1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2000-2013 Free Software
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: viewing ``document files'', reading Usenet news, running shell
10 commands and shell subprocesses, using a single shared Emacs for
11 utilities that expect to run an editor as a subprocess, printing
12 hardcopy, sorting text, narrowing display to part of the buffer,
13 editing binary files, saving an Emacs session for later resumption,
14 following hyperlinks, browsing images, emulating other editors, and
15 various diversions and amusements.
29 Gnus is an Emacs package primarily designed for reading and posting
30 Usenet news. It can also be used to read and respond to messages from
31 a number of other sources---email, remote directories, digests, and so
32 on. Here we introduce Gnus and describe several basic features.
34 For full details, see @ref{Top, Gnus,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
37 For full details on Gnus, type @kbd{C-h i} and then select the Gnus
42 * Buffers of Gnus:: The group, summary, and article buffers.
43 * Gnus Startup:: What you should know about starting Gnus.
44 * Gnus Group Buffer:: A short description of Gnus group commands.
45 * Gnus Summary Buffer:: A short description of Gnus summary commands.
49 @subsection Gnus Buffers
51 Gnus uses several buffers to display information and to receive
52 commands. The three most commonly-used Gnus buffers are the
53 @dfn{group buffer}, the @dfn{summary buffer} and the @dfn{article
56 The @dfn{group buffer} contains a list of article sources (e.g.,
57 newsgroups and email inboxes), which are collectively referred to as
58 @dfn{groups}. This is the first buffer Gnus displays when it starts
59 up. It normally displays only the groups to which you subscribe and
60 that contain unread articles. From this buffer, you can select a
63 The @dfn{summary buffer} lists the articles in a single group,
64 showing one article per line. By default, it displays each article's
65 author, subject, and line
70 number, but this is customizable; @xref{Summary Buffer Format,,, gnus,
73 The summary buffer is created when you select a group in the group
74 buffer, and is killed when you exit the group.
76 From the summary buffer, you can choose an article to view. The
77 article is displayed in the @dfn{article buffer}. In normal Gnus
78 usage, you view this buffer but do not select it---all useful Gnus
79 commands can be invoked from the summary buffer. But you can select
80 the article buffer, and execute Gnus commands from it, if you wish.
83 @subsection When Gnus Starts Up
86 @cindex @file{.newsrc} file
87 If your system has been set up for reading Usenet news, getting
88 started with Gnus is easy---just type @kbd{M-x gnus}.
90 On starting up, Gnus reads your @dfn{news initialization file}: a
91 file named @file{.newsrc} in your home directory which lists your
92 Usenet newsgroups and subscriptions (this file is not unique to Gnus;
93 it is used by many other newsreader programs). It then tries to
94 contact the system's default news server, which is typically specified
95 by the @env{NNTPSERVER} environment variable.
97 If your system does not have a default news server, or if you wish
98 to use Gnus for reading email, then before invoking @kbd{M-x gnus} you
99 need to tell Gnus where to get news and/or mail. To do this,
100 customize the variables @code{gnus-select-method} and/or
101 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods}.
103 See the Gnus manual for details.
106 @xref{Finding the News,,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
109 Once Gnus has started up, it displays the group buffer. By default,
110 the group buffer shows only a small number of @dfn{subscribed groups}.
111 Groups with other statuses---@dfn{unsubscribed}, @dfn{killed}, or
112 @dfn{zombie}---are hidden. The first time you start Gnus, any group
113 to which you are not subscribed is made into a killed group; any group
114 that subsequently appears on the news server becomes a zombie group.
116 To proceed, you must select a group in the group buffer to open the
117 summary buffer for that group; then, select an article in the summary
118 buffer to view its article buffer in a separate window. The following
119 sections explain how to use the group and summary buffers to do this.
121 To quit Gnus, type @kbd{q} in the group buffer. This automatically
122 records your group statuses in the files @file{.newsrc} and
123 @file{.newsrc.eld}, so that they take effect in subsequent Gnus
126 @node Gnus Group Buffer
127 @subsection Using the Gnus Group Buffer
129 The following commands are available in the Gnus group buffer:
132 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
133 @findex gnus-group-read-group
135 Switch to the summary buffer for the group on the current line.
137 @kindex l @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
138 @kindex A s @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
139 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
142 In the group buffer, list only the groups to which you subscribe and
143 which contain unread articles (this is the default listing).
145 @kindex L @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
146 @kindex A u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
147 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
150 List all subscribed and unsubscribed groups, but not killed or zombie
153 @kindex A k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
154 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
158 @kindex A z @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
159 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
163 @kindex u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
164 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
165 @cindex subscribe groups
166 @cindex unsubscribe groups
168 Toggle the subscription status of the group on the current line
169 (i.e., turn a subscribed group into an unsubscribed group, or vice
170 versa). Invoking this on a killed or zombie group turns it into an
173 @kindex C-k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
174 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
176 Kill the group on the current line. Killed groups are not recorded in
177 the @file{.newsrc} file, and they are not shown in the @kbd{l} or
180 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
182 Move point to the previous group containing unread articles.
184 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
185 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
186 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
188 Move point to the next unread group.
190 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
191 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
192 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
194 Move point to the previous unread group.
196 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
197 @findex gnus-group-exit
199 Update your Gnus settings, and quit Gnus.
202 @node Gnus Summary Buffer
203 @subsection Using the Gnus Summary Buffer
205 The following commands are available in the Gnus summary buffer:
208 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
209 @findex gnus-group-read-group
211 If there is no article selected, select the article on the current
212 line and display its article buffer. Otherwise, try scrolling the
213 selected article buffer in its window; on reaching the end of the
214 buffer, select the next unread article.
216 Thus, you can read through all articles by repeatedly typing
219 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
220 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
222 Scroll the text of the article backwards.
224 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
225 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
226 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
228 Select the next unread article.
230 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
231 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
232 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
234 Select the previous unread article.
236 @kindex s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
237 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
239 Do an incremental search on the selected article buffer, as if you
240 switched to the buffer and typed @kbd{C-s} (@pxref{Incremental
243 @kindex M-s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
244 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
245 @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
246 Search forward for articles containing a match for @var{regexp}.
248 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
250 Exit the summary buffer and return to the group buffer.
254 @section Document Viewing
258 @cindex PostScript file
259 @cindex OpenDocument file
260 @cindex Microsoft Office file
262 @cindex mode, DocView
263 @cindex document viewer (DocView)
264 @findex doc-view-mode
266 DocView mode is a major mode for viewing DVI, PostScript (PS), PDF,
267 OpenDocument, and Microsoft Office documents. It provides features
268 such as slicing, zooming, and searching inside documents. It works by
269 converting the document to a set of images using the @command{gs}
270 (GhostScript) command and other external tools @footnote{@code{gs} is
271 a hard requirement. For DVI files, @code{dvipdf} or @code{dvipdfm} is
272 needed. For OpenDocument and Microsoft Office documents, the
273 @code{unoconv} tool is needed.}, and displaying those images.
275 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
276 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
277 @cindex doc-view-minor-mode
278 When you visit a document file that can be displayed with DocView
279 mode, Emacs automatically uses DocView mode @footnote{The needed
280 external tools for the document type must be available, and Emacs must
281 be running in a graphical frame and have PNG image support. If any of
282 these requirements is not fulfilled, Emacs falls back to another major
283 mode.}. As an exception, when you visit a PostScript file, Emacs
284 switches to PS mode, a major mode for editing PostScript files as
285 text; however, it also enables DocView minor mode, so you can type
286 @kbd{C-c C-c} to view the document with DocView. In either DocView
287 mode or DocView minor mode, repeating @kbd{C-c C-c}
288 (@code{doc-view-toggle-display}) toggles between DocView and the
289 underlying file contents.
291 You can explicitly enable DocView mode with the command @code{M-x
292 doc-view-mode}. You can toggle DocView minor mode with @code{M-x
293 doc-view-minor-mode}.
295 When DocView mode starts, it displays a welcome screen and begins
296 formatting the file, page by page. It displays the first page once
297 that has been formatted.
299 To kill the DocView buffer, type @kbd{k}
300 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}). To bury it, type @kbd{q}
301 (@code{quit-window}).
304 * Navigation: DocView Navigation. Navigating DocView buffers.
305 * Searching: DocView Searching. Searching inside documents.
306 * Slicing: DocView Slicing. Specifying which part of a page is displayed.
307 * Conversion: DocView Conversion. Influencing and triggering conversion.
310 @node DocView Navigation
311 @subsection DocView Navigation
313 In DocView mode, you can scroll the current page using the usual
314 Emacs movement keys: @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}, @kbd{C-f}, and
317 @vindex doc-view-continuous
318 By default, the line-motion keys @kbd{C-p} and @kbd{C-n} stop
319 scrolling at the beginning and end of the current page, respectively.
320 However, if you change the variable @code{doc-view-continuous} to a
321 non-@code{nil} value, then @kbd{C-p} displays the previous page if you
322 are already at the beginning of the current page, and @kbd{C-n}
323 displays the next page if you are at the end of the current page.
325 @findex doc-view-next-page
326 @findex doc-view-previous-page
327 @kindex n @r{(DocView mode)}
328 @kindex p @r{(DocView mode)}
329 @kindex C-x ] @r{(DocView mode)}
330 @kindex C-x [ @r{(DocView mode)}
331 You can also display the next page by typing @kbd{n}, @key{next} or
332 @kbd{C-x ]} (@code{doc-view-next-page}). To display the previous
333 page, type @kbd{p}, @key{prior} or @kbd{C-x [}
334 (@code{doc-view-previous-page}).
336 @findex doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page
337 @findex doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page
338 @kindex SPC @r{(DocView mode)}
339 @kindex DEL @r{(DocView mode)}
340 @key{SPC} (@code{doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page}) is a convenient
341 way to advance through the document. It scrolls within the current
342 page or advances to the next. @key{DEL} moves backwards in a similar
343 way (@code{doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page}).
345 @findex doc-view-first-page
346 @findex doc-view-last-page
347 @findex doc-view-goto-page
348 @kindex M-< @r{(DocView mode)}
349 @kindex M-> @r{(DocView mode)}
350 To go to the first page, type @kbd{M-<}
351 (@code{doc-view-first-page}); to go to the last one, type @kbd{M->}
352 (@code{doc-view-last-page}). To jump to a page by its number, type
353 @kbd{M-g M-g} or @kbd{M-g g} (@code{doc-view-goto-page}).
355 @findex doc-view-enlarge
356 @findex doc-view-shrink
357 @vindex doc-view-resolution
358 @kindex + @r{(DocView mode)}
359 @kindex - @r{(DocView mode)}
360 You can enlarge or shrink the document with @kbd{+}
361 (@code{doc-view-enlarge}) and @kbd{-} (@code{doc-view-shrink}). These
362 commands work by reconverting the document at the new size. To
363 specify the default size for DocView, customize the variable
364 @code{doc-view-resolution}.
366 @node DocView Searching
367 @subsection DocView Searching
369 In DocView mode, you can search the file's text for a regular
370 expression (@pxref{Regexps}). The interface for searching is inspired
371 by @code{isearch} (@pxref{Incremental Search}).
373 @findex doc-view-search
374 @findex doc-view-search-backward
375 @findex doc-view-show-tooltip
376 To begin a search, type @kbd{C-s} (@code{doc-view-search}) or
377 @kbd{C-r} (@code{doc-view-search-backward}). This reads a regular
378 expression using a minibuffer, then echoes the number of matches found
379 within the document. You can move forward and back among the matches
380 by typing @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r}. DocView mode has no way to show
381 the match inside the page image; instead, it displays a tooltip (at
382 the mouse position) listing all matching lines in the current page.
383 To force display of this tooltip, type @kbd{C-t}
384 (@code{doc-view-show-tooltip}).
386 To start a new search, use the search command with a prefix
387 argument; i.e., @kbd{C-u C-s} for a forward search or @kbd{C-u C-r}
388 for a backward search.
390 @node DocView Slicing
391 @subsection DocView Slicing
393 Documents often have wide margins for printing. They are annoying
394 when reading the document on the screen, because they use up screen
395 space and can cause inconvenient scrolling.
397 @findex doc-view-set-slice
398 @findex doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse
399 With DocView you can hide these margins by selecting a @dfn{slice}
400 of pages to display. A slice is a rectangle within the page area;
401 once you specify a slice in DocView, it applies to whichever page you
404 To specify the slice numerically, type @kbd{s s}
405 (@code{doc-view-set-slice}); then enter the top left pixel position
406 and the slice's width and height.
407 @c ??? how does this work?
409 A more convenient graphical way to specify the slice is with @kbd{s
410 m} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse}), where you use the mouse to
412 @c ??? How does this work?
414 The most convenient way is to set the optimal slice by using
415 BoundingBox information automatically determined from the document by
416 typing @kbd{s b} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse}).
418 @findex doc-view-reset-slice
419 To cancel the selected slice, type @kbd{s r}
420 (@code{doc-view-reset-slice}). Then DocView shows the entire page
421 including its entire margins.
423 @node DocView Conversion
424 @subsection DocView Conversion
426 @vindex doc-view-cache-directory
427 @findex doc-view-clear-cache
428 For efficiency, DocView caches the images produced by @command{gs}.
429 The name of this directory is given by the variable
430 @code{doc-view-cache-directory}. You can clear the cache directory by
431 typing @code{M-x doc-view-clear-cache}.
433 @findex doc-view-kill-proc
434 @findex doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer
435 To force reconversion of the currently viewed document, type @kbd{r}
436 or @kbd{g} (@code{revert-buffer}). To kill the converter process
437 associated with the current buffer, type @kbd{K}
438 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc}). The command @kbd{k}
439 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}) kills the converter process and
443 @section Running Shell Commands from Emacs
445 @cindex shell commands
447 Emacs has commands for passing single command lines to shell
448 subprocesses, and for running a shell interactively with input and
449 output to an Emacs buffer, and for running a shell in a terminal
453 @item M-! @var{cmd} @key{RET}
454 Run the shell command @var{cmd} and display the output
455 (@code{shell-command}).
456 @item M-| @var{cmd} @key{RET}
457 Run the shell command @var{cmd} with region contents as input;
458 optionally replace the region with the output
459 (@code{shell-command-on-region}).
460 @item M-& @var{cmd} @key{RET}
461 Run the shell command @var{cmd} asynchronously, and display the output
462 (@code{async-shell-command}).
464 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
465 then give commands interactively.
467 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
468 then give commands interactively. Full terminal emulation is
473 Whenever you specify a relative file name for an executable program
474 (either in the @var{cmd} argument to one of the above commands, or in
475 other contexts), Emacs searches for the program in the directories
476 specified by the variable @code{exec-path}. The value of this
477 variable must be a list of directory names; the default value is
478 initialized from the environment variable @env{PATH} when Emacs is
479 started (@pxref{General Variables}).
481 @kbd{M-x eshell} invokes a shell implemented entirely in Emacs. It
482 is documented in its own manual.
484 @xref{Top,Eshell,Eshell, eshell, Eshell: The Emacs Shell}.
487 See the Eshell Info manual, which is distributed with Emacs.
491 * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
492 * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via Emacs.
493 * Shell Mode:: Special Emacs commands used with permanent shell.
494 * Shell Prompts:: Two ways to recognize shell prompts.
495 * History: Shell History. Repeating previous commands in a shell buffer.
496 * Directory Tracking:: Keeping track when the subshell changes directory.
497 * Options: Shell Options. Options for customizing Shell mode.
498 * Terminal emulator:: An Emacs window as a terminal emulator.
499 * Term Mode:: Special Emacs commands used in Term mode.
500 * Remote Host:: Connecting to another computer.
501 * Serial Terminal:: Connecting to a serial port.
505 @subsection Single Shell Commands
508 @findex shell-command
509 @kbd{M-!} (@code{shell-command}) reads a line of text using the
510 minibuffer and executes it as a shell command, in a subshell made just
511 for that command. Standard input for the command comes from the null
512 device. If the shell command produces any output, the output appears
513 either in the echo area (if it is short), or in an Emacs buffer named
514 @file{*Shell Command Output*}, displayed in another window (if the
517 For instance, one way to decompress a file named @file{foo.gz} is to
518 type @kbd{M-! gunzip foo.gz @key{RET}}. That shell command normally
519 creates the file @file{foo} and produces no terminal output.
521 A numeric argument to @code{shell-command}, e.g., @kbd{M-1 M-!},
522 causes it to insert terminal output into the current buffer instead of
523 a separate buffer. It puts point before the output, and sets the mark
524 after the output. For instance, @kbd{M-1 M-! gunzip < foo.gz
525 @key{RET}} would insert the uncompressed form of the file
526 @file{foo.gz} into the current buffer.
528 Provided the specified shell command does not end with @samp{&}, it
529 runs @dfn{synchronously}, and you must wait for it to exit before
530 continuing to use Emacs. To stop waiting, type @kbd{C-g} to quit;
531 this sends a @code{SIGINT} signal to terminate the shell command (this
532 is the same signal that @kbd{C-c} normally generates in the shell).
533 Emacs then waits until the command actually terminates. If the shell
534 command doesn't stop (because it ignores the @code{SIGINT} signal),
535 type @kbd{C-g} again; this sends the command a @code{SIGKILL} signal,
536 which is impossible to ignore.
539 @findex async-shell-command
540 A shell command that ends in @samp{&} is executed
541 @dfn{asynchronously}, and you can continue to use Emacs as it runs.
542 You can also type @kbd{M-&} (@code{async-shell-command}) to execute a
543 shell command asynchronously; this is exactly like calling @kbd{M-!}
544 with a trailing @samp{&}, except that you do not need the @samp{&}.
545 The default output buffer for asynchronous shell commands is named
546 @samp{*Async Shell Command*}. Emacs inserts the output into this
547 buffer as it comes in, whether or not the buffer is visible in a
550 @vindex async-shell-command-buffer
551 If you want to run more than one asynchronous shell command at the
552 same time, they could end up competing for the output buffer. The
553 option @code{async-shell-command-buffer} specifies what to do about
554 this; e.g., whether to rename the pre-existing output buffer, or to
555 use a different buffer for the new command. Consult the variable's
556 documentation for more possibilities.
559 @findex shell-command-on-region
560 @kbd{M-|} (@code{shell-command-on-region}) is like @kbd{M-!}, but
561 passes the contents of the region as the standard input to the shell
562 command, instead of no input. With a numeric argument, it deletes the
563 old region and replaces it with the output from the shell command.
565 For example, you can use @kbd{M-|} with the @command{gpg} program to
566 see what keys are in the buffer. If the buffer contains a GnuPG key,
567 type @kbd{C-x h M-| gpg @key{RET}} to feed the entire buffer contents
568 to @command{gpg}. This will output the list of keys to the
569 @file{*Shell Command Output*} buffer.
571 @vindex shell-file-name
572 The above commands use the shell specified by the variable
573 @code{shell-file-name}. Its default value is determined by the
574 @env{SHELL} environment variable when Emacs is started. If the file
575 name is relative, Emacs searches the directories listed in
576 @code{exec-path} (@pxref{Shell}).
578 To specify a coding system for @kbd{M-!} or @kbd{M-|}, use the command
579 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately beforehand. @xref{Communication Coding}.
581 @vindex shell-command-default-error-buffer
582 By default, error output is intermixed with the regular output in
583 the output buffer. But if you change the value of the variable
584 @code{shell-command-default-error-buffer} to a string, error output is
585 inserted into a buffer of that name.
587 @node Interactive Shell
588 @subsection Interactive Subshell
591 To run a subshell interactively, type @kbd{M-x shell}. This creates
592 (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*shell*}, and runs a shell subprocess
593 with input coming from and output going to that buffer. That is to
594 say, any terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer,
595 advancing point, and any terminal input for the subshell comes from
596 text in the buffer. To give input to the subshell, go to the end of
597 the buffer and type the input, terminated by @key{RET}.
599 While the subshell is waiting or running a command, you can switch
600 windows or buffers and perform other editing in Emacs. Emacs inserts
601 the output from the subshell into the Shell buffer whenever it has
602 time to process it (e.g., while waiting for keyboard input).
604 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-input} face
605 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-prompt} face
606 In the Shell buffer, prompts are displayed with the face
607 @code{comint-highlight-prompt}, and submitted input lines are
608 displayed with the face @code{comint-highlight-input}. This makes it
609 easier to distinguish input lines from the shell output.
612 To make multiple subshells, invoke @kbd{M-x shell} with a prefix
613 argument (e.g., @kbd{C-u M-x shell}). Then the command will read a
614 buffer name, and create (or reuse) a subshell in that buffer. You can
615 also rename the @file{*shell*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely},
616 then create a new @file{*shell*} buffer using plain @kbd{M-x shell}.
617 Subshells in different buffers run independently and in parallel.
619 @vindex explicit-shell-file-name
620 @cindex environment variables for subshells
621 @cindex @env{ESHELL} environment variable
622 @cindex @env{SHELL} environment variable
623 To specify the shell file name used by @kbd{M-x shell}, customize
624 the variable @code{explicit-shell-file-name}. If this is @code{nil}
625 (the default), Emacs uses the environment variable @env{ESHELL} if it
626 exists. Otherwise, it usually uses the variable
627 @code{shell-file-name} (@pxref{Single Shell}); but if the default
628 directory is remote (@pxref{Remote Files}), it prompts you for the
631 Emacs sends the new shell the contents of the file
632 @file{~/.emacs_@var{shellname}} as input, if it exists, where
633 @var{shellname} is the name of the file that the shell was loaded
634 from. For example, if you use bash, the file sent to it is
635 @file{~/.emacs_bash}. If this file is not found, Emacs tries with
636 @file{~/.emacs.d/init_@var{shellname}.sh}.
638 To specify a coding system for the shell, you can use the command
639 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately before @kbd{M-x shell}. You can
640 also change the coding system for a running subshell by typing
641 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} p} in the shell buffer. @xref{Communication
644 @cindex @env{INSIDE_EMACS} environment variable
645 @cindex @env{EMACS} environment variable
646 Emacs sets the environment variable @env{INSIDE_EMACS} in the
647 subshell to @samp{@var{version},comint}, where @var{version} is the
648 Emacs version (e.g., @samp{24.1}). Programs can check this variable
649 to determine whether they are running inside an Emacs subshell. (It
650 also sets the @env{EMACS} environment variable to @code{t}, if that
651 environment variable is not already defined. However, this
652 environment variable is deprecated; programs that use it should switch
653 to using @env{INSIDE_EMACS} instead.)
656 @subsection Shell Mode
660 The major mode for Shell buffers is Shell mode. Many of its special
661 commands are bound to the @kbd{C-c} prefix, and resemble the usual
662 editing and job control characters present in ordinary shells, except
663 that you must type @kbd{C-c} first. Here is a list of Shell mode
668 @kindex RET @r{(Shell mode)}
669 @findex comint-send-input
670 Send the current line as input to the subshell
671 (@code{comint-send-input}). Any shell prompt at the beginning of the
672 line is omitted (@pxref{Shell Prompts}). If point is at the end of
673 buffer, this is like submitting the command line in an ordinary
674 interactive shell. However, you can also invoke @key{RET} elsewhere
675 in the shell buffer to submit the current line as input.
678 @kindex TAB @r{(Shell mode)}
679 @findex completion-at-point
680 Complete the command name or file name before point in the shell
681 buffer (@code{completion-at-point}). This uses the usual Emacs
682 completion rules (@pxref{Completion}), with the completion
683 alternatives being file names, environment variable names, the shell
684 command history, and history references (@pxref{History References}).
686 @vindex shell-completion-fignore
687 @vindex comint-completion-fignore
688 The variable @code{shell-completion-fignore} specifies a list of file
689 name extensions to ignore in Shell mode completion. The default
690 setting is @code{nil}, but some users prefer @code{("~" "#" "%")} to
691 ignore file names ending in @samp{~}, @samp{#} or @samp{%}. Other
692 related Comint modes use the variable @code{comint-completion-fignore}
696 @kindex M-? @r{(Shell mode)}
697 @findex comint-dynamic-list-filename@dots{}
698 Display temporarily a list of the possible completions of the file
699 name before point (@code{comint-dynamic-list-filename-completions}).
702 @kindex C-d @r{(Shell mode)}
703 @findex comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof
704 Either delete a character or send @acronym{EOF}
705 (@code{comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof}). Typed at the end of the shell
706 buffer, this sends @acronym{EOF} to the subshell. Typed at any other
707 position in the buffer, this deletes a character as usual.
710 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Shell mode)}
711 @findex comint-bol-or-process-mark
712 Move to the beginning of the line, but after the prompt if any
713 (@code{comint-bol-or-process-mark}). If you repeat this command twice
714 in a row, the second time it moves back to the process mark, which is
715 the beginning of the input that you have not yet sent to the subshell.
716 (Normally that is the same place---the end of the prompt on this
717 line---but after @kbd{C-c @key{SPC}} the process mark may be in a
721 Accumulate multiple lines of input, then send them together. This
722 command inserts a newline before point, but does not send the preceding
723 text as input to the subshell---at least, not yet. Both lines, the one
724 before this newline and the one after, will be sent together (along with
725 the newline that separates them), when you type @key{RET}.
728 @kindex C-c C-u @r{(Shell mode)}
729 @findex comint-kill-input
730 Kill all text pending at end of buffer to be sent as input
731 (@code{comint-kill-input}). If point is not at end of buffer,
732 this only kills the part of this text that precedes point.
735 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Shell mode)}
736 Kill a word before point (@code{backward-kill-word}).
739 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Shell mode)}
740 @findex comint-interrupt-subjob
741 Interrupt the shell or its current subjob if any
742 (@code{comint-interrupt-subjob}). This command also kills
743 any shell input pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
746 @kindex C-c C-z @r{(Shell mode)}
747 @findex comint-stop-subjob
748 Stop the shell or its current subjob if any (@code{comint-stop-subjob}).
749 This command also kills any shell input pending in the shell buffer and
753 @findex comint-quit-subjob
754 @kindex C-c C-\ @r{(Shell mode)}
755 Send quit signal to the shell or its current subjob if any
756 (@code{comint-quit-subjob}). This command also kills any shell input
757 pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
760 @kindex C-c C-o @r{(Shell mode)}
761 @findex comint-delete-output
762 Delete the last batch of output from a shell command
763 (@code{comint-delete-output}). This is useful if a shell command spews
764 out lots of output that just gets in the way.
767 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Shell mode)}
768 @findex comint-write-output
769 Write the last batch of output from a shell command to a file
770 (@code{comint-write-output}). With a prefix argument, the file is
771 appended to instead. Any prompt at the end of the output is not
776 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Shell mode)}
777 @kindex C-M-l @r{(Shell mode)}
778 @findex comint-show-output
779 Scroll to display the beginning of the last batch of output at the top
780 of the window; also move the cursor there (@code{comint-show-output}).
783 @kindex C-c C-e @r{(Shell mode)}
784 @findex comint-show-maximum-output
785 Scroll to put the end of the buffer at the bottom of the window
786 (@code{comint-show-maximum-output}).
789 @kindex C-c C-f @r{(Shell mode)}
790 @findex shell-forward-command
791 @vindex shell-command-regexp
792 Move forward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
793 (@code{shell-forward-command}). The variable @code{shell-command-regexp}
794 specifies how to recognize the end of a command.
797 @kindex C-c C-b @r{(Shell mode)}
798 @findex shell-backward-command
799 Move backward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
800 (@code{shell-backward-command}).
803 Ask the shell for its working directory, and update the Shell buffer's
804 default directory. @xref{Directory Tracking}.
806 @item M-x send-invisible @key{RET} @var{text} @key{RET}
807 @findex send-invisible
808 Send @var{text} as input to the shell, after reading it without
809 echoing. This is useful when a shell command runs a program that asks
812 Please note that Emacs will not echo passwords by default. If you
813 really want them to be echoed, evaluate the following Lisp
817 (remove-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
818 'comint-watch-for-password-prompt)
821 @item M-x comint-continue-subjob
822 @findex comint-continue-subjob
823 Continue the shell process. This is useful if you accidentally suspend
824 the shell process.@footnote{You should not suspend the shell process.
825 Suspending a subjob of the shell is a completely different matter---that
826 is normal practice, but you must use the shell to continue the subjob;
827 this command won't do it.}
829 @item M-x comint-strip-ctrl-m
830 @findex comint-strip-ctrl-m
831 Discard all control-M characters from the current group of shell output.
832 The most convenient way to use this command is to make it run
833 automatically when you get output from the subshell. To do that,
834 evaluate this Lisp expression:
837 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
838 'comint-strip-ctrl-m)
841 @item M-x comint-truncate-buffer
842 @findex comint-truncate-buffer
843 This command truncates the shell buffer to a certain maximum number of
844 lines, specified by the variable @code{comint-buffer-maximum-size}.
845 Here's how to do this automatically each time you get output from the
849 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
850 'comint-truncate-buffer)
856 Shell mode is a derivative of Comint mode, a general-purpose mode for
857 communicating with interactive subprocesses. Most of the features of
858 Shell mode actually come from Comint mode, as you can see from the
859 command names listed above. The special features of Shell mode include
860 the directory tracking feature, and a few user commands.
862 Other Emacs features that use variants of Comint mode include GUD
863 (@pxref{Debuggers}) and @kbd{M-x run-lisp} (@pxref{External Lisp}).
866 You can use @kbd{M-x comint-run} to execute any program of your choice
867 in a subprocess using unmodified Comint mode---without the
868 specializations of Shell mode.
871 @subsection Shell Prompts
873 @cindex prompt, shell
874 A prompt is text output by a program to show that it is ready to
875 accept new user input. Normally, Comint mode (and thus Shell mode)
876 automatically figures out part of the buffer is a prompt, based on the
877 output of the subprocess. (Specifically, it assumes that any received
878 output line which doesn't end with a newline is a prompt.)
880 Comint mode divides the buffer into two types of @dfn{fields}: input
881 fields (where user input is typed) and output fields (everywhere
882 else). Prompts are part of the output fields. Most Emacs motion
883 commands do not cross field boundaries, unless they move over multiple
884 lines. For instance, when point is in the input field on a shell
885 command line, @kbd{C-a} puts point at the beginning of the input
886 field, after the prompt. Internally, the fields are implemented using
887 the @code{field} text property (@pxref{Text Properties,,, elisp, the
888 Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
890 @vindex comint-use-prompt-regexp
891 @vindex shell-prompt-pattern
892 If you change the variable @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} to a
893 non-@code{nil} value, then Comint mode recognize prompts using a
894 regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}). In Shell mode, the regular
895 expression is specified by the variable @code{shell-prompt-pattern}.
896 The default value of @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil},
897 because this method for recognizing prompts is unreliable, but you may
898 want to set it to a non-@code{nil} value in unusual circumstances. In
899 that case, Emacs does not divide the Comint buffer into fields, so the
900 general motion commands behave as they normally do in buffers without
901 special text properties. However, you can use the paragraph motion
902 commands to conveniently navigate the buffer (@pxref{Paragraphs}); in
903 Shell mode, Emacs uses @code{shell-prompt-pattern} as paragraph
907 @subsection Shell Command History
909 Shell buffers support three ways of repeating earlier commands. You
910 can use keys like those used for the minibuffer history; these work
911 much as they do in the minibuffer, inserting text from prior commands
912 while point remains always at the end of the buffer. You can move
913 through the buffer to previous inputs in their original place, then
914 resubmit them or copy them to the end. Or you can use a
915 @samp{!}-style history reference.
918 * Ring: Shell Ring. Fetching commands from the history list.
919 * Copy: Shell History Copying. Moving to a command and then copying it.
920 * History References:: Expanding @samp{!}-style history references.
924 @subsubsection Shell History Ring
927 @findex comint-previous-input
928 @kindex M-p @r{(Shell mode)}
931 Fetch the next earlier old shell command.
933 @kindex M-n @r{(Shell mode)}
934 @findex comint-next-input
937 Fetch the next later old shell command.
939 @kindex M-r @r{(Shell mode)}
940 @findex comint-history-isearch-backward-regexp
942 Begin an incremental regexp search of old shell commands.
945 @kindex C-c C-x @r{(Shell mode)}
946 @findex comint-get-next-from-history
947 Fetch the next subsequent command from the history.
950 @kindex C-c . @r{(Shell mode)}
951 @findex comint-input-previous-argument
952 Fetch one argument from an old shell command.
955 @kindex C-c C-l @r{(Shell mode)}
956 @findex comint-dynamic-list-input-ring
957 Display the buffer's history of shell commands in another window
958 (@code{comint-dynamic-list-input-ring}).
961 Shell buffers provide a history of previously entered shell
962 commands. To reuse shell commands from the history, use the editing
963 commands @kbd{M-p}, @kbd{M-n}, @kbd{M-r} and @kbd{M-s}. These work
964 just like the minibuffer history commands (@pxref{Minibuffer
965 History}), except that they operate within the Shell buffer rather
968 @kbd{M-p} fetches an earlier shell command to the end of the shell
969 buffer. Successive use of @kbd{M-p} fetches successively earlier
970 shell commands, each replacing any text that was already present as
971 potential shell input. @kbd{M-n} does likewise except that it finds
972 successively more recent shell commands from the buffer.
973 @kbd{C-@key{UP}} works like @kbd{M-p}, and @kbd{C-@key{DOWN}} like
976 The history search command @kbd{M-r} begins an incremental regular
977 expression search of previous shell commands. After typing @kbd{M-r},
978 start typing the desired string or regular expression; the last
979 matching shell command will be displayed in the current line.
980 Incremental search commands have their usual effects---for instance,
981 @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r} search forward and backward for the next match
982 (@pxref{Incremental Search}). When you find the desired input, type
983 @key{RET} to terminate the search. This puts the input in the command
984 line. Any partial input you were composing before navigating the
985 history list is restored when you go to the beginning or end of the
988 Often it is useful to reexecute several successive shell commands that
989 were previously executed in sequence. To do this, first find and
990 reexecute the first command of the sequence. Then type @kbd{C-c C-x};
991 that will fetch the following command---the one that follows the command
992 you just repeated. Then type @key{RET} to reexecute this command. You
993 can reexecute several successive commands by typing @kbd{C-c C-x
994 @key{RET}} over and over.
996 The command @kbd{C-c .}@: (@code{comint-input-previous-argument})
997 copies an individual argument from a previous command, like @kbd{ESC
998 .} in Bash. The simplest use copies the last argument from the
999 previous shell command. With a prefix argument @var{n}, it copies the
1000 @var{n}th argument instead. Repeating @kbd{C-c .} copies from an
1001 earlier shell command instead, always using the same value of @var{n}
1002 (don't give a prefix argument when you repeat the @kbd{C-c .}
1005 These commands get the text of previous shell commands from a special
1006 history list, not from the shell buffer itself. Thus, editing the shell
1007 buffer, or even killing large parts of it, does not affect the history
1008 that these commands access.
1010 @vindex shell-input-ring-file-name
1011 Some shells store their command histories in files so that you can
1012 refer to commands from previous shell sessions. Emacs reads
1013 the command history file for your chosen shell, to initialize its own
1014 command history. The file name is @file{~/.bash_history} for bash,
1015 @file{~/.sh_history} for ksh, and @file{~/.history} for other shells.
1017 @node Shell History Copying
1018 @subsubsection Shell History Copying
1021 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Shell mode)}
1022 @findex comint-previous-prompt
1024 Move point to the previous prompt (@code{comint-previous-prompt}).
1026 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Shell mode)}
1027 @findex comint-next-prompt
1029 Move point to the following prompt (@code{comint-next-prompt}).
1031 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Shell mode)}
1032 @findex comint-copy-old-input
1034 Copy the input command at point, inserting the copy at the end of the
1035 buffer (@code{comint-copy-old-input}). This is useful if you move
1036 point back to a previous command. After you copy the command, you can
1037 submit the copy as input with @key{RET}. If you wish, you can edit
1038 the copy before resubmitting it. If you use this command on an output
1039 line, it copies that line to the end of the buffer.
1042 If @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil} (the default), copy
1043 the old input command that you click on, inserting the copy at the end
1044 of the buffer (@code{comint-insert-input}). If
1045 @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is non-@code{nil}, or if the click is
1046 not over old input, just yank as usual.
1049 Moving to a previous input and then copying it with @kbd{C-c
1050 @key{RET}} or @kbd{Mouse-2} produces the same results---the same
1051 buffer contents---that you would get by using @kbd{M-p} enough times
1052 to fetch that previous input from the history list. However, @kbd{C-c
1053 @key{RET}} copies the text from the buffer, which can be different
1054 from what is in the history list if you edit the input text in the
1055 buffer after it has been sent.
1057 @node History References
1058 @subsubsection Shell History References
1059 @cindex history reference
1061 Various shells including csh and bash support @dfn{history
1062 references} that begin with @samp{!} and @samp{^}. Shell mode
1063 recognizes these constructs, and can perform the history substitution
1066 If you insert a history reference and type @key{TAB}, this searches
1067 the input history for a matching command, performs substitution if
1068 necessary, and places the result in the buffer in place of the history
1069 reference. For example, you can fetch the most recent command
1070 beginning with @samp{mv} with @kbd{! m v @key{TAB}}. You can edit the
1071 command if you wish, and then resubmit the command to the shell by
1074 @vindex comint-input-autoexpand
1075 @findex comint-magic-space
1076 Shell mode can optionally expand history references in the buffer
1077 when you send them to the shell. To request this, set the variable
1078 @code{comint-input-autoexpand} to @code{input}. You can make
1079 @key{SPC} perform history expansion by binding @key{SPC} to the
1080 command @code{comint-magic-space}.
1082 Shell mode recognizes history references when they follow a prompt.
1083 @xref{Shell Prompts}, for how Shell mode recognizes prompts.
1085 @node Directory Tracking
1086 @subsection Directory Tracking
1087 @cindex directory tracking
1089 @vindex shell-pushd-regexp
1090 @vindex shell-popd-regexp
1091 @vindex shell-cd-regexp
1092 Shell mode keeps track of @samp{cd}, @samp{pushd} and @samp{popd}
1093 commands given to the subshell, in order to keep the Shell buffer's
1094 default directory (@pxref{File Names}) the same as the shell's working
1095 directory. It recognizes these commands by examining lines of input
1098 If you use aliases for these commands, you can tell Emacs to
1099 recognize them also, by setting the variables
1100 @code{shell-pushd-regexp}, @code{shell-popd-regexp}, and
1101 @code{shell-cd-regexp} to the appropriate regular expressions
1102 (@pxref{Regexps}). For example, if @code{shell-pushd-regexp} matches
1103 the beginning of a shell command line, that line is regarded as a
1104 @code{pushd} command. These commands are recognized only at the
1105 beginning of a shell command line.
1108 If Emacs gets confused about changes in the working directory of the
1109 subshell, type @kbd{M-x dirs}. This command asks the shell for its
1110 working directory and updates the default directory accordingly. It
1111 works for shells that support the most common command syntax, but may
1112 not work for unusual shells.
1114 @findex dirtrack-mode
1115 @cindex Dirtrack mode
1116 @cindex mode, Dirtrack
1117 @vindex dirtrack-list
1118 You can also use Dirtrack mode, a buffer-local minor mode that
1119 implements an alternative method of tracking the shell's working
1120 directory. To use this method, your shell prompt must contain the
1121 working directory at all times, and you must supply a regular
1122 expression for recognizing which part of the prompt contains the
1123 working directory; see the documentation of the variable
1124 @code{dirtrack-list} for details. To use Dirtrack mode, type @kbd{M-x
1125 dirtrack-mode} in the Shell buffer, or add @code{dirtrack-mode} to
1126 @code{shell-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}).
1129 @subsection Shell Mode Options
1131 @vindex comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input
1132 If the variable @code{comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input} is
1133 non-@code{nil}, insertion and yank commands scroll the selected window
1134 to the bottom before inserting. The default is @code{nil}.
1136 @vindex comint-scroll-show-maximum-output
1137 If @code{comint-scroll-show-maximum-output} is non-@code{nil}, then
1138 arrival of output when point is at the end tries to scroll the last
1139 line of text to the bottom line of the window, showing as much useful
1140 text as possible. (This mimics the scrolling behavior of most
1141 terminals.) The default is @code{t}.
1143 @vindex comint-move-point-for-output
1144 By setting @code{comint-move-point-for-output}, you can opt for
1145 having point jump to the end of the buffer whenever output arrives---no
1146 matter where in the buffer point was before. If the value is
1147 @code{this}, point jumps in the selected window. If the value is
1148 @code{all}, point jumps in each window that shows the Comint buffer. If
1149 the value is @code{other}, point jumps in all nonselected windows that
1150 show the current buffer. The default value is @code{nil}, which means
1151 point does not jump to the end.
1153 @vindex comint-prompt-read-only
1154 If you set @code{comint-prompt-read-only}, the prompts in the Comint
1155 buffer are read-only.
1157 @vindex comint-input-ignoredups
1158 The variable @code{comint-input-ignoredups} controls whether successive
1159 identical inputs are stored in the input history. A non-@code{nil}
1160 value means to omit an input that is the same as the previous input.
1161 The default is @code{nil}, which means to store each input even if it is
1162 equal to the previous input.
1164 @vindex comint-completion-addsuffix
1165 @vindex comint-completion-recexact
1166 @vindex comint-completion-autolist
1167 Three variables customize file name completion. The variable
1168 @code{comint-completion-addsuffix} controls whether completion inserts a
1169 space or a slash to indicate a fully completed file or directory name
1170 (non-@code{nil} means do insert a space or slash).
1171 @code{comint-completion-recexact}, if non-@code{nil}, directs @key{TAB}
1172 to choose the shortest possible completion if the usual Emacs completion
1173 algorithm cannot add even a single character.
1174 @code{comint-completion-autolist}, if non-@code{nil}, says to list all
1175 the possible completions whenever completion is not exact.
1177 @vindex shell-completion-execonly
1178 Command completion normally considers only executable files.
1179 If you set @code{shell-completion-execonly} to @code{nil},
1180 it considers nonexecutable files as well.
1182 @findex shell-pushd-tohome
1183 @findex shell-pushd-dextract
1184 @findex shell-pushd-dunique
1185 You can configure the behavior of @samp{pushd}. Variables control
1186 whether @samp{pushd} behaves like @samp{cd} if no argument is given
1187 (@code{shell-pushd-tohome}), pop rather than rotate with a numeric
1188 argument (@code{shell-pushd-dextract}), and only add directories to the
1189 directory stack if they are not already on it
1190 (@code{shell-pushd-dunique}). The values you choose should match the
1191 underlying shell, of course.
1193 @node Terminal emulator
1194 @subsection Emacs Terminal Emulator
1197 To run a subshell in a text terminal emulator, use @kbd{M-x term}.
1198 This creates (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*terminal*}, and runs a
1199 subshell with input coming from your keyboard, and output going to
1202 @cindex line mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1203 @cindex char mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1204 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1205 @dfn{line mode}, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell
1206 Mode}). In @dfn{char mode}, each character is sent directly to the
1207 subshell, as terminal input; the sole exception is the terminal escape
1208 character, which by default is @kbd{C-c} (@pxref{Term Mode}). Any
1209 echoing of your input is the responsibility of the subshell; any
1210 terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer, advancing
1213 Some programs (such as Emacs itself) need to control the appearance
1214 of the terminal screen in detail. They do this by emitting special
1215 control codes. Term mode recognizes and handles ANSI-standard
1216 VT100-style escape sequences, which are accepted by most modern
1217 terminals, including @command{xterm}. (Hence, you can actually run
1218 Emacs inside an Emacs Term window.)
1220 The @code{term} face specifies the default appearance of text
1221 in the terminal emulator (the default is the same appearance as the
1222 @code{default} face). When terminal control codes are used to change
1223 the appearance of text, these are represented in the terminal emulator
1224 by the faces @code{term-color-black}, @code{term-color-red},
1225 @code{term-color-green}, @code{term-color-yellow}
1226 @code{term-color-blue}, @code{term-color-magenta},
1227 @code{term-color-cyan}, @code{term-color-white},
1228 @code{term-color-underline}, and @code{term-color-bold}.
1231 You can also Term mode to communicate with a device connected to a
1232 serial port. @xref{Serial Terminal}.
1234 The file name used to load the subshell is determined the same way
1235 as for Shell mode. To make multiple terminal emulators, rename the
1236 buffer @file{*terminal*} to something different using @kbd{M-x
1237 rename-uniquely}, just as with Shell mode.
1239 Unlike Shell mode, Term mode does not track the current directory by
1240 examining your input. But some shells can tell Term what the current
1241 directory is. This is done automatically by @code{bash} version 1.15
1248 @subsection Term Mode
1252 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1253 line mode, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell Mode}).
1254 In char mode, each character is sent directly to the subshell, except
1255 for the Term escape character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
1257 To switch between line and char mode, use these commands:
1260 @kindex C-c C-j @r{(Term mode)}
1261 @findex term-line-mode
1263 Switch to line mode (@code{term-line-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1266 @kindex C-c C-k @r{(Term mode)}
1267 @findex term-char-mode
1269 Switch to char mode (@code{term-char-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1273 The following commands are only available in char mode:
1277 Send a literal @key{C-c} to the sub-shell.
1279 @item C-c @var{char}
1280 This is equivalent to @kbd{C-x @var{char}} in normal Emacs. For
1281 example, @kbd{C-c o} invokes the global binding of @kbd{C-x o}, which
1282 is normally @samp{other-window}.
1285 @cindex paging in Term mode
1286 Term mode has a page-at-a-time feature. When enabled, it makes
1287 output pause at the end of each screenful:
1290 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Term mode)}
1291 @findex term-pager-toggle
1293 Toggle the page-at-a-time feature. This command works in both line
1294 and char modes. When the feature is enabled, the mode-line displays
1295 the word @samp{page}, and each time Term receives more than a
1296 screenful of output, it pauses and displays @samp{**MORE**} in the
1297 mode-line. Type @key{SPC} to display the next screenful of output, or
1298 @kbd{?} to see your other options. The interface is similar to the
1299 @code{more} program.
1303 @subsection Remote Host Shell
1305 @cindex connecting to remote host
1309 You can login to a remote computer, using whatever commands you
1310 would from a regular terminal (e.g., using the @code{telnet} or
1311 @code{rlogin} commands), from a Term window.
1313 A program that asks you for a password will normally suppress
1314 echoing of the password, so the password will not show up in the
1315 buffer. This will happen just as if you were using a real terminal,
1316 if the buffer is in char mode. If it is in line mode, the password is
1317 temporarily visible, but will be erased when you hit return. (This
1318 happens automatically; there is no special password processing.)
1320 When you log in to a different machine, you need to specify the type
1321 of terminal you're using, by setting the @env{TERM} environment
1322 variable in the environment for the remote login command. (If you use
1323 bash, you do that by writing the variable assignment before the remote
1324 login command, without a separating comma.) Terminal types
1325 @samp{ansi} or @samp{vt100} will work on most systems.
1327 @node Serial Terminal
1328 @subsection Serial Terminal
1329 @cindex terminal, serial
1332 If you have a device connected to a serial port of your computer,
1333 you can communicate with it by typing @kbd{M-x serial-term}. This
1334 command asks for a serial port name and speed, and switches to a new
1335 Term mode buffer. Emacs communicates with the serial device through
1336 this buffer just like it does with a terminal in ordinary Term mode.
1338 The speed of the serial port is measured in bits per second. The
1339 most common speed is 9600 bits per second. You can change the speed
1340 interactively by clicking on the mode line.
1342 A serial port can be configured even more by clicking on ``8N1'' in
1343 the mode line. By default, a serial port is configured as ``8N1'',
1344 which means that each byte consists of 8 data bits, No parity check
1347 If the speed or the configuration is wrong, you cannot communicate
1348 with your device and will probably only see garbage output in the
1352 @section Using Emacs as a Server
1354 @cindex Emacs as a server
1355 @cindex server, using Emacs as
1356 @cindex @env{EDITOR} environment variable
1358 Various programs can invoke your choice of editor to edit a
1359 particular piece of text. For instance, version control programs
1360 invoke an editor to enter version control logs (@pxref{Version
1361 Control}), and the Unix @command{mail} utility invokes an editor to
1362 enter a message to send. By convention, your choice of editor is
1363 specified by the environment variable @env{EDITOR}. If you set
1364 @env{EDITOR} to @samp{emacs}, Emacs would be invoked, but in an
1365 inconvenient way---by starting a new Emacs process. This is
1366 inconvenient because the new Emacs process doesn't share buffers, a
1367 command history, or other kinds of information with any existing Emacs
1370 You can solve this problem by setting up Emacs as an @dfn{edit
1371 server}, so that it ``listens'' for external edit requests and acts
1372 accordingly. There are two ways to start an Emacs server:
1375 @findex server-start
1377 Run the command @code{server-start} in an existing Emacs process:
1378 either type @kbd{M-x server-start}, or put the expression
1379 @code{(server-start)} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}). The
1380 existing Emacs process is the server; when you exit Emacs, the server
1381 dies with the Emacs process.
1383 @cindex daemon, Emacs
1385 Run Emacs as a @dfn{daemon}, using the @samp{--daemon} command-line
1386 option. @xref{Initial Options}. When Emacs is started this way, it
1387 calls @code{server-start} after initialization, and returns control to
1388 the calling terminal instead of opening an initial frame; it then
1389 waits in the background, listening for edit requests.
1392 @cindex @env{TEXEDIT} environment variable
1393 Either way, once an Emacs server is started, you can use a shell
1394 command called @command{emacsclient} to connect to the Emacs process
1395 and tell it to visit a file. You can then set the @env{EDITOR}
1396 environment variable to @samp{emacsclient}, so that external programs
1397 will use the existing Emacs process for editing.@footnote{Some
1398 programs use a different environment variable; for example, to make
1399 @TeX{} use @samp{emacsclient}, set the @env{TEXEDIT} environment
1400 variable to @samp{emacsclient +%d %s}.}
1403 You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
1404 each one a unique ``server name'', using the variable
1405 @code{server-name}. For example, @kbd{M-x set-variable @key{RET}
1406 server-name @key{RET} foo @key{RET}} sets the server name to
1407 @samp{foo}. The @code{emacsclient} program can specify a server by
1408 name, using the @samp{-s} option (@pxref{emacsclient Options}).
1410 @findex server-eval-at
1411 If you have defined a server by a unique server name, it is possible
1412 to connect to the server from another Emacs instance and evaluate Lisp
1413 expressions on the server, using the @code{server-eval-at} function.
1414 For instance, @code{(server-eval-at "foo" '(+ 1 2))} evaluates the
1415 expression @code{(+ 1 2)} on the @samp{foo} server, and returns
1416 @code{3}. (If there is no server with that name, an error is
1417 signaled.) Currently, this feature is mainly useful for developers.
1420 * Invoking emacsclient:: Connecting to the Emacs server.
1421 * emacsclient Options:: Emacs client startup options.
1424 @node Invoking emacsclient
1425 @subsection Invoking @code{emacsclient}
1426 @cindex @code{emacsclient} invocation
1428 The simplest way to use the @command{emacsclient} program is to run
1429 the shell command @samp{emacsclient @var{file}}, where @var{file} is a
1430 file name. This connects to an Emacs server, and tells that Emacs
1431 process to visit @var{file} in one of its existing frames---either a
1432 graphical frame, or one in a text terminal (@pxref{Frames}). You
1433 can then select that frame to begin editing.
1435 If there is no Emacs server, the @command{emacsclient} program halts
1436 with an error message. If the Emacs process has no existing
1437 frame---which can happen if it was started as a daemon (@pxref{Emacs
1438 Server})---then Emacs opens a frame on the terminal in which you
1439 called @command{emacsclient}.
1441 You can also force @command{emacsclient} to open a new frame on a
1442 graphical display, or on a text terminal, using the @samp{-c} and
1443 @samp{-t} options. @xref{emacsclient Options}.
1445 If you are running on a single text terminal, you can switch between
1446 @command{emacsclient}'s shell and the Emacs server using one of two
1447 methods: (i) run the Emacs server and @command{emacsclient} on
1448 different virtual terminals, and switch to the Emacs server's virtual
1449 terminal after calling @command{emacsclient}; or (ii) call
1450 @command{emacsclient} from within the Emacs server itself, using Shell
1451 mode (@pxref{Interactive Shell}) or Term mode (@pxref{Term Mode});
1452 @code{emacsclient} blocks only the subshell under Emacs, and you can
1453 still use Emacs to edit the file.
1457 When you finish editing @var{file} in the Emacs server, type
1458 @kbd{C-x #} (@code{server-edit}) in its buffer. This saves the file
1459 and sends a message back to the @command{emacsclient} program, telling
1460 it to exit. Programs that use @env{EDITOR} usually wait for the
1461 ``editor''---in this case @command{emacsclient}---to exit before doing
1464 You can also call @command{emacsclient} with multiple file name
1465 arguments: @samp{emacsclient @var{file1} @var{file2} ...} tells the
1466 Emacs server to visit @var{file1}, @var{file2}, and so forth. Emacs
1467 selects the buffer visiting @var{file1}, and buries the other buffers
1468 at the bottom of the buffer list (@pxref{Buffers}). The
1469 @command{emacsclient} program exits once all the specified files are
1470 finished (i.e., once you have typed @kbd{C-x #} in each server
1473 @vindex server-kill-new-buffers
1474 @vindex server-temp-file-regexp
1475 Finishing with a server buffer also kills the buffer, unless it
1476 already existed in the Emacs session before the server was asked to
1477 create it. However, if you set @code{server-kill-new-buffers} to
1478 @code{nil}, then a different criterion is used: finishing with a
1479 server buffer kills it if the file name matches the regular expression
1480 @code{server-temp-file-regexp}. This is set up to distinguish certain
1481 ``temporary'' files.
1483 Each @kbd{C-x #} checks for other pending external requests to edit
1484 various files, and selects the next such file. You can switch to a
1485 server buffer manually if you wish; you don't have to arrive at it
1486 with @kbd{C-x #}. But @kbd{C-x #} is the way to tell
1487 @command{emacsclient} that you are finished.
1489 @vindex server-window
1490 If you set the value of the variable @code{server-window} to a
1491 window or a frame, @kbd{C-x #} always displays the next server buffer
1492 in that window or in that frame.
1494 @node emacsclient Options
1495 @subsection @code{emacsclient} Options
1496 @cindex @code{emacsclient} options
1498 You can pass some optional arguments to the @command{emacsclient}
1502 emacsclient -c +12 @var{file1} +4:3 @var{file2}
1506 The @samp{+@var{line}} or @samp{+@var{line}:@var{column}} arguments
1507 specify line numbers, or line and column numbers, for the next file
1508 argument. These behave like the command line arguments for Emacs
1509 itself. @xref{Action Arguments}.
1511 The other optional arguments recognized by @command{emacsclient} are
1515 @item -a @var{command}
1516 @itemx --alternate-editor=@var{command}
1517 Specify a command to run if @code{emacsclient} fails to contact Emacs.
1518 This is useful when running @code{emacsclient} in a script.
1520 As a special exception, if @var{command} is the empty string, then
1521 @code{emacsclient} starts Emacs in daemon mode (as @command{emacs
1522 --daemon}) and then tries connecting again.
1524 @cindex @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} environment variable
1525 The environment variable @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} has the same effect as
1526 the @samp{-a} option. If both are present, the latter takes
1529 @cindex client frame
1531 Create a new graphical @dfn{client frame}, instead of using an
1532 existing Emacs frame. See below for the special behavior of @kbd{C-x
1533 C-c} in a client frame. If Emacs cannot create a new graphical frame
1534 (e.g., if it cannot connect to the X server), it tries to create a
1535 text terminal client frame, as though you had supplied the @samp{-t}
1538 On MS-Windows, a single Emacs session cannot display frames on both
1539 graphical and text terminals, nor on multiple text terminals. Thus,
1540 if the Emacs server is running on a text terminal, the @samp{-c}
1541 option, like the @samp{-t} option, creates a new frame in the server's
1542 current text terminal. @xref{Windows Startup}.
1544 If you omit a filename argument while supplying the @samp{-c} option,
1545 the new frame displays the @file{*scratch*} buffer by default. This
1546 behavior can be customized using the variable
1547 @code{initial-buffer-choice} (@pxref{Entering Emacs}).
1549 @item -F @var{alist}
1550 @itemx --frame-parameters=@var{alist}
1551 Set the parameters for a newly-created graphical frame
1552 (@pxref{Frame Parameters}).
1554 @item -d @var{display}
1555 @itemx --display=@var{display}
1556 Tell Emacs to open the given files on the X display @var{display}
1557 (assuming there is more than one X display available).
1561 Tell Emacs to evaluate some Emacs Lisp code, instead of visiting some
1562 files. When this option is given, the arguments to
1563 @command{emacsclient} are interpreted as a list of expressions to
1564 evaluate, @emph{not} as a list of files to visit.
1566 @item -f @var{server-file}
1567 @itemx --server-file=@var{server-file}
1568 @cindex @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE} environment variable
1569 Specify a @dfn{server file} for connecting to an Emacs server via TCP.
1571 An Emacs server usually uses an operating system feature called a
1572 ``local socket'' to listen for connections. Some operating systems,
1573 such as Microsoft Windows, do not support local sockets; in that case,
1574 the server communicates with @command{emacsclient} via TCP.
1576 @vindex server-auth-dir
1579 When you start a TCP Emacs server, Emacs creates a @dfn{server file}
1580 containing the TCP information to be used by @command{emacsclient} to
1581 connect to the server. The variable @code{server-auth-dir} specifies
1582 the directory containing the server file; by default, this is
1583 @file{~/.emacs.d/server/}. To tell @command{emacsclient} to connect
1584 to the server over TCP with a specific server file, use the @samp{-f}
1585 or @samp{--server-file} option, or set the @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE}
1586 environment variable.
1590 Let @command{emacsclient} exit immediately, instead of waiting until
1591 all server buffers are finished. You can take as long as you like to
1592 edit the server buffers within Emacs, and they are @emph{not} killed
1593 when you type @kbd{C-x #} in them.
1595 @item --parent-id @var{ID}
1596 Open an @command{emacsclient} frame as a client frame in the parent X
1597 window with id @var{ID}, via the XEmbed protocol. Currently, this
1598 option is mainly useful for developers.
1602 Do not let @command{emacsclient} display messages about waiting for
1603 Emacs or connecting to remote server sockets.
1605 @item -s @var{server-name}
1606 @itemx --socket-name=@var{server-name}
1607 Connect to the Emacs server named @var{server-name}. The server name
1608 is given by the variable @code{server-name} on the Emacs server. If
1609 this option is omitted, @command{emacsclient} connects to the first
1610 server it finds. (This option is not supported on MS-Windows.)
1615 Create a new client frame on the current text terminal, instead of
1616 using an existing Emacs frame. This behaves just like the @samp{-c}
1617 option, described above, except that it creates a text terminal frame
1618 (@pxref{Non-Window Terminals}).
1620 On MS-Windows, @samp{-t} behaves just like @samp{-c} if the Emacs
1621 server is using the graphical display, but if the Emacs server is
1622 running on a text terminal, it creates a new frame in the current text
1626 The new graphical or text terminal frames created by the @samp{-c}
1627 or @samp{-t} options are considered @dfn{client frames}. Any new
1628 frame that you create from a client frame is also considered a client
1629 frame. If you type @kbd{C-x C-c} (@code{save-buffers-kill-terminal})
1630 in a client frame, that command does not kill the Emacs session as it
1631 normally does (@pxref{Exiting}). Instead, Emacs deletes the client
1632 frame; furthermore, if the client frame has an @command{emacsclient}
1633 waiting to regain control (i.e., if you did not supply the @samp{-n}
1634 option), Emacs deletes all other frames of the same client, and marks
1635 the client's server buffers as finished, as though you had typed
1636 @kbd{C-x #} in all of them. If it so happens that there are no
1637 remaining frames after the client frame(s) are deleted, the Emacs
1640 As an exception, when Emacs is started as a daemon, all frames are
1641 considered client frames, and @kbd{C-x C-c} never kills Emacs. To
1642 kill a daemon session, type @kbd{M-x kill-emacs}.
1644 Note that the @samp{-t} and @samp{-n} options are contradictory:
1645 @samp{-t} says to take control of the current text terminal to create
1646 a new client frame, while @samp{-n} says not to take control of the
1647 text terminal. If you supply both options, Emacs visits the specified
1648 files(s) in an existing frame rather than a new client frame, negating
1649 the effect of @samp{-t}.
1652 @section Printing Hard Copies
1656 Emacs provides commands for printing hardcopies of either an entire
1657 buffer or part of one. You can invoke the printing commands directly,
1658 as detailed below, or using the @samp{File} menu on the menu bar.
1660 @findex htmlfontify-buffer
1661 Aside from the commands described in this section, you can also
1662 print hardcopies from Dired (@pxref{Operating on Files}) and the diary
1663 (@pxref{Displaying the Diary}). You can also ``print'' an Emacs
1664 buffer to HTML with the command @kbd{M-x htmlfontify-buffer}, which
1665 converts the current buffer to a HTML file, replacing Emacs faces with
1666 CSS-based markup. Furthermore, Org mode allows you to ``print'' Org
1667 files to a variety of formats, such as PDF (@pxref{Org Mode}).
1670 @item M-x print-buffer
1671 Print hardcopy of current buffer with page headings containing the
1672 file name and page number.
1673 @item M-x lpr-buffer
1674 Print hardcopy of current buffer without page headings.
1675 @item M-x print-region
1676 Like @code{print-buffer} but print only the current region.
1677 @item M-x lpr-region
1678 Like @code{lpr-buffer} but print only the current region.
1681 @findex print-buffer
1682 @findex print-region
1685 @vindex lpr-switches
1686 @vindex lpr-commands
1687 On most operating system, the above hardcopy commands submit files
1688 for printing by calling the @command{lpr} program. To change the
1689 printer program, customize the variable @code{lpr-command}. To
1690 specify extra switches to give the printer program, customize the list
1691 variable @code{lpr-switches}. Its value should be a list of option
1692 strings, each of which should start with @samp{-} (e.g., the option
1693 string @code{"-w80"} specifies a line width of 80 columns). The
1694 default is the empty list, @code{nil}.
1696 @vindex printer-name
1697 @vindex lpr-printer-switch
1698 To specify the printer to use, set the variable @code{printer-name}.
1699 The default, @code{nil}, specifies the default printer. If you set it
1700 to a printer name (a string), that name is passed to @command{lpr}
1701 with the @samp{-P} switch; if you are not using @command{lpr}, you
1702 should specify the switch with @code{lpr-printer-switch}.
1704 @vindex lpr-headers-switches
1705 @vindex lpr-add-switches
1706 The variable @code{lpr-headers-switches} similarly specifies the
1707 extra switches to use to make page headers. The variable
1708 @code{lpr-add-switches} controls whether to supply @samp{-T} and
1709 @samp{-J} options (suitable for @command{lpr}) to the printer program:
1710 @code{nil} means don't add them (this should be the value if your
1711 printer program is not compatible with @command{lpr}).
1714 * PostScript:: Printing buffers or regions as PostScript.
1715 * PostScript Variables:: Customizing the PostScript printing commands.
1716 * Printing Package:: An optional advanced printing interface.
1720 @subsection PostScript Hardcopy
1722 These commands convert buffer contents to PostScript,
1723 either printing it or leaving it in another Emacs buffer.
1726 @item M-x ps-print-buffer
1727 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form.
1728 @item M-x ps-print-region
1729 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form.
1730 @item M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1731 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form, showing the
1732 faces used in the text by means of PostScript features.
1733 @item M-x ps-print-region-with-faces
1734 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form, showing the
1735 faces used in the text.
1736 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer
1737 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer text.
1738 @item M-x ps-spool-region
1739 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region.
1740 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1741 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer, showing the faces used.
1742 @item M-x ps-spool-region-with-faces
1743 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region, showing the faces used.
1744 @item M-x ps-despool
1745 Send the spooled PostScript to the printer.
1747 Generate/print PostScript for the current buffer as if handwritten.
1750 @findex ps-print-region
1751 @findex ps-print-buffer
1752 @findex ps-print-region-with-faces
1753 @findex ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1754 The @code{ps-print-buffer} and @code{ps-print-region} commands print
1755 buffer contents in PostScript form. One command prints the entire
1756 buffer; the other, just the region. The commands
1757 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} and
1758 @code{ps-print-region-with-faces} behave similarly, but use PostScript
1759 features to show the faces (fonts and colors) of the buffer text.
1761 Interactively, when you use a prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), the command
1762 prompts the user for a file name, and saves the PostScript image in that file
1763 instead of sending it to the printer.
1765 @findex ps-spool-region
1766 @findex ps-spool-buffer
1767 @findex ps-spool-region-with-faces
1768 @findex ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1769 The commands whose names have @samp{spool} instead of @samp{print},
1770 generate the PostScript output in an Emacs buffer instead of sending
1774 Use the command @code{ps-despool} to send the spooled images to the
1775 printer. This command sends the PostScript generated by
1776 @samp{-spool-} commands (see commands above) to the printer. With a
1777 prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), it prompts for a file name, and saves the
1778 spooled PostScript image in that file instead of sending it to the
1783 @kbd{M-x handwrite} is more frivolous. It generates a PostScript
1784 rendition of the current buffer as a cursive handwritten document. It
1785 can be customized in group @code{handwrite}. This function only
1786 supports ISO 8859-1 characters.
1788 @node PostScript Variables
1789 @subsection Variables for PostScript Hardcopy
1791 @vindex ps-lpr-command
1792 @vindex ps-lpr-switches
1793 @vindex ps-printer-name
1794 All the PostScript hardcopy commands use the variables
1795 @code{ps-lpr-command} and @code{ps-lpr-switches} to specify how to print
1796 the output. @code{ps-lpr-command} specifies the command name to run,
1797 @code{ps-lpr-switches} specifies command line options to use, and
1798 @code{ps-printer-name} specifies the printer. If you don't set the
1799 first two variables yourself, they take their initial values from
1800 @code{lpr-command} and @code{lpr-switches}. If @code{ps-printer-name}
1801 is @code{nil}, @code{printer-name} is used.
1803 @vindex ps-print-header
1804 The variable @code{ps-print-header} controls whether these commands
1805 add header lines to each page---set it to @code{nil} to turn headers
1808 @cindex color emulation on black-and-white printers
1809 @vindex ps-print-color-p
1810 If your printer doesn't support colors, you should turn off color
1811 processing by setting @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{nil}. By
1812 default, if the display supports colors, Emacs produces hardcopy output
1813 with color information; on black-and-white printers, colors are emulated
1814 with shades of gray. This might produce illegible output, even if your
1815 screen colors only use shades of gray.
1817 Alternatively, you can set @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{black-white} to
1818 print colors on black/white printers.
1820 @vindex ps-use-face-background
1821 By default, PostScript printing ignores the background colors of the
1822 faces, unless the variable @code{ps-use-face-background} is
1823 non-@code{nil}. This is to avoid unwanted interference with the zebra
1824 stripes and background image/text.
1826 @vindex ps-paper-type
1827 @vindex ps-page-dimensions-database
1828 The variable @code{ps-paper-type} specifies which size of paper to
1829 format for; legitimate values include @code{a4}, @code{a3},
1830 @code{a4small}, @code{b4}, @code{b5}, @code{executive}, @code{ledger},
1831 @code{legal}, @code{letter}, @code{letter-small}, @code{statement},
1832 @code{tabloid}. The default is @code{letter}. You can define
1833 additional paper sizes by changing the variable
1834 @code{ps-page-dimensions-database}.
1836 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
1837 The variable @code{ps-landscape-mode} specifies the orientation of
1838 printing on the page. The default is @code{nil}, which stands for
1839 ``portrait'' mode. Any non-@code{nil} value specifies ``landscape''
1842 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
1843 The variable @code{ps-number-of-columns} specifies the number of
1844 columns; it takes effect in both landscape and portrait mode. The
1847 @vindex ps-font-family
1848 @vindex ps-font-size
1849 @vindex ps-font-info-database
1850 The variable @code{ps-font-family} specifies which font family to use
1851 for printing ordinary text. Legitimate values include @code{Courier},
1852 @code{Helvetica}, @code{NewCenturySchlbk}, @code{Palatino} and
1853 @code{Times}. The variable @code{ps-font-size} specifies the size of
1854 the font for ordinary text. It defaults to 8.5 points.
1856 @vindex ps-multibyte-buffer
1857 @cindex Intlfonts for PostScript printing
1858 @cindex fonts for PostScript printing
1859 Emacs supports more scripts and characters than a typical PostScript
1860 printer. Thus, some of the characters in your buffer might not be
1861 printable using the fonts built into your printer. You can augment
1862 the fonts supplied with the printer with those from the GNU Intlfonts
1863 package, or you can instruct Emacs to use Intlfonts exclusively. The
1864 variable @code{ps-multibyte-buffer} controls this: the default value,
1865 @code{nil}, is appropriate for printing @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1866 characters; a value of @code{non-latin-printer} is for printers which
1867 have the fonts for @acronym{ASCII}, Latin-1, Japanese, and Korean
1868 characters built into them. A value of @code{bdf-font} arranges for
1869 the BDF fonts from the Intlfonts package to be used for @emph{all}
1870 characters. Finally, a value of @code{bdf-font-except-latin}
1871 instructs the printer to use built-in fonts for @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1872 characters, and Intlfonts BDF fonts for the rest.
1874 @vindex bdf-directory-list
1875 To be able to use the BDF fonts, Emacs needs to know where to find
1876 them. The variable @code{bdf-directory-list} holds the list of
1877 directories where Emacs should look for the fonts; the default value
1878 includes a single directory @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/fonts/bdf}.
1880 Many other customization variables for these commands are defined and
1881 described in the Lisp files @file{ps-print.el} and @file{ps-mule.el}.
1883 @node Printing Package
1884 @subsection Printing Package
1885 @cindex Printing package
1887 The basic Emacs facilities for printing hardcopy can be extended
1888 using the Printing package. This provides an easy-to-use interface
1889 for choosing what to print, previewing PostScript files before
1890 printing, and setting various printing options such as print headers,
1891 landscape or portrait modes, duplex modes, and so forth. On GNU/Linux
1892 or Unix systems, the Printing package relies on the @file{gs} and
1893 @file{gv} utilities, which are distributed as part of the GhostScript
1894 program. On MS-Windows, the @file{gstools} port of Ghostscript can be
1897 @findex pr-interface
1898 To use the Printing package, add @code{(require 'printing)} to your
1899 init file (@pxref{Init File}), followed by @code{(pr-update-menus)}.
1900 This function replaces the usual printing commands in the menu bar
1901 with a @samp{Printing} submenu that contains various printing options.
1902 You can also type @kbd{M-x pr-interface RET}; this creates a
1903 @file{*Printing Interface*} buffer, similar to a customization buffer,
1904 where you can set the printing options. After selecting what and how
1905 to print, you start the print job using the @samp{Print} button (click
1906 @kbd{mouse-2} on it, or move point over it and type @kbd{RET}). For
1907 further information on the various options, use the @samp{Interface
1911 @section Sorting Text
1914 Emacs provides several commands for sorting text in the buffer. All
1915 operate on the contents of the region.
1916 They divide the text of the region into many @dfn{sort records},
1917 identify a @dfn{sort key} for each record, and then reorder the records
1918 into the order determined by the sort keys. The records are ordered so
1919 that their keys are in alphabetical order, or, for numeric sorting, in
1920 numeric order. In alphabetic sorting, all upper-case letters `A' through
1921 `Z' come before lower-case `a', in accord with the @acronym{ASCII} character
1924 The various sort commands differ in how they divide the text into sort
1925 records and in which part of each record is used as the sort key. Most of
1926 the commands make each line a separate sort record, but some commands use
1927 paragraphs or pages as sort records. Most of the sort commands use each
1928 entire sort record as its own sort key, but some use only a portion of the
1929 record as the sort key.
1932 @findex sort-paragraphs
1935 @findex sort-numeric-fields
1936 @vindex sort-numeric-base
1938 @item M-x sort-lines
1939 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the entire
1940 text of a line. A numeric argument means sort into descending order.
1942 @item M-x sort-paragraphs
1943 Divide the region into paragraphs, and sort by comparing the entire
1944 text of a paragraph (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1945 argument means sort into descending order.
1947 @item M-x sort-pages
1948 Divide the region into pages, and sort by comparing the entire
1949 text of a page (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1950 argument means sort into descending order.
1952 @item M-x sort-fields
1953 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the contents of
1954 one field in each line. Fields are defined as separated by
1955 whitespace, so the first run of consecutive non-whitespace characters
1956 in a line constitutes field 1, the second such run constitutes field
1959 Specify which field to sort by with a numeric argument: 1 to sort by
1960 field 1, etc. A negative argument means count fields from the right
1961 instead of from the left; thus, minus 1 means sort by the last field.
1962 If several lines have identical contents in the field being sorted, they
1963 keep the same relative order that they had in the original buffer.
1965 @item M-x sort-numeric-fields
1966 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except the specified field is converted
1967 to an integer for each line, and the numbers are compared. @samp{10}
1968 comes before @samp{2} when considered as text, but after it when
1969 considered as a number. By default, numbers are interpreted according
1970 to @code{sort-numeric-base}, but numbers beginning with @samp{0x} or
1971 @samp{0} are interpreted as hexadecimal and octal, respectively.
1973 @item M-x sort-columns
1974 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except that the text within each line
1975 used for comparison comes from a fixed range of columns. See below
1978 @item M-x reverse-region
1979 Reverse the order of the lines in the region. This is useful for
1980 sorting into descending order by fields or columns, since those sort
1981 commands do not have a feature for doing that.
1984 For example, if the buffer contains this:
1987 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
1988 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
1989 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
1990 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
1995 applying @kbd{M-x sort-lines} to the entire buffer produces this:
1998 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
1999 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2000 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2002 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2006 where the upper-case @samp{O} sorts before all lower-case letters. If
2007 you use @kbd{C-u 2 M-x sort-fields} instead, you get this:
2010 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2011 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2013 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2014 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2018 where the sort keys were @samp{Emacs}, @samp{If}, @samp{buffer},
2019 @samp{systems} and @samp{the}.
2021 @findex sort-columns
2022 @kbd{M-x sort-columns} requires more explanation. You specify the
2023 columns by putting point at one of the columns and the mark at the other
2024 column. Because this means you cannot put point or the mark at the
2025 beginning of the first line of the text you want to sort, this command
2026 uses an unusual definition of ``region'': all of the line point is in is
2027 considered part of the region, and so is all of the line the mark is in,
2028 as well as all the lines in between.
2030 For example, to sort a table by information found in columns 10 to 15,
2031 you could put the mark on column 10 in the first line of the table, and
2032 point on column 15 in the last line of the table, and then run
2033 @code{sort-columns}. Equivalently, you could run it with the mark on
2034 column 15 in the first line and point on column 10 in the last line.
2036 This can be thought of as sorting the rectangle specified by point and
2037 the mark, except that the text on each line to the left or right of the
2038 rectangle moves along with the text inside the rectangle.
2041 @vindex sort-fold-case
2042 Many of the sort commands ignore case differences when comparing, if
2043 @code{sort-fold-case} is non-@code{nil}.
2045 @c Picture Mode documentation
2047 @include picture-xtra.texi
2051 @node Editing Binary Files
2052 @section Editing Binary Files
2056 @cindex editing binary files
2058 There is a special major mode for editing binary files: Hexl mode. To
2059 use it, use @kbd{M-x hexl-find-file} instead of @kbd{C-x C-f} to visit
2060 the file. This command converts the file's contents to hexadecimal and
2061 lets you edit the translation. When you save the file, it is converted
2062 automatically back to binary.
2064 You can also use @kbd{M-x hexl-mode} to translate an existing buffer
2065 into hex. This is useful if you visit a file normally and then discover
2066 it is a binary file.
2068 Ordinary text characters overwrite in Hexl mode. This is to reduce
2069 the risk of accidentally spoiling the alignment of data in the file.
2070 There are special commands for insertion. Here is a list of the
2071 commands of Hexl mode:
2073 @c I don't think individual index entries for these commands are useful--RMS.
2076 Insert a byte with a code typed in decimal.
2079 Insert a byte with a code typed in octal.
2082 Insert a byte with a code typed in hex.
2085 Move to the beginning of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2088 Move to the end of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2091 Move to an address specified in hex.
2094 Move to an address specified in decimal.
2097 Leave Hexl mode, going back to the major mode this buffer had before you
2098 invoked @code{hexl-mode}.
2102 Other Hexl commands let you insert strings (sequences) of binary
2103 bytes, move by @code{short}s or @code{int}s, etc.; type @kbd{C-h a
2104 hexl-@key{RET}} for details.
2107 @node Saving Emacs Sessions
2108 @section Saving Emacs Sessions
2109 @cindex saving sessions
2110 @cindex restore session
2111 @cindex remember editing session
2112 @cindex reload files
2115 Use the desktop library to save the state of Emacs from one session
2116 to another. Once you save the Emacs @dfn{desktop}---the buffers,
2117 their file names, major modes, buffer positions, and so on---then
2118 subsequent Emacs sessions reload the saved desktop.
2120 @findex desktop-save
2121 @vindex desktop-save-mode
2122 You can save the desktop manually with the command @kbd{M-x
2123 desktop-save}. You can also enable automatic saving of the desktop
2124 when you exit Emacs, and automatic restoration of the last saved
2125 desktop when Emacs starts: use the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy
2126 Customization}) to set @code{desktop-save-mode} to @code{t} for future
2127 sessions, or add this line in your init file (@pxref{Init File}):
2130 (desktop-save-mode 1)
2133 @findex desktop-change-dir
2134 @findex desktop-revert
2135 @vindex desktop-path
2136 If you turn on @code{desktop-save-mode} in your init file, then when
2137 Emacs starts, it looks for a saved desktop in the current directory.
2138 (More precisely, it looks in the directories specified by
2139 @var{desktop-path}, and uses the first desktop it finds.)
2140 Thus, you can have separate saved desktops in different directories,
2141 and the starting directory determines which one Emacs reloads. You
2142 can save the current desktop and reload one saved in another directory
2143 by typing @kbd{M-x desktop-change-dir}. Typing @kbd{M-x
2144 desktop-revert} reverts to the desktop previously reloaded.
2146 Specify the option @samp{--no-desktop} on the command line when you
2147 don't want it to reload any saved desktop. This turns off
2148 @code{desktop-save-mode} for the current session. Starting Emacs with
2149 the @samp{--no-init-file} option also disables desktop reloading,
2150 since it bypasses the init file, where @code{desktop-save-mode} is
2153 @vindex desktop-restore-eager
2154 By default, all the buffers in the desktop are restored at one go.
2155 However, this may be slow if there are a lot of buffers in the
2156 desktop. You can specify the maximum number of buffers to restore
2157 immediately with the variable @code{desktop-restore-eager}; the
2158 remaining buffers are restored ``lazily'', when Emacs is idle.
2160 @findex desktop-clear
2161 @vindex desktop-globals-to-clear
2162 @vindex desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp
2163 Type @kbd{M-x desktop-clear} to empty the Emacs desktop. This kills
2164 all buffers except for internal ones, and clears the global variables
2165 listed in @code{desktop-globals-to-clear}. If you want this to
2166 preserve certain buffers, customize the variable
2167 @code{desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp}, whose value is a regular
2168 expression matching the names of buffers not to kill.
2170 If you want to save minibuffer history from one session to
2171 another, use the @code{savehist} library.
2173 @node Recursive Edit
2174 @section Recursive Editing Levels
2175 @cindex recursive editing level
2176 @cindex editing level, recursive
2178 A @dfn{recursive edit} is a situation in which you are using Emacs
2179 commands to perform arbitrary editing while in the middle of another
2180 Emacs command. For example, when you type @kbd{C-r} inside of a
2181 @code{query-replace}, you enter a recursive edit in which you can change
2182 the current buffer. On exiting from the recursive edit, you go back to
2183 the @code{query-replace}. @xref{Query Replace}.
2186 @findex exit-recursive-edit
2187 @cindex exiting recursive edit
2188 @dfn{Exiting} the recursive edit means returning to the unfinished
2189 command, which continues execution. The command to exit is @kbd{C-M-c}
2190 (@code{exit-recursive-edit}).
2192 You can also @dfn{abort} the recursive edit. This is like exiting,
2193 but also quits the unfinished command immediately. Use the command
2194 @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}) to do this. @xref{Quitting}.
2196 The mode line shows you when you are in a recursive edit by displaying
2197 square brackets around the parentheses that always surround the major and
2198 minor mode names. Every window's mode line shows this in the same way,
2199 since being in a recursive edit is true of Emacs as a whole rather than
2200 any particular window or buffer.
2202 It is possible to be in recursive edits within recursive edits. For
2203 example, after typing @kbd{C-r} in a @code{query-replace}, you may type a
2204 command that enters the debugger. This begins a recursive editing level
2205 for the debugger, within the recursive editing level for @kbd{C-r}.
2206 Mode lines display a pair of square brackets for each recursive editing
2207 level currently in progress.
2209 Exiting the inner recursive edit (such as with the debugger @kbd{c}
2210 command) resumes the command running in the next level up. When that
2211 command finishes, you can then use @kbd{C-M-c} to exit another recursive
2212 editing level, and so on. Exiting applies to the innermost level only.
2213 Aborting also gets out of only one level of recursive edit; it returns
2214 immediately to the command level of the previous recursive edit. If you
2215 wish, you can then abort the next recursive editing level.
2217 Alternatively, the command @kbd{M-x top-level} aborts all levels of
2218 recursive edits, returning immediately to the top-level command
2219 reader. It also exits the minibuffer, if it is active.
2221 The text being edited inside the recursive edit need not be the same text
2222 that you were editing at top level. It depends on what the recursive edit
2223 is for. If the command that invokes the recursive edit selects a different
2224 buffer first, that is the buffer you will edit recursively. In any case,
2225 you can switch buffers within the recursive edit in the normal manner (as
2226 long as the buffer-switching keys have not been rebound). You could
2227 probably do all the rest of your editing inside the recursive edit,
2228 visiting files and all. But this could have surprising effects (such as
2229 stack overflow) from time to time. So remember to exit or abort the
2230 recursive edit when you no longer need it.
2232 In general, we try to minimize the use of recursive editing levels in
2233 GNU Emacs. This is because they constrain you to ``go back'' in a
2234 particular order---from the innermost level toward the top level. When
2235 possible, we present different activities in separate buffers so that
2236 you can switch between them as you please. Some commands switch to a
2237 new major mode which provides a command to switch back. These
2238 approaches give you more flexibility to go back to unfinished tasks in
2239 the order you choose.
2243 @cindex emulating other editors
2244 @cindex other editors
2247 @cindex PC key bindings
2248 @cindex scrolling all windows
2249 @cindex PC selection
2250 @cindex Motif key bindings
2251 @cindex Macintosh key bindings
2254 GNU Emacs can be programmed to emulate (more or less) most other
2255 editors. Standard facilities can emulate these:
2258 @item CRiSP/Brief (PC editor)
2260 @vindex crisp-override-meta-x
2261 @findex scroll-all-mode
2263 @cindex Brief emulation
2264 @cindex emulation of Brief
2266 @kbd{M-x crisp-mode} enables key bindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief
2267 editor. Note that this rebinds @kbd{M-x} to exit Emacs unless you set
2268 the variable @code{crisp-override-meta-x}. You can also use the
2269 command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the variable
2270 @code{crisp-load-scroll-all} to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
2271 (scrolling all windows together).
2273 @item EDT (DEC VMS editor)
2274 @findex edt-emulation-on
2275 @findex edt-emulation-off
2276 Turn on EDT emulation with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-on}; restore normal
2277 command bindings with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-off}.
2279 Most of the EDT emulation commands are keypad keys, and most standard
2280 Emacs key bindings are still available. The EDT emulation rebindings
2281 are done in the global keymap, so there is no problem switching
2282 buffers or major modes while in EDT emulation.
2284 @item TPU (DEC VMS editor)
2287 @kbd{M-x tpu-edt-on} turns on emulation of the TPU editor emulating EDT.
2289 @item vi (Berkeley editor)
2291 Viper is the newest emulator for vi. It implements several levels of
2292 emulation; level 1 is closest to vi itself, while level 5 departs
2293 somewhat from strict emulation to take advantage of the capabilities of
2294 Emacs. To invoke Viper, type @kbd{M-x viper-mode}; it will guide you
2295 the rest of the way and ask for the emulation level. @inforef{Top,
2298 @item vi (another emulator)
2300 @kbd{M-x vi-mode} enters a major mode that replaces the previously
2301 established major mode. All of the vi commands that, in real vi, enter
2302 ``input'' mode are programmed instead to return to the previous major
2303 mode. Thus, ordinary Emacs serves as vi's ``input'' mode.
2305 Because vi emulation works through major modes, it does not work
2306 to switch buffers during emulation. Return to normal Emacs first.
2308 If you plan to use vi emulation much, you probably want to bind a key
2309 to the @code{vi-mode} command.
2311 @item vi (alternate emulator)
2313 @kbd{M-x vip-mode} invokes another vi emulator, said to resemble real vi
2314 more thoroughly than @kbd{M-x vi-mode}. ``Input'' mode in this emulator
2315 is changed from ordinary Emacs so you can use @key{ESC} to go back to
2316 emulated vi command mode. To get from emulated vi command mode back to
2317 ordinary Emacs, type @kbd{C-z}.
2319 This emulation does not work through major modes, and it is possible
2320 to switch buffers in various ways within the emulator. It is not
2321 so necessary to assign a key to the command @code{vip-mode} as
2322 it is with @code{vi-mode} because terminating insert mode does
2325 @inforef{Top, VIP, vip}, for full information.
2327 @item WordStar (old wordprocessor)
2328 @findex wordstar-mode
2329 @kbd{M-x wordstar-mode} provides a major mode with WordStar-like
2334 @section Hyperlinking and Navigation Features
2336 The following subsections describe convenience features for handling
2337 URLs and other types of links occurring in Emacs buffer text.
2340 * Browse-URL:: Following URLs.
2341 * Goto Address mode:: Activating URLs.
2342 * FFAP:: Finding files etc. at point.
2346 @subsection Following URLs
2347 @cindex World Wide Web
2350 @findex browse-url-at-point
2351 @findex browse-url-at-mouse
2356 @item M-x browse-url @key{RET} @var{url} @key{RET}
2357 Load a URL into a Web browser.
2360 The Browse-URL package allows you to easily follow URLs from within
2361 Emacs. Most URLs are followed by invoking a web browser;
2362 @samp{mailto:} URLs are followed by invoking the @code{compose-mail}
2363 Emacs command to send mail to the specified address (@pxref{Sending
2366 The command @kbd{M-x browse-url} prompts for a URL, and follows it.
2367 If point is located near a plausible URL, that URL is offered as the
2368 default. The Browse-URL package also provides other commands which
2369 you might like to bind to keys, such as @code{browse-url-at-point} and
2370 @code{browse-url-at-mouse}.
2372 @vindex browse-url-mailto-function
2373 @vindex browse-url-browser-function
2374 You can customize Browse-URL's behavior via various options in the
2375 @code{browse-url} Customize group. In particular, the option
2376 @code{browse-url-mailto-function} lets you define how to follow
2377 @samp{mailto:} URLs, while @code{browse-url-browser-function} lets you
2378 define how to follow other types of URLs. For more information, view
2379 the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P browse-url @key{RET}}.
2381 @node Goto Address mode
2382 @subsection Activating URLs
2383 @findex goto-address-mode
2384 @cindex mode, Goto Address
2385 @cindex Goto Address mode
2386 @cindex URLs, activating
2389 @item M-x goto-address-mode
2390 Activate URLs and e-mail addresses in the current buffer.
2393 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Goto Address mode)}
2394 @findex goto-address-at-point
2395 You can make Emacs mark out URLs specially in the current buffer, by
2396 typing @kbd{M-x goto-address-mode}. When this buffer-local minor mode
2397 is enabled, it finds all the URLs in the buffer, highlights them, and
2398 turns them into clickable buttons. You can follow the URL by typing
2399 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}} (@code{goto-address-at-point}) while point is on
2400 its text; or by clicking with @kbd{Mouse-2}, or by clicking
2401 @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly (@pxref{Mouse References}). Following a URL is
2402 done by calling @code{browse-url} as a subroutine
2403 (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2405 It can be useful to add @code{goto-address-mode} to mode hooks and
2406 hooks for displaying an incoming message
2407 (e.g., @code{rmail-show-message-hook} for Rmail, and
2408 @code{mh-show-mode-hook} for MH-E). This is not needed for Gnus,
2409 which has a similar feature of its own.
2412 @subsection Finding Files and URLs at Point
2413 @findex find-file-at-point
2415 @findex dired-at-point
2418 @cindex finding file at point
2420 The FFAP package replaces certain key bindings for finding files,
2421 such as @kbd{C-x C-f}, with commands that provide more sensitive
2422 defaults. These commands behave like the ordinary ones when given a
2423 prefix argument. Otherwise, they get the default file name or URL
2424 from the text around point. If what is found in the buffer has the
2425 form of a URL rather than a file name, the commands use
2426 @code{browse-url} to view it (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2428 This feature is useful for following references in mail or news
2429 buffers, @file{README} files, @file{MANIFEST} files, and so on. For
2430 more information, view the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P
2433 @cindex FFAP minor mode
2435 To enable FFAP, type @kbd{M-x ffap-bindings}. This makes the
2436 following key bindings, and also installs hooks for additional FFAP
2437 functionality in Rmail, Gnus and VM article buffers.
2440 @item C-x C-f @var{filename} @key{RET}
2441 @kindex C-x C-f @r{(FFAP)}
2442 Find @var{filename}, guessing a default from text around point
2443 (@code{find-file-at-point}).
2445 @kindex C-x C-r @r{(FFAP)}
2446 @code{ffap-read-only}, analogous to @code{find-file-read-only}.
2448 @kindex C-x C-v @r{(FFAP)}
2449 @code{ffap-alternate-file}, analogous to @code{find-alternate-file}.
2450 @item C-x d @var{directory} @key{RET}
2451 @kindex C-x d @r{(FFAP)}
2452 Start Dired on @var{directory}, defaulting to the directory name at
2453 point (@code{dired-at-point}).
2455 @code{ffap-list-directory}, analogous to @code{list-directory}.
2457 @kindex C-x 4 f @r{(FFAP)}
2458 @code{ffap-other-window}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-window}.
2460 @code{ffap-read-only-other-window}, analogous to
2461 @code{find-file-read-only-other-window}.
2463 @code{ffap-dired-other-window}, like @code{dired-other-window}.
2465 @kindex C-x 5 f @r{(FFAP)}
2466 @code{ffap-other-frame}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-frame}.
2468 @code{ffap-read-only-other-frame}, analogous to
2469 @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
2471 @code{ffap-dired-other-frame}, analogous to @code{dired-other-frame}.
2473 Search buffer for next file name or URL, then find that file or URL.
2475 @kindex S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2476 @code{ffap-at-mouse} finds the file guessed from text around the position
2479 @kindex C-S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2480 Display a menu of files and URLs mentioned in current buffer, then
2481 find the one you select (@code{ffap-menu}).
2485 @section Other Amusements
2488 @findex animate-birthday-present
2490 The @code{animate} package makes text dance (e.g., @kbd{M-x
2491 animate-birthday-present}).
2497 @kbd{M-x blackbox}, @kbd{M-x mpuz} and @kbd{M-x 5x5} are puzzles.
2498 @code{blackbox} challenges you to determine the location of objects
2499 inside a box by tomography. @code{mpuz} displays a multiplication
2500 puzzle with letters standing for digits in a code that you must
2501 guess---to guess a value, type a letter and then the digit you think it
2502 stands for. The aim of @code{5x5} is to fill in all the squares.
2505 @kbd{M-x bubbles} is a game in which the object is to remove as many
2506 bubbles as you can in the smallest number of moves.
2510 @cindex cryptanalysis
2511 @kbd{M-x decipher} helps you to cryptanalyze a buffer which is
2512 encrypted in a simple monoalphabetic substitution cipher.
2514 @findex dissociated-press
2515 @kbd{M-x dissociated-press} scrambles the text in the current Emacs
2516 buffer, word by word or character by character, writing its output to
2517 a buffer named @file{*Dissociation*}. A positive argument tells it to
2518 operate character by character, and specifies the number of overlap
2519 characters. A negative argument tells it to operate word by word, and
2520 specifies the number of overlap words. Dissociated Press produces
2521 results fairly like those of a Markov chain, but is however, an
2522 independent, ignoriginal invention; it techniquitously copies several
2523 consecutive characters from the sample text between random jumps,
2524 unlike a Markov chain which would jump randomly after each word or
2525 character. Keep dissociwords out of your documentation, if you want
2526 it to be well userenced and properbose.
2529 @kbd{M-x dunnet} runs an text-based adventure game.
2533 If you want a little more personal involvement, try @kbd{M-x gomoku},
2534 which plays the game Go Moku with you.
2536 @cindex tower of Hanoi
2538 If you are a little bit bored, you can try @kbd{M-x hanoi}. If you are
2539 considerably bored, give it a numeric argument. If you are very, very
2540 bored, try an argument of 9. Sit back and watch.
2544 @kbd{M-x life} runs Conway's ``Life'' cellular automaton.
2547 @cindex landmark game
2548 @kbd{M-x landmark} runs a relatively non-participatory game in which
2549 a robot attempts to maneuver towards a tree at the center of the
2550 window based on unique olfactory cues from each of the four
2553 @findex morse-region
2554 @findex unmorse-region
2557 @cindex --/---/.-./.../.
2558 @kbd{M-x morse-region} converts the text in the region to Morse
2559 code; @kbd{M-x unmorse-region} converts it back. @kbd{M-x
2560 nato-region} converts the text in the region to NATO phonetic
2561 alphabet; @kbd{M-x denato-region} converts it back.
2569 @kbd{M-x pong}, @kbd{M-x snake} and @kbd{M-x tetris} are
2570 implementations of the well-known Pong, Snake and Tetris games.
2574 @kbd{M-x solitaire} plays a game of solitaire in which you jump pegs
2578 The command @kbd{M-x zone} plays games with the display when Emacs
2583 Finally, if you find yourself frustrated, try describing your
2584 problems to the famous psychotherapist Eliza. Just do @kbd{M-x
2585 doctor}. End each input by typing @key{RET} twice.