* m4/m4module.h (m4_regexp_syntax_decode, m4_regexp_syntax_encode)

(m4_get_regexp_syntax_opt, m4_set_regexp_syntax_opt): Declare
new functions for managing regexp syntax options.
* m4/m4private.h (m4): Add regexp_syntax field.
* m4/resyntax.c: New file implements the above.
* Makefile.am (m4_libm4_la_SOURCES): Add m4/resyntax.c.
* modules/gnu.c (RE_SYNTAX_BRE, RE_SYNTAX_ERE, builtin_eregexp)
(builtin_epatsubst, builtin_erenamsyms, m4_regexp_do)
(m4_patsubst_do, m4_renamesyms_do): Removed.
(builtin_changeresyntax): New builtin to change regular expression
syntax.
(m4_resyntax_encode_safe): Factor out diagnostics code.
* src/freeze.c (produce_resyntax_dump): New function to dump
default regexp syntax specifier to frozen file.
(reload_frozen_state): Updated to action 'R' directive.
* src/main.c (usage): Describe new -r option.
(long_options, OPTSTRING): Declare it.
(main): Encode and store cli regexp syntax option argument.
* tests/freeze.at (regexp syntax): New test that regex

1 files changed, 14 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index c7540dee..c56bfd03 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -14,6 +14,20 @@ Version beta 1.9a - ???, by ???
 
 * The '$' syntax class is now enabled.  See the info docs for examples.
 
+* New builtin `renamesyms' allows programmatic renaming of all symbols
+  according to a regular expression.
+
+* New `-r' command-line option changes the default regular expression
+  syntax used by M4.  Without this option, M4 continues to use
+  RE_SYNTAX_EMACS style expressions.  A new section in the info docs
+  explains the differences between them, and what builtins are affected.
+
+* The experimental `epatsubst' and `eregexp' have been removed in favor
+  of a new `changeresyntax' builtin.
+
+* `patsubst' and `regexp' have a new optional 4th argument to use a
+  different regular expression syntax for the duration of that invocation.
+
 Version beta 1.4q - August 2001, by Gary V. Vaughan
 
 * Support for the experimental `changeword' has been dropped.