GNU Info

(elisp)Text Properties

---

Next: Substitution Prev: Case Changes Up: Text

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Text Properties
===============

   Each character position in a buffer or a string can have a "text
property list", much like the property list of a symbol (Note: Property
Lists).  The properties belong to a particular character at a
particular place, such as, the letter `T' at the beginning of this
sentence or the first `o' in `foo'--if the same character occurs in two
different places, the two occurrences generally have different
properties.

   Each property has a name and a value.  Both of these can be any Lisp
object, but the name is normally a symbol.  The usual way to access the
property list is to specify a name and ask what value corresponds to it.

   If a character has a `category' property, we call it the "category"
of the character.  It should be a symbol.  The properties of the symbol
serve as defaults for the properties of the character.

   Copying text between strings and buffers preserves the properties
along with the characters; this includes such diverse functions as
`substring', `insert', and `buffer-substring'.

Examining Properties

Looking at the properties of one character.

Changing Properties

Setting the properties of a range of text.

Property Search

Searching for where a property changes value.

Special Properties

Particular properties with special meanings.

Format Properties

Properties for representing formatting of text.

Sticky Properties

How inserted text gets properties from

neighboring text.

Saving Properties

Saving text properties in files, and reading

them back.

Lazy Properties

Computing text properties in a lazy fashion

only when text is examined.

Clickable Text

Using text properties to make regions of text

do something when you click on them.

Fields

The `field' property defines

fields within the buffer.

Not Intervals

Why text properties do not use

Lisp-visible text intervals.