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1 \input texinfo
2 @c This is an annex of the Emacs manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2004,
4 @c 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c Author: Daniel.Pfeiffer@Informatik.START.dbp.de, fax (+49 69) 7588-2389
6 @setfilename ../info/autotype
7 @c @node Autotypist, Picture, Abbrevs, Top
8 @c @chapter Features for Automatic Typing
9 @settitle Features for Automatic Typing
10 @c @cindex text
11 @c @cindex selfinserting text
12 @c @cindex autotypist
13
14 @copying
15 Copyright @copyright{} 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004,
16 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
17
18 @quotation
19 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
20 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or
21 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
22 Invariant Sections being ``The GNU Manifesto'', ``Distribution'' and
23 ``GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE'', with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
24 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
25 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
26 License'' in the Emacs manual.
27
28 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
29 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
30 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
31
32 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
33 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
34 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
35 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
36 @end quotation
37 @end copying
38
39 @dircategory Emacs
40 @direntry
41 * Autotype: (autotype). Convenient features for text that you enter frequently
42 in Emacs.
43 @end direntry
44
45 @titlepage
46 @sp 10
47
48 @center @titlefont{Autotyping}
49 @sp 2
50 @center @subtitlefont{Convenient features for text that you enter
51 frequently in Emacs}
52 @sp 2
53 @center Daniel Pfeiffer
54 @center additions by Dave Love
55
56 @page
57 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
58 @insertcopying
59 @end titlepage
60
61 @node Top
62 @top Autotyping
63
64 Under certain circumstances you will find yourself typing similar things
65 over and over again. This is especially true of form letters and programming
66 language constructs. Project-specific header comments, flow-control
67 constructs or magic numbers are essentially the same every time. Emacs has
68 various features for doing tedious and repetitive typing chores for you
69 in addition to the Abbrev features (@pxref{(emacs)Abbrevs}).
70
71 One solution is using skeletons, flexible rules that say what to
72 insert, and how to do it. Various programming language modes offer some
73 ready-to-use skeletons, and you can adapt them to suit your needs or
74 taste, or define new ones.
75
76 Another feature is automatic insertion of what you want into empty files,
77 depending on the file-name or the mode as appropriate. You can have a file or
78 a skeleton inserted, or you can call a function. Then there is the
79 possibility to have Un*x interpreter scripts automatically take on a magic
80 number and be executable as soon as they are saved. Or you can have a
81 copyright notice's year updated, if necessary, every time you save a
82 file. Similarly for time stamps in the file.
83
84 URLs can be inserted based on a word at point. Flexible templates can
85 be defined for inserting and navigating between text more generally. A
86 sort of meta-expansion facility can be used to try a set of alternative
87 completions and expansions of text at point.
88
89 @menu
90 * Using Skeletons:: How to insert a skeleton into your text.
91 * Wrapping Skeletons:: Putting existing text within a skeleton.
92 * Skeletons as Abbrevs:: An alternative for issuing skeleton commands.
93 * Skeleton Language:: Making skeleton commands insert what you want.
94 * Inserting Pairs:: Typing one character and getting another
95 after point.
96 * Autoinserting:: Filling up empty files as soon as you visit them.
97 * Copyrights:: Inserting and updating copyrights.
98 * Executables:: Turning interpreter scripts into executables.
99 * Timestamps:: Updating dates and times in modified files.
100 * QuickURL:: Inserting URLs based on text at point.
101 * Tempo:: Flexible template insertion.
102 * Hippie Expand:: Expansion of text trying various methods.
103
104 * Concept Index::
105 * Command Index::
106 * Variable Index::
107 @end menu
108
109
110
111 @node Using Skeletons
112 @chapter Using Skeletons
113 @cindex skeletons
114 @cindex using skeletons
115
116 When you want Emacs to insert a form letter or a typical construct of the
117 programming language you are using, skeletons are a means of accomplishing
118 this. Normally skeletons each have a command of their own, that, when called,
119 will insert the skeleton. These commands can be issued in the usual ways
120 (@pxref{(emacs)Commands}). Modes that offer various skeletons will often
121 bind these to key-sequences on the @kbd{C-c} prefix, as well as having
122 an @cite{Insert} menu and maybe even predefined abbrevs for them
123 (@pxref{Skeletons as Abbrevs}).
124
125 The simplest kind of skeleton will simply insert some text indented
126 according to the major mode and leave the cursor at a likely place in the
127 middle. Interactive skeletons may prompt you for a string that will be part
128 of the inserted text.
129
130 Skeletons may ask for input several times. They even have a looping
131 mechanism in which you will be asked for input as long as you are willing to
132 furnish it. An example would be multiple ``else if'' conditions. You can
133 recognize this situation by a prompt ending in @key{RET}, @kbd{C-g}
134 or @kbd{C-h}. This
135 means that entering an empty string will simply assume that you are finished.
136 Typing quit on the other hand terminates the loop but also the rest of the
137 skeleton, e.g. an ``else'' clause is skipped. Only a syntactically necessary
138 termination still gets inserted.
139
140
141
142 @node Wrapping Skeletons
143 @chapter Wrapping Skeletons Around Existing Text
144 @cindex wrapping skeletons
145
146 Often you will find yourself with some code that for whatever reason
147 suddenly becomes conditional. Or you have written a bit of text and want to
148 put it in the middle of a form letter. Skeletons provide a means for
149 accomplishing this, and can even, in the case of programming languages,
150 reindent the wrapped code for you.
151
152 Skeleton commands take an optional numeric prefix argument
153 (@pxref{(emacs)Arguments}). This is interpreted in two different ways depending
154 on whether the prefix is positive, i.e. forwards oriented or negative,
155 i.e. backwards oriented.
156
157 A positive prefix means to wrap the skeleton around that many
158 following words. This is accomplished by putting the words there where
159 the point is normally left after that skeleton is inserted (@pxref{Using
160 Skeletons}). The point (@pxref{(emacs)Point}) is left at the next
161 interesting spot in the skeleton instead.
162
163 A negative prefix means to do something similar with that many precedingly
164 marked interregions (@pxref{(emacs)Mark}). In the simplest case, if you type
165 @kbd{M--} just before issuing the skeleton command, that will wrap the
166 skeleton around the current region, just like a positive argument would have
167 wrapped it around a number of words.
168
169 Smaller negative arguments will wrap that many interregions into successive
170 interesting spots within the skeleton, again leaving the point at the next one.
171 We speak about interregions rather than regions here, because we treat them in
172 the order they appear in the buffer, which coincides with successive regions
173 only if they were marked in order.
174
175 That is, if you marked in alphabetical order the points A B C [] (where []
176 represents the point) and call a skeleton command with @kbd{M-- 3}, you will
177 wrap the text from A to B into the first interesting spot of the skeleton, the
178 text from B to C into the next one, the text from C to the point into the
179 third one, and leave the point in the fourth one. If there are less marks in
180 the buffer, or if the skeleton defines less interesting points, the surplus is
181 ignored.
182
183 If, on the other hand, you marked in alphabetical order the points [] A C B,
184 and call a skeleton command with @kbd{M-- 3}, you will wrap the text from
185 point to A, then the text from A to C and finally the text from C to B. This
186 is done because the regions overlap and Emacs would be helplessly lost if it
187 tried to follow the order in which you marked these points.
188
189
190
191 @node Skeletons as Abbrevs
192 @chapter Skeletons as Abbrev Expansions
193 @cindex skeletons as abbrevs
194
195 Rather than use a key binding for every skeleton command, you can also
196 define an abbreviation (@pxref{(emacs)Defining Abbrevs}) that will expand
197 (@pxref{(emacs)Expanding Abbrevs}) into the skeleton.
198
199 Say you want @samp{ifst} to be an abbreviation for the C language if
200 statement. You will tell Emacs that @samp{ifst} expands to the empty string
201 and then calls the skeleton command. In Emacs Lisp you can say something like
202 @code{(define-abbrev c-mode-abbrev-table "ifst" "" 'c-if)}. Or you can edit
203 the output from @kbd{M-x list-abbrevs} to make it look like this:
204
205 @example
206 (c-mode-abbrev-table)
207 "if" 0 "" c-if
208 @end example
209
210 @noindent
211 (Some blank lines of no semantic significance, and other abbrev tables,
212 have been omitted.)
213
214
215
216 @node Skeleton Language
217 @chapter Skeleton Language
218 @cindex skeleton language
219
220 @findex skeleton-insert
221 Skeletons are an shorthand extension to the Lisp language, where various
222 atoms directly perform either actions on the current buffer or rudimentary
223 flow control mechanisms. Skeletons are interpreted by the function
224 @code{skeleton-insert}.
225
226 A skeleton is a list starting with an interactor, which is usually a
227 prompt-string, or @code{nil} when not needed, but can also be a Lisp
228 expression for complex read functions or for returning some calculated value.
229 The rest of the list are any number of elements as described in the following
230 table:
231
232 @table @asis
233 @item @code{"@var{string}"}, @code{?@var{c}}, @code{?\@var{c}}
234 @vindex skeleton-transformation
235 Insert string or character. Literal strings and characters are passed through
236 @code{skeleton-transformation} when that is non-@code{nil}.
237 @item @code{?\n}
238 @c ??? something seems very wrong here.
239 Insert a newline and align under current line. Use newline character
240 @code{?\n} to prevent alignment.
241 @item @code{_}
242 Interesting point. When wrapping skeletons around successive regions, they are
243 put at these places. Point is left at first @code{_} where nothing is wrapped.
244 @item @code{>}
245 Indent line according to major mode. When following element is @code{_}, and
246 there is a interregion that will be wrapped here, indent that interregion.
247 @item @code{&}
248 Logical and. Iff preceding element moved point, i.e. usually inserted
249 something, do following element.
250 @item @code{|}
251 Logical xor. Iff preceding element didn't move point, i.e. usually inserted
252 nothing, do following element.
253 @item @code{-@var{number}}
254 Delete preceding number characters. Depends on value of
255 @code{skeleton-untabify}.
256 @item @code{()} or @code{nil}
257 Ignored.
258 @item @var{lisp-expression}
259 Evaluated, and the return value is again interpreted as a skeleton element.
260 @item @code{str}
261 A special variable that, when evaluated the first time, usually prompts
262 for input according to the skeleton's interactor. It is then set to the
263 return value resulting from the interactor. Each subskeleton has its local
264 copy of this variable.
265 @item @code{v1}, @code{v2}
266 Skeleton-local user variables.
267 @item @code{'@var{expression}}
268 Evaluate following Lisp expression for its side-effect, but prevent it from
269 being interpreted as a skeleton element.
270 @item @var{skeleton}
271 Subskeletons are inserted recursively, not once, but as often as the user
272 enters something at the subskeletons interactor. Thus there must be a
273 @code{str} in the subskeleton. They can also be used non-interactively, when
274 prompt is a lisp-expression that returns successive list-elements.
275 @item @code{resume:}
276 Ignored. Execution resumes here if the user quits during skeleton
277 interpretation.
278 @item @code{quit}
279 A constant which is non-@code{nil} when the @code{resume:} section was entered
280 because the user quit.
281 @end table
282
283 @findex skeleton-further-elements
284 Some modes also use other skeleton elements they themselves defined. For
285 example in shell script mode's skeletons you will find @code{<} which does a
286 rigid indentation backwards, or in CC mode's skeletons you find the
287 self-inserting elements @code{@{} and @code{@}}. These are defined by the
288 buffer-local variable @code{skeleton-further-elements} which is a list of
289 variables bound while interpreting a skeleton.
290
291 @findex define-skeleton
292 The macro @code{define-skeleton} defines a command for interpreting a
293 skeleton. The first argument is the command name, the second is a
294 documentation string, and the rest is an interactor and any number of skeleton
295 elements together forming a skeleton. This skeleton is assigned to a variable
296 of the same name as the command and can thus be overridden from your
297 @file{~/.emacs} file (@pxref{(emacs)Init File}).
298
299
300
301 @node Inserting Pairs
302 @chapter Inserting Matching Pairs of Characters
303 @cindex inserting pairs
304 @cindex pairs
305
306 Various characters usually appear in pairs. When, for example, you insert
307 an open parenthesis, no matter whether you are programming or writing prose,
308 you will surely enter a closing one later. By entering both at the same time
309 and leaving the cursor inbetween, Emacs can guarantee you that such
310 parentheses are always balanced. And if you have a non-qwerty keyboard, where
311 typing some of the stranger programming language symbols makes you bend your
312 fingers backwards, this can be quite relieving too.
313
314 @findex skeleton-pair-insert-maybe
315 @vindex skeleton-pair
316 This is done by binding the first key (@pxref{(emacs)Rebinding}) of
317 the pair to @code{skeleton-pair-insert-maybe} instead of
318 @code{self-insert-command}. The ``maybe'' comes from the fact that
319 this at-first surprising behavior is initially turned off. To enable
320 it, you must set @code{skeleton-pair} to some non-@code{nil} value.
321 And even then, a positive argument (@pxref{(emacs)Arguments}) will
322 make this key behave like a self-inserting key
323 (@pxref{(emacs)Inserting Text}).
324
325 @vindex skeleton-pair-on-word
326 While this breaks with the stated intention of always balancing pairs, it
327 turns out that one often doesn't want pairing to occur, when the following
328 character is part of a word. If you want pairing to occur even then, set
329 @code{skeleton-pair-on-word} to some non-@code{nil} value.
330
331 @vindex skeleton-pair-alist
332 Pairing is possible for all visible characters. By default the
333 parenthesis @samp{(}, the square bracket @samp{[}, the brace
334 @samp{@{}, the pointed bracket @samp{<} and the backquote @samp{`} all
335 pair with the symmetrical character. All other characters pair
336 themselves. This behavior can be modified by the variable
337 @code{skeleton-pair-alist}. This is in fact an alist of skeletons
338 (@pxref{Skeleton Language}), with the first part of each sublist
339 matching the typed character. This is the position of the interactor,
340 but since pairs don't need the @code{str} element, this is ignored.
341
342 Some modes have bound the command @code{skeleton-pair-insert-maybe}
343 to relevant keys. These modes also configure the pairs as
344 appropriate. For example, when typing english prose, you'd expect the
345 backquote (@samp{`}) to pair with the quote (@samp{'}), while in Shell
346 script mode it must pair to itself. They can also inhibit pairing in
347 certain contexts. For example an escaped character stands for itself.
348
349
350
351 @node Autoinserting
352 @chapter Autoinserting Text in Empty Files
353 @cindex autoinserting
354
355 @findex auto-insert
356 @kbd{M-x auto-insert} will put some predefined text at the beginning of
357 the buffer. The main application for this function, as its name suggests,
358 is to have it be called automatically every time an empty, and only an
359 empty file is visited. This is accomplished by putting @code{(add-hook
360 'find-file-hook 'auto-insert)} into your @file{~/.emacs} file
361 (@pxref{(emacs)Init File}).
362
363 @vindex auto-insert-alist
364 What gets inserted, if anything, is determined by the variable
365 @code{auto-insert-alist}. The @sc{car}s of this list are each either
366 a mode name, making an element applicable when a buffer is in that
367 mode. Or they can be a string, which is a regexp matched against the
368 buffer's file name. In that way different kinds of files that have
369 the same mode in Emacs can be distinguished. The @sc{car}s may also
370 be cons cells consisting of mode name or regexp as above and an
371 additional descriptive string.
372
373 When a matching element is found, the @sc{cdr} says what to do. It may
374 be a string, which is a file name, whose contents are to be inserted, if
375 that file is found in the directory @code{auto-insert-directory} or under a
376 absolute file name. Or it can be a skeleton (@pxref{Skeleton Language}) to
377 be inserted.
378
379 It can also be a function, which allows doing various things. The function
380 can simply insert some text, indeed, it can be skeleton command (@pxref{Using
381 Skeletons}). It can be a lambda function which will for example conditionally
382 call another function. Or it can even reset the mode for the buffer. If you
383 want to perform several such actions in order, you use a vector, i.e. several
384 of the above elements between square brackets (@samp{[@r{@dots{}}]}).
385
386 By default C and C++ headers insert a definition of a symbol derived from
387 the filename to prevent multiple inclusions. C and C++ sources insert an
388 include of the header. Makefiles insert the file makefile.inc if it exists.
389
390 TeX and bibTeX mode files insert the file tex-insert.tex if it exists, while
391 LaTeX mode files insert a typical @code{\documentclass} frame. Html
392 files insert a skeleton with the usual frame.
393
394 Ada mode files call the Ada header skeleton command. Emacs lisp
395 source files insert the usual header, with a copyright of your
396 environment variable @env{$ORGANIZATION} or else the FSF, and prompt
397 for valid keywords describing the contents. Files in a @file{bin}
398 directory for which Emacs could determine no specialized mode
399 (@pxref{(emacs)Choosing Modes}) are set to Shell script mode.
400
401 @findex define-auto-insert
402 In Lisp (@pxref{(emacs)Init File}) you can use the function
403 @code{define-auto-insert} to add to or modify
404 @code{auto-insert-alist}. See its documentation with @kbd{C-h f
405 define-auto-insert}.
406
407 @vindex auto-insert
408 The variable @code{auto-insert} says what to do when @code{auto-insert} is
409 called non-interactively, e.g. when a newly found file is empty (see above):
410 @table @asis
411 @item @code{nil}
412 Do nothing.
413 @item @code{t}
414 Insert something if possible, i.e. there is a matching entry in
415 @code{auto-insert-alist}.
416 @item other
417 Insert something if possible, but mark as unmodified.
418 @end table
419
420 @vindex auto-insert-query
421 The variable @code{auto-insert-query} controls whether to ask about
422 inserting something. When this is @code{nil}, inserting is only done with
423 @kbd{M-x auto-insert}. When this is @code{function}, you are queried
424 whenever @code{auto-insert} is called as a function, such as when Emacs
425 visits an empty file and you have set the above-mentioned hook. Otherwise
426 you are alway queried.
427
428 @vindex auto-insert-prompt
429 When querying, the variable @code{auto-insert-prompt}'s value is used as a
430 prompt for a y-or-n-type question. If this includes a @samp{%s} construct,
431 that is replaced by what caused the insertion rule to be chosen. This is
432 either a descriptive text, the mode-name of the buffer or the regular
433 expression that matched the filename.
434
435
436
437 @node Copyrights
438 @chapter Inserting and Updating Copyrights
439 @cindex copyrights
440
441 @findex copyright
442 @kbd{M-x copyright} is a skeleton inserting command, that adds a copyright
443 notice at the point. The ``by'' part is taken from your environment variable
444 @env{$ORGANIZATION} or if that isn't set you are prompted for it. If the
445 buffer has a comment syntax (@pxref{(emacs)Comments}), this is inserted as a comment.
446
447 @findex copyright-update
448 @vindex copyright-limit
449 @vindex copyright-current-year
450 @kbd{M-x copyright-update} looks for a copyright notice in the first
451 @code{copyright-limit} characters of the buffer and updates it when necessary.
452 The current year (variable @code{copyright-current-year}) is added to the
453 existing ones, in the same format as the preceding year, i.e. 1994, '94 or 94.
454 If a dash-separated year list up to last year is found, that is extended to
455 current year, else the year is added separated by a comma. Or it replaces
456 them when this is called with a prefix argument. If a header referring to a
457 wrong version of the GNU General Public License (@pxref{(emacs)Copying}) is found,
458 that is updated too.
459
460 An interesting application for this function is to have it be called
461 automatically every time a file is saved. This is accomplished by
462 putting @code{(add-hook 'before-save-hook 'copyright-update)} into
463 your @file{~/.emacs} file (@pxref{(emacs)Init File}). Alternative,
464 you can do @kbd{M-x customize-variable @key{RET} before-save-hook
465 @key{RET}}. @code{copyright-update} is conveniently listed as an
466 option in the customization buffer.
467
468 @vindex copyright-query
469 The variable @code{copyright-query} controls whether to update the
470 copyright or whether to ask about it. When this is @code{nil} updating is
471 only done with @kbd{M-x copyright-update}. When this is @code{function}
472 you are queried whenever @code{copyright-update} is called as a function,
473 such as in the @code{before-save-hook} feature mentioned above. Otherwise
474 you are always queried.
475
476
477
478 @node Executables
479 @chapter Making Interpreter Scripts Executable
480 @cindex executables
481
482 @vindex executable-prefix
483 @vindex executable-chmod
484 Various interpreter modes such as Shell script mode or AWK mode will
485 automatically insert or update the buffer's magic number, a special
486 comment on the first line that makes the @code{exec} systemcall know
487 how to execute the script. To this end the script is automatically
488 made executable upon saving, with @code{executable-chmod} as argument
489 to the system @code{chmod} command. The magic number is prefixed by
490 the value of @code{executable-prefix}.
491
492 @vindex executable-magicless-file-regexp
493 Any file whose name matches @code{executable-magicless-file-regexp} is not
494 furnished with a magic number, nor is it made executable. This is mainly
495 intended for resource files, which are only meant to be read in.
496
497 @vindex executable-insert
498 The variable @code{executable-insert} says what to do when
499 @code{executable-set-magic} is called non-interactively, e.g. when file has no
500 or the wrong magic number:
501 @table @asis
502 @item @code{nil}
503 Do nothing.
504 @item @code{t}
505 Insert or update magic number.
506 @item other
507 Insert or update magic number, but mark as unmodified.
508 @end table
509
510 @findex executable-set-magic
511 @vindex executable-query
512 The variable @code{executable-query} controls whether to ask about
513 inserting or updating the magic number. When this is @code{nil} updating
514 is only done with @kbd{M-x executable-set-magic}. When this is
515 @code{function} you are queried whenever @code{executable-set-magic} is
516 called as a function, such as when Emacs puts a buffer in Shell script
517 mode. Otherwise you are alway queried.
518
519 @findex executable-self-display
520 @kbd{M-x executable-self-display} adds a magic number to the buffer, which
521 will turn it into a self displaying text file, when called as a Un*x command.
522 The ``interpreter'' used is @code{executable-self-display} with argument
523 @samp{+2}.
524
525 @node Timestamps
526 @chapter Maintaining Timestamps in Modified Files
527 @cindex timestamps
528
529 @findex time-stamp
530 @vindex before-save-hook
531 The @code{time-stamp} command can be used to update automatically a
532 template in a file with a new time stamp every time you save the file.
533 Customize the hook @code{before-save-hook} to add the function
534 @code{time-stamp} to arrange this. It you use Custom to do this,
535 then @code{time-stamp} is conveniently listed as an option in the
536 customization buffer.
537
538 @vindex time-stamp-active
539 @vindex time-stamp-format
540 @vindex time-stamp-start
541 The time stamp is updated only if the customizable variable
542 @code{time-stamp-active} is on, which it is by default; the command
543 @code{time-stamp-toggle-active} can be used to toggle it. The format of
544 the time stamp is set by the customizable variable
545 @code{time-stamp-format}.
546
547 @vindex time-stamp-line-limit
548 @vindex time-stamp-end
549 @vindex time-stamp-count
550 @vindex time-stamp-inserts-lines
551 The variables @code{time-stamp-line-limit}, @code{time-stamp-start},
552 @code{time-stamp-end}, @code{time-stamp-count}, and
553 @code{time-stamp-inserts-lines} control finding the template. Do not
554 change these in your init file or you will be incompatible with other
555 people's files. If you must change them, do so only in the local
556 variables section of the file itself.
557
558 Normally the template must appear in the first 8 lines of a file and
559 look like one of the following:
560
561 @example
562 Time-stamp: <>
563 Time-stamp: " "
564 @end example
565
566 The time stamp is written between the brackets or quotes:
567
568 @example
569 Time-stamp: <1998-02-18 10:20:51 gildea>
570 @end example
571
572 @node QuickURL
573 @chapter QuickURL: Inserting URLs Based on Text at Point
574
575 @vindex quickurl-url-file
576 @findex quickurl
577 @cindex URLs
578 @kbd{M-x quickurl} can be used to insert a URL into a buffer based on
579 the text at point. The URLs are stored in an external file defined by
580 the variable @code{quickurl-url-file} as a list of either cons cells of
581 the form @code{(@var{key} . @var{URL})} or
582 lists of the form @code{(@var{key} @var{URL} @var{comment})}. These
583 specify that @kbd{M-x quickurl} should insert @var{URL} if the word
584 @var{key} is at point, for example:
585
586 @example
587 (("FSF" "http://www.fsf.org/" "The Free Software Foundation")
588 ("emacs" . "http://www.emacs.org/")
589 ("hagbard" "http://www.hagbard.demon.co.uk" "Hagbard's World"))
590 @end example
591
592 @findex quickurl-add-url
593 @findex quickurl-list
594 @kbd{M-x quickurl-add-url} can be used to add a new @var{key}/@var{URL}
595 pair. @kbd{M-x quickurl-list} provides interactive editing of the URL
596 list.
597
598 @node Tempo
599 @chapter Tempo: Flexible Template Insertion
600
601 @cindex templates
602 The Tempo package provides a simple way to define powerful templates, or
603 macros, if you wish. It is mainly intended for, but not limited to,
604 programmers to be used for creating shortcuts for editing
605 certain kinds of documents.
606
607 @findex tempo-backward-mark
608 @findex tempo-forward-mark
609 A template is defined as a list of items to be inserted in the current
610 buffer at point. Some can be simple strings, while others can control
611 formatting or define special points of interest in the inserted text.
612 @kbd{M-x tempo-backward-mark} and @kbd{M-x tempo-forward-mark} can be
613 used to jump between such points.
614
615 More flexible templates can be created by including Lisp symbols, which
616 will be evaluated as variables, or lists, which will be evaluated
617 as Lisp expressions. Automatic completion of specified tags to expanded
618 templates can be provided.
619
620 @findex tempo-define-template
621 See the documentation for @code{tempo-define-template} for the different
622 items that can be used to define a tempo template with a command for
623 inserting it.
624
625 See the commentary in @file{tempo.el} for more information on using the
626 Tempo package.
627
628 @node Hippie Expand
629 @chapter `Hippie' Expansion
630
631 @findex hippie-expand
632 @kindex M-/
633 @vindex hippie-expand-try-functions-list
634 @kbd{M-x hippie-expand} is a single command providing a variety of
635 completions and expansions. Called repeatedly, it tries all possible
636 completions in succession.
637
638 Which ones to try, and in which order, is determined by the contents of
639 the customizable option @code{hippie-expand-try-functions-list}. Much
640 customization of the expansion behavior can be made by changing the
641 order of, removing, or inserting new functions in this list. Given a
642 positive numeric argument, @kbd{M-x hippie-expand} jumps directly that
643 number of functions forward in this list. Given some other argument (a
644 negative argument or just @kbd{C-u}) it undoes the tried completion.
645
646 See the commentary in @file{hippie-exp.el} for more information on the
647 possibilities.
648
649 Typically you would bind @code{hippie-expand} to @kbd{M-/} with
650 @code{dabbrev-expand}, the standard binding of @kbd{M-/}, providing one
651 of the expansion possibilities.
652
653
654 @node Concept Index
655 @unnumbered Concept Index
656 @printindex cp
657
658 @node Command Index
659 @unnumbered Command Index
660 @printindex fn
661
662 @node Variable Index
663 @unnumbered Variable Index
664 @printindex vr
665
666 @setchapternewpage odd
667 @contents
668 @bye
669
670 @ignore
671 arch-tag: 54001b27-5ef8-4a9d-a199-905d650fafba
672 @end ignore