]> code.delx.au - gnu-emacs/blob - lispref/advice.texi
*** empty log message ***
[gnu-emacs] / lispref / advice.texi
1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004,
4 @c 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @setfilename ../info/advising
7 @node Advising Functions, Debugging, Byte Compilation, Top
8 @chapter Advising Emacs Lisp Functions
9 @cindex advising functions
10
11 The @dfn{advice} feature lets you add to the existing definition of
12 a function, by @dfn{advising the function}. This is a cleaner method
13 for a library to customize functions defined within Emacs---cleaner
14 than redefining the whole function.
15
16 @cindex piece of advice
17 Each function can have multiple @dfn{pieces of advice}, separately
18 defined. Each defined piece of advice can be @dfn{enabled} or
19 @dfn{disabled} explicitly. All the enabled pieces of advice for any given
20 function actually take effect when you @dfn{activate} advice for that
21 function, or when you define or redefine the function. Note that
22 enabling a piece of advice and activating advice for a function
23 are not the same thing.
24
25 @strong{Usage Note:} Advice is useful for altering the behavior of
26 existing calls to an existing function. If you want the new behavior
27 for new calls, or for key bindings, you should define a new function
28 (or a new command) which uses the existing function.
29
30 @strong{Usage note:} Advising a function can cause confusion in
31 debugging, since people who debug calls to the original function may
32 not notice that it has been modified with advice. Therefore, if you
33 have the possibility to change the code of that function (or ask
34 someone to do so) to run a hook, please solve the problem that way.
35 Advice should be reserved for the cases where you cannot get the
36 function changed.
37
38 In particular, this means that a file in Emacs should not put advice
39 on a function in Emacs. There are currently a few exceptions to this
40 convention, but we aim to correct them.
41
42 @menu
43 * Simple Advice:: A simple example to explain the basics of advice.
44 * Defining Advice:: Detailed description of @code{defadvice}.
45 * Around-Advice:: Wrapping advice around a function's definition.
46 * Computed Advice:: ...is to @code{defadvice} as @code{fset} is to @code{defun}.
47 * Activation of Advice:: Advice doesn't do anything until you activate it.
48 * Enabling Advice:: You can enable or disable each piece of advice.
49 * Preactivation:: Preactivation is a way of speeding up the
50 loading of compiled advice.
51 * Argument Access in Advice:: How advice can access the function's arguments.
52 * Advising Primitives:: Accessing arguments when advising a primitive.
53 * Combined Definition:: How advice is implemented.
54 @end menu
55
56 @node Simple Advice
57 @section A Simple Advice Example
58
59 The command @code{next-line} moves point down vertically one or more
60 lines; it is the standard binding of @kbd{C-n}. When used on the last
61 line of the buffer, this command inserts a newline to create a line to
62 move to if @code{next-line-add-newlines} is non-@code{nil} (its default
63 is @code{nil}.)
64
65 Suppose you wanted to add a similar feature to @code{previous-line},
66 which would insert a new line at the beginning of the buffer for the
67 command to move to (when @code{next-line-add-newlines} is
68 non-@code{nil}). How could you do this?
69
70 You could do it by redefining the whole function, but that is not
71 modular. The advice feature provides a cleaner alternative: you can
72 effectively add your code to the existing function definition, without
73 actually changing or even seeing that definition. Here is how to do
74 this:
75
76 @example
77 (defadvice previous-line (before next-line-at-end
78 (&optional arg try-vscroll))
79 "Insert an empty line when moving up from the top line."
80 (if (and next-line-add-newlines (= arg 1)
81 (save-excursion (beginning-of-line) (bobp)))
82 (progn
83 (beginning-of-line)
84 (newline))))
85 @end example
86
87 This expression defines a @dfn{piece of advice} for the function
88 @code{previous-line}. This piece of advice is named
89 @code{next-line-at-end}, and the symbol @code{before} says that it is
90 @dfn{before-advice} which should run before the regular definition of
91 @code{previous-line}. @code{(&optional arg try-vscroll)} specifies
92 how the advice code can refer to the function's arguments.
93
94 When this piece of advice runs, it creates an additional line, in the
95 situation where that is appropriate, but does not move point to that
96 line. This is the correct way to write the advice, because the normal
97 definition will run afterward and will move back to the newly inserted
98 line.
99
100 Defining the advice doesn't immediately change the function
101 @code{previous-line}. That happens when you @dfn{activate} the advice,
102 like this:
103
104 @example
105 (ad-activate 'previous-line)
106 @end example
107
108 @noindent
109 This is what actually begins to use the advice that has been defined so
110 far for the function @code{previous-line}. Henceforth, whenever that
111 function is run, whether invoked by the user with @kbd{C-p} or
112 @kbd{M-x}, or called from Lisp, it runs the advice first, and its
113 regular definition second.
114
115 This example illustrates before-advice, which is one @dfn{class} of
116 advice: it runs before the function's base definition. There are two
117 other advice classes: @dfn{after-advice}, which runs after the base
118 definition, and @dfn{around-advice}, which lets you specify an
119 expression to wrap around the invocation of the base definition.
120
121 @node Defining Advice
122 @section Defining Advice
123 @cindex defining advice
124 @cindex advice, defining
125
126 To define a piece of advice, use the macro @code{defadvice}. A call
127 to @code{defadvice} has the following syntax, which is based on the
128 syntax of @code{defun} and @code{defmacro}, but adds more:
129
130 @findex defadvice
131 @example
132 (defadvice @var{function} (@var{class} @var{name}
133 @r{[}@var{position}@r{]} @r{[}@var{arglist}@r{]}
134 @var{flags}...)
135 @r{[}@var{documentation-string}@r{]}
136 @r{[}@var{interactive-form}@r{]}
137 @var{body-forms}...)
138 @end example
139
140 @noindent
141 Here, @var{function} is the name of the function (or macro or special
142 form) to be advised. From now on, we will write just ``function'' when
143 describing the entity being advised, but this always includes macros and
144 special forms.
145
146 In place of the argument list in an ordinary definition, an advice
147 definition calls for several different pieces of information.
148
149 @cindex class of advice
150 @cindex before-advice
151 @cindex after-advice
152 @cindex around-advice
153 @var{class} specifies the @dfn{class} of the advice---one of @code{before},
154 @code{after}, or @code{around}. Before-advice runs before the function
155 itself; after-advice runs after the function itself; around-advice is
156 wrapped around the execution of the function itself. After-advice and
157 around-advice can override the return value by setting
158 @code{ad-return-value}.
159
160 @defvar ad-return-value
161 While advice is executing, after the function's original definition has
162 been executed, this variable holds its return value, which will
163 ultimately be returned to the caller after finishing all the advice.
164 After-advice and around-advice can arrange to return some other value
165 by storing it in this variable.
166 @end defvar
167
168 The argument @var{name} is the name of the advice, a non-@code{nil}
169 symbol. The advice name uniquely identifies one piece of advice, within all
170 the pieces of advice in a particular class for a particular
171 @var{function}. The name allows you to refer to the piece of
172 advice---to redefine it, or to enable or disable it.
173
174 The optional @var{position} specifies where, in the current list of
175 advice of the specified @var{class}, this new advice should be placed.
176 It should be either @code{first}, @code{last} or a number that specifies
177 a zero-based position (@code{first} is equivalent to 0). If no position
178 is specified, the default is @code{first}. Position values outside the
179 range of existing positions in this class are mapped to the beginning or
180 the end of the range, whichever is closer. The @var{position} value is
181 ignored when redefining an existing piece of advice.
182
183 The optional @var{arglist} can be used to define the argument list for
184 the sake of advice. This becomes the argument list of the combined
185 definition that is generated in order to run the advice (@pxref{Combined
186 Definition}). Therefore, the advice expressions can use the argument
187 variables in this list to access argument values.
188
189 The argument list used in advice need not be the same as the argument
190 list used in the original function, but must be compatible with it, so
191 that it can handle the ways the function is actually called. If two
192 pieces of advice for a function both specify an argument list, they must
193 specify the same argument list.
194
195 @xref{Argument Access in Advice}, for more information about argument
196 lists and advice, and a more flexible way for advice to access the
197 arguments.
198
199 The remaining elements, @var{flags}, are symbols that specify further
200 information about how to use this piece of advice. Here are the valid
201 symbols and their meanings:
202
203 @table @code
204 @item activate
205 Activate the advice for @var{function} now. Changes in a function's
206 advice always take effect the next time you activate advice for the
207 function; this flag says to do so, for @var{function}, immediately after
208 defining this piece of advice.
209
210 @cindex forward advice
211 This flag has no immediate effect if @var{function} itself is not defined yet (a
212 situation known as @dfn{forward advice}), because it is impossible to
213 activate an undefined function's advice. However, defining
214 @var{function} will automatically activate its advice.
215
216 @item protect
217 Protect this piece of advice against non-local exits and errors in
218 preceding code and advice. Protecting advice places it as a cleanup in
219 an @code{unwind-protect} form, so that it will execute even if the
220 previous code gets an error or uses @code{throw}. @xref{Cleanups}.
221
222 @item compile
223 Compile the combined definition that is used to run the advice. This
224 flag is ignored unless @code{activate} is also specified.
225 @xref{Combined Definition}.
226
227 @item disable
228 Initially disable this piece of advice, so that it will not be used
229 unless subsequently explicitly enabled. @xref{Enabling Advice}.
230
231 @item preactivate
232 Activate advice for @var{function} when this @code{defadvice} is
233 compiled or macroexpanded. This generates a compiled advised definition
234 according to the current advice state, which will be used during
235 activation if appropriate. @xref{Preactivation}.
236
237 This is useful only if this @code{defadvice} is byte-compiled.
238 @end table
239
240 The optional @var{documentation-string} serves to document this piece of
241 advice. When advice is active for @var{function}, the documentation for
242 @var{function} (as returned by @code{documentation}) combines the
243 documentation strings of all the advice for @var{function} with the
244 documentation string of its original function definition.
245
246 The optional @var{interactive-form} form can be supplied to change the
247 interactive behavior of the original function. If more than one piece
248 of advice has an @var{interactive-form}, then the first one (the one
249 with the smallest position) found among all the advice takes precedence.
250
251 The possibly empty list of @var{body-forms} specifies the body of the
252 advice. The body of an advice can access or change the arguments, the
253 return value, the binding environment, and perform any other kind of
254 side effect.
255
256 @strong{Warning:} When you advise a macro, keep in mind that macros are
257 expanded when a program is compiled, not when a compiled program is run.
258 All subroutines used by the advice need to be available when the byte
259 compiler expands the macro.
260
261 @deffn Command ad-unadvise function
262 This command deletes the advice from @var{function}.
263 @end deffn
264
265 @deffn Command ad-unadvise-all
266 This command deletes all pieces of advice from all functions.
267 @end deffn
268
269 @node Around-Advice
270 @section Around-Advice
271
272 Around-advice lets you ``wrap'' a Lisp expression ``around'' the
273 original function definition. You specify where the original function
274 definition should go by means of the special symbol @code{ad-do-it}.
275 Where this symbol occurs inside the around-advice body, it is replaced
276 with a @code{progn} containing the forms of the surrounded code. Here
277 is an example:
278
279 @example
280 (defadvice foo (around foo-around)
281 "Ignore case in `foo'."
282 (let ((case-fold-search t))
283 ad-do-it))
284 @end example
285
286 @noindent
287 Its effect is to make sure that case is ignored in
288 searches when the original definition of @code{foo} is run.
289
290 @defvar ad-do-it
291 This is not really a variable, rather a place-holder that looks like a
292 variable. You use it in around-advice to specify the place to run the
293 function's original definition and other ``earlier'' around-advice.
294 @end defvar
295
296 If the around-advice does not use @code{ad-do-it}, then it does not run
297 the original function definition. This provides a way to override the
298 original definition completely. (It also overrides lower-positioned
299 pieces of around-advice).
300
301 If the around-advice uses @code{ad-do-it} more than once, the original
302 definition is run at each place. In this way, around-advice can execute
303 the original definition (and lower-positioned pieces of around-advice)
304 several times. Another way to do that is by using @code{ad-do-it}
305 inside of a loop.
306
307 @node Computed Advice
308 @section Computed Advice
309
310 The macro @code{defadvice} resembles @code{defun} in that the code for
311 the advice, and all other information about it, are explicitly stated in
312 the source code. You can also create advice whose details are computed,
313 using the function @code{ad-add-advice}.
314
315 @defun ad-add-advice function advice class position
316 Calling @code{ad-add-advice} adds @var{advice} as a piece of advice to
317 @var{function} in class @var{class}. The argument @var{advice} has
318 this form:
319
320 @example
321 (@var{name} @var{protected} @var{enabled} @var{definition})
322 @end example
323
324 Here @var{protected} and @var{enabled} are flags, and @var{definition}
325 is the expression that says what the advice should do. If @var{enabled}
326 is @code{nil}, this piece of advice is initially disabled
327 (@pxref{Enabling Advice}).
328
329 If @var{function} already has one or more pieces of advice in the
330 specified @var{class}, then @var{position} specifies where in the list
331 to put the new piece of advice. The value of @var{position} can either
332 be @code{first}, @code{last}, or a number (counting from 0 at the
333 beginning of the list). Numbers outside the range are mapped to the
334 beginning or the end of the range, whichever is closer. The
335 @var{position} value is ignored when redefining an existing piece of
336 advice.
337
338 If @var{function} already has a piece of @var{advice} with the same
339 name, then the position argument is ignored and the old advice is
340 replaced with the new one.
341 @end defun
342
343 @node Activation of Advice
344 @section Activation of Advice
345 @cindex activating advice
346 @cindex advice, activating
347
348 By default, advice does not take effect when you define it---only when
349 you @dfn{activate} advice for the function that was advised. However,
350 the advice will be activated automatically if you define or redefine
351 the function later. You can request the activation of advice for a
352 function when you define the advice, by specifying the @code{activate}
353 flag in the @code{defadvice}. But normally you activate the advice
354 for a function by calling the function @code{ad-activate} or one of
355 the other activation commands listed below.
356
357 Separating the activation of advice from the act of defining it permits
358 you to add several pieces of advice to one function efficiently, without
359 redefining the function over and over as each advice is added. More
360 importantly, it permits defining advice for a function before that
361 function is actually defined.
362
363 When a function's advice is first activated, the function's original
364 definition is saved, and all enabled pieces of advice for that function
365 are combined with the original definition to make a new definition.
366 (Pieces of advice that are currently disabled are not used; see
367 @ref{Enabling Advice}.) This definition is installed, and optionally
368 byte-compiled as well, depending on conditions described below.
369
370 In all of the commands to activate advice, if @var{compile} is
371 @code{t} (or anything but @code{nil} or a negative number), the
372 command also compiles the combined definition which implements the
373 advice. If it is @code{nil} or a negative number, what happens
374 depends on @code{ad-default-compilation-action} as described below.
375
376 @deffn Command ad-activate function &optional compile
377 This command activates all the advice defined for @var{function}.
378 @end deffn
379
380 Activating advice does nothing if @var{function}'s advice is already
381 active. But if there is new advice, added since the previous time you
382 activated advice for @var{function}, it activates the new advice.
383
384 @deffn Command ad-deactivate function
385 This command deactivates the advice for @var{function}.
386 @cindex deactivating advice
387 @cindex advice, deactivating
388 @end deffn
389
390 @deffn Command ad-update function &optional compile
391 This command activates the advice for @var{function}
392 if its advice is already activated. This is useful
393 if you change the advice.
394 @end deffn
395
396 @deffn Command ad-activate-all &optional compile
397 This command activates the advice for all functions.
398 @end deffn
399
400 @deffn Command ad-deactivate-all
401 This command deactivates the advice for all functions.
402 @end deffn
403
404 @deffn Command ad-update-all &optional compile
405 This command activates the advice for all functions
406 whose advice is already activated. This is useful
407 if you change the advice of some functions.
408 @end deffn
409
410 @deffn Command ad-activate-regexp regexp &optional compile
411 This command activates all pieces of advice whose names match
412 @var{regexp}. More precisely, it activates all advice for any function
413 which has at least one piece of advice that matches @var{regexp}.
414 @end deffn
415
416 @deffn Command ad-deactivate-regexp regexp
417 This command deactivates all pieces of advice whose names match
418 @var{regexp}. More precisely, it deactivates all advice for any
419 function which has at least one piece of advice that matches
420 @var{regexp}.
421 @end deffn
422
423 @deffn Command ad-update-regexp regexp &optional compile
424 This command activates pieces of advice whose names match @var{regexp},
425 but only those for functions whose advice is already activated.
426 @cindex reactivating advice
427
428 Reactivating a function's advice is useful for putting into effect all
429 the changes that have been made in its advice (including enabling and
430 disabling specific pieces of advice; @pxref{Enabling Advice}) since the
431 last time it was activated.
432 @end deffn
433
434 @deffn Command ad-start-advice
435 Turn on automatic advice activation when a function is defined or
436 redefined. This is the default mode.
437 @end deffn
438
439 @deffn Command ad-stop-advice
440 Turn off automatic advice activation when a function is defined or
441 redefined.
442 @end deffn
443
444 @defopt ad-default-compilation-action
445 This variable controls whether to compile the combined definition
446 that results from activating advice for a function.
447
448 A value of @code{always} specifies to compile unconditionally.
449 A value of @code{never} specifies never compile the advice.
450
451 A value of @code{maybe} specifies to compile if the byte-compiler is
452 already loaded. A value of @code{like-original} specifies to compile
453 the advice if the original definition of the advised function is
454 compiled or a built-in function.
455
456 This variable takes effect only if the @var{compile} argument of
457 @code{ad-activate} (or any of the above functions) did not force
458 compilation.
459 @end defopt
460
461 If the advised definition was constructed during ``preactivation''
462 (@pxref{Preactivation}), then that definition must already be compiled,
463 because it was constructed during byte-compilation of the file that
464 contained the @code{defadvice} with the @code{preactivate} flag.
465
466 @node Enabling Advice
467 @section Enabling and Disabling Advice
468 @cindex enabling advice
469 @cindex advice, enabling and disabling
470 @cindex disabling advice
471
472 Each piece of advice has a flag that says whether it is enabled or
473 not. By enabling or disabling a piece of advice, you can turn it on
474 and off without having to undefine and redefine it. For example, here is
475 how to disable a particular piece of advice named @code{my-advice} for
476 the function @code{foo}:
477
478 @example
479 (ad-disable-advice 'foo 'before 'my-advice)
480 @end example
481
482 This function by itself only changes the enable flag for a piece of
483 advice. To make the change take effect in the advised definition, you
484 must activate the advice for @code{foo} again:
485
486 @example
487 (ad-activate 'foo)
488 @end example
489
490 @deffn Command ad-disable-advice function class name
491 This command disables the piece of advice named @var{name} in class
492 @var{class} on @var{function}.
493 @end deffn
494
495 @deffn Command ad-enable-advice function class name
496 This command enables the piece of advice named @var{name} in class
497 @var{class} on @var{function}.
498 @end deffn
499
500 You can also disable many pieces of advice at once, for various
501 functions, using a regular expression. As always, the changes take real
502 effect only when you next reactivate advice for the functions in
503 question.
504
505 @deffn Command ad-disable-regexp regexp
506 This command disables all pieces of advice whose names match
507 @var{regexp}, in all classes, on all functions.
508 @end deffn
509
510 @deffn Command ad-enable-regexp regexp
511 This command enables all pieces of advice whose names match
512 @var{regexp}, in all classes, on all functions.
513 @end deffn
514
515 @node Preactivation
516 @section Preactivation
517 @cindex preactivating advice
518 @cindex advice, preactivating
519
520 Constructing a combined definition to execute advice is moderately
521 expensive. When a library advises many functions, this can make loading
522 the library slow. In that case, you can use @dfn{preactivation} to
523 construct suitable combined definitions in advance.
524
525 To use preactivation, specify the @code{preactivate} flag when you
526 define the advice with @code{defadvice}. This @code{defadvice} call
527 creates a combined definition which embodies this piece of advice
528 (whether enabled or not) plus any other currently enabled advice for the
529 same function, and the function's own definition. If the
530 @code{defadvice} is compiled, that compiles the combined definition
531 also.
532
533 When the function's advice is subsequently activated, if the enabled
534 advice for the function matches what was used to make this combined
535 definition, then the existing combined definition is used, thus avoiding
536 the need to construct one. Thus, preactivation never causes wrong
537 results---but it may fail to do any good, if the enabled advice at the
538 time of activation doesn't match what was used for preactivation.
539
540 Here are some symptoms that can indicate that a preactivation did not
541 work properly, because of a mismatch.
542
543 @itemize @bullet
544 @item
545 Activation of the advised
546 function takes longer than usual.
547 @item
548 The byte-compiler gets
549 loaded while an advised function gets activated.
550 @item
551 @code{byte-compile} is included in the value of @code{features} even
552 though you did not ever explicitly use the byte-compiler.
553 @end itemize
554
555 Compiled preactivated advice works properly even if the function itself
556 is not defined until later; however, the function needs to be defined
557 when you @emph{compile} the preactivated advice.
558
559 There is no elegant way to find out why preactivated advice is not being
560 used. What you can do is to trace the function
561 @code{ad-cache-id-verification-code} (with the function
562 @code{trace-function-background}) before the advised function's advice
563 is activated. After activation, check the value returned by
564 @code{ad-cache-id-verification-code} for that function: @code{verified}
565 means that the preactivated advice was used, while other values give
566 some information about why they were considered inappropriate.
567
568 @strong{Warning:} There is one known case that can make preactivation
569 fail, in that a preconstructed combined definition is used even though
570 it fails to match the current state of advice. This can happen when two
571 packages define different pieces of advice with the same name, in the
572 same class, for the same function. But you should avoid that anyway.
573
574 @node Argument Access in Advice
575 @section Argument Access in Advice
576
577 The simplest way to access the arguments of an advised function in the
578 body of a piece of advice is to use the same names that the function
579 definition uses. To do this, you need to know the names of the argument
580 variables of the original function.
581
582 While this simple method is sufficient in many cases, it has a
583 disadvantage: it is not robust, because it hard-codes the argument names
584 into the advice. If the definition of the original function changes,
585 the advice might break.
586
587 Another method is to specify an argument list in the advice itself.
588 This avoids the need to know the original function definition's argument
589 names, but it has a limitation: all the advice on any particular
590 function must use the same argument list, because the argument list
591 actually used for all the advice comes from the first piece of advice
592 for that function.
593
594 A more robust method is to use macros that are translated into the
595 proper access forms at activation time, i.e., when constructing the
596 advised definition. Access macros access actual arguments by position
597 regardless of how these actual arguments get distributed onto the
598 argument variables of a function. This is robust because in Emacs Lisp
599 the meaning of an argument is strictly determined by its position in the
600 argument list.
601
602 @defmac ad-get-arg position
603 This returns the actual argument that was supplied at @var{position}.
604 @end defmac
605
606 @defmac ad-get-args position
607 This returns the list of actual arguments supplied starting at
608 @var{position}.
609 @end defmac
610
611 @defmac ad-set-arg position value
612 This sets the value of the actual argument at @var{position} to
613 @var{value}
614 @end defmac
615
616 @defmac ad-set-args position value-list
617 This sets the list of actual arguments starting at @var{position} to
618 @var{value-list}.
619 @end defmac
620
621 Now an example. Suppose the function @code{foo} is defined as
622
623 @example
624 (defun foo (x y &optional z &rest r) ...)
625 @end example
626
627 @noindent
628 and is then called with
629
630 @example
631 (foo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6)
632 @end example
633
634 @noindent
635 which means that @var{x} is 0, @var{y} is 1, @var{z} is 2 and @var{r} is
636 @code{(3 4 5 6)} within the body of @code{foo}. Here is what
637 @code{ad-get-arg} and @code{ad-get-args} return in this case:
638
639 @example
640 (ad-get-arg 0) @result{} 0
641 (ad-get-arg 1) @result{} 1
642 (ad-get-arg 2) @result{} 2
643 (ad-get-arg 3) @result{} 3
644 (ad-get-args 2) @result{} (2 3 4 5 6)
645 (ad-get-args 4) @result{} (4 5 6)
646 @end example
647
648 Setting arguments also makes sense in this example:
649
650 @example
651 (ad-set-arg 5 "five")
652 @end example
653
654 @noindent
655 has the effect of changing the sixth argument to @code{"five"}. If this
656 happens in advice executed before the body of @code{foo} is run, then
657 @var{r} will be @code{(3 4 "five" 6)} within that body.
658
659 Here is an example of setting a tail of the argument list:
660
661 @example
662 (ad-set-args 0 '(5 4 3 2 1 0))
663 @end example
664
665 @noindent
666 If this happens in advice executed before the body of @code{foo} is run,
667 then within that body, @var{x} will be 5, @var{y} will be 4, @var{z}
668 will be 3, and @var{r} will be @code{(2 1 0)} inside the body of
669 @code{foo}.
670
671 These argument constructs are not really implemented as Lisp macros.
672 Instead they are implemented specially by the advice mechanism.
673
674 @node Advising Primitives
675 @section Advising Primitives
676
677 Advising a primitive function (also called a ``subr'') is risky.
678 Some primitive functions are used by the advice mechanism; advising
679 them could cause an infinite recursion. Also, many primitive
680 functions are called directly from C code. Calls to the primitive
681 from Lisp code will take note of the advice, but calls from C code
682 will ignore the advice.
683
684 When the advice facility constructs the combined definition, it needs
685 to know the argument list of the original function. This is not
686 always possible for primitive functions. When advice cannot determine
687 the argument list, it uses @code{(&rest ad-subr-args)}, which always
688 works but is inefficient because it constructs a list of the argument
689 values. You can use @code{ad-define-subr-args} to declare the proper
690 argument names for a primitive function:
691
692 @defun ad-define-subr-args function arglist
693 This function specifies that @var{arglist} should be used as the
694 argument list for function @var{function}.
695 @end defun
696
697 For example,
698
699 @example
700 (ad-define-subr-args 'fset '(sym newdef))
701 @end example
702
703 @noindent
704 specifies the argument list for the function @code{fset}.
705
706 @node Combined Definition
707 @section The Combined Definition
708
709 Suppose that a function has @var{n} pieces of before-advice
710 (numbered from 0 through @var{n}@minus{}1), @var{m} pieces of
711 around-advice and @var{k} pieces of after-advice. Assuming no piece
712 of advice is protected, the combined definition produced to implement
713 the advice for a function looks like this:
714
715 @example
716 (lambda @var{arglist}
717 @r{[} @r{[}@var{advised-docstring}@r{]} @r{[}(interactive ...)@r{]} @r{]}
718 (let (ad-return-value)
719 @r{before-0-body-form}...
720 ....
721 @r{before-@var{n}@minus{}1-body-form}...
722 @r{around-0-body-form}...
723 @r{around-1-body-form}...
724 ....
725 @r{around-@var{m}@minus{}1-body-form}...
726 (setq ad-return-value
727 @r{apply original definition to @var{arglist}})
728 @r{end-of-around-@var{m}@minus{}1-body-form}...
729 ....
730 @r{end-of-around-1-body-form}...
731 @r{end-of-around-0-body-form}...
732 @r{after-0-body-form}...
733 ....
734 @r{after-@var{k}@minus{}1-body-form}...
735 ad-return-value))
736 @end example
737
738 Macros are redefined as macros, which means adding @code{macro} to
739 the beginning of the combined definition.
740
741 The interactive form is present if the original function or some piece
742 of advice specifies one. When an interactive primitive function is
743 advised, advice uses a special method: it calls the primitive with
744 @code{call-interactively} so that it will read its own arguments.
745 In this case, the advice cannot access the arguments.
746
747 The body forms of the various advice in each class are assembled
748 according to their specified order. The forms of around-advice @var{l}
749 are included in one of the forms of around-advice @var{l} @minus{} 1.
750
751 The innermost part of the around advice onion is
752
753 @display
754 apply original definition to @var{arglist}
755 @end display
756
757 @noindent
758 whose form depends on the type of the original function. The variable
759 @code{ad-return-value} is set to whatever this returns. The variable is
760 visible to all pieces of advice, which can access and modify it before
761 it is actually returned from the advised function.
762
763 The semantic structure of advised functions that contain protected
764 pieces of advice is the same. The only difference is that
765 @code{unwind-protect} forms ensure that the protected advice gets
766 executed even if some previous piece of advice had an error or a
767 non-local exit. If any around-advice is protected, then the whole
768 around-advice onion is protected as a result.
769
770 @ignore
771 arch-tag: 80c135c2-f1c3-4f8d-aa85-f8d8770d307f
772 @end ignore