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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
739a80b3 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,1997,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
3 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
4 | @node Glossary, Key Index, Intro, Top | |
5 | @unnumbered Glossary | |
6 | ||
7 | @table @asis | |
8 | @item Abbrev | |
9 | An abbrev is a text string which expands into a different text string | |
10 | when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a few letters | |
11 | as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert frequently. | |
12 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
13 | ||
14 | @item Aborting | |
15 | Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). The | |
16 | commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} are used for this. | |
17 | @xref{Quitting}. | |
18 | ||
19 | @item Alt | |
20 | Alt is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
21 | have. To make a character Alt, type it while holding down the @key{ALT} | |
22 | key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-} | |
23 | (usually written @kbd{A-} for short). (Note that many terminals have a | |
24 | key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User | |
25 | Input, Alt}. | |
26 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
27 | @item Argument |
28 | See `numeric argument.' | |
29 | ||
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30 | @item ASCII character |
31 | An ASCII character is either an ASCII control character or an ASCII | |
32 | printing character. @xref{User Input}. | |
33 | ||
34 | @item ASCII control character | |
35 | An ASCII control character is the Control version of an upper-case | |
36 | letter, or the Control version of one of the characters @samp{@@[\]^_?}. | |
37 | ||
38 | @item ASCII printing character | |
39 | ASCII printing characters include letters, digits, space, and these | |
40 | punctuation characters: @samp{!@@#$%^& *()_-+=|\~` @{@}[]:;"' <>,.?/}. | |
41 | ||
42 | @item Auto Fill Mode | |
43 | Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which text that you insert is | |
64429953 RS |
44 | automatically broken into lines of a given maximum width. |
45 | @xref{Filling}. | |
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46 | |
47 | @item Auto Saving | |
48 | Auto saving is the practice of saving the contents of an Emacs buffer in | |
49 | a specially-named file, so that the information will not be lost if the | |
50 | buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. @xref{Auto Save}. | |
51 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
52 | @item Autoloading |
53 | Emacs automatically loads Lisp libraries when a Lisp program requests a | |
54 | function or a variable from those libraries. This is called | |
55 | `autoloading'. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
56 | ||
57 | @item Backtrace | |
58 | A backtrace is a trace of a series of function calls showing how a | |
59 | program arrived to a certain point. It is used mainly for finding and | |
60 | correcting bugs (q.v.@:). Emacs can display a backtrace when it signals | |
61 | an error or when you type @kbd{C-g} (see `quitting'). @xref{Checklist}. | |
62 | ||
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63 | @item Backup File |
64 | A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current | |
65 | editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you | |
66 | track down or cancel changes you later regret making. @xref{Backup}. | |
67 | ||
68 | @item Balance Parentheses | |
06c25386 | 69 | Emacs can balance parentheses (or other matching delimiters) either |
0ec1f115 | 70 | manually or automatically. You do manual balancing with the commands |
06c25386 | 71 | to move over parenthetical groupings (@pxref{Moving by Parens}). |
0ec1f115 | 72 | Automatic balancing works by blinking or highlighting the delimiter |
06c25386 RS |
73 | that matches the one you just inserted (@pxref{Matching,,Matching |
74 | Parens}). | |
75 | ||
76 | @item Balanced Expressions | |
77 | A balanced expression is a syntactically recognizable expression, such | |
0ec1f115 | 78 | as a symbol, number, string constant, block, or parenthesized expression |
06c25386 | 79 | in C. @xref{Expressions,Balanced Expressions}. |
6bf7aab6 | 80 | |
08aa7220 EZ |
81 | @item Balloon Help |
82 | See `tooltips.' | |
83 | ||
84 | @item Base Buffer | |
85 | A base buffer is a buffer whose text is shared by an indirect buffer | |
86 | (q.v.@:). | |
87 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
88 | @item Bind |
89 | To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:). | |
90 | @xref{Rebinding}. | |
91 | ||
92 | @item Binding | |
93 | A key sequence gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding, which is a | |
94 | command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when the user types that | |
95 | sequence. @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves | |
96 | rebinding a character to a different command function. The bindings of | |
97 | all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
98 | ||
99 | @item Blank Lines | |
100 | Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several | |
101 | commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer. | |
102 | ||
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103 | @item Bookmark |
104 | Bookmarks are akin to registers (q.v.@:) in that they record positions | |
63b2eb5c | 105 | in buffers to which you can return later. Unlike registers, bookmarks |
08aa7220 EZ |
106 | persist between Emacs sessions. |
107 | ||
0776c3a8 RS |
108 | @item Border |
109 | A border is a thin space along the edge of the frame, used just for | |
110 | spacing, not for displaying anything. An Emacs frame has an ordinary | |
111 | external border, outside of everything including the menu bar, plus an | |
112 | internal border that surrounds the text windows and their scroll bars | |
113 | and separates them from the menu bar and tool bar. You can customize | |
114 | both borders with options and resources (@pxref{Borders X}). Borders | |
115 | are not the same as fringes (q.v.@:). | |
116 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
117 | @item Buffer |
118 | The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text | |
119 | being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any time you are | |
0efda3ff | 120 | editing only one, the `current buffer,' though several can be visible |
08aa7220 | 121 | when you are using multiple windows (q.v.@:). Most buffers are visiting |
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122 | (q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}. |
123 | ||
124 | @item Buffer Selection History | |
125 | Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each | |
126 | Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to | |
127 | select. @xref{Buffers}. | |
128 | ||
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129 | @item Bug |
130 | A bug is an incorrect or unreasonable behavior of a program, or | |
131 | inaccurate or confusing documentation. Emacs developers treat bug | |
132 | reports, both in Emacs code and its documentation, very seriously and | |
133 | ask you to report any bugs you find. @xref{Bugs}. | |
134 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
135 | @item Button Down Event |
136 | A button down event is the kind of input event generated right away when | |
58fa012d | 137 | you press down on a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. |
6bf7aab6 | 138 | |
08aa7220 EZ |
139 | @item By Default |
140 | See `default.' | |
141 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
142 | @item @kbd{C-} |
143 | @kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control. | |
144 | @xref{User Input,C-}. | |
145 | ||
146 | @item @kbd{C-M-} | |
147 | @kbd{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
148 | Control-Meta. @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
149 | ||
150 | @item Case Conversion | |
151 | Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or | |
152 | vice versa. @xref{Case}, for the commands for case conversion. | |
153 | ||
154 | @item Character | |
155 | Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer; see @ref{Text | |
156 | Characters}. Also, key sequences (q.v.@:) are usually made up of | |
157 | characters (though they may include other input events as well). | |
158 | @xref{User Input}. | |
159 | ||
160 | @item Character Set | |
161 | Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a | |
162 | particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}. | |
163 | ||
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164 | @item Character Terminal |
165 | See `text-only terminal.' | |
166 | ||
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167 | @item Click Event |
168 | A click event is the kind of input event generated when you press a | |
169 | mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
170 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
171 | @item Clipboard |
172 | A clipboard is a buffer provided by the window system for transferring | |
173 | text between applications. On the X Window system, the clipboard is | |
174 | provided in addition to the primary selection (q.v.@:); on MS-Windows, | |
175 | the clipboard is used @emph{instead} of the primary selection. | |
176 | @xref{Clipboard}. | |
177 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
178 | @item Coding System |
179 | A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a | |
180 | file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert | |
181 | text to or from a variety of coding systems when reading or writing it. | |
182 | @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
183 | ||
184 | @item Command | |
185 | A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a | |
186 | key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its | |
187 | binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find | |
188 | the command to run. @xref{Commands}. | |
189 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
190 | @item Command History |
191 | See `minibuffer history.' | |
192 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
193 | @item Command Name |
194 | A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command | |
195 | (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using | |
64429953 | 196 | @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}). |
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197 | |
198 | @item Comment | |
199 | A comment is text in a program which is intended only for humans reading | |
200 | the program, and which is marked specially so that it will be ignored | |
201 | when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands | |
202 | for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}. | |
203 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
204 | @item Common Lisp |
205 | Common Lisp is a dialect of Lisp (q.v.@:) much larger and more powerful | |
206 | than Emacs Lisp. Emacs provides a subset of Common Lisp in the CL | |
64429953 | 207 | package. @xref{Common Lisp,,, cl, Common Lisp Extensions}. |
08aa7220 | 208 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
209 | @item Compilation |
210 | Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source | |
211 | code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code | |
64429953 | 212 | (@pxref{Byte Compilation,,, elisp, the Emacs Lisp |
6bf7aab6 DL |
213 | Reference Manual}) and programs in C and other languages |
214 | (@pxref{Compilation}). | |
215 | ||
216 | @item Complete Key | |
217 | A complete key is a key sequence which fully specifies one action to be | |
218 | performed by Emacs. For example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-x m} | |
219 | are complete keys. Complete keys derive their meanings from being bound | |
220 | (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:). Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to | |
221 | a command to insert @samp{X} in the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is | |
222 | conventionally bound to a command to begin composing a mail message. | |
223 | @xref{Keys}. | |
224 | ||
225 | @item Completion | |
226 | Completion is what Emacs does when it automatically fills out an | |
227 | abbreviation for a name into the entire name. Completion is done for | |
228 | minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs | |
229 | is known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and | |
230 | file names. Completion occurs when @key{TAB}, @key{SPC} or @key{RET} | |
231 | is typed. @xref{Completion}.@refill | |
232 | ||
233 | @item Continuation Line | |
234 | When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it | |
235 | takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the | |
236 | text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the | |
237 | first are called continuation lines. @xref{Basic,Continuation,Basic | |
08aa7220 | 238 | Editing}. A related Emacs feature is `filling' (q.v.@:). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
239 | |
240 | @item Control Character | |
241 | A control character is a character that you type by holding down the | |
242 | @key{CTRL} key. Some control characters also have their own keys, so | |
243 | that you can type them without using @key{CTRL}. For example, | |
244 | @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} are all control | |
245 | characters. @xref{User Input}. | |
246 | ||
247 | @item Copyleft | |
248 | A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to | |
249 | redistribute a program or other work of art. Copylefts are used by | |
250 | left-wing programmers to promote freedom and cooperation, just as | |
251 | copyrights are used by right-wing programmers to gain power over other | |
252 | people. | |
253 | ||
254 | The particular form of copyleft used by the GNU project is called the | |
255 | GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
256 | ||
052d59fc RS |
257 | @item @key{CTRL} |
258 | The @key{CTLR} or ``control'' key is what you hold down | |
259 | in order to enter a control character (q.v.). | |
260 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
261 | @item Current Buffer |
262 | The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing | |
263 | commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one. | |
264 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
265 | ||
266 | @item Current Line | |
08aa7220 | 267 | The current line is a line point is on (@pxref{Point}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
268 | |
269 | @item Current Paragraph | |
08aa7220 | 270 | The current paragraph is the paragraph that point is in. If point is |
58fa012d EZ |
271 | between two paragraphs, the current paragraph is the one that follows |
272 | point. @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
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273 | |
274 | @item Current Defun | |
58fa012d | 275 | The current defun is the defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is |
08aa7220 EZ |
276 | between defuns, the current defun is the one that follows point. |
277 | @xref{Defuns}. | |
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278 | |
279 | @item Cursor | |
280 | The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position | |
281 | called point (q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place. | |
282 | The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often | |
283 | people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean | |
0efda3ff | 284 | `point.' @xref{Basic,Cursor,Basic Editing}. |
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285 | |
286 | @item Customization | |
287 | Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is | |
288 | often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or by rebinding | |
289 | key sequences (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
290 | ||
c5ba561a | 291 | @cindex cut and paste |
08aa7220 EZ |
292 | @item Cut and Paste |
293 | See `killing' and `yanking.' | |
294 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
295 | @item Default Argument |
296 | The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you | |
297 | do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument, | |
298 | the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}. | |
299 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
300 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
301 | @item Default |
302 | A default is the value that is used for a certain purpose if and when | |
303 | you do not specify a value to use. | |
304 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
305 | @item Default Directory |
306 | When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, | |
307 | it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory. | |
08aa7220 EZ |
308 | (On MS-Windows and MS-DOS, file names which start with a drive letter |
309 | @samp{@var{x}:} are treated as absolute, not relative.) | |
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310 | @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}. |
311 | ||
312 | @item Defun | |
06c25386 | 313 | A defun is a major definition at the top level in a program. The name |
0ec1f115 | 314 | `defun' comes from Lisp, where most such definitions use the construct |
06c25386 | 315 | @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
316 | |
317 | @item @key{DEL} | |
052d59fc | 318 | @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character |
9eaf2ecf RS |
319 | of text before the cursor. It is typically either the @key{DELETE} |
320 | key or the @key{BACKSPACE} key, whichever one is easy to type. | |
052d59fc | 321 | @xref{Basic,DEL,Basic Editing}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
322 | |
323 | @item Deletion | |
324 | Deletion means erasing text without copying it into the kill ring | |
325 | (q.v.@:). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing,Deletion}. | |
326 | ||
327 | @item Deletion of Files | |
328 | Deleting a file means erasing it from the file system. | |
64429953 | 329 | @xref{Misc File Ops,Misc File Ops,Miscellaneous File Operations}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
330 | |
331 | @item Deletion of Messages | |
332 | Deleting a message means flagging it to be eliminated from your mail | |
333 | file. Until you expunge (q.v.@:) the Rmail file, you can still undelete | |
4125ceb0 | 334 | the messages you have deleted. @xref{Rmail Deletion}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
335 | |
336 | @item Deletion of Windows | |
337 | Deleting a window means eliminating it from the screen. Other windows | |
338 | expand to use up the space. The deleted window can never come back, | |
339 | but no actual text is thereby lost. @xref{Windows}. | |
340 | ||
341 | @item Directory | |
342 | File directories are named collections in the file system, within which | |
343 | you can place individual files or subdirectories. @xref{Directories}. | |
344 | ||
345 | @item Dired | |
346 | Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file | |
347 | directory and allows you to ``edit the directory,'' performing | |
348 | operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}. | |
349 | ||
350 | @item Disabled Command | |
351 | A disabled command is one that you may not run without special | |
352 | confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is | |
353 | confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}. | |
354 | ||
355 | @item Down Event | |
08aa7220 | 356 | Short for `button down event' (q.v.@:). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
357 | |
358 | @item Drag Event | |
359 | A drag event is the kind of input event generated when you press a mouse | |
360 | button, move the mouse, and then release the button. @xref{Mouse | |
361 | Buttons}. | |
362 | ||
363 | @item Dribble File | |
08aa7220 EZ |
364 | A dribble file is a file into which Emacs writes all the characters that |
365 | the user types on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record | |
366 | for debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
367 | tell it to. @xref{Bugs}. |
368 | ||
369 | @item Echo Area | |
370 | The echo area is the bottom line of the screen, used for echoing the | |
1ba2ce68 | 371 | arguments to commands, for asking questions, and showing brief messages |
6bf7aab6 DL |
372 | (including error messages). The messages are stored in the buffer |
373 | @samp{*Messages*} so you can review them later. @xref{Echo Area}. | |
374 | ||
375 | @item Echoing | |
376 | Echoing is acknowledging the receipt of commands by displaying them (in | |
377 | the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character key sequences; | |
378 | longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing them. | |
379 | ||
380 | @item Electric | |
381 | We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting | |
08aa7220 | 382 | (q.v.@:), but the current major mode (q.v.@:) redefines it to do something |
6bf7aab6 DL |
383 | else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define |
384 | particular delimiter characters to reindent the line or insert one or | |
385 | more newlines in addition to self-insertion. | |
386 | ||
08aa7220 | 387 | @item End Of Line |
0ec1f115 RS |
388 | End of line is a character or a sequence of characters that indicate |
389 | the end of a text line. On GNU and Unix systems, this is a newline | |
390 | (q.v.@:), but other systems have other conventions. @xref{Coding | |
391 | Systems,end-of-line}. Emacs can recognize several end-of-line | |
392 | conventions in files and convert between them. | |
08aa7220 EZ |
393 | |
394 | @item Environment Variable | |
395 | An environment variable is one of a collection of variables stored by | |
396 | the operating system, each one having a name and a value. Emacs can | |
397 | access environment variables set by its parent shell, and it can set | |
398 | variables in the environment it passes to programs it invokes. | |
399 | @xref{Environment}. | |
400 | ||
401 | @item EOL | |
402 | See `end of line.' | |
403 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
404 | @item Error |
405 | An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current | |
406 | circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops | |
407 | (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs | |
1ba2ce68 | 408 | reports the error by displaying an error message (q.v.@:). Type-ahead |
6bf7aab6 DL |
409 | is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another editing command. |
410 | ||
411 | @item Error Message | |
412 | An error message is a single line of output displayed by Emacs when the | |
413 | user asks for something impossible to do (such as, killing text | |
414 | forward when point is at the end of the buffer). They appear in the | |
415 | echo area, accompanied by a beep. | |
416 | ||
417 | @item @key{ESC} | |
418 | @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on | |
419 | keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which, | |
420 | like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is | |
421 | typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and | |
422 | it applies to the next character you type. | |
423 | ||
06c25386 RS |
424 | @item Expression |
425 | See `balanced expression.' | |
426 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 427 | @item Expunging |
08aa7220 EZ |
428 | Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer or a Gnus newsgroup buffer is an |
429 | operation that truly discards the messages or files you have previously | |
430 | flagged for deletion. | |
431 | ||
432 | @item Face | |
433 | A face is a style of displaying characters. It specifies attributes | |
434 | such as font family and size, foreground and background colors, | |
435 | underline and strike-through, background stipple, etc. Emacs provides | |
436 | features to associate specific faces with portions of buffer text, in | |
437 | order to display that text as specified by the face attributes. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
438 | |
439 | @item File Locking | |
64429953 | 440 | Emacs uses file locking to notice when two different users |
6bf7aab6 DL |
441 | start to edit one file at the same time. @xref{Interlocking}. |
442 | ||
443 | @item File Name | |
444 | A file name is a name that refers to a file. File names may be relative | |
445 | or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current | |
446 | directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless | |
447 | of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute | |
448 | file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or | |
08aa7220 EZ |
449 | @samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). On MS-Windows/MS-DOS, and |
450 | absolute file name can also start with a drive letter and a colon | |
451 | @samp{@var{d}:}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
452 | |
453 | Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not; | |
08aa7220 | 454 | we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.@:). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
455 | |
456 | @item File-Name Component | |
457 | A file-name component names a file directly within a particular | |
458 | directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of | |
459 | file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar} | |
460 | is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it | |
461 | refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in | |
08aa7220 EZ |
462 | the current directory. MS-DOS/MS-Windows file names can also use |
463 | backslashes to separate components, as in @file{foo\bar}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
464 | |
465 | @item Fill Prefix | |
466 | The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning | |
467 | of each line when filling is done. It is not regarded as part of the | |
468 | text to be filled. @xref{Filling}. | |
469 | ||
470 | @item Filling | |
471 | Filling text means shifting text between consecutive lines so that all | |
08aa7220 EZ |
472 | the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}. Some |
473 | other editors call this feature `line wrapping.' | |
474 | ||
475 | @item Font Lock | |
476 | Font Lock is a mode that highlights parts of buffer text according to | |
477 | its syntax. @xref{Font Lock}. | |
478 | ||
479 | @item Fontset | |
480 | A fontset is a named collection of fonts. A fontset specification lists | |
481 | character sets and which font to use to display each of them. Fontsets | |
482 | make it easy to change several fonts at once by specifying the name of a | |
483 | fontset, rather than changing each font separately. @xref{Fontsets}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
484 | |
485 | @item Formatted Text | |
486 | Formatted text is text that displays with formatting information while | |
487 | you edit. Formatting information includes fonts, colors, and specified | |
488 | margins. @xref{Formatted Text}. | |
489 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
490 | @item Formfeed Character |
491 | See `page.' | |
492 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
493 | @item Frame |
494 | A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out | |
495 | with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame | |
08aa7220 EZ |
496 | into Emacs windows (q.v.@:). When you are using a windowing system, all |
497 | the frames can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}. Some | |
498 | other editors use the term ``window'' for this, but in Emacs a window | |
499 | means something else. | |
500 | ||
501 | @item Fringe | |
502 | On windowed displays, there's a narrow portion of the frame (q.v.@:) | |
503 | between the text area and the window's border. Emacs displays the | |
504 | fringe using a special face (q.v.@:) called @code{fringe}. | |
505 | @xref{Faces,fringe}. | |
506 | ||
507 | @item FTP | |
508 | FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. Emacs uses an FTP client | |
509 | program to provide access to remote files (q.v.@:). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
510 | |
511 | @item Function Key | |
512 | A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not | |
513 | correspond to any character. @xref{Function Keys}. | |
514 | ||
515 | @item Global | |
0efda3ff RS |
516 | Global means ``independent of the current environment; in effect |
517 | throughout Emacs.'' It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
518 | examples of the use of `global' appear below. |
519 | ||
520 | @item Global Abbrev | |
521 | A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major | |
522 | modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev. | |
523 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
524 | ||
525 | @item Global Keymap | |
526 | The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect | |
527 | except when overridden by local key bindings in a major mode's local | |
528 | keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
529 | ||
530 | @item Global Mark Ring | |
08aa7220 EZ |
531 | The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently |
532 | set a mark (q.v.@:) in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack | |
533 | through buffers you have been editing in, or in which you have found | |
534 | tags (see `tags table'). @xref{Global Mark Ring}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
535 | |
536 | @item Global Substitution | |
537 | Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by | |
58fa012d | 538 | another string throughout a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
539 | |
540 | @item Global Variable | |
541 | The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers | |
542 | that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable. | |
543 | @xref{Variables}. | |
544 | ||
545 | @item Graphic Character | |
546 | Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than | |
547 | just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the | |
548 | Control (q.v.@:) characters are graphic characters. These include | |
549 | letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include | |
550 | @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts | |
551 | that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Basic,,Basic Editing}. | |
552 | ||
553 | @item Highlighting | |
554 | Highlighting text means displaying it with a different foreground and/or | |
555 | background color to make it stand out from the rest of the text in the | |
556 | buffer. | |
557 | ||
d804f4d6 RS |
558 | Emacs uses highlighting in several ways. When you mark a region with |
559 | the mouse, the region is always highlighted. Optionally Emacs can | |
1cbc35b1 PJ |
560 | also highlight the region whenever it is active (@pxref{Transient |
561 | Mark}). Incremental search also highlights matches (@pxref{Incremental | |
562 | Search}). See also `font lock'. | |
d804f4d6 | 563 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
564 | @item Hardcopy |
565 | Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has commands for making printed | |
566 | listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Hardcopy}. | |
567 | ||
568 | @item @key{HELP} | |
569 | @key{HELP} is the Emacs name for @kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}. You can type | |
570 | @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what any | |
571 | command does. @xref{Help}. | |
572 | ||
08aa7220 | 573 | @item Help Echo |
1ba2ce68 | 574 | Help echo is a short message displayed in the echo area when the mouse |
08aa7220 EZ |
575 | pointer is located on portions of display that require some |
576 | explanations. Emacs displays help echo for menu items, parts of the | |
577 | mode line, tool-bar buttons, etc. On graphics displays, the messages | |
578 | can be displayed as tooltips (q.v.@:). @xref{Tooltips}. | |
579 | ||
580 | @item Hook | |
581 | A hook is a list of functions to be called on specific occasions, such | |
582 | as saving a buffer in a file, major mode activation, etc. By | |
583 | customizing the various hooks, you can modify Emacs's behavior without | |
584 | changing any of its code. @xref{Hooks}. | |
585 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
586 | @item Hyper |
587 | Hyper is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
588 | have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the | |
589 | @key{HYPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
590 | @kbd{Hyper-} (usually written @kbd{H-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
591 | Hyper}. | |
592 | ||
593 | @item Inbox | |
594 | An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system. | |
595 | Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files (q.v.@:) in which the | |
596 | mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted. | |
597 | @xref{Rmail Inbox}. | |
598 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
599 | @item Incremental Search |
600 | Emacs provides an incremental search facility, whereby Emacs searches | |
601 | for the string as you type it. @xref{Incremental Search}. | |
602 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
603 | @item Indentation |
604 | Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most | |
605 | programming languages have conventions for using indentation to | |
606 | illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special | |
607 | commands to adjust indentation. | |
608 | @xref{Indentation}. | |
609 | ||
610 | @item Indirect Buffer | |
611 | An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer, | |
08aa7220 EZ |
612 | called its base buffer (q.v.@:). @xref{Indirect Buffers}. |
613 | ||
614 | @item Info | |
615 | Info is the hypertext format used by the GNU project for writing | |
616 | documentation. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
617 | |
618 | @item Input Event | |
619 | An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on | |
620 | the terminal. Input events include typing characters, typing function | |
621 | keys, pressing or releasing mouse buttons, and switching between Emacs | |
622 | frames. @xref{User Input}. | |
623 | ||
624 | @item Input Method | |
625 | An input method is a system for entering non-ASCII text characters by | |
626 | typing sequences of ASCII characters (q.v.@:). @xref{Input Methods}. | |
627 | ||
628 | @item Insertion | |
629 | Insertion means copying text into the buffer, either from the keyboard | |
630 | or from some other place in Emacs. | |
631 | ||
632 | @item Interlocking | |
633 | Interlocking is a feature for warning when you start to alter a file | |
64429953 RS |
634 | that someone else is already editing. |
635 | @xref{Interlocking,Interlocking,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 636 | |
08aa7220 EZ |
637 | @item Isearch |
638 | See `incremental search.' | |
639 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 640 | @item Justification |
58fa012d | 641 | Justification means adding extra spaces within lines of text to make |
4125ceb0 | 642 | them extend exactly to a specified width. |
58fa012d | 643 | @xref{Filling,Justification}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
644 | |
645 | @item Keyboard Macro | |
646 | Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from | |
647 | sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program. | |
648 | @xref{Keyboard Macros}. | |
649 | ||
cb14bebd EZ |
650 | @cindex keyboard shortcuts |
651 | @item Keyboard Shortcut | |
652 | A keyboard shortcut is a key sequence (q.v.@:) which invokes a | |
653 | command. What other programs call ``assign a keyboard shortcut'' | |
654 | Emacs calls ``bind a key sequence''. See `binding.' | |
655 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
656 | @item Key Sequence |
657 | A key sequence (key, for short) is a sequence of input events (q.v.@:) | |
658 | that are meaningful as a single unit. If the key sequence is enough to | |
659 | specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.@:); if it is not enough, | |
660 | it is a prefix key (q.v.@:). @xref{Keys}. | |
661 | ||
662 | @item Keymap | |
663 | The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of | |
664 | key sequences to the commands that they run. For example, the global | |
665 | keymap binds the character @kbd{C-n} to the command function | |
666 | @code{next-line}. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
667 | ||
668 | @item Keyboard Translation Table | |
669 | The keyboard translation table is an array that translates the character | |
670 | codes that come from the terminal into the character codes that make up | |
671 | key sequences. @xref{Keyboard Translations}. | |
672 | ||
673 | @item Kill Ring | |
674 | The kill ring is where all text you have killed recently is saved. | |
675 | You can reinsert any of the killed text still in the ring; this is | |
676 | called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}. | |
677 | ||
678 | @item Killing | |
679 | Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be | |
680 | yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.'' | |
58fa012d EZ |
681 | Most Emacs commands that erase text perform killing, as opposed to |
682 | deletion (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 683 | |
08aa7220 | 684 | @item Killing a Job |
6bf7aab6 DL |
685 | Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease |
686 | to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost. | |
687 | @xref{Exiting}. | |
688 | ||
689 | @item Language Environment | |
690 | Your choice of language environment specifies defaults for the input | |
691 | method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language | |
692 | Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit non-ASCII text | |
693 | (@pxref{International}). | |
694 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
695 | @item Line Wrapping |
696 | See `filling.' | |
697 | ||
698 | @item Lisp | |
699 | Lisp is a programming language. Most of Emacs is written in a dialect | |
700 | of Lisp, called Emacs Lisp, that is extended with special features which | |
701 | make it especially suitable for text editing tasks. | |
702 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
703 | @item List |
704 | A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open | |
705 | parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode | |
706 | and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched | |
707 | delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also | |
708 | considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on | |
06c25386 | 709 | lists. @xref{Moving by Parens}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
710 | |
711 | @item Local | |
0efda3ff | 712 | Local means ``in effect only in a particular context''; the relevant |
6bf7aab6 DL |
713 | kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular |
714 | buffer, or a particular major mode. It is the opposite of `global' | |
715 | (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below. | |
716 | ||
717 | @item Local Abbrev | |
718 | A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode | |
719 | is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition | |
720 | for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
721 | ||
722 | @item Local Keymap | |
723 | A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings | |
724 | (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the | |
725 | same key sequences. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
726 | ||
727 | @item Local Variable | |
728 | A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer. | |
729 | @xref{Locals}. | |
730 | ||
731 | @item @kbd{M-} | |
732 | @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META}, | |
733 | one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character. | |
734 | @xref{User Input}. | |
735 | ||
736 | @item @kbd{M-C-} | |
737 | @kbd{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
738 | Control-Meta; it means the same thing as @kbd{C-M-}. If your | |
739 | terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type a Control-Meta character by | |
740 | typing @key{ESC} and then typing the corresponding Control character. | |
741 | @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
742 | ||
743 | @item @kbd{M-x} | |
744 | @kbd{M-x} is the key sequence which is used to call an Emacs command by | |
745 | name. This is how you run commands that are not bound to key sequences. | |
64429953 | 746 | @xref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
747 | |
748 | @item Mail | |
749 | Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer | |
750 | system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for | |
751 | composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have | |
752 | received. @xref{Sending Mail}. @xref{Rmail}, for how to read mail. | |
753 | ||
754 | @item Mail Composition Method | |
755 | A mail composition method is a program runnable within Emacs for editing | |
756 | and sending a mail message. Emacs lets you select from several | |
757 | alternative mail composition methods. @xref{Mail Methods}. | |
758 | ||
759 | @item Major Mode | |
760 | The Emacs major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options, each of | |
761 | which configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, | |
762 | each programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}. | |
763 | ||
764 | @item Mark | |
765 | The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the | |
766 | region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on | |
767 | all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark. | |
768 | @xref{Mark}. | |
769 | ||
770 | @item Mark Ring | |
771 | The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the | |
772 | mark, just in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its | |
08aa7220 | 773 | own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.@:). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
774 | @xref{Mark Ring}. |
775 | ||
776 | @item Menu Bar | |
777 | The menu bar is the line at the top of an Emacs frame. It contains | |
e2ecbd43 DL |
778 | words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus, or you can use |
779 | a keyboard interface to navigate it. @xref{Menu Bars}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
780 | |
781 | @item Message | |
0efda3ff | 782 | See `mail.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
783 | |
784 | @item Meta | |
052d59fc | 785 | Meta is the name of a modifier bit which you can use in a command |
9eaf2ecf RS |
786 | character. To enter a meta character, you hold down the @key{META} |
787 | key while typing the character. We refer to such characters with | |
788 | names that start with @kbd{Meta-} (usually written @kbd{M-} for | |
052d59fc RS |
789 | short). For example, @kbd{M-<} is typed by holding down @key{META} |
790 | and at the same time typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done, on most | |
791 | terminals, by holding down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}). | |
792 | @xref{User Input,Meta}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 793 | |
9eaf2ecf RS |
794 | On some terminals, the @key{META} key is actually labeled @key{ALT} |
795 | or @key{EDIT}. | |
796 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
797 | @item Meta Character |
798 | A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit. | |
799 | ||
800 | @item Minibuffer | |
801 | The minibuffer is the window that appears when necessary inside the | |
802 | echo area (q.v.@:), used for reading arguments to commands. | |
803 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
804 | ||
805 | @item Minibuffer History | |
806 | The minibuffer history records the text you have specified in the past | |
807 | for minibuffer arguments, so you can conveniently use the same text | |
808 | again. @xref{Minibuffer History}. | |
809 | ||
810 | @item Minor Mode | |
811 | A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs which can be switched on | |
812 | or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a | |
813 | command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
814 | ||
815 | @item Minor Mode Keymap | |
08aa7220 EZ |
816 | A minor mode keymap is a keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is |
817 | active when that mode is enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence | |
818 | over the buffer's local keymap, just as the local keymap takes | |
819 | precedence over the global keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
820 | |
821 | @item Mode Line | |
822 | The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving | |
823 | status information on the buffer displayed in that window. @xref{Mode | |
824 | Line}. | |
825 | ||
826 | @item Modified Buffer | |
827 | A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the | |
828 | last time the buffer was saved (or since when it was created, if it | |
829 | has never been saved). @xref{Saving}. | |
830 | ||
831 | @item Moving Text | |
832 | Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in | |
833 | another. The usual way to move text by killing (q.v.@:) and then | |
834 | yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
835 | ||
836 | @item MULE | |
08aa7220 | 837 | MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing multilingual non-ASCII text |
6bf7aab6 DL |
838 | using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). @xref{International}. |
839 | ||
840 | @item Multibyte Character | |
08aa7220 EZ |
841 | A multibyte character is a character that takes up several bytes in a |
842 | buffer. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-ASCII text, | |
6bf7aab6 | 843 | since the number of non-ASCII characters is much more than 256. |
64429953 | 844 | @xref{International Chars, International Characters}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
845 | |
846 | @item Named Mark | |
847 | A named mark is a register (q.v.@:) in its role of recording a | |
848 | location in text so that you can move point to that location. | |
849 | @xref{Registers}. | |
850 | ||
851 | @item Narrowing | |
852 | Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in | |
853 | the current buffer to only a part of the text in the buffer. Text | |
854 | outside that part is inaccessible to the user until the boundaries are | |
855 | widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves it | |
856 | all. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
857 | ||
858 | @item Newline | |
859 | Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are | |
860 | therefore also called newlines. @xref{Text Characters,Newline}. | |
861 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
862 | @cindex nil |
863 | @cindex t | |
864 | @item @code{nil} | |
63b2eb5c EZ |
865 | @code{nil} is a value usually interpreted as a logical ``false.'' Its |
866 | opposite is @code{t}, interpreted as ``true.'' | |
08aa7220 | 867 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
868 | @item Numeric Argument |
869 | A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change | |
870 | the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a | |
871 | repeat count. @xref{Arguments}. | |
872 | ||
873 | @item Overwrite Mode | |
874 | Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text | |
875 | characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing | |
876 | it to the right. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
877 | ||
878 | @item Page | |
879 | A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (ASCII | |
880 | control-L, code 014) coming at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs | |
881 | commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages. | |
882 | @xref{Pages}. | |
883 | ||
884 | @item Paragraph | |
08d376e3 | 885 | Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of human-language text. There are |
6bf7aab6 DL |
886 | special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs. |
887 | @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
888 | ||
889 | @item Parsing | |
890 | We say that certain Emacs commands parse words or expressions in the | |
891 | text being edited. Really, all they know how to do is find the other | |
892 | end of a word or expression. @xref{Syntax}. | |
893 | ||
894 | @item Point | |
895 | Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion | |
896 | occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one | |
897 | character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of | |
64429953 | 898 | point. @xref{Basic,Point,Basic Editing}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
899 | |
900 | @item Prefix Argument | |
0efda3ff | 901 | See `numeric argument.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
902 | |
903 | @item Prefix Key | |
904 | A prefix key is a key sequence (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to | |
905 | introduce a set of longer key sequences. @kbd{C-x} is an example of | |
906 | prefix key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is | |
907 | therefore a legitimate key sequence. @xref{Keys}. | |
908 | ||
909 | @item Primary Rmail File | |
910 | Your primary Rmail file is the file named @samp{RMAIL} in your home | |
911 | directory. That's where Rmail stores your incoming mail, unless you | |
912 | specify a different file name. @xref{Rmail}. | |
913 | ||
914 | @item Primary Selection | |
915 | The primary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); it is the | |
916 | selection that most X applications use for transferring text to and from | |
917 | other applications. | |
918 | ||
919 | The Emacs kill commands set the primary selection and the yank command | |
920 | uses the primary selection when appropriate. @xref{Killing}. | |
921 | ||
922 | @item Prompt | |
1ba2ce68 | 923 | A prompt is text used to ask the user for input. Displaying a prompt |
6bf7aab6 DL |
924 | is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area |
925 | (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used to | |
926 | read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens when | |
927 | you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also | |
928 | a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}). | |
929 | ||
08aa7220 | 930 | @item Query-Replace |
63b2eb5c EZ |
931 | Query-replace is an interactive string replacement feature provided by |
932 | Emacs. @xref{Query Replace}. | |
08aa7220 | 933 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
934 | @item Quitting |
935 | Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running | |
936 | command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}. | |
937 | ||
938 | @item Quoting | |
939 | Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance. | |
940 | The most common kind of quoting in Emacs is with @kbd{C-q}. What | |
941 | constitutes special significance depends on the context and on | |
942 | convention. For example, an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command | |
943 | inserts itself; so in this context, a special character is any character | |
944 | that does not normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), | |
945 | and quoting it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not | |
946 | all contexts allow quoting. @xref{Basic,Quoting,Basic Editing}. | |
947 | ||
948 | @item Quoting File Names | |
949 | Quoting a file name turns off the special significance of constructs | |
950 | such as @samp{$}, @samp{~} and @samp{:}. @xref{Quoted File Names}. | |
951 | ||
952 | @item Read-Only Buffer | |
953 | A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change. | |
954 | Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which | |
955 | has a special significance to Emacs; for example, Dired buffers. | |
956 | Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer. | |
957 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
958 | ||
959 | @item Rectangle | |
960 | A rectangle consists of the text in a given range of columns on a given | |
961 | range of lines. Normally you specify a rectangle by putting point at | |
58fa012d | 962 | one corner and putting the mark at the diagonally opposite corner. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
963 | @xref{Rectangles}. |
964 | ||
965 | @item Recursive Editing Level | |
966 | A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of | |
967 | a command involves asking the user to edit some text. This text may | |
968 | or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied. | |
969 | The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets | |
970 | (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
971 | ||
972 | @item Redisplay | |
973 | Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to | |
974 | correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited. | |
975 | @xref{Screen,Redisplay}. | |
976 | ||
977 | @item Regexp | |
0efda3ff | 978 | See `regular expression.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
979 | |
980 | @item Region | |
981 | The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:). | |
982 | Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}. | |
983 | ||
984 | @item Registers | |
985 | Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or | |
08aa7220 EZ |
986 | rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. A related |
987 | Emacs feature is `bookmarks' (q.v.@:). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
988 | |
989 | @item Regular Expression | |
990 | A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings; | |
08aa7220 | 991 | for example, @samp{a[0-9]+} matches @samp{a} followed by one or more |
6bf7aab6 DL |
992 | digits. @xref{Regexps}. |
993 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
994 | @item Remote File |
995 | A remote file is a file that is stored on a system other than your own. | |
996 | Emacs can access files on other computers provided that they are | |
58fa012d EZ |
997 | connected to the same network as your machine, and (obviously) that |
998 | you have a supported method to gain access to those files. | |
999 | @xref{Remote Files}. | |
08aa7220 | 1000 | |
6bf7aab6 | 1001 | @item Repeat Count |
0efda3ff | 1002 | See `numeric argument.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1003 | |
1004 | @item Replacement | |
0efda3ff | 1005 | See `global substitution.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1006 | |
1007 | @item Restriction | |
1008 | A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the | |
1009 | end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a | |
08aa7220 EZ |
1010 | nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:); removing |
1011 | a restriction is called widening (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1012 | |
1013 | @item @key{RET} | |
1014 | @key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a | |
1015 | newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments | |
1016 | read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}. | |
1017 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
1018 | @item Reverting |
1019 | Reverting means returning to the original state. Emacs lets you | |
1020 | revert a buffer by re-reading its file from disk. @xref{Reverting}. | |
1021 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1022 | @item Rmail File |
1023 | An Rmail file is a file containing text in a special format used by | |
1024 | Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}. | |
1025 | ||
1026 | @item Saving | |
1027 | Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited | |
1028 | (q.v.@:) in that buffer. This is the way text in files actually gets | |
1029 | changed by your Emacs editing. @xref{Saving}. | |
1030 | ||
1031 | @item Scroll Bar | |
1032 | A scroll bar is a tall thin hollow box that appears at the side of a | |
1033 | window. You can use mouse commands in the scroll bar to scroll the | |
e2ecbd43 DL |
1034 | window. The scroll bar feature is supported only under windowing |
1035 | systems. @xref{Scroll Bars}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1036 | |
1037 | @item Scrolling | |
1038 | Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window so as to see a | |
1039 | different part of the buffer. @xref{Display,Scrolling}. | |
1040 | ||
1041 | @item Searching | |
1042 | Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified | |
1043 | string or the next match for a specified regular expression. | |
1044 | @xref{Search}. | |
1045 | ||
1046 | @item Search Path | |
1047 | A search path is a list of directory names, to be used for searching for | |
1048 | files for certain purposes. For example, the variable @code{load-path} | |
1049 | holds a search path for finding Lisp library files. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
1050 | ||
1051 | @item Secondary Selection | |
1052 | The secondary selection is one particular X selection; some X | |
1053 | applications can use it for transferring text to and from other | |
1054 | applications. Emacs has special mouse commands for transferring text | |
1055 | using the secondary selection. @xref{Secondary Selection}. | |
1056 | ||
1057 | @item Selecting | |
1058 | Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer. | |
1059 | @xref{Buffers,Selecting}. | |
1060 | ||
1061 | @item Selection | |
08aa7220 | 1062 | Windowing systems allow an application program to specify |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1063 | selections whose values are text. A program can also read the |
1064 | selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way | |
1065 | of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to | |
1066 | work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:) | |
08aa7220 | 1067 | selection, and also with the clipboard (q.v.@:). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1068 | |
1069 | @item Self-Documentation | |
1070 | Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any | |
1071 | command does, or give you a list of all commands related to a topic | |
1072 | you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character, | |
1073 | @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}. | |
1074 | ||
1075 | @item Self-Inserting Character | |
1076 | A character is self-inserting if typing that character inserts that | |
1077 | character in the buffer. Ordinary printing and whitespace characters | |
1078 | are self-inserting in Emacs, except in certain special major modes. | |
1079 | ||
1080 | @item Sentences | |
1081 | Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences. | |
1082 | @xref{Sentences}. | |
1083 | ||
1084 | @item Sexp | |
06c25386 RS |
1085 | A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of |
1086 | Lisp in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Sexps are also | |
1087 | the balanced expressions (q.v.@:) of the Lisp language; this is why | |
1088 | the commands for editing balanced expressions have `sexp' in their | |
1089 | name. @xref{Expressions,Sexps}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1090 | |
1091 | @item Simultaneous Editing | |
1092 | Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once. | |
58fa012d | 1093 | Simultaneous editing, if not detected, can cause one user to lose his |
0ec1f115 RS |
1094 | or her work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing, and |
1095 | warns one of the users to investigate. | |
64429953 | 1096 | @xref{Interlocking,Interlocking,Simultaneous Editing}. |
6bf7aab6 | 1097 | |
052d59fc RS |
1098 | @item @key{SPC} |
1099 | @key{SPC} is the space character, which you enter by pressing the | |
1100 | space bar. | |
1101 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
1102 | @item Speedbar |
1103 | Speedbar is a special tall frame that provides fast access to Emacs | |
1104 | buffers, functions within those buffers, Info nodes, and other | |
1105 | interesting parts of text within Emacs. @xref{Speedbar}. | |
1106 | ||
1107 | @item Spell Checking | |
1108 | Spell checking means checking correctness of the written form of each | |
1109 | one of the words in a text. Emacs uses the Ispell spelling-checker | |
1110 | program to check the spelling of parts of a buffer via a convenient user | |
1111 | interface. @xref{Spelling}. | |
1112 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1113 | @item String |
1114 | A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of | |
1115 | characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as | |
1116 | values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in the | |
1117 | string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. A @samp{"} | |
1118 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\"} and a @samp{\} | |
1119 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\\}. All other | |
1120 | characters, including newline, can be included just by writing them | |
1121 | inside the string; however, backslash sequences as in C, such as | |
1122 | @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code, are | |
1123 | allowed as well. | |
1124 | ||
1125 | @item String Substitution | |
1126 | See `global substitution'. | |
1127 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
1128 | @item Syntax Highlighting |
1129 | See `font lock.' | |
1130 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1131 | @item Syntax Table |
1132 | The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word, | |
1133 | which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc. | |
1134 | @xref{Syntax}. | |
1135 | ||
1136 | @item Super | |
1137 | Super is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
1138 | have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the | |
1139 | @key{SUPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
1140 | @kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
1141 | Super}. | |
1142 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
1143 | @item Suspending |
1144 | Suspending Emacs means stopping it temporarily and returning control | |
1145 | to its parent process, which is usually a shell. Unlike killing a job | |
1146 | (q.v.@:), you can later resume the suspended Emacs job without losing | |
1147 | your buffers, unsaved edits, undo history, etc. @xref{Exiting}. | |
1148 | ||
052d59fc RS |
1149 | @item @key{TAB} |
1150 | @key{TAB} is the tab character. In Emacs it is typically used for | |
1151 | indentation or completion. | |
1152 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1153 | @item Tags Table |
1154 | A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function | |
1155 | definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}. | |
1156 | ||
1157 | @item Termscript File | |
1158 | A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to | |
1159 | the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay. | |
1160 | Emacs does not make a termscript file unless you tell it to. | |
1161 | @xref{Bugs}. | |
1162 | ||
1163 | @item Text | |
58fa012d | 1164 | `Text' has two meanings (@pxref{Text}): |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1165 | |
1166 | @itemize @bullet | |
1167 | @item | |
1168 | Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary | |
64429953 RS |
1169 | numbers, executable programs, and the like. The basic contents of an |
1170 | Emacs buffer (aside from the text properties, q.v.@:) are always text | |
1171 | in this sense. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1172 | @item |
1173 | Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs, | |
1174 | or following the stylistic conventions of human language. | |
1175 | @end itemize | |
1176 | ||
08aa7220 EZ |
1177 | @item Text-only Terminal |
1178 | A text-only terminal is a display that is limited to displaying text in | |
1179 | character units. Such a terminal cannot control individual pixels it | |
63b2eb5c | 1180 | displays. Emacs supports a subset of display features on text-only |
08aa7220 EZ |
1181 | terminals. |
1182 | ||
64429953 RS |
1183 | @item Text Properties |
1184 | Text properties are annotations recorded for particular characters in | |
1185 | the buffer. Images in the buffer are recorded as text properties; | |
1186 | they also specify formatting information. @xref{Editing Format Info}. | |
1187 | ||
08d376e3 RS |
1188 | @item Tool Bar |
1189 | The tool bar is a line (sometimes multiple lines) of icons at the top | |
1190 | of an Emacs frame. Clicking on one of these icons executes a command. | |
08aa7220 | 1191 | You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.@:). |
71d58906 | 1192 | @xref{Tool Bars}. |
08d376e3 | 1193 | |
08aa7220 EZ |
1194 | @item Tooltips |
1195 | Tooltips are small windows displaying a help echo (q.v.@:) text that | |
1196 | explains parts of the display, lists useful options available via mouse | |
1197 | clicks, etc. @xref{Tooltips}. | |
1198 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1199 | @item Top Level |
1200 | Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the | |
1201 | text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you | |
1202 | are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer | |
1203 | (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top | |
1204 | level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}. | |
1205 | ||
1206 | @item Transposition | |
1207 | Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place | |
1208 | formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose | |
06c25386 | 1209 | two adjacent characters, words, balanced expressions (q.v.@:) or lines |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1210 | (@pxref{Transpose}). |
1211 | ||
1212 | @item Truncation | |
1213 | Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a | |
1214 | line that does not fit within the right margin of the window | |
0efda3ff | 1215 | displaying it. See also `continuation line.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1216 | @xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}. |
1217 | ||
08aa7220 | 1218 | @item TTY |
63b2eb5c | 1219 | See `text-only terminal.' |
08aa7220 | 1220 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1221 | @item Undoing |
1222 | Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing | |
1223 | back the text that existed earlier in the editing session. | |
1224 | @xref{Undo}. | |
1225 | ||
1226 | @item User Option | |
1227 | A user option is a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so that you can customize | |
1228 | Emacs by setting it to a new value. @xref{Variables}. | |
1229 | ||
1230 | @item Variable | |
1231 | A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value. | |
1232 | Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known | |
1233 | as `user options' (q.v.@:)) just so that you can set their values to | |
1234 | control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you | |
1235 | are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in | |
64429953 RS |
1236 | this manual (@pxref{Variable Index}). @xref{Variables}, for |
1237 | information on variables. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1238 | |
1239 | @item Version Control | |
1240 | Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file. | |
1241 | They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:). | |
1242 | @xref{Version Control}. | |
1243 | ||
1244 | @item Visiting | |
1245 | Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:) | |
1246 | where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}. | |
1247 | ||
1248 | @item Whitespace | |
1249 | Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space, | |
1250 | tab, newline, and backspace). | |
1251 | ||
1252 | @item Widening | |
1253 | Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer; | |
1254 | it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
1255 | ||
1256 | @item Window | |
1257 | Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which | |
1258 | can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time. | |
1259 | @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen. | |
08aa7220 EZ |
1260 | @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. Some |
1261 | other editors use the term ``window'' for what we call a `frame' | |
1262 | (q.v.@:) in Emacs. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1263 | |
1264 | @item Word Abbrev | |
0efda3ff | 1265 | See `abbrev.' |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1266 | |
1267 | @item Word Search | |
1268 | Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the | |
1269 | punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}. | |
1270 | ||
1271 | @item WYSIWYG | |
0efda3ff | 1272 | WYSIWYG stands for ``What you see is what you get.'' Emacs generally |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1273 | provides WYSIWYG editing for files of characters; in Enriched mode |
1274 | (@pxref{Formatted Text}), it provides WYSIWYG editing for files that | |
1275 | include text formatting information. | |
1276 | ||
1277 | @item Yanking | |
1278 | Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to | |
1279 | undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other | |
1280 | systems call this ``pasting.'' @xref{Yanking}. | |
1281 | @end table | |
1282 |