Guide, node Updating translation committishes..
@end ignore
-@c \version "2.14.0"
+@c \version "2.15.17"
@node Interfaces for programmers
@chapter Interfaces for programmers
@noindent
Some type predicates are specially handled by the parser since it
can't recognize the arguments reliably otherwise. Currently these are
-@code{ly:music?}, @code{ly:pitch?}, and @code{ly:duration?}.
-
-All other predicates can be specified in Scheme syntax if desired
-(introduced with @code{#} or as the result of calling a scheme
-function), but Lilypond will also accept a number of Lilypond
-constructs it can recognize fully without lookahead. Currently, those
-include simple strings (with or without quotes), context
-modifications, full markups and markup lists.
-
-If you really want to input one of the special items as a Scheme rather
-than a LilyPond expression, you may write them as a Scheme expression
-that calls @code{ly:export} at its outermost level.
+@code{ly:pitch?} and @code{ly:duration?}.
+
+Suitability of arguments for all other predicates is determined by
+actually calling the predicate after Lilypond has already converted
+them into a Scheme expression. As a consequence, the argument can be
+specified in Scheme syntax if desired (introduced with @code{#} or as
+the result of calling a scheme function), but Lilypond will also
+convert a number of Lilypond constructs into Scheme before actually
+checking the predicate on them. Currently, those include music,
+simple strings (with or without quotes), numbers, full markups and markup
+lists, score, book, bookpart, context definition and output definition
+blocks.
+
+For some kinds of expression (like most music not enclosed in braces)
+Lilypond needs to look further than the expression itself in order to
+determine its end. If such an expression were considered for an
+optional argument by evaluating its predicate, Lilypond would not be
+able to ``backup'' when it decides the expression does not fit the
+parameter. So some forms of music might need to be enclosed in braces
+to make them acceptable to Lilypond. There are also some other
+complications that may cause a predicate function to be called several
+times on successive versions of an argument (like @code{3} and
+@code{3\cm}) or several interpretations (like @code{"a" 4} in lyric
+mode, which can either be a string followed by a number, or a lyric
+event of duration @code{4}).
+
+Music arguments preceding @code{ly:duration?} arguments must also be
+lookahead-free. This may also hold for the last argument of a scheme
+function that is used as the last part of another expression, since
+otherwise Lilypond won't know whether following postevents or
+durations apply to the argument of the Scheme function, or to the
+containing music expression.
For a list of available type predicates, see
@ruser{Predefined type predicates}.
values, and the matching continues with the next non-optional argument.
Apart from places where a Scheme value is required, there are a few
-places where @code{#} expressions are accepted and evaluated for their
-side effects but otherwise ignored. Mostly those are the places where
-an assignment would be acceptable as well.
-
-There are a few special places where an argument matching
-@code{ly:music?} has to be either a music identifier or a music
-expression enclosed in @code{@{}@dots{}@code{@}} or
-@code{<<}@dots{}@code{>>} explicitly, so that possibly following
-optional durations or postevents can't be confused with additional
-arguments. One obvious place is before a @code{ly:duration?}
-predicate. Another is as the last argument of a scheme function when it
-is used in a place where such optional parts could be considered either
-part of the music argument or not.
-
-In those rare cases, you have to delimit your music arguments
-appropriately to spare LilyPond from getting confused.
+places where @code{#} expressions are currently accepted and evaluated
+for their side effects but otherwise ignored. Mostly those are the
+places where an assignment would be acceptable as well.
+
+Since it is a bad idea to return values that can be misinterpreted in
+some context, you should use normal scheme functions only for those
+cases where you always return a useful value, and use void scheme
+functions (@pxref{Void scheme functions}) otherwise.
@node Void scheme functions
@subsection Void scheme functions
@funindex define-void-function
+@funindex \void
Sometimes a procedure is executed in order to perform an action rather
than return a value. Some programming languages (like C and Scheme)
\noPointAndClick % disable point and click
@end example
+If you want to evaluate an expression only for its side-effect and
+don't want any value it may return interpreted, you can do so by
+prefixing it with @code{\void}:
+
+@example
+\void #(hashq-set! some-table some-key some-value)
+@end example
+
+That way, you can be sure that Lilypond will not assign meaning to the
+returned value regardless of where it encounters it. This will also
+work for music functions such as @code{\displayMusic}.
+
@node Music functions
@section Music functions
#(define-markup-list-command (paragraph layout props args) (markup-list?)
#:properties ((par-indent 2))
(interpret-markup-list layout props
- #@{\markuplines \justified-lines @{ \hspace #$par-indent $args @} #@}))
+ #@{\markuplist \justified-lines @{ \hspace #$par-indent $args @} #@}))
@end example
This new markup list command can be used as follows:
@example
-\markuplines @{
+\markuplist @{
\paragraph @{
The art of music typography is called \italic @{(plate) engraving.@}
The term derives from the traditional process of music printing.