1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
Copyright (c) 1985 Free Software Foundation, Inc; See end for conditions.
|
|
|
|
You are looking at the Emacs tutorial.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-01-05 00:46:57 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs commands generally involve the CONTROL key (sometimes labeled
|
|
|
|
CTRL or CTL) or the META key (sometimes labeled EDIT or ALT). Rather than
|
1996-05-25 23:21:39 +00:00
|
|
|
write that in full each time, we'll use the following abbreviations:
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-<chr> means hold the CONTROL key while typing the character <chr>
|
|
|
|
Thus, C-f would be: hold the CONTROL key and type f.
|
1995-07-24 05:21:31 +00:00
|
|
|
M-<chr> means hold the META or EDIT or ALT key down while typing <chr>.
|
1996-05-25 23:21:39 +00:00
|
|
|
If there is no META, EDIT or ALT key, instead press and release the
|
|
|
|
ESC key and then type <chr>. We write <ESC> for the ESC key.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Important note: to end the Emacs session, type C-x C-c. (Two characters.)
|
|
|
|
The characters ">>" at the left margin indicate directions for you to
|
|
|
|
try using a command. For instance:
|
|
|
|
<<Blank lines inserted here by startup of help-with-tutorial>>
|
|
|
|
>> Now type C-v (View next screen) to move to the next screen.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
(go ahead, do it by holding down the control key while typing v).
|
|
|
|
From now on, you should do this again whenever you finish
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
reading the screen.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Note that there is an overlap of two lines when you move from screen
|
|
|
|
to screen; this provides some continuity so you can continue reading
|
|
|
|
the text.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
The first thing that you need to know is how to move around from place
|
|
|
|
to place in the text. You already know how to move forward one screen,
|
|
|
|
with C-v. To move backwards one screen, type M-v (hold down the META key
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
and type v, or type <ESC>v if you do not have a META, EDIT, or ALT key).
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Try typing M-v and then C-v, a few times.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* SUMMARY
|
|
|
|
---------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following commands are useful for viewing screenfuls:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-v Move forward one screenful
|
|
|
|
M-v Move backward one screenful
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
C-l Clear screen and redisplay all the text,
|
|
|
|
moving the text around the cursor
|
|
|
|
to the center of the screen.
|
1993-07-30 05:58:29 +00:00
|
|
|
(That's control-L, not control-1.)
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Find the cursor, and note what text is near it.
|
|
|
|
Then type C-l.
|
|
|
|
Find the cursor again and notice that the same text
|
|
|
|
is near the cursor now.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* BASIC CURSOR CONTROL
|
|
|
|
----------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Moving from screenful to screenful is useful, but how do you
|
|
|
|
move to a specific place within the text on the screen?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are several ways you can do this. The most basic way is to use
|
|
|
|
the commands C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n. Each of these commands moves the
|
|
|
|
cursor one row or column in a particular direction on the screen.
|
|
|
|
Here is a table showing these four commands and shows the directions
|
|
|
|
they move:
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous line, C-p
|
|
|
|
:
|
|
|
|
:
|
|
|
|
Backward, C-b .... Current cursor position .... Forward, C-f
|
|
|
|
:
|
|
|
|
:
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Next line, C-n
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the line in the middle of that diagram
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
using C-n or C-p. Then type C-l to see the whole diagram
|
|
|
|
centered in the screen.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
You'll probably find it easy to think of these by letter: P for
|
|
|
|
previous, N for next, B for backward and F for forward. These are the
|
|
|
|
basic cursor positioning commands, and you'll be using them ALL the
|
|
|
|
time, so it would be of great benefit if you learn them now.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Do a few C-n's to bring the cursor down to this line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move into the line with C-f's and then up with C-p's.
|
|
|
|
See what C-p does when the cursor is in the middle of the line.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Each of text line ends with a Newline character, which serves to
|
|
|
|
separate it from the following line. The last line in your file ought
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
to have a Newline at the end (but Emacs does not require it to have
|
|
|
|
one).
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try to C-b at the beginning of a line. It should move to
|
|
|
|
the end of the previous line. This is because it moves back
|
|
|
|
across the Newline character.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
C-f can move across a Newline just like C-b.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Do a few more C-b's, so you get a feel for where the cursor is.
|
|
|
|
Then do C-f's to return to the end of the line.
|
|
|
|
Then do one more C-f to move to the following line.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
When you move past the top or bottom of the screen, the text beyond
|
|
|
|
the edge shifts onto the screen. This is called "scrolling". It
|
|
|
|
enables Emacs to move the cursor to the specified place in the text
|
|
|
|
without moving it off the screen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try to move the cursor off the bottom of the screen with C-n, and
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
see what happens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If moving by characters is too slow, you can move by words. M-f
|
|
|
|
(Meta-f) moves forward a word and M-b moves back a word.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type a few M-f's and M-b's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you are in the middle of a word, M-f moves to the end of the word.
|
|
|
|
When you are in whitespace between words, M-f moves to the end of the
|
|
|
|
following word. M-b works likewise in the opposite direction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type M-f and M-b a few times, interspersed with C-f's and C-b's
|
|
|
|
so that you can observe the action of M-f and M-b from various
|
|
|
|
places inside and between words.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notice the parallel between C-f and C-b on the one hand, and M-f and
|
|
|
|
M-b on the other hand. Very often Meta characters are used for
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
operations related to the units defined by language (words, sentences,
|
|
|
|
paragraphs), while Control characters operate on basic units that are
|
|
|
|
independent of what you are editing (characters, lines, etc).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This parallel applies between lines and sentences: C-a and C-e move to
|
|
|
|
the beginning or end of a line, and M-a and M-e move to the beginning
|
|
|
|
or end of a sentence.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try a couple of C-a's, and then a couple of C-e's.
|
|
|
|
Try a couple of M-a's, and then a couple of M-e's.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
See how repeated C-a's do nothing, but repeated M-a's keep moving one
|
|
|
|
more sentence. Although these are not quite analogous, each one seems
|
|
|
|
natural.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The location of the cursor in the text is also called "point". To
|
|
|
|
paraphrase, the cursor shows on the screen where point is located in
|
|
|
|
the text.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Here is a summary of simple cursor-moving operations, including the
|
|
|
|
word and sentence moving commands:
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-f Move forward a character
|
|
|
|
C-b Move backward a character
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M-f Move forward a word
|
|
|
|
M-b Move backward a word
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-n Move to next line
|
|
|
|
C-p Move to previous line
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-a Move to beginning of line
|
|
|
|
C-e Move to end of line
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M-a Move back to beginning of sentence
|
|
|
|
M-e Move forward to end of sentence
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try all of these commands now a few times for practice.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
These are the most often used commands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Two other important cursor motion commands are M-< (Meta Less-than),
|
|
|
|
which moves to the beginning of the whole text, and M-> (Meta
|
|
|
|
Greater-than), which moves to the end of the whole text.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On most terminals, the "<" is above the comma, so you must use the
|
|
|
|
shift key to type it. On these terminals you must use the shift key
|
|
|
|
to type M-< also; without the shift key, you would be typing M-comma.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try M-< now, to move to the beginning of the tutorial.
|
|
|
|
Then use C-v repeatedly to move back here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try M-> now, to move to the end of the tutorial.
|
|
|
|
Then use M-v repeatedly to move back here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can also move the cursor with the arrow keys, if your terminal has
|
|
|
|
arrow keys. We recommend learning C-b, C-f, C-n and C-p for three
|
|
|
|
reasons. First, they work on all kinds of terminals. Second, once
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
you gain practice at using Emacs, you will find that typing these Control
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
characters is faster than typing the arrow keys (because you do not
|
|
|
|
have to move your hands away from touch-typing position). Third, once
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
you form the habit of using these Control character commands, you can
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
easily learn to use other advanced cursor motion commands as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Emacs commands accept a numeric argument; for most commands, this
|
|
|
|
serves as a repeat-count. The way you give a command a repeat count
|
|
|
|
is by typing C-u and then the digits before you type the command. If
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
you have a META (or EDIT or ALT) key, there is another alternative way
|
|
|
|
to enter a numeric argument: type the digits while holding down the
|
|
|
|
META key. We recommend learning the C-u method because it works on
|
1998-07-09 04:03:27 +00:00
|
|
|
any terminal. The numeric argument is also called a "prefix argument",
|
|
|
|
because you type the argument before the command it applies to.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For instance, C-u 8 C-f moves forward eight characters.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Try using C-n or C-p with a numeric argument, to move the cursor
|
|
|
|
to a line near this one with just one command.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-07-09 04:03:27 +00:00
|
|
|
Most commands use the numeric argument as a repeat count, but some
|
|
|
|
commands use it in some other way. Several commands (but none of
|
|
|
|
those you have learned so far) use it as a flag--the presence of a
|
|
|
|
prefix argument, regardless of its value, makes the command do
|
|
|
|
something different.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-v and M-v are another kind of exception. When given an argument,
|
|
|
|
they scroll the screen up or down by that many lines, rather than by a
|
|
|
|
screenful. For example, C-u 8 C-v scrolls the screen by 8 lines.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try typing C-u 8 C-v now.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
This should have scrolled the screen up by 8 lines. If you would like
|
|
|
|
to scroll it down again, you can give an argument to M-v.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are using X Windows, there should be a tall rectangular area
|
|
|
|
called a scroll bar at the left hand side of the Emacs window. You
|
1993-05-18 21:04:11 +00:00
|
|
|
can scroll the text by clicking the mouse in the scroll bar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try pressing the middle button at the top of the highlighted area
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
within the scroll bar. This should scroll the text to a position
|
|
|
|
determined by how high or low you click.
|
1993-05-18 21:04:11 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Try moving the mouse up and down, while holding the middle button
|
|
|
|
pressed down. You'll see that the text scrolls up and down as
|
|
|
|
you move the mouse.
|
1993-05-18 21:04:11 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* WHEN EMACS IS HUNG
|
|
|
|
--------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If Emacs stops responding to your commands, you can stop it safely by
|
|
|
|
typing C-g. You can use C-g to stop a command which is taking too
|
|
|
|
long to execute.
|
|
|
|
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
You can also use C-g to discard a numeric argument or the beginning of
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
a command that you do not want to finish.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-u 100 to make a numeric arg of 100, then type C-g.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Now type C-f. It should move just one character,
|
|
|
|
because you canceled the argument with C-g.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you have typed an <ESC> by mistake, you can get rid of it
|
|
|
|
with a C-g.
|
1995-07-19 15:57:51 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* DISABLED COMMANDS
|
|
|
|
-------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some Emacs commands are "disabled" so that beginning users cannot use
|
|
|
|
them by accident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you type one of the disabled commands, Emacs displays a message
|
|
|
|
saying what the command was, and asking you whether you want to go
|
|
|
|
ahead and execute the command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you really want to try the command, type Space in answer to the
|
|
|
|
question. Normally, if you do not want to execute the disabled
|
|
|
|
command, answer the question with "n".
|
|
|
|
|
1998-09-04 20:30:21 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type C-x C-l (which is a disabled command),
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
then type n to answer the question.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* WINDOWS
|
|
|
|
---------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs can have several windows, each displaying its own text. We will
|
|
|
|
explain later on how to use multiple windows. Right now we want to
|
|
|
|
explain how to get rid of extra windows and go back to basic
|
|
|
|
one-window editing. It is simple:
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x 1 One window (i.e., kill all other windows).
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
That is Control-x followed by the digit 1. C-x 1 expands the window
|
|
|
|
which contains the cursor, to occupy the full screen. It deletes all
|
|
|
|
other windows.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to this line and type C-u 0 C-l.
|
|
|
|
>> Type Control-h k Control-f.
|
|
|
|
See how this window shrinks, while a new one appears
|
|
|
|
to display documentation on the Control-f command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 1 and see the documentation listing window disappear.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
This command is unlike the other commands you have learned in that it
|
|
|
|
consists of two characters. It starts with the character Control-x.
|
|
|
|
There is a whole series of commands that start with Control-x; many of
|
|
|
|
them have to do with windows, files, buffers, and related things.
|
|
|
|
These commands are two, three or four characters long.
|
|
|
|
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* INSERTING AND DELETING
|
|
|
|
------------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you want to insert text, just type the text. Characters which you
|
|
|
|
can see, such as A, 7, *, etc. are taken by Emacs as text and inserted
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
immediately. Type <Return> (the carriage-return key) to insert a
|
|
|
|
Newline character.
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
You can delete the last character you typed by typing <Delete>.
|
|
|
|
<Delete> is a key on the keyboard, which may be labeled "Del". In
|
|
|
|
some cases, the "Backspace" key serves as <Delete>, but not always!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More generally, <Delete> deletes the character immediately before the
|
|
|
|
current cursor position.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Do this now--type a few characters, then delete them
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
by typing <Delete> a few times. Don't worry about this file
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
being changed; you will not alter the master tutorial. This is
|
|
|
|
your personal copy of it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When a line of text gets too big for one line on the screen, the line
|
|
|
|
of text is "continued" onto a second screen line. A backslash ("\")
|
|
|
|
at the right margin indicates a line which has been continued.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Insert text until you reach the right margin, and keep on inserting.
|
|
|
|
You'll see a continuation line appear.
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Use <Delete>s to delete the text until the line fits on one screen
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
line again. The continuation line goes away.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
You can delete a Newline character just like any other character.
|
|
|
|
Deleting the Newline character between two lines merges them into
|
|
|
|
one line. If the resulting combined line is too long to fit in the
|
|
|
|
screen width, it will be displayed with a continuation line.
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the beginning of a line and type <Delete>. This
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
merges that line with the previous line.
|
|
|
|
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type <Return> to reinsert the Newline you deleted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remember that most Emacs commands can be given a repeat count;
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
this includes text characters. Repeating a text character inserts
|
|
|
|
it several times.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Try that now -- type C-u 8 * to insert ********.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You've now learned the most basic way of typing something in
|
|
|
|
Emacs and correcting errors. You can delete by words or lines
|
|
|
|
as well. Here is a summary of the delete operations:
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
<Delete> delete the character just before the cursor
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
C-d delete the next character after the cursor
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
M-<Delete> kill the word immediately before the cursor
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
M-d kill the next word after the cursor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-k kill from the cursor position to end of line
|
|
|
|
M-k kill to the end of the current sentence
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
Notice that <Delete> and C-d vs M-<Delete> and M-d extend the parallel
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
started by C-f and M-f (well, <Delete> is not really a control
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
character, but let's not worry about that). C-k and M-k are like C-e
|
|
|
|
and M-e, sort of, in that lines are opposite sentences.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-11-11 18:49:47 +00:00
|
|
|
You can also kill any part of the buffer with one uniform method.
|
|
|
|
Move to one end of that part, and type C-@ or C-SPC (either one).
|
|
|
|
Move to the other end of that part, and type C-w. That kills
|
|
|
|
all the text between the two positions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the Y at the start of the previous paragraph.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-SPC. Emacs should display a message "Mark set"
|
|
|
|
at the bottom of the screen.
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the n in "end", on the second line of the
|
|
|
|
paragraph.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-w. This will kill the text starting from the Y,
|
|
|
|
and ending just before the n.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
When you delete more than one character at a time, Emacs saves the
|
|
|
|
deleted text so that you can bring it back. Bringing back killed text
|
|
|
|
is called "yanking". You can yank the killed text either at the same
|
|
|
|
place where it was killed, or at some other place in the text. You
|
|
|
|
can yank the text several times in order to make multiple copies of
|
|
|
|
it. The command to yank is C-y.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Note that the difference between "Killing" and "Deleting" something is
|
|
|
|
that "Killed" things can be yanked back, and "Deleted" things cannot.
|
|
|
|
Generally, the commands that can remove a lot of text save the text,
|
|
|
|
while the commands that delete just one character, or just blank lines
|
|
|
|
and spaces, do not save the deleted text.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the beginning of a line which is not empty.
|
|
|
|
Then type C-k to kill the text on that line.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-k a second time. You'll see that it kills the Newline
|
|
|
|
which follows that line.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that a single C-k kills the contents of the line, and a second
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
C-k kills the line itself, and make all the other lines move up. C-k
|
|
|
|
treats a numeric argument specially: it kills that many lines AND
|
|
|
|
their contents. This is not mere repetition. C-u 2 C-k kills two
|
|
|
|
lines and their newlines; typing C-k twice would not do that.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
To retrieve the last killed text and put it where the cursor currently
|
|
|
|
is, type C-y.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try it; type C-y to yank the text back.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Think of C-y as if you were yanking something back that someone took
|
|
|
|
away from you. Notice that if you do several C-k's in a row, all of
|
|
|
|
the killed text is saved together, so that one C-y will yank all of
|
|
|
|
the lines.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Do this now, type C-k several times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now to retrieve that killed text:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-y. Then move the cursor down a few lines and type C-y
|
|
|
|
again. You now see how to copy some text.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What do you do if you have some text you want to yank back, and then
|
|
|
|
you kill something else? C-y would yank the more recent kill. But
|
|
|
|
the previous text is not lost. You can get back to it using the M-y
|
|
|
|
command. After you have done C-y to get the most recent kill, typing
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
M-y replaces that yanked text with the previous kill. Typing M-y
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
again and again brings in earlier and earlier kills. When you have
|
|
|
|
reached the text you are looking for, you do not have to do anything to
|
|
|
|
keep it. Just go on with your editing, leaving the yanked text where
|
|
|
|
it is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you M-y enough times, you come back to the starting point (the most
|
|
|
|
recent kill).
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Kill a line, move around, kill another line.
|
|
|
|
Then do C-y to get back the second killed line.
|
|
|
|
Then do M-y and it will be replaced by the first killed line.
|
|
|
|
Do more M-y's and see what you get. Keep doing them until
|
|
|
|
the second kill line comes back, and then a few more.
|
|
|
|
If you like, you can try giving M-y positive and negative
|
|
|
|
arguments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* UNDO
|
|
|
|
------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you make a change to the text, and then decide that it was a
|
|
|
|
mistake, you can undo the change with the undo command, C-x u.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Normally, C-x u undoes the changes made by one command; if you repeat
|
|
|
|
the C-x u several times in a row, each repetition undoes one
|
|
|
|
additional command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
But there are two exceptions: commands that do not change the text do
|
|
|
|
not count (this includes cursor motion commands and scrolling
|
|
|
|
command), and self-inserting characters are usually handled in groups
|
|
|
|
of up to 20. (This is to reduce the number of C-x u's you have to
|
|
|
|
type to undo insertion of text.)
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Kill this line with C-k, then type C-x u and it should reappear.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
C-_ is an alternative undo command; it works just the same as C-x u,
|
|
|
|
but it is easier to type several times in a row. The disadvantage of
|
|
|
|
C-_ is that on some keyboards it is not obvious how to type it. That
|
|
|
|
is why we provide C-x u as well. On some terminals, you can type C-_
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
by typing / while holding down CONTROL.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
A numeric argument to C-_ or C-x u acts as a repeat count.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* FILES
|
|
|
|
-------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In order to make the text you edit permanent, you must put it in a
|
|
|
|
file. Otherwise, it will go away when your invocation of Emacs goes
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
away. In order to put your text in a file, you must "find" the file
|
|
|
|
before you enter the text. (This is also called "visiting" the file.)
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finding a file means that you see the contents of the file within
|
|
|
|
Emacs. In many ways, it is as if you were editing the file itself.
|
|
|
|
However, the changes you make using Emacs do not become permanent
|
|
|
|
until you "save" the file. This is so you can avoid leaving a
|
|
|
|
half-changed file on the system when you do not want to. Even when
|
|
|
|
you save, Emacs leaves the original file under a changed name in case
|
|
|
|
you later decide that your changes were a mistake.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you look near the bottom of the screen you will see a line that
|
1997-09-06 02:03:57 +00:00
|
|
|
begins and ends with dashes, and starts with "--:-- TUTORIAL" or
|
|
|
|
something like that. This part of the screen normally shows the name
|
|
|
|
of the file that you are visiting. Right now, you are visiting a file
|
|
|
|
called "TUTORIAL" which is your personal scratch copy of the Emacs
|
|
|
|
tutorial. When you find a file with Emacs, that file's name will
|
|
|
|
appear in that precise spot.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
One special thing about the command for finding a file is that you
|
|
|
|
have to say what file name you want. We say the command "reads an
|
|
|
|
argument from the terminal" (in this case, the argument is the name of
|
|
|
|
the file). After you type the command
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x C-f Find a file
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs asks you to type the file name. The file name you type appears
|
|
|
|
on the bottom line of the screen. The bottom line is called the
|
|
|
|
minibuffer when it is used for this sort of input. You can use
|
|
|
|
ordinary Emacs editing commands to edit the file name.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While you are entering the file name (or any minibuffer input),
|
|
|
|
you can cancel the command with C-g.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x C-f, then type C-g. This cancels the minibuffer,
|
|
|
|
and also cancels the C-x C-f command that was using the
|
|
|
|
minibuffer. So you do not find any file.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
When you have finished entering the file name, type <Return> to
|
|
|
|
terminate it. Then C-x C-f command goes to work, and finds the file
|
|
|
|
you chose. The minibuffer disappears when the C-x C-f command is
|
|
|
|
finished.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In a little while the file contents appear on the screen, and you can
|
|
|
|
edit the contents. When you wish to make your changes permanent,
|
|
|
|
type the command
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x C-s Save the file
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
This copies the text within Emacs into the file. The first time you
|
|
|
|
do this, Emacs renames the original file to a new name so that it is
|
|
|
|
not lost. The new name is made by adding "~" to the end of the
|
|
|
|
original file's name.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When saving is finished, Emacs prints the name of the file written.
|
|
|
|
You should save fairly often, so that you will not lose very much
|
|
|
|
work if the system should crash.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x C-s, saving your copy of the tutorial.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
This should print "Wrote ...TUTORIAL" at the bottom of the screen.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-07-03 19:32:14 +00:00
|
|
|
NOTE: On some systems, typing C-x C-s will freeze the screen and you
|
|
|
|
will see no further output from Emacs. This indicates that an
|
|
|
|
operating system "feature" called "flow control" is intercepting the
|
|
|
|
C-s and not letting it get through to Emacs. To unfreeze the screen,
|
|
|
|
type C-q. Then see the section "Spontaneous Entry to Incremental
|
|
|
|
Search" in the Emacs manual for advice on dealing with this "feature".
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
You can find an existing file, to view it or edit it. You can also
|
|
|
|
find a file which does not already exist. This is the way to create a
|
|
|
|
file with Emacs: find the file, which will start out empty, and then
|
|
|
|
begin inserting the text for the file. When you ask to "save" the
|
|
|
|
file, Emacs will really create the file with the text that you have
|
|
|
|
inserted. From then on, you can consider yourself to be editing an
|
|
|
|
already existing file.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* BUFFERS
|
|
|
|
---------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you find a second file with C-x C-f, the first file remains
|
|
|
|
inside Emacs. You can switch back to it by finding it again with
|
|
|
|
C-x C-f. This way you can get quite a number of files inside Emacs.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Create a file named "foo" by typing C-x C-f foo <Return>.
|
|
|
|
Then insert some text, edit it, and save "foo" by typing C-x C-s.
|
|
|
|
Finally, type C-x C-f TUTORIAL <Return>
|
|
|
|
to come back to the tutorial.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-04-13 18:53:08 +00:00
|
|
|
Emacs stores each file's text inside an object called a "buffer".
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Finding a file makes a new buffer inside Emacs. To see a list of the
|
1998-04-13 18:53:08 +00:00
|
|
|
buffers that currently exist in your Emacs job, type
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x C-b List buffers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try C-x C-b now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See how each buffer has a name, and it may also have a file name
|
|
|
|
for the file whose contents it holds. Some buffers do not correspond
|
|
|
|
to files. For example, the buffer named "*Buffer List*" does
|
|
|
|
not have any file. It is the buffer which contains the buffer
|
|
|
|
list that was made by C-x C-b. ANY text you see in an Emacs window
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
is always part of some buffer.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 1 to get rid of the buffer list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you make changes to the text of one file, then find another file,
|
|
|
|
this does not save the first file. Its changes remain inside Emacs,
|
|
|
|
in that file's buffer. The creation or editing of the second file's
|
|
|
|
buffer has no effect on the first file's buffer. This is very useful,
|
|
|
|
but it also means that you need a convenient way to save the first
|
|
|
|
file's buffer. It would be a nuisance to have to switch back to
|
|
|
|
it with C-x C-f in order to save it with C-x C-s. So we have
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x s Save some buffers
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
C-x s asks you about each buffer which contains changes that you have
|
|
|
|
not saved. It asks you, for each such buffer, whether to save the
|
|
|
|
buffer.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Insert a line of text, then type C-x s.
|
|
|
|
It should ask you whether to save the buffer named TUTORIAL.
|
|
|
|
Answer yes to the question by typing "y".
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-10-06 23:32:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* EXTENDING THE COMMAND SET
|
|
|
|
---------------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are many, many more Emacs commands than could possibly be put
|
|
|
|
on all the control and meta characters. Emacs gets around this with
|
|
|
|
the X (eXtend) command. This comes in two flavors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x Character eXtend. Followed by one character.
|
|
|
|
M-x Named command eXtend. Followed by a long name.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These are commands that are generally useful but used less than the
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
commands you have already learned about. You have already seen two of
|
|
|
|
them: the file commands C-x C-f to Find and C-x C-s to Save. Another
|
|
|
|
example is the command to end the Emacs session--this is the command
|
|
|
|
C-x C-c. (Do not worry about losing changes you have made; C-x C-c
|
|
|
|
offers to save each changed file before it kills the Emacs.)
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-10-17 04:17:33 +00:00
|
|
|
C-z is the command to exit Emacs *temporarily*--so that you can go
|
|
|
|
back to the same Emacs session afterward.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
On systems which allow it, C-z "suspends" Emacs; that is, it returns
|
|
|
|
to the shell but does not destroy the Emacs. In the most common
|
|
|
|
shells, you can resume Emacs with the `fg' command or with `%emacs'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On systems which do not implement suspending, C-z creates a subshell
|
|
|
|
running under Emacs to give you the chance to run other programs and
|
|
|
|
return to Emacs afterward; it does not truly "exit" from Emacs. In
|
|
|
|
this case, the shell command `exit' is the usual way to get back to
|
|
|
|
Emacs from the subshell.
|
1994-10-17 04:17:33 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The time to use C-x C-c is when you are about to log out. It's also
|
|
|
|
the right thing to use to exit an Emacs invoked under mail handling
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
programs and other miscellaneous utilities, since they may not know
|
|
|
|
how to cope with suspension of Emacs. In ordinary circumstances,
|
|
|
|
though, if you are not about to log out, it is better to suspend Emacs
|
|
|
|
with C-z instead of exiting Emacs.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
There are many C-x commands. Here is a list of the ones you have learned:
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-x C-f Find file.
|
|
|
|
C-x C-s Save file.
|
|
|
|
C-x C-b List buffers.
|
|
|
|
C-x C-c Quit Emacs.
|
1998-10-13 15:22:42 +00:00
|
|
|
C-x 1 Delete all but one window.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
C-x u Undo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named eXtended commands are commands which are used even less
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
frequently, or commands which are used only in certain modes. An
|
|
|
|
example is the command replace-string, which globally replaces one
|
|
|
|
string with another. When you type M-x, Emacs prompts you at the
|
|
|
|
bottom of the screen with M-x and you should type the name of the
|
|
|
|
command; in this case, "replace-string". Just type "repl s<TAB>" and
|
|
|
|
Emacs will complete the name. End the command name with <Return>.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The replace-string command requires two arguments--the string to be
|
|
|
|
replaced, and the string to replace it with. You must end each
|
|
|
|
argument with <Return>.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to the blank line two lines below this one.
|
|
|
|
Then type M-x repl s<Return>changed<Return>altered<Return>.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notice how this line has changed: you've replaced
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
the word c-h-a-n-g-e-d with "altered" wherever it occurred,
|
|
|
|
after the initial position of the cursor.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1995-02-08 06:29:29 +00:00
|
|
|
* AUTO SAVE
|
|
|
|
-----------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you have made changes in a file, but you have not saved them yet,
|
|
|
|
they could be lost if your computer crashes. To protect you from
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
this, Emacs periodically writes an "auto save" file for each file that
|
|
|
|
you are editing. The auto save file name has a # at the beginning and
|
|
|
|
the end; for example, if your file is named "hello.c", its auto save
|
|
|
|
file's name is "#hello.c#". When you save the file in the normal way,
|
|
|
|
Emacs deletes its auto save file.
|
1995-02-08 06:29:29 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If the computer crashes, you can recover your auto-saved editing by
|
|
|
|
finding the file normally (the file you were editing, not the auto
|
1998-04-13 18:53:08 +00:00
|
|
|
save file) and then typing M-x recover file<Return>. When it asks for
|
|
|
|
confirmation, type yes<Return> to go ahead and recover the auto-save
|
1995-02-08 06:29:29 +00:00
|
|
|
data.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
* ECHO AREA
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
-----------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-10-13 15:22:42 +00:00
|
|
|
If Emacs sees that you are typing multicharacter commands slowly, it
|
|
|
|
shows them to you at the bottom of the screen in an area called the
|
|
|
|
"echo area". The echo area contains the bottom line of the screen.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
* MODE LINE
|
|
|
|
-----------
|
|
|
|
|
1998-10-13 15:22:42 +00:00
|
|
|
The line immediately above the echo area is called the "mode line".
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
The mode line says something like this:
|
|
|
|
|
1997-10-23 06:35:13 +00:00
|
|
|
--:** TUTORIAL (Fundamental)--L670--58%----------------
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This line gives useful information about the status of Emacs and
|
|
|
|
the text you are editing.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You already know what the filename means--it is the file you have
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
found. -NN%-- indicates your current position in the text; it means
|
|
|
|
that NN percent of the text is above the top of the screen. If the
|
|
|
|
top of the file is on the screen, it will say --Top-- instead of
|
|
|
|
--00%--. If the bottom of the text is on the screen, it will say
|
|
|
|
--Bot--. If you are looking at text so small that all of it fits on
|
|
|
|
the screen, the mode line says --All--.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The stars near the front mean that you have made changes to the text.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Right after you visit or save a file, that part of the mode line shows
|
|
|
|
no stars, just dashes.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The part of the mode line inside the parentheses is to tell you what
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
editing modes you are in. The default mode is Fundamental which is
|
|
|
|
what you are using now. It is an example of a "major mode".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emacs has many different major modes. Some of them are meant for
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
editing different languages and/or kinds of text, such as Lisp mode,
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Text mode, etc. At any time one and only one major mode is active,
|
|
|
|
and its name can always be found in the mode line just where
|
|
|
|
"Fundamental" is now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Each major mode makes a few commands behave differently. For example,
|
|
|
|
there are commands for creating comments in a program, and since each
|
|
|
|
programming language has a different idea of what a comment should
|
|
|
|
look like, each major mode has to insert comments differently. Each
|
|
|
|
major mode is the name of an extended command, which is how you can
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
switch to that mode. For example, M-x fundamental-mode is a command to
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
switch to Fundamental mode.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you are going to be editing English text, such as this file, you
|
|
|
|
should probably use Text Mode.
|
1998-04-13 18:53:08 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type M-x text mode<Return>.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-10-13 15:22:42 +00:00
|
|
|
Don't worry, none of the Emacs commands you have learned changes in
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
any great way. But you can observe that M-f and M-b now treat
|
|
|
|
apostrophes as part of words. Previously, in Fundamental mode,
|
|
|
|
M-f and M-b treated apostrophes as word-separators.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Major modes usually make subtle changes like that one: most commands
|
|
|
|
do "the same job" in each major mode, but they work a little bit
|
|
|
|
differently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To view documentation on your current major mode, type C-h m.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Use C-u C-v once or more to bring this line near the top of screen.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-h m, to see how Text mode differs from Fundamental mode.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 1 to remove the documentation from the screen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Major modes are called major because there are also minor modes.
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
Minor modes are alternatives not to the major modes, just minor
|
|
|
|
modifications of them. Each minor mode can be turned on or off by
|
|
|
|
itself, independent of all other minor modes, and independent of your
|
|
|
|
major mode. So you can use no minor modes, or one minor mode, or any
|
|
|
|
combination of several minor modes.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One minor mode which is very useful, especially for editing English
|
|
|
|
text, is Auto Fill mode. When this mode is on, Emacs breaks the line
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
in between words automatically whenever you insert text and make a
|
|
|
|
line that is too wide.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-04-17 04:25:22 +00:00
|
|
|
You can turn Auto Fill mode on by doing M-x auto fill mode<Return>.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
When the mode is on, you can turn it off by doing M-x
|
1998-04-17 04:25:22 +00:00
|
|
|
auto fill mode<Return>. If the mode is off, this command turns it on,
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
and if the mode is on, this command turns it off. We say that the
|
|
|
|
command "toggles the mode".
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1998-04-17 04:25:22 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type M-x auto fill mode<Return> now. Then insert a line of "asdf "
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
over again until you see it divide into two lines. You must put in
|
|
|
|
spaces between them because Auto Fill breaks lines only at spaces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The margin is usually set at 70 characters, but you can change it
|
|
|
|
with the C-x f command. You should give the margin setting you want
|
|
|
|
as a numeric argument.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x f with an argument of 20. (C-u 2 0 C-x f).
|
|
|
|
Then type in some text and see Emacs fill lines of 20
|
|
|
|
characters with it. Then set the margin back to 70 using
|
|
|
|
C-x f again.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-10-13 15:22:42 +00:00
|
|
|
If you make changes in the middle of a paragraph, Auto Fill mode
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
does not re-fill it for you.
|
|
|
|
To re-fill the paragraph, type M-q (Meta-q) with the cursor inside
|
|
|
|
that paragraph.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor into the previous paragraph and type M-q.
|
|
|
|
|
1998-10-06 23:32:03 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* SEARCHING
|
|
|
|
-----------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emacs can do searches for strings (these are groups of contiguous
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
characters or words) either forward through the text or backward
|
|
|
|
through it. Searching for a string is a cursor motion command;
|
|
|
|
it moves the cursor to the next place where that string appears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Emacs search command is different from the search commands
|
|
|
|
of most editors, in that it is "incremental". This means that the
|
|
|
|
search happens while you type in the string to search for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The command to initiate a search is C-s for forward search, and C-r
|
|
|
|
for reverse search. BUT WAIT! Don't try them now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you type C-s you'll notice that the string "I-search" appears as
|
|
|
|
a prompt in the echo area. This tells you that Emacs is in what is
|
|
|
|
called an incremental search waiting for you to type the thing that
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
you want to search for. <Return> terminates a search.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type C-s to start a search. SLOWLY, one letter at a time,
|
|
|
|
type the word 'cursor', pausing after you type each
|
|
|
|
character to notice what happens to the cursor.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Now you have searched for "cursor", once.
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-s again, to search for the next occurrence of "cursor".
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Now type <Delete> four times and see how the cursor moves.
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type <Return> to terminate the search.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you see what happened? Emacs, in an incremental search, tries to
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
go to the occurrence of the string that you've typed out so far. To
|
|
|
|
go to the next occurrence of 'cursor' just type C-s again. If no such
|
|
|
|
occurrence exists Emacs beeps and tells you the search is currently
|
|
|
|
"failing", C-g would also terminate the search.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1994-07-03 19:32:14 +00:00
|
|
|
NOTE: On some systems, typing C-s will freeze the screen and you will
|
|
|
|
see no further output from Emacs. This indicates that an operating
|
|
|
|
system "feature" called "flow control" is intercepting the C-s and not
|
|
|
|
letting it get through to Emacs. To unfreeze the screen, type C-q.
|
|
|
|
Then see the section "Spontaneous Entry to Incremental Search" in the
|
|
|
|
Emacs manual for advice on dealing with this "feature".
|
|
|
|
|
1995-05-24 20:17:16 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are in the middle of an incremental search and type <Delete>,
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
you'll notice that the last character in the search string is erased
|
|
|
|
and the search backs up to the last place of the search. For
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
instance, suppose you have typed "c", to search for the first
|
|
|
|
occurrence of "c". Now if you type "u", the cursor will move
|
|
|
|
to the first occurrence of "cu". Now type <Delete>. This erases
|
|
|
|
the "u" from the search string, and the cursor moves back to
|
|
|
|
the first occurrence of "c".
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1993-07-30 05:58:29 +00:00
|
|
|
If you are in the middle of a search and type a control or meta
|
|
|
|
character (with a few exceptions--characters that are special in
|
|
|
|
a search, such as C-s and C-r), the search is terminated.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The C-s starts a search that looks for any occurrence of the search
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
string AFTER the current cursor position. If you want to search for
|
|
|
|
something earlier in the text, type C-r instead. Everything that we
|
|
|
|
have said about C-s also applies to C-r, except that the direction of
|
|
|
|
the search is reversed.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* MULTIPLE WINDOWS
|
|
|
|
------------------
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of the nice features of Emacs is that you can display more than one
|
|
|
|
window on the screen at the same time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Move the cursor to this line and type C-u 0 C-l.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type C-x 2 which splits the screen into two windows.
|
|
|
|
Both windows display this tutorial. The cursor stays in the top window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-M-v to scroll the bottom window.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
(If you do not have a real Meta key, type ESC C-v.)
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x o ("o" for "other") to move the cursor to the bottom window.
|
|
|
|
>> Use C-v and M-v in the bottom window to scroll it.
|
|
|
|
Keep reading these directions in the top window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x o again to move the cursor back to the top window.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
The cursor in the top window is just where it was before.
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can keep using C-x o to switch between the windows. Each
|
|
|
|
window has its own cursor position, but only one window actually
|
|
|
|
shows the cursor. All the ordinary editing commands apply to the
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
window that the cursor is in. We call this the "selected window".
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The command C-M-v is very useful when you are editing text in one
|
|
|
|
window and using the other window just for reference. You can keep
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
the cursor always in the window where you are editing, and advance
|
|
|
|
through the other window sequentially with C-M-v.
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1995-07-24 05:21:31 +00:00
|
|
|
C-M-v is an example of a CONTROL-META character. If you have a real
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
META key, you can type C-M-v by holding down both CONTROL and META while
|
|
|
|
typing v. It does not matter whether CONTROL or META "comes first,"
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
because both of these keys act by modifying the characters you type.
|
1995-07-24 05:21:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you do not have a real META key, and you use ESC instead, the order
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
does matter: you must type ESC followed by Control-v, because
|
|
|
|
Control-ESC v will not work. This is because ESC is a character in
|
|
|
|
its own right, not a modifier key.
|
1995-07-24 05:21:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 1 (in the top window) to get rid of the bottom window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(If you had typed C-x 1 in the bottom window, that would get rid
|
|
|
|
of the top one. Think of this command as "Keep just one
|
|
|
|
window--the window I am already in.")
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
You do not have to display the same buffer in both windows. If you
|
|
|
|
use C-x C-f to find a file in one window, the other window does not
|
|
|
|
change. You can find a file in each window independently.
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is another way to use two windows to display two different
|
|
|
|
things:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 4 C-f followed by the name of one of your files.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
End with <Return>. See the specified file appear in the bottom
|
1992-01-08 01:58:52 +00:00
|
|
|
window. The cursor goes there, too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x o to go back to the top window, and C-x 1 to delete
|
|
|
|
the bottom window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* RECURSIVE EDITING LEVELS
|
|
|
|
--------------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes you will get into what is called a "recursive editing
|
|
|
|
level". This is indicated by square brackets in the mode line,
|
|
|
|
surrounding the parentheses around the major mode name. For
|
|
|
|
example, you might see [(Fundamental)] instead of (Fundamental).
|
|
|
|
|
1996-06-17 18:09:30 +00:00
|
|
|
To get out of the recursive editing level, type ESC ESC ESC. That is
|
|
|
|
an all-purpose "get out" command. You can also use it for eliminating
|
|
|
|
extra windows, and getting out of the minibuffer.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-06-17 18:09:30 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type M-x to get into a minibuffer; then type ESC ESC ESC to get out.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
You cannot use C-g to get out of a recursive editing level. This is
|
|
|
|
because C-g is used for canceling commands and arguments WITHIN the
|
|
|
|
recursive editing level.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* GETTING MORE HELP
|
|
|
|
-------------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this tutorial we have tried to supply just enough information to
|
|
|
|
get you started using Emacs. There is so much available in Emacs that
|
|
|
|
it would be impossible to explain it all here. However, you may want
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
to learn more about Emacs since it has many other useful features.
|
|
|
|
Emacs provides commands for reading documentation about Emacs
|
|
|
|
commands. These "help" commands all start with the character
|
|
|
|
Control-h, which is called "the Help character".
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
To use the Help features, type the C-h character, and then a
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
character saying what kind of help you want. If you are REALLY lost,
|
|
|
|
type C-h ? and Emacs will tell you what kinds of help it can give.
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
If you have typed C-h and decide you do not want any help, just
|
1993-07-30 05:58:29 +00:00
|
|
|
type C-g to cancel it.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1997-07-03 23:33:46 +00:00
|
|
|
(Some sites change the meaning of the character C-h. They really
|
|
|
|
should not do this as a blanket measure for all users, so you have
|
|
|
|
grounds to complain to the system administrator. Meanwhile, if C-h
|
|
|
|
does not display a message about help at the bottom of the screen, try
|
1998-03-27 03:49:56 +00:00
|
|
|
typing the F1 key or M-x help <Return> instead.)
|
1997-07-03 23:33:46 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The most basic HELP feature is C-h c. Type C-h, the character c, and
|
|
|
|
a command character or sequence; then Emacs displays a very brief
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
description of the command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-h c Control-p.
|
|
|
|
The message should be something like
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-p runs the command previous-line
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
This tells you the "name of the function". Function names are used
|
|
|
|
mainly for customizing and extending Emacs. But since function names
|
|
|
|
are chosen to indicate what the command does, they can serve also as
|
|
|
|
very brief documentation--sufficient to remind you of commands you
|
|
|
|
have already learned.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multi-character commands such as C-x C-s and (if you have no META or
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
EDIT or ALT key) <ESC>v are also allowed after C-h c.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
To get more information about a command, use C-h k instead of C-h c.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-h k Control-p.
|
|
|
|
|
1992-01-09 05:06:34 +00:00
|
|
|
This displays the documentation of the function, as well as its
|
|
|
|
name, in an Emacs window. When you are finished reading the
|
|
|
|
output, type C-x 1 to get rid of the help text. You do not have
|
|
|
|
to do this right away. You can do some editing while referring
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
to the help text, and then type C-x 1.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here are some other useful C-h options:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-h f Describe a function. You type in the name of the
|
|
|
|
function.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try typing C-h f previous-line<Return>.
|
|
|
|
This prints all the information Emacs has about the
|
1993-07-30 05:58:29 +00:00
|
|
|
function which implements the C-p command.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C-h a Command Apropos. Type in a keyword and Emacs will list
|
|
|
|
all the commands whose names contain that keyword.
|
|
|
|
These commands can all be invoked with Meta-x.
|
|
|
|
For some commands, Command Apropos will also list a one
|
1997-02-28 22:40:56 +00:00
|
|
|
or two character sequence which runs the same command.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
1992-01-09 05:06:34 +00:00
|
|
|
>> Type C-h a file<Return>.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
This displays in another window a list of all M-x commands with "file"
|
|
|
|
in their names. You will see character-commands like C-x C-f listed
|
|
|
|
beside the corresponding command names such as find-file.
|
1992-01-09 05:06:34 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-M-v to scroll the help window. Do this a few times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type C-x 1 to delete the help window.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992-10-10 01:37:56 +00:00
|
|
|
* CONCLUSION
|
|
|
|
------------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remember, to exit Emacs permanently use C-x C-c. To exit to a shell
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
temporarily, so that you can come back to Emacs afterward, use C-z.
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This tutorial is meant to be understandable to all new users, so if
|
|
|
|
you found something unclear, don't sit and blame yourself - complain!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1998-10-06 23:32:03 +00:00
|
|
|
* COPYING
|
|
|
|
---------
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This tutorial descends from a long line of Emacs tutorials
|
|
|
|
starting with the one written by Stuart Cracraft for the original Emacs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This version of the tutorial, like GNU Emacs, is copyrighted, and
|
|
|
|
comes with permission to distribute copies on certain conditions:
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
Copyright (c) 1985, 1996 Free Software Foundation
|
1988-05-19 17:16:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies
|
|
|
|
of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the
|
|
|
|
copyright notice and permission notice are preserved,
|
|
|
|
and that the distributor grants the recipient permission
|
|
|
|
for further redistribution as permitted by this notice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Permission is granted to distribute modified versions
|
|
|
|
of this document, or of portions of it,
|
|
|
|
under the above conditions, provided also that they
|
|
|
|
carry prominent notices stating who last altered them.
|
|
|
|
|
1996-12-19 07:57:09 +00:00
|
|
|
The conditions for copying Emacs itself are more complex, but in the
|
|
|
|
same spirit. Please read the file COPYING and then do give copies of
|
|
|
|
GNU Emacs to your friends. Help stamp out software obstructionism
|
|
|
|
("ownership") by using, writing, and sharing free software!
|