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annotate man/custom.texi @ 37617:35040ab2df64 EMACS_PRETEST_21_0_103
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author | Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org> |
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date | Tue, 08 May 2001 12:31:31 +0000 |
parents | 47f8d088e385 |
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rev | line source |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
28126 | 2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 97, 2000 |
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
25829 | 4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @node Customization, Quitting, Amusements, Top | |
6 @chapter Customization | |
7 @cindex customization | |
8 | |
9 This chapter talks about various topics relevant to adapting the | |
10 behavior of Emacs in minor ways. See @cite{The Emacs Lisp Reference | |
11 Manual} for how to make more far-reaching changes. | |
12 | |
13 All kinds of customization affect only the particular Emacs session | |
14 that you do them in. They are completely lost when you kill the Emacs | |
15 session, and have no effect on other Emacs sessions you may run at the | |
16 same time or later. The only way an Emacs session can affect anything | |
17 outside of it is by writing a file; in particular, the only way to make | |
18 a customization ``permanent'' is to put something in your @file{.emacs} | |
19 file or other appropriate file to do the customization in each session. | |
20 @xref{Init File}. | |
21 | |
22 @menu | |
23 * Minor Modes:: Each minor mode is one feature you can turn on | |
24 independently of any others. | |
25 * Variables:: Many Emacs commands examine Emacs variables | |
26 to decide what to do; by setting variables, | |
27 you can control their functioning. | |
28 * Keyboard Macros:: A keyboard macro records a sequence of | |
29 keystrokes to be replayed with a single | |
30 command. | |
31 * Key Bindings:: The keymaps say what command each key runs. | |
32 By changing them, you can "redefine keys". | |
33 * Keyboard Translations:: | |
34 If your keyboard passes an undesired code | |
35 for a key, you can tell Emacs to | |
36 substitute another code. | |
37 * Syntax:: The syntax table controls how words and | |
38 expressions are parsed. | |
39 * Init File:: How to write common customizations in the | |
40 @file{.emacs} file. | |
41 @end menu | |
42 | |
43 @node Minor Modes | |
44 @section Minor Modes | |
45 @cindex minor modes | |
46 @cindex mode, minor | |
47 | |
48 Minor modes are optional features which you can turn on or off. For | |
49 example, Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which @key{SPC} breaks lines | |
50 between words as you type. All the minor modes are independent of each | |
51 other and of the selected major mode. Most minor modes say in the mode | |
52 line when they are on; for example, @samp{Fill} in the mode line means | |
53 that Auto Fill mode is on. | |
54 | |
55 Append @code{-mode} to the name of a minor mode to get the name of a | |
56 command function that turns the mode on or off. Thus, the command to | |
57 enable or disable Auto Fill mode is called @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode}. These | |
58 commands are usually invoked with @kbd{M-x}, but you can bind keys to them | |
59 if you wish. With no argument, the function turns the mode on if it was | |
60 off and off if it was on. This is known as @dfn{toggling}. A positive | |
61 argument always turns the mode on, and an explicit zero argument or a | |
62 negative argument always turns it off. | |
63 | |
64 Enabling or disabling some minor modes applies only to the current | |
65 buffer; each buffer is independent of the other buffers. Therefore, you | |
66 can enable the mode in particular buffers and disable it in others. The | |
67 per-buffer minor modes include Abbrev mode, Auto Fill mode, Auto Save | |
28126 | 68 mode, Font-Lock mode, ISO Accents mode, Outline minor |
25829 | 69 mode, Overwrite mode, and Binary Overwrite mode. |
70 | |
71 Abbrev mode allows you to define abbreviations that automatically expand | |
72 as you type them. For example, @samp{amd} might expand to @samp{abbrev | |
73 mode}. @xref{Abbrevs}, for full information. | |
74 | |
75 Auto Fill mode allows you to enter filled text without breaking lines | |
76 explicitly. Emacs inserts newlines as necessary to prevent lines from | |
77 becoming too long. @xref{Filling}. | |
78 | |
79 Auto Save mode causes the contents of a buffer to be saved | |
80 periodically to reduce the amount of work you can lose in case of a | |
81 system crash. @xref{Auto Save}. | |
82 | |
83 Enriched mode enables editing and saving of formatted text. | |
84 @xref{Formatted Text}. | |
85 | |
86 Flyspell mode automatically highlights misspelled words. | |
87 @xref{Spelling}. | |
88 | |
89 Font-Lock mode automatically highlights certain textual units found in | |
90 programs, such as comments, strings, and function names being defined. | |
91 This requires a window system that can display multiple fonts. | |
92 @xref{Faces}. | |
93 | |
94 ISO Accents mode makes the characters @samp{`}, @samp{'}, @samp{"}, | |
95 @samp{^}, @samp{/} and @samp{~} combine with the following letter, to | |
96 produce an accented letter in the ISO Latin-1 character set. | |
27218 | 97 @xref{Single-Byte Character Support}. |
25829 | 98 |
99 Outline minor mode provides the same facilities as the major mode | |
100 called Outline mode; but since it is a minor mode instead, you can | |
101 combine it with any major mode. @xref{Outline Mode}. | |
102 | |
103 @cindex Overwrite mode | |
104 @cindex mode, Overwrite | |
105 Overwrite mode causes ordinary printing characters to replace existing | |
106 text instead of shoving it to the right. For example, if point is in | |
107 front of the @samp{B} in @samp{FOOBAR}, then in Overwrite mode typing a | |
108 @kbd{G} changes it to @samp{FOOGAR}, instead of producing @samp{FOOGBAR} | |
109 as usual. In Overwrite mode, the command @kbd{C-q} inserts the next | |
110 character whatever it may be, even if it is a digit---this gives you a | |
111 way to insert a character instead of replacing an existing character. | |
112 | |
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113 @findex overwrite-mode |
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114 @kindex INSERT |
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115 The command @code{overwrite-mode} is an exception to the rule that |
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116 commands which toggle minor modes are normally not bound to keys: it is |
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117 bound to the @key{INSERT} function key. This is because many other |
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118 programs bind @key{INSERT} to similar functions. |
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119 |
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120 @findex binary-overwrite-mode |
25829 | 121 Binary Overwrite mode is a variant of Overwrite mode for editing |
122 binary files; it treats newlines and tabs like other characters, so that | |
123 they overwrite other characters and can be overwritten by them. | |
124 | |
125 The following minor modes normally apply to all buffers at once. | |
126 Since each is enabled or disabled by the value of a variable, you | |
127 @emph{can} set them differently for particular buffers, by explicitly | |
128 making the corresponding variables local in those buffers. | |
129 @xref{Locals}. | |
130 | |
131 Icomplete mode displays an indication of available completions when | |
132 you are in the minibuffer and completion is active. @xref{Completion | |
133 Options}. | |
134 | |
135 Line Number mode enables continuous display in the mode line of the | |
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136 line number of point, and Column Number mode enables display of the |
28126 | 137 column number. @xref{Mode Line}. |
25829 | 138 |
139 Scroll Bar mode gives each window a scroll bar (@pxref{Scroll Bars}). | |
140 Menu Bar mode gives each frame a menu bar (@pxref{Menu Bars}). Both of | |
141 these modes are enabled by default when you use the X Window System. | |
142 | |
143 In Transient Mark mode, every change in the buffer contents | |
144 ``deactivates'' the mark, so that commands that operate on the region | |
145 will get an error. This means you must either set the mark, or | |
146 explicitly ``reactivate'' it, before each command that uses the region. | |
147 The advantage of Transient Mark mode is that Emacs can display the | |
28126 | 148 region highlighted (currently only when using X). @xref{Mark}. |
25829 | 149 |
150 For most minor modes, the command name is also the name of a variable | |
151 which directly controls the mode. The mode is enabled whenever this | |
152 variable's value is non-@code{nil}, and the minor-mode command works by | |
153 setting the variable. For example, the command | |
154 @code{outline-minor-mode} works by setting the value of | |
155 @code{outline-minor-mode} as a variable; it is this variable that | |
156 directly turns Outline minor mode on and off. To check whether a given | |
157 minor mode works this way, use @kbd{C-h v} to ask for documentation on | |
158 the variable name. | |
159 | |
160 These minor-mode variables provide a good way for Lisp programs to turn | |
161 minor modes on and off; they are also useful in a file's local variables | |
162 list. But please think twice before setting minor modes with a local | |
163 variables list, because most minor modes are matter of user | |
164 preference---other users editing the same file might not want the same | |
165 minor modes you prefer. | |
166 | |
167 @node Variables | |
168 @section Variables | |
169 @cindex variable | |
170 @cindex option, user | |
171 @cindex user option | |
172 | |
173 A @dfn{variable} is a Lisp symbol which has a value. The symbol's | |
174 name is also called the name of the variable. A variable name can | |
175 contain any characters that can appear in a file, but conventionally | |
176 variable names consist of words separated by hyphens. A variable can | |
177 have a documentation string which describes what kind of value it should | |
178 have and how the value will be used. | |
179 | |
180 Lisp allows any variable to have any kind of value, but most variables | |
181 that Emacs uses require a value of a certain type. Often the value should | |
182 always be a string, or should always be a number. Sometimes we say that a | |
183 certain feature is turned on if a variable is ``non-@code{nil},'' meaning | |
184 that if the variable's value is @code{nil}, the feature is off, but the | |
185 feature is on for @emph{any} other value. The conventional value to use to | |
186 turn on the feature---since you have to pick one particular value when you | |
187 set the variable---is @code{t}. | |
188 | |
189 Emacs uses many Lisp variables for internal record keeping, as any | |
190 Lisp program must, but the most interesting variables for you are the | |
191 ones that exist for the sake of customization. Emacs does not (usually) | |
192 change the values of these variables; instead, you set the values, and | |
193 thereby alter and control the behavior of certain Emacs commands. These | |
194 variables are called @dfn{user options}. Most user options are | |
195 documented in this manual, and appear in the Variable Index | |
196 (@pxref{Variable Index}). | |
197 | |
198 One example of a variable which is a user option is @code{fill-column}, which | |
199 specifies the position of the right margin (as a number of characters from | |
200 the left margin) to be used by the fill commands (@pxref{Filling}). | |
201 | |
202 @menu | |
203 * Examining:: Examining or setting one variable's value. | |
204 * Easy Customization:: | |
205 Convenient and easy customization of variables. | |
206 * Hooks:: Hook variables let you specify programs for parts | |
207 of Emacs to run on particular occasions. | |
208 * Locals:: Per-buffer values of variables. | |
209 * File Variables:: How files can specify variable values. | |
210 @end menu | |
211 | |
212 @node Examining | |
213 @subsection Examining and Setting Variables | |
214 @cindex setting variables | |
215 | |
216 @table @kbd | |
217 @item C-h v @var{var} @key{RET} | |
218 Display the value and documentation of variable @var{var} | |
219 (@code{describe-variable}). | |
220 @item M-x set-variable @key{RET} @var{var} @key{RET} @var{value} @key{RET} | |
221 Change the value of variable @var{var} to @var{value}. | |
222 @end table | |
223 | |
224 To examine the value of a single variable, use @kbd{C-h v} | |
225 (@code{describe-variable}), which reads a variable name using the | |
226 minibuffer, with completion. It displays both the value and the | |
227 documentation of the variable. For example, | |
228 | |
229 @example | |
230 C-h v fill-column @key{RET} | |
231 @end example | |
232 | |
233 @noindent | |
234 displays something like this: | |
235 | |
236 @smallexample | |
237 fill-column's value is 75 | |
238 | |
239 Documentation: | |
240 *Column beyond which automatic line-wrapping should happen. | |
241 Automatically becomes buffer-local when set in any fashion. | |
242 @end smallexample | |
243 | |
244 @noindent | |
245 The star at the beginning of the documentation indicates that this | |
246 variable is a user option. @kbd{C-h v} is not restricted to user | |
247 options; it allows any variable name. | |
248 | |
249 @findex set-variable | |
250 The most convenient way to set a specific user option is with @kbd{M-x | |
251 set-variable}. This reads the variable name with the minibuffer (with | |
252 completion), and then reads a Lisp expression for the new value using | |
253 the minibuffer a second time. For example, | |
254 | |
255 @example | |
256 M-x set-variable @key{RET} fill-column @key{RET} 75 @key{RET} | |
257 @end example | |
258 | |
259 @noindent | |
260 sets @code{fill-column} to 75. | |
261 | |
262 @kbd{M-x set-variable} is limited to user option variables, but you can | |
263 set any variable with a Lisp expression, using the function @code{setq}. | |
264 Here is a @code{setq} expression to set @code{fill-column}: | |
265 | |
266 @example | |
267 (setq fill-column 75) | |
268 @end example | |
269 | |
270 To execute an expression like this one, go to the @samp{*scratch*} | |
271 buffer, type in the expression, and then type @kbd{C-j}. @xref{Lisp | |
272 Interaction}. | |
273 | |
274 Setting variables, like all means of customizing Emacs except where | |
275 otherwise stated, affects only the current Emacs session. | |
276 | |
277 @node Easy Customization | |
278 @subsection Easy Customization Interface | |
279 | |
280 @findex customize | |
281 @cindex customization buffer | |
282 A convenient way to find the user option variables that you want to | |
283 change, and then change them, is with @kbd{M-x customize}. This command | |
284 creates a @dfn{customization buffer} with which you can browse through | |
285 the Emacs user options in a logically organized structure, then edit and | |
286 set their values. You can also use the customization buffer to save | |
287 settings permanently. (Not all Emacs user options are included in this | |
288 structure as of yet, but we are adding the rest.) | |
289 | |
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290 The appearance of the example buffers in the following is typically |
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291 different under a window system where faces can be used to indicate the |
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292 active fields and other features. |
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293 |
25829 | 294 @menu |
295 * Groups: Customization Groups. | |
296 How options are classified in a structure. | |
297 * Changing an Option:: How to edit a value and set an option. | |
298 * Face Customization:: How to edit the attributes of a face. | |
299 * Specific Customization:: Making a customization buffer for specific | |
300 options, faces, or groups. | |
301 @end menu | |
302 | |
303 @node Customization Groups | |
304 @subsubsection Customization Groups | |
305 @cindex customization groups | |
306 | |
307 For customization purposes, user options are organized into | |
308 @dfn{groups} to help you find them. Groups are collected into bigger | |
309 groups, all the way up to a master group called @code{Emacs}. | |
310 | |
311 @kbd{M-x customize} creates a customization buffer that shows the | |
312 top-level @code{Emacs} group and the second-level groups immediately | |
313 under it. It looks like this, in part: | |
314 | |
315 @smallexample | |
316 /- Emacs group: ---------------------------------------------------\ | |
317 [State]: visible group members are all at standard settings. | |
318 Customization of the One True Editor. | |
319 See also [Manual]. | |
320 | |
321 Editing group: [Go to Group] | |
322 Basic text editing facilities. | |
323 | |
324 External group: [Go to Group] | |
325 Interfacing to external utilities. | |
326 | |
327 @var{more second-level groups} | |
328 | |
329 \- Emacs group end ------------------------------------------------/ | |
330 | |
331 @end smallexample | |
332 | |
333 @noindent | |
334 This says that the buffer displays the contents of the @code{Emacs} | |
335 group. The other groups are listed because they are its contents. But | |
336 they are listed differently, without indentation and dashes, because | |
337 @emph{their} contents are not included. Each group has a single-line | |
338 documentation string; the @code{Emacs} group also has a @samp{[State]} | |
339 line. | |
340 | |
341 @cindex editable fields (customization buffer) | |
342 @cindex active fields (customization buffer) | |
343 Most of the text in the customization buffer is read-only, but it | |
344 typically includes some @dfn{editable fields} that you can edit. There | |
345 are also @dfn{active fields}; this means a field that does something | |
346 when you @dfn{invoke} it. To invoke an active field, either click on it | |
347 with @kbd{Mouse-1}, or move point to it and type @key{RET}. | |
348 | |
349 For example, the phrase @samp{[Go to Group]} that appears in a | |
350 second-level group is an active field. Invoking the @samp{[Go to | |
351 Group]} field for a group creates a new customization buffer, which | |
352 shows that group and its contents. This field is a kind of hypertext | |
353 link to another group. | |
354 | |
355 The @code{Emacs} group does not include any user options itself, but | |
356 other groups do. By examining various groups, you will eventually find | |
357 the options and faces that belong to the feature you are interested in | |
358 customizing. Then you can use the customization buffer to set them. | |
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359 You can go straight to a particular group by name using the command |
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360 @kbd{M-x customize-group}. |
25829 | 361 |
362 @findex customize-browse | |
363 You can view the structure of customization groups on a larger scale | |
364 with @kbd{M-x customize-browse}. This command creates a special kind of | |
365 customization buffer which shows only the names of the groups (and | |
366 options and faces), and their structure. | |
367 | |
368 In this buffer, you can show the contents of a group by invoking | |
369 @samp{[+]}. When the group contents are visible, this button changes to | |
370 @samp{[-]}; invoking that hides the group contents. | |
371 | |
372 Each group, option or face name in this buffer has an active field | |
373 which says @samp{[Group]}, @samp{[Option]} or @samp{[Face]}. Invoking | |
374 that active field creates an ordinary customization buffer showing just | |
375 that group and its contents, just that option, or just that face. | |
376 This is the way to set values in it. | |
377 | |
378 @node Changing an Option | |
379 @subsubsection Changing an Option | |
380 | |
381 Here is an example of what a user option looks like in the | |
382 customization buffer: | |
383 | |
384 @smallexample | |
385 Kill Ring Max: [Hide] 30 | |
386 [State]: this option is unchanged from its standard setting. | |
387 Maximum length of kill ring before oldest elements are thrown away. | |
388 @end smallexample | |
389 | |
390 The text following @samp{[Hide]}, @samp{30} in this case, indicates | |
391 the current value of the option. If you see @samp{[Show]} instead of | |
392 @samp{[Hide]}, it means that the value is hidden; the customization | |
393 buffer initially hides values that take up several lines. Invoke | |
394 @samp{[Show]} to show the value. | |
395 | |
396 The line after the option name indicates the @dfn{customization state} | |
397 of the option: in the example above, it says you have not changed the | |
398 option yet. The word @samp{[State]} at the beginning of this line is | |
399 active; you can get a menu of various operations by invoking it with | |
400 @kbd{Mouse-1} or @key{RET}. These operations are essential for | |
401 customizing the variable. | |
402 | |
403 The line after the @samp{[State]} line displays the beginning of the | |
404 option's documentation string. If there are more lines of | |
405 documentation, this line ends with @samp{[More]}; invoke this to show | |
406 the full documentation string. | |
407 | |
408 To enter a new value for @samp{Kill Ring Max}, move point to the value | |
409 and edit it textually. For example, you can type @kbd{M-d}, then insert | |
410 another number. | |
411 | |
412 When you begin to alter the text, you will see the @samp{[State]} line | |
413 change to say that you have edited the value: | |
414 | |
415 @smallexample | |
416 [State]: you have edited the value as text, but not set the option. | |
417 @end smallexample | |
418 | |
419 @cindex setting option value | |
420 Editing the value does not actually set the option variable. To do | |
421 that, you must @dfn{set} the option. To do this, invoke the word | |
422 @samp{[State]} and choose @samp{Set for Current Session}. | |
423 | |
424 The state of the option changes visibly when you set it: | |
425 | |
426 @smallexample | |
427 [State]: you have set this option, but not saved it for future sessions. | |
428 @end smallexample | |
429 | |
430 You don't have to worry about specifying a value that is not valid; | |
431 setting the option checks for validity and will not really install an | |
432 unacceptable value. | |
433 | |
434 @kindex M-TAB @r{(customization buffer)} | |
435 @findex widget-complete | |
436 While editing a value or field that is a file name, directory name, | |
437 command name, or anything else for which completion is defined, you can | |
438 type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{widget-complete}) to do completion. | |
439 | |
440 Some options have a small fixed set of possible legitimate values. | |
441 These options don't let you edit the value textually. Instead, an | |
442 active field @samp{[Value Menu]} appears before the value; invoke this | |
443 field to edit the value. For a boolean ``on or off'' value, the active | |
444 field says @samp{[Toggle]}, and it changes to the other value. | |
445 @samp{[Value Menu]} and @samp{[Toggle]} edit the buffer; the changes | |
446 take effect when you use the @samp{Set for Current Session} operation. | |
447 | |
448 Some options have values with complex structure. For example, the | |
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449 value of @code{file-coding-system-alist} is an association list. Here |
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450 is how it appears in the customization buffer: |
25829 | 451 |
452 @smallexample | |
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453 File Coding System Alist: [Hide] |
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454 [INS] [DEL] File regexp: \.elc\' |
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455 Choice: [Value Menu] Encoding/decoding pair: |
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456 Decoding: emacs-mule |
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457 Encoding: emacs-mule |
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458 [INS] [DEL] File regexp: \(\`\|/\)loaddefs.el\' |
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459 Choice: [Value Menu] Encoding/decoding pair: |
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460 Decoding: no-conversion |
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461 Encoding: no-conversion |
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462 [INS] [DEL] File regexp: \.tar\' |
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463 Choice: [Value Menu] Encoding/decoding pair: |
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464 Decoding: no-conversion |
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465 Encoding: no-conversion |
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466 [INS] [DEL] File regexp: |
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467 Choice: [Value Menu] Encoding/decoding pair: |
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468 Decoding: undecided |
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469 Encoding: nil |
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470 [INS] |
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471 [State]: this option is unchanged from its standard setting. |
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472 Alist to decide a coding system to use for a file I/O operation. [Hide] |
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473 The format is ((PATTERN . VAL) ...), |
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474 where PATTERN is a regular expression matching a file name, |
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475 @r{[@dots{}more lines of documentation@dots{}]} |
25829 | 476 @end smallexample |
477 | |
478 @noindent | |
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479 Each association in the list appears on four lines, with several |
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480 editable or ``active'' fields. You can edit the regexps and coding |
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481 systems using ordinary editing commands. You can also invoke |
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482 @samp{[Value Menu]} to switch to a kind of value---for instance, to |
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483 specify a function instead of a pair of coding systems. |
25829 | 484 |
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485 To delete an association from the list, invoke the @samp{[DEL]} button |
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486 for that item. To add an association, invoke @samp{[INS]} at the |
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487 position where you want to add it. There is an @samp{[INS]} button |
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488 between each pair of association, another at the beginning and another |
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489 at the end, so you can add the new association at any position in the |
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490 list. |
25829 | 491 |
492 @kindex TAB @r{(customization buffer)} | |
493 @kindex S-TAB @r{(customization buffer)} | |
494 @findex widget-forward | |
495 @findex widget-backward | |
496 Two special commands, @key{TAB} and @kbd{S-@key{TAB}}, are useful for | |
497 moving through the customization buffer. @key{TAB} | |
498 (@code{widget-forward}) moves forward to the next active or editable | |
499 field; @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} (@code{widget-backward}) moves backward to the | |
500 previous active or editable field. | |
501 | |
502 Typing @key{RET} on an editable field also moves forward, just like | |
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503 @key{TAB}. We set it up this way because people often type @key{RET} |
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504 when they are finished editing a field. To insert a newline within an |
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505 editable field, use @kbd{C-o} or @kbd{C-q C-j}. |
25829 | 506 |
507 @cindex saving option value | |
508 Setting the option changes its value in the current Emacs session; | |
509 @dfn{saving} the value changes it for future sessions as well. This | |
510 works by writing code into your @file{~/.emacs} file so as to set the | |
511 option variable again each time you start Emacs. To save the option, | |
512 invoke @samp{[State]} and select the @samp{Save for Future Sessions} | |
513 operation. | |
514 | |
515 You can also restore the option to its standard value by invoking | |
27218 | 516 @samp{[State]} and selecting the @samp{Erase Customization} |
25829 | 517 operation. There are actually three reset operations: |
518 | |
519 @table @samp | |
520 @item Reset | |
521 If you have made some modifications and not yet set the option, | |
522 this restores the text in the customization buffer to match | |
523 the actual value. | |
524 | |
525 @item Reset to Saved | |
526 This restores the value of the option to the last saved value, | |
527 and updates the text accordingly. | |
528 | |
27218 | 529 @item Erase Customization |
25829 | 530 This sets the option to its standard value, and updates the text |
531 accordingly. This also eliminates any saved value for the option, | |
532 so that you will get the standard value in future Emacs sessions. | |
533 @end table | |
534 | |
27218 | 535 @cindex comments on customized options |
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536 Sometimes it is useful to record a comment about a specific |
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537 customization. Use the @samp{Add Comment} item from the |
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538 @samp{[State]} menu to create a field for entering the comment. The |
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539 comment you enter will be saved, and displayed again if you again view |
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540 the same option in a customization buffer, even in another session. |
27218 | 541 |
25829 | 542 The state of a group indicates whether anything in that group has been |
543 edited, set or saved. You can select @samp{Set for Current Session}, | |
544 @samp{Save for Future Sessions} and the various kinds of @samp{Reset} | |
545 operation for the group; these operations on the group apply to all | |
546 options in the group and its subgroups. | |
547 | |
548 Near the top of the customization buffer there are two lines | |
549 containing several active fields: | |
550 | |
551 @smallexample | |
552 [Set for Current Session] [Save for Future Sessions] | |
27218 | 553 [Reset] [Reset to Saved] [Erase Customization] [Finish] |
25829 | 554 @end smallexample |
555 | |
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556 @vindex custom-buffer-done-function |
25829 | 557 @noindent |
27218 | 558 Invoking @samp{[Finish]} either buries or kills this customization |
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559 buffer according to the setting of the option |
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560 @code{custom-buffer-done-function}; the default is to bury the buffer. |
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561 Each of the other fields performs an operation---set, save or |
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562 reset---on each of the items in the buffer that could meaningfully be |
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563 set, saved or reset. |
25829 | 564 |
565 @node Face Customization | |
566 @subsubsection Customizing Faces | |
567 @cindex customizing faces | |
568 @cindex bold font | |
569 @cindex italic font | |
570 @cindex fonts and faces | |
571 | |
572 In addition to user options, some customization groups also include | |
573 faces. When you show the contents of a group, both the user options and | |
574 the faces in the group appear in the customization buffer. Here is an | |
575 example of how a face looks: | |
576 | |
577 @smallexample | |
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578 Custom Changed Face: (sample) [Hide] |
25829 | 579 [State]: this face is unchanged from its standard setting. |
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580 Parent groups: [Custom Magic Faces] |
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581 Attributes: [ ] Font family: [Value Menu] * |
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582 [ ] Width: [Value Menu] * |
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583 [ ] Height: [Value Menu] * |
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584 [ ] Weight: [Value Menu] * |
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585 [ ] Slant: [Value Menu] * |
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586 [ ] Underline: [Value Menu] * |
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587 [ ] Overline: [Value Menu] * |
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588 [ ] Strike-through: [Value Menu] * |
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589 [ ] Box around text: [Value Menu] Off |
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590 [ ] Inverse-video: [Value Menu] * |
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591 [X] Foreground: [Value Menu] Color: white (sample) |
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592 [X] Background: [Value Menu] Color: blue (sample) |
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593 [ ] Stipple: [Value Menu] * |
25829 | 594 @end smallexample |
595 | |
596 Each face attribute has its own line. The @samp{[@var{x}]} field | |
597 before the attribute name indicates whether the attribute is | |
598 @dfn{enabled}; @samp{X} means that it is. You can enable or disable the | |
599 attribute by invoking that field. When the attribute is enabled, you | |
600 can change the attribute value in the usual ways. | |
601 | |
602 On a black-and-white display, the colors you can use for the | |
603 background are @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{gray}, @samp{gray1}, | |
604 and @samp{gray3}. Emacs supports these shades of gray by using | |
605 background stipple patterns instead of a color. | |
606 | |
607 Setting, saving and resetting a face work like the same operations for | |
608 options (@pxref{Changing an Option}). | |
609 | |
610 A face can specify different appearances for different types of | |
611 display. For example, a face can make text red on a color display, but | |
612 use a bold font on a monochrome display. To specify multiple | |
613 appearances for a face, select @samp{Show Display Types} in the menu you | |
614 get from invoking @samp{[State]}. | |
615 | |
616 @findex modify-face | |
617 Another more basic way to set the attributes of a specific face is | |
618 with @kbd{M-x modify-face}. This command reads the name of a face, then | |
619 reads the attributes one by one. For the color and stipple attributes, | |
620 the attribute's current value is the default---type just @key{RET} if | |
621 you don't want to change that attribute. Type @samp{none} if you want | |
622 to clear out the attribute. | |
623 | |
624 @node Specific Customization | |
625 @subsubsection Customizing Specific Items | |
626 | |
627 Instead of finding the options you want to change by moving down | |
628 through the structure of groups, you can specify the particular option, | |
629 face or group that you want to customize. | |
630 | |
631 @table @kbd | |
632 @item M-x customize-option @key{RET} @var{option} @key{RET} | |
633 Set up a customization buffer with just one option, @var{option}. | |
634 @item M-x customize-face @key{RET} @var{face} @key{RET} | |
635 Set up a customization buffer with just one face, @var{face}. | |
636 @item M-x customize-group @key{RET} @var{group} @key{RET} | |
637 Set up a customization buffer with just one group, @var{group}. | |
638 @item M-x customize-apropos @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
639 Set up a customization buffer with all the options, faces and groups | |
640 that match @var{regexp}. | |
641 @item M-x customize-changed-options @key{RET} @var{version} @key{RET} | |
642 Set up a customization buffer with all the options, faces and groups | |
643 whose meaning has changed since Emacs version @var{version}. | |
644 @item M-x customize-saved | |
645 Set up a customization buffer containing all options and faces that you | |
646 have saved with customization buffers. | |
647 @item M-x customize-customized | |
648 Set up a customization buffer containing all options and faces that you | |
649 have customized but not saved. | |
650 @end table | |
651 | |
652 @findex customize-option | |
653 If you want to alter a particular user option variable with the | |
654 customization buffer, and you know its name, you can use the command | |
655 @kbd{M-x customize-option} and specify the option name. This sets up | |
656 the customization buffer with just one option---the one that you asked | |
657 for. Editing, setting and saving the value work as described above, but | |
658 only for the specified option. | |
659 | |
660 @findex customize-face | |
661 Likewise, you can modify a specific face, chosen by name, using | |
662 @kbd{M-x customize-face}. | |
663 | |
664 @findex customize-group | |
665 You can also set up the customization buffer with a specific group, | |
666 using @kbd{M-x customize-group}. The immediate contents of the chosen | |
667 group, including option variables, faces, and other groups, all appear | |
668 as well. However, these subgroups' own contents start out hidden. You | |
669 can show their contents in the usual way, by invoking @samp{[Show]}. | |
670 | |
671 @findex customize-apropos | |
672 To control more precisely what to customize, you can use @kbd{M-x | |
673 customize-apropos}. You specify a regular expression as argument; then | |
674 all options, faces and groups whose names match this regular expression | |
675 are set up in the customization buffer. If you specify an empty regular | |
676 expression, this includes @emph{all} groups, options and faces in the | |
677 customization buffer (but that takes a long time). | |
678 | |
679 @findex customize-changed-options | |
680 When you upgrade to a new Emacs version, you might want to customize | |
681 new options and options whose meanings or default values have changed. | |
682 To do this, use @kbd{M-x customize-changed-options} and specify a | |
683 previous Emacs version number using the minibuffer. It creates a | |
684 customization buffer which shows all the options (and groups) whose | |
685 definitions have been changed since the specified version. | |
686 | |
687 @findex customize-saved | |
688 @findex customize-customized | |
689 If you change option values and then decide the change was a mistake, | |
690 you can use two special commands to revisit your previous changes. Use | |
691 @kbd{customize-saved} to look at the options and faces that you have | |
692 saved. Use @kbd{M-x customize-customized} to look at the options and | |
693 faces that you have set but not saved. | |
694 | |
695 @node Hooks | |
696 @subsection Hooks | |
697 @cindex hook | |
698 @cindex running a hook | |
699 | |
700 @dfn{Hooks} are an important mechanism for customization of Emacs. A | |
701 hook is a Lisp variable which holds a list of functions, to be called on | |
702 some well-defined occasion. (This is called @dfn{running the hook}.) | |
703 The individual functions in the list are called the @dfn{hook functions} | |
704 of the hook. With rare exceptions, hooks in Emacs are empty when Emacs | |
705 starts up, so the only hook functions in any given hook are the ones you | |
706 explicitly put there as customization. | |
707 | |
708 Most major modes run one or more @dfn{mode hooks} as the last step of | |
709 initialization. This makes it easy for you to customize the behavior of | |
710 the mode, by setting up a hook function to override the local variable | |
711 assignments already made by the mode. But hooks are also used in other | |
712 contexts. For example, the hook @code{suspend-hook} runs just before | |
713 Emacs suspends itself (@pxref{Exiting}). | |
714 | |
715 @cindex normal hook | |
716 Most Emacs hooks are @dfn{normal hooks}. This means that running the | |
717 hook operates by calling all the hook functions, unconditionally, with | |
718 no arguments. We have made an effort to keep most hooks normal so that | |
719 you can use them in a uniform way. Every variable in Emacs whose name | |
720 ends in @samp{-hook} is a normal hook. | |
721 | |
722 @cindex abnormal hook | |
723 There are also a few @dfn{abnormal hooks}. These variables' names end | |
724 in @samp{-hooks} or @samp{-functions}, instead of @samp{-hook}. What | |
725 makes these hooks abnormal is that there is something peculiar about the | |
726 way its functions are called---perhaps they are given arguments, or | |
727 perhaps the values they return are used in some way. For example, | |
728 @code{find-file-not-found-hooks} (@pxref{Visiting}) is abnormal because | |
729 as soon as one hook function returns a non-@code{nil} value, the rest | |
730 are not called at all. The documentation of each abnormal hook variable | |
731 explains in detail what is peculiar about it. | |
732 | |
733 The recommended way to add a hook function to a hook (either normal or | |
734 abnormal) is by calling @code{add-hook}. You can use any valid Lisp | |
735 function as the hook function, provided it can handle the proper number | |
736 of arguments (zero arguments, in the case of a normal hook). Of course, | |
737 not every Lisp function is @emph{useful} in any particular hook. | |
738 | |
739 For example, here's how to set up a hook to turn on Auto Fill mode | |
740 when entering Text mode and other modes based on Text mode: | |
741 | |
742 @example | |
743 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill) | |
744 @end example | |
745 | |
746 The next example shows how to use a hook to customize the indentation | |
747 of C code. (People often have strong personal preferences for one | |
748 format compared to another.) Here the hook function is an anonymous | |
749 lambda expression. | |
750 | |
751 @example | |
752 @group | |
753 (setq my-c-style | |
754 '((c-comment-only-line-offset . 4) | |
755 @end group | |
756 @group | |
757 (c-cleanup-list . (scope-operator | |
758 empty-defun-braces | |
759 defun-close-semi)) | |
760 @end group | |
761 @group | |
762 (c-offsets-alist . ((arglist-close . c-lineup-arglist) | |
763 (substatement-open . 0))))) | |
764 @end group | |
765 | |
766 @group | |
767 (add-hook 'c-mode-common-hook | |
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768 '(lambda () |
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769 (c-add-style "my-style" my-c-style t))) |
25829 | 770 @end group |
771 @end example | |
772 | |
773 It is best to design your hook functions so that the order in which | |
774 they are executed does not matter. Any dependence on the order is | |
775 ``asking for trouble.'' However, the order is predictable: the most | |
776 recently added hook functions are executed first. | |
777 | |
778 @node Locals | |
779 @subsection Local Variables | |
780 | |
781 @table @kbd | |
782 @item M-x make-local-variable @key{RET} @var{var} @key{RET} | |
783 Make variable @var{var} have a local value in the current buffer. | |
784 @item M-x kill-local-variable @key{RET} @var{var} @key{RET} | |
785 Make variable @var{var} use its global value in the current buffer. | |
786 @item M-x make-variable-buffer-local @key{RET} @var{var} @key{RET} | |
787 Mark variable @var{var} so that setting it will make it local to the | |
788 buffer that is current at that time. | |
789 @end table | |
790 | |
791 @cindex local variables | |
792 Almost any variable can be made @dfn{local} to a specific Emacs | |
793 buffer. This means that its value in that buffer is independent of its | |
794 value in other buffers. A few variables are always local in every | |
795 buffer. Every other Emacs variable has a @dfn{global} value which is in | |
796 effect in all buffers that have not made the variable local. | |
797 | |
798 @findex make-local-variable | |
799 @kbd{M-x make-local-variable} reads the name of a variable and makes it | |
800 local to the current buffer. Further changes in this buffer will not | |
801 affect others, and further changes in the global value will not affect this | |
802 buffer. | |
803 | |
804 @findex make-variable-buffer-local | |
805 @cindex per-buffer variables | |
806 @kbd{M-x make-variable-buffer-local} reads the name of a variable and | |
807 changes the future behavior of the variable so that it will become local | |
808 automatically when it is set. More precisely, once a variable has been | |
809 marked in this way, the usual ways of setting the variable automatically | |
810 do @code{make-local-variable} first. We call such variables | |
811 @dfn{per-buffer} variables. | |
812 | |
813 Major modes (@pxref{Major Modes}) always make variables local to the | |
814 buffer before setting the variables. This is why changing major modes | |
815 in one buffer has no effect on other buffers. Minor modes also work by | |
816 setting variables---normally, each minor mode has one controlling | |
817 variable which is non-@code{nil} when the mode is enabled (@pxref{Minor | |
818 Modes}). For most minor modes, the controlling variable is per buffer. | |
819 | |
820 Emacs contains a number of variables that are always per-buffer. | |
821 These include @code{abbrev-mode}, @code{auto-fill-function}, | |
822 @code{case-fold-search}, @code{comment-column}, @code{ctl-arrow}, | |
823 @code{fill-column}, @code{fill-prefix}, @code{indent-tabs-mode}, | |
824 @code{left-margin}, @code{mode-line-format}, @code{overwrite-mode}, | |
825 @code{selective-display-ellipses}, @code{selective-display}, | |
826 @code{tab-width}, and @code{truncate-lines}. Some other variables are | |
827 always local in every buffer, but they are used for internal | |
828 purposes.@refill | |
829 | |
830 A few variables cannot be local to a buffer because they are always | |
831 local to each display instead (@pxref{Multiple Displays}). If you try to | |
832 make one of these variables buffer-local, you'll get an error message. | |
833 | |
834 @findex kill-local-variable | |
835 @kbd{M-x kill-local-variable} reads the name of a variable and makes | |
836 it cease to be local to the current buffer. The global value of the | |
837 variable henceforth is in effect in this buffer. Setting the major mode | |
838 kills all the local variables of the buffer except for a few variables | |
839 specially marked as @dfn{permanent locals}. | |
840 | |
841 @findex setq-default | |
842 To set the global value of a variable, regardless of whether the | |
843 variable has a local value in the current buffer, you can use the Lisp | |
844 construct @code{setq-default}. This construct is used just like | |
845 @code{setq}, but it sets variables' global values instead of their local | |
846 values (if any). When the current buffer does have a local value, the | |
847 new global value may not be visible until you switch to another buffer. | |
848 Here is an example: | |
849 | |
850 @example | |
851 (setq-default fill-column 75) | |
852 @end example | |
853 | |
854 @noindent | |
855 @code{setq-default} is the only way to set the global value of a variable | |
856 that has been marked with @code{make-variable-buffer-local}. | |
857 | |
858 @findex default-value | |
859 Lisp programs can use @code{default-value} to look at a variable's | |
860 default value. This function takes a symbol as argument and returns its | |
861 default value. The argument is evaluated; usually you must quote it | |
862 explicitly. For example, here's how to obtain the default value of | |
863 @code{fill-column}: | |
864 | |
865 @example | |
866 (default-value 'fill-column) | |
867 @end example | |
868 | |
869 @node File Variables | |
870 @subsection Local Variables in Files | |
871 @cindex local variables in files | |
872 @cindex file local variables | |
873 | |
874 A file can specify local variable values for use when you edit the | |
875 file with Emacs. Visiting the file checks for local variable | |
876 specifications; it automatically makes these variables local to the | |
877 buffer, and sets them to the values specified in the file. | |
878 | |
879 There are two ways to specify local variable values: in the first | |
880 line, or with a local variables list. Here's how to specify them in the | |
881 first line: | |
882 | |
883 @example | |
884 -*- mode: @var{modename}; @var{var}: @var{value}; @dots{} -*- | |
885 @end example | |
886 | |
887 @noindent | |
888 You can specify any number of variables/value pairs in this way, each | |
889 pair with a colon and semicolon as shown above. @code{mode: | |
890 @var{modename};} specifies the major mode; this should come first in the | |
891 line. The @var{value}s are not evaluated; they are used literally. | |
892 Here is an example that specifies Lisp mode and sets two variables with | |
893 numeric values: | |
894 | |
895 @smallexample | |
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896 ;; -*- mode: Lisp; fill-column: 75; comment-column: 50; -*- |
25829 | 897 @end smallexample |
898 | |
899 You can also specify the coding system for a file in this way: just | |
900 specify a value for the ``variable'' named @code{coding}. The ``value'' | |
901 must be a coding system name that Emacs recognizes. @xref{Coding | |
902 Systems}. | |
903 | |
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904 The @code{eval} pseudo-variable, described below, can be specified in |
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905 the first line as well. |
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906 |
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907 @cindex shell scripts, and local file variables |
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908 In shell scripts, the first line is used to identify the script |
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909 interpreter, so you cannot put any local variables there. To accomodate |
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910 for this, when Emacs visits a shell script, it looks for local variable |
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911 specifications in the @emph{second} line. |
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912 |
25829 | 913 A @dfn{local variables list} goes near the end of the file, in the |
914 last page. (It is often best to put it on a page by itself.) The local | |
915 variables list starts with a line containing the string @samp{Local | |
916 Variables:}, and ends with a line containing the string @samp{End:}. In | |
917 between come the variable names and values, one set per line, as | |
918 @samp{@var{variable}:@: @var{value}}. The @var{value}s are not | |
919 evaluated; they are used literally. If a file has both a local | |
920 variables list and a @samp{-*-} line, Emacs processes @emph{everything} | |
921 in the @samp{-*-} line first, and @emph{everything} in the local | |
922 variables list afterward. | |
923 | |
924 Here is an example of a local variables list: | |
925 | |
926 @example | |
927 ;;; Local Variables: *** | |
928 ;;; mode:lisp *** | |
929 ;;; comment-column:0 *** | |
930 ;;; comment-start: ";;; " *** | |
931 ;;; comment-end:"***" *** | |
932 ;;; End: *** | |
933 @end example | |
934 | |
935 As you see, each line starts with the prefix @samp{;;; } and each line | |
936 ends with the suffix @samp{ ***}. Emacs recognizes these as the prefix | |
937 and suffix based on the first line of the list, by finding them | |
938 surrounding the magic string @samp{Local Variables:}; then it | |
939 automatically discards them from the other lines of the list. | |
940 | |
941 The usual reason for using a prefix and/or suffix is to embed the | |
942 local variables list in a comment, so it won't confuse other programs | |
943 that the file is intended as input for. The example above is for a | |
944 language where comment lines start with @samp{;;; } and end with | |
945 @samp{***}; the local values for @code{comment-start} and | |
946 @code{comment-end} customize the rest of Emacs for this unusual syntax. | |
947 Don't use a prefix (or a suffix) if you don't need one. | |
948 | |
949 Two ``variable names'' have special meanings in a local variables | |
950 list: a value for the variable @code{mode} really sets the major mode, | |
951 and a value for the variable @code{eval} is simply evaluated as an | |
952 expression and the value is ignored. @code{mode} and @code{eval} are | |
953 not real variables; setting variables named @code{mode} and @code{eval} | |
954 in any other context has no special meaning. If @code{mode} is used to | |
955 set a major mode, it should be the first ``variable'' in the list. | |
956 | |
957 You can use the @code{mode} ``variable'' to set minor modes as well as | |
958 major modes; in fact, you can use it more than once, first to set the | |
959 major mode and then to set minor modes which are specific to particular | |
960 buffers. But most minor modes should not be specified in the file in | |
961 any fashion, because they represent user preferences. | |
962 | |
963 For example, you may be tempted to try to turn on Auto Fill mode with | |
964 a local variable list. That is a mistake. The choice of Auto Fill mode | |
965 or not is a matter of individual taste, not a matter of the contents of | |
966 particular files. If you want to use Auto Fill, set up major mode hooks | |
967 with your @file{.emacs} file to turn it on (when appropriate) for you | |
968 alone (@pxref{Init File}). Don't use a local variable list to impose | |
969 your taste on everyone. | |
970 | |
971 The start of the local variables list must be no more than 3000 | |
972 characters from the end of the file, and must be in the last page if the | |
973 file is divided into pages. Otherwise, Emacs will not notice it is | |
974 there. The purpose of this rule is so that a stray @samp{Local | |
975 Variables:}@: not in the last page does not confuse Emacs, and so that | |
976 visiting a long file that is all one page and has no local variables | |
977 list need not take the time to search the whole file. | |
978 | |
979 Use the command @code{normal-mode} to reset the local variables and | |
980 major mode of a buffer according to the file name and contents, | |
981 including the local variables list if any. @xref{Choosing Modes}. | |
982 | |
983 @findex enable-local-variables | |
984 The variable @code{enable-local-variables} controls whether to process | |
985 local variables in files, and thus gives you a chance to override them. | |
986 Its default value is @code{t}, which means do process local variables in | |
987 files. If you set the value to @code{nil}, Emacs simply ignores local | |
988 variables in files. Any other value says to query you about each file | |
989 that has local variables, showing you the local variable specifications | |
990 so you can judge. | |
991 | |
992 @findex enable-local-eval | |
993 The @code{eval} ``variable,'' and certain actual variables, create a | |
994 special risk; when you visit someone else's file, local variable | |
995 specifications for these could affect your Emacs in arbitrary ways. | |
996 Therefore, the option @code{enable-local-eval} controls whether Emacs | |
997 processes @code{eval} variables, as well variables with names that end | |
998 in @samp{-hook}, @samp{-hooks}, @samp{-function} or @samp{-functions}, | |
999 and certain other variables. The three possibilities for the option's | |
1000 value are @code{t}, @code{nil}, and anything else, just as for | |
1001 @code{enable-local-variables}. The default is @code{maybe}, which is | |
1002 neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, so normally Emacs does ask for | |
1003 confirmation about file settings for these variables. | |
1004 | |
1005 @node Keyboard Macros | |
1006 @section Keyboard Macros | |
1007 | |
1008 @cindex defining keyboard macros | |
1009 @cindex keyboard macro | |
1010 A @dfn{keyboard macro} is a command defined by the user to stand for | |
1011 another sequence of keys. For example, if you discover that you are | |
1012 about to type @kbd{C-n C-d} forty times, you can speed your work by | |
1013 defining a keyboard macro to do @kbd{C-n C-d} and calling it with a | |
1014 repeat count of forty. | |
1015 | |
1016 @c widecommands | |
1017 @table @kbd | |
1018 @item C-x ( | |
1019 Start defining a keyboard macro (@code{start-kbd-macro}). | |
1020 @item C-x ) | |
1021 End the definition of a keyboard macro (@code{end-kbd-macro}). | |
1022 @item C-x e | |
1023 Execute the most recent keyboard macro (@code{call-last-kbd-macro}). | |
1024 @item C-u C-x ( | |
1025 Re-execute last keyboard macro, then add more keys to its definition. | |
1026 @item C-x q | |
1027 When this point is reached during macro execution, ask for confirmation | |
1028 (@code{kbd-macro-query}). | |
1029 @item M-x name-last-kbd-macro | |
1030 Give a command name (for the duration of the session) to the most | |
1031 recently defined keyboard macro. | |
1032 @item M-x insert-kbd-macro | |
1033 Insert in the buffer a keyboard macro's definition, as Lisp code. | |
1034 @item C-x C-k | |
1035 Edit a previously defined keyboard macro (@code{edit-kbd-macro}). | |
1036 @item M-x apply-macro-to-region-lines | |
1037 Run the last keyboard macro on each complete line in the region. | |
1038 @end table | |
1039 | |
1040 Keyboard macros differ from ordinary Emacs commands in that they are | |
1041 written in the Emacs command language rather than in Lisp. This makes it | |
1042 easier for the novice to write them, and makes them more convenient as | |
1043 temporary hacks. However, the Emacs command language is not powerful | |
1044 enough as a programming language to be useful for writing anything | |
1045 intelligent or general. For such things, Lisp must be used. | |
1046 | |
1047 You define a keyboard macro while executing the commands which are the | |
1048 definition. Put differently, as you define a keyboard macro, the | |
1049 definition is being executed for the first time. This way, you can see | |
1050 what the effects of your commands are, so that you don't have to figure | |
1051 them out in your head. When you are finished, the keyboard macro is | |
1052 defined and also has been, in effect, executed once. You can then do the | |
1053 whole thing over again by invoking the macro. | |
1054 | |
1055 @menu | |
1056 * Basic Kbd Macro:: Defining and running keyboard macros. | |
1057 * Save Kbd Macro:: Giving keyboard macros names; saving them in files. | |
1058 * Kbd Macro Query:: Making keyboard macros do different things each time. | |
1059 @end menu | |
1060 | |
1061 @node Basic Kbd Macro | |
1062 @subsection Basic Use | |
1063 | |
1064 @kindex C-x ( | |
1065 @kindex C-x ) | |
1066 @kindex C-x e | |
1067 @findex start-kbd-macro | |
1068 @findex end-kbd-macro | |
1069 @findex call-last-kbd-macro | |
1070 To start defining a keyboard macro, type the @kbd{C-x (} command | |
1071 (@code{start-kbd-macro}). From then on, your keys continue to be | |
1072 executed, but also become part of the definition of the macro. @samp{Def} | |
1073 appears in the mode line to remind you of what is going on. When you are | |
1074 finished, the @kbd{C-x )} command (@code{end-kbd-macro}) terminates the | |
1075 definition (without becoming part of it!). For example, | |
1076 | |
1077 @example | |
1078 C-x ( M-f foo C-x ) | |
1079 @end example | |
1080 | |
1081 @noindent | |
1082 defines a macro to move forward a word and then insert @samp{foo}. | |
1083 | |
1084 The macro thus defined can be invoked again with the @kbd{C-x e} | |
1085 command (@code{call-last-kbd-macro}), which may be given a repeat count | |
1086 as a numeric argument to execute the macro many times. @kbd{C-x )} can | |
1087 also be given a repeat count as an argument, in which case it repeats | |
1088 the macro that many times right after defining it, but defining the | |
1089 macro counts as the first repetition (since it is executed as you define | |
1090 it). Therefore, giving @kbd{C-x )} an argument of 4 executes the macro | |
1091 immediately 3 additional times. An argument of zero to @kbd{C-x e} or | |
1092 @kbd{C-x )} means repeat the macro indefinitely (until it gets an error | |
1093 or you type @kbd{C-g} or, on MS-DOS, @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}}). | |
1094 | |
1095 If you wish to repeat an operation at regularly spaced places in the | |
1096 text, define a macro and include as part of the macro the commands to move | |
1097 to the next place you want to use it. For example, if you want to change | |
1098 each line, you should position point at the start of a line, and define a | |
1099 macro to change that line and leave point at the start of the next line. | |
1100 Then repeating the macro will operate on successive lines. | |
1101 | |
1102 After you have terminated the definition of a keyboard macro, you can add | |
1103 to the end of its definition by typing @kbd{C-u C-x (}. This is equivalent | |
1104 to plain @kbd{C-x (} followed by retyping the whole definition so far. As | |
1105 a consequence it re-executes the macro as previously defined. | |
1106 | |
1107 You can use function keys in a keyboard macro, just like keyboard | |
1108 keys. You can even use mouse events, but be careful about that: when | |
1109 the macro replays the mouse event, it uses the original mouse position | |
1110 of that event, the position that the mouse had while you were defining | |
1111 the macro. The effect of this may be hard to predict. (Using the | |
1112 current mouse position would be even less predictable.) | |
1113 | |
1114 One thing that doesn't always work well in a keyboard macro is the | |
1115 command @kbd{C-M-c} (@code{exit-recursive-edit}). When this command | |
1116 exits a recursive edit that started within the macro, it works as you'd | |
1117 expect. But if it exits a recursive edit that started before you | |
1118 invoked the keyboard macro, it also necessarily exits the keyboard macro | |
1119 as part of the process. | |
1120 | |
1121 @findex edit-kbd-macro | |
1122 @kindex C-x C-k | |
1123 You can edit a keyboard macro already defined by typing @kbd{C-x C-k} | |
1124 (@code{edit-kbd-macro}). Follow that with the keyboard input that you | |
1125 would use to invoke the macro---@kbd{C-x e} or @kbd{M-x @var{name}} or | |
1126 some other key sequence. This formats the macro definition in a buffer | |
1127 and enters a specialized major mode for editing it. Type @kbd{C-h m} | |
1128 once in that buffer to display details of how to edit the macro. When | |
1129 you are finished editing, type @kbd{C-c C-c}. | |
1130 | |
1131 @findex apply-macro-to-region-lines | |
1132 The command @kbd{M-x apply-macro-to-region-lines} repeats the last | |
1133 defined keyboard macro on each complete line within the current region. | |
1134 It does this line by line, by moving point to the beginning of the line | |
1135 and then executing the macro. | |
1136 | |
1137 @node Save Kbd Macro | |
1138 @subsection Naming and Saving Keyboard Macros | |
1139 | |
1140 @cindex saving keyboard macros | |
1141 @findex name-last-kbd-macro | |
1142 If you wish to save a keyboard macro for longer than until you define the | |
1143 next one, you must give it a name using @kbd{M-x name-last-kbd-macro}. | |
1144 This reads a name as an argument using the minibuffer and defines that name | |
1145 to execute the macro. The macro name is a Lisp symbol, and defining it in | |
1146 this way makes it a valid command name for calling with @kbd{M-x} or for | |
1147 binding a key to with @code{global-set-key} (@pxref{Keymaps}). If you | |
1148 specify a name that has a prior definition other than another keyboard | |
1149 macro, an error message is printed and nothing is changed. | |
1150 | |
1151 @findex insert-kbd-macro | |
1152 Once a macro has a command name, you can save its definition in a file. | |
1153 Then it can be used in another editing session. First, visit the file | |
1154 you want to save the definition in. Then use this command: | |
1155 | |
1156 @example | |
1157 M-x insert-kbd-macro @key{RET} @var{macroname} @key{RET} | |
1158 @end example | |
1159 | |
1160 @noindent | |
1161 This inserts some Lisp code that, when executed later, will define the | |
1162 same macro with the same definition it has now. (You need not | |
1163 understand Lisp code to do this, because @code{insert-kbd-macro} writes | |
1164 the Lisp code for you.) Then save the file. You can load the file | |
1165 later with @code{load-file} (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}). If the file you | |
1166 save in is your init file @file{~/.emacs} (@pxref{Init File}) then the | |
1167 macro will be defined each time you run Emacs. | |
1168 | |
1169 If you give @code{insert-kbd-macro} a numeric argument, it makes | |
1170 additional Lisp code to record the keys (if any) that you have bound to the | |
1171 keyboard macro, so that the macro will be reassigned the same keys when you | |
1172 load the file. | |
1173 | |
1174 @node Kbd Macro Query | |
1175 @subsection Executing Macros with Variations | |
1176 | |
1177 @kindex C-x q | |
1178 @findex kbd-macro-query | |
1179 Using @kbd{C-x q} (@code{kbd-macro-query}), you can get an effect | |
1180 similar to that of @code{query-replace}, where the macro asks you each | |
1181 time around whether to make a change. While defining the macro, | |
1182 type @kbd{C-x q} at the point where you want the query to occur. During | |
1183 macro definition, the @kbd{C-x q} does nothing, but when you run the | |
1184 macro later, @kbd{C-x q} asks you interactively whether to continue. | |
1185 | |
1186 The valid responses when @kbd{C-x q} asks are @key{SPC} (or @kbd{y}), | |
1187 @key{DEL} (or @kbd{n}), @key{RET} (or @kbd{q}), @kbd{C-l} and @kbd{C-r}. | |
1188 The answers are the same as in @code{query-replace}, though not all of | |
1189 the @code{query-replace} options are meaningful. | |
1190 | |
1191 These responses include @key{SPC} to continue, and @key{DEL} to skip | |
1192 the remainder of this repetition of the macro and start right away with | |
1193 the next repetition. @key{RET} means to skip the remainder of this | |
1194 repetition and cancel further repetitions. @kbd{C-l} redraws the screen | |
1195 and asks you again for a character to say what to do. | |
1196 | |
1197 @kbd{C-r} enters a recursive editing level, in which you can perform | |
1198 editing which is not part of the macro. When you exit the recursive | |
1199 edit using @kbd{C-M-c}, you are asked again how to continue with the | |
1200 keyboard macro. If you type a @key{SPC} at this time, the rest of the | |
1201 macro definition is executed. It is up to you to leave point and the | |
1202 text in a state such that the rest of the macro will do what you | |
1203 want.@refill | |
1204 | |
1205 @kbd{C-u C-x q}, which is @kbd{C-x q} with a numeric argument, | |
1206 performs a completely different function. It enters a recursive edit | |
1207 reading input from the keyboard, both when you type it during the | |
1208 definition of the macro, and when it is executed from the macro. During | |
1209 definition, the editing you do inside the recursive edit does not become | |
1210 part of the macro. During macro execution, the recursive edit gives you | |
1211 a chance to do some particularized editing on each repetition. | |
1212 @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
1213 | |
1214 Another way to vary the behavior of a keyboard macro is to use a | |
1215 register as a counter, incrementing it on each repetition of the macro. | |
1216 @xref{RegNumbers}. | |
1217 | |
1218 @node Key Bindings | |
1219 @section Customizing Key Bindings | |
1220 @cindex key bindings | |
1221 | |
1222 This section describes @dfn{key bindings}, which map keys to commands, | |
1223 and @dfn{keymaps}, which record key bindings. It also explains how | |
1224 to customize key bindings. | |
1225 | |
1226 Recall that a command is a Lisp function whose definition provides for | |
1227 interactive use. Like every Lisp function, a command has a function | |
1228 name which usually consists of lower-case letters and hyphens. | |
1229 | |
1230 @menu | |
1231 * Keymaps:: Generalities. The global keymap. | |
1232 * Prefix Keymaps:: Keymaps for prefix keys. | |
1233 * Local Keymaps:: Major and minor modes have their own keymaps. | |
1234 * Minibuffer Maps:: The minibuffer uses its own local keymaps. | |
1235 * Rebinding:: How to redefine one key's meaning conveniently. | |
1236 * Init Rebinding:: Rebinding keys with your init file, @file{.emacs}. | |
1237 * Function Keys:: Rebinding terminal function keys. | |
1238 * Named ASCII Chars:: Distinguishing @key{TAB} from @kbd{C-i}, and so on. | |
1239 * Non-ASCII Rebinding:: Rebinding non-ASCII characters such as Latin-1. | |
1240 * Mouse Buttons:: Rebinding mouse buttons in Emacs. | |
1241 * Disabling:: Disabling a command means confirmation is required | |
1242 before it can be executed. This is done to protect | |
1243 beginners from surprises. | |
1244 @end menu | |
1245 | |
1246 @node Keymaps | |
1247 @subsection Keymaps | |
1248 @cindex keymap | |
1249 | |
1250 The bindings between key sequences and command functions are recorded | |
1251 in data structures called @dfn{keymaps}. Emacs has many of these, each | |
1252 used on particular occasions. | |
1253 | |
1254 Recall that a @dfn{key sequence} (@dfn{key}, for short) is a sequence | |
1255 of @dfn{input events} that have a meaning as a unit. Input events | |
1256 include characters, function keys and mouse buttons---all the inputs | |
1257 that you can send to the computer with your terminal. A key sequence | |
1258 gets its meaning from its @dfn{binding}, which says what command it | |
1259 runs. The function of keymaps is to record these bindings. | |
1260 | |
1261 @cindex global keymap | |
1262 The @dfn{global} keymap is the most important keymap because it is | |
1263 always in effect. The global keymap defines keys for Fundamental mode; | |
1264 most of these definitions are common to most or all major modes. Each | |
1265 major or minor mode can have its own keymap which overrides the global | |
1266 definitions of some keys. | |
1267 | |
1268 For example, a self-inserting character such as @kbd{g} is | |
1269 self-inserting because the global keymap binds it to the command | |
1270 @code{self-insert-command}. The standard Emacs editing characters such | |
1271 as @kbd{C-a} also get their standard meanings from the global keymap. | |
1272 Commands to rebind keys, such as @kbd{M-x global-set-key}, actually work | |
1273 by storing the new binding in the proper place in the global map. | |
1274 @xref{Rebinding}. | |
1275 | |
1276 Meta characters work differently; Emacs translates each Meta | |
1277 character into a pair of characters starting with @key{ESC}. When you | |
1278 type the character @kbd{M-a} in a key sequence, Emacs replaces it with | |
1279 @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. A meta key comes in as a single input event, but | |
1280 becomes two events for purposes of key bindings. The reason for this is | |
1281 historical, and we might change it someday. | |
1282 | |
1283 @cindex function key | |
1284 Most modern keyboards have function keys as well as character keys. | |
1285 Function keys send input events just as character keys do, and keymaps | |
1286 can have bindings for them. | |
1287 | |
1288 On many terminals, typing a function key actually sends the computer a | |
1289 sequence of characters; the precise details of the sequence depends on | |
1290 which function key and on the model of terminal you are using. (Often | |
1291 the sequence starts with @kbd{@key{ESC} [}.) If Emacs understands your | |
1292 terminal type properly, it recognizes the character sequences forming | |
1293 function keys wherever they occur in a key sequence (not just at the | |
1294 beginning). Thus, for most purposes, you can pretend the function keys | |
1295 reach Emacs directly and ignore their encoding as character sequences. | |
1296 | |
1297 @cindex mouse | |
1298 Mouse buttons also produce input events. These events come with other | |
1299 data---the window and position where you pressed or released the button, | |
1300 and a time stamp. But only the choice of button matters for key | |
1301 bindings; the other data matters only if a command looks at it. | |
1302 (Commands designed for mouse invocation usually do look at the other | |
1303 data.) | |
1304 | |
1305 A keymap records definitions for single events. Interpreting a key | |
1306 sequence of multiple events involves a chain of keymaps. The first | |
1307 keymap gives a definition for the first event; this definition is | |
1308 another keymap, which is used to look up the second event in the | |
1309 sequence, and so on. | |
1310 | |
1311 Key sequences can mix function keys and characters. For example, | |
1312 @kbd{C-x @key{SELECT}} is meaningful. If you make @key{SELECT} a prefix | |
1313 key, then @kbd{@key{SELECT} C-n} makes sense. You can even mix mouse | |
1314 events with keyboard events, but we recommend against it, because such | |
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1315 key sequences are inconvenient to use. |
25829 | 1316 |
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1317 As a user, you can redefine any key; but it is usually best to stick |
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1318 to key sequences that consist of @kbd{C-c} followed by a letter. |
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1319 These keys are ``reserved for users,'' so they won't conflict with any |
25829 | 1320 properly designed Emacs extension. The function keys @key{F5} through |
1321 @key{F9} are also reserved for users. If you redefine some other key, | |
1322 your definition may be overridden by certain extensions or major modes | |
1323 which redefine the same key. | |
1324 | |
1325 @node Prefix Keymaps | |
1326 @subsection Prefix Keymaps | |
1327 | |
1328 A prefix key such as @kbd{C-x} or @key{ESC} has its own keymap, | |
1329 which holds the definition for the event that immediately follows | |
1330 that prefix. | |
1331 | |
1332 The definition of a prefix key is usually the keymap to use for | |
1333 looking up the following event. The definition can also be a Lisp | |
1334 symbol whose function definition is the following keymap; the effect is | |
1335 the same, but it provides a command name for the prefix key that can be | |
1336 used as a description of what the prefix key is for. Thus, the binding | |
1337 of @kbd{C-x} is the symbol @code{Ctl-X-Prefix}, whose function | |
1338 definition is the keymap for @kbd{C-x} commands. The definitions of | |
1339 @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-h} and @key{ESC} as prefix keys appear in | |
1340 the global map, so these prefix keys are always available. | |
1341 | |
1342 Aside from ordinary prefix keys, there is a fictitious ``prefix key'' | |
1343 which represents the menu bar; see @ref{Menu Bar,,,elisp, The Emacs Lisp | |
1344 Reference Manual}, for special information about menu bar key bindings. | |
1345 Mouse button events that invoke pop-up menus are also prefix keys; see | |
1346 @ref{Menu Keymaps,,,elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, for more | |
1347 details. | |
1348 | |
1349 Some prefix keymaps are stored in variables with names: | |
1350 | |
1351 @itemize @bullet | |
1352 @item | |
1353 @vindex ctl-x-map | |
1354 @code{ctl-x-map} is the variable name for the map used for characters that | |
1355 follow @kbd{C-x}. | |
1356 @item | |
1357 @vindex help-map | |
1358 @code{help-map} is for characters that follow @kbd{C-h}. | |
1359 @item | |
1360 @vindex esc-map | |
1361 @code{esc-map} is for characters that follow @key{ESC}. Thus, all Meta | |
1362 characters are actually defined by this map. | |
1363 @item | |
1364 @vindex ctl-x-4-map | |
1365 @code{ctl-x-4-map} is for characters that follow @kbd{C-x 4}. | |
1366 @item | |
1367 @vindex mode-specific-map | |
1368 @code{mode-specific-map} is for characters that follow @kbd{C-c}. | |
1369 @end itemize | |
1370 | |
1371 @node Local Keymaps | |
1372 @subsection Local Keymaps | |
1373 | |
1374 @cindex local keymap | |
1375 So far we have explained the ins and outs of the global map. Major | |
1376 modes customize Emacs by providing their own key bindings in @dfn{local | |
1377 keymaps}. For example, C mode overrides @key{TAB} to make it indent the | |
1378 current line for C code. Portions of text in the buffer can specify | |
1379 their own keymaps to substitute for the keymap of the buffer's major | |
1380 mode. | |
1381 | |
1382 @cindex minor mode keymap | |
1383 Minor modes can also have local keymaps. Whenever a minor mode is | |
1384 in effect, the definitions in its keymap override both the major | |
1385 mode's local keymap and the global keymap. | |
1386 | |
1387 @vindex c-mode-map | |
1388 @vindex lisp-mode-map | |
1389 The local keymaps for Lisp mode and several other major modes always | |
1390 exist even when not in use. These are kept in variables named | |
1391 @code{lisp-mode-map} and so on. For major modes less often used, the | |
1392 local keymap is normally constructed only when the mode is used for the | |
1393 first time in a session. This is to save space. If you wish to change | |
1394 one of these keymaps, you must use the major mode's @dfn{mode | |
1395 hook}---see below. | |
1396 | |
1397 All minor mode keymaps are created in advance. There is no way to | |
1398 defer their creation until the first time the minor mode is enabled. | |
1399 | |
1400 A local keymap can locally redefine a key as a prefix key by defining | |
1401 it as a prefix keymap. If the key is also defined globally as a prefix, | |
1402 then its local and global definitions (both keymaps) effectively | |
1403 combine: both of them are used to look up the event that follows the | |
1404 prefix key. Thus, if the mode's local keymap defines @kbd{C-c} as | |
1405 another keymap, and that keymap defines @kbd{C-z} as a command, this | |
1406 provides a local meaning for @kbd{C-c C-z}. This does not affect other | |
1407 sequences that start with @kbd{C-c}; if those sequences don't have their | |
1408 own local bindings, their global bindings remain in effect. | |
1409 | |
1410 Another way to think of this is that Emacs handles a multi-event key | |
1411 sequence by looking in several keymaps, one by one, for a binding of the | |
1412 whole key sequence. First it checks the minor mode keymaps for minor | |
1413 modes that are enabled, then it checks the major mode's keymap, and then | |
1414 it checks the global keymap. This is not precisely how key lookup | |
1415 works, but it's good enough for understanding ordinary circumstances. | |
1416 | |
1417 @cindex rebinding major mode keys | |
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1418 @findex define-key |
25829 | 1419 To change the local bindings of a major mode, you must change the |
1420 mode's local keymap. Normally you must wait until the first time the | |
1421 mode is used, because most major modes don't create their keymaps until | |
1422 then. If you want to specify something in your @file{~/.emacs} file to | |
1423 change a major mode's bindings, you must use the mode's mode hook to | |
1424 delay the change until the mode is first used. | |
1425 | |
1426 For example, the command @code{texinfo-mode} to select Texinfo mode | |
1427 runs the hook @code{texinfo-mode-hook}. Here's how you can use the hook | |
1428 to add local bindings (not very useful, we admit) for @kbd{C-c n} and | |
1429 @kbd{C-c p} in Texinfo mode: | |
1430 | |
1431 @example | |
1432 (add-hook 'texinfo-mode-hook | |
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1433 '(lambda () |
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1434 (define-key texinfo-mode-map "\C-cp" |
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1435 'backward-paragraph) |
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1436 (define-key texinfo-mode-map "\C-cn" |
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1437 'forward-paragraph))) |
25829 | 1438 @end example |
1439 | |
1440 @xref{Hooks}. | |
1441 | |
1442 @node Minibuffer Maps | |
1443 @subsection Minibuffer Keymaps | |
1444 | |
1445 @cindex minibuffer keymaps | |
1446 @vindex minibuffer-local-map | |
1447 @vindex minibuffer-local-ns-map | |
1448 @vindex minibuffer-local-completion-map | |
1449 @vindex minibuffer-local-must-match-map | |
1450 The minibuffer has its own set of local keymaps; they contain various | |
1451 completion and exit commands. | |
1452 | |
1453 @itemize @bullet | |
1454 @item | |
1455 @code{minibuffer-local-map} is used for ordinary input (no completion). | |
1456 @item | |
1457 @code{minibuffer-local-ns-map} is similar, except that @key{SPC} exits | |
1458 just like @key{RET}. This is used mainly for Mocklisp compatibility. | |
1459 @item | |
1460 @code{minibuffer-local-completion-map} is for permissive completion. | |
1461 @item | |
1462 @code{minibuffer-local-must-match-map} is for strict completion and | |
1463 for cautious completion. | |
1464 @end itemize | |
1465 | |
1466 @node Rebinding | |
1467 @subsection Changing Key Bindings Interactively | |
1468 @cindex key rebinding, this session | |
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1469 @cindex redefining keys, this session |
25829 | 1470 |
1471 The way to redefine an Emacs key is to change its entry in a keymap. | |
1472 You can change the global keymap, in which case the change is effective in | |
1473 all major modes (except those that have their own overriding local | |
1474 definitions for the same key). Or you can change the current buffer's | |
1475 local map, which affects all buffers using the same major mode. | |
1476 | |
1477 @findex global-set-key | |
1478 @findex local-set-key | |
1479 @findex global-unset-key | |
1480 @findex local-unset-key | |
1481 @table @kbd | |
1482 @item M-x global-set-key @key{RET} @var{key} @var{cmd} @key{RET} | |
1483 Define @var{key} globally to run @var{cmd}. | |
1484 @item M-x local-set-key @key{RET} @var{key} @var{cmd} @key{RET} | |
1485 Define @var{key} locally (in the major mode now in effect) to run | |
1486 @var{cmd}. | |
1487 @item M-x global-unset-key @key{RET} @var{key} | |
1488 Make @var{key} undefined in the global map. | |
1489 @item M-x local-unset-key @key{RET} @var{key} | |
1490 Make @var{key} undefined locally (in the major mode now in effect). | |
1491 @end table | |
1492 | |
1493 For example, suppose you like to execute commands in a subshell within | |
1494 an Emacs buffer, instead of suspending Emacs and executing commands in | |
1495 your login shell. Normally, @kbd{C-z} is bound to the function | |
1496 @code{suspend-emacs} (when not using the X Window System), but you can | |
1497 change @kbd{C-z} to invoke an interactive subshell within Emacs, by | |
1498 binding it to @code{shell} as follows: | |
1499 | |
1500 @example | |
1501 M-x global-set-key @key{RET} C-z shell @key{RET} | |
1502 @end example | |
1503 | |
1504 @noindent | |
1505 @code{global-set-key} reads the command name after the key. After you | |
1506 press the key, a message like this appears so that you can confirm that | |
1507 you are binding the key you want: | |
1508 | |
1509 @example | |
1510 Set key C-z to command: | |
1511 @end example | |
1512 | |
1513 You can redefine function keys and mouse events in the same way; just | |
1514 type the function key or click the mouse when it's time to specify the | |
1515 key to rebind. | |
1516 | |
1517 You can rebind a key that contains more than one event in the same | |
1518 way. Emacs keeps reading the key to rebind until it is a complete key | |
1519 (that is, not a prefix key). Thus, if you type @kbd{C-f} for | |
1520 @var{key}, that's the end; the minibuffer is entered immediately to | |
1521 read @var{cmd}. But if you type @kbd{C-x}, another character is read; | |
1522 if that is @kbd{4}, another character is read, and so on. For | |
1523 example, | |
1524 | |
1525 @example | |
1526 M-x global-set-key @key{RET} C-x 4 $ spell-other-window @key{RET} | |
1527 @end example | |
1528 | |
1529 @noindent | |
1530 redefines @kbd{C-x 4 $} to run the (fictitious) command | |
1531 @code{spell-other-window}. | |
1532 | |
1533 The two-character keys consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by a letter | |
1534 are reserved for user customizations. Lisp programs are not supposed to | |
1535 define these keys, so the bindings you make for them will be available | |
1536 in all major modes and will never get in the way of anything. | |
1537 | |
1538 You can remove the global definition of a key with | |
1539 @code{global-unset-key}. This makes the key @dfn{undefined}; if you | |
1540 type it, Emacs will just beep. Similarly, @code{local-unset-key} makes | |
1541 a key undefined in the current major mode keymap, which makes the global | |
1542 definition (or lack of one) come back into effect in that major mode. | |
1543 | |
1544 If you have redefined (or undefined) a key and you subsequently wish | |
1545 to retract the change, undefining the key will not do the job---you need | |
1546 to redefine the key with its standard definition. To find the name of | |
1547 the standard definition of a key, go to a Fundamental mode buffer and | |
1548 use @kbd{C-h c}. The documentation of keys in this manual also lists | |
1549 their command names. | |
1550 | |
1551 If you want to prevent yourself from invoking a command by mistake, it | |
1552 is better to disable the command than to undefine the key. A disabled | |
1553 command is less work to invoke when you really want to. | |
1554 @xref{Disabling}. | |
1555 | |
1556 @node Init Rebinding | |
1557 @subsection Rebinding Keys in Your Init File | |
1558 | |
1559 If you have a set of key bindings that you like to use all the time, | |
1560 you can specify them in your @file{.emacs} file by using their Lisp | |
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1561 syntax. (@xref{Init File}.) |
25829 | 1562 |
1563 The simplest method for doing this works for ASCII characters and | |
1564 Meta-modified ASCII characters only. This method uses a string to | |
1565 represent the key sequence you want to rebind. For example, here's how | |
1566 to bind @kbd{C-z} to @code{shell}: | |
1567 | |
1568 @example | |
1569 (global-set-key "\C-z" 'shell) | |
1570 @end example | |
1571 | |
1572 @noindent | |
1573 This example uses a string constant containing one character, @kbd{C-z}. | |
1574 The single-quote before the command name, @code{shell}, marks it as a | |
1575 constant symbol rather than a variable. If you omit the quote, Emacs | |
1576 would try to evaluate @code{shell} immediately as a variable. This | |
1577 probably causes an error; it certainly isn't what you want. | |
1578 | |
1579 Here is another example that binds a key sequence two characters long: | |
1580 | |
1581 @example | |
1582 (global-set-key "\C-xl" 'make-symbolic-link) | |
1583 @end example | |
1584 | |
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1585 To put @key{TAB}, @key{RET}, @key{ESC}, or @key{DEL} in the |
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1586 string, you can use the Emacs Lisp escape sequences, @samp{\t}, |
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1587 @samp{\r}, @samp{\e}, and @samp{\d}. Here is an example which binds |
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1588 @kbd{C-x @key{TAB}}: |
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1589 |
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1590 @example |
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1591 (global-set-key "\C-x\t" 'indent-rigidly) |
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1592 @end example |
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1593 |
25829 | 1594 When the key sequence includes function keys or mouse button events, |
1595 or non-ASCII characters such as @code{C-=} or @code{H-a}, you must use | |
1596 the more general method of rebinding, which uses a vector to specify the | |
1597 key sequence. | |
1598 | |
1599 The way to write a vector in Emacs Lisp is with square brackets around | |
1600 the vector elements. Use spaces to separate the elements. If an | |
1601 element is a symbol, simply write the symbol's name---no other | |
1602 delimiters or punctuation are needed. If a vector element is a | |
1603 character, write it as a Lisp character constant: @samp{?} followed by | |
1604 the character as it would appear in a string. | |
1605 | |
1606 Here are examples of using vectors to rebind @kbd{C-=} (a control | |
1607 character outside of ASCII), @kbd{H-a} (a Hyper character; ASCII doesn't | |
1608 have Hyper at all), @key{F7} (a function key), and @kbd{C-Mouse-1} (a | |
1609 keyboard-modified mouse button): | |
1610 | |
1611 @example | |
1612 (global-set-key [?\C-=] 'make-symbolic-link) | |
1613 (global-set-key [?\H-a] 'make-symbolic-link) | |
1614 (global-set-key [f7] 'make-symbolic-link) | |
1615 (global-set-key [C-mouse-1] 'make-symbolic-link) | |
1616 @end example | |
1617 | |
1618 You can use a vector for the simple cases too. Here's how to rewrite | |
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1619 the first three examples, above, using vectors: |
25829 | 1620 |
1621 @example | |
1622 (global-set-key [?\C-z] 'shell) | |
1623 | |
1624 (global-set-key [?\C-x ?l] 'make-symbolic-link) | |
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1625 |
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1626 (global-set-key [?\C-x ?\t] 'indent-rigidly) |
25829 | 1627 @end example |
1628 | |
1629 @node Function Keys | |
1630 @subsection Rebinding Function Keys | |
1631 | |
1632 Key sequences can contain function keys as well as ordinary | |
1633 characters. Just as Lisp characters (actually integers) represent | |
1634 keyboard characters, Lisp symbols represent function keys. If the | |
1635 function key has a word as its label, then that word is also the name of | |
1636 the corresponding Lisp symbol. Here are the conventional Lisp names for | |
1637 common function keys: | |
1638 | |
1639 @table @asis | |
1640 @item @code{left}, @code{up}, @code{right}, @code{down} | |
1641 Cursor arrow keys. | |
1642 | |
1643 @item @code{begin}, @code{end}, @code{home}, @code{next}, @code{prior} | |
1644 Other cursor repositioning keys. | |
1645 | |
1646 @item @code{select}, @code{print}, @code{execute}, @code{backtab} | |
1647 @itemx @code{insert}, @code{undo}, @code{redo}, @code{clearline} | |
1648 @itemx @code{insertline}, @code{deleteline}, @code{insertchar}, @code{deletechar}, | |
1649 Miscellaneous function keys. | |
1650 | |
1651 @item @code{f1}, @code{f2}, @dots{} @code{f35} | |
1652 Numbered function keys (across the top of the keyboard). | |
1653 | |
1654 @item @code{kp-add}, @code{kp-subtract}, @code{kp-multiply}, @code{kp-divide} | |
1655 @itemx @code{kp-backtab}, @code{kp-space}, @code{kp-tab}, @code{kp-enter} | |
1656 @itemx @code{kp-separator}, @code{kp-decimal}, @code{kp-equal} | |
1657 Keypad keys (to the right of the regular keyboard), with names or punctuation. | |
1658 | |
1659 @item @code{kp-0}, @code{kp-1}, @dots{} @code{kp-9} | |
1660 Keypad keys with digits. | |
1661 | |
1662 @item @code{kp-f1}, @code{kp-f2}, @code{kp-f3}, @code{kp-f4} | |
1663 Keypad PF keys. | |
1664 @end table | |
1665 | |
1666 These names are conventional, but some systems (especially when using | |
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1667 X) may use different names. To make certain what symbol is used for a |
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1668 given function key on your terminal, type @kbd{C-h c} followed by that |
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1669 key. |
25829 | 1670 |
1671 A key sequence which contains function key symbols (or anything but | |
1672 ASCII characters) must be a vector rather than a string. The vector | |
1673 syntax uses spaces between the elements, and square brackets around the | |
1674 whole vector. Thus, to bind function key @samp{f1} to the command | |
1675 @code{rmail}, write the following: | |
1676 | |
1677 @example | |
1678 (global-set-key [f1] 'rmail) | |
1679 @end example | |
1680 | |
1681 @noindent | |
1682 To bind the right-arrow key to the command @code{forward-char}, you can | |
1683 use this expression: | |
1684 | |
1685 @example | |
1686 (global-set-key [right] 'forward-char) | |
1687 @end example | |
1688 | |
1689 @noindent | |
1690 This uses the Lisp syntax for a vector containing the symbol | |
1691 @code{right}. (This binding is present in Emacs by default.) | |
1692 | |
1693 @xref{Init Rebinding}, for more information about using vectors for | |
1694 rebinding. | |
1695 | |
1696 You can mix function keys and characters in a key sequence. This | |
1697 example binds @kbd{C-x @key{NEXT}} to the command @code{forward-page}. | |
1698 | |
1699 @example | |
1700 (global-set-key [?\C-x next] 'forward-page) | |
1701 @end example | |
1702 | |
1703 @noindent | |
1704 where @code{?\C-x} is the Lisp character constant for the character | |
1705 @kbd{C-x}. The vector element @code{next} is a symbol and therefore | |
1706 does not take a question mark. | |
1707 | |
1708 You can use the modifier keys @key{CTRL}, @key{META}, @key{HYPER}, | |
1709 @key{SUPER}, @key{ALT} and @key{SHIFT} with function keys. To represent | |
1710 these modifiers, add the strings @samp{C-}, @samp{M-}, @samp{H-}, | |
1711 @samp{s-}, @samp{A-} and @samp{S-} at the front of the symbol name. | |
1712 Thus, here is how to make @kbd{Hyper-Meta-@key{RIGHT}} move forward a | |
1713 word: | |
1714 | |
1715 @example | |
1716 (global-set-key [H-M-right] 'forward-word) | |
1717 @end example | |
1718 | |
1719 @node Named ASCII Chars | |
1720 @subsection Named ASCII Control Characters | |
1721 | |
1722 @key{TAB}, @key{RET}, @key{BS}, @key{LFD}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} | |
1723 started out as names for certain ASCII control characters, used so often | |
1724 that they have special keys of their own. Later, users found it | |
1725 convenient to distinguish in Emacs between these keys and the ``same'' | |
1726 control characters typed with the @key{CTRL} key. | |
1727 | |
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1728 Emacs distinguishes these two kinds of input, when the keyboard |
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1729 reports these keys to Emacs. It treats the ``special'' keys as function |
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1730 keys named @code{tab}, @code{return}, @code{backspace}, @code{linefeed}, |
25829 | 1731 @code{escape}, and @code{delete}. These function keys translate |
1732 automatically into the corresponding ASCII characters @emph{if} they | |
1733 have no bindings of their own. As a result, neither users nor Lisp | |
1734 programs need to pay attention to the distinction unless they care to. | |
1735 | |
1736 If you do not want to distinguish between (for example) @key{TAB} and | |
1737 @kbd{C-i}, make just one binding, for the ASCII character @key{TAB} | |
1738 (octal code 011). If you do want to distinguish, make one binding for | |
1739 this ASCII character, and another for the ``function key'' @code{tab}. | |
1740 | |
1741 With an ordinary ASCII terminal, there is no way to distinguish | |
1742 between @key{TAB} and @kbd{C-i} (and likewise for other such pairs), | |
1743 because the terminal sends the same character in both cases. | |
1744 | |
1745 @node Non-ASCII Rebinding | |
1746 @subsection Non-ASCII Characters on the Keyboard | |
1747 | |
1748 If your keyboard has keys that send non-ASCII characters, such as | |
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1749 accented letters, rebinding these keys is a bit tricky. There are two |
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1750 solutions you can use. One is to specify a keyboard coding system, |
25829 | 1751 using @code{set-keyboard-coding-system} (@pxref{Specify Coding}). |
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1752 Then you can bind these keys in the usual way@footnote{Note that you |
27218 | 1753 should avoid the string syntax for binding 8-bit characters, since |
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1754 they will be interpreted as meta keys. @xref{Strings of |
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1755 Events,,,elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.}, like this: |
25829 | 1756 |
1757 @example | |
1758 (global-set-key [?@var{char}] 'some-function) | |
1759 @end example | |
1760 | |
1761 @noindent | |
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1762 Type @kbd{C-q} followed by the key you want to bind, to insert @var{char}. |
25829 | 1763 |
1764 If you don't specify the keyboard coding system, that approach won't | |
1765 work. Instead, you need to find out the actual code that the terminal | |
1766 sends. The easiest way to do this in Emacs is to create an empty buffer | |
1767 with @kbd{C-x b temp @key{RET}}, make it unibyte with @kbd{M-x | |
1768 toggle-enable-multibyte-characters @key{RET}}, then type the key to | |
1769 insert the character into this buffer. | |
1770 | |
1771 Move point before the character, then type @kbd{C-x =}. This | |
1772 displays a message in the minibuffer, showing the character code in | |
1773 three ways, octal, decimal and hexadecimal, all within a set of | |
1774 parentheses. Use the second of the three numbers, the decimal one, | |
1775 inside the vector to bind: | |
1776 | |
1777 @example | |
1778 (global-set-key [@var{decimal-code}] 'some-function) | |
1779 @end example | |
1780 | |
27218 | 1781 If you bind 8-bit characters like this in your init file, you my find it |
1782 convenient to specify that it is unibyte. @xref{Enabling Multibyte}. | |
1783 | |
25829 | 1784 @node Mouse Buttons |
1785 @subsection Rebinding Mouse Buttons | |
1786 @cindex mouse button events | |
1787 @cindex rebinding mouse buttons | |
1788 @cindex click events | |
1789 @cindex drag events | |
1790 @cindex down events | |
1791 @cindex button down events | |
1792 | |
1793 Emacs uses Lisp symbols to designate mouse buttons, too. The ordinary | |
1794 mouse events in Emacs are @dfn{click} events; these happen when you | |
1795 press a button and release it without moving the mouse. You can also | |
1796 get @dfn{drag} events, when you move the mouse while holding the button | |
1797 down. Drag events happen when you finally let go of the button. | |
1798 | |
1799 The symbols for basic click events are @code{mouse-1} for the leftmost | |
1800 button, @code{mouse-2} for the next, and so on. Here is how you can | |
1801 redefine the second mouse button to split the current window: | |
1802 | |
1803 @example | |
1804 (global-set-key [mouse-2] 'split-window-vertically) | |
1805 @end example | |
1806 | |
1807 The symbols for drag events are similar, but have the prefix | |
1808 @samp{drag-} before the word @samp{mouse}. For example, dragging the | |
1809 first button generates a @code{drag-mouse-1} event. | |
1810 | |
1811 You can also define bindings for events that occur when a mouse button | |
1812 is pressed down. These events start with @samp{down-} instead of | |
1813 @samp{drag-}. Such events are generated only if they have key bindings. | |
1814 When you get a button-down event, a corresponding click or drag event | |
1815 will always follow. | |
1816 | |
1817 @cindex double clicks | |
1818 @cindex triple clicks | |
1819 If you wish, you can distinguish single, double, and triple clicks. A | |
1820 double click means clicking a mouse button twice in approximately the | |
1821 same place. The first click generates an ordinary click event. The | |
1822 second click, if it comes soon enough, generates a double-click event | |
1823 instead. The event type for a double-click event starts with | |
1824 @samp{double-}: for example, @code{double-mouse-3}. | |
1825 | |
1826 This means that you can give a special meaning to the second click at | |
1827 the same place, but it must act on the assumption that the ordinary | |
1828 single click definition has run when the first click was received. | |
1829 | |
1830 This constrains what you can do with double clicks, but user interface | |
1831 designers say that this constraint ought to be followed in any case. A | |
1832 double click should do something similar to the single click, only | |
1833 ``more so.'' The command for the double-click event should perform the | |
1834 extra work for the double click. | |
1835 | |
1836 If a double-click event has no binding, it changes to the | |
1837 corresponding single-click event. Thus, if you don't define a | |
1838 particular double click specially, it executes the single-click command | |
1839 twice. | |
1840 | |
1841 Emacs also supports triple-click events whose names start with | |
1842 @samp{triple-}. Emacs does not distinguish quadruple clicks as event | |
1843 types; clicks beyond the third generate additional triple-click events. | |
1844 However, the full number of clicks is recorded in the event list, so you | |
1845 can distinguish if you really want to. We don't recommend distinct | |
1846 meanings for more than three clicks, but sometimes it is useful for | |
1847 subsequent clicks to cycle through the same set of three meanings, so | |
1848 that four clicks are equivalent to one click, five are equivalent to | |
1849 two, and six are equivalent to three. | |
1850 | |
1851 Emacs also records multiple presses in drag and button-down events. | |
1852 For example, when you press a button twice, then move the mouse while | |
1853 holding the button, Emacs gets a @samp{double-drag-} event. And at the | |
1854 moment when you press it down for the second time, Emacs gets a | |
1855 @samp{double-down-} event (which is ignored, like all button-down | |
1856 events, if it has no binding). | |
1857 | |
1858 @vindex double-click-time | |
1859 The variable @code{double-click-time} specifies how long may elapse | |
1860 between clicks that are recognized as a pair. Its value is measured | |
1861 in milliseconds. If the value is @code{nil}, double clicks are not | |
1862 detected at all. If the value is @code{t}, then there is no time | |
1863 limit. | |
1864 | |
1865 The symbols for mouse events also indicate the status of the modifier | |
1866 keys, with the usual prefixes @samp{C-}, @samp{M-}, @samp{H-}, | |
1867 @samp{s-}, @samp{A-} and @samp{S-}. These always precede @samp{double-} | |
1868 or @samp{triple-}, which always precede @samp{drag-} or @samp{down-}. | |
1869 | |
1870 A frame includes areas that don't show text from the buffer, such as | |
1871 the mode line and the scroll bar. You can tell whether a mouse button | |
1872 comes from a special area of the screen by means of dummy ``prefix | |
1873 keys.'' For example, if you click the mouse in the mode line, you get | |
1874 the prefix key @code{mode-line} before the ordinary mouse-button symbol. | |
1875 Thus, here is how to define the command for clicking the first button in | |
1876 a mode line to run @code{scroll-up}: | |
1877 | |
1878 @example | |
1879 (global-set-key [mode-line mouse-1] 'scroll-up) | |
1880 @end example | |
1881 | |
1882 Here is the complete list of these dummy prefix keys and their | |
1883 meanings: | |
1884 | |
1885 @table @code | |
1886 @item mode-line | |
1887 The mouse was in the mode line of a window. | |
1888 @item vertical-line | |
1889 The mouse was in the vertical line separating side-by-side windows. (If | |
1890 you use scroll bars, they appear in place of these vertical lines.) | |
1891 @item vertical-scroll-bar | |
1892 The mouse was in a vertical scroll bar. (This is the only kind of | |
1893 scroll bar Emacs currently supports.) | |
1894 @ignore | |
1895 @item horizontal-scroll-bar | |
1896 The mouse was in a horizontal scroll bar. Horizontal scroll bars do | |
1897 horizontal scrolling, and people don't use them often. | |
1898 @end ignore | |
1899 @end table | |
1900 | |
1901 You can put more than one mouse button in a key sequence, but it isn't | |
1902 usual to do so. | |
1903 | |
1904 @node Disabling | |
1905 @subsection Disabling Commands | |
1906 @cindex disabled command | |
1907 | |
1908 Disabling a command marks the command as requiring confirmation before it | |
1909 can be executed. The purpose of disabling a command is to prevent | |
1910 beginning users from executing it by accident and being confused. | |
1911 | |
1912 An attempt to invoke a disabled command interactively in Emacs | |
1913 displays a window containing the command's name, its documentation, and | |
1914 some instructions on what to do immediately; then Emacs asks for input | |
1915 saying whether to execute the command as requested, enable it and | |
1916 execute it, or cancel. If you decide to enable the command, you are | |
1917 asked whether to do this permanently or just for the current session. | |
1918 Enabling permanently works by automatically editing your @file{.emacs} | |
1919 file. | |
1920 | |
1921 The direct mechanism for disabling a command is to put a | |
1922 non-@code{nil} @code{disabled} property on the Lisp symbol for the | |
1923 command. Here is the Lisp program to do this: | |
1924 | |
1925 @example | |
1926 (put 'delete-region 'disabled t) | |
1927 @end example | |
1928 | |
1929 If the value of the @code{disabled} property is a string, that string | |
1930 is included in the message printed when the command is used: | |
1931 | |
1932 @example | |
1933 (put 'delete-region 'disabled | |
1934 "It's better to use `kill-region' instead.\n") | |
1935 @end example | |
1936 | |
1937 @findex disable-command | |
1938 @findex enable-command | |
1939 You can make a command disabled either by editing the @file{.emacs} | |
1940 file directly or with the command @kbd{M-x disable-command}, which edits | |
1941 the @file{.emacs} file for you. Likewise, @kbd{M-x enable-command} | |
1942 edits @file{.emacs} to enable a command permanently. @xref{Init File}. | |
1943 | |
1944 Whether a command is disabled is independent of what key is used to | |
1945 invoke it; disabling also applies if the command is invoked using | |
1946 @kbd{M-x}. Disabling a command has no effect on calling it as a | |
1947 function from Lisp programs. | |
1948 | |
1949 @node Keyboard Translations | |
1950 @section Keyboard Translations | |
1951 | |
1952 Some keyboards do not make it convenient to send all the special | |
1953 characters that Emacs uses. The most common problem case is the | |
1954 @key{DEL} character. Some keyboards provide no convenient way to type | |
1955 this very important character---usually because they were designed to | |
1956 expect the character @kbd{C-h} to be used for deletion. On these | |
1957 keyboards, if you press the key normally used for deletion, Emacs handles | |
1958 the @kbd{C-h} as a prefix character and offers you a list of help | |
1959 options, which is not what you want. | |
1960 | |
1961 @cindex keyboard translations | |
1962 @findex keyboard-translate | |
1963 You can work around this problem within Emacs by setting up keyboard | |
1964 translations to turn @kbd{C-h} into @key{DEL} and @key{DEL} into | |
1965 @kbd{C-h}, as follows: | |
1966 | |
1967 @example | |
1968 ;; @r{Translate @kbd{C-h} to @key{DEL}.} | |
1969 (keyboard-translate ?\C-h ?\C-?) | |
1970 | |
1971 ;; @r{Translate @key{DEL} to @kbd{C-h}.} | |
1972 (keyboard-translate ?\C-? ?\C-h) | |
1973 @end example | |
1974 | |
1975 Keyboard translations are not the same as key bindings in keymaps | |
1976 (@pxref{Keymaps}). Emacs contains numerous keymaps that apply in | |
1977 different situations, but there is only one set of keyboard | |
1978 translations, and it applies to every character that Emacs reads from | |
1979 the terminal. Keyboard translations take place at the lowest level of | |
1980 input processing; the keys that are looked up in keymaps contain the | |
1981 characters that result from keyboard translation. | |
1982 | |
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1983 On a window system, the keyboard key named @key{DELETE} is a function |
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1984 key and is distinct from the ASCII character named @key{DEL}. |
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1985 @xref{Named ASCII Chars}. Keyboard translations affect only ASCII |
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1986 character input, not function keys; thus, the above example used on a |
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1987 window system does not affect the @key{DELETE} key. However, the |
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1988 translation above isn't necessary on window systems, because Emacs can |
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1989 also distinguish between the @key{BACKSPACE} key and @kbd{C-h}; and it |
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1990 normally treats @key{BACKSPACE} as @key{DEL}. |
25829 | 1991 |
1992 For full information about how to use keyboard translations, see | |
1993 @ref{Translating Input,,,elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
1994 | |
1995 @node Syntax | |
1996 @section The Syntax Table | |
1997 @cindex syntax table | |
1998 | |
1999 All the Emacs commands which parse words or balance parentheses are | |
2000 controlled by the @dfn{syntax table}. The syntax table says which | |
2001 characters are opening delimiters, which are parts of words, which are | |
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2002 string quotes, and so on. It does this by assigning each character to |
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2003 one of fifteen-odd @dfn{syntax classes}. In some cases it specifies |
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2004 some additional information also. |
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2005 |
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2006 Each major mode has its own syntax table (though sometimes related |
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2007 major modes share one syntax table) which it installs in each buffer |
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2008 that uses the mode. The syntax table installed in the current buffer |
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2009 is the one that all commands use, so we call it ``the'' syntax table. |
25829 | 2010 |
2011 @kindex C-h s | |
2012 @findex describe-syntax | |
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2013 To display a description of the contents of the current syntax |
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2014 table, type @kbd{C-h s} (@code{describe-syntax}). The description of |
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2015 each character includes both the string you would have to give to |
25829 | 2016 @code{modify-syntax-entry} to set up that character's current syntax, |
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2017 starting with the character which designates its syntax class, plus |
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2018 some English text to explain its meaning. |
25829 | 2019 |
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2020 A syntax table is actually a Lisp object, a char-table, whose |
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2021 elements are cons cells. For full information on the syntax table, |
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2022 see @ref{Syntax Tables,, Syntax Tables, elisp, The Emacs Lisp |
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2023 Reference Manual}. |
25829 | 2024 |
2025 @node Init File | |
2026 @section The Init File, @file{~/.emacs} | |
2027 @cindex init file | |
2028 @cindex Emacs initialization file | |
2029 @cindex key rebinding, permanent | |
2030 @cindex rebinding keys, permanently | |
2031 @cindex startup (init file) | |
2032 | |
2033 When Emacs is started, it normally loads a Lisp program from the file | |
2034 @file{.emacs} or @file{.emacs.el} in your home directory. We call this | |
2035 file your @dfn{init file} because it specifies how to initialize Emacs | |
2036 for you. You can use the command line switch @samp{-q} to prevent | |
2037 loading your init file, and @samp{-u} (or @samp{--user}) to specify a | |
2038 different user's init file (@pxref{Entering Emacs}). | |
2039 | |
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2040 @cindex @file{default.el}, the default init file |
25829 | 2041 There can also be a @dfn{default init file}, which is the library |
2042 named @file{default.el}, found via the standard search path for | |
2043 libraries. The Emacs distribution contains no such library; your site | |
2044 may create one for local customizations. If this library exists, it is | |
2045 loaded whenever you start Emacs (except when you specify @samp{-q}). | |
2046 But your init file, if any, is loaded first; if it sets | |
2047 @code{inhibit-default-init} non-@code{nil}, then @file{default} is not | |
2048 loaded. | |
2049 | |
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2050 @cindex site init file |
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2051 @cindex @file{site-start.el}, the site startup file |
25829 | 2052 Your site may also have a @dfn{site startup file}; this is named |
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2053 @file{site-start.el}, if it exists. Like @file{default.el}, Emacs |
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2054 finds this file via the standard search path for Lisp libraries. |
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2055 Emacs loads this library before it loads your init file. To inhibit |
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2056 loading of this library, use the option @samp{-no-site-file}. |
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2057 @xref{Initial Options}. |
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2058 |
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2059 You can place @file{default.el} and @file{site-start.el} in any of |
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2060 the directories which Emacs searches for Lisp libraries. The variable |
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2061 @code{load-path} (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}) specifies these directories. |
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2062 Many sites put these files in the @file{site-lisp} subdirectory of the |
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2063 Emacs installation directory, typically |
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2064 @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp}. |
25829 | 2065 |
2066 If you have a large amount of code in your @file{.emacs} file, you | |
2067 should rename it to @file{~/.emacs.el}, and byte-compile it. @xref{Byte | |
2068 Compilation,, Byte Compilation, elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, | |
2069 for more information about compiling Emacs Lisp programs. | |
2070 | |
2071 If you are going to write actual Emacs Lisp programs that go beyond | |
2072 minor customization, you should read the @cite{Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
2073 @ifinfo | |
2074 @xref{Top, Emacs Lisp, Emacs Lisp, elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference | |
2075 Manual}. | |
2076 @end ifinfo | |
2077 | |
2078 @menu | |
2079 * Init Syntax:: Syntax of constants in Emacs Lisp. | |
2080 * Init Examples:: How to do some things with an init file. | |
2081 * Terminal Init:: Each terminal type can have an init file. | |
2082 * Find Init:: How Emacs finds the init file. | |
2083 @end menu | |
2084 | |
2085 @node Init Syntax | |
2086 @subsection Init File Syntax | |
2087 | |
2088 The @file{.emacs} file contains one or more Lisp function call | |
2089 expressions. Each of these consists of a function name followed by | |
2090 arguments, all surrounded by parentheses. For example, @code{(setq | |
2091 fill-column 60)} calls the function @code{setq} to set the variable | |
2092 @code{fill-column} (@pxref{Filling}) to 60. | |
2093 | |
2094 The second argument to @code{setq} is an expression for the new value of | |
2095 the variable. This can be a constant, a variable, or a function call | |
2096 expression. In @file{.emacs}, constants are used most of the time. They can be: | |
2097 | |
2098 @table @asis | |
2099 @item Numbers: | |
2100 Numbers are written in decimal, with an optional initial minus sign. | |
2101 | |
2102 @item Strings: | |
2103 @cindex Lisp string syntax | |
2104 @cindex string syntax | |
2105 Lisp string syntax is the same as C string syntax with a few extra | |
2106 features. Use a double-quote character to begin and end a string constant. | |
2107 | |
2108 In a string, you can include newlines and special characters literally. | |
2109 But often it is cleaner to use backslash sequences for them: @samp{\n} | |
2110 for newline, @samp{\b} for backspace, @samp{\r} for carriage return, | |
2111 @samp{\t} for tab, @samp{\f} for formfeed (control-L), @samp{\e} for | |
2112 escape, @samp{\\} for a backslash, @samp{\"} for a double-quote, or | |
2113 @samp{\@var{ooo}} for the character whose octal code is @var{ooo}. | |
2114 Backslash and double-quote are the only characters for which backslash | |
2115 sequences are mandatory. | |
2116 | |
2117 @samp{\C-} can be used as a prefix for a control character, as in | |
2118 @samp{\C-s} for ASCII control-S, and @samp{\M-} can be used as a prefix for | |
2119 a Meta character, as in @samp{\M-a} for @kbd{Meta-A} or @samp{\M-\C-a} for | |
2120 @kbd{Control-Meta-A}.@refill | |
2121 | |
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2122 @cindex international characters in @file{.emacs} |
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2123 @cindex non-ASCII characters in @file{.emacs} |
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2124 If you want to include non-ASCII characters in strings in your init |
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2125 file, you should consider putting a @w{@samp{-*-coding: |
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2126 @var{coding-system}-*-}} tag on the first line which states the coding |
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2127 system used to save your @file{.emacs}, as explained in @ref{Recognize |
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2128 Coding}. This is because the defaults for decoding non-ASCII text might |
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2129 not yet be set up by the time Emacs reads those parts of your init file |
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2130 which use such strings, possibly leading Emacs to decode those strings |
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2131 incorrectly. |
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2132 |
25829 | 2133 @item Characters: |
2134 Lisp character constant syntax consists of a @samp{?} followed by | |
2135 either a character or an escape sequence starting with @samp{\}. | |
2136 Examples: @code{?x}, @code{?\n}, @code{?\"}, @code{?\)}. Note that | |
2137 strings and characters are not interchangeable in Lisp; some contexts | |
2138 require one and some contexts require the other. | |
2139 | |
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2140 @xref{Non-ASCII Rebinding}, for information about binding commands to |
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2141 keys which send non-ASCII characters. |
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2142 |
25829 | 2143 @item True: |
2144 @code{t} stands for `true'. | |
2145 | |
2146 @item False: | |
2147 @code{nil} stands for `false'. | |
2148 | |
2149 @item Other Lisp objects: | |
2150 Write a single-quote (') followed by the Lisp object you want. | |
2151 @end table | |
2152 | |
2153 @node Init Examples | |
2154 @subsection Init File Examples | |
2155 | |
2156 Here are some examples of doing certain commonly desired things with | |
2157 Lisp expressions: | |
2158 | |
2159 @itemize @bullet | |
2160 @item | |
2161 Make @key{TAB} in C mode just insert a tab if point is in the middle of a | |
2162 line. | |
2163 | |
2164 @example | |
2165 (setq c-tab-always-indent nil) | |
2166 @end example | |
2167 | |
2168 Here we have a variable whose value is normally @code{t} for `true' | |
2169 and the alternative is @code{nil} for `false'. | |
2170 | |
2171 @item | |
2172 Make searches case sensitive by default (in all buffers that do not | |
2173 override this). | |
2174 | |
2175 @example | |
2176 (setq-default case-fold-search nil) | |
2177 @end example | |
2178 | |
2179 This sets the default value, which is effective in all buffers that do | |
2180 not have local values for the variable. Setting @code{case-fold-search} | |
2181 with @code{setq} affects only the current buffer's local value, which | |
2182 is not what you probably want to do in an init file. | |
2183 | |
2184 @item | |
2185 @vindex user-mail-address | |
2186 Specify your own email address, if Emacs can't figure it out correctly. | |
2187 | |
2188 @example | |
2189 (setq user-mail-address "coon@@yoyodyne.com") | |
2190 @end example | |
2191 | |
2192 Various Emacs packages that need your own email address use the value of | |
2193 @code{user-mail-address}. | |
2194 | |
2195 @item | |
2196 Make Text mode the default mode for new buffers. | |
2197 | |
2198 @example | |
2199 (setq default-major-mode 'text-mode) | |
2200 @end example | |
2201 | |
2202 Note that @code{text-mode} is used because it is the command for | |
2203 entering Text mode. The single-quote before it makes the symbol a | |
2204 constant; otherwise, @code{text-mode} would be treated as a variable | |
2205 name. | |
2206 | |
2207 @need 1500 | |
2208 @item | |
2209 Set up defaults for the Latin-1 character set | |
2210 which supports most of the languages of Western Europe. | |
2211 | |
2212 @example | |
2213 (set-language-environment "Latin-1") | |
2214 @end example | |
2215 | |
2216 @need 1500 | |
2217 @item | |
2218 Turn on Auto Fill mode automatically in Text mode and related modes. | |
2219 | |
2220 @example | |
2221 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook | |
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2222 '(lambda () (auto-fill-mode 1))) |
25829 | 2223 @end example |
2224 | |
2225 This shows how to add a hook function to a normal hook variable | |
2226 (@pxref{Hooks}). The function we supply is a list starting with | |
2227 @code{lambda}, with a single-quote in front of it to make it a list | |
2228 constant rather than an expression. | |
2229 | |
2230 It's beyond the scope of this manual to explain Lisp functions, but for | |
2231 this example it is enough to know that the effect is to execute | |
2232 @code{(auto-fill-mode 1)} when Text mode is entered. You can replace | |
2233 that with any other expression that you like, or with several | |
2234 expressions in a row. | |
2235 | |
2236 Emacs comes with a function named @code{turn-on-auto-fill} whose | |
2237 definition is @code{(lambda () (auto-fill-mode 1))}. Thus, a simpler | |
2238 way to write the above example is as follows: | |
2239 | |
2240 @example | |
2241 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill) | |
2242 @end example | |
2243 | |
2244 @item | |
2245 Load the installed Lisp library named @file{foo} (actually a file | |
2246 @file{foo.elc} or @file{foo.el} in a standard Emacs directory). | |
2247 | |
2248 @example | |
2249 (load "foo") | |
2250 @end example | |
2251 | |
2252 When the argument to @code{load} is a relative file name, not starting | |
2253 with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, @code{load} searches the directories in | |
2254 @code{load-path} (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}). | |
2255 | |
2256 @item | |
2257 Load the compiled Lisp file @file{foo.elc} from your home directory. | |
2258 | |
2259 @example | |
2260 (load "~/foo.elc") | |
2261 @end example | |
2262 | |
2263 Here an absolute file name is used, so no searching is done. | |
2264 | |
2265 @item | |
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2266 @cindex loading Lisp libraries automatically |
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2267 @cindex autoload Lisp libraries |
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2268 Tell Emacs to automatically load a Lisp library named @file{mypackage} |
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2269 (i.e.@: a file @file{mypackage.elc} or @file{mypackage.el}) when you |
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2270 the function @code{myfunction} in that library is called: |
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2271 |
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2272 @example |
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2273 (autoload 'myfunction "mypackage" "Do what I say." t) |
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2274 @end example |
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2275 |
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2276 @noindent |
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2277 Here the string @code{"Do what I say."} is the function's documentation |
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2278 string made available to Emacs even when the package is not loaded |
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2279 (e.g., for commands such as @kbd{C-h a}), and @code{t} tells Emacs this |
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2280 function is interactive, that is, it can be invoked interactively by |
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2281 typing @kbd{M-x myfunction @key{RET}} or by binding it to a key. |
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2282 |
39aa69a68098
(Init Syntax): Add a cross reference to "Non-ASCII Rebinding".
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents:
37265
diff
changeset
|
2283 @item |
25829 | 2284 Rebind the key @kbd{C-x l} to run the function @code{make-symbolic-link}. |
2285 | |
2286 @example | |
2287 (global-set-key "\C-xl" 'make-symbolic-link) | |
2288 @end example | |
2289 | |
2290 or | |
2291 | |
2292 @example | |
2293 (define-key global-map "\C-xl" 'make-symbolic-link) | |
2294 @end example | |
2295 | |
2296 Note once again the single-quote used to refer to the symbol | |
2297 @code{make-symbolic-link} instead of its value as a variable. | |
2298 | |
2299 @item | |
2300 Do the same thing for Lisp mode only. | |
2301 | |
2302 @example | |
2303 (define-key lisp-mode-map "\C-xl" 'make-symbolic-link) | |
2304 @end example | |
2305 | |
2306 @item | |
2307 Redefine all keys which now run @code{next-line} in Fundamental mode | |
2308 so that they run @code{forward-line} instead. | |
2309 | |
26392
b3d3ff9a7a2c
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
25829
diff
changeset
|
2310 @findex substitute-key-definition |
25829 | 2311 @example |
2312 (substitute-key-definition 'next-line 'forward-line | |
2313 global-map) | |
2314 @end example | |
2315 | |
2316 @item | |
2317 Make @kbd{C-x C-v} undefined. | |
2318 | |
2319 @example | |
2320 (global-unset-key "\C-x\C-v") | |
2321 @end example | |
2322 | |
2323 One reason to undefine a key is so that you can make it a prefix. | |
2324 Simply defining @kbd{C-x C-v @var{anything}} will make @kbd{C-x C-v} a | |
2325 prefix, but @kbd{C-x C-v} must first be freed of its usual non-prefix | |
2326 definition. | |
2327 | |
2328 @item | |
2329 Make @samp{$} have the syntax of punctuation in Text mode. | |
2330 Note the use of a character constant for @samp{$}. | |
2331 | |
2332 @example | |
2333 (modify-syntax-entry ?\$ "." text-mode-syntax-table) | |
2334 @end example | |
2335 | |
2336 @item | |
2337 Enable the use of the command @code{narrow-to-region} without confirmation. | |
2338 | |
2339 @example | |
2340 (put 'narrow-to-region 'disabled nil) | |
2341 @end example | |
2342 @end itemize | |
2343 | |
2344 @node Terminal Init | |
2345 @subsection Terminal-specific Initialization | |
2346 | |
2347 Each terminal type can have a Lisp library to be loaded into Emacs when | |
2348 it is run on that type of terminal. For a terminal type named | |
2349 @var{termtype}, the library is called @file{term/@var{termtype}} and it is | |
2350 found by searching the directories @code{load-path} as usual and trying the | |
2351 suffixes @samp{.elc} and @samp{.el}. Normally it appears in the | |
2352 subdirectory @file{term} of the directory where most Emacs libraries are | |
2353 kept.@refill | |
2354 | |
2355 The usual purpose of the terminal-specific library is to map the | |
2356 escape sequences used by the terminal's function keys onto more | |
2357 meaningful names, using @code{function-key-map}. See the file | |
2358 @file{term/lk201.el} for an example of how this is done. Many function | |
2359 keys are mapped automatically according to the information in the | |
2360 Termcap data base; the terminal-specific library needs to map only the | |
2361 function keys that Termcap does not specify. | |
2362 | |
2363 When the terminal type contains a hyphen, only the part of the name | |
2364 before the first hyphen is significant in choosing the library name. | |
2365 Thus, terminal types @samp{aaa-48} and @samp{aaa-30-rv} both use | |
2366 the library @file{term/aaa}. The code in the library can use | |
2367 @code{(getenv "TERM")} to find the full terminal type name.@refill | |
2368 | |
2369 @vindex term-file-prefix | |
2370 The library's name is constructed by concatenating the value of the | |
2371 variable @code{term-file-prefix} and the terminal type. Your @file{.emacs} | |
2372 file can prevent the loading of the terminal-specific library by setting | |
2373 @code{term-file-prefix} to @code{nil}. | |
2374 | |
2375 @vindex term-setup-hook | |
2376 Emacs runs the hook @code{term-setup-hook} at the end of | |
2377 initialization, after both your @file{.emacs} file and any | |
2378 terminal-specific library have been read in. Add hook functions to this | |
2379 hook if you wish to override part of any of the terminal-specific | |
2380 libraries and to define initializations for terminals that do not have a | |
2381 library. @xref{Hooks}. | |
2382 | |
2383 @node Find Init | |
2384 @subsection How Emacs Finds Your Init File | |
2385 | |
29107 | 2386 Normally Emacs uses the environment variable @env{HOME} to find |
25829 | 2387 @file{.emacs}; that's what @samp{~} means in a file name. But if you |
2388 have done @code{su}, Emacs tries to find your own @file{.emacs}, not | |
2389 that of the user you are currently pretending to be. The idea is | |
2390 that you should get your own editor customizations even if you are | |
2391 running as the super user. | |
2392 | |
2393 More precisely, Emacs first determines which user's init file to use. | |
29107 | 2394 It gets the user name from the environment variables @env{LOGNAME} and |
2395 @env{USER}; if neither of those exists, it uses effective user-ID. | |
2396 If that user name matches the real user-ID, then Emacs uses @env{HOME}; | |
25829 | 2397 otherwise, it looks up the home directory corresponding to that user |
2398 name in the system's data base of users. | |
2399 @c LocalWords: backtab |