key | |
1014 | binding and make the key ``undefined'' locally. A local binding of | |
1015 | @code{nil} would fail to do this because it would not override the | |
1016 | global binding. | |
1017 | ||
1018 | @item @var{anything else} | |
1019 | If any other type of object is found, the events used so far in the | |
1020 | lookup form a complete key, and the object is its binding, but the | |
1021 | binding is not executable as a command. | |
1022 | @end table | |
1023 | ||
1024 | In short, a keymap entry may be a keymap, a command, a keyboard macro, | |
1025 | a symbol that leads to one of them, or an indirection or @code{nil}. | |
1026 | Here is an example of a sparse keymap with two characters bound to | |
1027 | commands and one bound to another keymap. This map is the normal value | |
1028 | of @code{emacs-lisp-mode-map}. Note that 9 is the code for @key{TAB}, | |
1029 | 127 for @key{DEL}, 27 for @key{ESC}, 17 for @kbd{C-q} and 24 for | |
1030 | @kbd{C-x}. | |
73804d4b RS |
1031 | |
1032 | @example | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1033 | @group |
1034 | (keymap (9 . lisp-indent-line) | |
1035 | (127 . backward-delete-char-untabify) | |
1036 | (27 keymap (17 . indent-sexp) (24 . eval-defun))) | |
1037 | @end group | |
73804d4b RS |
1038 | @end example |
1039 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1040 | @node Functions for Key Lookup |
1041 | @section Functions for Key Lookup | |
73804d4b | 1042 | |
87b2d5ff | 1043 | Here are the functions and variables pertaining to key lookup. |
73804d4b | 1044 | |
87b2d5ff | 1045 | @defun lookup-key keymap key &optional accept-defaults |
969fe9b5 RS |
1046 | This function returns the definition of @var{key} in @var{keymap}. All |
1047 | the other functions described in this chapter that look up keys use | |
1048 | @code{lookup-key}. Here are examples: | |
73804d4b | 1049 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1050 | @example |
1051 | @group | |
1052 | (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f") | |
1053 | @result{} find-file | |
1054 | @end group | |
1055 | @group | |
402fe423 RS |
1056 | (lookup-key (current-global-map) (kbd "C-x C-f")) |
1057 | @result{} find-file | |
1058 | @end group | |
1059 | @group | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1060 | (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f12345") |
1061 | @result{} 2 | |
1062 | @end group | |
1063 | @end example | |
73804d4b | 1064 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
1065 | If the string or vector @var{key} is not a valid key sequence according |
1066 | to the prefix keys specified in @var{keymap}, it must be ``too long'' | |
1067 | and have extra events at the end that do not fit into a single key | |
1068 | sequence. Then the value is a number, the number of events at the front | |
1069 | of @var{key} that compose a complete key. | |
1070 | ||
1071 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
1072 | If @var{accept-defaults} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{lookup-key} | |
1073 | considers default bindings as well as bindings for the specific events | |
1074 | in @var{key}. Otherwise, @code{lookup-key} reports only bindings for | |
1075 | the specific sequence @var{key}, ignoring default bindings except when | |
1076 | you explicitly ask about them. (To do this, supply @code{t} as an | |
1077 | element of @var{key}; see @ref{Format of Keymaps}.) | |
1078 | ||
5f1f5955 GM |
1079 | If @var{key} contains a meta character (not a function key), that |
1080 | character is implicitly replaced by a two-character sequence: the value | |
1081 | of @code{meta-prefix-char}, followed by the corresponding non-meta | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1082 | character. Thus, the first example below is handled by conversion into |
1083 | the second example. | |
73804d4b RS |
1084 | |
1085 | @example | |
1086 | @group | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1087 | (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\M-f") |
1088 | @result{} forward-word | |
1089 | @end group | |
1090 | @group | |
1091 | (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\ef") | |
1092 | @result{} forward-word | |
73804d4b RS |
1093 | @end group |
1094 | @end example | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1095 | |
1096 | Unlike @code{read-key-sequence}, this function does not modify the | |
1097 | specified events in ways that discard information (@pxref{Key Sequence | |
1098 | Input}). In particular, it does not convert letters to lower case and | |
1099 | it does not change drag events to clicks. | |
73804d4b RS |
1100 | @end defun |
1101 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1102 | @deffn Command undefined |
1103 | Used in keymaps to undefine keys. It calls @code{ding}, but does | |
1104 | not cause an error. | |
1105 | @end deffn | |
1106 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1107 | @defun local-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults |
1108 | This function returns the binding for @var{key} in the current | |
1109 | local keymap, or @code{nil} if it is undefined there. | |
73804d4b | 1110 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1111 | @c Emacs 19 feature |
1112 | The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default bindings, | |
1113 | as in @code{lookup-key} (above). | |
73804d4b RS |
1114 | @end defun |
1115 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1116 | @defun global-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults |
1117 | This function returns the binding for command @var{key} in the | |
1118 | current global keymap, or @code{nil} if it is undefined there. | |
73804d4b RS |
1119 | |
1120 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1121 | The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default bindings, |
1122 | as in @code{lookup-key} (above). | |
1123 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 1124 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1125 | @c Emacs 19 feature |
1126 | @defun minor-mode-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults | |
1127 | This function returns a list of all the active minor mode bindings of | |
1128 | @var{key}. More precisely, it returns an alist of pairs | |
1129 | @code{(@var{modename} . @var{binding})}, where @var{modename} is the | |
1130 | variable that enables the minor mode, and @var{binding} is @var{key}'s | |
1131 | binding in that mode. If @var{key} has no minor-mode bindings, the | |
1132 | value is @code{nil}. | |
73804d4b | 1133 | |
f9f59935 RS |
1134 | If the first binding found is not a prefix definition (a keymap or a |
1135 | symbol defined as a keymap), all subsequent bindings from other minor | |
1136 | modes are omitted, since they would be completely shadowed. Similarly, | |
1137 | the list omits non-prefix bindings that follow prefix bindings. | |
73804d4b | 1138 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1139 | The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default |
1140 | bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (above). | |
1141 | @end defun | |
73804d4b | 1142 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1143 | @defvar meta-prefix-char |
1144 | @cindex @key{ESC} | |
59e58738 | 1145 | This variable is the meta-prefix character code. It is used for |
87b2d5ff | 1146 | translating a meta character to a two-character sequence so it can be |
59e58738 RS |
1147 | looked up in a keymap. For useful results, the value should be a |
1148 | prefix event (@pxref{Prefix Keys}). The default value is 27, which is | |
1149 | the @acronym{ASCII} code for @key{ESC}. | |
73804d4b | 1150 | |
5f1f5955 GM |
1151 | As long as the value of @code{meta-prefix-char} remains 27, key lookup |
1152 | translates @kbd{M-b} into @kbd{@key{ESC} b}, which is normally defined | |
1153 | as the @code{backward-word} command. However, if you were to set | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1154 | @code{meta-prefix-char} to 24, the code for @kbd{C-x}, then Emacs will |
1155 | translate @kbd{M-b} into @kbd{C-x b}, whose standard binding is the | |
5f1f5955 GM |
1156 | @code{switch-to-buffer} command. (Don't actually do this!) Here is an |
1157 | illustration of what would happen: | |
73804d4b | 1158 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1159 | @smallexample |
1160 | @group | |
1161 | meta-prefix-char ; @r{The default value.} | |
1162 | @result{} 27 | |
1163 | @end group | |
1164 | @group | |
1165 | (key-binding "\M-b") | |
1166 | @result{} backward-word | |
1167 | @end group | |
1168 | @group | |
1169 | ?\C-x ; @r{The print representation} | |
1170 | @result{} 24 ; @r{of a character.} | |
1171 | @end group | |
1172 | @group | |
1173 | (setq meta-prefix-char 24) | |
177c0ea7 | 1174 | @result{} 24 |
87b2d5ff RS |
1175 | @end group |
1176 | @group | |
1177 | (key-binding "\M-b") | |
1178 | @result{} switch-to-buffer ; @r{Now, typing @kbd{M-b} is} | |
1179 | ; @r{like typing @kbd{C-x b}.} | |
73804d4b | 1180 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1181 | (setq meta-prefix-char 27) ; @r{Avoid confusion!} |
1182 | @result{} 27 ; @r{Restore the default value!} | |
1183 | @end group | |
1184 | @end smallexample | |
5f1f5955 GM |
1185 | |
1186 | This translation of one event into two happens only for characters, not | |
1187 | for other kinds of input events. Thus, @kbd{M-@key{F1}}, a function | |
1188 | key, is not converted into @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{F1}}. | |
73804d4b RS |
1189 | @end defvar |
1190 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1191 | @node Changing Key Bindings |
1192 | @section Changing Key Bindings | |
1193 | @cindex changing key bindings | |
1194 | @cindex rebinding | |
73804d4b | 1195 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1196 | The way to rebind a key is to change its entry in a keymap. If you |
1197 | change a binding in the global keymap, the change is effective in all | |
1198 | buffers (though it has no direct effect in buffers that shadow the | |
1199 | global binding with a local one). If you change the current buffer's | |
1200 | local map, that usually affects all buffers using the same major mode. | |
1201 | The @code{global-set-key} and @code{local-set-key} functions are | |
1202 | convenient interfaces for these operations (@pxref{Key Binding | |
1203 | Commands}). You can also use @code{define-key}, a more general | |
1204 | function; then you must specify explicitly the map to change. | |
73804d4b | 1205 | |
fc0804c4 RS |
1206 | When choosing the key sequences for Lisp programs to rebind, please |
1207 | follow the Emacs conventions for use of various keys (@pxref{Key | |
1208 | Binding Conventions}). | |
1209 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1210 | @cindex meta character key constants |
1211 | @cindex control character key constants | |
1212 | In writing the key sequence to rebind, it is good to use the special | |
1213 | escape sequences for control and meta characters (@pxref{String Type}). | |
1214 | The syntax @samp{\C-} means that the following character is a control | |
1215 | character and @samp{\M-} means that the following character is a meta | |
1216 | character. Thus, the string @code{"\M-x"} is read as containing a | |
1217 | single @kbd{M-x}, @code{"\C-f"} is read as containing a single | |
1218 | @kbd{C-f}, and @code{"\M-\C-x"} and @code{"\C-\M-x"} are both read as | |
1219 | containing a single @kbd{C-M-x}. You can also use this escape syntax in | |
1220 | vectors, as well as others that aren't allowed in strings; one example | |
1221 | is @samp{[?\C-\H-x home]}. @xref{Character Type}. | |
73804d4b | 1222 | |
22697dac KH |
1223 | The key definition and lookup functions accept an alternate syntax for |
1224 | event types in a key sequence that is a vector: you can use a list | |
1225 | containing modifier names plus one base event (a character or function | |
1226 | key name). For example, @code{(control ?a)} is equivalent to | |
1227 | @code{?\C-a} and @code{(hyper control left)} is equivalent to | |
969fe9b5 RS |
1228 | @code{C-H-left}. One advantage of such lists is that the precise |
1229 | numeric codes for the modifier bits don't appear in compiled files. | |
bfe721d1 | 1230 | |
fc0804c4 RS |
1231 | The functions below signal an error if @var{keymap} is not a keymap, |
1232 | or if @var{key} is not a string or vector representing a key sequence. | |
1233 | You can use event types (symbols) as shorthand for events that are | |
1234 | lists. The @code{kbd} macro (@pxref{Key Sequences}) is a convenient | |
1235 | way to specify the key sequence. | |
73804d4b | 1236 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1237 | @defun define-key keymap key binding |
1238 | This function sets the binding for @var{key} in @var{keymap}. (If | |
1239 | @var{key} is more than one event long, the change is actually made | |
1240 | in another keymap reached from @var{keymap}.) The argument | |
1241 | @var{binding} can be any Lisp object, but only certain types are | |
1242 | meaningful. (For a list of meaningful types, see @ref{Key Lookup}.) | |
1243 | The value returned by @code{define-key} is @var{binding}. | |
73804d4b | 1244 | |
48bf63e3 RS |
1245 | If @var{key} is @code{[t]}, this sets the default binding in |
1246 | @var{keymap}. When an event has no binding of its own, the Emacs | |
1247 | command loop uses the keymap's default binding, if there is one. | |
1248 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1249 | @cindex invalid prefix key error |
1250 | @cindex key sequence error | |
969fe9b5 RS |
1251 | Every prefix of @var{key} must be a prefix key (i.e., bound to a keymap) |
1252 | or undefined; otherwise an error is signaled. If some prefix of | |
1253 | @var{key} is undefined, then @code{define-key} defines it as a prefix | |
1254 | key so that the rest of @var{key} can be defined as specified. | |
f9f59935 RS |
1255 | |
1256 | If there was previously no binding for @var{key} in @var{keymap}, the | |
1257 | new binding is added at the beginning of @var{keymap}. The order of | |
48bf63e3 RS |
1258 | bindings in a keymap makes no difference for keyboard input, but it |
1259 | does matter for menu keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). | |
87b2d5ff | 1260 | @end defun |
73804d4b | 1261 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1262 | Here is an example that creates a sparse keymap and makes a number of |
1263 | bindings in it: | |
73804d4b | 1264 | |
87b2d5ff | 1265 | @smallexample |
73804d4b | 1266 | @group |
87b2d5ff RS |
1267 | (setq map (make-sparse-keymap)) |
1268 | @result{} (keymap) | |
73804d4b | 1269 | @end group |
73804d4b | 1270 | @group |
87b2d5ff RS |
1271 | (define-key map "\C-f" 'forward-char) |
1272 | @result{} forward-char | |
73804d4b RS |
1273 | @end group |
1274 | @group | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1275 | map |
1276 | @result{} (keymap (6 . forward-char)) | |
73804d4b | 1277 | @end group |
73804d4b | 1278 | |
73804d4b | 1279 | @group |
87b2d5ff | 1280 | ;; @r{Build sparse submap for @kbd{C-x} and bind @kbd{f} in that.} |
402fe423 | 1281 | (define-key map (kbd "C-x f") 'forward-word) |
73804d4b RS |
1282 | @result{} forward-word |
1283 | @end group | |
1284 | @group | |
87b2d5ff | 1285 | map |
177c0ea7 | 1286 | @result{} (keymap |
87b2d5ff RS |
1287 | (24 keymap ; @kbd{C-x} |
1288 | (102 . forward-word)) ; @kbd{f} | |
1289 | (6 . forward-char)) ; @kbd{C-f} | |
73804d4b | 1290 | @end group |
73804d4b | 1291 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1292 | @group |
1293 | ;; @r{Bind @kbd{C-p} to the @code{ctl-x-map}.} | |
402fe423 | 1294 | (define-key map (kbd "C-p") ctl-x-map) |
87b2d5ff | 1295 | ;; @code{ctl-x-map} |
177c0ea7 | 1296 | @result{} [nil @dots{} find-file @dots{} backward-kill-sentence] |
87b2d5ff | 1297 | @end group |
73804d4b | 1298 | |
73804d4b | 1299 | @group |
87b2d5ff | 1300 | ;; @r{Bind @kbd{C-f} to @code{foo} in the @code{ctl-x-map}.} |
402fe423 | 1301 | (define-key map (kbd "C-p C-f") 'foo) |
87b2d5ff | 1302 | @result{} 'foo |
73804d4b | 1303 | @end group |
87b2d5ff RS |
1304 | @group |
1305 | map | |
1306 | @result{} (keymap ; @r{Note @code{foo} in @code{ctl-x-map}.} | |
1307 | (16 keymap [nil @dots{} foo @dots{} backward-kill-sentence]) | |
177c0ea7 | 1308 | (24 keymap |
87b2d5ff RS |
1309 | (102 . forward-word)) |
1310 | (6 . forward-char)) | |
1311 | @end group | |
1312 | @end smallexample | |
73804d4b | 1313 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1314 | @noindent |
1315 | Note that storing a new binding for @kbd{C-p C-f} actually works by | |
1316 | changing an entry in @code{ctl-x-map}, and this has the effect of | |
1317 | changing the bindings of both @kbd{C-p C-f} and @kbd{C-x C-f} in the | |
1318 | default global map. | |
73804d4b | 1319 | |
229644e7 | 1320 | The function @code{substitute-key-definition} scans a keymap for |
db8af011 | 1321 | keys that have a certain binding and rebinds them with a different |
91055930 RS |
1322 | binding. Another feature which is cleaner and can often produce the |
1323 | same results to remap one command into another (@pxref{Remapping | |
1324 | Commands}). | |
229644e7 | 1325 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1326 | @defun substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap &optional oldmap |
1327 | @cindex replace bindings | |
1328 | This function replaces @var{olddef} with @var{newdef} for any keys in | |
1329 | @var{keymap} that were bound to @var{olddef}. In other words, | |
1330 | @var{olddef} is replaced with @var{newdef} wherever it appears. The | |
1331 | function returns @code{nil}. | |
73804d4b | 1332 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1333 | For example, this redefines @kbd{C-x C-f}, if you do it in an Emacs with |
1334 | standard bindings: | |
73804d4b | 1335 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1336 | @smallexample |
1337 | @group | |
177c0ea7 | 1338 | (substitute-key-definition |
87b2d5ff RS |
1339 | 'find-file 'find-file-read-only (current-global-map)) |
1340 | @end group | |
1341 | @end smallexample | |
73804d4b RS |
1342 | |
1343 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
a0a1df48 GM |
1344 | If @var{oldmap} is non-@code{nil}, that changes the behavior of |
1345 | @code{substitute-key-definition}: the bindings in @var{oldmap} determine | |
1346 | which keys to rebind. The rebindings still happen in @var{keymap}, not | |
1347 | in @var{oldmap}. Thus, you can change one map under the control of the | |
87b2d5ff | 1348 | bindings in another. For example, |
73804d4b | 1349 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1350 | @smallexample |
1351 | (substitute-key-definition | |
1352 | 'delete-backward-char 'my-funny-delete | |
1353 | my-map global-map) | |
1354 | @end smallexample | |
73804d4b | 1355 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1356 | @noindent |
1357 | puts the special deletion command in @code{my-map} for whichever keys | |
1358 | are globally bound to the standard deletion command. | |
73804d4b | 1359 | |
87b2d5ff | 1360 | Here is an example showing a keymap before and after substitution: |
73804d4b RS |
1361 | |
1362 | @smallexample | |
1363 | @group | |
177c0ea7 JB |
1364 | (setq map '(keymap |
1365 | (?1 . olddef-1) | |
1366 | (?2 . olddef-2) | |
73804d4b RS |
1367 | (?3 . olddef-1))) |
1368 | @result{} (keymap (49 . olddef-1) (50 . olddef-2) (51 . olddef-1)) | |
1369 | @end group | |
1370 | ||
1371 | @group | |
1372 | (substitute-key-definition 'olddef-1 'newdef map) | |
1373 | @result{} nil | |
1374 | @end group | |
1375 | @group | |
1376 | map | |
1377 | @result{} (keymap (49 . newdef) (50 . olddef-2) (51 . newdef)) | |
1378 | @end group | |
1379 | @end smallexample | |
1380 | @end defun | |
1381 | ||
1382 | @defun suppress-keymap keymap &optional nodigits | |
1383 | @cindex @code{self-insert-command} override | |
1384 | This function changes the contents of the full keymap @var{keymap} by | |
cd7e5dd6 LT |
1385 | remapping @code{self-insert-command} to the command @code{undefined} |
1386 | (@pxref{Remapping Commands}). This has the effect of undefining all | |
1387 | printing characters, thus making ordinary insertion of text impossible. | |
1388 | @code{suppress-keymap} returns @code{nil}. | |
73804d4b RS |
1389 | |
1390 | If @var{nodigits} is @code{nil}, then @code{suppress-keymap} defines | |
1391 | digits to run @code{digit-argument}, and @kbd{-} to run | |
1392 | @code{negative-argument}. Otherwise it makes them undefined like the | |
1393 | rest of the printing characters. | |
1394 | ||
177c0ea7 JB |
1395 | @cindex yank suppression |
1396 | @cindex @code{quoted-insert} suppression | |
73804d4b RS |
1397 | The @code{suppress-keymap} function does not make it impossible to |
1398 | modify a buffer, as it does not suppress commands such as @code{yank} | |
1399 | and @code{quoted-insert}. To prevent any modification of a buffer, make | |
1400 | it read-only (@pxref{Read Only Buffers}). | |
1401 | ||
1402 | Since this function modifies @var{keymap}, you would normally use it | |
1403 | on a newly created keymap. Operating on an existing keymap | |
1404 | that is used for some other purpose is likely to cause trouble; for | |
1405 | example, suppressing @code{global-map} would make it impossible to use | |
1406 | most of Emacs. | |
1407 | ||
1408 | Most often, @code{suppress-keymap} is used to initialize local | |
1409 | keymaps of modes such as Rmail and Dired where insertion of text is not | |
1410 | desirable and the buffer is read-only. Here is an example taken from | |
1411 | the file @file{emacs/lisp/dired.el}, showing how the local keymap for | |
1412 | Dired mode is set up: | |
1413 | ||
1414 | @smallexample | |
1415 | @group | |
1911e6e5 RS |
1416 | (setq dired-mode-map (make-keymap)) |
1417 | (suppress-keymap dired-mode-map) | |
1418 | (define-key dired-mode-map "r" 'dired-rename-file) | |
1419 | (define-key dired-mode-map "\C-d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted) | |
1420 | (define-key dired-mode-map "d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted) | |
1421 | (define-key dired-mode-map "v" 'dired-view-file) | |
1422 | (define-key dired-mode-map "e" 'dired-find-file) | |
1423 | (define-key dired-mode-map "f" 'dired-find-file) | |
1424 | @dots{} | |
73804d4b RS |
1425 | @end group |
1426 | @end smallexample | |
1427 | @end defun | |
1428 | ||
229644e7 RS |
1429 | @node Remapping Commands |
1430 | @section Remapping Commands | |
1431 | @cindex remapping commands | |
1432 | ||
1433 | A special kind of key binding, using a special ``key sequence'' | |
1434 | which includes a command name, has the effect of @dfn{remapping} that | |
1435 | command into another. Here's how it works. You make a key binding | |
b0110b4a | 1436 | for a key sequence that starts with the dummy event @code{remap}, |
229644e7 RS |
1437 | followed by the command name you want to remap. Specify the remapped |
1438 | definition as the definition in this binding. The remapped definition | |
1439 | is usually a command name, but it can be any valid definition for | |
1440 | a key binding. | |
1441 | ||
1442 | Here's an example. Suppose that My mode uses special commands | |
1443 | @code{my-kill-line} and @code{my-kill-word}, which should be invoked | |
1444 | instead of @code{kill-line} and @code{kill-word}. It can establish | |
1445 | this by making these two command-remapping bindings in its keymap: | |
1446 | ||
342fd6cd | 1447 | @smallexample |
229644e7 RS |
1448 | (define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line) |
1449 | (define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-word] 'my-kill-word) | |
342fd6cd | 1450 | @end smallexample |
229644e7 RS |
1451 | |
1452 | Whenever @code{my-mode-map} is an active keymap, if the user types | |
1453 | @kbd{C-k}, Emacs will find the standard global binding of | |
1454 | @code{kill-line} (assuming nobody has changed it). But | |
db8af011 | 1455 | @code{my-mode-map} remaps @code{kill-line} to @code{my-kill-line}, |
229644e7 RS |
1456 | so instead of running @code{kill-line}, Emacs runs |
1457 | @code{my-kill-line}. | |
1458 | ||
1459 | Remapping only works through a single level. In other words, | |
1460 | ||
342fd6cd | 1461 | @smallexample |
229644e7 RS |
1462 | (define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line) |
1463 | (define-key my-mode-map [remap my-kill-line] 'my-other-kill-line) | |
342fd6cd | 1464 | @end smallexample |
229644e7 RS |
1465 | |
1466 | @noindent | |
1467 | does not have the effect of remapping @code{kill-line} into | |
db8af011 | 1468 | @code{my-other-kill-line}. If an ordinary key binding specifies |
229644e7 RS |
1469 | @code{kill-line}, this keymap will remap it to @code{my-kill-line}; |
1470 | if an ordinary binding specifies @code{my-kill-line}, this keymap will | |
1471 | remap it to @code{my-other-kill-line}. | |
1472 | ||
1473 | @defun command-remapping command | |
db8af011 LT |
1474 | This function returns the remapping for @var{command} (a symbol), |
1475 | given the current active keymaps. If @var{command} is not remapped | |
1476 | (which is the usual situation), or not a symbol, the function returns | |
1477 | @code{nil}. | |
229644e7 RS |
1478 | @end defun |
1479 | ||
f044bf27 RS |
1480 | @node Translation Keymaps |
1481 | @section Keymaps for Translating Sequences of Events | |
1482 | ||
1483 | This section describes keymaps that are used during reading a key | |
1484 | sequence, to translate certain event sequences into others. | |
1485 | @code{read-key-sequence} checks every subsequence of the key sequence | |
1486 | being read, as it is read, against @code{function-key-map} and then | |
1487 | against @code{key-translation-map}. | |
1488 | ||
1489 | @defvar function-key-map | |
1490 | This variable holds a keymap that describes the character sequences sent | |
1491 | by function keys on an ordinary character terminal. This keymap has the | |
1492 | same structure as other keymaps, but is used differently: it specifies | |
1493 | translations to make while reading key sequences, rather than bindings | |
1494 | for key sequences. | |
1495 | ||
1496 | If @code{function-key-map} ``binds'' a key sequence @var{k} to a vector | |
1497 | @var{v}, then when @var{k} appears as a subsequence @emph{anywhere} in a | |
1498 | key sequence, it is replaced with the events in @var{v}. | |
1499 | ||
1500 | For example, VT100 terminals send @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} when the | |
1501 | keypad @key{PF1} key is pressed. Therefore, we want Emacs to translate | |
1502 | that sequence of events into the single event @code{pf1}. We accomplish | |
1503 | this by ``binding'' @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} to @code{[pf1]} in | |
1504 | @code{function-key-map}, when using a VT100. | |
1505 | ||
1506 | Thus, typing @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}} sends the character sequence @kbd{C-c | |
1507 | @key{ESC} O P}; later the function @code{read-key-sequence} translates | |
1508 | this back into @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}}, which it returns as the vector | |
1509 | @code{[?\C-c pf1]}. | |
1510 | ||
1511 | Entries in @code{function-key-map} are ignored if they conflict with | |
1512 | bindings made in the minor mode, local, or global keymaps. The intent | |
1513 | is that the character sequences that function keys send should not have | |
1514 | command bindings in their own right---but if they do, the ordinary | |
1515 | bindings take priority. | |
1516 | ||
1517 | The value of @code{function-key-map} is usually set up automatically | |
1518 | according to the terminal's Terminfo or Termcap entry, but sometimes | |
1519 | those need help from terminal-specific Lisp files. Emacs comes with | |
1520 | terminal-specific files for many common terminals; their main purpose is | |
1521 | to make entries in @code{function-key-map} beyond those that can be | |
1522 | deduced from Termcap and Terminfo. @xref{Terminal-Specific}. | |
1523 | @end defvar | |
1524 | ||
1525 | @defvar key-translation-map | |
1526 | This variable is another keymap used just like @code{function-key-map} | |
1527 | to translate input events into other events. It differs from | |
1528 | @code{function-key-map} in two ways: | |
1529 | ||
1530 | @itemize @bullet | |
1531 | @item | |
1532 | @code{key-translation-map} goes to work after @code{function-key-map} is | |
1533 | finished; it receives the results of translation by | |
1534 | @code{function-key-map}. | |
1535 | ||
1536 | @item | |
1537 | Non-prefix bindings in @code{key-translation-map} override actual key | |
1538 | bindings. For example, if @kbd{C-x f} has a non-prefix binding in | |
1539 | @code{key-translation-map}, that translation takes effect even though | |
1540 | @kbd{C-x f} also has a key binding in the global map. | |
1541 | @end itemize | |
1542 | ||
1543 | Note however that actual key bindings can have an effect on | |
1544 | @code{key-translation-map}, even though they are overridden by it. | |
1545 | Indeed, actual key bindings override @code{function-key-map} and thus | |
1546 | may alter the key sequence that @code{key-translation-map} receives. | |
1547 | Clearly, it is better to avoid this type of situation. | |
1548 | ||
1549 | The intent of @code{key-translation-map} is for users to map one | |
1550 | character set to another, including ordinary characters normally bound | |
1551 | to @code{self-insert-command}. | |
1552 | @end defvar | |
1553 | ||
1554 | @cindex key translation function | |
1555 | You can use @code{function-key-map} or @code{key-translation-map} for | |
1556 | more than simple aliases, by using a function, instead of a key | |
1557 | sequence, as the ``translation'' of a key. Then this function is called | |
1558 | to compute the translation of that key. | |
1559 | ||
1560 | The key translation function receives one argument, which is the prompt | |
1561 | that was specified in @code{read-key-sequence}---or @code{nil} if the | |
1562 | key sequence is being read by the editor command loop. In most cases | |
1563 | you can ignore the prompt value. | |
1564 | ||
1565 | If the function reads input itself, it can have the effect of altering | |
1566 | the event that follows. For example, here's how to define @kbd{C-c h} | |
1567 | to turn the character that follows into a Hyper character: | |
1568 | ||
1569 | @example | |
1570 | @group | |
1571 | (defun hyperify (prompt) | |
1572 | (let ((e (read-event))) | |
1573 | (vector (if (numberp e) | |
1574 | (logior (lsh 1 24) e) | |
1575 | (if (memq 'hyper (event-modifiers e)) | |
1576 | e | |
1577 | (add-event-modifier "H-" e)))))) | |
1578 | ||
1579 | (defun add-event-modifier (string e) | |
1580 | (let ((symbol (if (symbolp e) e (car e)))) | |
1581 | (setq symbol (intern (concat string | |
1582 | (symbol-name symbol)))) | |
1583 | @end group | |
1584 | @group | |
1585 | (if (symbolp e) | |
1586 | symbol | |
1587 | (cons symbol (cdr e))))) | |
1588 | ||
1589 | (define-key function-key-map "\C-ch" 'hyperify) | |
1590 | @end group | |
1591 | @end example | |
1592 | ||
1593 | If you have enabled keyboard character set decoding using | |
1594 | @code{set-keyboard-coding-system}, decoding is done after the | |
1595 | translations listed above. @xref{Terminal I/O Encoding}. However, in | |
1596 | future Emacs versions, character set decoding may be done at an | |
1597 | earlier stage. | |
1598 | ||
73804d4b RS |
1599 | @node Key Binding Commands |
1600 | @section Commands for Binding Keys | |
1601 | ||
1602 | This section describes some convenient interactive interfaces for | |
1603 | changing key bindings. They work by calling @code{define-key}. | |
1604 | ||
a40d4712 PR |
1605 | People often use @code{global-set-key} in their init files |
1606 | (@pxref{Init File}) for simple customization. For example, | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1607 | |
1608 | @smallexample | |
402fe423 | 1609 | (global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-\\") 'next-line) |
87b2d5ff RS |
1610 | @end smallexample |
1611 | ||
1612 | @noindent | |
1613 | or | |
1614 | ||
1615 | @smallexample | |
1616 | (global-set-key [?\C-x ?\C-\\] 'next-line) | |
1617 | @end smallexample | |
1618 | ||
bfe721d1 KH |
1619 | @noindent |
1620 | or | |
1621 | ||
1622 | @smallexample | |
1623 | (global-set-key [(control ?x) (control ?\\)] 'next-line) | |
1624 | @end smallexample | |
1625 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1626 | @noindent |
1627 | redefines @kbd{C-x C-\} to move down a line. | |
1628 | ||
1629 | @smallexample | |
1630 | (global-set-key [M-mouse-1] 'mouse-set-point) | |
1631 | @end smallexample | |
1632 | ||
1633 | @noindent | |
8a36c244 | 1634 | redefines the first (leftmost) mouse button, entered with the Meta key, to |
87b2d5ff RS |
1635 | set point where you click. |
1636 | ||
ad800164 EZ |
1637 | @cindex non-@acronym{ASCII} text in keybindings |
1638 | Be careful when using non-@acronym{ASCII} text characters in Lisp | |
8241495d RS |
1639 | specifications of keys to bind. If these are read as multibyte text, as |
1640 | they usually will be in a Lisp file (@pxref{Loading Non-ASCII}), you | |
1641 | must type the keys as multibyte too. For instance, if you use this: | |
1642 | ||
1643 | @smallexample | |
1644 | (global-set-key "@"o" 'my-function) ; bind o-umlaut | |
1645 | @end smallexample | |
1646 | ||
1647 | @noindent | |
1648 | or | |
1649 | ||
1650 | @smallexample | |
1651 | (global-set-key ?@"o 'my-function) ; bind o-umlaut | |
1652 | @end smallexample | |
1653 | ||
1654 | @noindent | |
1655 | and your language environment is multibyte Latin-1, these commands | |
1656 | actually bind the multibyte character with code 2294, not the unibyte | |
1657 | Latin-1 character with code 246 (@kbd{M-v}). In order to use this | |
1658 | binding, you need to enter the multibyte Latin-1 character as keyboard | |
1659 | input. One way to do this is by using an appropriate input method | |
db8af011 | 1660 | (@pxref{Input Methods, , Input Methods, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). |
8241495d RS |
1661 | |
1662 | If you want to use a unibyte character in the key binding, you can | |
1663 | construct the key sequence string using @code{multibyte-char-to-unibyte} | |
1664 | or @code{string-make-unibyte} (@pxref{Converting Representations}). | |
1665 | ||
b68f60d7 | 1666 | @deffn Command global-set-key key binding |
87b2d5ff | 1667 | This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current global map |
b68f60d7 | 1668 | to @var{binding}. |
73804d4b RS |
1669 | |
1670 | @smallexample | |
1671 | @group | |
b68f60d7 | 1672 | (global-set-key @var{key} @var{binding}) |
73804d4b | 1673 | @equiv{} |
b68f60d7 | 1674 | (define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} @var{binding}) |
73804d4b RS |
1675 | @end group |
1676 | @end smallexample | |
1677 | @end deffn | |
1678 | ||
1679 | @deffn Command global-unset-key key | |
1680 | @cindex unbinding keys | |
87b2d5ff | 1681 | This function removes the binding of @var{key} from the current |
73804d4b RS |
1682 | global map. |
1683 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1684 | One use of this function is in preparation for defining a longer key |
1685 | that uses @var{key} as a prefix---which would not be allowed if | |
1686 | @var{key} has a non-prefix binding. For example: | |
1687 | ||
1688 | @smallexample | |
1689 | @group | |
1690 | (global-unset-key "\C-l") | |
1691 | @result{} nil | |
1692 | @end group | |
1693 | @group | |
1694 | (global-set-key "\C-l\C-l" 'redraw-display) | |
1695 | @result{} nil | |
1696 | @end group | |
1697 | @end smallexample | |
1698 | ||
1699 | This function is implemented simply using @code{define-key}: | |
1700 | ||
1701 | @smallexample | |
1702 | @group | |
1703 | (global-unset-key @var{key}) | |
1704 | @equiv{} | |
1705 | (define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} nil) | |
1706 | @end group | |
1707 | @end smallexample | |
1708 | @end deffn | |
1709 | ||
b68f60d7 | 1710 | @deffn Command local-set-key key binding |
87b2d5ff | 1711 | This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current local |
b68f60d7 | 1712 | keymap to @var{binding}. |
87b2d5ff RS |
1713 | |
1714 | @smallexample | |
1715 | @group | |
b68f60d7 | 1716 | (local-set-key @var{key} @var{binding}) |
87b2d5ff | 1717 | @equiv{} |
b68f60d7 | 1718 | (define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} @var{binding}) |
87b2d5ff RS |
1719 | @end group |
1720 | @end smallexample | |
1721 | @end deffn | |
1722 | ||
1723 | @deffn Command local-unset-key key | |
1724 | This function removes the binding of @var{key} from the current | |
1725 | local map. | |
1726 | ||
1727 | @smallexample | |
1728 | @group | |
1729 | (local-unset-key @var{key}) | |
1730 | @equiv{} | |
1731 | (define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} nil) | |
1732 | @end group | |
1733 | @end smallexample | |
1734 | @end deffn | |
1735 | ||
1736 | @node Scanning Keymaps | |
1737 | @section Scanning Keymaps | |
1738 | ||
1739 | This section describes functions used to scan all the current keymaps | |
1740 | for the sake of printing help information. | |
1741 | ||
1742 | @defun accessible-keymaps keymap &optional prefix | |
f9f59935 RS |
1743 | This function returns a list of all the keymaps that can be reached (via |
1744 | zero or more prefix keys) from @var{keymap}. The value is an | |
1745 | association list with elements of the form @code{(@var{key} .@: | |
1746 | @var{map})}, where @var{key} is a prefix key whose definition in | |
1747 | @var{keymap} is @var{map}. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1748 | |
1749 | The elements of the alist are ordered so that the @var{key} increases | |
db8af011 | 1750 | in length. The first element is always @code{([] .@: @var{keymap})}, |
87b2d5ff RS |
1751 | because the specified keymap is accessible from itself with a prefix of |
1752 | no events. | |
1753 | ||
1754 | If @var{prefix} is given, it should be a prefix key sequence; then | |
1755 | @code{accessible-keymaps} includes only the submaps whose prefixes start | |
1756 | with @var{prefix}. These elements look just as they do in the value of | |
1757 | @code{(accessible-keymaps)}; the only difference is that some elements | |
1758 | are omitted. | |
1759 | ||
1760 | In the example below, the returned alist indicates that the key | |
1761 | @key{ESC}, which is displayed as @samp{^[}, is a prefix key whose | |
1762 | definition is the sparse keymap @code{(keymap (83 .@: center-paragraph) | |
1763 | (115 .@: foo))}. | |
1764 | ||
1765 | @smallexample | |
1766 | @group | |
1767 | (accessible-keymaps (current-local-map)) | |
db8af011 | 1768 | @result{}(([] keymap |
87b2d5ff RS |
1769 | (27 keymap ; @r{Note this keymap for @key{ESC} is repeated below.} |
1770 | (83 . center-paragraph) | |
1771 | (115 . center-line)) | |
1772 | (9 . tab-to-tab-stop)) | |
1773 | @end group | |
1774 | ||
1775 | @group | |
177c0ea7 JB |
1776 | ("^[" keymap |
1777 | (83 . center-paragraph) | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1778 | (115 . foo))) |
1779 | @end group | |
1780 | @end smallexample | |
1781 | ||
1782 | In the following example, @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key that uses a sparse | |
1783 | keymap starting with @code{(keymap (118 . describe-variable)@dots{})}. | |
1784 | Another prefix, @kbd{C-x 4}, uses a keymap which is also the value of | |
1785 | the variable @code{ctl-x-4-map}. The event @code{mode-line} is one of | |
1786 | several dummy events used as prefixes for mouse actions in special parts | |
1787 | of a window. | |
1788 | ||
1789 | @smallexample | |
1790 | @group | |
1791 | (accessible-keymaps (current-global-map)) | |
db8af011 | 1792 | @result{} (([] keymap [set-mark-command beginning-of-line @dots{} |
87b2d5ff RS |
1793 | delete-backward-char]) |
1794 | @end group | |
1795 | @group | |
1796 | ("^H" keymap (118 . describe-variable) @dots{} | |
1797 | (8 . help-for-help)) | |
1798 | @end group | |
1799 | @group | |
1800 | ("^X" keymap [x-flush-mouse-queue @dots{} | |
1801 | backward-kill-sentence]) | |
1802 | @end group | |
1803 | @group | |
1804 | ("^[" keymap [mark-sexp backward-sexp @dots{} | |
1805 | backward-kill-word]) | |
1806 | @end group | |
1807 | ("^X4" keymap (15 . display-buffer) @dots{}) | |
1808 | @group | |
1809 | ([mode-line] keymap | |
1810 | (S-mouse-2 . mouse-split-window-horizontally) @dots{})) | |
1811 | @end group | |
1812 | @end smallexample | |
1813 | ||
1814 | @noindent | |
969fe9b5 | 1815 | These are not all the keymaps you would see in actuality. |
87b2d5ff RS |
1816 | @end defun |
1817 | ||
0f201864 RS |
1818 | @defun map-keymap function keymap |
1819 | The function @code{map-keymap} calls @var{function} once | |
1820 | for each binding in @var{keymap}. It passes two arguments, | |
1821 | the event type and the value of the binding. If @var{keymap} | |
1822 | has a parent, the parent's bindings are included as well. | |
db8af011 LT |
1823 | This works recursively: if the parent has itself a parent, then the |
1824 | grandparent's bindings are also included and so on. | |
0f201864 RS |
1825 | |
1826 | This function is the cleanest way to examine all the bindings | |
1827 | in a keymap. | |
1828 | @end defun | |
1829 | ||
229644e7 | 1830 | @defun where-is-internal command &optional keymap firstonly noindirect no-remap |
f9f59935 RS |
1831 | This function is a subroutine used by the @code{where-is} command |
1832 | (@pxref{Help, , Help, emacs,The GNU Emacs Manual}). It returns a list | |
db8af011 | 1833 | of all key sequences (of any length) that are bound to @var{command} in a |
f9f59935 | 1834 | set of keymaps. |
87b2d5ff RS |
1835 | |
1836 | The argument @var{command} can be any object; it is compared with all | |
1837 | keymap entries using @code{eq}. | |
1838 | ||
1839 | If @var{keymap} is @code{nil}, then the maps used are the current active | |
1840 | keymaps, disregarding @code{overriding-local-map} (that is, pretending | |
db8af011 | 1841 | its value is @code{nil}). If @var{keymap} is a keymap, then the |
87d6dc14 EZ |
1842 | maps searched are @var{keymap} and the global keymap. If @var{keymap} |
1843 | is a list of keymaps, only those keymaps are searched. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1844 | |
1845 | Usually it's best to use @code{overriding-local-map} as the expression | |
1846 | for @var{keymap}. Then @code{where-is-internal} searches precisely the | |
1847 | keymaps that are active. To search only the global map, pass | |
1848 | @code{(keymap)} (an empty keymap) as @var{keymap}. | |
1849 | ||
1850 | If @var{firstonly} is @code{non-ascii}, then the value is a single | |
db8af011 | 1851 | vector representing the first key sequence found, rather than a list of |
87b2d5ff RS |
1852 | all possible key sequences. If @var{firstonly} is @code{t}, then the |
1853 | value is the first key sequence, except that key sequences consisting | |
ad800164 | 1854 | entirely of @acronym{ASCII} characters (or meta variants of @acronym{ASCII} |
db8af011 LT |
1855 | characters) are preferred to all other key sequences and that the |
1856 | return value can never be a menu binding. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1857 | |
1858 | If @var{noindirect} is non-@code{nil}, @code{where-is-internal} doesn't | |
1859 | follow indirect keymap bindings. This makes it possible to search for | |
1860 | an indirect definition itself. | |
1861 | ||
229644e7 RS |
1862 | When command remapping is in effect (@pxref{Remapping Commands}), |
1863 | @code{where-is-internal} figures out when a command will be run due to | |
1864 | remapping and reports keys accordingly. It also returns @code{nil} if | |
1865 | @var{command} won't really be run because it has been remapped to some | |
1866 | other command. However, if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}. | |
1867 | @code{where-is-internal} ignores remappings. | |
1868 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
1869 | @smallexample |
1870 | @group | |
1871 | (where-is-internal 'describe-function) | |
1872 | @result{} ("\^hf" "\^hd") | |
1873 | @end group | |
1874 | @end smallexample | |
1875 | @end defun | |
1876 | ||
db8af011 | 1877 | @deffn Command describe-bindings &optional prefix buffer-or-name |
969fe9b5 RS |
1878 | This function creates a listing of all current key bindings, and |
1879 | displays it in a buffer named @samp{*Help*}. The text is grouped by | |
1880 | modes---minor modes first, then the major mode, then global bindings. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1881 | |
1882 | If @var{prefix} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a prefix key; then the | |
1883 | listing includes only keys that start with @var{prefix}. | |
1884 | ||
1885 | The listing describes meta characters as @key{ESC} followed by the | |
1886 | corresponding non-meta character. | |
1887 | ||
ad800164 | 1888 | When several characters with consecutive @acronym{ASCII} codes have the |
87b2d5ff RS |
1889 | same definition, they are shown together, as |
1890 | @samp{@var{firstchar}..@var{lastchar}}. In this instance, you need to | |
ad800164 | 1891 | know the @acronym{ASCII} codes to understand which characters this means. |
87b2d5ff | 1892 | For example, in the default global map, the characters @samp{@key{SPC} |
ad800164 EZ |
1893 | ..@: ~} are described by a single line. @key{SPC} is @acronym{ASCII} 32, |
1894 | @kbd{~} is @acronym{ASCII} 126, and the characters between them include all | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1895 | the normal printing characters, (e.g., letters, digits, punctuation, |
1896 | etc.@:); all these characters are bound to @code{self-insert-command}. | |
db8af011 LT |
1897 | |
1898 | If @var{buffer-or-name} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a buffer or a | |
1899 | buffer name. Then @code{describe-bindings} lists that buffer's bindings, | |
1900 | instead of the current buffer's. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1901 | @end deffn |
1902 | ||
1903 | @node Menu Keymaps | |
1904 | @section Menu Keymaps | |
1905 | @cindex menu keymaps | |
1906 | ||
1907 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
1908 | A keymap can define a menu as well as bindings for keyboard keys and | |
1909 | mouse button. Menus are usually actuated with the mouse, but they can | |
1910 | work with the keyboard also. | |
1911 | ||
1912 | @menu | |
1913 | * Defining Menus:: How to make a keymap that defines a menu. | |
1914 | * Mouse Menus:: How users actuate the menu with the mouse. | |
1915 | * Keyboard Menus:: How they actuate it with the keyboard. | |
1916 | * Menu Example:: Making a simple menu. | |
1917 | * Menu Bar:: How to customize the menu bar. | |
8241495d | 1918 | * Tool Bar:: A tool bar is a row of images. |
87b2d5ff RS |
1919 | * Modifying Menus:: How to add new items to a menu. |
1920 | @end menu | |
1921 | ||
1922 | @node Defining Menus | |
1923 | @subsection Defining Menus | |
1924 | @cindex defining menus | |
1925 | @cindex menu prompt string | |
1926 | @cindex prompt string (of menu) | |
1927 | ||
1928 | A keymap is suitable for menu use if it has an @dfn{overall prompt | |
1929 | string}, which is a string that appears as an element of the keymap. | |
1930 | (@xref{Format of Keymaps}.) The string should describe the purpose of | |
e465fdc2 | 1931 | the menu's commands. Emacs displays the overall prompt string as the |
b08d86c6 DL |
1932 | menu title in some cases, depending on the toolkit (if any) used for |
1933 | displaying menus.@footnote{It is required for menus which do not use a | |
1934 | toolkit, e.g.@: under MS-DOS.} Keyboard menus also display the overall | |
1935 | prompt string. | |
e465fdc2 GM |
1936 | |
1937 | The easiest way to construct a keymap with a prompt string is to specify | |
b08d86c6 | 1938 | the string as an argument when you call @code{make-keymap}, |
db8af011 LT |
1939 | @code{make-sparse-keymap} (@pxref{Creating Keymaps}), or |
1940 | @code{define-prefix-command} (@pxref{Definition of define-prefix-command}). | |
1941 | ||
87b2d5ff | 1942 | |
0f201864 RS |
1943 | @defun keymap-prompt keymap |
1944 | This function returns the overall prompt string of @var{keymap}, | |
1945 | or @code{nil} if it has none. | |
1946 | @end defun | |
1947 | ||
aae60c21 RS |
1948 | The order of items in the menu is the same as the order of bindings in |
1949 | the keymap. Since @code{define-key} puts new bindings at the front, you | |
1950 | should define the menu items starting at the bottom of the menu and | |
1951 | moving to the top, if you care about the order. When you add an item to | |
1952 | an existing menu, you can specify its position in the menu using | |
1953 | @code{define-key-after} (@pxref{Modifying Menus}). | |
1954 | ||
969fe9b5 | 1955 | @menu |
a9f0a989 RS |
1956 | * Simple Menu Items:: A simple kind of menu key binding, |
1957 | limited in capabilities. | |
a9f0a989 RS |
1958 | * Extended Menu Items:: More powerful menu item definitions |
1959 | let you specify keywords to enable | |
1960 | various features. | |
8241495d RS |
1961 | * Menu Separators:: Drawing a horizontal line through a menu. |
1962 | * Alias Menu Items:: Using command aliases in menu items. | |
969fe9b5 RS |
1963 | @end menu |
1964 | ||
1965 | @node Simple Menu Items | |
1966 | @subsubsection Simple Menu Items | |
1967 | ||
1968 | The simpler and older way to define a menu keymap binding | |
1969 | looks like this: | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1970 | |
1971 | @example | |
969fe9b5 | 1972 | (@var{item-string} . @var{real-binding}) |
87b2d5ff RS |
1973 | @end example |
1974 | ||
a9f0a989 | 1975 | @noindent |
969fe9b5 RS |
1976 | The @sc{car}, @var{item-string}, is the string to be displayed in the |
1977 | menu. It should be short---preferably one to three words. It should | |
79dc1dfc | 1978 | describe the action of the command it corresponds to. Note that it is |
ad800164 | 1979 | not generally possible to display non-@acronym{ASCII} text in menus. It will |
79dc1dfc | 1980 | work for keyboard menus and will work to a large extent when Emacs is |
8a36c244 | 1981 | built with the Gtk+ toolkit.@footnote{In this case, the text is first |
79dc1dfc DL |
1982 | encoded using the @code{utf-8} coding system and then rendered by the |
1983 | toolkit as it sees fit.} | |
87b2d5ff | 1984 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
1985 | You can also supply a second string, called the help string, as follows: |
1986 | ||
1987 | @example | |
b08d86c6 | 1988 | (@var{item-string} @var{help} . @var{real-binding}) |
87b2d5ff RS |
1989 | @end example |
1990 | ||
b08d86c6 DL |
1991 | @var{help} specifies a ``help-echo'' string to display while the mouse |
1992 | is on that item in the same way as @code{help-echo} text properties | |
1993 | (@pxref{Help display}). | |
87b2d5ff | 1994 | |
969fe9b5 | 1995 | As far as @code{define-key} is concerned, @var{item-string} and |
0521d6f5 RS |
1996 | @var{help-string} are part of the event's binding. However, |
1997 | @code{lookup-key} returns just @var{real-binding}, and only | |
1998 | @var{real-binding} is used for executing the key. | |
1999 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
2000 | If @var{real-binding} is @code{nil}, then @var{item-string} appears in |
2001 | the menu but cannot be selected. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2002 | |
2003 | If @var{real-binding} is a symbol and has a non-@code{nil} | |
2004 | @code{menu-enable} property, that property is an expression that | |
2005 | controls whether the menu item is enabled. Every time the keymap is | |
2006 | used to display a menu, Emacs evaluates the expression, and it enables | |
2007 | the menu item only if the expression's value is non-@code{nil}. When a | |
2008 | menu item is disabled, it is displayed in a ``fuzzy'' fashion, and | |
969fe9b5 | 2009 | cannot be selected. |
87b2d5ff | 2010 | |
bfe721d1 KH |
2011 | The menu bar does not recalculate which items are enabled every time you |
2012 | look at a menu. This is because the X toolkit requires the whole tree | |
2013 | of menus in advance. To force recalculation of the menu bar, call | |
2014 | @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}). | |
2015 | ||
0521d6f5 RS |
2016 | You've probably noticed that menu items show the equivalent keyboard key |
2017 | sequence (if any) to invoke the same command. To save time on | |
2018 | recalculation, menu display caches this information in a sublist in the | |
2019 | binding, like this: | |
2020 | ||
2021 | @c This line is not too long--rms. | |
2022 | @example | |
0007b8a6 | 2023 | (@var{item-string} @r{[}@var{help}@r{]} (@var{key-binding-data}) . @var{real-binding}) |
0521d6f5 RS |
2024 | @end example |
2025 | ||
969fe9b5 | 2026 | @noindent |
0521d6f5 | 2027 | Don't put these sublists in the menu item yourself; menu display |
969fe9b5 RS |
2028 | calculates them automatically. Don't mention keyboard equivalents in |
2029 | the item strings themselves, since that is redundant. | |
0521d6f5 | 2030 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2031 | @node Extended Menu Items |
2032 | @subsubsection Extended Menu Items | |
a9f0a989 | 2033 | @kindex menu-item |
969fe9b5 RS |
2034 | |
2035 | An extended-format menu item is a more flexible and also cleaner | |
2036 | alternative to the simple format. It consists of a list that starts | |
2037 | with the symbol @code{menu-item}. To define a non-selectable string, | |
2038 | the item looks like this: | |
2039 | ||
2040 | @example | |
2041 | (menu-item @var{item-name}) | |
2042 | @end example | |
2043 | ||
2044 | @noindent | |
8241495d RS |
2045 | A string starting with two or more dashes specifies a separator line; |
2046 | see @ref{Menu Separators}. | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2047 | |
2048 | To define a real menu item which can be selected, the extended format | |
2049 | item looks like this: | |
2050 | ||
2051 | @example | |
2052 | (menu-item @var{item-name} @var{real-binding} | |
2053 | . @var{item-property-list}) | |
2054 | @end example | |
2055 | ||
2056 | @noindent | |
2057 | Here, @var{item-name} is an expression which evaluates to the menu item | |
2058 | string. Thus, the string need not be a constant. The third element, | |
2059 | @var{real-binding}, is the command to execute. The tail of the list, | |
2060 | @var{item-property-list}, has the form of a property list which contains | |
2061 | other information. Here is a table of the properties that are supported: | |
2062 | ||
2063 | @table @code | |
8241495d | 2064 | @item :enable @var{form} |
969fe9b5 | 2065 | The result of evaluating @var{form} determines whether the item is |
8241495d RS |
2066 | enabled (non-@code{nil} means yes). If the item is not enabled, |
2067 | you can't really click on it. | |
969fe9b5 | 2068 | |
8241495d | 2069 | @item :visible @var{form} |
969fe9b5 RS |
2070 | The result of evaluating @var{form} determines whether the item should |
2071 | actually appear in the menu (non-@code{nil} means yes). If the item | |
2072 | does not appear, then the menu is displayed as if this item were | |
2073 | not defined at all. | |
2074 | ||
2075 | @item :help @var{help} | |
b08d86c6 DL |
2076 | The value of this property, @var{help}, specifies a ``help-echo'' string |
2077 | to display while the mouse is on that item. This is displayed in the | |
2078 | same way as @code{help-echo} text properties (@pxref{Help display}). | |
2079 | Note that this must be a constant string, unlike the @code{help-echo} | |
2080 | property for text and overlays. | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2081 | |
2082 | @item :button (@var{type} . @var{selected}) | |
2083 | This property provides a way to define radio buttons and toggle buttons. | |
a40d4712 | 2084 | The @sc{car}, @var{type}, says which: it should be @code{:toggle} or |
969fe9b5 RS |
2085 | @code{:radio}. The @sc{cdr}, @var{selected}, should be a form; the |
2086 | result of evaluating it says whether this button is currently selected. | |
2087 | ||
a9f0a989 RS |
2088 | A @dfn{toggle} is a menu item which is labeled as either ``on'' or ``off'' |
2089 | according to the value of @var{selected}. The command itself should | |
2090 | toggle @var{selected}, setting it to @code{t} if it is @code{nil}, | |
2091 | and to @code{nil} if it is @code{t}. Here is how the menu item | |
2092 | to toggle the @code{debug-on-error} flag is defined: | |
2093 | ||
2094 | @example | |
2095 | (menu-item "Debug on Error" toggle-debug-on-error | |
2096 | :button (:toggle | |
2097 | . (and (boundp 'debug-on-error) | |
08f0f5e9 | 2098 | debug-on-error))) |
a9f0a989 RS |
2099 | @end example |
2100 | ||
2101 | @noindent | |
2102 | This works because @code{toggle-debug-on-error} is defined as a command | |
2103 | which toggles the variable @code{debug-on-error}. | |
2104 | ||
2105 | @dfn{Radio buttons} are a group of menu items, in which at any time one | |
2106 | and only one is ``selected.'' There should be a variable whose value | |
2107 | says which one is selected at any time. The @var{selected} form for | |
2108 | each radio button in the group should check whether the variable has the | |
2109 | right value for selecting that button. Clicking on the button should | |
2110 | set the variable so that the button you clicked on becomes selected. | |
2111 | ||
2112 | @item :key-sequence @var{key-sequence} | |
2113 | This property specifies which key sequence is likely to be bound to the | |
2114 | same command invoked by this menu item. If you specify the right key | |
2115 | sequence, that makes preparing the menu for display run much faster. | |
2116 | ||
2117 | If you specify the wrong key sequence, it has no effect; before Emacs | |
2118 | displays @var{key-sequence} in the menu, it verifies that | |
2119 | @var{key-sequence} is really equivalent to this menu item. | |
2120 | ||
2121 | @item :key-sequence nil | |
2122 | This property indicates that there is normally no key binding which is | |
2123 | equivalent to this menu item. Using this property saves time in | |
2124 | preparing the menu for display, because Emacs does not need to search | |
2125 | the keymaps for a keyboard equivalent for this menu item. | |
2126 | ||
2127 | However, if the user has rebound this item's definition to a key | |
2128 | sequence, Emacs ignores the @code{:keys} property and finds the keyboard | |
2129 | equivalent anyway. | |
2130 | ||
2131 | @item :keys @var{string} | |
2132 | This property specifies that @var{string} is the string to display | |
2133 | as the keyboard equivalent for this menu item. You can use | |
2134 | the @samp{\\[...]} documentation construct in @var{string}. | |
2135 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
2136 | @item :filter @var{filter-fn} |
2137 | This property provides a way to compute the menu item dynamically. | |
2138 | The property value @var{filter-fn} should be a function of one argument; | |
2139 | when it is called, its argument will be @var{real-binding}. The | |
2140 | function should return the binding to use instead. | |
bf58181a RS |
2141 | |
2142 | Emacs can call this function at any time that it does redisplay or | |
2143 | operates on menu data structures, so you should write it so it can | |
2144 | safely be called at any time. | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2145 | @end table |
2146 | ||
0007b8a6 RS |
2147 | When an equivalent key binding is cached, the binding looks like this. |
2148 | ||
2149 | @example | |
2150 | (menu-item @var{item-name} @var{real-binding} (@var{key-binding-data}) | |
2151 | . @var{item-property-list}) | |
2152 | @end example | |
2153 | ||
8241495d RS |
2154 | @node Menu Separators |
2155 | @subsubsection Menu Separators | |
2156 | @cindex menu separators | |
2157 | ||
2158 | A menu separator is a kind of menu item that doesn't display any | |
4810d170 | 2159 | text---instead, it divides the menu into subparts with a horizontal line. |
8241495d RS |
2160 | A separator looks like this in the menu keymap: |
2161 | ||
2162 | @example | |
2163 | (menu-item @var{separator-type}) | |
2164 | @end example | |
2165 | ||
2166 | @noindent | |
2167 | where @var{separator-type} is a string starting with two or more dashes. | |
2168 | ||
2169 | In the simplest case, @var{separator-type} consists of only dashes. | |
2170 | That specifies the default kind of separator. (For compatibility, | |
2171 | @code{""} and @code{-} also count as separators.) | |
2172 | ||
35c14f98 RS |
2173 | Certain other values of @var{separator-type} specify a different |
2174 | style of separator. Here is a table of them: | |
8241495d RS |
2175 | |
2176 | @table @code | |
2177 | @item "--no-line" | |
2178 | @itemx "--space" | |
2179 | An extra vertical space, with no actual line. | |
2180 | ||
2181 | @item "--single-line" | |
2182 | A single line in the menu's foreground color. | |
2183 | ||
2184 | @item "--double-line" | |
2185 | A double line in the menu's foreground color. | |
2186 | ||
2187 | @item "--single-dashed-line" | |
2188 | A single dashed line in the menu's foreground color. | |
2189 | ||
2190 | @item "--double-dashed-line" | |
2191 | A double dashed line in the menu's foreground color. | |
2192 | ||
2193 | @item "--shadow-etched-in" | |
2194 | A single line with a 3D sunken appearance. This is the default, | |
2195 | used separators consisting of dashes only. | |
2196 | ||
2197 | @item "--shadow-etched-out" | |
2198 | A single line with a 3D raised appearance. | |
2199 | ||
2200 | @item "--shadow-etched-in-dash" | |
2201 | A single dashed line with a 3D sunken appearance. | |
2202 | ||
2203 | @item "--shadow-etched-out-dash" | |
2204 | A single dashed line with a 3D raised appearance. | |
2205 | ||
2206 | @item "--shadow-double-etched-in" | |
2207 | Two lines with a 3D sunken appearance. | |
2208 | ||
2209 | @item "--shadow-double-etched-out" | |
2210 | Two lines with a 3D raised appearance. | |
2211 | ||
2212 | @item "--shadow-double-etched-in-dash" | |
2213 | Two dashed lines with a 3D sunken appearance. | |
2214 | ||
2215 | @item "--shadow-double-etched-out-dash" | |
2216 | Two dashed lines with a 3D raised appearance. | |
2217 | @end table | |
2218 | ||
2219 | You can also give these names in another style, adding a colon after | |
2220 | the double-dash and replacing each single dash with capitalization of | |
2221 | the following word. Thus, @code{"--:singleLine"}, is equivalent to | |
2222 | @code{"--single-line"}. | |
2223 | ||
2224 | Some systems and display toolkits don't really handle all of these | |
2225 | separator types. If you use a type that isn't supported, the menu | |
2226 | displays a similar kind of separator that is supported. | |
2227 | ||
a9f0a989 RS |
2228 | @node Alias Menu Items |
2229 | @subsubsection Alias Menu Items | |
2230 | ||
2231 | Sometimes it is useful to make menu items that use the ``same'' | |
2232 | command but with different enable conditions. The best way to do this | |
2233 | in Emacs now is with extended menu items; before that feature existed, | |
2234 | it could be done by defining alias commands and using them in menu | |
2235 | items. Here's an example that makes two aliases for | |
2236 | @code{toggle-read-only} and gives them different enable conditions: | |
2237 | ||
2238 | @example | |
2239 | (defalias 'make-read-only 'toggle-read-only) | |
2240 | (put 'make-read-only 'menu-enable '(not buffer-read-only)) | |
2241 | (defalias 'make-writable 'toggle-read-only) | |
2242 | (put 'make-writable 'menu-enable 'buffer-read-only) | |
2243 | @end example | |
2244 | ||
2245 | When using aliases in menus, often it is useful to display the | |
2246 | equivalent key bindings for the ``real'' command name, not the aliases | |
2247 | (which typically don't have any key bindings except for the menu | |
2248 | itself). To request this, give the alias symbol a non-@code{nil} | |
2249 | @code{menu-alias} property. Thus, | |
2250 | ||
2251 | @example | |
2252 | (put 'make-read-only 'menu-alias t) | |
2253 | (put 'make-writable 'menu-alias t) | |
2254 | @end example | |
2255 | ||
2256 | @noindent | |
2257 | causes menu items for @code{make-read-only} and @code{make-writable} to | |
2258 | show the keyboard bindings for @code{toggle-read-only}. | |
2259 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
2260 | @node Mouse Menus |
2261 | @subsection Menus and the Mouse | |
2262 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
2263 | The usual way to make a menu keymap produce a menu is to make it the |
2264 | definition of a prefix key. (A Lisp program can explicitly pop up a | |
2265 | menu and receive the user's choice---see @ref{Pop-Up Menus}.) | |
87b2d5ff | 2266 | |
969fe9b5 | 2267 | If the prefix key ends with a mouse event, Emacs handles the menu keymap |
87b2d5ff RS |
2268 | by popping up a visible menu, so that the user can select a choice with |
2269 | the mouse. When the user clicks on a menu item, the event generated is | |
2270 | whatever character or symbol has the binding that brought about that | |
2271 | menu item. (A menu item may generate a series of events if the menu has | |
2272 | multiple levels or comes from the menu bar.) | |
2273 | ||
969fe9b5 | 2274 | It's often best to use a button-down event to trigger the menu. Then |
87b2d5ff RS |
2275 | the user can select a menu item by releasing the button. |
2276 | ||
969fe9b5 | 2277 | A single keymap can appear as multiple menu panes, if you explicitly |
87b2d5ff RS |
2278 | arrange for this. The way to do this is to make a keymap for each pane, |
2279 | then create a binding for each of those maps in the main keymap of the | |
2280 | menu. Give each of these bindings an item string that starts with | |
2281 | @samp{@@}. The rest of the item string becomes the name of the pane. | |
2282 | See the file @file{lisp/mouse.el} for an example of this. Any ordinary | |
2283 | bindings with @samp{@@}-less item strings are grouped into one pane, | |
2284 | which appears along with the other panes explicitly created for the | |
2285 | submaps. | |
2286 | ||
969fe9b5 | 2287 | X toolkit menus don't have panes; instead, they can have submenus. |
87b2d5ff RS |
2288 | Every nested keymap becomes a submenu, whether the item string starts |
2289 | with @samp{@@} or not. In a toolkit version of Emacs, the only thing | |
2290 | special about @samp{@@} at the beginning of an item string is that the | |
2291 | @samp{@@} doesn't appear in the menu item. | |
2292 | ||
8a36c244 RS |
2293 | Multiple keymaps that define the same menu prefix key produce |
2294 | separate panes or separate submenus. | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2295 | |
2296 | @node Keyboard Menus | |
2297 | @subsection Menus and the Keyboard | |
2298 | ||
2299 | When a prefix key ending with a keyboard event (a character or function | |
2300 | key) has a definition that is a menu keymap, the user can use the | |
2301 | keyboard to choose a menu item. | |
2302 | ||
e465fdc2 GM |
2303 | Emacs displays the menu's overall prompt string followed by the |
2304 | alternatives (the item strings of the bindings) in the echo area. If | |
2305 | the bindings don't all fit at once, the user can type @key{SPC} to see | |
2306 | the next line of alternatives. Successive uses of @key{SPC} eventually | |
2307 | get to the end of the menu and then cycle around to the beginning. (The | |
2308 | variable @code{menu-prompt-more-char} specifies which character is used | |
2309 | for this; @key{SPC} is the default.) | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2310 | |
2311 | When the user has found the desired alternative from the menu, he or she | |
2312 | should type the corresponding character---the one whose binding is that | |
2313 | alternative. | |
2314 | ||
bfe721d1 | 2315 | @ignore |
87b2d5ff RS |
2316 | In a menu intended for keyboard use, each menu item must clearly |
2317 | indicate what character to type. The best convention to use is to make | |
bfe721d1 KH |
2318 | the character the first letter of the item string---that is something |
2319 | users will understand without being told. We plan to change this; by | |
2320 | the time you read this manual, keyboard menus may explicitly name the | |
2321 | key for each alternative. | |
2322 | @end ignore | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2323 | |
2324 | This way of using menus in an Emacs-like editor was inspired by the | |
2325 | Hierarkey system. | |
73804d4b | 2326 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2327 | @defvar menu-prompt-more-char |
2328 | This variable specifies the character to use to ask to see | |
2329 | the next line of a menu. Its initial value is 32, the code | |
2330 | for @key{SPC}. | |
2331 | @end defvar | |
73804d4b | 2332 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2333 | @node Menu Example |
2334 | @subsection Menu Example | |
f9f59935 | 2335 | @cindex menu definition example |
73804d4b | 2336 | |
f9f59935 | 2337 | Here is a complete example of defining a menu keymap. It is the |
8a36c244 RS |
2338 | definition of the @samp{Replace} submenu in the @samp{Edit} menu in |
2339 | the menu bar, and it uses the extended menu item format | |
2340 | (@pxref{Extended Menu Items}). First we create the keymap, and give | |
2341 | it a name: | |
73804d4b | 2342 | |
8a36c244 RS |
2343 | @smallexample |
2344 | (defvar menu-bar-replace-menu (make-sparse-keymap "Replace")) | |
2345 | @end smallexample | |
73804d4b | 2346 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2347 | @noindent |
2348 | Next we define the menu items: | |
73804d4b | 2349 | |
8a36c244 RS |
2350 | @smallexample |
2351 | (define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [tags-repl-continue] | |
2352 | '(menu-item "Continue Replace" tags-loop-continue | |
2353 | :help "Continue last tags replace operation")) | |
2354 | (define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [tags-repl] | |
2355 | '(menu-item "Replace in tagged files" tags-query-replace | |
2356 | :help "Interactively replace a regexp in all tagged files")) | |
2357 | (define-key menu-bar-replace-menu [separator-replace-tags] | |
2358 | '(menu-item "--")) | |
2359 | ;; @r{@dots{}} | |
2360 | @end smallexample | |
f9f59935 RS |
2361 | |
2362 | @noindent | |
2363 | Note the symbols which the bindings are ``made for''; these appear | |
2364 | inside square brackets, in the key sequence being defined. In some | |
2365 | cases, this symbol is the same as the command name; sometimes it is | |
827b7ee7 | 2366 | different. These symbols are treated as ``function keys,'' but they are |
f9f59935 RS |
2367 | not real function keys on the keyboard. They do not affect the |
2368 | functioning of the menu itself, but they are ``echoed'' in the echo area | |
2369 | when the user selects from the menu, and they appear in the output of | |
2370 | @code{where-is} and @code{apropos}. | |
2371 | ||
db8af011 LT |
2372 | The menu in this example is intended for use with the mouse. If a |
2373 | menu is intended for use with the keyboard, that is, if it is bound to | |
2374 | a key sequence ending with a keyboard event, then the menu items | |
2375 | should be bound to characters or ``real'' function keys, that can be | |
2376 | typed with the keyboard. | |
2377 | ||
f9f59935 RS |
2378 | The binding whose definition is @code{("--")} is a separator line. |
2379 | Like a real menu item, the separator has a key symbol, in this case | |
8a36c244 RS |
2380 | @code{separator-replace-tags}. If one menu has two separators, they |
2381 | must have two different key symbols. | |
f9f59935 RS |
2382 | |
2383 | Here is how we make this menu appear as an item in the parent menu: | |
2384 | ||
2385 | @example | |
8a36c244 RS |
2386 | (define-key menu-bar-edit-menu [replace] |
2387 | (list 'menu-item "Replace" menu-bar-replace-menu)) | |
f9f59935 RS |
2388 | @end example |
2389 | ||
2390 | @noindent | |
2391 | Note that this incorporates the submenu keymap, which is the value of | |
8a36c244 RS |
2392 | the variable @code{menu-bar-replace-menu}, rather than the symbol |
2393 | @code{menu-bar-replace-menu} itself. Using that symbol in the parent | |
2394 | menu item would be meaningless because @code{menu-bar-replace-menu} is | |
2395 | not a command. | |
f9f59935 | 2396 | |
8a36c244 | 2397 | If you wanted to attach the same replace menu to a mouse click, you |
969fe9b5 | 2398 | can do it this way: |
f9f59935 RS |
2399 | |
2400 | @example | |
a9f0a989 | 2401 | (define-key global-map [C-S-down-mouse-1] |
8a36c244 | 2402 | menu-bar-replace-menu) |
f9f59935 | 2403 | @end example |
73804d4b | 2404 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2405 | @node Menu Bar |
2406 | @subsection The Menu Bar | |
2407 | @cindex menu bar | |
73804d4b | 2408 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2409 | Most window systems allow each frame to have a @dfn{menu bar}---a |
2410 | permanently displayed menu stretching horizontally across the top of the | |
2411 | frame. The items of the menu bar are the subcommands of the fake | |
8a36c244 | 2412 | ``function key'' @code{menu-bar}, as defined in the active keymaps. |
73804d4b | 2413 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2414 | To add an item to the menu bar, invent a fake ``function key'' of your |
2415 | own (let's call it @var{key}), and make a binding for the key sequence | |
2416 | @code{[menu-bar @var{key}]}. Most often, the binding is a menu keymap, | |
2417 | so that pressing a button on the menu bar item leads to another menu. | |
73804d4b | 2418 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2419 | When more than one active keymap defines the same fake function key |
2420 | for the menu bar, the item appears just once. If the user clicks on | |
969fe9b5 | 2421 | that menu bar item, it brings up a single, combined menu containing |
87b2d5ff | 2422 | all the subcommands of that item---the global subcommands, the local |
969fe9b5 | 2423 | subcommands, and the minor mode subcommands. |
73804d4b | 2424 | |
22697dac KH |
2425 | The variable @code{overriding-local-map} is normally ignored when |
2426 | determining the menu bar contents. That is, the menu bar is computed | |
2427 | from the keymaps that would be active if @code{overriding-local-map} | |
2428 | were @code{nil}. @xref{Active Keymaps}. | |
2429 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
2430 | In order for a frame to display a menu bar, its @code{menu-bar-lines} |
2431 | parameter must be greater than zero. Emacs uses just one line for the | |
2432 | menu bar itself; if you specify more than one line, the other lines | |
2433 | serve to separate the menu bar from the windows in the frame. We | |
fdb48508 | 2434 | recommend 1 or 2 as the value of @code{menu-bar-lines}. @xref{Layout |
bfe721d1 | 2435 | Parameters}. |
73804d4b | 2436 | |
87b2d5ff | 2437 | Here's an example of setting up a menu bar item: |
73804d4b | 2438 | |
87b2d5ff | 2439 | @example |
73804d4b | 2440 | @group |
87b2d5ff RS |
2441 | (modify-frame-parameters (selected-frame) |
2442 | '((menu-bar-lines . 2))) | |
73804d4b | 2443 | @end group |
73804d4b | 2444 | |
73804d4b | 2445 | @group |
87b2d5ff RS |
2446 | ;; @r{Make a menu keymap (with a prompt string)} |
2447 | ;; @r{and make it the menu bar item's definition.} | |
2448 | (define-key global-map [menu-bar words] | |
2449 | (cons "Words" (make-sparse-keymap "Words"))) | |
73804d4b | 2450 | @end group |
87b2d5ff | 2451 | |
73804d4b | 2452 | @group |
969fe9b5 | 2453 | ;; @r{Define specific subcommands in this menu.} |
87b2d5ff RS |
2454 | (define-key global-map |
2455 | [menu-bar words forward] | |
2456 | '("Forward word" . forward-word)) | |
73804d4b | 2457 | @end group |
73804d4b | 2458 | @group |
87b2d5ff RS |
2459 | (define-key global-map |
2460 | [menu-bar words backward] | |
2461 | '("Backward word" . backward-word)) | |
73804d4b | 2462 | @end group |
87b2d5ff | 2463 | @end example |
73804d4b | 2464 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2465 | A local keymap can cancel a menu bar item made by the global keymap by |
2466 | rebinding the same fake function key with @code{undefined} as the | |
2467 | binding. For example, this is how Dired suppresses the @samp{Edit} menu | |
2468 | bar item: | |
73804d4b | 2469 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2470 | @example |
2471 | (define-key dired-mode-map [menu-bar edit] 'undefined) | |
2472 | @end example | |
73804d4b | 2473 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2474 | @noindent |
2475 | @code{edit} is the fake function key used by the global map for the | |
2476 | @samp{Edit} menu bar item. The main reason to suppress a global | |
2477 | menu bar item is to regain space for mode-specific items. | |
73804d4b | 2478 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2479 | @defvar menu-bar-final-items |
2480 | Normally the menu bar shows global items followed by items defined by the | |
2481 | local maps. | |
73804d4b | 2482 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2483 | This variable holds a list of fake function keys for items to display at |
2484 | the end of the menu bar rather than in normal sequence. The default | |
969fe9b5 | 2485 | value is @code{(help-menu)}; thus, the @samp{Help} menu item normally appears |
87b2d5ff RS |
2486 | at the end of the menu bar, following local menu items. |
2487 | @end defvar | |
73804d4b | 2488 | |
bd98ada9 | 2489 | @defvar menu-bar-update-hook |
35c14f98 RS |
2490 | This normal hook is run by redisplay to update the menu bar contents, |
2491 | before redisplaying the menu bar. You can use it to update submenus | |
2492 | whose contents should vary. Since this hook is run frequently, we | |
2493 | advise you to ensure that the functions it calls do not take much time | |
2494 | in the usual case. | |
bd98ada9 RS |
2495 | @end defvar |
2496 | ||
8241495d RS |
2497 | @node Tool Bar |
2498 | @subsection Tool bars | |
2499 | @cindex tool bar | |
2500 | ||
2501 | A @dfn{tool bar} is a row of icons at the top of a frame, that execute | |
2502 | commands when you click on them---in effect, a kind of graphical menu | |
35c14f98 | 2503 | bar. |
8241495d RS |
2504 | |
2505 | The frame parameter @code{tool-bar-lines} (X resource @samp{toolBar}) | |
05aea714 | 2506 | controls how many lines' worth of height to reserve for the tool bar. A |
8241495d RS |
2507 | zero value suppresses the tool bar. If the value is nonzero, and |
2508 | @code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar expands and | |
2509 | contracts automatically as needed to hold the specified contents. | |
2510 | ||
2511 | The tool bar contents are controlled by a menu keymap attached to a | |
2512 | fake ``function key'' called @code{tool-bar} (much like the way the menu | |
2513 | bar is controlled). So you define a tool bar item using | |
2514 | @code{define-key}, like this: | |
2515 | ||
2516 | @example | |
2517 | (define-key global-map [tool-bar @var{key}] @var{item}) | |
2518 | @end example | |
2519 | ||
2520 | @noindent | |
2521 | where @var{key} is a fake ``function key'' to distinguish this item from | |
2522 | other items, and @var{item} is a menu item key binding (@pxref{Extended | |
2523 | Menu Items}), which says how to display this item and how it behaves. | |
2524 | ||
2525 | The usual menu keymap item properties, @code{:visible}, | |
2526 | @code{:enable}, @code{:button}, and @code{:filter}, are useful in | |
2527 | tool bar bindings and have their normal meanings. The @var{real-binding} | |
2528 | in the item must be a command, not a keymap; in other words, it does not | |
2529 | work to define a tool bar icon as a prefix key. | |
2530 | ||
b08d86c6 DL |
2531 | The @code{:help} property specifies a ``help-echo'' string to display |
2532 | while the mouse is on that item. This is displayed in the same way as | |
2533 | @code{help-echo} text properties (@pxref{Help display}). | |
8241495d RS |
2534 | |
2535 | In addition, you should use the @code{:image} property; | |
2536 | this is how you specify the image to display in the tool bar: | |
2537 | ||
2538 | @table @code | |
2539 | @item :image @var{image} | |
2540 | @var{images} is either a single image specification or a vector of four | |
2541 | image specifications. If you use a vector of four, | |
2542 | one of them is used, depending on circumstances: | |
2543 | ||
2544 | @table @asis | |
2545 | @item item 0 | |
05aea714 | 2546 | Used when the item is enabled and selected. |
8241495d RS |
2547 | @item item 1 |
2548 | Used when the item is enabled and deselected. | |
2549 | @item item 2 | |
2550 | Used when the item is disabled and selected. | |
2551 | @item item 3 | |
2552 | Used when the item is disabled and deselected. | |
2553 | @end table | |
2554 | @end table | |
2555 | ||
a4776185 GM |
2556 | If @var{image} is a single image specification, Emacs draws the tool bar |
2557 | button in disabled state by applying an edge-detection algorithm to the | |
2558 | image. | |
2559 | ||
9e445e29 DL |
2560 | The default tool bar is defined so that items specific to editing do not |
2561 | appear for major modes whose command symbol has a @code{mode-class} | |
2562 | property of @code{special} (@pxref{Major Mode Conventions}). Major | |
2563 | modes may add items to the global bar by binding @code{[tool-bar | |
2564 | @var{foo}]} in their local map. It makes sense for some major modes to | |
2565 | replace the default tool bar items completely, since not many can be | |
2566 | accommodated conveniently, and the default bindings make this easy by | |
2567 | using an indirection through @code{tool-bar-map}. | |
2568 | ||
2569 | @defvar tool-bar-map | |
9e445e29 DL |
2570 | By default, the global map binds @code{[tool-bar]} as follows: |
2571 | @example | |
2572 | (global-set-key [tool-bar] | |
2573 | '(menu-item "tool bar" ignore | |
2574 | :filter (lambda (ignore) tool-bar-map))) | |
2575 | @end example | |
2576 | @noindent | |
2577 | Thus the tool bar map is derived dynamically from the value of variable | |
2578 | @code{tool-bar-map} and you should normally adjust the default (global) | |
2579 | tool bar by changing that map. Major modes may replace the global bar | |
2580 | completely by making @code{tool-bar-map} buffer-local and set to a | |
2581 | keymap containing only the desired items. Info mode provides an | |
2582 | example. | |
2583 | @end defvar | |
2584 | ||
2585 | There are two convenience functions for defining tool bar items, as | |
2586 | follows. | |
2587 | ||
2588 | @defun tool-bar-add-item icon def key &rest props | |
9e445e29 DL |
2589 | This function adds an item to the tool bar by modifying |
2590 | @code{tool-bar-map}. The image to use is defined by @var{icon}, which | |
6d682d42 | 2591 | is the base name of an XPM, XBM or PBM image file to be located by |
9e445e29 DL |
2592 | @code{find-image}. Given a value @samp{"exit"}, say, @file{exit.xpm}, |
2593 | @file{exit.pbm} and @file{exit.xbm} would be searched for in that order | |
2594 | on a color display. On a monochrome display, the search order is | |
2595 | @samp{.pbm}, @samp{.xbm} and @samp{.xpm}. The binding to use is the | |
2596 | command @var{def}, and @var{key} is the fake function key symbol in the | |
2597 | prefix keymap. The remaining arguments @var{props} are additional | |
2598 | property list elements to add to the menu item specification. | |
2599 | ||
f3544d11 | 2600 | To define items in some local map, bind @code{tool-bar-map} with |
9e445e29 DL |
2601 | @code{let} around calls of this function: |
2602 | @example | |
177c0ea7 | 2603 | (defvar foo-tool-bar-map |
9e445e29 DL |
2604 | (let ((tool-bar-map (make-sparse-keymap))) |
2605 | (tool-bar-add-item @dots{}) | |
2606 | @dots{} | |
2607 | tool-bar-map)) | |
2608 | @end example | |
2609 | @end defun | |
2610 | ||
2611 | @defun tool-bar-add-item-from-menu command icon &optional map &rest props | |
229644e7 | 2612 | This function is a convenience for defining tool bar items which are |
9e445e29 DL |
2613 | consistent with existing menu bar bindings. The binding of |
2614 | @var{command} is looked up in the menu bar in @var{map} (default | |
2615 | @code{global-map}) and modified to add an image specification for | |
229644e7 | 2616 | @var{icon}, which is found in the same way as by |
9e445e29 | 2617 | @code{tool-bar-add-item}. The resulting binding is then placed in |
229644e7 RS |
2618 | @code{tool-bar-map}, so use this function only for global tool bar |
2619 | items. | |
2620 | ||
2621 | @var{map} must contain an appropriate keymap bound to | |
2622 | @code{[menu-bar]}. The remaining arguments @var{props} are additional | |
2623 | property list elements to add to the menu item specification. | |
2624 | @end defun | |
2625 | ||
2626 | @defun tool-bar-local-item-from-menu command icon in-map &optional from-map &rest props | |
2627 | This function is used for making non-global tool bar items. Use it | |
2628 | like @code{tool-bar-add-item-from-menu} except that @var{in-map} | |
2629 | specifies the local map to make the definition in. The argument | |
db8af011 | 2630 | @var{from-map} is like the @var{map} argument of |
229644e7 | 2631 | @code{tool-bar-add-item-from-menu}. |
9e445e29 DL |
2632 | @end defun |
2633 | ||
8241495d RS |
2634 | @defvar auto-resize-tool-bar |
2635 | If this variable is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar automatically resizes to | |
2636 | show all defined tool bar items---but not larger than a quarter of the | |
2637 | frame's height. | |
2638 | @end defvar | |
2639 | ||
6d682d42 | 2640 | @defvar auto-raise-tool-bar-buttons |
8241495d RS |
2641 | If this variable is non-@code{nil}, tool bar items display |
2642 | in raised form when the mouse moves over them. | |
2643 | @end defvar | |
2644 | ||
6d682d42 | 2645 | @defvar tool-bar-button-margin |
8241495d | 2646 | This variable specifies an extra margin to add around tool bar items. |
6d682d42 | 2647 | The value is an integer, a number of pixels. The default is 4. |
8241495d RS |
2648 | @end defvar |
2649 | ||
6d682d42 | 2650 | @defvar tool-bar-button-relief |
8241495d | 2651 | This variable specifies the shadow width for tool bar items. |
6d682d42 | 2652 | The value is an integer, a number of pixels. The default is 1. |
7e50c033 KS |
2653 | @end defvar |
2654 | ||
7e50c033 KS |
2655 | @defvar tool-bar-border |
2656 | This variable specifies the height of the border drawn below the tool | |
2657 | bar area. An integer value specifies height as a number of pixels. | |
2658 | If the value is one of @code{internal-border-width} (the default) or | |
2659 | @code{border-width}, the tool bar border height corresponds to the | |
2660 | corresponding frame parameter. | |
8241495d RS |
2661 | @end defvar |
2662 | ||
2663 | You can define a special meaning for clicking on a tool bar item with | |
2664 | the shift, control, meta, etc., modifiers. You do this by setting up | |
2665 | additional items that relate to the original item through the fake | |
2666 | function keys. Specifically, the additional items should use the | |
2667 | modified versions of the same fake function key used to name the | |
2668 | original item. | |
2669 | ||
2670 | Thus, if the original item was defined this way, | |
2671 | ||
2672 | @example | |
2673 | (define-key global-map [tool-bar shell] | |
2674 | '(menu-item "Shell" shell | |
2675 | :image (image :type xpm :file "shell.xpm"))) | |
2676 | @end example | |
2677 | ||
2678 | @noindent | |
2679 | then here is how you can define clicking on the same tool bar image with | |
2680 | the shift modifier: | |
2681 | ||
2682 | @example | |
2683 | (define-key global-map [tool-bar S-shell] 'some-command) | |
2684 | @end example | |
2685 | ||
2686 | @xref{Function Keys}, for more information about how to add modifiers to | |
2687 | function keys. | |
2688 | ||
87b2d5ff RS |
2689 | @node Modifying Menus |
2690 | @subsection Modifying Menus | |
73804d4b | 2691 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2692 | When you insert a new item in an existing menu, you probably want to |
2693 | put it in a particular place among the menu's existing items. If you | |
2694 | use @code{define-key} to add the item, it normally goes at the front of | |
f9f59935 | 2695 | the menu. To put it elsewhere in the menu, use @code{define-key-after}: |
73804d4b | 2696 | |
e5a00c9c | 2697 | @defun define-key-after map key binding &optional after |
87b2d5ff RS |
2698 | Define a binding in @var{map} for @var{key}, with value @var{binding}, |
2699 | just like @code{define-key}, but position the binding in @var{map} after | |
f9f59935 RS |
2700 | the binding for the event @var{after}. The argument @var{key} should be |
2701 | of length one---a vector or string with just one element. But | |
969fe9b5 RS |
2702 | @var{after} should be a single event type---a symbol or a character, not |
2703 | a sequence. The new binding goes after the binding for @var{after}. If | |
32f44537 DL |
2704 | @var{after} is @code{t} or is omitted, then the new binding goes last, at |
2705 | the end of the keymap. However, new bindings are added before any | |
2706 | inherited keymap. | |
b2955417 | 2707 | |
969fe9b5 | 2708 | Here is an example: |
73804d4b | 2709 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2710 | @example |
2711 | (define-key-after my-menu [drink] | |
32f44537 | 2712 | '("Drink" . drink-command) 'eat) |
87b2d5ff | 2713 | @end example |
73804d4b | 2714 | |
87b2d5ff | 2715 | @noindent |
969fe9b5 RS |
2716 | makes a binding for the fake function key @key{DRINK} and puts it |
2717 | right after the binding for @key{EAT}. | |
f9f59935 | 2718 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2719 | Here is how to insert an item called @samp{Work} in the @samp{Signals} |
2720 | menu of Shell mode, after the item @code{break}: | |
73804d4b | 2721 | |
87b2d5ff RS |
2722 | @example |
2723 | (define-key-after | |
2724 | (lookup-key shell-mode-map [menu-bar signals]) | |
2725 | [work] '("Work" . work-command) 'break) | |
2726 | @end example | |
87b2d5ff | 2727 | @end defun |
ab5796a9 MB |
2728 | |
2729 | @ignore | |
2730 | arch-tag: cfb87287-9364-4e46-9e93-6c2f7f6ae794 | |
2731 | @end ignore |