tab-always-indent doesn't work

tab-always-indent doesn't work

[Ronald]

I can't add comment in c files as below (comment can't be aligned using tab)

for(;;){
	int i;		//a
	int iii;	//b
}

c-tab-always-indent works

[Ronald]

(add-hook 'c-mode-common-hook '(lambda()
				(setq c-tab-always-indent nil)))

Why doesn't (setq tab-always-indent nil) work? Overrided by cc mode?

Re: tab-always-indent doesn't work

[Robert Thorpe]

Ronald wrote:
> I can't add comment in c files as below (comment can't be aligned using tab)
>
> for(;;){
> 	int i;		//a
> 	int iii;	//b
> }

What tab-always-indent's documentation says is:-

*Controls the operation of the TAB key.
If t, hitting TAB always just indents the current line.
If nil, hitting TAB indents the current line if point is at the left
margin
  or in the line's indentation, otherwise it insert a `real' tab
character.

So if you set it to t then hitting tab will indent the current line.
So, pressing tab at then end of "int i;" will not do anything if the
current line is already indented.  If it is set to nil then only when
the cursor is in the left margin will tab "indent", otherwise it will
deliver a real tab.

HOWEVER...
Program modes do not use tab-always-indent, they have their own
variables...
c-tab-always-indent
perl-tab-always-indent
fortran-tab-mode-default
Some even, like lisp-mode, have no equivalent variable.
You must set these variables separately.

(I think that tab-always-indent's documentation is unclear and needs
fixing)

Re: tab-always-indent doesn't work

[Yshaolin]

you can use M-; to align your comment

Re: tab-always-indent doesn't work

[Robert Thorpe]

> HOWEVER...
> Program modes do not use tab-always-indent, they have their own
> variables...
> c-tab-always-indent
> perl-tab-always-indent
> fortran-tab-mode-default
> Some even, like lisp-mode, have no equivalent variable.
> You must set these variables separately.
>
> (I think that tab-always-indent's documentation is unclear and needs
> fixing)

FWIW I suggested a change to tab-always-indent's docs to the Emacs
maintainers to fix this issue.