2.6.1 Upgrading all packages

The “easy path” provided by Emacs is to update all packages to their latest versions. Although you might not want to do this — see next section — here is how to do so:

1. Use M-x package-initialize.
2. Use M-x package-refresh-contents.
3. Use M-x list-packages. It should display a message like “42 packages can be upgraded; type ‘U’ to mark them for upgrading.”.
4. Press U as suggested to mark them all.
5. Press x to execute.

After such a mass update, it might be wise to exit and restart Emacs.

NOTE: If you get an error message about “contacting a host” or “downloading an archive”, the problem is not unique to Racket Mode. Please see https://melpa.org/#/getting-started.

2.6.2 Updating just Racket Mode

Updating all packages sometimes is more than you want. For example, maybe you will discover that some packages have changed in ways that require you to take time to learn about, change customizations, and so on.

To update just Racket Mode:

1. Uninstall.
2. Optional but most reliable: Exit and restart Emacs.
3. Install again. This will install the latest version.

6.1.1 racket-mode

M-x racket-mode

Major mode for editing Racket source files.

In addition to any hooks its parent mode prog-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.1.2 racket-insert-lambda

C-M-y

Insert λ.

To insert Unicode symbols generally, see racket-input-mode.

6.1.3 racket-insert-symbol

M-x racket-insert-symbol

Insert a symbol from racket-input-translations.

A command alternative to the “Racket” input method activated by racket-input-mode.

Presents a completing-read UI, in which the symbols that would be inserted are shown as annotations – a preview unlike what is currently provided by the Emacs UI for input method.

6.1.4 racket-fold-all-tests

C-c C-f

Fold (hide) all test submodules.

6.1.5 racket-unfold-all-tests

C-c C-u

Unfold (show) all test submodules.

6.1.6 racket-tidy-requires

M-x racket-tidy-requires

Make a single “require” form, modules sorted, one per line.

The scope of this command is the innermost module around point, including the outermost module for a file using a “#lang” line. All require forms within that module are combined into a single form. Within that form:

• A single subform is used for each phase level, sorted in this order: for-syntax, for-template, for-label, for-meta, and plain (phase 0).
  • Within each level subform, the modules are sorted:
    • Collection path modules – sorted alphabetically.
    • Subforms such as only-in.
    • Quoted relative requires – sorted alphabetically.

At most one required module is listed per line.

See also: racket-trim-requires and racket-base-requires.

6.1.7 racket-trim-requires

M-x racket-trim-requires

Like racket-tidy-requires but also deletes unnecessary requires.

Note: This only works when the source file can be fully expanded with no errors.

Note: This only works for requires at the top level of a source file using #lang. It does NOT work for require forms inside module forms. Furthermore, it is not smart about module+ or module* forms – it might delete top level requires that are actually needed by such submodules.

See also: racket-base-requires.

6.1.8 racket-base-requires

M-x racket-base-requires

Change from “#lang racket” to “#lang racket/base”.

Adds explicit requires for imports that are provided by “racket” but not by “racket/base”.

This is a recommended optimization for Racket applications. Avoiding loading all of “racket” can reduce load time and memory footprint.

Also, as does racket-trim-requires, this removes unneeded modules and tidies everything into a single, sorted require form.

Note: This only works when the source file can be fully expanded with no errors.

Note: This only works for requires at the top level of a source file using #lang. It does NOT work for require forms inside module forms. Furthermore, it is not smart about module+ or module* forms – it might delete top level requires that are actually needed by such submodules.

Note: Currently this only helps change “#lang racket” to “#lang racket/base”. It does not help with other similar conversions, such as changing “#lang typed/racket” to “#lang typed/racket/base”.

6.1.9 racket-add-require-for-identifier

M-x racket-add-require-for-identifier

Add a require for an identifier.

Useful when you know the name of an export but don’t remember from what module it is exported.

At the prompt:

Use <XF86Forward> or <next> or M-n to load the identifier at point. You may also need to C-e or <end> to see candidates.

Or type anything.

After you choose:

The identifier you chose is inserted at point if not already there.

A “require” form is inserted, followed by doing a racket-tidy-requires.

When more than one module supplies an identifer with the same name, the first is used – for example “racket/base” instead of “racket”.

Caveat: This works in terms of identifiers that are documented. The mechanism is similar to that used for Racket’s “Search Manuals” feature. Today there exists no system-wide database of identifiers that are exported but not documented.

6.1.10 racket-indent-line

M-x racket-indent-line

Indent current line as Racket code.

Normally you don’t invoke this command directly. Instead, because it is used as the value for the variable indent-line-function in racket-mode and racket-repl-mode buffers, it is used automatically when you press keys like RET or TAB. However you might refer to it when configuring custom indentation, explained below.

Following the tradition of lisp-mode and scheme-mode, the primary way to determine the indentation of a form is to look for a rule stored as a racket-indent-function property.

To extend, use your Emacs init file to

    (put SYMBOL 'racket-indent-function INDENT)

SYMBOL is the name of the Racket form like “test-case” and INDENT is an integer or the symbol “defun”. When INDENT is an integer, the meaning is the same as for lisp-indent-function and scheme-indent-function: Indent the first INDENT arguments specially and indent any further arguments like a body. (The number may be negative; see discussion below.)

For example:

    (put 'test-case 'racket-indent-function 1)

This will change the indent of test-case from this:

    (test-case foo
               blah
               blah)

to this:

    (test-case foo
      blah
      blah)

For backward compatibility, if racket-indent-function has no property for a symbol, a scheme-indent-function property is also considered, although the “with-” indents defined by scheme-mode are ignored. This is only to help people who may have extensive scheme-indent-function settings, particularly in the form of file or dir local variables. Otherwise prefer putting properties on racket-indent-function.

If no explicit rules match, regular expressions are used for a couple special cases:

• Forms that start with “begin” indent like “begin”.
• Forms that start with “def” or “with-” indent like “define”.

On the one hand this is convenient when you create your own “DRY” macros; they will indent as expected without you needing to make custom indent rules. On the other hand there can be false matches; for example a function or form named “defer” will indent like “define”. This is a known drawback and is unlikely to be fixed unless/until Racket macros someday support a protocol to communicate how they should be indented.

There is also automatic handling for:

• Forms that begin with a #:keyword (as found in contracts)
• Literal forms like #hasheq()
• Quoted forms when the variable racket-indent-sequence-depth is > 0.
• {} forms when the variable racket-indent-curly-as-sequence is not nil.

Finally and otherwise, a form will be indented as if it were a procedure application.

— — —

Note: Racket Mode extends the traditional Emacs lisp indent spec to allow a negative integer, which means that all distinguished forms should align with the first one. This style originated with “for/fold”, which has two distinguished forms. Traditionally those would indent like this:

    (for/fold ([x xs])
        ([y ys])            ; twice body indent
      body)

However the popularly desired indent is:

    (for/fold ([x xs])
              ([y ys])      ; same as first distingushed form
      body)

This idea extends to optional distinguished forms, such as Typed Racket annotation “prefixes” in “for/fold”, “for/x”, and even “let” forms:

    (for/fold : Type
              ([x xs])
              ([y ys])      ; same as first distingushed form
      body)

6.1.11 racket-smart-open-bracket-mode

M-x racket-smart-open-bracket-mode

Minor mode to let you always type [’ to insert ( or [ automatically.

Behaves like the “Automatically adjust opening square brackets” feature in Dr. Racket.

By default, inserts a (. Inserts a [ in the following cases:

• let-like bindings – forms with let in the name as well as things like parameterize, with-handlers, and with-syntax.
• case, cond, match, syntax-case, syntax-parse, and syntax-rules clauses.
• for-like bindings and for/fold accumulators.
• class declaration syntax, such as init and inherit.

When the previous s-expression in a sequence is a compound expression, uses the same kind of delimiter.

To force insert [, use quoted-insert.

Combined with racket-insert-closing this means that you can press the unshifted [ and ] keys to get whatever delimiters follow the Racket conventions for these forms. When something like electric-pair-mode or paredit-mode is active, you need not even press ].

Tip: When also using paredit-mode, enable that first so that the binding for the [’ key in the map for racket-smart-open-bracket-mode has higher priority. See also the variable minor-mode-map-alist.

Tip: When using this with racket-hash-lang-mode, you may want to use racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook to enable it IFF the module langugage is something like “racket”.

This is a minor mode. If called interactively, toggle the Racket-Smart-Open-Bracket mode mode. If the prefix argument is positive, enable the mode, and if it is zero or negative, disable the mode.

If called from Lisp, toggle the mode if ARG is toggle. Enable the mode if ARG is nil, omitted, or is a positive number. Disable the mode if ARG is a negative number.

To check whether the minor mode is enabled in the current buffer, evaluate racket-smart-open-bracket-mode.

The mode’s hook is called both when the mode is enabled and when it is disabled.

6.1.12 racket-insert-closing

] or )

Insert a matching closing delimiter.

With C-u insert the typed character as-is.

This is handy if you’re not yet using something like paredit-mode, smartparens-mode, parinfer-mode, or simply electric-pair-mode added in Emacs 24.5.

6.1.13 racket-cycle-paren-shapes

C-c C-p

Cycle the sexpr among () [] {}.

6.1.14 racket-backward-up-list

C-M-u

Like backward-up-list but works when point is in a string or comment.

Typically you should not use this command in Emacs Lisp – especially not repeatedly. Instead, initially use racket--escape-string-or-comment to move to the start of a string or comment, if any, then use normal backward-up-list repeatedly.

6.1.15 racket-input-mode

M-x racket-input-mode

A minor mode to enable the “Racket” input method.

The Racket input method lets you type racket-input-prefix, followed by a key sequence from racket-input-translations, directly in a buffer, to insert a symbol.

For example when racket-input-prefix is the default “\”, you can type “\All” and it is immediately replaced with “∀”.

To enable racket-input-mode (and the Racket input method) for all new buffers, put the following in your Emacs init file:

    (dolist (hook '(racket-mode-hook
                    racket-hash-lang-mode-hook
                    racket-repl-mode-hook))
      (add-hook hook #'racket-input-mode))

Tip: You may use the standard Emacs key C-\ to toggle the current input method.

Tip: If you don’t like the highlighting of partially matching tokens you can disable that using input-method-highlight-flag.

See the Emacs manual for other information about input methods.

Tip: Another way to use racket-input-translations is by using a command: racket-insert-symbol.

This is a minor mode. If called interactively, toggle the Racket-Input mode mode. If the prefix argument is positive, enable the mode, and if it is zero or negative, disable the mode.

If called from Lisp, toggle the mode if ARG is toggle. Enable the mode if ARG is nil, omitted, or is a positive number. Disable the mode if ARG is a negative number.

To check whether the minor mode is enabled in the current buffer, evaluate racket-input-mode.

The mode’s hook is called both when the mode is enabled and when it is disabled.

6.1.16 racket-align

M-x racket-align

Align values in the same column.

Useful for binding forms like “let” and “parameterize”, conditionals like “cond” and “match”, association lists, and any series of couples like the arguments to “hash”.

Before choosing this command, put point on the first of a series of “couples”. A couple is:

• A list of two or more sexprs: “[sexpr val sexpr …]”.
• Two sexprs: “sexpr val”.

Each “val” moves to the same column and is prog-indent-sexp-ed (in case it is a multi-line form).

For example with point on the “[” before “a”:

    Before             After

    (let ([a 12]       (let ([a   12]
          [bar 23])          [bar 23])
      ....)              ....)

    ([a . 12]          ([a   . 12]
     [bar . 23])        [bar . 23])

    (cond [a? #t]      (cond [a?   #t]
          [b? (f x           [b?   (f x
                 y)]                  y)]
          [else #f])         [else #f])

Or with point on the quote before “a”:

    (list a 12        (list a   12
          bar 23)           bar 23)

If more than one couple is on the same line, none are aligned, because it is unclear where the value column should be. For example the following form will not change; racket-align will display an error message:

    (let ([a 0][b 1]
          [c 2])       error; unchanged
      ....)

When a couple’s sexprs start on different lines, that couple is ignored. Other, single-line couples in the series are aligned as usual. For example:

    (let ([foo         (let ([foo
           0]                 0]
          [bar 1]            [bar 1]
          [x 2])             [x   2])
      ....)              ....)

See also: racket-unalign.

6.1.17 racket-unalign

M-x racket-unalign

The opposite of racket-align.

Effectively does M-x just-one-space and prog-indent-sexp for each couple’s value.

6.1.18 racket-complete-at-point

A value for the variable completion-at-point-functions.

Completion candidates are drawn from the same symbols used for font-lock. This is a static list. If you want dynamic, smarter completion candidates, enable the minor mode racket-xp-mode.

6.2.1 racket-hash-lang-mode

M-x racket-hash-lang-mode

Use color-lexer, indent, and navigation supplied by a #lang.

An experimental major mode alternative to racket-mode for source file edit buffers.

In your Emacs configuration, you may want to update the variable auto-mode-alist to use racket-hash-lang-mode for file extensions like “.rkt”, “.scrbl”, and/or “.rhm”.

Languages supply colors for lexer tokens like strings and comments; see the customization variable racket-hash-lang-token-face-alist. For more colors see the hook variable racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook, which can also be used to vary configurations per language.

A discussion of the information provided by a Racket language:

https://docs.racket-lang.org/tools/lang-languages-customization.html

In addition to any hooks its parent mode prog-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-hash-lang-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.2.2 racket-hash-lang-backward

C-M-b

Like backward-sexp but uses #lang supplied navigation.

6.2.3 racket-hash-lang-forward

C-M-f

Like forward-sexp but uses #lang supplied navigation.

6.2.4 racket-hash-lang-up

C-M-u

Like backward-up-list but uses #lang supplied navigation.

6.2.5 racket-hash-lang-down

C-M-d

Like down-list but uses #lang supplied navigation.

6.2.6 racket-hash-lang-C-M-q-dwim

C-M-q

Fill or indent depending on lang lexer’s token at point.

When the lang lexer token is…

• “text”, for example in Scribble document text, do fill-paragraph.
• “comment”, do fill-comment.
• “whitespace”, give an error message.
• anything else, do prog-indent-sexp.

6.3.1 racket-xp-mode

M-x racket-xp-mode

A minor mode that analyzes expanded code to explain and explore.

This minor mode is an optional enhancement to racket-mode edit buffers. Like any minor mode, you can turn it on or off for a specific buffer. If you always want to use it, put the following code in your Emacs init file:

    (require 'racket-xp)
    (add-hook 'racket-mode-hook #'racket-xp-mode)

Note: This mode won’t do anything unless/until the Racket Mode back end is running. It will try to start the back end automatically. You do not need to racket-run the buffer you are editing.

This mode uses the drracket/check-syntax package to analyze fully-expanded programs, without needing to evaluate a.k.a. “run” them. The resulting analysis provides information for:

• Visually annotating bindings – local or imported definitions and references to them.
• Visually annotating expressions in a tail position, as well as the enclosing expression with respect to which they are in a tail position.
• Completion candidates.
• Defintions’ source and documentation.

When point is on a definition or use, related items are highlighted using racket-xp-def-face and racket-xp-use-face – instead of drawing arrows as in Dr Racket. Information is displayed using the function(s) in the hook variable racket-show-functions; it is also available when hovering the mouse cursor.

Note: If you find these point-motion features too distracting and/or slow, in your racket-xp-mode-hook you may disable them:

  (require 'racket-xp)
  (add-hook 'racket-xp-mode-hook
            (lambda ()
              (remove-hook 'pre-redisplay-functions
                           #'racket-xp-pre-redisplay
                           t)))

The remaining features discussed below will still work.

You may also use commands to navigate among a definition and its uses, or to rename a local definitions and all its uses:

• racket-xp-next-definition
• racket-xp-previous-definition
• racket-xp-next-use
• racket-xp-previous-use

In the following little example, not only does drracket/check-syntax distinguish the various “x” bindings, it understands the two different imports of “define”:

  #lang racket/base
  (define x 1)
  x
  (let ([x x])
    (+ x 1))
  (module m typed/racket/base
    (define x 2)
    x)

When point is on the opening parenthesis of an expression in tail position, it is highlighted using the face racket-xp-tail-position-face.

When point is on the opening parenthesis of an enclosing expression with respect to which one or more expressions are in tail position, it is highlighted using the face racket-xp-tail-target-face.

Furthermore, when point is on the opening parenthesis of either kind of expression, all of the immediately related expressions are also highlighted. Various commands move among them:

• racket-xp-tail-up
• racket-xp-tail-down
• racket-xp-tail-next-sibling
• racket-xp-tail-previous-sibling

The function racket-xp-complete-at-point is added to the variable completion-at-point-functions. Note that in this case, it is not smart about submodules; identifiers are assumed to be definitions from the file’s module or its imports. In addition to supplying completion candidates, it supports the “:company-location” property to inspect the definition of a candidate and the “:company-doc-buffer” property to view its documentation.

When you edit the buffer, existing annotations are retained; their positions are updated to reflect the edit. Annotations for new or deleted text are not requested until after racket-xp-after-change-refresh-delay seconds. The request is made asynchronously so that Emacs will not block – for moderately complex source files, it can take some seconds simply to fully expand them, as well as a little more time for the drracket/check-syntax analysis. When the results are ready, all annotations for the buffer are completely refreshed.

You may also set racket-xp-after-change-refresh-delay to nil and use the racket-xp-annotate command manually.

The mode line changes to reflect the current status of annotations, and whether or not you had a syntax error.

If you have one or more syntax errors, next-error and previous-error navigate among them. Although most languages will stop after the first syntax error, some like Typed Racket will try to collect and report multiple errors.

You may use xref-find-definitions M-. , xref-pop-marker-stack M-x xref-pop-marker-stack, and xref-find-references: racket-xp-mode adds a backend to the variable xref-backend-functions. This backend uses information from the drracket/check-syntax static analysis. Its ability to find references is limited to the current file; when it finds none it will try the default xref backend implementation which is grep-based.

Tip: This mode follows the convention that a minor mode may only use a prefix key consisting of “C-c” followed by a punctuation key. As a result, racket-xp-control-c-hash-keymap is bound to “C-c #” by default. Although you might find this awkward to type, remember that as an Emacs user, you are free to bind this map to a more convenient prefix, and/or bind any individual commands directly to whatever keys you prefer.

This is a minor mode. If called interactively, toggle the Racket-Xp mode mode. If the prefix argument is positive, enable the mode, and if it is zero or negative, disable the mode.

If called from Lisp, toggle the mode if ARG is toggle. Enable the mode if ARG is nil, omitted, or is a positive number. Disable the mode if ARG is a negative number.

To check whether the minor mode is enabled in the current buffer, evaluate racket-xp-mode.

The mode’s hook is called both when the mode is enabled and when it is disabled.

6.3.2 racket-xp-describe

C-c C-.

Describe the identifier at point.

The command varies based on how many C-u command prefixes you supply.

• C-c C-.

  Uses the symbol at point. If no such symbol exists, you are prompted enter the identifier, but in this case it only considers definitions or imports at the file’s module level – not local bindings nor definitions in submodules.

  • If the identifier has installed Racket documentation, then a simplified version of the HTML is presented in the buffer, including the “blue box”, documentation prose, and examples.
  • Otherwise, if the identifier is a function, then its signature is displayed, for example “(name arg-1-name arg-2-name)”.
• C-u C-c C-.

  Always prompts you to enter a symbol, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

• C-u C-u C-c C-.

  This is an alias for racket-describe-search, which uses installed documentation in a racket-describe-mode buffer instead of an external web browser.

The intent is to give a quick reminder or introduction to something, regardless of whether it has installed documentation – and to do so within Emacs, without switching to a web browser.

This buffer is also displayed when you use company-mode and press F1 or C-h in its pop up completion list.

6.3.3 racket-xp-documentation

C-c C-d

View documentation in an external web browser.

The command varies based on how many C-u command prefixes you supply.

• C-c C-d

  Uses the symbol at point. Tries to find documentation for an identifer defined in the expansion of the current buffer.

  If no such identifer exists, opens the Search Manuals page. In this case, the variable racket-documentation-search-location determines whether the search is done locally as with raco doc, or visits a URL.

• C-u C-c C-d

  Always prompts you to enter a symbol, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

• C-u C-u C-c C-d

  Always prompts you to enter anything, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

  Proceeds directly to the Search Manuals page. Use this if you would like to see documentation for all identifiers named “define”, for example.

6.3.4 racket-xp-next-definition

C-c # j

Move point to the next definition.

6.3.5 racket-xp-previous-definition

C-c # k

Move point to the previous definition.

6.3.6 racket-xp-next-use

C-c # n

When point is on a use, go to the next, sibling use.

6.3.7 racket-xp-previous-use

C-c # p

When point is on a use, go to the previous, sibling use.

6.3.8 racket-xp-next-error

M-x racket-xp-next-error

An obsolete alias for next-error.

6.3.9 racket-xp-previous-error

M-x racket-xp-previous-error

An obsolete alias for previous-error.

6.3.10 racket-xp-tail-up

C-c # ^

Go “up” to the expression enclosing an expression in tail position.

When point is on the opening parenthesis of an expression in tail position, go its “target” – that is, go to the enclosing expression with the same continuation as the tail expression.

6.3.11 racket-xp-tail-down

C-c # v

Go “down” to the first tail position enclosed by the current expression.

6.3.12 racket-xp-tail-next-sibling

C-c # >

Go to the next tail position sharing the same enclosing expression.

6.3.13 racket-xp-tail-previous-sibling

C-c # <

Go to the previous tail position sharing the same enclosing expression.

6.3.14 racket-documentation-search

C-c C-d

Search documentation.

This command is useful in several situations:

• You are not using racket-xp-mode for a racket-mode edit buffer, so racket-xp-documentation is not available.
• There is no racket-repl-mode buffer with a live namespace, so racket-repl-documentation is not available or helpful.
• You want to search for definitions provided by all modules – for example, the “define” syntax provided by racket/base, by typed/racket/base, and by other modules, as well definitions or topics that merely include “define”.

This command does not try to go directly to the help topic for a definition provided by any specific module. Instead it goes to the Racket “Search Manuals” page.

6.3.15 racket-describe-mode

M-x racket-describe-mode

Major mode for viewing Racket documentation.

Many of the default key bindings are similar to Info-mode, as listed below.

To see “On this page” links, use M-g i for imenu, or, when context-menu-mode is enabled, right click the mouse.

Supports bookmarks: bookmark-set.

Supports org links: org-store-link, org-insert-link, and org-open-at-point.

Internal, intra-doc links – which go to other doc pages in the same racket-describe-mode buffer in Emacs – are given racket-doc-link-face unless the documentation specifies some non-default face.

External links – which are opened using the variable racket-browse-url-function, by default in an external web browser program – are given racket-ext-link-face.

In addition to any hooks its parent mode special-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-describe-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.3.16 racket-describe-search

C-c C-. or C-c C-s

Search installed documentation; view using racket-describe-mode.

6.4.1 racket-repl-mode

M-x racket-repl-mode

Major mode for Racket REPL.

You may use xref-find-definitions M-. and xref-pop-marker-stack M-x xref-pop-marker-stack: racket-repl-mode adds a backend to the variable xref-backend-functions. This backend uses information about identifier bindings and modules from the REPL’s namespace.

This mode runs the hook racket-repl-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.4.2 racket-run

M-x racket-run

Save the buffer in REPL and run your program.

As well as evaluating the outermost, file module, automatically runs the submodules specified by the customization variable racket-submodules-to-run.

See also racket-run-module-at-point, which runs just the specific module at point.

The command varies based on how many C-u prefix arguments you supply.

• <f5>

  Follows the racket-error-context setting.

• C-u <f5>

  Uses errortrace for improved stack traces, as if racket-error-context were set to “high”.

  This lets you keep racket-error-context set to a faster value like “low” or “medium”, then conveniently re-run when you need a better strack trace.

• C-u C-u <f5>

  Instruments code for step debugging. See racket-debug-mode and the variable racket-debuggable-files.

Each run occurs within a Racket custodian. Any prior run’s custodian is shut down, releasing resources like threads and ports. Each run’s evaluation environment is reset to the contents of the source file. In other words, like Dr Racket, this provides the benefit that your source file is the “single source of truth”. At the same time, the run gives you a REPL inside the namespace of the module, giving you the ability to explore it interactively. Any explorations are temporary, unless you also make them to your source file, they will be lost on the next run.

See also racket-run-and-switch-to-repl, which is even more like Dr Racket’s Run command because it selects the REPL window after running.

To visit error locations, move point there and press RET or mouse click. Or, use the standard next-error and previous-error commands from either the edit or REPL buffer.

6.4.3 racket-run-and-switch-to-repl

<f5>

This is racket-run followed by selecting the REPL buffer window.

This is similar to how Dr Racket behaves.

To make it even more similar, you may add racket-repl-clear to the variable racket-before-run-hook.

6.4.4 racket-run-module-at-point

C-c C-k or C-c C-c

Save the buffer and run the module at point.

Like racket-run but runs the innermost module around point, which is determined textually by looking for “module”, “module*”, or “module+” forms nested to any depth, else simply the outermost, file module.

6.4.5 racket-repl

M-x racket-repl

Show a Racket REPL buffer in some window.

The intended use of Racket Mode’s REPL is that you find-file some specific file, then run it using a command like racket-run or racket-run-module-at-point. The resulting REPL will correspond to those definitions and match your expectations.

Therefore this racket-repl command – which is intended as a convenience for people who want to “just get a quick scratch REPL” – is actually implemented as running the file named in the customization variable racket-repl-command-file. When that file doesn’t exist, it is created to contain just “#lang racket/base”. You may edit the file to use a different lang, require other modules, or whatever.

6.4.6 racket-repl-describe

C-c C-.

Describe the identifier at point.

The command varies based on how many C-u prefix arguments you supply.

• C-c C-.

  Uses the symbol at point. If no such symbol exists, you are prompted enter the identifier, but in this case it only considers definitions or imports at the file’s module level – not local bindings nor definitions in submodules.

  • If the identifier has installed Racket documentation, then a simplified version of the HTML is presented in the buffer, including the “blue box”, documentation prose, and examples.
  • Otherwise, if the identifier is a function, then its signature is displayed, for example “(name arg-1-name arg-2-name)”.
• C-u C-c C-.

  Always prompts you to enter a symbol, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

• C-u C-u C-c C-.

  This is an alias for racket-describe-search, which uses installed documentation in a racket-describe-mode buffer instead of an external web browser.

The intent is to give a quick reminder or introduction to something, regardless of whether it has installed documentation – and to do so within Emacs, without switching to a web browser.

6.4.7 racket-repl-documentation

C-c C-d

View documentation in an external web browser.

The command varies based on how many C-u command prefixes you supply.

• C-c C-d

  Uses the symbol at point. Tries to find documentation for an identifer defined in the current namespace.

  If no such identifer exists, opens the Search Manuals page. In this case, the variable racket-documentation-search-location determines whether the search is done locally as with raco doc, or visits a URL.

• C-u C-c C-d

  Prompts you to enter a symbol, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

• C-u C-u C-c C-d

  Prompts you to enter anything, defaulting to the symbol at point if any.

  Proceeds directly to the Search Manuals page. Use this if you would like to see documentation for all identifiers named “define”, for example.

6.4.8 racket-racket

C-M-<f5>

Use command-line racket to run the file.

Uses a shell or terminal buffer as specified by the configuration variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

6.4.9 racket-profile

C-c C-o

Like racket-run-module-at-point but with profiling.

Results are presented in a racket-profile-mode buffer, which also lets you quickly view the source code.

You may evaluate expressions in the REPL. They are also profiled. Use racket-profile-refresh to see the updated results. In other words a possible workflow is: racket-profile a .rkt file, call one its functions in the REPL, and refresh the profile results.

Caveat: Only source files are instrumented. You may need to delete compiled/*.zo files.

6.4.10 racket-profile-mode

M-x racket-profile-mode

Major mode for results of racket-profile.

In addition to any hooks its parent mode tabulated-list-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-profile-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.4.11 racket-logger

C-c C-l

Create the racket-logger-mode buffer.

6.4.12 racket-logger-mode

M-x racket-logger-mode

Major mode for Racket logger output.

The customization variable racket-logger-config determines the levels for topics. During a session you may change topic levels using racket-logger-topic-level.

For more information see: https://docs.racket-lang.org/reference/logging.html

In addition to any hooks its parent mode special-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-logger-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.4.13 racket-debug-mode

M-x racket-debug-mode

Minor mode for debug breaks.

This feature is EXPERIMENTAL!!! It is likely to have significant limitations and bugs. You are welcome to open an issue to provide feedback. Please understand that this feature might never be improved – it might even be removed someday if it turns out to have too little value and/or too much cost.

How to debug:

1. “Instrument” code for step debugging.

   Use two C-u command prefixes for either racket-run or racket-run-module-at-point.

   The file will be instrumented for step debugging before it is run. Any imported files are also instrumented if they are in the variable racket-debuggable-files.

   The run will break at the first breakable position.

   Tip: After you run to completion and return to a normal REPL prompt, the code remains instrumented. You may enter expressions that evaluate instrumented code and it will break so you can step debug again.

2. When a break occurs, the racket-repl-mode prompt changes. In this debug REPL, local variables are available for you to use and even to set!.

   Also, in the racket-mode buffer where the break is located, racket-debug-mode is enabled. This minor mode makes the buffer read-only, provides visual feedback – about the break position, local variable values, and result values – and provides shortcut keys:

This is a minor mode. If called interactively, toggle the Racket-Debug mode mode. If the prefix argument is positive, enable the mode, and if it is zero or negative, disable the mode.

If called from Lisp, toggle the mode if ARG is toggle. Enable the mode if ARG is nil, omitted, or is a positive number. Disable the mode if ARG is a negative number.

To check whether the minor mode is enabled in the current buffer, evaluate racket-debug-mode.

The mode’s hook is called both when the mode is enabled and when it is disabled.

6.4.14 racket-repl-clear

Delete all text in the REPL.

A suitable value for the hook racket-before-run-hook if you want the REPL buffer to be cleared before each run, much like with Dr Racket. To do so you can use customize, or, add to your Emacs init file something like:

(add-hook ’racket-before-run-hook #’racket-repl-clear)

See also the command racket-repl-clear-leaving-last-prompt.

6.4.15 racket-repl-clear-leaving-last-prompt

M-x racket-repl-clear-leaving-last-prompt

Delete all text in the REPL, except for the last prompt.

6.5.1 racket-test

C-<f5> or C-c C-t

Run the “test” submodule.

Put your tests in a “test” submodule. For example:

    (module+ test
      (require rackunit)
      (check-true #t))

Any rackunit test failure messages show the location. You may use next-error to jump to the location of each failing test.

With C-u uses errortrace for improved stack traces. Otherwise follows the racket-error-context setting.

With C-u C-u also runs the tests with coverage instrumentation and highlights uncovered code using font-lock-warning-face.

See also:

• racket-fold-all-tests
• racket-unfold-all-tests

6.5.2 racket-raco-test

M-x racket-raco-test

Use command-line raco test to run the “test” submodule.

Uses a shell or terminal buffer as specified by the configuration variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

6.6.1 racket-send-region

C-c C-r

Send the current region (if any) to the Racket REPL.

6.6.2 racket-send-definition

C-M-x

Send the current definition to the Racket REPL.

6.6.3 racket-send-last-sexp

C-x C-e

Send the expression before point to the Racket REPL.

The expression may be either an at-expression or an s-expression.

When the expression is a sexp comment, the sexp itself is sent, without the #; prefix.

With a prefix argument (e.g. C-u C-x C-e ), the sexp is copied into the REPL, followed by a “=>” line, to distinguish it from the zero or more values to which it evaluates.

6.7.1 racket-open-require-path

C-c C-x C-f

Like Dr Racket’s Open Require Path.

Type (or delete) characters that are part of a module path name. “Fuzzy” matches appear. For example try typing “t/t/r”.

Choices are displayed in a vertical list. The current choice is at the top, marked with “->”.

• C-n and C-p move among the choices.
• RET on a directory adds its contents to the choices.
• RET on a file exits doing find-file.
• C-g aborts.

6.8.1 racket-stepper-mode

M-x racket-stepper-mode

Major mode for Racket stepper output.

Used by the commands racket-expand-file, racket-expand-definition, racket-expand-region, and racket-expand-last-sexp.

In addition to any hooks its parent mode special-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-stepper-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.8.2 racket-expand-file

C-c C-e f

Expand the racket-mode buffer’s file in racket-stepper-mode.

Uses the macro-debugger package to do the expansion.

You do not need to racket-run the file first; the namespace active in the REPL is not used.

If the file is non-trivial and/or is not compiled to a .zo bytecode file, then it might take many seconds before the original form is displayed and you can start stepping.

With C-u behaves as if racket-expand-hiding were ’disabled.

6.8.3 racket-expand-region

C-c C-e r

Expand the active region using racket-stepper-mode.

Uses the macro-debugger package to do the expansion.

With C-u behaves as if racket-expand-hiding were ’disabled.

6.8.4 racket-expand-definition

C-c C-e x

Expand the definition around point using racket-stepper-mode.

Uses the macro-debugger package to do the expansion.

With C-u behaves as if racket-expand-hiding were ’disabled.

6.8.5 racket-expand-last-sexp

C-c C-e e

Expand the sexp before point using racket-stepper-mode.

Uses the macro-debugger package to do the expansion.

With C-u behaves as if racket-expand-hiding were ’disabled.

6.9.1 racket-package-refresh

M-x racket-package-refresh

Refresh the local copy of package catalogs.

Will make HTTP requests to remote catalog servers. May take a few seconds to complete.

6.9.2 list-racket-packages

M-x list-racket-packages

Open a racket-package-mode buffer for the active back end.

6.9.3 racket-package-mode

M-x racket-package-mode

Major mode for Racket package management.

The list of packages is equivalent to “raco pkg show -all” on the active back end – that is, all packages installed manually or as dependencies – plus packages available from your configured catalogs, assuming you have run the command racket-package-refresh.

On each row you can press RET to describe-racket-package, which opens a buffer where you can view details, and use buttons to install/update/remove the package.

In addition to any hooks its parent mode tabulated-list-mode might have run, this mode runs the hook racket-package-mode-hook, as the final or penultimate step during initialization.

6.9.4 describe-racket-package

M-x describe-racket-package

Describe details of a Racket package.

Depending on the package status, buttons let you install, update, and/or remove the package and its dependencies. These convenience buttons are equivalent to using the command line on the active back end to do “raco pkg {install update remove} –auto”. For other operations, you still need to use “raco pkg” yourself; see https://docs.racket-lang.org/pkg/cmdline.html.

Detail values are links when possible:

• The Catalog (when “https://pkgs.racket-lang.org”) links to the package’s web page, which may have additional details not available locally.
• The Source links to the repo’s web page or local filesystem.
• The Directory for an installed package opens a dired buffer.
• Each Dependencies name links to details about that package.
• For installed packages, each Modules item links to the local file. There is also a button to each module’s locally installed documentation, if any.

If the package is available from a catalog, additional details will be shown, assuming you have run the command racket-package-refresh.

6.10.1 racket-debug-toggle-breakpoint

M-x racket-debug-toggle-breakpoint

Add or remove a breakpoint.

Each breakpoint has a condition and a list of actions.

The condition is a Racket expression that is evaluated in a context where local variables exist. Examples:

• “#t” means break always.
• If the code around the breakpoint is something like “(for ([n 100]) _)”, then a condition like “(zero? (modulo n 10))” is every 10 times through the loop.

Actions is a list of symbols; you may specify one or more. The action symbols are:

• “break” causes a break, enabling racket-debug-mode.
• “log” and “print” display information about local variables to the logger or REPL output, respectively. Although racket-debug-mode already shows these values “in situ” when you reach a break, this may be useful if you want a history. Specifying “log” or “print”, but not “break”, is equivalent to what many debuggers call a watchpoint instead of a breakpoint: Output some information and automatically resume.

Note: Although racket-debug-mode provides a convenient keybinding, you may invoke this command anytime using M-x.

Note: If you’re warned that point isn’t known to be a breakable position, that might be because it truly isn’t, or, just because you are not in racket-debug-mode and the breakable positions aren’t yet known. Worst case, if you set a breakpoint someplace that is not breakable, it is ignored. With a few exceptions – such as close paren positions that are tail calls – most open parens and close parens are breakble positions.

6.10.2 racket-mode-start-faster

M-x racket-mode-start-faster

Compile Racket Mode’s .rkt files for faster startup.

Racket Mode is implemented as an Emacs Lisp “front end” that talks to a Racket process “back end”. Because Racket Mode is delivered as an Emacs package instead of a Racket package, installing it does not do the raco setup that is normally done for Racket packages.

This command will do a raco make of Racket Mode’s .rkt files, creating bytecode files in compiled/ subdirectories. As a result, when a command must start the Racket process, it will start somewhat faster.

On many computers, the resulting speed up is negligible, and might not be worth the complication.

If you run this command, ever, you will need to run it again after:

• Installing an updated version of Racket Mode. Otherwise, you might lose some of the speed-up.
• Installing a new version of Racket and/or changing the value of the variable racket-program. Otherwise, you might get an error message due to the bytecode being different versions.

To revert to compiling on startup, use racket-mode-start-slower.

6.10.3 racket-mode-start-slower

M-x racket-mode-start-slower

Delete the “compiled” directories made by racket-mode-start-faster.

7.1.1 racket-program

Pathname of the Racket executable.

Note that a back end configuration can override this with a non-nil racket-program property list value. See racket-add-back-end.

7.1.2 racket-command-timeout

How many seconds to wait for command server responses.

Note: This is mostly obsolete, fortunately, because it applies only to commands that must block the Emacs UI until they get a response. Instead most Racket Mode commands these days receive their response asychronously.

7.1.3 racket-memory-limit

Terminate the Racket process if memory use exceeds this value in MB.

Changes to this value take effect upon the next racket-run. A value of 0 means no limit.

Caveat: This uses Racket’s custodian-limit-memory, which does not enforce the limit exactly. Instead, the program will be terminated upon the first garbage collection where memory exceeds the limit (maybe by a significant amount).

7.1.4 racket-error-context

The amount of context for error messages.

Each increasing level supplies better context (“stack trace”) for error messages, but causing your program to run more slowly.

• low corresponds to compile-enforce-module-constants #t and compile-context-preservation-enabled #f.
• medium corresponds to compile-enforce-module-constants #f and compile-context-preservation-enabled #t, which disables some optimizations like inlining.
• high corresponds to medium plus the use of errortrace, which extensively instruments your code and therefore might cause it to run significantly slower.

Tip: Regardless of this setting, you can enable high errortrace for a specific racket-run or racket-run-module-at-point by using C-u . This lets you normally run with a lower, faster setting, and re-run when desired to get a more-helpful error message.

7.1.5 racket-user-command-line-arguments

List of command-line arguments to supply to your Racket program.

Accessible in your Racket program in the usual way — the parameter current-command-line-arguments and friends.

This is an Emacs buffer-local variable — convenient to set as a file local variable. For example at the end of your .rkt file:

    ;; Local Variables:
    ;; racket-user-command-line-arguments: ("-f" "bar")
    ;; End:

Set this way, the value must be an unquoted list of strings. For example:

    ("-f" "bar")

The following values will not work:

    '("-f" "bar")
    (list "-f" "bar")

7.1.6 racket-browse-url-function

Function to call to browse a URL.

Defaults to racket-browse-url-using-temporary-file on macOS and browse-url-browser-function on other platforms.

7.1.7 racket-xp-after-change-refresh-delay

Seconds to wait before refreshing racket-xp-mode annotations.

Set to nil to disable automatic refresh and manually use racket-xp-annotate.

7.1.8 racket-xp-highlight-unused-regexp

Only give racket-xp-unused-face to unused bindings that match this regexp.

The default is to highlight identifiers that do not start with an underline, which is a common convention.

7.1.9 racket-xp-add-binding-faces

Have racket-xp-mode fontify binding identifier sites.

A ’font-lock-face property is added for bindings from:

• the module language, using racket-xp-binding-lang-face and racket-xp-binding-lang-use-face.
• other imports, using racket-xp-binding-import-face and racket-xp-binding-import-use-face.
• local definitions, using racket-xp-binding-local-face and racket-xp-binding-local-use-face.

This has a visible effect only when there is not also a ’face property applied by the major mode’s fontification.

7.1.10 racket-xp-eldoc-level

How much documentation to show via eldoc.

Used by racket-xp-eldoc-point and racket-xp-eldoc-sexp-app.

• Minimal: Only the help-echo string.
• Summary: Also the signature a.k.a. “blubox” from the documentation.
• Complete: Also the complete prose documentation.

A third-party package like eldoc-box can be useful for all but the minimal level. Even some bluebox signatures can take many lines to show on screen.

7.1.11 racket-documentation-search-location

The location of the Racket “Search Manuals” web page. Where racket-documentation-search, racket-xp-documentation and racket-repl-documentation should look for the search page.

• If the value of this variable is the symbol “local”, open the search page from the local documentation, as with “raco doc”.
• Otherwise, the value is a string recognizable by format, with “%s” at the point at which to insert the user’s search text after applying url-hexify-string. Apart from “%s”, the string should be a properly encoded URL.

7.1.12 racket-expand-hiding

The macro hiding policy for commands like racket-expand-file.

7.2.1 racket-hash-lang-token-face-alist

An association list from color-lexer token symbols to face symbols.

Note: In many Racket languages, the lexer classifies tokens for identifiers as ’symbol. In many programs, a majority of the source consists of identifiers at binding definition and use sites. Therefore the appearance of “symbol” tokens is significant, and a matter of personal preference.

• If you prefer a “plainer” appearance, similar to Dr Racket: Add ’symbol with the value ’default. This gives an explicit ’face property that prevails over any ’font-lock-face property that a minor mode might apply to enhance the basic fontification.
• If you prefer a more “colorful” appearance, similar to “classic” racket-mode: Do not map ’symbol tokens in this list. See racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook for ideas.

Note: Some tokens are hardwired and not customizable by this list: Comment tokens use the face font-lock-comment-face, sometimes blended with other faces. Parenthesis tokens use the face parenthesis if defined, as by the paren-face package. String tokens use font-lock-string-face. Text tokens, e.g. Scribble text, use the face racket-hash-lang-text.

7.2.2 racket-hash-lang-pairs

Pairs of delimiters to insert or delete automatically.

The format of each item is (cons string string).

This is initialized whenever a module language changes, using values from the language’s reported values for drracket:paren-matches and drracket:quote-matches.

You may customize this default initialization in racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook.

7.2.3 racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook

Hook run when the module language changes.

Typically in Emacs each language gets its own major mode. As a result, the major mode hook is your opportunity to express preferences. However racket-hash-lang-mode handles radically different kinds of hash langs in one major mode. And a given buffer can change langs when you edit the “#lang” line. As a result, racket-hash-lang-mode-hook is not useful for per-lang configuration. Instead you need a kind of “sub major mode hook”. This is that hook.

The hook is run when a file is first visited, and thereafter whenever the “#lang” line is edited – provided that results in different language info; for example changing from “#lang racket” to “#lang racket/base” will not run the hook.

The function is called with a string returned by the lang’s “module-language” info key. This info key is supplied automatically when a language is defined using syntax/module-reader:

https://docs.racket-lang.org/syntax/reader-helpers.html#%28mod-path._syntax%2Fmodule-reader%29.

Otherwise a lang might not supply this and the value will be nil.

The hook is useful when you want to vary Emacs behavior in ways that go beyond what a lang can describe. This may include enabling “fancy” or “classic” Emacs behaviors only for s-expression langs.

For example, maybe you want to use paredit-mode when it is suitable for the module language:

  (defun my-hook (module-language)
    (let ((rackety
           (member module-language
                   (list "racket" "racket/base"
                         "typed/racket" "typed/racket/base"))))
      (if rackety
          (paredit-mode 1)
        (paredit-mode -1))))
  (add-hook 'racket-hash-lang-module-language-hook #'my-hook)

A similar tactic can be used for smartparens or electric-pair-mode. In general, none of these delimiter-matching modes is likely to work well unless the hash-lang uses racket for drracket:grouping-position, in which case racket-hash-lang-mode uses the classic racket-mode syntax-table for the buffer. Otherwise you should not enable one of these modes, and instead just use the simple delimiter matching built into racket-hash-lang-mode; see racket-hash-lang-pairs.

As another example, if you prefer more colors than just tokens, choices include:

• Enable racket-xp-mode in racket-hash-lang-mode-hook and in the module language hook locally set racket-xp-add-binding-faces:

  (setq-local racket-xp-add-binding-faces t)

OR

• Use some of the regexp search-based fontification from classic racket-mode for rackety module languages:

  (require 'racket-font-lock)
  (if rackety
      (font-lock-add-keywords nil
                              (append racket-font-lock-keywords-2
                                      racket-font-lock-keywords-3))
    (font-lock-remove-keywords nil
                               (append racket-font-lock-keywords-2
                                       racket-font-lock-keywords-3)))

7.3.1 racket-repl-buffer-name-function

How to associate racket-mode edit buffers with racket-repl-mode buffers.

The default is nil, which is equivalent to supplying racket-repl-buffer-name-shared: One REPL buffer is shared.

Other predefined choices include racket-repl-buffer-name-unique and racket-repl-buffer-name-project.

This is used when a racket-mode buffer is created. Changing this to a new value only affects racket-mode buffers created later.

Any such function takes no arguments, should look at the variable buffer-file-name if necessary, and either setq-default or setq-local the variable racket-repl-buffer-name to a desired racket-repl-mode buffer name. As a result, racket-run commands will use a buffer of that name, creating it if necessary.

7.3.2 racket-submodules-to-run

Extra submodules to run.

This is a list of submodules. Each submodule is described as a list, to support submodules nested to any depth.

This is used by commands that emulate the DrRacket Run command:

• racket-run
• racket-run-and-switch-to-repl <f5>

It is NOT used by commands that run one specific module, such as:

• racket-run-module-at-point C-c C-k or C-c C-c
• racket-test C-<f5> or C-c C-t
• racket-profile

7.3.3 racket-repl-history-directory

Directory for racket-repl-mode history files.

7.3.4 racket-history-filter-regexp

Input matching this regexp are NOT saved on the history list. Default value is a regexp to ignore input that is all whitespace.

7.3.5 racket-images-inline

Whether to display inline images in the REPL.

7.3.6 racket-imagemagick-props

Use ImageMagick with these properties for REPL images.

When this property list is not empty – and the variable racket-images-inline is true, and Emacs is built with with ImageMagick support – then create-image is called with “imagemagick” as the type and with this property list.

For example, to scale images whose width is larger than 500 pixels, supply (:max-width 500).

7.3.7 racket-images-keep-last

How many images to keep in the image cache.

7.3.8 racket-images-system-viewer

The image viewer program to use for racket-view-image.

7.3.9 racket-images-do-not-use-svg

Do not use SVG to render images?

Note: This value is used only when starting a back end – not for each run. If you change this, for it to take effect you must restart by using racket-start-back-end.

7.3.10 racket-pretty-print

Use pretty-print instead of plain print?

When true, before each run set global-port-print-handler to use pretty-print from racket/pretty, which is suitable for s-expressions.

Note: A configure-runtime submodule might replace this initial value with its own global port print handler – for example to implement printing a non-s-expression syntax.

7.3.11 racket-repl-command-file

Name of the file used by racket-repl.

7.4.1 racket-doc-index-directory

Directory for racket-describe-search doc index files.

7.4.2 racket-doc-index-predicate-function

A function used by racket-describe-search to filter results.

The default value, the always function, filters nothing.

The function is given four string arguments – TERM, WHAT, FROM-LIBS, and FAMILIES – and should return whether to include the item in the list of completion candidates. An example that limits candidates to the “Rhombus” family:

(lambda (_term _what _from-libs families) (string-equal families “Rhombus”)

7.4.3 racket-indent-curly-as-sequence

Indent {} with items aligned with the head item?

This is indirectly disabled if racket-indent-sequence-depth is 0. This is safe to set as a file-local variable.

7.4.4 racket-indent-sequence-depth

To what depth should racket-indent-line search.

This affects the indentation of forms like ’() ‘() #() – and {} if racket-indent-curly-as-sequence is t — but not #’() #‘() ,() ,@(). A zero value disables, giving the normal indent behavior of DrRacket or Emacs lisp-mode derived modes like scheme-mode. Setting this to a high value can make indentation noticeably slower. This is safe to set as a file-local variable.

7.4.5 racket-pretty-lambda

Display lambda keywords using λ. This is DEPRECATED.

Instead use prettify-symbols-mode in newer verisons of Emacs, or, use racket-insert-lambda to insert actual λ characters.

7.4.6 racket-smart-open-bracket-enable

This variable is obsolete and has no effect.

Instead of using this variable, you may bind the [ key to the racket-smart-open-bracket command in the racket-mode-map and/or racket-repl-mode-map keymaps.

7.4.7 racket-logger-config

Configuration of racket-logger-mode topics and levels.

The topic “*” respresents the default level used for topics not assigned a level. Otherwise, the topic symbols are the same as used by Racket’s define-logger.

The levels are those used by Racket’s logging system: “debug”, “info”, “warning”, “error”, “fatal”.

For more information see: https://docs.racket-lang.org/reference/logging.html

The default value sets some known “noisy” topics to be one level quieter. That way you can set the “*” topic to a level like “debug” and not get overhwelmed by these noisy topics.

7.4.8 racket-before-run-hook

Normal hook done before various Racket Mode run commands.

Here “before” means that the racket-repl-mode buffer might not exist yet.

When hook functions are called, current-buffer is that of the edit buffer when the run command was issued. If a hook function instead needs the racket-repl-mode buffer, it should get that from the variable racket-repl-buffer-name.

7.4.9 racket-after-run-hook

Normal hook done after various Racket Mode run commands.

Here “after” means that the run has completed and the REPL is waiting at another prompt.

When hook functions are called, current-buffer is that of the buffer when the run command was issued. If a hook function instead needs the racket-repl-mode buffer, it should get that from the variable racket-repl-buffer-name.

7.4.10 racket-sexp-comment-fade

How much to fade faces used in s-expression comment bodies.

A number from 0.0 to 1.0, where 0.0 is 0% fade and 1.0 is 100% fade (invisible).

This feature works by creating faces that are alternatives for faces used in s-expression comments. The alernative faces use a faded foreground color. The colors are recalculated automatically after you change the value of this customization variable and after any load-theme. However in other circumstances you might need to use racket-refresh-sexp-comment-faces.

7.5.1 racket-debuggable-files

Used to tell racket-run what files may be instrumented for debugging.

This isn’t yet a defcustom becuase the debugger status is still “experimental”.

Must be either a list of file name strings, or, a function that takes the name of the file being run and returns a list of file names.

Each file name in the list is made absolute using expand-file-name with respect to the file being run and given to racket-file-name-front-to-back.

7.6.1 racket-show-functions

An “abnormal hook” variable to customize racket-show.

This is a list of one or more functions.

Each such function must accept two arguments: STR and POS.

STR is one of:

• Non-blank string: Display the string somehow.
• Blank string: Hide any previously displayed string.
• nil: Hide any persistent UI that might have been created. For instance racket-show-header-line hides the header line.

POS may be nil when STR is nil or a blank string.

Otherwise POS is the buffer position – typically the end of a span – that the non-blank STR describes.

A function that shows STR near POS should position it not to hide the span, i.e. below and/or right of POS. Examples: racket-show-pseudo-tooltip and racket-show-pos-tip.

A function that shows STR in a fixed location may of course ignore POS. Examples: racket-show-echo-area and racket-show-header-line

7.7.1 racket-shell-or-terminal-function

How racket-racket and racket-raco-test run commands.

The function should accept a command string, not including a newline, get or create a suitable buffer, send the command, and send a newline or enter.

Predefined choices include racket-shell, racket-term, racket-ansi-term, and racket-vterm.

7.8.1 racket-input-prefix

A prefix used by the “Racket” input method.

This string is prepended to the key sequence strings in racket-input-translations, when setting up the input method.

Using some non-nil, non-blank prefix avoids conflicts between key sequences and portions of normal words. For example “oint” would insert “∮” while you’re typing “point” – but not “\oint”.

If you change this setting manually with setq (instead of using the customization buffer or setopt) you need to call racket-input-setup in order for the change to take effect.

7.8.2 racket-input-translations

A list of translations.

Each element is (KEY-SEQUENCE-STRING TRANSLATION-STRING).

Used by the “Racket” input method activated by racket-input-mode, as well as by the racket-insert-symbol command.

If you change this setting manually with setq (instead of using the customization buffer or setopt) you need to call racket-input-setup in order for the change to take effect.

8.1.1 racket-show-pseudo-tooltip

(racket-show-pseudo-tooltip str &optional pos)

Show using an overlay that resembles a tooltip.

This is nicer than racket-show-pos-tip because it:

• Doesn’t flicker while navigating.
• Doesn’t disappear after a timeout.
• Performs well when x-gtk-use-system-tooltips is nil.

On the other hand, this does not look as nice when displaying text that spans multiple lines or is too wide to fit the window. In that case, we simply left-justify everything and do not draw any border.

8.1.2 racket-show-echo-area

(racket-show-echo-area str &optional _pos)

Show things in the echo area.

A value for the variable racket-show-functions.

This does not add STR to the “Messages” log buffer.

8.1.3 racket-show-header-line

(racket-show-header-line str &optional _pos)

Show things using a buffer header line.

A value for the variable racket-show-functions.

When there is nothing to show, keep a blank header-line. That way, the buffer below doesn’t “jump up and down” by a line as messages appear and disappear. Only when V is nil do we remove the header line.

8.1.4 racket-show-pos-tip

(racket-show-pos-tip str &optional pos)

Show things using pos-tip-show if available.

A value for the variable racket-show-functions.

8.2.1 racket-repl-buffer-name-shared

(racket-repl-buffer-name-shared)

Share one racket-repl-mode buffer per back end.

A value for the variable racket-repl-buffer-name-function.

8.2.2 racket-repl-buffer-name-unique

(racket-repl-buffer-name-unique)

Each racket-mode edit buffer gets its own racket-repl-mode buffer.

A value for the variable racket-repl-buffer-name-function.

8.2.3 racket-repl-buffer-name-project

(racket-repl-buffer-name-project)

Share a racket-repl-mode buffer per back end and per project.

A value for the variable racket-repl-buffer-name-function.

The “project” is determined by racket-project-root.

8.2.4 racket-project-root

(racket-project-root file)

Given an absolute pathname for FILE, return its project root directory.

The “project” is determined by trying, in order:

• projectile-project-root
• vc-root-dir
• project-current
• file-name-directory

8.3.1 racket-browse-url-using-temporary-file

(racket-browse-url-using-temporary-file url &rest _args)

Browse a URL via a temporary HTML file using a meta redirect.

A suitable value for the variable racket-browse-url-function.

Racket documentation URLs depend on anchors – the portion of the URL after the # character – to jump to a location within a page. Unfortunately on some operating systems and/or versions of Emacs, the default handling for browsing file URLs ignores anchors. This function attempts to avoid the problem by using a temporary HTML file with a meta redirect as a “trampoline”.

Although the intent is to provide a default that “just works”, you do not need to use this. You can customize the variable racket-browse-url-function instead to be browse-url, or browse-url-browser-function in case have have customized that, or indeed whatever you want.

8.4.1 racket-add-back-end

(racket-add-back-end directory &rest plist)

Add a description of a Racket Mode back end.

Racket Mode supports one or more back ends, which are Racket processes supporting REPLs as well as various other Racket Mode features.

DIRECTORY is a string describing a file-name-absolute-p directory on some local or remote server.

When a back end’s DIRECTORY is the longest matching prefix of a buffer’s default-directory, that back end is used for the buffer.

DIRECTORY can be a local directory like “/” or “/path/to/project”, or a file-remote-p directory like “/user@host:” or “/user@host:/path/to/project”.

Note that you need not include a method – such as the “ssh” in “/ssh:user@host:” – and if you do it is stripped: A back end process is always started using SSH. Even if multiple buffers for the same user+host+port use different methods, they will share the same back end.

Practically speaking, DIRECTORY is a path you could give to find-file to successfully find some local or remote file, but omitting any method. (Some remote file shorthand forms get expanded to at least “/method:host:”. When in doubt check buffer-file-name and follow its example.)

In addition to being used as a pattern to pick a back end for a buffer, DIRECTORY determines:

• Whether the back end is local or remote.
• When remote, any explicit user and port used to make SSH connections (as opposed to relying on values from ~/.ssh/config).
• Other properties get reasonable defaults based on whether the back end is local or remote, as described below.

After DIRECTORY, the remainining arguments are optional; they are alternating :keywords and values describing some other properties of a back end:

• :racket-program

  When not nil this is used instead of the value of the customization variable racket-program.

• :remote-source-dir

  Where on a remote host to copy the back end’s *.rkt files when they do not exist or do not match the digest of the local files. This must be file-name-absolute-p on the remote. Only supply the localname there (not a full file-remote-p). The default value is “/tmp/racket-mode-back-end”.

• :windows

  Whether the back end uses Windows style path names. Used to translate betwen slashes and backslashes between the Emacs front end (which uses slashes even on Windows) and the Racket back end (which expects native backslashes on Windows).

• :restart-watch-directories

  A list of directory-name-p strings. Each directory, and recursively its subdirectories, will be watched for file system changes. After any changes are detected, the next racket-run (or racket-run-module-at-point etc.) command will ask you if it should restart the back end for you. This may be helpful when you are changing source files used by the back end.

The default property values are appropriate for whether DIRECTORY is local or remote:

• When DIRECTORY is remote, :windows defaults to nil.
• Otherwise, :windows defaults to a value based on system-type.

Although the default values usually “just work” for local and remote back ends, you might want a special configuration. Here are a few examples.

    ;; 1. A back end configuration for "/" is
    ;; created automatically and works fine as a default
    ;; for buffers visiting local files, so we don't need
    ;; to add one here.

    ;; 2. However assume we want buffers under /var/tmp/8.0
    ;; instead to use Racket 8.0.
    (racket-add-back-end "/var/tmp/8.0"
                         :racket-program "~/racket/8.0/bin/racket")

    ;; 3. A back end configuration will be created
    ;; automatically for buffers visiting file names like
    ;; "/ssh:user@linode", so we don't need to add one here.
    ;;
    ;; If ~/.ssh/config defines a Host alias named "linode",
    ;; with HostName and User settings, a file name as simple as
    ;; "/linode:" would work fine with tramp -- and the
    ;; automatically created back end configuration would work
    ;; fine, too.

    ;; 4. For example's sake, assume for buffers visiting
    ;; /ssh:headless:~/gui-project/ we want :racket-program instead
    ;; to be "xvfb-run racket".
    (racket-add-back-end "/ssh:headless:~/gui-project/"
                         :racket-program "xvfb-run racket")

If you use various versions of Racket by setting PATH values via direnv, .envrc files and envrc-global-mode, then you need a distinct back end for each such project subdirectory. One approach is to use racket-add-back-end for each project in your Emacs init file. Another way to is to have a .dir-locals.el file alongside each .envrc file:

    ((nil . ((eval . (racket-add-back-end default-directory)))))

8.5.1 racket-shell

(racket-shell cmd)

Run CMD using shell.

A value for the variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

8.5.2 racket-term

(racket-term cmd)

Run CMD using term.

A value for the variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

8.5.3 racket-ansi-term

(racket-ansi-term cmd)

Run CMD using ansi-term.

A value for the variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

8.5.4 racket-vterm

(racket-vterm cmd)

Run CMD using vterm, if that package is installed.

A value for the variable racket-shell-or-terminal-function.

9.1.1 racket-keyword-argument-face

Face for #:keyword arguments.

9.1.2 racket-reader-quoted-symbol-face

Face for symbols quoted using ’ or ‘.

This face is given only to symbols directly quoted using the reader shorthands ’ or ‘. All other directly quoted values, including symbols quoted using “quote” or “quasiquote”, get the face font-lock-constant-face.

9.1.3 racket-reader-syntax-quoted-symbol-face

Face for symbols quoted using #’ or #‘.

This face is given only to symbols directly quoted using the reader shorthands #’ or #‘. All other directly quoted values, including symbols quoted using “syntax” or “quasisyntax”, get the face font-lock-constant-face.

9.1.4 racket-here-string-face

Face for here strings.

9.1.5 racket-xp-def-face

Face racket-xp-mode uses when point is on a definition.

9.1.6 racket-xp-use-face

Face racket-xp-mode uses when point is on a use.

9.1.7 racket-xp-unused-face

Face racket-xp-mode uses to highlight unused requires or definitions.

9.1.8 racket-xp-tail-target-face

Face racket-xp-mode uses to highlight targets of a tail position.

9.1.9 racket-xp-tail-position-face

Face racket-xp-mode uses to highlight expressions in a tail position.

9.1.10 racket-xp-binding-lang-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives to the module language name.

See the variable nil.

9.1.11 racket-xp-binding-lang-use-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives uses of bindings imported from the module language.

See the variable nil.

9.1.12 racket-xp-binding-import-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives to imported module names.

See the variable nil.

9.1.13 racket-xp-binding-import-use-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives uses of imported bindings.

See the variable nil.

9.1.14 racket-xp-binding-local-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives to local definitions.

See the variable nil.

9.1.15 racket-xp-binding-local-use-face

Face racket-xp-mode gives to uses of local definitions.

See the variable nil.

9.1.16 racket-logger-config-face

Face for racket-logger-mode configuration.

9.1.17 racket-logger-topic-face

Face for racket-logger-mode topics.

9.1.18 racket-logger-fatal-face

Face for racket-logger-mode fatal level.

9.1.19 racket-logger-error-face

Face for racket-logger-mode error level.

9.1.20 racket-logger-warning-face

Face for racket-logger-mode warning level.

9.1.21 racket-logger-info-face

Face for racket-logger-mode info level.

9.1.22 racket-logger-debug-face

Face for racket-logger-mode debug level.

9.1.23 racket-doc-link-face

Face racket-describe-mode uses for links within documentation. Note: When some special face is already specified by the documentation, then to avoid visual clutter this face is NOT also added.

9.1.24 racket-ext-link-face

Face racket-describe-mode uses for external links. See the variable racket-browse-url-function.

9.1.25 racket-doc-output-face

Face racket-describe-mode uses for Scribble @example or @interactions output.

9.1.26 racket-doc-litchar-face

Face racket-describe-mode uses for Scribble @litchar.

9.1.27 racket-repl-message

Face racket-repl-mode uses for messages from the back end.

9.1.28 racket-repl-prompt

Face racket-repl-mode uses for prompts.

9.1.29 racket-repl-value

Face racket-repl-mode uses for print-ed values.

9.1.30 racket-repl-error-message

Face racket-repl-mode uses for error messages.

9.1.31 racket-repl-error-location

Face racket-repl-mode uses for error locations.

9.1.32 racket-repl-stdout

Face racket-repl-mode uses for output to current-output-port.

9.1.33 racket-repl-stderr

Face racket-repl-mode uses for output to current-error-port.

9.1.34 racket-hash-lang-text

Face racket-hash-lang-mode uses for text tokens.