(variable-at-point): New arg ANY-SYMBOL.

1 files changed, 5 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/help-fns.el b/lisp/help-fns.el
index 522c1e2c19d..aaaff6903f2 100644
--- a/lisp/help-fns.el
+++ b/lisp/help-fns.el
@@ -463,9 +463,10 @@ face (according to `face-differs-from-default-p')."
 ;; Variables
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defun variable-at-point ()
+(defun variable-at-point (&optional any-symbol)
   "Return the bound variable symbol found around point.
-Return 0 if there is no such symbol."
+Return 0 if there is no such symbol.
+If ANY-SYMBOL is non-nil, don't insist the symbol be bound."
   (or (condition-case ()
           (with-syntax-table emacs-lisp-mode-syntax-table
             (save-excursion
@@ -479,12 +480,12 @@ Return 0 if there is no such symbol."
         (error nil))
       (let* ((str (find-tag-default))
              (sym (if str (intern-soft str))))
-        (if (and sym (boundp sym))
+        (if (and sym (or any-symbol (boundp sym)))
             sym
           (save-match-data
             (when (and str (string-match "\\`\\W*\\(.*?\\)\\W*\\'" str))
               (setq sym (intern-soft (match-string 1 str)))
-              (and (boundp sym) sym)))))
+              (and (or any-symbol (boundp sym)) sym)))))
       0))
 
 ;;;###autoload