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author | Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> |
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date | Tue, 06 Mar 2001 23:47:40 +0000 |
parents | 33c7ddaf02c6 |
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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 Mark, Killing, Help, Top | |
5 @chapter The Mark and the Region | |
6 @cindex mark | |
7 @cindex setting a mark | |
8 @cindex region | |
9 | |
10 Many Emacs commands operate on an arbitrary contiguous part of the | |
11 current buffer. To specify the text for such a command to operate on, | |
12 you set @dfn{the mark} at one end of it, and move point to the other | |
13 end. The text between point and the mark is called @dfn{the region}. | |
14 Emacs highlights the region whenever there is one, if you enable | |
15 Transient Mark mode (@pxref{Transient Mark}). | |
16 | |
17 You can move point or the mark to adjust the boundaries of the region. | |
18 It doesn't matter which one is set first chronologically, or which one | |
19 comes earlier in the text. Once the mark has been set, it remains where | |
20 you put it until you set it again at another place. Each Emacs buffer | |
21 has its own mark, so that when you return to a buffer that had been | |
22 selected previously, it has the same mark it had before. | |
23 | |
24 Many commands that insert text, such as @kbd{C-y} (@code{yank}) and | |
25 @kbd{M-x insert-buffer}, position point and the mark at opposite ends of | |
26 the inserted text, so that the region contains the text just inserted. | |
27 | |
28 Aside from delimiting the region, the mark is also useful for | |
29 remembering a spot that you may want to go back to. To make this | |
30 feature more useful, each buffer remembers 16 previous locations of the | |
31 mark in the @dfn{mark ring}. | |
32 | |
33 @menu | |
34 * Setting Mark:: Commands to set the mark. | |
35 * Transient Mark:: How to make Emacs highlight the region-- | |
36 when there is one. | |
37 * Using Region:: Summary of ways to operate on contents of the region. | |
38 * Marking Objects:: Commands to put region around textual units. | |
39 * Mark Ring:: Previous mark positions saved so you can go back there. | |
40 * Global Mark Ring:: Previous mark positions in various buffers. | |
41 @end menu | |
42 | |
43 @node Setting Mark | |
44 @section Setting the Mark | |
45 | |
46 Here are some commands for setting the mark: | |
47 | |
48 @c WideCommands | |
49 @table @kbd | |
50 @item C-@key{SPC} | |
51 Set the mark where point is (@code{set-mark-command}). | |
52 @item C-@@ | |
53 The same. | |
54 @item C-x C-x | |
55 Interchange mark and point (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}). | |
56 @item Drag-Mouse-1 | |
57 Set point and the mark around the text you drag across. | |
58 @item Mouse-3 | |
59 Set the mark where point is, then move point to where you click | |
60 (@code{mouse-save-then-kill}). | |
61 @end table | |
62 | |
63 For example, suppose you wish to convert part of the buffer to | |
64 upper case, using the @kbd{C-x C-u} (@code{upcase-region}) command, | |
65 which operates on the text in the region. You can first go to the | |
66 beginning of the text to be capitalized, type @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} to put | |
67 the mark there, move to the end, and then type @kbd{C-x C-u}. Or, you | |
68 can set the mark at the end of the text, move to the beginning, and then | |
69 type @kbd{C-x C-u}. | |
70 | |
71 @kindex C-SPC | |
72 @findex set-mark-command | |
73 The most common way to set the mark is with the @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} command | |
74 (@code{set-mark-command}). This sets the mark where point is. Then you | |
75 can move point away, leaving the mark behind. | |
76 | |
77 There are two ways to set the mark with the mouse. You can drag mouse | |
78 button one across a range of text; that puts point where you release the | |
79 mouse button, and sets the mark at the other end of that range. Or you | |
80 can click mouse button three, which sets the mark at point (like | |
81 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) and then moves point (like @kbd{Mouse-1}). Both of | |
82 these methods copy the region into the kill ring in addition to setting | |
83 the mark; that gives behavior consistent with other window-driven | |
84 applications, but if you don't want to modify the kill ring, you must | |
85 use keyboard commands to set the mark. @xref{Mouse Commands}. | |
86 | |
87 @kindex C-x C-x | |
88 @findex exchange-point-and-mark | |
89 Ordinary terminals have only one cursor, so there is no way for Emacs | |
90 to show you where the mark is located. You have to remember. The usual | |
91 solution to this problem is to set the mark and then use it soon, before | |
92 you forget where it is. Alternatively, you can see where the mark is | |
93 with the command @kbd{C-x C-x} (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) which | |
94 puts the mark where point was and point where the mark was. The extent | |
95 of the region is unchanged, but the cursor and point are now at the | |
96 previous position of the mark. In Transient Mark mode, this command | |
97 reactivates the mark. | |
98 | |
99 @kbd{C-x C-x} is also useful when you are satisfied with the position | |
100 of point but want to move the other end of the region (where the mark | |
101 is); do @kbd{C-x C-x} to put point at that end of the region, and then | |
102 move it. A second use of @kbd{C-x C-x}, if necessary, puts the mark at | |
103 the new position with point back at its original position. | |
104 | |
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105 For more facilities that allow you to go to previously set marks, see |
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106 @ref{Mark Ring}. |
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107 |
25829 | 108 @kindex C-@@ |
109 There is no such character as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} in ASCII; when you | |
110 type @key{SPC} while holding down @key{CTRL}, what you get on most | |
111 ordinary terminals is the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is actually | |
112 bound to @code{set-mark-command}. But unless you are unlucky enough to | |
113 have a terminal where typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} does not produce | |
114 @kbd{C-@@}, you might as well think of this character as | |
115 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}. Under X, @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} is actually a distinct | |
116 character, but its binding is still @code{set-mark-command}. | |
117 | |
118 @node Transient Mark | |
119 @section Transient Mark Mode | |
120 @cindex mode, Transient Mark | |
121 @cindex Transient Mark mode | |
122 @cindex highlighting region | |
123 @cindex region highlighting | |
124 | |
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125 On a terminal that supports colors, Emacs can highlight the current |
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126 region. But normally it does not. Why not? |
25829 | 127 |
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128 Highlighting the region whenever it exists would not be desirable in |
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129 Emacs, because once you have set a mark, there is @emph{always} a |
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130 region (in that buffer). And highlighting the region all the time |
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131 would be a nuisance. So normally Emacs highlights the region only |
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132 immediately after you have selected one with the mouse. |
25829 | 133 |
134 You can turn on region highlighting by enabling Transient Mark mode. | |
135 This is a more rigid mode of operation in which the region ``lasts'' | |
136 only temporarily, so you must set up a region for each command that uses | |
137 one. In Transient Mark mode, most of the time there is no region; | |
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138 therefore, highlighting the region when it exists is useful and |
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139 not annoying. |
25829 | 140 |
141 @findex transient-mark-mode | |
142 To enable Transient Mark mode, type @kbd{M-x transient-mark-mode}. | |
143 This command toggles the mode, so you can repeat the command to turn off | |
144 the mode. | |
145 | |
146 Here are the details of Transient Mark mode: | |
147 | |
148 @itemize @bullet | |
149 @item | |
150 To set the mark, type @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} (@code{set-mark-command}). | |
151 This makes the mark active; as you move point, you will see the region | |
152 highlighting grow and shrink. | |
153 | |
154 @item | |
155 The mouse commands for specifying the mark also make it active. So do | |
156 keyboard commands whose purpose is to specify a region, including | |
157 @kbd{M-@@}, @kbd{C-M-@@}, @kbd{M-h}, @kbd{C-M-h}, @kbd{C-x C-p}, and | |
158 @kbd{C-x h}. | |
159 | |
160 @item | |
161 When the mark is active, you can execute commands that operate on the | |
162 region, such as killing, indenting, or writing to a file. | |
163 | |
164 @item | |
165 Any change to the buffer, such as inserting or deleting a character, | |
166 deactivates the mark. This means any subsequent command that operates | |
167 on a region will get an error and refuse to operate. You can make the | |
168 region active again by typing @kbd{C-x C-x}. | |
169 | |
170 @item | |
171 Commands like @kbd{M->} and @kbd{C-s} that ``leave the mark behind'' in | |
172 addition to some other primary purpose do not activate the new mark. | |
173 You can activate the new region by executing @kbd{C-x C-x} | |
174 (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}). | |
175 | |
176 @item | |
177 @kbd{C-s} when the mark is active does not alter the mark. | |
178 | |
179 @item | |
180 Quitting with @kbd{C-g} deactivates the mark. | |
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181 |
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182 @item |
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183 Some commands operate on the region whenever it is active. For |
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184 instance, @kbd{C-x u} in Transient Mark mode operates on the region |
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185 when there is a region. Outside Transient Mark mode, you must type |
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186 @kbd{C-u C-x u} if you want it to operate on the region. |
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187 @xref{Undo}. Other commands that act this way are identified |
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188 in their own documentation. |
25829 | 189 @end itemize |
190 | |
191 Highlighting of the region uses the @code{region} face; you can | |
192 customize how the region is highlighted by changing this face. | |
193 @xref{Face Customization}. | |
194 | |
195 @vindex highlight-nonselected-windows | |
196 When multiple windows show the same buffer, they can have different | |
197 regions, because they can have different values of point (though they | |
198 all share one common mark position). Ordinarily, only the selected | |
199 window highlights its region (@pxref{Windows}). However, if the | |
200 variable @code{highlight-nonselected-windows} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
201 each window highlights its own region (provided that Transient Mark mode | |
202 is enabled and the window's buffer's mark is active). | |
203 | |
204 When Transient Mark mode is not enabled, every command that sets the | |
205 mark also activates it, and nothing ever deactivates it. | |
206 | |
207 @vindex mark-even-if-inactive | |
208 If the variable @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is non-@code{nil} in | |
209 Transient Mark mode, then commands can use the mark and the region | |
210 even when it is inactive. Region highlighting appears and disappears | |
211 just as it normally does in Transient Mark mode, but the mark doesn't | |
212 really go away when the highlighting disappears. | |
213 | |
214 @cindex Zmacs mode | |
215 Transient Mark mode is also sometimes known as ``Zmacs mode'' | |
216 because the Zmacs editor on the MIT Lisp Machine handled the mark in a | |
217 similar way. | |
218 | |
219 @node Using Region | |
220 @section Operating on the Region | |
221 | |
222 @cindex operations on a marked region | |
223 Once you have a region and the mark is active, here are some of the | |
224 ways you can operate on the region: | |
225 | |
226 @itemize @bullet | |
227 @item | |
228 Kill it with @kbd{C-w} (@pxref{Killing}). | |
229 @item | |
230 Save it in a register with @kbd{C-x r s} (@pxref{Registers}). | |
231 @item | |
232 Save it in a buffer or a file (@pxref{Accumulating Text}). | |
233 @item | |
234 Convert case with @kbd{C-x C-l} or @kbd{C-x C-u} (@pxref{Case}). | |
235 @item | |
236 Indent it with @kbd{C-x @key{TAB}} or @kbd{C-M-\} (@pxref{Indentation}). | |
237 @item | |
238 Fill it as text with @kbd{M-x fill-region} (@pxref{Filling}). | |
239 @item | |
240 Print hardcopy with @kbd{M-x print-region} (@pxref{Hardcopy}). | |
241 @item | |
242 Evaluate it as Lisp code with @kbd{M-x eval-region} (@pxref{Lisp Eval}). | |
243 @end itemize | |
244 | |
245 Most commands that operate on the text in the | |
246 region have the word @code{region} in their names. | |
247 | |
248 @node Marking Objects | |
249 @section Commands to Mark Textual Objects | |
250 | |
251 @cindex marking sections of text | |
252 Here are the commands for placing point and the mark around a textual | |
253 object such as a word, list, paragraph or page. | |
254 | |
255 @table @kbd | |
256 @item M-@@ | |
257 Set mark after end of next word (@code{mark-word}). This command and | |
258 the following one do not move point. | |
259 @item C-M-@@ | |
260 Set mark after end of next Lisp expression (@code{mark-sexp}). | |
261 @item M-h | |
262 Put region around current paragraph (@code{mark-paragraph}). | |
263 @item C-M-h | |
264 Put region around current Lisp defun (@code{mark-defun}). | |
265 @item C-x h | |
266 Put region around entire buffer (@code{mark-whole-buffer}). | |
267 @item C-x C-p | |
268 Put region around current page (@code{mark-page}). | |
269 @end table | |
270 | |
271 @kbd{M-@@} (@code{mark-word}) puts the mark at the end of the next word, | |
272 while @kbd{C-M-@@} (@code{mark-sexp}) puts it at the end of the next Lisp | |
273 expression. These commands handle arguments just like @kbd{M-f} and | |
274 @kbd{C-M-f}. | |
275 | |
276 @kindex C-x h | |
277 @findex mark-whole-buffer | |
278 Other commands set both point and mark, to delimit an object in the | |
279 buffer. For example, @kbd{M-h} (@code{mark-paragraph}) moves point to | |
280 the beginning of the paragraph that surrounds or follows point, and puts | |
281 the mark at the end of that paragraph (@pxref{Paragraphs}). It prepares | |
282 the region so you can indent, case-convert, or kill a whole paragraph. | |
283 | |
284 @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{mark-defun}) similarly puts point before and the | |
285 mark after the current or following defun (@pxref{Defuns}). @kbd{C-x | |
286 C-p} (@code{mark-page}) puts point before the current page, and mark at | |
287 the end (@pxref{Pages}). The mark goes after the terminating page | |
288 delimiter (to include it), while point goes after the preceding page | |
289 delimiter (to exclude it). A numeric argument specifies a later page | |
290 (if positive) or an earlier page (if negative) instead of the current | |
291 page. | |
292 | |
293 Finally, @kbd{C-x h} (@code{mark-whole-buffer}) sets up the entire | |
294 buffer as the region, by putting point at the beginning and the mark at | |
295 the end. | |
296 | |
297 In Transient Mark mode, all of these commands activate the mark. | |
298 | |
299 @node Mark Ring | |
300 @section The Mark Ring | |
301 | |
302 @kindex C-u C-SPC | |
303 @cindex mark ring | |
304 @kindex C-u C-@@ | |
305 Aside from delimiting the region, the mark is also useful for | |
306 remembering a spot that you may want to go back to. To make this | |
307 feature more useful, each buffer remembers 16 previous locations of the | |
308 mark, in the @dfn{mark ring}. Commands that set the mark also push the | |
309 old mark onto this ring. To return to a marked location, use @kbd{C-u | |
310 C-@key{SPC}} (or @kbd{C-u C-@@}); this is the command | |
311 @code{set-mark-command} given a numeric argument. It moves point to | |
312 where the mark was, and restores the mark from the ring of former | |
313 marks. Thus, repeated use of this command moves point to all of the old | |
314 marks on the ring, one by one. The mark positions you move through in | |
315 this way are not lost; they go to the end of the ring. | |
316 | |
317 Each buffer has its own mark ring. All editing commands use the current | |
318 buffer's mark ring. In particular, @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} always stays in | |
319 the same buffer. | |
320 | |
321 Many commands that can move long distances, such as @kbd{M-<} | |
322 (@code{beginning-of-buffer}), start by setting the mark and saving the | |
323 old mark on the mark ring. This is to make it easier for you to move | |
324 back later. Searches set the mark if they move point. You can tell | |
325 when a command sets the mark because it displays @samp{Mark Set} in the | |
326 echo area. | |
327 | |
328 If you want to move back to the same place over and over, the mark | |
329 ring may not be convenient enough. If so, you can record the position | |
330 in a register for later retrieval (@pxref{RegPos}). | |
331 | |
332 @vindex mark-ring-max | |
333 The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies the maximum number of | |
334 entries to keep in the mark ring. If that many entries exist and | |
335 another one is pushed, the last one in the list is discarded. Repeating | |
336 @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} cycles through the positions currently in the | |
337 ring. | |
338 | |
339 @vindex mark-ring | |
340 The variable @code{mark-ring} holds the mark ring itself, as a list of | |
341 marker objects, with the most recent first. This variable is local in | |
342 every buffer. | |
343 | |
344 @node Global Mark Ring | |
345 @section The Global Mark Ring | |
346 @cindex global mark ring | |
347 | |
348 In addition to the ordinary mark ring that belongs to each buffer, | |
349 Emacs has a single @dfn{global mark ring}. It records a sequence of | |
350 buffers in which you have recently set the mark, so you can go back | |
351 to those buffers. | |
352 | |
353 Setting the mark always makes an entry on the current buffer's mark | |
354 ring. If you have switched buffers since the previous mark setting, the | |
355 new mark position makes an entry on the global mark ring also. The | |
356 result is that the global mark ring records a sequence of buffers that | |
357 you have been in, and, for each buffer, a place where you set the mark. | |
358 | |
359 @kindex C-x C-@key{SPC} | |
360 @findex pop-global-mark | |
361 The command @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} (@code{pop-global-mark}) jumps to | |
362 the buffer and position of the latest entry in the global ring. It also | |
363 rotates the ring, so that successive uses of @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} take | |
364 you to earlier and earlier buffers. | |
365 |