[Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Wilfred Hughes]

Hi emacs-devel

I've written a package [elisp-refs] that does a semantic search of all
the elisp in the current Emacs instance.

elisp-refs works by parsing all the code on `load-path', then walking
the sexps. This allows it to precisely find relevant forms.

For example, you can use elisp-refs-function to find all the calls to
the function `format', ignoring any variables of the same name. It's
even smart enough to understand that (apply #'format ...) is a
function call.

Unlike xrefs, elisp-refs is sexp-oriented, so it always shows full
sexp that matched your search, even if the result is on multiple
lines. Results are also syntax highlighted.

I hope this package is useful to some of you. I'd like to put it on
GNU ELPA, and I already have copyright assignment sorted. Would this
be possible?

Thanks
Wilfred

[elisp-refs]: https://github.com/Wilfred/elisp-refs

RE: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Drew Adams]

Sounds interesting.

> semantic search of all the elisp in the current Emacs instance.

When I read that, I thought you meant the code in all _loaded_
Lisp libraries.

> parsing all the code on `load-path',

But this seems to be something entirely different - all the
code on disk under all the directories in `load-path'.

I don't see why someone would want to do the latter, instead
of the former.  I, for one, have tons of stuff on my `load-path'
that I rarely, if ever, load/use.  My `load-path' is just a
way to tell Emacs where to look for a library IF I should
happen to ask for it.

A quick look at the code suggests that you do in fact mean
the former.  In that case, better not speak of "load path".
What you are talking about are the "files that have been
loaded in Emacs", as your `elisp-refs--loaded-files' doc
string says.

el-search 1.0 (was: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request))

[Michael Heerdegen]

Hi Wilfred,

> I've written a package [elisp-refs] that does a semantic search of all
> the elisp in the current Emacs instance.

Cool, inspired by el-search...looks very nice.  Will have a closer look.


FWIW, I decided to publish el-search 1.0 on Elpa now, though I wanted to
do so originally in a few days (hoping I left nothing half-baked), so
that we see where both packages complement each other, or if we even
should consider to merge them sometime later.  I've implemented
multi-searches now, but I don't have an occur like summary view, and it
would probably be too slow for its approach anyway.


Regards,

Michael.

Re: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Wilfred Hughes <me@wilfred.me.uk>
> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 23:26:01 -0400
> 
> I've written a package [elisp-refs] that does a semantic search of all
> the elisp in the current Emacs instance.
> 
> elisp-refs works by parsing all the code on `load-path', then walking
> the sexps. This allows it to precisely find relevant forms.
> 
> For example, you can use elisp-refs-function to find all the calls to
> the function `format', ignoring any variables of the same name. It's
> even smart enough to understand that (apply #'format ...) is a
> function call.
> 
> Unlike xrefs, elisp-refs is sexp-oriented, so it always shows full
> sexp that matched your search, even if the result is on multiple
> lines. Results are also syntax highlighted.

Can this package be adapted to be used as one back-end of xref?  I
think this is what we prefer as the future direction of xref-based
development of similar tools.

> I hope this package is useful to some of you. I'd like to put it on
> GNU ELPA, and I already have copyright assignment sorted. Would this
> be possible?

I don't see why not, but I don't know the details, so I'll let other
brief you about them.

Thanks.

Re: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Michael Heerdegen]

Hi Wilfred,

> Hi emacs-devel
>
> I've written a package [elisp-refs] that does a semantic search of all
> the elisp in the current Emacs instance.

Works well - incredibly fast!  Nice summary (in some cases, when testing
with my setup, the summary failed to pop up, however; repeating the same
command worked then).

But aren't there dependencies to packages outside of Gnu Elpa ("loop"
for example)?


Regards,

Michael.

Re: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[raman]

I've been using this the last few weeks, it's really nice.
-- 

Re: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Stefan Monnier]

> I've written a package [elisp-refs] that does a semantic search of all
> the elisp in the current Emacs instance.

Sounds great!

> Unlike xrefs, elisp-refs is sexp-oriented, so it always shows full
> sexp that matched your search, even if the result is on multiple
> lines. Results are also syntax highlighted.

xref.el was designed with the hope that it could accommodate "any" tool, so
it would be really helpful if you could try and make elisp-refs work via
xref.el.  And if there's some problem doing so, please report it as
a bug so we can improve xref.el.

> I hope this package is useful to some of you.  I'd like to put it on
> GNU ELPA, and I already have copyright assignment sorted. Would this
> be possible?

Of course.  If you don't have write access yet to the repository, ask
for it by requesting membership in the "emacs" group from your
Savannah account.


        Stefan

Re: [Ann] elisp-refs, a semantic elisp search tool (GNU ELPA request)

[Dmitry Gutov]

On 15.10.2016 18:30, Stefan Monnier wrote:

>> Unlike xrefs, elisp-refs is sexp-oriented, so it always shows full
>> sexp that matched your search, even if the result is on multiple
>> lines. Results are also syntax highlighted.

xref doesn't prevent one from having syntax highlighting, at least.

> xref.el was designed with the hope that it could accommodate "any" tool, so
> it would be really helpful if you could try and make elisp-refs work via
> xref.el.  And if there's some problem doing so, please report it as
> a bug so we can improve xref.el.

I second that request. The problems of the "doesn't fit the model" kind 
should be the most interesting.