1 GNU Emacs NEWS -- history of user-visible changes.
3 Copyright (C) 2010-2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 See the end of the file for license conditions.
6 Please send Emacs bug reports to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org.
7 If possible, use M-x report-emacs-bug.
9 This file is about changes in Emacs version 24.
11 See files NEWS.23, NEWS.22, NEWS.21, NEWS.20, NEWS.19, NEWS.18,
12 and NEWS.1-17 for changes in older Emacs versions.
14 You can narrow news to a specific version by calling `view-emacs-news'
15 with a prefix argument or by typing C-u C-h C-n.
18 +++ indicates that the appropriate manual has already been updated.
19 --- means no change in the manuals is called for.
20 When you add a new item, please add it without either +++ or ---
21 so we will look at it and add it to the manual.
24 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.4
26 ** Emacs can be compiled with ACL support.
27 This happens by default if a suitable support library is found at
28 build time, like libacl on GNU/Linux. To prevent this, use the
29 configure option `--disable-acl'.
31 ** Emacs can be compiled with file notification support.
32 The configure option `--with-file-notification=LIB' enables file
33 notification support in Emacs. This option's value should be `yes',
34 `no', `gfile', `inotify' or `w32'. `yes' is a synonym for `w32' on
35 MS-Windows, and for `gfile' otherwise. The default value is `yes'.
37 ** The configure option --with-crt-dir has been removed.
38 It is no longer needed, as the crt*.o files are no longer linked
41 ** Emacs for MS-Windows can now be built by running the configure script
42 using the MSYS environment and MinGW development tools.
43 This is from now on the preferred method of building Emacs on
44 MS-Windows. The Windows-specific configure.bat and makefile.w32-in
45 files are deprecated. See the file nt/INSTALL.MSYS for detailed
48 Using the Posix configure script and Makefile's also means a change in
49 the directory structure of the Emacs installation on Windows. It is
50 now the same as on GNU and Unix systems. In particular, the auxiliary
51 programs, such as cmdproxy.exe and hexl.exe, are in
52 libexec/emacs/VERSION/i686-pc-mingw32 (where VERSION is the Emacs
53 version), version-independent site-lisp is in share/emacs/site-lisp,
54 version-specific Lisp files are in share/emacs/VERSION/lisp and in
55 share/emacs/VERSION/site-lisp, Info docs are in share/info, and data
56 files are in share/emacs/VERSION/etc. (Emacs knows about all these
57 directories and will find the files in there automatically; there's no
58 need to set any variables due to this change.)
61 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.4
64 * Changes in Emacs 24.4
66 ** Key ? also describes prefix bindings like C-h.
69 ** `apropos-variable' is now `apropos-user-option'
70 `apropos-user-option' shows all user options while `apropos-variable'
71 shows all variables. When called with a universal prefix argument,
72 the two commands swap their behaviors. When `apropos-do-all' is
73 non-nil, they output the same results.
76 ** `eval-defun' on an already defined defcustom calls the :set function,
79 ** If the new variable `enable-dir-local-variables' is nil,
80 directory local variables are ignored. May be useful for some modes
81 that want to ignore directory-locals while still respecting file-locals.
83 ** The option `set-mark-default-inactive' has been deleted.
84 This unfinished feature was introduced by accident in Emacs 23.1;
85 simply disabling Transient Mark mode does the same thing.
87 ** `initial-buffer-choice' can now specify a function to set up the
90 ** `write-region-inhibit-fsync' now defaults to t in batch mode.
92 ** ACL support has been added.
94 *** Emacs preserves the ACL entries of files when backing up.
96 *** New functions `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' get and set the ACL
97 entries of a file. On GNU/Linux, the POSIX ACL interface is used via
98 libacl. On MS-Windows, the NT Security APIs are used to emulate the
101 ** New option `scroll-bar-adjust-thumb-portion'.
102 Available only on X, this option allows to control over-scrolling
103 using the scroll bar (i.e. dragging the thumb down even when the end
104 of the buffer is visible).
106 ** In compiled Lisp files, the header no longer includes a timestamp.
108 ** Multi-monitor support has been added.
110 *** New functions `display-monitor-attributes-list' and
111 `frame-monitor-attributes' can be used to obtain information about
112 each physical monitor on multi-monitor setups.
115 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.4
117 ** `split-window' is no longer a command, just a non-interactive function.
118 As a command it was a special case of `split-window-below', and as such
119 superfluous. After being reimplemented in Lisp, its interactive form
120 was mistakenly retained.
122 ** New commands `toggle-frame-fullscreen' and `toggle-frame-maximized',
123 bound to <f11> and M-<f10>, respectively.
125 ** In keymaps where SPC scrolls, S-SPC now scrolls in the reverse direction.
128 ** New command `kmacro-to-register' to store keyboard macros in registers.
132 *** `sh-mode' now has the mode own `add-log-current-defun-function'.
133 You can pick the name of the function and the variables with `C-x 4 a'.
136 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
138 ** `eshell' now supports visual subcommands and options
139 Eshell has been able to handle "visual" commands (interactive,
140 non-line oriented commands such as top that require display
141 capabilities not provided by eshell) by running them in an Emacs
142 terminal emulator. See `eshell-visual-commands'.
144 This feature has been extended to subcommands and options that make a
145 usually line-oriented command a visual command. Typical examples are
146 "git log" and "git <command> --help" which display their output in a
147 pager by default. See `eshell-visual-subcommands' and
148 `eshell-visual-options'.
150 ** `remember' can now store notes in separates files
151 You can use the new function `remember-store-in-files' within the
152 `remember-handler-functions' option.
154 See `remember-data-directory' and `remember-directory-file-name-format'
155 for new options related to this function.
156 ** `ido-decorations' has been slightly extended to give a bit more control.
158 ** More packages look for ~/.emacs.d/<foo> additionally to ~/.<foo>.
160 ~/.emacs.d/timelog replaces ~/.timelog
161 ~/.emacs.d/todo-do replaces ~/.todo-do
162 ~/.emacs.d/todo-done replaces ~/.todo-done
163 ~/.emacs.d/todo-top replaces ~/.todo-top
164 ~/.emacs.d/vip replaces ~/.vip
165 ~/.emacs.d/viper replaces ~/.viper
166 ~/.emacs.d/ido.last replaces ~/.ido.last
167 ~/.emacs.d/kkcrc replaces ~/.kkcrc
168 ~/.emacs.d/quickurls replaces ~/.quickurls
169 ~/.emacs.d/idlwave replaces ~/.idlwave
170 ~/.emacs.d/bdfcache.el replaces ~/.bdfcache.el
171 ~/.emacs.d/places replaces ~/.emacs-places
172 ~/.emacs.d/shadows replaces ~/.shadows
173 ~/.emacs.d/shadow_todo replaces ~/.shadow_todo
174 ~/.emacs.d/strokes replaces ~/.strokes
175 ~/.emacs.d/notes replaces ~/.notes
176 ~/.emacs.d/type-break replaces ~/.type-break
178 ** Delphi mode is now called OPascal mode.
179 *** All delphi-* variables and functions have been renamed to opascal-*.
180 *** `delphi-newline-always-indents' is not supported any more
181 use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
182 *** `delphi-tab' is gone, replaced by `indent-for-tab-command'.
184 ** Eldoc Mode works properly in the minibuffer.
186 ** jit-lock-debug-mode lets you use the debuggers on code run via jit-lock.
188 ** completing-read-multiple's separator can now be a regexp.
189 The default separator is changed to allow surrounding spaces around the comma.
193 *** Battery information via the BSD `apm' utility is now supported.
195 ** Calendar and Diary
198 *** New variable `diary-from-outlook-function', used by the command
199 `diary-from-outlook'.
203 *** New macro cl-tagbody.
206 *** letf is now just an alias for cl-letf.
210 *** Calc by default now uses the Gregorian calendar for all dates, and
211 uses January 1, 1 AD as its day number 1. Previously Calc used the
212 Julian calendar for dates before September 14, 1752, and it used
213 December 31, 1 BC as its day number 1; the new scheme is more
214 consistent with Calendar's calendrical system and day numbering.
216 *** The new variable `calc-gregorian-switch' lets you configure the
217 date when Calc switches from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
218 Nil, the default value, means to always use the Gregorian calendar.
219 The value (YEAR MONTH DAY) means to start using the Gregorian calendar
222 *** Support for ISO 8601 dates.
226 *** `desktop-auto-save-timeout' defines the number of seconds between
227 auto-saves of the desktop.
231 *** New minor mode `dired-hide-details-mode' hides details.
235 *** New option `erc-accidental-paste-threshold-seconds'.
236 If set to a number, this can be used to avoid accidentally paste large
237 amounts of data into the ERC input.
240 ** New F90 mode option `f90-smart-end-names'.
242 ** Icomplete is a bit more like IDO.
243 *** key bindings to navigate through and select the completions.
244 *** The icomplete-separator is customizable, and its default has changed.
245 *** Removed icomplete-show-key-bindings.
249 *** New commands `n' (`image-next-file') and `p' (`image-previous-file')
250 visit the next image file and the previous image file in the same
251 directory, respectively.
253 *** New commands to show specific frames of multi-frame images.
254 `f' (`image-next-frame') and `b' (`image-previous-frame') visit the
255 next or previous frame. `F' (`image-goto-frame') shows a specific frame.
258 *** The command `image-mode-fit-frame' deletes other windows.
259 When toggling, it restores the frame's previous window configuration.
260 It also has an optional frame argument, which can be used by Lisp
261 callers to fit the image to a frame other than the selected frame.
265 *** New face `info-index-match' is used to highlight matches in index
266 entries displayed by `Info-index-next', `Info-virtual-index' and
271 *** New option `hi-lock-auto-select-face'. When non-nil, hi-lock commands
272 will cycle through faces in `hi-lock-face-defaults' without prompting.
275 *** New global command `M-s h .' (`highlight-symbol-at-point')
276 highlights the symbol found near point without prompting,
277 using the next face automatically.
279 ** Search and Replace
281 *** New global command `M-s .' (`isearch-forward-symbol-at-point')
282 starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search forward with the
283 symbol found near point added to the search string initially.
285 *** `C-x 8 RET' in Isearch mode reads a character by its Unicode name
286 and adds it to the search string.
288 *** `M-s i' in Isearch mode toggles the variable `isearch-invisible'
289 between nil and the value of the option `search-invisible' (or `open'
292 *** `query-replace' skips invisible text when `search-invisible' is nil,
293 and opens overlays with hidden text when `search-invisible' is `open'.
295 ** MH-E has been updated to MH-E version 8.5.
296 See MH-E-NEWS for details.
299 ** The unrmail command converts from BABYL to mboxrd rather than mboxo.
300 Customize `unrmail-mbox-format' to change this.
303 ** Similarly, customize `rmail-mbox-format' to influence some minor aspects
304 of how Rmail displays non-MIME messages.
307 ** New function `ses-rename-cell' to give SES cells arbitrary names.
309 ** trace-function was largely rewritten.
310 New features include:
311 - no prompting for the destination buffer, unless a prefix-arg was used.
312 - additionally to prompting for a destination buffer, when a prefix-arg is
313 used, the user can enter a "context", i.e. Lisp expression whose value at the
314 time the function is entered/exited will be printed along with the function
315 name and arguments. Useful to trace the value of (current-buffer) or
316 (point) when the function is invoked.
318 ** New command `delete-duplicate-lines' has new types of operation:
319 When its arg ADJACENT is non-nil (when called interactively with C-u C-u)
320 it works like the utility `uniq'. Otherwise by default it deletes
321 duplicate lines everywhere in the region without regard to adjacency.
322 When it arg KEEP-BLANKS is non-nil (when called interactively with C-u C-u C-u),
323 duplicate blank lines are preserved.
325 ** New `cycle-spacing' command allows cycling between having just one
326 space, no spaces, or reverting to the original spacing. Like
327 `just-one-space' command it can handle or ignore newlines and
328 leave different number of spaces.
333 *** New connection method "adb", which allows to access Android
334 devices by the Android Debug Bridge. The variable `tramp-adb-program'
335 can be used to adapt the path of the "adb" program, if needed.
337 *** The connection methods "plink1", "ssh1", "ssh2", "scp1", "scp2",
338 "scpc" and "rsyncc" are discontinued. The ssh option
339 "ControlMaster=auto" is set automatically in all ssh-based methods,
343 *** Handlers for `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' for remote machines
344 which support POSIX ACLs.
348 *** New options: `vhdl-actual-generic-name', `vhdl-beautify-options'.
350 *** New commands: `vhdl-fix-statement-region', `vhdl-fix-statement-buffer'.
354 *** The commands `woman-default-faces' and `woman-monochrome-faces'
355 are obsolete. Customize the `woman-* faces instead.
359 *** Added Eshell-TRAMP module
360 External su and sudo commands are now the default; the internal,
361 TRAMP-using variants can still be used by enabling the eshell-tramp
364 ** Obsolete packages:
366 *** longlines.el is obsolete; use visual-line-mode instead.
371 *** terminal.el is obsolete; use term.el instead.
376 *** yow.el is obsolete; use fortune.el or cookie1.el instead.
379 *** The Info-edit command is obsolete. Editing Info nodes by hand
380 has not been relevant for some time.
383 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
384 ** New `superword-mode' in subword.el
385 `superword-mode' overrides the default word motion commands to treat
386 symbol_words as a single word, similar to what `subword-mode' does and
387 using the same internal functions.
389 ** New nadvice.el package offering lighter-weight advice facilities.
391 - add-function/remove-function which can be used to add/remove code on any
392 function-carrying place, such as process-filters or `<foo>-function' hooks.
393 - advice-add/advice-remove to add/remove a piece of advice on a named function,
394 much like `defadvice' does.
397 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
399 ** overriding-terminal-local-map does not replace the local keymaps any more.
400 It used to disable the minor mode, major mode, and text-property keymaps,
401 whereas now it simply has higher precedence.
403 ** Default process filers and sentinels are not nil any more.
404 Instead they default to a function which does what the nil value used to do.
406 ** `read-event' does not return decoded chars in ttys any more.
407 Just as was the case in Emacs-22 and before, decoding of tty input according to
408 keyboard-coding-system is not performed in read-event any more. But contrary
409 to that past, it is still done before input-decode-map/function-key-map/...
411 ** Removed inhibit-local-menu-bar-menus.
413 ** frame-local variables that affect redisplay do not work any more.
414 More specifically, the redisplay does not bother to check for a frame-local
415 value when looking up variables.
417 ** nil and "unbound" are indistinguishable in symbol-function.
418 `symbol-function' never signals `void-function' any more.
419 `fboundp' returns non-nil if the symbol was `fset' to nil.
421 ** `defadvice' does not honor the `freeze' flag and cannot advise
422 special-forms any more.
424 ** `dolist' in lexical-binding mode does not bind VAR in RESULT any more.
425 VAR was bound to nil which was not tremendously useful and just lead to
426 spurious warnings about an unused var.
428 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
429 The second argument is no longer an SELinux context, instead it is an
430 alist of extended attributes as returned by the new function
431 `file-extended-attributes'. The attributes can be applied to another
432 file using `set-file-extended-attributes'.
435 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
437 ** Obsoleted functions:
439 *** `lisp-complete-symbol'
441 *** `minibuffer-completion-contents'
442 *** `isearch-nonincremental-exit-minibuffer'
443 *** `isearch-filter-visible'
445 ** `with-wrapper-hook' is obsoleted by `add-function'.
446 The few hooks that used with-wrapper-hook are replaced as follows:
447 *** `abbrev-expand-function' obsoletes `abbrev-expand-functions'.
448 *** `completion-in-region-function' obsoletes `completion-in-region-functions'.
449 *** `filter-buffer-substring-function' obsoletes `filter-buffer-substring-functions'.
452 ** `get-upcase-table' is obsoleted by the new `case-table-get-table'.
454 ** Support for filesystem notifications.
455 Emacs now supports notifications of filesystem changes, such as
456 creation, modification, and deletion of files. This requires the
457 `glib' API, or the 'inotify' API (on GNU/Linux systems only). On
458 MS-Windows systems, this is supported for Windows XP and newer
461 ** Changes in autorevert.el
464 *** If Emacs is compiled with file notification support, notifications
465 are used instead of checking the time stamp of the files. You can
466 disable this by setting the user option `auto-revert-use-notify' to
467 nil. Alternatively, a regular expression of directories to be
468 excluded from file notifications can be specified by
469 `auto-revert-notify-exclude-dir-regexp'.
472 *** The new user option `auto-revert-remote-files' enables reversion
473 of remote files when set to non-nil.
477 *** The `face-spec-set' is now analogous to `setq' for face specs.
478 Its third arg now accepts values specifying exactly which face spec to
479 set (defface, custom, or user spec), and it directly sets the relevant
480 property using the supplied face spec.
482 *** Face specs set via Custom themes now replace the `defface' spec
483 rather than inheriting from it (as do face specs set via Customize).
485 *** New face characteristic (supports :underline (:style wave))
486 specifies whether or not the terminal can display a wavy line.
491 *** `image-animated-p' is now `image-multi-frame-p'.
492 It returns non-nil for any image that contains multiple frames,
493 whether or not it specifies a frame delay.
496 *** When animating images that do not specify a frame delay,
497 Emacs uses `image-default-frame-delay'.
500 *** New functions `image-current-frame' and `image-show-frame' for getting
501 and setting the current frame of a multi-frame image.
503 ** time-to-seconds is not obsolete any more.
504 ** New function special-form-p.
505 ** Docstrings can be made dynamic by adding a `dynamic-docstring-function'
506 text-property on the first char.
508 ** The `defalias-fset-function' property lets you catch calls to defalias
509 and redirect them to your own function instead of `fset'.
511 ** The lock for 'DIR/FILE' is now 'DIR/.#FILE' and may be a regular file.
512 When you edit DIR/FILE, Emacs normally creates a symbolic link
513 DIR/.#FILE as a lock that warns other instances of Emacs that DIR/FILE
514 is being edited. Formerly, if there was already a non-symlink file
515 named DIR/.#FILE, Emacs fell back on the lock names DIR/.#FILE.0
516 through DIR/.#FILE.9. These fallbacks have been removed, so that
517 Emacs now no longer locks DIR/FILE in that case.
519 On file systems that do not support symbolic links, the lock is now a
520 regular file with contents being what would have been in the symlink.
522 ** The 9th element returned by `file-attributes' is now unspecified.
523 Formerly, it was t if the file's gid would change if file were deleted
524 and recreated. This value has been inaccurate for years on many
525 platforms, and nobody seems to have noticed or cared.
527 ** The function `file-ownership-preserved-p' now has an optional
528 argument GROUP which causes it check for file group too. This can be
529 used in place of the 9th element of `file-attributes'.
531 ** New functions `group-gid' and `group-real-gid'.
533 ** The 6th argument to `copy-file' has been renamed to
534 `preserve-extended-attributes' as it now handles both SELinux context
537 ** Changes to the Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions in Emacs 24.4
539 *** The package descriptor and name of global variables, constants,
540 and functions should be separated by two hyphens if the symbol is not
541 meant to be used by other packages.
544 * Changes in Emacs 24.4 on Non-Free Operating Systems
547 ** The "generate a backtrace on fatal error" feature now works on MS Windows.
548 The backtrace is written to the 'emacs_backtrace.txt' file in the
549 directory where Emacs was running.
552 ** The variable `buffer-file-type' is no longer supported.
553 Setting it has no effect, and %t in the mode-line format is ignored.
554 Likewise, `file-name-buffer-file-type-alist' is now obsolete, and
555 modifying it has no effect.
558 ** Lock files now work on MS-Windows.
559 This allows to avoid losing your edits if the same file is being
560 edited in another Emacs session or by another user. See the node
561 "Interlocking" in the Emacs User Manual for the details. To disable
562 file locking, customize `create-lockfiles' to nil.
564 ** Improved fullscreen support on Mac OS X.
565 Both native (>= OSX 10.7) and "old style" fullscreen are supported.
566 Customize `ns-use-native-fullscreen' to change style. For >= 10.7
567 native is the default.
570 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.3
572 ** The default X toolkit is now Gtk+ version 3.
573 If you don't pass `--with-x-toolkit' to configure, or if you use
574 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk' or `--with-x-toolkit=yes', configure will try
575 to build with Gtk+ version 3, and if that fails, try Gtk+ version 2.
576 You can explicitly require a specific version by passing
577 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk2' or `--with-x-toolkit=gtk3' to configure.
579 ** New configure option `--enable-link-time-optimization', to utilize
580 an appropriate feature provided by GCC since version 4.5.0.
582 ** New configure option `--without-all' to disable most of the optional
583 features (image support, etc.) that are normally enabled by default.
585 ** New configure option `--enable-gcc-warnings' (for developing/debugging
586 Emacs). If building with GCC, this enables compile-time checks that
587 warn/give errors about possibly-questionable C code. On a recent GNU
588 system there should be no warnings; on older and on non-GNU systems
589 the results may be useful to developers.
591 ** The configure option `--enable-use-lisp-union-type' has been
592 renamed to `--enable-check-lisp-object-type', as the resulting
593 Lisp_Object type no longer uses a union to implement the compile time
594 check that this option enables.
596 ** The configure option `--disable-maintainer-mode' has been removed,
597 as it was confusingly-named and rarely useful.
599 ** The configure options `--program-prefix', `--program-suffix', and
600 `--program-transform-name' apply to more than just the installed
601 binaries. Now they also affect the man pages, icons, and the
602 etc/emacs.desktop file; but not the info pages, since this would break
603 links between the various manuals.
605 ** You can use `NO_BIN_LINK=t make install' to prevent the installation
606 overwriting "emacs" in the installation bin/ directory with a link
609 ** Emacs uses libtinfo in preference to libncurses, if available.
611 ** On FreeBSD and NetBSD, configure no longer adds /usr/local/lib and
612 /usr/pkg/lib to the linker search path. You must add them yourself if
615 ** The standalone scripts `rcs-checkin' and `vcdiff' have been removed
616 (from the bin and libexec directories, respectively). The former is
617 no longer relevant, the latter is replaced by lisp (in vc-sccs.el).
620 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.3
622 ** Emacs no longer searches for `leim-list.el' files beneath the standard
623 lisp/ directory. There should not be any there anyway. If you have
624 been adding them there, put them somewhere else; e.g., site-lisp.
626 ** The `--no-site-lisp' command line option now works for Nextstep builds.
629 * Changes in Emacs 24.3
633 *** `C-h f' (`describe-function') can now perform autoloading.
634 When this command is called for an autoloaded function whose docstring
635 contains a key substitution construct, that function's library is
636 automatically loaded, so that the documentation can be shown
637 correctly. To disable this, set `help-enable-auto-load' to nil.
639 *** `C-h f' now reports previously-autoloaded functions as "autoloaded",
640 even after their associated libraries have been loaded (and the
641 autoloads have been redefined as functions).
645 *** Images displayed via ImageMagick now support transparency and the
646 :background image specification property.
648 *** When available, ImageMagick support is automatically enabled.
649 It is no longer necessary to call `imagemagick-register-types'
650 explicitly to install ImageMagick image types; that function is called
651 automatically at startup, or when customizing an imagemagick- option.
653 *** Setting `imagemagick-types-inhibit' to t now disables the use of
654 ImageMagick to view images. (You must call `imagemagick-register-types'
655 afterwards if you do not use customize to change this.)
657 *** The new variable `imagemagick-enabled-types' also affects which
658 ImageMagick types are treated as images. The function
659 `imagemagick-filter-types' returns the list of types that will be
664 *** In minibuffer filename prompts, `C-M-f' and `C-M-b' now move to the
665 next and previous path separator, respectively.
667 *** `minibuffer-electric-default-mode' can shorten "(default ...)" to "[...]"
668 in minibuffer prompts. Just set `minibuffer-eldef-shorten-default'
669 non-nil before enabling the mode.
673 *** New option `mode-line-default-help-echo' specifies the help text
674 (shown in a tooltip or in the echo area) for any part of the mode line
675 that does not have its own specialized help text.
677 *** You can now click mouse-3 in the coding system indicator to invoke
678 `set-buffer-file-coding-system'.
682 *** emacsclient now obeys string values for `initial-buffer-choice',
683 if it is told to open a new frame without specifying any file to visit
684 or expression to evaluate.
686 *** New option `server-auth-key' specifies a shared server key.
688 ** Emacs now generates backtraces on fatal errors.
689 On encountering a fatal error, Emacs now outputs a textual description
690 of the fatal signal, and a short backtrace on platforms like glibc
691 that support backtraces.
693 ** `C-x C-q' is now bound to the new minor mode `read-only-mode'.
694 This minor mode replaces `toggle-read-only', which is now obsolete.
696 ** Most `y-or-n' prompts now allow you to scroll the selected window.
697 Typing `C-v' or `M-v' at a y-or-n prompt scrolls forward or backward
698 respectively, without exiting from the prompt.
700 ** In the Package Menu, newly-available packages are listed as "new",
701 and sorted above the other "available" packages by default.
703 ** If your Emacs was built from a bzr checkout, the new variable
704 `emacs-bzr-version' contains information about the bzr revision used.
706 ** New option `create-lockfiles' specifies usage of lockfiles.
707 It defaults to t. Changing it to nil inhibits the creation of lock
708 files (use this with caution).
710 ** New option `enable-remote-dir-locals', if non-nil, allows directory-local
711 variables on remote hosts.
713 ** The entry for PCL-CVS has been removed from the Tools menu.
714 The PCL-CVS commands are still available via the keyboard.
716 ** Using "unibyte: t" in Lisp source files is obsolete.
717 Use "coding: raw-text" instead.
719 ** In the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug', the `C-c m' binding
720 has been changed to `C-c M-i' (`report-emacs-bug-insert-to-mailer').
721 The previous binding, introduced in Emacs 24.1, was a mistake, because
722 `C-c LETTER' bindings are reserved for user customizations.
724 ** Internationalization
726 *** New language environment: Persian.
728 *** New input method `vietnamese-vni'.
730 ** Nextstep (GNUstep / Mac OS X) port
732 *** Support for fullscreen and the frame parameter fullscreen.
734 *** A file dialog is used for open/save operations initiated from the
738 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.3
740 ** Search and Replace
742 *** Non-regexp Isearch now performs "lax" space matching.
743 Each sequence of spaces in the supplied search string may match any
744 sequence of one or more whitespace characters, as specified by the
745 variable `search-whitespace-regexp'. (This variable is also used by a
746 similar existing feature for regexp Isearch.)
748 *** New Isearch command `M-s SPC' toggles lax space matching.
749 This applies to both ordinary and regexp Isearch.
751 *** New option `replace-lax-whitespace'.
752 If non-nil, `query-replace' uses flexible whitespace matching too.
755 *** Global `M-s _' starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search,
756 and `M-s _' in Isearch toggles symbol search mode.
757 `M-s c' in Isearch toggles search case-sensitivity.
759 ** Navigation commands
761 *** New binding `M-g c' for `goto-char'.
763 *** New binding `M-g TAB' for `move-to-column'.
765 *** `M-g TAB' (`move-to-column') prompts for a column number if called
766 interactively with no prefix arg. Previously, it moved to column 1.
768 ** New option `yank-handled-properties' allows processing of text
769 properties on yanked text, in ways that are more general than just
770 removing them (as is done by `yank-excluded-properties').
772 ** New option `delete-trailing-lines' specifies whether
773 M-x delete-trailing-whitespace should delete trailing lines at the end
774 of the buffer. It defaults to t.
776 ** `C-u M-=' now counts lines/words/characters in the entire buffer.
778 ** `C-x 8 RET' is now bound to `insert-char', which is now a command.
779 `ucs-insert' is now an obsolete alias for `insert-char'.
781 ** The `z' key no longer has a binding in most special modes.
782 It used to be bound to `kill-this-buffer', but `z' is too easy to
785 ** New command `C-x r M-w' (`copy-rectangle-as-kill').
786 It copies the region-rectangle as the last rectangle kill.
790 *** `C-x r +' is now overloaded to invoke `append-to-register'.
792 *** New option `register-separator' specifies the register containing
793 the text to put between collected texts for use with
794 M-x append-to-register and M-x prepend-to-register.
797 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.3
799 ** Common Lisp emulation (CL)
801 *** CL's main entry is now (require 'cl-lib).
802 `cl-lib' is like the old `cl' except that it uses the namespace cleanly;
803 i.e., all its definitions have the "cl-" prefix (and internal definitions
804 use the "cl--" prefix).
806 If `cl' provided a feature under the name `foo', then `cl-lib'
807 provides it under the name `cl-foo' instead; with the exceptions of the
808 few `cl' definitions that had to use `foo*' to avoid conflicts with
809 pre-existing Elisp entities. These have been renamed to `cl-foo'
810 rather than `cl-foo*'.
812 The old `cl' is now deprecated and is mainly just a bunch of aliases that
813 provide the old, non-prefixed names. Some exceptions are listed below:
815 *** `cl-flet' is not like `flet' (which is deprecated).
816 Instead it obeys the behavior of Common-Lisp's `flet'.
817 In particular, in cl-flet function definitions are lexically scoped,
818 whereas in flet the scoping is dynamic.
820 *** `cl-labels' is slightly different from `labels'.
821 The difference is that it relies on the `lexical-binding' machinery
822 (as opposed to the `lexical-let' machinery used previously) to capture
823 definitions in closures, so such closures will only work if `lexical-binding'
826 *** `cl-letf' is not exactly like `letf'.
827 The only difference is in details that relate to some deprecated usage
828 of `symbol-function' in place forms.
830 *** `progv' was rewritten to use the `let' machinery.
831 A side effect is that variables without corresponding values are bound
832 to nil rather than being made unbound.
834 *** The following methods of extending `setf' are obsolete
835 (use features from gv.el instead):
836 `define-modify-macro' (use `gv-letplace')
837 `defsetf' (use `gv-define-simple-setter' or `gv-define-setter')
838 `define-setf-expander' (use `gv-define-setter' or `gv-define-expander')
839 `get-setf-method' no longer exists (see "Incompatible Lisp Changes")
843 *** Changes are now highlighted using the same color scheme as in
844 modern VCSes. Deletions are displayed in red (new faces
845 `diff-refine-removed' and `smerge-refined-removed', and new definition
846 of `diff-removed'), insertions in green (new faces `diff-refine-added'
847 and `smerge-refined-added', and new definition of `diff-added').
849 *** The variable `diff-use-changed-face' defines whether to use the
850 face `diff-changed', or `diff-removed' and `diff-added' to highlight
851 changes in context diffs.
853 *** The new command `diff-delete-trailing-whitespace' removes trailing
854 whitespace introduced by a diff.
856 ** Ediff now uses the same color scheme as Diff mode.
860 A new version of python.el, which provides several new features, including:
861 per-buffer shells, better indentation, Python 3 support, and improved
862 shell-interaction compatible with iPython (and virtually any other
865 *** Some user options have been replaced/renamed, including (old -> new):
866 **** python-indent -> python-indent-offset
867 **** python-guess-indent -> python-indent-guess-indent-offset
868 **** python-pdbtrack-do-tracking-p -> python-pdbtrack-activate
869 **** python-use-skeletons -> python-skeleton-autoinsert
871 *** Some user options have been removed, including:
873 **** `python-indent-string-contents': Strings are never indented.
875 **** `python-honour-comment-indentation':
876 Comments are always considered as indentation markers.
878 **** `python-continuation-offset': Indentation is automatically
879 calculated in a pep8 compliant way depending on the context.
881 **** `python-shell-prompt-alist', `python-shell-continuation-prompt-alist':
882 Have no direct mapping as the shell interaction is completely different.
884 **** `python-python-command', `python-jython-command':
885 Replaced by `python-shell-interpreter'.
887 **** `inferior-python-filter-regexp', `python-remove-cwd-from-path',
888 `python-pdbtrack-minor-mode-string', `python-source-modes':
891 *** Some commands have been replaced (old -> new):
892 **** python-insert-class -> python-skeleton-class
893 **** python-insert-def -> python-skeleton-def
894 **** python-insert-for -> python-skeleton-for
895 **** python-insert-if -> python-skeleton-if
896 **** python-insert-try/except -> python-skeleton-try
897 **** python-insert-try/finally -> python-skeleton-try
898 **** python-insert-while -> python-skeleton-while
899 **** python-find-function -> python-nav-jump-to-defun
900 **** python-next-statement -> python-nav-forward-sentence
901 **** python-previous-statement -> python-nav-backward-sentence
902 **** python-beginning-of-defun-function -> python-nav-beginning-of-defun
903 **** python-end-of-defun-function -> python-nav-end-of-defun
904 **** python-send-buffer -> python-shell-send-buffer
905 **** python-send-defun -> python-shell-send-defun
906 **** python-send-region -> python-shell-send-region
907 **** python-send-region-and-go -> emulate with python-shell-send-region
908 and python-shell-switch-to-shell
909 **** python-send-string -> python-shell-send-string
910 **** python-switch-to-python -> python-shell-switch-to-shell
911 **** python-describe-symbol -> python-eldoc-at-point
915 *** New variables `dbus-compiled-version' and `dbus-runtime-version'.
917 *** The D-Bus object manager interface is implemented.
919 *** Variables of type :(u)int32 and :(u)int64 accept floating points,
920 if their value does not fit into Emacs's integer range.
922 *** The function `dbus-call-method' is now non-blocking.
923 It can be interrupted by `C-g'. `dbus-call-method-non-blocking' is obsolete.
925 *** Signals can also be sent as unicast messages.
927 *** The argument list of `dbus-register-signal' has been extended,
928 according to the new match rule types of D-Bus.
930 *** `dbus-init-bus' supports private connections.
932 *** There is a new function `dbus-setenv'.
934 ** `desktop-path' no longer includes the "." directory.
935 Desktop files are now located in ~/.emacs.d by default.
939 *** `dired-do-async-shell-command' executes each file sequentially
940 if the command ends in `;' (when operating on multiple files).
941 Otherwise, it executes the command on each file in parallel.
943 *** Typing `M-n' in the minibuffer of `dired-do-chmod', `dired-do-chgrp',
944 `dired-do-chown', and `dired-do-touch' yanks the attributes of the
947 *** When the region is active, `m' (`dired-mark'), `u' (`dired-unmark'),
948 `DEL' (`dired-unmark-backward'), and `d' (`dired-flag-file-deletion')
949 mark/unmark/flag all files in the active region.
951 *** The minibuffer default for `=' (`dired-diff) has changed.
952 It is now the backup file for the file at point, if one exists.
953 In Transient Mark mode the default is the file at the active mark.
955 *** `M-=' is no longer bound to `dired-backup-diff' in Dired buffers.
956 The global binding for `M-=', `count-words-region' is in effect.
960 *** New module "notifications", which can send a notification when you
961 receive a private message or your nickname is mentioned.
963 *** ERC will look up server/channel names via auth-source and use any
966 *** New option `erc-lurker-hide-list', similar to `erc-hide-list', but
967 only applies to messages sent by lurkers.
969 ** reStructuredText mode
971 *** Keybindings (see `C-c C-h'), TAB indentation, filling and auto-filling,
972 fontification, comment handling, and customization have all been revised
975 *** Support for `imenu' and `which-function-mode'.
977 *** The reStructuredText syntax is more closely covered.
978 Sphinx support has been improved.
980 *** `rst-insert-list' inserts new list or continues existing lists.
982 *** A negative prefix argument always works for `rst-adjust'.
984 *** The window configuration is reset after displaying a TOC.
986 *** The constant `rst-version' describes the rst.el package version.
990 *** Support for percent literals and recognition of regular expressions
991 in method calls without parentheses with more methods, including Cucumber
994 *** Improved syntax highlighting and indentation.
996 *** New command `ruby-toggle-block', bound to `C-c {'.
998 *** Some non-standard keybindings/commands have been removed:
1000 **** `ruby-electric-brace'; use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
1002 **** `ruby-mark-defun'; use `mark-defun'.
1004 **** `ruby-beginning-of-defun' and `ruby-end-of-defun' are replaced by
1005 appropriate settings for the variables `beginning-of-defun-function'
1006 and `end-of-defun-function'.
1008 **** Non-standard keybindings for `backward-kill-word', `comment-region',
1009 `reindent-then-newline-and-indent' and `newline' have been removed.
1011 ** Shell Script mode
1013 *** Pairing of parens/quotes uses `electric-pair-mode' instead of skeleton-pair.
1015 *** `sh-electric-here-document-mode' now controls auto-insertion of here-docs.
1017 *** `sh-use-smie' lets you choose a new indentation and navigation code.
1021 *** The free software compiler GHDL is supported (and now the default).
1023 *** Support for the VHDL-AMS packages has been added/updated.
1025 *** Updated to the 2002 revision of the VHDL standard.
1027 *** Accepts \r and \f as whitespace.
1031 *** The faces used by Apropos are now directly customizable.
1032 These faces are named `apropos-symbol', `apropos-keybinding', and so on;
1033 see the `apropos' Custom group for details.
1035 *** The old options whose values specified faces to use have been removed
1036 (i.e. `apropos-symbol-face', `apropos-keybinding-face', etc.).
1040 *** This package has been rewritten to use Tabulated List mode.
1042 *** Option `Buffer-menu-buffer+size-width' is now obsolete.
1043 Use `Buffer-menu-name-width' and `Buffer-menu-size-width' instead.
1047 *** Algebraic simplification mode is now the default.
1048 To restrict to the limited simplifications given by the former
1049 default simplification mode, use `m I'.
1053 *** You can customize the header text that appears above each calendar month.
1054 See the variable `calendar-month-header'.
1056 *** New LaTeX calendar style, produced by `cal-tex-cursor-week2-summary'.
1058 *** The calendars produced by cal-html include holidays.
1059 Customize `cal-html-holidays' to change this.
1063 *** The major modes from the parser generators "Bovine" and "Wisent"
1064 are now properly integrated in Emacs. The file suffixes ".by" and ".wy"
1065 are in `auto-mode-alist', and the corresponding manuals are included.
1069 **** Menu support for the "Configuration" feature. This allows users to
1070 choose the active configuration (such as debug or install) from the menu.
1072 **** New command `ede-set' to interactively set project-local variables.
1074 **** Support for compiling, debugging, and running in "generic" projects.
1076 **** Autoconf editing support for M4 macros with complex arguments.
1078 **** Compilation support for the "linux" project type.
1080 **** "simple" projects have been removed; use "generic" projects instead.
1084 **** Support for parsing #include statements inside a namespace in C/C++.
1086 **** Improved support for 'extern "C"' declarations in C/C++.
1088 **** The ability to ignore more common special C/C++ preprocessor symbols,
1089 such as '__nonnull' and '__asm'. Add '__cplusplus' macro when parsing C++.
1090 If available, include cdefs.h as an additional source of preprocessor symbols.
1092 **** Improved C/C++ function pointer parsing.
1094 **** In Python, support for converting imports to include file names.
1096 **** Ability to dynamically determine the Python load path.
1098 **** Support for the Python 'WITH' and 'AT' keywords.
1100 **** Improved tooltip completion.
1104 **** The SRecode manual is now included.
1106 **** Tag generation supports constructor/destructor settings and system
1107 include differentiation.
1109 **** Addition of 'Framework' support: Frameworks are specified when a
1110 particular kind of library (such as Android) is needed in a common language
1113 **** Support for nested templates and let variables override based on priority.
1115 **** Support for merging tables from multiple related modes, such as
1116 default -> c++ -> arduino.
1118 ** Compile has a new option `compilation-always-kill'.
1122 *** `custom-reset-button-menu' now defaults to t.
1124 *** Non-option variables are never matched in `customize-apropos' and
1125 `customize-apropos-options' (i.e., the prefix argument does nothing for
1126 these commands now).
1130 *** The variables `term-default-fg-color' and `term-default-bg-color'
1131 are now deprecated in favor of the customizable face `term'.
1133 *** You can customize how to display ANSI terminal colors and styles
1134 by customizing the corresponding `term-color-<COLOR>',
1135 `term-color-underline' and `term-color-bold' faces.
1139 *** The syntax has been extended in order to allow ad-hoc proxy definitions.
1141 *** Remote processes are now also supported on remote MS-Windows hosts.
1145 *** Structs made by `url-generic-parse-url' have nil `attributes' slot.
1146 Previously, this slot stored semicolon-separated attribute-value pairs
1147 appended to some imap URLs, but this is not compatible with RFC 3986.
1148 So now the `filename' slot stores the entire path and query components,
1149 and the `attributes' slot is always nil.
1151 *** New function `url-encode-url' for encoding a URI string.
1152 The `url-retrieve' function now uses this to encode its URL argument,
1153 in case that is not properly encoded.
1155 ** notifications.el supports now version 1.2 of the Notifications API.
1156 The function `notifications-get-capabilities' returns the supported
1159 ** Flymake uses fringe bitmaps to indicate errors and warnings.
1160 See `flymake-fringe-indicator-position', `flymake-error-bitmap' and
1161 `flymake-warning-bitmap'.
1163 ** The FFAP option `ffap-url-unwrap-remote' can now be a list of strings,
1164 specifying URL types that should be converted to remote file names at
1165 the FFAP prompt. The default is now '("ftp").
1167 ** New Ibuffer `derived-mode' filter, bound to `/ M'.
1168 The old binding for `/ M' (filter by used-mode) is now bound to `/ m'.
1170 ** New option `mouse-avoidance-banish-position' specifies where the
1171 `banish' mouse avoidance setting moves the mouse.
1173 ** In Perl mode, new option `perl-indent-parens-as-block' causes non-block
1174 closing brackets to be aligned with the line of the opening bracket.
1176 ** In Proced mode, new command `proced-renice' renices marked processes.
1178 ** New option `async-shell-command-buffer' specifies the buffer to use
1179 for a new asynchronous `shell-command' when the default output buffer
1180 `*Async Shell Command*' is already in use.
1182 ** SQL mode has a new option `sql-db2-escape-newlines'.
1183 If non-nil, newlines sent to the command interpreter will be escaped
1184 by a backslash. The default does not escape the newlines and assumes
1185 that the sql statement will be terminated by a semicolon.
1187 ** New command `tabulated-list-sort', bound to `S' in Tabulated List mode
1188 (and modes that derive from it), sorts the column at point, or the Nth
1189 column if a numeric prefix argument is given.
1191 ** `which-func-modes' now defaults to t, so Which Function mode, when
1192 enabled, applies to all applicable major modes.
1194 ** `winner-mode-hook' now runs when the mode is disabled, as well as when
1197 ** Follow mode no longer works by using advice.
1198 The option `follow-intercept-processes' has been removed.
1200 ** `javascript-generic-mode' is now an obsolete alias for `js-mode'.
1202 ** Hooks renamed to avoid obsolete "-hooks" suffix:
1203 *** semantic-lex-reset-hooks -> semantic-lex-reset-functions
1204 *** semantic-change-hooks -> semantic-change-functions
1205 *** semantic-edits-new-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-new-change-functions
1206 *** semantic-edits-delete-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-delete-change-functions
1207 *** semantic-edits-reparse-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-reparse-change-functions
1208 *** semanticdb-save-database-hooks -> semanticdb-save-database-functions
1209 *** c-prepare-bug-report-hooks -> c-prepare-bug-report-hook
1210 *** rcirc-sentinel-hooks -> rcirc-sentinel-functions
1211 *** rcirc-receive-message-hooks -> rcirc-receive-message-functions
1212 *** rcirc-activity-hooks -> rcirc-activity-functions
1213 *** rcirc-print-hooks -> rcirc-print-functions
1214 *** dbus-event-error-hooks -> dbus-event-error-functions
1215 *** eieio-pre-method-execution-hooks -> eieio-pre-method-execution-functions
1216 *** checkdoc-style-hooks -> checkdoc-style-functions
1217 *** checkdoc-comment-style-hooks -> checkdoc-comment-style-functions
1218 *** archive-extract-hooks -> archive-extract-hook
1219 *** filesets-cache-fill-content-hooks -> filesets-cache-fill-content-hook
1220 *** hfy-post-html-hooks -> hfy-post-html-hook
1221 *** nndiary-request-create-group-hooks -> nndiary-request-create-group-functions
1222 *** nndiary-request-update-info-hooks -> nndiary-request-update-info-functions
1223 *** nndiary-request-accept-article-hooks -> nndiary-request-accept-article-functions
1224 *** gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-hooks -> gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-functions
1226 ** Obsolete packages
1229 In most cases, assoc+member+push+delq work just as well.
1230 And in any case it's just a terrible package: ugly semantics, terrible
1231 inefficiency, and not namespace-clean.
1240 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
1242 ** Docstrings starting with `*' no longer indicate user options.
1243 Only variables defined using `defcustom' are considered user options.
1244 The function `user-variable-p' is now an obsolete alias for
1245 `custom-variable-p'.
1247 ** The return values of `defalias', `defun' and `defmacro' have changed,
1248 and are now undefined. For backwards compatibility, `defun' and
1249 `defmacro' currently return the name of the newly defined
1250 function/macro, but this should not be relied upon.
1252 ** `random' by default now returns a different random sequence in
1253 every Emacs run. Use `(random S)', where S is a string, to set the
1254 random seed to a value based on S, in order to get a repeatable
1255 sequence in later calls.
1257 ** If the NEWTEXT arg to `replace-match' contains a substring "\?",
1258 that substring is inserted literally even if the LITERAL arg is
1259 non-nil, instead of causing an error to be signaled.
1261 ** `select-window' now always makes the window's buffer current.
1262 It does so even if the window was selected before.
1264 ** The function `x-select-font' can return a font spec, instead of a
1265 font name as a string. Whether it returns a font spec or a font name
1266 depends on the graphical library.
1268 ** `face-spec-set' no longer sets frame-specific attributes when the
1269 third argument is a frame (that usage was obsolete since Emacs 22.2).
1271 ** `set-buffer-multibyte' now signals an error in narrowed buffers.
1273 ** The CL package's `get-setf-method' function no longer exists.
1274 Generalized variables are now part of core Emacs Lisp, and implemented
1275 differently to the way cl.el used to do it. It is not possible to
1276 define a compatible replacement for `get-setf-method'. See the file
1277 gv.el for internal details of the new implementation.
1279 ** The arguments of `dbus-register-signal' are no longer just strings,
1280 but keywords or keyword-string pairs. The old argument list will
1281 still be supported for Emacs 24.x.
1283 ** Miscellaneous name changes
1284 Some Lisp symbols have been renamed to correct their spelling,
1285 or to be more consistent with standard Emacs terminology.
1287 *** Renamed functions
1288 **** hangul-input-method-inactivate -> hangul-input-method-deactivate
1289 **** inactivate-input-method -> deactivate-input-method
1290 **** quail-inactivate -> quail-deactivate
1291 **** robin-inactivate -> robin-deactivate
1292 **** viper-inactivate-input-method -> viper-deactivate-input-method
1293 **** viper-inactivate-input-method-action ->
1294 viper-deactivate-input-method-action
1295 **** ucs-input-inactivate -> ucs-input-deactivate
1298 The old hooks are still supported for backward compatibility, but they
1299 are deprecated and will be removed eventually.
1300 **** input-method-inactivate-hook -> input-method-deactivate-hook
1301 **** robin-inactivate-hook -> robin-deactivate-hook
1302 **** quail-inactivate-hook -> quail-deactivate-hook
1304 *** Renamed variables
1305 **** follow-deactive-menu -> follow-inactive-menu
1306 **** inactivate-current-input-method-function ->
1307 deactivate-current-input-method-function
1309 ** Some obsolete functions, variables, and faces have been removed:
1310 *** `last-input-char', `last-command-char', `unread-command-char'
1311 *** `facemenu-unlisted-faces'
1312 *** `rmail-decode-mime-charset'
1313 *** `iswitchb-read-buffer'
1314 *** `sc-version', `sc-submit-bug-report'
1315 *** `set-char-table-default'
1316 *** `string-to-sequence' (use `string-to-list' or `string-to-vector')
1317 *** `compile-internal'
1319 *** `mode-line-inverse-video'
1320 *** `follow-mode-off-hook'
1321 *** `cvs-commit-buffer-require-final-newline'
1322 (use `log-edit-require-final-newline' instead)
1323 *** `cvs-changelog-full-paragraphs'
1324 (use `log-edit-changelog-full-paragraphs' instead)
1325 *** `cvs-diff-ignore-marks', `cvs-diff-buffer-name'
1326 *** `vc-ignore-vc-files' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
1327 *** `vc-master-templates' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
1328 *** `vc-checkout-carefully'
1331 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
1333 ** CL-style generalized variables are now in core Elisp.
1334 `setf' is autoloaded; `push' and `pop' accept generalized variables.
1335 You can define your own generalized variables using `gv-define-simple-setter',
1336 `gv-define-setter', etc.
1338 ** Emacs tries to macroexpand interpreted (non-compiled) files during load.
1339 This can significantly speed up execution of non-byte-compiled code,
1340 but can also bump into previously unnoticed cyclic dependencies.
1341 These are generally harmless: they will simply cause the macro calls
1342 to be left for later expansion (as before), but will result in a
1343 warning ("Eager macro-expansion skipped due to cycle") describing the cycle.
1344 You may wish to restructure your code so this does not happen.
1346 ** New sampling-based Elisp profiler.
1347 Try M-x profiler-start, do some work, and then call M-x profiler-report.
1348 When finished, use M-x profiler-stop. The sampling rate can be based on
1349 CPU time or memory allocations.
1351 ** `defun' also accepts a (declare DECLS) form, like `defmacro'.
1352 The interpretation of the DECLS is determined by `defun-declarations-alist'.
1354 ** New macros `setq-local' and `defvar-local'.
1356 ** Face underlining can now use a wave.
1358 ** `read-regexp' has a new argument HISTORY; the first argument PROMPT
1359 of `read-regexp' accepts a string ending with a colon and space, and its
1360 second argument DEFAULTS can be a list of strings accessible via `M-n'
1361 in the minibuffer ahead of other hard-coded useful regexp-related values.
1362 More commands use `read-regexp' now to read their regexp arguments.
1366 *** New function `completion-table-with-quoting' to handle completion
1367 in the presence of quoting, such as file completion in shell buffers.
1369 *** New function `completion-table-subvert' to use an existing completion
1370 table, but with a different prefix.
1374 *** New error type and new function `user-error'.
1375 These do not trigger the debugger.
1377 *** New option `debugger-bury-or-kill', saying what to do with the
1378 debugger buffer when exiting debug.
1380 *** Set `debug-on-message' to enter the debugger when a certain
1381 message is displayed in the echo area. This can be useful when trying
1382 to work out which code is doing something.
1384 *** New var `inhibit-debugger', automatically set to prevent accidental
1385 recursive invocations.
1389 *** New command `fit-frame-to-buffer' adjusts the frame height to
1392 *** The command `fit-window-to-buffer' can adjust the frame height
1393 if the new option `fit-frame-to-buffer' is non-nil.
1395 *** New macro `with-temp-buffer-window', similar to
1396 `with-output-to-temp-buffer'.
1398 *** `temp-buffer-resize-mode' no longer resizes windows that have been
1401 *** New option `switch-to-buffer-preserve-window-point' to restore a
1402 window's point when switching buffers.
1404 *** New display action alist entries `window-height' and `window-width'
1405 specify the size of new windows created by `display-buffer'.
1407 *** New display action alist entry `pop-up-frame-parameters', if
1408 non-nil, specifies frame parameters to give any newly-created frame.
1410 *** New display action alist entry `inhibit-switch-frame', if non-nil,
1411 tells display action functions to avoid changing which frame is
1414 *** New display action alist entry `previous-window', if non-nil,
1415 specifies window to reuse in `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
1417 *** New display action functions `display-buffer-below-selected',
1418 and `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
1420 *** The functions `get-lru-window', `get-mru-window' and `get-largest-window'
1421 now accept a third argument to avoid choosing the selected window.
1423 *** Additional values recognized for option `window-combination-limit'.
1425 *** The following variables are obsolete, as they can be replaced by
1426 appropriate entries in the `display-buffer-alist' function introduced
1428 **** `dired-shrink-to-fit'
1429 **** `display-buffer-reuse-frames'
1430 **** `display-buffer-function'
1431 **** `special-display-buffer-names'
1432 **** `special-display-frame-alist'
1433 **** `special-display-function'
1434 **** `special-display-regexps'
1438 *** `current-time-string' no longer requires that its argument's year
1439 must be in the range 1000..9999. It now works with any year supported
1440 by the underlying C implementation.
1442 *** `current-time' now returns extended-format time stamps
1443 (HIGH LOW USEC PSEC), where the new PSEC slot specifies picoseconds.
1444 PSEC is typically a multiple of 1000 on current machines. Other
1445 functions that use this format, such as `file-attributes' and
1446 `format-time-string', have been changed accordingly. Old-format time
1447 stamps are still accepted.
1449 *** The format of timers in `timer-list' and `timer-idle-list' is now
1450 [TRIGGERED-P HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS REPEAT-DELAY FUNCTION ARGS IDLE-DELAY PSECS].
1451 The PSECS slot is new, and uses picosecond resolution. It can be
1452 accessed via the new `timer--psecs' accessor.
1454 *** Last-modified time stamps in undo lists now are of the form
1455 (t HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS PSECS) instead of (t HI-SECS . LO-SECS).
1459 *** Improved security when handling persistent objects:
1461 **** `eieio-persistent-read' now features optional arguments for specifying
1462 the class to load, as well as a flag stating whether subclasses are allowed;
1463 if provided, other classes will be rejected by the reader. For
1464 compatibility with existing code, if the class is omitted only a
1467 **** New specialized reader for pulling in classes and signaling errors
1468 without evaluation of suspicious code.
1470 **** All slots that contain objects must have a :type. Slots with lists
1471 of objects must use a new type predicate for a list of an object type.
1473 *** Support for `find-function' and similar utilities, through the addition
1474 of filename support to generated symbols.
1476 ** Floating point functions now always return special values like NaN,
1477 instead of signaling errors, if given invalid args; e.g., (log -1.0).
1478 Previously, they returned NaNs on some platforms but signaled errors
1479 on others. The affected functions are acos, asin, tan, exp, expt,
1480 log, log10, sqrt, and mod.
1482 ** New fringe bitmap `exclamation-mark'.
1484 ** Miscellaneous changes to special forms and macros
1486 *** `defun' and `defmacro' are now macros rather than special forms.
1488 *** `kbd' is now a function rather than a macro.
1490 ** Miscellaneous new functions
1492 *** `set-temporary-overlay-map' sets up a temporary keymap that
1493 takes precedence over most other maps for a short while (normally one key).
1495 *** `autoloadp' tests if its argument is an autoloaded object.
1497 *** `autoload-do-load' performs the autoloading operation.
1499 *** `buffer-narrowed-p' tests if the buffer is narrowed.
1501 *** `file-name-base' returns a file name sans directory and extension.
1503 *** `function-get' fetches a function property, following aliases.
1505 *** `posnp' tests if an object is a `posn'.
1507 *** `system-users' returns the user names on the system.
1509 *** `system-groups' returns the group names on the system.
1511 *** `tty-top-frame' returns the topmost frame of a text terminal.
1513 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
1514 *** `automount-dir-prefix' (use `directory-abbrev-alist')
1515 *** `buffer-has-markers-at'
1516 *** `macro-declaration-function' (use `macro-declarations-alist')
1517 *** `window-system-version' (provides no useful information)
1518 *** `dired-pop-to-buffer' (use `dired-mark-pop-up')
1519 *** `query-replace-interactive'
1520 *** `font-list-limit' (has had no effect since Emacs < 23)
1523 * Changes in Emacs 24.3 on Non-Free Operating Systems
1525 ** Cygwin builds can use the native MS Windows user interface.
1526 Pass `--with-w32' to configure. The default remains the X11 interface.
1528 ** Two new functions are available in Cygwin builds:
1529 `cygwin-convert-file-name-from-windows' and
1530 `cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows'. These functions allow Lisp
1531 code to access the Cygwin file-name mapping machinery to convert
1532 between Cygwin and Windows-native file and directory names.
1534 ** When invoked with the -nw switch to run on the Windows text-mode terminal,
1535 Emacs now supports `mouse-highlight', help-echo (in the echo area), and
1536 `mouse-autoselect-window'.
1538 ** On MS Windows Vista and later Emacs now supports symbolic links.
1540 ** On MS Windows, you can pass `--without-libxml2' to configure.bat to omit
1541 support for libxml2, even if its presence is detected.
1543 ** On Mac OS X, the Nextstep port requires OS X 10.4 or later.
1545 ** On Mac OS X, configure no longer automatically adds the Fink "/sw"
1546 directories to the search path. You must add them yourself if you want them.
1549 * Changes in Emacs 24.2
1551 ** This is mainly a bug-fix release.
1554 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.1
1556 ** Emacs can be compiled with Gtk+ 3.0 if you pass --with-x-toolkit=gtk3
1557 to configure. Note that other libraries used by Emacs, RSVG and GConf,
1558 also depend on Gtk+. You can disable them with --without-rsvg and
1561 ** Emacs can be compiled with GnuTLS support.
1562 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
1563 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
1564 `--without-gnutls'. See below for GnuTLS features.
1566 ** Emacs can be compiled with SELinux support.
1567 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
1568 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
1569 `--without-selinux'. See below for SELinux features.
1571 ** Emacs can be compiled with ImageMagick support.
1572 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
1573 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
1574 `--without-imagemagick'. See below for ImageMagick features.
1575 This feature is not available for the Nextstep or MS ports.
1577 ** Emacs can be compiled with libxml2 support.
1578 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
1579 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
1580 `--without-xml2'. See below for libxml2 features.
1582 ** By default, the installed Info and man pages are compressed.
1583 You can disable this by configuring --without-compress-info.
1585 ** New configure option --with-wide-int.
1586 With it, Emacs integers typically have 62 bits, even on 32-bit machines.
1587 On 32-bit hosts, this raises the limit on buffer sizes from about 512 MiB
1590 ** New configure options: --with-mmdf, --with-mail-unlink, --with-mailhost.
1591 These provide no new functionality, they just remove the need to edit
1592 lib-src/Makefile by hand in order to use the associated features.
1594 ** New configure option --enable-use-lisp-union-type.
1595 This is only useful for Emacs developers to debug certain types of bugs.
1596 This is not a new feature; only the configure flag is new.
1598 ** The standalone programs digest-doc and sorted-doc are removed.
1599 Emacs now uses Lisp commands `doc-file-to-man' and `doc-file-to-info'.
1601 ** The standalone program `fakemail' is removed.
1602 If you need it, feedmail.el provides a superset of the functionality.
1605 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.1
1607 ** The --unibyte, --multibyte, --no-multibyte, and --no-unibyte
1608 command line arguments, and the EMACS_UNIBYTE environment variable, no
1609 longer have any effect. (They were declared obsolete in Emacs 23.)
1611 ** New command line option `--no-site-lisp' removes site-lisp directories
1612 from load-path. -Q now implies this. This option does not affect the
1613 EMACSLOADPATH environment variable (and hence has no effect for
1617 * Changes in Emacs 24.1
1621 *** Many packages now use the `completion-at-point' command,
1622 rather than implementing separate completion commands.
1624 *** `completion-at-point' now handles tags and semantic completion.
1626 *** Completion in a non-minibuffer now tries to detect the end of completion
1627 and pops down the *Completions* buffer accordingly.
1629 *** New option `completion-cycle-threshold' allows completion cycling.
1631 *** New option `completion-category-overrides' for overriding the
1632 default completion style in certain circumstances.
1634 *** New completion style `substring'.
1636 *** Completion of buffer names uses `substring' completion by default.
1638 *** The option `widget-complete-field' has been removed.
1642 *** The first time you try sending mail, Emacs asks for a mail method.
1643 This is implemented by a new default for `send-mail-function', which
1644 is `sendmail-query-once'. This offers to use the smtpmail package, or
1645 to use the old defaults relying on external mail facilities
1646 (`sendmail-send-it' on GNU/Linux and other Unix-like systems, and
1647 `mailclient-send-it' on Windows).
1649 *** Typing `C-c m' in the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug'
1650 transfers the report to your desktop's preferred mail client, if there
1651 is one. This uses either the "xdg-email" utility, or Mac OS's "open"
1654 *** See Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages for SMTPmail changes
1655 and Mail mode changes
1657 ** Emacs server and client changes
1659 *** New option `server-port' specifies the port for TCP Emacs servers.
1661 *** New emacsclient argument -q/--quiet suppresses some status messages.
1663 *** New emacsclient argument --frame-parameters specifies the frame
1664 parameters of any newly-created graphical frame.
1666 *** If emacsclient shuts down due to Emacs signaling an error,
1667 its exit status is 1.
1669 *** New emacsclient argument --parent-id ID.
1670 This opens a client frame in parent X window ID, via XEmbed, similar
1671 to the --parent-id argument to Emacs.
1673 ** Internationalization changes
1675 *** Emacs now supports display and editing of bidirectional text.
1676 Right-to-left (RTL) scripts, such as Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew, are
1677 displayed in the correct visual order as expected by users of those
1678 scripts. The display reordering is a "full bidirectionality" class
1679 implementation of the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm (UBA). Buffers
1680 with no RTL text should look exactly the same as before.
1682 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-display-reordering'.
1683 To disable display reordering in a buffer, change this to nil.
1685 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-paragraph-direction'.
1686 If nil (the default), Emacs determines the base direction of each
1687 paragraph from its text, as specified by the UBA. Setting the value
1688 to `right-to-left' or `left-to-right' forces a base direction on each
1691 Paragraphs with right-to-left base direction are displayed starting at
1692 the right window edge.
1694 *** Enhanced support for characters with no glyphs in available fonts,
1695 or, on text terminals, characters that cannot be encoded by the
1696 terminal coding system. The new option `glyphless-char-display-control'
1697 specifies how to display them: as a hexadecimal code in a box, a thin
1698 1-pixel space, an empty box, etc.
1700 *** New input methods for Farsi and Bulgarian
1701 (farsi-isiri-9147, farsi-transliterate-banan, bulgarian-alt-phonetic).
1703 *** `nobreak-char-display' now also highlights Unicode hyphen chars
1704 (U+2010 and U+2011).
1706 *** New Hebrew translation of the Emacs Tutorial.
1707 Type `C-u C-h t' to choose it in case your language setup doesn't
1708 automatically select it.
1710 ** An Emacs Lisp package manager is now included.
1711 This is a convenient way to download and install additional packages,
1712 from a package repository at http://elpa.gnu.org.
1714 *** M-x list-packages shows a list of packages, which can be
1715 selected for installation.
1717 *** New command `describe-package', bound to `C-h P'.
1719 *** By default, all installed packages are loaded automatically when
1720 Emacs starts up. To disable this, set `package-enable-at-startup' to
1721 nil. To specify the packages to load, customize `package-load-list'.
1723 ** Custom theme changes
1725 *** New command `M-x customize-themes', which provides a convenient
1726 interface for enabling and disabling Custom themes.
1728 *** New option `custom-theme-load-path' is the load path for themes.
1729 Emacs no longer looks for Custom themes in `load-path'. The default
1730 value of `custom-theme-load-path' says to look for themes in
1731 `custom-theme-directory', followed by a subdirectory of
1732 `data-directory' named "themes/", which contains a small selection of
1733 built-in Custom themes.
1735 *** New option `custom-safe-themes' records known-safe theme files.
1736 If a theme is not in this list, Emacs queries before loading it, and
1737 offers to save the theme to `custom-safe-themes' automatically. By
1738 default, all themes included in Emacs are treated as safe.
1740 ** Improved GTK integration
1742 *** GTK scroll-bars are now placed on the right by default.
1743 The function `set-scroll-bar-mode' can change this.
1745 *** GTK tool bars can have just text, just images or images and text.
1746 Customize `tool-bar-style' to choose the style. On a Gnome desktop,
1747 the default is taken from desktop settings.
1749 *** GTK tool bars can be placed on any edge of the frame.
1750 The frame-parameter tool-bar-position controls this. It takes the
1751 values top, left, right or bottom. The Options => Show/Hide menu has
1754 *** The default colors for selected text (the `region' face) are taken
1755 from the GTK theme when Emacs is built with GTK.
1757 *** Emacs uses GTK tooltips by default if built with GTK.
1758 You can disable this by changing `x-gtk-use-system-tooltips' to nil.
1760 ** Graphical interface changes
1762 *** On graphical displays, the mode-line no longer ends in dashes.
1763 Also, the first dash (which does not indicate anything) is just
1764 displayed as a space.
1766 *** `menu-bar-select-buffer-function' lets you choose another operation
1767 instead of `switch-to-buffer' when selecting an item in the Buffers menu.
1769 *** Lucid menus and dialogs can display antialiased fonts if Emacs is
1770 built with Xft. These fonts can be set via X resources, for example:
1771 Emacs.pane.menubar.font: Courier-12
1775 *** Emacs now calls `kill-emacs' if it receives SIGTERM or SIGHUP,
1776 or if it receives a SIGINT signal in batch mode.
1778 *** `kill-emacs-hook' is now also run in batch mode.
1779 Third-party code which adds to `kill-emacs-hook' should check if they
1780 do the right thing in batch mode.
1782 ** Scrolling changes
1784 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-command' and `scroll-down-command'
1785 (bound to C-v/[next] and M-v/[prior]) do not signal errors at top/bottom
1786 of buffer at first key-press (instead they move to top/bottom of buffer)
1787 when `scroll-error-top-bottom' is non-nil.
1789 *** New option `scroll-error-top-bottom' (see above).
1791 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-line' and `scroll-down-line'
1792 scroll a line instead of full screen.
1794 *** New property `scroll-command' should be set on a command's symbol to
1795 define it as a scroll command affected by `scroll-preserve-screen-position'.
1797 *** If you customize `scroll-conservatively' to a value greater than 100,
1798 Emacs will never recenter point in the window when it scrolls due to
1799 cursor motion commands or commands that move point (e.f., `M-g M-g').
1800 Previously, you needed to use `most-positive-fixnum' as the value of
1801 `scroll-conservatively' to achieve the same effect.
1803 *** "Aggressive" scrolling now honors the scroll margins.
1804 If you customize `scroll-up-aggressively' or
1805 `scroll-down-aggressively' and move point off the window, Emacs now
1806 scrolls the window so as to avoid positioning point inside the scroll
1809 ** Basic SELinux support has been added.
1810 This requires Emacs to be linked with libselinux at build time.
1812 *** Emacs preserves the SELinux file context when backing up.
1813 Also, the function `copy-file' has an extra optional argument for
1814 preserving SELinux context, and the return value of `backup-buffer'
1815 now includes the SELinux context.
1817 *** New functions `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
1818 get and set the SELinux context of a file.
1822 *** `delete-by-moving-to-trash' now only affects commands that specify
1823 trashing. This avoids inadvertently trashing temporary files.
1825 *** Calling `delete-file' or `delete-directory' with a prefix argument
1826 now forces true deletion, regardless of `delete-by-moving-to-trash'.
1828 ** File- and directory-local variable changes
1830 *** You can stop directory local vars from applying to subdirectories.
1831 Add an element (subdirs . nil) to the alist portion of any variables
1832 settings to indicate that the section should not apply to
1835 *** Directory local variables can apply to some file-less buffers.
1836 Affected modes include dired, vc-dir, and log-edit. For example,
1837 adding "(diff-mode . ((mode . whitespace)))" to .dir-locals.el will
1838 turn on `whitespace-mode' for *vc-diff* buffers. Modes should call
1839 `hack-dir-local-variables-non-file-buffer' to support this.
1841 *** Using "mode: MINOR-MODE" to enable a minor mode is deprecated.
1842 Instead, use "eval: (minor-mode 1)".
1844 *** The variable `inhibit-first-line-modes-regexps' has been renamed
1845 to `inhibit-local-variables-regexps'. As the name suggests, it now
1846 applies to ALL file local variables, not just -*- lines. The
1847 associated `inhibit-first-line-modes-suffixes' has been renamed in the
1852 *** The `quit-window' command now restores the last buffer displayed
1853 in the quitted window.
1855 *** Resizing an Emacs frame now preserves proportional window sizes,
1856 modulo restrictions like window minimum sizes and fixed-size windows.
1858 *** The behavior of `display-buffer' is now customizable in detail.
1860 **** New option `display-buffer-base-action' specifies a list of
1861 user-determined display "actions" (functions and optional arguments
1862 for choosing the displaying window).
1864 This takes precedence over the default display action, which is
1865 specified by `display-buffer-fallback-action'.
1867 **** New option `display-buffer-alist' maps buffer name regexps to
1868 display actions, taking precedence over `display-buffer-base-action'.
1870 *** New option `window-combination-limit'.
1871 The new option `window-combination-limit' allows to return the space
1872 obtained for resizing or creating a window more reliably to the window
1873 from which such space was obtained.
1875 *** New option `window-combination-resize'.
1876 The new option `window-combination-resize' allows to split a window that
1877 otherwise cannot be split because it's too small by stealing space from
1878 other windows in the same combination. Subsequent resizing or deletion
1879 of the window will resize all windows in the same combination as well.
1881 *** New option `frame-auto-hide-function' lets you choose between
1882 iconifying or deleting a frame when burying a buffer in a dedicated
1883 frame, or quitting a window showing a buffer in a frame of its own.
1885 *** New commands `maximize-window' and `minimize-window'.
1886 These maximize and minimize the size of a window within its frame.
1888 *** New commands `switch-to-prev-buffer' and `switch-to-next-buffer'.
1889 These functions allow to navigate through the live buffers that have
1890 been shown in a specific window.
1892 ** Minibuffer changes
1894 *** The inactive minibuffer has its own major mode `minibuffer-inactive-mode'.
1895 This is handy for minibuffer-only frames, and is also used for the feature
1896 where mouse-1 pops up *Messages*"', which can now easily be changed.
1898 *** Minibuffers set `truncate-lines' to nil.
1899 If you want to change the value to something else, you could use
1900 for example `minibuffer-setup-hook'.
1902 ** `auto-mode-case-fold' is now enabled by default.
1904 ** `backup-by-copying-when-mismatch' now defaults to t.
1906 ** New basic faces `error', `warning', `success'.
1907 These are used to highlight text indicating failure, caution or
1908 successful operation.
1910 ** New option `list-colors-sort' defines the color sort order
1911 for `list-colors-display'.
1913 ** The variable `focus-follows-mouse' now always defaults to nil.
1916 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.1
1920 *** C-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-kill', instead of
1921 `isearch-yank-line'.
1923 *** M-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-pop', instead of
1924 `isearch-yank-kill'.
1926 *** M-s C-e in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-line'.
1928 ** New commands `count-words-region' and `count-words'.
1930 *** M-= is bound to `count-words-region', not `count-lines-region'.
1931 The `count-words-region' command, when called interactively, reports
1932 the number of lines, words, and characters in the region. It is a
1933 superset of the old `count-lines-region', which is now an obsolete
1936 ** The command `just-one-space' (M-SPC), if given a negative argument,
1937 also deletes newlines around point.
1941 *** New option `delete-active-region'.
1942 If non-nil, [delete] and DEL delete the region if it is active and no
1943 prefix argument is given. If set to `kill', those commands kill
1946 *** New command `delete-forward-char', bound to [delete].
1947 This is meant for interactive use, and obeys `delete-active-region'.
1948 The command `delete-char' does not obey `delete-active-region'.
1950 *** `delete-backward-char' is now a Lisp function.
1951 Apart from obeying `delete-active-region', its behavior is unchanged.
1952 However, the byte compiler now warns if it is called from Lisp; Lisp
1953 callers should use delete-char with a negative argument instead.
1955 *** The option `mouse-region-delete-keys' has been deleted.
1957 ** Selection changes.
1959 The default handling of clipboard and primary selections has been
1960 changed to conform with modern X applications. In short, most
1961 commands for killing and yanking text now use the clipboard, while
1962 mouse commands use the primary selection.
1964 In the following, we provide a list of these changes, followed by a
1965 list of steps to get the old behavior back if you prefer that.
1967 *** `select-active-regions' now defaults to t.
1968 Merely selecting text (e.g. with drag-mouse-1) no longer puts it in
1969 the kill ring. The selected text is put in the primary selection, if
1970 the system possesses a separate primary selection facility (e.g. X).
1972 **** `select-active-regions' also accepts a new value, `only'.
1973 This means to only set the primary selection for temporarily active
1974 regions (usually made by mouse-dragging or shift-selection);
1975 "ordinary" active regions, such as those made with C-SPC followed by
1976 point motion, do not alter the primary selection.
1978 **** `mouse-drag-copy-region' now defaults to nil.
1980 *** mouse-2 is now bound to `mouse-yank-primary'.
1981 This pastes from the primary selection, ignoring the kill-ring.
1982 Previously, mouse-2 was bound to `mouse-yank-at-click'.
1984 *** `x-select-enable-clipboard' now defaults to t on all platforms.
1986 *** `x-select-enable-primary' now defaults to nil.
1987 Thus, commands that kill text or copy it to the kill-ring (such as
1988 M-w, C-w, and C-k) also use the clipboard---not the primary selection.
1990 **** The "Copy", "Cut", and "Paste" items in the "Edit" menu are now
1991 exactly equivalent to M-w, C-w, and C-y respectively.
1993 **** Note that on MS-Windows, `x-select-enable-clipboard' was already
1994 non-nil by default, as Windows does not support the primary selection
1995 between applications.
1997 *** To return to the previous behavior, do the following:
1999 **** Change `select-active-regions' to nil.
2000 **** Change `mouse-drag-copy-region' to t.
2001 **** Change `x-select-enable-primary' to t (on X only).
2002 **** Change `x-select-enable-clipboard' to nil.
2003 **** Bind `mouse-yank-at-click' to mouse-2.
2005 *** Support for X cut buffers has been removed.
2007 *** X clipboard managers are now supported.
2008 To inhibit this, change `x-select-enable-clipboard-manager' to nil.
2010 ** New command `C-x r N' (`rectangle-number-lines') numbers the lines
2011 in the current rectangle. With a prefix argument, this prompts for a
2012 number to count from and for a format string.
2014 ** `redisplay-dont-pause' now defaults to t.
2015 This makes Emacs feel more responsive to editing commands that arrive
2016 at high rate, e.g. if you lean on some key, because stopping redisplay
2017 in the middle (when this variable is nil) forces more expensive
2018 updates later on, and Emacs appears to be unable to keep up.
2020 ** The behavior of <TAB> for active regions in Text mode has changed.
2021 In Text and related modes, typing <TAB> (`indent-for-tab-command')
2022 when the region is active causes Emacs to indent all the lines in the
2023 region, aligning them with the line previous to the first line in the
2024 region (or with the left margin if there is no previous line).
2026 ** When `occur' is called with a prefix argument, matching strings are
2027 collected into the `*Occur*' buffer without line numbers. If there
2028 are parenthesized subexpressions in the specified regexp, `occur'
2029 reads replacement text that may contain \\& and \\N whose convention
2030 follows `replace-match'.
2033 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
2035 ** Archive Mode has basic support for browsing and updating 7z archives.
2039 *** BibTeX mode now supports biblatex.
2040 Use the variable `bibtex-dialect' to select different BibTeX dialects.
2041 `bibtex-entry-field-alist' is now an obsolete alias for
2042 `bibtex-BibTeX-entry-alist'.
2044 *** New command `bibtex-search-entries', bound to C-c C-a.
2046 *** New `bibtex-entry-format' option `sort-fields', disabled by default.
2048 *** New variable `bibtex-search-entry-globally'.
2052 *** New option `browse-url-mailto-function' specifies how to handle "mailto:"s.
2054 *** The default browser used by the package is now the "xdg-open" program,
2055 on platforms that support it. This calls your desktop's preferred browser.
2059 *** Support for musical notes.
2061 *** Support for logarithmic units.
2063 *** No longer uses the tex prefix for TeX specific unit names when
2064 using TeX or LaTeX mode.
2066 *** New option to highlight selections using faces.
2068 *** `calc-histogram' has the option of using a vector to determine the bins.
2070 *** New "O" option prefix.
2072 *** Use the "O" prefix to "d r" (`calc-radix') to turn on twos-complement mode.
2074 ** Calendar, Diary, and Appt
2076 *** Diary entries can contain non-printing "comments".
2077 See the variable `diary-comment-start'.
2079 *** Appointments can specify their individual warning times.
2080 See the variable `appt-warning-time-regexp'.
2082 *** The function specified by `appt-disp-window-function' may be passed
2083 lists of arguments if multiple appointments are due at similar times.
2084 If you are using a custom function for this, you should update it.
2086 *** New function `diary-hebrew-birthday'.
2088 *** Elements of `calendar-day-abbrev-array' and `calendar-month-abbrev-array'
2089 may no longer be nil, but must all be strings.
2091 *** The obsolete (since Emacs 22.1) method of enabling the appt
2092 package by adding `appt-make-list' to `diary-hook' has been removed.
2093 Use `appt-activate' instead.
2095 *** Some appt variables (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
2096 appt-issue-message (use the function appt-activate)
2097 appt-visible/appt-msg-window (use the variable appt-display-format)
2099 *** Some diary function aliases (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
2100 view-diary-entries, list-diary-entries, show-all-diary-entries
2104 *** New feature to "guess" the style in an existing buffer.
2105 The main entry point is M-x c-guess.
2107 *** Java Mode now supports Java 5.0 (Tiger) and 6 (Mustang).
2109 *** `c-beginning-of-defun' and `c-end-of-defun' now respect nested scopes.
2110 Thus C-M-a will, by default, go to the beginning of the immediate function,
2113 *** "Macros with semicolons" can be registered for correct indentation.
2114 Where such a macro ends a line (no semicolon) the next statement is no longer
2115 parsed as a statement continuation.
2117 ** Comint and modes derived from it use the standard completion code.
2121 *** Compilation mode can be used without Font Lock mode.
2122 `compilation-parse-errors-function' is now obsolete.
2124 *** New variable `compilation-filter-start', which is bound while
2125 `compilation-filter-hook' runs. It records the start position of the
2126 text inserted by `compilation-filter'.
2128 *** `compilation-error-screen-columns' and `compilation-first-column'
2129 are obeyed in the editing buffer. So programming language modes can
2130 set them, whereas previously only the value in the *Compilation*
2135 *** Customize buffers now contain a search field.
2136 The search is performed using `customize-apropos'.
2137 To turn off the search field, set `custom-search-field' to nil.
2139 *** Options in customize group buffers start out hidden if not customized.
2140 Use the arrow to the left of the option name to toggle visibility.
2142 *** custom-buffer-sort-alphabetically now defaults to t.
2144 *** The color widget now has a "Choose" button, which allows you to
2145 choose a color via `list-colors-display'.
2149 *** It is now possible to access buses other than the default system
2152 *** The `dbus-register-method' and `dbus-register-property' functions
2153 optionally do not register names.
2155 *** The new function `dbus-register-service' registers a known service
2156 name on a D-Bus without also registering a property or a method.
2160 *** C-x C-j (`dired-jump') and C-x 4 C-j (`dired-jump-other-window'),
2161 if called with a prefix argument, read a file name from the minibuffer
2162 instead of using the current buffer.
2164 *** The "dired local variables" feature of Dired-x is obsolete.
2165 The standard directory local variables feature replaces it.
2169 *** New options `erc-autojoin-timing' and `erc-autojoin-delay',
2170 controlling attempts to autojoin a channel.
2172 *** New variable `erc-coding-system-precedence': If we use `undecided'
2173 as the server coding system, this variable will then be consulted.
2174 The default is to decode strings that can be decoded as utf-8 as
2175 utf-8, and do the normal `undecided' decoding for the rest.
2179 *** The default value of `eshell-directory-name' has changed
2180 to be an "eshell" directory in `user-emacs-directory'.
2181 The old "~/.eshell/" directory is still used if it exists, though.
2185 *** The M-x gdb command now uses the GDB Machine Interface protocol.
2186 It now supports multithread non-stop debugging and simultaneous
2187 debugging of several threads.
2191 *** RET (`image-toggle-animation') toggles animation, if applicable.
2192 Animation plays once, unless the option `image-animate-loop' is non-nil.
2196 *** New command M-x info-display-manual displays a named Info manual.
2197 If that manual is already visited in some Info buffer, it displays
2198 that buffer. (This is handy if you have many manuals in many *info*
2199 buffers, and don't remember the name of the buffer visiting the manual
2200 you want to consult.) Otherwise, it loads and displays the manual.
2202 *** `e' is now bound to `end-of-buffer' rather than to `Info-edit'.
2203 This is for compatibility with the stand-alone Info reader program,
2204 and also because `Info-edit' is a rarely used command that is disabled
2207 ** Mail mode changes (not Message mode)
2209 *** New command M-x mail-add-attachment for adding MIME attachments
2211 *** The command M-x mail-attach-file was renamed to M-x mail-insert-file.
2212 (Its name is misleading, since it has nothing to do with MIME
2213 attachments.) The old name is now an obsolete alias to the new name.
2215 ** MH-E has been updated to MH-E version 8.3.1.
2216 See MH-E-NEWS for details.
2218 ** Modula-2 mode provides auto-indentation.
2220 ** mpc.el: Can use pseudo tags of the form tag1|tag2 as a union of two tags.
2222 ** nXML mode no longer binds C-RET to `nxml-complete'.
2223 Completion is now performed via `completion-at-point', bound to C-M-i
2224 or M-TAB. If `nxml-bind-meta-tab-to-complete-flag' is non-nil (the
2225 default), this performs tag completion.
2227 ** Org mode has been updated to version 7.8.09.
2228 See ORG-NEWS for details.
2230 ** Prolog mode has been completely revamped, with lots of additional
2231 functionality such as more intelligent indentation, electricity,
2232 support for more variants, including Mercury, and a lot more.
2236 *** The command `rmail-epa-decrypt' decrypts OpenPGP data
2237 in the Rmail incoming message.
2239 *** The variable `rmail-message-filter' no longer has any effect.
2240 This change was made in Emacs 23.1 but was not advertised at the time.
2241 Try using `rmail-show-message-hook' instead.
2245 *** M-x shell prompts for the shell path name if the default directory
2246 is a remote file name and neither the environment variable $ESHELL nor
2247 the variable `explicit-shell-file-name' is set.
2249 *** TAB is now bound to the standard `completion-at-point' command,
2250 which now implements the pcomplete rules for shell command completion.
2254 *** SMTPmail now uses encrypted connections (via STARTTLS) by default
2255 if the mail server supports them. This uses either built-in GnuTLS
2256 support, or the starttls.el library. Customize `smtpmail-stream-type'
2259 *** The variable `smtpmail-auth-credentials' has been removed.
2260 By default, the information is now stored in the file ~/.authinfo.
2261 This was the default value of smtpmail-auth-credentials. If you had
2262 customized smtpmail-auth-credentials to a list of user names and
2263 passwords, those settings are not used. During your first connection
2264 to the smtp server, Emacs will prompt for the user name and password,
2265 and offer to save them to ~/.authinfo. Or you can manually copy the
2266 credentials to ~/.authinfo. For example, if you had
2268 (setq smtpmail-auth-credentials
2269 '(("mail.example.org" 25 "jim" "s!cret")))
2271 then the equivalent line in ~/.authinfo would be
2273 machine mail.example.org port 25 login jim password s!cret
2275 See the auth-source manual for more information, e.g. on encrypting
2276 the credentials file.
2278 *** The variable `smtpmail-starttls-credentials' has been removed.
2279 If you had that set, you need to put
2281 machine smtp.whatever.foo port 25 key "~/.my_smtp_tls.key" cert "~/.my_smtp_tls.cert"
2283 in your ~/.authinfo file instead.
2285 *** SMTPmail defaults to using the address in the From: header as the
2286 SMTP MAIL FROM envelope. To override this, set `mail-envelope-from'
2287 to the address you wish to use instead.
2291 *** New options `sql-port', `sql-connection-alist', `sql-send-terminator',
2292 and `sql-oracle-scan-on'.
2294 *** New options controlling prompting for login parameters.
2295 Each supported product has a custom variable `sql-*-login-params',
2296 which is a list of the parameters to be prompted for before a
2297 connection is established.
2299 *** The command `sql-product-interactive' now takes a prefix argument,
2300 which causes it to prompt for an SQL product.
2302 *** Product-specific SQL interactive commands now take prefix arguments.
2303 These commands (`sql-sqlite', `sql-postgres', `sql-mysql', etc.),
2304 given a prefix argument, prompt for a name for the SQL interactive
2305 buffer. This reduces the need for calling `sql-rename-buffer'.
2307 *** SQL interactive modes suppress command continuation prompts, and
2308 replace tabs with spaces. The first change impacts multiple line SQL
2309 statements entered with C-j between each line, statements yanked into
2310 the buffer and statements sent with `sql-send-*' functions. The
2311 second prevents the MySQL and Postgres interpreters from listing
2312 object name completions when sent text via `sql-send-*' functions.
2314 *** New command `sql-connect' starts a predefined SQLi session,
2315 using the login parameters from `sql-connection-alist'.
2317 *** New "Save Connection" menu item in SQLi buffers.
2318 This gathers the login params specified for the SQLi session, if it
2319 was not started by a connection, and saves them as a new connection.
2321 *** New commands for listing database objects and details:
2322 sql-list-all and sql-list-table.
2324 *** An API for manipulating SQL product definitions has been added.
2328 *** latex-electric-env-pair-mode keeps \begin..\end matched on the fly.
2332 *** New inline access method "ksu" (kerberized su).
2334 *** The following access methods are discontinued: "ssh1_old",
2335 "ssh2_old", "scp1_old", "scp2_old", "imap", "imaps" and "fish".
2337 *** The user option `remote-file-name-inhibit-cache' controls whether
2338 remote file attributes are cached for better performance.
2340 *** The option `ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp' has changed its
2341 default value to "".
2343 *** Handlers for `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
2344 for remote machines which support SELinux.
2346 ** New function `url-queue-retrieve', which behaves like url-retrieve,
2347 but with limits (`url-queue-parallel-processes', `url-queue-timeout') on
2348 the degree of parallelism.
2350 ** VC and related modes
2352 *** Support for pulling on distributed version control systems.
2353 The command C-x v + (`vc-pull') runs a "pull" operation, if it is
2354 supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to update the
2355 current branch and working tree. A prefix argument means to prompt
2356 the user for specifics, e.g. a pull location.
2358 *** `vc-update' is now an alias for `vc-pull'.
2360 *** Support for merging on distributed version control systems.
2361 The command C-x v m (`vc-merge') now runs a "merge" operation, if it
2362 is supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to merge
2363 changes from another branch into the current one. It prompts for
2364 specifics, e.g. a merge source.
2366 *** New option `vc-revert-show-diff' controls whether `vc-revert'
2367 shows a diff while querying the user. It defaults to t.
2369 *** Log entries in some Log View buffers can be toggled to display a
2370 longer description by typing RET (log-view-toggle-entry-display).
2371 This is currently supported for Bzr, Git, and Mercurial (to support
2372 another backend, define a `log-view-expanded-log-entry-function').
2373 In the Log View buffers made by C-x v L (`vc-print-root-log'), you can
2374 use this to display the full log entry for the revision at point.
2376 *** New command `vc-ediff' allows visual comparison of two revisions
2377 of a file similar to `vc-diff', but using ediff backend.
2379 *** The option `vc-initial-comment' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but
2380 this was not advertised at the time.
2382 *** `vc-toggle-read-only' is an obsolete alias for `toggle-read-only'.
2383 Since Emacs 23, it has done the same thing as `toggle-read-only', but
2384 this was not advertised at the time.
2390 *** erc-hecomplete.el (use erc-pcomplete.el instead)
2392 *** partial-completion-mode (complete.el) is obsolete.
2393 You can get a comparable behavior with:
2394 (setq completion-styles '(partial-completion initials))
2395 (setq completion-pcm-complete-word-inserts-delimiters t)
2397 *** pc-mode.el is obsolete (CUA mode is much more comprehensive).
2399 *** pgg is obsolete (use EasyPG instead).
2401 *** sregex.el is obsolete, since rx.el is a strict superset.
2403 *** s-region.el and pc-select.el are obsolete.
2404 They are superseded by shift-select-mode, enabled by default since 23.1.
2406 *** vc-mcvs.el is obsolete (for lack of a maintainer).
2410 *** The Landmark game is now invoked with `landmark', not `lm'.
2411 Its functions and variables have been similarly renamed.
2413 *** In `ido-file-completion-map', C-v is no longer bound to `ido-toggle-vc'.
2414 (This interfered with cua-mode.)
2416 *** f90.el has some support for Fortran 2008 syntax.
2418 *** `copyright-fix-years' can optionally convert consecutive years to ranges.
2420 *** New command `nato-region' converts text to NATO phonetic alphabet.
2423 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
2425 ** Occur Edit mode applies edits made in *Occur* buffers to the
2426 original buffers. It is bound to "e" in Occur mode.
2428 ** New global minor mode electric-pair-mode.
2429 When enabled, typing an open parenthesis automatically inserts the
2430 matching closing one.
2432 ** New global minor mode electric-indent-mode.
2433 When enabled, typing certain characters triggers reindentation.
2434 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-indent-chars or
2435 electric-indent-functions.
2437 ** New global minor mode electric-layout-mode.
2438 When enabled, typing certain characters automatically inserts newlines.
2439 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-layout-rules.
2441 ** tabulated-list.el provides a generic major mode for tabulated data,
2442 from which other modes can be derived.
2444 ** pcase.el provides the ML-style pattern matching macro `pcase'.
2446 ** secrets.el is an implementation of the Secret Service API, an
2447 interface to password managers like GNOME Keyring or KDE Wallet. The
2448 Secret Service API requires D-Bus for communication. The command
2449 `secrets-show-secrets' offers a buffer with a visualization of the
2452 ** notifications.el provides an implementation of the Desktop
2453 Notifications API. It requires D-Bus for communication.
2455 ** soap-client.el supports access to SOAP web services from Emacs.
2456 soap-inspect.el is an interactive inspector for SOAP WSDL structures.
2458 ** New generic mode, xmodmap-generic-mode, for xmodmap files.
2460 ** New emacs-lock.el package.
2461 The previous version has been moved to obsolete/old-emacs-lock.el.
2462 Now, there is a proper minor mode `emacs-lock-mode'. Protection
2463 against exiting Emacs and killing the buffer can be set separately.
2464 The mechanism for automatically turning off protection for buffers
2465 with dead inferior processes has been generalized.
2468 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
2470 ** Passing a nil argument to a minor mode function call now ENABLES
2471 the minor mode unconditionally. This is so that you can write e.g.
2473 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'foo-mode)
2475 to enable foo-mode in Text mode buffers, removing the need for
2476 `turn-on-foo-mode' style functions. This affects all mode commands
2477 defined by `define-minor-mode'. If called interactively, the mode
2478 command still toggles the minor mode.
2480 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
2481 It is now a list of three elements, where the second element is a list
2482 describing the original file's SELinux context. If Emacs or the
2483 system lacks SELinux support, the context list is (nil nil nil nil).
2484 See "Basic SELinux support" above, under "Changes in Emacs 24.1".
2486 ** `char-direction-table' and the `char-direction' function were deleted.
2487 They were buggy and inferior to the new support of bidirectional
2488 editing introduced in Emacs 24. If you need the bidirectional
2489 properties of a character, use `get-char-code-property' with the last
2490 argument `bidi-class'.
2492 ** `copy-directory' now copies the source directory as a subdirectory
2493 of the target directory, if the latter is an existing directory. The
2494 new optional arg COPY-CONTENTS, if non-nil, makes the function copy
2495 the contents directly into a pre-existing target directory.
2497 ** For mouse click input events in the text area, the Y pixel
2498 coordinate in the POSITION list now counts from the top of the text
2499 area, excluding any header line. Previously, it counted from the top
2502 ** Support for "old-style" backquotes, obsolete for 10+ years, has
2503 been further reduced. Now a backquote not followed by a space is
2504 always treated as a "new-style" backquote. Please remove all
2505 "old-style" backquotes from your code. If your code uses backquotes
2506 as documented in the Elisp manual, and compiles without warning, then
2507 you have nothing to do in this regard. Code not following the
2508 appropriate conventions may fail to compile.
2510 The most common cause of trouble seems to be an old-style backquote
2511 followed by a newline. Another cause of trouble is vector notation
2512 for key sequence notation: instead of [(control ,)] and [(control ')],
2513 you should write [(control ?,)] and [(control ?')], which will work in
2516 ** The macro `eval-at-startup' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but this
2517 was not advertised at the time. The function `custom-initialize-delay'
2518 replaced all known uses.
2520 ** `view-buffer' now treats special mode-class in the same way that
2521 `view-file' has since Emacs 22 (i.e. it won't enable View mode if the
2522 major mode is special).
2524 ** Menu and tool bar changes
2526 *** During startup, Emacs no longer adds entries for `menu-bar-lines'
2527 and `tool-bar-lines' to `default-frame-alist' and `initial-frame-alist'.
2528 With these alist entries omitted, `make-frame' checks the value of the
2529 variable `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode' to determine whether to create
2530 a menu-bar or tool-bar, respectively. If the alist entries are added,
2531 they override the value of `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode'.
2533 *** The menu bar bindings's caches are not used any more.
2534 Use (where-is-internal <def> nil t) instead.
2536 ** Regions created by mouse dragging are now normal active regions,
2537 similar to those created by shift-selection (see Selection changes
2538 above). In previous Emacs versions, these regions were delineated by
2539 `mouse-drag-overlay'; that variable has been removed.
2541 ** The fourth argument of `filter-buffer-substring' has been removed.
2542 If you want to remove text properties from the final result, simply
2543 pass the result through substring-no-properties.
2545 ** cl.el no longer provides `cl-19'.
2547 ** The following obsolete functions and aliases have been removed
2548 (the appropriate new function is given in parentheses; "not needed"
2549 means you can just remove all calls to the function in question):
2551 *** `comint-kill-output' (`comint-delete-output')
2552 *** `decompose-composite-char' (`char-to-string')
2553 *** `outline-visible' (`outline-invisible-p')
2554 *** `internal-find-face' (`facep')
2555 *** `internal-get-face' (`facep and check-face')
2556 *** `frame-update-faces' (not needed)
2557 *** `frame-update-face-colors' (`frame-set-background-mode')
2558 *** `x-frob-font-weight' and `x-frob-font-slant' (`make-face-*' functions)
2559 *** `x-make-font-bold and x-make-font-demibold (`make-face-bold')
2560 *** `x-make-font-italic' and `x-make-font-oblique' (`make-face-italic')
2561 *** `x-make-font-bold-italic' (`make-face-bold-italic')
2562 *** `x-make-font-unbold' (`make-face-unbold')
2563 *** `x-make-font-unitalic' (`make-face-unitalic')
2564 *** `mldrag-drag-mode-line' (`mouse-drag-mode-line')
2565 *** `mldrag-drag-vertical-line' (`mouse-drag-vertical-line')
2566 *** `iswitchb-default-keybindings' (`iswitchb-mode')
2567 *** `char-bytes' (== 1)
2568 *** `isearch-return-char' (`isearch-printing-char')
2569 *** `make-local-hook' (not needed)
2570 *** `set-screen-height' (`set-frame-height')
2571 *** `set-screen-width' (`set-frame-width')
2573 ** The following obsolete variables and varaliases have been removed
2574 (the appropriate new variable is given in parentheses):
2576 *** `checkdoc-minor-keymap' (`checkdoc-minor-mode-map')
2577 *** `vc-header-alist' (`vc-BACKEND-header')
2578 *** `directory-sep-char' (== ?/)
2579 *** `font-lock-defaults-alist' (`font-lock-defaults')
2580 *** `e' (`float-e').
2582 ** The following obsolete files were removed:
2583 sc.el, x-menu.el, rnews.el, rnewspost.el
2585 ** The format of the finder-inf.el file has changed, since the Finder
2586 mechanism is now based on the package system. The variable
2587 `finder-package-info' is replaced by `package--builtins' and
2588 `finder-keywords-hash'.
2590 ** When generating autoloads, `update-directory-autoloads' no longer
2591 assumes every inspected file is in your `load-path'. It instead
2592 generates relative names according to the current `load-path'.
2595 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
2597 ** Code can now use lexical scoping by default instead of dynamic scoping.
2598 The `lexical-binding' variable enables lexical scoping for local
2599 variables. It is typically set via a file-local variable in the first
2600 line of the file, in which case it applies to all the code in that
2603 *** `eval' takes a new optional argument `lexical' to choose the new lexical
2604 binding instead of the old dynamic binding mode.
2606 *** Lexically scoped interpreted functions are represented with a new form
2607 of function value which looks like (closure ENV ARGS &rest BODY).
2609 *** New macro `letrec' to define recursive local functions.
2611 *** `defvar' and `defconst' now mark the variable as special (dynamic).
2612 So do `defcustom' and other forms that call `defvar' as a subroutine.
2614 *** New function `special-variable-p' to check whether a variable is
2615 declared as dynamically bound.
2617 *** The form ((lambda ...) ...) is deprecated.
2619 ** An Emacs Lisp testing tool is now included.
2620 Emacs Lisp developers can use this tool to write automated tests for
2621 their code. See the ERT info manual for details.
2623 ** Changes for bidirectional display and editing
2625 *** New function `current-bidi-paragraph-direction'.
2626 This returns the base direction of the paragraph at point.
2628 *** New function `bidi-string-mark-left-to-right'.
2629 Given a string containing characters from right-to-left scripts, this
2630 function returns another string which can be safely inserted into a
2631 buffer, such that any following text will be always displayed to the
2632 right of that string. (This works by appending an invisible Unicode
2633 "LEFT-TO-RIGHT MARK" character if the argument string might need it.)
2635 This is useful when the buffer has overall left-to-right paragraph
2636 direction and you need to insert a string whose contents are not known
2637 in advance, without disrupting the layout of the line.
2641 *** Window tree functions are accessible in Elisp.
2642 Functions are provided to return the parent, siblings or child windows
2643 of any window including internal windows (windows not associated with a
2644 buffer) in the window tree.
2646 **** New function `window-valid-p' gives non-nil for live and internal
2649 **** Window manipulation can deal with internal windows.
2650 Many window handling functions like `split-window', `delete-window', or
2651 `delete-other-windows' as well as the window resizing functions can now
2652 act on any window including internal ones.
2654 *** window-total-height/-width vs window-body-height/-width.
2655 The function `window-height' has been renamed to `window-total-height'
2656 and `window-width' has been renamed to `window-body-width'. The old
2657 names are provided as aliases. Two new functions `window-total-width'
2658 and `window-body-height' are provided.
2660 *** Window parameters specific to window handling functions.
2661 For each window you can specify a parameter to override the default
2662 behavior of a number of functions like `split-window', `delete-window'
2663 and `delete-other-windows'. The variable `ignore-window-parameters'
2664 allows to ignore processing such parameters.
2666 *** New semantics of third argument of `split-window'.
2667 The third argument of `split-window' has been renamed to SIDE and can be
2668 set to any of the values 'below, 'right, 'above, or 'left to make the
2669 new window appear on the corresponding side of the window that shall be
2670 split. Any other value of SIDE will cause `split-window' to split the
2671 window into two side-by-side windows as before.
2673 *** Window resizing functions.
2674 A new standard function for resizing windows called `window-resize' has
2675 been introduced. This and all other functions for resizing windows no
2676 longer delete any windows when they become too small.
2678 *** Deleting the selected window now selects the most recently selected
2679 live window on that frame instead.
2681 *** `adjust-window-trailing-edge' adjustments.
2682 `adjust-window-trailing-edge' can now deal with fixed-size windows and
2683 is able to resize other windows if a window adjacent to the trailing
2684 edge cannot be shrunk any more. This makes its behavior more similar to
2685 that of Emacs 21 without compromising, however, its inability to delete
2686 windows which was introduced in Emacs 22.
2688 *** Window-local buffer lists.
2689 Windows now have local buffer lists. This means that removing a buffer
2690 from display in a window will preferably show the buffer previously
2691 shown in that window with its previous window-start and window-point
2692 positions. This also means that the same buffer may be automatically
2693 shown twice even if it already appears in another window.
2695 *** `switch-to-buffer' has a new optional argument FORCE-SAME-WINDOW,
2696 which if non-nil requires the buffer to be displayed in the currently
2697 selected window, signaling an error otherwise. If nil, another window
2698 can be used, e.g. if the selected one is strongly dedicated.
2700 *** `split-window-vertically' and `split-window-horizontally' renamed
2701 to `split-window-below' and `split-window-right' respectively.
2702 The old names are kept as aliases.
2706 **** The second arg to `display-buffer' and `pop-to-buffer' is now
2707 named ACTION, and takes a display action of the same form as
2708 `display-buffer-base-action' (see Changes, above). A non-nil,
2709 non-list value is treated specially, as the old meaning.
2711 **** New variable `display-buffer-overriding-action'.
2713 **** The procedure of `display-buffer' etc. to choose a window is
2714 determined by combining `display-buffer-overriding-action',
2715 `display-buffer-alist', the ACTION arg, `display-buffer-base-action',
2716 and `display-buffer-fallback-action'. The second and fourth of these
2717 are user-customizable variables.
2719 See the docstring of `display-buffer' for details.
2721 *** New functions `window-state-get' and `window-state-put'.
2722 These functions allow to save and restore the state of an arbitrary
2723 frame or window as an Elisp object.
2727 *** New variable `completion-extra-properties' used to specify extra
2728 properties of the current completion:
2729 - :annotate-function, same as the old completion-annotate-function.
2730 - :exit-function, function to call after completion took place.
2732 *** Functions on `completion-at-point-functions' can return any of the
2733 properties valid for `completion-extra-properties'.
2735 *** `completion-annotate-function' is obsolete.
2737 *** New `metadata' method for completion tables. The metadata thus returned
2738 can specify various details of the data returned by `all-completions':
2739 - `category' is the kind of objects returned (e.g., `buffer', `file', ...),
2740 used to select a style in completion-category-overrides.
2741 - `annotation-function' to add annotations in *Completions*.
2742 - `display-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries in *Completions*.
2743 - `cycle-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries when cycling.
2745 *** `minibuffer-local-filename-must-match-map' is not used any more.
2746 Instead, the bindings in `minibuffer-local-filename-completion-map'
2747 are combined with `minibuffer-local-must-match-map'.
2749 *** New variable `completing-read-function' allows overriding the
2750 behavior of `completing-read'.
2752 ** `glyphless-char-display' can now distinguish between graphical and
2753 text terminal display, via a char-table entry that is a cons cell.
2755 ** `pre-command-hook'/`post-command-hook' are not reset to nil on error.
2756 Instead, the offending function is removed.
2760 *** New function `run-hook-wrapped' for running an abnormal hook by
2761 passing the hook functions as arguments to a "wrapping" function.
2762 Like `run-hook-with-args-until-success', it stops at the first
2763 non-nil return value.
2765 *** New macro `with-wrapper-hook' for running an abnormal hook as a
2766 set of "wrapping" filters, similar to around advice.
2767 (A version of this macro was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not
2768 advertised at the time.)
2772 *** New macro `condition-case-unless-debug' (this was actually added in
2773 Emacs 23.1 as condition-case-no-debug, but not advertised)
2775 *** The macro `with-demoted-errors' was added in Emacs 23.1, but not advertised.
2777 *** Variable `stack-trace-on-error' removed.
2779 *** The debugger can now "continue" from an error, which means it will
2780 jump to the error handler as if the debugger had not been invoked
2781 instead of jumping all the way to the top-level.
2783 *** Set `debug-on-event' to enter the debugger on events like SIGUSR1.
2784 This can be useful when `inhibit-quit' is set.
2786 ** The new function `server-eval-at' allows evaluation of Lisp forms on
2787 named Emacs server instances.
2789 ** `call-process' and `call-process-region' allow a `(:file "file")' spec
2790 to redirect STDOUT to a file.
2792 ** The function `format-time-string' now supports the %N directive,
2793 for higher-resolution time stamps.
2795 ** New input reading functions
2797 *** New function `read-char-choice' reads a restricted set of
2798 characters, discarding any inputs not inside the set.
2800 *** The command `read-color' now requires a match for a color name
2801 or RGB triplet, instead of signaling an error if the user provides
2804 **** `facemenu-read-color' is now an alias for `read-color'.
2806 ** `image-library-alist' is renamed to `dynamic-library-alist'.
2807 The variable is now used to load all kind of supported dynamic libraries,
2808 not just image libraries. The previous name is still available as an
2811 ** Syntax parsing changes
2813 *** New variable `syntax-propertize-function'.
2814 This replaces `font-lock-syntactic-keywords' which is now obsolete.
2815 This allows syntax-table properties to be set independently from font-lock:
2816 just call syntax-propertize to make sure the text is propertized.
2817 Together with this new variable come a new hook
2818 syntax-propertize-extend-region-functions, as well as two helper functions:
2819 syntax-propertize-via-font-lock to reuse old font-lock-syntactic-keywords
2820 as-is; and syntax-propertize-rules which provides a new way to specify
2823 *** Syntax tables support a new "comment style c" additionally to style b.
2825 ** New hook `post-self-insert-hook', run after `self-insert-command'.
2827 ** frame-local variables cannot be let-bound any more.
2829 ** Major and minor mode changes
2831 *** `set-auto-mode' now respects mode: local variables at the end of files,
2832 as well as those in the -*- line.
2834 *** `prog-mode' is a new major mode from which programming modes
2837 **** `prog-mode-hook' can be used to enable features for programming
2838 modes, e.g. (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'flyspell-prog-mode) to enable
2839 on-the-fly spell checking for comments and strings.
2841 **** New option, `prog-prettify-symbols' lets the user control symbol
2842 prettify (replacing a string like "lambda" with the Greek lambda
2843 character. The mode derived from `prog-mode' must call
2844 `prog-prettify-install' with its own custom alist, which can be empty.
2846 *** New hook `change-major-mode-after-body-hook', run by
2847 `run-mode-hooks' just before any other mode hooks.
2849 *** Enabled globalized minor modes can be disabled in specific major modes.
2850 If the global mode is global-FOO-mode, then run (FOO-mode -1) in the
2851 major mode's hook, where FOO-mode toggles the mode on a per-buffer basis.
2853 *** `define-minor-mode' accepts new keywords :variable, :after-hook.
2855 ** File-handling changes
2857 *** `delete-file' and `delete-directory' now accept optional arg TRASH.
2858 Trashing is performed if TRASH and `delete-by-moving-to-trash' are
2859 both non-nil. Interactively, TRASH defaults to t, unless a prefix
2860 argument is supplied (see Trash changes, above).
2862 *** New file predicates: `file-equal-p', `file-in-directory-p'.
2864 ** Tool-bars can display separators.
2865 Tool-bar separators are handled like menu separators in menu-bar maps,
2866 i.e. via menu entries of the form `(menu-item "--")'.
2870 *** Animated images support (currently animated gifs only).
2872 **** `image-animated-p' returns non-nil if an image can be animated.
2874 **** `image-animate' animates a supplied image spec.
2876 **** `image-animate-timer' returns the timer object for an image that
2879 *** `image-extension-data' has been renamed to `image-metadata'.
2880 The old name is an obsolete alias to the new one.
2882 *** Image mode can view any image type that ImageMagick supports.
2883 This requires Emacs to be built with ImageMagick support.
2885 **** New function `imagemagick-types', defined if ImageMagick support
2886 is enabled, returns a list of image file extensions that your
2887 ImageMagick installation supports.
2889 **** New function `imagemagick-register-types' enables ImageMagick
2890 image types in Image mode and in `create-image' and other helper
2893 **** New option `imagemagick-types-inhibit' excludes certain
2894 ImageMagick image types from `imagemagick-register-types'.
2896 **** With ImageMagick support, there are extra Image mode commands to
2897 resize and rotate images: `image-transform-fit-to-height',
2898 `image-transform-fit-to-width', `image-transform-set-rotation', and
2899 `image-transform-set-scale'.
2901 ** `compose-mail' now accepts an optional 8th arg, RETURN-ACTION, and
2902 passes it to the mail user agent function. This argument specifies an
2903 action for returning to the caller after finishing with the mail. For
2904 example, this is used by Rmail to optionally delete a mail window.
2906 ** XML and HTML parsing
2907 If Emacs is compiled with libxml2 support, there are two new
2908 functions: `libxml-parse-html-region' (which parses "real world" HTML)
2909 and `libxml-parse-xml-region' (which parses XML). Both return an
2910 Emacs Lisp parse tree.
2912 ** Networking and encryption changes
2914 *** `open-network-stream' can now be used to open an encrypted stream.
2915 It now accepts an optional `:type' parameter for initiating a TLS
2916 connection, directly or via STARTTLS. To do STARTTLS, additional
2917 parameters (`:end-of-command', `:success', `:capabilities-command')
2918 must also be supplied.
2920 *** New library gnutls.el.
2921 The new function `gnutls-available-p' returns non-nil if Emacs is
2922 built with GnuTLS support. The main entry points are
2923 `open-gnutls-stream' and `gnutls-negotiate'. It's easiest to use
2924 these functions through `open-network-stream', because that can
2925 upgrade connections through STARTTLS opportunistically or use plain
2926 SSL, depending on your needs. For debugging, set `gnutls-log-level'
2929 *** New primitive `secure-hash' that supports many secure hash algorithms:
2930 md5, sha1, sha2, sha224, sha256, sha384, and sha512. The lisp library
2931 sha1.el has been removed. The `sha1' feature is provided by default.
2935 *** New hook `isearch-update-post-hook' that runs in `isearch-update'.
2937 ** Progress reporters can now "spin".
2938 The MIN-VALUE and MAX-VALUE arguments of `make-progress-reporter' can
2939 now be nil, or omitted. This makes a "non-numeric" reporter. Each
2940 time you call `progress-reporter-update' on that progress reporter,
2941 with a nil or omitted VALUE argument, the reporter message is
2942 displayed with a "spinning bar".
2944 ** New variable `revert-buffer-in-progress-p' is true while a buffer is
2945 being reverted, even if the buffer has a local `revert-buffer-function'.
2947 ** New variables `delayed-warnings-list' and `delayed-warnings-hook'.
2948 If delayed-warnings-list is non-nil, the command loop calls
2949 `delayed-warnings-hook' after `post-command-hook'. At present, this
2950 is only used by Emacs on some platforms to display warnings during
2951 startup, which might otherwise not be noticed. This uses the
2952 functions `display-delayed-warnings' and `collapse-delayed-warnings'.
2954 ** rx.el has a new `group-n' construct for explicitly numbered groups.
2956 ** New function `make-composed-keymap' that constructs a new keymap
2957 from multiple input maps. You can use this to make a keymap that
2958 inherits from multiple maps, eg:
2959 (set-keymap-parent newmap (make-composed-keymap othermap parent))
2961 ** New function `string-prefix-p'.
2962 (This was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not advertised at the time.)
2964 ** New reader macro ## that stands for the empty symbol.
2965 This means that the empty symbol can now be read back. Also, #: by itself
2966 (when not immediately followed by a possible symbol character) stands for
2967 an empty uninterned symbol.
2969 ** New math functions `isnan', `copysign', `frexp', `ldexp'.
2971 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
2973 *** `tooltip-use-echo-area' is obsolete.
2974 Rather than setting this to t, disable Tooltip mode instead.
2976 *** buffer-substring-filters is obsolete.
2977 Use `filter-buffer-substring-functions' instead.
2979 *** `byte-compile-disable-print-circle' is obsolete.
2981 *** `deferred-action-list' and `deferred-action-function' are obsolete.
2982 Use `post-command-hook' instead.
2984 *** `font-lock-maximum-size' is obsolete.
2987 * Changes in Emacs 24.1 on Non-Free Operating Systems
2989 ** On MS Windows, Emacs warns when using the obsolete init file _emacs,
2990 and also when HOME is set to C:\ by default.
2992 ** New configure.bat options
2994 *** --enable-checking builds Emacs with extra runtime checks.
2996 *** --distfiles specifies files to be included in binary distribution.
2998 *** --without-gnutls disables automatic GnuTLS detection.
3000 *** --lib for general library linkage, works with the USER_LIBS build variable.
3002 ** New make target `dist' to create binary distribution for MS Windows.
3004 ** The Lisp function `w32-default-color-map' is now obsolete.
3005 (It is only used internally in the Emacs C code.)
3007 ** Customize ns-auto-hide-menu-bar to have the menu-bar hidden, but
3008 reappear on mouse-over. (Requires OS X 10.6 or later.)
3010 ** On Mac OS X, dragging a file into Emacs visits the file, like on
3011 other platforms, rather than inserting its contents into the buffer.
3014 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
3015 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
3017 GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
3018 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
3019 the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
3020 (at your option) any later version.
3022 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
3023 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
3024 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
3025 GNU General Public License for more details.
3027 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
3028 along with GNU Emacs. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
3033 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"