y-or-n-p &optional control &rest arguments → generalized-boolean

yes-or-no-p &optional control &rest arguments → generalized-boolean

control — a format control.

arguments — format arguments for control.

generalized-boolean — a generalized boolean.

These functions ask a question and parse a response from the user. They return true if the answer is affirmative, or false if the answer is negative.

y-or-n-p is for asking the user a question whose answer is either “yes” or “no.” It is intended that the reply require the user to answer a yes-or-no question with a single character. yes-or-no-p is also for asking the user a question whose answer is either “Yes” or “No.” It is intended that the reply require the user to take more action than just a single keystroke, such as typing the full word yes or no followed by a newline.

y-or-n-p types out a message (if supplied), reads an answer in some implementation-dependent manner (intended to be short and simple, such as reading a single character such as Y or N). yes-or-no-p types out a message (if supplied), attracts the user’s attention (for example, by ringing the terminal’s bell), and reads an answer in some implementation-dependent manner (intended to be multiple characters, such as YES or NO).

If format-control is supplied and not nil, then a fresh-line operation is performed; then a message is printed as if format-control and arguments were given to format. In any case, yes-or-no-p and y-or-n-p will provide a prompt such as “(Y or N)” or “(Yes or No)” if appropriate.

All input and output are performed using query I/O.

 (y-or-n-p "(t or nil) given by") 
⊳ (t or nil) given by (Y or N) Y 
→ true 
 (yes-or-no-p "a ~S message" 'frightening) 
⊳ a FRIGHTENING message (Yes or No) no 
→ false 
 (y-or-n-p "Produce listing file?") 
⊳ Produce listing file? 
⊳ Please respond with Y or N. n 
→ false

Output to and input from query I/O will occur.

*query-io*.

format

yes-or-no-p and yes-or-no-p do not add question marks to the end of the prompt string, so any desired question mark or other punctuation should be explicitly included in the text query.