1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
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2005-08-10 15:40:54 +00:00
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@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001,
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2006-02-05 22:41:31 +00:00
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@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
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@node Basic, Minibuffer, Exiting, Top
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@chapter Basic Editing Commands
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@kindex C-h t
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@findex help-with-tutorial
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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Here we explain the basics of how to enter text, make corrections,
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and save the text in a file. If this material is new to you, we
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suggest you first run the Emacs learn-by-doing tutorial, by typing
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@kbd{Control-h t} inside Emacs. (@code{help-with-tutorial}).
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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To clear and redisplay the screen, type @kbd{C-l} (@code{recenter}).
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@menu
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* Inserting Text:: Inserting text by simply typing it.
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* Moving Point:: Moving the cursor to the place where you want to
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change something.
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* Erasing:: Deleting and killing text.
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* Basic Undo:: Undoing recent changes in the text.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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* Files: Basic Files. Visiting, creating, and saving files.
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* Help: Basic Help. Asking what a character does.
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* Blank Lines:: Making and deleting blank lines.
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* Continuation Lines:: How Emacs displays lines too wide for the screen.
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* Position Info:: What page, line, row, or column is point on?
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* Arguments:: Numeric arguments for repeating a command N times.
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* Repeating:: Repeating the previous command quickly.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@end menu
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@node Inserting Text
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@section Inserting Text
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@cindex insertion
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@cindex graphic characters
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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Typing printing characters inserts them into the text you are
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editing. It inserts them into the buffer at the cursor; more
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precisely, it inserts them at @dfn{point}, but the cursor normally
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shows where point is. @xref{Point}.
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Insertion moves the cursor forward, and the following text moves
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forward with the cursor. If the text in the buffer is @samp{FOOBAR},
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with the cursor before the @samp{B}, and you type @kbd{XX}, you get
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@samp{FOOXXBAR}, with the cursor still before the @samp{B}.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
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To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use the large key
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labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE} or @key{DELETE} which is a short
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distance above the @key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key. Regardless of the
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label on that key, Emacs thinks of it as @key{DEL}, and that's what we
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call it in this manual. @key{DEL} is the key you normally use outside
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Emacs to erase the last character that you typed.
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2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
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The @key{DEL} key deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor.
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As a consequence, the cursor and all the characters after it move
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backwards. If you type a printing character and then type @key{DEL},
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they cancel out.
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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On most computers, Emacs sets up @key{DEL} automatically. In some
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cases, especially with text-only terminals, Emacs may guess wrong. If
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the key that ought to erase the last character doesn't do it in Emacs,
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see @ref{DEL Does Not Delete}.
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2001-03-14 01:23:52 +00:00
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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Most PC keyboards have both a @key{BACKSPACE} key a little ways
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above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere. On
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these keyboards, Emacs tries to set up @key{BACKSPACE} as @key{DEL}.
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The @key{DELETE} key deletes ``forwards'' like @kbd{C-d} (see below),
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which means it deletes the character underneath the cursor (after
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point).
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@kindex RET
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@cindex newline
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To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}. (This
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key may be labeled @key{RETURN} or @key{ENTER}, but in Emacs we call
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it @key{RET}.) This inserts a newline character in the buffer. If
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point is at the end of the line, this creates a new blank line after
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it. If point is in the middle of a line, the effect is to split that
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line. Typing @key{DEL} when the cursor is at the beginning of a line
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deletes the preceding newline character, thus joining the line with
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the one before it.
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Emacs can split lines automatically when they become too long, if
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you turn on a special minor mode called @dfn{Auto Fill} mode.
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@xref{Filling}, for Auto Fill mode and other methods of @dfn{filling}
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text.
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If you prefer printing characters to replace (overwrite) existing
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text, rather than shove it to the right, you should enable Overwrite
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mode, a minor mode. @xref{Minor Modes}.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@cindex quoting
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@kindex C-q
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@findex quoted-insert
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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Only printing characters and @key{SPC} insert themselves in Emacs.
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Other characters act as editing commands and do not insert themselves.
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These include control characters, and characters with codes above 200
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octal. If you need to insert one of these characters in the buffer,
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you must @dfn{quote} it by typing the character @kbd{Control-q}
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(@code{quoted-insert}) first. (This character's name is normally
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written @kbd{C-q} for short.) There are two ways to use
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@kbd{C-q}:
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@itemize @bullet
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@item
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@kbd{C-q} followed by any non-graphic character (even @kbd{C-g})
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inserts that character.
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@item
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@kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits inserts the character
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with the specified octal character code. You can use any number of
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octal digits; any non-digit terminates the sequence. If the
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terminating character is @key{RET}, it serves only to terminate the
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sequence. Any other non-digit terminates the sequence and then acts
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as normal input---thus, @kbd{C-q 1 0 1 B} inserts @samp{AB}.
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The use of octal sequences is disabled in ordinary non-binary
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Overwrite mode, to give you a convenient way to insert a digit instead
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of overwriting with it.
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@end itemize
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2000-11-16 16:10:09 +00:00
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@cindex 8-bit character codes
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@noindent
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2000-11-15 21:11:12 +00:00
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When multibyte characters are enabled, if you specify a code in the
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range 0200 through 0377 octal, @kbd{C-q} assumes that you intend to
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use some ISO 8859-@var{n} character set, and converts the specified
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code to the corresponding Emacs character code. @xref{Enabling
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Multibyte}. You select @emph{which} of the ISO 8859 character sets to
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use through your choice of language environment (@pxref{Language
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Environments}).
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@vindex read-quoted-char-radix
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To use decimal or hexadecimal instead of octal, set the variable
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@code{read-quoted-char-radix} to 10 or 16. If the radix is greater than
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10, some letters starting with @kbd{a} serve as part of a character
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code, just like digits.
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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A numeric argument tells @kbd{C-q} how many copies of the quoted
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character to insert (@pxref{Arguments}).
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@findex newline
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@findex self-insert
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Customization information: @key{DEL} in most modes runs the command
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@code{delete-backward-char}; @key{RET} runs the command
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@code{newline}, and self-inserting printing characters run the command
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@code{self-insert}, which inserts whatever character you typed. Some
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major modes rebind @key{DEL} to other commands.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@node Moving Point
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@section Changing the Location of Point
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@cindex arrow keys
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@cindex moving point
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@cindex movement
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@cindex cursor motion
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@cindex moving the cursor
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To do more than insert characters, you have to know how to move point
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(@pxref{Point}). The simplest way to do this is with arrow keys, or by
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clicking the left mouse button where you want to move to.
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There are also control and meta characters for cursor motion. Some
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2006-01-29 16:51:26 +00:00
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are equivalent to the arrow keys (it is faster to use these control
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keys than move your hand over to the arrow keys). Others do more
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sophisticated things.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@kindex C-a
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@kindex C-e
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@kindex C-f
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@kindex C-b
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@kindex C-n
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@kindex C-p
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@kindex M->
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@kindex M-<
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@kindex M-r
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@kindex LEFT
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@kindex RIGHT
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@kindex UP
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@kindex DOWN
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@findex move-beginning-of-line
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@findex move-end-of-line
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@findex forward-char
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@findex backward-char
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@findex next-line
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@findex previous-line
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@findex beginning-of-buffer
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@findex end-of-buffer
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@findex goto-char
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@findex goto-line
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@findex move-to-window-line
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@table @kbd
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@item C-a
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Move to the beginning of the line (@code{move-beginning-of-line}).
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@item C-e
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Move to the end of the line (@code{move-end-of-line}).
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@item C-f
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Move forward one character (@code{forward-char}). The right-arrow key
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does the same thing.
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@item C-b
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Move backward one character (@code{backward-char}). The left-arrow
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key has the same effect.
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@item M-f
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Move forward one word (@code{forward-word}).
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@item M-b
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Move backward one word (@code{backward-word}).
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@item C-n
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Move down one line vertically (@code{next-line}). This command
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attempts to keep the horizontal position unchanged, so if you start in
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the middle of one line, you move to the middle of the next. The
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2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
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down-arrow key does the same thing.
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@item C-p
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Move up one line, vertically (@code{previous-line}). The up-arrow key
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has the same effect. This command preserves position within the line,
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like @kbd{C-n}.
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@item M-r
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Move point to left margin, vertically centered in the window
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(@code{move-to-window-line}). Text does not move on the screen.
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A numeric argument says which screen line to place point on, counting
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downward from the top of the window (zero means the top line). A
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negative argument counts lines up from the bottom (@minus{}1 means the
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bottom line).
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@item M-<
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Move to the top of the buffer (@code{beginning-of-buffer}). With
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numeric argument @var{n}, move to @var{n}/10 of the way from the top.
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@xref{Arguments}, for more information on numeric arguments.@refill
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@item M->
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Move to the end of the buffer (@code{end-of-buffer}).
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@item C-v
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@itemx @key{PAGEDOWN}
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@itemx @key{PRIOR}
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Scroll the display one screen forward, and move point if necessary to
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put it on the screen (@code{scroll-up}). This doesn't always move
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point, but it is commonly used to do so. If your keyboard has a
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@key{PAGEDOWN} or @key{PRIOR} key, it does the same thing.
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2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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Scrolling commands are described further in @ref{Scrolling}.
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@item M-v
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@itemx @key{PAGEUP}
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@itemx @key{NEXT}
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2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
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Scroll one screen backward, and move point if necessary to put it on
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the screen (@code{scroll-down}). This doesn't always move point, but
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2005-02-06 11:06:56 +00:00
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it is commonly used to do so. If your keyboard has a @key{PAGEUP} or
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@key{NEXT} key, it does the same thing.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@item M-x goto-char
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Read a number @var{n} and move point to buffer position @var{n}.
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Position 1 is the beginning of the buffer.
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@item M-g M-g
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@itemx M-g g
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@itemx M-x goto-line
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2005-05-18 14:57:34 +00:00
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Read a number @var{n} and move point to the beginning of line number
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@var{n}. Line 1 is the beginning of the buffer. If point is on or
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
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just after a number in the buffer, and you type @key{RET} with the
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minibuffer empty, that number is used for @var{n}.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@item C-x C-n
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@findex set-goal-column
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@kindex C-x C-n
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Use the current column of point as the @dfn{semipermanent goal column}
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2006-05-31 16:23:16 +00:00
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for @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} (@code{set-goal-column}). When a
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semipermanent goal column is in effect, those commands always try to
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move to this column, or as close as possible to it, after moving
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vertically. The goal column remains in effect until canceled.
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@item C-u C-x C-n
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Cancel the goal column. Henceforth, @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} try to
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preserve the horizontal position, as usual.
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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@end table
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@vindex track-eol
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If you set the variable @code{track-eol} to a non-@code{nil} value,
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2001-06-24 08:17:21 +00:00
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then @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}, when starting at the end of the line, move
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1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
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to the end of another line. Normally, @code{track-eol} is @code{nil}.
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@xref{Variables}, for how to set variables such as @code{track-eol}.
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@vindex next-line-add-newlines
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2005-05-09 01:31:45 +00:00
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@kbd{C-n} normally stops at the end of the buffer when you use it on
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2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
the last line of the buffer. However, if you set the variable
|
2005-02-06 11:06:56 +00:00
|
|
|
@code{next-line-add-newlines} to a non-@code{nil} value, @kbd{C-n} on
|
|
|
|
the last line of a buffer creates an additional line at the end and
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
moves down into it.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2003-02-04 14:56:31 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Erasing
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@section Erasing Text
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @kbd
|
|
|
|
@item @key{DEL}
|
|
|
|
Delete the character before point (@code{delete-backward-char}).
|
|
|
|
@item C-d
|
|
|
|
Delete the character after point (@code{delete-char}).
|
2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
|
|
|
@item @key{DELETE}
|
|
|
|
@itemx @key{BACKSPACE}
|
|
|
|
One of these keys, whichever is the large key above the @key{RET} or
|
2006-01-29 16:51:26 +00:00
|
|
|
@key{ENTER} key, deletes the character before point---it is @key{DEL}.
|
|
|
|
If @key{BACKSPACE} is @key{DEL}, and your keyboard also has @key{DELETE},
|
2001-03-12 03:24:41 +00:00
|
|
|
then @key{DELETE} deletes forwards, like @kbd{C-d}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@item C-k
|
|
|
|
Kill to the end of the line (@code{kill-line}).
|
|
|
|
@item M-d
|
|
|
|
Kill forward to the end of the next word (@code{kill-word}).
|
|
|
|
@item M-@key{DEL}
|
|
|
|
Kill back to the beginning of the previous word
|
|
|
|
(@code{backward-kill-word}).
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@cindex killing characters and lines
|
|
|
|
@cindex deleting characters and lines
|
|
|
|
@cindex erasing characters and lines
|
|
|
|
You already know about the @key{DEL} key which deletes the character
|
|
|
|
before point (that is, before the cursor). Another key, @kbd{Control-d}
|
|
|
|
(@kbd{C-d} for short), deletes the character after point (that is, the
|
|
|
|
character that the cursor is on). This shifts the rest of the text on
|
|
|
|
the line to the left. If you type @kbd{C-d} at the end of a line, it
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
joins that line with the following line.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
To erase a larger amount of text, use the @kbd{C-k} key, which
|
|
|
|
erases (kills) a line at a time. If you type @kbd{C-k} at the
|
|
|
|
beginning or middle of a line, it kills all the text up to the end of
|
|
|
|
the line. If you type @kbd{C-k} at the end of a line, it joins that
|
|
|
|
line with the following line.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@xref{Killing}, for more flexible ways of killing text.
|
|
|
|
|
2006-01-31 18:14:54 +00:00
|
|
|
@node Basic Undo
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@section Undoing Changes
|
|
|
|
|
2006-01-31 18:14:54 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs records a list of changes made in the buffer text, so you can
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
you can undo recent changes, as far as the records go.
|
2006-01-31 18:14:54 +00:00
|
|
|
Usually each editing command makes a separate entry in the undo
|
|
|
|
records, but sometimes an entry covers just part of a command, and
|
|
|
|
very simple commands may be grouped.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @kbd
|
|
|
|
@item C-x u
|
2006-01-31 18:14:54 +00:00
|
|
|
Undo one entry of the undo records---usually, one command worth
|
|
|
|
(@code{undo}).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@item C-_
|
2005-02-06 11:06:56 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemx C-/
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
The same.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
2005-02-06 11:06:56 +00:00
|
|
|
The command @kbd{C-x u} (or @kbd{C-_} or @kbd{C-/}) is how you undo.
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Normally this command undoes the last change, and moves point back to
|
|
|
|
where it was before the change.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
If you repeat @kbd{C-x u} (or its aliases), each repetition undoes
|
|
|
|
another, earlier change, back to the limit of the undo information
|
2006-01-31 18:14:54 +00:00
|
|
|
available. If all recorded changes have already been undone, the undo
|
|
|
|
command displays an error message and does nothing.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-01-29 16:51:26 +00:00
|
|
|
The undo command applies only to changes in the buffer; you can't
|
|
|
|
use it to undo mere cursor motion. However, some cursor motion
|
|
|
|
commands set the mark, so if you use these commands from time to time,
|
|
|
|
you can move back to the neighborhoods you have moved through by
|
|
|
|
popping the mark ring (@pxref{Mark Ring}).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Basic Files
|
|
|
|
@section Files
|
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Text that you insert in an Emacs buffer lasts only as long as the
|
|
|
|
Emacs session. To keep any text permanently you must put it in a
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@dfn{file}. Files are named units of text which are stored by the
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
operating system for you to retrieve later by name. To use the
|
|
|
|
contents of a file in any way, you must specify the file name. That
|
|
|
|
includes editing the file with Emacs.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Suppose there is a file named @file{test.emacs} in your home
|
|
|
|
directory. To begin editing this file in Emacs, type
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
2006-01-29 16:51:26 +00:00
|
|
|
C-x C-f test.emacs @key{RET}
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
Here the file name is given as an @dfn{argument} to the command @kbd{C-x
|
|
|
|
C-f} (@code{find-file}). That command uses the @dfn{minibuffer} to
|
|
|
|
read the argument, and you type @key{RET} to terminate the argument
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
(@pxref{Minibuffer}).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs obeys this command by @dfn{visiting} the file: it creates a
|
|
|
|
buffer, it copies the contents of the file into the buffer, and then
|
|
|
|
displays the buffer for editing. If you alter the text, you can
|
|
|
|
@dfn{save} the new text in the file by typing @kbd{C-x C-s}
|
|
|
|
(@code{save-buffer}). This copies the altered buffer contents back
|
|
|
|
into the file @file{test.emacs}, making them permanent. Until you
|
|
|
|
save, the changed text exists only inside Emacs, and the file
|
|
|
|
@file{test.emacs} is unaltered.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
To create a file, just visit it with @kbd{C-x C-f} as if it already
|
|
|
|
existed. This creates an empty buffer, in which you can insert the
|
|
|
|
text you want to put in the file. Emacs actually creates the file the
|
|
|
|
first time you save this buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
To learn more about using files in Emacs, see @ref{Files}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Basic Help
|
|
|
|
@section Help
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@cindex getting help with keys
|
|
|
|
If you forget what a key does, you can find out with the Help
|
|
|
|
character, which is @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}, which is an alias for
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
@kbd{C-h}). Type @kbd{C-h k} followed by the key of interest; for
|
|
|
|
example, @kbd{C-h k C-n} tells you what @kbd{C-n} does. @kbd{C-h} is
|
|
|
|
a prefix key; @kbd{C-h k} is just one of its subcommands (the command
|
|
|
|
@code{describe-key}). The other subcommands of @kbd{C-h} provide
|
|
|
|
different kinds of help. Type @kbd{C-h} twice to get a description of
|
|
|
|
all the help facilities. @xref{Help}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Blank Lines
|
|
|
|
@section Blank Lines
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@cindex inserting blank lines
|
|
|
|
@cindex deleting blank lines
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Here are special commands and techniques for inserting and deleting
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
blank lines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @kbd
|
|
|
|
@item C-o
|
|
|
|
Insert one or more blank lines after the cursor (@code{open-line}).
|
|
|
|
@item C-x C-o
|
|
|
|
Delete all but one of many consecutive blank lines
|
|
|
|
(@code{delete-blank-lines}).
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-o
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x C-o
|
|
|
|
@cindex blank lines
|
|
|
|
@findex open-line
|
|
|
|
@findex delete-blank-lines
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
To insert a new line of text before an existing line,
|
|
|
|
type the new line of text, followed by @key{RET}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
However, it may be easier to see what you are doing if you first make a
|
|
|
|
blank line and then insert the desired text into it. This is easy to do
|
|
|
|
using the key @kbd{C-o} (@code{open-line}), which inserts a newline
|
|
|
|
after point but leaves point in front of the newline. After @kbd{C-o},
|
|
|
|
type the text for the new line. @kbd{C-o F O O} has the same effect as
|
|
|
|
@w{@kbd{F O O @key{RET}}}, except for the final location of point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can make several blank lines by typing @kbd{C-o} several times, or
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
by giving it a numeric argument specifying how many blank lines to make.
|
2005-05-09 01:31:45 +00:00
|
|
|
@xref{Arguments}, for how. If you have a fill prefix, the @kbd{C-o}
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
command inserts the fill prefix on the new line, if typed at the
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
beginning of a line. @xref{Fill Prefix}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The easy way to get rid of extra blank lines is with the command
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-x C-o} (@code{delete-blank-lines}). @kbd{C-x C-o} in a run of
|
|
|
|
several blank lines deletes all but one of them. @kbd{C-x C-o} on a
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
lone blank line deletes that one. When point is on a nonblank line,
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-x C-o} deletes all following blank lines (if any).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Continuation Lines
|
|
|
|
@section Continuation Lines
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@cindex continuation line
|
|
|
|
@cindex wrapping
|
|
|
|
@cindex line wrapping
|
2002-01-22 11:24:23 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex fringes, and continuation lines
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
When a text line is too long to fit in one screen line, Emacs
|
|
|
|
displays it on two or more screen lines. This is called
|
|
|
|
@dfn{continuation} or @dfn{line wrapping}. On graphical displays,
|
|
|
|
Emacs indicates line wrapping with small bent arrows in the left and
|
|
|
|
right window fringes. On text-only terminals, Emacs displays a
|
|
|
|
@samp{\} character at the right margin of a screen line if it is not
|
|
|
|
the last in its text line. This @samp{\} character says that the
|
|
|
|
following screen line is not really a new text line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When line wrapping occurs just before a character that is wider than one
|
2001-02-17 13:16:06 +00:00
|
|
|
column, some columns at the end of the previous screen line may be
|
|
|
|
``empty.'' In this case, Emacs displays additional @samp{\}
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
characters in the ``empty'' columns before the @samp{\}
|
2001-02-17 13:16:06 +00:00
|
|
|
character that indicates continuation.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Continued lines can be difficult to read, since lines can break in
|
|
|
|
the middle of a word. If you prefer, you can make Emacs insert a
|
2006-01-29 18:37:15 +00:00
|
|
|
newline automatically when a line gets too long, by using Auto Fill
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
mode. Or enable Long Lines mode, which ensures that wrapping only
|
|
|
|
occurs between words. @xref{Filling}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@cindex truncation
|
2002-01-22 11:24:23 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex line truncation, and fringes
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs can optionally @dfn{truncate} long lines---this means
|
|
|
|
displaying just one screen line worth, and the rest of the long line
|
|
|
|
does not appear at all. @samp{$} in the last column or a small
|
|
|
|
straight arrow in the window's right fringe indicates a truncated
|
|
|
|
line.
|
2005-02-16 09:51:37 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-08-28 10:00:58 +00:00
|
|
|
@xref{Line Truncation}, for more about line truncation,
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
and other variables that control how text is displayed.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Position Info
|
|
|
|
@section Cursor Position Information
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here are commands to get information about the size and position of
|
|
|
|
parts of the buffer, and to count lines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @kbd
|
|
|
|
@item M-x what-page
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Display the page number of point, and the line number within that page.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@item M-x what-line
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Display the line number of point in the whole buffer.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@item M-x line-number-mode
|
2000-01-05 23:36:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@itemx M-x column-number-mode
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Toggle automatic display of the current line number or column number.
|
2000-01-05 23:36:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@xref{Optional Mode Line}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@item M-=
|
2001-02-17 13:16:06 +00:00
|
|
|
Display the number of lines in the current region (@code{count-lines-region}).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@xref{Mark}, for information about the region.
|
|
|
|
@item C-x =
|
2001-02-17 13:16:06 +00:00
|
|
|
Display the character code of character after point, character position of
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
point, and column of point (@code{what-cursor-position}).
|
2000-01-05 23:36:05 +00:00
|
|
|
@item M-x hl-line-mode
|
2001-08-02 10:35:40 +00:00
|
|
|
Enable or disable highlighting of the current line. @xref{Cursor
|
|
|
|
Display}.
|
2003-09-08 07:56:45 +00:00
|
|
|
@item M-x size-indication-mode
|
|
|
|
Toggle automatic display of the size of the buffer.
|
|
|
|
@xref{Optional Mode Line}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@findex what-page
|
|
|
|
@findex what-line
|
|
|
|
@cindex line number commands
|
|
|
|
@cindex location of point
|
|
|
|
@cindex cursor location
|
|
|
|
@cindex point location
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x what-line} displays the current line number
|
2005-05-14 14:15:27 +00:00
|
|
|
in the echo area. You can also see the current line number in the
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
mode line; see @ref{Mode Line}; but if you narrow the buffer, the
|
2005-05-14 14:15:27 +00:00
|
|
|
line number in the mode line is relative to the accessible portion
|
|
|
|
(@pxref{Narrowing}). By contrast, @code{what-line} shows both the
|
|
|
|
line number relative to the narrowed region and the line number
|
|
|
|
relative to the whole buffer.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2001-04-03 11:16:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x what-page} counts pages from the beginning of the file, and
|
2001-08-20 04:20:06 +00:00
|
|
|
counts lines within the page, showing both numbers in the echo area.
|
|
|
|
@xref{Pages}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-=
|
|
|
|
@findex count-lines-region
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Use @kbd{M-=} (@code{count-lines-region}) to displays the number of
|
|
|
|
lines in the region (@pxref{Mark}). @xref{Pages}, for the command
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-x l} which counts the lines in the current page.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x =
|
|
|
|
@findex what-cursor-position
|
2002-06-26 22:38:34 +00:00
|
|
|
The command @kbd{C-x =} (@code{what-cursor-position}) shows what
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
cursor's column position, and other information about point and the
|
|
|
|
character after it. It displays a line in the echo area that looks
|
|
|
|
like this:
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
Char: c (99, #o143, #x63) point=28062 of 36168 (78%) column=53
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@end smallexample
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The four values after @samp{Char:} describe the character that follows
|
|
|
|
point, first by showing it and then by giving its character code in
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
decimal, octal and hex. For a non-@acronym{ASCII} multibyte character, these are
|
2005-10-12 13:03:09 +00:00
|
|
|
followed by @samp{file} and the character's representation, in hex, in
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
the buffer's coding system, if that coding system encodes the character
|
|
|
|
safely and with a single byte (@pxref{Coding Systems}). If the
|
2005-10-12 13:03:09 +00:00
|
|
|
character's encoding is longer than one byte, Emacs shows @samp{file ...}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
However, if the character displayed is in the range 0200 through
|
2005-10-13 05:28:12 +00:00
|
|
|
0377 octal, it may actually stand for an invalid UTF-8 byte read from
|
|
|
|
a file. In Emacs, that byte is represented as a sequence of 8-bit
|
|
|
|
characters, but all of them together display as the original invalid
|
|
|
|
byte, in octal code. In this case, @kbd{C-x =} shows @samp{part of
|
|
|
|
display ...} instead of @samp{file}.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
@samp{point=} is followed by the position of point expressed as a
|
|
|
|
character count. The start of the buffer is position 1, one character
|
|
|
|
later is position 2, and so on. The next, larger, number is the total
|
|
|
|
number of characters in the buffer. Afterward in parentheses comes
|
|
|
|
the position expressed as a percentage of the total size.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
@samp{column=} is followed by the horizontal position of point, in
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
columns from the left edge of the window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If the buffer has been narrowed, making some of the text at the
|
2001-08-20 04:20:06 +00:00
|
|
|
beginning and the end temporarily inaccessible, @kbd{C-x =} displays
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
additional text describing the currently accessible range. For example, it
|
|
|
|
might display this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
Char: C (67, #o103, #x43) point=252 of 889 (28%) <231-599> column=0
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@end smallexample
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
where the two extra numbers give the smallest and largest character
|
|
|
|
position that point is allowed to assume. The characters between those
|
|
|
|
two positions are the accessible ones. @xref{Narrowing}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If point is at the end of the buffer (or the end of the accessible
|
|
|
|
part), the @w{@kbd{C-x =}} output does not describe a character after
|
|
|
|
point. The output might look like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
point=36169 of 36168 (EOB) column=0
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@end smallexample
|
|
|
|
|
2002-04-26 11:29:26 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex character set of character at point
|
2002-05-16 03:41:38 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex font of character at point
|
2002-04-26 11:29:26 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex text properties at point
|
2005-05-09 01:31:45 +00:00
|
|
|
@w{@kbd{C-u C-x =}} displays the following additional information about a
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@itemize @bullet
|
|
|
|
@item
|
2005-03-29 18:14:06 +00:00
|
|
|
The character set name, and the codes that identify the character
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
within that character set; @acronym{ASCII} characters are identified
|
|
|
|
as belonging to the @code{ascii} character set.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
The character's syntax and categories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
2005-03-29 18:14:06 +00:00
|
|
|
The character's encodings, both internally in the buffer, and externally
|
|
|
|
if you were to save the file.
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
What keys to type to input the character in the current input method
|
2005-03-29 18:14:06 +00:00
|
|
|
(if it supports the character).
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
2006-02-07 23:33:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are running Emacs on a graphical display, the font name and
|
|
|
|
glyph code for the character. If you are running Emacs on a text-only
|
|
|
|
terminal, the code(s) sent to the terminal.
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item
|
|
|
|
The character's text properties (@pxref{Text Properties,,,
|
2002-06-26 22:38:34 +00:00
|
|
|
elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}), and any overlays containing it
|
|
|
|
(@pxref{Overlays,,, elisp, the same manual}).
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
@end itemize
|
|
|
|
|
2001-12-28 03:10:33 +00:00
|
|
|
Here's an example showing the Latin-1 character A with grave accent,
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
in a buffer whose coding system is @code{iso-latin-1}, whose
|
2001-12-28 03:10:33 +00:00
|
|
|
terminal coding system is @code{iso-latin-1} (so the terminal actually
|
2002-04-26 11:29:26 +00:00
|
|
|
displays the character as @samp{@`A}), and which has font-lock-mode
|
|
|
|
(@pxref{Font Lock}) enabled:
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2001-04-03 11:16:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
character: @`A (2240, #o4300, #x8c0, U+00C0)
|
2005-12-30 06:19:30 +00:00
|
|
|
charset: latin-iso8859-1
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
(Right-Hand Part of Latin Alphabet 1@dots{}
|
2005-12-30 06:19:30 +00:00
|
|
|
code point: #x40
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
syntax: w which means: word
|
|
|
|
category: l:Latin
|
2005-12-30 06:19:30 +00:00
|
|
|
to input: type "`A" with latin-1-prefix
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
buffer code: #x81 #xC0
|
2005-12-30 06:19:30 +00:00
|
|
|
file code: #xC0 (encoded by coding system iso-latin-1)
|
2005-11-20 07:55:22 +00:00
|
|
|
display: terminal code #xC0
|
2005-03-29 02:02:44 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are text properties here:
|
|
|
|
fontified t
|
2001-04-03 11:16:17 +00:00
|
|
|
@end smallexample
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Arguments
|
|
|
|
@section Numeric Arguments
|
|
|
|
@cindex numeric arguments
|
|
|
|
@cindex prefix arguments
|
2001-02-21 15:29:46 +00:00
|
|
|
@cindex arguments to commands
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
In mathematics and computer usage, @dfn{argument} means
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
``data provided to a function or operation.'' You can give any Emacs
|
|
|
|
command a @dfn{numeric argument} (also called a @dfn{prefix argument}).
|
|
|
|
Some commands interpret the argument as a repetition count. For
|
|
|
|
example, @kbd{C-f} with an argument of ten moves forward ten characters
|
|
|
|
instead of one. With these commands, no argument is equivalent to an
|
|
|
|
argument of one. Negative arguments tell most such commands to move or
|
|
|
|
act in the opposite direction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-1
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-@t{-}
|
|
|
|
@findex digit-argument
|
|
|
|
@findex negative-argument
|
2005-02-06 11:06:56 +00:00
|
|
|
If your terminal keyboard has a @key{META} key (labeled @key{ALT} on
|
|
|
|
PC keyboards), the easiest way to specify a numeric argument is to
|
|
|
|
type digits and/or a minus sign while holding down the @key{META} key.
|
|
|
|
For example,
|
2001-08-07 15:22:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
M-5 C-n
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
2001-08-07 15:22:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@noindent
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
moves down five lines. The characters @kbd{Meta-1}, @kbd{Meta-2},
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
and so on, as well as @kbd{Meta--}, do this because they are keys bound
|
|
|
|
to commands (@code{digit-argument} and @code{negative-argument}) that
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
are defined to set up an argument for the next command.
|
2001-08-07 15:22:40 +00:00
|
|
|
@kbd{Meta--} without digits normally means @minus{}1. Digits and
|
|
|
|
@kbd{-} modified with Control, or Control and Meta, also specify numeric
|
|
|
|
arguments.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-u
|
|
|
|
@findex universal-argument
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
You can also specify a numeric argument by typing @kbd{C-u}
|
|
|
|
(@code{universal-argument}) followed by the digits. The advantage of
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-u} is that you can type the digits without modifier keys; thus,
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-u} works on all terminals. For a negative argument, type a
|
|
|
|
minus sign after @kbd{C-u}. A minus sign without digits normally
|
|
|
|
means @minus{}1.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-u} alone has the special meaning of
|
2006-01-29 16:51:26 +00:00
|
|
|
``four times'': it multiplies the argument for the next command by
|
|
|
|
four. @kbd{C-u C-u} multiplies it by sixteen. Thus, @kbd{C-u C-u
|
|
|
|
C-f} moves forward sixteen characters. This is a good way to move
|
|
|
|
forward ``fast,'' since it moves about 1/5 of a line in the usual size
|
|
|
|
screen. Other useful combinations are @kbd{C-u C-n}, @kbd{C-u C-u
|
|
|
|
C-n} (move down a good fraction of a screen), @kbd{C-u C-u C-o} (make
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
``a lot'' of blank lines), and @kbd{C-u C-k} (kill four lines).
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Some commands care whether there is an argument, but ignore its
|
|
|
|
value. For example, the command @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph})
|
|
|
|
fills text; with an argument, it justifies the text as well.
|
|
|
|
(@xref{Filling}, for more information on @kbd{M-q}.) Plain @kbd{C-u}
|
|
|
|
is a handy way of providing an argument for such commands.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some commands use the value of the argument as a repeat count, but do
|
|
|
|
something peculiar when there is no argument. For example, the command
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-k} (@code{kill-line}) with argument @var{n} kills @var{n} lines,
|
|
|
|
including their terminating newlines. But @kbd{C-k} with no argument is
|
|
|
|
special: it kills the text up to the next newline, or, if point is right at
|
|
|
|
the end of the line, it kills the newline itself. Thus, two @kbd{C-k}
|
|
|
|
commands with no arguments can kill a nonblank line, just like @kbd{C-k}
|
|
|
|
with an argument of one. (@xref{Killing}, for more information on
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
@kbd{C-k}.)
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A few commands treat a plain @kbd{C-u} differently from an ordinary
|
|
|
|
argument. A few others may treat an argument of just a minus sign
|
|
|
|
differently from an argument of @minus{}1. These unusual cases are
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
described when they come up; they exist to make an individual command
|
|
|
|
more convenient, and they are documented in that command's
|
|
|
|
documentation string.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can use a numeric argument before a self-inserting character to
|
|
|
|
insert multiple copies of it. This is straightforward when the
|
|
|
|
character is not a digit; for example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 a} inserts 64
|
|
|
|
copies of the character @samp{a}. But this does not work for
|
|
|
|
inserting digits; @kbd{C-u 6 4 1} specifies an argument of 641. You
|
|
|
|
can separate the argument from the digit to insert with another
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-u}; for example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 C-u 1} does insert 64 copies of
|
|
|
|
the character @samp{1}.
|
|
|
|
|
2006-07-24 17:48:06 +00:00
|
|
|
We use the term ``prefix argument'' as well as ``numeric argument,''
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
to emphasize that you type these argument before the command, and to
|
|
|
|
distinguish them from minibuffer arguments that come after the
|
|
|
|
command.
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Repeating
|
|
|
|
@section Repeating a Command
|
|
|
|
@cindex repeating a command
|
|
|
|
|
2001-08-08 23:19:49 +00:00
|
|
|
Many simple commands, such as those invoked with a single key or
|
|
|
|
with @kbd{M-x @var{command-name} @key{RET}}, can be repeated by
|
|
|
|
invoking them with a numeric argument that serves as a repeat count
|
|
|
|
(@pxref{Arguments}). However, if the command you want to repeat
|
2006-05-29 01:58:27 +00:00
|
|
|
prompts for input, or uses a numeric argument in another way, that
|
|
|
|
method won't work.
|
2001-07-24 11:21:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1999-09-29 15:17:24 +00:00
|
|
|
@kindex C-x z
|
|
|
|
@findex repeat
|
|
|
|
The command @kbd{C-x z} (@code{repeat}) provides another way to repeat
|
|
|
|
an Emacs command many times. This command repeats the previous Emacs
|
|
|
|
command, whatever that was. Repeating a command uses the same arguments
|
|
|
|
that were used before; it does not read new arguments each time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To repeat the command more than once, type additional @kbd{z}'s: each
|
|
|
|
@kbd{z} repeats the command one more time. Repetition ends when you
|
|
|
|
type a character other than @kbd{z}, or press a mouse button.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For example, suppose you type @kbd{C-u 2 0 C-d} to delete 20
|
|
|
|
characters. You can repeat that command (including its argument) three
|
|
|
|
additional times, to delete a total of 80 characters, by typing @kbd{C-x
|
|
|
|
z z z}. The first @kbd{C-x z} repeats the command once, and each
|
|
|
|
subsequent @kbd{z} repeats it once again.
|
|
|
|
|
2003-09-01 15:45:59 +00:00
|
|
|
@ignore
|
|
|
|
arch-tag: cda8952a-c439-41c1-aecf-4bc0d6482956
|
|
|
|
@end ignore
|