]> code.delx.au - gnu-emacs/blob - etc/NEWS
ChangeLog fixes
[gnu-emacs] / etc / NEWS
1 GNU Emacs NEWS -- history of user-visible changes.
2
3 Copyright (C) 2010-2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 See the end of the file for license conditions.
5
6 Please send Emacs bug reports to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org.
7 If possible, use M-x report-emacs-bug.
8
9 This file is about changes in Emacs version 24.
10
11 See files NEWS.23, NEWS.22, NEWS.21, NEWS.20, NEWS.19, NEWS.18,
12 and NEWS.1-17 for changes in older Emacs versions.
13
14 You can narrow news to a specific version by calling `view-emacs-news'
15 with a prefix argument or by typing C-u C-h C-n.
16
17 \f
18 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.4
19
20 ** Emacs can now be compiled with ACL (access control list) support.
21 This happens by default if a suitable support library is found at
22 build time, like libacl on GNU/Linux. To prevent this, use the
23 configure option `--disable-acl'. See below for the features this provides.
24
25 ** Emacs can now be compiled with file notification support.
26 This happens by default if a suitable system library is found at
27 build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
28 `--without-file-notification'. See below for file-notify features.
29 This feature is not available for the Nextstep port.
30
31 ** Emacs can now be compiled with zlib support.
32 This happens by default if zlib is present, which it normally is.
33 To prevent this, use the configure option `--without-zlib'.
34 This provides the function `zlib-decompress-region'; see below for details.
35
36 ** The configure option `--without-compress-info' has been generalized,
37 and renamed to `--without-compress-install'. It now prevents compression
38 of _any_ files during installation.
39
40 ** The configure option `--with-crt-dir' has been removed.
41 It is no longer needed, as the crt*.o files are no longer linked specially.
42
43 ** Directories passed to configure option `--enable-locallisppath' are
44 no longer created during installation.
45
46 ** Emacs for Nextstep (Mac OS X, GNUstep) can be built with ImageMagick support.
47 This requires pkg-config to be available at build time.
48
49 \f
50 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.4
51
52 ** When initializing `load-path', an empty element in the EMACSLOADPATH
53 environment variable (either leading, e.g., ":/foo"; trailing, e.g.,
54 "/foo:"; or embedded, e.g., "/foo::/bar") is replaced with the default
55 load-path (the one that would have been used if EMACSLOADPATH was unset).
56 This makes it easier to _extend_ the load-path via EMACSLOADPATH
57 (previously, EMACSLOADPATH had to specify the complete load-path,
58 including the defaults). (In older versions of Emacs, an empty element
59 was replaced by ".", so use an explicit "." now if that is what you want.)
60
61 ** The -L option, which normally prepends its argument to load-path,
62 will instead append, if the argument begins with `:' (or `;' on MS Windows;
63 i.e., `path-separator').
64
65 ** If you use either site-load.el or site-init.el to customize the dumped
66 Emacs executable, any changes to `load-path' that these files make
67 will no longer be present after dumping. To affect a permanent change
68 to `load-path', use the `--enable-locallisppath' option of `configure'.
69
70 ** The user option `initial-buffer-choice' can now specify a function
71 to set up the initial buffer.
72
73 \f
74 * Changes in Emacs 24.4
75
76 ** Support for ACLs (access control lists).
77 This requires a suitable support library to be found at build time.
78 On GNU/Linux, the POSIX ACL interface is used via libacl.
79 On MS-Windows, the NT Security APIs are used to emulate the POSIX interface.
80 ACLs are extended file attributes, used e.g. for finer-grained permissions.
81
82 *** Emacs preserves the ACL entries of files when backing up.
83
84 *** New functions `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' get and set file ACLs.
85
86 ** Support for menus on text-mode terminals.
87 If the terminal supports a mouse, clicking on the menu bar, or on
88 sensitive portions of the mode line or header line, will drop down the
89 menu defined at that position. Likewise, clicking C-mouse-1, C-mouse-2, or
90 C-mouse-3 on the text area will pop up the menus defined for those locations.
91
92 If the text terminal does not support a mouse, you can activate the
93 first menu-bar menu by typing F10, which invokes `menu-bar-open'.
94
95 If you want the previous behavior, where F10 invoked `tmm-menubar',
96 customize the option `tty-menu-open-use-tmm' to a non-nil value.
97 (Typing M-` always invokes `tmm-menubar', even if `tty-menu-open-use-tmm'
98 is nil.)
99
100 ** New option `load-prefer-newer' affects how the `load' function chooses
101 the file to load. If this is non-nil, then when both .el and .elc
102 versions of a file exist, and the caller did not explicitly specify
103 which one to load, then the newer file is loaded. The default, nil,
104 means to always load the .elc file.
105
106 ** Multi-monitor support
107
108 *** New functions `display-monitor-attributes-list' and
109 `frame-monitor-attributes' can be used to obtain information about
110 each physical monitor on multi-monitor setups.
111
112 *** The functions `display-pixel-width' and `display-pixel-height' now
113 behave consistently among the platforms: they return the pixel width
114 or height for all physical monitors associated with the given display
115 as if they were on X. To get information for each physical
116 monitor, use the new functions above. Similar notes also apply to
117 `x-display-pixel-width', `x-display-pixel-height', `display-mm-width',
118 `display-mm-height', `x-display-mm-width', and `x-display-mm-height'.
119
120 ** New function `zlib-decompress-region', which decompresses gzip- and
121 zlib-format compressed data using built-in zlib support (if available).
122
123 ** The *Messages* buffer is created in `messages-buffer-mode',
124 a new major mode, with read-only status. Any code that might create
125 the *Messages* buffer should call the function `messages-buffer' to do
126 so and set up the mode.
127
128 ** The cursor stops blinking after 10 blinks (by default) on X and Nextstep.
129 You can change the default by customizing `blink-cursor-blinks'.
130
131 ** In keymaps where SPC scrolls forward, S-SPC now scrolls backward.
132 This affects View mode, etc.
133
134 ** The default value of `make-backup-file-name-function' is no longer nil.
135 Instead it defaults to a function that does what the nil value used to.
136
137 ** Help
138
139 *** The command `apropos-variable' is renamed to `apropos-user-option'.
140 `apropos-user-option' shows all user options, while `apropos-variable'
141 shows all variables. When called with a universal prefix argument,
142 the two commands swap their behaviors. When `apropos-do-all' is
143 non-nil, they output the same results.
144
145 *** The key `?' now describes prefix bindings, like `C-h'.
146
147 *** The command `describe-function' has been extended for EIEIO.
148 Running it on constructors will show a full description of the
149 generated class. For generic functions, it will show all
150 implementations together with links to the source. The old commands
151 `describe-class', `describe-constructor' and `describe-generic' were
152 removed.
153
154 *** The function `quail-help' is no longer an interactive command.
155 Use `C-h C-\' (`describe-input-method') instead.
156
157 ** Frame and window handling
158
159 *** New commands `toggle-frame-fullscreen' and `toggle-frame-maximized',
160 bound to <f11> and M-<f10>, respectively.
161
162 *** New hooks `focus-in-hook', `focus-out-hook'.
163 These are normal hooks run when an Emacs frame gains or loses input focus.
164
165 *** The function `window-in-direction' now takes additional arguments
166 for specifying a reference point, wrapping the selection around frame
167 borders, and specifying ways to select the minibuffer window.
168
169 *** Emacs can now change frame sizes in units of pixels, rather than
170 text rows or columns. When maximizing a frame or making it fullscreen,
171 remaining extra pixels are no longer given to the minibuffer, the rightmost
172 fringe, or other unusable space, but are distributed among the text
173 areas of the frame's windows. If the new option `frame-resize-pixelwise'
174 is non-nil, all frame size changes happen pixelwise and set the
175 corresponding size hints for the window manager.
176
177 *** Emacs can now change window sizes in units of pixels.
178 Mouse-dragging a mode line or window divider now changes the size of
179 adjacent windows pixelwise. If the new option `window-resize-pixelwise'
180 is non-nil, functions like `balance-windows-area' and `fit-window-to-buffer'
181 resize windows pixelwise. Most functions for changing or accessing
182 window sizes now have an additional argument that allows changes to apply,
183 or values to be returned, in pixels instead of lines/columns.
184
185 *** The functions `window-body-height' and `window-body-width' now never
186 count partially visible lines or columns if called with a nil PIXELWISE
187 argument.
188
189 *** Emacs can now draw dividers between adjacent windows. To put
190 dividers between side-by-side/vertically stacked windows customize the
191 frame parameters `right-divider-width' and `bottom-divider-width' to
192 some positive integer. You can drag dividers with the mouse (they show
193 a corresponding cursor when the mouse hovers over them). You can change
194 the appearance of dividers by customizing the faces `window-divider',
195 `window-divider-first-pixel', and `window-divider-last-pixel'. The last
196 two are useful to provide a 3D effect, or to better distinguish dividers
197 from surrounding display objects.
198
199 *** New functions to return the pixel sizes of window components, namely
200 `window-scroll-bar-width', `window-mode-line-height',
201 `window-header-line-height', `window-right-divider-width', and
202 `window-bottom-divider-width'.
203
204 *** The new function `window-text-pixel-size' returns the size of the
205 text of a window's buffer in pixels. This allows functions like
206 `fit-frame-to-buffer' and `fit-window-to-buffer' to accurately fit a
207 window to its buffer as it will be displayed.
208
209 *** `fit-window-to-buffer' can now resize windows in both dimensions.
210 This behavior is controlled by the new option
211 `fit-window-to-buffer-horizontally'. The new option
212 `fit-frame-to-buffer' allows you to fit the window's frame to its buffer.
213
214 *** `fit-frame-to-buffer' now fits frames in both dimensions. The new
215 options `fit-frame-to-buffer-margins' and `fit-frame-to-buffer-sizes'
216 control the size of the frame and its position on screen.
217
218 *** Temp Buffer Resize Mode can now adjust the height and width of
219 windows and frames. The new option `temp-buffer-max-width' allows you to
220 control the width of temporary buffer windows. Moreover, if the new
221 option `fit-frame-to-buffer' is non-nil and the buffer appears in the
222 root window of a frame, Temp Buffer Resize Mode will try to adjust the
223 width and/or height of the frame.
224
225 *** `split-window' is now a non-interactive function, not a command.
226 As a command, it was a special case of `C-x 2' (`split-window-below'),
227 and as such superfluous. After being reimplemented in Lisp, its
228 interactive form was mistakenly retained.
229
230 *** The functions `window-size' and `window-total-size' now have an
231 optional argument to return a rounded size value.
232
233 *** `window-state-put' now allows you to put a window state into internal
234 windows too.
235
236 *** New option `scroll-bar-adjust-thumb-portion'.
237 Available only on X, this option allows you to control over-scrolling
238 using the scroll bar (i.e., dragging the thumb down even when the end
239 of the buffer is visible).
240
241 *** New display actions functions for `display-buffer':
242
243 **** `display-buffer-at-bottom' chooses or creates a window at the
244 bottom of the selected frame.
245
246 **** `display-buffer-no-window' to not display the buffer in a window.
247
248 *** New display action alist entry `allow-no-window' to indicate the
249 caller of `display-buffer' is ready to handle the case of not displaying
250 the buffer in a window.
251
252 *** `display-buffer-in-previous-window' is now a member of
253 `display-buffer-fallback-action'.
254
255 ** Lisp evaluation
256
257 *** `eval-defun' on an already defined defcustom calls the :set function,
258 if there is one.
259
260 *** The commands `eval-expression' (`M-:'), `eval-last-sexp' (`C-x C-e'),
261 and `eval-print-last-sexp' (`C-j' in Lisp Interaction mode) can take a
262 zero prefix argument. This disables truncation of lists in the output,
263 equivalent to setting `(eval-expression-)print-length' and
264 `(eval-expression-)print-level' to nil. Additionally, it causes integers
265 to be printed in other formats (octal, hexadecimal, and character).
266
267 *** New hook `eval-expression-minibuffer-setup-hook' run by
268 `eval-expression' on entering the minibuffer.
269
270 ** `cache-long-line-scans' is now non-nil, and renamed to `cache-long-scans',
271 because it affects caching of paragraph scanning results as well.
272 There is no reason to set this to nil except for debugging purposes.
273
274 ** `emacs-bzr-version' has been renamed to `emacs-repository-version',
275 and works for git too, if you fetch the repository notes.
276
277 ** The default value of `comment-use-global-state' is now t,
278 and this variable has been marked obsolete.
279
280 ** `write-region-inhibit-fsync' now defaults to t in batch mode.
281
282 ** The option `set-mark-default-inactive' has been deleted.
283 This unfinished feature was introduced by accident in Emacs 23.1;
284 simply disabling Transient Mark mode does the same thing.
285
286 \f
287 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.4
288
289 ** Indentation
290
291 *** `electric-indent-mode' is now enabled by default.
292 Typing RET reindents the current line and indents the new line.
293 `C-j' inserts a newline but does not indent. In some programming modes,
294 additional characters are electric (eg `{').
295
296 *** New buffer-local `electric-indent-local-mode'.
297
298 *** The behavior of `C-x TAB' (`indent-rigidly') has changed.
299 When invoked without a prefix argument, it now activates a transient
300 mode in which typing <left>, <right>, <S-left>, and <S-right> adjusts
301 the text indentation in the region. Typing any other key resumes
302 normal editing behavior.
303
304 *** `tab-stop-list' is now implicitly extended to infinity by repeating
305 the last step. Its default value is changed to nil, which means a tab
306 stop every `tab-width' columns.
307
308 ** Uniquify is enabled by default, with `post-forward-angle-brackets' style.
309 In other words, if you visit two files that have the same base name,
310 then rather than creating buffers basename and basename<2>,
311 Emacs uses basename<dirA> and basename<dirB>. To change this,
312 customize `uniquify-buffer-name-style'. Set it to nil for the old behavior.
313
314 ** New command `C-x SPC' (`rectangle-mark-mode') makes a rectangular region.
315 Most commands are still unaware of it, but kill/yank do work on the rectangle.
316
317 ** New option `visual-order-cursor-movement'.
318 If this is non-nil, cursor motion with arrow keys will follow the
319 visual order of characters on the screen: <left> always moves to the
320 left, <right> always moves to the right, disregarding the surrounding
321 bidirectional context.
322
323 ** New command `delete-duplicate-lines'.
324 This searches the region for identical lines, and removes all but one
325 copy of each repeated line. The lines need not be sorted.
326
327 ** New command `cycle-spacing' acts like a smarter `just-one-space'.
328 When called in succession, it cycles between spacing conventions:
329 one space, no spaces, original spacing.
330
331 ** `blink-matching-paren' now only highlights the matching open-paren
332 by default, instead of moving the cursor. Set this variable to `jump' to
333 restore the old behavior.
334
335 ** The new function `fill-single-char-nobreak-p' can stop fill from breaking
336 a line after a one-letter word, which is an error in some typographical
337 conventions. To use it, add it to the `fill-nobreak-predicate' hook.
338
339 ** Registers
340
341 *** All interactive commands that read a register (`copy-to-register', etc.)
342 now display a temporary window after `register-preview-delay' seconds
343 that summarizes existing registers. To disable this, set that option to nil.
344 Interactive commands that read registers and want to make use of this
345 should use `register-read-with-preview' to read register names.
346
347 *** New command `frameset-to-register' bound to `C-x r f', replacing
348 `frame-configuration-to-register'. It offers similar functionality,
349 plus enhancements like the ability to restore deleted frames.
350 (`frame-configuration-to-register' still exists, but no longer has a
351 key binding.)
352
353 *** New command `C-x C-k x' (`kmacro-to-register') stores keyboard
354 macros in registers.
355
356 \f
357 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
358
359 ** Backtrace and debugger
360
361 *** New Lisp debugger command `v' (`debugger-toggle-locals') toggles the
362 display of local variables of the current stack frame.
363
364 *** The Lisp debugger's `e' command (`debugger-eval-expression') now includes
365 the lexical environment when evaluating the code in the context at point
366 (and so allows you to access lexical variables).
367
368 *** New minor mode `jit-lock-debug-mode' helps you debug code run via JIT Lock.
369
370 ** Battery information can now be retrieved from BSD's `apm' utility.
371
372 ** In the Buffer Menu, `M-s a C-o' shows matches for a regexp in marked buffers.
373
374 ** Calc
375
376 *** Calc by default now uses the Gregorian calendar for all dates, and
377 uses January 1, 1 AD as its day number 1. Previously Calc used the
378 Julian calendar for dates before September 14, 1752, and it used
379 December 31, 1 BC as its day number 1; the new scheme is more
380 consistent with Calendar's calendrical system and day numbering.
381
382 *** The new option `calc-gregorian-switch' lets you configure if
383 (and when) Calc switches from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
384
385 *** Support for ISO 8601 dates.
386
387 ** Calendar and Diary
388
389 *** New faces `calendar-weekday-header', `calendar-weekend-header',
390 and `calendar-month-header'.
391
392 *** New option `calendar-day-header-array'.
393
394 *** New variable `diary-from-outlook-function', used by the command
395 `diary-from-outlook'.
396
397 *** The variable `calendar-font-lock-keywords' is obsolete.
398
399 ** CEDET
400
401 *** EDE
402
403 **** The cpp-root project now supports executing a compile command.
404 It can be set through the new :compile-command slot or the
405 buffer-local variable `compile-command'.
406
407 **** Better selection of include directories for the 'linux' project.
408 Include directories now support out-of-tree build directories and
409 target architecture auto-detection.
410
411 *** Semantic
412
413 **** Improved detection of used namespaces in current scope in C++.
414
415 **** Parsing of default values for variables and function arguments in C/C++.
416 They are also displayed by the summarize feature in the mode line.
417
418 **** Improved parsing of function pointers in C/C++.
419 This also includes parsing of function pointers as function arguments.
420
421 **** Parsing of C/C++ preprocessor macros that open new scope.
422 For example, this enables parsing of macros that open new namespaces.
423
424 **** Support for 'this' pointer in inline member functions in C++.
425
426 ** CFEngine mode
427
428 *** Support for completion, ElDoc, and Flycheck has been added.
429
430 *** The current CFEngine syntax is parsed from "cf-promises -s json".
431 There is a fallback syntax available if you don't have cf-promises or
432 if your version doesn't support that option. See option `cfengine-cf-promises'.
433
434 ** cl-lib
435
436 *** New macro `cl-tagbody'.
437 This executes statements while allowing for control transfer to labels.
438
439 *** letf is now just an alias for cl-letf.
440
441 ** CUA mode
442
443 *** CUA mode now uses `delete-selection-mode' and `shift-select-mode'.
444 Hence, you can now enable it independently from those modes, and from
445 `transient-mark-mode'.
446
447 *** `cua-highlight-region-shift-only' is now obsolete.
448 You can disable `transient-mark-mode' to get the same result.
449
450 *** CUA's rectangles can now be used without CUA by calling the command
451 `cua-rectangle-mark-mode'.
452
453 ** Delete Selection mode can now be used without Transient Mark mode.
454
455 ** Desktop
456
457 *** `desktop-save-mode' by default now auto-saves an existing desktop file
458 after `desktop-auto-save-timeout'. To disable this, customize that option
459 to nil (or zero).
460
461 *** Desktop now saves and restores the frame/window configuration.
462 To disable this, set `desktop-restore-frames' to nil.
463 See also related options `desktop-restore-reuses-frames',
464 `desktop-restore-in-current-display', and `desktop-restore-forces-onscreen'.
465
466 ** New Dired minor mode `dired-hide-details-mode' toggles whether details,
467 such as file ownership or permissions, are visible in Dired buffers.
468 See the new options `dired-hide-details-hide-symlink-targets' and
469 `dired-hide-details-hide-information-lines' for customizing what to hide.
470
471 ** You can enable ElDoc inside the `eval-expression' minibuffer with:
472 (add-hook 'eval-expression-minibuffer-setup-hook 'eldoc-mode)
473 The results display in the mode line.
474
475 ** Electric Pair mode
476
477 *** New option `electric-pair-preserve-balance', enabled by default.
478 If non-nil, pairing/skipping only kicks in when that help the balance
479 of parentheses and quotes; i.e., the buffer should end up at least as
480 balanced as before.
481
482 You can further control this behavior by adjusting the predicates
483 stored in `electric-pair-inhibit-predicate' and `electric-pair-skip-self'.
484
485 *** New option `electric-pair-delete-adjacent-pairs', enabled by default.
486 In `electric-pair-mode', the commands `backward-delete-char' and
487 `backward-delete-char-untabify' are now bound to electric variants
488 that delete the closer when invoked between adjacent pairs.
489
490 *** New option `electric-pair-open-newline-between-pairs', enabled by default.
491 In `electric-pair-mode', inserting a newline between adjacent pairs
492 opens an extra newline after point, which is indented if
493 `electric-indent-mode' is also set.
494
495 *** New option `electric-pair-skip-whitespace', enabled by default.
496 This controls if skipping over closing delimiters should jump over any
497 whitespace slack. Setting it to `chomp' makes it delete this
498 whitespace. See also the variable `electric-pair-skip-whitespace-chars'.
499
500 *** New variables control the pairing in strings and comments.
501 You can customize `electric-pair-text-pairs' and
502 `electric-pair-text-syntax-table' to tweak pairing behavior inside
503 strings and comments.
504
505 ** New EPA option `epa-mail-aliases'.
506 You can set this to a list of email address aliases that `epa-mail-encrypt'
507 should use to find keys.
508
509 ** New ERC option `erc-accidental-paste-threshold-seconds'.
510 If set to a number, this can be used to avoid accidentally pasting large
511 amounts of data into the ERC input.
512
513 ** New ERT macro `skip-unless' allows skipping ERT tests.
514
515 ** Eshell
516
517 *** `eshell' now supports visual subcommands and options.
518 Eshell has been able to handle "visual" commands (interactive,
519 non-line oriented commands such as top that require display
520 capabilities not provided by eshell) by running them in an Emacs
521 terminal emulator. See `eshell-visual-commands'.
522
523 This feature has been extended to subcommands and options that make a
524 usually line-oriented command a visual command. Typical examples are
525 "git log" and "git <command> --help", which display their output in a
526 pager by default. See `eshell-visual-subcommands' and `eshell-visual-options'.
527
528 *** New Eshell-Tramp module.
529 External su and sudo commands are now the default; the internal,
530 Tramp-using variants can still be used by enabling the eshell-tramp module.
531
532 ** New F90 mode option `f90-smart-end-names'.
533
534 ** New option `gnutls-verify-error', if non-nil, means that Emacs
535 should reject SSL/TLS certificates that GnuTLS determines as invalid.
536 (This option defaults to nil at present, but this is expected to change
537 in a future release.)
538
539 ** Hi-Lock
540
541 *** New global command `M-s h .' (`highlight-symbol-at-point') highlights
542 the symbol near point.
543
544 *** New option `hi-lock-auto-select-face'. When non-nil, hi-lock commands
545 will cycle through faces in `hi-lock-face-defaults' without prompting.
546
547 ** Icomplete is now more similar to Ido.
548
549 *** Icomplete by default now applies to all forms of minibuffer completion.
550 The variable `icomplete-with-completion-tables' (now a user option)
551 controls this. To restore the old behavior, set it back to
552 '(internal-complete-buffer).
553
554 *** You can navigate through and select completions using the keys
555 from `icomplete-minibuffer-map'.
556
557 *** The string that separates potential completions is now a customizable
558 option (`icomplete-separator'). The default is " | " rather than ",".
559
560 *** New face `icomplete-first-match'; and new options
561 `icomplete-hide-common-prefix' and `icomplete-show-matches-on-no-input'.
562
563 *** The option `icomplete-show-key-bindings' has been removed.
564
565 ** Ido
566
567 *** An Ido user manual is now included.
568
569 *** The option `ido-use-virtual-buffers' can now take the value `auto'.
570 This means to use virtual buffers if the current ido input does not match
571 an existing buffer.
572
573 *** The variable `ido-decorations' can optionally have two new elements,
574 which are the brackets to use around the sole remaining completion.
575
576 ** Image mode
577
578 *** New commands `n' (`image-next-file') and `p' (`image-previous-file')
579 visit the next image file and the previous image file in the same
580 directory, respectively.
581
582 *** New commands to show specific frames of multi-frame images.
583 `f' (`image-next-frame') and `b' (`image-previous-frame') visit the
584 next or previous frame. `F' (`image-goto-frame') shows a specific frame.
585
586 *** New commands to speed up, slow down, or reverse animation.
587 `a +' (`image-increase-speed') and `a -' (`image-decrease-speed') to
588 speed up and slow down the animation. `a r' (`image-reverse-speed')
589 to reverse it and `a 0' (`image-reset-speed') to reset it.
590
591 *** The command `image-mode-fit-frame' deletes other windows.
592 When toggling, it restores the frame's previous window configuration.
593 It also has an optional frame argument, which can be used by Lisp
594 callers to fit the image to a frame other than the selected frame.
595
596 ** New Imenu option `imenu-generic-skip-comments-and-strings'.
597
598 ** Info
599
600 *** New Info face `info-index-match', used to highlight matches in index
601 entries displayed by `Info-index-next', `Info-virtual-index' and
602 `info-apropos'.
603
604 *** The Info-edit command is obsolete. Editing Info nodes by hand
605 has not been relevant for some time.
606
607 ** JS Mode
608
609 *** New option `js-switch-indent-offset'.
610
611 *** Better indentation of multiple-variable declarations.
612 If a declaration spans several lines, variables on the following lines
613 are lined up to the first one.
614
615 *** Recognition and better indentation of continuations in array comprehensions.
616
617 ** MH-E has been updated to version 8.6 - see separate MH-E-NEWS file.
618
619 ** Octave mode
620
621 *** Font locking for Texinfo comments and new keywords.
622
623 *** Completion in Octave file buffers.
624
625 *** ElDoc support.
626
627 *** Jump to definition.
628
629 *** Documentation lookup/search.
630
631 ** OPascal mode is the new name for Delphi mode
632
633 *** All delphi-* variables and functions have been renamed to opascal-*.
634 Obsolete aliases exist for those likely to have been used externally.
635
636 *** The option `delphi-newline-always-indents' has been removed.
637 Use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
638
639 *** The TAB key runs the standard `indent-for-tab-command', not `delphi-tab'.
640
641 ** Package
642
643 *** The package library now supports digital signing of packages.
644 Maintainers of package archives should consider signing their packages
645 to enhance security.
646
647 **** If the user option `package-check-signature' is non-nil,
648 Emacs tries to check package signatures at install time.
649 The value `allow-unsigned' allows installation of unsigned packages.
650
651 **** The user option `package-unsigned-archives' lists archives where
652 Emacs will not try to check signatures.
653
654 *** New option `package-pinned-packages'. This is useful if you have multiple
655 archives enabled, with more than one offering a given package that you want.
656
657 *** In the `list-packages' buffer, you can use `f' (`package-menu-filter')
658 to filter the list of packages by a keyword.
659
660 *** In the `describe-package' buffer, there are now buttons listing the
661 keywords related to the package. Click on a button to see other packages
662 related to that keyword.
663
664 *** The format of `archive-contents' files, generated by package
665 repositories, has changed to allow a new (fifth) element in the data
666 vectors, containing an associative list with extra properties.
667 (For example, `describe-package' uses the `:url' extra property to
668 display a "Homepage" header.)
669
670 ** In Prolog mode, `prolog-use-smie' has been removed,
671 along with the non-SMIE indentation code.
672
673 ** Python mode
674
675 *** Out of the box support for CPython, iPython and readline based shells.
676 **** `python-shell-completion-module-string-code' is no longer used.
677
678 *** Automatic shell prompt detection. New user options:
679 **** `python-shell-interpreter-interactive-arg'.
680 **** `python-shell-prompt-detect-enabled'.
681 **** `python-shell-prompt-detect-failure-warning'.
682 **** `python-shell-prompt-input-regexps'.
683 **** `python-shell-prompt-output-regexps'.
684
685 *** Python shell support for remote hosts via tramp.
686
687 *** Correct display of line numbers for code sent to the Python shell.
688
689 ** Remember
690
691 *** The new command `remember-notes' creates a buffer that is saved on exit.
692 You can use it as a more permanent *scratch* buffer.
693
694 *** Remember can now store notes in separate files.
695 To use this, add `remember-store-in-files' to the `remember-handler-functions'
696 option. The files are saved in `remember-data-directory' using
697 names specified by `remember-directory-file-name-format'.
698
699 ** Rmail
700
701 *** Customize `rmail-mbox-format' to influence some minor aspects of
702 how Rmail displays non-MIME messages.
703
704 *** The `unrmail' command now converts from BABYL to mboxrd format,
705 rather than mboxo. Customize `unrmail-mbox-format' to change this.
706
707 ** Ruby mode
708
709 *** Improved syntax highlighting and indentation.
710
711 *** New `electric-indent-mode' integration.
712
713 *** New option `ruby-encoding-magic-comment-style'.
714
715 *** New option `ruby-custom-encoding-magic-comment-template'.
716
717 *** New option `ruby-align-to-stmt-keywords'.
718
719 *** New option `ruby-align-chained-calls'.
720
721 *** More Ruby file types have been added to `auto-mode-alist'.
722
723 ** Search and Replace
724
725 *** New global command `M-s .' (`isearch-forward-symbol-at-point')
726 starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search forward with the
727 symbol found near point added to the search string initially.
728
729 *** `C-x 8 RET' in Isearch mode reads a character by its Unicode name
730 and adds it to the search string.
731
732 *** `M-s i' in Isearch mode toggles whether search matches invisible text.
733
734 *** `query-replace' skips invisible text when `search-invisible' is nil,
735 and opens overlays with hidden text when `search-invisible' is `open'.
736
737 *** A negative prefix argument of replacement commands replaces backward.
738 `M-- M-%' replaces a string backward, `M-- C-M-%' replaces a regexp
739 backward, `M-s w words M-- M-%' replaces a sequence of words backward.
740
741 *** By default, prefix arguments do not now terminate Isearch mode.
742 Set `isearch-allow-prefix' to nil to restore the old behavior.
743
744 *** More Isearch commands accept prefix arguments, namely
745 `isearch-printing-char', `isearch-quote-char', `isearch-yank-word',
746 `isearch-yank-line'.
747
748 *** Word search now matches whitespace at the beginning/end
749 of the search string if it contains leading/trailing whitespace.
750 In an incremental word search or when using a non-nil LAX argument
751 of `word-search-regexp', the lax matching can also match part of
752 the first word (in addition to the lax matching of the last word).
753 The same rules are now applied to the symbol search, with the difference
754 that it matches symbols, and non-symbol characters between symbols.
755
756 ** New SES command `ses-rename-cell' allows assignment of names to SES cells.
757
758 ** The shell.el option `explicit-bash-args' includes --noediting by default.
759 All non-ancient Bash versions support this option.
760
761 ** Shell Script mode
762
763 *** The SMIE indentation engine is now used by default - see `sh-use-smie'.
764
765 *** `sh-mode' now has its own setting for `add-log-current-defun-function'.
766
767 ** SMIE
768
769 *** You can customize the SMIE indentation of a mode via `smie-config'.
770 The command `smie-config-guess' can help you derive the appropriate
771 indentation settings, if you provide it with an indented sample file.
772 Use `smie-config-save' to save the result.
773
774 *** You can customize the SMIE indentation of a file by adding an entry to
775 the file's local variables of the form: `eval: (smie-config-local '(RULES))'.
776
777 *** New commands `smie-config-show-indent' and `smie-config-set-indent'.
778
779 ** SQL mode
780
781 *** Improved login monitoring and appropriate response to login failures.
782 New variable `sql-login-delay' defines maximum wait time for a connection.
783
784 *** Oracle support.
785 SQL*Plus script placeholders are properly highlighted and identified
786 in `sql-placeholders-filter'. When starting SQL*Plus, `sql-oracle-options'
787 are passed before the logon parameter, as required. The default now
788 includes `-L', to limit the number of logon attempts per invocation.
789
790 ** New Term mode option `term-suppress-hard-newline'.
791
792 ** Todo mode has been rewritten and enhanced.
793 The Todo mode user manual describes all commands and most user
794 options. To support some of these features, a new file format is
795 used, which is incompatible with the old format; however, you can
796 convert old todo and done item files to the new format on initializing
797 the first new todo file, or at any later time with the provided
798 conversion command. The previous version of todo-mode.el has been
799 renamed to otodo-mode.el and is now obsolete. New features include:
800
801 *** Support for multiple todo files and archive files of done items.
802
803 *** Renaming, reordering, moving, merging, and deleting categories.
804
805 *** Sortable tabular summaries of categories and the item types they contain.
806
807 *** Cross-category lists of items filtered by specific criteria.
808
809 *** More fine-grained interaction with the Emacs diary, by being able to
810 decide for each todo item whether it appears in the Fancy Diary display.
811
812 *** Highly flexible new item insertion and item editing.
813
814 *** Moving items between categories, storing done items in their category
815 or in archive files, undoing or unarchiving done items.
816
817 *** Reprioritizing items by inputting a numerical priority.
818
819 *** Extensive customizability of operation and display, including many faces.
820
821 ** Trace
822
823 *** `trace-function' and `trace-function-background' no longer prompt for
824 the output buffer. Unless you use a prefix argument, they output to
825 `trace-buffer'.
826
827 *** With a prefix argument, `trace-function' and `trace-function-background'
828 will prompt for a "context". This is a Lisp expression, whose value at the
829 time the function is entered/exited is printed along with the function's
830 name and arguments.
831
832 ** Tramp
833
834 *** New connection method "adb", which allows to access Android
835 devices by the Android Debug Bridge. The variable `tramp-adb-program'
836 can be used to adapt the path of the "adb" program, if needed.
837
838 *** Handlers for `file-acl' and `set-file-acl' for remote machines
839 that support POSIX ACLs.
840
841 *** Handlers for `file-notify-add-watch' and `file-notify-rm-watch'
842 for remote machines that support filesystem notifications.
843
844 *** The experimental url syntax for remote file names has been removed.
845
846 *** The connection methods "plink1", "ssh1", "ssh2", "scp1", "scp2",
847 "scpc" and "rsyncc" are discontinued. The ssh option
848 "ControlMaster=auto" is set automatically in all ssh-based methods,
849 when possible. See `tramp-use-ssh-controlmaster-options'.
850
851 ** New URL command `url-cookie-list' displays the current cookies,
852 and allows you to interactively remove cookies.
853
854 ** VC and related modes
855
856 *** In VC directory mode, `D' displays diffs between VC-controlled
857 whole tree revisions.
858
859 *** In VC directory mode, `L' lists the change log for the current VC
860 controlled tree in a window.
861
862 *** In VC directory mode, `I' shows a log of changes that will be
863 received with a pull operation.
864
865 *** `C-x v G' (globally) and `G' (in VC directory mode) ignores a file
866 under current version control system. When called with a prefix
867 argument, you can remove a file from the ignored file list.
868
869 ** VHDL mode
870
871 *** New options: `vhdl-actual-generic-name', `vhdl-beautify-options'.
872
873 *** New commands: `vhdl-fix-statement-region', `vhdl-fix-statement-buffer'.
874
875 ** The Woman commands `woman-default-faces' and `woman-monochrome-faces'
876 are obsolete. Customize the `woman-*' faces instead.
877
878 ** More packages look for ~/.emacs.d/<foo> additionally to ~/.<foo>.
879 Affected files:
880 ~/.emacs.d/timelog replaces ~/.timelog
881 ~/.emacs.d/vip replaces ~/.vip
882 ~/.emacs.d/viper replaces ~/.viper
883 ~/.emacs.d/ido.last replaces ~/.ido.last
884 ~/.emacs.d/kkcrc replaces ~/.kkcrc
885 ~/.emacs.d/quickurls replaces ~/.quickurls
886 ~/.emacs.d/idlwave/ replaces ~/.idlwave/
887 ~/.emacs.d/bdfcache.el replaces ~/.bdfcache.el
888 ~/.emacs.d/places replaces ~/.emacs-places
889 ~/.emacs.d/shadows replaces ~/.shadows
890 ~/.emacs.d/shadow_todo replaces ~/.shadow_todo
891 ~/.emacs.d/strokes replaces ~/.strokes
892 ~/.emacs.d/notes replaces ~/.notes
893 ~/.emacs.d/type-break replaces ~/.type-break
894 Also the following files used by the now obsolete otodo-mode.el:
895 ~/.emacs.d/todo-do replaces ~/.todo-do
896 ~/.emacs.d/todo-done replaces ~/.todo-done
897 ~/.emacs.d/todo-top replaces ~/.todo-top
898
899 ** Obsolete packages
900
901 *** iswitchb.el; use icomplete-mode.
902
903 *** longlines.el; use visual-line-mode.
904
905 *** meese.el.
906
907 *** sup-mouse.el.
908
909 *** terminal.el; use term.el instead.
910
911 *** the old version of todo-mode.el (renamed to otodo-mode.el).
912
913 *** xesam.el (owing to the cancellation of the XESAM project).
914
915 *** yow.el; use fortune.el or cookie1.el instead.
916
917 \f
918 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.4
919
920 ** New package eww.el provides a built-in web browser.
921 This requires Emacs to have been compiled with libxml2 support.
922
923 ** New package nadvice.el offers lighter-weight advice facilities.
924 It is layered as:
925
926 *** `add-function'/`remove-function', which can be used to add/remove code on
927 any function-carrying place, such as process filters or `<foo>-function' hooks.
928
929 *** `advice-add'/`advice-remove' to add/remove a piece of advice on a named
930 function, much like `defadvice' does.
931
932 ** New package frameset.el provides a set of operations to save a frameset
933 (the state of all or a subset of the existing frames and windows, somewhat
934 similar to a frame configuration), both in-session and persistently, and
935 restore it at some point in the future.
936
937 ** New package filenotify.el provides an interface for file system
938 notifications. It requires that Emacs be compiled with one of the
939 low-level libraries gfilenotify.c, inotify.c or w32notify.c.
940
941 ** New minor modes `prettify-symbols-mode' and `global-prettify-symbols-mode'
942 display specified symbols as composed characters. E.g., in Emacs Lisp mode,
943 this replaces the string "lambda" with the Greek lambda character.
944
945 ** New minor mode `superword-mode', which overrides the default word motion
946 commands to treat "symbol_words" as a single word, similar to what
947 `subword-mode' does.
948
949 \f
950 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
951
952 ** The default file coding for Emacs Lisp files is now utf-8.
953 (See `file-coding-system-alist'.) In most cases, this change is
954 transparent, but files that contain unusual characters without
955 specifying an explicit coding system may fail to load with obscure
956 errors. You should either convert them to utf-8 or add an explicit
957 `coding:' cookie.
958
959 ** Default process filters and sentinels are not nil any more.
960 Instead they default to a function that does what the nil value used to do.
961
962 ** Overlay priority does not have to be nil or a non-negative integer.
963 Overlay priority can be other kinds of Lisp objects. We didn't yet
964 decide whether other types of values are stable enough, and therefore
965 don't feel it's right to document them. For now, don't assume in your
966 code that the values of overlay priority can only be either nil or an
967 integer, always test them with an appropriate predicate to be one or
968 the other. If you need to sort arbitrary overlays into priority
969 order, `overlays-at' can now optionally do this.
970 You should still only specify integer priorities on overlays you create.
971
972 ** The cars of the elements in `interpreter-mode-alist' are now
973 treated as regexps rather than literal strings.
974
975 ** `overriding-terminal-local-map' no longer replaces the local keymaps.
976 It used to disable the minor mode, major mode, and text-property keymaps,
977 whereas now it simply has higher precedence.
978
979 ** `kill-region' has lost its `yank-handler' optional argument.
980
981 ** `(input-pending-p)' no longer runs other timers that are ready to run.
982 The new optional CHECK-TIMERS parameter allows for the prior behavior.
983
984 ** `defvar' and `defcustom' in a let-binding affect the "external" default.
985
986 ** The syntax of ?» and ?« is now punctuation instead of matched parens.
987 Some languages match those as »...«, and others as «...», so it is
988 better for Emacs to stay neutral by default.
989
990 ** `read-event' does not always decode chars in ttys any more. As was the case
991 in Emacs 22 and before, `read-event' (and `read-char') by default read raw
992 bytes from the terminal. If you want to read decoded chars instead (as was
993 always the case in Emacs-23, for example), pass a non-nil
994 `inherit-input-method' argument.
995
996 ** In `symbol-function', nil and "unbound" are indistinguishable.
997 `symbol-function' does not signal a `void-function' error any more.
998 To determine if a symbol's function definition is void, use `fboundp'.
999
1000 ** `defadvice' does not honor the `freeze' flag and cannot advise
1001 special-forms any more.
1002
1003 ** `dolist' no longer binds VAR while evaluating the RESULT form,
1004 when lexical binding is enabled. Previously, VAR was bound to nil,
1005 which often led to spurious unused-variable warnings.
1006
1007 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
1008 The second argument is no longer an SELinux context, instead it is an
1009 alist of extended attributes as returned by the new function
1010 `file-extended-attributes'. The attributes can be applied to another
1011 file using `set-file-extended-attributes'.
1012
1013 ** By default `copy-file' no longer copies file permission bits to an
1014 existing destination; and it sets the file permission bits of a newly
1015 created destination to those of the source, masked by the default file
1016 permissions. To copy the file permission bits, pass t as the
1017 PRESERVE-PERMISSIONS argument of `copy-file'.
1018
1019 ** `visited-file-modtime' now returns -1 for nonexistent files.
1020 Formerly it returned a list (-1 LOW USEC PSEC), but this was ambiguous
1021 in the presence of files with negative time stamps.
1022
1023 ** Frame-local variables that affect redisplay do not work any more.
1024 More specifically, redisplay does not bother to check for a frame-local
1025 value when looking up variables.
1026
1027 ** In compiled Lisp files, the header no longer includes a timestamp.
1028
1029 ** The option `inhibit-local-menu-bar-menus' has been removed.
1030
1031 \f
1032 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.4
1033
1034 ** Change to the Emacs Lisp coding conventions: the package descriptor
1035 and name of global variables, constants, and functions should be separated
1036 by two hyphens if the symbol is not meant to be used by other packages.
1037
1038 ** The second argument of `eval' can now specify a lexical environment.
1039
1040 ** New macro `define-alternatives' can be used to define generic commands.
1041 Generic commands are interactive functions whose implementation can be
1042 selected among several alternatives, as a matter of user preference.
1043
1044 ** Numeric comparison functions =, <, >, <=, >= can now take many arguments.
1045
1046 ** New functions `special-form-p' and `macrop'.
1047
1048 ** New macro `with-eval-after-load'.
1049 This is like the old `eval-after-load', but better behaved.
1050
1051 ** If you give a symbol a `defalias-fset-function' property, `defalias'
1052 on that symbol will use the associated value as a function to call
1053 in place of `fset'.
1054
1055 ** New variable `enable-dir-local-variables'.
1056 Directory-local variables are ignored if this is nil. This may be
1057 useful for modes that want to ignore directory-locals while still
1058 respecting file-local variables.
1059
1060 ** `read-regexp' now uses the new variable `read-regexp-defaults-function'
1061 as a function to call to provide default values.
1062
1063 ** New functions `group-gid' and `group-real-gid'.
1064
1065 ** New function `get-pos-property'.
1066
1067 ** New hook `pre-redisplay-function'.
1068
1069 ** `byte-compile-interactive-only-functions' is now obsolete.
1070 To specify that a command should only be called interactively, give it
1071 a non-nil `interactive-only' property.
1072
1073 ** New function `string-suffix-p'.
1074
1075 ** `split-string' now takes an optional argument TRIM.
1076 The value, if non-nil, is a regexp that specifies what to trim from
1077 the start and end of each substring.
1078
1079 ** Completion
1080
1081 *** The separator used by `completing-read-multiple' is now a regexp.
1082 The default `crm-separator' has been changed to allow surrounding spaces
1083 around the comma.
1084
1085 *** New function `completion-table-with-cache' is a wrapper for
1086 `completion-table-dynamic' that caches the result of the last lookup.
1087
1088 *** New function `completion-table-merge' to combine several
1089 completion tables by merging their completions.
1090
1091 *** The `common-substring' argument of `display-completion-list',
1092 which has been documented as obsolete since Emacs 23.1, is now _really_
1093 obsolete, and no longer advertised. Instead either call
1094 `completion-hilit-commonality' to add the highlighting; or use
1095 `completion-all-completions', which returns highlighted strings.
1096
1097 ** Encoding and decoding of text
1098
1099 *** New coding-system `prefer-utf-8'.
1100 This is like `undecided' but prefers UTF-8 on decoding if the text to
1101 be decoded does not contain any invalid UTF-8 sequences. On encoding,
1102 any non-ASCII characters are automatically encoded as UTF-8.
1103
1104 *** New attributes of coding-systems whose type is `undecided'.
1105 Two new attributes, `:inhibit-null-byte-detection' and
1106 `:inhibit-iso-escape-detection', determine how to detect encoding of
1107 text that includes null bytes and ISO-2022 escape sequences, respectively.
1108 Each of these attributes can be either nil, zero, or t. If t, decoding
1109 text ignores null bytes and ISO-2022 sequences, respectively. If nil,
1110 null bytes cause text to be decoded with no-conversion, and ISO-2022
1111 sequences cause Emacs to assume the text is encoded in one of the ISO-2022
1112 encodings, such as iso-2022-7bit. If zero, Emacs consults the variables
1113 `inhibit-null-byte-detection' and `inhibit-iso-escape-detection'.
1114 The new attribute `:prefer-utf-8', if non-nil, causes Emacs to prefer
1115 UTF-8 encoding and decoding, whenever possible.
1116
1117 These attributes are only meaningful for coding-systems of type `undecided'.
1118 (The type of a coding-system is determined by its `:coding-type' attribute
1119 and can be accessed by calling the `coding-system-type' function.)
1120
1121 ** Error-handling
1122
1123 *** New function `define-error'.
1124
1125 *** `with-demoted-errors' takes an additional argument `format'.
1126
1127 *** Errors from timer functions are no longer silently discarded,
1128 but are reported as messages. So you may see "Error running timer"
1129 messages from code that was failing silently till now. Set
1130 `debug-on-error' non-nil to get a real error and a backtrace.
1131
1132 ** Faces
1133
1134 *** Face specs set via Custom themes now replace the `defface' spec
1135 rather than inheriting from it. In other words, setting a face via a
1136 theme now behaves like setting it via Customize: you only need to
1137 specify the attributes that you want, you don't need to unset those
1138 that you don't want.
1139
1140 *** The function `face-spec-set' is now like `setq' for face specs.
1141 Its third arg now accepts values specifying a face spec type (defface,
1142 custom, or override spec), and the relevant spec is set accordingly.
1143
1144 *** New face spec attribute :distant-foreground
1145 specifies foreground to use if background color is near the foreground
1146 color that would otherwise have been used.
1147
1148 *** New function `add-face-text-property', which can be used to
1149 conveniently prepend/append new face properties.
1150
1151 *** New face characteristic (supports :underline (:style wave))
1152 specifies whether or not the terminal can display a wavy line.
1153
1154 ** File-handling
1155
1156 *** Support for filesystem notifications.
1157 Emacs now supports notifications of filesystem changes, such as
1158 creation, modification, and deletion of files. This requires the
1159 `glib' API, or the 'inotify' API (on GNU/Linux systems only). On
1160 MS-Windows systems, this is supported for Windows XP and newer.
1161
1162 *** The 9th element returned by `file-attributes' is now unspecified.
1163 Formerly, it was t if the file's gid would change if file were deleted
1164 and recreated. This value has been inaccurate for years on many
1165 platforms, and nobody seems to have noticed or cared.
1166
1167 *** The 6th argument to `copy-file' has been renamed to
1168 PRESERVE-PERMISSIONS as it now handles ACL entries and the traditional
1169 Unix file permission bits as well as SELinux context.
1170
1171 *** The function `file-ownership-preserved-p' now has an optional
1172 argument GROUP which causes it check for file group too. This can be
1173 used in place of the 9th element of `file-attributes'.
1174
1175 *** The function `set-visited-file-modtime' now accepts a 0 or -1 argument,
1176 with the same interpretation as the returned value of `visited-file-modtime'.
1177
1178 ** Image API
1179
1180 *** `image-animated-p' is now `image-multi-frame-p'.
1181 It returns non-nil for any image that contains multiple frames,
1182 whether or not it specifies a frame delay.
1183
1184 *** New variable `image-default-frame-delay' gives the frame delay for
1185 animated images which do not specify a frame delay.
1186
1187 *** New functions `image-current-frame' and `image-show-frame' for getting
1188 and setting the current frame of a multi-frame image.
1189
1190 ** ImageMagick
1191
1192 *** ImageMagick images now support the :max-width and :max-height keywords.
1193
1194 *** When using `create-image' with image data, you can pass a :format
1195 attribute (via the property-list argument) in order to help
1196 ImageMagick detect the image type. The value should be a MIME
1197 content-type that is found in the new variable `image-format-suffixes'.
1198
1199 ** Revert and Autorevert
1200
1201 *** If Emacs is compiled with file notification support, it uses notifications
1202 instead of checking file time stamps. To disable this, set the user option
1203 `auto-revert-use-notify' to nil. Alternatively, you can specify a regular
1204 expression matching directories to be excluded from file notifications via
1205 `auto-revert-notify-exclude-dir-regexp'.
1206
1207 *** The default values of `buffer-stale-function', `revert-buffer-function',
1208 and `revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function' are no longer nil.
1209 Instead they default to functions that do what the nil value used to.
1210
1211 *** `buffer-stale-function' is now used for buffers visiting files too.
1212
1213 *** The new user option `auto-revert-remote-files' enables reversion
1214 of remote files, if non-nil.
1215
1216 ** Terminal
1217
1218 *** Functions to pop up menus and dialogs now work on all terminals,
1219 including TTYs. This includes `x-popup-menu', `x-popup-dialog',
1220 `message-box', `yes-or-no-p', etc.
1221
1222 The function `display-popup-menus-p' will now return non-nil for a
1223 display or frame whenever a mouse is supported on that display or frame.
1224
1225 *** New hook `tty-setup-hook', run at the end of initializing a text terminal.
1226
1227 *** The hook `term-setup-hook' is obsolete. It is entirely equivalent
1228 to `emacs-startup-hook'. See also the new `tty-setup-hook'.
1229
1230 ** Minor internal changes to the details of lock files.
1231 The lock for DIR/FILE is now _always_ DIR/.#FILE.
1232 If DIR/.#FILE already exists and is not an Emacs lock file,
1233 Emacs makes no attempt to lock DIR/FILE. (Previously, it fell back to
1234 numbered lock files DIR/.#FILE.0...).
1235 On file systems that do not support symbolic links, the lock is now a
1236 regular file with contents being what would have been in the symlink.
1237
1238 ** New bool-vector set operation functions:
1239 *** `bool-vector-exclusive-or'
1240 *** `bool-vector-union'
1241 *** `bool-vector-intersection'
1242 *** `bool-vector-set-difference'
1243 *** `bool-vector-not'
1244 *** `bool-vector-subsetp'
1245 *** `bool-vector-count-consecutive'
1246 *** `bool-vector-count-population'
1247
1248 ** New library subr-x.el with miscellaneous small utility functions:
1249 *** `hash-table-keys'
1250 *** `hash-table-values'
1251 *** `string-blank-p'
1252 *** `string-empty-p'
1253 *** `string-join'
1254 *** `string-reverse'
1255 *** `string-trim-left'
1256 *** `string-trim-right'
1257 *** `string-trim'
1258 *** `string-remove-prefix'
1259 *** `string-remove-suffix'
1260
1261 ** The `time-to-seconds' alias to `float-time' is no longer marked obsolete.
1262
1263 ** The spelling of the rx.el category `chinese-two-byte' has been
1264 corrected (the first 'e' was missing).
1265
1266 ** EIEIO namespace cleanup, obsolete-aliasing functions to use `eieio-' prefix:
1267 *** object-name -> eieio-object-name
1268 *** object-class -> eieio-object-class
1269 *** object-class-fast -> eieio--object-class
1270 *** object-class-name -> eieio-object-class-name
1271 *** object-name-string -> eieio-object-name-string
1272 *** object-num-slots -> eieio--object-num-slots
1273 *** object-set-name-string -> eieio-object-set-name-string
1274 *** class-of -> eieio-object-class
1275 *** class-name -> eieio-class-name
1276 *** class-parent -> eieio-class-parent
1277 *** class-parents -> eieio-class-parents
1278 *** class-parents-fast -> eieio-class-parents-fast
1279 *** class-children -> eieio-class-children
1280 *** class-num-slots -> eieio--class-num-slots
1281 *** class-precedence-list -> eieio-class-precedence-list
1282 *** class-direct-subclasses -> eieio-class-children
1283 *** class-direct-superclasses -> eieio-class-parents
1284
1285 ** Obsoleted functions
1286 *** `log10'
1287 *** `dont-compile'
1288 *** `lisp-complete-symbol'
1289 *** `field-complete'
1290 *** `minibuffer-completion-contents'
1291 *** `isearch-nonincremental-exit-minibuffer'
1292 *** `isearch-filter-visible'
1293 *** `generic-make-keywords-list'
1294 *** `get-upcase-table' (use `case-table-get-table' instead).
1295
1296 ** `with-wrapper-hook' is obsoleted by `add-function'.
1297 The few hooks that used with-wrapper-hook are replaced as follows:
1298 *** `abbrev-expand-function' obsoletes `abbrev-expand-functions'.
1299 *** `completion-in-region-function' obsoletes `completion-in-region-functions'.
1300 *** `filter-buffer-substring-function' obsoletes `filter-buffer-substring-functions'.
1301
1302 \f
1303 * Changes in Emacs 24.4 on Non-Free Operating Systems
1304
1305 ** New Core Text based font backend for Mac OS X 10.5 and newer.
1306 To use the old font backend, use the following on the command line:
1307 % defaults write org.gnu.Emacs FontBackend ns
1308 GNUstep and Mac OS X 10.4 use the old font backend.
1309
1310 ** Improved fullscreen support on Mac OS X 10.7 and newer, where the
1311 default fullscreen method is now "native" fullscreen. To use the
1312 old style fullscreen, customize `ns-use-native-fullscreen' to nil.
1313
1314 ** On Mac OS X 10.7 and newer, Emacs can use sRGB colorspace, and does so
1315 by default. Customize `ns-use-srgb-colorspace' to go back to the old method.
1316 Note that this does not apply to images.
1317
1318 ** The procedure for building Emacs on MS-Windows has changed.
1319 It is now built by running the same configure script as on all other
1320 platforms. This requires the MSYS environment and MinGW development
1321 tools. See the updated instructions in nt/INSTALL for details.
1322
1323 Using the Posix configure script and Makefiles also means a change in
1324 the directory structure of the Emacs installation on Windows. It is
1325 now the same as on GNU and Unix systems. In particular, the auxiliary
1326 programs, such as cmdproxy.exe and hexl.exe, are in
1327 libexec/emacs/VERSION/i686-pc-mingw32 (where VERSION is the Emacs
1328 version), version-independent site-lisp is in share/emacs/site-lisp,
1329 version-specific Lisp files are in share/emacs/VERSION/lisp and in
1330 share/emacs/VERSION/site-lisp, Info docs are in share/info, and data
1331 files are in share/emacs/VERSION/etc. (Emacs knows about all these
1332 directories and will find the files in there automatically; there's no
1333 need to set any variables due to this change.)
1334
1335 ** Emacs on Windows 2000 and later can now access files and directories
1336 whose names cannot be encoded in the current system codepage.
1337
1338 The new variable `w32-unicode-filenames' controls this feature: if it
1339 is t, Emacs uses Unicode APIs to pass file names to system calls,
1340 which lifts the limitation of file names to the current locale.
1341
1342 ** Lock files now work on MS-Windows.
1343 This helps to prevent losing your edits if the same file is being
1344 edited in another Emacs session or by another user. See the node
1345 "Interlocking" in the Emacs User Manual for the details. To disable
1346 file locking, customize `create-lockfiles' to nil.
1347
1348 ** The "generate a backtrace on fatal error" feature now works on MS-Windows.
1349 The backtrace is written to the 'emacs_backtrace.txt' file in the
1350 directory where Emacs was running.
1351
1352 ** The `network-interface-list' and `network-interface-info' functions
1353 are now available on MS-Windows.
1354
1355 ** The variable `buffer-file-type' is no longer supported.
1356 Setting it has no effect, and %t in the mode-line format is ignored.
1357 Likewise, `file-name-buffer-file-type-alist' is now obsolete, and
1358 modifying it has no effect.
1359
1360 \f
1361 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.3
1362
1363 ** The default X toolkit is now Gtk+ version 3.
1364 If you don't pass `--with-x-toolkit' to configure, or if you use
1365 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk' or `--with-x-toolkit=yes', configure will try
1366 to build with Gtk+ version 3, and if that fails, try Gtk+ version 2.
1367 You can explicitly require a specific version by passing
1368 `--with-x-toolkit=gtk2' or `--with-x-toolkit=gtk3' to configure.
1369
1370 ** New configure option `--enable-link-time-optimization', to utilize
1371 an appropriate feature provided by GCC since version 4.5.0.
1372
1373 ** New configure option `--without-all' to disable most of the optional
1374 features (image support, etc.) that are normally enabled by default.
1375
1376 ** New configure option `--enable-gcc-warnings' (for developing/debugging
1377 Emacs). If building with GCC, this enables compile-time checks that
1378 warn/give errors about possibly-questionable C code. On a recent GNU
1379 system there should be no warnings; on older and on non-GNU systems
1380 the results may be useful to developers.
1381
1382 ** The configure option `--enable-use-lisp-union-type' has been
1383 renamed to `--enable-check-lisp-object-type', as the resulting
1384 Lisp_Object type no longer uses a union to implement the compile time
1385 check that this option enables.
1386
1387 ** The configure option `--disable-maintainer-mode' has been removed,
1388 as it was confusingly-named and rarely useful.
1389
1390 ** The configure options `--program-prefix', `--program-suffix', and
1391 `--program-transform-name' apply to more than just the installed
1392 binaries. Now they also affect the man pages, icons, and the
1393 etc/emacs.desktop file; but not the info pages, since this would break
1394 links between the various manuals.
1395
1396 ** You can use `NO_BIN_LINK=t make install' to prevent the installation
1397 overwriting "emacs" in the installation bin/ directory with a link
1398 to "emacs-VERSION".
1399
1400 ** Emacs uses libtinfo in preference to libncurses, if available.
1401
1402 ** On FreeBSD and NetBSD, configure no longer adds /usr/local/lib and
1403 /usr/pkg/lib to the linker search path. You must add them yourself if
1404 you want them.
1405
1406 ** The standalone scripts `rcs-checkin' and `vcdiff' have been removed
1407 (from the bin and libexec directories, respectively). The former is
1408 no longer relevant, the latter is replaced by lisp (in vc-sccs.el).
1409
1410 \f
1411 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.3
1412
1413 ** Emacs no longer searches for `leim-list.el' files beneath the standard
1414 lisp/ directory. There should not be any there anyway. If you have
1415 been adding them there, put them somewhere else; e.g., site-lisp.
1416
1417 ** The `--no-site-lisp' command line option now works for Nextstep builds.
1418
1419 \f
1420 * Changes in Emacs 24.3
1421
1422 ** Help
1423
1424 *** `C-h f' (`describe-function') can now perform autoloading.
1425 When this command is called for an autoloaded function whose docstring
1426 contains a key substitution construct, that function's library is
1427 automatically loaded, so that the documentation can be shown
1428 correctly. To disable this, set `help-enable-auto-load' to nil.
1429
1430 *** `C-h f' now reports previously-autoloaded functions as "autoloaded",
1431 even after their associated libraries have been loaded (and the
1432 autoloads have been redefined as functions).
1433
1434 ** ImageMagick
1435
1436 *** Images displayed via ImageMagick now support transparency and the
1437 :background image specification property.
1438
1439 *** When available, ImageMagick support is automatically enabled.
1440 It is no longer necessary to call `imagemagick-register-types'
1441 explicitly to install ImageMagick image types; that function is called
1442 automatically at startup, or when customizing an imagemagick- option.
1443
1444 *** Setting `imagemagick-types-inhibit' to t now disables the use of
1445 ImageMagick to view images. (You must call `imagemagick-register-types'
1446 afterwards if you do not use customize to change this.)
1447
1448 *** The new variable `imagemagick-enabled-types' also affects which
1449 ImageMagick types are treated as images. The function
1450 `imagemagick-filter-types' returns the list of types that will be
1451 treated as images.
1452
1453 ** Minibuffer
1454
1455 *** In minibuffer filename prompts, `C-M-f' and `C-M-b' now move to the
1456 next and previous path separator, respectively.
1457
1458 *** `minibuffer-electric-default-mode' can shorten "(default ...)" to "[...]"
1459 in minibuffer prompts. Just set `minibuffer-eldef-shorten-default'
1460 non-nil before enabling the mode.
1461
1462 ** Mode line
1463
1464 *** New option `mode-line-default-help-echo' specifies the help text
1465 (shown in a tooltip or in the echo area) for any part of the mode line
1466 that does not have its own specialized help text.
1467
1468 *** You can now click mouse-3 in the coding system indicator to invoke
1469 `set-buffer-file-coding-system'.
1470
1471 ** Server and client
1472
1473 *** emacsclient now obeys string values for `initial-buffer-choice',
1474 if it is told to open a new frame without specifying any file to visit
1475 or expression to evaluate.
1476
1477 *** New option `server-auth-key' specifies a shared server key.
1478
1479 ** Emacs now generates backtraces on fatal errors.
1480 On encountering a fatal error, Emacs now outputs a textual description
1481 of the fatal signal, and a short backtrace on platforms like glibc
1482 that support backtraces.
1483
1484 ** `C-x C-q' is now bound to the new minor mode `read-only-mode'.
1485 This minor mode replaces `toggle-read-only', which is now obsolete.
1486
1487 ** Most `y-or-n' prompts now allow you to scroll the selected window.
1488 Typing `C-v' or `M-v' at a y-or-n prompt scrolls forward or backward
1489 respectively, without exiting from the prompt.
1490
1491 ** In the Package Menu, newly-available packages are listed as "new",
1492 and sorted above the other "available" packages by default.
1493
1494 ** If your Emacs was built from a repository checkout, the new variable
1495 `emacs-bzr-version' contains information about the bzr revision used.
1496
1497 ** New option `create-lockfiles' specifies usage of lockfiles.
1498 It defaults to t. Changing it to nil inhibits the creation of lock
1499 files (use this with caution).
1500
1501 ** New option `enable-remote-dir-locals', if non-nil, allows directory-local
1502 variables on remote hosts.
1503
1504 ** The entry for PCL-CVS has been removed from the Tools menu.
1505 The PCL-CVS commands are still available via the keyboard.
1506
1507 ** Using "unibyte: t" in Lisp source files is obsolete.
1508 Use "coding: raw-text" instead.
1509
1510 ** In the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug', the `C-c m' binding
1511 has been changed to `C-c M-i' (`report-emacs-bug-insert-to-mailer').
1512 The previous binding, introduced in Emacs 24.1, was a mistake, because
1513 `C-c LETTER' bindings are reserved for user customizations.
1514
1515 ** Internationalization
1516
1517 *** New language environment: Persian.
1518
1519 *** New input method `vietnamese-vni'.
1520
1521 ** Nextstep (GNUstep / Mac OS X) port
1522
1523 *** Support for fullscreen and the frame parameter fullscreen.
1524
1525 *** A file dialog is used for open/save operations initiated from the
1526 menu/toolbar.
1527
1528 \f
1529 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.3
1530
1531 ** Search and Replace
1532
1533 *** Non-regexp Isearch now performs "lax" space matching.
1534 Each sequence of spaces in the supplied search string may match any
1535 sequence of one or more whitespace characters, as specified by the
1536 variable `search-whitespace-regexp'. (This variable is also used by a
1537 similar existing feature for regexp Isearch.)
1538
1539 *** New Isearch command `M-s SPC' toggles lax space matching.
1540 This applies to both ordinary and regexp Isearch.
1541
1542 *** New option `replace-lax-whitespace'.
1543 If non-nil, `query-replace' uses flexible whitespace matching too.
1544 The default is nil.
1545
1546 *** Global `M-s _' starts a symbol (identifier) incremental search,
1547 and `M-s _' in Isearch toggles symbol search mode.
1548 `M-s c' in Isearch toggles search case-sensitivity.
1549
1550 ** Navigation commands
1551
1552 *** New binding `M-g c' for `goto-char'.
1553
1554 *** New binding `M-g TAB' for `move-to-column'.
1555
1556 *** `M-g TAB' (`move-to-column') prompts for a column number if called
1557 interactively with no prefix arg. Previously, it moved to column 1.
1558
1559 ** New option `yank-handled-properties' allows processing of text
1560 properties on yanked text, in ways that are more general than just
1561 removing them (as is done by `yank-excluded-properties').
1562
1563 ** New option `delete-trailing-lines' specifies whether
1564 M-x delete-trailing-whitespace should delete trailing lines at the end
1565 of the buffer. It defaults to t.
1566
1567 ** `C-u M-=' now counts lines/words/characters in the entire buffer.
1568
1569 ** `C-x 8 RET' is now bound to `insert-char', which is now a command.
1570 `ucs-insert' is now an obsolete alias for `insert-char'.
1571
1572 ** The `z' key no longer has a binding in most special modes.
1573 It used to be bound to `kill-this-buffer', but `z' is too easy to
1574 accidentally type.
1575
1576 ** New command `C-x r M-w' (`copy-rectangle-as-kill').
1577 It copies the region-rectangle as the last rectangle kill.
1578
1579 ** Registers
1580
1581 *** `C-x r +' is now overloaded to invoke `append-to-register'.
1582
1583 *** New option `register-separator' specifies the register containing
1584 the text to put between collected texts for use with
1585 M-x append-to-register and M-x prepend-to-register.
1586
1587 \f
1588 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.3
1589
1590 ** Common Lisp emulation (CL)
1591
1592 *** CL's main entry is now (require 'cl-lib).
1593 `cl-lib' is like the old `cl' except that it uses the namespace cleanly;
1594 i.e., all its definitions have the "cl-" prefix (and internal definitions
1595 use the "cl--" prefix).
1596
1597 If `cl' provided a feature under the name `foo', then `cl-lib'
1598 provides it under the name `cl-foo' instead; with the exceptions of the
1599 few `cl' definitions that had to use `foo*' to avoid conflicts with
1600 pre-existing Elisp entities. These have been renamed to `cl-foo'
1601 rather than `cl-foo*'.
1602
1603 The old `cl' is now deprecated and is mainly just a bunch of aliases that
1604 provide the old, non-prefixed names. Some exceptions are listed below:
1605
1606 *** `cl-flet' is not like `flet' (which is deprecated).
1607 Instead it obeys the behavior of Common-Lisp's `flet'.
1608 In particular, in cl-flet function definitions are lexically scoped,
1609 whereas in flet the scoping is dynamic.
1610
1611 *** `cl-labels' is slightly different from `labels'.
1612 The difference is that it relies on the `lexical-binding' machinery
1613 (as opposed to the `lexical-let' machinery used previously) to capture
1614 definitions in closures, so such closures will only work if `lexical-binding'
1615 is in use.
1616
1617 *** `cl-letf' is not exactly like `letf'.
1618 The only difference is in details that relate to some deprecated usage
1619 of `symbol-function' in place forms.
1620
1621 *** `progv' was rewritten to use the `let' machinery.
1622 A side effect is that variables without corresponding values are bound
1623 to nil rather than being made unbound.
1624
1625 *** The following methods of extending `setf' are obsolete
1626 (use features from gv.el instead):
1627 `define-modify-macro' (use `gv-letplace')
1628 `defsetf' (use `gv-define-simple-setter' or `gv-define-setter')
1629 `define-setf-expander' (use `gv-define-setter' or `gv-define-expander')
1630 `get-setf-method' no longer exists (see "Incompatible Lisp Changes")
1631
1632 ** Diff mode
1633
1634 *** Changes are now highlighted using the same color scheme as in
1635 modern VCSes. Deletions are displayed in red (new faces
1636 `diff-refine-removed' and `smerge-refined-removed', and new definition
1637 of `diff-removed'), insertions in green (new faces `diff-refine-added'
1638 and `smerge-refined-added', and new definition of `diff-added').
1639
1640 *** The variable `diff-use-changed-face' defines whether to use the
1641 face `diff-changed', or `diff-removed' and `diff-added' to highlight
1642 changes in context diffs.
1643
1644 *** The new command `diff-delete-trailing-whitespace' removes trailing
1645 whitespace introduced by a diff.
1646
1647 ** Ediff now uses the same color scheme as Diff mode.
1648
1649 ** Python mode
1650
1651 A new version of python.el, which provides several new features, including:
1652 per-buffer shells, better indentation, Python 3 support, and improved
1653 shell-interaction compatible with iPython (and virtually any other
1654 text based shell).
1655
1656 *** Some user options have been replaced/renamed, including (old -> new):
1657 **** python-indent -> python-indent-offset
1658 **** python-guess-indent -> python-indent-guess-indent-offset
1659 **** python-pdbtrack-do-tracking-p -> python-pdbtrack-activate
1660 **** python-use-skeletons -> python-skeleton-autoinsert
1661
1662 *** Some user options have been removed, including:
1663
1664 **** `python-indent-string-contents': Strings are never indented.
1665
1666 **** `python-honour-comment-indentation':
1667 Comments are always considered as indentation markers.
1668
1669 **** `python-continuation-offset': Indentation is automatically
1670 calculated in a pep8 compliant way depending on the context.
1671
1672 **** `python-shell-prompt-alist', `python-shell-continuation-prompt-alist':
1673 Have no direct mapping as the shell interaction is completely different.
1674
1675 **** `python-python-command', `python-jython-command':
1676 Replaced by `python-shell-interpreter'.
1677
1678 **** `inferior-python-filter-regexp', `python-remove-cwd-from-path',
1679 `python-pdbtrack-minor-mode-string', `python-source-modes':
1680 No longer relevant.
1681
1682 *** Some commands have been replaced (old -> new):
1683 **** python-insert-class -> python-skeleton-class
1684 **** python-insert-def -> python-skeleton-def
1685 **** python-insert-for -> python-skeleton-for
1686 **** python-insert-if -> python-skeleton-if
1687 **** python-insert-try/except -> python-skeleton-try
1688 **** python-insert-try/finally -> python-skeleton-try
1689 **** python-insert-while -> python-skeleton-while
1690 **** python-find-function -> python-nav-jump-to-defun
1691 **** python-next-statement -> python-nav-forward-sentence
1692 **** python-previous-statement -> python-nav-backward-sentence
1693 **** python-beginning-of-defun-function -> python-nav-beginning-of-defun
1694 **** python-end-of-defun-function -> python-nav-end-of-defun
1695 **** python-send-buffer -> python-shell-send-buffer
1696 **** python-send-defun -> python-shell-send-defun
1697 **** python-send-region -> python-shell-send-region
1698 **** python-send-region-and-go -> emulate with python-shell-send-region
1699 and python-shell-switch-to-shell
1700 **** python-send-string -> python-shell-send-string
1701 **** python-switch-to-python -> python-shell-switch-to-shell
1702 **** python-describe-symbol -> python-eldoc-at-point
1703
1704 ** D-Bus
1705
1706 *** New variables `dbus-compiled-version' and `dbus-runtime-version'.
1707
1708 *** The D-Bus object manager interface is implemented.
1709
1710 *** Variables of type :(u)int32 and :(u)int64 accept floating points,
1711 if their value does not fit into Emacs's integer range.
1712
1713 *** The function `dbus-call-method' is now non-blocking.
1714 It can be interrupted by `C-g'. `dbus-call-method-non-blocking' is obsolete.
1715
1716 *** Signals can also be sent as unicast messages.
1717
1718 *** The argument list of `dbus-register-signal' has been extended,
1719 according to the new match rule types of D-Bus.
1720
1721 *** `dbus-init-bus' supports private connections.
1722
1723 *** There is a new function `dbus-setenv'.
1724
1725 ** `desktop-path' no longer includes the "." directory.
1726 Desktop files are now located in ~/.emacs.d by default.
1727
1728 ** Dired
1729
1730 *** `dired-do-async-shell-command' executes each file sequentially
1731 if the command ends in `;' (when operating on multiple files).
1732 Otherwise, it executes the command on each file in parallel.
1733
1734 *** Typing `M-n' in the minibuffer of `dired-do-chmod', `dired-do-chgrp',
1735 `dired-do-chown', and `dired-do-touch' yanks the attributes of the
1736 file at point.
1737
1738 *** When the region is active, `m' (`dired-mark'), `u' (`dired-unmark'),
1739 `DEL' (`dired-unmark-backward'), and `d' (`dired-flag-file-deletion')
1740 mark/unmark/flag all files in the active region.
1741
1742 *** The minibuffer default for `=' (`dired-diff') has changed.
1743 It is now the backup file for the file at point, if one exists.
1744 In Transient Mark mode the default is the file at the active mark.
1745
1746 *** `M-=' is no longer bound to `dired-backup-diff' in Dired buffers.
1747 The global binding for `M-=', `count-words-region' is in effect.
1748
1749 ** ERC
1750
1751 *** New module "notifications", which can send a notification when you
1752 receive a private message or your nickname is mentioned.
1753
1754 *** ERC will look up server/channel names via auth-source and use any
1755 channel keys found.
1756
1757 *** New option `erc-lurker-hide-list', similar to `erc-hide-list', but
1758 only applies to messages sent by lurkers.
1759
1760 ** reStructuredText mode
1761
1762 *** Keybindings (see `C-c C-h'), TAB indentation, filling and auto-filling,
1763 fontification, comment handling, and customization have all been revised
1764 and improved.
1765
1766 *** Support for `imenu' and `which-function-mode'.
1767
1768 *** The reStructuredText syntax is more closely covered.
1769 Sphinx support has been improved.
1770
1771 *** `rst-insert-list' inserts new list or continues existing lists.
1772
1773 *** A negative prefix argument always works for `rst-adjust'.
1774
1775 *** The window configuration is reset after displaying a TOC.
1776
1777 *** The constant `rst-version' describes the rst.el package version.
1778
1779 ** Ruby mode
1780
1781 *** Support for percent literals and recognition of regular expressions
1782 in method calls without parentheses with more methods, including Cucumber
1783 steps definitions.
1784
1785 *** Improved syntax highlighting and indentation.
1786
1787 *** New command `ruby-toggle-block', bound to `C-c {'.
1788
1789 *** Some non-standard keybindings/commands have been removed:
1790
1791 **** `ruby-electric-brace'; use `electric-indent-mode' instead.
1792
1793 **** `ruby-mark-defun'; use `mark-defun'.
1794
1795 **** `ruby-beginning-of-defun' and `ruby-end-of-defun' are replaced by
1796 appropriate settings for the variables `beginning-of-defun-function'
1797 and `end-of-defun-function'.
1798
1799 **** Non-standard keybindings for `backward-kill-word', `comment-region',
1800 `reindent-then-newline-and-indent' and `newline' have been removed.
1801
1802 ** Shell Script mode
1803
1804 *** Pairing of parens/quotes uses `electric-pair-mode' instead of skeleton-pair.
1805
1806 *** `sh-electric-here-document-mode' now controls auto-insertion of here-docs.
1807
1808 *** `sh-use-smie' lets you choose a new indentation and navigation code.
1809
1810 ** VHDL mode
1811
1812 *** The free software compiler GHDL is supported (and now the default).
1813
1814 *** Support for the VHDL-AMS packages has been added/updated.
1815
1816 *** Updated to the 2002 revision of the VHDL standard.
1817
1818 *** Accepts \r and \f as whitespace.
1819
1820 ** Apropos
1821
1822 *** The faces used by Apropos are now directly customizable.
1823 These faces are named `apropos-symbol', `apropos-keybinding', and so on;
1824 see the `apropos' Custom group for details.
1825
1826 *** The old options whose values specified faces to use have been removed
1827 (i.e. `apropos-symbol-face', `apropos-keybinding-face', `apropos-label-face',
1828 `apropos-match-face' and `apropos-property-face'.).
1829
1830 ** Buffer Menu
1831
1832 *** This package has been rewritten to use Tabulated List mode.
1833
1834 *** Option `Buffer-menu-buffer+size-width' is now obsolete.
1835 Use `Buffer-menu-name-width' and `Buffer-menu-size-width' instead.
1836
1837 ** Calc
1838
1839 *** Algebraic simplification mode is now the default.
1840 To restrict to the limited simplifications given by the former
1841 default simplification mode, use `m I'.
1842
1843 ** Calendar
1844
1845 *** You can customize the header text that appears above each calendar month.
1846 See the variable `calendar-month-header'.
1847
1848 *** New LaTeX calendar style, produced by `cal-tex-cursor-week2-summary'.
1849
1850 *** The calendars produced by cal-html include holidays.
1851 Customize `cal-html-holidays' to change this.
1852
1853 ** CEDET
1854
1855 *** The major modes from the parser generators "Bovine" and "Wisent"
1856 are now properly integrated in Emacs. The file suffixes ".by" and ".wy"
1857 are in `auto-mode-alist', and the corresponding manuals are included.
1858
1859 *** EDE
1860
1861 **** Menu support for the "Configuration" feature. This allows users to
1862 choose the active configuration (such as debug or install) from the menu.
1863
1864 **** New command `ede-set' to interactively set project-local variables.
1865
1866 **** Support for compiling, debugging, and running in "generic" projects.
1867
1868 **** Autoconf editing support for M4 macros with complex arguments.
1869
1870 **** Compilation support for the "linux" project type.
1871
1872 **** "simple" projects have been removed; use "generic" projects instead.
1873
1874 *** Semantic
1875
1876 **** Support for parsing #include statements inside a namespace in C/C++.
1877
1878 **** Improved support for 'extern "C"' declarations in C/C++.
1879
1880 **** The ability to ignore more common special C/C++ preprocessor symbols,
1881 such as '__nonnull' and '__asm'. Add '__cplusplus' macro when parsing C++.
1882 If available, include cdefs.h as an additional source of preprocessor symbols.
1883
1884 **** Improved C/C++ function pointer parsing.
1885
1886 **** In Python, support for converting imports to include file names.
1887
1888 **** Ability to dynamically determine the Python load path.
1889
1890 **** Support for the Python 'WITH' and 'AT' keywords.
1891
1892 **** Improved tooltip completion.
1893
1894 *** SRecode
1895
1896 **** The SRecode manual is now included.
1897
1898 **** Tag generation supports constructor/destructor settings and system
1899 include differentiation.
1900
1901 **** Addition of 'Framework' support: Frameworks are specified when a
1902 particular kind of library (such as Android) is needed in a common language
1903 mode (like Java).
1904
1905 **** Support for nested templates and let variables override based on priority.
1906
1907 **** Support for merging tables from multiple related modes, such as
1908 default -> c++ -> arduino.
1909
1910 ** Compile has a new option `compilation-always-kill'.
1911
1912 ** Customize
1913
1914 *** `custom-reset-button-menu' now defaults to t.
1915
1916 *** Non-option variables are never matched in `customize-apropos' and
1917 `customize-apropos-options' (i.e., the prefix argument does nothing for
1918 these commands now).
1919
1920 ** Term
1921
1922 *** The variables `term-default-fg-color' and `term-default-bg-color'
1923 are now deprecated in favor of the customizable face `term'.
1924
1925 *** You can customize how to display ANSI terminal colors and styles
1926 by customizing the corresponding `term-color-<COLOR>',
1927 `term-color-underline' and `term-color-bold' faces.
1928
1929 ** Tramp
1930
1931 *** The syntax has been extended in order to allow ad-hoc proxy definitions.
1932
1933 *** Remote processes are now also supported on remote MS-Windows hosts.
1934
1935 ** URL
1936
1937 *** Structs made by `url-generic-parse-url' have nil `attributes' slot.
1938 Previously, this slot stored semicolon-separated attribute-value pairs
1939 appended to some imap URLs, but this is not compatible with RFC 3986.
1940 So now the `filename' slot stores the entire path and query components,
1941 and the `attributes' slot is always nil.
1942
1943 *** New function `url-encode-url' for encoding a URI string.
1944 The `url-retrieve' function now uses this to encode its URL argument,
1945 in case that is not properly encoded.
1946
1947 ** notifications.el supports now version 1.2 of the Notifications API.
1948 The function `notifications-get-capabilities' returns the supported
1949 server properties.
1950
1951 ** Flymake uses fringe bitmaps to indicate errors and warnings.
1952 See `flymake-fringe-indicator-position', `flymake-error-bitmap' and
1953 `flymake-warning-bitmap'.
1954
1955 ** The FFAP option `ffap-url-unwrap-remote' can now be a list of strings,
1956 specifying URL types that should be converted to remote file names at
1957 the FFAP prompt. The default is now '("ftp").
1958
1959 ** New Ibuffer `derived-mode' filter, bound to `/ M'.
1960 The old binding for `/ M' (filter by used-mode) is now bound to `/ m'.
1961
1962 ** New option `mouse-avoidance-banish-position' specifies where the
1963 `banish' mouse avoidance setting moves the mouse.
1964
1965 ** In Perl mode, new option `perl-indent-parens-as-block' causes non-block
1966 closing brackets to be aligned with the line of the opening bracket.
1967
1968 ** In Proced mode, new command `proced-renice' renices marked processes.
1969
1970 ** New option `async-shell-command-buffer' specifies the buffer to use
1971 for a new asynchronous `shell-command' when the default output buffer
1972 `*Async Shell Command*' is already in use.
1973
1974 ** SQL mode has a new option `sql-db2-escape-newlines'.
1975 If non-nil, newlines sent to the command interpreter will be escaped
1976 by a backslash. The default does not escape the newlines and assumes
1977 that the sql statement will be terminated by a semicolon.
1978
1979 ** New command `tabulated-list-sort', bound to `S' in Tabulated List mode
1980 (and modes that derive from it), sorts the column at point, or the Nth
1981 column if a numeric prefix argument is given.
1982
1983 ** `which-func-modes' now defaults to t, so Which Function mode, when
1984 enabled, applies to all applicable major modes.
1985
1986 ** `winner-mode-hook' now runs when the mode is disabled, as well as when
1987 it is enabled.
1988
1989 ** Follow mode no longer works by using advice.
1990 The option `follow-intercept-processes' has been removed.
1991
1992 ** `javascript-generic-mode' is now an obsolete alias for `js-mode'.
1993
1994 ** Hooks renamed to avoid obsolete "-hooks" suffix:
1995 *** semantic-lex-reset-hooks -> semantic-lex-reset-functions
1996 *** semantic-change-hooks -> semantic-change-functions
1997 *** semantic-edits-new-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-new-change-functions
1998 *** semantic-edits-delete-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-delete-change-functions
1999 *** semantic-edits-reparse-change-hooks -> semantic-edits-reparse-change-functions
2000 *** semanticdb-save-database-hooks -> semanticdb-save-database-functions
2001 *** c-prepare-bug-report-hooks -> c-prepare-bug-report-hook
2002 *** rcirc-sentinel-hooks -> rcirc-sentinel-functions
2003 *** rcirc-receive-message-hooks -> rcirc-receive-message-functions
2004 *** rcirc-activity-hooks -> rcirc-activity-functions
2005 *** rcirc-print-hooks -> rcirc-print-functions
2006 *** dbus-event-error-hooks -> dbus-event-error-functions
2007 *** eieio-pre-method-execution-hooks -> eieio-pre-method-execution-functions
2008 *** checkdoc-style-hooks -> checkdoc-style-functions
2009 *** checkdoc-comment-style-hooks -> checkdoc-comment-style-functions
2010 *** archive-extract-hooks -> archive-extract-hook
2011 *** filesets-cache-fill-content-hooks -> filesets-cache-fill-content-hook
2012 *** hfy-post-html-hooks -> hfy-post-html-hook
2013 *** nndiary-request-create-group-hooks -> nndiary-request-create-group-functions
2014 *** nndiary-request-update-info-hooks -> nndiary-request-update-info-functions
2015 *** nndiary-request-accept-article-hooks -> nndiary-request-accept-article-functions
2016 *** gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-hooks -> gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-functions
2017
2018 ** Obsolete packages
2019
2020 *** assoc.el
2021 In most cases, assoc+member+push+delq work just as well.
2022 And in any case it's just a terrible package: ugly semantics, terrible
2023 inefficiency, and not namespace-clean.
2024 *** bruce.el
2025 *** cust-print.el
2026 *** ledit.el
2027 *** mailpost.el
2028 *** mouse-sel.el
2029 *** patcomp.el
2030
2031 \f
2032 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
2033
2034 ** Docstrings starting with `*' no longer indicate user options.
2035 Only variables defined using `defcustom' are considered user options.
2036 The function `user-variable-p' is now an obsolete alias for
2037 `custom-variable-p'.
2038
2039 ** The return values of `defalias', `defun' and `defmacro' have changed,
2040 and are now undefined. For backwards compatibility, `defun' and
2041 `defmacro' currently return the name of the newly defined
2042 function/macro, but this should not be relied upon.
2043
2044 ** `random' by default now returns a different random sequence in
2045 every Emacs run. Use `(random S)', where S is a string, to set the
2046 random seed to a value based on S, in order to get a repeatable
2047 sequence in later calls.
2048
2049 ** If the NEWTEXT arg to `replace-match' contains a substring "\?",
2050 that substring is inserted literally even if the LITERAL arg is
2051 non-nil, instead of causing an error to be signaled.
2052
2053 ** `select-window' now always makes the window's buffer current.
2054 It does so even if the window was selected before.
2055
2056 ** The function `x-select-font' can return a font spec, instead of a
2057 font name as a string. Whether it returns a font spec or a font name
2058 depends on the graphical library.
2059
2060 ** `face-spec-set' no longer sets frame-specific attributes when the
2061 third argument is a frame (that usage was obsolete since Emacs 22.2).
2062
2063 ** `set-buffer-multibyte' now signals an error in narrowed buffers.
2064
2065 ** The CL package's `get-setf-method' function no longer exists.
2066 Generalized variables are now part of core Emacs Lisp, and implemented
2067 differently to the way cl.el used to do it. It is not possible to
2068 define a compatible replacement for `get-setf-method'. See the file
2069 gv.el for internal details of the new implementation.
2070
2071 ** The arguments of `dbus-register-signal' are no longer just strings,
2072 but keywords or keyword-string pairs. The old argument list will
2073 still be supported for Emacs 24.x.
2074
2075 ** Miscellaneous name changes
2076 Some Lisp symbols have been renamed to correct their spelling,
2077 or to be more consistent with standard Emacs terminology.
2078
2079 *** Renamed functions
2080 **** hangul-input-method-inactivate -> hangul-input-method-deactivate
2081 **** inactivate-input-method -> deactivate-input-method
2082 **** quail-inactivate -> quail-deactivate
2083 **** robin-inactivate -> robin-deactivate
2084 **** viper-inactivate-input-method -> viper-deactivate-input-method
2085 **** viper-inactivate-input-method-action ->
2086 viper-deactivate-input-method-action
2087 **** ucs-input-inactivate -> ucs-input-deactivate
2088
2089 *** Renamed hooks
2090 The old hooks are still supported for backward compatibility, but they
2091 are deprecated and will be removed eventually.
2092 **** input-method-inactivate-hook -> input-method-deactivate-hook
2093 **** robin-inactivate-hook -> robin-deactivate-hook
2094 **** quail-inactivate-hook -> quail-deactivate-hook
2095
2096 *** Renamed variables
2097 **** follow-deactive-menu -> follow-inactive-menu
2098 **** inactivate-current-input-method-function ->
2099 deactivate-current-input-method-function
2100
2101 ** Some obsolete functions, variables, and faces have been removed:
2102 *** `last-input-char', `last-command-char', `unread-command-char'
2103 *** `facemenu-unlisted-faces'
2104 *** `rmail-decode-mime-charset'
2105 *** `iswitchb-read-buffer'
2106 *** `sc-version', `sc-submit-bug-report'
2107 *** `set-char-table-default'
2108 *** `string-to-sequence' (use `string-to-list' or `string-to-vector')
2109 *** `compile-internal'
2110 *** `modeline'
2111 *** `mode-line-inverse-video'
2112 *** `follow-mode-off-hook'
2113 *** `cvs-commit-buffer-require-final-newline'
2114 (use `log-edit-require-final-newline' instead)
2115 *** `cvs-changelog-full-paragraphs'
2116 (use `log-edit-changelog-full-paragraphs' instead)
2117 *** `cvs-diff-ignore-marks', `cvs-diff-buffer-name'
2118 *** `vc-ignore-vc-files' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
2119 *** `vc-master-templates' (use `vc-handled-backends' instead)
2120 *** `vc-checkout-carefully'
2121
2122 \f
2123 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.3
2124
2125 ** CL-style generalized variables are now in core Elisp.
2126 `setf' is autoloaded; `push' and `pop' accept generalized variables.
2127 You can define your own generalized variables using `gv-define-simple-setter',
2128 `gv-define-setter', etc.
2129
2130 ** Emacs tries to macroexpand interpreted (non-compiled) files during load.
2131 This can significantly speed up execution of non-byte-compiled code,
2132 but can also bump into previously unnoticed cyclic dependencies.
2133 These are generally harmless: they will simply cause the macro calls
2134 to be left for later expansion (as before), but will result in a
2135 warning ("Eager macro-expansion skipped due to cycle") describing the cycle.
2136 You may wish to restructure your code so this does not happen.
2137
2138 ** New sampling-based Elisp profiler.
2139 Try M-x profiler-start, do some work, and then call M-x profiler-report.
2140 When finished, use M-x profiler-stop. The sampling rate can be based on
2141 CPU time or memory allocations.
2142
2143 ** `defun' also accepts a (declare DECLS) form, like `defmacro'.
2144 The interpretation of the DECLS is determined by `defun-declarations-alist'.
2145
2146 ** New macros `setq-local' and `defvar-local'.
2147
2148 ** Face underlining can now use a wave.
2149
2150 ** `read-regexp' has a new argument HISTORY; the first argument PROMPT
2151 of `read-regexp' accepts a string ending with a colon and space, and its
2152 second argument DEFAULTS can be a list of strings accessible via `M-n'
2153 in the minibuffer ahead of other hard-coded useful regexp-related values.
2154 More commands use `read-regexp' now to read their regexp arguments.
2155
2156 ** Completion
2157
2158 *** New function `completion-table-with-quoting' to handle completion
2159 in the presence of quoting, such as file completion in shell buffers.
2160
2161 *** New function `completion-table-subvert' to use an existing completion
2162 table, but with a different prefix.
2163
2164 ** Debugger
2165
2166 *** New error type and new function `user-error'.
2167 These do not trigger the debugger.
2168
2169 *** New option `debugger-bury-or-kill', saying what to do with the
2170 debugger buffer when exiting debug.
2171
2172 *** Set `debug-on-message' to enter the debugger when a certain
2173 message is displayed in the echo area. This can be useful when trying
2174 to work out which code is doing something.
2175
2176 *** New var `inhibit-debugger', automatically set to prevent accidental
2177 recursive invocations.
2178
2179 ** Window handling
2180
2181 *** New command `fit-frame-to-buffer' adjusts the frame height to
2182 fit the contents.
2183
2184 *** The command `fit-window-to-buffer' can adjust the frame height
2185 if the new option `fit-frame-to-buffer' is non-nil.
2186
2187 *** New macro `with-temp-buffer-window', similar to
2188 `with-output-to-temp-buffer'.
2189
2190 *** `temp-buffer-resize-mode' no longer resizes windows that have been
2191 reused.
2192
2193 *** New option `switch-to-buffer-preserve-window-point' to restore a
2194 window's point when switching buffers.
2195
2196 *** New display action alist entries `window-height' and `window-width'
2197 specify the size of new windows created by `display-buffer'.
2198
2199 *** New display action alist entry `pop-up-frame-parameters', if
2200 non-nil, specifies frame parameters to give any newly-created frame.
2201
2202 *** New display action alist entry `inhibit-switch-frame', if non-nil,
2203 tells display action functions to avoid changing which frame is
2204 selected.
2205
2206 *** New display action alist entry `previous-window', if non-nil,
2207 specifies window to reuse in `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
2208
2209 *** New display action functions `display-buffer-below-selected',
2210 and `display-buffer-in-previous-window'.
2211
2212 *** The functions `get-lru-window', `get-mru-window' and `get-largest-window'
2213 now accept a third argument to avoid choosing the selected window.
2214
2215 *** Additional values recognized for option `window-combination-limit'.
2216
2217 *** The following variables are obsolete, as they can be replaced by
2218 appropriate entries in the `display-buffer-alist' function introduced
2219 in Emacs 24.1:
2220 **** `dired-shrink-to-fit'
2221 **** `display-buffer-reuse-frames'
2222 **** `display-buffer-function'
2223 **** `special-display-buffer-names'
2224 **** `special-display-frame-alist'
2225 **** `special-display-function'
2226 **** `special-display-regexps'
2227
2228 ** Time
2229
2230 *** `current-time-string' no longer requires that its argument's year
2231 must be in the range 1000..9999. It now works with any year supported
2232 by the underlying C implementation.
2233
2234 *** `current-time' now returns extended-format time stamps
2235 (HIGH LOW USEC PSEC), where the new PSEC slot specifies picoseconds.
2236 PSEC is typically a multiple of 1000 on current machines. Other
2237 functions that use this format, such as `file-attributes' and
2238 `format-time-string', have been changed accordingly. Old-format time
2239 stamps are still accepted.
2240
2241 *** The format of timers in `timer-list' and `timer-idle-list' is now
2242 [TRIGGERED-P HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS REPEAT-DELAY FUNCTION ARGS IDLE-DELAY PSECS].
2243 The PSECS slot is new, and uses picosecond resolution. It can be
2244 accessed via the new `timer--psecs' accessor.
2245
2246 *** Last-modified time stamps in undo lists now are of the form
2247 (t HI-SECS LO-SECS USECS PSECS) instead of (t HI-SECS . LO-SECS).
2248
2249 ** EIEIO
2250
2251 *** Improved security when handling persistent objects:
2252
2253 **** `eieio-persistent-read' now features optional arguments for specifying
2254 the class to load, as well as a flag stating whether subclasses are allowed;
2255 if provided, other classes will be rejected by the reader. For
2256 compatibility with existing code, if the class is omitted only a
2257 warning is issued.
2258
2259 **** New specialized reader for pulling in classes and signaling errors
2260 without evaluation of suspicious code.
2261
2262 **** All slots that contain objects must have a :type. Slots with lists
2263 of objects must use a new type predicate for a list of an object type.
2264
2265 *** Support for `find-function' and similar utilities, through the addition
2266 of filename support to generated symbols.
2267
2268 ** Floating point functions now always return special values like NaN,
2269 instead of signaling errors, if given invalid args; e.g., (log -1.0).
2270 Previously, they returned NaNs on some platforms but signaled errors
2271 on others. The affected functions are acos, asin, tan, exp, expt,
2272 log, log10, sqrt, and mod.
2273
2274 ** New fringe bitmap `exclamation-mark'.
2275
2276 ** Miscellaneous changes to special forms and macros
2277
2278 *** `defun' and `defmacro' are now macros rather than special forms.
2279
2280 *** `kbd' is now a function rather than a macro.
2281
2282 ** Miscellaneous new functions
2283
2284 *** `set-temporary-overlay-map' sets up a temporary keymap that
2285 takes precedence over most other maps for a short while (normally one key).
2286
2287 *** `autoloadp' tests if its argument is an autoloaded object.
2288
2289 *** `autoload-do-load' performs the autoloading operation.
2290
2291 *** `buffer-narrowed-p' tests if the buffer is narrowed.
2292
2293 *** `file-name-base' returns a file name sans directory and extension.
2294
2295 *** `function-get' fetches a function property, following aliases.
2296
2297 *** `posnp' tests if an object is a `posn'.
2298
2299 *** `system-users' returns the user names on the system.
2300
2301 *** `system-groups' returns the group names on the system.
2302
2303 *** `tty-top-frame' returns the topmost frame of a text terminal.
2304
2305 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
2306 *** `automount-dir-prefix' (use `directory-abbrev-alist')
2307 *** `buffer-has-markers-at'
2308 *** `macro-declaration-function' (use `macro-declarations-alist')
2309 *** `window-system-version' (provides no useful information)
2310 *** `dired-pop-to-buffer' (use `dired-mark-pop-up')
2311 *** `query-replace-interactive'
2312 *** `font-list-limit' (has had no effect since Emacs < 23)
2313
2314 \f
2315 * Changes in Emacs 24.3 on Non-Free Operating Systems
2316
2317 ** Cygwin builds can use the native MS Windows user interface.
2318 Pass `--with-w32' to configure. The default remains the X11 interface.
2319
2320 ** Two new functions are available in Cygwin builds:
2321 `cygwin-convert-file-name-from-windows' and
2322 `cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows'. These functions allow Lisp
2323 code to access the Cygwin file-name mapping machinery to convert
2324 between Cygwin and Windows-native file and directory names.
2325
2326 ** When invoked with the -nw switch to run on the Windows text-mode terminal,
2327 Emacs now supports `mouse-highlight', help-echo (in the echo area), and
2328 `mouse-autoselect-window'.
2329
2330 ** On MS Windows Vista and later Emacs now supports symbolic links.
2331
2332 ** On MS Windows, you can pass `--without-libxml2' to configure.bat to omit
2333 support for libxml2, even if its presence is detected.
2334
2335 ** On Mac OS X, the Nextstep port requires OS X 10.4 or later.
2336
2337 ** On Mac OS X, configure no longer automatically adds the Fink "/sw"
2338 directories to the search path. You must add them yourself if you want them.
2339
2340 \f
2341 * Changes in Emacs 24.2
2342
2343 ** This is mainly a bug-fix release.
2344
2345 \f
2346 * Installation Changes in Emacs 24.1
2347
2348 ** Emacs can be compiled with Gtk+ 3.0 if you pass --with-x-toolkit=gtk3
2349 to configure. Note that other libraries used by Emacs, RSVG and GConf,
2350 also depend on Gtk+. You can disable them with --without-rsvg and
2351 --without-gconf.
2352
2353 ** Emacs can be compiled with GnuTLS support.
2354 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2355 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2356 `--without-gnutls'. See below for GnuTLS features.
2357
2358 ** Emacs can be compiled with SELinux support.
2359 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2360 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2361 `--without-selinux'. See below for SELinux features.
2362
2363 ** Emacs can be compiled with ImageMagick support.
2364 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2365 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2366 `--without-imagemagick'. See below for ImageMagick features.
2367 This feature is not available for the Nextstep or MS ports.
2368
2369 ** Emacs can be compiled with libxml2 support.
2370 This happens by default if a suitably recent version of the library is
2371 found at build time. To prevent this, use the configure option
2372 `--without-xml2'. See below for libxml2 features.
2373
2374 ** By default, the installed Info and man pages are compressed.
2375 You can disable this by configuring --without-compress-info.
2376
2377 ** New configure option --with-wide-int.
2378 With it, Emacs integers typically have 62 bits, even on 32-bit machines.
2379 On 32-bit hosts, this raises the limit on buffer sizes from about 512 MiB
2380 to about 2 GiB.
2381
2382 ** New configure options: --with-mmdf, --with-mail-unlink, --with-mailhost.
2383 These provide no new functionality, they just remove the need to edit
2384 lib-src/Makefile by hand in order to use the associated features.
2385
2386 ** New configure option --enable-use-lisp-union-type.
2387 This is only useful for Emacs developers to debug certain types of bugs.
2388 This is not a new feature; only the configure flag is new.
2389
2390 ** The standalone programs digest-doc and sorted-doc are removed.
2391 Emacs now uses Lisp commands `doc-file-to-man' and `doc-file-to-info'.
2392
2393 ** The standalone program `fakemail' is removed.
2394 If you need it, feedmail.el provides a superset of the functionality.
2395
2396 \f
2397 * Startup Changes in Emacs 24.1
2398
2399 ** The --unibyte, --multibyte, --no-multibyte, and --no-unibyte
2400 command line arguments, and the EMACS_UNIBYTE environment variable, no
2401 longer have any effect. (They were declared obsolete in Emacs 23.)
2402
2403 ** New command line option `--no-site-lisp' removes site-lisp directories
2404 from load-path. -Q now implies this. This option does not affect the
2405 EMACSLOADPATH environment variable (and hence has no effect for
2406 Nextstep builds).
2407
2408 \f
2409 * Changes in Emacs 24.1
2410
2411 ** Completion
2412
2413 *** Many packages now use the `completion-at-point' command,
2414 rather than implementing separate completion commands.
2415
2416 *** `completion-at-point' now handles tags and semantic completion.
2417
2418 *** Completion in a non-minibuffer now tries to detect the end of completion
2419 and pops down the *Completions* buffer accordingly.
2420
2421 *** New option `completion-cycle-threshold' allows completion cycling.
2422
2423 *** New option `completion-category-overrides' for overriding the
2424 default completion style in certain circumstances.
2425
2426 *** New completion style `substring'.
2427
2428 *** Completion of buffer names uses `substring' completion by default.
2429
2430 *** The option `widget-complete-field' has been removed.
2431
2432 ** Mail changes
2433
2434 *** The first time you try sending mail, Emacs asks for a mail method.
2435 This is implemented by a new default for `send-mail-function', which
2436 is `sendmail-query-once'. This offers to use the smtpmail package, or
2437 to use the old defaults relying on external mail facilities
2438 (`sendmail-send-it' on GNU/Linux and other Unix-like systems, and
2439 `mailclient-send-it' on Windows).
2440
2441 *** Typing `C-c m' in the buffer made by `M-x report-emacs-bug'
2442 transfers the report to your desktop's preferred mail client, if there
2443 is one. This uses either the "xdg-email" utility, or Mac OS's "open"
2444 command.
2445
2446 *** See Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages for SMTPmail changes
2447 and Mail mode changes
2448
2449 ** Emacs server and client changes
2450
2451 *** New option `server-port' specifies the port for TCP Emacs servers.
2452
2453 *** New emacsclient argument -q/--quiet suppresses some status messages.
2454
2455 *** New emacsclient argument --frame-parameters specifies the frame
2456 parameters of any newly-created graphical frame.
2457
2458 *** If emacsclient shuts down due to Emacs signaling an error,
2459 its exit status is 1.
2460
2461 *** New emacsclient argument --parent-id ID.
2462 This opens a client frame in parent X window ID, via XEmbed, similar
2463 to the --parent-id argument to Emacs.
2464
2465 ** Internationalization changes
2466
2467 *** Emacs now supports display and editing of bidirectional text.
2468 Right-to-left (RTL) scripts, such as Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew, are
2469 displayed in the correct visual order as expected by users of those
2470 scripts. The display reordering is a "full bidirectionality" class
2471 implementation of the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm (UBA). Buffers
2472 with no RTL text should look exactly the same as before.
2473
2474 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-display-reordering'.
2475 To disable display reordering in a buffer, change this to nil.
2476
2477 **** New buffer-local variable `bidi-paragraph-direction'.
2478 If nil (the default), Emacs determines the base direction of each
2479 paragraph from its text, as specified by the UBA. Setting the value
2480 to `right-to-left' or `left-to-right' forces a base direction on each
2481 paragraph.
2482
2483 Paragraphs with right-to-left base direction are displayed starting at
2484 the right window edge.
2485
2486 *** Enhanced support for characters with no glyphs in available fonts,
2487 or, on text terminals, characters that cannot be encoded by the
2488 terminal coding system. The new option `glyphless-char-display-control'
2489 specifies how to display them: as a hexadecimal code in a box, a thin
2490 1-pixel space, an empty box, etc.
2491
2492 *** New input methods for Farsi and Bulgarian
2493 (farsi-isiri-9147, farsi-transliterate-banan, bulgarian-alt-phonetic).
2494
2495 *** `nobreak-char-display' now also highlights Unicode hyphen chars
2496 (U+2010 and U+2011).
2497
2498 *** New Hebrew translation of the Emacs Tutorial.
2499 Type `C-u C-h t' to choose it in case your language setup doesn't
2500 automatically select it.
2501
2502 ** An Emacs Lisp package manager is now included.
2503 This is a convenient way to download and install additional packages,
2504 from a package repository at http://elpa.gnu.org.
2505
2506 *** M-x list-packages shows a list of packages, which can be
2507 selected for installation.
2508
2509 *** New command `describe-package', bound to `C-h P'.
2510
2511 *** By default, all installed packages are loaded automatically when
2512 Emacs starts up. To disable this, set `package-enable-at-startup' to
2513 nil. To specify the packages to load, customize `package-load-list'.
2514
2515 ** Custom theme changes
2516
2517 *** New command `M-x customize-themes', which provides a convenient
2518 interface for enabling and disabling Custom themes.
2519
2520 *** New option `custom-theme-load-path' is the load path for themes.
2521 Emacs no longer looks for Custom themes in `load-path'. The default
2522 value of `custom-theme-load-path' says to look for themes in
2523 `custom-theme-directory', followed by a subdirectory of
2524 `data-directory' named "themes/", which contains a small selection of
2525 built-in Custom themes.
2526
2527 *** New option `custom-safe-themes' records known-safe theme files.
2528 If a theme is not in this list, Emacs queries before loading it, and
2529 offers to save the theme to `custom-safe-themes' automatically. By
2530 default, all themes included in Emacs are treated as safe.
2531
2532 ** Improved GTK integration
2533
2534 *** GTK scroll-bars are now placed on the right by default.
2535 The function `set-scroll-bar-mode' can change this.
2536
2537 *** GTK tool bars can have just text, just images or images and text.
2538 Customize `tool-bar-style' to choose the style. On a Gnome desktop,
2539 the default is taken from desktop settings.
2540
2541 *** GTK tool bars can be placed on any edge of the frame.
2542 The frame-parameter tool-bar-position controls this. It takes the
2543 values top, left, right or bottom. The Options => Show/Hide menu has
2544 entries for this.
2545
2546 *** The default colors for selected text (the `region' face) are taken
2547 from the GTK theme when Emacs is built with GTK.
2548
2549 *** Emacs uses GTK tooltips by default if built with GTK.
2550 You can disable this by changing `x-gtk-use-system-tooltips' to nil.
2551
2552 ** Graphical interface changes
2553
2554 *** On graphical displays, the mode-line no longer ends in dashes.
2555 Also, the first dash (which does not indicate anything) is just
2556 displayed as a space.
2557
2558 *** `menu-bar-select-buffer-function' lets you choose another operation
2559 instead of `switch-to-buffer' when selecting an item in the Buffers menu.
2560
2561 *** Lucid menus and dialogs can display antialiased fonts if Emacs is
2562 built with Xft. These fonts can be set via X resources, for example:
2563 Emacs.pane.menubar.font: Courier-12
2564
2565 ** Exiting changes
2566
2567 *** Emacs now calls `kill-emacs' if it receives SIGTERM or SIGHUP,
2568 or if it receives a SIGINT signal in batch mode.
2569
2570 *** `kill-emacs-hook' is now also run in batch mode.
2571 Third-party code which adds to `kill-emacs-hook' should check if they
2572 do the right thing in batch mode.
2573
2574 ** Scrolling changes
2575
2576 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-command' and `scroll-down-command'
2577 (bound to C-v/[next] and M-v/[prior]) do not signal errors at top/bottom
2578 of buffer at first key-press (instead they move to top/bottom of buffer)
2579 when `scroll-error-top-bottom' is non-nil.
2580
2581 *** New option `scroll-error-top-bottom' (see above).
2582
2583 *** New scrolling commands `scroll-up-line' and `scroll-down-line'
2584 scroll a line instead of full screen.
2585
2586 *** New property `scroll-command' should be set on a command's symbol to
2587 define it as a scroll command affected by `scroll-preserve-screen-position'.
2588
2589 *** If you customize `scroll-conservatively' to a value greater than 100,
2590 Emacs will never recenter point in the window when it scrolls due to
2591 cursor motion commands or commands that move point (e.f., `M-g M-g').
2592 Previously, you needed to use `most-positive-fixnum' as the value of
2593 `scroll-conservatively' to achieve the same effect.
2594
2595 *** "Aggressive" scrolling now honors the scroll margins.
2596 If you customize `scroll-up-aggressively' or
2597 `scroll-down-aggressively' and move point off the window, Emacs now
2598 scrolls the window so as to avoid positioning point inside the scroll
2599 margin.
2600
2601 ** Basic SELinux support has been added.
2602 This requires Emacs to be linked with libselinux at build time.
2603
2604 *** Emacs preserves the SELinux file context when backing up.
2605 Also, the function `copy-file' has an extra optional argument for
2606 preserving SELinux context, and the return value of `backup-buffer'
2607 now includes the SELinux context.
2608
2609 *** New functions `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
2610 get and set the SELinux context of a file.
2611
2612 ** Trash changes
2613
2614 *** `delete-by-moving-to-trash' now only affects commands that specify
2615 trashing. This avoids inadvertently trashing temporary files.
2616
2617 *** Calling `delete-file' or `delete-directory' with a prefix argument
2618 now forces true deletion, regardless of `delete-by-moving-to-trash'.
2619
2620 ** File- and directory-local variable changes
2621
2622 *** You can stop directory local vars from applying to subdirectories.
2623 Add an element (subdirs . nil) to the alist portion of any variables
2624 settings to indicate that the section should not apply to
2625 subdirectories.
2626
2627 *** Directory local variables can apply to some file-less buffers.
2628 Affected modes include dired, vc-dir, and log-edit. For example,
2629 adding "(diff-mode . ((mode . whitespace)))" to .dir-locals.el will
2630 turn on `whitespace-mode' for *vc-diff* buffers. Modes should call
2631 `hack-dir-local-variables-non-file-buffer' to support this.
2632
2633 *** Using "mode: MINOR-MODE" to enable a minor mode is deprecated.
2634 Instead, use "eval: (minor-mode 1)".
2635
2636 *** The variable `inhibit-first-line-modes-regexps' has been renamed
2637 to `inhibit-local-variables-regexps'. As the name suggests, it now
2638 applies to ALL file local variables, not just -*- lines. The
2639 associated `inhibit-first-line-modes-suffixes' has been renamed in the
2640 corresponding way.
2641
2642 ** Window changes
2643
2644 *** The `quit-window' command now restores the last buffer displayed
2645 in the quitted window.
2646
2647 *** Resizing an Emacs frame now preserves proportional window sizes,
2648 modulo restrictions like window minimum sizes and fixed-size windows.
2649
2650 *** The behavior of `display-buffer' is now customizable in detail.
2651
2652 **** New option `display-buffer-base-action' specifies a list of
2653 user-determined display "actions" (functions and optional arguments
2654 for choosing the displaying window).
2655
2656 This takes precedence over the default display action, which is
2657 specified by `display-buffer-fallback-action'.
2658
2659 **** New option `display-buffer-alist' maps buffer name regexps to
2660 display actions, taking precedence over `display-buffer-base-action'.
2661
2662 *** New option `window-combination-limit'.
2663 The new option `window-combination-limit' allows to return the space
2664 obtained for resizing or creating a window more reliably to the window
2665 from which such space was obtained.
2666
2667 *** New option `window-combination-resize'.
2668 The new option `window-combination-resize' allows to split a window that
2669 otherwise cannot be split because it's too small by stealing space from
2670 other windows in the same combination. Subsequent resizing or deletion
2671 of the window will resize all windows in the same combination as well.
2672
2673 *** New option `frame-auto-hide-function' lets you choose between
2674 iconifying or deleting a frame when burying a buffer in a dedicated
2675 frame, or quitting a window showing a buffer in a frame of its own.
2676
2677 *** New commands `maximize-window' and `minimize-window'.
2678 These maximize and minimize the size of a window within its frame.
2679
2680 *** New commands `switch-to-prev-buffer' and `switch-to-next-buffer'.
2681 These functions allow to navigate through the live buffers that have
2682 been shown in a specific window.
2683
2684 ** Minibuffer changes
2685
2686 *** The inactive minibuffer has its own major mode `minibuffer-inactive-mode'.
2687 This is handy for minibuffer-only frames, and is also used for the feature
2688 where mouse-1 pops up *Messages*"', which can now easily be changed.
2689
2690 *** Minibuffers set `truncate-lines' to nil.
2691 If you want to change the value to something else, you could use
2692 for example `minibuffer-setup-hook'.
2693
2694 ** `auto-mode-case-fold' is now enabled by default.
2695
2696 ** `backup-by-copying-when-mismatch' now defaults to t.
2697
2698 ** New basic faces `error', `warning', `success'.
2699 These are used to highlight text indicating failure, caution or
2700 successful operation.
2701
2702 ** New option `list-colors-sort' defines the color sort order
2703 for `list-colors-display'.
2704
2705 ** The variable `focus-follows-mouse' now always defaults to nil.
2706
2707 \f
2708 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.1
2709
2710 ** Search changes
2711
2712 *** C-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-kill', instead of
2713 `isearch-yank-line'.
2714
2715 *** M-y in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-pop', instead of
2716 `isearch-yank-kill'.
2717
2718 *** M-s C-e in Isearch is now bound to `isearch-yank-line'.
2719
2720 ** New commands `count-words-region' and `count-words'.
2721
2722 *** M-= is bound to `count-words-region', not `count-lines-region'.
2723 The `count-words-region' command, when called interactively, reports
2724 the number of lines, words, and characters in the region. It is a
2725 superset of the old `count-lines-region', which is now an obsolete
2726 alias for it.
2727
2728 ** The command `just-one-space' (M-SPC), if given a negative argument,
2729 also deletes newlines around point.
2730
2731 ** Deletion changes
2732
2733 *** New option `delete-active-region'.
2734 If non-nil, [delete] and DEL delete the region if it is active and no
2735 prefix argument is given. If set to `kill', those commands kill
2736 instead.
2737
2738 *** New command `delete-forward-char', bound to [delete].
2739 This is meant for interactive use, and obeys `delete-active-region'.
2740 The command `delete-char' does not obey `delete-active-region'.
2741
2742 *** `delete-backward-char' is now a Lisp function.
2743 Apart from obeying `delete-active-region', its behavior is unchanged.
2744 However, the byte compiler now warns if it is called from Lisp; Lisp
2745 callers should use delete-char with a negative argument instead.
2746
2747 *** The option `mouse-region-delete-keys' has been deleted.
2748
2749 ** Selection changes.
2750
2751 The default handling of clipboard and primary selections has been
2752 changed to conform with modern X applications. In short, most
2753 commands for killing and yanking text now use the clipboard, while
2754 mouse commands use the primary selection.
2755
2756 In the following, we provide a list of these changes, followed by a
2757 list of steps to get the old behavior back if you prefer that.
2758
2759 *** `select-active-regions' now defaults to t.
2760 Merely selecting text (e.g. with drag-mouse-1) no longer puts it in
2761 the kill ring. The selected text is put in the primary selection, if
2762 the system possesses a separate primary selection facility (e.g. X).
2763
2764 **** `select-active-regions' also accepts a new value, `only'.
2765 This means to only set the primary selection for temporarily active
2766 regions (usually made by mouse-dragging or shift-selection);
2767 "ordinary" active regions, such as those made with C-SPC followed by
2768 point motion, do not alter the primary selection.
2769
2770 **** `mouse-drag-copy-region' now defaults to nil.
2771
2772 *** mouse-2 is now bound to `mouse-yank-primary'.
2773 This pastes from the primary selection, ignoring the kill-ring.
2774 Previously, mouse-2 was bound to `mouse-yank-at-click'.
2775
2776 *** `x-select-enable-clipboard' now defaults to t on all platforms.
2777
2778 *** `x-select-enable-primary' now defaults to nil.
2779 Thus, commands that kill text or copy it to the kill-ring (such as
2780 M-w, C-w, and C-k) also use the clipboard---not the primary selection.
2781
2782 **** The "Copy", "Cut", and "Paste" items in the "Edit" menu are now
2783 exactly equivalent to M-w, C-w, and C-y respectively.
2784
2785 **** Note that on MS-Windows, `x-select-enable-clipboard' was already
2786 non-nil by default, as Windows does not support the primary selection
2787 between applications.
2788
2789 *** To return to the previous behavior, do the following:
2790
2791 **** Change `select-active-regions' to nil.
2792 **** Change `mouse-drag-copy-region' to t.
2793 **** Change `x-select-enable-primary' to t (on X only).
2794 **** Change `x-select-enable-clipboard' to nil.
2795 **** Bind `mouse-yank-at-click' to mouse-2.
2796
2797 *** Support for X cut buffers has been removed.
2798
2799 *** X clipboard managers are now supported.
2800 To inhibit this, change `x-select-enable-clipboard-manager' to nil.
2801
2802 ** New command `C-x r N' (`rectangle-number-lines') numbers the lines
2803 in the current rectangle. With a prefix argument, this prompts for a
2804 number to count from and for a format string.
2805
2806 ** `redisplay-dont-pause' now defaults to t.
2807 This makes Emacs feel more responsive to editing commands that arrive
2808 at high rate, e.g. if you lean on some key, because stopping redisplay
2809 in the middle (when this variable is nil) forces more expensive
2810 updates later on, and Emacs appears to be unable to keep up.
2811
2812 ** The behavior of <TAB> for active regions in Text mode has changed.
2813 In Text and related modes, typing <TAB> (`indent-for-tab-command')
2814 when the region is active causes Emacs to indent all the lines in the
2815 region, aligning them with the line previous to the first line in the
2816 region (or with the left margin if there is no previous line).
2817
2818 ** When `occur' is called with a prefix argument, matching strings are
2819 collected into the `*Occur*' buffer without line numbers. If there
2820 are parenthesized subexpressions in the specified regexp, `occur'
2821 reads replacement text that may contain \\& and \\N whose convention
2822 follows `replace-match'.
2823
2824 \f
2825 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
2826
2827 ** Archive Mode has basic support for browsing and updating 7z archives.
2828
2829 ** BibTeX mode
2830
2831 *** BibTeX mode now supports biblatex.
2832 Use the variable `bibtex-dialect' to select different BibTeX dialects.
2833 `bibtex-entry-field-alist' is now an obsolete alias for
2834 `bibtex-BibTeX-entry-alist'.
2835
2836 *** New command `bibtex-search-entries', bound to C-c C-a.
2837
2838 *** New `bibtex-entry-format' option `sort-fields', disabled by default.
2839
2840 *** New variable `bibtex-search-entry-globally'.
2841
2842 ** Browse-url
2843
2844 *** New option `browse-url-mailto-function' specifies how to handle "mailto:"s.
2845
2846 *** The default browser used by the package is now the "xdg-open" program,
2847 on platforms that support it. This calls your desktop's preferred browser.
2848
2849 ** Calc
2850
2851 *** Support for musical notes.
2852
2853 *** Support for logarithmic units.
2854
2855 *** No longer uses the tex prefix for TeX specific unit names when
2856 using TeX or LaTeX mode.
2857
2858 *** New option to highlight selections using faces.
2859
2860 *** `calc-histogram' has the option of using a vector to determine the bins.
2861
2862 *** New "O" option prefix.
2863
2864 *** Use the "O" prefix to "d r" (`calc-radix') to turn on twos-complement mode.
2865
2866 ** Calendar, Diary, and Appt
2867
2868 *** Diary entries can contain non-printing "comments".
2869 See the variable `diary-comment-start'.
2870
2871 *** Appointments can specify their individual warning times.
2872 See the variable `appt-warning-time-regexp'.
2873
2874 *** The function specified by `appt-disp-window-function' may be passed
2875 lists of arguments if multiple appointments are due at similar times.
2876 If you are using a custom function for this, you should update it.
2877
2878 *** New function `diary-hebrew-birthday'.
2879
2880 *** Elements of `calendar-day-abbrev-array' and `calendar-month-abbrev-array'
2881 may no longer be nil, but must all be strings.
2882
2883 *** The obsolete (since Emacs 22.1) method of enabling the appt
2884 package by adding `appt-make-list' to `diary-hook' has been removed.
2885 Use `appt-activate' instead.
2886
2887 *** Some appt variables (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
2888 appt-issue-message (use the function appt-activate)
2889 appt-visible/appt-msg-window (use the variable appt-display-format)
2890
2891 *** Some diary function aliases (obsolete since Emacs 22.1) have been removed:
2892 view-diary-entries, list-diary-entries, show-all-diary-entries
2893
2894 ** CC Mode
2895
2896 *** New feature to "guess" the style in an existing buffer.
2897 The main entry point is M-x c-guess.
2898
2899 *** Java Mode now supports Java 5.0 (Tiger) and 6 (Mustang).
2900
2901 *** `c-beginning-of-defun' and `c-end-of-defun' now respect nested scopes.
2902 Thus C-M-a will, by default, go to the beginning of the immediate function,
2903 not the top level.
2904
2905 *** "Macros with semicolons" can be registered for correct indentation.
2906 Where such a macro ends a line (no semicolon) the next statement is no longer
2907 parsed as a statement continuation.
2908
2909 ** Comint and modes derived from it use the standard completion code.
2910
2911 ** Compilation mode
2912
2913 *** Compilation mode can be used without Font Lock mode.
2914 `compilation-parse-errors-function' is now obsolete.
2915
2916 *** New variable `compilation-filter-start', which is bound while
2917 `compilation-filter-hook' runs. It records the start position of the
2918 text inserted by `compilation-filter'.
2919
2920 *** `compilation-error-screen-columns' and `compilation-first-column'
2921 are obeyed in the editing buffer. So programming language modes can
2922 set them, whereas previously only the value in the *Compilation*
2923 buffer was used.
2924
2925 ** Customize
2926
2927 *** Customize buffers now contain a search field.
2928 The search is performed using `customize-apropos'.
2929 To turn off the search field, set `custom-search-field' to nil.
2930
2931 *** Options in customize group buffers start out hidden if not customized.
2932 Use the arrow to the left of the option name to toggle visibility.
2933
2934 *** custom-buffer-sort-alphabetically now defaults to t.
2935
2936 *** The color widget now has a "Choose" button, which allows you to
2937 choose a color via `list-colors-display'.
2938
2939 ** D-Bus
2940
2941 *** It is now possible to access buses other than the default system
2942 or session bus.
2943
2944 *** The `dbus-register-method' and `dbus-register-property' functions
2945 optionally do not register names.
2946
2947 *** The new function `dbus-register-service' registers a known service
2948 name on a D-Bus without also registering a property or a method.
2949
2950 ** Dired-x
2951
2952 *** C-x C-j (`dired-jump') and C-x 4 C-j (`dired-jump-other-window'),
2953 if called with a prefix argument, read a file name from the minibuffer
2954 instead of using the current buffer.
2955
2956 *** The "dired local variables" feature of Dired-x is obsolete.
2957 The standard directory local variables feature replaces it.
2958
2959 ** ERC changes
2960
2961 *** New options `erc-autojoin-timing' and `erc-autojoin-delay',
2962 controlling attempts to autojoin a channel.
2963
2964 *** New variable `erc-coding-system-precedence': If we use `undecided'
2965 as the server coding system, this variable will then be consulted.
2966 The default is to decode strings that can be decoded as utf-8 as
2967 utf-8, and do the normal `undecided' decoding for the rest.
2968
2969 ** Eshell changes
2970
2971 *** The default value of `eshell-directory-name' has changed
2972 to be an "eshell" directory in `user-emacs-directory'.
2973 The old "~/.eshell/" directory is still used if it exists, though.
2974
2975 ** gdb-mi
2976
2977 *** The M-x gdb command now uses the GDB Machine Interface protocol.
2978 It now supports multithread non-stop debugging and simultaneous
2979 debugging of several threads.
2980
2981 ** Image mode
2982
2983 *** RET (`image-toggle-animation') toggles animation, if applicable.
2984 Animation plays once, unless the option `image-animate-loop' is non-nil.
2985
2986 ** Info
2987
2988 *** New command M-x info-display-manual displays a named Info manual.
2989 If that manual is already visited in some Info buffer, it displays
2990 that buffer. (This is handy if you have many manuals in many *info*
2991 buffers, and don't remember the name of the buffer visiting the manual
2992 you want to consult.) Otherwise, it loads and displays the manual.
2993
2994 *** `e' is now bound to `end-of-buffer' rather than to `Info-edit'.
2995 This is for compatibility with the stand-alone Info reader program,
2996 and also because `Info-edit' is a rarely used command that is disabled
2997 by default.
2998
2999 ** Mail mode changes (not Message mode)
3000
3001 *** New command M-x mail-add-attachment for adding MIME attachments
3002
3003 *** The command M-x mail-attach-file was renamed to M-x mail-insert-file.
3004 (Its name is misleading, since it has nothing to do with MIME
3005 attachments.) The old name is now an obsolete alias to the new name.
3006
3007 ** MH-E has been updated to MH-E version 8.3.1.
3008 See MH-E-NEWS for details.
3009
3010 ** Modula-2 mode provides auto-indentation.
3011
3012 ** mpc.el: Can use pseudo tags of the form tag1|tag2 as a union of two tags.
3013
3014 ** nXML mode no longer binds C-RET to `nxml-complete'.
3015 Completion is now performed via `completion-at-point', bound to C-M-i
3016 or M-TAB. If `nxml-bind-meta-tab-to-complete-flag' is non-nil (the
3017 default), this performs tag completion.
3018
3019 ** Org mode has been updated to version 7.8.09.
3020 See ORG-NEWS for details.
3021
3022 ** Prolog mode has been completely revamped, with lots of additional
3023 functionality such as more intelligent indentation, electricity,
3024 support for more variants, including Mercury, and a lot more.
3025
3026 ** Rmail
3027
3028 *** The command `rmail-epa-decrypt' decrypts OpenPGP data
3029 in the Rmail incoming message.
3030
3031 *** The variable `rmail-message-filter' no longer has any effect.
3032 This change was made in Emacs 23.1 but was not advertised at the time.
3033 Try using `rmail-show-message-hook' instead.
3034
3035 ** Shell mode
3036
3037 *** M-x shell prompts for the shell path name if the default directory
3038 is a remote file name and neither the environment variable $ESHELL nor
3039 the variable `explicit-shell-file-name' is set.
3040
3041 *** TAB is now bound to the standard `completion-at-point' command,
3042 which now implements the pcomplete rules for shell command completion.
3043
3044 ** SMTPmail
3045
3046 *** SMTPmail now uses encrypted connections (via STARTTLS) by default
3047 if the mail server supports them. This uses either built-in GnuTLS
3048 support, or the starttls.el library. Customize `smtpmail-stream-type'
3049 to change this.
3050
3051 *** The variable `smtpmail-auth-credentials' has been removed.
3052 By default, the information is now stored in the file ~/.authinfo.
3053 This was the default value of smtpmail-auth-credentials. If you had
3054 customized smtpmail-auth-credentials to a list of user names and
3055 passwords, those settings are not used. During your first connection
3056 to the smtp server, Emacs will prompt for the user name and password,
3057 and offer to save them to ~/.authinfo. Or you can manually copy the
3058 credentials to ~/.authinfo. For example, if you had
3059
3060 (setq smtpmail-auth-credentials
3061 '(("mail.example.org" 25 "jim" "s!cret")))
3062
3063 then the equivalent line in ~/.authinfo would be
3064
3065 machine mail.example.org port 25 login jim password s!cret
3066
3067 See the auth-source manual for more information, e.g. on encrypting
3068 the credentials file.
3069
3070 *** The variable `smtpmail-starttls-credentials' has been removed.
3071 If you had that set, you need to put
3072
3073 machine smtp.whatever.foo port 25 key "~/.my_smtp_tls.key" cert "~/.my_smtp_tls.cert"
3074
3075 in your ~/.authinfo file instead.
3076
3077 *** SMTPmail defaults to using the address in the From: header as the
3078 SMTP MAIL FROM envelope. To override this, set `mail-envelope-from'
3079 to the address you wish to use instead.
3080
3081 ** SQL mode
3082
3083 *** New options `sql-port', `sql-connection-alist', `sql-send-terminator',
3084 and `sql-oracle-scan-on'.
3085
3086 *** New options controlling prompting for login parameters.
3087 Each supported product has a custom variable `sql-*-login-params',
3088 which is a list of the parameters to be prompted for before a
3089 connection is established.
3090
3091 *** The command `sql-product-interactive' now takes a prefix argument,
3092 which causes it to prompt for an SQL product.
3093
3094 *** Product-specific SQL interactive commands now take prefix arguments.
3095 These commands (`sql-sqlite', `sql-postgres', `sql-mysql', etc.),
3096 given a prefix argument, prompt for a name for the SQL interactive
3097 buffer. This reduces the need for calling `sql-rename-buffer'.
3098
3099 *** SQL interactive modes suppress command continuation prompts, and
3100 replace tabs with spaces. The first change impacts multiple line SQL
3101 statements entered with C-j between each line, statements yanked into
3102 the buffer and statements sent with `sql-send-*' functions. The
3103 second prevents the MySQL and Postgres interpreters from listing
3104 object name completions when sent text via `sql-send-*' functions.
3105
3106 *** New command `sql-connect' starts a predefined SQLi session,
3107 using the login parameters from `sql-connection-alist'.
3108
3109 *** New "Save Connection" menu item in SQLi buffers.
3110 This gathers the login params specified for the SQLi session, if it
3111 was not started by a connection, and saves them as a new connection.
3112
3113 *** New commands for listing database objects and details:
3114 sql-list-all and sql-list-table.
3115
3116 *** An API for manipulating SQL product definitions has been added.
3117
3118 ** TeX modes
3119
3120 *** latex-electric-env-pair-mode keeps \begin..\end matched on the fly.
3121
3122 ** Tramp
3123
3124 *** New inline access method "ksu" (kerberized su).
3125
3126 *** The following access methods are discontinued: "ssh1_old",
3127 "ssh2_old", "scp1_old", "scp2_old", "imap", "imaps" and "fish".
3128
3129 *** The user option `remote-file-name-inhibit-cache' controls whether
3130 remote file attributes are cached for better performance.
3131
3132 *** The option `ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp' has changed its
3133 default value to "".
3134
3135 *** Handlers for `file-selinux-context' and `set-file-selinux-context'
3136 for remote machines which support SELinux.
3137
3138 ** New function `url-queue-retrieve', which behaves like url-retrieve,
3139 but with limits (`url-queue-parallel-processes', `url-queue-timeout') on
3140 the degree of parallelism.
3141
3142 ** VC and related modes
3143
3144 *** Support for pulling on distributed version control systems.
3145 The command C-x v + (`vc-pull') runs a "pull" operation, if it is
3146 supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to update the
3147 current branch and working tree. A prefix argument means to prompt
3148 the user for specifics, e.g. a pull location.
3149
3150 *** `vc-update' is now an alias for `vc-pull'.
3151
3152 *** Support for merging on distributed version control systems.
3153 The command C-x v m (`vc-merge') now runs a "merge" operation, if it
3154 is supported (currently with Bzr, Git, and Mercurial), to merge
3155 changes from another branch into the current one. It prompts for
3156 specifics, e.g. a merge source.
3157
3158 *** New option `vc-revert-show-diff' controls whether `vc-revert'
3159 shows a diff while querying the user. It defaults to t.
3160
3161 *** Log entries in some Log View buffers can be toggled to display a
3162 longer description by typing RET (log-view-toggle-entry-display).
3163 This is currently supported for Bzr, Git, and Mercurial (to support
3164 another backend, define a `log-view-expanded-log-entry-function').
3165 In the Log View buffers made by C-x v L (`vc-print-root-log'), you can
3166 use this to display the full log entry for the revision at point.
3167
3168 *** New command `vc-ediff' allows visual comparison of two revisions
3169 of a file similar to `vc-diff', but using ediff backend.
3170
3171 *** The option `vc-initial-comment' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but
3172 this was not advertised at the time.
3173
3174 *** `vc-toggle-read-only' is an obsolete alias for `toggle-read-only'.
3175 Since Emacs 23, it has done the same thing as `toggle-read-only', but
3176 this was not advertised at the time.
3177
3178 ** Obsolete modes
3179
3180 *** abbrevlist.el
3181
3182 *** erc-hecomplete.el (use erc-pcomplete.el instead)
3183
3184 *** partial-completion-mode (complete.el) is obsolete.
3185 You can get a comparable behavior with:
3186 (setq completion-styles '(partial-completion initials))
3187 (setq completion-pcm-complete-word-inserts-delimiters t)
3188
3189 *** pc-mode.el is obsolete (CUA mode is much more comprehensive).
3190
3191 *** pgg is obsolete (use EasyPG instead).
3192
3193 *** sregex.el is obsolete, since rx.el is a strict superset.
3194
3195 *** s-region.el and pc-select.el are obsolete.
3196 They are superseded by shift-select-mode, enabled by default since 23.1.
3197
3198 *** vc-mcvs.el is obsolete (for lack of a maintainer).
3199
3200 ** Miscellaneous
3201
3202 *** The Landmark game is now invoked with `landmark', not `lm'.
3203 Its functions and variables have been similarly renamed.
3204
3205 *** In `ido-file-completion-map', C-v is no longer bound to `ido-toggle-vc'.
3206 (This interfered with cua-mode.)
3207
3208 *** f90.el has some support for Fortran 2008 syntax.
3209
3210 *** `copyright-fix-years' can optionally convert consecutive years to ranges.
3211
3212 *** New command `nato-region' converts text to NATO phonetic alphabet.
3213
3214 \f
3215 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 24.1
3216
3217 ** Occur Edit mode applies edits made in *Occur* buffers to the
3218 original buffers. It is bound to "e" in Occur mode.
3219
3220 ** New global minor mode electric-pair-mode.
3221 When enabled, typing an open parenthesis automatically inserts the
3222 matching closing one.
3223
3224 ** New global minor mode electric-indent-mode.
3225 When enabled, typing certain characters triggers reindentation.
3226 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-indent-chars or
3227 electric-indent-functions.
3228
3229 ** New global minor mode electric-layout-mode.
3230 When enabled, typing certain characters automatically inserts newlines.
3231 Major modes wishing to use this can set electric-layout-rules.
3232
3233 ** tabulated-list.el provides a generic major mode for tabulated data,
3234 from which other modes can be derived.
3235
3236 ** pcase.el provides the ML-style pattern matching macro `pcase'.
3237
3238 ** secrets.el is an implementation of the Secret Service API, an
3239 interface to password managers like GNOME Keyring or KDE Wallet. The
3240 Secret Service API requires D-Bus for communication. The command
3241 `secrets-show-secrets' offers a buffer with a visualization of the
3242 secrets.
3243
3244 ** notifications.el provides an implementation of the Desktop
3245 Notifications API. It requires D-Bus for communication.
3246
3247 ** soap-client.el supports access to SOAP web services from Emacs.
3248 soap-inspect.el is an interactive inspector for SOAP WSDL structures.
3249
3250 ** New generic mode, xmodmap-generic-mode, for xmodmap files.
3251
3252 ** New emacs-lock.el package.
3253 The previous version has been moved to obsolete/old-emacs-lock.el.
3254 Now, there is a proper minor mode `emacs-lock-mode'. Protection
3255 against exiting Emacs and killing the buffer can be set separately.
3256 The mechanism for automatically turning off protection for buffers
3257 with dead inferior processes has been generalized.
3258
3259 \f
3260 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
3261
3262 ** Passing a nil argument to a minor mode function call now ENABLES
3263 the minor mode unconditionally. This is so that you can write e.g.
3264
3265 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'foo-mode)
3266
3267 to enable foo-mode in Text mode buffers, removing the need for
3268 `turn-on-foo-mode' style functions. This affects all mode commands
3269 defined by `define-minor-mode'. If called interactively, the mode
3270 command still toggles the minor mode.
3271
3272 ** The return value of `backup-buffer' has changed.
3273 It is now a list of three elements, where the second element is a list
3274 describing the original file's SELinux context. If Emacs or the
3275 system lacks SELinux support, the context list is (nil nil nil nil).
3276 See "Basic SELinux support" above, under "Changes in Emacs 24.1".
3277
3278 ** `char-direction-table' and the `char-direction' function were deleted.
3279 They were buggy and inferior to the new support of bidirectional
3280 editing introduced in Emacs 24. If you need the bidirectional
3281 properties of a character, use `get-char-code-property' with the last
3282 argument `bidi-class'.
3283
3284 ** `copy-directory' now copies the source directory as a subdirectory
3285 of the target directory, if the latter is an existing directory. The
3286 new optional arg COPY-CONTENTS, if non-nil, makes the function copy
3287 the contents directly into a pre-existing target directory.
3288
3289 ** For mouse click input events in the text area, the Y pixel
3290 coordinate in the POSITION list now counts from the top of the text
3291 area, excluding any header line. Previously, it counted from the top
3292 of the header line.
3293
3294 ** Support for "old-style" backquotes, obsolete for 10+ years, has
3295 been further reduced. Now a backquote not followed by a space is
3296 always treated as a "new-style" backquote. Please remove all
3297 "old-style" backquotes from your code. If your code uses backquotes
3298 as documented in the Elisp manual, and compiles without warning, then
3299 you have nothing to do in this regard. Code not following the
3300 appropriate conventions may fail to compile.
3301
3302 The most common cause of trouble seems to be an old-style backquote
3303 followed by a newline. Another cause of trouble is vector notation
3304 for key sequence notation: instead of [(control ,)] and [(control ')],
3305 you should write [(control ?,)] and [(control ?')], which will work in
3306 older Emacsen too.
3307
3308 ** The macro `eval-at-startup' was removed in Emacs 23.2, but this
3309 was not advertised at the time. The function `custom-initialize-delay'
3310 replaced all known uses.
3311
3312 ** `view-buffer' now treats special mode-class in the same way that
3313 `view-file' has since Emacs 22 (i.e. it won't enable View mode if the
3314 major mode is special).
3315
3316 ** Menu and tool bar changes
3317
3318 *** During startup, Emacs no longer adds entries for `menu-bar-lines'
3319 and `tool-bar-lines' to `default-frame-alist' and `initial-frame-alist'.
3320 With these alist entries omitted, `make-frame' checks the value of the
3321 variable `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode' to determine whether to create
3322 a menu-bar or tool-bar, respectively. If the alist entries are added,
3323 they override the value of `menu-bar-mode'/`tool-bar-mode'.
3324
3325 *** The menu bar bindings's caches are not used any more.
3326 Use (where-is-internal <def> nil t) instead.
3327
3328 ** Regions created by mouse dragging are now normal active regions,
3329 similar to those created by shift-selection (see Selection changes
3330 above). In previous Emacs versions, these regions were delineated by
3331 `mouse-drag-overlay'; that variable has been removed.
3332
3333 ** The fourth argument of `filter-buffer-substring' has been removed.
3334 If you want to remove text properties from the final result, simply
3335 pass the result through substring-no-properties.
3336
3337 ** cl.el no longer provides `cl-19'.
3338
3339 ** The following obsolete functions and aliases have been removed
3340 (the appropriate new function is given in parentheses; "not needed"
3341 means you can just remove all calls to the function in question):
3342
3343 *** `comint-kill-output' (`comint-delete-output')
3344 *** `decompose-composite-char' (`char-to-string')
3345 *** `outline-visible' (`outline-invisible-p')
3346 *** `internal-find-face' (`facep')
3347 *** `internal-get-face' (`facep and check-face')
3348 *** `frame-update-faces' (not needed)
3349 *** `frame-update-face-colors' (`frame-set-background-mode')
3350 *** `x-frob-font-weight' and `x-frob-font-slant' (`make-face-*' functions)
3351 *** `x-make-font-bold' and `x-make-font-demibold' (`make-face-bold')
3352 *** `x-make-font-italic' and `x-make-font-oblique' (`make-face-italic')
3353 *** `x-make-font-bold-italic' (`make-face-bold-italic')
3354 *** `x-make-font-unbold' (`make-face-unbold')
3355 *** `x-make-font-unitalic' (`make-face-unitalic')
3356 *** `mldrag-drag-mode-line' (`mouse-drag-mode-line')
3357 *** `mldrag-drag-vertical-line' (`mouse-drag-vertical-line')
3358 *** `iswitchb-default-keybindings' (`iswitchb-mode')
3359 *** `char-bytes' (== 1)
3360 *** `isearch-return-char' (`isearch-printing-char')
3361 *** `make-local-hook' (not needed)
3362 *** `set-screen-height' (`set-frame-height')
3363 *** `set-screen-width' (`set-frame-width')
3364
3365 ** The following obsolete variables and varaliases have been removed
3366 (the appropriate new variable is given in parentheses):
3367
3368 *** `checkdoc-minor-keymap' (`checkdoc-minor-mode-map')
3369 *** `vc-header-alist' (`vc-BACKEND-header')
3370 *** `directory-sep-char' (== ?/)
3371 *** `font-lock-defaults-alist' (`font-lock-defaults')
3372 *** `e' (`float-e').
3373
3374 ** The following obsolete files were removed:
3375 sc.el, x-menu.el, rnews.el, rnewspost.el
3376
3377 ** The format of the finder-inf.el file has changed, since the Finder
3378 mechanism is now based on the package system. The variable
3379 `finder-package-info' is replaced by `package--builtins' and
3380 `finder-keywords-hash'.
3381
3382 ** When generating autoloads, `update-directory-autoloads' no longer
3383 assumes every inspected file is in your `load-path'. It instead
3384 generates relative names according to the current `load-path'.
3385
3386 \f
3387 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 24.1
3388
3389 ** Code can now use lexical scoping by default instead of dynamic scoping.
3390 The `lexical-binding' variable enables lexical scoping for local
3391 variables. It is typically set via a file-local variable in the first
3392 line of the file, in which case it applies to all the code in that
3393 file.
3394
3395 *** `eval' takes a new optional argument `lexical' to choose the new lexical
3396 binding instead of the old dynamic binding mode.
3397
3398 *** Lexically scoped interpreted functions are represented with a new form
3399 of function value which looks like (closure ENV ARGS &rest BODY).
3400
3401 *** New macro `letrec' to define recursive local functions.
3402
3403 *** `defvar' and `defconst' now mark the variable as special (dynamic).
3404 So do `defcustom' and other forms that call `defvar' as a subroutine.
3405
3406 *** New function `special-variable-p' to check whether a variable is
3407 declared as dynamically bound.
3408
3409 *** The form ((lambda ...) ...) is deprecated.
3410
3411 ** An Emacs Lisp testing tool is now included.
3412 Emacs Lisp developers can use this tool to write automated tests for
3413 their code. See the ERT info manual for details.
3414
3415 ** Changes for bidirectional display and editing
3416
3417 *** New function `current-bidi-paragraph-direction'.
3418 This returns the base direction of the paragraph at point.
3419
3420 *** New function `bidi-string-mark-left-to-right'.
3421 Given a string containing characters from right-to-left scripts, this
3422 function returns another string which can be safely inserted into a
3423 buffer, such that any following text will be always displayed to the
3424 right of that string. (This works by appending an invisible Unicode
3425 "LEFT-TO-RIGHT MARK" character if the argument string might need it.)
3426
3427 This is useful when the buffer has overall left-to-right paragraph
3428 direction and you need to insert a string whose contents are not known
3429 in advance, without disrupting the layout of the line.
3430
3431 ** Window changes
3432
3433 *** Window tree functions are accessible in Elisp.
3434 Functions are provided to return the parent, siblings or child windows
3435 of any window including internal windows (windows not associated with a
3436 buffer) in the window tree.
3437
3438 **** New function `window-valid-p' gives non-nil for live and internal
3439 windows.
3440
3441 **** Window manipulation can deal with internal windows.
3442 Many window handling functions like `split-window', `delete-window', or
3443 `delete-other-windows' as well as the window resizing functions can now
3444 act on any window including internal ones.
3445
3446 *** window-total-height/-width vs window-body-height/-width.
3447 The function `window-height' has been renamed to `window-total-height'
3448 and `window-width' has been renamed to `window-body-width'. The old
3449 names are provided as aliases. Two new functions `window-total-width'
3450 and `window-body-height' are provided.
3451
3452 *** Window parameters specific to window handling functions.
3453 For each window you can specify a parameter to override the default
3454 behavior of a number of functions like `split-window', `delete-window'
3455 and `delete-other-windows'. The variable `ignore-window-parameters'
3456 allows to ignore processing such parameters.
3457
3458 *** New semantics of third argument of `split-window'.
3459 The third argument of `split-window' has been renamed to SIDE and can be
3460 set to any of the values 'below, 'right, 'above, or 'left to make the
3461 new window appear on the corresponding side of the window that shall be
3462 split. Any other value of SIDE will cause `split-window' to split the
3463 window into two side-by-side windows as before.
3464
3465 *** Window resizing functions.
3466 A new standard function for resizing windows called `window-resize' has
3467 been introduced. This and all other functions for resizing windows no
3468 longer delete any windows when they become too small.
3469
3470 *** Deleting the selected window now selects the most recently selected
3471 live window on that frame instead.
3472
3473 *** `adjust-window-trailing-edge' adjustments.
3474 `adjust-window-trailing-edge' can now deal with fixed-size windows and
3475 is able to resize other windows if a window adjacent to the trailing
3476 edge cannot be shrunk any more. This makes its behavior more similar to
3477 that of Emacs 21 without compromising, however, its inability to delete
3478 windows which was introduced in Emacs 22.
3479
3480 *** Window-local buffer lists.
3481 Windows now have local buffer lists. This means that removing a buffer
3482 from display in a window will preferably show the buffer previously
3483 shown in that window with its previous window-start and window-point
3484 positions. This also means that the same buffer may be automatically
3485 shown twice even if it already appears in another window.
3486
3487 *** `switch-to-buffer' has a new optional argument FORCE-SAME-WINDOW,
3488 which if non-nil requires the buffer to be displayed in the currently
3489 selected window, signaling an error otherwise. If nil, another window
3490 can be used, e.g. if the selected one is strongly dedicated.
3491
3492 *** `split-window-vertically' and `split-window-horizontally' renamed
3493 to `split-window-below' and `split-window-right' respectively.
3494 The old names are kept as aliases.
3495
3496 *** Display actions
3497
3498 **** The second arg to `display-buffer' and `pop-to-buffer' is now
3499 named ACTION, and takes a display action of the same form as
3500 `display-buffer-base-action' (see Changes, above). A non-nil,
3501 non-list value is treated specially, as the old meaning.
3502
3503 **** New variable `display-buffer-overriding-action'.
3504
3505 **** The procedure of `display-buffer' etc. to choose a window is
3506 determined by combining `display-buffer-overriding-action',
3507 `display-buffer-alist', the ACTION arg, `display-buffer-base-action',
3508 and `display-buffer-fallback-action'. The second and fourth of these
3509 are user-customizable variables.
3510
3511 See the docstring of `display-buffer' for details.
3512
3513 *** New functions `window-state-get' and `window-state-put'.
3514 These functions allow to save and restore the state of an arbitrary
3515 frame or window as an Elisp object.
3516
3517 ** Completion
3518
3519 *** New variable `completion-extra-properties' used to specify extra
3520 properties of the current completion:
3521 - :annotate-function, same as the old completion-annotate-function.
3522 - :exit-function, function to call after completion took place.
3523
3524 *** Functions on `completion-at-point-functions' can return any of the
3525 properties valid for `completion-extra-properties'.
3526
3527 *** `completion-annotate-function' is obsolete.
3528
3529 *** New `metadata' method for completion tables. The metadata thus returned
3530 can specify various details of the data returned by `all-completions':
3531 - `category' is the kind of objects returned (e.g., `buffer', `file', ...),
3532 used to select a style in completion-category-overrides.
3533 - `annotation-function' to add annotations in *Completions*.
3534 - `display-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries in *Completions*.
3535 - `cycle-sort-function' to specify how to sort entries when cycling.
3536
3537 *** `minibuffer-local-filename-must-match-map' is not used any more.
3538 Instead, the bindings in `minibuffer-local-filename-completion-map'
3539 are combined with `minibuffer-local-must-match-map'.
3540
3541 *** New variable `completing-read-function' allows overriding the
3542 behavior of `completing-read'.
3543
3544 ** `glyphless-char-display' can now distinguish between graphical and
3545 text terminal display, via a char-table entry that is a cons cell.
3546
3547 ** `pre-command-hook'/`post-command-hook' are not reset to nil on error.
3548 Instead, the offending function is removed.
3549
3550 ** New hook types
3551
3552 *** New function `run-hook-wrapped' for running an abnormal hook by
3553 passing the hook functions as arguments to a "wrapping" function.
3554 Like `run-hook-with-args-until-success', it stops at the first
3555 non-nil return value.
3556
3557 *** New macro `with-wrapper-hook' for running an abnormal hook as a
3558 set of "wrapping" filters, similar to around advice.
3559 (A version of this macro was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not
3560 advertised at the time.)
3561
3562 ** Debugger changes
3563
3564 *** New macro `condition-case-unless-debug' (this was actually added in
3565 Emacs 23.1 as condition-case-no-debug, but not advertised)
3566
3567 *** The macro `with-demoted-errors' was added in Emacs 23.1, but not advertised.
3568
3569 *** Variable `stack-trace-on-error' removed.
3570
3571 *** The debugger can now "continue" from an error, which means it will
3572 jump to the error handler as if the debugger had not been invoked
3573 instead of jumping all the way to the top-level.
3574
3575 *** Set `debug-on-event' to enter the debugger on events like SIGUSR1.
3576 This can be useful when `inhibit-quit' is set.
3577
3578 ** The new function `server-eval-at' allows evaluation of Lisp forms on
3579 named Emacs server instances.
3580
3581 ** `call-process' and `call-process-region' allow a `(:file "file")' spec
3582 to redirect STDOUT to a file.
3583
3584 ** The function `format-time-string' now supports the %N directive,
3585 for higher-resolution time stamps.
3586
3587 ** New input reading functions
3588
3589 *** New function `read-char-choice' reads a restricted set of
3590 characters, discarding any inputs not inside the set.
3591
3592 *** The command `read-color' now requires a match for a color name
3593 or RGB triplet, instead of signaling an error if the user provides
3594 invalid input.
3595
3596 **** `facemenu-read-color' is now an alias for `read-color'.
3597
3598 ** `image-library-alist' is renamed to `dynamic-library-alist'.
3599 The variable is now used to load all kind of supported dynamic libraries,
3600 not just image libraries. The previous name is still available as an
3601 obsolete alias.
3602
3603 ** Syntax parsing changes
3604
3605 *** New variable `syntax-propertize-function'.
3606 This replaces `font-lock-syntactic-keywords' which is now obsolete.
3607 This allows syntax-table properties to be set independently from font-lock:
3608 just call syntax-propertize to make sure the text is propertized.
3609 Together with this new variable come a new hook
3610 syntax-propertize-extend-region-functions, as well as two helper functions:
3611 syntax-propertize-via-font-lock to reuse old font-lock-syntactic-keywords
3612 as-is; and syntax-propertize-rules which provides a new way to specify
3613 syntactic rules.
3614
3615 *** Syntax tables support a new "comment style c" additionally to style b.
3616
3617 ** New hook `post-self-insert-hook', run after `self-insert-command'.
3618
3619 ** frame-local variables cannot be let-bound any more.
3620
3621 ** Major and minor mode changes
3622
3623 *** `set-auto-mode' now respects mode: local variables at the end of files,
3624 as well as those in the -*- line.
3625
3626 *** `prog-mode' is a new major mode from which programming modes
3627 should be derived.
3628
3629 **** `prog-mode-hook' can be used to enable features for programming
3630 modes, e.g. (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'flyspell-prog-mode) to enable
3631 on-the-fly spell checking for comments and strings.
3632
3633 *** New hook `change-major-mode-after-body-hook', run by
3634 `run-mode-hooks' just before any other mode hooks.
3635
3636 *** Enabled globalized minor modes can be disabled in specific major modes.
3637 If the global mode is global-FOO-mode, then run (FOO-mode -1) in the
3638 major mode's hook, where FOO-mode toggles the mode on a per-buffer basis.
3639
3640 *** `define-minor-mode' accepts new keywords :variable, :after-hook.
3641
3642 ** File-handling changes
3643
3644 *** `delete-file' and `delete-directory' now accept optional arg TRASH.
3645 Trashing is performed if TRASH and `delete-by-moving-to-trash' are
3646 both non-nil. Interactively, TRASH defaults to t, unless a prefix
3647 argument is supplied (see Trash changes, above).
3648
3649 *** New file predicates: `file-equal-p', `file-in-directory-p'.
3650
3651 ** Tool-bars can display separators.
3652 Tool-bar separators are handled like menu separators in menu-bar maps,
3653 i.e. via menu entries of the form `(menu-item "--")'.
3654
3655 ** Image API
3656
3657 *** Animated images support (currently animated gifs only).
3658
3659 **** `image-animated-p' returns non-nil if an image can be animated.
3660
3661 **** `image-animate' animates a supplied image spec.
3662
3663 **** `image-animate-timer' returns the timer object for an image that
3664 is being animated.
3665
3666 *** `image-extension-data' has been renamed to `image-metadata'.
3667 The old name is an obsolete alias to the new one.
3668
3669 *** Image mode can view any image type that ImageMagick supports.
3670 This requires Emacs to be built with ImageMagick support.
3671
3672 **** New function `imagemagick-types', defined if ImageMagick support
3673 is enabled, returns a list of image file extensions that your
3674 ImageMagick installation supports.
3675
3676 **** New function `imagemagick-register-types' enables ImageMagick
3677 image types in Image mode and in `create-image' and other helper
3678 functions.
3679
3680 **** New option `imagemagick-types-inhibit' excludes certain
3681 ImageMagick image types from `imagemagick-register-types'.
3682
3683 **** With ImageMagick support, there are extra Image mode commands to
3684 resize and rotate images: `image-transform-fit-to-height',
3685 `image-transform-fit-to-width', `image-transform-set-rotation', and
3686 `image-transform-set-scale'.
3687
3688 ** `compose-mail' now accepts an optional 8th arg, RETURN-ACTION, and
3689 passes it to the mail user agent function. This argument specifies an
3690 action for returning to the caller after finishing with the mail. For
3691 example, this is used by Rmail to optionally delete a mail window.
3692
3693 ** XML and HTML parsing
3694 If Emacs is compiled with libxml2 support, there are two new
3695 functions: `libxml-parse-html-region' (which parses "real world" HTML)
3696 and `libxml-parse-xml-region' (which parses XML). Both return an
3697 Emacs Lisp parse tree.
3698
3699 ** Networking and encryption changes
3700
3701 *** `open-network-stream' can now be used to open an encrypted stream.
3702 It now accepts an optional `:type' parameter for initiating a TLS
3703 connection, directly or via STARTTLS. To do STARTTLS, additional
3704 parameters (`:end-of-command', `:success', `:capabilities-command')
3705 must also be supplied.
3706
3707 *** New library gnutls.el.
3708 The new function `gnutls-available-p' returns non-nil if Emacs is
3709 built with GnuTLS support. The main entry points are
3710 `open-gnutls-stream' and `gnutls-negotiate'. It's easiest to use
3711 these functions through `open-network-stream', because that can
3712 upgrade connections through STARTTLS opportunistically or use plain
3713 SSL, depending on your needs. For debugging, set `gnutls-log-level'
3714 greater than 0.
3715
3716 *** New primitive `secure-hash' that supports many secure hash algorithms:
3717 md5, sha1, sha2, sha224, sha256, sha384, and sha512. The lisp library
3718 sha1.el has been removed. The `sha1' feature is provided by default.
3719
3720 ** Isearch
3721
3722 *** New hook `isearch-update-post-hook' that runs in `isearch-update'.
3723
3724 ** Progress reporters can now "spin".
3725 The MIN-VALUE and MAX-VALUE arguments of `make-progress-reporter' can
3726 now be nil, or omitted. This makes a "non-numeric" reporter. Each
3727 time you call `progress-reporter-update' on that progress reporter,
3728 with a nil or omitted VALUE argument, the reporter message is
3729 displayed with a "spinning bar".
3730
3731 ** New variable `revert-buffer-in-progress-p' is true while a buffer is
3732 being reverted, even if the buffer has a local `revert-buffer-function'.
3733
3734 ** New variables `delayed-warnings-list' and `delayed-warnings-hook'.
3735 If delayed-warnings-list is non-nil, the command loop calls
3736 `delayed-warnings-hook' after `post-command-hook'. At present, this
3737 is only used by Emacs on some platforms to display warnings during
3738 startup, which might otherwise not be noticed. This uses the
3739 functions `display-delayed-warnings' and `collapse-delayed-warnings'.
3740
3741 ** rx.el has a new `group-n' construct for explicitly numbered groups.
3742
3743 ** New function `make-composed-keymap' that constructs a new keymap
3744 from multiple input maps. You can use this to make a keymap that
3745 inherits from multiple maps, eg:
3746 (set-keymap-parent newmap (make-composed-keymap othermap parent))
3747
3748 ** New function `string-prefix-p'.
3749 (This was actually added in Emacs 23.2 but was not advertised at the time.)
3750
3751 ** New reader macro ## that stands for the empty symbol.
3752 This means that the empty symbol can now be read back. Also, #: by itself
3753 (when not immediately followed by a possible symbol character) stands for
3754 an empty uninterned symbol.
3755
3756 ** New math functions `isnan', `copysign', `frexp', `ldexp'.
3757
3758 ** The following functions and variables are obsolete:
3759
3760 *** `tooltip-use-echo-area' is obsolete.
3761 Rather than setting this to t, disable Tooltip mode instead.
3762
3763 *** buffer-substring-filters is obsolete.
3764 Use `filter-buffer-substring-functions' instead.
3765
3766 *** `byte-compile-disable-print-circle' is obsolete.
3767
3768 *** `deferred-action-list' and `deferred-action-function' are obsolete.
3769 Use `post-command-hook' instead.
3770
3771 *** `font-lock-maximum-size' is obsolete.
3772
3773 \f
3774 * Changes in Emacs 24.1 on Non-Free Operating Systems
3775
3776 ** On MS Windows, Emacs warns when using the obsolete init file _emacs,
3777 and also when HOME is set to C:\ by default.
3778
3779 ** New configure.bat options
3780
3781 *** --enable-checking builds Emacs with extra runtime checks.
3782
3783 *** --distfiles specifies files to be included in binary distribution.
3784
3785 *** --without-gnutls disables automatic GnuTLS detection.
3786
3787 *** --lib for general library linkage, works with the USER_LIBS build variable.
3788
3789 ** New make target `dist' to create binary distribution for MS Windows.
3790
3791 ** The Lisp function `w32-default-color-map' is now obsolete.
3792 (It is only used internally in the Emacs C code.)
3793
3794 ** Customize ns-auto-hide-menu-bar to have the menu-bar hidden, but
3795 reappear on mouse-over. (Requires OS X 10.6 or later.)
3796
3797 ** On Mac OS X, dragging a file into Emacs visits the file, like on
3798 other platforms, rather than inserting its contents into the buffer.
3799
3800 \f
3801 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
3802 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
3803
3804 GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
3805 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
3806 the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
3807 (at your option) any later version.
3808
3809 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
3810 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
3811 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
3812 GNU General Public License for more details.
3813
3814 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
3815 along with GNU Emacs. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
3816
3817 \f
3818 Local variables:
3819 coding: utf-8
3820 mode: outline
3821 paragraph-separate: "[ \f]*$"
3822 end: