|
161
|
1 Copyright (c) 1985, 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc. See end for conditions.
|
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
3 You are looking at the Emacs tutorial.
|
|
|
4
|
|
161
|
5 Emacs commands generally involve the CONTROL key (sometimes labelled
|
|
|
6 CTRL or CTL) or the META key. On some keyboards, the META key is
|
|
|
7 labelled ALT or EDIT or something else (for example, on Sun keyboards,
|
|
|
8 the diamond key to the left of the spacebar is META). If you have no
|
|
|
9 META key, you can use ESC instead. Rather than write out META or
|
|
|
10 CONTROL each time we want you to prefix a character, we'll use the
|
|
|
11 following abbreviations:
|
|
0
|
12
|
|
|
13 C-<chr> means hold the CONTROL key while typing the character <chr>
|
|
|
14 Thus, C-f would be: hold the CONTROL key and type f.
|
|
161
|
15 M-<chr> means hold the META key down while typing <chr>. If there
|
|
|
16 is no META key, type <ESC>, release it, then type the
|
|
|
17 character <chr>.
|
|
0
|
18
|
|
|
19 Important note: to end the Emacs session, type C-x C-c. (Two characters.)
|
|
|
20 The characters ">>" at the left margin indicate directions for you to
|
|
|
21 try using a command. For instance:
|
|
|
22 <<Blank lines inserted here by startup of help-with-tutorial>>
|
|
|
23 >> Now type C-v (View next screen) to move to the next screen.
|
|
159
|
24 (go ahead, do it by holding down the control key while typing v).
|
|
|
25 From now on, you should do this again whenever you finish
|
|
0
|
26 reading the screen.
|
|
|
27
|
|
159
|
28 Note that there is an overlap of two lines when you move from screen
|
|
|
29 to screen; this provides some continuity so you can continue reading
|
|
|
30 the text.
|
|
0
|
31
|
|
159
|
32 The first thing that you need to know is how to move around from place
|
|
|
33 to place in the text. You already know how to move forward one screen,
|
|
|
34 with C-v. To move backwards one screen, type M-v (hold down the META key
|
|
|
35 and type v, or type <ESC>v if you do not have a META, EDIT, or ALT key).
|
|
0
|
36
|
|
159
|
37 >> Try typing M-v and then C-v, a few times.
|
|
0
|
38
|
|
|
39
|
|
70
|
40 * SUMMARY
|
|
|
41 ---------
|
|
0
|
42
|
|
|
43 The following commands are useful for viewing screenfuls:
|
|
|
44
|
|
|
45 C-v Move forward one screenful
|
|
|
46 M-v Move backward one screenful
|
|
161
|
47 C-l Clear screen and redisplay everything
|
|
|
48 putting the text near the cursor at the center.
|
|
159
|
49 (That's control-L, not control-1.)
|
|
0
|
50
|
|
159
|
51 >> Find the cursor, and note what text is near it.
|
|
|
52 Then type C-l.
|
|
|
53 Find the cursor again and notice that the same text
|
|
|
54 is near the cursor now.
|
|
0
|
55
|
|
|
56
|
|
70
|
57 * BASIC CURSOR CONTROL
|
|
|
58 ----------------------
|
|
0
|
59
|
|
159
|
60 Moving from screenful to screenful is useful, but how do you
|
|
|
61 move to a specific place within the text on the screen?
|
|
|
62
|
|
|
63 There are several ways you can do this. The most basic way is to use
|
|
|
64 the commands C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n. Each of these commands moves the
|
|
|
65 cursor one row or column in a particular direction on the screen.
|
|
|
66 Here is a table showing these four commands and shows the directions
|
|
|
67 they move:
|
|
0
|
68
|
|
|
69 Previous line, C-p
|
|
|
70 :
|
|
|
71 :
|
|
|
72 Backward, C-b .... Current cursor position .... Forward, C-f
|
|
|
73 :
|
|
|
74 :
|
|
159
|
75 Next line, C-n
|
|
0
|
76
|
|
|
77 >> Move the cursor to the line in the middle of that diagram
|
|
159
|
78 using C-n or C-p. Then type C-l to see the whole diagram
|
|
|
79 centered in the screen.
|
|
0
|
80
|
|
159
|
81 You'll probably find it easy to think of these by letter: P for
|
|
|
82 previous, N for next, B for backward and F for forward. These are the
|
|
|
83 basic cursor positioning commands, and you'll be using them ALL the
|
|
|
84 time, so it would be of great benefit if you learn them now.
|
|
0
|
85
|
|
|
86 >> Do a few C-n's to bring the cursor down to this line.
|
|
|
87
|
|
|
88 >> Move into the line with C-f's and then up with C-p's.
|
|
|
89 See what C-p does when the cursor is in the middle of the line.
|
|
|
90
|
|
159
|
91 Each of text line ends with a Newline character, which serves to
|
|
|
92 separate it from the following line. The last line in your file ought
|
|
|
93 to have a Newline at the end (but Emacs does not require it to have
|
|
|
94 one).
|
|
|
95
|
|
|
96 >> Try to C-b at the beginning of a line. It should move to
|
|
|
97 the end of the previous line. This is because it moves back
|
|
|
98 across the Newline character.
|
|
|
99
|
|
|
100 C-f can move across a Newline just like C-b.
|
|
0
|
101
|
|
159
|
102 >> Do a few more C-b's, so you get a feel for where the cursor is.
|
|
|
103 Then do C-f's to return to the end of the line.
|
|
|
104 Then do one more C-f to move to the following line.
|
|
0
|
105
|
|
159
|
106 When you move past the top or bottom of the screen, the text beyond
|
|
|
107 the edge shifts onto the screen. This is called "scrolling". It
|
|
|
108 enables Emacs to move the cursor to the specified place in the text
|
|
|
109 without moving it off the screen.
|
|
0
|
110
|
|
159
|
111 >> Try to move the cursor off the bottom of the screen with C-n, and
|
|
0
|
112 see what happens.
|
|
|
113
|
|
|
114 If moving by characters is too slow, you can move by words. M-f
|
|
|
115 (Meta-f) moves forward a word and M-b moves back a word.
|
|
|
116
|
|
159
|
117 >> Type a few M-f's and M-b's.
|
|
|
118
|
|
|
119 When you are in the middle of a word, M-f moves to the end of the word.
|
|
|
120 When you are in whitespace between words, M-f moves to the end of the
|
|
|
121 following word. M-b works likewise in the opposite direction.
|
|
|
122
|
|
|
123 >> Type M-f and M-b a few times, interspersed with C-f's and C-b's
|
|
|
124 so that you can observe the action of M-f and M-b from various
|
|
|
125 places inside and between words.
|
|
0
|
126
|
|
|
127 Notice the parallel between C-f and C-b on the one hand, and M-f and
|
|
|
128 M-b on the other hand. Very often Meta characters are used for
|
|
159
|
129 operations related to the units defined by language (words, sentences,
|
|
|
130 paragraphs), while Control characters operate on basic units that are
|
|
|
131 independent of what you are editing (characters, lines, etc).
|
|
|
132
|
|
|
133 This parallel applies between lines and sentences: C-a and C-e move to
|
|
|
134 the beginning or end of a line, and M-a and M-e move to the beginning
|
|
|
135 or end of a sentence.
|
|
0
|
136
|
|
|
137 >> Try a couple of C-a's, and then a couple of C-e's.
|
|
|
138 Try a couple of M-a's, and then a couple of M-e's.
|
|
|
139
|
|
159
|
140 See how repeated C-a's do nothing, but repeated M-a's keep moving one
|
|
|
141 more sentence. Although these are not quite analogous, each one seems
|
|
|
142 natural.
|
|
0
|
143
|
|
|
144 The location of the cursor in the text is also called "point". To
|
|
|
145 paraphrase, the cursor shows on the screen where point is located in
|
|
|
146 the text.
|
|
|
147
|
|
159
|
148 Here is a summary of simple cursor-moving operations, including the
|
|
|
149 word and sentence moving commands:
|
|
0
|
150
|
|
|
151 C-f Move forward a character
|
|
|
152 C-b Move backward a character
|
|
|
153
|
|
|
154 M-f Move forward a word
|
|
|
155 M-b Move backward a word
|
|
|
156
|
|
|
157 C-n Move to next line
|
|
|
158 C-p Move to previous line
|
|
|
159
|
|
|
160 C-a Move to beginning of line
|
|
|
161 C-e Move to end of line
|
|
|
162
|
|
|
163 M-a Move back to beginning of sentence
|
|
|
164 M-e Move forward to end of sentence
|
|
|
165
|
|
159
|
166 >> Try all of these commands now a few times for practice.
|
|
|
167 These are the most often used commands.
|
|
|
168
|
|
|
169 Two other important cursor motion commands are M-< (Meta Less-than),
|
|
|
170 which moves to the beginning of the whole text, and M-> (Meta
|
|
|
171 Greater-than), which moves to the end of the whole text.
|
|
0
|
172
|
|
159
|
173 On most terminals, the "<" is above the comma, so you must use the
|
|
|
174 shift key to type it. On these terminals you must use the shift key
|
|
|
175 to type M-< also; without the shift key, you would be typing M-comma.
|
|
|
176
|
|
|
177 >> Try M-< now, to move to the beginning of the tutorial.
|
|
|
178 Then use C-v repeatedly to move back here.
|
|
|
179
|
|
|
180 >> Try M-> now, to move to the end of the tutorial.
|
|
|
181 Then use M-v repeatedly to move back here.
|
|
0
|
182
|
|
159
|
183 You can also move the cursor with the arrow keys, if your terminal has
|
|
|
184 arrow keys. We recommend learning C-b, C-f, C-n and C-p for three
|
|
|
185 reasons. First, they work on all kinds of terminals. Second, once
|
|
|
186 you gain practice at using Emacs, you will find that typing these CTRL
|
|
|
187 characters is faster than typing the arrow keys (because you do not
|
|
|
188 have to move your hands away from touch-typing position). Third, once
|
|
|
189 you form the habit of using these CTRL character commands, you can
|
|
|
190 easily learn to use other advanced cursor motion commands as well.
|
|
|
191
|
|
|
192 Most Emacs commands accept a numeric argument; for most commands, this
|
|
|
193 serves as a repeat-count. The way you give a command a repeat count
|
|
|
194 is by typing C-u and then the digits before you type the command. If
|
|
|
195 you have a META (or EDIT or ALT) key, there is another alternative way
|
|
|
196 to enter a numeric argument: type the digits while holding down the
|
|
|
197 META key. We recommend learning the C-u method because it works on
|
|
|
198 any terminal.
|
|
0
|
199
|
|
|
200 For instance, C-u 8 C-f moves forward eight characters.
|
|
|
201
|
|
159
|
202 >> Try using C-n or C-p with a numeric argument, to move the cursor
|
|
|
203 to a line near this one with just one command.
|
|
0
|
204
|
|
159
|
205 Most commands use the numeric argument as a repeat count. Certain
|
|
|
206 exceptional commands use it differently. C-v and M-v are among the
|
|
|
207 exceptions. When given an argument, they scroll the screen up or down
|
|
|
208 by that many lines, rather than by a screenfuls. For example, C-u 4
|
|
|
209 C-v scrolls the screen by 4 lines.
|
|
0
|
210
|
|
|
211 >> Try typing C-u 8 C-v now.
|
|
|
212
|
|
159
|
213 This should have scrolled the screen up by 8 lines. If you would like
|
|
|
214 to scroll it down again, you can give an argument to M-v.
|
|
0
|
215
|
|
161
|
216 If you are using the X Window system, there is probably a rectangular
|
|
|
217 area called a scroll bar at the right hand side of the Emacs window.
|
|
|
218 You can scroll the text by manipulating the scroll bar with the mouse.
|
|
0
|
219
|
|
70
|
220 >> Try pressing the middle button at the top of the highlighted area
|
|
159
|
221 within the scroll bar. This should scroll the text to a position
|
|
|
222 determined by how high or low you click.
|
|
0
|
223
|
|
161
|
224 >> Move the mouse to a point in the scroll bar about three lines from
|
|
|
225 the top, and click the left button a couple of times.
|
|
|
226
|
|
|
227
|
|
|
228 * CURSOR CONTROL WITH AN X TERMINAL
|
|
|
229 -----------------------------------
|
|
|
230
|
|
|
231 If you have an X terminal, you will probably find it easier to use
|
|
|
232 the keys on the keypad to control the cursor. The left, right, up,
|
|
|
233 and down arrow keys move in the expected direction; they function
|
|
|
234 exactly like C-b, C-f, C-p, and C-n, but are easier to type and to
|
|
|
235 remember. You can also use C-left and C-right to move by words, and
|
|
|
236 C-up and C-down to move by blocks (e.g. paragraphs, if you're
|
|
|
237 editing text). If you have keys labelled HOME (or BEGIN) and END,
|
|
|
238 they will take you to the beginning and end of a line, respectively,
|
|
|
239 and C-home and C-end will move to the beginning and end of the file.
|
|
|
240 If your keyboard has PgUp and PgDn keys, you can use them to move up
|
|
|
241 and down a screenful at a time, like M-v and C-v.
|
|
|
242
|
|
|
243 All of these commands can take numeric arguments, as described above.
|
|
|
244 You can use a shortcut to enter these arguments: just hold down the
|
|
|
245 CONTROL or META key and type the number. For example, to move 12
|
|
|
246 words to the right, type C-1 C-2 C-right. Note that it is very easy
|
|
|
247 to type this because you do not have to release the CONTROL key
|
|
|
248 between keystrokes.
|
|
0
|
249
|
|
|
250
|
|
70
|
251 * WHEN EMACS IS HUNG
|
|
|
252 --------------------
|
|
0
|
253
|
|
159
|
254 If Emacs stops responding to your commands, you can stop it safely by
|
|
|
255 typing C-g. You can use C-g to stop a command which is taking too
|
|
|
256 long to execute.
|
|
|
257
|
|
0
|
258 You can also use C-g to discard a numeric argument or the beginning of
|
|
159
|
259 a command that you do not want to finish.
|
|
0
|
260
|
|
|
261 >> Type C-u 100 to make a numeric arg of 100, then type C-g.
|
|
159
|
262 Now type C-f. It should move just one character,
|
|
|
263 because you canceled the argument with C-g.
|
|
|
264
|
|
|
265 If you have typed an <ESC> by mistake, you can get rid of it
|
|
|
266 with a C-g.
|
|
|
267
|
|
|
268
|
|
|
269 * DISABLED COMMANDS
|
|
|
270 -------------------
|
|
0
|
271
|
|
159
|
272 Some Emacs commands are "disabled" so that beginning users cannot use
|
|
|
273 them by accident.
|
|
|
274
|
|
|
275 If you type one of the disabled commands, Emacs displays a message
|
|
|
276 saying what the command was, and asking you whether you want to go
|
|
|
277 ahead and execute the command.
|
|
0
|
278
|
|
159
|
279 If you really want to try the command, type Space in answer to the
|
|
|
280 question. Normally, if you do not want to execute the disabled
|
|
|
281 command, answer the question with "n".
|
|
|
282
|
|
161
|
283 >> Type `C-x n p' (which is a disabled command),
|
|
159
|
284 then type n to answer the question.
|
|
0
|
285
|
|
|
286
|
|
70
|
287 * WINDOWS
|
|
|
288 ---------
|
|
0
|
289
|
|
161
|
290 Emacs can have several windows, each displaying its own text.
|
|
|
291 Note that "window" as used by Emacs does not refer to separate
|
|
|
292 overlapping windows in the window system, but to separate panes
|
|
|
293 within a single X window. (Emacs can also have multiple X
|
|
|
294 windows, or "frames" in Emacs terminology. This is described
|
|
|
295 later.)
|
|
|
296
|
|
|
297 At this stage it is better not to go into the techniques of
|
|
|
298 using multiple windows. But you do need to know how to get
|
|
|
299 rid of extra windows that may appear to display help or
|
|
|
300 output from certain commands. It is simple:
|
|
0
|
301
|
|
|
302 C-x 1 One window (i.e., kill all other windows).
|
|
|
303
|
|
159
|
304 That is Control-x followed by the digit 1. C-x 1 expands the window
|
|
|
305 which contains the cursor, to occupy the full screen. It deletes all
|
|
|
306 other windows.
|
|
0
|
307
|
|
|
308 >> Move the cursor to this line and type C-u 0 C-l.
|
|
161
|
309
|
|
|
310 (Remember that C-l redraws the screen. If you give a
|
|
|
311 numeric argument to this command, it means "redraw the
|
|
|
312 screen and put the current line that many lines from the
|
|
|
313 top of the screen." So C-u 0 C-l means "redraw the
|
|
|
314 screen, putting the current line at the top.")
|
|
|
315
|
|
0
|
316 >> Type Control-h k Control-f.
|
|
|
317 See how this window shrinks, while a new one appears
|
|
|
318 to display documentation on the Control-f command.
|
|
|
319
|
|
|
320 >> Type C-x 1 and see the documentation listing window disappear.
|
|
|
321
|
|
|
322
|
|
70
|
323 * INSERTING AND DELETING
|
|
|
324 ------------------------
|
|
0
|
325
|
|
159
|
326 If you want to insert text, just type the text. Characters which you
|
|
|
327 can see, such as A, 7, *, etc. are taken by Emacs as text and inserted
|
|
0
|
328 immediately. Type <Return> (the carriage-return key) to insert a
|
|
|
329 Newline character.
|
|
|
330
|
|
70
|
331 You can delete the last character you typed by typing <Delete>.
|
|
|
332 <Delete> is a key on the keyboard, which may be labeled "Del". In
|
|
|
333 some cases, the "Backspace" key serves as <Delete>, but not always!
|
|
|
334
|
|
|
335 More generally, <Delete> deletes the character immediately before the
|
|
|
336 current cursor position.
|
|
0
|
337
|
|
159
|
338 >> Do this now--type a few characters, then delete them
|
|
70
|
339 by typing <Delete> a few times. Don't worry about this file
|
|
159
|
340 being changed; you will not alter the master tutorial. This is
|
|
|
341 your personal copy of it.
|
|
0
|
342
|
|
159
|
343 When a line of text gets too big for one line on the screen, the line
|
|
|
344 of text is "continued" onto a second screen line. A backslash ("\")
|
|
|
345 at the right margin indicates a line which has been continued.
|
|
|
346
|
|
|
347 >> Insert text until you reach the right margin, and keep on inserting.
|
|
|
348 You'll see a continuation line appear.
|
|
|
349
|
|
70
|
350 >> Use <Delete>s to delete the text until the line fits on one screen
|
|
0
|
351 line again. The continuation line goes away.
|
|
|
352
|
|
159
|
353 You can delete a Newline character just like any other character.
|
|
|
354 Deleting the Newline character between two lines merges them into
|
|
|
355 one line. If the resulting combined line is too long to fit in the
|
|
|
356 screen width, it will be displayed with a continuation line.
|
|
|
357
|
|
70
|
358 >> Move the cursor to the beginning of a line and type <Delete>. This
|
|
159
|
359 merges that line with the previous line.
|
|
|
360
|
|
0
|
361 >> Type <Return> to reinsert the Newline you deleted.
|
|
|
362
|
|
|
363 Remember that most Emacs commands can be given a repeat count;
|
|
159
|
364 this includes text characters. Repeating a text character inserts
|
|
|
365 it several times.
|
|
0
|
366
|
|
159
|
367 >> Try that now -- type C-u 8 * to insert ********.
|
|
0
|
368
|
|
|
369 You've now learned the most basic way of typing something in
|
|
|
370 Emacs and correcting errors. You can delete by words or lines
|
|
|
371 as well. Here is a summary of the delete operations:
|
|
|
372
|
|
70
|
373 <Delete> delete the character just before the cursor
|
|
0
|
374 C-d delete the next character after the cursor
|
|
|
375
|
|
70
|
376 M-<Delete> kill the word immediately before the cursor
|
|
0
|
377 M-d kill the next word after the cursor
|
|
|
378
|
|
|
379 C-k kill from the cursor position to end of line
|
|
|
380 M-k kill to the end of the current sentence
|
|
|
381
|
|
70
|
382 Notice that <Delete> and C-d vs M-<Delete> and M-d extend the parallel
|
|
159
|
383 started by C-f and M-f (well, <Delete> is not really a control
|
|
0
|
384 character, but let's not worry about that). C-k and M-k are like C-e
|
|
|
385 and M-e, sort of, in that lines are opposite sentences.
|
|
|
386
|
|
159
|
387 When you delete more than one character at a time, Emacs saves the
|
|
|
388 deleted text so that you can bring it back. Bringing back killed text
|
|
|
389 is called "yanking". You can yank the killed text either at the same
|
|
|
390 place where it was killed, or at some other place in the text. You
|
|
|
391 can yank the text several times in order to make multiple copies of
|
|
|
392 it. The command to yank is C-y.
|
|
0
|
393
|
|
159
|
394 Note that the difference between "Killing" and "Deleting" something is
|
|
|
395 that "Killed" things can be yanked back, and "Deleted" things cannot.
|
|
|
396 Generally, the commands that can remove a lot of text save the text,
|
|
|
397 while the commands that delete just one character, or just blank lines
|
|
|
398 and spaces, do not save the deleted text.
|
|
0
|
399
|
|
159
|
400 >> Move the cursor to the beginning of a line which is not empty.
|
|
|
401 Then type C-k to kill the text on that line.
|
|
|
402 >> Type C-k a second time. You'll see that it kills the Newline
|
|
|
403 which follows that line.
|
|
0
|
404
|
|
|
405 Note that a single C-k kills the contents of the line, and a second
|
|
159
|
406 C-k kills the line itself, and make all the other lines move up. C-k
|
|
|
407 treats a numeric argument specially: it kills that many lines AND
|
|
|
408 their contents. This is not mere repetition. C-u 2 C-k kills two
|
|
|
409 lines and their newlines; typing C-k twice would not do that.
|
|
0
|
410
|
|
159
|
411 To retrieve the last killed text and put it where the cursor currently
|
|
|
412 is, type C-y.
|
|
0
|
413
|
|
|
414 >> Try it; type C-y to yank the text back.
|
|
|
415
|
|
159
|
416 Think of C-y as if you were yanking something back that someone took
|
|
|
417 away from you. Notice that if you do several C-k's in a row, all of
|
|
|
418 the killed text is saved together, so that one C-y will yank all of
|
|
|
419 the lines.
|
|
0
|
420
|
|
|
421 >> Do this now, type C-k several times.
|
|
|
422
|
|
|
423 Now to retrieve that killed text:
|
|
|
424
|
|
|
425 >> Type C-y. Then move the cursor down a few lines and type C-y
|
|
|
426 again. You now see how to copy some text.
|
|
|
427
|
|
|
428 What do you do if you have some text you want to yank back, and then
|
|
|
429 you kill something else? C-y would yank the more recent kill. But
|
|
|
430 the previous text is not lost. You can get back to it using the M-y
|
|
|
431 command. After you have done C-y to get the most recent kill, typing
|
|
159
|
432 M-y replaces that yanked text with the previous kill. Typing M-y
|
|
|
433 again and again brings in earlier and earlier kills. When you have
|
|
|
434 reached the text you are looking for, you do not have to do anything to
|
|
|
435 keep it. Just go on with your editing, leaving the yanked text where
|
|
|
436 it is.
|
|
|
437
|
|
|
438 If you M-y enough times, you come back to the starting point (the most
|
|
|
439 recent kill).
|
|
0
|
440
|
|
|
441 >> Kill a line, move around, kill another line.
|
|
|
442 Then do C-y to get back the second killed line.
|
|
|
443 Then do M-y and it will be replaced by the first killed line.
|
|
|
444 Do more M-y's and see what you get. Keep doing them until
|
|
|
445 the second kill line comes back, and then a few more.
|
|
|
446 If you like, you can try giving M-y positive and negative
|
|
|
447 arguments.
|
|
|
448
|
|
|
449
|
|
70
|
450 * UNDO
|
|
|
451 ------
|
|
0
|
452
|
|
159
|
453 If you make a change to the text, and then decide that it was a
|
|
|
454 mistake, you can undo the change with the undo command, C-x u.
|
|
|
455
|
|
|
456 Normally, C-x u undoes the changes made by one command; if you repeat
|
|
|
457 the C-x u several times in a row, each repetition undoes one
|
|
|
458 additional command.
|
|
|
459
|
|
|
460 But there are two exceptions: commands that do not change the text do
|
|
|
461 not count (this includes cursor motion commands and scrolling
|
|
|
462 command), and self-inserting characters are usually handled in groups
|
|
|
463 of up to 20. (This is to reduce the number of C-x u's you have to
|
|
|
464 type to undo insertion of text.)
|
|
0
|
465
|
|
|
466 >> Kill this line with C-k, then type C-x u and it should reappear.
|
|
|
467
|
|
159
|
468 C-_ is an alternative undo command; it works just the same as C-x u,
|
|
|
469 but it is easier to type several times in a row. The disadvantage of
|
|
|
470 C-_ is that on some keyboards it is not obvious how to type it. That
|
|
|
471 is why we provide C-x u as well. On some terminals, you can type C-_
|
|
|
472 by typing / while holding down CTRL.
|
|
0
|
473
|
|
159
|
474 A numeric argument to C-_ or C-x u acts as a repeat count.
|
|
0
|
475
|
|
|
476
|
|
70
|
477 * FILES
|
|
|
478 -------
|
|
0
|
479
|
|
|
480 In order to make the text you edit permanent, you must put it in a
|
|
|
481 file. Otherwise, it will go away when your invocation of Emacs goes
|
|
159
|
482 away. You put your editing in a file by "finding" the file. (This is
|
|
|
483 also called "visiting" the file.)
|
|
|
484
|
|
|
485 Finding a file means that you see the contents of the file within
|
|
|
486 Emacs. In many ways, it is as if you were editing the file itself.
|
|
|
487 However, the changes you make using Emacs do not become permanent
|
|
|
488 until you "save" the file. This is so you can avoid leaving a
|
|
|
489 half-changed file on the system when you do not want to. Even when
|
|
|
490 you save, Emacs leaves the original file under a changed name in case
|
|
|
491 you later decide that your changes were a mistake.
|
|
0
|
492
|
|
|
493 If you look near the bottom of the screen you will see a line that
|
|
159
|
494 begins and ends with dashes, and contains the string "Emacs:
|
|
|
495 TUTORIAL". This part of the screen always shows the name of the file
|
|
|
496 that you are visiting. Right now, you are visiting a file called
|
|
|
497 "TUTORIAL" which is your personal scratch copy of the Emacs tutorial.
|
|
|
498 Whatever file you find, that file's name will appear in that precise
|
|
0
|
499 spot.
|
|
|
500
|
|
|
501 The commands for finding and saving files are unlike the other
|
|
|
502 commands you have learned in that they consist of two characters.
|
|
|
503 They both start with the character Control-x. There is a whole series
|
|
|
504 of commands that start with Control-x; many of them have to do with
|
|
159
|
505 files, buffers, and related things. These commands are two, three or
|
|
|
506 four characters long.
|
|
0
|
507
|
|
|
508 Another thing about the command for finding a file is that you have
|
|
|
509 to say what file name you want. We say the command "reads an argument
|
|
|
510 from the terminal" (in this case, the argument is the name of the
|
|
|
511 file). After you type the command
|
|
|
512
|
|
|
513 C-x C-f Find a file
|
|
|
514
|
|
159
|
515 Emacs asks you to type the file name. The file name you type appears
|
|
|
516 on the bottom line of the screen. The bottom line is called the
|
|
|
517 minibuffer when it is used for this sort of input. You can use
|
|
|
518 ordinary Emacs editing commands to edit the file name.
|
|
|
519
|
|
|
520 While you are entering the file name (or any minibuffer input),
|
|
|
521 you can cancel the command with C-g.
|
|
0
|
522
|
|
|
523 >> Type C-x C-f, then type C-g. This cancels the minibuffer,
|
|
|
524 and also cancels the C-x C-f command that was using the
|
|
|
525 minibuffer. So you do not find any file.
|
|
|
526
|
|
159
|
527 When you have finished entering the file name, type <Return> to
|
|
|
528 terminate it. Then C-x C-f command goes to work, and finds the file
|
|
|
529 you chose. The minibuffer disappears when the C-x C-f command is
|
|
|
530 finished.
|
|
|
531
|
|
|
532 In a little while the file contents appear on the screen, and you can
|
|
|
533 edit the contents. When you wish to make your changes permanent,
|
|
|
534 type the command
|
|
0
|
535
|
|
|
536 C-x C-s Save the file
|
|
|
537
|
|
159
|
538 This copies the text within Emacs into the file. The first time you
|
|
|
539 do this, Emacs renames the original file to a new name so that it is
|
|
|
540 not lost. The new name is made by adding "~" to the end of the
|
|
|
541 original file's name.
|
|
0
|
542
|
|
|
543 When saving is finished, Emacs prints the name of the file written.
|
|
|
544 You should save fairly often, so that you will not lose very much
|
|
|
545 work if the system should crash.
|
|
|
546
|
|
|
547 >> Type C-x C-s, saving your copy of the tutorial.
|
|
159
|
548 This should print "Wrote ...TUTORIAL" at the bottom of the screen.
|
|
0
|
549
|
|
70
|
550 NOTE: On some systems, typing C-x C-s will freeze the screen and you
|
|
|
551 will see no further output from Emacs. This indicates that an
|
|
|
552 operating system "feature" called "flow control" is intercepting the
|
|
|
553 C-s and not letting it get through to Emacs. To unfreeze the screen,
|
|
|
554 type C-q. Then see the section "Spontaneous Entry to Incremental
|
|
|
555 Search" in the Emacs manual for advice on dealing with this "feature".
|
|
|
556
|
|
159
|
557 You can find an existing file, to view it or edit it. You can also
|
|
|
558 find a file which does not already exist. This is the way to create a
|
|
|
559 file with Emacs: find the file, which will start out empty, and then
|
|
|
560 begin inserting the text for the file. When you ask to "save" the
|
|
|
561 file, Emacs will really create the file with the text that you have
|
|
|
562 inserted. From then on, you can consider yourself to be editing an
|
|
|
563 already existing file.
|
|
0
|
564
|
|
|
565
|
|
70
|
566 * BUFFERS
|
|
|
567 ---------
|
|
0
|
568
|
|
|
569 If you find a second file with C-x C-f, the first file remains
|
|
|
570 inside Emacs. You can switch back to it by finding it again with
|
|
|
571 C-x C-f. This way you can get quite a number of files inside Emacs.
|
|
|
572
|
|
159
|
573 >> Create a file named "foo" by typing C-x C-f foo <Return>.
|
|
|
574 Then insert some text, edit it, and save "foo" by typing C-x C-s.
|
|
|
575 Finally, type C-x C-f TUTORIAL <Return>
|
|
|
576 to come back to the tutorial.
|
|
|
577
|
|
|
578 Emacs stores each file's text inside an object called a "buffer."
|
|
|
579 Finding a file makes a new buffer inside Emacs. To see a list of the
|
|
|
580 buffers that current exist in your Emacs job, type
|
|
0
|
581
|
|
|
582 C-x C-b List buffers
|
|
|
583
|
|
|
584 >> Try C-x C-b now.
|
|
|
585
|
|
|
586 See how each buffer has a name, and it may also have a file name
|
|
|
587 for the file whose contents it holds. Some buffers do not correspond
|
|
|
588 to files. For example, the buffer named "*Buffer List*" does
|
|
|
589 not have any file. It is the buffer which contains the buffer
|
|
|
590 list that was made by C-x C-b. ANY text you see in an Emacs window
|
|
159
|
591 is always part of some buffer.
|
|
0
|
592
|
|
|
593 >> Type C-x 1 to get rid of the buffer list.
|
|
|
594
|
|
|
595 If you make changes to the text of one file, then find another file,
|
|
|
596 this does not save the first file. Its changes remain inside Emacs,
|
|
|
597 in that file's buffer. The creation or editing of the second file's
|
|
|
598 buffer has no effect on the first file's buffer. This is very useful,
|
|
|
599 but it also means that you need a convenient way to save the first
|
|
|
600 file's buffer. It would be a nuisance to have to switch back to
|
|
|
601 it with C-x C-f in order to save it with C-x C-s. So we have
|
|
|
602
|
|
|
603 C-x s Save some buffers
|
|
|
604
|
|
159
|
605 C-x s asks you about each buffer which contains changes that you have
|
|
|
606 not saved. It asks you, for each such buffer, whether to save the
|
|
|
607 buffer.
|
|
0
|
608
|
|
159
|
609 >> Insert a line of text, then type C-x s.
|
|
|
610 It should ask you whether to save the buffer named TUTORIAL.
|
|
|
611 Answer yes to the question by typing "y".
|
|
0
|
612
|
|
161
|
613 * USING THE MENU
|
|
|
614 ----------------
|
|
|
615
|
|
|
616 If you are on an X terminal, you will notice a menubar at the
|
|
|
617 top of the Emacs screen. You can use this menubar to access all
|
|
|
618 the most common Emacs commands, such as "find file". You will
|
|
|
619 find this easier at first, because you don't need to remember
|
|
|
620 the keystrokes necessary to access any particular command. Once
|
|
|
621 you are comfortable with Emacs, it will be easy to begin using
|
|
|
622 the keyboard commands because each menu item with a
|
|
|
623 corresponding keyboard command has the command listed next to
|
|
|
624 it.
|
|
|
625
|
|
|
626 Note that there are many items in the menubar that have no exact
|
|
|
627 keyboard equivalents. For example, the Buffers menu lists all
|
|
|
628 of the available buffers in most-recently used order. You can
|
|
|
629 switch to any buffer by simply findings its name in the Buffers
|
|
|
630 menu and selecting it.
|
|
|
631
|
|
|
632
|
|
|
633 * USING THE MOUSE
|
|
|
634 -----------------
|
|
|
635
|
|
|
636 When running under X, Emacs is fully integrated with the mouse.
|
|
|
637 You can position the text cursor by clicking the left button at
|
|
|
638 the desired location, and you can select text by dragging the
|
|
|
639 left mouse button across the text you want to select. (Or
|
|
|
640 alternatively, click the left mouse button at one end of the
|
|
|
641 text, then move to the other end and use Shift-click to select
|
|
|
642 the text.)
|
|
|
643
|
|
|
644 To kill some selected text, you can use C-w or choose the Cut
|
|
|
645 item from the Edit menu. Note that these are *not* equivalent:
|
|
|
646 C-w only saves the text internally within Emacs (similar to C-k
|
|
|
647 as described above), whereas Cut does this and also puts the
|
|
|
648 text into the X clipboard, where it can be accessed by other
|
|
|
649 applications.
|
|
|
650
|
|
|
651 To retrieve text from the X clipboard, use the Paste item from
|
|
|
652 the Edit menu.
|
|
|
653
|
|
|
654 The middle mouse button is commonly used to choose items that
|
|
|
655 are visible on the screen. For example, if you enter Info (the
|
|
|
656 on-line Emacs documentation) using C-h i or the Help menu, you
|
|
|
657 can follow a highlighted link by clicking the middle mouse
|
|
|
658 button on it. Similarly, if you are typing a file name in
|
|
|
659 (e.g. when prompted by "Find File") and you hit TAB to show the
|
|
|
660 possible completions, you can click the middle mouse button on
|
|
|
661 one of the completions to select it.
|
|
|
662
|
|
|
663 The right mouse button brings up a popup menu. The contents of
|
|
|
664 this menu vary depending on what mode you're in, and usually
|
|
|
665 contain a few commonly used commands, so they're easier to
|
|
|
666 access.
|
|
|
667
|
|
|
668 >> Press the right mouse button now.
|
|
|
669
|
|
|
670 You will have to hold the button down in order to keep the
|
|
|
671 menu up.
|
|
|
672
|
|
|
673
|
|
70
|
674 * EXTENDING THE COMMAND SET
|
|
|
675 ---------------------------
|
|
0
|
676
|
|
|
677 There are many, many more Emacs commands than could possibly be put
|
|
|
678 on all the control and meta characters. Emacs gets around this with
|
|
|
679 the X (eXtend) command. This comes in two flavors:
|
|
|
680
|
|
|
681 C-x Character eXtend. Followed by one character.
|
|
|
682 M-x Named command eXtend. Followed by a long name.
|
|
|
683
|
|
|
684 These are commands that are generally useful but used less than the
|
|
159
|
685 commands you have already learned about. You have already seen two of
|
|
|
686 them: the file commands C-x C-f to Find and C-x C-s to Save. Another
|
|
|
687 example is the command to end the Emacs session--this is the command
|
|
|
688 C-x C-c. (Do not worry about losing changes you have made; C-x C-c
|
|
|
689 offers to save each changed file before it kills the Emacs.)
|
|
0
|
690
|
|
70
|
691 C-z is the command to exit Emacs *temporarily*--so that you can go
|
|
|
692 back to the same Emacs session afterward.
|
|
0
|
693
|
|
159
|
694 On systems which allow it, C-z "suspends" Emacs; that is, it returns
|
|
|
695 to the shell but does not destroy the Emacs. In the most common
|
|
|
696 shells, you can resume Emacs with the `fg' command or with `%emacs'.
|
|
|
697
|
|
|
698 On systems which do not implement suspending, C-z creates a subshell
|
|
|
699 running under Emacs to give you the chance to run other programs and
|
|
|
700 return to Emacs afterward; it does not truly "exit" from Emacs. In
|
|
|
701 this case, the shell command `exit' is the usual way to get back to
|
|
|
702 Emacs from the subshell.
|
|
70
|
703
|
|
|
704 The time to use C-x C-c is when you are about to log out. It's also
|
|
|
705 the right thing to use to exit an Emacs invoked under mail handling
|
|
159
|
706 programs and other miscellaneous utilities, since they may not know
|
|
|
707 how to cope with suspension of Emacs. In ordinary circumstances,
|
|
|
708 though, if you are not about to log out, it is better to suspend Emacs
|
|
|
709 with C-z instead of exiting Emacs.
|
|
0
|
710
|
|
159
|
711 There are many C-x commands. Here is a list of the ones you have learned:
|
|
0
|
712
|
|
|
713 C-x C-f Find file.
|
|
|
714 C-x C-s Save file.
|
|
|
715 C-x C-b List buffers.
|
|
|
716 C-x C-c Quit Emacs.
|
|
|
717 C-x u Undo.
|
|
|
718
|
|
|
719 Named eXtended commands are commands which are used even less
|
|
159
|
720 frequently, or commands which are used only in certain modes. An
|
|
|
721 example is the command replace-string, which globally replaces one
|
|
|
722 string with another. When you type M-x, Emacs prompts you at the
|
|
|
723 bottom of the screen with M-x and you should type the name of the
|
|
|
724 command; in this case, "replace-string". Just type "repl s<TAB>" and
|
|
|
725 Emacs will complete the name. End the command name with <Return>.
|
|
|
726
|
|
|
727 The replace-string command requires two arguments--the string to be
|
|
|
728 replaced, and the string to replace it with. You must end each
|
|
|
729 argument with <Return>.
|
|
0
|
730
|
|
|
731 >> Move the cursor to the blank line two lines below this one.
|
|
|
732 Then type M-x repl s<Return>changed<Return>altered<Return>.
|
|
|
733
|
|
|
734 Notice how this line has changed: you've replaced
|
|
159
|
735 the word c-h-a-n-g-e-d with "altered" wherever it occurred,
|
|
|
736 after the initial position of the cursor.
|
|
0
|
737
|
|
|
738
|
|
70
|
739 * AUTO SAVE
|
|
|
740 -----------
|
|
|
741
|
|
|
742 When you have made changes in a file, but you have not saved them yet,
|
|
|
743 they could be lost if your computer crashes. To protect you from
|
|
159
|
744 this, Emacs periodically writes an "auto save" file for each file that
|
|
|
745 you are editing. The auto save file name has a # at the beginning and
|
|
|
746 the end; for example, if your file is named "hello.c", its auto save
|
|
|
747 file's name is "#hello.c#". When you save the file in the normal way,
|
|
|
748 Emacs deletes its auto save file.
|
|
70
|
749
|
|
|
750 If the computer crashes, you can recover your auto-saved editing by
|
|
|
751 finding the file normally (the file you were editing, not the auto
|
|
|
752 save file) and then typing M-x recover file<return>. When it asks for
|
|
|
753 confirmation, type yes<return> to go ahead and recover the auto-save
|
|
|
754 data.
|
|
|
755
|
|
|
756
|
|
159
|
757 * ECHO AREA
|
|
70
|
758 -----------
|
|
0
|
759
|
|
|
760 If Emacs sees that you are typing commands slowly it shows them to you
|
|
|
761 at the bottom of the screen in an area called the "echo area." The echo
|
|
159
|
762 area contains the bottom line of the screen.
|
|
|
763
|
|
|
764
|
|
|
765 * MODE LINE
|
|
|
766 -----------
|
|
0
|
767
|
|
159
|
768 The line immediately above the echo area it is called the "mode line".
|
|
|
769 The mode line says something like this:
|
|
0
|
770
|
|
161
|
771 --**-XEmacs: TUTORIAL (Fundamental)--L670--58%----------------
|
|
159
|
772
|
|
|
773 This line gives useful information about the status of Emacs and
|
|
|
774 the text you are editing.
|
|
0
|
775
|
|
|
776 You already know what the filename means--it is the file you have
|
|
159
|
777 found. -NN%-- indicates your current position in the text; it means
|
|
|
778 that NN percent of the text is above the top of the screen. If the
|
|
|
779 top of the file is on the screen, it will say --Top-- instead of
|
|
|
780 --00%--. If the bottom of the text is on the screen, it will say
|
|
|
781 --Bot--. If you are looking at text so small that all of it fits on
|
|
|
782 the screen, the mode line says --All--.
|
|
0
|
783
|
|
|
784 The stars near the front mean that you have made changes to the text.
|
|
159
|
785 Right after you visit or save a file, that part of the mode line shows
|
|
|
786 no stars, just dashes.
|
|
0
|
787
|
|
|
788 The part of the mode line inside the parentheses is to tell you what
|
|
159
|
789 editing modes you are in. The default mode is Fundamental which is
|
|
|
790 what you are using now. It is an example of a "major mode".
|
|
|
791
|
|
|
792 Emacs has many different major modes. Some of them are meant for
|
|
|
793 editing different languages and/or kinds of text, such as Lisp mode,
|
|
|
794 Text mode, etc. At any time one and only one major mode is active,
|
|
|
795 and its name can always be found in the mode line just where
|
|
|
796 "Fundamental" is now.
|
|
|
797
|
|
|
798 Each major mode makes a few commands behave differently. For example,
|
|
|
799 there are commands for creating comments in a program, and since each
|
|
|
800 programming language has a different idea of what a comment should
|
|
|
801 look like, each major mode has to insert comments differently. Each
|
|
|
802 major mode is the name of an extended command, which is how you can
|
|
|
803 switch to that mode. For example, M-x fundamental-mode is a command to
|
|
|
804 switch to Fundamental mode.
|
|
0
|
805
|
|
|
806 If you are going to be editing English text, such as this file, you
|
|
|
807 should probably use Text Mode.
|
|
|
808 >> Type M-x text-mode<Return>.
|
|
|
809
|
|
|
810 Don't worry, none of the commands you have learned changes Emacs in
|
|
159
|
811 any great way. But you can observe that M-f and M-b now treat
|
|
|
812 apostrophes as part of words. Previously, in Fundamental mode,
|
|
|
813 M-f and M-b treated apostrophes as word-separators.
|
|
0
|
814
|
|
159
|
815 Major modes usually make subtle changes like that one: most commands
|
|
|
816 do "the same job" in each major mode, but they work a little bit
|
|
|
817 differently.
|
|
|
818
|
|
|
819 To view documentation on your current major mode, type C-h m.
|
|
0
|
820
|
|
|
821 >> Use C-u C-v once or more to bring this line near the top of screen.
|
|
|
822 >> Type C-h m, to see how Text mode differs from Fundamental mode.
|
|
|
823 >> Type C-x 1 to remove the documentation from the screen.
|
|
|
824
|
|
|
825 Major modes are called major because there are also minor modes.
|
|
159
|
826 Minor modes are alternatives not to the major modes, just minor
|
|
|
827 modifications of them. Each minor mode can be turned on or off by
|
|
|
828 itself, independent of all other minor modes, and independent of your
|
|
|
829 major mode. So you can use no minor modes, or one minor mode, or any
|
|
|
830 combination of several minor modes.
|
|
0
|
831
|
|
|
832 One minor mode which is very useful, especially for editing English
|
|
|
833 text, is Auto Fill mode. When this mode is on, Emacs breaks the line
|
|
159
|
834 in between words automatically whenever you insert text and make a
|
|
|
835 line that is too wide.
|
|
|
836
|
|
|
837 You can turn Auto Fill mode on by doing M-x auto-fill-mode<Return>.
|
|
|
838 When the mode is on, you can turn it off by doing M-x
|
|
|
839 auto-fill-mode<Return>. If the mode is off, this command turns it on,
|
|
|
840 and if the mode is on, this command turns it off. We say that the
|
|
|
841 command "toggles the mode".
|
|
0
|
842
|
|
|
843 >> Type M-x auto-fill-mode<Return> now. Then insert a line of "asdf "
|
|
|
844 over again until you see it divide into two lines. You must put in
|
|
|
845 spaces between them because Auto Fill breaks lines only at spaces.
|
|
|
846
|
|
|
847 The margin is usually set at 70 characters, but you can change it
|
|
|
848 with the C-x f command. You should give the margin setting you want
|
|
|
849 as a numeric argument.
|
|
|
850
|
|
|
851 >> Type C-x f with an argument of 20. (C-u 2 0 C-x f).
|
|
|
852 Then type in some text and see Emacs fill lines of 20
|
|
|
853 characters with it. Then set the margin back to 70 using
|
|
|
854 C-x f again.
|
|
|
855
|
|
|
856 If you makes changes in the middle of a paragraph, Auto Fill mode
|
|
|
857 does not re-fill it for you.
|
|
|
858 To re-fill the paragraph, type M-q (Meta-q) with the cursor inside
|
|
|
859 that paragraph.
|
|
|
860
|
|
|
861 >> Move the cursor into the previous paragraph and type M-q.
|
|
|
862
|
|
161
|
863
|
|
70
|
864 * SEARCHING
|
|
|
865 -----------
|
|
0
|
866
|
|
|
867 Emacs can do searches for strings (these are groups of contiguous
|
|
159
|
868 characters or words) either forward through the text or backward
|
|
|
869 through it. Searching for a string is a cursor motion command;
|
|
|
870 it moves the cursor to the next place where that string appears.
|
|
|
871
|
|
|
872 The Emacs search command is different from the search commands
|
|
|
873 of most editors, in that it is "incremental". This means that the
|
|
|
874 search happens while you type in the string to search for.
|
|
|
875
|
|
|
876 The command to initiate a search is C-s for forward search, and C-r
|
|
|
877 for reverse search. BUT WAIT! Don't try them now.
|
|
|
878
|
|
|
879 When you type C-s you'll notice that the string "I-search" appears as
|
|
|
880 a prompt in the echo area. This tells you that Emacs is in what is
|
|
|
881 called an incremental search waiting for you to type the thing that
|
|
|
882 you want to search for. <RET> terminates a search.
|
|
0
|
883
|
|
|
884 >> Now type C-s to start a search. SLOWLY, one letter at a time,
|
|
|
885 type the word 'cursor', pausing after you type each
|
|
|
886 character to notice what happens to the cursor.
|
|
159
|
887 Now you have searched for "cursor", once.
|
|
|
888 >> Type C-s again, to search for the next occurrence of "cursor".
|
|
70
|
889 >> Now type <Delete> four times and see how the cursor moves.
|
|
|
890 >> Type <RET> to terminate the search.
|
|
0
|
891
|
|
|
892 Did you see what happened? Emacs, in an incremental search, tries to
|
|
159
|
893 go to the occurrence of the string that you've typed out so far. To
|
|
|
894 go to the next occurrence of 'cursor' just type C-s again. If no such
|
|
|
895 occurrence exists Emacs beeps and tells you the search is currently
|
|
|
896 "failing", C-g would also terminate the search.
|
|
0
|
897
|
|
70
|
898 NOTE: On some systems, typing C-s will freeze the screen and you will
|
|
|
899 see no further output from Emacs. This indicates that an operating
|
|
|
900 system "feature" called "flow control" is intercepting the C-s and not
|
|
|
901 letting it get through to Emacs. To unfreeze the screen, type C-q.
|
|
|
902 Then see the section "Spontaneous Entry to Incremental Search" in the
|
|
|
903 Emacs manual for advice on dealing with this "feature".
|
|
|
904
|
|
|
905 If you are in the middle of an incremental search and type <Delete>,
|
|
0
|
906 you'll notice that the last character in the search string is erased
|
|
|
907 and the search backs up to the last place of the search. For
|
|
159
|
908 instance, suppose you have typed "c", to search for the first
|
|
|
909 occurrence of "c". Now if you type "u", the cursor will move
|
|
|
910 to the first occurrence of "cu". Now type <Delete>. This erases
|
|
|
911 the "u" from the search string, and the cursor moves back to
|
|
|
912 the first occurrence of "c".
|
|
0
|
913
|
|
70
|
914 If you are in the middle of a search and type a control or meta
|
|
|
915 character (with a few exceptions--characters that are special in
|
|
|
916 a search, such as C-s and C-r), the search is terminated.
|
|
0
|
917
|
|
|
918 The C-s starts a search that looks for any occurrence of the search
|
|
159
|
919 string AFTER the current cursor position. If you want to search for
|
|
|
920 something earlier in the text, type C-r instead. Everything that we
|
|
|
921 have said about C-s also applies to C-r, except that the direction of
|
|
|
922 the search is reversed.
|
|
0
|
923
|
|
|
924
|
|
70
|
925 * MULTIPLE WINDOWS
|
|
|
926 ------------------
|
|
|
927
|
|
|
928 One of the nice features of Emacs is that you can display more than one
|
|
|
929 window on the screen at the same time.
|
|
|
930
|
|
|
931 >> Move the cursor to this line and type C-u 0 C-l.
|
|
|
932
|
|
|
933 >> Now type C-x 2 which splits the screen into two windows.
|
|
|
934 Both windows display this tutorial. The cursor stays in the top window.
|
|
|
935
|
|
|
936 >> Type C-M-v to scroll the bottom window.
|
|
159
|
937 (If you do not have a real Meta key, type ESC C-v.)
|
|
70
|
938
|
|
|
939 >> Type C-x o ("o" for "other") to move the cursor to the bottom window.
|
|
|
940 >> Use C-v and M-v in the bottom window to scroll it.
|
|
|
941 Keep reading these directions in the top window.
|
|
|
942
|
|
|
943 >> Type C-x o again to move the cursor back to the top window.
|
|
159
|
944 The cursor in the top window is just where it was before.
|
|
70
|
945
|
|
|
946 You can keep using C-x o to switch between the windows. Each
|
|
|
947 window has its own cursor position, but only one window actually
|
|
|
948 shows the cursor. All the ordinary editing commands apply to the
|
|
159
|
949 window that the cursor is in. We call this the "selected window".
|
|
70
|
950
|
|
|
951 The command C-M-v is very useful when you are editing text in one
|
|
|
952 window and using the other window just for reference. You can keep
|
|
159
|
953 the cursor always in the window where you are editing, and advance
|
|
|
954 through the other window sequentially with C-M-v.
|
|
70
|
955
|
|
|
956 C-M-v is an example of a CONTROL-META character. If you have a real
|
|
|
957 META key, you can type C-M-v by holding down both CTRL and META while
|
|
159
|
958 typing v. It does not matter whether CTRL or META "comes first,"
|
|
|
959 because both of these keys act by modifying the characters you type.
|
|
70
|
960
|
|
159
|
961 If you do not have a real META key, and you use ESC instead, the order
|
|
|
962 does matter: you must type ESC followed by CTRL-v; CTRL-ESC v will not
|
|
|
963 work. This is because ESC is a character in its own right, not a
|
|
|
964 modifier key.
|
|
70
|
965
|
|
|
966 >> Type C-x 1 (in the top window) to get rid of the bottom window.
|
|
|
967
|
|
|
968 (If you had typed C-x 1 in the bottom window, that would get rid
|
|
|
969 of the top one. Think of this command as "Keep just one
|
|
|
970 window--the window I am already in.")
|
|
|
971
|
|
159
|
972 You do not have to display the same buffer in both windows. If you
|
|
|
973 use C-x C-f to find a file in one window, the other window does not
|
|
|
974 change. You can find a file in each window independently.
|
|
70
|
975
|
|
|
976 Here is another way to use two windows to display two different
|
|
|
977 things:
|
|
|
978
|
|
|
979 >> Type C-x 4 C-f followed by the name of one of your files.
|
|
159
|
980 End with <Return>. See the specified file appear in the bottom
|
|
70
|
981 window. The cursor goes there, too.
|
|
|
982
|
|
|
983 >> Type C-x o to go back to the top window, and C-x 1 to delete
|
|
|
984 the bottom window.
|
|
|
985
|
|
|
986
|
|
|
987 * RECURSIVE EDITING LEVELS
|
|
|
988 --------------------------
|
|
0
|
989
|
|
|
990 Sometimes you will get into what is called a "recursive editing
|
|
|
991 level". This is indicated by square brackets in the mode line,
|
|
|
992 surrounding the parentheses around the major mode name. For
|
|
|
993 example, you might see [(Fundamental)] instead of (Fundamental).
|
|
|
994
|
|
70
|
995 To get out of the recursive editing level, type ESC ESC ESC. That is
|
|
|
996 an all-purpose "get out" command. You can also use it for eliminating
|
|
|
997 extra windows, and getting out of the minibuffer.
|
|
0
|
998
|
|
70
|
999 >> Type M-x to get into a minibuffer; then type ESC ESC ESC to get out.
|
|
0
|
1000
|
|
159
|
1001 You cannot use C-g to get out of a recursive editing level. This is
|
|
|
1002 because C-g is used for canceling commands and arguments WITHIN the
|
|
|
1003 recursive editing level.
|
|
0
|
1004
|
|
|
1005
|
|
70
|
1006 * GETTING MORE HELP
|
|
|
1007 -------------------
|
|
0
|
1008
|
|
|
1009 In this tutorial we have tried to supply just enough information to
|
|
|
1010 get you started using Emacs. There is so much available in Emacs that
|
|
|
1011 it would be impossible to explain it all here. However, you may want
|
|
159
|
1012 to learn more about Emacs since it has many other useful features.
|
|
|
1013 Emacs provides commands for reading documentation about Emacs
|
|
|
1014 commands. These "help" commands all start with the character
|
|
|
1015 Control-h, which is called "the Help character".
|
|
0
|
1016
|
|
159
|
1017 To use the Help features, type the C-h character, and then a
|
|
0
|
1018 character saying what kind of help you want. If you are REALLY lost,
|
|
|
1019 type C-h ? and Emacs will tell you what kinds of help it can give.
|
|
159
|
1020 If you have typed C-h and decide you do not want any help, just
|
|
70
|
1021 type C-g to cancel it.
|
|
0
|
1022
|
|
159
|
1023 (Some sites rebind the character C-h. They really should not do this
|
|
|
1024 as a blanket measure, so complain to the system administrator.
|
|
|
1025 Meanwhile, if C-h does not display a message about help at the bottom
|
|
|
1026 of the screen, try typing M-x help RET instead.)
|
|
|
1027
|
|
0
|
1028 The most basic HELP feature is C-h c. Type C-h, a c, and a
|
|
|
1029 command character or sequence, and Emacs displays a very brief
|
|
|
1030 description of the command.
|
|
|
1031
|
|
|
1032 >> Type C-h c Control-p.
|
|
|
1033 The message should be something like
|
|
|
1034
|
|
|
1035 C-p runs the command previous-line
|
|
|
1036
|
|
159
|
1037 This tells you the "name of the function". Function names are used
|
|
|
1038 mainly for customizing and extending Emacs. But since function names
|
|
|
1039 are chosen to indicate what the command does, they can serve also as
|
|
|
1040 very brief documentation--sufficient to remind you of commands you
|
|
|
1041 have already learned.
|
|
0
|
1042
|
|
|
1043 Multi-character commands such as C-x C-s and (if you have no META or
|
|
159
|
1044 EDIT or ALT key) <ESC>v are also allowed after C-h c.
|
|
0
|
1045
|
|
159
|
1046 To get more information about a command, use C-h k instead of C-h c.
|
|
0
|
1047
|
|
|
1048 >> Type C-h k Control-p.
|
|
|
1049
|
|
70
|
1050 This displays the documentation of the function, as well as its
|
|
|
1051 name, in an Emacs window. When you are finished reading the
|
|
|
1052 output, type C-x 1 to get rid of the help text. You do not have
|
|
|
1053 to do this right away. You can do some editing while referring
|
|
159
|
1054 to the help text, and then type C-x 1.
|
|
0
|
1055
|
|
|
1056 Here are some other useful C-h options:
|
|
|
1057
|
|
|
1058 C-h f Describe a function. You type in the name of the
|
|
|
1059 function.
|
|
|
1060
|
|
|
1061 >> Try typing C-h f previous-line<Return>.
|
|
|
1062 This prints all the information Emacs has about the
|
|
70
|
1063 function which implements the C-p command.
|
|
0
|
1064
|
|
|
1065 C-h a Command Apropos. Type in a keyword and Emacs will list
|
|
|
1066 all the commands whose names contain that keyword.
|
|
|
1067 These commands can all be invoked with Meta-x.
|
|
|
1068 For some commands, Command Apropos will also list a one
|
|
159
|
1069 or two character sequence which runs the same command.
|
|
0
|
1070
|
|
70
|
1071 >> Type C-h a file<Return>.
|
|
|
1072
|
|
159
|
1073 This displays in another window a list of all M-x commands with "file"
|
|
|
1074 in their names. You will see character-commands like C-x C-f listed
|
|
|
1075 beside the corresponding command names such as find-file.
|
|
70
|
1076
|
|
|
1077 >> Type C-M-v to scroll the help window. Do this a few times.
|
|
|
1078
|
|
|
1079 >> Type C-x 1 to delete the help window.
|
|
0
|
1080
|
|
|
1081
|
|
70
|
1082 * CONCLUSION
|
|
|
1083 ------------
|
|
0
|
1084
|
|
|
1085 Remember, to exit Emacs permanently use C-x C-c. To exit to a shell
|
|
161
|
1086 temporarily, so that you can come back in, use C-z. (under X, this
|
|
|
1087 iconifies the current Emacs frame.)
|
|
0
|
1088
|
|
|
1089 This tutorial is meant to be understandable to all new users, so if
|
|
|
1090 you found something unclear, don't sit and blame yourself - complain!
|
|
|
1091
|
|
|
1092
|
|
|
1093 COPYING
|
|
|
1094 -------
|
|
|
1095
|
|
|
1096 This tutorial descends from a long line of Emacs tutorials
|
|
|
1097 starting with the one written by Stuart Cracraft for the original Emacs.
|
|
161
|
1098 Ben Wing updated the tutorial for X Windows.
|
|
0
|
1099
|
|
|
1100 This version of the tutorial, like GNU Emacs, is copyrighted, and
|
|
|
1101 comes with permission to distribute copies on certain conditions:
|
|
|
1102
|
|
70
|
1103 Copyright (c) 1985, 1996 Free Software Foundation
|
|
0
|
1104
|
|
|
1105 Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies
|
|
|
1106 of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the
|
|
|
1107 copyright notice and permission notice are preserved,
|
|
|
1108 and that the distributor grants the recipient permission
|
|
|
1109 for further redistribution as permitted by this notice.
|
|
|
1110
|
|
|
1111 Permission is granted to distribute modified versions
|
|
|
1112 of this document, or of portions of it,
|
|
|
1113 under the above conditions, provided also that they
|
|
|
1114 carry prominent notices stating who last altered them.
|
|
|
1115
|
|
159
|
1116 The conditions for copying Emacs itself are more complex, but in the
|
|
|
1117 same spirit. Please read the file COPYING and then do give copies of
|
|
|
1118 GNU Emacs to your friends. Help stamp out software obstructionism
|
|
|
1119 ("ownership") by using, writing, and sharing free software!
|
