Text mode turns off the features concerned with comments except when
you explicitly invoke them. It changes the syntax table so that
-single-quotes are considered part of words (e.g., @samp{don't} is
-considered one word). However, if a word starts with a single-quote,
+apostrophes are considered part of words (e.g., @samp{don't} is
+considered one word). However, if a word starts with an apostrophe,
it is treated as a prefix for the purposes of capitalization
(e.g., @kbd{M-c} converts @samp{'hello'} into @samp{'Hello'}, as
expected).
claim is unwarranted. Lisp stands for LISt Processing, and the
programming language handles @emph{lists} (and lists of lists) by
putting them between parentheses. The parentheses mark the boundaries
-of the list. Sometimes a list is preceded by a single apostrophe or
-quotation mark, @samp{'}@footnote{The single apostrophe or quotation
-mark is an abbreviation for the function @code{quote}; you need not
-think about functions now; functions are defined in @ref{Making
-Errors, , Generate an Error Message}.} Lists are the basis of Lisp.
+of the list. Sometimes a list is preceded by an apostrophe @samp{'},
+called a @dfn{single-quote} in Lisp.@footnote{A single-quote is an
+abbreviation for the special form @code{quote}; you need not think
+about special forms now. @xref{Complications}.} Lists are the basis
+of Lisp.
@menu
* Lisp Lists:: What are lists?
Then the instructions in the function definition are carried out.
@item
-A single quotation mark,
-@ifinfo
-'
-@end ifinfo
-@ifnotinfo
-@code{'}
-@end ifnotinfo
-, tells the Lisp interpreter that it should
+A single-quote @samp{'} tells the Lisp interpreter that it should
return the following expression as written, and not evaluate it as it
would if the quote were not there.
suitable for use as quotes. On most modern displays this is no longer
true, and when these two ASCII characters appear in documentation
strings or diagnostic message formats, Emacs typically transliterates
-them to curved single quotes, so that the abovequoted symbol appears
+them to @dfn{curved quotes} (left and right single quotation marks),
+so that the abovequoted symbol appears
as @t{‘case-fold-search’}. Source-code strings can also simply use
curved quotes directly.
We are already familiar with @code{setq}. It sets the following variable,
@code{major-mode}, to the subsequent value, which is @code{text-mode}.
-The single quote mark before @code{text-mode} tells Emacs to deal directly
+The single-quote before @code{text-mode} tells Emacs to deal directly
with the @code{text-mode} symbol, not with whatever it might stand for.
@xref{set & setq, , Setting the Value of a Variable},
for a reminder of how @code{setq} works.
details.)
The command invoked by the keys is @code{compare-windows}. Note that
-@code{compare-windows} is preceded by a single quote; otherwise, Emacs
+@code{compare-windows} is preceded by a single-quote; otherwise, Emacs
would first try to evaluate the symbol to determine its value.
These three things, the double quotation marks, the backslash before
-the @samp{C}, and the single quote mark are necessary parts of
+the @samp{C}, and the single-quote are necessary parts of
keybinding that I tend to forget. Fortunately, I have come to
remember that I should look at my existing @file{.emacs} file, and
adapt what is there.
error symbol @code{error}, and a list containing the string returned by
@code{format-message}.
-In a format string containing single quotes, curved quotes @t{‘like
-this’} and grave quotes @t{`like this'} work better than straight
-quotes @t{'like this'}, as @code{error} typically formats every
-straight quote as a curved closing quote.
+A format that quotes with grave accents and apostrophes @t{`like
+this'} typically generates curved quotes @t{‘like this’}. In
+contrast, a format that quotes with only apostrophes @t{'like this'}
+typically generates two closing curved quotes @t{’like this’}, an
+unusual style in English. @xref{Keys in Documentation}, for how the
+@code{text-quoting-style} variable affects generated quotes.
@strong{Warning:} If you want to use your own string as an error message
verbatim, don't just write @code{(error @var{string})}. If @var{string}
The string is also added to the @file{*Messages*} buffer, but without
text properties (@pxref{Logging Messages}).
-In a format string containing single quotes, curved quotes @t{‘like
-this’} and grave quotes @t{`like this'} work better than straight
-quotes @t{'like this'}, as @code{message} typically formats every
-straight quote as a curved closing quote.
+A format that quotes with grave accents and apostrophes @t{`like
+this'} typically generates curved quotes @t{‘like this’}. In
+contrast, a format that quotes with only apostrophes @t{'like this'}
+typically generates two closing curved quotes @t{’like this’}, an
+unusual style in English. @xref{Keys in Documentation}, for how the
+@code{text-quoting-style} variable affects generated quotes.
In batch mode, the message is printed to the standard error stream,
followed by a newline.
@item ‘
@itemx `
(left single quotation mark and grave accent) both stand for a left quote.
+This generates a left single quotation mark, an apostrophe, or a grave
+accent depending on the value of @code{text-quoting-style}.
@item ’
@itemx '
(right single quotation mark and apostrophe) both stand for a right quote.
+This generates a right single quotation mark or an apostrophe
+depending on the value of @code{text-quoting-style}.
@item \=
quotes the following character and is discarded; thus, @samp{\=`} puts
This function acts like @code{format}, except it also converts any
curved single quotes in @var{string} as per the value of
@code{text-quoting-style}, and treats grave accent (@t{`}) and
-apostrophe (@t{'}) as if they were curved single quotes. @xref{Keys
-in Documentation}.
+apostrophe (@t{'}) as if they were curved single quotes.
+
+A format that quotes with grave accents and apostrophes @t{`like
+this'} typically generates curved quotes @t{‘like this’}. In
+contrast, a format that quotes with only apostrophes @t{'like this'}
+typically generates two closing curved quotes @t{’like this’}, an
+unusual style in English. @xref{Keys in Documentation}, for how the
+@code{text-quoting-style} variable affects generated quotes.
@end defun
@cindex @samp{%} in format
;; Signal a compile-error if the first arg is missing.
(defun error (&rest args)
- "Signal an error, making error message by passing all args to `format'.
+ "Signal an error, making a message by passing args to `format-message'.
In Emacs, the convention is that error messages start with a capital
letter but *do not* end with a period. Please follow this convention
-for the sake of consistency."
+for the sake of consistency.
+
+Note: (error \"%s\" VALUE) makes the message VALUE without
+interpreting format characters like `%', `\\=`', and `\\=''."
(declare (advertised-calling-convention (string &rest args) "23.1"))
(signal 'error (list (apply #'format-message args))))
(defun user-error (format &rest args)
- "Signal a pilot error, making error message by passing all args to `format'.
+ "Signal a pilot error, making a message by passing args to `format-message'.
In Emacs, the convention is that error messages start with a capital
letter but *do not* end with a period. Please follow this convention
for the sake of consistency.
This is just like `error' except that `user-error's are expected to be the
result of an incorrect manipulation on the part of the user, rather than the
-result of an actual problem."
+result of an actual problem.
+
+Note: (user-error \"%s\" VALUE) makes the message VALUE without
+interpreting format characters like `%', `\\=`', and `\\=''."
(signal 'user-error (list (apply #'format-message format args))))
(defun define-error (name message &optional parent)
{
/* `args' will contain the array of arguments to pass to the function.
`visargs' will contain the same list but in a nicer form, so that if we
- pass it to `Fformat' it will be understandable to a human. */
+ pass it to `Fformat_message' it will be understandable to a human. */
Lisp_Object *args, *visargs;
Lisp_Object specs;
Lisp_Object filter_specs;
ignored %s and %c conversions. (See below for the detailed documentation of
what is supported.) However, this is okay, as this function is supposed to
be called from `error' and similar functions, and thus does not need to
- support features beyond those in `Fformat', which is used by `error' on the
- Lisp level. */
+ support features beyond those in `Fformat_message', which is used
+ by `error' on the Lisp level. */
/* In the FORMAT argument this function supports ` and ' as directives
that output left and right quotes as per ‘text-quoting style’. It
also supports the following %-sequences:
%s means print a string argument.
- %S is silently treated as %s, for loose compatibility with `Fformat'.
+ %S is treated as %s, for loose compatibility with `Fformat_message'.
%d means print a `signed int' argument in decimal.
%o means print an `unsigned int' argument in octal.
%x means print an `unsigned int' argument in hex.
followed by a newline.
The first argument is a format control string, and the rest are data
-to be formatted under control of the string. See `format' for details.
+to be formatted under control of the string. See `format-message' for
+details.
-Note: Use (message "%s" VALUE) to print the value of expressions and
-variables to avoid accidentally interpreting `%' as format specifiers.
+Note: (message "%s" VALUE) displays the string VALUE without
+interpreting format characters like `%', `\\=`', and `\\=''.
If the first argument is nil or the empty string, the function clears
any existing message; this lets the minibuffer contents show. See
doc: /* Display a message, in a dialog box if possible.
If a dialog box is not available, use the echo area.
The first argument is a format control string, and the rest are data
-to be formatted under control of the string. See `format' for details.
+to be formatted under control of the string. See `format-message' for
+details.
If the first argument is nil or the empty string, clear any existing
message; let the minibuffer contents show.
`use-dialog-box' is non-nil.
Otherwise, use the echo area.
The first argument is a format control string, and the rest are data
-to be formatted under control of the string. See `format' for details.
+to be formatted under control of the string. See `format-message' for
+details.
If the first argument is nil or the empty string, clear any existing
message; let the minibuffer contents show.