This is ess.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from ess.texi. START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY * ESS: (ess). Emacs Speaks Statistics (S/S+/R, SAS, BUGS, Stata, XLisp-Stat). END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY ESS -- Emacs Speaks Statistics ****************************** Currently maintained by A.J. (Tony) Rossini, Richard M. Heiberger, Kurt Hornik, Martin Maechler, and Rodney A. Sparapani. This file documents `ESS', a GNU Emacs package for running `S(plus)', `R', `XLisp-Stat', `SAS' and potentially any other interactive `statistical' languages in an `inferior' buffer, editing source code in these languages and interacting with the running program. This documentation relates to Version 5.1.21 of `ESS'. Original Info Author: David M. Smith (), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Lancaster University, UK. Current Info Author: A.J. Rossini (), Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98185, USA  File: ess.info, Node: Saving transcripts, Prev: Transcript resubmit, Up: Transcript Keeping a record of your S session ---------------------------------- To keep a record of your S session in a disk file, use the Emacs command `C-x C-w' (`write-file') to attach a file to the ESS process buffer. The name of the process buffer will (probably) change to the name of the file, but this is not a problem. You can still use S as usual; just remember to save the file before you quit Emacs with `C-x C-s'. You can make ESS prompt you for a filename in which to save the transcript every time you start S by setting the variable `ess-ask-about-transfile' to `t'; see *Note Customizing startup::. We recommend you save your transcripts with filenames that end in `.St'. There is a special mode (ESS transcript mode -- *note Transcript Mode::) for editing transcript files which is automatically selected for files with this suffix. S transcripts can get very large, so some judicious editing is appropriate if you are saving it in a file. Use `C-c C-o' whenever a command produces excessively long output (printing large arrays, for example). Delete erroneous commands (and the resulting error messages or other output) by moving to the command (or its output) and typing `M-h C-w'. Also, remember that `C-c C-e' (and other hot keys) may be used for commands whose output you do not wish to appear in the transcript. These suggestions are appropriate even if you are not saving your transcript to disk, since the larger the transcript, the more memory your Emacs process will use on the host machine. Finally, if it is your intention to produce S source code (suitable for using with `source()' or inclusion in an S function) from a transcript, then the command `M-x ess-clean-region' may be of use. This command works in any Emacs buffer, and removes all prompts and command output from an ESS transcript within the current region, leaving only the commands. Don't forget to remove any erroneous commands first!  File: ess.info, Node: Command History, Next: History expansion, Prev: Transcript, Up: Entering commands Command History =============== ESS provides easy-to-use facilities for re-executing or editing previous commands. An input history of the last few commands is maintained (by default the last 50 commands are stored, although this can be changed by setting the variable `comint-input-ring-size' in `inferior-ess-mode-hook'.) The simplest history commands simply select the next and previous commands in the input history: * `M-p' (`comint-previous-input') Select the previous command in the input history. * `M-n' (`comint-next-input') Select the next command in the input history. For example, pressing `M-p' once will re-enter the last command into the process buffer after the prompt but does not send it to the ESS process, thus allowing editing or correction of the command before the ESS process sees it. Once corrections have been made, press `RET' to send the edited command to the ESS process. If you want to select a particular command from the history by matching it against a regular expression (*note Syntax of Regular Expression: (emacs)Regexps.), to search for a particular variable name for example, these commands are also available: * `M-r' (`comint-previous-matching-input') Prompt for a regular expression, and search backwards through the input history for a command matching the expression. * `M-s' (`comint-next-matching-input') Prompt for a regular expression, and search backwards through the input history for a command matching the expression. A common type of search is to find the last command that began with a particular sequence of characters; the following two commands provide an easy way to do this: * `A-M-r' (`comint-previous-matching-input-from-input') Select the previous command in the history which matches the string typed so far. * `A-M-s' (`comint-next-matching-input-from-input') Select the next command in the history which matches the string typed so far. Instead of prompting for a regular expression to match against, as they instead select commands starting with those characters already entered. For instance, if you wanted to re-execute the last `attach()' command, you may only need to type `att' and then `A-M-r' and `RET'. (Note: you may not have an key on your keyboard, in which case it may be a good idea to bind these commands to some other keys.) *Note Shell History Ring: (emacs)Shell Ring, for a more detailed discussion of the history mechanism.  File: ess.info, Node: History expansion, Next: Hot keys, Prev: Command History, Up: Entering commands References to historical commands ================================= Instead of searching through the command history using the command described in the previous section, you can alternatively refer to a historical command directly using a notation very similar to that used in `csh'. History references are introduced by a `!' or `^' character and have meanings as follows: `!!' The immediately previous command `!-N' The Nth previous command `!text' The last command beginning with the string `text' `!?text' The last command containing the string `text' In addition, you may follow the reference with a "word designator" to select particular "words" of the input. A word is defined as a sequence of characters separated by whitespace. (You can modify this definition by setting the value of `comint-delimiter-argument-list' to a list of characters that are allowed to separate words and themselves form words.) Words are numbered beginning with zero. The word designator usually begins with a `:' (colon) character; however it may be omitted if the word reference begins with a `^', `$', `*' or `-'. If the word is to be selected from the previous command, the second `!' character can be omitted from the event specification. For instance, `!!:1' and `!:1' both refer to the first word of the previous command, while `!!$' and `!$' both refer to the last word in the previous command. The format of word designators is as follows: `0' The zeroth word (i.e. the first one on the command line) `N' The Nth word, where N is a number `^' The first word (i.e. the second one on the command line) `$' The last word `X-Y' A range of words; `-Y' abbreviates `0-Y' `*' All the words except the zeroth word, or nothing if the command had just one word (the zeroth) `X*' Abbreviates X-$ `X-' Like `X*', but omitting the last word In addition, you may surround the entire reference except for the first `!' by braces to allow it to be followed by other (non-whitespace) characters (which will be appended to the expanded reference). Finally, ESS also provides quick substitution; a reference like `^old^new^' means "the last command, but with the first occurrence of the string `old' replaced with the string `new'" (the last `^' is optional). Similarly, `^old^' means "the last command, with the first occurrence of the string `old' deleted" (again, the last `^' is optional). To convert a history reference as described above to an input suitable for S, you need to "expand" the history reference, using the key. For this to work, the cursor must be preceded by a space (otherwise it would try to complete an object name) and not be within a string (otherwise it would try to complete a filename). So to expand the history reference, type `SPC TAB'. This will convert the history reference into an S command from the history, which you can then edit or press to execute. For example, to execute the last command that referenced the variable `data', type `!?data SPC TAB RET'.  File: ess.info, Node: Hot keys, Next: Statistical Process running in ESS?, Prev: History expansion, Up: Entering commands Hot keys for common commands ============================ ESS provides a number of commands for executing the commonly used functions. These commands below are basically information-gaining commands (such as `objects()' or `search()') which tend to clutter up your transcript and for this reason some of the hot keys display their output in a temporary buffer instead of the process buffer by default. This behavior is controlled by the variable `ess-execute-in-process-buffer' which, if non-`nil', means that these commands will produce their output in the process buffer instead. In any case, passing a prefix argument to the commands (with `C-u') will reverse the meaning of `ess-execute-in-process-buffer' for that command, i.e. the output will be displayed in the process buffer if it usually goes to a temporary buffer, and vice-versa. These are the hot keys that behave in this way: * `C-c C-x' (`ess-execute-objects') Sends the `objects()' command to the ESS process. A prefix argument specifies the position on the search list (use a negative argument to toggle `es-execute-in-process-buffer' as well). A quick way to see what objects are in your working directory. * `C-c C-s' (`ess-execute-search') Sends the `search()' command to the ESS process. * `C-c C-e' (`ess-execute') Prompt for an ESS expression, and evaluate it. `ess-execute' may seem pointless when you could just type the command in anyway, but it proves useful for `spot' calculations which would otherwise clutter your transcript, or for evaluating an expression while partway through entering a command. You can also use this command to generate new hot keys using the Emacs keyboard macro facilities; *note Keyboard Macros: (emacs)Keyboard Macros.. The following hot keys do not use `ess-execute-in-process-buffer' to decide where to display the output -- they either always display in the process buffer or in a separate buffer, as indicated: * `C-c C-a' (`ess-execute-attach') Prompts for a directory to attach to the ESS process with the `attach()' command. If a numeric prefix argument is given it is used as the position on the search list to attach the directory; otherwise the S default of 2 is used. The `attach()' command actually executed appears in the process buffer. * `C-c C-l' (`ess-load-file') Prompts for a file to load into the ESS process using `source()'. If there is an error during loading, you can jump to the error in the file with `C-x `' (`ess-parse-errors'). *Note Error Checking::, for more details. * `C-c C-v' (`ess-display-help-on-object') Pops up a help buffer for an S object or function. See *Note Help:: for more details. * `C-c C-q' (`ess-quit') Sends the `q()' command to the ESS process (or `(exit)' to the XLS process), and cleans up any temporary buffers (such as help buffers or edit buffers) you may have created along the way. Use this command when you have finished your S session instead of simply typing `q()' yourself, otherwise you will need to issue the command `M-x ess-cleanup' command explicitly to make sure that all the files that need to be saved have been saved, and that all the temporary buffers have been killed.  File: ess.info, Node: Statistical Process running in ESS?, Next: Other, Prev: Hot keys, Up: Entering commands Is the Statistical Process running under ESS? ============================================= For the S languages (S, S-Plus, R) ESS sets an option in the current process that programs in the language can check to determine the environment in which they are currently running. ESS sets `options(STERM="iESS")' for S language processes running in an inferior `iESS[S]' or `iESS[R]' buffer. ESS sets `options(STERM="ddeESS")' for independent S-Plus for Windows processes running in the GUI and communicating with ESS via the DDE (Microsoft Dynamic Data Exchange) protocol through a `ddeESS[S]' buffer. Other values of `options()$STERM' that we recommend are: * `length': Fixed length xterm or telnet window. * `scrollable': Unlimited length xterm or telnet window. * `server': S-Plus Stat Server. * `BATCH': BATCH. * `Rgui': R GUI. * `Commands': S-Plus GUI without DDE interface to ESS. Additional values may be recommended in the future as new interaction protocols are created. Unlike the values `iESS' and `ddeESS', ESS can't set these other values since the S language program is not under the control of ESS.  File: ess.info, Node: Other, Prev: Statistical Process running in ESS?, Up: Entering commands Other commands provided by inferior-ESS ======================================= The following commands are also provided in the process buffer: * `C-c C-c' (`comint-interrupt-subjob') Sends a Control-C signal to the ESS process. This has the effect of aborting the current command. * `C-c C-z' (`ess-abort') Sends a STOP signal to the ESS process, killing it immediately. It's not a good idea to use this, in general: Neither `q()' nor `.Last' will be executed and device drivers will not finish cleanly. This command is provided as a safety to `comint-stop-subjob', which is usually bound to `C-c C-z'. If you want to quit from S, use `C-c C-q' (`ess-quit') instead. * `C-c C-d' (`ess-dump-object-into-edit-buffer') Prompts for an object to be edited in an edit buffer. *Note Editing::. Other commands available is Inferior S mode are discussed in *Note Shell Mode: (emacs)Shell Mode.  File: ess.info, Node: Editing, Next: Help, Prev: Entering commands, Up: Top Editing S functions ******************* ESS provides facilities for editing S objects within your Emacs session. Most editing is performed on S functions, although in theory you may edit datasets as well. Edit buffers are always associated with files, although you may choose to make these files temporary if you wish. Alternatively, you may make use of a simple yet powerful mechanism for maintaining backups of text representations of S functions. Error-checking is performed when S code is loaded into the ESS process. * Menu: * Edit buffer:: Edit objects in a specialized buffer * Loading:: Loading source files into the ESS process * Error Checking:: Detecting errors in source files * Evaluating code:: Sending code to the ESS process * Indenting:: Indenting and formatting S code * Other edit buffer commands:: Commands for motion, completion and more * Source Files:: Maintaining S source files * Source Directories:: Names and locations of dump files  File: ess.info, Node: Edit buffer, Next: Loading, Prev: Editing, Up: Editing Creating or modifying S objects =============================== To edit an S object, type * `C-c C-d' (`ess-dump-object-into-edit-buffer') Edit an S object in its own edit buffer. from within the ESS process buffer (`*S*'). You will then be prompted for an object to edit: you may either type in the name of an existing object (for which completion is available using the `TAB' key), or you may enter the name of a new object. A buffer will be created containing the text representation of the requested object or, if you entered the name of a non-existent object at the prompt and the variable `ess-insert-function-templates' is non-`nil', you will be presented with a template defined by `ess-function-template' which defaults to a skeleton function construct. You may then edit the function as required. The edit buffer generated by `ess-dump-object-into-edit-buffer' is placed in the `ESS' major mode which provides a number of commands to facilitate editing S source code. Commands are provided to intelligently indent S code, evaluate portions of S code and to move around S code constructs. *Note:* when you dump a file with `C-c C-d', ESS first checks to see whether there already exists an edit buffer containing that object and, if so, pops you directly to that buffer. If not, ESS next checks whether there is a file in the appropriate place with the appropriate name (*note Source Files::) and if so, reads in that file. You can use this facility to return to an object you were editing in a previous session (and which possibly was never loaded to the S session). Finally, if both these tests fail, the ESS process is consulted and a `dump()' command issued. If you want to force ESS to ask the ESS process for the object's definition (say, to reformat an unmodified buffer or to revert back to S's idea of the object's definition) pass a prefix argument to `ess-dump-object-into-edit-buffer' by typing `C-u C-c C-d'.  File: ess.info, Node: Loading, Next: Error Checking, Prev: Edit buffer, Up: Editing Loading source files into the ESS process ========================================= The best way to get information -- particularly function definitions -- into S is to load them in as source file, using S's `source' function. You have already seen how to create source files using `C-c C-d'; ESS provides a complementary command for loading source files (even files not created with ESS!) into the ESS process: * `C-c C-l' (`ess-load-file') Loads a file into the ESS process using `source()'. After typing `C-c C-l' you will prompted for the name of the file to load into S; usually this is the current buffer's file which is the default value (selected by simply pressing `RET' at the prompt). You will be asked to save the buffer first if it has been modified (this happens automatically if the buffer was generated with `C-c C-d'). The file will then be loaded, and if it loads successfully you will be returned to the ESS process.  File: ess.info, Node: Error Checking, Next: Evaluating code, Prev: Loading, Up: Editing Detecting errors in source files ================================ If any errors occur when loading a file with `C-c C-l', ESS will inform you of this fact. In this case, you can jump directly to the line in the source file which caused the error by typing `C-x `' (`ess-parse-errors'). You will be returned to the offending file (loading it into a buffer if necessary) with point at the line S reported as containing the error. You may then correct the error, and reload the file. Note that none of the commands in an S source file will take effect if any part of the file contains errors. Sometimes the error is not caused by a syntax error (loading a non-existent file for example). In this case typing `C-x `' will simply display a buffer containing S's error message. You can force this behavior (and avoid jumping to the file when there _is_ a syntax error) by passing a prefix argument to `ess-parse-errors' with `C-u C-x `'.  File: ess.info, Node: Evaluating code, Next: Indenting, Prev: Error Checking, Up: Editing Sending code to the ESS process =============================== Other commands are also available for evaluating portions of code in the S process. These commands cause the selected code to be evaluated directly by the ESS process as if you had typed them in at the command line; the `source()' function is not used. You may choose whether both the commands and their output appear in the process buffer (as if you had typed in the commands yourself) or if the output alone is echoed. The behavior is controlled by the variable `ess-eval-visibly-p' whose default is `nil' (display output only). Passing a prefix argument (`C-u') to any of the following commands, however, reverses the meaning of `ess-eval-visibly-p' for that command only -- for example `C-u C-c C-j' echoes the current line of S (or other) code in the ESS process buffer, followed by its output. This method of evaluation is an alternative to S's `source()' function when you want the input as well as the output to be displayed. (You can sort of do this with `source()' when the option `echo=T' is set, except that prompts do not get displayed. ESS puts prompts in the right places.) The commands for evaluating code are: * `C-c C-j' (`ess-eval-line') Send the line containing point to the ESS process. * `C-c M-j' (`ess-eval-line-and-go') As above, but returns you to the ESS process buffer as well. * `C-c C-f' or `ESC C-x' (`ess-eval-function') Send the S function containing point to the ESS process. * `C-c M-f' (`ess-eval-function-and-go') As above, but returns you to the ESS process buffer as well. * `C-c C-r' (`ess-eval-region') Send the text between point and mark to the ESS process. * `C-c M-r' (`ess-eval-region-and-go') As above, but returns you to the ESS process buffer as well. * `C-c C-b' (`ess-eval-buffer') Send the contents of the edit buffer to the ESS process. * `C-c M-b' (`ess-eval-buffer-and-go') As above, but returns you to the ESS process buffer as well. * `C-c C-n' (`ess-eval-line-and-next-line') Sends the current line to the ESS process, echoing it in the process buffer, and moves point to the next line. Useful when debugging for stepping through your code. It should be stressed once again that these `ess-eval-' commands should only be used for evaluating small portions of code for debugging purposes, or for generating transcripts from source files. When editing S functions, `C-c C-l' is the command to use to update the function's value. In particular, `ess-eval-buffer' is now largely obsolete. One final command is provided for spot-evaluations of S code: `C-c C-e' (`ess-execute-in-tb') Prompt for an S expression and evaluate it. Displays result in a temporary buffer. This is useful for quick calculations, etc. All the above commands are useful for evaluating small amounts of code and observing the results in the process buffer. A useful way to work is to divide the frame into two windows; one containing the source code and the other containing the process buffer. If you wish to make the process buffer scroll automatically when the output reaches the bottom of the window, you will need to set the variable `comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-output' to `others' or `t'. *** Maybe a link to customization section here ***  File: ess.info, Node: Indenting, Next: Other edit buffer commands, Prev: Evaluating code, Up: Editing Indenting and formatting S code =============================== ESS now provides a sophisticated mechanism for indenting S source code (thanks to Ken'ichi Shibayama). Compound statements (delimited by `{' and `}') are indented relative to their enclosing block. In addition, the braces have been electrified to automatically indent to the correct position when inserted, and optionally insert a newline at the appropriate place as well. Lines which continue an incomplete expression are indented relative to the first line of the expression. Function definitions, `if' statements, calls to `expression()' and loop constructs are all recognized and indented appropriately. User variables are provided to control the amount if indentation in each case, and there are also a number of predefined indentation styles to choose from. *Note Indentation variables::. Comments are also handled specially by ESS, using an idea borrowed from the Emacs-Lisp indentation style. By default, comments beginning with `###' are aligned to the beginning of the line. Comments beginning with `##' are aligned to the current level of indentation for the block containing the comment. Finally, comments beginning with `#' are aligned to a column on the right (the 40th column by default, but this value is controlled by the variable `comment-column',) or just after the expression on the line containing the comment if it extends beyond the indentation column. You turn off the default behavior by adding the line `(setq ess-fancy-comments nil)' to your `.emacs' file. (GNU emacs uses the filename `~/.emacs' and Xemacs uses the filename `~/.xemacs/init.el' for the initialization file.) The indentation commands provided by ESS are: * `TAB' (`ess-indent-command') Indents the current line as S code. If a prefix argument is given, all following lines which are part of the same (compound) expression are indented by the same amount (but relative indents are preserved). * `LFD' (`newline-and-indent') Insert a newline, and indent the next line. (Note: if your keyboard does not have a key, you can use `C-j' instead.) Some people prefer to bind to this command. * `ESC C-q' (`ess-indent-exp') Indents each line in the S (compound) expression which follows point. Very useful for beautifying your S code. * `{' and `}' (`ess-electric-brace') The braces automatically indent to the correct position when typed. * `M-;' (`indent-for-comment') Indents a comment line appropriately, or inserts an empty (single-`#') comment. * `M-x ess-set-style' Set the formatting style in this buffer to be one of the predefined styles: `GNU', `BSD', `K&R', `CLB', and `C++'. The `DEFAULT' style uses the default values for the indenting variables (unless they have been modified in your `.emacs' file.) This command causes all of the formatting variables *note Indentation variables:: to be buffer-local.  File: ess.info, Node: Other edit buffer commands, Next: Source Files, Prev: Indenting, Up: Editing Commands for motion, completion and more ======================================== A number of commands are provided to move across function definitions in the edit buffer: * `ESC C-e' (`ess-beginning-of-function') Moves point to the beginning of the function containing point. * `ESC C-a' (`ess-end-of-function') Moves point to the end of the function containing point. * `ESC C-h' (`ess-mark-function') Places point at the beginning of the S function containing point, and mark at the end. Don't forget the usual Emacs commands for moving over balanced expressions and parentheses: *Note Lists and Sexps: (Emacs)Lists. Completion is provided in the edit buffer in a similar fashion to the process buffer: `M-TAB' completes file names and `M-?' lists file completions. Since is used for indentation in the edit buffer, object completion is now performed with `C-c TAB'. Note however that completion is only provided over globally known S objects (such as system functions) -- it will _not_ work for arguments to functions or other variables local to the function you are editing. Finally, two commands are provided for returning to the ESS process buffer: * `C-c C-z' (`ess-switch-to-end-of-ESS') Returns you to the ESS process buffer, placing point at the end of the buffer. * `C-c C-y' (`ess-switch-to-ESS') Also returns to to the ESS process buffer, but leaves point where it is. In addition some commands available in the process buffer are also available in the edit buffer. You can still read help files with `C-c C-v', edit another function with `C-c C-d' and of course `C-c C-l' can be used to load a source file into S. *Note Other::, for more details on these commands.  File: ess.info, Node: Source Files, Next: Source Directories, Prev: Other edit buffer commands, Up: Editing Maintaining S source files ========================== Every edit buffer in ESS is associated with a "dump file" on disk. Dump files are created whenever you type `C-c C-d' (`ess-dump-object-into-edit-buffer'), and may either be deleted after use, or kept as a backup file or as a means of keeping several versions of an S function. - User Option: ess-delete-dump-files If non-`nil', dump files created with C-c C-d are deleted immediately after they are created by the ess-process. Since immediately after S dumps an object's definition to a disk file the source code on disk corresponds exactly to S's idea of the object's definition, the disk file isn't really needed; deleting it now has the advantage that if you _don't_ modify the file (say, because you just wanted to look at the definition of one of the standard S functions) the source dump file won't be left around when you kill the buffer. Note that this variable only applies to files generated with S's `dump' function; it doesn't apply to source files which already exist. The default value is `t'. - User Option: ess-keep-dump-files Option controlling what to do with the dump file after an object has been successfully loaded into S. Valid values are `nil' (always delete), `ask' (always ask whether to delete), `check' (delete files generated with `C-c C-d' in this Emacs session, otherwise ask -- this is the default) and `t' (never delete). This variable is buffer-local. After an object has been successfully (i.e. without error) been loaded back into S with `C-c C-l', the disk file again corresponds exactly (well, almost -- see below) to S's record of the object's definition, and so some people prefer to delete the disk file rather than unnecessarily use up space. This option allows you to do just that. If the value of `ess-keep-dump-files' is `t', dump files are never deleted after they are loaded. Thus you can maintain a complete text record of the functions you have edited within ESS. Backup files kept as usual, and so by using the Emacs numbered backup facility -- *note Single or Numbered Backups: (emacs)Backup Names., you can keep a historic record of function definitions. Another possibility is to maintain the files with a version-control system such as RCS *Note Version Control: (emacs)Version Control. As long as a dump file exists in the appropriate place for a particular object, editing that object with `C-c C-d' finds that file for editing (unless a prefix argument is given) -- the ESS process is not consulted. Thus you can keep comments _outside_ the function definition as a means of documentation that does not clutter the S object itself. Another useful feature is that you may format the code in any fashion you please without S re-indenting the code every time you edit it. These features are particularly useful for project-based work. If the value of `ess-keep-dump-files' is nil, the dump file is always silently deleted after a successful load with `C-c C-l'. While this is useful for files that were created with `C-c C-d' it also applies to any other file you load (say, a source file of function definitions), and so can be dangerous to use unless you are careful. Note that since `ess-keep-dump-files' is buffer-local, you can make sure particular files are not deleted by setting it to `t' in the Local Variables section of the file *Note Local Variables in Files: (emacs)File Variables. A safer option is to set `ess-keep-dump-files' to `ask'; this means that ESS will always ask for confirmation before deleting the file. Since this can get annoying if you always want to delete dump files created with `C-c C-d', but not any other files, setting `ess-keep-dump-files' to `check' (the default value) will silently delete dump files created with `C-c C-d' in the current Emacs session, but query for any other file. Note that in any case you will only be asked for confirmation once per file, and your answer is remembered for the rest of the Emacs session. Note that in all cases, if an error (such as a syntax error) is detected while loading the file with `C-c C-l', the dump file is _never_ deleted. This is so that you can edit the file in a new Emacs session if you happen to quit Emacs before correcting the error. Dump buffers are always autosaved, regardless of the value of `ess-keep-dump-files'.  File: ess.info, Node: Source Directories, Prev: Source Files, Up: Editing Names and locations of dump files ================================= Every dump file should be given a unique file name, usually the dumped object name with some additions. - User Option: ess-dump-filename-template Template for filenames of dumped objects. `%s' is replaced by the object name. By default, dump file names are the user name, followed by `.' and the object and ending with `.S'. Thus if user `joe' dumps the object `myfun' the dump file will have name `joe.myfun.S'. The username part is included to avoid clashes when dumping into a publicly-writable directory, such as `/tmp'; you may wish to remove this part if you are dumping into a directory owned by you. You may also specify the directory in which dump files are written: - User Option: ess-source-directory Directory name (ending in a slash) where S dump files are to be written. By default, dump files are always written to `/tmp', which is fine when `ess-keep-dump-files' is `nil'. If you are keeping dump files, then you will probably want to keep them somewhere in your home directory, say `~/S-source'. This could be achieved by including the following line in your `.emacs' file: (setq ess-source-directory (expand-file-name "~/S-source/")) If you would prefer to keep your dump files in separate directories depending on the value of some variable, ESS provides a facility for this also. By setting `ess-source-directory' to a lambda expression which evaluates to a directory name, you have a great deal of flexibility in selecting the directory for a particular source file to appear in. The lambda expression is evaluated with the process buffer as the current buffer and so you can use the variables local to that buffer to make your choice. For example, the following expression causes source files to be saved in the subdirectory `Src' of the directory the ESS process was run in. (setq ess-source-directory (lambda () (concat ess-directory "Src/"))) (`ess-directory' is a buffer-local variable in process buffers which records the directory the ESS process was run from.) This is useful if you keep your dump files and you often edit objects with the same name in different ESS processes. Alternatively, if you often change your S working directory during an S session, you may like to keep dump files in some subdirectory of the directory pointed to by the first element of the current search list. This way you can edit objects of the same name in different directories during the one S session: (setq ess-source-directory (lambda () (file-name-as-directory (expand-file-name (concat (car ess-search-list) "/.Src"))))) If the directory generated by the lambda function does not exist but can be created, you will be asked whether you wish to create the directory. If you choose not to, or the directory cannot be created, you will not be able to edit functions.  File: ess.info, Node: Help, Next: Transcript Mode, Prev: Editing, Up: Top Reading help files in ESS ************************* ESS provides an easy-to-use facility for reading S help files from within Emacs. From within the ESS process buffer or any ESS edit buffer, typing `C-c C-v' (`ess-display-help-on-object') will prompt you for the name of an object for which you would like documentation. Completion is provided over all objects which have help files. If the requested object has documentation, you will be popped into a buffer (named `*help(OBJ-NAME)*') containing the help file. This buffer is placed in a special `S Help' mode which disables the usual editing commands but which provides a number of keys for paging through the help file: Help commands: * `?' (`ess-describe-help-mode') Pops up a help buffer with a list of the commands available in S help mode. * `h' (`ess-display-help-on-object') Pop up a help buffer for a different object Paging commands: * `b' or `DEL' (`scroll-down') Move one page backwards through the help file. * `SPC' (`scroll-up') Move one page forwards through the help file. * `>' (`beginning-of-buffer') and `<' (`end-of-buffer') Move to the beginning and end of the help file, respectively. Section-based motion commands: * `n' (`ess-skip-to-next-section') and `p' (`ess-skip-to-previous-section') Move to the next and previous section header in the help file, respectively. A section header consists of a number of capitalized words, followed by a colon. In addition, the `s' key followed by one of the following letters will jump to a particular section in the help file: `a' ARGUMENTS: `b' BACKGROUND: `B' BUGS: `d' DETAILS: `D' DESCRIPTION: `e' EXAMPLES: `n' NOTE: `o' OPTIONAL ARGUMENTS: `r' REQUIRED ARGUMENTS: `R' REFERENCES: `s' SIDE EFFECTS: `s' SEE ALSO: `u' USAGE: `v' VALUE: `<' Jumps to beginning of file `>' Jumps to end of file `?' Pops up a help buffer with a list of the defined section motion keys. Miscellaneous: * `r' (`ess-eval-region') Send the contents of the current region to the ESS process. Useful for running examples in help files. * `/' (`isearch-forward') Same as `C-s'. Quit commands: * `q' (`ess-switch-to-end-of-ESS') Returns to the ESS process buffer in another window, leaving the help window visible. * `k' (`kill-buffer') Kills the help buffer. * `x' (`ess-kill-buffer-and-go') Return to the ESS process, killing this help buffer. In addition, all of the ESS commands available in the edit buffers are also available in S help mode (*note Edit buffer::). Of course, the usual (non-editing) Emacs commands are available, and for convenience the digits and <-> act as prefix arguments. If a help buffer already exists for an object for which help is requested, that buffer is popped to immediately; the ESS process is not consulted at all. If the contents of the help file have changed, you either need to kill the help buffer first, or pass a prefix argument (with `C-u') to `ess-display-help-on-object'. Help buffers are marked as temporary buffers in ESS, and are deleted when `ess-quit' or `ess-cleanup' are called.  File: ess.info, Node: Transcript Mode, Next: Miscellaneous, Prev: Help, Up: Top Manipulating saved transcript files *********************************** Inferior S mode records the transcript (the list of all commands executed, and their output) in the process buffer, which can be saved as a "transcript file", which should normally have the suffix `.St'. The most obvious use for a transcript file is as a static record of the actions you have performed in a particular S session. Sometimes, however, you may wish to re-execute commands recorded in the transcript file by submitting them to a running ESS process. This is what Transcript Mode is for. If you load file a with the suffix `.St' into Emacs, it is placed in S Transcript Mode. Transcript Mode is similar to Inferior S mode (*note Entering commands::): paragraphs are defined as a command and its output, and you can move though commands either with the paragraph commands or with `C-c C-p' and `C-c C-n'. * Menu: * Resubmit:: Resubmitting commands from the transcript file * Clean:: Cleaning transcript files  File: ess.info, Node: Resubmit, Next: Clean, Prev: Transcript Mode, Up: Transcript Mode Resubmitting commands from the transcript file ============================================== Three commands are provided to re-submit command lines from the transcript file to a running ESS process. They are: * `RET' (`ess-transcript-send-command') Send the current command line to the ESS process, and execute it. * `C-c RET' (`ess-transcript-copy-command') Copy the current command to the ESS process, and switch to the ESS process buffer (ready to edit the copied command). * `M-RET' (`ess-transcript-send-command-and-move') Send the current command to the ESS process, and move to the next command line. This command is useful for submitting a series of commands. Note that these commands are similar to those on the same keys in Inferior S Mode. In all three cases, the commands should be executed when the cursor is on a command line in the transcript; the prompt is automatically removed before the command is submitted.  File: ess.info, Node: Clean, Prev: Resubmit, Up: Transcript Mode Cleaning transcript files ========================= Yet another use for transcript files is to extract the command lines for inclusion in an S source file or function. Transcript mode provides one command which does just this: * `C-c C-w' (`ess-transcript-clean-region') Deletes all prompts and command output in the region, leaving only the commands themselves. The remaining command lines may then be copied to a source file or edit buffer for inclusion in a function definition, or may be evaluated directly (*note Evaluating code::) using the code evaluation commands from S mode, also available in S Transcript Mode.  File: ess.info, Node: Miscellaneous, Next: Bugs Etc, Prev: Transcript Mode, Up: Top Other features of ESS ********************* ESS has a few miscellaneous features, which didn't fit anywhere else. * Menu: * Highlighting:: Syntactic highlighting of buffers * Graphics:: Using graphics with ESS * Object Completion::  File: ess.info, Node: Highlighting, Next: Graphics, Prev: Miscellaneous, Up: Miscellaneous Syntactic highlighting of buffers ================================= ESS provides Font-Lock (*note Using Multiple Typefaces: (emacs)Faces.) patterns for Inferior S Mode, S Mode, and S Transcript Mode buffers. To activate the highlighting, you need to turn on Font Lock mode in the appropriate buffers. This can be done on a per-buffer basis with `M-x font-lock-mode', or may be done by adding `turn-on-font-lock' to `inferior-ess-mode-hook', `ess-mode-hook' and `ess-transcript-mode-hook' (*note Hooks::). Your systems administrator may have done this for you in `ess-site.el' (*note Customization::). The font-lock patterns are defined in three variables, which you may modify if desired: - Variable: ess-inf-font-lock-keywords Font-lock patterns for Inferior ESS Mode. The default value highlights prompts, inputs, assignments, output messages, vector and matrix labels, and literals such as `NA' and `TRUE'. - Variable: ESS-font-lock-keywords Font-lock patterns for ESS programming mode. The default value highlights function names, literals, assignments, source functions and reserved words. - Variable: ess-trans-font-lock-keywords Font-lock patterns for ESS Transcript Mode. The default value highlights the same stuff as in Inferior ESS Mode.  File: ess.info, Node: Graphics, Next: Object Completion, Prev: Highlighting, Up: Miscellaneous Using graphics with ESS ======================= One of the main features of the `S' package is its ability to generate high-resolution graphics plots, and ESS provides a number of features for dealing with such plots. * Menu: * printer:: The printer() graphics driver * X11:: The X11() (and other X-windows based) driver  File: ess.info, Node: printer, Next: X11, Prev: Graphics, Up: Graphics Using ESS with the `printer()' driver ------------------------------------- This is the simplest (and least desirable) method of using graphics within ESS. S's `printer()' device driver produces crude character based plots which can be contained within the ESS process buffer itself. To start using character graphics, issue the S command printer(width=79) (the `width=79' argument prevents Emacs line-wrapping at column 80 on an 80-column terminal. Use a different value for a terminal with a different number of columns.) Plotting commands do not generate graphics immediately, but are stored until the `show()' command is issued, which displays the current figure.  File: ess.info, Node: X11, Prev: printer, Up: Graphics Using ESS with windowing devices -------------------------------- Of course, the ideal way to use graphics with ESS is to use a windowing system. Under X windows, this requires that the DISPLAY environment variable be appropriately set, which may not always be the case within your Emacs process. ESS provides a facility for setting the value of DISPLAY before the ESS process is started if the variable `ess-ask-about-display' is non-`nil'. *Note Customization::, for details of this variable, and *note Starting Up:: for information on how to set the value of DISPLAY when beginning an S session.  File: ess.info, Node: Object Completion, Prev: Graphics, Up: Miscellaneous Object Completion ================= If you are running S-PLUS or R, you might consider installing the database files. From within (X)Emacs, "C-x d" to the directory containing ESS. Now: `M-x S+3' (get S-PLUS running. once you have reached the SPLUS 3.x prompt, do:) `M-x ess-create-object-name-db' (this will create the file: ess-s+3-namedb.el; if it isn't in the ESS directory, move it there). Then, completions will be autoloaded and will not be regenerated for every session. For R: `M-x R' (get R running. once you have reached the R prompt, do:) `M-x ess-create-object-name-db' (this will create the file: ess-r-namedb.el; if it isn't in the ESS directory, move it there).  File: ess.info, Node: Bugs Etc, Next: Help for Statistical Packages, Prev: Miscellaneous, Up: Top Bugs and Bug Reporting, Mailing Lists ************************************* * Menu: * Bugs:: * Reporting Bugs:: * Mailing Lists::  File: ess.info, Node: Bugs, Next: Reporting Bugs, Prev: Bugs Etc, Up: Bugs Etc Bugs ==== * Commands like `ess-display-help-on-object' and list completion cannot be used while the user is entering a multi-line command. The only real fix in this situation is to use another ESS process. * The `ess-eval-' commands can leave point in the ESS process buffer in the wrong place when point is at the same position as the last process output. This proves difficult to fix, in general, as we need to consider all _windows_ with `window-point' at the right place. * It's possible to clear the modification flag (say, by saving the buffer) with the edit buffer not having been loaded into S. * Backup files can sometimes be left behind, even when `ess-keep-dump-files' is `nil'. * Passing an incomplete S expression to `ess-execute' causes ESS to hang. * The function-based commands don't always work as expected on functions whose body is not a parenthesized or compound expression, and don't even recognize anonymous functions (i.e. functions not assigned to any variable). * Multi-line commands could be handled better by the command history mechanism.  File: ess.info, Node: Reporting Bugs, Next: Mailing Lists, Prev: Bugs, Up: Bugs Etc Reporting Bugs ============== Please send bug reports, suggestions etc. to The easiest way to do this is within Emacs by typing `M-x ess-submit-bug-report' This also gives the maintainers valuable information about your installation which may help us to identify or even fix the bug. Note that comments, suggestions, words of praise and large cash donations are also more than welcome.  File: ess.info, Node: Mailing Lists, Prev: Reporting Bugs, Up: Bugs Etc Mailing Lists ============= There is a mailing list for discussions and announcements relating to ESS. Join the list by sending an e-mail with "subscribe ess-help" (or "help") in the body to ; contributions to the list may be mailed to . Rest assured, this is a fairly low-volume mailing list. The purposes of the mailing list include * helping users of ESS to get along with it. * discussing aspects of using ESS on Emacs and XEmacs. * suggestions for improvements. * announcements of new releases of ESS. * posting small patches to ESS.  File: ess.info, Node: Help for Statistical Packages, Next: Installation, Prev: Bugs Etc, Up: Top * Menu: * Help for the S family:: * Help for SAS::  File: ess.info, Node: Help for the S family, Next: Help for SAS, Prev: Help for Statistical Packages, Up: Help for Statistical Packages Help for the S family ********************* * Menu: * ESS(S)--Editing files:: * iESS(S)--Inferior ESS processes:: * Handling and Reusing Transcripts:: * ESS-help--assistance with viewing help:: * Philosophies for using ESS(S):: * Scenarios for use (possibilities--based on actual usage):: * Customization Examples and Solutions to Problems::