1

If I modify the isearch-filter-predicate variable with add-function and I do:

(message "%s" isearch-filter-predicate)

I get:

"#[128 \304\300"\205\0\304\301"\207 [skip-comments isearch-filter-visible :before-while nil apply] 4 advice]"

But if I do M-x descrive-function RET isearch-filter-predicate RET I get the variable in this format:

Its value is
#f(advice skip-comments :before-while isearch-filter-visible)

I searched for a function to format the printed value of the variables in the help-fns.el file, where describe-variable is defined and, of course, I made a search on the web but I didn't find such a function.

Is there a way to achieve this kind of format using an existing function?

Edit. I'm building a function that allows me to temporarily modify isearch-filter-predicate. To do this, I'm doing something like this:

(defvar-local typ-isearch-filter-predicates-list '()
  "List of predicates usable through the `with-temp-isearch-filter-predicate' function.")

(add-to-list 'typ-isearch-filter-predicates-list 'skip-comments)

(defun with-temp-isearch-filter-predicate ()
  "Temporarily assigns a series of predicates to the variable
`isearch-filter-predicate' to make only portions of the buffer
that match specific criteria visible/invisible to search and
replace functions."
  (interactive)
  (let* ((isearch-filter-predicate isearch-filter-predicate)
         (IFP-DEFAULT isearch-filter-predicate)
         (DEFAULT "skip-comments")

         ;; See: https://emacs.stackexchange.com/q/80307/15606
         (set-message-function nil)

         (PREDICATES (completing-read-multiple
                      "Specify, separating by commas, which predicates you want to activate: "
                      typ-isearch-filter-predicates-list
                      nil
                      t
                      nil
                      nil
                      DEFAULT))

         (enable-recursive-minibuffers t))

    (dolist (predicate PREDICATES)
      (add-function :before-while isearch-filter-predicate (intern-soft predicate)))

    (read-string
     (format
      "The value assigned to the variable `isearch-filter-predicate' is currently `%s'.
Press ENTER to restore the default value [%s] at the end of the operations:"
      isearch-filter-predicate
      IFP-DEFAULT))))
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2
  • Please show your code. I guess you're doing something like this: (add-function :before-while isearch-filter-predicate '((name . skip-comments))). But whatever it is, please show it. Commented Mar 11, 2024 at 0:17
  • @Drew done. Since I use let binding I don't use '((name . skip-comments)). Commented Mar 11, 2024 at 10:40

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

After searching more thoroughly in help-fns.el, I found the function I was looking for: cl-prin1-to-string.

In my code I can do:

(format
 "The value assigned to the variable `isearch-filter-predicate' is currently `%s'.
Press ENTER to restore the default value [%s] at the end of the operations:"
 (cl-prin1-to-string isearch-filter-predicate)
 IFP-DEFAULT)
Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    To make the answer more helpful, maybe be a bit more explicit, showing use of that function with message, to get the result you want. Commented Mar 11, 2024 at 0:18

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