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1
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2 @node Glossary, Manifesto, Intro, Top
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3 @unnumbered Glossary
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4
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5 @table @asis
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6 @item Abbrev
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7 An abbrev is a text string which expands into a different text string
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8 when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a short
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9 word as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert
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10 frequently. @xref{Abbrevs}.
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11
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12 @item Aborting
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13 Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). You can use
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14 the commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} for this.
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15 @xref{Quitting}.
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16
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17 @item Auto Fill mode
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18 Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which text you insert is
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19 automatically broken into lines of fixed width. @xref{Filling}.
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20
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21 @item Auto Saving
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22 Auto saving means that Emacs automatically stores the contents of an
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23 Emacs buffer in a specially-named file so the information will not be
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24 lost if the buffer is lost due to a system error or user error.
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25 @xref{Auto Save}.
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26
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27 @item Backup File
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28 A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current
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29 editing session. Emacs creates backup files automatically to help you
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30 track down or cancel changes you later regret. @xref{Backup}.
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31
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32 @item Balance Parentheses
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33 Emacs can balance parentheses manually or automatically. Manual
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34 balancing is done by the commands to move over balanced expressions
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35 (@pxref{Lists}). Automatic balancing is done by blinking the
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36 parenthesis that matches one just inserted (@pxref{Matching,,Matching
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37 Parens}).
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38
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39 @item Bind
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40 To bind a key is to change its binding (q.v.@:). @xref{Rebinding}.
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41
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42 @item Binding
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43 A key gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding which is a
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44 command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when the key is typed.
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45 @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves rebinding a
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46 character to a different command function. The bindings of all keys
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47 are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}.
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48
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49 @item Blank Lines
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50 Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several
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51 commands for operating on the blank lines in a buffer.
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52
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53 @item Buffer
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54 The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one
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55 piece of text being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any
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56 time you are editing only one, the `selected' buffer, though several
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57 buffers can be visible when you are using multiple windows. @xref{Buffers}.
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58
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59 @item Buffer Selection History
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60 Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each
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61 Emacs buffer was selected. Emacs uses this list when choosing a buffer to
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62 select. @xref{Buffers}.
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63
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64 @item C-
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65 @samp{C} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control.
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66 @xref{Keystrokes,C-}.
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67
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68 @item C-M-
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69 @samp{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for
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70 Control-Meta. @xref{Keystrokes,C-M-}.
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71
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72 @item Case Conversion
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73 Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or
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74 vice versa. @xref{Case}, for the commands for case conversion.
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75
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76 @item Characters
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77 Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer; also, Emacs commands
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78 are invoked by keys (q.v.@:), which are sequences of one or more
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79 characters. @xref{Keystrokes}.
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80
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81 @item Command
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82 A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a
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83 key binding in Emacs. When you type a key (q.v.@:), Emacs looks up its
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84 binding (q.v.@:) in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find the command to
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85 run. @xref{Commands}.
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86
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87 @item Command Name
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88 A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command
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89 (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using
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90 @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x}).
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91
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92 @item Comments
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93 A comment is text in a program which is intended only for the people
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94 reading the program, and is marked specially so that it will be
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95 ignored when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special
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96 commands for creating, aligning, and killing comments.
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97 @xref{Comments}.
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98
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99 @item Compilation
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100 Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from
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101 source code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp
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102 code (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}) and programs in C and other languages
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103 (@pxref{Compilation}).
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104
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105 @item Complete Key
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106 A complete key is a character or sequence of characters which, when typed
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107 by the user, fully specifies one action to be performed by Emacs. For
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108 example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{Control-f} and @kbd{Control-x m} are keys. Keys
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109 derive their meanings from being bound (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:).
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110 Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to a command to insert @samp{X} in
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111 the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is conventionally bound to a command to begin
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112 composing a mail message. @xref{Keystrokes}.
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113
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114 @item Completion
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115 When Emacs automatically fills an abbreviation for a name into the
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116 entire name, that process is called completion. Completion is done for
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117 minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs is
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118 known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and file names.
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119 Completion occurs when you type @key{TAB}, @key{SPC}, or @key{RET}.
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120 @xref{Completion}.@refill
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121
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122 @item Continuation Line
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123 When a line of text is longer than the width of the frame, it
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124 takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the
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125 text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the
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126 first are called continuation lines. @xref{Basic,Continuation,Basic
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127 Editing}.
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128
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129 @item Control-Character
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130 ASCII characters with octal codes 0 through 037, and also code 0177,
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131 do not have graphic images assigned to them. These are the control
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132 characters. Any control character can be typed by holding down the
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133 @key{CTRL} key and typing some other character; some have special keys
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134 on the keyboard. @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC}, @key{LFD}, and
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135 @key{DEL} are all control characters. @xref{Keystrokes}.@refill
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136
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137 @item Copyleft
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138 A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to redistribute
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139 a program or other work of art. Copylefts are used by leftists to enrich
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140 the public just as copyrights are used by rightists to gain power over
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141 the public.
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142
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143 @item Current Buffer
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144 The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing
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145 commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one.
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146 @xref{Buffers}.
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147
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148 @item Current Line
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149 The line point is on (@pxref{Point}).
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150
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151 @item Current Paragraph
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152 The paragraph that point is in. If point is between paragraphs, the
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153 current paragraph is the one that follows point. @xref{Paragraphs}.
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154
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155 @item Current Defun
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156 The defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is between defuns, the
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157 current defun is the one that follows point. @xref{Defuns}.
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158
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159 @item Cursor
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160 The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position
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161 called point (q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place.
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162 The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often
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163 people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean
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164 `point'. @xref{Basic,Cursor,Basic Editing}.
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165
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166 @item Customization
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167 Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is
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168 often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or by rebinding
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169 keys (@pxref{Keymaps}).
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170
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171 @item Default Argument
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172 The default for an argument is the value that is used if you do not
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173 specify one. When Emacs prompts you in the minibuffer for an argument,
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174 the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}.
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175 @xref{Minibuffer}.
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176
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177 @item Default Directory
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178 When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~},
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179 it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory.
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180 @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}.
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181
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182 @item Defun
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183 A defun is a list at the top level of parenthesis or bracket structure
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184 in a program. It is so named because most such lists in Lisp programs
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185 are calls to the Lisp function @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}.
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186
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187 @item @key{DEL}
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188 The @key{DEL} character runs the command that deletes one character of
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189 text. @xref{Basic,DEL,Basic Editing}.
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190
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191 @item Deletion
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192 Deleting text means erasing it without saving it. Emacs deletes text
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193 only when it is expected not to be worth saving (all whitespace, or
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194 only one character). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:).
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195 @xref{Killing,Deletion}.
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196
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197 @item Deletion of Files
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198 Deleting a file means removing it from the file system.
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199 @xref{Misc File Ops}.
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200
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201 @item Deletion of Messages
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202 Deleting a message means flagging it to be eliminated from your mail
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203 file. Until the mail file is expunged, you can undo this by undeleting
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204 the message.
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205
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206 @item Deletion of Frames
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207 When working under the multi-frame X-based version of XEmacs,
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208 you can delete individual frames using the @b{Close} menu item from the
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209 @b{File} menu.
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210
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211 @item Deletion of Windows
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212 When you delete a subwindow of an Emacs frame, you eliminate it from
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213 the frame. Other windows expand to use up the space. The deleted
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214 window can never come back, but no actual text is lost. @xref{Windows}.
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215
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216 @item Directory
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217 Files in the Unix file system are grouped into file directories.
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218 @xref{ListDir,,Directories}.
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219
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220 @item Dired
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221 Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file
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222 directory and allows you to ``edit the directory'', performing
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223 operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}.
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224
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225 @item Disabled Command
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226 A disabled command is one that you may not run without special
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227 confirmation. Commands are usually disabled because they are
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228 confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}.
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229
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230 @item Dribble File
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231 A file into which Emacs writes all the characters that the user types
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232 on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record for
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233 debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you
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234 tell it to. @xref{Bugs}.
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235
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236 @item Echo Area
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237 The area at the bottom of the Emacs frame which is used for echoing the
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238 arguments to commands, for asking questions, and for printing brief
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239 messages (including error messages). @xref{Echo Area}.
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240
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241 @item Echoing
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242 Echoing refers to acknowledging the receipt of commands by displaying them
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243 (in the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character keys; longer
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244 keys echo only if you pause while typing them.
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245
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246 @item Error
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247 An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current
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248 circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops
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249 (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs
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250 reports the error by printing an error message (q.v.). Type-ahead
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251 is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another editing command.
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252
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253 @item Error Messages
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254 Error messages are single lines of output printed by Emacs when the
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255 user asks for something impossible to do (such as killing text
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256 forward when point is at the end of the buffer). They appear in the
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257 echo area, accompanied by a beep.
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258
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259 @item @key{ESC}
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260 @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on
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261 keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which,
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262 like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is
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263 typed), the @key{ESC} key is pressed and released, and applies to the
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264 next character typed.
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265
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266 @item Fill Prefix
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267 The fill prefix is a string that Emacs enters at the beginning
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268 of each line when it performs filling. It is not regarded as part of the
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269 text to be filled. @xref{Filling}.
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270
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271 @item Filling
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272 Filling text means moving text from line to line so that all the lines
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273 are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}.
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274
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275 @item Frame
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276 When running Emacs on a TTY terminal, ``frame'' means the terminal's
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277 screen. When running Emacs under X, you can have multiple frames,
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278 each corresponding to a top-level X window and each looking like
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279 the screen on a TTY. Each frame contains one or more non-overlapping
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280 Emacs windows (possibly with associated scrollbars, under X), an
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281 echo area, and (under X) possibly a menubar.
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282
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283 @item Global
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284 Global means `independent of the current environment; in effect
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285 @*throughout Emacs'. It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:).
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286 Examples of the use of `global' appear below.
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287
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288 @item Global Abbrev
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289 A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major
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290 modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev.
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291 @xref{Abbrevs}.
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292
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293 @item Global Keymap
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294 The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect
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295 unless local key bindings in a major mode's local
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296 keymap (q.v.@:) override them.@xref{Keymaps}.
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297
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298 @item Global Substitution
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299 Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by
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300 another string through a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}.
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301
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302 @item Global Variable
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303 The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers
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304 that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable.
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305 @xref{Variables}.
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306
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307 @item Graphic Character
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308 Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than
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309 just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the
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310 Control (q.v.@:) character are graphic characters. These include
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311 letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include
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312 @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts
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313 that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Basic,,Basic Editing}.
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314
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315 @item Grinding
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316 Grinding means adjusting the indentation in a program to fit the
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317 nesting structure. @xref{Indentation,Grinding}.
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318
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319 @item Hardcopy
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320 Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has commands for making printed
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321 listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Hardcopy}.
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322
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323 @item @key{HELP}
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324 You can type @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or
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325 to ask what any command does. @key{HELP} is really @kbd{Control-h}.
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326 @xref{Help}.
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327
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328 @item Inbox
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329 An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system.
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330 Some mail handlers transfers mail from inboxes to mail files (q.v.) in
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331 which the mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted.
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332
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333 @item Indentation
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334 Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most
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335 programming languages have conventions for using indentation to
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336 illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special
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337 features to help you set up the correct indentation.
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338 @xref{Indentation}.
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339
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340 @item Insertion
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341 Insertion means copying text into the buffer, either from the keyboard
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342 or from some other place in Emacs.
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343
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344 @item Justification
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345 Justification means adding extra spaces to lines of text to make them
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346 come exactly to a specified width. @xref{Filling,Justification}.
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347
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348 @item Keyboard Macros
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349 Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from
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350 sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program.
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351 @xref{Keyboard Macros}.
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352
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353 @item Key
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354 A key is a sequence of characters that, when input to Emacs, specify
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355 or begin to specify a single action for Emacs to perform. That is,
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356 the sequence is considered a single unit. If the key is enough to
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357 specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.); if it is less than
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358 enough, it is a prefix key (q.v.). @xref{Keystrokes}.
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359
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360 @item Keymap
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361 The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of
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362 keys to the commands that they run. For example, the keymap binds the
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363 character @kbd{C-n} to the command function @code{next-line}.
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364 @xref{Keymaps}.
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365
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366 @item Kill Ring
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367 The kill ring is the place where all text you have killed recently is saved.
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368 You can re-insert any of the killed text still in the ring; this is
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369 called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}.
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370
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371 @item Killing
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372 Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be
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373 yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.''
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|
|
374 Most Emacs commands to erase text do killing, as opposed to deletion
|
|
|
375 (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}.
|
|
|
376
|
|
|
377 @item Killing Jobs
|
|
|
378 Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease
|
|
|
379 to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost.
|
|
|
380 @xref{Exiting}.
|
|
|
381
|
|
|
382 @item List
|
|
|
383 A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open
|
|
|
384 parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode
|
|
|
385 and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched
|
|
|
386 delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also
|
|
|
387 considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on
|
|
|
388 lists. @xref{Lists}.
|
|
|
389
|
|
|
390 @item Local
|
|
|
391 Local means `in effect only in a particular context'; the relevant
|
|
|
392 kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular
|
|
|
393 buffer, or a particular major mode. Local is the opposite of `global'
|
|
|
394 (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below.
|
|
|
395
|
|
|
396 @item Local Abbrev
|
|
|
397 A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode
|
|
|
398 is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition
|
|
|
399 for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}.
|
|
|
400
|
|
|
401 @item Local Keymap
|
|
|
402 A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings
|
|
|
403 (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the
|
|
|
404 same keys. @xref{Keymaps}.
|
|
|
405
|
|
|
406 @item Local Variable
|
|
|
407 A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer.
|
|
|
408 @xref{Locals}.
|
|
|
409
|
|
|
410 @item M-
|
|
|
411 @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META},
|
|
|
412 one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character.
|
|
|
413 @xref{Keystrokes}.
|
|
|
414
|
|
|
415 @item M-C-
|
|
|
416 @samp{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for
|
|
|
417 Control-Meta; it means the same thing as @samp{C-M-}. If your
|
|
|
418 terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type a Control-Meta character by
|
|
|
419 typing @key{ESC} and then typing the corresponding Control character.
|
|
|
420 @xref{Keystrokes,C-M-}.
|
|
|
421
|
|
|
422 @item M-x
|
|
|
423 @kbd{M-x} is the key which is used to call an Emacs command by name.
|
|
|
424 You use it to call commands that are not bound to keys.
|
|
|
425 @xref{M-x}.
|
|
|
426
|
|
|
427 @item Mail
|
|
|
428 Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer
|
|
|
429 system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for
|
|
|
430 composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have
|
|
|
431 received. @xref{Sending Mail}.
|
|
|
432
|
|
|
433 @item Major Mode
|
|
|
434 The major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options each of which
|
|
|
435 configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, each
|
|
|
436 programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}.
|
|
|
437
|
|
|
438 @item Mark
|
|
|
439 The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the
|
|
|
440 region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on
|
|
|
441 the whole region, that is, all the text from point to the mark.
|
|
|
442 @xref{Mark}.
|
|
|
443
|
|
|
444 @item Mark Ring
|
|
|
445 The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the
|
|
|
446 mark, just in case you want to move back to them. @xref{Mark Ring}.
|
|
|
447
|
|
|
448 @item Message
|
|
|
449 See `mail'.
|
|
|
450
|
|
|
451 @item Meta
|
|
|
452 Meta is the name of a modifier bit which a command character may have.
|
|
|
453 It is present in a character if the character is typed with the
|
|
|
454 @key{META} key held down. Such characters are given names that start
|
|
|
455 with @kbd{Meta-}. For example, @kbd{Meta-<} is typed by holding down
|
|
|
456 @key{META} and at the same time typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done,
|
|
|
457 on most terminals, by holding down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}).
|
|
|
458 @xref{Keystrokes,Meta}.
|
|
|
459
|
|
|
460 @item Meta Character
|
|
|
461 A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit.
|
|
|
462
|
|
|
463 @item Minibuffer
|
|
|
464 The minibuffer is the window that Emacs displays inside the
|
|
|
465 echo area (q.v.@:) when it prompts you for arguments to commands.
|
|
|
466 @xref{Minibuffer}.
|
|
|
467
|
|
|
468 @item Minor Mode
|
|
|
469 A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs which can be switched on
|
|
|
470 or off independent of the major mode. Each minor mode has a
|
|
|
471 command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}.
|
|
|
472
|
|
|
473 @item Mode Line
|
|
|
474 The mode line is the line at the bottom of each text window (q.v.@:),
|
|
|
475 which gives status information on the buffer displayed in that window.
|
|
|
476 @xref{Mode Line}.
|
|
|
477
|
|
|
478 @item Modified Buffer
|
|
|
479 A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the
|
|
|
480 last time the buffer was saved (or since it was created, if it
|
|
|
481 has never been saved). @xref{Saving}.
|
|
|
482
|
|
|
483 @item Moving Text
|
|
|
484 Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in
|
|
|
485 another. This is done by killing (q.v.@:) and then yanking (q.v.@:).
|
|
|
486 @xref{Killing}.
|
|
|
487
|
|
|
488 @item Named Mark
|
|
|
489 A named mark is a register (q.v.@:) in its role of recording a
|
|
|
490 location in text so that you can move point to that location.
|
|
|
491 @xref{Registers}.
|
|
|
492
|
|
|
493 @item Narrowing
|
|
|
494 Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in
|
|
|
495 the current buffer to only a part of the text in the buffer. Text
|
|
|
496 outside that part is inaccessible to the user until the boundaries are
|
|
|
497 widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves the
|
|
|
498 invisible text. @xref{Narrowing}.
|
|
|
499
|
|
|
500 @item Newline
|
|
|
501 @key{LFD} characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are
|
|
|
502 called newlines. @xref{Keystrokes,Newline}.
|
|
|
503
|
|
|
504 @item Numeric Argument
|
|
|
505 A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change
|
|
|
506 the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a
|
|
|
507 repeat count. @xref{Arguments}.
|
|
|
508
|
|
|
509 @item Option
|
|
|
510 An option is a variable (q.v.@:) that allows you to customize
|
|
|
511 Emacs by giving it a new value. @xref{Variables}.
|
|
|
512
|
|
|
513 @item Overwrite Mode
|
|
|
514 Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text
|
|
|
515 characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing
|
|
|
516 it to the right. @xref{Minor Modes}.
|
|
|
517
|
|
|
518 @item Page
|
|
|
519 A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (ASCII
|
|
|
520 Control-L, code 014) coming at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs
|
|
|
521 commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages.
|
|
|
522 @xref{Pages}.
|
|
|
523
|
|
|
524 @item Paragraphs
|
|
|
525 Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of English text. There are
|
|
|
526 special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs.
|
|
|
527 @xref{Paragraphs}.
|
|
|
528
|
|
|
529 @item Parsing
|
|
|
530 We say that Emacs parses words or expressions in the text being
|
|
|
531 edited. Really, all it knows how to do is find the other end of a
|
|
|
532 word or expression. @xref{Syntax}.
|
|
|
533
|
|
|
534 @item Point
|
|
|
535 Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion
|
|
|
536 occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one
|
|
|
537 character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of
|
|
|
538 point. @xref{Basic,Point}.
|
|
|
539
|
|
|
540 @item Prefix Key
|
|
|
541 A prefix key is a key (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to introduce a
|
|
|
542 set of multi-character keys. @kbd{Control-x} is an example of a prefix
|
|
|
543 key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is also
|
|
|
544 a legitimate key. @xref{Keystrokes}.
|
|
|
545
|
|
|
546 @item Prompt
|
|
|
547 A prompt is text printed to ask the user for input. Printing a prompt
|
|
|
548 is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area
|
|
|
549 (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used
|
|
|
550 to read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens
|
|
|
551 when you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key is also a
|
|
|
552 kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}).
|
|
|
553
|
|
|
554 @item Quitting
|
|
|
555 Quitting means cancelling a partially typed command or a running
|
|
|
556 command, using @kbd{C-g}. @xref{Quitting}.
|
|
|
557
|
|
|
558 @item Quoting
|
|
|
559 Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance.
|
|
|
560 In Emacs this is usually done with @kbd{Control-q}. What constitutes special
|
|
|
561 significance depends on the context and on convention. For example,
|
|
|
562 an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command inserts itself; so in
|
|
|
563 this context, a special character is any character that does not
|
|
|
564 normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), and quoting
|
|
|
565 it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not all contexts
|
|
|
566 allow quoting. @xref{Basic,Quoting,Basic Editing}.
|
|
|
567
|
|
|
568 @item Read-only Buffer
|
|
|
569 A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change.
|
|
|
570 Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which
|
|
|
571 has a special significance to Emacs, such asDired buffers.
|
|
|
572 Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer.
|
|
|
573 @xref{Buffers}.
|
|
|
574
|
|
|
575 @item Recursive Editing Level
|
|
|
576 A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of
|
|
|
577 a command involves asking the user to edit some text. This text may
|
|
|
578 or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied.
|
|
|
579 The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets
|
|
|
580 (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}.
|
|
|
581
|
|
|
582 @item Redisplay
|
|
|
583 Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to
|
|
|
584 correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited.
|
|
|
585 @xref{Frame,Redisplay}.
|
|
|
586
|
|
|
587 @item Regexp
|
|
|
588 See `regular expression'.
|
|
|
589
|
|
|
590 @item Region
|
|
|
591 The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:).
|
|
|
592 Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}.
|
|
|
593
|
|
|
594 @item Registers
|
|
|
595 Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or
|
|
|
596 rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}.
|
|
|
597
|
|
|
598 @item Regular Expression
|
|
|
599 A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings;
|
|
|
600 for example, @samp{l[0-9]+} matches @samp{l} followed by one or more
|
|
|
601 digits. @xref{Regexps}.
|
|
|
602
|
|
|
603 @item Replacement
|
|
|
604 See `global substitution'.
|
|
|
605
|
|
|
606 @item Restriction
|
|
|
607 A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the
|
|
|
608 end of the buffer, that is temporarily invisible and inaccessible.
|
|
|
609 Giving a buffer a nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing
|
|
|
610 (q.v.). @xref{Narrowing}.
|
|
|
611
|
|
|
612 @item @key{RET}
|
|
|
613 @key{RET} is the character than runs the command to insert a
|
|
|
614 newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments
|
|
|
615 read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{Keystrokes,Return}.
|
|
|
616
|
|
|
617 @item Saving
|
|
|
618 Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited
|
|
|
619 (q.v.@:) in that buffer. To actually change a file you have edited in
|
|
|
620 Emacs, you have to save it. @xref{Saving}.
|
|
|
621
|
|
|
622 @item Scrolling
|
|
|
623 Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window to make a
|
|
|
624 different part ot the buffer visible. @xref{Display,Scrolling}.
|
|
|
625
|
|
|
626 @item Searching
|
|
|
627 Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified
|
|
|
628 string. @xref{Search}.
|
|
|
629
|
|
|
630 @item Selecting
|
|
|
631 Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer.
|
|
|
632 @xref{Buffers,Selecting}.
|
|
|
633
|
|
|
634 @item Self-documentation
|
|
|
635 Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any
|
|
|
636 command does, or can give you a list of all commands related to a topic
|
|
|
637 you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character,
|
|
|
638 @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}.
|
|
|
639
|
|
|
640 @item Sentences
|
|
|
641 Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences.
|
|
|
642 @xref{Sentences}.
|
|
|
643
|
|
|
644 @item Sexp
|
|
|
645 An sexp (short for `s-expression,' itself short for `symbolic
|
|
|
646 expression') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp
|
|
|
647 in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Many Emacs commands
|
|
|
648 operate on sexps. The term `sexp' is generalized to languages other
|
|
|
649 than Lisp to mean a syntactically recognizable expression.
|
|
|
650 @xref{Lists,Sexps}.
|
|
|
651
|
|
|
652 @item Simultaneous Editing
|
|
|
653 Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once.
|
|
|
654 If simultaneous editing is not detected, you may lose your
|
|
|
655 work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing and warns the
|
|
|
656 user to investigate them. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous Editing}.
|
|
|
657
|
|
|
658 @item String
|
|
|
659 A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of
|
|
|
660 characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as
|
|
|
661 values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in
|
|
|
662 the string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. Write a
|
|
|
663 @samp{"} that is part of the string as @samp{\"} and a
|
|
|
664 @samp{\} that is part of the string as @samp{\\}. You can include all
|
|
|
665 other characters, including newline, just by writing
|
|
|
666 them inside the string. You can also include escape sequences as in C, such as
|
|
|
667 @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code.
|
|
|
668
|
|
|
669 @item String Substitution
|
|
|
670 See `global substitution'.
|
|
|
671
|
|
|
672 @item Syntax Table
|
|
|
673 The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word,
|
|
|
674 which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc.
|
|
|
675 @xref{Syntax}.
|
|
|
676
|
|
|
677 @item Tag Table
|
|
|
678 A tag table is a file that serves as an index to the function
|
|
|
679 definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}.
|
|
|
680
|
|
|
681 @item Termscript File
|
|
|
682 A termscript file contains a record of all characters Emacs sent to
|
|
|
683 the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay.
|
|
|
684 Emacs does not make a termscript file unless explicitly instructed to do
|
|
|
685 so.
|
|
|
686 @xref{Bugs}.
|
|
|
687
|
|
|
688 @item Text
|
|
|
689 Text has two meanings (@pxref{Text}):
|
|
|
690
|
|
|
691 @itemize @bullet
|
|
|
692 @item
|
|
|
693 Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary
|
|
|
694 numbers, images, graphics commands, executable programs, and the like.
|
|
|
695 The contents of an Emacs buffer are always text in this sense.
|
|
|
696 @item
|
|
|
697 Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs,
|
|
|
698 or something that follows the stylistic conventions of human language.
|
|
|
699 @end itemize
|
|
|
700
|
|
|
701 @item Top Level
|
|
|
702 Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the
|
|
|
703 text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you
|
|
|
704 are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer
|
|
|
705 (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top
|
|
|
706 level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}.
|
|
|
707
|
|
|
708 @item Transposition
|
|
|
709 Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place
|
|
|
710 formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose
|
|
|
711 two adjacent characters, words, sexps (q.v.@:), or lines
|
|
|
712 (@pxref{Transpose}).
|
|
|
713
|
|
|
714 @item Truncation
|
|
|
715 Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a
|
|
|
716 line that does not fit within the right margin of the window
|
|
|
717 displaying it. See also `continuation line'.
|
|
|
718 @xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}.
|
|
|
719
|
|
|
720 @item Undoing
|
|
|
721 Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing
|
|
|
722 back the text that existed earlier in the editing session.
|
|
|
723 @xref{Undo}.
|
|
|
724
|
|
|
725 @item Variable
|
|
|
726 A variable is Lisp object that can store an arbitrary value. Emacs uses
|
|
|
727 some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known as `options'
|
|
|
728 (q.v.@:)) you can set to control the behavior of Emacs. The variables
|
|
|
729 used in Emacs that you are likely to be interested in are listed in the
|
|
|
730 Variables Index of this manual. @xref{Variables}, for information on
|
|
|
731 variables.
|
|
|
732
|
|
|
733 @item Visiting
|
|
|
734 Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:)
|
|
|
735 where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}.
|
|
|
736
|
|
|
737 @item Whitespace
|
|
|
738 Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (spaces,
|
|
|
739 tabs, newlines, and backspaces).
|
|
|
740
|
|
|
741 @item Widening
|
|
|
742 Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer;
|
|
|
743 it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}.
|
|
|
744
|
|
|
745 @item Window
|
|
|
746 Emacs divides the frame into one or more windows, each of which can
|
|
|
747 display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time.
|
|
|
748 @xref{Frame}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the frame.
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749 @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. Note that if
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750 you are running Emacs under X, terminology can be confusing: Each Emacs
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751 frame occupies a separate X window and can, in turn, be divided into
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752 different subwindows.
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753
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754 @item Word Abbrev
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755 Synonymous with `abbrev'.
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756
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757 @item Word Search
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758 Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the
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759 punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}.
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760
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761 @item Yanking
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762 Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to
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763 undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other
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764 systems call this ``pasting''. @xref{Yanking}.
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765 @end table
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