Re: how to insert single quotes around a command?

[Seweryn Kokot <sewkokot@gmail.com>]

martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at> writes:

>> Many times when I write doc strings for elisp functions I forget to insert
>> single-quotes around commands or variables like `a-command' or insert it
>> wrong like 'a-command'. Is there a function or keybinding to do it
>> properly? Maybe a function which enclose a selected command with
>> single-quotes?
>
> I'm using:
>
> (defun insert-hyphen-or-two ()
>   (interactive)
>   (cond
>    ((or (bolp) (not (looking-back "'")))
>     ;; insert just one '
>     (self-insert-command 1))
>    ((save-excursion
>       (backward-char)
>       ;; Skip symbol backwards.
>       (and (not (zerop (skip-syntax-backward "w_")))
> 	   (not (looking-back "`"))
> 	   (or (insert-and-inherit "`") t))))
>    (t
>     ;; insert `' around following symbol
>     (delete-backward-char 1)
>     (unless (looking-back "`") (insert-and-inherit "`"))
>     (save-excursion
>       (skip-syntax-forward "w_")
>       (unless (looking-at "'") (insert-and-inherit "'"))))))
>
> (global-set-key [39] 'insert-hyphen-or-two)
>
> martin

Thank you for this very useful function! It took me some time to understand how
to use  this function  ;-), because invoking it by M-x `insert-hyphen-or-two'
inserts 
 character
-- 
regards,
Seweryn