GNU bug report logs - #31584
27.0.50; Document again what match re-search-backward finds

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Message #41 received at 31584 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen <at> web.de>
To: Noam Postavsky <npostavs <at> gmail.com>
Cc: Eric Abrahamsen <eric <at> ericabrahamsen.net>, 31584 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#31584: 27.0.50;
 Document again what match re-search-backward finds
Date: Fri, 25 May 2018 03:10:50 +0200

Noam Postavsky <npostavs <at> gmail.com> writes:

> > Too bad that the anchor is located after the relevant description.
>
> I don't understand what you mean.

The anchor is in this paragraph:

   Nonincremental search for a regexp is done with the commands
‘re-search-forward’ and ‘re-search-backward’. [...]

But I thought you wanted to refer to the description in the paragraph
before that, that is:

   Forward and backward regexp search are not symmetrical, because
regexp matching in Emacs always operates forward, starting with the
beginning of the regexp.  Thus, forward regexp search scans forward,
trying a forward match at each possible starting position.  Backward
regexp search scans backward, trying a forward match at each possible
starting position.  These search methods are not mirror images.

The problem is that most people will only read forward.  Did I miss
something?


> > FWIW; I still prefer the original sentence, I find it describes the
> > behavior best, and short (which is good for a docstring).  It is also
> > good to have an alternative and more verbose explanation in the manual.
>
> I find the original sentence kind of cryptic, but I'm okay to be
> outvoted on this.

So far, I'm outvoted.


Michael.

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