two function requests

two function requests

[drain]

(1) A command that deletes every instance of a certain char, e.g., "_" is
entered and every "_" is deleted from the text. Would be very useful when
formatting pdfs into orgs.

(2) (forward-clause), (backward-clause) commands, which would be much more
useful than (forward-sentence), (backward-sentence), particularly when
formatting / reading pre-20th century literature, with its page-length
Herman Melville sentences. 

I suppose a function that sets point to next comma is what I am looking for,
even if I'd be stuck incrementally moving inside of lists from time to time. 

I'm asking whether these functions or similar functions already exist. If I
were to write them myself, I also wouldn't mind being pointed in the right
direction for models. I'm sure this would require just slight modification
of the existing code base.
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RE: two function requests

[Doug Lewan]

(2) -- clause definition -- would be very useful.

Every time I land in a new work environment this comes to my mind (and then gets buried by the work at hand).

Here are some of the core ideas that I find in my current [lack of] design:

- Extend the logic of sentence definition to include commas, semicolons and colons. (There may be others.)
- Identify words and phrases that begin clauses (and, but, or, if, then, otherwise, when, whenever, etc.)
- Define the hierarchy that governs priority of those words and phrases.
- Define the rules governing clause definition given priorities.

Once you've got the above(!), then motion, intelligent wrapping, etc. should be easy.

Yours in deferred laziness,

,Doug

P.S. Is there a connection between your two requests?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+dougl=shubertticketing.com@gnu.org
> [mailto:help-gnu-emacs-bounces+dougl=shubertticketing.com@gnu.org] On
> Behalf Of drain
> Sent: Wednesday, 2012 August 01 11:46
> To: Help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Subject: two function requests
> 
> 
> (1) A command that deletes every instance of a certain char, e.g., "_"
> is
> entered and every "_" is deleted from the text. Would be very useful
> when
> formatting pdfs into orgs.
> 
> (2) (forward-clause), (backward-clause) commands, which would be much
> more
> useful than (forward-sentence), (backward-sentence), particularly when
> formatting / reading pre-20th century literature, with its page-length
> Herman Melville sentences.
> 
> I suppose a function that sets point to next comma is what I am looking
> for,
> even if I'd be stuck incrementally moving inside of lists from time to
> time.
> 
> I'm asking whether these functions or similar functions already exist.
> If I
> were to write them myself, I also wouldn't mind being pointed in the
> right
> direction for models. I'm sure this would require just slight
> modification
> of the existing code base.
> --
> View this message in context: http://old.nabble.com/two-function-
> requests-tp34241363p34241363.html
> Sent from the Emacs - Help mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> 

Re: two function requests

[PJ Weisberg]

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 8:45 AM, drain <aeuster@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> (1) A command that deletes every instance of a certain char, e.g., "_" is
> entered and every "_" is deleted from the text. Would be very useful when
> formatting pdfs into orgs.

`replace-string' (see also `replace-regexp')

The second argument can be an empty string.  It only replaces strings
*after* point, so you would have to move to the beginning of the
buffer first.

-PJ

Gehm's Corollary to Clark's Law: Any technology distinguishable from
magic is insufficiently advanced.

RE: two function requests

[Dan Maftei]

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>
> From: drain <aeuster@gmail.com>
> To: Help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Cc:
> Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2012 08:45:39 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: two function requests
>
> (1) A command that deletes every instance of a certain char, e.g., "_" is
> entered and every "_" is deleted from the text. Would be very useful when
> formatting pdfs into orgs.
>

query-replace (M-%) and replace-regexp will do this for you, if you do not
enter anything in the replace string:

M-% _ <RET> <RET>


>
> (2) (forward-clause), (backward-clause) commands, which would be much more
> useful than (forward-sentence), (backward-sentence), particularly when
> formatting / reading pre-20th century literature, with its page-length
> Herman Melville sentences.
>
> I suppose a function that sets point to next comma is what I am looking
> for,
> even if I'd be stuck incrementally moving inside of lists from time to
> time.
>

Adapt forward-sentence and backward-sentence to your needs. C-h f <RET>
function-name will give you a link to the function code. Should be a fun
little project if you're new to emacs lisp (like I am!)

Dan

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Re: two function requests

[Alp Aker]

>> (2) (forward-clause), (backward-clause) commands, which would be much more
>> useful than (forward-sentence), (backward-sentence), particularly when
>> formatting / reading pre-20th century literature, with its page-length
>> Herman Melville sentences.
>>
>> I suppose a function that sets point to next comma is what I am looking
>> for,
>> even if I'd be stuck incrementally moving inside of lists from time to
>> time.
>
> Adapt forward-sentence and backward-sentence to your needs. C-h f <RET>
> function-name will give you a link to the function code.

You don't need to alter the function itself for this sort of use.  All
you need to do is set the value of `sentence-end' to the appropriate
regex.