1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 97, 2000
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
6 @chapter Miscellaneous Commands
8 This chapter contains several brief topics that do not fit anywhere
9 else: reading netnews, running shell commands and shell subprocesses,
10 using a single shared Emacs for utilities that expect to run an editor
11 as a subprocess, printing hardcopy, sorting text, narrowing display to
12 part of the buffer, editing double-column files and binary files, saving
13 an Emacs session for later resumption, emulating other editors, and
14 various diversions and amusements.
17 @node Gnus, Shell, Calendar/Diary, Top
20 @cindex reading netnews
22 Gnus is an Emacs package primarily designed for reading and posting
23 Usenet news. It can also be used to read and respond to messages from a
24 number of other sources---mail, remote directories, digests, and so on.
26 Here we introduce Gnus and describe several basic features.
28 For full details, see @ref{Top, Gnus,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
31 For full details on Gnus, type @kbd{M-x info} and then select the Gnus
36 To start Gnus, type @kbd{M-x gnus @key{RET}}.
39 * Buffers of Gnus:: The group, summary, and article buffers.
40 * Gnus Startup:: What you should know about starting Gnus.
41 * Summary of Gnus:: A short description of the basic Gnus commands.
45 @subsection Gnus Buffers
47 As opposed to most normal Emacs packages, Gnus uses a number of
48 different buffers to display information and to receive commands. The
49 three buffers users spend most of their time in are the @dfn{group
50 buffer}, the @dfn{summary buffer} and the @dfn{article buffer}.
52 The @dfn{group buffer} contains a list of groups. This is the first
53 buffer Gnus displays when it starts up. It normally displays only the
54 groups to which you subscribe and that contain unread articles. Use
55 this buffer to select a specific group.
57 The @dfn{summary buffer} lists one line for each article in a single
58 group. By default, the author, the subject and the line number are
59 displayed for each article, but this is customizable, like most aspects
60 of Gnus display. The summary buffer is created when you select a group
61 in the group buffer, and is killed when you exit the group. Use this
62 buffer to select an article.
64 The @dfn{article buffer} displays the article. In normal Gnus usage,
65 you don't select this buffer---all useful article-oriented commands work
66 in the summary buffer. But you can select the article buffer, and
67 execute all Gnus commands from that buffer, if you want to.
70 @subsection When Gnus Starts Up
72 At startup, Gnus reads your @file{.newsrc} news initialization file
73 and attempts to communicate with the local news server, which is a
74 repository of news articles. The news server need not be the same
75 computer you are logged in on.
77 If you start Gnus and connect to the server, but do not see any
78 newsgroups listed in the group buffer, type @kbd{L} or @kbd{A k} to get
79 a listing of all the groups. Then type @kbd{u} to toggle
80 subscription to groups.
82 The first time you start Gnus, Gnus subscribes you to a few selected
83 groups. All other groups start out as @dfn{killed groups} for you; you
84 can list them with @kbd{A k}. All new groups that subsequently come to
85 exist at the news server become @dfn{zombie groups} for you; type @kbd{A
86 z} to list them. You can subscribe to a group shown in these lists
87 using the @kbd{u} command.
89 When you quit Gnus with @kbd{q}, it automatically records in your
90 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.eld} initialization files the
91 subscribed or unsubscribed status of all groups. You should normally
92 not edit these files manually, but you may if you know how.
95 @subsection Summary of Gnus Commands
97 Reading news is a two step process:
101 Choose a group in the group buffer.
104 Select articles from the summary buffer. Each article selected is
105 displayed in the article buffer in a large window, below the summary
106 buffer in its small window.
109 Each Gnus buffer has its own special commands; however, the meanings
110 of any given key in the various Gnus buffers are usually analogous, even
111 if not identical. Here are commands for the group and summary buffers:
114 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
115 @findex gnus-group-exit
117 In the group buffer, update your @file{.newsrc} initialization file
120 In the summary buffer, exit the current group and return to the
121 group buffer. Thus, typing @kbd{q} twice quits Gnus.
123 @kindex L @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
124 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
126 In the group buffer, list all the groups available on your news
127 server (except those you have killed). This may be a long list!
129 @kindex l @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
130 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
132 In the group buffer, list only the groups to which you subscribe and
133 which contain unread articles.
135 @kindex u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
136 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
137 @cindex subscribe groups
138 @cindex unsubscribe groups
140 In the group buffer, unsubscribe from (or subscribe to) the group listed
141 in the line that point is on. When you quit Gnus by typing @kbd{q},
142 Gnus lists in your @file{.newsrc} file which groups you have subscribed
143 to. The next time you start Gnus, you won't see this group,
144 because Gnus normally displays only subscribed-to groups.
146 @kindex C-k @r{(Gnus)}
147 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
149 In the group buffer, ``kill'' the current line's group---don't
150 even list it in @file{.newsrc} from now on. This affects future
151 Gnus sessions as well as the present session.
153 When you quit Gnus by typing @kbd{q}, Gnus writes information
154 in the file @file{.newsrc} describing all newsgroups except those you
157 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus)}
158 @findex gnus-group-read-group
160 In the group buffer, select the group on the line under the cursor
161 and display the first unread article in that group.
164 In the summary buffer,
168 Select the article on the line under the cursor if none is selected.
171 Scroll the text of the selected article (if there is one).
174 Select the next unread article if at the end of the current article.
177 Thus, you can move through all the articles by repeatedly typing @key{SPC}.
179 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus)}
181 In the group buffer, move point to the previous group containing
184 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
185 In the summary buffer, scroll the text of the article backwards.
188 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
189 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
191 Move point to the next unread group, or select the next unread article.
194 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
195 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
197 Move point to the previous unread group, or select the previous
200 @kindex C-n @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
201 @findex gnus-group-next-group
202 @kindex C-p @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
203 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
204 @kindex C-n @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
205 @findex gnus-summary-next-subject
206 @kindex C-p @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
207 @findex gnus-summary-prev-subject
210 Move point to the next or previous item, even if it is marked as read.
211 This does not select the article or group on that line.
213 @kindex s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
214 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
216 In the summary buffer, do an incremental search of the current text in
217 the article buffer, just as if you switched to the article buffer and
220 @kindex M-s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
221 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
222 @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
223 In the summary buffer, search forward for articles containing a match
230 @subsection Where to Look Further
232 @c Too many references to the name of the manual if done with xref in TeX!
233 Gnus is powerful and customizable. Here are references to a few
239 additional topics in @cite{The Gnus Manual}:
243 Follow discussions on specific topics.@*
244 See section ``Threading.''
247 Read digests. See section ``Document Groups.''
250 Refer to and jump to the parent of the current article.@*
251 See section ``Finding the Parent.''
254 Refer to articles by using Message-IDs included in the messages.@*
255 See section ``Article Keymap.''
258 Save articles. See section ``Saving Articles.''
261 Have Gnus score articles according to various criteria, like author
262 name, subject, or string in the body of the articles.@*
263 See section ``Scoring.''
266 Send an article to a newsgroup.@*
267 See section ``Composing Messages.''
273 Follow discussions on specific topics.@*
274 @xref{Threading, , Reading Based on Conversation Threads,
275 gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
278 Read digests. @xref{Document Groups, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
281 Refer to and jump to the parent of the current article.@*
282 @xref{Finding the Parent, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
285 Refer to articles by using Message-IDs included in the messages.@*
286 @xref{Article Keymap, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
289 Save articles. @xref{Saving Articles, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
292 Have Gnus score articles according to various criteria, like author
293 name, subject, or string in the body of the articles.@*
294 @xref{Scoring, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
297 Send an article to a newsgroup.@*
298 @xref{Composing Messages, , , gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
303 @node Shell, Emacs Server, Gnus, Top
304 @section Running Shell Commands from Emacs
306 @cindex shell commands
308 Emacs has commands for passing single command lines to inferior shell
309 processes; it can also run a shell interactively with input and output
310 to an Emacs buffer named @samp{*shell*} or run a shell inside a terminal
313 There is a shell implemented entirely in Emacs, documented in a separate
314 manual. @xref{, ,Eshell , eshell, Eshell: The Emacs Shell}.
317 @item M-! @var{cmd} @key{RET}
318 Run the shell command line @var{cmd} and display the output
319 (@code{shell-command}).
320 @item M-| @var{cmd} @key{RET}
321 Run the shell command line @var{cmd} with region contents as input;
322 optionally replace the region with the output
323 (@code{shell-command-on-region}).
325 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer.
326 You can then give commands interactively.
328 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer.
329 You can then give commands interactively.
330 Full terminal emulation is available.
333 Start the Emacs shell.
337 * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
338 * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via Emacs.
339 * Shell Mode:: Special Emacs commands used with permanent shell.
340 * History: Shell History. Repeating previous commands in a shell buffer.
341 * Directory Tracking:: Keeping track when the subshell changes directory.
342 * Options: Shell Options. Options for customizing Shell mode.
343 * Terminal emulator:: An Emacs window as a terminal emulator.
344 * Term Mode:: Special Emacs commands used in Term mode.
345 * Paging in Term:: Paging in the terminal emulator.
346 * Remote Host:: Connecting to another computer.
350 @subsection Single Shell Commands
353 @findex shell-command
354 @kbd{M-!} (@code{shell-command}) reads a line of text using the
355 minibuffer and executes it as a shell command in a subshell made just
356 for that command. Standard input for the command comes from the null
357 device. If the shell command produces any output, the output goes into
358 an Emacs buffer named @samp{*Shell Command Output*}, which is displayed
359 in another window but not selected. A numeric argument, as in @kbd{M-1
360 M-!}, directs this command to insert any output into the current buffer.
361 In that case, point is left before the output and the mark is set after
364 If the shell command line ends in @samp{&}, it runs asynchronously.
365 For a synchronous shell command, @code{shell-command} returns the
366 command's exit status (0 means success), when it is called from a Lisp
370 @findex shell-command-on-region
371 @kbd{M-|} (@code{shell-command-on-region}) is like @kbd{M-!} but
372 passes the contents of the region as the standard input to the shell
373 command, instead of no input. If a numeric argument is used, meaning
374 insert the output in the current buffer, then the old region is deleted
375 first and the output replaces it as the contents of the region. It
376 returns the command's exit status when it is called from a Lisp program.
378 @vindex shell-file-name
380 Both @kbd{M-!} and @kbd{M-|} use @code{shell-file-name} to specify the
381 shell to use. This variable is initialized based on your @env{SHELL}
382 environment variable when Emacs is started. If the file name does not
383 specify a directory, the directories in the list @code{exec-path} are
384 searched; this list is initialized based on the environment variable
385 @env{PATH} when Emacs is started. Your @file{.emacs} file can override
386 either or both of these default initializations.@refill
388 Both @kbd{M-!} and @kbd{M-|} wait for the shell command to complete.
389 To stop waiting, type @kbd{C-g} to quit; that terminates the shell
390 command with the signal @code{SIGINT}---the same signal that @kbd{C-c}
391 normally generates in the shell. Emacs waits until the command actually
392 terminates. If the shell command doesn't stop (because it ignores the
393 @code{SIGINT} signal), type @kbd{C-g} again; this sends the command a
394 @code{SIGKILL} signal which is impossible to ignore.
396 To specify a coding system for @kbd{M-!} or @kbd{M-|}, use the command
397 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately beforehand. @xref{Specify Coding}.
399 @vindex shell-command-default-error-buffer
400 Error output from the command is normally intermixed with the regular
401 output. If you set the variable
402 @code{shell-command-default-error-buffer} to a string, which is a buffer
403 name, error output is inserted before point in the buffer of that name.
405 @node Interactive Shell
406 @subsection Interactive Inferior Shell
409 To run a subshell interactively, putting its typescript in an Emacs
410 buffer, use @kbd{M-x shell}. This creates (or reuses) a buffer named
411 @samp{*shell*} and runs a subshell with input coming from and output going
412 to that buffer. That is to say, any ``terminal output'' from the subshell
413 goes into the buffer, advancing point, and any ``terminal input'' for
414 the subshell comes from text in the buffer. To give input to the subshell,
415 go to the end of the buffer and type the input, terminated by @key{RET}.
417 Emacs does not wait for the subshell to do anything. You can switch
418 windows or buffers and edit them while the shell is waiting, or while it is
419 running a command. Output from the subshell waits until Emacs has time to
420 process it; this happens whenever Emacs is waiting for keyboard input or
423 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-input} face
424 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-prompt} face
425 Input lines, once you submit them, are displayed using the face
426 @code{comint-highlight-input}, and prompts are displayed using the
427 face @code{comint-highlight-prompt}. This makes it easier to see
428 previous input lines in the buffer. @xref{Faces}.
430 To make multiple subshells, rename the buffer @samp{*shell*} to
431 something different using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely}. Then type @kbd{M-x
432 shell} again to create a new buffer @samp{*shell*} with its own
433 subshell. If you rename this buffer as well, you can create a third
434 one, and so on. All the subshells run independently and in parallel.
436 @vindex explicit-shell-file-name
437 @cindex @env{ESHELL} environment variable
438 @cindex @env{SHELL} environment variable
439 The file name used to load the subshell is the value of the variable
440 @code{explicit-shell-file-name}, if that is non-@code{nil}. Otherwise,
441 the environment variable @env{ESHELL} is used, or the environment
442 variable @env{SHELL} if there is no @env{ESHELL}. If the file name
443 specified is relative, the directories in the list @code{exec-path} are
444 searched; this list is initialized based on the environment variable
445 @env{PATH} when Emacs is started. Your @file{.emacs} file can override
446 either or both of these default initializations.
448 Emacs sends the new shell the contents of the file
449 @file{~/.emacs_@var{shellname}} as input, if it exists, where
450 @var{shellname} is the name of the file that the shell was loaded
451 from. For example, if you use bash, the file sent to it is
452 @file{~/.emacs_bash}.
454 To specify a coding system for the shell, you can use the command
455 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately before @kbd{M-x shell}. You can also
456 specify a coding system after starting the shell by using @kbd{C-x
457 @key{RET} p} in the shell buffer. @xref{Specify Coding}.
459 Emacs defines the environment variable @env{EMACS} in the subshell,
460 with value @code{t}. A shell script can check this variable to
461 determine whether it has been run from an Emacs subshell.
464 @subsection Shell Mode
468 Shell buffers use Shell mode, which defines several special keys
469 attached to the @kbd{C-c} prefix. They are chosen to resemble the usual
470 editing and job control characters present in shells that are not under
471 Emacs, except that you must type @kbd{C-c} first. Here is a complete list
472 of the special key bindings of Shell mode:
476 @kindex RET @r{(Shell mode)}
477 @findex comint-send-input
478 At end of buffer send line as input; otherwise, copy current line to
479 end of buffer and send it (@code{comint-send-input}). When a line is
480 copied, any prompt at the beginning if the line (text output by
481 programs preceding your input) is omitted. See also
482 @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp-instead-of-fields}).
485 @kindex TAB @r{(Shell mode)}
486 @findex comint-dynamic-complete
487 Complete the command name or file name before point in the shell buffer
488 (@code{comint-dynamic-complete}). @key{TAB} also completes history
489 references (@pxref{History References}) and environment variable names.
491 @vindex shell-completion-fignore
492 @vindex comint-completion-fignore
493 The variable @code{shell-completion-fignore} specifies a list of file
494 name extensions to ignore in Shell mode completion. The default setting
495 ignores file names ending in @samp{~}, @samp{#} or @samp{%}. Other
496 related Comint modes use the variable @code{comint-completion-fignore}
500 @kindex M-? @r{(Shell mode)}
501 @findex comint-dynamic-list-filename@dots{}
502 Display temporarily a list of the possible completions of the file name
503 before point in the shell buffer
504 (@code{comint-dynamic-list-filename-completions}).
507 @kindex C-d @r{(Shell mode)}
508 @findex comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof
509 Either delete a character or send @sc{eof}
510 (@code{comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof}). Typed at the end of the shell
511 buffer, @kbd{C-d} sends @sc{eof} to the subshell. Typed at any other
512 position in the buffer, @kbd{C-d} deletes a character as usual.
515 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Shell mode)}
517 Move to the beginning of the line, but after the prompt if any
518 (@code{comint-bol}). If you repeat this command twice in a row, the
519 second time it moves back to the process mark, which is the beginning of
520 the input that you have not yet sent to the subshell. (Normally that is
521 the same place---the end of the prompt on this line---but after @kbd{C-c
522 @key{SPC}} the process mark may be in a previous line.)
525 Accumulate multiple lines of input, then send them together. This
526 command inserts a newline before point, but does not send the preceding
527 text as input to the subshell---at least, not yet. Both lines, the one
528 before this newline and the one after, will be sent together (along with
529 the newline that separates them), when you type @key{RET}.
532 @kindex C-c C-u @r{(Shell mode)}
533 @findex comint-kill-input
534 Kill all text pending at end of buffer to be sent as input
535 (@code{comint-kill-input}).
538 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Shell mode)}
539 Kill a word before point (@code{backward-kill-word}).
542 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Shell mode)}
543 @findex comint-interrupt-subjob
544 Interrupt the shell or its current subjob if any
545 (@code{comint-interrupt-subjob}). This command also kills
546 any shell input pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
549 @kindex C-c C-z @r{(Shell mode)}
550 @findex comint-stop-subjob
551 Stop the shell or its current subjob if any (@code{comint-stop-subjob}).
552 This command also kills any shell input pending in the shell buffer and
556 @findex comint-quit-subjob
557 @kindex C-c C-\ @r{(Shell mode)}
558 Send quit signal to the shell or its current subjob if any
559 (@code{comint-quit-subjob}). This command also kills any shell input
560 pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
563 @kindex C-c C-o @r{(Shell mode)}
564 @findex comint-delete-output
565 Delete the last batch of output from a shell command
566 (@code{comint-delete-output}). This is useful if a shell command spews
567 out lots of output that just gets in the way. This command used to be
568 called @code{comint-kill-output}.
571 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Shell mode)}
572 @findex comint-write-output
573 Write the last batch of output from a shell command to a file
574 (@code{comint-write-output}). With a prefix argument, the file is
575 appended to instead. Any prompt at the end of the output is not
580 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Shell mode)}
581 @kindex C-M-l @r{(Shell mode)}
582 @findex comint-show-output
583 Scroll to display the beginning of the last batch of output at the top
584 of the window; also move the cursor there (@code{comint-show-output}).
587 @kindex C-c C-e @r{(Shell mode)}
588 @findex comint-show-maximum-output
589 Scroll to put the end of the buffer at the bottom of the window
590 (@code{comint-show-maximum-output}).
593 @kindex C-c C-f @r{(Shell mode)}
594 @findex shell-forward-command
595 @vindex shell-command-regexp
596 Move forward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
597 (@code{shell-forward-command}). The variable @code{shell-command-regexp}
598 specifies how to recognize the end of a command.
601 @kindex C-c C-b @r{(Shell mode)}
602 @findex shell-backward-command
603 Move backward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
604 (@code{shell-backward-command}).
607 @kindex C-c C-l @r{(Shell mode)}
608 @findex comint-dynamic-list-input-ring
609 Display the buffer's history of shell commands in another window
610 (@code{comint-dynamic-list-input-ring}).
613 Ask the shell what its current directory is, so that Emacs can agree
616 @item M-x send-invisible @key{RET} @var{text} @key{RET}
617 @findex send-invisible
618 Send @var{text} as input to the shell, after reading it without
619 echoing. This is useful when a shell command runs a program that asks
622 Alternatively, you can arrange for Emacs to notice password prompts
623 and turn off echoing for them, as follows:
626 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
627 'comint-watch-for-password-prompt)
630 @item M-x comint-continue-subjob
631 @findex comint-continue-subjob
632 Continue the shell process. This is useful if you accidentally suspend
633 the shell process.@footnote{You should not suspend the shell process.
634 Suspending a subjob of the shell is a completely different matter---that
635 is normal practice, but you must use the shell to continue the subjob;
636 this command won't do it.}
638 @item M-x comint-strip-ctrl-m
639 @findex comint-strip-ctrl-m
640 Discard all control-M characters from the current group of shell output.
641 The most convenient way to use this command is to make it run
642 automatically when you get output from the subshell. To do that,
643 evaluate this Lisp expression:
646 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
647 'comint-strip-ctrl-m)
650 @item M-x comint-truncate-buffer
651 @findex comint-truncate-buffer
652 This command truncates the shell buffer to a certain maximum number of
653 lines, specified by the variable @code{comint-buffer-maximum-size}.
654 Here's how to do this automatically each time you get output from the
658 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
659 'comint-truncate-buffer)
663 Shell mode also customizes the paragraph commands so that only shell
664 prompts start new paragraphs. Thus, a paragraph consists of an input
665 command plus the output that follows it in the buffer.
669 Shell mode is a derivative of Comint mode, a general-purpose mode for
670 communicating with interactive subprocesses. Most of the features of
671 Shell mode actually come from Comint mode, as you can see from the
672 command names listed above. The special features of Shell mode include
673 the directory tracking feature, and a few user commands.
675 Other Emacs features that use variants of Comint mode include GUD
676 (@pxref{Debuggers}) and @kbd{M-x run-lisp} (@pxref{External Lisp}).
679 You can use @kbd{M-x comint-run} to execute any program of your choice
680 in a subprocess using unmodified Comint mode---without the
681 specializations of Shell mode.
684 @subsection Shell Command History
686 Shell buffers support three ways of repeating earlier commands. You
687 can use the same keys used in the minibuffer; these work much as they do
688 in the minibuffer, inserting text from prior commands while point
689 remains always at the end of the buffer. You can move through the
690 buffer to previous inputs in their original place, then resubmit them or
691 copy them to the end. Or you can use a @samp{!}-style history
695 * Ring: Shell Ring. Fetching commands from the history list.
696 * Copy: Shell History Copying. Moving to a command and then copying it.
697 * History References:: Expanding @samp{!}-style history references.
701 @subsubsection Shell History Ring
704 @findex comint-previous-input
705 @kindex M-p @r{(Shell mode)}
707 Fetch the next earlier old shell command.
709 @kindex M-n @r{(Shell mode)}
710 @findex comint-next-input
712 Fetch the next later old shell command.
714 @kindex M-r @r{(Shell mode)}
715 @kindex M-s @r{(Shell mode)}
716 @findex comint-previous-matching-input
717 @findex comint-next-matching-input
718 @item M-r @var{regexp} @key{RET}
719 @itemx M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
720 Search backwards or forwards for old shell commands that match @var{regexp}.
722 @item C-c C-x @r{(Shell mode)}
723 @findex comint-get-next-from-history
724 Fetch the next subsequent command from the history.
727 Shell buffers provide a history of previously entered shell commands. To
728 reuse shell commands from the history, use the editing commands @kbd{M-p},
729 @kbd{M-n}, @kbd{M-r} and @kbd{M-s}. These work just like the minibuffer
730 history commands except that they operate on the text at the end of the
731 shell buffer, where you would normally insert text to send to the shell.
733 @kbd{M-p} fetches an earlier shell command to the end of the shell buffer.
734 Successive use of @kbd{M-p} fetches successively earlier shell commands,
735 each replacing any text that was already present as potential shell input.
736 @kbd{M-n} does likewise except that it finds successively more recent shell
737 commands from the buffer.
739 The history search commands @kbd{M-r} and @kbd{M-s} read a regular
740 expression and search through the history for a matching command. Aside
741 from the choice of which command to fetch, they work just like @kbd{M-p}
742 and @kbd{M-r}. If you enter an empty regexp, these commands reuse the
743 same regexp used last time.
745 When you find the previous input you want, you can resubmit it by
746 typing @key{RET}, or you can edit it first and then resubmit it if you
749 Often it is useful to reexecute several successive shell commands that
750 were previously executed in sequence. To do this, first find and
751 reexecute the first command of the sequence. Then type @kbd{C-c C-x};
752 that will fetch the following command---the one that follows the command
753 you just repeated. Then type @key{RET} to reexecute this command. You
754 can reexecute several successive commands by typing @kbd{C-c C-x
755 @key{RET}} over and over.
757 These commands get the text of previous shell commands from a special
758 history list, not from the shell buffer itself. Thus, editing the shell
759 buffer, or even killing large parts of it, does not affect the history
760 that these commands access.
762 @vindex shell-input-ring-file-name
763 Some shells store their command histories in files so that you can
764 refer to previous commands from previous shell sessions. Emacs reads
765 the command history file for your chosen shell, to initialize its own
766 command history. The file name is @file{~/.bash_history} for bash,
767 @file{~/.sh_history} for ksh, and @file{~/.history} for other shells.
769 @node Shell History Copying
770 @subsubsection Shell History Copying
773 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Shell mode)}
774 @findex comint-previous-prompt
776 Move point to the previous prompt (@code{comint-previous-prompt}).
778 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Shell mode)}
779 @findex comint-next-prompt
781 Move point to the following prompt (@code{comint-next-prompt}).
783 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Shell mode)}
784 @findex comint-copy-old-input
786 Copy the input command which point is in, inserting the copy at the end
787 of the buffer (@code{comint-copy-old-input}). This is useful if you
788 move point back to a previous command. After you copy the command, you
789 can submit the copy as input with @key{RET}. If you wish, you can
790 edit the copy before resubmitting it.
793 Moving to a previous input and then copying it with @kbd{C-c
794 @key{RET}} produces the same results---the same buffer contents---that
795 you would get by using @kbd{M-p} enough times to fetch that previous
796 input from the history list. However, @kbd{C-c @key{RET}} copies the
797 text from the buffer, which can be different from what is in the history
798 list if you edit the input text in the buffer after it has been sent.
800 @node History References
801 @subsubsection Shell History References
802 @cindex history reference
804 Various shells including csh and bash support @dfn{history
805 references} that begin with @samp{!} and @samp{^}. Shell mode
806 recognizes these constructs, and can perform the history substitution
809 If you insert a history reference and type @key{TAB}, this searches
810 the input history for a matching command, performs substitution if
811 necessary, and places the result in the buffer in place of the history
812 reference. For example, you can fetch the most recent command
813 beginning with @samp{mv} with @kbd{! m v @key{TAB}}. You can edit the
814 command if you wish, and then resubmit the command to the shell by
817 @vindex comint-input-autoexpand
818 @findex comint-magic-space
819 Shell mode can optionally expand history references in the buffer
820 when you send them to the shell. To request this, set the variable
821 @code{comint-input-autoexpand} to @code{input}. You can make
822 @key{SPC} perform history expansion by binding @key{SPC} to the
823 command @code{comint-magic-space}.
825 @vindex shell-prompt-pattern
826 @vindex comint-prompt-regexp
827 @vindex comint-use-prompt-regexp-instead-of-fields
828 @cindex prompt, shell
829 Shell mode recognizes history references when they follow a prompt.
830 Normally, any text output by a program at the beginning of an input
831 line is considered a prompt. However, if the variable
832 @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp-instead-of-fields} is non-@code{nil},
833 then Comint mode uses a regular expression to recognize prompts. In
834 general, the variable @code{comint-prompt-regexp} specifies the
835 regular expression; Shell mode uses the variable
836 @code{shell-prompt-pattern} to set up @code{comint-prompt-regexp} in
839 @node Directory Tracking
840 @subsection Directory Tracking
841 @cindex directory tracking
843 @vindex shell-pushd-regexp
844 @vindex shell-popd-regexp
845 @vindex shell-cd-regexp
846 Shell mode keeps track of @samp{cd}, @samp{pushd} and @samp{popd}
847 commands given to the inferior shell, so it can keep the
848 @samp{*shell*} buffer's default directory the same as the shell's
849 working directory. It recognizes these commands syntactically, by
850 examining lines of input that are sent.
852 If you use aliases for these commands, you can tell Emacs to
853 recognize them also. For example, if the value of the variable
854 @code{shell-pushd-regexp} matches the beginning of a shell command
855 line, that line is regarded as a @code{pushd} command. Change this
856 variable when you add aliases for @samp{pushd}. Likewise,
857 @code{shell-popd-regexp} and @code{shell-cd-regexp} are used to
858 recognize commands with the meaning of @samp{popd} and @samp{cd}.
859 These commands are recognized only at the beginning of a shell command
862 @vindex shell-set-directory-error-hook
863 If Emacs gets an error while trying to handle what it believes is a
864 @samp{cd}, @samp{pushd} or @samp{popd} command, it runs the hook
865 @code{shell-set-directory-error-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}).
868 If Emacs gets confused about changes in the current directory of the
869 subshell, use the command @kbd{M-x dirs} to ask the shell what its
870 current directory is. This command works for shells that support the
871 most common command syntax; it may not work for unusual shells.
873 @findex dirtrack-mode
874 You can also use @kbd{M-x dirtrack-mode} to enable (or disable) an
875 alternative and more aggressive method of tracking changes in the
879 @subsection Shell Mode Options
881 @vindex comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input
882 If the variable @code{comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input} is
883 non-@code{nil}, insertion and yank commands scroll the selected window
884 to the bottom before inserting.
886 @vindex comint-scroll-show-maximum-output
887 If @code{comint-scroll-show-maximum-output} is non-@code{nil}, then
888 scrolling due to arrival of output tries to place the last line of text
889 at the bottom line of the window, so as to show as much useful text as
890 possible. (This mimics the scrolling behavior of many terminals.)
891 The default is @code{nil}.
893 @vindex comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-output
894 By setting @code{comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-output}, you can opt for
895 having point jump to the end of the buffer whenever output arrives---no
896 matter where in the buffer point was before. If the value is
897 @code{this}, point jumps in the selected window. If the value is
898 @code{all}, point jumps in each window that shows the comint buffer. If
899 the value is @code{other}, point jumps in all nonselected windows that
900 show the current buffer. The default value is @code{nil}, which means
901 point does not jump to the end.
903 @vindex comint-input-ignoredups
904 The variable @code{comint-input-ignoredups} controls whether successive
905 identical inputs are stored in the input history. A non-@code{nil}
906 value means to omit an input that is the same as the previous input.
907 The default is @code{nil}, which means to store each input even if it is
908 equal to the previous input.
910 @vindex comint-completion-addsuffix
911 @vindex comint-completion-recexact
912 @vindex comint-completion-autolist
913 Three variables customize file name completion. The variable
914 @code{comint-completion-addsuffix} controls whether completion inserts a
915 space or a slash to indicate a fully completed file or directory name
916 (non-@code{nil} means do insert a space or slash).
917 @code{comint-completion-recexact}, if non-@code{nil}, directs @key{TAB}
918 to choose the shortest possible completion if the usual Emacs completion
919 algorithm cannot add even a single character.
920 @code{comint-completion-autolist}, if non-@code{nil}, says to list all
921 the possible completions whenever completion is not exact.
923 @findex comint-dynamic-complete-variable
924 The command @code{comint-dynamic-complete-variable} does variable-name
925 completion using the environment variables as set within Emacs. The
926 variables controlling file name completion apply to variable-name
927 completion too. This command is normally available through the menu
930 @vindex shell-command-execonly
931 Command completion normally considers only executable files.
932 If you set @code{shell-command-execonly} to @code{nil},
933 it considers nonexecutable files as well.
935 @findex shell-pushd-tohome
936 @findex shell-pushd-dextract
937 @findex shell-pushd-dunique
938 You can configure the behavior of @samp{pushd}. Variables control
939 whether @samp{pushd} behaves like @samp{cd} if no argument is given
940 (@code{shell-pushd-tohome}), pop rather than rotate with a numeric
941 argument (@code{shell-pushd-dextract}), and only add directories to the
942 directory stack if they are not already on it
943 (@code{shell-pushd-dunique}). The values you choose should match the
944 underlying shell, of course.
946 @node Terminal emulator
947 @subsection Emacs Terminal Emulator
950 To run a subshell in a terminal emulator, putting its typescript in
951 an Emacs buffer, use @kbd{M-x term}. This creates (or reuses) a
952 buffer named @samp{*term*}, and runs a subshell with input coming from
953 your keyboard, and output going to that buffer.
955 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
956 line mode, Term basically acts like Shell mode; see @ref{Shell Mode}.
958 In char mode, each character is sent directly to the inferior
959 subshell, as ``terminal input.'' Any ``echoing'' of your input is the
960 responsibility of the subshell. The sole exception is the terminal
961 escape character, which by default is @kbd{C-c} (@pxref{Term Mode}).
962 Any ``terminal output'' from the subshell goes into the buffer,
965 Some programs (such as Emacs itself) need to control the appearance
966 on the terminal screen in detail. They do this by sending special
967 control codes. The exact control codes needed vary from terminal to
968 terminal, but nowadays most terminals and terminal emulators
969 (including @code{xterm}) understand the ANSI-standard (VT100-style)
970 escape sequences. Term mode recognizes these escape sequences, and
971 handles each one appropriately, changing the buffer so that the
972 appearance of the window matches what it would be on a real terminal.
973 You can actually run Emacs inside an Emacs Term window.
975 The file name used to load the subshell is determined the same way
976 as for Shell mode. To make multiple terminal emulators, rename the
977 buffer @samp{*term*} to something different using @kbd{M-x
978 rename-uniquely}, just as with Shell mode.
980 Unlike Shell mode, Term mode does not track the current directory by
981 examining your input. But some shells can tell Term what the current
982 directory is. This is done automatically by @code{bash} version 1.15
986 @subsection Term Mode
990 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
991 line mode, Term basically acts like Shell mode; see @ref{Shell Mode}.
992 In char mode, each character is sent directly to the inferior
993 subshell, except for the Term escape character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
995 To switch between line and char mode, use these commands:
998 @kindex C-c C-k @r{(Term mode)}
999 @findex term-char-mode
1001 Switch to line mode. Do nothing if already in line mode.
1003 @kindex C-c C-j @r{(Term mode)}
1004 @findex term-line-mode
1006 Switch to char mode. Do nothing if already in char mode.
1009 The following commands are only available in char mode:
1013 Send a literal @key{C-c} to the sub-shell.
1016 A prefix command to access the global @key{C-x} commands conveniently.
1017 For example, @kbd{C-c C-x o} invokes the global binding of
1018 @kbd{C-x o}, which is normally @samp{other-window}.
1021 @node Paging in Term
1022 @subsection Page-At-A-Time Output
1023 @cindex page-at-a-time
1025 Term mode has a page-at-a-time feature. When enabled it makes
1026 output pause at the end of each screenful.
1029 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Term mode)}
1030 @findex term-pager-toggle
1032 Toggle the page-at-a-time feature. This command works in both line
1033 and char modes. When page-at-a-time is enabled, the mode-line
1034 displays the word @samp{page}.
1037 With page-at-a-time enabled, whenever Term receives more than a
1038 screenful of output since your last input, it pauses, displaying
1039 @samp{**MORE**} in the mode-line. Type @key{SPC} to display the next
1040 screenful of output. Type @kbd{?} to see your other options. The
1041 interface is similar to the Unix @code{more} program.
1044 @subsection Remote Host Shell
1046 @cindex connecting to remote host
1050 You can login to a remote computer, using whatever commands you
1051 would from a regular terminal (e.g.@: using the @code{telnet} or
1052 @code{rlogin} commands), from a Term window.
1054 A program that asks you for a password will normally suppress
1055 echoing of the password, so the password will not show up in the
1056 buffer. This will happen just as if you were using a real terminal,
1057 if the buffer is in char mode. If it is in line mode, the password is
1058 temporarily visible, but will be erased when you hit return. (This
1059 happens automatically; there is no special password processing.)
1061 When you log in to a different machine, you need to specify the type
1062 of terminal your using. Terminal types @samp{ansi} or @samp{vt100}
1063 will work on most systems.
1065 @c If you are talking to a Bourne-compatible
1066 @c shell, and your system understands the @env{TERMCAP} variable,
1067 @c you can use the command @kbd{M-x shell-send-termcap}, which
1068 @c sends a string specifying the terminal type and size.
1069 @c (This command is also useful after the window has changed size.)
1071 @c You can of course run @samp{gdb} on that remote computer. One useful
1072 @c trick: If you invoke gdb with the @code{--fullname} option,
1073 @c it will send special commands to Emacs that will cause Emacs to
1074 @c pop up the source files you're debugging. This will work
1075 @c whether or not gdb is running on a different computer than Emacs,
1076 @c as long as Emacs can access the source files specified by gdb.
1079 You cannot log into to a remote computer using the Shell mode.
1080 @c (This will change when Shell is re-written to use Term.)
1081 Instead, Emacs provides two commands for logging in to another computer
1082 and communicating with it through an Emacs buffer using Comint mode:
1085 @item M-x telnet @key{RET} @var{hostname} @key{RET}
1086 Set up a Telnet connection to the computer named @var{hostname}.
1087 @item M-x rlogin @key{RET} @var{hostname} @key{RET}
1088 Set up an Rlogin connection to the computer named @var{hostname}.
1092 Use @kbd{M-x telnet} to set up a Telnet connection to another
1093 computer. (Telnet is the standard Internet protocol for remote login.)
1094 It reads the host name of the other computer as an argument with the
1095 minibuffer. Once the connection is established, talking to the other
1096 computer works like talking to a subshell: you can edit input with the
1097 usual Emacs commands, and send it a line at a time by typing @key{RET}.
1098 The output is inserted in the Telnet buffer interspersed with the input.
1101 @vindex rlogin-explicit-args
1102 Use @kbd{M-x rlogin} to set up an Rlogin connection. Rlogin is
1103 another remote login communication protocol, essentially much like the
1104 Telnet protocol but incompatible with it, and supported only by certain
1105 systems. Rlogin's advantages are that you can arrange not to have to
1106 give your user name and password when communicating between two machines
1107 you frequently use, and that you can make an 8-bit-clean connection.
1108 (To do that in Emacs, set @code{rlogin-explicit-args} to @code{("-8")}
1109 before you run Rlogin.)
1111 @kbd{M-x rlogin} sets up the default file directory of the Emacs
1112 buffer to access the remote host via FTP (@pxref{File Names}), and it
1113 tracks the shell commands that change the current directory, just like
1116 @findex rlogin-directory-tracking-mode
1117 There are two ways of doing directory tracking in an Rlogin
1118 buffer---either with remote directory names
1119 @file{/@var{host}:@var{dir}/} or with local names (that works if the
1120 ``remote'' machine shares file systems with your machine of origin).
1121 You can use the command @code{rlogin-directory-tracking-mode} to switch
1122 modes. No argument means use remote directory names, a positive
1123 argument means use local names, and a negative argument means turn
1124 off directory tracking.
1128 @node Emacs Server, Hardcopy, Shell, Top
1129 @section Using Emacs as a Server
1131 @cindex Emacs as a server
1132 @cindex server, using Emacs as
1133 @cindex @env{EDITOR} environment variable
1135 Various programs such as @code{mail} can invoke your choice of editor
1136 to edit a particular piece of text, such as a message that you are
1137 sending. By convention, most of these programs use the environment
1138 variable @env{EDITOR} to specify which editor to run. If you set
1139 @env{EDITOR} to @samp{emacs}, they invoke Emacs---but in an
1140 inconvenient fashion, by starting a new, separate Emacs process. This
1141 is inconvenient because it takes time and because the new Emacs process
1142 doesn't share the buffers in the existing Emacs process.
1144 You can arrange to use your existing Emacs process as the editor for
1145 programs like @code{mail} by using the Emacs client and Emacs server
1146 programs. Here is how.
1148 @cindex @env{TEXEDIT} environment variable
1149 First, the preparation. Within Emacs, call the function
1150 @code{server-start}. (Your @file{.emacs} file can do this automatically
1151 if you add the expression @code{(server-start)} to it.) Then, outside
1152 Emacs, set the @env{EDITOR} environment variable to @samp{emacsclient}.
1153 (Note that some programs use a different environment variable; for
1154 example, to make @TeX{} use @samp{emacsclient}, you should set the
1155 @env{TEXEDIT} environment variable to @samp{emacsclient +%d %s}.)
1159 Then, whenever any program invokes your specified @env{EDITOR}
1160 program, the effect is to send a message to your principal Emacs telling
1161 it to visit a file. (That's what the program @code{emacsclient} does.)
1162 Emacs displays the buffer immediately and you can immediately begin
1165 When you've finished editing that buffer, type @kbd{C-x #}
1166 (@code{server-edit}). This saves the file and sends a message back to
1167 the @code{emacsclient} program telling it to exit. The programs that
1168 use @env{EDITOR} wait for the ``editor'' (actually, @code{emacsclient})
1169 to exit. @kbd{C-x #} also checks for other pending external requests
1170 to edit various files, and selects the next such file.
1172 You can switch to a server buffer manually if you wish; you don't have
1173 to arrive at it with @kbd{C-x #}. But @kbd{C-x #} is the only way to
1174 say that you are ``finished'' with one.
1176 @vindex server-kill-new-buffers
1177 @vindex server-temp-file-regexp
1178 Finishing with a server buffer also kills the buffer, unless it
1179 already existed in the Emacs session before the server asked to create
1180 it. However, if you set @code{server-kill-new-buffers} to @code{nil},
1181 then a different criterion is used: finishing with a server buffer
1182 kills it if the file name matches the regular expression
1183 @code{server-temp-file-regexp}. This is set up to distinguish certain
1184 ``temporary'' files.
1186 @vindex server-window
1187 If you set the variable @code{server-window} to a window or a frame,
1188 @kbd{C-x #} displays the server buffer in that window or in that frame.
1190 While @code{mail} or another application is waiting for
1191 @code{emacsclient} to finish, @code{emacsclient} does not read terminal
1192 input. So the terminal that @code{mail} was using is effectively
1193 blocked for the duration. In order to edit with your principal Emacs,
1194 you need to be able to use it without using that terminal. There are
1195 three ways to do this:
1199 Using a window system, run @code{mail} and the principal Emacs in two
1200 separate windows. While @code{mail} is waiting for @code{emacsclient},
1201 the window where it was running is blocked, but you can use Emacs by
1205 Using virtual terminals, run @code{mail} in one virtual terminal
1206 and run Emacs in another.
1209 Use Shell mode or Term mode in Emacs to run the other program such as
1210 @code{mail}; then, @code{emacsclient} blocks only the subshell under
1211 Emacs, and you can still use Emacs to edit the file.
1214 If you run @code{emacsclient} with the option @samp{--no-wait}, it
1215 returns immediately without waiting for you to ``finish'' the buffer
1216 in Emacs. Note that server buffers created in this way are not killed
1217 automatically when you finish with them.
1220 * Invoking emacsclient::
1223 @node Invoking emacsclient,, Emacs Server, Emacs Server
1224 @section Invoking @code{emacsclient}
1226 To run the @code{emacsclient} program, specify file names as arguments,
1227 and optionally line numbers as well. Do it like this:
1230 emacsclient @r{@{}@r{[}+@var{line}@r{]} @var{filename}@r{@}}@dots{}
1234 This tells Emacs to visit each of the specified files; if you specify a
1235 line number for a certain file, Emacs moves to that line in the file.
1237 Ordinarily, @code{emacsclient} does not return until you use the
1238 @kbd{C-x #} command on each of these buffers. When that happens,
1239 Emacs sends a message to the @code{emacsclient} program telling it to
1242 But if you use the option @samp{-n} or @samp{--no-wait} when running
1243 @code{emacsclient}, then it returns immediately. (You can take as
1244 long as you like to edit the files in Emacs.)
1246 The option @samp{--alternate-editor=@var{command}} is useful when
1247 running @code{emacsclient} in a script. It specifies a command to run
1248 if @code{emacsclient} fails to contact Emacs. For example, the
1249 following setting for the @var{EDITOR} environment variable will
1250 always give an editor, even if Emacs is not running:
1253 EDITOR="emacsclient --alternate-editor vi +%d %s"
1257 The environment variable @var{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} has the same effect, but
1258 the value of the @samp{--alternate-editor} takes precedence.
1261 Alternatively, the file @file{etc/emacs.bash} defines a bash
1262 function which will communicate with a running Emacs server, or start
1265 @node Hardcopy, PostScript, Emacs Server, Top
1266 @section Hardcopy Output
1269 The Emacs commands for making hardcopy let you print either an entire
1270 buffer or just part of one, either with or without page headers.
1271 See also the hardcopy commands of Dired (@pxref{Misc File Ops})
1272 and the diary (@pxref{Diary Commands}).
1275 @item M-x print-buffer
1276 Print hardcopy of current buffer with page headings containing the file
1277 name and page number.
1278 @item M-x lpr-buffer
1279 Print hardcopy of current buffer without page headings.
1280 @item M-x print-region
1281 Like @code{print-buffer} but print only the current region.
1282 @item M-x lpr-region
1283 Like @code{lpr-buffer} but print only the current region.
1286 @findex print-buffer
1287 @findex print-region
1290 @vindex lpr-switches
1291 The hardcopy commands (aside from the Postscript commands) pass extra
1292 switches to the @code{lpr} program based on the value of the variable
1293 @code{lpr-switches}. Its value should be a list of strings, each string
1294 an option starting with @samp{-}. For example, to specify a line width
1295 of 80 columns for all the printing you do in Emacs, set
1296 @code{lpr-switches} like this:
1299 (setq lpr-switches '("-w80"))
1302 @vindex printer-name
1303 You can specify the printer to use by setting the variable
1304 @code{printer-name}.
1306 @vindex lpr-headers-switches
1307 @vindex lpr-commands
1308 @vindex lpr-add-switches
1309 The variable @code{lpr-command} specifies the name of the printer
1310 program to run; the default value depends on your operating system type.
1311 On most systems, the default is @code{"lpr"}. The variable
1312 @code{lpr-headers-switches} similarly specifies the extra switches to
1313 use to make page headers. The variable @code{lpr-add-switches} controls
1314 whether to supply @samp{-T} and @samp{-J} options (suitable for
1315 @code{lpr}) to the printer program: @code{nil} means don't add them.
1316 @code{lpr-add-switches} should be @code{nil} if your printer program is
1317 not compatible with @code{lpr}.
1319 @node PostScript, PostScript Variables, Hardcopy, Top
1320 @section PostScript Hardcopy
1322 These commands convert buffer contents to PostScript,
1323 either printing it or leaving it in another Emacs buffer.
1326 @item M-x ps-print-buffer
1327 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form.
1328 @item M-x ps-print-region
1329 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form.
1330 @item M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1331 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form, showing the
1332 faces used in the text by means of PostScript features.
1333 @item M-x ps-print-region-with-faces
1334 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form, showing the
1335 faces used in the text.
1336 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer
1337 Generate PostScript for the current buffer text.
1338 @item M-x ps-spool-region
1339 Generate PostScript for the current region.
1340 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1341 Generate PostScript for the current buffer, showing the faces used.
1342 @item M-x ps-spool-region-with-faces
1343 Generate PostScript for the current region, showing the faces used.
1345 Generates/prints PostScript for the current buffer as if handwritten.
1348 @findex ps-print-region
1349 @findex ps-print-buffer
1350 @findex ps-print-region-with-faces
1351 @findex ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1352 The PostScript commands, @code{ps-print-buffer} and
1353 @code{ps-print-region}, print buffer contents in PostScript form. One
1354 command prints the entire buffer; the other, just the region. The
1355 corresponding @samp{-with-faces} commands,
1356 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} and @code{ps-print-region-with-faces},
1357 use PostScript features to show the faces (fonts and colors) in the text
1358 properties of the text being printed.
1360 If you are using a color display, you can print a buffer of program
1361 code with color highlighting by turning on Font-Lock mode in that
1362 buffer, and using @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces}.
1364 @findex ps-spool-region
1365 @findex ps-spool-buffer
1366 @findex ps-spool-region-with-faces
1367 @findex ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1368 The commands whose names have @samp{spool} instead of @samp{print}
1369 generate the PostScript output in an Emacs buffer instead of sending
1374 @kbd{M-x handwrite} is more frivolous. It generates a PostScript
1375 rendition of the current buffer as a cursive handwritten document. It
1376 can be customized in group @code{handwrite}.
1379 The following section describes variables for customizing these commands.
1382 @node PostScript Variables, Sorting, PostScript, Top
1383 @section Variables for PostScript Hardcopy
1385 @vindex ps-lpr-command
1386 @vindex ps-lpr-switches
1387 @vindex ps-printer-name
1388 All the PostScript hardcopy commands use the variables
1389 @code{ps-lpr-command} and @code{ps-lpr-switches} to specify how to print
1390 the output. @code{ps-lpr-command} specifies the command name to run,
1391 @code{ps-lpr-switches} specifies command line options to use, and
1392 @code{ps-printer-name} specifies the printer. If you don't set the
1393 first two variables yourself, they take their initial values from
1394 @code{lpr-command} and @code{lpr-switches}. If @code{ps-printer-name}
1395 is @code{nil}, @code{printer-name} is used.
1397 @vindex ps-print-header
1398 The variable @code{ps-print-header} controls whether these commands
1399 add header lines to each page---set it to @code{nil} to turn headers
1402 @cindex color emulation on black-and-white printers
1403 @vindex ps-print-color-p
1404 If your printer doesn't support colors, you should turn off color
1405 processing by setting @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{nil}. By
1406 default, if the display supports colors, Emacs produces hardcopy output
1407 with color information; on black-and-white printers, colors are emulated
1408 with shades of gray. This might produce illegible output, even if your
1409 screen colors only use shades of gray.
1411 @vindex ps-use-face-background
1412 By default, PostScript printing ignores the background colors of the
1413 faces, unless the variable @code{ps-use-face-background} is
1414 non-@code{nil}. This is to avoid unwanted interference with the zebra
1415 stripes and background image/text.
1417 @vindex ps-paper-type
1418 @vindex ps-page-dimensions-database
1419 The variable @code{ps-paper-type} specifies which size of paper to
1420 format for; legitimate values include @code{a4}, @code{a3},
1421 @code{a4small}, @code{b4}, @code{b5}, @code{executive}, @code{ledger},
1422 @code{legal}, @code{letter}, @code{letter-small}, @code{statement},
1423 @code{tabloid}. The default is @code{letter}. You can define
1424 additional paper sizes by changing the variable
1425 @code{ps-page-dimensions-database}.
1427 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
1428 The variable @code{ps-landscape-mode} specifies the orientation of
1429 printing on the page. The default is @code{nil}, which stands for
1430 ``portrait'' mode. Any non-@code{nil} value specifies ``landscape''
1433 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
1434 The variable @code{ps-number-of-columns} specifies the number of
1435 columns; it takes effect in both landscape and portrait mode. The
1438 @vindex ps-font-family
1439 @vindex ps-font-size
1440 @vindex ps-font-info-database
1441 The variable @code{ps-font-family} specifies which font family to use
1442 for printing ordinary text. Legitimate values include @code{Courier},
1443 @code{Helvetica}, @code{NewCenturySchlbk}, @code{Palatino} and
1444 @code{Times}. The variable @code{ps-font-size} specifies the size of
1445 the font for ordinary text. It defaults to 8.5 points.
1447 @vindex ps-multibyte-buffer
1448 @cindex Intlfonts for PostScript printing
1449 @cindex fonts for PostScript printing
1450 Emacs supports more scripts and characters than a typical PostScript
1451 printer. Thus, some of the characters in your buffer might not be
1452 printable using the fonts built into your printer. You can augment
1453 the fonts supplied with the printer with those from the GNU Intlfonts
1454 package, or you can instruct Emacs to use Intlfonts exclusively. The
1455 variable @code{ps-multibyte-buffer} controls this: the default value,
1456 @code{nil}, is appropriate for printing @sc{ascii} and Latin-1
1457 characters; a value of @code{non-latin-printer} is for printers which
1458 have the fonts for @sc{ascii}, Latin-1, Japanese, and Korean
1459 characters built into them. A value of @code{bdf-font} arranges for
1460 the BDF fonts from the Intlfonts package to be used for @emph{all}
1461 characters. Finally, a value of @code{bdf-font-except-latin}
1462 instructs the printer to use built-in fonts for @sc{ascii} and Latin-1
1463 characters, and Intlfonts BDF fonts for the rest.
1465 @vindex bdf-directory-list
1466 To be able to use the BDF fonts, Emacs should know where to find
1467 them. The variable @code{bdf-directory-list} holds the list of
1468 directories where Emacs should look for the fonts; the default value
1469 includes a single directory @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/fonts/bdf}.
1471 Many other customization variables for these commands are defined and
1472 described in the Lisp files @file{ps-print.el} and @file{ps-mule.el}.
1474 @node Sorting, Narrowing, PostScript Variables, Top
1475 @section Sorting Text
1478 Emacs provides several commands for sorting text in the buffer. All
1479 operate on the contents of the region (the text between point and the
1480 mark). They divide the text of the region into many @dfn{sort records},
1481 identify a @dfn{sort key} for each record, and then reorder the records
1482 into the order determined by the sort keys. The records are ordered so
1483 that their keys are in alphabetical order, or, for numeric sorting, in
1484 numeric order. In alphabetic sorting, all upper-case letters `A' through
1485 `Z' come before lower-case `a', in accord with the ASCII character
1488 The various sort commands differ in how they divide the text into sort
1489 records and in which part of each record is used as the sort key. Most of
1490 the commands make each line a separate sort record, but some commands use
1491 paragraphs or pages as sort records. Most of the sort commands use each
1492 entire sort record as its own sort key, but some use only a portion of the
1493 record as the sort key.
1496 @findex sort-paragraphs
1499 @findex sort-numeric-fields
1500 @vindex sort-numeric-base
1502 @item M-x sort-lines
1503 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the entire
1504 text of a line. A numeric argument means sort into descending order.
1506 @item M-x sort-paragraphs
1507 Divide the region into paragraphs, and sort by comparing the entire
1508 text of a paragraph (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1509 argument means sort into descending order.
1511 @item M-x sort-pages
1512 Divide the region into pages, and sort by comparing the entire
1513 text of a page (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1514 argument means sort into descending order.
1516 @item M-x sort-fields
1517 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the contents of
1518 one field in each line. Fields are defined as separated by
1519 whitespace, so the first run of consecutive non-whitespace characters
1520 in a line constitutes field 1, the second such run constitutes field
1523 Specify which field to sort by with a numeric argument: 1 to sort by
1524 field 1, etc. A negative argument means count fields from the right
1525 instead of from the left; thus, minus 1 means sort by the last field.
1526 If several lines have identical contents in the field being sorted, they
1527 keep same relative order that they had in the original buffer.
1529 @item M-x sort-numeric-fields
1530 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except the specified field is converted
1531 to an integer for each line, and the numbers are compared. @samp{10}
1532 comes before @samp{2} when considered as text, but after it when
1533 considered as a number. By default, numbers are interpreted according
1534 to @code{sort-numeric-base}, but numbers beginning with @samp{0x} or
1535 @samp{0} are interpreted as hexadecimal and octal, respectively.
1537 @item M-x sort-columns
1538 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except that the text within each line
1539 used for comparison comes from a fixed range of columns. See below
1542 @item M-x reverse-region
1543 Reverse the order of the lines in the region. This is useful for
1544 sorting into descending order by fields or columns, since those sort
1545 commands do not have a feature for doing that.
1548 For example, if the buffer contains this:
1551 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
1552 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
1553 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
1554 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
1559 applying @kbd{M-x sort-lines} to the entire buffer produces this:
1562 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
1563 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
1564 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
1566 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
1570 where the upper-case @samp{O} sorts before all lower-case letters. If
1571 you use @kbd{C-u 2 M-x sort-fields} instead, you get this:
1574 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
1575 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
1577 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
1578 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
1582 where the sort keys were @samp{Emacs}, @samp{If}, @samp{buffer},
1583 @samp{systems} and @samp{the}.
1585 @findex sort-columns
1586 @kbd{M-x sort-columns} requires more explanation. You specify the
1587 columns by putting point at one of the columns and the mark at the other
1588 column. Because this means you cannot put point or the mark at the
1589 beginning of the first line of the text you want to sort, this command
1590 uses an unusual definition of ``region'': all of the line point is in is
1591 considered part of the region, and so is all of the line the mark is in,
1592 as well as all the lines in between.
1594 For example, to sort a table by information found in columns 10 to 15,
1595 you could put the mark on column 10 in the first line of the table, and
1596 point on column 15 in the last line of the table, and then run
1597 @code{sort-columns}. Equivalently, you could run it with the mark on
1598 column 15 in the first line and point on column 10 in the last line.
1600 This can be thought of as sorting the rectangle specified by point and
1601 the mark, except that the text on each line to the left or right of the
1602 rectangle moves along with the text inside the rectangle.
1605 @vindex sort-fold-case
1606 Many of the sort commands ignore case differences when comparing, if
1607 @code{sort-fold-case} is non-@code{nil}.
1609 @node Narrowing, Two-Column, Sorting, Top
1614 @cindex accessible portion
1616 @dfn{Narrowing} means focusing in on some portion of the buffer,
1617 making the rest temporarily inaccessible. The portion which you can
1618 still get to is called the @dfn{accessible portion}. Canceling the
1619 narrowing, which makes the entire buffer once again accessible, is
1620 called @dfn{widening}. The amount of narrowing in effect in a buffer at
1621 any time is called the buffer's @dfn{restriction}.
1623 Narrowing can make it easier to concentrate on a single subroutine or
1624 paragraph by eliminating clutter. It can also be used to restrict the
1625 range of operation of a replace command or repeating keyboard macro.
1630 Narrow down to between point and mark (@code{narrow-to-region}).
1632 Widen to make the entire buffer accessible again (@code{widen}).
1634 Narrow down to the current page (@code{narrow-to-page}).
1636 Narrow down to the current defun (@code{narrow-to-defun}).
1639 When you have narrowed down to a part of the buffer, that part appears
1640 to be all there is. You can't see the rest, you can't move into it
1641 (motion commands won't go outside the accessible part), you can't change
1642 it in any way. However, it is not gone, and if you save the file all
1643 the inaccessible text will be saved. The word @samp{Narrow} appears in
1644 the mode line whenever narrowing is in effect.
1647 @findex narrow-to-region
1648 The primary narrowing command is @kbd{C-x n n} (@code{narrow-to-region}).
1649 It sets the current buffer's restrictions so that the text in the current
1650 region remains accessible but all text before the region or after the region
1651 is inaccessible. Point and mark do not change.
1654 @findex narrow-to-page
1656 @findex narrow-to-defun
1657 Alternatively, use @kbd{C-x n p} (@code{narrow-to-page}) to narrow
1658 down to the current page. @xref{Pages}, for the definition of a page.
1659 @kbd{C-x n d} (@code{narrow-to-defun}) narrows down to the defun
1660 containing point (@pxref{Defuns}).
1664 The way to cancel narrowing is to widen with @kbd{C-x n w}
1665 (@code{widen}). This makes all text in the buffer accessible again.
1667 You can get information on what part of the buffer you are narrowed down
1668 to using the @kbd{C-x =} command. @xref{Position Info}.
1670 Because narrowing can easily confuse users who do not understand it,
1671 @code{narrow-to-region} is normally a disabled command. Attempting to use
1672 this command asks for confirmation and gives you the option of enabling it;
1673 if you enable the command, confirmation will no longer be required for
1674 it. @xref{Disabling}.
1676 @node Two-Column, Editing Binary Files, Narrowing, Top
1677 @section Two-Column Editing
1678 @cindex two-column editing
1679 @cindex splitting columns
1680 @cindex columns, splitting
1682 Two-column mode lets you conveniently edit two side-by-side columns of
1683 text. It uses two side-by-side windows, each showing its own
1686 There are three ways to enter two-column mode:
1689 @item @kbd{@key{F2} 2} or @kbd{C-x 6 2}
1692 @findex 2C-two-columns
1693 Enter two-column mode with the current buffer on the left, and on the
1694 right, a buffer whose name is based on the current buffer's name
1695 (@code{2C-two-columns}). If the right-hand buffer doesn't already
1696 exist, it starts out empty; the current buffer's contents are not
1699 This command is appropriate when the current buffer is empty or contains
1700 just one column and you want to add another column.
1702 @item @kbd{@key{F2} s} or @kbd{C-x 6 s}
1706 Split the current buffer, which contains two-column text, into two
1707 buffers, and display them side by side (@code{2C-split}). The current
1708 buffer becomes the left-hand buffer, but the text in the right-hand
1709 column is moved into the right-hand buffer. The current column
1710 specifies the split point. Splitting starts with the current line and
1711 continues to the end of the buffer.
1713 This command is appropriate when you have a buffer that already contains
1714 two-column text, and you wish to separate the columns temporarily.
1716 @item @kbd{@key{F2} b @var{buffer} @key{RET}}
1717 @itemx @kbd{C-x 6 b @var{buffer} @key{RET}}
1720 @findex 2C-associate-buffer
1721 Enter two-column mode using the current buffer as the left-hand buffer,
1722 and using buffer @var{buffer} as the right-hand buffer
1723 (@code{2C-associate-buffer}).
1726 @kbd{@key{F2} s} or @kbd{C-x 6 s} looks for a column separator, which
1727 is a string that appears on each line between the two columns. You can
1728 specify the width of the separator with a numeric argument to
1729 @kbd{@key{F2} s}; that many characters, before point, constitute the
1730 separator string. By default, the width is 1, so the column separator
1731 is the character before point.
1733 When a line has the separator at the proper place, @kbd{@key{F2} s}
1734 puts the text after the separator into the right-hand buffer, and
1735 deletes the separator. Lines that don't have the column separator at
1736 the proper place remain unsplit; they stay in the left-hand buffer, and
1737 the right-hand buffer gets an empty line to correspond. (This is the
1738 way to write a line that ``spans both columns while in two-column
1739 mode'': write it in the left-hand buffer, and put an empty line in the
1745 The command @kbd{C-x 6 @key{RET}} or @kbd{@key{F2} @key{RET}}
1746 (@code{2C-newline}) inserts a newline in each of the two buffers at
1747 corresponding positions. This is the easiest way to add a new line to
1748 the two-column text while editing it in split buffers.
1753 When you have edited both buffers as you wish, merge them with
1754 @kbd{@key{F2} 1} or @kbd{C-x 6 1} (@code{2C-merge}). This copies the
1755 text from the right-hand buffer as a second column in the other buffer.
1756 To go back to two-column editing, use @kbd{@key{F2} s}.
1760 @findex 2C-dissociate
1761 Use @kbd{@key{F2} d} or @kbd{C-x 6 d} to dissociate the two buffers,
1762 leaving each as it stands (@code{2C-dissociate}). If the other buffer,
1763 the one not current when you type @kbd{@key{F2} d}, is empty,
1764 @kbd{@key{F2} d} kills it.
1766 @node Editing Binary Files, Saving Emacs Sessions, Two-Column, Top
1767 @section Editing Binary Files
1771 @cindex editing binary files
1773 There is a special major mode for editing binary files: Hexl mode. To
1774 use it, use @kbd{M-x hexl-find-file} instead of @kbd{C-x C-f} to visit
1775 the file. This command converts the file's contents to hexadecimal and
1776 lets you edit the translation. When you save the file, it is converted
1777 automatically back to binary.
1779 You can also use @kbd{M-x hexl-mode} to translate an existing buffer
1780 into hex. This is useful if you visit a file normally and then discover
1781 it is a binary file.
1783 Ordinary text characters overwrite in Hexl mode. This is to reduce
1784 the risk of accidentally spoiling the alignment of data in the file.
1785 There are special commands for insertion. Here is a list of the
1786 commands of Hexl mode:
1788 @c I don't think individual index entries for these commands are useful--RMS.
1791 Insert a byte with a code typed in decimal.
1794 Insert a byte with a code typed in octal.
1797 Insert a byte with a code typed in hex.
1800 Move to the beginning of a 1k-byte ``page.''
1803 Move to the end of a 1k-byte ``page.''
1806 Move to an address specified in hex.
1809 Move to an address specified in decimal.
1812 Leave Hexl mode, going back to the major mode this buffer had before you
1813 invoked @code{hexl-mode}.
1817 Other Hexl commands let you insert strings (sequences) of binary bytes,
1818 move by short's or int's, etc.; type @kbd{C-h a hexl- RET} for details.
1821 @node Saving Emacs Sessions, Recursive Edit, Editing Binary Files, Top
1822 @section Saving Emacs Sessions
1823 @cindex saving sessions
1826 You can use the Desktop library to save the state of Emacs from one
1827 session to another. Saving the state means that Emacs starts up with
1828 the same set of buffers, major modes, buffer positions, and so on that
1829 the previous Emacs session had.
1831 @vindex desktop-enable
1832 To use Desktop, you should use the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy
1833 Customization}) to set @code{desktop-enable} to a non-@code{nil} value,
1834 or add these lines at the end of your @file{.emacs} file:
1837 (desktop-load-default)
1842 @findex desktop-save
1843 The first time you save the state of the Emacs session, you must do it
1844 manually, with the command @kbd{M-x desktop-save}. Once you have done
1845 that, exiting Emacs will save the state again---not only the present
1846 Emacs session, but also subsequent sessions. You can also save the
1847 state at any time, without exiting Emacs, by typing @kbd{M-x
1848 desktop-save} again.
1850 In order for Emacs to recover the state from a previous session, you
1851 must start it with the same current directory as you used when you
1852 started the previous session. This is because @code{desktop-read} looks
1853 in the current directory for the file to read. This means that you can
1854 have separate saved sessions in different directories; the directory in
1855 which you start Emacs will control which saved session to use.
1857 @vindex desktop-files-not-to-save
1858 The variable @code{desktop-files-not-to-save} controls which files are
1859 excluded from state saving. Its value is a regular expression that
1860 matches the files to exclude. By default, remote (ftp-accessed) files
1861 are excluded; this is because visiting them again in the subsequent
1862 session would be slow. If you want to include these files in state
1863 saving, set @code{desktop-files-not-to-save} to @code{"^$"}.
1864 @xref{Remote Files}.
1868 @findex toggle-save-place
1869 The Saveplace library provides a simpler feature that records your
1870 position in each file when you kill its buffer (or kill Emacs), and
1871 jumps to the same position when you visit the file again (even in
1872 another Emacs session). Use @kbd{M-x toggle-save-place} to turn on
1873 place-saving in a given file. Customize the option @code{save-place}
1874 to turn it on for all files in each session.
1876 @node Recursive Edit, Emulation, Saving Emacs Sessions, Top
1877 @section Recursive Editing Levels
1878 @cindex recursive editing level
1879 @cindex editing level, recursive
1881 A @dfn{recursive edit} is a situation in which you are using Emacs
1882 commands to perform arbitrary editing while in the middle of another
1883 Emacs command. For example, when you type @kbd{C-r} inside of a
1884 @code{query-replace}, you enter a recursive edit in which you can change
1885 the current buffer. On exiting from the recursive edit, you go back to
1886 the @code{query-replace}.
1889 @findex exit-recursive-edit
1890 @cindex exiting recursive edit
1891 @dfn{Exiting} the recursive edit means returning to the unfinished
1892 command, which continues execution. The command to exit is @kbd{C-M-c}
1893 (@code{exit-recursive-edit}).
1895 You can also @dfn{abort} the recursive edit. This is like exiting,
1896 but also quits the unfinished command immediately. Use the command
1897 @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}) to do this. @xref{Quitting}.
1899 The mode line shows you when you are in a recursive edit by displaying
1900 square brackets around the parentheses that always surround the major and
1901 minor mode names. Every window's mode line shows this, in the same way,
1902 since being in a recursive edit is true of Emacs as a whole rather than
1903 any particular window or buffer.
1905 It is possible to be in recursive edits within recursive edits. For
1906 example, after typing @kbd{C-r} in a @code{query-replace}, you may type a
1907 command that enters the debugger. This begins a recursive editing level
1908 for the debugger, within the recursive editing level for @kbd{C-r}.
1909 Mode lines display a pair of square brackets for each recursive editing
1910 level currently in progress.
1912 Exiting the inner recursive edit (such as, with the debugger @kbd{c}
1913 command) resumes the command running in the next level up. When that
1914 command finishes, you can then use @kbd{C-M-c} to exit another recursive
1915 editing level, and so on. Exiting applies to the innermost level only.
1916 Aborting also gets out of only one level of recursive edit; it returns
1917 immediately to the command level of the previous recursive edit. If you
1918 wish, you can then abort the next recursive editing level.
1920 Alternatively, the command @kbd{M-x top-level} aborts all levels of
1921 recursive edits, returning immediately to the top-level command reader.
1923 The text being edited inside the recursive edit need not be the same text
1924 that you were editing at top level. It depends on what the recursive edit
1925 is for. If the command that invokes the recursive edit selects a different
1926 buffer first, that is the buffer you will edit recursively. In any case,
1927 you can switch buffers within the recursive edit in the normal manner (as
1928 long as the buffer-switching keys have not been rebound). You could
1929 probably do all the rest of your editing inside the recursive edit,
1930 visiting files and all. But this could have surprising effects (such as
1931 stack overflow) from time to time. So remember to exit or abort the
1932 recursive edit when you no longer need it.
1934 In general, we try to minimize the use of recursive editing levels in
1935 GNU Emacs. This is because they constrain you to ``go back'' in a
1936 particular order---from the innermost level toward the top level. When
1937 possible, we present different activities in separate buffers so that
1938 you can switch between them as you please. Some commands switch to a
1939 new major mode which provides a command to switch back. These
1940 approaches give you more flexibility to go back to unfinished tasks in
1941 the order you choose.
1943 @node Emulation, Hyperlinking, Recursive Edit, Top
1945 @cindex emulating other editors
1946 @cindex other editors
1949 @cindex PC keybindings
1950 @cindex scrolling all windows
1952 @cindex Motif keybindings
1953 @cindex Macintosh keybindings
1956 GNU Emacs can be programmed to emulate (more or less) most other
1957 editors. Standard facilities can emulate these:
1960 @item CRiSP/Brief (PC editor)
1962 @vindex crisp-override-meta-x
1963 @findex scroll-all-mode
1965 @cindex Brief emulation
1966 @cindex emulation of Brief
1968 You can turn on keybindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief editor with
1969 @kbd{M-x crisp-mode}. Note that this rebinds @kbd{M-x} to exit Emacs
1970 unless you change the user option @code{crisp-override-meta-x}. You can
1971 also use the command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the user option
1972 @code{crisp-load-scroll-all} to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
1973 (scrolling all windows together).
1975 @item EDT (DEC VMS editor)
1976 @findex edt-emulation-on
1977 @findex edt-emulation-off
1978 Turn on EDT emulation with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-on}. @kbd{M-x
1979 edt-emulation-off} restores normal Emacs command bindings.
1981 Most of the EDT emulation commands are keypad keys, and most standard
1982 Emacs key bindings are still available. The EDT emulation rebindings
1983 are done in the global keymap, so there is no problem switching
1984 buffers or major modes while in EDT emulation.
1986 @item ``PC'' bindings
1987 @findex pc-bindings-mode
1988 @cindex ``PC'' key bindings
1989 The command @kbd{M-x pc-bindings-mode} sets up certain key bindings
1990 for ``PC compatibility''---what people are often used to on PCs---as
1991 follows: @kbd{Delete} and its variants delete forward instead of
1992 backward, @kbd{C-Backspace} kills backward a word (as @kbd{C-Delete}
1993 normally would), @kbd{M-Backspace} does undo, @kbd{Home} and @kbd{End}
1994 move to beginning and end of line, @kbd{C-Home} and @kbd{C-End} move
1995 to beginning and end of buffer and @kbd{C-Escape} does
1996 @code{list-buffers}.
1998 @item PC Selection mode
1999 @findex pc-selection-mode
2000 @cindex PC Selection minor mode
2001 @cindex mode, PC selection
2002 @cindex selection, PC
2003 The command @kbd{M-x pc-selection-mode} enables a global minor mode
2004 that emulates the mark, copy, cut and paste commands of various other
2005 systems---an interface known as CUA. It establishes the keybindings
2006 of PC mode, and also modifies the bindings of the cursor keys and the
2007 @kbd{next}, @kbd{prior}, @kbd{home} and @kbd{end} keys. It does not
2008 provide the full set of CUA keybindings---the fundamental Emacs keys
2009 @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-v} and @kbd{C-x} are not changed.
2011 The standard keys for moving around (@kbd{right}, @kbd{left},
2012 @kbd{up}, @kbd{down}, @kbd{home}, @kbd{end}, @kbd{prior}, @kbd{next},
2013 called ``move-keys'') deactivate the mark in PC selection mode.
2014 However, using @kbd{Shift} together with the ``move keys'' activates
2015 the region over which they move. The copy, cut and paste functions
2016 are available on @kbd{C-insert}, @kbd{S-delete} and @kbd{S-insert}
2019 @cindex s-region package
2020 The @code{s-region} package provides similar, but less complete,
2023 @item TPU (DEC VMS editor)
2026 @kbd{M-x tpu-edt-on} turns on emulation of the TPU editor emulating EDT.
2028 @item vi (Berkeley editor)
2030 Viper is the newest emulator for vi. It implements several levels of
2031 emulation; level 1 is closest to vi itself, while level 5 departs
2032 somewhat from strict emulation to take advantage of the capabilities of
2033 Emacs. To invoke Viper, type @kbd{M-x viper-mode}; it will guide you
2034 the rest of the way and ask for the emulation level. @inforef{Top,
2037 @item vi (another emulator)
2039 @kbd{M-x vi-mode} enters a major mode that replaces the previously
2040 established major mode. All of the vi commands that, in real vi, enter
2041 ``input'' mode are programmed instead to return to the previous major
2042 mode. Thus, ordinary Emacs serves as vi's ``input'' mode.
2044 Because vi emulation works through major modes, it does not work
2045 to switch buffers during emulation. Return to normal Emacs first.
2047 If you plan to use vi emulation much, you probably want to bind a key
2048 to the @code{vi-mode} command.
2050 @item vi (alternate emulator)
2052 @kbd{M-x vip-mode} invokes another vi emulator, said to resemble real vi
2053 more thoroughly than @kbd{M-x vi-mode}. ``Input'' mode in this emulator
2054 is changed from ordinary Emacs so you can use @key{ESC} to go back to
2055 emulated vi command mode. To get from emulated vi command mode back to
2056 ordinary Emacs, type @kbd{C-z}.
2058 This emulation does not work through major modes, and it is possible
2059 to switch buffers in various ways within the emulator. It is not
2060 so necessary to assign a key to the command @code{vip-mode} as
2061 it is with @code{vi-mode} because terminating insert mode does
2064 @inforef{Top, VIP, vip}, for full information.
2066 @item WordStar (old wordprocessor)
2067 @findex wordstar-mode
2068 @kbd{M-x wordstar-mode} provides a major mode with WordStar-like
2072 @node Hyperlinking, Dissociated Press, Emulation, Top
2073 @section Hyperlinking and Navigation Features
2075 @cindex hyperlinking
2077 Various modes documented elsewhere have hypertext features so that
2078 you can follow links, usually by clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} on the link or
2079 typing @key{RET} while point is on the link. Info mode, Help mode and
2080 the Dired-like modes are examples. The Tags facility links between
2081 uses and definitions in source files, see @ref{Tags}. Imenu provides
2082 navigation amongst items indexed in the current buffer, see
2083 @ref{Imenu}. Info-lookup provides mode-specific lookup of definitions
2084 in Info indexes, see @ref{Documentation}. Speedbar maintains a frame
2085 in which links to files, and locations in files are displayed, see
2088 Other non-mode-specific facilities described in this section enable
2089 following links from the current buffer in a context-sensitive
2093 * Browse-URL:: Following URLs.
2094 * Goto-address:: Activating URLs.
2095 * FFAP:: Finding files etc. at point.
2096 * Find-func:: Finding function and variable definitions.
2100 @subsection Following URLs
2101 @cindex World Wide Web
2104 @findex browse-url-at-point
2105 @findex browse-url-at-mouse
2110 @item M-x browse-url @key{RET} @var{url} @key{ret}
2111 Load a URL into a Web browser.
2114 The Browse-URL package provides facilities for following URLs specifying
2115 links on the World Wide Web. Usually this works by invoking a web
2116 browser, but you can, for instance, arrange to invoke @code{compose-mail}
2117 from @samp{mailto:} URLs.
2119 The general way to use this feature is to type @kbd{M-x browse-url},
2120 which displays a specified URL. If point is located near a plausible
2121 URL, that URL is used as the default. Other commands are available
2122 which you might like to bind to keys, such as
2123 @code{browse-url-at-point} and @code{browse-url-at-mouse}.
2125 @vindex browse-url-browser-function
2126 You can customize Browse-URL's behaviour via various options in the
2127 @code{browse-url} Customize group, particularly
2128 @code{browse-url-browser-function}. You can invoke actions dependent
2129 on the type of URL by defining @code{browse-url-browser-function} as
2130 an association list. The package's commentary available via @kbd{C-h
2131 p} provides more information. Packages with facilities for following
2132 URLs should always go through Browse-URL, so that the customization
2133 options for Browse-URL will affect all browsing in Emacs.
2136 @subsection Activating URLs
2137 @findex goto-address
2138 @cindex Goto-address
2139 @cindex URLs, activating
2142 @item M-x goto-address
2143 Activate URLs and e-mail addresses in the current buffer.
2146 You can make URLs in the current buffer active with @kbd{M-x
2147 goto-address}. This finds all the URLs in the buffer, and establishes
2148 bindings for @kbd{Mouse-2} and @kbd{C-c @key{RET}} on them. After
2149 activation, if you click on a URL with @kbd{Mouse-2}, or move to a URL
2150 and type @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}, that will display the web page that the URL
2151 specifies. For a @samp{mailto} URL, it sends mail instead, using your
2152 selected mail-composition method (@pxref{Mail Methods}).
2154 It can be useful to add @code{goto-address} to mode hooks and the
2155 hooks used to display an incoming message.
2156 @code{rmail-show-message-hook} is the appropriate hook for Rmail, and
2157 @code{mh-show-mode-hook} for MH-E. This is not needed for Gnus,
2158 which has a similar feature of its own.
2162 @subsection Finding Files and URLs at Point
2163 @findex find-file-at-point
2165 @findex ffap-dired-at-point
2168 @cindex finding file at point
2170 FFAP mode replaces certain key bindings for finding files, including
2171 @kbd{C-x C-f}, with commands that provide more sensitive defaults.
2172 These commands behave like the ordinary ones when given a prefix
2173 argument. Otherwise, they get the default file name or URL from the
2174 text around point. If what is found in the buffer has the form of a
2175 URL rather than a file name, the commands use @code{browse-url} to
2178 This feature is useful for following references in mail or news
2179 buffers, @file{README} files, @file{MANIFEST} files, and so on. The
2180 @samp{ffap} package's commentary available via @kbd{C-h p} and the
2181 @code{ffap} Custom group provide details.
2183 @cindex FFAP minor mode
2185 You can turn on FFAP minor mode to make the following key bindings
2186 and to install hooks for using @code{ffap} in Rmail, Gnus and VM
2190 @item C-x C-f @var{filename} @key{RET}
2191 @kindex C-x C-f @r{(FFAP)}
2192 Find @var{filename}, guessing a default from text around point
2193 (@code{find-file-at-point}).
2195 @kindex C-x 4 f @r{(FFAP)}
2196 @code{ffap-other-window}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-window}.
2198 @kindex C-x 5 f @r{(FFAP)}
2199 @code{ffap-other-frame}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-frame}.
2201 Search buffer for next file name or URL, then find that file or URL.
2202 @item C-x d @var{directory} @key{RET}
2203 @kindex C-x d @r{(FFAP)}
2204 Start Dired on @var{directory}, defaulting to the directory name at
2205 point (@code{ffap-dired-at-point}).
2207 @kindex S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2208 @code{ffap-at-mouse} finds the file guessed from text around the position
2211 @kindex C-S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2212 Display a menu of files and URLs mentioned in current buffer, then
2213 find the one you select (@code{ffap-menu}).
2217 @subsection Finding Function and Variable Definitions
2218 @cindex definitions, finding in Lisp sources
2219 @cindex Lisp definitions, finding in sources
2222 @item M-x find-function @key{RET} @var{function} @key{RET}
2223 Find the definition @var{function} in its source file.
2224 @item M-x find-variable @key{RET} @var{variable} @key{RET}
2225 Find the definition of @var{variable} in its source file.
2226 @item M-x find-function-on-key @key{RET} @var{key}
2227 Find the definition of the function that @var{key} invokes.
2230 These commands provide an easy way to find the definitions of Emacs
2231 Lisp functions and variables. They are similar in purpose to the Tags
2232 facility (@pxref{Tags}), but don't require a tags table; on the other
2233 hand, they only works for function and variable definitions that are
2234 already loaded in the Emacs session.
2236 @findex find-function
2237 @findex find-function-on-key
2238 @findex find-variable
2239 To find the definition of a function, use @kbd{M-x find-function}.
2240 @kbd{M-x find-variable} finds the definition of a specified variable.
2241 @kbd{M-x find-function-on-key} finds the definition of the function
2242 bound to a specified key.
2244 To use these commands, you must have the Lisp source (@samp{.el})
2245 files available along with the compiled (@samp{.elc}) files, in
2246 directories in @code{load-path}. You can use compressed source files
2247 if you enable Auto Compression mode. These commands only handle
2248 definitions written in Lisp, not primitive functions or variables
2249 defined in the C code of Emacs.
2251 @node Dissociated Press, Amusements, Hyperlinking, Top
2252 @section Dissociated Press
2254 @findex dissociated-press
2255 @kbd{M-x dissociated-press} is a command for scrambling a file of text
2256 either word by word or character by character. Starting from a buffer of
2257 straight English, it produces extremely amusing output. The input comes
2258 from the current Emacs buffer. Dissociated Press writes its output in a
2259 buffer named @samp{*Dissociation*}, and redisplays that buffer after every
2260 couple of lines (approximately) so you can read the output as it comes out.
2262 Dissociated Press asks every so often whether to continue generating
2263 output. Answer @kbd{n} to stop it. You can also stop at any time by
2264 typing @kbd{C-g}. The dissociation output remains in the
2265 @samp{*Dissociation*} buffer for you to copy elsewhere if you wish.
2267 @cindex presidentagon
2268 Dissociated Press operates by jumping at random from one point in the
2269 buffer to another. In order to produce plausible output rather than
2270 gibberish, it insists on a certain amount of overlap between the end of
2271 one run of consecutive words or characters and the start of the next.
2272 That is, if it has just printed out `president' and then decides to jump
2273 to a different point in the file, it might spot the `ent' in `pentagon'
2274 and continue from there, producing `presidentagon'.@footnote{This
2275 dissociword actually appeared during the Vietnam War, when it was very
2276 appropriate.} Long sample texts produce the best results.
2278 @cindex againformation
2279 A positive argument to @kbd{M-x dissociated-press} tells it to operate
2280 character by character, and specifies the number of overlap characters. A
2281 negative argument tells it to operate word by word and specifies the number
2282 of overlap words. In this mode, whole words are treated as the elements to
2283 be permuted, rather than characters. No argument is equivalent to an
2284 argument of two. For your againformation, the output goes only into the
2285 buffer @samp{*Dissociation*}. The buffer you start with is not changed.
2287 @cindex Markov chain
2289 @cindex techniquitous
2290 Dissociated Press produces nearly the same results as a Markov chain
2291 based on a frequency table constructed from the sample text. It is,
2292 however, an independent, ignoriginal invention. Dissociated Press
2293 techniquitously copies several consecutive characters from the sample
2294 between random choices, whereas a Markov chain would choose randomly for
2295 each word or character. This makes for more plausible sounding results,
2302 @cindex developediment
2304 It is a mustatement that too much use of Dissociated Press can be a
2305 developediment to your real work. Sometimes to the point of outragedy.
2306 And keep dissociwords out of your documentation, if you want it to be well
2307 userenced and properbose. Have fun. Your buggestions are welcome.
2309 @node Amusements, Customization, Dissociated Press, Top
2310 @section Other Amusements
2315 @cindex tower of Hanoi
2317 If you are a little bit bored, you can try @kbd{M-x hanoi}. If you are
2318 considerably bored, give it a numeric argument. If you are very very
2319 bored, try an argument of 9. Sit back and watch.
2322 If you want a little more personal involvement, try @kbd{M-x gomoku},
2323 which plays the game Go Moku with you.
2329 @kbd{M-x blackbox}, @kbd{M-x mpuz} and @kbd{M-x 5x5} are kinds of puzzles.
2330 @code{blackbox} challenges you to determine the location of objects
2331 inside a box by tomography. @code{mpuz} displays a multiplication
2332 puzzle with letters standing for digits in a code that you must
2333 guess---to guess a value, type a letter and then the digit you think it
2334 stands for. The aim of @code{5x5} is to fill in all the squares.
2338 @cindex cryptanalysis
2339 @kbd{M-x decipher} helps you to cryptanalyze a buffer which is encrypted
2340 in a simple monoalphabetic substitution cipher.
2343 @kbd{M-x dunnet} runs an adventure-style exploration game, which is
2344 a bigger sort of puzzle.
2347 @cindex landmark game
2348 @kbd{M-x lm} runs a relatively non-participatory game in which a robot
2349 attempts to maneuver towards a tree at the center of the window based on
2350 unique olfactory cues from each of the four directions.
2354 @kbd{M-x life} runs Conway's ``Life'' cellular automaton.
2356 @findex morse-region
2357 @findex unmorse-region
2359 @cindex --/---/.-./.../.
2360 @kbd{M-x morse-region} converts text in a region to Morse code and
2361 @kbd{M-x unmorse-region} converts it back. No cause for remorse.
2365 @kbd{M-x pong} plays a Pong-like game, bouncing the ball off opposing
2370 @kbd{M-x solitaire} plays a game of solitaire in which you jump pegs
2373 @findex studlify-region
2375 @kbd{M-x studlify-region} studlify-cases the region, producing
2379 M-x stUdlIfY-RegioN stUdlIfY-CaSeS thE region.
2386 @kbd{M-x tetris} runs an implementation of the well-known Tetris game.
2387 Likewise, @kbd{M-x snake} provides an implementation of Snake.
2389 When you are frustrated, try the famous Eliza program. Just do
2390 @kbd{M-x doctor}. End each input by typing @key{RET} twice.
2393 When you are feeling strange, type @kbd{M-x yow}.
2396 The command @kbd{M-x zone} plays games with the display when Emacs is