Emacs 29 (Released 2023-07)

Emacs NEWS Files

• Emacs NEWS.29
• emacs_NEWS.29.txt

Emoji

New commands for inserting Emoji. They have Ctrl+x 8 e prefix key.

• Emacs: Insert Emoji

describe-mode now shows minor modes list to bottom

describe-mode now shows global minor modes list to bottom.

help-mode now shows keybinding in monospace font and with border.

by default on Microsoft Windows, the monospace font used is bitmap courier. very ugly.

• Emacs Init: Modify Default Face (Font)

new variable major-mode-remap-alist , now easier to remap modes.

• Emacs Init: Set Default Major Mode

help-enable-variable-value-editing

when t, you can edit variable value when using describe-variable.

to edit, press e at the value point.

(setq help-enable-variable-value-editing t)

Alt+x help-quick shows a short cheatlist of keys.

help buffer, type i to jump to emacs/elisp manual e.g. Alt+x describe-function dired, then press i.

Emacs 29 Byte Compile Unescaped Single Quote Warning

• Emacs 29 Byte Compile Unescaped Single Quote Warning

revamp on keybinding functions

• *** where-is-internal can now filter events marked as non key events. If a command maps to a key binding like '[some-event]', and some-event has a symbol plist containing a non-nil non-key-event property, then that binding is ignored by where-is-internal.
• *** New functions for defining and manipulating keystrokes. These all take the syntax defined by key-valid-p, which is basically the same syntax as the one accepted by the 'kbd' macro. None of the older functions have been deprecated or altered, but they are now de-emphasized in the documentation, and we encourage Lisp programs to switch to these new functions.
• new keymap-set • old define-key
• new keymap-global-set • old global-set-key
• new keymap-local-set • old local-set-key
• new keymap-global-unset • old global-unset-key
• new keymap-local-unset • old local-unset-key
• new keymap-substitute • old substitute-key-definition
• new keymap-set-after • old define-key-after
• new keymap-lookup • old lookup-key and key-binding
• new keymap-local-lookup • old local-key-binding
• new keymap-global-lookup • old global-key-binding
• *** define-key now takes an optional REMOVE argument. If non-nil, remove the definition from the keymap. This is subtly different from setting a definition to nil: when the keymap has a parent such a definition will shadow the parent's definition.

• Emacs Keys: Define Key

tree-sitter

• tree-sitter is now part of emacs. it's a parser for text editors. https://tree-sitter.github.io/tree-sitter/

you have to install grammar files.

new modes using tree-sitter:

• typescript-ts-mode
• tsx-ts-mode
• c-ts-mode
• c++-ts-mode
• java-ts-mode
• python-ts-mode
• css-ts-mode
• json-ts-mode
• csharp-ts-mode
• bash-ts-mode
• dockerfile-ts-mode
• cmake-ts-mode
• toml-ts-mode
• go-ts-mode
• go-mod-ts-mode
• yaml-ts-mode
• rust-ts-mode
• ruby-ts-mode

Eglot Interface for Language Server Protocol (LSP)

Eglot package is now part of emacs. eglot. this is mostly for emacs lisp coders to write major modes using LSP.

author is João Távora (aka joaotavora) https://github.com/joaotavora/eglot

misc notes

• use-package now is part of emacs. it is for managing config for packages.

• new functions, for installing packages directly.
• package-vc-install
• package-vc-update
• package-vc-update-all

• new sqlite-mode. works with SQLite database.

• new option -x to run elisp script, sans loading init.
• new option --init-directory

• view image now support webp format
• emacs now support multi-touch touchpads, such as on laptop.

• xtodo merge
• Emacs: Command Line Options
• ELisp: Run Emacs Lisp Script in Shell

• tree-sitter, a fantastic thing, i'll be spending time on it in coming months.
• https://tree-sitter.github.io/tree-sitter/

here's some collection of articles related to it.

• Computer Languages Syntax Parsing for Editor

misc notes

composition-break-at-point

variable. If true, prevent auto-composition of characters around cursor.

This means you can edit composed unicode chars such as emoji with skin color. e.g. Unicode Variation Selector

(setq composition-break-at-point t)

switch-to-prev-buffer-skip-regexp

Buffers that switch-to-prev-buffer and switch-to-next-buffer should skip. new in emacs 29.

• xah-next-user-buffer