Re: And while we're at it...

[Tassilo Horn]

Gary <help-gnu-emacs@garydjones.name> writes:

> 'insert' and friends insert their arguments at the current point. If
> I'm at a different point in the file to where I want to actually
> insert the text?

Then you need to do something like:

  (let ((text (compute-text-to-be-inserted)))
    (save-excursion
      (goto-buffer-position-where-text-should-be-inserted)
      (insert text)))

The `save-excursion' will restore the current position after its body
has been executed.

,----[ C-h f save-excursion RET ]
| save-excursion is a special form in `C source code'.
| 
| (save-excursion &rest BODY)
| 
| Save point, mark, and current buffer; execute BODY; restore those things.
| Executes BODY just like `progn'.
| The values of point, mark and the current buffer are restored
| even in case of abnormal exit (throw or error).
| The state of activation of the mark is also restored.
| 
| This construct does not save `deactivate-mark', and therefore
| functions that change the buffer will still cause deactivation
| of the mark at the end of the command.  To prevent that, bind
| `deactivate-mark' with `let'.
| 
| If you only want to save the current buffer but not point nor mark,
| then just use `save-current-buffer', or even `with-current-buffer'.
`----

Bye,
Tassilo