mirror of
git://git.sv.gnu.org/emacs.git
synced 2025-12-15 10:30:25 -08:00
96a704346a
* doc/emacs/mule.texi (Input Methods): * doc/lispintro/emacs-lisp-intro.texi (Miscellaneous): * doc/lispref/text.texi (Clickable Text): * doc/misc/calc.texi (Defining Functions, Defining Simple Commands) (Customizing Calc): * doc/misc/efaq.texi (Matching parentheses, Modifying pull-down menus) (Deleting menus and menu options, Binding keys to commands) (Invalid prefix characters) (Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun) (Backspace invokes help, Swapping keys, No Escape key) (Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys) (Replying to the sender of a message): * doc/misc/eudc.texi (Installation, Emacs-only Configuration) (External Configuration): * doc/misc/gnus.texi (Group Parameters, Misc Group Stuff) (Summary Buffer, Generic Marking Commands, RSS) (nnmairix tips and tricks, Oort Gnus): * doc/misc/ido.texi (Customization): * doc/misc/mairix-el.texi (Using): * doc/misc/mh-e.texi (HTML, Miscellaneous Commands and Options) (Folders, Composing): * doc/misc/octave-mode.texi (Running Octave from Within Emacs): * doc/misc/reftex.texi (Citations Outside LaTeX): * doc/misc/remember.texi (Quick Start): * doc/misc/sem-user.texi (Smart Jump): * doc/misc/viper.texi (Key Bindings, Vi Macros): * doc/misc/widget.texi (Defining New Widgets): * doc/misc/woman.texi (Word at point): Recommend 'keymap-set', 'keymap-global-set', 'keymap-global-unset', 'keymap-local-set', and 'key-translate', instead of their legacy equivalents. (Bug#55647)
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4909 lines
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\input texinfo @c -*- mode: texinfo; -*-
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@c %**start of header
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@setfilename ../../info/efaq.info
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@settitle GNU Emacs FAQ
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@include docstyle.texi
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@c %**end of header
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@include emacsver.texi
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@copying
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Copyright @copyright{} 2001--2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.@*
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Copyright @copyright{} 1994--2000 Reuven M. Lerner@*
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Copyright @copyright{} 1992--1993 Steven Byrnes@*
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Copyright @copyright{} 1990--1992 Joseph Brian Wells@*
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@quotation
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This list of frequently asked questions about GNU Emacs with answers
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(``FAQ'') may be translated into other languages, transformed into other
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formats (e.g., Texinfo, Info, HTML, PDF), and updated with new information.
|
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|
|
The same conditions apply to any derivative of the FAQ as apply to the FAQ
|
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itself. Every copy of the FAQ must include this notice or an approved
|
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translation, information on who is currently maintaining the FAQ and how to
|
|
contact them (including their e-mail address), and information on where the
|
|
latest version of the FAQ is archived.
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|
|
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The FAQ may be copied and redistributed under these conditions, except that
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the FAQ may not be embedded in a larger literary work unless that work
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itself allows free copying and redistribution.
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@end quotation
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@end copying
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@dircategory Emacs
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@direntry
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* Emacs FAQ: (efaq). Frequently Asked Questions about Emacs.
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@end direntry
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@c The @titlepage stuff only appears in the printed version
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@titlepage
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@sp 10
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@center @titlefont{GNU Emacs FAQ}
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@c The following two commands start the copyright page.
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@page
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@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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@insertcopying
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@end titlepage
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@contents
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@node Top
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@top The GNU Emacs FAQ
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This is the GNU Emacs FAQ.
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|
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This FAQ is maintained as a part of GNU Emacs. If you find any errors,
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or have any suggestions, please use @kbd{M-x report-emacs-bug} to report
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them.
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|
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|
This is the version of the FAQ distributed with Emacs @value{EMACSVER}, and
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mainly describes that version. Although there is some information on
|
|
older versions, details about very old releases (now only of historical
|
|
interest) have been removed. If you are interested in this, consult
|
|
either the version of the FAQ distributed with older versions of Emacs,
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or the history of this document in the Emacs source repository.
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|
|
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Since Emacs releases are very stable, we recommend always running the
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latest release.
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This FAQ is not updated very frequently. When you have a question about
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Emacs, the Emacs manual is often the best starting point.
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@ifnottex
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@insertcopying
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@end ifnottex
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|
|
@menu
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* FAQ notation::
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* General questions::
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* Getting help::
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* History of Emacs::
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* Common requests::
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|
* Bugs and problems::
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|
* Compiling and installing Emacs::
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|
* Finding Emacs and related packages::
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|
* Key bindings::
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* Alternate character sets::
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* Mail and news::
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|
* Concept index::
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@end menu
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@c ------------------------------------------------------------
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@node FAQ notation
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@chapter FAQ notation
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@cindex FAQ notation
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This chapter describes notation used in the GNU Emacs FAQ, as well as in
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the Emacs documentation. Consult this section if this is the first time
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you are reading the FAQ, or if you are confused by notation or terms
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used in the FAQ.
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|
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@menu
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* Basic keys::
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* Extended commands::
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* Emacs manual::
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* File-name conventions::
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* Common acronyms::
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@end menu
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@node Basic keys
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@section What do these mean: @kbd{C-h}, @kbd{C-M-a}, @key{RET}, @kbd{@key{ESC} a}, etc.?
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@cindex Basic keys
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@cindex Control key, notation for
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@cindex @key{Meta} key, notation for
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|
@cindex Control-Meta characters, notation for
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|
@cindex @kbd{C-h}, definition of
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|
@cindex @kbd{C-M-h}, definition of
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|
@cindex @key{DEL}, definition of
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|
@cindex @key{ESC}, definition of
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|
@cindex @key{LFD}, definition of
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|
@cindex @key{RET}, definition of
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@cindex @key{SPC}, definition of
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|
@cindex @key{TAB}, definition of
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@cindex Notation for keys
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|
|
@itemize @bullet
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@item
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@kbd{C-x}: press the @kbd{x} key while holding down the @key{Control} key
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@item
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@kbd{M-x}: press the @kbd{x} key while holding down the @key{Meta} key
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(if your computer doesn't have a @key{Meta} key, @pxref{No Meta key})
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@item
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@kbd{M-C-x}: press the @kbd{x} key while holding down both @key{Control}
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and @key{Meta}
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@item
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@kbd{C-M-x}: a synonym for the above
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|
@item
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@key{LFD}: Linefeed or Newline; same as @kbd{C-j}
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@item
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@key{RET}: @key{Return}, sometimes marked @key{Enter}; same as @kbd{C-m}
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@item
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|
@key{DEL}: @key{Delete}, usually @strong{not} the same as
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@key{Backspace}; same as @kbd{C-?} (@pxref{Backspace invokes help}, if
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|
deleting invokes Emacs help)
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|
|
|
@item
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@key{ESC}: Escape; same as @kbd{C-[}
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|
|
@item
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@key{TAB}: Tab; same as @kbd{C-i}
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|
@item
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@key{SPC}: Space bar
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|
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@end itemize
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|
|
|
Key sequences longer than one key (and some single-key sequences) are
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|
written inside quotes or on lines by themselves, like this:
|
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|
|
@display
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@kbd{M-x frobnicate-while-foo @key{RET}}
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@end display
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|
@noindent
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Any real spaces in such a key sequence should be ignored; only @key{SPC}
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really means press the space key.
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|
The @acronym{ASCII} code sent by @kbd{C-x} (except for @kbd{C-?}) is the value
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|
that would be sent by pressing just @kbd{x} minus 96 (or 64 for
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|
upper-case @kbd{X}) and will be from 0 to 31. On Unix and GNU/Linux
|
|
terminals, the @acronym{ASCII} code sent by @kbd{M-x} is the sum of 128 and the
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|
@acronym{ASCII} code that would be sent by pressing just @kbd{x}. Essentially,
|
|
@key{Control} turns off bits 5 and 6 and @key{Meta} turns on bit
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|
7@footnote{
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|
DOS and Windows terminals don't set bit 7 when the @key{Meta} key is
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|
pressed.}.
|
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|
|
@kbd{C-?} (aka @key{DEL}) is @acronym{ASCII} code 127. It is a misnomer to call
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@kbd{C-?} a ``control'' key, since 127 has both bits 5 and 6 turned ON@.
|
|
Also, on very few keyboards does @kbd{C-?} generate @acronym{ASCII} code 127.
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|
@c FIXME I cannot understand the previous sentence.
|
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@xref{Keys,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
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@node Extended commands
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@section What does @file{M-x @var{command}} mean?
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@cindex Extended commands
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|
@cindex Commands, extended
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|
@cindex @kbd{M-x}, meaning of
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|
|
@kbd{M-x @var{command}} means type @kbd{M-x}, then type the name of the
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command, then type @key{RET}. (@xref{Basic keys}, if you're not sure
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what @kbd{M-x} and @key{RET} mean.)
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|
@kbd{M-x} (by default) invokes the command
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@code{execute-extended-command}. This command allows you to run any
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Emacs command if you can remember the command's name. If you can't
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remember the command's name, you can type @key{TAB} and @key{SPC} for
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completion, @kbd{?} for a list of possibilities, and @kbd{M-p} and
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@kbd{M-n} (or up-arrow and down-arrow) to see previous commands entered.
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|
An Emacs @dfn{command} is an @dfn{interactive} Emacs function.
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|
If you need to run non-interactive Emacs functions, see @ref{Evaluating
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|
Emacs Lisp code}.
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs manual
|
|
@section How do I read topic XXX in the Emacs manual?
|
|
@cindex Emacs manual, reading topics in
|
|
@cindex Reading topics in the Emacs manual
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|
@cindex Finding topics in the Emacs manual
|
|
@cindex Info, finding topics in
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|
|
|
When we refer you to some @var{topic} in the Emacs manual, you can
|
|
read this manual node inside Emacs by
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|
typing @kbd{C-h i m emacs @key{RET} m @var{topic} @key{RET}}.
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|
This invokes Info, the GNU hypertext documentation browser. If you don't
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already know how to use Info, type @kbd{?} from within Info.
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If we refer to @var{topic}:@var{subtopic}, type @kbd{C-h i m emacs
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@key{RET} m @var{topic} @key{RET} m @var{subtopic} @key{RET}}.
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|
|
(If these commands don't work as expected, your system may be missing
|
|
the Info files, or they may not be installed properly.)
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|
|
If you are reading this FAQ in Info, you can simply press @key{RET} on a
|
|
reference to follow it.
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@xref{Getting a printed manual}, if you would like a paper copy of the
|
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Emacs manual.
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|
|
@node File-name conventions
|
|
@section What are @file{src/config.h}, @file{site-lisp/default.el}, etc.?
|
|
@cindex File-name conventions
|
|
@cindex Conventions for file names
|
|
@cindex Directories and files that come with Emacs
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|
|
These are files that come with Emacs. The Emacs distribution is divided
|
|
into subdirectories; e.g., @file{etc}, @file{lisp}, and @file{src}.
|
|
Some of these (e.g., @file{etc} and @file{lisp}) are present both in
|
|
an installed Emacs and in the sources, but some (e.g., @file{src}) are
|
|
only found in the sources.
|
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|
|
If you use Emacs, but don't know where it is kept on your system, start
|
|
Emacs, then type @kbd{C-h v data-directory @key{RET}}. The directory
|
|
name displayed by this will be the full pathname of the installed
|
|
@file{etc} directory. (This full path is recorded in the Emacs variable
|
|
@code{data-directory}, and @kbd{C-h v} displays the value and the
|
|
documentation of a variable.)
|
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|
|
The location of your Info directory (i.e., where Info documentation is
|
|
stored) is kept in the variable @code{Info-directory-list}. Use
|
|
@kbd{C-h v Info-directory-list @key{RET}} to see the value of this
|
|
variable, which will be a list of directory names (after Info has been
|
|
started). The last directory in that list is probably where most Info
|
|
files are stored. By default, Emacs Info documentation is placed in
|
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@file{/usr/local/share/info}.
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|
|
For information on some of the files in the @file{etc} directory,
|
|
@pxref{Informational files for Emacs}.
|
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|
|
@node Common acronyms
|
|
@section What are FSF, GNU, RMS, and GPL?
|
|
@cindex FSF, definition of
|
|
@cindex GNU, definition of
|
|
@cindex RMS, definition of
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|
@cindex Stallman, Richard, acronym for
|
|
@cindex Richard Stallman, acronym for
|
|
@cindex GPL, definition of
|
|
@cindex Acronyms, definitions for
|
|
@cindex Common acronyms, definitions for
|
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|
@table @asis
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|
@item FSF
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Free Software Foundation
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@item GNU
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GNU's Not Unix
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|
@item RMS
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|
Richard Matthew Stallman
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|
@item GPL
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|
GNU General Public License
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|
See @uref{https://gnu.org/licenses/, the GNU web site} for more
|
|
information about the GPL.
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|
@end table
|
|
|
|
The word ``free'' in the title of the Free Software Foundation refers to
|
|
``freedom,'' not ``zero cost.'' Anyone can charge any price for
|
|
GPL-covered software that they want to. However, in practice, the
|
|
freedom enforced by the GPL leads to low prices, because you can always
|
|
get the software for less money from someone else, since everyone has
|
|
the right to resell or give away GPL-covered software.
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node General questions
|
|
@chapter General questions
|
|
@cindex General questions
|
|
|
|
This chapter contains general questions having to do with Emacs, the
|
|
Free Software Foundation, and related organizations.
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Guidelines for mailing list postings::
|
|
* Mailing list archives::
|
|
* Reporting bugs::
|
|
* Unsubscribing from Emacs lists::
|
|
* Contacting the FSF::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Guidelines for mailing list postings
|
|
@section What are appropriate messages for the various Emacs mailing lists?
|
|
@cindex Mailing lists, appropriate messages for
|
|
@cindex Posting messages to mailing lists
|
|
@cindex GNU mailing lists
|
|
|
|
There are various Emacs mailing lists, described at
|
|
@uref{https://savannah.gnu.org/mail/?group=emacs, the Emacs Savannah
|
|
page}.
|
|
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|
The main ones are: @code{help-gnu-emacs}, @code{bug-gnu-emacs},
|
|
and @code{emacs-devel}.
|
|
|
|
Messages advocating ``non-free'' software are considered unacceptable on
|
|
any of the GNU mailing lists, except for
|
|
@url{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss,
|
|
the gnu-misc-discuss mailing list}.
|
|
``Non-free'' software includes any software for which the end user can't
|
|
freely modify the source code and exchange enhancements. Please
|
|
remove GNU mailing lists from the recipients when
|
|
posting a reply that recommends such software.
|
|
|
|
@cindex newsgroups
|
|
Some of the GNU mailing lists are gatewayed to newsgroups (although
|
|
the connection is occasionally unreliable).
|
|
For example, sending an email to
|
|
@url{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnu-emacs, The
|
|
bug-gnu-emacs list} has the effect of posting on the newsgroup
|
|
@uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}).
|
|
|
|
Finally, we recommend reading the
|
|
@url{https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.html, GNU Kind
|
|
Communications Guidelines} before posting to any GNU lists or
|
|
newsgroups.
|
|
|
|
@node Mailing list archives
|
|
@section Where can I read archives for @code{help-gnu-emacs} and other GNU lists?
|
|
@cindex Archived postings from @code{help-gnu-emacs}
|
|
@cindex Old mailing list posts for GNU lists
|
|
@cindex Mailing list archives for GNU lists
|
|
|
|
The FSF has maintained archives of all of the GNU mailing lists for many
|
|
years, although there may be some unintentional gaps in coverage. The
|
|
archive can be browsed over the web at
|
|
@uref{https://lists.gnu.org/r/, the GNU mail archive}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Usenet archives for GNU groups
|
|
@cindex Old Usenet postings for GNU groups
|
|
Some web-based Usenet search services also archive the @code{gnu.*}
|
|
newsgroups.
|
|
|
|
@node Reporting bugs
|
|
@section Where should I report bugs and other problems with Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Bug reporting
|
|
@cindex Good bug reports
|
|
@cindex How to submit a bug report
|
|
@cindex Reporting bugs
|
|
|
|
Please see the Emacs manual for information on how to report bugs.
|
|
@xref{Checklist, , Checklist for Bug Reports, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
Sending bug reports to
|
|
@url{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gnu-emacs, the
|
|
help-gnu-emacs mailing list} is undesirable because it takes the time
|
|
of an unnecessarily large group of people, most of whom are just users
|
|
and have no idea how to fix these
|
|
problem. @url{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnu-emacs,
|
|
The bug-gnu-emacs list} reaches a much smaller group of people who are
|
|
more likely to know what to do and have expressed a wish to receive
|
|
more messages about Emacs than the others.
|
|
|
|
If you have reported a bug and you don't hear about a possible fix,
|
|
then after a suitable delay (such as a week) it is okay to post on
|
|
the help list asking if anyone can help you.
|
|
|
|
If you are unsure whether you have found a bug, consider the following
|
|
non-exhaustive list, courtesy of RMS:
|
|
|
|
@quotation
|
|
If Emacs crashes, that is a bug. If Emacs gets compilation errors
|
|
while building, that is a bug. If Emacs crashes while building, that
|
|
is a bug. If Lisp code does not do what the documentation says it
|
|
does, that is a bug.
|
|
@end quotation
|
|
|
|
Anything sent to @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} also appears in the
|
|
newsgroup @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug}, but please use e-mail instead of
|
|
news to submit the bug report. This ensures a reliable return address
|
|
so you can be contacted for further details.
|
|
|
|
@node Unsubscribing from Emacs lists
|
|
@section How do I unsubscribe from a mailing list?
|
|
@cindex Unsubscribing from GNU mailing lists
|
|
@cindex Removing yourself from GNU mailing lists
|
|
|
|
If you are receiving a GNU mailing list named @var{list}, you should be
|
|
able to unsubscribe from it by sending a request to the address
|
|
@email{@var{list}-request@@gnu.org}. Mailing lists mails normally
|
|
contain information in either the message header
|
|
(@samp{List-Unsubscribe:}) or as a footer that tells you how to
|
|
unsubscribe.
|
|
|
|
@node Contacting the FSF
|
|
@section How do I contact the FSF?
|
|
@cindex Contracting the FSF
|
|
@cindex Free Software Foundation, contacting
|
|
|
|
For up-to-date information, see
|
|
@uref{https://www.fsf.org/about/contact.html, the FSF contact web-page}.
|
|
You can send general correspondence to @email{info@@fsf.org}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Ordering GNU software
|
|
For details on how to order items directly from the FSF, see the
|
|
@uref{https://shop.fsf.org/, FSF on-line store}.
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Getting help
|
|
@chapter Getting help
|
|
@cindex Getting help
|
|
|
|
This chapter tells you how to get help with Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Basic editing::
|
|
* Learning how to do something::
|
|
* Getting a printed manual::
|
|
* Emacs Lisp documentation::
|
|
* Installing Texinfo documentation::
|
|
* Printing a Texinfo file::
|
|
* Viewing Info files outside of Emacs::
|
|
* Informational files for Emacs::
|
|
* Help installing Emacs::
|
|
* Obtaining the FAQ::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Basic editing
|
|
@section I'm just starting Emacs; how do I do basic editing?
|
|
@cindex Basic editing with Emacs
|
|
@cindex Beginning editing
|
|
@cindex Tutorial, invoking the
|
|
@cindex Self-paced tutorial, invoking the
|
|
@cindex Help system, entering the
|
|
|
|
Type @kbd{C-h t} to invoke the self-paced tutorial. Just typing
|
|
@kbd{C-h} enters the help system. The tutorial is available in many
|
|
foreign languages such as French, German, Japanese, Russian, etc. Use
|
|
@kbd{M-x help-with-tutorial-spec-language @key{RET}} to choose your
|
|
language and start the tutorial.
|
|
|
|
Your system administrator may have changed @kbd{C-h} to act like
|
|
@key{DEL} to deal with local keyboards. You can use @kbd{M-x
|
|
help-for-help} instead to invoke help. To discover what key (if any)
|
|
invokes help on your system, type @kbd{M-x where-is @key{RET}
|
|
help-for-help @key{RET}}. This will print a comma-separated list of key
|
|
sequences in the echo area. Ignore the last character in each key
|
|
sequence listed. Each of the resulting key sequences (e.g., @key{F1} is
|
|
common) invokes help.
|
|
|
|
Emacs help works best if it is invoked by a single key whose value
|
|
should be stored in the variable @code{help-char}.
|
|
|
|
Some Emacs slides and tutorials can be found at
|
|
@uref{https://web.psung.name/emacs/}.
|
|
|
|
@node Learning how to do something
|
|
@section How do I find out how to do something in Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Help for Emacs
|
|
@cindex Learning to do something in Emacs
|
|
@cindex Reference card for Emacs
|
|
@cindex Overview of help systems
|
|
|
|
There are several methods for finding out how to do things in Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@cindex Reading the Emacs manual
|
|
@item
|
|
The complete text of the Emacs manual is available via the Info
|
|
hypertext reader. Type @kbd{C-h r} to display the manual in Info mode.
|
|
Typing @kbd{h} immediately after entering Info will provide a short
|
|
tutorial on how to use it.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Lookup a subject in a manual
|
|
@cindex Index search in a manual
|
|
@item
|
|
To quickly locate the section of the manual which discusses a certain
|
|
issue, or describes a command or a variable, type @kbd{C-h i m emacs
|
|
@key{RET} i @var{topic} @key{RET}}, where @var{topic} is the name of the
|
|
topic, the command, or the variable which you are looking for. If this
|
|
does not land you on the right place in the manual, press @kbd{,}
|
|
(comma) repeatedly until you find what you need. (The @kbd{i} and
|
|
@kbd{,} keys invoke the index-searching functions, which look for the
|
|
@var{topic} you type in all the indices of the Emacs manual.)
|
|
|
|
@cindex Apropos
|
|
@item
|
|
You can list all of the commands whose names contain a certain word
|
|
(actually which match a regular expression) using @kbd{C-h a} (@kbd{M-x
|
|
command-apropos}).
|
|
|
|
@cindex Command description in the manual
|
|
@item
|
|
The command @kbd{C-h F} (@code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node}) prompts
|
|
for the name of a command, and then attempts to find the section in the
|
|
Emacs manual where that command is described.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Finding commands and variables
|
|
@item
|
|
You can list all of the functions and variables whose names contain a
|
|
certain word using @kbd{M-x apropos}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can list all of the functions and variables whose documentation
|
|
matches a regular expression or a string, using @kbd{M-x
|
|
apropos-documentation}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can order a hardcopy of the manual from the FSF@. @xref{Getting a
|
|
printed manual}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Reference cards, in other languages
|
|
@item
|
|
You can get a printed reference card listing commands and keys to
|
|
invoke them. You can order one from the FSF, or you can print your
|
|
own from the @file{etc/refcards/refcard.tex} or
|
|
@file{etc/refcards/refcard.pdf} files in the Emacs distribution. The
|
|
Emacs distribution comes with translations of the reference card into
|
|
several languages; look for files named
|
|
@file{etc/refcards/@var{lang}-refcard.*}, where @var{lang} is a
|
|
two-letter code of the language. For example, the German version of
|
|
the reference card is in the files @file{etc/refcards/de-refcard.tex}
|
|
and @file{etc/refcards/de-refcard.pdf}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
There are many other commands in Emacs for getting help and
|
|
information. To get a list of these commands, type @samp{?} after
|
|
@kbd{C-h}.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Getting a printed manual
|
|
@section How do I get a printed copy of the Emacs manual?
|
|
@cindex Printed Emacs manual, obtaining
|
|
@cindex Manual, obtaining a printed or HTML copy of
|
|
@cindex Emacs manual, obtaining a printed or HTML copy of
|
|
|
|
You can order a printed copy of the Emacs manual from the FSF@. For
|
|
details see the @uref{https://shop.fsf.org/, FSF on-line store}.
|
|
|
|
The full Texinfo source for the manual also comes in the @file{doc/emacs}
|
|
directory of the Emacs distribution, if you're daring enough to try to
|
|
print out this several-hundred-page manual yourself (@pxref{Printing a Texinfo
|
|
file}).
|
|
|
|
If you absolutely have to print your own copy, and you don't have @TeX{},
|
|
you can get a PostScript or PDF (or HTML) version from
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/}
|
|
|
|
@xref{Learning how to do something}, for how to view the manual from Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs Lisp documentation
|
|
@section Where can I get documentation on Emacs Lisp?
|
|
@cindex Documentation on Emacs Lisp
|
|
@cindex Function documentation
|
|
@cindex Variable documentation
|
|
@cindex Emacs Lisp Reference Manual
|
|
@cindex Reference manual for Emacs Lisp
|
|
|
|
Within Emacs, you can type @kbd{C-h f} to get the documentation for a
|
|
function, @kbd{C-h v} for a variable.
|
|
|
|
For more information, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is available
|
|
in Info format (@pxref{Top, Emacs Lisp,, elisp, The
|
|
Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
|
|
|
|
You can also order a hardcopy of the manual from the FSF, for details
|
|
see the @uref{https://shop.fsf.org/, FSF on-line store}. (This manual is
|
|
not always in print.)
|
|
|
|
An HTML version of the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is available at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/elisp-manual/elisp.html}
|
|
|
|
@node Installing Texinfo documentation
|
|
@section How do I install a piece of Texinfo documentation?
|
|
@cindex Texinfo documentation, installing
|
|
@cindex Installing Texinfo documentation
|
|
@cindex New Texinfo files, installing
|
|
@cindex Documentation, installing new Texinfo files
|
|
@cindex Info files, how to install
|
|
|
|
Emacs releases come with pre-built Info files, and the normal install
|
|
process places them in the correct location. This is true for most
|
|
applications that provide Info files. The following section is only
|
|
relevant if you want to install extra Info files by hand.
|
|
|
|
First, you must turn the Texinfo source files into Info files. You may
|
|
do this using the stand-alone @file{makeinfo} program, available as part
|
|
of the Texinfo package at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/}
|
|
|
|
For information about the Texinfo format, read the Texinfo manual which
|
|
comes with the Texinfo package. This manual also comes installed in
|
|
Info format, so you can read it from Emacs; type @kbd{C-h i m texinfo
|
|
@key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
@c FIXME is this a complete alternative?
|
|
@c Probably not, given that we require makeinfo to build Emacs.
|
|
Alternatively, you could use the Emacs command @kbd{M-x
|
|
texinfo-format-buffer}, after visiting the Texinfo source file of the
|
|
manual you want to convert.
|
|
|
|
Neither @code{texinfo-format-buffer} nor @file{makeinfo} installs the
|
|
resulting Info files in Emacs's Info tree. To install Info files,
|
|
perform these steps:
|
|
|
|
@enumerate
|
|
@item
|
|
Move the files to the @file{info} directory in the installed Emacs
|
|
distribution. @xref{File-name conventions}, if you don't know where that
|
|
is.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Run the @code{install-info} command, which is part of the Texinfo
|
|
distribution, to update the main Info directory menu, like this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
install-info --info-dir=@var{dir-path} @var{dir-path}/@var{file}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
where @var{dir-path} is the full path to the directory where you copied
|
|
the produced Info file(s), and @var{file} is the name of the Info file
|
|
you produced and want to install.
|
|
|
|
If you don't have the @code{install-info} command installed, you can
|
|
edit the file @file{info/dir} in the installed Emacs distribution, and
|
|
add a line for the top level node in the Info package that you are
|
|
installing. Follow the examples already in this file. The format is:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
* Topic: (relative-pathname). Short description of topic.
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@end enumerate
|
|
|
|
If you want to install Info files and you don't have the necessary
|
|
privileges, you have several options:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
@item
|
|
Info files don't actually need to be installed before being used.
|
|
You can use a prefix argument for the @code{info} command and specify
|
|
the name of the Info file in the minibuffer. This goes to the node
|
|
named @samp{Top} in that file. For example, to view an Info file named
|
|
@file{@var{info-file}} in your home directory, you can type this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
@kbd{C-u C-h i ~/@var{info-file} @key{RET}}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, you can feed a file name to the @code{Info-goto-node}
|
|
command (invoked by pressing @kbd{g} in Info mode) by typing the name
|
|
of the file in parentheses, like this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
@kbd{C-h i g (~/@var{info-file}) @key{RET}}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can create your own Info directory. You can tell Emacs where that
|
|
Info directory is by adding its pathname to the value of the variable
|
|
@code{Info-default-directory-list}. For example, to use a private
|
|
Info directory which is a subdirectory of your home directory named
|
|
@file{Info}, you could put this in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-to-list 'Info-default-directory-list "~/Info/")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
You will need a top-level Info file named @file{dir} in this directory
|
|
which has everything the system @file{dir} file has in it, except it
|
|
should list only entries for Info files in that directory. You might
|
|
not need it if (fortuitously) all files in this directory were
|
|
referenced by other @file{dir} files. The node lists from all
|
|
@file{dir} files in @code{Info-default-directory-list} are merged by the
|
|
Info system.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Printing a Texinfo file
|
|
@section How do I print a Texinfo file?
|
|
@cindex Printing a Texinfo file
|
|
@cindex Texinfo file, printing
|
|
@cindex Printing documentation
|
|
|
|
You can't get nicely printed output from Info files; you must still have
|
|
the original Texinfo source file for the manual you want to print.
|
|
|
|
Assuming you have @TeX{} installed on your system, follow these steps:
|
|
|
|
@enumerate
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Make sure the first line of the Texinfo file looks like this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
\input texinfo
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
You may need to change @samp{texinfo} to the full pathname of the
|
|
@file{texinfo.tex} file, which comes with Emacs as
|
|
@file{doc/misc/texinfo.tex} (or copy or link it into the current directory).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Type @kbd{texi2dvi @var{texinfo-source}}, where @var{texinfo-source} is
|
|
the name of the Texinfo source file for which you want to produce a
|
|
printed copy. The @samp{texi2dvi} script is part of the GNU Texinfo
|
|
distribution.
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, @samp{texi2pdf} produces PDF files.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Print the DVI file @file{@var{texinfo-source}.dvi} in the normal way for
|
|
printing DVI files at your site. For example, if you have a PostScript
|
|
printer, run the @code{dvips} program to print the DVI file on that
|
|
printer.
|
|
|
|
@end enumerate
|
|
|
|
To get more general instructions, retrieve the latest Texinfo package
|
|
(@pxref{Installing Texinfo documentation}).
|
|
|
|
@node Viewing Info files outside of Emacs
|
|
@section Can I view Info files without using Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Viewing Info files
|
|
@cindex Info file viewers
|
|
@cindex Alternative Info file viewers
|
|
|
|
Yes. Here are some alternative programs:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
@code{info}, a stand-alone version of the Info program, comes as part of
|
|
the Texinfo package. @xref{Installing Texinfo documentation}, for
|
|
details.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Tkinfo, an Info viewer that runs under X Window system and uses Tcl/Tk.
|
|
You can get Tkinfo at
|
|
@uref{http://math-www.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/tkinfo/}.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Informational files for Emacs
|
|
@section What informational files are available for Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Informational files included with Emacs
|
|
@cindex Files included with Emacs
|
|
@cindex @file{COPYING}, description of file
|
|
@cindex @file{DISTRIB}, description of file
|
|
@cindex @file{MACHINES}, description of file
|
|
@cindex @file{NEWS}, description of file
|
|
|
|
This isn't a frequently asked question, but it should be! A variety of
|
|
informational files about Emacs and relevant aspects of the GNU project
|
|
are available for you to read.
|
|
|
|
The following files (and others) are available in the @file{etc}
|
|
directory of the Emacs distribution (@pxref{File-name conventions}, if
|
|
you're not sure where that is). Many of these files are available via
|
|
the Emacs @samp{Help} menu, or by typing @kbd{C-h ?} (@kbd{M-x
|
|
help-for-help}).
|
|
|
|
@table @file
|
|
|
|
@item COPYING
|
|
GNU General Public License
|
|
|
|
@item DISTRIB
|
|
Emacs Availability Information
|
|
|
|
@item MACHINES
|
|
Status of Emacs on Various Machines and Systems
|
|
|
|
@item NEWS
|
|
Emacs news, a history of recent user-visible changes
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
More GNU and FSF information is available at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org} and @uref{https://www.fsf.org}
|
|
|
|
@node Help installing Emacs
|
|
@section Where can I get help in installing Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Installation help
|
|
@cindex Help installing Emacs
|
|
|
|
@xref{Installing Emacs}, for some basic installation hints, and see
|
|
@ref{Problems building Emacs}, if you have problems with the installation.
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.fsf.org/resources/service/, The GNU Service directory}
|
|
lists companies and individuals willing to sell you help in installing
|
|
or using Emacs and other GNU software.
|
|
|
|
@node Obtaining the FAQ
|
|
@section Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ?
|
|
@cindex FAQ, obtaining the
|
|
@cindex Latest FAQ version, obtaining the
|
|
|
|
The Emacs FAQ is distributed with Emacs in Info format. You can read it
|
|
by selecting the @samp{Emacs FAQ} option from the @samp{Help} menu of
|
|
the Emacs menu bar at the top of any Emacs frame, or by typing @kbd{C-h
|
|
C-f} (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-FAQ}). The very latest version is available
|
|
in the Emacs development repository (@pxref{Latest version of Emacs}).
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node History of Emacs
|
|
@chapter History of Emacs
|
|
@cindex History of Emacs
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Origin of the term Emacs::
|
|
* Latest version of Emacs::
|
|
* New in Emacs 30::
|
|
* New in Emacs 29::
|
|
* New in Emacs 28::
|
|
* New in Emacs 27::
|
|
* New in Emacs 26::
|
|
* New in Emacs 25::
|
|
* New in Emacs 24::
|
|
* New in Emacs 23::
|
|
* New in Emacs 22::
|
|
* New in Emacs 21::
|
|
* New in Emacs 20::
|
|
* What was XEmacs?::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Origin of the term Emacs
|
|
@section Where does the name ``Emacs'' come from?
|
|
@cindex Origin of the term ``Emacs''
|
|
@cindex Emacs name origin
|
|
@cindex TECO
|
|
@cindex Original version of Emacs
|
|
|
|
Emacs originally was an acronym for Editor MACroS@. RMS says he ``picked
|
|
the name Emacs because @kbd{E} was not in use as an abbreviation on ITS at
|
|
the time.'' The first Emacs was a set of macros written in 1976 at MIT
|
|
by RMS for the editor TECO (Text Editor and COrrector, originally Tape
|
|
Editor and COrrector) under ITS (the Incompatible Timesharing System) on
|
|
a PDP-10. RMS had already extended TECO with a ``real-time''
|
|
full-screen mode with reprogrammable keys. Emacs was started by
|
|
@c gls@@east.sun.com
|
|
Guy Steele as a project to unify the many
|
|
divergent TECO command sets and key bindings at MIT, and completed by
|
|
RMS.
|
|
|
|
Many people have said that TECO code looks a lot like line noise; you
|
|
can read more on
|
|
@uref{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TECO_(text_editor), Wikipedia}.
|
|
Someone has written a TECO implementation in Emacs Lisp (to find it,
|
|
see @ref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}); it would be an
|
|
interesting project to run the original TECO Emacs inside of Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Why Emacs?
|
|
For some not-so-serious alternative reasons for Emacs to have that
|
|
name, check out the file @file{etc/JOKES} (@pxref{File-name
|
|
conventions}).
|
|
|
|
@node Latest version of Emacs
|
|
@section What is the latest version of Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Version, latest
|
|
@cindex Latest version of Emacs
|
|
@cindex Development, Emacs
|
|
@cindex Repository, Emacs
|
|
|
|
Emacs @value{EMACSVER} is the current version as of this writing. A version
|
|
number with two components (e.g., @samp{28.1}) indicates a released
|
|
version; three components indicate a development
|
|
version (e.g., @samp{29.0.50} is what will eventually become @samp{29.1}).
|
|
|
|
Emacs is under active development, hosted at
|
|
@uref{https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/emacs/, Savannah}.
|
|
Follow the instructions given there to clone the project repository.
|
|
|
|
Because Emacs undergoes many changes before a release, the version
|
|
number of a development version is not especially meaningful. It is
|
|
better to refer to the date on which the sources were retrieved from the
|
|
development repository. The development version is usually quite robust
|
|
for every-day use, but if stability is more important to you than the
|
|
latest features, you may want to stick to the releases.
|
|
|
|
The following sections list some of the major new features in the last
|
|
few Emacs releases. For full details of the changes in any version of
|
|
Emacs, type @kbd{C-h C-n} (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-news}). You can give
|
|
this command a prefix argument to read about which features were new
|
|
in older versions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 30
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 30?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 29 and Emacs 30
|
|
@cindex Emacs 30, new features in
|
|
|
|
Here's a list of the most important changes in Emacs 30 as compared to
|
|
Emacs 29. The full list is too long to fit here, but can be read in the
|
|
Emacs @file{NEWS} file by typing @kbd{C-h n} inside Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@item
|
|
Native compilation is now enabled by default. When Emacs is built on a
|
|
machine with @samp{libgccjit}, this will improve Emacs performance in
|
|
many typical workloads.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs has been ported to the Android operating system. See the file
|
|
@file{java/INSTALL} in the Emacs source distribution for details on how
|
|
to build it.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New user option @code{trusted-content} to allow potentially dangerous
|
|
Emacs features which could execute arbitrary Lisp code. Use this
|
|
variable to list files and directories whose contents Emacs should
|
|
trust, thus allowing those potentially dangerous features when those
|
|
files are visited.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Numerous performance improvements, for example in parsing JSON, reading
|
|
data from subprocesses, handling output from Eshell and in Shell mode, X
|
|
selection requests, remote files, and so on.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Native JSON support is now always available; libjansson is no longer
|
|
used.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New major modes based on the
|
|
@uref{https://tree-sitter.github.io/tree-sitter/, tree-sitter library}
|
|
library for editing Elixir, HEEx, HTML, Lua, and PHP.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for the EditorConfig standard has been added, an editor-neutral
|
|
way to provide directory local (project-wide) settings. It is enabled
|
|
via a new global minor mode @code{editorconfig-mode} which makes Emacs
|
|
obey the @file{.editorconfig} files.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for touchscreens has been improved. On systems that understand
|
|
them (at present X, Android, PGTK, and MS-Windows), many touch screen
|
|
gestures are now implemented and translated into mouse or gesture
|
|
events, and support for tapping tool bar buttons and opening menus has
|
|
been added.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Tool bar tweaks. The new minor mode @code{window-tool-bar-mode}
|
|
provides a per-window toolbar. Toolbars can be placed on the bottom of
|
|
a frame by setting the @code{tool-bar-position} variable on all window
|
|
systems but GNUStep and macOS.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The @samp{which-key} package from GNU ELPA is now included in Emacs.
|
|
After enabling the minor mode mode @code{which-key-mode}, if you enter
|
|
@kbd{C-x} and wait for one second, the minibuffer will expand with all
|
|
available key bindings that follow @kbd{C-x} (or as many as space
|
|
allows).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New global minor mode @code{kill-ring-deindent-mode}. When enabled,
|
|
text being saved to the kill ring will be de-indented by the column
|
|
number at its start.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New minor mode @code{visual-wrap-prefix-mode}. Unlike @kbd{M-q}, the
|
|
indentation only happens on display, and doesn't change the buffer text
|
|
in any way.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Automatic regeneration of TAGS files using the new global minor mode
|
|
@code{etags-regen-mode}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Improved warnings from the byte-code compiler to aid Lisp developers.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for underline colors on TTY frames.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 29
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 29?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 28 and Emacs 29
|
|
@cindex Emacs 29, new features in
|
|
|
|
Here's a list of the most important changes in Emacs 29 as compared to
|
|
Emacs 28 (the full list is too long, and can be read in the Emacs
|
|
@file{NEWS} file by typing @kbd{C-h n} inside Emacs).
|
|
|
|
Note that Emacs 29.3 and 29.4 both contained important security fixes.
|
|
Upgrading is particularly important if you use Emacs as a mail client.
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now be built with the
|
|
@uref{https://tree-sitter.github.io/tree-sitter/, tree-sitter
|
|
library}, which provides incremental parsing capabilities for several
|
|
programming languages. Emacs comes with several major modes which use
|
|
this library for syntax highlighting (a.k.a. ``fontification''),
|
|
indentation, Imenu support, etc. These modes have names
|
|
@code{@var{lang}-ts-mode}, where @var{lang} is the programming
|
|
language. For example, @code{c-ts-mode}, @code{ruby-ts-mode}, etc.
|
|
There are several new font-lock faces, such as
|
|
@code{font-lock-number-face} and @code{font-lock-operator-face},
|
|
intended to be used with these modes.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now be built in the PGTK (``pure GTK'') configuration, which
|
|
supports running Emacs on window systems other than X, such as Wayland
|
|
and Broadway.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now has built-in support for accessing SQLite databases. This
|
|
requires Emacs to be built with the optional @file{sqlite3} library.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs comes with the popular @code{use-package} package bundled.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now display WebP images, if it was built with the optional
|
|
@file{libwebp} library.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
On X window system, Emacs now supports the XInput2 specification for
|
|
input events.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now comes with a client library for using Language Server
|
|
Protocol (@acronym{LSP}) servers. This library, named @file{eglot.el}
|
|
(the name stands for ``Emacs polyGlot'') provides LSP support for
|
|
various software development and maintenance features, such as
|
|
@code{xref}, Imenu, ElDoc, etc.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now cope with files with very long lines much better. It no
|
|
longer hangs when displaying such long lines, and allows
|
|
reasonably-responsive editing when such lines are present in the
|
|
visible portion of a buffer.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports the latest version 15.0 of the Unicode Standard.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The new mode @code{pixel-scroll-precision-mode} allows precise and
|
|
smooth scrolling of the display at pixel resolution, if your mouse
|
|
supports this.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports 24-bit true colors on more terminals.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
On capable X terminal emulators, Emacs now supports setting the X
|
|
primary selection on TTY frames.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New convenient commands are now available for inserting, searching,
|
|
listing, and describing Emoji. These commands are on the @w{@kbd{C-x
|
|
8 e}} prefix key. The commands @kbd{C-u C-x =}
|
|
(@code{what-cursor-position}) and @kbd{M-x describe-char} now show the
|
|
names of Emoji sequences at point.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The Help commands were enhanced:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @minus
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{M-x apropos-variable} shows the values of the matching variables.
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{C-h b} activates @code{outline-minor-mode} in the buffer, which
|
|
makes it easier to browse long lists of key bindings.
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{I} in the @file{*Help*} buffer displays the corresponding
|
|
documentation in the Emacs Lisp Reference manual.
|
|
@item
|
|
New command @code{help-quick} displays a buffer with overview of
|
|
common Help commands.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Outline Minor mode uses buttons to hide and show outlines.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Deleted frames can now be undeleted using @kbd{C-x 5 u}, if the
|
|
optional @code{undelete-frame-mode} is enabled.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can now delete the entire composed sequence of characters with
|
|
@key{Delete} and edits the composed sequence by turning on the
|
|
@code{composition-break-at-point} option.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support is added for many old scripts and writing systems, such as Tai
|
|
Tham, Brahmi, Tirhuta, Modi, Lepcha, and many others.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New translations of the Emacs tutorial: Ukrainian and Greek.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New major modes for Typescript, Csharp, CMake, Go, Rust, and Yaml.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 28
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 28?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 27 and Emacs 28
|
|
@cindex Emacs 28, new features in
|
|
|
|
Emacs 28 has too many new features and changes to list all of them
|
|
here. We list below a small selection; consult the Emacs @file{NEWS}
|
|
file (@kbd{C-h n}) for the full list of changes in Emacs 28.
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex native compilation of Lisp files
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now optionally supports native compilation of Lisp files. This
|
|
can improves performance significantly in some cases. To enable this,
|
|
configure Emacs with the @option{--with-native-compilation} option.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The new NonGNU ELPA archive is enabled by default alongside GNU ELPA.
|
|
Thus, packages on NonGNU ELPA will appear by default in the list shown
|
|
by the @code{list-packages} command.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The Cairo graphics library is now used by default if present.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
On GNU/Linux, Emacs now supports loading Secure Computing filters. To
|
|
use this feature, invoke Emacs with the @option{--seccomp=@var{file}}
|
|
command-line switch, where @var{file} names a binary file that defines
|
|
the filtering. See the manual page of the @code{seccomp} system call
|
|
for more details.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The new themes @samp{modus-vivendi} and @samp{modus-operandi} have
|
|
been added. They are designed to conform with the highest standard
|
|
for color-contrast accessibility (WCAG AAA).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
On capable systems, Emacs now correctly displays Emoji and Emoji
|
|
sequences by default, provided that a suitable font is available.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New system for displaying documentation for groups of functions
|
|
(@kbd{M-x shortdoc-display-group RET}).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now support 24-bit color text-mode terminals even if their
|
|
terminfo database doesn't state this support in a standard way. Set
|
|
the @env{COLORTERM} environment variable to the value @samp{truecolor}
|
|
to activate this.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The @code{strike-through} face attribute is now supported on capable
|
|
text-mode terminals.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
@code{xterm-mouse-mode} supports TTY menus.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
A new minor mode @code{context-menu-mode} causes @code{mouse-3}
|
|
(a.k.a.@: ``right-clicks'') of the mouse to pop up context-dependent
|
|
menus.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Prefix commands to control the display of the results of the next
|
|
command. @kbd{C-x 4 4 @var{command}} displays the result of
|
|
@var{command} in a new window. @kbd{C-x 5 5 @var{command}} displays
|
|
the results of @var{command} in a new frame.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports ``transient'' input methods. A transient input
|
|
method is enabled for inserting a single character, and is then
|
|
automatically disabled. Select a transient input method with @kbd{C-u
|
|
C-x \}; enable it (for inserting a single character) with @kbd{C-x \}.
|
|
New input methods @code{compose} (based on X Window System Multi_key
|
|
sequences) and @code{iso-transl} are especially convenient with this
|
|
feature, when you need to insert a single special character.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{M-y}, when invoked after a command that is not a yank command,
|
|
allows selection of one of the previous kills.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
New minor mode @code{repeat-mode} enables repeating commands with
|
|
fewer keystrokes.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Among the many internal changes in this release, we would like to
|
|
highlight that all files in the tree now use @code{lexical-binding}.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 27
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 27?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 26 and Emacs 27
|
|
@cindex Emacs 27, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex bignum support
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now uses the GNU Multiple Precision (@acronym{GMP}) library to
|
|
support integers whose size is too large to support natively. The
|
|
integers supported natively are known as ``fixnums'', while the larger
|
|
ones are ``bignums''. All the arithmetic, comparison, and logical
|
|
(also known as ``bitwise'') operations where bignums make sense now
|
|
support both fixnums and bignums.
|
|
|
|
@cindex HarfBuzz
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now uses HarfBuzz as its default shaping engine.
|
|
|
|
@cindex JSON, native parsing
|
|
@item
|
|
Native support for @acronym{JSON} parsing that is much faster than
|
|
@file{json.el}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Cairo drawing is no longer experimental.
|
|
|
|
@cindex portable dumper
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now uses a ``portable dumper'' instead of unexec. This improves
|
|
compatibility with memory allocation on modern systems, and in
|
|
particular better supports the Address Space Layout Randomization
|
|
(@acronym{ASLR}) feature, a security technique used by most modern
|
|
operating systems.
|
|
|
|
@cindex XDG convention
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now use the @acronym{XDG} convention for init files.
|
|
|
|
@cindex early init file
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now be configured using an early init file. The primary
|
|
purpose is to allow customizing how the package system is initialized
|
|
given that initialization now happens before loading the regular init
|
|
file.
|
|
|
|
@cindex tabs
|
|
@item
|
|
Built-in support for tabs (tab bar and tab line).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for resizing and rotating of images without ImageMagick.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.27} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 27.
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 26
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 26?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 25 and Emacs 26
|
|
@cindex Emacs 26, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex threads
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now provides a limited form of concurrency with Lisp threads.
|
|
|
|
@cindex systemd support
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports @code{systemd}. The new command-line option
|
|
@option{--fg-daemon} is part of this support, it causes Emacs to run
|
|
in the foreground instead of forking, as under @option{--daemon}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports 24-bit true color on text terminals which provide
|
|
that feature. @xref{Colors on a TTY}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex double-buffering
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs on X now supports double-buffering, which eliminates display
|
|
flickering in most situations.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can now scroll the Emacs display horizontally using the mouse or
|
|
touchpad.
|
|
|
|
@cindex line number display
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs display now includes an optional feature for display of line
|
|
numbers via the @code{display-line-numbers-mode} command. This
|
|
feature is much faster than the equivalent display offered by packages
|
|
such as @code{linum}, and also provides many optional features like
|
|
relative line numbers.
|
|
|
|
@cindex horizontal scrolling of current line
|
|
@item
|
|
The automatic horizontal scrolling of the window display when lines
|
|
are truncated can now optionally be enabled only for the current line,
|
|
the line where Emacs shows the cursor. Under this mode, all the other
|
|
window lines are not scrolled to show characters outside of the
|
|
viewport.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Letter-case conversions now honor special cases in Turkish and Greek
|
|
scripts.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Enchant support
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for Enchant is now part of the Emacs spell-checking commands.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Tramp now supports Google Drive filesystems.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now be built while omitting the details of the machine on
|
|
which it was built, thus making it easier to produce reproducible
|
|
builds.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Security vulnerability related to Enriched Text mode is removed.
|
|
Enriched mode previously allowed saving @code{display} properties as
|
|
part of text; those properties support evaluating arbitrary Lisp code,
|
|
which opens a vulnerability for Emacs users receiving Enriched Text
|
|
from external sources. Execution of arbitrary Lisp forms in
|
|
@code{display} properties decoded by Enriched Text mode is now
|
|
disabled by default.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Unicode 11.0.0
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs 26.2 comes with data files imported from the latest Unicode
|
|
Standard version 11.0.0.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.26} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 26.
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 25
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 25?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 24 and Emacs 25
|
|
@cindex Emacs 25, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex xwidgets
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now embed native widgets inside Emacs buffers, if you have
|
|
gtk3 and webkitgtk3 installed. E.g., to access the embedded webkit
|
|
browser widget, type @kbd{M-x xwidget-webkit-browse-url}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex loadable modules
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now dynamically load external modules compiled as shared
|
|
libraries.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Unicode characters, typing easily
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{C-x 8} has new shorthands for several popular characters, type
|
|
@kbd{C-x 8 C-h} to list shorthands.
|
|
|
|
@cindex automatic display of Lisp APIs
|
|
@item
|
|
A new minor mode @code{global-eldoc-mode} is enabled by default, and
|
|
shows in the echo area or in the mode line the argument list of the
|
|
Emacs Lisp form at point.
|
|
|
|
@cindex pasting text on text terminals
|
|
@cindex bracketed paste mode
|
|
@item
|
|
On text terminals that support the ``bracketed paste mode'' Emacs now
|
|
uses that mode by default. This mode allows Emacs to distinguish
|
|
between pasted text and text typed by the user.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Unicode 9.0.0
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs 25 comes with data files imported from the latest Unicode
|
|
Standard version 9.0.0.
|
|
|
|
@cindex bidirectional editing
|
|
@item
|
|
The support for bidirectional editing was updated to include all the
|
|
features mandated by the latest Unicode Standard version 9.0.0.
|
|
|
|
@cindex character folding in searches
|
|
@item
|
|
Search command can now perform character folding in matches. This is
|
|
analogous to case folding, but instead of disregarding case variants,
|
|
it disregards wider classes of distinctions between similar
|
|
characters, such as matching different variants of double quote
|
|
characters, ignoring diacritics, etc.
|
|
|
|
@cindex eww
|
|
@item
|
|
The Emacs Web Browser EWW was extended to render text using
|
|
variable-pitch fonts, and got other new features.
|
|
|
|
@cindex rmail, and HTML mails
|
|
@item
|
|
Rmail can now render HTML mail messages, if Emacs is built with
|
|
libxml2 or if you have the Lynx browser installed.
|
|
|
|
@cindex support for push commands in VC
|
|
@item
|
|
VC now has basic support for @code{push} commands, implemented for
|
|
Bzr, Git, and Hg.
|
|
|
|
@cindex hide-ifdef, C/C@t{++} expressions in macros
|
|
@item
|
|
Hide-IfDef mode now support full C/C@t{++} expressions in macros,
|
|
macro argument expansion, interactive macro evaluation and automatic
|
|
scanning of @code{#define}d symbols.
|
|
|
|
@cindex xref
|
|
@item
|
|
New package Xref replaces Etags's front-end and UI@. Xref provides a
|
|
generic framework and new commands to find and move to definitions of
|
|
functions, macros, data structures etc., as well as go back to the
|
|
location where you were before moving to a definition. It supersedes
|
|
and obsoletes many Etags commands, while still using the etags.el code
|
|
that reads the TAGS tables as one of its back-ends. As result, the
|
|
popular key bindings @kbd{M-.} and @kbd{M-,} have been changed to
|
|
invoke Xref commands.
|
|
|
|
@cindex project
|
|
@item
|
|
The new package Project provides generic infrastructure for dealing
|
|
with projects.
|
|
|
|
@cindex horizontal scroll bars
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can now draw horizontal scroll bars on some platforms that
|
|
provide toolkit scroll bars, namely Gtk+, Lucid, Motif and Windows.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.25} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 25.
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 24
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 24?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 23 and Emacs 24
|
|
@cindex Emacs 24, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex packages, installing more
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now includes a package manager. Type @kbd{M-x list-packages} to
|
|
get started. You can use this to download and automatically install
|
|
many more Lisp packages.
|
|
|
|
@cindex lexical binding
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs Lisp now supports lexical binding on a per-file basis. In
|
|
@emph{lexical binding}, variable references must be located textually
|
|
within the binding construct. This contrasts with @emph{dynamic
|
|
binding}, where programs can refer to variables defined outside their
|
|
local textual scope. A Lisp file can use a local variable setting of
|
|
@code{lexical-binding: t} to indicate that the contents should be
|
|
interpreted using lexical binding. See the Emacs Lisp Reference
|
|
Manual for more details.
|
|
|
|
@cindex bidirectional display
|
|
@cindex right-to-left languages
|
|
@item
|
|
Some human languages, such as English, are written from left to right.
|
|
Others, such as Arabic, are written from right to left. Emacs now has
|
|
support for any mixture of these forms---this is ``bidirectional text''.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Handling of text selections has been improved, and now integrates
|
|
better with external clipboards.
|
|
|
|
@cindex themes
|
|
@item
|
|
A new command @kbd{customize-themes} allows you to easily change the
|
|
appearance of your Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can be compiled with the GTK+ 3 toolkit.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Support for several new external libraries can be included at compile
|
|
time:
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
``Security-Enhanced Linux'' (SELinux) is a Linux kernel feature that
|
|
provides more sophisticated file access controls than ordinary
|
|
``Unix-style'' file permissions.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The ImageMagick display library. This allows you to display many more
|
|
image format in Emacs, as well as carry out transformations such as
|
|
rotations.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The GnuTLS library for secure network communications. Emacs uses this
|
|
transparently for email if your mail server supports it.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The libxml2 library for parsing XML structures.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Much more flexibility in the handling of windows and buffer display.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.24} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 24.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 23
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 23?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 22 and Emacs 23
|
|
@cindex Emacs 23, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
|
|
@cindex Anti-aliased fonts
|
|
@cindex Freetype fonts
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs has a new font code that can use multiple font backends,
|
|
including freetype and fontconfig. Emacs can use the Xft library for
|
|
anti-aliasing, and the otf and m17n libraries for complex text layout and
|
|
text shaping.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Unicode
|
|
@cindex Character sets
|
|
@item
|
|
The Emacs character set is now a superset of Unicode. Several new
|
|
language environments have been added.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Multi-tty support
|
|
@cindex X and tty displays
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now supports using both X displays and ttys in the same session
|
|
(@samp{multi-tty}).
|
|
|
|
@cindex Daemon mode
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can be started as a daemon in the background.
|
|
|
|
@cindex NeXTstep port
|
|
@cindex GNUstep port
|
|
@cindex macOS Cocoa
|
|
@item
|
|
There is a new NeXTstep port of Emacs. This supports GNUstep and Mac OS
|
|
X (via the Cocoa libraries). The Carbon port of Emacs, which supported
|
|
Mac OS X in Emacs 22, has been removed.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Directory-local variables
|
|
@item
|
|
Directory-local variables can now be defined, in a similar manner to
|
|
file-local variables.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Transient Mark mode is on by default.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
Other changes include: support for serial port access; D-Bus bindings; a
|
|
new Visual Line mode for line-motion; improved completion; a new mode
|
|
(@samp{DocView}) for viewing of PDF, PostScript, and DVI documents; nXML
|
|
mode (for editing XML documents) is included; VC has been updated for
|
|
newer version control systems; etc.
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.23} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 23.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 22
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 22?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 21 and Emacs 22
|
|
@cindex Emacs 22, new features in
|
|
|
|
@itemize
|
|
@cindex GTK+ Toolkit
|
|
@cindex Drag-and-drop
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs can be built with GTK+ widgets, and supports drag-and-drop
|
|
operation on X.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Supported systems
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs 22 features support for GNU/Linux systems on S390 and x86-64
|
|
machines, as well as support for the Mac OS X and Cygwin operating
|
|
systems.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The native MS-Windows, and Mac OS X builds include full support
|
|
for images, toolbar, and tooltips.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Font Lock mode, Auto Compression mode, and File Name Shadow Mode are
|
|
enabled by default.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The maximum size of buffers is increased: on 32-bit machines, it is
|
|
256 MBytes for Emacs 23.1, and 512 MBytes for Emacs 23.2 and above.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Links can be followed with @kbd{mouse-1}, in addition to @kbd{mouse-2}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Mouse wheel
|
|
@item
|
|
Mouse wheel support is enabled by default.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Window fringes are customizable.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The mode line of the selected window is now highlighted.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The minibuffer prompt is displayed in a distinct face.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Abbrev definitions are read automatically at startup.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Grep mode is separate from Compilation mode and has many new options and
|
|
commands specific to grep.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The original Emacs macro system has been replaced by the new Kmacro
|
|
package, which provides many new commands and features and a simple
|
|
interface that uses the function keys F3 and F4. Macros are stored in a
|
|
macro ring, and can be debugged and edited interactively.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The Grand Unified Debugger (GUD) can be used with a full graphical user
|
|
interface to GDB; this provides many features found in traditional
|
|
development environments, making it easy to manipulate breakpoints, add
|
|
watch points, display the call stack, etc. Breakpoints are visually
|
|
indicated in the source buffer.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
@cindex New modes
|
|
Many new modes and packages have been included in Emacs, such as Calc,
|
|
TRAMP, URL, IDO, CUA, ERC, rcirc, Table, Image-Dired, SES, Ruler, Org,
|
|
PGG, Flymake, Password, Printing, Reveal, wdired, t-mouse, longlines,
|
|
savehist, Conf mode, Python mode, DNS mode, etc.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Multilingual Environment
|
|
@item
|
|
Leim is now part of Emacs. Unicode support has been much improved, and
|
|
the following input methods have been added: belarusian, bulgarian-bds,
|
|
bulgarian-phonetic, chinese-sisheng, croatian, dutch, georgian,
|
|
latin-alt-postfix, latin-postfix, latin-prefix, latvian-keyboard,
|
|
lithuanian-numeric, lithuanian-keyboard, malayalam-inscript, rfc1345,
|
|
russian-computer, sgml, slovenian, tamil-inscript, ucs,
|
|
ukrainian-computer, vietnamese-telex, and welsh.
|
|
|
|
The following language environments have also been added: Belarusian,
|
|
Bulgarian, Chinese-EUC-TW, Croatian, French, Georgian, Italian, Latin-6,
|
|
Latin-7, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish,
|
|
Tajik, Tamil, UTF-8, Ukrainian, Welsh, and Windows-1255.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Documentation
|
|
@cindex Emacs Lisp Manual
|
|
@item
|
|
In addition, Emacs 22 now includes the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual
|
|
(@pxref{Emacs Lisp documentation}) and the Emacs Lisp Intro.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.22} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 22.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 21
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 21?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 20 and Emacs 21
|
|
@cindex Emacs 21, new features in
|
|
|
|
@cindex Variable-size fonts
|
|
@cindex Toolbar support
|
|
Emacs 21 features a thorough rewrite of the display engine. The new
|
|
display engine supports variable-size fonts, images, and can play sounds
|
|
on platforms which support that. As a result, the visual appearance of
|
|
Emacs, when it runs on a windowed display, is much more reminiscent of
|
|
modern GUI programs, and includes 3D widgets (used for the mode line and
|
|
the scroll bars), a configurable and extensible toolbar, tooltips
|
|
(a.k.a.@: balloon help), and other niceties.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Colors on text-only terminals
|
|
@cindex TTY colors
|
|
In addition, Emacs 21 supports faces on text-only terminals. This means
|
|
that you can now have colors when you run Emacs on a GNU/Linux console
|
|
and on @code{xterm} with @kbd{emacs -nw}.
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.21} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 21.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node New in Emacs 20
|
|
@section What is different about Emacs 20?
|
|
@cindex Differences between Emacs 19 and Emacs 20
|
|
@cindex Emacs 20, new features in
|
|
|
|
The differences between Emacs versions 18 and 19 were rather dramatic;
|
|
the introduction of frames, faces, and colors on windowing systems was
|
|
obvious to even the most casual user.
|
|
|
|
There are differences between Emacs versions 19 and 20 as well, but many
|
|
are more subtle or harder to find. Among the changes are the inclusion
|
|
of MULE code for languages that use non-Latin characters and for mixing
|
|
several languages in the same document; the ``Customize'' facility for
|
|
modifying variables without having to use Lisp; and automatic conversion
|
|
of files from Macintosh, Microsoft, and Unix platforms.
|
|
|
|
Consult the Emacs @file{NEWS.20} file for the full list of changes in
|
|
Emacs 20.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node What was XEmacs?
|
|
@section What was XEmacs?
|
|
@cindex XEmacs
|
|
|
|
XEmacs was a branch version of Emacs that is no longer actively
|
|
developed. Originally known as ``Lucid Emacs'', XEmacs was forked
|
|
from a prerelease version of Emacs 19. XEmacs last released a new
|
|
version on January 30, 2009, which lacks many important features that
|
|
exist in Emacs. Since its development has stopped, we do not expect
|
|
to see any new releases.
|
|
|
|
In the past, it was not uncommon for Emacs packages to include code
|
|
for compatibility with XEmacs. Nowadays, most built-in and third party
|
|
packages have either stopped supporting XEmacs or were developed
|
|
exclusively for Emacs.
|
|
|
|
If you want to talk about these two versions and distinguish them,
|
|
please call them ``Emacs'' and ``XEmacs.'' To contrast ``XEmacs''
|
|
with ``GNU Emacs'' would be misleading, since XEmacs too has its
|
|
origin in the work of the GNU Project. Terms such as ``Emacsen'' and
|
|
``(X)Emacs'' are not wrong, but they are not very clear, so it
|
|
is better to write ``Emacs and XEmacs.''
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Common requests
|
|
@chapter Common requests
|
|
@cindex Common requests
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Setting up a customization file::
|
|
* Using Customize::
|
|
* Colors on a TTY::
|
|
* Debugging a customization file::
|
|
* Displaying the current line or column::
|
|
* Displaying the current file name in the titlebar::
|
|
* Turning on abbrevs by default::
|
|
* Associating modes with files::
|
|
* Replacing highlighted text::
|
|
* Controlling case sensitivity::
|
|
* Working with unprintable characters::
|
|
* Searching for/replacing newlines::
|
|
* Yanking text in isearch::
|
|
* Wrapping words automatically::
|
|
* Turning on auto-fill by default::
|
|
* Changing load-path::
|
|
* Using an already running Emacs process::
|
|
* Compiler error messages::
|
|
* Indenting switch statements::
|
|
* Customizing C and C++ indentation::
|
|
* Overwrite mode::
|
|
* Turning off beeping::
|
|
* Turning the volume down::
|
|
* Automatic indentation::
|
|
* Matching parentheses::
|
|
* Hiding #ifdef lines::
|
|
* Repeating commands::
|
|
* Valid X resources::
|
|
* Evaluating Emacs Lisp code::
|
|
* Changing the length of a Tab::
|
|
* Inserting text at the beginning of each line::
|
|
* Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column::
|
|
* Forcing Emacs to iconify itself::
|
|
* Using regular expressions::
|
|
* Replacing text across multiple files::
|
|
* Documentation for etags::
|
|
* Disabling backups::
|
|
* Disabling auto-save-mode::
|
|
* Not writing files to the current directory::
|
|
* Going to a line by number::
|
|
* Modifying pull-down menus::
|
|
* Deleting menus and menu options::
|
|
* Turning on syntax highlighting::
|
|
* Scrolling only one line::
|
|
* Editing Windows files::
|
|
* Filling paragraphs with a single space::
|
|
* Escape sequences in shell output::
|
|
* Start Emacs maximized::
|
|
* Emacs in a Linux console::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Setting up a customization file
|
|
@section How do I set up an init file properly?
|
|
@cindex @file{.emacs} file, setting up
|
|
@cindex @file{.emacs.d/init.el} file, setting up
|
|
@cindex Init file, setting up
|
|
@cindex Init file, locating
|
|
@cindex Customization file, setting up
|
|
|
|
When Emacs is started, it normally tries to load a Lisp program from
|
|
an @dfn{initialization file}, or @dfn{init file} for short. This
|
|
file, if it exists, specifies how to initialize Emacs for you.
|
|
Traditionally, file @file{~/.emacs} is used as the init file, although
|
|
Emacs also looks at @file{~/.emacs.el}, @file{~/.emacs.d/init.el},
|
|
@file{~/.config/emacs/init.el}, or other locations.
|
|
@xref{Init File,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
Emacs includes the Customize facility (@pxref{Using Customize}). This
|
|
allows users who are unfamiliar with Emacs Lisp to modify their
|
|
init files in a relatively straightforward way, using menus
|
|
rather than Lisp code.
|
|
|
|
While Customize might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs,
|
|
consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your
|
|
init file directly. Simple configuration options are described
|
|
rather completely in @ref{Init File,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual},
|
|
for users interested in performing frequently requested, basic tasks.
|
|
|
|
In general, new Emacs users should not be provided with init
|
|
files, because this can cause confusing non-standard behavior. Then
|
|
they send questions to
|
|
@url{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gnu-emacs,
|
|
the help-gnu-emacs mailing list} asking why Emacs
|
|
isn't behaving as documented.
|
|
|
|
@node Using Customize
|
|
@section How do I start using Customize?
|
|
@cindex Customize groups
|
|
@cindex Customizing variables
|
|
@cindex Customizing faces
|
|
|
|
The main Customize entry point is @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET}}. This
|
|
command takes you to a buffer listing all the available Customize
|
|
groups. From there, you can access all customizable options and faces,
|
|
change their values, and save your changes to your init file.
|
|
@xref{Easy Customization,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
If you know the name of the group in advance (e.g., ``shell''), use
|
|
@kbd{M-x customize-group @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
If you wish to customize a single option, use @kbd{M-x customize-option
|
|
@key{RET}}. This command prompts you for the name of the option to
|
|
customize, with completion.
|
|
|
|
@node Colors on a TTY
|
|
@section How do I get colors and syntax highlighting on a TTY?
|
|
@cindex Colors on a TTY
|
|
@cindex Syntax highlighting on a TTY
|
|
@cindex Console, colors
|
|
|
|
Colors and faces are supported in non-windowed mode, i.e., on Unix and
|
|
GNU/Linux text-only terminals and consoles, and when invoked as
|
|
@samp{emacs -nw} on X, MS-Windows and MS-DOS. Emacs automatically
|
|
detects color support at startup and uses it if available. If you
|
|
think that your terminal supports colors, but Emacs won't use them,
|
|
check the @code{termcap} entry for your display type for color-related
|
|
capabilities.
|
|
|
|
If by contrast you wish to @emph{disable} tty color support, either
|
|
start emacs with the @samp{--color=no} command-line option, or ensure
|
|
that the frame parameter @code{tty-color-mode} is @code{no}, for example
|
|
by putting the following in your init file:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(push '(tty-color-mode . no) default-frame-alist)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
To disable tty color support in the @emph{current} frame you can
|
|
evaluate:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(set-frame-parameter nil 'tty-color-mode 'no)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Note that this currently doesn't work on MS-Windows and MS-DOS, whose
|
|
text-mode terminals always use the fixed number of 16 text colors.
|
|
|
|
The command @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} pops up a window which
|
|
exhibits all the colors Emacs knows about on the current display.
|
|
|
|
Syntax highlighting is also on by default on text-only terminals.
|
|
|
|
@cindex direct color in terminals
|
|
Emacs 26.1 and later support direct color mode in terminals. If Emacs
|
|
finds Terminfo capabilities @samp{setb24} and @samp{setf24}, 24-bit
|
|
direct color mode is used. The capability strings are expected to
|
|
take one 24-bit pixel value as argument and transform the pixel to a
|
|
string that can be used to send 24-bit colors to the terminal.
|
|
|
|
Standard terminal definitions don't support these capabilities and
|
|
therefore custom definition is needed.
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ cat terminfo-custom.src
|
|
|
|
xterm-emacs|xterm with 24-bit direct color mode for Emacs,
|
|
use=xterm-256color,
|
|
setb24=\E[48\:2\:\:%p1%@{65536@}%/%d\:%p1%@{256@}%/%@{255@}%&\
|
|
%d\:%p1%@{255@}%&%dm,
|
|
setf24=\E[38\:2\:\:%p1%@{65536@}%/%d\:%p1%@{256@}%/%@{255@}%&\
|
|
%d\:%p1%@{255@}%&%dm,
|
|
|
|
$ tic -x -o ~/.terminfo terminfo-custom.src
|
|
|
|
$ TERM=xterm-emacs emacs -nw
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@cindex 24-bit direct color mode
|
|
Emacs 27.1 and later support Terminfo capability @samp{RGB} for
|
|
detecting 24-bit direct color mode. Multiple standard terminal
|
|
definitions support this capability.
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ TERM=xterm-direct infocmp | grep seta[bf]
|
|
|
|
setab=\E[%?%p1%@{8@}%<%t4%p1%d%e48\:2\:\:%p1%@{65536@}%/\
|
|
%d\:%p1%@{256@}%/%@{255@}%&%d\:%p1%@{255@}%&%d%;m,
|
|
setaf=\E[%?%p1%@{8@}%<%t3%p1%d%e38\:2\:\:%p1%@{65536@}%/\
|
|
%d\:%p1%@{256@}%/%@{255@}%&%d\:%p1%@{255@}%&%d%;m,
|
|
|
|
$ TERM=xterm-direct emacs -nw
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
If your terminal is incompatible with XTerm, you may have to use
|
|
another @env{TERM} definition. Any terminal whose name includes
|
|
@samp{direct} should be a candidate. The @command{toe} command can be
|
|
used to find out which of these are installed on your system:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ toe | grep '\-direct'
|
|
|
|
konsole-direct konsole with direct-color indexing
|
|
vte-direct vte with direct-color indexing
|
|
st-direct st with direct-color indexing
|
|
xterm-direct2 xterm with direct-color indexing (old)
|
|
xterm-direct xterm with direct-color indexing
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
If Terminfo database is not available, but 24-bit direct color mode is
|
|
supported, it can still be enabled by defining the environment
|
|
variable @env{COLORTERM} to @samp{truecolor}.
|
|
|
|
Terminals with @samp{RGB} capability treat pixels #000001 - #000007 as
|
|
indexed colors to maintain backward compatibility with applications
|
|
that are unaware of direct color mode. Therefore the seven darkest
|
|
blue shades may not be available. If this is a problem, you can
|
|
always use custom terminal definition with @samp{setb24} and
|
|
@samp{setf24}.
|
|
|
|
@node Debugging a customization file
|
|
@section How do I debug an init file?
|
|
@cindex Debugging @file{.emacs.d/init.el} file
|
|
@cindex Debugging init file
|
|
@cindex @file{.emacs.d/init.el} debugging
|
|
@cindex Init file debugging
|
|
@cindex @samp{-debug-init} option
|
|
|
|
Start Emacs with the @samp{-debug-init} command-line option. This
|
|
enables the Emacs Lisp debugger before evaluating your init
|
|
file, and places you in the debugger if something goes wrong. The top
|
|
line in the @file{trace-back} buffer will be the error message, and the
|
|
second or third line of that buffer will display the Lisp code from your
|
|
init file that caused the problem.
|
|
|
|
You can also evaluate an individual function or argument to a function
|
|
in your init file by moving the cursor to the end of the
|
|
function or argument and typing @kbd{C-x C-e} (@kbd{M-x
|
|
eval-last-sexp}).
|
|
|
|
Use @kbd{C-h v} (@kbd{M-x describe-variable}) to check the value of
|
|
variables which you are trying to set or use.
|
|
|
|
@node Displaying the current line or column
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs display the current line (or column) number?
|
|
@cindex @code{line-number-mode}
|
|
@cindex Displaying the current line or column
|
|
@cindex Line number, displaying the current
|
|
@cindex Column, displaying the current
|
|
@cindex @code{mode-line-format}
|
|
|
|
By default, Emacs displays the current line number of the point in the
|
|
mode line. You can toggle this feature off or on with the command
|
|
@kbd{M-x line-number-mode}, or by setting the variable
|
|
@code{line-number-mode}. Note that Emacs will not display the line
|
|
number if the buffer's size in bytes is larger than the value of the
|
|
variable @code{line-number-display-limit}.
|
|
|
|
You can similarly display the current column with
|
|
@kbd{M-x column-number-mode}, or by putting the form
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq column-number-mode t)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}). This
|
|
feature is off by default.
|
|
|
|
The @code{"%c"} format specifier in the variable @code{mode-line-format}
|
|
will insert the current column's value into the mode line. See the
|
|
documentation for @code{mode-line-format} (using @kbd{C-h v
|
|
mode-line-format @key{RET}}) for more information on how to set and use
|
|
this variable.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Set number capability in @code{vi} emulators
|
|
The @samp{display-line-numbers} package (added to Emacs in version
|
|
26.1) displays line numbers in the text area, before each line, like
|
|
the ``set number'' capability of @samp{vi}. Customize the
|
|
buffer-local variable @code{display-line-numbers} to activate this
|
|
optional display. Alternatively, you can use the
|
|
@code{display-line-numbers-mode} minor mode or the global
|
|
@code{global-display-line-numbers-mode}. When using these modes,
|
|
customize @code{display-line-numbers-type} with the same value as you
|
|
would use with @code{display-line-numbers}.
|
|
|
|
@node Displaying the current file name in the titlebar
|
|
@section How can I modify the titlebar to contain the current file name?
|
|
@cindex Titlebar, displaying the current file name in
|
|
@cindex File name, displaying in the titlebar
|
|
@cindex @code{frame-title-format}
|
|
|
|
The contents of an Emacs frame's titlebar is controlled by the variable
|
|
@code{frame-title-format}, which has the same structure as the variable
|
|
@code{mode-line-format}. (Use @kbd{C-h v} or @kbd{M-x
|
|
describe-variable} to get information about one or both of these
|
|
variables.)
|
|
|
|
By default, the titlebar for a frame does contain the name of the buffer
|
|
currently being visited, except if there is a single frame. In such a
|
|
case, the titlebar contains Emacs invocation name and the name of the
|
|
machine at which Emacs was invoked. This is done by setting
|
|
@code{frame-title-format} to the default value of
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(multiple-frames "%b" ("" "%b - GNU Emacs at " system-name))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
To modify the behavior such that frame titlebars contain the buffer's
|
|
name regardless of the number of existing frames, include the following
|
|
in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq frame-title-format "%b")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Turning on abbrevs by default
|
|
@section How do I turn on abbrevs by default just in mode @var{mymode}?
|
|
@cindex Abbrevs, turning on by default
|
|
|
|
Abbrev mode expands abbreviations as you type them. To turn it on in
|
|
a specific buffer, use @kbd{M-x abbrev-mode}. To turn it on in every
|
|
buffer by default, put this in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq-default abbrev-mode t)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent To turn it on in a specific mode, use:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook '@var{mymode}-mode-hook
|
|
(lambda ()
|
|
(setq abbrev-mode t)))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Associating modes with files
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs use a certain major mode for certain files?
|
|
@cindex Associating modes with files
|
|
@cindex File extensions and modes
|
|
@cindex @code{auto-mode-alist}, modifying
|
|
@cindex Modes, associating with file extensions
|
|
|
|
If you want to use a certain mode @var{foo} for all files whose names end
|
|
with the extension @file{.@var{bar}}, this will do it for you:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.@var{bar}\\'" . @var{foo}-mode))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, put this somewhere in the first line of any file you want to
|
|
edit in the mode @var{foo} (in the second line, if the first line begins
|
|
with @samp{#!}):
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
-*- @var{foo} -*-
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@cindex Major mode for shell scripts
|
|
The variable @code{interpreter-mode-alist} specifies which mode to use
|
|
when loading an interpreted script (e.g., shell, python, etc.). Emacs
|
|
determines which interpreter you're using by examining the first line of
|
|
the script. Use @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x describe-variable}) on
|
|
@code{interpreter-mode-alist} to learn more.
|
|
|
|
@node Replacing highlighted text
|
|
@section How can I replace highlighted text with what I type?
|
|
@cindex @code{delete-selection-mode}
|
|
@cindex Replacing highlighted text
|
|
@cindex Highlighting and replacing text
|
|
|
|
Use @code{delete-selection-mode}, which you can start automatically by
|
|
placing the following Lisp form in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(delete-selection-mode 1)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
According to the documentation string for @code{delete-selection-mode}
|
|
(which you can read using @kbd{M-x describe-function @key{RET}
|
|
delete-selection-mode @key{RET}}):
|
|
|
|
@quotation
|
|
When Delete Selection mode is enabled, typed text replaces the selection
|
|
if the selection is active. Otherwise, typed text is just inserted at
|
|
point regardless of any selection.
|
|
@end quotation
|
|
|
|
This mode also allows you to delete (not kill) the highlighted region by
|
|
pressing @key{DEL}.
|
|
|
|
@node Controlling case sensitivity
|
|
@section How do I control Emacs's case-sensitivity when searching/replacing?
|
|
@cindex @code{case-fold-search}
|
|
@cindex Case sensitivity of searches
|
|
@cindex Searching without case sensitivity
|
|
@cindex Ignoring case in searches
|
|
|
|
@c FIXME
|
|
The value of the variable @code{case-fold-search} determines whether
|
|
searches are case sensitive:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq case-fold-search nil) ; make searches case sensitive
|
|
(setq case-fold-search t) ; make searches case insensitive
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@cindex Case sensitivity in replacements
|
|
@cindex Replacing, and case sensitivity
|
|
@cindex @code{case-replace}
|
|
Similarly, for replacing, the variable @code{case-replace} determines
|
|
whether replacements preserve case.
|
|
|
|
You can also toggle case sensitivity at will in isearch with @kbd{M-c}.
|
|
|
|
To change the case sensitivity just for one major mode, use the major
|
|
mode's hook. For example:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook '@var{foo}-mode-hook
|
|
(lambda ()
|
|
(setq case-fold-search nil)))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Working with unprintable characters
|
|
@section How do I search for, delete, or replace unprintable (eight-bit or control) characters?
|
|
@cindex Unprintable characters, working with
|
|
@cindex Working with unprintable characters
|
|
@cindex Control characters, working with
|
|
@cindex Eight-bit characters, working with
|
|
@cindex Searching for unprintable characters
|
|
@cindex Regexps and unprintable characters
|
|
|
|
To search for a single character that appears in the buffer as, for
|
|
example, @samp{\237}, you can type @kbd{C-s C-q 2 3 7}.
|
|
Searching for @strong{all} unprintable characters is best done with a
|
|
regular expression (@dfn{regexp}) search. The easiest regexp to use for
|
|
the unprintable chars is the complement of the regexp for the printable
|
|
chars.
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Regexp for the printable chars: @samp{[\t\n\r\f -~]}
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Regexp for the unprintable chars: @samp{[^\t\n\r\f -~]}
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
To type these special characters in an interactive argument to
|
|
@code{isearch-forward-regexp} or @code{re-search-forward}, you need to
|
|
use @kbd{C-q}. (@samp{\t}, @samp{\n}, @samp{\r}, and @samp{\f} stand
|
|
respectively for @key{TAB}, @key{LFD}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{C-l}.) So,
|
|
to search for unprintable characters using @code{re-search-forward}:
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x re-search-forward @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET}}
|
|
|
|
Using @code{isearch-forward-regexp}:
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-M-s [^ @key{TAB} @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~]}
|
|
|
|
To delete all unprintable characters, simply use replace-regexp:
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} @key{RET}}
|
|
|
|
Replacing is similar to the above. To replace all unprintable
|
|
characters with a colon, use:
|
|
|
|
M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} : @key{RET}
|
|
|
|
@node Searching for/replacing newlines
|
|
@section How do I input a newline character in isearch or query-replace?
|
|
@cindex Searching for newlines
|
|
@cindex Replacing newlines
|
|
|
|
Use @kbd{C-q C-j}. For more information,
|
|
@pxref{Special Isearch,, Special Input for Incremental Search, emacs,
|
|
The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Yanking text in isearch
|
|
@section How do I copy text from the kill ring into the search string?
|
|
@cindex Yanking text into the search string
|
|
@cindex isearch yanking
|
|
|
|
Use @kbd{M-y}. @xref{Isearch Yank,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Wrapping words automatically
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs wrap words for me?
|
|
@cindex Wrapping word automatically
|
|
@cindex Wrapping lines
|
|
@cindex Line wrap
|
|
@cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, introduction to
|
|
@cindex Maximum line width, default value
|
|
@cindex @code{fill-column}, default value
|
|
|
|
Use @code{auto-fill-mode}, activated by typing @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode}.
|
|
The default maximum line width is 70, determined by the variable
|
|
@code{fill-column}. To learn how to turn this on automatically, see
|
|
@ref{Turning on auto-fill by default}.
|
|
|
|
@node Turning on auto-fill by default
|
|
@section How do I turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} by default?
|
|
@cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, activating automatically
|
|
@cindex Filling automatically
|
|
@cindex Automatic entry to @code{auto-fill-mode}
|
|
|
|
To turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} just once for one buffer, use @kbd{M-x
|
|
auto-fill-mode}.
|
|
|
|
To turn it on for every buffer in a certain mode, you must use the
|
|
hook for that mode. For example, to turn on @code{auto-fill} mode for
|
|
all text buffers, including the following in your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
If you want @code{auto-fill} mode on in all major modes, do this:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq-default auto-fill-function 'do-auto-fill)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Changing load-path
|
|
@section How do I change @code{load-path}?
|
|
@cindex @code{load-path}, modifying
|
|
@cindex Modifying @code{load-path}
|
|
@cindex Adding to @code{load-path}
|
|
|
|
In general, you should only add to the @code{load-path}. You can add
|
|
directory @var{/dir/subdir} to the load path like this:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-to-list 'load-path "/dir/subdir/")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
To do this relative to your home directory:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/mysubdir/")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Using an already running Emacs process
|
|
@section How do I use an already running Emacs from another window?
|
|
@cindex @code{emacsclient}
|
|
@cindex Emacs server functions
|
|
@cindex Using an existing Emacs process
|
|
|
|
@code{emacsclient}, which comes with Emacs, is for editing a file using
|
|
an already running Emacs rather than starting up a new Emacs. It does
|
|
this by sending a request to the already running Emacs, which must be
|
|
expecting the request.
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Setup:
|
|
|
|
Emacs must have executed the @code{server-start} function for
|
|
@samp{emacsclient} to work. This can be done either by a command line
|
|
option:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
emacs -f server-start
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
or by invoking @code{server-start} from init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(if (@var{some conditions are met}) (server-start))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
To get your news reader, mail reader, etc., to invoke
|
|
@samp{emacsclient}, try setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR}
|
|
(or sometimes @code{VISUAL}) to the value @samp{emacsclient}. You may
|
|
have to specify the full pathname of the @samp{emacsclient} program
|
|
instead. Examples:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
# csh commands:
|
|
setenv EDITOR emacsclient
|
|
|
|
# using full pathname
|
|
setenv EDITOR /usr/local/emacs/etc/emacsclient
|
|
|
|
# sh command:
|
|
EDITOR=emacsclient ; export EDITOR
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Normal use:
|
|
|
|
When @samp{emacsclient} is run, it connects to the socket and passes its
|
|
command line options to Emacs, which at the next opportunity will visit
|
|
the files specified. (Line numbers can be specified just like with
|
|
Emacs.) The user will have to switch to the Emacs window by hand. When
|
|
the user is done editing a file, the user can type @kbd{C-x #} (or
|
|
@kbd{M-x server-edit}) to indicate this. If there is another buffer
|
|
requested by @code{emacsclient}, Emacs will switch to it; otherwise
|
|
@code{emacsclient} will exit, signaling the calling program to continue.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
For more information, @xref{Emacs Server,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Compiler error messages
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs recognize my compiler's funny error messages?
|
|
@cindex Compiler error messages, recognizing
|
|
@cindex Recognizing non-standard compiler errors
|
|
@cindex Regexps for recognizing compiler errors
|
|
@cindex Errors, recognizing compiler
|
|
|
|
Customize the @code{compilation-error-regexp-alist} variable.
|
|
|
|
@node Indenting switch statements
|
|
@section How do I change the indentation for @code{switch}?
|
|
@cindex @code{switch}, indenting
|
|
@cindex Indenting of @code{switch}
|
|
|
|
Many people want to indent their @code{switch} statements like this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
f()
|
|
@{
|
|
switch(x) @{
|
|
case A:
|
|
x1;
|
|
break;
|
|
case B:
|
|
x2;
|
|
break;
|
|
default:
|
|
x3;
|
|
@}
|
|
@}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent To achieve this, add the following line to your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(c-set-offset 'case-label '+)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Customizing C and C++ indentation
|
|
@section How to customize indentation in C, C@t{++}, and Java buffers?
|
|
@cindex Indentation, how to customize
|
|
@cindex Customize indentation
|
|
|
|
The Emacs @code{cc-mode} features an interactive procedure for
|
|
customizing the indentation style, which is fully explained in the
|
|
@cite{CC Mode} manual that is part of the Emacs distribution, see
|
|
@ref{Customizing Indentation, , Customization Indentation, ccmode,
|
|
The CC Mode Manual}. Here's a short summary of the procedure:
|
|
|
|
@enumerate
|
|
@item
|
|
Go to the beginning of the first line where you don't like the
|
|
indentation and type @kbd{C-c C-o}. Emacs will prompt you for the
|
|
syntactic symbol; type @key{RET} to accept the default it suggests.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs now prompts for the offset of this syntactic symbol, showing the
|
|
default (the current definition) inside parentheses. You can choose
|
|
one of these:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item 0
|
|
No extra indentation.
|
|
@item +
|
|
Indent one basic offset.
|
|
@item -
|
|
Outdent one basic offset.
|
|
@item ++
|
|
Indent two basic offsets
|
|
@item --
|
|
Outdent two basic offsets.
|
|
@item *
|
|
Indent half basic offset.
|
|
@item /
|
|
Outdent half basic offset.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
After choosing one of these symbols, type @kbd{C-c C-q} to reindent
|
|
the line or the block according to what you just specified.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If you don't like the result, go back to step 1. Otherwise, add the
|
|
following line to your init file (@pxref{Setting up a customization
|
|
file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(c-set-offset '@var{syntactic-symbol} @var{offset})
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
where @var{syntactic-symbol} is the name Emacs shows in the minibuffer
|
|
when you type @kbd{C-c C-o} at the beginning of the line, and
|
|
@var{offset} is one of the indentation symbols listed above (@code{+},
|
|
@code{/}, @code{0}, etc.)@: that you've chosen during the interactive
|
|
procedure.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Go to the next line whose indentation is not to your liking and repeat
|
|
the process there.
|
|
@end enumerate
|
|
|
|
It is recommended to put all the resulting @code{(c-set-offset ...)}
|
|
customizations inside a C mode hook, like this:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(defun my-c-mode-hook ()
|
|
(c-set-offset ...)
|
|
(c-set-offset ...))
|
|
(add-hook 'c-mode-hook 'my-c-mode-hook)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
Using @code{c-mode-hook} avoids the need to put a @w{@code{(require
|
|
'cc-mode)}} into your init file, because @code{c-set-offset} might be
|
|
unavailable when @code{cc-mode} is not loaded.
|
|
|
|
Note that @code{c-mode-hook} runs for C source files only; use
|
|
@code{c++-mode-hook} for C@t{++} sources, @code{java-mode-hook} for
|
|
Java sources, etc. If you want the same customizations to be in
|
|
effect in @emph{all} languages supported by @code{cc-mode}, use
|
|
@code{c-mode-common-hook}.
|
|
|
|
@node Overwrite mode
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs ``typeover'' or ``overwrite'' instead of inserting?
|
|
@cindex @key{Insert}
|
|
@cindex @code{overwrite-mode}
|
|
@cindex Overwriting existing text
|
|
@cindex Toggling @code{overwrite-mode}
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x overwrite-mode} (a minor mode). This toggles
|
|
@code{overwrite-mode} on and off, so exiting from @code{overwrite-mode}
|
|
is as easy as another @kbd{M-x overwrite-mode}.
|
|
|
|
On some systems, @key{Insert} toggles @code{overwrite-mode} on and off.
|
|
|
|
@node Turning off beeping
|
|
@section How do I stop Emacs from beeping on a terminal?
|
|
@cindex Beeping, turning off
|
|
@cindex Visible bell
|
|
@cindex Bell, visible
|
|
|
|
@c martin@@cc.gatech.edu
|
|
Martin R. Frank writes:
|
|
|
|
Tell Emacs to use the @dfn{visible bell} instead of the audible bell,
|
|
and set the visible bell to nothing.
|
|
|
|
That is, put the following in your @code{TERMCAP} environment variable
|
|
(assuming you have one):
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
... :vb=: ...
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
And evaluate the following Lisp form:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
(setq visible-bell t)
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@node Turning the volume down
|
|
@section How do I turn down the bell volume in Emacs running under X?
|
|
@cindex Bell, volume of
|
|
@cindex Volume of bell
|
|
|
|
On X Window system, you can adjust the bell volume and duration for all
|
|
programs with the shell command @code{xset}.
|
|
|
|
Invoking @code{xset} without any arguments produces some basic
|
|
information, including the following:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
usage: xset [-display host:dpy] option ...
|
|
To turn bell off:
|
|
-b b off b 0
|
|
To set bell volume, pitch and duration:
|
|
b [vol [pitch [dur]]] b on
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@node Automatic indentation
|
|
@section How do I tell Emacs to automatically indent a new line to the indentation of the previous line?
|
|
@cindex Indenting new lines
|
|
@cindex New lines, indenting of
|
|
@cindex Previous line, indenting according to
|
|
@cindex Text indentation
|
|
|
|
Such behavior is automatic (in Text mode). From the @file{etc/NEWS}
|
|
file for Emacs 20.2:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
** In Text mode, now only blank lines separate paragraphs. This makes
|
|
it possible to get the full benefit of Adaptive Fill mode in Text mode,
|
|
and other modes derived from it (such as Mail mode). @key{TAB} in Text
|
|
mode now runs the command @code{indent-relative}; this makes a practical
|
|
difference only when you use indented paragraphs.
|
|
|
|
If you want spaces at the beginning of a line to start a paragraph, use
|
|
the new mode, Paragraph Indent Text mode.
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@cindex Prefixing lines
|
|
@cindex Fill prefix
|
|
If you have @code{auto-fill-mode} turned on (@pxref{Turning on auto-fill
|
|
by default}), you can tell Emacs to prefix every line with a certain
|
|
character sequence, the @dfn{fill prefix}. Type the prefix at the
|
|
beginning of a line, position point after it, and then type @kbd{C-x .}
|
|
(@code{set-fill-prefix}) to set the fill prefix. Thereafter,
|
|
auto-filling will automatically put the fill prefix at the beginning of
|
|
new lines, and @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) will maintain any fill
|
|
prefix when refilling the paragraph.
|
|
|
|
If you have paragraphs with different levels of indentation, you will
|
|
have to set the fill prefix to the correct value each time you move to a
|
|
new paragraph. There are many packages available to deal with this
|
|
(@pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}). Look for ``fill'' and
|
|
``indent'' keywords for guidance.
|
|
|
|
@node Matching parentheses
|
|
@section How do I show which parenthesis matches the one I'm looking at?
|
|
@cindex Parentheses, matching
|
|
@cindex @file{paren.el}
|
|
@cindex Highlighting matching parentheses
|
|
@cindex Pairs of parentheses, highlighting
|
|
@cindex Matching parentheses
|
|
|
|
By default, @code{show-paren-mode} is enabled in all editing buffers.
|
|
|
|
Alternatives to this mode include:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If you're looking at a right parenthesis (or brace or bracket) you can
|
|
delete it and reinsert it. Emacs will momentarily move the cursor to
|
|
the matching parenthesis.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
@kbd{C-M-f} (@code{forward-sexp}) and @kbd{C-M-b} (@code{backward-sexp})
|
|
will skip over one set of balanced parentheses, so you can see which
|
|
parentheses match. (You can train it to skip over balanced brackets
|
|
and braces at the same time by modifying the syntax table.)
|
|
|
|
@cindex Show matching paren as in @code{vi}
|
|
@item
|
|
Here is some Emacs Lisp that will make the @kbd{%} key show the matching
|
|
parenthesis, like in @code{vi}. In addition, if the cursor isn't over a
|
|
parenthesis, it simply inserts a % like normal.
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
;; By an unknown contributor
|
|
|
|
(keymap-global-set "%" 'match-paren)
|
|
|
|
(defun match-paren (arg)
|
|
"Go to the matching paren if on a paren; otherwise insert %."
|
|
(interactive "p")
|
|
(cond ((looking-at "\\s(") (forward-list 1) (backward-char 1))
|
|
((looking-at "\\s)") (forward-char 1) (backward-list 1))
|
|
(t (self-insert-command (or arg 1)))))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Hiding #ifdef lines
|
|
@section In C mode, can I show just the lines that will be left after @code{#ifdef} commands are handled by the compiler?
|
|
@cindex @code{#ifdef}, selective display of
|
|
@cindex @code{hide-ifdef-mode}
|
|
@cindex Hiding @code{#ifdef} text
|
|
@cindex Selectively displaying @code{#ifdef} code
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x hide-ifdef-mode}. (This is a minor mode.) You might also want
|
|
to investigate @file{cpp.el}, which is distributed with Emacs.
|
|
|
|
@node Repeating commands
|
|
@section How do I repeat a command as many times as possible?
|
|
@cindex Repeating commands many times
|
|
@cindex Commands, repeating many times
|
|
@cindex @code{.}, equivalent to @code{vi} command
|
|
|
|
Use the @code{repeat} command (@kbd{C-x z}) to repeat the last
|
|
command. If you preface it with a prefix argument, the prefix arg is
|
|
applied to the command.
|
|
|
|
You can also type @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC}}
|
|
(@code{repeat-complex-command}) to reinvoke commands that used the
|
|
minibuffer to get arguments. In @code{repeat-complex-command} you can
|
|
type @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} (and also up-arrow and down-arrow, if your
|
|
keyboard has these keys) to scan through all the different complex
|
|
commands you've typed.
|
|
|
|
To repeat a set of commands, use keyboard macros. Use @kbd{C-x (} and
|
|
@kbd{C-x )} to make a keyboard macro that invokes the command and then
|
|
type @kbd{C-x e}. @xref{Keyboard Macros,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
If you're really desperate for the @code{.} command in @code{vi} that
|
|
redoes the last insertion/deletion, use VIPER, a @code{vi} emulation
|
|
mode which comes with Emacs, and which appears to support it.
|
|
|
|
@node Valid X resources
|
|
@section What are the valid X resource settings (i.e., stuff in .Xdefaults)?
|
|
@cindex Resources, X
|
|
@cindex X resources
|
|
@cindex Setting X resources
|
|
|
|
@xref{X Resources,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
You can also use a resource editor, such as editres (for X11R5 and
|
|
onwards), to look at the resource names for the menu bar, assuming Emacs
|
|
was compiled with the X toolkit.
|
|
|
|
@node Evaluating Emacs Lisp code
|
|
@section How do I execute (``evaluate'') a piece of Emacs Lisp code?
|
|
@cindex Evaluating Lisp code
|
|
@cindex Lisp forms, evaluating
|
|
|
|
There are a number of ways to execute (@dfn{evaluate}, in Lisp lingo) an
|
|
Emacs Lisp @dfn{form}:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If you want it evaluated every time you run Emacs, put it in a file
|
|
named @file{.emacs.d/init.el} in your home directory. This is known
|
|
as ``your init file,'' and contains all of your personal
|
|
customizations (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}).
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can type the form in the @file{*scratch*} buffer, and then type
|
|
@key{LFD} (or @kbd{C-j}) after it. The result of evaluating the form
|
|
will be inserted in the buffer.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
In @code{emacs-lisp-mode}, typing @kbd{C-M-x} evaluates a top-level form
|
|
before or around point.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Typing @kbd{C-x C-e} in any buffer evaluates the Lisp form immediately
|
|
before point and prints its value in the echo area.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Typing @kbd{M-:} or @kbd{M-x eval-expression} allows you to type a Lisp
|
|
form in the minibuffer which will be evaluated once you press @key{RET}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can use @kbd{M-x load-file} to have Emacs evaluate all the Lisp
|
|
forms in a file. (To do this from Lisp use the function @code{load}
|
|
instead.)
|
|
|
|
The functions @code{load-library}, @code{eval-region},
|
|
@code{eval-buffer}, @code{require}, and @code{autoload} are also
|
|
useful; see @ref{Emacs Lisp documentation}, if you want to learn more
|
|
about them.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Changing the length of a Tab
|
|
@section How do I change Emacs's idea of the @key{TAB} character's length?
|
|
@cindex Tab length
|
|
@cindex Length of tab character
|
|
|
|
Set the default value of the variable @code{tab-width}. For example, to set
|
|
@key{TAB} stops every 10 characters, insert the following in your
|
|
init file (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq-default tab-width 10)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Do not confuse variable @code{tab-width} with variable
|
|
@code{tab-stop-list}. The former is used for the display of literal
|
|
@key{TAB} characters. The latter controls what characters are inserted
|
|
when you press the @key{TAB} character in certain modes.
|
|
|
|
@node Inserting text at the beginning of each line
|
|
@section How do I insert <some text> at the beginning of every line?
|
|
@cindex Prefixing a region with some text
|
|
@cindex Prefix character, inserting in mail/news replies
|
|
@cindex Replies to mail/news, inserting a prefix character
|
|
@cindex @code{mail-yank-prefix}
|
|
@cindex Mail replies, inserting a prefix character
|
|
@cindex News replies, inserting a prefix character
|
|
|
|
To do this to an entire buffer, type @kbd{M-< M-x replace-regexp
|
|
@key{RET} ^ @key{RET} your text @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
To do this to a region, use @code{string-insert-rectangle}.
|
|
Set the mark (@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) at the beginning of the first line you
|
|
want to prefix, move the cursor to last line to be prefixed, and type
|
|
@kbd{M-x string-insert-rectangle @key{RET}}. To do this for the whole
|
|
buffer, type @kbd{C-x h M-x string-insert-rectangle @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
If you are trying to prefix a yanked mail message with @samp{>}, you
|
|
might want to set the variable @code{mail-yank-prefix}. In Message
|
|
buffers, you can even use @kbd{M-;} to cite yanked messages (@kbd{M-;}
|
|
runs the function @code{comment-region}, it is a general-purpose
|
|
mechanism to comment regions) (@pxref{Changing the included text prefix}).
|
|
|
|
@node Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs behave like this: when I go up or down, the cursor should stay in the same column even if the line is too short?
|
|
@cindex @code{picture-mode}
|
|
@cindex Remaining in the same column, regardless of contents
|
|
@cindex Vertical movement in empty documents
|
|
|
|
Use @kbd{M-x picture-mode}.
|
|
|
|
See also the variable @code{track-eol} and the command
|
|
@code{set-goal-column} bound to @kbd{C-x C-n}
|
|
(@pxref{Moving Point, , , emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
|
|
|
|
@node Forcing Emacs to iconify itself
|
|
@section How do I tell Emacs to iconify itself?
|
|
@cindex Iconification under the X Window System
|
|
@cindex X Window System and iconification
|
|
@cindex Suspending Emacs
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-z} iconifies Emacs when running under X and suspends Emacs
|
|
otherwise. @xref{Frame Commands,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Using regular expressions
|
|
@section How do I use regexps (regular expressions) in Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Regexps
|
|
@cindex Regular expressions
|
|
@cindex Differences between Unix and Emacs regexps
|
|
@cindex Unix regexps, differences from Emacs
|
|
@cindex Text strings, putting regexps in
|
|
|
|
@xref{Regexp Backslash,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
The @code{or} operator is @samp{\|}, not @samp{|}, and the grouping operators
|
|
are @samp{\(} and @samp{\)}. Also, the string syntax for a backslash is
|
|
@samp{\\}. To specify a regular expression like @samp{xxx\(foo\|bar\)}
|
|
in a Lisp string, use @samp{xxx\\(foo\\|bar\\)}.
|
|
|
|
Note the doubled backslashes!
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Unlike in Unix @file{grep}, @file{sed}, etc., a complement character set
|
|
(@samp{[^...]}) can match a newline character (@key{LFD} a.k.a.@:
|
|
@kbd{C-j} a.k.a.@: @samp{\n}), unless newline is mentioned as one of the
|
|
characters not to match.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The character syntax regexps (e.g., @samp{\sw}) are not
|
|
meaningful inside character set regexps (e.g., @samp{[aeiou]}). (This
|
|
is actually typical for regexp syntax.)
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Replacing text across multiple files
|
|
@section How do I perform a replace operation across more than one file?
|
|
@cindex Replacing strings across files
|
|
@cindex Multiple files, replacing across
|
|
@cindex Files, replacing strings across multiple
|
|
@cindex Recursive search/replace operations
|
|
|
|
Dired mode (@kbd{M-x dired @key{RET}}, or @kbd{C-x d}) supports the
|
|
command @code{dired-do-find-regexp-and-replace} (@kbd{Q}), which allows
|
|
users to replace regular expressions in multiple files.
|
|
|
|
You can use this command to perform search/replace operations on
|
|
multiple files by following the following steps:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
@item
|
|
Assemble a list of files you want to operate on with either
|
|
@code{find-dired}, @code{find-name-dired} or @code{find-grep-dired}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Mark all files in the resulting Dired buffer using @kbd{t}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Use @kbd{Q} to start a @code{query-replace-regexp} session on the marked
|
|
files.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
To accept all replacements in each file, hit @kbd{!}.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Another way to do the same thing is to use the ``tags'' feature of
|
|
Emacs: it includes the command @code{tags-query-replace} which performs
|
|
a query-replace across all the files mentioned in the @file{TAGS} file.
|
|
@xref{Identifier Search,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Documentation for etags
|
|
@section Where is the documentation for @code{etags}?
|
|
@cindex Documentation for @code{etags}
|
|
@cindex @code{etags}, documentation for
|
|
|
|
The @code{etags} man page should be in the same place as the
|
|
@code{emacs} man page.
|
|
|
|
Quick command-line switch descriptions are also available. For example,
|
|
@samp{etags -H}.
|
|
|
|
@node Disabling backups
|
|
@section How do I disable backup files?
|
|
@cindex Backups, disabling
|
|
@cindex Disabling backups
|
|
|
|
You probably don't want to do this, since backups are useful, especially
|
|
when something goes wrong.
|
|
|
|
To avoid seeing backup files (and other ``uninteresting'' files) in
|
|
Dired, load @code{dired-x} by adding the following to your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(with-eval-after-load 'dired
|
|
(require 'dired-x))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
With @code{dired-x} loaded, @kbd{C-x M-o} toggles omitting in each dired buffer.
|
|
You can make omitting the default for new dired buffers by putting the
|
|
following in your init file:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook 'dired-mode-hook 'dired-omit-mode)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
If you're tired of seeing backup files whenever you do an @samp{ls} at
|
|
the Unix shell, try GNU @code{ls} with the @samp{-B} option. GNU
|
|
@code{ls} is part of the GNU Fileutils package, available from
|
|
@url{https://ftp.gnu.org} and its mirrors (@pxref{Current GNU distributions}).
|
|
|
|
To disable or change the way backups are made,
|
|
@pxref{Backup Names,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Backup files in a single directory
|
|
You can control where Emacs puts backup files by customizing the
|
|
variable @code{backup-directory-alist}. This variable's value
|
|
specifies that files whose names match specific patterns should have
|
|
their backups put in certain directories. A typical use is to add the
|
|
element @code{("." . @var{dir})} to force Emacs to put @strong{all}
|
|
backup files in the directory @file{dir}.
|
|
|
|
@node Disabling auto-save-mode
|
|
@section How do I disable @code{auto-save-mode}?
|
|
@cindex Disabling @code{auto-save-mode}
|
|
@cindex Auto-saving
|
|
@cindex Saving at frequent intervals
|
|
|
|
You probably don't want to do this, since auto-saving is useful,
|
|
especially when Emacs or your computer crashes while you are editing a
|
|
document.
|
|
|
|
Instead, you might want to change the variable
|
|
@code{auto-save-interval}, which specifies how many keystrokes Emacs
|
|
waits before auto-saving. Increasing this value forces Emacs to wait
|
|
longer between auto-saves, which might annoy you less.
|
|
|
|
You might also want to look into Sebastian Kremer's @code{auto-save}
|
|
package (@pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}). This
|
|
package also allows you to place all auto-save files in one directory,
|
|
such as @file{/tmp}.
|
|
|
|
To disable or change how @code{auto-save-mode} works,
|
|
@pxref{Auto Save,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Not writing files to the current directory
|
|
@section Making Emacs write all auxiliary files somewhere else
|
|
@cindex Writing all auxiliary files to the same directory
|
|
|
|
By default, Emacs may create many new files in the directory where
|
|
you're editing a file. If you're editing the file
|
|
@file{/home/user/foo.txt}, Emacs will create the lock file
|
|
@file{/home/user/.#foo.txt}, the auto-save file
|
|
@file{/home/user/#foo.txt#}, and when you save the file, Emacs will
|
|
create the backup file @file{/home/user/foo.txt~}. (The first two
|
|
files are deleted when you save the file.)
|
|
|
|
This may be inconvenient in some setups, so Emacs has mechanisms for
|
|
changing the locations of all these files.
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item auto-save-file-name-transforms
|
|
(@pxref{Auto-Saving,,,elisp, GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
|
|
@item lock-file-name-transforms
|
|
(@pxref{File Locks,,,elisp, GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
|
|
@item backup-directory-alist
|
|
(@pxref{Making Backups,,,elisp, GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
For instance, to write all these things to
|
|
@file{~/.emacs.d/aux/}:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq lock-file-name-transforms
|
|
'(("\\`/.*/\\([^/]+\\)\\'" "~/.emacs.d/aux/\\1" t)))
|
|
(setq auto-save-file-name-transforms
|
|
'(("\\`/.*/\\([^/]+\\)\\'" "~/.emacs.d/aux/\\1" t)))
|
|
(setq backup-directory-alist
|
|
'((".*" . "~/.emacs.d/aux/")))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Going to a line by number
|
|
@section How can I go to a certain line given its number?
|
|
@cindex Going to a line by number
|
|
@cindex Compilation error messages
|
|
@cindex Recompilation
|
|
|
|
Are you sure you indeed need to go to a line by its number? Perhaps all
|
|
you want is to display a line in your source file for which a compiler
|
|
printed an error message? If so, compiling from within Emacs using the
|
|
@kbd{M-x compile} and @kbd{M-x recompile} commands is a much more
|
|
effective way of doing that. Emacs automatically intercepts the compile
|
|
error messages, inserts them into a special buffer called
|
|
@file{*compilation*}, and lets you visit the locus of each message in
|
|
the source. Type @kbd{C-x `} to step through the offending lines one by
|
|
one (you can also use @kbd{M-g M-p} and @kbd{M-g M-n} to go to the
|
|
previous and next matches directly). Click @kbd{mouse-2} or press
|
|
@key{RET} on a message text in the @file{*compilation*} buffer to go
|
|
to the line whose number is mentioned in that message.
|
|
|
|
But if you indeed need to go to a certain text line, type @kbd{M-g M-g}
|
|
(which is the default binding of the @code{goto-line} function).
|
|
Emacs will prompt you for the number of the line and go to that line.
|
|
|
|
You can do this faster by invoking @code{goto-line} with a numeric
|
|
argument that is the line's number. For example, @kbd{C-u 286 M-g M-g}
|
|
will jump to line number 286 in the current buffer.
|
|
|
|
@node Modifying pull-down menus
|
|
@section How can I create or modify new pull-down menu options?
|
|
@cindex Pull-down menus, creating or modifying
|
|
@cindex Menus, creating or modifying
|
|
@cindex Creating new menu options
|
|
@cindex Modifying pull-down menus
|
|
@cindex Menus and keymaps
|
|
@cindex Keymaps and menus
|
|
|
|
Each menu title (e.g., @samp{File}, @samp{Edit}, @samp{Buffers})
|
|
represents a local or global keymap. Selecting a menu title with the
|
|
mouse displays that keymap's non-@code{nil} contents in the form of a menu.
|
|
|
|
So to add a menu option to an existing menu, all you have to do is add a
|
|
new definition to the appropriate keymap. Adding a @samp{Forward Word}
|
|
item to the @samp{Edit} menu thus requires the following Lisp code:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set global-map
|
|
"<menu-bar> <edit> <forward>"
|
|
'("Forward word" . forward-word))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
The first line adds the entry to the global keymap, which includes
|
|
global menu bar entries. Replacing the reference to @code{global-map}
|
|
with a local keymap would add this menu option only within a particular
|
|
mode.
|
|
|
|
The second line describes the path from the menu-bar to the new entry.
|
|
Placing this menu entry underneath the @samp{File} menu would mean
|
|
changing the word @code{edit} in the second line to @code{file}.
|
|
|
|
The third line is a cons cell whose first element is the title that will
|
|
be displayed, and whose second element is the function that will be
|
|
called when that menu option is invoked.
|
|
|
|
To add a new menu, rather than a new option to an existing menu, we must
|
|
define an entirely new keymap:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set global-map "<menu-bar> <words>"
|
|
(cons "Words" (make-sparse-keymap "Words")))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
The above code creates a new sparse keymap, gives it the name
|
|
@samp{Words}, and attaches it to the global menu bar. Adding the
|
|
@samp{Forward Word} item to this new menu would thus require the
|
|
following code:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set global-map
|
|
"<menu-bar> <words> <forward>"
|
|
'("Forward word" . forward-word))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
Note that because of the way keymaps work, menu options are displayed
|
|
with the more recently defined items at the top. Thus if you were to
|
|
define menu options @samp{foo}, @samp{bar}, and @samp{baz} (in that
|
|
order), the menu option @samp{baz} would appear at the top, and
|
|
@samp{foo} would be at the bottom.
|
|
|
|
One way to avoid this problem is to use the function @code{keymap-set-after},
|
|
which works the same as @code{keymap-set}, but lets you modify where items
|
|
appear. The following Lisp code would insert the @samp{Forward Word}
|
|
item in the @samp{Edit} menu immediately following the @samp{Undo} item:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set-after
|
|
(keymap-lookup global-map "<menu-bar> <edit>")
|
|
"<forward>"
|
|
'("Forward word" . forward-word)
|
|
'undo)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Note how the second and third arguments to @code{keymap-set-after} are
|
|
different from those of @code{keymap-set}, and that we have added a new
|
|
(final) argument, the function after which our new key should be
|
|
defined.
|
|
|
|
To move a menu option from one position to another, simply evaluate
|
|
@code{keymap-set-after} with the appropriate final argument.
|
|
|
|
More detailed information---and more examples of how to create and
|
|
modify menu options---are in the @cite{Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, under
|
|
``Menu Keymaps.'' (@xref{Emacs Lisp documentation}, for information on
|
|
this manual.)
|
|
|
|
@node Deleting menus and menu options
|
|
@section How do I delete menus and menu options?
|
|
@cindex Deleting menus and menu options
|
|
@cindex Menus, deleting
|
|
|
|
The simplest way to remove a menu is to set its keymap to @samp{nil}.
|
|
For example, to delete the @samp{Words} menu (@pxref{Modifying pull-down
|
|
menus}), use:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set global-map "<menu-bar> <words>" nil)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Similarly, removing a menu option requires redefining a keymap entry to
|
|
@code{nil}. For example, to delete the @samp{Forward word} menu option
|
|
from the @samp{Edit} menu (we added it in @ref{Modifying pull-down
|
|
menus}), use:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-set global-map "<menu-bar> <edit> <forward>" nil)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Turning on syntax highlighting
|
|
@section How do I turn on syntax highlighting?
|
|
@cindex Syntax highlighting
|
|
@cindex @code{font-lock-mode}
|
|
@cindex Highlighting based on syntax
|
|
@cindex Colorizing text
|
|
@cindex FAQ, @code{font-lock-mode}
|
|
|
|
@code{font-lock-mode} is the standard way to have Emacs perform syntax
|
|
highlighting in the current buffer. It is enabled by default.
|
|
|
|
With @code{font-lock-mode} turned on, different types of text will
|
|
appear in different colors. For instance, in a programming mode,
|
|
variables will appear in one face, keywords in a second, and comments in
|
|
a third.
|
|
|
|
To turn @code{font-lock-mode} off within an existing buffer, use
|
|
@kbd{M-x font-lock-mode @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
Highlighting a buffer with @code{font-lock-mode} can take quite a while,
|
|
and cause an annoying delay in display, so several features exist to
|
|
work around this.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Just-In-Time syntax highlighting
|
|
Turning on @code{font-lock-mode} automatically activates
|
|
@dfn{Just-In-Time fontification} provided by @code{jit-lock-mode}.
|
|
@code{jit-lock-mode} defers the fontification of portions of buffer
|
|
until you actually need to see them, and can also fontify while Emacs
|
|
is idle. This makes display of the visible portion of a buffer almost
|
|
instantaneous. For details about customizing @code{jit-lock-mode},
|
|
type @kbd{C-h f jit-lock-mode @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Levels of syntax highlighting
|
|
@cindex Decoration level, in @code{font-lock-mode}
|
|
Different levels of decoration are available, from slight to gaudy.
|
|
More decoration means you need to wait more time for a buffer to be
|
|
fontified (or a faster machine). To control how decorated your
|
|
buffers should become, set the value of
|
|
@code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} in your init file (@pxref{Setting
|
|
up a customization file}), with a @code{nil} value indicating default
|
|
(usually minimum) decoration, and a @code{t} value indicating the
|
|
maximum decoration. For the gaudiest possible look, then, include the
|
|
line
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq font-lock-maximum-decoration t)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
in your init file. You can also set this variable such that
|
|
different modes are highlighted in a different ways; for more
|
|
information, see the documentation for
|
|
@code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} with @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x
|
|
describe-variable @key{RET}}).
|
|
|
|
Also see the documentation for the function @code{font-lock-mode},
|
|
available by typing @kbd{C-h f font-lock-mode} (@kbd{M-x
|
|
describe-function @key{RET} font-lock-mode @key{RET}}).
|
|
|
|
To print buffers with the faces (i.e., colors and fonts) intact, use
|
|
@kbd{M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces} or @kbd{M-x
|
|
ps-print-region-with-faces}. You will need a way to send text to a
|
|
PostScript printer, or a PostScript interpreter such as Ghostscript;
|
|
consult the documentation of the variables @code{ps-printer-name},
|
|
@code{ps-lpr-command}, and @code{ps-lpr-switches} for more details.
|
|
|
|
@node Scrolling only one line
|
|
@section How can I force Emacs to scroll only one line when I move past the bottom of the screen?
|
|
@cindex Scrolling only one line
|
|
@cindex Reducing the increment when scrolling
|
|
|
|
Customize the @code{scroll-conservatively} variable with @kbd{M-x
|
|
customize-variable @key{RET} scroll-conservatively @key{RET}} and set it
|
|
to a large value like, say, 10000. For an explanation of what this
|
|
means, @pxref{Auto Scrolling,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, use the following Lisp form in your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq scroll-conservatively most-positive-fixnum)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Editing Windows files
|
|
@section How can I edit Windows files using Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Microsoft files, editing
|
|
@cindex Windows files, editing
|
|
@cindex Editing MS-DOS files
|
|
@cindex MS-DOS files, editing
|
|
|
|
Detection and handling of Windows (and MS-DOS) files is performed
|
|
transparently. You can open Windows files on a Unix system, edit it,
|
|
and save it without having to worry about the file format.
|
|
|
|
When editing a Windows style file, the mode line will indicate that it
|
|
is a Windows file. On GNU/Linux, Unix and macOS systems, the string
|
|
@samp{(DOS)} will appear near the left edge of the mode line; on Windows
|
|
and MS-DOS, where the DOS end-of-line (EOL) format is the default, a
|
|
backslash (@samp{\}) will appear in the mode line.
|
|
|
|
@node Filling paragraphs with a single space
|
|
@section How can I tell Emacs to fill paragraphs with a single space after each period?
|
|
@cindex One space following periods
|
|
@cindex Single space following periods
|
|
@cindex Periods, one space following
|
|
|
|
Add the following line to your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq sentence-end-double-space nil)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Escape sequences in shell output
|
|
@section Why these strange escape sequences from @code{ls} from the Shell mode?
|
|
@cindex Escape sequences in @code{ls} output
|
|
@cindex @code{ls} in Shell mode
|
|
|
|
In many systems, @code{ls} is aliased to @samp{ls --color}, which
|
|
prints using ANSI color escape sequences. Emacs includes the
|
|
@code{ansi-color} package, which lets Shell mode recognize these
|
|
escape sequences. It is enabled by default.
|
|
|
|
@node Start Emacs maximized
|
|
@section How can I start Emacs in full screen?
|
|
@cindex Maximize frame
|
|
@cindex Fullscreen mode
|
|
|
|
Run Emacs with the @samp{--maximized} command-line option or put the
|
|
following form at the top of your early init file (@pxref{Early Init
|
|
File,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(push '(fullscreen . maximized) default-frame-alist)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Note that while some customizations of @code{default-frame-alist}
|
|
could have undesirable effects when modified in the early init file,
|
|
it is okay to do it in this particular case. Adding it to the top of
|
|
your normal init file will also work, but leads to a visible resizing
|
|
of the window that some find distracting.
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs in a Linux console
|
|
@section How can I alleviate the limitations of the Linux console?
|
|
@cindex Console, Linux console, TTY, fbterm
|
|
|
|
If possible, we recommend running Emacs inside @command{fbterm}, when
|
|
in a Linux console. This brings the Linux console on par with most
|
|
terminal emulators under X@. To do this, install @command{fbterm},
|
|
for example with the package manager of your GNU/Linux distribution,
|
|
and execute the command
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ fbterm
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
This will create a sample configuration file @file{~/.fbtermrc} in
|
|
your home directory. Edit that file and change the options
|
|
@code{font-names} and @code{font-size} if necessary. For the former,
|
|
you can choose one or more of the lines in the output of the following
|
|
command, separated by commas:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ fc-list :spacing=mono family | sed 's/ /\\ /g'
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
Note that you can fine-tune the appearance of the fonts by adding
|
|
attribute-value pairs, separated by colons, after each font name. For
|
|
example,
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
font-names=DejaVu\ Sans\ Mono:style=bold:antialias=false
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
selects the bold style of the DejaVu Sans Mono font, and disables
|
|
anti-aliasing.
|
|
|
|
You can now start Emacs inside @command{fbterm} with the command
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ fbterm -- env TERM=fbterm emacs
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
In some versions of @command{fbterm}, setting @env{TERM} to
|
|
@samp{fbterm} can be omitted. To check whether it is needed, start
|
|
Emacs inside @command{fbterm} with the command
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
$ fbterm -- emacs
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
and type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}. If only 8 colors are
|
|
displayed, it is necessary; if 256 colors are displayed, it isn't.
|
|
|
|
You may want to add an alias for that command in your shell
|
|
configuration file. For example, if you use Bash, you can add the
|
|
following line to your @file{~/.bashrc} file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
alias emacs="fbterm -- env TERM=fbterm emacs"
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
or, if you use Emacs both in the Linux console and under X:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
[[ "$(tty)" =~ "/dev/tty" ]] && alias emacs="fbterm -- env TERM=fbterm emacs"
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
The @command{fbterm} terminal emulator may define a number of key
|
|
bindings for its own use, some of which conflict with those that Emacs
|
|
uses. Execute the following two commands as root to ensure that
|
|
@command{fbterm} does not define these key bindings:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
# chmod a-s `which fbterm`
|
|
# setcap cap_sys_tty_config=-ep `which fbterm`
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
If you use Emacs as root, the above is not enough however, because the
|
|
root user has all privileges. You can use the following command to
|
|
start Emacs inside @command{fbterm} as root while ensuring that
|
|
@command{fbterm} does not define any key bindings for its own use:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
# capsh --drop=cap_sys_tty_config -- -c "fbterm -- env TERM=fbterm emacs"
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Again you may want to add a shortcut for that command in the shell
|
|
configuration file of the root user. In this case however, it is not
|
|
possible to use an alias, because the command line arguments passed to
|
|
Emacs need to be inserted in the string at the end of the command. A
|
|
wrapper script or a function can be used to do that. For example, if
|
|
you use Bash, you can add the following function in the root user
|
|
@file{~/.bashrc} file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
function emacs ()
|
|
@{
|
|
CMD="fbterm -- env TERM=fbterm emacs "
|
|
for ARG in "$@@"
|
|
do
|
|
CMD="$CMD '$ARG' "
|
|
done
|
|
capsh --drop=cap_sys_tty_config -- -c "$CMD"
|
|
@}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Bugs and problems
|
|
@chapter Bugs and problems
|
|
@cindex Bugs and problems
|
|
|
|
The Emacs manual lists some common kinds of trouble users could get
|
|
into, see @ref{Lossage, , Dealing with Emacs Trouble, emacs, The GNU
|
|
Emacs Manual}, so you might look there if the problem you encounter
|
|
isn't described in this chapter. If you decide you've discovered a bug,
|
|
see @ref{Bugs, , Reporting Bugs, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for
|
|
instructions how to do that.
|
|
|
|
The file @file{etc/PROBLEMS} in the Emacs distribution lists various
|
|
known problems with building and using Emacs on specific platforms;
|
|
type @kbd{C-h C-p} to read it.
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Problems with very large files::
|
|
* ^M in the shell buffer::
|
|
* Problems with Shell Mode::
|
|
* Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs::
|
|
* Errors with init files::
|
|
* Emacs ignores X resources::
|
|
* Emacs ignores frame parameters::
|
|
* Editing files with $ in the name::
|
|
* Shell mode loses the current directory::
|
|
* Security risks with Emacs::
|
|
* Dired claims that no file is on this line::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Problems with very large files
|
|
@section Does Emacs have problems with large files?
|
|
@cindex Very large files, opening
|
|
@cindex Large files, opening
|
|
@cindex Opening very large files
|
|
@cindex Maximum file size
|
|
@cindex Files, maximum size
|
|
|
|
Emacs has an inherent fixed limitation on the size of buffers. This
|
|
limit is stricter than the maximum size of objects supported by other
|
|
programs on the same architecture.
|
|
|
|
The maximum buffer size on 64-bit machines is 2.3 exabytes
|
|
(@code{most-positive-fixnum}).
|
|
|
|
Emacs compiled on a 32-bit machine can handle buffers up to 512
|
|
MBytes. If Emacs was built using the @code{--with-wide-int} flag, the
|
|
maximum buffer size on 32-bit machines is 2 GB.
|
|
|
|
Due to things like decoding of multibyte characters, you can only
|
|
visit files with a size that is roughly half the buffer size limit.
|
|
When visiting compressed archives, the file size limit will be
|
|
smaller than that due to decompression.
|
|
|
|
@node ^M in the shell buffer
|
|
@section How do I get rid of @samp{^M} or echoed commands in my shell buffer?
|
|
@cindex Shell buffer, echoed commands and @samp{^M} in
|
|
@cindex Echoed commands in @code{shell-mode}
|
|
|
|
Try typing @kbd{M-x comint-strip-ctrl-m @key{RET}} while in @code{shell-mode} to
|
|
make them go away. If that doesn't work, you have several options:
|
|
|
|
For @code{tcsh}, put this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc})
|
|
file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
if ($?INSIDE_EMACS && $?tcsh)
|
|
unset edit
|
|
stty -icrnl -onlcr -echo susp ^Z
|
|
endif
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Or put this in your @file{.emacs_tcsh} or @file{~/.emacs.d/init_tcsh.sh} file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
unset edit
|
|
stty -icrnl -onlcr -echo susp ^Z
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, use @code{csh} in your shell buffers instead of
|
|
@code{tcsh}. One way is:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq explicit-shell-file-name "/bin/csh")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
and another is to do this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc})
|
|
file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
setenv ESHELL /bin/csh
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
(You must start Emacs over again with the environment variable properly
|
|
set for this to take effect.)
|
|
|
|
You can also set the @code{ESHELL} environment variable in Emacs Lisp
|
|
with the following Lisp form,
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setenv "ESHELL" "/bin/csh")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
The above solutions try to prevent the shell from producing the
|
|
@samp{^M} characters in the first place. If this is not possible
|
|
(e.g., if you use a Windows shell), you can get Emacs to remove these
|
|
characters from the buffer by adding this to your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@smalllisp
|
|
(add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions #'comint-strip-ctrl-m)
|
|
@end smalllisp
|
|
|
|
On a related note: if your shell is echoing your input line in the shell
|
|
buffer, you might want to customize the @code{comint-process-echoes}
|
|
variable in your shell buffers, or try the following command in your
|
|
shell start-up file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
stty -icrnl -onlcr -echo susp ^Z
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@node Problems with Shell Mode
|
|
@section Why do I get an error message when I try to run @kbd{M-x shell}?
|
|
|
|
@cindex Shell Mode, problems
|
|
@cindex @code{explicit-shell-file-name}
|
|
This might happen because Emacs tries to look for the shell in a wrong
|
|
place. If you know where your shell executable is, set the variable
|
|
@code{explicit-shell-file-name} in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}) to point to its full file name.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Antivirus programs, and Shell Mode
|
|
Some people have trouble with Shell Mode on MS-Windows because of
|
|
intrusive antivirus software; disabling the resident antivirus program
|
|
solves the problems in those cases.
|
|
|
|
@node Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs
|
|
@section Where is the termcap/terminfo entry for terminal type @samp{emacs}?
|
|
@cindex Termcap
|
|
@cindex Terminfo
|
|
@cindex Emacs entries for termcap/terminfo
|
|
|
|
The termcap entry for terminal type @samp{emacs} is ordinarily put in
|
|
the @samp{TERMCAP} environment variable of subshells. It may help in
|
|
certain situations (e.g., using rlogin from shell buffer) to add an
|
|
entry for @samp{emacs} to the system-wide termcap file. Here is a
|
|
correct termcap entry for @samp{emacs}:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
emacs:tc=unknown:
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
To make a terminfo entry for @samp{emacs}, use @code{tic} or
|
|
@code{captoinfo}. You need to generate
|
|
@file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emacs}. It may work to simply copy
|
|
@file{/usr/lib/terminfo/d/dumb} to @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emacs}.
|
|
|
|
Having a termcap/terminfo entry will not enable the use of full screen
|
|
programs in shell buffers. Use @kbd{M-x term} for that instead.
|
|
|
|
A workaround to the problem of missing termcap/terminfo entries is to
|
|
change terminal type @samp{emacs} to type @samp{dumb} or @samp{unknown}
|
|
in your shell start up file. @code{csh} users could put this in their
|
|
@file{.cshrc} files:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
if ("$term" == emacs) set term=dumb
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@node Errors with init files
|
|
@section Why does Emacs say @samp{Error in init file}?
|
|
@cindex Error in @file{.emacs.d/init.el}
|
|
@cindex Error in init file
|
|
@cindex Init file, errors in
|
|
@cindex @file{.emacs.d/init.el} file, errors in
|
|
@cindex Debugging init file
|
|
|
|
An error occurred while loading either your init file or the
|
|
system-wide file @file{site-lisp/default.el}. Emacs pops the
|
|
@file{*Messages*} buffer, and puts there some additional information
|
|
about the error, to provide some hints for debugging.
|
|
|
|
For information on how to debug your init file, see
|
|
@ref{Debugging a customization file}.
|
|
|
|
It may be the case that you need to load some package first, or use a
|
|
hook that will be evaluated after the package is loaded. A common case
|
|
of this is explained in @ref{Terminal setup code works after Emacs has
|
|
begun}.
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs ignores X resources
|
|
@section Why does Emacs ignore my X resources (my .Xdefaults file)?
|
|
@cindex X resources being ignored
|
|
@cindex Ignored X resources
|
|
@cindex @file{.Xdefaults}
|
|
|
|
Emacs searches for X resources in the files specified by the following
|
|
environment variables:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item @code{XFILESEARCHPATH}
|
|
@item @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH}
|
|
@item @code{XAPPLRESDIR}
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
This emulates the functionality provided by programs written using the
|
|
Xt toolkit.
|
|
|
|
@code{XFILESEARCHPATH} and @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH} should be a list
|
|
of file names separated by colons. @code{XAPPLRESDIR} should be a list
|
|
of directories separated by colons.
|
|
|
|
Emacs searches for X resources:
|
|
|
|
@enumerate
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
specified on the command line, with the @samp{-xrm RESOURCESTRING} option,
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
then in the value of the @samp{XENVIRONMENT} environment variable,
|
|
|
|
@itemize @minus
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
or if that is unset, in the file named
|
|
@file{~/.Xdefaults-@var{hostname}} if it exists (where @var{hostname} is
|
|
the name of the machine Emacs is running on),
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
then in the screen-specific and server-wide resource properties provided
|
|
by the server,
|
|
|
|
@itemize @minus
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
or if those properties are unset, in the file named @file{~/.Xdefaults}
|
|
if it exists,
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
then in the files listed in @samp{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH},
|
|
|
|
@itemize @minus
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
or in files named @file{@var{lang}/Emacs} in directories listed in
|
|
@samp{XAPPLRESDIR} (where @var{lang} is the value of the @code{LANG}
|
|
environment variable), if the @samp{LANG} environment variable is set,
|
|
@item
|
|
or in files named Emacs in the directories listed in @samp{XAPPLRESDIR}
|
|
@item
|
|
or in @file{~/@var{lang}/Emacs} (if the @code{LANG} environment variable
|
|
is set),
|
|
@item
|
|
or in @file{~/Emacs},
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
then in the files listed in @code{XFILESEARCHPATH}.
|
|
|
|
@end enumerate
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs ignores frame parameters
|
|
@section Why don't my customizations of the frame parameters work?
|
|
@cindex Frame parameters
|
|
|
|
This probably happens because you have set the frame parameters in the
|
|
variable @code{initial-frame-alist}. That variable holds parameters
|
|
used only for the first frame created when Emacs starts. To customize
|
|
the parameters of all frames, change the variable
|
|
@code{default-frame-alist} instead.
|
|
|
|
These two variables exist because many users customize the initial frame
|
|
in a special way. For example, you could determine the position and
|
|
size of the initial frame, but would like to control the geometry of the
|
|
other frames by individually positioning each one of them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Editing files with $ in the name
|
|
@section How do I edit a file with a @samp{$} in its name?
|
|
@cindex Editing files with @samp{$} in the name
|
|
@cindex @samp{$} in file names
|
|
@cindex File names containing @samp{$}, editing
|
|
|
|
When entering a file name in the minibuffer, Emacs will attempt to expand
|
|
a @samp{$} followed by a word as an environment variable. To suppress
|
|
this behavior, type @kbd{$$} instead.
|
|
|
|
@node Shell mode loses the current directory
|
|
@section Why does shell mode lose track of the shell's current directory?
|
|
@cindex Current directory and @code{shell-mode}
|
|
@cindex @code{shell-mode} and current directory
|
|
@cindex Directory, current in @code{shell-mode}
|
|
|
|
Emacs has no way of knowing when the shell actually changes its
|
|
directory. This is an intrinsic limitation of Unix. So it tries to
|
|
guess by recognizing @samp{cd} commands. If you type @kbd{cd} followed
|
|
by directory with a variable reference (@kbd{cd $HOME/bin}) or
|
|
with a shell metacharacter (@kbd{cd ../lib*}), Emacs will fail to
|
|
correctly guess the shell's new current directory. A huge variety of
|
|
fixes and enhancements to shell mode for this problem have been written
|
|
to handle this problem (@pxref{Finding a package with particular
|
|
functionality}).
|
|
|
|
You can tell Emacs the shell's current directory with the command
|
|
@kbd{M-x dirs}.
|
|
|
|
@node Security risks with Emacs
|
|
@section Are there any security risks in Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Security with Emacs
|
|
@cindex @samp{movemail} and security
|
|
@cindex @code{file-local-variable} and security
|
|
@cindex Synthetic X events and security
|
|
@cindex X events and security
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Third party packages.
|
|
|
|
Any package you install into Emacs can run arbitrary code with the same
|
|
privileges as the Emacs process itself. Be aware of this when you use
|
|
the package system (for example, @code{M-x list-packages}) with third
|
|
party archives. Use only third parties that you can trust!
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Using an out-of-date Emacs version.
|
|
|
|
For security purposes, we recommend always using the latest officially
|
|
released version of Emacs. Using old versions of Emacs might put your
|
|
security at risk, as newer versions occasionally include important
|
|
security fixes. Please review the Emacs release notes and the
|
|
@file{etc/NEWS} file for details.
|
|
|
|
Upgrading to the most recent version is particularly important if you
|
|
use Emacs as a mail client, or to edit files that come from untrusted
|
|
sources. You should be able to install the latest version of Emacs
|
|
through your system's package manager, and it is always available at
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/, the Emacs website}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The @code{file-local-variable} feature. (Yes, a risk, but easy to
|
|
change.)
|
|
|
|
There is an Emacs feature that allows the setting of local values for
|
|
variables when editing a file by including specially formatted text near
|
|
the end of the file. This feature also includes the ability to have
|
|
arbitrary Emacs Lisp code evaluated when the file is visited.
|
|
Obviously, there is a potential for Trojan horses to exploit this
|
|
feature.
|
|
|
|
Emacs has a list of local variables that are known to be safe to set.
|
|
If a file tries to set any variable outside this list, it asks the
|
|
user to confirm whether the variables should be set. You can also tell
|
|
Emacs whether to allow the evaluation of Emacs Lisp code found at the
|
|
bottom of files by setting the variable @code{enable-local-eval}.
|
|
|
|
@xref{File Variables,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Browsing the web.
|
|
|
|
Emacs relies on C libraries to parse images, and historically, many of
|
|
these have had exploitable weaknesses. If you're browsing the web
|
|
with the eww browser, it will usually download and display images
|
|
using these libraries. If an image library has a weakness, it may be
|
|
used by an attacker to gain access.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Dired claims that no file is on this line
|
|
@section Dired says, @samp{no file on this line} when I try to do something.
|
|
@cindex Dired does not see a file
|
|
|
|
Dired uses a regular expression to find the beginning of a file name.
|
|
In a long Unix-style directory listing (@samp{ls -l}), the file name
|
|
starts after the date. The regexp has thus been written to look for the
|
|
date. By default, it should understand dates and times regardless of
|
|
the language, but if your directory listing has an unusual format, Dired
|
|
may get confused.
|
|
|
|
There are two approaches to solving this. The first one involves
|
|
setting things up so that @samp{ls -l} outputs a more standard format.
|
|
See your OS manual for more information.
|
|
|
|
The second approach involves changing the regular expression used by
|
|
dired, @code{directory-listing-before-filename-regexp}.
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Compiling and installing Emacs
|
|
@chapter Compiling and installing Emacs
|
|
@cindex Compiling and installing Emacs
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Installing Emacs::
|
|
* Emacs for other operating systems::
|
|
* Problems building Emacs::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Installing Emacs
|
|
@section How do I install Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Installing Emacs
|
|
@cindex Unix systems, installing Emacs on
|
|
@cindex Downloading and installing Emacs
|
|
@cindex Building Emacs from source
|
|
@cindex Source code, building Emacs from
|
|
|
|
This answer is meant for users of Unix and Unix-like systems. Users of
|
|
other operating systems should see @xref{Emacs for other operating systems}.
|
|
|
|
Most GNU/Linux distributions provide pre-built Emacs packages.
|
|
If Emacs is not installed already, you can install it by running (as
|
|
root) a command such as @samp{dnf install emacs} (Red Hat and
|
|
derivatives; use @samp{yum} in older distributions) or
|
|
@samp{apt-get install emacs} (Debian and derivatives).
|
|
|
|
If you want to compile Emacs yourself, read the file @file{INSTALL} in
|
|
the source distribution. In brief:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
First download the Emacs sources. @xref{Current GNU distributions}, for
|
|
a list of sites that make them available. On @url{https://ftp.gnu.org},
|
|
the main GNU distribution site, sources are available as
|
|
|
|
@c Don't include VER in the file name, because pretests are not there.
|
|
@uref{https://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/emacs-VERSION.tar.xz}
|
|
|
|
(Replace @samp{VERSION} with the relevant version number, e.g., @samp{28.1}.)
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Next uncompress and extract the source files. This requires
|
|
the @code{xz} and @code{tar} programs, which are standard utilities.
|
|
If your system does not have them, these can also be downloaded from
|
|
@url{https://ftp.gnu.org}.
|
|
|
|
GNU @code{tar} can uncompress and extract in a single-step:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
tar -axvf emacs-VERSION.tar.xz
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
At this point, the Emacs sources should be sitting in a directory called
|
|
@file{emacs-VERSION}. On most common Unix and Unix-like systems,
|
|
you should be able to compile Emacs with the following commands:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
cd emacs-VERSION
|
|
./configure # configure Emacs for your particular system
|
|
make # use Makefile to build components, then Emacs
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
If the @code{make} completes successfully, you can go on to install it.
|
|
(@xref{Problems building Emacs}, if you weren't successful.)
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
By default, Emacs is installed in @file{/usr/local}. To actually
|
|
install files, become the superuser and type
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
make install
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Note that @samp{make install} will overwrite @file{/usr/local/bin/emacs}
|
|
and any Emacs Info files that might be in @file{/usr/local/share/info/}.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs for other operating systems
|
|
@section Where can I get Emacs for macOS, MS Windows, etc?
|
|
|
|
@cindex Apple computers, Emacs for
|
|
@cindex Macintosh, Emacs for
|
|
@cindex macOS, Emacs for
|
|
Emacs supports macOS natively. See the file @file{nextstep/INSTALL}
|
|
in the distribution.
|
|
|
|
@cindex FAQ for Emacs on MS-Windows
|
|
@cindex Emacs for MS-Windows
|
|
@cindex Microsoft Windows, Emacs for
|
|
There is a separate FAQ for Emacs on MS-Windows,
|
|
@pxref{Top,,,efaq-w32,FAQ for Emacs on MS Windows}.
|
|
|
|
@cindex GNUstep, Emacs for
|
|
Emacs supports GNUstep natively. See the file @file{nextstep/INSTALL}
|
|
in the distribution.
|
|
|
|
@cindex MS-DOS, Emacs for
|
|
@cindex DOS, Emacs for
|
|
@cindex Compiling Emacs for DOS
|
|
@cindex Emacs for MS-DOS
|
|
To build Emacs from source for MS-DOS, see the instructions in the file
|
|
@file{msdos/INSTALL} in the distribution. The DOS port builds and runs
|
|
on plain DOS, and also on all versions of MS-Windows from version 3.X
|
|
onwards, including Windows XP and Vista. Pre-built binaries may be
|
|
available at
|
|
@uref{https://www.delorie.com/pub/djgpp/current/v2gnu/emacs.README}
|
|
|
|
For a list of other implementations of Emacs (and Emacs
|
|
look-alikes), consult the list of ``Emacs implementations and literature,''
|
|
available at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.finseth.com/emacs.html}
|
|
|
|
Note that while many of these programs look similar to Emacs, they often
|
|
lack certain features, such as the Emacs Lisp extension language.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Problems building Emacs
|
|
@section What should I do if I have trouble building Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Problems building Emacs
|
|
@cindex Errors when building Emacs
|
|
|
|
First look in the file @file{etc/PROBLEMS} (where you unpack the Emacs
|
|
source) to see if there is already a solution for your problem. Next,
|
|
look for other questions in this FAQ that have to do with Emacs
|
|
installation and compilation problems.
|
|
|
|
If you'd like to have someone look at your problem and help solve it,
|
|
see @ref{Help installing Emacs}.
|
|
|
|
If you cannot find a solution in the documentation, please report the
|
|
problem (@pxref{Reporting bugs}).
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Finding Emacs and related packages
|
|
@chapter Finding Emacs and related packages
|
|
@cindex Finding Emacs and related packages
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Downloading Emacs::
|
|
* Finding a package with particular functionality::
|
|
* Packages that do not come with Emacs::
|
|
* Spell-checkers::
|
|
* Current GNU distributions::
|
|
* Emacs for minimalists::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Downloading Emacs
|
|
@section Downloading Emacs
|
|
@cindex Downloading Emacs
|
|
|
|
Information on downloading Emacs is available at
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/, the Emacs website}.
|
|
|
|
@xref{Installing Emacs}, for information on how to obtain and build the latest
|
|
version of Emacs, and see @ref{Current GNU distributions}, for a list of
|
|
archive sites that make GNU software available.
|
|
|
|
@node Finding a package with particular functionality
|
|
@section How do I find an Emacs Lisp package that does XXX?
|
|
@cindex Package, finding
|
|
@cindex Finding an Emacs Lisp package
|
|
@cindex Functionality, finding a particular package
|
|
|
|
The command @kbd{C-h p} (@code{finder-by-keyword}) allows you to browse
|
|
the packages that come with Emacs.
|
|
|
|
For advice on how to find extra packages that are not part of Emacs,
|
|
see @ref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}.
|
|
|
|
Other techniques that might be useful:
|
|
|
|
Typing @kbd{M-x apropos @key{RET} python @key{RET}} lists all
|
|
functions and variables containing the string @samp{python}.
|
|
|
|
You can look through your computer's lisp directory (@pxref{File-name
|
|
conventions}). The Lisp source to most packages contains a short
|
|
description of what they do and how they should be used.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c Note that M-x view-external-packages references this node.
|
|
@node Packages that do not come with Emacs
|
|
@section Where can I get Emacs Lisp packages that don't come with Emacs?
|
|
@cindex Unbundled packages
|
|
@cindex Finding other packages
|
|
@cindex Lisp packages that do not come with Emacs
|
|
@cindex Packages, those that do not come with Emacs
|
|
@cindex Emacs Lisp Archive
|
|
|
|
The easiest way to add more features to your Emacs is to use the
|
|
command @kbd{M-x list-packages}. This contacts the
|
|
@uref{https://elpa.gnu.org, GNU ELPA} and
|
|
@uref{https://elpa.nongnu.org, NonGNU ELPA} (``Emacs Lisp Package
|
|
Archive'') servers and fetches the list of additional packages that
|
|
they offer. You can browse the resulting @file{*Packages*} buffer to
|
|
see what is available, and then Emacs can automatically download and
|
|
install the packages that you select. @xref{Packages,,, emacs, The
|
|
GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
GNU ELPA contains GNU packages that are available for use with Emacs,
|
|
but are distributed separately from Emacs itself, for reasons of
|
|
space, etc. NonGNU ELPA contains a selection of third-party packages
|
|
that can not be included in GNU ELPA because their copyright has not
|
|
yet been assigned to the Free Software Foundation.@footnote{For more
|
|
information, see @uref{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html,
|
|
Why the FSF Gets Copyright Assignments from Contributors}.}
|
|
|
|
The @uref{https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-emacs-sources,
|
|
GNU Emacs sources mailing list} is automatically sent an email when a
|
|
new version of a GNU ELPA or NonGNU ELPA package is
|
|
released.@footnote{It used to be an official place where people could
|
|
post or announce their extensions to Emacs. That is still allowed,
|
|
but exceedingly rare these days.}
|
|
|
|
There are other Emacs Lisp package archives. To use additional
|
|
archives, you can customize the @code{package-archives} variable.
|
|
Those archives have no affiliation with GNU Emacs, and we do not
|
|
monitor how they are maintained. They may pay close attention to
|
|
correctness and safety of the code, or they may give only cursory
|
|
attention.
|
|
|
|
Also, packages hosted on these other archives may encourage or require
|
|
you to install and use nonfree programs. Unless you can verify
|
|
that a package is free software, and that it functions without
|
|
installing any nonfree software, we recommend for your freedom's sake
|
|
that you stay away from it.
|
|
|
|
The @uref{https://emacswiki.org, Emacs Wiki} contains pointers to some
|
|
additional extensions. @uref{https://wikemacs.org, WikEmacs} is an
|
|
alternative wiki for Emacs.
|
|
|
|
It is impossible for us to list here all the sites that offer Emacs
|
|
Lisp packages. If you are interested in a specific feature, then
|
|
after checking Emacs itself, GNU ELPA, and NonGNU ELPA, a web search
|
|
is often the best way to find results.
|
|
|
|
@node Spell-checkers
|
|
@section Spell-checkers
|
|
@cindex Spell-checker
|
|
@cindex Checking spelling
|
|
@cindex Hunspell
|
|
@cindex Aspell
|
|
@cindex Ispell
|
|
@cindex Enchant
|
|
|
|
Various spell-checkers are compatible with Emacs, including:
|
|
|
|
@table @b
|
|
|
|
@item Hunspell
|
|
@uref{https://hunspell.github.io/}
|
|
|
|
@item GNU Aspell
|
|
@uref{http://aspell.net/}
|
|
|
|
@item Ispell
|
|
@uref{http://fmg-www.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/ispell.html}
|
|
|
|
@item Enchant
|
|
@uref{https://abiword.github.io/enchant/}
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Current GNU distributions
|
|
@section Where can I get other up-to-date GNU stuff?
|
|
@cindex Current GNU distributions
|
|
@cindex Sources for current GNU distributions
|
|
@cindex Stuff, current GNU
|
|
@cindex Up-to-date GNU stuff
|
|
@cindex Finding current GNU software
|
|
@cindex Official GNU software sites
|
|
|
|
The most up-to-date official GNU software is normally kept at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu}
|
|
|
|
A list of sites mirroring @samp{ftp.gnu.org} can be found at
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp}
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs for minimalists
|
|
@section I don't have enough disk space to install Emacs
|
|
@cindex Zile
|
|
@cindex Not enough disk space to install Emacs
|
|
|
|
GNU Zile is a lightweight Emacs clone. Zile is short for @samp{Zile Is
|
|
Lossy Emacs}. It has all of Emacs's basic editing features. The Zile
|
|
binary typically has a size of about 130 kbytes, so this can be useful
|
|
if you are in an extremely space-restricted environment. More
|
|
information is available from
|
|
|
|
@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/zile/}
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Key bindings
|
|
@chapter Key bindings
|
|
@cindex Key bindings
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Binding keys to commands::
|
|
* Invalid prefix characters::
|
|
* Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun::
|
|
* Working with function and arrow keys::
|
|
* X key translations for Emacs::
|
|
* Backspace invokes help::
|
|
* Swapping keys::
|
|
* Producing C-XXX with the keyboard::
|
|
* No Meta key::
|
|
* No Escape key::
|
|
* Compose Character::
|
|
* Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys::
|
|
* Meta key does not work in xterm::
|
|
* Some Ctrl-modified keys do not work on xterm::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Binding keys to commands
|
|
@section How do I bind keys (including function keys) to commands?
|
|
@cindex Binding keys to commands
|
|
@cindex Keys, binding to commands
|
|
@cindex Commands, binding keys to
|
|
|
|
Keys can be bound to commands either interactively or in your init
|
|
file (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}). To interactively bind
|
|
keys for all modes, type @kbd{M-x keymap-global-set @key{RET} @var{key}
|
|
@var{cmd} @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
To bind a key just in the current major mode, type @kbd{M-x
|
|
keymap-local-set @key{RET} @var{key} @var{cmd} @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
|
@xref{Key Bindings,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
To make the process of binding keys interactively easier, use the
|
|
following ``trick'': First bind the key interactively, then immediately
|
|
type @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC} C-a C-k C-g}. Now, the command needed
|
|
to bind the key is in the kill ring, and can be yanked into your
|
|
init file. If the key binding is global, no changes to the
|
|
command are required. For example,
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-set "<f1>" 'help-for-help)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
can be placed directly into your init file. If the key binding is
|
|
local, the command is used in conjunction with the @samp{add-hook}
|
|
function. For example, in TeX mode, a local binding might be
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook 'tex-mode-hook
|
|
(lambda ()
|
|
(keymap-local-set "<f1>" 'help-for-help)))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Control characters in key sequences, in the form yanked from the kill
|
|
ring are given in their graphic form---i.e., @key{CTRL} is shown as
|
|
@samp{^}, @key{TAB} as a set of spaces (usually 8), etc. You may want
|
|
to convert these into their vector or string forms.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If a prefix key of the character sequence to be bound is already
|
|
bound as a complete key, then you must unbind it before the new
|
|
binding. For example, if @kbd{ESC @{} is previously bound:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-unset "M-@{") ;; or
|
|
(keymap-local-unset "M-@{")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Aside from commands and ``lambda lists,'' a vector or string also
|
|
can be bound to a key and thus treated as a macro. For example:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-set "<f10>" [?\C-x?\e?\e?\C-a?\C-k?\C-g]) ;; or
|
|
(keymap-global-set "<f10>" "\C-x\e\e\C-a\C-k\C-g")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Invalid prefix characters
|
|
@section Why does Emacs say @samp{Key sequence XXX uses invalid prefix characters}?
|
|
@cindex Prefix characters, invalid
|
|
@cindex Invalid prefix characters
|
|
@cindex Misspecified key sequences
|
|
|
|
Usually, one of two things has happened. In one case, the control
|
|
character in the key sequence has been misspecified (e.g., @samp{C-f}
|
|
used instead of @samp{\C-f} within a Lisp expression). In the other
|
|
case, a @dfn{prefix key} in the keystroke sequence you were trying to bind
|
|
was already bound as a @dfn{complete key}. Historically, the @samp{ESC [}
|
|
prefix was usually the problem, in which case you should evaluate this
|
|
form before attempting to bind the key sequence:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-unset "M-[")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun
|
|
@section Why doesn't this [terminal or window-system setup] code work in my init file, but it works just fine after Emacs starts up?
|
|
@cindex Terminal setup code in init file
|
|
|
|
During startup, Emacs initializes itself according to a given
|
|
code/file order. If some of the code executed in your init file
|
|
(@pxref{Setting up a customization file}) needs to be postponed until
|
|
the initial terminal or window-system setup code has been executed but
|
|
is not, then you will experience this problem (this code/file
|
|
execution order is not enforced after startup).
|
|
|
|
To postpone the execution of Emacs Lisp code until after terminal or
|
|
window-system setup, treat the code as a @dfn{lambda list} and add it to
|
|
@code{emacs-startup-hook} (or @code{tty-setup-hook} in Emacs 24.4 and
|
|
newer). For example,
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook 'emacs-startup-hook
|
|
(lambda ()
|
|
(when (string-match "\\`vt220" (or (getenv "TERM") ""))
|
|
;; Make vt220's "Do" key behave like M-x:
|
|
(keymap-global-set "<do>" 'execute-extended-command))))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
For information on what Emacs does every time it is started, see the
|
|
@file{lisp/startup.el} file.
|
|
|
|
@node Working with function and arrow keys
|
|
@section How do I tell what characters or symbols my function or arrow keys emit?
|
|
@cindex Working with arrow keys
|
|
@cindex Arrow keys, symbols generated by
|
|
@cindex Working with function keys
|
|
@cindex Function keys, symbols generated by
|
|
@cindex Symbols generated by function keys
|
|
|
|
Type @kbd{C-h c} then the function or arrow keys. The command will
|
|
return either a function key symbol or character sequence (see the
|
|
Emacs documentation for an explanation). This works for other
|
|
keys as well.
|
|
|
|
@node X key translations for Emacs
|
|
@section How do I set the X key ``translations'' for Emacs?
|
|
@cindex X key translations
|
|
@cindex Key translations under X
|
|
@cindex Translations for keys under X
|
|
|
|
Emacs is not written using the Xt library by default, so there are no
|
|
``translations'' to be set. (We aren't sure how to set such translations
|
|
if you do build Emacs with Xt; please let us know if you've done this!)
|
|
|
|
The only way to affect the behavior of keys within Emacs is through
|
|
@code{xmodmap} (outside Emacs) or @code{define-key} (inside Emacs). The
|
|
@code{define-key} command should be used in conjunction with the
|
|
@code{local-function-key-map} map. For instance,
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(define-key function-key-map [M-@key{TAB}] [?\M-\t])
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
defines the @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} key sequence.
|
|
|
|
@node Backspace invokes help
|
|
@section Why does the @key{Backspace} key invoke help?
|
|
@cindex @key{Backspace} key invokes help
|
|
@cindex Help invoked by @key{Backspace}
|
|
@cindex @key{DEL} key does not delete
|
|
|
|
The @key{Backspace} key (on most keyboards) generates @acronym{ASCII} code 8.
|
|
@kbd{C-h} sends the same code. In Emacs by default @kbd{C-h} invokes
|
|
help-command. This is intended to be easy to remember since the first
|
|
letter of @samp{help} is @samp{h}. The easiest solution to this problem
|
|
is to use @kbd{C-h} (and @key{Backspace}) for help and @key{DEL} (the
|
|
@key{Delete} key) for deleting the previous character.
|
|
|
|
For many people this solution may be problematic:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
They normally use @key{Backspace} outside of Emacs for deleting the
|
|
previous character. This can be solved by making @key{DEL} the command
|
|
for deleting the previous character outside of Emacs. On many Unix
|
|
systems, this command will remap @key{DEL}:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
stty erase '^?'
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
The user may prefer the @key{Backspace} key for deleting the
|
|
previous character because it is more conveniently located on their
|
|
keyboard or because they don't even have a separate @key{Delete} key.
|
|
In this case, the @key{Backspace} key should be made to behave like
|
|
@key{Delete}. There are several methods.
|
|
|
|
@itemize @minus
|
|
@item
|
|
Some terminals (e.g., VT3## terminals) and terminal emulators (e.g.,
|
|
TeraTerm) allow the character generated by the @key{Backspace} key to be
|
|
changed from a setup menu.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You may be able to get a keyboard that is completely programmable, or a
|
|
terminal emulator that supports remapping of any key to any other key.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You can control the effect of the @key{Backspace} and @key{Delete}
|
|
keys, on both dumb terminals and a windowed displays, by customizing
|
|
the option @code{normal-erase-is-backspace-mode}, or by invoking
|
|
@kbd{M-x normal-erase-is-backspace}. See the documentation of these
|
|
symbols (@pxref{Emacs Lisp documentation}) for more info.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
It is possible to swap the @key{Backspace} and @key{DEL} keys inside
|
|
Emacs:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(key-translate "C-h" "C-?")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
This is the recommended method of forcing @key{Backspace} to act as
|
|
@key{DEL}, because it works even in modes which bind @key{DEL} to
|
|
something other than @code{delete-backward-char}.
|
|
|
|
Similarly, you could remap @key{DEL} to act as @kbd{C-d}, which by
|
|
default deletes forward:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(key-translate "C-?" "C-d")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@xref{Swapping keys}, for further details about @code{key-translate}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Another approach is to switch key bindings and put help on @kbd{C-x h}
|
|
instead:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-set "C-h" 'delete-backward-char)
|
|
|
|
;; overrides mark-whole-buffer
|
|
(keymap-global-set "C-x h" 'help-command)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
This method is not recommended, though: it only solves the problem for
|
|
those modes which bind @key{DEL} to @code{delete-backward-char}. Modes
|
|
which bind @key{DEL} to something else, such as @code{view-mode}, will
|
|
not work as you expect when you press the @key{Backspace} key. For this
|
|
reason, we recommend the @code{key-translate} method, shown
|
|
above.
|
|
|
|
Other popular key bindings for help are @kbd{M-?} and @kbd{C-x ?}.
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
Don't try to bind @key{DEL} to @code{help-command}, because there are
|
|
many modes that have local bindings of @key{DEL} that will interfere.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
When Emacs runs on a windowed display, it binds the @key{Delete} key
|
|
to a command which deletes the character at point, to make Emacs more
|
|
consistent with keyboard operation on these systems.
|
|
|
|
For more information about troubleshooting this problem, see @ref{DEL
|
|
Does Not Delete, , If @key{DEL} Fails to Delete, emacs, The GNU Emacs
|
|
Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Swapping keys
|
|
@section How do I swap two keys?
|
|
@cindex Swapping keys
|
|
@cindex Keys, swapping
|
|
@cindex @code{key-translate}
|
|
|
|
You can swap two keys (or key sequences) by using the
|
|
@code{key-translate} function. For example, to turn @kbd{C-h}
|
|
into @key{DEL} and @key{DEL} to @kbd{C-h}, use
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(key-translate "C-h" "C-?") ; translate 'C-h' to DEL
|
|
(key-translate "C-?" "C-h") ; translate DEL to 'C-h'.
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
The first key sequence of the pair after the function identifies what is
|
|
produced by the keyboard; the second, what is matched for in the
|
|
keymaps.
|
|
|
|
However, in the specific case of @kbd{C-h} and @key{DEL}, you should
|
|
toggle @code{normal-erase-is-backspace-mode} instead of calling
|
|
@code{key-translate}.
|
|
@xref{DEL Does Not Delete,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
Keyboard translations are not the same as key bindings in keymaps.
|
|
Emacs contains numerous keymaps that apply in different situations, but
|
|
there is only one set of keyboard translations, and it applies to every
|
|
character that Emacs reads from the terminal. Keyboard translations
|
|
take place at the lowest level of input processing; the keys that are
|
|
looked up in keymaps contain the characters that result from keyboard
|
|
translation.
|
|
|
|
@node Producing C-XXX with the keyboard
|
|
@section How do I produce C-XXX with my keyboard?
|
|
@cindex Producing control characters
|
|
@cindex Generating control characters
|
|
@cindex Control characters, generating
|
|
|
|
On terminals (but not under X), some common ``aliases'' are:
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-2} or @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
|
|
@kbd{C-@@}
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-6}
|
|
@kbd{C-^}
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-7} or @kbd{C-S--}
|
|
@kbd{C-_}
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-4}
|
|
@kbd{C-\}
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-5}
|
|
@kbd{C-]}
|
|
|
|
@item @kbd{C-/}
|
|
@kbd{C-?}
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
Often other aliases exist; use the @kbd{C-h c} command and try
|
|
@key{CTRL} with all of the digits on your keyboard to see what gets
|
|
generated. You can also try the @kbd{C-h w} command if you know the
|
|
name of the command.
|
|
|
|
@node No Meta key
|
|
@section What if I don't have a @key{Meta} key?
|
|
@cindex No @key{Meta} key
|
|
@cindex @key{Meta} key, what to do if you lack it
|
|
|
|
On many keyboards, the @key{Alt} key acts as @key{Meta}, so try it.
|
|
|
|
Instead of typing @kbd{M-a}, you can type @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. In fact,
|
|
Emacs converts @kbd{M-a} internally into @kbd{@key{ESC} a} anyway
|
|
(depending on the value of @code{meta-prefix-char}). Note that you
|
|
press @key{Meta} and @kbd{a} together, but with @key{ESC}, you press
|
|
@key{ESC}, release it, and then press @kbd{a}.
|
|
|
|
@node No Escape key
|
|
@section What if I don't have an @key{Escape} key?
|
|
@cindex No Escape key
|
|
@cindex Lacking an Escape key
|
|
@cindex Escape key, lacking
|
|
|
|
Type @kbd{C-[} instead. This should send @acronym{ASCII} code 27 just like an
|
|
Escape key would. @kbd{C-3} may also work on some terminal (but not
|
|
under X). For many terminals (notably DEC terminals) @key{F11}
|
|
generates @key{ESC}. If not, the following form can be used to bind it:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
;; F11 is the documented ESC replacement on DEC terminals.
|
|
(keymap-set function-key-map "<f11>" [?\e])
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Compose Character
|
|
@section Can I make my @key{Compose Character} key behave like a @key{Meta} key?
|
|
@cindex @key{Compose Character} key, using as @key{Meta}
|
|
@cindex @key{Meta}, using @key{Compose Character} for
|
|
|
|
On a dumb terminal such as a VT220, no. It is rumored that certain
|
|
VT220 clones could have their @key{Compose} key configured this way. If
|
|
you're using X, you might be able to do this with the @code{xmodmap}
|
|
command.
|
|
|
|
@node Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys
|
|
@section How do I bind a combination of modifier key and function key?
|
|
@cindex Modifiers and function keys
|
|
@cindex Function keys and modifiers
|
|
@cindex Binding modifiers and function keys
|
|
|
|
You can represent modified function keys in vector format by adding
|
|
prefixes to the function key symbol. For example (from the Emacs
|
|
documentation):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-set "C-x <right>" 'forward-page)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
where @samp{?\C-x} is the Lisp character constant for the character @kbd{C-x}.
|
|
|
|
You can use the modifier keys @key{Control}, @key{Meta}, @key{Hyper},
|
|
@key{Super}, @key{Alt}, and @key{Shift} with function keys. To
|
|
represent these modifiers, prepend the strings @samp{C-}, @samp{M-},
|
|
@samp{H-}, @samp{s-}, @samp{A-}, and @samp{S-} to the symbol name. Here
|
|
is how to make @kbd{H-M-RIGHT} move forward a word:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(keymap-global-set "H-M-<right>" 'forward-word)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Not all modifiers are permitted in all situations. @key{Hyper},
|
|
@key{Super}, and @key{Alt} are not available on Unix character
|
|
terminals. Non-@acronym{ASCII} keys and mouse events (e.g., @kbd{C-=} and
|
|
@kbd{mouse-1}) also fall under this category.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@xref{Binding keys to commands}, for general key binding instructions.
|
|
|
|
@node Meta key does not work in xterm
|
|
@section Why doesn't my @key{Meta} key work in an @code{xterm} window?
|
|
@cindex @key{Meta} key and @code{xterm}
|
|
@cindex Xterm and @key{Meta} key
|
|
|
|
@xref{Unibyte Mode,, Single-Byte Character Set Support, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
If the advice in the Emacs manual fails, try all of these methods before
|
|
asking for further help:
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
You may have big problems using @code{mwm} as your window manager.
|
|
(Does anyone know a good generic solution to allow the use of the
|
|
@key{Meta} key in Emacs with @file{mwm}?)
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
For X11: Make sure it really is a @key{Meta} key. Use @code{xev} to
|
|
find out what keysym your @key{Meta} key generates. It should be either
|
|
@code{Meta_L} or @code{Meta_R}. If it isn't, use @file{xmodmap} to fix
|
|
the situation. If @key{Meta} does generate @code{Meta_L} or
|
|
@code{Meta_R}, but @kbd{M-x} produces a non-@acronym{ASCII} character, put this in
|
|
your @file{~/.Xdefaults} file:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
XTerm*eightBitInput: false
|
|
XTerm*eightBitOutput: true
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Make sure the @code{pty} the @code{xterm} is using is passing 8 bit
|
|
characters. @samp{stty -a} (or @samp{stty everything}) should show
|
|
@samp{cs8} somewhere. If it shows @samp{cs7} instead, use @samp{stty
|
|
cs8 -istrip} (or @samp{stty pass8}) to fix it.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If there is an @code{rlogin} connection between @code{xterm} and Emacs, the
|
|
@samp{-8} argument may need to be given to rlogin to make it pass all 8 bits
|
|
of every character.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If all else fails, you can make @code{xterm} generate @kbd{@key{ESC} W} when
|
|
you type @kbd{M-W}, which is the same conversion Emacs would make if it
|
|
got the @kbd{M-W} anyway. In X11R4, the following resource
|
|
specification will do this:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
XTerm.VT100.EightBitInput: false
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
(This changes the behavior of the @code{insert-eight-bit} action.)
|
|
|
|
With older @code{xterm}s, you can specify this behavior with a translation:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
XTerm.VT100.Translations: #override \
|
|
Meta<KeyPress>: string(0x1b) insert()
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
You might have to replace @samp{Meta} with @samp{Alt}.
|
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Some Ctrl-modified keys do not work on xterm
|
|
@section Why don't some keys like @kbd{C-.} work on xterm?
|
|
|
|
If your @code{xterm} version is 216 or newer, you should have keys like
|
|
@kbd{C-.} and @kbd{C-,} if you add the following resource specification
|
|
to your @file{~/.Xdefaults}:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
XTerm.VT100.modifyOtherKeys: 1
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
If you want to use @code{uxterm}, also add the following:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
UXTerm.VT100.modifyOtherKeys: 1
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Alternate character sets
|
|
@chapter Alternate character sets
|
|
@cindex Alternate character sets
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Emacs does not display 8-bit characters::
|
|
* Inputting eight-bit characters::
|
|
* Right-to-left alphabets::
|
|
* How to add fonts::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs does not display 8-bit characters
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs display 8-bit characters?
|
|
@cindex Displaying eight-bit characters
|
|
@cindex Eight-bit characters, displaying
|
|
|
|
@xref{Unibyte Mode,, Single-byte Character Set Support, emacs, The GNU
|
|
Emacs Manual}. On a Unix, when Emacs runs on a text-only terminal
|
|
display or is invoked with @samp{emacs -nw}, you typically need to use
|
|
@code{set-terminal-coding-system} to tell Emacs what the terminal can
|
|
display, even after setting the language environment; otherwise
|
|
non-@acronym{ASCII} characters will display as @samp{?}. On other operating
|
|
systems, such as MS-Windows and MS-DOS, Emacs queries the OS about the
|
|
character set supported by the display, and sets up the required
|
|
terminal coding system automatically.
|
|
|
|
@node Inputting eight-bit characters
|
|
@section How do I input eight-bit characters?
|
|
@cindex Entering eight-bit characters
|
|
@cindex Eight-bit characters, entering
|
|
@cindex Input, 8-bit characters
|
|
|
|
Various methods are available for input of eight-bit characters.
|
|
@xref{Unibyte Mode,, Single-byte Character Set Support, emacs, The GNU
|
|
Emacs Manual}. For more sophisticated methods,
|
|
@pxref{Input Methods,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@node Right-to-left alphabets
|
|
@section Where is an Emacs that can handle Semitic (right-to-left) alphabets?
|
|
@cindex Right-to-left alphabets
|
|
@cindex Hebrew, handling with Emacs
|
|
@cindex Semitic alphabets
|
|
@cindex Arabic
|
|
@cindex Farsi
|
|
@cindex bidirectional scripts
|
|
|
|
Emacs supports display and editing of bidirectional scripts, such as
|
|
Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node How to add fonts
|
|
@section How do I add fonts for use with Emacs?
|
|
@cindex add fonts for use with Emacs
|
|
@cindex intlfonts
|
|
|
|
First, download and install the BDF font files and any auxiliary
|
|
packages they need. The GNU Intlfonts distribution can be found on
|
|
@uref{https://directory.fsf.org/localization/intlfonts.html, the GNU
|
|
Software Directory Web site}.
|
|
|
|
Next, if you are on X Window system, issue the following two commands
|
|
from the shell's prompt:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
xset +fp /usr/local/share/emacs/fonts
|
|
xset fp rehash
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
(Modify the first command if you installed the fonts in a directory
|
|
that is not @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/fonts}.) You also need to
|
|
arrange for these two commands to run whenever you log in, e.g., by
|
|
adding them to your window-system startup file, such as
|
|
@file{~/.xsessionrc} or @file{~/.gnomerc}.
|
|
|
|
Now, add the following line to your init file (@pxref{Setting up a
|
|
customization file}):
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-to-list 'bdf-directory-list "/usr/share/emacs/fonts/bdf")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
(Again, modify the file name if you installed the fonts elsewhere.)
|
|
|
|
Finally, if you wish to use the installed fonts with @code{ps-print},
|
|
add the following line to your init file:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq ps-multibyte-buffer 'bdf-font-except-latin)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
You can now use the Emacs font menu to select the @samp{bdf: 16-dot
|
|
medium} fontset, or you can select it by setting the default font in
|
|
your init file:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(set-frame-font "fontset-bdf")
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@c ------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
@node Mail and news
|
|
@chapter Mail and news
|
|
@cindex Mail and news
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Changing the included text prefix::
|
|
* Saving a copy of outgoing mail::
|
|
* Expanding aliases when sending mail::
|
|
* Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder::
|
|
* Rmail writes to /var/spool/mail::
|
|
* Replying to the sender of a message::
|
|
* Automatically starting a mail or news reader::
|
|
* Reading news with Emacs::
|
|
* Making Gnus faster::
|
|
* Catching up in all newsgroups::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Changing the included text prefix
|
|
@section How do I change the included text prefix in mail/news followups?
|
|
@cindex Prefix in mail/news followups, changing
|
|
@cindex Included text prefix, changing
|
|
@cindex Setting the included text character
|
|
@cindex Quoting in mail messages
|
|
|
|
If you read mail with Rmail, set the variable @code{mail-yank-prefix}.
|
|
For Gnus, set @code{message-yank-prefix}. For VM, set
|
|
@code{vm-included-text-prefix}. For mh-e, set @code{mh-ins-buf-prefix}.
|
|
|
|
For fancier control of citations, use Supercite (@pxref{Top,, the Supercite
|
|
Manual, sc, The Supercite Manual}).
|
|
|
|
To prevent Emacs from including various headers of the replied-to
|
|
message, set the value of @code{mail-yank-ignored-headers} to an
|
|
appropriate regexp.
|
|
|
|
@node Saving a copy of outgoing mail
|
|
@section How do I save a copy of outgoing mail?
|
|
@cindex Saving a copy of outgoing mail
|
|
@cindex Copying outgoing mail to a file
|
|
@cindex Filing outgoing mail
|
|
@cindex Automatic filing of outgoing mail
|
|
@cindex Mail, saving outgoing automatically
|
|
|
|
You can either mail yourself a copy by including a @samp{BCC} header in the
|
|
mail message, or store a copy of the message directly to a file by
|
|
including an @samp{FCC} header.
|
|
|
|
If you use standard mail, you can automatically create a @samp{BCC} to
|
|
yourself by putting
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq mail-self-blind t)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
in your init file (@pxref{Setting up a customization file}). You can
|
|
automatically include an @samp{FCC} field by putting something like
|
|
the following in your init file:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(setq mail-archive-file-name (expand-file-name "~/outgoing"))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
The output file will be in Unix mail format.
|
|
|
|
If you use @code{mh-e}, add an @samp{FCC} or @samp{BCC} field to your
|
|
components file.
|
|
|
|
It does not work to put @samp{set record filename} in the @file{.mailrc}
|
|
file.
|
|
|
|
@node Expanding aliases when sending mail
|
|
@section Why doesn't Emacs expand my aliases when sending mail?
|
|
@cindex Expanding aliases when sending mail
|
|
@cindex Mail alias expansion
|
|
@cindex Sending mail with aliases
|
|
|
|
@xref{Mail Aliases,, The Emacs Manual, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message.
|
|
To expand them before this, use @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
Emacs normally only reads the @file{.mailrc} file once per session, when
|
|
you start to compose your first mail message. If you edit the file
|
|
after this, you can use @kbd{M-x build-mail-aliases} to make Emacs
|
|
reread it.
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
If you like, you can expand mail aliases as abbrevs, as soon as you
|
|
type them in. To enable this feature, execute the following:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup)
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
Note that the aliases are expanded automatically only after you type
|
|
a word-separator character (e.g., @key{RET} or @kbd{,}). You can force their
|
|
expansion by moving point to the end of the alias and typing @kbd{C-x a e}
|
|
(@kbd{M-x expand-abbrev}).
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
@node Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder
|
|
@section How can I sort the messages in my Rmail folder?
|
|
@cindex Rmail, sorting messages in
|
|
@cindex Folder, sorting messages in an Rmail
|
|
@cindex Sorting messages in an Rmail folder
|
|
|
|
In Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-s C-h} to get a list of sorting functions
|
|
and their key bindings.
|
|
|
|
@node Rmail writes to /var/spool/mail
|
|
@section Why does Rmail need to write to @file{/var/spool/mail}?
|
|
@cindex Rmail and @file{/var/spool/mail}
|
|
@cindex @file{/var/spool/mail} and Rmail
|
|
|
|
This is the behavior of the @code{movemail} program which Rmail uses.
|
|
This indicates that @code{movemail} is configured to use lock files.
|
|
|
|
RMS writes:
|
|
|
|
@quotation
|
|
Certain systems require lock files to interlock access to mail files.
|
|
On these systems, @code{movemail} must write lock files, or you risk losing
|
|
mail. You simply must arrange to let @code{movemail} write them.
|
|
|
|
Other systems use the @code{flock} system call to interlock access. On
|
|
these systems, you should configure @code{movemail} to use @code{flock}.
|
|
@end quotation
|
|
|
|
@node Replying to the sender of a message
|
|
@section How can I force Rmail to reply to the sender of a message, but not the other recipients?
|
|
@cindex Replying only to the sender of a message
|
|
@cindex Sender, replying only to
|
|
@cindex Rmail, replying to the sender of a message in
|
|
|
|
@c isaacson@@seas.upenn.edu
|
|
Ron Isaacson says: When you hit
|
|
@kbd{r} to reply in Rmail, by default it Ccs all of the original
|
|
recipients (everyone on the original @samp{To} and @samp{CC}
|
|
lists). With a prefix argument (i.e., typing @kbd{C-u} before @kbd{r}),
|
|
it replies only to the sender. However, going through the whole
|
|
@kbd{C-u} business every time you want to reply is a pain. This is the
|
|
best fix I've been able to come up with:
|
|
|
|
@lisp
|
|
(defun rmail-reply-t ()
|
|
"Reply only to the sender of the current message. (See rmail-reply.)"
|
|
(interactive)
|
|
(rmail-reply t))
|
|
|
|
(add-hook 'rmail-mode-hook
|
|
(lambda ()
|
|
(keymap-set rmail-mode-map "r" 'rmail-reply-t)
|
|
(keymap-set rmail-mode-map "R" 'rmail-reply)))
|
|
@end lisp
|
|
|
|
@node Automatically starting a mail or news reader
|
|
@section How do I make Emacs automatically start my mail/news reader?
|
|
@cindex Mail reader, starting automatically
|
|
@cindex News reader, starting automatically
|
|
@cindex Starting mail/news reader automatically
|
|
|
|
To start Emacs in Gnus:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
emacs -f gnus
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
in Rmail:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
emacs -f rmail
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
A more convenient way to start with Gnus:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
alias gnus 'emacs -f gnus'
|
|
gnus
|
|
@end example
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|
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It is probably unwise to automatically start your mail or news reader
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|
from your init file. This would cause problems if you needed to run
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two copies of Emacs at the same time. Also, this would make it difficult for
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|
you to start Emacs quickly when you needed to.
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|
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@node Reading news with Emacs
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@section How do I read news under Emacs?
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@cindex Reading news under Emacs
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|
@cindex Usenet reader in Emacs
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|
@cindex Gnus newsreader
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|
@cindex FAQ for Gnus
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|
@cindex Gnus FAQ
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|
@cindex Learning more about Gnus
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|
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|
Use @kbd{M-x gnus}. For more information on Gnus, @pxref{Top,, the Gnus
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|
Manual, gnus, The Gnus Manual}, which includes @ref{Frequently Asked
|
|
Questions,, the Gnus FAQ, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
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|
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@node Making Gnus faster
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|
@section How do I make Gnus faster?
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|
@cindex Faster, starting Gnus
|
|
@cindex Starting Gnus faster
|
|
@cindex Gnus, starting faster
|
|
@cindex Slow catch up in Gnus
|
|
@cindex Gnus is slow when catching up
|
|
@cindex Crosspostings make Gnus catching up slow
|
|
|
|
From the Gnus FAQ (@pxref{Reading news with Emacs}):
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|
|
|
@quotation
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|
If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
|
|
few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
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|
|
|
Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
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|
@code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
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|
|
|
Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
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|
@code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
|
|
summary buffer faster.
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|
@end quotation
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|
|
|
@node Catching up in all newsgroups
|
|
@section How do I catch up all newsgroups in Gnus?
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|
@cindex Catching up all newsgroups in Gnus
|
|
@cindex Gnus, Catching up all newsgroups in
|
|
|
|
In the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer, type @kbd{M-< C-x ( c y C-x ) M-0 C-x e}
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|
|
|
Leave off the initial @kbd{M-<} if you only want to catch up from point
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|
to the end of the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer.
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|
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|
@node Concept index
|
|
@unnumbered Concept Index
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|
@printindex cp
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|
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|
@bye
|