@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
-@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
@setfilename ../../info/searching
@node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Non-ASCII Characters, Top
@samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else.
@item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??}
+@cindex non-greedy repetition characters in regexp
These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+}
and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible
substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression),
@end example
@end defun
+@defun string-match-p regexp string &optional start
+This predicate function does what @code{string-match} does, but it
+avoids modifying the match data.
+@end defun
+
@defun looking-at regexp
This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly
following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly
This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which
you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}.
-@xref{Match Data}.
+@xref{Match Data}. If you need to test for a match without modifying
+the match data, use @code{looking-at-p}, described below.
In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it
were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}.
@end example
@end defun
-@defun looking-back regexp &optional limit
+@defun looking-back regexp &optional limit greedy
This function returns @code{t} if @var{regexp} matches text before
point, ending at point, and @code{nil} otherwise.
not to search before @var{limit}. In this case, the match that is
found must begin at or after @var{limit}.
+If @var{greedy} is non-@code{nil}, this function extends the match
+backwards as far as possible, stopping when a single additional
+previous character cannot be part of a match for regexp. When the
+match is extended, its starting position is allowed to occur before
+@var{limit}.
+
@example
@group
---------- Buffer: foo ----------
@end example
@end defun
+@defun looking-at-p regexp
+This predicate function works like @code{looking-at}, but without
+updating the match data.
+@end defun
+
@defvar search-spaces-regexp
If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
that says how to search for whitespace. In that case, any group of
functions only when you really need the longest match.
The POSIX search and match functions do not properly support the
-non-greedy repetition operators. This is because POSIX backtracking
-conflicts with the semantics of non-greedy repetition.
+non-greedy repetition operators (@pxref{Regexp Special, non-greedy}).
+This is because POSIX backtracking conflicts with the semantics of
+non-greedy repetition.
@defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full
(re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
(match-beginning 0)
(match-beginning 1))
- @result{} (9 9 13)
+ @result{} (17 9 13)
@end group
@group
Display some help, then ask again.
@end table
+@defvar multi-query-replace-map
+This variable holds a keymap that extends @code{query-replace-map} by
+providing additional keybindings that are useful in multi-buffer
+replacements.
+@end defvar
+
@defvar replace-search-function
This variable specifies a function that @code{perform-replace} calls
to search for the next string to replace. Its default value is