Copyright (C) 2000-2012 |
GNU Info (elisp)Standard RegexpsStandard Regular Expressions Used in Editing ============================================ This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions used for certain purposes in editing: - Variable: page-delimiter This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate pages. The default value is `"^\014"' (i.e., `"^^L"' or `"^\C-l"'); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed character. The following two regular expressions should _not_ assume the match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use `^' to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that `^' would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin, they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a `^' would be incorrect. However, a `^' is harmless in modes where a left margin is never used. - Variable: paragraph-separate This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to change `paragraph-start' also.) The default value is `"[ \t\f]*$"', which matches a line that consists entirely of spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin). - Variable: paragraph-start This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line that starts _or_ separates paragraphs. The default value is `"[ \t\n\f]"', which matches a line starting with a space, tab, newline, or form feed (after its left margin). - Variable: sentence-end This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The default value is: "[.?!][]\"')}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark, followed optionally by a closing parenthetical character, followed by tabs, spaces or new lines. For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see Note: Regexp Example. |