GNU Info

(emacs)Syntax

---

Next: Init File Prev: Keyboard Translations Up: Customization

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

The Syntax Table
================

   All the Emacs commands which parse words or balance parentheses are
controlled by the "syntax table".  The syntax table says which
characters are opening delimiters, which are parts of words, which are
string quotes, and so on.  It does this by assigning each character to
one of fifteen-odd "syntax classes".  In some cases it specifies some
additional information also.

   Each major mode has its own syntax table (though related major modes
sometimes share one syntax table) which it installs in each buffer that
uses the mode.  The syntax table installed in the current buffer is the
one that all commands use, so we call it "the" syntax table.

   To display a description of the contents of the current syntax
table, type `C-h s' (`describe-syntax').  The description of each
character includes both the string you would have to give to
`modify-syntax-entry' to set up that character's current syntax,
starting with the character which designates its syntax class, plus
some English text to explain its meaning.

   A syntax table is actually a Lisp object, a char-table, whose
elements are cons cells.  For full information on the syntax table, see
Note: Syntax Tables.