Document `prettify-symbols-mode' and `global-prettify-symbols-mode'.

[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / emacs / programs.texi

diff --git a/doc/emacs/programs.texi b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
index 4a6da9e..1cbf619 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/emacs/programs.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Highlight program syntax (@pxref{Font Lock}).
 * Symbol Completion::   Completion on symbol names of your program or language.
 * MixedCase Words::     Dealing with identifiersLikeThis.
 * Semantic::            Suite of editing tools based on source code parsing.
+* Prettifying Symbols:: Display symbols as composed characters.
 * Misc for Programs::   Other Emacs features useful for editing programs.
 * C Modes::             Special commands of C, C++, Objective-C, Java,
                           IDL, Pike and AWK modes.
@@ -1432,6 +1433,37 @@ is idle.
 @xref{Top, Semantic,, semantic, Semantic}, for details.
 @end ifnottex
 
+@node Prettifying Symbols
+@section Prettifying Symbols
+@cindex prettifying symbols
+@cindex symbol, prettifying
+
+@code{prettify-symbols-mode} and @code{global-prettify-symbols-mode}
+are two minor modes (@pxref{Minor Modes}) that can display specified
+symbols as composed characters.  For instance, in Emacs Lisp mode
+(@pxref{Lisp Eval}), this mode will replace the string ``lambda'' with
+the Greek lambda character.
+
+@findex prettify-symbols-mode
+@vindex prettify-symbols-alist
+When Prettify Symbols mode and Font Lock mode (@pxref{Font Lock}) are
+enabled, symbols are prettified (displayed as composed characters)
+according to the rules in @code{prettify-symbols-alist}, which are
+locally defined by major modes (@pxref{Major Modes}) supporting
+prettifying.  To add further customizations for a given major mode,
+you can modify @code{prettify-symbols-alist}.  For example:
+
+@example
+(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook
+         (lambda ()
+           (push '("<=" . ?≤) prettify-symbols-alist)))
+@end example
+
+@findex global-prettify-symbols-mode
+You can enable this mode locally in desired buffers, or use
+@code{global-prettify-symbols-mode} to enable it for all modes that
+support it.
+
 @node Misc for Programs
 @section Other Features Useful for Editing Programs