Execute as a command a yanked text

Execute as a command a yanked text

[Stefan Horomnea]

Hello,

Do you have any idea how to execute a text that was previously killed ?
I mean, I have a function named insert-html-table.

This code works:
(command-execute 'insert-html-table)

This code doesn't work:
(command-execute (car kill-ring-yank-pointer))

*and I have previously killed "insert-html-table"

and, this also works (insert (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)) - and inserts 
the text: "insert-html-table".

Thanks a lot for any help.

Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[Mathias Dahl]

Stefan Horomnea <stefan@softexperience.ro> writes:

> Hello,
>
> Do you have any idea how to execute a text that was previously killed ?
> I mean, I have a function named insert-html-table.
>
> This code works:
> (command-execute 'insert-html-table)
>
> This code doesn't work:
> (command-execute (car kill-ring-yank-pointer))
>
> *and I have previously killed "insert-html-table"
>
> and, this also works (insert (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)) - and
> inserts the text: "insert-html-table".

The problem seems to be that (car kill-ring-yank-pointer) returns a
*string*, not a symbol which `command-execute' needs.  Maybe this
works (untested):

(command-execute (make-symbol (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))

Try it.

Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[David Kastrup]

Mathias Dahl <brakjoller@gmail.com> writes:

> Stefan Horomnea <stefan@softexperience.ro> writes:
>
>> Do you have any idea how to execute a text that was previously killed ?
>> I mean, I have a function named insert-html-table.
>>
>> This code works:
>> (command-execute 'insert-html-table)
>>
>> This code doesn't work:
>> (command-execute (car kill-ring-yank-pointer))
>>
>> *and I have previously killed "insert-html-table"
>>
>> and, this also works (insert (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)) - and
>> inserts the text: "insert-html-table".
>
> The problem seems to be that (car kill-ring-yank-pointer) returns a
> *string*, not a symbol which `command-execute' needs.  Maybe this
> works (untested):
>
> (command-execute (make-symbol (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))

Won't work because make-symbol returns an uninterned symbol (which has
the print name "insert-html-table", but not the meaning of the
previously interned symbol with the same name):

    make-symbol is a built-in function in `C source code'.
    (make-symbol NAME)

    Return a newly allocated uninterned symbol whose name is NAME.
    Its value and function definition are void, and its property list
    is nil.

Instead you need to use intern:

    intern is a built-in function in `C source code'.
    (intern STRING &optional OBARRAY)

    Return the canonical symbol whose name is STRING.
    If there is none, one is created by this function and returned.
    A second optional argument specifies the obarray to use;
    it defaults to the value of `obarray'.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum

Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[Stefan Horomnea]

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Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 03.05.2006 um 19:01 schrieb Stefan Horomnea:

> ps: a newbie in lists question: how can I reply to a message if I  
> receive the list in the digest mode ?

Copy the original subject of the eMail you want to reply to and paste  
it after "Re: " over the digest's subject.

--
Greetings

   Pete

How many Microsoft engineers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
None.
They just redefine "dark" as the new standard.

Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[Reiner Steib]

On Wed, May 03 2006, Peter Dyballa wrote:

> Am 03.05.2006 um 19:01 schrieb Stefan Horomnea:
>
>> ps: a newbie in lists question: how can I reply to a message if I receive
>> the list in the digest mode ?
>
> Copy the original subject of the eMail you want to reply to and
> paste it after "Re: " over the digest's subject.

Better get a mail reader that is capable of dissecting digest articles
properly and reply to the article.  Gnus can do this.

Bye, Reiner.
-- 
       ,,,
      (o o)
---ooO-(_)-Ooo---  |  PGP key available  |  http://rsteib.home.pages.de/

Re: Execute as a command a yanked text

[Mathias Dahl]

Stefan Horomnea <stefan@softexperience.ro> writes:

>    Indeed, the code
>    (command-execute (intern (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))
>    works !

And thanks to your post I learned about `intern' :)

>    The complete code (which is very short) is:
>    ______________________
>    (defun your-fun ()
>    "helps execute a template"
>    (interactive)
>    (backward-kill-word 1)
>    (command-execute (intern (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))
>    )
>    (global-set-key [(control return)] 'stefan-fun)
>    ______________________
>    now, if I have to enter a template, I do: htb C-RET or div C-RET etc.

I like this "trick" of yours very much! These are things which I am
very interested in, how to make your computer environment easier and
faster to use. For your information I experimented with abbrevs in a
way that you might find interesting:

Most people know how abbrevs work in Emacs. You define the abbrev (the
"short" word) and you define what is should expand to, and when you
are in abbrev-mode, each abbrev will be expanded to the expansion as
you type. Simple. Useful. One thing that I don't think all users know
about is that you can also make an abbrev execute code.

Example:

;; Simple function to demonstrate

(defun xtst-func ()
  (message "xtst-func was called")
  ;; Need to return non-`nil' in order to inhibit inserting
  ;; the character that triggered the expansion. See the elisp
  ;; manual for more information.
  t)

;; Needed in combination with the `t' above. Again, read the manual.
(put 'xtst-func 'no-self-insert t)

;; Let the expansion be an empty string, set the HOOK argument to our
;; new function. Did I say you should read the manual? ... :)

(define-abbrev lisp-mode-abbrev-table "xtst" "" 'xtst-func)

;; Enable abbrev mode

(abbrev-mode 1)

To test it:

 1. Go to the *scratch* buffer (should be in lisp-mode) and paste the above
 2. Evaluate all of the above
 3. Type xtst and then space (or return, both works)

The result should be that the message "xtst-func was called" is
printed in the echo area and the abbrev you wrote should be gone.

I actually don't *use* this for anything (yet) but I think it is
interesting functionality. It is also much more complex than you
clever hack.

When naming the abbrevs, makes sure you pick names that you will not
type by mistake, so to speak. Maybe use a prefix that is easy/quick to
type, before all your "commands".

Anyway, about your example: maybe you should use normal abbrevs
(create one called htb, for example) that expands into the text you
want to insert in your code. Or use skeletons or some other
expansion/template functionality that exists in Emacs and Emacs
add-ons.

/Mathias