all messages for Emacs-related lists mirrored at yhetil.org
 help / color / mirror / code / Atom feed
blob cda5f1c40f67182c72281d2892e58970f53e1fa2 22611 bytes (raw)
name: doc/lispref/symbols.texi 	 # note: path name is non-authoritative(*)

  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
 10
 11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20
 21
 22
 23
 24
 25
 26
 27
 28
 29
 30
 31
 32
 33
 34
 35
 36
 37
 38
 39
 40
 41
 42
 43
 44
 45
 46
 47
 48
 49
 50
 51
 52
 53
 54
 55
 56
 57
 58
 59
 60
 61
 62
 63
 64
 65
 66
 67
 68
 69
 70
 71
 72
 73
 74
 75
 76
 77
 78
 79
 80
 81
 82
 83
 84
 85
 86
 87
 88
 89
 90
 91
 92
 93
 94
 95
 96
 97
 98
 99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
 
@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1990-1995, 1998-1999, 2001-2017 Free Software
@c Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
@node Symbols
@chapter Symbols
@cindex symbol

  A @dfn{symbol} is an object with a unique name.  This chapter
describes symbols, their components, their property lists, and how they
are created and interned.  Separate chapters describe the use of symbols
as variables and as function names; see @ref{Variables}, and
@ref{Functions}.  For the precise read syntax for symbols, see
@ref{Symbol Type}.

  You can test whether an arbitrary Lisp object is a symbol with
@code{symbolp}:

@defun symbolp object
This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a symbol, @code{nil}
otherwise.
@end defun

@menu
* Symbol Components::        Symbols have names, values, function definitions
                               and property lists.
* Definitions::              A definition says how a symbol will be used.
* Creating Symbols::         How symbols are kept unique.
* Symbol Properties::        Each symbol has a property list
                               for recording miscellaneous information.
@end menu

@node Symbol Components
@section Symbol Components
@cindex symbol components

  Each symbol has four components (or ``cells''), each of which
references another object:

@table @asis
@item Print name
@cindex print name cell
The symbol's name.

@item Value
@cindex value cell
The symbol's current value as a variable.

@item Function
@cindex function cell
The symbol's function definition.  It can also hold a symbol, a
keymap, or a keyboard macro.

@item Property list
@cindex property list cell
The symbol's property list.
@end table

@noindent
The print name cell always holds a string, and cannot be changed.
Each of the other three cells can be set to any Lisp object.

  The print name cell holds the string that is the name of a symbol.
Since symbols are represented textually by their names, it is
important not to have two symbols with the same name.  The Lisp reader
ensures this: every time it reads a symbol, it looks for an existing
symbol with the specified name before it creates a new one.  To get a
symbol's name, use the function @code{symbol-name} (@pxref{Creating
Symbols}).

  The value cell holds a symbol's value as a variable, which is what
you get if the symbol itself is evaluated as a Lisp expression.
@xref{Variables}, for details about how values are set and retrieved,
including complications such as @dfn{local bindings} and @dfn{scoping
rules}.  Most symbols can have any Lisp object as a value, but certain
special symbols have values that cannot be changed; these include
@code{nil} and @code{t}, and any symbol whose name starts with
@samp{:} (those are called @dfn{keywords}).  @xref{Constant
Variables}.

  The function cell holds a symbol's function definition.  Often, we
refer to ``the function @code{foo}'' when we really mean the function
stored in the function cell of @code{foo}; we make the distinction
explicit only when necessary.  Typically, the function cell is used to
hold a function (@pxref{Functions}) or a macro (@pxref{Macros}).
However, it can also be used to hold a symbol (@pxref{Function
Indirection}), keyboard macro (@pxref{Keyboard Macros}), keymap
(@pxref{Keymaps}), or autoload object (@pxref{Autoloading}).  To get
the contents of a symbol's function cell, use the function
@code{symbol-function} (@pxref{Function Cells}).

  The property list cell normally should hold a correctly formatted
property list.  To get a symbol's property list, use the function
@code{symbol-plist}.  @xref{Symbol Properties}.

  The function cell or the value cell may be @dfn{void}, which means
that the cell does not reference any object.  (This is not the same
thing as holding the symbol @code{void}, nor the same as holding the
symbol @code{nil}.)  Examining a function or value cell that is void
results in an error, such as @samp{Symbol's value as variable is void}.

  Because each symbol has separate value and function cells, variables
names and function names do not conflict.  For example, the symbol
@code{buffer-file-name} has a value (the name of the file being
visited in the current buffer) as well as a function definition (a
primitive function that returns the name of the file):

@example
buffer-file-name
     @result{} "/gnu/elisp/symbols.texi"
(symbol-function 'buffer-file-name)
     @result{} #<subr buffer-file-name>
@end example

@node Definitions
@section Defining Symbols
@cindex definitions of symbols

  A @dfn{definition} is a special kind of Lisp expression that
announces your intention to use a symbol in a particular way.  It
typically specifies a value or meaning for the symbol for one kind of
use, plus documentation for its meaning when used in this way.  Thus,
when you define a symbol as a variable, you can supply an initial
value for the variable, plus documentation for the variable.

  @code{defvar} and @code{defconst} are special forms that define a
symbol as a @dfn{global variable}---a variable that can be accessed at
any point in a Lisp program.  @xref{Variables}, for details about
variables.  To define a customizable variable, use the
@code{defcustom} macro, which also calls @code{defvar} as a subroutine
(@pxref{Customization}).

  In principle, you can assign a variable value to any symbol with
@code{setq}, whether not it has first been defined as a variable.
However, you ought to write a variable definition for each global
variable that you want to use; otherwise, your Lisp program may not
act correctly if it is evaluated with lexical scoping enabled
(@pxref{Variable Scoping}).

  @code{defun} defines a symbol as a function, creating a lambda
expression and storing it in the function cell of the symbol.  This
lambda expression thus becomes the function definition of the symbol.
(The term ``function definition'', meaning the contents of the function
cell, is derived from the idea that @code{defun} gives the symbol its
definition as a function.)  @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias} are two
other ways of defining a function.  @xref{Functions}.

  @code{defmacro} defines a symbol as a macro.  It creates a macro
object and stores it in the function cell of the symbol.  Note that a
given symbol can be a macro or a function, but not both at once, because
both macro and function definitions are kept in the function cell, and
that cell can hold only one Lisp object at any given time.
@xref{Macros}.

  As previously noted, Emacs Lisp allows the same symbol to be defined
both as a variable (e.g., with @code{defvar}) and as a function or
macro (e.g., with @code{defun}).  Such definitions do not conflict.

  These definitions also act as guides for programming tools.  For
example, the @kbd{C-h f} and @kbd{C-h v} commands create help buffers
containing links to the relevant variable, function, or macro
definitions.  @xref{Name Help,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.

@node Creating Symbols
@section Creating and Interning Symbols
@cindex reading symbols

  To understand how symbols are created in GNU Emacs Lisp, you must know
how Lisp reads them.  Lisp must ensure that it finds the same symbol
every time it reads the same set of characters.  Failure to do so would
cause complete confusion.

@cindex symbol name hashing
@cindex hashing
@cindex obarray
@cindex bucket (in obarray)
  When the Lisp reader encounters a symbol, it reads all the characters
of the name.  Then it hashes those characters to find an index in a
table called an @dfn{obarray}.  Hashing is an efficient method of
looking something up.  For example, instead of searching a telephone
book cover to cover when looking up Jan Jones, you start with the J's
and go from there.  That is a simple version of hashing.  Each element
of the obarray is a @dfn{bucket} which holds all the symbols with a
given hash code; to look for a given name, it is sufficient to look
through all the symbols in the bucket for that name's hash code.  (The
same idea is used for general Emacs hash tables, but they are a
different data type; see @ref{Hash Tables}.)

@cindex interning
  If a symbol with the desired name is found, the reader uses that
symbol.  If the obarray does not contain a symbol with that name, the
reader makes a new symbol and adds it to the obarray.  Finding or adding
a symbol with a certain name is called @dfn{interning} it, and the
symbol is then called an @dfn{interned symbol}.

  Interning ensures that each obarray has just one symbol with any
particular name.  Other like-named symbols may exist, but not in the
same obarray.  Thus, the reader gets the same symbols for the same
names, as long as you keep reading with the same obarray.

  Interning usually happens automatically in the reader, but sometimes
other programs need to do it.  For example, after the @kbd{M-x} command
obtains the command name as a string using the minibuffer, it then
interns the string, to get the interned symbol with that name.

@cindex symbol equality
@cindex uninterned symbol
  No obarray contains all symbols; in fact, some symbols are not in any
obarray.  They are called @dfn{uninterned symbols}.  An uninterned
symbol has the same four cells as other symbols; however, the only way
to gain access to it is by finding it in some other object or as the
value of a variable.

  Creating an uninterned symbol is useful in generating Lisp code,
because an uninterned symbol used as a variable in the code you generate
cannot clash with any variables used in other Lisp programs.

  In Emacs Lisp, an obarray is actually a vector.  Each element of the
vector is a bucket; its value is either an interned symbol whose name
hashes to that bucket, or 0 if the bucket is empty.  Each interned
symbol has an internal link (invisible to the user) to the next symbol
in the bucket.  Because these links are invisible, there is no way to
find all the symbols in an obarray except using @code{mapatoms} (below).
The order of symbols in a bucket is not significant.

  In an empty obarray, every element is 0, so you can create an obarray
with @code{(make-vector @var{length} 0)}.  @strong{This is the only
valid way to create an obarray.}  Prime numbers as lengths tend
to result in good hashing; lengths one less than a power of two are also
good.

  @strong{Do not try to put symbols in an obarray yourself.}  This does
not work---only @code{intern} can enter a symbol in an obarray properly.

@cindex CL note---symbol in obarrays
@quotation
@b{Common Lisp note:} Unlike Common Lisp, Emacs Lisp does not provide
for interning a single symbol in several obarrays.
@end quotation

  Most of the functions below take a name and sometimes an obarray as
arguments.  A @code{wrong-type-argument} error is signaled if the name
is not a string, or if the obarray is not a vector.

@defun symbol-name symbol
This function returns the string that is @var{symbol}'s name.  For example:

@example
@group
(symbol-name 'foo)
     @result{} "foo"
@end group
@end example

@strong{Warning:} Changing the string by substituting characters does
change the name of the symbol, but fails to update the obarray, so don't
do it!
@end defun

@defun make-symbol name
This function returns a newly-allocated, uninterned symbol whose name is
@var{name} (which must be a string).  Its value and function definition
are void, and its property list is @code{nil}.  In the example below,
the value of @code{sym} is not @code{eq} to @code{foo} because it is a
distinct uninterned symbol whose name is also @samp{foo}.

@example
(setq sym (make-symbol "foo"))
     @result{} foo
(eq sym 'foo)
     @result{} nil
@end example
@end defun

@defun gensym &optional prefix
This function returns a symbol using @code{make-symbol}, whose name is
made by appending @code{gensym-counter} to @var{prefix}.  The prefix
defaults to @code{"g"}.
@end defun

@defun intern name &optional obarray
This function returns the interned symbol whose name is @var{name}.  If
there is no such symbol in the obarray @var{obarray}, @code{intern}
creates a new one, adds it to the obarray, and returns it.  If
@var{obarray} is omitted, the value of the global variable
@code{obarray} is used.

@example
(setq sym (intern "foo"))
     @result{} foo
(eq sym 'foo)
     @result{} t

(setq sym1 (intern "foo" other-obarray))
     @result{} foo
(eq sym1 'foo)
     @result{} nil
@end example
@end defun

@cindex CL note---interning existing symbol
@quotation
@b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, you can intern an existing symbol
in an obarray.  In Emacs Lisp, you cannot do this, because the argument
to @code{intern} must be a string, not a symbol.
@end quotation

@defun intern-soft name &optional obarray
This function returns the symbol in @var{obarray} whose name is
@var{name}, or @code{nil} if @var{obarray} has no symbol with that name.
Therefore, you can use @code{intern-soft} to test whether a symbol with
a given name is already interned.  If @var{obarray} is omitted, the
value of the global variable @code{obarray} is used.

The argument @var{name} may also be a symbol; in that case,
the function returns @var{name} if @var{name} is interned
in the specified obarray, and otherwise @code{nil}.

@example
(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{No such symbol exists.}
     @result{} nil
(make-symbol "frazzle")        ; @r{Create an uninterned one.}
     @result{} frazzle
@group
(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{That one cannot be found.}
     @result{} nil
@end group
@group
(setq sym (intern "frazzle"))  ; @r{Create an interned one.}
     @result{} frazzle
@end group
@group
(intern-soft "frazzle")        ; @r{That one can be found!}
     @result{} frazzle
@end group
@group
(eq sym 'frazzle)              ; @r{And it is the same one.}
     @result{} t
@end group
@end example
@end defun

@defvar obarray
This variable is the standard obarray for use by @code{intern} and
@code{read}.
@end defvar

@defun mapatoms function &optional obarray
@anchor{Definition of mapatoms}
This function calls @var{function} once with each symbol in the obarray
@var{obarray}.  Then it returns @code{nil}.  If @var{obarray} is
omitted, it defaults to the value of @code{obarray}, the standard
obarray for ordinary symbols.

@example
(setq count 0)
     @result{} 0
(defun count-syms (s)
  (setq count (1+ count)))
     @result{} count-syms
(mapatoms 'count-syms)
     @result{} nil
count
     @result{} 1871
@end example

See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for another
example using @code{mapatoms}.
@end defun

@defun unintern symbol obarray
This function deletes @var{symbol} from the obarray @var{obarray}.  If
@code{symbol} is not actually in the obarray, @code{unintern} does
nothing.  If @var{obarray} is @code{nil}, the current obarray is used.

If you provide a string instead of a symbol as @var{symbol}, it stands
for a symbol name.  Then @code{unintern} deletes the symbol (if any) in
the obarray which has that name.  If there is no such symbol,
@code{unintern} does nothing.

If @code{unintern} does delete a symbol, it returns @code{t}.  Otherwise
it returns @code{nil}.
@end defun

@node Symbol Properties
@section Symbol Properties
@cindex symbol property

  A symbol may possess any number of @dfn{symbol properties}, which
can be used to record miscellaneous information about the symbol.  For
example, when a symbol has a @code{risky-local-variable} property with
a non-@code{nil} value, that means the variable which the symbol names
is a risky file-local variable (@pxref{File Local Variables}).

  Each symbol's properties and property values are stored in the
symbol's property list cell (@pxref{Symbol Components}), in the form
of a property list (@pxref{Property Lists}).

@menu
* Symbol Plists::        Accessing symbol properties.
* Standard Properties::  Standard meanings of symbol properties.
@end menu

@node Symbol Plists
@subsection Accessing Symbol Properties

  The following functions can be used to access symbol properties.

@defun get symbol property
This function returns the value of the property named @var{property}
in @var{symbol}'s property list.  If there is no such property, it
returns @code{nil}.  Thus, there is no distinction between a value of
@code{nil} and the absence of the property.

The name @var{property} is compared with the existing property names
using @code{eq}, so any object is a legitimate property.

See @code{put} for an example.
@end defun

@defun put symbol property value
This function puts @var{value} onto @var{symbol}'s property list under
the property name @var{property}, replacing any previous property value.
The @code{put} function returns @var{value}.

@example
(put 'fly 'verb 'transitive)
     @result{}'transitive
(put 'fly 'noun '(a buzzing little bug))
     @result{} (a buzzing little bug)
(get 'fly 'verb)
     @result{} transitive
(symbol-plist 'fly)
     @result{} (verb transitive noun (a buzzing little bug))
@end example
@end defun

@defun symbol-plist symbol
This function returns the property list of @var{symbol}.
@end defun

@defun setplist symbol plist
This function sets @var{symbol}'s property list to @var{plist}.
Normally, @var{plist} should be a well-formed property list, but this is
not enforced.  The return value is @var{plist}.

@example
(setplist 'foo '(a 1 b (2 3) c nil))
     @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
(symbol-plist 'foo)
     @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil)
@end example

For symbols in special obarrays, which are not used for ordinary
purposes, it may make sense to use the property list cell in a
nonstandard fashion; in fact, the abbrev mechanism does so
(@pxref{Abbrevs}).

You could define @code{put} in terms of @code{setplist} and
@code{plist-put}, as follows:

@example
(defun put (symbol prop value)
  (setplist symbol
            (plist-put (symbol-plist symbol) prop value)))
@end example
@end defun

@defun function-get symbol property &optional autoload
This function is identical to @code{get}, except that if @var{symbol}
is the name of a function alias, it looks in the property list of the
symbol naming the actual function.  @xref{Defining Functions}.  If the
optional argument @var{autoload} is non-@code{nil}, and @var{symbol}
is auto-loaded, this function will try to autoload it, since
autoloading might set @var{property} of @var{symbol}.  If
@var{autoload} is the symbol @code{macro}, only try autoloading if
@var{symbol} is an auto-loaded macro.
@end defun

@defun function-put function property value
This function sets @var{property} of @var{function} to @var{value}.
@var{function} should be a symbol.  This function is preferred to
calling @code{put} for setting properties of a function, because it
will allow us some day to implement remapping of old properties to new
ones.
@end defun

@node Standard Properties
@subsection Standard Symbol Properties

  Here, we list the symbol properties which are used for special
purposes in Emacs.  In the following table, whenever we say ``the
named function'', that means the function whose name is the relevant
symbol; similarly for ``the named variable'' etc.

@table @code
@item :advertised-binding
This property value specifies the preferred key binding, when showing
documentation, for the named function.  @xref{Keys in Documentation}.

@item char-table-extra-slots
The value, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the number of extra slots in
the named char-table type.  @xref{Char-Tables}.

@item customized-face
@itemx face-defface-spec
@itemx saved-face
@itemx theme-face
These properties are used to record a face's standard, saved,
customized, and themed face specs.  Do not set them directly; they are
managed by @code{defface} and related functions.  @xref{Defining
Faces}.

@item customized-value
@itemx saved-value
@itemx standard-value
@itemx theme-value
These properties are used to record a customizable variable's standard
value, saved value, customized-but-unsaved value, and themed values.
Do not set them directly; they are managed by @code{defcustom} and
related functions.  @xref{Variable Definitions}.

@item disabled
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named function is disabled as a
command.  @xref{Disabling Commands}.

@item face-documentation
The value stores the documentation string of the named face.  This is
set automatically by @code{defface}.  @xref{Defining Faces}.

@item history-length
The value, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the maximum minibuffer history
length for the named history list variable.  @xref{Minibuffer
History}.

@item interactive-form
The value is an interactive form for the named function.  Normally,
you should not set this directly; use the @code{interactive} special
form instead.  @xref{Interactive Call}.

@item menu-enable
The value is an expression for determining whether the named menu item
should be enabled in menus.  @xref{Simple Menu Items}.

@item mode-class
If the value is @code{special}, the named major mode is special.
@xref{Major Mode Conventions}.

@item permanent-local
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named variable is a buffer-local
variable whose value should not be reset when changing major modes.
@xref{Creating Buffer-Local}.

@item permanent-local-hook
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named function should not be
deleted from the local value of a hook variable when changing major
modes.  @xref{Setting Hooks}.

@item pure
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named function is considered to be
side-effect free.  Calls with constant arguments can be evaluated at
compile time.  This may shift run time errors to compile time.

@item risky-local-variable
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named variable is considered risky
as a file-local variable.  @xref{File Local Variables}.

@item safe-function
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named function is considered
generally safe for evaluation.  @xref{Function Safety}.

@item safe-local-eval-function
If the value is non-@code{nil}, the named function is safe to call in
file-local evaluation forms.  @xref{File Local Variables}.

@item safe-local-variable
The value specifies a function for determining safe file-local values
for the named variable.  @xref{File Local Variables}.

@item side-effect-free
A non-@code{nil} value indicates that the named function is free of
side-effects, for determining function safety (@pxref{Function
Safety}) as well as for byte compiler optimizations.  Do not set it.

@item variable-documentation
If non-@code{nil}, this specifies the named variable's documentation
string.  This is set automatically by @code{defvar} and related
functions.  @xref{Defining Faces}.
@end table

debug log:

solving cda5f1c40f ...
found cda5f1c40f in https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git

(*) Git path names are given by the tree(s) the blob belongs to.
    Blobs themselves have no identifier aside from the hash of its contents.^

Code repositories for project(s) associated with this external index

	https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git
	https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/org-mode.git

This is an external index of several public inboxes,
see mirroring instructions on how to clone and mirror
all data and code used by this external index.