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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 Glossary, Key Index, Intro, Top | |
5 | @unnumbered Glossary | |
6 | ||
7 | @table @asis | |
8 | @item Abbrev | |
9 | An abbrev is a text string which expands into a different text string | |
10 | when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a few letters | |
11 | as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert frequently. | |
12 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
13 | ||
14 | @item Aborting | |
15 | Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). The | |
16 | commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} are used for this. | |
17 | @xref{Quitting}. | |
18 | ||
19 | @item Alt | |
20 | Alt is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
21 | have. To make a character Alt, type it while holding down the @key{ALT} | |
22 | key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-} | |
23 | (usually written @kbd{A-} for short). (Note that many terminals have a | |
24 | key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User | |
25 | Input, Alt}. | |
26 | ||
27 | @item ASCII character | |
28 | An ASCII character is either an ASCII control character or an ASCII | |
29 | printing character. @xref{User Input}. | |
30 | ||
31 | @item ASCII control character | |
32 | An ASCII control character is the Control version of an upper-case | |
33 | letter, or the Control version of one of the characters @samp{@@[\]^_?}. | |
34 | ||
35 | @item ASCII printing character | |
36 | ASCII printing characters include letters, digits, space, and these | |
37 | punctuation characters: @samp{!@@#$%^& *()_-+=|\~` @{@}[]:;"' <>,.?/}. | |
38 | ||
39 | @item Auto Fill Mode | |
40 | Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which text that you insert is | |
41 | automatically broken into lines of fixed width. @xref{Filling}. | |
42 | ||
43 | @item Auto Saving | |
44 | Auto saving is the practice of saving the contents of an Emacs buffer in | |
45 | a specially-named file, so that the information will not be lost if the | |
46 | buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. @xref{Auto Save}. | |
47 | ||
48 | @item Backup File | |
49 | A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current | |
50 | editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you | |
51 | track down or cancel changes you later regret making. @xref{Backup}. | |
52 | ||
53 | @item Balance Parentheses | |
54 | Emacs can balance parentheses manually or automatically. Manual | |
55 | balancing is done by the commands to move over balanced expressions | |
56 | (@pxref{Lists}). Automatic balancing is done by blinking or | |
57 | highlighting the parenthesis that matches one just inserted | |
58 | (@pxref{Matching,,Matching Parens}). | |
59 | ||
60 | @item Bind | |
61 | To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:). | |
62 | @xref{Rebinding}. | |
63 | ||
64 | @item Binding | |
65 | A key sequence gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding, which is a | |
66 | command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when the user types that | |
67 | sequence. @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves | |
68 | rebinding a character to a different command function. The bindings of | |
69 | all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
70 | ||
71 | @item Blank Lines | |
72 | Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several | |
73 | commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer. | |
74 | ||
75 | @item Buffer | |
76 | The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text | |
77 | being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any time you are | |
78 | editing only one, the `selected' buffer, though several can be visible | |
79 | when you are using multiple windows (q.v.). Most buffers are visiting | |
80 | (q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}. | |
81 | ||
82 | @item Buffer Selection History | |
83 | Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each | |
84 | Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to | |
85 | select. @xref{Buffers}. | |
86 | ||
87 | @item Button Down Event | |
88 | A button down event is the kind of input event generated right away when | |
89 | you press a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
90 | ||
91 | @item @kbd{C-} | |
92 | @kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control. | |
93 | @xref{User Input,C-}. | |
94 | ||
95 | @item @kbd{C-M-} | |
96 | @kbd{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
97 | Control-Meta. @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
98 | ||
99 | @item Case Conversion | |
100 | Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or | |
101 | vice versa. @xref{Case}, for the commands for case conversion. | |
102 | ||
103 | @item Character | |
104 | Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer; see @ref{Text | |
105 | Characters}. Also, key sequences (q.v.@:) are usually made up of | |
106 | characters (though they may include other input events as well). | |
107 | @xref{User Input}. | |
108 | ||
109 | @item Character Set | |
110 | Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a | |
111 | particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}. | |
112 | ||
113 | @item Click Event | |
114 | A click event is the kind of input event generated when you press a | |
115 | mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
116 | ||
117 | @item Coding System | |
118 | A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a | |
119 | file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert | |
120 | text to or from a variety of coding systems when reading or writing it. | |
121 | @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
122 | ||
123 | @item Command | |
124 | A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a | |
125 | key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its | |
126 | binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find | |
127 | the command to run. @xref{Commands}. | |
128 | ||
129 | @item Command Name | |
130 | A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command | |
131 | (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using | |
132 | @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x}). | |
133 | ||
134 | @item Comment | |
135 | A comment is text in a program which is intended only for humans reading | |
136 | the program, and which is marked specially so that it will be ignored | |
137 | when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands | |
138 | for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}. | |
139 | ||
140 | @item Compilation | |
141 | Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source | |
142 | code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code | |
143 | (@pxref{Byte Compilation,, Byte Compilation, elisp, the Emacs Lisp | |
144 | Reference Manual}) and programs in C and other languages | |
145 | (@pxref{Compilation}). | |
146 | ||
147 | @item Complete Key | |
148 | A complete key is a key sequence which fully specifies one action to be | |
149 | performed by Emacs. For example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-x m} | |
150 | are complete keys. Complete keys derive their meanings from being bound | |
151 | (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:). Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to | |
152 | a command to insert @samp{X} in the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is | |
153 | conventionally bound to a command to begin composing a mail message. | |
154 | @xref{Keys}. | |
155 | ||
156 | @item Completion | |
157 | Completion is what Emacs does when it automatically fills out an | |
158 | abbreviation for a name into the entire name. Completion is done for | |
159 | minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs | |
160 | is known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and | |
161 | file names. Completion occurs when @key{TAB}, @key{SPC} or @key{RET} | |
162 | is typed. @xref{Completion}.@refill | |
163 | ||
164 | @item Continuation Line | |
165 | When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it | |
166 | takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the | |
167 | text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the | |
168 | first are called continuation lines. @xref{Basic,Continuation,Basic | |
169 | Editing}. | |
170 | ||
171 | @item Control Character | |
172 | A control character is a character that you type by holding down the | |
173 | @key{CTRL} key. Some control characters also have their own keys, so | |
174 | that you can type them without using @key{CTRL}. For example, | |
175 | @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} are all control | |
176 | characters. @xref{User Input}. | |
177 | ||
178 | @item Copyleft | |
179 | A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to | |
180 | redistribute a program or other work of art. Copylefts are used by | |
181 | left-wing programmers to promote freedom and cooperation, just as | |
182 | copyrights are used by right-wing programmers to gain power over other | |
183 | people. | |
184 | ||
185 | The particular form of copyleft used by the GNU project is called the | |
186 | GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
187 | ||
188 | @item Current Buffer | |
189 | The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing | |
190 | commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one. | |
191 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
192 | ||
193 | @item Current Line | |
194 | The line point is on (@pxref{Point}). | |
195 | ||
196 | @item Current Paragraph | |
197 | The paragraph that point is in. If point is between paragraphs, the | |
198 | current paragraph is the one that follows point. @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
199 | ||
200 | @item Current Defun | |
201 | The defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is between defuns, the | |
202 | current defun is the one that follows point. @xref{Defuns}. | |
203 | ||
204 | @item Cursor | |
205 | The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position | |
206 | called point (q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place. | |
207 | The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often | |
208 | people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean | |
209 | `point'. @xref{Basic,Cursor,Basic Editing}. | |
210 | ||
211 | @item Customization | |
212 | Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is | |
213 | often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or by rebinding | |
214 | key sequences (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
215 | ||
216 | @item Default Argument | |
217 | The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you | |
218 | do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument, | |
219 | the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}. | |
220 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
221 | ||
222 | @item Default Directory | |
223 | When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, | |
224 | it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory. | |
225 | @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}. | |
226 | ||
227 | @item Defun | |
228 | A defun is a list at the top level of parenthesis or bracket structure | |
229 | in a program. It is so named because most such lists in Lisp programs | |
230 | are calls to the Lisp function @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}. | |
231 | ||
232 | @item @key{DEL} | |
233 | @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character of | |
234 | text. @xref{Basic,DEL,Basic Editing}. | |
235 | ||
236 | @item Deletion | |
237 | Deletion means erasing text without copying it into the kill ring | |
238 | (q.v.@:). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing,Deletion}. | |
239 | ||
240 | @item Deletion of Files | |
241 | Deleting a file means erasing it from the file system. | |
242 | @xref{Misc File Ops}. | |
243 | ||
244 | @item Deletion of Messages | |
245 | Deleting a message means flagging it to be eliminated from your mail | |
246 | file. Until you expunge (q.v.@:) the Rmail file, you can still undelete | |
247 | the messages you have deleted. @xref{Rmail Deletion}. | |
248 | ||
249 | @item Deletion of Windows | |
250 | Deleting a window means eliminating it from the screen. Other windows | |
251 | expand to use up the space. The deleted window can never come back, | |
252 | but no actual text is thereby lost. @xref{Windows}. | |
253 | ||
254 | @item Directory | |
255 | File directories are named collections in the file system, within which | |
256 | you can place individual files or subdirectories. @xref{Directories}. | |
257 | ||
258 | @item Dired | |
259 | Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file | |
260 | directory and allows you to ``edit the directory,'' performing | |
261 | operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}. | |
262 | ||
263 | @item Disabled Command | |
264 | A disabled command is one that you may not run without special | |
265 | confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is | |
266 | confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}. | |
267 | ||
268 | @item Down Event | |
269 | Short for `button down event'. | |
270 | ||
271 | @item Drag Event | |
272 | A drag event is the kind of input event generated when you press a mouse | |
273 | button, move the mouse, and then release the button. @xref{Mouse | |
274 | Buttons}. | |
275 | ||
276 | @item Dribble File | |
277 | A file into which Emacs writes all the characters that the user types | |
278 | on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record for | |
279 | debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you | |
280 | tell it to. @xref{Bugs}. | |
281 | ||
282 | @item Echo Area | |
283 | The echo area is the bottom line of the screen, used for echoing the | |
284 | arguments to commands, for asking questions, and printing brief messages | |
285 | (including error messages). The messages are stored in the buffer | |
286 | @samp{*Messages*} so you can review them later. @xref{Echo Area}. | |
287 | ||
288 | @item Echoing | |
289 | Echoing is acknowledging the receipt of commands by displaying them (in | |
290 | the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character key sequences; | |
291 | longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing them. | |
292 | ||
293 | @item Electric | |
294 | We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting | |
295 | (q.v.), but the current major mode (q.v.) redefines it to do something | |
296 | else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define | |
297 | particular delimiter characters to reindent the line or insert one or | |
298 | more newlines in addition to self-insertion. | |
299 | ||
300 | @item Error | |
301 | An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current | |
302 | circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops | |
303 | (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs | |
304 | reports the error by printing an error message (q.v.@:). Type-ahead | |
305 | is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another editing command. | |
306 | ||
307 | @item Error Message | |
308 | An error message is a single line of output displayed by Emacs when the | |
309 | user asks for something impossible to do (such as, killing text | |
310 | forward when point is at the end of the buffer). They appear in the | |
311 | echo area, accompanied by a beep. | |
312 | ||
313 | @item @key{ESC} | |
314 | @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on | |
315 | keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which, | |
316 | like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is | |
317 | typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and | |
318 | it applies to the next character you type. | |
319 | ||
320 | @item Expunging | |
321 | Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer is an operation that truly | |
322 | discards the messages or files you have previously flagged for deletion. | |
323 | ||
324 | @item File Locking | |
325 | Emacs used file locking to notice when two different users | |
326 | start to edit one file at the same time. @xref{Interlocking}. | |
327 | ||
328 | @item File Name | |
329 | A file name is a name that refers to a file. File names may be relative | |
330 | or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current | |
331 | directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless | |
332 | of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute | |
333 | file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or | |
334 | @samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). | |
335 | ||
336 | Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not; | |
337 | we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.). | |
338 | ||
339 | @item File-Name Component | |
340 | A file-name component names a file directly within a particular | |
341 | directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of | |
342 | file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar} | |
343 | is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it | |
344 | refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in | |
345 | the current directory. | |
346 | ||
347 | @item Fill Prefix | |
348 | The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning | |
349 | of each line when filling is done. It is not regarded as part of the | |
350 | text to be filled. @xref{Filling}. | |
351 | ||
352 | @item Filling | |
353 | Filling text means shifting text between consecutive lines so that all | |
354 | the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}. | |
355 | ||
356 | @item Formatted Text | |
357 | Formatted text is text that displays with formatting information while | |
358 | you edit. Formatting information includes fonts, colors, and specified | |
359 | margins. @xref{Formatted Text}. | |
360 | ||
361 | @item Frame | |
362 | A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out | |
363 | with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame | |
364 | into Emacs windows (q.v.). When you are using X windows, all the frames | |
365 | can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}. | |
366 | ||
367 | @item Function Key | |
368 | A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not | |
369 | correspond to any character. @xref{Function Keys}. | |
370 | ||
371 | @item Global | |
372 | Global means `independent of the current environment; in effect | |
373 | throughout Emacs'. It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular | |
374 | examples of the use of `global' appear below. | |
375 | ||
376 | @item Global Abbrev | |
377 | A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major | |
378 | modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev. | |
379 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
380 | ||
381 | @item Global Keymap | |
382 | The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect | |
383 | except when overridden by local key bindings in a major mode's local | |
384 | keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
385 | ||
386 | @item Global Mark Ring | |
387 | The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently set | |
388 | a mark in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack through buffers | |
389 | you have been editing in, or in which you have found tags. @xref{Global | |
390 | Mark Ring}. | |
391 | ||
392 | @item Global Substitution | |
393 | Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by | |
394 | another string through a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}. | |
395 | ||
396 | @item Global Variable | |
397 | The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers | |
398 | that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable. | |
399 | @xref{Variables}. | |
400 | ||
401 | @item Graphic Character | |
402 | Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than | |
403 | just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the | |
404 | Control (q.v.@:) characters are graphic characters. These include | |
405 | letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include | |
406 | @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts | |
407 | that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Basic,,Basic Editing}. | |
408 | ||
409 | @item Highlighting | |
410 | Highlighting text means displaying it with a different foreground and/or | |
411 | background color to make it stand out from the rest of the text in the | |
412 | buffer. | |
413 | ||
414 | @item Hardcopy | |
415 | Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has commands for making printed | |
416 | listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Hardcopy}. | |
417 | ||
418 | @item @key{HELP} | |
419 | @key{HELP} is the Emacs name for @kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}. You can type | |
420 | @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what any | |
421 | command does. @xref{Help}. | |
422 | ||
423 | @item Hyper | |
424 | Hyper is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
425 | have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the | |
426 | @key{HYPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
427 | @kbd{Hyper-} (usually written @kbd{H-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
428 | Hyper}. | |
429 | ||
430 | @item Inbox | |
431 | An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system. | |
432 | Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files (q.v.@:) in which the | |
433 | mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted. | |
434 | @xref{Rmail Inbox}. | |
435 | ||
436 | @item Indentation | |
437 | Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most | |
438 | programming languages have conventions for using indentation to | |
439 | illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special | |
440 | commands to adjust indentation. | |
441 | @xref{Indentation}. | |
442 | ||
443 | @item Indirect Buffer | |
444 | An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer, | |
445 | called its base buffer. @xref{Indirect Buffers}. | |
446 | ||
447 | @item Input Event | |
448 | An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on | |
449 | the terminal. Input events include typing characters, typing function | |
450 | keys, pressing or releasing mouse buttons, and switching between Emacs | |
451 | frames. @xref{User Input}. | |
452 | ||
453 | @item Input Method | |
454 | An input method is a system for entering non-ASCII text characters by | |
455 | typing sequences of ASCII characters (q.v.@:). @xref{Input Methods}. | |
456 | ||
457 | @item Insertion | |
458 | Insertion means copying text into the buffer, either from the keyboard | |
459 | or from some other place in Emacs. | |
460 | ||
461 | @item Interlocking | |
462 | Interlocking is a feature for warning when you start to alter a file | |
463 | that someone else is already editing. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous | |
464 | Editing}. | |
465 | ||
466 | @item Justification | |
467 | Justification means adding extra spaces to lines of text to make them | |
468 | come exactly to a specified width. @xref{Filling,Justification}. | |
469 | ||
470 | @item Keyboard Macro | |
471 | Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from | |
472 | sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program. | |
473 | @xref{Keyboard Macros}. | |
474 | ||
475 | @item Key Sequence | |
476 | A key sequence (key, for short) is a sequence of input events (q.v.@:) | |
477 | that are meaningful as a single unit. If the key sequence is enough to | |
478 | specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.@:); if it is not enough, | |
479 | it is a prefix key (q.v.@:). @xref{Keys}. | |
480 | ||
481 | @item Keymap | |
482 | The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of | |
483 | key sequences to the commands that they run. For example, the global | |
484 | keymap binds the character @kbd{C-n} to the command function | |
485 | @code{next-line}. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
486 | ||
487 | @item Keyboard Translation Table | |
488 | The keyboard translation table is an array that translates the character | |
489 | codes that come from the terminal into the character codes that make up | |
490 | key sequences. @xref{Keyboard Translations}. | |
491 | ||
492 | @item Kill Ring | |
493 | The kill ring is where all text you have killed recently is saved. | |
494 | You can reinsert any of the killed text still in the ring; this is | |
495 | called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}. | |
496 | ||
497 | @item Killing | |
498 | Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be | |
499 | yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.'' | |
500 | Most Emacs commands to erase text do killing, as opposed to deletion | |
501 | (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
502 | ||
503 | @item Killing Jobs | |
504 | Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease | |
505 | to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost. | |
506 | @xref{Exiting}. | |
507 | ||
508 | @item Language Environment | |
509 | Your choice of language environment specifies defaults for the input | |
510 | method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language | |
511 | Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit non-ASCII text | |
512 | (@pxref{International}). | |
513 | ||
514 | @item List | |
515 | A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open | |
516 | parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode | |
517 | and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched | |
518 | delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also | |
519 | considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on | |
520 | lists. @xref{Lists}. | |
521 | ||
522 | @item Local | |
523 | Local means `in effect only in a particular context'; the relevant | |
524 | kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular | |
525 | buffer, or a particular major mode. It is the opposite of `global' | |
526 | (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below. | |
527 | ||
528 | @item Local Abbrev | |
529 | A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode | |
530 | is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition | |
531 | for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
532 | ||
533 | @item Local Keymap | |
534 | A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings | |
535 | (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the | |
536 | same key sequences. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
537 | ||
538 | @item Local Variable | |
539 | A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer. | |
540 | @xref{Locals}. | |
541 | ||
542 | @item @kbd{M-} | |
543 | @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META}, | |
544 | one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character. | |
545 | @xref{User Input}. | |
546 | ||
547 | @item @kbd{M-C-} | |
548 | @kbd{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
549 | Control-Meta; it means the same thing as @kbd{C-M-}. If your | |
550 | terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type a Control-Meta character by | |
551 | typing @key{ESC} and then typing the corresponding Control character. | |
552 | @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
553 | ||
554 | @item @kbd{M-x} | |
555 | @kbd{M-x} is the key sequence which is used to call an Emacs command by | |
556 | name. This is how you run commands that are not bound to key sequences. | |
557 | @xref{M-x}. | |
558 | ||
559 | @item Mail | |
560 | Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer | |
561 | system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for | |
562 | composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have | |
563 | received. @xref{Sending Mail}. @xref{Rmail}, for how to read mail. | |
564 | ||
565 | @item Mail Composition Method | |
566 | A mail composition method is a program runnable within Emacs for editing | |
567 | and sending a mail message. Emacs lets you select from several | |
568 | alternative mail composition methods. @xref{Mail Methods}. | |
569 | ||
570 | @item Major Mode | |
571 | The Emacs major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options, each of | |
572 | which configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, | |
573 | each programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}. | |
574 | ||
575 | @item Mark | |
576 | The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the | |
577 | region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on | |
578 | all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark. | |
579 | @xref{Mark}. | |
580 | ||
581 | @item Mark Ring | |
582 | The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the | |
583 | mark, just in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its | |
584 | own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.). | |
585 | @xref{Mark Ring}. | |
586 | ||
587 | @item Menu Bar | |
588 | The menu bar is the line at the top of an Emacs frame. It contains | |
589 | words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus. The menu bar | |
590 | feature is supported only with X. @xref{Menu Bars}. | |
591 | ||
592 | @item Message | |
593 | See `mail'. | |
594 | ||
595 | @item Meta | |
596 | Meta is the name of a modifier bit which a command character may have. | |
597 | It is present in a character if the character is typed with the | |
598 | @key{META} key held down. Such characters are given names that start | |
599 | with @kbd{Meta-} (usually written @kbd{M-} for short). For example, | |
600 | @kbd{M-<} is typed by holding down @key{META} and at the same time | |
601 | typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done, on most terminals, by holding | |
602 | down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}). @xref{User Input,Meta}. | |
603 | ||
604 | @item Meta Character | |
605 | A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit. | |
606 | ||
607 | @item Minibuffer | |
608 | The minibuffer is the window that appears when necessary inside the | |
609 | echo area (q.v.@:), used for reading arguments to commands. | |
610 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
611 | ||
612 | @item Minibuffer History | |
613 | The minibuffer history records the text you have specified in the past | |
614 | for minibuffer arguments, so you can conveniently use the same text | |
615 | again. @xref{Minibuffer History}. | |
616 | ||
617 | @item Minor Mode | |
618 | A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs which can be switched on | |
619 | or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a | |
620 | command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
621 | ||
622 | @item Minor Mode Keymap | |
623 | A keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is active when that mode is | |
624 | enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence over the buffer's local | |
625 | keymap, just as the local keymap takes precedence over the global | |
626 | keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
627 | ||
628 | @item Mode Line | |
629 | The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving | |
630 | status information on the buffer displayed in that window. @xref{Mode | |
631 | Line}. | |
632 | ||
633 | @item Modified Buffer | |
634 | A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the | |
635 | last time the buffer was saved (or since when it was created, if it | |
636 | has never been saved). @xref{Saving}. | |
637 | ||
638 | @item Moving Text | |
639 | Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in | |
640 | another. The usual way to move text by killing (q.v.@:) and then | |
641 | yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
642 | ||
643 | @item MULE | |
644 | MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing non-ASCII text | |
645 | using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). @xref{International}. | |
646 | ||
647 | @item Multibyte Character | |
648 | A multibyte character is a character that takes up several buffer | |
649 | positions. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-ASCII text, | |
650 | since the number of non-ASCII characters is much more than 256. | |
651 | @xref{International Intro}. | |
652 | ||
653 | @item Named Mark | |
654 | A named mark is a register (q.v.@:) in its role of recording a | |
655 | location in text so that you can move point to that location. | |
656 | @xref{Registers}. | |
657 | ||
658 | @item Narrowing | |
659 | Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in | |
660 | the current buffer to only a part of the text in the buffer. Text | |
661 | outside that part is inaccessible to the user until the boundaries are | |
662 | widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves it | |
663 | all. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
664 | ||
665 | @item Newline | |
666 | Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are | |
667 | therefore also called newlines. @xref{Text Characters,Newline}. | |
668 | ||
669 | @item Numeric Argument | |
670 | A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change | |
671 | the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a | |
672 | repeat count. @xref{Arguments}. | |
673 | ||
674 | @item Overwrite Mode | |
675 | Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text | |
676 | characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing | |
677 | it to the right. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
678 | ||
679 | @item Page | |
680 | A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (ASCII | |
681 | control-L, code 014) coming at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs | |
682 | commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages. | |
683 | @xref{Pages}. | |
684 | ||
685 | @item Paragraph | |
686 | Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of English text. There are | |
687 | special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs. | |
688 | @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
689 | ||
690 | @item Parsing | |
691 | We say that certain Emacs commands parse words or expressions in the | |
692 | text being edited. Really, all they know how to do is find the other | |
693 | end of a word or expression. @xref{Syntax}. | |
694 | ||
695 | @item Point | |
696 | Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion | |
697 | occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one | |
698 | character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of | |
699 | point. @xref{Basic,Point}. | |
700 | ||
701 | @item Prefix Argument | |
702 | See `numeric argument'. | |
703 | ||
704 | @item Prefix Key | |
705 | A prefix key is a key sequence (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to | |
706 | introduce a set of longer key sequences. @kbd{C-x} is an example of | |
707 | prefix key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is | |
708 | therefore a legitimate key sequence. @xref{Keys}. | |
709 | ||
710 | @item Primary Rmail File | |
711 | Your primary Rmail file is the file named @samp{RMAIL} in your home | |
712 | directory. That's where Rmail stores your incoming mail, unless you | |
713 | specify a different file name. @xref{Rmail}. | |
714 | ||
715 | @item Primary Selection | |
716 | The primary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); it is the | |
717 | selection that most X applications use for transferring text to and from | |
718 | other applications. | |
719 | ||
720 | The Emacs kill commands set the primary selection and the yank command | |
721 | uses the primary selection when appropriate. @xref{Killing}. | |
722 | ||
723 | @item Prompt | |
724 | A prompt is text printed to ask the user for input. Displaying a prompt | |
725 | is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area | |
726 | (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used to | |
727 | read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens when | |
728 | you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also | |
729 | a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}). | |
730 | ||
731 | @item Quitting | |
732 | Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running | |
733 | command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}. | |
734 | ||
735 | @item Quoting | |
736 | Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance. | |
737 | The most common kind of quoting in Emacs is with @kbd{C-q}. What | |
738 | constitutes special significance depends on the context and on | |
739 | convention. For example, an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command | |
740 | inserts itself; so in this context, a special character is any character | |
741 | that does not normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), | |
742 | and quoting it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not | |
743 | all contexts allow quoting. @xref{Basic,Quoting,Basic Editing}. | |
744 | ||
745 | @item Quoting File Names | |
746 | Quoting a file name turns off the special significance of constructs | |
747 | such as @samp{$}, @samp{~} and @samp{:}. @xref{Quoted File Names}. | |
748 | ||
749 | @item Read-Only Buffer | |
750 | A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change. | |
751 | Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which | |
752 | has a special significance to Emacs; for example, Dired buffers. | |
753 | Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer. | |
754 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
755 | ||
756 | @item Rectangle | |
757 | A rectangle consists of the text in a given range of columns on a given | |
758 | range of lines. Normally you specify a rectangle by putting point at | |
759 | one corner and putting the mark at the opposite corner. | |
760 | @xref{Rectangles}. | |
761 | ||
762 | @item Recursive Editing Level | |
763 | A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of | |
764 | a command involves asking the user to edit some text. This text may | |
765 | or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied. | |
766 | The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets | |
767 | (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
768 | ||
769 | @item Redisplay | |
770 | Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to | |
771 | correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited. | |
772 | @xref{Screen,Redisplay}. | |
773 | ||
774 | @item Regexp | |
775 | See `regular expression'. | |
776 | ||
777 | @item Region | |
778 | The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:). | |
779 | Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}. | |
780 | ||
781 | @item Registers | |
782 | Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or | |
783 | rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. | |
784 | ||
785 | @item Regular Expression | |
786 | A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings; | |
787 | for example, @samp{l[0-9]+} matches @samp{l} followed by one or more | |
788 | digits. @xref{Regexps}. | |
789 | ||
790 | @item Repeat Count | |
791 | See `numeric argument'. | |
792 | ||
793 | @item Replacement | |
794 | See `global substitution'. | |
795 | ||
796 | @item Restriction | |
797 | A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the | |
798 | end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a | |
799 | nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:). | |
800 | @xref{Narrowing}. | |
801 | ||
802 | @item @key{RET} | |
803 | @key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a | |
804 | newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments | |
805 | read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}. | |
806 | ||
807 | @item Rmail File | |
808 | An Rmail file is a file containing text in a special format used by | |
809 | Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}. | |
810 | ||
811 | @item Saving | |
812 | Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited | |
813 | (q.v.@:) in that buffer. This is the way text in files actually gets | |
814 | changed by your Emacs editing. @xref{Saving}. | |
815 | ||
816 | @item Scroll Bar | |
817 | A scroll bar is a tall thin hollow box that appears at the side of a | |
818 | window. You can use mouse commands in the scroll bar to scroll the | |
819 | window. The scroll bar feature is supported only with X. @xref{Scroll | |
820 | Bars}. | |
821 | ||
822 | @item Scrolling | |
823 | Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window so as to see a | |
824 | different part of the buffer. @xref{Display,Scrolling}. | |
825 | ||
826 | @item Searching | |
827 | Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified | |
828 | string or the next match for a specified regular expression. | |
829 | @xref{Search}. | |
830 | ||
831 | @item Search Path | |
832 | A search path is a list of directory names, to be used for searching for | |
833 | files for certain purposes. For example, the variable @code{load-path} | |
834 | holds a search path for finding Lisp library files. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
835 | ||
836 | @item Secondary Selection | |
837 | The secondary selection is one particular X selection; some X | |
838 | applications can use it for transferring text to and from other | |
839 | applications. Emacs has special mouse commands for transferring text | |
840 | using the secondary selection. @xref{Secondary Selection}. | |
841 | ||
842 | @item Selecting | |
843 | Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer. | |
844 | @xref{Buffers,Selecting}. | |
845 | ||
846 | @item Selection | |
847 | The X window system allows an application program to specify named | |
848 | selections whose values are text. A program can also read the | |
849 | selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way | |
850 | of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to | |
851 | work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:) | |
852 | selection. | |
853 | ||
854 | @item Self-Documentation | |
855 | Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any | |
856 | command does, or give you a list of all commands related to a topic | |
857 | you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character, | |
858 | @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}. | |
859 | ||
860 | @item Self-Inserting Character | |
861 | A character is self-inserting if typing that character inserts that | |
862 | character in the buffer. Ordinary printing and whitespace characters | |
863 | are self-inserting in Emacs, except in certain special major modes. | |
864 | ||
865 | @item Sentences | |
866 | Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences. | |
867 | @xref{Sentences}. | |
868 | ||
869 | @item Sexp | |
870 | A sexp (short for `s-expression') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp | |
871 | in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Many Emacs commands | |
872 | operate on sexps. The term `sexp' is generalized to languages other | |
873 | than Lisp, to mean a syntactically recognizable expression. | |
874 | @xref{Lists,Sexps}. | |
875 | ||
876 | @item Simultaneous Editing | |
877 | Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once. | |
878 | Simultaneous editing if not detected can cause one user to lose his | |
879 | work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing and warns one of | |
880 | the users to investigate. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
881 | ||
882 | @item String | |
883 | A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of | |
884 | characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as | |
885 | values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in the | |
886 | string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. A @samp{"} | |
887 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\"} and a @samp{\} | |
888 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\\}. All other | |
889 | characters, including newline, can be included just by writing them | |
890 | inside the string; however, backslash sequences as in C, such as | |
891 | @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code, are | |
892 | allowed as well. | |
893 | ||
894 | @item String Substitution | |
895 | See `global substitution'. | |
896 | ||
897 | @item Syntax Table | |
898 | The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word, | |
899 | which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc. | |
900 | @xref{Syntax}. | |
901 | ||
902 | @item Super | |
903 | Super is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
904 | have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the | |
905 | @key{SUPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
906 | @kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
907 | Super}. | |
908 | ||
909 | @item Tags Table | |
910 | A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function | |
911 | definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}. | |
912 | ||
913 | @item Termscript File | |
914 | A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to | |
915 | the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay. | |
916 | Emacs does not make a termscript file unless you tell it to. | |
917 | @xref{Bugs}. | |
918 | ||
919 | @item Text | |
920 | Two meanings (@pxref{Text}): | |
921 | ||
922 | @itemize @bullet | |
923 | @item | |
924 | Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary | |
925 | numbers, images, graphics commands, executable programs, and the like. | |
926 | The contents of an Emacs buffer are always text in this sense. | |
927 | @item | |
928 | Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs, | |
929 | or following the stylistic conventions of human language. | |
930 | @end itemize | |
931 | ||
932 | @item Top Level | |
933 | Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the | |
934 | text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you | |
935 | are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer | |
936 | (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top | |
937 | level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}. | |
938 | ||
939 | @item Transposition | |
940 | Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place | |
941 | formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose | |
942 | two adjacent characters, words, sexps (q.v.@:) or lines | |
943 | (@pxref{Transpose}). | |
944 | ||
945 | @item Truncation | |
946 | Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a | |
947 | line that does not fit within the right margin of the window | |
948 | displaying it. See also `continuation line'. | |
949 | @xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}. | |
950 | ||
951 | @item Undoing | |
952 | Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing | |
953 | back the text that existed earlier in the editing session. | |
954 | @xref{Undo}. | |
955 | ||
956 | @item User Option | |
957 | A user option is a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so that you can customize | |
958 | Emacs by setting it to a new value. @xref{Variables}. | |
959 | ||
960 | @item Variable | |
961 | A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value. | |
962 | Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known | |
963 | as `user options' (q.v.@:)) just so that you can set their values to | |
964 | control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you | |
965 | are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in | |
966 | this manual. @xref{Variables}, for information on variables. | |
967 | ||
968 | @item Version Control | |
969 | Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file. | |
970 | They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:). | |
971 | @xref{Version Control}. | |
972 | ||
973 | @item Visiting | |
974 | Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:) | |
975 | where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}. | |
976 | ||
977 | @item Whitespace | |
978 | Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space, | |
979 | tab, newline, and backspace). | |
980 | ||
981 | @item Widening | |
982 | Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer; | |
983 | it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
984 | ||
985 | @item Window | |
986 | Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which | |
987 | can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time. | |
988 | @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen. | |
989 | @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. | |
990 | ||
991 | @item Word Abbrev | |
992 | Synonymous with `abbrev'. | |
993 | ||
994 | @item Word Search | |
995 | Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the | |
996 | punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}. | |
997 | ||
998 | @item WYSIWYG | |
999 | WYSIWYG stands for `What you see is what you get.' Emacs generally | |
1000 | provides WYSIWYG editing for files of characters; in Enriched mode | |
1001 | (@pxref{Formatted Text}), it provides WYSIWYG editing for files that | |
1002 | include text formatting information. | |
1003 | ||
1004 | @item Yanking | |
1005 | Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to | |
1006 | undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other | |
1007 | systems call this ``pasting.'' @xref{Yanking}. | |
1008 | @end table | |
1009 |