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Macros often need to construct large list structures from a mixture of constants and nonconstant parts. To make this easier, use the ‘`’ syntax (usually called backquote).
Backquote allows you to quote a list, but selectively evaluate
elements of that list. In the simplest case, it is identical to the
special form quote
(see Quoting). For example, these
two forms yield identical results:
`(a list of (+ 2 3) elements) => (a list of (+ 2 3) elements) '(a list of (+ 2 3) elements) => (a list of (+ 2 3) elements)
The special marker ‘,’ inside of the argument to backquote indicates a value that isn't constant. Backquote evaluates the argument of ‘,’ and puts the value in the list structure:
(list 'a 'list 'of (+ 2 3) 'elements) => (a list of 5 elements) `(a list of ,(+ 2 3) elements) => (a list of 5 elements)
Substitution with ‘,’ is allowed at deeper levels of the list structure also. For example:
(defmacro t-becomes-nil (variable) `(if (eq ,variable t) (setq ,variable nil))) (t-becomes-nil foo) == (if (eq foo t) (setq foo nil))
You can also splice an evaluated value into the resulting list, using the special marker ‘,@’. The elements of the spliced list become elements at the same level as the other elements of the resulting list. The equivalent code without using ‘`’ is often unreadable. Here are some examples:
(setq some-list '(2 3)) => (2 3) (cons 1 (append some-list '(4) some-list)) => (1 2 3 4 2 3) `(1 ,@some-list 4 ,@some-list) => (1 2 3 4 2 3) (setq list '(hack foo bar)) => (hack foo bar) (cons 'use (cons 'the (cons 'words (append (cdr list) '(as elements))))) => (use the words foo bar as elements) `(use the words ,@(cdr list) as elements) => (use the words foo bar as elements)
In old Emacs versions, before version 19.29, ‘`’ used a different syntax which required an extra level of parentheses around the entire backquote construct. Likewise, each ‘,’ or ‘,@’ substitution required an extra level of parentheses surrounding both the ‘,’ or ‘,@’ and the following expression. The old syntax required whitespace between the ‘`’, ‘,’ or ‘,@’ and the following expression.
This syntax is still accepted, for compatibility with old Emacs versions, but we recommend not using it in new programs.