annotate man/mule.texi @ 37584:9a7fd51a92b3

(International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to detailed description. (Enabling Multibyte): Describe how to switch a unibyte session to multibyte. Mention that by default, all sessions are multibyte. (Coding Systems): Make it clear that cpNNN are coding systems, and should be used as such. (Recognize Coding): Explain that Emacs decodes text as part of reading it. Mention revert-buffer as a means to redecode a file.
author Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
date Sun, 06 May 2001 11:27:54 +0000
parents 07200bf360ab
children 5a2458f097b0
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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
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2 @c Copyright (C) 1997, 1999, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
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4 @node International, Major Modes, Frames, Top
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5 @chapter International Character Set Support
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6 @cindex MULE
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7 @cindex international scripts
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8 @cindex multibyte characters
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9 @cindex encoding of characters
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10
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11 @cindex Celtic
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12 @cindex Chinese
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13 @cindex Cyrillic
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14 @cindex Czech
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15 @cindex Devanagari
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16 @cindex Hindi
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17 @cindex Marathi
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18 @cindex Ethiopic
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19 @cindex German
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20 @cindex Greek
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21 @cindex Hebrew
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22 @cindex IPA
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23 @cindex Japanese
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24 @cindex Korean
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25 @cindex Lao
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26 @cindex Latin
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27 @cindex Polish
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28 @cindex Romanian
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29 @cindex Slovak
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30 @cindex Slovenian
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31 @cindex Thai
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32 @cindex Tibetan
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33 @cindex Turkish
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34 @cindex Vietnamese
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35 @cindex Dutch
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36 @cindex Spanish
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37 Emacs supports a wide variety of international character sets,
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38 including European variants of the Latin alphabet, as well as Chinese,
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39 Cyrillic, Devanagari (Hindi and Marathi), Ethiopic, Greek, Hebrew, IPA,
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40 Japanese, Korean, Lao, Thai, Tibetan, and Vietnamese scripts. These features
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41 have been merged from the modified version of Emacs known as MULE (for
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42 ``MULti-lingual Enhancement to GNU Emacs'')
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43
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44 Emacs also supports various encodings of these characters used by
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45 other internationalized software, such as word processors and mailers.
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46
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47 Emacs allows editing text with international characters by supporting
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48 all the related activities:
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49
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50 @itemize @bullet
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51 @item
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52 You can visit files with non-ASCII characters, save non-ASCII text, and
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53 pass non-ASCII text between Emacs and programs it invokes (such as
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54 compilers, spell-checkers, and mailers). Setting your language
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55 environment (@pxref{Language Environments}) takes care of setting up the
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56 coding systems and other options for a specific language or culture.
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57 Alternatively, you can specify how Emacs should encode or decode text
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58 for each command; see @ref{Specify Coding}.
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59
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60 @item
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61 You can display non-ASCII characters encoded by the various scripts.
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62 This works by using appropriate fonts on X and similar graphics
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63 displays (@pxref{Defining Fontsets}), and by sending special codes to
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64 text-only displays (@pxref{Specify Coding}). If some characters are
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65 displayed incorrectly, refer to @ref{Undisplayable Characters}, which
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66 describes possible problems and explains how to solve them.
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67
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68 @item
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69 You can insert non-ASCII characters or search for them. To do that,
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70 you can specify an input method (@pxref{Select Input Method}) suitable
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71 for your language, or use the default input method set up when you set
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72 your language environment. (Emacs input methods are part of the Leim
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73 package, which must be installed for you to be able to use them.) If
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74 your keyboard can produce non-ASCII characters, you can select an
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75 appropriate keyboard coding system (@pxref{Specify Coding}), and Emacs
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76 will accept those characters. Latin-1 characters can also be input by
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77 using the @kbd{C-x 8} prefix, see @ref{Single-Byte Character Support,
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78 C-x 8}.
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79 @end itemize
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80
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81 The rest of this chapter describes these issues in detail.
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82
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83 @menu
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84 * International Intro:: Basic concepts of multibyte characters.
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85 * Enabling Multibyte:: Controlling whether to use multibyte characters.
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86 * Language Environments:: Setting things up for the language you use.
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87 * Input Methods:: Entering text characters not on your keyboard.
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88 * Select Input Method:: Specifying your choice of input methods.
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89 * Multibyte Conversion:: How single-byte characters convert to multibyte.
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90 * Coding Systems:: Character set conversion when you read and
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91 write files, and so on.
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92 * Recognize Coding:: How Emacs figures out which conversion to use.
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93 * Specify Coding:: Various ways to choose which conversion to use.
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94 * Fontsets:: Fontsets are collections of fonts
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95 that cover the whole spectrum of characters.
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96 * Defining Fontsets:: Defining a new fontset.
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97 * Undisplayable Characters:: When characters don't display.
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98 * Single-Byte Character Support::
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99 You can pick one European character set
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100 to use without multibyte characters.
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101 @end menu
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102
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103 @node International Intro
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104 @section Introduction to International Character Sets
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105
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106 The users of international character sets and scripts have established
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107 many more-or-less standard coding systems for storing files. Emacs
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108 internally uses a single multibyte character encoding, so that it can
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109 intermix characters from all these scripts in a single buffer or string.
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110 This encoding represents each non-ASCII character as a sequence of bytes
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111 in the range 0200 through 0377. Emacs translates between the multibyte
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112 character encoding and various other coding systems when reading and
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113 writing files, when exchanging data with subprocesses, and (in some
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114 cases) in the @kbd{C-q} command (@pxref{Multibyte Conversion}).
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115
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116 @kindex C-h h
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117 @findex view-hello-file
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118 @cindex undisplayable characters
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119 @cindex @samp{?} in display
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120 The command @kbd{C-h h} (@code{view-hello-file}) displays the file
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121 @file{etc/HELLO}, which shows how to say ``hello'' in many languages.
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122 This illustrates various scripts. If some characters can't be
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123 displayed on your terminal, they appear as @samp{?} or as hollow boxes
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124 (@pxref{Undisplayable Characters}).
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125
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126 Keyboards, even in the countries where these character sets are used,
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127 generally don't have keys for all the characters in them. So Emacs
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128 supports various @dfn{input methods}, typically one for each script or
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129 language, to make it convenient to type them.
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130
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131 @kindex C-x RET
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132 The prefix key @kbd{C-x @key{RET}} is used for commands that pertain
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133 to multibyte characters, coding systems, and input methods.
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134
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135 @ignore
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136 @c This is commented out because it doesn't fit here, or anywhere.
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137 @c This manual does not discuss "character sets" as they
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138 @c are used in Mule, and it makes no sense to mention these commands
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139 @c except as part of a larger discussion of the topic.
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140 @c But it is not clear that topic is worth mentioning here,
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141 @c since that is more of an implementation concept
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142 @c than a user-level concept. And when we switch to Unicode,
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143 @c character sets in the current sense may not even exist.
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144
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145 @findex list-charset-chars
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146 @cindex characters in a certain charset
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147 The command @kbd{M-x list-charset-chars} prompts for a name of a
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148 character set, and displays all the characters in that character set.
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149
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150 @findex describe-character-set
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151 @cindex character set, description
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152 The command @kbd{M-x describe-character-set} prompts for a character
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153 set name and displays information about that character set, including
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154 its internal representation within Emacs.
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155 @end ignore
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156
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157 @node Enabling Multibyte
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158 @section Enabling Multibyte Characters
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159
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160 @cindex turn multibyte support on or off
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161 You can enable or disable multibyte character support, either for
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162 Emacs as a whole, or for a single buffer. When multibyte characters are
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163 disabled in a buffer, then each byte in that buffer represents a
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164 character, even codes 0200 through 0377. The old features for
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165 supporting the European character sets, ISO Latin-1 and ISO Latin-2,
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166 work as they did in Emacs 19 and also work for the other ISO 8859
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167 character sets.
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168
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169 However, there is no need to turn off multibyte character support to
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170 use ISO Latin; the Emacs multibyte character set includes all the
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171 characters in these character sets, and Emacs can translate
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172 automatically to and from the ISO codes.
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173
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174 By default, Emacs starts in multibyte mode, because that allows you to
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175 use all the supported languages and scripts without limitations.
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176
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177 To edit a particular file in unibyte representation, visit it using
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178 @code{find-file-literally}. @xref{Visiting}. To convert a buffer in
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179 multibyte representation into a single-byte representation of the same
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180 characters, the easiest way is to save the contents in a file, kill the
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181 buffer, and find the file again with @code{find-file-literally}. You
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182 can also use @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c}
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183 (@code{universal-coding-system-argument}) and specify @samp{raw-text} as
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184 the coding system with which to find or save a file. @xref{Specify
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185 Coding}. Finding a file as @samp{raw-text} doesn't disable format
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186 conversion, uncompression and auto mode selection as
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187 @code{find-file-literally} does.
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188
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189 @vindex enable-multibyte-characters
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190 @vindex default-enable-multibyte-characters
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191 To turn off multibyte character support by default, start Emacs with
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192 the @samp{--unibyte} option (@pxref{Initial Options}), or set the
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193 environment variable @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE}. You can also customize
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194 @code{enable-multibyte-characters} or, equivalently, directly set the
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195 variable @code{default-enable-multibyte-characters} to @code{nil} in
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196 your init file to have basically the same effect as @samp{--unibyte}.
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197
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198 @findex toggle-enable-multibyte-characters
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199 To convert a unibyte session to a multibyte session, set
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200 @code{default-enable-multibyte-characters} to @code{t}. Buffers which
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201 were created in the unibyte session before you turn on multibyte support
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202 will stay unibyte. You can turn on multibyte support in a specific
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203 buffer by invoking the command @code{toggle-enable-multibyte-characters}
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204 in that buffer.
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205
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206 @cindex Lisp files, and multibyte operation
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207 @cindex multibyte operation, and Lisp files
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208 @cindex unibyte operation, and Lisp files
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209 @cindex init file, and non-ASCII characters
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210 @cindex environment variables, and non-ASCII characters
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211 With @samp{--unibyte}, multibyte strings are not created during
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212 initialization from the values of environment variables,
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213 @file{/etc/passwd} entries etc.@: that contain non-ASCII 8-bit
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214 characters.
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215
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216 Emacs normally loads Lisp files as multibyte, regardless of whether
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217 you used @samp{--unibyte}. This includes the Emacs initialization
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218 file, @file{.emacs}, and the initialization files of Emacs packages
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219 such as Gnus. However, you can specify unibyte loading for a
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220 particular Lisp file, by putting @samp{-*-unibyte: t;-*-} in a comment
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221 on the first line. Then that file is always loaded as unibyte text,
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222 even if you did not start Emacs with @samp{--unibyte}. The motivation
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223 for these conventions is that it is more reliable to always load any
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224 particular Lisp file in the same way. However, you can load a Lisp
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225 file as unibyte, on any one occasion, by typing @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c
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226 raw-text @key{RET}} immediately before loading it.
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227
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228 The mode line indicates whether multibyte character support is enabled
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229 in the current buffer. If it is, there are two or more characters (most
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230 often two dashes) before the colon near the beginning of the mode line.
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231 When multibyte characters are not enabled, just one dash precedes the
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232 colon.
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233
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234 @node Language Environments
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235 @section Language Environments
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236 @cindex language environments
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237
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238 All supported character sets are supported in Emacs buffers whenever
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239 multibyte characters are enabled; there is no need to select a
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240 particular language in order to display its characters in an Emacs
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241 buffer. However, it is important to select a @dfn{language environment}
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242 in order to set various defaults. The language environment really
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243 represents a choice of preferred script (more or less) rather than a
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244 choice of language.
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245
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246 The language environment controls which coding systems to recognize
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247 when reading text (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). This applies to files,
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248 incoming mail, netnews, and any other text you read into Emacs. It may
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249 also specify the default coding system to use when you create a file.
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250 Each language environment also specifies a default input method.
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251
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252 @findex set-language-environment
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253 @vindex current-language-environment
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254 To select a language environment, customize the option
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255 @code{current-language-environment} or use the command @kbd{M-x
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256 set-language-environment}. It makes no difference which buffer is
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257 current when you use this command, because the effects apply globally to
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258 the Emacs session. The supported language environments include:
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259
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260 @cindex Euro sign
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261 @quotation
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262 Chinese-BIG5, Chinese-CNS, Chinese-GB, Cyrillic-ALT, Cyrillic-ISO,
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263 Cyrillic-KOI8, Czech, Devanagari, English, Ethiopic, German, Greek,
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264 Hebrew, IPA, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Latin-1, Latin-2, Latin-3, Latin-4,
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265 Latin-5, Latin-8 (Celtic), Latin-9 (updated Latin-1, with the Euro
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266 sign), Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish,
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267 Dutch, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
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268 @end quotation
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269
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270 @cindex fonts for various scripts
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271 @cindex Intlfonts package, installation
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272 To display the script(s) used by your language environment on a
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273 graphical display, you need to have a suitable font. If some of the
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274 characters appear as empty boxes, you should install the GNU Intlfonts
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275 package, which includes fonts for all supported scripts.@footnote{If
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276 you run Emacs on X, you need to inform the X server about the location
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277 of the newly installed fonts with the following commands:
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278
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279 @example
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280 xset fp+ /usr/local/share/emacs/fonts
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281 xset fp rehash
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282 @end example
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283 }
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284 @xref{Fontsets}, for more details about setting up your fonts.
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285
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286 @findex set-locale-environment
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287 @vindex locale-language-names
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288 @vindex locale-charset-language-names
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289 @cindex locales
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290 Some operating systems let you specify the character-set locale you
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291 are using by setting the locale environment variables @env{LC_ALL},
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292 @env{LC_CTYPE}, or @env{LANG}.@footnote{If more than one of these is
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293 set, the first one that is nonempty specifies your locale for this
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294 purpose.} During startup, Emacs looks up your character-set locale's
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295 name in the system locale alias table, matches its canonical name
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296 against entries in the value of the variables
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297 @code{locale-charset-language-names} and @code{locale-language-names},
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298 and selects the corresponding language environment if a match is found.
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299 (The former variable overrides the latter.) It also adjusts the display
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300 table and terminal coding system, the locale coding system, and the
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301 preferred coding system as needed for the locale.
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302
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303 If you modify the @env{LC_ALL}, @env{LC_CTYPE}, or @env{LANG}
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304 environment variables while running Emacs, you may want to invoke the
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305 @code{set-locale-environment} function afterwards to readjust the
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306 language environment from the new locale.
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307
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308 @vindex locale-preferred-coding-systems
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309 The @code{set-locale-environment} function normally uses the preferred
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310 coding system established by the language environment to decode system
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311 messages. But if your locale matches an entry in the variable
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312 @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, Emacs uses the corresponding
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313 coding system instead. For example, if the locale @samp{ja_JP.PCK}
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314 matches @code{japanese-shift-jis} in
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315 @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, Emacs uses that encoding even
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316 though it might normally use @code{japanese-iso-8bit}.
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317
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318 You can override the language environment chosen at startup with
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319 explicit use of the command @code{set-language-environment}, or with
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320 customization of @code{current-language-environment} in your init
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321 file.
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322
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323 @kindex C-h L
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324 @findex describe-language-environment
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325 To display information about the effects of a certain language
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326 environment @var{lang-env}, use the command @kbd{C-h L @var{lang-env}
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327 @key{RET}} (@code{describe-language-environment}). This tells you which
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328 languages this language environment is useful for, and lists the
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329 character sets, coding systems, and input methods that go with it. It
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330 also shows some sample text to illustrate scripts used in this language
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331 environment. By default, this command describes the chosen language
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332 environment.
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333
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334 @vindex set-language-environment-hook
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335 You can customize any language environment with the normal hook
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336 @code{set-language-environment-hook}. The command
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337 @code{set-language-environment} runs that hook after setting up the new
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338 language environment. The hook functions can test for a specific
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339 language environment by checking the variable
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340 @code{current-language-environment}. This hook is where you should
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341 put non-default settings for specific language environment, such as
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342 coding systems for keyboard input and terminal output, the default
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343 input method, etc.
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344
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345 @vindex exit-language-environment-hook
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346 Before it starts to set up the new language environment,
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347 @code{set-language-environment} first runs the hook
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348 @code{exit-language-environment-hook}. This hook is useful for undoing
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349 customizations that were made with @code{set-language-environment-hook}.
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350 For instance, if you set up a special key binding in a specific language
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351 environment using @code{set-language-environment-hook}, you should set
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352 up @code{exit-language-environment-hook} to restore the normal binding
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353 for that key.
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354
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355 @node Input Methods
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356 @section Input Methods
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357
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358 @cindex input methods
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359 An @dfn{input method} is a kind of character conversion designed
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360 specifically for interactive input. In Emacs, typically each language
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361 has its own input method; sometimes several languages which use the same
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362 characters can share one input method. A few languages support several
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363 input methods.
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364
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365 The simplest kind of input method works by mapping ASCII letters
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366 into another alphabet; this allows you to type characters which your
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367 keyboard doesn't support directly. This is how the Greek and Russian
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368 input methods work.
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369
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370 A more powerful technique is composition: converting sequences of
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371 characters into one letter. Many European input methods use composition
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372 to produce a single non-ASCII letter from a sequence that consists of a
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373 letter followed by accent characters (or vice versa). For example, some
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374 methods convert the sequence @kbd{a'} into a single accented letter.
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375 These input methods have no special commands of their own; all they do
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376 is compose sequences of printing characters.
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377
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378 The input methods for syllabic scripts typically use mapping followed
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379 by composition. The input methods for Thai and Korean work this way.
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380 First, letters are mapped into symbols for particular sounds or tone
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381 marks; then, sequences of these which make up a whole syllable are
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382 mapped into one syllable sign.
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383
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384 Chinese and Japanese require more complex methods. In Chinese input
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385 methods, first you enter the phonetic spelling of a Chinese word (in
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386 input method @code{chinese-py}, among others), or a sequence of portions
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387 of the character (input methods @code{chinese-4corner} and
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388 @code{chinese-sw}, and others). Since one phonetic spelling typically
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389 corresponds to many different Chinese characters, you must select one of
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390 the alternatives using special Emacs commands. Keys such as @kbd{C-f},
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391 @kbd{C-b}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-p}, and digits have special definitions in
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392 this situation, used for selecting among the alternatives. @key{TAB}
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393 displays a buffer showing all the possibilities.
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394
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395 In Japanese input methods, first you input a whole word using
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396 phonetic spelling; then, after the word is in the buffer, Emacs converts
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397 it into one or more characters using a large dictionary. One phonetic
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398 spelling corresponds to many differently written Japanese words, so you
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399 must select one of them; use @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} to cycle through
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400 the alternatives.
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401
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402 Sometimes it is useful to cut off input method processing so that the
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403 characters you have just entered will not combine with subsequent
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404 characters. For example, in input method @code{latin-1-postfix}, the
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405 sequence @kbd{e '} combines to form an @samp{e} with an accent. What if
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406 you want to enter them as separate characters?
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407
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408 One way is to type the accent twice; that is a special feature for
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409 entering the separate letter and accent. For example, @kbd{e ' '} gives
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410 you the two characters @samp{e'}. Another way is to type another letter
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411 after the @kbd{e}---something that won't combine with that---and
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412 immediately delete it. For example, you could type @kbd{e e @key{DEL}
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413 '} to get separate @samp{e} and @samp{'}.
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414
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415 Another method, more general but not quite as easy to type, is to use
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416 @kbd{C-\ C-\} between two characters to stop them from combining. This
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417 is the command @kbd{C-\} (@code{toggle-input-method}) used twice.
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418 @ifinfo
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419 @xref{Select Input Method}.
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420 @end ifinfo
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421
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422 @cindex incremental search, input method interference
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423 @kbd{C-\ C-\} is especially useful inside an incremental search,
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424 because it stops waiting for more characters to combine, and starts
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425 searching for what you have already entered.
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426
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427 @vindex input-method-verbose-flag
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428 @vindex input-method-highlight-flag
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429 The variables @code{input-method-highlight-flag} and
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430 @code{input-method-verbose-flag} control how input methods explain what
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431 is happening. If @code{input-method-highlight-flag} is non-@code{nil},
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432 the partial sequence is highlighted in the buffer. If
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433 @code{input-method-verbose-flag} is non-@code{nil}, the list of possible
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434 characters to type next is displayed in the echo area (but not when you
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435 are in the minibuffer).
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436
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437 @cindex Leim package
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438 Input methods are implemented in the separate Leim package: they are
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439 available only if the system administrator used Leim when building
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440 Emacs. If Emacs was built without Leim, you will find that no input
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441 methods are defined.
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442
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443 @node Select Input Method
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444 @section Selecting an Input Method
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445
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446 @table @kbd
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447 @item C-\
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448 Enable or disable use of the selected input method.
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449
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450 @item C-x @key{RET} C-\ @var{method} @key{RET}
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451 Select a new input method for the current buffer.
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452
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453 @item C-h I @var{method} @key{RET}
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454 @itemx C-h C-\ @var{method} @key{RET}
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455 @findex describe-input-method
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456 @kindex C-h I
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457 @kindex C-h C-\
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458 Describe the input method @var{method} (@code{describe-input-method}).
31204
130dd2c5797b *** empty log message ***
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459 By default, it describes the current input method (if any). This
130dd2c5797b *** empty log message ***
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460 description should give you the full details of how to use any
31270
a45cbbc51e09 *** empty log message ***
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461 particular input method.
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462
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463 @item M-x list-input-methods
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464 Display a list of all the supported input methods.
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465 @end table
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466
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467 @findex set-input-method
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468 @vindex current-input-method
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469 @kindex C-x RET C-\
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470 To choose an input method for the current buffer, use @kbd{C-x
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471 @key{RET} C-\} (@code{set-input-method}). This command reads the
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472 input method name with the minibuffer; the name normally starts with the
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473 language environment that it is meant to be used with. The variable
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474 @code{current-input-method} records which input method is selected.
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475
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476 @findex toggle-input-method
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477 @kindex C-\
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478 Input methods use various sequences of ASCII characters to stand for
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479 non-ASCII characters. Sometimes it is useful to turn off the input
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480 method temporarily. To do this, type @kbd{C-\}
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481 (@code{toggle-input-method}). To reenable the input method, type
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482 @kbd{C-\} again.
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483
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484 If you type @kbd{C-\} and you have not yet selected an input method,
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485 it prompts for you to specify one. This has the same effect as using
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486 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} C-\} to specify an input method.
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487
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488 When invoked with a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u C-\},
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489 @code{toggle-input-method} always prompts you for an input method,
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490 suggesting the most recently selected one as the default.
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491
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492 @vindex default-input-method
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493 Selecting a language environment specifies a default input method for
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494 use in various buffers. When you have a default input method, you can
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495 select it in the current buffer by typing @kbd{C-\}. The variable
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496 @code{default-input-method} specifies the default input method
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497 (@code{nil} means there is none).
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498
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499 In some language environments, which support several different input
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500 methods, you might want to use an input method different from the
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501 default chosen by @code{set-language-environment}. You can instruct
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502 Emacs to select a different default input method for a certain
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503 language environment if you by using
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504 @code{set-language-environment-hook} (@pxref{Language Environments,
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505 set-language-environment-hook}). For example:
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506
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Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
507 @lisp
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
508 (defun my-chinese-setup ()
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
509 "Set up my private Chinese environment."
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
510 (if (equal current-language-environment "Chinese-GB")
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
511 (setq default-input-method "chinese-tonepy")))
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
512 (add-hook 'set-language-environment-hook 'my-chinese-setup)
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
513 @end lisp
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
514
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
515 @noindent
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
516 This sets the default input method to be @code{chinese-tonepy}
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
517 whenever you choose a Chinese-GB language environment.
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
518
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diff changeset
519 @findex quail-set-keyboard-layout
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
520 Some input methods for alphabetic scripts work by (in effect)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
521 remapping the keyboard to emulate various keyboard layouts commonly used
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
522 for those scripts. How to do this remapping properly depends on your
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
523 actual keyboard layout. To specify which layout your keyboard has, use
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
524 the command @kbd{M-x quail-set-keyboard-layout}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
525
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
526 @findex list-input-methods
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
527 To display a list of all the supported input methods, type @kbd{M-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
528 list-input-methods}. The list gives information about each input
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
529 method, including the string that stands for it in the mode line.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
530
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
531 @node Multibyte Conversion
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
532 @section Unibyte and Multibyte Non-ASCII characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
533
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
534 When multibyte characters are enabled, character codes 0240 (octal)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
535 through 0377 (octal) are not really legitimate in the buffer. The valid
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
536 non-ASCII printing characters have codes that start from 0400.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
537
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0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
538 If you type a self-inserting character in the range 0240 through
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
539 0377, or if you use @kbd{C-q} to insert one, Emacs assumes you
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
540 intended to use one of the ISO Latin-@var{n} character sets, and
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
541 converts it to the Emacs code representing that Latin-@var{n}
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
542 character. You select @emph{which} ISO Latin character set to use
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
543 through your choice of language environment
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diff changeset
544 @iftex
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parents:
diff changeset
545 (see above).
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parents:
diff changeset
546 @end iftex
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parents:
diff changeset
547 @ifinfo
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parents:
diff changeset
548 (@pxref{Language Environments}).
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parents:
diff changeset
549 @end ifinfo
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
550 If you do not specify a choice, the default is Latin-1.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
551
36170
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
552 If you insert a character in the range 0200 through 0237, which
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
553 forms the @code{eight-bit-control} character set, it is inserted
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
554 literally. You should normally avoid doing this since buffers
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
555 containing such characters have to be written out in either the
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
556 @code{emacs-mule} or @code{raw-text} coding system, which is usually
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
557 not what you want.
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diff changeset
558
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
559 @node Coding Systems
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parents:
diff changeset
560 @section Coding Systems
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
561 @cindex coding systems
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
562
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
563 Users of various languages have established many more-or-less standard
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
564 coding systems for representing them. Emacs does not use these coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
565 systems internally; instead, it converts from various coding systems to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
566 its own system when reading data, and converts the internal coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
567 system to other coding systems when writing data. Conversion is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
568 possible in reading or writing files, in sending or receiving from the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
569 terminal, and in exchanging data with subprocesses.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
570
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
571 Emacs assigns a name to each coding system. Most coding systems are
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
572 used for one language, and the name of the coding system starts with the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
573 language name. Some coding systems are used for several languages;
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
574 their names usually start with @samp{iso}. There are also special
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
575 coding systems @code{no-conversion}, @code{raw-text} and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
576 @code{emacs-mule} which do not convert printing characters at all.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
577
37584
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
578 @cindex international files from DOS/Windows systems
32386
d65f9772ee72 Mention the cpNNNN coding systems, with an xref to msdog.texi.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 32275
diff changeset
579 A special class of coding systems, collectively known as
d65f9772ee72 Mention the cpNNNN coding systems, with an xref to msdog.texi.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 32275
diff changeset
580 @dfn{codepages}, is designed to support text encoded by MS-Windows and
d65f9772ee72 Mention the cpNNNN coding systems, with an xref to msdog.texi.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 32275
diff changeset
581 MS-DOS software. To use any of these systems, you need to create it
37584
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
582 with @kbd{M-x codepage-setup}. @xref{MS-DOS and MULE}. After
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
583 creating the coding system for the codepage, you can use it as any
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
584 other coding system. For example, to visit a file encoded in codepage
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
585 850, type @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c cp850 @key{RET} C-x C-f @var{filename}
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
586 @key{RET}}.
32386
d65f9772ee72 Mention the cpNNNN coding systems, with an xref to msdog.texi.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 32275
diff changeset
587
25829
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parents:
diff changeset
588 In addition to converting various representations of non-ASCII
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
589 characters, a coding system can perform end-of-line conversion. Emacs
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
590 handles three different conventions for how to separate lines in a file:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
591 newline, carriage-return linefeed, and just carriage-return.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
592
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
593 @table @kbd
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
594 @item C-h C @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
595 Describe coding system @var{coding}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
596
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
597 @item C-h C @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
598 Describe the coding systems currently in use.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
599
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
600 @item M-x list-coding-systems
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
601 Display a list of all the supported coding systems.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
602 @end table
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
603
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
604 @kindex C-h C
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
605 @findex describe-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
606 The command @kbd{C-h C} (@code{describe-coding-system}) displays
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
607 information about particular coding systems. You can specify a coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
608 system name as argument; alternatively, with an empty argument, it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
609 describes the coding systems currently selected for various purposes,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
610 both in the current buffer and as the defaults, and the priority list
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
611 for recognizing coding systems (@pxref{Recognize Coding}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
612
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
613 @findex list-coding-systems
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
614 To display a list of all the supported coding systems, type @kbd{M-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
615 list-coding-systems}. The list gives information about each coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
616 system, including the letter that stands for it in the mode line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
617 (@pxref{Mode Line}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
618
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
619 @cindex end-of-line conversion
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
620 @cindex MS-DOS end-of-line conversion
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
621 @cindex Macintosh end-of-line conversion
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
622 Each of the coding systems that appear in this list---except for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
623 @code{no-conversion}, which means no conversion of any kind---specifies
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
624 how and whether to convert printing characters, but leaves the choice of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
625 end-of-line conversion to be decided based on the contents of each file.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
626 For example, if the file appears to use the sequence carriage-return
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
627 linefeed to separate lines, DOS end-of-line conversion will be used.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
628
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
629 Each of the listed coding systems has three variants which specify
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
630 exactly what to do for end-of-line conversion:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
631
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
632 @table @code
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
633 @item @dots{}-unix
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
634 Don't do any end-of-line conversion; assume the file uses
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
635 newline to separate lines. (This is the convention normally used
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
636 on Unix and GNU systems.)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
637
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
638 @item @dots{}-dos
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
639 Assume the file uses carriage-return linefeed to separate lines, and do
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
640 the appropriate conversion. (This is the convention normally used on
36185
62cf166239f3 Change in quoting.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 36170
diff changeset
641 Microsoft systems.@footnote{It is also specified for MIME @samp{text/*}
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
642 bodies and in other network transport contexts. It is different
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
643 from the SGML reference syntax record-start/record-end format which
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
644 Emacs doesn't support directly.})
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
645
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
646 @item @dots{}-mac
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
647 Assume the file uses carriage-return to separate lines, and do the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
648 appropriate conversion. (This is the convention normally used on the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
649 Macintosh system.)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
650 @end table
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
651
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
652 These variant coding systems are omitted from the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
653 @code{list-coding-systems} display for brevity, since they are entirely
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
654 predictable. For example, the coding system @code{iso-latin-1} has
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
655 variants @code{iso-latin-1-unix}, @code{iso-latin-1-dos} and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
656 @code{iso-latin-1-mac}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
657
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
658 The coding system @code{raw-text} is good for a file which is mainly
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
659 ASCII text, but may contain byte values above 127 which are not meant to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
660 encode non-ASCII characters. With @code{raw-text}, Emacs copies those
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
661 byte values unchanged, and sets @code{enable-multibyte-characters} to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
662 @code{nil} in the current buffer so that they will be interpreted
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
663 properly. @code{raw-text} handles end-of-line conversion in the usual
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
664 way, based on the data encountered, and has the usual three variants to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
665 specify the kind of end-of-line conversion to use.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
666
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
667 In contrast, the coding system @code{no-conversion} specifies no
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
668 character code conversion at all---none for non-ASCII byte values and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
669 none for end of line. This is useful for reading or writing binary
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
670 files, tar files, and other files that must be examined verbatim. It,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
671 too, sets @code{enable-multibyte-characters} to @code{nil}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
672
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
673 The easiest way to edit a file with no conversion of any kind is with
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
674 the @kbd{M-x find-file-literally} command. This uses
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
675 @code{no-conversion}, and also suppresses other Emacs features that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
676 might convert the file contents before you see them. @xref{Visiting}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
677
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
678 The coding system @code{emacs-mule} means that the file contains
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
679 non-ASCII characters stored with the internal Emacs encoding. It
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
680 handles end-of-line conversion based on the data encountered, and has
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
681 the usual three variants to specify the kind of end-of-line conversion.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
682
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
683 @node Recognize Coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
684 @section Recognizing Coding Systems
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
685
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Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
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diff changeset
686 Emacs tries to recognize which coding system to use for a given text
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
687 as an integral part of reading that text. (This applies to files
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
688 being read, output from subprocesses, text from X selections, etc.)
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
689 Emacs can select the right coding system automatically most of the
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
690 time---once you have specified your preferences.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
691
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
692 Some coding systems can be recognized or distinguished by which byte
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
693 sequences appear in the data. However, there are coding systems that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
694 cannot be distinguished, not even potentially. For example, there is no
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
695 way to distinguish between Latin-1 and Latin-2; they use the same byte
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
696 values with different meanings.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
697
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
698 Emacs handles this situation by means of a priority list of coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
699 systems. Whenever Emacs reads a file, if you do not specify the coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
700 system to use, Emacs checks the data against each coding system,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
701 starting with the first in priority and working down the list, until it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
702 finds a coding system that fits the data. Then it converts the file
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
703 contents assuming that they are represented in this coding system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
704
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
705 The priority list of coding systems depends on the selected language
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
706 environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). For example, if you use
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
707 French, you probably want Emacs to prefer Latin-1 to Latin-2; if you use
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
708 Czech, you probably want Latin-2 to be preferred. This is one of the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
709 reasons to specify a language environment.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
710
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
711 @findex prefer-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
712 However, you can alter the priority list in detail with the command
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
713 @kbd{M-x prefer-coding-system}. This command reads the name of a coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
714 system from the minibuffer, and adds it to the front of the priority
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
715 list, so that it is preferred to all others. If you use this command
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
716 several times, each use adds one element to the front of the priority
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
717 list.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
718
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
719 If you use a coding system that specifies the end-of-line conversion
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
720 type, such as @code{iso-8859-1-dos}, what that means is that Emacs
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
721 should attempt to recognize @code{iso-8859-1} with priority, and should
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
722 use DOS end-of-line conversion in case it recognizes @code{iso-8859-1}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
723
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
724 @vindex file-coding-system-alist
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
725 Sometimes a file name indicates which coding system to use for the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
726 file. The variable @code{file-coding-system-alist} specifies this
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
727 correspondence. There is a special function
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
728 @code{modify-coding-system-alist} for adding elements to this list. For
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
729 example, to read and write all @samp{.txt} files using the coding system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
730 @code{china-iso-8bit}, you can execute this Lisp expression:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
731
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
732 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
733 (modify-coding-system-alist 'file "\\.txt\\'" 'china-iso-8bit)
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
734 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
735
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
736 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
737 The first argument should be @code{file}, the second argument should be
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
738 a regular expression that determines which files this applies to, and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
739 the third argument says which coding system to use for these files.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
740
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
741 @vindex inhibit-eol-conversion
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
742 @cindex DOS-style end-of-line display
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
743 Emacs recognizes which kind of end-of-line conversion to use based on
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
744 the contents of the file: if it sees only carriage-returns, or only
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
745 carriage-return linefeed sequences, then it chooses the end-of-line
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
746 conversion accordingly. You can inhibit the automatic use of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
747 end-of-line conversion by setting the variable @code{inhibit-eol-conversion}
37019
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
748 to non-@code{nil}. If you do that, DOS-style files will be displayed
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
749 with the @samp{^M} characters visible in the buffer; some people
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
750 prefer this to the more subtle @samp{(DOS)} end-of-line type
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
751 indication near the left edge of the mode line (@pxref{Mode Line,
37081
71fe12822bf3 Fix last change.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37019
diff changeset
752 eol-mnemonic}).
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
753
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
754 @vindex inhibit-iso-escape-detection
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
755 @cindex escape sequences in files
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
756 By default, the automatic detection of coding system is sensitive to
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
757 escape sequences. If Emacs sees a sequence of characters that begin
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
758 with an escape character, and the sequence is valid as an ISO-2022
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
759 code, that tells Emacs to use one of the ISO-2022 encodings to decode
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
760 the file.
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
761
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
762 However, there may be cases that you want to read escape sequences
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
763 in a file as is. In such a case, you can set the variable
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
764 @code{inhibit-iso-escape-detection} to non-@code{nil}. Then the code
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
765 detection ignores any escape sequences, and never uses an ISO-2022
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
766 encoding. The result is that all escape sequences become visible in
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
767 the buffer.
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
768
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
769 The default value of @code{inhibit-iso-escape-detection} is
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
770 @code{nil}. We recommend that you not change it permanently, only for
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
771 one specific operation. That's because many Emacs Lisp source files
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
772 that contain non-ASCII characters are encoded in the coding system
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
773 @code{iso-2022-7bit} in the Emacs distribution, and they won't be
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
774 decoded correctly when you visit those files if you suppress the
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
775 escape sequence detection.
30375
5c4951d58989 (Recognize Coding): Document the variable inhibit-iso-escape-detection.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 29826
diff changeset
776
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
777 @vindex coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
778 You can specify the coding system for a particular file using the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
779 @samp{-*-@dots{}-*-} construct at the beginning of a file, or a local
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
780 variables list at the end (@pxref{File Variables}). You do this by
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
781 defining a value for the ``variable'' named @code{coding}. Emacs does
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
782 not really have a variable @code{coding}; instead of setting a variable,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
783 it uses the specified coding system for the file. For example,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
784 @samp{-*-mode: C; coding: latin-1;-*-} specifies use of the Latin-1
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
785 coding system, as well as C mode. If you specify the coding explicitly
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
786 in the file, that overrides @code{file-coding-system-alist}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
787
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
788 @vindex auto-coding-alist
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
789 The variable @code{auto-coding-alist} is the strongest way to specify
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
790 the coding system for certain patterns of file names; this variable even
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
791 overrides @samp{-*-coding:-*-} tags in the file itself. Emacs uses this
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
792 feature for tar and archive files, to prevent Emacs from being confused
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
793 by a @samp{-*-coding:-*-} tag in a member of the archive and thinking it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
794 applies to the archive file as a whole.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
795
37584
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
796 If Emacs recognizes the encoding of a file incorrectly, you can
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
797 reread the file using the correct coding system by typing @kbd{C-x
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
798 @key{RET} c @var{coding-system} @key{RET} M-x revert-buffer
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
799 @key{RET}}.
9a7fd51a92b3 (International): Add an overview of Mule features, with pointers to
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 37086
diff changeset
800
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
801 @vindex buffer-file-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
802 Once Emacs has chosen a coding system for a buffer, it stores that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
803 coding system in @code{buffer-file-coding-system} and uses that coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
804 system, by default, for operations that write from this buffer into a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
805 file. This includes the commands @code{save-buffer} and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
806 @code{write-region}. If you want to write files from this buffer using
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
807 a different coding system, you can specify a different coding system for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
808 the buffer using @code{set-buffer-file-coding-system} (@pxref{Specify
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
809 Coding}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
810
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
811 You can insert any possible character into any Emacs buffer, but
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
812 most coding systems can only handle some of the possible characters.
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
813 This means that you can insert characters that cannot be encoded with
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
814 the coding system that will be used to save the buffer. For example,
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
815 you could start with an ASCII file and insert a few Latin-1 characters
36334
86322cde2e42 (Recognize Coding): Remove doubled `or'.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 36263
diff changeset
816 into it, or you could edit a text file in Polish encoded in
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
817 @code{iso-8859-2} and add to it translations of several Polish words
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
818 into Russian. When you save the buffer, Emacs cannot use the current
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
819 value of @code{buffer-file-coding-system}, because the characters you
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
820 added cannot be encoded by that coding system.
31021
5380bd6b450e Document the way Emacs prompts for a safe coding system when the
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 30375
diff changeset
821
5380bd6b450e Document the way Emacs prompts for a safe coding system when the
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 30375
diff changeset
822 When that happens, Emacs tries the most-preferred coding system (set
5380bd6b450e Document the way Emacs prompts for a safe coding system when the
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 30375
diff changeset
823 by @kbd{M-x prefer-coding-system} or @kbd{M-x
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
824 set-language-environment}), and if that coding system can safely
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
825 encode all of the characters in the buffer, Emacs uses it, and stores
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
826 its value in @code{buffer-file-coding-system}. Otherwise, Emacs
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
827 displays a list of coding systems suitable for encoding the buffer's
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
828 contents, and asks to choose one of those coding systems.
31021
5380bd6b450e Document the way Emacs prompts for a safe coding system when the
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 30375
diff changeset
829
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
830 If you insert the unsuitable characters in a mail message, Emacs
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
831 behaves a bit differently. It additionally checks whether the
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
832 most-preferred coding system is recommended for use in MIME messages;
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
833 if it isn't, Emacs tells you that the most-preferred coding system is
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
834 not recommended and prompts you for another coding system. This is so
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
835 you won't inadvertently send a message encoded in a way that your
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
836 recipient's mail software will have difficulty decoding. (If you do
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
837 want to use the most-preferred coding system, you can type its name to
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
838 Emacs prompt anyway.)
31021
5380bd6b450e Document the way Emacs prompts for a safe coding system when the
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 30375
diff changeset
839
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
840 @vindex sendmail-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
841 When you send a message with Mail mode (@pxref{Sending Mail}), Emacs has
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
842 four different ways to determine the coding system to use for encoding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
843 the message text. It tries the buffer's own value of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
844 @code{buffer-file-coding-system}, if that is non-@code{nil}. Otherwise,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
845 it uses the value of @code{sendmail-coding-system}, if that is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
846 non-@code{nil}. The third way is to use the default coding system for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
847 new files, which is controlled by your choice of language environment,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
848 if that is non-@code{nil}. If all of these three values are @code{nil},
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
849 Emacs encodes outgoing mail using the Latin-1 coding system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
850
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
851 @vindex rmail-decode-mime-charset
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
852 When you get new mail in Rmail, each message is translated
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
853 automatically from the coding system it is written in---as if it were a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
854 separate file. This uses the priority list of coding systems that you
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
855 have specified. If a MIME message specifies a character set, Rmail
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
856 obeys that specification, unless @code{rmail-decode-mime-charset} is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
857 @code{nil}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
858
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
859 @vindex rmail-file-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
860 For reading and saving Rmail files themselves, Emacs uses the coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
861 system specified by the variable @code{rmail-file-coding-system}. The
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
862 default value is @code{nil}, which means that Rmail files are not
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
863 translated (they are read and written in the Emacs internal character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
864 code).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
865
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
866 @node Specify Coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
867 @section Specifying a Coding System
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
868
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
869 In cases where Emacs does not automatically choose the right coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
870 system, you can use these commands to specify one:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
871
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
872 @table @kbd
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
873 @item C-x @key{RET} f @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
874 Use coding system @var{coding} for the visited file
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
875 in the current buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
876
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
877 @item C-x @key{RET} c @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
878 Specify coding system @var{coding} for the immediately following
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
879 command.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
880
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
881 @item C-x @key{RET} k @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
882 Use coding system @var{coding} for keyboard input.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
883
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
884 @item C-x @key{RET} t @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
885 Use coding system @var{coding} for terminal output.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
886
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
887 @item C-x @key{RET} p @var{input-coding} @key{RET} @var{output-coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
888 Use coding systems @var{input-coding} and @var{output-coding} for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
889 subprocess input and output in the current buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
890
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
891 @item C-x @key{RET} x @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
892 Use coding system @var{coding} for transferring selections to and from
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
893 other programs through the window system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
894
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
895 @item C-x @key{RET} X @var{coding} @key{RET}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
896 Use coding system @var{coding} for transferring @emph{one}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
897 selection---the next one---to or from the window system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
898 @end table
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
899
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
900 @kindex C-x RET f
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
901 @findex set-buffer-file-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
902 The command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} f} (@code{set-buffer-file-coding-system})
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
903 specifies the file coding system for the current buffer---in other
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
904 words, which coding system to use when saving or rereading the visited
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
905 file. You specify which coding system using the minibuffer. Since this
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
906 command applies to a file you have already visited, it affects only the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
907 way the file is saved.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
908
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
909 @kindex C-x RET c
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
910 @findex universal-coding-system-argument
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
911 Another way to specify the coding system for a file is when you visit
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
912 the file. First use the command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
913 (@code{universal-coding-system-argument}); this command uses the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
914 minibuffer to read a coding system name. After you exit the minibuffer,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
915 the specified coding system is used for @emph{the immediately following
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
916 command}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
917
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
918 So if the immediately following command is @kbd{C-x C-f}, for example,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
919 it reads the file using that coding system (and records the coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
920 system for when the file is saved). Or if the immediately following
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
921 command is @kbd{C-x C-w}, it writes the file using that coding system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
922 Other file commands affected by a specified coding system include
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
923 @kbd{C-x C-i} and @kbd{C-x C-v}, as well as the other-window variants of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
924 @kbd{C-x C-f}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
925
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
926 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} also affects commands that start subprocesses,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
927 including @kbd{M-x shell} (@pxref{Shell}).
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
928
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
929 However, if the immediately following command does not use the coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
930 system, then @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} ultimately has no effect.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
931
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
932 An easy way to visit a file with no conversion is with the @kbd{M-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
933 find-file-literally} command. @xref{Visiting}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
934
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
935 @vindex default-buffer-file-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
936 The variable @code{default-buffer-file-coding-system} specifies the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
937 choice of coding system to use when you create a new file. It applies
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
938 when you find a new file, and when you create a buffer and then save it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
939 in a file. Selecting a language environment typically sets this
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
940 variable to a good choice of default coding system for that language
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
941 environment.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
942
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
943 @kindex C-x RET t
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
944 @findex set-terminal-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
945 The command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} t} (@code{set-terminal-coding-system})
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
946 specifies the coding system for terminal output. If you specify a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
947 character code for terminal output, all characters output to the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
948 terminal are translated into that coding system.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
949
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
950 This feature is useful for certain character-only terminals built to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
951 support specific languages or character sets---for example, European
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
952 terminals that support one of the ISO Latin character sets. You need to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
953 specify the terminal coding system when using multibyte text, so that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
954 Emacs knows which characters the terminal can actually handle.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
955
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
956 By default, output to the terminal is not translated at all, unless
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
957 Emacs can deduce the proper coding system from your terminal type or
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
958 your locale specification (@pxref{Language Environments}).
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
959
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
960 @kindex C-x RET k
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
961 @findex set-keyboard-coding-system
34691
a80251dea213 keyboard-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 33745
diff changeset
962 @vindex keyboard-coding-system
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
963 The command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} k} (@code{set-keyboard-coding-system})
34691
a80251dea213 keyboard-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 33745
diff changeset
964 or the Custom option @code{keyboard-coding-system}
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
965 specifies the coding system for keyboard input. Character-code
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
966 translation of keyboard input is useful for terminals with keys that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
967 send non-ASCII graphic characters---for example, some terminals designed
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
968 for ISO Latin-1 or subsets of it.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
969
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
970 By default, keyboard input is not translated at all.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
971
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
972 There is a similarity between using a coding system translation for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
973 keyboard input, and using an input method: both define sequences of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
974 keyboard input that translate into single characters. However, input
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
975 methods are designed to be convenient for interactive use by humans, and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
976 the sequences that are translated are typically sequences of ASCII
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
977 printing characters. Coding systems typically translate sequences of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
978 non-graphic characters.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
979
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
980 @kindex C-x RET x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
981 @kindex C-x RET X
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
982 @findex set-selection-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
983 @findex set-next-selection-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
984 The command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} x} (@code{set-selection-coding-system})
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
985 specifies the coding system for sending selected text to the window
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
986 system, and for receiving the text of selections made in other
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
987 applications. This command applies to all subsequent selections, until
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
988 you override it by using the command again. The command @kbd{C-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
989 @key{RET} X} (@code{set-next-selection-coding-system}) specifies the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
990 coding system for the next selection made in Emacs or read by Emacs.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
991
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
992 @kindex C-x RET p
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
993 @findex set-buffer-process-coding-system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
994 The command @kbd{C-x @key{RET} p} (@code{set-buffer-process-coding-system})
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
995 specifies the coding system for input and output to a subprocess. This
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
996 command applies to the current buffer; normally, each subprocess has its
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
997 own buffer, and thus you can use this command to specify translation to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
998 and from a particular subprocess by giving the command in the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
999 corresponding buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1000
29826
05c0499d035a (set-buffer-process-coding-system): Documentation fixed.
Kenichi Handa <handa@m17n.org>
parents: 29107
diff changeset
1001 The default for translation of process input and output depends on the
05c0499d035a (set-buffer-process-coding-system): Documentation fixed.
Kenichi Handa <handa@m17n.org>
parents: 29107
diff changeset
1002 current language environment.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1003
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1004 @vindex file-name-coding-system
37019
1deafff9fd1f (Language Environments): Explain how to update the X
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 36875
diff changeset
1005 @cindex file names with non-ASCII characters
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1006 The variable @code{file-name-coding-system} specifies a coding system
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1007 to use for encoding file names. If you set the variable to a coding
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1008 system name (as a Lisp symbol or a string), Emacs encodes file names
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1009 using that coding system for all file operations. This makes it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1010 possible to use non-ASCII characters in file names---or, at least, those
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1011 non-ASCII characters which the specified coding system can encode.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1012
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1013 If @code{file-name-coding-system} is @code{nil}, Emacs uses a default
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1014 coding system determined by the selected language environment. In the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1015 default language environment, any non-ASCII characters in file names are
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1016 not encoded specially; they appear in the file system using the internal
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1017 Emacs representation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1018
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1019 @strong{Warning:} if you change @code{file-name-coding-system} (or the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1020 language environment) in the middle of an Emacs session, problems can
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1021 result if you have already visited files whose names were encoded using
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1022 the earlier coding system and cannot be encoded (or are encoded
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1023 differently) under the new coding system. If you try to save one of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1024 these buffers under the visited file name, saving may use the wrong file
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1025 name, or it may get an error. If such a problem happens, use @kbd{C-x
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1026 C-w} to specify a new file name for that buffer.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1027
26140
068f7ad41d40 Describe new functions and variables for locales.
Paul Eggert <eggert@twinsun.com>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
1028 @vindex locale-coding-system
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1029 The variable @code{locale-coding-system} specifies a coding system
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1030 to use when encoding and decoding system strings such as system error
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1031 messages and @code{format-time-string} formats and time stamps. You
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1032 should choose a coding system that is compatible with the underlying
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1033 system's text representation, which is normally specified by one of
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1034 the environment variables @env{LC_ALL}, @env{LC_CTYPE}, and
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1035 @env{LANG}. (The first one whose value is nonempty is the one that
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1036 determines the text representation.)
26140
068f7ad41d40 Describe new functions and variables for locales.
Paul Eggert <eggert@twinsun.com>
parents: 25829
diff changeset
1037
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1038 @node Fontsets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1039 @section Fontsets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1040 @cindex fontsets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1041
35188
94d46968a93f Don't say "X Windows". From Colin Walters <walters@cis.ohio-state.edu>.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 35163
diff changeset
1042 A font for X typically defines shapes for one alphabet or script.
94d46968a93f Don't say "X Windows". From Colin Walters <walters@cis.ohio-state.edu>.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 35163
diff changeset
1043 Therefore, displaying the entire range of scripts that Emacs supports
94d46968a93f Don't say "X Windows". From Colin Walters <walters@cis.ohio-state.edu>.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 35163
diff changeset
1044 requires a collection of many fonts. In Emacs, such a collection is
94d46968a93f Don't say "X Windows". From Colin Walters <walters@cis.ohio-state.edu>.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 35163
diff changeset
1045 called a @dfn{fontset}. A fontset is defined by a list of fonts, each
94d46968a93f Don't say "X Windows". From Colin Walters <walters@cis.ohio-state.edu>.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 35163
diff changeset
1046 assigned to handle a range of character codes.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1047
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1048 Each fontset has a name, like a font. The available X fonts are
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1049 defined by the X server; fontsets, however, are defined within Emacs
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1050 itself. Once you have defined a fontset, you can use it within Emacs by
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1051 specifying its name, anywhere that you could use a single font. Of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1052 course, Emacs fontsets can use only the fonts that the X server
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1053 supports; if certain characters appear on the screen as hollow boxes,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1054 this means that the fontset in use for them has no font for those
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1055 characters.@footnote{The Emacs installation instructions have information on
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1056 additional font support.}
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1057
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1058 Emacs creates two fontsets automatically: the @dfn{standard fontset}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1059 and the @dfn{startup fontset}. The standard fontset is most likely to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1060 have fonts for a wide variety of non-ASCII characters; however, this is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1061 not the default for Emacs to use. (By default, Emacs tries to find a
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1062 font which has bold and italic variants.) You can specify use of the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1063 standard fontset with the @samp{-fn} option, or with the @samp{Font} X
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1064 resource (@pxref{Font X}). For example,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1065
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1066 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1067 emacs -fn fontset-standard
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1068 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1069
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1070 A fontset does not necessarily specify a font for every character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1071 code. If a fontset specifies no font for a certain character, or if it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1072 specifies a font that does not exist on your system, then it cannot
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1073 display that character properly. It will display that character as an
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1074 empty box instead.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1075
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1076 @vindex highlight-wrong-size-font
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1077 The fontset height and width are determined by the ASCII characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1078 (that is, by the font used for ASCII characters in that fontset). If
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1079 another font in the fontset has a different height, or a different
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1080 width, then characters assigned to that font are clipped to the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1081 fontset's size. If @code{highlight-wrong-size-font} is non-@code{nil},
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1082 a box is displayed around these wrong-size characters as well.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1083
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1084 @node Defining Fontsets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1085 @section Defining fontsets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1086
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1087 @vindex standard-fontset-spec
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1088 @cindex standard fontset
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1089 Emacs creates a standard fontset automatically according to the value
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1090 of @code{standard-fontset-spec}. This fontset's name is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1091
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1092 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1093 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-16-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-standard
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1094 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1095
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1096 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1097 or just @samp{fontset-standard} for short.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1098
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1099 Bold, italic, and bold-italic variants of the standard fontset are
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1100 created automatically. Their names have @samp{bold} instead of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1101 @samp{medium}, or @samp{i} instead of @samp{r}, or both.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1102
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1103 @cindex startup fontset
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1104 If you specify a default ASCII font with the @samp{Font} resource or
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1105 the @samp{-fn} argument, Emacs generates a fontset from it
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1106 automatically. This is the @dfn{startup fontset} and its name is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1107 @code{fontset-startup}. It does this by replacing the @var{foundry},
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1108 @var{family}, @var{add_style}, and @var{average_width} fields of the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1109 font name with @samp{*}, replacing @var{charset_registry} field with
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1110 @samp{fontset}, and replacing @var{charset_encoding} field with
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1111 @samp{startup}, then using the resulting string to specify a fontset.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1112
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1113 For instance, if you start Emacs this way,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1114
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1115 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1116 emacs -fn "*courier-medium-r-normal--14-140-*-iso8859-1"
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1117 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1118
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1119 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1120 Emacs generates the following fontset and uses it for the initial X
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1121 window frame:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1122
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1123 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1124 -*-*-medium-r-normal-*-14-140-*-*-*-*-fontset-startup
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1125 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1126
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1127 With the X resource @samp{Emacs.Font}, you can specify a fontset name
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1128 just like an actual font name. But be careful not to specify a fontset
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1129 name in a wildcard resource like @samp{Emacs*Font}---that wildcard
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1130 specification applies to various other purposes, such as menus, and
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1131 menus cannot handle fontsets.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1132
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1133 You can specify additional fontsets using X resources named
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1134 @samp{Fontset-@var{n}}, where @var{n} is an integer starting from 0.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1135 The resource value should have this form:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1136
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1137 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1138 @var{fontpattern}, @r{[}@var{charsetname}:@var{fontname}@r{]@dots{}}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1139 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1140
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1141 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1142 @var{fontpattern} should have the form of a standard X font name, except
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1143 for the last two fields. They should have the form
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1144 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1145
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1146 The fontset has two names, one long and one short. The long name is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1147 @var{fontpattern}. The short name is @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}. You
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1148 can refer to the fontset by either name.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1149
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1150 The construct @samp{@var{charset}:@var{font}} specifies which font to
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1151 use (in this fontset) for one particular character set. Here,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1152 @var{charset} is the name of a character set, and @var{font} is the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1153 font to use for that character set. You can use this construct any
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1154 number of times in defining one fontset.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1155
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1156 For the other character sets, Emacs chooses a font based on
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1157 @var{fontpattern}. It replaces @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} with values
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1158 that describe the character set. For the ASCII character font,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1159 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} is replaced with @samp{ISO8859-1}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1160
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1161 In addition, when several consecutive fields are wildcards, Emacs
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1162 collapses them into a single wildcard. This is to prevent use of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1163 auto-scaled fonts. Fonts made by scaling larger fonts are not usable
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1164 for editing, and scaling a smaller font is not useful because it is
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1165 better to use the smaller font in its own size, which Emacs does.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1166
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1167 Thus if @var{fontpattern} is this,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1168
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1169 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1170 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1171 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1172
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1173 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1174 the font specification for ASCII characters would be this:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1175
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1176 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1177 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-ISO8859-1
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1178 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1179
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1180 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1181 and the font specification for Chinese GB2312 characters would be this:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1182
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1183 @example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1184 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1185 @end example
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1186
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1187 You may not have any Chinese font matching the above font
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1188 specification. Most X distributions include only Chinese fonts that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1189 have @samp{song ti} or @samp{fangsong ti} in @var{family} field. In
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1190 such a case, @samp{Fontset-@var{n}} can be specified as below:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1191
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1192 @smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1193 Emacs.Fontset-0: -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24,\
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1194 chinese-gb2312:-*-*-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1195 @end smallexample
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1196
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1197 @noindent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1198 Then, the font specifications for all but Chinese GB2312 characters have
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1199 @samp{fixed} in the @var{family} field, and the font specification for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1200 Chinese GB2312 characters has a wild card @samp{*} in the @var{family}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1201 field.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1202
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1203 @findex create-fontset-from-fontset-spec
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1204 The function that processes the fontset resource value to create the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1205 fontset is called @code{create-fontset-from-fontset-spec}. You can also
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1206 call this function explicitly to create a fontset.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1207
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1208 @xref{Font X}, for more information about font naming in X.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1209
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1210 @node Undisplayable Characters
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1211 @section Undisplayable Characters
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1212
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1213 Your terminal may be unable to display some non-@sc{ascii}
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1214 characters. Most non-windowing terminals can only use a single
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1215 character set (use the variable @code{default-terminal-coding-system}
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1216 (@pxref{Specify Coding}) to tell Emacs which one); characters which
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1217 can't be encoded in that coding system are displayed as @samp{?} by
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1218 default.
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1219
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1220 Windowing terminals can display a broader range of characters, but
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1221 you may not have fonts installed for all of them; characters that have
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1222 no font appear as a hollow box.
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1223
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1224 If you use Latin-1 characters but your terminal can't display
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1225 Latin-1, you can arrange to display mnemonic @sc{ascii} sequences
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1226 instead, e.g.@: @samp{"o} for o-umlaut. Load the library
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1227 @file{iso-ascii} to do this.
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1228
36875
6a6141e694a5 *** empty log message ***
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 36850
diff changeset
1229 @vindex latin1-display
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1230 If your terminal can display Latin-1, you can display characters
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1231 from other European character sets using a mixture of equivalent
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1232 Latin-1 characters and @sc{ascii} mnemonics. Use the Custom option
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1233 @code{latin1-display} to enable this. The mnemonic @sc{ascii}
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1234 sequences mostly correspond to those of the prefix input methods.
33745
78ec4a7ba765 (Undisplayable Characters): New node.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 32386
diff changeset
1235
27211
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1236 @node Single-Byte Character Support
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1237 @section Single-byte Character Set Support
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1238
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1239 @cindex European character sets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1240 @cindex accented characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1241 @cindex ISO Latin character sets
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1242 @cindex Unibyte operation
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1243 The ISO 8859 Latin-@var{n} character sets define character codes in
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1244 the range 160 to 255 to handle the accented letters and punctuation
27211
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1245 needed by various European languages (and some non-European ones).
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1246 If you disable multibyte
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1247 characters, Emacs can still handle @emph{one} of these character codes
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1248 at a time. To specify @emph{which} of these codes to use, invoke
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1249 @kbd{M-x set-language-environment} and specify a suitable language
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1250 environment such as @samp{Latin-@var{n}}.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1251
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1252 For more information about unibyte operation, see @ref{Enabling
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1253 Multibyte}. Note particularly that you probably want to ensure that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1254 your initialization files are read as unibyte if they contain non-ASCII
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1255 characters.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1256
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1257 @vindex unibyte-display-via-language-environment
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1258 Emacs can also display those characters, provided the terminal or font
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1259 in use supports them. This works automatically. Alternatively, if you
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1260 are using a window system, Emacs can also display single-byte characters
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1261 through fontsets, in effect by displaying the equivalent multibyte
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1262 characters according to the current language environment. To request
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1263 this, set the variable @code{unibyte-display-via-language-environment}
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1264 to a non-@code{nil} value.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1265
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1266 @cindex @code{iso-ascii} library
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1267 If your terminal does not support display of the Latin-1 character
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1268 set, Emacs can display these characters as ASCII sequences which at
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1269 least give you a clear idea of what the characters are. To do this,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1270 load the library @code{iso-ascii}. Similar libraries for other
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1271 Latin-@var{n} character sets could be implemented, but we don't have
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1272 them yet.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1273
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1274 @findex standard-display-8bit
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1275 @cindex 8-bit display
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1276 Normally non-ISO-8859 characters (between characters 128 and 159
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1277 inclusive) are displayed as octal escapes. You can change this for
36185
62cf166239f3 Change in quoting.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 36170
diff changeset
1278 non-standard ``extended'' versions of ISO-8859 character sets by using the
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1279 function @code{standard-display-8bit} in the @code{disp-table} library.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1280
28552
ccadb68eaefd iso-acc
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27211
diff changeset
1281 There are several ways you can input single-byte non-ASCII
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1282 characters:
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1283
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1284 @itemize @bullet
27211
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1285 @cindex 8-bit input
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1286 @item
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1287 If your keyboard can generate character codes 128 and up, representing
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1288 non-ASCII you can type those character codes directly.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1289
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1290 On a windowing terminal, you should not need to do anything special to
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1291 use these keys; they should simply work. On a text-only terminal, you
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1292 should use the command @code{M-x set-keyboard-coding-system} or the
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1293 Custom option @code{keyboard-coding-system} to specify which coding
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1294 system your keyboard uses (@pxref{Specify Coding}). Enabling this
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1295 feature will probably require you to use @kbd{ESC} to type Meta
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1296 characters; however, on a Linux console or in @code{xterm}, you can
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1297 arrange for Meta to be converted to @kbd{ESC} and still be able type
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1298 8-bit characters present directly on the keyboard or using
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1299 @kbd{Compose} or @kbd{AltGr} keys. @xref{User Input}.
27211
0699f691fac1 Don't conflate single-byte with European.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27156
diff changeset
1300
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1301 @item
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1302 You can use an input method for the selected language environment.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1303 @xref{Input Methods}. When you use an input method in a unibyte buffer,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1304 the non-ASCII character you specify with it is converted to unibyte.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1305
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1306 @kindex C-x 8
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1307 @cindex @code{iso-transl} library
31077
172cd577cca0 mention iso-acc. tweaks.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 31067
diff changeset
1308 @cindex compose character
172cd577cca0 mention iso-acc. tweaks.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 31067
diff changeset
1309 @cindex dead character
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Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1310 @item
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1311 For Latin-1 only, you can use the
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1312 key @kbd{C-x 8} as a ``compose character'' prefix for entry of
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1313 non-ASCII Latin-1 printing characters. @kbd{C-x 8} is good for
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1314 insertion (in the minibuffer as well as other buffers), for searching,
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1315 and in any other context where a key sequence is allowed.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1316
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1317 @kbd{C-x 8} works by loading the @code{iso-transl} library. Once that
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1318 library is loaded, the @key{ALT} modifier key, if you have one, serves
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1319 the same purpose as @kbd{C-x 8}; use @key{ALT} together with an accent
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1320 character to modify the following letter. In addition, if you have keys
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1321 for the Latin-1 ``dead accent characters,'' they too are defined to
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1322 compose with the following character, once @code{iso-transl} is loaded.
28552
ccadb68eaefd iso-acc
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27211
diff changeset
1323 Use @kbd{C-x 8 C-h} to list the available translations as mnemonic
ccadb68eaefd iso-acc
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27211
diff changeset
1324 command names.
ccadb68eaefd iso-acc
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27211
diff changeset
1325
31077
172cd577cca0 mention iso-acc. tweaks.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 31067
diff changeset
1326 @item
28552
ccadb68eaefd iso-acc
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 27211
diff changeset
1327 @cindex @code{iso-acc} library
31077
172cd577cca0 mention iso-acc. tweaks.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 31067
diff changeset
1328 @cindex ISO Accents mode
172cd577cca0 mention iso-acc. tweaks.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 31067
diff changeset
1329 @findex iso-accents-mode
31280
55ce1d116cc7 (Single-Byte Character Support): Modify iso-accents-mode index entry.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 31277
diff changeset
1330 @cindex Latin-1, Latin-2 and Latin-3 input mode
36170
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1331 For Latin-1, Latin-2 and Latin-3, @kbd{M-x iso-accents-mode} installs
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1332 a minor mode which works much like the @code{latin-1-prefix} input
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1333 method does not depend on having the input methods installed. This
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1334 mode is buffer-local. It can be customized for various languages with
0fd801cdb9fd Clarify undisplayable characters, --unibyte, locales.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 35206
diff changeset
1335 @kbd{M-x iso-accents-customize}.
25829
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1336 @end itemize