@cindex Fundamental mode
Major modes specialize Emacs for editing particular kinds of text.
-Each buffer has only one major mode at a time.
+Each buffer has only one major mode at a time. For each major mode
+there is a function to switch to that mode in the current buffer; its
+name should end in @samp{-mode}. These functions work by setting
+buffer-local variable bindings and other data associated with the
+buffer, such as a local keymap. The effect lasts until you switch
+to another major mode in the same buffer.
The least specialized major mode is called @dfn{Fundamental mode}.
This mode has no mode-specific definitions or variable settings, so each
window is scrolled. @code{header-line-format} is used likewise for
header lines.
- The mode line and header line of a window are normally updated
-whenever a different buffer is shown in the window, or when the buffer's
-modified-status changes from @code{nil} to @code{t} or vice-versa. If
-you modify any of the variables referenced by @code{mode-line-format}
-(@pxref{Mode Line Variables}), or any other variables and data
-structures that affect how text is displayed (@pxref{Display}), you may
-want to force an update of the mode line so as to display the new
-information or display it in the new way.
+ For efficiency, Emacs does not recompute the mode line and header
+line of a window in every redisplay. It does so when circumstances
+appear to call for it---for instance, if you change the window
+configuration, switch buffers, narrow or widen the buffer, scroll, or
+change the buffer's modification status. If you modify any of the
+variables referenced by @code{mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line
+Variables}), or any other variables and data structures that affect
+how text is displayed (@pxref{Display}), you may want to force an
+update of the mode line so as to display the new information or
+display it in the new way.
@c Emacs 19 feature
@defun force-mode-line-update
Force redisplay of the current buffer's mode line and header line.
+The next redisplay will update the mode line and header line based on
+the latest values of all relevant variables.
+
+This function also forces recomputation of the menu bar menus
+and the frame title.
@end defun
The mode line is usually displayed in inverse video; see
@code{mode-line-inverse-video} in @ref{Inverse Video}.
+ A window that is just one line tall does not display either a mode
+line or a header line, even if the variables call for one. A window
+that is two lines tall cannot display both a mode line and a header
+line at once; if the variables call for both, only the mode line
+actually appears.
+
@menu
* Mode Line Data:: The data structure that controls the mode line.
* Mode Line Variables:: Variables used in that data structure.
these functions are called with arguments or their values are used in
some way. You can use @code{add-hook} to add a function to the list,
but you must take care in writing the function. (A few of these
-variables are actually normal hooks which were named before we
-established the convention of using @samp{-hook} for them.)
+variables, notably those ending in @samp{-hooks}, are actually
+normal hooks which were named before we established the convention of
+using @samp{-hook} for them.)
If the variable's name ends in @samp{-function}, then its value
is just a single function, not a list of functions.
argument @var{append} is non-@code{nil}, the new hook function goes at
the end of the hook list and will be executed last.
-If @var{local} is non-@code{nil}, that says to make the new hook
-function buffer-local in the current buffer and automatically calls
-@code{make-local-hook} to make the hook itself buffer-local.
+If @var{local} is non-@code{nil}, that says to add @var{function}
+to the buffer-local hook list instead of to the global hook list.
@end defun
@defun remove-hook hook function &optional local
If @var{local} is non-@code{nil}, that says to remove @var{function}
from the buffer-local hook list instead of from the global hook list.
-If the hook variable itself is not buffer-local, then the value of
-@var{local} makes no difference.
-@end defun
-
-@defun make-local-hook hook
-This function makes the hook variable @code{hook} buffer-local in the
-current buffer. When a hook variable is buffer-local, it can have
-buffer-local and global hook functions, and @code{run-hooks} runs all of
-them.
-
-This function works by adding @code{t} as an element of the buffer-local
-value. That serves as a flag to use the hook functions listed in the default
-value of the hook variable, as well as those listed in the buffer-local value.
-Since @code{run-hooks} understands this flag, @code{make-local-hook}
-works with all normal hooks. It works for only some non-normal
-hooks---those whose callers have been updated to understand this meaning
-of @code{t}.
-
-Do not use @code{make-local-variable} directly for hook variables; it is
-not sufficient.
@end defun
HCoop / bpt / emacs.git / blobdiff