1 This is ../info/lispref.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from
4 INFO-DIR-SECTION XEmacs Editor
6 * Lispref: (lispref). XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual.
11 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual Second Edition (v2.01), May 1993 GNU
12 Emacs Lisp Reference Manual Further Revised (v2.02), August 1993 Lucid
13 Emacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 19.10) First Edition, March 1994
14 XEmacs Lisp Programmer's Manual (for 19.12) Second Edition, April 1995
15 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual v2.4, June 1995 XEmacs Lisp
16 Programmer's Manual (for 19.13) Third Edition, July 1995 XEmacs Lisp
17 Reference Manual (for 19.14 and 20.0) v3.1, March 1996 XEmacs Lisp
18 Reference Manual (for 19.15 and 20.1, 20.2, 20.3) v3.2, April, May,
19 November 1997 XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 21.0) v3.3, April 1998
21 Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 Free Software
22 Foundation, Inc. Copyright (C) 1994, 1995 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
23 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996 Ben Wing.
25 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
26 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
27 preserved on all copies.
29 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
30 this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
31 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
32 permission notice identical to this one.
34 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
35 manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
36 versions, except that this permission notice may be stated in a
37 translation approved by the Foundation.
39 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
40 this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
41 that the section entitled "GNU General Public License" is included
42 exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire resulting
43 derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice
44 identical to this one.
46 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
47 manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
48 versions, except that the section entitled "GNU General Public License"
49 may be included in a translation approved by the Free Software
50 Foundation instead of in the original English.
53 File: lispref.info, Node: Key Lookup, Next: Functions for Key Lookup, Prev: Active Keymaps, Up: Keymaps
58 "Key lookup" is the process of finding the binding of a key sequence
59 from a given keymap. Actual execution of the binding is not part of
62 Key lookup uses just the event type of each event in the key
63 sequence; the rest of the event is ignored. In fact, a key sequence
64 used for key lookup may designate mouse events with just their types
65 (symbols) instead of with entire mouse events (lists). *Note Events::.
66 Such a pseudo-key-sequence is insufficient for `command-execute', but
67 it is sufficient for looking up or rebinding a key.
69 When the key sequence consists of multiple events, key lookup
70 processes the events sequentially: the binding of the first event is
71 found, and must be a keymap; then the second event's binding is found in
72 that keymap, and so on until all the events in the key sequence are used
73 up. (The binding thus found for the last event may or may not be a
74 keymap.) Thus, the process of key lookup is defined in terms of a
75 simpler process for looking up a single event in a keymap. How that is
76 done depends on the type of object associated with the event in that
79 Let's use the term "keymap entry" to describe the value found by
80 looking up an event type in a keymap. (This doesn't include the item
81 string and other extra elements in menu key bindings because
82 `lookup-key' and other key lookup functions don't include them in the
83 returned value.) While any Lisp object may be stored in a keymap as a
84 keymap entry, not all make sense for key lookup. Here is a list of the
85 meaningful kinds of keymap entries:
88 `nil' means that the events used so far in the lookup form an
89 undefined key. When a keymap fails to mention an event type at
90 all, and has no default binding, that is equivalent to a binding
91 of `nil' for that event type.
94 The events used so far in the lookup form a prefix key. The next
95 event of the key sequence is looked up in KEYMAP.
98 The events used so far in the lookup form a complete key, and
99 COMMAND is its binding. *Note What Is a Function::.
102 The array (either a string or a vector) is a keyboard macro. The
103 events used so far in the lookup form a complete key, and the
104 array is its binding. See *Note Keyboard Macros::, for more
105 information. (Note that you cannot use a shortened form of a key
106 sequence here, such as `(control y)'; you must use the full form
107 `[(control y)]'. *Note Key Sequences::.)
110 The meaning of a list depends on the types of the elements of the
113 * If the CAR of LIST is `lambda', then the list is a lambda
114 expression. This is presumed to be a command, and is treated
117 * If the CAR of LIST is a keymap and the CDR is an event type,
118 then this is an "indirect entry":
120 (OTHERMAP . OTHERTYPE)
122 When key lookup encounters an indirect entry, it looks up
123 instead the binding of OTHERTYPE in OTHERMAP and uses that.
125 This feature permits you to define one key as an alias for
126 another key. For example, an entry whose CAR is the keymap
127 called `esc-map' and whose CDR is 32 (the code for <SPC>)
128 means, "Use the global binding of `Meta-<SPC>', whatever that
132 The function definition of SYMBOL is used in place of SYMBOL. If
133 that too is a symbol, then this process is repeated, any number of
134 times. Ultimately this should lead to an object that is a keymap,
135 a command or a keyboard macro. A list is allowed if it is a
136 keymap or a command, but indirect entries are not understood when
139 Note that keymaps and keyboard macros (strings and vectors) are not
140 valid functions, so a symbol with a keymap, string, or vector as
141 its function definition is invalid as a function. It is, however,
142 valid as a key binding. If the definition is a keyboard macro,
143 then the symbol is also valid as an argument to `command-execute'
144 (*note Interactive Call::).
146 The symbol `undefined' is worth special mention: it means to treat
147 the key as undefined. Strictly speaking, the key is defined, and
148 its binding is the command `undefined'; but that command does the
149 same thing that is done automatically for an undefined key: it
150 rings the bell (by calling `ding') but does not signal an error.
152 `undefined' is used in local keymaps to override a global key
153 binding and make the key "undefined" locally. A local binding of
154 `nil' would fail to do this because it would not override the
158 If any other type of object is found, the events used so far in the
159 lookup form a complete key, and the object is its binding, but the
160 binding is not executable as a command.
162 In short, a keymap entry may be a keymap, a command, a keyboard
163 macro, a symbol that leads to one of them, or an indirection or `nil'.
166 File: lispref.info, Node: Functions for Key Lookup, Next: Changing Key Bindings, Prev: Key Lookup, Up: Keymaps
168 Functions for Key Lookup
169 ========================
171 Here are the functions and variables pertaining to key lookup.
173 - Function: lookup-key keymap key &optional accept-defaults
174 This function returns the definition of KEY in KEYMAP. If the
175 string or vector KEY is not a valid key sequence according to the
176 prefix keys specified in KEYMAP (which means it is "too long" and
177 has extra events at the end), then the value is a number, the
178 number of events at the front of KEY that compose a complete key.
180 If ACCEPT-DEFAULTS is non-`nil', then `lookup-key' considers
181 default bindings as well as bindings for the specific events in
182 KEY. Otherwise, `lookup-key' reports only bindings for the
183 specific sequence KEY, ignoring default bindings except when you
184 explicitly ask about them.
186 All the other functions described in this chapter that look up
187 keys use `lookup-key'.
189 (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f")
191 (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\C-x\C-f12345")
194 If KEY begins with the character whose value is contained in
195 `meta-prefix-char', that character is implicitly removed and the
196 <META> modifier added to the key. Thus, the first example below is
197 handled by conversion into the second example.
199 (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\ef")
201 (lookup-key (current-global-map) "\M-f")
204 Unlike `read-key-sequence', this function does not modify the
205 specified events in ways that discard information (*note Key
206 Sequence Input::). In particular, it does not convert letters to
210 Used in keymaps to undefine keys. If a key sequence is defined to
211 this, invoking this key sequence causes a "key undefined" error,
212 just as if the key sequence had no binding.
214 - Function: key-binding key &optional accept-defaults
215 This function returns the binding for KEY in the current keymaps,
216 trying all the active keymaps. The result is `nil' if KEY is
217 undefined in the keymaps.
219 The argument ACCEPT-DEFAULTS controls checking for default
220 bindings, as in `lookup-key' (above).
222 (key-binding "\C-x\C-f")
224 (key-binding '(control home))
225 => beginning-of-buffer
226 (key-binding [escape escape escape])
227 => keyboard-escape-quit
229 - Function: local-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults
230 This function returns the binding for KEY in the current local
231 keymap, or `nil' if it is undefined there.
233 The argument ACCEPT-DEFAULTS controls checking for default
234 bindings, as in `lookup-key' (above).
236 - Function: global-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults
237 This function returns the binding for command KEY in the current
238 global keymap, or `nil' if it is undefined there.
240 The argument ACCEPT-DEFAULTS controls checking for default
241 bindings, as in `lookup-key' (above).
243 - Function: minor-mode-key-binding key &optional accept-defaults
244 This function returns a list of all the active minor mode bindings
245 of KEY. More precisely, it returns an alist of pairs `(MODENAME .
246 BINDING)', where MODENAME is the variable that enables the minor
247 mode, and BINDING is KEY's binding in that mode. If KEY has no
248 minor-mode bindings, the value is `nil'.
250 If the first binding is not a prefix command, all subsequent
251 bindings from other minor modes are omitted, since they would be
252 completely shadowed. Similarly, the list omits non-prefix
253 bindings that follow prefix bindings.
255 The argument ACCEPT-DEFAULTS controls checking for default
256 bindings, as in `lookup-key' (above).
258 - Variable: meta-prefix-char
259 This variable is the meta-prefix character code. It is used when
260 translating a two-character sequence to a meta character so it can
261 be looked up in a keymap. For useful results, the value should be
262 a prefix event (*note Prefix Keys::). The default value is `?\^['
263 (integer 27), which is the ASCII character usually produced by the
266 As long as the value of `meta-prefix-char' remains `?\^[', key
267 lookup translates `<ESC> b' into `M-b', which is normally defined
268 as the `backward-word' command. However, if you set
269 `meta-prefix-char' to `?\^X' (i.e. the keystroke `C-x') or its
270 equivalent ASCII code `24', then XEmacs will translate `C-x b'
271 (whose standard binding is the `switch-to-buffer' command) into
274 meta-prefix-char ; The default value.
275 => ?\^[ ; Under XEmacs 20.
276 => 27 ; Under XEmacs 19.
279 ?\C-x ; The print representation
281 => ?\^X ; Under XEmacs 20.
282 => 24 ; Under XEmacs 19.
283 (setq meta-prefix-char 24)
285 (key-binding "\C-xb")
286 => backward-word ; Now, typing `C-x b' is
289 (setq meta-prefix-char ?\e) ; Avoid confusion!
290 ; Restore the default value!
291 => ?\^[ ; Under XEmacs 20.
292 => 27 ; Under XEmacs 19.
295 File: lispref.info, Node: Changing Key Bindings, Next: Key Binding Commands, Prev: Functions for Key Lookup, Up: Keymaps
297 Changing Key Bindings
298 =====================
300 The way to rebind a key is to change its entry in a keymap. If you
301 change a binding in the global keymap, the change is effective in all
302 buffers (though it has no direct effect in buffers that shadow the
303 global binding with a local one). If you change the current buffer's
304 local map, that usually affects all buffers using the same major mode.
305 The `global-set-key' and `local-set-key' functions are convenient
306 interfaces for these operations (*note Key Binding Commands::). You
307 can also use `define-key', a more general function; then you must
308 specify explicitly the map to change.
310 The way to specify the key sequence that you want to rebind is
311 described above (*note Key Sequences::).
313 For the functions below, an error is signaled if KEYMAP is not a
314 keymap or if KEY is not a string or vector representing a key sequence.
315 You can use event types (symbols) as shorthand for events that are
318 - Function: define-key keymap key binding
319 This function sets the binding for KEY in KEYMAP. (If KEY is more
320 than one event long, the change is actually made in another keymap
321 reached from KEYMAP.) The argument BINDING can be any Lisp
322 object, but only certain types are meaningful. (For a list of
323 meaningful types, see *Note Key Lookup::.) The value returned by
324 `define-key' is BINDING.
326 Every prefix of KEY must be a prefix key (i.e., bound to a keymap)
327 or undefined; otherwise an error is signaled.
329 If some prefix of KEY is undefined, then `define-key' defines it
330 as a prefix key so that the rest of KEY may be defined as
333 Here is an example that creates a sparse keymap and makes a number of
336 (setq map (make-sparse-keymap))
337 => #<keymap 0 entries 0xbee>
338 (define-key map "\C-f" 'forward-char)
341 => #<keymap 1 entry 0xbee>
342 (describe-bindings-internal map)
343 => ; (Inserted in buffer)
346 ;; Build sparse submap for `C-x' and bind `f' in that.
347 (define-key map "\C-xf" 'forward-word)
350 => #<keymap 2 entries 0xbee>
351 (describe-bindings-internal map)
352 => ; (Inserted in buffer)
354 C-x << Prefix Command >>
358 ;; Bind `C-p' to the `ctl-x-map'.
359 (define-key map "\C-p" ctl-x-map)
361 => #<keymap Control-X-prefix 77 entries 0x3bf>
363 ;; Bind `C-f' to `foo' in the `ctl-x-map'.
364 (define-key map "\C-p\C-f" 'foo)
367 => #<keymap 3 entries 0xbee>
368 (describe-bindings-internal map)
369 => ; (Inserted in buffer)
371 C-p << Prefix command Control-X-prefix >>
372 C-x << Prefix Command >>
374 C-p tab indent-rigidly
375 C-p $ set-selective-display
377 C-p ( start-kbd-macro
380 C-p C-x exchange-point-and-mark
381 C-p C-z suspend-or-iconify-emacs
382 C-p M-escape repeat-complex-command
383 C-p M-C-[ repeat-complex-command
387 C-p 4 . find-tag-other-window
389 C-p 4 C-o display-buffer
393 C-p 5 C-f find-file-other-frame
397 C-p a i g inverse-add-global-abbrev
398 C-p a i l inverse-add-mode-abbrev
400 Note that storing a new binding for `C-p C-f' actually works by
401 changing an entry in `ctl-x-map', and this has the effect of changing
402 the bindings of both `C-p C-f' and `C-x C-f' in the default global map.
404 - Function: substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap &optional
406 This function replaces OLDDEF with NEWDEF for any keys in KEYMAP
407 that were bound to OLDDEF. In other words, OLDDEF is replaced
408 with NEWDEF wherever it appears. The function returns `nil'.
410 For example, this redefines `C-x C-f', if you do it in an XEmacs
411 with standard bindings:
413 (substitute-key-definition
414 'find-file 'find-file-read-only (current-global-map))
416 If OLDMAP is non-`nil', then its bindings determine which keys to
417 rebind. The rebindings still happen in NEWMAP, not in OLDMAP.
418 Thus, you can change one map under the control of the bindings in
419 another. For example,
421 (substitute-key-definition
422 'delete-backward-char 'my-funny-delete
425 puts the special deletion command in `my-map' for whichever keys
426 are globally bound to the standard deletion command.
429 - Function: suppress-keymap keymap &optional nodigits
430 This function changes the contents of the full keymap KEYMAP by
431 making all the printing characters undefined. More precisely, it
432 binds them to the command `undefined'. This makes ordinary
433 insertion of text impossible. `suppress-keymap' returns `nil'.
435 If NODIGITS is `nil', then `suppress-keymap' defines digits to run
436 `digit-argument', and `-' to run `negative-argument'. Otherwise
437 it makes them undefined like the rest of the printing characters.
439 The `suppress-keymap' function does not make it impossible to
440 modify a buffer, as it does not suppress commands such as `yank'
441 and `quoted-insert'. To prevent any modification of a buffer, make
442 it read-only (*note Read Only Buffers::).
444 Since this function modifies KEYMAP, you would normally use it on
445 a newly created keymap. Operating on an existing keymap that is
446 used for some other purpose is likely to cause trouble; for
447 example, suppressing `global-map' would make it impossible to use
450 Most often, `suppress-keymap' is used to initialize local keymaps
451 of modes such as Rmail and Dired where insertion of text is not
452 desirable and the buffer is read-only. Here is an example taken
453 from the file `emacs/lisp/dired.el', showing how the local keymap
454 for Dired mode is set up:
457 (setq dired-mode-map (make-keymap))
458 (suppress-keymap dired-mode-map)
459 (define-key dired-mode-map "r" 'dired-rename-file)
460 (define-key dired-mode-map "\C-d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted)
461 (define-key dired-mode-map "d" 'dired-flag-file-deleted)
462 (define-key dired-mode-map "v" 'dired-view-file)
463 (define-key dired-mode-map "e" 'dired-find-file)
464 (define-key dired-mode-map "f" 'dired-find-file)
468 File: lispref.info, Node: Key Binding Commands, Next: Scanning Keymaps, Prev: Changing Key Bindings, Up: Keymaps
470 Commands for Binding Keys
471 =========================
473 This section describes some convenient interactive interfaces for
474 changing key bindings. They work by calling `define-key'.
476 People often use `global-set-key' in their `.emacs' file for simple
477 customization. For example,
479 (global-set-key "\C-x\C-\\" 'next-line)
483 (global-set-key [(control ?x) (control ?\\)] 'next-line)
487 (global-set-key [?\C-x ?\C-\\] 'next-line)
489 redefines `C-x C-\' to move down a line.
491 (global-set-key [(meta button1)] 'mouse-set-point)
493 redefines the first (leftmost) mouse button, typed with the Meta key, to
494 set point where you click.
496 - Command: global-set-key key definition
497 This function sets the binding of KEY in the current global map to
500 (global-set-key KEY DEFINITION)
502 (define-key (current-global-map) KEY DEFINITION)
504 - Command: global-unset-key key
505 This function removes the binding of KEY from the current global
508 One use of this function is in preparation for defining a longer
509 key that uses KEY as a prefix--which would not be allowed if KEY
510 has a non-prefix binding. For example:
512 (global-unset-key "\C-l")
514 (global-set-key "\C-l\C-l" 'redraw-display)
517 This function is implemented simply using `define-key':
519 (global-unset-key KEY)
521 (define-key (current-global-map) KEY nil)
523 - Command: local-set-key key definition
524 This function sets the binding of KEY in the current local keymap
527 (local-set-key KEY DEFINITION)
529 (define-key (current-local-map) KEY DEFINITION)
531 - Command: local-unset-key key
532 This function removes the binding of KEY from the current local
535 (local-unset-key KEY)
537 (define-key (current-local-map) KEY nil)
540 File: lispref.info, Node: Scanning Keymaps, Next: Other Keymap Functions, Prev: Key Binding Commands, Up: Keymaps
545 This section describes functions used to scan all the current
546 keymaps, or all keys within a keymap, for the sake of printing help
549 - Function: accessible-keymaps keymap &optional prefix
550 This function returns a list of all the keymaps that can be
551 accessed (via prefix keys) from KEYMAP. The value is an
552 association list with elements of the form `(KEY . MAP)', where
553 KEY is a prefix key whose definition in KEYMAP is MAP.
555 The elements of the alist are ordered so that the KEY increases in
556 length. The first element is always `([] . KEYMAP)', because the
557 specified keymap is accessible from itself with a prefix of no
560 If PREFIX is given, it should be a prefix key sequence; then
561 `accessible-keymaps' includes only the submaps whose prefixes start
562 with PREFIX. These elements look just as they do in the value of
563 `(accessible-keymaps)'; the only difference is that some elements
566 In the example below, the returned alist indicates that the key
567 `C-x', which is displayed as `[(control x)]', is a prefix key
568 whose definition is the keymap `#<keymap ((control x) #<keymap
569 emacs-lisp-mode-map 8 entries 0x546>) 1 entry 0x8a2>'. (The strange
570 notation for the keymap's name indicates that this is an internal
571 submap of `emacs-lisp-mode-map'. This is because
572 `lisp-interaction-mode-map' has set up `emacs-lisp-mode-map' as
573 its parent, and `lisp-interaction-mode-map' defines no key
574 sequences beginning with `C-x'.)
577 => #<keymap lisp-interaction-mode-map 5 entries 0x558>
578 (accessible-keymaps (current-local-map))
579 =>(([] . #<keymap lisp-interaction-mode-map 5 entries 0x558>)
581 #<keymap ((control x) #<keymap emacs-lisp-mode-map 8 entries 0x546>)
584 The following example shows the results of calling
585 `accessible-keymaps' on a large, complex keymap. Notice how some
586 keymaps were given explicit names using `set-keymap-name'; those
587 submaps without explicit names are given descriptive names
588 indicating their relationship to their enclosing keymap.
590 (accessible-keymaps (current-global-map))
591 => (([] . #<keymap global-map 639 entries 0x221>)
592 ([(control c)] . #<keymap mode-specific-command-prefix 1 entry 0x3cb>)
593 ([(control h)] . #<keymap help-map 33 entries 0x4ec>)
594 ([(control x)] . #<keymap Control-X-prefix 77 entries 0x3bf>)
596 #<keymap ((meta escape) #<keymap global-map 639 entries 0x221>)
598 ([(meta control \[)] .
599 #<keymap ((meta escape) #<keymap global-map 639 entries 0x221>)
601 ([f1] . #<keymap help-map 33 entries 0x4ec>)
602 ([(control x) \4] . #<keymap ctl-x-4-prefix 9 entries 0x3c5>)
603 ([(control x) \5] . #<keymap ctl-x-5-prefix 8 entries 0x3c8>)
604 ([(control x) \6] . #<keymap 13 entries 0x4d2>)
606 #<keymap (a #<keymap Control-X-prefix 77 entries 0x3bf>)
608 ([(control x) n] . #<keymap narrowing-prefix 3 entries 0x3dd>)
609 ([(control x) r] . #<keymap rectangle-prefix 18 entries 0x3e9>)
610 ([(control x) v] . #<keymap vc-prefix-map 13 entries 0x60e>)
612 #<keymap (i #<keymap (a #<keymap Control-X-prefix 77 entries 0x3bf>)
616 - Function: map-keymap function keymap &optional sort-first
617 This function applies FUNCTION to each element of `KEYMAP'.
618 FUNCTION will be called with two arguments: a key-description
619 list, and the binding. The order in which the elements of the
620 keymap are passed to the function is unspecified. If the function
621 inserts new elements into the keymap, it may or may not be called
622 with them later. No element of the keymap will ever be passed to
623 the function more than once.
625 The function will not be called on elements of this keymap's
626 parents (*note Inheritance and Keymaps::) or upon keymaps which
627 are contained within this keymap (multi-character definitions).
628 It will be called on <META> characters since they are not really
629 two-character sequences.
631 If the optional third argument SORT-FIRST is non-`nil', then the
632 elements of the keymap will be passed to the mapper function in a
633 canonical order. Otherwise, they will be passed in hash (that is,
634 random) order, which is faster.
636 - Function: keymap-fullness keymap
637 This function returns the number of bindings in the keymap.
639 - Function: where-is-internal definition &optional keymaps firstonly
640 noindirect event-or-keys
641 This function returns a list of key sequences (of any length) that
642 are bound to DEFINITION in a set of keymaps.
644 The argument DEFINITION can be any object; it is compared with all
645 keymap entries using `eq'.
647 KEYMAPS can be either a keymap (meaning search in that keymap and
648 the current global keymap) or a list of keymaps (meaning search in
649 exactly those keymaps and no others). If KEYMAPS is nil, search
650 in the currently applicable maps for EVENT-OR-KEYS.
652 If KEYMAP is a keymap, then the maps searched are KEYMAP and the
653 global keymap. If KEYMAP is a list of keymaps, then the maps
654 searched are exactly those keymaps, and no others. If KEYMAP is
655 `nil', then the maps used are the current active keymaps for
656 EVENT-OR-KEYS (this is equivalent to specifying `(current-keymaps
657 EVENT-OR-KEYS)' as the argument to KEYMAPS).
659 If FIRSTONLY is non-`nil', then the value is a single vector
660 representing the first key sequence found, rather than a list of
661 all possible key sequences.
663 If NOINDIRECT is non-`nil', `where-is-internal' doesn't follow
664 indirect keymap bindings. This makes it possible to search for an
665 indirect definition itself.
667 This function is used by `where-is' (*note Help: (emacs)Help.).
669 (where-is-internal 'describe-function)
670 => ([(control h) d] [(control h) f] [f1 d] [f1 f])
672 - Function: describe-bindings-internal map &optional all shadow prefix
674 This function inserts (into the current buffer) a list of all
675 defined keys and their definitions in MAP. Optional second
676 argument ALL says whether to include even "uninteresting"
677 definitions, i.e. symbols with a non-`nil' `suppress-keymap'
678 property. Third argument SHADOW is a list of keymaps whose
679 bindings shadow those of map; if a binding is present in any
680 shadowing map, it is not printed. Fourth argument PREFIX, if
681 non-`nil', should be a key sequence; only bindings which start
682 with that key sequence will be printed. Fifth argument
683 MOUSE-ONLY-P says to only print bindings for mouse clicks.
685 `describe-bindings-internal' is used to implement the help command
688 - Command: describe-bindings prefix mouse-only-p
689 This function creates a listing of all defined keys and their
690 definitions. It writes the listing in a buffer named `*Help*' and
691 displays it in a window.
693 If PREFIX is non-`nil', it should be a prefix key; then the
694 listing includes only keys that start with PREFIX.
696 When several characters with consecutive ASCII codes have the same
697 definition, they are shown together, as `FIRSTCHAR..LASTCHAR'. In
698 this instance, you need to know the ASCII codes to understand
699 which characters this means. For example, in the default global
700 map, the characters `<SPC> .. ~' are described by a single line.
701 <SPC> is ASCII 32, `~' is ASCII 126, and the characters between
702 them include all the normal printing characters, (e.g., letters,
703 digits, punctuation, etc.); all these characters are bound to
704 `self-insert-command'.
706 If the second argument (prefix arg, interactively) is non-`nil'
707 then only the mouse bindings are displayed.
710 File: lispref.info, Node: Other Keymap Functions, Prev: Scanning Keymaps, Up: Keymaps
712 Other Keymap Functions
713 ======================
715 - Function: set-keymap-prompt keymap new-prompt
716 This function sets the "prompt" of KEYMAP to string NEW-PROMPT, or
717 `nil' if no prompt is desired. The prompt is shown in the
718 echo-area when reading a key-sequence to be looked-up in this
721 - Function: keymap-prompt keymap &optional use-inherited
722 This function returns the "prompt" of the given keymap. If
723 USE-INHERITED is non-`nil', any parent keymaps will also be
724 searched for a prompt.
727 File: lispref.info, Node: Menus, Next: Dialog Boxes, Prev: Keymaps, Up: Top
734 * Menu Format:: Format of a menu description.
735 * Menubar Format:: How to specify a menubar.
736 * Menubar:: Functions for controlling the menubar.
737 * Modifying Menus:: Modifying a menu description.
738 * Pop-Up Menus:: Functions for specifying pop-up menus.
739 * Menu Filters:: Filter functions for the default menubar.
740 * Menu Accelerators:: Using and controlling menu accelerator keys
741 * Buffers Menu:: The menu that displays the list of buffers.
744 File: lispref.info, Node: Menu Format, Next: Menubar Format, Up: Menus
749 A menu is described using a "menu description", which is a list of
750 menu items, keyword-value pairs, strings, and submenus. The menu
751 description specifies which items are present in the menu, what function
752 each item invokes, and whether the item is selectable or not. Pop-up
753 menus are directly described with a menu description, while menubars are
754 described slightly differently (see below).
756 The first element of a menu must be a string, which is the name of
757 the menu. This is the string that will be displayed in the parent menu
758 or menubar, if any. This string is not displayed in the menu itself,
759 except in the case of the top level pop-up menu, where there is no
760 parent. In this case, the string will be displayed at the top of the
761 menu if `popup-menu-titles' is non-`nil'.
763 Immediately following the first element there may optionally be up
764 to four keyword-value pairs, as follows:
767 This can be used to control the visibility of a menu. The form is
768 evaluated and the menu will be omitted if the result is `nil'.
771 This is an efficient shorthand for `:included (memq SYMBOL
772 menubar-configuration)'. See the variable `menubar-configuration'.
775 A menu filter is used to sensitize or incrementally create a
776 submenu only when it is selected by the user and not every time
777 the menubar is activated. The filter function is passed the list
778 of menu items in the submenu and must return a list of menu items
779 to be used for the menu. It is called only when the menu is about
780 to be displayed, so other menus may already be displayed. Vile
781 and terrible things will happen if a menu filter function changes
782 the current buffer, window, or frame. It also should not raise,
783 lower, or iconify any frames. Basically, the filter function
784 should have no side-effects.
787 A menu accelerator is a keystroke which can be pressed while the
788 menu is visible which will immediately activate the item. KEY
789 must be a char or the symbol name of a key. *Note Menu
792 The rest of the menu consists of elements as follows:
794 * A "menu item", which is a vector in the following form:
796 `[ NAME CALLBACK :KEYWORD VALUE :KEYWORD VALUE ... ]'
798 NAME is a string, the name of the menu item; it is the string to
799 display on the menu. It is filtered through the resource
800 database, so it is possible for resources to override what string
801 is actually displayed.
803 CALLBACK is a form that will be invoked when the menu item is
804 selected. If the callback of a menu item is a symbol, then it
805 must name a command. It will be invoked with
806 `call-interactively'. If it is a list, then it is evaluated with
809 The valid keywords and their meanings are described below.
811 Note that for compatibility purposes, the form
813 `[ NAME CALLBACK ACTIVE-P ]'
815 is also accepted and is equivalent to
817 `[ NAME CALLBACK :active ACTIVE-P ]'
821 `[ NAME CALLBACK ACTIVE-P SUFFIX]'
823 is accepted and is equivalent to
825 `[ NAME CALLBACK :active ACTIVE-P :suffix SUFFIX]'
827 However, these older forms are deprecated and should generally not
830 * If an element of a menu is a string, then that string will be
831 presented in the menu as unselectable text.
833 * If an element of a menu is a string consisting solely of hyphens,
834 then that item will be presented as a solid horizontal line.
836 * If an element of a menu is a string beginning with `--:', then a
837 particular sort of horizontal line will be displayed, as follows:
840 A solid horizontal line. This is equivalent to a string
841 consisting solely of hyphens.
844 A solid double horizontal line.
846 `"--:singleDashedLine"'
847 A dashed horizontal line.
849 `"--:doubleDashedLine"'
850 A dashed double horizontal line.
853 No line (but a small space is left).
855 `"--:shadowEtchedIn"'
856 A solid horizontal line with a 3-d recessed appearance.
858 `"--:shadowEtchedOut"'
859 A solid horizontal line with a 3-d pushed-out appearance.
861 `"--:shadowDoubleEtchedIn"'
862 A solid double horizontal line with a 3-d recessed appearance.
864 `"--:shadowDoubleEtchedOut"'
865 A solid double horizontal line with a 3-d pushed-out
868 `"--:shadowEtchedInDash"'
869 A dashed horizontal line with a 3-d recessed appearance.
871 `"--:shadowEtchedOutDash"'
872 A dashed horizontal line with a 3-d pushed-out appearance.
874 `"--:shadowDoubleEtchedInDash"'
875 A dashed double horizontal line with a 3-d recessed
878 `"--:shadowDoubleEtchedOutDash"'
879 A dashed double horizontal line with a 3-d pushed-out
882 * If an element of a menu is a list, it is treated as a submenu.
883 The name of that submenu (the first element in the list) will be
884 used as the name of the item representing this menu on the parent.
886 The possible keywords are as follows:
889 FORM will be evaluated when the menu that this item is a part of
890 is about to be displayed, and the item will be selectable only if
891 the result is non-`nil'. If the item is unselectable, it will
892 usually be displayed grayed-out to indicate this.
895 FORM will be evaluated when the menu that this item is a part of
896 is about to be displayed, and the resulting string is appended to
897 the displayed name. This provides a convenient way of adding the
898 name of a command's "argument" to the menu, like `Kill Buffer
902 Normally, the keyboard equivalents of commands in menus are
903 displayed when the "callback" is a symbol. This can be used to
904 specify keys for more complex menu items. It is passed through
905 `substitute-command-keys' first.
908 Specifies what kind of object this menu item is. STYLE be one of
923 The only difference between toggle and radio buttons is how they
924 are displayed. But for consistency, a toggle button should be
925 used when there is one option whose value can be turned on or off,
926 and radio buttons should be used when there is a set of mutually
927 exclusive options. When using a group of radio buttons, you
928 should arrange for no more than one to be marked as selected at a
932 Meaningful only when STYLE is `toggle', `radio' or `button'. This
933 specifies whether the button will be in the selected or unselected
934 state. FORM is evaluated, as for `:active'.
937 This can be used to control the visibility of a menu item. The
938 form is evaluated and the menu item is only displayed if the
939 result is non-`nil'. Note that this is different from `:active':
940 If `:active' evaluates to `nil', the item will be displayed grayed
941 out, while if `:included' evaluates to `nil', the item will be
945 This is an efficient shorthand for `:included (memq SYMBOL
946 menubar-configuration)'. See the variable `menubar-configuration'.
949 A menu accelerator is a keystroke which can be pressed while the
950 menu is visible which will immediately activate the item. KEY
951 must be a char or the symbol name of a key. *Note Menu
954 - Variable: menubar-configuration
955 This variable holds a list of symbols, against which the value of
956 the `:config' tag for each menubar item will be compared. If a
957 menubar item has a `:config' tag, then it is omitted from the
958 menubar if that tag is not a member of the `menubar-configuration'
964 :filter file-menu-filter ; file-menu-filter is a function that takes
965 ; one argument (a list of menu items) and
966 ; returns a list of menu items
967 [ "Save As..." write-file]
968 [ "Revert Buffer" revert-buffer :active (buffer-modified-p) ]
969 [ "Read Only" toggle-read-only :style toggle :selected buffer-read-only ]
973 File: lispref.info, Node: Menubar Format, Next: Menubar, Prev: Menu Format, Up: Menus
975 Format of the Menubar
976 =====================
978 A menubar is a list of menus, menu items, and strings. The format is
979 similar to that of a menu, except:
981 * The first item need not be a string, and is not treated specially.
983 * A string consisting solely of hyphens is not treated specially.
985 * If an element of a menubar is `nil', then it is used to represent
986 the division between the set of menubar items which are flush-left
987 and those which are flush-right. (Note: this isn't completely
991 File: lispref.info, Node: Menubar, Next: Modifying Menus, Prev: Menubar Format, Up: Menus
996 - Variable: current-menubar
997 This variable holds the description of the current menubar. This
998 may be buffer-local. When the menubar is changed, the function
999 `set-menubar-dirty-flag' has to be called in order for the menubar
1000 to be updated on the screen.
1002 - Constant: default-menubar
1003 This variable holds the menubar description of the menubar that is
1004 visible at startup. This is the value that `current-menubar' has
1007 - Function: set-menubar-dirty-flag
1008 This function tells XEmacs that the menubar widget has to be
1009 updated. Changes to the menubar will generally not be visible
1010 until this function is called.
1012 The following convenience functions are provided for setting the
1013 menubar. They are equivalent to doing the appropriate action to change
1014 `current-menubar', and then calling `set-menubar-dirty-flag'. Note
1015 that these functions copy their argument using `copy-sequence'.
1017 - Function: set-menubar menubar
1018 This function sets the default menubar to be MENUBAR (*note Menu
1019 Format::). This is the menubar that will be visible in buffers
1020 that have not defined their own, buffer-local menubar.
1022 - Function: set-buffer-menubar menubar
1023 This function sets the buffer-local menubar to be MENUBAR. This
1024 does not change the menubar in any buffers other than the current
1029 - Variable: menubar-show-keybindings
1030 If true, the menubar will display keyboard equivalents. If false,
1031 only the command names will be displayed.
1033 - Variable: activate-menubar-hook
1034 Function or functions called before a menubar menu is pulled down.
1035 These functions are called with no arguments, and should
1036 interrogate and modify the value of `current-menubar' as desired.
1038 The functions on this hook are invoked after the mouse goes down,
1039 but before the menu is mapped, and may be used to activate,
1040 deactivate, add, or delete items from the menus. However, using a
1041 filter (with the `:filter' keyword in a menu description) is
1042 generally a more efficient way of accomplishing the same thing,
1043 because the filter is invoked only when the actual menu goes down.
1044 With a complex menu, there can be a quite noticeable and
1045 sometimes aggravating delay if all menu modification is
1046 implemented using the `activate-menubar-hook'. See above.
1048 These functions may return the symbol `t' to assert that they have
1049 made no changes to the menubar. If any other value is returned,
1050 the menubar is recomputed. If `t' is returned but the menubar has
1051 been changed, then the changes may not show up right away.
1052 Returning `nil' when the menubar has not changed is not so bad;
1053 more computation will be done, but redisplay of the menubar will
1054 still be performed optimally.
1056 - Variable: menu-no-selection-hook
1057 Function or functions to call when a menu or dialog box is
1058 dismissed without a selection having been made.
1061 File: lispref.info, Node: Modifying Menus, Next: Pop-Up Menus, Prev: Menubar, Up: Menus
1066 The following functions are provided to modify the menubar of one of
1067 its submenus. Note that these functions modify the menu in-place,
1068 rather than copying it and making a new menu.
1070 Some of these functions take a "menu path", which is a list of
1071 strings identifying the menu to be modified. For example, `("File")'
1072 names the top-level "File" menu. `("File" "Foo")' names a hypothetical
1075 Others take a "menu item path", which is similar to a menu path but
1076 also specifies a particular item to be modified. For example, `("File"
1077 "Save")' means the menu item called "Save" under the top-level "File"
1078 menu. `("Menu" "Foo" "Item")' means the menu item called "Item" under
1079 the "Foo" submenu of "Menu".
1081 - Function: add-submenu menu-path submenu &optional before
1082 This function adds a menu to the menubar or one of its submenus.
1083 If the named menu exists already, it is changed.
1085 MENU-PATH identifies the menu under which the new menu should be
1086 inserted. If MENU-PATH is `nil', then the menu will be added to
1089 SUBMENU is the new menu to add (*note Menu Format::).
1091 BEFORE, if provided, is the name of a menu before which this menu
1092 should be added, if this menu is not on its parent already. If
1093 the menu is already present, it will not be moved.
1095 - Function: add-menu-button menu-path menu-leaf &optional before
1096 This function adds a menu item to some menu, creating the menu
1097 first if necessary. If the named item exists already, it is
1100 MENU-PATH identifies the menu under which the new menu item should
1103 MENU-LEAF is a menubar leaf node (*note Menu Format::).
1105 BEFORE, if provided, is the name of a menu before which this item
1106 should be added, if this item is not on the menu already. If the
1107 item is already present, it will not be moved.
1109 - Function: delete-menu-item menu-item-path
1110 This function removes the menu item specified by MENU-ITEM-PATH
1111 from the menu hierarchy.
1113 - Function: enable-menu-item menu-item-path
1114 This function makes the menu item specified by MENU-ITEM-PATH be
1117 - Function: disable-menu-item menu-item-path
1118 This function makes the menu item specified by MENU-ITEM-PATH be
1121 - Function: relabel-menu-item menu-item-path new-name
1122 This function changes the string of the menu item specified by
1123 MENU-ITEM-PATH. NEW-NAME is the string that the menu item will be
1124 printed as from now on.
1126 The following function can be used to search for a particular item in
1127 a menubar specification, given a path to the item.
1129 - Function: find-menu-item menubar menu-item-path &optional parent
1130 This function searches MENUBAR for the item given by
1131 MENU-ITEM-PATH starting from PARENT (`nil' means start at the top
1132 of MENUBAR). This function returns `(ITEM . PARENT)', where
1133 PARENT is the immediate parent of the item found (a menu
1134 description), and ITEM is either a vector, list, or string,
1135 depending on the nature of the menu item.
1137 This function signals an error if the item is not found.
1139 The following deprecated functions are also documented, so that
1140 existing code can be understood. You should not use these functions in
1143 - Function: add-menu menu-path menu-name menu-items &optional before
1144 This function adds a menu to the menubar or one of its submenus.
1145 If the named menu exists already, it is changed. This is
1146 obsolete; use `add-submenu' instead.
1148 MENU-PATH identifies the menu under which the new menu should be
1149 inserted. If MENU-PATH is `nil', then the menu will be added to
1152 MENU-NAME is the string naming the menu to be added; MENU-ITEMS is
1153 a list of menu items, strings, and submenus. These two arguments
1154 are the same as the first and following elements of a menu
1155 description (*note Menu Format::).
1157 BEFORE, if provided, is the name of a menu before which this menu
1158 should be added, if this menu is not on its parent already. If the
1159 menu is already present, it will not be moved.
1161 - Function: add-menu-item menu-path item-name function enabled-p
1163 This function adds a menu item to some menu, creating the menu
1164 first if necessary. If the named item exists already, it is
1165 changed. This is obsolete; use `add-menu-button' instead.
1167 MENU-PATH identifies the menu under which the new menu item should
1168 be inserted. ITEM-NAME, FUNCTION, and ENABLED-P are the first,
1169 second, and third elements of a menu item vector (*note Menu
1172 BEFORE, if provided, is the name of a menu item before which this
1173 item should be added, if this item is not on the menu already. If
1174 the item is already present, it will not be moved.
1177 File: lispref.info, Node: Menu Filters, Next: Menu Accelerators, Prev: Pop-Up Menus, Up: Menus
1182 The following filter functions are provided for use in
1183 `default-menubar'. You may want to use them in your own menubar
1186 - Function: file-menu-filter menu-items
1187 This function changes the arguments and sensitivity of these File
1191 Has the name of the current buffer appended to it.
1194 Has the name of the current buffer appended to it.
1196 `Pretty-Print Buffer'
1197 Has the name of the current buffer appended to it.
1200 Has the name of the current buffer appended to it, and is
1201 sensitive only when the current buffer is modified.
1204 Has the name of the current buffer appended to it, and is
1205 sensitive only when the current buffer has a file.
1208 Sensitive only when there is more than one visible frame.
1210 - Function: edit-menu-filter menu-items
1211 This function changes the arguments and sensitivity of these Edit
1215 Sensitive only when XEmacs owns the primary X Selection (if
1216 `zmacs-regions' is `t', this is equivalent to saying that
1217 there is a region selected).
1220 Sensitive only when XEmacs owns the primary X Selection.
1223 Sensitive only when XEmacs owns the primary X Selection.
1226 Sensitive only when there is an owner for the X Clipboard
1230 Sensitive only when there is undo information. While in the
1231 midst of an undo, this is changed to `Undo More'.
1233 - Function: buffers-menu-filter menu-items
1234 This function sets up the Buffers menu. *Note Buffers Menu::, for