1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2000-2014
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 Usenet news, viewing PDFs and other such documents, web
10 browsing, running shell commands and shell subprocesses, using a
11 single shared Emacs for utilities that expect to run an editor as a
12 subprocess, printing, sorting text, editing binary files, saving an
13 Emacs session for later resumption, recursive editing level, following
14 hyperlinks, and various diversions and amusements.
28 Gnus is an Emacs package primarily designed for reading and posting
29 Usenet news. It can also be used to read and respond to messages from
30 a number of other sources---email, remote directories, digests, and so
31 on. Here we introduce Gnus and describe several basic features.
33 For full details, see @ref{Top, Gnus,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
36 For full details on Gnus, type @kbd{C-h i} and then select the Gnus
41 * Buffers of Gnus:: The group, summary, and article buffers.
42 * Gnus Startup:: What you should know about starting Gnus.
43 * Gnus Group Buffer:: A short description of Gnus group commands.
44 * Gnus Summary Buffer:: A short description of Gnus summary commands.
48 @subsection Gnus Buffers
50 Gnus uses several buffers to display information and to receive
51 commands. The three most commonly-used Gnus buffers are the
52 @dfn{group buffer}, the @dfn{summary buffer} and the @dfn{article
55 The @dfn{group buffer} contains a list of article sources (e.g.,
56 newsgroups and email inboxes), which are collectively referred to as
57 @dfn{groups}. This is the first buffer Gnus displays when it starts
58 up. It normally displays only the groups to which you subscribe and
59 that contain unread articles. From this buffer, you can select a
62 The @dfn{summary buffer} lists the articles in a single group,
63 showing one article per line. By default, it displays each article's
64 author, subject, and line
69 number, but this is customizable; @xref{Summary Buffer Format,,, gnus,
72 The summary buffer is created when you select a group in the group
73 buffer, and is killed when you exit the group.
75 From the summary buffer, you can choose an article to view. The
76 article is displayed in the @dfn{article buffer}. In normal Gnus
77 usage, you view this buffer but do not select it---all useful Gnus
78 commands can be invoked from the summary buffer. But you can select
79 the article buffer, and execute Gnus commands from it, if you wish.
82 @subsection When Gnus Starts Up
85 @cindex @file{.newsrc} file
86 If your system has been set up for reading Usenet news, getting
87 started with Gnus is easy---just type @kbd{M-x gnus}.
89 On starting up, Gnus reads your @dfn{news initialization file}: a
90 file named @file{.newsrc} in your home directory which lists your
91 Usenet newsgroups and subscriptions (this file is not unique to Gnus;
92 it is used by many other newsreader programs). It then tries to
93 contact the system's default news server, which is typically specified
94 by the @env{NNTPSERVER} environment variable.
96 If your system does not have a default news server, or if you wish
97 to use Gnus for reading email, then before invoking @kbd{M-x gnus} you
98 need to tell Gnus where to get news and/or mail. To do this,
99 customize the variables @code{gnus-select-method} and/or
100 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods}.
102 See the Gnus manual for details.
105 @xref{Finding the News,,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
108 Once Gnus has started up, it displays the group buffer. By default,
109 the group buffer shows only a small number of @dfn{subscribed groups}.
110 Groups with other statuses---@dfn{unsubscribed}, @dfn{killed}, or
111 @dfn{zombie}---are hidden. The first time you start Gnus, any group
112 to which you are not subscribed is made into a killed group; any group
113 that subsequently appears on the news server becomes a zombie group.
115 To proceed, you must select a group in the group buffer to open the
116 summary buffer for that group; then, select an article in the summary
117 buffer to view its article buffer in a separate window. The following
118 sections explain how to use the group and summary buffers to do this.
120 To quit Gnus, type @kbd{q} in the group buffer. This automatically
121 records your group statuses in the files @file{.newsrc} and
122 @file{.newsrc.eld}, so that they take effect in subsequent Gnus
125 @node Gnus Group Buffer
126 @subsection Using the Gnus Group Buffer
128 The following commands are available in the Gnus group buffer:
131 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
132 @findex gnus-group-read-group
134 Switch to the summary buffer for the group on the current line.
136 @kindex l @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
137 @kindex A s @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
138 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
141 In the group buffer, list only the groups to which you subscribe and
142 which contain unread articles (this is the default listing).
144 @kindex L @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
145 @kindex A u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
146 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
149 List all subscribed and unsubscribed groups, but not killed or zombie
152 @kindex A k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
153 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
157 @kindex A z @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
158 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
162 @kindex u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
163 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
164 @cindex subscribe groups
165 @cindex unsubscribe groups
167 Toggle the subscription status of the group on the current line
168 (i.e., turn a subscribed group into an unsubscribed group, or vice
169 versa). Invoking this on a killed or zombie group turns it into an
172 @kindex C-k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
173 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
175 Kill the group on the current line. Killed groups are not recorded in
176 the @file{.newsrc} file, and they are not shown in the @kbd{l} or
179 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
181 Move point to the previous group containing unread articles.
183 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
184 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
185 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
187 Move point to the next unread group.
189 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
190 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
191 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
193 Move point to the previous unread group.
195 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
196 @findex gnus-group-exit
198 Update your Gnus settings, and quit Gnus.
201 @node Gnus Summary Buffer
202 @subsection Using the Gnus Summary Buffer
204 The following commands are available in the Gnus summary buffer:
207 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
208 @findex gnus-group-read-group
210 If there is no article selected, select the article on the current
211 line and display its article buffer. Otherwise, try scrolling the
212 selected article buffer in its window; on reaching the end of the
213 buffer, select the next unread article.
215 Thus, you can read through all articles by repeatedly typing
218 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
219 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
221 Scroll the text of the article backwards.
223 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
224 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
225 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
227 Select the next unread article.
229 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
230 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
231 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
233 Select the previous unread article.
235 @kindex s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
236 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
238 Do an incremental search on the selected article buffer, as if you
239 switched to the buffer and typed @kbd{C-s} (@pxref{Incremental
242 @kindex M-s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
243 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
244 @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
245 Search forward for articles containing a match for @var{regexp}.
247 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
249 Exit the summary buffer and return to the group buffer.
253 @section Document Viewing
257 @cindex PostScript file
258 @cindex OpenDocument file
259 @cindex Microsoft Office file
261 @cindex mode, DocView
262 @cindex document viewer (DocView)
263 @findex doc-view-mode
265 DocView mode is a major mode for viewing DVI, PostScript (PS), PDF,
266 OpenDocument, and Microsoft Office documents. It provides features
267 such as slicing, zooming, and searching inside documents. It works by
268 converting the document to a set of images using the @command{gs}
269 (GhostScript) command and other external tools @footnote{@code{gs} is
270 a hard requirement. For DVI files, @code{dvipdf} or @code{dvipdfm} is
271 needed. For OpenDocument and Microsoft Office documents, the
272 @code{unoconv} tool is needed.}, and displaying those images.
274 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
275 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
276 @cindex doc-view-minor-mode
277 When you visit a document file that can be displayed with DocView
278 mode, Emacs automatically uses DocView mode @footnote{The needed
279 external tools for the document type must be available, and Emacs must
280 be running in a graphical frame and have PNG image support. If any of
281 these requirements is not fulfilled, Emacs falls back to another major
282 mode.}. As an exception, when you visit a PostScript file, Emacs
283 switches to PS mode, a major mode for editing PostScript files as
284 text; however, it also enables DocView minor mode, so you can type
285 @kbd{C-c C-c} to view the document with DocView. In either DocView
286 mode or DocView minor mode, repeating @kbd{C-c C-c}
287 (@code{doc-view-toggle-display}) toggles between DocView and the
288 underlying file contents.
290 You can explicitly enable DocView mode with the command @code{M-x
291 doc-view-mode}. You can toggle DocView minor mode with @code{M-x
292 doc-view-minor-mode}.
294 When DocView mode starts, it displays a welcome screen and begins
295 formatting the file, page by page. It displays the first page once
296 that has been formatted.
298 To kill the DocView buffer, type @kbd{k}
299 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}). To bury it, type @kbd{q}
300 (@code{quit-window}).
303 * Navigation: DocView Navigation. Navigating DocView buffers.
304 * Searching: DocView Searching. Searching inside documents.
305 * Slicing: DocView Slicing. Specifying which part of a page is displayed.
306 * Conversion: DocView Conversion. Influencing and triggering conversion.
309 @node DocView Navigation
310 @subsection DocView Navigation
312 In DocView mode, you can scroll the current page using the usual
313 Emacs movement keys: @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}, @kbd{C-f}, and
316 @vindex doc-view-continuous
317 By default, the line-motion keys @kbd{C-p} and @kbd{C-n} stop
318 scrolling at the beginning and end of the current page, respectively.
319 However, if you change the variable @code{doc-view-continuous} to a
320 non-@code{nil} value, then @kbd{C-p} displays the previous page if you
321 are already at the beginning of the current page, and @kbd{C-n}
322 displays the next page if you are at the end of the current page.
324 @findex doc-view-next-page
325 @findex doc-view-previous-page
326 @kindex n @r{(DocView mode)}
327 @kindex p @r{(DocView mode)}
328 @kindex C-x ] @r{(DocView mode)}
329 @kindex C-x [ @r{(DocView mode)}
330 You can also display the next page by typing @kbd{n}, @key{next} or
331 @kbd{C-x ]} (@code{doc-view-next-page}). To display the previous
332 page, type @kbd{p}, @key{prior} or @kbd{C-x [}
333 (@code{doc-view-previous-page}).
335 @findex doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page
336 @findex doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page
337 @kindex SPC @r{(DocView mode)}
338 @kindex DEL @r{(DocView mode)}
339 @key{SPC} (@code{doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page}) is a convenient
340 way to advance through the document. It scrolls within the current
341 page or advances to the next. @key{DEL} moves backwards in a similar
342 way (@code{doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page}).
344 @findex doc-view-first-page
345 @findex doc-view-last-page
346 @findex doc-view-goto-page
347 @kindex M-< @r{(DocView mode)}
348 @kindex M-> @r{(DocView mode)}
349 To go to the first page, type @kbd{M-<}
350 (@code{doc-view-first-page}); to go to the last one, type @kbd{M->}
351 (@code{doc-view-last-page}). To jump to a page by its number, type
352 @kbd{M-g M-g} or @kbd{M-g g} (@code{doc-view-goto-page}).
354 @findex doc-view-enlarge
355 @findex doc-view-shrink
356 @vindex doc-view-resolution
357 @kindex + @r{(DocView mode)}
358 @kindex - @r{(DocView mode)}
359 You can enlarge or shrink the document with @kbd{+}
360 (@code{doc-view-enlarge}) and @kbd{-} (@code{doc-view-shrink}). These
361 commands work by reconverting the document at the new size. To
362 specify the default size for DocView, customize the variable
363 @code{doc-view-resolution}.
365 @node DocView Searching
366 @subsection DocView Searching
368 In DocView mode, you can search the file's text for a regular
369 expression (@pxref{Regexps}). The interface for searching is inspired
370 by @code{isearch} (@pxref{Incremental Search}).
372 @findex doc-view-search
373 @findex doc-view-search-backward
374 @findex doc-view-show-tooltip
375 To begin a search, type @kbd{C-s} (@code{doc-view-search}) or
376 @kbd{C-r} (@code{doc-view-search-backward}). This reads a regular
377 expression using a minibuffer, then echoes the number of matches found
378 within the document. You can move forward and back among the matches
379 by typing @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r}. DocView mode has no way to show
380 the match inside the page image; instead, it displays a tooltip (at
381 the mouse position) listing all matching lines in the current page.
382 To force display of this tooltip, type @kbd{C-t}
383 (@code{doc-view-show-tooltip}).
385 To start a new search, use the search command with a prefix
386 argument; i.e., @kbd{C-u C-s} for a forward search or @kbd{C-u C-r}
387 for a backward search.
389 @node DocView Slicing
390 @subsection DocView Slicing
392 Documents often have wide margins for printing. They are annoying
393 when reading the document on the screen, because they use up screen
394 space and can cause inconvenient scrolling.
396 @findex doc-view-set-slice
397 @findex doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse
398 With DocView you can hide these margins by selecting a @dfn{slice}
399 of pages to display. A slice is a rectangle within the page area;
400 once you specify a slice in DocView, it applies to whichever page you
403 To specify the slice numerically, type @kbd{s s}
404 (@code{doc-view-set-slice}); then enter the top left pixel position
405 and the slice's width and height.
406 @c ??? how does this work?
408 A more convenient graphical way to specify the slice is with @kbd{s
409 m} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse}), where you use the mouse to
411 @c ??? How does this work?
413 The most convenient way is to set the optimal slice by using
414 BoundingBox information automatically determined from the document by
415 typing @kbd{s b} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse}).
417 @findex doc-view-reset-slice
418 To cancel the selected slice, type @kbd{s r}
419 (@code{doc-view-reset-slice}). Then DocView shows the entire page
420 including its entire margins.
422 @node DocView Conversion
423 @subsection DocView Conversion
425 @vindex doc-view-cache-directory
426 @findex doc-view-clear-cache
427 For efficiency, DocView caches the images produced by @command{gs}.
428 The name of this directory is given by the variable
429 @code{doc-view-cache-directory}. You can clear the cache directory by
430 typing @code{M-x doc-view-clear-cache}.
432 @findex doc-view-kill-proc
433 @findex doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer
434 To force reconversion of the currently viewed document, type @kbd{r}
435 or @kbd{g} (@code{revert-buffer}). To kill the converter process
436 associated with the current buffer, type @kbd{K}
437 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc}). The command @kbd{k}
438 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}) kills the converter process and
442 @section Web Browsing with EWW
445 @findex eww-open-file
446 @dfn{EWW}, the Emacs Web Wowser, is a web browser package for Emacs.
447 It allows browsing URLs within an Emacs buffer. The command @kbd{M-x
448 eww} will open a URL or search the web. You can open a file
449 using the command @kbd{M-x eww-open-file}. You can use EWW as the
450 web browser for @code{browse-url}, @pxref{Browse-URL}. For full
451 details, @pxref{Top, EWW,, eww, The Emacs Web Wowser Manual}.
454 @section Running Shell Commands from Emacs
456 @cindex shell commands
458 Emacs has commands for passing single command lines to shell
459 subprocesses, and for running a shell interactively with input and
460 output to an Emacs buffer, and for running a shell in a terminal
464 @item M-! @var{cmd} @key{RET}
465 Run the shell command @var{cmd} and display the output
466 (@code{shell-command}).
467 @item M-| @var{cmd} @key{RET}
468 Run the shell command @var{cmd} with region contents as input;
469 optionally replace the region with the output
470 (@code{shell-command-on-region}).
471 @item M-& @var{cmd} @key{RET}
472 Run the shell command @var{cmd} asynchronously, and display the output
473 (@code{async-shell-command}).
475 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
476 then give commands interactively.
478 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
479 then give commands interactively. Full terminal emulation is
484 Whenever you specify a relative file name for an executable program
485 (either in the @var{cmd} argument to one of the above commands, or in
486 other contexts), Emacs searches for the program in the directories
487 specified by the variable @code{exec-path}. The value of this
488 variable must be a list of directory names; the default value is
489 initialized from the environment variable @env{PATH} when Emacs is
490 started (@pxref{General Variables}).
492 @kbd{M-x eshell} invokes a shell implemented entirely in Emacs. It
493 is documented in its own manual.
495 @xref{Top,Eshell,Eshell, eshell, Eshell: The Emacs Shell}.
498 See the Eshell Info manual, which is distributed with Emacs.
502 * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
503 * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via Emacs.
504 * Shell Mode:: Special Emacs commands used with permanent shell.
505 * Shell Prompts:: Two ways to recognize shell prompts.
506 * History: Shell History. Repeating previous commands in a shell buffer.
507 * Directory Tracking:: Keeping track when the subshell changes directory.
508 * Options: Shell Options. Options for customizing Shell mode.
509 * Terminal emulator:: An Emacs window as a terminal emulator.
510 * Term Mode:: Special Emacs commands used in Term mode.
511 * Remote Host:: Connecting to another computer.
512 * Serial Terminal:: Connecting to a serial port.
516 @subsection Single Shell Commands
519 @findex shell-command
520 @kbd{M-!} (@code{shell-command}) reads a line of text using the
521 minibuffer and executes it as a shell command, in a subshell made just
522 for that command. Standard input for the command comes from the null
523 device. If the shell command produces any output, the output appears
524 either in the echo area (if it is short), or in an Emacs buffer named
525 @file{*Shell Command Output*}, displayed in another window (if the
528 For instance, one way to decompress a file named @file{foo.gz} is to
529 type @kbd{M-! gunzip foo.gz @key{RET}}. That shell command normally
530 creates the file @file{foo} and produces no terminal output.
532 A numeric argument to @code{shell-command}, e.g., @kbd{M-1 M-!},
533 causes it to insert terminal output into the current buffer instead of
534 a separate buffer. It puts point before the output, and sets the mark
535 after the output. For instance, @kbd{M-1 M-! gunzip < foo.gz
536 @key{RET}} would insert the uncompressed form of the file
537 @file{foo.gz} into the current buffer.
539 Provided the specified shell command does not end with @samp{&}, it
540 runs @dfn{synchronously}, and you must wait for it to exit before
541 continuing to use Emacs. To stop waiting, type @kbd{C-g} to quit;
542 this sends a @code{SIGINT} signal to terminate the shell command (this
543 is the same signal that @kbd{C-c} normally generates in the shell).
544 Emacs then waits until the command actually terminates. If the shell
545 command doesn't stop (because it ignores the @code{SIGINT} signal),
546 type @kbd{C-g} again; this sends the command a @code{SIGKILL} signal,
547 which is impossible to ignore.
550 @findex async-shell-command
551 A shell command that ends in @samp{&} is executed
552 @dfn{asynchronously}, and you can continue to use Emacs as it runs.
553 You can also type @kbd{M-&} (@code{async-shell-command}) to execute a
554 shell command asynchronously; this is exactly like calling @kbd{M-!}
555 with a trailing @samp{&}, except that you do not need the @samp{&}.
556 The default output buffer for asynchronous shell commands is named
557 @samp{*Async Shell Command*}. Emacs inserts the output into this
558 buffer as it comes in, whether or not the buffer is visible in a
561 @vindex async-shell-command-buffer
562 If you want to run more than one asynchronous shell command at the
563 same time, they could end up competing for the output buffer. The
564 option @code{async-shell-command-buffer} specifies what to do about
565 this; e.g., whether to rename the pre-existing output buffer, or to
566 use a different buffer for the new command. Consult the variable's
567 documentation for more possibilities.
570 @findex shell-command-on-region
571 @kbd{M-|} (@code{shell-command-on-region}) is like @kbd{M-!}, but
572 passes the contents of the region as the standard input to the shell
573 command, instead of no input. With a numeric argument, it deletes the
574 old region and replaces it with the output from the shell command.
576 For example, you can use @kbd{M-|} with the @command{gpg} program to
577 see what keys are in the buffer. If the buffer contains a GnuPG key,
578 type @kbd{C-x h M-| gpg @key{RET}} to feed the entire buffer contents
579 to @command{gpg}. This will output the list of keys to the
580 @file{*Shell Command Output*} buffer.
582 @vindex shell-file-name
583 The above commands use the shell specified by the variable
584 @code{shell-file-name}. Its default value is determined by the
585 @env{SHELL} environment variable when Emacs is started. If the file
586 name is relative, Emacs searches the directories listed in
587 @code{exec-path} (@pxref{Shell}).
589 To specify a coding system for @kbd{M-!} or @kbd{M-|}, use the command
590 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately beforehand. @xref{Communication Coding}.
592 @vindex shell-command-default-error-buffer
593 By default, error output is intermixed with the regular output in
594 the output buffer. But if you change the value of the variable
595 @code{shell-command-default-error-buffer} to a string, error output is
596 inserted into a buffer of that name.
598 @node Interactive Shell
599 @subsection Interactive Subshell
602 To run a subshell interactively, type @kbd{M-x shell}. This creates
603 (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*shell*}, and runs a shell subprocess
604 with input coming from and output going to that buffer. That is to
605 say, any terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer,
606 advancing point, and any terminal input for the subshell comes from
607 text in the buffer. To give input to the subshell, go to the end of
608 the buffer and type the input, terminated by @key{RET}.
610 While the subshell is waiting or running a command, you can switch
611 windows or buffers and perform other editing in Emacs. Emacs inserts
612 the output from the subshell into the Shell buffer whenever it has
613 time to process it (e.g., while waiting for keyboard input).
615 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-input} face
616 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-prompt} face
617 In the Shell buffer, prompts are displayed with the face
618 @code{comint-highlight-prompt}, and submitted input lines are
619 displayed with the face @code{comint-highlight-input}. This makes it
620 easier to distinguish input lines from the shell output.
623 To make multiple subshells, invoke @kbd{M-x shell} with a prefix
624 argument (e.g., @kbd{C-u M-x shell}). Then the command will read a
625 buffer name, and create (or reuse) a subshell in that buffer. You can
626 also rename the @file{*shell*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely},
627 then create a new @file{*shell*} buffer using plain @kbd{M-x shell}.
628 Subshells in different buffers run independently and in parallel.
630 @vindex explicit-shell-file-name
631 @cindex environment variables for subshells
632 @cindex @env{ESHELL} environment variable
633 @cindex @env{SHELL} environment variable
634 To specify the shell file name used by @kbd{M-x shell}, customize
635 the variable @code{explicit-shell-file-name}. If this is @code{nil}
636 (the default), Emacs uses the environment variable @env{ESHELL} if it
637 exists. Otherwise, it usually uses the variable
638 @code{shell-file-name} (@pxref{Single Shell}); but if the default
639 directory is remote (@pxref{Remote Files}), it prompts you for the
642 Emacs sends the new shell the contents of the file
643 @file{~/.emacs_@var{shellname}} as input, if it exists, where
644 @var{shellname} is the name of the file that the shell was loaded
645 from. For example, if you use bash, the file sent to it is
646 @file{~/.emacs_bash}. If this file is not found, Emacs tries with
647 @file{~/.emacs.d/init_@var{shellname}.sh}.
649 To specify a coding system for the shell, you can use the command
650 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately before @kbd{M-x shell}. You can
651 also change the coding system for a running subshell by typing
652 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} p} in the shell buffer. @xref{Communication
655 @cindex @env{INSIDE_EMACS} environment variable
656 @cindex @env{EMACS} environment variable
657 Emacs sets the environment variable @env{INSIDE_EMACS} in the
658 subshell to @samp{@var{version},comint}, where @var{version} is the
659 Emacs version (e.g., @samp{24.1}). Programs can check this variable
660 to determine whether they are running inside an Emacs subshell. (It
661 also sets the @env{EMACS} environment variable to @code{t}, if that
662 environment variable is not already defined. However, this
663 environment variable is deprecated; programs that use it should switch
664 to using @env{INSIDE_EMACS} instead.)
667 @subsection Shell Mode
671 The major mode for Shell buffers is Shell mode. Many of its special
672 commands are bound to the @kbd{C-c} prefix, and resemble the usual
673 editing and job control characters present in ordinary shells, except
674 that you must type @kbd{C-c} first. Here is a list of Shell mode
679 @kindex RET @r{(Shell mode)}
680 @findex comint-send-input
681 Send the current line as input to the subshell
682 (@code{comint-send-input}). Any shell prompt at the beginning of the
683 line is omitted (@pxref{Shell Prompts}). If point is at the end of
684 buffer, this is like submitting the command line in an ordinary
685 interactive shell. However, you can also invoke @key{RET} elsewhere
686 in the shell buffer to submit the current line as input.
689 @kindex TAB @r{(Shell mode)}
690 @findex completion-at-point
691 @cindex shell completion
692 Complete the command name or file name before point in the shell
693 buffer (@code{completion-at-point}). This uses the usual Emacs
694 completion rules (@pxref{Completion}), with the completion
695 alternatives being file names, environment variable names, the shell
696 command history, and history references (@pxref{History References}).
697 For options controlling the completion, @pxref{Shell Options}.
700 @kindex M-? @r{(Shell mode)}
701 @findex comint-dynamic-list-filename@dots{}
702 Display temporarily a list of the possible completions of the file
703 name before point (@code{comint-dynamic-list-filename-completions}).
706 @kindex C-d @r{(Shell mode)}
707 @findex comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof
708 Either delete a character or send @acronym{EOF}
709 (@code{comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof}). Typed at the end of the shell
710 buffer, this sends @acronym{EOF} to the subshell. Typed at any other
711 position in the buffer, this deletes a character as usual.
714 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Shell mode)}
715 @findex comint-bol-or-process-mark
716 Move to the beginning of the line, but after the prompt if any
717 (@code{comint-bol-or-process-mark}). If you repeat this command twice
718 in a row, the second time it moves back to the process mark, which is
719 the beginning of the input that you have not yet sent to the subshell.
720 (Normally that is the same place---the end of the prompt on this
721 line---but after @kbd{C-c @key{SPC}} the process mark may be in a
725 Accumulate multiple lines of input, then send them together. This
726 command inserts a newline before point, but does not send the preceding
727 text as input to the subshell---at least, not yet. Both lines, the one
728 before this newline and the one after, will be sent together (along with
729 the newline that separates them), when you type @key{RET}.
732 @kindex C-c C-u @r{(Shell mode)}
733 @findex comint-kill-input
734 Kill all text pending at end of buffer to be sent as input
735 (@code{comint-kill-input}). If point is not at end of buffer,
736 this only kills the part of this text that precedes point.
739 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Shell mode)}
740 Kill a word before point (@code{backward-kill-word}).
743 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Shell mode)}
744 @findex comint-interrupt-subjob
745 Interrupt the shell or its current subjob if any
746 (@code{comint-interrupt-subjob}). This command also kills
747 any shell input pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
750 @kindex C-c C-z @r{(Shell mode)}
751 @findex comint-stop-subjob
752 Stop the shell or its current subjob if any (@code{comint-stop-subjob}).
753 This command also kills any shell input pending in the shell buffer and
757 @findex comint-quit-subjob
758 @kindex C-c C-\ @r{(Shell mode)}
759 Send quit signal to the shell or its current subjob if any
760 (@code{comint-quit-subjob}). This command also kills any shell input
761 pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
764 @kindex C-c C-o @r{(Shell mode)}
765 @findex comint-delete-output
766 Delete the last batch of output from a shell command
767 (@code{comint-delete-output}). This is useful if a shell command spews
768 out lots of output that just gets in the way.
771 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Shell mode)}
772 @findex comint-write-output
773 Write the last batch of output from a shell command to a file
774 (@code{comint-write-output}). With a prefix argument, the file is
775 appended to instead. Any prompt at the end of the output is not
780 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Shell mode)}
781 @kindex C-M-l @r{(Shell mode)}
782 @findex comint-show-output
783 Scroll to display the beginning of the last batch of output at the top
784 of the window; also move the cursor there (@code{comint-show-output}).
787 @kindex C-c C-e @r{(Shell mode)}
788 @findex comint-show-maximum-output
789 Scroll to put the end of the buffer at the bottom of the window
790 (@code{comint-show-maximum-output}).
793 @kindex C-c C-f @r{(Shell mode)}
794 @findex shell-forward-command
795 @vindex shell-command-regexp
796 Move forward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
797 (@code{shell-forward-command}). The variable @code{shell-command-regexp}
798 specifies how to recognize the end of a command.
801 @kindex C-c C-b @r{(Shell mode)}
802 @findex shell-backward-command
803 Move backward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
804 (@code{shell-backward-command}).
807 Ask the shell for its working directory, and update the Shell buffer's
808 default directory. @xref{Directory Tracking}.
810 @item M-x send-invisible @key{RET} @var{text} @key{RET}
811 @findex send-invisible
812 Send @var{text} as input to the shell, after reading it without
813 echoing. This is useful when a shell command runs a program that asks
816 Please note that Emacs will not echo passwords by default. If you
817 really want them to be echoed, evaluate (@pxref{Lisp Eval}) the
818 following Lisp expression:
821 (remove-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
822 'comint-watch-for-password-prompt)
825 @item M-x comint-continue-subjob
826 @findex comint-continue-subjob
827 Continue the shell process. This is useful if you accidentally suspend
828 the shell process.@footnote{You should not suspend the shell process.
829 Suspending a subjob of the shell is a completely different matter---that
830 is normal practice, but you must use the shell to continue the subjob;
831 this command won't do it.}
833 @item M-x comint-strip-ctrl-m
834 @findex comint-strip-ctrl-m
835 Discard all control-M characters from the current group of shell output.
836 The most convenient way to use this command is to make it run
837 automatically when you get output from the subshell. To do that,
838 evaluate this Lisp expression:
841 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
842 'comint-strip-ctrl-m)
845 @item M-x comint-truncate-buffer
846 @findex comint-truncate-buffer
847 This command truncates the shell buffer to a certain maximum number of
848 lines, specified by the variable @code{comint-buffer-maximum-size}.
849 Here's how to do this automatically each time you get output from the
853 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
854 'comint-truncate-buffer)
860 Shell mode is a derivative of Comint mode, a general-purpose mode for
861 communicating with interactive subprocesses. Most of the features of
862 Shell mode actually come from Comint mode, as you can see from the
863 command names listed above. The special features of Shell mode include
864 the directory tracking feature, and a few user commands.
866 Other Emacs features that use variants of Comint mode include GUD
867 (@pxref{Debuggers}) and @kbd{M-x run-lisp} (@pxref{External Lisp}).
870 You can use @kbd{M-x comint-run} to execute any program of your choice
871 in a subprocess using unmodified Comint mode---without the
872 specializations of Shell mode.
875 @subsection Shell Prompts
877 @cindex prompt, shell
878 A prompt is text output by a program to show that it is ready to
879 accept new user input. Normally, Comint mode (and thus Shell mode)
880 automatically figures out part of the buffer is a prompt, based on the
881 output of the subprocess. (Specifically, it assumes that any received
882 output line which doesn't end with a newline is a prompt.)
884 Comint mode divides the buffer into two types of @dfn{fields}: input
885 fields (where user input is typed) and output fields (everywhere
886 else). Prompts are part of the output fields. Most Emacs motion
887 commands do not cross field boundaries, unless they move over multiple
888 lines. For instance, when point is in the input field on a shell
889 command line, @kbd{C-a} puts point at the beginning of the input
890 field, after the prompt. Internally, the fields are implemented using
891 the @code{field} text property (@pxref{Text Properties,,, elisp, the
892 Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
894 @vindex comint-use-prompt-regexp
895 @vindex shell-prompt-pattern
896 If you change the variable @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} to a
897 non-@code{nil} value, then Comint mode recognize prompts using a
898 regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}). In Shell mode, the regular
899 expression is specified by the variable @code{shell-prompt-pattern}.
900 The default value of @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil},
901 because this method for recognizing prompts is unreliable, but you may
902 want to set it to a non-@code{nil} value in unusual circumstances. In
903 that case, Emacs does not divide the Comint buffer into fields, so the
904 general motion commands behave as they normally do in buffers without
905 special text properties. However, you can use the paragraph motion
906 commands to conveniently navigate the buffer (@pxref{Paragraphs}); in
907 Shell mode, Emacs uses @code{shell-prompt-pattern} as paragraph
911 @subsection Shell Command History
913 Shell buffers support three ways of repeating earlier commands. You
914 can use keys like those used for the minibuffer history; these work
915 much as they do in the minibuffer, inserting text from prior commands
916 while point remains always at the end of the buffer. You can move
917 through the buffer to previous inputs in their original place, then
918 resubmit them or copy them to the end. Or you can use a
919 @samp{!}-style history reference.
922 * Ring: Shell Ring. Fetching commands from the history list.
923 * Copy: Shell History Copying. Moving to a command and then copying it.
924 * History References:: Expanding @samp{!}-style history references.
928 @subsubsection Shell History Ring
931 @findex comint-previous-input
932 @kindex M-p @r{(Shell mode)}
935 Fetch the next earlier old shell command.
937 @kindex M-n @r{(Shell mode)}
938 @findex comint-next-input
941 Fetch the next later old shell command.
943 @kindex M-r @r{(Shell mode)}
944 @findex comint-history-isearch-backward-regexp
946 Begin an incremental regexp search of old shell commands.
949 @kindex C-c C-x @r{(Shell mode)}
950 @findex comint-get-next-from-history
951 Fetch the next subsequent command from the history.
954 @kindex C-c . @r{(Shell mode)}
955 @findex comint-input-previous-argument
956 Fetch one argument from an old shell command.
959 @kindex C-c C-l @r{(Shell mode)}
960 @findex comint-dynamic-list-input-ring
961 Display the buffer's history of shell commands in another window
962 (@code{comint-dynamic-list-input-ring}).
965 Shell buffers provide a history of previously entered shell
966 commands. To reuse shell commands from the history, use the editing
967 commands @kbd{M-p}, @kbd{M-n}, @kbd{M-r} and @kbd{M-s}. These work
968 just like the minibuffer history commands (@pxref{Minibuffer
969 History}), except that they operate within the Shell buffer rather
972 @kbd{M-p} fetches an earlier shell command to the end of the shell
973 buffer. Successive use of @kbd{M-p} fetches successively earlier
974 shell commands, each replacing any text that was already present as
975 potential shell input. @kbd{M-n} does likewise except that it finds
976 successively more recent shell commands from the buffer.
977 @kbd{C-@key{UP}} works like @kbd{M-p}, and @kbd{C-@key{DOWN}} like
980 The history search command @kbd{M-r} begins an incremental regular
981 expression search of previous shell commands. After typing @kbd{M-r},
982 start typing the desired string or regular expression; the last
983 matching shell command will be displayed in the current line.
984 Incremental search commands have their usual effects---for instance,
985 @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r} search forward and backward for the next match
986 (@pxref{Incremental Search}). When you find the desired input, type
987 @key{RET} to terminate the search. This puts the input in the command
988 line. Any partial input you were composing before navigating the
989 history list is restored when you go to the beginning or end of the
992 Often it is useful to reexecute several successive shell commands that
993 were previously executed in sequence. To do this, first find and
994 reexecute the first command of the sequence. Then type @kbd{C-c C-x};
995 that will fetch the following command---the one that follows the command
996 you just repeated. Then type @key{RET} to reexecute this command. You
997 can reexecute several successive commands by typing @kbd{C-c C-x
998 @key{RET}} over and over.
1000 The command @kbd{C-c .}@: (@code{comint-input-previous-argument})
1001 copies an individual argument from a previous command, like
1002 @kbd{@key{ESC} .} in Bash. The simplest use copies the last argument from the
1003 previous shell command. With a prefix argument @var{n}, it copies the
1004 @var{n}th argument instead. Repeating @kbd{C-c .} copies from an
1005 earlier shell command instead, always using the same value of @var{n}
1006 (don't give a prefix argument when you repeat the @kbd{C-c .}
1009 These commands get the text of previous shell commands from a special
1010 history list, not from the shell buffer itself. Thus, editing the shell
1011 buffer, or even killing large parts of it, does not affect the history
1012 that these commands access.
1014 @vindex shell-input-ring-file-name
1015 Some shells store their command histories in files so that you can
1016 refer to commands from previous shell sessions. Emacs reads
1017 the command history file for your chosen shell, to initialize its own
1018 command history. The file name is @file{~/.bash_history} for bash,
1019 @file{~/.sh_history} for ksh, and @file{~/.history} for other shells.
1021 @node Shell History Copying
1022 @subsubsection Shell History Copying
1025 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Shell mode)}
1026 @findex comint-previous-prompt
1028 Move point to the previous prompt (@code{comint-previous-prompt}).
1030 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Shell mode)}
1031 @findex comint-next-prompt
1033 Move point to the following prompt (@code{comint-next-prompt}).
1035 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Shell mode)}
1036 @findex comint-copy-old-input
1038 Copy the input command at point, inserting the copy at the end of the
1039 buffer (@code{comint-copy-old-input}). This is useful if you move
1040 point back to a previous command. After you copy the command, you can
1041 submit the copy as input with @key{RET}. If you wish, you can edit
1042 the copy before resubmitting it. If you use this command on an output
1043 line, it copies that line to the end of the buffer.
1046 If @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil} (the default), copy
1047 the old input command that you click on, inserting the copy at the end
1048 of the buffer (@code{comint-insert-input}). If
1049 @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is non-@code{nil}, or if the click is
1050 not over old input, just yank as usual.
1053 Moving to a previous input and then copying it with @kbd{C-c
1054 @key{RET}} or @kbd{Mouse-2} produces the same results---the same
1055 buffer contents---that you would get by using @kbd{M-p} enough times
1056 to fetch that previous input from the history list. However, @kbd{C-c
1057 @key{RET}} copies the text from the buffer, which can be different
1058 from what is in the history list if you edit the input text in the
1059 buffer after it has been sent.
1061 @node History References
1062 @subsubsection Shell History References
1063 @cindex history reference
1065 Various shells including csh and bash support @dfn{history
1066 references} that begin with @samp{!} and @samp{^}. Shell mode
1067 recognizes these constructs, and can perform the history substitution
1070 If you insert a history reference and type @key{TAB}, this searches
1071 the input history for a matching command, performs substitution if
1072 necessary, and places the result in the buffer in place of the history
1073 reference. For example, you can fetch the most recent command
1074 beginning with @samp{mv} with @kbd{! m v @key{TAB}}. You can edit the
1075 command if you wish, and then resubmit the command to the shell by
1078 @vindex comint-input-autoexpand
1079 @findex comint-magic-space
1080 Shell mode can optionally expand history references in the buffer
1081 when you send them to the shell. To request this, set the variable
1082 @code{comint-input-autoexpand} to @code{input}. You can make
1083 @key{SPC} perform history expansion by binding @key{SPC} to the
1084 command @code{comint-magic-space}.
1086 Shell mode recognizes history references when they follow a prompt.
1087 @xref{Shell Prompts}, for how Shell mode recognizes prompts.
1089 @node Directory Tracking
1090 @subsection Directory Tracking
1091 @cindex directory tracking
1093 @vindex shell-pushd-regexp
1094 @vindex shell-popd-regexp
1095 @vindex shell-cd-regexp
1096 Shell mode keeps track of @samp{cd}, @samp{pushd} and @samp{popd}
1097 commands given to the subshell, in order to keep the Shell buffer's
1098 default directory (@pxref{File Names}) the same as the shell's working
1099 directory. It recognizes these commands by examining lines of input
1102 If you use aliases for these commands, you can tell Emacs to
1103 recognize them also, by setting the variables
1104 @code{shell-pushd-regexp}, @code{shell-popd-regexp}, and
1105 @code{shell-cd-regexp} to the appropriate regular expressions
1106 (@pxref{Regexps}). For example, if @code{shell-pushd-regexp} matches
1107 the beginning of a shell command line, that line is regarded as a
1108 @code{pushd} command. These commands are recognized only at the
1109 beginning of a shell command line.
1112 If Emacs gets confused about changes in the working directory of the
1113 subshell, type @kbd{M-x dirs}. This command asks the shell for its
1114 working directory and updates the default directory accordingly. It
1115 works for shells that support the most common command syntax, but may
1116 not work for unusual shells.
1118 @findex dirtrack-mode
1119 @cindex Dirtrack mode
1120 @cindex mode, Dirtrack
1121 @vindex dirtrack-list
1122 You can also use Dirtrack mode, a buffer-local minor mode that
1123 implements an alternative method of tracking the shell's working
1124 directory. To use this method, your shell prompt must contain the
1125 working directory at all times, and you must supply a regular
1126 expression for recognizing which part of the prompt contains the
1127 working directory; see the documentation of the variable
1128 @code{dirtrack-list} for details. To use Dirtrack mode, type @kbd{M-x
1129 dirtrack-mode} in the Shell buffer, or add @code{dirtrack-mode} to
1130 @code{shell-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}).
1133 @subsection Shell Mode Options
1135 @vindex comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input
1136 If the variable @code{comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input} is
1137 non-@code{nil}, insertion and yank commands scroll the selected window
1138 to the bottom before inserting. The default is @code{nil}.
1140 @vindex comint-scroll-show-maximum-output
1141 If @code{comint-scroll-show-maximum-output} is non-@code{nil}, then
1142 arrival of output when point is at the end tries to scroll the last
1143 line of text to the bottom line of the window, showing as much useful
1144 text as possible. (This mimics the scrolling behavior of most
1145 terminals.) The default is @code{t}.
1147 @vindex comint-move-point-for-output
1148 By setting @code{comint-move-point-for-output}, you can opt for
1149 having point jump to the end of the buffer whenever output arrives---no
1150 matter where in the buffer point was before. If the value is
1151 @code{this}, point jumps in the selected window. If the value is
1152 @code{all}, point jumps in each window that shows the Comint buffer. If
1153 the value is @code{other}, point jumps in all nonselected windows that
1154 show the current buffer. The default value is @code{nil}, which means
1155 point does not jump to the end.
1157 @vindex comint-prompt-read-only
1158 If you set @code{comint-prompt-read-only}, the prompts in the Comint
1159 buffer are read-only.
1161 @vindex comint-input-ignoredups
1162 The variable @code{comint-input-ignoredups} controls whether successive
1163 identical inputs are stored in the input history. A non-@code{nil}
1164 value means to omit an input that is the same as the previous input.
1165 The default is @code{nil}, which means to store each input even if it is
1166 equal to the previous input.
1168 @vindex comint-completion-addsuffix
1169 @vindex comint-completion-recexact
1170 @vindex comint-completion-autolist
1171 Three variables customize file name completion. The variable
1172 @code{comint-completion-addsuffix} controls whether completion inserts a
1173 space or a slash to indicate a fully completed file or directory name
1174 (non-@code{nil} means do insert a space or slash).
1175 @code{comint-completion-recexact}, if non-@code{nil}, directs @key{TAB}
1176 to choose the shortest possible completion if the usual Emacs completion
1177 algorithm cannot add even a single character.
1178 @code{comint-completion-autolist}, if non-@code{nil}, says to list all
1179 the possible completions whenever completion is not exact.
1181 @vindex shell-completion-execonly
1182 Command completion normally considers only executable files.
1183 If you set @code{shell-completion-execonly} to @code{nil},
1184 it considers nonexecutable files as well.
1186 @vindex shell-completion-fignore
1187 @vindex comint-completion-fignore
1188 The variable @code{shell-completion-fignore} specifies a list of file
1189 name extensions to ignore in Shell mode completion. The default
1190 setting is @code{nil}, but some users prefer @code{("~" "#" "%")} to
1191 ignore file names ending in @samp{~}, @samp{#} or @samp{%}. Other
1192 related Comint modes use the variable @code{comint-completion-fignore}
1195 @findex shell-dynamic-complete-command
1196 Some implementation details of the shell command completion may also be found
1197 in the lisp documentation of the @code{shell-dynamic-complete-command}
1200 @findex shell-pushd-tohome
1201 @findex shell-pushd-dextract
1202 @findex shell-pushd-dunique
1203 You can configure the behavior of @samp{pushd}. Variables control
1204 whether @samp{pushd} behaves like @samp{cd} if no argument is given
1205 (@code{shell-pushd-tohome}), pop rather than rotate with a numeric
1206 argument (@code{shell-pushd-dextract}), and only add directories to the
1207 directory stack if they are not already on it
1208 (@code{shell-pushd-dunique}). The values you choose should match the
1209 underlying shell, of course.
1211 @node Terminal emulator
1212 @subsection Emacs Terminal Emulator
1215 To run a subshell in a text terminal emulator, use @kbd{M-x term}.
1216 This creates (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*terminal*}, and runs a
1217 subshell with input coming from your keyboard, and output going to
1220 @cindex line mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1221 @cindex char mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1222 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1223 @dfn{line mode}, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell
1224 Mode}). In @dfn{char mode}, each character is sent directly to the
1225 subshell, as terminal input; the sole exception is the terminal escape
1226 character, which by default is @kbd{C-c} (@pxref{Term Mode}). Any
1227 echoing of your input is the responsibility of the subshell; any
1228 terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer, advancing
1231 Some programs (such as Emacs itself) need to control the appearance
1232 of the terminal screen in detail. They do this by emitting special
1233 control codes. Term mode recognizes and handles ANSI-standard
1234 VT100-style escape sequences, which are accepted by most modern
1235 terminals, including @command{xterm}. (Hence, you can actually run
1236 Emacs inside an Emacs Term window.)
1238 The @code{term} face specifies the default appearance of text
1239 in the terminal emulator (the default is the same appearance as the
1240 @code{default} face). When terminal control codes are used to change
1241 the appearance of text, these are represented in the terminal emulator
1242 by the faces @code{term-color-black}, @code{term-color-red},
1243 @code{term-color-green}, @code{term-color-yellow}
1244 @code{term-color-blue}, @code{term-color-magenta},
1245 @code{term-color-cyan}, @code{term-color-white},
1246 @code{term-color-underline}, and @code{term-color-bold}.
1249 You can also Term mode to communicate with a device connected to a
1250 serial port. @xref{Serial Terminal}.
1252 The file name used to load the subshell is determined the same way
1253 as for Shell mode. To make multiple terminal emulators, rename the
1254 buffer @file{*terminal*} to something different using @kbd{M-x
1255 rename-uniquely}, just as with Shell mode.
1257 Unlike Shell mode, Term mode does not track the current directory by
1258 examining your input. But some shells can tell Term what the current
1259 directory is. This is done automatically by @code{bash} version 1.15
1266 @subsection Term Mode
1270 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1271 line mode, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell Mode}).
1272 In char mode, each character is sent directly to the subshell, except
1273 for the Term escape character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
1275 To switch between line and char mode, use these commands:
1278 @kindex C-c C-j @r{(Term mode)}
1279 @findex term-line-mode
1281 Switch to line mode (@code{term-line-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1284 @kindex C-c C-k @r{(Term mode)}
1285 @findex term-char-mode
1287 Switch to char mode (@code{term-char-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1291 The following commands are only available in char mode:
1295 Send a literal @key{C-c} to the sub-shell.
1297 @item C-c @var{char}
1298 This is equivalent to @kbd{C-x @var{char}} in normal Emacs. For
1299 example, @kbd{C-c o} invokes the global binding of @kbd{C-x o}, which
1300 is normally @samp{other-window}.
1303 @cindex paging in Term mode
1304 Term mode has a page-at-a-time feature. When enabled, it makes
1305 output pause at the end of each screenful:
1308 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Term mode)}
1309 @findex term-pager-toggle
1311 Toggle the page-at-a-time feature. This command works in both line
1312 and char modes. When the feature is enabled, the mode-line displays
1313 the word @samp{page}, and each time Term receives more than a
1314 screenful of output, it pauses and displays @samp{**MORE**} in the
1315 mode-line. Type @key{SPC} to display the next screenful of output, or
1316 @kbd{?} to see your other options. The interface is similar to the
1317 @code{more} program.
1321 @subsection Remote Host Shell
1323 @cindex connecting to remote host
1327 You can login to a remote computer, using whatever commands you
1328 would from a regular terminal (e.g., using the @code{telnet} or
1329 @code{rlogin} commands), from a Term window.
1331 A program that asks you for a password will normally suppress
1332 echoing of the password, so the password will not show up in the
1333 buffer. This will happen just as if you were using a real terminal,
1334 if the buffer is in char mode. If it is in line mode, the password is
1335 temporarily visible, but will be erased when you hit return. (This
1336 happens automatically; there is no special password processing.)
1338 When you log in to a different machine, you need to specify the type
1339 of terminal you're using, by setting the @env{TERM} environment
1340 variable in the environment for the remote login command. (If you use
1341 bash, you do that by writing the variable assignment before the remote
1342 login command, without a separating comma.) Terminal types
1343 @samp{ansi} or @samp{vt100} will work on most systems.
1345 @node Serial Terminal
1346 @subsection Serial Terminal
1347 @cindex terminal, serial
1350 If you have a device connected to a serial port of your computer,
1351 you can communicate with it by typing @kbd{M-x serial-term}. This
1352 command asks for a serial port name and speed, and switches to a new
1353 Term mode buffer. Emacs communicates with the serial device through
1354 this buffer just like it does with a terminal in ordinary Term mode.
1356 The speed of the serial port is measured in bits per second. The
1357 most common speed is 9600 bits per second. You can change the speed
1358 interactively by clicking on the mode line.
1360 A serial port can be configured even more by clicking on ``8N1'' in
1361 the mode line. By default, a serial port is configured as ``8N1'',
1362 which means that each byte consists of 8 data bits, No parity check
1365 If the speed or the configuration is wrong, you cannot communicate
1366 with your device and will probably only see garbage output in the
1370 @section Using Emacs as a Server
1372 @cindex Emacs as a server
1373 @cindex server, using Emacs as
1374 @cindex @env{EDITOR} environment variable
1376 Various programs can invoke your choice of editor to edit a
1377 particular piece of text. For instance, version control programs
1378 invoke an editor to enter version control logs (@pxref{Version
1379 Control}), and the Unix @command{mail} utility invokes an editor to
1380 enter a message to send. By convention, your choice of editor is
1381 specified by the environment variable @env{EDITOR}. If you set
1382 @env{EDITOR} to @samp{emacs}, Emacs would be invoked, but in an
1383 inconvenient way---by starting a new Emacs process. This is
1384 inconvenient because the new Emacs process doesn't share buffers, a
1385 command history, or other kinds of information with any existing Emacs
1388 You can solve this problem by setting up Emacs as an @dfn{edit
1389 server}, so that it ``listens'' for external edit requests and acts
1390 accordingly. There are two ways to start an Emacs server:
1393 @findex server-start
1395 Run the command @code{server-start} in an existing Emacs process:
1396 either type @kbd{M-x server-start}, or put the expression
1397 @code{(server-start)} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}). The
1398 existing Emacs process is the server; when you exit Emacs, the server
1399 dies with the Emacs process.
1401 @cindex daemon, Emacs
1403 Run Emacs as a @dfn{daemon}, using the @samp{--daemon} command-line
1404 option. @xref{Initial Options}. When Emacs is started this way, it
1405 calls @code{server-start} after initialization, and returns control to
1406 the calling terminal instead of opening an initial frame; it then
1407 waits in the background, listening for edit requests.
1410 @cindex @env{TEXEDIT} environment variable
1411 Either way, once an Emacs server is started, you can use a shell
1412 command called @command{emacsclient} to connect to the Emacs process
1413 and tell it to visit a file. You can then set the @env{EDITOR}
1414 environment variable to @samp{emacsclient}, so that external programs
1415 will use the existing Emacs process for editing.@footnote{Some
1416 programs use a different environment variable; for example, to make
1417 @TeX{} use @samp{emacsclient}, set the @env{TEXEDIT} environment
1418 variable to @samp{emacsclient +%d %s}.}
1421 You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
1422 each one a unique ``server name'', using the variable
1423 @code{server-name}. For example, @kbd{M-x set-variable @key{RET}
1424 server-name @key{RET} foo @key{RET}} sets the server name to
1425 @samp{foo}. The @code{emacsclient} program can specify a server by
1426 name, using the @samp{-s} option (@pxref{emacsclient Options}).
1428 @findex server-eval-at
1429 If you have defined a server by a unique server name, it is possible
1430 to connect to the server from another Emacs instance and evaluate Lisp
1431 expressions on the server, using the @code{server-eval-at} function.
1432 For instance, @code{(server-eval-at "foo" '(+ 1 2))} evaluates the
1433 expression @code{(+ 1 2)} on the @samp{foo} server, and returns
1434 @code{3}. (If there is no server with that name, an error is
1435 signaled.) Currently, this feature is mainly useful for developers.
1438 * Invoking emacsclient:: Connecting to the Emacs server.
1439 * emacsclient Options:: Emacs client startup options.
1442 @node Invoking emacsclient
1443 @subsection Invoking @code{emacsclient}
1444 @cindex @code{emacsclient} invocation
1446 The simplest way to use the @command{emacsclient} program is to run
1447 the shell command @samp{emacsclient @var{file}}, where @var{file} is a
1448 file name. This connects to an Emacs server, and tells that Emacs
1449 process to visit @var{file} in one of its existing frames---either a
1450 graphical frame, or one in a text terminal (@pxref{Frames}). You
1451 can then select that frame to begin editing.
1453 If there is no Emacs server, the @command{emacsclient} program halts
1454 with an error message. If the Emacs process has no existing
1455 frame---which can happen if it was started as a daemon (@pxref{Emacs
1456 Server})---then Emacs opens a frame on the terminal in which you
1457 called @command{emacsclient}.
1459 You can also force @command{emacsclient} to open a new frame on a
1460 graphical display, or on a text terminal, using the @samp{-c} and
1461 @samp{-t} options. @xref{emacsclient Options}.
1463 If you are running on a single text terminal, you can switch between
1464 @command{emacsclient}'s shell and the Emacs server using one of two
1465 methods: (i) run the Emacs server and @command{emacsclient} on
1466 different virtual terminals, and switch to the Emacs server's virtual
1467 terminal after calling @command{emacsclient}; or (ii) call
1468 @command{emacsclient} from within the Emacs server itself, using Shell
1469 mode (@pxref{Interactive Shell}) or Term mode (@pxref{Term Mode});
1470 @code{emacsclient} blocks only the subshell under Emacs, and you can
1471 still use Emacs to edit the file.
1475 When you finish editing @var{file} in the Emacs server, type
1476 @kbd{C-x #} (@code{server-edit}) in its buffer. This saves the file
1477 and sends a message back to the @command{emacsclient} program, telling
1478 it to exit. Programs that use @env{EDITOR} usually wait for the
1479 ``editor''---in this case @command{emacsclient}---to exit before doing
1482 You can also call @command{emacsclient} with multiple file name
1483 arguments: @samp{emacsclient @var{file1} @var{file2} ...} tells the
1484 Emacs server to visit @var{file1}, @var{file2}, and so forth. Emacs
1485 selects the buffer visiting @var{file1}, and buries the other buffers
1486 at the bottom of the buffer list (@pxref{Buffers}). The
1487 @command{emacsclient} program exits once all the specified files are
1488 finished (i.e., once you have typed @kbd{C-x #} in each server
1491 @vindex server-kill-new-buffers
1492 @vindex server-temp-file-regexp
1493 Finishing with a server buffer also kills the buffer, unless it
1494 already existed in the Emacs session before the server was asked to
1495 create it. However, if you set @code{server-kill-new-buffers} to
1496 @code{nil}, then a different criterion is used: finishing with a
1497 server buffer kills it if the file name matches the regular expression
1498 @code{server-temp-file-regexp}. This is set up to distinguish certain
1499 ``temporary'' files.
1501 Each @kbd{C-x #} checks for other pending external requests to edit
1502 various files, and selects the next such file. You can switch to a
1503 server buffer manually if you wish; you don't have to arrive at it
1504 with @kbd{C-x #}. But @kbd{C-x #} is the way to tell
1505 @command{emacsclient} that you are finished.
1507 @vindex server-window
1508 If you set the value of the variable @code{server-window} to a
1509 window or a frame, @kbd{C-x #} always displays the next server buffer
1510 in that window or in that frame.
1512 @node emacsclient Options
1513 @subsection @code{emacsclient} Options
1514 @cindex @code{emacsclient} options
1516 You can pass some optional arguments to the @command{emacsclient}
1520 emacsclient -c +12 @var{file1} +4:3 @var{file2}
1524 The @samp{+@var{line}} or @samp{+@var{line}:@var{column}} arguments
1525 specify line numbers, or line and column numbers, for the next file
1526 argument. These behave like the command line arguments for Emacs
1527 itself. @xref{Action Arguments}.
1529 The other optional arguments recognized by @command{emacsclient} are
1533 @item -a @var{command}
1534 @itemx --alternate-editor=@var{command}
1535 Specify a command to run if @code{emacsclient} fails to contact Emacs.
1536 This is useful when running @code{emacsclient} in a script.
1538 As a special exception, if @var{command} is the empty string, then
1539 @code{emacsclient} starts Emacs in daemon mode (as @command{emacs
1540 --daemon}) and then tries connecting again.
1542 @cindex @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} environment variable
1543 The environment variable @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} has the same effect as
1544 the @samp{-a} option. If both are present, the latter takes
1547 @cindex client frame
1549 Create a new graphical @dfn{client frame}, instead of using an
1550 existing Emacs frame. See below for the special behavior of @kbd{C-x
1551 C-c} in a client frame. If Emacs cannot create a new graphical frame
1552 (e.g., if it cannot connect to the X server), it tries to create a
1553 text terminal client frame, as though you had supplied the @samp{-t}
1556 On MS-Windows, a single Emacs session cannot display frames on both
1557 graphical and text terminals, nor on multiple text terminals. Thus,
1558 if the Emacs server is running on a text terminal, the @samp{-c}
1559 option, like the @samp{-t} option, creates a new frame in the server's
1560 current text terminal. @xref{Windows Startup}.
1562 If you omit a filename argument while supplying the @samp{-c} option,
1563 the new frame displays the @file{*scratch*} buffer by default. You
1564 can customize this behavior with the variable @code{initial-buffer-choice}
1565 (@pxref{Entering Emacs}).
1567 @item -F @var{alist}
1568 @itemx --frame-parameters=@var{alist}
1569 Set the parameters for a newly-created graphical frame
1570 (@pxref{Frame Parameters}).
1572 @item -d @var{display}
1573 @itemx --display=@var{display}
1574 Tell Emacs to open the given files on the X display @var{display}
1575 (assuming there is more than one X display available).
1579 Tell Emacs to evaluate some Emacs Lisp code, instead of visiting some
1580 files. When this option is given, the arguments to
1581 @command{emacsclient} are interpreted as a list of expressions to
1582 evaluate, @emph{not} as a list of files to visit.
1584 @item -f @var{server-file}
1585 @itemx --server-file=@var{server-file}
1586 @cindex @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE} environment variable
1587 Specify a @dfn{server file} for connecting to an Emacs server via TCP.
1589 An Emacs server usually uses an operating system feature called a
1590 ``local socket'' to listen for connections. Some operating systems,
1591 such as Microsoft Windows, do not support local sockets; in that case,
1592 the server communicates with @command{emacsclient} via TCP.
1594 @vindex server-auth-dir
1597 When you start a TCP Emacs server, Emacs creates a @dfn{server file}
1598 containing the TCP information to be used by @command{emacsclient} to
1599 connect to the server. The variable @code{server-auth-dir} specifies
1600 the directory containing the server file; by default, this is
1601 @file{~/.emacs.d/server/}. To tell @command{emacsclient} to connect
1602 to the server over TCP with a specific server file, use the @samp{-f}
1603 or @samp{--server-file} option, or set the @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE}
1604 environment variable.
1608 Let @command{emacsclient} exit immediately, instead of waiting until
1609 all server buffers are finished. You can take as long as you like to
1610 edit the server buffers within Emacs, and they are @emph{not} killed
1611 when you type @kbd{C-x #} in them.
1613 @item --parent-id @var{ID}
1614 Open an @command{emacsclient} frame as a client frame in the parent X
1615 window with id @var{ID}, via the XEmbed protocol. Currently, this
1616 option is mainly useful for developers.
1620 Do not let @command{emacsclient} display messages about waiting for
1621 Emacs or connecting to remote server sockets.
1623 @item -s @var{server-name}
1624 @itemx --socket-name=@var{server-name}
1625 Connect to the Emacs server named @var{server-name}. The server name
1626 is given by the variable @code{server-name} on the Emacs server. If
1627 this option is omitted, @command{emacsclient} connects to the first
1628 server it finds. (This option is not supported on MS-Windows.)
1633 Create a new client frame on the current text terminal, instead of
1634 using an existing Emacs frame. This behaves just like the @samp{-c}
1635 option, described above, except that it creates a text terminal frame
1636 (@pxref{Non-Window Terminals}).
1638 On MS-Windows, @samp{-t} behaves just like @samp{-c} if the Emacs
1639 server is using the graphical display, but if the Emacs server is
1640 running on a text terminal, it creates a new frame in the current text
1644 The new graphical or text terminal frames created by the @samp{-c}
1645 or @samp{-t} options are considered @dfn{client frames}. Any new
1646 frame that you create from a client frame is also considered a client
1647 frame. If you type @kbd{C-x C-c} (@code{save-buffers-kill-terminal})
1648 in a client frame, that command does not kill the Emacs session as it
1649 normally does (@pxref{Exiting}). Instead, Emacs deletes the client
1650 frame; furthermore, if the client frame has an @command{emacsclient}
1651 waiting to regain control (i.e., if you did not supply the @samp{-n}
1652 option), Emacs deletes all other frames of the same client, and marks
1653 the client's server buffers as finished, as though you had typed
1654 @kbd{C-x #} in all of them. If it so happens that there are no
1655 remaining frames after the client frame(s) are deleted, the Emacs
1658 As an exception, when Emacs is started as a daemon, all frames are
1659 considered client frames, and @kbd{C-x C-c} never kills Emacs. To
1660 kill a daemon session, type @kbd{M-x kill-emacs}.
1662 Note that the @samp{-t} and @samp{-n} options are contradictory:
1663 @samp{-t} says to take control of the current text terminal to create
1664 a new client frame, while @samp{-n} says not to take control of the
1665 text terminal. If you supply both options, Emacs visits the specified
1666 files(s) in an existing frame rather than a new client frame, negating
1667 the effect of @samp{-t}.
1670 @section Printing Hard Copies
1674 Emacs provides commands for printing hardcopies of either an entire
1675 buffer or part of one. You can invoke the printing commands directly,
1676 as detailed below, or using the @samp{File} menu on the menu bar.
1678 @findex htmlfontify-buffer
1679 Aside from the commands described in this section, you can also
1680 print hardcopies from Dired (@pxref{Operating on Files}) and the diary
1681 (@pxref{Displaying the Diary}). You can also ``print'' an Emacs
1682 buffer to HTML with the command @kbd{M-x htmlfontify-buffer}, which
1683 converts the current buffer to a HTML file, replacing Emacs faces with
1684 CSS-based markup. Furthermore, Org mode allows you to ``print'' Org
1685 files to a variety of formats, such as PDF (@pxref{Org Mode}).
1688 @item M-x print-buffer
1689 Print hardcopy of current buffer with page headings containing the
1690 file name and page number.
1691 @item M-x lpr-buffer
1692 Print hardcopy of current buffer without page headings.
1693 @item M-x print-region
1694 Like @code{print-buffer} but print only the current region.
1695 @item M-x lpr-region
1696 Like @code{lpr-buffer} but print only the current region.
1699 @findex print-buffer
1700 @findex print-region
1703 @vindex lpr-switches
1704 @vindex lpr-commands
1705 On most operating system, the above hardcopy commands submit files
1706 for printing by calling the @command{lpr} program. To change the
1707 printer program, customize the variable @code{lpr-command}. To
1708 specify extra switches to give the printer program, customize the list
1709 variable @code{lpr-switches}. Its value should be a list of option
1710 strings, each of which should start with @samp{-} (e.g., the option
1711 string @code{"-w80"} specifies a line width of 80 columns). The
1712 default is the empty list, @code{nil}.
1714 @vindex printer-name
1715 @vindex lpr-printer-switch
1716 To specify the printer to use, set the variable @code{printer-name}.
1717 The default, @code{nil}, specifies the default printer. If you set it
1718 to a printer name (a string), that name is passed to @command{lpr}
1719 with the @samp{-P} switch; if you are not using @command{lpr}, you
1720 should specify the switch with @code{lpr-printer-switch}.
1722 @vindex lpr-headers-switches
1723 @vindex lpr-add-switches
1724 The variable @code{lpr-headers-switches} similarly specifies the
1725 extra switches to use to make page headers. The variable
1726 @code{lpr-add-switches} controls whether to supply @samp{-T} and
1727 @samp{-J} options (suitable for @command{lpr}) to the printer program:
1728 @code{nil} means don't add them (this should be the value if your
1729 printer program is not compatible with @command{lpr}).
1732 * PostScript:: Printing buffers or regions as PostScript.
1733 * PostScript Variables:: Customizing the PostScript printing commands.
1734 * Printing Package:: An optional advanced printing interface.
1738 @subsection PostScript Hardcopy
1740 These commands convert buffer contents to PostScript,
1741 either printing it or leaving it in another Emacs buffer.
1744 @item M-x ps-print-buffer
1745 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form.
1746 @item M-x ps-print-region
1747 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form.
1748 @item M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1749 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form, showing the
1750 faces used in the text by means of PostScript features.
1751 @item M-x ps-print-region-with-faces
1752 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form, showing the
1753 faces used in the text.
1754 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer
1755 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer text.
1756 @item M-x ps-spool-region
1757 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region.
1758 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1759 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer, showing the faces used.
1760 @item M-x ps-spool-region-with-faces
1761 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region, showing the faces used.
1762 @item M-x ps-despool
1763 Send the spooled PostScript to the printer.
1765 Generate/print PostScript for the current buffer as if handwritten.
1768 @findex ps-print-region
1769 @findex ps-print-buffer
1770 @findex ps-print-region-with-faces
1771 @findex ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1772 The @code{ps-print-buffer} and @code{ps-print-region} commands print
1773 buffer contents in PostScript form. One command prints the entire
1774 buffer; the other, just the region. The commands
1775 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} and
1776 @code{ps-print-region-with-faces} behave similarly, but use PostScript
1777 features to show the faces (fonts and colors) of the buffer text.
1779 Interactively, when you use a prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), the command
1780 prompts the user for a file name, and saves the PostScript image in that file
1781 instead of sending it to the printer.
1783 @findex ps-spool-region
1784 @findex ps-spool-buffer
1785 @findex ps-spool-region-with-faces
1786 @findex ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1787 The commands whose names have @samp{spool} instead of @samp{print},
1788 generate the PostScript output in an Emacs buffer instead of sending
1792 Use the command @code{ps-despool} to send the spooled images to the
1793 printer. This command sends the PostScript generated by
1794 @samp{-spool-} commands (see commands above) to the printer. With a
1795 prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), it prompts for a file name, and saves the
1796 spooled PostScript image in that file instead of sending it to the
1801 @kbd{M-x handwrite} is more frivolous. It generates a PostScript
1802 rendition of the current buffer as a cursive handwritten document. It
1803 can be customized in group @code{handwrite}. This function only
1804 supports ISO 8859-1 characters.
1806 @node PostScript Variables
1807 @subsection Variables for PostScript Hardcopy
1809 @vindex ps-lpr-command
1810 @vindex ps-lpr-switches
1811 @vindex ps-printer-name
1812 All the PostScript hardcopy commands use the variables
1813 @code{ps-lpr-command} and @code{ps-lpr-switches} to specify how to print
1814 the output. @code{ps-lpr-command} specifies the command name to run,
1815 @code{ps-lpr-switches} specifies command line options to use, and
1816 @code{ps-printer-name} specifies the printer. If you don't set the
1817 first two variables yourself, they take their initial values from
1818 @code{lpr-command} and @code{lpr-switches}. If @code{ps-printer-name}
1819 is @code{nil}, @code{printer-name} is used.
1821 @vindex ps-print-header
1822 The variable @code{ps-print-header} controls whether these commands
1823 add header lines to each page---set it to @code{nil} to turn headers
1826 @cindex color emulation on black-and-white printers
1827 @vindex ps-print-color-p
1828 If your printer doesn't support colors, you should turn off color
1829 processing by setting @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{nil}. By
1830 default, if the display supports colors, Emacs produces hardcopy output
1831 with color information; on black-and-white printers, colors are emulated
1832 with shades of gray. This might produce illegible output, even if your
1833 screen colors only use shades of gray.
1835 Alternatively, you can set @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{black-white} to
1836 print colors on black/white printers.
1838 @vindex ps-use-face-background
1839 By default, PostScript printing ignores the background colors of the
1840 faces, unless the variable @code{ps-use-face-background} is
1841 non-@code{nil}. This is to avoid unwanted interference with the zebra
1842 stripes and background image/text.
1844 @vindex ps-paper-type
1845 @vindex ps-page-dimensions-database
1846 The variable @code{ps-paper-type} specifies which size of paper to
1847 format for; legitimate values include @code{a4}, @code{a3},
1848 @code{a4small}, @code{b4}, @code{b5}, @code{executive}, @code{ledger},
1849 @code{legal}, @code{letter}, @code{letter-small}, @code{statement},
1850 @code{tabloid}. The default is @code{letter}. You can define
1851 additional paper sizes by changing the variable
1852 @code{ps-page-dimensions-database}.
1854 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
1855 The variable @code{ps-landscape-mode} specifies the orientation of
1856 printing on the page. The default is @code{nil}, which stands for
1857 ``portrait'' mode. Any non-@code{nil} value specifies ``landscape''
1860 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
1861 The variable @code{ps-number-of-columns} specifies the number of
1862 columns; it takes effect in both landscape and portrait mode. The
1865 @vindex ps-font-family
1866 @vindex ps-font-size
1867 @vindex ps-font-info-database
1868 The variable @code{ps-font-family} specifies which font family to use
1869 for printing ordinary text. Legitimate values include @code{Courier},
1870 @code{Helvetica}, @code{NewCenturySchlbk}, @code{Palatino} and
1871 @code{Times}. The variable @code{ps-font-size} specifies the size of
1872 the font for ordinary text. It defaults to 8.5 points.
1874 @vindex ps-multibyte-buffer
1875 @cindex Intlfonts for PostScript printing
1876 @cindex fonts for PostScript printing
1877 Emacs supports more scripts and characters than a typical PostScript
1878 printer. Thus, some of the characters in your buffer might not be
1879 printable using the fonts built into your printer. You can augment
1880 the fonts supplied with the printer with those from the GNU Intlfonts
1881 package, or you can instruct Emacs to use Intlfonts exclusively. The
1882 variable @code{ps-multibyte-buffer} controls this: the default value,
1883 @code{nil}, is appropriate for printing @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1884 characters; a value of @code{non-latin-printer} is for printers which
1885 have the fonts for @acronym{ASCII}, Latin-1, Japanese, and Korean
1886 characters built into them. A value of @code{bdf-font} arranges for
1887 the BDF fonts from the Intlfonts package to be used for @emph{all}
1888 characters. Finally, a value of @code{bdf-font-except-latin}
1889 instructs the printer to use built-in fonts for @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1890 characters, and Intlfonts BDF fonts for the rest.
1892 @vindex bdf-directory-list
1893 To be able to use the BDF fonts, Emacs needs to know where to find
1894 them. The variable @code{bdf-directory-list} holds the list of
1895 directories where Emacs should look for the fonts; the default value
1896 includes a single directory @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/fonts/bdf}.
1898 Many other customization variables for these commands are defined and
1899 described in the Lisp files @file{ps-print.el} and @file{ps-mule.el}.
1901 @node Printing Package
1902 @subsection Printing Package
1903 @cindex Printing package
1905 The basic Emacs facilities for printing hardcopy can be extended
1906 using the Printing package. This provides an easy-to-use interface
1907 for choosing what to print, previewing PostScript files before
1908 printing, and setting various printing options such as print headers,
1909 landscape or portrait modes, duplex modes, and so forth. On GNU/Linux
1910 or Unix systems, the Printing package relies on the @file{gs} and
1911 @file{gv} utilities, which are distributed as part of the GhostScript
1912 program. On MS-Windows, the @file{gstools} port of Ghostscript can be
1915 @findex pr-interface
1916 To use the Printing package, add @code{(require 'printing)} to your
1917 init file (@pxref{Init File}), followed by @code{(pr-update-menus)}.
1918 This function replaces the usual printing commands in the menu bar
1919 with a @samp{Printing} submenu that contains various printing options.
1920 You can also type @kbd{M-x pr-interface @key{RET}}; this creates a
1921 @file{*Printing Interface*} buffer, similar to a customization buffer,
1922 where you can set the printing options. After selecting what and how
1923 to print, you start the print job using the @samp{Print} button (click
1924 @kbd{Mouse-2} on it, or move point over it and type @key{RET}). For
1925 further information on the various options, use the @samp{Interface
1929 @section Sorting Text
1932 Emacs provides several commands for sorting text in the buffer. All
1933 operate on the contents of the region.
1934 They divide the text of the region into many @dfn{sort records},
1935 identify a @dfn{sort key} for each record, and then reorder the records
1936 into the order determined by the sort keys. The records are ordered so
1937 that their keys are in alphabetical order, or, for numeric sorting, in
1938 numeric order. In alphabetic sorting, all upper-case letters `A' through
1939 `Z' come before lower-case `a', in accord with the @acronym{ASCII} character
1942 The various sort commands differ in how they divide the text into sort
1943 records and in which part of each record is used as the sort key. Most of
1944 the commands make each line a separate sort record, but some commands use
1945 paragraphs or pages as sort records. Most of the sort commands use each
1946 entire sort record as its own sort key, but some use only a portion of the
1947 record as the sort key.
1950 @findex sort-paragraphs
1953 @findex sort-numeric-fields
1954 @vindex sort-numeric-base
1956 @item M-x sort-lines
1957 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the entire
1958 text of a line. A numeric argument means sort into descending order.
1960 @item M-x sort-paragraphs
1961 Divide the region into paragraphs, and sort by comparing the entire
1962 text of a paragraph (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1963 argument means sort into descending order.
1965 @item M-x sort-pages
1966 Divide the region into pages, and sort by comparing the entire
1967 text of a page (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1968 argument means sort into descending order.
1970 @item M-x sort-fields
1971 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the contents of
1972 one field in each line. Fields are defined as separated by
1973 whitespace, so the first run of consecutive non-whitespace characters
1974 in a line constitutes field 1, the second such run constitutes field
1977 Specify which field to sort by with a numeric argument: 1 to sort by
1978 field 1, etc. A negative argument means count fields from the right
1979 instead of from the left; thus, minus 1 means sort by the last field.
1980 If several lines have identical contents in the field being sorted, they
1981 keep the same relative order that they had in the original buffer.
1983 @item M-x sort-numeric-fields
1984 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except the specified field is converted
1985 to an integer for each line, and the numbers are compared. @samp{10}
1986 comes before @samp{2} when considered as text, but after it when
1987 considered as a number. By default, numbers are interpreted according
1988 to @code{sort-numeric-base}, but numbers beginning with @samp{0x} or
1989 @samp{0} are interpreted as hexadecimal and octal, respectively.
1991 @item M-x sort-columns
1992 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except that the text within each line
1993 used for comparison comes from a fixed range of columns. See below
1996 @findex reverse-region
1997 @item M-x reverse-region
1998 Reverse the order of the lines in the region. This is useful for
1999 sorting into descending order by fields or columns, since those sort
2000 commands do not have a feature for doing that.
2003 For example, if the buffer contains this:
2006 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2007 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2008 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2009 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2014 applying @kbd{M-x sort-lines} to the entire buffer produces this:
2017 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2018 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2019 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2021 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2025 where the upper-case @samp{O} sorts before all lower-case letters. If
2026 you use @kbd{C-u 2 M-x sort-fields} instead, you get this:
2029 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2030 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2032 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2033 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2037 where the sort keys were @samp{Emacs}, @samp{If}, @samp{buffer},
2038 @samp{systems} and @samp{the}.
2040 @findex sort-columns
2041 @kbd{M-x sort-columns} requires more explanation. You specify the
2042 columns by putting point at one of the columns and the mark at the other
2043 column. Because this means you cannot put point or the mark at the
2044 beginning of the first line of the text you want to sort, this command
2045 uses an unusual definition of ``region'': all of the line point is in is
2046 considered part of the region, and so is all of the line the mark is in,
2047 as well as all the lines in between.
2049 For example, to sort a table by information found in columns 10 to 15,
2050 you could put the mark on column 10 in the first line of the table, and
2051 point on column 15 in the last line of the table, and then run
2052 @code{sort-columns}. Equivalently, you could run it with the mark on
2053 column 15 in the first line and point on column 10 in the last line.
2055 This can be thought of as sorting the rectangle specified by point and
2056 the mark, except that the text on each line to the left or right of the
2057 rectangle moves along with the text inside the rectangle.
2060 @vindex sort-fold-case
2061 Many of the sort commands ignore case differences when comparing, if
2062 @code{sort-fold-case} is non-@code{nil}.
2064 @c Picture Mode documentation
2066 @include picture-xtra.texi
2070 @node Editing Binary Files
2071 @section Editing Binary Files
2075 @cindex editing binary files
2077 There is a special major mode for editing binary files: Hexl mode. To
2078 use it, use @kbd{M-x hexl-find-file} instead of @kbd{C-x C-f} to visit
2079 the file. This command converts the file's contents to hexadecimal and
2080 lets you edit the translation. When you save the file, it is converted
2081 automatically back to binary.
2083 You can also use @kbd{M-x hexl-mode} to translate an existing buffer
2084 into hex. This is useful if you visit a file normally and then discover
2085 it is a binary file.
2087 Ordinary text characters overwrite in Hexl mode. This is to reduce
2088 the risk of accidentally spoiling the alignment of data in the file.
2089 There are special commands for insertion. Here is a list of the
2090 commands of Hexl mode:
2092 @c I don't think individual index entries for these commands are useful--RMS.
2095 Insert a byte with a code typed in decimal.
2098 Insert a byte with a code typed in octal.
2101 Insert a byte with a code typed in hex.
2104 Move to the beginning of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2107 Move to the end of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2110 Move to an address specified in hex.
2113 Move to an address specified in decimal.
2116 Leave Hexl mode, going back to the major mode this buffer had before you
2117 invoked @code{hexl-mode}.
2121 Other Hexl commands let you insert strings (sequences) of binary
2122 bytes, move by @code{short}s or @code{int}s, etc.; type @kbd{C-h a
2123 hexl-@key{RET}} for details.
2126 @node Saving Emacs Sessions
2127 @section Saving Emacs Sessions
2128 @cindex saving sessions
2129 @cindex restore session
2130 @cindex remember editing session
2131 @cindex reload files
2134 @vindex desktop-restore-frames
2135 Use the desktop library to save the state of Emacs from one session
2136 to another. Once you save the Emacs @dfn{desktop}---the buffers,
2137 their file names, major modes, buffer positions, and so on---then
2138 subsequent Emacs sessions reload the saved desktop. By default,
2139 the desktop also tries to save the frame and window configuration.
2140 To disable this, set @code{desktop-restore-frames} to @code{nil}.
2141 (See that variable's documentation for some related options
2142 that you can customize to fine-tune this behavior.)
2144 @findex desktop-save
2145 @vindex desktop-save-mode
2146 You can save the desktop manually with the command @kbd{M-x
2147 desktop-save}. You can also enable automatic saving of the desktop
2148 when you exit Emacs, and automatic restoration of the last saved
2149 desktop when Emacs starts: use the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy
2150 Customization}) to set @code{desktop-save-mode} to @code{t} for future
2151 sessions, or add this line in your init file (@pxref{Init File}):
2154 (desktop-save-mode 1)
2157 @vindex desktop-auto-save-timeout
2159 When @code{desktop-save-mode} is active and the desktop file exists,
2160 Emacs auto-saves it every @code{desktop-auto-save-timeout}
2161 seconds, if that is non-@code{nil} and non-zero.
2163 @findex desktop-change-dir
2164 @findex desktop-revert
2165 @vindex desktop-path
2166 If you turn on @code{desktop-save-mode} in your init file, then when
2167 Emacs starts, it looks for a saved desktop in the current directory.
2168 (More precisely, it looks in the directories specified by
2169 @var{desktop-path}, and uses the first desktop it finds.)
2170 Thus, you can have separate saved desktops in different directories,
2171 and the starting directory determines which one Emacs reloads. You
2172 can save the current desktop and reload one saved in another directory
2173 by typing @kbd{M-x desktop-change-dir}. Typing @kbd{M-x
2174 desktop-revert} reverts to the desktop previously reloaded.
2176 Specify the option @samp{--no-desktop} on the command line when you
2177 don't want it to reload any saved desktop. This turns off
2178 @code{desktop-save-mode} for the current session. Starting Emacs with
2179 the @samp{--no-init-file} option also disables desktop reloading,
2180 since it bypasses the init file, where @code{desktop-save-mode} is
2183 @vindex desktop-restore-eager
2184 By default, all the buffers in the desktop are restored at one go.
2185 However, this may be slow if there are a lot of buffers in the
2186 desktop. You can specify the maximum number of buffers to restore
2187 immediately with the variable @code{desktop-restore-eager}; the
2188 remaining buffers are restored ``lazily'', when Emacs is idle.
2190 @findex desktop-clear
2191 @vindex desktop-globals-to-clear
2192 @vindex desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp
2193 Type @kbd{M-x desktop-clear} to empty the Emacs desktop. This kills
2194 all buffers except for internal ones, and clears the global variables
2195 listed in @code{desktop-globals-to-clear}. If you want this to
2196 preserve certain buffers, customize the variable
2197 @code{desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp}, whose value is a regular
2198 expression matching the names of buffers not to kill.
2200 If you want to save minibuffer history from one session to
2201 another, use the @code{savehist} library.
2203 @node Recursive Edit
2204 @section Recursive Editing Levels
2205 @cindex recursive editing level
2206 @cindex editing level, recursive
2208 A @dfn{recursive edit} is a situation in which you are using Emacs
2209 commands to perform arbitrary editing while in the middle of another
2210 Emacs command. For example, when you type @kbd{C-r} inside of a
2211 @code{query-replace}, you enter a recursive edit in which you can change
2212 the current buffer. On exiting from the recursive edit, you go back to
2213 the @code{query-replace}. @xref{Query Replace}.
2216 @findex exit-recursive-edit
2217 @cindex exiting recursive edit
2218 @dfn{Exiting} the recursive edit means returning to the unfinished
2219 command, which continues execution. The command to exit is @kbd{C-M-c}
2220 (@code{exit-recursive-edit}).
2222 You can also @dfn{abort} the recursive edit. This is like exiting,
2223 but also quits the unfinished command immediately. Use the command
2224 @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}) to do this. @xref{Quitting}.
2226 The mode line shows you when you are in a recursive edit by displaying
2227 square brackets around the parentheses that always surround the major and
2228 minor mode names. Every window's mode line shows this in the same way,
2229 since being in a recursive edit is true of Emacs as a whole rather than
2230 any particular window or buffer.
2232 It is possible to be in recursive edits within recursive edits. For
2233 example, after typing @kbd{C-r} in a @code{query-replace}, you may type a
2234 command that enters the debugger. This begins a recursive editing level
2235 for the debugger, within the recursive editing level for @kbd{C-r}.
2236 Mode lines display a pair of square brackets for each recursive editing
2237 level currently in progress.
2239 Exiting the inner recursive edit (such as with the debugger @kbd{c}
2240 command) resumes the command running in the next level up. When that
2241 command finishes, you can then use @kbd{C-M-c} to exit another recursive
2242 editing level, and so on. Exiting applies to the innermost level only.
2243 Aborting also gets out of only one level of recursive edit; it returns
2244 immediately to the command level of the previous recursive edit. If you
2245 wish, you can then abort the next recursive editing level.
2247 Alternatively, the command @kbd{M-x top-level} aborts all levels of
2248 recursive edits, returning immediately to the top-level command
2249 reader. It also exits the minibuffer, if it is active.
2251 The text being edited inside the recursive edit need not be the same text
2252 that you were editing at top level. It depends on what the recursive edit
2253 is for. If the command that invokes the recursive edit selects a different
2254 buffer first, that is the buffer you will edit recursively. In any case,
2255 you can switch buffers within the recursive edit in the normal manner (as
2256 long as the buffer-switching keys have not been rebound). You could
2257 probably do all the rest of your editing inside the recursive edit,
2258 visiting files and all. But this could have surprising effects (such as
2259 stack overflow) from time to time. So remember to exit or abort the
2260 recursive edit when you no longer need it.
2262 In general, we try to minimize the use of recursive editing levels in
2263 GNU Emacs. This is because they constrain you to ``go back'' in a
2264 particular order---from the innermost level toward the top level. When
2265 possible, we present different activities in separate buffers so that
2266 you can switch between them as you please. Some commands switch to a
2267 new major mode which provides a command to switch back. These
2268 approaches give you more flexibility to go back to unfinished tasks in
2269 the order you choose.
2272 @c Apart from edt and viper, this is all obsolete.
2273 @c (Can't believe we were saying ``most other editors'' into 2014!)
2274 @c There seems no point having a node just for those, which both have
2275 @c their own manuals.
2278 @cindex emulating other editors
2279 @cindex other editors
2284 GNU Emacs can be programmed to emulate (more or less) most other
2285 editors. Standard facilities can emulate these:
2288 @item CRiSP/Brief (PC editor)
2290 @vindex crisp-override-meta-x
2291 @findex scroll-all-mode
2293 @cindex Brief emulation
2294 @cindex emulation of Brief
2296 @kbd{M-x crisp-mode} enables key bindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief
2297 editor. Note that this rebinds @kbd{M-x} to exit Emacs unless you set
2298 the variable @code{crisp-override-meta-x}. You can also use the
2299 command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the variable
2300 @code{crisp-load-scroll-all} to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
2301 (scrolling all windows together).
2303 @item EDT (DEC VMS editor)
2304 @findex edt-emulation-on
2305 @findex edt-emulation-off
2306 Turn on EDT emulation with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-on}; restore normal
2307 command bindings with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-off}.
2309 Most of the EDT emulation commands are keypad keys, and most standard
2310 Emacs key bindings are still available. The EDT emulation rebindings
2311 are done in the global keymap, so there is no problem switching
2312 buffers or major modes while in EDT emulation.
2314 @item TPU (DEC VMS editor)
2317 @kbd{M-x tpu-edt-on} turns on emulation of the TPU editor emulating EDT.
2319 @item vi (Berkeley editor)
2321 Viper is an emulator for vi. It implements several levels of
2322 emulation; level 1 is closest to vi itself, while level 5 departs
2323 somewhat from strict emulation to take advantage of the capabilities of
2324 Emacs. To invoke Viper, type @kbd{M-x viper-mode}; it will guide you
2325 the rest of the way and ask for the emulation level. @inforef{Top,
2328 @item vi (another emulator)
2330 @kbd{M-x vi-mode} enters a major mode that replaces the previously
2331 established major mode. All of the vi commands that, in real vi, enter
2332 ``input'' mode are programmed instead to return to the previous major
2333 mode. Thus, ordinary Emacs serves as vi's ``input'' mode.
2335 Because vi emulation works through major modes, it does not work
2336 to switch buffers during emulation. Return to normal Emacs first.
2338 If you plan to use vi emulation much, you probably want to bind a key
2339 to the @code{vi-mode} command.
2341 @item vi (alternate emulator)
2343 @kbd{M-x vip-mode} invokes another vi emulator, said to resemble real vi
2344 more thoroughly than @kbd{M-x vi-mode}. ``Input'' mode in this emulator
2345 is changed from ordinary Emacs so you can use @key{ESC} to go back to
2346 emulated vi command mode. To get from emulated vi command mode back to
2347 ordinary Emacs, type @kbd{C-z}.
2349 This emulation does not work through major modes, and it is possible
2350 to switch buffers in various ways within the emulator. It is not
2351 so necessary to assign a key to the command @code{vip-mode} as
2352 it is with @code{vi-mode} because terminating insert mode does
2355 @inforef{Top, VIP, vip}, for full information.
2357 @item WordStar (old wordprocessor)
2358 @findex wordstar-mode
2359 @kbd{M-x wordstar-mode} provides a major mode with WordStar-like
2366 @section Hyperlinking and Navigation Features
2368 The following subsections describe convenience features for handling
2369 URLs and other types of links occurring in Emacs buffer text.
2372 * Browse-URL:: Following URLs.
2373 * Goto Address mode:: Activating URLs.
2374 * FFAP:: Finding files etc. at point.
2378 @subsection Following URLs
2379 @cindex World Wide Web
2382 @findex browse-url-at-point
2383 @findex browse-url-at-mouse
2388 @item M-x browse-url @key{RET} @var{url} @key{RET}
2389 Load a URL into a Web browser.
2392 The Browse-URL package allows you to easily follow URLs from within
2393 Emacs. Most URLs are followed by invoking a web browser;
2394 @samp{mailto:} URLs are followed by invoking the @code{compose-mail}
2395 Emacs command to send mail to the specified address (@pxref{Sending
2398 The command @kbd{M-x browse-url} prompts for a URL, and follows it.
2399 If point is located near a plausible URL, that URL is offered as the
2400 default. The Browse-URL package also provides other commands which
2401 you might like to bind to keys, such as @code{browse-url-at-point} and
2402 @code{browse-url-at-mouse}.
2404 @vindex browse-url-mailto-function
2405 @vindex browse-url-browser-function
2406 You can customize Browse-URL's behavior via various options in the
2407 @code{browse-url} Customize group. In particular, the option
2408 @code{browse-url-mailto-function} lets you define how to follow
2409 @samp{mailto:} URLs, while @code{browse-url-browser-function} lets you
2410 define how to follow other types of URLs. For more information, view
2411 the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P browse-url @key{RET}}.
2413 @node Goto Address mode
2414 @subsection Activating URLs
2415 @findex goto-address-mode
2416 @cindex mode, Goto Address
2417 @cindex Goto Address mode
2418 @cindex URLs, activating
2421 @item M-x goto-address-mode
2422 Activate URLs and e-mail addresses in the current buffer.
2425 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Goto Address mode)}
2426 @findex goto-address-at-point
2427 You can make Emacs mark out URLs specially in the current buffer, by
2428 typing @kbd{M-x goto-address-mode}. When this buffer-local minor mode
2429 is enabled, it finds all the URLs in the buffer, highlights them, and
2430 turns them into clickable buttons. You can follow the URL by typing
2431 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}} (@code{goto-address-at-point}) while point is on
2432 its text; or by clicking with @kbd{Mouse-2}, or by clicking
2433 @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly (@pxref{Mouse References}). Following a URL is
2434 done by calling @code{browse-url} as a subroutine
2435 (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2437 It can be useful to add @code{goto-address-mode} to mode hooks and
2438 hooks for displaying an incoming message
2439 (e.g., @code{rmail-show-message-hook} for Rmail, and
2440 @code{mh-show-mode-hook} for MH-E). This is not needed for Gnus,
2441 which has a similar feature of its own.
2444 @subsection Finding Files and URLs at Point
2445 @findex find-file-at-point
2447 @findex dired-at-point
2450 @cindex finding file at point
2452 The FFAP package replaces certain key bindings for finding files,
2453 such as @kbd{C-x C-f}, with commands that provide more sensitive
2454 defaults. These commands behave like the ordinary ones when given a
2455 prefix argument. Otherwise, they get the default file name or URL
2456 from the text around point. If what is found in the buffer has the
2457 form of a URL rather than a file name, the commands use
2458 @code{browse-url} to view it (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2460 This feature is useful for following references in mail or news
2461 buffers, @file{README} files, @file{MANIFEST} files, and so on. For
2462 more information, view the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P
2465 @cindex FFAP minor mode
2467 To enable FFAP, type @kbd{M-x ffap-bindings}. This makes the
2468 following key bindings, and also installs hooks for additional FFAP
2469 functionality in Rmail, Gnus and VM article buffers.
2472 @item C-x C-f @var{filename} @key{RET}
2473 @kindex C-x C-f @r{(FFAP)}
2474 Find @var{filename}, guessing a default from text around point
2475 (@code{find-file-at-point}).
2477 @kindex C-x C-r @r{(FFAP)}
2478 @code{ffap-read-only}, analogous to @code{find-file-read-only}.
2480 @kindex C-x C-v @r{(FFAP)}
2481 @code{ffap-alternate-file}, analogous to @code{find-alternate-file}.
2482 @item C-x d @var{directory} @key{RET}
2483 @kindex C-x d @r{(FFAP)}
2484 Start Dired on @var{directory}, defaulting to the directory name at
2485 point (@code{dired-at-point}).
2487 @code{ffap-list-directory}, analogous to @code{list-directory}.
2489 @kindex C-x 4 f @r{(FFAP)}
2490 @code{ffap-other-window}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-window}.
2492 @code{ffap-read-only-other-window}, analogous to
2493 @code{find-file-read-only-other-window}.
2495 @code{ffap-dired-other-window}, like @code{dired-other-window}.
2497 @kindex C-x 5 f @r{(FFAP)}
2498 @code{ffap-other-frame}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-frame}.
2500 @code{ffap-read-only-other-frame}, analogous to
2501 @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
2503 @code{ffap-dired-other-frame}, analogous to @code{dired-other-frame}.
2505 Search buffer for next file name or URL, then find that file or URL.
2507 @kindex S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2508 @code{ffap-at-mouse} finds the file guessed from text around the position
2511 @kindex C-S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2512 Display a menu of files and URLs mentioned in current buffer, then
2513 find the one you select (@code{ffap-menu}).
2517 @section Other Amusements
2520 @findex animate-birthday-present
2522 The @code{animate} package makes text dance (e.g., @kbd{M-x
2523 animate-birthday-present}).
2529 @kbd{M-x blackbox}, @kbd{M-x mpuz} and @kbd{M-x 5x5} are puzzles.
2530 @code{blackbox} challenges you to determine the location of objects
2531 inside a box by tomography. @code{mpuz} displays a multiplication
2532 puzzle with letters standing for digits in a code that you must
2533 guess---to guess a value, type a letter and then the digit you think it
2534 stands for. The aim of @code{5x5} is to fill in all the squares.
2537 @kbd{M-x bubbles} is a game in which the object is to remove as many
2538 bubbles as you can in the smallest number of moves.
2542 @cindex cryptanalysis
2543 @kbd{M-x decipher} helps you to cryptanalyze a buffer which is
2544 encrypted in a simple monoalphabetic substitution cipher.
2546 @findex dissociated-press
2547 @kbd{M-x dissociated-press} scrambles the text in the current Emacs
2548 buffer, word by word or character by character, writing its output to
2549 a buffer named @file{*Dissociation*}. A positive argument tells it to
2550 operate character by character, and specifies the number of overlap
2551 characters. A negative argument tells it to operate word by word, and
2552 specifies the number of overlap words. Dissociated Press produces
2553 results fairly like those of a Markov chain, but is however, an
2554 independent, ignoriginal invention; it techniquitously copies several
2555 consecutive characters from the sample text between random jumps,
2556 unlike a Markov chain which would jump randomly after each word or
2557 character. Keep dissociwords out of your documentation, if you want
2558 it to be well userenced and properbose.
2561 @kbd{M-x dunnet} runs an text-based adventure game.
2565 If you want a little more personal involvement, try @kbd{M-x gomoku},
2566 which plays the game Go Moku with you.
2568 @cindex tower of Hanoi
2570 If you are a little bit bored, you can try @kbd{M-x hanoi}. If you are
2571 considerably bored, give it a numeric argument. If you are very, very
2572 bored, try an argument of 9. Sit back and watch.
2576 @kbd{M-x life} runs Conway's ``Life'' cellular automaton.
2579 @cindex landmark game
2580 @kbd{M-x landmark} runs a relatively non-participatory game in which
2581 a robot attempts to maneuver towards a tree at the center of the
2582 window based on unique olfactory cues from each of the four
2585 @findex morse-region
2586 @findex unmorse-region
2589 @cindex --/---/.-./.../.
2590 @kbd{M-x morse-region} converts the text in the region to Morse
2591 code; @kbd{M-x unmorse-region} converts it back. @kbd{M-x
2592 nato-region} converts the text in the region to NATO phonetic
2593 alphabet; @kbd{M-x denato-region} converts it back.
2601 @kbd{M-x pong}, @kbd{M-x snake} and @kbd{M-x tetris} are
2602 implementations of the well-known Pong, Snake and Tetris games.
2606 @kbd{M-x solitaire} plays a game of solitaire in which you jump pegs
2610 The command @kbd{M-x zone} plays games with the display when Emacs
2615 Finally, if you find yourself frustrated, try describing your
2616 problems to the famous psychotherapist Eliza. Just do @kbd{M-x
2617 doctor}. End each input by typing @key{RET} twice.