If I consult the definition of isearch-filter-predicate
, I find:
Predicate to filter hits of Isearch and replace commands. Isearch hits that don’t satisfy the predicate will be skipped.
Over the years, I have found this option very useful as it allows me to perform targeted searches and replacements in certain parts of the LaTeX
documents I edit for work.
For example, by creating custom predicates, I can ensure that I operate only on the mathematical part of the document, or only on cross-reference labels; I can ignore comments inserted by the authors, and so on.
Unfortunately, however, some functions such as occur
, search-forward-*
, string-match*
, do not take this variable into account.
For some of them, I managed to create modified versions:
(defun search-forward-ifp (STRING &optional BOUND NOERROR COUNT)
"Modified version of `search-forward` that filters (skips)
matches according to `isearch-filter-predicate'."
(let ((POINT (point)))
(catch 'filtered
(while (search-forward STRING BOUND NOERROR COUNT)
(let ((B (match-beginning 0))
(E (match-end 0)))
;; 1 - If all points of the region matching the search from
;; the previous `search-forward` fit the criteria accepted
;; by the filter, then the loop stops (throw) and
;; returns the position `(point)`:
(when (funcall isearch-filter-predicate B E)
(throw 'filtered (point)))))
;; 2 - If the search is unsuccessful, or it doesn't fit
;; the criteria accepted by the filter, then return to
;; the starting position and return `nil`.
(goto-char POINT)
nil)))
However, I couldn't modify, for instance, occur
and string-match(-p)
. Is there a reason why these functions don't adopt this mechanism? Or is it simply a lack of interest in implementing this option?
(I understand that the "i" in [i]search stands for "incremental", but I often find myself using functions that are not "incremental" but within functions that are "interactive".)
[email protected]
.