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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,99,00,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
4 @node Programs, Building, Text, Top
5 @chapter Editing Programs
6 @cindex Lisp editing
7 @cindex C editing
8 @cindex program editing
9
10 Emacs provides many features to facilitate editing programs. Some
11 of these features can
12
13 @itemize @bullet
14 @item
15 Find or move over top-level definitions (@pxref{Defuns}).
16 @item
17 Apply the usual indentation conventions of the language
18 (@pxref{Program Indent}).
19 @item
20 Insert, kill or align comments (@pxref{Comments}).
21 @item
22 Balance parentheses (@pxref{Parentheses}).
23 @item
24 Highlight program syntax (@pxref{Font Lock}).
25 @end itemize
26
27 This chapter describes these features and many more.
28
29 @menu
30 * Program Modes:: Major modes for editing programs.
31 * Defuns:: Commands to operate on major top-level parts
32 of a program.
33 * Program Indent:: Adjusting indentation to show the nesting.
34 * Comments:: Inserting, killing, and aligning comments.
35 * Parentheses:: Commands that operate on parentheses.
36 * Documentation:: Getting documentation of functions you plan to call.
37 * Hideshow:: Displaying blocks selectively.
38 * Symbol Completion:: Completion on symbol names of your program or language.
39 * Glasses:: Making identifiersLikeThis more readable.
40 * Misc for Programs:: Other Emacs features useful for editing programs.
41 * C Modes:: Special commands of C, C++, Objective-C,
42 Java, and Pike modes.
43 * Fortran:: Fortran mode and its special features.
44 * Asm Mode:: Asm mode and its special features.
45 @end menu
46
47 @node Program Modes
48 @section Major Modes for Programming Languages
49 @cindex modes for programming languages
50
51 Emacs has specialized major modes for various programming languages.
52 @xref{Major Modes}. A programming language major mode typically
53 specifies the syntax of expressions, the customary rules for
54 indentation, how to do syntax highlighting for the language, and how
55 to find the beginning of a function definition. It often customizes
56 or provides facilities for compiling and debugging programs as well.
57
58 Ideally, Emacs should provide a major mode for each programming
59 language that you might want to edit; if it doesn't have a mode for
60 your favorite language, you can contribute one. But often the mode
61 for one language can serve for other syntactically similar languages.
62 The major mode for language @var{l} is called @code{@var{l}-mode},
63 and you can select it by typing @kbd{M-x @var{l}-mode @key{RET}}.
64 @xref{Choosing Modes}.
65
66 @cindex Perl mode
67 @cindex Icon mode
68 @cindex Awk mode
69 @cindex Makefile mode
70 @cindex Tcl mode
71 @cindex CPerl mode
72 @cindex DSSSL mode
73 @cindex Octave mode
74 @cindex Metafont mode
75 @cindex Modula2 mode
76 @cindex Prolog mode
77 @cindex Simula mode
78 @cindex VHDL mode
79 @cindex M4 mode
80 @cindex Shell-script mode
81 @cindex Delphi mode
82 @cindex PostScript mode
83 The existing programming language major modes include Lisp, Scheme (a
84 variant of Lisp) and the Scheme-based DSSSL expression language, Ada,
85 Awk, C, C++, Delphi (Object Pascal), Fortran (free format and fixed
86 format), Icon, IDL (CORBA), IDLWAVE, Java, Metafont (@TeX{}'s
87 companion for font creation), Modula2, Objective-C, Octave, Pascal,
88 Perl, Pike, PostScript, Prolog, Simula, Tcl, and VHDL. There is
89 also a major mode for makefiles, called Makefile mode. An alternative
90 mode for Perl is called CPerl mode. Modes are available for the
91 scripting languages of the common GNU and Unix shells, VMS DCL, and
92 MS-DOS/MS-Windows @samp{BAT} files. There are also major modes for
93 editing various sorts of configuration files.
94
95 @kindex DEL @r{(programming modes)}
96 @findex c-electric-backspace
97 In most programming languages, indentation should vary from line to
98 line to illustrate the structure of the program. So the major modes
99 for programming languages arrange for @key{TAB} to update the
100 indentation of the current line. They also rebind @key{DEL} to treat
101 a tab as if it were the equivalent number of spaces; this lets you
102 delete one column of indentation without worrying whether the
103 whitespace consists of spaces or tabs. Use @kbd{C-b C-d} to delete a
104 tab character before point, in these modes.
105
106 Separate manuals are available for the modes for Ada (@pxref{Top, , Ada
107 Mode, ada-mode, Ada Mode}), C/C++/Objective C/Java/Corba IDL
108 (@pxref{Top, , CC Mode, ccmode, CC Mode}) and the IDLWAVE modes
109 (@pxref{Top, , IDLWAVE, idlwave, IDLWAVE User Manual}).
110
111 @cindex mode hook
112 @vindex c-mode-hook
113 @vindex lisp-mode-hook
114 @vindex emacs-lisp-mode-hook
115 @vindex lisp-interaction-mode-hook
116 @vindex scheme-mode-hook
117 Turning on a major mode runs a normal hook called the @dfn{mode
118 hook}, which is the value of a Lisp variable. Each major mode has a
119 mode hook, and the hook's name is always made from the mode command's
120 name by adding @samp{-hook}. For example, turning on C mode runs the
121 hook @code{c-mode-hook}, while turning on Lisp mode runs the hook
122 @code{lisp-mode-hook}. The purpose of the mode hook is to give you a
123 place to set up customizations for that major mode. @xref{Hooks}.
124
125 @node Defuns
126 @section Top-Level Definitions, or Defuns
127
128 In Emacs, a major definition at the top level in the buffer is
129 called a @dfn{defun}. The name comes from Lisp, but in Emacs we use
130 it for all languages.
131
132 In most programming language modes, Emacs assumes that a defun is
133 any pair of parentheses (or braces, if the language uses braces this
134 way) that starts at the left margin. For example, in C, the body of a
135 function definition is normally a defun, because the open-brace that
136 begins it is normally at the left margin. A variable's initializer
137 can also count as a defun, if the open-brace that begins the
138 initializer is at the left margin.
139
140 However, some language modes provide their own code for recognizing
141 defuns in a way that suits the language syntax and conventions better.
142
143 @menu
144 * Left Margin Paren:: An open-paren or similar opening delimiter
145 starts a defun if it is at the left margin.
146 * Moving by Defuns:: Commands to move over or mark a major definition.
147 * Imenu:: Making buffer indexes as menus.
148 * Which Function:: Which Function mode shows which function you are in.
149 @end menu
150
151 @node Left Margin Paren
152 @subsection Left Margin Convention
153
154 @cindex open-parenthesis in leftmost column
155 @cindex ( in leftmost column
156 In most major modes, Emacs assumes that any opening delimiter found
157 at the left margin is the start of a top-level definition, or defun.
158 Therefore, @strong{never put an opening delimiter at the left margin
159 unless it should have that significance.} For instance, never put an
160 open-parenthesis at the left margin in a Lisp file unless it is the
161 start of a top-level list. Never put an open-brace or other opening
162 delimiter at the beginning of a line of C code unless it is at top
163 level.
164
165 If you don't follow this convention, not only will you have trouble
166 when you explicitly use the commands for motion by defuns; other
167 features that use them will also give you trouble. This includes
168 the indentation commands (@pxref{Program Indent}) and Font Lock
169 mode (@pxref{Font Lock}).
170
171 The most likely problem case is when you want an opening delimiter
172 at the start of a line inside a string. To avoid trouble, put an
173 escape character (@samp{\}, in C and Emacs Lisp, @samp{/} in some
174 other Lisp dialects) before the opening delimiter. This will not
175 affect the contents of the string, but will prevent that opening
176 delimiter from starting a defun. Here's an example:
177
178 @example
179 (insert "Foo:
180 \(bar)
181 ")
182 @end example
183
184 To help you catch violations of this convention, Font Lock mode
185 highlights confusing opening delimiters (those that ought to be
186 quoted) in bold red.
187
188 In the earliest days, the original Emacs found defuns by moving
189 upward a level of parentheses or braces until there were no more
190 levels to go up. This always required scanning all the way back to
191 the beginning of the buffer, even for a small function. To speed up
192 the operation, we changed Emacs to assume that any opening delimiter
193 at the left margin is the start of a defun. This heuristic is nearly
194 always right, and avoids the need to scan back to the beginning of the
195 buffer. However, it mandates following the convention described
196 above.
197
198 @node Moving by Defuns
199 @subsection Moving by Defuns
200 @cindex defuns
201
202 These commands move point or set up the region based on top-level
203 major definitions, also called @dfn{defuns}.
204
205 @table @kbd
206 @item C-M-a
207 Move to beginning of current or preceding defun
208 (@code{beginning-of-defun}).
209 @item C-M-e
210 Move to end of current or following defun (@code{end-of-defun}).
211 @item C-M-h
212 Put region around whole current or following defun (@code{mark-defun}).
213 @end table
214
215 @cindex move to beginning or end of function
216 @cindex function, move to beginning or end
217 @kindex C-M-a
218 @kindex C-M-e
219 @kindex C-M-h
220 @findex beginning-of-defun
221 @findex end-of-defun
222 @findex mark-defun
223 The commands to move to the beginning and end of the current defun
224 are @kbd{C-M-a} (@code{beginning-of-defun}) and @kbd{C-M-e}
225 (@code{end-of-defun}). If you repeat one of these commands, or use a
226 positive numeric argument, each repetition moves to the next defun in
227 the direction of motion.
228
229 @kbd{C-M-a} with a negative argument @minus{}@var{n} moves forward
230 @var{n} times to the next beginning of a defun. This is not exactly
231 the same place that @kbd{C-M-e} with argument @var{n} would move to;
232 the end of this defun is not usually exactly the same place as the
233 beginning of the following defun. (Whitespace, comments, and perhaps
234 declarations can separate them.) Likewise, @kbd{C-M-e} with a
235 negative argument moves back to an end of a defun, which is not quite
236 the same as @kbd{C-M-a} with a positive argument.
237
238 @kindex C-M-h @r{(C mode)}
239 @findex c-mark-function
240 To operate on the current defun, use @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{mark-defun})
241 which puts point at the beginning and mark at the end of the current
242 defun. This is the easiest way to get ready to kill the defun in
243 order to move it to a different place in the file. If you use the
244 command while point is between defuns, it uses the following defun.
245
246 In C mode, @kbd{C-M-h} runs the function @code{c-mark-function},
247 which is almost the same as @code{mark-defun}; the difference is that
248 it backs up over the argument declarations, function name and returned
249 data type so that the entire C function is inside the region. This is
250 an example of how major modes adjust the standard key bindings so that
251 they do their standard jobs in a way better fitting a particular
252 language. Other major modes may replace any or all of these key
253 bindings for that purpose.
254
255 @node Imenu
256 @subsection Imenu
257 @cindex index of buffer definitions
258 @cindex buffer definitions index
259 @cindex tags
260
261 The Imenu facility offers a way to find the major definitions in
262 a file by name. It is also useful in text formatter major modes,
263 where it treats each chapter, section, etc., as a definition.
264 (@xref{Tags}, for a more powerful feature that handles multiple files
265 together.)
266
267 @findex imenu
268 If you type @kbd{M-x imenu}, it reads the name of a definition using
269 the minibuffer, then moves point to that definition. You can use
270 completion to specify the name; the command always displays the whole
271 list of valid names.
272
273 @findex imenu-add-menubar-index
274 Alternatively, you can bind the command @code{imenu} to a mouse
275 click. Then it displays mouse menus for you to select a definition
276 name. You can also add the buffer's index to the menu bar by calling
277 @code{imenu-add-menubar-index}. If you want to have this menu bar
278 item available for all buffers in a certain major mode, you can do
279 this by adding @code{imenu-add-menubar-index} to its mode hook. But
280 if you have done that, you will have to wait each time you visit a
281 file in that mode, while Emacs finds all the definitions in that
282 buffer.
283
284 @vindex imenu-auto-rescan
285 When you change the contents of a buffer, if you add or delete
286 definitions, you can update the buffer's index based on the
287 new contents by invoking the @samp{*Rescan*} item in the menu.
288 Rescanning happens automatically if you set @code{imenu-auto-rescan} to
289 a non-@code{nil} value. There is no need to rescan because of small
290 changes in the text.
291
292 @vindex imenu-sort-function
293 You can customize the way the menus are sorted by setting the
294 variable @code{imenu-sort-function}. By default, names are ordered as
295 they occur in the buffer; if you want alphabetic sorting, use the
296 symbol @code{imenu--sort-by-name} as the value. You can also
297 define your own comparison function by writing Lisp code.
298
299 Imenu provides the information to guide Which Function mode
300 @ifnottex
301 (@pxref{Which Function}).
302 @end ifnottex
303 @iftex
304 (see below).
305 @end iftex
306 The Speedbar can also use it (@pxref{Speedbar}).
307
308 @node Which Function
309 @subsection Which Function Mode
310 @cindex current function name in mode line
311
312 Which Function mode is a minor mode that displays the current
313 function name in the mode line, updating it as you move around in a
314 buffer.
315
316 @findex which-function-mode
317 @vindex which-func-modes
318 To enable (or disable) Which Function mode, use the command @kbd{M-x
319 which-function-mode}. This command is global; it applies to all
320 buffers, both existing ones and those yet to be created. However,
321 it only takes effect in certain major modes, those listed in the value of
322 @code{which-func-modes}. If the value is @code{t}, then Which
323 Function mode applies to all major modes that know how to support
324 it---in other words, all the major modes that support Imenu.
325
326 @node Program Indent
327 @section Indentation for Programs
328 @cindex indentation for programs
329
330 The best way to keep a program properly indented is to use Emacs to
331 reindent it as you change it. Emacs has commands to indent properly
332 either a single line, a specified number of lines, or all of the lines
333 inside a single parenthetical grouping.
334
335 @menu
336 * Basic Indent:: Indenting a single line.
337 * Multi-line Indent:: Commands to reindent many lines at once.
338 * Lisp Indent:: Specifying how each Lisp function should be indented.
339 * C Indent:: Extra features for indenting C and related modes.
340 * Custom C Indent:: Controlling indentation style for C and related modes.
341 @end menu
342
343 @cindex pretty-printer
344 Emacs also provides a Lisp pretty-printer in the library @code{pp}.
345 This program reformats a Lisp object with indentation chosen to look nice.
346
347 @node Basic Indent
348 @subsection Basic Program Indentation Commands
349
350 The basic indentation commands indent a single line according to the
351 usual conventions of the language you are editing.
352
353 @table @kbd
354 @item @key{TAB}
355 Adjust indentation of current line.
356 @item C-j
357 Equivalent to @key{RET} followed by @key{TAB} (@code{newline-and-indent}).
358 @item @key{LINEFEED}
359 This key, if the keyboard has it, is another way to enter @kbd{C-j}.
360 @end table
361
362 @kindex TAB @r{(programming modes)}
363 @findex c-indent-command
364 @findex indent-line-function
365 @findex indent-for-tab-command
366 The basic indentation command is @key{TAB}, which gives the current line
367 the correct indentation as determined from the previous lines. The
368 function that @key{TAB} runs depends on the major mode; it is
369 @code{indent-for-tab-command}
370 in Lisp mode, @code{c-indent-command} in C mode, etc. These functions
371 understand the syntax and conventions of different languages, but they all do
372 conceptually the same job: @key{TAB} in any programming-language major mode
373 inserts or deletes whitespace at the beginning of the current line,
374 independent of where point is in the line. If point was inside the
375 whitespace at the beginning of the line, @key{TAB} puts it at the end of
376 that whitespace; otherwise, @key{TAB} keeps point fixed with respect to
377 the characters around it.
378
379 Use @kbd{C-q @key{TAB}} to insert a tab at point.
380
381 @kindex C-j
382 @findex newline-and-indent
383 When entering lines of new code, use @kbd{C-j}
384 (@code{newline-and-indent}), which is equivalent to a @key{RET}
385 followed by a @key{TAB}. @kbd{C-j} at the end of a line creates a
386 blank line and then gives it the appropriate indentation.
387
388 @key{TAB} indents lines that start within a parenthetical grouping
389 each under the preceding line (or the text after the parenthesis).
390 Therefore, if you manually give one of these lines a nonstandard
391 indentation, the lines below will tend to follow it. This behavior is
392 convenient in cases where you have overridden the standard result of
393 @key{TAB} because you find it unaesthetic for a particular line.
394
395 Remember that an open-parenthesis, open-brace or other opening delimiter
396 at the left margin is assumed by Emacs (including the indentation routines)
397 to be the start of a function. Therefore, you must never have an opening
398 delimiter in column zero that is not the beginning of a function, not even
399 inside a string. This restriction is vital for making the indentation
400 commands fast; you must simply accept it. @xref{Left Margin Paren},
401 for more information on this.
402
403 Normally, lines are indented with tabs and spaces. If you want Emacs
404 to use spaces only, see @ref{Just Spaces}.
405
406 @node Multi-line Indent
407 @subsection Indenting Several Lines
408
409 When you wish to reindent several lines of code which have been
410 altered or moved to a different level in the parenthesis structure,
411 you have several commands available.
412
413 @table @kbd
414 @item C-M-q
415 Reindent all the lines within one parenthetical grouping(@code{indent-sexp}).
416 @item C-M-\
417 Reindent all lines in the region (@code{indent-region}).
418 @item C-u @key{TAB}
419 Shift an entire parenthetical grouping rigidly sideways so that its
420 first line is properly indented.
421 @item M-x indent-code-rigidly
422 Shift all the lines in the region rigidly sideways, but do not alter
423 lines that start inside comments and strings.
424 @end table
425
426 @kindex C-M-q
427 @findex indent-sexp
428 You can reindent the contents of a single parenthetical grouping by
429 positioning point before the beginning of it and typing @kbd{C-M-q}
430 (@code{indent-sexp} in Lisp mode, @code{c-indent-exp} in C mode; also
431 bound to other suitable commands in other modes). The indentation of
432 the line where the grouping starts is not changed; therefore, this
433 changes only the relative indentation within the grouping, not its
434 overall indentation. To correct that as well, type @key{TAB} first.
435
436 Another way to specify the range to be reindented is with the
437 region. The command @kbd{C-M-\} (@code{indent-region}) applies
438 @key{TAB} to every line whose first character is between point and
439 mark.
440
441 @kindex C-u TAB
442 If you like the relative indentation within a grouping, but not the
443 indentation of its first line, you can type @kbd{C-u @key{TAB}} to
444 reindent the whole grouping as a rigid unit. (This works in Lisp
445 modes and C and related modes.) @key{TAB} with a numeric argument
446 reindents the current line as usual, then reindents by the same amount
447 all the lines in the parenthetical grouping starting on the current
448 line. It is clever, though, and does not alter lines that start
449 inside strings, or C preprocessor lines when in C mode.
450
451 @findex indent-code-rigidly
452 You can also perform this operation on the region, using the command
453 @kbd{M-x indent-code-rigidly}. It rigidly shifts all the lines in the
454 region sideways, like @code{indent-rigidly} does (@pxref{Indentation
455 Commands}). It doesn't alter the indentation of lines that start
456 inside a comment or a string, unless the region starts inside that
457 comment or string.
458
459 @node Lisp Indent
460 @subsection Customizing Lisp Indentation
461 @cindex customizing Lisp indentation
462
463 The indentation pattern for a Lisp expression can depend on the function
464 called by the expression. For each Lisp function, you can choose among
465 several predefined patterns of indentation, or define an arbitrary one with
466 a Lisp program.
467
468 The standard pattern of indentation is as follows: the second line of the
469 expression is indented under the first argument, if that is on the same
470 line as the beginning of the expression; otherwise, the second line is
471 indented underneath the function name. Each following line is indented
472 under the previous line whose nesting depth is the same.
473
474 @vindex lisp-indent-offset
475 If the variable @code{lisp-indent-offset} is non-@code{nil}, it overrides
476 the usual indentation pattern for the second line of an expression, so that
477 such lines are always indented @code{lisp-indent-offset} more columns than
478 the containing list.
479
480 @vindex lisp-body-indent
481 Certain functions override the standard pattern. Functions whose
482 names start with @code{def} treat the second lines as the start of
483 a @dfn{body}, by indenting the second line @code{lisp-body-indent}
484 additional columns beyond the open-parenthesis that starts the
485 expression.
486
487 @cindex @code{lisp-indent-function} property
488 You can override the standard pattern in various ways for individual
489 functions, according to the @code{lisp-indent-function} property of
490 the function name. Normally you would use this for macro definitions
491 and specify it using the @code{declare} construct (@pxref{Defining
492 Macros,,, elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
493
494 @node C Indent
495 @subsection Commands for C Indentation
496
497 Here are special features for indentation in C mode and related modes:
498
499 @table @code
500 @item C-c C-q
501 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(C mode)}
502 @findex c-indent-defun
503 Reindent the current top-level function definition or aggregate type
504 declaration (@code{c-indent-defun}).
505
506 @item C-M-q
507 @kindex C-M-q @r{(C mode)}
508 @findex c-indent-exp
509 Reindent each line in the balanced expression that follows point
510 (@code{c-indent-exp}). A prefix argument inhibits error checking and
511 warning messages about invalid syntax.
512
513 @item @key{TAB}
514 @findex c-indent-command
515 Reindent the current line, and/or in some cases insert a tab character
516 (@code{c-indent-command}).
517
518 If @code{c-tab-always-indent} is @code{t}, this command always reindents
519 the current line and does nothing else. This is the default.
520
521 If that variable is @code{nil}, this command reindents the current line
522 only if point is at the left margin or in the line's indentation;
523 otherwise, it inserts a tab (or the equivalent number of spaces,
524 if @code{indent-tabs-mode} is @code{nil}).
525
526 Any other value (not @code{nil} or @code{t}) means always reindent the
527 line, and also insert a tab if within a comment, a string, or a
528 preprocessor directive.
529 @end table
530
531 To reindent the whole current buffer, type @kbd{C-x h C-M-\}. This
532 first selects the whole buffer as the region, then reindents that
533 region.
534
535 To reindent the current block, use @kbd{C-M-u C-M-q}. This moves
536 to the front of the block and then reindents it all.
537
538 @node Custom C Indent
539 @subsection Customizing C Indentation
540 @cindex style (for indentation)
541
542 C mode and related modes use a simple yet flexible mechanism for
543 customizing indentation. The mechanism works in two steps: first it
544 classifies the line syntactically according to its contents and context;
545 second, it associates each kind of syntactic construct with an
546 indentation offset based on your selected @dfn{style}.
547
548 @table @kbd
549 @item M-x c-set-style @key{RET} @var{style} @key{RET}
550 Select predefined indentation style @var{style}.
551 @end table
552
553 A style is a named collection of indentation customizations that can
554 be used in C mode and the related modes. Emacs comes with several
555 predefined styles, including @code{gnu}, @code{k&r}, @code{bsd},
556 @code{stroustrup}, @code{linux}, @code{python}, @code{java},
557 @code{whitesmith}, @code{ellemtel}, @code{cc-mode}, and @code{user}.
558 Some of these styles are primarily intended for one language, but any
559 of them can be used with any of the languages supported by these
560 modes. To find out what a style looks like, select it and reindent
561 some code, e.g., by typing @key{C-M-q} at the start of a function
562 definition.
563
564 @findex c-set-style
565 To choose a style for the current buffer, use the command @kbd{M-x
566 c-set-style}. Specify a style name as an argument (case is not
567 significant). This command affects the current buffer only, and it
568 affects only future invocations of the indentation commands; it does
569 not reindent the code in the buffer. To reindent the whole buffer in
570 the new style, you can type @kbd{C-x h C-M-\}.
571
572 @vindex c-default-style
573 You can also set the variable @code{c-default-style} to specify the
574 default style for various major modes. Its value should be an alist,
575 in which each element specifies one major mode and which indentation
576 style to use for it. For example,
577
578 @example
579 (setq c-default-style
580 '((java-mode . "java") (other . "gnu")))
581 @end example
582
583 @noindent
584 specifies an explicit choice for Java mode, and the default @samp{gnu}
585 style for the other C-like modes. This variable takes effect when you
586 select one of the C-like major modes; thus, if you specify a new
587 default style for Java mode, you can make it take effect in an
588 existing Java mode buffer by typing @kbd{M-x java-mode} there.
589
590 The @code{gnu} style specifies the formatting recommended by the GNU
591 Project for C; it is the default, so as to encourage use of our
592 recommended style.
593
594 @xref{Customizing Indentation,,, ccmode, the CC Mode Manual}, for
595 more information on customizing indentation for C and related modes,
596 including how to override parts of an existing style and how to define
597 your own styles.
598
599 @node Parentheses
600 @section Commands for Editing with Parentheses
601
602 @findex check-parens
603 @cindex unbalanced parentheses and quotes
604 This section describes the commands and features that take advantage
605 of the parenthesis structure in a program, or help you keep it
606 balanced.
607
608 When talking about these facilities, the term ``parenthesis'' also
609 includes braces, brackets, or whatever delimiters are defined to match
610 in pairs. The major mode controls which delimiters are significant,
611 through the syntax table (@pxref{Syntax}). In Lisp, only parentheses
612 count; in C, these commands apply to braces and brackets too.
613
614 You can use @kbd{M-x check-parens} to find any unbalanced
615 parentheses and unbalanced string quotes in the buffer.
616
617 @menu
618 * Expressions:: Expressions with balanced parentheses.
619 * Moving by Parens:: Commands for moving up, down and across
620 in the structure of parentheses.
621 * Matching:: Insertion of a close-delimiter flashes matching open.
622 @end menu
623
624 @node Expressions
625 @subsection Expressions with Balanced Parentheses
626
627 @cindex sexp
628 @cindex expression
629 @cindex balanced expression
630 These commands deal with balanced expressions, also called
631 @dfn{sexps}@footnote{The word ``sexp'' is used to refer to an
632 expression in Lisp.}.
633
634 @table @kbd
635 @item C-M-f
636 Move forward over a balanced expression (@code{forward-sexp}).
637 @item C-M-b
638 Move backward over a balanced expression(@code{backward-sexp}).
639 @item C-M-k
640 Kill balanced expression forward (@code{kill-sexp}).
641 @item C-M-t
642 Transpose expressions (@code{transpose-sexps}).
643 @item C-M-@@
644 Put mark after following expression (@code{mark-sexp}).
645 @end table
646
647 Each programming language major mode customizes the definition of
648 balanced expressions to suit that language. Balanced expressions
649 typically include symbols, numbers, and string constants, as well as
650 any pair of matching delimiters and their contents. Some languages
651 have obscure forms of expression syntax that nobody has bothered to
652 implement in Emacs.
653
654 @cindex Control-Meta
655 By convention, the keys for these commands are all Control-Meta
656 characters. They usually act on expressions just as the corresponding
657 Meta characters act on words. For instance, the command @kbd{C-M-b}
658 moves backward over a balanced expression, just as @kbd{M-b} moves
659 back over a word.
660
661 @kindex C-M-f
662 @kindex C-M-b
663 @findex forward-sexp
664 @findex backward-sexp
665 To move forward over a balanced expression, use @kbd{C-M-f}
666 (@code{forward-sexp}). If the first significant character after point
667 is an opening delimiter (@samp{(} in Lisp; @samp{(}, @samp{[} or
668 @samp{@{} in C), @kbd{C-M-f} moves past the matching closing
669 delimiter. If the character begins a symbol, string, or number,
670 @kbd{C-M-f} moves over that.
671
672 The command @kbd{C-M-b} (@code{backward-sexp}) moves backward over a
673 balanced expression. The detailed rules are like those above for
674 @kbd{C-M-f}, but with directions reversed. If there are prefix
675 characters (single-quote, backquote and comma, in Lisp) preceding the
676 expression, @kbd{C-M-b} moves back over them as well. The balanced
677 expression commands move across comments as if they were whitespace,
678 in most modes.
679
680 @kbd{C-M-f} or @kbd{C-M-b} with an argument repeats that operation the
681 specified number of times; with a negative argument, it moves in the
682 opposite direction.
683
684 @cindex killing expressions
685 @kindex C-M-k
686 @findex kill-sexp
687 Killing a whole balanced expression can be done with @kbd{C-M-k}
688 (@code{kill-sexp}). @kbd{C-M-k} kills the characters that @kbd{C-M-f}
689 would move over.
690
691 @cindex transposition of expressions
692 @kindex C-M-t
693 @findex transpose-sexps
694 A somewhat random-sounding command which is nevertheless handy is
695 @kbd{C-M-t} (@code{transpose-sexps}), which drags the previous
696 balanced expression across the next one. An argument serves as a
697 repeat count, and a negative argument drags the previous balanced
698 expression backwards across those before it (thus canceling out the
699 effect of @kbd{C-M-t} with a positive argument). An argument of zero,
700 rather than doing nothing, transposes the balanced expressions ending
701 at or after point and the mark.
702
703 @kindex C-M-@@
704 @findex mark-sexp
705 To set the region around the next balanced expression in the buffer,
706 use @kbd{C-M-@@} (@code{mark-sexp}), which sets mark at the same place
707 that @kbd{C-M-f} would move to. @kbd{C-M-@@} takes arguments like
708 @kbd{C-M-f}. In particular, a negative argument is useful for putting
709 the mark at the beginning of the previous balanced expression.
710
711 In languages that use infix operators, such as C, it is not possible
712 to recognize all balanced expressions as such because there can be
713 multiple possibilities at a given position. For example, C mode does
714 not treat @samp{foo + bar} as a single expression, even though it
715 @emph{is} one C expression; instead, it recognizes @samp{foo} as one
716 expression and @samp{bar} as another, with the @samp{+} as punctuation
717 between them. Both @samp{foo + bar} and @samp{foo} are legitimate
718 choices for ``the expression following point'' when point is at the
719 @samp{f}, so the expression commands must perforce choose one or the
720 other to operate on. Note that @samp{(foo + bar)} is recognized as a
721 single expression in C mode, because of the parentheses.
722
723 @node Moving by Parens
724 @subsection Moving in the Parenthesis Structure
725
726 @cindex parenthetical groupings
727 @cindex parentheses, moving across
728 @cindex matching parenthesis and braces, moving to
729 @cindex braces, moving across
730 @cindex list commands
731 The Emacs commands for handling parenthetical groupings see nothing
732 except parentheses (or whatever characters must balance in the
733 language you are working with), and the escape characters that might
734 be used to quote those. They are mainly intended for editing
735 programs, but can be useful for editing any text that has parentheses.
736 They are sometimes called ``list'' commands because in Lisp these
737 groupings are lists.
738
739 @table @kbd
740 @item C-M-n
741 Move forward over a parenthetical group (@code{forward-list}).
742 @item C-M-p
743 Move backward over a parenthetical group(@code{backward-list}).
744 @item C-M-u
745 Move up in parenthesis structure (@code{backward-up-list}).
746 @item C-M-d
747 Move down in parenthesis structure (@code{down-list}).
748 @end table
749
750 @kindex C-M-n
751 @kindex C-M-p
752 @findex forward-list
753 @findex backward-list
754 The ``list'' commands @kbd{C-M-n} (@code{forward-list}) and
755 @kbd{C-M-p} (@code{backward-list}) move over one (or @var{n})
756 parenthetical groupings, skipping blithely over any amount of text
757 that doesn't include meaningful parentheses (symbols, strings, etc.).
758
759 @kindex C-M-u
760 @kindex C-M-d
761 @findex backward-up-list
762 @findex down-list
763 @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-p} try to stay at the same level in the
764 parenthesis structure. To move @emph{up} one (or @var{n}) levels, use
765 @kbd{C-M-u} (@code{backward-up-list}). @kbd{C-M-u} moves backward up
766 past one unmatched opening delimiter. A positive argument serves as a
767 repeat count; a negative argument reverses the direction of motion, so
768 that the command moves forward and up one or more levels.
769
770 To move @emph{down} in the parenthesis structure, use @kbd{C-M-d}
771 (@code{down-list}). In Lisp mode, where @samp{(} is the only opening
772 delimiter, this is nearly the same as searching for a @samp{(}. An
773 argument specifies the number of levels to go down.
774
775 @node Matching
776 @subsection Automatic Display Of Matching Parentheses
777 @cindex matching parentheses
778 @cindex parentheses, displaying matches
779
780 The Emacs parenthesis-matching feature is designed to show
781 automatically how parentheses (and other matching delimiters) match in
782 the text. Whenever you type a self-inserting character that is a
783 closing delimiter, the cursor moves momentarily to the location of the
784 matching opening delimiter, provided that is on the screen. If it is
785 not on the screen, Emacs displays some of the text near it in the echo
786 area. Either way, you can tell which grouping you are closing off.
787
788 If the opening delimiter and closing delimiter are mismatched---such
789 as in @samp{[x)}---a warning message is displayed in the echo area.
790
791 @vindex blink-matching-paren
792 @vindex blink-matching-paren-distance
793 @vindex blink-matching-delay
794 Three variables control parenthesis match display.
795 @code{blink-matching-paren} turns the feature on or off: @code{nil}
796 disables it, but the default is @code{t} to enable match display.
797
798 @code{blink-matching-delay} says how many seconds to leave the
799 cursor on the matching opening delimiter, before bringing it back to
800 the real location of point; the default is 1, but on some systems it
801 is useful to specify a fraction of a second.
802
803 @code{blink-matching-paren-distance} specifies how many characters
804 back to search to find the matching opening delimiter. If the match
805 is not found in that distance, scanning stops, and nothing is displayed.
806 This is to prevent the scan for the matching delimiter from wasting
807 lots of time when there is no match. The default is 25600.
808
809 @cindex Show Paren mode
810 @cindex highlighting matching parentheses
811 @findex show-paren-mode
812 Show Paren mode provides a more powerful kind of automatic matching.
813 Whenever point is after a closing delimiter, that delimiter and its
814 matching opening delimiter are both highlighted; otherwise, if point
815 is before an opening delimiter, the matching closing delimiter is
816 highlighted. (There is no need to highlight the opening delimiter in
817 that case, because the cursor appears on top of that character.) Use
818 the command @kbd{M-x show-paren-mode} to enable or disable this mode.
819
820 By default, @code{show-paren-mode} uses colors to highlight the
821 parentheses. However, if your display doesn't support colors, you can
822 customize the faces @code{show-paren-match-face} and
823 @code{show-paren-mismatch-face} to use other attributes, such as bold or
824 underline. @xref{Face Customization}.
825
826 @node Comments
827 @section Manipulating Comments
828 @cindex comments
829
830 Because comments are such an important part of programming, Emacs
831 provides special commands for editing and inserting comments. It can
832 also do spell checking on comments with Flyspell Prog mode
833 (@pxref{Spelling}).
834
835 @menu
836 * Comment Commands:: Inserting, killing, and indenting comments.
837 * Multi-Line Comments:: Commands for adding and editing multi-line comments.
838 * Options for Comments::Customizing the comment features.
839 @end menu
840
841 @node Comment Commands
842 @subsection Comment Commands
843 @cindex indentation for comments
844
845 The comment commands in this table insert, kill and align comments.
846 They are described in this section and following sections.
847
848 @table @kbd
849 @item M-;
850 Insert or realign comment on current line; alternatively, comment or
851 uncomment the region (@code{comment-dwim}).
852 @item C-u M-;
853 Kill comment on current line (@code{comment-kill}).
854 @item C-x ;
855 Set comment column (@code{comment-set-column}).
856 @item C-M-j
857 Like @key{RET} followed by inserting and aligning a comment
858 (@code{comment-indent-new-line}).
859 @item M-x comment-region
860 Add or remove comment delimiters on all the lines in the region.
861 @end table
862
863 @kindex M-;
864 @findex comment-dwim
865 The command to create or align a comment is @kbd{M-;}
866 (@code{comment-dwim}). The word ``dwim'' is an acronym for ``Do What
867 I Mean''; it indicates that this command can be used for many
868 different jobs relating to comments, depending on the situation where
869 you use it.
870
871 If there is no comment already on the line, @kbd{M-;} inserts a new
872 comment, aligned at a specific column called the @dfn{comment column}.
873 The new comment begins with the string Emacs thinks comments should
874 start with (the value of @code{comment-start}; see below). Point is
875 after that string, so you can insert the text of the comment right
876 away. If the major mode has specified a string to terminate comments,
877 @kbd{M-;} inserts that too, to keep the syntax valid.
878
879 If the text of the line extends past the comment column, then the
880 comment start string is indented to a suitable boundary (usually, at
881 least one space is inserted).
882
883 You can also use @kbd{M-;} to align an existing comment. If a line
884 already contains the comment-start string, @kbd{M-;} reindents it to
885 the conventional alignment and moves point after it. (Exception:
886 comments starting in column 0 are not moved.) Even when an existing
887 comment is properly aligned, @kbd{M-;} is still useful for moving
888 directly to the start of the text inside the comment.
889
890 @findex comment-kill
891 @kindex C-u M-;
892 @kbd{C-u M-;} kills any comment on the current line, along with the
893 whitespace before it. To reinsert the comment on another line, move
894 to the end of that line, do @kbd{C-y}, and then do @kbd{M-;} to
895 realign it.
896
897 Note that @kbd{C-u M-;} is not a distinct key; it is @kbd{M-;}
898 (@code{comment-dwim}) with a prefix argument. That command is
899 programmed so that when it receives a prefix argument it calls
900 @code{comment-kill}. However, @code{comment-kill} is a valid command
901 in its own right, and you can bind it directly to a key if you wish.
902
903 @kbd{M-;} does two other jobs when used with an active region in
904 Transient Mark mode (@pxref{Transient Mark}). Then it either adds or
905 removes comment delimiters on each line of the region. (If every line
906 is a comment, it removes comment delimiters from each; otherwise, it
907 adds comment delimiters to each.) If you are not using Transient Mark
908 mode, then you should use the commands @code{comment-region} and
909 @code{uncomment-region} to do these jobs (@pxref{Multi-Line Comments}).
910 A prefix argument used in these circumstances specifies how many
911 comment delimiters to add or how many to delete.
912
913 Some major modes have special rules for indenting certain kinds of
914 comments in certain contexts. For example, in Lisp code, comments which
915 start with two semicolons are indented as if they were lines of code,
916 instead of at the comment column. Comments which start with three
917 semicolons are supposed to start at the left margin. Emacs understands
918 these conventions by indenting a double-semicolon comment using @key{TAB},
919 and by not changing the indentation of a triple-semicolon comment at all.
920
921 @example
922 ;; This function is just an example
923 ;;; Here either two or three semicolons are appropriate.
924 (defun foo (x)
925 ;;; And now, the first part of the function:
926 ;; The following line adds one.
927 (1+ x)) ; This line adds one.
928 @end example
929
930 In C code, a comment preceded on its line by nothing but whitespace
931 is indented like a line of code.
932
933 @node Multi-Line Comments
934 @subsection Multiple Lines of Comments
935
936 @kindex C-M-j
937 @cindex blank lines in programs
938 @findex comment-indent-new-line
939 If you are typing a comment and wish to continue it on another line,
940 you can use the command @kbd{C-M-j} (@code{comment-indent-new-line}).
941 This terminates the comment you are typing, creates a new blank line
942 afterward, and begins a new comment indented under the old one. When
943 Auto Fill mode is on, going past the fill column while typing a comment
944 causes the comment to be continued in just this fashion. If point is
945 not at the end of the line when @kbd{C-M-j} is typed, the text on
946 the rest of the line becomes part of the new comment line.
947
948 @findex comment-region
949 To turn existing lines into comment lines, use the @kbd{M-x
950 comment-region} command. It adds comment delimiters to the lines that start
951 in the region, thus commenting them out. With a negative argument, it
952 does the opposite---it deletes comment delimiters from the lines in the
953 region.
954
955 With a positive argument, @code{comment-region} duplicates the last
956 character of the comment start sequence it adds; the argument specifies
957 how many copies of the character to insert. Thus, in Lisp mode,
958 @kbd{C-u 2 M-x comment-region} adds @samp{;;} to each line. Duplicating
959 the comment delimiter is a way of calling attention to the comment. It
960 can also affect how the comment is indented. In Lisp, for proper
961 indentation, you should use an argument of two or three, if between defuns;
962 if within a defun, it must be three.
963
964 @node Options for Comments
965 @subsection Options Controlling Comments
966
967 @vindex comment-column
968 @kindex C-x ;
969 @findex comment-set-column
970 The comment column is stored in the variable @code{comment-column}. You
971 can set it to a number explicitly. Alternatively, the command @kbd{C-x ;}
972 (@code{comment-set-column}) sets the comment column to the column point is
973 at. @kbd{C-u C-x ;} sets the comment column to match the last comment
974 before point in the buffer, and then does a @kbd{M-;} to align the
975 current line's comment under the previous one.
976
977 The variable @code{comment-column} is per-buffer: setting the variable
978 in the normal fashion affects only the current buffer, but there is a
979 default value which you can change with @code{setq-default}.
980 @xref{Locals}. Many major modes initialize this variable for the
981 current buffer.
982
983 @vindex comment-start-skip
984 The comment commands recognize comments based on the regular
985 expression that is the value of the variable @code{comment-start-skip}.
986 Make sure this regexp does not match the null string. It may match more
987 than the comment starting delimiter in the strictest sense of the word;
988 for example, in C mode the value of the variable is
989 @c This stops M-q from breaking the line inside that @code.
990 @code{@w{"/\\*+ *\\|//+ *""}}, which matches extra stars and spaces
991 after the @samp{/*} itself, and accepts C++ style comments also.
992 (Note that @samp{\\} is needed in Lisp syntax to include a @samp{\} in
993 the string, which is needed to deny the first star its special meaning
994 in regexp syntax. @xref{Regexps}.)
995
996 @vindex comment-start
997 @vindex comment-end
998 When a comment command makes a new comment, it inserts the value of
999 @code{comment-start} to begin it. The value of @code{comment-end} is
1000 inserted after point, so that it will follow the text that you will insert
1001 into the comment. In C mode, @code{comment-start} has the value
1002 @w{@code{"/* "}} and @code{comment-end} has the value @w{@code{" */"}}.
1003
1004 @vindex comment-padding
1005 The variable @code{comment-padding} specifies how many spaces
1006 @code{comment-region} should insert on each line between the
1007 comment delimiter and the line's original text. The default is 1,
1008 to insert one space.
1009
1010 @vindex comment-multi-line
1011 The variable @code{comment-multi-line} controls how @kbd{C-M-j}
1012 (@code{indent-new-comment-line}) behaves when used inside a comment. If
1013 @code{comment-multi-line} is @code{nil}, as it normally is, then the
1014 comment on the starting line is terminated and a new comment is started
1015 on the new following line. If @code{comment-multi-line} is not
1016 @code{nil}, then the new following line is set up as part of the same
1017 comment that was found on the starting line. This is done by not
1018 inserting a terminator on the old line, and not inserting a starter on
1019 the new line. In languages where multi-line comments work, the choice
1020 of value for this variable is a matter of taste.
1021
1022 @vindex comment-indent-function
1023 The variable @code{comment-indent-function} should contain a function
1024 that will be called to compute the indentation for a newly inserted
1025 comment or for aligning an existing comment. It is set differently by
1026 various major modes. The function is called with no arguments, but with
1027 point at the beginning of the comment, or at the end of a line if a new
1028 comment is to be inserted. It should return the column in which the
1029 comment ought to start. For example, in Lisp mode, the indent hook
1030 function bases its decision on how many semicolons begin an existing
1031 comment, and on the code in the preceding lines.
1032
1033 @node Documentation
1034 @section Documentation Lookup
1035
1036 Emacs provides several features you can use to look up the
1037 documentation of functions, variables and commands that you plan to
1038 use in your program.
1039
1040 @menu
1041 * Info Lookup:: Looking up library functions and commands
1042 in Info files.
1043 * Man Page:: Looking up man pages of library functions and commands.
1044 * Lisp Doc:: Looking up Emacs Lisp functions, etc.
1045 @end menu
1046
1047 @node Info Lookup
1048 @subsection Info Documentation Lookup
1049
1050 @findex info-lookup-symbol
1051 @findex info-lookup-file
1052 @kindex C-h C-i
1053 For C, Lisp, and other languages that have documentation in Info,
1054 you can use @kbd{C-h C-i} (@code{info-lookup-symbol}) to view the Info
1055 documentation for a symbol. You specify the symbol with the
1056 minibuffer; the default is the symbol appearing in the buffer at
1057 point.
1058
1059 The major mode determines where to look for documentation for the
1060 symbol---which Info files to look in, and which indices to search.
1061 You can also use @kbd{M-x info-lookup-file} to look for documentation
1062 for a file name.
1063
1064 This feature currently supports the modes Awk, Autoconf, Bison, C,
1065 Emacs Lisp, LaTeX, M4, Makefile, Octave, Perl, Scheme, and Texinfo,
1066 provided you have installed the relevant Info files, which are
1067 typically available with the appropriate GNU package.
1068
1069 @node Man Page
1070 @subsection Man Page Lookup
1071
1072 @cindex manual page
1073 On Unix, the main form of on-line documentation was the @dfn{manual
1074 page} or @dfn{man page}. In the GNU operating system, we hope to
1075 replace man pages with better-organized manuals that you can browse
1076 with Info (@pxref{Misc Help}). This process is not finished, so it is
1077 still useful to read manual pages.
1078
1079 @findex manual-entry
1080 You can read the man page for an operating system command, library
1081 function, or system call, with the @kbd{M-x manual-entry} command. It
1082 runs the @code{man} program to format the man page; if the system
1083 permits, it runs @code{man} asynchronously, so that you can keep on
1084 editing while the page is being formatted. (On MS-DOS and MS-Windows
1085 3, you cannot edit while Emacs waits for @code{man} to finish.) The
1086 result goes in a buffer named @samp{*Man @var{topic}*}. These buffers
1087 use a special major mode, Man mode, that facilitates scrolling and
1088 jumping to other manual pages. For details, type @kbd{C-h m} while in
1089 a man page buffer.
1090
1091 @cindex sections of manual pages
1092 Each man page belongs to one of ten or more @dfn{sections}, each
1093 named by a digit or by a digit and a letter. Sometimes there are
1094 multiple man pages with the same name in different sections. To read
1095 a man page from a specific section, type
1096 @samp{@var{topic}(@var{section})} or @samp{@var{section} @var{topic}}
1097 when @kbd{M-x manual-entry} prompts for the topic. For example, to
1098 read the man page for the C library function @code{chmod} (as opposed
1099 to a command of the same name), type @kbd{M-x manual-entry @key{RET}
1100 chmod(2) @key{RET}} (@code{chmod} is a system call, so it is in
1101 section @samp{2}).
1102
1103 @vindex Man-switches
1104 If you do not specify a section, the results depend on how the
1105 @code{man} program works on your system. Some of them display only
1106 the first man page they find. Others display all man pages that have
1107 the specified name, so you can move between them with the @kbd{M-n}
1108 and @kbd{M-p} keys@footnote{On some systems, the @code{man} program
1109 accepts a @samp{-a} command-line option which tells it to display all
1110 the man pages for the specified topic. If you want this behavior, you
1111 can add this option to the value of the variable @code{Man-switches}.}.
1112 The mode line shows how many manual pages are present in the Man buffer.
1113
1114 @vindex Man-fontify-manpage-flag
1115 By default, Emacs highlights the text in man pages. For a long man
1116 page, highlighting can take substantial time. You can turn off
1117 highlighting of man pages by setting the variable
1118 @code{Man-fontify-manpage-flag} to @code{nil}.
1119
1120 @findex Man-fontify-manpage
1121 If you insert the text of a man page into an Emacs buffer in some
1122 other fashion, you can use the command @kbd{M-x Man-fontify-manpage} to
1123 perform the same conversions that @kbd{M-x manual-entry} does.
1124
1125 @findex woman
1126 @cindex manual pages, on MS-DOS/MS-Windows
1127 An alternative way of reading manual pages is the @kbd{M-x woman}
1128 command@footnote{The name of the command, @code{woman}, is an acronym
1129 for ``w/o (without) man,'' since it doesn't use the @code{man}
1130 program.}. Unlike @kbd{M-x man}, it does not run any external
1131 programs to format and display the man pages; instead it does the job
1132 in Emacs Lisp, so it works on systems such as MS-Windows, where the
1133 @code{man} program (and the other programs it uses) are not generally
1134 available.
1135
1136 @kbd{M-x woman} prompts for a name of a manual page, and provides
1137 completion based on the list of manual pages that are installed on
1138 your machine; the list of available manual pages is computed
1139 automatically the first time you invoke @code{woman}. The word at
1140 point in the current buffer is used to suggest the default for the
1141 name the manual page.
1142
1143 With a numeric argument, @kbd{M-x woman} recomputes the list of the
1144 manual pages used for completion. This is useful if you add or delete
1145 manual pages.
1146
1147 If you type a name of a manual page and @kbd{M-x woman} finds that
1148 several manual pages by the same name exist in different sections, it
1149 pops up a window with possible candidates asking you to choose one of
1150 them.
1151
1152 @vindex woman-manpath
1153 By default, @kbd{M-x woman} looks for manual pages in the
1154 directories specified in the @code{MANPATH} environment variable. (If
1155 @code{MANPATH} is not set, @code{woman} uses a suitable default value,
1156 which can be customized.) More precisely, @code{woman} looks for
1157 subdirectories that match the shell wildcard pattern @file{man*} in each one
1158 of these directories, and tries to find the manual pages in those
1159 subdirectories. When first invoked, @kbd{M-x woman} converts the
1160 value of @code{MANPATH} to a list of directory names and stores that
1161 list in the @code{woman-manpath} variable. Changing the value of this
1162 variable is another way to control the list of directories used.
1163
1164 @vindex woman-path
1165 You can also augment the list of directories searched by
1166 @code{woman} by setting the value of the @code{woman-path} variable.
1167 This variable should hold a list of specific directories which
1168 @code{woman} should search, in addition to those in
1169 @code{woman-manpath}. Unlike @code{woman-manpath}, the directories in
1170 @code{woman-path} are searched for the manual pages, not for
1171 @file{man*} subdirectories.
1172
1173 @findex woman-find-file
1174 Occasionally, you might need to display manual pages that are not in
1175 any of the directories listed by @code{woman-manpath} and
1176 @code{woman-path}. The @kbd{M-x woman-find-file} command prompts for a
1177 name of a manual page file, with completion, and then formats and
1178 displays that file like @kbd{M-x woman} does.
1179
1180 @vindex woman-dired-keys
1181 The first time you invoke @kbd{M-x woman}, it defines the Dired
1182 @kbd{W} key to run the @code{woman-find-file} command on the current
1183 line's file. You can disable this by setting the variable
1184 @code{woman-dired-keys} to @code{nil}. @xref{Dired}. In addition,
1185 the Tar-mode @kbd{w} key is define to invoke @code{woman-find-file} on
1186 the current line's archive member.
1187
1188 For more information about setting up and using @kbd{M-x woman}, see
1189 @ref{Top, WoMan, Browse UN*X Manual Pages WithOut Man, woman, The WoMan
1190 Manual}.
1191
1192 @node Lisp Doc
1193 @subsection Emacs Lisp Documentation Lookup
1194
1195 As you edit Lisp code to be run in Emacs, you can use the commands
1196 @kbd{C-h f} (@code{describe-function}) and @kbd{C-h v}
1197 (@code{describe-variable}) to view documentation of functions and
1198 variables that you want to use. These commands use the minibuffer to
1199 read the name of a function or variable to document, and display the
1200 documentation in a window. Their default arguments are based on the
1201 code in the neighborhood of point. For @kbd{C-h f}, the default is
1202 the function called in the innermost list containing point. @kbd{C-h
1203 v} uses the symbol name around or adjacent to point as its default.
1204
1205 @cindex Eldoc mode
1206 @findex eldoc-mode
1207 A more automatic but less powerful method is Eldoc mode. This minor
1208 mode constantly displays in the echo area the argument list for the
1209 function being called at point. (In other words, it finds the
1210 function call that point is contained in, and displays the argument
1211 list of that function.) Eldoc mode applies in Emacs Lisp and Lisp
1212 Interaction modes only. Use the command @kbd{M-x eldoc-mode} to
1213 enable or disable this feature.
1214
1215 @node Hideshow
1216 @section Hideshow minor mode
1217
1218 @findex hs-minor-mode
1219 Hideshow minor mode provides selective display of portions of a
1220 program, known as @dfn{blocks}. You can use @kbd{M-x hs-minor-mode}
1221 to enable or disable this mode, or add @code{hs-minor-mode} to the
1222 mode hook for certain major modes in order to enable it automatically
1223 for those modes.
1224
1225 Just what constitutes a block depends on the major mode. In C mode
1226 or C++ mode, they are delimited by braces, while in Lisp mode and
1227 similar modes they are delimited by parentheses. Multi-line comments
1228 also count as blocks.
1229
1230 @findex hs-hide-all
1231 @findex hs-hide-block
1232 @findex hs-show-all
1233 @findex hs-show-block
1234 @findex hs-show-region
1235 @findex hs-hide-level
1236 @findex hs-minor-mode
1237 @kindex C-c @@ C-h
1238 @kindex C-c @@ C-s
1239 @kindex C-c @@ C-M-h
1240 @kindex C-c @@ C-M-s
1241 @kindex C-c @@ C-r
1242 @kindex C-c @@ C-l
1243 @kindex S-Mouse-2
1244 @table @kbd
1245 @item C-c @@ C-h
1246 Hide the current block (@code{hs-hide-block}).
1247 @item C-c @@ C-s
1248 Show the current block (@code{hs-show-block}).
1249 @item C-c @@ C-c
1250 Either hide or show the current block (@code{hs-toggle-hiding})
1251 @item S-Mouse-2
1252 Either hide or show the block you click on (@code{hs-mouse-toggle-hiding})
1253 @item C-c @@ C-M-h
1254 Hide all top-level blocks (@code{hs-hide-all}).
1255 @item C-c @@ C-M-s
1256 Show everything in the buffer (@code{hs-show-all}).
1257 @item C-c @@ C-l
1258 Hide all blocks @var{n} levels below this block
1259 (@code{hs-hide-level}).
1260 @end table
1261
1262 @vindex hs-hide-comments-when-hiding-all
1263 @vindex hs-isearch-open
1264 @vindex hs-special-modes-alist
1265 These user options exist for customizing Hideshow mode.
1266
1267 @table @code
1268 @item hs-hide-comments-when-hiding-all
1269 Non-@code{nil} says that @kbd{hs-hide-all} should hide comments too.
1270
1271 @item hs-isearch-open
1272 Specifies what kind of hidden blocks to open in Isearch mode.
1273 The value should be one of these four symbols.
1274
1275 @table @code
1276 @item code
1277 Open only code blocks.
1278 @item comment
1279 Open only comments.
1280 @item t
1281 Open both code blocks and comments.
1282 @item nil
1283 Open neither code blocks nor comments.
1284 @end table
1285
1286 @item hs-special-modes-alist
1287 A list of elements, each specifying how to initialize Hideshow
1288 variables for one major mode. See the variable's documentation string
1289 for more information.
1290 @end table
1291
1292 @node Symbol Completion
1293 @section Completion for Symbol Names
1294 @cindex completion (symbol names)
1295
1296 In Emacs, completion is something you normally do in the minibuffer.
1297 But one kind of completion is available in all buffers: completion for
1298 symbol names.
1299
1300 @kindex M-TAB
1301 The character @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} runs a command to complete the
1302 partial symbol before point against the set of meaningful symbol
1303 names. This command inserts at point any additional characters that
1304 it can determine from the partial name.
1305
1306 If the partial name in the buffer has multiple possible completions
1307 that differ in the very next character, so that it is impossible to
1308 complete even one more character, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} displays a list of
1309 all possible completions in another window.
1310
1311 @cindex tags-based completion
1312 @cindex Info index completion
1313 @findex complete-symbol
1314 In most programming language major modes, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} runs the
1315 command @code{complete-symbol}, which provides two kinds of completion.
1316 Normally it does completion based on a tags table (@pxref{Tags}); with a
1317 numeric argument (regardless of the value), it does completion based on
1318 the names listed in the Info file indexes for your language. Thus, to
1319 complete the name of a symbol defined in your own program, use
1320 @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} with no argument; to complete the name of a standard
1321 library function, use @kbd{C-u M-@key{TAB}}. Of course, Info-based
1322 completion works only if there is an Info file for the standard library
1323 functions of your language, and only if it is installed at your site.
1324
1325 @cindex Lisp symbol completion
1326 @cindex completion (Lisp symbols)
1327 @findex lisp-complete-symbol
1328 In Emacs-Lisp mode, the name space for completion normally consists of
1329 nontrivial symbols present in Emacs---those that have function
1330 definitions, values or properties. However, if there is an
1331 open-parenthesis immediately before the beginning of the partial symbol,
1332 only symbols with function definitions are considered as completions.
1333 The command which implements this is @code{lisp-complete-symbol}.
1334
1335 In Text mode and related modes, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completes words
1336 based on the spell-checker's dictionary. @xref{Spelling}.
1337
1338 @node Glasses
1339 @section Glasses minor mode
1340 @cindex Glasses mode
1341 @cindex identifiers, making long ones readable
1342 @cindex StudlyCaps, making them readable
1343 @findex glasses-mode
1344
1345 Glasses minor mode makes @samp{unreadableIdentifiersLikeThis}
1346 readable by altering the way they display. It knows two different
1347 ways to do this: by displaying underscores between a lower-case letter
1348 and the following capital letter, and by emboldening the capital
1349 letters. It does not alter the buffer text, only the way they
1350 display, so you can use it even on read-only buffers. You can use the
1351 command @kbd{M-x glasses-mode} to enable or disable the mode in the
1352 current buffer; you can also add @code{glasses-mode} to the mode hook
1353 of the programming language major modes in which you normally want
1354 to use Glasses mode.
1355
1356 @node Misc for Programs
1357 @section Other Features Useful for Editing Programs
1358
1359 A number of Emacs commands that aren't designed specifically for
1360 editing programs are useful for that nonetheless.
1361
1362 The Emacs commands that operate on words, sentences and paragraphs
1363 are useful for editing code. Most symbols names contain words
1364 (@pxref{Words}); sentences can be found in strings and comments
1365 (@pxref{Sentences}). Paragraphs in the strict sense can be found in
1366 program code (in long comments), but the paragraph commands are useful
1367 in other places too, because programming language major modes define
1368 paragraphs to begin and end at blank lines (@pxref{Paragraphs}).
1369 Judicious use of blank lines to make the program clearer will also
1370 provide useful chunks of text for the paragraph commands to work on.
1371 Auto Fill mode, if enabled in a programming language major mode,
1372 indents the new lines which it creates.
1373
1374 The selective display feature is useful for looking at the overall
1375 structure of a function (@pxref{Selective Display}). This feature
1376 hides the lines that are indented more than a specified amount.
1377 Programming modes often support Outline minor mode (@pxref{Outline
1378 Mode}). The Foldout package provides folding-editor features
1379 (@pxref{Foldout}).
1380
1381 The ``automatic typing'' features may be useful for writing programs.
1382 @xref{Top,,Autotyping, autotype, Autotyping}.
1383
1384 @node C Modes
1385 @section C and Related Modes
1386 @cindex C mode
1387 @cindex Java mode
1388 @cindex Pike mode
1389 @cindex IDL mode
1390 @cindex CORBA IDL mode
1391 @cindex Objective C mode
1392 @cindex C++ mode
1393 @cindex mode, Java
1394 @cindex mode, C
1395 @cindex mode, Objective C
1396 @cindex mode, CORBA IDL
1397 @cindex mode, Pike
1398
1399 This section gives a brief description of the special features
1400 available in C, C++, Objective-C, Java, CORBA IDL, and Pike modes.
1401 (These are called ``C mode and related modes.'') @xref{Top, CC Mode,
1402 ccmode, , CC Mode}, for a more extensive description of these modes
1403 and their special features.
1404
1405 @menu
1406 * Motion in C:: Commands to move by C statements, etc.
1407 * Electric C:: Colon and other chars can automatically reindent.
1408 * Hungry Delete:: A more powerful DEL command.
1409 * Other C Commands:: Filling comments, viewing expansion of macros,
1410 and other neat features.
1411 * Comments in C:: Options for customizing comment style.
1412 @end menu
1413
1414 @node Motion in C
1415 @subsection C Mode Motion Commands
1416
1417 This section describes commands for moving point, in C mode and
1418 related modes.
1419
1420 @table @code
1421 @item C-c C-u
1422 @kindex C-c C-u @r{(C mode)}
1423 @findex c-up-conditional
1424 Move point back to the containing preprocessor conditional, leaving the
1425 mark behind. A prefix argument acts as a repeat count. With a negative
1426 argument, move point forward to the end of the containing
1427 preprocessor conditional. When going backwards, @code{#elif} is treated
1428 like @code{#else} followed by @code{#if}. When going forwards,
1429 @code{#elif} is ignored.@refill
1430
1431 @item C-c C-p
1432 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(C mode)}
1433 @findex c-backward-conditional
1434 Move point back over a preprocessor conditional, leaving the mark
1435 behind. A prefix argument acts as a repeat count. With a negative
1436 argument, move forward.
1437
1438 @item C-c C-n
1439 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(C mode)}
1440 @findex c-forward-conditional
1441 Move point forward across a preprocessor conditional, leaving the mark
1442 behind. A prefix argument acts as a repeat count. With a negative
1443 argument, move backward.
1444
1445 @item M-a
1446 @kindex ESC a
1447 @findex c-beginning-of-statement
1448 Move point to the beginning of the innermost C statement
1449 (@code{c-beginning-of-statement}). If point is already at the beginning
1450 of a statement, move to the beginning of the preceding statement. With
1451 prefix argument @var{n}, move back @var{n} @minus{} 1 statements.
1452
1453 If point is within a string or comment, or next to a comment (only
1454 whitespace between them), this command moves by sentences instead of
1455 statements.
1456
1457 When called from a program, this function takes three optional
1458 arguments: the numeric prefix argument, a buffer position limit
1459 (don't move back before that place), and a flag that controls whether
1460 to do sentence motion when inside of a comment.
1461
1462 @item M-e
1463 @kindex ESC e
1464 @findex c-end-of-statement
1465 Move point to the end of the innermost C statement; like @kbd{M-a}
1466 except that it moves in the other direction (@code{c-end-of-statement}).
1467
1468 @item M-x c-backward-into-nomenclature
1469 @findex c-backward-into-nomenclature
1470 Move point backward to beginning of a C++ nomenclature section or word.
1471 With prefix argument @var{n}, move @var{n} times. If @var{n} is
1472 negative, move forward. C++ nomenclature means a symbol name in the
1473 style of NamingSymbolsWithMixedCaseAndNoUnderlines; each capital letter
1474 begins a section or word.
1475
1476 In the GNU project, we recommend using underscores to separate words
1477 within an identifier in C or C++, rather than using case distinctions.
1478
1479 @item M-x c-forward-into-nomenclature
1480 @findex c-forward-into-nomenclature
1481 Move point forward to end of a C++ nomenclature section or word.
1482 With prefix argument @var{n}, move @var{n} times.
1483 @end table
1484
1485 @node Electric C
1486 @subsection Electric C Characters
1487
1488 In C mode and related modes, certain printing characters are
1489 ``electric''---in addition to inserting themselves, they also reindent
1490 the current line and may insert newlines. This feature is controlled by
1491 the variable @code{c-auto-newline}. The ``electric'' characters are
1492 @kbd{@{}, @kbd{@}}, @kbd{:}, @kbd{#}, @kbd{;}, @kbd{,}, @kbd{<},
1493 @kbd{>}, @kbd{/}, @kbd{*}, @kbd{(}, and @kbd{)}.
1494
1495 Electric characters insert newlines only when the @dfn{auto-newline}
1496 feature is enabled (indicated by @samp{/a} in the mode line after the
1497 mode name). This feature is controlled by the variable
1498 @code{c-auto-newline}. You can turn this feature on or off with the
1499 command @kbd{C-c C-a}:
1500
1501 @table @kbd
1502 @item C-c C-a
1503 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(C mode)}
1504 @findex c-toggle-auto-state
1505 Toggle the auto-newline feature (@code{c-toggle-auto-state}). With a
1506 prefix argument, this command turns the auto-newline feature on if the
1507 argument is positive, and off if it is negative.
1508 @end table
1509
1510 The colon character is electric because that is appropriate for a
1511 single colon. But when you want to insert a double colon in C++, the
1512 electric behavior of colon is inconvenient. You can insert a double
1513 colon with no reindentation or newlines by typing @kbd{C-c :}:
1514
1515 @table @kbd
1516 @item C-c :
1517 @ifinfo
1518 @c This uses ``colon'' instead of a literal `:' because Info cannot
1519 @c cope with a `:' in a menu
1520 @kindex C-c @key{colon} @r{(C mode)}
1521 @end ifinfo
1522 @ifnotinfo
1523 @kindex C-c : @r{(C mode)}
1524 @end ifnotinfo
1525 @findex c-scope-operator
1526 Insert a double colon scope operator at point, without reindenting the
1527 line or adding any newlines (@code{c-scope-operator}).
1528 @end table
1529
1530 The electric @kbd{#} key reindents the line if it appears to be the
1531 beginning of a preprocessor directive. This happens when the value of
1532 @code{c-electric-pound-behavior} is @code{(alignleft)}. You can turn
1533 this feature off by setting @code{c-electric-pound-behavior} to
1534 @code{nil}.
1535
1536 The variable @code{c-hanging-braces-alist} controls the insertion of
1537 newlines before and after inserted braces. It is an association list
1538 with elements of the following form: @code{(@var{syntactic-symbol}
1539 . @var{nl-list})}. Most of the syntactic symbols that appear in
1540 @code{c-offsets-alist} are meaningful here as well.
1541
1542 The list @var{nl-list} may contain either of the symbols
1543 @code{before} or @code{after}, or both; or it may be @code{nil}. When a
1544 brace is inserted, the syntactic context it defines is looked up in
1545 @code{c-hanging-braces-alist}; if it is found, the @var{nl-list} is used
1546 to determine where newlines are inserted: either before the brace,
1547 after, or both. If not found, the default is to insert a newline both
1548 before and after braces.
1549
1550 The variable @code{c-hanging-colons-alist} controls the insertion of
1551 newlines before and after inserted colons. It is an association list
1552 with elements of the following form: @code{(@var{syntactic-symbol}
1553 . @var{nl-list})}. The list @var{nl-list} may contain either of the
1554 symbols @code{before} or @code{after}, or both; or it may be @code{nil}.
1555
1556 When a colon is inserted, the syntactic symbol it defines is looked
1557 up in this list, and if found, the @var{nl-list} is used to determine
1558 where newlines are inserted: either before the brace, after, or both.
1559 If the syntactic symbol is not found in this list, no newlines are
1560 inserted.
1561
1562 Electric characters can also delete newlines automatically when the
1563 auto-newline feature is enabled. This feature makes auto-newline more
1564 acceptable, by deleting the newlines in the most common cases where you
1565 do not want them. Emacs can recognize several cases in which deleting a
1566 newline might be desirable; by setting the variable
1567 @code{c-cleanup-list}, you can specify @emph{which} of these cases that
1568 should happen. The variable's value is a list of symbols, each
1569 describing one case for possible deletion of a newline. Here are the
1570 meaningful symbols, and their meanings:
1571
1572 @table @code
1573 @item brace-catch-brace
1574 Clean up @samp{@} catch (@var{condition}) @{} constructs by placing the
1575 entire construct on a single line. The clean-up occurs when you type
1576 the @samp{@{}, if there is nothing between the braces aside from
1577 @code{catch} and @var{condition}.
1578
1579 @item brace-else-brace
1580 Clean up @samp{@} else @{} constructs by placing the entire construct on
1581 a single line. The clean-up occurs when you type the @samp{@{} after
1582 the @code{else}, but only if there is nothing but white space between
1583 the braces and the @code{else}.
1584
1585 @item brace-elseif-brace
1586 Clean up @samp{@} else if (@dots{}) @{} constructs by placing the entire
1587 construct on a single line. The clean-up occurs when you type the
1588 @samp{@{}, if there is nothing but white space between the @samp{@}} and
1589 @samp{@{} aside from the keywords and the @code{if}-condition.
1590
1591 @item empty-defun-braces
1592 Clean up empty defun braces by placing the braces on the same
1593 line. Clean-up occurs when you type the closing brace.
1594
1595 @item defun-close-semi
1596 Clean up the semicolon after a @code{struct} or similar type
1597 declaration, by placing the semicolon on the same line as the closing
1598 brace. Clean-up occurs when you type the semicolon.
1599
1600 @item list-close-comma
1601 Clean up commas following braces in array and aggregate
1602 initializers. Clean-up occurs when you type the comma.
1603
1604 @item scope-operator
1605 Clean up double colons which may designate a C++ scope operator, by
1606 placing the colons together. Clean-up occurs when you type the second
1607 colon, but only when the two colons are separated by nothing but
1608 whitespace.
1609 @end table
1610
1611 @node Hungry Delete
1612 @subsection Hungry Delete Feature in C
1613
1614 When the @dfn{hungry-delete} feature is enabled (indicated by
1615 @samp{/h} or @samp{/ah} in the mode line after the mode name), a single
1616 @key{DEL} command deletes all preceding whitespace, not just one space.
1617 To turn this feature on or off, use @kbd{C-c C-d}:
1618
1619 @table @kbd
1620 @item C-c C-d
1621 @kindex C-c C-d @r{(C mode)}
1622 @findex c-toggle-hungry-state
1623 Toggle the hungry-delete feature (@code{c-toggle-hungry-state}). With a
1624 prefix argument, this command turns the hungry-delete feature on if the
1625 argument is positive, and off if it is negative.
1626
1627 @item C-c C-t
1628 @kindex C-c C-t @r{(C mode)}
1629 @findex c-toggle-auto-hungry-state
1630 Toggle the auto-newline and hungry-delete features, both at once
1631 (@code{c-toggle-auto-hungry-state}).
1632 @end table
1633
1634 @vindex c-hungry-delete-key
1635 The variable @code{c-hungry-delete-key} controls whether the
1636 hungry-delete feature is enabled.
1637
1638 @node Other C Commands
1639 @subsection Other Commands for C Mode
1640
1641 @table @kbd
1642 @item C-M-h
1643 Put mark at the end of a function definition, and put point at the
1644 beginning (@code{c-mark-function}).
1645
1646 @item M-q
1647 @kindex M-q @r{(C mode)}
1648 @findex c-fill-paragraph
1649 Fill a paragraph, handling C and C++ comments (@code{c-fill-paragraph}).
1650 If any part of the current line is a comment or within a comment, this
1651 command fills the comment or the paragraph of it that point is in,
1652 preserving the comment indentation and comment delimiters.
1653
1654 @item C-c C-e
1655 @cindex macro expansion in C
1656 @cindex expansion of C macros
1657 @findex c-macro-expand
1658 @kindex C-c C-e @r{(C mode)}
1659 Run the C preprocessor on the text in the region, and show the result,
1660 which includes the expansion of all the macro calls
1661 (@code{c-macro-expand}). The buffer text before the region is also
1662 included in preprocessing, for the sake of macros defined there, but the
1663 output from this part isn't shown.
1664
1665 When you are debugging C code that uses macros, sometimes it is hard to
1666 figure out precisely how the macros expand. With this command, you
1667 don't have to figure it out; you can see the expansions.
1668
1669 @item C-c C-\
1670 @findex c-backslash-region
1671 @kindex C-c C-\ @r{(C mode)}
1672 Insert or align @samp{\} characters at the ends of the lines of the
1673 region (@code{c-backslash-region}). This is useful after writing or
1674 editing a C macro definition.
1675
1676 If a line already ends in @samp{\}, this command adjusts the amount of
1677 whitespace before it. Otherwise, it inserts a new @samp{\}. However,
1678 the last line in the region is treated specially; no @samp{\} is
1679 inserted on that line, and any @samp{\} there is deleted.
1680
1681 @item M-x cpp-highlight-buffer
1682 @cindex preprocessor highlighting
1683 @findex cpp-highlight-buffer
1684 Highlight parts of the text according to its preprocessor conditionals.
1685 This command displays another buffer named @samp{*CPP Edit*}, which
1686 serves as a graphic menu for selecting how to display particular kinds
1687 of conditionals and their contents. After changing various settings,
1688 click on @samp{[A]pply these settings} (or go to that buffer and type
1689 @kbd{a}) to rehighlight the C mode buffer accordingly.
1690
1691 @item C-c C-s
1692 @findex c-show-syntactic-information
1693 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(C mode)}
1694 Display the syntactic information about the current source line
1695 (@code{c-show-syntactic-information}). This is the information that
1696 directs how the line is indented.
1697
1698 @item M-x cwarn-mode
1699 @itemx M-x global-cwarn-mode
1700 @findex cwarn-mode
1701 @findex global-cwarn-mode
1702 @cindex CWarn mode
1703 @cindex suspicious constructions in C, C++
1704 CWarn minor mode highlights certain suspicious C and C++ constructions:
1705
1706 @itemize @bullet{}
1707 @item
1708 Assignments inside expressions.
1709 @item
1710 Semicolon following immediately after @samp{if}, @samp{for}, and @samp{while}
1711 (except after a @samp{do @dots{} while} statement);
1712 @item
1713 C++ functions with reference parameters.
1714 @end itemize
1715
1716 @noindent
1717 You can enable the mode for one buffer with the command @kbd{M-x
1718 cwarn-mode}, or for all suitable buffers with the command @kbd{M-x
1719 global-cwarn-mode} or by customizing the variable
1720 @code{global-cwarn-mode}. You must also enable Font Lock mode to make
1721 it work.
1722
1723 @item M-x hide-ifdef-mode
1724 @findex hide-ifdef-mode
1725 @cindex Hide-ifdef mode
1726 Hide-ifdef minor mode hides selected code within @samp{#if} and
1727 @samp{#ifdef} preprocessor blocks. See the documentation string of
1728 @code{hide-ifdef-mode} for more information.
1729
1730 @item M-x ff-find-related-file
1731 @cindex related files
1732 @findex ff-find-related-file
1733 @vindex ff-related-file-alist
1734 Find a file ``related'' in a special way to the file visited by the
1735 current buffer. Typically this will be the header file corresponding
1736 to a C/C++ source file, or vice versa. The variable
1737 @code{ff-related-file-alist} specifies how to compute related file
1738 names.
1739 @end table
1740
1741 @node Comments in C
1742 @subsection Comments in C Modes
1743
1744 C mode and related modes use a number of variables for controlling
1745 comment format.
1746
1747 @table @code
1748 @item c-comment-only-line-offset
1749 @vindex c-comment-only-line-offset
1750 Extra offset for line which contains only the start of a comment. It
1751 can be either an integer or a cons cell of the form
1752 @code{(@var{non-anchored-offset} . @var{anchored-offset})}, where
1753 @var{non-anchored-offset} is the amount of offset given to
1754 non-column-zero anchored comment-only lines, and @var{anchored-offset}
1755 is the amount of offset to give column-zero anchored comment-only lines.
1756 Just an integer as value is equivalent to @code{(@var{val} . 0)}.
1757
1758 @item c-comment-start-regexp
1759 @vindex c-comment-start-regexp
1760 This buffer-local variable specifies how to recognize the start of a comment.
1761
1762 @item c-hanging-comment-ender-p
1763 @vindex c-hanging-comment-ender-p
1764 If this variable is @code{nil}, @code{c-fill-paragraph} leaves the
1765 comment terminator of a block comment on a line by itself. The default
1766 value is @code{t}, which puts the comment-end delimiter @samp{*/} at the
1767 end of the last line of the comment text.
1768
1769 @item c-hanging-comment-starter-p
1770 @vindex c-hanging-comment-starter-p
1771 If this variable is @code{nil}, @code{c-fill-paragraph} leaves the
1772 starting delimiter of a block comment on a line by itself. The default
1773 value is @code{t}, which puts the comment-start delimiter @samp{/*} at
1774 the beginning of the first line of the comment text.
1775 @end table
1776
1777 @node Fortran
1778 @section Fortran Mode
1779 @cindex Fortran mode
1780 @cindex mode, Fortran
1781
1782 Fortran mode provides special motion commands for Fortran statements and
1783 subprograms, and indentation commands that understand Fortran conventions
1784 of nesting, line numbers and continuation statements. Fortran mode has
1785 its own Auto Fill mode that breaks long lines into proper Fortran
1786 continuation lines.
1787
1788 Special commands for comments are provided because Fortran comments
1789 are unlike those of other languages. Built-in abbrevs optionally save
1790 typing when you insert Fortran keywords.
1791
1792 Use @kbd{M-x fortran-mode} to switch to this major mode. This command
1793 runs the hook @code{fortran-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}).
1794
1795 @cindex Fortran77 and Fortran90
1796 @findex f90-mode
1797 @findex fortran-mode
1798 Fortran mode is meant for editing Fortran77 ``fixed format'' source
1799 code. For editing the modern Fortran90 ``free format'' source code,
1800 use F90 mode (@code{f90-mode}). Emacs normally uses Fortran mode for
1801 files with extension @samp{.f}, @samp{.F} or @samp{.for}, and F90 mode
1802 for the extension @samp{.f90}. GNU Fortran supports both kinds of
1803 format.
1804
1805 @menu
1806 * Motion: Fortran Motion. Moving point by statements or subprograms.
1807 * Indent: Fortran Indent. Indentation commands for Fortran.
1808 * Comments: Fortran Comments. Inserting and aligning comments.
1809 * Autofill: Fortran Autofill. Auto fill minor mode for Fortran.
1810 * Columns: Fortran Columns. Measuring columns for valid Fortran.
1811 * Abbrev: Fortran Abbrev. Built-in abbrevs for Fortran keywords.
1812 @end menu
1813
1814 @node Fortran Motion
1815 @subsection Motion Commands
1816
1817 In addition to the normal commands for moving by and operating on
1818 ``defuns'' (Fortran subprograms---functions and subroutines), Fortran
1819 mode provides special commands to move by statements.
1820
1821 @table @kbd
1822 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Fortran mode)}
1823 @findex fortran-next-statement
1824 @item C-c C-n
1825 Move to beginning of current or next statement
1826 (@code{fortran-next-statement}).
1827
1828 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Fortran mode)}
1829 @findex fortran-previous-statement
1830 @item C-c C-p
1831 Move to beginning of current or previous statement
1832 (@code{fortran-previous-statement}).
1833 @end table
1834
1835 @node Fortran Indent
1836 @subsection Fortran Indentation
1837
1838 Special commands and features are needed for indenting Fortran code in
1839 order to make sure various syntactic entities (line numbers, comment line
1840 indicators and continuation line flags) appear in the columns that are
1841 required for standard Fortran.
1842
1843 @menu
1844 * Commands: ForIndent Commands. Commands for indenting and filling Fortran.
1845 * Contline: ForIndent Cont. How continuation lines indent.
1846 * Numbers: ForIndent Num. How line numbers auto-indent.
1847 * Conv: ForIndent Conv. Conventions you must obey to avoid trouble.
1848 * Vars: ForIndent Vars. Variables controlling Fortran indent style.
1849 @end menu
1850
1851 @node ForIndent Commands
1852 @subsubsection Fortran Indentation and Filling Commands
1853
1854 @table @kbd
1855 @item C-M-j
1856 Break the current line and set up a continuation line
1857 (@code{fortran-split-line}).
1858 @item M-^
1859 Join this line to the previous line (@code{fortran-join-line}).
1860 @item C-M-q
1861 Indent all the lines of the subprogram point is in
1862 (@code{fortran-indent-subprogram}).
1863 @item M-q
1864 Fill a comment block or statement.
1865 @end table
1866
1867 @kindex C-M-q @r{(Fortran mode)}
1868 @findex fortran-indent-subprogram
1869 The key @kbd{C-M-q} runs @code{fortran-indent-subprogram}, a command
1870 to reindent all the lines of the Fortran subprogram (function or
1871 subroutine) containing point.
1872
1873 @kindex C-M-j @r{(Fortran mode)}
1874 @findex fortran-split-line
1875 The key @kbd{C-M-j} runs @code{fortran-split-line}, which splits
1876 a line in the appropriate fashion for Fortran. In a non-comment line,
1877 the second half becomes a continuation line and is indented
1878 accordingly. In a comment line, both halves become separate comment
1879 lines.
1880
1881 @kindex M-^ @r{(Fortran mode)}
1882 @kindex C-c C-d @r{(Fortran mode)}
1883 @findex fortran-join-line
1884 @kbd{M-^} or @kbd{C-c C-d} runs the command @code{fortran-join-line},
1885 which joins a continuation line back to the previous line, roughly as
1886 the inverse of @code{fortran-split-line}. The point must be on a
1887 continuation line when this command is invoked.
1888
1889 @kindex M-q @r{(Fortran mode)}
1890 @kbd{M-q} in Fortran mode fills the comment block or statement that
1891 point is in. This removes any excess statement continuations.
1892
1893 @node ForIndent Cont
1894 @subsubsection Continuation Lines
1895 @cindex Fortran continuation lines
1896
1897 @vindex fortran-continuation-string
1898 Most modern Fortran compilers allow two ways of writing continuation
1899 lines. If the first non-space character on a line is in column 5, then
1900 that line is a continuation of the previous line. We call this
1901 @dfn{fixed format}. (In GNU Emacs we always count columns from 0.) The
1902 variable @code{fortran-continuation-string} specifies what character to
1903 put on column 5. A line that starts with a tab character followed by
1904 any digit except @samp{0} is also a continuation line. We call this
1905 style of continuation @dfn{tab format}.
1906
1907 @vindex indent-tabs-mode @r{(Fortran mode)}
1908 Fortran mode can make either style of continuation line, but you
1909 must specify which one you prefer. The value of the variable
1910 @code{indent-tabs-mode} controls the choice: @code{nil} for fixed
1911 format, and non-@code{nil} for tab format. You can tell which style
1912 is presently in effect by the presence or absence of the string
1913 @samp{Tab} in the mode line.
1914
1915 If the text on a line starts with the conventional Fortran
1916 continuation marker @samp{$}, or if it begins with any non-whitespace
1917 character in column 5, Fortran mode treats it as a continuation line.
1918 When you indent a continuation line with @key{TAB}, it converts the line
1919 to the current continuation style. When you split a Fortran statement
1920 with @kbd{C-M-j}, the continuation marker on the newline is created
1921 according to the continuation style.
1922
1923 The setting of continuation style affects several other aspects of
1924 editing in Fortran mode. In fixed format mode, the minimum column
1925 number for the body of a statement is 6. Lines inside of Fortran
1926 blocks that are indented to larger column numbers always use only the
1927 space character for whitespace. In tab format mode, the minimum
1928 column number for the statement body is 8, and the whitespace before
1929 column 8 must always consist of one tab character.
1930
1931 @vindex fortran-tab-mode-default
1932 @vindex fortran-analyze-depth
1933 When you enter Fortran mode for an existing file, it tries to deduce the
1934 proper continuation style automatically from the file contents. The first
1935 line that begins with either a tab character or six spaces determines the
1936 choice. The variable @code{fortran-analyze-depth} specifies how many lines
1937 to consider (at the beginning of the file); if none of those lines
1938 indicates a style, then the variable @code{fortran-tab-mode-default}
1939 specifies the style. If it is @code{nil}, that specifies fixed format, and
1940 non-@code{nil} specifies tab format.
1941
1942 @node ForIndent Num
1943 @subsubsection Line Numbers
1944
1945 If a number is the first non-whitespace in the line, Fortran
1946 indentation assumes it is a line number and moves it to columns 0
1947 through 4. (Columns always count from 0 in GNU Emacs.)
1948
1949 @vindex fortran-line-number-indent
1950 Line numbers of four digits or less are normally indented one space.
1951 The variable @code{fortran-line-number-indent} controls this; it
1952 specifies the maximum indentation a line number can have. Line numbers
1953 are indented to right-justify them to end in column 4 unless that would
1954 require more than this maximum indentation. The default value of the
1955 variable is 1.
1956
1957 @vindex fortran-electric-line-number
1958 Simply inserting a line number is enough to indent it according to
1959 these rules. As each digit is inserted, the indentation is recomputed.
1960 To turn off this feature, set the variable
1961 @code{fortran-electric-line-number} to @code{nil}. Then inserting line
1962 numbers is like inserting anything else.
1963
1964 @node ForIndent Conv
1965 @subsubsection Syntactic Conventions
1966
1967 Fortran mode assumes that you follow certain conventions that simplify
1968 the task of understanding a Fortran program well enough to indent it
1969 properly:
1970
1971 @itemize @bullet
1972 @item
1973 Two nested @samp{do} loops never share a @samp{continue} statement.
1974
1975 @item
1976 Fortran keywords such as @samp{if}, @samp{else}, @samp{then}, @samp{do}
1977 and others are written without embedded whitespace or line breaks.
1978
1979 Fortran compilers generally ignore whitespace outside of string
1980 constants, but Fortran mode does not recognize these keywords if they
1981 are not contiguous. Constructs such as @samp{else if} or @samp{end do}
1982 are acceptable, but the second word should be on the same line as the
1983 first and not on a continuation line.
1984 @end itemize
1985
1986 @noindent
1987 If you fail to follow these conventions, the indentation commands may
1988 indent some lines unaesthetically. However, a correct Fortran program
1989 retains its meaning when reindented even if the conventions are not
1990 followed.
1991
1992 @node ForIndent Vars
1993 @subsubsection Variables for Fortran Indentation
1994
1995 @vindex fortran-do-indent
1996 @vindex fortran-if-indent
1997 @vindex fortran-structure-indent
1998 @vindex fortran-continuation-indent
1999 @vindex fortran-check-all-num@dots{}
2000 @vindex fortran-minimum-statement-indent@dots{}
2001 Several additional variables control how Fortran indentation works:
2002
2003 @table @code
2004 @item fortran-do-indent
2005 Extra indentation within each level of @samp{do} statement (default 3).
2006
2007 @item fortran-if-indent
2008 Extra indentation within each level of @samp{if} statement (default 3).
2009 This value is also used for extra indentation within each level of the
2010 Fortran 90 @samp{where} statement.
2011
2012 @item fortran-structure-indent
2013 Extra indentation within each level of @samp{structure}, @samp{union}, or
2014 @samp{map} statements (default 3).
2015
2016 @item fortran-continuation-indent
2017 Extra indentation for bodies of continuation lines (default 5).
2018
2019 @item fortran-check-all-num-for-matching-do
2020 If this is @code{nil}, indentation assumes that each @samp{do} statement
2021 ends on a @samp{continue} statement. Therefore, when computing
2022 indentation for a statement other than @samp{continue}, it can save time
2023 by not checking for a @samp{do} statement ending there. If this is
2024 non-@code{nil}, indenting any numbered statement must check for a
2025 @samp{do} that ends there. The default is @code{nil}.
2026
2027 @item fortran-blink-matching-if
2028 If this is @code{t}, indenting an @samp{endif} statement moves the
2029 cursor momentarily to the matching @samp{if} statement to show where it
2030 is. The default is @code{nil}.
2031
2032 @item fortran-minimum-statement-indent-fixed
2033 Minimum indentation for fortran statements when using fixed format
2034 continuation line style. Statement bodies are never indented less than
2035 this much. The default is 6.
2036
2037 @item fortran-minimum-statement-indent-tab
2038 Minimum indentation for fortran statements for tab format continuation line
2039 style. Statement bodies are never indented less than this much. The
2040 default is 8.
2041 @end table
2042
2043 @node Fortran Comments
2044 @subsection Fortran Comments
2045
2046 The usual Emacs comment commands assume that a comment can follow a line
2047 of code. In Fortran, the standard comment syntax requires an entire line
2048 to be just a comment. Therefore, Fortran mode replaces the standard Emacs
2049 comment commands and defines some new variables.
2050
2051 Fortran mode can also handle the Fortran90 comment syntax where comments
2052 start with @samp{!} and can follow other text. Because only some Fortran77
2053 compilers accept this syntax, Fortran mode will not insert such comments
2054 unless you have said in advance to do so. To do this, set the variable
2055 @code{comment-start} to @samp{"!"} (@pxref{Variables}).
2056
2057 @table @kbd
2058 @item M-;
2059 Align comment or insert new comment (@code{fortran-comment-indent}).
2060
2061 @item C-x ;
2062 Applies to nonstandard @samp{!} comments only.
2063
2064 @item C-c ;
2065 Turn all lines of the region into comments, or (with argument) turn them back
2066 into real code (@code{fortran-comment-region}).
2067 @end table
2068
2069 @kbd{M-;} in Fortran mode is redefined as the command
2070 @code{fortran-comment-indent}. Like the usual @kbd{M-;} command, this
2071 recognizes any kind of existing comment and aligns its text appropriately;
2072 if there is no existing comment, a comment is inserted and aligned. But
2073 inserting and aligning comments are not the same in Fortran mode as in
2074 other modes.
2075
2076 When a new comment must be inserted, if the current line is blank, a
2077 full-line comment is inserted. On a non-blank line, a nonstandard @samp{!}
2078 comment is inserted if you have said you want to use them. Otherwise a
2079 full-line comment is inserted on a new line before the current line.
2080
2081 Nonstandard @samp{!} comments are aligned like comments in other
2082 languages, but full-line comments are different. In a standard full-line
2083 comment, the comment delimiter itself must always appear in column zero.
2084 What can be aligned is the text within the comment. You can choose from
2085 three styles of alignment by setting the variable
2086 @code{fortran-comment-indent-style} to one of these values:
2087
2088 @vindex fortran-comment-indent-style
2089 @vindex fortran-comment-line-extra-indent
2090 @table @code
2091 @item fixed
2092 Align the text at a fixed column, which is the sum of
2093 @code{fortran-comment-line-extra-indent} and the minimum statement
2094 indentation. This is the default.
2095
2096 The minimum statement indentation is
2097 @code{fortran-minimum-statement-indent-fixed} for fixed format
2098 continuation line style and @code{fortran-minimum-statement-indent-tab}
2099 for tab format style.
2100
2101 @item relative
2102 Align the text as if it were a line of code, but with an additional
2103 @code{fortran-comment-line-extra-indent} columns of indentation.
2104
2105 @item nil
2106 Don't move text in full-line comments automatically at all.
2107 @end table
2108
2109 @vindex fortran-comment-indent-char
2110 In addition, you can specify the character to be used to indent within
2111 full-line comments by setting the variable
2112 @code{fortran-comment-indent-char} to the single-character string you want
2113 to use.
2114
2115 @vindex fortran-directive-re
2116 Compiler directive lines, or preprocessor lines, have much the same
2117 appearance as comment lines. It is important, though, that such lines
2118 never be indented at all, no matter what the value of
2119 @code{fortran-comment-indent-style}. The variable
2120 @code{fortran-directive-re} is a regular expression that specifies which
2121 lines are directives. Matching lines are never indented, and receive
2122 distinctive font-locking.
2123
2124 @vindex comment-line-start
2125 @vindex comment-line-start-skip
2126 Fortran mode introduces two variables @code{comment-line-start} and
2127 @code{comment-line-start-skip}, which play for full-line comments the same
2128 roles played by @code{comment-start} and @code{comment-start-skip} for
2129 ordinary text-following comments. Normally these are set properly by
2130 Fortran mode, so you do not need to change them.
2131
2132 The normal Emacs comment command @kbd{C-x ;} has not been redefined. If
2133 you use @samp{!} comments, this command can be used with them. Otherwise
2134 it is useless in Fortran mode.
2135
2136 @kindex C-c ; @r{(Fortran mode)}
2137 @findex fortran-comment-region
2138 @vindex fortran-comment-region
2139 The command @kbd{C-c ;} (@code{fortran-comment-region}) turns all the
2140 lines of the region into comments by inserting the string @samp{C$$$} at
2141 the front of each one. With a numeric argument, it turns the region
2142 back into live code by deleting @samp{C$$$} from the front of each line
2143 in it. The string used for these comments can be controlled by setting
2144 the variable @code{fortran-comment-region}. Note that here we have an
2145 example of a command and a variable with the same name; these two uses
2146 of the name never conflict because in Lisp and in Emacs it is always
2147 clear from the context which one is meant.
2148
2149 @node Fortran Autofill
2150 @subsection Fortran Auto Fill Mode
2151
2152 Fortran Auto Fill mode is a minor mode which automatically splits
2153 Fortran statements as you insert them when they become too wide.
2154 Splitting a statement involves making continuation lines using
2155 @code{fortran-continuation-string} (@pxref{ForIndent Cont}). This
2156 splitting happens when you type @key{SPC}, @key{RET}, or @key{TAB}, and
2157 also in the Fortran indentation commands.
2158
2159 @findex fortran-auto-fill-mode
2160 @kbd{M-x fortran-auto-fill-mode} turns Fortran Auto Fill mode on if it
2161 was off, or off if it was on. This command works the same as @kbd{M-x
2162 auto-fill-mode} does for normal Auto Fill mode (@pxref{Filling}). A
2163 positive numeric argument turns Fortran Auto Fill mode on, and a
2164 negative argument turns it off. You can see when Fortran Auto Fill mode
2165 is in effect by the presence of the word @samp{Fill} in the mode line,
2166 inside the parentheses. Fortran Auto Fill mode is a minor mode, turned
2167 on or off for each buffer individually. @xref{Minor Modes}.
2168
2169 @vindex fortran-break-before-delimiters
2170 Fortran Auto Fill mode breaks lines at spaces or delimiters when the
2171 lines get longer than the desired width (the value of @code{fill-column}).
2172 The delimiters that Fortran Auto Fill mode may break at are @samp{,},
2173 @samp{'}, @samp{+}, @samp{-}, @samp{/}, @samp{*}, @samp{=}, and @samp{)}.
2174 The line break comes after the delimiter if the variable
2175 @code{fortran-break-before-delimiters} is @code{nil}. Otherwise (and by
2176 default), the break comes before the delimiter.
2177
2178 By default, Fortran Auto Fill mode is not enabled. If you want this
2179 feature turned on permanently, add a hook function to
2180 @code{fortran-mode-hook} to execute @code{(fortran-auto-fill-mode 1)}.
2181 @xref{Hooks}.
2182
2183 @node Fortran Columns
2184 @subsection Checking Columns in Fortran
2185
2186 @table @kbd
2187 @item C-c C-r
2188 Display a ``column ruler'' momentarily above the current line
2189 (@code{fortran-column-ruler}).
2190 @item C-c C-w
2191 Split the current window horizontally temporarily so that it is 72
2192 columns wide (@code{fortran-window-create-momentarily}). This may
2193 help you avoid making lines longer than the 72-character limit that
2194 some Fortran compilers impose.
2195 @item C-u C-c C-w
2196 Split the current window horizontally so that it is 72 columns wide
2197 (@code{fortran-window-create}). You can then continue editing.
2198 @item M-x fortran-strip-sequence-nos
2199 Delete all text in column 72 and beyond.
2200 @end table
2201
2202 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Fortran mode)}
2203 @findex fortran-column-ruler
2204 The command @kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{fortran-column-ruler}) shows a column
2205 ruler momentarily above the current line. The comment ruler is two lines
2206 of text that show you the locations of columns with special significance in
2207 Fortran programs. Square brackets show the limits of the columns for line
2208 numbers, and curly brackets show the limits of the columns for the
2209 statement body. Column numbers appear above them.
2210
2211 Note that the column numbers count from zero, as always in GNU Emacs.
2212 As a result, the numbers may be one less than those you are familiar
2213 with; but the positions they indicate in the line are standard for
2214 Fortran.
2215
2216 @vindex fortran-column-ruler-fixed
2217 @vindex fortran-column-ruler-tabs
2218 The text used to display the column ruler depends on the value of
2219 the variable @code{indent-tabs-mode}. If @code{indent-tabs-mode} is
2220 @code{nil}, then the value of the variable
2221 @code{fortran-column-ruler-fixed} is used as the column ruler.
2222 Otherwise, the variable @code{fortran-column-ruler-tab} is displayed.
2223 By changing these variables, you can change the column ruler display.
2224
2225 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Fortran mode)}
2226 @findex fortran-window-create-momentarily
2227 @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{fortran-window-create-momentarily}) temporarily
2228 splits the current window horizontally, making a window 72 columns
2229 wide, so you can see which lines that is too long. Type a space to
2230 restore the normal width.
2231
2232 @kindex C-u C-c C-w @r{(Fortran mode)}
2233 @findex fortran-window-create
2234 You can also split the window horizontally and continue editing with
2235 the split in place. To do this, use @kbd{C-u C-c C-w} (@code{M-x
2236 fortran-window-create}). By editing in this window you can
2237 immediately see when you make a line too wide to be correct Fortran.
2238
2239 @findex fortran-strip-sequence-nos
2240 The command @kbd{M-x fortran-strip-sequence-nos} deletes all text in
2241 column 72 and beyond, on all lines in the current buffer. This is the
2242 easiest way to get rid of old sequence numbers.
2243
2244 @node Fortran Abbrev
2245 @subsection Fortran Keyword Abbrevs
2246
2247 Fortran mode provides many built-in abbrevs for common keywords and
2248 declarations. These are the same sort of abbrev that you can define
2249 yourself. To use them, you must turn on Abbrev mode. @xref{Abbrevs}.
2250
2251 The built-in abbrevs are unusual in one way: they all start with a
2252 semicolon. You cannot normally use semicolon in an abbrev, but Fortran
2253 mode makes this possible by changing the syntax of semicolon to ``word
2254 constituent.''
2255
2256 For example, one built-in Fortran abbrev is @samp{;c} for
2257 @samp{continue}. If you insert @samp{;c} and then insert a punctuation
2258 character such as a space or a newline, the @samp{;c} expands automatically
2259 to @samp{continue}, provided Abbrev mode is enabled.@refill
2260
2261 Type @samp{;?} or @samp{;C-h} to display a list of all the built-in
2262 Fortran abbrevs and what they stand for.
2263
2264 @node Asm Mode
2265 @section Asm Mode
2266
2267 @cindex Asm mode
2268 @cindex assembler mode
2269 Asm mode is a major mode for editing files of assembler code. It
2270 defines these commands:
2271
2272 @table @kbd
2273 @item @key{TAB}
2274 @code{tab-to-tab-stop}.
2275 @item C-j
2276 Insert a newline and then indent using @code{tab-to-tab-stop}.
2277 @item :
2278 Insert a colon and then remove the indentation from before the label
2279 preceding colon. Then do @code{tab-to-tab-stop}.
2280 @item ;
2281 Insert or align a comment.
2282 @end table
2283
2284 The variable @code{asm-comment-char} specifies which character
2285 starts comments in assembler syntax.