1 GNU Emacs NEWS -- history of user-visible changes.
3 Copyright (C) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
4 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 See the end of the file for license conditions.
7 Please send Emacs bug reports to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org.
8 If possible, use M-x report-emacs-bug.
10 This file is about changes in Emacs version 22.
12 See files NEWS.21, NEWS.20, NEWS.19, NEWS.18, and NEWS.1-17 for changes
13 in older Emacs versions.
15 You can narrow news to a specific version by calling `view-emacs-news'
16 with a prefix argument or by typing C-u C-h C-n.
18 * About external Lisp packages
20 When you upgrade to Emacs 22 from a previous version, some older
21 versions of external Lisp packages are known to behave badly.
22 So in general, it is recommended that you upgrade to the latest
23 versions of any external Lisp packages that you are using.
25 You should also be aware that many Lisp packages have been included
26 with Emacs 22 (see the extensive list below), and you should remove
27 any older versions of these packages to ensure that the Emacs 22
28 version is used. You can use M-x list-load-path-shadows to find such
31 Some specific packages that are known to cause problems are:
33 ** Semantic (used by CEDET, ECB, JDEE): upgrade to latest version.
35 ** cua.el, cua-mode.el: remove old versions.
37 * Installation Changes in Emacs 22.2
39 * Changes in Emacs 22.2
41 ** The values of `dired-recursive-deletes' and `dired-recursive-copies'
42 have been changed to `top'. This means that the user is asked once,
43 before deleting/copying the indicated directory recursively.
45 ** In Image mode, whenever the displayed image is wider and/or higher
46 than the window, the usual keys for moving the cursor cause the image
47 to be scrolled horizontally or vertically instead.
49 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 22.2
51 ** The new package css-mode.el provides a major mode for editing CSS files.
53 ** The new package socks.el implements the SOCKS v5 protocol.
56 * Installation Changes in Emacs 22.1
58 ** You can build Emacs with Gtk+ widgets by specifying `--with-x-toolkit=gtk'
59 when you run configure. This requires Gtk+ 2.4 or newer. This port
60 provides a way to display multilingual text in menus (with some caveats).
62 ** The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is now part of the distribution.
64 The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual in Info format is built as part of the
65 Emacs build procedure and installed together with the Emacs User
66 Manual. A menu item was added to the menu bar to make it easily
67 accessible (Help->More Manuals->Emacs Lisp Reference).
69 ** The Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp manual is now part of
72 This manual is now part of the standard distribution and is installed,
73 together with the Emacs User Manual, into the Info directory. A menu
74 item was added to the menu bar to make it easily accessible
75 (Help->More Manuals->Introduction to Emacs Lisp).
77 ** Leim is now part of the Emacs distribution.
78 You no longer need to download a separate tarball in order to build
81 ** Support for MacOS X was added.
82 See the files mac/README and mac/INSTALL for build instructions.
84 ** Mac OS 9 port now uses the Carbon API by default. You can also
85 create a non-Carbon build by specifying `NonCarbon' as a target. See
86 the files mac/README and mac/INSTALL for build instructions.
88 ** Support for a Cygwin build of Emacs was added.
90 ** Support for GNU/Linux systems on X86-64 machines was added.
92 ** Support for GNU/Linux systems on S390 machines was added.
94 ** Support for GNU/Linux systems on Tensilica Xtensa machines was added.
96 ** Support for FreeBSD/Alpha has been added.
98 ** New translations of the Emacs Tutorial are available in the
99 following languages: Brasilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Chinese (both
100 with simplified and traditional characters), French, Russian, and
101 Italian. Type `C-u C-h t' to choose one of them in case your language
102 setup doesn't automatically select the right one.
104 ** New translations of the Emacs reference card are available in the
105 Brasilian Portuguese and Russian. The corresponding PostScript files
108 ** A French translation of the `Emacs Survival Guide' is available.
110 ** Emacs now supports new configure options `--program-prefix',
111 `--program-suffix' and `--program-transform-name' that affect the names of
114 ** By default, Emacs now uses a setgid helper program to update game
115 scores. The directory ${localstatedir}/games/emacs is the normal
116 place for game scores to be stored. You can control this with the
117 configure option `--with-game-dir'. The specific user that Emacs uses
118 to own the game scores is controlled by `--with-game-user'. If access
119 to a game user is not available, then scores will be stored separately
120 in each user's home directory.
122 ** Emacs now includes support for loading image libraries on demand.
123 (Currently this feature is only used on MS Windows.) You can configure
124 the supported image types and their associated dynamic libraries by
125 setting the variable `image-library-alist'.
127 ** Emacs can now be built without sound support.
129 ** Emacs Lisp source files are compressed by default if `gzip' is available.
131 ** All images used in Emacs have been consolidated in etc/images and subdirs.
132 See also the changes to `find-image', documented below.
134 ** Emacs comes with a new set of icons.
135 These icons are displayed on the taskbar and/or titlebar when Emacs
136 runs in a graphical environment. Source files for these icons can be
137 found in etc/images/icons. (You can't change the icons displayed by
138 Emacs by changing these files directly. On X, the icon is compiled
139 into the Emacs executable; see gnu.h in the source tree. On MS
140 Windows, see nt/icons/emacs.ico.)
142 ** The `emacsserver' program has been removed, replaced with Lisp code.
144 ** The `yow' program has been removed.
145 Use the corresponding Emacs feature instead.
147 ** The Emacs terminal emulation in term.el uses a different terminfo name.
148 The Emacs terminal emulation in term.el now uses "eterm-color" as its
149 terminfo name, since term.el now supports color.
151 ** The script etc/emacs-buffer.gdb can be used with gdb to retrieve the
152 contents of buffers from a core dump and save them to files easily, should
155 ** Building with -DENABLE_CHECKING does not automatically build with union
156 types any more. Add -DUSE_LISP_UNION_TYPE if you want union types.
158 ** When pure storage overflows while dumping, Emacs now prints how
159 much pure storage it will approximately need.
162 * Startup Changes in Emacs 22.1
165 If the init file ~/.emacs does not exist, Emacs will try
166 ~/.emacs.d/init.el or ~/.emacs.d/init.elc. Likewise, if the shell init file
167 ~/.emacs_SHELL is not found, Emacs will try ~/.emacs.d/init_SHELL.sh.
169 ** Emacs can now be invoked in full-screen mode on a windowed display.
170 When Emacs is invoked on a window system, the new command-line options
171 `--fullwidth', `--fullheight', and `--fullscreen' produce a frame
172 whose width, height, or both width and height take up the entire
173 screen size. (For now, this does not work with some window managers.)
175 ** Emacs now displays a splash screen by default even if command-line
176 arguments were given. The new command-line option --no-splash
177 disables the splash screen; see also the variable
178 `inhibit-splash-screen' (which is also aliased as
179 `inhibit-startup-message').
181 ** New user option `inhibit-startup-buffer-menu'.
182 When loading many files, for instance with `emacs *', Emacs normally
183 displays a buffer menu. This option turns the buffer menu off.
185 ** New command line option -nbc or --no-blinking-cursor disables
186 the blinking cursor on graphical terminals.
188 ** The option --script FILE runs Emacs in batch mode and loads FILE.
189 It is useful for writing Emacs Lisp shell script files, because they
190 can start with this line:
192 #!/usr/bin/emacs --script
194 ** The -f option, used from the command line to call a function,
195 now reads arguments for the function interactively if it is
196 an interactively callable function.
198 ** The option --directory DIR now modifies `load-path' immediately.
199 Directories are added to the front of `load-path' in the order they
200 appear on the command line. For example, with this command line:
202 emacs -batch -L .. -L /tmp --eval "(require 'foo)"
204 Emacs looks for library `foo' in the parent directory, then in /tmp, then
205 in the other directories in `load-path'. (-L is short for --directory.)
207 ** When you specify a frame size with --geometry, the size applies to
208 all frames you create. A position specified with --geometry only
209 affects the initial frame.
211 ** Emacs built for MS-Windows now behaves like Emacs on X does,
212 with respect to its frame position: if you don't specify a position
213 (in your .emacs init file, in the Registry, or with the --geometry
214 command-line option), Emacs leaves the frame position to the Windows'
217 ** The command line option --no-windows has been changed to
218 --no-window-system. The old one still works, but is deprecated.
220 ** If the environment variable DISPLAY specifies an unreachable X display,
221 Emacs will now startup as if invoked with the --no-window-system option.
223 ** Emacs now reads the standard abbrevs file ~/.abbrev_defs
224 automatically at startup, if it exists. When Emacs offers to save
225 modified buffers, it saves the abbrevs too if they have changed. It
226 can do this either silently or asking for confirmation first,
227 according to the value of `save-abbrevs'.
229 ** New command line option -Q or --quick.
230 This is like using -q --no-site-file, but in addition it also disables
231 the fancy startup screen.
233 ** New command line option -D or --basic-display.
234 Disables the menu-bar, the tool-bar, the scroll-bars, tool tips, and
237 ** The default is now to use a bitmap as the icon.
238 The command-line options --icon-type, -i have been replaced with
239 options --no-bitmap-icon, -nbi to turn the bitmap icon off.
241 ** If the environment variable EMAIL is defined, Emacs now uses its value
242 to compute the default value of `user-mail-address', in preference to
243 concatenation of `user-login-name' with the name of your host machine.
246 * Incompatible Editing Changes in Emacs 22.1
248 ** You can now follow links by clicking Mouse-1 on the link.
250 See below for more details.
252 ** When the undo information of the current command gets really large
253 (beyond the value of `undo-outer-limit'), Emacs discards it and warns
256 ** When Emacs prompts for file names, SPC no longer completes the file name.
257 This is so filenames with embedded spaces could be input without the
258 need to quote the space with a C-q. The underlying changes in the
259 keymaps that are active in the minibuffer are described below under
260 "New keymaps for typing file names".
262 ** The completion commands TAB, SPC and ? in the minibuffer apply only
263 to the text before point. If there is text in the buffer after point,
264 it remains unchanged.
266 ** In incremental search, C-w is changed. M-%, C-M-w and C-M-y are special.
268 See below under "incremental search changes".
270 ** M-g is now a prefix key.
271 M-g g and M-g M-g run goto-line.
272 M-g n and M-g M-n run next-error (like C-x `).
273 M-g p and M-g M-p run previous-error.
275 ** C-u M-g M-g switches to the most recent previous buffer,
276 and goes to the specified line in that buffer.
278 When goto-line starts to execute, if there's a number in the buffer at
279 point then it acts as the default argument for the minibuffer.
281 ** M-o now is the prefix key for setting text properties;
282 M-o M-o requests refontification.
284 ** C-x C-f RET (find-file), typing nothing in the minibuffer, is no longer
287 Since the default input is the current directory, this has the effect
288 of specifying the current directory. Normally that means to visit the
289 directory with Dired.
291 You can get the old behavior by typing C-x C-f M-n RET, which fetches
292 the actual file name into the minibuffer.
294 ** In Dired's ! command (dired-do-shell-command), `*' and `?' now
295 control substitution of the file names only when they are surrounded
296 by whitespace. This means you can now use them as shell wildcards
297 too. If you want to use just plain `*' as a wildcard, type `*""'; the
298 doublequotes make no difference in the shell, but they prevent
299 special treatment in `dired-do-shell-command'.
301 ** The info-search bindings on C-h C-f, C-h C-k and C-h C-i
302 have been moved to C-h F, C-h K and C-h S.
304 ** `apply-macro-to-region-lines' now operates on all lines that begin
305 in the region, rather than on all complete lines in the region.
307 ** line-move-ignore-invisible now defaults to t.
309 ** Adaptive filling misfeature removed.
310 It no longer treats `NNN.' or `(NNN)' as a prefix.
312 ** The old bindings C-M-delete and C-M-backspace have been deleted,
313 since there are situations where one or the other will shut down
314 the operating system or your X server.
316 ** The register compatibility key bindings (deprecated since Emacs 19)
318 C-x / point-to-register (Use: C-x r SPC)
319 C-x j jump-to-register (Use: C-x r j)
320 C-x x copy-to-register (Use: C-x r s)
321 C-x g insert-register (Use: C-x r i)
324 * Editing Changes in Emacs 22.1
326 ** The max size of buffers and integers has been doubled.
327 On 32bit machines, it is now 256M (i.e. 268435455).
329 ** !MEM FULL! at the start of the mode line indicates that Emacs
330 cannot get any more memory for Lisp data. This often means it could
331 crash soon if you do things that use more memory. On most systems,
332 killing buffers will get out of this state. If killing buffers does
333 not make !MEM FULL! disappear, you should save your work and start
336 ** `undo-only' does an undo which does not redo any previous undo.
338 ** Yanking text now discards certain text properties that can
339 be inconvenient when you did not expect them. The variable
340 `yank-excluded-properties' specifies which ones. Insertion
341 of register contents and rectangles also discards these properties.
343 ** New command `kill-whole-line' kills an entire line at once.
344 By default, it is bound to C-S-<backspace>.
346 ** M-SPC (just-one-space) when given a numeric argument N
347 converts whitespace around point to N spaces.
349 ** You can now switch buffers in a cyclic order with C-x C-left
350 (previous-buffer) and C-x C-right (next-buffer). C-x left and
351 C-x right can be used as well. The functions keep a different buffer
352 cycle for each frame, using the frame-local buffer list.
354 ** C-x 5 C-o displays a specified buffer in another frame
355 but does not switch to that frame. It's the multi-frame
356 analogue of C-x 4 C-o.
358 ** `special-display-buffer-names' and `special-display-regexps' now
359 understand two new boolean pseudo-frame-parameters `same-frame' and
362 ** New commands to operate on pairs of open and close characters:
363 `insert-pair', `delete-pair', `raise-sexp'.
365 ** M-x setenv now expands environment variable references.
367 Substrings of the form `$foo' and `${foo}' in the specified new value
368 now refer to the value of environment variable foo. To include a `$'
369 in the value, use `$$'.
371 ** The default values of paragraph-start and indent-line-function have
372 been changed to reflect those used in Text mode rather than those used
373 in Paragraph-Indent Text mode.
375 ** The default for the paper size (variable ps-paper-type) is taken
378 ** Help command changes:
380 *** Changes in C-h bindings:
382 C-h e displays the *Messages* buffer.
384 C-h d runs apropos-documentation.
386 C-h r visits the Emacs Manual in Info.
388 C-h followed by a control character is used for displaying files
391 C-h C-f displays the FAQ.
392 C-h C-e displays the PROBLEMS file.
394 The info-search bindings on C-h C-f, C-h C-k and C-h C-i
395 have been moved to C-h F, C-h K and C-h S.
397 C-h c, C-h k, C-h w, and C-h f now handle remapped interactive commands.
398 - C-h c and C-h k report the actual command (after possible remapping)
399 run by the key sequence.
400 - C-h w and C-h f on a command which has been remapped now report the
401 command it is remapped to, and the keys which can be used to run
404 For example, if C-k is bound to kill-line, and kill-line is remapped
405 to new-kill-line, these commands now report:
406 - C-h c and C-h k C-k reports:
407 C-k runs the command new-kill-line
408 - C-h w and C-h f kill-line reports:
409 kill-line is remapped to new-kill-line which is on C-k, <deleteline>
410 - C-h w and C-h f new-kill-line reports:
411 new-kill-line is on C-k
413 *** The apropos commands now accept a list of words to match.
414 When more than one word is specified, at least two of those words must
415 be present for an item to match. Regular expression matching is still
418 *** The new option `apropos-sort-by-scores' causes the matching items
419 to be sorted according to their score. The score for an item is a
420 number calculated to indicate how well the item matches the words or
421 regular expression that you entered to the apropos command. The best
422 match is listed first, and the calculated score is shown for each
425 *** Help commands `describe-function' and `describe-key' now show function
426 arguments in lowercase italics on displays that support it. To change the
427 default, customize face `help-argument-name' or redefine the function
428 `help-default-arg-highlight'.
430 *** C-h v and C-h f commands now include a hyperlink to the C source for
431 variables and functions defined in C (if the C source is available).
433 *** Help mode now only makes hyperlinks for faces when the face name is
434 preceded or followed by the word `face'. It no longer makes
435 hyperlinks for variables without variable documentation, unless
436 preceded by one of the words `variable' or `option'. It now makes
437 hyperlinks to Info anchors (or nodes) if the anchor (or node) name is
438 enclosed in single quotes and preceded by `info anchor' or `Info
439 anchor' (in addition to earlier `info node' and `Info node'). In
440 addition, it now makes hyperlinks to URLs as well if the URL is
441 enclosed in single quotes and preceded by `URL'.
443 *** The new command `describe-char' (C-u C-x =) pops up a buffer with
444 description various information about a character, including its
445 encodings and syntax, its text properties, how to input, overlays, and
446 widgets at point. You can get more information about some of them, by
447 clicking on mouse-sensitive areas or moving there and pressing RET.
449 *** The command `list-text-properties-at' has been deleted because
450 C-u C-x = gives the same information and more.
452 *** New command `display-local-help' displays any local help at point
453 in the echo area. It is bound to `C-h .'. It normally displays the
454 same string that would be displayed on mouse-over using the
455 `help-echo' property, but, in certain cases, it can display a more
456 keyboard oriented alternative.
458 *** New user option `help-at-pt-display-when-idle' allows you to
459 automatically show the help provided by `display-local-help' on
460 point-over, after suitable idle time. The amount of idle time is
461 determined by the user option `help-at-pt-timer-delay' and defaults
462 to one second. This feature is turned off by default.
464 ** Mark command changes:
466 *** A prefix argument is no longer required to repeat a jump to a
467 previous mark if you set `set-mark-command-repeat-pop' to t. I.e. C-u
468 C-SPC C-SPC C-SPC ... cycles through the mark ring. Use C-u C-u C-SPC
469 to set the mark immediately after a jump.
471 *** Marking commands extend the region when invoked multiple times.
473 If you type C-M-SPC (mark-sexp), M-@ (mark-word), M-h
474 (mark-paragraph), or C-M-h (mark-defun) repeatedly, the marked region
475 extends each time, so you can mark the next two sexps with M-C-SPC
476 M-C-SPC, for example. This feature also works for
477 mark-end-of-sentence, if you bind that to a key. It also extends the
478 region when the mark is active in Transient Mark mode, regardless of
479 the last command. To start a new region with one of marking commands
480 in Transient Mark mode, you can deactivate the active region with C-g,
481 or set the new mark with C-SPC.
483 *** Some commands do something special in Transient Mark mode when the
484 mark is active--for instance, they limit their operation to the
485 region. Even if you don't normally use Transient Mark mode, you might
486 want to get this behavior from a particular command. There are two
487 ways you can enable Transient Mark mode and activate the mark, for one
490 One method is to type C-SPC C-SPC; this enables Transient Mark mode
491 and sets the mark at point. The other method is to type C-u C-x C-x.
492 This enables Transient Mark mode temporarily but does not alter the
495 After these commands, Transient Mark mode remains enabled until you
496 deactivate the mark. That typically happens when you type a command
497 that alters the buffer, but you can also deactivate the mark by typing
500 *** Movement commands `beginning-of-buffer', `end-of-buffer',
501 `beginning-of-defun', `end-of-defun' do not set the mark if the mark
502 is already active in Transient Mark mode.
504 *** M-h (mark-paragraph) now accepts a prefix arg.
506 With positive arg, M-h marks the current and the following paragraphs;
507 if the arg is negative, it marks the current and the preceding
510 ** Incremental Search changes:
512 *** M-% typed in isearch mode invokes `query-replace' or
513 `query-replace-regexp' (depending on search mode) with the current
514 search string used as the string to replace.
516 *** C-w in incremental search now grabs either a character or a word,
517 making the decision in a heuristic way. This new job is done by the
518 command `isearch-yank-word-or-char'. To restore the old behavior,
519 bind C-w to `isearch-yank-word' in `isearch-mode-map'.
521 *** C-y in incremental search now grabs the next line if point is already
522 at the end of a line.
524 *** C-M-w deletes and C-M-y grabs a character in isearch mode.
525 Another method to grab a character is to enter the minibuffer by `M-e'
526 and to type `C-f' at the end of the search string in the minibuffer.
528 *** Vertical scrolling is now possible within incremental search.
529 To enable this feature, customize the new user option
530 `isearch-allow-scroll'. User written commands which satisfy stringent
531 constraints can be marked as "scrolling commands". See the Emacs manual
534 *** Isearch no longer adds `isearch-resume' commands to the command
535 history by default. To enable this feature, customize the new
536 user option `isearch-resume-in-command-history'.
538 ** Replace command changes:
540 *** When used interactively, the commands `query-replace-regexp' and
541 `replace-regexp' allow \,expr to be used in a replacement string,
542 where expr is an arbitrary Lisp expression evaluated at replacement
543 time. `\#' in a replacement string now refers to the count of
544 replacements already made by the replacement command. All regular
545 expression replacement commands now allow `\?' in the replacement
546 string to specify a position where the replacement string can be
547 edited for each replacement. `query-replace-regexp-eval' is now
548 deprecated since it offers no additional functionality.
550 *** query-replace uses isearch lazy highlighting when the new user option
551 `query-replace-lazy-highlight' is non-nil.
553 *** The current match in query-replace is highlighted in new face
554 `query-replace' which by default inherits from isearch face.
556 *** New user option `query-replace-skip-read-only': when non-nil,
557 `query-replace' and related functions simply ignore
558 a match if part of it has a read-only property.
560 ** Local variables lists:
562 *** If the local variables list contains any variable-value pairs that
563 are not known to be safe, Emacs shows a prompt asking whether to apply
564 the local variables list as a whole. In earlier versions, a prompt
565 was only issued for variables explicitly marked as risky (for the
566 definition of risky variables, see `risky-local-variable-p').
568 At the prompt, you can choose to save the contents of this local
569 variables list to `safe-local-variable-values'. This new customizable
570 option is a list of variable-value pairs that are known to be safe.
571 Variables can also be marked as safe with the existing
572 `safe-local-variable' property (see `safe-local-variable-p').
573 However, risky variables will not be added to
574 `safe-local-variable-values' in this way.
576 *** The variable `enable-local-variables' controls how local variable
577 lists are handled. t, the default, specifies the standard querying
578 behavior. :safe means use only safe values, and ignore the rest.
579 :all means set all variables, whether or not they are safe.
580 nil means ignore them all. Anything else means always query.
582 *** The variable `safe-local-eval-forms' specifies a list of forms that
583 are ok to evaluate when they appear in an `eval' local variables
584 specification. Normally Emacs asks for confirmation before evaluating
585 such a form, but if the form appears in this list, no confirmation is
588 *** If a function has a non-nil `safe-local-eval-function' property,
589 that means it is ok to evaluate some calls to that function when it
590 appears in an `eval' local variables specification. If the property
591 is t, then any form calling that function with constant arguments is
592 ok. If the property is a function or list of functions, they are called
593 with the form as argument, and if any returns t, the form is ok to call.
595 If the form is not "ok to call", that means Emacs asks for
596 confirmation as before.
598 *** In processing a local variables list, Emacs strips the prefix and
599 suffix from every line before processing all the lines.
601 *** Text properties in local variables.
603 A file local variables list cannot specify a string with text
604 properties--any specified text properties are discarded.
606 ** File operation changes:
608 *** Unquoted `$' in file names do not signal an error any more when
609 the corresponding environment variable does not exist.
610 Instead, the `$ENVVAR' text is left as is, so that `$$' quoting
611 is only rarely needed.
613 *** C-x C-f RET, typing nothing in the minibuffer, is no longer a special case.
615 Since the default input is the current directory, this has the effect
616 of specifying the current directory. Normally that means to visit the
617 directory with Dired.
619 *** C-x s (save-some-buffers) now offers an option `d' to diff a buffer
620 against its file, so you can see what changes you would be saving.
622 *** Auto Compression mode is now enabled by default.
624 *** If the user visits a file larger than `large-file-warning-threshold',
625 Emacs asks for confirmation.
627 *** The commands copy-file, rename-file, make-symbolic-link and
628 add-name-to-file, when given a directory as the "new name" argument,
629 convert it to a file name by merging in the within-directory part of
630 the existing file's name. (This is the same convention that shell
631 commands cp, mv, and ln follow.) Thus, M-x copy-file RET ~/foo RET
632 /tmp RET copies ~/foo to /tmp/foo.
634 *** require-final-newline now has two new possible values:
636 `visit' means add a newline (as an undoable change) if it's needed
637 when visiting the file.
639 `visit-save' means add a newline (as an undoable change) if it's
640 needed when visiting the file, and also add a newline if it's needed
641 when saving the file.
643 *** The new option mode-require-final-newline controls how certain
644 major modes enable require-final-newline. Any major mode that's
645 designed for a kind of file that should normally end in a newline
646 sets require-final-newline based on mode-require-final-newline.
647 So you can customize mode-require-final-newline to control what these
650 *** When you are root, and you visit a file whose modes specify
651 read-only, the Emacs buffer is now read-only too. Type C-x C-q if you
652 want to make the buffer writable. (As root, you can in fact alter the
655 *** find-file-read-only visits multiple files in read-only mode,
656 when the file name contains wildcard characters.
658 *** find-alternate-file replaces the current file with multiple files,
659 when the file name contains wildcard characters. It now asks if you
660 wish save your changes and not just offer to kill the buffer.
662 *** When used interactively, `format-write-file' now asks for confirmation
663 before overwriting an existing file, unless a prefix argument is
664 supplied. This behavior is analogous to `write-file'.
666 *** The variable `auto-save-file-name-transforms' now has a third element that
667 controls whether or not the function `make-auto-save-file-name' will
668 attempt to construct a unique auto-save name (e.g. for remote files).
670 *** The new option `write-region-inhibit-fsync' disables calls to fsync
671 in `write-region'. This can be useful on laptops to avoid spinning up
672 the hard drive upon each file save. Enabling this variable may result
673 in data loss, use with care.
675 ** Minibuffer changes:
677 *** The completion commands TAB, SPC and ? in the minibuffer apply only
678 to the text before point. If there is text in the buffer after point,
679 it remains unchanged.
681 *** The new file-name-shadow-mode is turned ON by default, so that when
682 entering a file name, any prefix which Emacs will ignore is dimmed.
684 *** There's a new face `minibuffer-prompt'.
685 Emacs adds this face to the list of text properties stored in the
686 variable `minibuffer-prompt-properties', which is used to display the
689 *** Enhanced visual feedback in `*Completions*' buffer.
691 Completions lists use faces to highlight what all completions
692 have in common and where they begin to differ.
694 The common prefix shared by all possible completions uses the face
695 `completions-common-part', while the first character that isn't the
696 same uses the face `completions-first-difference'. By default,
697 `completions-common-part' inherits from `default', and
698 `completions-first-difference' inherits from `bold'. The idea of
699 `completions-common-part' is that you can use it to make the common
700 parts less visible than normal, so that the rest of the differing
701 parts is, by contrast, slightly highlighted.
703 Above fontification is always done when listing completions is
704 triggered at minibuffer. If you want to fontify completions whose
705 listing is triggered at the other normal buffer, you have to pass
706 the common prefix of completions to `display-completion-list' as
709 *** File-name completion can now ignore specified directories.
710 If an element of the list in `completion-ignored-extensions' ends in a
711 slash `/', it indicates a subdirectory that should be ignored when
712 completing file names. Elements of `completion-ignored-extensions'
713 which do not end in a slash are never considered when a completion
714 candidate is a directory.
716 *** New user option `history-delete-duplicates'.
717 If set to t when adding a new history element, all previous identical
718 elements are deleted from the history list.
720 ** Redisplay changes:
722 *** The new face `mode-line-inactive' is used to display the mode line
723 of non-selected windows. The `mode-line' face is now used to display
724 the mode line of the currently selected window.
726 The new variable `mode-line-in-non-selected-windows' controls whether
727 the `mode-line-inactive' face is used.
729 *** The mode line position information now comes before the major mode.
730 When the file is maintained under version control, that information
731 appears between the position information and the major mode.
733 *** You can now customize the use of window fringes. To control this
734 for all frames, use M-x fringe-mode or the Show/Hide submenu of the
735 top-level Options menu, or customize the `fringe-mode' variable. To
736 control this for a specific frame, use the command M-x
739 *** Angle icons in the fringes can indicate the buffer boundaries. In
740 addition, up and down arrow bitmaps in the fringe indicate which ways
741 the window can be scrolled.
743 This behavior is activated by setting the buffer-local variable
744 `indicate-buffer-boundaries' to a non-nil value. The default value of
745 this variable is found in `default-indicate-buffer-boundaries'.
747 If value is `left' or `right', both angle and arrow bitmaps are
748 displayed in the left or right fringe, resp.
750 The value can also be an alist which specifies the presence and
751 position of each bitmap individually.
753 For example, ((top . left) (t . right)) places the top angle bitmap
754 in left fringe, the bottom angle bitmap in right fringe, and both
755 arrow bitmaps in right fringe. To show just the angle bitmaps in the
756 left fringe, but no arrow bitmaps, use ((top . left) (bottom . left)).
758 *** On window systems, lines which are exactly as wide as the window
759 (not counting the final newline character) are no longer broken into
760 two lines on the display (with just the newline on the second line).
761 Instead, the newline now "overflows" into the right fringe, and the
762 cursor will be displayed in the fringe when positioned on that newline.
764 The new user option 'overflow-newline-into-fringe' can be set to nil to
765 revert to the old behavior of continuing such lines.
767 *** A window can now have individual fringe and scroll-bar settings,
768 in addition to the individual display margin settings.
770 Such individual settings are now preserved when windows are split
771 horizontally or vertically, a saved window configuration is restored,
772 or when the frame is resized.
774 *** When a window has display margin areas, the fringes are now
775 displayed between the margins and the buffer's text area, rather than
776 outside those margins.
778 *** New face `escape-glyph' highlights control characters and escape glyphs.
780 *** Non-breaking space and hyphens are now displayed with a special
781 face, either nobreak-space or escape-glyph. You can turn this off or
782 specify a different mode by setting the variable `nobreak-char-display'.
784 *** The parameters of automatic hscrolling can now be customized.
785 The variable `hscroll-margin' determines how many columns away from
786 the window edge point is allowed to get before automatic hscrolling
787 will horizontally scroll the window. The default value is 5.
789 The variable `hscroll-step' determines how many columns automatic
790 hscrolling scrolls the window when point gets too close to the
791 window edge. If its value is zero, the default, Emacs scrolls the
792 window so as to center point. If its value is an integer, it says how
793 many columns to scroll. If the value is a floating-point number, it
794 gives the fraction of the window's width to scroll the window.
796 The variable `automatic-hscrolling' was renamed to
797 `auto-hscroll-mode'. The old name is still available as an alias.
799 *** Moving or scrolling through images (and other lines) taller than
800 the window now works sensibly, by automatically adjusting the window's
803 *** Preemptive redisplay now adapts to current load and bandwidth.
805 To avoid preempting redisplay on fast computers, networks, and displays,
806 the arrival of new input is now performed at regular intervals during
807 redisplay. The new variable `redisplay-preemption-period' specifies
808 the period; the default is to check for input every 0.1 seconds.
810 *** The %c and %l constructs are now ignored in frame-title-format.
811 Due to technical limitations in how Emacs interacts with windowing
812 systems, these constructs often failed to render properly, and could
813 even cause Emacs to crash.
815 *** If value of `auto-resize-tool-bars' is `grow-only', the tool bar
816 will expand as needed, but not contract automatically. To contract
817 the tool bar, you must type C-l.
819 *** New customize option `overline-margin' controls the space between
822 *** New variable `x-underline-at-descent-line' controls the relative
823 position of the underline. When set, it overrides the
824 `x-use-underline-position-properties' variables.
828 *** `mode-line-highlight' is the standard face indicating mouse sensitive
829 elements on mode-line (and header-line) like `highlight' face on text
832 *** `mode-line-buffer-id' is the standard face for buffer identification
833 parts of the mode line.
835 *** `shadow' face defines the appearance of the "shadowed" text, i.e.
836 the text which should be less noticeable than the surrounding text.
837 This can be achieved by using shades of grey in contrast with either
838 black or white default foreground color. This generic shadow face
839 allows customization of the appearance of shadowed text in one place,
840 so package-specific faces can inherit from it.
842 *** `vertical-border' face is used for the vertical divider between windows.
844 ** Font-Lock (syntax highlighting) changes:
846 *** All modes now support using M-x font-lock-mode to toggle
847 fontification, even those such as Occur, Info, and comint-derived
848 modes that do their own fontification in a special way.
850 The variable `Info-fontify' is no longer applicable; to disable
851 fontification in Info, remove `turn-on-font-lock' from
854 *** New standard font-lock face `font-lock-comment-delimiter-face'.
856 *** New standard font-lock face `font-lock-preprocessor-face'.
858 *** Easy to overlook single character negation can now be font-locked.
859 You can use the new variable `font-lock-negation-char-face' and the face of
860 the same name to customize this. Currently the cc-modes, sh-script-mode,
861 cperl-mode and make-mode support this.
863 *** Font-Lock mode: in major modes such as Lisp mode, where some Emacs
864 features assume that an open-paren in column 0 is always outside of
865 any string or comment, Font-Lock now highlights any such open-paren in
866 bold-red if it is inside a string or a comment, to indicate that it
867 can cause trouble. You should rewrite the string or comment so that
868 the open-paren is not in column 0.
870 *** M-o now is the prefix key for setting text properties;
871 M-o M-o requests refontification.
873 *** The default settings for JIT stealth lock parameters are changed.
874 The default value for the user option jit-lock-stealth-time is now nil
875 instead of 3. This setting of jit-lock-stealth-time disables stealth
876 fontification: on today's machines, it may be a bug in font lock
877 patterns if fontification otherwise noticeably degrades interactivity.
878 If you find movement in infrequently visited buffers sluggish (and the
879 major mode maintainer has no better idea), customizing
880 jit-lock-stealth-time to a non-nil value will let Emacs fontify
881 buffers in the background when it considers the system to be idle.
882 jit-lock-stealth-nice is now 0.5 instead of 0.125 which is supposed to
883 cause less load than the old defaults.
885 *** jit-lock can now be delayed with `jit-lock-defer-time'.
887 If this variable is non-nil, its value should be the amount of Emacs
888 idle time in seconds to wait before starting fontification. For
889 example, if you set `jit-lock-defer-time' to 0.25, fontification will
890 only happen after 0.25s of idle time.
892 *** contextual refontification is now separate from stealth fontification.
894 jit-lock-defer-contextually is renamed jit-lock-contextually and
895 jit-lock-context-time determines the delay after which contextual
896 refontification takes place.
898 *** lazy-lock is considered obsolete.
900 The `lazy-lock' package is superseded by `jit-lock' and is considered
901 obsolete. `jit-lock' is activated by default; if you wish to continue
902 using `lazy-lock', activate it in your ~/.emacs like this:
903 (setq font-lock-support-mode 'lazy-lock-mode)
905 If you invoke `lazy-lock-mode' directly rather than through
906 `font-lock-support-mode', it now issues a warning:
907 "Use font-lock-support-mode rather than calling lazy-lock-mode"
911 *** A menu item "Show/Hide" was added to the top-level menu "Options".
912 This menu allows you to turn various display features on and off (such
913 as the fringes, the tool bar, the speedbar, and the menu bar itself).
914 You can also move the vertical scroll bar to either side here or turn
915 it off completely. There is also a menu-item to toggle displaying of
916 current date and time, current line and column number in the mode-line.
918 *** Speedbar has moved from the "Tools" top level menu to "Show/Hide".
920 *** The menu item "Open File..." has been split into two items, "New File..."
921 and "Open File...". "Open File..." now opens only existing files. This is
922 to support existing GUI file selection dialogs better.
924 *** The file selection dialog for Gtk+, Mac, W32 and Motif/LessTif can be
925 disabled by customizing the variable `use-file-dialog'.
927 *** The pop up menus for Lucid now stay up if you do a fast click and can
928 be navigated with the arrow keys (like Gtk+, Mac and W32).
930 *** The menu bar for Motif/LessTif/Lucid/Gtk+ can be navigated with keys.
931 Pressing F10 shows the first menu in the menu bar. Navigation is done with
932 the arrow keys, select with the return key and cancel with the escape keys.
934 *** The Lucid menus can display multilingual text in your locale. You have
935 to explicitly specify a fontSet resource for this to work, for example
936 `-xrm "Emacs*fontSet: -*-helvetica-medium-r-*--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*,*"'.
938 *** Dialogs for Lucid/Athena and LessTif/Motif now pop down on pressing
939 ESC, like they do for Gtk+, Mac and W32.
941 *** For the Gtk+ version, you can make Emacs use the old file dialog
942 by setting the variable `x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog' to t. Default is to use
945 *** You can exit dialog windows and menus by typing C-g.
947 ** Buffer Menu changes:
949 *** The new options `buffers-menu-show-directories' and
950 `buffers-menu-show-status' let you control how buffers are displayed
951 in the menu dropped down when you click "Buffers" from the menu bar.
953 `buffers-menu-show-directories' controls whether the menu displays
954 leading directories as part of the file name visited by the buffer.
955 If its value is `unless-uniquify', the default, directories are
956 shown unless uniquify-buffer-name-style' is non-nil. The value of nil
957 and t turn the display of directories off and on, respectively.
959 `buffers-menu-show-status' controls whether the Buffers menu includes
960 the modified and read-only status of the buffers. By default it is
961 t, and the status is shown.
963 Setting these variables directly does not take effect until next time
964 the Buffers menu is regenerated.
966 *** New command `Buffer-menu-toggle-files-only' toggles display of file
967 buffers only in the Buffer Menu. It is bound to T in Buffer Menu
970 *** `buffer-menu' and `list-buffers' now list buffers whose names begin
971 with a space, when those buffers are visiting files. Normally buffers
972 whose names begin with space are omitted.
976 *** You can now follow links by clicking Mouse-1 on the link.
978 Traditionally, Emacs uses a Mouse-1 click to set point and a Mouse-2
979 click to follow a link, whereas most other applications use a Mouse-1
980 click for both purposes, depending on whether you click outside or
981 inside a link. Now the behavior of a Mouse-1 click has been changed
982 to match this context-sensitive dual behavior. (If you prefer the old
983 behavior, set the user option `mouse-1-click-follows-link' to nil.)
985 Depending on the current mode, a Mouse-2 click in Emacs can do much
986 more than just follow a link, so the new Mouse-1 behavior is only
987 activated for modes which explicitly mark a clickable text as a "link"
988 (see the new function `mouse-on-link-p' for details). The Lisp
989 packages that are included in release 22.1 have been adapted to do
990 this, but external packages may not yet support this. However, there
991 is no risk in using such packages, as the worst thing that could
992 happen is that you get the original Mouse-1 behavior when you click
993 on a link, which typically means that you set point where you click.
995 If you want to get the original Mouse-1 action also inside a link, you
996 just need to press the Mouse-1 button a little longer than a normal
997 click (i.e. press and hold the Mouse-1 button for half a second before
1000 Dragging the Mouse-1 inside a link still performs the original
1001 drag-mouse-1 action, typically copy the text.
1003 You can customize the new Mouse-1 behavior via the new user options
1004 `mouse-1-click-follows-link' and `mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows'.
1006 *** If you set the new variable `mouse-autoselect-window' to a non-nil
1007 value, windows are automatically selected as you move the mouse from
1008 one Emacs window to another, even within a frame. A minibuffer window
1009 can be selected only when it is active.
1011 *** On X, when the window manager requires that you click on a frame to
1012 select it (give it focus), the selected window and cursor position
1013 normally changes according to the mouse click position. If you set
1014 the variable x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position to t, the selected
1015 window and cursor position do not change when you click on a frame
1018 *** Emacs normally highlights mouse sensitive text whenever the mouse
1019 is over the text. By setting the new variable `mouse-highlight', you
1020 can optionally enable mouse highlighting only after you move the
1021 mouse, so that highlighting disappears when you press a key. You can
1022 also disable mouse highlighting.
1024 *** You can now customize if selecting a region by dragging the mouse
1025 shall not copy the selected text to the kill-ring by setting the new
1026 variable mouse-drag-copy-region to nil.
1028 *** Under X, mouse-wheel-mode is turned on by default.
1030 *** Emacs ignores mouse-2 clicks while the mouse wheel is being moved.
1032 People tend to push the mouse wheel (which counts as a mouse-2 click)
1033 unintentionally while turning the wheel, so these clicks are now
1034 ignored. You can customize this with the mouse-wheel-click-event and
1035 mouse-wheel-inhibit-click-time variables.
1037 *** mouse-wheels can now scroll a specific fraction of the window
1038 (rather than a fixed number of lines) and the scrolling is `progressive'.
1040 ** Multilingual Environment (Mule) changes:
1042 *** You can disable character translation for a file using the -*-
1043 construct. Include `enable-character-translation: nil' inside the
1044 -*-...-*- to disable any character translation that may happen by
1045 various global and per-coding-system translation tables. You can also
1046 specify it in a local variable list at the end of the file. For
1047 shortcut, instead of using this long variable name, you can append the
1048 character "!" at the end of coding-system name specified in -*-
1049 construct or in a local variable list. For example, if a file has the
1050 following header, it is decoded by the coding system `iso-latin-1'
1051 without any character translation:
1052 ;; -*- coding: iso-latin-1!; -*-
1054 *** Language environment and various default coding systems are setup
1055 more correctly according to the current locale name. If the locale
1056 name doesn't specify a charset, the default is what glibc defines.
1057 This change can result in using the different coding systems as
1058 default in some locale (e.g. vi_VN).
1060 *** The keyboard-coding-system is now automatically set based on your
1061 current locale settings if you are not using a window system. This
1062 can mean that the META key doesn't work but generates non-ASCII
1063 characters instead, depending on how the terminal (or terminal
1064 emulator) works. Use `set-keyboard-coding-system' (or customize
1065 keyboard-coding-system) if you prefer META to work (the old default)
1066 or if the locale doesn't describe the character set actually generated
1067 by the keyboard. See Info node `Unibyte Mode'.
1069 *** The new command `set-file-name-coding-system' (C-x RET F) sets
1070 coding system for encoding and decoding file names. A new menu item
1071 (Options->Mule->Set Coding Systems->For File Name) invokes this
1074 *** The new command `revert-buffer-with-coding-system' (C-x RET r)
1075 revisits the current file using a coding system that you specify.
1077 *** New command `recode-region' decodes the region again by a specified
1080 *** The new command `recode-file-name' changes the encoding of the name
1083 *** New command `ucs-insert' inserts a character specified by its
1086 *** New command quail-show-key shows what key (or key sequence) to type
1087 in the current input method to input a character at point.
1089 *** Limited support for character `unification' has been added.
1090 Emacs now knows how to translate between different representations of
1091 the same characters in various Emacs charsets according to standard
1092 Unicode mappings. This applies mainly to characters in the ISO 8859
1093 sets plus some other 8-bit sets, but can be extended. For instance,
1094 translation works amongst the Emacs ...-iso8859-... charsets and the
1095 mule-unicode-... ones.
1097 By default this translation happens automatically on encoding.
1098 Self-inserting characters are translated to make the input conformant
1099 with the encoding of the buffer in which it's being used, where
1102 You can force a more complete unification with the user option
1103 unify-8859-on-decoding-mode. That maps all the Latin-N character sets
1104 into Unicode characters (from the latin-iso8859-1 and
1105 mule-unicode-0100-24ff charsets) on decoding. Note that this mode
1106 will often effectively clobber data with an iso-2022 encoding.
1108 *** New language environments (set up automatically according to the
1109 locale): Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese-EUC-TW, Croatian, Esperanto,
1110 French, Georgian, Italian, Latin-7, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam,
1111 Russian, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish, Tajik, Tamil, UTF-8,Ukrainian,
1112 Welsh,Latin-6, Windows-1255.
1114 *** New input methods: latin-alt-postfix, latin-postfix, latin-prefix,
1115 belarusian, bulgarian-bds, bulgarian-phonetic, chinese-sisheng (for
1116 Chinese Pinyin characters), croatian, dutch, georgian, latvian-keyboard,
1117 lithuanian-numeric, lithuanian-keyboard, malayalam-inscript, rfc1345,
1118 russian-computer, sgml, slovenian, tamil-inscript, ukrainian-computer,
1119 ucs, vietnamese-telex, welsh.
1121 *** There is support for decoding Greek and Cyrillic characters into
1122 either Unicode (the mule-unicode charsets) or the iso-8859 charsets,
1123 when possible. The latter are more space-efficient.
1124 This is controlled by user option utf-fragment-on-decoding.
1126 *** Improved Thai support. A new minor mode `thai-word-mode' (which is
1127 automatically activated if you select Thai as a language
1128 environment) changes key bindings of most word-oriented commands to
1129 versions which recognize Thai words. Affected commands are
1133 M-DEL (backward-kill-word)
1134 M-t (transpose-words)
1135 M-q (fill-paragraph)
1137 *** Indian support has been updated.
1138 The in-is13194 coding system is now Unicode-based. CDAC fonts are
1139 assumed. There is a framework for supporting various Indian scripts,
1140 but currently only Devanagari, Malayalam and Tamil are supported.
1142 *** The utf-8/16 coding systems have been enhanced.
1143 By default, untranslatable utf-8 sequences are simply composed into
1144 single quasi-characters. User option `utf-translate-cjk-mode' (it is
1145 turned on by default) arranges to translate many utf-8 CJK character
1146 sequences into real Emacs characters in a similar way to the Mule-UCS
1147 system. As this loads a fairly big data on demand, people who are not
1148 interested in CJK characters may want to customize it to nil.
1149 You can augment/amend the CJK translation via hash tables
1150 `ucs-mule-cjk-to-unicode' and `ucs-unicode-to-mule-cjk'. The utf-8
1151 coding system now also encodes characters from most of Emacs's
1152 one-dimensional internal charsets, specifically the ISO-8859 ones.
1153 The utf-16 coding system is affected similarly.
1155 *** A UTF-7 coding system is available in the library `utf-7'.
1157 *** A new coding system `euc-tw' has been added for traditional Chinese
1158 in CNS encoding; it accepts both Big 5 and CNS as input; on saving,
1159 Big 5 is then converted to CNS.
1161 *** Many new coding systems are available in the `code-pages' library.
1162 These include complete versions of most of those in codepage.el, based
1163 on Unicode mappings. `codepage-setup' is now obsolete and is used
1164 only in the MS-DOS port of Emacs. All coding systems defined in
1165 `code-pages' are auto-loaded.
1167 *** New variable `utf-translate-cjk-unicode-range' controls which
1168 Unicode characters to translate in `utf-translate-cjk-mode'.
1170 *** iso-10646-1 (`Unicode') fonts can be used to display any range of
1171 characters encodable by the utf-8 coding system. Just specify the
1172 fontset appropriately.
1174 ** Customize changes:
1176 *** Custom themes are collections of customize options. Create a
1177 custom theme with M-x customize-create-theme. Use M-x load-theme to
1178 load and enable a theme, and M-x disable-theme to disable it. Use M-x
1179 enable-theme to enable a disabled theme.
1181 *** The commands M-x customize-face and M-x customize-face-other-window
1182 now look at the character after point. If a face or faces are
1183 specified for that character, the commands by default customize those
1186 *** The face-customization widget has been reworked to be less confusing.
1187 In particular, when you enable a face attribute using the corresponding
1188 check-box, there's no longer a redundant `*' option in value selection
1189 for that attribute; the values you can choose are only those which make
1190 sense for the attribute. When an attribute is de-selected by unchecking
1191 its check-box, then the (now ignored, but still present temporarily in
1192 case you re-select the attribute) value is hidden.
1194 *** When you set or reset a variable's value in a Customize buffer,
1195 the previous value becomes the "backup value" of the variable.
1196 You can go back to that backup value by selecting "Use Backup Value"
1197 under the "[State]" button.
1201 *** In Dired's ! command (dired-do-shell-command), `*' and `?' now
1202 control substitution of the file names only when they are surrounded
1203 by whitespace. This means you can now use them as shell wildcards
1204 too. If you want to use just plain `*' as a wildcard, type `*""'; the
1205 double quotes make no difference in the shell, but they prevent
1206 special treatment in `dired-do-shell-command'.
1208 *** The Dired command `dired-goto-file' is now bound to j, not M-g.
1209 This is to avoid hiding the global key binding of M-g.
1211 *** New faces dired-header, dired-mark, dired-marked, dired-flagged,
1212 dired-ignored, dired-directory, dired-symlink, dired-warning
1213 introduced for Dired mode instead of font-lock faces.
1215 *** New Dired command `dired-compare-directories' marks files
1216 with different file attributes in two dired buffers.
1218 *** New Dired command `dired-do-touch' (bound to T) changes timestamps
1219 of marked files with the value entered in the minibuffer.
1221 *** In Dired, the w command now stores the current line's file name
1222 into the kill ring. With a zero prefix arg, it stores the absolute file name.
1224 *** In Dired-x, Omitting files is now a minor mode, dired-omit-mode.
1226 The mode toggling command is bound to M-o. A new command
1227 dired-mark-omitted, bound to * O, marks omitted files. The variable
1228 dired-omit-files-p is obsoleted, use the mode toggling function
1231 *** The variables dired-free-space-program and dired-free-space-args
1232 have been renamed to directory-free-space-program and
1233 directory-free-space-args, and they now apply whenever Emacs puts a
1234 directory listing into a buffer.
1238 *** The new INSIDE_EMACS environment variable is set to "t" in subshells
1239 running inside Emacs. This supersedes the EMACS environment variable,
1240 which will be removed in a future Emacs release. Programs that need
1241 to know whether they are started inside Emacs should check INSIDE_EMACS
1244 *** The comint prompt can now be made read-only, using the new user
1245 option `comint-prompt-read-only'. This is not enabled by default,
1246 except in IELM buffers. The read-only status of IELM prompts can be
1247 controlled with the new user option `ielm-prompt-read-only', which
1248 overrides `comint-prompt-read-only'.
1250 The new commands `comint-kill-whole-line' and `comint-kill-region'
1251 support editing comint buffers with read-only prompts.
1253 `comint-kill-whole-line' is like `kill-whole-line', but ignores both
1254 read-only and field properties. Hence, it always kill entire
1255 lines, including any prompts.
1257 `comint-kill-region' is like `kill-region', except that it ignores
1258 read-only properties, if it is safe to do so. This means that if any
1259 part of a prompt is deleted, then the entire prompt must be deleted
1260 and that all prompts must stay at the beginning of a line. If this is
1261 not the case, then `comint-kill-region' behaves just like
1262 `kill-region' if read-only properties are involved: it copies the text
1263 to the kill-ring, but does not delete it.
1265 *** The new command `comint-insert-previous-argument' in comint-derived
1266 modes (shell-mode, etc.) inserts arguments from previous command lines,
1267 like bash's `ESC .' binding. It is bound by default to `C-c .', but
1268 otherwise behaves quite similarly to the bash version.
1270 *** `comint-use-prompt-regexp-instead-of-fields' has been renamed
1271 `comint-use-prompt-regexp'. The old name has been kept as an alias,
1272 but declared obsolete.
1274 ** M-x Compile changes:
1276 *** M-x compile has become more robust and reliable
1278 Quite a few more kinds of messages are recognized. Messages that are
1279 recognized as warnings or informational come in orange or green, instead of
1280 red. Informational messages are by default skipped with `next-error'
1281 (controlled by `compilation-skip-threshold').
1283 Location data is collected on the fly as the *compilation* buffer changes.
1284 This means you could modify messages to make them point to different files.
1285 This also means you can not go to locations of messages you may have deleted.
1287 The variable `compilation-error-regexp-alist' has now become customizable. If
1288 you had added your own regexps to this, you'll probably need to include a
1289 leading `^', otherwise they'll match anywhere on a line. There is now also a
1290 `compilation-mode-font-lock-keywords' and it nicely handles all the checks
1291 that configure outputs and -o options so you see at a glance where you are.
1293 The new file etc/compilation.txt gives examples of each type of message.
1295 *** New user option `compilation-environment'.
1296 This option allows you to specify environment variables for inferior
1297 compilation processes without affecting the environment that all
1298 subprocesses inherit.
1300 *** New user option `compilation-disable-input'.
1301 If this is non-nil, send end-of-file as compilation process input.
1303 *** New options `next-error-highlight' and `next-error-highlight-no-select'
1304 specify the method of highlighting of the corresponding source line
1305 in new face `next-error'.
1307 *** A new minor mode `next-error-follow-minor-mode' can be used in
1308 compilation-mode, grep-mode, occur-mode, and diff-mode (i.e. all the
1309 modes that can use `next-error'). In this mode, cursor motion in the
1310 buffer causes automatic display in another window of the corresponding
1311 matches, compilation errors, etc. This minor mode can be toggled with
1314 *** When the left fringe is displayed, an arrow points to current message in
1315 the compilation buffer.
1317 *** The new variable `compilation-context-lines' controls lines of leading
1318 context before the current message. If nil and the left fringe is displayed,
1319 it doesn't scroll the compilation output window. If there is no left fringe,
1320 no arrow is displayed and a value of nil means display the message at the top
1323 ** Occur mode changes:
1325 *** The new command `multi-occur' is just like `occur', except it can
1326 search multiple buffers. There is also a new command
1327 `multi-occur-in-matching-buffers' which allows you to specify the
1328 buffers to search by their filenames or buffer names. Internally,
1329 Occur mode has been rewritten, and now uses font-lock, among other
1332 *** You can now use next-error (C-x `) and previous-error to advance to
1333 the next/previous matching line found by M-x occur.
1335 *** In the *Occur* buffer, `o' switches to it in another window, and
1336 C-o displays the current line's occurrence in another window without
1341 *** Grep has been decoupled from compilation mode setup.
1343 There's a new separate package grep.el, with its own submenu and
1344 customization group.
1346 *** `grep-find' is now also available under the name `find-grep' where
1347 people knowing `find-grep-dired' would probably expect it.
1349 *** New commands `lgrep' (local grep) and `rgrep' (recursive grep) are
1350 more user-friendly versions of `grep' and `grep-find', which prompt
1351 separately for the regular expression to match, the files to search,
1352 and the base directory for the search. Case sensitivity of the
1353 search is controlled by the current value of `case-fold-search'.
1355 These commands build the shell commands based on the new variables
1356 `grep-template' (lgrep) and `grep-find-template' (rgrep).
1358 The files to search can use aliases defined in `grep-files-aliases'.
1360 Subdirectories listed in `grep-find-ignored-directories' such as those
1361 typically used by various version control systems, like CVS and arch,
1362 are automatically skipped by `rgrep'.
1364 *** The grep commands provide highlighting support.
1366 Hits are fontified in green, and hits in binary files in orange. Grep buffers
1367 can be saved and automatically revisited.
1369 *** New option `grep-highlight-matches' highlights matches in *grep*
1370 buffer. It uses a special feature of some grep programs which accept
1371 --color option to output markers around matches. When going to the next
1372 match with `next-error' the exact match is highlighted in the source
1373 buffer. Otherwise, if `grep-highlight-matches' is nil, the whole
1374 source line is highlighted.
1376 *** New key bindings in grep output window:
1377 SPC and DEL scrolls window up and down. C-n and C-p moves to next and
1378 previous match in the grep window. RET jumps to the source line of
1379 the current match. `n' and `p' shows next and previous match in
1380 other window, but does not switch buffer. `{' and `}' jumps to the
1381 previous or next file in the grep output. TAB also jumps to the next
1384 *** M-x grep now tries to avoid appending `/dev/null' to the command line
1385 by using GNU grep `-H' option instead. M-x grep automatically
1386 detects whether this is possible or not the first time it is invoked.
1387 When `-H' is used, the grep command line supplied by the user is passed
1388 unchanged to the system to execute, which allows more complicated
1389 command lines to be used than was possible before.
1391 *** The new variables `grep-window-height' and `grep-scroll-output' override
1392 the corresponding compilation mode settings, for grep commands only.
1394 ** Cursor display changes:
1396 *** Emacs can produce an underscore-like (horizontal bar) cursor.
1397 The underscore cursor is set by putting `(cursor-type . hbar)' in
1398 default-frame-alist. It supports variable heights, like the `bar'
1401 *** The variable `cursor-in-non-selected-windows' can now be set to any
1402 of the recognized cursor types.
1404 *** Display of hollow cursors now obeys the buffer-local value (if any)
1405 of `cursor-in-non-selected-windows' in the buffer that the cursor
1408 *** On text terminals, the variable `visible-cursor' controls whether Emacs
1409 uses the "very visible" cursor (the default) or the normal cursor.
1411 *** The X resource cursorBlink can be used to turn off cursor blinking.
1413 *** On X, MS Windows, and Mac OS, the blinking cursor's "off" state is
1414 now controlled by the variable `blink-cursor-alist'.
1416 ** X Windows Support:
1418 *** Emacs now supports drag and drop for X. Dropping a file on a window
1419 opens it, dropping text inserts the text. Dropping a file on a dired
1420 buffer copies or moves the file to that directory.
1422 *** Under X11, it is possible to swap Alt and Meta (and Super and Hyper).
1423 The new variables `x-alt-keysym', `x-hyper-keysym', `x-meta-keysym',
1424 and `x-super-keysym' can be used to choose which keysyms Emacs should
1425 use for the modifiers. For example, the following two lines swap
1427 (setq x-alt-keysym 'meta)
1428 (setq x-meta-keysym 'alt)
1430 *** The X resource useXIM can be used to turn off use of XIM, which can
1431 speed up Emacs with slow networking to the X server.
1433 If the configure option `--without-xim' was used to turn off use of
1434 XIM by default, the X resource useXIM can be used to turn it on.
1436 *** The new variable `x-select-request-type' controls how Emacs
1437 requests X selection. The default value is nil, which means that
1438 Emacs requests X selection with types COMPOUND_TEXT and UTF8_STRING,
1439 and use the more appropriately result.
1441 *** The scrollbar under LessTif or Motif has a smoother drag-scrolling.
1442 On the other hand, the size of the thumb does not represent the actual
1443 amount of text shown any more (only a crude approximation of it).
1447 *** If you enable Xterm Mouse mode, Emacs will respond to mouse clicks
1448 on the mode line, header line and display margin, when run in an xterm.
1450 *** Improved key bindings support when running in an xterm.
1451 When Emacs is running in an xterm more key bindings are available.
1452 The following should work:
1453 {C,S,C-S,A}-{right,left,up,down,prior,next,delete,insert,F1-12}.
1454 These key bindings work on xterm from X.org 6.8 (and later versions),
1455 they might not work on some older versions of xterm, or on some
1456 proprietary versions.
1457 The various keys generated by xterm when the "modifyOtherKeys"
1458 resource is set are also supported.
1460 ** Character terminal color support changes:
1462 *** The new command-line option --color=MODE lets you specify a standard
1463 mode for a tty color support. It is meant to be used on character
1464 terminals whose capabilities are not set correctly in the terminal
1465 database, or with terminal emulators which support colors, but don't
1466 set the TERM environment variable to a name of a color-capable
1467 terminal. "emacs --color" uses the same color commands as GNU `ls'
1468 when invoked with "ls --color", so if your terminal can support colors
1469 in "ls --color", it will support "emacs --color" as well. See the
1470 user manual for the possible values of the MODE parameter.
1472 *** Emacs now supports several character terminals which provide more
1473 than 8 colors. For example, for `xterm', 16-color, 88-color, and
1474 256-color modes are supported. Emacs automatically notes at startup
1475 the extended number of colors, and defines the appropriate entries for
1476 all of these colors.
1478 *** Emacs now uses the full range of available colors for the default
1479 faces when running on a color terminal, including 16-, 88-, and
1480 256-color xterms. This means that when you run "emacs -nw" on an
1481 88-color or 256-color xterm, you will see essentially the same face
1484 *** There's a new support for colors on `rxvt' terminal emulator.
1488 *** New option `ebnf-arrow-extra-width' which specify extra width for arrow
1490 The extra width is used to avoid that the arrowhead and the terminal border
1491 overlap. It depends on `ebnf-arrow-shape' and `ebnf-line-width'.
1493 *** New option `ebnf-arrow-scale' which specify the arrow scale.
1494 Values lower than 1.0, shrink the arrow.
1495 Values greater than 1.0, expand the arrow.
1497 * New Modes and Packages in Emacs 22.1
1499 ** CUA mode is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1501 The new cua package provides CUA-like keybindings using C-x for
1502 cut (kill), C-c for copy, C-v for paste (yank), and C-z for undo.
1503 With cua, the region can be set and extended using shifted movement
1504 keys (like pc-selection-mode) and typed text replaces the active
1505 region (like delete-selection-mode). Do not enable these modes with
1506 cua-mode. Customize the variable `cua-mode' to enable cua.
1508 The cua-selection-mode enables the CUA keybindings for the region but
1509 does not change the bindings for C-z/C-x/C-c/C-v. It can be used as a
1510 replacement for pc-selection-mode.
1512 In addition, cua provides unified rectangle support with visible
1513 rectangle highlighting: Use C-return to start a rectangle, extend it
1514 using the movement commands (or mouse-3), and cut or copy it using C-x
1515 or C-c (using C-w and M-w also works).
1517 Use M-o and M-c to `open' or `close' the rectangle, use M-b or M-f, to
1518 fill it with blanks or another character, use M-u or M-l to upcase or
1519 downcase the rectangle, use M-i to increment the numbers in the
1520 rectangle, use M-n to fill the rectangle with a numeric sequence (such
1521 as 10 20 30...), use M-r to replace a regexp in the rectangle, and use
1522 M-' or M-/ to restrict command on the rectangle to a subset of the
1523 rows. See the commentary in cua-base.el for more rectangle commands.
1525 Cua also provides unified support for registers: Use a numeric
1526 prefix argument between 0 and 9, i.e. M-0 .. M-9, for C-x, C-c, and
1527 C-v to cut or copy into register 0-9, or paste from register 0-9.
1529 The last text deleted (not killed) is automatically stored in
1530 register 0. This includes text deleted by typing text.
1532 Finally, cua provides a global mark which is set using S-C-space.
1533 When the global mark is active, any text which is cut or copied is
1534 automatically inserted at the global mark position. See the
1535 commentary in cua-base.el for more global mark related commands.
1537 The features of cua also works with the standard Emacs bindings for
1538 kill, copy, yank, and undo. If you want to use cua mode, but don't
1539 want the C-x, C-c, C-v, and C-z bindings, you can customize the
1540 `cua-enable-cua-keys' variable.
1542 Note: This version of cua mode is not backwards compatible with older
1543 versions of cua.el and cua-mode.el. To ensure proper operation, you
1544 must remove older versions of cua.el or cua-mode.el as well as the
1545 loading and customization of those packages from the .emacs file.
1547 ** Tramp is now part of the distribution.
1549 This package is similar to Ange-FTP: it allows you to edit remote
1550 files. But whereas Ange-FTP uses FTP to access the remote host,
1551 Tramp uses a shell connection. The shell connection is always used
1552 for filename completion and directory listings and suchlike, but for
1553 the actual file transfer, you can choose between the so-called
1554 `inline' methods (which transfer the files through the shell
1555 connection using base64 or uu encoding) and the `out-of-band' methods
1556 (which invoke an external copying program such as `rcp' or `scp' or
1557 `rsync' to do the copying).
1559 Shell connections can be acquired via `rsh', `ssh', `telnet' and also
1560 `su' and `sudo'. Ange-FTP is still supported via the `ftp' method.
1562 If you want to disable Tramp you should set
1564 (setq tramp-default-method "ftp")
1566 Removing Tramp, and re-enabling Ange-FTP, can be achieved by M-x
1569 ** The image-dired.el package allows you to easily view, tag and in
1570 other ways manipulate image files and their thumbnails, using dired as
1571 the main interface. Image-Dired provides functionality to generate
1572 simple image galleries.
1574 ** Image files are normally visited in Image mode, which lets you toggle
1575 between viewing the image and viewing the text using C-c C-c.
1577 ** The new python.el package is used to edit Python and Jython programs.
1579 ** The URL package (which had been part of W3) is now part of Emacs.
1581 ** Calc is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1583 Calc is an advanced desk calculator and mathematical tool written in
1584 Emacs Lisp. The prefix for Calc has been changed to `C-x *' and Calc
1585 can be started with `C-x * *'. The Calc manual is separate from the
1586 Emacs manual; within Emacs, type "C-h i m calc RET" to read the
1587 manual. A reference card is available in `etc/calccard.tex' and
1590 ** Org mode is now part of the Emacs distribution
1592 Org mode is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining ToDo lists, and
1593 doing project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system.
1594 It also contains a plain-text table editor with spreadsheet-like
1597 The Org mode table editor can be integrated into any major mode by
1598 activating the minor Orgtbl-mode.
1600 The documentation for org-mode is in a separate manual; within Emacs,
1601 type "C-h i m org RET" to read that manual. A reference card is
1602 available in `etc/orgcard.tex' and `etc/orgcard.ps'.
1604 ** ERC is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1606 ERC is a powerful, modular, and extensible IRC client for Emacs.
1608 To see what modules are available, type
1609 M-x customize-option erc-modules RET.
1611 To start an IRC session with ERC, type M-x erc, and follow the prompts
1612 for server, port, and nick.
1614 ** Rcirc is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1616 Rcirc is an Internet relay chat (IRC) client. It supports
1617 simultaneous connections to multiple IRC servers. Each discussion
1618 takes place in its own buffer. For each connection you can join
1619 several channels (many-to-many) and participate in private
1620 (one-to-one) chats. Both channel and private chats are contained in
1623 To start an IRC session using the default parameters, type M-x irc.
1624 If you type C-u M-x irc, it prompts you for the server, nick, port and
1625 startup channel parameters before connecting.
1627 ** The new package ibuffer provides a powerful, completely
1628 customizable replacement for buff-menu.el.
1630 ** Newsticker is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1632 Newsticker asynchronously retrieves headlines (RSS) from a list of news
1633 sites, prepares these headlines for reading, and allows for loading the
1634 corresponding articles in a web browser. Its documentation is in a
1637 ** The wdired.el package allows you to use normal editing commands on Dired
1638 buffers to change filenames, permissions, etc...
1640 ** Ido mode is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1642 The ido (interactively do) package is an extension of the iswitchb
1643 package to do interactive opening of files and directories in addition
1644 to interactive buffer switching. Ido is a superset of iswitchb (with
1645 a few exceptions), so don't enable both packages.
1647 ** The new global minor mode `file-name-shadow-mode' modifies the way
1648 filenames being entered by the user in the minibuffer are displayed, so
1649 that it's clear when part of the entered filename will be ignored due to
1650 Emacs' filename parsing rules. The ignored portion can be made dim,
1651 invisible, or otherwise less visually noticeable. The display method can
1652 be displayed by customizing the variable `file-name-shadow-properties'.
1654 ** Emacs' keyboard macro facilities have been enhanced by the new
1657 Keyboard macros are now defined and executed via the F3 and F4 keys:
1658 F3 starts a macro, F4 ends the macro, and pressing F4 again executes
1659 the last macro. While defining the macro, F3 inserts a counter value
1660 which automatically increments every time the macro is executed.
1662 There is now a keyboard macro ring which stores the most recently
1665 The C-x C-k sequence is now a prefix for the kmacro keymap which
1666 defines bindings for moving through the keyboard macro ring,
1667 C-x C-k C-p and C-x C-k C-n, editing the last macro C-x C-k C-e,
1668 manipulating the macro counter and format via C-x C-k C-c,
1669 C-x C-k C-a, and C-x C-k C-f. See the commentary in kmacro.el
1672 The original macro bindings C-x (, C-x ), and C-x e are still
1673 available, but they now interface to the keyboard macro ring too.
1675 The C-x e command now automatically terminates the current macro
1676 before calling it, if used while defining a macro.
1678 In addition, when ending or calling a macro with C-x e, the macro can
1679 be repeated immediately by typing just the `e'. You can customize
1680 this behavior via the variables kmacro-call-repeat-key and
1681 kmacro-call-repeat-with-arg.
1683 Keyboard macros can now be debugged and edited interactively.
1684 C-x C-k SPC steps through the last keyboard macro one key sequence
1685 at a time, prompting for the actions to take.
1687 ** The new keypad setup package provides several common bindings for
1688 the numeric keypad which is available on most keyboards. The numeric
1689 keypad typically has the digits 0 to 9, a decimal point, keys marked
1690 +, -, /, and *, an Enter key, and a NumLock toggle key. The keypad
1691 package only controls the use of the digit and decimal keys.
1693 By customizing the variables `keypad-setup', `keypad-shifted-setup',
1694 `keypad-numlock-setup', and `keypad-numlock-shifted-setup', or by
1695 using the function `keypad-setup', you can rebind all digit keys and
1696 the decimal key of the keypad in one step for each of the four
1697 possible combinations of the Shift key state (not pressed/pressed) and
1698 the NumLock toggle state (off/on).
1700 The choices for the keypad keys in each of the above states are:
1701 `Plain numeric keypad' where the keys generates plain digits,
1702 `Numeric keypad with decimal key' where the character produced by the
1703 decimal key can be customized individually (for internationalization),
1704 `Numeric Prefix Arg' where the keypad keys produce numeric prefix args
1705 for Emacs editing commands, `Cursor keys' and `Shifted Cursor keys'
1706 where the keys work like (shifted) arrow keys, home/end, etc., and
1707 `Unspecified/User-defined' where the keypad keys (kp-0, kp-1, etc.)
1708 are left unspecified and can be bound individually through the global
1711 ** The printing package is now part of the Emacs distribution.
1713 If you enable the printing package by including (require 'printing) in
1714 the .emacs file, the normal Print item on the File menu is replaced
1715 with a Print sub-menu which allows you to preview output through
1716 ghostview, use ghostscript to print (if you don't have a PostScript
1717 printer) or send directly to printer a PostScript code generated by
1718 `ps-print' package. Use M-x pr-help for more information.
1720 ** The new package longlines.el provides a minor mode for editing text
1721 files composed of long lines, based on the `use-hard-newlines'
1722 mechanism. The long lines are broken up by inserting soft newlines,
1723 which are automatically removed when saving the file to disk or
1724 copying into the kill ring, clipboard, etc. By default, Longlines
1725 mode inserts soft newlines automatically during editing, a behavior
1726 referred to as "soft word wrap" in other text editors. This is
1727 similar to Refill mode, but more reliable. To turn the word wrap
1728 feature off, set `longlines-auto-wrap' to nil.
1730 ** SES mode (ses-mode) is a new major mode for creating and editing
1731 spreadsheet files. Besides the usual Emacs features (intuitive command
1732 letters, undo, cell formulas in Lisp, plaintext files, etc.) it also offers
1733 viral immunity and import/export of tab-separated values.
1735 ** The new package table.el implements editable, WYSIWYG, embedded
1736 `text tables' in Emacs buffers. It simulates the effect of putting
1737 these tables in a special major mode. The package emulates WYSIWYG
1738 table editing available in modern word processors. The package also
1739 can generate a table source in typesetting and markup languages such
1740 as latex and html from the visually laid out text table.
1742 ** Filesets are collections of files. You can define a fileset in
1743 various ways, such as based on a directory tree or based on
1744 program files that include other program files.
1746 Once you have defined a fileset, you can perform various operations on
1747 all the files in it, such as visiting them or searching and replacing
1750 ** The minor mode Reveal mode makes text visible on the fly as you
1751 move your cursor into hidden regions of the buffer.
1752 It should work with any package that uses overlays to hide parts
1753 of a buffer, such as outline-minor-mode, hs-minor-mode, hide-ifdef-mode, ...
1755 There is also Global Reveal mode which affects all buffers.
1757 ** New minor mode, Visible mode, toggles invisibility in the current buffer.
1758 When enabled, it makes all invisible text visible. When disabled, it
1759 restores the previous value of `buffer-invisibility-spec'.
1761 ** The new package flymake.el does on-the-fly syntax checking of program
1762 source files. See the Flymake's Info manual for more details.
1764 ** savehist saves minibuffer histories between sessions.
1765 To use this feature, turn on savehist-mode in your `.emacs' file.
1767 ** The ruler-mode.el library provides a minor mode for displaying an
1768 "active" ruler in the header line. You can use the mouse to visually
1769 change the `fill-column', `window-margins' and `tab-stop-list'
1772 ** The file t-mouse.el is now part of Emacs and provides access to mouse
1773 events from the console. It still requires gpm to work but has been updated
1774 for Emacs 22. In particular, the mode-line is now position sensitive.
1776 ** The new package scroll-lock.el provides the Scroll Lock minor mode
1777 for pager-like scrolling. Keys which normally move point by line or
1778 paragraph will scroll the buffer by the respective amount of lines
1779 instead and point will be kept vertically fixed relative to window
1780 boundaries during scrolling.
1782 ** The new global minor mode `size-indication-mode' (off by default)
1783 shows the size of accessible part of the buffer on the mode line.
1785 ** The new package conf-mode.el handles thousands of configuration files, with
1786 varying syntaxes for comments (;, #, //, /* */ or !), assignment (var = value,
1787 var : value, var value or keyword var value) and sections ([section] or
1788 section { }). Many files under /etc/, or with suffixes like .cf through
1789 .config, .properties (Java), .desktop (KDE/Gnome), .ini and many others are
1792 ** GDB-Script-mode is used for files like .gdbinit.
1794 ** The new package dns-mode.el adds syntax highlighting of DNS master files.
1795 It is a modern replacement for zone-mode.el, which is now obsolete.
1797 ** `cfengine-mode' is a major mode for editing GNU Cfengine
1798 configuration files.
1800 ** The TCL package tcl-mode.el was replaced by tcl.el.
1801 This was actually done in Emacs-21.1, and was not documented.
1803 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 22.1:
1807 *** Bindings for Image-Dired added.
1808 Several new keybindings, all starting with the C-t prefix, have been
1809 added to Dired. They are all bound to commands in Image-Dired. As a
1810 starting point, mark some image files in a dired buffer and do C-t d
1811 to display thumbnails of them in a separate buffer.
1813 ** Info mode changes
1815 *** Images in Info pages are supported.
1817 Info pages show embedded images, in Emacs frames with image support.
1818 Info documentation that includes images, processed with makeinfo
1819 version 4.7 or newer, compiles to Info pages with embedded images.
1821 *** `Info-index' offers completion.
1823 *** http and ftp links in Info are now operational: they look like cross
1824 references and following them calls `browse-url'.
1826 *** isearch in Info uses Info-search and searches through multiple nodes.
1828 Before leaving the initial Info node isearch fails once with the error
1829 message [initial node], and with subsequent C-s/C-r continues through
1830 other nodes. When isearch fails for the rest of the manual, it wraps
1831 around the whole manual to the top/final node. The user option
1832 `Info-isearch-search' controls whether to use Info-search for isearch,
1833 or the default isearch search function that wraps around the current
1836 *** New search commands: `Info-search-case-sensitively' (bound to S),
1837 `Info-search-backward', and `Info-search-next' which repeats the last
1838 search without prompting for a new search string.
1840 *** New command `info-apropos' searches the indices of the known
1841 Info files on your system for a string, and builds a menu of the
1844 *** New command `Info-history-forward' (bound to r and new toolbar icon)
1845 moves forward in history to the node you returned from after using
1846 `Info-history-back' (renamed from `Info-last').
1848 *** New command `Info-history' (bound to L) displays a menu of visited nodes.
1850 *** New command `Info-toc' (bound to T) creates a node with table of contents
1851 from the tree structure of menus of the current Info file.
1853 *** New command `Info-copy-current-node-name' (bound to w) copies
1854 the current Info node name into the kill ring. With a zero prefix
1855 arg, puts the node name inside the `info' function call.
1857 *** New face `info-xref-visited' distinguishes visited nodes from unvisited
1858 and a new option `Info-fontify-visited-nodes' to control this.
1860 *** A numeric prefix argument of `info' selects an Info buffer
1861 with the number appended to the `*info*' buffer name (e.g. "*info*<2>").
1863 *** Info now hides node names in menus and cross references by default.
1865 If you prefer the old behavior, you can set the new user option
1866 `Info-hide-note-references' to nil.
1868 *** The default value for `Info-scroll-prefer-subnodes' is now nil.
1870 ** Emacs server changes
1872 *** You can have several Emacs servers on the same machine.
1874 % emacs --eval '(setq server-name "foo")' -f server-start &
1875 % emacs --eval '(setq server-name "bar")' -f server-start &
1876 % emacsclient -s foo file1
1877 % emacsclient -s bar file2
1879 *** The `emacsclient' command understands the options `--eval' and
1880 `--display' which tell Emacs respectively to evaluate the given Lisp
1881 expression and to use the given display when visiting files.
1883 *** User option `server-mode' can be used to start a server process.
1887 *** By default, reverting the *Locate* buffer now just runs the last
1888 `locate' command back over again without offering to update the locate
1889 database (which normally only works if you have root privileges). If
1890 you prefer the old behavior, set the new customizable option
1891 `locate-update-when-revert' to t.
1895 *** Desktop saving is now a minor mode, `desktop-save-mode'.
1897 *** The variable `desktop-enable' is obsolete.
1899 Customize `desktop-save-mode' to enable desktop saving.
1901 *** Buffers are saved in the desktop file in the same order as that in the
1904 *** The desktop package can be customized to restore only some buffers
1905 immediately, remaining buffers are restored lazily (when Emacs is
1908 *** New command line option --no-desktop
1911 - desktop-revert reverts to the last loaded desktop.
1912 - desktop-change-dir kills current desktop and loads a new.
1913 - desktop-save-in-desktop-dir saves desktop in the directory from which
1915 - desktop-lazy-complete runs the desktop load to completion.
1916 - desktop-lazy-abort aborts lazy loading of the desktop.
1918 *** New customizable variables:
1919 - desktop-save. Determines whether the desktop should be saved when it is
1921 - desktop-file-name-format. Format in which desktop file names should be saved.
1922 - desktop-path. List of directories in which to lookup the desktop file.
1923 - desktop-locals-to-save. List of local variables to save.
1924 - desktop-globals-to-clear. List of global variables that `desktop-clear' will clear.
1925 - desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp. Regexp identifying buffers that `desktop-clear'
1927 - desktop-restore-eager. Number of buffers to restore immediately. Remaining buffers are
1928 restored lazily (when Emacs is idle).
1929 - desktop-lazy-verbose. Verbose reporting of lazily created buffers.
1930 - desktop-lazy-idle-delay. Idle delay before starting to create buffers.
1933 - desktop-after-read-hook run after a desktop is loaded.
1934 - desktop-no-desktop-file-hook run when no desktop file is found.
1938 The recent file list is now automatically cleaned up when recentf mode is
1939 enabled. The new option `recentf-auto-cleanup' controls when to do
1942 The ten most recent files can be quickly opened by using the shortcut
1943 keys 1 to 9, and 0, when the recent list is displayed in a buffer via
1944 the `recentf-open-files', or `recentf-open-more-files' commands.
1946 The `recentf-keep' option replaces `recentf-keep-non-readable-files-p'
1947 and provides a more general mechanism to customize which file names to
1948 keep in the recent list.
1950 With the more advanced option `recentf-filename-handlers', you can
1951 specify functions that successively transform recent file names. For
1952 example, if set to `file-truename' plus `abbreviate-file-name', the
1953 same file will not be in the recent list with different symbolic
1954 links, and the file name will be abbreviated.
1956 To follow naming convention, `recentf-menu-append-commands-flag'
1957 replaces the misnamed option `recentf-menu-append-commands-p'. The
1958 old name remains available as alias, but has been marked obsolete.
1960 ** Auto-Revert changes
1962 *** You can now use Auto Revert mode to `tail' a file.
1964 If point is at the end of a file buffer before reverting, Auto Revert
1965 mode keeps it at the end after reverting. Similarly if point is
1966 displayed at the end of a file buffer in any window, it stays at the
1967 end of the buffer in that window. This allows you to "tail" a file:
1968 just put point at the end of the buffer and it stays there. This rule
1969 applies to file buffers. For non-file buffers, the behavior can be
1972 If you are sure that the file will only change by growing at the end,
1973 then you can tail the file more efficiently by using the new minor
1974 mode Auto Revert Tail mode. The function `auto-revert-tail-mode'
1977 *** Auto Revert mode is now more careful to avoid excessive reverts and
1978 other potential problems when deciding which non-file buffers to
1979 revert. This matters especially if Global Auto Revert mode is enabled
1980 and `global-auto-revert-non-file-buffers' is non-nil. Auto Revert
1981 mode only reverts a non-file buffer if the buffer has a non-nil
1982 `revert-buffer-function' and a non-nil `buffer-stale-function', which
1983 decides whether the buffer should be reverted. Currently, this means
1984 that auto reverting works for Dired buffers (although this may not
1985 work properly on all operating systems) and for the Buffer Menu.
1987 *** If the new user option `auto-revert-check-vc-info' is non-nil, Auto
1988 Revert mode reliably updates version control info (such as the version
1989 control number in the mode line), in all version controlled buffers in
1990 which it is active. If the option is nil, the default, then this info
1991 only gets updated whenever the buffer gets reverted.
1993 ** Changes in Shell Mode
1995 *** Shell output normally scrolls so that the input line is at the
1996 bottom of the window -- thus showing the maximum possible text. (This
1997 is similar to the way sequential output to a terminal works.)
1999 ** Changes in Hi Lock
2001 *** hi-lock-mode now only affects a single buffer, and a new function
2002 `global-hi-lock-mode' enables Hi Lock in all buffers. By default, if
2003 hi-lock-mode is used in what appears to be the initialization file, a
2004 warning message suggests to use global-hi-lock-mode instead. However,
2005 if the new variable `hi-lock-archaic-interface-deduce' is non-nil,
2006 using hi-lock-mode in an initialization file will turn on Hi Lock in all
2007 buffers and no warning will be issued (for compatibility with the
2008 behavior in older versions of Emacs).
2010 ** Changes in Allout
2012 *** Topic cryptography added, enabling easy gpg topic encryption and
2013 decryption. Per-topic basis enables interspersing encrypted-text and
2014 clear-text within a single file to your heart's content, using symmetric
2015 and/or public key modes. Time-limited key caching, user-provided
2016 symmetric key hinting and consistency verification, auto-encryption of
2017 pending topics on save, and more, make it easy to use encryption in
2018 powerful ways. Encryption behavior customization is collected in the
2019 allout-encryption customization group.
2021 *** Default command prefix was changed to "\C-c " (control-c space), to
2022 avoid intruding on user's keybinding space. Customize the
2023 `allout-command-prefix' variable to your preference.
2025 *** Some previously rough topic-header format edge cases are reconciled.
2026 Level 1 topics use the mode's comment format, and lines starting with the
2027 asterisk - for instance, the comment close of some languages (eg, c's "*/"
2028 or mathematica's "*)") - at the beginning of line are no longer are
2029 interpreted as level 1 topics in those modes.
2031 *** Many or most commonly occurring "accidental" topics are disqualified.
2032 Text in item bodies that looks like a low-depth topic is no longer mistaken
2033 for one unless its first offspring (or that of its next sibling with
2034 offspring) is only one level deeper.
2036 For example, pasting some text with a bunch of leading asterisks into a
2037 topic that's followed by a level 3 or deeper topic will not cause the
2038 pasted text to be mistaken for outline structure.
2040 The same constraint is applied to any level 2 or 3 topics.
2042 This settles an old issue where typed or pasted text needed to be carefully
2043 reviewed, and sometimes doctored, to avoid accidentally disrupting the
2044 outline structure. Now that should be generally unnecessary, as the most
2045 prone-to-occur accidents are disqualified.
2047 *** Allout now refuses to create "containment discontinuities", where a
2048 topic is shifted deeper than the offspring-depth of its container. On the
2049 other hand, allout now operates gracefully with existing containment
2050 discontinuities, revealing excessively contained topics rather than either
2051 leaving them hidden or raising an error.
2053 *** Navigation within an item is easier. Repeated beginning-of-line and
2054 end-of-line key commands (usually, ^A and ^E) cycle through the
2055 beginning/end-of-line and then beginning/end of topic, etc. See new
2056 customization vars `allout-beginning-of-line-cycles' and
2057 `allout-end-of-line-cycles'.
2059 *** New or revised allout-mode activity hooks enable creation of
2060 cooperative enhancements to allout mode without changes to the mode,
2063 See `allout-exposure-change-hook', `allout-structure-added-hook',
2064 `allout-structure-deleted-hook', and `allout-structure-shifted-hook'.
2066 `allout-exposure-change-hook' replaces the existing
2067 `allout-view-change-hook', which is being deprecated. Both are still
2068 invoked, but `allout-view-change-hook' will eventually be ignored.
2069 `allout-exposure-change-hook' is called with explicit arguments detailing
2070 the specifics of each change (as are the other new hooks), making it easier
2071 to use than the old version.
2073 There is a new mode deactivation hook, `allout-mode-deactivate-hook', for
2074 coordinating with deactivation of allout-mode. Both that and the mode
2075 activation hook, `allout-mode-hook' are now run after the `allout-mode'
2076 variable is changed, rather than before.
2078 *** Allout now uses text overlay's `invisible' property for concealed text,
2079 instead of selective-display. This simplifies the code, in particular
2080 avoiding the need for kludges for isearch dynamic-display, discretionary
2081 handling of edits of concealed text, undo concerns, etc.
2083 *** There are many other fixes and refinements, including:
2085 - repaired inhibition of inadvertent edits to concealed text, without
2086 inhibiting undo; we now reveal undo changes within concealed text.
2087 - auto-fill-mode is now left inactive when allout-mode starts, if it
2088 already was inactive. also, `allout-inhibit-auto-fill' custom
2089 configuration variable makes it easy to disable auto fill in allout
2090 outlines in general or on a per-buffer basis.
2091 - allout now tolerates fielded text in outlines without disruption.
2092 - hot-spot navigation now is modularized with a new function,
2093 `allout-hotspot-key-handler', enabling easier use and enhancement of
2094 the functionality in allout addons.
2095 - repaired retention of topic body hanging indent upon topic depth shifts
2096 - bulleting variation is simpler and more accommodating, both in the
2097 default behavior and in ability to vary when creating new topics
2098 - mode deactivation now does cleans up effectively, more properly
2099 restoring affected variables and hooks to former state, removing
2100 overlays, etc. see `allout-add-resumptions' and
2101 `allout-do-resumptions', which replace the old `allout-resumptions'.
2102 - included a few unit-tests for interior functionality. developers can
2103 have them automatically run at the end of module load by customizing
2104 the option `allout-run-unit-tests-on-load'.
2105 - many, many other, more minor tweaks, fixes, and refinements.
2106 - version number incremented to 2.2
2108 ** Hideshow mode changes
2110 *** New variable `hs-set-up-overlay' allows customization of the overlay
2111 used to effect hiding for hideshow minor mode. Integration with isearch
2112 handles the overlay property `display' specially, preserving it during
2113 temporary overlay showing in the course of an isearch operation.
2115 *** New variable `hs-allow-nesting' non-nil means that hiding a block does
2116 not discard the hidden state of any "internal" blocks; when the parent
2117 block is later shown, the internal blocks remain hidden. Default is nil.
2121 *** New ffap commands and keybindings:
2123 C-x C-r (`ffap-read-only'),
2124 C-x C-v (`ffap-alternate-file'), C-x C-d (`ffap-list-directory'),
2125 C-x 4 r (`ffap-read-only-other-window'), C-x 4 d (`ffap-dired-other-window'),
2126 C-x 5 r (`ffap-read-only-other-frame'), C-x 5 d (`ffap-dired-other-frame').
2128 *** FFAP accepts wildcards in a file name by default.
2130 C-x C-f passes the file name to `find-file' with non-nil WILDCARDS
2131 argument, which visits multiple files, and C-x d passes it to `dired'.
2133 ** Changes in Skeleton
2135 *** In skeleton.el, `-' marks the `skeleton-point' without interregion interaction.
2137 `@' has reverted to only setting `skeleton-positions' and no longer
2138 sets `skeleton-point'. Skeletons which used @ to mark
2139 `skeleton-point' independent of `_' should now use `-' instead. The
2140 updated `skeleton-insert' docstring explains these new features along
2141 with other details of skeleton construction.
2143 *** The variables `skeleton-transformation', `skeleton-filter', and
2144 `skeleton-pair-filter' have been renamed to
2145 `skeleton-transformation-function', `skeleton-filter-function', and
2146 `skeleton-pair-filter-function'. The old names are still available
2149 ** HTML/SGML changes
2151 *** Emacs now tries to set up buffer coding systems for HTML/XML files
2154 *** SGML mode has indentation and supports XML syntax.
2155 The new variable `sgml-xml-mode' tells SGML mode to use XML syntax.
2156 When this option is enabled, SGML tags are inserted in XML style,
2157 i.e., there is always a closing tag.
2158 By default, its setting is inferred on a buffer-by-buffer basis
2159 from the file name or buffer contents.
2161 *** The variable `sgml-transformation' has been renamed to
2162 `sgml-transformation-function'. The old name is still available as
2165 *** `xml-mode' is now an alias for `sgml-mode', which has XML support.
2169 *** New major mode Doctex mode, for *.dtx files.
2171 *** C-c C-c prompts for a command to run, and tries to offer a good default.
2173 *** The user option `tex-start-options-string' has been replaced
2174 by two new user options: `tex-start-options', which should hold
2175 command-line options to feed to TeX, and `tex-start-commands' which should hold
2176 TeX commands to use at startup.
2178 *** verbatim environments are now highlighted in courier by font-lock
2179 and super/sub-scripts are made into super/sub-scripts.
2181 ** RefTeX mode changes
2183 *** Changes to RefTeX's table of contents
2185 The new command keys "<" and ">" in the TOC buffer promote/demote the
2186 section at point or all sections in the current region, with full
2187 support for multifile documents.
2189 The new command `reftex-toc-recenter' (`C-c -') shows the current
2190 section in the TOC buffer without selecting the TOC window.
2191 Recentering can happen automatically in idle time when the option
2192 `reftex-auto-recenter-toc' is turned on. The highlight in the TOC
2193 buffer stays when the focus moves to a different window. A dedicated
2194 frame can show the TOC with the current section always automatically
2195 highlighted. The frame is created and deleted from the toc buffer
2198 The toc window can be split off horizontally instead of vertically.
2199 See new option `reftex-toc-split-windows-horizontally'.
2201 Labels can be renamed globally from the table of contents using the
2204 The new command `reftex-goto-label' jumps directly to a label
2207 *** Changes related to citations and BibTeX database files
2209 Commands that insert a citation now prompt for optional arguments when
2210 called with a prefix argument. Related new options are
2211 `reftex-cite-prompt-optional-args' and `reftex-cite-cleanup-optional-args'.
2213 The new command `reftex-create-bibtex-file' creates a BibTeX database
2214 with all entries referenced in the current document. The keys "e" and
2215 "E" allow to produce a BibTeX database file from entries marked in a
2216 citation selection buffer.
2218 The command `reftex-citation' uses the word in the buffer before the
2219 cursor as a default search string.
2221 The support for chapterbib has been improved. Different chapters can
2222 now use BibTeX or an explicit `thebibliography' environment.
2224 The macros which specify the bibliography file (like \bibliography)
2225 can be configured with the new option `reftex-bibliography-commands'.
2227 Support for jurabib has been added.
2229 *** Global index matched may be verified with a user function.
2231 During global indexing, a user function can verify an index match.
2232 See new option `reftex-index-verify-function'.
2234 *** Parsing documents with many labels can be sped up.
2236 Operating in a document with thousands of labels can be sped up
2237 considerably by allowing RefTeX to derive the type of a label directly
2238 from the label prefix like `eq:' or `fig:'. The option
2239 `reftex-trust-label-prefix' needs to be configured in order to enable
2240 this feature. While the speed-up is significant, this may reduce the
2241 quality of the context offered by RefTeX to describe a label.
2243 *** Miscellaneous changes
2245 The macros which input a file in LaTeX (like \input, \include) can be
2246 configured in the new option `reftex-include-file-commands'.
2248 RefTeX supports global incremental search.
2252 *** The new command `bibtex-url' browses a URL for the BibTeX entry at
2253 point (bound to C-c C-l and mouse-2, RET on clickable fields).
2255 *** The new command `bibtex-entry-update' (bound to C-c C-u) updates
2256 an existing BibTeX entry by inserting fields that may occur but are not
2259 *** New `bibtex-entry-format' option `required-fields', enabled by default.
2261 *** `bibtex-maintain-sorted-entries' can take values `plain',
2262 `crossref', and `entry-class' which control the sorting scheme used
2263 for BibTeX entries. `bibtex-sort-entry-class' controls the sorting
2264 scheme `entry-class'. TAB completion for reference keys and
2265 automatic detection of duplicates does not require anymore that
2266 `bibtex-maintain-sorted-entries' is non-nil.
2268 *** The new command `bibtex-complete' completes word fragment before
2269 point according to context (bound to M-tab).
2271 *** In BibTeX mode the command `fill-paragraph' (M-q) fills
2272 individual fields of a BibTeX entry.
2274 *** The new variable `bibtex-autofill-types' contains a list of entry
2275 types for which fields are filled automatically (if possible).
2277 *** The new commands `bibtex-find-entry' and `bibtex-find-crossref'
2278 locate entries and crossref'd entries (bound to C-c C-s and C-c C-x).
2279 Crossref fields are clickable (bound to mouse-2, RET).
2281 *** The new variables `bibtex-files' and `bibtex-file-path' define a set
2282 of BibTeX files that are searched for entry keys.
2284 *** The new command `bibtex-validate-globally' checks for duplicate keys
2285 in multiple BibTeX files.
2287 *** If the new variable `bibtex-autoadd-commas' is non-nil,
2288 automatically add missing commas at end of BibTeX fields.
2290 *** The new command `bibtex-copy-summary-as-kill' pushes summary
2291 of BibTeX entry to kill ring (bound to C-c C-t).
2293 *** If the new variable `bibtex-parse-keys-fast' is non-nil,
2294 use fast but simplified algorithm for parsing BibTeX keys.
2296 *** The new variables bibtex-expand-strings and
2297 bibtex-autokey-expand-strings control the expansion of strings when
2298 extracting the content of a BibTeX field.
2300 *** The variables `bibtex-autokey-name-case-convert' and
2301 `bibtex-autokey-titleword-case-convert' have been renamed to
2302 `bibtex-autokey-name-case-convert-function' and
2303 `bibtex-autokey-titleword-case-convert-function'. The old names are
2304 still available as aliases.
2308 *** The new package gdb-ui.el provides an enhanced graphical interface to
2309 GDB. You can interact with GDB through the GUD buffer in the usual way, but
2310 there are also further buffers which control the execution and describe the
2311 state of your program. It can separate the input/output of your program from
2312 that of GDB and watches expressions in the speedbar. It also uses features of
2313 Emacs 21/22 such as the toolbar, and bitmaps in the fringe to indicate
2316 To use this package just type M-x gdb. See the Emacs manual if you want the
2319 *** GUD mode has its own tool bar for controlling execution of the inferior
2320 and other common debugger commands.
2322 *** In GUD mode, when talking to GDB, C-x C-a C-j "jumps" the program
2323 counter to the specified source line (the one where point is).
2325 *** The variable tooltip-gud-tips-p has been removed. GUD tooltips can now be
2326 toggled independently of normal tooltips with the minor mode
2329 *** In graphical mode, with a C program, GUD Tooltips have been extended to
2330 display the #define directive associated with an identifier when program is
2333 *** GUD mode improvements for jdb:
2335 **** Search for source files using jdb classpath and class information.
2336 Fast startup since there is no need to scan all source files up front.
2337 There is also no need to create and maintain lists of source
2338 directories to scan. Look at `gud-jdb-use-classpath' and
2339 `gud-jdb-classpath' customization variables documentation.
2341 **** The previous method of searching for source files has been
2342 preserved in case someone still wants/needs to use it.
2343 Set `gud-jdb-use-classpath' to nil.
2345 **** Supports the standard breakpoint (gud-break, gud-clear)
2346 set/clear operations from Java source files under the classpath, stack
2347 traversal (gud-up, gud-down), and run until current stack finish
2350 **** Supports new jdb (Java 1.2 and later) in addition to oldjdb
2353 *** Added jdb Customization Variables
2355 **** `gud-jdb-command-name'. What command line to use to invoke jdb.
2357 **** `gud-jdb-use-classpath'. Allows selection of java source file searching
2358 method: set to t for new method, nil to scan `gud-jdb-directories' for
2359 java sources (previous method).
2361 **** `gud-jdb-directories'. List of directories to scan and search for Java
2362 classes using the original gud-jdb method (if `gud-jdb-use-classpath'
2365 *** Minor Improvements
2367 **** The STARTTLS wrapper (starttls.el) can now use GNUTLS
2368 instead of the OpenSSL based `starttls' tool. For backwards
2369 compatibility, it prefers `starttls', but you can toggle
2370 `starttls-use-gnutls' to switch to GNUTLS (or simply remove the
2373 **** Do not allow debugger output history variable to grow without bounds.
2375 ** Lisp mode changes
2377 *** Lisp mode now uses `font-lock-doc-face' for doc strings.
2379 *** C-u C-M-q in Emacs Lisp mode pretty-prints the list after point.
2381 *** New features in evaluation commands
2383 **** The function `eval-defun' (C-M-x) called on defface reinitializes
2384 the face to the value specified in the defface expression.
2386 **** Typing C-x C-e twice prints the value of the integer result
2387 in additional formats (octal, hexadecimal, character) specified
2388 by the new function `eval-expression-print-format'. The same
2389 function also defines the result format for `eval-expression' (M-:),
2390 `eval-print-last-sexp' (C-j) and some edebug evaluation functions.
2392 ** Changes to cmuscheme
2394 *** Emacs now offers to start Scheme if the user tries to
2395 evaluate a Scheme expression but no Scheme subprocess is running.
2397 *** If the file ~/.emacs_NAME or ~/.emacs.d/init_NAME.scm (where NAME
2398 is the name of the Scheme interpreter) exists, its contents are sent
2399 to the Scheme subprocess upon startup.
2401 *** There are new commands to instruct the Scheme interpreter to trace
2402 procedure calls (`scheme-trace-procedure') and to expand syntactic forms
2403 (`scheme-expand-current-form'). The commands actually sent to the Scheme
2404 subprocess are controlled by the user options `scheme-trace-command',
2405 `scheme-untrace-command' and `scheme-expand-current-form'.
2409 *** The new function `ewoc-delete' deletes specified nodes.
2411 *** `ewoc-create' now takes optional arg NOSEP, which inhibits insertion of
2412 a newline after each pretty-printed entry and after the header and footer.
2413 This allows you to create multiple-entry ewocs on a single line and to
2414 effect "invisible" nodes by arranging for the pretty-printer to not print
2415 anything for those nodes.
2417 For example, these two sequences of expressions behave identically:
2420 (defun PP (data) (insert (format "%S" data)))
2421 (ewoc-create 'PP "start\n")
2424 (defun PP (data) (insert (format "%S\n" data)))
2425 (ewoc-create 'PP "start\n\n" "\n" t)
2429 *** The CC Mode manual has been extensively revised.
2430 The information about using CC Mode has been separated from the larger
2431 and more difficult chapters about configuration.
2434 **** Electric Minor Mode toggles the electric action of non-alphabetic keys.
2435 The new command c-toggle-electric-mode is bound to C-c C-l. Turning the
2436 mode off can be helpful for editing chaotically indented code and for
2437 users new to CC Mode, who sometimes find electric indentation
2438 disconcerting. Its current state is displayed in the mode line with an
2441 **** Subword Minor Mode makes Emacs recognize word boundaries at upper case
2442 letters in StudlyCapsIdentifiers. You enable this feature by C-c C-w. It can
2443 also be used in non-CC Mode buffers. :-) Contributed by Masatake YAMATO.
2445 *** Support for the AWK language.
2446 Support for the AWK language has been introduced. The implementation is
2447 based around GNU AWK version 3.1, but it should work pretty well with
2448 any AWK. As yet, not all features of CC Mode have been adapted for AWK.
2451 **** Indentation Engine
2452 The CC Mode indentation engine fully supports AWK mode.
2454 AWK mode handles code formatted in the conventional AWK fashion: `{'s
2455 which start actions, user-defined functions, or compound statements are
2456 placed on the same line as the associated construct; the matching `}'s
2457 are normally placed under the start of the respective pattern, function
2458 definition, or structured statement.
2460 The predefined line-up functions haven't yet been adapted for AWK
2461 mode, though some of them may work serendipitously. There shouldn't
2462 be any problems writing custom indentation functions for AWK mode.
2465 There is a single level of font locking in AWK mode, rather than the
2466 three distinct levels the other modes have. There are several
2467 idiosyncrasies in AWK mode's font-locking due to the peculiarities of
2468 the AWK language itself.
2470 **** Comment and Movement Commands
2471 These commands all work for AWK buffers. The notion of "defun" has
2472 been augmented to include AWK pattern-action pairs - the standard
2473 "defun" commands on key sequences C-M-a, C-M-e, and C-M-h use this
2474 extended definition.
2476 **** "awk" style, Auto-newline Insertion and Clean-ups
2477 A new style, "awk" has been introduced, and this is now the default
2478 style for AWK code. With auto-newline enabled, the clean-up
2479 c-one-liner-defun (see above) is useful.
2481 *** Font lock support.
2482 CC Mode now provides font lock support for all its languages. This
2483 supersedes the font lock patterns that have been in the core font lock
2484 package for C, C++, Java and Objective-C. Like indentation, font
2485 locking is done in a uniform way across all languages (except the new
2486 AWK mode - see below). That means that the new font locking will be
2487 different from the old patterns in various details for most languages.
2489 The main goal of the font locking in CC Mode is accuracy, to provide a
2490 dependable aid in recognizing the various constructs. Some, like
2491 strings and comments, are easy to recognize while others like
2492 declarations and types can be very tricky. CC Mode can go to great
2493 lengths to recognize declarations and casts correctly, especially when
2494 the types aren't recognized by standard patterns. This is a fairly
2495 demanding analysis which can be slow on older hardware, and it can
2496 therefore be disabled by choosing a lower decoration level with the
2497 variable font-lock-maximum-decoration.
2499 Note that the most demanding font lock level has been tuned with lazy
2500 fontification in mind; Just-In-Time-Lock mode should be enabled for
2501 the highest font lock level (by default, it is). Fontifying a file
2502 with several thousand lines in one go can take the better part of a
2505 **** The (c|c++|objc|java|idl|pike)-font-lock-extra-types variables
2506 are now used by CC Mode to recognize identifiers that are certain to
2507 be types. (They are also used in cases that aren't related to font
2508 locking.) At the maximum decoration level, types are often recognized
2509 properly anyway, so these variables should be fairly restrictive and
2510 not contain patterns for uncertain types.
2512 **** Support for documentation comments.
2513 There is a "plugin" system to fontify documentation comments like
2514 Javadoc and the markup within them. It's independent of the host
2515 language, so it's possible to e.g. turn on Javadoc font locking in C
2516 buffers. See the variable c-doc-comment-style for details.
2518 Currently three kinds of doc comment styles are recognized: Sun's
2519 Javadoc, Autodoc (which is used in Pike) and GtkDoc (used in C). (The
2520 last was contributed by Masatake YAMATO). This is by no means a
2521 complete list of the most common tools; if your doc comment extractor
2522 of choice is missing then please drop a note to bug-cc-mode@gnu.org.
2524 **** Better handling of C++ templates.
2525 As a side effect of the more accurate font locking, C++ templates are
2526 now handled much better. The angle brackets that delimit them are
2527 given parenthesis syntax so that they can be navigated like other
2530 This also improves indentation of templates, although there still is
2531 work to be done in that area. E.g. it's required that multiline
2532 template clauses are written in full and then refontified to be
2533 recognized, and the indentation of nested templates is a bit odd and
2534 not as configurable as it ought to be.
2536 **** Improved handling of Objective-C and CORBA IDL.
2537 Especially the support for Objective-C and IDL has gotten an overhaul.
2538 The special "@" declarations in Objective-C are handled correctly.
2539 All the keywords used in CORBA IDL, PSDL, and CIDL are recognized and
2540 handled correctly, also wrt indentation.
2542 *** Changes in Key Sequences
2543 **** c-toggle-auto-hungry-state is no longer bound to C-c C-t.
2545 **** c-toggle-hungry-state is no longer bound to C-c C-d.
2546 This binding has been taken over by c-hungry-delete-forwards.
2548 **** c-toggle-auto-state (C-c C-t) has been renamed to c-toggle-auto-newline.
2549 c-toggle-auto-state remains as an alias.
2551 **** The new commands c-hungry-backspace and c-hungry-delete-forwards
2552 have key bindings C-c C-DEL (or C-c DEL, for the benefit of TTYs) and
2553 C-c C-d (or C-c C-<delete> or C-c <delete>) respectively. These
2554 commands delete entire blocks of whitespace with a single
2555 key-sequence. [N.B. "DEL" is the <backspace> key.]
2557 **** The new command c-toggle-electric-mode is bound to C-c C-l.
2559 **** The new command c-subword-mode is bound to C-c C-w.
2561 *** C-c C-s (`c-show-syntactic-information') now highlights the anchor
2564 *** New syntactic symbols in IDL mode.
2565 The top level constructs "module" and "composition" (from CIDL) are
2566 now handled like "namespace" in C++: They are given syntactic symbols
2567 module-open, module-close, inmodule, composition-open,
2568 composition-close, and incomposition.
2570 *** New functions to do hungry delete without enabling hungry delete mode.
2571 The new functions `c-hungry-backspace' and `c-hungry-delete-forward'
2572 provide hungry deletion without having to toggle a mode. They are
2573 bound to C-c C-DEL and C-c C-d (and several variants, for the benefit
2574 of different keyboard setups. See "Changes in key sequences" above).
2576 *** Better control over `require-final-newline'.
2578 The variable `c-require-final-newline' specifies which of the modes
2579 implemented by CC mode should insert final newlines. Its value is a
2580 list of modes, and only those modes should do it. By default the list
2581 includes C, C++ and Objective-C modes.
2583 Whichever modes are in this list will set `require-final-newline'
2584 based on `mode-require-final-newline'.
2586 *** Format change for syntactic context elements.
2588 The elements in the syntactic context returned by `c-guess-basic-syntax'
2589 and stored in `c-syntactic-context' has been changed somewhat to allow
2590 attaching more information. They are now lists instead of single cons
2591 cells. E.g. a line that previously had the syntactic analysis
2593 ((inclass . 11) (topmost-intro . 13))
2597 ((inclass 11) (topmost-intro 13))
2599 In some cases there are more than one position given for a syntactic
2602 This change might affect code that calls `c-guess-basic-syntax'
2603 directly, and custom lineup functions if they use
2604 `c-syntactic-context'. However, the argument given to lineup
2605 functions is still a single cons cell with nil or an integer in the
2608 *** API changes for derived modes.
2610 There have been extensive changes "under the hood" which can affect
2611 derived mode writers. Some of these changes are likely to cause
2612 incompatibilities with existing derived modes, but on the other hand
2613 care has now been taken to make it possible to extend and modify CC
2614 Mode with less risk of such problems in the future.
2616 **** New language variable system.
2617 These are variables whose values vary between CC Mode's different
2618 languages. See the comment blurb near the top of cc-langs.el.
2620 **** New initialization functions.
2621 The initialization procedure has been split up into more functions to
2622 give better control: `c-basic-common-init', `c-font-lock-init', and
2623 `c-init-language-vars'.
2625 *** Changes in analysis of nested syntactic constructs.
2626 The syntactic analysis engine has better handling of cases where
2627 several syntactic constructs appear nested on the same line. They are
2628 now handled as if each construct started on a line of its own.
2630 This means that CC Mode now indents some cases differently, and
2631 although it's more consistent there might be cases where the old way
2632 gave results that's more to one's liking. So if you find a situation
2633 where you think that the indentation has become worse, please report
2634 it to bug-cc-mode@gnu.org.
2636 **** New syntactic symbol substatement-label.
2637 This symbol is used when a label is inserted between a statement and
2638 its substatement. E.g:
2644 *** Better handling of multiline macros.
2646 **** Syntactic indentation inside macros.
2647 The contents of multiline #define's are now analyzed and indented
2648 syntactically just like other code. This can be disabled by the new
2649 variable `c-syntactic-indentation-in-macros'. A new syntactic symbol
2650 `cpp-define-intro' has been added to control the initial indentation
2653 **** New lineup function `c-lineup-cpp-define'.
2655 Now used by default to line up macro continuation lines. The behavior
2656 of this function closely mimics the indentation one gets if the macro
2657 is indented while the line continuation backslashes are temporarily
2658 removed. If syntactic indentation in macros is turned off, it works
2659 much line `c-lineup-dont-change', which was used earlier, but handles
2660 empty lines within the macro better.
2662 **** Automatically inserted newlines continues the macro if used within one.
2663 This applies to the newlines inserted by the auto-newline mode, and to
2664 `c-context-line-break' and `c-context-open-line'.
2666 **** Better alignment of line continuation backslashes.
2667 `c-backslash-region' tries to adapt to surrounding backslashes. New
2668 variable `c-backslash-max-column' puts a limit on how far out
2669 backslashes can be moved.
2671 **** Automatic alignment of line continuation backslashes.
2672 This is controlled by the new variable `c-auto-align-backslashes'. It
2673 affects `c-context-line-break', `c-context-open-line' and newlines
2674 inserted in Auto-Newline mode.
2676 **** Line indentation works better inside macros.
2677 Regardless whether syntactic indentation and syntactic indentation
2678 inside macros are enabled or not, line indentation now ignores the
2679 line continuation backslashes. This is most noticeable when syntactic
2680 indentation is turned off and there are empty lines (save for the
2681 backslash) in the macro.
2683 *** indent-for-comment is more customizable.
2684 The behavior of M-; (indent-for-comment) is now configurable through
2685 the variable `c-indent-comment-alist'. The indentation behavior is
2686 based on the preceding code on the line, e.g. to get two spaces after
2687 #else and #endif but indentation to `comment-column' in most other
2688 cases (something which was hardcoded earlier).
2690 *** New function `c-context-open-line'.
2691 It's the open-line equivalent of `c-context-line-break'.
2695 **** `comment-close-slash'.
2696 With this clean-up, a block (i.e. c-style) comment can be terminated by
2697 typing a slash at the start of a line.
2699 **** `c-one-liner-defun'
2700 This clean-up compresses a short enough defun (for example, an AWK
2701 pattern/action pair) onto a single line. "Short enough" is configurable.
2703 *** New lineup functions
2705 **** `c-lineup-string-cont'
2706 This lineup function lines up a continued string under the one it
2709 result = prefix + "A message "
2710 "string."; <- c-lineup-string-cont
2712 **** `c-lineup-cascaded-calls'
2713 Lines up series of calls separated by "->" or ".".
2715 **** `c-lineup-knr-region-comment'
2716 Gives (what most people think is) better indentation of comments in
2717 the "K&R region" between the function header and its body.
2719 **** `c-lineup-gcc-asm-reg'
2720 Provides better indentation inside asm blocks.
2722 **** `c-lineup-argcont'
2723 Lines up continued function arguments after the preceding comma.
2725 *** Added toggle for syntactic indentation.
2726 The function `c-toggle-syntactic-indentation' can be used to toggle
2727 syntactic indentation.
2729 *** Better caching of the syntactic context.
2730 CC Mode caches the positions of the opening parentheses (of any kind)
2731 of the lists surrounding the point. Those positions are used in many
2732 places as anchor points for various searches. The cache is now
2733 improved so that it can be reused to a large extent when the point is
2734 moved. The less it moves, the less needs to be recalculated.
2736 The effect is that CC Mode should be fast most of the time even when
2737 opening parens are hung (i.e. aren't in column zero). It's typically
2738 only the first time after the point is moved far down in a complex
2739 file that it'll take noticeable time to find out the syntactic
2742 *** Statements are recognized in a more robust way.
2743 Statements are recognized most of the time even when they occur in an
2744 "invalid" context, e.g. in a function argument. In practice that can
2745 happen when macros are involved.
2747 *** Improved the way `c-indent-exp' chooses the block to indent.
2748 It now indents the block for the closest sexp following the point
2749 whose closing paren ends on a different line. This means that the
2750 point doesn't have to be immediately before the block to indent.
2751 Also, only the block and the closing line is indented; the current
2752 line is left untouched.
2754 ** Changes in Makefile mode
2756 *** Makefile mode has submodes for automake, gmake, makepp, BSD make and imake.
2758 The former two couldn't be differentiated before, and the latter three
2759 are new. Font-locking is robust now and offers new customizable
2762 *** The variable `makefile-query-one-target-method' has been renamed
2763 to `makefile-query-one-target-method-function'. The old name is still
2768 *** The variable `sql-product' controls the highlighting of different
2769 SQL dialects. This variable can be set globally via Customize, on a
2770 buffer-specific basis via local variable settings, or for the current
2771 session using the new SQL->Product submenu. (This menu replaces the
2772 SQL->Highlighting submenu.)
2774 The following values are supported:
2776 ansi ANSI Standard (default)
2790 The current product name will be shown on the mode line following the
2793 The technique of setting `sql-mode-font-lock-defaults' directly in
2794 your `.emacs' will no longer establish the default highlighting -- Use
2795 `sql-product' to accomplish this.
2797 ANSI keywords are always highlighted.
2799 *** The function `sql-add-product-keywords' can be used to add
2800 font-lock rules to the product specific rules. For example, to have
2801 all identifiers ending in `_t' under MS SQLServer treated as a type,
2802 you would use the following line in your .emacs file:
2804 (sql-add-product-keywords 'ms
2805 '(("\\<\\w+_t\\>" . font-lock-type-face)))
2807 *** Oracle support includes keyword highlighting for Oracle 9i.
2809 Most SQL and PL/SQL keywords are implemented. SQL*Plus commands are
2810 highlighted in `font-lock-doc-face'.
2812 *** Microsoft SQLServer support has been significantly improved.
2814 Keyword highlighting for SqlServer 2000 is implemented.
2815 sql-interactive-mode defaults to use osql, rather than isql, because
2816 osql flushes its error stream more frequently. Thus error messages
2817 are displayed when they occur rather than when the session is
2820 If the username and password are not provided to `sql-ms', osql is
2821 called with the `-E' command line argument to use the operating system
2822 credentials to authenticate the user.
2824 *** Postgres support is enhanced.
2825 Keyword highlighting of Postgres 7.3 is implemented. Prompting for
2826 the username and the pgsql `-U' option is added.
2828 *** MySQL support is enhanced.
2829 Keyword highlighting of MySql 4.0 is implemented.
2831 *** Imenu support has been enhanced to locate tables, views, indexes,
2832 packages, procedures, functions, triggers, sequences, rules, and
2835 *** Added SQL->Start SQLi Session menu entry which calls the
2836 appropriate `sql-interactive-mode' wrapper for the current setting of
2839 *** sql.el supports the SQLite interpreter--call 'sql-sqlite'.
2841 ** Fortran mode changes
2843 *** F90 mode and Fortran mode have support for `hs-minor-mode' (hideshow).
2844 It cannot deal with every code format, but ought to handle a sizeable
2847 *** F90 mode and Fortran mode have new navigation commands
2848 `f90-end-of-block', `f90-beginning-of-block', `f90-next-block',
2849 `f90-previous-block', `fortran-end-of-block',
2850 `fortran-beginning-of-block'.
2852 *** Fortran mode does more font-locking by default. Use level 3
2853 highlighting for the old default.
2855 *** Fortran mode has a new variable `fortran-directive-re'.
2856 Adapt this to match the format of any compiler directives you use.
2857 Lines that match are never indented, and are given distinctive font-locking.
2859 *** The new function `f90-backslash-not-special' can be used to change
2860 the syntax of backslashes in F90 buffers.
2862 ** Miscellaneous programming mode changes
2864 *** In sh-script, a continuation line is only indented if the backslash was
2865 preceded by a SPC or a TAB.
2867 *** Perl mode has a new variable `perl-indent-continued-arguments'.
2869 *** The old Octave mode bindings C-c f and C-c i have been changed
2870 to C-c C-f and C-c C-i. The C-c C-i subcommands now have duplicate
2871 bindings on control characters--thus, C-c C-i C-b is the same as
2872 C-c C-i b, and so on.
2874 *** Prolog mode has a new variable `prolog-font-lock-keywords'
2875 to support use of font-lock.
2879 *** New backends for Subversion and Meta-CVS.
2881 *** The new variable `vc-cvs-global-switches' specifies switches that
2882 are passed to any CVS command invoked by VC.
2884 These switches are used as "global options" for CVS, which means they
2885 are inserted before the command name. For example, this allows you to
2886 specify a compression level using the `-z#' option for CVS.
2888 *** The key C-x C-q only changes the read-only state of the buffer
2889 (toggle-read-only). It no longer checks files in or out.
2891 We made this change because we held a poll and found that many users
2892 were unhappy with the previous behavior. If you do prefer this
2893 behavior, you can bind `vc-toggle-read-only' to C-x C-q in your
2896 (global-set-key "\C-x\C-q" 'vc-toggle-read-only)
2898 The function `vc-toggle-read-only' will continue to exist.
2900 *** VC-Annotate mode enhancements
2902 In VC-Annotate mode, you can now use the following key bindings for
2903 enhanced functionality to browse the annotations of past revisions, or
2904 to view diffs or log entries directly from vc-annotate-mode:
2906 P: annotates the previous revision
2907 N: annotates the next revision
2908 J: annotates the revision at line
2909 A: annotates the revision previous to line
2910 D: shows the diff of the revision at line with its previous revision
2911 L: shows the log of the revision at line
2912 W: annotates the workfile (most up to date) version
2916 *** In pcl-cvs mode, there is a new `d y' command to view the diffs
2917 between the local version of the file and yesterday's head revision
2920 *** In pcl-cvs mode, there is a new `d r' command to view the changes
2921 anyone has committed to the repository since you last executed
2922 `checkout', `update' or `commit'. That means using cvs diff options
2927 *** M-x diff uses Diff mode instead of Compilation mode.
2929 *** Diff mode key bindings changed.
2931 These are the new bindings:
2933 C-c C-e diff-ediff-patch (old M-A)
2934 C-c C-n diff-restrict-view (old M-r)
2935 C-c C-r diff-reverse-direction (old M-R)
2936 C-c C-u diff-context->unified (old M-U)
2937 C-c C-w diff-refine-hunk (old C-c C-r)
2939 To convert unified to context format, use C-u C-c C-u.
2940 In addition, C-c C-u now operates on the region
2941 in Transient Mark mode when the mark is active.
2945 *** When comparing directories.
2946 Typing D brings up a buffer that lists the differences between the contents of
2947 directories. Now it is possible to use this buffer to copy the missing files
2948 from one directory to another.
2950 *** When comparing files or buffers.
2951 Typing the = key now offers to perform the word-by-word comparison of the
2952 currently highlighted regions in an inferior Ediff session. If you answer 'n'
2953 then it reverts to the old behavior and asks the user to select regions for
2956 *** The new command `ediff-backup' compares a file with its most recent
2957 backup using `ediff'. If you specify the name of a backup file,
2958 `ediff-backup' compares it with the file of which it is a backup.
2962 *** New regular expressions features
2964 **** New syntax for regular expressions, multi-line regular expressions.
2966 The syntax --ignore-case-regexp=/regex/ is now undocumented and retained
2967 only for backward compatibility. The new equivalent syntax is
2968 --regex=/regex/i. More generally, it is --regex=/TAGREGEX/TAGNAME/MODS,
2969 where `/TAGNAME' is optional, as usual, and MODS is a string of 0 or
2970 more characters among `i' (ignore case), `m' (multi-line) and `s'
2971 (single-line). The `m' and `s' modifiers behave as in Perl regular
2972 expressions: `m' allows regexps to match more than one line, while `s'
2973 (which implies `m') means that `.' matches newlines. The ability to
2974 span newlines allows writing of much more powerful regular expressions
2975 and rapid prototyping for tagging new languages.
2977 **** Regular expressions can use char escape sequences as in GCC.
2979 The escaped character sequence \a, \b, \d, \e, \f, \n, \r, \t, \v,
2980 respectively, stand for the ASCII characters BEL, BS, DEL, ESC, FF, NL,
2983 **** Regular expressions can be bound to a given language.
2985 The syntax --regex={LANGUAGE}REGEX means that REGEX is used to make tags
2986 only for files of language LANGUAGE, and ignored otherwise. This is
2987 particularly useful when storing regexps in a file.
2989 **** Regular expressions can be read from a file.
2991 The --regex=@regexfile option means read the regexps from a file, one
2992 per line. Lines beginning with space or tab are ignored.
2994 *** New language parsing features
2996 **** New language HTML.
2998 Tags are generated for `title' as well as `h1', `h2', and `h3'. Also,
2999 when `name=' is used inside an anchor and whenever `id=' is used.
3001 **** New language PHP.
3003 Functions, classes and defines are tags. If the --members option is
3004 specified to etags, variables are tags also.
3006 **** New language Lua.
3008 All functions are tagged.
3010 **** The `::' qualifier triggers C++ parsing in C file.
3012 Previously, only the `template' and `class' keywords had this effect.
3014 **** The GCC __attribute__ keyword is now recognized and ignored.
3016 **** In C and derived languages, etags creates tags for #undef
3018 **** In Makefiles, constants are tagged.
3020 If you want the old behavior instead, thus avoiding to increase the
3021 size of the tags file, use the --no-globals option.
3023 **** In Perl, packages are tags.
3025 Subroutine tags are named from their package. You can jump to sub tags
3026 as you did before, by the sub name, or additionally by looking for
3029 **** In Prolog, etags creates tags for rules in addition to predicates.
3031 **** New default keywords for TeX.
3033 The new keywords are def, newcommand, renewcommand, newenvironment and
3036 *** Honor #line directives.
3038 When Etags parses an input file that contains C preprocessor's #line
3039 directives, it creates tags using the file name and line number
3040 specified in those directives. This is useful when dealing with code
3041 created from Cweb source files. When Etags tags the generated file, it
3042 writes tags pointing to the source file.
3044 *** New option --parse-stdin=FILE.
3046 This option is mostly useful when calling etags from programs. It can
3047 be used (only once) in place of a file name on the command line. Etags
3048 reads from standard input and marks the produced tags as belonging to
3051 *** The --members option is now the default.
3053 Use --no-members if you want the old default behaviour of not tagging
3054 struct members in C, members variables in C++ and variables in PHP.
3058 *** Ctags now allows duplicate tags
3062 *** Support for `movemail' from GNU mailutils was added to Rmail.
3064 This version of `movemail' allows you to read mail from a wide range of
3065 mailbox formats, including remote POP3 and IMAP4 mailboxes with or
3066 without TLS encryption. If GNU mailutils is installed on the system
3067 and its version of `movemail' can be found in exec-path, it will be
3068 used instead of the native one.
3070 *** The new commands rmail-end-of-message and rmail-summary end-of-message,
3071 by default bound to `/', go to the end of the current mail message in
3072 Rmail and Rmail summary buffers.
3074 *** Rmail now displays 5-digit message ids in its summary buffer.
3078 *** Gnus now includes Sieve and PGG
3080 Sieve is a library for managing Sieve scripts. PGG is a library to handle
3083 *** There are many news features, bug fixes and improvements.
3085 See the file GNUS-NEWS or the node "Oort Gnus" in the Gnus manual for details.
3089 Upgraded to MH-E version 8.0.3. There have been major changes since
3090 version 5.0.2; see MH-E-NEWS for details.
3092 ** Miscellaneous mail changes
3094 *** The new variable `mail-default-directory' specifies
3095 `default-directory' for mail buffers. This directory is used for
3096 auto-save files of mail buffers. It defaults to "~/".
3098 *** The mode line can indicate new mail in a directory or file.
3100 See the documentation of the user option `display-time-mail-directory'.
3104 *** There is a new calendar package, icalendar.el, that can be used to
3105 convert Emacs diary entries to/from the iCalendar format.
3107 *** The new package cal-html.el writes HTML files with calendar and
3110 *** The new functions `diary-from-outlook', `diary-from-outlook-gnus',
3111 and `diary-from-outlook-rmail' can be used to import diary entries
3112 from Outlook-format appointments in mail messages. The variable
3113 `diary-outlook-formats' can be customized to recognize additional
3116 *** The procedure for activating appointment reminders has changed:
3117 use the new function `appt-activate'. The new variable
3118 `appt-display-format' controls how reminders are displayed, replacing
3119 `appt-issue-message', `appt-visible', and `appt-msg-window'.
3121 *** The function `simple-diary-display' now by default sets a header line.
3122 This can be controlled through the variables `diary-header-line-flag'
3123 and `diary-header-line-format'.
3125 *** Diary sexp entries can have custom marking in the calendar.
3126 Diary sexp functions which only apply to certain days (such as
3127 `diary-block' or `diary-cyclic') now take an optional parameter MARK,
3128 which is the name of a face or a single-character string indicating
3129 how to highlight the day in the calendar display. Specifying a
3130 single-character string as @var{mark} places the character next to the
3131 day in the calendar. Specifying a face highlights the day with that
3132 face. This lets you have different colors or markings for vacations,
3133 appointments, paydays or anything else using a sexp.
3135 *** The meanings of C-x < and C-x > have been interchanged.
3136 < means to scroll backward in time, and > means to scroll forward.
3138 *** You can now use < and >, instead of C-x < and C-x >, to scroll
3139 the calendar left or right.
3141 *** The new function `calendar-goto-day-of-year' (g D) prompts for a
3142 year and day number, and moves to that date. Negative day numbers
3143 count backward from the end of the year.
3145 *** The new Calendar function `calendar-goto-iso-week' (g w)
3146 prompts for a year and a week number, and moves to the first
3147 day of that ISO week.
3149 *** The functions `holiday-easter-etc' and `holiday-advent' now take
3150 optional arguments, in order to only report on the specified holiday
3151 rather than all. This makes customization of variables such as
3152 `christian-holidays' simpler.
3154 *** The new variable `calendar-minimum-window-height' affects the
3155 window generated by the function `generate-calendar-window'.
3159 *** Speedbar items can now be selected by clicking mouse-1, based on
3160 the `mouse-1-click-follows-link' mechanism.
3162 *** The new command `speedbar-toggle-line-expansion', bound to SPC,
3163 contracts or expands the line under the cursor.
3165 *** New command `speedbar-create-directory', bound to `M'.
3167 *** The new commands `speedbar-expand-line-descendants' and
3168 `speedbar-contract-line-descendants', bound to `[' and `]'
3169 respectively, expand and contract the line under cursor with all of
3172 *** The new user option `speedbar-use-tool-tips-flag', if non-nil,
3173 means to display tool-tips for speedbar items.
3175 *** The new user option `speedbar-query-confirmation-method' controls
3176 how querying is performed for file operations. A value of 'always
3177 means to always query before file operations; 'none-but-delete means
3178 to not query before any file operations, except before a file
3181 *** The new user option `speedbar-select-frame-method' specifies how
3182 to select a frame for displaying a file opened with the speedbar. A
3183 value of 'attached means to use the attached frame (the frame that
3184 speedbar was started from.) A number such as 1 or -1 means to pass
3185 that number to `other-frame'.
3187 *** SPC and DEL are no longer bound to scroll up/down in the speedbar
3190 *** The frame management code in speedbar.el has been split into a new
3191 `dframe' library. Emacs Lisp code that makes use of the speedbar
3192 should use `dframe-attached-frame' instead of
3193 `speedbar-attached-frame', `dframe-timer' instead of `speedbar-timer',
3194 `dframe-close-frame' instead of `speedbar-close-frame', and
3195 `dframe-activity-change-focus-flag' instead of
3196 `speedbar-activity-change-focus-flag'. The variables
3197 `speedbar-update-speed' and `speedbar-navigating-speed' are also
3198 obsolete; use `dframe-update-speed' instead.
3200 ** battery.el changes
3202 *** display-battery-mode replaces display-battery.
3204 *** battery.el now works on recent versions of OS X.
3208 *** The game `mpuz' is enhanced.
3210 `mpuz' now allows the 2nd factor not to have two identical digits. By
3211 default, all trivial operations involving whole lines are performed
3212 automatically. The game uses faces for better visual feedback.
3214 ** Obsolete and deleted packages
3216 *** fast-lock.el and lazy-lock.el are obsolete. Use jit-lock.el instead.
3218 *** iso-acc.el is now obsolete. Use one of the latin input methods instead.
3220 *** zone-mode.el is now obsolete. Use dns-mode.el instead.
3222 *** cplus-md.el has been deleted.
3226 *** The variable `woman-topic-at-point' is renamed
3227 to `woman-use-topic-at-point' and behaves differently: if this
3228 variable is non-nil, the `woman' command uses the word at point
3229 automatically, without asking for a confirmation. Otherwise, the word
3230 at point is suggested as default, but not inserted at the prompt.
3232 *** You can now customize `fill-nobreak-predicate' to control where
3233 filling can break lines. The value is now normally a list of
3234 functions, but it can also be a single function, for compatibility.
3236 Emacs provide two predicates, `fill-single-word-nobreak-p' and
3237 `fill-french-nobreak-p', for use as the value of
3238 `fill-nobreak-predicate'.
3240 *** M-x view-file and commands that use it now avoid interfering
3241 with special modes such as Tar mode.
3243 *** `global-whitespace-mode' is a new alias for `whitespace-global-mode'.
3245 *** The saveplace.el package now filters out unreadable files.
3247 When you exit Emacs, the saved positions in visited files no longer
3248 include files that aren't readable, e.g. files that don't exist.
3249 Customize the new option `save-place-forget-unreadable-files' to nil
3250 to get the old behavior. The new options `save-place-save-skipped'
3251 and `save-place-skip-check-regexp' allow further fine-tuning of this
3254 *** Commands `winner-redo' and `winner-undo', from winner.el, are now
3255 bound to C-c <left> and C-c <right>, respectively. This is an
3256 incompatible change.
3258 *** The type-break package now allows `type-break-file-name' to be nil
3259 and if so, doesn't store any data across sessions. This is handy if
3260 you don't want the `.type-break' file in your home directory or are
3261 annoyed by the need for interaction when you kill Emacs.
3263 *** `ps-print' can now print characters from the mule-unicode charsets.
3265 Printing text with characters from the mule-unicode-* sets works with
3266 `ps-print', provided that you have installed the appropriate BDF
3267 fonts. See the file INSTALL for URLs where you can find these fonts.
3269 *** New command `strokes-global-set-stroke-string'.
3270 This is like `strokes-global-set-stroke', but it allows you to bind
3271 the stroke directly to a string to insert. This is convenient for
3272 using strokes as an input method.
3274 *** In Outline mode, `hide-body' no longer hides lines at the top
3275 of the file that precede the first header line.
3277 *** `hide-ifdef-mode' now uses overlays rather than selective-display
3278 to hide its text. This should be mostly transparent but slightly
3279 changes the behavior of motion commands like C-e and C-p.
3281 *** In Artist mode the variable `artist-text-renderer' has been
3282 renamed to `artist-text-renderer-function'. The old name is still
3285 *** In Enriched mode, `set-left-margin' and `set-right-margin' are now
3286 by default bound to `C-c [' and `C-c ]' instead of the former `C-c C-l'
3289 *** `partial-completion-mode' now handles partial completion on directory names.
3291 *** You can now disable pc-selection-mode after enabling it.
3293 M-x pc-selection-mode behaves like a proper minor mode, and with no
3294 argument it toggles the mode. Turning off PC-Selection mode restores
3295 the global key bindings that were replaced by turning on the mode.
3297 *** `uniquify-strip-common-suffix' tells uniquify to prefer
3298 `file|dir1' and `file|dir2' to `file|dir1/subdir' and `file|dir2/subdir'.
3300 *** New user option `add-log-always-start-new-record'.
3302 When this option is enabled, M-x add-change-log-entry always
3303 starts a new record regardless of when the last record is.
3305 *** M-x compare-windows now can automatically skip non-matching text to
3306 resync points in both windows.
3308 *** PO translation files are decoded according to their MIME headers
3309 when Emacs visits them.
3311 *** Telnet now prompts you for a port number with C-u M-x telnet.
3313 *** calculator.el now has radix grouping mode.
3315 To enable this, set `calculator-output-radix' non-nil. In this mode a
3316 separator character is used every few digits, making it easier to see
3317 byte boundaries etc. For more info, see the documentation of the
3318 variable `calculator-radix-grouping-mode'.
3320 *** LDAP support now defaults to ldapsearch from OpenLDAP version 2.
3322 *** The terminal emulation code in term.el has been improved; it can
3323 run most curses applications now.
3325 *** Support for `magic cookie' standout modes has been removed.
3327 Emacs still works on terminals that require magic cookies in order to
3328 use standout mode, but they can no longer display mode-lines in
3332 * Changes in Emacs 22.1 on non-free operating systems
3334 ** The HOME directory defaults to Application Data under the user profile.
3336 If you used a previous version of Emacs without setting the HOME
3337 environment variable and a `.emacs' was saved, then Emacs will continue
3338 using C:/ as the default HOME. But if you are installing Emacs afresh,
3339 the default location will be the "Application Data" (or similar
3340 localized name) subdirectory of your user profile. A typical location
3341 of this directory is "C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data",
3342 where USERNAME is your user name.
3344 This change means that users can now have their own `.emacs' files on
3345 shared computers, and the default HOME directory is less likely to be
3346 read-only on computers that are administered by someone else.
3348 ** Images are now supported on MS Windows.
3350 PBM and XBM images are supported out of the box. Other image formats
3351 depend on external libraries. All of these libraries have been ported
3352 to Windows, and can be found in both source and binary form at
3353 http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/. Note that libpng also depends on
3354 zlib, and tiff depends on the version of jpeg that it was compiled
3355 against. For additional information, see nt/INSTALL.
3357 ** Sound is now supported on MS Windows.
3359 WAV format is supported on all versions of Windows, other formats such
3360 as AU, AIFF and MP3 may be supported in the more recent versions of
3361 Windows, or when other software provides hooks into the system level
3362 sound support for those formats.
3364 ** Tooltips now work on MS Windows.
3366 See the Emacs 21.1 NEWS entry for tooltips for details.
3368 ** Pointing devices with more than 3 buttons are now supported on MS Windows.
3370 The new variable `w32-pass-extra-mouse-buttons-to-system' controls
3371 whether Emacs should handle the extra buttons itself (the default), or
3372 pass them to Windows to be handled with system-wide functions.
3374 ** Passing resources on the command line now works on MS Windows.
3376 You can use --xrm to pass resource settings to Emacs, overriding any
3377 existing values. For example:
3379 emacs --xrm "Emacs.Background:red" --xrm "Emacs.Geometry:100x20"
3381 will start up Emacs on an initial frame of 100x20 with red background,
3382 irrespective of geometry or background setting on the Windows registry.
3384 ** Emacs takes note of colors defined in Control Panel on MS-Windows.
3386 The Control Panel defines some default colors for applications in much
3387 the same way as wildcard X Resources do on X. Emacs now adds these
3388 colors to the colormap prefixed by System (eg SystemMenu for the
3389 default Menu background, SystemMenuText for the foreground), and uses
3390 some of them to initialize some of the default faces.
3391 `list-colors-display' shows the list of System color names, in case
3392 you wish to use them in other faces.
3394 ** Running in a console window in Windows now uses the console size.
3396 Previous versions of Emacs erred on the side of having a usable Emacs
3397 through telnet, even though that was inconvenient if you use Emacs in
3398 a local console window with a scrollback buffer. The default value of
3399 w32-use-full-screen-buffer is now nil, which favors local console
3400 windows. Recent versions of Windows telnet also work well with this
3401 setting. If you are using an older telnet server then Emacs detects
3402 that the console window dimensions that are reported are not sane, and
3403 defaults to 80x25. If you use such a telnet server regularly at a size
3404 other than 80x25, you can still manually set
3405 w32-use-full-screen-buffer to t.
3407 ** Different shaped mouse pointers are supported on MS Windows.
3409 The mouse pointer changes shape depending on what is under the pointer.
3411 ** On MS Windows, the "system caret" now follows the cursor.
3413 This enables Emacs to work better with programs that need to track the
3414 cursor, for example screen magnifiers and text to speech programs.
3415 When such a program is in use, the system caret is made visible
3416 instead of Emacs drawing its own cursor. This seems to be required by
3417 some programs. The new variable w32-use-visible-system-caret allows
3418 the caret visibility to be manually toggled.
3420 ** On MS Windows NT/W2K/XP, Emacs uses Unicode for clipboard operations.
3422 Those systems use Unicode internally, so this allows Emacs to share
3423 multilingual text with other applications. On other versions of
3424 MS Windows, Emacs now uses the appropriate locale coding-system, so
3425 the clipboard should work correctly for your local language without
3428 ** On Mac OS, `keyboard-coding-system' changes based on the keyboard script.
3430 ** The variable `mac-keyboard-text-encoding' and the constants
3431 `kTextEncodingMacRoman', `kTextEncodingISOLatin1', and
3432 `kTextEncodingISOLatin2' are obsolete.
3434 ** The variable `mac-command-key-is-meta' is obsolete. Use
3435 `mac-command-modifier' and `mac-option-modifier' instead.
3437 * Incompatible Lisp Changes in Emacs 22.1
3439 ** Mode line display ignores text properties as well as the
3440 :propertize and :eval forms in the value of a variable whose
3441 `risky-local-variable' property is nil.
3443 The function `comint-send-input' now accepts 3 optional arguments:
3445 (comint-send-input &optional no-newline artificial)
3447 Callers sending input not from the user should use bind the 3rd
3448 argument `artificial' to a non-nil value, to prevent Emacs from
3449 deleting the part of subprocess output that matches the input.
3451 ** The `read-file-name' function now returns a null string if the
3452 user just types RET.
3454 ** The variables post-command-idle-hook and post-command-idle-delay have
3455 been removed. Use run-with-idle-timer instead.
3457 ** A hex or octal escape in a string constant forces the string to
3458 be multibyte or unibyte, respectively.
3460 ** The explicit method of creating a display table element by
3461 combining a face number and a character code into a numeric
3462 glyph code is deprecated.
3464 Instead, the new functions `make-glyph-code', `glyph-char', and
3465 `glyph-face' must be used to create and decode glyph codes in
3468 ** `suppress-keymap' now works by remapping `self-insert-command' to
3469 the command `undefined'. (In earlier Emacs versions, it used
3470 `substitute-key-definition' to rebind self inserting characters to
3473 ** The third argument of `accept-process-output' is now milliseconds.
3474 It used to be microseconds.
3476 ** The function find-operation-coding-system may be called with a cons
3477 (FILENAME . BUFFER) in the second argument if the first argument
3478 OPERATION is `insert-file-contents', and thus a function registered in
3479 `file-coding-system-alist' is also called with such an argument.
3481 ** When Emacs receives a USR1 or USR2 signal, this generates
3482 input events: sigusr1 or sigusr2. Use special-event-map to
3483 handle these events.
3485 ** The variable `memory-full' now remains t until
3486 there is no longer a shortage of memory.
3488 ** Support for Mocklisp has been removed.
3491 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 22.1
3493 ** General Lisp changes:
3495 *** New syntax: \s now stands for the SPACE character.
3497 `?\s' is a new way to write the space character. You must make sure
3498 it is not followed by a dash, since `?\s-...' indicates the "super"
3499 modifier. However, it would be strange to write a character constant
3500 and a following symbol (beginning with `-') with no space between
3503 `\s' stands for space in strings, too, but it is not really meant for
3504 strings; it is easier and nicer just to write a space.
3506 *** New syntax: \uXXXX and \UXXXXXXXX specify Unicode code points in hex.
3508 For instance, you can use "\u0428" to specify a string consisting of
3509 CYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER SHA, or `"U0001D6E2" to specify one consisting
3510 of MATHEMATICAL ITALIC CAPITAL ALPHA (the latter is greater than
3511 #xFFFF and thus needs the longer syntax).
3513 This syntax works for both character constants and strings.
3515 *** New function `unsafep' determines whether a Lisp form is safe.
3517 It returns nil if the given Lisp form can't possibly do anything
3518 dangerous; otherwise it returns a reason why the form might be unsafe
3519 (calls unknown function, alters global variable, etc.).
3521 *** The function `eql' is now available without requiring the CL package.
3523 *** The new function `memql' is like `memq', but uses `eql' for comparison,
3524 that is, floats are compared by value and other elements with `eq'.
3526 *** New functions `string-or-null-p' and `booleanp'.
3528 `string-or-null-p' returns non-nil iff OBJECT is a string or nil.
3529 `booleanp' returns non-nil iff OBJECT is t or nil.
3531 *** `makehash' is now obsolete. Use `make-hash-table' instead.
3533 *** Minor change in the function `format'.
3535 Some flags that were accepted but not implemented (such as "*") are no
3538 *** `add-to-list' takes an optional third argument, APPEND.
3540 If APPEND is non-nil, the new element gets added at the end of the
3541 list instead of at the beginning. This change actually occurred in
3542 Emacs 21.1, but was not documented then.
3544 *** New function `add-to-ordered-list' is like `add-to-list' but
3545 associates a numeric ordering of each element added to the list.
3547 *** New function `add-to-history' adds an element to a history list.
3549 Lisp packages should use this function to add elements to their
3552 If `history-delete-duplicates' is non-nil, it removes duplicates of
3553 the new element from the history list it updates.
3555 *** New function `copy-tree' makes a copy of a tree.
3557 It recursively copies through both CARs and CDRs.
3559 *** New function `delete-dups' deletes `equal' duplicate elements from a list.
3561 It modifies the list destructively, like `delete'. Of several `equal'
3562 occurrences of an element in the list, the one that's kept is the
3565 *** New function `rassq-delete-all'.
3567 (rassq-delete-all VALUE ALIST) deletes, from ALIST, each element whose
3568 CDR is `eq' to the specified value.
3570 *** Functions `get' and `plist-get' no longer give errors for bad plists.
3572 They return nil for a malformed property list or if the list is
3575 *** New functions `lax-plist-get' and `lax-plist-put'.
3577 They are like `plist-get' and `plist-put', except that they compare
3578 the property name using `equal' rather than `eq'.
3580 *** The function `number-sequence' makes a list of equally-separated numbers.
3582 For instance, (number-sequence 4 9) returns (4 5 6 7 8 9). By
3583 default, the separation is 1, but you can specify a different
3584 separation as the third argument. (number-sequence 1.5 6 2) returns
3587 *** New variables `most-positive-fixnum' and `most-negative-fixnum'.
3589 They hold the largest and smallest possible integer values.
3591 *** The function `expt' handles negative exponents differently.
3592 The value for `(expt A B)', if both A and B are integers and B is
3593 negative, is now a float. For example: (expt 2 -2) => 0.25.
3595 *** The function `atan' now accepts an optional second argument.
3597 When called with 2 arguments, as in `(atan Y X)', `atan' returns the
3598 angle in radians between the vector [X, Y] and the X axis. (This is
3599 equivalent to the standard C library function `atan2'.)
3601 *** New macro `with-case-table'
3603 This executes the body with the case table temporarily set to a given
3606 *** New macro `with-local-quit' temporarily allows quitting.
3608 A quit inside the body of `with-local-quit' is caught by the
3609 `with-local-quit' form itself, but another quit will happen later once
3610 the code that has inhibited quitting exits.
3612 This is for use around potentially blocking or long-running code
3613 inside timer functions and `post-command-hook' functions.
3615 *** New macro `define-obsolete-function-alias'.
3617 This combines `defalias' and `make-obsolete'.
3619 *** New macro `eval-at-startup' specifies expressions to
3620 evaluate when Emacs starts up. If this is done after startup,
3621 it evaluates those expressions immediately.
3623 This is useful in packages that can be preloaded.
3625 *** New function `macroexpand-all' expands all macros in a form.
3627 It is similar to the Common-Lisp function of the same name.
3628 One difference is that it guarantees to return the original argument
3629 if no expansion is done, which can be tested using `eq'.
3631 *** A function or macro's doc string can now specify the calling pattern.
3633 You put this info in the doc string's last line. It should be
3634 formatted so as to match the regexp "\n\n(fn .*)\\'". If you don't
3635 specify this explicitly, Emacs determines it from the actual argument
3636 names. Usually that default is right, but not always.
3638 *** New variable `print-continuous-numbering'.
3640 When this is non-nil, successive calls to print functions use a single
3641 numbering scheme for circular structure references. This is only
3642 relevant when `print-circle' is non-nil.
3644 When you bind `print-continuous-numbering' to t, you should
3645 also bind `print-number-table' to nil.
3647 *** `list-faces-display' takes an optional argument, REGEXP.
3649 If it is non-nil, the function lists only faces matching this regexp.
3651 *** New hook `command-error-function'.
3653 By setting this variable to a function, you can control
3654 how the editor command loop shows the user an error message.
3656 *** `debug-on-entry' accepts primitive functions that are not special forms.
3658 ** Lisp code indentation features:
3660 *** The `defmacro' form can contain indentation and edebug declarations.
3662 These declarations specify how to indent the macro calls in Lisp mode
3663 and how to debug them with Edebug. You write them like this:
3665 (defmacro NAME LAMBDA-LIST [DOC-STRING] [DECLARATION ...] ...)
3667 DECLARATION is a list `(declare DECLARATION-SPECIFIER ...)'. The
3668 possible declaration specifiers are:
3671 Set NAME's `lisp-indent-function' property to INDENT.
3674 Set NAME's `edebug-form-spec' property to DEBUG. (This is
3675 equivalent to writing a `def-edebug-spec' for the macro,
3676 but this is cleaner.)
3678 *** cl-indent now allows customization of Indentation of backquoted forms.
3680 See the new user option `lisp-backquote-indentation'.
3682 *** cl-indent now handles indentation of simple and extended `loop' forms.
3684 The new user options `lisp-loop-keyword-indentation',
3685 `lisp-loop-forms-indentation', and `lisp-simple-loop-indentation' can
3686 be used to customize the indentation of keywords and forms in loop
3689 ** Variable aliases:
3691 *** New function: defvaralias ALIAS-VAR BASE-VAR [DOCSTRING]
3693 This function defines the symbol ALIAS-VAR as a variable alias for
3694 symbol BASE-VAR. This means that retrieving the value of ALIAS-VAR
3695 returns the value of BASE-VAR, and changing the value of ALIAS-VAR
3696 changes the value of BASE-VAR.
3698 DOCSTRING, if present, is the documentation for ALIAS-VAR; else it has
3699 the same documentation as BASE-VAR.
3701 *** The macro `define-obsolete-variable-alias' combines `defvaralias' and
3702 `make-obsolete-variable'.
3704 *** New function: indirect-variable VARIABLE
3706 This function returns the variable at the end of the chain of aliases
3707 of VARIABLE. If VARIABLE is not a symbol, or if VARIABLE is not
3708 defined as an alias, the function returns VARIABLE.
3710 It might be noteworthy that variables aliases work for all kinds of
3711 variables, including buffer-local and frame-local variables.
3713 ** defcustom changes:
3715 *** The package-version keyword has been added to provide
3716 `customize-changed-options' functionality to packages in the future.
3717 Developers who make use of this keyword must also update the new
3718 variable `customize-package-emacs-version-alist'.
3720 *** The new customization type `float' requires a floating point number.
3724 *** A hex escape in a string constant forces the string to be multibyte.
3726 *** An octal escape in a string constant forces the string to be unibyte.
3728 *** New function `string-to-multibyte' converts a unibyte string to a
3729 multibyte string with the same individual character codes.
3731 *** `split-string' now includes null substrings in the returned list if
3732 the optional argument SEPARATORS is non-nil and there are matches for
3733 SEPARATORS at the beginning or end of the string. If SEPARATORS is
3734 nil, or if the new optional third argument OMIT-NULLS is non-nil, all
3735 empty matches are omitted from the returned list.
3737 *** The new function `assoc-string' replaces `assoc-ignore-case' and
3738 `assoc-ignore-representation', which are still available, but have
3739 been declared obsolete.
3741 *** New function `substring-no-properties' returns a substring without
3744 ** Displaying warnings to the user.
3746 See the functions `warn' and `display-warning', or the Lisp Manual.
3747 If you want to be sure the warning will not be overlooked, this
3748 facility is much better than using `message', since it displays
3749 warnings in a separate window.
3751 ** Progress reporters.
3753 These provide a simple and uniform way for commands to present
3754 progress messages for the user.
3756 See the new functions `make-progress-reporter',
3757 `progress-reporter-update', `progress-reporter-force-update',
3758 `progress-reporter-done', and `dotimes-with-progress-reporter'.
3760 ** Buffer positions:
3762 *** Function `compute-motion' now calculates the usable window
3763 width if the WIDTH argument is nil. If the TOPOS argument is nil,
3764 the usable window height and width is used.
3766 *** The `line-move', `scroll-up', and `scroll-down' functions will now
3767 modify the window vscroll to scroll through display rows that are
3768 taller that the height of the window, for example in the presence of
3769 large images. To disable this feature, bind the new variable
3770 `auto-window-vscroll' to nil.
3772 *** The argument to `forward-word', `backward-word' is optional.
3776 *** Argument to `forward-to-indentation' and `backward-to-indentation' is optional.
3780 *** `field-beginning' and `field-end' take new optional argument, LIMIT.
3782 This argument tells them not to search beyond LIMIT. Instead they
3783 give up and return LIMIT.
3785 *** New function `window-line-height' is an efficient way to get
3786 information about a specific text line in a window provided that the
3787 window's display is up-to-date.
3789 *** New function `line-number-at-pos' returns the line number of a position.
3791 It an optional buffer position argument that defaults to point.
3793 *** Function `pos-visible-in-window-p' now returns the pixel coordinates
3794 and partial visibility state of the corresponding row, if the PARTIALLY
3797 *** New functions `posn-at-point' and `posn-at-x-y' return
3798 click-event-style position information for a given visible buffer
3799 position or for a given window pixel coordinate.
3801 *** New function `mouse-on-link-p' tests if a position is in a clickable link.
3803 This is the function used by the new `mouse-1-click-follows-link'
3806 ** Text modification:
3808 *** The new function `buffer-chars-modified-tick' returns a buffer's
3809 tick counter for changes to characters. Each time text in that buffer
3810 is inserted or deleted, the character-change counter is updated to the
3811 tick counter (`buffer-modified-tick'). Text property changes leave it
3814 *** The new function `insert-for-yank' normally works like `insert', but
3815 removes the text properties in the `yank-excluded-properties' list
3816 and handles the `yank-handler' text property.
3818 *** The new function `insert-buffer-substring-as-yank' is like
3819 `insert-for-yank' except that it gets the text from another buffer as
3820 in `insert-buffer-substring'.
3822 *** The new function `insert-buffer-substring-no-properties' is like
3823 `insert-buffer-substring', but removes all text properties from the
3826 *** The new function `filter-buffer-substring' extracts a buffer
3827 substring, passes it through a set of filter functions, and returns
3828 the filtered substring. Use it instead of `buffer-substring' or
3829 `delete-and-extract-region' when copying text into a user-accessible
3830 data structure, such as the kill-ring, X clipboard, or a register.
3832 The list of filter function is specified by the new variable
3833 `buffer-substring-filters'. For example, Longlines mode adds to
3834 `buffer-substring-filters' to remove soft newlines from the copied
3837 *** Function `translate-region' accepts also a char-table as TABLE
3840 *** The new translation table `translation-table-for-input'
3841 is used for customizing self-insertion. The character to
3842 be inserted is translated through it.
3846 The new function `text-clone-create'. Text clones are chunks of text
3847 that are kept identical by transparently propagating changes from one
3850 *** The function `insert-string' is now obsolete.
3854 *** In determining an adaptive fill prefix, Emacs now tries the function in
3855 `adaptive-fill-function' _before_ matching the buffer line against
3856 `adaptive-fill-regexp' rather than _after_ it.
3858 ** Atomic change groups.
3860 To perform some changes in the current buffer "atomically" so that
3861 they either all succeed or are all undone, use `atomic-change-group'
3862 around the code that makes changes. For instance:
3864 (atomic-change-group
3866 (delete-region x y))
3868 If an error (or other nonlocal exit) occurs inside the body of
3869 `atomic-change-group', it unmakes all the changes in that buffer that
3870 were during the execution of the body. The change group has no effect
3871 on any other buffers--any such changes remain.
3873 If you need something more sophisticated, you can directly call the
3874 lower-level functions that `atomic-change-group' uses. Here is how.
3876 To set up a change group for one buffer, call `prepare-change-group'.
3877 Specify the buffer as argument; it defaults to the current buffer.
3878 This function returns a "handle" for the change group. You must save
3879 the handle to activate the change group and then finish it.
3881 Before you change the buffer again, you must activate the change
3882 group. Pass the handle to `activate-change-group' afterward to
3885 After you make the changes, you must finish the change group. You can
3886 either accept the changes or cancel them all. Call
3887 `accept-change-group' to accept the changes in the group as final;
3888 call `cancel-change-group' to undo them all.
3890 You should use `unwind-protect' to make sure the group is always
3891 finished. The call to `activate-change-group' should be inside the
3892 `unwind-protect', in case the user types C-g just after it runs.
3893 (This is one reason why `prepare-change-group' and
3894 `activate-change-group' are separate functions.) Once you finish the
3895 group, don't use the handle again--don't try to finish the same group
3898 To make a multibuffer change group, call `prepare-change-group' once
3899 for each buffer you want to cover, then use `nconc' to combine the
3900 returned values, like this:
3902 (nconc (prepare-change-group buffer-1)
3903 (prepare-change-group buffer-2))
3905 You can then activate the multibuffer change group with a single call
3906 to `activate-change-group', and finish it with a single call to
3907 `accept-change-group' or `cancel-change-group'.
3909 Nested use of several change groups for the same buffer works as you
3910 would expect. Non-nested use of change groups for the same buffer
3911 will lead to undesirable results, so don't let it happen; the first
3912 change group you start for any given buffer should be the last one
3915 ** Buffer-related changes:
3917 *** The new function `buffer-local-value' returns the buffer-local
3918 binding of VARIABLE (a symbol) in buffer BUFFER. If VARIABLE does not
3919 have a buffer-local binding in buffer BUFFER, it returns the default
3920 value of VARIABLE instead.
3922 *** `list-buffers-noselect' now takes an additional argument, BUFFER-LIST.
3924 If it is non-nil, it specifies which buffers to list.
3926 *** `kill-buffer-hook' is now a permanent local.
3928 *** The function `frame-or-buffer-changed-p' now lets you maintain
3929 various status records in parallel.
3931 It takes a variable (a symbol) as argument. If the variable is non-nil,
3932 then its value should be a vector installed previously by
3933 `frame-or-buffer-changed-p'. If the frame names, buffer names, buffer
3934 order, or their read-only or modified flags have changed, since the
3935 time the vector's contents were recorded by a previous call to
3936 `frame-or-buffer-changed-p', then the function returns t. Otherwise
3939 On the first call to `frame-or-buffer-changed-p', the variable's
3940 value should be nil. `frame-or-buffer-changed-p' stores a suitable
3941 vector into the variable and returns t.
3943 If the variable is itself nil, then `frame-or-buffer-changed-p' uses,
3944 for compatibility, an internal variable which exists only for this
3947 *** The function `read-buffer' follows the convention for reading from
3948 the minibuffer with a default value: if DEF is non-nil, the minibuffer
3949 prompt provided in PROMPT is edited to show the default value provided
3950 in DEF before the terminal colon and space.
3952 ** Searching and matching changes:
3954 *** New function `looking-back' checks whether a regular expression matches
3955 the text before point. Specifying the LIMIT argument bounds how far
3956 back the match can start; this is a way to keep it from taking too long.
3958 *** The new variable `search-spaces-regexp' controls how to search
3959 for spaces in a regular expression. If it is non-nil, it should be a
3960 regular expression, and any series of spaces stands for that regular
3961 expression. If it is nil, spaces stand for themselves.
3963 Spaces inside of constructs such as `[..]' and inside loops such as
3964 `*', `+', and `?' are never replaced with `search-spaces-regexp'.
3966 *** New regular expression operators, `\_<' and `\_>'.
3968 These match the beginning and end of a symbol. A symbol is a
3969 non-empty sequence of either word or symbol constituent characters, as
3970 specified by the syntax table.
3972 *** `skip-chars-forward' and `skip-chars-backward' now handle
3973 character classes such as `[:alpha:]', along with individual
3974 characters and ranges.
3976 *** In `replace-match', the replacement text no longer inherits
3977 properties from surrounding text.
3979 *** The list returned by `(match-data t)' now has the buffer as a final
3980 element, if the last match was on a buffer. `set-match-data'
3981 accepts such a list for restoring the match state.
3983 *** Functions `match-data' and `set-match-data' now have an optional
3984 argument `reseat'. When non-nil, all markers in the match data list
3985 passed to these functions will be reseated to point to nowhere.
3987 *** rx.el has new corresponding `symbol-start' and `symbol-end' elements.
3989 *** The default value of `sentence-end' is now defined using the new
3990 variable `sentence-end-without-space', which contains such characters
3991 that end a sentence without following spaces.
3993 The function `sentence-end' should be used to obtain the value of the
3994 variable `sentence-end'. If the variable `sentence-end' is nil, then
3995 this function returns the regexp constructed from the variables
3996 `sentence-end-without-period', `sentence-end-double-space' and
3997 `sentence-end-without-space'.
4001 *** `buffer-undo-list' allows programmable elements.
4003 These elements have the form (apply FUNNAME . ARGS), where FUNNAME is
4004 a symbol other than t or nil. That stands for a high-level change
4005 that should be undone by evaluating (apply FUNNAME ARGS).
4007 These entries can also have the form (apply DELTA BEG END FUNNAME . ARGS)
4008 which indicates that the change which took place was limited to the
4009 range BEG...END and increased the buffer size by DELTA.
4011 *** If the buffer's undo list for the current command gets longer than
4012 `undo-outer-limit', garbage collection empties it. This is to prevent
4013 it from using up the available memory and choking Emacs.
4015 ** Killing and yanking changes:
4017 *** New `yank-handler' text property can be used to control how
4018 previously killed text on the kill ring is reinserted.
4020 The value of the `yank-handler' property must be a list with one to four
4021 elements with the following format:
4022 (FUNCTION PARAM NOEXCLUDE UNDO).
4024 The `insert-for-yank' function looks for a yank-handler property on
4025 the first character on its string argument (typically the first
4026 element on the kill-ring). If a `yank-handler' property is found,
4027 the normal behavior of `insert-for-yank' is modified in various ways:
4029 When FUNCTION is present and non-nil, it is called instead of `insert'
4030 to insert the string. FUNCTION takes one argument--the object to insert.
4031 If PARAM is present and non-nil, it replaces STRING as the object
4032 passed to FUNCTION (or `insert'); for example, if FUNCTION is
4033 `yank-rectangle', PARAM should be a list of strings to insert as a
4035 If NOEXCLUDE is present and non-nil, the normal removal of the
4036 `yank-excluded-properties' is not performed; instead FUNCTION is
4037 responsible for removing those properties. This may be necessary
4038 if FUNCTION adjusts point before or after inserting the object.
4039 If UNDO is present and non-nil, it is a function that will be called
4040 by `yank-pop' to undo the insertion of the current object. It is
4041 called with two arguments, the start and end of the current region.
4042 FUNCTION can set `yank-undo-function' to override the UNDO value.
4044 *** The functions `kill-new', `kill-append', and `kill-region' now have an
4045 optional argument to specify the `yank-handler' text property to put on
4048 *** The function `yank-pop' will now use a non-nil value of the variable
4049 `yank-undo-function' (instead of `delete-region') to undo the previous
4050 `yank' or `yank-pop' command (or a call to `insert-for-yank'). The function
4051 `insert-for-yank' automatically sets that variable according to the UNDO
4052 element of the string argument's `yank-handler' text property if present.
4054 *** The function `insert-for-yank' now supports strings where the
4055 `yank-handler' property does not span the first character of the
4056 string. The old behavior is available if you call
4057 `insert-for-yank-1' instead.
4059 ** Syntax table changes:
4061 *** The new function `syntax-ppss' provides an efficient way to find the
4062 current syntactic context at point.
4064 *** The new function `syntax-after' returns the syntax code
4065 of the character after a specified buffer position, taking account
4066 of text properties as well as the character code.
4068 *** `syntax-class' extracts the class of a syntax code (as returned
4071 *** The macro `with-syntax-table' no longer copies the syntax table.
4073 ** File operation changes:
4075 *** New vars `exec-suffixes' and `load-suffixes' used when
4076 searching for an executable or an Emacs Lisp file.
4078 *** New function `locate-file' searches for a file in a list of directories.
4079 `locate-file' accepts a name of a file to search (a string), and two
4080 lists: a list of directories to search in and a list of suffixes to
4081 try; typical usage might use `exec-path' and `load-path' for the list
4082 of directories, and `exec-suffixes' and `load-suffixes' for the list
4083 of suffixes. The function also accepts a predicate argument to
4084 further filter candidate files.
4086 One advantage of using this function is that the list of suffixes in
4087 `exec-suffixes' is OS-dependant, so this function will find
4088 executables without polluting Lisp code with OS dependencies.
4090 *** The new function `file-remote-p' tests a file name and returns
4091 non-nil if it specifies a remote file (one that Emacs accesses using
4092 its own special methods and not directly through the file system).
4093 The value in that case is an identifier for the remote file system.
4095 *** The new hook `before-save-hook' is invoked by `basic-save-buffer'
4096 before saving buffers. This allows packages to perform various final
4097 tasks. For example, it can be used by the copyright package to make
4098 sure saved files have the current year in any copyright headers.
4100 *** `file-chase-links' now takes an optional second argument LIMIT which
4101 specifies the maximum number of links to chase through. If after that
4102 many iterations the file name obtained is still a symbolic link,
4103 `file-chase-links' returns it anyway.
4105 *** Functions `file-name-sans-extension' and `file-name-extension' now
4106 ignore the leading dots in file names, so that file names such as
4107 `.emacs' are treated as extensionless.
4109 *** If `buffer-save-without-query' is non-nil in some buffer,
4110 `save-some-buffers' will always save that buffer without asking (if
4113 *** `buffer-auto-save-file-format' is the new name for what was
4114 formerly called `auto-save-file-format'. It is now a permanent local.
4116 *** `visited-file-modtime' and `calendar-time-from-absolute' now return
4117 a list of two integers, instead of a cons.
4119 *** The precedence of file name handlers has been changed.
4121 Instead of choosing the first handler that matches,
4122 `find-file-name-handler' now gives precedence to a file name handler
4123 that matches nearest the end of the file name. More precisely, the
4124 handler whose (match-beginning 0) is the largest is chosen. In case
4125 of ties, the old "first matched" rule applies.
4127 *** A file name handler can declare which operations it handles.
4129 You do this by putting an `operation' property on the handler name
4130 symbol. The property value should be a list of the operations that
4131 the handler really handles. It won't be called for any other
4134 This is useful for autoloaded handlers, to prevent them from being
4135 autoloaded when not really necessary.
4137 *** The function `make-auto-save-file-name' is now handled by file
4138 name handlers. This will be exploited for remote files mainly.
4140 *** The function `file-name-completion' accepts an optional argument
4141 PREDICATE, and rejects completion candidates that don't satisfy PREDICATE.
4143 *** The new primitive `set-file-times' sets a file's access and
4144 modification times. Magic file name handlers can handle this
4149 *** Functions `y-or-n-p', `read-char', `read-key-sequence' and the like, that
4150 display a prompt but don't use the minibuffer, now display the prompt
4151 using the text properties (esp. the face) of the prompt string.
4153 *** The functions `read-event', `read-char', and `read-char-exclusive'
4154 have a new optional argument SECONDS. If non-nil, this specifies a
4155 maximum time to wait for input, in seconds. If no input arrives after
4156 this time elapses, the functions stop waiting and return nil.
4158 *** An interactive specification can now use the code letter `U' to get
4159 the up-event that was discarded in case the last key sequence read for a
4160 previous `k' or `K' argument was a down-event; otherwise nil is used.
4162 *** The new interactive-specification `G' reads a file name
4163 much like `F', but if the input is a directory name (even defaulted),
4164 it returns just the directory name.
4166 *** (while-no-input BODY...) runs BODY, but only so long as no input
4167 arrives. If the user types or clicks anything, BODY stops as if a
4168 quit had occurred. `while-no-input' returns the value of BODY, if BODY
4169 finishes. It returns nil if BODY was aborted by a quit, and t if
4170 BODY was aborted by arrival of input.
4172 *** `recent-keys' now returns the last 300 keys.
4174 ** Minibuffer changes:
4176 *** The new function `minibufferp' returns non-nil if its optional
4177 buffer argument is a minibuffer. If the argument is omitted, it
4178 defaults to the current buffer.
4180 *** New function `minibuffer-selected-window' returns the window which
4181 was selected when entering the minibuffer.
4183 *** The `read-file-name' function now takes an additional argument which
4184 specifies a predicate which the file name read must satisfy. The
4185 new variable `read-file-name-predicate' contains the predicate argument
4186 while reading the file name from the minibuffer; the predicate in this
4187 variable is used by read-file-name-internal to filter the completion list.
4189 *** The new variable `read-file-name-function' can be used by Lisp code
4190 to override the built-in `read-file-name' function.
4192 *** The new variable `read-file-name-completion-ignore-case' specifies
4193 whether completion ignores case when reading a file name with the
4194 `read-file-name' function.
4196 *** The new function `read-directory-name' is for reading a directory name.
4198 It is like `read-file-name' except that the defaulting works better
4199 for directories, and completion inside it shows only directories.
4201 *** The new variable `history-add-new-input' specifies whether to add new
4202 elements in history. If set to nil, minibuffer reading functions don't
4203 add new elements to the history list, so it is possible to do this
4204 afterwards by calling `add-to-history' explicitly.
4206 ** Completion changes:
4208 *** The new function `minibuffer-completion-contents' returns the contents
4209 of the minibuffer just before point. That is what completion commands
4212 *** The functions `all-completions' and `try-completion' now accept lists
4213 of strings as well as hash-tables additionally to alists, obarrays
4214 and functions. Furthermore, the function `test-completion' is now
4215 exported to Lisp. The keys in alists and hash tables can be either
4216 strings or symbols, which are automatically converted with to strings.
4218 *** The new macro `dynamic-completion-table' supports using functions
4219 as a dynamic completion table.
4221 (dynamic-completion-table FUN)
4223 FUN is called with one argument, the string for which completion is required,
4224 and it should return an alist containing all the intended possible
4225 completions. This alist can be a full list of possible completions so that FUN
4226 can ignore the value of its argument. If completion is performed in the
4227 minibuffer, FUN will be called in the buffer from which the minibuffer was
4228 entered. `dynamic-completion-table' then computes the completion.
4230 *** The new macro `lazy-completion-table' initializes a variable
4231 as a lazy completion table.
4233 (lazy-completion-table VAR FUN)
4235 If the completion table VAR is used for the first time (e.g., by passing VAR
4236 as an argument to `try-completion'), the function FUN is called with no
4237 arguments. FUN must return the completion table that will be stored in VAR.
4238 If completion is requested in the minibuffer, FUN will be called in the buffer
4239 from which the minibuffer was entered. The return value of
4240 `lazy-completion-table' must be used to initialize the value of VAR.
4244 *** `define-abbrev' now accepts an optional argument SYSTEM-FLAG.
4246 If non-nil, this marks the abbrev as a "system" abbrev, which means
4247 that it won't be stored in the user's abbrevs file if he saves the
4248 abbrevs. Major modes that predefine some abbrevs should always
4251 *** The new function `copy-abbrev-table' copies an abbrev table.
4253 It returns a new abbrev table that is a copy of a given abbrev table.
4255 ** Enhancements to keymaps.
4257 *** Cleaner way to enter key sequences.
4259 You can enter a constant key sequence in a more natural format, the
4260 same one used for saving keyboard macros, using the macro `kbd'. For
4263 (kbd "C-x C-f") => "\^x\^f"
4265 Actually, this format has existed since Emacs 20.1.
4267 *** Interactive commands can be remapped through keymaps.
4269 This is an alternative to using `defadvice' or `substitute-key-definition'
4270 to modify the behavior of a key binding using the normal keymap
4271 binding and lookup functionality.
4273 When a key sequence is bound to a command, and that command is
4274 remapped to another command, that command is run instead of the
4278 Suppose that minor mode `my-mode' has defined the commands
4279 `my-kill-line' and `my-kill-word', and it wants C-k (and any other key
4280 bound to `kill-line') to run the command `my-kill-line' instead of
4281 `kill-line', and likewise it wants to run `my-kill-word' instead of
4284 Instead of rebinding C-k and the other keys in the minor mode map,
4285 command remapping allows you to directly map `kill-line' into
4286 `my-kill-line' and `kill-word' into `my-kill-word' using `define-key':
4288 (define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line)
4289 (define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-word] 'my-kill-word)
4291 When `my-mode' is enabled, its minor mode keymap is enabled too. So
4292 when the user types C-k, that runs the command `my-kill-line'.
4294 Only one level of remapping is supported. In the above example, this
4295 means that if `my-kill-line' is remapped to `other-kill', then C-k still
4296 runs `my-kill-line'.
4298 The following changes have been made to provide command remapping:
4300 - Command remappings are defined using `define-key' with a prefix-key
4301 `remap', i.e. `(define-key MAP [remap CMD] DEF)' remaps command CMD
4302 to definition DEF in keymap MAP. The definition is not limited to
4303 another command; it can be anything accepted for a normal binding.
4305 - The new function `command-remapping' returns the binding for a
4306 remapped command in the current keymaps, or nil if not remapped.
4308 - `key-binding' now remaps interactive commands unless the optional
4309 third argument NO-REMAP is non-nil.
4311 - `where-is-internal' now returns nil for a remapped command (e.g.
4312 `kill-line', when `my-mode' is enabled), and the actual key binding for
4313 the command it is remapped to (e.g. C-k for my-kill-line).
4314 It also has a new optional fifth argument, NO-REMAP, which inhibits
4315 remapping if non-nil (e.g. it returns "C-k" for `kill-line', and
4316 "<kill-line>" for `my-kill-line').
4318 - The new variable `this-original-command' contains the original
4319 command before remapping. It is equal to `this-command' when the
4320 command was not remapped.
4322 *** The definition of a key-binding passed to define-key can use XEmacs-style
4323 key-sequences, such as [(control a)].
4325 *** New keymaps for typing file names
4327 Two new keymaps, `minibuffer-local-filename-completion-map' and
4328 `minibuffer-local-must-match-filename-map', apply whenever
4329 Emacs reads a file name in the minibuffer. These key maps override
4330 the usual binding of SPC to `minibuffer-complete-word' (so that file
4331 names with embedded spaces could be typed without the need to quote
4334 *** New function `current-active-maps' returns a list of currently
4337 *** New function `describe-buffer-bindings' inserts the list of all
4338 defined keys and their definitions.
4340 *** New function `keymap-prompt' returns the prompt string of a keymap.
4342 *** If text has a `keymap' property, that keymap takes precedence
4343 over minor mode keymaps.
4345 *** The `keymap' property now also works at the ends of overlays and
4346 text properties, according to their stickiness. This also means that it
4347 works with empty overlays. The same hold for the `local-map' property.
4349 *** `key-binding' will now look up mouse-specific bindings. The
4350 keymaps consulted by `key-binding' will get adapted if the key
4351 sequence is started with a mouse event. Instead of letting the click
4352 position be determined from the key sequence itself, it is also
4353 possible to specify it with an optional argument explicitly.
4355 *** `define-key-after' now accepts keys longer than 1.
4357 *** (map-keymap FUNCTION KEYMAP) applies the function to each binding
4360 *** New variable `emulation-mode-map-alists'.
4362 Lisp packages using many minor mode keymaps can now maintain their own
4363 keymap alist separate from `minor-mode-map-alist' by adding their
4364 keymap alist to this list.
4366 *** Dense keymaps now handle inheritance correctly.
4368 Previously a dense keymap would hide all of the simple-char key
4369 bindings of the parent keymap.
4371 ** Enhancements to process support
4373 *** Adaptive read buffering of subprocess output.
4375 On some systems, when Emacs reads the output from a subprocess, the
4376 output data is read in very small blocks, potentially resulting in
4377 very poor performance. This behavior can be remedied to some extent
4378 by setting the new variable `process-adaptive-read-buffering' to a
4379 non-nil value (the default), as it will automatically delay reading
4380 from such processes, allowing them to produce more output before
4381 Emacs tries to read it.
4383 *** Processes now have an associated property list where programs can
4384 maintain process state and other per-process related information.
4386 Use the new functions `process-get' and `process-put' to access, add,
4387 and modify elements on this property list. Use the new functions
4388 `process-plist' and `set-process-plist' to access and replace the
4389 entire property list of a process.
4391 *** Function `list-processes' now has an optional argument; if non-nil,
4392 it lists only the processes whose query-on-exit flag is set.
4394 *** New fns `set-process-query-on-exit-flag' and `process-query-on-exit-flag'.
4396 These replace the old function `process-kill-without-query'. That
4397 function is still supported, but new code should use the new
4400 *** The new function `call-process-shell-command'.
4402 This executes a shell command synchronously in a separate process.
4404 *** The new function `process-file' is similar to `call-process', but
4405 obeys file handlers. The file handler is chosen based on
4406 `default-directory'.
4408 *** Function `signal-process' now accepts a process object or process
4409 name in addition to a process id to identify the signaled process.
4411 *** Function `accept-process-output' has a new optional fourth arg
4412 JUST-THIS-ONE. If non-nil, only output from the specified process
4413 is handled, suspending output from other processes. If value is an
4414 integer, also inhibit running timers. This feature is generally not
4415 recommended, but may be necessary for specific applications, such as
4418 *** A process filter function gets the output as multibyte string
4419 if the process specifies t for its filter's multibyteness.
4421 That multibyteness is decided by the value of
4422 `default-enable-multibyte-characters' when the process is created, and
4423 you can change it later with `set-process-filter-multibyte'.
4425 *** The new function `set-process-filter-multibyte' sets the
4426 multibyteness of the strings passed to the process's filter.
4428 *** The new function `process-filter-multibyte-p' returns the
4429 multibyteness of the strings passed to the process's filter.
4431 *** If a process's coding system is `raw-text' or `no-conversion' and its
4432 buffer is multibyte, the output of the process is at first converted
4433 to multibyte by `string-to-multibyte' then inserted in the buffer.
4434 Previously, it was converted to multibyte by `string-as-multibyte',
4435 which was not compatible with the behavior of file reading.
4437 ** Enhanced networking support.
4439 *** The new `make-network-process' function makes network connections.
4440 It allows opening of stream and datagram connections to a server, as well as
4441 create a stream or datagram server inside Emacs.
4443 - A server is started using :server t arg.
4444 - Datagram connection is selected using :type 'datagram arg.
4445 - A server can open on a random port using :service t arg.
4446 - Local sockets are supported using :family 'local arg.
4447 - IPv6 is supported (when available). You may explicitly select IPv6
4448 using :family 'ipv6 arg.
4449 - Non-blocking connect is supported using :nowait t arg.
4450 - The process' property list can be initialized using :plist PLIST arg;
4451 a copy of the server process' property list is automatically inherited
4452 by new client processes created to handle incoming connections.
4454 To test for the availability of a given feature, use featurep like this:
4455 (featurep 'make-network-process '(:type datagram))
4456 (featurep 'make-network-process '(:family ipv6))
4458 *** The old `open-network-stream' now uses `make-network-process'.
4460 *** `process-contact' has an optional KEY argument.
4462 Depending on this argument, you can get the complete list of network
4463 process properties or a specific property. Using :local or :remote as
4464 the KEY, you get the address of the local or remote end-point.
4466 An Inet address is represented as a 5 element vector, where the first
4467 4 elements contain the IP address and the fifth is the port number.
4469 *** New functions `stop-process' and `continue-process'.
4471 These functions stop and restart communication through a network
4472 connection. For a server process, no connections are accepted in the
4473 stopped state. For a client process, no input is received in the
4476 *** New function `format-network-address'.
4478 This function reformats the Lisp representation of a network address
4479 to a printable string. For example, an IP address A.B.C.D and port
4480 number P is represented as a five element vector [A B C D P], and the
4481 printable string returned for this vector is "A.B.C.D:P". See the doc
4482 string for other formatting options.
4484 *** New function `network-interface-list'.
4486 This function returns a list of network interface names and their
4487 current network addresses.
4489 *** New function `network-interface-info'.
4491 This function returns the network address, hardware address, current
4492 status, and other information about a specific network interface.
4494 *** New functions `process-datagram-address', `set-process-datagram-address'.
4496 These functions are used with datagram-based network processes to get
4497 and set the current address of the remote partner.
4499 *** Deleting a network process with `delete-process' calls the sentinel.
4501 The status message passed to the sentinel for a deleted network
4502 process is "deleted". The message passed to the sentinel when the
4503 connection is closed by the remote peer has been changed to
4504 "connection broken by remote peer".
4506 ** Using window objects:
4508 *** You can now make a window as short as one line.
4510 A window that is just one line tall does not display either a mode
4511 line or a header line, even if the variables `mode-line-format' and
4512 `header-line-format' call for them. A window that is two lines tall
4513 cannot display both a mode line and a header line at once; if the
4514 variables call for both, only the mode line actually appears.
4516 *** The new function `window-inside-edges' returns the edges of the
4517 actual text portion of the window, not including the scroll bar or
4518 divider line, the fringes, the display margins, the header line and
4521 *** The new functions `window-pixel-edges' and `window-inside-pixel-edges'
4522 return window edges in units of pixels, rather than columns and lines.
4524 *** New function `window-body-height'.
4526 This is like `window-height' but does not count the mode line or the
4529 *** The new function `adjust-window-trailing-edge' moves the right
4530 or bottom edge of a window. It does not move other window edges.
4532 *** The new macro `with-selected-window' temporarily switches the
4533 selected window without impacting the order of `buffer-list'.
4534 It saves and restores the current buffer, too.
4536 *** `select-window' takes an optional second argument NORECORD.
4538 This is like `switch-to-buffer'.
4540 *** `save-selected-window' now saves and restores the selected window
4541 of every frame. This way, it restores everything that can be changed
4542 by calling `select-window'. It also saves and restores the current
4545 *** `set-window-buffer' has an optional argument KEEP-MARGINS.
4547 If non-nil, that says to preserve the window's current margin, fringe,
4548 and scroll-bar settings.
4550 *** The new function `window-tree' returns a frame's window tree.
4552 *** The functions `get-lru-window' and `get-largest-window' take an optional
4553 argument `dedicated'. If non-nil, those functions do not ignore
4556 ** Customizable fringe bitmaps
4558 *** There are new display properties, `left-fringe' and `right-fringe',
4559 that can be used to show a specific bitmap in the left or right fringe
4560 bitmap of the display line.
4562 Format is `display (left-fringe BITMAP [FACE])', where BITMAP is a
4563 symbol identifying a fringe bitmap, either built-in or defined with
4564 `define-fringe-bitmap', and FACE is an optional face name to be used
4565 for displaying the bitmap instead of the default `fringe' face.
4566 When specified, FACE is automatically merged with the `fringe' face.
4568 *** New buffer-local variables `fringe-indicator-alist' and
4569 `fringe-cursor-alist' maps between logical (internal) fringe indicator
4570 and cursor symbols and the actual fringe bitmaps to be displayed.
4571 This decouples the logical meaning of the fringe indicators from the
4572 physical appearance, as well as allowing different fringe bitmaps to
4573 be used in different windows showing different buffers.
4575 *** New function `define-fringe-bitmap' can now be used to create new
4576 fringe bitmaps, as well as change the built-in fringe bitmaps.
4578 *** New function `destroy-fringe-bitmap' deletes a fringe bitmap
4579 or restores a built-in one to its default value.
4581 *** New function `set-fringe-bitmap-face' specifies the face to be
4582 used for a specific fringe bitmap. The face is automatically merged
4583 with the `fringe' face, so normally, the face should only specify the
4584 foreground color of the bitmap.
4586 *** New function `fringe-bitmaps-at-pos' returns the current fringe
4587 bitmaps in the display line at a given buffer position.
4589 ** Other window fringe features:
4591 *** Controlling the default left and right fringe widths.
4593 The default left and right fringe widths for all windows of a frame
4594 can now be controlled by setting the `left-fringe' and `right-fringe'
4595 frame parameters to an integer value specifying the width in pixels.
4596 Setting the width to 0 effectively removes the corresponding fringe.
4598 The actual default fringe widths for the frame may deviate from the
4599 specified widths, since the combined fringe widths must match an
4600 integral number of columns. The extra width is distributed evenly
4601 between the left and right fringe. To force a specific fringe width,
4602 specify the width as a negative integer (if both widths are negative,
4603 only the left fringe gets the specified width).
4605 Setting the width to nil (the default), restores the default fringe
4606 width which is the minimum number of pixels necessary to display any
4607 of the currently defined fringe bitmaps. The width of the built-in
4608 fringe bitmaps is 8 pixels.
4610 *** Per-window fringe and scrollbar settings
4612 **** Windows can now have their own individual fringe widths and
4615 To control the fringe widths of a window, either set the buffer-local
4616 variables `left-fringe-width', `right-fringe-width', or call
4617 `set-window-fringes'.
4619 To control the fringe position in a window, that is, whether fringes
4620 are positioned between the display margins and the window's text area,
4621 or at the edges of the window, either set the buffer-local variable
4622 `fringes-outside-margins' or call `set-window-fringes'.
4624 The function `window-fringes' can be used to obtain the current
4625 settings. To make `left-fringe-width', `right-fringe-width', and
4626 `fringes-outside-margins' take effect, you must set them before
4627 displaying the buffer in a window, or use `set-window-buffer' to force
4628 an update of the display margins.
4630 **** Windows can now have their own individual scroll-bar settings
4631 controlling the width and position of scroll-bars.
4633 To control the scroll-bar of a window, either set the buffer-local
4634 variables `scroll-bar-mode' and `scroll-bar-width', or call
4635 `set-window-scroll-bars'. The function `window-scroll-bars' can be
4636 used to obtain the current settings. To make `scroll-bar-mode' and
4637 `scroll-bar-width' take effect, you must set them before displaying
4638 the buffer in a window, or use `set-window-buffer' to force an update
4639 of the display margins.
4641 ** Redisplay features:
4643 *** `sit-for' can now be called with args (SECONDS &optional NODISP).
4645 *** Iconifying or deiconifying a frame no longer makes sit-for return.
4647 *** New function `redisplay' causes an immediate redisplay if no input is
4648 available, equivalent to (sit-for 0). The call (redisplay t) forces
4649 an immediate redisplay even if input is pending.
4651 *** New function `force-window-update' can initiate a full redisplay of
4652 one or all windows. Normally, this is not needed as changes in window
4653 contents are detected automatically. However, certain implicit
4654 changes to mode lines, header lines, or display properties may require
4655 forcing an explicit window update.
4657 *** (char-displayable-p CHAR) returns non-nil if Emacs ought to be able
4658 to display CHAR. More precisely, if the selected frame's fontset has
4659 a font to display the character set that CHAR belongs to.
4661 Fontsets can specify a font on a per-character basis; when the fontset
4662 does that, this value cannot be accurate.
4664 *** You can define multiple overlay arrows via the new
4665 variable `overlay-arrow-variable-list'.
4667 It contains a list of variables which contain overlay arrow position
4668 markers, including the original `overlay-arrow-position' variable.
4670 Each variable on this list can have individual `overlay-arrow-string'
4671 and `overlay-arrow-bitmap' properties that specify an overlay arrow
4672 string (for non-window terminals) or fringe bitmap (for window
4673 systems) to display at the corresponding overlay arrow position.
4674 If either property is not set, the default `overlay-arrow-string' or
4675 'overlay-arrow-fringe-bitmap' will be used.
4677 *** New `line-height' and `line-spacing' properties for newline characters
4679 A newline can now have `line-height' and `line-spacing' text or overlay
4680 properties that control the height of the corresponding display row.
4682 If the `line-height' property value is t, the newline does not
4683 contribute to the height of the display row; instead the height of the
4684 newline glyph is reduced. Also, a `line-spacing' property on this
4685 newline is ignored. This can be used to tile small images or image
4686 slices without adding blank areas between the images.
4688 If the `line-height' property value is a positive integer, the value
4689 specifies the minimum line height in pixels. If necessary, the line
4690 height it increased by increasing the line's ascent.
4692 If the `line-height' property value is a float, the minimum line
4693 height is calculated by multiplying the default frame line height by
4696 If the `line-height' property value is a cons (FACE . RATIO), the
4697 minimum line height is calculated as RATIO * height of named FACE.
4698 RATIO is int or float. If FACE is t, it specifies the current face.
4700 If the `line-height' property value is a cons (nil . RATIO), the line
4701 height is calculated as RATIO * actual height of the line's contents.
4703 If the `line-height' value is a cons (HEIGHT . TOTAL), HEIGHT specifies
4704 the line height as described above, while TOTAL is any of the forms
4705 described above and specifies the total height of the line, causing a
4706 varying number of pixels to be inserted after the line to make it line
4707 exactly that many pixels high.
4709 If the `line-spacing' property value is an positive integer, the value
4710 is used as additional pixels to insert after the display line; this
4711 overrides the default frame `line-spacing' and any buffer local value of
4712 the `line-spacing' variable.
4714 If the `line-spacing' property is a float or cons, the line spacing
4715 is calculated as specified above for the `line-height' property.
4717 *** The buffer local `line-spacing' variable can now have a float value,
4718 which is used as a height relative to the default frame line height.
4720 *** Enhancements to stretch display properties
4722 The display property stretch specification form `(space PROPS)', where
4723 PROPS is a property list, now allows pixel based width and height
4724 specifications, as well as enhanced horizontal text alignment.
4726 The value of these properties can now be a (primitive) expression
4727 which is evaluated during redisplay. The following expressions
4730 EXPR ::= NUM | (NUM) | UNIT | ELEM | POS | IMAGE | FORM
4731 NUM ::= INTEGER | FLOAT | SYMBOL
4732 UNIT ::= in | mm | cm | width | height
4733 ELEM ::= left-fringe | right-fringe | left-margin | right-margin
4735 POS ::= left | center | right
4736 FORM ::= (NUM . EXPR) | (OP EXPR ...)
4739 The form `NUM' specifies a fractional width or height of the default
4740 frame font size. The form `(NUM)' specifies an absolute number of
4741 pixels. If a symbol is specified, its buffer-local variable binding
4742 is used. The `in', `mm', and `cm' units specifies the number of
4743 pixels per inch, milli-meter, and centi-meter, resp. The `width' and
4744 `height' units correspond to the width and height of the current face
4745 font. An image specification corresponds to the width or height of
4748 The `left-fringe', `right-fringe', `left-margin', `right-margin',
4749 `scroll-bar', and `text' elements specify to the width of the
4750 corresponding area of the window.
4752 The `left', `center', and `right' positions can be used with :align-to
4753 to specify a position relative to the left edge, center, or right edge
4754 of the text area. One of the above window elements (except `text')
4755 can also be used with :align-to to specify that the position is
4756 relative to the left edge of the given area. Once the base offset for
4757 a relative position has been set (by the first occurrence of one of
4758 these symbols), further occurrences of these symbols are interpreted as
4759 the width of the area.
4761 For example, to align to the center of the left-margin, use
4762 :align-to (+ left-margin (0.5 . left-margin))
4764 If no specific base offset is set for alignment, it is always relative
4765 to the left edge of the text area. For example, :align-to 0 in a
4766 header line aligns with the first text column in the text area.
4768 The value of the form `(NUM . EXPR)' is the value of NUM multiplied by
4769 the value of the expression EXPR. For example, (2 . in) specifies a
4770 width of 2 inches, while (0.5 . IMAGE) specifies half the width (or
4771 height) of the specified image.
4773 The form `(+ EXPR ...)' adds up the value of the expressions.
4774 The form `(- EXPR ...)' negates or subtracts the value of the expressions.
4776 *** Normally, the cursor is displayed at the end of any overlay and
4777 text property string that may be present at the current window
4778 position. The cursor can now be placed on any character of such
4779 strings by giving that character a non-nil `cursor' text property.
4781 *** The display space :width and :align-to text properties are now
4782 supported on text terminals.
4784 *** Support for displaying image slices
4786 **** New display property (slice X Y WIDTH HEIGHT) can be used with
4787 an image property to display only a specific slice of the image.
4789 **** Function `insert-image' has new optional fourth arg to
4790 specify image slice (X Y WIDTH HEIGHT).
4792 **** New function `insert-sliced-image' inserts a given image as a
4793 specified number of evenly sized slices (rows x columns).
4795 *** Images can now have an associated image map via the :map property.
4797 An image map is an alist where each element has the format (AREA ID PLIST).
4798 An AREA is specified as either a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon:
4799 A rectangle is a cons (rect . ((X0 . Y0) . (X1 . Y1))) specifying the
4800 pixel coordinates of the upper left and bottom right corners.
4801 A circle is a cons (circle . ((X0 . Y0) . R)) specifying the center
4802 and the radius of the circle; R can be a float or integer.
4803 A polygon is a cons (poly . [X0 Y0 X1 Y1 ...]) where each pair in the
4804 vector describes one corner in the polygon.
4806 When the mouse pointer is above a hot-spot area of an image, the
4807 PLIST of that hot-spot is consulted; if it contains a `help-echo'
4808 property it defines a tool-tip for the hot-spot, and if it contains
4809 a `pointer' property, it defines the shape of the mouse cursor when
4810 it is over the hot-spot. See the variable `void-area-text-pointer'
4811 for possible pointer shapes.
4813 When you click the mouse when the mouse pointer is over a hot-spot,
4814 an event is composed by combining the ID of the hot-spot with the
4815 mouse event, e.g. [area4 mouse-1] if the hot-spot's ID is `area4'.
4817 *** The function `find-image' now searches in etc/images/ and etc/.
4818 The new variable `image-load-path' is a list of locations in which to
4819 search for image files. The default is to search in etc/images, then
4820 in etc/, and finally in the directories specified by `load-path'.
4821 Subdirectories of etc/ and etc/images are not recursively searched; if
4822 you put an image file in a subdirectory, you have to specify it
4823 explicitly; for example, if an image is put in etc/images/foo/bar.xpm:
4825 (defimage foo-image '((:type xpm :file "foo/bar.xpm")))
4827 Note that all images formerly located in the lisp directory have been
4828 moved to etc/images.
4830 *** New function `image-load-path-for-library' returns a suitable
4831 search path for images relative to library. This function is useful in
4832 external packages to save users from having to update
4835 *** The new variable `max-image-size' defines the maximum size of
4836 images that Emacs will load and display.
4838 *** The new variable `display-mm-dimensions-alist' can be used to
4839 override incorrect graphical display dimensions returned by functions
4840 `display-mm-height' and `display-mm-width'.
4842 ** Mouse pointer features:
4844 *** The mouse pointer shape in void text areas (i.e. after the end of a
4845 line or below the last line in the buffer) of the text window is now
4846 controlled by the new variable `void-text-area-pointer'. The default
4847 is to use the `arrow' (non-text) pointer. Other choices are `text'
4848 (or nil), `hand', `vdrag', `hdrag', `modeline', and `hourglass'.
4850 *** The mouse pointer shape over an image can now be controlled by the
4851 :pointer image property.
4853 *** The mouse pointer shape over ordinary text or images can now be
4854 controlled/overridden via the `pointer' text property.
4856 ** Mouse event enhancements:
4858 *** All mouse events now include a buffer position regardless of where
4859 you clicked. For mouse clicks in window margins and fringes, this is
4860 a sensible buffer position corresponding to the surrounding text.
4862 *** Mouse events for clicks on window fringes now specify `left-fringe'
4863 or `right-fringe' as the area.
4865 *** Mouse events include actual glyph column and row for all event types
4868 *** Mouse events can now indicate an image object clicked on.
4870 *** Mouse events include relative X and Y pixel coordinates relative to
4871 the top left corner of the object (image or character) clicked on.
4873 *** Mouse events include the pixel width and height of the object
4874 (image or character) clicked on.
4876 *** Function `mouse-set-point' now works for events outside text area.
4878 *** `posn-point' now returns buffer position for non-text area events.
4880 *** New function `posn-area' returns window area clicked on (nil means
4883 *** New function `posn-actual-col-row' returns the actual glyph coordinates
4884 of the mouse event position.
4886 *** New functions 'posn-object', 'posn-object-x-y', 'posn-object-width-height'.
4888 These return the image or string object of a mouse click, the X and Y
4889 pixel coordinates relative to the top left corner of that object, and
4890 the total width and height of that object.
4892 ** Text property and overlay changes:
4894 *** Arguments for `remove-overlays' are now optional, so that you can
4895 remove all overlays in the buffer with just (remove-overlays).
4897 *** New variable `char-property-alias-alist'.
4899 This variable allows you to create alternative names for text
4900 properties. It works at the same level as `default-text-properties',
4901 although it applies to overlays as well. This variable was introduced
4902 to implement the `font-lock-face' property.
4904 *** New function `get-char-property-and-overlay' accepts the same
4905 arguments as `get-char-property' and returns a cons whose car is the
4906 return value of `get-char-property' called with those arguments and
4907 whose cdr is the overlay in which the property was found, or nil if
4908 it was found as a text property or not found at all.
4910 *** The new function `remove-list-of-text-properties'.
4912 It is like `remove-text-properties' except that it takes a list of
4913 property names as argument rather than a property list.
4917 *** The variable `facemenu-unlisted-faces' has been removed.
4918 Emacs has a lot more faces than in the past, and nearly all of them
4919 needed to be excluded. The new variable `facemenu-listed-faces' lists
4920 the faces to include in the face menu.
4922 *** The new face attribute condition `min-colors' can be used to tailor
4923 the face color to the number of colors supported by a display, and
4924 define the foreground and background colors accordingly so that they
4925 look best on a terminal that supports at least this many colors. This
4926 is now the preferred method for defining default faces in a way that
4927 makes a good use of the capabilities of the display.
4929 *** New function `display-supports-face-attributes-p' can be used to test
4930 whether a given set of face attributes is actually displayable.
4932 A new predicate `supports' has also been added to the `defface' face
4933 specification language, which can be used to do this test for faces
4934 defined with `defface'.
4936 *** The special treatment of faces whose names are of the form `fg:COLOR'
4937 or `bg:COLOR' has been removed. Lisp programs should use the
4938 `defface' facility for defining faces with specific colors, or use
4939 the feature of specifying the face attributes :foreground and :background
4940 directly in the `face' property instead of using a named face.
4942 *** The first face specification element in a defface can specify
4943 `default' instead of frame classification. Then its attributes act as
4944 defaults that apply to all the subsequent cases (and can be overridden
4947 *** The function `face-differs-from-default-p' now truly checks
4948 whether the given face displays differently from the default face or
4949 not (previously it did only a very cursory check).
4951 *** `face-attribute', `face-foreground', `face-background', `face-stipple'.
4953 These now accept a new optional argument, INHERIT, which controls how
4954 face inheritance is used when determining the value of a face
4957 *** New functions `face-attribute-relative-p' and `merge-face-attribute'
4958 help with handling relative face attributes.
4960 *** The priority of faces in an :inherit attribute face list is reversed.
4962 If a face contains an :inherit attribute with a list of faces, earlier
4963 faces in the list override later faces in the list; in previous
4964 releases of Emacs, the order was the opposite. This change was made
4965 so that :inherit face lists operate identically to face lists in text
4968 *** The variable `face-font-rescale-alist' specifies how much larger
4969 (or smaller) font we should use. For instance, if the value is
4970 '((SOME-FONTNAME-PATTERN . 1.3)) and a face requests a font of 10
4971 point, we actually use a font of 13 point if the font matches
4972 SOME-FONTNAME-PATTERN.
4974 *** On terminals, faces with the :inverse-video attribute are displayed
4975 with swapped foreground and background colors even when one of them is
4976 not specified. In previous releases of Emacs, if either foreground
4977 or background color was unspecified, colors were not swapped. This
4978 was inconsistent with the face behavior under X.
4980 *** `set-fontset-font', `fontset-info', `fontset-font' now operate on
4981 the default fontset if the argument NAME is nil..
4983 ** Font-Lock changes:
4985 *** New special text property `font-lock-face'.
4987 This property acts like the `face' property, but it is controlled by
4988 M-x font-lock-mode. It is not, strictly speaking, a builtin text
4989 property. Instead, it is implemented inside font-core.el, using the
4990 new variable `char-property-alias-alist'.
4992 *** font-lock can manage arbitrary text-properties beside `face'.
4994 **** the FACENAME returned in `font-lock-keywords' can be a list of the
4995 form (face FACE PROP1 VAL1 PROP2 VAL2 ...) so you can set other
4996 properties than `face'.
4998 **** `font-lock-extra-managed-props' can be set to make sure those
4999 extra properties are automatically cleaned up by font-lock.
5001 *** jit-lock obeys a new text-property `jit-lock-defer-multiline'.
5003 If a piece of text with that property gets contextually refontified
5004 (see `jit-lock-defer-contextually'), then all of that text will
5005 be refontified. This is useful when the syntax of a textual element
5006 depends on text several lines further down (and when `font-lock-multiline'
5007 is not appropriate to solve that problem). For example in Perl:
5015 Adding/removing the last `e' changes the `bar' from being a piece of
5016 text to being a piece of code, so you'd put a `jit-lock-defer-multiline'
5017 property over the second half of the command to force (deferred)
5018 refontification of `bar' whenever the `e' is added/removed.
5020 *** `font-lock-extend-region-functions' makes it possible to alter the way
5021 the fontification region is chosen. This can be used to prevent rounding
5022 up to whole lines, or to extend the region to include all related lines
5023 of multiline constructs so that such constructs get properly recognized.
5025 ** Major mode mechanism changes:
5027 *** New variable `magic-mode-alist' determines major mode for a file by
5028 looking at the file contents. It takes precedence over `auto-mode-alist'.
5030 *** New variable `magic-fallback-mode-alist' determines major mode for a file by
5031 looking at the file contents. It is handled after `auto-mode-alist',
5032 only if `auto-mode-alist' (and `magic-mode-alist') says nothing about the file.
5034 *** XML or SGML major mode is selected when file starts with an `<?xml'
5035 or `<!DOCTYPE' declaration.
5037 *** An interpreter magic line (if present) takes precedence over the
5038 file name when setting the major mode.
5040 *** If new variable `auto-mode-case-fold' is set to a non-nil value,
5041 Emacs will perform a second case-insensitive search through
5042 `auto-mode-alist' if the first case-sensitive search fails. This
5043 means that a file FILE.TXT is opened in text-mode, and a file
5044 PROG.HTML is opened in html-mode. Note however, that independent of
5045 this setting, *.C files are usually recognized as C++ files. It also
5046 has no effect on systems with case-insensitive file names.
5048 *** All major mode functions should now run the new normal hook
5049 `after-change-major-mode-hook', at their very end, after the mode
5050 hooks. `run-mode-hooks' does this automatically.
5052 *** Major modes can define `eldoc-documentation-function'
5053 locally to provide Eldoc functionality by some method appropriate to
5056 *** Use the new function `run-mode-hooks' to run the major mode's mode hook.
5058 *** The new function `run-mode-hooks' and the new macro `delay-mode-hooks'
5059 are used by `define-derived-mode' to make sure the mode hook for the
5060 parent mode is run at the end of the child mode.
5062 *** `define-derived-mode' by default creates a new empty abbrev table.
5063 It does not copy abbrevs from the parent mode's abbrev table.
5065 *** If a major mode function has a non-nil `no-clone-indirect'
5066 property, `clone-indirect-buffer' signals an error if you use
5069 ** Minor mode changes:
5071 *** `define-minor-mode' now accepts arbitrary additional keyword arguments
5072 and simply passes them to `defcustom', if applicable.
5074 *** `define-globalized-minor-mode'.
5076 This is a new name for what was formerly called
5077 `easy-mmode-define-global-mode'. The old name remains as an alias.
5079 *** `minor-mode-list' now holds a list of minor mode commands.
5081 ** Command loop changes:
5083 *** The new function `called-interactively-p' does what many people
5084 have mistakenly believed `interactive-p' to do: it returns t if the
5085 calling function was called through `call-interactively'.
5087 Only use this when you cannot solve the problem by adding a new
5088 INTERACTIVE argument to the command.
5090 *** The function `commandp' takes an additional optional argument.
5092 If it is non-nil, then `commandp' checks for a function that could be
5093 called with `call-interactively', and does not return t for keyboard
5096 *** When a command returns, the command loop moves point out from
5097 within invisible text, in the same way it moves out from within text
5098 covered by an image or composition property.
5100 This makes it generally unnecessary to mark invisible text as intangible.
5101 This is particularly good because the intangible property often has
5102 unexpected side-effects since the property applies to everything
5103 (including `goto-char', ...) whereas this new code is only run after
5104 `post-command-hook' and thus does not care about intermediate states.
5106 *** If a command sets `transient-mark-mode' to `only', that
5107 enables Transient Mark mode for the following command only.
5108 During that following command, the value of `transient-mark-mode'
5109 is `identity'. If it is still `identity' at the end of the command,
5110 the next return to the command loop changes to nil.
5112 *** Both the variable and the function `disabled-command-hook' have
5113 been renamed to `disabled-command-function'. The variable
5114 `disabled-command-hook' has been kept as an obsolete alias.
5116 *** `emacsserver' now runs `pre-command-hook' and `post-command-hook'
5117 when it receives a request from emacsclient.
5119 *** `current-idle-time' reports how long Emacs has been idle.
5121 ** Lisp file loading changes:
5123 *** `load-history' can now have elements of the form (t . FUNNAME),
5124 which means FUNNAME was previously defined as an autoload (before the
5125 current file redefined it).
5127 *** `load-history' now records (defun . FUNNAME) when a function is
5128 defined. For a variable, it records just the variable name.
5130 *** The function `symbol-file' can now search specifically for function,
5131 variable or face definitions.
5133 *** `provide' and `featurep' now accept an optional second argument
5134 to test/provide subfeatures. Also `provide' now checks `after-load-alist'
5135 and runs any code associated with the provided feature.
5137 *** The variable `recursive-load-depth-limit' has been deleted.
5138 Emacs now signals an error if the same file is loaded with more
5139 than 3 levels of nesting.
5141 ** Byte compiler changes:
5143 *** The byte compiler now displays the actual line and character
5144 position of errors, where possible. Additionally, the form of its
5145 warning and error messages have been brought into line with GNU standards
5146 for these. As a result, you can use next-error and friends on the
5147 compilation output buffer.
5149 *** The new macro `with-no-warnings' suppresses all compiler warnings
5150 inside its body. In terms of execution, it is equivalent to `progn'.
5152 *** You can avoid warnings for possibly-undefined symbols with a
5153 simple convention that the compiler understands. (This is mostly
5154 useful in code meant to be portable to different Emacs versions.)
5155 Write forms like the following, or code that macroexpands into such
5158 (if (fboundp 'foo) <then> <else>)
5159 (if (boundp 'foo) <then> <else)
5161 In the first case, using `foo' as a function inside the <then> form
5162 won't produce a warning if it's not defined as a function, and in the
5163 second case, using `foo' as a variable won't produce a warning if it's
5164 unbound. The test must be in exactly one of the above forms (after
5165 macro expansion), but such tests can be nested. Note that `when' and
5166 `unless' expand to `if', but `cond' doesn't.
5168 *** `(featurep 'xemacs)' is treated by the compiler as nil. This
5169 helps to avoid noisy compiler warnings in code meant to run under both
5170 Emacs and XEmacs and can sometimes make the result significantly more
5171 efficient. Since byte code from recent versions of XEmacs won't
5172 generally run in Emacs and vice versa, this optimization doesn't lose
5175 *** The local variable `no-byte-compile' in Lisp files is now obeyed.
5177 *** When a Lisp file uses CL functions at run-time, compiling the file
5178 now issues warnings about these calls, unless the file performs
5179 (require 'cl) when loaded.
5181 ** Frame operations:
5183 *** New functions `frame-current-scroll-bars' and `window-current-scroll-bars'.
5185 These functions return the current locations of the vertical and
5186 horizontal scroll bars in a frame or window.
5188 *** The new function `modify-all-frames-parameters' modifies parameters
5189 for all (existing and future) frames.
5191 *** The new frame parameter `tty-color-mode' specifies the mode to use
5192 for color support on character terminal frames. Its value can be a
5193 number of colors to support, or a symbol. See the Emacs Lisp
5194 Reference manual for more detailed documentation.
5196 *** When using non-toolkit scroll bars with the default width,
5197 the `scroll-bar-width' frame parameter value is nil.
5199 ** Mode line changes:
5201 *** New function `format-mode-line'.
5203 This returns the mode line or header line of the selected (or a
5204 specified) window as a string with or without text properties.
5206 *** The new mode-line construct `(:propertize ELT PROPS...)' can be
5207 used to add text properties to mode-line elements.
5209 *** The new `%i' and `%I' constructs for `mode-line-format' can be used
5210 to display the size of the accessible part of the buffer on the mode
5213 *** Mouse-face on mode-line (and header-line) is now supported.
5215 ** Menu manipulation changes:
5217 *** To manipulate the File menu using easy-menu, you must specify the
5218 proper name "file". In previous Emacs versions, you had to specify
5219 "files", even though the menu item itself was changed to say "File"
5220 several versions ago.
5222 *** The dummy function keys made by easy-menu are now always lower case.
5223 If you specify the menu item name "Ada", for instance, it uses `ada'
5224 as the "key" bound by that key binding.
5226 This is relevant only if Lisp code looks for the bindings that were
5227 made with easy-menu.
5229 *** `easy-menu-define' now allows you to use nil for the symbol name
5230 if you don't need to give the menu a name. If you install the menu
5231 into other keymaps right away (MAPS is non-nil), it usually doesn't
5232 need to have a name.
5236 *** Already true in Emacs 21.1, but not emphasized clearly enough:
5238 Multibyte buffers can now faithfully record all 256 character codes
5239 from 0 to 255. As a result, most of the past reasons to use unibyte
5240 buffers no longer exist. We only know of three reasons to use them
5243 1. If you prefer to use unibyte text all of the time.
5245 2. For reading files into temporary buffers, when you want to avoid
5246 the time it takes to convert the format.
5248 3. For binary files where format conversion would be pointless and
5251 *** The new variable `auto-coding-functions' lets you specify functions
5252 to examine a file being visited and deduce the proper coding system
5253 for it. (If the coding system is detected incorrectly for a specific
5254 file, you can put a `coding:' tags to override it.)
5256 *** The new variable `ascii-case-table' stores the case table for the
5257 ascii character set. Language environments (such as Turkish) may
5258 alter the case correspondences of ASCII characters. This variable
5259 saves the original ASCII case table before any such changes.
5261 *** The new function `merge-coding-systems' fills in unspecified aspects
5262 of one coding system from another coding system.
5264 *** New coding system property `mime-text-unsuitable' indicates that
5265 the coding system's `mime-charset' is not suitable for MIME text
5268 *** New function `decode-coding-inserted-region' decodes a region as if
5269 it is read from a file without decoding.
5271 *** New CCL functions `lookup-character' and `lookup-integer' access
5272 hash tables defined by the Lisp function `define-translation-hash-table'.
5274 *** New function `quail-find-key' returns a list of keys to type in the
5275 current input method to input a character.
5277 *** `set-buffer-file-coding-system' now takes an additional argument,
5278 NOMODIFY. If it is non-nil, it means don't mark the buffer modified.
5280 ** Operating system access:
5282 *** The new primitive `get-internal-run-time' returns the processor
5283 run time used by Emacs since start-up.
5285 *** Functions `user-uid' and `user-real-uid' now return floats if the
5286 user UID doesn't fit in a Lisp integer. Function `user-full-name'
5287 accepts a float as UID parameter.
5289 *** New function `locale-info' accesses locale information.
5291 *** On MS Windows, locale-coding-system is used to interact with the OS.
5292 The Windows specific variable w32-system-coding-system, which was
5293 formerly used for that purpose is now an alias for locale-coding-system.
5295 *** New function `redirect-debugging-output' can be used to redirect
5296 debugging output on the stderr file handle to a file.
5300 *** New variable `gc-cons-percentage' automatically grows the GC cons threshold
5301 as the heap size increases.
5303 *** New variables `gc-elapsed' and `gcs-done' provide extra information
5304 on garbage collection.
5306 *** The normal hook `post-gc-hook' is run at the end of garbage collection.
5308 The hook is run with GC inhibited, so use it with care.
5312 *** A number of hooks have been renamed to better follow the conventions:
5314 `find-file-hooks' to `find-file-hook',
5315 `find-file-not-found-hooks' to `find-file-not-found-functions',
5316 `write-file-hooks' to `write-file-functions',
5317 `write-contents-hooks' to `write-contents-functions',
5318 `x-lost-selection-hooks' to `x-lost-selection-functions',
5319 `x-sent-selection-hooks' to `x-sent-selection-functions',
5320 `delete-frame-hook' to `delete-frame-functions'.
5322 In each case the old name remains as an alias for the moment.
5324 *** Variable `local-write-file-hooks' is marked obsolete.
5326 Use the LOCAL arg of `add-hook'.
5328 *** New function `x-send-client-message' sends a client message when
5331 * New Packages for Lisp Programming in Emacs 22.1
5333 ** The new library button.el implements simple and fast `clickable
5334 buttons' in Emacs buffers. Buttons are much lighter-weight than the
5335 `widgets' implemented by widget.el, and can be used by lisp code that
5336 doesn't require the full power of widgets. Emacs uses buttons for
5337 such things as help and apropos buffers.
5339 ** The new library tree-widget.el provides a widget to display a set
5340 of hierarchical data as an outline. For example, the tree-widget is
5341 well suited to display a hierarchy of directories and files.
5343 ** The new library bindat.el provides functions to unpack and pack
5344 binary data structures, such as network packets, to and from Lisp
5347 ** master-mode.el implements a minor mode for scrolling a slave
5348 buffer without leaving your current buffer, the master buffer.
5350 It can be used by sql.el, for example: the SQL buffer is the master
5351 and its SQLi buffer is the slave. This allows you to scroll the SQLi
5352 buffer containing the output from the SQL buffer containing the
5355 This is how to use sql.el and master.el together: the variable
5356 sql-buffer contains the slave buffer. It is a local variable in the
5359 (add-hook 'sql-mode-hook
5360 (function (lambda ()
5362 (master-set-slave sql-buffer))))
5363 (add-hook 'sql-set-sqli-hook
5364 (function (lambda ()
5365 (master-set-slave sql-buffer))))
5367 ** The new library benchmark.el does timing measurements on Lisp code.
5369 This includes measuring garbage collection time.
5371 ** The new library testcover.el does test coverage checking.
5373 This is so you can tell whether you've tested all paths in your Lisp
5374 code. It works with edebug.
5376 The function `testcover-start' instruments all functions in a given
5377 file. Then test your code. The function `testcover-mark-all' adds
5378 overlay "splotches" to the Lisp file's buffer to show where coverage
5379 is lacking. The command `testcover-next-mark' (bind it to a key!)
5380 will move point forward to the next spot that has a splotch.
5382 Normally, a red splotch indicates the form was never completely
5383 evaluated; a brown splotch means it always evaluated to the same
5384 value. The red splotches are skipped for forms that can't possibly
5385 complete their evaluation, such as `error'. The brown splotches are
5386 skipped for forms that are expected to always evaluate to the same
5387 value, such as (setq x 14).
5389 For difficult cases, you can add do-nothing macros to your code to
5390 help out the test coverage tool. The macro `noreturn' suppresses a
5391 red splotch. It is an error if the argument to `noreturn' does
5392 return. The macro `1value' suppresses a brown splotch for its argument.
5393 This macro is a no-op except during test-coverage -- then it signals
5394 an error if the argument actually returns differing values.
5398 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
5399 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
5401 GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
5402 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
5403 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
5406 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
5407 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
5408 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
5409 GNU General Public License for more details.
5411 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
5412 along with GNU Emacs; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
5413 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
5414 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
5419 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"
5422 arch-tag: 1aca9dfa-2ac4-4d14-bebf-0007cee12793