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[elisp/apel.git] / README.en

-*- outline -*-

[README for APEL (English Version)]

* What's APEL?

APEL stands for "A Portable Emacs Library".  It consists of following
modules:

**  poe.el

This is an emulation module mainly for basic functions and special
forms/macros of latest emacsen.

  poe-xemacs.el  --- for XEmacs
  poe-18.el      --- for Emacs 18/Nemacs
  env.el         --- env.el for Emacs 18
  localhook.el   --- hook functions for Emacs 19.28 and earlier.
  pym.el         --- macros for poe.

** poem.el

This module provides basic functions to write portable MULE programs.

  poem-nemacs.el --- for Nemacs
  poem-ltn1.el   --- for Emacs 19/XEmacs without MULE
  poem-om.el     --- for MULE 1.*, 2.*
  poem-20.el     --- shared module between Emacs 20 and XEmacs-MULE
  poem-e20_2.el  --- for Emacs 20.1/20.2
  poem-e20_3.el  --- for Emacs 20.3
  poem-xm.el     --- for XEmacs-MULE

** pces.el

This module provides portable character encoding scheme
(coding-system) features.

  pces-20.el     --- for Emacs 20 and XEmacs with coding-system.
  pces-e20.el    --- for Emacs 20.
  pces-e20_2.el  --- for Emacs 20.1 and 20.2.
  pces-nemacs.el --- for Nemacs.
  pces-om.el     --- for Mule 1.* and Mule 2.*.
  pces-raw.el    --- for emacsen without coding-system features.
  pces-xfc.el    --- for XEmacs with file coding.
  pces-xm.el     --- for XEmacs-mule.

** invisible.el

This modules provides features about invisible region.

  inv-18.el     --- for Emacs 18
  inv-19.el     --- for Emacs 19
  inv-xemacs.el --- for XEmacs

** mcharset.el

This modules provides MIME charset related features.

  mcs-nemacs.el --- for Nemacs
  mcs-ltn1.el   --- for Emacs 19/XEmacs without MULE
  mcs-om.el     --- for MULE 1.*, 2.*
  mcs-20.el     --- shared module between Emacs 20 and XEmacs-MULE
  mcs-e20.el    --- for Emacs 20
  mcs-xm.el     --- for XEmacs-MULE
  mcs-xmu.el    --- for XEmacs-MULE to unify ISO646 characters

** static.el --- utility for static evaluation

** broken.el --- provide information of broken facilities of Emacs

** pccl.el --- utility to write portable CCL program

  pccl-om.el --- for MULE 2.*
  pccl-20.el --- for Emacs 20/XEmacs-21-MULE

** alist.el: utility for Association-list

** calist.el: utility for condition tree and condition/situation-alist

** path-util.el: utility for path management or file detection

** filename.el: utility to make file-name

** install.el: utility to install emacs-lisp package

** mule-caesar.el: ROT 13-47-48 Caesar rotation utility

** emu.el

This module provides emu bundled in tm-7.106 compatibility.  It
required poe, poem and mcharset.

  emu-mule:     --- for MULE 1.*, 2.*.
  richtext.el   --- text/richtext module for Emacs 19.29 or later,
                     XEmacs 19.14 or later
  tinyrich.el   --- text/richtext module for old emacsen

** pcustom.el --- provide portable custom environment

  tinycustom.el --- emulation module of custom.el

** time-stamp.el

This is a utility to maintain last change time stamps in files edited
by Emacs.

** timezone.el

This is a utility of time zone.  This is a Y2K fixed version.   This
works with old GNUS 3.14.4 under version 18 of Emacs, too.

** product.el --- Functions for product version information.

* Installation

** run in expanded place

If you don't want to install other directories, please do only
following (You can use make.bat for MS-DOS OS family.  If you want to
use it, see `make.bat (for MS-DOS family)'):

  % make

You can specify the emacs command name, for example

  % make EMACS=xemacs

If `EMACS=...' is omitted, EMACS=emacs is used.

** make install

If you want to install other directories, please do following:

  % make install

You can specify the emacs command name, for example

  % make install EMACS=xemacs

If `EMACS=...' is omitted, EMACS=emacs is used.

You can specify the prefix of the directory tree for Emacs Lisp
programs and shell scripts, for example:

  % make install PREFIX=~/

If `PREFIX=...' is omitted, the prefix of the directory tree of the
specified emacs command is used (perhaps /usr/local).

For example, if PREFIX=/usr/local and Emacs 20.2 is specified, it
will create the following directory tree:

  /usr/local/share/emacs/20.2/site-lisp/        --- emu
  /usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp/apel/        --- APEL

You can specify the lisp directory for Emacs Lisp programs,
for example:

  % make install LISPDIR=~/elisp

You can also specify the version specific lisp directory where the
emu modules will be installed in, for example:

  % make install VERSION_SPECIFIC_LISPDIR=~/elisp

If you would like to know what files belong to the emu modules or
the apel modules, or where they will be installed in, for example,
please type the following command.

  % make what-where LISPDIR=~/elisp VERSION_SPECIFIC_LISPDIR=~/elisp

You can specify other optional settings by editing the file
APEL-CFG.  Please read comments in it.

** install as a XEmacs package

If you want to install to XEmacs package directory, please do
following:

  % make install-package

You can specify the emacs command name, for example

  % make install-package XEMACS=xemacs-21

If `XEMACS=...' is omitted, XEMACS=xemacs is used.

You can specify the package directory, for example:

  % make install PACKAGEDIR=~/.xemacs

If `PACKAGEDIR=...' is omitted, the first existing package
directory is used.

Notice that XEmacs package system requires XEmacs 21.0 or later.


** make.bat (for MS-DOS family)

make.bat is available for MS-DOS family.  You have to edit
make.bat if you want to use it.  If you use cygwin environment,
you can use make.exe and Makefile instead of make.bat.

In make.bat, a line which contain `rem' in its beginning is a
comment.  You have to insert or delete `rem', if necessary.

Default setups of make.bat is;

  set MEADOWVER=1.10
  set PREFIX=c:\usr\meadow
  set EMACS=%PREFIX%\%MEADOWVER%\bin\meadow95.exe
  set LISPDIR=%PREFIX%\site-lisp
  set VLISPDIR=%PREFIX%\%MEADOWVER%\site-lisp

It assumes that meadow executable binary exists in
c:\usr\meadow\1.10\bin\meadow95.exe.  On such basis make.bat will
try to install meadow version independent modules of APEL to;

  c:\usr\meadow\site-lisp

and meadow version dependent modules to;

  c:\usr\meadow\1.10\site-lisp

Please edit make.bat for your own environment and run make.bat

Emacs 19.3x or earlier does not have (e.x. Mule for Windows based on
19.28) an Emacs version dependent site-lisp directory
(e.x. c:\usr\meadow\1.10\site-lisp), and its load-path does not refer
to such directory by default.  If you want install APEL to such an Emacs
you may install all APEL modules to an Emacs version independent
site-lisp directory such as c:\usr\mule\site-lisp.

We cannot provide you with a Demacs example for make.bat.  If you install
APEL to Demacs, please send us such an example to apel-en@m17n.org (you
can post a message to the ML, even if you are not a member).

If you checkout APEL by using Windows native cvs.exe (not cygwin
version), cvs.exe will regularize end of line codes, LF to CRLF.  And
it also will try to convert CRLF to CRCRLF.  make.bat of which eol
code is CRCRLF does not work, so if you get such a make.bat, edit it
to really regularize eol codes to CRLF.  If you need further
information, see the following URL (n.b. Japanese only)

  http://openlab.ring.gr.jp/skk/cvswin-ja.html 

* load-path (for Emacs or MULE)

If you are using Emacs or Mule, please add directory of apel to
load-path.  If you install by default setting with Emacs 19.29 or
later or Emacs 20.1/20.2, you can write subdirs.el for example:

--------------------------------------------------------------------
(normal-top-level-add-to-load-path '("apel"))
--------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are using Emacs 20.3 or later or XEmacs, there are no need to
set up load-path with normal installation.


* Version specific information

** For Emacs 18 users: "old byte-compiler" vs "new byte-compiler"

In this package, we use compile-time evaluation heavily.
Unfortunately, the byte-compiler bundled with Emacs 18 (the "old
byte-compiler") does not have features such as `eval-when-compile'
and `eval-and-compile', and our emulation version of these macros
evaluate "compile-time evaluation" at load-time or at run-time!
In addition, the "old byte-compiler" cannot compile top-level use of
macros and leaves most of our code uncompiled.

Therefore, we recommend you to use the "new" optimizing byte-compiler.
It is the origin of byte-compiler bundled with Emacs 19 and later.

Optimizing byte-compiler for Emacs 18 is available from the Emacs
Lisp Archive and its mirrors.

In Mule 1.* days, "contrib" package for Mule 1.* was distributed and
it contained the "new byte-compiler" for Mule.  But, I think it is
difficult to obtain this package now.

AFAIK, the "new byte-compiler" for Emacs 18 is also bundled with SKK
9.6 or SKK 10.62a.  You can get SKK 10.62a from the following URL;

  http://openlab.ring.gr.jp/skk/maintrunk

They include patch for Mule 1.*.


** For Emacs 19.34 and XEmacs 19.14 users: "old custom" vs "new custom"

"custom" library bundled with Emacs 19.32 - 19.34, XEmacs 19.14, and
Gnus 5.2/5.3 is "old", its API is incompatible with "new custom"
bundled with Emacs 20.1, XEmacs 19.15, or newer, and Gnus 5.4/5.5.

"new custom" for Emacs 19.34 and XEmacs 19.15 - 20.2 is available
from the following URL.

ftp://ftp.dina.kvl.dk/pub/Staff/Per.Abrahamsen/custom/custom-1.9962.tar.gz

(Note that "new custom" bundled with XEmacs 19.15 - 20.2, and Gnus
5.4/5.5 is older than this version.)

Before installing "new custom", you should check the following points.

  1) If you stick to Gnus 5.2/5.3 (or any other applications which
     use "old custom"), you should not install "new custom".

  2) If you use Mule (based on Emacs 19), you must apply this patch
     to "new custom".

----8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<----
--- custom-1.9962/cus-face.el~  Wed Mar  4 19:52:39 1998
+++ custom-1.9962/cus-face.el   Mon Mar  9 08:05:33 1998
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
       "Define a new FACE on all frames, ignoring X resources."
       (interactive "SMake face: ")
       (or (internal-find-face name)
-         (let ((face (make-vector 8 nil)))
+         (let ((face (make-vector face-vector-length nil)))
            (aset face 0 'face)
            (aset face 1 name)
            (let* ((frames (frame-list))
----8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<------8<----

  3) Applications compiled with "custom" require the same version of
     "custom" at load-time (and run-time).  Therefore, if you use "new
     custom", you must always include "new custom" in your load-path.
     The easiest way to achieve this is "subdirs.el"; if you installed
     "new custom" in "/usr/local/share/emacs/19.34/site-lisp/custom/",
     put the following line to "/usr/local/share/emacs/19.34/site-lisp/subdirs.el".

       (normal-top-level-add-to-load-path '("custom"))


* How to use

** alist

*** Function put-alist (ITEM VALUE ALIST)

Modify ALIST to set VALUE to ITEM.  If there is a pair whose car is
ITEM, replace its cdr by VALUE.  If there is not such pair, create
new pair (ITEM . VALUE) and return new alist whose car is the new
pair and cdr is ALIST.

*** Function del-alist (ITEM ALIST)

If there is a pair whose key is ITEM, delete it from ALIST.

*** Function set-alist (SYMBOL ITEM VALUE)

Modify a alist indicated by SYMBOL to set VALUE to ITEM.

  Ex. (set-alist 'auto-mode-alist "\\.pln$" 'text-mode)

*** Function modify-alist (MODIFIER DEFAULT)

Modify alist DEFAULT into alist MODIFIER.

*** Function set-modified-alist (SYMBOL MODIFIER)

Modify a value of a SYMBOL into alist MODIFIER.  The SYMBOL should be
alist. If it is not bound, its value regard as nil.

** path-util

*** Function add-path (PATH &rest OPTIONS)

Add PATH to `load-path' if it exists under `default-load-path'
directories and it does not exist in `load-path'.

You can use following PATH styles:

  load-path relative: "PATH" (it is searched from `default-load-path')

  home directory relative: "~/PATH" "~USER/PATH"

  absolute path: "/FOO/BAR/BAZ"

You can specify following OPTIONS:

  'all-paths --- search from `load-path' instead of
                 `default-load-path'

  'append --- add PATH to the last of `load-path'

*** Function add-latest-path (PATTERN &optional ALL-PATHS)

Add latest path matched by regexp PATTERN to `load-path' if it
exists under `default-load-path' directories and it does not exist
in `load-path'.

For example, if there is bbdb-1.50 and bbdb-1.51 under site-lisp,
and if bbdb-1.51 is newer than bbdb-1.50, and site-lisp is
/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp,

  (add-latest-path "bbdb")

it adds "/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp/bbdb-1.51" to top of
`load-path'.

If optional argument ALL-PATHS is specified, it is searched from all
of `load-path' instead of `default-load-path'.

*** Function get-latest-path (PATTERN &optional ALL-PATHS)

Return latest directory in default-load-path which is matched to
regexp PATTERN.  If optional argument ALL-PATHS is specified, it is
searched from all of load-path instead of default-load-path.

  Ex. (let ((gnus-path (get-latest-path "gnus")))
        (add-path (expand-file-name "lisp" gnus-path))
        (add-to-list 'Info-default-directory-list
                     (expand-file-name "texi" gnus-path)))

*** Function file-installed-p (FILE &optional PATHS)

Return absolute-path of FILE if FILE exists in PATHS.  If PATHS is
omitted, `load-path' is used.

*** Function exec-installed-p (FILE &optional PATHS SUFFIXES)

Return absolute-path of FILE if FILE exists in PATHS.  If PATHS is
omitted, `exec-path' is used.  If SUFFIXES is omitted,
`exec-suffix-list' is used.

*** Function module-installed-p (MODULE &optional PATHS)

Return non-nil if MODULE is provided or exists in PATHS.  If PATHS is
omitted, `load-path' is used.

** filename

*** Function replace-as-filename (string)

Return safety file-name from STRING.

It refers variable `filename-filters'.  It is list of functions for
file-name filter.  Default filter refers following variables:

**** Variable filename-limit-length

Limit size of file-name.

**** Variable filename-replacement-alist

Alist list of characters vs. string as replacement.  List of
characters represents characters not allowed as file-name.

* Bug reports

If you write bug-reports and/or suggestions for improvement, please
send them to the APEL Mailing List:

  apel-en@m17n.org      (English)
  apel-ja@m17n.org      (Japanese)

Via the APEL ML, you can report APEL bugs, obtain the latest release
of APEL, and discuss future enhancements to APEL.  To join the APEL
ML, send an empty e-mail to

  apel-en-ctl@m17n.org  (English)
  apel-ja-ctl@m17n.org  (Japanese)


* Anonymous FTP

Latest release of APEL can be obtained from:

  ftp://ftp.m17n.org/pub/mule/apel/


* CVS

Development of APEL uses CVS.  So latest developing version is
available at CVS.

** cvs login (first time only)

  % cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.m17n.org:/cvs/root login

  CVS password: [CR] # NULL string

** checkout

  % cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.m17n.org:/cvs/root checkout apel

  If you would like to join CVS based development, please send mail to

  cvs@cvs.m17n.org

with your account name and your public key for ssh.  cvsroot is
:ext:cvs@cvs.m17n.org:/cvs/root.

If you cannot use ssh, please send UNIX /etc/passwd style crypted
password.  you can commit with the cvsroot
:pserver:<accountname>@cvs.m17n.org:/cvs/root.

We hope you will join the open development.