1 GNU Emacs NEWS -- history of user-visible changes.
3 Copyright (C) 2010-2014 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 all necessary documentation updates are complete.
19 (This means all relevant manuals in doc/ AND lisp doc-strings.)
20 --- means no change in the manuals is needed.
21 When you add a new item, use the appropriate mark if you are sure it applies,
22 otherwise leave it unmarked.
25 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.4
28 ** Emacs can now be compiled with ACL support.
29 This happens by default if a suitable support library is found at
30 build time, like libacl on GNU/Linux. To prevent this, use the
31 configure option `--disable-acl'. See below for related features.
34 ** Emacs can now be compiled with file notification support.
35 This happens by default if a suitable system library is found at
36 build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
37 `--without-file-notification'. See below for file-notify features.
38 This feature is not available for the Nextstep port.
41 ** Emacs can now be compiled with zlib support.
42 This happens by default if zlib is present, which it normally is.
43 To prevent this, use the configure option `--without-zlib'.
44 This provides the function `zlib-decompress-region'; see below for details.
47 ** The configure option `--without-compress-info' has been generalized,
48 and renamed to `--without-compress-install'. It now prevents compression
49 of _any_ files during installation.
52 ** The configure option `--with-crt-dir' has been removed.
53 It is no longer needed, as the crt*.o files are no longer linked specially.
56 ** Directories passed to configure option `--enable-locallisppath' are
57 no longer created during installation.
60 ** Emacs for NS (Mac OS X, GNUstep) can be built with ImageMagick support.
61 This requires pkg-config to be available at build time.
64 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.4
67 ** When initializing `load-path', an empty element in the EMACSLOADPATH
68 environment variable (either leading, e.g., ":/foo"; trailing, e.g.,
69 "/foo:"; or embedded, e.g., "/foo::/bar") is replaced with the default
70 load-path (the one that would have been used if EMACSLOADPATH was unset).
71 This makes it easier to _extend_ the load-path via EMACSLOADPATH
72 (previously, EMACSLOADPATH had to specify the complete load-path,
73 including the defaults). (In older versions of Emacs, an empty element
74 was replaced by ".", so use an explicit "." now if that is what you want.)
77 ** The -L option, which normally prepends its argument to load-path,
78 will instead append, if the argument begins with `:' (or `;' on MS Windows;
79 i.e., `path-separator').
82 ** If you use either site-load.el or site-init.el to customize the dumped
83 Emacs executable, any changes to `load-path' that these files make
84 will no longer be present after dumping. To affect a permanent change
85 to `load-path', use the `--enable-locallisppath' option of `configure'.
88 ** The user option `initial-buffer-choice' can now specify a function
89 to set up the initial buffer.
92 * Changes in Emacs 24.4
95 ** New function `zlib-decompress-region', which decompresses gzip- and
96 zlib-format compressed data using built-in zlib support, if available.
99 ** New option `gnutls-verify-error', if non-nil, means that Emacs
100 should reject SSL/TLS certificates that GnuTLS determines as invalid.
101 (This option defaults to nil at present, but this is expected to change
102 in a future release.)
105 ** Emacs now supports menus on text-mode terminals.
106 If the terminal supports a mouse, clicking on the menu bar, or on
107 sensitive portions of the mode line or header line, will drop down the
108 menu defined at that position. Likewise, clicking C-mouse-2 or
109 C-mouse-2 or C-mouse-3 on the text area will pop up the menus defined
112 If the text terminal does not support a mouse, you can activate the
113 first menu-bar menu by typing F10, which invokes `menu-bar-open'.
115 If you want the previous behavior, whereby F10 invoked `tmm-menubar',
116 customize the option `tty-menu-open-use-tmm' to a non-nil value.
117 (Typing M-` always invokes `tmm-menubar', even if `tty-menu-open-use-tmm'
121 ** The *Messages* buffer is created in `messages-buffer-mode',
122 a new major mode, with read-only status. Any code that might create
123 the *Messages* buffer should call the function `messages-buffer' to do
124 so and set up the mode.
127 ** Emacs can now support ACLs (access control lists).
128 This requires a suitable support library to be found at build time.
129 On GNU/Linux, the POSIX ACL interface is used via libacl.
130 On MS-Windows, the NT Security APIs are used to emulate the POSIX interface.
133 *** Emacs preserves the ACL entries of files when backing up.
135 *** New functions `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' get and set the ACL
138 ** Multi-monitor support has been added.
141 *** New functions `display-monitor-attributes-list' and
142 `frame-monitor-attributes' can be used to obtain information about
143 each physical monitor on multi-monitor setups.
146 *** The functions `display-pixel-width' and `display-pixel-height' now
147 behave consistently among the platforms: they return the pixel width
148 or height for all physical monitors associated with the given display
149 as if they were on X. To get information for each physical
150 monitor, use the new functions above. Similar notes also apply to
151 `x-display-pixel-width', `x-display-pixel-height', `display-mm-width',
152 `display-mm-height', `x-display-mm-width', and `x-display-mm-height'.
155 ** The cursor stops blinking after 10 blinks (by default) on X and NS.
156 You can change the default by customizing `blink-cursor-blinks'.
159 ** In keymaps where SPC scrolls forward, S-SPC now scrolls backward.
160 This affects View mode, etc.
165 *** The command `apropos-variable' is renamed to `apropos-user-option'.
166 `apropos-user-option' shows all user options while `apropos-variable'
167 shows all variables. When called with a universal prefix argument,
168 the two commands swap their behaviors. When `apropos-do-all' is
169 non-nil, they output the same results.
172 *** The key `?' now describes prefix bindings, like `C-h'.
175 *** The command `describe-function' has been extended for EIEIO.
176 Running it on constructors will show a full description of the
177 generated class. For generic functions, it will show all
178 implementations together with links to the source. The old commands
179 `describe-class', `describe-constructor' and `describe-generic' were
183 *** The function `quail-help' is no longer an interactive command.
184 Use `C-h C-\' (`describe-input-method') instead.
189 *** ImageMagick images now support the :max-width and :max-height keywords.
192 *** When using `create-image' with image data, you can pass a :format
193 attribute (via the property-list argument) in order to help
194 ImageMagick detect the image type. The value should be a MIME
195 content-type that is found in the new variable `image-format-suffixes'.
197 ** Frame and window changes
200 *** The function `window-in-direction' introduced in Emacs 24.1 now
201 takes additional arguments for specifying a reference point, wrapping
202 selection around frame borders, and specifying ways to select the
206 *** New commands `toggle-frame-fullscreen' and `toggle-frame-maximized',
207 bound to <f11> and M-<f10>, respectively.
210 *** New hooks `focus-in-hook', `focus-out-hook'.
211 These are normal hooks run when an Emacs frame gains or loses input focus.
213 *** Emacs can now change frame sizes in units of pixels, rather than
214 text rows or columns. When maximizing a frame or making it fullscreen,
215 remaining extra pixels are no longer given to the minibuffer, the rightmost
216 fringe, or other unusable space, but are distributed among the text
217 areas of the frame's windows. If the new option `frame-resize-pixelwise'
218 is non-nil, all frame size changes happen pixelwise and set the
219 corresponding size hints for the window manager.
221 *** Emacs can now change window sizes in units of pixels.
222 Mouse-dragging a mode line or window divider now changes the size of
223 adjacent windows pixelwise. If the new option `window-resize-pixelwise'
224 is non-nil, functions like `balance-windows-area' and `fit-window-to-buffer'
225 resize windows pixelwise. Most functions for changing or accessing
226 window sizes now have an additional argument that allows changes to apply,
227 or values to be returned, in pixels instead of lines/columns.
230 *** The functions `window-body-height' and `window-body-width' now never
231 count partially visible lines or columns if called with a nil PIXELWISE
234 *** Emacs can now draw dividers between adjacent windows. To put
235 dividers between side-by-side/vertically stacked windows customize the
236 frame parameters `right-divider-width' and `bottom-divider-width' to
237 some positive integer. You can drag dividers with the mouse (they show
238 a corresponding cursor when the mouse hovers over them). You can change
239 the appearance of dividers by customizing the faces `window-divider',
240 `window-divider-first-pixel', and `window-divider-last-pixel'. The last
241 two are useful to provide a 3D effect, or to better distinguish dividers
242 from surrounding display objects.
244 *** New functions are provided to return the pixel sizes of window
245 components, namely `window-scroll-bar-width', `window-mode-line-height'
246 `window-header-line-height', `window-right-divider-width' and
247 `window-bottom-divider-width'.
249 *** The new function `window-text-pixel-size' returns the size of the
250 text of a window's buffer in pixels. This allows functions like
251 `fit-frame-to-buffer' and `fit-window-to-buffer' to accurately fit a
252 window to its buffer as it will be displayed.
254 *** `fit-window-to-buffer' can now resize windows in both dimensions.
255 This behavior is controlled by the new option
256 `fit-window-to-buffer-horizontally'. The new option
257 `fit-frame-to-buffer' allows to fit the window's frame to its buffer.
259 *** `fit-frame-to-buffer' now fits frames in both dimensions. The new
260 options `fit-frame-to-buffer-margins' and `fit-frame-to-buffer-sizes'
261 control the size of the frame and its position on screen.
263 *** Temp Buffer Resize Mode can now adjust height and width of windows
264 and frames. `temp-buffer-resize-mode' is now able to adjust the height
265 and the width of a window displaying a temporary buffer. The new option
266 `temp-buffer-max-width' allows to control the width of temporary buffer
267 windows. Moreover, if the new option `fit-frame-to-buffer' is non-nil
268 and the buffer appears in the root window of a frame, Temp Buffer Resize
269 Mode will try to adjust width and/or height of the frame.
272 *** `split-window' is now a non-interactive function, not a command.
273 As a command, it was a special case of `C-x 2' (`split-window-below'),
274 and as such superfluous. After being reimplemented in Lisp, its
275 interactive form was mistakenly retained.
278 *** The functions `window-size' and `window-total-size' now have an
279 optional argument to return a rounded size value.
282 *** `window-state-put' now allows to put a window state into internal
286 *** New option `scroll-bar-adjust-thumb-portion'.
287 Available only on X, this option allows to control over-scrolling
288 using the scroll bar (i.e. dragging the thumb down even when the end
289 of the buffer is visible).
292 *** New basic action function `display-buffer-in-previous-window' has
293 `display-buffer' display a buffer in a window previously showing that
297 *** New basic action function `display-buffer-at-bottom' has
298 `display-buffer' choose or make a window at the bottom of the selected
301 *** New display action function `display-buffer-no-window' to not
302 display the buffer in a window.
304 *** New display action alist entry `allow-no-window' to indicate the
305 caller of `display-buffer' is ready to handle the case of not
306 displaying the buffer in a window.
308 ** Lisp evaluation changes
310 *** `eval-defun' on an already defined defcustom calls the :set function,
314 *** The commands `eval-expression' (`M-:'), `eval-last-sexp' (`C-x C-e'),
315 and `eval-print-last-sexp' (`C-j' in Lisp Interaction mode) can take a
316 zero prefix argument. This disables truncation of lists in the output,
317 equivalent to setting `(eval-expression-)print-length' and
318 `(eval-expression-)print-level' to nil. Additionally, it causes integers
319 to be printed in other formats (octal, hexadecimal, and character).
322 *** New hook `eval-expression-minibuffer-setup-hook' run by
323 `eval-expression' on entering the minibuffer.
326 ** `write-region-inhibit-fsync' now defaults to t in batch mode.
329 ** `cache-long-line-scans' is now non-nil, and renamed to `cache-long-scans',
330 because it affects caching of paragraph scanning results as well.
331 There is no reason to set this to nil except for debugging purposes.
334 ** The option `set-mark-default-inactive' has been deleted.
335 This unfinished feature was introduced by accident in Emacs 23.1;
336 simply disabling Transient Mark mode does the same thing.
339 ** The default value of `comment-use-global-state' is now t,
340 and this variable has been marked obsolete.
343 ** `emacs-bzr-version' has been renamed to `emacs-repository-version',
344 and works for git too, if you fetch the repository notes.
347 ** New option `load-prefer-newer' affects how the `load' function chooses
348 the file to load. If this is non-nil, then when both .el and .elc
349 versions of a file exist, and the caller did not explicitly specify
350 which one to load, then the newer file is loaded. The default, nil,
351 means to always load the .elc file.
354 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.4
356 ** Indentation changes
358 *** `electric-indent-mode' is now enabled by default.
359 E.g., typing RET reindents the current line and indents the new line.
360 `C-j' inserts a newline but does not indent.
362 *** New buffer-local `electric-indent-local-mode'.
365 *** The behavior of `C-x TAB' (`indent-rigidly') has changed.
366 When invoked without a prefix argument, it now activates a transient
367 mode in which typing <left>, <right>, <S-left>, and <S-right> adjusts
368 the text indentation in the region. Typing any other key resumes
369 normal editing behavior.
372 *** `tab-stop-list' is now implicitly extended to infinity by repeating
373 the last step. Its default value is changed to nil, which means a tab
374 stop every `tab-width' columns.
377 ** New command `cycle-spacing' acts like a smarter `just-one-space'.
378 When called in succession, it cycles between spacing conventions:
379 one space, no spaces, original spacing.
382 ** The new function `fill-single-char-nobreak-p' can stop fill from breaking
383 a line after a one-letter word, which is an error in some typographical
384 conventions. To use it, add it to the `fill-nobreak-predicate' hook.
387 ** Uniquify is enabled by default, with `post-forward-angle-brackets' style.
390 ** New command `C-x SPC' (`rectangle-mark-mode') makes a rectangular region.
391 Most commands are still unaware of it, but kill/yank do work on the rectangle.
394 ** New option `visual-order-cursor-movement'.
395 If this is non-nil, cursor motion with arrow keys will follow the
396 visual order of characters on the screen: <left> always moves to the
397 left, <right> always moves to the right, disregarding the surrounding
398 bidirectional context.
403 *** All interactive commands that read a register (`copy-to-register', etc.)
404 now display a temporary window after `register-preview-delay' seconds
405 that summarizes existing registers. To disable this, set that option to nil.
406 Interactive commands that read registers and want to make use of this
407 should use `register-read-with-preview' to read register names.
410 *** New command `frameset-to-register' bound to `C-x r f', replacing
411 `frame-configuration-to-register'. It offers similar functionality,
412 plus enhancements like the ability to restore deleted frames.
413 (`frame-configuration-to-register' still exists, but no longer has a
417 *** New command `C-x C-k x' (`kmacro-to-register') stores keyboard
421 ** New command `delete-duplicate-lines'.
422 This searches the region for identical lines, and removes all but one
423 copy of each repeated line. The lines need not be sorted.
426 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
429 ** More packages look for ~/.emacs.d/<foo> additionally to ~/.<foo>.
431 ~/.emacs.d/timelog replaces ~/.timelog
432 ~/.emacs.d/vip replaces ~/.vip
433 ~/.emacs.d/viper replaces ~/.viper
434 ~/.emacs.d/ido.last replaces ~/.ido.last
435 ~/.emacs.d/kkcrc replaces ~/.kkcrc
436 ~/.emacs.d/quickurls replaces ~/.quickurls
437 ~/.emacs.d/idlwave/ replaces ~/.idlwave/
438 ~/.emacs.d/bdfcache.el replaces ~/.bdfcache.el
439 ~/.emacs.d/places replaces ~/.emacs-places
440 ~/.emacs.d/shadows replaces ~/.shadows
441 ~/.emacs.d/shadow_todo replaces ~/.shadow_todo
442 ~/.emacs.d/strokes replaces ~/.strokes
443 ~/.emacs.d/notes replaces ~/.notes
444 ~/.emacs.d/type-break replaces ~/.type-break
445 Also the following files used by the now obsolete otodo-mode.el:
446 ~/.emacs.d/todo-do replaces ~/.todo-do
447 ~/.emacs.d/todo-done replaces ~/.todo-done
448 ~/.emacs.d/todo-top replaces ~/.todo-top
450 ** Backtrace and debugger
453 *** New Lisp debugger command `v' (`debugger-toggle-locals') toggles the
454 display of local variables of the current stack frame.
457 *** The Lisp debugger's `e' command (`debugger-eval-expression') now includes
458 the lexical environment when evaluating the code in the context at point
459 (and so allows you to access lexical variables).
462 *** New minor mode `jit-lock-debug-mode' helps you debug code run via JIT Lock.
465 ** Battery information can now be retrieved from BSD's `apm' utility.
468 ** In the Buffer Menu, `M-s a C-o' shows matches for a regexp in marked buffers.
470 ** Calendar and Diary
473 *** New faces `calendar-weekday-header', `calendar-weekend-header',
474 and `calendar-month-header'.
477 *** New option `calendar-day-header-array'.
480 *** New variable `diary-from-outlook-function', used by the command
481 `diary-from-outlook'.
484 *** The variable `calendar-font-lock-keywords' is obsolete.
489 *** Calc by default now uses the Gregorian calendar for all dates, and
490 uses January 1, 1 AD as its day number 1. Previously Calc used the
491 Julian calendar for dates before September 14, 1752, and it used
492 December 31, 1 BC as its day number 1; the new scheme is more
493 consistent with Calendar's calendrical system and day numbering.
496 *** The new option `calc-gregorian-switch' lets you configure if
497 (and when) Calc switches from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
500 *** Support for ISO 8601 dates.
506 **** The cpp-root project now supports executing a compile command.
507 It can be set through the new :compile-command slot or the
508 buffer-local variable `compile-command'.
510 **** Better selection of include directories for the 'linux' project.
511 Include directories now support out-of-tree build directories and
512 target architecture auto-detection.
516 **** Improved detection of used namespaces in current scope in C++.
518 **** Parsing of default values for variables and function arguments in C/C++.
519 They are also displayed by the summarize feature in the mode line.
521 **** Improved parsing of function pointers in C/C++.
522 This also includes parsing of function pointers as function arguments.
524 **** Parsing of C/C++ preprocessor macros that open new scope.
525 For example, this enables parsing of macros that open new namespaces.
527 **** Support for 'this' pointer in inline member functions in C++.
532 *** New macro `cl-tagbody'.
533 This executes statements while allowing for control transfer to labels.
536 *** letf is now just an alias for cl-letf.
541 *** CUA mode now uses `delete-selection-mode' and `shift-select-mode'.
542 Hence, you can now enable it independently from those modes, and from
543 `transient-mark-mode'.
546 *** `cua-highlight-region-shift-only' is now obsolete.
547 You can disable `transient-mark-mode' to get the same result.
550 *** CUA's rectangles can now be used without CUA by calling the command
551 `cua-rectangle-mark-mode'.
556 *** Support for completion, ElDoc, and Flycheck has been added.
559 *** The current CFEngine syntax is parsed from "cf-promises -s json".
560 There is a fallback syntax available if you don't have cf-promises or
561 if your version doesn't support that option. See option `cfengine-cf-promises'.
564 ** Delete Selection mode can now be used without Transient Mark mode.
569 *** `desktop-save-mode' by default now auto-saves an existing desktop file
570 after `desktop-auto-save-timeout'. To disable this, customize that option
574 *** `desktop-restore-frames', enabled by default, allows saving and
575 restoring the frame/window configuration (frameset). Additional options
576 `desktop-restore-in-current-display', `desktop-restore-reuses-frames'
577 and `desktop-restore-forces-onscreen' offer further customization.
580 ** New Dired minor mode `dired-hide-details-mode' toggles whether details,
581 such as file ownership or permissions, are visible.
584 ** You can enable ElDoc inside the `eval-expression' minibuffer with:
585 (add-hook 'eval-expression-minibuffer-setup-hook 'eldoc-mode)
586 The results display in the mode line.
588 ** Electric Pair mode
591 *** New option `electric-pair-preserve-balance', enabled by default.
592 If non-nil, pairing/skipping only kicks in when that help the balance
593 of parentheses and quotes, i.e. the buffer should end up at least as
596 You can further control this behavior by adjusting the predicates
597 stored in `electric-pair-inhibit-predicate' and `electric-pair-skip-self'.
600 *** New option `electric-pair-delete-adjacent-pairs', enabled by default.
601 In `electric-pair-mode', the commands `backward-delete-char' and
602 `backward-delete-char-untabify' are now bound to electric variants
603 that delete the closer when invoked between adjacent pairs.
606 *** New option `electric-pair-open-newline-between-pairs', enabled by default.
607 In `electric-pair-mode', inserting a newline between adjacent pairs
608 opens an extra newline after point, which is indented if
609 `electric-indent-mode' is also set.
612 *** New option `electric-pair-skip-whitespace', enabled by default.
613 This controls if skipping over closing delimiters should jump over any
614 whitespace slack. Setting it to `chomp' makes it delete this
615 whitespace. See also the variable `electric-pair-skip-whitespace-chars'.
618 *** New variables control the pairing in strings and comments.
619 You can customize `electric-pair-text-pairs' and
620 `electric-pair-text-syntax-table' to tweak pairing behavior inside
621 strings and comments.
624 ** New EPA option `epa-mail-aliases'.
625 You can set this to a list of email address aliases that `epa-mail-encrypt'
626 should use to find keys.
629 ** New ERC option `erc-accidental-paste-threshold-seconds'.
630 If set to a number, this can be used to avoid accidentally pasting large
631 amounts of data into the ERC input.
634 ** New ERT macro `skip-unless' allows skipping ERT tests.
635 See the ERT manual for details.
640 *** `eshell' now supports visual subcommands and options.
641 Eshell has been able to handle "visual" commands (interactive,
642 non-line oriented commands such as top that require display
643 capabilities not provided by eshell) by running them in an Emacs
644 terminal emulator. See `eshell-visual-commands'.
646 This feature has been extended to subcommands and options that make a
647 usually line-oriented command a visual command. Typical examples are
648 "git log" and "git <command> --help", which display their output in a
649 pager by default. See `eshell-visual-subcommands' and
650 `eshell-visual-options'.
653 *** New Eshell-Tramp module.
654 External su and sudo commands are now the default; the internal,
655 Tramp-using variants can still be used by enabling the eshell-tramp
659 ** New F90 mode option `f90-smart-end-names'.
662 Icomplete is now more similar to Ido.
665 *** Icomplete by default now applies to all forms of minibuffer completion.
666 The variable `icomplete-with-completion-tables' (now a user option)
667 controls this. To restore the old behavior, set it back to
668 '(internal-complete-buffer).
671 *** You can navigate through and select completions using the keys
672 from `icomplete-minibuffer-map'.
675 *** The string that separates potential completions is now a customizable
676 option (`icomplete-separator'). The default is " | " rather than ",".
679 *** New face `icomplete-first-match'; and new options
680 `icomplete-hide-common-prefix' and `icomplete-show-matches-on-no-input'.
683 *** The option `icomplete-show-key-bindings' has been removed.
688 *** An Ido user manual is now included.
691 *** The option `ido-use-virtual-buffers' can now take the value `auto'.
692 This means to use virtual buffers if the current ido input does not match
696 *** The variable `ido-decorations' can optionally have two new elements,
697 which are the brackets to use around the sole remaining completion.
702 *** New commands `n' (`image-next-file') and `p' (`image-previous-file')
703 visit the next image file and the previous image file in the same
704 directory, respectively.
707 *** New commands to show specific frames of multi-frame images.
708 `f' (`image-next-frame') and `b' (`image-previous-frame') visit the
709 next or previous frame. `F' (`image-goto-frame') shows a specific frame.
712 *** New commands to speed up, slow down, or reverse animation.
713 `a +' (`image-increase-speed') and `a -' (`image-decrease-speed') to
714 speed up and slow down the animation. `a r' (`image-reverse-speed')
715 to reverse it and `a 0' (`image-reset-speed') to reset it.
718 *** The command `image-mode-fit-frame' deletes other windows.
719 When toggling, it restores the frame's previous window configuration.
720 It also has an optional frame argument, which can be used by Lisp
721 callers to fit the image to a frame other than the selected frame.
726 *** New global command `M-s h .' (`highlight-symbol-at-point') highlights
727 the symbol found near point.
730 *** New option `hi-lock-auto-select-face'. When non-nil, hi-lock commands
731 will cycle through faces in `hi-lock-face-defaults' without prompting.
734 ** New Imenu option `imenu-generic-skip-comments-and-strings'.
739 *** New Info face `info-index-match', used to highlight matches in index
740 entries displayed by `Info-index-next', `Info-virtual-index' and
744 *** The Info-edit command is obsolete. Editing Info nodes by hand
745 has not been relevant for some time.
750 *** New option `js-switch-indent-offset'.
753 *** Better indentation of multiple-variable declarations.
754 If a declaration spans several lines, variables on the following lines
755 are lined up to the first one.
758 *** Recognition and better indentation of continuations in array comprehensions.
761 ** MH-E has been updated to version 8.5 - see separate MH-E-NEWS file.
766 *** Font locking for Texinfo comments and new keywords.
768 *** Completion in Octave file buffers.
772 *** Jump to definition.
774 *** Documentation lookup/search.
777 ** OPascal mode is the new name for Delphi mode
780 *** All delphi-* variables and functions have been renamed to opascal-*.
781 Obsolete aliases exist for those likely to have been used externally.
784 *** The option `delphi-newline-always-indents' has been removed.
785 Use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
788 *** The TAB key runs the standard `indent-for-tab-command', not `delphi-tab'.
793 *** In the `list-packages' buffer, you can use `f' (`package-menu-filter')
794 to filter the list of packages by a keyword.
797 *** In the `describe-package' buffer, there are now buttons listing the
798 keywords related to the package. Click on a button to see other packages
799 related to that keyword.
802 *** The format of `archive-contents' files, generated by package
803 repositories, has changed to allow a new (fifth) element in the data
804 vectors, containing an associative list with extra properties.
805 (For example, `describe-package' uses the `:url' extra property to
806 display a "Homepage" header.)
809 ** In Prolog mode, `prolog-use-smie' has been removed,
810 along with the non-SMIE indentation code.
815 *** The new command `remember-notes' creates a buffer that is saved on exit.
816 You can use it as a more permanent *scratch* buffer.
819 *** Remember can now store notes in separate files.
820 To use this, add `remember-store-in-files' to the `remember-handler-functions'
821 option. The files are saved in `remember-data-directory' using
822 names specified by `remember-directory-file-name-format'.
827 *** Customize `rmail-mbox-format' to influence some minor aspects of
828 how Rmail displays non-MIME messages.
831 *** The `unrmail' command now converts from BABYL to mboxrd format,
832 rather than mboxo. Customize `unrmail-mbox-format' to change this.
837 *** Improved syntax highlighting and indentation.
840 *** New `electric-indent-mode' integration.
843 *** New option `ruby-encoding-magic-comment-style'.
846 *** New option `ruby-custom-encoding-magic-comment-template'.
849 *** New option `ruby-align-to-stmt-keywords'.
852 *** New option `ruby-align-chained-calls'.
855 *** More Ruby file types have been added to `auto-mode-alist'.
857 ** Search and Replace
860 *** New global command `M-s .' (`isearch-forward-symbol-at-point')
861 starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search forward with the
862 symbol found near point added to the search string initially.
865 *** `C-x 8 RET' in Isearch mode reads a character by its Unicode name
866 and adds it to the search string.
869 *** `M-s i' in Isearch mode toggles whether search matches invisible text.
872 *** `query-replace' skips invisible text when `search-invisible' is nil,
873 and opens overlays with hidden text when `search-invisible' is `open'.
876 *** A negative prefix arg of replacement commands replaces backward.
877 `M-- M-%' replaces a string backward, `M-- C-M-%' replaces a regexp
878 backward, `M-s w words M-- M-%' replaces a sequence of words backward.
881 *** By default, prefix arguments do not now terminate Isearch mode.
882 Set `isearch-allow-prefix' to nil to restore old behavior.
885 *** More Isearch commands accept prefix arguments, namely
886 `isearch-printing-char', `isearch-quote-char', `isearch-yank-word',
890 *** Word search now matches whitespace at the beginning/end
891 of the search string if it contains leading/trailing whitespace.
892 In an incremental word search or when using a non-nil LAX argument
893 of `word-search-regexp', the lax matching can also match part of
894 the first word (in addition to the lax matching of the last word).
895 The same rules are now applied to the symbol search with the difference
896 that it matches symbols, and non-symbol characters between symbols.
899 ** New SES command `ses-rename-cell' allows assignment of names to SES cells.
902 ** The shell.el option `explicit-bash-args' includes --noediting by default.
903 All non-ancient Bash versions support this option.
908 *** The SMIE indentation engine is now used by default - see `sh-use-smie'.
911 *** `sh-mode' now has its own setting for `add-log-current-defun-function'.
916 *** You can customize the SMIE indentation of a mode via `smie-config'.
917 The command `smie-config-guess' can help you derive the appropriate
918 indentation settings, if you provide it with an indented sample file.
919 Use `smie-config-save' to save the result.
922 *** You can customize the SMIE indentation of a file by adding an entry to
923 the file's local variables of the form: `eval: (smie-config-local '(RULES))'.
926 *** New commands `smie-config-show-indent' and `smie-config-set-indent'.
931 *** Improved login monitoring and appropriate response to login failures.
932 New variable `sql-login-delay' defines maximum wait time for a connection.
935 SQL*Plus script placeholders are properly highlighted and identified
936 in `sql-placeholders-filter'. When starting SQL*Plus, `sql-oracle-options'
937 are passed before the logon parameter, as required. The default now
938 includes `-L', to limit the number of logon attempts per invocation.
941 ** New Term mode option `term-suppress-hard-newline'.
944 ** Todo mode has been rewritten and enhanced.
945 The Todo mode user manual describes all commands and most user
946 options. To support some of these features, a new file format is
947 used, which is incompatible with the old format; however, you can
948 convert old todo and done item files to the new format on initializing
949 the first new todo file, or at any later time with the provided
950 conversion command. The previous version of todo-mode.el has been
951 renamed to otodo-mode.el and is now obsolete. New features include:
953 *** Support for multiple todo files and archive files of done items.
955 *** Renaming, reordering, moving, merging, and deleting categories.
957 *** Sortable tabular summaries of categories and the item types they contain.
959 *** Cross-category lists of items filtered by specific criteria.
961 *** More fine-grained interaction with the Emacs diary, by being able to
962 decide for each todo item whether it appears in the Fancy Diary display.
964 *** Highly flexible new item insertion and item editing.
966 *** Moving items between categories, storing done items in their category
967 or in archive files, undoing or unarchiving done items.
969 *** Reprioritizing items by inputting a numerical priority.
971 *** Extensive customizability of operation and display, including many faces.
976 *** `trace-function' and `trace-function-background' no longer prompt for
977 the output buffer. Unless you use a prefix argument, they output to
981 *** With a prefix argument, `trace-function' and `trace-function-background'
982 will prompt for a "context". This is a Lisp expression, whose value at the
983 time the function is entered/exited is printed along with the function's
989 *** The experimental url syntax for remote file names has been removed.
992 *** New connection method "adb", which allows to access Android
993 devices by the Android Debug Bridge. The variable `tramp-adb-program'
994 can be used to adapt the path of the "adb" program, if needed.
997 *** The connection methods "plink1", "ssh1", "ssh2", "scp1", "scp2",
998 "scpc" and "rsyncc" are discontinued. The ssh option
999 "ControlMaster=auto" is set automatically in all ssh-based methods,
1000 when possible. See `tramp-use-ssh-controlmaster-options'.
1003 *** Handlers for `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' for remote machines
1004 which support POSIX ACLs.
1007 *** Handlers for `file-notify-add-watch' and `file-notify-rm-watch'
1008 for remote machines which support filesystem notifications.
1011 ** New URL command `url-cookie-list' displays the current cookies,
1012 and allows you to interactively remove cookies.
1014 ** VC and related modes
1017 *** In VC directory mode, `D' displays diffs between VC-controlled
1018 whole tree revisions.
1021 *** In VC directory mode, `L' lists the change log for the current VC
1022 controlled tree in a window.
1025 *** In VC directory mode, `I' shows a log of changes that will be
1026 received with a pull operation.
1029 *** `C-x v G' (globally) and `G' (in VC directory mode) ignores a file
1030 under current version control system. When called with a prefix
1031 argument, you can remove a file from the ignored file list.
1036 *** New options: `vhdl-actual-generic-name', `vhdl-beautify-options'.
1039 *** New commands: `vhdl-fix-statement-region', `vhdl-fix-statement-buffer'.
1042 ** The Woman commands `woman-default-faces' and `woman-monochrome-faces'
1043 are obsolete. Customize the `woman-*' faces instead.
1045 ** Obsolete packages
1048 *** iswitchb.el; use icomplete-mode.
1051 *** longlines.el; use visual-line-mode.
1060 *** terminal.el; use term.el instead.
1063 *** the old version of todo-mode.el (renamed to otodo-mode.el).
1066 *** xesam.el (owing to the cancellation of the XESAM project).
1069 *** yow.el; use fortune.el or cookie1.el instead.
1072 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
1075 ** New package `eww' is a built-in web browser.
1076 It is only available if Emacs is compiled with libxml2 support.
1079 ** New minor mode `superword-mode'.
1080 This overrides the default word motion commands to treat "symbol_words"
1081 as a single word, similar to what `subword-mode' does.
1084 ** New package nadvice.el offers lighter-weight advice facilities.
1087 *** add-function/remove-function, which can be used to add/remove code on any
1088 function-carrying place, such as process-filters or `<foo>-function' hooks.
1090 *** advice-add/advice-remove to add/remove a piece of advice on a named
1091 function, much like `defadvice' does.
1093 ** New package frameset.el.
1094 It provides a set of operations to save a frameset (the state of all
1095 or a subset of the existing frames and windows, somewhat similar to a
1096 frame configuration), both in-session and persistently, and restore it
1097 at some point in the future.
1100 ** New package filenotify.el provides an interface for file system
1101 notifications. It requires that Emacs be compiled with one of the
1102 low-level libraries gfilenotify.c, inotify.c or w32notify.c.
1105 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
1108 ** `kill-region' has lost its `yank-handler' optional argument.
1111 ** `(input-pending-p)' no longer runs other timers that are ready to run.
1112 The new optional CHECK-TIMERS parameter allows for the prior behavior.
1115 ** `defvar' and `defcustom' in a let-binding affect the "external" default.
1118 ** The syntax of ?» and ?« is now punctuation instead of matched parens.
1119 Some languages match those as »...«, and others as «...», so it is
1120 better for Emacs to stay neutral by default.
1123 ** In compiled Lisp files, the header no longer includes a timestamp.
1126 ** The default file coding for Emacs Lisp files is now utf-8.
1127 (See `file-coding-system-alist'.) In most cases, this change is
1128 transparent, but files that contain unusual characters without
1129 specifying an explicit coding system may fail to load with obscure
1130 errors. You should either convert them to utf-8 or add an explicit
1134 ** `overriding-terminal-local-map' no longer replaces the local keymaps.
1135 It used to disable the minor mode, major mode, and text-property keymaps,
1136 whereas now it simply has higher precedence.
1139 ** Default process filters and sentinels are not nil any more.
1140 Instead they default to a function that does what the nil value used to do.
1143 ** `read-event' does not return decoded chars in ttys any more.
1144 As was the case in Emacs 22 and before, the decoding of terminal
1145 input, according to `keyboard-coding-system', is not performed in
1146 `read-event' any more. But unlike in Emacs 22, this decoding is still
1147 done before input-decode-map, function-key-map, etc.
1150 ** The option `inhibit-local-menu-bar-menus' has been removed.
1153 ** Frame-local variables that affect redisplay do not work any more.
1154 More specifically, redisplay does not bother to check for a frame-local
1155 value when looking up variables.
1158 ** nil and "unbound" are indistinguishable in `symbol-function'.
1159 `symbol-function' does not signal a `void-function' error any more.
1160 To determine if a symbol's function definition is void, use `fboundp'.
1163 ** `defadvice' does not honor the `freeze' flag and cannot advise
1164 special-forms any more.
1167 ** `dolist' no longer binds VAR while evaluating the RESULT form,
1168 when lexical binding is enabled. Previously, VAR was bound to nil,
1169 which often led to spurious unused-variable warnings.
1172 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
1173 The second argument is no longer an SELinux context, instead it is an
1174 alist of extended attributes as returned by the new function
1175 `file-extended-attributes'. The attributes can be applied to another
1176 file using `set-file-extended-attributes'.
1179 ** By default `copy-file' no longer copies file permission bits to an
1180 existing destination; and it sets the file permission bits of a newly
1181 created destination to those of the source, masked by the default file
1182 permissions. To copy the file permission bits, pass t as the
1183 PRESERVE-PERMISSIONS argument of `copy-file'.
1186 ** `visited-file-modtime' now returns -1 for nonexistent files.
1187 Formerly it returned a list (-1 LOW USEC PSEC), but this was ambiguous
1188 in the presence of files with negative time stamps.
1191 ** The cars of the elements in `interpreter-mode-alist' are now
1192 treated as regexps rather than literal strings.
1195 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
1198 ** The second argument of `eval' can now specify a lexical environment.
1201 ** New functions `special-form-p' and `macrop'.
1204 ** New macro `define-alternatives' can be used to define generic commands.
1205 Generic commands are interactive functions whose implementation can be
1206 selected among several alternatives, as a matter of user preference.
1209 ** If you give a symbol a `defalias-fset-function' property, `defalias'
1210 on that symbol will use the associated value as a function to call
1214 ** New variable `enable-dir-local-variables'.
1215 Directory-local variables are ignored if this is nil. This may be
1216 useful for modes that want to ignore directory-locals while still
1217 respecting file-local variables.
1220 ** New function `get-pos-property'.
1223 ** `read-regexp' now uses the new variable `read-regexp-defaults-function'
1224 as a function to call to provide default values.
1226 ** Completion changes
1229 *** The separator used by `completing-read-multiple' is now a regexp.
1230 The default `crm-separator' has been changed to allow surrounding spaces
1234 *** The `common-substring' argument of `display-completion-list',
1235 which has been documented as obsolete since Emacs 23.1, is now _really_
1236 obsolete, and no longer advertised. Instead either call
1237 `completion-hilit-commonality' to add the highlighting; or use
1238 `completion-all-completions', which returns highlighted strings.
1241 *** New function `completion-table-with-cache' is a wrapper for
1242 `completion-table-dynamic' that caches the result of the last lookup.
1245 *** New function `completion-table-merge' to combine several
1246 completion tables by merging their completions.
1249 ** New minor modes `prettify-symbols-mode' and `global-prettify-symbols-mode'
1250 display specified symbols as composed characters. E.g., in Emacs Lisp mode,
1251 this replaces the string "lambda" with the Greek lambda character.
1256 *** Functions to pop up menus and dialogs now work on all terminals,
1257 including TTYs. This includes `x-popup-menu', `x-popup-dialog',
1258 `message-box', `yes-or-no-p', etc.
1260 The function `display-popup-menus-p' will now return non-nil for a
1261 display or frame whenever a mouse is supported on that display or
1265 *** New hook `tty-setup-hook', run at the end of initializing a text terminal.
1268 *** The hook `term-setup-hook' is obsolete. It is entirely equivalent
1269 to `emacs-startup-hook'. See also the new `tty-setup-hook'.
1272 ** New hook `pre-redisplay-function'.
1275 ** New bool-vector set operation functions
1276 *** `bool-vector-exclusive-or'
1277 *** `bool-vector-union'
1278 *** `bool-vector-intersection'
1279 *** `bool-vector-set-difference'
1280 *** `bool-vector-not'
1281 *** `bool-vector-subsetp'
1282 *** `bool-vector-count-consecutive'
1283 *** `bool-vector-count-population'
1286 ** Comparison functions =, <, >, <=, >= can now take many arguments.
1288 ** Error-handling changes
1291 *** New function `define-error'.
1294 *** `with-demoted-errors' takes an additional argument `format'.
1297 ** New macro `with-eval-after-load'.
1298 This is like the old `eval-after-load', but better behaved.
1301 ** New library subr-x.el with miscellaneous small utility functions
1302 *** `hash-table-keys'
1303 *** `hash-table-values'
1304 *** `string-blank-p'
1305 *** `string-empty-p'
1307 *** `string-reverse'
1308 *** `string-trim-left'
1309 *** `string-trim-right'
1311 *** `string-remove-prefix'
1312 *** `string-remove-suffix'
1315 ** Obsoleted functions
1318 *** `lisp-complete-symbol'
1319 *** `field-complete'
1320 *** `minibuffer-completion-contents'
1321 *** `isearch-nonincremental-exit-minibuffer'
1322 *** `isearch-filter-visible'
1323 *** `generic-make-keywords-list'
1324 *** `get-upcase-table' (use `case-table-get-table' instead).
1327 ** `with-wrapper-hook' is obsoleted by `add-function'.
1328 The few hooks that used with-wrapper-hook are replaced as follows:
1329 *** `abbrev-expand-function' obsoletes `abbrev-expand-functions'.
1330 *** `completion-in-region-function' obsoletes `completion-in-region-functions'.
1331 *** `filter-buffer-substring-function' obsoletes `filter-buffer-substring-functions'.
1334 ** `byte-compile-interactive-only-functions' is now obsolete.
1335 To specify that a command should only be called interactively, give it
1336 a non-nil `interactive-only' property.
1339 ** `split-string' now takes an optional argument TRIM.
1340 The value, if non-nil, is a regexp that specifies what to trim from
1341 the start and end of each substring.
1344 ** New function `string-suffix-p'.
1346 ** File-handling changes
1349 *** Support for filesystem notifications.
1350 Emacs now supports notifications of filesystem changes, such as
1351 creation, modification, and deletion of files. This requires the
1352 `glib' API, or the 'inotify' API (on GNU/Linux systems only). On
1353 MS-Windows systems, this is supported for Windows XP and newer
1357 *** The 9th element returned by `file-attributes' is now unspecified.
1358 Formerly, it was t if the file's gid would change if file were deleted
1359 and recreated. This value has been inaccurate for years on many
1360 platforms, and nobody seems to have noticed or cared.
1363 *** The 6th argument to `copy-file' has been renamed to
1364 PRESERVE-PERMISSIONS as it now handles ACL entries and the traditional
1365 Unix file permission bits as well as SELinux context.
1368 *** The function `file-ownership-preserved-p' now has an optional
1369 argument GROUP which causes it check for file group too. This can be
1370 used in place of the 9th element of `file-attributes'.
1373 *** The function `set-visited-file-modtime' now accepts a 0 or -1
1374 argument, with the same interpretation as the returned value of
1375 `visited-file-modtime'.
1377 ** Autorevert changes
1380 *** If Emacs is compiled with file notification support, notifications
1381 are used instead of checking the time stamp of the files. You can
1382 disable this by setting the user option `auto-revert-use-notify' to
1383 nil. Alternatively, a regular expression of directories to be
1384 excluded from file notifications can be specified by
1385 `auto-revert-notify-exclude-dir-regexp'.
1388 *** The new user option `auto-revert-remote-files' enables reversion
1389 of remote files when set to non-nil.
1394 *** The function `face-spec-set' is now like `setq' for face specs.
1395 Its third arg now accepts values specifying a face spec type (defface,
1396 custom, or override spec), and the relevant spec is set accordingly.
1399 *** New function `add-face-text-property', which can be used to
1400 conveniently prepend/append new face properties.
1403 *** Face specs set via Custom themes now replace the `defface' spec
1404 rather than inheriting from it. In other words, setting a face via a
1405 theme now behaves like setting it via Customize: you only need to
1406 specify the attributes that you want, you don't need to unset those
1407 that you don't want.
1410 *** New face characteristic (supports :underline (:style wave))
1411 specifies whether or not the terminal can display a wavy line.
1414 *** New face spec attribute :distant-foreground
1415 specifies foreground to use if background color is near the foreground
1416 color that would otherwise have been used.
1421 *** `image-animated-p' is now `image-multi-frame-p'.
1422 It returns non-nil for any image that contains multiple frames,
1423 whether or not it specifies a frame delay.
1426 *** New variable `image-default-frame-delay' gives the frame delay for
1427 animated images which do not specify a frame delay.
1430 *** New functions `image-current-frame' and `image-show-frame' for getting
1431 and setting the current frame of a multi-frame image.
1436 *** Namespace cleanup by obsolete-aliasing functions to use `eieio-' prefix.
1437 **** object-name -> eieio-object-name
1438 **** object-class -> eieio-object-class
1439 **** object-class-fast -> eieio--object-class
1440 **** object-class-name -> eieio-object-class-name
1441 **** object-name-string -> eieio-object-name-string
1442 **** object-num-slots -> eieio--object-num-slots
1443 **** object-set-name-string -> eieio-object-set-name-string
1444 **** class-of -> eieio-object-class
1445 **** class-name -> eieio-class-name
1446 **** class-parent -> eieio-class-parent
1447 **** class-parents -> eieio-class-parents
1448 **** class-parents-fast -> eieio-class-parents-fast
1449 **** class-children -> eieio-class-children
1450 **** class-num-slots -> eieio--class-num-slots
1451 **** class-precedence-list -> eieio-class-precedence-list
1452 **** class-direct-subclasses -> eieio-class-children
1453 **** class-direct-superclasses -> eieio-class-parents
1455 ** Changes in encoding and decoding of text
1458 *** New coding-system `prefer-utf-8'.
1459 This is like `undecided' but prefers UTF-8 on decoding if the text to
1460 be decoded does not contain any invalid UTF-8 sequences. On encoding,
1461 any non-ASCII characters are automatically encoded as UTF-8.
1464 *** New attributes of coding-systems whose type is `undecided'.
1465 Two new attributes, `:inhibit-null-byte-detection' and
1466 `:inhibit-iso-escape-detection', determine how to detect encoding of
1467 text that includes null bytes and ISO-2022 escape sequences,
1468 respectively. Each of these attributes can be either nil, zero, or
1469 t. If it is t, decoding text ignores null bytes and, respectively,
1470 ISO-2022 sequences. If it is nil, null bytes cause text to be decoded
1471 with no-conversion and ISO-2022 sequences cause Emacs to assume the
1472 text is encoded in one of the ISO-2022 encodings, such as
1473 iso-2022-7bit. If the value is zero, Emacs consults the variables
1474 inhibit-null-byte-detection and inhibit-iso-escape-detection, which
1476 The new attribute `:prefer-utf-8', if non-nil, causes Emacs to prefer
1477 UTF-8 encoding and decoding, whenever possible.
1479 These attributes are only meaningful for coding-systems of type
1480 `undecided'. (The type of a coding-system is determined by its
1481 `:coding-type' attribute and can be accessed by calling the
1482 `coding-system-type' function.)
1485 ** The `time-to-seconds' alias to `float-time' is no longer marked obsolete.
1488 ** New functions `group-gid' and `group-real-gid'.
1491 ** The spelling of the rx.el category `chinese-two-byte' has been
1492 corrected (the first 'e' was missing).
1495 ** Minor internal changes to the details of lock files.
1496 The lock for DIR/FILE is now _always_ DIR/.#FILE.
1497 If DIR/.#FILE already exists and is not an Emacs lock file,
1498 Emacs makes no attempt to lock DIR/FILE. (Previously, it fell back to
1499 numbered lock files DIR/.#FILE.0...).
1500 On file systems that do not support symbolic links, the lock is now a
1501 regular file with contents being what would have been in the symlink.
1503 ** Changes to the Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions in Emacs 24.4
1506 *** The package descriptor and name of global variables, constants,
1507 and functions should be separated by two hyphens if the symbol is not
1508 meant to be used by other packages.
1511 * Changes in Emacs 24.4 on Non-Free Operating Systems
1514 ** The procedure for building Emacs on MS-Windows has changed.
1515 It is now built by running the same configure script as on all other
1516 platforms. This requires the MSYS environment and MinGW development
1517 tools. See the updated instructions in nt/INSTALL for details.
1519 Using the Posix configure script and Makefile's also means a change in
1520 the directory structure of the Emacs installation on Windows. It is
1521 now the same as on GNU and Unix systems. In particular, the auxiliary
1522 programs, such as cmdproxy.exe and hexl.exe, are in
1523 libexec/emacs/VERSION/i686-pc-mingw32 (where VERSION is the Emacs
1524 version), version-independent site-lisp is in share/emacs/site-lisp,
1525 version-specific Lisp files are in share/emacs/VERSION/lisp and in
1526 share/emacs/VERSION/site-lisp, Info docs are in share/info, and data
1527 files are in share/emacs/VERSION/etc. (Emacs knows about all these
1528 directories and will find the files in there automatically; there's no
1529 need to set any variables due to this change.)
1532 ** Emacs on Windows 2000 and later can now access files and directories
1533 whose names cannot be encoded in the current system codepage.
1535 The new variable `w32-unicode-filenames' controls this feature: if it
1536 is t, Emacs uses Unicode APIs to pass file names to system calls,
1537 which lifts the limitation of file names to the current locale.
1540 ** The "generate a backtrace on fatal error" feature now works on MS Windows.
1541 The backtrace is written to the 'emacs_backtrace.txt' file in the
1542 directory where Emacs was running.
1545 ** The variable `buffer-file-type' is no longer supported.
1546 Setting it has no effect, and %t in the mode-line format is ignored.
1547 Likewise, `file-name-buffer-file-type-alist' is now obsolete, and
1548 modifying it has no effect.
1551 ** Lock files now work on MS-Windows.
1552 This helps to prevent losing your edits if the same file is being
1553 edited in another Emacs session or by another user. See the node
1554 "Interlocking" in the Emacs User Manual for the details. To disable
1555 file locking, customize `create-lockfiles' to nil.
1557 ** New Core Text based font backend for Mac OS X 10.5 and newer.
1558 GNUstep and Mac OS X 10.4 use the old font backend.
1559 To use the old backend by default, do on the command line:
1560 % defaults write org.gnu.Emacs FontBackend ns
1562 ** Improved fullscreen support on Mac OS X.
1563 Emacs supports both native (Mac OS X 10.7 and newer) and "old style" fullscreen.
1564 Customize `ns-use-native-fullscreen' to change the style.
1565 For Mac OS X 10.7 and newer, native is the default.
1567 ** On Mac OS X 10.7 and newer, Emacs uses sRGB colorspace by default.
1568 Customize `ns-use-srgb-colorspace' to disable this. Note that this
1569 does not apply to images.
1572 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.3
1574 ** The default X toolkit is now Gtk+ version 3.
1575 If you don't pass `--with-x-toolkit' to configure, or if you use
1576 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk' or `--with-x-toolkit=yes', configure will try
1577 to build with Gtk+ version 3, and if that fails, try Gtk+ version 2.
1578 You can explicitly require a specific version by passing
1579 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk2' or `--with-x-toolkit=gtk3' to configure.
1581 ** New configure option `--enable-link-time-optimization', to utilize
1582 an appropriate feature provided by GCC since version 4.5.0.
1584 ** New configure option `--without-all' to disable most of the optional
1585 features (image support, etc.) that are normally enabled by default.
1587 ** New configure option `--enable-gcc-warnings' (for developing/debugging
1588 Emacs). If building with GCC, this enables compile-time checks that
1589 warn/give errors about possibly-questionable C code. On a recent GNU
1590 system there should be no warnings; on older and on non-GNU systems
1591 the results may be useful to developers.
1593 ** The configure option `--enable-use-lisp-union-type' has been
1594 renamed to `--enable-check-lisp-object-type', as the resulting
1595 Lisp_Object type no longer uses a union to implement the compile time
1596 check that this option enables.
1598 ** The configure option `--disable-maintainer-mode' has been removed,
1599 as it was confusingly-named and rarely useful.
1601 ** The configure options `--program-prefix', `--program-suffix', and
1602 `--program-transform-name' apply to more than just the installed
1603 binaries. Now they also affect the man pages, icons, and the
1604 etc/emacs.desktop file; but not the info pages, since this would break
1605 links between the various manuals.
1607 ** You can use `NO_BIN_LINK=t make install' to prevent the installation
1608 overwriting "emacs" in the installation bin/ directory with a link
1611 ** Emacs uses libtinfo in preference to libncurses, if available.
1613 ** On FreeBSD and NetBSD, configure no longer adds /usr/local/lib and
1614 /usr/pkg/lib to the linker search path. You must add them yourself if
1617 ** The standalone scripts `rcs-checkin' and `vcdiff' have been removed
1618 (from the bin and libexec directories, respectively). The former is
1619 no longer relevant, the latter is replaced by lisp (in vc-sccs.el).
1622 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.3
1624 ** Emacs no longer searches for `leim-list.el' files beneath the standard
1625 lisp/ directory. There should not be any there anyway. If you have
1626 been adding them there, put them somewhere else; e.g., site-lisp.
1628 ** The `--no-site-lisp' command line option now works for Nextstep builds.
1631 * Changes in Emacs 24.3
1635 *** `C-h f' (`describe-function') can now perform autoloading.
1636 When this command is called for an autoloaded function whose docstring
1637 contains a key substitution construct, that function's library is
1638 automatically loaded, so that the documentation can be shown
1639 correctly. To disable this, set `help-enable-auto-load' to nil.
1641 *** `C-h f' now reports previously-autoloaded functions as "autoloaded",
1642 even after their associated libraries have been loaded (and the
1643 autoloads have been redefined as functions).
1647 *** Images displayed via ImageMagick now support transparency and the
1648 :background image specification property.
1650 *** When available, ImageMagick support is automatically enabled.
1651 It is no longer necessary to call `imagemagick-register-types'
1652 explicitly to install ImageMagick image types; that function is called
1653 automatically at startup, or when customizing an imagemagick- option.
1655 *** Setting `imagemagick-types-inhibit' to t now disables the use of
1656 ImageMagick to view images. (You must call `imagemagick-register-types'
1657 afterwards if you do not use customize to change this.)
1659 *** The new variable `imagemagick-enabled-types' also affects which
1660 ImageMagick types are treated as images. The function
1661 `imagemagick-filter-types' returns the list of types that will be
1666 *** In minibuffer filename prompts, `C-M-f' and `C-M-b' now move to the
1667 next and previous path separator, respectively.
1669 *** `minibuffer-electric-default-mode' can shorten "(default ...)" to "[...]"
1670 in minibuffer prompts. Just set `minibuffer-eldef-shorten-default'
1671 non-nil before enabling the mode.
1675 *** New option `mode-line-default-help-echo' specifies the help text
1676 (shown in a tooltip or in the echo area) for any part of the mode line
1677 that does not have its own specialized help text.
1679 *** You can now click mouse-3 in the coding system indicator to invoke
1680 `set-buffer-file-coding-system'.
1682 ** Server and client
1684 *** emacsclient now obeys string values for `initial-buffer-choice',
1685 if it is told to open a new frame without specifying any file to visit
1686 or expression to evaluate.
1688 *** New option `server-auth-key' specifies a shared server key.
1690 ** Emacs now generates backtraces on fatal errors.
1691 On encountering a fatal error, Emacs now outputs a textual description
1692 of the fatal signal, and a short backtrace on platforms like glibc
1693 that support backtraces.
1695 ** `C-x C-q' is now bound to the new minor mode `read-only-mode'.
1696 This minor mode replaces `toggle-read-only', which is now obsolete.
1698 ** Most `y-or-n' prompts now allow you to scroll the selected window.
1699 Typing `C-v' or `M-v' at a y-or-n prompt scrolls forward or backward
1700 respectively, without exiting from the prompt.
1702 ** In the Package Menu, newly-available packages are listed as "new",
1703 and sorted above the other "available" packages by default.
1705 ** If your Emacs was built from a repository checkout, the new variable
1706 `emacs-bzr-version' contains information about the bzr revision used.
1708 ** New option `create-lockfiles' specifies usage of lockfiles.
1709 It defaults to t. Changing it to nil inhibits the creation of lock
1710 files (use this with caution).
1712 ** New option `enable-remote-dir-locals', if non-nil, allows directory-local
1713 variables on remote hosts.
1715 ** The entry for PCL-CVS has been removed from the Tools menu.
1716 The PCL-CVS commands are still available via the keyboard.
1718 ** Using "unibyte: t" in Lisp source files is obsolete.
1719 Use "coding: raw-text" instead.
1721 ** In the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug', the `C-c m' binding
1722 has been changed to `C-c M-i' (`report-emacs-bug-insert-to-mailer').
1723 The previous binding, introduced in Emacs 24.1, was a mistake, because
1724 `C-c LETTER' bindings are reserved for user customizations.
1726 ** Internationalization
1728 *** New language environment: Persian.
1730 *** New input method `vietnamese-vni'.
1732 ** Nextstep (GNUstep / Mac OS X) port
1734 *** Support for fullscreen and the frame parameter fullscreen.
1736 *** A file dialog is used for open/save operations initiated from the
1740 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.3
1742 ** Search and Replace
1744 *** Non-regexp Isearch now performs "lax" space matching.
1745 Each sequence of spaces in the supplied search string may match any
1746 sequence of one or more whitespace characters, as specified by the
1747 variable `search-whitespace-regexp'. (This variable is also used by a
1748 similar existing feature for regexp Isearch.)
1750 *** New Isearch command `M-s SPC' toggles lax space matching.
1751 This applies to both ordinary and regexp Isearch.
1753 *** New option `replace-lax-whitespace'.
1754 If non-nil, `query-replace' uses flexible whitespace matching too.
1757 *** Global `M-s _' starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search,
1758 and `M-s _' in Isearch toggles symbol search mode.
1759 `M-s c' in Isearch toggles search case-sensitivity.
1761 ** Navigation commands
1763 *** New binding `M-g c' for `goto-char'.
1765 *** New binding `M-g TAB' for `move-to-column'.
1767 *** `M-g TAB' (`move-to-column') prompts for a column number if called
1768 interactively with no prefix arg. Previously, it moved to column 1.
1770 ** New option `yank-handled-properties' allows processing of text
1771 properties on yanked text, in ways that are more general than just
1772 removing them (as is done by `yank-excluded-properties').
1774 ** New option `delete-trailing-lines' specifies whether
1775 M-x delete-trailing-whitespace should delete trailing lines at the end
1776 of the buffer. It defaults to t.
1778 ** `C-u M-=' now counts lines/words/characters in the entire buffer.
1780 ** `C-x 8 RET' is now bound to `insert-char', which is now a command.
1781 `ucs-insert' is now an obsolete alias for `insert-char'.
1783 ** The `z' key no longer has a binding in most special modes.
1784 It used to be bound to `kill-this-buffer', but `z' is too easy to
1787 ** New command `C-x r M-w' (`copy-rectangle-as-kill').
1788 It copies the region-rectangle as the last rectangle kill.
1792 *** `C-x r +' is now overloaded to invoke `append-to-register'.
1794 *** New option `register-separator' specifies the register containing
1795 the text to put between collected texts for use with
1796 M-x append-to-register and M-x prepend-to-register.
1799 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.3
1801 ** Common Lisp emulation (CL)
1803 *** CL's main entry is now (require 'cl-lib).
1804 `cl-lib' is like the old `cl' except that it uses the namespace cleanly;
1805 i.e., all its definitions have the "cl-" prefix (and internal definitions
1806 use the "cl--" prefix).
1808 If `cl' provided a feature under the name `foo', then `cl-lib'
1809 provides it under the name `cl-foo' instead; with the exceptions of the
1810 few `cl' definitions that had to use `foo*' to avoid conflicts with
1811 pre-existing Elisp entities. These have been renamed to `cl-foo'
1812 rather than `cl-foo*'.
1814 The old `cl' is now deprecated and is mainly just a bunch of aliases that
1815 provide the old, non-prefixed names. Some exceptions are listed below:
1817 *** `cl-flet' is not like `flet' (which is deprecated).
1818 Instead it obeys the behavior of Common-Lisp's `flet'.
1819 In particular, in cl-flet function definitions are lexically scoped,
1820 whereas in flet the scoping is dynamic.
1822 *** `cl-labels' is slightly different from `labels'.
1823 The difference is that it relies on the `lexical-binding' machinery
1824 (as opposed to the `lexical-let' machinery used previously) to capture
1825 definitions in closures, so such closures will only work if `lexical-binding'
1828 *** `cl-letf' is not exactly like `letf'.
1829 The only difference is in details that relate to some deprecated usage
1830 of `symbol-function' in place forms.
1832 *** `progv' was rewritten to use the `let' machinery.
1833 A side effect is that variables without corresponding values are bound
1834 to nil rather than being made unbound.
1836 *** The following methods of extending `setf' are obsolete
1837 (use features from gv.el instead):
1838 `define-modify-macro' (use `gv-letplace')
1839 `defsetf' (use `gv-define-simple-setter' or `gv-define-setter')
1840 `define-setf-expander' (use `gv-define-setter' or `gv-define-expander')
1841 `get-setf-method' no longer exists (see "Incompatible Lisp Changes")
1845 *** Changes are now highlighted using the same color scheme as in
1846 modern VCSes. Deletions are displayed in red (new faces
1847 `diff-refine-removed' and `smerge-refined-removed', and new definition
1848 of `diff-removed'), insertions in green (new faces `diff-refine-added'
1849 and `smerge-refined-added', and new definition of `diff-added').
1851 *** The variable `diff-use-changed-face' defines whether to use the
1852 face `diff-changed', or `diff-removed' and `diff-added' to highlight
1853 changes in context diffs.
1855 *** The new command `diff-delete-trailing-whitespace' removes trailing
1856 whitespace introduced by a diff.
1858 ** Ediff now uses the same color scheme as Diff mode.
1862 A new version of python.el, which provides several new features, including:
1863 per-buffer shells, better indentation, Python 3 support, and improved
1864 shell-interaction compatible with iPython (and virtually any other
1867 *** Some user options have been replaced/renamed, including (old -> new):
1868 **** python-indent -> python-indent-offset
1869 **** python-guess-indent -> python-indent-guess-indent-offset
1870 **** python-pdbtrack-do-tracking-p -> python-pdbtrack-activate
1871 **** python-use-skeletons -> python-skeleton-autoinsert
1873 *** Some user options have been removed, including:
1875 **** `python-indent-string-contents': Strings are never indented.
1877 **** `python-honour-comment-indentation':
1878 Comments are always considered as indentation markers.
1880 **** `python-continuation-offset': Indentation is automatically
1881 calculated in a pep8 compliant way depending on the context.
1883 **** `python-shell-prompt-alist', `python-shell-continuation-prompt-alist':
1884 Have no direct mapping as the shell interaction is completely different.
1886 **** `python-python-command', `python-jython-command':
1887 Replaced by `python-shell-interpreter'.
1889 **** `inferior-python-filter-regexp', `python-remove-cwd-from-path',
1890 `python-pdbtrack-minor-mode-string', `python-source-modes':
1893 *** Some commands have been replaced (old -> new):
1894 **** python-insert-class -> python-skeleton-class
1895 **** python-insert-def -> python-skeleton-def
1896 **** python-insert-for -> python-skeleton-for
1897 **** python-insert-if -> python-skeleton-if
1898 **** python-insert-try/except -> python-skeleton-try
1899 **** python-insert-try/finally -> python-skeleton-try
1900 **** python-insert-while -> python-skeleton-while
1901 **** python-find-function -> python-nav-jump-to-defun
1902 **** python-next-statement -> python-nav-forward-sentence
1903 **** python-previous-statement -> python-nav-backward-sentence
1904 **** python-beginning-of-defun-function -> python-nav-beginning-of-defun
1905 **** python-end-of-defun-function -> python-nav-end-of-defun
1906 **** python-send-buffer -> python-shell-send-buffer
1907 **** python-send-defun -> python-shell-send-defun
1908 **** python-send-region -> python-shell-send-region
1909 **** python-send-region-and-go -> emulate with python-shell-send-region
1910 and python-shell-switch-to-shell
1911 **** python-send-string -> python-shell-send-string
1912 **** python-switch-to-python -> python-shell-switch-to-shell
1913 **** python-describe-symbol -> python-eldoc-at-point
1917 *** New variables `dbus-compiled-version' and `dbus-runtime-version'.
1919 *** The D-Bus object manager interface is implemented.
1921 *** Variables of type :(u)int32 and :(u)int64 accept floating points,
1922 if their value does not fit into Emacs's integer range.
1924 *** The function `dbus-call-method' is now non-blocking.
1925 It can be interrupted by `C-g'. `dbus-call-method-non-blocking' is obsolete.
1927 *** Signals can also be sent as unicast messages.
1929 *** The argument list of `dbus-register-signal' has been extended,
1930 according to the new match rule types of D-Bus.
1932 *** `dbus-init-bus' supports private connections.
1934 *** There is a new function `dbus-setenv'.
1936 ** `desktop-path' no longer includes the "." directory.
1937 Desktop files are now located in ~/.emacs.d by default.
1941 *** `dired-do-async-shell-command' executes each file sequentially
1942 if the command ends in `;' (when operating on multiple files).
1943 Otherwise, it executes the command on each file in parallel.
1945 *** Typing `M-n' in the minibuffer of `dired-do-chmod', `dired-do-chgrp',
1946 `dired-do-chown', and `dired-do-touch' yanks the attributes of the
1949 *** When the region is active, `m' (`dired-mark'), `u' (`dired-unmark'),
1950 `DEL' (`dired-unmark-backward'), and `d' (`dired-flag-file-deletion')
1951 mark/unmark/flag all files in the active region.
1953 *** The minibuffer default for `=' (`dired-diff') has changed.
1954 It is now the backup file for the file at point, if one exists.
1955 In Transient Mark mode the default is the file at the active mark.
1957 *** `M-=' is no longer bound to `dired-backup-diff' in Dired buffers.
1958 The global binding for `M-=', `count-words-region' is in effect.
1962 *** New module "notifications", which can send a notification when you
1963 receive a private message or your nickname is mentioned.
1965 *** ERC will look up server/channel names via auth-source and use any
1968 *** New option `erc-lurker-hide-list', similar to `erc-hide-list', but
1969 only applies to messages sent by lurkers.
1971 ** reStructuredText mode
1973 *** Keybindings (see `C-c C-h'), TAB indentation, filling and auto-filling,
1974 fontification, comment handling, and customization have all been revised
1977 *** Support for `imenu' and `which-function-mode'.
1979 *** The reStructuredText syntax is more closely covered.
1980 Sphinx support has been improved.
1982 *** `rst-insert-list' inserts new list or continues existing lists.
1984 *** A negative prefix argument always works for `rst-adjust'.
1986 *** The window configuration is reset after displaying a TOC.
1988 *** The constant `rst-version' describes the rst.el package version.
1992 *** Support for percent literals and recognition of regular expressions
1993 in method calls without parentheses with more methods, including Cucumber
1996 *** Improved syntax highlighting and indentation.
1998 *** New command `ruby-toggle-block', bound to `C-c {'.
2000 *** Some non-standard keybindings/commands have been removed:
2002 **** `ruby-electric-brace'; use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
2004 **** `ruby-mark-defun'; use `mark-defun'.
2006 **** `ruby-beginning-of-defun' and `ruby-end-of-defun' are replaced by
2007 appropriate settings for the variables `beginning-of-defun-function'
2008 and `end-of-defun-function'.
2010 **** Non-standard keybindings for `backward-kill-word', `comment-region',
2011 `reindent-then-newline-and-indent' and `newline' have been removed.
2013 ** Shell Script mode
2015 *** Pairing of parens/quotes uses `electric-pair-mode' instead of skeleton-pair.
2017 *** `sh-electric-here-document-mode' now controls auto-insertion of here-docs.
2019 *** `sh-use-smie' lets you choose a new indentation and navigation code.
2023 *** The free software compiler GHDL is supported (and now the default).
2025 *** Support for the VHDL-AMS packages has been added/updated.
2027 *** Updated to the 2002 revision of the VHDL standard.
2029 *** Accepts \r and \f as whitespace.
2033 *** The faces used by Apropos are now directly customizable.
2034 These faces are named `apropos-symbol', `apropos-keybinding', and so on;
2035 see the `apropos' Custom group for details.
2037 *** The old options whose values specified faces to use have been removed
2038 (i.e. `apropos-symbol-face', `apropos-keybinding-face', `apropos-label-face',
2039 `apropos-match-face' and `apropos-property-face'.).
2043 *** This package has been rewritten to use Tabulated List mode.
2045 *** Option `Buffer-menu-buffer+size-width' is now obsolete.
2046 Use `Buffer-menu-name-width' and `Buffer-menu-size-width' instead.
2050 *** Algebraic simplification mode is now the default.
2051 To restrict to the limited simplifications given by the former
2052 default simplification mode, use `m I'.
2056 *** You can customize the header text that appears above each calendar month.
2057 See the variable `calendar-month-header'.
2059 *** New LaTeX calendar style, produced by `cal-tex-cursor-week2-summary'.
2061 *** The calendars produced by cal-html include holidays.
2062 Customize `cal-html-holidays' to change this.
2066 *** The major modes from the parser generators "Bovine" and "Wisent"
2067 are now properly integrated in Emacs. The file suffixes ".by" and ".wy"
2068 are in `auto-mode-alist', and the corresponding manuals are included.
2072 **** Menu support for the "Configuration" feature. This allows users to
2073 choose the active configuration (such as debug or install) from the menu.
2075 **** New command `ede-set' to interactively set project-local variables.
2077 **** Support for compiling, debugging, and running in "generic" projects.
2079 **** Autoconf editing support for M4 macros with complex arguments.
2081 **** Compilation support for the "linux" project type.
2083 **** "simple" projects have been removed; use "generic" projects instead.
2087 **** Support for parsing #include statements inside a namespace in C/C++.
2089 **** Improved support for 'extern "C"' declarations in C/C++.
2091 **** The ability to ignore more common special C/C++ preprocessor symbols,
2092 such as '__nonnull' and '__asm'. Add '__cplusplus' macro when parsing C++.
2093 If available, include cdefs.h as an additional source of preprocessor symbols.
2095 **** Improved C/C++ function pointer parsing.
2097 **** In Python, support for converting imports to include file names.
2099 **** Ability to dynamically determine the Python load path.
2101 **** Support for the Python 'WITH' and 'AT' keywords.
2103 **** Improved tooltip completion.
2107 **** The SRecode manual is now included.
2109 **** Tag generation supports constructor/destructor settings and system
2110 include differentiation.
2112 **** Addition of 'Framework' support: Frameworks are specified when a
2113 particular kind of library (such as Android) is needed in a common language
2116 **** Support for nested templates and let variables override based on priority.
2118 **** Support for merging tables from multiple related modes, such as
2119 default -> c++ -> arduino.
2121 ** Compile has a new option `compilation-always-kill'.
2125 *** `custom-reset-button-menu' now defaults to t.
2127 *** Non-option variables are never matched in `customize-apropos' and
2128 `customize-apropos-options' (i.e., the prefix argument does nothing for
2129 these commands now).
2133 *** The variables `term-default-fg-color' and `term-default-bg-color'
2134 are now deprecated in favor of the customizable face `term'.
2136 *** You can customize how to display ANSI terminal colors and styles
2137 by customizing the corresponding `term-color-<COLOR>',
2138 `term-color-underline' and `term-color-bold' faces.
2142 *** The syntax has been extended in order to allow ad-hoc proxy definitions.
2144 *** Remote processes are now also supported on remote MS-Windows hosts.
2148 *** Structs made by `url-generic-parse-url' have nil `attributes' slot.
2149 Previously, this slot stored semicolon-separated attribute-value pairs
2150 appended to some imap URLs, but this is not compatible with RFC 3986.
2151 So now the `filename' slot stores the entire path and query components,
2152 and the `attributes' slot is always nil.
2154 *** New function `url-encode-url' for encoding a URI string.
2155 The `url-retrieve' function now uses this to encode its URL argument,
2156 in case that is not properly encoded.
2158 ** notifications.el supports now version 1.2 of the Notifications API.
2159 The function `notifications-get-capabilities' returns the supported
2162 ** Flymake uses fringe bitmaps to indicate errors and warnings.
2163 See `flymake-fringe-indicator-position', `flymake-error-bitmap' and
2164 `flymake-warning-bitmap'.
2166 ** The FFAP option `ffap-url-unwrap-remote' can now be a list of strings,
2167 specifying URL types that should be converted to remote file names at
2168 the FFAP prompt. The default is now '("ftp").
2170 ** New Ibuffer `derived-mode' filter, bound to `/ M'.
2171 The old binding for `/ M' (filter by used-mode) is now bound to `/ m'.
2173 ** New option `mouse-avoidance-banish-position' specifies where the
2174 `banish' mouse avoidance setting moves the mouse.
2176 ** In Perl mode, new option `perl-indent-parens-as-block' causes non-block
2177 closing brackets to be aligned with the line of the opening bracket.
2179 ** In Proced mode, new command `proced-renice' renices marked processes.
2181 ** New option `async-shell-command-buffer' specifies the buffer to use
2182 for a new asynchronous `shell-command' when the default output buffer
2183 `*Async Shell Command*' is already in use.
2185 ** SQL mode has a new option `sql-db2-escape-newlines'.
2186 If non-nil, newlines sent to the command interpreter will be escaped
2187 by a backslash. The default does not escape the newlines and assumes
2188 that the sql statement will be terminated by a semicolon.
2190 ** New command `tabulated-list-sort', bound to `S' in Tabulated List mode
2191 (and modes that derive from it), sorts the column at point, or the Nth
2192 column if a numeric prefix argument is given.
2194 ** `which-func-modes' now defaults to t, so Which Function mode, when
2195 enabled, applies to all applicable major modes.
2197 ** `winner-mode-hook' now runs when the mode is disabled, as well as when
2200 ** Follow mode no longer works by using advice.
2201 The option `follow-intercept-processes' has been removed.
2203 ** `javascript-generic-mode' is now an obsolete alias for `js-mode'.
2205 ** Hooks renamed to avoid obsolete "-hooks" suffix:
2206 *** semantic-lex-reset-hooks -> semantic-lex-reset-functions
2207 *** semantic-change-hooks -> semantic-change-functions
2208 *** semantic-edits-new-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-new-change-functions
2209 *** semantic-edits-delete-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-delete-change-functions
2210 *** semantic-edits-reparse-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-reparse-change-functions
2211 *** semanticdb-save-database-hooks -> semanticdb-save-database-functions
2212 *** c-prepare-bug-report-hooks -> c-prepare-bug-report-hook
2213 *** rcirc-sentinel-hooks -> rcirc-sentinel-functions
2214 *** rcirc-receive-message-hooks -> rcirc-receive-message-functions
2215 *** rcirc-activity-hooks -> rcirc-activity-functions
2216 *** rcirc-print-hooks -> rcirc-print-functions
2217 *** dbus-event-error-hooks -> dbus-event-error-functions
2218 *** eieio-pre-method-execution-hooks -> eieio-pre-method-execution-functions
2219 *** checkdoc-style-hooks -> checkdoc-style-functions
2220 *** checkdoc-comment-style-hooks -> checkdoc-comment-style-functions
2221 *** archive-extract-hooks -> archive-extract-hook
2222 *** filesets-cache-fill-content-hooks -> filesets-cache-fill-content-hook
2223 *** hfy-post-html-hooks -> hfy-post-html-hook
2224 *** nndiary-request-create-group-hooks -> nndiary-request-create-group-functions
2225 *** nndiary-request-update-info-hooks -> nndiary-request-update-info-functions
2226 *** nndiary-request-accept-article-hooks -> nndiary-request-accept-article-functions
2227 *** gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-hooks -> gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-functions
2229 ** Obsolete packages
2232 In most cases, assoc+member+push+delq work just as well.
2233 And in any case it's just a terrible package: ugly semantics, terrible
2234 inefficiency, and not namespace-clean.
2243 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
2245 ** Docstrings starting with `*' no longer indicate user options.
2246 Only variables defined using `defcustom' are considered user options.
2247 The function `user-variable-p' is now an obsolete alias for
2248 `custom-variable-p'.
2250 ** The return values of `defalias', `defun' and `defmacro' have changed,
2251 and are now undefined. For backwards compatibility, `defun' and
2252 `defmacro' currently return the name of the newly defined
2253 function/macro, but this should not be relied upon.
2255 ** `random' by default now returns a different random sequence in
2256 every Emacs run. Use `(random S)', where S is a string, to set the
2257 random seed to a value based on S, in order to get a repeatable
2258 sequence in later calls.
2260 ** If the NEWTEXT arg to `replace-match' contains a substring "\?",
2261 that substring is inserted literally even if the LITERAL arg is
2262 non-nil, instead of causing an error to be signaled.
2264 ** `select-window' now always makes the window's buffer current.
2265 It does so even if the window was selected before.
2267 ** The function `x-select-font' can return a font spec, instead of a
2268 font name as a string. Whether it returns a font spec or a font name
2269 depends on the graphical library.
2271 ** `face-spec-set' no longer sets frame-specific attributes when the
2272 third argument is a frame (that usage was obsolete since Emacs 22.2).
2274 ** `set-buffer-multibyte' now signals an error in narrowed buffers.
2276 ** The CL package's `get-setf-method' function no longer exists.
2277 Generalized variables are now part of core Emacs Lisp, and implemented
2278 differently to the way cl.el used to do it. It is not possible to
2279 define a compatible replacement for `get-setf-method'. See the file
2280 gv.el for internal details of the new implementation.
2282 ** The arguments of `dbus-register-signal' are no longer just strings,
2283 but keywords or keyword-string pairs. The old argument list will
2284 still be supported for Emacs 24.x.
2286 ** Miscellaneous name changes
2287 Some Lisp symbols have been renamed to correct their spelling,
2288 or to be more consistent with standard Emacs terminology.
2290 *** Renamed functions
2291 **** hangul-input-method-inactivate -> hangul-input-method-deactivate
2292 **** inactivate-input-method -> deactivate-input-method
2293 **** quail-inactivate -> quail-deactivate
2294 **** robin-inactivate -> robin-deactivate
2295 **** viper-inactivate-input-method -> viper-deactivate-input-method
2296 **** viper-inactivate-input-method-action ->
2297 viper-deactivate-input-method-action
2298 **** ucs-input-inactivate -> ucs-input-deactivate
2301 The old hooks are still supported for backward compatibility, but they
2302 are deprecated and will be removed eventually.
2303 **** input-method-inactivate-hook -> input-method-deactivate-hook
2304 **** robin-inactivate-hook -> robin-deactivate-hook
2305 **** quail-inactivate-hook -> quail-deactivate-hook
2307 *** Renamed variables
2308 **** follow-deactive-menu -> follow-inactive-menu
2309 **** inactivate-current-input-method-function ->
2310 deactivate-current-input-method-function
2312 ** Some obsolete functions, variables, and faces have been removed:
2313 *** `last-input-char', `last-command-char', `unread-command-char'
2314 *** `facemenu-unlisted-faces'
2315 *** `rmail-decode-mime-charset'
2316 *** `iswitchb-read-buffer'
2317 *** `sc-version', `sc-submit-bug-report'
2318 *** `set-char-table-default'
2319 *** `string-to-sequence' (use `string-to-list' or `string-to-vector')
2320 *** `compile-internal'
2322 *** `mode-line-inverse-video'
2323 *** `follow-mode-off-hook'
2324 *** `cvs-commit-buffer-require-final-newline'
2325 (use `log-edit-require-final-newline' instead)
2326 *** `cvs-changelog-full-paragraphs'
2327 (use `log-edit-changelog-full-paragraphs' instead)
2328 *** `cvs-diff-ignore-marks', `cvs-diff-buffer-name'
2329 *** `vc-ignore-vc-files' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
2330 *** `vc-master-templates' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
2331 *** `vc-checkout-carefully'
2334 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
2336 ** CL-style generalized variables are now in core Elisp.
2337 `setf' is autoloaded; `push' and `pop' accept generalized variables.
2338 You can define your own generalized variables using `gv-define-simple-setter',
2339 `gv-define-setter', etc.
2341 ** Emacs tries to macroexpand interpreted (non-compiled) files during load.
2342 This can significantly speed up execution of non-byte-compiled code,
2343 but can also bump into previously unnoticed cyclic dependencies.
2344 These are generally harmless: they will simply cause the macro calls
2345 to be left for later expansion (as before), but will result in a
2346 warning ("Eager macro-expansion skipped due to cycle") describing the cycle.
2347 You may wish to restructure your code so this does not happen.
2349 ** New sampling-based Elisp profiler.
2350 Try M-x profiler-start, do some work, and then call M-x profiler-report.
2351 When finished, use M-x profiler-stop. The sampling rate can be based on
2352 CPU time or memory allocations.
2354 ** `defun' also accepts a (declare DECLS) form, like `defmacro'.
2355 The interpretation of the DECLS is determined by `defun-declarations-alist'.
2357 ** New macros `setq-local' and `defvar-local'.
2359 ** Face underlining can now use a wave.
2361 ** `read-regexp' has a new argument HISTORY; the first argument PROMPT
2362 of `read-regexp' accepts a string ending with a colon and space, and its
2363 second argument DEFAULTS can be a list of strings accessible via `M-n'
2364 in the minibuffer ahead of other hard-coded useful regexp-related values.
2365 More commands use `read-regexp' now to read their regexp arguments.
2369 *** New function `completion-table-with-quoting' to handle completion
2370 in the presence of quoting, such as file completion in shell buffers.
2372 *** New function `completion-table-subvert' to use an existing completion
2373 table, but with a different prefix.
2377 *** New error type and new function `user-error'.
2378 These do not trigger the debugger.
2380 *** New option `debugger-bury-or-kill', saying what to do with the
2381 debugger buffer when exiting debug.
2383 *** Set `debug-on-message' to enter the debugger when a certain
2384 message is displayed in the echo area. This can be useful when trying
2385 to work out which code is doing something.
2387 *** New var `inhibit-debugger', automatically set to prevent accidental
2388 recursive invocations.
2392 *** New command `fit-frame-to-buffer' adjusts the frame height to
2395 *** The command `fit-window-to-buffer' can adjust the frame height
2396 if the new option `fit-frame-to-buffer' is non-nil.
2398 *** New macro `with-temp-buffer-window', similar to
2399 `with-output-to-temp-buffer'.
2401 *** `temp-buffer-resize-mode' no longer resizes windows that have been
2404 *** New option `switch-to-buffer-preserve-window-point' to restore a
2405 window's point when switching buffers.
2407 *** New display action alist entries `window-height' and `window-width'
2408 specify the size of new windows created by `display-buffer'.
2410 *** New display action alist entry `pop-up-frame-parameters', if
2411 non-nil, specifies frame parameters to give any newly-created frame.
2413 *** New display action alist entry `inhibit-switch-frame', if non-nil,
2414 tells display action functions to avoid changing which frame is
2417 *** New display action alist entry `previous-window', if non-nil,
2418 specifies window to reuse in `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
2420 *** New display action functions `display-buffer-below-selected',
2421 and `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
2423 *** The functions `get-lru-window', `get-mru-window' and `get-largest-window'
2424 now accept a third argument to avoid choosing the selected window.
2426 *** Additional values recognized for option `window-combination-limit'.
2428 *** The following variables are obsolete, as they can be replaced by
2429 appropriate entries in the `display-buffer-alist' function introduced
2431 **** `dired-shrink-to-fit'
2432 **** `display-buffer-reuse-frames'
2433 **** `display-buffer-function'
2434 **** `special-display-buffer-names'
2435 **** `special-display-frame-alist'
2436 **** `special-display-function'
2437 **** `special-display-regexps'
2441 *** `current-time-string' no longer requires that its argument's year
2442 must be in the range 1000..9999. It now works with any year supported
2443 by the underlying C implementation.
2445 *** `current-time' now returns extended-format time stamps
2446 (HIGH LOW USEC PSEC), where the new PSEC slot specifies picoseconds.
2447 PSEC is typically a multiple of 1000 on current machines. Other
2448 functions that use this format, such as `file-attributes' and
2449 `format-time-string', have been changed accordingly. Old-format time
2450 stamps are still accepted.
2452 *** The format of timers in `timer-list' and `timer-idle-list' is now
2453 [TRIGGERED-P HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS REPEAT-DELAY FUNCTION ARGS IDLE-DELAY PSECS].
2454 The PSECS slot is new, and uses picosecond resolution. It can be
2455 accessed via the new `timer--psecs' accessor.
2457 *** Last-modified time stamps in undo lists now are of the form
2458 (t HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS PSECS) instead of (t HI-SECS . LO-SECS).
2462 *** Improved security when handling persistent objects:
2464 **** `eieio-persistent-read' now features optional arguments for specifying
2465 the class to load, as well as a flag stating whether subclasses are allowed;
2466 if provided, other classes will be rejected by the reader. For
2467 compatibility with existing code, if the class is omitted only a
2470 **** New specialized reader for pulling in classes and signaling errors
2471 without evaluation of suspicious code.
2473 **** All slots that contain objects must have a :type. Slots with lists
2474 of objects must use a new type predicate for a list of an object type.
2476 *** Support for `find-function' and similar utilities, through the addition
2477 of filename support to generated symbols.
2479 ** Floating point functions now always return special values like NaN,
2480 instead of signaling errors, if given invalid args; e.g., (log -1.0).
2481 Previously, they returned NaNs on some platforms but signaled errors
2482 on others. The affected functions are acos, asin, tan, exp, expt,
2483 log, log10, sqrt, and mod.
2485 ** New fringe bitmap `exclamation-mark'.
2487 ** Miscellaneous changes to special forms and macros
2489 *** `defun' and `defmacro' are now macros rather than special forms.
2491 *** `kbd' is now a function rather than a macro.
2493 ** Miscellaneous new functions
2495 *** `set-temporary-overlay-map' sets up a temporary keymap that
2496 takes precedence over most other maps for a short while (normally one key).
2498 *** `autoloadp' tests if its argument is an autoloaded object.
2500 *** `autoload-do-load' performs the autoloading operation.
2502 *** `buffer-narrowed-p' tests if the buffer is narrowed.
2504 *** `file-name-base' returns a file name sans directory and extension.
2506 *** `function-get' fetches a function property, following aliases.
2508 *** `posnp' tests if an object is a `posn'.
2510 *** `system-users' returns the user names on the system.
2512 *** `system-groups' returns the group names on the system.
2514 *** `tty-top-frame' returns the topmost frame of a text terminal.
2516 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
2517 *** `automount-dir-prefix' (use `directory-abbrev-alist')
2518 *** `buffer-has-markers-at'
2519 *** `macro-declaration-function' (use `macro-declarations-alist')
2520 *** `window-system-version' (provides no useful information)
2521 *** `dired-pop-to-buffer' (use `dired-mark-pop-up')
2522 *** `query-replace-interactive'
2523 *** `font-list-limit' (has had no effect since Emacs < 23)
2526 * Changes in Emacs 24.3 on Non-Free Operating Systems
2528 ** Cygwin builds can use the native MS Windows user interface.
2529 Pass `--with-w32' to configure. The default remains the X11 interface.
2531 ** Two new functions are available in Cygwin builds:
2532 `cygwin-convert-file-name-from-windows' and
2533 `cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows'. These functions allow Lisp
2534 code to access the Cygwin file-name mapping machinery to convert
2535 between Cygwin and Windows-native file and directory names.
2537 ** When invoked with the -nw switch to run on the Windows text-mode terminal,
2538 Emacs now supports `mouse-highlight', help-echo (in the echo area), and
2539 `mouse-autoselect-window'.
2541 ** On MS Windows Vista and later Emacs now supports symbolic links.
2543 ** On MS Windows, you can pass `--without-libxml2' to configure.bat to omit
2544 support for libxml2, even if its presence is detected.
2546 ** On Mac OS X, the Nextstep port requires OS X 10.4 or later.
2548 ** On Mac OS X, configure no longer automatically adds the Fink "/sw"
2549 directories to the search path. You must add them yourself if you want them.
2552 * Changes in Emacs 24.2
2554 ** This is mainly a bug-fix release.
2557 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.1
2559 ** Emacs can be compiled with Gtk+ 3.0 if you pass --with-x-toolkit=gtk3
2560 to configure. Note that other libraries used by Emacs, RSVG and GConf,
2561 also depend on Gtk+. You can disable them with --without-rsvg and
2564 ** Emacs can be compiled with GnuTLS support.
2565 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2566 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2567 `--without-gnutls'. See below for GnuTLS features.
2569 ** Emacs can be compiled with SELinux support.
2570 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2571 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2572 `--without-selinux'. See below for SELinux features.
2574 ** Emacs can be compiled with ImageMagick support.
2575 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2576 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2577 `--without-imagemagick'. See below for ImageMagick features.
2578 This feature is not available for the Nextstep or MS ports.
2580 ** Emacs can be compiled with libxml2 support.
2581 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2582 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2583 `--without-xml2'. See below for libxml2 features.
2585 ** By default, the installed Info and man pages are compressed.
2586 You can disable this by configuring --without-compress-info.
2588 ** New configure option --with-wide-int.
2589 With it, Emacs integers typically have 62 bits, even on 32-bit machines.
2590 On 32-bit hosts, this raises the limit on buffer sizes from about 512 MiB
2593 ** New configure options: --with-mmdf, --with-mail-unlink, --with-mailhost.
2594 These provide no new functionality, they just remove the need to edit
2595 lib-src/Makefile by hand in order to use the associated features.
2597 ** New configure option --enable-use-lisp-union-type.
2598 This is only useful for Emacs developers to debug certain types of bugs.
2599 This is not a new feature; only the configure flag is new.
2601 ** The standalone programs digest-doc and sorted-doc are removed.
2602 Emacs now uses Lisp commands `doc-file-to-man' and `doc-file-to-info'.
2604 ** The standalone program `fakemail' is removed.
2605 If you need it, feedmail.el provides a superset of the functionality.
2608 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.1
2610 ** The --unibyte, --multibyte, --no-multibyte, and --no-unibyte
2611 command line arguments, and the EMACS_UNIBYTE environment variable, no
2612 longer have any effect. (They were declared obsolete in Emacs 23.)
2614 ** New command line option `--no-site-lisp' removes site-lisp directories
2615 from load-path. -Q now implies this. This option does not affect the
2616 EMACSLOADPATH environment variable (and hence has no effect for
2620 * Changes in Emacs 24.1
2624 *** Many packages now use the `completion-at-point' command,
2625 rather than implementing separate completion commands.
2627 *** `completion-at-point' now handles tags and semantic completion.
2629 *** Completion in a non-minibuffer now tries to detect the end of completion
2630 and pops down the *Completions* buffer accordingly.
2632 *** New option `completion-cycle-threshold' allows completion cycling.
2634 *** New option `completion-category-overrides' for overriding the
2635 default completion style in certain circumstances.
2637 *** New completion style `substring'.
2639 *** Completion of buffer names uses `substring' completion by default.
2641 *** The option `widget-complete-field' has been removed.
2645 *** The first time you try sending mail, Emacs asks for a mail method.
2646 This is implemented by a new default for `send-mail-function', which
2647 is `sendmail-query-once'. This offers to use the smtpmail package, or
2648 to use the old defaults relying on external mail facilities
2649 (`sendmail-send-it' on GNU/Linux and other Unix-like systems, and
2650 `mailclient-send-it' on Windows).
2652 *** Typing `C-c m' in the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug'
2653 transfers the report to your desktop's preferred mail client, if there
2654 is one. This uses either the "xdg-email" utility, or Mac OS's "open"
2657 *** See Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages for SMTPmail changes
2658 and Mail mode changes
2660 ** Emacs server and client changes
2662 *** New option `server-port' specifies the port for TCP Emacs servers.
2664 *** New emacsclient argument -q/--quiet suppresses some status messages.
2666 *** New emacsclient argument --frame-parameters specifies the frame
2667 parameters of any newly-created graphical frame.
2669 *** If emacsclient shuts down due to Emacs signaling an error,
2670 its exit status is 1.
2672 *** New emacsclient argument --parent-id ID.
2673 This opens a client frame in parent X window ID, via XEmbed, similar
2674 to the --parent-id argument to Emacs.
2676 ** Internationalization changes
2678 *** Emacs now supports display and editing of bidirectional text.
2679 Right-to-left (RTL) scripts, such as Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew, are
2680 displayed in the correct visual order as expected by users of those
2681 scripts. The display reordering is a "full bidirectionality" class
2682 implementation of the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm (UBA). Buffers
2683 with no RTL text should look exactly the same as before.
2685 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-display-reordering'.
2686 To disable display reordering in a buffer, change this to nil.
2688 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-paragraph-direction'.
2689 If nil (the default), Emacs determines the base direction of each
2690 paragraph from its text, as specified by the UBA. Setting the value
2691 to `right-to-left' or `left-to-right' forces a base direction on each
2694 Paragraphs with right-to-left base direction are displayed starting at
2695 the right window edge.
2697 *** Enhanced support for characters with no glyphs in available fonts,
2698 or, on text terminals, characters that cannot be encoded by the
2699 terminal coding system. The new option `glyphless-char-display-control'
2700 specifies how to display them: as a hexadecimal code in a box, a thin
2701 1-pixel space, an empty box, etc.
2703 *** New input methods for Farsi and Bulgarian
2704 (farsi-isiri-9147, farsi-transliterate-banan, bulgarian-alt-phonetic).
2706 *** `nobreak-char-display' now also highlights Unicode hyphen chars
2707 (U+2010 and U+2011).
2709 *** New Hebrew translation of the Emacs Tutorial.
2710 Type `C-u C-h t' to choose it in case your language setup doesn't
2711 automatically select it.
2713 ** An Emacs Lisp package manager is now included.
2714 This is a convenient way to download and install additional packages,
2715 from a package repository at http://elpa.gnu.org.
2717 *** M-x list-packages shows a list of packages, which can be
2718 selected for installation.
2720 *** New command `describe-package', bound to `C-h P'.
2722 *** By default, all installed packages are loaded automatically when
2723 Emacs starts up. To disable this, set `package-enable-at-startup' to
2724 nil. To specify the packages to load, customize `package-load-list'.
2726 ** Custom theme changes
2728 *** New command `M-x customize-themes', which provides a convenient
2729 interface for enabling and disabling Custom themes.
2731 *** New option `custom-theme-load-path' is the load path for themes.
2732 Emacs no longer looks for Custom themes in `load-path'. The default
2733 value of `custom-theme-load-path' says to look for themes in
2734 `custom-theme-directory', followed by a subdirectory of
2735 `data-directory' named "themes/", which contains a small selection of
2736 built-in Custom themes.
2738 *** New option `custom-safe-themes' records known-safe theme files.
2739 If a theme is not in this list, Emacs queries before loading it, and
2740 offers to save the theme to `custom-safe-themes' automatically. By
2741 default, all themes included in Emacs are treated as safe.
2743 ** Improved GTK integration
2745 *** GTK scroll-bars are now placed on the right by default.
2746 The function `set-scroll-bar-mode' can change this.
2748 *** GTK tool bars can have just text, just images or images and text.
2749 Customize `tool-bar-style' to choose the style. On a Gnome desktop,
2750 the default is taken from desktop settings.
2752 *** GTK tool bars can be placed on any edge of the frame.
2753 The frame-parameter tool-bar-position controls this. It takes the
2754 values top, left, right or bottom. The Options => Show/Hide menu has
2757 *** The default colors for selected text (the `region' face) are taken
2758 from the GTK theme when Emacs is built with GTK.
2760 *** Emacs uses GTK tooltips by default if built with GTK.
2761 You can disable this by changing `x-gtk-use-system-tooltips' to nil.
2763 ** Graphical interface changes
2765 *** On graphical displays, the mode-line no longer ends in dashes.
2766 Also, the first dash (which does not indicate anything) is just
2767 displayed as a space.
2769 *** `menu-bar-select-buffer-function' lets you choose another operation
2770 instead of `switch-to-buffer' when selecting an item in the Buffers menu.
2772 *** Lucid menus and dialogs can display antialiased fonts if Emacs is
2773 built with Xft. These fonts can be set via X resources, for example:
2774 Emacs.pane.menubar.font: Courier-12
2778 *** Emacs now calls `kill-emacs' if it receives SIGTERM or SIGHUP,
2779 or if it receives a SIGINT signal in batch mode.
2781 *** `kill-emacs-hook' is now also run in batch mode.
2782 Third-party code which adds to `kill-emacs-hook' should check if they
2783 do the right thing in batch mode.
2785 ** Scrolling changes
2787 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-command' and `scroll-down-command'
2788 (bound to C-v/[next] and M-v/[prior]) do not signal errors at top/bottom
2789 of buffer at first key-press (instead they move to top/bottom of buffer)
2790 when `scroll-error-top-bottom' is non-nil.
2792 *** New option `scroll-error-top-bottom' (see above).
2794 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-line' and `scroll-down-line'
2795 scroll a line instead of full screen.
2797 *** New property `scroll-command' should be set on a command's symbol to
2798 define it as a scroll command affected by `scroll-preserve-screen-position'.
2800 *** If you customize `scroll-conservatively' to a value greater than 100,
2801 Emacs will never recenter point in the window when it scrolls due to
2802 cursor motion commands or commands that move point (e.f., `M-g M-g').
2803 Previously, you needed to use `most-positive-fixnum' as the value of
2804 `scroll-conservatively' to achieve the same effect.
2806 *** "Aggressive" scrolling now honors the scroll margins.
2807 If you customize `scroll-up-aggressively' or
2808 `scroll-down-aggressively' and move point off the window, Emacs now
2809 scrolls the window so as to avoid positioning point inside the scroll
2812 ** Basic SELinux support has been added.
2813 This requires Emacs to be linked with libselinux at build time.
2815 *** Emacs preserves the SELinux file context when backing up.
2816 Also, the function `copy-file' has an extra optional argument for
2817 preserving SELinux context, and the return value of `backup-buffer'
2818 now includes the SELinux context.
2820 *** New functions `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
2821 get and set the SELinux context of a file.
2825 *** `delete-by-moving-to-trash' now only affects commands that specify
2826 trashing. This avoids inadvertently trashing temporary files.
2828 *** Calling `delete-file' or `delete-directory' with a prefix argument
2829 now forces true deletion, regardless of `delete-by-moving-to-trash'.
2831 ** File- and directory-local variable changes
2833 *** You can stop directory local vars from applying to subdirectories.
2834 Add an element (subdirs . nil) to the alist portion of any variables
2835 settings to indicate that the section should not apply to
2838 *** Directory local variables can apply to some file-less buffers.
2839 Affected modes include dired, vc-dir, and log-edit. For example,
2840 adding "(diff-mode . ((mode . whitespace)))" to .dir-locals.el will
2841 turn on `whitespace-mode' for *vc-diff* buffers. Modes should call
2842 `hack-dir-local-variables-non-file-buffer' to support this.
2844 *** Using "mode: MINOR-MODE" to enable a minor mode is deprecated.
2845 Instead, use "eval: (minor-mode 1)".
2847 *** The variable `inhibit-first-line-modes-regexps' has been renamed
2848 to `inhibit-local-variables-regexps'. As the name suggests, it now
2849 applies to ALL file local variables, not just -*- lines. The
2850 associated `inhibit-first-line-modes-suffixes' has been renamed in the
2855 *** The `quit-window' command now restores the last buffer displayed
2856 in the quitted window.
2858 *** Resizing an Emacs frame now preserves proportional window sizes,
2859 modulo restrictions like window minimum sizes and fixed-size windows.
2861 *** The behavior of `display-buffer' is now customizable in detail.
2863 **** New option `display-buffer-base-action' specifies a list of
2864 user-determined display "actions" (functions and optional arguments
2865 for choosing the displaying window).
2867 This takes precedence over the default display action, which is
2868 specified by `display-buffer-fallback-action'.
2870 **** New option `display-buffer-alist' maps buffer name regexps to
2871 display actions, taking precedence over `display-buffer-base-action'.
2873 *** New option `window-combination-limit'.
2874 The new option `window-combination-limit' allows to return the space
2875 obtained for resizing or creating a window more reliably to the window
2876 from which such space was obtained.
2878 *** New option `window-combination-resize'.
2879 The new option `window-combination-resize' allows to split a window that
2880 otherwise cannot be split because it's too small by stealing space from
2881 other windows in the same combination. Subsequent resizing or deletion
2882 of the window will resize all windows in the same combination as well.
2884 *** New option `frame-auto-hide-function' lets you choose between
2885 iconifying or deleting a frame when burying a buffer in a dedicated
2886 frame, or quitting a window showing a buffer in a frame of its own.
2888 *** New commands `maximize-window' and `minimize-window'.
2889 These maximize and minimize the size of a window within its frame.
2891 *** New commands `switch-to-prev-buffer' and `switch-to-next-buffer'.
2892 These functions allow to navigate through the live buffers that have
2893 been shown in a specific window.
2895 ** Minibuffer changes
2897 *** The inactive minibuffer has its own major mode `minibuffer-inactive-mode'.
2898 This is handy for minibuffer-only frames, and is also used for the feature
2899 where mouse-1 pops up *Messages*"', which can now easily be changed.
2901 *** Minibuffers set `truncate-lines' to nil.
2902 If you want to change the value to something else, you could use
2903 for example `minibuffer-setup-hook'.
2905 ** `auto-mode-case-fold' is now enabled by default.
2907 ** `backup-by-copying-when-mismatch' now defaults to t.
2909 ** New basic faces `error', `warning', `success'.
2910 These are used to highlight text indicating failure, caution or
2911 successful operation.
2913 ** New option `list-colors-sort' defines the color sort order
2914 for `list-colors-display'.
2916 ** The variable `focus-follows-mouse' now always defaults to nil.
2919 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.1
2923 *** C-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-kill', instead of
2924 `isearch-yank-line'.
2926 *** M-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-pop', instead of
2927 `isearch-yank-kill'.
2929 *** M-s C-e in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-line'.
2931 ** New commands `count-words-region' and `count-words'.
2933 *** M-= is bound to `count-words-region', not `count-lines-region'.
2934 The `count-words-region' command, when called interactively, reports
2935 the number of lines, words, and characters in the region. It is a
2936 superset of the old `count-lines-region', which is now an obsolete
2939 ** The command `just-one-space' (M-SPC), if given a negative argument,
2940 also deletes newlines around point.
2944 *** New option `delete-active-region'.
2945 If non-nil, [delete] and DEL delete the region if it is active and no
2946 prefix argument is given. If set to `kill', those commands kill
2949 *** New command `delete-forward-char', bound to [delete].
2950 This is meant for interactive use, and obeys `delete-active-region'.
2951 The command `delete-char' does not obey `delete-active-region'.
2953 *** `delete-backward-char' is now a Lisp function.
2954 Apart from obeying `delete-active-region', its behavior is unchanged.
2955 However, the byte compiler now warns if it is called from Lisp; Lisp
2956 callers should use delete-char with a negative argument instead.
2958 *** The option `mouse-region-delete-keys' has been deleted.
2960 ** Selection changes.
2962 The default handling of clipboard and primary selections has been
2963 changed to conform with modern X applications. In short, most
2964 commands for killing and yanking text now use the clipboard, while
2965 mouse commands use the primary selection.
2967 In the following, we provide a list of these changes, followed by a
2968 list of steps to get the old behavior back if you prefer that.
2970 *** `select-active-regions' now defaults to t.
2971 Merely selecting text (e.g. with drag-mouse-1) no longer puts it in
2972 the kill ring. The selected text is put in the primary selection, if
2973 the system possesses a separate primary selection facility (e.g. X).
2975 **** `select-active-regions' also accepts a new value, `only'.
2976 This means to only set the primary selection for temporarily active
2977 regions (usually made by mouse-dragging or shift-selection);
2978 "ordinary" active regions, such as those made with C-SPC followed by
2979 point motion, do not alter the primary selection.
2981 **** `mouse-drag-copy-region' now defaults to nil.
2983 *** mouse-2 is now bound to `mouse-yank-primary'.
2984 This pastes from the primary selection, ignoring the kill-ring.
2985 Previously, mouse-2 was bound to `mouse-yank-at-click'.
2987 *** `x-select-enable-clipboard' now defaults to t on all platforms.
2989 *** `x-select-enable-primary' now defaults to nil.
2990 Thus, commands that kill text or copy it to the kill-ring (such as
2991 M-w, C-w, and C-k) also use the clipboard---not the primary selection.
2993 **** The "Copy", "Cut", and "Paste" items in the "Edit" menu are now
2994 exactly equivalent to M-w, C-w, and C-y respectively.
2996 **** Note that on MS-Windows, `x-select-enable-clipboard' was already
2997 non-nil by default, as Windows does not support the primary selection
2998 between applications.
3000 *** To return to the previous behavior, do the following:
3002 **** Change `select-active-regions' to nil.
3003 **** Change `mouse-drag-copy-region' to t.
3004 **** Change `x-select-enable-primary' to t (on X only).
3005 **** Change `x-select-enable-clipboard' to nil.
3006 **** Bind `mouse-yank-at-click' to mouse-2.
3008 *** Support for X cut buffers has been removed.
3010 *** X clipboard managers are now supported.
3011 To inhibit this, change `x-select-enable-clipboard-manager' to nil.
3013 ** New command `C-x r N' (`rectangle-number-lines') numbers the lines
3014 in the current rectangle. With a prefix argument, this prompts for a
3015 number to count from and for a format string.
3017 ** `redisplay-dont-pause' now defaults to t.
3018 This makes Emacs feel more responsive to editing commands that arrive
3019 at high rate, e.g. if you lean on some key, because stopping redisplay
3020 in the middle (when this variable is nil) forces more expensive
3021 updates later on, and Emacs appears to be unable to keep up.
3023 ** The behavior of <TAB> for active regions in Text mode has changed.
3024 In Text and related modes, typing <TAB> (`indent-for-tab-command')
3025 when the region is active causes Emacs to indent all the lines in the
3026 region, aligning them with the line previous to the first line in the
3027 region (or with the left margin if there is no previous line).
3029 ** When `occur' is called with a prefix argument, matching strings are
3030 collected into the `*Occur*' buffer without line numbers. If there
3031 are parenthesized subexpressions in the specified regexp, `occur'
3032 reads replacement text that may contain \\& and \\N whose convention
3033 follows `replace-match'.
3036 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
3038 ** Archive Mode has basic support for browsing and updating 7z archives.
3042 *** BibTeX mode now supports biblatex.
3043 Use the variable `bibtex-dialect' to select different BibTeX dialects.
3044 `bibtex-entry-field-alist' is now an obsolete alias for
3045 `bibtex-BibTeX-entry-alist'.
3047 *** New command `bibtex-search-entries', bound to C-c C-a.
3049 *** New `bibtex-entry-format' option `sort-fields', disabled by default.
3051 *** New variable `bibtex-search-entry-globally'.
3055 *** New option `browse-url-mailto-function' specifies how to handle "mailto:"s.
3057 *** The default browser used by the package is now the "xdg-open" program,
3058 on platforms that support it. This calls your desktop's preferred browser.
3062 *** Support for musical notes.
3064 *** Support for logarithmic units.
3066 *** No longer uses the tex prefix for TeX specific unit names when
3067 using TeX or LaTeX mode.
3069 *** New option to highlight selections using faces.
3071 *** `calc-histogram' has the option of using a vector to determine the bins.
3073 *** New "O" option prefix.
3075 *** Use the "O" prefix to "d r" (`calc-radix') to turn on twos-complement mode.
3077 ** Calendar, Diary, and Appt
3079 *** Diary entries can contain non-printing "comments".
3080 See the variable `diary-comment-start'.
3082 *** Appointments can specify their individual warning times.
3083 See the variable `appt-warning-time-regexp'.
3085 *** The function specified by `appt-disp-window-function' may be passed
3086 lists of arguments if multiple appointments are due at similar times.
3087 If you are using a custom function for this, you should update it.
3089 *** New function `diary-hebrew-birthday'.
3091 *** Elements of `calendar-day-abbrev-array' and `calendar-month-abbrev-array'
3092 may no longer be nil, but must all be strings.
3094 *** The obsolete (since Emacs 22.1) method of enabling the appt
3095 package by adding `appt-make-list' to `diary-hook' has been removed.
3096 Use `appt-activate' instead.
3098 *** Some appt variables (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
3099 appt-issue-message (use the function appt-activate)
3100 appt-visible/appt-msg-window (use the variable appt-display-format)
3102 *** Some diary function aliases (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
3103 view-diary-entries, list-diary-entries, show-all-diary-entries
3107 *** New feature to "guess" the style in an existing buffer.
3108 The main entry point is M-x c-guess.
3110 *** Java Mode now supports Java 5.0 (Tiger) and 6 (Mustang).
3112 *** `c-beginning-of-defun' and `c-end-of-defun' now respect nested scopes.
3113 Thus C-M-a will, by default, go to the beginning of the immediate function,
3116 *** "Macros with semicolons" can be registered for correct indentation.
3117 Where such a macro ends a line (no semicolon) the next statement is no longer
3118 parsed as a statement continuation.
3120 ** Comint and modes derived from it use the standard completion code.
3124 *** Compilation mode can be used without Font Lock mode.
3125 `compilation-parse-errors-function' is now obsolete.
3127 *** New variable `compilation-filter-start', which is bound while
3128 `compilation-filter-hook' runs. It records the start position of the
3129 text inserted by `compilation-filter'.
3131 *** `compilation-error-screen-columns' and `compilation-first-column'
3132 are obeyed in the editing buffer. So programming language modes can
3133 set them, whereas previously only the value in the *Compilation*
3138 *** Customize buffers now contain a search field.
3139 The search is performed using `customize-apropos'.
3140 To turn off the search field, set `custom-search-field' to nil.
3142 *** Options in customize group buffers start out hidden if not customized.
3143 Use the arrow to the left of the option name to toggle visibility.
3145 *** custom-buffer-sort-alphabetically now defaults to t.
3147 *** The color widget now has a "Choose" button, which allows you to
3148 choose a color via `list-colors-display'.
3152 *** It is now possible to access buses other than the default system
3155 *** The `dbus-register-method' and `dbus-register-property' functions
3156 optionally do not register names.
3158 *** The new function `dbus-register-service' registers a known service
3159 name on a D-Bus without also registering a property or a method.
3163 *** C-x C-j (`dired-jump') and C-x 4 C-j (`dired-jump-other-window'),
3164 if called with a prefix argument, read a file name from the minibuffer
3165 instead of using the current buffer.
3167 *** The "dired local variables" feature of Dired-x is obsolete.
3168 The standard directory local variables feature replaces it.
3172 *** New options `erc-autojoin-timing' and `erc-autojoin-delay',
3173 controlling attempts to autojoin a channel.
3175 *** New variable `erc-coding-system-precedence': If we use `undecided'
3176 as the server coding system, this variable will then be consulted.
3177 The default is to decode strings that can be decoded as utf-8 as
3178 utf-8, and do the normal `undecided' decoding for the rest.
3182 *** The default value of `eshell-directory-name' has changed
3183 to be an "eshell" directory in `user-emacs-directory'.
3184 The old "~/.eshell/" directory is still used if it exists, though.
3188 *** The M-x gdb command now uses the GDB Machine Interface protocol.
3189 It now supports multithread non-stop debugging and simultaneous
3190 debugging of several threads.
3194 *** RET (`image-toggle-animation') toggles animation, if applicable.
3195 Animation plays once, unless the option `image-animate-loop' is non-nil.
3199 *** New command M-x info-display-manual displays a named Info manual.
3200 If that manual is already visited in some Info buffer, it displays
3201 that buffer. (This is handy if you have many manuals in many *info*
3202 buffers, and don't remember the name of the buffer visiting the manual
3203 you want to consult.) Otherwise, it loads and displays the manual.
3205 *** `e' is now bound to `end-of-buffer' rather than to `Info-edit'.
3206 This is for compatibility with the stand-alone Info reader program,
3207 and also because `Info-edit' is a rarely used command that is disabled
3210 ** Mail mode changes (not Message mode)
3212 *** New command M-x mail-add-attachment for adding MIME attachments
3214 *** The command M-x mail-attach-file was renamed to M-x mail-insert-file.
3215 (Its name is misleading, since it has nothing to do with MIME
3216 attachments.) The old name is now an obsolete alias to the new name.
3218 ** MH-E has been updated to MH-E version 8.3.1.
3219 See MH-E-NEWS for details.
3221 ** Modula-2 mode provides auto-indentation.
3223 ** mpc.el: Can use pseudo tags of the form tag1|tag2 as a union of two tags.
3225 ** nXML mode no longer binds C-RET to `nxml-complete'.
3226 Completion is now performed via `completion-at-point', bound to C-M-i
3227 or M-TAB. If `nxml-bind-meta-tab-to-complete-flag' is non-nil (the
3228 default), this performs tag completion.
3230 ** Org mode has been updated to version 7.8.09.
3231 See ORG-NEWS for details.
3233 ** Prolog mode has been completely revamped, with lots of additional
3234 functionality such as more intelligent indentation, electricity,
3235 support for more variants, including Mercury, and a lot more.
3239 *** The command `rmail-epa-decrypt' decrypts OpenPGP data
3240 in the Rmail incoming message.
3242 *** The variable `rmail-message-filter' no longer has any effect.
3243 This change was made in Emacs 23.1 but was not advertised at the time.
3244 Try using `rmail-show-message-hook' instead.
3248 *** M-x shell prompts for the shell path name if the default directory
3249 is a remote file name and neither the environment variable $ESHELL nor
3250 the variable `explicit-shell-file-name' is set.
3252 *** TAB is now bound to the standard `completion-at-point' command,
3253 which now implements the pcomplete rules for shell command completion.
3257 *** SMTPmail now uses encrypted connections (via STARTTLS) by default
3258 if the mail server supports them. This uses either built-in GnuTLS
3259 support, or the starttls.el library. Customize `smtpmail-stream-type'
3262 *** The variable `smtpmail-auth-credentials' has been removed.
3263 By default, the information is now stored in the file ~/.authinfo.
3264 This was the default value of smtpmail-auth-credentials. If you had
3265 customized smtpmail-auth-credentials to a list of user names and
3266 passwords, those settings are not used. During your first connection
3267 to the smtp server, Emacs will prompt for the user name and password,
3268 and offer to save them to ~/.authinfo. Or you can manually copy the
3269 credentials to ~/.authinfo. For example, if you had
3271 (setq smtpmail-auth-credentials
3272 '(("mail.example.org" 25 "jim" "s!cret")))
3274 then the equivalent line in ~/.authinfo would be
3276 machine mail.example.org port 25 login jim password s!cret
3278 See the auth-source manual for more information, e.g. on encrypting
3279 the credentials file.
3281 *** The variable `smtpmail-starttls-credentials' has been removed.
3282 If you had that set, you need to put
3284 machine smtp.whatever.foo port 25 key "~/.my_smtp_tls.key" cert "~/.my_smtp_tls.cert"
3286 in your ~/.authinfo file instead.
3288 *** SMTPmail defaults to using the address in the From: header as the
3289 SMTP MAIL FROM envelope. To override this, set `mail-envelope-from'
3290 to the address you wish to use instead.
3294 *** New options `sql-port', `sql-connection-alist', `sql-send-terminator',
3295 and `sql-oracle-scan-on'.
3297 *** New options controlling prompting for login parameters.
3298 Each supported product has a custom variable `sql-*-login-params',
3299 which is a list of the parameters to be prompted for before a
3300 connection is established.
3302 *** The command `sql-product-interactive' now takes a prefix argument,
3303 which causes it to prompt for an SQL product.
3305 *** Product-specific SQL interactive commands now take prefix arguments.
3306 These commands (`sql-sqlite', `sql-postgres', `sql-mysql', etc.),
3307 given a prefix argument, prompt for a name for the SQL interactive
3308 buffer. This reduces the need for calling `sql-rename-buffer'.
3310 *** SQL interactive modes suppress command continuation prompts, and
3311 replace tabs with spaces. The first change impacts multiple line SQL
3312 statements entered with C-j between each line, statements yanked into
3313 the buffer and statements sent with `sql-send-*' functions. The
3314 second prevents the MySQL and Postgres interpreters from listing
3315 object name completions when sent text via `sql-send-*' functions.
3317 *** New command `sql-connect' starts a predefined SQLi session,
3318 using the login parameters from `sql-connection-alist'.
3320 *** New "Save Connection" menu item in SQLi buffers.
3321 This gathers the login params specified for the SQLi session, if it
3322 was not started by a connection, and saves them as a new connection.
3324 *** New commands for listing database objects and details:
3325 sql-list-all and sql-list-table.
3327 *** An API for manipulating SQL product definitions has been added.
3331 *** latex-electric-env-pair-mode keeps \begin..\end matched on the fly.
3335 *** New inline access method "ksu" (kerberized su).
3337 *** The following access methods are discontinued: "ssh1_old",
3338 "ssh2_old", "scp1_old", "scp2_old", "imap", "imaps" and "fish".
3340 *** The user option `remote-file-name-inhibit-cache' controls whether
3341 remote file attributes are cached for better performance.
3343 *** The option `ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp' has changed its
3344 default value to "".
3346 *** Handlers for `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
3347 for remote machines which support SELinux.
3349 ** New function `url-queue-retrieve', which behaves like url-retrieve,
3350 but with limits (`url-queue-parallel-processes', `url-queue-timeout') on
3351 the degree of parallelism.
3353 ** VC and related modes
3355 *** Support for pulling on distributed version control systems.
3356 The command C-x v + (`vc-pull') runs a "pull" operation, if it is
3357 supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to update the
3358 current branch and working tree. A prefix argument means to prompt
3359 the user for specifics, e.g. a pull location.
3361 *** `vc-update' is now an alias for `vc-pull'.
3363 *** Support for merging on distributed version control systems.
3364 The command C-x v m (`vc-merge') now runs a "merge" operation, if it
3365 is supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to merge
3366 changes from another branch into the current one. It prompts for
3367 specifics, e.g. a merge source.
3369 *** New option `vc-revert-show-diff' controls whether `vc-revert'
3370 shows a diff while querying the user. It defaults to t.
3372 *** Log entries in some Log View buffers can be toggled to display a
3373 longer description by typing RET (log-view-toggle-entry-display).
3374 This is currently supported for Bzr, Git, and Mercurial (to support
3375 another backend, define a `log-view-expanded-log-entry-function').
3376 In the Log View buffers made by C-x v L (`vc-print-root-log'), you can
3377 use this to display the full log entry for the revision at point.
3379 *** New command `vc-ediff' allows visual comparison of two revisions
3380 of a file similar to `vc-diff', but using ediff backend.
3382 *** The option `vc-initial-comment' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but
3383 this was not advertised at the time.
3385 *** `vc-toggle-read-only' is an obsolete alias for `toggle-read-only'.
3386 Since Emacs 23, it has done the same thing as `toggle-read-only', but
3387 this was not advertised at the time.
3393 *** erc-hecomplete.el (use erc-pcomplete.el instead)
3395 *** partial-completion-mode (complete.el) is obsolete.
3396 You can get a comparable behavior with:
3397 (setq completion-styles '(partial-completion initials))
3398 (setq completion-pcm-complete-word-inserts-delimiters t)
3400 *** pc-mode.el is obsolete (CUA mode is much more comprehensive).
3402 *** pgg is obsolete (use EasyPG instead).
3404 *** sregex.el is obsolete, since rx.el is a strict superset.
3406 *** s-region.el and pc-select.el are obsolete.
3407 They are superseded by shift-select-mode, enabled by default since 23.1.
3409 *** vc-mcvs.el is obsolete (for lack of a maintainer).
3413 *** The Landmark game is now invoked with `landmark', not `lm'.
3414 Its functions and variables have been similarly renamed.
3416 *** In `ido-file-completion-map', C-v is no longer bound to `ido-toggle-vc'.
3417 (This interfered with cua-mode.)
3419 *** f90.el has some support for Fortran 2008 syntax.
3421 *** `copyright-fix-years' can optionally convert consecutive years to ranges.
3423 *** New command `nato-region' converts text to NATO phonetic alphabet.
3426 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
3428 ** Occur Edit mode applies edits made in *Occur* buffers to the
3429 original buffers. It is bound to "e" in Occur mode.
3431 ** New global minor mode electric-pair-mode.
3432 When enabled, typing an open parenthesis automatically inserts the
3433 matching closing one.
3435 ** New global minor mode electric-indent-mode.
3436 When enabled, typing certain characters triggers reindentation.
3437 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-indent-chars or
3438 electric-indent-functions.
3440 ** New global minor mode electric-layout-mode.
3441 When enabled, typing certain characters automatically inserts newlines.
3442 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-layout-rules.
3444 ** tabulated-list.el provides a generic major mode for tabulated data,
3445 from which other modes can be derived.
3447 ** pcase.el provides the ML-style pattern matching macro `pcase'.
3449 ** secrets.el is an implementation of the Secret Service API, an
3450 interface to password managers like GNOME Keyring or KDE Wallet. The
3451 Secret Service API requires D-Bus for communication. The command
3452 `secrets-show-secrets' offers a buffer with a visualization of the
3455 ** notifications.el provides an implementation of the Desktop
3456 Notifications API. It requires D-Bus for communication.
3458 ** soap-client.el supports access to SOAP web services from Emacs.
3459 soap-inspect.el is an interactive inspector for SOAP WSDL structures.
3461 ** New generic mode, xmodmap-generic-mode, for xmodmap files.
3463 ** New emacs-lock.el package.
3464 The previous version has been moved to obsolete/old-emacs-lock.el.
3465 Now, there is a proper minor mode `emacs-lock-mode'. Protection
3466 against exiting Emacs and killing the buffer can be set separately.
3467 The mechanism for automatically turning off protection for buffers
3468 with dead inferior processes has been generalized.
3471 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
3473 ** Passing a nil argument to a minor mode function call now ENABLES
3474 the minor mode unconditionally. This is so that you can write e.g.
3476 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'foo-mode)
3478 to enable foo-mode in Text mode buffers, removing the need for
3479 `turn-on-foo-mode' style functions. This affects all mode commands
3480 defined by `define-minor-mode'. If called interactively, the mode
3481 command still toggles the minor mode.
3483 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
3484 It is now a list of three elements, where the second element is a list
3485 describing the original file's SELinux context. If Emacs or the
3486 system lacks SELinux support, the context list is (nil nil nil nil).
3487 See "Basic SELinux support" above, under "Changes in Emacs 24.1".
3489 ** `char-direction-table' and the `char-direction' function were deleted.
3490 They were buggy and inferior to the new support of bidirectional
3491 editing introduced in Emacs 24. If you need the bidirectional
3492 properties of a character, use `get-char-code-property' with the last
3493 argument `bidi-class'.
3495 ** `copy-directory' now copies the source directory as a subdirectory
3496 of the target directory, if the latter is an existing directory. The
3497 new optional arg COPY-CONTENTS, if non-nil, makes the function copy
3498 the contents directly into a pre-existing target directory.
3500 ** For mouse click input events in the text area, the Y pixel
3501 coordinate in the POSITION list now counts from the top of the text
3502 area, excluding any header line. Previously, it counted from the top
3505 ** Support for "old-style" backquotes, obsolete for 10+ years, has
3506 been further reduced. Now a backquote not followed by a space is
3507 always treated as a "new-style" backquote. Please remove all
3508 "old-style" backquotes from your code. If your code uses backquotes
3509 as documented in the Elisp manual, and compiles without warning, then
3510 you have nothing to do in this regard. Code not following the
3511 appropriate conventions may fail to compile.
3513 The most common cause of trouble seems to be an old-style backquote
3514 followed by a newline. Another cause of trouble is vector notation
3515 for key sequence notation: instead of [(control ,)] and [(control ')],
3516 you should write [(control ?,)] and [(control ?')], which will work in
3519 ** The macro `eval-at-startup' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but this
3520 was not advertised at the time. The function `custom-initialize-delay'
3521 replaced all known uses.
3523 ** `view-buffer' now treats special mode-class in the same way that
3524 `view-file' has since Emacs 22 (i.e. it won't enable View mode if the
3525 major mode is special).
3527 ** Menu and tool bar changes
3529 *** During startup, Emacs no longer adds entries for `menu-bar-lines'
3530 and `tool-bar-lines' to `default-frame-alist' and `initial-frame-alist'.
3531 With these alist entries omitted, `make-frame' checks the value of the
3532 variable `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode' to determine whether to create
3533 a menu-bar or tool-bar, respectively. If the alist entries are added,
3534 they override the value of `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode'.
3536 *** The menu bar bindings's caches are not used any more.
3537 Use (where-is-internal <def> nil t) instead.
3539 ** Regions created by mouse dragging are now normal active regions,
3540 similar to those created by shift-selection (see Selection changes
3541 above). In previous Emacs versions, these regions were delineated by
3542 `mouse-drag-overlay'; that variable has been removed.
3544 ** The fourth argument of `filter-buffer-substring' has been removed.
3545 If you want to remove text properties from the final result, simply
3546 pass the result through substring-no-properties.
3548 ** cl.el no longer provides `cl-19'.
3550 ** The following obsolete functions and aliases have been removed
3551 (the appropriate new function is given in parentheses; "not needed"
3552 means you can just remove all calls to the function in question):
3554 *** `comint-kill-output' (`comint-delete-output')
3555 *** `decompose-composite-char' (`char-to-string')
3556 *** `outline-visible' (`outline-invisible-p')
3557 *** `internal-find-face' (`facep')
3558 *** `internal-get-face' (`facep and check-face')
3559 *** `frame-update-faces' (not needed)
3560 *** `frame-update-face-colors' (`frame-set-background-mode')
3561 *** `x-frob-font-weight' and `x-frob-font-slant' (`make-face-*' functions)
3562 *** `x-make-font-bold' and `x-make-font-demibold' (`make-face-bold')
3563 *** `x-make-font-italic' and `x-make-font-oblique' (`make-face-italic')
3564 *** `x-make-font-bold-italic' (`make-face-bold-italic')
3565 *** `x-make-font-unbold' (`make-face-unbold')
3566 *** `x-make-font-unitalic' (`make-face-unitalic')
3567 *** `mldrag-drag-mode-line' (`mouse-drag-mode-line')
3568 *** `mldrag-drag-vertical-line' (`mouse-drag-vertical-line')
3569 *** `iswitchb-default-keybindings' (`iswitchb-mode')
3570 *** `char-bytes' (== 1)
3571 *** `isearch-return-char' (`isearch-printing-char')
3572 *** `make-local-hook' (not needed)
3573 *** `set-screen-height' (`set-frame-height')
3574 *** `set-screen-width' (`set-frame-width')
3576 ** The following obsolete variables and varaliases have been removed
3577 (the appropriate new variable is given in parentheses):
3579 *** `checkdoc-minor-keymap' (`checkdoc-minor-mode-map')
3580 *** `vc-header-alist' (`vc-BACKEND-header')
3581 *** `directory-sep-char' (== ?/)
3582 *** `font-lock-defaults-alist' (`font-lock-defaults')
3583 *** `e' (`float-e').
3585 ** The following obsolete files were removed:
3586 sc.el, x-menu.el, rnews.el, rnewspost.el
3588 ** The format of the finder-inf.el file has changed, since the Finder
3589 mechanism is now based on the package system. The variable
3590 `finder-package-info' is replaced by `package--builtins' and
3591 `finder-keywords-hash'.
3593 ** When generating autoloads, `update-directory-autoloads' no longer
3594 assumes every inspected file is in your `load-path'. It instead
3595 generates relative names according to the current `load-path'.
3598 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
3600 ** Code can now use lexical scoping by default instead of dynamic scoping.
3601 The `lexical-binding' variable enables lexical scoping for local
3602 variables. It is typically set via a file-local variable in the first
3603 line of the file, in which case it applies to all the code in that
3606 *** `eval' takes a new optional argument `lexical' to choose the new lexical
3607 binding instead of the old dynamic binding mode.
3609 *** Lexically scoped interpreted functions are represented with a new form
3610 of function value which looks like (closure ENV ARGS &rest BODY).
3612 *** New macro `letrec' to define recursive local functions.
3614 *** `defvar' and `defconst' now mark the variable as special (dynamic).
3615 So do `defcustom' and other forms that call `defvar' as a subroutine.
3617 *** New function `special-variable-p' to check whether a variable is
3618 declared as dynamically bound.
3620 *** The form ((lambda ...) ...) is deprecated.
3622 ** An Emacs Lisp testing tool is now included.
3623 Emacs Lisp developers can use this tool to write automated tests for
3624 their code. See the ERT info manual for details.
3626 ** Changes for bidirectional display and editing
3628 *** New function `current-bidi-paragraph-direction'.
3629 This returns the base direction of the paragraph at point.
3631 *** New function `bidi-string-mark-left-to-right'.
3632 Given a string containing characters from right-to-left scripts, this
3633 function returns another string which can be safely inserted into a
3634 buffer, such that any following text will be always displayed to the
3635 right of that string. (This works by appending an invisible Unicode
3636 "LEFT-TO-RIGHT MARK" character if the argument string might need it.)
3638 This is useful when the buffer has overall left-to-right paragraph
3639 direction and you need to insert a string whose contents are not known
3640 in advance, without disrupting the layout of the line.
3644 *** Window tree functions are accessible in Elisp.
3645 Functions are provided to return the parent, siblings or child windows
3646 of any window including internal windows (windows not associated with a
3647 buffer) in the window tree.
3649 **** New function `window-valid-p' gives non-nil for live and internal
3652 **** Window manipulation can deal with internal windows.
3653 Many window handling functions like `split-window', `delete-window', or
3654 `delete-other-windows' as well as the window resizing functions can now
3655 act on any window including internal ones.
3657 *** window-total-height/-width vs window-body-height/-width.
3658 The function `window-height' has been renamed to `window-total-height'
3659 and `window-width' has been renamed to `window-body-width'. The old
3660 names are provided as aliases. Two new functions `window-total-width'
3661 and `window-body-height' are provided.
3663 *** Window parameters specific to window handling functions.
3664 For each window you can specify a parameter to override the default
3665 behavior of a number of functions like `split-window', `delete-window'
3666 and `delete-other-windows'. The variable `ignore-window-parameters'
3667 allows to ignore processing such parameters.
3669 *** New semantics of third argument of `split-window'.
3670 The third argument of `split-window' has been renamed to SIDE and can be
3671 set to any of the values 'below, 'right, 'above, or 'left to make the
3672 new window appear on the corresponding side of the window that shall be
3673 split. Any other value of SIDE will cause `split-window' to split the
3674 window into two side-by-side windows as before.
3676 *** Window resizing functions.
3677 A new standard function for resizing windows called `window-resize' has
3678 been introduced. This and all other functions for resizing windows no
3679 longer delete any windows when they become too small.
3681 *** Deleting the selected window now selects the most recently selected
3682 live window on that frame instead.
3684 *** `adjust-window-trailing-edge' adjustments.
3685 `adjust-window-trailing-edge' can now deal with fixed-size windows and
3686 is able to resize other windows if a window adjacent to the trailing
3687 edge cannot be shrunk any more. This makes its behavior more similar to
3688 that of Emacs 21 without compromising, however, its inability to delete
3689 windows which was introduced in Emacs 22.
3691 *** Window-local buffer lists.
3692 Windows now have local buffer lists. This means that removing a buffer
3693 from display in a window will preferably show the buffer previously
3694 shown in that window with its previous window-start and window-point
3695 positions. This also means that the same buffer may be automatically
3696 shown twice even if it already appears in another window.
3698 *** `switch-to-buffer' has a new optional argument FORCE-SAME-WINDOW,
3699 which if non-nil requires the buffer to be displayed in the currently
3700 selected window, signaling an error otherwise. If nil, another window
3701 can be used, e.g. if the selected one is strongly dedicated.
3703 *** `split-window-vertically' and `split-window-horizontally' renamed
3704 to `split-window-below' and `split-window-right' respectively.
3705 The old names are kept as aliases.
3709 **** The second arg to `display-buffer' and `pop-to-buffer' is now
3710 named ACTION, and takes a display action of the same form as
3711 `display-buffer-base-action' (see Changes, above). A non-nil,
3712 non-list value is treated specially, as the old meaning.
3714 **** New variable `display-buffer-overriding-action'.
3716 **** The procedure of `display-buffer' etc. to choose a window is
3717 determined by combining `display-buffer-overriding-action',
3718 `display-buffer-alist', the ACTION arg, `display-buffer-base-action',
3719 and `display-buffer-fallback-action'. The second and fourth of these
3720 are user-customizable variables.
3722 See the docstring of `display-buffer' for details.
3724 *** New functions `window-state-get' and `window-state-put'.
3725 These functions allow to save and restore the state of an arbitrary
3726 frame or window as an Elisp object.
3730 *** New variable `completion-extra-properties' used to specify extra
3731 properties of the current completion:
3732 - :annotate-function, same as the old completion-annotate-function.
3733 - :exit-function, function to call after completion took place.
3735 *** Functions on `completion-at-point-functions' can return any of the
3736 properties valid for `completion-extra-properties'.
3738 *** `completion-annotate-function' is obsolete.
3740 *** New `metadata' method for completion tables. The metadata thus returned
3741 can specify various details of the data returned by `all-completions':
3742 - `category' is the kind of objects returned (e.g., `buffer', `file', ...),
3743 used to select a style in completion-category-overrides.
3744 - `annotation-function' to add annotations in *Completions*.
3745 - `display-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries in *Completions*.
3746 - `cycle-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries when cycling.
3748 *** `minibuffer-local-filename-must-match-map' is not used any more.
3749 Instead, the bindings in `minibuffer-local-filename-completion-map'
3750 are combined with `minibuffer-local-must-match-map'.
3752 *** New variable `completing-read-function' allows overriding the
3753 behavior of `completing-read'.
3755 ** `glyphless-char-display' can now distinguish between graphical and
3756 text terminal display, via a char-table entry that is a cons cell.
3758 ** `pre-command-hook'/`post-command-hook' are not reset to nil on error.
3759 Instead, the offending function is removed.
3763 *** New function `run-hook-wrapped' for running an abnormal hook by
3764 passing the hook functions as arguments to a "wrapping" function.
3765 Like `run-hook-with-args-until-success', it stops at the first
3766 non-nil return value.
3768 *** New macro `with-wrapper-hook' for running an abnormal hook as a
3769 set of "wrapping" filters, similar to around advice.
3770 (A version of this macro was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not
3771 advertised at the time.)
3775 *** New macro `condition-case-unless-debug' (this was actually added in
3776 Emacs 23.1 as condition-case-no-debug, but not advertised)
3778 *** The macro `with-demoted-errors' was added in Emacs 23.1, but not advertised.
3780 *** Variable `stack-trace-on-error' removed.
3782 *** The debugger can now "continue" from an error, which means it will
3783 jump to the error handler as if the debugger had not been invoked
3784 instead of jumping all the way to the top-level.
3786 *** Set `debug-on-event' to enter the debugger on events like SIGUSR1.
3787 This can be useful when `inhibit-quit' is set.
3789 ** The new function `server-eval-at' allows evaluation of Lisp forms on
3790 named Emacs server instances.
3792 ** `call-process' and `call-process-region' allow a `(:file "file")' spec
3793 to redirect STDOUT to a file.
3795 ** The function `format-time-string' now supports the %N directive,
3796 for higher-resolution time stamps.
3798 ** New input reading functions
3800 *** New function `read-char-choice' reads a restricted set of
3801 characters, discarding any inputs not inside the set.
3803 *** The command `read-color' now requires a match for a color name
3804 or RGB triplet, instead of signaling an error if the user provides
3807 **** `facemenu-read-color' is now an alias for `read-color'.
3809 ** `image-library-alist' is renamed to `dynamic-library-alist'.
3810 The variable is now used to load all kind of supported dynamic libraries,
3811 not just image libraries. The previous name is still available as an
3814 ** Syntax parsing changes
3816 *** New variable `syntax-propertize-function'.
3817 This replaces `font-lock-syntactic-keywords' which is now obsolete.
3818 This allows syntax-table properties to be set independently from font-lock:
3819 just call syntax-propertize to make sure the text is propertized.
3820 Together with this new variable come a new hook
3821 syntax-propertize-extend-region-functions, as well as two helper functions:
3822 syntax-propertize-via-font-lock to reuse old font-lock-syntactic-keywords
3823 as-is; and syntax-propertize-rules which provides a new way to specify
3826 *** Syntax tables support a new "comment style c" additionally to style b.
3828 ** New hook `post-self-insert-hook', run after `self-insert-command'.
3830 ** frame-local variables cannot be let-bound any more.
3832 ** Major and minor mode changes
3834 *** `set-auto-mode' now respects mode: local variables at the end of files,
3835 as well as those in the -*- line.
3837 *** `prog-mode' is a new major mode from which programming modes
3840 **** `prog-mode-hook' can be used to enable features for programming
3841 modes, e.g. (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'flyspell-prog-mode) to enable
3842 on-the-fly spell checking for comments and strings.
3844 *** New hook `change-major-mode-after-body-hook', run by
3845 `run-mode-hooks' just before any other mode hooks.
3847 *** Enabled globalized minor modes can be disabled in specific major modes.
3848 If the global mode is global-FOO-mode, then run (FOO-mode -1) in the
3849 major mode's hook, where FOO-mode toggles the mode on a per-buffer basis.
3851 *** `define-minor-mode' accepts new keywords :variable, :after-hook.
3853 ** File-handling changes
3855 *** `delete-file' and `delete-directory' now accept optional arg TRASH.
3856 Trashing is performed if TRASH and `delete-by-moving-to-trash' are
3857 both non-nil. Interactively, TRASH defaults to t, unless a prefix
3858 argument is supplied (see Trash changes, above).
3860 *** New file predicates: `file-equal-p', `file-in-directory-p'.
3862 ** Tool-bars can display separators.
3863 Tool-bar separators are handled like menu separators in menu-bar maps,
3864 i.e. via menu entries of the form `(menu-item "--")'.
3868 *** Animated images support (currently animated gifs only).
3870 **** `image-animated-p' returns non-nil if an image can be animated.
3872 **** `image-animate' animates a supplied image spec.
3874 **** `image-animate-timer' returns the timer object for an image that
3877 *** `image-extension-data' has been renamed to `image-metadata'.
3878 The old name is an obsolete alias to the new one.
3880 *** Image mode can view any image type that ImageMagick supports.
3881 This requires Emacs to be built with ImageMagick support.
3883 **** New function `imagemagick-types', defined if ImageMagick support
3884 is enabled, returns a list of image file extensions that your
3885 ImageMagick installation supports.
3887 **** New function `imagemagick-register-types' enables ImageMagick
3888 image types in Image mode and in `create-image' and other helper
3891 **** New option `imagemagick-types-inhibit' excludes certain
3892 ImageMagick image types from `imagemagick-register-types'.
3894 **** With ImageMagick support, there are extra Image mode commands to
3895 resize and rotate images: `image-transform-fit-to-height',
3896 `image-transform-fit-to-width', `image-transform-set-rotation', and
3897 `image-transform-set-scale'.
3899 ** `compose-mail' now accepts an optional 8th arg, RETURN-ACTION, and
3900 passes it to the mail user agent function. This argument specifies an
3901 action for returning to the caller after finishing with the mail. For
3902 example, this is used by Rmail to optionally delete a mail window.
3904 ** XML and HTML parsing
3905 If Emacs is compiled with libxml2 support, there are two new
3906 functions: `libxml-parse-html-region' (which parses "real world" HTML)
3907 and `libxml-parse-xml-region' (which parses XML). Both return an
3908 Emacs Lisp parse tree.
3910 ** Networking and encryption changes
3912 *** `open-network-stream' can now be used to open an encrypted stream.
3913 It now accepts an optional `:type' parameter for initiating a TLS
3914 connection, directly or via STARTTLS. To do STARTTLS, additional
3915 parameters (`:end-of-command', `:success', `:capabilities-command')
3916 must also be supplied.
3918 *** New library gnutls.el.
3919 The new function `gnutls-available-p' returns non-nil if Emacs is
3920 built with GnuTLS support. The main entry points are
3921 `open-gnutls-stream' and `gnutls-negotiate'. It's easiest to use
3922 these functions through `open-network-stream', because that can
3923 upgrade connections through STARTTLS opportunistically or use plain
3924 SSL, depending on your needs. For debugging, set `gnutls-log-level'
3927 *** New primitive `secure-hash' that supports many secure hash algorithms:
3928 md5, sha1, sha2, sha224, sha256, sha384, and sha512. The lisp library
3929 sha1.el has been removed. The `sha1' feature is provided by default.
3933 *** New hook `isearch-update-post-hook' that runs in `isearch-update'.
3935 ** Progress reporters can now "spin".
3936 The MIN-VALUE and MAX-VALUE arguments of `make-progress-reporter' can
3937 now be nil, or omitted. This makes a "non-numeric" reporter. Each
3938 time you call `progress-reporter-update' on that progress reporter,
3939 with a nil or omitted VALUE argument, the reporter message is
3940 displayed with a "spinning bar".
3942 ** New variable `revert-buffer-in-progress-p' is true while a buffer is
3943 being reverted, even if the buffer has a local `revert-buffer-function'.
3945 ** New variables `delayed-warnings-list' and `delayed-warnings-hook'.
3946 If delayed-warnings-list is non-nil, the command loop calls
3947 `delayed-warnings-hook' after `post-command-hook'. At present, this
3948 is only used by Emacs on some platforms to display warnings during
3949 startup, which might otherwise not be noticed. This uses the
3950 functions `display-delayed-warnings' and `collapse-delayed-warnings'.
3952 ** rx.el has a new `group-n' construct for explicitly numbered groups.
3954 ** New function `make-composed-keymap' that constructs a new keymap
3955 from multiple input maps. You can use this to make a keymap that
3956 inherits from multiple maps, eg:
3957 (set-keymap-parent newmap (make-composed-keymap othermap parent))
3959 ** New function `string-prefix-p'.
3960 (This was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not advertised at the time.)
3962 ** New reader macro ## that stands for the empty symbol.
3963 This means that the empty symbol can now be read back. Also, #: by itself
3964 (when not immediately followed by a possible symbol character) stands for
3965 an empty uninterned symbol.
3967 ** New math functions `isnan', `copysign', `frexp', `ldexp'.
3969 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
3971 *** `tooltip-use-echo-area' is obsolete.
3972 Rather than setting this to t, disable Tooltip mode instead.
3974 *** buffer-substring-filters is obsolete.
3975 Use `filter-buffer-substring-functions' instead.
3977 *** `byte-compile-disable-print-circle' is obsolete.
3979 *** `deferred-action-list' and `deferred-action-function' are obsolete.
3980 Use `post-command-hook' instead.
3982 *** `font-lock-maximum-size' is obsolete.
3985 * Changes in Emacs 24.1 on Non-Free Operating Systems
3987 ** On MS Windows, Emacs warns when using the obsolete init file _emacs,
3988 and also when HOME is set to C:\ by default.
3990 ** New configure.bat options
3992 *** --enable-checking builds Emacs with extra runtime checks.
3994 *** --distfiles specifies files to be included in binary distribution.
3996 *** --without-gnutls disables automatic GnuTLS detection.
3998 *** --lib for general library linkage, works with the USER_LIBS build variable.
4000 ** New make target `dist' to create binary distribution for MS Windows.
4002 ** The Lisp function `w32-default-color-map' is now obsolete.
4003 (It is only used internally in the Emacs C code.)
4005 ** Customize ns-auto-hide-menu-bar to have the menu-bar hidden, but
4006 reappear on mouse-over. (Requires OS X 10.6 or later.)
4008 ** On Mac OS X, dragging a file into Emacs visits the file, like on
4009 other platforms, rather than inserting its contents into the buffer.
4012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
4013 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
4015 GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
4016 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
4017 the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
4018 (at your option) any later version.
4020 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
4021 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
4022 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
4023 GNU General Public License for more details.
4025 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
4026 along with GNU Emacs. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
4031 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"