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+ − 1 @c This is part of the XEmacs manual.
+ − 2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+ − 3 @c See file xemacs.texi for copying conditions.
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+ − 4 @node Basic, Undo, Packages, Top
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+ − 5 @chapter Basic Editing Commands
+ − 6
+ − 7 @kindex C-h t
+ − 8 @findex help-with-tutorial
+ − 9 We now give the basics of how to enter text, make corrections, and
+ − 10 save the text in a file. If this material is new to you, you might
+ − 11 learn it more easily by running the Emacs learn-by-doing tutorial. To
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+ − 12 use the tutorial, run Emacs and type @kbd{Control-h t}
+ − 13 (@code{help-with-tutorial}). You can also use @b{Tutorials} item from
+ − 14 the @b{Help} menu.
+ − 15
+ − 16 XEmacs comes with many translations of tutorial. If your XEmacs is with
+ − 17 MULE and you set up language environment correctly, XEmacs chooses right
+ − 18 tutorial when available (@pxref{Language Environments}). If you want
+ − 19 specific translation, give @kbd{C-h t} a prefix argument, like @kbd{C-u
+ − 20 C-h t}.
+ − 21
+ − 22 To clear the screen and redisplay, type @kbd{C-l} (@code{recenter}).
+ − 23
+ − 24 @menu
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+ − 25
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+ − 26 * Inserting Text:: Inserting text by simply typing it.
+ − 27 * Moving Point:: How to move the cursor to the place where you want to
+ − 28 change something.
+ − 29 * Erasing:: Deleting and killing text.
+ − 30 * Files: Basic Files. Visiting, creating, and saving files.
+ − 31 * Help: Basic Help. Asking what a character does.
+ − 32 * Blank Lines:: Commands to make or delete blank lines.
+ − 33 * Continuation Lines:: Lines too wide for the screen.
+ − 34 * Position Info:: What page, line, row, or column is point on?
+ − 35 * Arguments:: Numeric arguments for repeating a command.
+ − 36 @c * Repeating:: A short-cut for repeating the previous command.
+ − 37 @end menu
+ − 38
+ − 39 @node Inserting Text, Moving Point, , Basic
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+ − 40 @section Inserting Text
+ − 41
+ − 42 @cindex insertion
+ − 43 @cindex point
+ − 44 @cindex cursor
+ − 45 @cindex graphic characters
+ − 46 To insert printing characters into the text you are editing, just type
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+ − 47 them. This inserts the characters you type into the buffer at the
+ − 48 cursor (that is, at @dfn{point}; @pxref{Point}). The cursor moves
+ − 49 forward, and any text after the cursor moves forward too. If the text
+ − 50 in the buffer is @samp{FOOBAR}, with the cursor before the @samp{B},
+ − 51 then if you type @kbd{XX}, you get @samp{FOOXXBAR}, with the cursor
+ − 52 still before the @samp{B}.
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+ − 53
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+ − 54 @kindex BS
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+ − 55 @cindex deletion
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+ − 56 To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use @key{BS}. @key{BS}
+ − 57 deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor (not the one that the
+ − 58 cursor is on top of or under; that is the character @var{after} the
+ − 59 cursor). The cursor and all characters after it move backwards.
+ − 60 Therefore, if you type a printing character and then type @key{BS}, they
+ − 61 cancel out.
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+ − 62
+ − 63 @kindex RET
+ − 64 @cindex newline
+ − 65 To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}. This
+ − 66 inserts a newline character in the buffer. If point is in the middle of
+ − 67 a line, @key{RET} splits the line. Typing @key{DEL} when the cursor is
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+ − 68 at the beginning of a line deletes the preceding newline, thus joining
+ − 69 the line with the preceding line.
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+ − 70
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+ − 71 Emacs can split lines automatically when they become too long, if you
+ − 72 turn on a special minor mode called @dfn{Auto Fill} mode.
+ − 73 @xref{Filling}, for how to use Auto Fill mode.
+ − 74
+ − 75 If you prefer to have text characters replace (overwrite) existing
+ − 76 text rather than shove it to the right, you can enable Overwrite mode,
+ − 77 a minor mode. @xref{Minor Modes}.
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+ − 78
+ − 79 @cindex quoting
+ − 80 @kindex C-q
+ − 81 @findex quoted-insert
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+ − 82 Direct insertion works for printing characters and @key{SPC}, but other
+ − 83 characters act as editing commands and do not insert themselves. If you
+ − 84 need to insert a control character or a character whose code is above 200
+ − 85 octal, you must @dfn{quote} it by typing the character @kbd{Control-q}
+ − 86 (@code{quoted-insert}) first. (This character's name is normally written
+ − 87 @kbd{C-q} for short.) There are two ways to use @kbd{C-q}:
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+ − 88
+ − 89 @itemize @bullet
+ − 90 @item
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+ − 91 @kbd{C-q} followed by any non-graphic character (even @kbd{C-g})
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+ − 92 inserts that character.
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+ − 93
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+ − 94 @item
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+ − 95 @kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits inserts the character
+ − 96 with the specified octal character code. You can use any number of
+ − 97 octal digits; any non-digit terminates the sequence. If the terminating
+ − 98 character is @key{RET}, it serves only to terminate the sequence; any
+ − 99 other non-digit is itself used as input after terminating the sequence.
+ − 100 (The use of octal sequences is disabled in ordinary non-binary Overwrite
+ − 101 mode, to give you a convenient way to insert a digit instead of
+ − 102 overwriting with it.)
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+ − 103 @end itemize
+ − 104
+ − 105 @noindent
+ − 106 A numeric argument to @kbd{C-q} specifies how many copies of the quoted
+ − 107 character should be inserted (@pxref{Arguments}).
+ − 108
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+ − 109 @findex backward-or-forward-delete-char
+ − 110 @findex newline
+ − 111 @findex self-insert
+ − 112 Customization information: @key{DEL}, in most modes, runs the command
+ − 113 @code{backward-or-forward-delete-char}; @key{RET} runs the command
+ − 114 @code{newline}, and self-inserting printing characters run the command
+ − 115 @code{self-insert}, which inserts whatever character was typed to invoke
+ − 116 it. Some major modes rebind @key{DEL} to other commands.
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+ − 117
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+ − 118 @node Moving Point, Erasing, Inserting Text, Basic
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+ − 119 @section Changing the Location of Point
+ − 120
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+ − 121 @cindex arrow keys
+ − 122 @kindex LEFT
+ − 123 @kindex RIGHT
+ − 124 @kindex UP
+ − 125 @kindex DOWN
+ − 126 @cindex moving point
+ − 127 @cindex movement
+ − 128 @cindex cursor motion
+ − 129 @cindex moving the cursor
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+ − 130 To do more than insert characters, you have to know how to move point
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+ − 131 (@pxref{Point}). The simplest way to do this is with arrow keys, or by
+ − 132 clicking the left mouse button where you want to move to.
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+ − 133
+ − 134 NOTE: Many of the following commands have two versions, one that uses
+ − 135 the function keys (e.g. @key{LEFT} or @key{END}) and one that doesn't.
+ − 136 The former versions may only be available on X terminals (i.e. not on
+ − 137 TTY's), but the latter are available on all terminals.
+ − 138
+ − 139 @kindex C-a
+ − 140 @kindex C-e
+ − 141 @kindex C-f
+ − 142 @kindex C-b
+ − 143 @kindex C-n
+ − 144 @kindex C-p
+ − 145 @kindex C-l
+ − 146 @kindex C-t
+ − 147 @kindex C-v
+ − 148 @kindex M-v
+ − 149 @kindex M->
+ − 150 @kindex M-<
+ − 151 @kindex M-r
+ − 152 @kindex LEFT
+ − 153 @kindex RIGHT
+ − 154 @kindex UP
+ − 155 @kindex DOWN
+ − 156 @kindex HOME
+ − 157 @kindex END
+ − 158 @kindex PGUP
+ − 159 @kindex PGDN
+ − 160 @kindex C-LEFT
+ − 161 @kindex C-RIGHT
+ − 162 @kindex C-HOME
+ − 163 @kindex C-END
+ − 164 @findex beginning-of-line
+ − 165 @findex end-of-line
+ − 166 @findex forward-char
+ − 167 @findex backward-char
+ − 168 @findex next-line
+ − 169 @findex previous-line
+ − 170 @findex recenter
+ − 171 @findex transpose-chars
+ − 172 @findex beginning-of-buffer
+ − 173 @findex end-of-buffer
+ − 174 @findex goto-char
+ − 175 @findex goto-line
+ − 176 @findex move-to-window-line
+ − 177 @table @kbd
+ − 178 @item C-a
+ − 179 @itemx HOME
+ − 180 Move to the beginning of the line (@code{beginning-of-line}).
+ − 181 @item C-e
+ − 182 @itemx END
+ − 183 Move to the end of the line (@code{end-of-line}).
+ − 184 @item C-f
+ − 185 @itemx RIGHT
+ − 186 Move forward one character (@code{forward-char}).
+ − 187 @item C-b
+ − 188 @itemx LEFT
+ − 189 Move backward one character (@code{backward-char}).
+ − 190 @item M-f
+ − 191 @itemx C-RIGHT
+ − 192 Move forward one word (@code{forward-word}).
+ − 193 @item M-b
+ − 194 @itemx C-LEFT
+ − 195 Move backward one word (@code{backward-word}).
+ − 196 @item C-n
+ − 197 @itemx DOWN
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+ − 198 Move down one line, vertically (@code{next-line}). This command
+ − 199 attempts to keep the horizontal position unchanged, so if you start in
+ − 200 the middle of one line, you end in the middle of the next. When on the
+ − 201 last line of text, @kbd{C-n} creates a new line and moves onto it.
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+ − 202 @item C-p
+ − 203 @itemx UP
+ − 204 Move up one line, vertically (@code{previous-line}).
+ − 205 @item C-v
+ − 206 @itemx PGDN
+ − 207 Move down one page, vertically (@code{scroll-up}).
+ − 208 @item M-v
+ − 209 @itemx PGUP
+ − 210 Move up one page, vertically (@code{scroll-down}).
+ − 211 @item C-l
+ − 212 Clear the frame and reprint everything (@code{recenter}). Text moves
+ − 213 on the frame to bring point to the center of the window.
+ − 214 @item M-r
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+ − 215 Move point to left margin, vertically centered in the window
+ − 216 (@code{move-to-window-line}). Text does not move on the screen.
+ − 217
+ − 218 A numeric argument says which screen line to place point on. It counts
+ − 219 screen lines down from the top of the window (zero for the top line). A
+ − 220 negative argument counts lines from the bottom (@minus{}1 for the bottom
+ − 221 line).
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+ − 222 @item C-t
+ − 223 Transpose two characters, the ones before and after the cursor
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+ − 224 (@code{transpose-chars}).
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+ − 225 @item M-<
+ − 226 @itemx C-HOME
+ − 227 Move to the top of the buffer (@code{beginning-of-buffer}). With
+ − 228 numeric argument @var{n}, move to @var{n}/10 of the way from the top.
+ − 229 @xref{Arguments}, for more information on numeric arguments.@refill
+ − 230 @item M->
+ − 231 @itemx C-END
+ − 232 Move to the end of the buffer (@code{end-of-buffer}).
+ − 233 @item M-x goto-char
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+ − 234 Read a number @var{n} and move point to buffer position @var{n}.
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+ − 235 Position 1 is the beginning of the buffer.
+ − 236 @item M-g
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+ − 237 Read a number @var{n} and move point to line number @var{n}
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+ − 238 (@code{goto-line}). Line 1 is the beginning of the buffer.
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+ − 239 @c @item C-x C-n
+ − 240 @item M-x set-goal-column
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+ − 241 @findex set-goal-column
+ − 242 Use the current column of point as the @dfn{semi-permanent goal column} for
+ − 243 @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} (@code{set-goal-column}). Henceforth, those
+ − 244 commands always move to this column in each line moved into, or as
+ − 245 close as possible given the contents of the line. This goal column remains
+ − 246 in effect until canceled.
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+ − 247 @c @item C-u C-x C-n
+ − 248 @item C-u M-x set-goal-column
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+ − 249 Cancel the goal column. Henceforth, @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} once
+ − 250 again try to avoid changing the horizontal position, as usual.
+ − 251 @end table
+ − 252
+ − 253 @vindex track-eol
+ − 254 If you set the variable @code{track-eol} to a non-@code{nil} value,
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+ − 255 then @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} when at the end of the starting line move
+ − 256 to the end of another line. Normally, @code{track-eol} is @code{nil}.
+ − 257 @xref{Variables}, for how to set variables such as @code{track-eol}.
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+ − 258
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+ − 259 @vindex next-line-add-newlines
+ − 260 Normally, @kbd{C-n} on the last line of a buffer appends a newline to
+ − 261 it. If the variable @code{next-line-add-newlines} is @code{nil}, then
+ − 262 @kbd{C-n} gets an error instead (like @kbd{C-p} on the first line).
+ − 263
+ − 264 @node Erasing, Basic Files, Moving Point, Basic
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+ − 265 @section Erasing Text
+ − 266
+ − 267 @table @kbd
+ − 268 @item @key{DEL}
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+ − 269 Delete the character before or after point
+ − 270 (@code{backward-or-forward-delete-char}). You can customize
+ − 271 this behavior by setting the variable @code{delete-key-deletes-forward}.
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+ − 272 @item C-d
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+ − 273 Delete the character after point (@code{delete-char}).
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+ − 274 @item C-k
+ − 275 Kill to the end of the line (@code{kill-line}).
+ − 276 @item M-d
+ − 277 Kill forward to the end of the next word (@code{kill-word}).
+ − 278 @item M-@key{DEL}
+ − 279 Kill back to the beginning of the previous word
+ − 280 (@code{backward-kill-word}).
+ − 281 @end table
+ − 282
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+ − 283 @cindex killing characters and lines
+ − 284 @cindex deleting characters and lines
+ − 285 @cindex erasing characters and lines
+ − 286 You already know about the @key{DEL} key which deletes the character
+ − 287 before point (that is, before the cursor). Another key, @kbd{Control-d}
+ − 288 (@kbd{C-d} for short), deletes the character after point (that is, the
+ − 289 character that the cursor is on). This shifts the rest of the text on
+ − 290 the line to the left. If you type @kbd{C-d} at the end of a line, it
+ − 291 joins together that line and the next line.
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+ − 292
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+ − 293 To erase a larger amount of text, use the @kbd{C-k} key, which kills a
+ − 294 line at a time. If you type @kbd{C-k} at the beginning or middle of a
+ − 295 line, it kills all the text up to the end of the line. If you type
+ − 296 @kbd{C-k} at the end of a line, it joins that line and the next line.
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+ − 297
+ − 298 @xref{Killing}, for more flexible ways of killing text.
+ − 299
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+ − 300 @node Basic Files, Basic Help, Erasing, Basic
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+ − 301 @section Files
+ − 302
+ − 303 @cindex files
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+ − 304 The commands described above are sufficient for creating and altering
+ − 305 text in an Emacs buffer; the more advanced Emacs commands just make
+ − 306 things easier. But to keep any text permanently you must put it in a
+ − 307 @dfn{file}. Files are named units of text which are stored by the
+ − 308 operating system for you to retrieve later by name. To look at or use
+ − 309 the contents of a file in any way, including editing the file with
+ − 310 Emacs, you must specify the file name.
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+ − 311
+ − 312 Consider a file named @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. To begin editing
+ − 313 this file from Emacs, type:
+ − 314
+ − 315 @example
+ − 316 C-x C-f /usr/rms/foo.c @key{RET}
+ − 317 @end example
+ − 318
+ − 319 @noindent
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+ − 320 Here the file name is given as an @dfn{argument} to the command @kbd{C-x
+ − 321 C-f} (@code{find-file}). That command uses the @dfn{minibuffer} to
+ − 322 read the argument, and you type @key{RET} to terminate the argument
+ − 323 (@pxref{Minibuffer}).
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+ − 324
+ − 325 You can also use the @b{Open...} menu item from the @b{File} menu, then
+ − 326 type the name of the file to the prompt.
+ − 327
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+ − 328 Emacs obeys the command by @dfn{visiting} the file: creating a buffer,
+ − 329 copying the contents of the file into the buffer, and then displaying
+ − 330 the buffer for you to edit. If you alter the text, you can @dfn{save}
+ − 331 the new text in the file by typing @kbd{C-x C-s} (@code{save-buffer}) or
+ − 332 choosing @b{Save Buffer} from the @b{File} menu. This makes the changes
+ − 333 permanent by copying the altered buffer contents back into the file
+ − 334 @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. Until you save, the changes exist only inside
+ − 335 Emacs, and the file @file{foo.c} is unaltered.
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+ − 336
+ − 337 To create a file, visit the file with @kbd{C-x C-f} as if it already
+ − 338 existed or choose @b{Open...} from the @b{File} menu and provide the
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+ − 339 name for the new file. Emacs will create an empty buffer in which you
+ − 340 can insert the text you want to put in the file. When you save the
+ − 341 buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}, or by choosing @b{Save Buffer} from the
+ − 342 @b{File} menu, the file is created.
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+ − 343
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+ − 344 To learn more about using files, @xref{Files}.
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+ − 345
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+ − 346 @node Basic Help, Blank Lines, Basic Files, Basic
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+ − 347 @section Help
+ − 348
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+ − 349 @cindex getting help with keys
+ − 350 If you forget what a key does, you can find out with the Help
+ − 351 character, which is @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}, which is an alias for
+ − 352 @kbd{C-h}). Type @kbd{C-h k} followed by the key you want to know
+ − 353 about; for example, @kbd{C-h k C-n} tells you all about what @kbd{C-n}
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+ − 354 does. @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key; @kbd{C-h k} is just one of its
+ − 355 subcommands (the command @code{describe-key}). The other subcommands of
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+ − 356 @kbd{C-h} provide different kinds of help. Type @kbd{C-h} twice to get
+ − 357 a description of all the help facilities. @xref{Help}.
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+ − 358
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+ − 359 @node Blank Lines, Continuation Lines, Basic Help, Basic
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+ − 360 @section Blank Lines
+ − 361
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+ − 362 @cindex inserting blank lines
+ − 363 @cindex deleting blank lines
+ − 364 Here are special commands and techniques for putting in and taking out
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+ − 365 blank lines.
+ − 366
+ − 367 @c widecommands
+ − 368 @table @kbd
+ − 369 @item C-o
+ − 370 Insert one or more blank lines after the cursor (@code{open-line}).
+ − 371 @item C-x C-o
+ − 372 Delete all but one of many consecutive blank lines
+ − 373 (@code{delete-blank-lines}).
+ − 374 @end table
+ − 375
+ − 376 @kindex C-o
+ − 377 @kindex C-x C-o
+ − 378 @cindex blank lines
+ − 379 @findex open-line
+ − 380 @findex delete-blank-lines
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+ − 381 When you want to insert a new line of text before an existing line, you
+ − 382 can do it by typing the new line of text, followed by @key{RET}.
+ − 383 However, it may be easier to see what you are doing if you first make a
+ − 384 blank line and then insert the desired text into it. This is easy to do
+ − 385 using the key @kbd{C-o} (@code{open-line}), which inserts a newline
+ − 386 after point but leaves point in front of the newline. After @kbd{C-o},
+ − 387 type the text for the new line. @kbd{C-o F O O} has the same effect as
+ − 388 @w{@kbd{F O O @key{RET}}}, except for the final location of point.
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+ − 389
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+ − 390 You can make several blank lines by typing @kbd{C-o} several times, or
+ − 391 by giving it a numeric argument to tell it how many blank lines to make.
+ − 392 @xref{Arguments}, for how. If you have a fill prefix, then @kbd{C-o}
+ − 393 command inserts the fill prefix on the new line, when you use it at the
+ − 394 beginning of a line. @xref{Fill Prefix}.
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+ − 395
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+ − 396 The easy way to get rid of extra blank lines is with the command
+ − 397 @kbd{C-x C-o} (@code{delete-blank-lines}). @kbd{C-x C-o} in a run of
+ − 398 several blank lines deletes all but one of them. @kbd{C-x C-o} on a
+ − 399 solitary blank line deletes that blank line. When point is on a
+ − 400 nonblank line, @kbd{C-x C-o} deletes any blank lines following that
+ − 401 nonblank line.
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+ − 402
+ − 403 @node Continuation Lines, Position Info, Blank Lines, Basic
+ − 404 @section Continuation Lines
+ − 405
+ − 406 @cindex continuation line
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+ − 407 @cindex wrapping
+ − 408 @cindex line wrapping
+ − 409 If you add too many characters to one line without breaking it with
+ − 410 @key{RET}, the line will grow to occupy two (or more) lines on the
+ − 411 screen, with a curved arrow at the extreme right margin of all but the
+ − 412 last of them. The curved arrow says that the following screen line is
+ − 413 not really a distinct line in the text, but just the @dfn{continuation}
+ − 414 of a line too long to fit the screen. Continuation is also called
+ − 415 @dfn{line wrapping}.
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+ − 416
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+ − 417 Sometimes it is nice to have Emacs insert newlines automatically when
+ − 418 a line gets too long. Continuation on the screen does not do that. Use
+ − 419 Auto Fill mode (@pxref{Filling}) if that's what you want.
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+ − 420
+ − 421 @vindex truncate-lines
+ − 422 @cindex truncation
+ − 423 Instead of continuation, long lines can be displayed by @dfn{truncation}.
+ − 424 This means that all the characters that do not fit in the width of the
+ − 425 frame or window do not appear at all. They remain in the buffer,
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+ − 426 temporarily invisible. Right arrow in the last column (instead of the
+ − 427 curved arrow) inform you that truncation is in effect.
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+ − 428
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+ − 429 Truncation instead of continuation happens whenever horizontal
+ − 430 scrolling is in use, and optionally in all side-by-side windows
+ − 431 (@pxref{Windows}). You can enable truncation for a particular buffer by
+ − 432 setting the variable @code{truncate-lines} to non-@code{nil} in that
+ − 433 buffer. (@xref{Variables}.) Altering the value of
+ − 434 @code{truncate-lines} makes it local to the current buffer; until that
+ − 435 time, the default value is in effect. The default is initially
+ − 436 @code{nil}. @xref{Locals}.
+ − 437
+ − 438 @xref{Display Vars}, for additional variables that affect how text is
+ − 439 displayed.
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+ − 440
+ − 441 @node Position Info, Arguments, Continuation Lines, Basic
+ − 442 @section Cursor Position Information
+ − 443
+ − 444 If you are accustomed to other display editors, you may be surprised
+ − 445 that Emacs does not always display the page number or line number of
+ − 446 point in the mode line. In Emacs, this information is only rarely
+ − 447 needed, and a number of commands are available to compute and print it.
+ − 448 Since text is stored in a way that makes it difficult to compute the
+ − 449 information, it is not displayed all the time.
+ − 450
+ − 451 @table @kbd
+ − 452 @item M-x what-page
+ − 453 Print page number of point, and line number within page.
+ − 454 @item M-x what-line
+ − 455 Print line number of point in the buffer.
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+ − 456 @item M-x line-number-mode
+ − 457 Toggle automatic display of current line number.
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+ − 458 @item M-=
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+ − 459 Print number of lines and characters in the current region
+ − 460 (@code{count-lines-region}). @xref{Mark}, for information about the
+ − 461 region.
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+ − 462 @item C-x =
+ − 463 Print character code of character after point, character position of
+ − 464 point, and column of point (@code{what-cursor-position}).
+ − 465 @end table
+ − 466
+ − 467 @findex what-page
+ − 468 @findex what-line
+ − 469 @cindex line number
+ − 470 @cindex page number
+ − 471 @kindex M-=
+ − 472 @findex count-lines-region
+ − 473
+ − 474 There are several commands for printing line numbers:
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+ − 475
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+ − 476 @itemize @bullet
+ − 477 @item
+ − 478 @kbd{M-x what-line} counts lines from the beginning of the file and
+ − 479 prints the line number point is on. The first line of the file is line
+ − 480 number 1. You can use these numbers as arguments to @kbd{M-x
+ − 481 goto-line}.
+ − 482 @item
+ − 483 @kbd{M-x what-page} counts pages from the beginning of the file, and
+ − 484 counts lines within the page, printing both of them. @xref{Pages}, for
+ − 485 the command @kbd{C-x l}, which counts the lines in the current page.
+ − 486 @item
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+ − 487 @kbd{M-=} (@code{count-lines-region}) prints the number of lines in the
+ − 488 region (@pxref{Mark}). @xref{Pages}, for the command @kbd{C-x l} which
+ − 489 counts the lines in the
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+ − 490 @end itemize
+ − 491
+ − 492 @kindex C-x =
+ − 493 @findex what-cursor-position
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+ − 494 The command @kbd{C-x =} (@code{what-cursor-position}) can be used to find out
+ − 495 the column that the cursor is in, and other miscellaneous information about
+ − 496 point. It prints a line in the echo area that looks like this:
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+ − 497
+ − 498 @example
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+ − 499 Char: c (0143, 99, 0x63) point=18862 of 24800(76%) column 53
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+ − 500 @end example
+ − 501
+ − 502 @noindent
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+ − 503 (In fact, this is the output produced when point is before @samp{column
+ − 504 53} in the example.)
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+ − 505
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+ − 506 The four values after @samp{Char:} describe the character that follows
+ − 507 point, first by showing it and then by giving its character code in
+ − 508 octal, decimal and hex.
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+ − 509
+ − 510 @samp{point=} is followed by the position of point expressed as a character
+ − 511 count. The front of the buffer counts as position 1, one character later
+ − 512 as 2, and so on. The next, larger number is the total number of characters
+ − 513 in the buffer. Afterward in parentheses comes the position expressed as a
+ − 514 percentage of the total size.
+ − 515
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+ − 516 @samp{column} is followed by the horizontal position of point, in
+ − 517 columns from the left edge of the window.
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+ − 518
+ − 519 If the buffer has been narrowed, making some of the text at the
+ − 520 beginning and the end temporarily invisible, @kbd{C-x =} prints
+ − 521 additional text describing the current visible range. For example, it
+ − 522 might say:
+ − 523
+ − 524 @smallexample
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+ − 525 Char: c (0143, 99, 0x63) point=19674 of 24575(80%) <19591 - 19703> column 69
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+ − 526 @end smallexample
+ − 527
+ − 528 @noindent
+ − 529 where the two extra numbers give the smallest and largest character position
+ − 530 that point is allowed to assume. The characters between those two positions
+ − 531 are the visible ones. @xref{Narrowing}.
+ − 532
+ − 533 If point is at the end of the buffer (or the end of the visible part),
+ − 534 @kbd{C-x =} omits any description of the character after point.
+ − 535 The output looks like
+ − 536
+ − 537 @smallexample
+ − 538 point=563026 of 563025(100%) column 0
+ − 539 @end smallexample
+ − 540
+ − 541 @node Arguments,, Position Info, Basic
+ − 542 @section Numeric Arguments
+ − 543 @cindex numeric arguments
+ − 544
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+ − 545 In mathematics and computer usage, the word @dfn{argument} means
+ − 546 ``data provided to a function or operation.'' Any Emacs command can be
+ − 547 given a @dfn{numeric argument} (also called a @dfn{prefix argument}).
+ − 548 Some commands interpret the argument as a repetition count. For
+ − 549 example, giving an argument of ten to the key @kbd{C-f} (the command
+ − 550 @code{forward-char}, move forward one character) moves forward ten
+ − 551 characters. With these commands, no argument is equivalent to an
+ − 552 argument of one. Negative arguments are allowed. Often they tell a
+ − 553 command to move or act in the opposite direction.
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+ − 554
+ − 555 @kindex M-1
+ − 556 @kindex M-@t{-}
+ − 557 @findex digit-argument
+ − 558 @findex negative-argument
+ − 559 If your keyboard has a @key{META} key (labelled with a diamond on
+ − 560 Sun-type keyboards and labelled @samp{Alt} on some other keyboards), the
+ − 561 easiest way to specify a numeric argument is to type digits and/or a
+ − 562 minus sign while holding down the @key{META} key. For example,
+ − 563 @example
+ − 564 M-5 C-n
+ − 565 @end example
+ − 566 @noindent
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+ − 567 would move down five lines. The characters @kbd{Meta-1}, @kbd{Meta-2},
+ − 568 and so on, as well as @kbd{Meta--}, do this because they are keys bound
+ − 569 to commands (@code{digit-argument} and @code{negative-argument}) that
+ − 570 are defined to contribute to an argument for the next command. Digits
+ − 571 and @kbd{-} modified with Control, or Control and Meta, also specify
+ − 572 numeric arguments.
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+ − 573
+ − 574 @kindex C-u
+ − 575 @findex universal-argument
+ − 576 Another way of specifying an argument is to use the @kbd{C-u}
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+ − 577 (@code{universal-argument}) command followed by the digits of the
+ − 578 argument. With @kbd{C-u}, you can type the argument digits without
+ − 579 holding down modifier keys; @kbd{C-u} works on all terminals. To type a
+ − 580 negative argument, type a minus sign after @kbd{C-u}. Just a minus sign
+ − 581 without digits normally means @minus{}1.
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+ − 582
+ − 583 @kbd{C-u} followed by a character which is neither a digit nor a minus
+ − 584 sign has the special meaning of ``multiply by four''. It multiplies the
+ − 585 argument for the next command by four. @kbd{C-u} twice multiplies it by
+ − 586 sixteen. Thus, @kbd{C-u C-u C-f} moves forward sixteen characters. This
+ − 587 is a good way to move forward ``fast'', since it moves about 1/5 of a line
+ − 588 in the usual size frame. Other useful combinations are @kbd{C-u C-n},
+ − 589 @kbd{C-u C-u C-n} (move down a good fraction of a frame), @kbd{C-u C-u
+ − 590 C-o} (make ``a lot'' of blank lines), and @kbd{C-u C-k} (kill four
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+ − 591 lines).
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+ − 592
+ − 593 Some commands care only about whether there is an argument and not about
+ − 594 its value. For example, the command @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) with
+ − 595 no argument fills text; with an argument, it justifies the text as well.
+ − 596 (@xref{Filling}, for more information on @kbd{M-q}.) Just @kbd{C-u} is a
+ − 597 handy way of providing an argument for such commands.
+ − 598
+ − 599 Some commands use the value of the argument as a repeat count, but do
+ − 600 something peculiar when there is no argument. For example, the command
+ − 601 @kbd{C-k} (@code{kill-line}) with argument @var{n} kills @var{n} lines,
+ − 602 including their terminating newlines. But @kbd{C-k} with no argument is
+ − 603 special: it kills the text up to the next newline, or, if point is right at
+ − 604 the end of the line, it kills the newline itself. Thus, two @kbd{C-k}
+ − 605 commands with no arguments can kill a non-blank line, just like @kbd{C-k}
+ − 606 with an argument of one. (@xref{Killing}, for more information on
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+ − 607 @kbd{C-k}.)
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+ − 608
+ − 609 A few commands treat a plain @kbd{C-u} differently from an ordinary
+ − 610 argument. A few others may treat an argument of just a minus sign
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+ − 611 differently from an argument of @minus{}1. These unusual cases are
+ − 612 described when they come up; they are always for reasons of convenience
+ − 613 of use of the individual command.
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+ − 614
442
+ − 615 You can use a numeric argument to insert multiple copies of a
+ − 616 character. This is straightforward unless the character is a digit; for
+ − 617 example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 a} inserts 64 copies of the character @samp{a}.
+ − 618 But this does not work for inserting digits; @kbd{C-u 6 4 1} specifies
+ − 619 an argument of 641, rather than inserting anything. To separate the
+ − 620 digit to insert from the argument, type another @kbd{C-u}; for example,
+ − 621 @kbd{C-u 6 4 C-u 1} does insert 64 copies of the character @samp{1}.
+ − 622
+ − 623 We use the term ``prefix argument'' as well as ``numeric argument'' to
+ − 624 emphasize that you type the argument before the command, and to
+ − 625 distinguish these arguments from minibuffer arguments that come after
+ − 626 the command.
+ − 627
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+ − 628 @ignore
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+ − 629 @node Repeating
+ − 630 @section Repeating a Command
+ − 631 @cindex repeating a command
+ − 632
+ − 633 @kindex C-x z
+ − 634 @findex repeat
+ − 635 The command @kbd{C-x z} (@code{repeat}) provides another way to repeat
+ − 636 an Emacs command many times. This command repeats the previous Emacs
+ − 637 command, whatever that was. Repeating a command uses the same arguments
+ − 638 that were used before; it does not read new arguments each time.
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+ − 639
442
+ − 640 To repeat the command more than once, type additional @kbd{z}'s: each
+ − 641 @kbd{z} repeats the command one more time. Repetition ends when you
+ − 642 type a character other than @kbd{z}, or press a mouse button.
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+ − 643
442
+ − 644 For example, suppose you type @kbd{C-u 2 0 C-d} to delete 20
+ − 645 characters. You can repeat that command (including its argument) three
+ − 646 additional times, to delete a total of 80 characters, by typing @kbd{C-x
+ − 647 z z z}. The first @kbd{C-x z} repeats the command once, and each
+ − 648 subsequent @kbd{z} repeats it once again.
+ − 649
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+ − 650 @end ignore
