annotate man/basic.texi @ 33620:62859e71806e EMACS_PRETEST_21_0_91

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author Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
date Sun, 19 Nov 2000 15:30:07 +0000
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children d23d6a3e8128
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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
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dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
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2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 97, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
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4 @node Basic, Minibuffer, Exiting, Top
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5 @chapter Basic Editing Commands
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6
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7 @kindex C-h t
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8 @findex help-with-tutorial
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9 We now give the basics of how to enter text, make corrections, and
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10 save the text in a file. If this material is new to you, you might
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11 learn it more easily by running the Emacs learn-by-doing tutorial. To
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12 use the tutorial, run Emacs and type @kbd{Control-h t}
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13 (@code{help-with-tutorial}).
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14
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15 To clear the screen and redisplay, type @kbd{C-l} (@code{recenter}).
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16
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17 @menu
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18
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19 * Inserting Text:: Inserting text by simply typing it.
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20 * Moving Point:: How to move the cursor to the place where you want to
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21 change something.
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22 * Erasing:: Deleting and killing text.
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23 * Undo:: Undoing recent changes in the text.
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24 * Files: Basic Files. Visiting, creating, and saving files.
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25 * Help: Basic Help. Asking what a character does.
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26 * Blank Lines:: Commands to make or delete blank lines.
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27 * Continuation Lines:: Lines too wide for the screen.
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28 * Position Info:: What page, line, row, or column is point on?
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29 * Arguments:: Numeric arguments for repeating a command.
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30 * Repeating:: A short-cut for repeating the previous command.
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31 @end menu
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32
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33 @node Inserting Text
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34 @section Inserting Text
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35
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36 @cindex insertion
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37 @cindex graphic characters
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38 To insert printing characters into the text you are editing, just type
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39 them. This inserts the characters you type into the buffer at the
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40 cursor (that is, at @dfn{point}; @pxref{Point}). The cursor moves
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41 forward, and any text after the cursor moves forward too. If the text
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42 in the buffer is @samp{FOOBAR}, with the cursor before the @samp{B},
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43 then if you type @kbd{XX}, you get @samp{FOOXXBAR}, with the cursor
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44 still before the @samp{B}.
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45
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46 To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use @key{DEL}. @key{DEL}
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47 deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor (not the one that the cursor
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48 is on top of or under; that is the character @var{after} the cursor). The
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49 cursor and all characters after it move backwards. Therefore, if you type
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50 a printing character and then type @key{DEL}, they cancel out.
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51
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52 @kindex RET
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53 @cindex newline
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54 To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}. This
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55 inserts a newline character in the buffer. If point is in the middle of
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56 a line, @key{RET} splits the line. Typing @key{DEL} when the cursor is
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57 at the beginning of a line deletes the preceding newline, thus joining
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58 the line with the preceding line.
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59
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60 Emacs can split lines automatically when they become too long, if you
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61 turn on a special minor mode called @dfn{Auto Fill} mode.
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62 @xref{Filling}, for how to use Auto Fill mode.
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63
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64 If you prefer to have text characters replace (overwrite) existing
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65 text rather than shove it to the right, you can enable Overwrite mode,
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66 a minor mode. @xref{Minor Modes}.
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67
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68 @cindex quoting
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69 @kindex C-q
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70 @findex quoted-insert
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71 Direct insertion works for printing characters and @key{SPC}, but other
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72 characters act as editing commands and do not insert themselves. If you
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73 need to insert a control character or a character whose code is above 200
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74 octal, you must @dfn{quote} it by typing the character @kbd{Control-q}
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75 (@code{quoted-insert}) first. (This character's name is normally written
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76 @kbd{C-q} for short.) There are two ways to use @kbd{C-q}:@refill
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77
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78 @itemize @bullet
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79 @item
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80 @kbd{C-q} followed by any non-graphic character (even @kbd{C-g})
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81 inserts that character.
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82
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83 @item
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84 @kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits inserts the character
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85 with the specified octal character code. You can use any number of
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86 octal digits; any non-digit terminates the sequence. If the terminating
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87 character is @key{RET}, it serves only to terminate the sequence; any
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88 other non-digit is itself used as input after terminating the sequence.
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89 (The use of octal sequences is disabled in ordinary non-binary Overwrite
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90 mode, to give you a convenient way to insert a digit instead of
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91 overwriting with it.)
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92 @end itemize
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93
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94 @cindex 8-bit character codes
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95 @noindent
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96 When multibyte characters are enabled, if you specify a code in the
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97 range 0200 through 0377 octal, @kbd{C-q} assumes that you intend to use
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98 some ISO 8859-@var{n} character set, and converts the specified code to
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99 the corresponding Emacs character code. @xref{Enabling Multibyte}. You
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100 select to @emph{which} of the ISO 8859 character sets should Emacs
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101 convert the 8-bit code through your choice of language environment
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102 (@pxref{Language Environments}).
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103
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104 @vindex read-quoted-char-radix
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105 To use decimal or hexadecimal instead of octal, set the variable
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106 @code{read-quoted-char-radix} to 10 or 16. If the radix is greater than
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107 10, some letters starting with @kbd{a} serve as part of a character
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108 code, just like digits.
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109
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110 A numeric argument to @kbd{C-q} specifies how many copies of the
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111 quoted character should be inserted (@pxref{Arguments}).
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112
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113 @findex newline
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114 @findex self-insert
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115 Customization information: @key{DEL} in most modes runs the command
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116 @code{delete-backward-char}; @key{RET} runs the command @code{newline}, and
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117 self-inserting printing characters run the command @code{self-insert},
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118 which inserts whatever character was typed to invoke it. Some major modes
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119 rebind @key{DEL} to other commands.
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120
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121 @node Moving Point
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122 @section Changing the Location of Point
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123
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124 @cindex arrow keys
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125 @kindex LEFT
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126 @kindex RIGHT
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127 @kindex UP
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128 @kindex DOWN
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129 @cindex moving point
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130 @cindex movement
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131 @cindex cursor motion
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132 @cindex moving the cursor
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133 To do more than insert characters, you have to know how to move point
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134 (@pxref{Point}). The simplest way to do this is with arrow keys, or by
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135 clicking the left mouse button where you want to move to.
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136
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137 There are also control and meta characters for cursor motion. Some
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138 are equivalent to the arrow keys (these date back to the days before
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139 terminals had arrow keys, and are usable on terminals which don't have
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140 them). Others do more sophisticated things.
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141
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142 @kindex C-a
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143 @kindex C-e
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144 @kindex C-f
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145 @kindex C-b
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146 @kindex C-n
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147 @kindex C-p
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148 @kindex M->
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149 @kindex M-<
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150 @kindex M-r
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151 @findex beginning-of-line
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152 @findex end-of-line
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153 @findex forward-char
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154 @findex backward-char
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155 @findex next-line
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156 @findex previous-line
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157 @findex beginning-of-buffer
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158 @findex end-of-buffer
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159 @findex goto-char
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160 @findex goto-line
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161 @findex move-to-window-line
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162 @table @kbd
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163 @item C-a
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164 Move to the beginning of the line (@code{beginning-of-line}).
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165 @item C-e
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166 Move to the end of the line (@code{end-of-line}).
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167 @item C-f
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168 Move forward one character (@code{forward-char}).
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169 @item C-b
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170 Move backward one character (@code{backward-char}).
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171 @item M-f
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172 Move forward one word (@code{forward-word}).
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173 @item M-b
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174 Move backward one word (@code{backward-word}).
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175 @item C-n
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176 Move down one line, vertically (@code{next-line}). This command
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177 attempts to keep the horizontal position unchanged, so if you start in
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178 the middle of one line, you end in the middle of the next. When on
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179 the last line of text, @kbd{C-n} creates a new line and moves onto it.
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180 @item C-p
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181 Move up one line, vertically (@code{previous-line}).
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182 @item M-r
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183 Move point to left margin, vertically centered in the window
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184 (@code{move-to-window-line}). Text does not move on the screen.
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185
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186 A numeric argument says which screen line to place point on. It counts
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187 screen lines down from the top of the window (zero for the top line). A
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188 negative argument counts lines from the bottom (@minus{}1 for the bottom
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189 line).
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190 @item M-<
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191 Move to the top of the buffer (@code{beginning-of-buffer}). With
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192 numeric argument @var{n}, move to @var{n}/10 of the way from the top.
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193 @xref{Arguments}, for more information on numeric arguments.@refill
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194 @item M->
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195 Move to the end of the buffer (@code{end-of-buffer}).
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196 @item M-x goto-char
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197 Read a number @var{n} and move point to buffer position @var{n}.
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198 Position 1 is the beginning of the buffer.
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199 @item M-x goto-line
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200 Read a number @var{n} and move point to line number @var{n}. Line 1
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201 is the beginning of the buffer.
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202 @item C-x C-n
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203 @findex set-goal-column
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204 @kindex C-x C-n
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205 Use the current column of point as the @dfn{semipermanent goal column} for
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206 @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} (@code{set-goal-column}). Henceforth, those
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207 commands always move to this column in each line moved into, or as
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208 close as possible given the contents of the line. This goal column remains
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209 in effect until canceled.
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210 @item C-u C-x C-n
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211 Cancel the goal column. Henceforth, @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} once
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212 again try to stick to a fixed horizontal position, as usual.
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213 @end table
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214
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215 @vindex track-eol
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216 If you set the variable @code{track-eol} to a non-@code{nil} value,
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217 then @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} when at the end of the starting line move
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218 to the end of another line. Normally, @code{track-eol} is @code{nil}.
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219 @xref{Variables}, for how to set variables such as @code{track-eol}.
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220
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221 @vindex next-line-add-newlines
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222 Normally, @kbd{C-n} on the last line of a buffer appends a newline to
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223 it. If the variable @code{next-line-add-newlines} is @code{nil}, then
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224 @kbd{C-n} gets an error instead (like @kbd{C-p} on the first line).
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225
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226 @node Erasing
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227 @section Erasing Text
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228
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229 @table @kbd
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230 @item @key{DEL}
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231 Delete the character before point (@code{delete-backward-char}).
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232 @item C-d
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233 Delete the character after point (@code{delete-char}).
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234 @item C-k
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235 Kill to the end of the line (@code{kill-line}).
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236 @item M-d
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237 Kill forward to the end of the next word (@code{kill-word}).
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238 @item M-@key{DEL}
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239 Kill back to the beginning of the previous word
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240 (@code{backward-kill-word}).
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241 @end table
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242
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243 @cindex killing characters and lines
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244 @cindex deleting characters and lines
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245 @cindex erasing characters and lines
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246 You already know about the @key{DEL} key which deletes the character
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247 before point (that is, before the cursor). Another key, @kbd{Control-d}
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248 (@kbd{C-d} for short), deletes the character after point (that is, the
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249 character that the cursor is on). This shifts the rest of the text on
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250 the line to the left. If you type @kbd{C-d} at the end of a line, it
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251 joins together that line and the next line.
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252
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253 To erase a larger amount of text, use the @kbd{C-k} key, which kills a
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254 line at a time. If you type @kbd{C-k} at the beginning or middle of a
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255 line, it kills all the text up to the end of the line. If you type
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256 @kbd{C-k} at the end of a line, it joins that line and the next line.
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257
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258 @xref{Killing}, for more flexible ways of killing text.
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259
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260 @node Undo
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261 @section Undoing Changes
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262 @cindex undo
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263 @cindex changes, undoing
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264
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265 You can undo all the recent changes in the buffer text, up to a
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266 certain point. Each buffer records changes individually, and the undo
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267 command always applies to the current buffer. Usually each editing
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268 command makes a separate entry in the undo records, but some commands
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269 such as @code{query-replace} make many entries, and very simple commands
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270 such as self-inserting characters are often grouped to make undoing less
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271 tedious.
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272
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273 @table @kbd
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274 @item C-x u
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275 Undo one batch of changes---usually, one command worth (@code{undo}).
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276 @item C-_
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277 The same.
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278 @item C-u C-x u
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279 Undo one batch of changes in the region.
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280 @end table
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281
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282 @kindex C-x u
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283 @kindex C-_
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284 @findex undo
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285 The command @kbd{C-x u} or @kbd{C-_} is how you undo. The first time
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286 you give this command, it undoes the last change. Point moves back to
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287 where it was before the command that made the change.
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288
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289 Consecutive repetitions of @kbd{C-_} or @kbd{C-x u} undo earlier and
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290 earlier changes, back to the limit of the undo information available.
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291 If all recorded changes have already been undone, the undo command
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292 prints an error message and does nothing.
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293
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294 Any command other than an undo command breaks the sequence of undo
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295 commands. Starting from that moment, the previous undo commands become
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296 ordinary changes that you can undo. Thus, to redo changes you have
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297 undone, type @kbd{C-f} or any other command that will harmlessly break
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298 the sequence of undoing, then type more undo commands.
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299
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300 @cindex selective undo
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301 @kindex C-u C-x u
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302 Ordinary undo applies to all changes made in the current buffer. You
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303 can also perform @dfn{selective undo}, limited to the current region.
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304 To do this, specify the region you want, then run the @code{undo}
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305 command with a prefix argument (the value does not matter): @kbd{C-u C-x
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306 u} or @kbd{C-u C-_}. This undoes the most recent change in the region.
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307 To undo further changes in the same region, repeat the @code{undo}
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308 command (no prefix argument is needed). In Transient Mark mode, any use
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309 of @code{undo} when there is an active region performs selective undo;
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310 you do not need a prefix argument.
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311
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312 If you notice that a buffer has been modified accidentally, the
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313 easiest way to recover is to type @kbd{C-_} repeatedly until the stars
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314 disappear from the front of the mode line. At this time, all the
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315 modifications you made have been canceled. Whenever an undo command
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316 makes the stars disappear from the mode line, it means that the buffer
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317 contents are the same as they were when the file was last read in or
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318 saved.
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319
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320 If you do not remember whether you changed the buffer deliberately,
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321 type @kbd{C-_} once. When you see the last change you made undone, you
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322 will see whether it was an intentional change. If it was an accident,
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323 leave it undone. If it was deliberate, redo the change as described
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324 above.
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325
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326 Not all buffers record undo information. Buffers whose names start with
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327 spaces don't; these buffers are used internally by Emacs and its extensions
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328 to hold text that users don't normally look at or edit.
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329
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330 You cannot undo mere cursor motion; only changes in the buffer
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331 contents save undo information. However, some cursor motion commands
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332 set the mark, so if you use these commands from time to time, you can
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333 move back to the neighborhoods you have moved through by popping the
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334 mark ring (@pxref{Mark Ring}).
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335
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336 @vindex undo-limit
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337 @vindex undo-strong-limit
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338 @cindex undo limit
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339 When the undo information for a buffer becomes too large, Emacs
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340 discards the oldest undo information from time to time (during garbage
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341 collection). You can specify how much undo information to keep by
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342 setting two variables: @code{undo-limit} and @code{undo-strong-limit}.
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343 Their values are expressed in units of bytes of space.
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344
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345 The variable @code{undo-limit} sets a soft limit: Emacs keeps undo
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346 data for enough commands to reach this size, and perhaps exceed it, but
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347 does not keep data for any earlier commands beyond that. Its default
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348 value is 20000. The variable @code{undo-strong-limit} sets a stricter
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349 limit: the command which pushes the size past this amount is itself
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350 forgotten. Its default value is 30000.
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351
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352 Regardless of the values of those variables, the most recent change is
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353 never discarded, so there is no danger that garbage collection occurring
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354 right after an unintentional large change might prevent you from undoing
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355 it.
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356
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357 The reason the @code{undo} command has two keys, @kbd{C-x u} and
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358 @kbd{C-_}, set up to run it is that it is worthy of a single-character
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359 key, but on some keyboards it is not obvious how to type @kbd{C-_}.
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360 @kbd{C-x u} is an alternative you can type straightforwardly on any
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361 terminal.
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362
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363 @node Basic Files
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364 @section Files
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365
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366 The commands described above are sufficient for creating and altering
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367 text in an Emacs buffer; the more advanced Emacs commands just make
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368 things easier. But to keep any text permanently you must put it in a
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369 @dfn{file}. Files are named units of text which are stored by the
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370 operating system for you to retrieve later by name. To look at or use
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371 the contents of a file in any way, including editing the file with
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372 Emacs, you must specify the file name.
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373
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374 Consider a file named @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. In Emacs, to begin editing
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375 this file, type
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376
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377 @example
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378 C-x C-f /usr/rms/foo.c @key{RET}
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379 @end example
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380
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381 @noindent
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382 Here the file name is given as an @dfn{argument} to the command @kbd{C-x
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383 C-f} (@code{find-file}). That command uses the @dfn{minibuffer} to
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384 read the argument, and you type @key{RET} to terminate the argument
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385 (@pxref{Minibuffer}).@refill
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386
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387 Emacs obeys the command by @dfn{visiting} the file: creating a buffer,
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388 copying the contents of the file into the buffer, and then displaying
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389 the buffer for you to edit. If you alter the text, you can @dfn{save}
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390 the new text in the file by typing @kbd{C-x C-s} (@code{save-buffer}).
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391 This makes the changes permanent by copying the altered buffer contents
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392 back into the file @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. Until you save, the changes
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393 exist only inside Emacs, and the file @file{foo.c} is unaltered.
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394
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395 To create a file, just visit the file with @kbd{C-x C-f} as if it
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396 already existed. This creates an empty buffer in which you can insert
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397 the text you want to put in the file. The file is actually created when
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398 you save this buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}.
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399
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400 Of course, there is a lot more to learn about using files. @xref{Files}.
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401
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402 @node Basic Help
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403 @section Help
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404
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405 @cindex getting help with keys
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406 If you forget what a key does, you can find out with the Help
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407 character, which is @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}, which is an alias for
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408 @kbd{C-h}). Type @kbd{C-h k} followed by the key you want to know
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409 about; for example, @kbd{C-h k C-n} tells you all about what @kbd{C-n}
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410 does. @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key; @kbd{C-h k} is just one of its
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411 subcommands (the command @code{describe-key}). The other subcommands of
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412 @kbd{C-h} provide different kinds of help. Type @kbd{C-h} twice to get
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413 a description of all the help facilities. @xref{Help}.@refill
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414
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415 @node Blank Lines
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416 @section Blank Lines
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417
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418 @cindex inserting blank lines
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419 @cindex deleting blank lines
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420 Here are special commands and techniques for putting in and taking out
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421 blank lines.
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422
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423 @c widecommands
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424 @table @kbd
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425 @item C-o
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426 Insert one or more blank lines after the cursor (@code{open-line}).
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427 @item C-x C-o
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428 Delete all but one of many consecutive blank lines
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429 (@code{delete-blank-lines}).
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430 @end table
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431
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432 @kindex C-o
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433 @kindex C-x C-o
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434 @cindex blank lines
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435 @findex open-line
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436 @findex delete-blank-lines
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parents:
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437 When you want to insert a new line of text before an existing line, you
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438 can do it by typing the new line of text, followed by @key{RET}.
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439 However, it may be easier to see what you are doing if you first make a
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440 blank line and then insert the desired text into it. This is easy to do
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441 using the key @kbd{C-o} (@code{open-line}), which inserts a newline
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442 after point but leaves point in front of the newline. After @kbd{C-o},
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443 type the text for the new line. @kbd{C-o F O O} has the same effect as
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444 @w{@kbd{F O O @key{RET}}}, except for the final location of point.
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parents:
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445
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446 You can make several blank lines by typing @kbd{C-o} several times, or
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447 by giving it a numeric argument to tell it how many blank lines to make.
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448 @xref{Arguments}, for how. If you have a fill prefix, then @kbd{C-o}
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449 command inserts the fill prefix on the new line, when you use it at the
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450 beginning of a line. @xref{Fill Prefix}.
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parents:
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451
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parents:
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452 The easy way to get rid of extra blank lines is with the command
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parents:
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453 @kbd{C-x C-o} (@code{delete-blank-lines}). @kbd{C-x C-o} in a run of
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diff changeset
454 several blank lines deletes all but one of them. @kbd{C-x C-o} on a
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455 solitary blank line deletes that blank line. When point is on a
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456 nonblank line, @kbd{C-x C-o} deletes any blank lines following that
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parents:
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457 nonblank line.
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parents:
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458
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parents:
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459 @node Continuation Lines
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parents:
diff changeset
460 @section Continuation Lines
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parents:
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461
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parents:
diff changeset
462 @cindex continuation line
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parents:
diff changeset
463 @cindex wrapping
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parents:
diff changeset
464 @cindex line wrapping
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parents:
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465 If you add too many characters to one line without breaking it with
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466 @key{RET}, the line will grow to occupy two (or more) lines on the screen,
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parents:
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467 with a @samp{\} at the extreme right margin of all but the last of them.
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parents:
diff changeset
468 The @samp{\} says that the following screen line is not really a distinct
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diff changeset
469 line in the text, but just the @dfn{continuation} of a line too long to fit
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
470 the screen. Continuation is also called @dfn{line wrapping}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
471
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
472 Sometimes it is nice to have Emacs insert newlines automatically when
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
473 a line gets too long. Continuation on the screen does not do that. Use
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
474 Auto Fill mode (@pxref{Filling}) if that's what you want.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
475
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
476 @vindex truncate-lines
31952
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Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27220
diff changeset
477 @findex toggle-truncate-lines
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
478 @cindex truncation
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
479 As an alternative to continuation, Emacs can display long lines by
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
480 @dfn{truncation}. This means that all the characters that do not fit in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
481 the width of the screen or window do not appear at all. They remain in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
482 the buffer, temporarily invisible. @samp{$} is used in the last column
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
483 instead of @samp{\} to inform you that truncation is in effect.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
484
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
485 Truncation instead of continuation happens whenever horizontal
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
486 scrolling is in use, and optionally in all side-by-side windows
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
487 (@pxref{Windows}). You can enable truncation for a particular buffer by
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
488 setting the variable @code{truncate-lines} to non-@code{nil} in that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
489 buffer. (@xref{Variables}.) Altering the value of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
490 @code{truncate-lines} makes it local to the current buffer; until that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
491 time, the default value is in effect. The default is initially
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
492 @code{nil}. @xref{Locals}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
493
31952
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Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27220
diff changeset
494 The command @kbd{M-x toggle-truncate-lines} toggles the display
9ab15b2742ba (Continuation Lines): Add description of
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27220
diff changeset
495 between continuation and truncation.
9ab15b2742ba (Continuation Lines): Add description of
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27220
diff changeset
496
25829
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diff changeset
497 @xref{Display Vars}, for additional variables that affect how text is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
498 displayed.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
499
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
500 @node Position Info
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
501 @section Cursor Position Information
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
502
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
503 Here are commands to get information about the size and position of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
504 parts of the buffer, and to count lines.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
505
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
506 @table @kbd
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
507 @item M-x what-page
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
508 Print page number of point, and line number within page.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
509 @item M-x what-line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
510 Print line number of point in the buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
511 @item M-x line-number-mode
27220
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
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parents: 25829
diff changeset
512 @itemx M-x column-number-mode
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
513 Toggle automatic display of current line number or column number.
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
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diff changeset
514 @xref{Optional Mode Line}.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
515 @item M-=
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parents:
diff changeset
516 Print number of lines in the current region (@code{count-lines-region}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
517 @xref{Mark}, for information about the region.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
518 @item C-x =
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
519 Print character code of character after point, character position of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
520 point, and column of point (@code{what-cursor-position}).
27220
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
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parents: 25829
diff changeset
521 @item M-x hl-line-mode
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
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diff changeset
522 Highlighting the current line.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
523 @end table
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parents:
diff changeset
524
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
525 @findex what-page
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
526 @findex what-line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
527 @cindex line number commands
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
528 @cindex location of point
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
529 @cindex cursor location
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
530 @cindex point location
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
531 There are two commands for working with line numbers. @kbd{M-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
532 what-line} computes the current line number and displays it in the echo
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
533 area. To go to a given line by number, use @kbd{M-x goto-line}; it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
534 prompts you for the number. These line numbers count from one at the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
535 beginning of the buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
536
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
537 You can also see the current line number in the mode line; @xref{Mode
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
538 Line}. If you narrow the buffer, then the line number in the mode line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
539 is relative to the accessible portion (@pxref{Narrowing}). By contrast,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
540 @code{what-line} shows both the line number relative to the narrowed
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
541 region and the line number relative to the whole buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
542
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
543 By contrast, @kbd{M-x what-page} counts pages from the beginning of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
544 the file, and counts lines within the page, printing both numbers.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
545 @xref{Pages}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
546
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
547 @kindex M-=
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
548 @findex count-lines-region
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
549 While on this subject, we might as well mention @kbd{M-=} (@code{count-lines-region}),
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
550 which prints the number of lines in the region (@pxref{Mark}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
551 @xref{Pages}, for the command @kbd{C-x l} which counts the lines in the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
552 current page.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
553
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
554 @kindex C-x =
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
555 @findex what-cursor-position
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
556 The command @kbd{C-x =} (@code{what-cursor-position}) can be used to find out
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
557 the column that the cursor is in, and other miscellaneous information about
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
558 point. It prints a line in the echo area that looks like this:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
559
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
560 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
561 Char: c (0143, 99, 0x63) point=21044 of 26883(78%) column 53
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parents:
diff changeset
562 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
563
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
564 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
565 (In fact, this is the output produced when point is before the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
566 @samp{column} in the example.)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
567
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
568 The four values after @samp{Char:} describe the character that follows
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
569 point, first by showing it and then by giving its character code in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
570 octal, decimal and hex. For a non-ASCII multibyte character, these are
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
571 followed by @samp{ext} and the character's representation, in hex, in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
572 the buffer's coding system, if that coding system encodes the character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
573 safely and with a single byte (@pxref{Coding Systems}). If the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
574 character's encoding is longer than one byte, Emacs shows @samp{ext ...}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
575
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
576 @samp{point=} is followed by the position of point expressed as a character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
577 count. The front of the buffer counts as position 1, one character later
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
578 as 2, and so on. The next, larger, number is the total number of characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
579 in the buffer. Afterward in parentheses comes the position expressed as a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
580 percentage of the total size.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
581
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
582 @samp{column} is followed by the horizontal position of point, in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
583 columns from the left edge of the window.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
584
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
585 If the buffer has been narrowed, making some of the text at the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
586 beginning and the end temporarily inaccessible, @kbd{C-x =} prints
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
587 additional text describing the currently accessible range. For example, it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
588 might display this:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
589
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
590 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
591 Char: C (0103, 67, 0x43) point=252 of 889(28%) <231 - 599> column 0
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
592 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
593
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parents:
diff changeset
594 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
595 where the two extra numbers give the smallest and largest character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
596 position that point is allowed to assume. The characters between those
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
597 two positions are the accessible ones. @xref{Narrowing}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
598
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
599 If point is at the end of the buffer (or the end of the accessible
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
600 part), the @w{@kbd{C-x =}} output does not describe a character after
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
601 point. The output might look like this:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
602
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
603 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
604 point=26957 of 26956(100%) column 0
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
605 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
606
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
607 @w{@kbd{C-u C-x =}} displays additional information about a character,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
608 in place of the buffer coordinates and column: the character set name
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
609 and the codes that identify the character within that character set;
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
610 ASCII characters are identified as belonging to the @code{ASCII}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
611 character set. In addition, the full character encoding, even if it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
612 takes more than a single byte, is shown after @samp{ext}. Here's an
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
613 example for a Latin-1 character A with a grave accent in a buffer whose
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
614 coding system is iso-2022-7bit@footnote{On terminals that support
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
615 Latin-1 characters, the character shown after @samp{Char:} is displayed
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
616 as the actual glyph of A with grave accent.}:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
617
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
618 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
619 Char: @`A (04300, 2240, 0x8c0, ext ESC , A @@) (latin-iso8859-1 64)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
620 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
621
27220
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
622 @findex hl-line-mode
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
623 @findex blink-cursor-mode
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
624 @cindex cursor, locating visually
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
625 @cindex cursor, blinking
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
626 @kbd{M-x hl-line-mode} turns on a global minor mode which highlights the
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
627 line about point in the selected window (on terminals which support
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
628 highlighting). Some people find this convenient. If you find the
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
629 cursor difficult to spot, you might try changing its color by
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
630 customizing the @code{cursor} face or rely on (the default)
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
631 @code{blink-cursor-mode}. Cursor color and blinking can be conrolled
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
632 via the @code{cursor} Custom group.
dddb1bca9704 Reference column-number-mode, hl-line-mode, blink-cursor-mode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
633
25829
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parents:
diff changeset
634 @node Arguments
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
635 @section Numeric Arguments
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
636 @cindex numeric arguments
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
637 @cindex prefix arguments
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
638 @cindex arguments, numeric
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
639 @cindex arguments, prefix
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
640
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
641 In mathematics and computer usage, the word @dfn{argument} means
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
642 ``data provided to a function or operation.'' You can give any Emacs
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
643 command a @dfn{numeric argument} (also called a @dfn{prefix argument}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
644 Some commands interpret the argument as a repetition count. For
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
645 example, @kbd{C-f} with an argument of ten moves forward ten characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
646 instead of one. With these commands, no argument is equivalent to an
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
647 argument of one. Negative arguments tell most such commands to move or
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
648 act in the opposite direction.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
649
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
650 @kindex M-1
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
651 @kindex M-@t{-}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
652 @findex digit-argument
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
653 @findex negative-argument
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
654 If your terminal keyboard has a @key{META} key, the easiest way to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
655 specify a numeric argument is to type digits and/or a minus sign while
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
656 holding down the @key{META} key. For example,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
657 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
658 M-5 C-n
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
659 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
660 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
661 would move down five lines. The characters @kbd{Meta-1}, @kbd{Meta-2},
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
662 and so on, as well as @kbd{Meta--}, do this because they are keys bound
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
663 to commands (@code{digit-argument} and @code{negative-argument}) that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
664 are defined to contribute to an argument for the next command. Digits
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
665 and @kbd{-} modified with Control, or Control and Meta, also specify
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
666 numeric arguments.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
667
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
668 @kindex C-u
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
669 @findex universal-argument
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
670 Another way of specifying an argument is to use the @kbd{C-u}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
671 (@code{universal-argument}) command followed by the digits of the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
672 argument. With @kbd{C-u}, you can type the argument digits without
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
673 holding down modifier keys; @kbd{C-u} works on all terminals. To type a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
674 negative argument, type a minus sign after @kbd{C-u}. Just a minus sign
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
675 without digits normally means @minus{}1.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
676
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
677 @kbd{C-u} followed by a character which is neither a digit nor a minus
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
678 sign has the special meaning of ``multiply by four.'' It multiplies the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
679 argument for the next command by four. @kbd{C-u} twice multiplies it by
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
680 sixteen. Thus, @kbd{C-u C-u C-f} moves forward sixteen characters. This
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
681 is a good way to move forward ``fast,'' since it moves about 1/5 of a line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
682 in the usual size screen. Other useful combinations are @kbd{C-u C-n},
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
683 @kbd{C-u C-u C-n} (move down a good fraction of a screen), @kbd{C-u C-u
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
684 C-o} (make ``a lot'' of blank lines), and @kbd{C-u C-k} (kill four
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
685 lines).@refill
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
686
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
687 Some commands care only about whether there is an argument, and not about
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
688 its value. For example, the command @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) with
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
689 no argument fills text; with an argument, it justifies the text as well.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
690 (@xref{Filling}, for more information on @kbd{M-q}.) Plain @kbd{C-u} is a
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691 handy way of providing an argument for such commands.
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692
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693 Some commands use the value of the argument as a repeat count, but do
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694 something peculiar when there is no argument. For example, the command
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695 @kbd{C-k} (@code{kill-line}) with argument @var{n} kills @var{n} lines,
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696 including their terminating newlines. But @kbd{C-k} with no argument is
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697 special: it kills the text up to the next newline, or, if point is right at
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698 the end of the line, it kills the newline itself. Thus, two @kbd{C-k}
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699 commands with no arguments can kill a nonblank line, just like @kbd{C-k}
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700 with an argument of one. (@xref{Killing}, for more information on
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701 @kbd{C-k}.)@refill
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702
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703 A few commands treat a plain @kbd{C-u} differently from an ordinary
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704 argument. A few others may treat an argument of just a minus sign
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705 differently from an argument of @minus{}1. These unusual cases are
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706 described when they come up; they are always for reasons of convenience
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707 of use of the individual command.
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708
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709 You can use a numeric argument to insert multiple copies of a
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710 character. This is straightforward unless the character is a digit; for
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711 example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 a} inserts 64 copies of the character @samp{a}.
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712 But this does not work for inserting digits; @kbd{C-u 6 4 1} specifies
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713 an argument of 641, rather than inserting anything. To separate the
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714 digit to insert from the argument, type another @kbd{C-u}; for example,
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715 @kbd{C-u 6 4 C-u 1} does insert 64 copies of the character @samp{1}.
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716
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717 We use the term ``prefix argument'' as well as ``numeric argument'' to
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718 emphasize that you type the argument before the command, and to
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719 distinguish these arguments from minibuffer arguments that come after
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720 the command.
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721
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722 @node Repeating
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723 @section Repeating a Command
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724 @cindex repeating a command
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725
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726 @kindex C-x z
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727 @findex repeat
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728 The command @kbd{C-x z} (@code{repeat}) provides another way to repeat
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729 an Emacs command many times. This command repeats the previous Emacs
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730 command, whatever that was. Repeating a command uses the same arguments
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731 that were used before; it does not read new arguments each time.
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732
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733 To repeat the command more than once, type additional @kbd{z}'s: each
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734 @kbd{z} repeats the command one more time. Repetition ends when you
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735 type a character other than @kbd{z}, or press a mouse button.
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736
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737 For example, suppose you type @kbd{C-u 2 0 C-d} to delete 20
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738 characters. You can repeat that command (including its argument) three
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739 additional times, to delete a total of 80 characters, by typing @kbd{C-x
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740 z z z}. The first @kbd{C-x z} repeats the command once, and each
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741 subsequent @kbd{z} repeats it once again.
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742