inputs. It's the Lisp programmer's job to specify the right history
list for each use of the minibuffer.
- The basic minibuffer input functions @code{read-from-minibuffer} and
-@code{completing-read} both accept an optional argument named @var{hist}
-which is how you specify the history list. Here are the possible
-values:
+ You specify the history list with the optional @var{hist} argument
+to either @code{read-from-minibuffer} or @code{completing-read}. Here
+are the possible values for it:
@table @asis
@item @var{variable}
@node Basic Completion
@subsection Basic Completion Functions
- The functions @code{try-completion}, @code{all-completions} and
-@code{test-completion} have nothing in themselves to do with
-minibuffers. We describe them in this chapter so as to keep them near
-the higher-level completion features that do use the minibuffer.
+ The completion functions @code{try-completion},
+@code{all-completions} and @code{test-completion} have nothing in
+themselves to do with minibuffers. We describe them in this chapter
+so as to keep them near the higher-level completion features that do
+use the minibuffer.
@defun try-completion string collection &optional predicate
This function returns the longest common substring of all possible
Here are two examples of use:
-@example
+@smallexample
(defvar foo (lazy-completion-table foo make-my-alist 'global))
(make-local-variable 'bar)
(setq bar (lazy-completion-table foo make-my-alist 'local)
-@end example
+@end smallexample
@end defmac
@node Minibuffer Completion
If the user then types @kbd{@key{DEL} @key{DEL} b @key{RET}},
@code{completing-read} returns @code{barfoo}.
-The @code{completing-read} function binds three variables to pass
-information to the commands that actually do completion. These
-variables are @code{minibuffer-completion-table},
-@code{minibuffer-completion-predicate} and
-@code{minibuffer-completion-confirm}. For more information about them,
-see @ref{Completion Commands}.
+The @code{completing-read} function binds variables to pass
+information to the commands that actually do completion.
+They are described in the following section.
@end defun
@node Completion Commands
emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for a short description of Partial
Completion mode.
-@defvar minibuffer-local-completion-map
-@code{completing-read} uses this value as the local keymap when an
-exact match of one of the completions is not required. By default, this
-keymap makes the following bindings:
-
-@table @asis
-@item @kbd{?}
-@code{minibuffer-completion-help}
-
-@item @key{SPC}
-@code{minibuffer-complete-word}
-
-@item @key{TAB}
-@code{minibuffer-complete}
-@end table
-
-@noindent
-with other characters bound as in @code{minibuffer-local-map}
-(@pxref{Definition of minibuffer-local-map}).
-@end defvar
-
-@defvar minibuffer-local-must-match-map
-@code{completing-read} uses this value as the local keymap when an
-exact match of one of the completions is required. Therefore, no keys
-are bound to @code{exit-minibuffer}, the command that exits the
-minibuffer unconditionally. By default, this keymap makes the following
-bindings:
-
-@table @asis
-@item @kbd{?}
-@code{minibuffer-completion-help}
-
-@item @key{SPC}
-@code{minibuffer-complete-word}
-
-@item @key{TAB}
-@code{minibuffer-complete}
-
-@item @kbd{C-j}
-@code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit}
-
-@item @key{RET}
-@code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit}
-@end table
-
-@noindent
-with other characters bound as in @code{minibuffer-local-map}.
-@end defvar
-
@defvar minibuffer-completion-table
The value of this variable is the collection used for completion in
the minibuffer. This is the global variable that contains what
minibuffer completion functions.
@end defvar
+@defvar minibuffer-completion-confirm
+When the value of this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs asks for
+confirmation of a completion before exiting the minibuffer.
+@code{completing-read} binds this variable, and the function
+@code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit} checks the value before exiting.
+@end defvar
+
@deffn Command minibuffer-complete-word
This function completes the minibuffer contents by at most a single
word. Even if the minibuffer contents have only one completion,
when run twice in succession.
@end deffn
-@defvar minibuffer-completion-confirm
-When the value of this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs asks for
-confirmation of a completion before exiting the minibuffer. The
-function @code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit} checks the value of this
-variable before it exits.
-@end defvar
-
@deffn Command minibuffer-completion-help
This function creates a list of the possible completions of the
current minibuffer contents. It works by calling @code{all-completions}
can be completed because the next character is not uniquely determined.
@end defopt
+@defvar minibuffer-local-completion-map
+@code{completing-read} uses this value as the local keymap when an
+exact match of one of the completions is not required. By default, this
+keymap makes the following bindings:
+
+@table @asis
+@item @kbd{?}
+@code{minibuffer-completion-help}
+
+@item @key{SPC}
+@code{minibuffer-complete-word}
+
+@item @key{TAB}
+@code{minibuffer-complete}
+@end table
+
+@noindent
+with other characters bound as in @code{minibuffer-local-map}
+(@pxref{Definition of minibuffer-local-map}).
+@end defvar
+
+@defvar minibuffer-local-must-match-map
+@code{completing-read} uses this value as the local keymap when an
+exact match of one of the completions is required. Therefore, no keys
+are bound to @code{exit-minibuffer}, the command that exits the
+minibuffer unconditionally. By default, this keymap makes the following
+bindings:
+
+@table @asis
+@item @kbd{?}
+@code{minibuffer-completion-help}
+
+@item @key{SPC}
+@code{minibuffer-complete-word}
+
+@item @key{TAB}
+@code{minibuffer-complete}
+
+@item @kbd{C-j}
+@code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit}
+
+@item @key{RET}
+@code{minibuffer-complete-and-exit}
+@end table
+
+@noindent
+with other characters bound as in @code{minibuffer-local-map}.
+@end defvar
+
@node High-Level Completion
@subsection High-Level Completion Functions