mirror of
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs.git
synced 2024-12-15 09:47:20 +00:00
76 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
76 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
|
|
@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003,
|
|
@c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
|
|
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
|
|
@node M-x, Help, Minibuffer, Top
|
|
@chapter Running Commands by Name
|
|
|
|
Every Emacs command has a name that you can use to run it. For
|
|
convenience, many commands also have key bindings. You can run those
|
|
commands by typing the keys, or run them by name. Most Emacs commands
|
|
have no key bindings, so the only way to run them is by name.
|
|
(@xref{Key Bindings}, for how to set up key bindings.)
|
|
|
|
By convention, a command name consists of one or more words,
|
|
separated by hyphens; for example, @code{auto-fill-mode} or
|
|
@code{manual-entry}. Command names mostly use complete English words
|
|
to make them easier to remember.
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-x
|
|
To run a command by name, start with @kbd{M-x}, type the command
|
|
name, then terminate it with @key{RET}. @kbd{M-x} uses the minibuffer
|
|
to read the command name. The string @samp{M-x} appears at the
|
|
beginning of the minibuffer as a @dfn{prompt} to remind you to enter a
|
|
command name to be run. @key{RET} exits the minibuffer and runs the
|
|
command. @xref{Minibuffer}, for more information on the minibuffer.
|
|
|
|
You can use completion to enter the command name. For example,
|
|
to invoke the command @code{forward-char}, you can type
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
M-x forward-char @key{RET}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
M-x forw @key{TAB} c @key{RET}
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
Note that @code{forward-char} is the same command that you invoke with
|
|
the key @kbd{C-f}. The existence of a key binding does not stop you
|
|
from running the command by name.
|
|
|
|
To cancel the @kbd{M-x} and not run a command, type @kbd{C-g} instead
|
|
of entering the command name. This takes you back to command level.
|
|
|
|
To pass a numeric argument to the command you are invoking with
|
|
@kbd{M-x}, specify the numeric argument before @kbd{M-x}. The
|
|
argument value appears in the prompt while the command name is being
|
|
read, and finally @kbd{M-x} passes the argument to that command.
|
|
|
|
@vindex suggest-key-bindings
|
|
When the command you run with @kbd{M-x} has a key binding, Emacs
|
|
mentions this in the echo area after running the command. For
|
|
example, if you type @kbd{M-x forward-word}, the message says that you
|
|
can run the same command by typing @kbd{M-f}. You can turn off these
|
|
messages by setting the variable @code{suggest-key-bindings} to
|
|
@code{nil}.
|
|
|
|
In this manual, when we speak of running a command by name, we often
|
|
omit the @key{RET} that terminates the name. Thus we might say
|
|
@kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode} rather than @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode
|
|
@key{RET}}. We mention the @key{RET} only for emphasis, such as when
|
|
the command is followed by arguments.
|
|
|
|
@findex execute-extended-command
|
|
@kbd{M-x} works by running the command
|
|
@code{execute-extended-command}, which is responsible for reading the
|
|
name of another command and invoking it.
|
|
|
|
@ignore
|
|
arch-tag: b67bff53-9628-4666-b94e-eda972a7ba56
|
|
@end ignore
|