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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2000-2016 Free Software
3 @c Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5 @node Search
6 @chapter Searching and Replacement
7 @cindex searching
8 @cindex finding strings within text
9
10 Like other editors, Emacs has commands to search for occurrences of
11 a string. Emacs also has commands to replace occurrences of a string
12 with a different string. There are also commands that do the same
13 thing, but search for patterns instead of fixed strings.
14
15 You can also search multiple files under the control of @code{xref}
16 (@pxref{Identifier Search}) or through the Dired @kbd{A} command
17 (@pxref{Operating on Files}), or ask the @code{grep} program to do it
18 (@pxref{Grep Searching}).
19
20 @menu
21 * Incremental Search:: Search happens as you type the string.
22 * Nonincremental Search:: Specify entire string and then search.
23 * Word Search:: Search for sequence of words.
24 * Symbol Search:: Search for a source code symbol.
25 * Regexp Search:: Search for match for a regexp.
26 * Regexps:: Syntax of regular expressions.
27 * Regexp Backslash:: Regular expression constructs starting with `\'.
28 * Regexp Example:: A complex regular expression explained.
29 * Lax Search:: Search ignores some distinctions among
30 similar characters, like letter-case.
31 * Replace:: Search, and replace some or all matches.
32 * Other Repeating Search:: Operating on all matches for some regexp.
33 * Search Customizations:: Various search customizations.
34 @end menu
35
36 @node Incremental Search
37 @section Incremental Search
38 @cindex incremental search
39 @cindex isearch
40
41 The principal search command in Emacs is @dfn{incremental}: it
42 begins searching as soon as you type the first character of the search
43 string. As you type in the search string, Emacs shows you where the
44 string (as you have typed it so far) would be found. When you have
45 typed enough characters to identify the place you want, you can stop.
46 Depending on what you plan to do next, you may or may not need to
47 terminate the search explicitly with @key{RET}.
48
49 @table @kbd
50 @item C-s
51 Incremental search forward (@code{isearch-forward}).
52 @item C-r
53 Incremental search backward (@code{isearch-backward}).
54 @end table
55
56 @menu
57 * Basic Isearch:: Basic incremental search commands.
58 * Repeat Isearch:: Searching for the same string again.
59 * Isearch Yank:: Commands that grab text into the search string
60 or else edit the search string.
61 * Error in Isearch:: When your string is not found.
62 * Special Isearch:: Special input in incremental search.
63 * Not Exiting Isearch:: Prefix argument and scrolling commands.
64 * Isearch Minibuffer:: Incremental search of the minibuffer history.
65 @end menu
66
67 @node Basic Isearch
68 @subsection Basics of Incremental Search
69
70 @table @kbd
71 @item C-s
72 Begin incremental search (@code{isearch-forward}).
73 @item C-r
74 Begin reverse incremental search (@code{isearch-backward}).
75 @end table
76
77 @kindex C-s
78 @findex isearch-forward
79 @kbd{C-s} (@code{isearch-forward}) starts a forward incremental
80 search. It reads characters from the keyboard, and moves point just
81 past the end of the next occurrence of those characters in the buffer.
82
83 For instance, if you type @kbd{C-s} and then @kbd{F}, that puts the
84 cursor after the first @samp{F} that occurs in the buffer after the
85 starting point. If you then type @kbd{O}, the cursor moves to just
86 after the first @samp{FO}; the @samp{F} in that @samp{FO} might not be
87 the first @samp{F} previously found. After another @kbd{O}, the
88 cursor moves to just after the first @samp{FOO}.
89
90 @cindex faces for highlighting search matches
91 @cindex isearch face
92 At each step, Emacs highlights the @dfn{current match}---the buffer
93 text that matches the search string---using the @code{isearch} face
94 (@pxref{Faces}). @xref{Search Customizations}, for various options
95 that customize this highlighting. The current search string is also
96 displayed in the echo area.
97
98 If you make a mistake typing the search string, type @key{DEL}.
99 Each @key{DEL} cancels the last character of the search string.
100 @xref{Error in Isearch}, for more about dealing with unsuccessful
101 search.
102
103 @cindex exit incremental search
104 @cindex incremental search, exiting
105 When you are satisfied with the place you have reached, type
106 @key{RET}. This stops searching, leaving the cursor where the search
107 brought it. Also, any command not specially meaningful in searches
108 stops the searching and is then executed. Thus, typing @kbd{C-a}
109 exits the search and then moves to the beginning of the line; typing
110 one of the arrow keys exits the search and performs the respective
111 movement command; etc. @key{RET} is necessary only if the next
112 command you want to type is a printing character, @key{DEL},
113 @key{RET}, or another character that is special within searches
114 (@kbd{C-q}, @kbd{C-w}, @kbd{C-r}, @kbd{C-s}, @kbd{C-y}, @kbd{M-y},
115 @kbd{M-r}, @kbd{M-c}, @kbd{M-e}, and some others described below).
116 You can fine-tune the commands that exit the search; see @ref{Not
117 Exiting Isearch}.
118
119 As a special exception, entering @key{RET} when the search string is
120 empty launches nonincremental search (@pxref{Nonincremental Search}).
121 (This can be customized; see @ref{Search Customizations}.)
122
123 To abandon the search and return to the place where you started,
124 type @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} (@code{isearch-cancel}) or
125 @kbd{C-g C-g} (@code{isearch-abort}).
126
127 When you exit the incremental search, it adds the original value of
128 point to the mark ring, without activating the mark; you can thus use
129 @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} or @kbd{C-x C-x} to return to where you were
130 before beginning the search. @xref{Mark Ring}. (Emacs only does this
131 if the mark was not already active; if the mark was active when you
132 started the search, both @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} and @kbd{C-x C-x} will
133 go to the mark.)
134
135 @kindex C-r
136 @findex isearch-backward
137 To search backwards, use @kbd{C-r} (@code{isearch-backward}) instead
138 of @kbd{C-s} to start the search. A backward search finds matches
139 that end before the starting point, just as a forward search finds
140 matches that begin after it.
141
142 @node Repeat Isearch
143 @subsection Repeating Incremental Search
144
145 Suppose you search forward for @samp{FOO} and find a match, but not
146 the one you expected to find: the @samp{FOO} you were aiming for
147 occurs later in the buffer. In this event, type another @kbd{C-s} to
148 move to the next occurrence of the search string. You can repeat this
149 any number of times. If you overshoot, you can cancel some @kbd{C-s}
150 characters with @key{DEL}. Similarly, each @kbd{C-r} in a backward
151 incremental search repeats the backward search.
152
153 @cindex lazy search highlighting
154 If you pause for a little while during incremental search, Emacs
155 highlights all the other possible matches for the search string that
156 are present on the screen. This helps you anticipate where you can
157 get to by typing @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} to repeat the search. The
158 other matches are highlighted differently from the current match,
159 using the customizable face @code{lazy-highlight} (@pxref{Faces}). If
160 you don't like this feature, you can disable it by setting
161 @code{isearch-lazy-highlight} to @code{nil}. For other customizations
162 related to highlighting matches, see @ref{Search Customizations}.
163
164 After exiting a search, you can search for the same string again by
165 typing just @kbd{C-s C-s}. The first @kbd{C-s} is the key that
166 invokes incremental search, and the second @kbd{C-s} means to search
167 again for the last search string. Similarly, @kbd{C-r C-r} searches
168 backward for the last search string. In determining the last search
169 string, it doesn't matter whether that string was searched for with
170 @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r}.
171
172 If you are searching forward but you realize you were looking for
173 something before the starting point, type @kbd{C-r} to switch to a
174 backward search, leaving the search string unchanged. Similarly,
175 @kbd{C-s} in a backward search switches to a forward search.
176
177 @cindex search, wrapping around
178 @cindex search, overwrapped
179 @cindex wrapped search
180 @cindex overwrapped search
181 If a search is failing and you ask to repeat it by typing another
182 @kbd{C-s}, it starts again from the beginning of the buffer.
183 Repeating a failing reverse search with @kbd{C-r} starts again from
184 the end. This is called @dfn{wrapping around}, and @samp{Wrapped}
185 appears in the search prompt once this has happened. If you keep on
186 going past the original starting point of the search, it changes to
187 @samp{Overwrapped}, which means that you are revisiting matches that
188 you have already seen.
189
190 @cindex search ring
191 @kindex M-n @r{(Incremental search)}
192 @kindex M-p @r{(Incremental search)}
193 @vindex search-ring-max
194 To reuse earlier search strings, use the @dfn{search ring}. The
195 commands @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} move through the ring to pick a
196 search string to reuse. These commands leave the selected search ring
197 element in the minibuffer, where you can edit it. Type
198 @kbd{C-s}/@kbd{C-r} or @key{RET} to accept the string and start
199 searching for it. The number of most recently used search strings
200 saved in the search ring is specified by the variable
201 @code{search-ring-max}, 16 by default.
202
203 @cindex incremental search, edit search string
204 @cindex interactively edit search string
205 @kindex M-e @r{(Incremental search)}
206 @kindex mouse-1 @r{in the minibuffer (Incremental Search)}
207 To edit the current search string in the minibuffer without
208 replacing it with items from the search ring, type @kbd{M-e} or click
209 @kbd{mouse-1} in the minibuffer. Type @key{RET}, @kbd{C-s} or
210 @kbd{C-r} to finish editing the string and search for it. Type
211 @kbd{C-f} or @kbd{@key{RIGHT}} to add to the search string characters
212 following point from the buffer from which you started the search.
213
214 @node Isearch Yank
215 @subsection Isearch Yanking
216
217 In many cases, you will want to use text at or near point as your
218 search string. The commands described in this subsection let you do
219 that conveniently.
220
221 @kindex C-w @r{(Incremental search)}
222 @findex isearch-yank-word-or-char
223 @kbd{C-w} (@code{isearch-yank-word-or-char}) appends the next
224 character or word at point to the search string. This is an easy way
225 to search for another occurrence of the text at point. (The decision
226 of whether to copy a character or a word is heuristic.)
227
228 @kindex M-s C-e @r{(Incremental search)}
229 @findex isearch-yank-line
230 Similarly, @kbd{M-s C-e} (@code{isearch-yank-line}) appends the rest
231 of the current line to the search string. If point is already at the
232 end of a line, it appends the next line. With a prefix argument
233 @var{n}, it appends the next @var{n} lines.
234
235 @kindex C-y @r{(Incremental search)}
236 @kindex M-y @r{(Incremental search)}
237 @kindex mouse-2 @r{in the minibuffer (Incremental search)}
238 @findex isearch-yank-kill
239 @findex isearch-yank-pop
240 @findex isearch-yank-x-selection
241 Within incremental search, @kbd{C-y} (@code{isearch-yank-kill})
242 appends the current kill to the search string. @kbd{M-y}
243 (@code{isearch-yank-pop}), if called after @kbd{C-y}, replaces that
244 appended text with an earlier kill, similar to the usual @kbd{M-y}
245 (@code{yank-pop}) command (@pxref{Yanking}). Clicking @kbd{mouse-2}
246 in the echo area appends the current X selection (@pxref{Primary
247 Selection}) to the search string (@code{isearch-yank-x-selection}).
248
249 @kindex C-M-w @r{(Incremental search)}
250 @kindex C-M-y @r{(Incremental search)}
251 @findex isearch-del-char
252 @findex isearch-yank-char
253 @kbd{C-M-w} (@code{isearch-del-char}) deletes the last character
254 from the search string, and @kbd{C-M-y} (@code{isearch-yank-char})
255 appends the character after point to the search string. An
256 alternative method to add the character after point is to enter the
257 minibuffer with @kbd{M-e} (@pxref{Repeat Isearch}) and type @kbd{C-f}
258 or @kbd{@key{RIGHT}} at the end of the search string in the
259 minibuffer. Each @kbd{C-f} or @kbd{@key{RIGHT}} you type adds another
260 character following point to the search string.
261
262 Normally, when the search is case-insensitive, text yanked into the
263 search string is converted to lower case, so that the search remains
264 case-insensitive (@pxref{Lax Search, case folding}). However, if the
265 value of the variable @code{search-upper-case} (@pxref{Lax Search,
266 search-upper-case}) is other than @code{not-yanks}, that disables this
267 down-casing.
268
269 @node Error in Isearch
270 @subsection Errors in Incremental Search
271
272 @cindex isearch-fail face
273 If your string is not found at all, the echo area says @samp{Failing
274 I-Search}, and the cursor moves past the place where Emacs found as
275 much of your string as it could. Thus, if you search for @samp{FOOT},
276 and there is no @samp{FOOT}, you might see the cursor after the
277 @samp{FOO} in @samp{FOOL}. In the echo area, the part of the search
278 string that failed to match is highlighted using the face
279 @code{isearch-fail}.
280
281 At this point, there are several things you can do. If your string
282 was mistyped, you can use @key{DEL} to erase some of it and correct
283 it, or you can type @kbd{M-e} and edit it. If you like the place you
284 have found, you can type @key{RET} to remain there. Or you can type
285 @kbd{C-g}, which removes from the search string the characters that
286 could not be found (the @samp{T} in @samp{FOOT}), leaving those that
287 were found (the @samp{FOO} in @samp{FOOT}). A second @kbd{C-g} at
288 that point cancels the search entirely, returning point to where it
289 was when the search started.
290
291 @cindex quitting (in search)
292 @kindex C-g @r{(Incremental search)}
293 The quit command, @kbd{C-g}, does special things during searches;
294 just what it does depends on the status of the search. If the search
295 has found what you specified and is waiting for input, @kbd{C-g}
296 cancels the entire search, moving the cursor back to where you started
297 the search. If @kbd{C-g} is typed when there are characters in the
298 search string that have not been found---because Emacs is still
299 searching for them, or because it has failed to find them---then the
300 search string characters which have not been found are discarded from
301 the search string. With them gone, the search is now successful and
302 waiting for more input, so a second @kbd{C-g} will cancel the entire
303 search.
304
305 @node Special Isearch
306 @subsection Special Input for Incremental Search
307
308 In addition to characters described in the previous subsections,
309 some of the other characters you type during incremental search have
310 special effects. They are described here.
311
312 To toggle lax space matching (@pxref{Lax Search, lax space
313 matching}), type @kbd{M-s @key{SPC}}.
314
315 To toggle case sensitivity of the search, type @kbd{M-c} or
316 @kbd{M-s c}. @xref{Lax Search, case folding}. If the search string
317 includes upper-case letters, the search is case-sensitive by default.
318
319 To toggle whether or not the search will consider similar and
320 equivalent characters as a match, type @kbd{M-s '}. @xref{Lax Search,
321 character folding}. If the search string includes accented
322 characters, that disables character folding during that search.
323
324 @cindex invisible text, searching for
325 @kindex M-s i @r{(Incremental search)}
326 @findex isearch-toggle-invisible
327 To toggle whether or not invisible text is searched, type
328 @kbd{M-s i} (@code{isearch-toggle-invisible}). @xref{Outline Search}.
329
330 @kindex M-r @r{(Incremental Search)}
331 @kindex M-s r @r{(Incremental Search)}
332 @findex isearch-toggle-regexp
333 To toggle between non-regexp and regexp incremental search, type
334 @kbd{M-r} or @kbd{M-s r} (@code{isearch-toggle-regexp}).
335 @xref{Regexp Search}.
336
337 To toggle symbol mode, type @kbd{M-s _}. @xref{Symbol Search}.
338
339 To search for a newline character, type @kbd{C-j} as part of the
340 search string.
341
342 To search for non-@acronym{ASCII} characters, use one of the
343 following methods:
344
345 @itemize @bullet
346 @item
347 Type @kbd{C-q}, followed by a non-graphic character or a sequence of
348 octal digits. This adds a character to the search string, similar to
349 inserting into a buffer using @kbd{C-q} (@pxref{Inserting Text}). For
350 example, @kbd{C-q C-s} during incremental search adds the
351 @samp{control-S} character to the search string.
352
353 @item
354 Type @kbd{C-x 8 @key{RET}}, followed by a Unicode name or code-point
355 in hex. This adds the specified character into the search string,
356 similar to the usual @code{insert-char} command (@pxref{Inserting
357 Text}).
358
359 @item
360 @kindex C-^ @r{(Incremental Search)}
361 @findex isearch-toggle-input-method
362 @findex isearch-toggle-specified-input-method
363 Use an input method (@pxref{Input Methods}). If an input method is
364 enabled in the current buffer when you start the search, the same
365 method will be active in the minibuffer when you type the search
366 string. While typing the search string, you can toggle the input
367 method with @kbd{C-\} (@code{isearch-toggle-input-method}). You can
368 also turn on a non-default input method with @kbd{C-^}
369 (@code{isearch-toggle-specified-input-method}), which prompts for the
370 name of the input method. When an input method is active during
371 incremental search, the search prompt includes the input method
372 mnemonic, like this:
373
374 @example
375 I-search [@var{im}]:
376 @end example
377
378 @noindent
379 where @var{im} is the mnemonic of the active input method. Any input
380 method you enable during incremental search remains enabled in the
381 current buffer afterwards.
382 @end itemize
383
384 @kindex M-s o @r{(Incremental Search)}
385 @findex isearch-occur
386 Typing @kbd{M-s o} in incremental search invokes
387 @code{isearch-occur}, which runs @code{occur} with the current search
388 string. @xref{Other Repeating Search, occur}.
389
390 @kindex M-% @r{(Incremental search)}
391 Typing @kbd{M-%} in incremental search invokes @code{query-replace}
392 or @code{query-replace-regexp} (depending on search mode) with the
393 current search string used as the string to replace. A negative
394 prefix argument means to replace backward. @xref{Query Replace}.
395
396 @kindex M-TAB @r{(Incremental search)}
397 Typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in incremental search invokes
398 @code{isearch-complete}, which attempts to complete the search string
399 using the search ring (the previous search strings you used) as a list
400 of completion alternatives. @xref{Completion}. In many operating
401 systems, the @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} key sequence is captured by the window
402 manager; you then need to rebind @code{isearch-complete} to another
403 key sequence if you want to use it (@pxref{Rebinding}).
404
405 @kindex M-s h r @r{(Incremental Search)}
406 @findex isearch-highlight-regexp
407 You can exit the search while leaving the matches for the last
408 search string highlighted on display. To this end, type @kbd{M-s h r}
409 (@code{isearch-highlight-regexp}), which will run
410 @code{highlight-regexp} (@pxref{Highlight Interactively}) passing
411 it the regexp derived from the last search string and prompting you
412 for the face to use for highlighting. To remove the highlighting,
413 type @kbd{M-s h u} (@code{unhighlight-regexp}).
414
415 @cindex incremental search, help on special keys
416 @kindex C-h C-h @r{(Incremental Search)}
417 @findex isearch-help-map
418 @vindex isearch-mode-map
419 When incremental search is active, you can type @kbd{C-h C-h}
420 (@code{isearch-help-map}) to access interactive help options,
421 including a list of special key bindings. These key bindings are part
422 of the keymap @code{isearch-mode-map} (@pxref{Keymaps}).
423
424 @node Not Exiting Isearch
425 @subsection Not Exiting Incremental Search
426
427 This subsection describes how to control whether typing a command not
428 specifically meaningful is searches exits the search before executing
429 the command. It also describes two categories of commands which you
430 can type without exiting the current incremental search, even though
431 they are not themselves part of incremental search.
432
433 @vindex search-exit-option
434 Normally, typing a command that is not bound by the incremental
435 search exits the search before executing the command. Thus, the
436 command operates on the buffer from which you invoked the search.
437 However, if you customize the variable @code{search-exit-option} to
438 @code{nil}, the characters which you type that are not interpreted by
439 the incremental search are simply appended to the search string. This
440 is so you could include in the search string control characters, such
441 as @kbd{C-a}, that would normally exit the search and invoke the
442 command bound to them on the buffer.
443
444 @table @asis
445 @item Prefix Arguments
446 @cindex prefix argument commands, during incremental search
447 @vindex isearch-allow-prefix
448 In incremental search, when you type a command that specifies a
449 prefix argument (@pxref{Arguments}), by default it will apply either
450 to the next action in the search or to the command that exits the
451 search. In other words, entering a prefix argument will not by itself
452 terminate the search.
453
454 In previous versions of Emacs, entering a prefix argument always
455 terminated the search. You can revert to this behavior by setting the
456 variable @code{isearch-allow-prefix} to @code{nil}.
457
458 When @code{isearch-allow-scroll} is non-@code{nil} (see below),
459 prefix arguments always have the default behavior described above,
460 i.e., they don't terminate the search, even if
461 @code{isearch-allow-prefix} is @code{nil}.
462
463 @item Scrolling Commands
464 @cindex scrolling commands, during incremental search
465 @vindex isearch-allow-scroll
466 Normally, scrolling commands exit incremental search. If you change
467 the variable @code{isearch-allow-scroll} to a non-@code{nil} value,
468 that enables the use of the scroll-bar, as well as keyboard scrolling
469 commands like @kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v}, and @kbd{C-l} (@pxref{Scrolling}).
470 This applies only to calling these commands via their bound key
471 sequences---typing @kbd{M-x} will still exit the search. You can give
472 prefix arguments to these commands in the usual way. This feature
473 won't let you scroll the current match out of visibility, however.
474
475 The @code{isearch-allow-scroll} feature also affects some other
476 commands, such as @kbd{C-x 2} (@code{split-window-below}) and
477 @kbd{C-x ^} (@code{enlarge-window}), which don't exactly scroll but do
478 affect where the text appears on the screen. It applies to any
479 command whose name has a non-@code{nil} @code{isearch-scroll}
480 property. So you can control which commands are affected by changing
481 these properties.
482
483 @cindex prevent commands from exiting incremental search
484 For example, to make @kbd{C-h l} usable within an incremental search
485 in all future Emacs sessions, use @kbd{C-h c} to find what command it
486 runs (@pxref{Key Help}), which is @code{view-lossage}. Then you can
487 put the following line in your init file (@pxref{Init File}):
488
489 @example
490 (put 'view-lossage 'isearch-scroll t)
491 @end example
492
493 @noindent
494 This feature can be applied to any command that doesn't permanently
495 change point, the buffer contents, the match data, the current buffer,
496 or the selected window and frame. The command must not itself attempt
497 an incremental search. This feature is disabled if
498 @code{isearch-allow-scroll} is @code{nil} (which it is by default).
499 @end table
500
501 @node Isearch Minibuffer
502 @subsection Searching the Minibuffer
503 @cindex minibuffer history, searching
504
505 If you start an incremental search while the minibuffer is active,
506 Emacs searches the contents of the minibuffer. Unlike searching an
507 ordinary buffer, the search string is not shown in the echo area,
508 because that is used to display the minibuffer.
509
510 If an incremental search fails in the minibuffer, it tries searching
511 the minibuffer history. @xref{Minibuffer History}. You can visualize
512 the minibuffer and its history as a series of pages, with the
513 earliest history element on the first page and the current minibuffer
514 on the last page. A forward search, @kbd{C-s}, searches forward to
515 later pages; a reverse search, @kbd{C-r}, searches backwards to
516 earlier pages. Like in ordinary buffer search, a failing search can
517 wrap around, going from the last page to the first page or vice versa.
518
519 When the current match is on a history element, that history element
520 is pulled into the minibuffer. If you exit the incremental search
521 normally (e.g., by typing @key{RET}), it remains in the minibuffer
522 afterwards. Canceling the search, with @kbd{C-g}, restores the
523 contents of the minibuffer when you began the search.
524
525 @node Nonincremental Search
526 @section Nonincremental Search
527 @cindex nonincremental search
528
529 Emacs also has conventional nonincremental search commands, which require
530 you to type the entire search string before searching begins.
531
532 @table @kbd
533 @item C-s @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET}
534 Search for @var{string}.
535 @item C-r @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET}
536 Search backward for @var{string}.
537 @end table
538
539 To start a nonincremental search, first type @kbd{C-s @key{RET}}.
540 This enters the minibuffer to read the search string; terminate the
541 string with @key{RET}, and then the search takes place. If the string
542 is not found, the search command signals an error.
543
544 When you type @kbd{C-s @key{RET}}, the @kbd{C-s} invokes incremental
545 search as usual. That command is specially programmed to invoke the
546 command for nonincremental search, if the string you specify is empty.
547 (Such an empty argument would otherwise be useless.) @kbd{C-r
548 @key{RET}} does likewise, invoking the nonincremental
549 backward-searching command.
550
551 Nonincremental search can also be invoked form the menu bar's
552 @samp{Edit->Search} menu.
553
554 @findex search-forward
555 @findex search-backward
556 You can also use two simpler commands, @kbd{M-x search-forward} and
557 @kbd{M-x search-backward}. These commands look for the literal
558 strings you specify, and don't support any of the lax-search features
559 (@pxref{Lax Search}) except case folding.
560
561 @node Word Search
562 @section Word Search
563 @cindex word search
564
565 A @dfn{word search} finds a sequence of words without regard to the
566 type of punctuation between them. For instance, if you enter a search
567 string that consists of two words separated by a single space, the
568 search matches any sequence of those two words separated by one or
569 more spaces, newlines, or other punctuation characters. This is
570 particularly useful for searching text documents, because you don't
571 have to worry whether the words you are looking for are separated by
572 newlines or spaces. Note that major modes for programming languages
573 or other specialized modes can modify the definition of a word to suit
574 their syntactic needs.
575
576 @table @kbd
577 @item M-s w
578 If incremental search is active, toggle word search mode
579 (@code{isearch-toggle-word}); otherwise, begin an incremental forward
580 word search (@code{isearch-forward-word}).
581 @item M-s w @key{RET} @var{words} @key{RET}
582 Search for @var{words}, using a forward nonincremental word search.
583 @item M-s w C-r @key{RET} @var{words} @key{RET}
584 Search backward for @var{words}, using a nonincremental word search.
585 @end table
586
587 @kindex M-s w
588 @findex isearch-forward-word
589 To begin a forward incremental word search, type @kbd{M-s w}. If
590 incremental search is not already active, this runs the command
591 @code{isearch-forward-word}. If incremental search is already active
592 (whether a forward or backward search), @kbd{M-s w} switches to a word
593 search while keeping the direction of the search and the current
594 search string unchanged. You can toggle word search back off by
595 typing @kbd{M-s w} again.
596
597 @findex word-search-forward
598 @findex word-search-backward
599 To begin a nonincremental word search, type @kbd{M-s w @key{RET}}
600 for a forward search, or @kbd{M-s w C-r @key{RET}} for a backward search.
601 These run the commands @code{word-search-forward} and
602 @code{word-search-backward} respectively.
603
604 Incremental and nonincremental word searches differ slightly in the
605 way they find a match. In a nonincremental word search, each word in
606 the search string must exactly match a whole word. In an incremental
607 word search, the matching is more lax: while you are typing the search
608 string, its first and last words need not match whole words. This is
609 so that the matching can proceed incrementally as you type. This
610 additional laxity does not apply to the lazy highlight
611 (@pxref{Incremental Search}), which always matches whole words.
612
613 The word search commands don't perform character folding, and
614 toggling lax whitespace matching (@pxref{Lax Search, lax space
615 matching}) has no effect on them.
616
617 @kindex M-s M-w
618 @findex eww-search-word
619 @vindex eww-search-prefix
620 Search the Web for the text in region. This command performs an
621 Internet search for the words in region using the search engine whose
622 @acronym{URL} is specified by the variable @code{eww-search-prefix}.
623 @xref{Basics, EWW, , eww, The Emacs Web Wowser Manual}.
624
625 @node Symbol Search
626 @section Symbol Search
627 @cindex symbol search
628
629 A @dfn{symbol search} is much like an ordinary search, except that
630 the boundaries of the search must match the boundaries of a symbol.
631 The meaning of @dfn{symbol} in this context depends on the major mode,
632 and usually refers to a source code token, such as a Lisp symbol in
633 Emacs Lisp mode. For instance, if you perform an incremental symbol
634 search for the Lisp symbol @code{forward-word}, it would not match
635 @code{isearch-forward-word}. This feature is thus mainly useful for
636 searching source code.
637
638 @table @kbd
639 @item M-s _
640 @findex isearch-toggle-symbol
641 If incremental search is active, toggle symbol search mode
642 (@code{isearch-toggle-symbol}); otherwise, begin an incremental
643 forward symbol search (@code{isearch-forward-symbol}).
644 @item M-s .
645 Start a symbol incremental search forward with the symbol found near
646 point added to the search string initially.
647 @item M-s _ @key{RET} @var{symbol} @key{RET}
648 Search forward for @var{symbol}, nonincrementally.
649 @item M-s _ C-r @key{RET} @var{symbol} @key{RET}
650 Search backward for @var{symbol}, nonincrementally.
651 @end table
652
653 @kindex M-s _
654 @kindex M-s .
655 @findex isearch-forward-symbol
656 @findex isearch-forward-symbol-at-point
657 To begin a forward incremental symbol search, type @kbd{M-s _} (or
658 @kbd{M-s .} if the symbol to search is near point). If incremental
659 search is not already active, this runs the command
660 @code{isearch-forward-symbol}. If incremental search is already
661 active, @kbd{M-s _} switches to a symbol search, preserving the
662 direction of the search and the current search string; you can disable
663 symbol search by typing @kbd{M-s _} again. In incremental symbol
664 search, only the beginning of the search string is required to match
665 the beginning of a symbol.
666
667 To begin a nonincremental symbol search, type @kbd{M-s _ @key{RET}}
668 for a forward search, or @kbd{M-s _ C-r @key{RET}} or a backward
669 search. In nonincremental symbol searches, the beginning and end of
670 the search string are required to match the beginning and end of a
671 symbol, respectively.
672
673 The symbol search commands don't perform character folding, and
674 toggling lax whitespace matching (@pxref{Lax Search, lax space
675 matching}) has no effect on them.
676
677 @node Regexp Search
678 @section Regular Expression Search
679 @cindex regexp search
680 @cindex search for a regular expression
681
682 A @dfn{regular expression} (or @dfn{regexp} for short) is a pattern
683 that denotes a class of alternative strings to match. Emacs
684 provides both incremental and nonincremental ways to search for a
685 match for a regexp. The syntax of regular expressions is explained in
686 the next section.
687
688 @table @kbd
689 @item C-M-s
690 Begin incremental regexp search (@code{isearch-forward-regexp}).
691 @item C-M-r
692 Begin reverse incremental regexp search (@code{isearch-backward-regexp}).
693 @end table
694
695 @kindex C-M-s
696 @findex isearch-forward-regexp
697 @kindex C-M-r
698 @findex isearch-backward-regexp
699 Incremental search for a regexp is done by typing @kbd{C-M-s}
700 (@code{isearch-forward-regexp}), by invoking @kbd{C-s} with a
701 prefix argument (whose value does not matter), or by typing @kbd{M-r}
702 within a forward incremental search. This command reads a
703 search string incrementally just like @kbd{C-s}, but it treats the
704 search string as a regexp rather than looking for an exact match
705 against the text in the buffer. Each time you add text to the search
706 string, you make the regexp longer, and the new regexp is searched
707 for. To search backward for a regexp, use @kbd{C-M-r}
708 (@code{isearch-backward-regexp}), @kbd{C-r} with a prefix argument,
709 or @kbd{M-r} within a backward incremental search.
710
711 @vindex regexp-search-ring-max
712 All of the special key sequences in an ordinary incremental search
713 (@pxref{Special Isearch}) do similar things in an incremental regexp
714 search. For instance, typing @kbd{C-s} immediately after starting the
715 search retrieves the last incremental search regexp used and searches
716 forward for it. Incremental regexp and non-regexp searches have
717 independent defaults. They also have separate search rings, which you
718 can access with @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n}. The maximum number of search
719 regexps saved in the search ring is determined by the value of
720 @code{regexp-search-ring-max}, 16 by default.
721
722 Unlike ordinary incremental search, incremental regexp search
723 does not use lax space matching by default. To toggle this feature
724 use @kbd{M-s @key{SPC}} (@code{isearch-toggle-lax-whitespace}).
725 Then any @key{SPC} typed in incremental regexp search will match
726 any sequence of one or more whitespace characters. The variable
727 @code{search-whitespace-regexp} specifies the regexp for the lax
728 space matching. @xref{Special Isearch}.
729
730 Also unlike ordinary incremental search, incremental regexp search
731 cannot use character folding (@pxref{Lax Search}). (If you toggle
732 character folding during incremental regexp search with @kbd{M-s '},
733 the search becomes a non-regexp search and the search pattern you
734 typed is interpreted as a literal string.)
735
736 In some cases, adding characters to the regexp in an incremental
737 regexp search can make the cursor move back and start again. For
738 example, if you have searched for @samp{foo} and you add @samp{\|bar},
739 the cursor backs up in case the first @samp{bar} precedes the first
740 @samp{foo}. @xref{Regexps}.
741
742 Forward and backward regexp search are not symmetrical, because
743 regexp matching in Emacs always operates forward, starting with the
744 beginning of the regexp. Thus, forward regexp search scans forward,
745 trying a forward match at each possible starting position. Backward
746 regexp search scans backward, trying a forward match at each possible
747 starting position. These search methods are not mirror images.
748
749 @findex re-search-forward
750 @findex re-search-backward
751 Nonincremental search for a regexp is done with the commands
752 @code{re-search-forward} and @code{re-search-backward}. You can
753 invoke these with @kbd{M-x}, or by way of incremental regexp search
754 with @kbd{C-M-s @key{RET}} and @kbd{C-M-r @key{RET}}. When you invoke
755 these commands with @kbd{M-x}, they search for the exact regexp you
756 specify, and thus don't support any lax-search features (@pxref{Lax
757 Search}) except case folding.
758
759 If you use the incremental regexp search commands with a prefix
760 argument, they perform ordinary string search, like
761 @code{isearch-forward} and @code{isearch-backward}. @xref{Incremental
762 Search}.
763
764 @node Regexps
765 @section Syntax of Regular Expressions
766 @cindex syntax of regexps
767 @cindex regular expression
768 @cindex regexp
769
770 This manual describes regular expression features that users
771 typically use. @xref{Regular Expressions,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp
772 Reference Manual}, for additional features used mainly in Lisp
773 programs.
774
775 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are
776 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary
777 character matches that same character and nothing else. The special
778 characters are @samp{$^.*+?[\}. The character @samp{]} is special if
779 it ends a character alternative (see later). The character @samp{-}
780 is special inside a character alternative. Any other character
781 appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\}
782 precedes it. (When you use regular expressions in a Lisp program,
783 each @samp{\} must be doubled, see the example near the end of this
784 section.)
785
786 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and
787 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string
788 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string
789 @samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches
790 only @samp{o}. (When case distinctions are being ignored, these regexps
791 also match @samp{F} and @samp{O}, but we consider this a generalization
792 of ``the same string'', rather than an exception.)
793
794 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated.
795 The result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a}
796 matches some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b}
797 matches the rest of the string. For example, concatenating the
798 regular expressions @samp{f} and @samp{o} gives the regular expression
799 @samp{fo}, which matches only the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial.
800 To do something nontrivial, you need to use one of the special
801 characters. Here is a list of them.
802
803 @table @asis
804 @item @kbd{.}@: @r{(Period)}
805 is a special character that matches any single character except a
806 newline. For example, the regular expressions @samp{a.b} matches any
807 three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with
808 @samp{b}.
809
810 @item @kbd{*}
811 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to
812 match the preceding regular expression repetitively any number of
813 times, as many times as possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number
814 of @samp{o}s, including no @samp{o}s.
815
816 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding
817 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating
818 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on.
819
820 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately,
821 as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest
822 of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some
823 of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes
824 it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching
825 @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first
826 tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is
827 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails.
828 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s.
829 With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.
830
831 @item @kbd{+}
832 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match
833 the preceding expression at least once. Thus, @samp{ca+r} matches the
834 strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string @samp{cr},
835 whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings.
836
837 @item @kbd{?}
838 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it can match
839 the preceding expression either once or not at all. Thus, @samp{ca?r}
840 matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}, and nothing else.
841
842 @item @kbd{*?}, @kbd{+?}, @kbd{??}
843 @cindex non-greedy regexp matching
844 are non-@dfn{greedy} variants of the operators above. The normal
845 operators @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} match as much as they can, as
846 long as the overall regexp can still match. With a following
847 @samp{?}, they will match as little as possible.
848
849 Thus, both @samp{ab*} and @samp{ab*?} can match the string @samp{a}
850 and the string @samp{abbbb}; but if you try to match them both against
851 the text @samp{abbb}, @samp{ab*} will match it all (the longest valid
852 match), while @samp{ab*?} will match just @samp{a} (the shortest
853 valid match).
854
855 Non-greedy operators match the shortest possible string starting at a
856 given starting point; in a forward search, though, the earliest
857 possible starting point for match is always the one chosen. Thus, if
858 you search for @samp{a.*?$} against the text @samp{abbab} followed by
859 a newline, it matches the whole string. Since it @emph{can} match
860 starting at the first @samp{a}, it does.
861
862 @item @kbd{\@{@var{n}\@}}
863 is a postfix operator specifying @var{n} repetitions---that is, the
864 preceding regular expression must match exactly @var{n} times in a
865 row. For example, @samp{x\@{4\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxx} and
866 nothing else.
867
868 @item @kbd{\@{@var{n},@var{m}\@}}
869 is a postfix operator specifying between @var{n} and @var{m}
870 repetitions---that is, the preceding regular expression must match at
871 least @var{n} times, but no more than @var{m} times. If @var{m} is
872 omitted, then there is no upper limit, but the preceding regular
873 expression must match at least @var{n} times.@* @samp{\@{0,1\@}} is
874 equivalent to @samp{?}. @* @samp{\@{0,\@}} is equivalent to
875 @samp{*}. @* @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}.
876
877 @item @kbd{[ @dots{} ]}
878 is a @dfn{character set}, beginning with @samp{[} and terminated by
879 @samp{]}.
880
881 In the simplest case, the characters between the two brackets are what
882 this set can match. Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or
883 one @samp{d}, and @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just
884 @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s (including the empty string). It follows that
885 @samp{c[ad]*r} matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr},
886 @samp{caddaar}, etc.
887
888 You can also include character ranges in a character set, by writing the
889 starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus,
890 @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter. Ranges may be
891 intermixed freely with individual characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]},
892 which matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or
893 period.
894
895 You can also include certain special @dfn{character classes} in a
896 character set. A @samp{[:} and balancing @samp{:]} enclose a
897 character class inside a character alternative. For instance,
898 @samp{[[:alnum:]]} matches any letter or digit. @xref{Char Classes,,,
899 elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, for a list of character
900 classes.
901
902 To include a @samp{]} in a character set, you must make it the first
903 character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To
904 include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of the
905 set, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} matches both @samp{]}
906 and @samp{-}.
907
908 To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of
909 the set. (At the beginning, it complements the set---see below.)
910
911 When you use a range in case-insensitive search, you should write both
912 ends of the range in upper case, or both in lower case, or both should
913 be non-letters. The behavior of a mixed-case range such as @samp{A-z}
914 is somewhat ill-defined, and it may change in future Emacs versions.
915
916 @item @kbd{[^ @dots{} ]}
917 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character set}, which matches any
918 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches
919 all characters @emph{except} @acronym{ASCII} letters and digits.
920
921 @samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first
922 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it
923 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there).
924
925 A complemented character set can match a newline, unless newline is
926 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to
927 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}.
928
929 @item @kbd{^}
930 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the
931 beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to
932 match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at
933 the beginning of a line.
934
935 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used with this
936 meaning only at the beginning of the regular expression, or after
937 @samp{\(} or @samp{\|}.
938
939 @item @kbd{$}
940 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus,
941 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line.
942
943 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used with this
944 meaning only at the end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)}
945 or @samp{\|}.
946
947 @item @kbd{\}
948 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including
949 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs.
950
951 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular
952 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular
953 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on.
954
955 See the following section for the special constructs that begin
956 with @samp{\}.
957 @end table
958
959 Note: for historical compatibility, special characters are treated as
960 ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special meanings make no
961 sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as ordinary since there is
962 no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} can act. It is poor practice
963 to depend on this behavior; it is better to quote the special character anyway,
964 regardless of where it appears.
965
966 As a @samp{\} is not special inside a character alternative, it can
967 never remove the special meaning of @samp{-} or @samp{]}. So you
968 should not quote these characters when they have no special meaning
969 either. This would not clarify anything, since backslashes can
970 legitimately precede these characters where they @emph{have} special
971 meaning, as in @samp{[^\]} (@code{"[^\\]"} for Lisp string syntax),
972 which matches any single character except a backslash.
973
974 @node Regexp Backslash
975 @section Backslash in Regular Expressions
976
977 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only
978 that character. However, there are several exceptions: two-character
979 sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special meanings. The
980 second character in the sequence is always an ordinary character when
981 used on its own. Here is a table of @samp{\} constructs.
982
983 @table @kbd
984 @item \|
985 specifies an alternative. Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b}
986 with @samp{\|} in between form an expression that matches some text if
987 either @var{a} matches it or @var{b} matches it. It works by trying to
988 match @var{a}, and if that fails, by trying to match @var{b}.
989
990 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar}
991 but no other string.
992
993 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a
994 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of
995 @samp{\|}.
996
997 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}.
998
999 @item \( @dots{} \)
1000 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes:
1001
1002 @enumerate
1003 @item
1004 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations.
1005 Thus, @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} or @samp{barx}.
1006
1007 @item
1008 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*},
1009 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches
1010 @samp{bananana}, etc., with any (zero or more) number of @samp{na}
1011 strings.
1012
1013 @item
1014 To record a matched substring for future reference.
1015 @end enumerate
1016
1017 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a
1018 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that is assigned as a
1019 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. In practice
1020 there is usually no conflict between the two meanings; when there is
1021 a conflict, you can use a shy group.
1022
1023 @item \(?: @dots{} \)
1024 @cindex shy group, in regexp
1025 specifies a shy group that does not record the matched substring;
1026 you can't refer back to it with @samp{\@var{d}} (see below). This is
1027 useful in mechanically combining regular expressions, so that you can
1028 add groups for syntactic purposes without interfering with the
1029 numbering of the groups that are meant to be referred to.
1030
1031 @item \@var{d}
1032 @cindex back reference, in regexp
1033 matches the same text that matched the @var{d}th occurrence of a
1034 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. This is called a @dfn{back
1035 reference}.
1036
1037 After the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct, the matcher remembers
1038 the beginning and end of the text matched by that construct. Then,
1039 later on in the regular expression, you can use @samp{\} followed by the
1040 digit @var{d} to mean ``match the same text matched the @var{d}th time
1041 by the @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct''.
1042
1043 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs
1044 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in
1045 the order that the open-parentheses appear in the regular expression.
1046 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched
1047 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs.
1048
1049 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is
1050 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first
1051 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match
1052 the same exact text.
1053
1054 If a particular @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once
1055 (which can easily happen if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last
1056 match is recorded.
1057
1058 @item \`
1059 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of the string or
1060 buffer (or its accessible portion) being matched against.
1061
1062 @item \'
1063 matches the empty string, but only at the end of the string or buffer
1064 (or its accessible portion) being matched against.
1065
1066 @item \=
1067 matches the empty string, but only at point.
1068
1069 @item \b
1070 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or
1071 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of
1072 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches
1073 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.
1074
1075 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer
1076 regardless of what text appears next to it.
1077
1078 @item \B
1079 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or
1080 end of a word.
1081
1082 @item \<
1083 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word.
1084 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer only if a
1085 word-constituent character follows.
1086
1087 @item \>
1088 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>}
1089 matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a
1090 word-constituent character.
1091
1092 @item \w
1093 matches any word-constituent character. The syntax table determines
1094 which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables,, Syntax Tables,
1095 elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1096
1097 @item \W
1098 matches any character that is not a word-constituent.
1099
1100 @item \_<
1101 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a symbol.
1102 A symbol is a sequence of one or more symbol-constituent characters.
1103 A symbol-constituent character is a character whose syntax is either
1104 @samp{w} or @samp{_}. @samp{\_<} matches at the beginning of the
1105 buffer only if a symbol-constituent character follows.
1106
1107 @item \_>
1108 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a symbol. @samp{\_>}
1109 matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a
1110 symbol-constituent character.
1111
1112 @item \s@var{c}
1113 matches any character whose syntax is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a
1114 character that designates a particular syntax class: thus, @samp{w}
1115 for word constituent, @samp{-} or @samp{ } for whitespace, @samp{.}
1116 for ordinary punctuation, etc. @xref{Syntax Tables,, Syntax Tables,
1117 elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1118
1119 @item \S@var{c}
1120 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{c}.
1121
1122 @cindex categories of characters
1123 @cindex characters which belong to a specific language
1124 @findex describe-categories
1125 @item \c@var{c}
1126 matches any character that belongs to the category @var{c}. For
1127 example, @samp{\cc} matches Chinese characters, @samp{\cg} matches
1128 Greek characters, etc. For the description of the known categories,
1129 type @kbd{M-x describe-categories @key{RET}}.
1130
1131 @item \C@var{c}
1132 matches any character that does @emph{not} belong to category
1133 @var{c}.
1134 @end table
1135
1136 The constructs that pertain to words and syntax are controlled by
1137 the setting of the syntax table. @xref{Syntax Tables,, Syntax Tables,
1138 elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1139
1140 @node Regexp Example
1141 @section Regular Expression Example
1142
1143 Here is an example of a regexp---similar to the regexp that Emacs
1144 uses, by default, to recognize the end of a sentence, not including
1145 the following space (i.e., the variable @code{sentence-end-base}):
1146
1147 @example
1148 @verbatim
1149 [.?!][]\"')}]*
1150 @end verbatim
1151 @end example
1152
1153 @noindent
1154 This contains two parts in succession: a character set matching
1155 period, @samp{?}, or @samp{!}, and a character set matching
1156 close-brackets, quotes, or parentheses, repeated zero or more times.
1157
1158 @node Lax Search
1159 @section Lax Matching During Searching
1160
1161 @cindex lax search
1162 @cindex character equivalence in search
1163 Normally, you'd want search commands to disregard certain minor
1164 differences between the search string you type and the text being
1165 searched. For example, sequences of whitespace characters of
1166 different length are usually perceived as equivalent; letter-case
1167 differences usually don't matter; etc. This is known as
1168 @dfn{character equivalence}.
1169
1170 This section describes the Emacs lax search features, and how to
1171 tailor them to your needs.
1172
1173 @cindex lax space matching in search
1174 @kindex M-s SPC @r{(Incremental search)}
1175 @kindex SPC @r{(Incremental search)}
1176 @findex isearch-toggle-lax-whitespace
1177 @vindex search-whitespace-regexp
1178 By default, search commands perform @dfn{lax space matching}:
1179 each space, or sequence of spaces, matches any sequence of one or more
1180 whitespace characters in the text. (Incremental regexp search has a
1181 separate default; see @ref{Regexp Search}.) Hence, @samp{foo bar}
1182 matches @samp{foo bar}, @samp{foo@w{ }bar}, @samp{foo@w{ }bar}, and
1183 so on (but not @samp{foobar}). More precisely, Emacs matches each
1184 sequence of space characters in the search string to a regular
1185 expression specified by the variable @code{search-whitespace-regexp}.
1186 For example, to make spaces match sequences of newlines as well as
1187 spaces, set it to @samp{"[[:space:]\n]+"}. The default value of this
1188 variable depends on the buffer's major mode; most major modes classify
1189 spaces, tabs, and formfeed characters as whitespace.
1190
1191 If you want whitespace characters to match exactly, you can turn lax
1192 space matching off by typing @kbd{M-s @key{SPC}}
1193 (@code{isearch-toggle-lax-whitespace}) within an incremental search.
1194 Another @kbd{M-s @key{SPC}} turns lax space matching back on. To
1195 disable lax whitespace matching for all searches, change
1196 @code{search-whitespace-regexp} to @code{nil}; then each space in the
1197 search string matches exactly one space.
1198
1199 @cindex case folding in search
1200 @cindex case-sensitivity and search
1201 Searches in Emacs by default ignore the case of the text they are
1202 searching through, if you specify the search string in lower case.
1203 Thus, if you specify searching for @samp{foo}, then @samp{Foo} and
1204 @samp{foo} also match. Regexps, and in particular character sets,
1205 behave likewise: @samp{[ab]} matches @samp{a} or @samp{A} or @samp{b}
1206 or @samp{B}. This feature is known as @dfn{case folding}, and it is
1207 supported in both incremental and non-incremental search modes.
1208
1209 @vindex search-upper-case
1210 An upper-case letter anywhere in the search string makes the search
1211 case-sensitive. Thus, searching for @samp{Foo} does not find
1212 @samp{foo} or @samp{FOO}. This applies to regular expression search
1213 as well as to literal string search. The effect ceases if you delete
1214 the upper-case letter from the search string. The variable
1215 @code{search-upper-case} controls this: if it is non-@code{nil} (the
1216 default), an upper-case character in the search string make the search
1217 case-sensitive; setting it to @code{nil} disables this effect of
1218 upper-case characters.
1219
1220 @vindex case-fold-search
1221 If you set the variable @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, then
1222 all letters must match exactly, including case. This is a per-buffer
1223 variable; altering the variable normally affects only the current buffer,
1224 unless you change its default value. @xref{Locals}.
1225 This variable applies to nonincremental searches also, including those
1226 performed by the replace commands (@pxref{Replace}) and the minibuffer
1227 history matching commands (@pxref{Minibuffer History}).
1228
1229 @kindex M-c @r{(Incremental search)}
1230 @kindex M-s c @r{(Incremental search)}
1231 @findex isearch-toggle-case-fold
1232 Typing @kbd{M-c} or @kbd{M-s c} (@code{isearch-toggle-case-fold})
1233 within an incremental search toggles the case sensitivity of that
1234 search. The effect does not extend beyond the current incremental
1235 search, but it does override the effect of adding or removing an
1236 upper-case letter in the current search.
1237
1238 Several related variables control case-sensitivity of searching and
1239 matching for specific commands or activities. For instance,
1240 @code{tags-case-fold-search} controls case sensitivity for
1241 @code{find-tag}. To find these variables, do @kbd{M-x
1242 apropos-variable @key{RET} case-fold-search @key{RET}}.
1243
1244 @cindex character folding in search
1245 @cindex equivalent character sequences
1246 Case folding disregards case distinctions among characters, making
1247 upper-case characters match lower-case variants, and vice versa. A
1248 generalization of case folding is @dfn{character folding}, which
1249 disregards wider classes of distinctions among similar characters.
1250 For instance, under character folding the letter @code{a} matches all
1251 of its accented cousins like @code{@"a} and @code{@'a}, i.e., the
1252 match disregards the diacritics that distinguish these
1253 variants. In addition, @code{a} matches other characters that
1254 resemble it, or have it as part of their graphical representation,
1255 such as @sc{u+249c parenthesized latin small letter a} and @sc{u+2100
1256 account of} (which looks like a small @code{a} over @code{c}).
1257 Similarly, the @acronym{ASCII} double-quote character @code{"} matches
1258 all the other variants of double quotes defined by the Unicode
1259 standard. Finally, character folding can make a sequence of one or
1260 more characters match another sequence of a different length: for
1261 example, the sequence of two characters @code{ff} matches @sc{u+fb00
1262 latin small ligature ff}. Character sequences that are not identical,
1263 but match under character folding are known as @dfn{equivalent
1264 character sequences}.
1265
1266 @kindex M-s ' @r{(Incremental Search)}
1267 @findex isearch-toggle-character-fold
1268 Generally, search commands in Emacs do not by default perform
1269 character folding in order to match equivalent character sequences.
1270 You can enable this behavior by customizing the variable
1271 @code{search-default-mode} to @code{character-fold-to-regexp}.
1272 @xref{Search Customizations}. Within an incremental search, typing
1273 @kbd{M-s '} (@code{isearch-toggle-character-fold}) toggles character
1274 folding, but only for that search. (Replace commands have a different
1275 default, controlled by a separate option; see @ref{Replacement and Lax
1276 Matches}.)
1277
1278 Like with case folding, typing an explicit variant of a character,
1279 such as @code{@"a}, as part of the search string disables character
1280 folding for that search. If you delete such a character from the
1281 search string, this effect ceases.
1282
1283 @node Replace
1284 @section Replacement Commands
1285 @cindex replacement
1286 @cindex search-and-replace commands
1287 @cindex string substitution
1288 @cindex global substitution
1289
1290 Emacs provides several commands for performing search-and-replace
1291 operations. In addition to the simple @kbd{M-x replace-string}
1292 command, there is @kbd{M-%} (@code{query-replace}), which presents
1293 each occurrence of the search pattern and asks you whether to replace
1294 it.
1295
1296 The replace commands normally operate on the text from point to the
1297 end of the buffer. When the region is active, they operate on it
1298 instead (@pxref{Mark}). The basic replace commands replace one
1299 @dfn{search string} (or regexp) with one @dfn{replacement string}. It
1300 is possible to perform several replacements in parallel, using the
1301 command @code{expand-region-abbrevs} (@pxref{Expanding Abbrevs}).
1302
1303 @menu
1304 * Unconditional Replace:: Replacing all matches for a string.
1305 * Regexp Replace:: Replacing all matches for a regexp.
1306 * Replacement and Lax Matches::
1307 Lax searching for text to replace.
1308 * Query Replace:: How to use querying.
1309 @end menu
1310
1311 @node Unconditional Replace
1312 @subsection Unconditional Replacement
1313 @findex replace-string
1314
1315 @table @kbd
1316 @item M-x replace-string @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET}
1317 Replace every occurrence of @var{string} with @var{newstring}.
1318 @end table
1319
1320 To replace every instance of @samp{foo} after point with @samp{bar},
1321 use the command @kbd{M-x replace-string} with the two arguments
1322 @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}. Replacement happens only in the text after
1323 point, so if you want to cover the whole buffer you must go to the
1324 beginning first. All occurrences up to the end of the buffer are
1325 replaced; to limit replacement to part of the buffer, activate the
1326 region around that part. When the region is active, replacement is
1327 limited to the region (@pxref{Mark}).
1328
1329 When @code{replace-string} exits, it leaves point at the last
1330 occurrence replaced. It adds the prior position of point (where the
1331 @code{replace-string} command was issued) to the mark ring, without
1332 activating the mark; use @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} to move back there.
1333 @xref{Mark Ring}.
1334
1335 A prefix argument restricts replacement to matches that are
1336 surrounded by word boundaries.
1337
1338 @xref{Replacement and Lax Matches}, for details about
1339 case-sensitivity in replace commands.
1340
1341 @node Regexp Replace
1342 @subsection Regexp Replacement
1343 @findex replace-regexp
1344
1345 The @kbd{M-x replace-string} command replaces exact matches for a
1346 single string. The similar command @kbd{M-x replace-regexp} replaces
1347 any match for a specified regular expression pattern (@pxref{Regexps}).
1348
1349 @table @kbd
1350 @item M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET}
1351 Replace every match for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}.
1352 @end table
1353
1354 @cindex back reference, in regexp replacement
1355 In @code{replace-regexp}, the @var{newstring} need not be constant:
1356 it can refer to all or part of what is matched by the @var{regexp}.
1357 @samp{\&} in @var{newstring} stands for the entire match being
1358 replaced. @samp{\@var{d}} in @var{newstring}, where @var{d} is a
1359 digit, stands for whatever matched the @var{d}th parenthesized
1360 grouping in @var{regexp}. (This is called a ``back reference''.)
1361 @samp{\#} refers to the count of replacements already made in this
1362 command, as a decimal number. In the first replacement, @samp{\#}
1363 stands for @samp{0}; in the second, for @samp{1}; and so on. For
1364 example,
1365
1366 @example
1367 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} c[ad]+r @key{RET} \&-safe @key{RET}
1368 @end example
1369
1370 @noindent
1371 replaces (for example) @samp{cadr} with @samp{cadr-safe} and @samp{cddr}
1372 with @samp{cddr-safe}.
1373
1374 @example
1375 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} \(c[ad]+r\)-safe @key{RET} \1 @key{RET}
1376 @end example
1377
1378 @noindent
1379 performs the inverse transformation. To include a @samp{\} in the
1380 text to replace with, you must enter @samp{\\}.
1381
1382 If you want to enter part of the replacement string by hand each
1383 time, use @samp{\?} in the replacement string. Each replacement will
1384 ask you to edit the replacement string in the minibuffer, putting
1385 point where the @samp{\?} was.
1386
1387 The remainder of this subsection is intended for specialized tasks
1388 and requires knowledge of Lisp. Most readers can skip it.
1389
1390 You can use Lisp expressions to calculate parts of the
1391 replacement string. To do this, write @samp{\,} followed by the
1392 expression in the replacement string. Each replacement calculates the
1393 value of the expression and converts it to text without quoting (if
1394 it's a string, this means using the string's contents), and uses it in
1395 the replacement string in place of the expression itself. If the
1396 expression is a symbol, one space in the replacement string after the
1397 symbol name goes with the symbol name, so the value replaces them
1398 both.
1399
1400 Inside such an expression, you can use some special sequences.
1401 @samp{\&} and @samp{\@var{n}} refer here, as usual, to the entire
1402 match as a string, and to a submatch as a string. @var{n} may be
1403 multiple digits, and the value of @samp{\@var{n}} is @code{nil} if
1404 subexpression @var{n} did not match. You can also use @samp{\#&} and
1405 @samp{\#@var{n}} to refer to those matches as numbers (this is valid
1406 when the match or submatch has the form of a numeral). @samp{\#} here
1407 too stands for the number of already-completed replacements.
1408
1409 Repeating our example to exchange @samp{x} and @samp{y}, we can thus
1410 do it also this way:
1411
1412 @example
1413 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} \(x\)\|y @key{RET}
1414 \,(if \1 "y" "x") @key{RET}
1415 @end example
1416
1417 For computing replacement strings for @samp{\,}, the @code{format}
1418 function is often useful (@pxref{Formatting Strings,,, elisp, The Emacs
1419 Lisp Reference Manual}). For example, to add consecutively numbered
1420 strings like @samp{ABC00042} to columns 73 @w{to 80} (unless they are
1421 already occupied), you can use
1422
1423 @example
1424 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} ^.\@{0,72\@}$ @key{RET}
1425 \,(format "%-72sABC%05d" \& \#) @key{RET}
1426 @end example
1427
1428 @node Replacement and Lax Matches
1429 @subsection Replace Commands and Lax Matches
1430
1431 This subsection describes the behavior of replace commands with
1432 respect to lax matches (@pxref{Lax Search}) and how to customize it.
1433 In general, replace commands mostly default to stricter matching than
1434 their search counterparts.
1435
1436 @cindex lax space matching in replace commands
1437 @vindex replace-lax-whitespace
1438 Unlike incremental search, the replacement commands do not use lax
1439 space matching (@pxref{Lax Search, lax space matching}) by default.
1440 To enable lax space matching for replacement, change the variable
1441 @code{replace-lax-whitespace} to non-@code{nil}. (This only affects
1442 how Emacs finds the text to replace, not the replacement text.)
1443
1444 @vindex replace-regexp-lax-whitespace
1445 A companion variable @code{replace-regexp-lax-whitespace} controls
1446 whether @code{query-replace-regexp} uses lax whitespace matching when
1447 searching for patterns.
1448
1449 @cindex case folding in replace commands
1450 If the first argument of a replace command is all lower case, the
1451 command ignores case while searching for occurrences to
1452 replace---provided @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}. If
1453 @code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil}, case is always significant
1454 in all searches.
1455
1456 @vindex case-replace
1457 In addition, when the @var{newstring} argument is all or partly lower
1458 case, replacement commands try to preserve the case pattern of each
1459 occurrence. Thus, the command
1460
1461 @example
1462 M-x replace-string @key{RET} foo @key{RET} bar @key{RET}
1463 @end example
1464
1465 @noindent
1466 replaces a lower case @samp{foo} with a lower case @samp{bar}, an
1467 all-caps @samp{FOO} with @samp{BAR}, and a capitalized @samp{Foo} with
1468 @samp{Bar}. (These three alternatives---lower case, all caps, and
1469 capitalized, are the only ones that @code{replace-string} can
1470 distinguish.)
1471
1472 If upper-case letters are used in the replacement string, they remain
1473 upper case every time that text is inserted. If upper-case letters are
1474 used in the first argument, the second argument is always substituted
1475 exactly as given, with no case conversion. Likewise, if either
1476 @code{case-replace} or @code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil},
1477 replacement is done without case conversion.
1478
1479 @cindex character folding in replace commands
1480 The replacement commands by default do not use character folding
1481 (@pxref{Lax Search, character folding}) when looking for the text to
1482 replace. To enable character folding for matching in
1483 @code{query-replace} and @code{replace-string}, set the variable
1484 @code{replace-character-fold} to a non-@code{nil} value. (This
1485 setting does not affect the replacement text, only how Emacs finds the
1486 text to replace. It also doesn't affect @code{replace-regexp}.)
1487
1488 @node Query Replace
1489 @subsection Query Replace
1490 @cindex query replace
1491
1492 @table @kbd
1493 @item M-% @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET}
1494 Replace some occurrences of @var{string} with @var{newstring}.
1495 @item C-M-% @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET}
1496 Replace some matches for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}.
1497 @end table
1498
1499 @kindex M-%
1500 @findex query-replace
1501 If you want to change only some of the occurrences of @samp{foo} to
1502 @samp{bar}, not all of them, use @kbd{M-%} (@code{query-replace}).
1503 This command finds occurrences of @samp{foo} one by one, displays each
1504 occurrence and asks you whether to replace it. Aside from querying,
1505 @code{query-replace} works just like @code{replace-string}
1506 (@pxref{Unconditional Replace}). In particular, it preserves case
1507 provided @code{case-replace} is non-@code{nil}, as it normally is
1508 (@pxref{Replacement and Lax Matches}). A numeric argument means to
1509 consider only occurrences that are bounded by word-delimiter
1510 characters. A negative prefix argument replaces backward.
1511
1512 @kindex C-M-%
1513 @findex query-replace-regexp
1514 @kbd{C-M-%} performs regexp search and replace (@code{query-replace-regexp}).
1515 It works like @code{replace-regexp} except that it queries
1516 like @code{query-replace}.
1517
1518 @vindex query-replace-from-to-separator
1519 You can reuse earlier replacements with these commands. When
1520 @code{query-replace} or @code{query-replace-regexp} prompts for the
1521 search string, use @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} to show previous
1522 replacements in the form @samp{@var{from} -> @var{to}}, where
1523 @var{from} is the search pattern, @var{to} is its replacement, and the
1524 separator between them is determined by the value of the variable
1525 @code{query-replace-from-to-separator}. Type @key{RET} to select the
1526 desired replacement.
1527
1528 @cindex faces for highlighting query replace
1529 @cindex query-replace face
1530 @cindex lazy-highlight face, in replace
1531 @vindex query-replace-highlight
1532 @vindex query-replace-lazy-highlight
1533 @vindex query-replace-show-replacement
1534 These commands highlight the current match using the face
1535 @code{query-replace}. You can disable this highlight by setting the
1536 variable @code{query-replace-highlight} to @code{nil}. They highlight
1537 other matches using @code{lazy-highlight} just like incremental search
1538 (@pxref{Incremental Search}); this can be disabled by setting
1539 @code{query-replace-lazy-highlight} to @code{nil}. By default,
1540 @code{query-replace-regexp} will show the substituted replacement
1541 string for the current match in the minibuffer. If you want to keep
1542 special sequences @samp{\&} and @samp{\@var{n}} unexpanded, customize
1543 @code{query-replace-show-replacement} variable.
1544
1545 @vindex query-replace-skip-read-only
1546 The variable @code{query-replace-skip-read-only}, if set
1547 non-@code{nil}, will cause replacement commands to ignore matches in
1548 read-only text. The default is not to ignore them.
1549
1550 The characters you can type when you are shown a match for the string
1551 or regexp are:
1552
1553 @ignore @c Not worth it.
1554 @kindex SPC @r{(query-replace)}
1555 @kindex DEL @r{(query-replace)}
1556 @kindex , @r{(query-replace)}
1557 @kindex RET @r{(query-replace)}
1558 @kindex . @r{(query-replace)}
1559 @kindex ! @r{(query-replace)}
1560 @kindex ^ @r{(query-replace)}
1561 @kindex C-r @r{(query-replace)}
1562 @kindex C-w @r{(query-replace)}
1563 @kindex C-l @r{(query-replace)}
1564 @end ignore
1565
1566 @c WideCommands
1567 @table @kbd
1568 @item @key{SPC}
1569 @itemx y
1570 to replace the occurrence with @var{newstring}.
1571
1572 @item @key{DEL}
1573 @itemx @key{Delete}
1574 @itemx @key{BACKSPACE}
1575 @itemx n
1576 to skip to the next occurrence without replacing this one.
1577
1578 @item , @r{(Comma)}
1579 to replace this occurrence and display the result. You are then asked
1580 for another input character to say what to do next. Since the
1581 replacement has already been made, @key{DEL} and @key{SPC} are
1582 equivalent in this situation; both move to the next occurrence.
1583
1584 You can type @kbd{C-r} at this point (see below) to alter the replaced
1585 text. You can also type @kbd{C-x u} to undo the replacement; this exits
1586 the @code{query-replace}, so if you want to do further replacement you
1587 must use @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{RET}} to restart
1588 (@pxref{Repetition}).
1589
1590 @item @key{RET}
1591 @itemx q
1592 to exit without doing any more replacements.
1593
1594 @item .@: @r{(Period)}
1595 to replace this occurrence and then exit without searching for more
1596 occurrences.
1597
1598 @item !
1599 to replace all remaining occurrences without asking again.
1600
1601 @item ^
1602 to go back to the position of the previous occurrence (or what used to
1603 be an occurrence), in case you changed it by mistake or want to
1604 reexamine it.
1605
1606 @item C-r
1607 to enter a recursive editing level, in case the occurrence needs to be
1608 edited rather than just replaced with @var{newstring}. When you are
1609 done, exit the recursive editing level with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to
1610 the next occurrence. @xref{Recursive Edit}.
1611
1612 @item C-w
1613 to delete the occurrence, and then enter a recursive editing level as in
1614 @kbd{C-r}. Use the recursive edit to insert text to replace the deleted
1615 occurrence of @var{string}. When done, exit the recursive editing level
1616 with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to the next occurrence.
1617
1618 @item e
1619 to edit the replacement string in the minibuffer. When you exit the
1620 minibuffer by typing @key{RET}, the minibuffer contents replace the
1621 current occurrence of the pattern. They also become the new
1622 replacement string for any further occurrences.
1623
1624 @item C-l
1625 to redisplay the screen. Then you must type another character to
1626 specify what to do with this occurrence.
1627
1628 @item Y @r{(Upper-case)}
1629 to replace all remaining occurrences in all remaining buffers in
1630 multi-buffer replacements (like the Dired @key{Q} command that performs
1631 query replace on selected files). It answers this question and all
1632 subsequent questions in the series with ``yes'', without further
1633 user interaction.
1634
1635 @item N @r{(Upper-case)}
1636 to skip to the next buffer in multi-buffer replacements without
1637 replacing remaining occurrences in the current buffer. It answers
1638 this question ``no'', gives up on the questions for the current buffer,
1639 and continues to the next buffer in the sequence.
1640
1641 @item C-h
1642 @itemx ?
1643 @itemx @key{F1}
1644 to display a message summarizing these options. Then you must type
1645 another character to specify what to do with this occurrence.
1646 @end table
1647
1648 Aside from this, any other character exits the @code{query-replace},
1649 and is then reread as part of a key sequence. Thus, if you type
1650 @kbd{C-k}, it exits the @code{query-replace} and then kills to end of
1651 line. In particular, @kbd{C-g} simply exits the @code{query-replace}.
1652
1653 To restart a @code{query-replace} once it is exited, use @kbd{C-x
1654 @key{ESC} @key{ESC}}, which repeats the @code{query-replace} because it
1655 used the minibuffer to read its arguments. @xref{Repetition, C-x ESC
1656 ESC}.
1657
1658 @cindex invisible text, and query-replace
1659 The option @code{search-invisible} determines how @code{query-replace}
1660 treats invisible text. @xref{Outline Search}.
1661
1662 @xref{Operating on Files}, for the Dired @kbd{Q} command which
1663 performs query replace on selected files. See also @ref{Transforming
1664 File Names}, for Dired commands to rename, copy, or link files by
1665 replacing regexp matches in file names.
1666
1667 @node Other Repeating Search
1668 @section Other Search-and-Loop Commands
1669
1670 Here are some other commands that find matches for a regular
1671 expression. They all ignore case in matching, if the pattern contains
1672 no upper-case letters and @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}.
1673 Aside from @code{occur} and its variants, all operate on the text from
1674 point to the end of the buffer, or on the region if it is active.
1675
1676 @findex list-matching-lines
1677 @findex occur
1678 @findex multi-occur
1679 @findex multi-occur-in-matching-buffers
1680 @findex how-many
1681 @findex flush-lines
1682 @findex keep-lines
1683
1684 @table @kbd
1685 @item M-x multi-isearch-buffers
1686 Prompt for one or more buffer names, ending with @key{RET}; then,
1687 begin a multi-buffer incremental search in those buffers. (If the
1688 search fails in one buffer, the next @kbd{C-s} tries searching the
1689 next specified buffer, and so forth.) With a prefix argument, prompt
1690 for a regexp and begin a multi-buffer incremental search in buffers
1691 matching that regexp.
1692
1693 @item M-x multi-isearch-buffers-regexp
1694 This command is just like @code{multi-isearch-buffers}, except it
1695 performs an incremental regexp search.
1696
1697 @item M-x multi-isearch-files
1698 Prompt for one or more file names, ending with @key{RET}; then,
1699 begin a multi-file incremental search in those files. (If the
1700 search fails in one file, the next @kbd{C-s} tries searching the
1701 next specified file, and so forth.) With a prefix argument, prompt
1702 for a regexp and begin a multi-file incremental search in files
1703 matching that regexp.
1704
1705 @item M-x multi-isearch-files-regexp
1706 This command is just like @code{multi-isearch-files}, except it
1707 performs an incremental regexp search.
1708
1709 In some modes that set the buffer-local variable
1710 @code{multi-isearch-next-buffer-function} (e.g., in Change Log mode)
1711 a multi-file incremental search is activated automatically.
1712
1713 @cindex Occur mode
1714 @cindex mode, Occur
1715 @cindex match (face name)
1716 @vindex list-matching-lines-default-context-lines
1717 @item M-x occur
1718 Prompt for a regexp, and display a list showing each line in the
1719 buffer that contains a match for it. The text that matched is
1720 highlighted using the @code{match} face. To limit the search to part
1721 of the buffer, narrow to that part (@pxref{Narrowing}). A numeric
1722 argument @var{n} specifies that @var{n} lines of context are to be
1723 displayed before and after each matching line. The default number of
1724 context lines is specified by the variable
1725 @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}.
1726
1727 @kindex RET @r{(Occur mode)}
1728 @kindex o @r{(Occur mode)}
1729 @kindex C-o @r{(Occur mode)}
1730 In the @file{*Occur*} buffer, you can click on each entry, or move
1731 point there and type @key{RET}, to visit the corresponding position in
1732 the buffer that was searched. @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} display the match
1733 in another window; @kbd{C-o} does not select it. Alternatively, you
1734 can use the @kbd{C-x `} (@code{next-error}) command to visit the
1735 occurrences one by one (@pxref{Compilation Mode}).
1736
1737 @cindex Occur Edit mode
1738 @cindex mode, Occur Edit
1739 Typing @kbd{e} in the @file{*Occur*} buffer switches to Occur Edit
1740 mode, in which edits made to the entries are also applied to the text
1741 in the originating buffer. Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to Occur
1742 mode.
1743
1744 The command @kbd{M-x list-matching-lines} is a synonym for @kbd{M-x
1745 occur}.
1746
1747 @kindex M-s o
1748 @item M-s o
1749 Run @code{occur} using the search string of the last incremental
1750 string search. You can also run @kbd{M-s o} when an incremental
1751 search is active; this uses the current search string.
1752
1753 @item M-x multi-occur
1754 This command is just like @code{occur}, except it is able to search
1755 through multiple buffers. It asks you to specify the buffer names one
1756 by one.
1757
1758 @item M-x multi-occur-in-matching-buffers
1759 This command is similar to @code{multi-occur}, except the buffers to
1760 search are specified by a regular expression that matches visited file
1761 names. With a prefix argument, it uses the regular expression to
1762 match buffer names instead.
1763
1764 @item M-x how-many
1765 Prompt for a regexp, and print the number of matches for it in the
1766 buffer after point. If the region is active, this operates on the
1767 region instead.
1768
1769 @item M-x flush-lines
1770 Prompt for a regexp, and delete each line that contains a match for
1771 it, operating on the text after point. This command deletes the
1772 current line if it contains a match starting after point. If the
1773 region is active, it operates on the region instead; if a line
1774 partially contained in the region contains a match entirely contained
1775 in the region, it is deleted.
1776
1777 If a match is split across lines, @code{flush-lines} deletes all those
1778 lines. It deletes the lines before starting to look for the next
1779 match; hence, it ignores a match starting on the same line at which
1780 another match ended.
1781
1782 @item M-x keep-lines
1783 Prompt for a regexp, and delete each line that @emph{does not} contain
1784 a match for it, operating on the text after point. If point is not at
1785 the beginning of a line, this command always keeps the current line.
1786 If the region is active, the command operates on the region instead;
1787 it never deletes lines that are only partially contained in the region
1788 (a newline that ends a line counts as part of that line).
1789
1790 If a match is split across lines, this command keeps all those lines.
1791 @end table
1792
1793 @node Search Customizations
1794 @section Tailoring Search to Your Needs
1795 @cindex search customizations
1796
1797 This section describes miscellaneous search-related customizations
1798 not described elsewhere.
1799
1800 @cindex default search mode
1801 @cindex search mode, default
1802 The default search mode for the incremental search is specified by
1803 the variable @code{search-default-mode}. It can be @code{nil},
1804 @code{t}, or a function. If it is @code{nil}, the default mode is to
1805 do literal searches without character folding, but with case folding
1806 and lax-whitespace matches as determined by @code{case-fold-search}
1807 and @code{search-whitespace-regexp}, respectively (@pxref{Lax
1808 Search}). If the value is @code{t}, incremental search defaults to
1809 regexp searches. The default value specifies a function that only
1810 performs case folding and lax-whitespace matching.
1811
1812 @vindex search-highlight
1813 The current match of an on-going incremental search is highlighted
1814 using the @code{isearch} face. This highlighting can be disabled by
1815 setting the variable @code{search-highlight} to @code{nil}.
1816
1817 @cindex lazy highlighting customizations
1818 @vindex isearch-lazy-highlight
1819 @cindex lazy-highlight face
1820 The other matches for the search string that are visible on display
1821 are highlighted using the @code{lazy-highlight} face. Setting the
1822 variable @code{isearch-lazy-highlight} to @code{nil} disables this
1823 highlighting. Here are some other variables that customize the lazy
1824 highlighting:
1825
1826 @table @code
1827 @item lazy-highlight-initial-delay
1828 Time in seconds to wait before highlighting visible matches.
1829
1830 @item lazy-highlight-interval
1831 Time in seconds between highlighting successive matches.
1832
1833 @item lazy-highlight-max-at-a-time
1834 The maximum number of matches to highlight before checking for input.
1835 A large number can take some time to highlight, so if you want to
1836 continue searching and type @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} during that time,
1837 Emacs will not respond until it finishes highlighting all those
1838 matches. Thus, smaller values make Emacs more responsive.
1839 @end table
1840
1841 @vindex search-nonincremental-instead
1842 Normally, entering @key{RET} within incremental search when the
1843 search string is empty launches a nonincremental search. (Actually,
1844 it lets you edit the search string, and the next @key{RET} does the
1845 search.) However, if you customize the variable
1846 @code{search-nonincremental-instead} to @code{nil}, typing @key{RET}
1847 will always exit the incremental search, even if the search string is
1848 empty.
1849
1850 @vindex isearch-hide-immediately
1851 By default, incremental search and query-replace commands match
1852 invisible text, but hide any such matches as soon as the current match
1853 moves off the invisible text. If you customize the variable
1854 @code{isearch-hide-immediately} to @code{nil}, any invisible text
1855 where matches were found stays on display until the search or the
1856 replace command exits.
1857
1858 @cindex search display on slow terminals
1859 @vindex search-slow-speed
1860 @vindex search-slow-window-lines
1861 Searching incrementally on slow terminals, such as displays
1862 connected to remote machines over slow connection, could be annoying
1863 due to the need to redraw large portions of the display as the search
1864 proceeds. Emacs provides a special display mode for slow terminals,
1865 whereby search pops up a separate small window and displays the text
1866 surrounding the match in that window. Small windows display faster,
1867 so the annoying effect of slow speed is alleviated. The variable
1868 @code{search-slow-speed} determines the baud rate threshold below
1869 which Emacs will use this display mode. The variable
1870 @code{search-slow-window-lines} controls the number of lines in the
1871 window Emacs pops up for displaying the search results; the default is
1872 1 line. Normally, this window will pop up at the bottom of the window
1873 that displays the buffer where you start searching, bit if the value
1874 of @code{search-slow-window-lines} is negative, that means to put the
1875 window at the top and give it the number of lines that is the absolute
1876 value of that value.