]> code.delx.au - gnu-emacs/blob - doc/emacs/cal-xtra.texi
* imenu.el (imenu-default-goto-function): Fix typo.
[gnu-emacs] / doc / emacs / cal-xtra.texi
1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 2004-2014 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 More advanced features of the Calendar and Diary
11
12 This section describes some of the more advanced/specialized
13 features of the calendar and diary. It starts with some of the
14 many ways in which you can customize the calendar and diary to suit
15 your personal tastes.
16
17 @menu
18 * Calendar Customizing:: Calendar layout and hooks.
19 * Holiday Customizing:: Defining your own holidays.
20 * Mayan Calendar:: Moving to a date specified in a Mayan calendar.
21 * Date Display Format:: Changing the format.
22 * Time Display Format:: Changing the format.
23 * Diary Customizing:: Defaults you can set.
24 * Non-Gregorian Diary:: Diary entries based on other calendars.
25 * Diary Display:: A choice of ways to display the diary.
26 * Fancy Diary Display:: Sorting diary entries, using included diary files.
27 * Sexp Diary Entries:: More flexible diary entries.
28 @end menu
29
30 @node Calendar Customizing
31 @subsection Customizing the Calendar
32
33 @vindex calendar-intermonth-text
34 @cindex calendar layout
35 @cindex calendar week numbers
36 The calendar display unfortunately cannot be changed from three
37 months, but you can customize the whitespace used by setting the
38 variables: @code{calendar-left-margin},
39 @code{calendar-day-header-width}, @code{calendar-day-digit-width},
40 @code{calendar-column-width}, and @code{calendar-intermonth-spacing}.
41 To display text @emph{between} the months, for example week numbers,
42 customize the variables @code{calendar-intermonth-header} and
43 @code{calendar-intermonth-text} as described in their documentation.
44
45 @vindex calendar-month-header
46 @vindex calendar-day-header-array
47 The variable @code{calendar-month-header} controls the text that
48 appears above each month in the calendar. By default, it shows the
49 month and year. The variable @code{calendar-day-header-array}
50 controls the text that appears above each day's column in every month.
51 By default, it shows the first two letters of each day's name.
52
53 @vindex calendar-holiday-marker
54 @vindex diary-entry-marker
55 @vindex calendar-today-marker
56 The variable @code{calendar-holiday-marker} specifies how to mark a
57 date that is a holiday. Its value may be a single-character string to
58 insert next to the date, or a face name to use for displaying the date.
59 Likewise, the variable @code{diary-entry-marker} specifies how to mark a
60 date that has diary entries. The function @code{calendar-mark-today}
61 uses @code{calendar-today-marker} to mark today's date. By default,
62 the calendar uses faces named @code{holiday}, @code{diary}, and
63 @code{calendar-today} for these purposes.
64
65 @vindex calendar-load-hook
66 The variable @code{calendar-load-hook} is a normal hook run when the
67 calendar package is first loaded (before actually starting to display
68 the calendar).
69
70 @vindex calendar-initial-window-hook
71 Starting the calendar runs the normal hook
72 @code{calendar-initial-window-hook}. Recomputation of the calendar
73 display does not run this hook. But if you leave the calendar with the
74 @kbd{q} command and reenter it, the hook runs again.
75
76 @vindex calendar-today-visible-hook
77 @findex calendar-star-date
78 The variable @code{calendar-today-visible-hook} is a normal hook run
79 after the calendar buffer has been prepared with the calendar, when the
80 current date is visible in the window. One use of this hook is to
81 mark today's date; to do that use either of the functions
82 @code{calendar-mark-today} or @code{calendar-star-date}:
83
84 @findex calendar-mark-today
85 @smallexample
86 (add-hook 'calendar-today-visible-hook 'calendar-mark-today)
87 @end smallexample
88
89 @vindex calendar-today-invisible-hook
90 @noindent
91 A similar normal hook, @code{calendar-today-invisible-hook} is run if
92 the current date is @emph{not} visible in the window.
93
94 @vindex calendar-move-hook
95 Each of the calendar cursor motion commands runs the hook
96 @code{calendar-move-hook} after it moves the cursor.
97
98 @node Holiday Customizing
99 @subsection Customizing the Holidays
100
101 @vindex calendar-holidays
102 @vindex holiday-oriental-holidays
103 @vindex holiday-solar-holidays
104 There are several variables listing the default holidays that Emacs
105 knows about. These are: @code{holiday-general-holidays},
106 @code{holiday-local-holidays}, @code{holiday-solar-holidays},
107 @code{holiday-bahai-holidays}, @code{holiday-christian-holidays},
108 @code{holiday-hebrew-holidays}, @code{holiday-islamic-holidays},
109 @code{holiday-oriental-holidays}, and @code{holiday-other-holidays}.
110 The names should be self-explanatory; e.g., @code{holiday-solar-holidays}
111 lists sun- and moon-related holidays.
112
113 You can customize these lists of holidays to your own needs, deleting or
114 adding holidays as described below. Set any of them to @code{nil} to
115 not show the associated holidays.
116
117 @vindex holiday-general-holidays
118 @vindex holiday-local-holidays
119 @vindex holiday-other-holidays
120 The general holidays are, by default, holidays common throughout the
121 United States. In contrast, @code{holiday-local-holidays} and
122 @code{holiday-other-holidays} are both empty by default. These are
123 intended for system-wide settings and your individual use,
124 respectively.
125
126 @vindex holiday-bahai-holidays
127 @vindex holiday-christian-holidays
128 @vindex holiday-hebrew-holidays
129 @vindex holiday-islamic-holidays
130 @vindex calendar-bahai-all-holidays-flag
131 @vindex calendar-christian-all-holidays-flag
132 @vindex calendar-hebrew-all-holidays-flag
133 @vindex calendar-islamic-all-holidays-flag
134 By default, Emacs does not include all the holidays of the religions
135 that it knows, only those commonly found in secular calendars. For a
136 more extensive collection of religious holidays, you can set any (or
137 all) of the variables @code{calendar-bahai-all-holidays-flag},
138 @code{calendar-christian-all-holidays-flag},
139 @code{calendar-hebrew-all-holidays-flag}, or
140 @code{calendar-islamic-all-holidays-flag} to @code{t}.
141
142 @cindex holiday forms
143 Each of the holiday variables is a list of @dfn{holiday forms}, each
144 form describing a holiday (or sometimes a list of holidays). Here is
145 a table of the possible kinds of holiday form. Day numbers and month
146 numbers count starting from 1, but ``dayname'' numbers count Sunday as
147 0. The argument @var{string} is always the description of the
148 holiday, as a string.
149
150 @table @code
151 @item (holiday-fixed @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
152 A fixed date on the Gregorian calendar.
153
154 @item (holiday-float @var{month} @var{dayname} @var{k} @var{string}
155 &optional @var{day})
156 The @var{k}th @var{dayname} (@var{dayname}=0 for Sunday, and so on)
157 after or before Gregorian date @var{month}, @var{day}. Negative @var{k}
158 means count back from the end of the month. Optional @var{day} defaults
159 to 1 if @var{k} is positive, and the last day of @var{month} otherwise.
160
161 @item (holiday-chinese @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
162 A fixed date on the Chinese calendar.
163
164 @item (holiday-hebrew @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
165 A fixed date on the Hebrew calendar.
166
167 @item (holiday-islamic @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
168 A fixed date on the Islamic calendar.
169
170 @item (holiday-julian @var{month} @var{day} @var{string})
171 A fixed date on the Julian calendar.
172
173 @item (holiday-sexp @var{sexp} @var{string})
174 A date calculated by the Lisp expression @var{sexp}. The expression
175 should use the variable @code{year} to compute and return the date of a
176 holiday in the form of a list @code{(@var{month} @var{day} @var{year})},
177 or @code{nil} if the holiday doesn't happen this year.
178
179 @item (if @var{condition} @var{holiday-form})
180 A holiday that happens only if @var{condition} is true.
181
182 @item (@var{function} @r{[}@var{args}@r{]})
183 A list of dates calculated by the function @var{function}, called with
184 arguments @var{args}.
185 @end table
186
187 For example, suppose you want to add Bastille Day, celebrated in
188 France on July 14 (i.e., the fourteenth day of the seventh month). You
189 can do this as follows:
190
191 @smallexample
192 (setq holiday-other-holidays '((holiday-fixed 7 14 "Bastille Day")))
193 @end smallexample
194
195 Many holidays occur on a specific day of the week, at a specific time
196 of month. Here is a holiday form describing Hurricane Supplication Day,
197 celebrated in the Virgin Islands on the fourth Monday in August:
198
199 @smallexample
200 (holiday-float 8 1 4 "Hurricane Supplication Day")
201 @end smallexample
202
203 @noindent
204 Here the 8 specifies August, the 1 specifies Monday (Sunday is 0,
205 Tuesday is 2, and so on), and the 4 specifies the fourth occurrence in
206 the month (1 specifies the first occurrence, 2 the second occurrence,
207 @minus{}1 the last occurrence, @minus{}2 the second-to-last occurrence, and
208 so on).
209
210 You can specify holidays that occur on fixed days of the Bahá'í,
211 Chinese, Hebrew, Islamic, and Julian calendars too. For example,
212
213 @smallexample
214 (setq holiday-other-holidays
215 '((holiday-hebrew 10 2 "Last day of Hanukkah")
216 (holiday-islamic 3 12 "Mohammed's Birthday")
217 (holiday-julian 4 2 "Jefferson's Birthday")))
218 @end smallexample
219
220 @noindent
221 adds the last day of Hanukkah (since the Hebrew months are numbered with
222 1 starting from Nisan), the Islamic feast celebrating Mohammed's
223 birthday (since the Islamic months are numbered from 1 starting with
224 Muharram), and Thomas Jefferson's birthday, which is 2 April 1743 on the
225 Julian calendar.
226
227 To include a holiday conditionally, use either Emacs Lisp's @code{if}
228 or the @code{holiday-sexp} form. For example, American presidential
229 elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
230 of years divisible by 4:
231
232 @smallexample
233 (holiday-sexp '(if (zerop (% year 4))
234 (calendar-gregorian-from-absolute
235 (1+ (calendar-dayname-on-or-before
236 1 (+ 6 (calendar-absolute-from-gregorian
237 (list 11 1 year)))))))
238 "US Presidential Election")
239 @end smallexample
240
241 @noindent
242 or
243
244 @smallexample
245 (if (zerop (% displayed-year 4))
246 (holiday-fixed 11
247 (calendar-extract-day
248 (calendar-gregorian-from-absolute
249 (1+ (calendar-dayname-on-or-before
250 1 (+ 6 (calendar-absolute-from-gregorian
251 (list 11 1 displayed-year)))))))
252 "US Presidential Election"))
253 @end smallexample
254
255 Some holidays just don't fit into any of these forms because special
256 calculations are involved in their determination. In such cases you
257 must write a Lisp function to do the calculation. To include eclipses,
258 for example, add @code{(eclipses)} to @code{holiday-other-holidays}
259 and write an Emacs Lisp function @code{eclipses} that returns a
260 (possibly empty) list of the relevant Gregorian dates among the range
261 visible in the calendar window, with descriptive strings, like this:
262
263 @smallexample
264 (((6 4 2012) "Lunar Eclipse") ((11 13 2012) "Solar Eclipse") ... )
265 @end smallexample
266
267 @node Mayan Calendar
268 @subsection Converting from the Mayan Calendar
269 @cindex Mayan calendar
270
271 Here are the commands to select dates based on the Mayan calendar:
272
273 @table @kbd
274 @item g m l
275 Move to a date specified by the long count calendar
276 (@code{calendar-mayan-goto-long-count-date}).
277 @item g m n t
278 Move to the next occurrence of a place in the
279 tzolkin calendar (@code{calendar-mayan-next-tzolkin-date}).
280 @item g m p t
281 Move to the previous occurrence of a place in the
282 tzolkin calendar (@code{calendar-mayan-previous-tzolkin-date}).
283 @item g m n h
284 Move to the next occurrence of a place in the
285 haab calendar (@code{calendar-mayan-next-haab-date}).
286 @item g m p h
287 Move to the previous occurrence of a place in the
288 haab calendar (@code{calendar-mayan-previous-haab-date}).
289 @item g m n c
290 Move to the next occurrence of a place in the
291 calendar round (@code{calendar-mayan-next-calendar-round-date}).
292 @item g m p c
293 Move to the previous occurrence of a place in the
294 calendar round (@code{calendar-mayan-previous-calendar-round-date}).
295 @end table
296
297 @cindex Mayan long count
298 To understand these commands, you need to understand the Mayan calendars.
299 The @dfn{long count} is a counting of days with these units:
300
301 @display
302 1 kin = 1 day@ @ @ 1 uinal = 20 kin@ @ @ 1 tun = 18 uinal
303 1 katun = 20 tun@ @ @ 1 baktun = 20 katun
304 @end display
305
306 @kindex g m @r{(Calendar mode)}
307 @findex calendar-mayan-goto-long-count-date
308 @noindent
309 Thus, the long count date 12.16.11.16.6 means 12 baktun, 16 katun, 11
310 tun, 16 uinal, and 6 kin. The Emacs calendar can handle Mayan long
311 count dates as early as 7.17.18.13.3, but no earlier. When you use the
312 @kbd{g m l} command, type the Mayan long count date with the baktun,
313 katun, tun, uinal, and kin separated by periods.
314
315 @findex calendar-mayan-previous-tzolkin-date
316 @findex calendar-mayan-next-tzolkin-date
317 @cindex Mayan tzolkin calendar
318 The Mayan tzolkin calendar is a cycle of 260 days formed by a pair of
319 independent cycles of 13 and 20 days. Since this cycle repeats
320 endlessly, Emacs provides commands to move backward and forward to the
321 previous or next point in the cycle. Type @kbd{g m p t} to go to the
322 previous tzolkin date; Emacs asks you for a tzolkin date and moves point
323 to the previous occurrence of that date. Similarly, type @kbd{g m n t}
324 to go to the next occurrence of a tzolkin date.
325
326 @findex calendar-mayan-previous-haab-date
327 @findex calendar-mayan-next-haab-date
328 @cindex Mayan haab calendar
329 The Mayan haab calendar is a cycle of 365 days arranged as 18 months
330 of 20 days each, followed by a 5-day monthless period. Like the tzolkin
331 cycle, this cycle repeats endlessly, and there are commands to move
332 backward and forward to the previous or next point in the cycle. Type
333 @kbd{g m p h} to go to the previous haab date; Emacs asks you for a haab
334 date and moves point to the previous occurrence of that date.
335 Similarly, type @kbd{g m n h} to go to the next occurrence of a haab
336 date.
337
338 @c This is omitted because it is too long for smallbook format.
339 @c @findex calendar-mayan-previous-calendar-round-date
340 @findex calendar-mayan-next-calendar-round-date
341 @cindex Mayan calendar round
342 The Maya also used the combination of the tzolkin date and the haab
343 date. This combination is a cycle of about 52 years called a
344 @emph{calendar round}. If you type @kbd{g m p c}, Emacs asks you for
345 both a haab and a tzolkin date and then moves point to the previous
346 occurrence of that combination. Use @kbd{g m n c} to move point to the
347 next occurrence of a combination. These commands signal an error if the
348 haab/tzolkin date combination you have typed is impossible.
349
350 Emacs uses strict completion
351 @iftex
352 (@pxref{Completion Exit,,, emacs, the Emacs Manual})
353 @end iftex
354 @ifnottex
355 (@pxref{Completion Exit})
356 @end ifnottex
357 whenever it asks you to type a Mayan name, so you don't have to worry
358 about spelling.
359
360 @node Date Display Format
361 @subsection Date Display Format
362 @vindex calendar-date-display-form
363
364 You can customize the way dates are displayed in the diary, mode
365 lines, and messages by setting @code{calendar-date-display-form}.
366 This variable holds a list of expressions that can involve the variables
367 @code{month}, @code{day}, and @code{year}, which are all numbers in
368 string form, and @code{monthname} and @code{dayname}, which are both
369 alphabetic strings. In the American style, the default value of this
370 list is as follows:
371
372 @smallexample
373 ((if dayname (concat dayname ", ")) monthname " " day ", " year)
374 @end smallexample
375
376 @noindent
377 while in the European style this value is the default:
378
379 @smallexample
380 ((if dayname (concat dayname ", ")) day " " monthname " " year)
381 @end smallexample
382
383 @noindent
384 The default ISO date representation is:
385
386 @smallexample
387 ((format "%s-%.2d-%.2d" year (string-to-number month)
388 (string-to-number day)))
389 @end smallexample
390
391 @noindent
392 Another typical American format is:
393
394 @smallexample
395 (month "/" day "/" (substring year -2))
396 @end smallexample
397
398 @node Time Display Format
399 @subsection Time Display Format
400 @vindex calendar-time-display-form
401
402 The calendar and diary by default display times of day in the
403 conventional American style with the hours from 1 through 12, minutes,
404 and either @samp{am} or @samp{pm}. If you prefer the European style,
405 also known in the US as military, in which the hours go from 00 to 23,
406 you can alter the variable @code{calendar-time-display-form}. This
407 variable is a list of expressions that can involve the variables
408 @code{12-hours}, @code{24-hours}, and @code{minutes}, which are all
409 numbers in string form, and @code{am-pm} and @code{time-zone}, which are
410 both alphabetic strings. The default value is:
411
412 @smallexample
413 (12-hours ":" minutes am-pm
414 (if time-zone " (") time-zone (if time-zone ")"))
415 @end smallexample
416
417 @noindent
418 Here is a value that provides European style times:
419
420 @smallexample
421 (24-hours ":" minutes
422 (if time-zone " (") time-zone (if time-zone ")"))
423 @end smallexample
424
425 Note that few calendar functions return a time of day (at present, only
426 solar functions).
427
428 @node Diary Customizing
429 @subsection Customizing the Diary
430
431 @vindex diary-show-holidays-flag
432 Ordinarily, the diary window indicates any holidays that fall on the
433 date of the diary entries, either in the mode line or the buffer itself.
434 The process of checking for holidays can be slow, depending on the
435 defined holidays. In that case, setting @code{diary-show-holidays-flag}
436 to @code{nil} will speed up the diary display.
437
438 @vindex diary-number-of-entries
439 The variable @code{diary-number-of-entries} controls the number of
440 days of diary entries to be displayed at one time. It affects the
441 initial display when @code{calendar-view-diary-initially-flag} is
442 @code{t}, as well as the command @kbd{M-x diary}. For example, a value
443 of 1 (the default) displays only the current day's diary entries,
444 whereas a value of 2 will also show the next day's entries. The value
445 can also be a vector of seven integers: for example, if the value is
446 @code{[0 2 2 2 2 4 1]} then no diary entries appear on Sunday, the
447 current date's and the next day's diary entries appear Monday through
448 Thursday, Friday through Monday's entries appear on Friday, while on
449 Saturday only that day's entries appear.
450
451 @vindex diary-date-forms
452 You can customize the form of dates in your diary file by setting the
453 variable @code{diary-date-forms}. This variable is a list of patterns
454 for recognizing a date. Each date pattern is a list whose elements may
455 be regular expressions (@pxref{Regular Expressions,,, elisp, the Emacs
456 Lisp Reference Manual}) or the symbols @code{month}, @code{day},
457 @code{year}, @code{monthname}, and @code{dayname}. All these elements
458 serve as patterns that match certain kinds of text in the diary file.
459 In order for the date pattern as a whole to match, all of its elements
460 must match consecutively.
461
462 A regular expression in a date pattern matches in its usual fashion,
463 using the standard syntax table altered so that @samp{*} is a word
464 constituent.
465
466 The symbols @code{month}, @code{day}, @code{year}, @code{monthname},
467 and @code{dayname} match the month number, day number, year number,
468 month name, and day name of the date being considered. The symbols that
469 match numbers allow leading zeros; those that match names allow
470 capitalization and abbreviation (as specified by
471 @code{calendar-month-abbrev-array} and
472 @code{calendar-day-abbrev-array}). All the symbols can match @samp{*};
473 since @samp{*} in a diary entry means ``any day'', ``any month'', and so
474 on, it should match regardless of the date being considered.
475
476 The default value of @code{diary-date-forms} in the American style is
477 provided by @code{diary-american-date-forms}:
478
479 @example
480 ((month "/" day "[^/0-9]")
481 (month "/" day "/" year "[^0-9]")
482 (monthname " *" day "[^,0-9]")
483 (monthname " *" day ", *" year "[^0-9]")
484 (dayname "\\W"))
485 @end example
486
487 @noindent
488 The variables @code{diary-european-date-forms} and
489 @code{diary-iso-date-forms} provide other default styles.
490
491 The date patterns in the list must be @emph{mutually exclusive} and
492 must not match any portion of the diary entry itself, just the date and
493 one character of whitespace. If, to be mutually exclusive, the pattern
494 must match a portion of the diary entry text---beyond the whitespace
495 that ends the date---then the first element of the date pattern
496 @emph{must} be @code{backup}. This causes the date recognizer to back
497 up to the beginning of the current word of the diary entry, after
498 finishing the match. Even if you use @code{backup}, the date pattern
499 must absolutely not match more than a portion of the first word of the
500 diary entry. For example, the default value of
501 @code{diary-european-date-forms} is:
502
503 @example
504 ((day "/" month "[^/0-9]")
505 (day "/" month "/" year "[^0-9]")
506 (backup day " *" monthname "\\W+\\<\\([^*0-9]\\|\\([0-9]+[:aApP]\\)\\)")
507 (day " *" monthname " *" year "[^0-9]")
508 (dayname "\\W"))
509 @end example
510
511 @noindent
512 Notice the use of @code{backup} in the third pattern, because it needs
513 to match part of a word beyond the date itself to distinguish it from
514 the fourth pattern.
515
516 @node Non-Gregorian Diary
517 @subsection Diary Entries Using non-Gregorian Calendars
518
519 As well as entries based on the standard Gregorian calendar, your
520 diary can have entries based on Bahá'í, Hebrew, or Islamic dates.
521 Recognition of such entries can be time-consuming, however, and since
522 most people don't use them, you must explicitly enable their use. If
523 you want the diary to recognize Hebrew-date diary entries, for example,
524 you must do this:
525
526 @vindex diary-nongregorian-listing-hook
527 @vindex diary-nongregorian-marking-hook
528 @findex diary-hebrew-list-entries
529 @findex diary-hebrew-mark-entries
530 @findex diary-islamic-list-entries
531 @findex diary-islamic-mark-entries
532 @findex diary-bahai-list-entries
533 @findex diary-bahai-mark-entries
534 @smallexample
535 (add-hook 'diary-nongregorian-listing-hook 'diary-hebrew-list-entries)
536 (add-hook 'diary-nongregorian-marking-hook 'diary-hebrew-mark-entries)
537 @end smallexample
538
539 @noindent
540 Similarly, for Islamic and Bahá'í entries, add
541 @code{diary-islamic-list-entries} and @code{diary-islamic-mark-entries}, or
542 @code{diary-bahai-list-entries} and @code{diary-bahai-mark-entries}.
543
544 @vindex diary-bahai-entry-symbol
545 @vindex diary-hebrew-entry-symbol
546 @vindex diary-islamic-entry-symbol
547 These diary entries have the same formats as Gregorian-date diary
548 entries; except that @code{diary-bahai-entry-symbol} (default @samp{B})
549 must precede a Bahá'í date, @code{diary-hebrew-entry-symbol} (default
550 @samp{H}) a Hebrew date, and @code{diary-islamic-entry-symbol} (default
551 @samp{I}) an Islamic date. Moreover, non-Gregorian month names may not
552 be abbreviated (because the first three letters are often not unique).
553 (Note also that you must use ``Adar I'' if you want Adar of a common
554 Hebrew year.) For example, a diary entry for the Hebrew date Heshvan 25
555 could look like this:
556
557 @smallexample
558 HHeshvan 25 Happy Hebrew birthday!
559 @end smallexample
560
561 @noindent
562 and would appear in the diary for any date that corresponds to Heshvan 25
563 on the Hebrew calendar. And here is an Islamic-date diary entry that matches
564 Dhu al-Qada 25:
565
566 @smallexample
567 IDhu al-Qada 25 Happy Islamic birthday!
568 @end smallexample
569
570 As with Gregorian-date diary entries, non-Gregorian entries are
571 nonmarking if preceded by @code{diary-nonmarking-symbol} (default
572 @samp{&}).
573
574 Here is a table of commands used in the calendar to create diary
575 entries that match the selected date and other dates that are similar in
576 the Bahá'í, Hebrew, or Islamic calendars:
577
578 @table @kbd
579 @item i h d
580 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-entry}
581 @item i h m
582 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-monthly-entry}
583 @item i h y
584 @code{diary-hebrew-insert-yearly-entry}
585 @item i i d
586 @code{diary-islamic-insert-entry}
587 @item i i m
588 @code{diary-islamic-insert-monthly-entry}
589 @item i i y
590 @code{diary-islamic-insert-yearly-entry}
591 @item i B d
592 @code{diary-bahai-insert-entry}
593 @item i B m
594 @code{diary-bahai-insert-monthly-entry}
595 @item i B y
596 @code{diary-bahai-insert-yearly-entry}
597 @end table
598
599 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-entry
600 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-monthly-entry
601 @findex diary-hebrew-insert-yearly-entry
602 @findex diary-islamic-insert-entry
603 @findex diary-islamic-insert-monthly-entry
604 @findex diary-islamic-insert-yearly-entry
605 @findex diary-bahai-insert-entry
606 @findex diary-bahai-insert-monthly-entry
607 @findex diary-bahai-insert-yearly-entry
608 These commands work much like the corresponding commands for ordinary
609 diary entries: they apply to the date that point is on in the calendar
610 window, and what they do is insert just the date portion of a diary
611 entry at the end of your diary file. You must then insert the rest of
612 the diary entry. The basic commands add an entry for the specific
613 non-Gregorian date, the @samp{monthly} commands for the given
614 non-Gregorian day-within-month in every month, and the @samp{yearly}
615 commands for the given non-Gregorian day and month in every year.
616
617 @node Diary Display
618 @subsection Diary Display
619 @vindex diary-display-function
620 @findex diary-simple-display
621 @findex diary-fancy-display
622 @cindex diary buffer
623
624 Diary display works by preparing the list of diary entries and then
625 running the function specified by the variable
626 @code{diary-display-function}. The default value
627 @code{diary-fancy-display} displays diary entries and holidays by
628 copying them into a special buffer that exists only for the sake of
629 display. Copying diary entries to a separate buffer provides an
630 opportunity to change the displayed text to make it prettier---for
631 example, to sort the entries by the dates they apply to.
632
633 @vindex diary-list-include-blanks
634 Ordinarily, the fancy diary buffer does not show days for which there
635 are no diary entries, even if that day is a holiday. If you want such
636 days to be shown in the fancy diary buffer, set the variable
637 @code{diary-list-include-blanks} to @code{t}.
638
639 The fancy diary buffer enables View mode
640 @iftex
641 (@pxref{View Mode,,, emacs, the Emacs Manual}).
642 @end iftex
643 @ifnottex
644 (@pxref{View Mode}).
645 @end ifnottex
646
647 The alternative display method @code{diary-simple-display} shows the
648 actual diary buffer, and uses invisible text to hide entries that don't
649 apply. Holidays are shown in the mode line. The advantage of this
650 method is that you can edit the buffer and save your changes directly to
651 the diary file. This method is not as flexible as the fancy method,
652 however. For example, it cannot sort entries. Another disadvantage is
653 that invisible text can be confusing. For example, if you copy a region
654 of text in order to paste it elsewhere, invisible text may be included.
655 Similarly, since the diary buffer as you see it is an illusion, simply
656 printing the buffer may not print what you see on your screen.
657
658 @vindex diary-print-entries-hook
659 @findex diary-print-entries
660 For this reason, there is a special command to print hard copy of the
661 diary buffer @emph{as it appears}; this command is @kbd{M-x
662 diary-print-entries}. It works with either display method, although
663 with the fancy display you can also print the buffer like any other. To
664 print a hard copy of a day-by-day diary for a week, position point on
665 the first day of the week, type @kbd{7 d}, and then do @kbd{M-x
666 diary-print-entries}. As usual, the inclusion of the holidays slows
667 down the display slightly; you can speed things up by setting the
668 variable @code{diary-show-holidays-flag} to @code{nil}.
669
670 This command prepares a temporary buffer that contains only the diary
671 entries currently visible in the diary buffer. Unlike with the simple
672 display, the other irrelevant entries are really absent, not just
673 hidden. After preparing the buffer, it runs the hook
674 @code{diary-print-entries-hook}. The default value of this hook sends
675 the data directly to the printer with the command @code{lpr-buffer}
676 @iftex
677 (@pxref{Printing,,, emacs, the Emacs Manual}).
678 @end iftex
679 @ifnottex
680 (@pxref{Printing}).
681 @end ifnottex
682 If you want to use a different command to do the
683 printing, just change the value of this hook. Other uses might include,
684 for example, rearranging the lines into order by day and time.
685
686 You can edit the diary entries as they appear in the simple diary
687 window, but it is important to remember that the buffer displayed
688 contains the @emph{entire} diary file, with portions of it concealed
689 from view. This means, for instance, that the @kbd{C-f}
690 (@code{forward-char}) command can put point at what appears to be the
691 end of the line, but what is in reality the middle of some concealed
692 line.
693
694 @emph{Be careful when editing the diary entries in the simple display!}
695 Inserting additional lines or adding/deleting characters in the middle
696 of a visible line cannot cause problems, but editing at the end of a
697 line may not do what you expect. Deleting a line may delete other
698 invisible entries that follow it. Before editing the simple diary
699 buffer, it is best to display the entire file with @kbd{s}
700 (@code{diary-show-all-entries}).
701
702 @node Fancy Diary Display
703 @subsection Fancy Diary Display
704
705 The following features only work with the fancy diary display.
706
707 @cindex sorting diary entries
708 You can use the normal hook @code{diary-list-entries-hook} to sort
709 each day's diary entries by their time of day. Here's how:
710
711 @findex diary-sort-entries
712 @example
713 (add-hook 'diary-list-entries-hook 'diary-sort-entries t)
714 @end example
715
716 @noindent
717 For each day, this sorts diary entries that begin with a recognizable
718 time of day according to their times. Diary entries without times come
719 first within each day. Note how the sort command is placed at the end
720 of the hook list, in case earlier members of the list change the order
721 of the diary entries, or add items.
722
723 @vindex diary-comment-start
724 You can write @samp{comments} in diary entries, by setting the
725 variables @code{diary-comment-start} and @code{diary-comment-end} to
726 strings that delimit comments. The fancy display does not print
727 comments. You might want to put meta-data for the use of other packages
728 (e.g., the appointment package,
729 @iftex
730 @pxref{Appointments,,,emacs, the Emacs Manual})
731 @end iftex
732 @ifnottex
733 @pxref{Appointments})
734 @end ifnottex
735 inside comments.
736
737 @vindex diary-include-string
738 Your main diary file can include other files. This permits a group of
739 people to share a diary file for events that apply to all of them.
740 Lines in the diary file starting with @code{diary-include-string}:
741
742 @smallexample
743 #include "@var{filename}"
744 @end smallexample
745
746 @noindent
747 include the diary entries from the file @var{filename} in the fancy
748 diary buffer. The include mechanism is recursive, so that included
749 files can include other files, and so on (you must be careful not to
750 have a cycle of inclusions, of course). Here is how to enable the
751 include facility:
752
753 @vindex diary-list-entries-hook
754 @vindex diary-mark-entries-hook
755 @findex diary-include-other-diary-files
756 @findex diary-mark-included-diary-files
757 @smallexample
758 (add-hook 'diary-list-entries-hook 'diary-include-other-diary-files)
759 (add-hook 'diary-mark-entries-hook 'diary-mark-included-diary-files)
760 @end smallexample
761
762 The include mechanism works only with the fancy diary display, because
763 simple diary display shows the entries directly from your diary file.
764
765 @node Sexp Diary Entries
766 @subsection Sexp Entries and the Fancy Diary Display
767 @cindex sexp diary entries
768
769 @vindex diary-sexp-entry-symbol
770 Sexp diary entries allow you to do more than just have complicated
771 conditions under which a diary entry applies. Sexp entries should be
772 preceded by @code{diary-sexp-entry-symbol} (default @samp{%%}) in the
773 diary file. With the fancy diary display, sexp entries can generate the
774 text of the entry depending on the date itself.
775
776 For example, an anniversary diary entry can insert
777 the number of years since the anniversary date into the text of the
778 diary entry. Thus the @samp{%d} in this diary entry:
779
780 @findex diary-anniversary
781 @smallexample
782 %%(diary-anniversary 10 31 1948) Arthur's birthday (%d years old)
783 @end smallexample
784
785 @noindent
786 gets replaced by the age, so on October 31, 1990 the entry appears in
787 the fancy diary buffer like this:
788
789 @smallexample
790 Arthur's birthday (42 years old)
791 @end smallexample
792
793 @noindent
794 If the diary file instead contains this entry:
795
796 @smallexample
797 %%(diary-anniversary 10 31 1948) Arthur's %d%s birthday
798 @end smallexample
799
800 @noindent
801 the entry in the fancy diary buffer for October 31, 1990 appears like this:
802
803 @smallexample
804 Arthur's 42nd birthday
805 @end smallexample
806
807 Similarly, cyclic diary entries can interpolate the number of repetitions
808 that have occurred:
809
810 @findex diary-cyclic
811 @smallexample
812 %%(diary-cyclic 50 1 1 2012) Renew medication (%d%s time)
813 @end smallexample
814
815 @noindent
816 looks like this:
817
818 @smallexample
819 Renew medication (5th time)
820 @end smallexample
821
822 @noindent
823 in the fancy diary display on September 7, 2012.
824
825 There is an ``early reminder'' diary sexp that includes its entry in the
826 diary not only on the date of occurrence, but also on earlier dates.
827 For example, if you want a reminder a week before your anniversary, you
828 can use
829
830 @findex diary-remind
831 @smallexample
832 %%(diary-remind '(diary-anniversary 12 22 1968) 7) Ed's anniversary
833 @end smallexample
834
835 @noindent
836 and the fancy diary will show @samp{Ed's anniversary} both on December
837 15 and on December 22.
838
839 @findex diary-date
840 The function @code{diary-date} applies to dates described by a month,
841 day, year combination, each of which can be an integer, a list of
842 integers, or @code{t} (meaning all values). For example,
843
844 @smallexample
845 %%(diary-date '(10 11 12) 22 t) Rake leaves
846 @end smallexample
847
848 @noindent
849 causes the fancy diary to show
850
851 @smallexample
852 Rake leaves
853 @end smallexample
854
855 @noindent
856 on October 22, November 22, and December 22 of every year.
857
858 @findex diary-float
859 The function @code{diary-float} allows you to describe diary entries
860 that apply to dates like the third Friday of November, or the last
861 Tuesday in April. The parameters are the @var{month}, @var{dayname},
862 and an index @var{n}. The entry appears on the @var{n}th @var{dayname}
863 after the first day of @var{month}, where @var{dayname}=0 means Sunday,
864 1 means Monday, and so on. If @var{n} is negative it counts backward
865 from the end of @var{month}. The value of @var{month} can be a list of
866 months, a single month, or @code{t} to specify all months. You can also
867 use an optional parameter @var{day} to specify the @var{n}th
868 @var{dayname} on or after/before @var{day} of @var{month}; the value of
869 @var{day} defaults to 1 if @var{n} is positive and to the last day of
870 @var{month} if @var{n} is negative. For example,
871
872 @smallexample
873 %%(diary-float t 1 -1) Pay rent
874 @end smallexample
875
876 @noindent
877 causes the fancy diary to show
878
879 @smallexample
880 Pay rent
881 @end smallexample
882
883 @noindent
884 on the last Monday of every month.
885
886 The generality of sexp diary entries lets you specify any diary
887 entry that you can describe algorithmically. A sexp diary entry
888 contains an expression that computes whether the entry applies to any
889 given date. If its value is non-@code{nil}, the entry applies to that
890 date; otherwise, it does not. The expression can use the variable
891 @code{date} to find the date being considered; its value is a list
892 (@var{month} @var{day} @var{year}) that refers to the Gregorian
893 calendar.
894
895 The sexp diary entry applies to a date when the expression's value
896 is non-@code{nil}, but some values have more specific meanings. If
897 the value is a string, that string is a description of the event which
898 occurs on that date. The value can also have the form
899 @code{(@var{mark} . @var{string})}; then @var{mark} specifies how to
900 mark the date in the calendar, and @var{string} is the description of
901 the event. If @var{mark} is a single-character string, that character
902 appears next to the date in the calendar. If @var{mark} is a face
903 name, the date is displayed in that face. If @var{mark} is
904 @code{nil}, that specifies no particular highlighting for the date.
905
906 Suppose you get paid on the 21st of the month if it is a weekday, and
907 on the Friday before if the 21st is on a weekend. Here is how to write
908 a sexp diary entry that matches those dates:
909
910 @smallexample
911 &%%(let ((dayname (calendar-day-of-week date))
912 (day (cadr date)))
913 (or (and (= day 21) (memq dayname '(1 2 3 4 5)))
914 (and (memq day '(19 20)) (= dayname 5)))
915 ) Pay check deposited
916 @end smallexample
917
918 The following sexp diary entries take advantage of the ability (in the fancy
919 diary display) to concoct diary entries whose text varies based on the date:
920
921 @findex diary-sunrise-sunset
922 @findex diary-lunar-phases
923 @findex diary-day-of-year
924 @findex diary-iso-date
925 @findex diary-julian-date
926 @findex diary-astro-day-number
927 @findex diary-bahai-date
928 @findex diary-chinese-date
929 @findex diary-coptic-date
930 @findex diary-ethiopic-date
931 @findex diary-hebrew-date
932 @findex diary-islamic-date
933 @findex diary-french-date
934 @findex diary-mayan-date
935 @findex diary-persian-date
936 @table @code
937 @item %%(diary-sunrise-sunset)
938 Make a diary entry for today's local times of sunrise and sunset.
939 @item %%(diary-lunar-phases)
940 Make a diary entry for the phases (quarters) of the moon.
941 @item %%(diary-day-of-year)
942 Make a diary entry with today's day number in the current year and the number
943 of days remaining in the current year.
944 @item %%(diary-iso-date)
945 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent ISO commercial date.
946 @item %%(diary-julian-date)
947 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Julian calendar date.
948 @item %%(diary-astro-day-number)
949 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent astronomical (Julian) day number.
950 @item %%(diary-bahai-date)
951 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Bahá'í calendar date.
952 @item %%(diary-chinese-date)
953 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Chinese calendar date.
954 @item %%(diary-coptic-date)
955 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Coptic calendar date.
956 @item %%(diary-ethiopic-date)
957 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Ethiopic calendar date.
958 @item %%(diary-french-date)
959 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent date on the French Revolutionary
960 calendar.
961 @item %%(diary-hebrew-date)
962 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Hebrew calendar date.
963 @item %%(diary-islamic-date)
964 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Islamic calendar date.
965 @item %%(diary-mayan-date)
966 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Mayan calendar date.
967 @item %%(diary-persian-date)
968 Make a diary entry with today's equivalent Persian calendar date.
969 @end table
970
971 @noindent
972 For example, including the diary entry
973
974 @smallexample
975 &%%(diary-hebrew-date)
976 @end smallexample
977
978 @noindent
979 causes every day's diary display to contain the equivalent date on the
980 Hebrew calendar, if you are using the fancy diary display. (With simple
981 diary display, the literal line @samp{&%%(diary-hebrew-date)} appears in
982 the diary for any date.)
983
984 This function has been used to construct certain standard Hebrew sexp
985 diary entries:
986
987 @cindex rosh hodesh
988 @findex diary-hebrew-rosh-hodesh
989 @cindex parasha, weekly
990 @findex diary-hebrew-parasha
991 @cindex candle lighting times
992 @findex diary-hebrew-sabbath-candles
993 @cindex omer count
994 @findex diary-hebrew-omer
995 @cindex yahrzeits
996 @findex diary-hebrew-yahrzeit
997 @findex diary-hebrew-birthday
998 @table @code
999 @item %%(diary-hebrew-rosh-hodesh)
1000 Make a diary entry that tells the occurrence and ritual announcement of each
1001 new Hebrew month.
1002 @item %%(diary-hebrew-parasha)
1003 Make a Saturday diary entry that tells the weekly synagogue scripture reading.
1004 @item %%(diary-hebrew-sabbath-candles)
1005 Make a Friday diary entry that tells the @emph{local time} of Sabbath
1006 candle lighting.
1007 @item %%(diary-hebrew-omer)
1008 Make a diary entry that gives the omer count, when appropriate.
1009 @item %%(diary-hebrew-yahrzeit @var{month} @var{day} @var{year}) @var{name}
1010 Make a diary entry marking the anniversary of a date of death. The date
1011 is the @emph{Gregorian} (civil) date of death. The diary entry appears
1012 on the proper Hebrew calendar anniversary and on the day before. (The
1013 order of the parameters changes according to the calendar date style;
1014 for example in the European style to @var{day}, @var{month}, @var{year}.)
1015 @item %%(diary-hebrew-birthday @var{month} @var{day} @var{year})
1016 Make a diary entry for a birthday on the Hebrew calendar.
1017 @end table
1018
1019 All the functions documented above take an optional argument
1020 @var{mark} which specifies how to mark the date in the calendar display.
1021 If one of these functions decides that it applies to a certain date,
1022 it returns a value that contains @var{mark}, as described above.