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1 | @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 | @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
fd897522 GM |
3 | @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999 |
4 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
5 | @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 | @setfilename ../info/internals | |
7 | @node GNU Emacs Internals, Standard Errors, Tips, Top | |
8 | @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
9 | @appendix GNU Emacs Internals | |
10 | ||
11 | This chapter describes how the runnable Emacs executable is dumped with | |
12 | the preloaded Lisp libraries in it, how storage is allocated, and some | |
13 | internal aspects of GNU Emacs that may be of interest to C programmers. | |
14 | ||
15 | @menu | |
969fe9b5 | 16 | * Building Emacs:: How to the dumped Emacs is made. |
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17 | * Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable. |
18 | * Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used. | |
969fe9b5 | 19 | * Memory Usage:: Info about total size of Lisp objects made so far. |
a44af9f2 RS |
20 | * Writing Emacs Primitives:: Writing C code for Emacs. |
21 | * Object Internals:: Data formats of buffers, windows, processes. | |
22 | @end menu | |
23 | ||
969fe9b5 | 24 | @node Building Emacs |
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25 | @appendixsec Building Emacs |
26 | @cindex building Emacs | |
27 | @pindex temacs | |
28 | ||
29 | This section explains the steps involved in building the Emacs | |
30 | executable. You don't have to know this material to build and install | |
31 | Emacs, since the makefiles do all these things automatically. This | |
32 | information is pertinent to Emacs maintenance. | |
33 | ||
34 | Compilation of the C source files in the @file{src} directory | |
35 | produces an executable file called @file{temacs}, also called a | |
36 | @dfn{bare impure Emacs}. It contains the Emacs Lisp interpreter and I/O | |
37 | routines, but not the editing commands. | |
38 | ||
39 | @cindex @file{loadup.el} | |
40 | The command @w{@samp{temacs -l loadup}} uses @file{temacs} to create | |
41 | the real runnable Emacs executable. These arguments direct | |
42 | @file{temacs} to evaluate the Lisp files specified in the file | |
43 | @file{loadup.el}. These files set up the normal Emacs editing | |
574efc83 | 44 | environment, resulting in an Emacs that is still impure but no longer |
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45 | bare. |
46 | ||
47 | It takes a substantial time to load the standard Lisp files. Luckily, | |
48 | you don't have to do this each time you run Emacs; @file{temacs} can | |
574efc83 | 49 | dump out an executable program called @file{emacs} that has these files |
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50 | preloaded. @file{emacs} starts more quickly because it does not need to |
51 | load the files. This is the Emacs executable that is normally | |
52 | installed. | |
53 | ||
54 | To create @file{emacs}, use the command @samp{temacs -batch -l loadup | |
55 | dump}. The purpose of @samp{-batch} here is to prevent @file{temacs} | |
56 | from trying to initialize any of its data on the terminal; this ensures | |
57 | that the tables of terminal information are empty in the dumped Emacs. | |
58 | The argument @samp{dump} tells @file{loadup.el} to dump a new executable | |
59 | named @file{emacs}. | |
60 | ||
61 | Some operating systems don't support dumping. On those systems, you | |
62 | must start Emacs with the @samp{temacs -l loadup} command each time you | |
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63 | use it. This takes a substantial time, but since you need to start |
64 | Emacs once a day at most---or once a week if you never log out---the | |
65 | extra time is not too severe a problem. | |
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66 | |
67 | @cindex @file{site-load.el} | |
95260b26 | 68 | |
a44af9f2 | 69 | You can specify additional files to preload by writing a library named |
95260b26 GM |
70 | @file{site-load.el} that loads them. You may need to add a definition |
71 | ||
72 | @example | |
73 | #define SITELOAD_PURESIZE_EXTRA @var{n} | |
74 | @end example | |
75 | ||
76 | @noindent | |
77 | to make @var{n} added bytes of pure space to hold the additional files. | |
78 | (Try adding increments of 20000 until it is big enough.) However, the | |
79 | advantage of preloading additional files decreases as machines get | |
80 | faster. On modern machines, it is usually not advisable. | |
a44af9f2 | 81 | |
2a664e73 RS |
82 | After @file{loadup.el} reads @file{site-load.el}, it finds the |
83 | documentation strings for primitive and preloaded functions (and | |
84 | variables) in the file @file{etc/DOC} where they are stored, by calling | |
85 | @code{Snarf-documentation} (@pxref{Accessing Documentation}). | |
86 | ||
a44af9f2 | 87 | @cindex @file{site-init.el} |
a890e1b0 | 88 | You can specify other Lisp expressions to execute just before dumping |
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89 | by putting them in a library named @file{site-init.el}. This file is |
90 | executed after the documentation strings are found. | |
a44af9f2 | 91 | |
2a664e73 RS |
92 | If you want to preload function or variable definitions, there are |
93 | three ways you can do this and make their documentation strings | |
94 | accessible when you subsequently run Emacs: | |
95 | ||
96 | @itemize @bullet | |
97 | @item | |
98 | Arrange to scan these files when producing the @file{etc/DOC} file, | |
99 | and load them with @file{site-load.el}. | |
100 | ||
101 | @item | |
102 | Load the files with @file{site-init.el}, then copy the files into the | |
103 | installation directory for Lisp files when you install Emacs. | |
104 | ||
105 | @item | |
106 | Specify a non-@code{nil} value for | |
8241495d | 107 | @code{byte-compile-dynamic-docstrings} as a local variable in each of these |
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108 | files, and load them with either @file{site-load.el} or |
109 | @file{site-init.el}. (This method has the drawback that the | |
110 | documentation strings take up space in Emacs all the time.) | |
111 | @end itemize | |
112 | ||
113 | It is not advisable to put anything in @file{site-load.el} or | |
114 | @file{site-init.el} that would alter any of the features that users | |
115 | expect in an ordinary unmodified Emacs. If you feel you must override | |
116 | normal features for your site, do it with @file{default.el}, so that | |
8241495d | 117 | users can override your changes if they wish. @xref{Startup Summary}. |
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118 | |
119 | @defun dump-emacs to-file from-file | |
120 | @cindex unexec | |
cb017dde | 121 | This function dumps the current state of Emacs into an executable file |
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122 | @var{to-file}. It takes symbols from @var{from-file} (this is normally |
123 | the executable file @file{temacs}). | |
124 | ||
cb017dde RS |
125 | If you want to use this function in an Emacs that was already dumped, |
126 | you must run Emacs with @samp{-batch}. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
127 | @end defun |
128 | ||
969fe9b5 | 129 | @node Pure Storage |
a44af9f2 RS |
130 | @appendixsec Pure Storage |
131 | @cindex pure storage | |
132 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
133 | Emacs Lisp uses two kinds of storage for user-created Lisp objects: |
134 | @dfn{normal storage} and @dfn{pure storage}. Normal storage is where | |
8241495d | 135 | all the new data created during an Emacs session are kept; see the |
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136 | following section for information on normal storage. Pure storage is |
137 | used for certain data in the preloaded standard Lisp files---data that | |
138 | should never change during actual use of Emacs. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
139 | |
140 | Pure storage is allocated only while @file{temacs} is loading the | |
141 | standard preloaded Lisp libraries. In the file @file{emacs}, it is | |
574efc83 | 142 | marked as read-only (on operating systems that permit this), so that |
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143 | the memory space can be shared by all the Emacs jobs running on the |
144 | machine at once. Pure storage is not expandable; a fixed amount is | |
145 | allocated when Emacs is compiled, and if that is not sufficient for the | |
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146 | preloaded libraries, @file{temacs} crashes. If that happens, you must |
147 | increase the compilation parameter @code{PURESIZE} in the file | |
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148 | @file{src/puresize.h}. This normally won't happen unless you try to |
149 | preload additional libraries or add features to the standard ones. | |
150 | ||
151 | @defun purecopy object | |
8241495d RS |
152 | This function makes a copy in pure storage of @var{object}, and returns |
153 | it. It copies a string by simply making a new string with the same | |
a44af9f2 | 154 | characters in pure storage. It recursively copies the contents of |
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155 | vectors and cons cells. It does not make copies of other objects such |
156 | as symbols, but just returns them unchanged. It signals an error if | |
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157 | asked to copy markers. |
158 | ||
c2cd5fb7 RS |
159 | This function is a no-op except while Emacs is being built and dumped; |
160 | it is usually called only in the file @file{emacs/lisp/loaddefs.el}, but | |
161 | a few packages call it just in case you decide to preload them. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
162 | @end defun |
163 | ||
164 | @defvar pure-bytes-used | |
a890e1b0 | 165 | The value of this variable is the number of bytes of pure storage |
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166 | allocated so far. Typically, in a dumped Emacs, this number is very |
167 | close to the total amount of pure storage available---if it were not, | |
168 | we would preallocate less. | |
169 | @end defvar | |
170 | ||
171 | @defvar purify-flag | |
a890e1b0 | 172 | This variable determines whether @code{defun} should make a copy of the |
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173 | function definition in pure storage. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the |
174 | function definition is copied into pure storage. | |
175 | ||
a890e1b0 | 176 | This flag is @code{t} while loading all of the basic functions for |
a44af9f2 | 177 | building Emacs initially (allowing those functions to be sharable and |
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178 | non-collectible). Dumping Emacs as an executable always writes |
179 | @code{nil} in this variable, regardless of the value it actually has | |
180 | before and after dumping. | |
a44af9f2 | 181 | |
a890e1b0 | 182 | You should not change this flag in a running Emacs. |
a44af9f2 RS |
183 | @end defvar |
184 | ||
969fe9b5 | 185 | @node Garbage Collection |
a44af9f2 RS |
186 | @appendixsec Garbage Collection |
187 | @cindex garbage collector | |
188 | ||
189 | @cindex memory allocation | |
190 | When a program creates a list or the user defines a new function (such | |
a890e1b0 RS |
191 | as by loading a library), that data is placed in normal storage. If |
192 | normal storage runs low, then Emacs asks the operating system to | |
a44af9f2 | 193 | allocate more memory in blocks of 1k bytes. Each block is used for one |
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194 | type of Lisp object, so symbols, cons cells, markers, etc., are |
195 | segregated in distinct blocks in memory. (Vectors, long strings, | |
196 | buffers and certain other editing types, which are fairly large, are | |
197 | allocated in individual blocks, one per object, while small strings are | |
198 | packed into blocks of 8k bytes.) | |
199 | ||
200 | It is quite common to use some storage for a while, then release it by | |
201 | (for example) killing a buffer or deleting the last pointer to an | |
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202 | object. Emacs provides a @dfn{garbage collector} to reclaim this |
203 | abandoned storage. (This name is traditional, but ``garbage recycler'' | |
204 | might be a more intuitive metaphor for this facility.) | |
205 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
206 | The garbage collector operates by finding and marking all Lisp objects |
207 | that are still accessible to Lisp programs. To begin with, it assumes | |
208 | all the symbols, their values and associated function definitions, and | |
574efc83 | 209 | any data presently on the stack, are accessible. Any objects that can |
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210 | be reached indirectly through other accessible objects are also |
211 | accessible. | |
a44af9f2 | 212 | |
a890e1b0 | 213 | When marking is finished, all objects still unmarked are garbage. No |
a44af9f2 | 214 | matter what the Lisp program or the user does, it is impossible to refer |
a890e1b0 | 215 | to them, since there is no longer a way to reach them. Their space |
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216 | might as well be reused, since no one will miss them. The second |
217 | (``sweep'') phase of the garbage collector arranges to reuse them. | |
a44af9f2 | 218 | |
05aea714 | 219 | @c ??? Maybe add something describing weak hash tables here? |
95260b26 | 220 | |
a44af9f2 | 221 | @cindex free list |
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222 | The sweep phase puts unused cons cells onto a @dfn{free list} |
223 | for future allocation; likewise for symbols and markers. It compacts | |
224 | the accessible strings so they occupy fewer 8k blocks; then it frees the | |
574efc83 | 225 | other 8k blocks. Vectors, buffers, windows, and other large objects are |
a890e1b0 | 226 | individually allocated and freed using @code{malloc} and @code{free}. |
a44af9f2 RS |
227 | |
228 | @cindex CL note---allocate more storage | |
229 | @quotation | |
574efc83 | 230 | @b{Common Lisp note:} Unlike other Lisps, GNU Emacs Lisp does not |
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231 | call the garbage collector when the free list is empty. Instead, it |
232 | simply requests the operating system to allocate more storage, and | |
233 | processing continues until @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes have been | |
234 | used. | |
235 | ||
236 | This means that you can make sure that the garbage collector will not | |
237 | run during a certain portion of a Lisp program by calling the garbage | |
238 | collector explicitly just before it (provided that portion of the | |
239 | program does not use so much space as to force a second garbage | |
240 | collection). | |
241 | @end quotation | |
242 | ||
243 | @deffn Command garbage-collect | |
a890e1b0 | 244 | This command runs a garbage collection, and returns information on |
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245 | the amount of space in use. (Garbage collection can also occur |
246 | spontaneously if you use more than @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes of | |
247 | Lisp data since the previous garbage collection.) | |
248 | ||
a890e1b0 | 249 | @code{garbage-collect} returns a list containing the following |
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250 | information: |
251 | ||
a890e1b0 | 252 | @example |
a44af9f2 RS |
253 | @group |
254 | ((@var{used-conses} . @var{free-conses}) | |
255 | (@var{used-syms} . @var{free-syms}) | |
a890e1b0 | 256 | @end group |
969fe9b5 | 257 | (@var{used-miscs} . @var{free-miscs}) |
40d48fe9 | 258 | @var{used-string-chars} |
a44af9f2 | 259 | @var{used-vector-slots} |
f9f59935 | 260 | (@var{used-floats} . @var{free-floats}) |
40d48fe9 EZ |
261 | (@var{used-intervals} . @var{free-intervals}) |
262 | (@var{used-strings} . @var{free-strings})) | |
969fe9b5 RS |
263 | @end example |
264 | ||
265 | Here is an example: | |
266 | ||
267 | @example | |
a890e1b0 | 268 | @group |
a44af9f2 | 269 | (garbage-collect) |
f9f59935 RS |
270 | @result{} ((106886 . 13184) (9769 . 0) |
271 | (7731 . 4651) 347543 121628 | |
40d48fe9 EZ |
272 | (31 . 94) (1273 . 168) |
273 | (25474 . 3569)) | |
a44af9f2 | 274 | @end group |
a890e1b0 | 275 | @end example |
a44af9f2 RS |
276 | |
277 | Here is a table explaining each element: | |
278 | ||
279 | @table @var | |
280 | @item used-conses | |
281 | The number of cons cells in use. | |
282 | ||
283 | @item free-conses | |
284 | The number of cons cells for which space has been obtained from the | |
285 | operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
286 | ||
287 | @item used-syms | |
288 | The number of symbols in use. | |
289 | ||
290 | @item free-syms | |
291 | The number of symbols for which space has been obtained from the | |
292 | operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
293 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
294 | @item used-miscs |
295 | The number of miscellaneous objects in use. These include markers and | |
296 | overlays, plus certain objects not visible to users. | |
a44af9f2 | 297 | |
969fe9b5 RS |
298 | @item free-miscs |
299 | The number of miscellaneous objects for which space has been obtained | |
300 | from the operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
301 | |
302 | @item used-string-chars | |
303 | The total size of all strings, in characters. | |
304 | ||
305 | @item used-vector-slots | |
306 | The total number of elements of existing vectors. | |
307 | ||
308 | @item used-floats | |
309 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
310 | The number of floats in use. | |
311 | ||
312 | @item free-floats | |
313 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
314 | The number of floats for which space has been obtained from the | |
315 | operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
a9f0a989 RS |
316 | |
317 | @item used-intervals | |
318 | The number of intervals in use. Intervals are an internal | |
319 | data structure used for representing text properties. | |
320 | ||
321 | @item free-intervals | |
322 | The number of intervals for which space has been obtained | |
323 | from the operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
40d48fe9 EZ |
324 | |
325 | @item used-strings | |
326 | The number of strings in use. | |
327 | ||
328 | @item free-strings | |
329 | The number of string headers for which the space was obtained from the | |
330 | operating system, but which are currently not in use. (A string | |
331 | object consists of a header and the storage for the string text | |
332 | itself; the latter is only allocated when the string is created.) | |
a44af9f2 RS |
333 | @end table |
334 | @end deffn | |
335 | ||
d64c55d8 RS |
336 | @defopt garbage-collection-messages |
337 | If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs displays a message at the | |
338 | beginning and end of garbage collection. The default value is | |
339 | @code{nil}, meaning there are no such messages. | |
340 | @end defopt | |
341 | ||
a44af9f2 | 342 | @defopt gc-cons-threshold |
a890e1b0 | 343 | The value of this variable is the number of bytes of storage that must |
a44af9f2 | 344 | be allocated for Lisp objects after one garbage collection in order to |
a890e1b0 | 345 | trigger another garbage collection. A cons cell counts as eight bytes, |
a44af9f2 | 346 | a string as one byte per character plus a few bytes of overhead, and so |
a890e1b0 RS |
347 | on; space allocated to the contents of buffers does not count. Note |
348 | that the subsequent garbage collection does not happen immediately when | |
349 | the threshold is exhausted, but only the next time the Lisp evaluator is | |
a44af9f2 RS |
350 | called. |
351 | ||
f9f59935 | 352 | The initial threshold value is 400,000. If you specify a larger |
a44af9f2 RS |
353 | value, garbage collection will happen less often. This reduces the |
354 | amount of time spent garbage collecting, but increases total memory use. | |
574efc83 | 355 | You may want to do this when running a program that creates lots of |
a44af9f2 RS |
356 | Lisp data. |
357 | ||
a890e1b0 | 358 | You can make collections more frequent by specifying a smaller value, |
a44af9f2 RS |
359 | down to 10,000. A value less than 10,000 will remain in effect only |
360 | until the subsequent garbage collection, at which time | |
361 | @code{garbage-collect} will set the threshold back to 10,000. | |
362 | @end defopt | |
363 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
364 | The value return by @code{garbage-collect} describes the amount of |
365 | memory used by Lisp data, broken down by data type. By contrast, the | |
366 | function @code{memory-limit} provides information on the total amount of | |
367 | memory Emacs is currently using. | |
368 | ||
a44af9f2 RS |
369 | @c Emacs 19 feature |
370 | @defun memory-limit | |
371 | This function returns the address of the last byte Emacs has allocated, | |
372 | divided by 1024. We divide the value by 1024 to make sure it fits in a | |
373 | Lisp integer. | |
374 | ||
375 | You can use this to get a general idea of how your actions affect the | |
376 | memory usage. | |
377 | @end defun | |
378 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
379 | @node Memory Usage |
380 | @section Memory Usage | |
381 | ||
382 | These functions and variables give information about the total amount | |
383 | of memory allocation that Emacs has done, broken down by data type. | |
384 | Note the difference between these and the values returned by | |
385 | @code{(garbage-collect)}; those count objects that currently exist, but | |
386 | these count the number or size of all allocations, including those for | |
387 | objects that have since been freed. | |
388 | ||
389 | @defvar cons-cells-consed | |
390 | The total number of cons cells that have been allocated so far | |
391 | in this Emacs session. | |
392 | @end defvar | |
393 | ||
394 | @defvar floats-consed | |
395 | The total number of floats that have been allocated so far | |
396 | in this Emacs session. | |
397 | @end defvar | |
398 | ||
399 | @defvar vector-cells-consed | |
400 | The total number of vector cells that have been allocated so far | |
401 | in this Emacs session. | |
402 | @end defvar | |
403 | ||
404 | @defvar symbols-consed | |
405 | The total number of symbols that have been allocated so far | |
406 | in this Emacs session. | |
407 | @end defvar | |
408 | ||
409 | @defvar string-chars-consed | |
410 | The total number of string characters that have been allocated so far | |
411 | in this Emacs session. | |
412 | @end defvar | |
413 | ||
414 | @defvar misc-objects-consed | |
415 | The total number of miscellaneous objects that have been allocated so | |
416 | far in this Emacs session. These include markers and overlays, plus | |
417 | certain objects not visible to users. | |
418 | @end defvar | |
419 | ||
420 | @defvar intervals-consed | |
421 | The total number of intervals that have been allocated so far | |
422 | in this Emacs session. | |
423 | @end defvar | |
424 | ||
40d48fe9 EZ |
425 | @defvar strings-consed |
426 | The total number of strings that have been allocated so far in this | |
427 | Emacs session. | |
428 | @end defvar | |
429 | ||
969fe9b5 | 430 | @node Writing Emacs Primitives |
a44af9f2 RS |
431 | @appendixsec Writing Emacs Primitives |
432 | @cindex primitive function internals | |
433 | ||
434 | Lisp primitives are Lisp functions implemented in C. The details of | |
435 | interfacing the C function so that Lisp can call it are handled by a few | |
436 | C macros. The only way to really understand how to write new C code is | |
437 | to read the source, but we can explain some things here. | |
438 | ||
439 | An example of a special form is the definition of @code{or}, from | |
440 | @file{eval.c}. (An ordinary function would have the same general | |
441 | appearance.) | |
442 | ||
443 | @cindex garbage collection protection | |
444 | @smallexample | |
445 | @group | |
446 | DEFUN ("or", For, Sor, 0, UNEVALLED, 0, | |
f1842270 RS |
447 | doc: /* Eval args until one of them yields non-nil, then return that value. |
448 | The remaining args are not evalled at all. | |
449 | If all args return nil, return nil. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
450 | @end group |
451 | @group | |
f1842270 | 452 | usage: (or CONDITIONS ...) */) |
a44af9f2 RS |
453 | (args) |
454 | Lisp_Object args; | |
455 | @{ | |
456 | register Lisp_Object val; | |
457 | Lisp_Object args_left; | |
458 | struct gcpro gcpro1; | |
459 | @end group | |
460 | ||
461 | @group | |
95260b26 | 462 | if (NILP (args)) |
a44af9f2 RS |
463 | return Qnil; |
464 | ||
465 | args_left = args; | |
466 | GCPRO1 (args_left); | |
467 | @end group | |
468 | ||
469 | @group | |
470 | do | |
471 | @{ | |
472 | val = Feval (Fcar (args_left)); | |
95260b26 | 473 | if (!NILP (val)) |
a44af9f2 RS |
474 | break; |
475 | args_left = Fcdr (args_left); | |
476 | @} | |
95260b26 | 477 | while (!NILP (args_left)); |
a44af9f2 RS |
478 | @end group |
479 | ||
480 | @group | |
481 | UNGCPRO; | |
482 | return val; | |
483 | @} | |
484 | @end group | |
485 | @end smallexample | |
486 | ||
487 | Let's start with a precise explanation of the arguments to the | |
a890e1b0 | 488 | @code{DEFUN} macro. Here is a template for them: |
a44af9f2 RS |
489 | |
490 | @example | |
491 | DEFUN (@var{lname}, @var{fname}, @var{sname}, @var{min}, @var{max}, @var{interactive}, @var{doc}) | |
492 | @end example | |
493 | ||
494 | @table @var | |
495 | @item lname | |
a890e1b0 RS |
496 | This is the name of the Lisp symbol to define as the function name; in |
497 | the example above, it is @code{or}. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
498 | |
499 | @item fname | |
500 | This is the C function name for this function. This is | |
501 | the name that is used in C code for calling the function. The name is, | |
502 | by convention, @samp{F} prepended to the Lisp name, with all dashes | |
503 | (@samp{-}) in the Lisp name changed to underscores. Thus, to call this | |
504 | function from C code, call @code{For}. Remember that the arguments must | |
505 | be of type @code{Lisp_Object}; various macros and functions for creating | |
506 | values of type @code{Lisp_Object} are declared in the file | |
507 | @file{lisp.h}. | |
508 | ||
509 | @item sname | |
510 | This is a C variable name to use for a structure that holds the data for | |
511 | the subr object that represents the function in Lisp. This structure | |
512 | conveys the Lisp symbol name to the initialization routine that will | |
513 | create the symbol and store the subr object as its definition. By | |
514 | convention, this name is always @var{fname} with @samp{F} replaced with | |
515 | @samp{S}. | |
516 | ||
517 | @item min | |
a890e1b0 RS |
518 | This is the minimum number of arguments that the function requires. The |
519 | function @code{or} allows a minimum of zero arguments. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
520 | |
521 | @item max | |
a890e1b0 RS |
522 | This is the maximum number of arguments that the function accepts, if |
523 | there is a fixed maximum. Alternatively, it can be @code{UNEVALLED}, | |
524 | indicating a special form that receives unevaluated arguments, or | |
525 | @code{MANY}, indicating an unlimited number of evaluated arguments (the | |
526 | equivalent of @code{&rest}). Both @code{UNEVALLED} and @code{MANY} are | |
527 | macros. If @var{max} is a number, it may not be less than @var{min} and | |
528 | it may not be greater than seven. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
529 | |
530 | @item interactive | |
531 | This is an interactive specification, a string such as might be used as | |
532 | the argument of @code{interactive} in a Lisp function. In the case of | |
533 | @code{or}, it is 0 (a null pointer), indicating that @code{or} cannot be | |
a890e1b0 RS |
534 | called interactively. A value of @code{""} indicates a function that |
535 | should receive no arguments when called interactively. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
536 | |
537 | @item doc | |
f1842270 RS |
538 | This is the documentation string. It uses C comment syntax rather |
539 | than C string syntax because comment syntax requires nothing special | |
540 | to include multiple lines. The @samp{doc:} identifies the comment | |
541 | that follows as the documentation string. The @samp{/*} and @samp{*/} | |
542 | delimiters that begin and end the comment are not part of the | |
543 | documentation string. | |
544 | ||
545 | If the last line of the documentation string begins with the keyword | |
546 | @samp{usage:}, the rest of the line is treated as the argument list | |
547 | for documentation purposes. This way, you can use different argument | |
548 | names in the documentation string from the ones used in the C code. | |
549 | ||
550 | All the usual rules for documentation strings in Lisp code | |
551 | (@pxref{Documentation Tips}) apply to C code documentation strings | |
552 | too. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
553 | @end table |
554 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
555 | After the call to the @code{DEFUN} macro, you must write the argument |
556 | name list that every C function must have, followed by ordinary C | |
557 | declarations for the arguments. For a function with a fixed maximum | |
558 | number of arguments, declare a C argument for each Lisp argument, and | |
574efc83 RS |
559 | give them all type @code{Lisp_Object}. When a Lisp function has no |
560 | upper limit on the number of arguments, its implementation in C actually | |
561 | receives exactly two arguments: the first is the number of Lisp | |
562 | arguments, and the second is the address of a block containing their | |
563 | values. They have types @code{int} and @w{@code{Lisp_Object *}}. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
564 | |
565 | Within the function @code{For} itself, note the use of the macros | |
566 | @code{GCPRO1} and @code{UNGCPRO}. @code{GCPRO1} is used to ``protect'' | |
567 | a variable from garbage collection---to inform the garbage collector that | |
568 | it must look in that variable and regard its contents as an accessible | |
569 | object. This is necessary whenever you call @code{Feval} or anything | |
570 | that can directly or indirectly call @code{Feval}. At such a time, any | |
571 | Lisp object that you intend to refer to again must be protected somehow. | |
572 | @code{UNGCPRO} cancels the protection of the variables that are | |
573 | protected in the current function. It is necessary to do this explicitly. | |
574 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
575 | For most data types, it suffices to protect at least one pointer to |
576 | the object; as long as the object is not recycled, all pointers to it | |
577 | remain valid. This is not so for strings, because the garbage collector | |
578 | can move them. When the garbage collector moves a string, it relocates | |
579 | all the pointers it knows about; any other pointers become invalid. | |
580 | Therefore, you must protect all pointers to strings across any point | |
581 | where garbage collection may be possible. | |
582 | ||
583 | The macro @code{GCPRO1} protects just one local variable. If you want | |
584 | to protect two, use @code{GCPRO2} instead; repeating @code{GCPRO1} will | |
585 | not work. Macros @code{GCPRO3} and @code{GCPRO4} also exist. | |
586 | ||
587 | These macros implicitly use local variables such as @code{gcpro1}; you | |
588 | must declare these explicitly, with type @code{struct gcpro}. Thus, if | |
589 | you use @code{GCPRO2}, you must declare @code{gcpro1} and @code{gcpro2}. | |
590 | Alas, we can't explain all the tricky details here. | |
591 | ||
e610024b | 592 | You must not use C initializers for static or global variables unless |
05aea714 | 593 | the variables are never written once Emacs is dumped. These variables |
8241495d RS |
594 | with initializers are allocated in an area of memory that becomes |
595 | read-only (on certain operating systems) as a result of dumping Emacs. | |
596 | @xref{Pure Storage}. | |
e610024b RS |
597 | |
598 | Do not use static variables within functions---place all static | |
599 | variables at top level in the file. This is necessary because Emacs on | |
600 | some operating systems defines the keyword @code{static} as a null | |
601 | macro. (This definition is used because those systems put all variables | |
602 | declared static in a place that becomes read-only after dumping, whether | |
603 | they have initializers or not.) | |
77223f05 | 604 | |
a890e1b0 RS |
605 | Defining the C function is not enough to make a Lisp primitive |
606 | available; you must also create the Lisp symbol for the primitive and | |
607 | store a suitable subr object in its function cell. The code looks like | |
608 | this: | |
a44af9f2 RS |
609 | |
610 | @example | |
611 | defsubr (&@var{subr-structure-name}); | |
612 | @end example | |
613 | ||
614 | @noindent | |
a890e1b0 RS |
615 | Here @var{subr-structure-name} is the name you used as the third |
616 | argument to @code{DEFUN}. | |
617 | ||
618 | If you add a new primitive to a file that already has Lisp primitives | |
619 | defined in it, find the function (near the end of the file) named | |
620 | @code{syms_of_@var{something}}, and add the call to @code{defsubr} | |
621 | there. If the file doesn't have this function, or if you create a new | |
622 | file, add to it a @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} (e.g., | |
623 | @code{syms_of_myfile}). Then find the spot in @file{emacs.c} where all | |
624 | of these functions are called, and add a call to | |
625 | @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} there. | |
a44af9f2 | 626 | |
8241495d | 627 | @vindex byte-boolean-vars |
574efc83 RS |
628 | The function @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} is also the place to define |
629 | any C variables that are to be visible as Lisp variables. | |
a890e1b0 RS |
630 | @code{DEFVAR_LISP} makes a C variable of type @code{Lisp_Object} visible |
631 | in Lisp. @code{DEFVAR_INT} makes a C variable of type @code{int} | |
632 | visible in Lisp with a value that is always an integer. | |
633 | @code{DEFVAR_BOOL} makes a C variable of type @code{int} visible in Lisp | |
8241495d RS |
634 | with a value that is either @code{t} or @code{nil}. Note that variables |
635 | defined with @code{DEFVAR_BOOL} are automatically added to the list | |
636 | @code{byte-boolean-vars} used by the byte compiler. | |
a44af9f2 | 637 | |
969fe9b5 | 638 | If you define a file-scope C variable of type @code{Lisp_Object}, |
8241495d | 639 | you must protect it from garbage-collection by calling @code{staticpro} |
969fe9b5 RS |
640 | in @code{syms_of_@var{filename}}, like this: |
641 | ||
642 | @example | |
643 | staticpro (&@var{variable}); | |
644 | @end example | |
645 | ||
a890e1b0 | 646 | Here is another example function, with more complicated arguments. |
969fe9b5 RS |
647 | This comes from the code in @file{window.c}, and it demonstrates the use |
648 | of macros and functions to manipulate Lisp objects. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
649 | |
650 | @smallexample | |
651 | @group | |
652 | DEFUN ("coordinates-in-window-p", Fcoordinates_in_window_p, | |
653 | Scoordinates_in_window_p, 2, 2, | |
654 | "xSpecify coordinate pair: \nXExpression which evals to window: ", | |
969fe9b5 RS |
655 | "Return non-nil if COORDINATES is in WINDOW.\n\ |
656 | COORDINATES is a cons of the form (X . Y), X and Y being distances\n\ | |
657 | ... | |
a44af9f2 RS |
658 | @end group |
659 | @group | |
969fe9b5 RS |
660 | If they are on the border between WINDOW and its right sibling,\n\ |
661 | `vertical-line' is returned.") | |
662 | (coordinates, window) | |
663 | register Lisp_Object coordinates, window; | |
a44af9f2 | 664 | @{ |
969fe9b5 | 665 | int x, y; |
a44af9f2 RS |
666 | @end group |
667 | ||
668 | @group | |
969fe9b5 RS |
669 | CHECK_LIVE_WINDOW (window, 0); |
670 | CHECK_CONS (coordinates, 1); | |
671 | x = XINT (Fcar (coordinates)); | |
672 | y = XINT (Fcdr (coordinates)); | |
a44af9f2 | 673 | @end group |
969fe9b5 | 674 | |
a44af9f2 | 675 | @group |
969fe9b5 RS |
676 | switch (coordinates_in_window (XWINDOW (window), &x, &y)) |
677 | @{ | |
678 | case 0: /* NOT in window at all. */ | |
679 | return Qnil; | |
a44af9f2 | 680 | @end group |
969fe9b5 | 681 | |
a44af9f2 | 682 | @group |
969fe9b5 RS |
683 | case 1: /* In text part of window. */ |
684 | return Fcons (make_number (x), make_number (y)); | |
a44af9f2 | 685 | @end group |
969fe9b5 | 686 | |
a44af9f2 | 687 | @group |
969fe9b5 RS |
688 | case 2: /* In mode line of window. */ |
689 | return Qmode_line; | |
a44af9f2 | 690 | @end group |
969fe9b5 | 691 | |
a44af9f2 | 692 | @group |
969fe9b5 RS |
693 | case 3: /* On right border of window. */ |
694 | return Qvertical_line; | |
695 | @end group | |
696 | ||
697 | @group | |
698 | default: | |
699 | abort (); | |
700 | @} | |
a44af9f2 RS |
701 | @} |
702 | @end group | |
703 | @end smallexample | |
704 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
705 | Note that C code cannot call functions by name unless they are defined |
706 | in C. The way to call a function written in Lisp is to use | |
707 | @code{Ffuncall}, which embodies the Lisp function @code{funcall}. Since | |
708 | the Lisp function @code{funcall} accepts an unlimited number of | |
709 | arguments, in C it takes two: the number of Lisp-level arguments, and a | |
710 | one-dimensional array containing their values. The first Lisp-level | |
711 | argument is the Lisp function to call, and the rest are the arguments to | |
712 | pass to it. Since @code{Ffuncall} can call the evaluator, you must | |
713 | protect pointers from garbage collection around the call to | |
714 | @code{Ffuncall}. | |
715 | ||
716 | The C functions @code{call0}, @code{call1}, @code{call2}, and so on, | |
717 | provide handy ways to call a Lisp function conveniently with a fixed | |
718 | number of arguments. They work by calling @code{Ffuncall}. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
719 | |
720 | @file{eval.c} is a very good file to look through for examples; | |
721 | @file{lisp.h} contains the definitions for some important macros and | |
722 | functions. | |
723 | ||
8241495d RS |
724 | If you define a function which is side-effect free, update the code in |
725 | @file{byte-opt.el} which binds @code{side-effect-free-fns} and | |
726 | @code{side-effect-and-error-free-fns} to include it. This will help the | |
727 | optimizer. | |
728 | ||
969fe9b5 | 729 | @node Object Internals |
a44af9f2 RS |
730 | @appendixsec Object Internals |
731 | @cindex object internals | |
732 | ||
733 | GNU Emacs Lisp manipulates many different types of data. The actual | |
f9f59935 RS |
734 | data are stored in a heap and the only access that programs have to it |
735 | is through pointers. Pointers are thirty-two bits wide in most | |
a44af9f2 | 736 | implementations. Depending on the operating system and type of machine |
f9f59935 RS |
737 | for which you compile Emacs, twenty-eight bits are used to address the |
738 | object, and the remaining four bits are used for a GC mark bit and the | |
a44af9f2 RS |
739 | tag that identifies the object's type. |
740 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
741 | Because Lisp objects are represented as tagged pointers, it is always |
742 | possible to determine the Lisp data type of any object. The C data type | |
743 | @code{Lisp_Object} can hold any Lisp object of any data type. Ordinary | |
744 | variables have type @code{Lisp_Object}, which means they can hold any | |
745 | type of Lisp value; you can determine the actual data type only at run | |
746 | time. The same is true for function arguments; if you want a function | |
747 | to accept only a certain type of argument, you must check the type | |
748 | explicitly using a suitable predicate (@pxref{Type Predicates}). | |
a44af9f2 RS |
749 | @cindex type checking internals |
750 | ||
751 | @menu | |
752 | * Buffer Internals:: Components of a buffer structure. | |
753 | * Window Internals:: Components of a window structure. | |
754 | * Process Internals:: Components of a process structure. | |
755 | @end menu | |
756 | ||
969fe9b5 | 757 | @node Buffer Internals |
a44af9f2 RS |
758 | @appendixsubsec Buffer Internals |
759 | @cindex internals, of buffer | |
760 | @cindex buffer internals | |
761 | ||
762 | Buffers contain fields not directly accessible by the Lisp programmer. | |
763 | We describe them here, naming them by the names used in the C code. | |
764 | Many are accessible indirectly in Lisp programs via Lisp primitives. | |
765 | ||
95260b26 GM |
766 | Two structures are used to represent buffers in C. The |
767 | @code{buffer_text} structure contains fields describing the text of a | |
768 | buffer; the @code{buffer} structure holds other fields. In the case | |
769 | of indirect buffers, two or more @code{buffer} structures reference | |
770 | the same @code{buffer_text} structure. | |
771 | ||
772 | Here is a list of the @code{struct buffer_text} fields: | |
773 | ||
a44af9f2 | 774 | @table @code |
95260b26 | 775 | @item beg |
05aea714 | 776 | This field contains the actual address of the buffer contents. |
95260b26 | 777 | |
d7255d62 | 778 | @item gpt |
95260b26 GM |
779 | This holds the character position of the gap in the buffer. |
780 | ||
781 | @item z | |
782 | This field contains the character position of the end of the buffer | |
783 | text. | |
784 | ||
785 | @item gpt_byte | |
786 | Contains the byte position of the gap. | |
787 | ||
788 | @item z_byte | |
789 | Holds the byte position of the end of the buffer text. | |
790 | ||
791 | @item gap_size | |
792 | Contains the size of buffer's gap. | |
793 | ||
794 | @item modiff | |
795 | This field counts buffer-modification events for this buffer. It is | |
796 | incremented for each such event, and never otherwise changed. | |
797 | ||
798 | @item save_modiff | |
799 | Contains the previous value of @code{modiff}, as of the last time a | |
800 | buffer was visited or saved in a file. | |
801 | ||
802 | @item overlay_modiff | |
803 | Counts modifications to overlays analogous to @code{modiff}. | |
804 | ||
805 | @item beg_unchanged | |
806 | Holds the number of characters at the start of the text that are known | |
807 | to be unchanged since the last redisplay that finished. | |
808 | ||
809 | @item end_unchanged | |
810 | Holds the number of characters at the end of the text that are known to | |
811 | be unchanged since the last redisplay that finished. | |
812 | ||
813 | @item unchanged_modified | |
814 | Contains the value of @code{modiff} at the time of the last redisplay | |
815 | that finished. If this value matches @code{modiff}, | |
816 | @code{beg_unchanged} and @code{end_unchanged} contain no useful | |
817 | information. | |
818 | ||
819 | @item overlay_unchanged_modified | |
820 | Contains the value of @code{overlay_modiff} at the time of the last | |
821 | redisplay that finished. If this value matches @code{overlay_modiff}, | |
822 | @code{beg_unchanged} and @code{end_unchanged} contain no useful | |
823 | information. | |
824 | ||
825 | @item markers | |
826 | The markers that refer to this buffer. This is actually a single | |
827 | marker, and successive elements in its marker @code{chain} are the other | |
828 | markers referring to this buffer text. | |
a44af9f2 | 829 | |
95260b26 GM |
830 | @item intervals |
831 | Contains the interval tree which records the text properties of this | |
832 | buffer. | |
833 | @end table | |
834 | ||
835 | The fields of @code{struct buffer} are: | |
836 | ||
837 | @table @code | |
838 | @item next | |
839 | Points to the next buffer, in the chain of all buffers including killed | |
840 | buffers. This chain is used only for garbage collection, in order to | |
841 | collect killed buffers properly. Note that vectors, and most kinds of | |
842 | objects allocated as vectors, are all on one chain, but buffers are on a | |
843 | separate chain of their own. | |
844 | ||
845 | @item own_text | |
846 | This is a @code{struct buffer_text} structure. In an ordinary buffer, | |
847 | it holds the buffer contents. In indirect buffers, this field is not | |
848 | used. | |
849 | ||
850 | @item text | |
851 | This points to the @code{buffer_text} structure that is used for this | |
852 | buffer. In an ordinary buffer, this is the @code{own_text} field above. | |
853 | In an indirect buffer, this is the @code{own_text} field of the base | |
854 | buffer. | |
855 | ||
856 | @item pt | |
857 | Contains the character position of point in a buffer. | |
858 | ||
859 | @item pt_byte | |
860 | Contains the byte position of point in a buffer. | |
861 | ||
862 | @item begv | |
863 | This field contains the character position of the beginning of the | |
864 | accessible range of text in the buffer. | |
865 | ||
866 | @item begv_byte | |
867 | This field contains the byte position of the beginning of the | |
868 | accessible range of text in the buffer. | |
869 | ||
870 | @item zv | |
871 | This field contains the character position of the end of the | |
872 | accessible range of text in the buffer. | |
873 | ||
874 | @item zv_byte | |
875 | This field contains the byte position of the end of the | |
876 | accessible range of text in the buffer. | |
877 | ||
878 | @item base_buffer | |
879 | In an indirect buffer, this points to the base buffer. In an ordinary | |
880 | buffer, it is null. | |
881 | ||
882 | @item local_var_flags | |
883 | This field contains flags indicating that certain variables are local in | |
884 | this buffer. Such variables are declared in the C code using | |
885 | @code{DEFVAR_PER_BUFFER}, and their buffer-local bindings are stored in | |
886 | fields in the buffer structure itself. (Some of these fields are | |
887 | described in this table.) | |
a44af9f2 RS |
888 | |
889 | @item modtime | |
890 | This field contains the modification time of the visited file. It is | |
8241495d RS |
891 | set when the file is written or read. Before writing the buffer into a |
892 | file, this field is compared to the modification time of the file to see | |
893 | if the file has changed on disk. @xref{Buffer Modification}. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
894 | |
895 | @item auto_save_modified | |
896 | This field contains the time when the buffer was last auto-saved. | |
897 | ||
95260b26 GM |
898 | @item auto_save_failure_time |
899 | The time at which we detected a failure to auto-save, or -1 if we didn't | |
900 | have a failure. | |
901 | ||
a44af9f2 RS |
902 | @item last_window_start |
903 | This field contains the @code{window-start} position in the buffer as of | |
904 | the last time the buffer was displayed in a window. | |
905 | ||
95260b26 GM |
906 | @item clip_changed |
907 | This flag is set when narrowing changes in a buffer. | |
908 | ||
909 | @item prevent_redisplay_optimizations_p | |
05aea714 | 910 | this flag indicates that redisplay optimizations should not be used |
95260b26 GM |
911 | to display this buffer. |
912 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
913 | @item undo_list |
914 | This field points to the buffer's undo list. @xref{Undo}. | |
a44af9f2 | 915 | |
95260b26 GM |
916 | @item name |
917 | The buffer name is a string that names the buffer. It is guaranteed to | |
918 | be unique. @xref{Buffer Names}. | |
919 | ||
920 | @item filename | |
921 | The name of the file visited in this buffer, or @code{nil}. | |
922 | ||
923 | @item directory | |
924 | The directory for expanding relative file names. | |
925 | ||
926 | @item save_length | |
927 | Length of the file this buffer is visiting, when last read or saved. | |
928 | This and other fields concerned with saving are not kept in the | |
929 | @code{buffer_text} structure because indirect buffers are never saved. | |
930 | ||
931 | @item auto_save_file_name | |
932 | File name used for auto-saving this buffer. This is not in the | |
933 | @code{buffer_text} because it's not used in indirect buffers at all. | |
934 | ||
935 | @item read_only | |
936 | Non-@code{nil} means this buffer is read-only. | |
937 | ||
938 | @item mark | |
939 | This field contains the mark for the buffer. The mark is a marker, | |
940 | hence it is also included on the list @code{markers}. @xref{The Mark}. | |
941 | ||
942 | @item local_var_alist | |
943 | This field contains the association list describing the buffer-local | |
944 | variable bindings of this buffer, not including the built-in | |
945 | buffer-local bindings that have special slots in the buffer object. | |
946 | (Those slots are omitted from this table.) @xref{Buffer-Local | |
947 | Variables}. | |
948 | ||
949 | @item major_mode | |
950 | Symbol naming the major mode of this buffer, e.g., @code{lisp-mode}. | |
951 | ||
952 | @item mode_name | |
953 | Pretty name of major mode, e.g., @code{"Lisp"}. | |
954 | ||
955 | @item mode_line_format | |
956 | Mode line element that controls the format of the mode line. If this | |
957 | is @code{nil}, no mode line will be displayed. | |
958 | ||
959 | @item header_line_format | |
960 | This field is analoguous to @code{mode_line_format} for the mode | |
961 | line displayed at the top of windows. | |
962 | ||
963 | @item keymap | |
964 | This field holds the buffer's local keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
965 | ||
966 | @item abbrev_table | |
967 | This buffer's local abbrevs. | |
968 | ||
969 | @item syntax_table | |
a44af9f2 RS |
970 | This field contains the syntax table for the buffer. @xref{Syntax Tables}. |
971 | ||
95260b26 GM |
972 | @item category_table |
973 | This field contains the category table for the buffer. | |
974 | ||
975 | @item case_fold_search | |
976 | The value of @code{case-fold-search} in this buffer. | |
977 | ||
978 | @item tab_width | |
979 | The value of @code{tab-width} in this buffer. | |
980 | ||
981 | @item fill_column | |
982 | The value of @code{fill-column} in this buffer. | |
983 | ||
984 | @item left_margin | |
985 | The value of @code{left-margin} in this buffer. | |
986 | ||
987 | @item auto_fill_function | |
988 | The value of @code{auto-fill-function} in this buffer. | |
989 | ||
a44af9f2 RS |
990 | @item downcase_table |
991 | This field contains the conversion table for converting text to lower case. | |
969fe9b5 | 992 | @xref{Case Tables}. |
a44af9f2 RS |
993 | |
994 | @item upcase_table | |
995 | This field contains the conversion table for converting text to upper case. | |
969fe9b5 | 996 | @xref{Case Tables}. |
a44af9f2 RS |
997 | |
998 | @item case_canon_table | |
999 | This field contains the conversion table for canonicalizing text for | |
969fe9b5 | 1000 | case-folding search. @xref{Case Tables}. |
a44af9f2 RS |
1001 | |
1002 | @item case_eqv_table | |
1003 | This field contains the equivalence table for case-folding search. | |
969fe9b5 | 1004 | @xref{Case Tables}. |
a44af9f2 | 1005 | |
95260b26 GM |
1006 | @item truncate_lines |
1007 | The value of @code{truncate-lines} in this buffer. | |
a44af9f2 | 1008 | |
95260b26 GM |
1009 | @item ctl_arrow |
1010 | The value of @code{ctl-arrow} in this buffer. | |
a44af9f2 | 1011 | |
95260b26 GM |
1012 | @item selective_display |
1013 | The value of @code{selective-display} in this buffer. | |
a44af9f2 | 1014 | |
95260b26 GM |
1015 | @item selective_display_ellipsis |
1016 | The value of @code{selective-display-ellipsis} in this buffer. | |
a44af9f2 | 1017 | |
95260b26 GM |
1018 | @item minor_modes |
1019 | An alist of the minor modes of this buffer. | |
a890e1b0 | 1020 | |
95260b26 GM |
1021 | @item overwrite_mode |
1022 | The value of @code{overwrite_mode} in this buffer. | |
a890e1b0 | 1023 | |
95260b26 GM |
1024 | @item abbrev_mode |
1025 | The value of @code{abbrev-mode} in this buffer. | |
bfe721d1 | 1026 | |
95260b26 GM |
1027 | @item display_table |
1028 | This field contains the buffer's display table, or @code{nil} if it doesn't | |
1029 | have one. @xref{Display Tables}. | |
a890e1b0 | 1030 | |
95260b26 GM |
1031 | @item save_modified |
1032 | This field contains the time when the buffer was last saved, as an integer. | |
1033 | @xref{Buffer Modification}. | |
1034 | ||
1035 | @item mark_active | |
1036 | This field is non-@code{nil} if the buffer's mark is active. | |
a890e1b0 RS |
1037 | |
1038 | @item overlays_before | |
1039 | This field holds a list of the overlays in this buffer that end at or | |
1040 | before the current overlay center position. They are sorted in order of | |
1041 | decreasing end position. | |
1042 | ||
1043 | @item overlays_after | |
1044 | This field holds a list of the overlays in this buffer that end after | |
1045 | the current overlay center position. They are sorted in order of | |
1046 | increasing beginning position. | |
969fe9b5 | 1047 | |
95260b26 GM |
1048 | @item overlay_center |
1049 | This field holds the current overlay center position. @xref{Overlays}. | |
1050 | ||
969fe9b5 RS |
1051 | @item enable_multibyte_characters |
1052 | This field holds the buffer's local value of | |
1053 | @code{enable-multibyte-characters}---either @code{t} or @code{nil}. | |
95260b26 GM |
1054 | |
1055 | @item buffer_file_coding_system | |
1056 | The value of @code{buffer-file-coding-system} in this buffer. | |
1057 | ||
1058 | @item file_format | |
1059 | The value of @code{buffer-file-format} in this buffer. | |
1060 | ||
1061 | @item pt_marker | |
1062 | In an indirect buffer, or a buffer that is the base of an indirect | |
1063 | buffer, this holds a marker that records point for this buffer when the | |
1064 | buffer is not current. | |
1065 | ||
1066 | @item begv_marker | |
1067 | In an indirect buffer, or a buffer that is the base of an indirect | |
1068 | buffer, this holds a marker that records @code{begv} for this buffer | |
1069 | when the buffer is not current. | |
1070 | ||
1071 | @item zv_marker | |
1072 | In an indirect buffer, or a buffer that is the base of an indirect | |
1073 | buffer, this holds a marker that records @code{zv} for this buffer when | |
1074 | the buffer is not current. | |
1075 | ||
1076 | @item file_truename | |
1077 | The truename of the visited file, or @code{nil}. | |
1078 | ||
1079 | @item invisibility_spec | |
1080 | The value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} in this buffer. | |
1081 | ||
1082 | @item last_selected_window | |
1083 | This is the last window that was selected with this buffer in it, or @code{nil} | |
1084 | if that window no longer displays this buffer. | |
1085 | ||
1086 | @item display_count | |
1087 | This field is incremented each time the buffer is displayed in a window. | |
1088 | ||
1089 | @item left_margin_width | |
1090 | The value of @code{left-margin-width} in this buffer. | |
1091 | ||
1092 | @item right_margin_width | |
1093 | The value of @code{right-margin-width} in this buffer. | |
1094 | ||
1095 | @item indicate_empty_lines | |
1096 | Non-@code{nil} means indicate empty lines (lines with no text) with a | |
1097 | small bitmap in the fringe, when using a window system that can do it. | |
1098 | ||
1099 | @item display_time | |
1100 | This holds a time stamp that is updated each time this buffer is | |
1101 | displayed in a window. | |
1102 | ||
1103 | @item scroll_up_aggressively | |
1104 | The value of @code{scroll-up-aggressively} in this buffer. | |
1105 | ||
1106 | @item scroll_down_aggressively | |
1107 | The value of @code{scroll-down-aggressively} in this buffer. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
1108 | @end table |
1109 | ||
969fe9b5 | 1110 | @node Window Internals |
a44af9f2 RS |
1111 | @appendixsubsec Window Internals |
1112 | @cindex internals, of window | |
1113 | @cindex window internals | |
1114 | ||
1115 | Windows have the following accessible fields: | |
1116 | ||
1117 | @table @code | |
1118 | @item frame | |
a890e1b0 | 1119 | The frame that this window is on. |
a44af9f2 RS |
1120 | |
1121 | @item mini_p | |
a890e1b0 | 1122 | Non-@code{nil} if this window is a minibuffer window. |
a44af9f2 | 1123 | |
95260b26 GM |
1124 | @item parent |
1125 | Internally, Emacs arranges windows in a tree; each group of siblings has | |
1126 | a parent window whose area includes all the siblings. This field points | |
1127 | to a window's parent. | |
1128 | ||
1129 | Parent windows do not display buffers, and play little role in display | |
1130 | except to shape their child windows. Emacs Lisp programs usually have | |
1131 | no access to the parent windows; they operate on the windows at the | |
1132 | leaves of the tree, which actually display buffers. | |
1133 | ||
1134 | The following four fields also describe the window tree structure. | |
1135 | ||
1136 | @item hchild | |
1137 | In a window subdivided horizontally by child windows, the leftmost child. | |
1138 | Otherwise, @code{nil}. | |
1139 | ||
1140 | @item vchild | |
1141 | In a window subdivided vertically by child windows, the topmost child. | |
1142 | Otherwise, @code{nil}. | |
1143 | ||
1144 | @item next | |
1145 | The next sibling of this window. It is @code{nil} in a window that is | |
1146 | the rightmost or bottommost of a group of siblings. | |
1147 | ||
1148 | @item prev | |
1149 | The previous sibling of this window. It is @code{nil} in a window that | |
1150 | is the leftmost or topmost of a group of siblings. | |
1151 | ||
1152 | @item left | |
1153 | This is the left-hand edge of the window, measured in columns. (The | |
1154 | leftmost column on the screen is @w{column 0}.) | |
1155 | ||
1156 | @item top | |
1157 | This is the top edge of the window, measured in lines. (The top line on | |
1158 | the screen is @w{line 0}.) | |
1159 | ||
1160 | @item height | |
1161 | The height of the window, measured in lines. | |
1162 | ||
1163 | @item width | |
1164 | The width of the window, measured in columns. This width includes the | |
1165 | scroll bar and fringes, and/or the separator line on the right of the | |
1166 | window (if any). | |
1167 | ||
a44af9f2 | 1168 | @item buffer |
574efc83 | 1169 | The buffer that the window is displaying. This may change often during |
a44af9f2 RS |
1170 | the life of the window. |
1171 | ||
95260b26 GM |
1172 | @item start |
1173 | The position in the buffer that is the first character to be displayed | |
1174 | in the window. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
1175 | |
1176 | @item pointm | |
1177 | @cindex window point internals | |
a890e1b0 | 1178 | This is the value of point in the current buffer when this window is |
a44af9f2 RS |
1179 | selected; when it is not selected, it retains its previous value. |
1180 | ||
a890e1b0 RS |
1181 | @item force_start |
1182 | If this flag is non-@code{nil}, it says that the window has been | |
1183 | scrolled explicitly by the Lisp program. This affects what the next | |
1184 | redisplay does if point is off the screen: instead of scrolling the | |
1185 | window to show the text around point, it moves point to a location that | |
1186 | is on the screen. | |
1187 | ||
95260b26 GM |
1188 | @item frozen_window_start_p |
1189 | This field is set temporarily to 1 to indicate to redisplay that | |
1190 | @code{start} of this window should not be changed, even if point | |
1191 | gets invisible. | |
1192 | ||
1193 | @item start_at_line_beg | |
1194 | Non-@code{nil} means current value of @code{start} was the beginning of a line | |
1195 | when it was chosen. | |
1196 | ||
1197 | @item too_small_ok | |
1198 | Non-@code{nil} means don't delete this window for becoming ``too small''. | |
1199 | ||
1200 | @item height_fixed_p | |
1201 | This field is temporarily set to 1 to fix the height of the selected | |
1202 | window when the echo area is resized. | |
1203 | ||
1204 | @item use_time | |
1205 | This is the last time that the window was selected. The function | |
1206 | @code{get-lru-window} uses this field. | |
1207 | ||
1208 | @item sequence_number | |
1209 | A unique number assigned to this window when it was created. | |
1210 | ||
a890e1b0 | 1211 | @item last_modified |
95260b26 | 1212 | The @code{modiff} field of the window's buffer, as of the last time |
a890e1b0 RS |
1213 | a redisplay completed in this window. |
1214 | ||
95260b26 GM |
1215 | @item last_overlay_modified |
1216 | The @code{overlay_modiff} field of the window's buffer, as of the last | |
1217 | time a redisplay completed in this window. | |
1218 | ||
a890e1b0 | 1219 | @item last_point |
95260b26 GM |
1220 | The buffer's value of point, as of the last time a redisplay completed |
1221 | in this window. | |
a890e1b0 | 1222 | |
95260b26 GM |
1223 | @item last_had_star |
1224 | A non-@code{nil} value means the window's buffer was ``modified'' when the | |
1225 | window was last updated. | |
a44af9f2 | 1226 | |
95260b26 GM |
1227 | @item vertical_scroll_bar |
1228 | This window's vertical scroll bar. | |
a44af9f2 | 1229 | |
95260b26 GM |
1230 | @item left_margin_width |
1231 | The width of the left margin in this window, or @code{nil} not to | |
1232 | specify it (in which case the buffer's value of @code{left-margin-width} | |
1233 | is used. | |
a890e1b0 | 1234 | |
95260b26 GM |
1235 | @item right_margin_width |
1236 | Likewise for the right margin. | |
a890e1b0 | 1237 | |
13ede7fc | 1238 | @ignore |
95260b26 GM |
1239 | @item last_mark_x |
1240 | @item last_mark_y | |
1241 | ???Not used. | |
1242 | @end ignore | |
a44af9f2 | 1243 | |
95260b26 GM |
1244 | @item window_end_pos |
1245 | This is computed as @code{z} minus the buffer position of the last glyph | |
1246 | in the current matrix of the window. The value is only valid if | |
1247 | @code{window_end_valid} is not @code{nil}. | |
a44af9f2 | 1248 | |
95260b26 GM |
1249 | @item window_end_bytepos |
1250 | The byte position corresponding to @code{window_end_pos}. | |
a890e1b0 | 1251 | |
95260b26 GM |
1252 | @item window_end_vpos |
1253 | The window-relative vertical position of the line containing | |
1254 | @code{window_end_pos}. | |
a44af9f2 | 1255 | |
95260b26 GM |
1256 | @item window_end_valid |
1257 | This field is set to a non-@code{nil} value if @code{window_end_pos} is truly | |
1258 | valid. This is @code{nil} if nontrivial redisplay is preempted since in that | |
1259 | case the display that @code{window_end_pos} was computed for did not get | |
1260 | onto the screen. | |
1261 | ||
1262 | @item redisplay_end_trigger | |
1263 | If redisplay in this window goes beyond this buffer position, it runs | |
1264 | run the @code{redisplay-end-trigger-hook}. | |
1265 | ||
13ede7fc | 1266 | @ignore |
95260b26 GM |
1267 | @item orig_height |
1268 | @item orig_top | |
1269 | ??? Are temporary storage areas. | |
1270 | @end ignore | |
1271 | ||
1272 | @item cursor | |
1273 | A structure describing where the cursor is in this window. | |
1274 | ||
1275 | @item last_cursor | |
1276 | The value of @code{cursor} as of the last redisplay that finished. | |
1277 | ||
1278 | @item phys_cursor | |
1279 | A structure describing where the cursor of this window physically is. | |
1280 | ||
1281 | @item phys_cursor_type | |
1282 | The type of cursor that was last displayed on this window. | |
1283 | ||
1284 | @item phys_cursor_on_p | |
1285 | This field is non-zero if the cursor is physically on. | |
1286 | ||
1287 | @item cursor_off_p | |
1288 | Non-zero means the cursor in this window is logically on. | |
1289 | ||
1290 | @item last_cursor_off_p | |
1291 | This field contains the value of @code{cursor_off_p} as of the time of | |
1292 | the last redisplay. | |
1293 | ||
1294 | @item must_be_updated_p | |
1295 | This is set to 1 during redisplay when this window must be updated. | |
1296 | ||
a44af9f2 | 1297 | @item hscroll |
a890e1b0 | 1298 | This is the number of columns that the display in the window is scrolled |
a44af9f2 RS |
1299 | horizontally to the left. Normally, this is 0. |
1300 | ||
95260b26 GM |
1301 | @item vscroll |
1302 | Vertical scroll amount, in pixels. Normally, this is 0. | |
1303 | ||
1304 | @item dedicated | |
1305 | Non-@code{nil} if this window is dedicated to its buffer. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
1306 | |
1307 | @item display_table | |
a890e1b0 RS |
1308 | The window's display table, or @code{nil} if none is specified for it. |
1309 | ||
1310 | @item update_mode_line | |
1311 | Non-@code{nil} means this window's mode line needs to be updated. | |
1312 | ||
1313 | @item base_line_number | |
1314 | The line number of a certain position in the buffer, or @code{nil}. | |
1315 | This is used for displaying the line number of point in the mode line. | |
1316 | ||
1317 | @item base_line_pos | |
1318 | The position in the buffer for which the line number is known, or | |
1319 | @code{nil} meaning none is known. | |
1320 | ||
1321 | @item region_showing | |
1322 | If the region (or part of it) is highlighted in this window, this field | |
1323 | holds the mark position that made one end of that region. Otherwise, | |
1324 | this field is @code{nil}. | |
95260b26 GM |
1325 | |
1326 | @item column_number_displayed | |
1327 | The column number currently displayed in this window's mode line, or @code{nil} | |
1328 | if column numbers are not being displayed. | |
1329 | ||
1330 | @item current_matrix | |
1331 | A glyph matrix describing the current display of this window. | |
1332 | ||
1333 | @item desired_matrix | |
1334 | A glyph matrix describing the desired display of this window. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
1335 | @end table |
1336 | ||
969fe9b5 | 1337 | @node Process Internals |
a44af9f2 RS |
1338 | @appendixsubsec Process Internals |
1339 | @cindex internals, of process | |
1340 | @cindex process internals | |
1341 | ||
1342 | The fields of a process are: | |
1343 | ||
1344 | @table @code | |
1345 | @item name | |
1346 | A string, the name of the process. | |
1347 | ||
1348 | @item command | |
1349 | A list containing the command arguments that were used to start this | |
1350 | process. | |
1351 | ||
1352 | @item filter | |
1353 | A function used to accept output from the process instead of a buffer, | |
1354 | or @code{nil}. | |
1355 | ||
1356 | @item sentinel | |
1357 | A function called whenever the process receives a signal, or @code{nil}. | |
1358 | ||
1359 | @item buffer | |
1360 | The associated buffer of the process. | |
1361 | ||
1362 | @item pid | |
1363 | An integer, the Unix process @sc{id}. | |
1364 | ||
1365 | @item childp | |
1366 | A flag, non-@code{nil} if this is really a child process. | |
1367 | It is @code{nil} for a network connection. | |
1368 | ||
a44af9f2 | 1369 | @item mark |
574efc83 RS |
1370 | A marker indicating the position of the end of the last output from this |
1371 | process inserted into the buffer. This is often but not always the end | |
1372 | of the buffer. | |
a44af9f2 RS |
1373 | |
1374 | @item kill_without_query | |
a890e1b0 RS |
1375 | If this is non-@code{nil}, killing Emacs while this process is still |
1376 | running does not ask for confirmation about killing the process. | |
1377 | ||
1378 | @item raw_status_low | |
1379 | @itemx raw_status_high | |
1380 | These two fields record 16 bits each of the process status returned by | |
1381 | the @code{wait} system call. | |
1382 | ||
1383 | @item status | |
1384 | The process status, as @code{process-status} should return it. | |
1385 | ||
1386 | @item tick | |
1387 | @itemx update_tick | |
1388 | If these two fields are not equal, a change in the status of the process | |
1389 | needs to be reported, either by running the sentinel or by inserting a | |
1390 | message in the process buffer. | |
1391 | ||
1392 | @item pty_flag | |
1393 | Non-@code{nil} if communication with the subprocess uses a @sc{pty}; | |
1394 | @code{nil} if it uses a pipe. | |
1395 | ||
1396 | @item infd | |
1397 | The file descriptor for input from the process. | |
1398 | ||
1399 | @item outfd | |
1400 | The file descriptor for output to the process. | |
1401 | ||
1402 | @item subtty | |
1403 | The file descriptor for the terminal that the subprocess is using. (On | |
1404 | some systems, there is no need to record this, so the value is | |
1405 | @code{nil}.) | |
bfe721d1 KH |
1406 | |
1407 | @item tty_name | |
1408 | The name of the terminal that the subprocess is using, | |
1409 | or @code{nil} if it is using pipes. | |
95260b26 GM |
1410 | |
1411 | @item decode_coding_system | |
1412 | Coding-system for decoding the input from this process. | |
1413 | ||
1414 | @item decoding_buf | |
1415 | A working buffer for decoding. | |
1416 | ||
1417 | @item decoding_carryover | |
1418 | Size of carryover in decoding. | |
1419 | ||
1420 | @item encode_coding_system | |
1421 | Coding-system for encoding the output to this process. | |
1422 | ||
1423 | @item encoding_buf | |
1424 | A working buffer for enecoding. | |
1425 | ||
1426 | @item encoding_carryover | |
1427 | Size of carryover in encoding. | |
1428 | ||
1429 | @item inherit_coding_system_flag | |
1430 | Flag to set @code{coding-system} of the process buffer from the | |
1431 | coding system used to decode process output. | |
a44af9f2 | 1432 | @end table |