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1 | @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 | @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
ba318903 | 3 | @c Copyright (C) 1990-1995, 1998-1999, 2001-2014 Free Software |
ab422c4d | 4 | @c Foundation, Inc. |
b8d4c8d0 | 5 | @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
ecc6530d | 6 | @node Command Loop |
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7 | @chapter Command Loop |
8 | @cindex editor command loop | |
9 | @cindex command loop | |
10 | ||
11 | When you run Emacs, it enters the @dfn{editor command loop} almost | |
12 | immediately. This loop reads key sequences, executes their definitions, | |
13 | and displays the results. In this chapter, we describe how these things | |
14 | are done, and the subroutines that allow Lisp programs to do them. | |
15 | ||
16 | @menu | |
17 | * Command Overview:: How the command loop reads commands. | |
18 | * Defining Commands:: Specifying how a function should read arguments. | |
19 | * Interactive Call:: Calling a command, so that it will read arguments. | |
77832c61 | 20 | * Distinguish Interactive:: Making a command distinguish interactive calls. |
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21 | * Command Loop Info:: Variables set by the command loop for you to examine. |
22 | * Adjusting Point:: Adjustment of point after a command. | |
d24880de | 23 | * Input Events:: What input looks like when you read it. |
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24 | * Reading Input:: How to read input events from the keyboard or mouse. |
25 | * Special Events:: Events processed immediately and individually. | |
26 | * Waiting:: Waiting for user input or elapsed time. | |
27 | * Quitting:: How @kbd{C-g} works. How to catch or defer quitting. | |
28 | * Prefix Command Arguments:: How the commands to set prefix args work. | |
29 | * Recursive Editing:: Entering a recursive edit, | |
30 | and why you usually shouldn't. | |
31 | * Disabling Commands:: How the command loop handles disabled commands. | |
32 | * Command History:: How the command history is set up, and how accessed. | |
33 | * Keyboard Macros:: How keyboard macros are implemented. | |
34 | @end menu | |
35 | ||
36 | @node Command Overview | |
37 | @section Command Loop Overview | |
38 | ||
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39 | The first thing the command loop must do is read a key sequence, |
40 | which is a sequence of input events that translates into a command. | |
41 | It does this by calling the function @code{read-key-sequence}. Lisp | |
42 | programs can also call this function (@pxref{Key Sequence Input}). | |
43 | They can also read input at a lower level with @code{read-key} or | |
44 | @code{read-event} (@pxref{Reading One Event}), or discard pending | |
45 | input with @code{discard-input} (@pxref{Event Input Misc}). | |
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46 | |
47 | The key sequence is translated into a command through the currently | |
48 | active keymaps. @xref{Key Lookup}, for information on how this is done. | |
49 | The result should be a keyboard macro or an interactively callable | |
50 | function. If the key is @kbd{M-x}, then it reads the name of another | |
51 | command, which it then calls. This is done by the command | |
52 | @code{execute-extended-command} (@pxref{Interactive Call}). | |
53 | ||
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54 | Prior to executing the command, Emacs runs @code{undo-boundary} to |
55 | create an undo boundary. @xref{Maintaining Undo}. | |
56 | ||
57 | To execute a command, Emacs first reads its arguments by calling | |
58 | @code{command-execute} (@pxref{Interactive Call}). For commands | |
59 | written in Lisp, the @code{interactive} specification says how to read | |
60 | the arguments. This may use the prefix argument (@pxref{Prefix | |
61 | Command Arguments}) or may read with prompting in the minibuffer | |
62 | (@pxref{Minibuffers}). For example, the command @code{find-file} has | |
63 | an @code{interactive} specification which says to read a file name | |
64 | using the minibuffer. The function body of @code{find-file} does not | |
65 | use the minibuffer, so if you call @code{find-file} as a function from | |
66 | Lisp code, you must supply the file name string as an ordinary Lisp | |
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67 | function argument. |
68 | ||
1df7defd | 69 | If the command is a keyboard macro (i.e., a string or vector), |
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70 | Emacs executes it using @code{execute-kbd-macro} (@pxref{Keyboard |
71 | Macros}). | |
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72 | |
73 | @defvar pre-command-hook | |
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74 | This normal hook is run by the editor command loop before it executes |
75 | each command. At that time, @code{this-command} contains the command | |
76 | that is about to run, and @code{last-command} describes the previous | |
77 | command. @xref{Command Loop Info}. | |
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78 | @end defvar |
79 | ||
80 | @defvar post-command-hook | |
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81 | This normal hook is run by the editor command loop after it executes |
82 | each command (including commands terminated prematurely by quitting or | |
83 | by errors). At that time, @code{this-command} refers to the command | |
84 | that just ran, and @code{last-command} refers to the command before | |
85 | that. | |
86 | ||
87 | This hook is also run when Emacs first enters the command loop (at | |
88 | which point @code{this-command} and @code{last-command} are both | |
89 | @code{nil}). | |
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90 | @end defvar |
91 | ||
92 | Quitting is suppressed while running @code{pre-command-hook} and | |
93 | @code{post-command-hook}. If an error happens while executing one of | |
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94 | these hooks, it does not terminate execution of the hook; instead |
95 | the error is silenced and the function in which the error occurred | |
96 | is removed from the hook. | |
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97 | |
98 | A request coming into the Emacs server (@pxref{Emacs Server,,, | |
99 | emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}) runs these two hooks just as a keyboard | |
100 | command does. | |
101 | ||
102 | @node Defining Commands | |
103 | @section Defining Commands | |
104 | @cindex defining commands | |
105 | @cindex commands, defining | |
106 | @cindex functions, making them interactive | |
107 | @cindex interactive function | |
108 | ||
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109 | The special form @code{interactive} turns a Lisp function into a |
110 | command. The @code{interactive} form must be located at top-level in | |
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111 | the function body, usually as the first form in the body; this applies |
112 | to both lambda expressions (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}) and | |
113 | @code{defun} forms (@pxref{Defining Functions}). This form does | |
114 | nothing during the actual execution of the function; its presence | |
115 | serves as a flag, telling the Emacs command loop that the function can | |
116 | be called interactively. The argument of the @code{interactive} form | |
117 | specifies how the arguments for an interactive call should be read. | |
118 | ||
119 | @cindex @code{interactive-form} property | |
120 | Alternatively, an @code{interactive} form may be specified in a | |
121 | function symbol's @code{interactive-form} property. A non-@code{nil} | |
122 | value for this property takes precedence over any @code{interactive} | |
123 | form in the function body itself. This feature is seldom used. | |
124 | ||
125 | @cindex @code{interactive-only} property | |
126 | Sometimes, a named command is only intended to be called | |
127 | interactively, never directly from Lisp. In that case, give it a | |
128 | non-@code{nil} @code{interactive-only} property. In that case, the | |
129 | byte compiler will print a warning message if the command is called | |
130 | from Lisp. | |
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131 | |
132 | @menu | |
133 | * Using Interactive:: General rules for @code{interactive}. | |
134 | * Interactive Codes:: The standard letter-codes for reading arguments | |
135 | in various ways. | |
136 | * Interactive Examples:: Examples of how to read interactive arguments. | |
137 | @end menu | |
138 | ||
139 | @node Using Interactive | |
140 | @subsection Using @code{interactive} | |
141 | @cindex arguments, interactive entry | |
142 | ||
143 | This section describes how to write the @code{interactive} form that | |
144 | makes a Lisp function an interactively-callable command, and how to | |
145 | examine a command's @code{interactive} form. | |
146 | ||
147 | @defspec interactive arg-descriptor | |
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148 | This special form declares that a function is a command, and that it |
149 | may therefore be called interactively (via @kbd{M-x} or by entering a | |
150 | key sequence bound to it). The argument @var{arg-descriptor} declares | |
151 | how to compute the arguments to the command when the command is called | |
152 | interactively. | |
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153 | |
154 | A command may be called from Lisp programs like any other function, but | |
155 | then the caller supplies the arguments and @var{arg-descriptor} has no | |
156 | effect. | |
157 | ||
f02f19bd | 158 | @cindex @code{interactive-form}, symbol property |
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159 | The @code{interactive} form must be located at top-level in the |
160 | function body, or in the function symbol's @code{interactive-form} | |
f02f19bd | 161 | property (@pxref{Symbol Properties}). It has its effect because the |
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162 | command loop looks for it before calling the function |
163 | (@pxref{Interactive Call}). Once the function is called, all its body | |
164 | forms are executed; at this time, if the @code{interactive} form | |
165 | occurs within the body, the form simply returns @code{nil} without | |
166 | even evaluating its argument. | |
167 | ||
168 | By convention, you should put the @code{interactive} form in the | |
169 | function body, as the first top-level form. If there is an | |
170 | @code{interactive} form in both the @code{interactive-form} symbol | |
171 | property and the function body, the former takes precedence. The | |
172 | @code{interactive-form} symbol property can be used to add an | |
173 | interactive form to an existing function, or change how its arguments | |
174 | are processed interactively, without redefining the function. | |
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175 | @end defspec |
176 | ||
177 | There are three possibilities for the argument @var{arg-descriptor}: | |
178 | ||
179 | @itemize @bullet | |
180 | @item | |
181 | It may be omitted or @code{nil}; then the command is called with no | |
182 | arguments. This leads quickly to an error if the command requires one | |
183 | or more arguments. | |
184 | ||
185 | @item | |
9fa6d455 | 186 | It may be a string; its contents are a sequence of elements separated |
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187 | by newlines, one for each argument@footnote{Some elements actually |
188 | supply two arguments.}. Each element consists of a code character | |
5cba88a2 | 189 | (@pxref{Interactive Codes}) optionally followed by a prompt (which |
9fa6d455 | 190 | some code characters use and some ignore). Here is an example: |
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191 | |
192 | @smallexample | |
9fa6d455 | 193 | (interactive "P\nbFrobnicate buffer: ") |
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194 | @end smallexample |
195 | ||
196 | @noindent | |
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197 | The code letter @samp{P} sets the command's first argument to the raw |
198 | command prefix (@pxref{Prefix Command Arguments}). @samp{bFrobnicate | |
199 | buffer: } prompts the user with @samp{Frobnicate buffer: } to enter | |
200 | the name of an existing buffer, which becomes the second and final | |
201 | argument. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 202 | |
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203 | The prompt string can use @samp{%} to include previous argument values |
204 | (starting with the first argument) in the prompt. This is done using | |
205 | @code{format} (@pxref{Formatting Strings}). For example, here is how | |
206 | you could read the name of an existing buffer followed by a new name to | |
207 | give to that buffer: | |
208 | ||
209 | @smallexample | |
210 | @group | |
211 | (interactive "bBuffer to rename: \nsRename buffer %s to: ") | |
212 | @end group | |
213 | @end smallexample | |
214 | ||
215 | @cindex @samp{*} in @code{interactive} | |
216 | @cindex read-only buffers in interactive | |
ee6e73b8 | 217 | If @samp{*} appears at the beginning of the string, then an error is |
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218 | signaled if the buffer is read-only. |
219 | ||
220 | @cindex @samp{@@} in @code{interactive} | |
ee6e73b8 | 221 | If @samp{@@} appears at the beginning of the string, and if the key |
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222 | sequence used to invoke the command includes any mouse events, then |
223 | the window associated with the first of those events is selected | |
224 | before the command is run. | |
225 | ||
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226 | @cindex @samp{^} in @code{interactive} |
227 | @cindex shift-selection, and @code{interactive} spec | |
228 | If @samp{^} appears at the beginning of the string, and if the command | |
229 | was invoked through @dfn{shift-translation}, set the mark and activate | |
230 | the region temporarily, or extend an already active region, before the | |
231 | command is run. If the command was invoked without shift-translation, | |
232 | and the region is temporarily active, deactivate the region before the | |
233 | command is run. Shift-translation is controlled on the user level by | |
234 | @code{shift-select-mode}; see @ref{Shift Selection,,, emacs, The GNU | |
235 | Emacs Manual}. | |
236 | ||
237 | You can use @samp{*}, @samp{@@}, and @code{^} together; the order does | |
238 | not matter. Actual reading of arguments is controlled by the rest of | |
239 | the prompt string (starting with the first character that is not | |
240 | @samp{*}, @samp{@@}, or @samp{^}). | |
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241 | |
242 | @item | |
243 | It may be a Lisp expression that is not a string; then it should be a | |
244 | form that is evaluated to get a list of arguments to pass to the | |
245 | command. Usually this form will call various functions to read input | |
246 | from the user, most often through the minibuffer (@pxref{Minibuffers}) | |
247 | or directly from the keyboard (@pxref{Reading Input}). | |
248 | ||
249 | Providing point or the mark as an argument value is also common, but | |
250 | if you do this @emph{and} read input (whether using the minibuffer or | |
251 | not), be sure to get the integer values of point or the mark after | |
252 | reading. The current buffer may be receiving subprocess output; if | |
253 | subprocess output arrives while the command is waiting for input, it | |
254 | could relocate point and the mark. | |
255 | ||
256 | Here's an example of what @emph{not} to do: | |
257 | ||
258 | @smallexample | |
259 | (interactive | |
260 | (list (region-beginning) (region-end) | |
261 | (read-string "Foo: " nil 'my-history))) | |
262 | @end smallexample | |
263 | ||
264 | @noindent | |
265 | Here's how to avoid the problem, by examining point and the mark after | |
266 | reading the keyboard input: | |
267 | ||
268 | @smallexample | |
269 | (interactive | |
270 | (let ((string (read-string "Foo: " nil 'my-history))) | |
271 | (list (region-beginning) (region-end) string))) | |
272 | @end smallexample | |
273 | ||
274 | @strong{Warning:} the argument values should not include any data | |
275 | types that can't be printed and then read. Some facilities save | |
276 | @code{command-history} in a file to be read in the subsequent | |
277 | sessions; if a command's arguments contain a data type that prints | |
278 | using @samp{#<@dots{}>} syntax, those facilities won't work. | |
279 | ||
280 | There are, however, a few exceptions: it is ok to use a limited set of | |
281 | expressions such as @code{(point)}, @code{(mark)}, | |
282 | @code{(region-beginning)}, and @code{(region-end)}, because Emacs | |
283 | recognizes them specially and puts the expression (rather than its | |
284 | value) into the command history. To see whether the expression you | |
285 | wrote is one of these exceptions, run the command, then examine | |
286 | @code{(car command-history)}. | |
287 | @end itemize | |
288 | ||
289 | @cindex examining the @code{interactive} form | |
290 | @defun interactive-form function | |
291 | This function returns the @code{interactive} form of @var{function}. | |
292 | If @var{function} is an interactively callable function | |
293 | (@pxref{Interactive Call}), the value is the command's | |
294 | @code{interactive} form @code{(interactive @var{spec})}, which | |
295 | specifies how to compute its arguments. Otherwise, the value is | |
296 | @code{nil}. If @var{function} is a symbol, its function definition is | |
297 | used. | |
298 | @end defun | |
299 | ||
300 | @node Interactive Codes | |
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301 | @subsection Code Characters for @code{interactive} |
302 | @cindex interactive code description | |
303 | @cindex description for interactive codes | |
304 | @cindex codes, interactive, description of | |
305 | @cindex characters for interactive codes | |
306 | ||
307 | The code character descriptions below contain a number of key words, | |
308 | defined here as follows: | |
309 | ||
310 | @table @b | |
311 | @item Completion | |
312 | @cindex interactive completion | |
313 | Provide completion. @key{TAB}, @key{SPC}, and @key{RET} perform name | |
314 | completion because the argument is read using @code{completing-read} | |
315 | (@pxref{Completion}). @kbd{?} displays a list of possible completions. | |
316 | ||
317 | @item Existing | |
318 | Require the name of an existing object. An invalid name is not | |
319 | accepted; the commands to exit the minibuffer do not exit if the current | |
320 | input is not valid. | |
321 | ||
322 | @item Default | |
323 | @cindex default argument string | |
324 | A default value of some sort is used if the user enters no text in the | |
325 | minibuffer. The default depends on the code character. | |
326 | ||
327 | @item No I/O | |
328 | This code letter computes an argument without reading any input. | |
329 | Therefore, it does not use a prompt string, and any prompt string you | |
330 | supply is ignored. | |
331 | ||
332 | Even though the code letter doesn't use a prompt string, you must follow | |
333 | it with a newline if it is not the last code character in the string. | |
334 | ||
335 | @item Prompt | |
336 | A prompt immediately follows the code character. The prompt ends either | |
337 | with the end of the string or with a newline. | |
338 | ||
339 | @item Special | |
340 | This code character is meaningful only at the beginning of the | |
341 | interactive string, and it does not look for a prompt or a newline. | |
342 | It is a single, isolated character. | |
343 | @end table | |
344 | ||
345 | @cindex reading interactive arguments | |
346 | Here are the code character descriptions for use with @code{interactive}: | |
347 | ||
348 | @table @samp | |
349 | @item * | |
350 | Signal an error if the current buffer is read-only. Special. | |
351 | ||
352 | @item @@ | |
353 | Select the window mentioned in the first mouse event in the key | |
354 | sequence that invoked this command. Special. | |
355 | ||
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356 | @item ^ |
357 | If the command was invoked through shift-translation, set the mark and | |
358 | activate the region temporarily, or extend an already active region, | |
359 | before the command is run. If the command was invoked without | |
360 | shift-translation, and the region is temporarily active, deactivate | |
361 | the region before the command is run. Special. | |
362 | ||
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363 | @item a |
364 | A function name (i.e., a symbol satisfying @code{fboundp}). Existing, | |
365 | Completion, Prompt. | |
366 | ||
367 | @item b | |
368 | The name of an existing buffer. By default, uses the name of the | |
369 | current buffer (@pxref{Buffers}). Existing, Completion, Default, | |
370 | Prompt. | |
371 | ||
372 | @item B | |
373 | A buffer name. The buffer need not exist. By default, uses the name of | |
374 | a recently used buffer other than the current buffer. Completion, | |
375 | Default, Prompt. | |
376 | ||
377 | @item c | |
378 | A character. The cursor does not move into the echo area. Prompt. | |
379 | ||
380 | @item C | |
381 | A command name (i.e., a symbol satisfying @code{commandp}). Existing, | |
382 | Completion, Prompt. | |
383 | ||
384 | @item d | |
385 | @cindex position argument | |
386 | The position of point, as an integer (@pxref{Point}). No I/O. | |
387 | ||
388 | @item D | |
389 | A directory name. The default is the current default directory of the | |
390 | current buffer, @code{default-directory} (@pxref{File Name Expansion}). | |
391 | Existing, Completion, Default, Prompt. | |
392 | ||
393 | @item e | |
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394 | The first or next non-keyboard event in the key sequence that invoked |
395 | the command. More precisely, @samp{e} gets events that are lists, so | |
396 | you can look at the data in the lists. @xref{Input Events}. No I/O. | |
397 | ||
398 | You use @samp{e} for mouse events and for special system events | |
399 | (@pxref{Misc Events}). The event list that the command receives | |
400 | depends on the event. @xref{Input Events}, which describes the forms | |
401 | of the list for each event in the corresponding subsections. | |
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402 | |
403 | You can use @samp{e} more than once in a single command's interactive | |
404 | specification. If the key sequence that invoked the command has | |
405 | @var{n} events that are lists, the @var{n}th @samp{e} provides the | |
406 | @var{n}th such event. Events that are not lists, such as function keys | |
407 | and @acronym{ASCII} characters, do not count where @samp{e} is concerned. | |
408 | ||
409 | @item f | |
410 | A file name of an existing file (@pxref{File Names}). The default | |
411 | directory is @code{default-directory}. Existing, Completion, Default, | |
412 | Prompt. | |
413 | ||
414 | @item F | |
415 | A file name. The file need not exist. Completion, Default, Prompt. | |
416 | ||
417 | @item G | |
418 | A file name. The file need not exist. If the user enters just a | |
419 | directory name, then the value is just that directory name, with no | |
420 | file name within the directory added. Completion, Default, Prompt. | |
421 | ||
422 | @item i | |
423 | An irrelevant argument. This code always supplies @code{nil} as | |
424 | the argument's value. No I/O. | |
425 | ||
426 | @item k | |
427 | A key sequence (@pxref{Key Sequences}). This keeps reading events | |
428 | until a command (or undefined command) is found in the current key | |
429 | maps. The key sequence argument is represented as a string or vector. | |
430 | The cursor does not move into the echo area. Prompt. | |
431 | ||
432 | If @samp{k} reads a key sequence that ends with a down-event, it also | |
433 | reads and discards the following up-event. You can get access to that | |
434 | up-event with the @samp{U} code character. | |
435 | ||
436 | This kind of input is used by commands such as @code{describe-key} and | |
437 | @code{global-set-key}. | |
438 | ||
439 | @item K | |
440 | A key sequence, whose definition you intend to change. This works like | |
441 | @samp{k}, except that it suppresses, for the last input event in the key | |
442 | sequence, the conversions that are normally used (when necessary) to | |
443 | convert an undefined key into a defined one. | |
444 | ||
445 | @item m | |
446 | @cindex marker argument | |
447 | The position of the mark, as an integer. No I/O. | |
448 | ||
449 | @item M | |
450 | Arbitrary text, read in the minibuffer using the current buffer's input | |
451 | method, and returned as a string (@pxref{Input Methods,,, emacs, The GNU | |
452 | Emacs Manual}). Prompt. | |
453 | ||
454 | @item n | |
455 | A number, read with the minibuffer. If the input is not a number, the | |
456 | user has to try again. @samp{n} never uses the prefix argument. | |
457 | Prompt. | |
458 | ||
459 | @item N | |
460 | The numeric prefix argument; but if there is no prefix argument, read | |
461 | a number as with @kbd{n}. The value is always a number. @xref{Prefix | |
462 | Command Arguments}. Prompt. | |
463 | ||
464 | @item p | |
465 | @cindex numeric prefix argument usage | |
466 | The numeric prefix argument. (Note that this @samp{p} is lower case.) | |
467 | No I/O. | |
468 | ||
469 | @item P | |
470 | @cindex raw prefix argument usage | |
471 | The raw prefix argument. (Note that this @samp{P} is upper case.) No | |
472 | I/O. | |
473 | ||
474 | @item r | |
475 | @cindex region argument | |
476 | Point and the mark, as two numeric arguments, smallest first. This is | |
477 | the only code letter that specifies two successive arguments rather than | |
478 | one. No I/O. | |
479 | ||
480 | @item s | |
481 | Arbitrary text, read in the minibuffer and returned as a string | |
482 | (@pxref{Text from Minibuffer}). Terminate the input with either | |
483 | @kbd{C-j} or @key{RET}. (@kbd{C-q} may be used to include either of | |
484 | these characters in the input.) Prompt. | |
485 | ||
486 | @item S | |
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487 | An interned symbol whose name is read in the minibuffer. Terminate |
488 | the input with either @kbd{C-j} or @key{RET}. Other characters that | |
489 | normally terminate a symbol (e.g., whitespace, parentheses and | |
490 | brackets) do not do so here. Prompt. | |
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491 | |
492 | @item U | |
493 | A key sequence or @code{nil}. Can be used after a @samp{k} or | |
494 | @samp{K} argument to get the up-event that was discarded (if any) | |
495 | after @samp{k} or @samp{K} read a down-event. If no up-event has been | |
496 | discarded, @samp{U} provides @code{nil} as the argument. No I/O. | |
497 | ||
498 | @item v | |
499 | A variable declared to be a user option (i.e., satisfying the | |
b4d3bc10 | 500 | predicate @code{custom-variable-p}). This reads the variable using |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
501 | @code{read-variable}. @xref{Definition of read-variable}. Existing, |
502 | Completion, Prompt. | |
503 | ||
504 | @item x | |
505 | A Lisp object, specified with its read syntax, terminated with a | |
506 | @kbd{C-j} or @key{RET}. The object is not evaluated. @xref{Object from | |
507 | Minibuffer}. Prompt. | |
508 | ||
509 | @item X | |
510 | @cindex evaluated expression argument | |
511 | A Lisp form's value. @samp{X} reads as @samp{x} does, then evaluates | |
512 | the form so that its value becomes the argument for the command. | |
513 | Prompt. | |
514 | ||
515 | @item z | |
516 | A coding system name (a symbol). If the user enters null input, the | |
517 | argument value is @code{nil}. @xref{Coding Systems}. Completion, | |
518 | Existing, Prompt. | |
519 | ||
520 | @item Z | |
521 | A coding system name (a symbol)---but only if this command has a prefix | |
522 | argument. With no prefix argument, @samp{Z} provides @code{nil} as the | |
523 | argument value. Completion, Existing, Prompt. | |
524 | @end table | |
525 | ||
526 | @node Interactive Examples | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
527 | @subsection Examples of Using @code{interactive} |
528 | @cindex examples of using @code{interactive} | |
529 | @cindex @code{interactive}, examples of using | |
530 | ||
531 | Here are some examples of @code{interactive}: | |
532 | ||
533 | @example | |
534 | @group | |
535 | (defun foo1 () ; @r{@code{foo1} takes no arguments,} | |
536 | (interactive) ; @r{just moves forward two words.} | |
537 | (forward-word 2)) | |
538 | @result{} foo1 | |
539 | @end group | |
540 | ||
541 | @group | |
542 | (defun foo2 (n) ; @r{@code{foo2} takes one argument,} | |
ee6e73b8 EZ |
543 | (interactive "^p") ; @r{which is the numeric prefix.} |
544 | ; @r{under @code{shift-select-mode},} | |
545 | ; @r{will activate or extend region.} | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
546 | (forward-word (* 2 n))) |
547 | @result{} foo2 | |
548 | @end group | |
549 | ||
550 | @group | |
551 | (defun foo3 (n) ; @r{@code{foo3} takes one argument,} | |
552 | (interactive "nCount:") ; @r{which is read with the Minibuffer.} | |
553 | (forward-word (* 2 n))) | |
554 | @result{} foo3 | |
555 | @end group | |
556 | ||
557 | @group | |
558 | (defun three-b (b1 b2 b3) | |
559 | "Select three existing buffers. | |
560 | Put them into three windows, selecting the last one." | |
561 | @end group | |
562 | (interactive "bBuffer1:\nbBuffer2:\nbBuffer3:") | |
563 | (delete-other-windows) | |
564 | (split-window (selected-window) 8) | |
565 | (switch-to-buffer b1) | |
566 | (other-window 1) | |
567 | (split-window (selected-window) 8) | |
568 | (switch-to-buffer b2) | |
569 | (other-window 1) | |
570 | (switch-to-buffer b3)) | |
571 | @result{} three-b | |
572 | @group | |
573 | (three-b "*scratch*" "declarations.texi" "*mail*") | |
574 | @result{} nil | |
575 | @end group | |
576 | @end example | |
577 | ||
578 | @node Interactive Call | |
579 | @section Interactive Call | |
580 | @cindex interactive call | |
581 | ||
8421dd35 CY |
582 | After the command loop has translated a key sequence into a command, |
583 | it invokes that command using the function @code{command-execute}. If | |
584 | the command is a function, @code{command-execute} calls | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
585 | @code{call-interactively}, which reads the arguments and calls the |
586 | command. You can also call these functions yourself. | |
587 | ||
34106abe CY |
588 | Note that the term ``command'', in this context, refers to an |
589 | interactively callable function (or function-like object), or a | |
590 | keyboard macro. It does not refer to the key sequence used to invoke | |
591 | a command (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
b8d4c8d0 | 592 | |
34106abe CY |
593 | @defun commandp object &optional for-call-interactively |
594 | This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a command. | |
595 | Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}. | |
596 | ||
597 | Commands include strings and vectors (which are treated as keyboard | |
598 | macros), lambda expressions that contain a top-level | |
599 | @code{interactive} form (@pxref{Using Interactive}), byte-code | |
600 | function objects made from such lambda expressions, autoload objects | |
601 | that are declared as interactive (non-@code{nil} fourth argument to | |
602 | @code{autoload}), and some primitive functions. Also, a symbol is | |
603 | considered a command if it has a non-@code{nil} | |
8421dd35 | 604 | @code{interactive-form} property, or if its function definition |
34106abe | 605 | satisfies @code{commandp}. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
606 | |
607 | If @var{for-call-interactively} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
608 | @code{commandp} returns @code{t} only for objects that | |
609 | @code{call-interactively} could call---thus, not for keyboard macros. | |
610 | ||
611 | See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for a | |
612 | realistic example of using @code{commandp}. | |
613 | @end defun | |
614 | ||
615 | @defun call-interactively command &optional record-flag keys | |
616 | This function calls the interactively callable function @var{command}, | |
54e10184 LMI |
617 | providing arguments according to its interactive calling specifications. |
618 | It returns whatever @var{command} returns. | |
619 | ||
620 | If, for instance, you have a function with the following signature: | |
621 | ||
622 | @example | |
623 | (defun foo (begin end) | |
624 | (interactive "r") | |
625 | ...) | |
626 | @end example | |
627 | ||
628 | then saying | |
629 | ||
630 | @example | |
631 | (call-interactively 'foo) | |
632 | @end example | |
633 | ||
634 | will call @code{foo} with the region (@code{point} and @code{mark}) as | |
635 | the arguments. | |
636 | ||
637 | An error is signaled if @var{command} is not a function or if it | |
638 | cannot be called interactively (i.e., is not a command). Note that | |
639 | keyboard macros (strings and vectors) are not accepted, even though | |
640 | they are considered commands, because they are not functions. If | |
641 | @var{command} is a symbol, then @code{call-interactively} uses its | |
642 | function definition. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
643 | |
644 | @cindex record command history | |
645 | If @var{record-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then this command and its | |
646 | arguments are unconditionally added to the list @code{command-history}. | |
647 | Otherwise, the command is added only if it uses the minibuffer to read | |
648 | an argument. @xref{Command History}. | |
649 | ||
650 | The argument @var{keys}, if given, should be a vector which specifies | |
651 | the sequence of events to supply if the command inquires which events | |
652 | were used to invoke it. If @var{keys} is omitted or @code{nil}, the | |
653 | default is the return value of @code{this-command-keys-vector}. | |
654 | @xref{Definition of this-command-keys-vector}. | |
655 | @end defun | |
656 | ||
657 | @defun command-execute command &optional record-flag keys special | |
658 | @cindex keyboard macro execution | |
659 | This function executes @var{command}. The argument @var{command} must | |
660 | satisfy the @code{commandp} predicate; i.e., it must be an interactively | |
661 | callable function or a keyboard macro. | |
662 | ||
663 | A string or vector as @var{command} is executed with | |
664 | @code{execute-kbd-macro}. A function is passed to | |
34106abe CY |
665 | @code{call-interactively} (see above), along with the |
666 | @var{record-flag} and @var{keys} arguments. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 667 | |
34106abe CY |
668 | If @var{command} is a symbol, its function definition is used in its |
669 | place. A symbol with an @code{autoload} definition counts as a | |
670 | command if it was declared to stand for an interactively callable | |
671 | function. Such a definition is handled by loading the specified | |
672 | library and then rechecking the definition of the symbol. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
673 | |
674 | The argument @var{special}, if given, means to ignore the prefix | |
675 | argument and not clear it. This is used for executing special events | |
676 | (@pxref{Special Events}). | |
677 | @end defun | |
678 | ||
679 | @deffn Command execute-extended-command prefix-argument | |
680 | @cindex read command name | |
681 | This function reads a command name from the minibuffer using | |
682 | @code{completing-read} (@pxref{Completion}). Then it uses | |
683 | @code{command-execute} to call the specified command. Whatever that | |
684 | command returns becomes the value of @code{execute-extended-command}. | |
685 | ||
686 | @cindex execute with prefix argument | |
687 | If the command asks for a prefix argument, it receives the value | |
688 | @var{prefix-argument}. If @code{execute-extended-command} is called | |
689 | interactively, the current raw prefix argument is used for | |
690 | @var{prefix-argument}, and thus passed on to whatever command is run. | |
691 | ||
692 | @c !!! Should this be @kindex? | |
693 | @cindex @kbd{M-x} | |
694 | @code{execute-extended-command} is the normal definition of @kbd{M-x}, | |
695 | so it uses the string @w{@samp{M-x }} as a prompt. (It would be better | |
696 | to take the prompt from the events used to invoke | |
697 | @code{execute-extended-command}, but that is painful to implement.) A | |
698 | description of the value of the prefix argument, if any, also becomes | |
699 | part of the prompt. | |
700 | ||
701 | @example | |
702 | @group | |
703 | (execute-extended-command 3) | |
704 | ---------- Buffer: Minibuffer ---------- | |
705 | 3 M-x forward-word RET | |
706 | ---------- Buffer: Minibuffer ---------- | |
707 | @result{} t | |
708 | @end group | |
709 | @end example | |
710 | @end deffn | |
711 | ||
77832c61 RS |
712 | @node Distinguish Interactive |
713 | @section Distinguish Interactive Calls | |
714 | ||
715 | Sometimes a command should display additional visual feedback (such | |
716 | as an informative message in the echo area) for interactive calls | |
717 | only. There are three ways to do this. The recommended way to test | |
718 | whether the function was called using @code{call-interactively} is to | |
719 | give it an optional argument @code{print-message} and use the | |
720 | @code{interactive} spec to make it non-@code{nil} in interactive | |
721 | calls. Here's an example: | |
722 | ||
723 | @example | |
724 | (defun foo (&optional print-message) | |
725 | (interactive "p") | |
726 | (when print-message | |
727 | (message "foo"))) | |
728 | @end example | |
729 | ||
730 | @noindent | |
731 | We use @code{"p"} because the numeric prefix argument is never | |
732 | @code{nil}. Defined in this way, the function does display the | |
733 | message when called from a keyboard macro. | |
734 | ||
735 | The above method with the additional argument is usually best, | |
16152b76 | 736 | because it allows callers to say ``treat this call as interactive''. |
89a9e058 | 737 | But you can also do the job by testing @code{called-interactively-p}. |
77832c61 | 738 | |
eb5ed549 | 739 | @defun called-interactively-p kind |
77832c61 RS |
740 | This function returns @code{t} when the calling function was called |
741 | using @code{call-interactively}. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 742 | |
eb5ed549 CY |
743 | The argument @var{kind} should be either the symbol @code{interactive} |
744 | or the symbol @code{any}. If it is @code{interactive}, then | |
745 | @code{called-interactively-p} returns @code{t} only if the call was | |
746 | made directly by the user---e.g., if the user typed a key sequence | |
747 | bound to the calling function, but @emph{not} if the user ran a | |
748 | keyboard macro that called the function (@pxref{Keyboard Macros}). If | |
749 | @var{kind} is @code{any}, @code{called-interactively-p} returns | |
750 | @code{t} for any kind of interactive call, including keyboard macros. | |
751 | ||
752 | If in doubt, use @code{any}; the only known proper use of | |
753 | @code{interactive} is if you need to decide whether to display a | |
754 | helpful message while a function is running. | |
755 | ||
756 | A function is never considered to be called interactively if it was | |
757 | called via Lisp evaluation (or with @code{apply} or @code{funcall}). | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
758 | @end defun |
759 | ||
eb5ed549 CY |
760 | @noindent |
761 | Here is an example of using @code{called-interactively-p}: | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
762 | |
763 | @example | |
764 | @group | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
765 | (defun foo () |
766 | (interactive) | |
eb5ed549 CY |
767 | (when (called-interactively-p 'any) |
768 | (message "Interactive!") | |
769 | 'foo-called-interactively)) | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
770 | @end group |
771 | ||
772 | @group | |
77832c61 | 773 | ;; @r{Type @kbd{M-x foo}.} |
eb5ed549 | 774 | @print{} Interactive! |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
775 | @end group |
776 | ||
777 | @group | |
77832c61 | 778 | (foo) |
eb5ed549 | 779 | @result{} nil |
77832c61 RS |
780 | @end group |
781 | @end example | |
782 | ||
eb5ed549 CY |
783 | @noindent |
784 | Here is another example that contrasts direct and indirect calls to | |
785 | @code{called-interactively-p}. | |
77832c61 RS |
786 | |
787 | @example | |
788 | @group | |
789 | (defun bar () | |
790 | (interactive) | |
eb5ed549 | 791 | (message "%s" (list (foo) (called-interactively-p 'any)))) |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
792 | @end group |
793 | ||
794 | @group | |
795 | ;; @r{Type @kbd{M-x bar}.} | |
eb5ed549 | 796 | @print{} (nil t) |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
797 | @end group |
798 | @end example | |
799 | ||
b8d4c8d0 | 800 | @node Command Loop Info |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
801 | @section Information from the Command Loop |
802 | ||
803 | The editor command loop sets several Lisp variables to keep status | |
1bb1f7d3 MR |
804 | records for itself and for commands that are run. With the exception of |
805 | @code{this-command} and @code{last-command} it's generally a bad idea to | |
806 | change any of these variables in a Lisp program. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
807 | |
808 | @defvar last-command | |
809 | This variable records the name of the previous command executed by the | |
810 | command loop (the one before the current command). Normally the value | |
811 | is a symbol with a function definition, but this is not guaranteed. | |
812 | ||
813 | The value is copied from @code{this-command} when a command returns to | |
814 | the command loop, except when the command has specified a prefix | |
815 | argument for the following command. | |
816 | ||
817 | This variable is always local to the current terminal and cannot be | |
3ec61d4e | 818 | buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Terminals}. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
819 | @end defvar |
820 | ||
821 | @defvar real-last-command | |
822 | This variable is set up by Emacs just like @code{last-command}, | |
823 | but never altered by Lisp programs. | |
824 | @end defvar | |
825 | ||
1bb1f7d3 MR |
826 | @defvar last-repeatable-command |
827 | This variable stores the most recently executed command that was not | |
828 | part of an input event. This is the command @code{repeat} will try to | |
829 | repeat, @xref{Repeating,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. | |
830 | @end defvar | |
831 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
832 | @defvar this-command |
833 | @cindex current command | |
834 | This variable records the name of the command now being executed by | |
835 | the editor command loop. Like @code{last-command}, it is normally a symbol | |
836 | with a function definition. | |
837 | ||
838 | The command loop sets this variable just before running a command, and | |
839 | copies its value into @code{last-command} when the command finishes | |
840 | (unless the command specified a prefix argument for the following | |
841 | command). | |
842 | ||
843 | @cindex kill command repetition | |
844 | Some commands set this variable during their execution, as a flag for | |
845 | whatever command runs next. In particular, the functions for killing text | |
846 | set @code{this-command} to @code{kill-region} so that any kill commands | |
847 | immediately following will know to append the killed text to the | |
848 | previous kill. | |
849 | @end defvar | |
850 | ||
851 | If you do not want a particular command to be recognized as the previous | |
852 | command in the case where it got an error, you must code that command to | |
853 | prevent this. One way is to set @code{this-command} to @code{t} at the | |
854 | beginning of the command, and set @code{this-command} back to its proper | |
855 | value at the end, like this: | |
856 | ||
857 | @example | |
858 | (defun foo (args@dots{}) | |
859 | (interactive @dots{}) | |
860 | (let ((old-this-command this-command)) | |
861 | (setq this-command t) | |
862 | @r{@dots{}do the work@dots{}} | |
863 | (setq this-command old-this-command))) | |
864 | @end example | |
865 | ||
866 | @noindent | |
867 | We do not bind @code{this-command} with @code{let} because that would | |
868 | restore the old value in case of error---a feature of @code{let} which | |
869 | in this case does precisely what we want to avoid. | |
870 | ||
871 | @defvar this-original-command | |
872 | This has the same value as @code{this-command} except when command | |
873 | remapping occurs (@pxref{Remapping Commands}). In that case, | |
874 | @code{this-command} gives the command actually run (the result of | |
875 | remapping), and @code{this-original-command} gives the command that | |
876 | was specified to run but remapped into another command. | |
877 | @end defvar | |
878 | ||
879 | @defun this-command-keys | |
880 | This function returns a string or vector containing the key sequence | |
881 | that invoked the present command, plus any previous commands that | |
882 | generated the prefix argument for this command. Any events read by the | |
883 | command using @code{read-event} without a timeout get tacked on to the end. | |
884 | ||
885 | However, if the command has called @code{read-key-sequence}, it | |
886 | returns the last read key sequence. @xref{Key Sequence Input}. The | |
887 | value is a string if all events in the sequence were characters that | |
888 | fit in a string. @xref{Input Events}. | |
889 | ||
890 | @example | |
891 | @group | |
892 | (this-command-keys) | |
893 | ;; @r{Now use @kbd{C-u C-x C-e} to evaluate that.} | |
894 | @result{} "^U^X^E" | |
895 | @end group | |
896 | @end example | |
897 | @end defun | |
898 | ||
899 | @defun this-command-keys-vector | |
900 | @anchor{Definition of this-command-keys-vector} | |
901 | Like @code{this-command-keys}, except that it always returns the events | |
902 | in a vector, so you don't need to deal with the complexities of storing | |
903 | input events in a string (@pxref{Strings of Events}). | |
904 | @end defun | |
905 | ||
906 | @defun clear-this-command-keys &optional keep-record | |
907 | This function empties out the table of events for | |
908 | @code{this-command-keys} to return. Unless @var{keep-record} is | |
909 | non-@code{nil}, it also empties the records that the function | |
910 | @code{recent-keys} (@pxref{Recording Input}) will subsequently return. | |
911 | This is useful after reading a password, to prevent the password from | |
912 | echoing inadvertently as part of the next command in certain cases. | |
913 | @end defun | |
914 | ||
915 | @defvar last-nonmenu-event | |
916 | This variable holds the last input event read as part of a key sequence, | |
917 | not counting events resulting from mouse menus. | |
918 | ||
919 | One use of this variable is for telling @code{x-popup-menu} where to pop | |
920 | up a menu. It is also used internally by @code{y-or-n-p} | |
921 | (@pxref{Yes-or-No Queries}). | |
922 | @end defvar | |
923 | ||
924 | @defvar last-command-event | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
925 | This variable is set to the last input event that was read by the |
926 | command loop as part of a command. The principal use of this variable | |
927 | is in @code{self-insert-command}, which uses it to decide which | |
928 | character to insert. | |
929 | ||
930 | @example | |
931 | @group | |
932 | last-command-event | |
933 | ;; @r{Now use @kbd{C-u C-x C-e} to evaluate that.} | |
934 | @result{} 5 | |
935 | @end group | |
936 | @end example | |
937 | ||
938 | @noindent | |
939 | The value is 5 because that is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @kbd{C-e}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
940 | @end defvar |
941 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
942 | @defvar last-event-frame |
943 | This variable records which frame the last input event was directed to. | |
944 | Usually this is the frame that was selected when the event was | |
945 | generated, but if that frame has redirected input focus to another | |
946 | frame, the value is the frame to which the event was redirected. | |
947 | @xref{Input Focus}. | |
948 | ||
949 | If the last event came from a keyboard macro, the value is @code{macro}. | |
950 | @end defvar | |
951 | ||
952 | @node Adjusting Point | |
953 | @section Adjusting Point After Commands | |
954 | @cindex adjusting point | |
955 | @cindex invisible/intangible text, and point | |
956 | @cindex @code{display} property, and point display | |
957 | @cindex @code{composition} property, and point display | |
958 | ||
959 | It is not easy to display a value of point in the middle of a | |
960 | sequence of text that has the @code{display}, @code{composition} or | |
a7cdbfce SM |
961 | is invisible. Therefore, after a command finishes and returns to the |
962 | command loop, if point is within such a sequence, the command loop | |
963 | normally moves point to the edge of the sequence. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
964 | |
965 | A command can inhibit this feature by setting the variable | |
966 | @code{disable-point-adjustment}: | |
967 | ||
968 | @defvar disable-point-adjustment | |
969 | If this variable is non-@code{nil} when a command returns to the | |
970 | command loop, then the command loop does not check for those text | |
971 | properties, and does not move point out of sequences that have them. | |
972 | ||
973 | The command loop sets this variable to @code{nil} before each command, | |
974 | so if a command sets it, the effect applies only to that command. | |
975 | @end defvar | |
976 | ||
977 | @defvar global-disable-point-adjustment | |
978 | If you set this variable to a non-@code{nil} value, the feature of | |
979 | moving point out of these sequences is completely turned off. | |
980 | @end defvar | |
981 | ||
982 | @node Input Events | |
983 | @section Input Events | |
984 | @cindex events | |
985 | @cindex input events | |
986 | ||
987 | The Emacs command loop reads a sequence of @dfn{input events} that | |
1ada2e55 EZ |
988 | represent keyboard or mouse activity, or system events sent to Emacs. |
989 | The events for keyboard activity are characters or symbols; other | |
990 | events are always lists. This section describes the representation | |
991 | and meaning of input events in detail. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
992 | |
993 | @defun eventp object | |
994 | This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{object} is an input event | |
995 | or event type. | |
996 | ||
997 | Note that any symbol might be used as an event or an event type. | |
998 | @code{eventp} cannot distinguish whether a symbol is intended by Lisp | |
999 | code to be used as an event. Instead, it distinguishes whether the | |
1000 | symbol has actually been used in an event that has been read as input in | |
1001 | the current Emacs session. If a symbol has not yet been so used, | |
1002 | @code{eventp} returns @code{nil}. | |
1003 | @end defun | |
1004 | ||
1005 | @menu | |
d24880de GM |
1006 | * Keyboard Events:: Ordinary characters--keys with symbols on them. |
1007 | * Function Keys:: Function keys--keys with names, not symbols. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1008 | * Mouse Events:: Overview of mouse events. |
d24880de GM |
1009 | * Click Events:: Pushing and releasing a mouse button. |
1010 | * Drag Events:: Moving the mouse before releasing the button. | |
1011 | * Button-Down Events:: A button was pushed and not yet released. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1012 | * Repeat Events:: Double and triple click (or drag, or down). |
d24880de GM |
1013 | * Motion Events:: Just moving the mouse, not pushing a button. |
1014 | * Focus Events:: Moving the mouse between frames. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1015 | * Misc Events:: Other events the system can generate. |
d24880de GM |
1016 | * Event Examples:: Examples of the lists for mouse events. |
1017 | * Classifying Events:: Finding the modifier keys in an event symbol. | |
1018 | Event types. | |
1019 | * Accessing Mouse:: Functions to extract info from mouse events. | |
1020 | * Accessing Scroll:: Functions to get info from scroll bar events. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1021 | * Strings of Events:: Special considerations for putting |
d24880de | 1022 | keyboard character events in a string. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1023 | @end menu |
1024 | ||
1025 | @node Keyboard Events | |
1026 | @subsection Keyboard Events | |
1027 | @cindex keyboard events | |
1028 | ||
1029 | There are two kinds of input you can get from the keyboard: ordinary | |
1030 | keys, and function keys. Ordinary keys correspond to characters; the | |
1031 | events they generate are represented in Lisp as characters. The event | |
1032 | type of a character event is the character itself (an integer); see | |
1033 | @ref{Classifying Events}. | |
1034 | ||
1035 | @cindex modifier bits (of input character) | |
1036 | @cindex basic code (of input character) | |
1037 | An input character event consists of a @dfn{basic code} between 0 and | |
1038 | 524287, plus any or all of these @dfn{modifier bits}: | |
1039 | ||
1040 | @table @asis | |
1041 | @item meta | |
1042 | The | |
1043 | @tex | |
1044 | @math{2^{27}} | |
1045 | @end tex | |
1046 | @ifnottex | |
1047 | 2**27 | |
1048 | @end ifnottex | |
1049 | bit in the character code indicates a character | |
1050 | typed with the meta key held down. | |
1051 | ||
1052 | @item control | |
1053 | The | |
1054 | @tex | |
1055 | @math{2^{26}} | |
1056 | @end tex | |
1057 | @ifnottex | |
1058 | 2**26 | |
1059 | @end ifnottex | |
1060 | bit in the character code indicates a non-@acronym{ASCII} | |
1061 | control character. | |
1062 | ||
1063 | @sc{ascii} control characters such as @kbd{C-a} have special basic | |
1064 | codes of their own, so Emacs needs no special bit to indicate them. | |
1065 | Thus, the code for @kbd{C-a} is just 1. | |
1066 | ||
1067 | But if you type a control combination not in @acronym{ASCII}, such as | |
1068 | @kbd{%} with the control key, the numeric value you get is the code | |
1069 | for @kbd{%} plus | |
1070 | @tex | |
1071 | @math{2^{26}} | |
1072 | @end tex | |
1073 | @ifnottex | |
1074 | 2**26 | |
1075 | @end ifnottex | |
1076 | (assuming the terminal supports non-@acronym{ASCII} | |
1077 | control characters). | |
1078 | ||
1079 | @item shift | |
1080 | The | |
1081 | @tex | |
1082 | @math{2^{25}} | |
1083 | @end tex | |
1084 | @ifnottex | |
1085 | 2**25 | |
1086 | @end ifnottex | |
1087 | bit in the character code indicates an @acronym{ASCII} control | |
1088 | character typed with the shift key held down. | |
1089 | ||
1090 | For letters, the basic code itself indicates upper versus lower case; | |
1091 | for digits and punctuation, the shift key selects an entirely different | |
1092 | character with a different basic code. In order to keep within the | |
1093 | @acronym{ASCII} character set whenever possible, Emacs avoids using the | |
1094 | @tex | |
1095 | @math{2^{25}} | |
1096 | @end tex | |
1097 | @ifnottex | |
1098 | 2**25 | |
1099 | @end ifnottex | |
1100 | bit for those characters. | |
1101 | ||
1102 | However, @acronym{ASCII} provides no way to distinguish @kbd{C-A} from | |
1103 | @kbd{C-a}, so Emacs uses the | |
1104 | @tex | |
1105 | @math{2^{25}} | |
1106 | @end tex | |
1107 | @ifnottex | |
1108 | 2**25 | |
1109 | @end ifnottex | |
1110 | bit in @kbd{C-A} and not in | |
1111 | @kbd{C-a}. | |
1112 | ||
1113 | @item hyper | |
1114 | The | |
1115 | @tex | |
1116 | @math{2^{24}} | |
1117 | @end tex | |
1118 | @ifnottex | |
1119 | 2**24 | |
1120 | @end ifnottex | |
1121 | bit in the character code indicates a character | |
1122 | typed with the hyper key held down. | |
1123 | ||
1124 | @item super | |
1125 | The | |
1126 | @tex | |
1127 | @math{2^{23}} | |
1128 | @end tex | |
1129 | @ifnottex | |
1130 | 2**23 | |
1131 | @end ifnottex | |
1132 | bit in the character code indicates a character | |
1133 | typed with the super key held down. | |
1134 | ||
1135 | @item alt | |
1136 | The | |
1137 | @tex | |
1138 | @math{2^{22}} | |
1139 | @end tex | |
1140 | @ifnottex | |
1141 | 2**22 | |
1142 | @end ifnottex | |
34106abe CY |
1143 | bit in the character code indicates a character typed with the alt key |
1144 | held down. (The key labeled @key{Alt} on most keyboards is actually | |
1145 | treated as the meta key, not this.) | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1146 | @end table |
1147 | ||
1148 | It is best to avoid mentioning specific bit numbers in your program. | |
1149 | To test the modifier bits of a character, use the function | |
1150 | @code{event-modifiers} (@pxref{Classifying Events}). When making key | |
1151 | bindings, you can use the read syntax for characters with modifier bits | |
1152 | (@samp{\C-}, @samp{\M-}, and so on). For making key bindings with | |
1153 | @code{define-key}, you can use lists such as @code{(control hyper ?x)} to | |
1154 | specify the characters (@pxref{Changing Key Bindings}). The function | |
1155 | @code{event-convert-list} converts such a list into an event type | |
1156 | (@pxref{Classifying Events}). | |
1157 | ||
1158 | @node Function Keys | |
1159 | @subsection Function Keys | |
1160 | ||
1161 | @cindex function keys | |
1162 | Most keyboards also have @dfn{function keys}---keys that have names or | |
34106abe CY |
1163 | symbols that are not characters. Function keys are represented in |
1164 | Emacs Lisp as symbols; the symbol's name is the function key's label, | |
1165 | in lower case. For example, pressing a key labeled @key{F1} generates | |
1166 | an input event represented by the symbol @code{f1}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1167 | |
1168 | The event type of a function key event is the event symbol itself. | |
1169 | @xref{Classifying Events}. | |
1170 | ||
1171 | Here are a few special cases in the symbol-naming convention for | |
1172 | function keys: | |
1173 | ||
1174 | @table @asis | |
1175 | @item @code{backspace}, @code{tab}, @code{newline}, @code{return}, @code{delete} | |
1176 | These keys correspond to common @acronym{ASCII} control characters that have | |
1177 | special keys on most keyboards. | |
1178 | ||
1179 | In @acronym{ASCII}, @kbd{C-i} and @key{TAB} are the same character. If the | |
1180 | terminal can distinguish between them, Emacs conveys the distinction to | |
1181 | Lisp programs by representing the former as the integer 9, and the | |
1182 | latter as the symbol @code{tab}. | |
1183 | ||
1184 | Most of the time, it's not useful to distinguish the two. So normally | |
d3ae77bc EZ |
1185 | @code{local-function-key-map} (@pxref{Translation Keymaps}) is set up |
1186 | to map @code{tab} into 9. Thus, a key binding for character code 9 | |
1187 | (the character @kbd{C-i}) also applies to @code{tab}. Likewise for | |
1188 | the other symbols in this group. The function @code{read-char} | |
1189 | likewise converts these events into characters. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1190 | |
1191 | In @acronym{ASCII}, @key{BS} is really @kbd{C-h}. But @code{backspace} | |
1192 | converts into the character code 127 (@key{DEL}), not into code 8 | |
1193 | (@key{BS}). This is what most users prefer. | |
1194 | ||
1195 | @item @code{left}, @code{up}, @code{right}, @code{down} | |
1196 | Cursor arrow keys | |
1197 | @item @code{kp-add}, @code{kp-decimal}, @code{kp-divide}, @dots{} | |
1198 | Keypad keys (to the right of the regular keyboard). | |
1199 | @item @code{kp-0}, @code{kp-1}, @dots{} | |
1200 | Keypad keys with digits. | |
1201 | @item @code{kp-f1}, @code{kp-f2}, @code{kp-f3}, @code{kp-f4} | |
1202 | Keypad PF keys. | |
1203 | @item @code{kp-home}, @code{kp-left}, @code{kp-up}, @code{kp-right}, @code{kp-down} | |
1204 | Keypad arrow keys. Emacs normally translates these into the | |
1205 | corresponding non-keypad keys @code{home}, @code{left}, @dots{} | |
1206 | @item @code{kp-prior}, @code{kp-next}, @code{kp-end}, @code{kp-begin}, @code{kp-insert}, @code{kp-delete} | |
1207 | Additional keypad duplicates of keys ordinarily found elsewhere. Emacs | |
1208 | normally translates these into the like-named non-keypad keys. | |
1209 | @end table | |
1210 | ||
1211 | You can use the modifier keys @key{ALT}, @key{CTRL}, @key{HYPER}, | |
1212 | @key{META}, @key{SHIFT}, and @key{SUPER} with function keys. The way to | |
1213 | represent them is with prefixes in the symbol name: | |
1214 | ||
1215 | @table @samp | |
1216 | @item A- | |
1217 | The alt modifier. | |
1218 | @item C- | |
1219 | The control modifier. | |
1220 | @item H- | |
1221 | The hyper modifier. | |
1222 | @item M- | |
1223 | The meta modifier. | |
1224 | @item S- | |
1225 | The shift modifier. | |
1226 | @item s- | |
1227 | The super modifier. | |
1228 | @end table | |
1229 | ||
1230 | Thus, the symbol for the key @key{F3} with @key{META} held down is | |
1231 | @code{M-f3}. When you use more than one prefix, we recommend you | |
1232 | write them in alphabetical order; but the order does not matter in | |
1233 | arguments to the key-binding lookup and modification functions. | |
1234 | ||
1235 | @node Mouse Events | |
1236 | @subsection Mouse Events | |
1237 | ||
1238 | Emacs supports four kinds of mouse events: click events, drag events, | |
1239 | button-down events, and motion events. All mouse events are represented | |
1240 | as lists. The @sc{car} of the list is the event type; this says which | |
1241 | mouse button was involved, and which modifier keys were used with it. | |
1242 | The event type can also distinguish double or triple button presses | |
1243 | (@pxref{Repeat Events}). The rest of the list elements give position | |
1244 | and time information. | |
1245 | ||
1246 | For key lookup, only the event type matters: two events of the same type | |
1247 | necessarily run the same command. The command can access the full | |
1248 | values of these events using the @samp{e} interactive code. | |
1249 | @xref{Interactive Codes}. | |
1250 | ||
1251 | A key sequence that starts with a mouse event is read using the keymaps | |
1252 | of the buffer in the window that the mouse was in, not the current | |
1253 | buffer. This does not imply that clicking in a window selects that | |
1254 | window or its buffer---that is entirely under the control of the command | |
1255 | binding of the key sequence. | |
1256 | ||
1257 | @node Click Events | |
1258 | @subsection Click Events | |
1259 | @cindex click event | |
1260 | @cindex mouse click event | |
1261 | ||
1262 | When the user presses a mouse button and releases it at the same | |
1263 | location, that generates a @dfn{click} event. All mouse click event | |
1264 | share the same format: | |
1265 | ||
1266 | @example | |
1267 | (@var{event-type} @var{position} @var{click-count}) | |
1268 | @end example | |
1269 | ||
1270 | @table @asis | |
1271 | @item @var{event-type} | |
1272 | This is a symbol that indicates which mouse button was used. It is | |
1273 | one of the symbols @code{mouse-1}, @code{mouse-2}, @dots{}, where the | |
1274 | buttons are numbered left to right. | |
1275 | ||
1276 | You can also use prefixes @samp{A-}, @samp{C-}, @samp{H-}, @samp{M-}, | |
1277 | @samp{S-} and @samp{s-} for modifiers alt, control, hyper, meta, shift | |
1278 | and super, just as you would with function keys. | |
1279 | ||
1280 | This symbol also serves as the event type of the event. Key bindings | |
1281 | describe events by their types; thus, if there is a key binding for | |
1282 | @code{mouse-1}, that binding would apply to all events whose | |
1283 | @var{event-type} is @code{mouse-1}. | |
1284 | ||
1285 | @item @var{position} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1286 | @cindex mouse position list |
1287 | This is a @dfn{mouse position list} specifying where the mouse click | |
1288 | occurred; see below for details. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1289 | |
48de8b12 CY |
1290 | @item @var{click-count} |
1291 | This is the number of rapid repeated presses so far of the same mouse | |
1292 | button. @xref{Repeat Events}. | |
1293 | @end table | |
1294 | ||
1295 | To access the contents of a mouse position list in the | |
1296 | @var{position} slot of a click event, you should typically use the | |
1297 | functions documented in @ref{Accessing Mouse}. The explicit format of | |
1298 | the list depends on where the click occurred. For clicks in the text | |
1299 | area, mode line, header line, or in the fringe or marginal areas, the | |
1300 | mouse position list has the form | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1301 | |
1302 | @example | |
1303 | (@var{window} @var{pos-or-area} (@var{x} . @var{y}) @var{timestamp} | |
1304 | @var{object} @var{text-pos} (@var{col} . @var{row}) | |
1305 | @var{image} (@var{dx} . @var{dy}) (@var{width} . @var{height})) | |
1306 | @end example | |
1307 | ||
34106abe | 1308 | @noindent |
48de8b12 | 1309 | The meanings of these list elements are as follows: |
34106abe | 1310 | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1311 | @table @asis |
1312 | @item @var{window} | |
48de8b12 | 1313 | The window in which the click occurred. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1314 | |
1315 | @item @var{pos-or-area} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1316 | The buffer position of the character clicked on in the text area; or, |
1317 | if the click was outside the text area, the window area where it | |
1318 | occurred. It is one of the symbols @code{mode-line}, | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1319 | @code{header-line}, @code{vertical-line}, @code{left-margin}, |
1320 | @code{right-margin}, @code{left-fringe}, or @code{right-fringe}. | |
1321 | ||
34106abe CY |
1322 | In one special case, @var{pos-or-area} is a list containing a symbol |
1323 | (one of the symbols listed above) instead of just the symbol. This | |
1324 | happens after the imaginary prefix keys for the event are registered | |
1325 | by Emacs. @xref{Key Sequence Input}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1326 | |
1327 | @item @var{x}, @var{y} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1328 | The relative pixel coordinates of the click. For clicks in the text |
1329 | area of a window, the coordinate origin @code{(0 . 0)} is taken to be | |
1330 | the top left corner of the text area. @xref{Window Sizes}. For | |
1331 | clicks in a mode line or header line, the coordinate origin is the top | |
1332 | left corner of the window itself. For fringes, margins, and the | |
1333 | vertical border, @var{x} does not have meaningful data. For fringes | |
1334 | and margins, @var{y} is relative to the bottom edge of the header | |
1335 | line. In all cases, the @var{x} and @var{y} coordinates increase | |
1336 | rightward and downward respectively. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1337 | |
1338 | @item @var{timestamp} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1339 | The time at which the event occurred, as an integer number of |
1340 | milliseconds since a system-dependent initial time. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1341 | |
1342 | @item @var{object} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1343 | Either @code{nil} if there is no string-type text property at the |
1344 | click position, or a cons cell of the form (@var{string} | |
34106abe | 1345 | . @var{string-pos}) if there is one: |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1346 | |
1347 | @table @asis | |
1348 | @item @var{string} | |
34106abe | 1349 | The string which was clicked on, including any properties. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1350 | |
1351 | @item @var{string-pos} | |
34106abe | 1352 | The position in the string where the click occurred. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1353 | @end table |
1354 | ||
1355 | @item @var{text-pos} | |
1356 | For clicks on a marginal area or on a fringe, this is the buffer | |
1357 | position of the first visible character in the corresponding line in | |
1358 | the window. For other events, it is the current buffer position in | |
1359 | the window. | |
1360 | ||
1361 | @item @var{col}, @var{row} | |
34106abe CY |
1362 | These are the actual column and row coordinate numbers of the glyph |
1363 | under the @var{x}, @var{y} position. If @var{x} lies beyond the last | |
1364 | column of actual text on its line, @var{col} is reported by adding | |
1365 | fictional extra columns that have the default character width. Row 0 | |
1366 | is taken to be the header line if the window has one, or the topmost | |
1367 | row of the text area otherwise. Column 0 is taken to be the leftmost | |
1368 | column of the text area for clicks on a window text area, or the | |
1369 | leftmost mode line or header line column for clicks there. For clicks | |
1370 | on fringes or vertical borders, these have no meaningful data. For | |
1371 | clicks on margins, @var{col} is measured from the left edge of the | |
1372 | margin area and @var{row} is measured from the top of the margin area. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1373 | |
1374 | @item @var{image} | |
1375 | This is the image object on which the click occurred. It is either | |
1376 | @code{nil} if there is no image at the position clicked on, or it is | |
1377 | an image object as returned by @code{find-image} if click was in an image. | |
1378 | ||
1379 | @item @var{dx}, @var{dy} | |
1380 | These are the pixel coordinates of the click, relative to | |
1381 | the top left corner of @var{object}, which is @code{(0 . 0)}. If | |
1382 | @var{object} is @code{nil}, the coordinates are relative to the top | |
1383 | left corner of the character glyph clicked on. | |
1384 | ||
1385 | @item @var{width}, @var{height} | |
1386 | These are the pixel width and height of @var{object} or, if this is | |
1387 | @code{nil}, those of the character glyph clicked on. | |
1388 | @end table | |
8547874a | 1389 | |
48de8b12 | 1390 | For clicks on a scroll bar, @var{position} has this form: |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1391 | |
1392 | @example | |
1393 | (@var{window} @var{area} (@var{portion} . @var{whole}) @var{timestamp} @var{part}) | |
1394 | @end example | |
1395 | ||
1396 | @table @asis | |
1397 | @item @var{window} | |
48de8b12 | 1398 | The window whose scroll bar was clicked on. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1399 | |
1400 | @item @var{area} | |
48de8b12 | 1401 | This is the symbol @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1402 | |
1403 | @item @var{portion} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1404 | The number of pixels from the top of the scroll bar to the click |
1405 | position. On some toolkits, including GTK+, Emacs cannot extract this | |
1406 | data, so the value is always @code{0}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1407 | |
1408 | @item @var{whole} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1409 | The total length, in pixels, of the scroll bar. On some toolkits, |
1410 | including GTK+, Emacs cannot extract this data, so the value is always | |
1411 | @code{0}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1412 | |
1413 | @item @var{timestamp} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1414 | The time at which the event occurred, in milliseconds. On some |
1415 | toolkits, including GTK+, Emacs cannot extract this data, so the value | |
1416 | is always @code{0}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1417 | |
1418 | @item @var{part} | |
48de8b12 CY |
1419 | The part of the scroll bar on which the click occurred. It is one of |
1420 | the symbols @code{handle} (the scroll bar handle), @code{above-handle} | |
1421 | (the area above the handle), @code{below-handle} (the area below the | |
1422 | handle), @code{up} (the up arrow at one end of the scroll bar), or | |
1423 | @code{down} (the down arrow at one end of the scroll bar). | |
1424 | @c The `top', `bottom', and `end-scroll' codes don't seem to be used. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1425 | @end table |
1426 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1427 | |
1428 | @node Drag Events | |
1429 | @subsection Drag Events | |
1430 | @cindex drag event | |
1431 | @cindex mouse drag event | |
1432 | ||
1433 | With Emacs, you can have a drag event without even changing your | |
1434 | clothes. A @dfn{drag event} happens every time the user presses a mouse | |
1435 | button and then moves the mouse to a different character position before | |
1436 | releasing the button. Like all mouse events, drag events are | |
1437 | represented in Lisp as lists. The lists record both the starting mouse | |
1438 | position and the final position, like this: | |
1439 | ||
1440 | @example | |
1441 | (@var{event-type} | |
1442 | (@var{window1} START-POSITION) | |
1443 | (@var{window2} END-POSITION)) | |
1444 | @end example | |
1445 | ||
1446 | For a drag event, the name of the symbol @var{event-type} contains the | |
1447 | prefix @samp{drag-}. For example, dragging the mouse with button 2 | |
1448 | held down generates a @code{drag-mouse-2} event. The second and third | |
1449 | elements of the event give the starting and ending position of the | |
48de8b12 CY |
1450 | drag, as mouse position lists (@pxref{Click Events}). You can access |
1451 | the second element of any mouse event in the same way, with no need to | |
1452 | distinguish drag events from others. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1453 | |
1454 | The @samp{drag-} prefix follows the modifier key prefixes such as | |
1455 | @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. | |
1456 | ||
1457 | If @code{read-key-sequence} receives a drag event that has no key | |
1458 | binding, and the corresponding click event does have a binding, it | |
1459 | changes the drag event into a click event at the drag's starting | |
1460 | position. This means that you don't have to distinguish between click | |
1461 | and drag events unless you want to. | |
1462 | ||
1463 | @node Button-Down Events | |
1464 | @subsection Button-Down Events | |
1465 | @cindex button-down event | |
1466 | ||
1467 | Click and drag events happen when the user releases a mouse button. | |
1468 | They cannot happen earlier, because there is no way to distinguish a | |
1469 | click from a drag until the button is released. | |
1470 | ||
1471 | If you want to take action as soon as a button is pressed, you need to | |
1472 | handle @dfn{button-down} events.@footnote{Button-down is the | |
1473 | conservative antithesis of drag.} These occur as soon as a button is | |
1474 | pressed. They are represented by lists that look exactly like click | |
1475 | events (@pxref{Click Events}), except that the @var{event-type} symbol | |
1476 | name contains the prefix @samp{down-}. The @samp{down-} prefix follows | |
1477 | modifier key prefixes such as @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. | |
1478 | ||
1479 | The function @code{read-key-sequence} ignores any button-down events | |
1480 | that don't have command bindings; therefore, the Emacs command loop | |
1481 | ignores them too. This means that you need not worry about defining | |
1482 | button-down events unless you want them to do something. The usual | |
1483 | reason to define a button-down event is so that you can track mouse | |
1484 | motion (by reading motion events) until the button is released. | |
1485 | @xref{Motion Events}. | |
1486 | ||
1487 | @node Repeat Events | |
1488 | @subsection Repeat Events | |
1489 | @cindex repeat events | |
1490 | @cindex double-click events | |
1491 | @cindex triple-click events | |
1492 | @cindex mouse events, repeated | |
1493 | ||
1494 | If you press the same mouse button more than once in quick succession | |
1495 | without moving the mouse, Emacs generates special @dfn{repeat} mouse | |
1496 | events for the second and subsequent presses. | |
1497 | ||
1498 | The most common repeat events are @dfn{double-click} events. Emacs | |
1499 | generates a double-click event when you click a button twice; the event | |
1500 | happens when you release the button (as is normal for all click | |
1501 | events). | |
1502 | ||
1503 | The event type of a double-click event contains the prefix | |
1504 | @samp{double-}. Thus, a double click on the second mouse button with | |
1505 | @key{meta} held down comes to the Lisp program as | |
1506 | @code{M-double-mouse-2}. If a double-click event has no binding, the | |
1507 | binding of the corresponding ordinary click event is used to execute | |
1508 | it. Thus, you need not pay attention to the double click feature | |
1509 | unless you really want to. | |
1510 | ||
1511 | When the user performs a double click, Emacs generates first an ordinary | |
1512 | click event, and then a double-click event. Therefore, you must design | |
1513 | the command binding of the double click event to assume that the | |
1514 | single-click command has already run. It must produce the desired | |
1515 | results of a double click, starting from the results of a single click. | |
1516 | ||
1517 | This is convenient, if the meaning of a double click somehow ``builds | |
1518 | on'' the meaning of a single click---which is recommended user interface | |
1519 | design practice for double clicks. | |
1520 | ||
1521 | If you click a button, then press it down again and start moving the | |
1522 | mouse with the button held down, then you get a @dfn{double-drag} event | |
1523 | when you ultimately release the button. Its event type contains | |
1524 | @samp{double-drag} instead of just @samp{drag}. If a double-drag event | |
1525 | has no binding, Emacs looks for an alternate binding as if the event | |
1526 | were an ordinary drag. | |
1527 | ||
1528 | Before the double-click or double-drag event, Emacs generates a | |
1529 | @dfn{double-down} event when the user presses the button down for the | |
1530 | second time. Its event type contains @samp{double-down} instead of just | |
1531 | @samp{down}. If a double-down event has no binding, Emacs looks for an | |
1532 | alternate binding as if the event were an ordinary button-down event. | |
1533 | If it finds no binding that way either, the double-down event is | |
1534 | ignored. | |
1535 | ||
1536 | To summarize, when you click a button and then press it again right | |
1537 | away, Emacs generates a down event and a click event for the first | |
1538 | click, a double-down event when you press the button again, and finally | |
1539 | either a double-click or a double-drag event. | |
1540 | ||
1541 | If you click a button twice and then press it again, all in quick | |
1542 | succession, Emacs generates a @dfn{triple-down} event, followed by | |
1543 | either a @dfn{triple-click} or a @dfn{triple-drag}. The event types of | |
1544 | these events contain @samp{triple} instead of @samp{double}. If any | |
1545 | triple event has no binding, Emacs uses the binding that it would use | |
1546 | for the corresponding double event. | |
1547 | ||
1548 | If you click a button three or more times and then press it again, the | |
1549 | events for the presses beyond the third are all triple events. Emacs | |
1550 | does not have separate event types for quadruple, quintuple, etc.@: | |
1551 | events. However, you can look at the event list to find out precisely | |
1552 | how many times the button was pressed. | |
1553 | ||
1554 | @defun event-click-count event | |
1555 | This function returns the number of consecutive button presses that led | |
1556 | up to @var{event}. If @var{event} is a double-down, double-click or | |
1557 | double-drag event, the value is 2. If @var{event} is a triple event, | |
1558 | the value is 3 or greater. If @var{event} is an ordinary mouse event | |
1559 | (not a repeat event), the value is 1. | |
1560 | @end defun | |
1561 | ||
1562 | @defopt double-click-fuzz | |
1563 | To generate repeat events, successive mouse button presses must be at | |
1564 | approximately the same screen position. The value of | |
1565 | @code{double-click-fuzz} specifies the maximum number of pixels the | |
1566 | mouse may be moved (horizontally or vertically) between two successive | |
1567 | clicks to make a double-click. | |
1568 | ||
1569 | This variable is also the threshold for motion of the mouse to count | |
1570 | as a drag. | |
1571 | @end defopt | |
1572 | ||
1573 | @defopt double-click-time | |
1574 | To generate repeat events, the number of milliseconds between | |
1575 | successive button presses must be less than the value of | |
1576 | @code{double-click-time}. Setting @code{double-click-time} to | |
1577 | @code{nil} disables multi-click detection entirely. Setting it to | |
1578 | @code{t} removes the time limit; Emacs then detects multi-clicks by | |
1579 | position only. | |
1580 | @end defopt | |
1581 | ||
1582 | @node Motion Events | |
1583 | @subsection Motion Events | |
1584 | @cindex motion event | |
1585 | @cindex mouse motion events | |
1586 | ||
1587 | Emacs sometimes generates @dfn{mouse motion} events to describe motion | |
1588 | of the mouse without any button activity. Mouse motion events are | |
1589 | represented by lists that look like this: | |
1590 | ||
1591 | @example | |
603f5979 | 1592 | (mouse-movement POSITION) |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1593 | @end example |
1594 | ||
48de8b12 CY |
1595 | @noindent |
1596 | @var{position} is a mouse position list (@pxref{Click Events}), | |
1597 | specifying the current position of the mouse cursor. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1598 | |
48de8b12 CY |
1599 | The special form @code{track-mouse} enables generation of motion |
1600 | events within its body. Outside of @code{track-mouse} forms, Emacs | |
1601 | does not generate events for mere motion of the mouse, and these | |
1602 | events do not appear. @xref{Mouse Tracking}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1603 | |
1604 | @node Focus Events | |
1605 | @subsection Focus Events | |
1606 | @cindex focus event | |
1607 | ||
1608 | Window systems provide general ways for the user to control which window | |
1609 | gets keyboard input. This choice of window is called the @dfn{focus}. | |
1610 | When the user does something to switch between Emacs frames, that | |
1611 | generates a @dfn{focus event}. The normal definition of a focus event, | |
1612 | in the global keymap, is to select a new frame within Emacs, as the user | |
1613 | would expect. @xref{Input Focus}. | |
1614 | ||
1615 | Focus events are represented in Lisp as lists that look like this: | |
1616 | ||
1617 | @example | |
1618 | (switch-frame @var{new-frame}) | |
1619 | @end example | |
1620 | ||
1621 | @noindent | |
1622 | where @var{new-frame} is the frame switched to. | |
1623 | ||
4b0f7178 CY |
1624 | Some X window managers are set up so that just moving the mouse into a |
1625 | window is enough to set the focus there. Usually, there is no need | |
1626 | for a Lisp program to know about the focus change until some other | |
1627 | kind of input arrives. Emacs generates a focus event only when the | |
1628 | user actually types a keyboard key or presses a mouse button in the | |
1629 | new frame; just moving the mouse between frames does not generate a | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1630 | focus event. |
1631 | ||
1632 | A focus event in the middle of a key sequence would garble the | |
1633 | sequence. So Emacs never generates a focus event in the middle of a key | |
1634 | sequence. If the user changes focus in the middle of a key | |
1635 | sequence---that is, after a prefix key---then Emacs reorders the events | |
1636 | so that the focus event comes either before or after the multi-event key | |
1637 | sequence, and not within it. | |
1638 | ||
1639 | @node Misc Events | |
1640 | @subsection Miscellaneous System Events | |
1641 | ||
1642 | A few other event types represent occurrences within the system. | |
1643 | ||
1644 | @table @code | |
1645 | @cindex @code{delete-frame} event | |
1646 | @item (delete-frame (@var{frame})) | |
1647 | This kind of event indicates that the user gave the window manager | |
1648 | a command to delete a particular window, which happens to be an Emacs frame. | |
1649 | ||
1650 | The standard definition of the @code{delete-frame} event is to delete @var{frame}. | |
1651 | ||
1652 | @cindex @code{iconify-frame} event | |
1653 | @item (iconify-frame (@var{frame})) | |
1654 | This kind of event indicates that the user iconified @var{frame} using | |
1655 | the window manager. Its standard definition is @code{ignore}; since the | |
1656 | frame has already been iconified, Emacs has no work to do. The purpose | |
1657 | of this event type is so that you can keep track of such events if you | |
1658 | want to. | |
1659 | ||
1660 | @cindex @code{make-frame-visible} event | |
1661 | @item (make-frame-visible (@var{frame})) | |
1662 | This kind of event indicates that the user deiconified @var{frame} using | |
1663 | the window manager. Its standard definition is @code{ignore}; since the | |
1664 | frame has already been made visible, Emacs has no work to do. | |
1665 | ||
1666 | @cindex @code{wheel-up} event | |
1667 | @cindex @code{wheel-down} event | |
1668 | @item (wheel-up @var{position}) | |
48de8b12 CY |
1669 | @itemx (wheel-down @var{position}) |
1670 | These kinds of event are generated by moving a mouse wheel. The | |
1671 | @var{position} element is a mouse position list (@pxref{Click | |
1672 | Events}), specifying the position of the mouse cursor when the event | |
1673 | occurred. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 1674 | |
be0a5fb7 KR |
1675 | @vindex mouse-wheel-up-event |
1676 | @vindex mouse-wheel-down-event | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1677 | This kind of event is generated only on some kinds of systems. On some |
1678 | systems, @code{mouse-4} and @code{mouse-5} are used instead. For | |
1679 | portable code, use the variables @code{mouse-wheel-up-event} and | |
1680 | @code{mouse-wheel-down-event} defined in @file{mwheel.el} to determine | |
1681 | what event types to expect for the mouse wheel. | |
1682 | ||
1683 | @cindex @code{drag-n-drop} event | |
1684 | @item (drag-n-drop @var{position} @var{files}) | |
1685 | This kind of event is generated when a group of files is | |
1686 | selected in an application outside of Emacs, and then dragged and | |
1687 | dropped onto an Emacs frame. | |
1688 | ||
1689 | The element @var{position} is a list describing the position of the | |
e8a6cc19 EZ |
1690 | event, in the same format as used in a mouse-click event (@pxref{Click |
1691 | Events}), and @var{files} is the list of file names that were dragged | |
1692 | and dropped. The usual way to handle this event is by visiting these | |
1693 | files. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1694 | |
1695 | This kind of event is generated, at present, only on some kinds of | |
1696 | systems. | |
1697 | ||
1698 | @cindex @code{help-echo} event | |
1699 | @item help-echo | |
1700 | This kind of event is generated when a mouse pointer moves onto a | |
1701 | portion of buffer text which has a @code{help-echo} text property. | |
1702 | The generated event has this form: | |
1703 | ||
1704 | @example | |
1705 | (help-echo @var{frame} @var{help} @var{window} @var{object} @var{pos}) | |
1706 | @end example | |
1707 | ||
1708 | @noindent | |
1709 | The precise meaning of the event parameters and the way these | |
1710 | parameters are used to display the help-echo text are described in | |
1711 | @ref{Text help-echo}. | |
1712 | ||
1713 | @cindex @code{sigusr1} event | |
1714 | @cindex @code{sigusr2} event | |
1715 | @cindex user signals | |
1716 | @item sigusr1 | |
1717 | @itemx sigusr2 | |
1718 | These events are generated when the Emacs process receives | |
1719 | the signals @code{SIGUSR1} and @code{SIGUSR2}. They contain no | |
1720 | additional data because signals do not carry additional information. | |
7aa5aad8 | 1721 | They can be useful for debugging (@pxref{Error Debugging}). |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1722 | |
1723 | To catch a user signal, bind the corresponding event to an interactive | |
1724 | command in the @code{special-event-map} (@pxref{Active Keymaps}). | |
1725 | The command is called with no arguments, and the specific signal event is | |
1726 | available in @code{last-input-event}. For example: | |
1727 | ||
1728 | @smallexample | |
1729 | (defun sigusr-handler () | |
1730 | (interactive) | |
1731 | (message "Caught signal %S" last-input-event)) | |
1732 | ||
1733 | (define-key special-event-map [sigusr1] 'sigusr-handler) | |
1734 | @end smallexample | |
1735 | ||
1736 | To test the signal handler, you can make Emacs send a signal to itself: | |
1737 | ||
1738 | @smallexample | |
1739 | (signal-process (emacs-pid) 'sigusr1) | |
1740 | @end smallexample | |
0bd8297f EZ |
1741 | |
1742 | @cindex @code{language-change} event | |
1743 | @item language-change | |
1744 | This kind of event is generated on MS-Windows when the input language | |
1745 | has changed. This typically means that the keyboard keys will send to | |
1746 | Emacs characters from a different language. The generated event has | |
1747 | this form: | |
1748 | ||
1749 | @smallexample | |
1750 | (language-change @var{frame} @var{codepage} @var{language-id}) | |
1751 | @end smallexample | |
1752 | ||
1753 | @noindent | |
1754 | Here @var{frame} is the frame which was current when the input | |
1755 | language changed; @var{codepage} is the new codepage number; and | |
1756 | @var{language-id} is the numerical ID of the new input language. The | |
1757 | coding-system (@pxref{Coding Systems}) that corresponds to | |
1758 | @var{codepage} is @code{cp@var{codepage}} or | |
1759 | @code{windows-@var{codepage}}. To convert @var{language-id} to a | |
1760 | string (e.g., to use it for various language-dependent features, such | |
1761 | as @code{set-language-environment}), use the | |
1762 | @code{w32-get-locale-info} function, like this: | |
1763 | ||
1764 | @smallexample | |
1765 | ;; Get the abbreviated language name, such as "ENU" for English | |
1766 | (w32-get-locale-info language-id) | |
1767 | ;; Get the full English name of the language, | |
1768 | ;; such as "English (United States)" | |
1769 | (w32-get-locale-info language-id 4097) | |
1770 | ;; Get the full localized name of the language | |
1771 | (w32-get-locale-info language-id t) | |
1772 | @end smallexample | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1773 | @end table |
1774 | ||
1775 | If one of these events arrives in the middle of a key sequence---that | |
1776 | is, after a prefix key---then Emacs reorders the events so that this | |
1777 | event comes either before or after the multi-event key sequence, not | |
1778 | within it. | |
1779 | ||
1780 | @node Event Examples | |
1781 | @subsection Event Examples | |
1782 | ||
1783 | If the user presses and releases the left mouse button over the same | |
1784 | location, that generates a sequence of events like this: | |
1785 | ||
1786 | @smallexample | |
1787 | (down-mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864320)) | |
1788 | (mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864180)) | |
1789 | @end smallexample | |
1790 | ||
1791 | While holding the control key down, the user might hold down the | |
1792 | second mouse button, and drag the mouse from one line to the next. | |
1793 | That produces two events, as shown here: | |
1794 | ||
1795 | @smallexample | |
1796 | (C-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219)) | |
1797 | (C-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219) | |
1798 | (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3510 (0 . 28) -729648)) | |
1799 | @end smallexample | |
1800 | ||
1801 | While holding down the meta and shift keys, the user might press the | |
1802 | second mouse button on the window's mode line, and then drag the mouse | |
1803 | into another window. That produces a pair of events like these: | |
1804 | ||
1805 | @smallexample | |
1806 | (M-S-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844)) | |
1807 | (M-S-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844) | |
1808 | (#<window 20 on carlton-sanskrit.tex> 161 (33 . 3) | |
1809 | -453816)) | |
1810 | @end smallexample | |
1811 | ||
1812 | To handle a SIGUSR1 signal, define an interactive function, and | |
1813 | bind it to the @code{signal usr1} event sequence: | |
1814 | ||
1815 | @smallexample | |
1816 | (defun usr1-handler () | |
1817 | (interactive) | |
1818 | (message "Got USR1 signal")) | |
1819 | (global-set-key [signal usr1] 'usr1-handler) | |
1820 | @end smallexample | |
1821 | ||
1822 | @node Classifying Events | |
1823 | @subsection Classifying Events | |
1824 | @cindex event type | |
1825 | ||
1826 | Every event has an @dfn{event type}, which classifies the event for | |
1827 | key binding purposes. For a keyboard event, the event type equals the | |
1828 | event value; thus, the event type for a character is the character, and | |
1829 | the event type for a function key symbol is the symbol itself. For | |
1830 | events that are lists, the event type is the symbol in the @sc{car} of | |
1831 | the list. Thus, the event type is always a symbol or a character. | |
1832 | ||
1833 | Two events of the same type are equivalent where key bindings are | |
1834 | concerned; thus, they always run the same command. That does not | |
1835 | necessarily mean they do the same things, however, as some commands look | |
1836 | at the whole event to decide what to do. For example, some commands use | |
1837 | the location of a mouse event to decide where in the buffer to act. | |
1838 | ||
1839 | Sometimes broader classifications of events are useful. For example, | |
1840 | you might want to ask whether an event involved the @key{META} key, | |
1841 | regardless of which other key or mouse button was used. | |
1842 | ||
1843 | The functions @code{event-modifiers} and @code{event-basic-type} are | |
1844 | provided to get such information conveniently. | |
1845 | ||
1846 | @defun event-modifiers event | |
1847 | This function returns a list of the modifiers that @var{event} has. The | |
1848 | modifiers are symbols; they include @code{shift}, @code{control}, | |
1849 | @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{hyper} and @code{super}. In addition, | |
1850 | the modifiers list of a mouse event symbol always contains one of | |
1851 | @code{click}, @code{drag}, and @code{down}. For double or triple | |
1852 | events, it also contains @code{double} or @code{triple}. | |
1853 | ||
1854 | The argument @var{event} may be an entire event object, or just an | |
1855 | event type. If @var{event} is a symbol that has never been used in an | |
1856 | event that has been read as input in the current Emacs session, then | |
1857 | @code{event-modifiers} can return @code{nil}, even when @var{event} | |
1858 | actually has modifiers. | |
1859 | ||
1860 | Here are some examples: | |
1861 | ||
1862 | @example | |
1863 | (event-modifiers ?a) | |
1864 | @result{} nil | |
1865 | (event-modifiers ?A) | |
1866 | @result{} (shift) | |
1867 | (event-modifiers ?\C-a) | |
1868 | @result{} (control) | |
1869 | (event-modifiers ?\C-%) | |
1870 | @result{} (control) | |
1871 | (event-modifiers ?\C-\S-a) | |
1872 | @result{} (control shift) | |
1873 | (event-modifiers 'f5) | |
1874 | @result{} nil | |
1875 | (event-modifiers 's-f5) | |
1876 | @result{} (super) | |
1877 | (event-modifiers 'M-S-f5) | |
1878 | @result{} (meta shift) | |
1879 | (event-modifiers 'mouse-1) | |
1880 | @result{} (click) | |
1881 | (event-modifiers 'down-mouse-1) | |
1882 | @result{} (down) | |
1883 | @end example | |
1884 | ||
1885 | The modifiers list for a click event explicitly contains @code{click}, | |
1886 | but the event symbol name itself does not contain @samp{click}. | |
1887 | @end defun | |
1888 | ||
1889 | @defun event-basic-type event | |
1890 | This function returns the key or mouse button that @var{event} | |
1891 | describes, with all modifiers removed. The @var{event} argument is as | |
1892 | in @code{event-modifiers}. For example: | |
1893 | ||
1894 | @example | |
1895 | (event-basic-type ?a) | |
1896 | @result{} 97 | |
1897 | (event-basic-type ?A) | |
1898 | @result{} 97 | |
1899 | (event-basic-type ?\C-a) | |
1900 | @result{} 97 | |
1901 | (event-basic-type ?\C-\S-a) | |
1902 | @result{} 97 | |
1903 | (event-basic-type 'f5) | |
1904 | @result{} f5 | |
1905 | (event-basic-type 's-f5) | |
1906 | @result{} f5 | |
1907 | (event-basic-type 'M-S-f5) | |
1908 | @result{} f5 | |
1909 | (event-basic-type 'down-mouse-1) | |
1910 | @result{} mouse-1 | |
1911 | @end example | |
1912 | @end defun | |
1913 | ||
1914 | @defun mouse-movement-p object | |
1915 | This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{object} is a mouse movement | |
1916 | event. | |
1917 | @end defun | |
1918 | ||
1919 | @defun event-convert-list list | |
1920 | This function converts a list of modifier names and a basic event type | |
1921 | to an event type which specifies all of them. The basic event type | |
1922 | must be the last element of the list. For example, | |
1923 | ||
1924 | @example | |
1925 | (event-convert-list '(control ?a)) | |
1926 | @result{} 1 | |
1927 | (event-convert-list '(control meta ?a)) | |
1928 | @result{} -134217727 | |
1929 | (event-convert-list '(control super f1)) | |
1930 | @result{} C-s-f1 | |
1931 | @end example | |
1932 | @end defun | |
1933 | ||
ec7d5b1e RS |
1934 | @node Accessing Mouse |
1935 | @subsection Accessing Mouse Events | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1936 | @cindex mouse events, data in |
1937 | ||
1938 | This section describes convenient functions for accessing the data in | |
1939 | a mouse button or motion event. | |
1940 | ||
48de8b12 CY |
1941 | The following two functions return a mouse position list |
1942 | (@pxref{Click Events}), specifying the position of a mouse event. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1943 | |
1944 | @defun event-start event | |
1945 | This returns the starting position of @var{event}. | |
1946 | ||
1947 | If @var{event} is a click or button-down event, this returns the | |
1948 | location of the event. If @var{event} is a drag event, this returns the | |
1949 | drag's starting position. | |
1950 | @end defun | |
1951 | ||
1952 | @defun event-end event | |
1953 | This returns the ending position of @var{event}. | |
1954 | ||
1955 | If @var{event} is a drag event, this returns the position where the user | |
1956 | released the mouse button. If @var{event} is a click or button-down | |
1957 | event, the value is actually the starting position, which is the only | |
1958 | position such events have. | |
1959 | @end defun | |
1960 | ||
48de8b12 CY |
1961 | @defun posnp object |
1962 | This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{object} is a mouse | |
735135f9 | 1963 | position list, in either of the formats documented in @ref{Click |
48de8b12 CY |
1964 | Events}); and @code{nil} otherwise. |
1965 | @end defun | |
1966 | ||
b8d4c8d0 | 1967 | @cindex mouse position list, accessing |
48de8b12 CY |
1968 | These functions take a mouse position list as argument, and return |
1969 | various parts of it: | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1970 | |
1971 | @defun posn-window position | |
1972 | Return the window that @var{position} is in. | |
1973 | @end defun | |
1974 | ||
1975 | @defun posn-area position | |
1976 | Return the window area recorded in @var{position}. It returns @code{nil} | |
1977 | when the event occurred in the text area of the window; otherwise, it | |
1978 | is a symbol identifying the area in which the event occurred. | |
1979 | @end defun | |
1980 | ||
1981 | @defun posn-point position | |
1982 | Return the buffer position in @var{position}. When the event occurred | |
1983 | in the text area of the window, in a marginal area, or on a fringe, | |
1984 | this is an integer specifying a buffer position. Otherwise, the value | |
1985 | is undefined. | |
1986 | @end defun | |
1987 | ||
1988 | @defun posn-x-y position | |
1989 | Return the pixel-based x and y coordinates in @var{position}, as a | |
1990 | cons cell @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})}. These coordinates are relative | |
1991 | to the window given by @code{posn-window}. | |
1992 | ||
34106abe CY |
1993 | This example shows how to convert the window-relative coordinates in |
1994 | the text area of a window into frame-relative coordinates: | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
1995 | |
1996 | @example | |
1997 | (defun frame-relative-coordinates (position) | |
34106abe CY |
1998 | "Return frame-relative coordinates from POSITION. |
1999 | POSITION is assumed to lie in a window text area." | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2000 | (let* ((x-y (posn-x-y position)) |
2001 | (window (posn-window position)) | |
2002 | (edges (window-inside-pixel-edges window))) | |
2003 | (cons (+ (car x-y) (car edges)) | |
2004 | (+ (cdr x-y) (cadr edges))))) | |
2005 | @end example | |
2006 | @end defun | |
2007 | ||
2008 | @defun posn-col-row position | |
a41c8660 CY |
2009 | This function returns a cons cell @code{(@var{col} . @var{row})}, |
2010 | containing the estimated column and row corresponding to buffer | |
2011 | position @var{position}. The return value is given in units of the | |
2012 | frame's default character width and height, as computed from the | |
2013 | @var{x} and @var{y} values corresponding to @var{position}. (So, if | |
2014 | the actual characters have non-default sizes, the actual row and | |
2015 | column may differ from these computed values.) | |
2016 | ||
2017 | Note that @var{row} is counted from the top of the text area. If the | |
2018 | window possesses a header line (@pxref{Header Lines}), it is | |
2019 | @emph{not} counted as the first line. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2020 | @end defun |
2021 | ||
2022 | @defun posn-actual-col-row position | |
2023 | Return the actual row and column in @var{position}, as a cons cell | |
34106abe CY |
2024 | @code{(@var{col} . @var{row})}. The values are the actual row and |
2025 | column numbers in the window. @xref{Click Events}, for details. It | |
2026 | returns @code{nil} if @var{position} does not include actual positions | |
2027 | values. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2028 | @end defun |
2029 | ||
2030 | @defun posn-string position | |
2031 | Return the string object in @var{position}, either @code{nil}, or a | |
2032 | cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{string-pos})}. | |
2033 | @end defun | |
2034 | ||
2035 | @defun posn-image position | |
2036 | Return the image object in @var{position}, either @code{nil}, or an | |
2037 | image @code{(image ...)}. | |
2038 | @end defun | |
2039 | ||
2040 | @defun posn-object position | |
2041 | Return the image or string object in @var{position}, either | |
2042 | @code{nil}, an image @code{(image ...)}, or a cons cell | |
2043 | @code{(@var{string} . @var{string-pos})}. | |
2044 | @end defun | |
2045 | ||
2046 | @defun posn-object-x-y position | |
2047 | Return the pixel-based x and y coordinates relative to the upper left | |
2048 | corner of the object in @var{position} as a cons cell @code{(@var{dx} | |
2049 | . @var{dy})}. If the @var{position} is a buffer position, return the | |
2050 | relative position in the character at that position. | |
2051 | @end defun | |
2052 | ||
2053 | @defun posn-object-width-height position | |
2054 | Return the pixel width and height of the object in @var{position} as a | |
2055 | cons cell @code{(@var{width} . @var{height})}. If the @var{position} | |
2056 | is a buffer position, return the size of the character at that position. | |
2057 | @end defun | |
2058 | ||
2059 | @cindex timestamp of a mouse event | |
2060 | @defun posn-timestamp position | |
2061 | Return the timestamp in @var{position}. This is the time at which the | |
2062 | event occurred, in milliseconds. | |
2063 | @end defun | |
2064 | ||
2065 | These functions compute a position list given particular buffer | |
2066 | position or screen position. You can access the data in this position | |
2067 | list with the functions described above. | |
2068 | ||
2069 | @defun posn-at-point &optional pos window | |
2070 | This function returns a position list for position @var{pos} in | |
2071 | @var{window}. @var{pos} defaults to point in @var{window}; | |
2072 | @var{window} defaults to the selected window. | |
2073 | ||
2074 | @code{posn-at-point} returns @code{nil} if @var{pos} is not visible in | |
2075 | @var{window}. | |
2076 | @end defun | |
2077 | ||
2078 | @defun posn-at-x-y x y &optional frame-or-window whole | |
2079 | This function returns position information corresponding to pixel | |
2080 | coordinates @var{x} and @var{y} in a specified frame or window, | |
2081 | @var{frame-or-window}, which defaults to the selected window. | |
2082 | The coordinates @var{x} and @var{y} are relative to the | |
2083 | frame or window used. | |
2084 | If @var{whole} is @code{nil}, the coordinates are relative | |
2085 | to the window text area, otherwise they are relative to | |
2086 | the entire window area including scroll bars, margins and fringes. | |
2087 | @end defun | |
2088 | ||
ec7d5b1e RS |
2089 | @node Accessing Scroll |
2090 | @subsection Accessing Scroll Bar Events | |
2091 | @cindex scroll bar events, data in | |
2092 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2093 | These functions are useful for decoding scroll bar events. |
2094 | ||
2095 | @defun scroll-bar-event-ratio event | |
2096 | This function returns the fractional vertical position of a scroll bar | |
2097 | event within the scroll bar. The value is a cons cell | |
2098 | @code{(@var{portion} . @var{whole})} containing two integers whose ratio | |
2099 | is the fractional position. | |
2100 | @end defun | |
2101 | ||
2102 | @defun scroll-bar-scale ratio total | |
2103 | This function multiplies (in effect) @var{ratio} by @var{total}, | |
2104 | rounding the result to an integer. The argument @var{ratio} is not a | |
2105 | number, but rather a pair @code{(@var{num} . @var{denom})}---typically a | |
2106 | value returned by @code{scroll-bar-event-ratio}. | |
2107 | ||
2108 | This function is handy for scaling a position on a scroll bar into a | |
2109 | buffer position. Here's how to do that: | |
2110 | ||
2111 | @example | |
2112 | (+ (point-min) | |
2113 | (scroll-bar-scale | |
2114 | (posn-x-y (event-start event)) | |
2115 | (- (point-max) (point-min)))) | |
2116 | @end example | |
2117 | ||
2118 | Recall that scroll bar events have two integers forming a ratio, in place | |
2119 | of a pair of x and y coordinates. | |
2120 | @end defun | |
2121 | ||
2122 | @node Strings of Events | |
2123 | @subsection Putting Keyboard Events in Strings | |
2124 | @cindex keyboard events in strings | |
2125 | @cindex strings with keyboard events | |
2126 | ||
2127 | In most of the places where strings are used, we conceptualize the | |
2128 | string as containing text characters---the same kind of characters found | |
2129 | in buffers or files. Occasionally Lisp programs use strings that | |
2130 | conceptually contain keyboard characters; for example, they may be key | |
2131 | sequences or keyboard macro definitions. However, storing keyboard | |
2132 | characters in a string is a complex matter, for reasons of historical | |
2133 | compatibility, and it is not always possible. | |
2134 | ||
2135 | We recommend that new programs avoid dealing with these complexities | |
2136 | by not storing keyboard events in strings. Here is how to do that: | |
2137 | ||
2138 | @itemize @bullet | |
2139 | @item | |
2140 | Use vectors instead of strings for key sequences, when you plan to use | |
2141 | them for anything other than as arguments to @code{lookup-key} and | |
2142 | @code{define-key}. For example, you can use | |
2143 | @code{read-key-sequence-vector} instead of @code{read-key-sequence}, and | |
2144 | @code{this-command-keys-vector} instead of @code{this-command-keys}. | |
2145 | ||
2146 | @item | |
2147 | Use vectors to write key sequence constants containing meta characters, | |
2148 | even when passing them directly to @code{define-key}. | |
2149 | ||
2150 | @item | |
2151 | When you have to look at the contents of a key sequence that might be a | |
2152 | string, use @code{listify-key-sequence} (@pxref{Event Input Misc}) | |
2153 | first, to convert it to a list. | |
2154 | @end itemize | |
2155 | ||
2156 | The complexities stem from the modifier bits that keyboard input | |
2157 | characters can include. Aside from the Meta modifier, none of these | |
2158 | modifier bits can be included in a string, and the Meta modifier is | |
2159 | allowed only in special cases. | |
2160 | ||
2161 | The earliest GNU Emacs versions represented meta characters as codes | |
2162 | in the range of 128 to 255. At that time, the basic character codes | |
2163 | ranged from 0 to 127, so all keyboard character codes did fit in a | |
2164 | string. Many Lisp programs used @samp{\M-} in string constants to stand | |
2165 | for meta characters, especially in arguments to @code{define-key} and | |
2166 | similar functions, and key sequences and sequences of events were always | |
2167 | represented as strings. | |
2168 | ||
2169 | When we added support for larger basic character codes beyond 127, and | |
2170 | additional modifier bits, we had to change the representation of meta | |
2171 | characters. Now the flag that represents the Meta modifier in a | |
2172 | character is | |
2173 | @tex | |
2174 | @math{2^{27}} | |
2175 | @end tex | |
2176 | @ifnottex | |
2177 | 2**27 | |
2178 | @end ifnottex | |
2179 | and such numbers cannot be included in a string. | |
2180 | ||
2181 | To support programs with @samp{\M-} in string constants, there are | |
2182 | special rules for including certain meta characters in a string. | |
2183 | Here are the rules for interpreting a string as a sequence of input | |
2184 | characters: | |
2185 | ||
2186 | @itemize @bullet | |
2187 | @item | |
2188 | If the keyboard character value is in the range of 0 to 127, it can go | |
2189 | in the string unchanged. | |
2190 | ||
2191 | @item | |
2192 | The meta variants of those characters, with codes in the range of | |
2193 | @tex | |
2194 | @math{2^{27}} | |
2195 | @end tex | |
2196 | @ifnottex | |
2197 | 2**27 | |
2198 | @end ifnottex | |
2199 | to | |
2200 | @tex | |
2201 | @math{2^{27} + 127}, | |
2202 | @end tex | |
2203 | @ifnottex | |
2204 | 2**27+127, | |
2205 | @end ifnottex | |
2206 | can also go in the string, but you must change their | |
2207 | numeric values. You must set the | |
2208 | @tex | |
2209 | @math{2^{7}} | |
2210 | @end tex | |
2211 | @ifnottex | |
2212 | 2**7 | |
2213 | @end ifnottex | |
2214 | bit instead of the | |
2215 | @tex | |
2216 | @math{2^{27}} | |
2217 | @end tex | |
2218 | @ifnottex | |
2219 | 2**27 | |
2220 | @end ifnottex | |
2221 | bit, resulting in a value between 128 and 255. Only a unibyte string | |
2222 | can include these codes. | |
2223 | ||
2224 | @item | |
2225 | Non-@acronym{ASCII} characters above 256 can be included in a multibyte string. | |
2226 | ||
2227 | @item | |
2228 | Other keyboard character events cannot fit in a string. This includes | |
2229 | keyboard events in the range of 128 to 255. | |
2230 | @end itemize | |
2231 | ||
2232 | Functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} that construct strings of | |
2233 | keyboard input characters follow these rules: they construct vectors | |
2234 | instead of strings, when the events won't fit in a string. | |
2235 | ||
2236 | When you use the read syntax @samp{\M-} in a string, it produces a | |
2237 | code in the range of 128 to 255---the same code that you get if you | |
2238 | modify the corresponding keyboard event to put it in the string. Thus, | |
2239 | meta events in strings work consistently regardless of how they get into | |
2240 | the strings. | |
2241 | ||
2242 | However, most programs would do well to avoid these issues by | |
2243 | following the recommendations at the beginning of this section. | |
2244 | ||
2245 | @node Reading Input | |
2246 | @section Reading Input | |
2247 | @cindex read input | |
2248 | @cindex keyboard input | |
2249 | ||
2250 | The editor command loop reads key sequences using the function | |
2251 | @code{read-key-sequence}, which uses @code{read-event}. These and other | |
2252 | functions for event input are also available for use in Lisp programs. | |
2253 | See also @code{momentary-string-display} in @ref{Temporary Displays}, | |
2254 | and @code{sit-for} in @ref{Waiting}. @xref{Terminal Input}, for | |
2255 | functions and variables for controlling terminal input modes and | |
2256 | debugging terminal input. | |
2257 | ||
2258 | For higher-level input facilities, see @ref{Minibuffers}. | |
2259 | ||
2260 | @menu | |
d24880de GM |
2261 | * Key Sequence Input:: How to read one key sequence. |
2262 | * Reading One Event:: How to read just one event. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2263 | * Event Mod:: How Emacs modifies events as they are read. |
2264 | * Invoking the Input Method:: How reading an event uses the input method. | |
d24880de GM |
2265 | * Quoted Character Input:: Asking the user to specify a character. |
2266 | * Event Input Misc:: How to reread or throw away input events. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2267 | @end menu |
2268 | ||
2269 | @node Key Sequence Input | |
2270 | @subsection Key Sequence Input | |
2271 | @cindex key sequence input | |
2272 | ||
2273 | The command loop reads input a key sequence at a time, by calling | |
2274 | @code{read-key-sequence}. Lisp programs can also call this function; | |
2275 | for example, @code{describe-key} uses it to read the key to describe. | |
2276 | ||
2277 | @defun read-key-sequence prompt &optional continue-echo dont-downcase-last switch-frame-ok command-loop | |
2278 | This function reads a key sequence and returns it as a string or | |
2279 | vector. It keeps reading events until it has accumulated a complete key | |
2280 | sequence; that is, enough to specify a non-prefix command using the | |
2281 | currently active keymaps. (Remember that a key sequence that starts | |
2282 | with a mouse event is read using the keymaps of the buffer in the | |
2283 | window that the mouse was in, not the current buffer.) | |
2284 | ||
2285 | If the events are all characters and all can fit in a string, then | |
2286 | @code{read-key-sequence} returns a string (@pxref{Strings of Events}). | |
2287 | Otherwise, it returns a vector, since a vector can hold all kinds of | |
2288 | events---characters, symbols, and lists. The elements of the string or | |
2289 | vector are the events in the key sequence. | |
2290 | ||
2291 | Reading a key sequence includes translating the events in various | |
2292 | ways. @xref{Translation Keymaps}. | |
2293 | ||
2294 | The argument @var{prompt} is either a string to be displayed in the | |
2295 | echo area as a prompt, or @code{nil}, meaning not to display a prompt. | |
2296 | The argument @var{continue-echo}, if non-@code{nil}, means to echo | |
2297 | this key as a continuation of the previous key. | |
2298 | ||
2299 | Normally any upper case event is converted to lower case if the | |
2300 | original event is undefined and the lower case equivalent is defined. | |
2301 | The argument @var{dont-downcase-last}, if non-@code{nil}, means do not | |
2302 | convert the last event to lower case. This is appropriate for reading | |
2303 | a key sequence to be defined. | |
2304 | ||
2305 | The argument @var{switch-frame-ok}, if non-@code{nil}, means that this | |
2306 | function should process a @code{switch-frame} event if the user | |
2307 | switches frames before typing anything. If the user switches frames | |
2308 | in the middle of a key sequence, or at the start of the sequence but | |
2309 | @var{switch-frame-ok} is @code{nil}, then the event will be put off | |
2310 | until after the current key sequence. | |
2311 | ||
2312 | The argument @var{command-loop}, if non-@code{nil}, means that this | |
2313 | key sequence is being read by something that will read commands one | |
2314 | after another. It should be @code{nil} if the caller will read just | |
2315 | one key sequence. | |
2316 | ||
2317 | In the following example, Emacs displays the prompt @samp{?} in the | |
2318 | echo area, and then the user types @kbd{C-x C-f}. | |
2319 | ||
2320 | @example | |
2321 | (read-key-sequence "?") | |
2322 | ||
2323 | @group | |
2324 | ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
2325 | ?@kbd{C-x C-f} | |
2326 | ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
2327 | ||
2328 | @result{} "^X^F" | |
2329 | @end group | |
2330 | @end example | |
2331 | ||
2332 | The function @code{read-key-sequence} suppresses quitting: @kbd{C-g} | |
2333 | typed while reading with this function works like any other character, | |
2334 | and does not set @code{quit-flag}. @xref{Quitting}. | |
2335 | @end defun | |
2336 | ||
2337 | @defun read-key-sequence-vector prompt &optional continue-echo dont-downcase-last switch-frame-ok command-loop | |
2338 | This is like @code{read-key-sequence} except that it always | |
2339 | returns the key sequence as a vector, never as a string. | |
2340 | @xref{Strings of Events}. | |
2341 | @end defun | |
2342 | ||
2343 | @cindex upper case key sequence | |
2344 | @cindex downcasing in @code{lookup-key} | |
ee6e73b8 | 2345 | @cindex shift-translation |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2346 | If an input character is upper-case (or has the shift modifier) and |
2347 | has no key binding, but its lower-case equivalent has one, then | |
2348 | @code{read-key-sequence} converts the character to lower case. Note | |
2349 | that @code{lookup-key} does not perform case conversion in this way. | |
2350 | ||
ee6e73b8 EZ |
2351 | @vindex this-command-keys-shift-translated |
2352 | When reading input results in such a @dfn{shift-translation}, Emacs | |
2353 | sets the variable @code{this-command-keys-shift-translated} to a | |
77111ca6 CY |
2354 | non-@code{nil} value. Lisp programs can examine this variable if they |
2355 | need to modify their behavior when invoked by shift-translated keys. | |
2356 | For example, the function @code{handle-shift-selection} examines the | |
2357 | value of this variable to determine how to activate or deactivate the | |
2358 | region (@pxref{The Mark, handle-shift-selection}). | |
ee6e73b8 | 2359 | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2360 | The function @code{read-key-sequence} also transforms some mouse events. |
2361 | It converts unbound drag events into click events, and discards unbound | |
2362 | button-down events entirely. It also reshuffles focus events and | |
2363 | miscellaneous window events so that they never appear in a key sequence | |
2364 | with any other events. | |
2365 | ||
2366 | @cindex @code{header-line} prefix key | |
2367 | @cindex @code{mode-line} prefix key | |
2368 | @cindex @code{vertical-line} prefix key | |
2369 | @cindex @code{horizontal-scroll-bar} prefix key | |
2370 | @cindex @code{vertical-scroll-bar} prefix key | |
2371 | @cindex @code{menu-bar} prefix key | |
2372 | @cindex mouse events, in special parts of frame | |
2373 | When mouse events occur in special parts of a window, such as a mode | |
2374 | line or a scroll bar, the event type shows nothing special---it is the | |
2375 | same symbol that would normally represent that combination of mouse | |
2376 | button and modifier keys. The information about the window part is kept | |
2377 | elsewhere in the event---in the coordinates. But | |
2378 | @code{read-key-sequence} translates this information into imaginary | |
16152b76 | 2379 | ``prefix keys'', all of which are symbols: @code{header-line}, |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2380 | @code{horizontal-scroll-bar}, @code{menu-bar}, @code{mode-line}, |
2381 | @code{vertical-line}, and @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. You can define | |
2382 | meanings for mouse clicks in special window parts by defining key | |
2383 | sequences using these imaginary prefix keys. | |
2384 | ||
2385 | For example, if you call @code{read-key-sequence} and then click the | |
2386 | mouse on the window's mode line, you get two events, like this: | |
2387 | ||
2388 | @example | |
2389 | (read-key-sequence "Click on the mode line: ") | |
2390 | @result{} [mode-line | |
2391 | (mouse-1 | |
2392 | (#<window 6 on NEWS> mode-line | |
2393 | (40 . 63) 5959987))] | |
2394 | @end example | |
2395 | ||
2396 | @defvar num-input-keys | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2397 | This variable's value is the number of key sequences processed so far in |
2398 | this Emacs session. This includes key sequences read from the terminal | |
2399 | and key sequences read from keyboard macros being executed. | |
2400 | @end defvar | |
2401 | ||
2402 | @node Reading One Event | |
2403 | @subsection Reading One Event | |
2404 | @cindex reading a single event | |
2405 | @cindex event, reading only one | |
2406 | ||
eb5ed549 CY |
2407 | The lowest level functions for command input are @code{read-event}, |
2408 | @code{read-char}, and @code{read-char-exclusive}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2409 | |
2410 | @defun read-event &optional prompt inherit-input-method seconds | |
0f1d2934 CY |
2411 | This function reads and returns the next event of command input, |
2412 | waiting if necessary until an event is available. | |
2413 | ||
2414 | The returned event may come directly from the user, or from a keyboard | |
2415 | macro. It is not decoded by the keyboard's input coding system | |
2416 | (@pxref{Terminal I/O Encoding}). | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2417 | |
2418 | If the optional argument @var{prompt} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a | |
2419 | string to display in the echo area as a prompt. Otherwise, | |
2420 | @code{read-event} does not display any message to indicate it is waiting | |
2421 | for input; instead, it prompts by echoing: it displays descriptions of | |
2422 | the events that led to or were read by the current command. @xref{The | |
2423 | Echo Area}. | |
2424 | ||
2425 | If @var{inherit-input-method} is non-@code{nil}, then the current input | |
2426 | method (if any) is employed to make it possible to enter a | |
2427 | non-@acronym{ASCII} character. Otherwise, input method handling is disabled | |
2428 | for reading this event. | |
2429 | ||
2430 | If @code{cursor-in-echo-area} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{read-event} | |
2431 | moves the cursor temporarily to the echo area, to the end of any message | |
2432 | displayed there. Otherwise @code{read-event} does not move the cursor. | |
2433 | ||
2434 | If @var{seconds} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a number specifying | |
2435 | the maximum time to wait for input, in seconds. If no input arrives | |
2436 | within that time, @code{read-event} stops waiting and returns | |
2437 | @code{nil}. A floating-point value for @var{seconds} means to wait | |
2438 | for a fractional number of seconds. Some systems support only a whole | |
2439 | number of seconds; on these systems, @var{seconds} is rounded down. | |
2440 | If @var{seconds} is @code{nil}, @code{read-event} waits as long as | |
2441 | necessary for input to arrive. | |
2442 | ||
2443 | If @var{seconds} is @code{nil}, Emacs is considered idle while waiting | |
2444 | for user input to arrive. Idle timers---those created with | |
2445 | @code{run-with-idle-timer} (@pxref{Idle Timers})---can run during this | |
2446 | period. However, if @var{seconds} is non-@code{nil}, the state of | |
2447 | idleness remains unchanged. If Emacs is non-idle when | |
2448 | @code{read-event} is called, it remains non-idle throughout the | |
2449 | operation of @code{read-event}; if Emacs is idle (which can happen if | |
2450 | the call happens inside an idle timer), it remains idle. | |
2451 | ||
2452 | If @code{read-event} gets an event that is defined as a help character, | |
2453 | then in some cases @code{read-event} processes the event directly without | |
2454 | returning. @xref{Help Functions}. Certain other events, called | |
2455 | @dfn{special events}, are also processed directly within | |
2456 | @code{read-event} (@pxref{Special Events}). | |
2457 | ||
2458 | Here is what happens if you call @code{read-event} and then press the | |
2459 | right-arrow function key: | |
2460 | ||
2461 | @example | |
2462 | @group | |
2463 | (read-event) | |
2464 | @result{} right | |
2465 | @end group | |
2466 | @end example | |
2467 | @end defun | |
2468 | ||
2469 | @defun read-char &optional prompt inherit-input-method seconds | |
2470 | This function reads and returns a character of command input. If the | |
1df7defd | 2471 | user generates an event which is not a character (i.e., a mouse click or |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2472 | function key event), @code{read-char} signals an error. The arguments |
2473 | work as in @code{read-event}. | |
2474 | ||
2475 | In the first example, the user types the character @kbd{1} (@acronym{ASCII} | |
2476 | code 49). The second example shows a keyboard macro definition that | |
2477 | calls @code{read-char} from the minibuffer using @code{eval-expression}. | |
2478 | @code{read-char} reads the keyboard macro's very next character, which | |
2479 | is @kbd{1}. Then @code{eval-expression} displays its return value in | |
2480 | the echo area. | |
2481 | ||
2482 | @example | |
2483 | @group | |
2484 | (read-char) | |
2485 | @result{} 49 | |
2486 | @end group | |
2487 | ||
2488 | @group | |
2489 | ;; @r{We assume here you use @kbd{M-:} to evaluate this.} | |
2490 | (symbol-function 'foo) | |
2491 | @result{} "^[:(read-char)^M1" | |
2492 | @end group | |
2493 | @group | |
2494 | (execute-kbd-macro 'foo) | |
2495 | @print{} 49 | |
2496 | @result{} nil | |
2497 | @end group | |
2498 | @end example | |
2499 | @end defun | |
2500 | ||
2501 | @defun read-char-exclusive &optional prompt inherit-input-method seconds | |
2502 | This function reads and returns a character of command input. If the | |
2503 | user generates an event which is not a character, | |
2504 | @code{read-char-exclusive} ignores it and reads another event, until it | |
2505 | gets a character. The arguments work as in @code{read-event}. | |
2506 | @end defun | |
2507 | ||
eb5ed549 CY |
2508 | None of the above functions suppress quitting. |
2509 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2510 | @defvar num-nonmacro-input-events |
2511 | This variable holds the total number of input events received so far | |
2512 | from the terminal---not counting those generated by keyboard macros. | |
2513 | @end defvar | |
2514 | ||
eb5ed549 CY |
2515 | We emphasize that, unlike @code{read-key-sequence}, the functions |
2516 | @code{read-event}, @code{read-char}, and @code{read-char-exclusive} do | |
2517 | not perform the translations described in @ref{Translation Keymaps}. | |
2518 | If you wish to read a single key taking these translations into | |
2519 | account, use the function @code{read-key}: | |
2520 | ||
2521 | @defun read-key &optional prompt | |
2522 | This function reads a single key. It is ``intermediate'' between | |
2523 | @code{read-key-sequence} and @code{read-event}. Unlike the former, it | |
2524 | reads a single key, not a key sequence. Unlike the latter, it does | |
2525 | not return a raw event, but decodes and translates the user input | |
2526 | according to @code{input-decode-map}, @code{local-function-key-map}, | |
2527 | and @code{key-translation-map} (@pxref{Translation Keymaps}). | |
2528 | ||
2529 | The argument @var{prompt} is either a string to be displayed in the | |
2530 | echo area as a prompt, or @code{nil}, meaning not to display a prompt. | |
2531 | @end defun | |
2532 | ||
7e2734bc GM |
2533 | @defun read-char-choice prompt chars &optional inhibit-quit |
2534 | This function uses @code{read-key} to read and return a single | |
2535 | character. It ignores any input that is not a member of @var{chars}, | |
2536 | a list of accepted characters. Optionally, it will also ignore | |
2537 | keyboard-quit events while it is waiting for valid input. If you bind | |
2538 | @code{help-form} (@pxref{Help Functions}) to a non-@code{nil} value | |
2539 | while calling @code{read-char-choice}, then pressing @code{help-char} | |
2540 | causes it to evaluate @code{help-form} and display the result. It | |
2541 | then continues to wait for a valid input character, or keyboard-quit. | |
2542 | @end defun | |
2543 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2544 | @node Event Mod |
2545 | @subsection Modifying and Translating Input Events | |
2546 | ||
2547 | Emacs modifies every event it reads according to | |
2548 | @code{extra-keyboard-modifiers}, then translates it through | |
2549 | @code{keyboard-translate-table} (if applicable), before returning it | |
2550 | from @code{read-event}. | |
2551 | ||
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2552 | @defvar extra-keyboard-modifiers |
2553 | This variable lets Lisp programs ``press'' the modifier keys on the | |
2554 | keyboard. The value is a character. Only the modifiers of the | |
2555 | character matter. Each time the user types a keyboard key, it is | |
2556 | altered as if those modifier keys were held down. For instance, if | |
2557 | you bind @code{extra-keyboard-modifiers} to @code{?\C-\M-a}, then all | |
2558 | keyboard input characters typed during the scope of the binding will | |
2559 | have the control and meta modifiers applied to them. The character | |
2560 | @code{?\C-@@}, equivalent to the integer 0, does not count as a control | |
2561 | character for this purpose, but as a character with no modifiers. | |
2562 | Thus, setting @code{extra-keyboard-modifiers} to zero cancels any | |
2563 | modification. | |
2564 | ||
2565 | When using a window system, the program can ``press'' any of the | |
2566 | modifier keys in this way. Otherwise, only the @key{CTL} and @key{META} | |
2567 | keys can be virtually pressed. | |
2568 | ||
2569 | Note that this variable applies only to events that really come from | |
2570 | the keyboard, and has no effect on mouse events or any other events. | |
2571 | @end defvar | |
2572 | ||
2573 | @defvar keyboard-translate-table | |
d3ae77bc EZ |
2574 | This terminal-local variable is the translate table for keyboard |
2575 | characters. It lets you reshuffle the keys on the keyboard without | |
2576 | changing any command bindings. Its value is normally a char-table, or | |
2577 | else @code{nil}. (It can also be a string or vector, but this is | |
2578 | considered obsolete.) | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2579 | |
2580 | If @code{keyboard-translate-table} is a char-table | |
2581 | (@pxref{Char-Tables}), then each character read from the keyboard is | |
2582 | looked up in this char-table. If the value found there is | |
2583 | non-@code{nil}, then it is used instead of the actual input character. | |
2584 | ||
2585 | Note that this translation is the first thing that happens to a | |
2586 | character after it is read from the terminal. Record-keeping features | |
2587 | such as @code{recent-keys} and dribble files record the characters after | |
2588 | translation. | |
2589 | ||
2590 | Note also that this translation is done before the characters are | |
a894169f EZ |
2591 | supplied to input methods (@pxref{Input Methods}). Use |
2592 | @code{translation-table-for-input} (@pxref{Translation of Characters}), | |
2593 | if you want to translate characters after input methods operate. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2594 | @end defvar |
2595 | ||
2596 | @defun keyboard-translate from to | |
2597 | This function modifies @code{keyboard-translate-table} to translate | |
2598 | character code @var{from} into character code @var{to}. It creates | |
2599 | the keyboard translate table if necessary. | |
2600 | @end defun | |
2601 | ||
2602 | Here's an example of using the @code{keyboard-translate-table} to | |
2603 | make @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-c} and @kbd{C-v} perform the cut, copy and paste | |
2604 | operations: | |
2605 | ||
2606 | @example | |
2607 | (keyboard-translate ?\C-x 'control-x) | |
2608 | (keyboard-translate ?\C-c 'control-c) | |
2609 | (keyboard-translate ?\C-v 'control-v) | |
2610 | (global-set-key [control-x] 'kill-region) | |
2611 | (global-set-key [control-c] 'kill-ring-save) | |
2612 | (global-set-key [control-v] 'yank) | |
2613 | @end example | |
2614 | ||
2615 | @noindent | |
2616 | On a graphical terminal that supports extended @acronym{ASCII} input, | |
2617 | you can still get the standard Emacs meanings of one of those | |
2618 | characters by typing it with the shift key. That makes it a different | |
2619 | character as far as keyboard translation is concerned, but it has the | |
2620 | same usual meaning. | |
2621 | ||
2622 | @xref{Translation Keymaps}, for mechanisms that translate event sequences | |
2623 | at the level of @code{read-key-sequence}. | |
2624 | ||
2625 | @node Invoking the Input Method | |
2626 | @subsection Invoking the Input Method | |
2627 | ||
2628 | The event-reading functions invoke the current input method, if any | |
2629 | (@pxref{Input Methods}). If the value of @code{input-method-function} | |
2630 | is non-@code{nil}, it should be a function; when @code{read-event} reads | |
2631 | a printing character (including @key{SPC}) with no modifier bits, it | |
2632 | calls that function, passing the character as an argument. | |
2633 | ||
2634 | @defvar input-method-function | |
2635 | If this is non-@code{nil}, its value specifies the current input method | |
2636 | function. | |
2637 | ||
2638 | @strong{Warning:} don't bind this variable with @code{let}. It is often | |
2639 | buffer-local, and if you bind it around reading input (which is exactly | |
2640 | when you @emph{would} bind it), switching buffers asynchronously while | |
2641 | Emacs is waiting will cause the value to be restored in the wrong | |
2642 | buffer. | |
2643 | @end defvar | |
2644 | ||
2645 | The input method function should return a list of events which should | |
2646 | be used as input. (If the list is @code{nil}, that means there is no | |
2647 | input, so @code{read-event} waits for another event.) These events are | |
2648 | processed before the events in @code{unread-command-events} | |
2649 | (@pxref{Event Input Misc}). Events | |
2650 | returned by the input method function are not passed to the input method | |
2651 | function again, even if they are printing characters with no modifier | |
2652 | bits. | |
2653 | ||
2654 | If the input method function calls @code{read-event} or | |
2655 | @code{read-key-sequence}, it should bind @code{input-method-function} to | |
2656 | @code{nil} first, to prevent recursion. | |
2657 | ||
2658 | The input method function is not called when reading the second and | |
2659 | subsequent events of a key sequence. Thus, these characters are not | |
2660 | subject to input method processing. The input method function should | |
2661 | test the values of @code{overriding-local-map} and | |
2662 | @code{overriding-terminal-local-map}; if either of these variables is | |
2663 | non-@code{nil}, the input method should put its argument into a list and | |
2664 | return that list with no further processing. | |
2665 | ||
2666 | @node Quoted Character Input | |
2667 | @subsection Quoted Character Input | |
2668 | @cindex quoted character input | |
2669 | ||
2670 | You can use the function @code{read-quoted-char} to ask the user to | |
2671 | specify a character, and allow the user to specify a control or meta | |
2672 | character conveniently, either literally or as an octal character code. | |
2673 | The command @code{quoted-insert} uses this function. | |
2674 | ||
2675 | @defun read-quoted-char &optional prompt | |
2676 | @cindex octal character input | |
2677 | @cindex control characters, reading | |
2678 | @cindex nonprinting characters, reading | |
2679 | This function is like @code{read-char}, except that if the first | |
f99f1641 | 2680 | character read is an octal digit (0--7), it reads any number of octal |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2681 | digits (but stopping if a non-octal digit is found), and returns the |
2682 | character represented by that numeric character code. If the | |
2683 | character that terminates the sequence of octal digits is @key{RET}, | |
2684 | it is discarded. Any other terminating character is used as input | |
2685 | after this function returns. | |
2686 | ||
2687 | Quitting is suppressed when the first character is read, so that the | |
2688 | user can enter a @kbd{C-g}. @xref{Quitting}. | |
2689 | ||
2690 | If @var{prompt} is supplied, it specifies a string for prompting the | |
2691 | user. The prompt string is always displayed in the echo area, followed | |
2692 | by a single @samp{-}. | |
2693 | ||
2694 | In the following example, the user types in the octal number 177 (which | |
2695 | is 127 in decimal). | |
2696 | ||
2697 | @example | |
2698 | (read-quoted-char "What character") | |
2699 | ||
2700 | @group | |
2701 | ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
2702 | What character @kbd{1 7 7}- | |
2703 | ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
2704 | ||
2705 | @result{} 127 | |
2706 | @end group | |
2707 | @end example | |
2708 | @end defun | |
2709 | ||
2710 | @need 2000 | |
2711 | @node Event Input Misc | |
2712 | @subsection Miscellaneous Event Input Features | |
2713 | ||
2714 | This section describes how to ``peek ahead'' at events without using | |
2715 | them up, how to check for pending input, and how to discard pending | |
2716 | input. See also the function @code{read-passwd} (@pxref{Reading a | |
2717 | Password}). | |
2718 | ||
2719 | @defvar unread-command-events | |
2720 | @cindex next input | |
2721 | @cindex peeking at input | |
2722 | This variable holds a list of events waiting to be read as command | |
2723 | input. The events are used in the order they appear in the list, and | |
2724 | removed one by one as they are used. | |
2725 | ||
2726 | The variable is needed because in some cases a function reads an event | |
2727 | and then decides not to use it. Storing the event in this variable | |
2728 | causes it to be processed normally, by the command loop or by the | |
2729 | functions to read command input. | |
2730 | ||
2731 | @cindex prefix argument unreading | |
2732 | For example, the function that implements numeric prefix arguments reads | |
2733 | any number of digits. When it finds a non-digit event, it must unread | |
2734 | the event so that it can be read normally by the command loop. | |
2735 | Likewise, incremental search uses this feature to unread events with no | |
2736 | special meaning in a search, because these events should exit the search | |
2737 | and then execute normally. | |
2738 | ||
34106abe CY |
2739 | The reliable and easy way to extract events from a key sequence so as |
2740 | to put them in @code{unread-command-events} is to use | |
2741 | @code{listify-key-sequence} (see below). | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2742 | |
2743 | Normally you add events to the front of this list, so that the events | |
2744 | most recently unread will be reread first. | |
2745 | ||
2746 | Events read from this list are not normally added to the current | |
1df7defd | 2747 | command's key sequence (as returned by, e.g., @code{this-command-keys}), |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2748 | as the events will already have been added once as they were read for |
2749 | the first time. An element of the form @code{(@code{t} . @var{event})} | |
2750 | forces @var{event} to be added to the current command's key sequence. | |
2751 | @end defvar | |
2752 | ||
2753 | @defun listify-key-sequence key | |
2754 | This function converts the string or vector @var{key} to a list of | |
2755 | individual events, which you can put in @code{unread-command-events}. | |
2756 | @end defun | |
2757 | ||
c9352587 | 2758 | @defun input-pending-p &optional check-timers |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2759 | @cindex waiting for command key input |
2760 | This function determines whether any command input is currently | |
2761 | available to be read. It returns immediately, with value @code{t} if | |
2762 | there is available input, @code{nil} otherwise. On rare occasions it | |
2763 | may return @code{t} when no input is available. | |
c9352587 CY |
2764 | |
2765 | If the optional argument @var{check-timers} is non-@code{nil}, then if | |
2766 | no input is available, Emacs runs any timers which are ready. | |
2767 | @xref{Timers}. | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2768 | @end defun |
2769 | ||
2770 | @defvar last-input-event | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2771 | This variable records the last terminal input event read, whether |
2772 | as part of a command or explicitly by a Lisp program. | |
2773 | ||
2774 | In the example below, the Lisp program reads the character @kbd{1}, | |
2775 | @acronym{ASCII} code 49. It becomes the value of @code{last-input-event}, | |
2776 | while @kbd{C-e} (we assume @kbd{C-x C-e} command is used to evaluate | |
2777 | this expression) remains the value of @code{last-command-event}. | |
2778 | ||
2779 | @example | |
2780 | @group | |
2781 | (progn (print (read-char)) | |
2782 | (print last-command-event) | |
2783 | last-input-event) | |
2784 | @print{} 49 | |
2785 | @print{} 5 | |
2786 | @result{} 49 | |
2787 | @end group | |
2788 | @end example | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2789 | @end defvar |
2790 | ||
2791 | @defmac while-no-input body@dots{} | |
2792 | This construct runs the @var{body} forms and returns the value of the | |
2793 | last one---but only if no input arrives. If any input arrives during | |
2794 | the execution of the @var{body} forms, it aborts them (working much | |
2795 | like a quit). The @code{while-no-input} form returns @code{nil} if | |
2796 | aborted by a real quit, and returns @code{t} if aborted by arrival of | |
2797 | other input. | |
2798 | ||
2799 | If a part of @var{body} binds @code{inhibit-quit} to non-@code{nil}, | |
2800 | arrival of input during those parts won't cause an abort until | |
2801 | the end of that part. | |
2802 | ||
2803 | If you want to be able to distinguish all possible values computed | |
2804 | by @var{body} from both kinds of abort conditions, write the code | |
2805 | like this: | |
2806 | ||
2807 | @example | |
2808 | (while-no-input | |
2809 | (list | |
2810 | (progn . @var{body}))) | |
2811 | @end example | |
2812 | @end defmac | |
2813 | ||
2814 | @defun discard-input | |
2815 | @cindex flushing input | |
2816 | @cindex discarding input | |
2817 | @cindex keyboard macro, terminating | |
2818 | This function discards the contents of the terminal input buffer and | |
2819 | cancels any keyboard macro that might be in the process of definition. | |
2820 | It returns @code{nil}. | |
2821 | ||
2822 | In the following example, the user may type a number of characters right | |
2823 | after starting the evaluation of the form. After the @code{sleep-for} | |
2824 | finishes sleeping, @code{discard-input} discards any characters typed | |
2825 | during the sleep. | |
2826 | ||
2827 | @example | |
2828 | (progn (sleep-for 2) | |
2829 | (discard-input)) | |
2830 | @result{} nil | |
2831 | @end example | |
2832 | @end defun | |
2833 | ||
2834 | @node Special Events | |
2835 | @section Special Events | |
2836 | ||
2837 | @cindex special events | |
34106abe CY |
2838 | Certain @dfn{special events} are handled at a very low level---as soon |
2839 | as they are read. The @code{read-event} function processes these | |
2840 | events itself, and never returns them. Instead, it keeps waiting for | |
2841 | the first event that is not special and returns that one. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 2842 | |
34106abe CY |
2843 | Special events do not echo, they are never grouped into key |
2844 | sequences, and they never appear in the value of | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2845 | @code{last-command-event} or @code{(this-command-keys)}. They do not |
2846 | discard a numeric argument, they cannot be unread with | |
2847 | @code{unread-command-events}, they may not appear in a keyboard macro, | |
2848 | and they are not recorded in a keyboard macro while you are defining | |
2849 | one. | |
2850 | ||
34106abe CY |
2851 | Special events do, however, appear in @code{last-input-event} |
2852 | immediately after they are read, and this is the way for the event's | |
2853 | definition to find the actual event. | |
b8d4c8d0 | 2854 | |
34106abe | 2855 | The events types @code{iconify-frame}, @code{make-frame-visible}, |
1ada2e55 EZ |
2856 | @code{delete-frame}, @code{drag-n-drop}, @code{language-change}, and |
2857 | user signals like @code{sigusr1} are normally handled in this way. | |
2858 | The keymap which defines how to handle special events---and which | |
2859 | events are special---is in the variable @code{special-event-map} | |
2860 | (@pxref{Active Keymaps}). | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2861 | |
2862 | @node Waiting | |
2863 | @section Waiting for Elapsed Time or Input | |
2864 | @cindex waiting | |
2865 | ||
2866 | The wait functions are designed to wait for a certain amount of time | |
2867 | to pass or until there is input. For example, you may wish to pause in | |
2868 | the middle of a computation to allow the user time to view the display. | |
2869 | @code{sit-for} pauses and updates the screen, and returns immediately if | |
2870 | input comes in, while @code{sleep-for} pauses without updating the | |
2871 | screen. | |
2872 | ||
2873 | @defun sit-for seconds &optional nodisp | |
2874 | This function performs redisplay (provided there is no pending input | |
2875 | from the user), then waits @var{seconds} seconds, or until input is | |
2876 | available. The usual purpose of @code{sit-for} is to give the user | |
2877 | time to read text that you display. The value is @code{t} if | |
2878 | @code{sit-for} waited the full time with no input arriving | |
2879 | (@pxref{Event Input Misc}). Otherwise, the value is @code{nil}. | |
2880 | ||
2881 | The argument @var{seconds} need not be an integer. If it is a floating | |
2882 | point number, @code{sit-for} waits for a fractional number of seconds. | |
2883 | Some systems support only a whole number of seconds; on these systems, | |
2884 | @var{seconds} is rounded down. | |
2885 | ||
2886 | The expression @code{(sit-for 0)} is equivalent to @code{(redisplay)}, | |
1df7defd | 2887 | i.e., it requests a redisplay, without any delay, if there is no pending input. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
2888 | @xref{Forcing Redisplay}. |
2889 | ||
2890 | If @var{nodisp} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{sit-for} does not | |
2891 | redisplay, but it still returns as soon as input is available (or when | |
2892 | the timeout elapses). | |
2893 | ||
2894 | In batch mode (@pxref{Batch Mode}), @code{sit-for} cannot be | |
2895 | interrupted, even by input from the standard input descriptor. It is | |
2896 | thus equivalent to @code{sleep-for}, which is described below. | |
2897 | ||
2898 | It is also possible to call @code{sit-for} with three arguments, | |
2899 | as @code{(sit-for @var{seconds} @var{millisec} @var{nodisp})}, | |
2900 | but that is considered obsolete. | |
2901 | @end defun | |
2902 | ||
2903 | @defun sleep-for seconds &optional millisec | |
2904 | This function simply pauses for @var{seconds} seconds without updating | |
2905 | the display. It pays no attention to available input. It returns | |
2906 | @code{nil}. | |
2907 | ||
2908 | The argument @var{seconds} need not be an integer. If it is a floating | |
2909 | point number, @code{sleep-for} waits for a fractional number of seconds. | |
2910 | Some systems support only a whole number of seconds; on these systems, | |
2911 | @var{seconds} is rounded down. | |
2912 | ||
2913 | The optional argument @var{millisec} specifies an additional waiting | |
2914 | period measured in milliseconds. This adds to the period specified by | |
2915 | @var{seconds}. If the system doesn't support waiting fractions of a | |
2916 | second, you get an error if you specify nonzero @var{millisec}. | |
2917 | ||
2918 | Use @code{sleep-for} when you wish to guarantee a delay. | |
2919 | @end defun | |
2920 | ||
2921 | @xref{Time of Day}, for functions to get the current time. | |
2922 | ||
2923 | @node Quitting | |
2924 | @section Quitting | |
2925 | @cindex @kbd{C-g} | |
2926 | @cindex quitting | |
2927 | @cindex interrupt Lisp functions | |
2928 | ||
2929 | Typing @kbd{C-g} while a Lisp function is running causes Emacs to | |
2930 | @dfn{quit} whatever it is doing. This means that control returns to the | |
2931 | innermost active command loop. | |
2932 | ||
2933 | Typing @kbd{C-g} while the command loop is waiting for keyboard input | |
2934 | does not cause a quit; it acts as an ordinary input character. In the | |
2935 | simplest case, you cannot tell the difference, because @kbd{C-g} | |
2936 | normally runs the command @code{keyboard-quit}, whose effect is to quit. | |
2937 | However, when @kbd{C-g} follows a prefix key, they combine to form an | |
2938 | undefined key. The effect is to cancel the prefix key as well as any | |
2939 | prefix argument. | |
2940 | ||
2941 | In the minibuffer, @kbd{C-g} has a different definition: it aborts out | |
2942 | of the minibuffer. This means, in effect, that it exits the minibuffer | |
2943 | and then quits. (Simply quitting would return to the command loop | |
2944 | @emph{within} the minibuffer.) The reason why @kbd{C-g} does not quit | |
2945 | directly when the command reader is reading input is so that its meaning | |
2946 | can be redefined in the minibuffer in this way. @kbd{C-g} following a | |
2947 | prefix key is not redefined in the minibuffer, and it has its normal | |
2948 | effect of canceling the prefix key and prefix argument. This too | |
2949 | would not be possible if @kbd{C-g} always quit directly. | |
2950 | ||
2951 | When @kbd{C-g} does directly quit, it does so by setting the variable | |
2952 | @code{quit-flag} to @code{t}. Emacs checks this variable at appropriate | |
2953 | times and quits if it is not @code{nil}. Setting @code{quit-flag} | |
2954 | non-@code{nil} in any way thus causes a quit. | |
2955 | ||
2956 | At the level of C code, quitting cannot happen just anywhere; only at the | |
2957 | special places that check @code{quit-flag}. The reason for this is | |
2958 | that quitting at other places might leave an inconsistency in Emacs's | |
2959 | internal state. Because quitting is delayed until a safe place, quitting | |
2960 | cannot make Emacs crash. | |
2961 | ||
2962 | Certain functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} or | |
2963 | @code{read-quoted-char} prevent quitting entirely even though they wait | |
2964 | for input. Instead of quitting, @kbd{C-g} serves as the requested | |
2965 | input. In the case of @code{read-key-sequence}, this serves to bring | |
2966 | about the special behavior of @kbd{C-g} in the command loop. In the | |
2967 | case of @code{read-quoted-char}, this is so that @kbd{C-q} can be used | |
2968 | to quote a @kbd{C-g}. | |
2969 | ||
2970 | @cindex preventing quitting | |
2971 | You can prevent quitting for a portion of a Lisp function by binding | |
2972 | the variable @code{inhibit-quit} to a non-@code{nil} value. Then, | |
2973 | although @kbd{C-g} still sets @code{quit-flag} to @code{t} as usual, the | |
2974 | usual result of this---a quit---is prevented. Eventually, | |
2975 | @code{inhibit-quit} will become @code{nil} again, such as when its | |
2976 | binding is unwound at the end of a @code{let} form. At that time, if | |
2977 | @code{quit-flag} is still non-@code{nil}, the requested quit happens | |
2978 | immediately. This behavior is ideal when you wish to make sure that | |
2979 | quitting does not happen within a ``critical section'' of the program. | |
2980 | ||
2981 | @cindex @code{read-quoted-char} quitting | |
2982 | In some functions (such as @code{read-quoted-char}), @kbd{C-g} is | |
2983 | handled in a special way that does not involve quitting. This is done | |
2984 | by reading the input with @code{inhibit-quit} bound to @code{t}, and | |
2985 | setting @code{quit-flag} to @code{nil} before @code{inhibit-quit} | |
2986 | becomes @code{nil} again. This excerpt from the definition of | |
2987 | @code{read-quoted-char} shows how this is done; it also shows that | |
2988 | normal quitting is permitted after the first character of input. | |
2989 | ||
2990 | @example | |
2991 | (defun read-quoted-char (&optional prompt) | |
2992 | "@dots{}@var{documentation}@dots{}" | |
2993 | (let ((message-log-max nil) done (first t) (code 0) char) | |
2994 | (while (not done) | |
2995 | (let ((inhibit-quit first) | |
2996 | @dots{}) | |
d24880de GM |
2997 | (and prompt (message "%s-" prompt)) |
2998 | (setq char (read-event)) | |
2999 | (if inhibit-quit (setq quit-flag nil))) | |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3000 | @r{@dots{}set the variable @code{code}@dots{}}) |
3001 | code)) | |
3002 | @end example | |
3003 | ||
3004 | @defvar quit-flag | |
3005 | If this variable is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs quits immediately, unless | |
3006 | @code{inhibit-quit} is non-@code{nil}. Typing @kbd{C-g} ordinarily sets | |
3007 | @code{quit-flag} non-@code{nil}, regardless of @code{inhibit-quit}. | |
3008 | @end defvar | |
3009 | ||
3010 | @defvar inhibit-quit | |
3011 | This variable determines whether Emacs should quit when @code{quit-flag} | |
3012 | is set to a value other than @code{nil}. If @code{inhibit-quit} is | |
3013 | non-@code{nil}, then @code{quit-flag} has no special effect. | |
3014 | @end defvar | |
3015 | ||
3016 | @defmac with-local-quit body@dots{} | |
3017 | This macro executes @var{body} forms in sequence, but allows quitting, at | |
3018 | least locally, within @var{body} even if @code{inhibit-quit} was | |
3019 | non-@code{nil} outside this construct. It returns the value of the | |
3020 | last form in @var{body}, unless exited by quitting, in which case | |
3021 | it returns @code{nil}. | |
3022 | ||
3023 | If @code{inhibit-quit} is @code{nil} on entry to @code{with-local-quit}, | |
3024 | it only executes the @var{body}, and setting @code{quit-flag} causes | |
3025 | a normal quit. However, if @code{inhibit-quit} is non-@code{nil} so | |
3026 | that ordinary quitting is delayed, a non-@code{nil} @code{quit-flag} | |
3027 | triggers a special kind of local quit. This ends the execution of | |
3028 | @var{body} and exits the @code{with-local-quit} body with | |
3029 | @code{quit-flag} still non-@code{nil}, so that another (ordinary) quit | |
3030 | will happen as soon as that is allowed. If @code{quit-flag} is | |
3031 | already non-@code{nil} at the beginning of @var{body}, the local quit | |
3032 | happens immediately and the body doesn't execute at all. | |
3033 | ||
3034 | This macro is mainly useful in functions that can be called from | |
3035 | timers, process filters, process sentinels, @code{pre-command-hook}, | |
3036 | @code{post-command-hook}, and other places where @code{inhibit-quit} is | |
3037 | normally bound to @code{t}. | |
3038 | @end defmac | |
3039 | ||
3040 | @deffn Command keyboard-quit | |
3041 | This function signals the @code{quit} condition with @code{(signal 'quit | |
3042 | nil)}. This is the same thing that quitting does. (See @code{signal} | |
3043 | in @ref{Errors}.) | |
3044 | @end deffn | |
3045 | ||
3046 | You can specify a character other than @kbd{C-g} to use for quitting. | |
3047 | See the function @code{set-input-mode} in @ref{Terminal Input}. | |
3048 | ||
3049 | @node Prefix Command Arguments | |
3050 | @section Prefix Command Arguments | |
3051 | @cindex prefix argument | |
3052 | @cindex raw prefix argument | |
3053 | @cindex numeric prefix argument | |
3054 | ||
3055 | Most Emacs commands can use a @dfn{prefix argument}, a number | |
3056 | specified before the command itself. (Don't confuse prefix arguments | |
3057 | with prefix keys.) The prefix argument is at all times represented by a | |
3058 | value, which may be @code{nil}, meaning there is currently no prefix | |
3059 | argument. Each command may use the prefix argument or ignore it. | |
3060 | ||
3061 | There are two representations of the prefix argument: @dfn{raw} and | |
3062 | @dfn{numeric}. The editor command loop uses the raw representation | |
3063 | internally, and so do the Lisp variables that store the information, but | |
3064 | commands can request either representation. | |
3065 | ||
3066 | Here are the possible values of a raw prefix argument: | |
3067 | ||
3068 | @itemize @bullet | |
3069 | @item | |
3070 | @code{nil}, meaning there is no prefix argument. Its numeric value is | |
3071 | 1, but numerous commands make a distinction between @code{nil} and the | |
3072 | integer 1. | |
3073 | ||
3074 | @item | |
3075 | An integer, which stands for itself. | |
3076 | ||
3077 | @item | |
3078 | A list of one element, which is an integer. This form of prefix | |
07151e49 | 3079 | argument results from one or a succession of @kbd{C-u}s with no |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3080 | digits. The numeric value is the integer in the list, but some |
3081 | commands make a distinction between such a list and an integer alone. | |
3082 | ||
3083 | @item | |
3084 | The symbol @code{-}. This indicates that @kbd{M--} or @kbd{C-u -} was | |
3085 | typed, without following digits. The equivalent numeric value is | |
3086 | @minus{}1, but some commands make a distinction between the integer | |
3087 | @minus{}1 and the symbol @code{-}. | |
3088 | @end itemize | |
3089 | ||
3090 | We illustrate these possibilities by calling the following function with | |
3091 | various prefixes: | |
3092 | ||
3093 | @example | |
3094 | @group | |
3095 | (defun display-prefix (arg) | |
3096 | "Display the value of the raw prefix arg." | |
3097 | (interactive "P") | |
3098 | (message "%s" arg)) | |
3099 | @end group | |
3100 | @end example | |
3101 | ||
3102 | @noindent | |
3103 | Here are the results of calling @code{display-prefix} with various | |
3104 | raw prefix arguments: | |
3105 | ||
3106 | @example | |
3107 | M-x display-prefix @print{} nil | |
3108 | ||
3109 | C-u M-x display-prefix @print{} (4) | |
3110 | ||
3111 | C-u C-u M-x display-prefix @print{} (16) | |
3112 | ||
3113 | C-u 3 M-x display-prefix @print{} 3 | |
3114 | ||
3115 | M-3 M-x display-prefix @print{} 3 ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u 3}.)} | |
3116 | ||
3117 | C-u - M-x display-prefix @print{} - | |
3118 | ||
3119 | M-- M-x display-prefix @print{} - ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u -}.)} | |
3120 | ||
3121 | C-u - 7 M-x display-prefix @print{} -7 | |
3122 | ||
3123 | M-- 7 M-x display-prefix @print{} -7 ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u -7}.)} | |
3124 | @end example | |
3125 | ||
3126 | Emacs uses two variables to store the prefix argument: | |
3127 | @code{prefix-arg} and @code{current-prefix-arg}. Commands such as | |
3128 | @code{universal-argument} that set up prefix arguments for other | |
3129 | commands store them in @code{prefix-arg}. In contrast, | |
3130 | @code{current-prefix-arg} conveys the prefix argument to the current | |
3131 | command, so setting it has no effect on the prefix arguments for future | |
3132 | commands. | |
3133 | ||
3134 | Normally, commands specify which representation to use for the prefix | |
3135 | argument, either numeric or raw, in the @code{interactive} specification. | |
3136 | (@xref{Using Interactive}.) Alternatively, functions may look at the | |
3137 | value of the prefix argument directly in the variable | |
3138 | @code{current-prefix-arg}, but this is less clean. | |
3139 | ||
3140 | @defun prefix-numeric-value arg | |
3141 | This function returns the numeric meaning of a valid raw prefix argument | |
3142 | value, @var{arg}. The argument may be a symbol, a number, or a list. | |
3143 | If it is @code{nil}, the value 1 is returned; if it is @code{-}, the | |
3144 | value @minus{}1 is returned; if it is a number, that number is returned; | |
3145 | if it is a list, the @sc{car} of that list (which should be a number) is | |
3146 | returned. | |
3147 | @end defun | |
3148 | ||
3149 | @defvar current-prefix-arg | |
3150 | This variable holds the raw prefix argument for the @emph{current} | |
3151 | command. Commands may examine it directly, but the usual method for | |
3152 | accessing it is with @code{(interactive "P")}. | |
3153 | @end defvar | |
3154 | ||
3155 | @defvar prefix-arg | |
3156 | The value of this variable is the raw prefix argument for the | |
3157 | @emph{next} editing command. Commands such as @code{universal-argument} | |
3158 | that specify prefix arguments for the following command work by setting | |
3159 | this variable. | |
3160 | @end defvar | |
3161 | ||
3162 | @defvar last-prefix-arg | |
3163 | The raw prefix argument value used by the previous command. | |
3164 | @end defvar | |
3165 | ||
3166 | The following commands exist to set up prefix arguments for the | |
3167 | following command. Do not call them for any other reason. | |
3168 | ||
3169 | @deffn Command universal-argument | |
3170 | This command reads input and specifies a prefix argument for the | |
3171 | following command. Don't call this command yourself unless you know | |
3172 | what you are doing. | |
3173 | @end deffn | |
3174 | ||
3175 | @deffn Command digit-argument arg | |
3176 | This command adds to the prefix argument for the following command. The | |
3177 | argument @var{arg} is the raw prefix argument as it was before this | |
3178 | command; it is used to compute the updated prefix argument. Don't call | |
3179 | this command yourself unless you know what you are doing. | |
3180 | @end deffn | |
3181 | ||
3182 | @deffn Command negative-argument arg | |
3183 | This command adds to the numeric argument for the next command. The | |
3184 | argument @var{arg} is the raw prefix argument as it was before this | |
3185 | command; its value is negated to form the new prefix argument. Don't | |
3186 | call this command yourself unless you know what you are doing. | |
3187 | @end deffn | |
3188 | ||
3189 | @node Recursive Editing | |
3190 | @section Recursive Editing | |
3191 | @cindex recursive command loop | |
3192 | @cindex recursive editing level | |
3193 | @cindex command loop, recursive | |
3194 | ||
3195 | The Emacs command loop is entered automatically when Emacs starts up. | |
3196 | This top-level invocation of the command loop never exits; it keeps | |
3197 | running as long as Emacs does. Lisp programs can also invoke the | |
3198 | command loop. Since this makes more than one activation of the command | |
3199 | loop, we call it @dfn{recursive editing}. A recursive editing level has | |
3200 | the effect of suspending whatever command invoked it and permitting the | |
3201 | user to do arbitrary editing before resuming that command. | |
3202 | ||
3203 | The commands available during recursive editing are the same ones | |
3204 | available in the top-level editing loop and defined in the keymaps. | |
3205 | Only a few special commands exit the recursive editing level; the others | |
3206 | return to the recursive editing level when they finish. (The special | |
3207 | commands for exiting are always available, but they do nothing when | |
3208 | recursive editing is not in progress.) | |
3209 | ||
3210 | All command loops, including recursive ones, set up all-purpose error | |
3211 | handlers so that an error in a command run from the command loop will | |
3212 | not exit the loop. | |
3213 | ||
3214 | @cindex minibuffer input | |
3215 | Minibuffer input is a special kind of recursive editing. It has a few | |
3216 | special wrinkles, such as enabling display of the minibuffer and the | |
3217 | minibuffer window, but fewer than you might suppose. Certain keys | |
3218 | behave differently in the minibuffer, but that is only because of the | |
3219 | minibuffer's local map; if you switch windows, you get the usual Emacs | |
3220 | commands. | |
3221 | ||
3222 | @cindex @code{throw} example | |
3223 | @kindex exit | |
3224 | @cindex exit recursive editing | |
3225 | @cindex aborting | |
3226 | To invoke a recursive editing level, call the function | |
3227 | @code{recursive-edit}. This function contains the command loop; it also | |
3228 | contains a call to @code{catch} with tag @code{exit}, which makes it | |
3229 | possible to exit the recursive editing level by throwing to @code{exit} | |
3230 | (@pxref{Catch and Throw}). If you throw a value other than @code{t}, | |
3231 | then @code{recursive-edit} returns normally to the function that called | |
3232 | it. The command @kbd{C-M-c} (@code{exit-recursive-edit}) does this. | |
3233 | Throwing a @code{t} value causes @code{recursive-edit} to quit, so that | |
3234 | control returns to the command loop one level up. This is called | |
3235 | @dfn{aborting}, and is done by @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}). | |
3236 | ||
3237 | Most applications should not use recursive editing, except as part of | |
3238 | using the minibuffer. Usually it is more convenient for the user if you | |
3239 | change the major mode of the current buffer temporarily to a special | |
3240 | major mode, which should have a command to go back to the previous mode. | |
3241 | (The @kbd{e} command in Rmail uses this technique.) Or, if you wish to | |
16152b76 | 3242 | give the user different text to edit ``recursively'', create and select |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3243 | a new buffer in a special mode. In this mode, define a command to |
3244 | complete the processing and go back to the previous buffer. (The | |
3245 | @kbd{m} command in Rmail does this.) | |
3246 | ||
3247 | Recursive edits are useful in debugging. You can insert a call to | |
3248 | @code{debug} into a function definition as a sort of breakpoint, so that | |
3249 | you can look around when the function gets there. @code{debug} invokes | |
3250 | a recursive edit but also provides the other features of the debugger. | |
3251 | ||
3252 | Recursive editing levels are also used when you type @kbd{C-r} in | |
3253 | @code{query-replace} or use @kbd{C-x q} (@code{kbd-macro-query}). | |
3254 | ||
0b128ac4 | 3255 | @deffn Command recursive-edit |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3256 | @cindex suspend evaluation |
3257 | This function invokes the editor command loop. It is called | |
3258 | automatically by the initialization of Emacs, to let the user begin | |
3259 | editing. When called from a Lisp program, it enters a recursive editing | |
3260 | level. | |
3261 | ||
3262 | If the current buffer is not the same as the selected window's buffer, | |
3263 | @code{recursive-edit} saves and restores the current buffer. Otherwise, | |
3264 | if you switch buffers, the buffer you switched to is current after | |
3265 | @code{recursive-edit} returns. | |
3266 | ||
3267 | In the following example, the function @code{simple-rec} first | |
3268 | advances point one word, then enters a recursive edit, printing out a | |
3269 | message in the echo area. The user can then do any editing desired, and | |
3270 | then type @kbd{C-M-c} to exit and continue executing @code{simple-rec}. | |
3271 | ||
3272 | @example | |
3273 | (defun simple-rec () | |
3274 | (forward-word 1) | |
3275 | (message "Recursive edit in progress") | |
3276 | (recursive-edit) | |
3277 | (forward-word 1)) | |
3278 | @result{} simple-rec | |
3279 | (simple-rec) | |
3280 | @result{} nil | |
3281 | @end example | |
0b128ac4 | 3282 | @end deffn |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3283 | |
3284 | @deffn Command exit-recursive-edit | |
3285 | This function exits from the innermost recursive edit (including | |
3286 | minibuffer input). Its definition is effectively @code{(throw 'exit | |
3287 | nil)}. | |
3288 | @end deffn | |
3289 | ||
3290 | @deffn Command abort-recursive-edit | |
3291 | This function aborts the command that requested the innermost recursive | |
3292 | edit (including minibuffer input), by signaling @code{quit} | |
3293 | after exiting the recursive edit. Its definition is effectively | |
3294 | @code{(throw 'exit t)}. @xref{Quitting}. | |
3295 | @end deffn | |
3296 | ||
3297 | @deffn Command top-level | |
3298 | This function exits all recursive editing levels; it does not return a | |
3299 | value, as it jumps completely out of any computation directly back to | |
3300 | the main command loop. | |
3301 | @end deffn | |
3302 | ||
3303 | @defun recursion-depth | |
3304 | This function returns the current depth of recursive edits. When no | |
3305 | recursive edit is active, it returns 0. | |
3306 | @end defun | |
3307 | ||
3308 | @node Disabling Commands | |
3309 | @section Disabling Commands | |
3310 | @cindex disabled command | |
3311 | ||
3312 | @dfn{Disabling a command} marks the command as requiring user | |
3313 | confirmation before it can be executed. Disabling is used for commands | |
3314 | which might be confusing to beginning users, to prevent them from using | |
3315 | the commands by accident. | |
3316 | ||
3317 | @kindex disabled | |
3318 | The low-level mechanism for disabling a command is to put a | |
3319 | non-@code{nil} @code{disabled} property on the Lisp symbol for the | |
3320 | command. These properties are normally set up by the user's | |
3321 | init file (@pxref{Init File}) with Lisp expressions such as this: | |
3322 | ||
3323 | @example | |
3324 | (put 'upcase-region 'disabled t) | |
3325 | @end example | |
3326 | ||
3327 | @noindent | |
3328 | For a few commands, these properties are present by default (you can | |
3329 | remove them in your init file if you wish). | |
3330 | ||
3331 | If the value of the @code{disabled} property is a string, the message | |
3332 | saying the command is disabled includes that string. For example: | |
3333 | ||
3334 | @example | |
3335 | (put 'delete-region 'disabled | |
3336 | "Text deleted this way cannot be yanked back!\n") | |
3337 | @end example | |
3338 | ||
3339 | @xref{Disabling,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for the details on | |
3340 | what happens when a disabled command is invoked interactively. | |
3341 | Disabling a command has no effect on calling it as a function from Lisp | |
3342 | programs. | |
3343 | ||
3344 | @deffn Command enable-command command | |
3345 | Allow @var{command} (a symbol) to be executed without special | |
3346 | confirmation from now on, and alter the user's init file (@pxref{Init | |
3347 | File}) so that this will apply to future sessions. | |
3348 | @end deffn | |
3349 | ||
3350 | @deffn Command disable-command command | |
3351 | Require special confirmation to execute @var{command} from now on, and | |
3352 | alter the user's init file so that this will apply to future sessions. | |
3353 | @end deffn | |
3354 | ||
3355 | @defvar disabled-command-function | |
3356 | The value of this variable should be a function. When the user | |
3357 | invokes a disabled command interactively, this function is called | |
3358 | instead of the disabled command. It can use @code{this-command-keys} | |
3359 | to determine what the user typed to run the command, and thus find the | |
3360 | command itself. | |
3361 | ||
3362 | The value may also be @code{nil}. Then all commands work normally, | |
3363 | even disabled ones. | |
3364 | ||
3365 | By default, the value is a function that asks the user whether to | |
3366 | proceed. | |
3367 | @end defvar | |
3368 | ||
3369 | @node Command History | |
3370 | @section Command History | |
3371 | @cindex command history | |
3372 | @cindex complex command | |
3373 | @cindex history of commands | |
3374 | ||
3375 | The command loop keeps a history of the complex commands that have | |
3376 | been executed, to make it convenient to repeat these commands. A | |
3377 | @dfn{complex command} is one for which the interactive argument reading | |
3378 | uses the minibuffer. This includes any @kbd{M-x} command, any | |
3379 | @kbd{M-:} command, and any command whose @code{interactive} | |
3380 | specification reads an argument from the minibuffer. Explicit use of | |
3381 | the minibuffer during the execution of the command itself does not cause | |
3382 | the command to be considered complex. | |
3383 | ||
3384 | @defvar command-history | |
3385 | This variable's value is a list of recent complex commands, each | |
3386 | represented as a form to evaluate. It continues to accumulate all | |
3387 | complex commands for the duration of the editing session, but when it | |
3388 | reaches the maximum size (@pxref{Minibuffer History}), the oldest | |
3389 | elements are deleted as new ones are added. | |
3390 | ||
3391 | @example | |
3392 | @group | |
3393 | command-history | |
3394 | @result{} ((switch-to-buffer "chistory.texi") | |
3395 | (describe-key "^X^[") | |
3396 | (visit-tags-table "~/emacs/src/") | |
3397 | (find-tag "repeat-complex-command")) | |
3398 | @end group | |
3399 | @end example | |
3400 | @end defvar | |
3401 | ||
3402 | This history list is actually a special case of minibuffer history | |
3403 | (@pxref{Minibuffer History}), with one special twist: the elements are | |
3404 | expressions rather than strings. | |
3405 | ||
3406 | There are a number of commands devoted to the editing and recall of | |
3407 | previous commands. The commands @code{repeat-complex-command}, and | |
3408 | @code{list-command-history} are described in the user manual | |
3409 | (@pxref{Repetition,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). Within the | |
3410 | minibuffer, the usual minibuffer history commands are available. | |
3411 | ||
3412 | @node Keyboard Macros | |
3413 | @section Keyboard Macros | |
3414 | @cindex keyboard macros | |
3415 | ||
3416 | A @dfn{keyboard macro} is a canned sequence of input events that can | |
3417 | be considered a command and made the definition of a key. The Lisp | |
3418 | representation of a keyboard macro is a string or vector containing the | |
3419 | events. Don't confuse keyboard macros with Lisp macros | |
3420 | (@pxref{Macros}). | |
3421 | ||
3422 | @defun execute-kbd-macro kbdmacro &optional count loopfunc | |
3423 | This function executes @var{kbdmacro} as a sequence of events. If | |
3424 | @var{kbdmacro} is a string or vector, then the events in it are executed | |
3425 | exactly as if they had been input by the user. The sequence is | |
3426 | @emph{not} expected to be a single key sequence; normally a keyboard | |
3427 | macro definition consists of several key sequences concatenated. | |
3428 | ||
3429 | If @var{kbdmacro} is a symbol, then its function definition is used in | |
3430 | place of @var{kbdmacro}. If that is another symbol, this process repeats. | |
3431 | Eventually the result should be a string or vector. If the result is | |
3432 | not a symbol, string, or vector, an error is signaled. | |
3433 | ||
3434 | The argument @var{count} is a repeat count; @var{kbdmacro} is executed that | |
3435 | many times. If @var{count} is omitted or @code{nil}, @var{kbdmacro} is | |
3436 | executed once. If it is 0, @var{kbdmacro} is executed over and over until it | |
3437 | encounters an error or a failing search. | |
3438 | ||
3439 | If @var{loopfunc} is non-@code{nil}, it is a function that is called, | |
3440 | without arguments, prior to each iteration of the macro. If | |
3441 | @var{loopfunc} returns @code{nil}, then this stops execution of the macro. | |
3442 | ||
3443 | @xref{Reading One Event}, for an example of using @code{execute-kbd-macro}. | |
3444 | @end defun | |
3445 | ||
3446 | @defvar executing-kbd-macro | |
3447 | This variable contains the string or vector that defines the keyboard | |
3448 | macro that is currently executing. It is @code{nil} if no macro is | |
3449 | currently executing. A command can test this variable so as to behave | |
3450 | differently when run from an executing macro. Do not set this variable | |
3451 | yourself. | |
3452 | @end defvar | |
3453 | ||
3454 | @defvar defining-kbd-macro | |
3455 | This variable is non-@code{nil} if and only if a keyboard macro is | |
3456 | being defined. A command can test this variable so as to behave | |
3457 | differently while a macro is being defined. The value is | |
3458 | @code{append} while appending to the definition of an existing macro. | |
3459 | The commands @code{start-kbd-macro}, @code{kmacro-start-macro} and | |
3460 | @code{end-kbd-macro} set this variable---do not set it yourself. | |
3461 | ||
3462 | The variable is always local to the current terminal and cannot be | |
3ec61d4e | 3463 | buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Terminals}. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3464 | @end defvar |
3465 | ||
3466 | @defvar last-kbd-macro | |
3467 | This variable is the definition of the most recently defined keyboard | |
3468 | macro. Its value is a string or vector, or @code{nil}. | |
3469 | ||
3470 | The variable is always local to the current terminal and cannot be | |
3ec61d4e | 3471 | buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Terminals}. |
b8d4c8d0 GM |
3472 | @end defvar |
3473 | ||
3474 | @defvar kbd-macro-termination-hook | |
2064cc6a GM |
3475 | This normal hook is run when a keyboard macro terminates, regardless |
3476 | of what caused it to terminate (reaching the macro end or an error | |
3477 | which ended the macro prematurely). | |
b8d4c8d0 | 3478 | @end defvar |