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Improve the "Search" chapter of the Emacs manual

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* doc/emacs/search.texi (Regexps, Regexp Backslash): Improve and
clarify wording.
(Search Customizations): Fix a typo.  Reported by Will Korteland
<emacs-devel@korte.land> in emacs-manual-bugs@gnu.org.
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Eli Zaretskii 2018-01-27 12:53:29 +02:00
parent 22f98b31e3
commit 9afc86d1fa
1 changed files with 14 additions and 14 deletions
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doc/emacs/search.texi
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@ -776,16 +776,16 @@ Search}.
@cindex regular expression @cindex regular expression
@cindex regexp @cindex regexp
This manual describes regular expression features that users This section (and this manual in general) describes regular
typically use. @xref{Regular Expressions,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp expression features that users typically use. @xref{Regular
Reference Manual}, for additional features used mainly in Lisp Expressions,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, for additional
programs. features used mainly in Lisp programs.
Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are
special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary
character matches that same character and nothing else. The special character matches that same character and nothing else. The special
characters are @samp{$^.*+?[\}. The character @samp{]} is special if characters are @samp{$^.*+?[\}. The character @samp{]} is special if
it ends a character alternative (see later). The character @samp{-} it ends a character alternative (see below). The character @samp{-}
is special inside a character alternative. Any other character is special inside a character alternative. Any other character
appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\}
precedes it. (When you use regular expressions in a Lisp program, precedes it. (When you use regular expressions in a Lisp program,
@ -803,11 +803,11 @@ of ``the same string'', rather than an exception.)
Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated.
The result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a} The result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a}
matches some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b}
matches the rest of the string. For example, concatenating the matches the rest of the string. As a trivial example, concatenating
regular expressions @samp{f} and @samp{o} gives the regular expression the regular expressions @samp{f} and @samp{o} gives the regular
@samp{fo}, which matches only the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. expression @samp{fo}, which matches only the string @samp{fo}. To do
To do something nontrivial, you need to use one of the special something less trivial, you need to use one of the special characters.
characters. Here is a list of them. Here is a list of them.
@table @asis @table @asis
@item @kbd{.}@: @r{(Period)} @item @kbd{.}@: @r{(Period)}
@ -1025,13 +1025,13 @@ To record a matched substring for future reference.
This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a
parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that is assigned as a parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that is assigned as a
second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. In practice second meaning to the same @w{@samp{\( @dots{} \)}} construct. In practice
there is usually no conflict between the two meanings; when there is there is usually no conflict between the two meanings; when there is
a conflict, you can use a shy group. a conflict, you can use a shy group, described below.
@item \(?: @dots{} \) @item \(?: @dots{} \)
@cindex shy group, in regexp @cindex shy group, in regexp
specifies a shy group that does not record the matched substring; specifies a @dfn{shy group} that does not record the matched substring;
you can't refer back to it with @samp{\@var{d}} (see below). This is you can't refer back to it with @samp{\@var{d}} (see below). This is
useful in mechanically combining regular expressions, so that you can useful in mechanically combining regular expressions, so that you can
add groups for syntactic purposes without interfering with the add groups for syntactic purposes without interfering with the
@ -1908,7 +1908,7 @@ which Emacs will use this display mode. The variable
@code{search-slow-window-lines} controls the number of lines in the @code{search-slow-window-lines} controls the number of lines in the
window Emacs pops up for displaying the search results; the default is window Emacs pops up for displaying the search results; the default is
1 line. Normally, this window will pop up at the bottom of the window 1 line. Normally, this window will pop up at the bottom of the window
that displays the buffer where you start searching, bit if the value that displays the buffer where you start searching, but if the value
of @code{search-slow-window-lines} is negative, that means to put the of @code{search-slow-window-lines} is negative, that means to put the
window at the top and give it the number of lines that is the absolute window at the top and give it the number of lines that is the absolute
value of that value. value of that value.