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