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annotate man/glossary.texi @ 36606:a72b3da04728
(which-func-modes): Add cperl-mode.
(which-func-mode-global): Use define-minor-mode.
author | Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> |
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date | Tue, 06 Mar 2001 23:47:40 +0000 |
parents | 6041f567600f |
children | 3919e7300eea |
rev | line source |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. | |
4 @node Glossary, Key Index, Intro, Top | |
5 @unnumbered Glossary | |
6 | |
7 @table @asis | |
8 @item Abbrev | |
9 An abbrev is a text string which expands into a different text string | |
10 when present in the buffer. For example, you might define a few letters | |
11 as an abbrev for a long phrase that you want to insert frequently. | |
12 @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
13 | |
14 @item Aborting | |
15 Aborting means getting out of a recursive edit (q.v.@:). The | |
16 commands @kbd{C-]} and @kbd{M-x top-level} are used for this. | |
17 @xref{Quitting}. | |
18 | |
19 @item Alt | |
20 Alt is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
21 have. To make a character Alt, type it while holding down the @key{ALT} | |
22 key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-} | |
23 (usually written @kbd{A-} for short). (Note that many terminals have a | |
24 key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User | |
25 Input, Alt}. | |
26 | |
27 @item ASCII character | |
28 An ASCII character is either an ASCII control character or an ASCII | |
29 printing character. @xref{User Input}. | |
30 | |
31 @item ASCII control character | |
32 An ASCII control character is the Control version of an upper-case | |
33 letter, or the Control version of one of the characters @samp{@@[\]^_?}. | |
34 | |
35 @item ASCII printing character | |
36 ASCII printing characters include letters, digits, space, and these | |
37 punctuation characters: @samp{!@@#$%^& *()_-+=|\~` @{@}[]:;"' <>,.?/}. | |
38 | |
39 @item Auto Fill Mode | |
40 Auto Fill mode is a minor mode in which text that you insert is | |
41 automatically broken into lines of fixed width. @xref{Filling}. | |
42 | |
43 @item Auto Saving | |
44 Auto saving is the practice of saving the contents of an Emacs buffer in | |
45 a specially-named file, so that the information will not be lost if the | |
46 buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. @xref{Auto Save}. | |
47 | |
48 @item Backup File | |
49 A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current | |
50 editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you | |
51 track down or cancel changes you later regret making. @xref{Backup}. | |
52 | |
53 @item Balance Parentheses | |
54 Emacs can balance parentheses manually or automatically. Manual | |
55 balancing is done by the commands to move over balanced expressions | |
56 (@pxref{Lists}). Automatic balancing is done by blinking or | |
57 highlighting the parenthesis that matches one just inserted | |
58 (@pxref{Matching,,Matching Parens}). | |
59 | |
60 @item Bind | |
61 To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:). | |
62 @xref{Rebinding}. | |
63 | |
64 @item Binding | |
65 A key sequence gets its meaning in Emacs by having a binding, which is a | |
66 command (q.v.@:), a Lisp function that is run when the user types that | |
67 sequence. @xref{Commands,Binding}. Customization often involves | |
68 rebinding a character to a different command function. The bindings of | |
69 all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
70 | |
71 @item Blank Lines | |
72 Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several | |
73 commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer. | |
74 | |
75 @item Buffer | |
76 The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text | |
77 being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any time you are | |
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78 editing only one, the `current buffer,' though several can be visible |
25829 | 79 when you are using multiple windows (q.v.). Most buffers are visiting |
80 (q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}. | |
81 | |
82 @item Buffer Selection History | |
83 Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each | |
84 Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to | |
85 select. @xref{Buffers}. | |
86 | |
87 @item Button Down Event | |
88 A button down event is the kind of input event generated right away when | |
89 you press a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
90 | |
91 @item @kbd{C-} | |
92 @kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control. | |
93 @xref{User Input,C-}. | |
94 | |
95 @item @kbd{C-M-} | |
96 @kbd{C-M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
97 Control-Meta. @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
98 | |
99 @item Case Conversion | |
100 Case conversion means changing text from upper case to lower case or | |
101 vice versa. @xref{Case}, for the commands for case conversion. | |
102 | |
103 @item Character | |
104 Characters form the contents of an Emacs buffer; see @ref{Text | |
105 Characters}. Also, key sequences (q.v.@:) are usually made up of | |
106 characters (though they may include other input events as well). | |
107 @xref{User Input}. | |
108 | |
109 @item Character Set | |
110 Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a | |
111 particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}. | |
112 | |
113 @item Click Event | |
114 A click event is the kind of input event generated when you press a | |
115 mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. @xref{Mouse Buttons}. | |
116 | |
117 @item Coding System | |
118 A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a | |
119 file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert | |
120 text to or from a variety of coding systems when reading or writing it. | |
121 @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
122 | |
123 @item Command | |
124 A command is a Lisp function specially defined to be able to serve as a | |
125 key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its | |
126 binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find | |
127 the command to run. @xref{Commands}. | |
128 | |
129 @item Command Name | |
130 A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command | |
131 (@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using | |
132 @kbd{M-x} (@pxref{M-x}). | |
133 | |
134 @item Comment | |
135 A comment is text in a program which is intended only for humans reading | |
136 the program, and which is marked specially so that it will be ignored | |
137 when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands | |
138 for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}. | |
139 | |
140 @item Compilation | |
141 Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source | |
142 code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code | |
143 (@pxref{Byte Compilation,, Byte Compilation, elisp, the Emacs Lisp | |
144 Reference Manual}) and programs in C and other languages | |
145 (@pxref{Compilation}). | |
146 | |
147 @item Complete Key | |
148 A complete key is a key sequence which fully specifies one action to be | |
149 performed by Emacs. For example, @kbd{X} and @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-x m} | |
150 are complete keys. Complete keys derive their meanings from being bound | |
151 (q.v.@:) to commands (q.v.@:). Thus, @kbd{X} is conventionally bound to | |
152 a command to insert @samp{X} in the buffer; @kbd{C-x m} is | |
153 conventionally bound to a command to begin composing a mail message. | |
154 @xref{Keys}. | |
155 | |
156 @item Completion | |
157 Completion is what Emacs does when it automatically fills out an | |
158 abbreviation for a name into the entire name. Completion is done for | |
159 minibuffer (q.v.@:) arguments when the set of possible valid inputs | |
160 is known; for example, on command names, buffer names, and | |
161 file names. Completion occurs when @key{TAB}, @key{SPC} or @key{RET} | |
162 is typed. @xref{Completion}.@refill | |
163 | |
164 @item Continuation Line | |
165 When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it | |
166 takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the | |
167 text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the | |
168 first are called continuation lines. @xref{Basic,Continuation,Basic | |
169 Editing}. | |
170 | |
171 @item Control Character | |
172 A control character is a character that you type by holding down the | |
173 @key{CTRL} key. Some control characters also have their own keys, so | |
174 that you can type them without using @key{CTRL}. For example, | |
175 @key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{ESC} and @key{DEL} are all control | |
176 characters. @xref{User Input}. | |
177 | |
178 @item Copyleft | |
179 A copyleft is a notice giving the public legal permission to | |
180 redistribute a program or other work of art. Copylefts are used by | |
181 left-wing programmers to promote freedom and cooperation, just as | |
182 copyrights are used by right-wing programmers to gain power over other | |
183 people. | |
184 | |
185 The particular form of copyleft used by the GNU project is called the | |
186 GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. | |
187 | |
188 @item Current Buffer | |
189 The current buffer in Emacs is the Emacs buffer on which most editing | |
190 commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one. | |
191 @xref{Buffers}. | |
192 | |
193 @item Current Line | |
194 The line point is on (@pxref{Point}). | |
195 | |
196 @item Current Paragraph | |
197 The paragraph that point is in. If point is between paragraphs, the | |
198 current paragraph is the one that follows point. @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
199 | |
200 @item Current Defun | |
201 The defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is between defuns, the | |
202 current defun is the one that follows point. @xref{Defuns}. | |
203 | |
204 @item Cursor | |
205 The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position | |
206 called point (q.v.@:) at which insertion and deletion takes place. | |
207 The cursor is on or under the character that follows point. Often | |
208 people speak of `the cursor' when, strictly speaking, they mean | |
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209 `point.' @xref{Basic,Cursor,Basic Editing}. |
25829 | 210 |
211 @item Customization | |
212 Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is | |
213 often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or by rebinding | |
214 key sequences (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
215 | |
216 @item Default Argument | |
217 The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you | |
218 do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument, | |
219 the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}. | |
220 @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
221 | |
222 @item Default Directory | |
223 When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~}, | |
224 it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory. | |
225 @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}. | |
226 | |
227 @item Defun | |
228 A defun is a list at the top level of parenthesis or bracket structure | |
229 in a program. It is so named because most such lists in Lisp programs | |
230 are calls to the Lisp function @code{defun}. @xref{Defuns}. | |
231 | |
232 @item @key{DEL} | |
233 @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character of | |
234 text. @xref{Basic,DEL,Basic Editing}. | |
235 | |
236 @item Deletion | |
237 Deletion means erasing text without copying it into the kill ring | |
238 (q.v.@:). The alternative is killing (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing,Deletion}. | |
239 | |
240 @item Deletion of Files | |
241 Deleting a file means erasing it from the file system. | |
242 @xref{Misc File Ops}. | |
243 | |
244 @item Deletion of Messages | |
245 Deleting a message means flagging it to be eliminated from your mail | |
246 file. Until you expunge (q.v.@:) the Rmail file, you can still undelete | |
247 the messages you have deleted. @xref{Rmail Deletion}. | |
248 | |
249 @item Deletion of Windows | |
250 Deleting a window means eliminating it from the screen. Other windows | |
251 expand to use up the space. The deleted window can never come back, | |
252 but no actual text is thereby lost. @xref{Windows}. | |
253 | |
254 @item Directory | |
255 File directories are named collections in the file system, within which | |
256 you can place individual files or subdirectories. @xref{Directories}. | |
257 | |
258 @item Dired | |
259 Dired is the Emacs facility that displays the contents of a file | |
260 directory and allows you to ``edit the directory,'' performing | |
261 operations on the files in the directory. @xref{Dired}. | |
262 | |
263 @item Disabled Command | |
264 A disabled command is one that you may not run without special | |
265 confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is | |
266 confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}. | |
267 | |
268 @item Down Event | |
269 Short for `button down event'. | |
270 | |
271 @item Drag Event | |
272 A drag event is the kind of input event generated when you press a mouse | |
273 button, move the mouse, and then release the button. @xref{Mouse | |
274 Buttons}. | |
275 | |
276 @item Dribble File | |
277 A file into which Emacs writes all the characters that the user types | |
278 on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record for | |
279 debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you | |
280 tell it to. @xref{Bugs}. | |
281 | |
282 @item Echo Area | |
283 The echo area is the bottom line of the screen, used for echoing the | |
284 arguments to commands, for asking questions, and printing brief messages | |
285 (including error messages). The messages are stored in the buffer | |
286 @samp{*Messages*} so you can review them later. @xref{Echo Area}. | |
287 | |
288 @item Echoing | |
289 Echoing is acknowledging the receipt of commands by displaying them (in | |
290 the echo area). Emacs never echoes single-character key sequences; | |
291 longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing them. | |
292 | |
293 @item Electric | |
294 We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting | |
295 (q.v.), but the current major mode (q.v.) redefines it to do something | |
296 else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define | |
297 particular delimiter characters to reindent the line or insert one or | |
298 more newlines in addition to self-insertion. | |
299 | |
300 @item Error | |
301 An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current | |
302 circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops | |
303 (unless the command has been programmed to do otherwise) and Emacs | |
304 reports the error by printing an error message (q.v.@:). Type-ahead | |
305 is discarded. Then Emacs is ready to read another editing command. | |
306 | |
307 @item Error Message | |
308 An error message is a single line of output displayed by Emacs when the | |
309 user asks for something impossible to do (such as, killing text | |
310 forward when point is at the end of the buffer). They appear in the | |
311 echo area, accompanied by a beep. | |
312 | |
313 @item @key{ESC} | |
314 @key{ESC} is a character used as a prefix for typing Meta characters on | |
315 keyboards lacking a @key{META} key. Unlike the @key{META} key (which, | |
316 like the @key{SHIFT} key, is held down while another character is | |
317 typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and | |
318 it applies to the next character you type. | |
319 | |
320 @item Expunging | |
321 Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer is an operation that truly | |
322 discards the messages or files you have previously flagged for deletion. | |
323 | |
324 @item File Locking | |
325 Emacs used file locking to notice when two different users | |
326 start to edit one file at the same time. @xref{Interlocking}. | |
327 | |
328 @item File Name | |
329 A file name is a name that refers to a file. File names may be relative | |
330 or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current | |
331 directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless | |
332 of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute | |
333 file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or | |
334 @samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). | |
335 | |
336 Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not; | |
337 we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.). | |
338 | |
339 @item File-Name Component | |
340 A file-name component names a file directly within a particular | |
341 directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of | |
342 file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar} | |
343 is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it | |
344 refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in | |
345 the current directory. | |
346 | |
347 @item Fill Prefix | |
348 The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning | |
349 of each line when filling is done. It is not regarded as part of the | |
350 text to be filled. @xref{Filling}. | |
351 | |
352 @item Filling | |
353 Filling text means shifting text between consecutive lines so that all | |
354 the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}. | |
355 | |
356 @item Formatted Text | |
357 Formatted text is text that displays with formatting information while | |
358 you edit. Formatting information includes fonts, colors, and specified | |
359 margins. @xref{Formatted Text}. | |
360 | |
361 @item Frame | |
362 A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out | |
363 with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame | |
33746 | 364 into Emacs windows (q.v.). When you are using a windowing system, all |
365 the frames can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}. | |
25829 | 366 |
367 @item Function Key | |
368 A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not | |
369 correspond to any character. @xref{Function Keys}. | |
370 | |
371 @item Global | |
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372 Global means ``independent of the current environment; in effect |
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373 throughout Emacs.'' It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular |
25829 | 374 examples of the use of `global' appear below. |
375 | |
376 @item Global Abbrev | |
377 A global definition of an abbrev (q.v.@:) is effective in all major | |
378 modes that do not have local (q.v.@:) definitions for the same abbrev. | |
379 @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
380 | |
381 @item Global Keymap | |
382 The global keymap (q.v.@:) contains key bindings that are in effect | |
383 except when overridden by local key bindings in a major mode's local | |
384 keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}. | |
385 | |
386 @item Global Mark Ring | |
387 The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently set | |
388 a mark in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack through buffers | |
389 you have been editing in, or in which you have found tags. @xref{Global | |
390 Mark Ring}. | |
391 | |
392 @item Global Substitution | |
393 Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by | |
394 another string through a large amount of text. @xref{Replace}. | |
395 | |
396 @item Global Variable | |
397 The global value of a variable (q.v.@:) takes effect in all buffers | |
398 that do not have their own local (q.v.@:) values for the variable. | |
399 @xref{Variables}. | |
400 | |
401 @item Graphic Character | |
402 Graphic characters are those assigned pictorial images rather than | |
403 just names. All the non-Meta (q.v.@:) characters except for the | |
404 Control (q.v.@:) characters are graphic characters. These include | |
405 letters, digits, punctuation, and spaces; they do not include | |
406 @key{RET} or @key{ESC}. In Emacs, typing a graphic character inserts | |
407 that character (in ordinary editing modes). @xref{Basic,,Basic Editing}. | |
408 | |
409 @item Highlighting | |
410 Highlighting text means displaying it with a different foreground and/or | |
411 background color to make it stand out from the rest of the text in the | |
412 buffer. | |
413 | |
414 @item Hardcopy | |
415 Hardcopy means printed output. Emacs has commands for making printed | |
416 listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Hardcopy}. | |
417 | |
418 @item @key{HELP} | |
419 @key{HELP} is the Emacs name for @kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}. You can type | |
420 @key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what any | |
421 command does. @xref{Help}. | |
422 | |
423 @item Hyper | |
424 Hyper is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
425 have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the | |
426 @key{HYPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
427 @kbd{Hyper-} (usually written @kbd{H-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
428 Hyper}. | |
429 | |
430 @item Inbox | |
431 An inbox is a file in which mail is delivered by the operating system. | |
432 Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files (q.v.@:) in which the | |
433 mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted. | |
434 @xref{Rmail Inbox}. | |
435 | |
436 @item Indentation | |
437 Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most | |
438 programming languages have conventions for using indentation to | |
439 illuminate the structure of the program, and Emacs has special | |
440 commands to adjust indentation. | |
441 @xref{Indentation}. | |
442 | |
443 @item Indirect Buffer | |
444 An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer, | |
445 called its base buffer. @xref{Indirect Buffers}. | |
446 | |
447 @item Input Event | |
448 An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on | |
449 the terminal. Input events include typing characters, typing function | |
450 keys, pressing or releasing mouse buttons, and switching between Emacs | |
451 frames. @xref{User Input}. | |
452 | |
453 @item Input Method | |
454 An input method is a system for entering non-ASCII text characters by | |
455 typing sequences of ASCII characters (q.v.@:). @xref{Input Methods}. | |
456 | |
457 @item Insertion | |
458 Insertion means copying text into the buffer, either from the keyboard | |
459 or from some other place in Emacs. | |
460 | |
461 @item Interlocking | |
462 Interlocking is a feature for warning when you start to alter a file | |
463 that someone else is already editing. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous | |
464 Editing}. | |
465 | |
466 @item Justification | |
467 Justification means adding extra spaces to lines of text to make them | |
468 come exactly to a specified width. @xref{Filling,Justification}. | |
469 | |
470 @item Keyboard Macro | |
471 Keyboard macros are a way of defining new Emacs commands from | |
472 sequences of existing ones, with no need to write a Lisp program. | |
473 @xref{Keyboard Macros}. | |
474 | |
475 @item Key Sequence | |
476 A key sequence (key, for short) is a sequence of input events (q.v.@:) | |
477 that are meaningful as a single unit. If the key sequence is enough to | |
478 specify one action, it is a complete key (q.v.@:); if it is not enough, | |
479 it is a prefix key (q.v.@:). @xref{Keys}. | |
480 | |
481 @item Keymap | |
482 The keymap is the data structure that records the bindings (q.v.@:) of | |
483 key sequences to the commands that they run. For example, the global | |
484 keymap binds the character @kbd{C-n} to the command function | |
485 @code{next-line}. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
486 | |
487 @item Keyboard Translation Table | |
488 The keyboard translation table is an array that translates the character | |
489 codes that come from the terminal into the character codes that make up | |
490 key sequences. @xref{Keyboard Translations}. | |
491 | |
492 @item Kill Ring | |
493 The kill ring is where all text you have killed recently is saved. | |
494 You can reinsert any of the killed text still in the ring; this is | |
495 called yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Yanking}. | |
496 | |
497 @item Killing | |
498 Killing means erasing text and saving it on the kill ring so it can be | |
499 yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.'' | |
500 Most Emacs commands to erase text do killing, as opposed to deletion | |
501 (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
502 | |
503 @item Killing Jobs | |
504 Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease | |
505 to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost. | |
506 @xref{Exiting}. | |
507 | |
508 @item Language Environment | |
509 Your choice of language environment specifies defaults for the input | |
510 method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language | |
511 Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit non-ASCII text | |
512 (@pxref{International}). | |
513 | |
514 @item List | |
515 A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open | |
516 parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode | |
517 and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched | |
518 delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also | |
519 considered lists. Emacs has special commands for many operations on | |
520 lists. @xref{Lists}. | |
521 | |
522 @item Local | |
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523 Local means ``in effect only in a particular context''; the relevant |
25829 | 524 kind of context is a particular function execution, a particular |
525 buffer, or a particular major mode. It is the opposite of `global' | |
526 (q.v.@:). Specific uses of `local' in Emacs terminology appear below. | |
527 | |
528 @item Local Abbrev | |
529 A local abbrev definition is effective only if a particular major mode | |
530 is selected. In that major mode, it overrides any global definition | |
531 for the same abbrev. @xref{Abbrevs}. | |
532 | |
533 @item Local Keymap | |
534 A local keymap is used in a particular major mode; the key bindings | |
535 (q.v.@:) in the current local keymap override global bindings of the | |
536 same key sequences. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
537 | |
538 @item Local Variable | |
539 A local value of a variable (q.v.@:) applies to only one buffer. | |
540 @xref{Locals}. | |
541 | |
542 @item @kbd{M-} | |
543 @kbd{M-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for @key{META}, | |
544 one of the modifier keys that can accompany any character. | |
545 @xref{User Input}. | |
546 | |
547 @item @kbd{M-C-} | |
548 @kbd{M-C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for | |
549 Control-Meta; it means the same thing as @kbd{C-M-}. If your | |
550 terminal lacks a real @key{META} key, you type a Control-Meta character by | |
551 typing @key{ESC} and then typing the corresponding Control character. | |
552 @xref{User Input,C-M-}. | |
553 | |
554 @item @kbd{M-x} | |
555 @kbd{M-x} is the key sequence which is used to call an Emacs command by | |
556 name. This is how you run commands that are not bound to key sequences. | |
557 @xref{M-x}. | |
558 | |
559 @item Mail | |
560 Mail means messages sent from one user to another through the computer | |
561 system, to be read at the recipient's convenience. Emacs has commands for | |
562 composing and sending mail, and for reading and editing the mail you have | |
563 received. @xref{Sending Mail}. @xref{Rmail}, for how to read mail. | |
564 | |
565 @item Mail Composition Method | |
566 A mail composition method is a program runnable within Emacs for editing | |
567 and sending a mail message. Emacs lets you select from several | |
568 alternative mail composition methods. @xref{Mail Methods}. | |
569 | |
570 @item Major Mode | |
571 The Emacs major modes are a mutually exclusive set of options, each of | |
572 which configures Emacs for editing a certain sort of text. Ideally, | |
573 each programming language has its own major mode. @xref{Major Modes}. | |
574 | |
575 @item Mark | |
576 The mark points to a position in the text. It specifies one end of the | |
577 region (q.v.@:), point being the other end. Many commands operate on | |
578 all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark. | |
579 @xref{Mark}. | |
580 | |
581 @item Mark Ring | |
582 The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the | |
583 mark, just in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its | |
584 own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.). | |
585 @xref{Mark Ring}. | |
586 | |
587 @item Menu Bar | |
588 The menu bar is the line at the top of an Emacs frame. It contains | |
33746 | 589 words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus, or you can use |
590 a keyboard interface to navigate it. @xref{Menu Bars}. | |
25829 | 591 |
592 @item Message | |
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593 See `mail.' |
25829 | 594 |
595 @item Meta | |
596 Meta is the name of a modifier bit which a command character may have. | |
597 It is present in a character if the character is typed with the | |
598 @key{META} key held down. Such characters are given names that start | |
599 with @kbd{Meta-} (usually written @kbd{M-} for short). For example, | |
600 @kbd{M-<} is typed by holding down @key{META} and at the same time | |
601 typing @kbd{<} (which itself is done, on most terminals, by holding | |
602 down @key{SHIFT} and typing @kbd{,}). @xref{User Input,Meta}. | |
603 | |
604 @item Meta Character | |
605 A Meta character is one whose character code includes the Meta bit. | |
606 | |
607 @item Minibuffer | |
608 The minibuffer is the window that appears when necessary inside the | |
609 echo area (q.v.@:), used for reading arguments to commands. | |
610 @xref{Minibuffer}. | |
611 | |
612 @item Minibuffer History | |
613 The minibuffer history records the text you have specified in the past | |
614 for minibuffer arguments, so you can conveniently use the same text | |
615 again. @xref{Minibuffer History}. | |
616 | |
617 @item Minor Mode | |
618 A minor mode is an optional feature of Emacs which can be switched on | |
619 or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a | |
620 command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
621 | |
622 @item Minor Mode Keymap | |
623 A keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is active when that mode is | |
624 enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence over the buffer's local | |
625 keymap, just as the local keymap takes precedence over the global | |
626 keymap. @xref{Keymaps}. | |
627 | |
628 @item Mode Line | |
629 The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving | |
630 status information on the buffer displayed in that window. @xref{Mode | |
631 Line}. | |
632 | |
633 @item Modified Buffer | |
634 A buffer (q.v.@:) is modified if its text has been changed since the | |
635 last time the buffer was saved (or since when it was created, if it | |
636 has never been saved). @xref{Saving}. | |
637 | |
638 @item Moving Text | |
639 Moving text means erasing it from one place and inserting it in | |
640 another. The usual way to move text by killing (q.v.@:) and then | |
641 yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}. | |
642 | |
643 @item MULE | |
644 MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing non-ASCII text | |
645 using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). @xref{International}. | |
646 | |
647 @item Multibyte Character | |
648 A multibyte character is a character that takes up several buffer | |
649 positions. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-ASCII text, | |
650 since the number of non-ASCII characters is much more than 256. | |
651 @xref{International Intro}. | |
652 | |
653 @item Named Mark | |
654 A named mark is a register (q.v.@:) in its role of recording a | |
655 location in text so that you can move point to that location. | |
656 @xref{Registers}. | |
657 | |
658 @item Narrowing | |
659 Narrowing means creating a restriction (q.v.@:) that limits editing in | |
660 the current buffer to only a part of the text in the buffer. Text | |
661 outside that part is inaccessible to the user until the boundaries are | |
662 widened again, but it is still there, and saving the file saves it | |
663 all. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
664 | |
665 @item Newline | |
666 Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are | |
667 therefore also called newlines. @xref{Text Characters,Newline}. | |
668 | |
669 @item Numeric Argument | |
670 A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change | |
671 the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a | |
672 repeat count. @xref{Arguments}. | |
673 | |
674 @item Overwrite Mode | |
675 Overwrite mode is a minor mode. When it is enabled, ordinary text | |
676 characters replace the existing text after point rather than pushing | |
677 it to the right. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
678 | |
679 @item Page | |
680 A page is a unit of text, delimited by formfeed characters (ASCII | |
681 control-L, code 014) coming at the beginning of a line. Some Emacs | |
682 commands are provided for moving over and operating on pages. | |
683 @xref{Pages}. | |
684 | |
685 @item Paragraph | |
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686 Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of human-language text. There are |
25829 | 687 special Emacs commands for moving over and operating on paragraphs. |
688 @xref{Paragraphs}. | |
689 | |
690 @item Parsing | |
691 We say that certain Emacs commands parse words or expressions in the | |
692 text being edited. Really, all they know how to do is find the other | |
693 end of a word or expression. @xref{Syntax}. | |
694 | |
695 @item Point | |
696 Point is the place in the buffer at which insertion and deletion | |
697 occur. Point is considered to be between two characters, not at one | |
698 character. The terminal's cursor (q.v.@:) indicates the location of | |
699 point. @xref{Basic,Point}. | |
700 | |
701 @item Prefix Argument | |
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702 See `numeric argument.' |
25829 | 703 |
704 @item Prefix Key | |
705 A prefix key is a key sequence (q.v.@:) whose sole function is to | |
706 introduce a set of longer key sequences. @kbd{C-x} is an example of | |
707 prefix key; any two-character sequence starting with @kbd{C-x} is | |
708 therefore a legitimate key sequence. @xref{Keys}. | |
709 | |
710 @item Primary Rmail File | |
711 Your primary Rmail file is the file named @samp{RMAIL} in your home | |
712 directory. That's where Rmail stores your incoming mail, unless you | |
713 specify a different file name. @xref{Rmail}. | |
714 | |
715 @item Primary Selection | |
716 The primary selection is one particular X selection (q.v.@:); it is the | |
717 selection that most X applications use for transferring text to and from | |
718 other applications. | |
719 | |
720 The Emacs kill commands set the primary selection and the yank command | |
721 uses the primary selection when appropriate. @xref{Killing}. | |
722 | |
723 @item Prompt | |
724 A prompt is text printed to ask the user for input. Displaying a prompt | |
725 is called prompting. Emacs prompts always appear in the echo area | |
726 (q.v.@:). One kind of prompting happens when the minibuffer is used to | |
727 read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens when | |
728 you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also | |
729 a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}). | |
730 | |
731 @item Quitting | |
732 Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running | |
733 command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}. | |
734 | |
735 @item Quoting | |
736 Quoting means depriving a character of its usual special significance. | |
737 The most common kind of quoting in Emacs is with @kbd{C-q}. What | |
738 constitutes special significance depends on the context and on | |
739 convention. For example, an ``ordinary'' character as an Emacs command | |
740 inserts itself; so in this context, a special character is any character | |
741 that does not normally insert itself (such as @key{DEL}, for example), | |
742 and quoting it makes it insert itself as if it were not special. Not | |
743 all contexts allow quoting. @xref{Basic,Quoting,Basic Editing}. | |
744 | |
745 @item Quoting File Names | |
746 Quoting a file name turns off the special significance of constructs | |
747 such as @samp{$}, @samp{~} and @samp{:}. @xref{Quoted File Names}. | |
748 | |
749 @item Read-Only Buffer | |
750 A read-only buffer is one whose text you are not allowed to change. | |
751 Normally Emacs makes buffers read-only when they contain text which | |
752 has a special significance to Emacs; for example, Dired buffers. | |
753 Visiting a file that is write-protected also makes a read-only buffer. | |
754 @xref{Buffers}. | |
755 | |
756 @item Rectangle | |
757 A rectangle consists of the text in a given range of columns on a given | |
758 range of lines. Normally you specify a rectangle by putting point at | |
759 one corner and putting the mark at the opposite corner. | |
760 @xref{Rectangles}. | |
761 | |
762 @item Recursive Editing Level | |
763 A recursive editing level is a state in which part of the execution of | |
764 a command involves asking the user to edit some text. This text may | |
765 or may not be the same as the text to which the command was applied. | |
766 The mode line indicates recursive editing levels with square brackets | |
767 (@samp{[} and @samp{]}). @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
768 | |
769 @item Redisplay | |
770 Redisplay is the process of correcting the image on the screen to | |
771 correspond to changes that have been made in the text being edited. | |
772 @xref{Screen,Redisplay}. | |
773 | |
774 @item Regexp | |
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775 See `regular expression.' |
25829 | 776 |
777 @item Region | |
778 The region is the text between point (q.v.@:) and the mark (q.v.@:). | |
779 Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}. | |
780 | |
781 @item Registers | |
782 Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or | |
783 rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. | |
784 | |
785 @item Regular Expression | |
786 A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings; | |
787 for example, @samp{l[0-9]+} matches @samp{l} followed by one or more | |
788 digits. @xref{Regexps}. | |
789 | |
790 @item Repeat Count | |
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791 See `numeric argument.' |
25829 | 792 |
793 @item Replacement | |
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794 See `global substitution.' |
25829 | 795 |
796 @item Restriction | |
797 A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the | |
798 end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a | |
799 nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:). | |
800 @xref{Narrowing}. | |
801 | |
802 @item @key{RET} | |
803 @key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a | |
804 newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments | |
805 read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}. | |
806 | |
807 @item Rmail File | |
808 An Rmail file is a file containing text in a special format used by | |
809 Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}. | |
810 | |
811 @item Saving | |
812 Saving a buffer means copying its text into the file that was visited | |
813 (q.v.@:) in that buffer. This is the way text in files actually gets | |
814 changed by your Emacs editing. @xref{Saving}. | |
815 | |
816 @item Scroll Bar | |
817 A scroll bar is a tall thin hollow box that appears at the side of a | |
818 window. You can use mouse commands in the scroll bar to scroll the | |
33746 | 819 window. The scroll bar feature is supported only under windowing |
820 systems. @xref{Scroll Bars}. | |
25829 | 821 |
822 @item Scrolling | |
823 Scrolling means shifting the text in the Emacs window so as to see a | |
824 different part of the buffer. @xref{Display,Scrolling}. | |
825 | |
826 @item Searching | |
827 Searching means moving point to the next occurrence of a specified | |
828 string or the next match for a specified regular expression. | |
829 @xref{Search}. | |
830 | |
831 @item Search Path | |
832 A search path is a list of directory names, to be used for searching for | |
833 files for certain purposes. For example, the variable @code{load-path} | |
834 holds a search path for finding Lisp library files. @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
835 | |
836 @item Secondary Selection | |
837 The secondary selection is one particular X selection; some X | |
838 applications can use it for transferring text to and from other | |
839 applications. Emacs has special mouse commands for transferring text | |
840 using the secondary selection. @xref{Secondary Selection}. | |
841 | |
842 @item Selecting | |
843 Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer. | |
844 @xref{Buffers,Selecting}. | |
845 | |
846 @item Selection | |
847 The X window system allows an application program to specify named | |
848 selections whose values are text. A program can also read the | |
849 selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way | |
850 of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to | |
851 work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:) | |
852 selection. | |
853 | |
854 @item Self-Documentation | |
855 Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any | |
856 command does, or give you a list of all commands related to a topic | |
857 you specify. You ask for self-documentation with the help character, | |
858 @kbd{C-h}. @xref{Help}. | |
859 | |
860 @item Self-Inserting Character | |
861 A character is self-inserting if typing that character inserts that | |
862 character in the buffer. Ordinary printing and whitespace characters | |
863 are self-inserting in Emacs, except in certain special major modes. | |
864 | |
865 @item Sentences | |
866 Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences. | |
867 @xref{Sentences}. | |
868 | |
869 @item Sexp | |
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870 A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp |
25829 | 871 in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Many Emacs commands |
872 operate on sexps. The term `sexp' is generalized to languages other | |
873 than Lisp, to mean a syntactically recognizable expression. | |
874 @xref{Lists,Sexps}. | |
875 | |
876 @item Simultaneous Editing | |
877 Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once. | |
878 Simultaneous editing if not detected can cause one user to lose his | |
879 work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing and warns one of | |
880 the users to investigate. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
881 | |
882 @item String | |
883 A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of | |
884 characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as | |
885 values. The Lisp syntax for a string consists of the characters in the | |
886 string with a @samp{"} before and another @samp{"} after. A @samp{"} | |
887 that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\"} and a @samp{\} | |
888 that is part of the string must be written as @samp{\\}. All other | |
889 characters, including newline, can be included just by writing them | |
890 inside the string; however, backslash sequences as in C, such as | |
891 @samp{\n} for newline or @samp{\241} using an octal character code, are | |
892 allowed as well. | |
893 | |
894 @item String Substitution | |
895 See `global substitution'. | |
896 | |
897 @item Syntax Table | |
898 The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word, | |
899 which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc. | |
900 @xref{Syntax}. | |
901 | |
902 @item Super | |
903 Super is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may | |
904 have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the | |
905 @key{SUPER} key. Such characters are given names that start with | |
906 @kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input, | |
907 Super}. | |
908 | |
909 @item Tags Table | |
910 A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function | |
911 definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}. | |
912 | |
913 @item Termscript File | |
914 A termscript file contains a record of all characters sent by Emacs to | |
915 the terminal. It is used for tracking down bugs in Emacs redisplay. | |
916 Emacs does not make a termscript file unless you tell it to. | |
917 @xref{Bugs}. | |
918 | |
919 @item Text | |
920 Two meanings (@pxref{Text}): | |
921 | |
922 @itemize @bullet | |
923 @item | |
924 Data consisting of a sequence of characters, as opposed to binary | |
925 numbers, images, graphics commands, executable programs, and the like. | |
926 The contents of an Emacs buffer are always text in this sense. | |
927 @item | |
928 Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs, | |
929 or following the stylistic conventions of human language. | |
930 @end itemize | |
931 | |
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932 @item Tool Bar |
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933 The tool bar is a line (sometimes multiple lines) of icons at the top |
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934 of an Emacs frame. Clicking on one of these icons executes a command. |
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935 You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.). |
36210 | 936 @xref{Tool Bars}. |
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937 |
25829 | 938 @item Top Level |
939 Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the | |
940 text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you | |
941 are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer | |
942 (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top | |
943 level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}. | |
944 | |
945 @item Transposition | |
946 Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place | |
947 formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose | |
948 two adjacent characters, words, sexps (q.v.@:) or lines | |
949 (@pxref{Transpose}). | |
950 | |
951 @item Truncation | |
952 Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a | |
953 line that does not fit within the right margin of the window | |
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954 displaying it. See also `continuation line.' |
25829 | 955 @xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}. |
956 | |
957 @item Undoing | |
958 Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing | |
959 back the text that existed earlier in the editing session. | |
960 @xref{Undo}. | |
961 | |
962 @item User Option | |
963 A user option is a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so that you can customize | |
964 Emacs by setting it to a new value. @xref{Variables}. | |
965 | |
966 @item Variable | |
967 A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value. | |
968 Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known | |
969 as `user options' (q.v.@:)) just so that you can set their values to | |
970 control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you | |
971 are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in | |
972 this manual. @xref{Variables}, for information on variables. | |
973 | |
974 @item Version Control | |
975 Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file. | |
976 They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:). | |
977 @xref{Version Control}. | |
978 | |
979 @item Visiting | |
980 Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:) | |
981 where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}. | |
982 | |
983 @item Whitespace | |
984 Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space, | |
985 tab, newline, and backspace). | |
986 | |
987 @item Widening | |
988 Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer; | |
989 it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}. | |
990 | |
991 @item Window | |
992 Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which | |
993 can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time. | |
994 @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen. | |
995 @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. | |
996 | |
997 @item Word Abbrev | |
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998 See `abbrev.' |
25829 | 999 |
1000 @item Word Search | |
1001 Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the | |
1002 punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}. | |
1003 | |
1004 @item WYSIWYG | |
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1005 WYSIWYG stands for ``What you see is what you get.'' Emacs generally |
25829 | 1006 provides WYSIWYG editing for files of characters; in Enriched mode |
1007 (@pxref{Formatted Text}), it provides WYSIWYG editing for files that | |
1008 include text formatting information. | |
1009 | |
1010 @item Yanking | |
1011 Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to | |
1012 undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other | |
1013 systems call this ``pasting.'' @xref{Yanking}. | |
1014 @end table | |
1015 |