Add diary comments feature.
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / emacs / cal-xtra.texi
1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 2004-2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
4 @c
5 @c This file is included either in emacs-xtra.texi (when producing the
6 @c printed version) or in the main Emacs manual (for the on-line version).
7
8 @c Moved here from the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual, 2005-03-26.
9 @node Advanced Calendar/Diary Usage
10 @section Customizing the Calendar and Diary
11
12 There are many customizations that you can use to make the calendar and
13 diary suit your personal tastes.
14
15 @menu
16 * Calendar Customizing:: Calendar layout and hooks.
17 * Holiday Customizing:: Defining your own holidays.
18 * Date Display Format:: Changing the format.
19 * Time Display Format:: Changing the format.
20 * Diary Customizing:: Defaults you can set.
21 * Non-Gregorian Diary:: Diary entries based on other calendars.
22 * Diary Display:: A choice of ways to display the diary.
23 * Fancy Diary Display:: Sorting diary entries, using included diary files.
24 * Sexp Diary Entries:: More flexible diary entries.
25 @end menu
26
27 @node Calendar Customizing
28 @subsection Customizing the Calendar
29
30 @vindex calendar-intermonth-text
31 @cindex calendar layout
32 @cindex calendar week numbers
33 The calendar display unfortunately cannot be changed from three
34 months, but you can customize the whitespace used by setting the
35 variables: @code{calendar-left-margin},
36 @code{calendar-day-header-width}, @code{calendar-day-digit-width},
37 @code{calendar-column-width}, and @code{calendar-intermonth-spacing}.
38 To display text @emph{between} the months, for example week numbers,
39 customize the variables @code{calendar-intermonth-header} and
40 @code{calendar-intermonth-text} as described in their documentation.
41
42 @vindex calendar-holiday-marker
43 @vindex diary-entry-marker
44 @vindex calenday-today-marker
45 The variable @code{calendar-holiday-marker} specifies how to mark a
46 date as being a holiday. Its value may be a single-character string to
47 insert next to the date, or a face name to use for displaying the date.
48 Likewise, the variable @code{diary-entry-marker} specifies how to mark a
49 date that has diary entries, and @code{calenday-today-marker} is used by
50 the function @code{calendar-mark-today} to mark today's date. By
51 default, the calendar uses faces named @code{holiday}, @code{diary}, and
52 @code{calendar-today} for these purposes.
53
54 @vindex calendar-load-hook
55 The variable @code{calendar-load-hook} is a normal hook run when the
56 calendar package is first loaded (before actually starting to display
57 the calendar).
58
59 @vindex calendar-initial-window-hook
60 Starting the calendar runs the normal hook
61 @code{calendar-initial-window-hook}. Recomputation of the calendar
62 display does not run this hook. But if you leave the calendar with the
63 @kbd{q} command and reenter it, the hook runs again.@refill
64
65 @vindex calendar-today-visible-hook
66 @findex calendar-star-date
67 The variable @code{calendar-today-visible-hook} is a normal hook run
68 after the calendar buffer has been prepared with the calendar when the
69 current date is visible in the window. One use of this hook is to
70 mark today's date; to do that use either of the functions
71 @code{calendar-mark-today} or @code{calendar-star-date}:
72
73 @findex calendar-mark-today
74 @smallexample
75 (add-hook 'calendar-today-visible-hook 'calendar-mark-today)
76 @end smallexample
77
78 @vindex calendar-today-invisible-hook
79 @noindent
80 A similar normal hook, @code{calendar-today-invisible-hook} is run if
81 the current date is @emph{not} visible in the window.
82
83 @vindex calendar-move-hook
84 Each of the calendar cursor motion commands runs the hook
85 @code{calendar-move-hook} after it moves the cursor.
86
87 @node Holiday Customizing
88 @subsection Customizing the Holidays
89
90 @vindex calendar-holidays
91 @vindex holiday-oriental-holidays
92 @vindex holiday-solar-holidays
93 Emacs knows about holidays defined by entries on one of several lists.
94 The lists of holidays that Emacs uses are for
95 general holidays (@code{holiday-general-holidays}),
96 local holidays (@code{holiday-local-holidays}),
97 sun- and moon-related holidays (@code{holiday-solar-holidays}),
98 Baha'i holidays (@code{holiday-bahai-holidays}),
99 Christian holidays (@code{holiday-christian-holidays}),
100 Hebrew (Jewish) holidays (@code{holiday-hebrew-holidays}),
101 Islamic (Muslim) holidays (@code{holiday-islamic-holidays}),
102 Oriental holidays (@code{holiday-oriental-holidays}),
103 and other holidays (@code{holiday-other-holidays}).
104
105 You can customize these lists of holidays to your own needs, deleting or
106 adding holidays as described below. Set any of them to @code{nil} to
107 eliminate the associated holidays.
108
109 @vindex holiday-general-holidays
110 The general holidays are, by default, holidays common throughout the
111 United States.
112
113 @vindex holiday-local-holidays
114 There are no default local holidays, but your site may supply some.
115
116 @vindex holiday-bahai-holidays
117 @vindex holiday-christian-holidays
118 @vindex holiday-hebrew-holidays
119 @vindex holiday-islamic-holidays
120 @vindex calendar-bahai-all-holidays-flag
121 @vindex calendar-christian-all-holidays-flag
122 @vindex calendar-hebrew-all-holidays-flag
123 @vindex calendar-islamic-all-holidays-flag
124 By default, Emacs does not include all the holidays of the religions
125 that it knows, only those commonly found in secular calendars. For a
126 more extensive collection of religious holidays, you can set any (or
127 all) of the variables @code{calendar-bahai-all-holidays-flag},
128 @code{calendar-christian-all-holidays-flag},
129 @code{calendar-hebrew-all-holidays-flag}, or
130 @code{calendar-islamic-all-holidays-flag} to @code{t}.
131
132 @vindex holiday-other-holidays
133 You can set the variable @code{holiday-other-holidays} to any list of
134 holidays. This list, normally empty, is intended for individual use.
135
136 @cindex holiday forms
137 Each of the holiday variables is a list of @dfn{holiday forms}, each
138 form describing a holiday (or sometimes a list of holidays).
139
140 Here is a table of the possible kinds of holiday form. Day numbers
141 and month numbers count starting from 1, but ``dayname'' numbers
142 count Sunday as 0. The element @var{string} is always the
143 description of the holiday, as a string.
144
145 @table @code
146 @item (holiday-fixed @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
147 A fixed date on the Gregorian calendar.
148
149 @item (holiday-float @var{month} @var{dayname} @var{k} @var{string}
150 &optional @var{day})
151 The @var{k}th @var{dayname} (@var{dayname}=0 for Sunday, and so on)
152 after or before Gregorian date @var{month}, @var{day}. Negative @var{k}
153 means count back from the end of the month. Optional @var{day} defaults
154 to 1 if @var{k} is positive, and the last day of @var{month} otherwise.
155
156 @item (holiday-chinese @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
157 A fixed date on the Chinese calendar.
158
159 @item (holiday-hebrew @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
160 A fixed date on the Hebrew calendar.
161
162 @item (holiday-islamic @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
163 A fixed date on the Islamic calendar.
164
165 @item (holiday-julian @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
166 A fixed date on the Julian calendar.
167
168 @item (holiday-sexp @var{sexp} @var{string})
169 A date calculated by the Lisp expression @var{sexp}. The expression
170 should use the variable @code{year} to compute and return the date of a
171 holiday in the form of a list @code{(@var{month} @var{day} @var{year})},
172 or @code{nil} if the holiday doesn't happen this year.
173
174 @item (if @var{condition} @var{holiday-form})
175 A holiday that happens only if @var{condition} is true.
176
177 @item (@var{function} @r{[}@var{args}@r{]})
178 A list of dates calculated by the function @var{function}, called with
179 arguments @var{args}.
180 @end table
181
182 For example, suppose you want to add Bastille Day, celebrated in
183 France on July 14 (i.e., the fourteenth day of the seventh month). You
184 can do this as follows:
185
186 @smallexample
187 (setq holiday-other-holidays '((holiday-fixed 7 14 "Bastille Day")))
188 @end smallexample
189
190 Many holidays occur on a specific day of the week, at a specific time
191 of month. Here is a holiday form describing Hurricane Supplication Day,
192 celebrated in the Virgin Islands on the fourth Monday in August:
193
194 @smallexample
195 (holiday-float 8 1 4 "Hurricane Supplication Day")
196 @end smallexample
197
198 @noindent
199 Here the 8 specifies August, the 1 specifies Monday (Sunday is 0,
200 Tuesday is 2, and so on), and the 4 specifies the fourth occurrence in
201 the month (1 specifies the first occurrence, 2 the second occurrence,
202 @minus{}1 the last occurrence, @minus{}2 the second-to-last occurrence, and
203 so on).
204
205 You can specify holidays that occur on fixed days of the Baha'i,
206 Chinese, Hebrew, Islamic, and Julian calendars too. For example,
207
208 @smallexample
209 (setq holiday-other-holidays
210 '((holiday-hebrew 10 2 "Last day of Hanukkah")
211 (holiday-islamic 3 12 "Mohammed's Birthday")
212 (holiday-julian 4 2 "Jefferson's Birthday")))
213 @end smallexample
214
215 @noindent
216 adds the last day of Hanukkah (since the Hebrew months are numbered with
217 1 starting from Nisan), the Islamic feast celebrating Mohammed's
218 birthday (since the Islamic months are numbered from 1 starting with
219 Muharram), and Thomas Jefferson's birthday, which is 2 April 1743 on the
220 Julian calendar.
221
222 To include a holiday conditionally, use either Emacs Lisp's @code{if}
223 or the @code{holiday-sexp} form. For example, American presidential
224 elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
225 of years divisible by 4:
226
227 @smallexample
228 (holiday-sexp '(if (zerop (% year 4))
229 (calendar-gregorian-from-absolute
230 (1+ (calendar-dayname-on-or-before
231 1 (+ 6 (calendar-absolute-from-gregorian
232 (list 11 1 year)))))))
233 "US Presidential Election")
234 @end smallexample
235
236 @noindent
237 or
238
239 @smallexample
240 (if (zerop (% displayed-year 4))
241 (holiday-fixed 11
242 (calendar-extract-day
243 (calendar-gregorian-from-absolute
244 (1+ (calendar-dayname-on-or-before
245 1 (+ 6 (calendar-absolute-from-gregorian
246 (list 11 1 displayed-year)))))))
247 "US Presidential Election"))
248 @end smallexample
249
250 Some holidays just don't fit into any of these forms because special
251 calculations are involved in their determination. In such cases you
252 must write a Lisp function to do the calculation. To include eclipses,
253 for example, add @code{(eclipses)} to @code{holiday-other-holidays}
254 and write an Emacs Lisp function @code{eclipses} that returns a
255 (possibly empty) list of the relevant Gregorian dates among the range
256 visible in the calendar window, with descriptive strings, like this:
257
258 @smallexample
259 (((6 27 1991) "Lunar Eclipse") ((7 11 1991) "Solar Eclipse") ... )
260 @end smallexample
261
262 @node Date Display Format
263 @subsection Date Display Format
264 @vindex calendar-date-display-form
265
266 You can customize the manner of displaying dates in the diary, in mode
267 lines, and in messages by setting @code{calendar-date-display-form}.
268 This variable holds a list of expressions that can involve the variables
269 @code{month}, @code{day}, and @code{year}, which are all numbers in
270 string form, and @code{monthname} and @code{dayname}, which are both
271 alphabetic strings. In the American style, the default value of this
272 list is as follows:
273
274 @smallexample
275 ((if dayname (concat dayname ", ")) monthname " " day ", " year)
276 @end smallexample
277
278 @noindent
279 while in the European style this value is the default:
280
281 @smallexample
282 ((if dayname (concat dayname ", ")) day " " monthname " " year)
283 @end smallexample
284
285 @noindent
286 The default ISO date representation is:
287
288 @smallexample
289 ((format "%s-%.2d-%.2d" year (string-to-number month)
290 (string-to-number day)))
291 @end smallexample
292
293 @noindent
294 This specifies a typical American format:
295
296 @smallexample
297 (month "/" day "/" (substring year -2))
298 @end smallexample
299
300 @node Time Display Format
301 @subsection Time Display Format
302 @vindex calendar-time-display-form
303
304 The calendar and diary by default display times of day in the
305 conventional American style with the hours from 1 through 12, minutes,
306 and either @samp{am} or @samp{pm}. If you prefer the European style,
307 also known in the US as military, in which the hours go from 00 to 23,
308 you can alter the variable @code{calendar-time-display-form}. This
309 variable is a list of expressions that can involve the variables
310 @code{12-hours}, @code{24-hours}, and @code{minutes}, which are all
311 numbers in string form, and @code{am-pm} and @code{time-zone}, which are
312 both alphabetic strings. The default value is:
313
314 @smallexample
315 (12-hours ":" minutes am-pm
316 (if time-zone " (") time-zone (if time-zone ")"))
317 @end smallexample
318
319 @noindent
320 Here is a value that provides European style times:
321
322 @smallexample
323 (24-hours ":" minutes
324 (if time-zone " (") time-zone (if time-zone ")"))
325 @end smallexample
326
327 Note that few calendar functions return a time of day (at present, only
328 solar functions).
329
330 @node Diary Customizing
331 @subsection Customizing the Diary
332
333 @vindex diary-show-holidays-flag
334 Ordinarily, the diary window indicates any holidays that fall on the
335 date of the diary entries, either in the mode line or the buffer itself.
336 The process of checking for holidays can be slow, depending on the
337 defined holidays. In that case, setting @code{diary-show-holidays-flag}
338 to @code{nil} will speed up the diary display.
339
340 @vindex diary-number-of-entries
341 The variable @code{diary-number-of-entries} controls the number of
342 days of diary entries to be displayed at one time. It affects the
343 initial display when @code{calendar-view-diary-initially-flag} is
344 @code{t}, as well as the command @kbd{M-x diary}. For example, a value
345 of 1 (the default) displays only the current day's diary entries,
346 whereas a value of 2 will also show the next day's entries. The value
347 can also be a vector of seven integers: for example, if the value is
348 @code{[0 2 2 2 2 4 1]} then no diary entries appear on Sunday, the
349 current date's and the next day's diary entries appear Monday through
350 Thursday, Friday through Monday's entries appear on Friday, while on
351 Saturday only that day's entries appear.
352
353 @vindex diary-date-forms
354 You can customize the form of dates in your diary file by setting the
355 variable @code{diary-date-forms}. This variable is a list of patterns
356 for recognizing a date. Each date pattern is a list whose elements may
357 be regular expressions (@pxref{Regular Expressions,,, elisp, the Emacs
358 Lisp Reference Manual}) or the symbols @code{month}, @code{day},
359 @code{year}, @code{monthname}, and @code{dayname}. All these elements
360 serve as patterns that match certain kinds of text in the diary file.
361 In order for the date pattern, as a whole, to match, all of its elements
362 must match consecutively.
363
364 A regular expression in a date pattern matches in its usual fashion,
365 using the standard syntax table altered so that @samp{*} is a word
366 constituent.
367
368 The symbols @code{month}, @code{day}, @code{year}, @code{monthname},
369 and @code{dayname} match the month number, day number, year number,
370 month name, and day name of the date being considered. The symbols that
371 match numbers allow leading zeros; those that match names allow
372 capitalization and abbreviation (as specified by
373 @code{calendar-month-abbrev-array} and
374 @code{calendar-day-abbrev-array}). All the symbols can match @samp{*};
375 since @samp{*} in a diary entry means ``any day'', ``any month'', and so
376 on, it should match regardless of the date being considered.
377
378 The default value of @code{diary-date-forms} in the American style is
379 provided by @code{diary-american-date-forms}:
380
381 @example
382 ((month "/" day "[^/0-9]")
383 (month "/" day "/" year "[^0-9]")
384 (monthname " *" day "[^,0-9]")
385 (monthname " *" day ", *" year "[^0-9]")
386 (dayname "\\W"))
387 @end example
388
389 @noindent
390 Other default styles are provided by @code{diary-european-date-forms}
391 and @code{diary-iso-date-forms}.
392
393 The date patterns in the list must be @emph{mutually exclusive} and
394 must not match any portion of the diary entry itself, just the date and
395 one character of whitespace. If, to be mutually exclusive, the pattern
396 must match a portion of the diary entry text---beyond the whitespace
397 that ends the date---then the first element of the date pattern
398 @emph{must} be @code{backup}. This causes the date recognizer to back
399 up to the beginning of the current word of the diary entry, after
400 finishing the match. Even if you use @code{backup}, the date pattern
401 must absolutely not match more than a portion of the first word of the
402 diary entry. For example, the default value of
403 @code{diary-european-date-forms} is:
404
405 @example
406 ((day "/" month "[^/0-9]")
407 (day "/" month "/" year "[^0-9]")
408 (backup day " *" monthname "\\W+\\<\\([^*0-9]\\|\\([0-9]+[:aApP]\\)\\)")
409 (day " *" monthname " *" year "[^0-9]")
410 (dayname "\\W"))
411 @end example
412
413 @noindent
414 Notice the use of @code{backup} in the third pattern, because it needs
415 to match part of a word beyond the date itself to distinguish it from
416 the fourth pattern.
417
418 @node Non-Gregorian Diary
419 @subsection Diary Entries Using non-Gregorian Calendars
420
421 As well as entries based on the standard Gregorian calendar, your
422 diary can have entries based on Baha'i, Hebrew, or Islamic dates.
423 Recognition of such entries can be time-consuming, however, and since
424 most people don't use them, you must explicitly enable their use. If
425 you want the diary to recognize Hebrew-date diary entries, for example,
426 you must do this:
427
428 @vindex diary-nongregorian-listing-hook
429 @vindex diary-nongregorian-marking-hook
430 @findex diary-hebrew-list-entries
431 @findex diary-hebrew-mark-entries
432 @findex diary-islamic-list-entries
433 @findex diary-islamic-mark-entries
434 @findex diary-bahai-list-entries
435 @findex diary-bahai-mark-entries
436 @smallexample
437 (add-hook 'diary-nongregorian-listing-hook 'diary-hebrew-list-entries)
438 (add-hook 'diary-nongregorian-marking-hook 'diary-hebrew-mark-entries)
439 @end smallexample
440
441 @noindent
442 Similarly, for Islamic and Baha'i entries, add
443 @code{diary-islamic-list-entries} and @code{diary-islamic-mark-entries}, or
444 @code{diary-bahai-list-entries} and @code{diary-bahai-mark-entries}.
445
446 @vindex diary-bahai-entry-symbol
447 @vindex diary-hebrew-entry-symbol
448 @vindex diary-islamic-entry-symbol
449 These diary entries have the same formats as Gregorian-date diary
450 entries; except that @code{diary-bahai-entry-symbol} (default @samp{B})
451 must precede a Baha'i date, @code{diary-hebrew-entry-symbol} (default
452 @samp{H}) a Hebrew date, and @code{diary-islamic-entry-symbol} (default
453 @samp{I}) an Islamic date. Moreover, non-Gregorian month names may not
454 be abbreviated (because the first three letters are often not unique).
455 (Note also that you must use ``Adar I'' if you want Adar of a common
456 Hebrew year.) For example, a diary entry for the Hebrew date Heshvan 25
457 could look like this:
458
459 @smallexample
460 HHeshvan 25 Happy Hebrew birthday!
461 @end smallexample
462
463 @noindent
464 and would appear in the diary for any date that corresponds to Heshvan 25
465 on the Hebrew calendar. And here is an Islamic-date diary entry that matches
466 Dhu al-Qada 25:
467
468 @smallexample
469 IDhu al-Qada 25 Happy Islamic birthday!
470 @end smallexample
471
472 As with Gregorian-date diary entries, non-Gregorian entries are
473 nonmarking if preceded by @code{diary-nonmarking-symbol} (default
474 @samp{&}).
475
476 Here is a table of commands used in the calendar to create diary
477 entries that match the selected date and other dates that are similar in
478 the Baha'i, Hebrew, or Islamic calendars:
479
480 @table @kbd
481 @item i h d
482 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-entry}
483 @item i h m
484 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-monthly-entry}
485 @item i h y
486 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-yearly-entry}
487 @item i i d
488 @code{diary-islamic-insert-entry}
489 @item i i m
490 @code{diary-islamic-insert-monthly-entry}
491 @item i i y
492 @code{diary-islamic-insert-yearly-entry}
493 @item i B d
494 @code{diary-bahai-insert-entry}
495 @item i B m
496 @code{diary-bahai-insert-monthly-entry}
497 @item i B y
498 @code{diary-bahai-insert-yearly-entry}
499 @end table
500
501 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-entry
502 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-monthly-entry
503 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-yearly-entry
504 @findex diary-islamic-insert-entry
505 @findex diary-islamic-insert-monthly-entry
506 @findex diary-islamic-insert-yearly-entry
507 @findex diary-bahai-insert-entry
508 @findex diary-bahai-insert-monthly-entry
509 @findex diary-bahai-insert-yearly-entry
510 These commands work much like the corresponding commands for ordinary
511 diary entries: they apply to the date that point is on in the calendar
512 window, and what they do is insert just the date portion of a diary
513 entry at the end of your diary file. You must then insert the rest of
514 the diary entry. The basic commands add an entry for the specific
515 non-Gregorian date, the @samp{monthly} commands for the given
516 non-Gregorian day-within-month in every month, and the @samp{yearly}
517 commands for the given non-Gregorian day and month in every year.
518
519 @node Diary Display
520 @subsection Diary Display
521 @vindex diary-display-function
522 @findex diary-simple-display
523 @findex diary-fancy-display
524 @cindex diary buffer
525
526 Diary display works by preparing the list of diary entries and then
527 running the function specified by the variable
528 @code{diary-display-function}. The default value
529 @code{diary-fancy-display} displays diary entries and holidays by
530 copying them into a special buffer that exists only for the sake of
531 display. Copying diary entries to a separate buffer provides an
532 opportunity to change the displayed text to make it prettier---for
533 example, to sort the entries by the dates they apply to.
534
535 @vindex diary-list-include-blanks
536 Ordinarily, the fancy diary buffer does not show days for which there
537 are no diary entries, even if that day is a holiday. If you want such
538 days to be shown in the fancy diary buffer, set the variable
539 @code{diary-list-include-blanks} to @code{t}.@refill
540
541 @c View mode does not seem to be described in the manual.
542 @c buffers.texi has a brief mention.
543 The fancy diary buffer enables View mode, a minor mode that provides
544 commands for scrolling and searching the text. For example, @key{SPC}
545 and @key{DEL} scroll forward and backward, and @key{s} starts an
546 incremental search. See the documentation of the function
547 @code{view-mode} for more information.
548
549 The alternative display method @code{diary-simple-display} shows the
550 actual diary buffer, and uses invisible text to hide entries that don't
551 apply. Holidays are shown in the mode line. The advantage of this
552 method is that you can edit the buffer and save your changes directly to
553 the diary file. This method is not as flexible as the fancy method,
554 however. For example, it cannot sort entries. Another disadvantage is
555 that invisible text can be confusing. For example, if you copy a region
556 of text in order to paste it elsewhere, invisible text may be included.
557 Similarly, since the diary buffer as you see it is an illusion, simply
558 printing the buffer may not print what you see on your screen.
559
560 @vindex diary-print-entries-hook
561 @findex diary-print-entries
562 For this reason, there is a special command to print hard copy of the
563 diary buffer @emph{as it appears}; this command is @kbd{M-x
564 diary-print-entries}. It works with either display method, although
565 with the fancy display you can also print the buffer like any other. To
566 print a hard copy of a day-by-day diary for a week, position point on
567 the first day of the week, type @kbd{7 d}, and then do @kbd{M-x
568 diary-print-entries}. As usual, the inclusion of the holidays slows
569 down the display slightly; you can speed things up by setting the
570 variable @code{diary-show-holidays-flag} to @code{nil}.
571
572 This command prepares a temporary buffer that contains only the diary
573 entries currently visible in the diary buffer. Unlike with the simple
574 display, the other irrelevant entries are really absent, not just
575 hidden. After preparing the buffer, it runs the hook
576 @code{diary-print-entries-hook}. The default value of this hook sends
577 the data directly to the printer with the command @code{lpr-buffer}
578 (@pxref{Printing}). If you want to use a different command to do the
579 printing, just change the value of this hook. Other uses might include,
580 for example, rearranging the lines into order by day and time.
581
582 You can edit the diary entries as they appear in the simple diary
583 window, but it is important to remember that the buffer displayed
584 contains the @emph{entire} diary file, with portions of it concealed
585 from view. This means, for instance, that the @kbd{C-f}
586 (@code{forward-char}) command can put point at what appears to be the
587 end of the line, but what is in reality the middle of some concealed
588 line.
589
590 @emph{Be careful when editing the diary entries in the simple display!}
591 Inserting additional lines or adding/deleting characters in the middle
592 of a visible line cannot cause problems, but editing at the end of a
593 line may not do what you expect. Deleting a line may delete other
594 invisible entries that follow it. Before editing the simple diary
595 buffer, it is best to display the entire file with @kbd{s}
596 (@code{diary-show-all-entries}).
597
598 @node Fancy Diary Display
599 @subsection Fancy Diary Display
600
601 The following features only work with the fancy diary display.
602
603 @cindex sorting diary entries
604 You can use the normal hook @code{diary-list-entries-hook} to sort
605 each day's diary entries by their time of day. Here's how:
606
607 @findex diary-sort-entries
608 @example
609 (add-hook 'diary-list-entries-hook 'diary-sort-entries t)
610 @end example
611
612 @noindent
613 For each day, this sorts diary entries that begin with a recognizable
614 time of day according to their times. Diary entries without times come
615 first within each day. Note how the sort command is placed at the end
616 of the hook list, in case earlier members of the list change the order
617 of the diary entries, or add items.
618
619 @vindex diary-comment-start
620 You can write @samp{comments} in diary entries, by setting the
621 variables @code{diary-comment-start} and @code{diary-comment-end} to
622 strings that delimit comments. The fancy display does not print
623 comments. You might want to put meta-data for the use of other packages
624 (e.g. the appointment package,
625 @iftex
626 @pxref{Appointments,,,emacs, the Emacs Manual})
627 @end iftex
628 @ifnottex
629 @pxref{Appointments})
630 @end ifnottex
631 inside comments.
632
633 @vindex diary-include-string
634 Your main diary file can include other files. This permits a group of
635 people to share a diary file for events that apply to all of them.
636 Lines in the diary file starting with @code{diary-include-string}:
637
638 @smallexample
639 #include "@var{filename}"
640 @end smallexample
641
642 @noindent
643 include the diary entries from the file @var{filename} in the fancy
644 diary buffer. The include mechanism is recursive, so that included
645 files can include other files, and so on (you must be careful not to
646 have a cycle of inclusions, of course). Here is how to enable the
647 include facility:
648
649 @vindex diary-list-entries-hook
650 @vindex diary-mark-entries-hook
651 @findex diary-include-other-diary-files
652 @findex diary-mark-included-diary-files
653 @smallexample
654 (add-hook 'diary-list-entries-hook 'diary-include-other-diary-files)
655 (add-hook 'diary-mark-entries-hook 'diary-mark-included-diary-files)
656 @end smallexample
657
658 The include mechanism works only with the fancy diary display, because
659 simple diary display shows the entries directly from your diary file.
660
661 @node Sexp Diary Entries
662 @subsection Sexp Entries and the Fancy Diary Display
663 @cindex sexp diary entries
664
665 @vindex diary-sexp-entry-symbol
666 Sexp diary entries allow you to do more than just have complicated
667 conditions under which a diary entry applies. Sexp entries should be
668 preceded by @code{diary-sexp-entry-symbol} (default @samp{%%}) in the
669 diary file. With the fancy diary display, sexp entries can generate the
670 text of the entry depending on the date itself.
671
672 For example, an anniversary diary entry can insert
673 the number of years since the anniversary date into the text of the
674 diary entry. Thus the @samp{%d} in this diary entry:
675
676 @findex diary-anniversary
677 @smallexample
678 %%(diary-anniversary 10 31 1948) Arthur's birthday (%d years old)
679 @end smallexample
680
681 @noindent
682 gets replaced by the age, so on October 31, 1990 the entry appears in
683 the fancy diary buffer like this:
684
685 @smallexample
686 Arthur's birthday (42 years old)
687 @end smallexample
688
689 @noindent
690 If the diary file instead contains this entry:
691
692 @smallexample
693 %%(diary-anniversary 10 31 1948) Arthur's %d%s birthday
694 @end smallexample
695
696 @noindent
697 the entry in the fancy diary buffer for October 31, 1990 appears like this:
698
699 @smallexample
700 Arthur's 42nd birthday
701 @end smallexample
702
703 Similarly, cyclic diary entries can interpolate the number of repetitions
704 that have occurred:
705
706 @findex diary-cyclic
707 @smallexample
708 %%(diary-cyclic 50 1 1 1990) Renew medication (%d%s time)
709 @end smallexample
710
711 @noindent
712 looks like this:
713
714 @smallexample
715 Renew medication (5th time)
716 @end smallexample
717
718 @noindent
719 in the fancy diary display on September 8, 1990.
720
721 There is an early reminder diary sexp that includes its entry in the
722 diary not only on the date of occurrence, but also on earlier dates.
723 For example, if you want a reminder a week before your anniversary, you
724 can use
725
726 @findex diary-remind
727 @smallexample
728 %%(diary-remind '(diary-anniversary 12 22 1968) 7) Ed's anniversary
729 @end smallexample
730
731 @noindent
732 and the fancy diary will show @samp{Ed's anniversary} both on December
733 15 and on December 22.
734
735 @findex diary-date
736 The function @code{diary-date} applies to dates described by a month,
737 day, year combination, each of which can be an integer, a list of
738 integers, or @code{t} (meaning all values). For example,
739
740 @smallexample
741 %%(diary-date '(10 11 12) 22 t) Rake leaves
742 @end smallexample
743
744 @noindent
745 causes the fancy diary to show
746
747 @smallexample
748 Rake leaves
749 @end smallexample
750
751 @noindent
752 on October 22, November 22, and December 22 of every year.
753
754 @findex diary-float
755 The function @code{diary-float} allows you to describe diary entries
756 that apply to dates like the third Friday of November, or the last
757 Tuesday in April. The parameters are the @var{month}, @var{dayname},
758 and an index @var{n}. The entry appears on the @var{n}th @var{dayname}
759 after the first day of @var{month}, where @var{dayname}=0 means Sunday,
760 1 means Monday, and so on. If @var{n} is negative it counts backward
761 from the end of @var{month}. The value of @var{month} can be a list of
762 months, a single month, or @code{t} to specify all months. You can also
763 use an optional parameter @var{day} to specify the @var{n}th
764 @var{dayname} on or after/before @var{day} of @var{month}; the value of
765 @var{day} defaults to 1 if @var{n} is positive and to the last day of
766 @var{month} if @var{n} is negative. For example,
767
768 @smallexample
769 %%(diary-float t 1 -1) Pay rent
770 @end smallexample
771
772 @noindent
773 causes the fancy diary to show
774
775 @smallexample
776 Pay rent
777 @end smallexample
778
779 @noindent
780 on the last Monday of every month.
781
782 The generality of sexp diary entries lets you specify any diary
783 entry that you can describe algorithmically. A sexp diary entry
784 contains an expression that computes whether the entry applies to any
785 given date. If its value is non-@code{nil}, the entry applies to that
786 date; otherwise, it does not. The expression can use the variable
787 @code{date} to find the date being considered; its value is a list
788 (@var{month} @var{day} @var{year}) that refers to the Gregorian
789 calendar.
790
791 The sexp diary entry applies to a date when the expression's value
792 is non-@code{nil}, but some values have more specific meanings. If
793 the value is a string, that string is a description of the event which
794 occurs on that date. The value can also have the form
795 @code{(@var{mark} . @var{string})}; then @var{mark} specifies how to
796 mark the date in the calendar, and @var{string} is the description of
797 the event. If @var{mark} is a single-character string, that character
798 appears next to the date in the calendar. If @var{mark} is a face
799 name, the date is displayed in that face. If @var{mark} is
800 @code{nil}, that specifies no particular highlighting for the date.
801
802 Suppose you get paid on the 21st of the month if it is a weekday, and
803 on the Friday before if the 21st is on a weekend. Here is how to write
804 a sexp diary entry that matches those dates:
805
806 @smallexample
807 &%%(let ((dayname (calendar-day-of-week date))
808 (day (cadr date)))
809 (or (and (= day 21) (memq dayname '(1 2 3 4 5)))
810 (and (memq day '(19 20)) (= dayname 5)))
811 ) Pay check deposited
812 @end smallexample
813
814 The following sexp diary entries take advantage of the ability (in the fancy
815 diary display) to concoct diary entries whose text varies based on the date:
816
817 @findex diary-sunrise-sunset
818 @findex diary-lunar-phases
819 @findex diary-day-of-year
820 @findex diary-iso-date
821 @findex diary-julian-date
822 @findex diary-astro-day-number
823 @findex diary-bahai-date
824 @findex diary-chinese-date
825 @findex diary-coptic-date
826 @findex diary-ethiopic-date
827 @findex diary-hebrew-date
828 @findex diary-islamic-date
829 @findex diary-french-date
830 @findex diary-mayan-date
831 @findex diary-persian-date
832 @table @code
833 @item %%(diary-sunrise-sunset)
834 Make a diary entry for today's local times of sunrise and sunset.
835 @item %%(diary-lunar-phases)
836 Make a diary entry for the phases (quarters) of the moon.
837 @item %%(diary-day-of-year)
838 Make a diary entry with today's day number in the current year and the number
839 of days remaining in the current year.
840 @item %%(diary-iso-date)
841 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent ISO commercial date.
842 @item %%(diary-julian-date)
843 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Julian calendar date.
844 @item %%(diary-astro-day-number)
845 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent astronomical (Julian) day number.
846 @item %%(diary-bahai-date)
847 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Baha'i calendar date.
848 @item %%(diary-chinese-date)
849 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Chinese calendar date.
850 @item %%(diary-coptic-date)
851 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Coptic calendar date.
852 @item %%(diary-ethiopic-date)
853 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Ethiopic calendar date.
854 @item %%(diary-french-date)
855 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent date on the French Revolutionary
856 calendar.
857 @item %%(diary-hebrew-date)
858 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Hebrew calendar date.
859 @item %%(diary-islamic-date)
860 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Islamic calendar date.
861 @item %%(diary-mayan-date)
862 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Mayan calendar date.
863 @item %%(diary-persian-date)
864 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Persian calendar date.
865 @end table
866
867 @noindent
868 For example, including the diary entry
869
870 @smallexample
871 &%%(diary-hebrew-date)
872 @end smallexample
873
874 @noindent
875 causes every day's diary display to contain the equivalent date on the
876 Hebrew calendar, if you are using the fancy diary display. (With simple
877 diary display, the literal line @samp{&%%(diary-hebrew-date)} appears in
878 the diary for any date.)
879
880 This function has been used to construct certain standard Hebrew sexp
881 diary entries:
882
883 @cindex rosh hodesh
884 @findex diary-hebrew-rosh-hodesh
885 @cindex parasha, weekly
886 @findex diary-hebrew-parasha
887 @cindex candle lighting times
888 @findex diary-hebrew-sabbath-candles
889 @cindex omer count
890 @findex diary-hebrew-omer
891 @cindex yahrzeits
892 @findex diary-hebrew-yahrzeit
893 @table @code
894 @item %%(diary-hebrew-rosh-hodesh)
895 Make a diary entry that tells the occurrence and ritual announcement of each
896 new Hebrew month.
897 @item %%(diary-hebrew-parasha)
898 Make a Saturday diary entry that tells the weekly synagogue scripture reading.
899 @item %%(diary-hebrew-sabbath-candles)
900 Make a Friday diary entry that tells the @emph{local time} of Sabbath
901 candle lighting.
902 @item %%(diary-hebrew-omer)
903 Make a diary entry that gives the omer count, when appropriate.
904 @item %%(diary-hebrew-yahrzeit @var{month} @var{day} @var{year}) @var{name}
905 Make a diary entry marking the anniversary of a date of death. The date
906 is the @emph{Gregorian} (civil) date of death. The diary entry appears
907 on the proper Hebrew calendar anniversary and on the day before. (The
908 order of the parameters changes according to the calendar date style;
909 for example in the European style to @var{day}, @var{month}, @var{year}.)
910 @end table
911
912 All the functions documented above take an optional argument
913 @var{mark} which specifies how to mark the date in the calendar display.
914 If one of these functions decides that it applies to a certain date,
915 it returns a value that contains @var{mark}, as described above.