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[Emacs-diffs] emacs-25 f8208b6: Document the user-level features of the
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From: |
Eli Zaretskii |
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Subject: |
[Emacs-diffs] emacs-25 f8208b6: Document the user-level features of the Xref package |
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Date: |
Sat, 09 Jan 2016 19:14:29 +0000 |
branch: emacs-25
commit f8208b69192359a97735d461f05060f6579df0f2
Author: Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden>
Commit: Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden>
Document the user-level features of the Xref package
* doc/emacs/maintaining.texi (Maintaining): Add a list of
described features.
(Xref): New section, made out of thoroughly rewritten "Tags"
section.
(Find Identifiers, Looking Up Identifiers, Xref Commands)
(Identifier Search, List Identifiers): New subsections,
incorporating the old tags commands and the new xref commands.
(Tags Tables, Tag Syntax, Create Tags Table, Etags Regexps):
Section and subsections demoted to a lower level.
* doc/emacs/search.texi (Search):
* doc/emacs/windows.texi (Pop Up Window):
* doc/emacs/frames.texi (Creating Frames):
* doc/emacs/programs.texi (Imenu, Symbol Completion):
* doc/emacs/building.texi (Grep Searching):
* doc/emacs/dired.texi (Operating on Files):
* doc/emacs/glossary.texi (Glossary): All references to tags changed.
---
doc/emacs/building.texi | 4 +-
doc/emacs/dired.texi | 8 +-
doc/emacs/emacs.texi | 22 +-
doc/emacs/frames.texi | 6 +-
doc/emacs/glossary.texi | 2 +-
doc/emacs/maintaining.texi | 647 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
doc/emacs/programs.texi | 6 +-
doc/emacs/search.texi | 8 +-
doc/emacs/windows.texi | 5 +-
etc/NEWS | 3 +-
10 files changed, 449 insertions(+), 262 deletions(-)
diff --git a/doc/emacs/building.texi b/doc/emacs/building.texi
index 3a12795..3fa89d9 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/building.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/building.texi
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ that specifies how to run @command{grep}. Use the same
arguments you
would give @command{grep} when running it normally: a @command{grep}-style
regexp (usually in single-quotes to quote the shell's special
characters) followed by file names, which may use wildcards. If you
-specify a prefix argument for @kbd{M-x grep}, it finds the tag
-(@pxref{Tags}) in the buffer around point, and puts that into the
+specify a prefix argument for @kbd{M-x grep}, it finds the identifier
+(@pxref{Xref}) in the buffer around point, and puts that into the
default @command{grep} command.
Your command need not simply run @command{grep}; you can use any shell
diff --git a/doc/emacs/dired.texi b/doc/emacs/dired.texi
index f3211b5..855e653 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/dired.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/dired.texi
@@ -785,8 +785,8 @@ Search all the specified files for the regular expression
@var{regexp}
(@code{dired-do-search}).
This command is a variant of @code{tags-search}. The search stops at
-the first match it finds; use @kbd{M-,} to resume the search and find
-the next match. @xref{Tags Search}.
+the first match it finds; use @kbd{M-x tags-loop-continue} to resume
+the search and find the next match. @xref{Identifier Search}.
@kindex Q @r{(Dired)}
@findex dired-do-query-replace-regexp
@@ -797,8 +797,8 @@ replacing matches for @var{regexp} with the string
@var{to} (@code{dired-do-query-replace-regexp}).
This command is a variant of @code{tags-query-replace}. If you exit the
-query replace loop, you can use @kbd{M-,} to resume the scan and replace
-more matches. @xref{Tags Search}.
+query replace loop, you can use @kbd{M-x tags-loop-continue} to resume
+the scan and replace more matches. @xref{Identifier Search}.
@end table
@node Shell Commands in Dired
diff --git a/doc/emacs/emacs.texi b/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
index 53b689f..5ef9385 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/emacs.texi
@@ -788,8 +788,8 @@ Maintaining Large Programs
* Version Control:: Using version control systems.
* Change Log:: Maintaining a change history for your program.
-* Tags:: Go directly to any function in your program in one
- command. Tags remembers which file it is in.
+* Xref:: Find definitions and references of any function,
+ method, struct, macro, @dots{} in your program.
* EDE:: An integrated development environment for Emacs.
@ifnottex
* Emerge:: A convenient way of merging two versions of a program.
@@ -861,15 +861,25 @@ Change Logs
* Change Log Commands:: Commands for editing change log files.
* Format of ChangeLog:: What the change log file looks like.
+Xref
+
+* Find Identifiers:: Commands to find where an identifier is defined
+ or referenced, to list identifiers, etc.
+* Tags Tables:: Tags table records which file defines a symbol.
+* Select Tags Table:: How to visit a specific tags table.
+
+Find Identifiers
+
+* Looking Up Identifiers:: Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
+* Xref Commands:: Commands in the @file{*xref*} buffer.
+* Identifier Search:: Searching and replacing identifiers.
+* List Identifiers:: Listing identifiers and completing on them.
+
Tags Tables
* Tag Syntax:: Tag syntax for various types of code and text files.
* Create Tags Table:: Creating a tags table with @command{etags}.
* Etags Regexps:: Create arbitrary tags using regular expressions.
-* Select Tags Table:: How to visit a tags table.
-* Find Tag:: Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
-* Tags Search:: Using a tags table for searching and replacing.
-* List Tags:: Using tags for completion, and listing them.
@ifnottex
Merging Files with Emerge
diff --git a/doc/emacs/frames.texi b/doc/emacs/frames.texi
index a048997..5fbe0fc 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/frames.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/frames.texi
@@ -416,9 +416,9 @@ Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
@code{compose-mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of
@kbd{C-x m}. @xref{Sending Mail}.
@item C-x 5 .
-Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
address@hidden, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
address@hidden
+Find the definition of an identifier in another frame. This runs
address@hidden, the multiple-frame variant
+of @kbd{M-.}. @xref{Xref}.
@item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
@kindex C-x 5 r
@findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
diff --git a/doc/emacs/glossary.texi b/doc/emacs/glossary.texi
index 4b9832f..bce97da 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/glossary.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/glossary.texi
@@ -1329,7 +1329,7 @@ indentation or completion.
@anchor{Glossary---Tags Table}
@item Tags Table
A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function
-definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}.
+definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags Tables}.
@item Termscript File
A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to
diff --git a/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi b/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
index 7b72e66..8842b8e 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
@@ -5,17 +5,42 @@
@node Maintaining
@chapter Maintaining Large Programs
- This chapter describes Emacs features for maintaining large
-programs. If you are maintaining a large Lisp program, then in
-addition to the features described here, you may find
-the Emacs Lisp Regression Testing (ERT) library useful
-(@pxref{Top,,ERT,ert, Emacs Lisp Regression Testing}).
+ This chapter describes Emacs features for maintaining medium- to
+large-size programs and packages. These features include:
+
address@hidden @minus
address@hidden
+Unified interface to Support for Version Control Systems
+(@acronym{VCS}) that record the history of changes to source files.
+
address@hidden
+A specialized mode for maintaining @file{ChangeLog} files that provide
+a chronological log of program changes.
+
address@hidden
address@hidden, a set of commands for displaying definitions of
+symbols (a.k.a.@: ``identifiers'') and their references.
+
address@hidden
address@hidden, the Emacs's own IDE.
+
address@hidden
address@hidden
+A mode for merging changes to program sources made on separate
+branches of development.
address@hidden ifnottex
address@hidden itemize
+
+If you are maintaining a large Lisp program, then in addition to the
+features described here, you may find the Emacs Lisp Regression
+Testing (@acronym{ERT}) library useful (@pxref{Top,,ERT,ert, Emacs
+Lisp Regression Testing}).
@menu
* Version Control:: Using version control systems.
* Change Log:: Maintaining a change history for your program.
-* Tags:: Go directly to any function in your program in one
- command. Tags remembers which file it is in.
+* Xref:: Find definitions and references of any function,
+ method, struct, macro, @dots{} in your program.
* EDE:: An integrated development environment for Emacs.
@ifnottex
* Emerge:: A convenient way of merging two versions of a program.
@@ -1660,16 +1685,370 @@ permitted provided the copyright notice and this
notice are preserved.
@noindent
Of course, you should substitute the proper years and copyright holder.
address@hidden Tags
address@hidden Tags Tables
address@hidden tags and tag tables
address@hidden Xref
address@hidden Find Identifier Definitions and References
address@hidden xref
+
+ An @dfn{identifier} is a syntactic elements of the program: a
+function, a subroutine, a method, a class, a data type, a macro, etc.
+In a programming language, each identifier is a symbol in the
+language's syntax. Many program development tools provide
+capabilities to extract references to identifiers from source files,
+record them on specialized data bases, and then use those data bases
+to quickly find where each identifier was defined and referenced.
+
+Emacs provides a unified user interface to these tools, called
address@hidden The tools supported by @samp{xref} include:
+
address@hidden a
address@hidden
+Some major modes provide built-in means for looking up the language
+symbols. For example, Emacs Lisp symbols can be identified by
+searching the package load history, maintained by the Emacs Lisp
+interpreter, and by consulting the built-in documentation strings; the
+Emacs Lisp mode uses these facilities to find definitions of symbols.
+
address@hidden
+Etags, the command for tagging identifier definitions which is part of
+the Emacs distribution. @xref{Create Tags Table}.
+
address@hidden
address@hidden GLOBAL, the source code tagging system, which provides
+the @command{gtags} command and associated utilities. @xref{Command
+Line, gtags, , global, GNU GLOBAL source code tag system}.
+
address@hidden
+Cscope (@uref{http://cscope.sourceforge.net/}, a tool for browsing
+source code.
+
address@hidden
address@hidden IDUtils, a package for generating databases of
+identifier references and querying those databases. @xref{Top,,,
+idutils, ID database utilities}.
+
address@hidden
+Grep, the venerable program that searches files for lines matching
+patterns. @xref{Invoking,,, grep, GNU Grep Manual}.
address@hidden enumerate
+
address@hidden
+Additional tools could be supported as they become available, or as
+user extensions. Each such tool is used as a @dfn{backend} by
+commands described in this section. Each command detects which
+backends are available for the current major mode, and uses the most
+capable of the available backends, with Grep generally serving as the
+fall-back backend.
+
address@hidden tag
+The commands described here are useful for finding references in major
+modes other than those defined to support programming languages. For
+example, chapters, sections, appendices, etc. of a text or a @TeX{}
+document can be treated as identifiers as well. In this chapter, we
+collectively refer to a reference that specifies the name of the file
+where the corresponding subunit is defined, and the position of the
+subunit's definition in that file, as a @dfn{tag}. We refer to the
+backends used by @code{xref} as @dfn{tagging backends}.
+
address@hidden
+* Find Identifiers:: Commands to find where an identifier is defined
+ or referenced, to list identifiers, etc.
+* Tags Tables:: Tags table records which file defines a symbol.
+* Select Tags Table:: How to visit a specific tags table.
address@hidden menu
+
address@hidden Find Identifiers
address@hidden Find Identifiers
+
+ This subsection describes the commands that use the tagging backends
+in order to find definitions of identifiers, references to
+identifiers, and perform various queries about identifiers. With most
+backends, these definitions and references were recorded as tags in
+the database created and maintained by the backend.
+
address@hidden
+* Looking Up Identifiers:: Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
+* Xref Commands:: Commands in the @file{*xref*} buffer.
+* Identifier Search:: Searching and replacing identifiers.
+* List Identifiers:: Listing identifiers and completing on them.
address@hidden menu
+
address@hidden Looking Up Identifiers
address@hidden Looking Up Identifiers
address@hidden find definition of symbols
address@hidden identifier, finding definition of
address@hidden find references to symbols
+
+ The most important thing that @code{xref} enables you to do is to find
+the definition of a specific identifier.
+
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden M-.@:
+Find definitions of an identifier (@code{xref-find-definitions}).
address@hidden C-M-. @var{pattern} @key{RET}
+Find all identifiers whose name matches @var{pattern}
+(@code{xref-find-apropos}).
address@hidden C-x 4 .@: @key{RET}
+Find definitions of identifier, but display it in another window
+(@code{xref-find-definitions-other-window}).
address@hidden C-x 5 .@: @key{RET}
+Find definition of identifier, and display it in a new frame
+(@code{xref-find-definitions-other-frame}).
address@hidden M-,
+Pop back to where you previously invoked @kbd{M-.} and friends
+(@code{xref-pop-marker-stack}).
address@hidden table
+
address@hidden M-.
address@hidden xref-find-definitions
+ @kbd{M-.}@: (@code{xref-find-definitions}) shows the definitions of
+the identifier at point. With a prefix argument, or if there's no
+valid identifier at point, it prompts for the identifier. If the
+identifier has only one definition, the command jumps to it. If the
+identifier has more than one possible definition (e.g., in an
+object-oriented language, or if there's a function and a variable by
+the same name), the command shows the candidate definitions in a
address@hidden buffer, together with the files in which these
+definitions are found. Selecting one of these candidates by typing
address@hidden@key{RET}} or clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} will pop a buffer showing
+the corresponding definition.
+
+ When entering the identifier argument to @kbd{M-.}, the usual
+minibuffer completion commands can be used (@pxref{Completion}), with
+the known identifier names as completion candidates.
- A @dfn{tag} is a reference to a subunit in a program or in a
-document. In source code, tags reference syntactic elements of the
-program: functions, subroutines, data types, macros, etc. In a
-document, tags reference chapters, sections, appendices, etc. Each
-tag specifies the name of the file where the corresponding subunit is
-defined, and the position of the subunit's definition in that file.
address@hidden C-x 4 .
address@hidden xref-find-definitions-other-window
address@hidden C-x 5 .
address@hidden xref-find-definitions-other-frame
+ Like most commands that can switch buffers,
address@hidden has a variant that displays the new
+buffer in another window, and one that makes a new frame for it. The
+former is @address@hidden 4 .}}
+(@code{xref-find-definitions-other-window}), and the latter is
address@hidden@kbd{C-x 5 .}} (@code{xref-find-definitions-other-frame}).
+
address@hidden xref-find-apropos
address@hidden C-M-.
+ The command @kbd{C-M-.} (@code{xref-find-apropos}) finds the
+definitions of one or more identifiers that match a specified regular
+expression. It is just like @kbd{M-.} except that it does regexp
+matching of identifiers instead of symbol name matching.
+
+ When any of the above commands finds more than one definition, it
+presents the @file{*xref*} buffer showing the definition candidates.
+In that buffer, you have several specialized commands, described in
address@hidden Commands}.
+
address@hidden M-,
address@hidden xref-pop-marker-stack
address@hidden xref-marker-ring-length
+ To go back to places @emph{from where} you found the definition,
+use @kbd{M-,} (@code{xref-pop-marker-stack}). It jumps back to the
+point of the last invocation of @kbd{M-.}. Thus you can find and
+examine the definition of something with @kbd{M-.} and then return to
+where you were with @kbd{M-,}. @kbd{M-,} allows you to retrace your
+steps to a depth determined by the variable
address@hidden, which defaults to 16.
+
address@hidden Xref Commands
address@hidden Commands Available in the @file{*xref*} Buffer
address@hidden commands in @file{*xref*} buffers
address@hidden XREF mode
+
+ The following commands are provided in the @file{*xref*} buffer by
+the special XREF mode:
+
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden @key{RET}
address@hidden Mouse-2
+Display the reference on the current line and bury the @file{*xref*}
+buffer.
address@hidden n
address@hidden .
address@hidden xref-next-line
+Move to the next reference and display it in the other window
+(@code{xref-next-line}).
address@hidden p
address@hidden ,
address@hidden xref-prev-line
+Move to the previous reference and display it in the other window
+(@code{xref-prev-line}).
address@hidden C-o
address@hidden xref-show-location-at-point
+Display the reference on the current line in the other window
+(@code{xref-show-location-at-point}).
address@hidden xref-query-replace
address@hidden r @var{pattern} @key{RET} @var{replacement} @key{RET}
+Perform interactive query-replace on references that match
address@hidden (@code{xref-query-replace}), replacing the match with
address@hidden @xref{Identifier Search}.
address@hidden xref-quit
address@hidden q
+Quit the window showing the @file{*xref*} buffer (@code{xref-quit}).
address@hidden table
+
+In addition, the usual navigation commands, such as the arrow keys,
address@hidden, and @kbd{C-p} are available for moving around the buffer
+without displaying the references.
+
address@hidden Identifier Search
address@hidden Searching and Replacing with Identifiers
address@hidden search and replace in multiple files
address@hidden multiple-file search and replace
+
+ The commands in this section visit and search all the files listed
+in the @code{xref} backend's database, one by one. For these
+commands, the database serves only to specify a sequence of files to
+search. These commands scan all the databases starting with the first
+one (if any) that describes the current file, proceed from there to
+the end of the list, and then scan from the beginning of the list
+until they have covered all the databases in the list.
+
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden M-?
+Find all the references for the identifier at point.
address@hidden M-x xref-query-replace @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
@var{replacement} @key{RET}
+Interactively replace @var{regexp} with @var{replacement} in the names
+of all the identifiers shown in the @file{*xref*} buffer.
address@hidden M-x tags-search @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
+Search for @var{regexp} through the files in the selected tags
+table.
address@hidden M-x tags-query-replace @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
@var{replacement} @key{RET}
+Perform a @code{query-replace-regexp} on each file in the selected tags table.
address@hidden M-x tags-loop-continue
+Restart one of the last 2 commands above, from the current location of point.
address@hidden table
+
address@hidden M-?
address@hidden xref-find-references
+ @kbd{M-?} finds all the references for the identifier at point. If
+there's no valid identifier at point, or when invoked with a prefix
+argument, the command prompts for the identifier, with completion. It
+then presents a @file{*xref*} buffer with all the references to the
+identifier, showing the file name and the line where the identifier is
+referenced. The XREF mode commands are available in this buffer, see
address@hidden Commands}.
+
address@hidden xref-query-replace
+ @kbd{M-x xref-query-replace} reads a regexp to match identifier
+names and a string to replace with, just like ordinary @kbd{M-x
+query-replace-regexp}. It then performs the specified replacement in
+the names of the matching identifiers in all the places in all the
+files where these identifiers are referenced. This is useful when you
+rename your identifiers as part of refactoring. This command should
+be invoked in the @file{*xref*} buffer generated by @code{M-?}.
+
address@hidden tags-search
+ @kbd{M-x tags-search} reads a regexp using the minibuffer, then
+searches for matches in all the files in the selected tags table, one
+file at a time. It displays the name of the file being searched so
+you can follow its progress. As soon as it finds an occurrence,
address@hidden returns. This command works only with the etags
+backend, and requires tags tables to be available (@pxref{Tags
+Tables}).
+
address@hidden tags-loop-continue
+ Having found one match, you probably want to find all the rest.
+Type @kbd{M-x tags-loop-continue}) to resume the @code{tags-search},
+finding one more match. This searches the rest of the current buffer,
+followed by the remaining files of the tags table.
+
address@hidden tags-query-replace
+ @kbd{M-x tags-query-replace} performs a single
address@hidden through all the files in the tags table. It
+reads a regexp to search for and a string to replace with, just like
+ordinary @kbd{M-x query-replace-regexp}. It searches much like @kbd{M-x
+tags-search}, but repeatedly, processing matches according to your
+input. @xref{Query Replace}, for more information on query replace.
+This command works only with the etags backend.
+
address@hidden tags-case-fold-search
address@hidden case-sensitivity and tags search
+ You can control the case-sensitivity of tags search commands by
+customizing the value of the variable @code{tags-case-fold-search}. The
+default is to use the same setting as the value of
address@hidden (@pxref{Lax Search}).
+
+ It is possible to get through all the files in the tags table with a
+single invocation of @kbd{M-x tags-query-replace}. But often it is
+useful to exit temporarily, which you can do with any input event that
+has no special query replace meaning. You can resume the query
+replace subsequently by typing @kbd{M-x tags-loop-continue}; this
+command resumes the last tags search or replace command that you did.
+For instance, to skip the rest of the current file, you can type
address@hidden> M-x tags-loop-continue}.
+
+ The commands in this section carry out much broader searches than
+the @code{xref-find-definitions} family. The
address@hidden commands search only for definitions of
+identifiers that match your string or regexp. The commands
address@hidden and @code{tags-query-replace} find every occurrence
+of the regexp, as ordinary search commands and replace commands do in
+the current buffer.
+
+ As an alternative to @code{tags-search}, you can run @command{grep}
+as a subprocess and have Emacs show you the matching lines one by one.
address@hidden Searching}.
+
address@hidden List Identifiers
address@hidden Identifier Inquiries
+
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden C-M-i
address@hidden address@hidden
+Perform completion on the text around point, using the @code{xref}
+backend if one is available (@code{completion-at-point}).
address@hidden M-x list-tags @key{RET} @var{file} @key{RET}
+Display a list of the tags defined in the program file @var{file}.
address@hidden M-x xref-find-apropos @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
+Display a list of all known identifiers matching @var{regexp}.
address@hidden table
+
address@hidden completion (symbol names)
+ In most programming language modes, you can type @kbd{C-M-i} or
address@hidden@key{TAB}} (@code{completion-at-point}) to complete the symbol
+at point. If there is an @code{xref} backend available, this command
+can use it to generate completion candidates more intelligently.
address@hidden Completion}.
+
address@hidden list-tags
+ @kbd{M-x list-tags} reads the name of one of the files covered by
+the selected tags table, and displays a list of tags defined in that
+file. Do not include a directory as part of the file name unless the
+file name recorded in the tags table includes a directory. This
+command works only with the etags backend, and requires a tags table
+for the project to be available. @xref{Tags Tables}.
+
address@hidden Sadly, the new-and-improved Xref feature doesn't provide anything
address@hidden close to the described below features of the now-obsoleted
address@hidden tags-apropos. I'm leaving this here to encourage enhancements to
address@hidden xref.el.
address@hidden
address@hidden tags-apropos
address@hidden tags-apropos-verbose
address@hidden tags-tag-face
address@hidden tags-apropos-additional-actions
+ @kbd{M-x tags-apropos} is like @code{apropos} for tags
+(@pxref{Apropos}). It displays a list of tags in the selected tags
+table whose entries match @var{regexp}. If the variable
address@hidden is address@hidden, it displays the names
+of the tags files together with the tag names. You can customize the
+appearance of the output by setting the variable @code{tags-tag-face}
+to a face. You can display additional output by customizing the
+variable @code{tags-apropos-additional-actions}; see its documentation
+for details.
address@hidden ignore
+
address@hidden next-file
+ @kbd{M-x next-file} visits files covered by the selected tags table.
+The first time it is called, it visits the first file covered by the
+table. Each subsequent call visits the next covered file, unless a
+prefix argument is supplied, in which case it returns to the first
+file. This command works only with the etags backend.
+
address@hidden Tags Tables
address@hidden Tags Tables
address@hidden tags and tag tables
A @dfn{tags table} records the tags extracted by scanning the source
code of a certain program or a certain document. Tags extracted from
@@ -1685,12 +2064,14 @@ source files.
on a document or the source code file. The @samp{etags} program
writes the tags to a @dfn{tags table file}, or @dfn{tags file} in
short. The conventional name for a tags file is @address@hidden
address@hidden Tags Table}.
address@hidden Tags Table}. (It is also possible to create a tags table
+by using one of the commands from other packages that can produce such
+tables in the same format.)
- Emacs provides many commands for searching and replacing using the
-information recorded in tags tables. For instance, the @kbd{M-.}
-(@code{find-tag}) jumps to the location of a specified function
-definition in its source file. @xref{Find Tag}.
+ Emacs uses the tags tables via the @code{etags} package as one of
+the supported backends for @code{xref}. Because tags tables are
+produced by the @command{etags} command that is part of an Emacs
+distribution, we describe tags tables in more detail here.
@cindex C++ class browser, tags
@cindex tags, C++
@@ -1706,14 +2087,10 @@ use tags, separate from the @command{etags} facility.
* Tag Syntax:: Tag syntax for various types of code and text files.
* Create Tags Table:: Creating a tags table with @command{etags}.
* Etags Regexps:: Create arbitrary tags using regular expressions.
-* Select Tags Table:: How to visit a tags table.
-* Find Tag:: Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
-* Tags Search:: Using a tags table for searching and replacing.
-* List Tags:: Using tags for completion, and listing them.
@end menu
@node Tag Syntax
address@hidden Source File Tag Syntax
address@hidden Source File Tag Syntax
Here is how tag syntax is defined for the most popular languages:
@@ -1883,13 +2260,17 @@ line.
@item
In Python code, @code{def} or @code{class} at the beginning of a line
generate a tag.
+
address@hidden
+In Ruby code, @code{def} or @code{class} or @code{module} at the
+beginning of a line generate a tag.
@end itemize
You can also generate tags based on regexp matching (@pxref{Etags
Regexps}) to handle other formats and languages.
@node Create Tags Table
address@hidden Creating Tags Tables
address@hidden Creating Tags Tables
@cindex @command{etags} program
The @command{etags} program is used to create a tags table file. It knows
@@ -1946,7 +2327,7 @@ source files, and the tags file will still refer
correctly to the source
files. If the tags file is @file{-} or is in the @file{/dev} directory,
however, the file names are
made relative to the current working directory. This is useful, for
-example, when writing the tags to @file{/dev/stdout}.
+example, when writing the tags to the standard output.
When using a relative file name, it should not be a symbolic link
pointing to a tags file in a different directory, because this would
@@ -1992,7 +2373,7 @@ options, it outputs detailed information about how tags
are generated for
@var{lang}.
@node Etags Regexps
address@hidden Etags Regexps
address@hidden Etags Regexps
The @samp{--regex} option to @command{etags} allows tags to be
recognized by regular expression matching. You can intermix this
@@ -2151,7 +2532,7 @@ etags --language=none \
@subsection Selecting a Tags Table
@findex visit-tags-table
- Emacs has at any time one @dfn{selected} tags table. All the
+ Emacs has at any time at most one @dfn{selected} tags table. All the
commands for working with tags tables use the selected one. To select
a tags table, type @kbd{M-x visit-tags-table}, which reads the tags
table file name as an argument, with @file{TAGS} in the default
@@ -2192,212 +2573,6 @@ table mentions that file, as explained above.
Do not set both @code{tags-file-name} and @code{tags-table-list}.
address@hidden Find Tag
address@hidden Finding a Tag
-
- The most important thing that a tags table enables you to do is to find
-the definition of a specific tag.
-
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden M-.@: @var{tag} @key{RET}
-Find first definition of @var{tag} (@code{find-tag}).
address@hidden C-u M-.
-Find next alternate definition of last tag specified.
address@hidden C-u - M-.
-Go back to previous tag found.
address@hidden C-M-. @var{pattern} @key{RET}
-Find a tag whose name matches @var{pattern} (@code{find-tag-regexp}).
address@hidden C-u C-M-.
-Find the next tag whose name matches the last pattern used.
address@hidden C-x 4 .@: @var{tag} @key{RET}
-Find first definition of @var{tag}, but display it in another window
-(@code{find-tag-other-window}).
address@hidden C-x 5 .@: @var{tag} @key{RET}
-Find first definition of @var{tag}, and create a new frame to select the
-buffer (@code{find-tag-other-frame}).
address@hidden M-*
-Pop back to where you previously invoked @kbd{M-.} and friends.
address@hidden table
-
address@hidden M-.
address@hidden find-tag
- @kbd{M-.}@: (@code{find-tag}) prompts for a tag name and jumps to
-its source definition. It works by searching through the tags table
-for that tag's file and approximate character position, visiting that
-file, and searching for the tag definition at ever-increasing
-distances away from the recorded approximate position.
-
- When entering the tag argument to @kbd{M-.}, the usual minibuffer
-completion commands can be used (@pxref{Completion}), with the tag
-names in the selected tags table as completion candidates. If you
-specify an empty argument, the balanced expression in the buffer
-before or around point is the default argument. @xref{Expressions}.
-
- You don't need to give @kbd{M-.} the full name of the tag; a part
-will do. @kbd{M-.} finds tags which contain that argument as a
-substring. However, it prefers an exact match to a substring match.
-To find other tags that match the same substring, give @code{find-tag}
-a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u M-.} or @kbd{M-0 M-.}; this does
-not read a tag name, but continues searching the tags table's text for
-another tag containing the same substring last used.
-
address@hidden C-x 4 .
address@hidden find-tag-other-window
address@hidden C-x 5 .
address@hidden find-tag-other-frame
- Like most commands that can switch buffers, @code{find-tag} has a
-variant that displays the new buffer in another window, and one that
-makes a new frame for it. The former is @address@hidden 4 .}}
-(@code{find-tag-other-window}), and the latter is @address@hidden 5 .}}
-(@code{find-tag-other-frame}).
-
- To move back to previous tag definitions, use @kbd{C-u - M-.}; more
-generally, @kbd{M-.} with a negative numeric argument. Similarly,
address@hidden@kbd{C-x 4 .}} with a negative argument finds the previous tag
-location in another window.
-
address@hidden M-*
address@hidden pop-tag-mark
address@hidden find-tag-marker-ring-length
- As well as going back to places you've found tags recently, you can
-go back to places @emph{from where} you found them, using @kbd{M-*}
-(@code{pop-tag-mark}). Thus you can find and examine the definition
-of something with @kbd{M-.} and then return to where you were with
address@hidden
-
- Both @kbd{C-u - M-.} and @kbd{M-*} allow you to retrace your steps to
-a depth determined by the variable @code{find-tag-marker-ring-length}.
-
address@hidden find-tag-regexp
address@hidden C-M-.
- The command @kbd{C-M-.} (@code{find-tag-regexp}) visits the tags that
-match a specified regular expression. It is just like @kbd{M-.} except
-that it does regexp matching instead of substring matching.
-
address@hidden Tags Search
address@hidden Searching and Replacing with Tags Tables
address@hidden search and replace in multiple files
address@hidden multiple-file search and replace
-
- The commands in this section visit and search all the files listed
-in the selected tags table, one by one. For these commands, the tags
-table serves only to specify a sequence of files to search. These
-commands scan the list of tags tables starting with the first tags
-table (if any) that describes the current file, proceed from there to
-the end of the list, and then scan from the beginning of the list
-until they have covered all the tables in the list.
-
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden M-x tags-search @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
-Search for @var{regexp} through the files in the selected tags
-table.
address@hidden M-x tags-query-replace @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
@var{replacement} @key{RET}
-Perform a @code{query-replace-regexp} on each file in the selected tags table.
address@hidden M-,
-Restart one of the commands above, from the current location of point
-(@code{tags-loop-continue}).
address@hidden table
-
address@hidden tags-search
- @kbd{M-x tags-search} reads a regexp using the minibuffer, then
-searches for matches in all the files in the selected tags table, one
-file at a time. It displays the name of the file being searched so you
-can follow its progress. As soon as it finds an occurrence,
address@hidden returns.
-
address@hidden M-,
address@hidden tags-loop-continue
- Having found one match, you probably want to find all the rest.
-Type @kbd{M-,} (@code{tags-loop-continue}) to resume the
address@hidden, finding one more match. This searches the rest of
-the current buffer, followed by the remaining files of the tags table.
-
address@hidden tags-query-replace
- @kbd{M-x tags-query-replace} performs a single
address@hidden through all the files in the tags table. It
-reads a regexp to search for and a string to replace with, just like
-ordinary @kbd{M-x query-replace-regexp}. It searches much like @kbd{M-x
-tags-search}, but repeatedly, processing matches according to your
-input. @xref{Query Replace}, for more information on query replace.
-
address@hidden tags-case-fold-search
address@hidden case-sensitivity and tags search
- You can control the case-sensitivity of tags search commands by
-customizing the value of the variable @code{tags-case-fold-search}. The
-default is to use the same setting as the value of
address@hidden (@pxref{Lax Search}).
-
- It is possible to get through all the files in the tags table with a
-single invocation of @kbd{M-x tags-query-replace}. But often it is
-useful to exit temporarily, which you can do with any input event that
-has no special query replace meaning. You can resume the query
-replace subsequently by typing @kbd{M-,}; this command resumes the
-last tags search or replace command that you did. For instance, to
-skip the rest of the current file, you can type @kbd{M-> M-,}.
-
- The commands in this section carry out much broader searches than the
address@hidden family. The @code{find-tag} commands search only for
-definitions of tags that match your substring or regexp. The commands
address@hidden and @code{tags-query-replace} find every occurrence
-of the regexp, as ordinary search commands and replace commands do in
-the current buffer.
-
- These commands create buffers only temporarily for the files that they
-have to search (those which are not already visited in Emacs buffers).
-Buffers in which no match is found are quickly killed; the others
-continue to exist.
-
- As an alternative to @code{tags-search}, you can run @command{grep}
-as a subprocess and have Emacs show you the matching lines one by one.
address@hidden Searching}.
-
address@hidden List Tags
address@hidden Tags Table Inquiries
-
address@hidden @kbd
address@hidden C-M-i
address@hidden address@hidden
-Perform completion on the text around point, using the selected tags
-table if one is loaded (@code{completion-at-point}).
address@hidden M-x list-tags @key{RET} @var{file} @key{RET}
-Display a list of the tags defined in the program file @var{file}.
address@hidden M-x tags-apropos @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET}
-Display a list of all tags matching @var{regexp}.
address@hidden table
-
address@hidden completion (symbol names)
- In most programming language modes, you can type @kbd{C-M-i} or
address@hidden@key{TAB}} (@code{completion-at-point}) to complete the symbol
-at point. If there is a selected tags table, this command can use it
-to generate completion candidates. @xref{Symbol Completion}.
-
address@hidden list-tags
- @kbd{M-x list-tags} reads the name of one of the files covered by
-the selected tags table, and displays a list of tags defined in that
-file. Do not include a directory as part of the file name unless the
-file name recorded in the tags table includes a directory.
-
address@hidden tags-apropos
address@hidden tags-apropos-verbose
address@hidden tags-tag-face
address@hidden tags-apropos-additional-actions
- @kbd{M-x tags-apropos} is like @code{apropos} for tags
-(@pxref{Apropos}). It displays a list of tags in the selected tags
-table whose entries match @var{regexp}. If the variable
address@hidden is address@hidden, it displays the names
-of the tags files together with the tag names. You can customize the
-appearance of the output by setting the variable @code{tags-tag-face}
-to a face. You can display additional output by customizing the
-variable @code{tags-apropos-additional-actions}; see its documentation
-for details.
-
address@hidden next-file
- @kbd{M-x next-file} visits files covered by the selected tags table.
-The first time it is called, it visits the first file covered by the
-table. Each subsequent call visits the next covered file, unless a
-prefix argument is supplied, in which case it returns to the first
-file.
-
@node EDE
@section Emacs Development Environment
@cindex EDE (Emacs Development Environment)
diff --git a/doc/emacs/programs.texi b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
index 97c74a9..e4bd85c 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/programs.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/programs.texi
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ bindings for that purpose.
The Imenu facility offers a way to find the major definitions in
a file by name. It is also useful in text formatter major modes,
where it treats each chapter, section, etc., as a definition.
-(@xref{Tags}, for a more powerful feature that handles multiple files
+(@xref{Xref}, for a more powerful feature that handles multiple files
together.)
@findex imenu
@@ -1358,7 +1358,7 @@ the @address@hidden key is usually reserved by the window
manager
for switching graphical windows, so you should type @kbd{C-M-i} or
@address@hidden @key{TAB}} instead.
address@hidden tags-based completion
address@hidden xref-based completion
@findex completion-at-point
@cindex Lisp symbol completion
@cindex completion (Lisp symbols)
@@ -1368,7 +1368,7 @@ which generates its completion list in a flexible way.
If Semantic
mode is enabled, it tries to use the Semantic parser data for
completion (@pxref{Semantic}). If Semantic mode is not enabled or
fails at performing completion, it tries to complete using the
-selected tags table (@pxref{Tags}). If in Emacs Lisp mode, it
+available @code{xref} backend (@pxref{Xref}). If in Emacs Lisp mode, it
performs completion using the function, variable, or property names
defined in the current Emacs session.
diff --git a/doc/emacs/search.texi b/doc/emacs/search.texi
index cc516ec..bef74e3 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/search.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/search.texi
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ a string. Emacs also has commands to replace occurrences
of a string
with a different string. There are also commands that do the same
thing, but search for patterns instead of fixed strings.
- You can also search multiple files under the control of a tags table
-(@pxref{Tags Search}) or through the Dired @kbd{A} command
-(@pxref{Operating on Files}), or ask the @code{grep} program to do it
-(@pxref{Grep Searching}).
+ You can also search multiple files under the control of an
address@hidden backend (@pxref{Identifier Search}) or through the Dired
address@hidden command (@pxref{Operating on Files}), or ask the @code{grep}
+program to do it (@pxref{Grep Searching}).
@menu
* Incremental Search:: Search happens as you type the string.
diff --git a/doc/emacs/windows.texi b/doc/emacs/windows.texi
index cd7d08d..f99234b 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/windows.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/windows.texi
@@ -231,8 +231,9 @@ Mail}), but in another window
(@code{compose-mail-other-window}).
@findex find-tag-other-window
@item C-x 4 .
-Find a tag in the current tags table, similar to @kbd{M-.}
-(@pxref{Tags}), but in another window (@code{find-tag-other-window}).
+Find the definition of an identifier, similar to @kbd{M-.}
+(@pxref{Xref}), but in another window
+(@code{xref-find-definitions-other-window}).
@item C-x 4 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
window (@code{find-file-read-only-other-window}). @xref{Visiting}.
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 0b45087..407d13b 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -938,6 +938,7 @@ New options `tildify-space-string', `tildify-pattern', and
`tildify-ignored-environments-alist' variables (as well as a few
helper functions) obsolete.
++++
** New package Xref replaces Etags's front-end and UI
The new package Xref provides a generic framework and new commands to
@@ -960,7 +961,7 @@ As a result of this, the following commands are now
obsolete:
`find-tag-other-window', `find-tag-other-frame', `find-tag-regexp',
`tags-apropos', and `tags-loop-continue'.
-The framework's API is still experimental and can change in major,
+The framework's Lisp API is still experimental and can change in major,
backward-incompatible ways.
** New package Project
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