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INFO-DIR-SECTION XEmacs Editor
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* XEmacs: (xemacs).             XEmacs Editor.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY

   This file documents the XEmacs editor.

   Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1988 Richard M. Stallman.  Copyright (C)
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Lucid, Inc.  Copyright (C) 1993, 1994 Sun
Microsystems, Inc.  Copyright (C) 1995 Amdahl Corporation.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto", "Distribution" and "GNU
General Public License" are included exactly as in the original, and
provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the
terms of a permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions, except that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto",
"Distribution" and "GNU General Public License" may be included in a
translation approved by the author instead of in the original English.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: ForIndent Conv,  Next: ForIndent Vars,  Prev: ForIndent Num,  Up: Fortran Indent

Syntactic Conventions
.....................

   Fortran mode assumes that you follow certain conventions that
simplify the task of understanding a Fortran program well enough to
indent it properly:

   * Two nested `do' loops never share a `continue' statement.

   * The same character appears in column 5 of all continuation lines.
     It is the value of the variable `fortran-continuation-char'.  By
     default, this character is `$'.

If you fail to follow these conventions, the indentation commands may
indent some lines unaesthetically.  However, a correct Fortran program
will retain its meaning when reindented even if the conventions are not
followed.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: ForIndent Vars,  Prev: ForIndent Conv,  Up: Fortran Indent

Variables for Fortran Indentation
.................................

   Several additional variables control how Fortran indentation works.

`fortran-do-indent'
     Extra indentation within each level of `do' statement (the default
     is 3).

`fortran-if-indent'
     Extra indentation within each level of `if' statement (the default
     is 3).

`fortran-continuation-indent'
     Extra indentation for bodies of continuation lines (the default is
     5).

`fortran-check-all-num-for-matching-do'
     If this is `nil', indentation assumes that each `do' statement
     ends on a `continue' statement.  Therefore, when computing
     indentation for a statement other than `continue', it can save
     time by not checking for a `do' statement ending there.  If this
     is non-`nil', indenting any numbered statement must check for a
     `do' that ends there.  The default is `nil'.

`fortran-minimum-statement-indent'
     Minimum indentation for Fortran statements.  For standard Fortran,
     this is 6.  Statement bodies are always indented at least this
     much.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Fortran Comments,  Next: Fortran Columns,  Prev: Fortran Indent,  Up: Fortran

Comments
--------

   The usual Emacs comment commands assume that a comment can follow a
line of code.  In Fortran, the standard comment syntax requires an
entire line to be just a comment.  Therefore, Fortran mode replaces the
standard Emacs comment commands and defines some new variables.

   Fortran mode can also handle a non-standard comment syntax where
comments start with `!' and can follow other text.  Because only some
Fortran compilers accept this syntax, Fortran mode will not insert such
comments unless you have specified to do so in advance by setting the
variable `comment-start' to `"!"' (*note Variables::).

`M-;'
     Align comment or insert new comment (`fortran-comment-indent').

`C-x ;'
     Applies to nonstandard `!' comments only.

`C-c ;'
     Turn all lines of the region into comments, or (with arg) turn
     them back into real code (`fortran-comment-region').

   `M-;' in Fortran mode is redefined as the command
`fortran-comment-indent'.  Like the usual `M-;' command, it recognizes
an existing comment and aligns its text appropriately.  If there is no
existing comment, a comment is inserted and aligned.

   Inserting and aligning comments is not the same in Fortran mode as in
other modes.  When a new comment must be inserted, a full-line comment
is inserted if the current line is blank.  On a non-blank line, a
non-standard `!' comment is inserted if you previously specified you
wanted to use them.  Otherwise a full-line comment is inserted on a new
line before the current line.

   Non-standard `!' comments are aligned like comments in other
languages, but full-line comments are aligned differently.  In a
standard full-line comment, the comment delimiter itself must always
appear in column zero.  What can be aligned is the text within the
comment.  You can choose from three styles of alignment by setting the
variable `fortran-comment-indent-style' to one of these values:

`fixed'
     The text is aligned at a fixed column, which is the value of
     `fortran-comment-line-column'.  This is the default.

`relative'
     The text is aligned as if it were a line of code, but with an
     additional `fortran-comment-line-column' columns of indentation.

`nil'
     Text in full-line columns is not moved automatically.

   You can also specify the character to be used to indent within
full-line comments by setting the variable `fortran-comment-indent-char'
to the character you want to use.

   Fortran mode introduces two variables `comment-line-start' and
`comment-line-start-skip', which do for full-line comments what
`comment-start' and `comment-start-skip' do for ordinary text-following
comments.  Normally these are set properly by Fortran mode, so you do
not need to change them.

   The normal Emacs comment command `C-x ;' has not been redefined.  It
can therefore be used if you use `!' comments, but is useless in
Fortran mode otherwise.

   The command `C-c ;' (`fortran-comment-region') turns all the lines
of the region into comments by inserting the string `C$$$' at the front
of each one.  With a numeric arg, the region is turned back into live
code by deleting `C$$$' from the front of each line.  You can control
the string used for the comments by setting the variable
`fortran-comment-region'.  Note that here we have an example of a
command and a variable with the same name; the two uses of the name
never conflict because in Lisp and in Emacs it is always clear from the
context which one is referred to.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Fortran Columns,  Next: Fortran Abbrev,  Prev: Fortran Comments,  Up: Fortran

Columns
-------

`C-c C-r'
     Displays a "column ruler" momentarily above the current line
     (`fortran-column-ruler').

`C-c C-w'
     Splits the current window horizontally so that it is 72 columns
     wide.  This may help you avoid going over that limit
     (`fortran-window-create').

   The command `C-c C-r' (`fortran-column-ruler') shows a column ruler
above the current line.  The comment ruler consists of two lines of
text that show you the locations of columns with special significance
in Fortran programs.  Square brackets show the limits of the columns for
line numbers, and curly brackets show the limits of the columns for the
statement body.  Column numbers appear above them.

   Note that the column numbers count from zero, as always in XEmacs.
As a result, the numbers may not be those you are familiar with; but the
actual positions in the line are standard Fortran.

   The text used to display the column ruler is the value of the
variable `fortran-comment-ruler'.  By changing this variable, you can
change the display.

   For even more help, use `C-c C-w' (`fortran-window-create'), a
command which splits the current window horizontally, resulting in a
window 72 columns wide.  When you edit in this window, you can
immediately see when a line gets too wide to be correct Fortran.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Fortran Abbrev,  Prev: Fortran Columns,  Up: Fortran

Fortran Keyword Abbrevs
-----------------------

   Fortran mode provides many built-in abbrevs for common keywords and
declarations.  These are the same sort of abbrevs that you can define
yourself.  To use them, you must turn on Abbrev mode.  *note Abbrevs::.

   The built-in abbrevs are unusual in one way: they all start with a
semicolon.  You cannot normally use semicolon in an abbrev, but Fortran
mode makes this possible by changing the syntax of semicolon to "word
constituent".

   For example, one built-in Fortran abbrev is `;c' for `continue'.  If
you insert `;c' and then insert a punctuation character such as a space
or a newline, the `;c' changes automatically to `continue', provided
Abbrev mode is enabled.

   Type `;?' or `;C-h' to display a list of all built-in Fortran
abbrevs and what they stand for.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Asm Mode,  Prev: Fortran,  Up: Programs

Asm Mode
========

   Asm mode is a major mode for editing files of assembler code.  It
defines these commands:

`<TAB>'
     `tab-to-tab-stop'.

`<LFD>'
     Insert a newline and then indent using `tab-to-tab-stop'.

`:'
     Insert a colon and then remove the indentation from before the
     label preceding colon.  Then do `tab-to-tab-stop'.

`;'
     Insert or align a comment.

   The variable `asm-comment-char' specifies which character starts
comments in assembler syntax.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Running,  Next: Packages,  Prev: Programs,  Up: Top

Compiling and Testing Programs
******************************

   The previous chapter discusses the Emacs commands that are useful for
making changes in programs.  This chapter deals with commands that
assist in the larger process of developing and maintaining programs.

* Menu:

* Compilation::        Compiling programs in languages other than Lisp
                        (C, Pascal, etc.)
* Modes: Lisp Modes.   Various modes for editing Lisp programs, with
                       different facilities for running the Lisp programs.
* Libraries: Lisp Libraries.      Creating Lisp programs to run in Emacs.
* Eval: Lisp Eval.     Executing a single Lisp expression in Emacs.
* Debug: Lisp Debug.   Debugging Lisp programs running in Emacs.
* Interaction: Lisp Interaction.  Executing Lisp in an Emacs buffer.
* External Lisp::      Communicating through Emacs with a separate Lisp.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Compilation,  Next: Lisp Modes,  Prev: Running,  Up: Running

Running "make", or Compilers Generally
======================================

   Emacs can run compilers for non-interactive languages like C and
Fortran as inferior processes, feeding the error log into an Emacs
buffer.  It can also parse the error messages and visit the files in
which errors are found, moving point to the line where the error
occurred.

`M-x compile'
     Run a compiler asynchronously under Emacs, with error messages to
     `*compilation*' buffer.

`M-x grep'
     Run `grep' asynchronously under Emacs, with matching lines listed
     in the buffer named `*compilation*'.

`M-x kill-compilation'
     Kill the process made by the `M-x compile' command.

`M-x kill-grep'
     Kill the running compilation or `grep' subprocess.

`C-x `'
     Visit the next compiler error message or `grep' match.

   To run `make' or another compiler, type `M-x compile'.  This command
reads a shell command line using the minibuffer, then executes the
specified command line in an inferior shell with output going to the
buffer named `*compilation*'.  By default, the current buffer's default
directory is used as the working directory for the execution of the
command; therefore, the makefile comes from this directory.

   When the shell command line is read, the minibuffer appears
containing a default command line (the command you used the last time
you typed `M-x compile').  If you type just <RET>, the same command
line is used again.  The first `M-x compile' provides `make -k' as the
default.  The default is taken from the variable `compile-command'; if
the appropriate compilation command for a file is something other than
`make -k', it can be useful to have the file specify a local value for
`compile-command' (*note File Variables::).

   When you start a compilation, the buffer `*compilation*' is
displayed in another window but not selected.  Its mode line displays
the word `run' or `exit' in the parentheses to tell you whether
compilation is finished.  You do not have to keep this buffer visible;
compilation continues in any case.

   To kill the compilation process, type `M-x-kill-compilation'.  The
mode line of the `*compilation*' buffer changes to say `signal' instead
of `run'.  Starting a new compilation also kills any running
compilation, as only one can occur at any time.  Starting a new
compilation prompts for confirmation before actually killing a
compilation that is running.

   To parse the compiler error messages, type `C-x `' (`next-error').
The character following `C-x' is the grave accent, not the single
quote.  The command displays the buffer `*compilation*' in one window
and the buffer in which the next error occurred in another window.
Point in that buffer is moved to the line where the error was found.
The corresponding error message is scrolled to the top of the window in
which `*compilation*' is displayed.

   The first time you use `C-x `' after the start of a compilation, it
parses all the error messages, visits all the files that have error
messages, and creates markers pointing at the lines the error messages
refer to.  It then moves to the first error message location.
Subsequent uses of `C-x `' advance down the data set up by the first
use.  When the preparsed error messages are exhausted, the next `C-x `'
checks for any more error messages that have come in; this is useful if
you start editing compiler errors while compilation is still going on.
If no additional error messages have come in, `C-x `' reports an error.

   `C-u C-x `' discards the preparsed error message data and parses the
`*compilation*' buffer again, then displays the first error.  This way,
you can process the same set of errors again.

   Instead of running a compiler, you can run `grep' and see the lines
on which matches were found.  To do this, type `M-x grep' with an
argument line that contains the same arguments you would give to
`grep': a `grep'-style regexp (usually in single quotes to quote the
shell's special characters) followed by filenames, which may use
wildcard characters.  The output from `grep' goes in the
`*compilation*' buffer.  You can use `C-x `' to find the lines that
match as if they were compilation errors.

   Note: a shell is used to run the compile command, but the shell is
not run in interactive mode.  In particular, this means that the shell
starts up with no prompt.  If you find your usual shell prompt making an
unsightly appearance in the `*compilation*' buffer, it means you have
made a mistake in your shell's initialization file (`.cshrc' or `.shrc'
or ...) by setting the prompt unconditionally.  The shell
initialization file should set the prompt only if there already is a
prompt.  Here's how to do it in `csh':

     if ($?prompt) set prompt = ...

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Lisp Modes,  Next: Lisp Libraries,  Prev: Compilation,  Up: Running

Major Modes for Lisp
====================

   Emacs has four different major modes for Lisp.  They are the same in
terms of editing commands, but differ in the commands for executing Lisp
expressions.

Emacs-Lisp mode
     The mode for editing source files of programs to run in Emacs Lisp.
     This mode defines `C-M-x' to evaluate the current defun.  *Note
     Lisp Libraries::.

Lisp Interaction mode
     The mode for an interactive session with Emacs Lisp.  It defines
     <LFD> to evaluate the sexp before point and insert its value in the
     buffer.  *Note Lisp Interaction::.

Lisp mode
     The mode for editing source files of programs that run in other
     dialects of Lisp than Emacs Lisp.  This mode defines `C-M-x' to
     send the current defun to an inferior Lisp process.  *Note
     External Lisp::.

Inferior Lisp mode
     The mode for an interactive session with an inferior Lisp process.
     This mode combines the special features of Lisp mode and Shell mode
     (*note Shell Mode::).

Scheme mode
     Like Lisp mode but for Scheme programs.

Inferior Scheme mode
     The mode for an interactive session with an inferior Scheme
     process.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Lisp Libraries,  Next: Lisp Eval,  Prev: Lisp Modes,  Up: Running

Libraries of Lisp Code for Emacs
================================

   Lisp code for Emacs editing commands is stored in files whose names
conventionally end in `.el'.  This ending tells Emacs to edit them in
Emacs-Lisp mode (*note Lisp Modes::).

* Menu:

* Loading::             Loading libraries of Lisp code into Emacs for use.
* Compiling Libraries:: Compiling a library makes it load and run faster.
* Mocklisp::            Converting Mocklisp to Lisp so XEmacs can run it.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Loading,  Next: Compiling Libraries,  Prev: Lisp Libraries,  Up: Lisp Libraries

Loading Libraries
-----------------

`M-x load-file FILE'
     Load the file FILE of Lisp code.

`M-x load-library LIBRARY'
     Load the library named LIBRARY.

`M-x locate-library LIBRARY &optional NOSUFFIX'
     Show the full path name of Emacs library LIBRARY.

   To execute a file of Emacs Lisp, use `M-x load-file'.  This command
reads the file name you provide in the minibuffer, then executes the
contents of that file as Lisp code.  It is not necessary to visit the
file first; in fact, this command reads the file as found on disk, not
the text in an Emacs buffer.

   Once a file of Lisp code is installed in the Emacs Lisp library
directories, users can load it using `M-x load-library'.  Programs can
load it by calling `load-library', or with `load', a more primitive
function that is similar but accepts some additional arguments.

   `M-x load-library' differs from `M-x load-file' in that it searches
a sequence of directories and tries three file names in each directory.
The three names are: first, the specified name with `.elc' appended;
second, the name with `.el' appended; third, the specified name alone.
A `.elc' file would be the result of compiling the Lisp file into byte
code;  if possible, it is loaded in preference to the Lisp file itself
because the compiled file loads and runs faster.

   Because the argument to `load-library' is usually not in itself a
valid file name, file name completion is not available.  In fact, when
using this command, you usually do not know exactly what file name will
be used.

   The sequence of directories searched by `M-x load-library' is
specified by the variable `load-path', a list of strings that are
directory names.  The elements of this list may not begin with "`~'",
so you must call `expand-file-name' on them before adding them to the
list.  The default value of the list contains the directory where the
Lisp code for Emacs itself is stored.  If you have libraries of your
own, put them in a single directory and add that directory to
`load-path'.  `nil' in this list stands for the current default
directory, but it is probably not a good idea to put `nil' in the list.
If you start wishing that `nil' were in the list, you should probably
use `M-x load-file' for this case.

   The variable is initialized by the EMACSLOADPATH environment
variable. If no value is specified, the variable takes the default value
specified in the file `paths.h' when Emacs was built. If a path isn't
specified in `paths.h', a default value is obtained from the file
system, near the directory in which the Emacs executable resides.

   Like `M-x load-library', `M-x locate-library' searches the
directories in `load-path' to find the file that `M-x load-library'
would load.  If the optional second argument NOSUFFIX is non-`nil', the
suffixes `.elc' or `.el' are not added to the specified name LIBRARY
(like calling `load' instead of `load-library').

   You often do not have to give any command to load a library, because
the commands defined in the library are set up to "autoload" that
library.  Running any of those commands causes `load' to be called to
load the library; this replaces the autoload definitions with the real
ones from the library.

   If autoloading a file does not finish, either because of an error or
because of a `C-g' quit, all function definitions made by the file are
undone automatically.  So are any calls to `provide'.  As a
consequence, the entire file is loaded a second time if you use one of
the autoloadable commands again.  This prevents problems when the
command is no longer autoloading but is working incorrectly because the
file was only partially loaded.  Function definitions are undone only
for autoloading; explicit calls to `load' do not undo anything if
loading is not completed.

   The variable `after-load-alist' takes an alist of expressions to be
evaluated when particular files are loaded.  Each element has the form
`(FILENAME forms...)'.  When `load' is run and the filename argument is
FILENAME, the forms in the corresponding element are executed at the
end of loading.

   FILENAME must match exactly.  Normally FILENAME is the name of a
library, with no directory specified, since that is how load is
normally called.  An error in `forms' does not undo the load, but it
does prevent execution of the rest of the `forms'.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Compiling Libraries,  Next: Mocklisp,  Prev: Loading,  Up: Lisp Libraries

Compiling Libraries
-------------------

   Emacs Lisp code can be compiled into byte-code which loads faster,
takes up less space when loaded, and executes faster.

`M-x batch-byte-compile'
     Run byte-compile-file on the files remaining on the command line.

`M-x byte-compile-buffer &optional BUFFER'
     Byte-compile and evaluate contents of BUFFER (default is current
     buffer).

`M-x byte-compile-file'
     Compile a file of Lisp code named FILENAME into a file of byte
     code.

`M-x byte-compile-and-load-file FILENAME'
     Compile a file of Lisp code named FILENAME into a file of byte
     code and load it.

`M-x byte-recompile-directory DIRECTORY'
     Recompile every `.el' file in DIRECTORY that needs recompilation.

`M-x disassemble'
     Print disassembled code for OBJECT on (optional) STREAM.

`M-x make-obsolete FUNCTION NEW'
     Make the byte-compiler warn that FUNCTION is obsolete and NEW
     should be used instead.

   `byte-compile-file' creates a byte-code compiled file from an
Emacs-Lisp source file.  The default argument for this function is the
file visited in the current buffer.  The function reads the specified
file, compiles it into byte code, and writes an output file whose name
is made by appending `c' to the input file name.  Thus, the file
`rmail.el' would be compiled into `rmail.elc'. To compile a file of
Lisp code named FILENAME into a file of byte code and then load it, use
`byte-compile-and-load-file'. To compile and evaluate Lisp code in a
given buffer, use `byte-compile-buffer'.

   To recompile all changed Lisp files in a directory, use `M-x
byte-recompile-directory'.  Specify just the directory name as an
argument.  Each `.el' file that has been byte-compiled before is
byte-compiled again if it has changed since the previous compilation.
A numeric argument to this command tells it to offer to compile each
`.el' file that has not been compiled yet.  You must answer `y' or `n'
to each offer.

   You can use the function `batch-byte-compile' to invoke Emacs
non-interactively from the shell to do byte compilation.  When you use
this function, the files to be compiled are specified with command-line
arguments.  Use a shell command of the form:

     emacs -batch -f batch-byte-compile FILES...

   Directory names may also be given as arguments; in that case,
`byte-recompile-directory' is invoked on each such directory.
`batch-byte-compile' uses all remaining command-line arguments as file
or directory names, then kills the Emacs process.

   `M-x disassemble' explains the result of byte compilation.  Its
argument is a function name.  It displays the byte-compiled code in a
help window in symbolic form, one instruction per line.  If the
instruction refers to a variable or constant, that is shown, too.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Mocklisp,  Prev: Compiling Libraries,  Up: Lisp Libraries

Converting Mocklisp to Lisp
---------------------------

   XEmacs can run Mocklisp files by converting them to Emacs Lisp first.
To convert a Mocklisp file, visit it and then type `M-x
convert-mocklisp-buffer'.  Then save the resulting buffer of Lisp file
in a file whose name ends in `.el' and use the new file as a Lisp
library.

   You cannot currently byte-compile converted Mocklisp code.  The
reason is that converted Mocklisp code uses some special Lisp features
to deal with Mocklisp's incompatible ideas of how arguments are
evaluated and which values signify "true" or "false".

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Lisp Eval,  Next: Lisp Debug,  Prev: Lisp Libraries,  Up: Running

Evaluating Emacs-Lisp Expressions
=================================

   Lisp programs intended to be run in Emacs should be edited in
Emacs-Lisp mode; this will happen automatically for file names ending in
`.el'.  By contrast, Lisp mode itself should be used for editing Lisp
programs intended for other Lisp systems.  Emacs-Lisp mode can be
selected with the command `M-x emacs-lisp-mode'.

   For testing of Lisp programs to run in Emacs, it is useful to be able
to evaluate part of the program as it is found in the Emacs buffer.  For
example, if you change the text of a Lisp function definition and then
evaluate the definition, Emacs installs the change for future calls to
the function.  Evaluation of Lisp expressions is also useful in any
kind of editing task for invoking non-interactive functions (functions
that are not commands).

`M-<ESC>'
     Read a Lisp expression in the minibuffer, evaluate it, and print
     the value in the minibuffer (`eval-expression').

`C-x C-e'
     Evaluate the Lisp expression before point, and print the value in
     the minibuffer (`eval-last-sexp').

`C-M-x'
     Evaluate the defun containing point or after point, and print the
     value in the minibuffer (`eval-defun').

`M-x eval-region'
     Evaluate all the Lisp expressions in the region.

`M-x eval-current-buffer'
     Evaluate all the Lisp expressions in the buffer.

   `M-<ESC>' (`eval-expression') is the most basic command for
evaluating a Lisp expression interactively.  It reads the expression
using the minibuffer, so you can execute any expression on a buffer
regardless of what the buffer contains.  When evaluation is complete,
the current buffer is once again the buffer that was current when
`M-<ESC>' was typed.

   `M-<ESC>' can easily confuse users, especially on keyboards with
autorepeat, where it can result from holding down the <ESC> key for too
long.  Therefore, `eval-expression' is normally a disabled command.
Attempting to use this command asks for confirmation and gives you the
option of enabling it; once you enable the command, you are no longer
required to confirm.  *Note Disabling::.

   In Emacs-Lisp mode, the key `C-M-x' is bound to the function
`eval-defun', which parses the defun containing point or following point
as a Lisp expression and evaluates it.  The value is printed in the echo
area.  This command is convenient for installing in the Lisp environment
changes that you have just made in the text of a function definition.

   The command `C-x C-e' (`eval-last-sexp') performs a similar job but
is available in all major modes, not just Emacs-Lisp mode.  It finds
the sexp before point, reads it as a Lisp expression, evaluates it, and
prints the value in the echo area.  It is sometimes useful to type in an
expression and then, with point still after it, type `C-x C-e'.

   If `C-M-x' or `C-x C-e' are given a numeric argument, they print the
value by inserting it into the current buffer at point, rather than in
the echo area.  The argument value does not matter.

   The most general command for evaluating Lisp expressions from a
buffer is `eval-region'.  `M-x eval-region' parses the text of the
region as one or more Lisp expressions, evaluating them one by one.
`M-x eval-current-buffer' is similar, but it evaluates the entire
buffer.  This is a reasonable way to install the contents of a file of
Lisp code that you are just ready to test.  After finding and fixing a
bug, use `C-M-x' on each function that you change, to keep the Lisp
world in step with the source file.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Lisp Debug,  Next: Lisp Interaction,  Prev: Lisp Eval,  Up: Running

The Emacs-Lisp Debugger
=======================

   XEmacs contains a debugger for Lisp programs executing inside it.
This debugger is normally not used; many commands frequently get Lisp
errors when invoked in inappropriate contexts (such as `C-f' at the end
of the buffer) and it would be unpleasant to enter a special debugging
mode in this case.  When you want to make Lisp errors invoke the
debugger, you must set the variable `debug-on-error' to non-`nil'.
Quitting with `C-g' is not considered an error, and `debug-on-error'
has no effect on the handling of `C-g'.  However, if you set
`debug-on-quit' to be non-`nil', `C-g' will invoke the debugger.  This
can be useful for debugging an infinite loop; type `C-g' once the loop
has had time to reach its steady state.  `debug-on-quit' has no effect
on errors.

   You can make Emacs enter the debugger when a specified function is
called or at a particular place in Lisp code.  Use `M-x debug-on-entry'
with argument FUN-NAME to have Emacs enter the debugger as soon as
FUN-NAME is called. Use `M-x cancel-debug-on-entry' to make the
function stop entering the debugger when called.  (Redefining the
function also does this.)  To enter the debugger from some other place
in Lisp code, you must insert the expression `(debug)' there and
install the changed code with `C-M-x'.  *Note Lisp Eval::.

   When the debugger is entered, it displays the previously selected
buffer in one window and a buffer named `*Backtrace*' in another
window.  The backtrace buffer contains one line for each level of Lisp
function execution currently going on.  At the beginning of the buffer
is a message describing the reason that the debugger was invoked, for
example, an error message if it was invoked due to an error.

   The backtrace buffer is read-only and is in Backtrace mode, a special
major mode in which letters are defined as debugger commands.  The
usual Emacs editing commands are available; you can switch windows to
examine the buffer that was being edited at the time of the error, and
you can switch buffers, visit files, and perform any other editing
operations.  However, the debugger is a recursive editing level (*note
Recursive Edit::); it is a good idea to return to the backtrace buffer
and explictly exit the debugger when you don't want to use it any more.
Exiting the debugger kills the backtrace buffer.

   The contents of the backtrace buffer show you the functions that are
executing and the arguments that were given to them.  It also allows you
to specify a stack frame by moving point to the line describing that
frame.  The frame whose line point is on is considered the "current
frame".  Some of the debugger commands operate on the current frame.
Debugger commands are mainly used for stepping through code one
expression at a time.  Here is a list of them:

`c'
     Exit the debugger and continue execution.  In most cases,
     execution of the program continues as if the debugger had never
     been entered (aside from the effect of any variables or data
     structures you may have changed while inside the debugger).  This
     includes entry to the debugger due to function entry or exit,
     explicit invocation, and quitting or certain errors.  Most errors
     cannot be continued; trying to continue an error usually causes
     the same error to occur again.

`d'
     Continue execution, but enter the debugger the next time a Lisp
     function is called.  This allows you to step through the
     subexpressions of an expression, and see what the subexpressions
     do and what values they compute.

     When you enter the debugger this way, Emacs flags the stack frame
     for the function call from which you entered.  The same function
     is then called when you exit the frame.  To cancel this flag, use
     `u'.

`b'
     Set up to enter the debugger when the current frame is exited.
     Frames that invoke the debugger on exit are flagged with stars.

`u'
     Don't enter the debugger when the current frame is exited.  This
     cancels a `b' command on a frame.

`e'
     Read a Lisp expression in the minibuffer, evaluate it, and print
     the value in the echo area.  This is equivalent to the command
     `M-<ESC>', except that `e' is not normally disabled like `M-<ESC>'.

`q'
     Terminate the program being debugged; return to top-level Emacs
     command execution.

     If the debugger was entered due to a `C-g' but you really want to
     quit, not to debug, use the `q' command.

`r'
     Return a value from the debugger.  The value is computed by
     reading an expression with the minibuffer and evaluating it.

     The value returned by the debugger makes a difference when the
     debugger was invoked due to exit from a Lisp call frame (as
     requested with `b'); then the value specified in the `r' command
     is used as the value of that frame.

     The debugger's return value also matters with many errors.  For
     example, `wrong-type-argument' errors will use the debugger's
     return value instead of the invalid argument; `no-catch' errors
     will use the debugger value as a throw tag instead of the tag that
     was not found.  If an error was signaled by calling the Lisp
     function `signal', the debugger's return value is returned as the
     value of `signal'.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Lisp Interaction,  Next: External Lisp,  Prev: Lisp Debug,  Up: Running

Lisp Interaction Buffers
========================

   The buffer `*scratch*', which is selected when Emacs starts up, is
provided for evaluating Lisp expressions interactively inside Emacs.
Both the expressions you evaluate and their output goes in the buffer.

   The `*scratch*' buffer's major mode is Lisp Interaction mode, which
is the same as Emacs-Lisp mode except for one command, <LFD>.  In
Emacs-Lisp mode, <LFD> is an indentation command.  In Lisp Interaction
mode, <LFD> is bound to `eval-print-last-sexp'.  This function reads
the Lisp expression before point, evaluates it, and inserts the value
in printed representation before point.

   The way to use the `*scratch*' buffer is to insert Lisp expressions
at the end, ending each one with <LFD> so that it will be evaluated.
The result is a complete typescript of the expressions you have
evaluated and their values.

   The rationale for this feature is that Emacs must have a buffer when
it starts up, but that buffer is not useful for editing files since a
new buffer is made for every file that you visit.  The Lisp interpreter
typescript is the most useful thing I can think of for the initial
buffer to do.  `M-x lisp-interaction-mode' will put any buffer in Lisp
Interaction mode.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: External Lisp,  Prev: Lisp Interaction,  Up: Running

Running an External Lisp
========================

   Emacs has facilities for running programs in other Lisp systems.
You can run a Lisp process as an inferior of Emacs, and pass
expressions to it to be evaluated.  You can also pass changed function
definitions directly from the Emacs buffers in which you edit the Lisp
programs to the inferior Lisp process.

   To run an inferior Lisp process, type `M-x run-lisp'.  This runs the
program named `lisp', the same program you would run by typing `lisp'
as a shell command, with both input and output going through an Emacs
buffer named `*lisp*'.  In other words, any "terminal output" from Lisp
will go into the buffer, advancing point, and any "terminal input" for
Lisp comes from text in the buffer.  To give input to Lisp, go to the
end of the buffer and type the input, terminated by <RET>.  The
`*lisp*' buffer is in Inferior Lisp mode, which has all the special
characteristics of Lisp mode and Shell mode (*note Shell Mode::).

   Use Lisp mode to run the source files of programs in external Lisps.
You can select this mode with `M-x lisp-mode'.  It is used automatically
for files whose names end in `.l' or `.lisp', as most Lisp systems
usually expect.

   When you edit a function in a Lisp program you are running, the
easiest way to send the changed definition to the inferior Lisp process
is the key `C-M-x'.  In Lisp mode, this key runs the function
`lisp-send-defun', which finds the defun around or following point and
sends it as input to the Lisp process.  (Emacs can send input to any
inferior process regardless of what buffer is current.)

   Contrast the meanings of `C-M-x' in Lisp mode (for editing programs
to be run in another Lisp system) and Emacs-Lisp mode (for editing Lisp
programs to be run in Emacs): in both modes it has the effect of
installing the function definition that point is in, but the way of
doing so is different according to where the relevant Lisp environment
is found.  *Note Lisp Modes::.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Packages,  Next: Abbrevs,  Prev: Running,  Up: Top

Packages
========

   The XEmacs 21 distribution comes only with a very basic set of
built-in modes and packages.  Most of the packages that were part of
the distribution of earlier versions of XEmacs are now available
separately.  The installer as well as the user can choose which
packages to install; the actual installation process is easy.  This
gives an installer the ability to tailor an XEmacs installation for
local needs with safe removal of unnecessary code.

* Menu:

* Package Terminology:: Understanding different kinds of packages.
* Using Packages::      How to install and use packages.
* Building Packages::   Building packages from sources.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Package Terminology,  Next: Using Packages,  Up: Packages

Package Flavors
---------------

   There are two main flavors of packages.

   * Regular Packages A regular package is one in which multiple files
     are involved and one may not in general safely remove any of them.

   * Single-File Packages A single-file package is an aggregate
     collection of thematically related but otherwise independent lisp
     files.  These files are bundled together for download convenience
     and individual files may be deleted at will without any loss of
     functionality.

Package Distributions
---------------------

   XEmacs Lisp packages are distributed in two ways, depending on the
intended use.  Binary Packages are for installers and end-users and may
be installed directly into an XEmacs package directory.  Source Packages
are for developers and include all files necessary for rebuilding
bytecompiled lisp and creating tarballs for distribution.

Binary Packages
---------------

   Binary packages may be installed directly into an XEmacs package
hierarchy.

Source Packages
---------------

   Source packages contain all of the Package author's (where
appropriate in regular packages) source code plus all of the files
necessary to build distribution tarballs (Unix Tar format files,
gzipped for space savings).

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Using Packages,  Next: Building Packages,  Prev: Package Terminology,  Up: Packages

Getting Started
---------------

   When you first download XEmacs 21, you will usually first grab the
"core distribution", a file called `xemacs-21.0.tar.gz'. (Replace the
21.0 by the current version number.)  The core distribution contains
the sources of XEmacs and a minimal set of Emacs Lisp files, which are
in the subdirectory named `lisp'.  This subdirectory used to contain
all Emacs Lisp files distributed with XEmacs.  Now, to conserve disk
space, most non-essential packages were made optional.

Choosing the Packages You Need
------------------------------

   The available packages can currently be found in the same ftp
directory where you grabbed the core distribution from, and are located
in the subdirectory `packages/binary-packages'.  Package file names
follow the naming convention `<package-name>-<version>-pkg.tar.gz'.

   If you have EFS *Note (EFS)::, packages can be installed over the
network.  Alternatively, if you have copies of the packages locally,
you can install packages from a local disk or CDROM.

   The file `etc/PACKAGES' in the core distribution contains a list of
the packages available at the time of the XEmacs release.  Packages are
also listed on the `Options' menu under:

             Options->Customize->Emacs->Packages

   However, don't select any of these menu picks unless you actually
want to install the given package (and have properly configured your
system to do so).

   You can also get a list of available packages, and whether or not
they are installed, using the visual package browser and installer.
You can access it via the menus:

             Options->Manage Packages->List & Install

   Or, you can get to it via the keyboard:

     M-x pui-list-packages

   Hint to system administrators of multi-user systems: it might be a
good idea to install all packages and not interfere with the wishes of
your users.

   If you can't find which package provides the feature you require, try
using the `package-get-package-provider' function. Eg., if you know
that you need `thingatpt', type:

     M-x package-get-package-provider RET thingatpt

   which will return something like (fsf-compat "1.06"). You can the use
one of the methods above for installing the package you want.

XEmacs and Installing Packages
------------------------------

   Normally, packages are installed over the network, using EFS *Note
(EFS)::.  However, you may not have network access, or you may already
have some or all of the packages on a local disk, such as a CDROM.  If
you want to install from a local disk, you must first tell XEmacs where
to find the package binaries.  This is done by adding a line like the
following to your `.emacs' file:

     (setq package-get-remote (cons (list nil "/my/path/to/package/binaries")
                                    package-get-remote))

   Here, you'd change `/my/path/to/package/binaries' to be the path to
your local package binaries.  Next, restart XEmacs, and you're ready to
go (advanced users can just re-evaluate the sexp).

   If you are installing from a temporary, one-time directory, you can
also add these directory names to `package-get-remote' using:

             M-x pui-add-install-directory

   Note, however, that any directories added using this function are not
saved; this information will be lost when you quit XEmacs.

   If you're going to install over the network, you only have to insure
that EFS *Note (EFS):: works, and that it can get outside a firewall, if
you happen to be behind one.  You shouldn't have to do anything else;
XEmacs already knows where to go. However you can add your own mirrors
to this list. See `package-get-remote'.

   The easiest way to install a package is to use the visual package
browser and installer, using the menu pick:

             Options->Manage Packages->List & Install
   or
             Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Select-> ...

   You can also access it using the keyboard:

     M-x pui-list-packages

   The visual package browser will then display a list of all packages.
Help information will be displayed at the very bottom of the buffer; you
may have to scroll down to see it.  You can also press `?' to get the
same help.  From this buffer, you can tell the package status by the
character in the first column:

`-'
     The package has not been installed.

`*'
     The package has been installed, but a newer version is available.
     The current version is out-of-date.

`+'
     The package has been marked for installation/update.

   If there is no character in the first column, the package has been
installed and is up-to-date.

   From here, you can select or unselect packages for installation using
the <RET> key, the `Mouse-2' button or selecting "Select" from the
(Popup) Menu.  Once you've finished selecting the packages, you can
press the `x' key (or use the menu) to actually install the packages.
Note that you will have to restart XEmacs for XEmacs to recognize any
new packages.

   Key summary:

`?'
     Display simple help.

`<RET>'
`<Mouse-2>'
     Toggle between selecting and unselecting a package for
     installation.

`x'
     Install selected packages.

`<SPC>'
     View, in the minibuffer, additional information about the package,
     such as the package date (not the build date) and the package
     author.  Moving the mouse over a package name will also do the
     same thing.

`v'
     Toggle between verbose and non-verbose package display.

`g'
     Refresh the package display.

`q'
     Kill the package buffer.

   Moving the mouse over a package will also cause additional
information about the package to be displayed in the minibuffer.

Other package installation interfaces
-------------------------------------

   For an alternative package interface, you can select packages from
the customize menus, under:

             Options->Customize->Emacs->Packages-> ...
   or
             Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Select-> ...

   Set their state to on, and then do:

             Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Update Packages

   This will automatically retrieve the packages you have selected from
the XEmacs ftp site or your local disk, and install them into XEmacs.
Additionally it will update any packages you already have installed to
the newest version.  Note that if a package is newly installed you will
have to restart XEmacs for the change to take effect.

   You can also install packages using a semi-manual interface:

     M-x package-get-all <return>

   Enter the name of the package (e.g., `prog-modes'), and XEmacs will
search for the latest version (as listed in the lisp file
`lisp/package-get-base.el'), and install it and any packages that it
depends upon.

Manual Binary Package Installation
----------------------------------

   Pre-compiled, binary packages can be installed in either a system
package directory (this is determined when XEmacs is compiled), or in
one of the following subdirectories of your `$HOME' directory:

     ~/.xemacs/mule-packages
     ~/.xemacs/xemacs-packages

   Packages in the former directory will only be found by a Mule-enabled
XEmacs.

   XEmacs does not have to be running to install binary packages,
although XEmacs will not know about any newly-installed packages until
you restart XEmacs.  Note, however, that installing a newer version of a
package while XEmacs is running could cause strange errors in XEmacs;
it's best to exit XEmacs before upgrading an existing package.

   To install binary packages manually:

  1. Download the package(s) that you want to install.  Each binary
     package will typically be a gzip'd tarball.

  2. Decide where to install the packages: in the system package
     directory, or in `~/.xemacs/mule-packages' or
     `~/.xemacs/xemacs-packages', respectively.  If you want to install
     the packages in the system package directory, make sure you can
     write into that directory.  If you want to install in your `$HOME'
     directory, create the directory, `~/.xemacs/mule-packages' or
     `~/.xemacs/xemacs-packages', respectively.

  3. Next, `cd' to the directory under which you want to install the
     package(s).

  4. From this directory, uncompress and extract each of the gzip'd
     tarballs that you downloaded in step 1.  Unix and Cygnus cygwin
     users will typically do this using the commands:

                  gunzip < package.tar.gz | tar xvf -

     Above, replace `package.tar.gz' with the filename of the package
     that you downloaded in step 1.

     Of course, if you use GNU `tar', you could also use:

                  tar xvzf package.tar.gz

  5. That's it.  Quit and restart XEmacs to get it to recognize any new
     or changed packages.