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1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, | |
3 | @c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 | @node Glossary, Key Index, Intro, Top | |
6 | @unnumbered Glossary | |
7 | ||
8 | @table @asis | |
9 | @item Abbrev | |
10 | An abbrev is a text string which expands into a different text string | |
11 | when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a few letters | |
12 | as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert frequently. | |
13 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
14 | ||
15 | @item Aborting | |
16 | Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). The | |
17 | commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} are used for this. | |
18 | @xref{Quitting}. | |
19 | ||
20 | @item Alt | |
21 | Alt is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
22 | have. To make a character Alt, type it while holding down the @key{ALT} | |
23 | key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-} | |
24 | (usually written @kbd{A-} for short). (Note that many terminals have a | |
25 | key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User | |
26 | Input, Alt}. | |
27 | ||
28 | @item Argument | |
29 | See `numeric argument.' | |
30 | ||
31 | @item @acronym{ASCII} character | |
32 | An @acronym{ASCII} character is either an @acronym{ASCII} control character or an @acronym{ASCII} | |
33 | printing character. @xref{User Input}. | |
34 | ||
35 | @item @acronym{ASCII} control character | |
36 | An @acronym{ASCII} control character is the Control version of an upper-case | |
37 | letter, or the Control version of one of the characters @samp{@@[\]^_?}. | |
38 | ||
39 | @item @acronym{ASCII} printing character | |
40 | @acronym{ASCII} printing characters include letters, digits, space, and these | |
41 | punctuation characters: @samp{!@@#$%^& *()_-+=|\~` @{@}[]:;"' <>,.?/}. | |
42 | ||
43 | @item Auto Fill Mode | |
44 | Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which text that you insert is | |
45 | automatically broken into lines of a given maximum width. | |
46 | @xref{Filling}. | |
47 | ||
48 | @item Auto Saving | |
49 | Auto saving is the practice of saving the contents of an Emacs buffer in | |
50 | a specially-named file, so that the information will not be lost if the | |
51 | buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. @xref{Auto Save}. | |
52 | ||
53 | @item Autoloading | |
54 | Emacs automatically loads Lisp libraries when a Lisp program requests a | |
55 | function or a variable from those libraries. This is called | |
56 | `autoloading'. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
57 | ||
58 | @item Backtrace | |
59 | A backtrace is a trace of a series of function calls showing how a | |
60 | program arrived to a certain point. It is used mainly for finding and | |
61 | correcting bugs (q.v.@:). Emacs can display a backtrace when it signals | |
62 | an error or when you type @kbd{C-g} (see `quitting'). @xref{Checklist}. | |
63 | ||
64 | @item Backup File | |
65 | A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current | |
66 | editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you | |
67 | track down or cancel changes you later regret making. @xref{Backup}. | |
68 | ||
69 | @item Balancing Parentheses | |
70 | Emacs can balance parentheses (or other matching delimiters) either | |
71 | manually or automatically. You do manual balancing with the commands | |
72 | to move over parenthetical groupings (@pxref{Moving by Parens}). | |
73 | Automatic balancing works by blinking or highlighting the delimiter | |
74 | that matches the one you just inserted (@pxref{Matching,,Matching | |
75 | Parens}). | |
76 | ||
77 | @item Balanced Expressions | |
78 | A balanced expression is a syntactically recognizable expression, such | |
79 | as a symbol, number, string constant, block, or parenthesized expression | |
80 | in C. @xref{Expressions,Balanced Expressions}. | |
81 | ||
82 | @item Balloon Help | |
83 | See `tooltips.' | |
84 | ||
85 | @item Base Buffer | |
86 | A base buffer is a buffer whose text is shared by an indirect buffer | |
87 | (q.v.@:). | |
88 | ||
89 | @item Bind | |
90 | To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:). | |
91 | @xref{Rebinding}. | |
92 | ||
93 | @item Binding | |
94 | A key sequence gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding, which is a | |
95 | command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when the user types that | |
96 | sequence. @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves | |
97 | rebinding a character to a different command function. The bindings of | |
98 | all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
99 | ||
100 | @item Blank Lines | |
101 | Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several | |
102 | commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer. | |
103 | ||
104 | @item Bookmark | |
105 | Bookmarks are akin to registers (q.v.@:) in that they record positions | |
106 | in buffers to which you can return later. Unlike registers, bookmarks | |
107 | persist between Emacs sessions. | |
108 | ||
109 | @item Border | |
110 | A border is a thin space along the edge of the frame, used just for | |
111 | spacing, not for displaying anything. An Emacs frame has an ordinary | |
112 | external border, outside of everything including the menu bar, plus an | |
113 | internal border that surrounds the text windows and their scroll bars | |
114 | and separates them from the menu bar and tool bar. You can customize | |
115 | both borders with options and resources (@pxref{Borders X}). Borders | |
116 | are not the same as fringes (q.v.@:). | |
117 | ||
118 | @item Buffer | |
119 | The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text | |
120 | being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any time you are | |
121 | editing only one, the `current buffer,' though several can be visible | |
122 | when you are using multiple windows (q.v.@:). Most buffers are visiting | |
123 | (q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}. | |
124 | ||
125 | @item Buffer Selection History | |
126 | Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each | |
127 | Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to | |
128 | select. @xref{Buffers}. | |
129 | ||
130 | @item Bug | |
131 | A bug is an incorrect or unreasonable behavior of a program, or | |
132 | inaccurate or confusing documentation. Emacs developers treat bug | |
133 | reports, both in Emacs code and its documentation, very seriously and | |
134 | ask you to report any bugs you find. @xref{Bugs}. | |
135 | ||
136 | @item Button Down Event | |
137 | A button down event is the kind of input event generated right away when | |
138 | you press down on a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
139 | ||
140 | @item By Default | |
141 | See `default.' | |
142 | ||
143 | @item Byte Compilation | |
144 | See `compilation.' | |
145 | ||
146 | @item @kbd{C-} | |
147 | @kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control. | |
148 | @xref{User Input,C-}. | |
149 | ||
150 | @item @kbd{C-M-} | |
151 | @kbd{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
152 | Control-Meta. @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
153 | ||
154 | @item Case Conversion | |
155 | Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or | |
156 | vice versa. @xref{Case}, for the commands for case conversion. | |
157 | ||
158 | @item Character | |
159 | Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer; see @ref{Text | |
160 | Characters}. Also, key sequences (q.v.@:) are usually made up of | |
161 | characters (though they may include other input events as well). | |
162 | @xref{User Input}. | |
163 | ||
164 | @item Character Set | |
165 | Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a | |
166 | particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}. | |
167 | ||
168 | @item Character Terminal | |
169 | See `text-only terminal.' | |
170 | ||
171 | @item Click Event | |
172 | A click event is the kind of input event generated when you press a | |
173 | mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
174 | ||
175 | @item Clipboard | |
176 | A clipboard is a buffer provided by the window system for transferring | |
177 | text between applications. On the X Window system, the clipboard is | |
178 | provided in addition to the primary selection (q.v.@:); on MS-Windows and Mac, | |
179 | the clipboard is used @emph{instead} of the primary selection. | |
180 | @xref{Clipboard}. | |
181 | ||
182 | @item Coding System | |
183 | A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a | |
184 | file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert | |
185 | text to or from a variety of coding systems when reading or writing it. | |
186 | @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
187 | ||
188 | @item Command | |
189 | A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a | |
190 | key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its | |
191 | binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find | |
192 | the command to run. @xref{Commands}. | |
193 | ||
194 | @item Command History | |
195 | See `minibuffer history.' | |
196 | ||
197 | @item Command Name | |
198 | A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command | |
199 | (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using | |
200 | @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}). | |
201 | ||
202 | @item Comment | |
203 | A comment is text in a program which is intended only for humans reading | |
204 | the program, and which is marked specially so that it will be ignored | |
205 | when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands | |
206 | for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}. | |
207 | ||
208 | @item Common Lisp | |
209 | Common Lisp is a dialect of Lisp (q.v.@:) much larger and more powerful | |
210 | than Emacs Lisp. Emacs provides a subset of Common Lisp in the CL | |
211 | package. @xref{Top, Common Lisp, Overview, cl, Common Lisp Extensions}. | |
212 | ||
213 | @item Compilation | |
214 | Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source | |
215 | code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code | |
216 | (@pxref{Byte Compilation,,, elisp, the Emacs Lisp | |
217 | Reference Manual}) and programs in C and other languages | |
218 | (@pxref{Compilation}). | |
219 | ||
220 | @item Complete Key | |
221 | A complete key is a key sequence which fully specifies one action to be | |
222 | performed by Emacs. For example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-x m} | |
223 | are complete keys. Complete keys derive their meanings from being bound | |
224 | (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:). Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to | |
225 | a command to insert @samp{X} in the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is | |
226 | conventionally bound to a command to begin composing a mail message. | |
227 | @xref{Keys}. | |
228 | ||
229 | @item Completion | |
230 | Completion is what Emacs does when it automatically fills out an | |
231 | abbreviation for a name into the entire name. Completion is done for | |
232 | minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs | |
233 | is known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and | |
234 | file names. Completion occurs when @key{TAB}, @key{SPC} or @key{RET} | |
235 | is typed. @xref{Completion}.@refill | |
236 | ||
237 | @item Continuation Line | |
238 | When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it | |
239 | takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the | |
240 | text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the | |
241 | first are called continuation lines. @xref{Continuation Lines}. | |
242 | A related Emacs feature is `filling' (q.v.@:). | |
243 | ||
244 | @item Control Character | |
245 | A control character is a character that you type by holding down the | |
246 | @key{CTRL} key. Some control characters also have their own keys, so | |
247 | that you can type them without using @key{CTRL}. For example, | |
248 | @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} are all control | |
249 | characters. @xref{User Input}. | |
250 | ||
251 | @item Copyleft | |
252 | A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to | |
253 | redistribute and modify a program or other work of art, but requiring | |
254 | modified versions to carry similar permission. Copyright is normally | |
255 | used to keep users divided and helpless; with copyleft we turn that | |
256 | around to empower users and encourage them to cooperate. | |
257 | ||
258 | The particular form of copyleft used by the GNU project is called the | |
259 | GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
260 | ||
261 | @item @key{CTRL} | |
262 | The @key{CTRL} or ``control'' key is what you hold down | |
263 | in order to enter a control character (q.v.). | |
264 | ||
265 | @item Current Buffer | |
266 | The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing | |
267 | commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one. | |
268 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
269 | ||
270 | @item Current Line | |
271 | The current line is the line that point is on (@pxref{Point}). | |
272 | ||
273 | @item Current Paragraph | |
274 | The current paragraph is the paragraph that point is in. If point is | |
275 | between two paragraphs, the current paragraph is the one that follows | |
276 | point. @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
277 | ||
278 | @item Current Defun | |
279 | The current defun is the defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is | |
280 | between defuns, the current defun is the one that follows point. | |
281 | @xref{Defuns}. | |
282 | ||
283 | @item Cursor | |
284 | The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position | |
285 | called point (q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place. | |
286 | The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often | |
287 | people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean | |
288 | `point.' @xref{Point,Cursor}. | |
289 | ||
290 | @item Customization | |
291 | Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is | |
292 | often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or faces | |
293 | (@pxref{Face Customization}), or by rebinding key sequences | |
294 | (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
295 | ||
296 | @cindex cut and paste | |
297 | @item Cut and Paste | |
298 | See `killing' and `yanking.' | |
299 | ||
300 | @item Default Argument | |
301 | The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you | |
302 | do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument, | |
303 | the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}. | |
304 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
305 | ||
306 | @item Default | |
307 | A default is the value that is used for a certain purpose if and when | |
308 | you do not specify a value to use. | |
309 | ||
310 | @item Default Directory | |
311 | When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, | |
312 | it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory. | |
313 | (On MS-Windows and MS-DOS, file names which start with a drive letter | |
314 | @samp{@var{x}:} are treated as absolute, not relative.) | |
315 | @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}. | |
316 | ||
317 | @item Defun | |
318 | A defun is a major definition at the top level in a program. The name | |
319 | `defun' comes from Lisp, where most such definitions use the construct | |
320 | @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}. | |
321 | ||
322 | @item @key{DEL} | |
323 | @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character | |
324 | of text before the cursor. It is typically either the @key{DELETE} | |
325 | key or the @key{BACKSPACE} key, whichever one is easy to type. | |
326 | @xref{Erasing,DEL}. | |
327 | ||
328 | @item Deletion | |
329 | Deletion means erasing text without copying it into the kill ring | |
330 | (q.v.@:). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing,Deletion}. | |
331 | ||
332 | @item Deletion of Files | |
333 | Deleting a file means erasing it from the file system. | |
334 | @xref{Misc File Ops,Misc File Ops,Miscellaneous File Operations}. | |
335 | ||
336 | @item Deletion of Messages | |
337 | Deleting a message means flagging it to be eliminated from your mail | |
338 | file. Until you expunge (q.v.@:) the Rmail file, you can still undelete | |
339 | the messages you have deleted. @xref{Rmail Deletion}. | |
340 | ||
341 | @item Deletion of Windows | |
342 | Deleting a window means eliminating it from the screen. Other windows | |
343 | expand to use up the space. The deleted window can never come back, | |
344 | but no actual text is thereby lost. @xref{Windows}. | |
345 | ||
346 | @item Directory | |
347 | File directories are named collections in the file system, within which | |
348 | you can place individual files or subdirectories. @xref{Directories}. | |
349 | ||
350 | @item Dired | |
351 | Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file | |
352 | directory and allows you to ``edit the directory,'' performing | |
353 | operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}. | |
354 | ||
355 | @item Disabled Command | |
356 | A disabled command is one that you may not run without special | |
357 | confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is | |
358 | confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}. | |
359 | ||
360 | @item Down Event | |
361 | Short for `button down event' (q.v.@:). | |
362 | ||
363 | @item Drag Event | |
364 | A drag event is the kind of input event generated when you press a mouse | |
365 | button, move the mouse, and then release the button. @xref{Mouse | |
366 | Buttons}. | |
367 | ||
368 | @item Dribble File | |
369 | A dribble file is a file into which Emacs writes all the characters that | |
370 | you type on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record | |
371 | for debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you | |
372 | tell it to. @xref{Bugs}. | |
373 | ||
374 | @item Echo Area | |
375 | The echo area is the bottom line of the screen, used for echoing the | |
376 | arguments to commands, for asking questions, and showing brief messages | |
377 | (including error messages). The messages are stored in the buffer | |
378 | @samp{*Messages*} so you can review them later. @xref{Echo Area}. | |
379 | ||
380 | @item Echoing | |
381 | Echoing is acknowledging the receipt of input events by displaying | |
382 | them (in the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character key | |
383 | sequences; longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing | |
384 | them. | |
385 | ||
386 | @item Electric | |
387 | We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting | |
388 | (q.v.@:), but the current major mode (q.v.@:) redefines it to do something | |
389 | else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define | |
390 | particular delimiter characters to reindent the line or insert one or | |
391 | more newlines in addition to self-insertion. | |
392 | ||
393 | @item End Of Line | |
394 | End of line is a character or a sequence of characters that indicate | |
395 | the end of a text line. On GNU and Unix systems, this is a newline | |
396 | (q.v.@:), but other systems have other conventions. @xref{Coding | |
397 | Systems,end-of-line}. Emacs can recognize several end-of-line | |
398 | conventions in files and convert between them. | |
399 | ||
400 | @item Environment Variable | |
401 | An environment variable is one of a collection of variables stored by | |
402 | the operating system, each one having a name and a value. Emacs can | |
403 | access environment variables set by its parent shell, and it can set | |
404 | variables in the environment it passes to programs it invokes. | |
405 | @xref{Environment}. | |
406 | ||
407 | @item EOL | |
408 | See `end of line.' | |
409 | ||
410 | @item Error | |
411 | An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current | |
412 | circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops | |
413 | (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs | |
414 | reports the error by displaying an error message (q.v.@:). Type-ahead | |
415 | is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another editing command. | |
416 | ||
417 | @item Error Message | |
418 | An error message is a single line of output displayed by Emacs when the | |
419 | user asks for something impossible to do (such as, killing text | |
420 | forward when point is at the end of the buffer). They appear in the | |
421 | echo area, accompanied by a beep. | |
422 | ||
423 | @item @key{ESC} | |
424 | @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on | |
425 | keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which, | |
426 | like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is | |
427 | typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and | |
428 | it applies to the next character you type. | |
429 | ||
430 | @item Expression | |
431 | See `balanced expression.' | |
432 | ||
433 | @item Expunging | |
434 | Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer or a Gnus newsgroup buffer is an | |
435 | operation that truly discards the messages or files you have previously | |
436 | flagged for deletion. | |
437 | ||
438 | @item Face | |
439 | A face is a style of displaying characters. It specifies attributes | |
440 | such as font family and size, foreground and background colors, | |
441 | underline and strike-through, background stipple, etc. Emacs provides | |
442 | features to associate specific faces with portions of buffer text, in | |
443 | order to display that text as specified by the face attributes. | |
444 | @xref{Faces}. | |
445 | ||
446 | @item File Locking | |
447 | Emacs uses file locking to notice when two different users | |
448 | start to edit one file at the same time. @xref{Interlocking}. | |
449 | ||
450 | @item File Name | |
451 | A file name is a name that refers to a file. File names may be relative | |
452 | or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current | |
453 | directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless | |
454 | of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute | |
455 | file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or | |
456 | @samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). On MS-Windows/MS-DOS, an | |
457 | absolute file name can also start with a drive letter and a colon | |
458 | @samp{@var{d}:}. | |
459 | ||
460 | Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not; | |
461 | we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.@:). | |
462 | ||
463 | @item File-Name Component | |
464 | A file-name component names a file directly within a particular | |
465 | directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of | |
466 | file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar} | |
467 | is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it | |
468 | refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in | |
469 | the current directory. MS-DOS/MS-Windows file names can also use | |
470 | backslashes to separate components, as in @file{foo\bar}. | |
471 | ||
472 | @item Fill Prefix | |
473 | The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning | |
474 | of each line when filling is done. It is not regarded as part of the | |
475 | text to be filled. @xref{Filling}. | |
476 | ||
477 | @item Filling | |
478 | Filling text means shifting text between consecutive lines so that all | |
479 | the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}. Some | |
480 | other editors call this feature `line wrapping.' | |
481 | ||
482 | @item Font Lock | |
483 | Font Lock is a mode that highlights parts of buffer text according to | |
484 | its syntax. @xref{Font Lock}. | |
485 | ||
486 | @item Fontset | |
487 | A fontset is a named collection of fonts. A fontset specification lists | |
488 | character sets and which font to use to display each of them. Fontsets | |
489 | make it easy to change several fonts at once by specifying the name of a | |
490 | fontset, rather than changing each font separately. @xref{Fontsets}. | |
491 | ||
492 | @item Formatted Text | |
493 | Formatted text is text that displays with formatting information while | |
494 | you edit. Formatting information includes fonts, colors, and specified | |
495 | margins. @xref{Formatted Text}. | |
496 | ||
497 | @item Formfeed Character | |
498 | See `page.' | |
499 | ||
500 | @item Frame | |
501 | A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out | |
502 | with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame | |
503 | into Emacs windows (q.v.@:). When you are using a window system | |
504 | (q.v.@:), all the frames can be visible at the same time. | |
505 | @xref{Frames}. Some other editors use the term ``window'' for this, | |
506 | but in Emacs a window means something else. | |
507 | ||
508 | @item Fringe | |
509 | On a graphical display (q.v.@:), there's a narrow portion of the | |
510 | frame (q.v.@:) between the text area and the window's border. Emacs | |
511 | displays the fringe using a special face (q.v.@:) called | |
512 | @code{fringe}. @xref{Faces,fringe}. | |
513 | ||
514 | @item FTP | |
515 | FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. Emacs uses an FTP client | |
516 | program to provide access to remote files (q.v.@:). | |
517 | ||
518 | @item Function Key | |
519 | A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not | |
520 | correspond to any character. @xref{Function Keys}. | |
521 | ||
522 | @item Global | |
523 | Global means ``independent of the current environment; in effect | |
524 | throughout Emacs.'' It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular | |
525 | examples of the use of `global' appear below. | |
526 | ||
527 | @item Global Abbrev | |
528 | A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major | |
529 | modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev. | |
530 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
531 | ||
532 | @item Global Keymap | |
533 | The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect | |
534 | except when overridden by local key bindings in a major mode's local | |
535 | keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
536 | ||
537 | @item Global Mark Ring | |
538 | The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently | |
539 | set a mark (q.v.@:) in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack | |
540 | through buffers you have been editing in, or in which you have found | |
541 | tags (see `tags table'). @xref{Global Mark Ring}. | |
542 | ||
543 | @item Global Substitution | |
544 | Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by | |
545 | another string throughout a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}. | |
546 | ||
547 | @item Global Variable | |
548 | The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers | |
549 | that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable. | |
550 | @xref{Variables}. | |
551 | ||
552 | @item Graphic Character | |
553 | Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than | |
554 | just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the | |
555 | Control (q.v.@:) characters are graphic characters. These include | |
556 | letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include | |
557 | @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts | |
558 | that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Inserting Text}. | |
559 | ||
560 | @item Graphical Display | |
561 | A graphical display is one that can display images and multiple fonts. | |
562 | Usually it also has a window system (q.v.@:). | |
563 | ||
564 | @item Highlighting | |
565 | Highlighting text means displaying it with a different foreground and/or | |
566 | background color to make it stand out from the rest of the text in the | |
567 | buffer. | |
568 | ||
569 | Emacs uses highlighting in several ways. When you mark a region with | |
570 | the mouse, the region is always highlighted. Optionally Emacs can | |
571 | also highlight the region whenever it is active (@pxref{Transient | |
572 | Mark}). Incremental search also highlights matches (@pxref{Incremental | |
573 | Search}). See also `font lock'. | |
574 | ||
575 | @item Hardcopy | |
576 | Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has commands for making printed | |
577 | listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Printing}. | |
578 | ||
579 | @item @key{HELP} | |
580 | @key{HELP} is the Emacs name for @kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}. You can type | |
581 | @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what any | |
582 | command does. @xref{Help}. | |
583 | ||
584 | @item Help Echo | |
585 | Help echo is a short message displayed in the echo area when the mouse | |
586 | pointer is located on portions of display that require some | |
587 | explanations. Emacs displays help echo for menu items, parts of the | |
588 | mode line, tool-bar buttons, etc. On graphics displays, the messages | |
589 | can be displayed as tooltips (q.v.@:). @xref{Tooltips}. | |
590 | ||
591 | @item Hook | |
592 | A hook is a list of functions to be called on specific occasions, such | |
593 | as saving a buffer in a file, major mode activation, etc. By | |
594 | customizing the various hooks, you can modify Emacs's behavior without | |
595 | changing any of its code. @xref{Hooks}. | |
596 | ||
597 | @item Hyper | |
598 | Hyper is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
599 | have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the | |
600 | @key{HYPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
601 | @kbd{Hyper-} (usually written @kbd{H-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
602 | Hyper}. | |
603 | ||
604 | @item Iff | |
605 | ``Iff'' means ``if and only if.'' This terminology comes from | |
606 | mathematics. Try to avoid using this term in documentation, since | |
607 | many are unfamiliar with it and mistake it for a typo. | |
608 | ||
609 | @item Inbox | |
610 | An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system. | |
611 | Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files (q.v.@:) in which the | |
612 | mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted. | |
613 | @xref{Rmail Inbox}. | |
614 | ||
615 | @item Incremental Search | |
616 | Emacs provides an incremental search facility, whereby Emacs searches | |
617 | for the string as you type it. @xref{Incremental Search}. | |
618 | ||
619 | @item Indentation | |
620 | Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most | |
621 | programming languages have conventions for using indentation to | |
622 | illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special | |
623 | commands to adjust indentation. | |
624 | @xref{Indentation}. | |
625 | ||
626 | @item Indirect Buffer | |
627 | An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer, | |
628 | called its base buffer (q.v.@:). @xref{Indirect Buffers}. | |
629 | ||
630 | @item Info | |
631 | Info is the hypertext format used by the GNU project for writing | |
632 | documentation. | |
633 | ||
634 | @item Input Event | |
635 | An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on | |
636 | the terminal. Input events include typing characters, typing function | |
637 | keys, pressing or releasing mouse buttons, and switching between Emacs | |
638 | frames. @xref{User Input}. | |
639 | ||
640 | @item Input Method | |
641 | An input method is a system for entering non-@acronym{ASCII} text characters by | |
642 | typing sequences of @acronym{ASCII} characters (q.v.@:). @xref{Input Methods}. | |
643 | ||
644 | @item Insertion | |
645 | Insertion means copying text into the buffer, either from the keyboard | |
646 | or from some other place in Emacs. | |
647 | ||
648 | @item Interlocking | |
649 | Interlocking is a feature for warning when you start to alter a file | |
650 | that someone else is already editing. | |
651 | @xref{Interlocking,Interlocking,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
652 | ||
653 | @item Isearch | |
654 | See `incremental search.' | |
655 | ||
656 | @item Justification | |
657 | Justification means adding extra spaces within lines of text to make | |
658 | them extend exactly to a specified width. | |
659 | @xref{Format Justification}. | |
660 | ||
661 | @item Keybinding | |
662 | See `binding.' | |
663 | ||
664 | @item Keyboard Macro | |
665 | Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from | |
666 | sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program. | |
667 | @xref{Keyboard Macros}. | |
668 | ||
669 | @cindex keyboard shortcuts | |
670 | @item Keyboard Shortcut | |
671 | A keyboard shortcut is a key sequence (q.v.@:) which invokes a | |
672 | command. What some programs call ``assigning a keyboard shortcut,'' | |
673 | Emacs calls ``binding a key sequence.'' See `binding.' | |
674 | ||
675 | @item Key Sequence | |
676 | A key sequence (key, for short) is a sequence of input events (q.v.@:) | |
677 | that are meaningful as a single unit. If the key sequence is enough to | |
678 | specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.@:); if it is not enough, | |
679 | it is a prefix key (q.v.@:). @xref{Keys}. | |
680 | ||
681 | @item Keymap | |
682 | The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of | |
683 | key sequences to the commands that they run. For example, the global | |
684 | keymap binds the character @kbd{C-n} to the command function | |
685 | @code{next-line}. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
686 | ||
687 | @item Keyboard Translation Table | |
688 | The keyboard translation table is an array that translates the character | |
689 | codes that come from the terminal into the character codes that make up | |
690 | key sequences. | |
691 | ||
692 | @item Kill Ring | |
693 | The kill ring is where all text you have killed recently is saved. | |
694 | You can reinsert any of the killed text still in the ring; this is | |
695 | called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}. | |
696 | ||
697 | @item Killing | |
698 | Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be | |
699 | yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.'' | |
700 | Most Emacs commands that erase text perform killing, as opposed to | |
701 | deletion (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
702 | ||
703 | @item Killing a Job | |
704 | Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease | |
705 | to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost. | |
706 | @xref{Exiting}. | |
707 | ||
708 | @item Language Environment | |
709 | Your choice of language environment specifies defaults for the input | |
710 | method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language | |
711 | Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit non-@acronym{ASCII} text | |
712 | (@pxref{International}). | |
713 | ||
714 | @item Line Wrapping | |
715 | See `filling.' | |
716 | ||
717 | @item Lisp | |
718 | Lisp is a programming language. Most of Emacs is written in a dialect | |
719 | of Lisp, called Emacs Lisp, that is extended with special features which | |
720 | make it especially suitable for text editing tasks. | |
721 | ||
722 | @item List | |
723 | A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open | |
724 | parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode | |
725 | and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched | |
726 | delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also | |
727 | considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on | |
728 | lists. @xref{Moving by Parens}. | |
729 | ||
730 | @item Local | |
731 | Local means ``in effect only in a particular context''; the relevant | |
732 | kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular | |
733 | buffer, or a particular major mode. It is the opposite of `global' | |
734 | (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below. | |
735 | ||
736 | @item Local Abbrev | |
737 | A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode | |
738 | is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition | |
739 | for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
740 | ||
741 | @item Local Keymap | |
742 | A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings | |
743 | (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the | |
744 | same key sequences. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
745 | ||
746 | @item Local Variable | |
747 | A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer. | |
748 | @xref{Locals}. | |
749 | ||
750 | @item @kbd{M-} | |
751 | @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META}, | |
752 | one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character. | |
753 | @xref{User Input,M-}. | |
754 | ||
755 | @item @kbd{M-C-} | |
756 | @kbd{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
757 | Control-Meta; it means the same thing as @kbd{C-M-}. If your | |
758 | terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type a Control-Meta character by | |
759 | typing @key{ESC} and then typing the corresponding Control character. | |
760 | @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
761 | ||
762 | @item @kbd{M-x} | |
763 | @kbd{M-x} is the key sequence which is used to call an Emacs command by | |
764 | name. This is how you run commands that are not bound to key sequences. | |
765 | @xref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}. | |
766 | ||
767 | @item Mail | |
768 | Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer | |
769 | system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for | |
770 | composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have | |
771 | received. @xref{Sending Mail}. @xref{Rmail}, for how to read mail. | |
772 | ||
773 | @item Mail Composition Method | |
774 | A mail composition method is a program runnable within Emacs for editing | |
775 | and sending a mail message. Emacs lets you select from several | |
776 | alternative mail composition methods. @xref{Mail Methods}. | |
777 | ||
778 | @item Major Mode | |
779 | The Emacs major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options, each of | |
780 | which configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, | |
781 | each programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}. | |
782 | ||
783 | @item Margin | |
784 | The space between the usable part of a window (including the | |
785 | fringe) and the window edge. | |
786 | ||
787 | @item Mark | |
788 | The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the | |
789 | region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on | |
790 | all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark. | |
791 | @xref{Mark}. | |
792 | ||
793 | @item Mark Ring | |
794 | The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the | |
795 | mark, just in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its | |
796 | own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.@:). | |
797 | @xref{Mark Ring}. | |
798 | ||
799 | @item Menu Bar | |
800 | The menu bar is the line at the top of an Emacs frame. It contains | |
801 | words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus, or you can use | |
802 | a keyboard interface to navigate it. @xref{Menu Bars}. | |
803 | ||
804 | @item Message | |
805 | See `mail.' | |
806 | ||
807 | @item Meta | |
808 | Meta is the name of a modifier bit which you can use in a command | |
809 | character. To enter a meta character, you hold down the @key{META} | |
810 | key while typing the character. We refer to such characters with | |
811 | names that start with @kbd{Meta-} (usually written @kbd{M-} for | |
812 | short). For example, @kbd{M-<} is typed by holding down @key{META} | |
813 | and at the same time typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done, on most | |
814 | terminals, by holding down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}). | |
815 | @xref{User Input,Meta}. | |
816 | ||
817 | On some terminals, the @key{META} key is actually labeled @key{ALT} | |
818 | or @key{EDIT}. | |
819 | ||
820 | @item Meta Character | |
821 | A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit. | |
822 | ||
823 | @item Minibuffer | |
824 | The minibuffer is the window that appears when necessary inside the | |
825 | echo area (q.v.@:), used for reading arguments to commands. | |
826 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
827 | ||
828 | @item Minibuffer History | |
829 | The minibuffer history records the text you have specified in the past | |
830 | for minibuffer arguments, so you can conveniently use the same text | |
831 | again. @xref{Minibuffer History}. | |
832 | ||
833 | @item Minor Mode | |
834 | A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs which can be switched on | |
835 | or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a | |
836 | command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
837 | ||
838 | @item Minor Mode Keymap | |
839 | A minor mode keymap is a keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is | |
840 | active when that mode is enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence | |
841 | over the buffer's local keymap, just as the local keymap takes | |
842 | precedence over the global keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
843 | ||
844 | @item Mode Line | |
845 | The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving | |
846 | status information on the buffer displayed in that window. @xref{Mode | |
847 | Line}. | |
848 | ||
849 | @item Modified Buffer | |
850 | A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the | |
851 | last time the buffer was saved (or since when it was created, if it | |
852 | has never been saved). @xref{Saving}. | |
853 | ||
854 | @item Moving Text | |
855 | Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in | |
856 | another. The usual way to move text is by killing (q.v.@:) it and then | |
857 | yanking (q.v.@:) it. @xref{Killing}. | |
858 | ||
859 | @item MULE | |
860 | MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing multilingual non-@acronym{ASCII} text | |
861 | using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). @xref{International}. | |
862 | ||
863 | @item Multibyte Character | |
864 | A multibyte character is a character that takes up several bytes in a | |
865 | buffer. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-@acronym{ASCII} text, | |
866 | since the number of non-@acronym{ASCII} characters is much more than 256. | |
867 | @xref{International Chars, International Characters}. | |
868 | ||
869 | @item Named Mark | |
870 | A named mark is a register (q.v.@:) in its role of recording a | |
871 | location in text so that you can move point to that location. | |
872 | @xref{Registers}. | |
873 | ||
874 | @item Narrowing | |
875 | Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in | |
876 | the current buffer to only a part of the text in the buffer. Text | |
877 | outside that part is inaccessible for editing until the boundaries are | |
878 | widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves it | |
879 | all. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
880 | ||
881 | @item Newline | |
882 | Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are | |
883 | therefore also called newlines. @xref{Text Characters,Newline}. | |
884 | ||
885 | @cindex nil | |
886 | @cindex t | |
887 | @item @code{nil} | |
888 | @code{nil} is a value usually interpreted as a logical ``false.'' Its | |
889 | opposite is @code{t}, interpreted as ``true.'' | |
890 | ||
891 | @item Numeric Argument | |
892 | A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change | |
893 | the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a | |
894 | repeat count. @xref{Arguments}. | |
895 | ||
896 | @item Overwrite Mode | |
897 | Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text | |
898 | characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing | |
899 | it to the right. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
900 | ||
901 | @item Page | |
902 | A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (@acronym{ASCII} | |
903 | control-L, code 014) coming at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs | |
904 | commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages. | |
905 | @xref{Pages}. | |
906 | ||
907 | @item Paragraph | |
908 | Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of human-language text. There are | |
909 | special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs. | |
910 | @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
911 | ||
912 | @item Parsing | |
913 | We say that certain Emacs commands parse words or expressions in the | |
914 | text being edited. Really, all they know how to do is find the other | |
915 | end of a word or expression. @xref{Syntax}. | |
916 | ||
917 | @item Point | |
918 | Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion | |
919 | occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one | |
920 | character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of | |
921 | point. @xref{Point}. | |
922 | ||
923 | @item Prefix Argument | |
924 | See `numeric argument.' | |
925 | ||
926 | @item Prefix Key | |
927 | A prefix key is a key sequence (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to | |
928 | introduce a set of longer key sequences. @kbd{C-x} is an example of | |
929 | prefix key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is | |
930 | therefore a legitimate key sequence. @xref{Keys}. | |
931 | ||
932 | @item Primary Rmail File | |
933 | Your primary Rmail file is the file named @samp{RMAIL} in your home | |
934 | directory. That's where Rmail stores your incoming mail, unless you | |
935 | specify a different file name. @xref{Rmail}. | |
936 | ||
937 | @item Primary Selection | |
938 | The primary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); it is the | |
939 | selection that most X applications use for transferring text to and from | |
940 | other applications. | |
941 | ||
942 | The Emacs kill commands set the primary selection and the yank command | |
943 | uses the primary selection when appropriate. @xref{Killing}. | |
944 | ||
945 | @item Prompt | |
946 | A prompt is text used to ask the user for input. Displaying a prompt | |
947 | is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area | |
948 | (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used to | |
949 | read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens when | |
950 | you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also | |
951 | a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}). | |
952 | ||
953 | @item Query-Replace | |
954 | Query-replace is an interactive string replacement feature provided by | |
955 | Emacs. @xref{Query Replace}. | |
956 | ||
957 | @item Quitting | |
958 | Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running | |
959 | command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}. | |
960 | ||
961 | @item Quoting | |
962 | Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance. | |
963 | The most common kind of quoting in Emacs is with @kbd{C-q}. What | |
964 | constitutes special significance depends on the context and on | |
965 | convention. For example, an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command | |
966 | inserts itself; so in this context, a special character is any character | |
967 | that does not normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), | |
968 | and quoting it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not | |
969 | all contexts allow quoting. @xref{Inserting Text,Quoting}. | |
970 | ||
971 | @item Quoting File Names | |
972 | Quoting a file name turns off the special significance of constructs | |
973 | such as @samp{$}, @samp{~} and @samp{:}. @xref{Quoted File Names}. | |
974 | ||
975 | @item Read-Only Buffer | |
976 | A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change. | |
977 | Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which | |
978 | has a special significance to Emacs; for example, Dired buffers. | |
979 | Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer. | |
980 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
981 | ||
982 | @item Rectangle | |
983 | A rectangle consists of the text in a given range of columns on a given | |
984 | range of lines. Normally you specify a rectangle by putting point at | |
985 | one corner and putting the mark at the diagonally opposite corner. | |
986 | @xref{Rectangles}. | |
987 | ||
988 | @item Recursive Editing Level | |
989 | A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of | |
990 | a command involves asking you to edit some text. This text may | |
991 | or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied. | |
992 | The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets | |
993 | (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
994 | ||
995 | @item Redisplay | |
996 | Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to | |
997 | correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited. | |
998 | @xref{Screen,Redisplay}. | |
999 | ||
1000 | @item Regexp | |
1001 | See `regular expression.' | |
1002 | ||
1003 | @item Region | |
1004 | The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:). | |
1005 | Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}. | |
1006 | ||
1007 | @item Register | |
1008 | Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or | |
1009 | rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. A related | |
1010 | Emacs feature is `bookmarks' (q.v.@:). | |
1011 | ||
1012 | @item Regular Expression | |
1013 | A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings; | |
1014 | for example, @samp{a[0-9]+} matches @samp{a} followed by one or more | |
1015 | digits. @xref{Regexps}. | |
1016 | ||
1017 | @item Remote File | |
1018 | A remote file is a file that is stored on a system other than your own. | |
1019 | Emacs can access files on other computers provided that they are | |
1020 | connected to the same network as your machine, and (obviously) that | |
1021 | you have a supported method to gain access to those files. | |
1022 | @xref{Remote Files}. | |
1023 | ||
1024 | @item Repeat Count | |
1025 | See `numeric argument.' | |
1026 | ||
1027 | @item Replacement | |
1028 | See `global substitution.' | |
1029 | ||
1030 | @item Restriction | |
1031 | A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the | |
1032 | end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a | |
1033 | nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:); removing | |
1034 | a restriction is called widening (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
1035 | ||
1036 | @item @key{RET} | |
1037 | @key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a | |
1038 | newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments | |
1039 | read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}. | |
1040 | ||
1041 | @item Reverting | |
1042 | Reverting means returning to the original state. Emacs lets you | |
1043 | revert a buffer by re-reading its file from disk. @xref{Reverting}. | |
1044 | ||
1045 | @item Rmail File | |
1046 | An Rmail file is a file containing text in a special format used by | |
1047 | Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}. | |
1048 | ||
1049 | @item Saving | |
1050 | Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited | |
1051 | (q.v.@:) in that buffer. This is the way text in files actually gets | |
1052 | changed by your Emacs editing. @xref{Saving}. | |
1053 | ||
1054 | @item Scroll Bar | |
1055 | A scroll bar is a tall thin hollow box that appears at the side of a | |
1056 | window. You can use mouse commands in the scroll bar to scroll the | |
1057 | window. The scroll bar feature is supported only under windowing | |
1058 | systems. @xref{Scroll Bars}. | |
1059 | ||
1060 | @item Scrolling | |
1061 | Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window so as to see a | |
1062 | different part of the buffer. @xref{Scrolling}. | |
1063 | ||
1064 | @item Searching | |
1065 | Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified | |
1066 | string or the next match for a specified regular expression. | |
1067 | @xref{Search}. | |
1068 | ||
1069 | @item Search Path | |
1070 | A search path is a list of directory names, to be used for searching for | |
1071 | files for certain purposes. For example, the variable @code{load-path} | |
1072 | holds a search path for finding Lisp library files. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
1073 | ||
1074 | @item Secondary Selection | |
1075 | The secondary selection is one particular X selection; some X | |
1076 | applications can use it for transferring text to and from other | |
1077 | applications. Emacs has special mouse commands for transferring text | |
1078 | using the secondary selection. @xref{Secondary Selection}. | |
1079 | ||
1080 | @item Selected Frame | |
1081 | The selected frame is the one your input currently operates on. | |
1082 | @xref{Frames}. | |
1083 | ||
1084 | @item Selected Window | |
1085 | The selected frame is the one your input currently operates on. | |
1086 | @xref{Basic Window}. | |
1087 | ||
1088 | @item Selecting a Buffer | |
1089 | Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer. | |
1090 | @xref{Select Buffer}. | |
1091 | ||
1092 | @item Selection | |
1093 | Windowing systems allow an application program to specify | |
1094 | selections whose values are text. A program can also read the | |
1095 | selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way | |
1096 | of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to | |
1097 | work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:) | |
1098 | selection, and also with the clipboard (q.v.@:). | |
1099 | ||
1100 | @item Self-Documentation | |
1101 | Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any | |
1102 | command does, or give you a list of all commands related to a topic | |
1103 | you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character, | |
1104 | @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}. | |
1105 | ||
1106 | @item Self-Inserting Character | |
1107 | A character is self-inserting if typing that character inserts that | |
1108 | character in the buffer. Ordinary printing and whitespace characters | |
1109 | are self-inserting in Emacs, except in certain special major modes. | |
1110 | ||
1111 | @item Sentences | |
1112 | Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences. | |
1113 | @xref{Sentences}. | |
1114 | ||
1115 | @item Sexp | |
1116 | A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of | |
1117 | Lisp in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Sexps are also | |
1118 | the balanced expressions (q.v.@:) of the Lisp language; this is why | |
1119 | the commands for editing balanced expressions have `sexp' in their | |
1120 | name. @xref{Expressions,Sexps}. | |
1121 | ||
1122 | @item Simultaneous Editing | |
1123 | Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once. | |
1124 | Simultaneous editing, if not detected, can cause one user to lose his | |
1125 | or her work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing, and | |
1126 | warns one of the users to investigate. | |
1127 | @xref{Interlocking,Interlocking,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
1128 | ||
1129 | @item @key{SPC} | |
1130 | @key{SPC} is the space character, which you enter by pressing the | |
1131 | space bar. | |
1132 | ||
1133 | @item Speedbar | |
1134 | The speedbar is a special tall frame that provides fast access to Emacs | |
1135 | buffers, functions within those buffers, Info nodes, and other | |
1136 | interesting parts of text within Emacs. @xref{Speedbar}. | |
1137 | ||
1138 | @item Spell Checking | |
1139 | Spell checking means checking correctness of the written form of each | |
1140 | one of the words in a text. Emacs uses the Ispell spelling-checker | |
1141 | program to check the spelling of parts of a buffer via a convenient user | |
1142 | interface. @xref{Spelling}. | |
1143 | ||
1144 | @item String | |
1145 | A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of | |
1146 | characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as | |
1147 | values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in the | |
1148 | string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. A @samp{"} | |
1149 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\"} and a @samp{\} | |
1150 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\\}. All other | |
1151 | characters, including newline, can be included just by writing them | |
1152 | inside the string; however, backslash sequences as in C, such as | |
1153 | @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code, are | |
1154 | allowed as well. | |
1155 | ||
1156 | @item String Substitution | |
1157 | See `global substitution'. | |
1158 | ||
1159 | @item Syntax Highlighting | |
1160 | See `font lock.' | |
1161 | ||
1162 | @item Syntax Table | |
1163 | The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word, | |
1164 | which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc. | |
1165 | @xref{Syntax}. | |
1166 | ||
1167 | @item Super | |
1168 | Super is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
1169 | have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the | |
1170 | @key{SUPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
1171 | @kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
1172 | Super}. | |
1173 | ||
1174 | @item Suspending | |
1175 | Suspending Emacs means stopping it temporarily and returning control | |
1176 | to its parent process, which is usually a shell. Unlike killing a job | |
1177 | (q.v.@:), you can later resume the suspended Emacs job without losing | |
1178 | your buffers, unsaved edits, undo history, etc. @xref{Exiting}. | |
1179 | ||
1180 | @item @key{TAB} | |
1181 | @key{TAB} is the tab character. In Emacs it is typically used for | |
1182 | indentation or completion. | |
1183 | ||
1184 | @item Tags Table | |
1185 | A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function | |
1186 | definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}. | |
1187 | ||
1188 | @item Termscript File | |
1189 | A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to | |
1190 | the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay. | |
1191 | Emacs does not make a termscript file unless you tell it to. | |
1192 | @xref{Bugs}. | |
1193 | ||
1194 | @item Text | |
1195 | `Text' has two meanings (@pxref{Text}): | |
1196 | ||
1197 | @itemize @bullet | |
1198 | @item | |
1199 | Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary | |
1200 | numbers, executable programs, and the like. The basic contents of an | |
1201 | Emacs buffer (aside from the text properties, q.v.@:) are always text | |
1202 | in this sense. | |
1203 | @item | |
1204 | Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs, | |
1205 | or following the stylistic conventions of human language. | |
1206 | @end itemize | |
1207 | ||
1208 | @item Text-only Terminal | |
1209 | A text-only terminal is a display that is limited to displaying text in | |
1210 | character units. Such a terminal cannot control individual pixels it | |
1211 | displays. Emacs supports a subset of display features on text-only | |
1212 | terminals. | |
1213 | ||
1214 | @item Text Properties | |
1215 | Text properties are annotations recorded for particular characters in | |
1216 | the buffer. Images in the buffer are recorded as text properties; | |
1217 | they also specify formatting information. @xref{Editing Format Info}. | |
1218 | ||
1219 | @item Tool Bar | |
1220 | The tool bar is a line (sometimes multiple lines) of icons at the top | |
1221 | of an Emacs frame. Clicking on one of these icons executes a command. | |
1222 | You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.@:). | |
1223 | @xref{Tool Bars}. | |
1224 | ||
1225 | @item Tooltips | |
1226 | Tooltips are small windows displaying a help echo (q.v.@:) text that | |
1227 | explains parts of the display, lists useful options available via mouse | |
1228 | clicks, etc. @xref{Tooltips}. | |
1229 | ||
1230 | @item Top Level | |
1231 | Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the | |
1232 | text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you | |
1233 | are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer | |
1234 | (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top | |
1235 | level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}. | |
1236 | ||
1237 | @item Transposition | |
1238 | Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place | |
1239 | formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose | |
1240 | two adjacent characters, words, balanced expressions (q.v.@:) or lines | |
1241 | (@pxref{Transpose}). | |
1242 | ||
1243 | @item Truncation | |
1244 | Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a | |
1245 | line that does not fit within the right margin of the window | |
1246 | displaying it. See also `continuation line.' | |
1247 | @xref{Continuation Lines,Truncation}. | |
1248 | ||
1249 | @item TTY | |
1250 | See `text-only terminal.' | |
1251 | ||
1252 | @item Undoing | |
1253 | Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing | |
1254 | back the text that existed earlier in the editing session. | |
1255 | @xref{Undo}. | |
1256 | ||
1257 | @item User Option | |
1258 | A user option is a face (q.v.@:) or a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so | |
1259 | that you can customize Emacs by setting it to a new value. | |
1260 | @xref{Easy Customization}. | |
1261 | ||
1262 | @item Variable | |
1263 | A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value. | |
1264 | Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known | |
1265 | as `user options' (q.v.@:)) just so that you can set their values to | |
1266 | control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you | |
1267 | are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in | |
1268 | this manual (@pxref{Variable Index}). @xref{Variables}, for | |
1269 | information on variables. | |
1270 | ||
1271 | @item Version Control | |
1272 | Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file. | |
1273 | They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:). | |
1274 | @xref{Version Control}. | |
1275 | ||
1276 | @item Visiting | |
1277 | Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:) | |
1278 | where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}. | |
1279 | ||
1280 | @item Whitespace | |
1281 | Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space, | |
1282 | tab, newline, and backspace). | |
1283 | ||
1284 | @item Widening | |
1285 | Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer; | |
1286 | it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
1287 | ||
1288 | @item Window | |
1289 | Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which | |
1290 | can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time. | |
1291 | @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen. | |
1292 | @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. Some | |
1293 | other editors use the term ``window'' for what we call a `frame' | |
1294 | (q.v.@:) in Emacs. | |
1295 | ||
1296 | @item Window System | |
1297 | A window system is software that operates on a graphical display | |
1298 | (q.v.@:), to subdivide the screen so that multiple applications can | |
1299 | have their] own windows at the same time. All modern operating systems | |
1300 | include a window system. | |
1301 | ||
1302 | @item Word Abbrev | |
1303 | See `abbrev.' | |
1304 | ||
1305 | @item Word Search | |
1306 | Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the | |
1307 | punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}. | |
1308 | ||
1309 | @item WYSIWYG | |
1310 | WYSIWYG stands for ``What you see is what you get.'' Emacs generally | |
1311 | provides WYSIWYG editing for files of characters; in Enriched mode | |
1312 | (@pxref{Formatted Text}), it provides WYSIWYG editing for files that | |
1313 | include text formatting information. | |
1314 | ||
1315 | @item Yanking | |
1316 | Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to | |
1317 | undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other | |
1318 | systems call this ``pasting.'' @xref{Yanking}. | |
1319 | @end table | |
1320 | ||
1321 | @ignore | |
1322 | arch-tag: 0dd53ce1-5f09-4ac2-b13b-cf22b0f28d23 | |
1323 | @end ignore |