* lisp/bindings.el (ctl-x-map): Bind C-x SPC to rectangle-mark-mode.

* src/keyboard.c (command_loop_1): Use region-extract-function.
* src/insdel.c (Qregion_extract_function): Not static any more (can we
stop pretending that these vars can benefit from being marked static?).

etc/NEWS

@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ Czech typography rules.  To globally enable this feature, evaluate:
 
 * Editing Changes in Emacs 24.4
 
-** New command `rectangle-mark' makes a rectangular region.
+** Command `rectangle-mark-mode' bound to C-x SPC makes a rectangular region.
 Most commands are still unaware of it, but kill/yank do work on the rectangle.
 
 ** C-x TAB enters a transient interactive mode.

lisp/ChangeLog

+2013-11-11  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
+
+	* bindings.el (ctl-x-map): Bind C-x SPC to rectangle-mark-mode.
+
 2013-11-11  Nathan Trapuzzano  <nbtrap@nbtrap.com>  (tiny change)
 
 	* emacs-lisp/cconv.el (cconv-convert): Print warning instead of

lisp/bindings.el

@@ -891,6 +891,7 @@ if `inhibit-field-text-motion' is non-nil."
 
 (define-key ctl-x-map "\C-x" 'exchange-point-and-mark)
 (define-key ctl-x-map "\C-@" 'pop-global-mark)
+(define-key ctl-x-map " " 'rectangle-mark-mode)
 (define-key ctl-x-map [?\C- ] 'pop-global-mark)
 
 (define-key global-map "\C-n" 'next-line)

lisp/rect.el

@@ -414,9 +414,7 @@ with a prefix argument, prompt for START-AT and FORMAT."
 
 ;;; New rectangle integration with kill-ring.
 
-;; FIXME: lots of known problems with the new rectangle support:
-;; - no key binding for mark-rectangle.
-;; - no access to the `string-rectangle' functionality.
+;; FIXME: known problems with the new rectangle support:
 ;; - lots of commands handle the region without paying attention to its
 ;;   rectangular shape.
 

src/ChangeLog

+2013-11-11  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
+
+	* keyboard.c (command_loop_1): Use region-extract-function.
+	* insdel.c (Qregion_extract_function): Not static any more (can we
+	stop pretending that these vars can benefit from being marked static?).
+
 2013-11-09  Eli Zaretskii  <eliz@gnu.org>
 
 	* search.c (find_newline): If buffer text is relocated during the

src/insdel.c

@@ -1778,7 +1778,7 @@ modify_text (ptrdiff_t start, ptrdiff_t end)
   bset_point_before_scroll (current_buffer, Qnil);
 }
 
-static Lisp_Object Qregion_extract_function;
+Lisp_Object Qregion_extract_function;
 
 /* Check that it is okay to modify the buffer between START and END,
    which are char positions.

src/keyboard.c

@@ -1321,6 +1321,8 @@ static void adjust_point_for_property (ptrdiff_t, bool);
 /* The last boundary auto-added to buffer-undo-list.  */
 Lisp_Object last_undo_boundary;
 
+extern Lisp_Object Qregion_extract_function;
+
 /* FIXME: This is wrong rather than test window-system, we should call
    a new set-selection, which will then dispatch to x-set-selection, or
    tty-set-selection, or w32-set-selection, ...  */
@@ -1629,16 +1631,11 @@ command_loop_1 (void)
 		  && NILP (Fmemq (Vthis_command,
 				  Vselection_inhibit_update_commands)))
 		{
-		  ptrdiff_t beg
-		    = XINT (Fmarker_position (BVAR (current_buffer, mark)));
-		  ptrdiff_t end = PT;
-		  if (beg < end)
-		    call2 (Qx_set_selection, QPRIMARY,
-			   make_buffer_string (beg, end, 0));
-		  else if (beg > end)
-		    call2 (Qx_set_selection, QPRIMARY,
-			   make_buffer_string (end, beg, 0));
-		  /* Don't set empty selections.  */
+		  Lisp_Object txt
+		    = call1 (Fsymbol_value (Qregion_extract_function), Qnil);
+		  if (XINT (Flength (txt)) > 0)
+		    /* Don't set empty selections.  */
+		    call2 (Qx_set_selection, QPRIMARY, txt);
 		}
 
 	      if (current_buffer != prev_buffer || MODIFF != prev_modiff)