bug#32504: [PATCH] syntax-is-{comment|string}-p

[Alex Branham]

Hello -

I got tired of checking/remembering whether (nth 3 (syntax-ppss)) was a
string or a comment, so I've created two simple functions that wrap that
in a more descriptive name. I've noticed that there are a handful of
these that other modes have written, so evidently others wanted them as
well at some point.

There are two patches attached. The first creates new functions
syntax-is-comment-p and syntax-is-string-p.

The second changes most of the uses of (nth 3 (syntax-ppss)) and (nth 4
(syntax-ppss)) to use these new functions. I'm attaching it as a
separate patch since I'm not sure if yall will want it or not; it's easy
to squash if you do.

Thanks,
Alex

------------------------------------------------------------

>From 393f55de705513f5514a3e0250d81053e838c447 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Alex Branham <alex.branham@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:44:26 -0500
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Add new functions syntax-is-{comment|string}-p

* lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el (syntax-is-comment-p, syntax-is-string-p):
  New functions
* doc/lispref/syntax.texi: Add documentation for new functions
---
 doc/lispref/syntax.texi   | 10 ++++++++++
 etc/NEWS                  |  4 ++++
 lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el | 12 ++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 26 insertions(+)

diff --git a/doc/lispref/syntax.texi b/doc/lispref/syntax.texi
index dcfade3f67..e6220e5cf9 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/syntax.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/syntax.texi
@@ -790,6 +790,16 @@ Position Parse
 Hooks}).
 @end defun
 
+@defun syntax-is-comment-p &optional pos
+This function returns non-nil when @code{POS} (which defaults to
+point) is in a comment accord to @code{syntax-ppss}
+@end defun
+
+@defun syntax-is-string-p &optional pos
+This function returns non-nil when @code{POS} (which defaults to
+point) is in a string accord to @code{syntax-ppss}
+@end defun
+
 @node Parser State
 @subsection Parser State
 @cindex parser state
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index d757f52466..e138105e72 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -963,6 +963,10 @@ versions.
 The new variable 'comment-use-syntax-ppss' can be set to nil to recover the old
 behavior if needed.
 
+** New functions 'syntax-is-comment-p' and 'syntax-is-string-p'.
+These can be used as a shorthand instead of checking, for example,
+(nth 3 (syntax-ppss)).
+
 ** The 'server-name' and 'server-socket-dir' variables are set when a
 socket has been passed to Emacs.
 
diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el
index ad1a9665ff..2a262c6036 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/syntax.el
@@ -616,6 +616,18 @@ syntax-ppss
        ;; a nil state.
        (parse-partial-sexp (point-min) pos))))))
 
+(defun syntax-is-comment-p (&optional pos)
+  "Return non-nil if POS is inside a comment.
+POS defaults to `point'."
+  (let ((pos (or pos (point))))
+    (nth 4 (syntax-ppss pos))))
+
+(defun syntax-is-string-p (&optional pos)
+  "Return non-nil if POS is inside a string.
+POS defaults to `point'."
+  (let ((pos (or pos (point))))
+    (nth 3 (syntax-ppss pos))))
+
 ;; Debugging functions
 
 (defun syntax-ppss-debug ()
-- 
2.18.0

0001-Add-new-functions-syntax-is-comment-string-p.patch
Description: Text Data

0002-Prefer-using-new-syntax-is-comment-string-p-function.patch
Description: Text Data