Xah Talk Show 2022-09-07 Emacs Lisp for Beginner

• https://youtu.be/sDKUKDdtspQ
• Xah Talk Show 2022-09-07 Emacs Lisp for Beginner

• assume you have used emacs for a month or two.
• assume you have some familiarity with a programing language. e.g. python php ruby JavaScript java golang

2 parts to emacs lisp learning.

1. Emacs lisp items common to every programing language. e.g. string, variable, function, boolean, flow control, loop, datatypes, input/output.
2. Emacs specific emacs lisp, such as text manipulation, cursor, buffer, major/minor mode, syntax coloring, gui window/frame, etc.

for Emacs specific emacs lisp, there are 2 parts:

1. text processing. e.g. write command to manipulate text, insert, delete, move, refactor code, template, etc.
2. emacs system. e.g. font, syntax coloring, minor mode, major mode, manipulate window/frame size, write a dir viewer, pdf viewer, image viewer, chat interface, email client, etc.

• everything is a expression. No statements.
• uniform syntax. Either atom, or paren.

some syntax shortcuts

• # comment
• [a b] for unevaluated vector (aka tuple)
• '(a b) for (quote (a b))
• (a . b) for (cons a b)

(equal 3 3)

(equal '(a b) (quote (a b)))

• eval code.
• lookup function doc.

go thru the tutorial

• Emacs Lisp Basics

LISP, originally stand for list processor

;;; lexical-binding: t; -*-

lexical-binding

(+ 2 3)

2

(+ 2 (+ 3 1))

'(3 2)
(quote (3 2))

;; (f a b c)

(message "hello world factorial" )

; this is a comment

(message "hello world factorial" )

(insert "abc")
;; abc

(insert "something more fancy\nok?")
;; something more fancy
;; ok?

(length "abc")

(length "🤩")

;; python "double"
;; 'single'
;; """triple"""
;; '''triple'''
;; JavaScript template quote  `t`

(substring STRING FROM &optional TO)

(substring "abcdefg" "1" )

(substring "abcdefg" 1 )

(substring "abcdefg" 3 )

(equal
 (substring "abcdefg" 3)
 "defg"
 )

(format "hello" )

(format "hello i have %s cats" 34 )

(format "%s" 34 )

(string-to-number "3")

(number-to-string 3)

(/ 7 2)
(/ 7 2.0)

(eq nil
    (list))

(eq nil
    '()
)

nil
'nil

(eq nil 'nil)

(or nil 3)

(eq t 't )

(if t "yes" "no")

(if 0 "yes" "no")
(if "" "yes" "no")
(if [] "yes" "no")

;; variable

(setq x 3)

;; x

(equal x 3)

(let (x)
  (setq x 4)
  (message "%s" x))

(if (> x 2)
    (message "yes, bigger than 2")
  (insert "wow")
  (message "no. it is smaller than 2"))

(if (> x 2)
    (progn
      (message "yes, bigger than 2")
      (insert "wow"))
  (message "no. it is smaller than 2"))

;; loop

(while (< x 9)
  (message "%s" x)
  (setq x (+ x 1)))

(list 3 4 5)

(list 3 (list 3 4 5) 5)

(length (list 3 4 5))

(append
 (list 3 4 5)
 (list "a" "b"))

(equal
 (list 3 (list 3 4 5) 5)
 (list 3 (list 3 4 5) 5))

(mapcar
 (lambda (x) (+ x 1))
 (list 3 4 5))

(defun ff (x)
  "add 2 to x"
  (let ()
    (+ x 2)))

(ff 3)

byte compile emacs lisp