@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004
-@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003,
+@c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
@setfilename ../info/keymaps
@node Keymaps, Modes, Command Loop, Top
* Inheritance and Keymaps:: How one keymap can inherit the bindings
of another keymap.
* Prefix Keys:: Defining a key with a keymap as its definition.
-* Active Keymaps:: Each buffer has a local keymap
+* Active Keymaps:: How Emacs searches the active keymaps
+ for a key binding.
+* Searching Keymaps:: A pseudo-Lisp summary of searching active maps.
+* Controlling Active Maps:: Each buffer has a local keymap
to override the standard (global) bindings.
A minor mode can also override them.
-* Key Lookup:: How extracting elements from keymaps works.
+* Key Lookup:: Finding a key's binding in one keymap.
* Functions for Key Lookup:: How to request key lookup.
* Changing Key Bindings:: Redefining a key in a keymap.
* Remapping Commands:: Bindings that translate one command to another.
bindings. A keymap with such a char-table is called a @dfn{full
keymap}. Other keymaps are called @dfn{sparse keymaps}.
-When a keymap contains a char-table vector, it always defines a
-binding for each character without modifiers. However, if the binding
-is @code{nil}, it doesn't constitute a definition. @code{nil} takes
-precedence over a default binding or a binding in the parent keymap.
-So in a full keymap, default bindings are not meaningful for
-characters without modifiers. They can still apply to characters with
-modifier bits and to non-character events. A binding of @code{nil}
-does @emph{not} override lower-precedence keymaps; thus, if the local
-map gives a binding of @code{nil}, Emacs uses the binding from the
-global map.
-
@item @var{string}
@cindex keymap prompt string
@cindex overall prompt string
use the keymap as a menu. @xref{Defining Menus}.
@end table
+When the binding is @code{nil}, it doesn't constitute a definition
+but it does take precedence over a default binding or a binding in the
+parent keymap. On the other hand, a binding of @code{nil} does
+@emph{not} override lower-precedence keymaps; thus, if the local map
+gives a binding of @code{nil}, Emacs uses the binding from the
+global map.
+
@cindex meta characters lookup
Keymaps do not directly record bindings for the meta characters.
Instead, meta characters are regarded for purposes of key lookup as
Here we describe the functions for creating keymaps.
-@c ??? This should come after make-sparse-keymap
-@defun make-keymap &optional prompt
-This function creates and returns a new full keymap. That keymap
-contains a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with slots for all
-characters without modifiers. The new keymap initially binds all
-these characters to @code{nil}, and does not bind any other kind of
-event.
+@defun make-sparse-keymap &optional prompt
+This function creates and returns a new sparse keymap with no entries.
+(A sparse keymap is the kind of keymap you usually want.) The new
+keymap does not contain a char-table, unlike @code{make-keymap}, and
+does not bind any events.
@example
@group
-(make-keymap)
- @result{} (keymap #^[t nil nil nil @dots{} nil nil keymap])
+(make-sparse-keymap)
+ @result{} (keymap)
@end group
@end example
(@pxref{Defining Menus}).
@end defun
-@defun make-sparse-keymap &optional prompt
-This function creates and returns a new sparse keymap with no entries.
-The new keymap does not contain a char-table, unlike @code{make-keymap},
-and does not bind any events. The argument @var{prompt} specifies a
-prompt string, as in @code{make-keymap}.
+@defun make-keymap &optional prompt
+This function creates and returns a new full keymap. That keymap
+contains a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with slots for all
+characters without modifiers. The new keymap initially binds all
+these characters to @code{nil}, and does not bind any other kind of
+event. The argument @var{prompt} specifies a
+prompt string, as in @code{make-sparse-keymap}.
@example
@group
-(make-sparse-keymap)
- @result{} (keymap)
+(make-keymap)
+ @result{} (keymap #^[t nil nil nil @dots{} nil nil keymap])
@end group
@end example
+
+A full keymap is more efficient than a sparse keymap when it holds
+lots of bindings; for just a few, the sparse keymap is better.
@end defun
@defun copy-keymap keymap
@cindex local keymap
Emacs normally contains many keymaps; at any given time, just a few
-of them are @dfn{active} in that they participate in the
+of them are @dfn{active}, meaning that they participate in the
interpretation of user input. All the active keymaps are used
together to determine what command to execute when a key is entered.
Emacs searches these keymaps one by one, in a standard order, until it
-finds a binding in one of the keymaps. (Searching a single keymap for a
-binding is called @dfn{key lookup}; see @ref{Key Lookup}.)
+finds a binding in one of the keymaps.
Normally the active keymaps are the @code{keymap} property keymap,
the keymaps of any enabled minor modes, the current buffer's local
keymap, and the global keymap, in that order. Therefore, Emacs
-searches for each input key sequence in all these keymaps.
+searches for each input key sequence in all these keymaps. Here is a
+pseudo-Lisp description of how this process works:
+
+@lisp
+(or (if overriding-terminal-local-map
+ (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map)
+ (if overriding-local-map
+ (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map)
+ (or (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'keymap))
+ (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists)
+ (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist)
+ (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist)
+ (if (get-text-property (point) 'local-map)
+ (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'local-map))
+ (@var{find-in} (current-local-map))))))
+ (@var{find-in} (current-global-map)))
+@end lisp
+
+@noindent
+Here, the pseudo-function @var{find-in} means to look up the key
+sequence in a single map, and @var{find-in-any} means to search the
+appropriate keymaps from an alist. (Searching a single keymap for a
+binding is called @dfn{key lookup}; see @ref{Key Lookup}.)
The @dfn{global keymap} holds the bindings of keys that are defined
regardless of the current buffer, such as @kbd{C-f}. The variable
text or overlay property. If that is non-@code{nil}, it is the first
keymap to be processed, in normal circumstances.
- However, there are also special ways for program can to substitute
+ However, there are also special ways for programs to substitute
other keymaps for some of those. The variable
@code{overriding-local-map}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap
that replaces all the usual active keymaps except the global keymap.
@xref{Standard Keymaps}, for a list of standard keymaps.
+@defun current-active-maps &optional olp
+This returns the list of active keymaps that would be used by the
+command loop in the current circumstances to look up a key sequence.
+Normally it ignores @code{overriding-local-map} and
+@code{overriding-terminal-local-map}, but if @var{olp} is
+non-@code{nil} then it pays attention to them.
+@end defun
+
+@defun key-binding key &optional accept-defaults no-remap
+This function returns the binding for @var{key} according to the
+current active keymaps. The result is @code{nil} if @var{key} is
+undefined in the keymaps.
+
+@c Emacs 19 feature
+The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default
+bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (above).
+
+When commands are remapped (@pxref{Remapping Commands}),
+@code{key-binding} normally processes command remappings so as to
+returns the remapped command that will actually be executed. However,
+if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}, @code{key-binding} ignores
+remappings and returns the binding directly specified for @var{key}.
+
+An error is signaled if @var{key} is not a string or a vector.
+
+@example
+@group
+(key-binding "\C-x\C-f")
+ @result{} find-file
+@end group
+@end example
+@end defun
+
+@node Searching Keymaps
+@section Searching the Active Keymaps
+
+ After translation of the input events (@pxref{Translating Input})
+Emacs looks for them in the active keymaps. Here is a pseudo-Lisp
+description of the order in which the active keymaps are searched:
+
+@lisp
+(or (if overriding-terminal-local-map
+ (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map)
+ (if overriding-local-map
+ (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map)
+ (or (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'keymap))
+ (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists)
+ (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist)
+ (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist)
+ (if (get-text-property (point) 'local-map)
+ (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'local-map))
+ (@var{find-in} (current-local-map))))))
+ (@var{find-in} (current-global-map)))
+@end lisp
+
+@noindent
+The @var{find-in} and @var{find-in-any} are pseudo functions that
+search in one keymap and in an alist of keymaps, respectively.
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+The function finally found may be remapped
+(@pxref{Remapping Commands}).
+
+@item
+Characters that are bound to @code{self-insert-command} are translated
+according to @code{translation-table-for-input} before insertion.
+
+@item
+@code{current-active-maps} returns a list of the
+currently active keymaps at point.
+
+@item
+When a match is found (@pxref{Key Lookup}), if the binding in the
+keymap is a function, the search is over. However if the keymap entry
+is a symbol with a value or a string, Emacs replaces the input key
+sequences with the variable's value or the string, and restarts the
+search of the active keymaps.
+@end enumerate
+
+@node Controlling Active Maps
+@section Controlling the Active Keymaps
+
@defvar global-map
This variable contains the default global keymap that maps Emacs
-keyboard input to commands. The global keymap is normally this keymap.
-The default global keymap is a full keymap that binds
+keyboard input to commands. The global keymap is normally this
+keymap. The default global keymap is a full keymap that binds
@code{self-insert-command} to all of the printing characters.
It is normal practice to change the bindings in the global keymap, but you
@c Emacs 19 feature
@defvar minor-mode-map-alist
+@anchor{Definition of minor-mode-map-alist}
This variable is an alist describing keymaps that may or may not be
active according to the values of certain variables. Its elements look
like this:
@cindex keymap entry
@dfn{Key lookup} is the process of finding the binding of a key
-sequence from a given keymap. Actual execution of the binding is not
-part of key lookup.
+sequence from a given keymap. The execution or use of the binding is
+not part of key lookup.
Key lookup uses just the event type of each event in the key sequence;
the rest of the event is ignored. In fact, a key sequence used for key
lookup may designate a mouse event with just its types (a symbol)
instead of the entire event (a list). @xref{Input Events}. Such
-a ``key-sequence'' is insufficient for @code{command-execute} to run,
+a ``key sequence'' is insufficient for @code{command-execute} to run,
but it is sufficient for looking up or rebinding a key.
When the key sequence consists of multiple events, key lookup
@item
@cindex @code{lambda} in keymap
If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is @code{lambda}, then the list is a
-lambda expression. This is presumed to be a command, and is treated as
-such (see above).
+lambda expression. This is presumed to be a function, and is treated
+as such (see above). In order to execute properly as a key binding,
+this function must be a command---it must have an @code{interactive}
+specification. @xref{Defining Commands}.
@item
If the @sc{car} of @var{list} is a keymap and the @sc{cdr} is an event
not cause an error.
@end deffn
-@defun key-binding key &optional accept-defaults no-remap
-This function returns the binding for @var{key} in the current
-keymaps, trying all the active keymaps. The result is @code{nil} if
-@var{key} is undefined in the keymaps.
-
-@c Emacs 19 feature
-The argument @var{accept-defaults} controls checking for default
-bindings, as in @code{lookup-key} (above).
-
-When commands are remapped (@pxref{Remapping Commands}),
-@code{key-binding} normally processes command remappings so as to
-returns the remapped command that will actually be executed. However,
-if @var{no-remap} is non-@code{nil}, @code{key-binding} ignores
-remappings and returns the binding directly specified for @var{key}.
-
-An error is signaled if @var{key} is not a string or a vector.
-
-@example
-@group
-(key-binding "\C-x\C-f")
- @result{} find-file
-@end group
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-@defun current-active-maps &optional olp
-This returns the list of keymaps that would be used by the command
-loop in the current circumstances to look up a key sequence. Normally
-it ignores @code{overriding-local-map} and
-@code{overriding-terminal-local-map}, but if @var{olp} is
-non-@code{nil} then it pays attention to them.
-@end defun
-
@defun local-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults
This function returns the binding for @var{key} in the current
local keymap, or @code{nil} if it is undefined there.
@defvar meta-prefix-char
@cindex @key{ESC}
-This variable is the meta-prefix character code. It is used when
+This variable is the meta-prefix character code. It is used for
translating a meta character to a two-character sequence so it can be
-looked up in a keymap. For useful results, the value should be a prefix
-event (@pxref{Prefix Keys}). The default value is 27, which is the
-@acronym{ASCII} code for @key{ESC}.
+looked up in a keymap. For useful results, the value should be a
+prefix event (@pxref{Prefix Keys}). The default value is 27, which is
+the @acronym{ASCII} code for @key{ESC}.
As long as the value of @code{meta-prefix-char} remains 27, key lookup
translates @kbd{M-b} into @kbd{@key{ESC} b}, which is normally defined
The function @code{substitute-key-definition} scans a keymap for
keys that have a certain binding and rebinds them with a different
-binding. Another feature you can use for similar effects, but which
-is often cleaner, is to add a binding that remaps a command
-(@pxref{Remapping Commands}).
+binding. Another feature which is cleaner and can often produce the
+same results to remap one command into another (@pxref{Remapping
+Commands}).
@defun substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap &optional oldmap
@cindex replace bindings
instead of @code{kill-line} and @code{kill-word}. It can establish
this by making these two command-remapping bindings in its keymap:
-@example
+@smallexample
(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line)
(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-word] 'my-kill-word)
-@end example
+@end smallexample
Whenever @code{my-mode-map} is an active keymap, if the user types
@kbd{C-k}, Emacs will find the standard global binding of
Remapping only works through a single level. In other words,
-@example
+@smallexample
(define-key my-mode-map [remap kill-line] 'my-kill-line)
(define-key my-mode-map [remap my-kill-line] 'my-other-kill-line)
-@end example
+@end smallexample
@noindent
does not have the effect of remapping @code{kill-line} into
construct the key sequence string using @code{multibyte-char-to-unibyte}
or @code{string-make-unibyte} (@pxref{Converting Representations}).
-@deffn Command global-set-key key definition
+@deffn Command global-set-key key binding
This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current global map
-to @var{definition}.
+to @var{binding}.
@smallexample
@group
-(global-set-key @var{key} @var{definition})
+(global-set-key @var{key} @var{binding})
@equiv{}
-(define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} @var{definition})
+(define-key (current-global-map) @var{key} @var{binding})
@end group
@end smallexample
@end deffn
@end smallexample
@end deffn
-@deffn Command local-set-key key definition
+@deffn Command local-set-key key binding
This function sets the binding of @var{key} in the current local
-keymap to @var{definition}.
+keymap to @var{binding}.
@smallexample
@group
-(local-set-key @var{key} @var{definition})
+(local-set-key @var{key} @var{binding})
@equiv{}
-(define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} @var{definition})
+(define-key (current-local-map) @var{key} @var{binding})
@end group
@end smallexample
@end deffn
The property value @var{filter-fn} should be a function of one argument;
when it is called, its argument will be @var{real-binding}. The
function should return the binding to use instead.
+
+Emacs can call this function at any time that it does redisplay or
+operates on menu data structures, so you should write it so it can
+safely be called at any time.
@end table
@node Menu Separators
parameter must be greater than zero. Emacs uses just one line for the
menu bar itself; if you specify more than one line, the other lines
serve to separate the menu bar from the windows in the frame. We
-recommend 1 or 2 as the value of @code{menu-bar-lines}. @xref{Window Frame
+recommend 1 or 2 as the value of @code{menu-bar-lines}. @xref{Layout
Parameters}.
Here's an example of setting up a menu bar item:
@defvar tool-bar-button-relief
This variable specifies the shadow width for tool bar items.
The value is an integer, a number of pixels. The default is 1.
+@end defvar
+
+@tindex tool-bar-border
+@defvar tool-bar-border
+This variable specifies the height of the border drawn below the tool
+bar area. An integer value specifies height as a number of pixels.
+If the value is one of @code{internal-border-width} (the default) or
+@code{border-width}, the tool bar border height corresponds to the
+corresponding frame parameter.
@end defvar
You can define a special meaning for clicking on a tool bar item with