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8cf51b2c | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
acaf905b | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2001-2012 |
73b0cd50 | 3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
8cf51b2c GM |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 | @node Glossary, Key Index, Intro, Top | |
6 | @unnumbered Glossary | |
7 | ||
a0706406 GM |
8 | @c It would be nice if texinfo could add internal links from one item |
9 | @c to another here. Eg when we say "see also `foo bar'", there would | |
10 | @c be a hyperlink to the foo bar item. | |
11 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
12 | @table @asis |
13 | @item Abbrev | |
8bf27c8a | 14 | An abbrev is a text string that expands into a different text string |
8cf51b2c GM |
15 | when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a few letters |
16 | as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert frequently. | |
17 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
18 | ||
19 | @item Aborting | |
20 | Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). The | |
21 | commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} are used for this. | |
22 | @xref{Quitting}. | |
23 | ||
a0706406 GM |
24 | @c FIXME? Active Region |
25 | ||
8cf51b2c | 26 | @item Alt |
07ee224d | 27 | Alt is the name of a modifier bit that a keyboard input character may |
8cf51b2c GM |
28 | have. To make a character Alt, type it while holding down the @key{ALT} |
29 | key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-} | |
30 | (usually written @kbd{A-} for short). (Note that many terminals have a | |
07ee224d | 31 | key labeled @key{ALT} that is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User |
8cf51b2c GM |
32 | Input, Alt}. |
33 | ||
34 | @item Argument | |
8bf27c8a | 35 | See `numeric argument'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
36 | |
37 | @item @acronym{ASCII} character | |
07ee224d GM |
38 | An @acronym{ASCII} character is either an @acronym{ASCII} control |
39 | character or an @acronym{ASCII} printing character. @xref{User Input}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
40 | |
41 | @item @acronym{ASCII} control character | |
42 | An @acronym{ASCII} control character is the Control version of an upper-case | |
43 | letter, or the Control version of one of the characters @samp{@@[\]^_?}. | |
44 | ||
45 | @item @acronym{ASCII} printing character | |
46 | @acronym{ASCII} printing characters include letters, digits, space, and these | |
8bf27c8a | 47 | punctuation characters: @samp{!@@#$%^&*()_-+=|\~`@{@}[]:;"'<>,.?/}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
48 | |
49 | @item Auto Fill Mode | |
07ee224d | 50 | Auto Fill mode is a minor mode (q.v.@:) in which text that you insert is |
8cf51b2c GM |
51 | automatically broken into lines of a given maximum width. |
52 | @xref{Filling}. | |
53 | ||
54 | @item Auto Saving | |
07ee224d GM |
55 | Auto saving is the practice of periodically saving the contents of an |
56 | Emacs buffer in a specially-named file, so that the information will | |
57 | be preserved if the buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. | |
58 | @xref{Auto Save}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
59 | |
60 | @item Autoloading | |
07ee224d | 61 | Emacs can automatically load Lisp libraries when a Lisp program requests a |
8bf27c8a | 62 | function from those libraries. This is called `autoloading'. |
07ee224d | 63 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
64 | |
65 | @item Backtrace | |
66 | A backtrace is a trace of a series of function calls showing how a | |
07ee224d | 67 | program arrived at a certain point. It is used mainly for finding and |
8cf51b2c GM |
68 | correcting bugs (q.v.@:). Emacs can display a backtrace when it signals |
69 | an error or when you type @kbd{C-g} (see `quitting'). @xref{Checklist}. | |
70 | ||
71 | @item Backup File | |
72 | A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current | |
73 | editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you | |
74 | track down or cancel changes you later regret making. @xref{Backup}. | |
75 | ||
76 | @item Balancing Parentheses | |
77 | Emacs can balance parentheses (or other matching delimiters) either | |
78 | manually or automatically. You do manual balancing with the commands | |
79 | to move over parenthetical groupings (@pxref{Moving by Parens}). | |
80 | Automatic balancing works by blinking or highlighting the delimiter | |
8bf27c8a GM |
81 | that matches the one you just inserted, or inserting the matching |
82 | delimiter for you (@pxref{Matching,,Matching Parens}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
83 | |
84 | @item Balanced Expressions | |
85 | A balanced expression is a syntactically recognizable expression, such | |
86 | as a symbol, number, string constant, block, or parenthesized expression | |
87 | in C. @xref{Expressions,Balanced Expressions}. | |
88 | ||
89 | @item Balloon Help | |
8bf27c8a | 90 | See `tooltips'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
91 | |
92 | @item Base Buffer | |
93 | A base buffer is a buffer whose text is shared by an indirect buffer | |
94 | (q.v.@:). | |
95 | ||
a0706406 GM |
96 | @item Bidirectional Text |
97 | Some human languages, such as English, are written from left to right. | |
98 | Others, such as Arabic, are written from right to left. Emacs | |
99 | supports both of these forms, as well as any mixture of them---this | |
100 | is `bidirectional text'. @xref{Bidirectional Editing}. | |
101 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
102 | @item Bind |
103 | To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:). | |
104 | @xref{Rebinding}. | |
105 | ||
106 | @item Binding | |
107 | A key sequence gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding, which is a | |
07ee224d | 108 | command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when you type that |
8cf51b2c GM |
109 | sequence. @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves |
110 | rebinding a character to a different command function. The bindings of | |
111 | all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
112 | ||
113 | @item Blank Lines | |
114 | Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several | |
8bf27c8a | 115 | commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer. @xref{Blank Lines}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
116 | |
117 | @item Bookmark | |
118 | Bookmarks are akin to registers (q.v.@:) in that they record positions | |
119 | in buffers to which you can return later. Unlike registers, bookmarks | |
8bf27c8a | 120 | persist between Emacs sessions. @xref{Bookmarks}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
121 | |
122 | @item Border | |
123 | A border is a thin space along the edge of the frame, used just for | |
124 | spacing, not for displaying anything. An Emacs frame has an ordinary | |
125 | external border, outside of everything including the menu bar, plus an | |
07ee224d GM |
126 | internal border that surrounds the text windows, their scroll bars |
127 | and fringes, and separates them from the menu bar and tool bar. You | |
128 | can customize both borders with options and resources (@pxref{Borders | |
129 | X}). Borders are not the same as fringes (q.v.@:). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
130 | |
131 | @item Buffer | |
132 | The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text | |
8bf27c8a GM |
133 | being edited. You normally have several buffers, but at any time you are |
134 | editing only one, the `current buffer', though several can be visible | |
07ee224d GM |
135 | when you are using multiple windows or frames (q.v.@:). Most buffers |
136 | are visiting (q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
137 | |
138 | @item Buffer Selection History | |
8bf27c8a | 139 | Emacs keeps a buffer selection history that records how recently each |
8cf51b2c GM |
140 | Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to |
141 | select. @xref{Buffers}. | |
142 | ||
143 | @item Bug | |
144 | A bug is an incorrect or unreasonable behavior of a program, or | |
145 | inaccurate or confusing documentation. Emacs developers treat bug | |
146 | reports, both in Emacs code and its documentation, very seriously and | |
147 | ask you to report any bugs you find. @xref{Bugs}. | |
148 | ||
149 | @item Button Down Event | |
07ee224d GM |
150 | A button down event is the kind of input event (q.v.@:) generated |
151 | right away when you press down on a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
152 | |
153 | @item By Default | |
8bf27c8a | 154 | See `default'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
155 | |
156 | @item Byte Compilation | |
8bf27c8a | 157 | See `compilation'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
158 | |
159 | @item @kbd{C-} | |
160 | @kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control. | |
161 | @xref{User Input,C-}. | |
162 | ||
163 | @item @kbd{C-M-} | |
164 | @kbd{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
07ee224d GM |
165 | Control-Meta. If your terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type |
166 | a Control-Meta character by typing @key{ESC} and then typing the | |
167 | corresponding Control character. @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
168 | |
169 | @item Case Conversion | |
170 | Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or | |
8bf27c8a | 171 | vice versa. @xref{Case}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
172 | |
173 | @item Character | |
71f675e5 CY |
174 | Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer. Also, key sequences |
175 | (q.v.@:) are usually made up of characters (though they may include | |
176 | other input events as well). @xref{User Input}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
177 | |
178 | @item Character Set | |
179 | Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a | |
180 | particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}. | |
181 | ||
182 | @item Character Terminal | |
8bf27c8a | 183 | See `text-only terminal'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
184 | |
185 | @item Click Event | |
07ee224d GM |
186 | A click event is the kind of input event (q.v.@:) generated when you |
187 | press a mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. | |
188 | @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
8cf51b2c | 189 | |
a0706406 GM |
190 | @item Client |
191 | See `server'. | |
192 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
193 | @item Clipboard |
194 | A clipboard is a buffer provided by the window system for transferring | |
195 | text between applications. On the X Window system, the clipboard is | |
196 | provided in addition to the primary selection (q.v.@:); on MS-Windows and Mac, | |
197 | the clipboard is used @emph{instead} of the primary selection. | |
198 | @xref{Clipboard}. | |
199 | ||
200 | @item Coding System | |
201 | A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a | |
202 | file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert | |
203 | text to or from a variety of coding systems when reading or writing it. | |
204 | @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
205 | ||
206 | @item Command | |
207 | A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a | |
208 | key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its | |
209 | binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find | |
210 | the command to run. @xref{Commands}. | |
211 | ||
212 | @item Command History | |
8bf27c8a | 213 | See `minibuffer history'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
214 | |
215 | @item Command Name | |
8bf27c8a | 216 | A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol that is a command |
8cf51b2c GM |
217 | (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using |
218 | @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}). | |
219 | ||
220 | @item Comment | |
221 | A comment is text in a program which is intended only for humans reading | |
07ee224d | 222 | the program, and which is specially marked so that it will be ignored |
8cf51b2c GM |
223 | when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands |
224 | for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}. | |
225 | ||
226 | @item Common Lisp | |
227 | Common Lisp is a dialect of Lisp (q.v.@:) much larger and more powerful | |
228 | than Emacs Lisp. Emacs provides a subset of Common Lisp in the CL | |
229 | package. @xref{Top, Common Lisp, Overview, cl, Common Lisp Extensions}. | |
230 | ||
231 | @item Compilation | |
232 | Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source | |
233 | code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code | |
234 | (@pxref{Byte Compilation,,, elisp, the Emacs Lisp | |
235 | Reference Manual}) and programs in C and other languages | |
236 | (@pxref{Compilation}). | |
237 | ||
238 | @item Complete Key | |
8bf27c8a | 239 | A complete key is a key sequence that fully specifies one action to be |
8cf51b2c GM |
240 | performed by Emacs. For example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-x m} |
241 | are complete keys. Complete keys derive their meanings from being bound | |
242 | (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:). Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to | |
243 | a command to insert @samp{X} in the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is | |
244 | conventionally bound to a command to begin composing a mail message. | |
245 | @xref{Keys}. | |
246 | ||
247 | @item Completion | |
07ee224d | 248 | Completion is what Emacs does when it automatically expands an |
8cf51b2c GM |
249 | abbreviation for a name into the entire name. Completion is done for |
250 | minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs | |
251 | is known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and | |
07ee224d GM |
252 | file names. Completion usually occurs when @key{TAB}, @key{SPC} or |
253 | @key{RET} is typed. @xref{Completion}.@refill | |
8cf51b2c GM |
254 | |
255 | @item Continuation Line | |
256 | When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it | |
07ee224d GM |
257 | normally (but see `Truncation') takes up more than one screen line |
258 | when displayed. We say that the text line is continued, and all | |
259 | screen lines used for it after the first are called continuation | |
260 | lines. @xref{Continuation Lines}. A related Emacs feature is | |
261 | `filling' (q.v.@:). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
262 | |
263 | @item Control Character | |
264 | A control character is a character that you type by holding down the | |
265 | @key{CTRL} key. Some control characters also have their own keys, so | |
266 | that you can type them without using @key{CTRL}. For example, | |
267 | @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} are all control | |
268 | characters. @xref{User Input}. | |
269 | ||
270 | @item Copyleft | |
271 | A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to | |
272 | redistribute and modify a program or other work of art, but requiring | |
273 | modified versions to carry similar permission. Copyright is normally | |
274 | used to keep users divided and helpless; with copyleft we turn that | |
275 | around to empower users and encourage them to cooperate. | |
276 | ||
277 | The particular form of copyleft used by the GNU project is called the | |
278 | GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
279 | ||
280 | @item @key{CTRL} | |
281 | The @key{CTRL} or ``control'' key is what you hold down | |
8bf27c8a | 282 | in order to enter a control character (q.v.). See also `@kbd{C-}'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
283 | |
284 | @item Current Buffer | |
285 | The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing | |
286 | commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one. | |
287 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
288 | ||
289 | @item Current Line | |
290 | The current line is the line that point is on (@pxref{Point}). | |
291 | ||
292 | @item Current Paragraph | |
293 | The current paragraph is the paragraph that point is in. If point is | |
294 | between two paragraphs, the current paragraph is the one that follows | |
295 | point. @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
296 | ||
297 | @item Current Defun | |
298 | The current defun is the defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is | |
299 | between defuns, the current defun is the one that follows point. | |
300 | @xref{Defuns}. | |
301 | ||
302 | @item Cursor | |
303 | The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position | |
07ee224d | 304 | (called point; q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place. |
8cf51b2c GM |
305 | The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often |
306 | people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean | |
8bf27c8a | 307 | `point'. @xref{Point,Cursor}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
308 | |
309 | @item Customization | |
07ee224d GM |
310 | Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works, to |
311 | reflect your preferences or needs. It is often done by setting | |
312 | variables (@pxref{Variables}) or faces (@pxref{Face Customization}), | |
313 | or by rebinding key sequences (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
314 | |
315 | @cindex cut and paste | |
316 | @item Cut and Paste | |
8bf27c8a | 317 | See `killing' and `yanking'. |
8cf51b2c | 318 | |
07ee224d | 319 | @item Daemon |
bd8aaa36 | 320 | A daemon is a standard term for a system-level process that runs in the |
07ee224d GM |
321 | background. Daemons are often started when the system first starts up. |
322 | When Emacs runs in daemon-mode, it runs in the background and does not | |
323 | open a display. You can then connect to it with the | |
324 | @command{emacsclient} program. @xref{Emacs Server}. | |
325 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
326 | @item Default Argument |
327 | The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you | |
328 | do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument, | |
329 | the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}. | |
330 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
331 | ||
332 | @item Default | |
8bf27c8a GM |
333 | A default is the value that is used for a certain purpose when |
334 | you do not explicitly specify a value to use. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
335 | |
336 | @item Default Directory | |
337 | When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, | |
338 | it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory. | |
8bf27c8a | 339 | (On MS systems, file names that start with a drive letter |
8cf51b2c GM |
340 | @samp{@var{x}:} are treated as absolute, not relative.) |
341 | @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}. | |
342 | ||
343 | @item Defun | |
344 | A defun is a major definition at the top level in a program. The name | |
345 | `defun' comes from Lisp, where most such definitions use the construct | |
346 | @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}. | |
347 | ||
348 | @item @key{DEL} | |
349 | @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character | |
350 | of text before the cursor. It is typically either the @key{DELETE} | |
351 | key or the @key{BACKSPACE} key, whichever one is easy to type. | |
352 | @xref{Erasing,DEL}. | |
353 | ||
354 | @item Deletion | |
355 | Deletion means erasing text without copying it into the kill ring | |
356 | (q.v.@:). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing,Deletion}. | |
357 | ||
358 | @item Deletion of Files | |
359 | Deleting a file means erasing it from the file system. | |
07ee224d GM |
360 | (Note that some systems use the concept of a ``trash can'', or ``recycle |
361 | bin'', to allow you to ``undelete'' files.) | |
8cf51b2c GM |
362 | @xref{Misc File Ops,Misc File Ops,Miscellaneous File Operations}. |
363 | ||
364 | @item Deletion of Messages | |
07ee224d GM |
365 | Deleting a message (in Rmail, and other mail clients) means flagging |
366 | it to be eliminated from your mail file. Until you expunge (q.v.@:) | |
367 | the Rmail file, you can still undelete the messages you have deleted. | |
368 | @xref{Rmail Deletion}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
369 | |
370 | @item Deletion of Windows | |
371 | Deleting a window means eliminating it from the screen. Other windows | |
07ee224d GM |
372 | expand to use up the space. The text that was in the window is not |
373 | lost, and you can create a new window with the same dimensions as the | |
374 | old if you wish. @xref{Windows}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
375 | |
376 | @item Directory | |
377 | File directories are named collections in the file system, within which | |
07ee224d | 378 | you can place individual files or subdirectories. They are sometimes |
8bf27c8a | 379 | referred to as ``folders''. @xref{Directories}. |
8cf51b2c | 380 | |
a0706406 GM |
381 | @item Directory Local Variable |
382 | A directory local variable is a local variable (q.v.@:) that applies | |
383 | to all the files within a certain directory. @xref{Directory | |
384 | Variables}. | |
385 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
386 | @item Dired |
387 | Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file | |
8bf27c8a | 388 | directory and allows you to ``edit the directory'', performing |
8cf51b2c GM |
389 | operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}. |
390 | ||
391 | @item Disabled Command | |
392 | A disabled command is one that you may not run without special | |
393 | confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is | |
394 | confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}. | |
395 | ||
396 | @item Down Event | |
397 | Short for `button down event' (q.v.@:). | |
398 | ||
399 | @item Drag Event | |
07ee224d GM |
400 | A drag event is the kind of input event (q.v.@:) generated when you |
401 | press a mouse button, move the mouse, and then release the button. | |
402 | @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
403 | |
404 | @item Dribble File | |
405 | A dribble file is a file into which Emacs writes all the characters that | |
07ee224d | 406 | you type on the keyboard. Dribble files can be used to make a record |
8cf51b2c GM |
407 | for debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you |
408 | tell it to. @xref{Bugs}. | |
409 | ||
a0706406 GM |
410 | @c TODO? Not really appropriate for the user manual I think. |
411 | @c Dynamic Binding | |
412 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
413 | @item Echo Area |
414 | The echo area is the bottom line of the screen, used for echoing the | |
415 | arguments to commands, for asking questions, and showing brief messages | |
416 | (including error messages). The messages are stored in the buffer | |
417 | @samp{*Messages*} so you can review them later. @xref{Echo Area}. | |
418 | ||
419 | @item Echoing | |
420 | Echoing is acknowledging the receipt of input events by displaying | |
421 | them (in the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character key | |
422 | sequences; longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing | |
423 | them. | |
424 | ||
425 | @item Electric | |
426 | We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting | |
427 | (q.v.@:), but the current major mode (q.v.@:) redefines it to do something | |
428 | else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define | |
07ee224d | 429 | particular delimiter characters to reindent the line, or insert one or |
8cf51b2c GM |
430 | more newlines in addition to self-insertion. |
431 | ||
432 | @item End Of Line | |
433 | End of line is a character or a sequence of characters that indicate | |
434 | the end of a text line. On GNU and Unix systems, this is a newline | |
435 | (q.v.@:), but other systems have other conventions. @xref{Coding | |
436 | Systems,end-of-line}. Emacs can recognize several end-of-line | |
437 | conventions in files and convert between them. | |
438 | ||
439 | @item Environment Variable | |
440 | An environment variable is one of a collection of variables stored by | |
441 | the operating system, each one having a name and a value. Emacs can | |
442 | access environment variables set by its parent shell, and it can set | |
443 | variables in the environment it passes to programs it invokes. | |
444 | @xref{Environment}. | |
445 | ||
446 | @item EOL | |
8bf27c8a | 447 | See `end of line'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
448 | |
449 | @item Error | |
450 | An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current | |
451 | circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops | |
452 | (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs | |
07ee224d GM |
453 | reports the error by displaying an error message (q.v.@:). |
454 | @c Not helpful? | |
455 | @c Type-ahead is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another | |
456 | @c editing command. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
457 | |
458 | @item Error Message | |
07ee224d GM |
459 | An error message is output displayed by Emacs when you ask it to do |
460 | something impossible (such as, killing text forward when point is at | |
461 | the end of the buffer), or when a command malfunctions in some way. | |
462 | Such messages appear in the echo area, accompanied by a beep. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
463 | |
464 | @item @key{ESC} | |
465 | @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on | |
466 | keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which, | |
467 | like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is | |
468 | typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and | |
469 | it applies to the next character you type. | |
470 | ||
471 | @item Expression | |
8bf27c8a | 472 | See `balanced expression'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
473 | |
474 | @item Expunging | |
07ee224d GM |
475 | Expunging an Rmail, Gnus newsgroup, or Dired buffer is an operation |
476 | that truly discards the messages or files you have previously flagged | |
477 | for deletion. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
478 | |
479 | @item Face | |
480 | A face is a style of displaying characters. It specifies attributes | |
481 | such as font family and size, foreground and background colors, | |
482 | underline and strike-through, background stipple, etc. Emacs provides | |
483 | features to associate specific faces with portions of buffer text, in | |
484 | order to display that text as specified by the face attributes. | |
485 | @xref{Faces}. | |
486 | ||
a0706406 GM |
487 | @item File Local Variable |
488 | A file local variable is a local variable (q.v.@:) specified in a | |
489 | given file. @xref{File Variables}. See also `directory variable'. | |
490 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
491 | @item File Locking |
492 | Emacs uses file locking to notice when two different users | |
493 | start to edit one file at the same time. @xref{Interlocking}. | |
494 | ||
495 | @item File Name | |
a0706406 | 496 | @c This is fairly tautological... |
8cf51b2c GM |
497 | A file name is a name that refers to a file. File names may be relative |
498 | or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current | |
499 | directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless | |
500 | of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute | |
501 | file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or | |
502 | @samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). On MS-Windows/MS-DOS, an | |
07ee224d | 503 | absolute file name can also start with a drive letter and a colon, e.g. |
8cf51b2c GM |
504 | @samp{@var{d}:}. |
505 | ||
506 | Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not; | |
507 | we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.@:). | |
508 | ||
509 | @item File-Name Component | |
510 | A file-name component names a file directly within a particular | |
511 | directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of | |
512 | file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar} | |
513 | is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it | |
514 | refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in | |
515 | the current directory. MS-DOS/MS-Windows file names can also use | |
516 | backslashes to separate components, as in @file{foo\bar}. | |
517 | ||
518 | @item Fill Prefix | |
519 | The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning | |
520 | of each line when filling is done. It is not regarded as part of the | |
521 | text to be filled. @xref{Filling}. | |
522 | ||
523 | @item Filling | |
07ee224d GM |
524 | Filling text means adjusting the position of line-breaks to shift text |
525 | between consecutive lines, so that all the lines are approximately the | |
526 | same length. @xref{Filling}. Some other editors call this feature | |
a0706406 | 527 | ``line wrapping''. |
8cf51b2c GM |
528 | |
529 | @item Font Lock | |
07ee224d | 530 | Font Lock is a mode that highlights parts of buffer text in different |
a0706406 GM |
531 | faces, according to the syntax. Some other editors refer to this as |
532 | ``syntax highlighting''. For example, all comments (q.v.@:) | |
07ee224d | 533 | might be colored red. @xref{Font Lock}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
534 | |
535 | @item Fontset | |
536 | A fontset is a named collection of fonts. A fontset specification lists | |
537 | character sets and which font to use to display each of them. Fontsets | |
538 | make it easy to change several fonts at once by specifying the name of a | |
539 | fontset, rather than changing each font separately. @xref{Fontsets}. | |
540 | ||
8cf51b2c | 541 | @item Formfeed Character |
8bf27c8a | 542 | See `page'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
543 | |
544 | @item Frame | |
545 | A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out | |
546 | with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame | |
547 | into Emacs windows (q.v.@:). When you are using a window system | |
07ee224d | 548 | (q.v.@:), more than one frame can be visible at the same time. |
8cf51b2c GM |
549 | @xref{Frames}. Some other editors use the term ``window'' for this, |
550 | but in Emacs a window means something else. | |
551 | ||
07ee224d GM |
552 | @item Free Software |
553 | Free software is software that gives you the freedom to share, study | |
554 | and modify it. Emacs is free software, part of the GNU project | |
555 | (q.v.@:), and distributed under a copyleft (q.v.@:) license called the | |
556 | GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
557 | ||
558 | @item Free Software Foundation | |
559 | The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a charitable foundation | |
560 | dedicated to promoting the development of free software (q.v.@:). | |
561 | For more information, see @uref{http://fsf.org/, the FSF website}. | |
562 | ||
8cf51b2c | 563 | @item Fringe |
07ee224d GM |
564 | On a graphical display (q.v.@:), there's a narrow portion of the frame |
565 | (q.v.@:) between the text area and the window's border. These | |
a0706406 | 566 | ``fringes'' are used to display symbols that provide information about |
07ee224d GM |
567 | the buffer text (@pxref{Fringes}). Emacs displays the fringe using a |
568 | special face (q.v.@:) called @code{fringe}. @xref{Faces,fringe}. | |
569 | ||
570 | @item FSF | |
8bf27c8a | 571 | See `Free Software Foundation'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
572 | |
573 | @item FTP | |
07ee224d GM |
574 | FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. This is one standard |
575 | method for retrieving remote files (q.v.@:). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
576 | |
577 | @item Function Key | |
578 | A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not | |
579 | correspond to any character. @xref{Function Keys}. | |
580 | ||
581 | @item Global | |
582 | Global means ``independent of the current environment; in effect | |
8bf27c8a | 583 | throughout Emacs''. It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular |
8cf51b2c GM |
584 | examples of the use of `global' appear below. |
585 | ||
586 | @item Global Abbrev | |
587 | A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major | |
588 | modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev. | |
589 | @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
590 | ||
591 | @item Global Keymap | |
592 | The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect | |
07ee224d GM |
593 | everywhere, except when overridden by local key bindings in a major |
594 | mode's local keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
595 | |
596 | @item Global Mark Ring | |
597 | The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently | |
598 | set a mark (q.v.@:) in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack | |
07ee224d | 599 | through buffers you have been editing, or in which you have found |
8cf51b2c GM |
600 | tags (see `tags table'). @xref{Global Mark Ring}. |
601 | ||
602 | @item Global Substitution | |
603 | Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by | |
604 | another string throughout a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}. | |
605 | ||
606 | @item Global Variable | |
607 | The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers | |
608 | that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable. | |
609 | @xref{Variables}. | |
610 | ||
07ee224d | 611 | @item GNU |
bd8aaa36 RS |
612 | GNU is a recursive acronym for GNU's Not Unix, and it refers to a |
613 | Unix-compatible operating system which is free software (q.v.@:). | |
614 | @xref{Manifesto}. GNU is normally used with Linux as the kernel since | |
615 | Linux works better than the GNU kernel. For more information, see | |
07ee224d GM |
616 | @uref{http://www.gnu.org/, the GNU website}. |
617 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
618 | @item Graphic Character |
619 | Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than | |
620 | just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the | |
621 | Control (q.v.@:) characters are graphic characters. These include | |
622 | letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include | |
623 | @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts | |
624 | that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Inserting Text}. | |
625 | ||
626 | @item Graphical Display | |
627 | A graphical display is one that can display images and multiple fonts. | |
628 | Usually it also has a window system (q.v.@:). | |
629 | ||
630 | @item Highlighting | |
631 | Highlighting text means displaying it with a different foreground and/or | |
632 | background color to make it stand out from the rest of the text in the | |
633 | buffer. | |
634 | ||
c8388862 CY |
635 | Emacs uses highlighting in several ways. It highlights the region |
636 | whenever it is active (@pxref{Mark}). Incremental search also | |
8bf27c8a | 637 | highlights matches (@pxref{Incremental Search}). See also `font lock'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
638 | |
639 | @item Hardcopy | |
07ee224d GM |
640 | Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has various commands for |
641 | printing the contents of Emacs buffers. @xref{Printing}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
642 | |
643 | @item @key{HELP} | |
644 | @key{HELP} is the Emacs name for @kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}. You can type | |
a0706406 | 645 | @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what a |
8cf51b2c GM |
646 | command does. @xref{Help}. |
647 | ||
648 | @item Help Echo | |
07ee224d GM |
649 | Help echo is a short message displayed in the echo area (q.v.@:) when |
650 | the mouse pointer is located on portions of display that require some | |
8cf51b2c | 651 | explanations. Emacs displays help echo for menu items, parts of the |
a0706406 | 652 | mode line, tool-bar buttons, etc. On graphical displays, the messages |
8cf51b2c GM |
653 | can be displayed as tooltips (q.v.@:). @xref{Tooltips}. |
654 | ||
07ee224d GM |
655 | @item Home Directory |
656 | Your home directory contains your personal files. On a multi-user GNU | |
657 | or Unix system, each user has his or her own home directory. When you | |
658 | start a new login session, your home directory is the default | |
659 | directory in which to start. A standard shorthand for your home | |
660 | directory is @samp{~}. Similarly, @samp{~@var{user}} represents the | |
661 | home directory of some other user. | |
662 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
663 | @item Hook |
664 | A hook is a list of functions to be called on specific occasions, such | |
665 | as saving a buffer in a file, major mode activation, etc. By | |
666 | customizing the various hooks, you can modify Emacs's behavior without | |
667 | changing any of its code. @xref{Hooks}. | |
668 | ||
669 | @item Hyper | |
07ee224d | 670 | Hyper is the name of a modifier bit that a keyboard input character may |
8cf51b2c GM |
671 | have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the |
672 | @key{HYPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
07ee224d | 673 | @kbd{Hyper-} (usually written @kbd{H-} for short). @xref{User Input}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
674 | |
675 | @item Iff | |
8bf27c8a | 676 | ``Iff'' means ``if and only if''. This terminology comes from |
8cf51b2c GM |
677 | mathematics. Try to avoid using this term in documentation, since |
678 | many are unfamiliar with it and mistake it for a typo. | |
679 | ||
680 | @item Inbox | |
681 | An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system. | |
a0706406 | 682 | Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files in which the |
8cf51b2c GM |
683 | mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted. |
684 | @xref{Rmail Inbox}. | |
685 | ||
686 | @item Incremental Search | |
07ee224d GM |
687 | Emacs provides an incremental search facility, whereby Emacs begins |
688 | searching for a string as soon as you type the first character. | |
689 | As you type more characters, it refines the search. @xref{Incremental Search}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
690 | |
691 | @item Indentation | |
692 | Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most | |
693 | programming languages have conventions for using indentation to | |
694 | illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special | |
695 | commands to adjust indentation. | |
696 | @xref{Indentation}. | |
697 | ||
698 | @item Indirect Buffer | |
699 | An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer, | |
700 | called its base buffer (q.v.@:). @xref{Indirect Buffers}. | |
701 | ||
702 | @item Info | |
703 | Info is the hypertext format used by the GNU project for writing | |
704 | documentation. | |
705 | ||
706 | @item Input Event | |
707 | An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on | |
708 | the terminal. Input events include typing characters, typing function | |
709 | keys, pressing or releasing mouse buttons, and switching between Emacs | |
710 | frames. @xref{User Input}. | |
711 | ||
712 | @item Input Method | |
713 | An input method is a system for entering non-@acronym{ASCII} text characters by | |
714 | typing sequences of @acronym{ASCII} characters (q.v.@:). @xref{Input Methods}. | |
715 | ||
716 | @item Insertion | |
07ee224d | 717 | Insertion means adding text into the buffer, either from the keyboard |
8cf51b2c GM |
718 | or from some other place in Emacs. |
719 | ||
720 | @item Interlocking | |
a0706406 | 721 | See `file locking'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
722 | |
723 | @item Isearch | |
8bf27c8a | 724 | See `incremental search'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
725 | |
726 | @item Justification | |
8863a584 CY |
727 | Justification means adding extra spaces within lines of text in order |
728 | to adjust the position of the text edges. @xref{Fill Commands}. | |
8cf51b2c | 729 | |
5a331f34 | 730 | @item Key Binding |
8bf27c8a | 731 | See `binding'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
732 | |
733 | @item Keyboard Macro | |
734 | Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from | |
735 | sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program. | |
07ee224d GM |
736 | You can use a macro to record a sequence of commands, then |
737 | play them back as many times as you like. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
738 | @xref{Keyboard Macros}. |
739 | ||
740 | @cindex keyboard shortcuts | |
741 | @item Keyboard Shortcut | |
a0706406 | 742 | A keyboard shortcut is a key sequence (q.v.@:) that invokes a |
8bf27c8a GM |
743 | command. What some programs call ``assigning a keyboard shortcut'', |
744 | Emacs calls ``binding a key sequence''. See `binding'. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
745 | |
746 | @item Key Sequence | |
747 | A key sequence (key, for short) is a sequence of input events (q.v.@:) | |
748 | that are meaningful as a single unit. If the key sequence is enough to | |
749 | specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.@:); if it is not enough, | |
750 | it is a prefix key (q.v.@:). @xref{Keys}. | |
751 | ||
752 | @item Keymap | |
753 | The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of | |
754 | key sequences to the commands that they run. For example, the global | |
755 | keymap binds the character @kbd{C-n} to the command function | |
756 | @code{next-line}. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
757 | ||
758 | @item Keyboard Translation Table | |
759 | The keyboard translation table is an array that translates the character | |
760 | codes that come from the terminal into the character codes that make up | |
761 | key sequences. | |
762 | ||
763 | @item Kill Ring | |
a0706406 GM |
764 | The kill ring is where all text you have killed (see `killing') |
765 | recently is saved. You can reinsert any of the killed text still in | |
766 | the ring; this is called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
767 | |
768 | @item Killing | |
769 | Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be | |
8bf27c8a | 770 | yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting''. |
8cf51b2c GM |
771 | Most Emacs commands that erase text perform killing, as opposed to |
772 | deletion (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
773 | ||
774 | @item Killing a Job | |
775 | Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease | |
776 | to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost. | |
777 | @xref{Exiting}. | |
778 | ||
779 | @item Language Environment | |
780 | Your choice of language environment specifies defaults for the input | |
781 | method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language | |
07ee224d GM |
782 | Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit |
783 | non-@acronym{ASCII} text (@pxref{International}). | |
8cf51b2c | 784 | |
a0706406 GM |
785 | @c TODO? Not really appropriate for the user manual I think. |
786 | @c Lexical Binding | |
787 | ||
8cf51b2c | 788 | @item Line Wrapping |
8bf27c8a | 789 | See `filling'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
790 | |
791 | @item Lisp | |
792 | Lisp is a programming language. Most of Emacs is written in a dialect | |
07ee224d | 793 | of Lisp, called Emacs Lisp, which is extended with special features that |
8cf51b2c GM |
794 | make it especially suitable for text editing tasks. |
795 | ||
796 | @item List | |
797 | A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open | |
798 | parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode | |
799 | and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched | |
800 | delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also | |
801 | considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on | |
802 | lists. @xref{Moving by Parens}. | |
803 | ||
804 | @item Local | |
805 | Local means ``in effect only in a particular context''; the relevant | |
806 | kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular | |
807 | buffer, or a particular major mode. It is the opposite of `global' | |
808 | (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below. | |
809 | ||
810 | @item Local Abbrev | |
811 | A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode | |
812 | is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition | |
813 | for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
814 | ||
815 | @item Local Keymap | |
816 | A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings | |
817 | (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the | |
818 | same key sequences. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
819 | ||
820 | @item Local Variable | |
821 | A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer. | |
822 | @xref{Locals}. | |
823 | ||
824 | @item @kbd{M-} | |
825 | @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META}, | |
826 | one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character. | |
827 | @xref{User Input,M-}. | |
828 | ||
829 | @item @kbd{M-C-} | |
830 | @kbd{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
07ee224d | 831 | Control-Meta; it means the same thing as `@kbd{C-M-}' (q.v.@:). |
8cf51b2c GM |
832 | |
833 | @item @kbd{M-x} | |
07ee224d | 834 | @kbd{M-x} is the key sequence that is used to call an Emacs command by |
8cf51b2c GM |
835 | name. This is how you run commands that are not bound to key sequences. |
836 | @xref{M-x,M-x,Running Commands by Name}. | |
837 | ||
838 | @item Mail | |
839 | Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer | |
840 | system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for | |
841 | composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have | |
07ee224d GM |
842 | received. @xref{Sending Mail}. @xref{Rmail}, for one way to read |
843 | mail with Emacs. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
844 | |
845 | @item Mail Composition Method | |
846 | A mail composition method is a program runnable within Emacs for editing | |
847 | and sending a mail message. Emacs lets you select from several | |
848 | alternative mail composition methods. @xref{Mail Methods}. | |
849 | ||
850 | @item Major Mode | |
851 | The Emacs major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options, each of | |
852 | which configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, | |
853 | each programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}. | |
854 | ||
855 | @item Margin | |
856 | The space between the usable part of a window (including the | |
857 | fringe) and the window edge. | |
858 | ||
859 | @item Mark | |
860 | The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the | |
861 | region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on | |
862 | all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark. | |
863 | @xref{Mark}. | |
864 | ||
865 | @item Mark Ring | |
866 | The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the | |
a0706406 | 867 | mark, in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its |
8cf51b2c GM |
868 | own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.@:). |
869 | @xref{Mark Ring}. | |
870 | ||
871 | @item Menu Bar | |
07ee224d | 872 | The menu bar is a line at the top of an Emacs frame. It contains |
8cf51b2c GM |
873 | words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus, or you can use |
874 | a keyboard interface to navigate it. @xref{Menu Bars}. | |
875 | ||
876 | @item Message | |
8bf27c8a | 877 | See `mail'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
878 | |
879 | @item Meta | |
880 | Meta is the name of a modifier bit which you can use in a command | |
881 | character. To enter a meta character, you hold down the @key{META} | |
882 | key while typing the character. We refer to such characters with | |
883 | names that start with @kbd{Meta-} (usually written @kbd{M-} for | |
884 | short). For example, @kbd{M-<} is typed by holding down @key{META} | |
885 | and at the same time typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done, on most | |
886 | terminals, by holding down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}). | |
887 | @xref{User Input,Meta}. | |
888 | ||
889 | On some terminals, the @key{META} key is actually labeled @key{ALT} | |
890 | or @key{EDIT}. | |
891 | ||
892 | @item Meta Character | |
893 | A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit. | |
894 | ||
895 | @item Minibuffer | |
896 | The minibuffer is the window that appears when necessary inside the | |
897 | echo area (q.v.@:), used for reading arguments to commands. | |
898 | @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
899 | ||
900 | @item Minibuffer History | |
901 | The minibuffer history records the text you have specified in the past | |
902 | for minibuffer arguments, so you can conveniently use the same text | |
903 | again. @xref{Minibuffer History}. | |
904 | ||
905 | @item Minor Mode | |
a0706406 | 906 | A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs, which can be switched on |
8cf51b2c | 907 | or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a |
07ee224d GM |
908 | command to turn it on or off. Some minor modes are global (q.v.@:), |
909 | and some are local (q.v.@:). @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
910 | |
911 | @item Minor Mode Keymap | |
912 | A minor mode keymap is a keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is | |
913 | active when that mode is enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence | |
914 | over the buffer's local keymap, just as the local keymap takes | |
915 | precedence over the global keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
916 | ||
917 | @item Mode Line | |
918 | The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving | |
919 | status information on the buffer displayed in that window. @xref{Mode | |
920 | Line}. | |
921 | ||
922 | @item Modified Buffer | |
923 | A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the | |
07ee224d | 924 | last time the buffer was saved (or since it was created, if it |
8cf51b2c GM |
925 | has never been saved). @xref{Saving}. |
926 | ||
927 | @item Moving Text | |
928 | Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in | |
929 | another. The usual way to move text is by killing (q.v.@:) it and then | |
930 | yanking (q.v.@:) it. @xref{Killing}. | |
931 | ||
932 | @item MULE | |
07ee224d GM |
933 | MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing multilingual |
934 | non-@acronym{ASCII} text using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). | |
935 | @xref{International}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
936 | |
937 | @item Multibyte Character | |
938 | A multibyte character is a character that takes up several bytes in a | |
939 | buffer. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-@acronym{ASCII} text, | |
940 | since the number of non-@acronym{ASCII} characters is much more than 256. | |
941 | @xref{International Chars, International Characters}. | |
942 | ||
943 | @item Named Mark | |
a0706406 | 944 | A named mark is a register (q.v.@:), in its role of recording a |
8cf51b2c GM |
945 | location in text so that you can move point to that location. |
946 | @xref{Registers}. | |
947 | ||
948 | @item Narrowing | |
949 | Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in | |
07ee224d GM |
950 | the current buffer to only a part of the text. Text outside that part |
951 | is inaccessible for editing (or viewing) until the boundaries are | |
8cf51b2c GM |
952 | widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves it |
953 | all. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
954 | ||
955 | @item Newline | |
956 | Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are | |
8bf27c8a | 957 | therefore also called newlines. See `End of Line'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
958 | |
959 | @cindex nil | |
960 | @cindex t | |
961 | @item @code{nil} | |
8bf27c8a GM |
962 | @code{nil} is a value usually interpreted as a logical ``false''. Its |
963 | opposite is @code{t}, interpreted as ``true''. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
964 | |
965 | @item Numeric Argument | |
966 | A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change | |
967 | the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a | |
968 | repeat count. @xref{Arguments}. | |
969 | ||
970 | @item Overwrite Mode | |
971 | Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text | |
972 | characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing | |
a0706406 GM |
973 | it to one side. @xref{Minor Modes}. |
974 | ||
975 | @item Package | |
976 | A package is a collection of Lisp code that you download and | |
977 | automatically install from within Emacs. Packages provide a | |
978 | convenient way to add new features. @xref{Packages}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
979 | |
980 | @item Page | |
981 | A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (@acronym{ASCII} | |
a0706406 | 982 | control-L, code 014) at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs |
8cf51b2c GM |
983 | commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages. |
984 | @xref{Pages}. | |
985 | ||
986 | @item Paragraph | |
987 | Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of human-language text. There are | |
988 | special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs. | |
989 | @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
990 | ||
991 | @item Parsing | |
992 | We say that certain Emacs commands parse words or expressions in the | |
993 | text being edited. Really, all they know how to do is find the other | |
6cfd0fa2 | 994 | end of a word or expression. |
8cf51b2c GM |
995 | |
996 | @item Point | |
997 | Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion | |
998 | occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one | |
999 | character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of | |
1000 | point. @xref{Point}. | |
1001 | ||
1002 | @item Prefix Argument | |
8bf27c8a | 1003 | See `numeric argument'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1004 | |
1005 | @item Prefix Key | |
1006 | A prefix key is a key sequence (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to | |
1007 | introduce a set of longer key sequences. @kbd{C-x} is an example of | |
1008 | prefix key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is | |
1009 | therefore a legitimate key sequence. @xref{Keys}. | |
1010 | ||
8bf27c8a GM |
1011 | @c I don't think this kind of thing needs to be here. |
1012 | @ignore | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1013 | @item Primary Rmail File |
1014 | Your primary Rmail file is the file named @samp{RMAIL} in your home | |
1015 | directory. That's where Rmail stores your incoming mail, unless you | |
1016 | specify a different file name. @xref{Rmail}. | |
8bf27c8a | 1017 | @end ignore |
8cf51b2c GM |
1018 | |
1019 | @item Primary Selection | |
1020 | The primary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); it is the | |
1021 | selection that most X applications use for transferring text to and from | |
1022 | other applications. | |
1023 | ||
1024 | The Emacs kill commands set the primary selection and the yank command | |
1025 | uses the primary selection when appropriate. @xref{Killing}. | |
1026 | ||
1027 | @item Prompt | |
07ee224d | 1028 | A prompt is text used to ask you for input. Displaying a prompt |
8cf51b2c GM |
1029 | is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area |
1030 | (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used to | |
07ee224d | 1031 | read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing that happens when |
8cf51b2c GM |
1032 | you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also |
1033 | a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}). | |
1034 | ||
1035 | @item Query-Replace | |
1036 | Query-replace is an interactive string replacement feature provided by | |
1037 | Emacs. @xref{Query Replace}. | |
1038 | ||
1039 | @item Quitting | |
1040 | Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running | |
1041 | command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}. | |
1042 | ||
1043 | @item Quoting | |
1044 | Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance. | |
1045 | The most common kind of quoting in Emacs is with @kbd{C-q}. What | |
1046 | constitutes special significance depends on the context and on | |
1047 | convention. For example, an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command | |
1048 | inserts itself; so in this context, a special character is any character | |
1049 | that does not normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), | |
1050 | and quoting it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not | |
1051 | all contexts allow quoting. @xref{Inserting Text,Quoting}. | |
1052 | ||
1053 | @item Quoting File Names | |
1054 | Quoting a file name turns off the special significance of constructs | |
1055 | such as @samp{$}, @samp{~} and @samp{:}. @xref{Quoted File Names}. | |
1056 | ||
1057 | @item Read-Only Buffer | |
1058 | A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change. | |
1059 | Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which | |
1060 | has a special significance to Emacs; for example, Dired buffers. | |
1061 | Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer. | |
1062 | @xref{Buffers}. | |
1063 | ||
1064 | @item Rectangle | |
1065 | A rectangle consists of the text in a given range of columns on a given | |
1066 | range of lines. Normally you specify a rectangle by putting point at | |
1067 | one corner and putting the mark at the diagonally opposite corner. | |
1068 | @xref{Rectangles}. | |
1069 | ||
1070 | @item Recursive Editing Level | |
1071 | A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of | |
1072 | a command involves asking you to edit some text. This text may | |
1073 | or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied. | |
1074 | The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets | |
1075 | (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
1076 | ||
1077 | @item Redisplay | |
1078 | Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to | |
1079 | correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited. | |
1080 | @xref{Screen,Redisplay}. | |
1081 | ||
1082 | @item Regexp | |
8bf27c8a | 1083 | See `regular expression'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1084 | |
1085 | @item Region | |
1086 | The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:). | |
1087 | Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}. | |
1088 | ||
1089 | @item Register | |
07ee224d | 1090 | Registers are named slots in which text, buffer positions, or |
8cf51b2c GM |
1091 | rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. A related |
1092 | Emacs feature is `bookmarks' (q.v.@:). | |
1093 | ||
1094 | @item Regular Expression | |
1095 | A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings; | |
1096 | for example, @samp{a[0-9]+} matches @samp{a} followed by one or more | |
1097 | digits. @xref{Regexps}. | |
1098 | ||
1099 | @item Remote File | |
1100 | A remote file is a file that is stored on a system other than your own. | |
1101 | Emacs can access files on other computers provided that they are | |
1102 | connected to the same network as your machine, and (obviously) that | |
1103 | you have a supported method to gain access to those files. | |
1104 | @xref{Remote Files}. | |
1105 | ||
1106 | @item Repeat Count | |
8bf27c8a | 1107 | See `numeric argument'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1108 | |
1109 | @item Replacement | |
8bf27c8a | 1110 | See `global substitution'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1111 | |
1112 | @item Restriction | |
1113 | A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the | |
1114 | end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a | |
1115 | nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:); removing | |
1116 | a restriction is called widening (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
1117 | ||
1118 | @item @key{RET} | |
1119 | @key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a | |
1120 | newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments | |
1121 | read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}. | |
1122 | ||
1123 | @item Reverting | |
1124 | Reverting means returning to the original state. Emacs lets you | |
1125 | revert a buffer by re-reading its file from disk. @xref{Reverting}. | |
1126 | ||
8bf27c8a GM |
1127 | @c Seems too obvious, also there is nothing special about the format |
1128 | @c these days. | |
1129 | @ignore | |
8cf51b2c | 1130 | @item Rmail File |
07ee224d | 1131 | An Rmail file is a file containing text in the format used by |
8cf51b2c | 1132 | Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}. |
8bf27c8a | 1133 | @end ignore |
8cf51b2c GM |
1134 | |
1135 | @item Saving | |
1136 | Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited | |
1137 | (q.v.@:) in that buffer. This is the way text in files actually gets | |
1138 | changed by your Emacs editing. @xref{Saving}. | |
1139 | ||
1140 | @item Scroll Bar | |
1141 | A scroll bar is a tall thin hollow box that appears at the side of a | |
1142 | window. You can use mouse commands in the scroll bar to scroll the | |
1143 | window. The scroll bar feature is supported only under windowing | |
1144 | systems. @xref{Scroll Bars}. | |
1145 | ||
1146 | @item Scrolling | |
1147 | Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window so as to see a | |
1148 | different part of the buffer. @xref{Scrolling}. | |
1149 | ||
1150 | @item Searching | |
1151 | Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified | |
1152 | string or the next match for a specified regular expression. | |
1153 | @xref{Search}. | |
1154 | ||
1155 | @item Search Path | |
1156 | A search path is a list of directory names, to be used for searching for | |
1157 | files for certain purposes. For example, the variable @code{load-path} | |
1158 | holds a search path for finding Lisp library files. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
1159 | ||
1160 | @item Secondary Selection | |
07ee224d | 1161 | The secondary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); some X |
8cf51b2c GM |
1162 | applications can use it for transferring text to and from other |
1163 | applications. Emacs has special mouse commands for transferring text | |
1164 | using the secondary selection. @xref{Secondary Selection}. | |
1165 | ||
1166 | @item Selected Frame | |
1167 | The selected frame is the one your input currently operates on. | |
1168 | @xref{Frames}. | |
1169 | ||
1170 | @item Selected Window | |
8dc17977 | 1171 | The selected window is the one your input currently operates on. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1172 | @xref{Basic Window}. |
1173 | ||
1174 | @item Selecting a Buffer | |
1175 | Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer. | |
1176 | @xref{Select Buffer}. | |
1177 | ||
1178 | @item Selection | |
1179 | Windowing systems allow an application program to specify | |
1180 | selections whose values are text. A program can also read the | |
1181 | selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way | |
1182 | of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to | |
1183 | work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:) | |
1184 | selection, and also with the clipboard (q.v.@:). | |
1185 | ||
1186 | @item Self-Documentation | |
07ee224d | 1187 | Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs that can tell you what any |
8cf51b2c GM |
1188 | command does, or give you a list of all commands related to a topic |
1189 | you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character, | |
1190 | @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}. | |
1191 | ||
1192 | @item Self-Inserting Character | |
1193 | A character is self-inserting if typing that character inserts that | |
1194 | character in the buffer. Ordinary printing and whitespace characters | |
1195 | are self-inserting in Emacs, except in certain special major modes. | |
1196 | ||
1197 | @item Sentences | |
1198 | Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences. | |
1199 | @xref{Sentences}. | |
1200 | ||
a0706406 GM |
1201 | @item Server |
1202 | Within Emacs, you can start a `server' process, which listens for | |
1203 | connections from `clients'. This offers a faster alternative to | |
1204 | starting several Emacs instances. @xref{Emacs Server}. See also | |
1205 | `daemon'. | |
1206 | ||
1207 | @c This is only covered in the lispref, not the user manual. | |
1208 | @ignore | |
1209 | @item Session Manager | |
1210 | Some window systems (q.v.@:) provide a tool called a `session manager'. | |
1211 | This offers the ability to save your windows when you log off, | |
1212 | and restore them after you log in again. | |
1213 | @end ignore | |
1214 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1215 | @item Sexp |
1216 | A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of | |
1217 | Lisp in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Sexps are also | |
1218 | the balanced expressions (q.v.@:) of the Lisp language; this is why | |
1219 | the commands for editing balanced expressions have `sexp' in their | |
1220 | name. @xref{Expressions,Sexps}. | |
1221 | ||
1222 | @item Simultaneous Editing | |
1223 | Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once. | |
1224 | Simultaneous editing, if not detected, can cause one user to lose his | |
1225 | or her work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing, and | |
1226 | warns one of the users to investigate. | |
1227 | @xref{Interlocking,Interlocking,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
1228 | ||
1229 | @item @key{SPC} | |
1230 | @key{SPC} is the space character, which you enter by pressing the | |
1231 | space bar. | |
1232 | ||
1233 | @item Speedbar | |
1234 | The speedbar is a special tall frame that provides fast access to Emacs | |
1235 | buffers, functions within those buffers, Info nodes, and other | |
1236 | interesting parts of text within Emacs. @xref{Speedbar}. | |
1237 | ||
1238 | @item Spell Checking | |
1239 | Spell checking means checking correctness of the written form of each | |
07ee224d GM |
1240 | one of the words in a text. Emacs can use various external |
1241 | spelling-checker programs to check the spelling of parts of a buffer | |
1242 | via a convenient user interface. @xref{Spelling}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1243 | |
1244 | @item String | |
a0706406 | 1245 | A string is a kind of Lisp data object that contains a sequence of |
8cf51b2c GM |
1246 | characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as |
1247 | values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in the | |
1248 | string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. A @samp{"} | |
1249 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\"} and a @samp{\} | |
1250 | that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\\}. All other | |
1251 | characters, including newline, can be included just by writing them | |
1252 | inside the string; however, backslash sequences as in C, such as | |
1253 | @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code, are | |
1254 | allowed as well. | |
1255 | ||
1256 | @item String Substitution | |
8bf27c8a | 1257 | See `global substitution'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1258 | |
1259 | @item Syntax Highlighting | |
8bf27c8a | 1260 | See `font lock'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1261 | |
1262 | @item Syntax Table | |
1263 | The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word, | |
1264 | which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc. | |
6cfd0fa2 CY |
1265 | @xref{Syntax Tables,, Syntax Tables, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference |
1266 | Manual}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1267 | |
1268 | @item Super | |
07ee224d | 1269 | Super is the name of a modifier bit that a keyboard input character may |
8cf51b2c GM |
1270 | have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the |
1271 | @key{SUPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
07ee224d | 1272 | @kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input}. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1273 | |
1274 | @item Suspending | |
1275 | Suspending Emacs means stopping it temporarily and returning control | |
1276 | to its parent process, which is usually a shell. Unlike killing a job | |
1277 | (q.v.@:), you can later resume the suspended Emacs job without losing | |
1278 | your buffers, unsaved edits, undo history, etc. @xref{Exiting}. | |
1279 | ||
1280 | @item @key{TAB} | |
1281 | @key{TAB} is the tab character. In Emacs it is typically used for | |
1282 | indentation or completion. | |
1283 | ||
1284 | @item Tags Table | |
1285 | A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function | |
1286 | definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}. | |
1287 | ||
1288 | @item Termscript File | |
1289 | A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to | |
1290 | the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay. | |
1291 | Emacs does not make a termscript file unless you tell it to. | |
1292 | @xref{Bugs}. | |
1293 | ||
1294 | @item Text | |
1295 | `Text' has two meanings (@pxref{Text}): | |
1296 | ||
1297 | @itemize @bullet | |
1298 | @item | |
1299 | Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary | |
1300 | numbers, executable programs, and the like. The basic contents of an | |
1301 | Emacs buffer (aside from the text properties, q.v.@:) are always text | |
1302 | in this sense. | |
1303 | @item | |
07ee224d | 1304 | Data consisting of written human language (as opposed to programs), |
8cf51b2c GM |
1305 | or following the stylistic conventions of human language. |
1306 | @end itemize | |
1307 | ||
1308 | @item Text-only Terminal | |
1309 | A text-only terminal is a display that is limited to displaying text in | |
1310 | character units. Such a terminal cannot control individual pixels it | |
1311 | displays. Emacs supports a subset of display features on text-only | |
1312 | terminals. | |
1313 | ||
1314 | @item Text Properties | |
1315 | Text properties are annotations recorded for particular characters in | |
1316 | the buffer. Images in the buffer are recorded as text properties; | |
1317 | they also specify formatting information. @xref{Editing Format Info}. | |
1318 | ||
a0706406 GM |
1319 | @item Theme |
1320 | A theme is a set of customizations (q.v.@:) that give Emacs a | |
1321 | particular appearance or behavior. For example, you might use a theme | |
1322 | for your favorite set of faces (q.v.@:). | |
1323 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1324 | @item Tool Bar |
1325 | The tool bar is a line (sometimes multiple lines) of icons at the top | |
1326 | of an Emacs frame. Clicking on one of these icons executes a command. | |
1327 | You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.@:). | |
1328 | @xref{Tool Bars}. | |
1329 | ||
1330 | @item Tooltips | |
07ee224d | 1331 | Tooltips are small windows displaying a help echo (q.v.@:) text, which |
8cf51b2c GM |
1332 | explains parts of the display, lists useful options available via mouse |
1333 | clicks, etc. @xref{Tooltips}. | |
1334 | ||
1335 | @item Top Level | |
1336 | Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the | |
1337 | text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you | |
1338 | are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer | |
1339 | (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top | |
1340 | level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}. | |
1341 | ||
a0706406 GM |
1342 | @c FIXME? Transient Mark Mode |
1343 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1344 | @item Transposition |
1345 | Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place | |
1346 | formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose | |
1347 | two adjacent characters, words, balanced expressions (q.v.@:) or lines | |
1348 | (@pxref{Transpose}). | |
1349 | ||
a0706406 GM |
1350 | @item Trash Can |
1351 | See `deletion of files'. | |
1352 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1353 | @item Truncation |
1354 | Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a | |
1355 | line that does not fit within the right margin of the window | |
8bf27c8a | 1356 | displaying it. See also `continuation line'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1357 | @xref{Continuation Lines,Truncation}. |
1358 | ||
1359 | @item TTY | |
8bf27c8a | 1360 | See `text-only terminal'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1361 | |
1362 | @item Undoing | |
1363 | Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing | |
1364 | back the text that existed earlier in the editing session. | |
1365 | @xref{Undo}. | |
1366 | ||
07ee224d GM |
1367 | @item Unix |
1368 | Unix is a class of multi-user computer operating systems with a long | |
1369 | history. There are several implementations today. The GNU project | |
1370 | (q.v.@:) aims to develop a complete Unix-like operating system that | |
1371 | is free software (q.v.@:). | |
1372 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1373 | @item User Option |
1374 | A user option is a face (q.v.@:) or a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so | |
1375 | that you can customize Emacs by setting it to a new value. | |
1376 | @xref{Easy Customization}. | |
1377 | ||
1378 | @item Variable | |
1379 | A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value. | |
1380 | Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known | |
07ee224d | 1381 | as `user options'; q.v.@:) just so that you can set their values to |
8cf51b2c GM |
1382 | control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you |
1383 | are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in | |
1384 | this manual (@pxref{Variable Index}). @xref{Variables}, for | |
1385 | information on variables. | |
1386 | ||
1387 | @item Version Control | |
1388 | Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file. | |
1389 | They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:). | |
1390 | @xref{Version Control}. | |
1391 | ||
1392 | @item Visiting | |
1393 | Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:) | |
1394 | where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}. | |
1395 | ||
1396 | @item Whitespace | |
1397 | Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space, | |
1398 | tab, newline, and backspace). | |
1399 | ||
1400 | @item Widening | |
1401 | Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer; | |
1402 | it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
1403 | ||
1404 | @item Window | |
1405 | Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which | |
1406 | can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time. | |
1407 | @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen. | |
1408 | @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. Some | |
1409 | other editors use the term ``window'' for what we call a `frame' | |
1410 | (q.v.@:) in Emacs. | |
1411 | ||
1412 | @item Window System | |
1413 | A window system is software that operates on a graphical display | |
1414 | (q.v.@:), to subdivide the screen so that multiple applications can | |
1415 | have their] own windows at the same time. All modern operating systems | |
1416 | include a window system. | |
1417 | ||
1418 | @item Word Abbrev | |
8bf27c8a | 1419 | See `abbrev'. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1420 | |
1421 | @item Word Search | |
1422 | Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the | |
1423 | punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}. | |
1424 | ||
8cf51b2c | 1425 | @item Yanking |
07ee224d GM |
1426 | Yanking means reinserting text previously killed (q.v.@:). It can be |
1427 | used to undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some | |
8bf27c8a | 1428 | other systems call this ``pasting''. @xref{Yanking}. |
8cf51b2c | 1429 | @end table |