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1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
3 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. | |
4 | @node M-x, Help, Minibuffer, Top | |
5 | @chapter Running Commands by Name | |
6 | ||
7 | The Emacs commands that are used often or that must be quick to type are | |
8 | bound to keys---short sequences of characters---for convenient use. Other | |
9 | Emacs commands that do not need to be brief are not bound to keys; to run | |
10 | them, you must refer to them by name. | |
11 | ||
12 | A command name is, by convention, made up of one or more words, | |
13 | separated by hyphens; for example, @code{auto-fill-mode} or | |
14 | @code{manual-entry}. The use of English words makes the command name | |
15 | easier to remember than a key made up of obscure characters, even though | |
16 | it is more characters to type. | |
17 | ||
18 | @kindex M-x | |
19 | The way to run a command by name is to start with @kbd{M-x}, type the | |
20 | command name, and finish it with @key{RET}. @kbd{M-x} uses the | |
21 | minibuffer to read the command name. @key{RET} exits the minibuffer and | |
22 | runs the command. The string @samp{M-x} appears at the beginning of the | |
23 | minibuffer as a @dfn{prompt} to remind you to enter the name of a | |
24 | command to be run. @xref{Minibuffer}, for full information on the | |
25 | features of the minibuffer. | |
26 | ||
27 | You can use completion to enter the command name. For example, the | |
28 | command @code{forward-char} can be invoked by name by typing | |
29 | ||
30 | @example | |
31 | M-x forward-char @key{RET} | |
32 | @end example | |
33 | ||
34 | @noindent | |
35 | or | |
36 | ||
37 | @example | |
38 | M-x forw @key{TAB} c @key{RET} | |
39 | @end example | |
40 | ||
41 | @noindent | |
42 | Note that @code{forward-char} is the same command that you invoke with | |
43 | the key @kbd{C-f}. You can run any Emacs command by name using | |
44 | @kbd{M-x}, whether or not any keys are bound to it. | |
45 | ||
46 | If you type @kbd{C-g} while the command name is being read, you cancel | |
47 | the @kbd{M-x} command and get out of the minibuffer, ending up at top level. | |
48 | ||
49 | To pass a numeric argument to the command you are invoking with | |
50 | @kbd{M-x}, specify the numeric argument before the @kbd{M-x}. @kbd{M-x} | |
51 | passes the argument along to the command it runs. The argument value | |
52 | appears in the prompt while the command name is being read. | |
53 | ||
54 | @vindex suggest-key-bindings | |
55 | If the command you type has a key binding of its own, Emacs mentions | |
56 | this in the echo area, two seconds after the command finishes (if you | |
57 | don't type anything else first). For example, if you type @kbd{M-x | |
58 | forward-word}, the message says that you can run the same command more | |
59 | easily by typing @kbd{M-f}. You can turn off these messages by setting | |
60 | @code{suggest-key-bindings} to @code{nil}. | |
61 | ||
62 | Normally, when describing in this manual a command that is run by | |
63 | name, we omit the @key{RET} that is needed to terminate the name. Thus | |
64 | we might speak of @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode} rather than @kbd{M-x | |
65 | auto-fill-mode @key{RET}}. We mention the @key{RET} only when there is | |
66 | a need to emphasize its presence, such as when we show the command | |
67 | together with following arguments. | |
68 | ||
69 | @findex execute-extended-command | |
70 | @kbd{M-x} works by running the command | |
71 | @code{execute-extended-command}, which is responsible for reading the | |
72 | name of another command and invoking it. |