A numeric argument to @code{shell-command}, e.g., @kbd{M-1 M-!},
causes it to insert terminal output into the current buffer instead of
-a separate buffer. It puts point before the output, and sets the mark
-after the output. For instance, @kbd{M-1 M-! gunzip < foo.gz
-@key{RET}} would insert the uncompressed form of the file
-@file{foo.gz} into the current buffer.
+a separate buffer. By default, it puts point before the output, and
+sets the mark after the output (but a non-default value of
+@code{shell-command-dont-erase-buffer} can change that, see below).
+For instance, @kbd{M-1 M-! gunzip < foo.gz @key{RET}} would insert the
+uncompressed form of the file @file{foo.gz} into the current buffer.
Provided the specified shell command does not end with @samp{&}, it
runs @dfn{synchronously}, and you must wait for it to exit before
By default, the output buffer is erased between shell commands, except
when the output goes to the current buffer. If you change the value
of the option @code{shell-command-dont-erase-buffer} to @code{erase},
-then the output buffer is always erased. Any other non-@code{nil}
-value prevents to erase the output buffer.
+then the output buffer is always erased. Other non-@code{nil} values
+prevent erasing of the output buffer, and---if the output buffer is
+not the current buffer---also control where to put point after
+inserting the output of the shell command:
-This option also controls where to set the point in the output buffer
-after the command completes; see the documentation of the option for details.
+@table @code
+@item beg-last-out
+Puts point at the beginning of the last shell-command output.
+@item end-last-out
+Puts point at the end of the last shell-command output, i.e.@: at the
+end of the output buffer.
+@item save-point
+Restores the position of point as it was before inserting the
+shell-command output.
+@end table
@node Interactive Shell
@subsection Interactive Subshell
** Single shell commands
+++
-*** 'shell-command-dont-erase-buffer' accepts the value 'erase' to
-force to erase the output buffer before execution of the command.
+*** New values of 'shell-command-dont-erase-buffer'.
+This option can now have the value 'erase' to force to erase the
+output buffer before execution of the command, even if the output goes
+to the current buffer. Additional values 'beg-last-out',
+'end-last-out', and 'save-point' control where to put point in the
+output buffer after inserting the shell-command output.
+---
*** The new functions 'shell-command-save-pos-or-erase' and
'shell-command-set-point-after-cmd' control how point is handled
-between two consecutive shell commands in the same buffer.
+between two consecutive shell commands in the same output buffer.
+++
*** 'async-shell-command-width' defines the number of display columns
:version "27.1")
(defcustom shell-command-dont-erase-buffer nil
- "Control if the output buffer is erased before the command.
+ "Whether to erase the output buffer before executing shell command.
A nil value erases the output buffer before execution of the
shell command, except when the output buffer is the current one.
The value `erase' ensures the output buffer is erased before
-execution of the shell command.
+execution of the shell command even if it is the current buffer.
-Other non-nil values prevent the output buffer from being erased and
-set the point after execution of the shell command.
+Other non-nil values prevent the output buffer from being erased; they
+also reposition point in the shell output buffer after execution of the
+shell command, except when the output buffer is the current buffer.
-The value `beg-last-out' sets point at the beginning of the output,
-`end-last-out' sets point at the end of the buffer, `save-point'
-restores the buffer position before the command."
+The value `beg-last-out' sets point at the beginning of the last
+output, `end-last-out' sets point at the end of the last output,
+and `save-point' restores the buffer position as it was before the
+shell command."
:type '(choice
(const :tag "Erase output buffer if not the current one" nil)
(const :tag "Always erase output buffer" erase)
;; if some text has a non-nil read-only property,
;; which comint sometimes adds for prompts.
(setq pos
- (cond ((eq sym 'save-point) (point))
- ((eq sym 'beg-last-out) (point-max))
- ;;((not sym)
+ (cond ((eq sym 'save-point)
+ (if (not output-to-current-buffer)
+ (point)))
+ ((eq sym 'beg-last-out)
+ (if (not output-to-current-buffer)
+ (point-max)))
((or (eq sym 'erase)
(and (null sym) (not output-to-current-buffer)))
(let ((inhibit-read-only t))
If OUTPUT-BUFFER is a buffer or buffer name, erase that buffer
and insert the output there; a non-nil value of
`shell-command-dont-erase-buffer' prevents the buffer from being
-erased. If OUTPUT-BUFFER is not a buffer and not nil, insert the
+erased. If OUTPUT-BUFFER is not a buffer and not nil (which happens
+interactively when the prefix argument is given), insert the
output in current buffer after point leaving mark after it. This
cannot be done asynchronously.
+The user option `shell-command-dont-erase-buffer', which see, controls
+whether the output buffer is erased and where to put point after
+the shell command.
+
If the command terminates without error, but generates output,
and you did not specify \"insert it in the current buffer\",
the output can be displayed in the echo area or in its buffer.
;; because we inserted text.
(goto-char (prog1 (mark t)
(set-marker (mark-marker) (point)
- (current-buffer))))
- (shell-command-set-point-after-cmd))
+ (current-buffer)))))
;; Output goes in a separate buffer.
;; Preserve the match data in case called from a program.
;; FIXME: It'd be ridiculous for an Elisp function to call
(,output-buf (if ,output-buffer-is-current ,caller-buf
(generate-new-buffer "output-buf")))
(emacs (expand-file-name invocation-name invocation-directory))
- (,command (format "%s -Q --batch --eval '(princ \"%s\")'"
+ (,command (format "%s -Q --batch --eval \"(princ \\\"%s\\\")\""
emacs ,str))
(inhibit-message t))
(unwind-protect
(expected-point `((beg-last-out . ,(1+ (length str)))
(end-last-out . ,(1+ (* 2 (length str))))
(save-point . 1))))
- (dolist (output-buffer-is-current '(t ni))
+ (dolist (output-buffer-is-current '(nil))
(with-shell-command-dont-erase-buffer str output-buffer-is-current
(when (memq shell-command-dont-erase-buffer '(beg-last-out end-last-out save-point))
(should (= (point) (alist-get shell-command-dont-erase-buffer expected-point))))))))