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35f07cbc | 1 | \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- -*- coding: latin-1 -*- |
71e68827 | 2 | @c %**start of header |
35ab2989 | 3 | @setfilename ../info/efaq |
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4 | @settitle GNU Emacs FAQ |
5 | @c %**end of header | |
6 | ||
7 | @setchapternewpage odd | |
8 | ||
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9 | @c This is used in many places |
10 | @set VER 21.1 | |
11 | ||
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12 | @c The @ifinfo stuff only appears in the Info version |
13 | @ifinfo | |
4c2ca4f3 | 14 | @dircategory Emacs |
0d17cd5c | 15 | @direntry |
35ab2989 | 16 | * Emacs FAQ: (efaq). Frequently Asked Questions about Emacs. |
0d17cd5c DL |
17 | @end direntry |
18 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 19 | Copyright 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000 Reuven M. Lerner@* |
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20 | Copyright 1992,1993 Steven Byrnes@* |
21 | Copyright 1990,1991,1992 Joseph Brian Wells@* | |
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22 | |
23 | This list of frequently asked questions about GNU Emacs with answers | |
24 | ("FAQ") may be translated into other languages, transformed into other | |
25 | formats (e.g. Texinfo, Info, WWW, WAIS), and updated with new information. | |
26 | ||
27 | The same conditions apply to any derivative of the FAQ as apply to the FAQ | |
28 | itself. Every copy of the FAQ must include this notice or an approved | |
29 | translation, information on who is currently maintaining the FAQ and how to | |
30 | contact them (including their e-mail address), and information on where the | |
31 | latest version of the FAQ is archived (including FTP information). | |
32 | ||
33 | The FAQ may be copied and redistributed under these conditions, except that | |
34 | the FAQ may not be embedded in a larger literary work unless that work | |
35 | itself allows free copying and redistribution. | |
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36 | |
37 | [This version has been somewhat edited from the last-posted version | |
38 | (as of August 1999) for inclusion in the Emacs distribution.] | |
39 | ||
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40 | @end ifinfo |
41 | ||
42 | @c The @titlepage stuff only appears in the printed version | |
43 | @titlepage | |
44 | @sp 10 | |
45 | @center @titlefont{GNU Emacs FAQ} | |
46 | ||
47 | @c The following two commands start the copyright page. | |
48 | @page | |
49 | @vskip 0pt plus 1filll | |
ed5c18e2 | 50 | Copyright @copyright{} 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000 Reuven M. Lerner@* |
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51 | Copyright @copyright{} 1992,1993 Steven Byrnes@* |
52 | Copyright @copyright{} 1990,1991,1992 Joseph Brian Wells@* | |
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53 | |
54 | This list of frequently asked questions about GNU Emacs with answers | |
55 | ("FAQ") may be translated into other languages, transformed into other | |
56 | formats (e.g. Texinfo, Info, WWW, WAIS), and updated with new information. | |
57 | ||
58 | The same conditions apply to any derivative of the FAQ as apply to the FAQ | |
59 | itself. Every copy of the FAQ must include this notice or an approved | |
60 | translation, information on who is currently maintaining the FAQ and how to | |
61 | contact them (including their e-mail address), and information on where the | |
62 | latest version of the FAQ is archived (including FTP information). | |
63 | ||
64 | The FAQ may be copied and redistributed under these conditions, except that | |
65 | the FAQ may not be embedded in a larger literary work unless that work | |
66 | itself allows free copying and redistribution. | |
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67 | |
68 | [This version has been somewhat edited from the last-posted version | |
69 | (as of August 1999) for inclusion in the Emacs distribution.] | |
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70 | @end titlepage |
71 | ||
72 | @node Top, FAQ notation, (dir), (dir) | |
73 | ||
74 | This is the GNU Emacs FAQ, last updated on @today{}. | |
75 | ||
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76 | The FAQ is maintained as a Texinfo document, allowing us to create HTML, |
77 | Info, and TeX documents from a single source file, and is slowly but | |
78 | surely being improved. Please bear with us as we improve on this | |
79 | format. If you have any suggestions or questions, please contact | |
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80 | @email{emacs-faq@@lerner.co.il, the FAQ maintainers}. |
81 | ||
82 | @menu | |
83 | * FAQ notation:: | |
84 | * General questions:: | |
85 | * Getting help:: | |
86 | * Status of Emacs:: | |
87 | * Common requests:: | |
88 | * Bugs and problems:: | |
89 | * Compiling and installing Emacs:: | |
90 | * Finding Emacs and related packages:: | |
91 | * Major packages and programs:: | |
92 | * Key bindings:: | |
93 | * Alternate character sets:: | |
94 | * Mail and news:: | |
95 | * Concept index:: | |
96 | @end menu | |
97 | ||
98 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
99 | @node FAQ notation, General questions, Top, Top | |
100 | @chapter FAQ notation | |
101 | @cindex FAQ notation | |
102 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 103 | This chapter describes notation used in the GNU Emacs FAQ, as well as in |
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104 | the Emacs documentation. Consult this section if this is the first time |
105 | you are reading the FAQ, or if you are confused by notation or terms | |
106 | used in the FAQ. | |
107 | ||
108 | @menu | |
109 | * Basic keys:: | |
110 | * Extended commands:: | |
111 | * On-line manual:: | |
f8635375 | 112 | * File-name conventions:: |
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113 | * Common acronyms:: |
114 | @end menu | |
115 | ||
116 | @node Basic keys, Extended commands, FAQ notation, FAQ notation | |
117 | @section What do these mean: @kbd{C-h}, @kbd{M-C-a}, @key{RET}, @kbd{@key{ESC} a}, etc.? | |
118 | @cindex Basic keys | |
119 | @cindex Control key, notation for | |
120 | @cindex @key{Meta} key, notation for | |
ed5c18e2 | 121 | @cindex Control-Meta characters, notation for |
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122 | @cindex @kbd{C-h}, definition of |
123 | @cindex @kbd{M-C-h}, definition of | |
124 | @cindex @key{DEL}, definition of | |
125 | @cindex @key{ESC}, definition of | |
126 | @cindex @key{LFD}, definition of | |
127 | @cindex @key{RET}, definition of | |
128 | @cindex @key{SPC}, definition of | |
129 | @cindex @key{TAB}, definition of | |
ed5c18e2 | 130 | @cindex Notation for keys |
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131 | |
132 | @itemize @bullet | |
133 | ||
134 | @item | |
135 | @kbd{C-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down the @key{Control} key | |
136 | ||
137 | @item | |
138 | @kbd{M-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down the @key{Meta} key | |
ed5c18e2 | 139 | (if your computer doesn't have a @key{Meta} key, @pxref{No Meta key}) |
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140 | |
141 | @item | |
142 | @kbd{M-C-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down both @key{Control} | |
143 | and @key{Meta} | |
144 | ||
145 | @item | |
146 | @kbd{C-M-x}: a synonym for the above | |
147 | ||
148 | @item | |
149 | @key{LFD}: Linefeed or Newline; same as @kbd{C-j} | |
150 | ||
151 | @item | |
152 | @key{RET}: @key{Return}, sometimes marked @key{Enter}; same as @kbd{C-m} | |
153 | ||
154 | @item | |
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155 | @key{DEL}: @key{Delete}, usually @strong{not} the same as |
156 | @key{Backspace}; same as @kbd{C-?} (see @ref{Backspace invokes help}, if | |
157 | deleting invokes Emacs help) | |
71e68827 DL |
158 | |
159 | @item | |
160 | @key{ESC}: Escape; same as @kbd{C-[} | |
161 | ||
162 | @item | |
163 | @key{TAB}: Tab; same as @kbd{C-i} | |
164 | ||
165 | @item | |
166 | @key{SPC}: Space bar | |
167 | ||
168 | @end itemize | |
169 | ||
170 | Key sequences longer than one key (and some single-key sequences) are | |
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171 | written inside quotes or on lines by themselves, like this: |
172 | ||
173 | @display | |
174 | @kbd{M-x frobnicate-while-foo RET} | |
175 | @end display | |
176 | ||
177 | @noindent | |
178 | Any real spaces in such a key sequence should be ignored; only @key{SPC} | |
179 | really means press the space key. | |
71e68827 DL |
180 | |
181 | The ASCII code sent by @kbd{C-x} (except for @kbd{C-?}) is the value | |
182 | that would be sent by pressing just @key{x} minus 96 (or 64 for | |
f8635375 | 183 | upper-case @key{X}) and will be from 0 to 31. On Unix and GNU/Linux |
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184 | terminals, the ASCII code sent by @kbd{M-x} is the sum of 128 and the |
185 | ASCII code that would be sent by pressing just @key{x}. Essentially, | |
186 | @key{Control} turns off bits 5 and 6 and @key{Meta} turns on bit | |
187 | 7@footnote{ | |
188 | DOS and Windows terminals don't set bit 7 when the @key{Meta} key is | |
189 | pressed.}. | |
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190 | |
191 | @kbd{C-?} (aka @key{DEL}) is ASCII code 127. It is a misnomer to call | |
ed5c18e2 | 192 | @kbd{C-?} a ``control'' key, since 127 has both bits 5 and 6 turned ON. |
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193 | Also, on very few keyboards does @kbd{C-?} generate ASCII code 127. |
194 | ||
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195 | @inforef{Text Characters, Text Characters, emacs}, and @inforef{Keys, |
196 | Keys, emacs}, for more information. (@xref{On-line manual}, for more | |
197 | information about Info.) | |
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198 | |
199 | @node Extended commands, On-line manual, Basic keys, FAQ notation | |
200 | @section What does @file{M-x @var{command}} mean? | |
201 | @cindex Extended commands | |
202 | @cindex Commands, extended | |
203 | @cindex M-x, meaning of | |
204 | ||
205 | @kbd{M-x @var{command}} means type @kbd{M-x}, then type the name of the | |
ed5c18e2 | 206 | command, then type @key{RET}. (@xref{Basic keys}, if you're not sure |
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207 | what @kbd{M-x} and @key{RET} mean.) |
208 | ||
209 | @kbd{M-x} (by default) invokes the command | |
210 | @code{execute-extended-command}. This command allows you to run any | |
211 | Emacs command if you can remember the command's name. If you can't | |
212 | remember the command's name, you can type @key{TAB} and @key{SPC} for | |
213 | completion, @key{?} for a list of possibilities, and @kbd{M-p} and | |
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214 | @kbd{M-n} (or up-arrow and down-arrow on terminals that have these |
215 | editing keys) to see previous commands entered. An Emacs @dfn{command} | |
216 | is an @dfn{interactive} Emacs function. | |
71e68827 | 217 | |
ed5c18e2 | 218 | @cindex @key{Do} key |
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219 | Your system administrator may have bound other key sequences to invoke |
220 | @code{execute-extended-command}. A function key labeled @kbd{Do} is a | |
ed5c18e2 | 221 | good candidate for this, on keyboards that have such a key. |
71e68827 | 222 | |
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223 | If you need to run non-interactive Emacs functions, see @ref{Evaluating |
224 | Emacs Lisp code}. | |
71e68827 | 225 | |
f8635375 | 226 | @node On-line manual, File-name conventions, Extended commands, FAQ notation |
71e68827 DL |
227 | @section How do I read topic XXX in the on-line manual? |
228 | @cindex On-line manual, reading topics in | |
229 | @cindex Reading topics in the on-line manual | |
230 | @cindex Finding topics in the on-line manual | |
231 | @cindex Info, finding topics in | |
232 | ||
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233 | When we refer you to some @var{topic} in the on-line manual, you can |
234 | read this manual node inside Emacs (assuming nothing is broken) by | |
235 | typing @kbd{C-h i m emacs @key{RET} m @var{topic} @key{RET}}. | |
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236 | |
237 | This invokes Info, the GNU hypertext documentation browser. If you don't | |
238 | already know how to use Info, type @key{?} from within Info. | |
239 | ||
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240 | If we refer to @var{topic}:@var{subtopic}, type @kbd{C-h i m emacs |
241 | @key{RET} m @var{topic} @key{RET} m @var{subtopic} @key{RET}}. | |
71e68827 | 242 | |
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243 | If these commands don't work as expected, your system administrator may |
244 | not have installed the Info files, or may have installed them | |
245 | improperly. In this case you should complain. | |
71e68827 | 246 | |
0d17cd5c | 247 | @xref{Getting a printed manual}, if you would like a paper copy of the |
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248 | Emacs manual. |
249 | ||
f8635375 | 250 | @node File-name conventions, Common acronyms, On-line manual, FAQ notation |
71e68827 | 251 | @section What are @file{etc/SERVICE}, @file{src/config.h}, and @file{lisp/default.el}? |
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252 | @cindex File-name conventions |
253 | @cindex Conventions for file names | |
71e68827 DL |
254 | @cindex Directories and files that come with Emacs |
255 | ||
256 | These are files that come with Emacs. The Emacs distribution is divided | |
257 | into subdirectories; the important ones are @file{etc}, @file{lisp}, and | |
258 | @file{src}. | |
259 | ||
260 | If you use Emacs, but don't know where it is kept on your system, start | |
261 | Emacs, then type @kbd{C-h v data-directory @key{RET}}. The directory | |
262 | name displayed by this will be the full pathname of the installed | |
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263 | @file{etc} directory. (This full path is recorded in the Emacs variable |
264 | @code{data-directory}, and @kbd{C-h v} displays the value and the | |
265 | documentation of a variable.) | |
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266 | |
267 | The location of your Info directory (i.e., where on-line documentation | |
268 | is stored) is kept in the variable @code{Info-default-directory-list}. Use | |
ed5c18e2 | 269 | @kbd{C-h v Info-default-directory-list @key{RET}} to see the value of |
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270 | this variable, which will be a list of directory names. The last |
271 | directory in that list is probably where most Info files are stored. By | |
272 | default, Info documentation is placed in @file{/usr/local/info}. | |
273 | ||
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274 | Some of these files are available individually via FTP or e-mail; see |
275 | @ref{Informational files for Emacs}. They all are available in the | |
276 | source distribution. Many of the files in the @file{etc} directory are | |
ed438271 | 277 | also available via the Emacs @samp{Help} menu, or by typing @kbd{C-h ?} |
ed5c18e2 | 278 | (@kbd{M-x help-for-help}). |
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279 | |
280 | Your system administrator may have removed the @file{src} directory and | |
281 | many files from the @file{etc} directory. | |
282 | ||
f8635375 | 283 | @node Common acronyms, , File-name conventions, FAQ notation |
71e68827 DL |
284 | @section What are FSF, LPF, OSF, GNU, RMS, FTP, and GPL? |
285 | @cindex FSF, definition of | |
286 | @cindex LPF, definition of | |
287 | @cindex OSF, definition of | |
288 | @cindex GNU, definition of | |
289 | @cindex RMS, definition of | |
290 | @cindex Stallman, Richard, acronym for | |
291 | @cindex Richard Stallman, acronym for | |
292 | @cindex FTP, definition of | |
293 | @cindex GPL, definition of | |
294 | @cindex Acronyms, definitions for | |
295 | @cindex Common acronyms, definitions for | |
296 | ||
297 | @table @asis | |
298 | ||
299 | @item FSF | |
300 | Free Software Foundation | |
301 | ||
302 | @item LPF | |
303 | League for Programming Freedom | |
304 | ||
305 | @item OSF | |
306 | Open Software Foundation | |
307 | ||
308 | @item GNU | |
309 | GNU's Not Unix | |
310 | ||
311 | @item RMS | |
312 | Richard Matthew Stallman | |
313 | ||
314 | @item FTP | |
315 | File Transfer Protocol | |
316 | ||
317 | @item GPL | |
318 | GNU General Public License | |
319 | ||
320 | @end table | |
321 | ||
322 | Avoid confusing the FSF, the LPF, and the OSF. The LPF opposes | |
323 | look-and-feel copyrights and software patents. The FSF aims to make | |
324 | high quality free software available for everyone. The OSF is a | |
325 | consortium of computer vendors which develops commercial software for | |
326 | Unix systems. | |
327 | ||
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328 | The word ``free'' in the title of the Free Software Foundation refers to |
329 | ``freedom,'' not ``zero dollars.'' Anyone can charge any price for | |
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330 | GPL-covered software that they want to. However, in practice, the |
331 | freedom enforced by the GPL leads to low prices, because you can always | |
ed5c18e2 | 332 | get the software for less money from someone else, since everyone has |
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333 | the right to resell or give away GPL-covered software. |
334 | ||
335 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
336 | @node General questions, Getting help, FAQ notation, Top | |
337 | @chapter General questions | |
338 | @cindex General questions | |
339 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 340 | This chapter contains general questions having to do with Emacs, the |
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341 | Free Software Foundation, and related organizations. |
342 | ||
343 | @menu | |
344 | * The LPF:: | |
345 | * Real meaning of copyleft:: | |
346 | * Guidelines for newsgroup postings:: | |
347 | * Newsgroup archives:: | |
348 | * Reporting bugs:: | |
349 | * Unsubscribing from Emacs lists:: | |
350 | * Contacting the FSF:: | |
351 | @end menu | |
352 | ||
353 | @node The LPF, Real meaning of copyleft, General questions, General questions | |
354 | @section What is the LPF? | |
355 | @cindex LPF, description of | |
356 | @cindex League for Programming Freedom | |
357 | @cindex Software patents, opposition to | |
358 | @cindex Patents for software, opposition to | |
359 | ||
360 | The LPF opposes the expanding danger of software patents and | |
361 | look-and-feel copyrights. To get more information, feel free to contact | |
362 | the LPF via e-mail or otherwise. You may also contact | |
ed5c18e2 | 363 | @email{jbw@@cs.bu.edu, Joe Wells}; he will be happy to talk to you |
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364 | about the LPF. |
365 | ||
366 | You can find more information about the LPF in the file @file{etc/LPF}. | |
367 | More papers describing the LPF's views are available on the Internet and | |
ed5c18e2 | 368 | also from @uref{http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/, the LPF home page}. |
71e68827 DL |
369 | |
370 | @node Real meaning of copyleft, Guidelines for newsgroup postings, The LPF, General questions | |
371 | @section What is the real legal meaning of the GNU copyleft? | |
372 | @cindex Copyleft, real meaning of | |
373 | @cindex GPL, real meaning of | |
374 | @cindex General Public License, real meaning of | |
375 | @cindex Discussion of the GPL | |
376 | ||
377 | The real legal meaning of the GNU General Public License (copyleft) will | |
378 | only be known if and when a judge rules on its validity and scope. | |
379 | There has never been a copyright infringement case involving the GPL to | |
380 | set any precedents. Please take any discussion regarding this issue to | |
381 | the newsgroup @uref{news:gnu.misc.discuss}, which was created to hold the | |
382 | extensive flame wars on the subject. | |
383 | ||
384 | RMS writes: | |
385 | ||
386 | @quotation | |
387 | The legal meaning of the GNU copyleft is less important than the spirit, | |
388 | which is that Emacs is a free software project and that work pertaining | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
389 | to Emacs should also be free software. ``Free'' means that all users |
390 | have the freedom to study, share, change and improve Emacs. To make | |
391 | sure everyone has this freedom, pass along source code when you | |
392 | distribute any version of Emacs or a related program, and give the | |
393 | recipients the same freedom that you enjoyed. | |
71e68827 DL |
394 | @end quotation |
395 | ||
396 | @node Guidelines for newsgroup postings, Newsgroup archives, Real meaning of copyleft, General questions | |
397 | @section What are appropriate messages for @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}, @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug}, @uref{news:comp.emacs}, etc.? | |
398 | @cindex Newsgroups, appropriate messages for | |
399 | @cindex GNU newsgroups, appropriate messages for | |
400 | @cindex Usenet groups, appropriate messages for | |
401 | @cindex Mailing lists, appropriate messages for | |
ed5c18e2 | 402 | @cindex Posting messages to newsgroups |
71e68827 | 403 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
404 | @cindex GNU mailing lists |
405 | The file @file{etc/MAILINGLISTS} describes the purpose of each GNU | |
406 | mailing list. (@xref{Informational files for Emacs}, if you want a copy | |
71e68827 DL |
407 | of the file.) For those lists which are gatewayed with newsgroups, it |
408 | lists both the newsgroup name and the mailing list address. | |
409 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
410 | The newsgroup @uref{news:comp.emacs} is for discussion of Emacs programs |
411 | in general. This includes Emacs along with various other | |
412 | implementations, such as XEmacs, JOVE, MicroEmacs, Freemacs, MG, | |
413 | Unipress, CCA, and Epsilon. | |
71e68827 DL |
414 | |
415 | Many people post Emacs questions to @uref{news:comp.emacs} because they | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
416 | don't receive any of the @code{gnu.*} newsgroups. Arguments have been |
417 | made both for and against posting GNU-Emacs-specific material to | |
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418 | @uref{news:comp.emacs}. You have to decide for yourself. |
419 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
420 | Messages advocating ``non-free'' software are considered unacceptable on |
421 | any of the @code{gnu.*} newsgroups except for @uref{news:gnu.misc.discuss}, | |
71e68827 | 422 | which was created to hold the extensive flame-wars on the subject. |
ed5c18e2 | 423 | ``Non-free'' software includes any software for which the end user can't |
71e68827 | 424 | freely modify the source code and exchange enhancements. Be careful to |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
425 | remove the @code{gnu.*} groups from the @samp{Newsgroups:} line when |
426 | posting a followup that recommends such software. | |
71e68827 DL |
427 | |
428 | @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug} is a place where bug reports appear, but avoid | |
ed5c18e2 | 429 | posting bug reports to this newsgroup directly (@pxref{Reporting bugs}). |
71e68827 DL |
430 | |
431 | @node Newsgroup archives, Reporting bugs, Guidelines for newsgroup postings, General questions | |
432 | @section Where can I get old postings to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} and other GNU groups? | |
433 | @cindex Archived postings from @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} | |
434 | @cindex Usenet archives for GNU groups | |
435 | @cindex Old Usenet postings for GNU groups | |
436 | ||
437 | The FSF has maintained archives of all of the GNU mailing lists for many | |
438 | years, although there may be some unintentional gaps in coverage. The | |
439 | archive is not particularly well organized or easy to retrieve | |
440 | individual postings from, but pretty much everything is there. | |
441 | ||
442 | The archive is at @uref{ftp://ftp-mailing-list-archives.gnu.org}. | |
443 | ||
444 | As of this writing, the archives are not yet working. | |
445 | ||
446 | Web-based Usenet search services, such as | |
447 | @uref{http://www.dejanews.com, DejaNews}, also archive the | |
ed5c18e2 | 448 | @code{gnu.*} groups. |
71e68827 DL |
449 | |
450 | @node Reporting bugs, Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, Newsgroup archives, General questions | |
451 | @section Where should I report bugs and other problems with Emacs? | |
452 | @cindex Bug reporting | |
453 | @cindex Good bug reports | |
454 | @cindex How to submit a bug report | |
455 | @cindex Reporting bugs | |
456 | ||
457 | The correct way to report Emacs bugs is by e-mail to | |
458 | @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. Anything sent here also appears in the | |
459 | newsgroup @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug}, but please use e-mail instead of | |
460 | news to submit the bug report. This ensures a reliable return address | |
461 | so you can be contacted for further details. | |
462 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 463 | Be sure to read the ``Bugs'' section of the Emacs manual before reporting |
71e68827 | 464 | a bug to bug-gnu-emacs! The manual describes in detail how to submit a |
ed5c18e2 | 465 | useful bug report. (@xref{On-line manual}, if you don't know how to read the |
71e68827 DL |
466 | manual.) |
467 | ||
468 | RMS says: | |
469 | ||
470 | @quotation | |
471 | Sending bug reports to @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} (which has the | |
472 | effect of posting on @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}) is undesirable because | |
473 | it takes the time of an unnecessarily large group of people, most of | |
474 | whom are just users and have no idea how to fix these problem. | |
475 | @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} reaches a much smaller group of people | |
476 | who are more likely to know what to do and have expressed a wish to | |
477 | receive more messages about Emacs than the others. | |
478 | @end quotation | |
479 | ||
480 | RMS says it is sometimes fine to post to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}: | |
481 | ||
482 | @quotation | |
483 | If you have reported a bug and you don't hear about a possible fix, | |
484 | then after a suitable delay (such as a week) it is okay to post on | |
ed5c18e2 | 485 | @code{gnu.emacs.help} asking if anyone can help you. |
71e68827 DL |
486 | @end quotation |
487 | ||
488 | If you are unsure whether you have found a bug, consider the following | |
489 | non-exhaustive list, courtesy of RMS: | |
490 | ||
491 | @quotation | |
492 | If Emacs crashes, that is a bug. If Emacs gets compilation errors | |
493 | while building, that is a bug. If Emacs crashes while building, that | |
494 | is a bug. If Lisp code does not do what the documentation says it | |
495 | does, that is a bug. | |
496 | @end quotation | |
497 | ||
498 | @node Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, Contacting the FSF, Reporting bugs, General questions | |
499 | @section How do I unsubscribe from this mailing list? | |
500 | @cindex Unsubscribing from GNU mailing lists | |
501 | @cindex Removing yourself from GNU mailing lists | |
502 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
503 | If you are receiving a GNU mailing list named @var{list}, you might be |
504 | able to unsubscribe from it by sending a request to the address | |
505 | @email{@var{list}-request@@gnu.org}. However, this will not work if you are | |
71e68827 DL |
506 | not listed on the main mailing list, but instead receive the mail from a |
507 | distribution point. In that case, you will have to track down at which | |
508 | distribution point you are listed. Inspecting the @samp{Received} headers | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
509 | on the mail messages may help, along with liberal use of the @samp{EXPN} or |
510 | @samp{VRFY} sendmail commands through @samp{telnet @var{site-address} | |
511 | smtp}. Ask your postmaster for help, if you cannot figure out these | |
512 | details. | |
71e68827 DL |
513 | |
514 | @node Contacting the FSF, , Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, General questions | |
515 | @section What is the current address of the FSF? | |
516 | @cindex Snail mail address of the FSF | |
517 | @cindex Postal address of the FSF | |
518 | @cindex Contracting the FSF | |
519 | @cindex Free Software Foundation, contacting | |
520 | ||
521 | @table @asis | |
522 | ||
523 | @item E-mail | |
524 | gnu@@gnu.org | |
525 | ||
526 | @item Telephone | |
527 | +1-617-542-5942 | |
528 | ||
529 | @item Fax | |
530 | +1-617-542-2652 | |
531 | ||
532 | @item World Wide Web | |
533 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/} | |
534 | ||
535 | @item Postal address | |
536 | Free Software Foundation@* | |
537 | 59 Temple Place - Suite 330@* | |
538 | Boston, MA 02111-1307@* | |
539 | USA@* | |
540 | ||
541 | @end table | |
542 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
543 | @cindex Ordering GNU software |
544 | For details on how to order items directly from the FSF, see the | |
545 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/order/order.html, GNU Web site}, and also the | |
546 | files @file{etc/ORDERS}, @file{ORDERS.EUROPE}, and @file{ORDERS.JAPAN}. | |
71e68827 DL |
547 | |
548 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
549 | @node Getting help, Status of Emacs, General questions, Top | |
550 | @chapter Getting help | |
551 | @cindex Getting help | |
552 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 553 | This chapter tells you how to get help with Emacs |
71e68827 DL |
554 | |
555 | @menu | |
556 | * Basic editing:: | |
557 | * Learning how to do something:: | |
558 | * Getting a printed manual:: | |
559 | * Emacs Lisp documentation:: | |
560 | * Installing Texinfo documentation:: | |
561 | * Printing a Texinfo file:: | |
562 | * Viewing Info files outside of Emacs:: | |
563 | * Informational files for Emacs:: | |
564 | * Help installing Emacs:: | |
565 | * Obtaining the FAQ:: | |
566 | @end menu | |
567 | ||
568 | @node Basic editing, Learning how to do something, Getting help, Getting help | |
569 | @section I'm just starting Emacs; how do I do basic editing? | |
570 | @cindex Basic editing with Emacs | |
571 | @cindex Beginning editing | |
572 | @cindex Tutorial, invoking the | |
573 | @cindex Self-paced tutorial, invoking the | |
574 | @cindex Help system, entering the | |
575 | ||
576 | Type @kbd{C-h t} to invoke the self-paced tutorial. Just typing @kbd{C-h} | |
577 | enters the help system. | |
578 | ||
579 | Your system administrator may have changed @kbd{C-h} to act like | |
580 | @key{DEL} to deal with local keyboards. You can use @kbd{M-x | |
581 | help-for-help} instead to invoke help. To discover what key (if any) | |
582 | invokes help on your system, type @kbd{M-x where-is @key{RET} | |
583 | help-for-help @key{RET}}. This will print a comma-separated list of key | |
584 | sequences in the echo area. Ignore the last character in each key | |
585 | sequence listed. Each of the resulting key sequences invokes help. | |
586 | ||
587 | Emacs help works best if it is invoked by a single key whose value | |
588 | should be stored in the variable @code{help-char}. | |
589 | ||
590 | There is also a WWW-based tutorial for Emacs 18, much of which is also | |
ed5c18e2 | 591 | relevant for later versions of Emacs, available at |
71e68827 DL |
592 | |
593 | @uref{http://kufacts.cc.ukans.edu/cwis/writeups/misc/emacsguide.html} | |
594 | ||
595 | @node Learning how to do something, Getting a printed manual, Basic editing, Getting help | |
596 | @section How do I find out how to do something in Emacs? | |
597 | @cindex Help for Emacs | |
598 | @cindex Learning to do something in Emacs | |
599 | @cindex Reference card for Emacs | |
600 | @cindex Overview of help systems | |
601 | ||
602 | There are several methods for finding out how to do things in Emacs. | |
603 | ||
604 | @itemize @bullet | |
605 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 606 | @cindex Reading the Emacs manual |
71e68827 DL |
607 | @item |
608 | The complete text of the Emacs manual is available on-line via the Info | |
609 | hypertext reader. Type @kbd{C-h i} to invoke Info. Typing @key{h} | |
610 | immediately after entering Info will provide a short tutorial on how to | |
611 | use it. | |
612 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
613 | @cindex Lookup a subject in a manual |
614 | @cindex Index search in a manual | |
71e68827 | 615 | @item |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
616 | To quickly locate the section of the manual which discusses a certain |
617 | issue, or describes a command or a variable, type @kbd{C-h i m emacs | |
618 | @key{RET} i @var{topic} @key{RET}}, where @var{topic} is the name of the | |
619 | topic, the command, or the variable which you are looking for. If this | |
620 | does not land you on the right place in the manual, press @kbd{,} | |
621 | (comma) repeatedly until you find what you need. (The @kbd{i} and | |
622 | @kbd{,} keys invoke the index-searching functions, which look for the | |
623 | @var{topic} you type in all the indices of the Emacs manual.) | |
624 | ||
625 | @cindex Apropos | |
71e68827 DL |
626 | @item |
627 | You can list all of the commands whose names contain a certain word | |
628 | (actually which match a regular expression) using @kbd{C-h a} (@kbd{M-x | |
629 | command-apropos}). | |
630 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
631 | @cindex Command description in the manual |
632 | @item | |
633 | The command @kbd{C-h C-f} (@code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node}) prompts | |
634 | for the name of a command, and then attempts to find the section in the | |
635 | Emacs manual where that command is described. | |
636 | ||
637 | @cindex Finding commands and variables | |
71e68827 DL |
638 | @item |
639 | You can list all of the functions and variables whose names contain a | |
640 | certain word using @kbd{M-x apropos}. | |
641 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
642 | @item |
643 | You can list all of the functions and variables whose documentation | |
644 | matches a regular expression or a string, using @kbd{M-x | |
645 | apropos-documentation}. | |
646 | ||
647 | @item | |
648 | You can order a hardcopy of the manual from the FSF. @xref{Getting a | |
649 | printed manual}. | |
650 | ||
651 | @cindex Reference cards, in other languages | |
652 | @item | |
653 | You can get a printed reference card listing commands and keys to | |
654 | invoke them. You can order one from the FSF for $1 (or 10 for $5), | |
655 | or you can print your own from the @file{etc/refcard.tex} or | |
656 | @file{etc/refcard.ps} files in the Emacs distribution. Beginning with | |
657 | version 21.1, the Emacs distribution comes with translations of the | |
658 | reference card into several languages; look for files named | |
659 | @file{etc/@var{lang}-refcard.*}, where @var{lang} is a two-letter code | |
660 | of the language. For example, the German version of the reference card | |
661 | is in the files @file{etc/de-refcard.tex} and @file{etc/de-refcard.ps}. | |
662 | ||
71e68827 DL |
663 | @item |
664 | There are many other commands in Emacs for getting help and | |
665 | information. To get a list of these commands, type @samp{?} after | |
666 | @kbd{C-h}. | |
667 | ||
668 | @end itemize | |
669 | ||
670 | @node Getting a printed manual, Emacs Lisp documentation, Learning how to do something, Getting help | |
671 | @section How do I get a printed copy of the Emacs manual? | |
672 | @cindex Printed Emacs manual, obtaining | |
673 | @cindex Manual, obtaining a printed copy of | |
674 | @cindex Emacs manual, obtaining a printed copy of | |
675 | ||
676 | You can order a printed copy of the Emacs manual from the FSF. For | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
677 | details see the @uref{http://www.gnu.org/order/order.html, GNU Web site} |
678 | and the file @file{etc/ORDERS}. | |
71e68827 | 679 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
680 | @c The number 620 below is version-dependent! |
681 | The full Texinfo source for the manual also comes in the @file{man} | |
71e68827 | 682 | directory of the Emacs distribution, if you're daring enough to try to |
ed5c18e2 | 683 | print out this 620-page manual yourself (@pxref{Printing a Texinfo |
71e68827 DL |
684 | file}). |
685 | ||
686 | If you absolutely have to print your own copy, and you don't have @TeX{}, | |
687 | you can get a PostScript version from | |
688 | ||
0d17cd5c | 689 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/manual/emacs/ps/emacs.ps.gz} |
71e68827 | 690 | |
ed5c18e2 | 691 | An HTML version of the manual is at |
71e68827 | 692 | |
0d17cd5c | 693 | @uref{www.gnu.org/manual/emacs/index.html} |
71e68827 | 694 | |
0d17cd5c | 695 | @xref{Learning how to do something}, for how to view the manual on-line. |
71e68827 DL |
696 | |
697 | @node Emacs Lisp documentation, Installing Texinfo documentation, Getting a printed manual, Getting help | |
698 | @section Where can I get documentation on Emacs Lisp? | |
699 | @cindex Documentation on Emacs Lisp | |
700 | @cindex Function documentation | |
701 | @cindex Variable documentation | |
702 | @cindex Emacs Lisp Reference Manual | |
703 | @cindex Reference manual for Emacs Lisp | |
704 | ||
705 | Within Emacs, you can type @kbd{C-h f} to get the documentation for a | |
706 | function, @kbd{C-h v} for a variable. | |
707 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
708 | For more information, obtain the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. Details |
709 | on ordering it from FSF are on the | |
710 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/order/order.html, GNU Web site} and in the file | |
711 | @file{etc/ORDERS}. | |
71e68827 DL |
712 | |
713 | The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is also available on-line, in Info | |
714 | format. Texinfo source for the manual (along with pregenerated Info | |
715 | files) is available at | |
716 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 717 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/elisp-manual-21-2.6.tar.gz} |
71e68827 | 718 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
719 | and all mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (for a list, @pxref{Current GNU |
720 | distributions}). @xref{Installing Texinfo documentation}, if you want | |
721 | to install the Info files, or @ref{Printing a Texinfo file}, if you want | |
722 | to use the Texinfo source to print the manual yourself. | |
71e68827 | 723 | |
ed5c18e2 | 724 | An HTML version of the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is available at |
71e68827 | 725 | |
ed5c18e2 | 726 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/manual/elisp-manual-21-2.6/elisp.html} |
71e68827 DL |
727 | |
728 | @node Installing Texinfo documentation, Printing a Texinfo file, Emacs Lisp documentation, Getting help | |
729 | @section How do I install a piece of Texinfo documentation? | |
730 | @cindex Texinfo documentation, installing | |
731 | @cindex Installing Texinfo documentation | |
732 | @cindex New Texinfo files, installing | |
733 | @cindex Documentation, installing new Texinfo files | |
ed5c18e2 | 734 | @cindex Info files, how to install |
71e68827 DL |
735 | |
736 | First, you must turn the Texinfo files into Info files. You may do this | |
737 | using the stand-alone @file{makeinfo} program, available as part of the latest | |
738 | Texinfo package at | |
739 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 740 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/texinfo/texinfo-4.0.tar.gz} |
71e68827 | 741 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
742 | and all mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (for a list, @pxref{Current GNU |
743 | distributions}). | |
71e68827 DL |
744 | |
745 | For information about the Texinfo format, read the Texinfo manual which | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
746 | comes with the Texinfo package. This manual also comes installed in |
747 | Info format, so you can read it on-line; type @kbd{C-h i m texinfo | |
748 | @key{RET}}. | |
749 | ||
750 | Alternatively, you could use the Emacs command @kbd{M-x | |
751 | texinfo-format-buffer}, after visiting the Texinfo source file of the | |
752 | manual you want to convert. | |
71e68827 DL |
753 | |
754 | Neither @code{texinfo-format-buffer} nor @file{makeinfo} installs the | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
755 | resulting Info files in Emacs's Info tree. To install Info files, |
756 | perform these steps: | |
71e68827 DL |
757 | |
758 | @enumerate | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
759 | @item |
760 | Move the files to the @file{info} directory in the installed Emacs | |
f8635375 | 761 | distribution. @xref{File-name conventions}, if you don't know where that |
ed5c18e2 | 762 | is. |
71e68827 | 763 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
764 | @item |
765 | Run the @code{install-info} command, which is part of the Texinfo | |
766 | distribution, to update the main Info directory menu, like this: | |
767 | ||
768 | @example | |
769 | install-info --info-dir=@var{dir-path} @var{dir-path}/@var{file} | |
770 | @end example | |
71e68827 | 771 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
772 | @noindent |
773 | where @var{dir-path} is the full path to the directory where you copied | |
774 | the produced Info file(s), and @var{file} is the name of the Info file | |
775 | you produced and want to install. | |
776 | ||
777 | If you don't have the @code{install-info} command installed, you can | |
778 | edit the file @file{info/dir} in the installed Emacs distribution, and | |
779 | add a line for the top level node in the Info package that you are | |
780 | installing. Follow the examples already in this file. The format is: | |
71e68827 DL |
781 | |
782 | @example | |
783 | * Topic: (relative-pathname). Short description of topic. | |
784 | @end example | |
785 | ||
786 | @end enumerate | |
787 | ||
788 | If you want to install Info files and you don't have the necessary | |
789 | privileges, you have several options: | |
790 | ||
791 | @itemize @bullet | |
71e68827 DL |
792 | @item |
793 | Info files don't actually need to be installed before being used. You | |
794 | can feed a file name to the @code{Info-goto-node} command (invoked by | |
795 | pressing @key{g} in Info mode) by typing the name of the file in | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
796 | parentheses. This goes to the node named ``Top'' in that file. For |
797 | example, to view a Info file named @file{@var{info-file}} in your home | |
798 | directory, you can type this: | |
71e68827 | 799 | |
ed438271 EZ |
800 | @example |
801 | @kbd{C-h i g (~/@var{info-file}) @key{RET}} | |
802 | @end example | |
71e68827 DL |
803 | |
804 | @item | |
ed5c18e2 | 805 | You can create your own Info directory. You can tell Emacs where that |
71e68827 DL |
806 | Info directory is by adding its pathname to the value of the variable |
807 | @code{Info-default-directory-list}. For example, to use a private Info | |
ed5c18e2 | 808 | directory which is a subdirectory of your home directory named @file{Info}, |
71e68827 DL |
809 | you could put this in your @file{.emacs} file: |
810 | ||
811 | @lisp | |
812 | (setq Info-default-directory-list | |
813 | (cons "~/Info" Info-default-directory-list)) | |
814 | @end lisp | |
815 | ||
816 | You will need a top-level Info file named @file{dir} in this directory | |
ed5c18e2 | 817 | which has everything the system @file{dir} file has in it, except it should |
71e68827 DL |
818 | list only entries for Info files in that directory. You might not need |
819 | it if all files in this directory were referenced by other @file{dir} | |
820 | files. The node lists from all @file{dir} files in | |
821 | @code{Info-default-directory-list} are merged by the Info system. | |
822 | ||
823 | @end itemize | |
824 | ||
825 | @node Printing a Texinfo file, Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Installing Texinfo documentation, Getting help | |
826 | @section How do I print a Texinfo file? | |
827 | @cindex Printing a Texinfo file | |
828 | @cindex Texinfo file, printing | |
ed5c18e2 | 829 | @cindex Printing documentation |
71e68827 DL |
830 | |
831 | You can't get nicely printed output from Info files; you must still have | |
832 | the original Texinfo source file for the manual you want to print. | |
833 | ||
834 | Assuming you have @TeX{} installed on your system, follow these steps: | |
835 | ||
836 | @enumerate | |
837 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
838 | @item |
839 | Make sure the first line of the Texinfo file looks like this: | |
71e68827 DL |
840 | |
841 | @example | |
842 | \input texinfo | |
843 | @end example | |
844 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
845 | You may need to change @samp{texinfo} to the full pathname of the |
846 | @file{texinfo.tex} file, which comes with Emacs as | |
847 | @file{man/texinfo.tex} (or copy or link it into the current directory). | |
71e68827 | 848 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
849 | @item |
850 | Type @kbd{texi2dvi @var{texinfo-source}}, where @var{texinfo-source} is | |
851 | the name of the Texinfo source file for which you want to produce a | |
852 | printed copy. | |
71e68827 | 853 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
854 | The @samp{texi2dvi} script is part of the GNU Texinfo distribution |
855 | (@pxref{Installing Texinfo documentation}). | |
71e68827 | 856 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
857 | @item |
858 | Print the DVI file @file{@var{texinfo-source}.dvi} in the normal way for | |
859 | printing DVI files at your site. For example, if you have a PostScript | |
860 | printer, run the @code{dvips} program to print the DVI file on that | |
861 | printer. | |
71e68827 DL |
862 | |
863 | @end enumerate | |
864 | ||
865 | To get more general instructions, retrieve the latest Texinfo package | |
0d17cd5c | 866 | (@pxref{Installing Texinfo documentation}). |
71e68827 DL |
867 | |
868 | @node Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Informational files for Emacs, Printing a Texinfo file, Getting help | |
869 | @section Can I view Info files without using Emacs? | |
870 | @cindex Viewing Info files | |
871 | @cindex Info file viewers | |
872 | @cindex Alternative Info file viewers | |
873 | ||
874 | Yes. Here are some alternative programs: | |
875 | ||
876 | @itemize @bullet | |
877 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
878 | @item |
879 | @code{info}, a stand-alone version of the Info program, comes as part of | |
880 | the Texinfo package. @xref{Installing Texinfo documentation}, for | |
881 | details. | |
71e68827 | 882 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
883 | @item |
884 | Xinfo, a stand-alone version of the Info program that runs under X | |
885 | Window system. You can get it at | |
71e68827 | 886 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/xinfo/xinfo-1.01.01.tar.gz} and all |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
887 | mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (see @ref{Current GNU distributions}, for a |
888 | list of mirrors). | |
71e68827 | 889 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
890 | @item |
891 | Tkinfo, an Info viewer that runs under X Window system and uses Tcl/Tk. | |
892 | You can get Tkinfo at | |
893 | @uref{http://math-www.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/tkinfo/}. | |
71e68827 DL |
894 | |
895 | @end itemize | |
896 | ||
897 | @node Informational files for Emacs, Help installing Emacs, Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Getting help | |
898 | @section What informational files are available for Emacs? | |
899 | @cindex Informational files included with Emacs | |
900 | @cindex Files included with Emacs | |
901 | @cindex @file{COPYING}, description of file | |
902 | @cindex @file{DISTRIB}, description of file | |
71e68827 DL |
903 | @cindex @file{FTP}, description of file |
904 | @cindex @file{GNU}, description of file | |
905 | @cindex @file{INTERVIEW}, description of file | |
906 | @cindex @file{LPF}, description of file | |
907 | @cindex @file{MACHINES}, description of file | |
908 | @cindex @file{MAILINGLISTS}, description of file | |
909 | @cindex @file{NEWS}, description of file | |
910 | @cindex @file{SERVICE}, description of file | |
911 | @cindex @file{SUN-SUPPORT}, description of file | |
912 | ||
913 | This isn't a frequently asked question, but it should be! A variety of | |
914 | informational files about Emacs and relevant aspects of the GNU project | |
915 | are available for you to read. | |
916 | ||
917 | The following files are available in the @file{etc} directory of the | |
f8635375 | 918 | Emacs distribution (see @ref{File-name conventions}, if you're not sure |
ed5c18e2 | 919 | where that is). |
71e68827 DL |
920 | |
921 | @table @file | |
922 | ||
923 | @item COPYING | |
924 | Emacs General Public License | |
925 | ||
926 | @item DISTRIB | |
927 | Emacs Availability Information, including the popular "Free Software | |
928 | Foundation Order Form" | |
929 | ||
71e68827 DL |
930 | @item FTP |
931 | How to get GNU Software by Internet FTP or by UUCP | |
932 | ||
933 | @item GNU | |
934 | The GNU Manifesto | |
935 | ||
936 | @item INTERVIEW | |
937 | Richard Stallman discusses his public-domain UNIX-compatible software | |
938 | system with BYTE editors | |
939 | ||
940 | @item LPF | |
941 | Why you should join the League for Programming Freedom | |
942 | ||
943 | @item MACHINES | |
944 | Status of Emacs on Various Machines and Systems | |
945 | ||
946 | @item MAILINGLISTS | |
947 | GNU Project Electronic Mailing Lists | |
948 | ||
949 | @item NEWS | |
ed5c18e2 | 950 | Emacs news, a history of recent user-visible changes |
71e68827 DL |
951 | |
952 | @item SERVICE | |
953 | GNU Service Directory | |
954 | ||
955 | @item SUN-SUPPORT | |
956 | including "Using Emacstool with GNU Emacs" | |
957 | ||
958 | @end table | |
959 | ||
960 | Latest versions of the above files also available at | |
961 | ||
962 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/} | |
963 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
964 | More GNU information, including back issues of the @cite{GNU's |
965 | Bulletin}, are at | |
71e68827 DL |
966 | |
967 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/bulletins/bulletins.html} and | |
968 | ||
969 | @uref{http://www.cs.pdx.edu/~trent/gnu/gnu.html} | |
970 | ||
971 | @node Help installing Emacs, Obtaining the FAQ, Informational files for Emacs, Getting help | |
972 | @section Where can I get help in installing Emacs? | |
973 | @cindex Installation help | |
974 | @cindex Help installing Emacs | |
975 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
976 | @xref{Installing Emacs}, for some basic installation hints, and see |
977 | @ref{Problems building Emacs}, or @ref{Linking with -lX11 fails}, if you | |
978 | have problems with the installation. | |
71e68827 | 979 | |
f8635375 | 980 | The file @file{etc/SERVICE} (see @ref{File-name conventions}, if you're |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
981 | not sure where that is) lists companies and individuals willing to sell |
982 | you help in installing or using Emacs. An up-to-date version this file | |
983 | is available on @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Informational files for | |
984 | Emacs}). | |
71e68827 DL |
985 | |
986 | @node Obtaining the FAQ, , Help installing Emacs, Getting help | |
987 | @section Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ? | |
988 | @cindex FAQ, obtaining the | |
989 | @cindex Latest FAQ version, obtaining the | |
990 | @cindex Retrieving the latest FAQ version | |
991 | @cindex E-mail, retrieving the FAQ via | |
992 | @cindex Web, reading the FAQ on the | |
993 | ||
994 | The Emacs FAQ is available in several ways: | |
995 | ||
996 | @itemize @bullet | |
997 | ||
998 | @item | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
999 | Inside of Emacs itself. You can get it from selecting the @samp{Emacs |
1000 | FAQ} option from the @samp{Help} menu of the Emacs menu bar at the top | |
1001 | of any Emacs frame, or by typing @kbd{C-h F} (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-FAQ}). | |
71e68827 DL |
1002 | |
1003 | @item | |
1004 | Via USENET. If you can read news, the FAQ should be available in your | |
1005 | news spool, in both the @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} and | |
1006 | @uref{news:comp.emacs} newsgroups. Every news reader should allow you | |
1007 | to read any news article that is still in the news spool, even if you | |
1008 | have read the article before. You may need to read the instructions for | |
1009 | your news reader to discover how to do this. In @file{rn}, this command | |
1010 | will do this for you at the article selection level: | |
1011 | ||
1012 | @example | |
1013 | ?GNU Emacs Frequently Asked Questions?rc:m | |
1014 | @end example | |
1015 | ||
1016 | In Gnus, you should type @kbd{C-u C-x C-s} from the @file{*Summary*} | |
1017 | buffer or @kbd{C-u @key{SPC}} from the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer to view | |
1018 | all articles in a newsgroup. | |
1019 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1020 | If the FAQ articles have expired and have been deleted from your news |
1021 | spool, it might (or might not) do some good to complain to your news | |
71e68827 DL |
1022 | administrator, because the most recent FAQ should not expire for a |
1023 | while. | |
1024 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1025 | @item |
1026 | Via HTTP or FTP. You can always fetch the latest FAQ from | |
71e68827 DL |
1027 | |
1028 | @uref{http://www.lerner.co.il/emacs/} and | |
1029 | ||
1030 | @uref{ftp://ftp.lerner.co.il/pub/emacs/} | |
1031 | ||
1032 | @item | |
1033 | In the Emacs distribution. Since Emacs 18.56, the FAQ at the time | |
ed438271 EZ |
1034 | of release has been part of the Emacs distribution as either |
1035 | @file{etc/FAQ} or @file{man/faq.texi} (@pxref{File-name conventions}). | |
71e68827 DL |
1036 | |
1037 | @item | |
1038 | Via the World Wide Web. A hypertext version is available at | |
1039 | ||
1040 | @uref{http://www.lerner.co.il/emacs/} | |
1041 | ||
1042 | @item | |
1043 | Via anonymous ftp and e-mail from @file{rtfm.mit.edu} (and its mirror in | |
1044 | Europe), the main repository for FAQs and other items posted to | |
1045 | news.answers. The Emacs FAQs are available at | |
1046 | ||
1047 | @uref{ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.emacs/} and | |
1048 | ||
1049 | @uref{ftp://ftp.uni-paderborn.de/pub/doc/FAQ/comp/emacs/} | |
1050 | ||
1051 | If you do not have access to anonymous FTP, you can access the archives | |
1052 | using the @file{rtfm.mit.edu} mail server. The Emacs FAQ can be | |
1053 | retrieved by sending mail to @email{mail-server@@rtfm.mit.edu} with a | |
1054 | blank subject and containing | |
1055 | ||
1056 | @example | |
1057 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/diffs | |
1058 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part1 | |
1059 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part2 | |
1060 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part3 | |
1061 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part4 | |
1062 | send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part5 | |
1063 | @end example | |
1064 | ||
1065 | For more information, send email to @email{mail-server@@rtfm.mit.edu} | |
1066 | with "help" and "index" in the body on separate lines. | |
1067 | ||
1068 | @item | |
1069 | As the very last resort, you can e-mail a request to | |
1070 | @email{emacs-faq@@lerner.co.il}. Don't do this unless you have made a | |
ed5c18e2 | 1071 | good-faith effort to obtain the FAQ list via one of the methods listed |
71e68827 DL |
1072 | above. |
1073 | ||
1074 | @end itemize | |
1075 | ||
1076 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
1077 | @node Status of Emacs, Common requests, Getting help, Top | |
1078 | @chapter Status of Emacs | |
1079 | @cindex Status of Emacs | |
1080 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1081 | This chapter gives you basic information about Emacs, including its |
71e68827 DL |
1082 | latest version status. |
1083 | ||
1084 | @menu | |
1085 | * Origin of the term Emacs:: | |
1086 | * Latest version of Emacs:: | |
1087 | * New in Emacs 20:: | |
ed5c18e2 | 1088 | * New in Emacs 21:: |
71e68827 DL |
1089 | @end menu |
1090 | ||
1091 | @node Origin of the term Emacs, Latest version of Emacs, Status of Emacs, Status of Emacs | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1092 | @section Where does the name ``Emacs'' come from? |
1093 | @cindex Origin of the term ``Emacs'' | |
71e68827 DL |
1094 | @cindex Emacs name origin |
1095 | @cindex TECO | |
1096 | @cindex Original version of Emacs | |
1097 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1098 | Emacs originally was an acronym for Editor MACroS. RMS says he ``picked |
71e68827 | 1099 | the name Emacs because @key{E} was not in use as an abbreviation on ITS at |
ed5c18e2 | 1100 | the time.'' The first Emacs was a set of macros written in 1976 at MIT |
71e68827 DL |
1101 | by RMS for the editor TECO (Text Editor and COrrector, originally Tape |
1102 | Editor and COrrector) under ITS on a PDP-10. RMS had already extended | |
ed5c18e2 | 1103 | TECO with a ``real-time'' full-screen mode with reprogrammable keys. |
71e68827 DL |
1104 | Emacs was started by @email{gls@@east.sun.com, Guy Steele} as a project |
1105 | to unify the many divergent TECO command sets and key bindings at MIT, | |
1106 | and completed by RMS. | |
1107 | ||
1108 | Many people have said that TECO code looks a lot like line noise; you | |
1109 | can read more at @uref{news:alt.lang.teco}. Someone has written a TECO | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1110 | implementation in Emacs Lisp (to find it, see @ref{Packages that do not |
1111 | come with Emacs}); it would be an interesting project to run the | |
1112 | original TECO Emacs inside of Emacs. | |
71e68827 | 1113 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1114 | @cindex Why Emacs? |
71e68827 | 1115 | For some not-so-serious alternative reasons for Emacs to have that |
f8635375 | 1116 | name, check out the file @file{etc/JOKES} (@pxref{File-name |
ed5c18e2 | 1117 | conventions}). |
71e68827 DL |
1118 | |
1119 | @node Latest version of Emacs, New in Emacs 20, Origin of the term Emacs, Status of Emacs | |
1120 | @section What is the latest version of Emacs? | |
1121 | @cindex Version, latest | |
ed5c18e2 | 1122 | @cindex Latest version of Emacs |
71e68827 | 1123 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1124 | Emacs @value{VER} is the current version as of this writing. |
71e68827 | 1125 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1126 | @node New in Emacs 20, New in Emacs 21, Latest version of Emacs, Status of Emacs |
71e68827 DL |
1127 | @section What is different about Emacs 20? |
1128 | @cindex Differences between Emacs 19 and Emacs 20 | |
1129 | @cindex Emacs 20, new features in | |
71e68827 DL |
1130 | |
1131 | To find out what has changed in recent versions, type @kbd{C-h n} | |
1132 | (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-news}). The oldest changes are at the bottom of | |
1133 | the file, so you might want to read it starting there, rather than at | |
1134 | the top. | |
1135 | ||
1136 | The differences between Emacs versions 18 and 19 was rather dramatic; | |
1137 | the introduction of frames, faces, and colors on windowing systems was | |
1138 | obvious to even the most casual user. | |
1139 | ||
1140 | There are differences between Emacs versions 19 and 20 as well, but many | |
1141 | are more subtle or harder to find. Among the changes are the inclusion | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1142 | of MULE code for languages that use non-Latin characters and for mixing |
1143 | several languages in the same document; the ``Customize'' facility for | |
1144 | modifying variables without having to use Lisp; and automatic conversion | |
1145 | of files from Macintosh, Microsoft, and Unix platforms. | |
71e68827 DL |
1146 | |
1147 | A number of older Lisp packages, such as Gnus, Supercite and the | |
1148 | calendar/diary, have been updated and enhanced to work with Emacs 20, | |
1149 | and are now included with the standard distribution. | |
1150 | ||
1151 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1152 | @node New in Emacs 21, , New in Emacs 20, Status of Emacs |
1153 | @section What is different about Emacs 21? | |
1154 | @cindex Differences between Emacs 20 and Emacs 21 | |
1155 | @cindex Emacs 21, new features in | |
1156 | @cindex Recently introduced features | |
1157 | ||
1158 | @cindex Variable-size fonts | |
1159 | @cindex Toolbar support | |
1160 | Emacs 21 features a thorough rewrite of the display engine. The new | |
1161 | display engine supports variable-size fonts, images, and can play sounds | |
1162 | on platforms which support that. As a result, the visual appearence of | |
1163 | Emacs, when it runs on a windowed display, is much more reminiscent of | |
1164 | modern GUI programs, and includes 3D widgets (used for the mode line and | |
1165 | the scroll bars), a configurable and extensible toolbar, tooltips | |
1166 | (a.k.a.@: balloon help), and other niceties. | |
1167 | ||
b82e13af | 1168 | @cindex Colors on text-only terminals |
ed5c18e2 | 1169 | @cindex TTY colors |
b82e13af | 1170 | In addition, Emacs 21 supports faces on text-only terminals. This means |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1171 | that you can now have colors when you run Emacs on a GNU/Linux console |
1172 | and on @code{xterm} with @kbd{emacs -nw}. | |
1173 | ||
71e68827 DL |
1174 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ |
1175 | @node Common requests, Bugs and problems, Status of Emacs, Top | |
1176 | @chapter Common requests | |
1177 | @cindex Common requests | |
1178 | ||
1179 | @menu | |
1180 | * Setting up a customization file:: | |
1181 | * Debugging a customization file:: | |
ed5c18e2 | 1182 | * Colors on a TTY:: |
71e68827 | 1183 | * Displaying the current line or column:: |
f8635375 | 1184 | * Displaying the current file name in the titlebar:: |
71e68827 DL |
1185 | * Turning on abbrevs by default:: |
1186 | * Turning on auto-fill by default:: | |
1187 | * Associating modes with files:: | |
1188 | * Working with unprintable characters:: | |
1189 | * Highlighting a region:: | |
1190 | * Controlling case sensitivity:: | |
1191 | * Wrapping words automatically:: | |
1192 | * Spell-checkers:: | |
1193 | * Checking TeX and *roff documents:: | |
1194 | * Changing load-path:: | |
1195 | * Using an already running Emacs process:: | |
1196 | * Compiler error messages:: | |
1197 | * Indenting switch statements:: | |
d891bf01 | 1198 | * Customizing C and C++ indentation:: |
71e68827 DL |
1199 | * Horizontal scrolling:: |
1200 | * Overwrite mode:: | |
1201 | * Turning off beeping:: | |
1202 | * Turning the volume down:: | |
1203 | * Automatic indentation:: | |
1204 | * Matching parentheses:: | |
1205 | * Hiding #ifdef lines:: | |
1206 | * Repeating commands:: | |
1207 | * Valid X resources:: | |
1208 | * Evaluating Emacs Lisp code:: | |
1209 | * Changing the length of a Tab:: | |
1210 | * Inserting > at the beginning of each line:: | |
1211 | * Underlining paragraphs:: | |
1212 | * Repeating a command as many times as possible:: | |
1213 | * Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column:: | |
1214 | * Forcing Emacs to iconify itself:: | |
1215 | * Using regular expressions:: | |
1216 | * Replacing text across multiple files:: | |
1217 | * Documentation for etags:: | |
1218 | * Disabling backups:: | |
1219 | * Disabling auto-save-mode:: | |
8b3f7f7d | 1220 | * Going to a line by number:: |
71e68827 DL |
1221 | * Modifying pull-down menus:: |
1222 | * Deleting menus and menu options:: | |
1223 | * Turning on syntax highlighting:: | |
1224 | * Scrolling only one line:: | |
1225 | * Replacing highlighted text:: | |
1226 | * Editing MS-DOS files:: | |
1227 | * Filling paragraphs with a single space:: | |
a5ffa690 | 1228 | * Escape sequences in shell output:: |
71e68827 DL |
1229 | @end menu |
1230 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1231 | @node Setting up a customization file, Colors on a TTY, Common requests, Common requests |
71e68827 DL |
1232 | @section How do I set up a @file{.emacs} file properly? |
1233 | @cindex @file{.emacs} file, setting up | |
1234 | @cindex Init file, setting up | |
1235 | @cindex Customization file, setting up | |
1236 | ||
1237 | @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs} | |
1238 | ||
1239 | In general, new Emacs users should not have @file{.emacs} files, because | |
1240 | it causes confusing non-standard behavior. Then they send questions to | |
1241 | @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} asking why Emacs isn't behaving as | |
1242 | documented. | |
1243 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1244 | Beginning with version 20.1, Emacs includes the new Customize |
1245 | facility, which can be invoked using @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET}}. | |
1246 | This allows users who are unfamiliar with Emacs Lisp to modify their | |
1247 | @file{.emacs} files in a relatively straightforward way, using menus | |
1248 | rather than Lisp code. Not all packages support Customize as of this | |
1249 | writing, but the number is growing fairly steadily. | |
71e68827 | 1250 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1251 | While Customize might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs, |
71e68827 | 1252 | consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your |
ed5c18e2 | 1253 | @file{.emacs} directly. Simple configuration options are described |
71e68827 DL |
1254 | rather completely in @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs}, for users |
1255 | interested in performing frequently requested, basic tasks. | |
1256 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1257 | @node Colors on a TTY, Debugging a customization file, Setting up a customization file, Common requests |
1258 | @section How do I get colors and syntax highlighting on a TTY? | |
1259 | @cindex Colors on a TTY | |
1260 | @cindex Syntax highlighting on a TTY | |
1261 | @cindex Console, colors | |
1262 | ||
1263 | As of Emacs 21.1, colors and faces are supported in non-windowed mode, | |
b82e13af | 1264 | i.e.@: on Unix and GNU/Linux text-only terminals and consoles, and when |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1265 | invoked as @samp{emacs -nw} on X and MS-Windows. (Colors and faces were |
1266 | supported in the MS-DOS port since Emacs 19.29.) Emacs automatically | |
1267 | detects color support at startup and uses it if available. If you think | |
1268 | that your terminal supports colors, but Emacs won't use them, check the | |
1269 | @code{termcap} entry for your display type for color-related | |
1270 | capabilities. | |
1271 | ||
1272 | The command @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} pops up a window which | |
1273 | exhibits all the colors Emacs knows about on the current display. | |
1274 | ||
1275 | Syntax highlighting is usually turned off by default; see @ref{Turning | |
1276 | on syntax highlighting}, for instructions how to turn it on. | |
1277 | ||
1278 | @node Debugging a customization file, Displaying the current line or column, Colors on a TTY, Common requests | |
71e68827 DL |
1279 | @section How do I debug a @file{.emacs} file? |
1280 | @cindex Debugging @file{.emacs} file | |
1281 | @cindex @file{.emacs} debugging | |
1282 | @cindex Init file debugging | |
ed5c18e2 | 1283 | @cindex @samp{-debug-init} option |
71e68827 DL |
1284 | |
1285 | Start Emacs with the @samp{-debug-init} command-line option. This | |
1286 | enables the Emacs Lisp debugger before evaluating your @file{.emacs} | |
1287 | file, and places you in the debugger if something goes wrong. The top | |
1288 | line in the @file{trace-back} buffer will be the error message, and the | |
1289 | second or third line of that buffer will display the Lisp code from your | |
1290 | @file{.emacs} file that caused the problem. | |
1291 | ||
1292 | You can also evaluate an individual function or argument to a function | |
1293 | in your @file{.emacs} file by moving the cursor to the end of the | |
1294 | function or argument and typing @kbd{C-x C-e} (@kbd{M-x | |
1295 | eval-last-sexp}). | |
1296 | ||
1297 | Use @kbd{C-h v} (@kbd{M-x describe-variable}) to check the value of | |
1298 | variables which you are trying to set or use. | |
1299 | ||
f8635375 | 1300 | @node Displaying the current line or column, Displaying the current file name in the titlebar, Debugging a customization file, Common requests |
71e68827 DL |
1301 | @section How do I make Emacs display the current line (or column) number? |
1302 | @cindex @code{line-number-mode} | |
1303 | @cindex Displaying the current line or column | |
1304 | @cindex Line number, displaying the current | |
1305 | @cindex Column, displaying the current | |
1306 | @cindex @code{mode-line-format} | |
1307 | ||
1308 | To have Emacs automatically display the current line number of the point | |
1309 | in the mode line, do @kbd{M-x line-number-mode}. You can also put the | |
1310 | form | |
1311 | ||
1312 | @lisp | |
1313 | (setq line-number-mode t) | |
1314 | @end lisp | |
1315 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1316 | @noindent |
71e68827 | 1317 | in your @file{.emacs} file to achieve this whenever you start Emacs. |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1318 | (Line number display is on by default, unless your site-specific |
1319 | initialization disables it.) Note that Emacs will not display the line | |
1320 | number if the buffer's size in bytes is larger than the value of the | |
1321 | variable @code{line-number-display-limit}. | |
71e68827 DL |
1322 | |
1323 | As of Emacs 20, you can similarly display the current column with | |
1324 | @kbd{M-x column-number-mode}, or by putting the form | |
1325 | ||
1326 | @lisp | |
1327 | (setq column-number-mode t) | |
1328 | @end lisp | |
1329 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1330 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
1331 | in your @file{.emacs} file. |
1332 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1333 | The @code{"%c"} format specifier in the variable @code{mode-line-format} |
1334 | will insert the current column's value into the mode line. See the | |
71e68827 DL |
1335 | documentation for @code{mode-line-format} (using @kbd{C-h v |
1336 | mode-line-format @key{RET}}) for more information on how to set and use | |
1337 | this variable. | |
1338 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1339 | Users of all Emacs versions can display the current column using the |
1340 | @samp{column} package written by @email{abraham@@dina.kvl.dk, Per | |
1341 | Abrahamsen}. @xref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}, for | |
1342 | instructions on how to get it. | |
71e68827 | 1343 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1344 | @cindex Set number capability in @code{vi} emulators |
1345 | None of the @code{vi} emulation modes provide the ``set number'' | |
1346 | capability of @code{vi} (as far as we know). | |
71e68827 | 1347 | |
f8635375 EZ |
1348 | @node Displaying the current file name in the titlebar, Turning on abbrevs by default, Displaying the current line or column, Common requests |
1349 | @section How can I modify the titlebar to contain the current file name? | |
1350 | @cindex Titlebar, displaying the current file name in | |
1351 | @cindex File name, displaying in the titlebar | |
71e68827 DL |
1352 | @cindex @code{frame-title-format} |
1353 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1354 | The contents of an Emacs frame's titlebar is controlled by the variable |
71e68827 DL |
1355 | @code{frame-title-format}, which has the same structure as the variable |
1356 | @code{mode-line-format}. (Use @kbd{C-h v} or @kbd{M-x | |
1357 | describe-variable} to get information about one or both of these | |
1358 | variables.) | |
1359 | ||
1360 | By default, the titlebar for a frame does contain the name of the buffer | |
1361 | currently being visited, except if there is a single frame. In such a | |
ed438271 EZ |
1362 | case, the titlebar contains Emacs invocation name and the name of the |
1363 | machine at which Emacs was invoked. This is done by setting | |
71e68827 DL |
1364 | @code{frame-title-format} to the default value of |
1365 | ||
1366 | @lisp | |
1367 | (multiple-frames "%b" ("" invocation-name "@@" system-name)) | |
1368 | @end lisp | |
1369 | ||
1370 | To modify the behavior such that frame titlebars contain the buffer's | |
1371 | name regardless of the number of existing frames, include the following | |
1372 | in your @file{.emacs}: | |
1373 | ||
1374 | @lisp | |
1375 | (setq frame-title-format "%b") | |
1376 | @end lisp | |
1377 | ||
f8635375 | 1378 | @node Turning on abbrevs by default, Turning on auto-fill by default, Displaying the current file name in the titlebar, Common requests |
ed5c18e2 | 1379 | @section How do I turn on abbrevs by default just in mode @var{mymode}? |
71e68827 DL |
1380 | @cindex Abbrevs, turning on by default |
1381 | ||
1382 | Put this in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1383 | ||
1384 | @lisp | |
1385 | (condition-case () | |
1386 | (quietly-read-abbrev-file) | |
1387 | (file-error nil)) | |
1388 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1389 | (add-hook '@var{mymode}-mode-hook |
bed44076 SM |
1390 | (lambda () |
1391 | (setq abbrev-mode t))) | |
71e68827 DL |
1392 | @end lisp |
1393 | ||
1394 | @node Turning on auto-fill by default, Associating modes with files, Turning on abbrevs by default, Common requests | |
1395 | @section How do I turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} by default? | |
1396 | @cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, activating automatically | |
1397 | @cindex Filling automatically | |
1398 | @cindex Automatic entry to @code{auto-fill-mode} | |
1399 | ||
1400 | To turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} just once for one buffer, use @kbd{M-x | |
1401 | auto-fill-mode}. | |
1402 | ||
1403 | To turn it on for every buffer in a certain mode, you must use the hook | |
1404 | for that mode. For example, to turn on @code{auto-fill} mode for all | |
1405 | text buffers, including the following in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1406 | ||
1407 | @lisp | |
1408 | (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill) | |
1409 | @end lisp | |
1410 | ||
1411 | If you want @code{auto-fill} mode on in all major modes, do this: | |
1412 | ||
1413 | @lisp | |
1414 | (setq-default auto-fill-function 'do-auto-fill) | |
1415 | @end lisp | |
1416 | ||
1417 | @node Associating modes with files, Working with unprintable characters, Turning on auto-fill by default, Common requests | |
1418 | @section How do I make Emacs use a certain major mode for certain files? | |
1419 | @cindex Associating modes with files | |
1420 | @cindex File extensions and modes | |
1421 | @cindex @code{auto-mode-alist}, modifying | |
1422 | @cindex Modes, associating with file extensions | |
1423 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1424 | If you want to use a certain mode @var{foo} for all files whose names end |
1425 | with the extension @file{.@var{bar}}, this will do it for you: | |
71e68827 DL |
1426 | |
1427 | @lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 1428 | (setq auto-mode-alist (cons '("\\.@var{bar}\\'" . @var{foo}-mode) auto-mode-alist)) |
71e68827 DL |
1429 | @end lisp |
1430 | ||
1431 | Otherwise put this somewhere in the first line of any file you want to | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1432 | edit in the mode @var{foo} (in the second line, if the first line begins |
1433 | with @samp{#!}): | |
71e68827 DL |
1434 | |
1435 | @example | |
ed5c18e2 | 1436 | -*- @var{foo} -*- |
71e68827 DL |
1437 | @end example |
1438 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1439 | @cindex Major mode for shell scripts |
71e68827 DL |
1440 | Beginning with Emacs 19, the variable @code{interpreter-mode-alist} |
1441 | specifies which mode to use when loading a shell script. (Emacs | |
1442 | determines which interpreter you're using by examining the first line of | |
ed5c18e2 | 1443 | the script.) This feature only applies when the file name doesn't |
71e68827 DL |
1444 | indicate which mode to use. Use @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x |
1445 | describe-variable}) on @code{interpreter-mode-alist} to learn more. | |
1446 | ||
1447 | @node Working with unprintable characters, Highlighting a region, Associating modes with files, Common requests | |
1448 | @section How do I search for, delete, or replace unprintable (eight-bit or control) characters? | |
1449 | @cindex Unprintable characters, working with | |
1450 | @cindex Working with unprintable characters | |
1451 | @cindex Control characters, working with | |
1452 | @cindex Eight-bit characters, working with | |
1453 | @cindex Searching for unprintable characters | |
1454 | @cindex Regexps and unprintable characters | |
1455 | ||
1456 | To search for a single character that appears in the buffer as, for | |
1457 | example, @samp{\237}, you can type @kbd{C-s C-q 2 3 7}. (This assumes | |
1458 | the value of @code{search-quote-char} is 17 (i.e., @kbd{C-q}).) | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1459 | Searching for @strong{all} unprintable characters is best done with a |
1460 | regular expression (@dfn{regexp}) search. The easiest regexp to use for | |
1461 | the unprintable chars is the complement of the regexp for the printable | |
71e68827 DL |
1462 | chars. |
1463 | ||
1464 | @itemize @bullet | |
1465 | ||
1466 | @item | |
1467 | Regexp for the printable chars: @samp{[\t\n\r\f -~]} | |
1468 | ||
1469 | @item | |
1470 | Regexp for the unprintable chars: @samp{[^\t\n\r\f -~]} | |
1471 | ||
1472 | @end itemize | |
1473 | ||
1474 | To type these special characters in an interactive argument to | |
1475 | @code{isearch-forward-regexp} or @code{re-search-forward}, you need to | |
1476 | use @kbd{C-q}. (@samp{\t}, @samp{\n}, @samp{\r}, and @samp{\f} stand | |
1477 | respectively for @key{TAB}, @key{LFD}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{C-l}.) So, | |
1478 | to search for unprintable characters using @code{re-search-forward}: | |
1479 | ||
1480 | @kbd{M-x re-search-forward @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET}} | |
1481 | ||
1482 | Using @code{isearch-forward-regexp}: | |
1483 | ||
ed438271 | 1484 | @kbd{M-C-s [^ @key{TAB} @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~]} |
71e68827 DL |
1485 | |
1486 | To delete all unprintable characters, simply use replace-regexp: | |
1487 | ||
1488 | @kbd{M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} @key{RET}} | |
1489 | ||
1490 | Replacing is similar to the above. To replace all unprintable | |
1491 | characters with a colon, use: | |
1492 | ||
1493 | M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} : @key{RET} | |
1494 | ||
1495 | @itemize @bullet | |
1496 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1497 | @item |
1498 | You don't need to quote @key{TAB} with either isearch or typing | |
71e68827 DL |
1499 | something in the minibuffer. |
1500 | ||
1501 | @end itemize | |
1502 | ||
1503 | @node Highlighting a region, Controlling case sensitivity, Working with unprintable characters, Common requests | |
1504 | @section How can I highlight a region of text in Emacs? | |
1505 | @cindex Highlighting text | |
1506 | @cindex Text, highlighting | |
1507 | @cindex @code{transient-mark-mode} | |
1508 | @cindex Region, highlighting a | |
1509 | ||
ed438271 EZ |
1510 | You can cause the region to be highlighted when the mark is active by |
1511 | including | |
71e68827 DL |
1512 | |
1513 | @lisp | |
1514 | (transient-mark-mode t) | |
1515 | @end lisp | |
1516 | ||
ed438271 | 1517 | @noindent |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1518 | in your @file{.emacs} file. (Also see @ref{Turning on syntax |
1519 | highlighting}.) | |
71e68827 DL |
1520 | |
1521 | @node Controlling case sensitivity, Wrapping words automatically, Highlighting a region, Common requests | |
1522 | @section How do I control Emacs's case-sensitivity when searching/replacing? | |
1523 | @cindex @code{case-fold-search} | |
1524 | @cindex Case sensitivity of searches | |
71e68827 DL |
1525 | @cindex Searching without case sensitivity |
1526 | @cindex Ignoring case in searches | |
1527 | ||
1528 | For searching, the value of the variable @code{case-fold-search} | |
1529 | determines whether they are case sensitive: | |
1530 | ||
1531 | @lisp | |
1532 | (setq case-fold-search nil) ; make searches case sensitive | |
1533 | (setq case-fold-search t) ; make searches case insensitive | |
1534 | @end lisp | |
1535 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1536 | @cindex Case sensitivity in replacements |
1537 | @cindex Replacing, and case sensitivity | |
1538 | @cindex @code{case-replace} | |
1539 | Similarly, for replacing, the variable @code{case-replace} determines | |
71e68827 DL |
1540 | whether replacements preserve case. |
1541 | ||
1542 | To change the case sensitivity just for one major mode, use the major | |
1543 | mode's hook. For example: | |
1544 | ||
1545 | @lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 1546 | (add-hook '@var{foo}-mode-hook |
bed44076 SM |
1547 | (lambda () |
1548 | (setq case-fold-search nil))) | |
71e68827 DL |
1549 | @end lisp |
1550 | ||
1551 | @node Wrapping words automatically, Spell-checkers, Controlling case sensitivity, Common requests | |
1552 | @section How do I make Emacs wrap words for me? | |
1553 | @cindex Wrapping word automatically | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1554 | @cindex Wrapping lines |
1555 | @cindex Line wrap | |
71e68827 DL |
1556 | @cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, introduction to |
1557 | @cindex Maximum line width, default value | |
1558 | @cindex @code{fill-column}, default value | |
1559 | ||
1560 | Use @code{auto-fill-mode}, activated by typing @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode}. | |
1561 | The default maximum line width is 70, determined by the variable | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1562 | @code{fill-column}. To learn how to turn this on automatically, see |
1563 | @ref{Turning on auto-fill by default}. | |
71e68827 DL |
1564 | |
1565 | @node Spell-checkers, Checking TeX and *roff documents, Wrapping words automatically, Common requests | |
1566 | @section Where can I get a better spelling checker for Emacs? | |
1567 | @cindex Checking spelling | |
1568 | @cindex Spelling, checking text documents | |
1569 | ||
1570 | Use Ispell. @xref{Ispell}. | |
1571 | ||
1572 | @node Checking TeX and *roff documents, Changing load-path, Spell-checkers, Common requests | |
1573 | @section How can I spell-check @TeX{} or *roff documents? | |
1574 | @cindex Spelling, checking @TeX{} documents | |
1575 | @cindex @TeX{} documents, checking spelling in | |
1576 | ||
1577 | Use Ispell. Ispell can handle @TeX{} and *roff documents. | |
1578 | @xref{Ispell}. | |
1579 | ||
1580 | @node Changing load-path, Using an already running Emacs process, Checking TeX and *roff documents, Common requests | |
1581 | @section How do I change @code{load-path}? | |
1582 | @cindex @code{load-path}, modifying | |
1583 | @cindex Modifying @code{load-path} | |
1584 | @cindex Adding to @code{load-path} | |
1585 | ||
1586 | In general, you should only add to the @code{load-path}. You can add | |
ed5c18e2 | 1587 | directory @var{/dir/subdir} to the load path like this: |
71e68827 DL |
1588 | |
1589 | @lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 1590 | (setq load-path (cons "/dir/subdir/" load-path)) |
71e68827 DL |
1591 | @end lisp |
1592 | ||
1593 | To do this relative to your home directory: | |
1594 | ||
1595 | @lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 1596 | (setq load-path (cons "~/mysubdir/" load-path) |
71e68827 DL |
1597 | @end lisp |
1598 | ||
1599 | @node Using an already running Emacs process, Compiler error messages, Changing load-path, Common requests | |
1600 | @section How do I use an already running Emacs from another window? | |
1601 | @cindex @code{emacsclient} | |
1602 | @cindex Emacs server functions | |
1603 | @cindex Using an existing Emacs process | |
1604 | ||
1605 | @code{emacsclient}, which comes with Emacs, is for editing a file using | |
1606 | an already running Emacs rather than starting up a new Emacs. It does | |
1607 | this by sending a request to the already running Emacs, which must be | |
1608 | expecting the request. | |
1609 | ||
1610 | @itemize @bullet | |
1611 | ||
1612 | @item | |
ed5c18e2 | 1613 | Setup: |
71e68827 DL |
1614 | |
1615 | Emacs must have executed the @code{server-start} function for | |
1616 | @samp{emacsclient} to work. This can be done either by a command line | |
1617 | option: | |
1618 | ||
1619 | @example | |
1620 | emacs -f server-start | |
1621 | @end example | |
1622 | ||
1623 | or by invoking @code{server-start} from @file{.emacs}: | |
1624 | ||
1625 | @lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 1626 | (if (@var{some conditions are met}) (server-start)) |
71e68827 DL |
1627 | @end lisp |
1628 | ||
1629 | When this is done, Emacs starts a subprocess running a program called | |
ed438271 EZ |
1630 | @samp{emacsserver}. @samp{emacsserver} creates a Unix domain socket. |
1631 | The socket is either named @file{.emacs_server}, in the user's home directory, | |
1632 | or @file{esrv-@var{userid}-@var{systemname}}, in the @file{/tmp} | |
1de6bfb1 | 1633 | directory, depending on how @samp{emacsserver} was compiled. |
71e68827 DL |
1634 | |
1635 | To get your news reader, mail reader, etc., to invoke | |
1636 | @samp{emacsclient}, try setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} | |
1637 | (or sometimes @code{VISUAL}) to the value @samp{emacsclient}. You may | |
1638 | have to specify the full pathname of the @samp{emacsclient} program | |
1639 | instead. Examples: | |
1640 | ||
1641 | @example | |
1642 | # csh commands: | |
1643 | setenv EDITOR emacsclient | |
1644 | ||
1645 | # using full pathname | |
1646 | setenv EDITOR /usr/local/emacs/etc/emacsclient | |
1647 | ||
1648 | # sh command: | |
1649 | EDITOR=emacsclient ; export EDITOR | |
1650 | @end example | |
1651 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1652 | @item |
1653 | Normal use: | |
71e68827 DL |
1654 | |
1655 | When @samp{emacsclient} is run, it connects to the @file{.emacs_server} | |
1656 | socket and passes its command line options to @samp{server}. When | |
ed5c18e2 | 1657 | @samp{server} receives these requests, it sends this information to the |
71e68827 DL |
1658 | the Emacs process, which at the next opportunity will visit the files |
1659 | specified. (Line numbers can be specified just like with Emacs.) The | |
1660 | user will have to switch to the Emacs window by hand. When the user is | |
1661 | done editing a file, the user can type @kbd{C-x #} (or @kbd{M-x | |
1662 | server-edit}) to indicate this. If there is another buffer requested by | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1663 | @code{emacsclient}, Emacs will switch to it; otherwise |
1664 | @code{emacsclient} will exit, signaling the calling program to continue. | |
71e68827 DL |
1665 | |
1666 | @samp{emacsclient} and @samp{server} must be running on machines which | |
1667 | share the same filesystem for this to work. The pathnames that | |
1668 | @samp{emacsclient} specifies should be correct for the filesystem that | |
1669 | the Emacs process sees. The Emacs process should not be suspended at | |
ed5c18e2 | 1670 | the time @samp{emacsclient} is invoked. On Unix and GNU/Linux systems, |
ed438271 EZ |
1671 | @samp{emacsclient} should either be invoked from another X window, or |
1672 | from a shell window inside Emacs itself, or from another interactive | |
1673 | session, e.g., by means of a @code{screen} program. | |
71e68827 | 1674 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1675 | @cindex @code{gnuserv} |
71e68827 | 1676 | There is an enhanced version of @samp{emacsclient}/server called |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1677 | @samp{gnuserv}, written by @email{ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com, Andy Norman} |
1678 | which is available in the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do | |
1679 | not come with Emacs}). @samp{gnuserv} uses Internet domain sockets, so | |
1680 | it can work across most network connections. It also supports the | |
1681 | execution of arbitrary Emacs Lisp forms and does not require the client | |
1682 | program to wait for completion. | |
71e68827 | 1683 | |
ed5c18e2 | 1684 | The alpha version of an enhanced @samp{gnuserv} is available at |
71e68827 DL |
1685 | |
1686 | @uref{ftp://ftp.wellfleet.com/netman/psmith/emacs/gnuserv-2.1alpha.tar.gz} | |
1687 | ||
1688 | @end itemize | |
1689 | ||
1690 | @node Compiler error messages, Indenting switch statements, Using an already running Emacs process, Common requests | |
1691 | @section How do I make Emacs recognize my compiler's funny error messages? | |
1692 | @cindex Compiler error messages, recognizing | |
1693 | @cindex Recognizing non-standard compiler errors | |
1694 | @cindex Regexps for recognizing compiler errors | |
1695 | @cindex Errors, recognizing compiler | |
1696 | ||
1697 | The variable @code{compilation-error-regexp-alist} helps control how | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1698 | Emacs parses your compiler output. It is a list of triplets of the form: |
1699 | @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-idx} @var{line-idx})}, where @var{regexp}, | |
1700 | @var{file-idx} and @var{line-idx} are strings. To help determine what | |
1701 | the constituent elements should be, load @file{compile.el} and then type | |
1702 | @kbd{C-h v compilation-error-regexp-alist @key{RET}} to see the current | |
1703 | value. A good idea is to look at @file{compile.el} itself as the | |
1704 | comments included for this variable are quite useful---the regular | |
1705 | expressions required for your compiler's output may be very close to one | |
1706 | already provided. Once you have determined the proper regexps, use the | |
1707 | following to inform Emacs of your changes: | |
71e68827 DL |
1708 | |
1709 | @lisp | |
1710 | (setq compilation-error-regexp-alist | |
ed5c18e2 | 1711 | (cons '(@var{regexp} @var{file-idx} @var{line-idx}) |
71e68827 DL |
1712 | compilation-error-regexp-alist)) |
1713 | @end lisp | |
1714 | ||
d891bf01 | 1715 | @node Indenting switch statements, Customizing C and C++ indentation, Compiler error messages, Common requests |
71e68827 DL |
1716 | @section How do I change the indentation for @code{switch}? |
1717 | @cindex @code{switch}, indenting | |
1718 | @cindex Indenting of @code{switch} | |
1719 | ||
1720 | Many people want to indent their @code{switch} statements like this: | |
1721 | ||
1722 | @example | |
1723 | f() | |
1724 | @{ | |
1725 | switch(x) @{ | |
1726 | case A: | |
1727 | x1; | |
1728 | break; | |
1729 | case B: | |
1730 | x2; | |
1731 | break; | |
1732 | default: | |
1733 | x3; | |
1734 | @} | |
1735 | @} | |
1736 | @end example | |
1737 | ||
1738 | The solution at first appears to be: set @code{c-indent-level} to 4 and | |
1739 | @code{c-label-offset} to -2. However, this will give you an indentation | |
1740 | spacing of four instead of two. | |
1741 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1742 | The @emph{real} solution is to use @code{cc-mode} (the default mode for |
1743 | C programming in Emacs 20 and later) and add the following line to yoyr | |
1744 | @file{.emacs}: | |
71e68827 DL |
1745 | |
1746 | @lisp | |
1747 | (c-set-offset 'case-label '+) | |
1748 | @end lisp | |
1749 | ||
1750 | There appears to be no way to do this with the old @code{c-mode}. | |
1751 | ||
d891bf01 EZ |
1752 | @node Customizing C and C++ indentation, Horizontal scrolling, Indenting switch statements, Common requests |
1753 | @section How to customize indentation in C, C@t{++}, and Java buffers? | |
1754 | @cindex Indentation, how to customize | |
1755 | @cindex Customize indentation | |
1756 | ||
1757 | The Emacs @code{cc-mode} features an interactive procedure for | |
1758 | customizing the indentation style, which is fully explained in the | |
1759 | @cite{CC Mode} manual that is part of the Emacs distribution, see | |
1760 | @ref{Customizing Indentation, , Customization Indentation, ccmode, | |
1761 | The CC Mode Manual}. Here's a short summary of the procedure: | |
1762 | ||
1763 | @enumerate | |
1764 | @item | |
1765 | Go to the beginning of the first line where you don't like the | |
1766 | indentation and type @kbd{C-c C-o}. Emacs will prompt you for the | |
1767 | syntactic symbol; type @key{RET} to accept the default it suggests. | |
1768 | ||
1769 | @item | |
1770 | Emacs now prompts for the offset of this syntactic symbol, showing the | |
1771 | default (the current definition) inside parentheses. You can choose | |
1772 | one of these: | |
1773 | ||
1774 | @table @code | |
1775 | @item 0 | |
1776 | No extra indentation. | |
1777 | @item + | |
1778 | Indent one basic offset. | |
1779 | @item - | |
1780 | Outdent one basic offset. | |
1781 | @item ++ | |
1782 | Indent two basic offsets | |
1783 | @item -- | |
1784 | Outdent two basic offsets. | |
1785 | @item * | |
1786 | Indent half basic offset. | |
1787 | @item / | |
809eb587 | 1788 | Outdent half basic offset. |
d891bf01 EZ |
1789 | @end table |
1790 | ||
1791 | @item | |
1792 | After choosing one of these symbols, type @kbd{C-c C-q} to reindent | |
1793 | the line or the block according to what you just specified. | |
1794 | ||
1795 | @item | |
1796 | If you don't like the result, go back to step 1. Otherwise, add the | |
1797 | following line to your @file{.emacs}: | |
1798 | ||
1799 | @lisp | |
1800 | (c-set-offset '@var{syntactic-symbol} @var{offset}) | |
1801 | @end lisp | |
1802 | ||
1803 | @noindent | |
1804 | where @var{syntactic-symbol} is the name Emacs shows in the minibuffer | |
1805 | when you type @kbd{C-c C-o} at the beginning of the line, and | |
1806 | @var{offset} is one of the indentation symbols listed above (@code{+}, | |
1807 | @code{/}, @code{0}, etc.) that you've chosen during the interactive | |
1808 | procedure. | |
1809 | ||
1810 | @item | |
1811 | Go to the next line whose indentation is not to your liking and repeat | |
1812 | the process there. | |
1813 | @end enumerate | |
1814 | ||
1815 | It is recommended to put all the resulting @code{(c-set-offset ...)} | |
1816 | customizations inside a C mode hook, like this: | |
1817 | ||
1818 | @lisp | |
1819 | (defun my-c-mode-hook () | |
1820 | (c-set-offset ...) | |
1821 | (c-set-offset ...)) | |
1822 | (add-hook 'c-mode-hook 'my-c-mode-hook) | |
1823 | @end lisp | |
1824 | ||
1825 | @noindent | |
1826 | Using @code{c-mode-hook} avoids the need to put a @w{@code{(require | |
1827 | 'cc-mode)}} into your @file{.emacs} file, because @code{c-set-offset} | |
1828 | might be unavailable when @code{cc-mode} is not loaded. | |
1829 | ||
1830 | Note that @code{c-mode-hook} runs for C source files only; use | |
1831 | @code{c++-mode-hook} for C@t{++} sources, @code{java-mode-hook} for | |
1832 | Java sources, etc. If you want the same customizations to be in | |
1833 | effect in @emph{all} languages supported by @code{cc-mode}, use | |
1834 | @code{c-mode-common-hook}. | |
1835 | ||
1836 | @node Horizontal scrolling, Overwrite mode, Customizing C and C++ indentation, Common requests | |
71e68827 DL |
1837 | @section How can I make Emacs automatically scroll horizontally? |
1838 | @cindex @code{hscroll-mode} | |
1839 | @cindex Horizontal scrolling | |
1840 | @cindex Scrolling horizontally | |
1841 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1842 | In Emacs 21 and later, this is on by default: if the variable |
1843 | @code{truncate-lines} is non-@code{nil} in the current buffer, Emacs | |
1844 | automatically scrolls the display horizontally when point moves off the | |
1845 | left or right edge of the window. | |
1846 | ||
1847 | In Emacs 20, use the @code{hscroll-mode}. Here is some information from | |
71e68827 DL |
1848 | the documentation, available by typing @kbd{C-h f hscroll-mode @key{RET}}: |
1849 | ||
1850 | Automatically scroll horizontally when the point moves off the | |
1851 | left or right edge of the window. | |
1852 | ||
1853 | @itemize @minus | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1854 | @item |
1855 | Type @kbd{M-x hscroll-mode} to enable it in the current buffer. | |
71e68827 | 1856 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1857 | @item |
1858 | Type @kbd{M-x hscroll-global-mode} to enable it in every buffer. | |
1859 | ||
1860 | @item | |
1861 | @code{turn-on-hscroll} is useful in mode hooks as in: | |
71e68827 DL |
1862 | |
1863 | @lisp | |
1864 | (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-hscroll) | |
1865 | @end lisp | |
1866 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1867 | @item |
1868 | @code{hscroll-margin} controls how close the cursor can get to the | |
71e68827 DL |
1869 | edge of the window. |
1870 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1871 | @item |
1872 | @code{hscroll-step-percent} controls how far to jump once we decide to do so. | |
71e68827 DL |
1873 | @end itemize |
1874 | ||
1875 | @node Overwrite mode, Turning off beeping, Horizontal scrolling, Common requests | |
1876 | @section How do I make Emacs "typeover" or "overwrite" instead of inserting? | |
1877 | @cindex @key{Insert} | |
1878 | @cindex @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1879 | @cindex Overwriting existing text | |
1880 | @cindex Toggling @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1881 | ||
1882 | @kbd{M-x overwrite-mode} (a minor mode). This toggles | |
1883 | @code{overwrite-mode} on and off, so exiting from @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1884 | is as easy as another @kbd{M-x overwrite-mode}. | |
1885 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 1886 | On some systems, @key{Insert} toggles @code{overwrite-mode} on and off. |
71e68827 DL |
1887 | |
1888 | @node Turning off beeping, Turning the volume down, Overwrite mode, Common requests | |
1889 | @section How do I stop Emacs from beeping on a terminal? | |
1890 | @cindex Beeping, turning off | |
1891 | @cindex Visible bell | |
1892 | @cindex Bell, visible | |
1893 | ||
1894 | @email{martin@@cc.gatech.edu, Martin R. Frank} writes: | |
1895 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1896 | Tell Emacs to use the @dfn{visible bell} instead of the audible bell, |
1897 | and set the visible bell to nothing. | |
71e68827 DL |
1898 | |
1899 | That is, put the following in your @code{TERMCAP} environment variable | |
1900 | (assuming you have one): | |
1901 | ||
1902 | @example | |
1903 | ... :vb=: ... | |
1904 | @end example | |
1905 | ||
1906 | And evaluate the following Lisp form: | |
1907 | ||
1908 | @example | |
1909 | (setq visible-bell t) | |
1910 | @end example | |
1911 | ||
1912 | @node Turning the volume down, Automatic indentation, Turning off beeping, Common requests | |
97878c08 | 1913 | @section How do I turn down the bell volume in Emacs running under X? |
71e68827 DL |
1914 | @cindex Bell, volume of |
1915 | @cindex Volume of bell | |
1916 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1917 | On X Window system, you can adjust the bell volume and duration for all |
1918 | programs with the shell command @code{xset}. | |
71e68827 | 1919 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1920 | Invoking @code{xset} without any arguments produces some basic |
1921 | information, including the following: | |
71e68827 DL |
1922 | |
1923 | @example | |
1924 | usage: xset [-display host:dpy] option ... | |
1925 | To turn bell off: | |
1926 | -b b off b 0 | |
1927 | To set bell volume, pitch and duration: | |
1928 | b [vol [pitch [dur]]] b on | |
1929 | @end example | |
1930 | ||
1931 | @node Automatic indentation, Matching parentheses, Turning the volume down, Common requests | |
1932 | @section How do I tell Emacs to automatically indent a new line to the indentation of the previous line? | |
1933 | @cindex Indenting new lines | |
1934 | @cindex New lines, indenting of | |
1935 | @cindex Previous line, indenting according to | |
ed5c18e2 | 1936 | @cindex Text indentation |
71e68827 | 1937 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1938 | Such behavior is automatic in Emacs 20 and later. From the |
1939 | @file{etc/NEWS} file for Emacs 20.2: | |
71e68827 DL |
1940 | |
1941 | @example | |
1942 | ** In Text mode, now only blank lines separate paragraphs. This makes | |
1943 | it possible to get the full benefit of Adaptive Fill mode in Text mode, | |
1944 | and other modes derived from it (such as Mail mode). @key{TAB} in Text | |
1945 | mode now runs the command @code{indent-relative}; this makes a practical | |
1946 | difference only when you use indented paragraphs. | |
1947 | ||
1948 | As a result, the old Indented Text mode is now identical to Text mode, | |
1949 | and is an alias for it. | |
1950 | ||
1951 | If you want spaces at the beginning of a line to start a paragraph, use | |
1952 | the new mode, Paragraph Indent Text mode. | |
1953 | @end example | |
1954 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1955 | @cindex Prefixing lines |
1956 | @cindex Fill prefix | |
1957 | If you have @code{auto-fill-mode} turned on (@pxref{Turning on auto-fill | |
1958 | by default}), you can tell Emacs to prefix every line with a certain | |
1959 | character sequence, the @dfn{fill prefix}. Type the prefix at the | |
1960 | beginning of a line, position point after it, and then type @kbd{C-x .} | |
71e68827 DL |
1961 | (@code{set-fill-prefix}) to set the fill prefix. Thereafter, |
1962 | auto-filling will automatically put the fill prefix at the beginning of | |
1963 | new lines, and @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) will maintain any fill | |
1964 | prefix when refilling the paragraph. | |
1965 | ||
1966 | If you have paragraphs with different levels of indentation, you will | |
1967 | have to set the fill prefix to the correct value each time you move to a | |
1968 | new paragraph. To avoid this hassle, try one of the many packages | |
1969 | available from the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1970 | with Emacs}.) Look up ``fill'' and ``indent'' in the Lisp Code |
1971 | Directory for guidance. | |
71e68827 DL |
1972 | |
1973 | @node Matching parentheses, Hiding #ifdef lines, Automatic indentation, Common requests | |
1974 | @section How do I show which parenthesis matches the one I'm looking at? | |
1975 | @cindex Parentheses, matching | |
1976 | @cindex @file{paren.el} | |
1977 | @cindex Highlighting matching parentheses | |
1978 | @cindex Pairs of parentheses, highlighting | |
1979 | @cindex Matching parentheses | |
1980 | ||
1981 | As of version 19, Emacs comes with @file{paren.el}, which (when loaded) | |
1982 | will automatically highlight matching parentheses whenever point (i.e., | |
1983 | the cursor) is located over one. To load @file{paren.el} automatically, | |
1984 | include the line | |
1985 | ||
1986 | @lisp | |
1987 | (require 'paren) | |
1988 | @end lisp | |
1989 | ||
1990 | in your @file{.emacs} file. @email{shutkoa@@ugsolutions.com, Alan Shutko} | |
1991 | reports that as of version 20.1, you must also call @code{show-paren-mode} in | |
1992 | your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1993 | ||
1994 | @lisp | |
1995 | (show-paren-mode 1) | |
1996 | @end lisp | |
1997 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
1998 | Customize will let you turn on @code{show-paren-mode}. Use @kbd{M-x |
1999 | customize-group @key{RET} paren-showing @key{RET}}. From within | |
2000 | Customize, you can also go directly to the ``paren-showing'' group. | |
71e68827 | 2001 | |
ed5c18e2 | 2002 | Alternatives to paren include: |
71e68827 DL |
2003 | |
2004 | @itemize @bullet | |
2005 | ||
2006 | @item | |
2007 | If you're looking at a right parenthesis (or brace or bracket) you can | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2008 | delete it and reinsert it. Emacs will momentarily move the cursor to |
2009 | the matching parenthesis. | |
71e68827 DL |
2010 | |
2011 | @item | |
2012 | @kbd{M-C-f} (@code{forward-sexp}) and @kbd{M-C-b} (@code{backward-sexp}) | |
2013 | will skip over one set of balanced parentheses, so you can see which | |
2014 | parentheses match. (You can train it to skip over balanced brackets | |
ed5c18e2 | 2015 | and braces at the same time by modifying the syntax table.) |
71e68827 | 2016 | |
ed5c18e2 | 2017 | @cindex Show matching paren as in @code{vi} |
71e68827 DL |
2018 | @item |
2019 | Here is some Emacs Lisp that will make the @key{%} key show the matching | |
ed5c18e2 | 2020 | parenthesis, like in @code{vi}. In addition, if the cursor isn't over a |
71e68827 DL |
2021 | parenthesis, it simply inserts a % like normal. |
2022 | ||
2023 | @lisp | |
2024 | ;; By an unknown contributor | |
2025 | ||
2026 | (global-set-key "%" 'match-paren) | |
2027 | ||
2028 | (defun match-paren (arg) | |
2029 | "Go to the matching paren if on a paren; otherwise insert %." | |
2030 | (interactive "p") | |
2031 | (cond ((looking-at "\\s\(") (forward-list 1) (backward-char 1)) | |
2032 | ((looking-at "\\s\)") (forward-char 1) (backward-list 1)) | |
2033 | (t (self-insert-command (or arg 1))))) | |
2034 | @end lisp | |
2035 | ||
2036 | @end itemize | |
2037 | ||
2038 | @node Hiding #ifdef lines, Repeating commands, Matching parentheses, Common requests | |
2039 | @section In C mode, can I show just the lines that will be left after @code{#ifdef} commands are handled by the compiler? | |
2040 | @cindex @code{#ifdef}, selective display of | |
2041 | @cindex @code{hide-ifdef-mode} | |
2042 | @cindex Hiding @code{#ifdef} text | |
2043 | @cindex Selectively displaying @code{#ifdef} code | |
2044 | ||
2045 | @kbd{M-x hide-ifdef-mode}. (This is a minor mode.) You might also want | |
2046 | to try @file{cpp.el}, available at the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
2047 | (@pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}). | |
2048 | ||
2049 | @node Repeating commands, Valid X resources, Hiding #ifdef lines, Common requests | |
2050 | @section Is there an equivalent to the @code{.} (dot) command of vi? | |
ed5c18e2 | 2051 | @cindex Repeating commands as with @code{vi} |
71e68827 | 2052 | @cindex Command, repeat last |
ed5c18e2 | 2053 | @cindex @code{.}, equivalent to @code{vi} command |
71e68827 | 2054 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2055 | (@code{.} is the redo command in @code{vi}. It redoes the last |
2056 | insertion/deletion.) | |
71e68827 | 2057 | |
ed5c18e2 | 2058 | As of Emacs 20.3, there is indeed a @code{repeat} command (@kbd{C-x z}) |
71e68827 DL |
2059 | that repeats the last command. If you preface it with a prefix |
2060 | argument, the prefix arg is applied to the command. | |
2061 | ||
2062 | You can also type @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} | |
2063 | (@code{repeat-complex-command}) to reinvoke commands that used the | |
2064 | minibuffer to get arguments. In @code{repeat-complex-command} you can | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2065 | type @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} (and also up-arrow and down-arrow, if your |
2066 | keyboard has these keys) to scan through all the different complex | |
71e68827 DL |
2067 | commands you've typed. |
2068 | ||
2069 | To repeat a set of commands, use keyboard macros. (@inforef{Keyboard | |
2070 | Macros, Keyboard Macros, emacs}.) | |
2071 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2072 | If you're really desperate for the @code{.} command, use VIPER, a |
2073 | @code{vi} emulation mode which comes with Emacs, and which appears to | |
2074 | support it. (@xref{VIPER}.) | |
71e68827 DL |
2075 | |
2076 | @node Valid X resources, Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Repeating commands, Common requests | |
2077 | @section What are the valid X resource settings (i.e., stuff in .Xdefaults)? | |
2078 | @cindex Resources, X | |
2079 | @cindex X resources | |
2080 | @cindex Setting X resources | |
2081 | ||
2082 | @inforef{Resources X, Resources X, emacs}. | |
2083 | ||
2084 | You can also use a resource editor, such as editres (for X11R5 and | |
2085 | onwards), to look at the resource names for the menu bar, assuming Emacs | |
2086 | was compiled with the X toolkit. | |
2087 | ||
2088 | @node Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Changing the length of a Tab, Valid X resources, Common requests | |
2089 | @section How do I execute ("evaluate") a piece of Emacs Lisp code? | |
2090 | @cindex Evaluating Lisp code | |
2091 | @cindex Lisp forms, evaluating | |
2092 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2093 | There are a number of ways to execute (@dfn{evaluate}, in Lisp lingo) an |
2094 | Emacs Lisp @dfn{form}: | |
71e68827 DL |
2095 | |
2096 | @itemize @bullet | |
2097 | ||
2098 | @item | |
2099 | If you want it evaluated every time you run Emacs, put it in a file | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2100 | named @file{.emacs} in your home directory. This is known as ``your |
2101 | @file{.emacs} file,'' and contains all of your personal customizations. | |
71e68827 DL |
2102 | |
2103 | @item | |
2104 | You can type the form in the @file{*scratch*} buffer, and then type | |
2105 | @key{LFD} (or @kbd{C-j}) after it. The result of evaluating the form | |
2106 | will be inserted in the buffer. | |
2107 | ||
2108 | @item | |
2109 | In @code{emacs-lisp-mode}, typing @kbd{M-C-x} evaluates a top-level form | |
2110 | before or around point. | |
2111 | ||
2112 | @item | |
2113 | Typing @kbd{C-x C-e} in any buffer evaluates the Lisp form immediately | |
2114 | before point and prints its value in the echo area. | |
2115 | ||
2116 | @item | |
2117 | Typing @kbd{M-:} or @kbd{M-x eval-expression} allows you to type a Lisp | |
ed5c18e2 | 2118 | form in the minibuffer which will be evaluated once you press @key{RET}. |
71e68827 DL |
2119 | |
2120 | @item | |
2121 | You can use @kbd{M-x load-file} to have Emacs evaluate all the Lisp | |
2122 | forms in a file. (To do this from Lisp use the function @code{load} | |
2123 | instead.) | |
2124 | ||
2125 | The functions @code{load-library}, @code{eval-region}, | |
2126 | @code{eval-current-buffer}, @code{require}, and @code{autoload} are also | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2127 | useful; see @ref{Emacs Lisp documentation}, if you want to learn more |
2128 | about them. | |
71e68827 DL |
2129 | |
2130 | @end itemize | |
2131 | ||
2132 | @node Changing the length of a Tab, Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Common requests | |
2133 | @section How do I change Emacs's idea of the @key{TAB} character's length? | |
2134 | @cindex Tab length | |
2135 | @cindex Length of tab character | |
2136 | @cindex @code{default-tab-width} | |
2137 | ||
2138 | Set the variable @code{default-tab-width}. For example, to set | |
2139 | @key{TAB} stops every 10 characters, insert the following in your | |
2140 | @file{.emacs} file: | |
2141 | ||
2142 | @lisp | |
2143 | (setq default-tab-width 10) | |
2144 | @end lisp | |
2145 | ||
2146 | Do not confuse variable @code{tab-width} with variable | |
2147 | @code{tab-stop-list}. The former is used for the display of literal | |
2148 | @key{TAB} characters. The latter controls what characters are inserted | |
2149 | when you press the @key{TAB} character in certain modes. | |
2150 | ||
2151 | @node Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Underlining paragraphs, Changing the length of a Tab, Common requests | |
2152 | @section How do I insert @samp{>} at the beginning of every line? | |
2153 | @cindex Prefix character, inserting in mail/news replies | |
2154 | @cindex Replies to mail/news, inserting a prefix character | |
2155 | @cindex @code{mail-yank-prefix} | |
2156 | @cindex Mail replies, inserting a prefix character | |
2157 | @cindex News replies, inserting a prefix character | |
2158 | ||
2159 | To do this to an entire buffer, type @kbd{M-< M-x replace-regexp | |
2160 | @key{RET} ^ @key{RET} > @key{RET}}. | |
2161 | ||
1e1e6d52 | 2162 | To do this to a region, use @code{string-insert-rectangle}. |
71e68827 DL |
2163 | Set the mark (@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) at the beginning of the first line you |
2164 | want to prefix, move the cursor to last line to be prefixed, and type | |
1e1e6d52 GM |
2165 | @kbd{M-x string-insert-rectangle @key{RET}}. To do this for the whole |
2166 | buffer, type @kbd{C-x h M-x string-insert-rectangle @key{RET}}. | |
71e68827 DL |
2167 | |
2168 | If you are trying to prefix a yanked mail message with @samp{>}, you | |
ed5c18e2 | 2169 | might want to set the variable @code{mail-yank-prefix}. Better yet, use |
71e68827 | 2170 | the Supercite package (@pxref{Supercite}), which provides flexible |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2171 | citation for yanked mail and news messages; it is included in Emacs |
2172 | since version 19.20. @xref{Changing the included text prefix}, for | |
2173 | additional information. | |
71e68827 DL |
2174 | |
2175 | @node Underlining paragraphs, Repeating a command as many times as possible, Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Common requests | |
2176 | @section How do I insert "_^H" before each character in a region to get an underlined paragraph? | |
2177 | @cindex Underlining a region of text | |
2178 | @cindex @code{underline-region} | |
2179 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2180 | Mark the region and then type @kbd{M-x underline-region @key{RET}}. |
71e68827 DL |
2181 | |
2182 | @node Repeating a command as many times as possible, Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Underlining paragraphs, Common requests | |
2183 | @section How do I repeat a command as many times as possible? | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2184 | @cindex Repeating commands many times |
2185 | @cindex Commands, repeating many times | |
71e68827 DL |
2186 | |
2187 | Use @kbd{C-x (} and @kbd{C-x )} to make a keyboard macro that invokes | |
2188 | the command and then type @kbd{M-0 C-x e}. | |
2189 | ||
2190 | Any messages your command prints in the echo area will be suppressed. | |
2191 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2192 | If you need to repeat a command a small number of times, you can use |
2193 | @kbd{C-x z}, see @ref{Repeating commands}. | |
2194 | ||
71e68827 DL |
2195 | @node Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Repeating a command as many times as possible, Common requests |
2196 | @section How do I make Emacs behave like this: when I go up or down, the cursor should stay in the same column even if the line is too short? | |
2197 | @cindex @code{picture-mode} | |
2198 | @cindex Remaining in the same column, regardless of contents | |
2199 | @cindex Vertical movement in empty documents | |
2200 | ||
2201 | @kbd{M-x picture-mode}. | |
2202 | ||
2203 | @node Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Using regular expressions, Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Common requests | |
2204 | @section How do I tell Emacs to iconify itself? | |
97878c08 EZ |
2205 | @cindex Iconification under the X Window System |
2206 | @cindex X Window System and iconification | |
71e68827 DL |
2207 | @cindex Suspending Emacs |
2208 | ||
97878c08 | 2209 | @kbd{C-z} iconifies Emacs when running under X and suspends Emacs |
71e68827 DL |
2210 | otherwise. @inforef{Misc X, Misc X, emacs}. |
2211 | ||
2212 | @node Using regular expressions, Replacing text across multiple files, Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Common requests | |
2213 | @section How do I use regexps (regular expressions) in Emacs? | |
2214 | @cindex Regexps | |
2215 | @cindex Regular expressions | |
2216 | @cindex Differences between Unix and Emacs regexps | |
2217 | @cindex Unix regeps, differences from Emacs | |
2218 | @cindex Text strings, putting regexps in | |
2219 | ||
2220 | @inforef{Regexps, Regexps, emacs}. | |
2221 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2222 | The @code{or} operator is @samp{\|}, not @samp{|}, and the grouping operators |
71e68827 DL |
2223 | are @samp{\(} and @samp{\)}. Also, the string syntax for a backslash is |
2224 | @samp{\\}. To specify a regular expression like @samp{xxx\(foo\|bar\)} | |
2225 | in a Lisp string, use @samp{xxx\\(foo\\|bar\\)}. | |
2226 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2227 | Note the doubled backslashes! |
71e68827 DL |
2228 | |
2229 | @itemize @bullet | |
2230 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2231 | @item |
2232 | Unlike in Unix @file{grep}, @file{sed}, etc., a complement character set | |
2233 | (@samp{[^...]}) can match a newline character (@key{LFD} a.k.a.@: | |
2234 | @kbd{C-j} a.k.a.@: @samp{\n}), unless newline is mentioned as one of the | |
71e68827 DL |
2235 | characters not to match. |
2236 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2237 | @item |
2238 | The character syntax regexps (e.g., @samp{\sw}) are not | |
71e68827 DL |
2239 | meaningful inside character set regexps (e.g., @samp{[aeiou]}). (This |
2240 | is actually typical for regexp syntax.) | |
2241 | ||
2242 | @end itemize | |
2243 | ||
2244 | @node Replacing text across multiple files, Documentation for etags, Using regular expressions, Common requests | |
2245 | @section How do I perform a replace operation across more than one file? | |
2246 | @cindex Replacing strings across files | |
2247 | @cindex Multiple files, replacing across | |
2248 | @cindex Files, replacing strings across multiple | |
2249 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2250 | The ``tags'' feature of Emacs includes the command |
71e68827 | 2251 | @code{tags-query-replace} which performs a query-replace across all the |
ed5c18e2 | 2252 | files mentioned in the @file{TAGS} file. @inforef{Tags Search, Tags Search, |
71e68827 DL |
2253 | emacs}. |
2254 | ||
2255 | As of Emacs 19.29, Dired mode (@kbd{M-x dired @key{RET}}, or @kbd{C-x | |
2256 | d}) supports the command @code{dired-do-query-replace}, which allows | |
2257 | users to replace regular expressions in multiple files. | |
2258 | ||
2259 | @node Documentation for etags, Disabling backups, Replacing text across multiple files, Common requests | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2260 | @section Where is the documentation for @code{etags}? |
2261 | @cindex Documentation for @code{etags} | |
2262 | @cindex @code{etags}, documentation for | |
71e68827 | 2263 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2264 | The @code{etags} man page should be in the same place as the |
2265 | @code{emacs} man page. | |
71e68827 DL |
2266 | |
2267 | Quick command-line switch descriptions are also available. For example, | |
2268 | @samp{etags -H}. | |
2269 | ||
2270 | @node Disabling backups, Disabling auto-save-mode, Documentation for etags, Common requests | |
2271 | @section How do I disable backup files? | |
2272 | @cindex Backups, disabling | |
2273 | @cindex Disabling backups | |
2274 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2275 | You probably don't want to do this, since backups are useful, especially |
2276 | when something goes wrong. | |
71e68827 DL |
2277 | |
2278 | To avoid seeing backup files (and other "uninteresting" files) in Dired, | |
ed5c18e2 | 2279 | load @code{dired-x} by adding the following to your @file{.emacs} file: |
71e68827 DL |
2280 | |
2281 | @lisp | |
2282 | (add-hook 'dired-load-hook | |
bed44076 SM |
2283 | (lambda () |
2284 | (load "dired-x"))) | |
71e68827 DL |
2285 | @end lisp |
2286 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2287 | With @code{dired-x} loaded, @kbd{M-o} toggles omitting in each dired buffer. |
71e68827 DL |
2288 | You can make omitting the default for new dired buffers by putting the |
2289 | following in your @file{.emacs}: | |
2290 | ||
2291 | @lisp | |
90df7433 | 2292 | (add-hook 'dired-mode-hook 'dired-omit-toggle) |
71e68827 DL |
2293 | @end lisp |
2294 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2295 | If you're tired of seeing backup files whenever you do an @samp{ls} at |
2296 | the Unix shell, try GNU @code{ls} with the @samp{-B} option. GNU | |
2297 | @code{ls} is part of the GNU Fileutils package, available from | |
2298 | @samp{ftp.gnu.org} and its mirrors (@pxref{Current GNU distributions}). | |
2299 | ||
2300 | To disable or change the way backups are made, @inforef{Backup Names, , | |
2301 | emacs}. | |
71e68827 | 2302 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2303 | @cindex Backup files in a single directory |
2304 | Beginning with Emacs 21.1, you can control where Emacs puts backup files | |
2305 | by customizing the variable @code{backup-directory-alist}. This | |
2306 | variable's value specifies that files whose names match specific patters | |
2307 | should have their backups put in certain directories. A typical use is | |
2308 | to add the element @code{("." . @var{dir})} to force Emacs to put | |
2309 | @strong{all} backup files in the directory @file{dir}. | |
71e68827 | 2310 | |
8b3f7f7d | 2311 | @node Disabling auto-save-mode, Going to a line by number, Disabling backups, Common requests |
71e68827 DL |
2312 | @section How do I disable @code{auto-save-mode}? |
2313 | @cindex Disabling @code{auto-save-mode} | |
2314 | @cindex Auto-saving | |
2315 | @cindex Saving at frequent intervals | |
2316 | ||
2317 | You probably don't want to do this, since auto-saving is useful, | |
2318 | especially when Emacs or your computer crashes while you are editing a | |
2319 | document. | |
2320 | ||
2321 | Instead, you might want to change the variable | |
2322 | @code{auto-save-interval}, which specifies how many keystrokes Emacs | |
2323 | waits before auto-saving. Increasing this value forces Emacs to wait | |
2324 | longer between auto-saves, which might annoy you less. | |
2325 | ||
2326 | You might also want to look into Sebastian Kremer's @code{auto-save} | |
2327 | package, available from the Lisp Code Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come | |
2328 | with Emacs}). This | |
2329 | package also allows you to place all auto-save files in one directory, | |
2330 | such as @file{/tmp}. | |
2331 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2332 | To disable or change how @code{auto-save-mode} works, @inforef{Auto |
2333 | Save, , emacs}. | |
71e68827 | 2334 | |
8b3f7f7d EZ |
2335 | @node Going to a line by number, Modifying pull-down menus, Disabling auto-save-mode, Common requests |
2336 | @section How can I go to a certain line given its number? | |
2337 | @cindex Going to a line by number | |
2338 | @cindex Compilation error messages | |
2339 | @cindex Recompilation | |
2340 | ||
2341 | Are you sure you indeed need to go to a line by its number? Perhaps all | |
2342 | you want is to display a line in your source file for which a compiler | |
2343 | printed an error message? If so, compiling from within Emacs using the | |
2344 | @kbd{M-x compile} and @kbd{M-x recompile} commands is a much more | |
2345 | effective way of doing that. Emacs automatically intercepts the compile | |
2346 | error messages, inserts them into a special buffer called | |
2347 | @code{*compilation*}, and lets you visit the locus of each message in | |
2348 | the source. Type @kbd{C-x `} to step through the offending lines one by | |
2349 | one. Click @kbd{Mouse-2} or press @key{RET} on a message text in the | |
2350 | @code{*compilation*} buffer to go to the line whose number is mentioned | |
2351 | in that message. | |
2352 | ||
2353 | But if you indeed need to go to a certain text line, type @kbd{M-x | |
2354 | goto-line @key{RET}}. Emacs will prompt you for the number of the line | |
2355 | and go to that line. | |
2356 | ||
2357 | You can do this faster by invoking @code{goto-line} with a numeric | |
2358 | argument that is the line's number. For example, @kbd{C-u 286 M-x | |
2359 | goto-line @key{RET}} will jump to line number 286 in the current | |
2360 | buffer. | |
2361 | ||
2362 | If you need to use this command frequently, you might consider binding | |
2363 | it to a key. The following snippet, if added to your @file{~/.emacs} | |
2364 | file, will bind the sequence @kbd{C-x g} to @code{goto-line}: | |
2365 | ||
2366 | @lisp | |
2367 | (global-set-key "\C-xg" 'goto-line) | |
2368 | @end lisp | |
2369 | ||
2370 | ||
2371 | @node Modifying pull-down menus, Deleting menus and menu options, Going to a line by number, Common requests | |
71e68827 DL |
2372 | @section How can I create or modify new pull-down menu options? |
2373 | @cindex Pull-down menus, creating or modifying | |
2374 | @cindex Menus, creating or modifying | |
2375 | @cindex Creating new menu options | |
2376 | @cindex Modifying pull-down menus | |
2377 | @cindex Menus and keymaps | |
2378 | @cindex Keymaps and menus | |
2379 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2380 | Each menu title (e.g., @samp{File}, @samp{Edit}, @samp{Buffers}) |
2381 | represents a local or global keymap. Selecting a menu title with the | |
2382 | mouse displays that keymap's non-nil contents in the form of a menu. | |
71e68827 DL |
2383 | |
2384 | So to add a menu option to an existing menu, all you have to do is add a | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2385 | new definition to the appropriate keymap. Adding a @samp{Forward Word} |
2386 | item to the @samp{Edit} menu thus requires the following Lisp code: | |
71e68827 DL |
2387 | |
2388 | @lisp | |
2389 | (define-key global-map | |
2390 | [menu-bar edit forward] | |
2391 | '("Forward word" . forward-word)) | |
2392 | @end lisp | |
2393 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2394 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2395 | The first line adds the entry to the global keymap, which includes |
2396 | global menu bar entries. Replacing the reference to @code{global-map} | |
2397 | with a local keymap would add this menu option only within a particular | |
2398 | mode. | |
2399 | ||
2400 | The second line describes the path from the menu-bar to the new entry. | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2401 | Placing this menu entry underneath the @samp{File} menu would mean |
2402 | changing the word @code{edit} in the second line to @code{file}. | |
71e68827 DL |
2403 | |
2404 | The third line is a cons cell whose first element is the title that will | |
2405 | be displayed, and whose second element is the function that will be | |
2406 | called when that menu option is invoked. | |
2407 | ||
2408 | To add a new menu, rather than a new option to an existing menu, we must | |
2409 | define an entirely new keymap: | |
2410 | ||
2411 | @lisp | |
2412 | (define-key global-map [menu-bar words] | |
2413 | (cons "Words" (make-sparse-keymap "Words"))) | |
2414 | @end lisp | |
2415 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2416 | The above code creates a new sparse keymap, gives it the name |
2417 | @samp{Words}, and attaches it to the global menu bar. Adding the | |
2418 | @samp{Forward Word} item to this new menu would thus require the | |
2419 | following code: | |
71e68827 DL |
2420 | |
2421 | @lisp | |
2422 | (define-key global-map | |
2423 | [menu-bar words forward] | |
2424 | '("Forward word" . forward-word)) | |
2425 | @end lisp | |
2426 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2427 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2428 | Note that because of the way keymaps work, menu options are displayed |
2429 | with the more recently defined items at the top. Thus if you were to | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2430 | define menu options @samp{foo}, @samp{bar}, and @samp{baz} (in that |
2431 | order), the menu option @samp{baz} would appear at the top, and | |
2432 | @samp{foo} would be at the bottom. | |
71e68827 DL |
2433 | |
2434 | One way to avoid this problem is to use the function @code{define-key-after}, | |
2435 | which works the same as @code{define-key}, but lets you modify where items | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2436 | appear. The following Lisp code would insert the @samp{Forward Word} |
2437 | item in the @samp{Edit} menu immediately following the @samp{Undo} item: | |
71e68827 DL |
2438 | |
2439 | @lisp | |
2440 | (define-key-after | |
2441 | (lookup-key global-map [menu-bar edit]) | |
2442 | [forward] | |
2443 | '("Forward word" . forward-word) | |
2444 | 'undo) | |
2445 | @end lisp | |
2446 | ||
2447 | Note how the second and third arguments to @code{define-key-after} are | |
2448 | different from those of @code{define-key}, and that we have added a new | |
2449 | (final) argument, the function after which our new key should be | |
2450 | defined. | |
2451 | ||
2452 | To move a menu option from one position to another, simply evaluate | |
2453 | @code{define-key-after} with the appropriate final argument. | |
2454 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2455 | More detailed information---and more examples of how to create and |
2456 | modify menu options---are in the @cite{Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, under | |
ed438271 EZ |
2457 | ``Menu Keymaps''. (@xref{Emacs Lisp documentation}, for information on |
2458 | this manual.) | |
71e68827 DL |
2459 | |
2460 | @node Deleting menus and menu options, Turning on syntax highlighting, Modifying pull-down menus, Common requests | |
2461 | @section How do I delete menus and menu options? | |
2462 | @cindex Deleting menus and menu options | |
2463 | @cindex Menus, deleting | |
2464 | ||
2465 | The simplest way to remove a menu is to set its keymap to @samp{nil}. | |
ed5c18e2 | 2466 | For example, to delete the @samp{Words} menu (@pxref{Modifying pull-down |
71e68827 DL |
2467 | menus}), use: |
2468 | ||
2469 | @lisp | |
2470 | (define-key global-map [menu-bar words] nil) | |
2471 | @end lisp | |
2472 | ||
2473 | Similarly, removing a menu option requires redefining a keymap entry to | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2474 | @code{nil}. For example, to delete the @samp{Forward word} menu option |
2475 | from the @samp{Edit} menu (we added it in @ref{Modifying pull-down | |
2476 | menus}), use: | |
71e68827 DL |
2477 | |
2478 | @lisp | |
2479 | (define-key global-map [menu-bar edit forward] nil) | |
2480 | @end lisp | |
2481 | ||
2482 | @node Turning on syntax highlighting, Scrolling only one line, Deleting menus and menu options, Common requests | |
2483 | @section How do I turn on syntax highlighting? | |
2484 | @cindex Syntax highlighting | |
2485 | @cindex @code{font-lock-mode} | |
2486 | @cindex Highlighting based on syntax | |
2487 | @cindex Colorizing text | |
2488 | @cindex FAQ, @code{font-lock-mode} | |
2489 | ||
2490 | @code{font-lock-mode} is the standard way to have Emacs perform syntax | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2491 | highlighting in the current buffer. With @code{font-lock-mode} turned |
2492 | on, different types of text will appear in different colors. For | |
2493 | instance, if you turn on @code{font-lock-mode} in a programming mode, | |
2494 | variables will appear in one face, keywords in a second, and comments in | |
2495 | a third. | |
71e68827 | 2496 | |
ed5c18e2 | 2497 | @cindex hilit19 is deprecated |
71e68827 DL |
2498 | Earlier versions of Emacs supported hilit19, a similar package. Use of |
2499 | hilit19 is now considered non-standard, although @file{hilit19.el} comes | |
2500 | with the stock Emacs distribution. It is no longer maintained. | |
2501 | ||
2502 | To turn @code{font-lock-mode} on within an existing buffer, use @kbd{M-x | |
2503 | font-lock-mode @key{RET}}. | |
2504 | ||
2505 | To automatically invoke @code{font-lock-mode} when a particular major | |
2506 | mode is invoked, set the major mode's hook. For example, to fontify all | |
2507 | @code{c-mode} buffers, add the following to your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2508 | ||
2509 | @lisp | |
2510 | (add-hook 'c-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock) | |
2511 | @end lisp | |
2512 | ||
2513 | To automatically invoke @code{font-lock-mode} for all major modes, you | |
2514 | can turn on @code{global-font-lock-mode} by including the following line | |
2515 | in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2516 | ||
2517 | @lisp | |
2518 | (global-font-lock-mode 1) | |
2519 | @end lisp | |
2520 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2521 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2522 | This instructs Emacs to turn on font-lock mode in those buffers for |
2523 | which a font-lock mode definition has been provided (in the variable | |
2524 | @code{font-lock-global-modes}). If you edit a file in | |
2525 | @code{pie-ala-mode}, and no font-lock definitions have been provided for | |
2526 | @code{pie-ala} files, then the above setting will have no effect on that | |
2527 | particular buffer. | |
2528 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2529 | Highlighting a buffer with @code{font-lock-mode} can take quite a while, |
2530 | and cause an annoying delay in display, so several features exist to | |
2531 | work around this. | |
2532 | ||
2533 | @cindex Just-In-Time syntax highlighting | |
2534 | In Emacs 21 and later, turning on @code{font-lock-mode} automatically | |
2535 | activates the new @dfn{Just-In-Time fontification} provided by | |
2536 | @code{jit-lock-mode}. @code{jit-lock-mode} defers the fontification of | |
2537 | portions of buffer until you actually need to see them, and can also | |
2538 | fontify while Emacs is idle. This makes display of the visible portion | |
2539 | of a buffer almost instantaneous. For details about customizing | |
2540 | @code{jit-lock-mode}, type @kbd{C-h f jit-lock-mode @key{RET}}. | |
2541 | ||
2542 | @cindex Levels of syntax highlighting | |
2543 | @cindex Decoration level, in @code{font-lock-mode} | |
2544 | In versions of Emacs before 21, different levels of decoration are | |
2545 | available, from slight to gaudy. More decoration means you need to wait | |
2546 | more time for a buffer to be fontified (or a faster machine). To | |
71e68827 DL |
2547 | control how decorated your buffers should become, set the value of |
2548 | @code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} in your @file{.emacs} file, with a | |
2549 | @code{nil} value indicating default (usually minimum) decoration, and a | |
2550 | @code{t} value indicating the maximum decoration. For the gaudiest | |
2551 | possible look, then, include the line | |
2552 | ||
2553 | @lisp | |
2554 | (setq font-lock-maximum-decoration t) | |
2555 | @end lisp | |
2556 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2557 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2558 | in your @file{.emacs} file. You can also set this variable such that |
2559 | different modes are highlighted in a different ways; for more | |
2560 | information, see the documentation for | |
2561 | @code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} with @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x | |
2562 | describe-variable @key{RET}}). | |
2563 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2564 | @cindex Lazy font-lock |
71e68827 DL |
2565 | You might also want to investigate @code{fast-lock-mode} and |
2566 | @code{lazy-lock-mode}, versions of @code{font-lock-mode} that speed up | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2567 | highlighting. These are the alternatives for @code{jit-lock-mode} in |
2568 | versions of Emacs before 21.1. The advantage of @code{lazy-lock-mode} | |
2569 | is that it only fontifies buffers when certain conditions are met, such | |
2570 | as after a certain amount of idle time, or after you have finished | |
2571 | scrolling through text. See the documentation for @code{lazy-lock-mode} | |
2572 | by typing @kbd{C-h f @code{lazy-lock-mode}} (@kbd{M-x describe-function | |
2573 | @key{RET} lazy-lock-mode @key{RET}}). | |
71e68827 DL |
2574 | |
2575 | Also see the documentation for the function @code{font-lock-mode}, | |
2576 | available by typing @kbd{C-h f font-lock-mode} (@kbd{M-x | |
2577 | describe-function @key{RET} font-lock-mode @key{RET}}). | |
2578 | ||
2579 | For more information on font-lock mode, take a look at the | |
2580 | @code{font-lock-mode} FAQ, maintained by | |
2581 | @email{jari.aalto@@ntc.nokia.com, Jari Aalto} at | |
2582 | ||
2583 | @uref{ftp://cs.uta.fi/pub/ssjaaa/ema-font.gui} | |
2584 | ||
2585 | To print buffers with the faces (i.e., colors and fonts) intact, use | |
2586 | @kbd{M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces} or @kbd{M-x | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2587 | ps-print-region-with-faces}. You will need a way to send text to a |
2588 | PostScript printer, or a PostScript interpreter such as Ghostscript; | |
2589 | consult the documentation of the variables @code{ps-printer-name}, | |
2590 | @code{ps-lpr-command}, and @code{ps-lpr-switches} for more details. | |
71e68827 DL |
2591 | |
2592 | @node Scrolling only one line, Replacing highlighted text, Turning on syntax highlighting, Common requests | |
2593 | @section How can I force Emacs to scroll only one line when I move past the bottom of the screen? | |
2594 | @cindex Scrolling only one line | |
2595 | @cindex Reducing the increment when scrollng | |
2596 | ||
2597 | Place the following Lisp form in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2598 | ||
2599 | @lisp | |
2600 | (setq scroll-step 1) | |
2601 | @end lisp | |
2602 | ||
2603 | @inforef{Scrolling, Scrolling, emacs}. | |
2604 | ||
2605 | @node Replacing highlighted text, Editing MS-DOS files, Scrolling only one line, Common requests | |
2606 | @section How can I replace highlighted text with what I type? | |
2607 | @cindex @code{delete-selection-mode} | |
2608 | @cindex Replacing highlighted text | |
2609 | @cindex Highlighing and replacing text | |
2610 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2611 | Use @code{delete-selection-mode}, which you can start automatically by |
71e68827 DL |
2612 | placing the following Lisp form in your @file{.emacs} file: |
2613 | ||
2614 | @lisp | |
2615 | (delete-selection-mode t) | |
2616 | @end lisp | |
2617 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2618 | According to the documentation string for @code{delete-selection-mode} |
2619 | (which you can read using @kbd{M-x describe-function @key{RET} | |
71e68827 DL |
2620 | delete-selection-mode @key{RET}}): |
2621 | ||
2622 | @quotation | |
2623 | When ON, typed text replaces the selection if the selection is active. | |
2624 | When OFF, typed text is just inserted at point. | |
2625 | @end quotation | |
2626 | ||
2627 | This mode also allows you to delete (not kill) the highlighted region by | |
2628 | pressing @key{DEL}. | |
2629 | ||
2630 | @node Editing MS-DOS files, Filling paragraphs with a single space, Replacing highlighted text, Common requests | |
2631 | @section How can I edit MS-DOS files using Emacs? | |
2632 | @cindex Editing MS-DOS files | |
2633 | @cindex MS-DOS files, editing | |
2634 | @cindex Microsoft files, editing | |
2635 | @cindex Windows files, editing | |
2636 | ||
2637 | As of Emacs 20, detection and handling of MS-DOS (and Windows) files is | |
ed5c18e2 | 2638 | performed transparently. You can open MS-DOS files on a Unix system, |
71e68827 DL |
2639 | edit it, and save it without having to worry about the file format. |
2640 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2641 | When editing an MS-DOS style file, the mode line will indicate that it |
2642 | is a DOS file. On Unix and GNU/Linux systems, and also on a Macintosh, | |
2643 | the string @samp{(DOS)} will appear near the left edge of the mode line; | |
2644 | on DOS and Windows, where the DOS end-of-line (EOL) format is the | |
2645 | default, a backslash (@samp{\}) will appear in the mode line. | |
71e68827 | 2646 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2647 | If you are running a version of Emacs before 20.1, get @code{crypt++} |
2648 | from the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come with | |
2649 | Emacs}). Among other things, @code{crypt++} transparently modifies | |
2650 | MS-DOS files as they are loaded and saved, allowing you to ignore the | |
2651 | different conventions that Unix and MS-DOS have for delineating the end | |
2652 | of a line. | |
71e68827 | 2653 | |
a5ffa690 | 2654 | @node Filling paragraphs with a single space, Escape sequences in shell output, Editing MS-DOS files, Common requests |
71e68827 DL |
2655 | @section How can I tell Emacs to fill paragraphs with a single space after each period? |
2656 | @cindex One space following periods | |
2657 | @cindex Single space following periods | |
2658 | @cindex Periods, one space following | |
2659 | ||
2660 | @email{ulm@@vsnhd1.cern.ch, Ulrich Mueller} suggests adding the | |
2661 | following two lines to your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2662 | ||
2663 | @lisp | |
2664 | (setq sentence-end "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\|[ \t]\\)[ \t\n]*") | |
2665 | (setq sentence-end-double-space nil) | |
2666 | @end lisp | |
2667 | ||
a5ffa690 EZ |
2668 | @node Escape sequences in shell output, , Filling paragraphs with a single space, Common requests |
2669 | @section Why do I get these strange escape sequences when I run | |
2670 | @code{ls} from the Shell mode? | |
2671 | @cindex Escape sequences in @code{ls} output | |
2672 | @cindex @code{ls} in Shell mode | |
2673 | ||
2674 | This happens because @code{ls} is aliased to @samp{ls --color} in your | |
2675 | shell init file. You have two alternatives to solve this: | |
2676 | ||
2677 | @itemize @bullet | |
2678 | @item | |
2679 | Make the alias conditioned on the @code{EMACS} variable in the | |
2680 | environment. When Emacs runs a subsidiary shell, it exports the | |
2681 | @code{EMACS} variable with the value @code{t} to that shell. You can | |
2682 | unalias @code{ls} when that happens, thus limiting the alias to your | |
2683 | interactive sessions. | |
2684 | ||
2685 | @item | |
2686 | Install the @code{ansi-color} package (bundled with Emacs 21.1 and | |
2687 | later), which converts these ANSI escape sequences into colors. | |
2688 | @end itemize | |
2689 | ||
71e68827 DL |
2690 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ |
2691 | @node Bugs and problems, Compiling and installing Emacs, Common requests, Top | |
2692 | @chapter Bugs and problems | |
2693 | @cindex Bugs and problems | |
2694 | ||
6576d908 EZ |
2695 | The Emacs manual lists some common kinds of trouble users could get |
2696 | into, see @ref{Lossage, , Dealing with Emacs Trouble, emacs, The GNU | |
2697 | Emacs Manual}, so you might look there if the problem you encounter | |
6281f965 EZ |
2698 | isn't described in this chapter. If you decide you've discovered a bug, |
2699 | see @ref{Bugs, , Reporting Bugs, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for | |
6576d908 EZ |
2700 | instructions how to do that. |
2701 | ||
2702 | The file @file{etc/PROBLEMS} in the Emacs distribution lists various | |
6281f965 EZ |
2703 | known problems with building and using Emacs on specific platforms; |
2704 | type @kbd{C-h P} to read it. | |
6576d908 | 2705 | |
71e68827 DL |
2706 | @menu |
2707 | * Problems with very large files:: | |
2708 | * ^M in the shell buffer:: | |
2709 | * Shell process exits abnormally:: | |
d891bf01 | 2710 | * Problems with Shell Mode on MS-Windows:: |
71e68827 DL |
2711 | * Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs:: |
2712 | * Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode:: | |
2713 | * Problems talking to certain hosts:: | |
2714 | * Errors with init files:: | |
2715 | * Emacs ignores X resources:: | |
8b3f7f7d | 2716 | * Emacs ignores frame parameters:: |
71e68827 DL |
2717 | * Emacs takes a long time to visit files:: |
2718 | * Editing files with $ in the name:: | |
2719 | * Shell mode loses the current directory:: | |
2720 | * Security risks with Emacs:: | |
2721 | * Dired claims that no file is on this line:: | |
2722 | @end menu | |
2723 | ||
2724 | @node Problems with very large files, ^M in the shell buffer, Bugs and problems, Bugs and problems | |
2725 | @section Does Emacs have problems with files larger than 8 megabytes? | |
2726 | @cindex Very large files, opening | |
2727 | @cindex Large files, opening | |
2728 | @cindex Opening very large files | |
2729 | @cindex Maximum file size | |
2730 | @cindex Files, maximum size | |
2731 | ||
2732 | Old versions (i.e., anything before 19.29) of Emacs had problems editing | |
2733 | files larger than 8 megabytes. As of version 19.29, the maximum buffer | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2734 | size is at least 2^27-1, or 134,217,727 bytes, or 132 MBytes. Emacs 20 |
2735 | can be compiled on some 64-bit systems in a way that enlarges the buffer | |
2736 | size up to 576,460,752,303,423,487 bytes, or 549,755,813 GBytes. | |
71e68827 | 2737 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2738 | If you are using a version of Emacs older than 19.29 and cannot upgrade, |
2739 | you will have to recompile. @email{lnz@@lucid.com, Leonard N. Zubkoff} | |
2740 | suggests putting the following two lines in @file{src/config.h} before | |
2741 | compiling Emacs to allow for 26-bit integers and pointers (and thus file | |
2742 | sizes of up to 33,554,431 bytes): | |
71e68827 DL |
2743 | |
2744 | @example | |
2745 | #define VALBITS 26 | |
2746 | #define GCTYPEBITS 5 | |
2747 | @end example | |
2748 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2749 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2750 | This method may result in "ILLEGAL DATATYPE" and other random errors on |
2751 | some machines. | |
2752 | ||
2753 | @email{daveg@@csvax.cs.caltech.edu, David Gillespie} explains how this | |
2754 | problems crops up; while his numbers are true only for pre-19.29 | |
2755 | versions of Emacs, the theory remains the same with current versions. | |
2756 | ||
2757 | @quotation | |
2758 | Emacs is largely written in a dialect of Lisp; Lisp is a freely-typed | |
2759 | language in the sense that you can put any value of any type into any | |
2760 | variable, or return it from a function, and so on. So each value | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2761 | must carry a @dfn{tag} along with it identifying what kind of thing it |
2762 | is, e.g., integer, pointer to a list, pointer to an editing buffer, and | |
2763 | so on. Emacs uses standard 32-bit integers for data objects, taking the | |
71e68827 DL |
2764 | top 8 bits for the tag and the bottom 24 bits for the value. So |
2765 | integers (and pointers) are somewhat restricted compared to true C | |
2766 | integers and pointers. | |
2767 | @end quotation | |
2768 | ||
2769 | @node ^M in the shell buffer, Shell process exits abnormally, Problems with very large files, Bugs and problems | |
2770 | @section How do I get rid of @samp{^M} or echoed commands in my shell buffer? | |
2771 | @cindex Shell buffer, echoed commands and @samp{^M} in | |
2772 | @cindex Echoed commands in @code{shell-mode} | |
2773 | ||
2774 | Try typing @kbd{M-x shell-strip-ctrl-m @key{RET}} while in @code{shell-mode} to | |
2775 | make them go away. If that doesn't work, you have several options: | |
2776 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2777 | For @code{tcsh}, put this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc}) |
2778 | file: | |
71e68827 DL |
2779 | |
2780 | @example | |
2781 | if ($?EMACS) then | |
2782 | if ("$EMACS" == t) then | |
2783 | if ($?tcsh) unset edit | |
2784 | stty nl | |
2785 | endif | |
2786 | endif | |
2787 | @end example | |
2788 | ||
2789 | Or put this in your @file{.emacs_tcsh} file: | |
2790 | ||
2791 | @example | |
2792 | unset edit | |
2793 | stty nl | |
2794 | @end example | |
2795 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2796 | Alternatively, use @code{csh} in your shell buffers instead of |
2797 | @code{tcsh}. One way is: | |
71e68827 DL |
2798 | |
2799 | @lisp | |
2800 | (setq explicit-shell-file-name "/bin/csh") | |
2801 | @end lisp | |
2802 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2803 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2804 | and another is to do this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc}) |
2805 | file: | |
2806 | ||
2807 | @example | |
2808 | setenv ESHELL /bin/csh | |
2809 | @end example | |
2810 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 2811 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
2812 | (You must start Emacs over again with the environment variable properly |
2813 | set for this to take effect.) | |
2814 | ||
2815 | You can also set the @code{ESHELL} environment variable in Emacs Lisp | |
2816 | with the following Lisp form, | |
2817 | ||
2818 | @lisp | |
2819 | (setenv "ESHELL" "/bin/csh") | |
2820 | @end lisp | |
2821 | ||
d891bf01 EZ |
2822 | The above solutions try to prevent the shell from producing the |
2823 | @samp{^M} characters in the first place. If this is not possible | |
2824 | (e.g., if you use a Windows shell), you can get Emacs to remove these | |
2825 | characters from the buffer by adding this to your @file{.emacs} init | |
2826 | file: | |
2827 | ||
2828 | @smalllisp | |
2829 | (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions 'shell-strip-ctrl-m) | |
2830 | @end smalllisp | |
2831 | ||
71e68827 DL |
2832 | On a related note: If your shell is echoing your input line in the shell |
2833 | buffer, you might want to try the following command in your shell | |
2834 | start-up file: | |
2835 | ||
2836 | @example | |
2837 | stty -icrnl -onlcr -echo susp ^Z | |
2838 | @end example | |
2839 | ||
d891bf01 | 2840 | @node Shell process exits abnormally, Problems with Shell Mode on MS-Windows, ^M in the shell buffer, Bugs and problems |
71e68827 DL |
2841 | @section Why do I get "Process shell exited abnormally with code 1"? |
2842 | @cindex Abnormal exits from @code{shell-mode} | |
2843 | @cindex @code{shell-mode} exits | |
ed5c18e2 | 2844 | @cindex Process shell exited |
71e68827 DL |
2845 | |
2846 | The most likely reason for this message is that the @samp{env} program | |
2847 | is not properly installed. Compile this program for your architecture, | |
2848 | and install it with @samp{a+x} permission in the architecture-dependent | |
2849 | Emacs program directory. (You can find what this directory is at your | |
2850 | site by inspecting the value of the variable @code{exec-directory} by | |
2851 | typing @kbd{C-h v exec-directory @key{RET}}.) | |
2852 | ||
2853 | You should also check for other programs named @samp{env} in your path | |
2854 | (e.g., SunOS has a program named @file{/usr/bin/env}). We don't | |
2855 | understand why this can cause a failure and don't know a general | |
2856 | solution for working around the problem in this case. | |
2857 | ||
2858 | The @samp{make clean} command will remove @samp{env} and other vital | |
2859 | programs, so be careful when using it. | |
2860 | ||
2861 | It has been reported that this sometimes happened when Emacs was started | |
2862 | as an X client from an xterm window (i.e., had a controlling tty) but the | |
2863 | xterm was later terminated. | |
2864 | ||
d891bf01 EZ |
2865 | See also @samp{PROBLEMS} (in the @file{etc} subdirectory of the |
2866 | top-level directory when you unpack the Emacs source) for other | |
2867 | possible causes of this message. | |
2868 | ||
2869 | @node Problems with Shell Mode on MS-Windows, Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, Shell process exits abnormally, Bugs and problems | |
2870 | @section Why do I get an error message when I try to run @kbd{M-x shell}? | |
2871 | ||
2872 | @cindex Shell Mode, and MS-Windows | |
2873 | @cindex @code{explicit-shell-file-name} | |
2874 | On MS-Windows, this might happen because Emacs tries to look for the | |
2875 | shell in a wrong place. The default file name @file{/bin/sh} is | |
2876 | usually incorrect for non-Unix systems. If you know where your shell | |
2877 | executable is, set the variable @code{explicit-shell-file-name} in | |
2878 | your @file{.emacs} file to point to its full file name, like this: | |
2879 | ||
2880 | @lisp | |
2881 | (setq explicit-shell-file-name "d:/shells/bash.exe") | |
2882 | @end lisp | |
71e68827 | 2883 | |
d891bf01 EZ |
2884 | If you don't know what shell does Emacs use, try the @kbd{M-!} |
2885 | command; if that works, put the following line into your | |
2886 | @file{.emacs}: | |
2887 | ||
2888 | @lisp | |
2889 | (setq explicit-shell-file-name shell-file-name) | |
2890 | @end lisp | |
2891 | ||
2892 | @cindex Antivirus programs, and Shell Mode | |
2893 | Some people have trouble with Shell Mode because of intrusive | |
2894 | antivirus software; disabling the resident antivirus program solves | |
2895 | the problems in those cases. | |
2896 | ||
2897 | @node Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Problems with Shell Mode on MS-Windows, Bugs and problems | |
71e68827 DL |
2898 | @section Where is the termcap/terminfo entry for terminal type "emacs"? |
2899 | @cindex Termcap | |
2900 | @cindex Terminfo | |
2901 | @cindex Emacs entries for termcap/terminfo | |
2902 | ||
2903 | The termcap entry for terminal type @samp{emacs} is ordinarily put in | |
2904 | the @samp{TERMCAP} environment variable of subshells. It may help in | |
2905 | certain situations (e.g., using rlogin from shell buffer) to add an | |
2906 | entry for @samp{emacs} to the system-wide termcap file. Here is a | |
2907 | correct termcap entry for @samp{emacs}: | |
2908 | ||
2909 | @example | |
2910 | emacs:tc=unknown: | |
2911 | @end example | |
2912 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2913 | To make a terminfo entry for @samp{emacs}, use @code{tic} or |
2914 | @code{captoinfo}. You need to generate | |
2915 | @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emacs}. It may work to simply copy | |
2916 | @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/d/dumb} to @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emacs}. | |
71e68827 DL |
2917 | |
2918 | Having a termcap/terminfo entry will not enable the use of full screen | |
2919 | programs in shell buffers. Use @kbd{M-x terminal-emulator} for that | |
2920 | instead. | |
2921 | ||
2922 | A workaround to the problem of missing termcap/terminfo entries is to | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2923 | change terminal type @samp{emacs} to type @samp{dumb} or @samp{unknown} |
2924 | in your shell start up file. @code{csh} users could put this in their | |
2925 | @file{.cshrc} files: | |
71e68827 DL |
2926 | |
2927 | @example | |
2928 | if ("$term" == emacs) set term=dumb | |
2929 | @end example | |
2930 | ||
2931 | @node Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Problems talking to certain hosts, Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, Bugs and problems | |
2932 | @section Why does Emacs spontaneously start displaying "I-search:" and beeping? | |
2933 | @cindex Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode | |
2934 | @cindex isearch-mode, spontaneous entry into | |
2935 | @cindex Beeping without obvious reason | |
2936 | ||
2937 | Your terminal (or something between your terminal and the computer) is | |
2938 | sending @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} for flow control, and Emacs is receiving | |
2939 | these characters and interpreting them as commands. (The @kbd{C-s} | |
2940 | character normally invokes the @code{isearch-forward} command.) For | |
ed5c18e2 | 2941 | possible solutions, see @ref{Handling C-s and C-q with flow control}. |
71e68827 DL |
2942 | |
2943 | @node Problems talking to certain hosts, Errors with init files, Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Bugs and problems | |
2944 | @section Why can't Emacs talk to certain hosts (or certain hostnames)? | |
2945 | @cindex Hosts, Emacs cannot talk to | |
2946 | @cindex @code{gethostbyname}, problematic version | |
2947 | ||
2948 | The problem may be that Emacs is linked with a wimpier version of | |
2949 | @code{gethostbyname} than the rest of the programs on the machine. This | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2950 | is often manifested as a message on startup of ``X server not responding. |
2951 | Check your @samp{DISPLAY} environment variable.'' or a message of | |
2952 | ``Unknown host'' from @code{open-network-stream}. | |
71e68827 DL |
2953 | |
2954 | On a Sun, this may be because Emacs had to be linked with the static C | |
2955 | library. The version of @code{gethostbyname} in the static C library | |
2956 | may only look in @file{/etc/hosts} and the NIS (YP) maps, while the | |
2957 | version in the dynamic C library may be smart enough to check DNS in | |
2958 | addition to or instead of NIS. On a Motorola Delta running System V | |
2959 | R3.6, the version of @code{gethostbyname} in the standard library works, | |
2960 | but the one that works with NIS doesn't (the one you get with -linet). | |
2961 | Other operating systems have similar problems. | |
2962 | ||
2963 | Try these options: | |
2964 | ||
2965 | @itemize @bullet | |
2966 | ||
2967 | @item | |
2968 | Explicitly add the host you want to communicate with to @file{/etc/hosts}. | |
2969 | ||
2970 | @item | |
2971 | Relink Emacs with this line in @file{src/config.h}: | |
2972 | ||
2973 | @example | |
2974 | #define LIBS_SYSTEM -lresolv | |
2975 | @end example | |
2976 | ||
2977 | @item | |
2978 | Replace @code{gethostbyname} and friends in @file{libc.a} with more | |
2979 | useful versions such as the ones in @file{libresolv.a}. Then relink | |
2980 | Emacs. | |
2981 | ||
2982 | @item | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2983 | If you are actually running NIS, make sure that @code{ypbind} is |
2984 | properly told to do DNS lookups with the correct command line switch. | |
71e68827 DL |
2985 | |
2986 | @end itemize | |
2987 | ||
2988 | @node Errors with init files, Emacs ignores X resources, Problems talking to certain hosts, Bugs and problems | |
2989 | @section Why does Emacs say "Error in init file"? | |
2990 | @cindex Error in @file{.emacs} | |
2991 | @cindex Error in init file | |
2992 | @cindex Init file, errors in | |
2993 | @cindex @file{.emacs} file, errors in | |
2994 | @cindex Debugging @file{.emacs} file | |
2995 | ||
2996 | An error occurred while loading either your @file{.emacs} file or the | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
2997 | system-wide file @file{lisp/default.el}. Emacs 21.1 and later pops the |
2998 | @file{*Messages*} buffer, and puts there some additional information | |
2999 | about the error, to provide some hints for debugging. | |
71e68827 | 3000 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3001 | For information on how to debug your @file{.emacs} file, see |
3002 | @ref{Debugging a customization file}. | |
71e68827 DL |
3003 | |
3004 | It may be the case that you need to load some package first, or use a | |
3005 | hook that will be evaluated after the package is loaded. A common case | |
3006 | of this is explained in @ref{Terminal setup code works after Emacs has | |
3007 | begun}. | |
3008 | ||
8b3f7f7d | 3009 | @node Emacs ignores X resources, Emacs ignores frame parameters, Errors with init files, Bugs and problems |
71e68827 DL |
3010 | @section Why does Emacs ignore my X resources (my .Xdefaults file)? |
3011 | @cindex X resources being ignored | |
3012 | @cindex Ignored X resources | |
3013 | @cindex @file{.Xdefaults} | |
3014 | ||
3015 | As of version 19, Emacs searches for X resources in the files specified | |
3016 | by the following environment variables: | |
3017 | ||
3018 | @itemize @bullet | |
3019 | ||
3020 | @item @code{XFILESEARCHPATH} | |
3021 | @item @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH} | |
3022 | @item @code{XAPPLRESDIR} | |
3023 | ||
3024 | @end itemize | |
3025 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3026 | This emulates the functionality provided by programs written using the |
3027 | Xt toolkit. | |
71e68827 DL |
3028 | |
3029 | @code{XFILESEARCHPATH} and @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH} should be a list | |
3030 | of file names separated by colons. @code{XAPPLRESDIR} should be a list | |
3031 | of directory names separated by colons. | |
3032 | ||
3033 | Emacs searches for X resources: | |
3034 | ||
3035 | @enumerate | |
3036 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3037 | @item |
3038 | specified on the command line, with the @samp{-xrm RESOURCESTRING} option, | |
3039 | ||
3040 | @item | |
3041 | then in the value of the @samp{XENVIRONMENT} environment variable, | |
71e68827 DL |
3042 | |
3043 | @itemize @minus | |
3044 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3045 | @item |
3046 | or if that is unset, in the file named | |
3047 | @file{~/.Xdefaults-@var{hostname}} if it exists (where @var{hostname} is | |
3048 | the name of the machine Emacs is running on), | |
71e68827 DL |
3049 | |
3050 | @end itemize | |
3051 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3052 | @item |
3053 | then in the screen-specific and server-wide resource properties provided | |
3054 | by the server, | |
71e68827 DL |
3055 | |
3056 | @itemize @minus | |
3057 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3058 | @item |
3059 | or if those properties are unset, in the file named @file{~/.Xdefaults} | |
3060 | if it exists, | |
71e68827 DL |
3061 | |
3062 | @end itemize | |
3063 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3064 | @item |
3065 | then in the files listed in @samp{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH}, | |
71e68827 DL |
3066 | |
3067 | @itemize @minus | |
3068 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3069 | @item |
3070 | or in files named @file{@var{lang}/Emacs} in directories listed in | |
3071 | @samp{XAPPLRESDIR} (where @var{lang} is the value of the @code{LANG} | |
3072 | environment variable), if the @samp{LANG} environment variable is set, | |
3073 | @item | |
3074 | or in files named Emacs in the directories listed in @samp{XAPPLRESDIR} | |
3075 | @item | |
3076 | or in @file{~/@var{lang}/Emacs} (if the @code{LANG} environment variable | |
3077 | is set), | |
3078 | @item | |
3079 | or in @file{~/Emacs}, | |
71e68827 DL |
3080 | |
3081 | @end itemize | |
3082 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3083 | @item |
3084 | then in the files listed in @code{XFILESEARCHPATH}. | |
71e68827 DL |
3085 | |
3086 | @end enumerate | |
3087 | ||
8b3f7f7d EZ |
3088 | @node Emacs ignores frame parameters, Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Emacs ignores X resources, Bugs and problems |
3089 | @section Why don't my customizations of the frame parameters work? | |
3090 | @cindex Frame parameters | |
3091 | ||
3092 | This probably happens because you have set the frame parameters in the | |
3093 | variable @code{initial-frame-alist}. That variable holds parameters | |
3094 | used only for the first frame created when Emacs starts. To customize | |
3095 | the parameters of all frames, change the variable | |
3096 | @code{default-frame-alist} instead. | |
3097 | ||
3098 | These two variables exist because many users customize the initial frame | |
3099 | in a special way. For example, you could determine the position and | |
3100 | size of the initial frame, but would like to control the geometry of the | |
3101 | other frames by individually positioning each one of them. | |
3102 | ||
3103 | ||
3104 | @node Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Editing files with $ in the name, Emacs ignores frame parameters, Bugs and problems | |
71e68827 DL |
3105 | @section Why does Emacs take 20 seconds to visit a file? |
3106 | @cindex Visiting files takes a long time | |
3107 | @cindex Delay when visiting files | |
3108 | @cindex Files, take a long time to visit | |
3109 | ||
3110 | Old versions of Emacs (i.e., versions before Emacs 20.x) often | |
ed5c18e2 | 3111 | encountered this when the master lock file, @file{!!!SuperLock!!!}, has |
71e68827 DL |
3112 | been left in the lock directory somehow. Delete it. |
3113 | ||
3114 | @email{meuer@@geom.umn.edu, Mark Meuer} says that NeXT NFS has a bug | |
3115 | where an exclusive create succeeds but returns an error status. This | |
3116 | can cause the same problem. Since Emacs's file locking doesn't work | |
3117 | over NFS anyway, the best solution is to recompile Emacs with | |
3118 | @code{CLASH_DETECTION} undefined. | |
3119 | ||
3120 | @node Editing files with $ in the name, Shell mode loses the current directory, Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Bugs and problems | |
3121 | @section How do I edit a file with a @samp{$} in its name? | |
3122 | @cindex Editing files with @samp{$} in the name | |
f8635375 EZ |
3123 | @cindex @samp{$} in file names |
3124 | @cindex File names containing @samp{$}, editing | |
71e68827 | 3125 | |
f8635375 | 3126 | When entering a file name in the minibuffer, Emacs will attempt to expand |
71e68827 DL |
3127 | a @samp{$} followed by a word as an environment variable. To suppress |
3128 | this behavior, type @kbd{$$} instead. | |
3129 | ||
3130 | @node Shell mode loses the current directory, Security risks with Emacs, Editing files with $ in the name, Bugs and problems | |
3131 | @section Why does shell mode lose track of the shell's current directory? | |
3132 | @cindex Current directory and @code{shell-mode} | |
3133 | @cindex @code{shell-mode} and current directory | |
3134 | @cindex Directory, current in @code{shell-mode} | |
3135 | ||
3136 | Emacs has no way of knowing when the shell actually changes its | |
3137 | directory. This is an intrinsic limitation of Unix. So it tries to | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3138 | guess by recognizing @samp{cd} commands. If you type @kbd{cd} followed |
3139 | by a directory name with a variable reference (@kbd{cd $HOME/bin}) or | |
3140 | with a shell metacharacter (@kbd{cd ../lib*}), Emacs will fail to | |
3141 | correctly guess the shell's new current directory. A huge variety of | |
3142 | fixes and enhancements to shell mode for this problem have been written | |
3143 | to handle this problem. Check the Lisp Code Directory (@pxref{Finding a | |
3144 | package with particular functionality}). | |
71e68827 DL |
3145 | |
3146 | You can tell Emacs the shell's current directory with the command | |
3147 | @kbd{M-x dirs}. | |
3148 | ||
3149 | @node Security risks with Emacs, Dired claims that no file is on this line, Shell mode loses the current directory, Bugs and problems | |
3150 | @section Are there any security risks in Emacs? | |
3151 | @cindex Security with Emacs | |
3152 | @cindex @samp{movemail} and security | |
3153 | @cindex @code{file-local-variable} and security | |
3154 | @cindex Synthetic X events and security | |
3155 | @cindex X events and security | |
3156 | ||
3157 | @itemize @bullet | |
3158 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3159 | @item |
3160 | The @file{movemail} incident. (No, this is not a risk.) | |
71e68827 | 3161 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3162 | In his book @cite{The Cuckoo's Egg}, Cliff Stoll describes this in |
3163 | chapter 4. The site at LBL had installed the @file{/etc/movemail} | |
71e68827 DL |
3164 | program setuid root. (As of version 19, @file{movemail} is in your |
3165 | architecture-specific directory; type @kbd{C-h v exec-directory | |
ed5c18e2 | 3166 | @key{RET}} to see what it is.) Since @code{movemail} had not been |
71e68827 DL |
3167 | designed for this situation, a security hole was created and users could |
3168 | get root privileges. | |
3169 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3170 | @code{movemail} has since been changed so that this security hole will |
71e68827 | 3171 | not exist, even if it is installed setuid root. However, |
ed5c18e2 | 3172 | @code{movemail} no longer needs to be installed setuid root, which |
71e68827 DL |
3173 | should eliminate this particular risk. |
3174 | ||
3175 | We have heard unverified reports that the 1988 Internet worm took | |
3176 | advantage of this configuration problem. | |
3177 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3178 | @item |
3179 | The @code{file-local-variable} feature. (Yes, a risk, but easy to | |
3180 | change.) | |
71e68827 DL |
3181 | |
3182 | There is an Emacs feature that allows the setting of local values for | |
3183 | variables when editing a file by including specially formatted text near | |
3184 | the end of the file. This feature also includes the ability to have | |
3185 | arbitrary Emacs Lisp code evaluated when the file is visited. | |
3186 | Obviously, there is a potential for Trojan horses to exploit this | |
3187 | feature. | |
3188 | ||
3189 | Emacs 18 allowed this feature by default; users could disable it by | |
3190 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-local-variables} to a non-nil value. | |
3191 | ||
3192 | As of Emacs 19, Emacs has a list of local variables that create a | |
3193 | security risk. If a file tries to set one of them, it asks the user to | |
3194 | confirm whether the variables should be set. You can also tell Emacs | |
3195 | whether to allow the evaluation of Emacs Lisp code found at the bottom | |
3196 | of files by setting the variable @code{enable-local-eval}. | |
3197 | ||
3198 | For more information, @inforef{File Variables, File Variables, emacs}. | |
3199 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3200 | @item |
3201 | Synthetic X events. (Yes, a risk; use @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1} or | |
3202 | better.) | |
71e68827 | 3203 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3204 | Emacs accepts synthetic X events generated by the @code{SendEvent} |
3205 | request as though they were regular events. As a result, if you are | |
3206 | using the trivial host-based authentication, other users who can open X | |
71e68827 DL |
3207 | connections to your X workstation can make your Emacs process do |
3208 | anything, including run other processes with your privileges. | |
3209 | ||
3210 | The only fix for this is to prevent other users from being able to open | |
3211 | X connections. The standard way to prevent this is to use a real | |
3212 | authentication mechanism, such as @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1}. If using | |
ed5c18e2 | 3213 | the @code{xauth} program has any effect, then you are probably using |
71e68827 DL |
3214 | @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1}. Your site may be using a superior |
3215 | authentication method; ask your system administrator. | |
3216 | ||
3217 | If real authentication is not a possibility, you may be satisfied by | |
3218 | just allowing hosts access for brief intervals while you start your X | |
3219 | programs, then removing the access. This reduces the risk somewhat by | |
3220 | narrowing the time window when hostile users would have access, but | |
3221 | @emph{does not eliminate the risk}. | |
3222 | ||
97878c08 | 3223 | On most computers running Unix and X, you enable and disable |
ed5c18e2 | 3224 | access using the @code{xhost} command. To allow all hosts access to |
71e68827 DL |
3225 | your X server, use |
3226 | ||
3227 | @example | |
3228 | xhost + | |
3229 | @end example | |
3230 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3231 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
3232 | at the shell prompt, which (on an HP machine, at least) produces the |
3233 | following message: | |
3234 | ||
3235 | @example | |
3236 | access control disabled, clients can connect from any host | |
3237 | @end example | |
3238 | ||
3239 | To deny all hosts access to your X server (except those explicitly | |
3240 | allowed by name), use | |
3241 | ||
3242 | @example | |
3243 | xhost - | |
3244 | @end example | |
3245 | ||
3246 | On the test HP computer, this command generated the following message: | |
3247 | ||
3248 | @example | |
3249 | access control enabled, only authorized clients can connect | |
3250 | @end example | |
3251 | ||
3252 | @end itemize | |
3253 | ||
3254 | @node Dired claims that no file is on this line, , Security risks with Emacs, Bugs and problems | |
3255 | @section Dired says, "no file on this line" when I try to do something. | |
3256 | @cindex Dired does not see a file | |
3257 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3258 | @c FIXME: I think this is fixed in Emacs 21, but I didn't have time to |
3259 | @c check. | |
71e68827 DL |
3260 | Chances are you're using a localized version of Unix that doesn't use US |
3261 | date format in dired listings. You can check this by looking at dired | |
ed5c18e2 | 3262 | listings or by typing @kbd{ls -l} to a shell and looking at the dates that |
71e68827 DL |
3263 | come out. |
3264 | ||
3265 | Dired uses a regular expression to find the beginning of a file name. | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3266 | In a long Unix-style directory listing (@samp{ls -l}), the file name |
3267 | starts after the date. The regexp has thus been written to look for the | |
3268 | date, the format of which can vary on non-US systems. | |
71e68827 DL |
3269 | |
3270 | There are two approaches to solving this. The first one involves | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3271 | setting things up so that @samp{ls -l} outputs US date format. This can |
3272 | be done by setting the locale. See your OS manual for more information. | |
71e68827 DL |
3273 | |
3274 | The second approach involves changing the regular expression used by | |
3275 | dired, @code{dired-move-to-filename-regexp}. | |
3276 | ||
3277 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
3278 | @node Compiling and installing Emacs, Finding Emacs and related packages, Bugs and problems, Top | |
3279 | @chapter Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3280 | @cindex Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3281 | ||
3282 | @menu | |
3283 | * Installing Emacs:: | |
3284 | * Updating Emacs:: | |
3285 | * Problems building Emacs:: | |
3286 | * Linking with -lX11 fails:: | |
3287 | @end menu | |
3288 | ||
3289 | @node Installing Emacs, Updating Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3290 | @section How do I install Emacs? | |
3291 | @cindex Installing Emacs | |
3292 | @cindex Unix systems, installing Emacs on | |
3293 | @cindex Downloading and installing Emacs | |
3294 | @cindex Retrieving and installing Emacs | |
3295 | @cindex Building Emacs from source | |
3296 | @cindex Source code, building Emacs from | |
3297 | @cindex Unpacking and installing Emacs | |
3298 | ||
3299 | This answer is meant for users of Unix and Unix-like systems. Users of | |
3300 | other operating systems should see the series of questions beginning | |
3301 | with @ref{Emacs for MS-DOS}, which describe where to get non-Unix source | |
ed5c18e2 | 3302 | and binaries, and how to install Emacs on those systems. |
71e68827 DL |
3303 | |
3304 | For Unix and Unix-like systems, the easiest way is often to compile it | |
3305 | from scratch. You will need: | |
3306 | ||
3307 | @itemize @bullet | |
3308 | ||
3309 | @item | |
0d17cd5c | 3310 | Emacs sources. @xref{Current GNU distributions}, for a list of ftp sites |
71e68827 | 3311 | that make them available. On @file{ftp.gnu.org}, the main GNU |
ed5c18e2 | 3312 | distribution site, sources are available as |
71e68827 | 3313 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3314 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/emacs-@value{VER}.tar.gz} |
71e68827 DL |
3315 | |
3316 | The above will obviously change as new versions of Emacs come out. For | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3317 | instance, when Emacs 21.42 is released, it will most probably be |
3318 | available as | |
71e68827 | 3319 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3320 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/emacs-21.42.tar.gz} |
71e68827 | 3321 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3322 | Again, you should use one of the GNU mirror sites (see @ref{Current GNU |
0d17cd5c | 3323 | distributions}, and adjust the URL accordingly) so as to reduce load on |
71e68827 DL |
3324 | @file{ftp.gnu.org}. |
3325 | ||
3326 | @item | |
3327 | @code{gzip}, the GNU compression utility. You can get @code{gzip} via | |
3328 | anonymous ftp at mirrors of @file{ftp.gnu.org} sites; it should compile | |
3329 | and install without much trouble on most systems. Once you have | |
3330 | retrieved the Emacs sources, you will probably be able to uncompress | |
3331 | them with the command | |
3332 | ||
3333 | @example | |
ed5c18e2 | 3334 | gunzip --verbose emacs-@value{VER}.tar.gz |
71e68827 DL |
3335 | @end example |
3336 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3337 | @noindent |
3338 | changing the Emacs version (@value{VER}), as necessary. Once | |
3339 | @code{gunzip} has finished doing its job, a file by the name of | |
3340 | @file{emacs-@value{VER}.tar} should be in your build directory. | |
71e68827 DL |
3341 | |
3342 | @item | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3343 | @code{tar}, the @dfn{tape archiving} program, which moves multiple files |
3344 | into and out of archive files, or @dfn{tarfiles}. All of the files | |
71e68827 | 3345 | comprising the Emacs source come in a single tarfile, and must be |
ed5c18e2 | 3346 | extracted using @code{tar} before you can build Emacs. Typically, the |
71e68827 DL |
3347 | extraction command would look like |
3348 | ||
3349 | @example | |
ed5c18e2 | 3350 | tar -xvvf emacs-@value{VER}.tar |
71e68827 DL |
3351 | @end example |
3352 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3353 | @noindent |
71e68827 DL |
3354 | The @samp{x} indicates that we want to extract files from this tarfile, |
3355 | the two @samp{v}s force verbose output, and the @samp{f} tells | |
ed5c18e2 | 3356 | @code{tar} to use a disk file, rather than one on the tape drive. |
71e68827 | 3357 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3358 | If you're using GNU @code{tar} (available at mirrors of |
71e68827 DL |
3359 | @file{ftp.gnu.org}), you can combine this step and the previous one by |
3360 | using the command | |
3361 | ||
3362 | @example | |
ed5c18e2 | 3363 | tar -zxvvf emacs-@value{VER}.tar.gz |
71e68827 DL |
3364 | @end example |
3365 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3366 | @noindent |
3367 | The additional @samp{z} at the beginning of the options list tells GNU | |
3368 | @code{tar} to uncompress the file with @code{gunzip} before extracting | |
3369 | the tarfile's components. | |
71e68827 DL |
3370 | |
3371 | @end itemize | |
3372 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3373 | At this point, the Emacs sources (all 70+ megabytes of them) should be |
3374 | sitting in a directory called @file{emacs-@value{VER}}. On most common | |
3375 | Unix and Unix-like systems, you should be able to compile Emacs (with X | |
3376 | Window system support) with the following commands: | |
71e68827 DL |
3377 | |
3378 | @example | |
ed5c18e2 | 3379 | cd emacs-@value{VER} # change directory to emacs-@value{VER} |
71e68827 DL |
3380 | ./configure # configure Emacs for your particular system |
3381 | make # use Makefile to build components, then Emacs | |
3382 | @end example | |
3383 | ||
3384 | If the @code{make} completes successfully, the odds are fairly good that | |
ed5c18e2 | 3385 | the build has gone well. (@xref{Problems building Emacs}, if you weren't |
71e68827 DL |
3386 | successful.) |
3387 | ||
3388 | By default, Emacs is installed in the following directories: | |
3389 | ||
3390 | @table @file | |
71e68827 | 3391 | @item /usr/local/bin |
ed5c18e2 | 3392 | binaries. |
71e68827 | 3393 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3394 | @item /usr/local/share/emacs/@value{VER} |
3395 | Lisp code and support files. | |
71e68827 DL |
3396 | |
3397 | @item /usr/local/info | |
ed5c18e2 | 3398 | Info documentation. |
71e68827 DL |
3399 | @end table |
3400 | ||
3401 | To install files in those default directories, become the superuser and | |
3402 | type | |
3403 | ||
3404 | @example | |
3405 | make install | |
3406 | @end example | |
3407 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3408 | Note that @samp{make install} will overwrite @file{/usr/local/bin/emacs} |
71e68827 DL |
3409 | and any Emacs Info files that might be in @file{/usr/local/info}. |
3410 | ||
3411 | Much more verbose instructions (with many more hints and suggestions) | |
3412 | come with the Emacs sources, in the file @file{INSTALL}. | |
3413 | ||
3414 | @node Updating Emacs, Problems building Emacs, Installing Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3415 | @section How do I update Emacs to the latest version? | |
3416 | @cindex Updating Emacs | |
3417 | ||
3418 | @xref{Installing Emacs}, and follow the instructions there for | |
3419 | installation. | |
3420 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3421 | Most files are placed in version-specific directories. Emacs |
3422 | @value{VER}, for instance, places files in | |
3423 | @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/@value{VER}}. | |
71e68827 DL |
3424 | |
3425 | Upgrading should overwrite only, @file{/usr/local/bin/emacs} (the Emacs | |
3426 | binary) and documentation in @file{/usr/local/info}. Back up these | |
3427 | files before you upgrade, and you shouldn't have too much trouble. | |
3428 | ||
3429 | @node Problems building Emacs, Linking with -lX11 fails, Updating Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3430 | @section What should I do if I have trouble building Emacs? | |
3431 | @cindex Problems building Emacs | |
3432 | @cindex Errors when building Emacs | |
3433 | ||
d891bf01 EZ |
3434 | First look in the file @file{etc/PROBLEMS} (where you unpack the Emacs |
3435 | source) to see if there is already a solution for your problem. Next, | |
3436 | look for other questions in this FAQ that have to do with Emacs | |
3437 | installation and compilation problems. | |
71e68827 DL |
3438 | |
3439 | If you'd like to have someone look at your problem and help solve it, | |
ed5c18e2 | 3440 | see @ref{Help installing Emacs}. |
71e68827 DL |
3441 | |
3442 | If you cannot find a solution in the documentation, send a message to | |
3443 | @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. | |
3444 | ||
ec45fa10 | 3445 | Please don't post it to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} or send e-mail to |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3446 | @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. For further guidelines, see |
3447 | @ref{Guidelines for newsgroup postings} and @ref{Reporting bugs}. | |
71e68827 DL |
3448 | |
3449 | @node Linking with -lX11 fails, , Problems building Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
3450 | @section Why does linking Emacs with -lX11 fail? | |
3451 | @cindex Linking with -lX11 fails | |
3452 | @cindex lX11, linking fails with | |
3453 | ||
3454 | Emacs needs to be linked with the static version of the X11 library, | |
3455 | @file{libX11.a}. This may be missing. | |
3456 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3457 | On OpenWindows, you may need to use @code{add_services} to add the |
71e68827 DL |
3458 | "OpenWindows Programmers" optional software category from the CD-ROM. |
3459 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3460 | On HP-UX 8.0, you may need to run @code{update} again to load the |
3461 | X11-PRG ``fileset''. This may be missing even if you specified ``all | |
3462 | filesets'' the first time. If @file{libcurses.a} is missing, you may | |
3463 | need to load the ``Berkeley Development Option.'' | |
71e68827 DL |
3464 | |
3465 | @email{zoo@@armadillo.com, David Zuhn} says that MIT X builds shared | |
3466 | libraries by default, and only shared libraries, on those platforms that | |
3467 | support them. These shared libraries can't be used when undumping | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3468 | @code{temacs} (the last stage of the Emacs build process). To get |
3469 | regular libraries in addition to shared libraries, add this to | |
3470 | @file{site.cf}: | |
71e68827 DL |
3471 | |
3472 | @example | |
3473 | #define ForceNormalLib YES | |
3474 | @end example | |
3475 | ||
3476 | Other systems may have similar problems. You can always define | |
ed5c18e2 | 3477 | @code{CANNOT_DUMP} and link with the shared libraries instead. |
71e68827 | 3478 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3479 | @cindex X Menus don't work |
71e68827 DL |
3480 | To get the Xmenu stuff to work, you need to find a copy of MIT's |
3481 | @file{liboldX.a}. | |
3482 | ||
3483 | @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
3484 | @node Finding Emacs and related packages, Major packages and programs, Compiling and installing Emacs, Top | |
3485 | @chapter Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3486 | @cindex Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3487 | ||
3488 | @menu | |
3489 | * Finding Emacs on the Internet:: | |
3490 | * Finding a package with particular functionality:: | |
3491 | * Packages that do not come with Emacs:: | |
3492 | * Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive:: | |
3493 | * Current GNU distributions:: | |
3494 | * Difference between Emacs and XEmacs:: | |
3495 | * Emacs for MS-DOS:: | |
3496 | * Emacs for Windows:: | |
3497 | * Emacs for OS/2:: | |
3498 | * Emacs for Atari ST:: | |
3499 | * Emacs for the Amiga :: | |
3500 | * Emacs for NeXTSTEP:: | |
3501 | * Emacs for Apple computers:: | |
3502 | * Emacs for VMS and DECwindows:: | |
3503 | * Modes for various languages:: | |
3504 | * Translating names to IP addresses:: | |
3505 | @end menu | |
3506 | ||
3507 | @node Finding Emacs on the Internet, Finding a package with particular functionality, Finding Emacs and related packages, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3508 | @section Where can I get Emacs on the net (or by snail mail)? | |
3509 | @cindex Finding Emacs on the Internet | |
3510 | @cindex Snail mail, ordering Emacs via | |
3511 | @cindex Postal service, ordering Emacs via | |
3512 | @cindex Distribution, retrieving Emacs | |
3513 | @cindex Internet, retreiving from | |
3514 | ||
3515 | Look in the files @file{etc/DISTRIB} and @file{etc/FTP} for information | |
3516 | on nearby archive sites and @file{etc/ORDERS} for mail orders. If you | |
ed5c18e2 | 3517 | don't already have Emacs, see @ref{Informational files for Emacs}, for how |
71e68827 DL |
3518 | to get these files. |
3519 | ||
0d17cd5c | 3520 | @xref{Installing Emacs}, for information on how to obtain and build the latest |
ed5c18e2 | 3521 | version of Emacs, and see @ref{Current GNU distributions}, for a list of |
71e68827 DL |
3522 | archive sites that make GNU software available. |
3523 | ||
3524 | @node Finding a package with particular functionality, Packages that do not come with Emacs, Finding Emacs on the Internet, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3525 | @section How do I find a Emacs Lisp package that does XXX? | |
3526 | @cindex Package, finding | |
3527 | @cindex Finding an Emacs Lisp package | |
3528 | @cindex Functionality, finding a particular package | |
3529 | ||
3530 | First of all, you should check to make sure that the package isn't | |
3531 | already available. For example, typing @kbd{M-x apropos @key{RET} | |
3532 | wordstar @key{RET}} lists all functions and variables containing the | |
3533 | string @samp{wordstar}. | |
3534 | ||
3535 | It is also possible that the package is on your system, but has not been | |
3536 | loaded. To see which packages are available for loading, look through | |
f8635375 | 3537 | your computer's lisp directory (@pxref{File-name conventions}). The Lisp |
fd599dee | 3538 | source to most packages contains a short description of how they |
ed5c18e2 | 3539 | should be loaded, invoked, and configured---so before you use or |
71e68827 DL |
3540 | modify a Lisp package, see if the author has provided any hints in the |
3541 | source code. | |
3542 | ||
3543 | If a package does not come with Emacs, check the Lisp Code Directory. | |
3544 | The LCD was originally maintained by @email{brennan@@hal.com, Dave | |
3545 | Brennan}, but was recently taken over by @email{toby@@world.std.com, | |
3546 | toby knudsen}, who maintains @uref{http://www.emacs.org}. The LCD is | |
3547 | currently being reorganized and updated, but you can meanwhile find many | |
3548 | packages at @uref{ftp://ftp.emacs.org/pub}. | |
3549 | ||
3550 | For now, you can search through the LCD with @file{lispdir.el}, which is | |
3551 | in the process of being updated. Download it from the LCD, in the | |
3552 | @file{emacs-lisp-attic/misc} directory, and then evaluate the following | |
3553 | Lisp form (@pxref{Evaluating Emacs Lisp code}): | |
3554 | ||
3555 | @lisp | |
3556 | (setq lisp-code-directory | |
3557 | "/anonymous@@ftp.emacs.org:pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/LCD-datafile.gz" | |
3558 | elisp-archive-host "ftp.emacs.org" | |
3559 | elisp-archive-directory "/pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/") | |
3560 | @end lisp | |
3561 | ||
3562 | Once you have installed @file{lispdir.el}, you can use @kbd{M-x | |
3563 | lisp-dir-apropos} to search the listing. For example, @kbd{M-x | |
3564 | lisp-dir-apropos @key{RET} ange-ftp @key{RET}} produces this output: | |
3565 | ||
3566 | @example | |
3567 | GNU Emacs Lisp Code Directory Apropos --- "ange-ftp" | |
3568 | "~/" refers to archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/elisp-archive/ | |
3569 | ||
3570 | ange-ftp (4.18) 15-Jul-1992 | |
3571 | Andy Norman, <ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com> | |
3572 | ~/packages/ange-ftp.tar.Z | |
3573 | transparent FTP Support for GNU Emacs | |
3574 | auto-save (1.19) 01-May-1992 | |
3575 | Sebastian Kremer, <sk@@thp.uni-koeln.de> | |
3576 | ~/misc/auto-save.el.Z | |
3577 | Safer autosaving with support for ange-ftp and /tmp | |
3578 | ftp-quik (1.0) 28-Jul-1993 | |
3579 | Terrence Brannon, <tb06@@pl122f.eecs.lehigh.edu> | |
3580 | ~/modes/ftp-quik.el.Z | |
3581 | Quik access to dired'ing of ange-ftp and normal paths | |
3582 | @end example | |
3583 | ||
3584 | @node Packages that do not come with Emacs, Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Finding a package with particular functionality, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3585 | @section Where can I get Emacs Lisp packages that don't come with Emacs? | |
3586 | @cindex Unbundled packages | |
3587 | @cindex Finding other packages | |
3588 | @cindex Lisp packages that do not come with Emacs | |
3589 | @cindex Packages, those that do not come with Emacs | |
3590 | @cindex Emacs Lisp Archive, description of | |
3591 | @cindex Archive, description of the Emacs Lisp | |
3592 | ||
3593 | First, check the Lisp Code Directory to find the name of the package you | |
3594 | are looking for (@pxref{Finding a package with particular | |
3595 | functionality}). Next, check local archives and the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
3596 | to find a copy of the relevant files. If you still haven't found it, | |
3597 | you can send e-mail to the author asking for a copy. If you find Emacs | |
3598 | Lisp code that doesn't appear in the LCD, please submit a copy to the | |
3599 | LCD (@pxref{Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive}). | |
3600 | ||
3601 | You can access the Emacs Lisp Archive at | |
3602 | ||
3603 | @uref{ftp://archive.cis.ohio-state.edu/pub/emacs-lisp/} | |
3604 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3605 | @noindent |
3606 | or at | |
3607 | ||
3608 | @uref{http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/emacs-lisp} | |
3609 | ||
3610 | @noindent | |
71e68827 DL |
3611 | Retrieve and read the file @file{README} first. |
3612 | ||
3613 | @itemize @bullet | |
3614 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3615 | @item |
3616 | The archive maintainers do not have time to answer individual | |
71e68827 DL |
3617 | requests for packages or the list of packages in the archive. If you |
3618 | cannot use FTP or UUCP to access the archive yourself, try to find a | |
3619 | friend who can, but please don't ask the maintainers. | |
3620 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3621 | @item |
3622 | Any files with names ending in @file{.Z}, @file{.z}, or @file{.gz} are | |
71e68827 DL |
3623 | compressed, so you should use "binary" mode in FTP to retrieve them. |
3624 | You should also use binary mode whenever you retrieve any files with | |
ed5c18e2 | 3625 | names ending in @file{.elc}. |
71e68827 DL |
3626 | |
3627 | @end itemize | |
3628 | ||
3629 | @node Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Current GNU distributions, Packages that do not come with Emacs, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3630 | @section How do I submit code to the Emacs Lisp Archive? | |
3631 | @cindex Submitting code to the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
3632 | @cindex Emacs Lisp Archive, submissions to | |
3633 | @cindex Lisp Archive, submissions to | |
3634 | @cindex Archive, submitting to the Emacs Lisp | |
3635 | ||
3636 | Guidelines and procedures for submission to the archive can be found in | |
ed5c18e2 | 3637 | the file @file{GUIDELINES} in the archive directory (@pxref{Packages that |
71e68827 DL |
3638 | do not come with Emacs}). It covers documentation, copyrights, |
3639 | packaging, submission, and the Lisp Code Directory Record. Anonymous | |
3640 | FTP uploads are not permitted. Instead, all submissions are mailed to | |
3641 | @email{elisp-archive@@cis.ohio-state.edu}. The @file{lispdir.el} | |
3642 | package has a function named @code{submit-lcd-entry} which will help you | |
3643 | with this. | |
3644 | ||
3645 | @node Current GNU distributions, Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3646 | @section Where can I get other up-to-date GNU stuff? | |
3647 | @cindex Current GNU distributions | |
3648 | @cindex Sources for current GNU distributions | |
3649 | @cindex Stuff, current GNU | |
3650 | @cindex Up-to-date GNU stuff | |
3651 | @cindex Finding current GNU software | |
3652 | @cindex Official GNU software sites | |
3653 | ||
3654 | The most up-to-date official GNU software is normally kept at | |
3655 | ||
3656 | @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu} | |
3657 | ||
3658 | Read the files @file{etc/DISTRIB} and @file{etc/FTP} for more | |
3659 | information. | |
3660 | ||
3661 | A list of sites mirroring @samp{ftp.gnu.org} can be found at | |
3662 | ||
3663 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html} | |
3664 | ||
3665 | @node Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Emacs for MS-DOS, Current GNU distributions, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3666 | @section What is the difference between Emacs and XEmacs (formerly "Lucid Emacs")? | |
3667 | @cindex XEmacs | |
3668 | @cindex Difference Emacs and XEmacs | |
3669 | @cindex Lucid Emacs | |
3670 | @cindex Epoch | |
3671 | ||
3672 | First of all, they're both GNU Emacs. XEmacs is just as much a later | |
3673 | version of GNU Emacs as the FSF-distributed version. This FAQ refers to | |
ed5c18e2 | 3674 | the latest version to be distributed by the FSF as ``Emacs,'' partly |
71e68827 | 3675 | because the XEmacs maintainers now refer to their product using the |
ed5c18e2 | 3676 | ``XEmacs'' name, and partly because there isn't any accurate way to |
71e68827 DL |
3677 | differentiate between the two without getting mired in paragraphs of |
3678 | legalese and history. | |
3679 | ||
3680 | XEmacs, which began life as Lucid Emacs, is based on an early version of | |
3681 | Emacs 19 and Epoch, an X-aware version of Emacs 18. | |
3682 | ||
3683 | Emacs (i.e., the version distributed by the FSF) has a larger installed | |
0d17cd5c | 3684 | base and now always contains the MULE multilingual facilities. |
97878c08 | 3685 | XEmacs can do some clever tricks with X and MS-Windows, such as |
0d17cd5c DL |
3686 | putting arbitrary graphics in a buffer. Similar facilities have been |
3687 | implemented for Emacs as part of a new redisplay implementation for | |
ed5c18e2 | 3688 | Emacs 21, and are available in the latest Emacs releases. |
0d17cd5c | 3689 | Emacs and XEmacs each come with |
71e68827 DL |
3690 | Lisp packages that are lacking in the other; RMS says that the FSF would |
3691 | include more packages that come with XEmacs, but that the XEmacs | |
3692 | maintainers don't always keep track of the authors of contributed code, | |
3693 | which makes it impossible for the FSF to have certain legal papers | |
3694 | signed. (Without these legal papers, the FSF will not distribute Lisp | |
0d17cd5c DL |
3695 | packages with Emacs.) The two versions have some |
3696 | significant differences at the Lisp programming level. | |
71e68827 DL |
3697 | |
3698 | Many XEmacs features have found their way into recent versions of Emacs, | |
3699 | and more features can be expected in the future, but there are still many | |
3700 | differences between the two. | |
3701 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3702 | The latest stable version of XEmacs as of this writing is 21.1; you can |
3703 | get it at | |
3704 | ||
3705 | @uref{ftp://ftp.xemacs.org/pub/xemacs/current/xemacs-21.1.13.tar.gz} | |
3706 | ||
3707 | More information about XEmacs, including a list of frequently asked | |
3708 | questions (FAQ), is available at | |
3709 | ||
3710 | @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/} | |
3711 | ||
71e68827 DL |
3712 | @node Emacs for MS-DOS, Emacs for Windows, Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Finding Emacs and related packages |
3713 | @section Where can I get Emacs for my PC running MS-DOS? | |
3714 | @cindex MS-DOS, Emacs for | |
3715 | @cindex DOS, Emacs for | |
3716 | @cindex Compiling Emacs for DOS | |
3717 | @cindex Emacs for MS-DOS | |
3718 | @cindex Tools needed to compile Emacs under DOS | |
3719 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3720 | A pre-built binary distribution of Emacs is available from the |
3721 | SimTel.NET archives. This version apparently works under MS-DOS and | |
3722 | Windows (3.X, 9X, ME, NT, and 2000) and supports long file names under | |
3723 | Windows 9X, Windows ME, and Windows 2000. More information is available | |
3724 | from | |
71e68827 DL |
3725 | |
3726 | @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu/emacs.README} | |
3727 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3728 | The binary itself is available in the files @file{em*.zip} in the |
71e68827 DL |
3729 | directory |
3730 | ||
3731 | @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu/} | |
3732 | ||
0d17cd5c DL |
3733 | If you prefer to compile Emacs for yourself, you can do so with the |
3734 | current distribution directly. You will need a 386 (or | |
3735 | better) processor, and to be running MS-DOS 3.0 or later. According to | |
71e68827 DL |
3736 | @email{eliz@@is.elta.co.il, Eli Zaretskii} and |
3737 | @email{hankedr@@dms.auburn.edu, Darrel Hankerson}, you will need the | |
3738 | following: | |
3739 | ||
3740 | @table @emph | |
3741 | ||
3742 | @item Compiler | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3743 | DJGPP version 1.12 maint 1 or later. Djgpp 2.0 or later is |
3744 | recommended, since 1.x is very old an unmaintained. Djgpp 2 supports | |
f8635375 | 3745 | long file names on Windows 9X/ME/2K. |
71e68827 | 3746 | |
ed5c18e2 | 3747 | You can get the latest release of DJGPP by retrieving all of |
71e68827 DL |
3748 | the files in |
3749 | ||
ed5c18e2 | 3750 | @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2*} |
71e68827 | 3751 | |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3752 | @item Unpacking program |
3753 | The easiest way is to use @code{djtar} which comes with DJGPP v2.x, | |
71e68827 | 3754 | because it can open gzip'ed tarfiles (i.e., those ending with |
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3755 | @file{.tar.gz}) in one step. @code{Djtar} comes in |
3756 | @file{djdev@var{nnn}.zip} archive (where @var{nnn} is the DJGPP version | |
3757 | number), from the URL mentioned above. | |
3758 | ||
3759 | @strong{Warning!} Do @strong{not} use the popular WinZip program to | |
3760 | unpack the Emacs distribution! WinZip is known to corrupt some of the | |
3761 | files by converting them to the DOS CR-LF format, it doesn't always | |
3762 | preserve the directory structure recorded in the compressed Emacs | |
3763 | archive, and commits other atrocities. Some of these problems could | |
3764 | actually prevent Emacs from building successfully! | |
71e68827 DL |
3765 | |
3766 | @item make, mv, sed, and rm | |
3767 | All of these utilities are available at | |
3768 | ||
3769 | @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu} | |
3770 | ||
3771 | 16-bit utilities can be found in GNUish, at | |
3772 | ||
3773 | @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/gnuish} | |
3774 | ||
ed5c18e2 EZ |
3775 | @noindent |
3776 | (@code{mv} and @code{rm} are in the Fileutils package, @code{sed} and | |
3777 | @code{make} are each one in a separate package named after them.) | |
3778 | ||
71e68827 DL |
3779 | @end table |
3780 | ||
d891bf01 EZ |
3781 | The files @file{INSTALL} (near its end) and @file{etc/PROBLEMS} in the |
3782 | directory of the Emacs sources contains some additional information | |
3783 | regarding Emacs under MS-DOS. | |
71e68827 DL |
3784 | |
3785 | For a list of other MS-DOS implementations of Emacs (and Emacs | |
3786 | look-alikes), consult the list of "Emacs implementations and literature," | |
3787 | available at | |
3788 | ||
3789 | @uref{ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.emacs/} | |
3790 | ||
3791 | Note that while many of these programs look similar to Emacs, they often | |
3792 | lack certain features, such as the Emacs Lisp extension language. | |
3793 | ||
3794 | @node Emacs for Windows, Emacs for OS/2, Emacs for MS-DOS, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3795 | @section Where can I get Emacs for Microsoft Windows | |
3796 | @cindex FAQ for NT Emacs | |
d891bf01 | 3797 | @cindex Emacs for MS-Windows |
71e68827 | 3798 | @cindex Microsoft Windows, Emacs for |
d891bf01 | 3799 | @cindex Windows 9X, ME, NT, 2K, and CE, Emacs for |
71e68827 DL |
3800 | |
3801 | For information on Emacs for Windows 95 and NT, read the FAQ produced by | |
3802 | @email{voelker@@cs.washington.edu, Geoff Voelker}, available at | |
3803 | ||
0d17cd5c | 3804 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/windows/ntemacs.html} |
71e68827 | 3805 | |
0d17cd5c | 3806 | @xref{Emacs for MS-DOS}, for Windows 3.1. |
71e68827 | 3807 | |
d891bf01 EZ |
3808 | A port of Emacs 20.7 for Windows CE, based on NTEmacs, is available at |
3809 | ||
3810 | @uref{http://www.rainer-keuchel.de/software.html} | |
3811 | ||
3812 | @noindent | |
3813 | This port was done by @email{coyxc@@rainer-keuchel.de, Rainer Keuchel}, | |
3814 | and supports all Emacs features except async subprocesses and menus. | |
3815 | You will need MSVC 6.0 and a Windows CE SDK to build this port. | |
3816 | ||
71e68827 DL |
3817 | @node Emacs for OS/2, Emacs for Atari ST, Emacs for Windows, Finding Emacs and related packages |
3818 | @section Where can I get Emacs for my PC running OS/2? | |
3819 | @cindex OS/2, Emacs for | |
3820 | ||
bb2628a7 | 3821 | Emacs 20.6 is ported for emx on OS/2 2.0 or 2.1, and is available at |
71e68827 | 3822 | |
bb2628a7 EZ |
3823 | @uref{ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/apps/editors/emacs/e206*.zip} |
3824 | ||
3825 | @noindent | |
3826 | and also at | |
3827 | ||
3828 | @uref{http://archiv.leo.org/pub/comp/os/os2/leo/gnu/emacs%2d20/} | |
3829 | ||
3830 | Instructions for installation, basic setup, and other useful information | |
3831 | for OS/2 users of Emacs can be found at | |
3832 | ||
3833 | @uref{http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~oheiabbd/emacs/emacs206-os2.html} | |
71e68827 DL |
3834 | |
3835 | @node Emacs for Atari ST, Emacs for the Amiga , Emacs for OS/2, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3836 | @section Where can I get Emacs for my Atari ST? | |
3837 | @cindex Atari ST, Emacs for | |
3838 | @cindex TOS, Emacs for | |
3839 | ||
3840 |