(defun symbol-under-point ()
  "Returns the symbol that the point is currently on.
But only if it is longer than `completion-min-length'."
  (setq cmpl-saved-syntax (syntax-table))
  (unwind-protect
      (progn
	(set-syntax-table cmpl-syntax-table)
	(cond 
	;; Cursor is on following-char and after preceding-char
	  ((memq (char-syntax (following-char)) '(?w ?_))     
	   (setq cmpl-saved-point (point)
		 cmpl-symbol-start (scan-sexps (1+ cmpl-saved-point) -1)
		 cmpl-symbol-end (scan-sexps cmpl-saved-point 1))
	   ;; Remove chars to ignore at the start.
	   (cond ((= (char-syntax (char-after cmpl-symbol-start)) ?w)
		  (goto-char cmpl-symbol-start)
		  (forward-word 1)
		  (setq cmpl-symbol-start (point))
		  (goto-char cmpl-saved-point)))
	   ;; Remove chars to ignore at the end.
	   (cond ((= (char-syntax (char-after (1- cmpl-symbol-end))) ?w)
		  (goto-char cmpl-symbol-end)
		  (forward-word -1)
		  (setq cmpl-symbol-end (point))
		  (goto-char cmpl-saved-point)))
	   ;; Return completion if the length is reasonable.
	   (if (and (<= (cmpl-read-time-eval completion-min-length)
			(- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start))
		    (<= (- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start)
			(cmpl-read-time-eval completion-max-length)))
	       (buffer-substring-no-properties cmpl-symbol-start cmpl-symbol-end)))))
    (set-syntax-table cmpl-saved-syntax)))

(defun symbol-before-point ()
  "Returns a string of the symbol immediately before point.
Returns nil if there isn't one longer than `completion-min-length'."       
  ;; This is called when a word separator is typed so it must be FAST !
  (setq cmpl-saved-syntax (syntax-table))
  (unwind-protect
      (progn
	(set-syntax-table cmpl-syntax-table)
	;; Cursor is on following-char and after preceding-char
	(cond ((= (setq cmpl-preceding-syntax (char-syntax (preceding-char))) ?_)
	       ;; Number of chars to ignore at end.
	       (setq cmpl-symbol-end (point)
		     cmpl-symbol-start (scan-sexps cmpl-symbol-end -1))
	       ;; Remove chars to ignore at the start.
	       (cond ((= (char-syntax (char-after cmpl-symbol-start)) ?w)
		      (goto-char cmpl-symbol-start)
		      (forward-word 1)
		      (setq cmpl-symbol-start (point))
		      (goto-char cmpl-symbol-end)))
	       ;; Return value if long enough.
	       (if (>= cmpl-symbol-end
		       (+ cmpl-symbol-start
			  (cmpl-read-time-eval completion-min-length)))
		   (buffer-substring-no-properties cmpl-symbol-start cmpl-symbol-end)))
	      ((= cmpl-preceding-syntax ?w)
	       ;; chars to ignore at end
	       (setq cmpl-saved-point (point)
		     cmpl-symbol-start (scan-sexps cmpl-saved-point -1))
	       ;; take off chars. from end
	       (forward-word -1)
	       (setq cmpl-symbol-end (point))
	       ;; remove chars to ignore at the start
	       (cond ((= (char-syntax (char-after cmpl-symbol-start)) ?w)
		      (goto-char cmpl-symbol-start)
		      (forward-word 1)
		      (setq cmpl-symbol-start (point))))
	       ;; Restore state.
	       (goto-char cmpl-saved-point)
	       ;; Return completion if the length is reasonable
	       (if (and (<= (cmpl-read-time-eval completion-min-length)
			    (- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start))
			(<= (- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start)
			    (cmpl-read-time-eval completion-max-length)))
		   (buffer-substring-no-properties cmpl-symbol-start cmpl-symbol-end)))))
    (set-syntax-table cmpl-saved-syntax)))

(defun symbol-before-point-for-complete ()
  ;; "Returns a string of the symbol immediately before point
  ;; or nil if there isn't one.  Like symbol-before-point but doesn't trim the
  ;; end chars."
  ;; Cursor is on following-char and after preceding-char
  (setq cmpl-saved-syntax (syntax-table))
  (unwind-protect
      (progn
	(set-syntax-table cmpl-syntax-table)
	(cond ((memq (setq cmpl-preceding-syntax (char-syntax (preceding-char)))
		     '(?_ ?w))
	       (setq cmpl-symbol-end (point)
		     cmpl-symbol-start (scan-sexps cmpl-symbol-end -1))
	       ;; Remove chars to ignore at the start.
	       (cond ((= (char-syntax (char-after cmpl-symbol-start)) ?w)
		      (goto-char cmpl-symbol-start)
		      (forward-word 1)
		      (setq cmpl-symbol-start (point))
		      (goto-char cmpl-symbol-end)))
	       ;; Return completion if the length is reasonable.
	       (if (and (<= (cmpl-read-time-eval
			     completion-prefix-min-length)
			    (- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start))
			(<= (- cmpl-symbol-end cmpl-symbol-start)
			    (cmpl-read-time-eval completion-max-length)))
		   (buffer-substring-no-properties cmpl-symbol-start cmpl-symbol-end)))))
    ;; Restore syntax table.
    (set-syntax-table cmpl-saved-syntax)))