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date Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:10:54 +0200
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1 -*- mode:outline -*- 1 -*- mode:outline -*-
2 2
3 * Introduction 3 * Introduction
4 ============== 4 ==============
5 5
6 This file presents some general information about XEmacs. It is primarily 6 This file presents some general information about XEmacs. It is
7 about the evolution of XEmacs and its release history. 7 primarily about the evolution of XEmacs and its release history.
8 8
9 There are three sections. 9 Use `C-c C-f' to move to the next equal level of outline, and
10 10 `C-c C-b' to move to previous equal level. `C-h m' will give more
11 Introduction................(this section) provides an introduction 11 info about the Outline mode. Many commands are also available through
12 12 the menubar.
13 Using Outline Mode..........briefly explains how to use outline mode
14
15 XEmacs Release Notes........details of the changes between releases
16
17 New users should look at the next section on "Using Outline Mode". You will
18 be more efficient when you can navigate quickly through this file. Users
19 interested in some of the details of how XEmacs differs from GNU Emacs
20 should read the section "What's Different?".
21 13
22 Users who would like to know which capabilities have been introduced 14 Users who would like to know which capabilities have been introduced
23 in each release should look at the appropriate subsection of the 15 in each release should look at the appropriate section of this file.
24 "XEmacs Release Notes." Starting with version 20.0, XEmacs includes 16 Starting with version 20.0, XEmacs includes ChangeLogs, which can be
25 ChangeLogs, which can be consulted for a more detailed list of 17 consulted for a more detailed list of changes.
26 changes. 18
27 19 Users interested in some of the details of how XEmacs differs from GNU
28 N.B. The term "FSF GNU Emacs" refers to any release of Emacs Version 19 20 Emacs should read the section "What's Different?" near the end of this
29 from the Free Software Foundation's GNU Project. (We do not say just 21 file.
30 "GNU Emacs" because Richard M. Stallman ["RMS"] thinks that this term 22
31 is too generic; although we sometimes say e.g. "GNU Emacs 19.30" to refer 23 N.B. The term "FSF GNU Emacs" refers to any release of Emacs
32 to a specific version of FSF GNU Emacs. We do not say merely "Emacs", as 24 Version 19 from the Free Software Foundation's GNU Project. (We do
33 RMS prefers, because that is clearly an even more generic term.) The term 25 not say just "GNU Emacs" because Richard M. Stallman ["RMS"]
34 "XEmacs" refers to this program or to its predecessors "Era" and 26 thinks that this term is too generic; although we sometimes say
35 "Lucid Emacs". The predecessor of all these program is called "Emacs 18". 27 e.g. "GNU Emacs 19.30" to refer to a specific version of FSF GNU
36 When no particular version is implied, "Emacs" will be used. 28 Emacs. We do not say merely "Emacs", as RMS prefers, because that
37 29 is clearly an even more generic term.) The term "XEmacs" refers to
38 30 this program or to its predecessors "Era" and "Lucid Emacs". The
39 * Using Outline Mode 31 predecessor of all these program is called "Emacs 18". When no
40 ==================== 32 particular version is implied, "Emacs" will be used.
41
42 This file is in outline mode, a major mode for viewing (or editing)
43 outlines. It allows you to make parts of the text temporarily invisible so
44 that you can see just the overall structure of the outline.
45
46 There are two ways of using outline mode: with keys or with menus. Using
47 outline mode with menus is the simplest and is just as effective as using
48 keystrokes. There are menus for outline mode on the menubar as well as in
49 popup menus activated by pressing mouse button 3.
50
51 Experiment with the menu commands. Menu items under "Headings" allow
52 you to navigate from heading to heading. Menu items under "Show" make
53 visible portions of the outline while menu items under "Hide" do the
54 opposite.
55
56 A special minor mode called "outl-mouse" has been automatically enabled. In
57 this minor mode, glyphs appear that, when clicked on, will alternately hide
58 or show sections of the outline.
59
60 You may at any time press `C-h m' to get a listing of the outline mode key
61 bindings. They are reproduced here:
62
63 Commands:
64 C-c C-n outline-next-visible-heading move by visible headings
65 C-c C-p outline-previous-visible-heading
66 C-c C-f outline-forward-same-level similar but skip subheadings
67 C-c C-b outline-backward-same-level
68 C-c C-u outline-up-heading move from subheading to heading
69
70 C-c C-t make all text invisible (not headings).
71 M-x show-all make everything in buffer visible.
72
73 The remaining commands are used when point is on a heading line.
74 They apply to some of the body or subheadings of that heading.
75 C-c C-d hide-subtree make body and subheadings invisible.
76 C-c C-s show-subtree make body and subheadings visible.
77 C-c tab show-children make direct subheadings visible.
78 No effect on body, or subheadings 2 or more levels down.
79 With arg N, affects subheadings N levels down.
80 C-c C-c make immediately following body invisible.
81 C-c C-e make it visible.
82 C-c C-l make body under heading and under its subheadings invisible.
83 The subheadings remain visible.
84 C-c C-k make all subheadings at all levels visible.
85
86
87 XEmacs Release Notes
88 ====================
89
90 * Future Plans for XEmacs
91 ==========================
92
93 ** We are working on improving the Mule support in future releases:
94
95 *** Other input methods, such as skk, will be supported.
96
97 *** Wnn support will be made more solid.
98
99 *** More user-level documentation on using Mule.
100 33
101 34
102 * Changes in XEmacs 20.4 35 * Changes in XEmacs 20.4
103 ======================== 36 ========================
104 37
105 ** XEmacs has been unbundled into constituent installable packages. 38 ** XEmacs has been unbundled into constituent installable packages.
106 39
107 #### Document me, please. 40 #### Document me, please.
108 41
42 ** Using the new `-private' option, you can make XEmacs use a private
43 colormap.
44
109 ** The `imenu' package has been ported to XEmacs. 45 ** The `imenu' package has been ported to XEmacs.
110 46
111 ** `echo-keystrokes' can now be a floating-point number, so that you 47 ** `echo-keystrokes' can now be a floating-point number, so that you
112 can set it to values smaller than one second. 48 can set it to values smaller than one second.
113 49
114 (setq echo-keystrokes 0.1) 50 (setq echo-keystrokes 0.1)
115 51
116 ** The `M-.' command will now first search through exact tags matches, 52 ** The `M-.' command will now first search through exact tags matches,
117 and then through inexact matches, as one would expect. 53 and then through inexact matches, as one would expect.
118 54
119 ** user-full-name #### Document me. 55 ** The new variable `user-full-name' can be used to customize one's
56 name when using the Emacs mail and news reading facilities.
57
58 Normally, `user-full-name' is a function that returns the full name of
59 a user or UID, as specified by the system -- for instance,
60 (user-full-name "root") returns something like "Super-User". However,
61 when the function is called without arguments, it will return the
62 value of the `user-full-name' variable. The `user-full-name' variable
63 is initialized using the environment variable NAME and (failing that)
64 the user's system name.
65
66 If you specify an argument to the `user-full-name' function, it will
67 not respect the `user-full-name' variable.
68
69 ** The new command `M-x customize-changed-options' lets you customize
70 all the options whose default values have changed in recent Emacs
71 versions. You specify a previous Emacs version number as argument,
72 and the command creates a customization buffer showing all the
73 customizable options whose default values were changed since that
74 version.
75
76 If you don't specify a particular version number argument, then the
77 customization buffer shows all the customizable options for which
78 Emacs versions of changes are recorded.
79
80 ** defcustom now accepts the keyword `:version'. Use this to specify
81 in which version of Emacs a certain variable's default value changed.
82 For example,
83
84 (defcustom foo-max 34 "*Maximum number of foo's allowed."
85 :type 'integer
86 :group 'foo
87 :version "20.4")
88
89 This information is used to control the customize-changed-options
90 command.
91
92 ** XEmacs/Mule (internationalization) changes.
93
94 *** Egg/SJ3 input method is supported officially. Quail and Egg/Skk
95 have been available through the generalized Leim since 20.3.
96
97 *** Localized Japanese menubars are available if XEmacs is built with
98 XFONTSET and either the X11 libraries are built with X_LOCALE defined
99 or the native C libraries support Japanese localization. This has
100 been available since 20.3, only it hasn't been announced before.
120 101
121 102
122 * Lisp and internal changes in XEmacs 20.4 103 * Lisp and internal changes in XEmacs 20.4
123 ========================================== 104 ==========================================
124 105
106 ** The XEmacs hashtables now have a consistent read/print syntax.
107 This means that a hashtable will be readably printed in a
108 structure-like form:
109
110 #s(hashtable size 2 data (key1 value1 key2 value2))
111
112 When XEmacs reads this form, it will create a new hashtable according
113 to description. This allows you to easily dump hashtables to files
114 using `prin1', and read them back in using `read'.
115
116 If `print-readably' is non-nil, a more relaxed syntax is used; for
117 instance:
118
119 #<hashtable size 2/13 data (key1 value1 key2 value2) 0x874d>
120
121 ** The `make-event' function now supports the TYPE and PLIST
122 arguments, which can be used to create many various events from Lisp.
123 See the documentation for details.
124
125 ** `function-interactive' is a new function that returns the 125 ** `function-interactive' is a new function that returns the
126 interactive specification of a funcallable object. 126 interactive specification of a funcallable object.
127 127
128 ** The new `lmessage' function allows printing of a formatted message 128 ** The new `lmessage' function allows printing of a formatted message
129 with a particular label. 129 with a particular label.
130 130
131 (lmessage 'progress "Processing... %d" counter) 131 (lmessage 'progress "Processing... %d" counter)
132 132
133 This function is more convenient than `display-message' because it 133 This function is more convenient than `display-message' because it
134 automatically applies `format' to its arguments. 134 automatically applies `format' to its arguments.
135 135
136 ** The new `lwarn' function, analogous to `lmessage', allows printing 136 ** The new `lwarn' function, analogous to `lmessage', allows printing
2944 2944
2945 XEmacs uses "extents" to represent all non-textual aspects of buffers; 2945 XEmacs uses "extents" to represent all non-textual aspects of buffers;
2946 FSF 19 uses two distinct objects, "text properties" and "overlays", 2946 FSF 19 uses two distinct objects, "text properties" and "overlays",
2947 which divide up the functionality between them. Extents are a 2947 which divide up the functionality between them. Extents are a
2948 superset of the functionality of the two FSF data types. The full FSF 2948 superset of the functionality of the two FSF data types. The full FSF
2949 19 interface to text properties is supported in XEmacs (with extents 2949 19 interface to text properties and overlays is supported in XEmacs
2950 being the underlying representation). 2950 (with extents being the underlying representation).
2951 2951
2952 Extents can be made to be copied into strings, and thus restored by kill 2952 Extents can be made to be copied into strings, and thus restored by kill
2953 and yank. Thus, one can specify this behavior on either "extents" or 2953 and yank. Thus, one can specify this behavior on either "extents" or
2954 "text properties", whereas in FSF 19 text properties always have this 2954 "text properties", whereas in FSF 19 text properties always have this
2955 behavior and overlays never do. 2955 behavior and overlays never do.
2956 2956
2957 Many more packages are provided standard with XEmacs than with FSF 19. 2957 Many more packages are provided standard with XEmacs than with FSF 19.
2958 2958
2959 Pixmaps of arbitrary size can be embedded in a buffer. 2959 Images of arbitrary size can be embedded in a buffer.
2960 2960
2961 Variable width fonts work. 2961 Variable width fonts work.
2962 2962
2963 The height of a line is the height of the tallest font on that line, instead 2963 The height of a line is the height of the tallest font on that line, instead
2964 of all lines having the same height. 2964 of all lines having the same height.