From 95ed62c7aa98bdfd2e330537fe589f08b0d4fe27 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Gerd Moellmann Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 15:56:15 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Patch from rms. --- lispref/variables.texi | 14 ++++++++------ 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) diff --git a/lispref/variables.texi b/lispref/variables.texi index b37af877b3c..7f3ce15f1b0 100644 --- a/lispref/variables.texi +++ b/lispref/variables.texi @@ -98,14 +98,16 @@ x @vindex nil @vindex t @kindex setting-constant +@cindex keyword symbol In Emacs Lisp, certain symbols normally evaluate to themselves. These include @code{nil} and @code{t}, as well as any symbol whose name starts -with @samp{:}. These symbols cannot be rebound, nor can their values be -changed. Any attempt to set or bind @code{nil} or @code{t} signals a -@code{setting-constant} error. The same is true for a symbol whose name -starts with @samp{:} (if it is interned in the standard obarray), except -that you are allowed to set such a symbol to itself. +with @samp{:} (these are called @dfn{keywords}). These symbols cannot +be rebound, nor can their values be changed. Any attempt to set or bind +@code{nil} or @code{t} signals a @code{setting-constant} error. The +same is true for a keyword (a symbol whose name starts with @samp{:}), +if it is interned in the standard obarray, except that setting such a +symbol to itself is not an error. @example @group @@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ nil @equiv{} 'nil @defvar keyword-symbols-constant-flag @tindex keyword-symbols-constant-flag If this variable is @code{nil}, you are allowed to set and bind symbols -whose names start with @samp{:} as you wish. This is to make it +whose names start with @samp{:} however you wish. This is to make it possible to run old Lisp programs which do that. @end defvar -- 2.39.5