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1 | @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 | @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 | @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 | @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 | @setfilename ../info/loading | |
6 | @node Loading, Byte Compilation, Macros, Top | |
7 | @chapter Loading | |
8 | @cindex loading | |
9 | @cindex library | |
10 | @cindex Lisp library | |
11 | ||
12 | Loading a file of Lisp code means bringing its contents into the Lisp | |
13 | environment in the form of Lisp objects. Emacs finds and opens the | |
14 | file, reads the text, evaluates each form, and then closes the file. | |
15 | ||
16 | The load functions evaluate all the expressions in a file just | |
17 | as the @code{eval-current-buffer} function evaluates all the | |
18 | expressions in a buffer. The difference is that the load functions | |
19 | read and evaluate the text in the file as found on disk, not the text | |
20 | in an Emacs buffer. | |
21 | ||
22 | @cindex top-level form | |
23 | The loaded file must contain Lisp expressions, either as source code | |
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24 | or as byte-compiled code. Each form in the file is called a |
25 | @dfn{top-level form}. There is no special format for the forms in a | |
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26 | loadable file; any form in a file may equally well be typed directly |
27 | into a buffer and evaluated there. (Indeed, most code is tested this | |
28 | way.) Most often, the forms are function definitions and variable | |
29 | definitions. | |
30 | ||
31 | A file containing Lisp code is often called a @dfn{library}. Thus, | |
32 | the ``Rmail library'' is a file containing code for Rmail mode. | |
33 | Similarly, a ``Lisp library directory'' is a directory of files | |
34 | containing Lisp code. | |
35 | ||
36 | @menu | |
37 | * How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others. | |
38 | * Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload. | |
39 | * Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice. | |
40 | * Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded. | |
41 | * Unloading:: How to ``unload'' a library that was loaded. | |
42 | * Hooks for Loading:: Providing code to be run when | |
43 | particular libraries are loaded. | |
44 | @end menu | |
45 | ||
46 | @node How Programs Do Loading | |
47 | @section How Programs Do Loading | |
48 | ||
49 | Emacs Lisp has several interfaces for loading. For example, | |
50 | @code{autoload} creates a placeholder object for a function in a file; | |
51 | trying to call the autoloading function loads the file to get the | |
52 | function's real definition (@pxref{Autoload}). @code{require} loads a | |
53 | file if it isn't already loaded (@pxref{Features}). Ultimately, all | |
54 | these facilities call the @code{load} function to do the work. | |
55 | ||
56 | @defun load filename &optional missing-ok nomessage nosuffix | |
57 | This function finds and opens a file of Lisp code, evaluates all the | |
58 | forms in it, and closes the file. | |
59 | ||
60 | To find the file, @code{load} first looks for a file named | |
61 | @file{@var{filename}.elc}, that is, for a file whose name is | |
62 | @var{filename} with @samp{.elc} appended. If such a file exists, it is | |
63 | loaded. If there is no file by that name, then @code{load} looks for a | |
78c71a98 | 64 | file named @file{@var{filename}.el}. If that file exists, it is loaded. |
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65 | Finally, if neither of those names is found, @code{load} looks for a |
66 | file named @var{filename} with nothing appended, and loads it if it | |
67 | exists. (The @code{load} function is not clever about looking at | |
68 | @var{filename}. In the perverse case of a file named @file{foo.el.el}, | |
69 | evaluation of @code{(load "foo.el")} will indeed find it.) | |
70 | ||
71 | If the optional argument @var{nosuffix} is non-@code{nil}, then the | |
72 | suffixes @samp{.elc} and @samp{.el} are not tried. In this case, you | |
73 | must specify the precise file name you want. | |
74 | ||
75 | If @var{filename} is a relative file name, such as @file{foo} or | |
76 | @file{baz/foo.bar}, @code{load} searches for the file using the variable | |
77 | @code{load-path}. It appends @var{filename} to each of the directories | |
78 | listed in @code{load-path}, and loads the first file it finds whose name | |
79 | matches. The current default directory is tried only if it is specified | |
80 | in @code{load-path}, where @code{nil} stands for the default directory. | |
81 | @code{load} tries all three possible suffixes in the first directory in | |
82 | @code{load-path}, then all three suffixes in the second directory, and | |
83 | so on. | |
84 | ||
85 | If you get a warning that @file{foo.elc} is older than @file{foo.el}, it | |
86 | means you should consider recompiling @file{foo.el}. @xref{Byte | |
87 | Compilation}. | |
88 | ||
89 | Messages like @samp{Loading foo...} and @samp{Loading foo...done} appear | |
90 | in the echo area during loading unless @var{nomessage} is | |
91 | non-@code{nil}. | |
92 | ||
93 | @cindex load errors | |
94 | Any unhandled errors while loading a file terminate loading. If the | |
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95 | load was done for the sake of @code{autoload}, any function definitions |
96 | made during the loading are undone. | |
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97 | |
98 | @kindex file-error | |
99 | If @code{load} can't find the file to load, then normally it signals the | |
100 | error @code{file-error} (with @samp{Cannot open load file | |
101 | @var{filename}}). But if @var{missing-ok} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
102 | @code{load} just returns @code{nil}. | |
103 | ||
104 | @code{load} returns @code{t} if the file loads successfully. | |
105 | @end defun | |
106 | ||
107 | @ignore | |
108 | @deffn Command load-file filename | |
109 | This function loads the file @var{filename}. If @var{filename} is an | |
110 | absolute file name, then it is loaded. If it is relative, then the | |
111 | current default directory is assumed. @code{load-path} is not used, and | |
112 | suffixes are not appended. Use this function if you wish to specify | |
113 | the file to be loaded exactly. | |
114 | @end deffn | |
115 | ||
116 | @deffn Command load-library library | |
117 | This function loads the library named @var{library}. A library is | |
118 | nothing more than a file that may be loaded as described earlier. This | |
119 | function is identical to @code{load}, save that it reads a file name | |
120 | interactively with completion. | |
121 | @end deffn | |
122 | @end ignore | |
123 | ||
124 | @defopt load-path | |
125 | @cindex @code{EMACSLOADPATH} environment variable | |
126 | The value of this variable is a list of directories to search when | |
127 | loading files with @code{load}. Each element is a string (which must be | |
128 | a directory name) or @code{nil} (which stands for the current working | |
129 | directory). The value of @code{load-path} is initialized from the | |
130 | environment variable @code{EMACSLOADPATH}, if that exists; otherwise its | |
131 | default value is specified in @file{emacs/src/paths.h} when Emacs is | |
132 | built. | |
133 | ||
134 | The syntax of @code{EMACSLOADPATH} is the same as used for @code{PATH}; | |
135 | @samp{:} separates directory names, and @samp{.} is used for the current | |
136 | default directory. Here is an example of how to set your | |
137 | @code{EMACSLOADPATH} variable from a @code{csh} @file{.login} file: | |
138 | ||
139 | @c This overfull hbox is OK. --rjc 16mar92 | |
140 | @smallexample | |
141 | setenv EMACSLOADPATH .:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/lib/emacs/lisp | |
142 | @end smallexample | |
143 | ||
144 | Here is how to set it using @code{sh}: | |
145 | ||
146 | @smallexample | |
147 | export EMACSLOADPATH | |
148 | EMACSLOADPATH=.:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/local/lib/emacs/lisp | |
149 | @end smallexample | |
150 | ||
151 | Here is an example of code you can place in a @file{.emacs} file to add | |
152 | several directories to the front of your default @code{load-path}: | |
153 | ||
154 | @smallexample | |
155 | (setq load-path | |
156 | (append (list nil "/user/bil/emacs" | |
157 | "/usr/local/lisplib" | |
158 | (expand-file-name "~/emacs")) | |
159 | load-path)) | |
160 | @end smallexample | |
161 | ||
162 | @c Wordy to rid us of an overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92 | |
163 | @noindent | |
164 | In this example, the path searches the current working directory first, | |
165 | followed then by the @file{/user/bil/emacs} directory and then by | |
166 | the @file{/usr/local/lisplib} directory, | |
167 | which are then followed by the standard directories for Lisp code. | |
168 | ||
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169 | The command line options @samp{-l} or @samp{-load} specify a Lisp |
170 | library to load as part of Emacs startup. Since this file might be in | |
171 | the current directory, Emacs 18 temporarily adds the current directory | |
172 | to the front of @code{load-path} so the file can be found there. Newer | |
173 | Emacs versions also find such files in the current directory, but | |
174 | without altering @code{load-path}. | |
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175 | @end defopt |
176 | ||
177 | @defvar load-in-progress | |
178 | This variable is non-@code{nil} if Emacs is in the process of loading a | |
179 | file, and it is @code{nil} otherwise. This is how @code{defun} and | |
180 | @code{provide} determine whether a load is in progress, so that their | |
181 | effect can be undone if the load fails. | |
182 | @end defvar | |
183 | ||
184 | To learn how @code{load} is used to build Emacs, see @ref{Building Emacs}. | |
185 | ||
186 | @node Autoload | |
187 | @section Autoload | |
188 | @cindex autoload | |
189 | ||
190 | The @dfn{autoload} facility allows you to make a function or macro | |
191 | available but put off loading its actual definition. The first call to | |
192 | the function automatically reads the proper file to install the real | |
193 | definition and other associated code, then runs the real definition | |
194 | as if it had been loaded all along. | |
195 | ||
196 | There are two ways to set up an autoloaded function: by calling | |
197 | @code{autoload}, and by writing a special ``magic'' comment in the | |
198 | source before the real definition. @code{autoload} is the low-level | |
199 | primitive for autoloading; any Lisp program can call @code{autoload} at | |
200 | any time. Magic comments do nothing on their own; they serve as a guide | |
201 | for the command @code{update-file-autoloads}, which constructs calls to | |
202 | @code{autoload} and arranges to execute them when Emacs is built. Magic | |
203 | comments are the most convenient way to make a function autoload, but | |
204 | only for packages installed along with Emacs. | |
205 | ||
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206 | @defun autoload function filename &optional docstring interactive type |
207 | This function defines the function (or macro) named @var{function} so as | |
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208 | to load automatically from @var{filename}. The string @var{filename} |
209 | specifies the file to load to get the real definition of @var{function}. | |
210 | ||
211 | The argument @var{docstring} is the documentation string for the | |
212 | function. Normally, this is the identical to the documentation string | |
213 | in the function definition itself. Specifying the documentation string | |
214 | in the call to @code{autoload} makes it possible to look at the | |
215 | documentation without loading the function's real definition. | |
216 | ||
217 | If @var{interactive} is non-@code{nil}, then the function can be called | |
218 | interactively. This lets completion in @kbd{M-x} work without loading | |
219 | the function's real definition. The complete interactive specification | |
220 | need not be given here; it's not needed unless the user actually calls | |
221 | @var{function}, and when that happens, it's time to load the real | |
222 | definition. | |
223 | ||
224 | You can autoload macros and keymaps as well as ordinary functions. | |
225 | Specify @var{type} as @code{macro} if @var{function} is really a macro. | |
226 | Specify @var{type} as @code{keymap} if @var{function} is really a | |
227 | keymap. Various parts of Emacs need to know this information without | |
228 | loading the real definition. | |
229 | ||
230 | @cindex function cell in autoload | |
78c71a98 | 231 | If @var{function} already has a non-void function definition that is not |
83ac6b45 | 232 | an autoload object, @code{autoload} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. |
78c71a98 | 233 | If the function cell of @var{function} is void, or is already an autoload |
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234 | object, then it is defined as an autoload object like this: |
235 | ||
236 | @example | |
237 | (autoload @var{filename} @var{docstring} @var{interactive} @var{type}) | |
238 | @end example | |
239 | ||
240 | For example, | |
241 | ||
242 | @example | |
243 | (symbol-function 'run-prolog) | |
244 | @result{} (autoload "prolog" 169681 t nil) | |
245 | @end example | |
246 | ||
247 | @noindent | |
248 | In this case, @code{"prolog"} is the name of the file to load, 169681 | |
249 | refers to the documentation string in the @file{emacs/etc/DOC} file | |
250 | (@pxref{Documentation Basics}), @code{t} means the function is | |
251 | interactive, and @code{nil} that it is not a macro or a keymap. | |
252 | @end defun | |
253 | ||
254 | @cindex autoload errors | |
255 | The autoloaded file usually contains other definitions and may require | |
256 | or provide one or more features. If the file is not completely loaded | |
257 | (due to an error in the evaluation of its contents), any function | |
258 | definitions or @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are | |
259 | undone. This is to ensure that the next attempt to call any function | |
260 | autoloading from this file will try again to load the file. If not for | |
261 | this, then some of the functions in the file might appear defined, but | |
262 | they might fail to work properly for the lack of certain subroutines | |
263 | defined later in the file and not loaded successfully. | |
264 | ||
265 | If the autoloaded file fails to define the desired Lisp function or | |
266 | macro, then an error is signaled with data @code{"Autoloading failed to | |
267 | define function @var{function-name}"}. | |
268 | ||
269 | @findex update-file-autoloads | |
270 | @findex update-directory-autoloads | |
271 | A magic autoload comment looks like @samp{;;;###autoload}, on a line | |
272 | by itself, just before the real definition of the function in its | |
273 | autoloadable source file. The command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} | |
274 | writes a corresponding @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}. | |
275 | Building Emacs loads @file{loaddefs.el} and thus calls @code{autoload}. | |
276 | @kbd{M-x update-directory-autoloads} is even more powerful; it updates | |
277 | autoloads for all files in the current directory. | |
278 | ||
279 | The same magic comment can copy any kind of form into | |
280 | @file{loaddefs.el}. If the form following the magic comment is not a | |
281 | function definition, it is copied verbatim. You can also use a magic | |
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282 | comment to execute a form at build time @emph{without} executing it when |
283 | the file itself is loaded. To do this, write the form @dfn{on the same | |
284 | line} as the magic comment. Since it is in a comment, it does nothing | |
285 | when you load the source file; but @code{update-file-autoloads} copies | |
286 | it to @file{loaddefs.el}, where it is executed while building Emacs. | |
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287 | |
288 | The following example shows how @code{doctor} is prepared for | |
289 | autoloading with a magic comment: | |
290 | ||
291 | @smallexample | |
292 | ;;;###autoload | |
293 | (defun doctor () | |
294 | "Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy." | |
295 | (interactive) | |
296 | (switch-to-buffer "*doctor*") | |
297 | (doctor-mode)) | |
298 | @end smallexample | |
299 | ||
300 | @noindent | |
301 | Here's what that produces in @file{loaddefs.el}: | |
302 | ||
303 | @smallexample | |
304 | (autoload 'doctor "doctor" | |
305 | "\ | |
306 | Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy." | |
307 | t) | |
308 | @end smallexample | |
309 | ||
310 | @noindent | |
311 | The backslash and newline immediately following the double-quote are a | |
312 | convention used only in the preloaded Lisp files such as | |
313 | @file{loaddefs.el}; they tell @code{make-docfile} to put the | |
314 | documentation string in the @file{etc/DOC} file. @xref{Building Emacs}. | |
315 | ||
316 | @node Repeated Loading | |
317 | @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
318 | @section Repeated Loading | |
319 | @cindex repeated loading | |
320 | ||
321 | You may load one file more than once in an Emacs session. For | |
322 | example, after you have rewritten and reinstalled a function definition | |
323 | by editing it in a buffer, you may wish to return to the original | |
324 | version; you can do this by reloading the file it came from. | |
325 | ||
326 | When you load or reload files, bear in mind that the @code{load} and | |
327 | @code{load-library} functions automatically load a byte-compiled file | |
328 | rather than a non-compiled file of similar name. If you rewrite a file | |
329 | that you intend to save and reinstall, remember to byte-compile it if | |
330 | necessary; otherwise you may find yourself inadvertently reloading the | |
331 | older, byte-compiled file instead of your newer, non-compiled file! | |
332 | ||
333 | When writing the forms in a Lisp library file, keep in mind that the | |
334 | file might be loaded more than once. For example, the choice of | |
335 | @code{defvar} vs.@: @code{defconst} for defining a variable depends on | |
336 | whether it is desirable to reinitialize the variable if the library is | |
337 | reloaded: @code{defconst} does so, and @code{defvar} does not. | |
338 | (@xref{Defining Variables}.) | |
339 | ||
340 | The simplest way to add an element to an alist is like this: | |
341 | ||
342 | @example | |
343 | (setq minor-mode-alist | |
344 | (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist)) | |
345 | @end example | |
346 | ||
347 | @noindent | |
348 | But this would add multiple elements if the library is reloaded. | |
349 | To avoid the problem, write this: | |
350 | ||
351 | @example | |
352 | (or (assq 'leif-mode minor-mode-alist) | |
353 | (setq minor-mode-alist | |
354 | (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist))) | |
355 | @end example | |
356 | ||
357 | Occasionally you will want to test explicitly whether a library has | |
358 | already been loaded. Here's one way to test, in a library, whether it | |
359 | has been loaded before: | |
360 | ||
361 | @example | |
362 | (if (not (boundp 'foo-was-loaded)) | |
363 | @var{execute-first-time-only}) | |
364 | ||
365 | (setq foo-was-loaded t) | |
366 | @end example | |
367 | ||
368 | @noindent | |
369 | If the library uses @code{provide} to provide a named feature, you can | |
370 | use @code{featurep} to test whether the library has been loaded. | |
78c71a98 | 371 | @ifinfo |
83ac6b45 | 372 | @xref{Features}. |
78c71a98 | 373 | @end ifinfo |
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374 | |
375 | @node Features | |
376 | @section Features | |
377 | @cindex features | |
378 | @cindex requiring features | |
379 | @cindex providing features | |
380 | ||
381 | @code{provide} and @code{require} are an alternative to | |
382 | @code{autoload} for loading files automatically. They work in terms of | |
383 | named @dfn{features}. Autoloading is triggered by calling a specific | |
384 | function, but a feature is loaded the first time another program asks | |
385 | for it by name. | |
386 | ||
387 | A feature name is a symbol that stands for a collection of functions, | |
388 | variables, etc. The file that defines them should @dfn{provide} the | |
389 | feature. Another program that uses them may ensure they are defined by | |
390 | @dfn{requiring} the feature. This loads the file of definitions if it | |
391 | hasn't been loaded already. | |
392 | ||
393 | To require the presence of a feature, call @code{require} with the | |
394 | feature name as argument. @code{require} looks in the global variable | |
395 | @code{features} to see whether the desired feature has been provided | |
396 | already. If not, it loads the feature from the appropriate file. This | |
78c71a98 | 397 | file should call @code{provide} at the top level to add the feature to |
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398 | @code{features}; if it fails to do so, @code{require} signals an error. |
399 | @cindex load error with require | |
400 | ||
401 | Features are normally named after the files that provide them, so that | |
402 | @code{require} need not be given the file name. | |
403 | ||
404 | For example, in @file{emacs/lisp/prolog.el}, | |
405 | the definition for @code{run-prolog} includes the following code: | |
406 | ||
407 | @smallexample | |
408 | (defun run-prolog () | |
409 | "Run an inferior Prolog process, input and output via buffer *prolog*." | |
410 | (interactive) | |
411 | (require 'comint) | |
412 | (switch-to-buffer (make-comint "prolog" prolog-program-name)) | |
413 | (inferior-prolog-mode)) | |
414 | @end smallexample | |
415 | ||
416 | @noindent | |
417 | The expression @code{(require 'comint)} loads the file @file{comint.el} | |
418 | if it has not yet been loaded. This ensures that @code{make-comint} is | |
419 | defined. | |
420 | ||
421 | The @file{comint.el} file contains the following top-level expression: | |
422 | ||
423 | @smallexample | |
424 | (provide 'comint) | |
425 | @end smallexample | |
426 | ||
427 | @noindent | |
428 | This adds @code{comint} to the global @code{features} list, so that | |
429 | @code{(require 'comint)} will henceforth know that nothing needs to be | |
430 | done. | |
431 | ||
432 | @cindex byte-compiling @code{require} | |
78c71a98 | 433 | When @code{require} is used at top level in a file, it takes effect |
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434 | when you byte-compile that file (@pxref{Byte Compilation}) as well as |
435 | when you load it. This is in case the required package contains macros | |
436 | that the byte compiler must know about. | |
437 | ||
438 | Although top-level calls to @code{require} are evaluated during | |
439 | byte compilation, @code{provide} calls are not. Therefore, you can | |
440 | ensure that a file of definitions is loaded before it is byte-compiled | |
441 | by including a @code{provide} followed by a @code{require} for the same | |
442 | feature, as in the following example. | |
443 | ||
444 | @smallexample | |
445 | @group | |
446 | (provide 'my-feature) ; @r{Ignored by byte compiler,} | |
447 | ; @r{evaluated by @code{load}.} | |
448 | (require 'my-feature) ; @r{Evaluated by byte compiler.} | |
449 | @end group | |
450 | @end smallexample | |
451 | ||
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452 | @noindent |
453 | The compiler ignores the @code{provide}, then processes the | |
454 | @code{require} by loading the file in question. Loading the file does | |
455 | execute the @code{provide} call, so the subsequent @code{require} call | |
456 | does nothing while loading. | |
457 | ||
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458 | @defun provide feature |
459 | This function announces that @var{feature} is now loaded, or being | |
460 | loaded, into the current Emacs session. This means that the facilities | |
461 | associated with @var{feature} are or will be available for other Lisp | |
462 | programs. | |
463 | ||
464 | The direct effect of calling @code{provide} is to add @var{feature} to | |
465 | the front of the list @code{features} if it is not already in the list. | |
466 | The argument @var{feature} must be a symbol. @code{provide} returns | |
467 | @var{feature}. | |
468 | ||
469 | @smallexample | |
470 | features | |
471 | @result{} (bar bish) | |
472 | ||
473 | (provide 'foo) | |
474 | @result{} foo | |
475 | features | |
476 | @result{} (foo bar bish) | |
477 | @end smallexample | |
478 | ||
479 | If the file isn't completely loaded, due to an error in the evaluating | |
480 | its contents, any function definitions or @code{provide} calls that | |
481 | occurred during the load are undone. @xref{Autoload}. | |
482 | @end defun | |
483 | ||
484 | @defun require feature &optional filename | |
485 | This function checks whether @var{feature} is present in the current | |
486 | Emacs session (using @code{(featurep @var{feature})}; see below). If it | |
487 | is not, then @code{require} loads @var{filename} with @code{load}. If | |
488 | @var{filename} is not supplied, then the name of the symbol | |
489 | @var{feature} is used as the file name to load. | |
490 | ||
491 | If loading the file fails to provide @var{feature}, @code{require} | |
492 | signals an error, @samp{Required feature @var{feature} was not | |
493 | provided}. | |
494 | @end defun | |
495 | ||
496 | @defun featurep feature | |
497 | This function returns @code{t} if @var{feature} has been provided in the | |
498 | current Emacs session (i.e., @var{feature} is a member of | |
499 | @code{features}.) | |
500 | @end defun | |
501 | ||
502 | @defvar features | |
503 | The value of this variable is a list of symbols that are the features | |
504 | loaded in the current Emacs session. Each symbol was put in this list | |
505 | with a call to @code{provide}. The order of the elements in the | |
506 | @code{features} list is not significant. | |
507 | @end defvar | |
508 | ||
509 | @node Unloading | |
510 | @section Unloading | |
511 | @cindex unloading | |
512 | ||
513 | @c Emacs 19 feature | |
514 | You can discard the functions and variables loaded by a library to | |
515 | reclaim memory for other Lisp objects. To do this, use the function | |
516 | @code{unload-feature}: | |
517 | ||
518 | @deffn Command unload-feature feature | |
519 | This command unloads the library that provided feature @var{feature}. | |
78c71a98 RS |
520 | It undefines all functions, macros, and variables defined in that |
521 | library with @code{defconst}, @code{defvar}, @code{defun}, | |
522 | @code{defmacro}, @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias}. It then restores | |
523 | any autoloads formerly associated with those symbols. | |
83ac6b45 RS |
524 | @end deffn |
525 | ||
526 | The @code{unload-feature} function is written in Lisp; its actions are | |
527 | based on the variable @code{load-history}. | |
528 | ||
529 | @defvar load-history | |
530 | This variable's value is an alist connecting library names with the | |
531 | names of functions and variables they define, the features they provide, | |
532 | and the features they require. | |
533 | ||
534 | Each element is a list and describes one library. The @sc{car} of the | |
535 | list is the name of the library, as a string. The rest of the list is | |
536 | composed of these kinds of objects: | |
537 | ||
538 | @itemize @bullet | |
539 | @item | |
78c71a98 | 540 | Symbols that were defined by this library. |
83ac6b45 RS |
541 | @item |
542 | Lists of the form @code{(require . @var{feature})} indicating | |
543 | features that were required. | |
544 | @item | |
545 | Lists of the form @code{(provide . @var{feature})} indicating | |
546 | features that were provided. | |
547 | @end itemize | |
548 | ||
549 | The value of @code{load-history} may have one element whose @sc{car} is | |
550 | @code{nil}. This element describes definitions made with | |
551 | @code{eval-buffer} on a buffer that is not visiting a file. | |
552 | @end defvar | |
553 | ||
554 | The command @code{eval-region} updates @code{load-history}, but does so | |
555 | by adding the symbols defined to the element for the file being visited, | |
556 | rather than replacing that element. | |
557 | ||
558 | @node Hooks for Loading | |
559 | @section Hooks for Loading | |
560 | @cindex loading hooks | |
561 | @cindex hooks for loading | |
562 | ||
563 | You can ask for code to be executed if and when a particular library is | |
564 | loaded, by calling @code{eval-after-load}. | |
565 | ||
566 | @defun eval-after-load library form | |
567 | This function arranges to evaluate @var{form} at the end of loading the | |
568 | library @var{library}, if and when @var{library} is loaded. | |
569 | ||
570 | The library name @var{library} must exactly match the argument of | |
571 | @code{load}. To get the proper results when an installed library is | |
572 | found by searching @code{load-path}, you should not include any | |
573 | directory names in @var{library}. | |
574 | ||
575 | An error in @var{form} does not undo the load, but does prevent | |
576 | execution of the rest of @var{form}. | |
577 | @end defun | |
578 | ||
579 | @defvar after-load-alist | |
580 | An alist of expressions to evaluate if and when particular libraries are | |
581 | loaded. Each element looks like this: | |
582 | ||
583 | @example | |
584 | (@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{}) | |
585 | @end example | |
586 | ||
587 | The function @code{load} checks @code{after-load-alist} in order to | |
588 | implement @code{eval-after-load}. | |
589 | @end defvar | |
590 | ||
591 | @c Emacs 19 feature |