While perusing through Emacs’ built in features through “C-h p” documentation I found out there were several template and snippet tools built into emacs. Three of them to be exact tempo, skeletons and expand. I’ve never actually dived into many of these features. After reading about them and experimenting with them deeper I have noticed how powerful they are. Aside from lack of documentation most of them are not widely used because they lack a good collection of snippets for various modes. This repo aims to give a good documentation and a set of snippets that could easily be copied by users to help them get started on using Emacs’ built in code templating and snippet tools.
This file provides a simple way to define powerful templates, or macros, if you wish. It is mainly intended for, but not limited to, other programmers to be used for creating shortcuts for editing certain kind of documents. Most of what I learned about this package from the following the article on https://www.lysator.liu.se/~davidk/elisp/tempo-examples.html by the Author(or I think it is the author)
The settings in the “general settings” part are used to override “space” so that tempo completion could take place after writing a valid tag and define a keymap for the package. Movement keys are set to “C-c t f”, and “C-c t b” for moving forward and moving backward respectively inside the stops in the snippet.
sourced from https://www.lysator.liu.se/~davidk/elisp/tempo-examples.html
(require 'tempo)
(defun tempo-space ()
""
(interactive)
(if (tempo-expand-if-complete)
nil
(insert " ")))
(defun set-tempo ()
"Set up emacs-lisp mode to use tempo.el"
(define-prefix-command 'tempo-map)
(local-set-key (kbd "C-c t") 'tempo-map)
(define-key tempo-map (kbd "c") 'tempo-complete-tag) ;; define keys for complete-tag and movement through stops
(define-key tempo-map (kbd "f") 'tempo-forward-mark)
(define-key tempo-map (kbd "b") 'tempo-backward-mark)
(local-set-key " " 'tempo-space))
sourced from https://www.lysator.liu.se/~davidk/elisp/tempo-examples.html
(require 'tempo)
;; This is a way to hook tempo into cc-mode
(defvar c-tempo-tags nil
"Tempo tags for C mode")
(defvar c++-tempo-tags nil
"Tempo tags for C++ mode")
;;; C-Mode Templates and C++-Mode Templates (uses C-Mode Templates also)
(add-hook 'c-mode-hook
(lambda () (progn
;;; Preprocessor Templates (appended to c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-include"
'("#include <" r ".h>" > n
)
"#include"
"Insert a #include <> statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-ifdef"
'("#ifdef " (p "ifdef-clause: " clause) > n> p n
"#else /* !(" (s clause) ") */" n> p n
"#endif /* " (s clause)" */" n>
)
"#ifdef"
"Insert a #ifdef #else #endif statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-ifndef"
'("#ifndef " (p "ifndef-clause: " clause) > n
"#define " (s clause) n> p n
"#endif /* " (s clause)" */" n>
)
"#ifndef"
"Insert a #ifndef #define #endif statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
;;; C-Mode Templates
(tempo-define-template "c-if"
'(> "if(" (p "if-clause: " clause) ")" n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of if(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
)
"if"
"Insert a C if statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-else"
'(> "else" n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of else */" > n>
)
"else"
"Insert a C else statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-if-else"
'(> "if(" (p "if-clause: " clause) ")" n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of if(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
> "else" n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of if(" (s clause) ")else */" > n>
)
"ifelse"
"Insert a C if else statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-while"
'(> "while(" (p "while-clause: " clause) ")" > n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of while(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
)
"while"
"Insert a C while statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-for"
'(> "for(" (p "for-clause: " clause) ")" > n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of for(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
)
"for"
"Insert a C for statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-for-i"
'(> "for(" (p "variable: " var) " = 0; " (s var)
" < "(p "upper bound: " ub)"; " (s var) "++)" > n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of for(" (s var) " = 0; "
(s var) " < " (s ub) "; " (s var) "++) */" > n>
)
"fori"
"Insert a C for loop: for(x = 0; x < ..; x++)"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-for"
'(> "for(" (p "for-clause: " clause) ")" > n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of for(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
)
"for"
"Insert a C for statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-main"
'(> "main(int argc, char *argv[])" > n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of main() */" > n>
)
"main"
"Insert a C main statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-if-malloc"
'(> "if((" (p "variable: " var) " = ("
(p "type: " type) " *) malloc(sizeof(" (s type)
"))) == (" (s type) " *) NULL)" n>
"{" > n> r n
"} /* end of if((" (s var) " = (" (s type)
" *) malloc...) == NULL) */" > n>
)
"ifmalloc"
"Insert a C if(malloc...) statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-switch"
'(> "switch(" (p "switch-condition: " clause) ")" > n>
"{" > n
"case " (p "first value: ") ":" > n> p n
"break;" > n> p n
"default:" > n> p n
"break;" > n
"} /* end of switch(" (s clause) ") */" > n>
)
"switch"
"Insert a C switch statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "c-case"
'(n "case " (p "value: ") ":" > n> p n
"break;" > n> p
)
"case"
"Insert a C case statement"
'c-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'c-tempo-tags))))
;;;C++-Mode Templates
(add-hook 'c++-mode-hook
(lambda () (progn
(tempo-define-template "c++-class"
'("class " (p "classname: " class) p n "{" n "public:" n>
(s class) "();"
(indent-for-comment) "the default constructor" n>
(s class)
"(const " (s class) "&rhs);"
(indent-for-comment) "the copy constructor" n>
(s class)
"& operator=(const " (s class) "&rhs);"
(indent-for-comment) "the assignment operator" n>
n> "// the default address-of operators" n>
"// "(s class)
"* operator&() { return this; };" n>
"// const "(s class)
"* operator&() const { return this; };" n
n > "~" (s class) "();"
(indent-for-comment) "the destructor" n n>
p n
"protected:" n> p n
"private:" n> p n
"};\t// end of class " (s class) n>
)
"class"
"Insert a class skeleton"
'c++-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'c-tempo-tags)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'c++-tempo-tags))))
(defun define-my-elisp-tempo-tags ()
(defvar elisp-tempo-tags nil)
(tempo-define-template "defun"
'("defun " p " (" p ")" n> "\"" p "\"" n> r ")")
"defun"
"Insert a defun expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "defvar"
'("defvar " p n> "\"" p "\")")
"defvar"
"Insert a defvar expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "lambda"
'("lambda (" p ")" n> "\"" p "\"" n> r ")")
"lambda"
"Insert a lamb expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "if"
'("if " p n> r ")")
"if"
"Insert an if expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "when"
'("when " p n> r ")")
"when"
"Insert an when expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "unless"
'("unless " p n> r ")")
"unless"
"Insert an unless expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "cond"
'("cond ((" p ") " r "))")
"cond"
"Insert a cond expression"
'elisp-tempo-tags))
(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook (lambda () (progn (define-my-elisp-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(setq tempo-match-finder "(\\([^\b]+\\)\\=")
(tempo-use-tag-list 'elisp-tempo-tags))))
(add-hook 'lisp-interaction-mode-hook (lambda () (progn (define-my-elisp-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(setq tempo-match-finder "(\\([^\b]+\\)\\=")
(tempo-use-tag-list 'elisp-tempo-tags))))(add-hook 'org-mode-hook (lambda () (progn
;;; org-mode templates
(defvar org-tempo-tags nil)
(tempo-define-template "src_block"
'("#+begin_src "> p n> p n> "#+end_src")
"src"
"Insert a source block"
'org-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "title"
'("+TITLE: "> p)
"ti"
"Insert a document title"
'org-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "author"
'("+AUTHOR: "> p)
"au"
"Insert a author name"
'org-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "src_block"
'("+begin_src "> p n> p n> "#+end_src" n>)
"src"
"Insert a defun expression"
'org-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(defvar html-tempo-tags nil)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'org-tempo-tags)
(setq tempo-match-finder "\\#\\([^\b]+\\)\\="))))
;;; ruby-mode templates
(add-hook 'ruby-mode-hook (lambda () (progn
(defvar ruby-tempo-tags nil)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-class"
'("class " > p n> p n "end" >)
"cls"
"Insert a class"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-module"
'("module " > p n> p n "end" >)
"mod"
"Insert a class"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-def"
'("def " > p "(" p ")" n> p n "end" >)
"def"
"Insert a module"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-intialize"
'("def intialize(" p ")" > n> p n> "end" >)
"init"
"Insert a constructor"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-include"
'("include " > p >)
"incl"
"include a module"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-require"
'("require \"" > p "\"" >)
"req"
"require"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-if"
'("if " > p n> p n> "end" >)
"if"
"Insert an if clause"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-ifelse"
'("if " > p n> "else" n> p n> "end" >)
"ifel"
"Insert an if else clause"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-unless"
'("unless "> p n> p n> "end" >)
"unless"
"Insert a unless clause"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-until"
'("until " > p n> p n> "end" >)
"until"
"Insert an until loop"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-when"
'(> "when "> p n> p n> "end" >)
"when"
"Insert a when clause"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "ruby-while"
'("while "> p n> p n> "end" >)
"while"
"Insert a while loop"
'ruby-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'ruby-tempo-tags))))
(add-hook 'python-mode-hook
(lambda () (progn
;;; python-mode templates
(defvar python-tempo-tags nil)
(tempo-define-template "python-class"
'("class " > p ":"n>)
"cls"
"Insert a class"
'python-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "python-def"
'("def " > p "(" p "):" n> p n>)
"def"
"define a function"
'python-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "import"
'("import " p >)
"imp"
"python import"
'python-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "python-include"
'("from " > p " import " p>)
"from"
"from tag"
'python-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "python-if"
'("if " > p ":"n> p >)
"if"
"Insert an if clause"
'python-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "python-ifelse"
'("if " > p ":"n> p "else:" n> p >)
"ife"
"Insert an if else clause"
'python-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'python-tempo-tags))))
(add-hook 'html-mode-hook (lambda () (progn
(defvar html-tempo-tags nil)
(defmacro html-tempo-paired-tag-single-line (var)
(list 'tempo-define-template var
(list 'quote (list var "> " '> 'p (concat " </" var ">") '>))
var
(concat "insert html " var " tag")
(list 'quote 'html-tempo-tags)))
(seq-do (lambda (x)
"expand macro"
(eval (list 'html-tempo-paired-tag-single-line x)))
'("a" "b" "bdi" "bdo"
"button" "caption" "cite" "data"
"del" "dfn" "em" "figcaption"
"h1" "h2" "h3" "h4"
"h5" "h6" "i" "iframe"
"kbd" "li" "label" "legend"
"mark" "meter" "object" "option"
"p" "progress" "q" "summary"
"s" "samp" "small" "span"
"strong" "sub" "summary" "sup"
"th" "td" "title" "time"))
(defmacro html-tempo-paired-tag-multi-line (var)
(list 'tempo-define-template var
(list 'quote (list var ">" 'n> 'p 'n> (concat "</" var ">") '>))
var
(concat "insert html " var " tag")
(list 'quote 'html-tempo-tags)))
(seq-do (lambda (x)
"expand macro"
(eval (list 'html-tempo-paired-tag-multi-line x)))
'("address" "article" "aside" "audio"
"body" "blockquote" "colgroup" "canvas"
"code" "datalist" "dl" "details"
"dialogue" "div" "fieldset" "figure"
"footer" "form" "head" "header"
"map" "main" "noscript" "nav"
"ol" "optgroup" "pre" "script"
"section" "select" "style" "svg"
"table" "thead" "tbody" "tfoot"
"tr" "template" "textarea" "ul"
"video"))
(tempo-define-template "image-item"
'("img src=\"" > p "\" alt=\"" p ">">)
"img"
"insert html image tag"
'html-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "abbr"
'("abbr title=\"" > p "\">" p "</abbr>" >)
"abbr"
"insert html abbr tag"
'html-tempo-tags)
(tempo-define-template "html"
'("!DOCTYPE html>" n> "<html>" n>"<head>" n>
"<title> " > p " </title>" p n>
"</head>" > n>
"<body>" > n> p
"\n</body>" > n "</html>" > n>)
"html"
"insert a html template"
'html-tempo-tags)
(set-tempo)
(tempo-use-tag-list 'html-tempo-tags)
(setq tempo-match-finder "\\(?:<!?\\)\\([^\b]+\\)\\=")
)))
Expand is a package that extends the functionality of abbrev to enable code templating functionality. It uses a similar definition to abbrevs with an added list to indicate stops inside the template. It has default keys “C-x a n” and “C-x a p” for moving forward and backward within stops
(add-hook 'expand-expand-hook 'indent-according-to-mode)
(add-hook 'expand-jump-hook 'indent-according-to-mode)
(defconst elisp-expand-list
'(("def" "(defun ()\n ) " (8 9 11 12))
)
"Expansions for org mode")
(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs emacs-lisp-mode-abbrev-table elisp-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
(add-hook 'lisp-interaction-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs emacs-lisp-mode-abbrev-table elisp-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
(defconst c-expand-list
'(("ifel" "if () {\n \n} else {\n \n}" (5 10 21))
("if" "if () {}" (5 8))
("uns" "unsigned ")
("for" "for(; ; ) {\n\n}" (5 7 9 13))
("switch" "switch () {\n\n}" (9 13))
("case" "case :\n\nbreak;\n" (6 8 16))
("do" "do {\n\n} while ();" (6 16))
("while" "while () {\n\n}" (8 12))
("default" "default:\n\nbreak;" 10)
("main" "int\nmain(int argc, char * argv[])\n{\n\n}\n" 37))
"Expansions for C mode")
(add-hook 'c-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs c-mode-abbrev-table c-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
(defconst ruby-expand-list
'(("cls" "class \n \n end" (7 9 14))
("mdl" "module \n \n end" (8 10 15))
("if" "if \n \n end" (4 6 11))
("def" "def \n \n end" (5 7 12))
("init" "def initialize()\n \n end" (16 18 24))
("ife" "if \n \n else \n \n end" (4 6 15 20))
("req" "require \"\"" (10 12))
("for" "for in do\n \n end" (5 9 14 20))
("ech" ".each do ||\n \n end" (1 11 13 19))
("dwn" ".downto() do ||\n \n end" (1 9 15 18 24))
)
"Expansions for Ruby mode")
(add-hook 'ruby-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs ruby-mode-abbrev-table ruby-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))(defconst python-expand-list
'(("cls" "class :\n " (7 10))
("mdl" "module \n \n end" (8 10 15))
("if" "if :\n " (4 7))
("ife" "if :\n \nelse:\n " (4 7 14))
("def" "def ():\n " (6 10))
)
"Expansions for Python mode")
(add-hook 'python-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs python-mode-abbrev-table python-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
(defconst org-expand-list
'(("orgau" "#+AUTHOR: " 11)
("orgti" "#+TITLE: " 10)
("orgsrc" "#+begin_src \n \n #+end_src" (13 15 28))
)
"Expansions for org mode")
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs org-mode-abbrev-table org-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
;; Define macros for single-line and multi-line HTML tags
(defmacro html-expand-snippet-single-line (var)
(list 'quote (list var (concat "<" var "> </" var ">") (list (+ 4 (length var)) (+ 10 (length var))))))
(defmacro html-expand-snippet-multi-line (var)
(list 'quote (list var (concat "<" var ">\n\n</" var ">") (list (+ 4 (length var)) (+ 10 (length var))))))
;; Manually define specific expansions
(defconst specific-html-expand-list
'(("img" "<img src=\"\" alt=\"\">" (11 18 20))
("abbr" "<abbr title=\"\"> </abbr>" (14 16 24))
("html" "<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>\n<title> </title>\n</head>\n<body>\n\n</body>\n</html>" (39 63 88))))
;; Define the automatically generated expansion list using the macros
(defconst auto-html-expand-list
(seq-concatenate 'list
(seq-map (lambda (x)
(eval `(html-expand-snippet-single-line ,x)))
'("a" "b" "bdi" "bdo"
"button" "caption" "cite" "data"
"del" "dfn" "em" "figcaption"
"h1" "h2" "h3" "h4"
"h5" "h6" "i" "iframe"
"kbd" "li" "label" "legend"
"mark" "meter" "object" "option"
"p" "progress" "q" "summary"
"s" "samp" "small" "span"
"strong" "sub" "summary" "sup"
"th" "td" "title" "time"))
(seq-map (lambda (x)
(eval `(html-expand-snippet-multi-line ,x)))
'("address" "article" "aside" "audio"
"body" "blockquote" "colgroup" "canvas"
"code" "datalist" "dl" "details"
"dialogue" "div" "fieldset" "figure"
"footer" "form" "head" "header"
"map" "main" "noscript" "nav"
"ol" "optgroup" "pre" "script"
"section" "select" "style" "svg"
"table" "thead" "tbody" "tfoot"
"tr" "template" "textarea" "ul"
"video"))))
;; Combine specific and automatic expansions
(defconst html-expand-list
(append specific-html-expand-list auto-html-expand-list))
(add-hook 'html-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs html-mode-abbrev-table html-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
(add-hook 'mhtml-mode-hook
(lambda ()
(expand-add-abbrevs html-mode-abbrev-table html-expand-list)
(abbrev-mode 1)))
#+TODO