*** empty log message ***

[gnu-emacs] / lispref / syntax.texi

diff --git a/lispref/syntax.texi b/lispref/syntax.texi
index b9ac26188d70cf71477ded56eadf961763c4a6e5..a9df79e9f57450d056c63f3a8219ac8e1b365196 100644 (file)
--- a/lispref/syntax.texi
+++ b/lispref/syntax.texi
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @c -*-texinfo-*-
 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
 @c -*-texinfo-*-
 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.

-@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
+@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005

 @c   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
 @setfilename ../info/syntax
 @c   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
 @setfilename ../info/syntax


@@ -135,10 +135,10 @@ modes.
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{word constituent}
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{word constituent}

-@dfn{Word constituents} (designated by @samp{w}) are parts of normal
-English words and are typically used in variable and command names in
-programs.  All upper- and lower-case letters, and the digits, are typically
-word constituents.
+@dfn{Word constituents} (designated by @samp{w}) are parts of words in
+human languages, and are typically used in variable and command names
+in programs.  All upper- and lower-case letters, and the digits, are
+typically word constituents.

 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{symbol constituent}
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{symbol constituent}


@@ -155,9 +155,10 @@ character that is valid in symbols is underscore (@samp{_}).
 @dfn{Punctuation characters} (designated by @samp{.}) are those
 characters that are used as punctuation in English, or are used in some
 way in a programming language to separate symbols from one another.
 @dfn{Punctuation characters} (designated by @samp{.}) are those
 characters that are used as punctuation in English, or are used in some
 way in a programming language to separate symbols from one another.

-Most programming language modes, including Emacs Lisp mode, have no
+Some programming language modes, such as Emacs Lisp mode, have no

 characters in this class since the few characters that are not symbol or
 characters in this class since the few characters that are not symbol or

-word constituents all have other uses.
+word constituents all have other uses.  Other programming language modes,
+such as C mode, use punctuation syntax for operators.

 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{open parenthesis character}
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{open parenthesis character}


@@ -397,10 +398,13 @@ prefix (@samp{'}).  @xref{Motion and Syntax}.
   In this section we describe functions for creating, accessing and
 altering syntax tables.
 
   In this section we describe functions for creating, accessing and
 altering syntax tables.
 

-@defun make-syntax-table
-This function creates a new syntax table.  It inherits the syntax for
-letters and control characters from the standard syntax table.  For
-other characters, the syntax is copied from the standard syntax table.
+@defun make-syntax-table &optional table
+This function creates a new syntax table, with all values initialized
+to @code{nil}.  If @var{table} is non-@code{nil}, it becomes the
+parent of the new syntax table, otherwise the standard syntax table is
+the parent.  Like all char-tables, a syntax table inherits from its
+parent.  Thus the original syntax of all characters in the returned
+syntax table is determined by the parent.  @xref{Char-Tables}.

 
 Most major mode syntax tables are created in this way.
 @end defun
 
 Most major mode syntax tables are created in this way.
 @end defun


@@ -408,7 +412,7 @@ Most major mode syntax tables are created in this way.
 @defun copy-syntax-table &optional table
 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it.  If
 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the
 @defun copy-syntax-table &optional table
 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it.  If
 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the

-current syntax table.  Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table} is
+standard syntax table.  Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table} is

 not a syntax table.
 @end defun
 
 not a syntax table.
 @end defun
 


@@ -425,7 +429,7 @@ This function always returns @code{nil}.  The old syntax information in
 the table for this character is discarded.
 
 An error is signaled if the first character of the syntax descriptor is not
 the table for this character is discarded.
 
 An error is signaled if the first character of the syntax descriptor is not

-one of the twelve syntax class designator characters.  An error is also
+one of the seventeen syntax class designator characters.  An error is also

 signaled if @var{char} is not a character.
 
 @example
 signaled if @var{char} is not a character.
 
 @example


@@ -524,10 +528,12 @@ execution starts.  Other buffers are not affected.
 @section Syntax Properties
 @kindex syntax-table @r{(text property)}
 
 @section Syntax Properties
 @kindex syntax-table @r{(text property)}
 

-When the syntax table is not flexible enough to specify the syntax of a
-language, you can use @code{syntax-table} text properties to override
-the syntax table for specific character occurrences in the buffer.
-@xref{Text Properties}.
+When the syntax table is not flexible enough to specify the syntax of
+a language, you can use @code{syntax-table} text properties to
+override the syntax table for specific character occurrences in the
+buffer.  @xref{Text Properties}.  You can use Font Lock mode to set
+@code{syntax-table} text properties.  @xref{Setting Syntax
+Properties}.

 
 The valid values of @code{syntax-table} text property are:
 
 
 The valid values of @code{syntax-table} text property are:
 


@@ -559,10 +565,11 @@ table.
 have certain syntax classes.
 
 @defun skip-syntax-forward syntaxes &optional limit
 have certain syntax classes.
 
 @defun skip-syntax-forward syntaxes &optional limit

-This function moves point forward across characters having syntax classes
-mentioned in @var{syntaxes}.  It stops when it encounters the end of
-the buffer, or position @var{limit} (if specified), or a character it is
-not supposed to skip.
+This function moves point forward across characters having syntax
+classes mentioned in @var{syntaxes} (a string of syntax code
+characters).  It stops when it encounters the end of the buffer, or
+position @var{limit} (if specified), or a character it is not supposed
+to skip.

 
 If @var{syntaxes} starts with @samp{^}, then the function skips
 characters whose syntax is @emph{not} in @var{syntaxes}.
 
 If @var{syntaxes} starts with @samp{^}, then the function skips
 characters whose syntax is @emph{not} in @var{syntaxes}.


@@ -654,13 +661,13 @@ start of a comment.  If @var{stop-comment} is the symbol
 string, or the end of a comment or a string, whichever comes first.
 
 @cindex parse state
 string, or the end of a comment or a string, whichever comes first.
 
 @cindex parse state

-The fifth argument @var{state} is a nine-element list of the same form
+The fifth argument @var{state} is a ten-element list of the same form

 as the value of this function, described below.  (It is OK to omit the
 as the value of this function, described below.  (It is OK to omit the

-last element of the nine.)  The return value of one call may be used to
-initialize the state of the parse on another call to
+last two elements of this list.)  The return value of one call may be
+used to initialize the state of the parse on another call to

 @code{parse-partial-sexp}.
 
 @code{parse-partial-sexp}.
 

-The result is a list of nine elements describing the final state of
+The result is a list of ten elements describing the final state of

 the parse:
 
 @enumerate 0
 the parse:
 
 @enumerate 0


@@ -697,18 +704,26 @@ that can be nested.
 The minimum parenthesis depth encountered during this scan.
 
 @item
 The minimum parenthesis depth encountered during this scan.
 
 @item

-What kind of comment is active: @code{nil} for a comment of style ``a'',
-@code{t} for a comment of style ``b'', and @code{syntax-table} for
-a comment that should be ended by a generic comment delimiter character.
+What kind of comment is active: @code{nil} for a comment of style
+``a'' or when not inside a comment, @code{t} for a comment of style
+``b'', and @code{syntax-table} for a comment that should be ended by a
+generic comment delimiter character.

 
 @item
 The string or comment start position.  While inside a comment, this is
 the position where the comment began; while inside a string, this is the
 position where the string began.  When outside of strings and comments,
 this element is @code{nil}.
 
 @item
 The string or comment start position.  While inside a comment, this is
 the position where the comment began; while inside a string, this is the
 position where the string began.  When outside of strings and comments,
 this element is @code{nil}.

+
+@item
+Internal data for continuing the parsing.  The meaning of this
+data is subject to change; it is used if you pass this list
+as the @var{state} argument to another call.
+

 @end enumerate
 
 @end enumerate
 

-Elements 0, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are significant in the argument @var{state}.
+Elements 0, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 are significant in the argument
+@var{state}.

 
 @cindex indenting with parentheses
 This function is most often used to compute indentation for languages
 
 @cindex indenting with parentheses
 This function is most often used to compute indentation for languages


@@ -752,22 +767,20 @@ before count is used up, @code{nil} is returned.
 @defvar multibyte-syntax-as-symbol
 @tindex multibyte-syntax-as-symbol
 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{scan-sexps} treats all
 @defvar multibyte-syntax-as-symbol
 @tindex multibyte-syntax-as-symbol
 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{scan-sexps} treats all

-non-@sc{ascii} characters as symbol constituents regardless
+non-@acronym{ASCII} characters as symbol constituents regardless

 of what the syntax table says about them.  (However, text properties
 can still override the syntax.)
 @end defvar
 
 of what the syntax table says about them.  (However, text properties
 can still override the syntax.)
 @end defvar
 

-@defvar parse-sexp-ignore-comments
+@defopt parse-sexp-ignore-comments

 @cindex skipping comments
 If the value is non-@code{nil}, then comments are treated as
 whitespace by the functions in this section and by @code{forward-sexp}.
 @cindex skipping comments
 If the value is non-@code{nil}, then comments are treated as
 whitespace by the functions in this section and by @code{forward-sexp}.

+@end defopt

 
 

-In older Emacs versions, this feature worked only when the comment
-terminator is something like @samp{*/}, and appears only to end a
-comment.  In languages where newlines terminate comments, it was
-necessary make this variable @code{nil}, since not every newline is the
-end of a comment.  This limitation no longer exists.
-@end defvar
+@vindex parse-sexp-lookup-properties
+The behaviour of @code{parse-partial-sexp} is also affected by
+@code{parse-sexp-lookup-properties} (@pxref{Syntax Properties}).

 
 You can use @code{forward-comment} to move forward or backward over
 one comment or several comments.
 
 You can use @code{forward-comment} to move forward or backward over
 one comment or several comments.


@@ -781,7 +794,9 @@ other than a comment or whitespace, it stops, leaving point at the
 place where it stopped.  This includes (for instance) finding the end
 of a comment when moving forward and expecting the beginning of one.
 The function also stops immediately after moving over the specified
 place where it stopped.  This includes (for instance) finding the end
 of a comment when moving forward and expecting the beginning of one.
 The function also stops immediately after moving over the specified

-number of complete comments.
+number of complete comments.  If @var{count} comments are found as
+expected, with nothing except whitespace between them, it returns
+@code{t}; otherwise it returns @code{nil}.

 
 This function cannot tell whether the ``comments'' it traverses are
 embedded within a string.  If they look like comments, it treats them
 
 This function cannot tell whether the ``comments'' it traverses are
 embedded within a string.  If they look like comments, it treats them


@@ -924,6 +939,30 @@ This function returns the internal form @code{(@var{syntax-code} .
 @var{matching-char})} corresponding to the syntax descriptor @var{desc}.
 @end defun
 
 @var{matching-char})} corresponding to the syntax descriptor @var{desc}.
 @end defun
 

+@defun syntax-after pos
+This function returns the syntax code of the character in the buffer
+after position @var{pos}, taking account of syntax properties as well
+as the syntax table.  If @var{pos} is outside the buffer's accessible
+portion (@pxref{Narrowing, accessible portion}), this function returns
+@code{nil}.
+@end defun
+
+@defun syntax-class syntax
+This function returns the syntax class of the syntax code
+@var{syntax}.  (It masks off the high 16 bits that hold the flags
+encoded in the syntax descriptor.)  If @var{syntax} is @code{nil}, it
+returns @code{nil}; this is so evaluating the expression
+
+@example
+(syntax-class (syntax-after pos))
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+where @code{pos} is outside the buffer's accessible portion, will
+yield @code{nil} without throwing errors or producing wrong syntax
+class codes.
+@end defun
+

 @node Categories
 @section Categories
 @cindex categories of characters
 @node Categories
 @section Categories
 @cindex categories of characters


@@ -940,7 +979,7 @@ category table defines its own categories, but normally these are
 initialized by copying from the standard categories table, so that the
 standard categories are available in all modes.
 
 initialized by copying from the standard categories table, so that the
 standard categories are available in all modes.
 

-  Each category has a name, which is an @sc{ascii} printing character in
+  Each category has a name, which is an @acronym{ASCII} printing character in

 the range @w{@samp{ }} to @samp{~}.  You specify the name of a category
 when you define it with @code{define-category}.
 
 the range @w{@samp{ }} to @samp{~}.  You specify the name of a category
 when you define it with @code{define-category}.
 


@@ -951,12 +990,12 @@ belongs to.  In this category set, if the element at index @var{cat} is
 @code{t}, that means category @var{cat} is a member of the set, and that
 character @var{c} belongs to category @var{cat}.
 
 @code{t}, that means category @var{cat} is a member of the set, and that
 character @var{c} belongs to category @var{cat}.
 

+For the next three functions, the optional argument @var{table}
+defaults to the current buffer's category table.
+

 @defun define-category char docstring &optional table
 This function defines a new category, with name @var{char} and
 @defun define-category char docstring &optional table
 This function defines a new category, with name @var{char} and

-documentation @var{docstring}.
-
-The new category is defined for category table @var{table}, which
-defaults to the current buffer's category table.
+documentation @var{docstring}, for the category table @var{table}.

 @end defun
 
 @defun category-docstring category &optional table
 @end defun
 
 @defun category-docstring category &optional table


@@ -971,7 +1010,7 @@ in category table @var{table}.
 @end example
 @end defun
 
 @end example
 @end defun
 

-@defun get-unused-category table
+@defun get-unused-category &optional table

 This function returns a category name (a character) which is not
 currently defined in @var{table}.  If all possible categories are in use
 in @var{table}, it returns @code{nil}.
 This function returns a category name (a character) which is not
 currently defined in @var{table}.  If all possible categories are in use
 in @var{table}, it returns @code{nil}.


@@ -993,7 +1032,7 @@ This function returns the standard category table.
 @defun copy-category-table &optional table
 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it.  If
 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the
 @defun copy-category-table &optional table
 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it.  If
 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the

-current category table.  Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table}
+standard category table.  Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table}

 is not a category table.
 @end defun
 
 is not a category table.
 @end defun
 


@@ -1023,11 +1062,11 @@ other categories.
 @end defun
 
 @defun char-category-set char
 @end defun
 
 @defun char-category-set char

-This function returns the category set for character @var{char}.  This
-is the bool-vector which records which categories the character
-@var{char} belongs to.  The function @code{char-category-set} does not
-allocate storage, because it returns the same bool-vector that exists in
-the category table.
+This function returns the category set for character @var{char} in the
+current buffer's category table.  This is the bool-vector which
+records which categories the character @var{char} belongs to.  The
+function @code{char-category-set} does not allocate storage, because
+it returns the same bool-vector that exists in the category table.

 
 @example
 (char-category-set ?a)
 
 @example
 (char-category-set ?a)


@@ -1056,10 +1095,11 @@ But if @var{reset} is non-@code{nil}, then it deletes @var{category}
 instead.
 @end defun
 
 instead.
 @end defun
 

-@deffn Command describe-categories
+@deffn Command describe-categories &optional buffer-or-name

 This function describes the category specifications in the current
 This function describes the category specifications in the current

-category table.  The descriptions are inserted in a buffer, which is
-then displayed.
+category table.  It inserts the descriptions in a buffer, and then
+displays that buffer.  If @var{buffer-or-name} is non-@code{nil}, it
+describes the category table of that buffer instead.

 @end deffn
 
 @ignore
 @end deffn
 
 @ignore