@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1990-1995, 1998-1999, 2001-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
-@node Symbols, Evaluation, Hash Tables, Top
+@node Symbols
@chapter Symbols
@cindex symbol
for recording miscellaneous information.
@end menu
-@node Symbol Components, Definitions, Symbols, Symbols
+@node Symbol Components
@section Symbol Components
@cindex symbol components
@code{symbol-function} (@pxref{Function Cells}).
The property list cell normally should hold a correctly formatted
-property list. To get a symbol's function cell, use the function
+property list. To get a symbol's property list, use the function
@code{symbol-plist}. @xref{Property Lists}.
The function cell or the value cell may be @dfn{void}, which means
@result{} #<subr buffer-file-name>
@end example
-@node Definitions, Creating Symbols, Symbol Components, Symbols
+@node Definitions
@section Defining Symbols
@cindex definitions of symbols
@code{defun} defines a symbol as a function, creating a lambda
expression and storing it in the function cell of the symbol. This
lambda expression thus becomes the function definition of the symbol.
-(The term ``function definition,'' meaning the contents of the function
+(The term ``function definition'', meaning the contents of the function
cell, is derived from the idea that @code{defun} gives the symbol its
definition as a function.) @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias} are two
other ways of defining a function. @xref{Functions}.
containing links to the relevant variable, function, or macro
definitions. @xref{Name Help,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
-@node Creating Symbols, Property Lists, Definitions, Symbols
+@node Creating Symbols
@section Creating and Interning Symbols
@cindex reading symbols
the function returns @var{name} if @var{name} is interned
in the specified obarray, and otherwise @code{nil}.
-@smallexample
+@example
(intern-soft "frazzle") ; @r{No such symbol exists.}
@result{} nil
(make-symbol "frazzle") ; @r{Create an uninterned one.}
(eq sym 'frazzle) ; @r{And it is the same one.}
@result{} t
@end group
-@end smallexample
+@end example
@end defun
@defvar obarray
omitted, it defaults to the value of @code{obarray}, the standard
obarray for ordinary symbols.
-@smallexample
+@example
(setq count 0)
@result{} 0
(defun count-syms (s)
@result{} nil
count
@result{} 1871
-@end smallexample
+@end example
See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for another
example using @code{mapatoms}.
it returns @code{nil}.
@end defun
-@node Property Lists,, Creating Symbols, Symbols
+@node Property Lists
@section Property Lists
@cindex property list
@cindex plist
Normally, @var{plist} should be a well-formed property list, but this is
not enforced. The return value is @var{plist}.
-@smallexample
+@example
(setplist 'foo '(a 1 b (2 3) c nil))
@result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
(symbol-plist 'foo)
@result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
-@end smallexample
+@end example
For symbols in special obarrays, which are not used for ordinary
purposes, it may make sense to use the property list cell in a
See @code{put} for an example.
@end defun
+@defun function-get symbol property
+This function is identical to @code{get}, except that if @var{symbol}
+is the name of a function alias, it looks in the property list of the
+symbol naming the actual function. @xref{Defining Functions}.
+@end defun
+
@defun put symbol property value
This function puts @var{value} onto @var{symbol}'s property list under
the property name @var{property}, replacing any previous property value.
The @code{put} function returns @var{value}.
-@smallexample
+@example
(put 'fly 'verb 'transitive)
@result{}'transitive
(put 'fly 'noun '(a buzzing little bug))
@result{} transitive
(symbol-plist 'fly)
@result{} (verb transitive noun (a buzzing little bug))
-@end smallexample
+@end example
@end defun
@node Other Plists
@subsection Property Lists Outside Symbols
These functions are useful for manipulating property lists
-that are stored in places other than symbols:
+not stored in symbols:
@defun plist-get plist property
This returns the value of the @var{property} property stored in the