Re: Incorporate package macrostep into Emacs core

[Jeremy Bryant <jb@jeremybryant.net>]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1680 bytes --]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Jeremy Bryant <jb@jeremybryant.net>
>> Cc: monnier@iro.umontreal.ca,  emacs-devel@gnu.org
>> Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2024 22:27:56 +0100
>> 
>> Absolutely, sorry, attached is the revised patch I have worked on.
>
> Thanks, a few minor comments below.
>
>> Subject: [PATCH] Add Macrostep section in manual
>> 
>> Macrostep is an Emacs Lisp macro-expander useful for exploring and
>> writing macros.  This is based on Jonathan's Oddie's documentation
>> in the macrostep package.
>> 
>> 	* doc/emacs/programs.texi (Programs): Add Macrostep section.
>> 	* doc/emacs/emacs.texi (Top): 	Add detailed menu reference.
>  ^^^^^^^                             ^^^
> Those TABs should not be there in the commit log message.
>
>> +You can use @code{macrostep-mode} to explore Lisp macro definitions, and
>> +help write new macros, using @kbd{M-x macrostep-expand} when point is
>> +over a macro.
>
> We say "when point is in a macro".  "Over" is reserved for mouse
> pointer.
>
>> +@kbd{macrostep} is a minor mode for interactively stepping through the
>         ^^^^^^^^^
> "macrostep-mode", I guess?  And why @kbd? is that something the user
> is supposed to type?
>
>> +The standard keybindings in @code{macrostep-mode} are the following:
>> +@table @kbd
>> +@item e
>> +@itemx =
>> +@itemx RET
>> +@findex macrostep-expand
>
> Please move the index entries to _before_ the corresponding @item's,
> so that following the index entry lands you on the @item, not after
> it.
>
> Otherwise, this LGTM, thanks.

OK - Attached is a revised patch incorporating the ideas above (as well as a
refinement from Eshel on clarifying this is for Emacs Lisp).


[-- Warning: decoded text below may be mangled, UTF-8 assumed --]
[-- Attachment #2: 0001-Add-Macrostep-section-in-manual.patch --]
[-- Type: text/x-diff, Size: 3743 bytes --]

From 4be7abaa0af33936b62119732609a1d4ff8ee1b4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jeremy Bryant <jb@jeremybryant.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:21:07 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Add Macrostep section in manual

Macrostep is an Emacs Lisp macro-expander useful for exploring and
writing macros.  This is based on Jonathan's Oddie's documentation
in the macrostep package.

* doc/emacs/programs.texi (Programs): Add Macrostep section.
* doc/emacs/emacs.texi (Top): Add detailed menu reference.
---
 doc/emacs/emacs.texi    |  3 ++
 doc/emacs/programs.texi | 61 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 64 insertions(+)

diff --git a/doc/emacs/emacs.texi b/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
index 7d77f13ab21..2ce47dd6e5e 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
@@ -694,6 +694,9 @@ Top
 @ifnottex
 * Fortran::             Fortran mode and its special features.
 @end ifnottex
+@ifnottex
+* Macrostep::           Interactive Emacs Lisp macro-expander.
+@end ifnottex
 
 Top-Level Definitions, or Defuns
 
diff --git a/doc/emacs/programs.texi b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
index de28a9f1dd4..8c8542cc374 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/programs.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ Programs
 @ifnottex
 * Fortran::             Fortran mode and its special features.
 @end ifnottex
+@ifnottex
+* Macrostep::           Interactive Emacs Lisp macro-expander.
+@end ifnottex
+
 @end menu
 
 @node Program Modes
@@ -2235,3 +2239,60 @@ Asm Mode
 @ifnottex
 @include fortran-xtra.texi
 @end ifnottex
+
+@ifnottex
+@node Macrostep
+@section Macrostep: interactive Emacs Lisp macro-expander
+
+You can use @code{macrostep-mode} to explore Lisp macro definitions, and
+help write new macros, using @kbd{M-x macrostep-expand} when point is
+in a macro.
+
+@code{macrostep-mode} is a minor mode for interactively stepping through the
+expansion of macros in Emacs Lisp source code.  It lets you see exactly
+what happens at each step of the expansion process by pretty-printing
+the expanded forms inline in the source buffer, which is temporarily
+read-only while macro expansions are visible.  You can expand and
+collapse macro forms one step at a time, and evaluate or instrument the
+expansions for debugging with Edebug as usual.  Single-stepping through
+the expansion is particularly useful for debugging macros that expand
+into another macro form.  These can be difficult to debug with
+@code{macroexpand}, which continues expansion until the top-level form
+is no longer a macro call.
+
+The standard keybindings in @code{macrostep-mode} are the following:
+@table @kbd
+@findex macrostep-expand
+@item e
+@itemx =
+@itemx RET
+Expand the macro form following point one step (@code{macrostep-expand}).
+@findex macrostep-collapse
+@item c
+@itemx u
+@itemx DEL
+Collapse the form following point (@code{macrostep-collapse}).
+@findex macrostep-next-macro
+@item n
+@itemx TAB
+Jump to the next macro form in the expansion (@code{macrostep-next-macro}).
+@findex macrostep-previous-macro
+@item p
+@itemx M-TAB
+Jump to the previous macro form in the expansion (@code{macrostep-previous-macro}).
+@findex macrostep-collapse-all
+@item q
+@itemx C-c C-c
+Collapse all expanded forms and exit macrostep-mode (@code{macrostep-collapse-all}).
+@end table
+
+It's not very useful to enable and disable macrostep-mode directly.
+Instead, bind @code{macrostep-expand} to a key in
+@code{emacs-lisp-mode-map}, for example @kbd{C-c e}.
+
+You can then enter @code{macrostep-mode} and expand a macro form
+completely by typing @kbd{C-c e e e@dots{}} as many times as necessary.
+
+Exit macrostep-mode by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-c C-c}, or by
+successively typing @kbd{c} to collapse all surrounding expansions.
+@end ifnottex
-- 
2.42.0