@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
-@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
+@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
@setfilename ../info/positions
@node Positions, Markers, Frames, Top
often speak of the character ``at'' a position, meaning the character
after that position.
- Positions are usually represented as integers starting from 1, but can
-also be represented as @dfn{markers}---special objects that relocate
-automatically when text is inserted or deleted so they stay with the
-surrounding characters. Functions that expect an argument to be a
-position (an integer), but accept a marker as a substitute, normally
-ignore the marker buffer. Of course, markers used this way usually
-point to a position in the buffer that the function operates on, but
-that is entirely the programmer's responsibility. @xref{Markers}.
+ Positions are usually represented as integers starting from 1, but
+can also be represented as @dfn{markers}---special objects that
+relocate automatically when text is inserted or deleted so they stay
+with the surrounding characters. Functions that expect an argument to
+be a position (an integer), but accept a marker as a substitute,
+normally ignore which buffer the marker points into; they convert the
+marker to an integer, and use that integer, exactly as if you had
+passed the integer as the argument, even if the marker points to the
+``wrong'' buffer. A marker that points nowhere cannot convert to an
+integer; using it instead of an integer causes an error.
+@xref{Markers}.
See also the ``field'' feature (@pxref{Fields}), which provides
functions that are used by many cursor-motion commands.
@c @kindex end-of-buffer
This function moves point @var{count} characters forward, towards the
end of the buffer (or backward, towards the beginning of the buffer, if
-@var{count} is negative). If the function attempts to move point past
-the beginning or end of the buffer (or the limits of the accessible
-portion, when narrowing is in effect), an error is signaled with error
-code @code{beginning-of-buffer} or @code{end-of-buffer}.
+@var{count} is negative). If @var{count} is @code{nil}, the default
+is 1.
+
+If this attempts to move past the beginning or end of the buffer (or
+the limits of the accessible portion, when narrowing is in effect), it
+signals an error with error symbol @code{beginning-of-buffer} or
+@code{end-of-buffer}.
In an interactive call, @var{count} is the numeric prefix argument.
@end deffn
@deffn Command backward-char &optional count
-This function moves point @var{count} characters backward, towards the
-beginning of the buffer (or forward, towards the end of the buffer, if
-@var{count} is negative). If the function attempts to move point past
-the beginning or end of the buffer (or the limits of the accessible
-portion, when narrowing is in effect), an error is signaled with error
-code @code{beginning-of-buffer} or @code{end-of-buffer}.
-
-In an interactive call, @var{count} is the numeric prefix argument.
+This is just like @code{forward-char} except that it moves
+in the opposite direction.
@end deffn
@node Word Motion
@deffn Command forward-word &optional count
This function moves point forward @var{count} words (or backward if
-@var{count} is negative). ``Moving one word'' means moving until point
-crosses a word-constituent character and then encounters a
-word-separator character. However, this function cannot move point past
-the boundary of the accessible portion of the buffer, or across a field
-boundary (@pxref{Fields}). The most common case of a field boundary is
-the end of the prompt in the minibuffer.
+@var{count} is negative). If @var{count} is @code{nil}, it moves
+forward one word.
+
+``Moving one word'' means moving until point crosses a
+word-constituent character and then encounters a word-separator
+character. However, this function cannot move point past the boundary
+of the accessible portion of the buffer, or across a field boundary
+(@pxref{Fields}). The most common case of a field boundary is the end
+of the prompt in the minibuffer.
If it is possible to move @var{count} words, without being stopped
prematurely by the buffer boundary or a field boundary, the value is
@deffn Command beginning-of-buffer &optional n
This function moves point to the beginning of the buffer (or the limits
of the accessible portion, when narrowing is in effect), setting the
-mark at the previous position. If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, then it
-puts point @var{n} tenths of the way from the beginning of the
-accessible portion of the buffer.
+mark at the previous position (except in Transient Mark mode, if
+the mark is already active, it does not set the mark.)
-In an interactive call, @var{n} is the numeric prefix argument,
-if provided; otherwise @var{n} defaults to @code{nil}.
+If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, then it puts point @var{n} tenths of the
+way from the beginning of the accessible portion of the buffer. In an
+interactive call, @var{n} is the numeric prefix argument, if provided;
+otherwise @var{n} defaults to @code{nil}.
@strong{Warning:} Don't use this function in Lisp programs!
@end deffn
@deffn Command end-of-buffer &optional n
-This function moves point to the end of the buffer (or the limits of the
-accessible portion, when narrowing is in effect), setting the mark at
-the previous position. If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, then it puts point
-@var{n} tenths of the way from the end of the accessible portion of the
-buffer.
+This function moves point to the end of the buffer (or the limits of
+the accessible portion, when narrowing is in effect), setting the mark
+at the previous position (except in Transient Mark mode when the mark
+is already active). If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, then it puts point
+@var{n} tenths of the way from the end of the accessible portion of
+the buffer.
In an interactive call, @var{n} is the numeric prefix argument,
if provided; otherwise @var{n} defaults to @code{nil}.
the line. If @var{count} is negative, it moves point
@minus{}@var{count} lines backward, to the beginning of a line. If
@var{count} is zero, it moves point to the beginning of the current
-line.
+line. If @var{count} is @code{nil}, that means 1.
If @code{forward-line} encounters the beginning or end of the buffer (or
of the accessible portion) before finding that many lines, it sets point
@defun count-lines start end
@cindex lines in region
+@anchor{Definition of count-lines}
This function returns the number of lines between the positions
@var{start} and @var{end} in the current buffer. If @var{start} and
@var{end} are equal, then it returns 0. Otherwise it returns at least
@defun line-number-at-pos &optional pos
@cindex line number
This function returns the line number in the current buffer
-corresponding the buffer position @var{pos}. If @var{pos} is @code{nil}
+corresponding to the buffer position @var{pos}. If @var{pos} is @code{nil}
or omitted, the current buffer position is used.
@end defun
the form @code{(@var{hpos} . @var{vpos})}.
The argument @var{width} is the number of columns available to display
-text; this affects handling of continuation lines. Use the value
-returned by @code{window-width} for the window of your choice;
-normally, use @code{(window-width @var{window})}.
+text; this affects handling of continuation lines. @code{nil} means
+the actual number of usable text columns in the window, which is
+equivalent to the value returned by @code{(window-width window)}.
The argument @var{offsets} is either @code{nil} or a cons cell of the
form @code{(@var{hscroll} . @var{tab-offset})}. Here @var{hscroll} is
When you use @code{compute-motion} for the minibuffer, you need to use
@code{minibuffer-prompt-width} to get the horizontal position of the
-beginning of the first screen line. @xref{Minibuffer Misc}.
+beginning of the first screen line. @xref{Minibuffer Contents}.
@end defun
@node List Motion
@deffn Command beginning-of-defun &optional arg
This function moves back to the @var{arg}th beginning of a defun. If
@var{arg} is negative, this actually moves forward, but it still moves
-to the beginning of a defun, not to the end of one.
+to the beginning of a defun, not to the end of one. @var{arg} defaults
+to 1.
@end deffn
@deffn Command end-of-defun &optional arg
This function moves forward to the @var{arg}th end of a defun. If
@var{arg} is negative, this actually moves backward, but it still moves
-to the end of a defun, not to the beginning of one.
+to the end of a defun, not to the beginning of one. @var{arg} defaults
+to 1.
@end deffn
@defopt defun-prompt-regexp
-If non-@code{nil}, this variable holds a regular expression that
-specifies what text can appear before the open-parenthesis that starts a
-defun. That is to say, a defun begins on a line that starts with a
-match for this regular expression, followed by a character with
-open-parenthesis syntax.
+If non-@code{nil}, this buffer-local variable holds a regular
+expression that specifies what text can appear before the
+open-parenthesis that starts a defun. That is to say, a defun begins
+on a line that starts with a match for this regular expression,
+followed by a character with open-parenthesis syntax.
@end defopt
@defopt open-paren-in-column-0-is-defun-start
continues until it reaches a character that does not match. The
function returns the number of characters moved over.
-The argument @var{character-set} is like the inside of a
-@samp{[@dots{}]} in a regular expression except that @samp{]} is never
-special and @samp{\} quotes @samp{^}, @samp{-} or @samp{\}. Thus,
-@code{"a-zA-Z"} skips over all letters, stopping before the first
-nonletter, and @code{"^a-zA-Z"} skips nonletters stopping before the
-first letter. @xref{Regular Expressions}.
+The argument @var{character-set} is a string, like the inside of a
+@samp{[@dots{}]} in a regular expression except that @samp{]} does not
+terminate it, and @samp{\} quotes @samp{^}, @samp{-} or @samp{\}.
+Thus, @code{"a-zA-Z"} skips over all letters, stopping before the
+first nonletter, and @code{"^a-zA-Z"} skips nonletters stopping before
+the first letter. See @xref{Regular Expressions}. Character classes
+can also be used, e.g. @code{"[:alnum:]"}. See @pxref{Char Classes}.
If @var{limit} is supplied (it must be a number or a marker), it
specifies the maximum position in the buffer that point can be skipped
---------- Buffer: foo ----------
@end group
@end example
-
-Note that char classes are not currently supported in
-@var{character-set}; they will be treated as literals. Thus you
-cannot use @code{"[:alpha:]"} instead of @code{"a-zA-Z"} to include
-non-@acronym{ASCII} letters. A way to skip forward over all letters is:
-
-@example
-(re-search-forward "\\=[[:alpha:]]*" nil t)
-@end example
@end defun
@defun skip-chars-backward character-set &optional limit
described elsewhere (see @ref{Window Configurations}, and @pxref{Frame
Configurations}).
-@defspec save-excursion forms@dots{}
+@defspec save-excursion body@dots{}
@cindex mark excursion
@cindex point excursion
@cindex current buffer excursion
The @code{save-excursion} special form saves the identity of the current
buffer and the values of point and the mark in it, evaluates
-@var{forms}, and finally restores the buffer and its saved values of
+@var{body}, and finally restores the buffer and its saved values of
point and the mark. All three saved values are restored even in case of
an abnormal exit via @code{throw} or error (@pxref{Nonlocal Exits}).
use @code{save-window-excursion} inside @code{save-excursion}
(@pxref{Window Configurations}).
-The value returned by @code{save-excursion} is the result of the last of
-@var{forms}, or @code{nil} if no @var{forms} are given.
+The value returned by @code{save-excursion} is the result of the last
+form in @var{body}, or @code{nil} if no body forms were given.
@example
@group