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1 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
2 @node Modes, Files, Help, Top
3 @chapter Major and Minor Modes
4 @cindex modes
5
6 XEmacs is @dfn{language sensitive}. It has several @dfn{major} and
7 @dfn{minor} modes. The major modes customize Emacs to edit text of a
8 particular sort. There are major modes for C, Lisp, Emacs Lisp, LaTeX,
9 English etc. Within each major mode, certain functions and keys are
10 redefined to "suit" that particular sort of text. The minor modes
11 provide certain features which can be turned off or on at any
12 time. Emacs can only be in one major mode at any time, but it can turn
13 on several minor modes at the same time. After you have selected any
14 major or minor mode, you can select @b{Describe Mode} from the @b{Help}
15 menu and you will get documentation about those modes.
16
17 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
18 @menu
19 * Major Modes:: Choosing Major Modes
20 * Minor Modes:: Auto-Fill, Abbrev and other minor modes
21 @end menu
22
23 @node Major Modes, Minor Modes, Modes, Modes
24 @section Major Modes
25 @cindex major modes
26
27 Emacs has several major modes which customize Emacs to edit text of
28 various sorts. You can have only one major mode at any time. Within each
29 major mode, Emacs redefines certain functions (like cursor movement,
30 indentation and text killing) to suit the needs of the text being
31 edited. When you are editing a specific type of text you should switch
32 to the appropriate mode. If you are working with C code, you should
33 switch to C mode; if you are working with Lisp code, then switch to lisp
34 mode and if you are working with English text switch to Text mode.
35
36 When you open a file to work on, Emacs usually selects the
37 appropriate mode. For example, if you open a file called @file{guide.c}
38 then Emacs will select the C mode because of the ".c" extension of the
39 file. To explicitly select a mode type the following command:
40
41 @example
42 ;;; selects lisp mode
43 M-x lisp-mode
44
45 ;;; selects C mode
46 M-x c-mode
47 @end example
48
49 @noindent
50 To select any other mode, just add the major mode name before the
51 '-mode'. The current mode in which you are in will be displayed in
52 parenthesis in the mode-line at the bottom of the frame. All major
53 modes have some special keybindings and you can get a listing of those
54 keybindings by selecting @b{List Keybindings} from the @b{Help} menu on
55 the menu bar.
56
57 Some of the available modes in XEmacs are :
58
59 @table @b
60 @item fundamental-mode
61 @cindex fundamental-mode
62 When you start XEmacs, usually you start with the default "Fundamental"
63 mode. This mode has no special definitions or settings.
64
65 @item nroff-mode
66 @cindex nroff-mode
67 Use this mode when you have to format a text with nroff before it can be
68 available in readable form. It redefines some indentation
69 commands. @xref{Nroff Mode,,,,XEmacs User's Manual}, for information
70 on this mode.
71
72 @item tex-mode
73 @cindex tex-mode
74 Use this mode if you are using the LaTeX text-formatter. It provides
75 commands for insertion of quotes, braces and other characters. It also
76 allows you to format the buffer for printing. @xref{TeX Mode,,,,XEmacs
77 Manual}, for information on this mode.
78
79 @item texinfo-mode
80 @cindex texinfo-mode
81 Texinfo is a documentation system that uses a single source file to
82 produce both printed output and on-line documentation. When you use this
83 mode, there will be some special keybindings for inserting some
84 characters and executing some commands.
85
86 @ifinfo
87 This info file which you are reading right now is produced by 'Texinfo'
88 @end ifinfo
89 @iftex
90 This manual itself is produced by 'Texinfo'
91 @end iftex
92
93 @item outline-mode
94 @cindex outline-mode
95 Use this mode for editing outlines. When you enable this mode, you can
96 make part of the text temporarily invisible so that you can see the
97 overall structure of the outline. @xref{Outline Mode,,,,XEmacs User's
98 Manual}, for information on this mode.
99
100 @item c-mode
101 @cindex c-mode
102 Use this mode for C programs. It will redefine some indentation
103 commands. @xref{C Indent,,,,XEmacs User's Manual}.
104
105 @item lisp-mode
106 @cindex lisp-mode
107 Use this mode for Lisp programs. Look at the XEmacs User's Manual for
108 more information.
109
110 @item fortran-mode
111 @cindex fortran-mode
112 Use this mode for Fortran programs. This mode provides special commands
113 to move around and some other indentation commands. For more
114 information on this mode, @xref{Fortran,,,,XEmacs User's Manual}.
115
116 @item edit-picture
117 @cindex edit-picture
118 This is the picture mode which you can use to create a picture out of
119 text characters. @xref{Picture,,,,XEmacs User's Manual}, for more
120 information.
121
122 @item asm-mode
123 @cindex asm-mode
124 Use asm-mode for editing files of assembler code. Look at the file
125 @file{ /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.11/lisp/modes/asm.el} for more
126 information.
127
128 @end table
129
130 There are some other modes and commands for working with other kinds of
131 text or programs. Emacs also provides commands for reading and sending
132 Mail. For more information on these features look at the XEmacs
133 Manual. Emacs also provides the functions of a desk calendar, with a
134 diary of past or planned events. For more information on the calendar
135 mode look at the manual for Calendar Mode and Diary.
136
137 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
138 @node Minor Modes, , Major Modes, Modes
139 @section Minor Modes
140 @cindex minor modes
141
142 The minor modes in Emacs provide some optional features which you can
143 turn on or off. Any number of minor modes can be active at the same time
144 with any major mode. You can enable a minor mode in one buffer and
145 disable it in other mode. To enable a minor mode, for example the
146 font-lock mode type the following command:
147
148 @example
149 M-x font-lock-mode
150 @end example
151 @noindent
152 To enable the other minor modes, replace the "font-lock" with the
153 name of the minor mode. To disable the mode type the command again. A
154 positive argument will always turn the mode on. Whenever you type this
155 command, it will turn the mode on if it was off, OR it will turn it off
156 if it was on i.e. it toggles. Look at the mode-line at the bottom of the
157 frame. If it says FLock in parentheses, then it means that this
158 mode is on, otherwise it is off.
159
160 The following are some of the minor modes available in XEmacs. To enable
161 any one of them type "M-x" in front of them.
162
163 @table @b
164 @item font-lock-mode
165 @cindex font-lock-mode
166
167 You can also choose this mode by selecting the @b{Syntax Highlighting}
168 menu item from the @b{Options} menu on the menu-bar at the
169 top. If you wish to have this mode enabled permanently, choose
170 @b{Save Options} from the @b{Options} menu. @xref{Options Menu}, for
171 more information on the Options menu. You can also add statements in
172 your @file{.emacs} file. For each major mode in which you wish to
173 enable this minor mode, you need a statement in your @file{.emacs}
174 file. The following example shows how to enable the font-lock mode when
175 the major mode is c-mode.
176
177 @example
178 (add-hook 'c-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)
179 @end example
180
181 @noindent
182 @xref{Other Customizations}.
183
184 When you enable this mode, the text will be displayed in
185 different colors and fonts depending on the type of the text. This makes
186 the text very easy to read and understand. For example, comments might
187 be displayed in red, variables in black, functions in blue and other
188 keywords in different colors and fonts. When you select @b{More} from
189 the @b{Syntax Highlighting} option, you get very detailed display of
190 colors and fonts; function names within comments themselves might appear
191 in a different font and color.
192
193 @item auto-fill-mode
194 @findex auto-fill-mode
195 Enabling this mode will provide automatic word-wrapping. The @key{SPC}
196 key will break lines i.e. insert newlines as you type to prevent lines
197 from becoming too long.
198
199 @item overwrite-mode
200 @cindex overwrite-mode
201 When you enable this mode, the text that you type will replace the
202 existing text rather than moving it to the right (the default case). You
203 can enable this mode by selecting @b{Overstrike} menu-item from the
204 @b{Options} menu from the menu-bar.
205
206 @item abbrev-mode
207 @cindex abbrev-modex
208 After you enable this mode, you can define words which will expand into
209 some different text i.e. you can define abbreviations. For example, you
210 might define "expand" to "expand will eventually expand to this
211 text". After this definition you will be able to get "expand will
212 eventually expand to this text" simply by typing
213
214 @example
215 expand @key{SPC}
216 @end example
217
218 @noindent
219 @xref{Abbrevs,,,,XEmacs User's Manual}, for more information on this
220 mode and on defining abbreviations.
221
222 @item auto-save-mode
223 @cindex auto-save-mode
224 After you enable this mode in a buffer, the contents of that buffer will
225 be saved periodically. This will reduce the amount you might lose in
226 case of a system crash.
227
228 @item line-number-mode
229 @cindex line-number-mode
230 After you enable this mode, the line number at which your cursor is
231 present will be displayed continously in the mode line.
232
233 @item blink-paren
234 @cindex blink-paren
235 To enable this command, just type
236 @example
237 M-x blink-paren
238 @end example
239
240 @noindent
241 Do not add the "-mode" to it. You can also select the @b{Paren
242 Highlighting} option from the @b{Options} menu. After you enable this
243 command, put your cursor on one of the left parenthesis. The other
244 matching parenthesis will start blinking. @xref{Options Menu,} for more
245 information on the @b{Paren Highlighting} option.
246 @end table
247
248 For information on some other modes, look at the XEmacs User's Manual
249 and the associated files.
250