SYNOPSIS
========
-**notmuch** **search** ``--query=sexp`` '(and (to santa) (date december))'
+**notmuch** *subcommand* ``--query=sexp`` [option ...] ``--`` '(and (to santa) (date december))'
DESCRIPTION
===========
+Notmuch supports an alternative query syntax based on `S-expressions
+<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-expression>`_ . It can be selected
+with the command line ``--query=sexp`` or with the appropriate option
+to the library function :c:func:`notmuch_query_create_with_syntax`.
+Support for this syntax is currently optional, you can test if your
+build of notmuch supports it with
+
+::
+
+ $ notmuch config get built_with.sexpr_query
+
S-EXPRESSIONS
-------------
Combine queries |q1| to |qn|, and reinterpret the result (e.g. as a regular expression).
See :any:`modifiers` for more information.
+``(macro (`` |p1| ... |pn| ``) body)``
+ Define saved query with parameter substitution. The syntax is
+ recognized only in saved s-expression queries (see ``squery.*`` in
+ :any:`notmuch-config(1)`). Parameter names in ``body`` must be
+ prefixed with ``,`` to be expanded (see :any:`macro_examples`).
+ Macros may refer to other macros, but only to their own
+ parameters [#macro-details]_.
+
.. _fields:
FIELDS
those matching all of |q1| ... |qn|. Supported in most term [#not-path]_ or
phrase fields. Most commonly used in the ``thread`` field.
+``(query`` *atom* ``)``
+ Expand to the saved query named by *atom*. See
+ :any:`notmuch-config(1)` for more. Note that the saved query must
+ be in infix syntax (:any:`notmuch-search-terms(7)`). Not supported
+ inside fields.
+
``(regex`` *atom* ``)`` ``(rx`` *atom* ``)``
Interpret *atom* as a POSIX.2 regular expression (see
:manpage:`regex(7)`). This applies in term fields and a subset [#not-phrase]_ of
``(not (to *))``
Match messages with an empty or invalid 'To' and 'Cc' field.
+``(List *)``
+ Match messages with a non-empty List-Id header, assuming
+ configuration ``index.header.List=List-Id``
+
+.. _macro_examples:
+
+MACRO EXAMPLES
+--------------
+
+A macro that takes two parameters and applies different fields to them.
+
+::
+
+ $ notmuch config set squery.TagSubject '(macro (tagname subj) (and (tag ,tagname) (subject ,subj)))'
+ $ notmuch search --query=sexp '(TagSubject inbox maildir)'
+
+Nested macros are allowed.
+
+::
+
+ $ notmuch config set squery.Inner '(macro (x) (subject ,x))'
+ $ notmuch config set squery.Outer '(macro (x y) (and (tag ,x) (Inner ,y)))'
+ $ notmuch search --query=sexp '(Outer inbox maildir)'
+
+Parameters can be re-used to reduce boilerplate. Any field, including
+user defined fields is permitted within a macro.
+
+::
+
+ $ notmuch config set squery.About '(macro (name) (or (subject ,name) (List ,name)))'
+ $ notmuch search --query=sexp '(About notmuch)'
+
+
NOTES
=====
+.. [#macro-details] Technically macros impliment lazy evaluation and
+ lexical scope. There is one top level scope
+ containing all macro definitions, but all
+ parameter definitions are local to a given macro.
+
.. [#aka-pref] a.k.a. prefixes
.. [#aka-prob] a.k.a. probabilistic prefixes
.. |q1| replace:: :math:`q_1`
.. |q2| replace:: :math:`q_2`
.. |qn| replace:: :math:`q_n`
+
+.. |p1| replace:: :math:`p_1`
+.. |p2| replace:: :math:`p_2`
+.. |pn| replace:: :math:`p_n`