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annotate man/basic.texi @ 51813:d82cd7a68702
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author | Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu> |
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date | Tue, 08 Jul 2003 03:28:42 +0000 |
parents | 23a1cea22d13 |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
39287 | 2 @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,2000,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
4 @node Basic, Minibuffer, Exiting, Top | |
5 @chapter Basic Editing Commands | |
6 | |
7 @kindex C-h t | |
8 @findex help-with-tutorial | |
9 We now give the basics of how to enter text, make corrections, and | |
10 save the text in a file. If this material is new to you, you might | |
11 learn it more easily by running the Emacs learn-by-doing tutorial. To | |
12 use the tutorial, run Emacs and type @kbd{Control-h t} | |
13 (@code{help-with-tutorial}). | |
14 | |
15 To clear the screen and redisplay, type @kbd{C-l} (@code{recenter}). | |
16 | |
17 @menu | |
18 | |
19 * Inserting Text:: Inserting text by simply typing it. | |
20 * Moving Point:: How to move the cursor to the place where you want to | |
21 change something. | |
22 * Erasing:: Deleting and killing text. | |
23 * Undo:: Undoing recent changes in the text. | |
24 * Files: Basic Files. Visiting, creating, and saving files. | |
25 * Help: Basic Help. Asking what a character does. | |
26 * Blank Lines:: Commands to make or delete blank lines. | |
27 * Continuation Lines:: Lines too wide for the screen. | |
28 * Position Info:: What page, line, row, or column is point on? | |
29 * Arguments:: Numeric arguments for repeating a command. | |
30 * Repeating:: A short-cut for repeating the previous command. | |
31 @end menu | |
32 | |
33 @node Inserting Text | |
34 @section Inserting Text | |
35 | |
36 @cindex insertion | |
37 @cindex graphic characters | |
38 To insert printing characters into the text you are editing, just type | |
39 them. This inserts the characters you type into the buffer at the | |
40 cursor (that is, at @dfn{point}; @pxref{Point}). The cursor moves | |
41 forward, and any text after the cursor moves forward too. If the text | |
42 in the buffer is @samp{FOOBAR}, with the cursor before the @samp{B}, | |
43 then if you type @kbd{XX}, you get @samp{FOOXXBAR}, with the cursor | |
44 still before the @samp{B}. | |
45 | |
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46 To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use the large key |
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47 labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE} or @key{DELETE} which is a short |
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48 distance above the @key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key. This is the key you |
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49 normally use, outside Emacs, for erasing the last character that you |
37988 | 50 typed. Regardless of the label on that key, Emacs thinks of it as |
51 @key{DEL}, and that's what we call it in this manual. | |
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52 |
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53 The @key{DEL} key deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor. |
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54 As a consequence, the cursor and all the characters after it move |
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55 backwards. If you type a printing character and then type @key{DEL}, |
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56 they cancel out. |
25829 | 57 |
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58 On most computers, Emacs recognizes automatically which key ought to |
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59 be @key{DEL}, and sets it up that way. But in some cases, especially |
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60 with text-only terminals, you will need to tell Emacs which key to use |
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61 for that purpose. If the large key not far above the @key{RET} or |
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62 @key{ENTER} key doesn't delete backwards, you need to do this. |
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63 @xref{DEL Does Not Delete}, for an explanation of how. |
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64 |
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65 Most PC keyboards have both a @key{BACKSPACE} key a short ways above |
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66 @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere. On these |
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67 keyboards, Emacs supports when possible the usual convention that the |
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68 @key{BACKSPACE} key deletes backwards (it is @key{DEL}), while the |
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69 @key{DELETE} key deletes ``forwards,'' deleting the character after |
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70 point, the one underneath the cursor, like @kbd{C-d} (see below). |
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71 |
25829 | 72 @kindex RET |
73 @cindex newline | |
74 To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}. This | |
75 inserts a newline character in the buffer. If point is in the middle of | |
76 a line, @key{RET} splits the line. Typing @key{DEL} when the cursor is | |
77 at the beginning of a line deletes the preceding newline, thus joining | |
78 the line with the preceding line. | |
79 | |
80 Emacs can split lines automatically when they become too long, if you | |
81 turn on a special minor mode called @dfn{Auto Fill} mode. | |
82 @xref{Filling}, for how to use Auto Fill mode. | |
83 | |
84 If you prefer to have text characters replace (overwrite) existing | |
85 text rather than shove it to the right, you can enable Overwrite mode, | |
86 a minor mode. @xref{Minor Modes}. | |
87 | |
88 @cindex quoting | |
89 @kindex C-q | |
90 @findex quoted-insert | |
91 Direct insertion works for printing characters and @key{SPC}, but other | |
92 characters act as editing commands and do not insert themselves. If you | |
93 need to insert a control character or a character whose code is above 200 | |
94 octal, you must @dfn{quote} it by typing the character @kbd{Control-q} | |
95 (@code{quoted-insert}) first. (This character's name is normally written | |
96 @kbd{C-q} for short.) There are two ways to use @kbd{C-q}:@refill | |
97 | |
98 @itemize @bullet | |
99 @item | |
100 @kbd{C-q} followed by any non-graphic character (even @kbd{C-g}) | |
101 inserts that character. | |
102 | |
103 @item | |
104 @kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits inserts the character | |
105 with the specified octal character code. You can use any number of | |
37152 | 106 octal digits; any non-digit terminates the sequence. If the |
107 terminating character is @key{RET}, it serves only to terminate the | |
108 sequence. Any other non-digit terminates the sequence and then acts | |
109 as normal input---thus, @kbd{C-q 1 0 1 B} inserts @samp{AB}. | |
110 | |
111 The use of octal sequences is disabled in ordinary non-binary | |
112 Overwrite mode, to give you a convenient way to insert a digit instead | |
113 of overwriting with it. | |
25829 | 114 @end itemize |
115 | |
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116 @cindex 8-bit character codes |
25829 | 117 @noindent |
33518 | 118 When multibyte characters are enabled, if you specify a code in the |
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119 range 0200 through 0377 octal, @kbd{C-q} assumes that you intend to |
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120 use some ISO 8859-@var{n} character set, and converts the specified |
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121 code to the corresponding Emacs character code. @xref{Enabling |
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122 Multibyte}. You select @emph{which} of the ISO 8859 character sets to |
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123 use through your choice of language environment (@pxref{Language |
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124 Environments}). |
25829 | 125 |
126 @vindex read-quoted-char-radix | |
127 To use decimal or hexadecimal instead of octal, set the variable | |
128 @code{read-quoted-char-radix} to 10 or 16. If the radix is greater than | |
129 10, some letters starting with @kbd{a} serve as part of a character | |
130 code, just like digits. | |
131 | |
132 A numeric argument to @kbd{C-q} specifies how many copies of the | |
133 quoted character should be inserted (@pxref{Arguments}). | |
134 | |
135 @findex newline | |
136 @findex self-insert | |
137 Customization information: @key{DEL} in most modes runs the command | |
138 @code{delete-backward-char}; @key{RET} runs the command @code{newline}, and | |
139 self-inserting printing characters run the command @code{self-insert}, | |
140 which inserts whatever character was typed to invoke it. Some major modes | |
141 rebind @key{DEL} to other commands. | |
142 | |
143 @node Moving Point | |
144 @section Changing the Location of Point | |
145 | |
146 @cindex arrow keys | |
147 @cindex moving point | |
148 @cindex movement | |
149 @cindex cursor motion | |
150 @cindex moving the cursor | |
151 To do more than insert characters, you have to know how to move point | |
152 (@pxref{Point}). The simplest way to do this is with arrow keys, or by | |
153 clicking the left mouse button where you want to move to. | |
154 | |
155 There are also control and meta characters for cursor motion. Some | |
156 are equivalent to the arrow keys (these date back to the days before | |
157 terminals had arrow keys, and are usable on terminals which don't have | |
158 them). Others do more sophisticated things. | |
159 | |
160 @kindex C-a | |
161 @kindex C-e | |
162 @kindex C-f | |
163 @kindex C-b | |
164 @kindex C-n | |
165 @kindex C-p | |
166 @kindex M-> | |
167 @kindex M-< | |
168 @kindex M-r | |
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169 @kindex LEFT |
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170 @kindex RIGHT |
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171 @kindex UP |
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172 @kindex DOWN |
25829 | 173 @findex beginning-of-line |
174 @findex end-of-line | |
175 @findex forward-char | |
176 @findex backward-char | |
177 @findex next-line | |
178 @findex previous-line | |
179 @findex beginning-of-buffer | |
180 @findex end-of-buffer | |
181 @findex goto-char | |
182 @findex goto-line | |
183 @findex move-to-window-line | |
184 @table @kbd | |
185 @item C-a | |
186 Move to the beginning of the line (@code{beginning-of-line}). | |
187 @item C-e | |
188 Move to the end of the line (@code{end-of-line}). | |
189 @item C-f | |
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190 Move forward one character (@code{forward-char}). The right-arrow key |
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191 does the same thing. |
25829 | 192 @item C-b |
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193 Move backward one character (@code{backward-char}). The left-arrow |
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194 key has the same effect. |
25829 | 195 @item M-f |
196 Move forward one word (@code{forward-word}). | |
197 @item M-b | |
198 Move backward one word (@code{backward-word}). | |
199 @item C-n | |
200 Move down one line, vertically (@code{next-line}). This command | |
201 attempts to keep the horizontal position unchanged, so if you start in | |
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202 the middle of one line, you end in the middle of the next. The |
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203 down-arrow key does the same thing. |
25829 | 204 @item C-p |
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205 Move up one line, vertically (@code{previous-line}). The up-arrow key |
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206 has the same effect. |
25829 | 207 @item M-r |
208 Move point to left margin, vertically centered in the window | |
209 (@code{move-to-window-line}). Text does not move on the screen. | |
210 | |
211 A numeric argument says which screen line to place point on. It counts | |
212 screen lines down from the top of the window (zero for the top line). A | |
213 negative argument counts lines from the bottom (@minus{}1 for the bottom | |
214 line). | |
215 @item M-< | |
216 Move to the top of the buffer (@code{beginning-of-buffer}). With | |
217 numeric argument @var{n}, move to @var{n}/10 of the way from the top. | |
218 @xref{Arguments}, for more information on numeric arguments.@refill | |
219 @item M-> | |
220 Move to the end of the buffer (@code{end-of-buffer}). | |
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221 @item C-v |
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222 Scroll the display one screen forward, and move point if necessary to put |
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223 it on the screen (@code{scroll-up}). This doesn't always |
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224 move point, but it is commonly used to do so. |
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225 If your keyboard has a @key{PAGEDOWN} key, it does the same thing. |
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226 |
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227 Scrolling commands are further described in @ref{Scrolling}. |
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228 @item M-v |
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229 Scroll one screen backward, and move point if necessary to put it on |
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230 the screen (@code{scroll-down}). This doesn't always move point, but |
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231 it is commonly used to do so. The @key{PAGEUP} key has the same |
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232 effect. |
25829 | 233 @item M-x goto-char |
234 Read a number @var{n} and move point to buffer position @var{n}. | |
235 Position 1 is the beginning of the buffer. | |
236 @item M-x goto-line | |
237 Read a number @var{n} and move point to line number @var{n}. Line 1 | |
238 is the beginning of the buffer. | |
239 @item C-x C-n | |
240 @findex set-goal-column | |
241 @kindex C-x C-n | |
242 Use the current column of point as the @dfn{semipermanent goal column} for | |
243 @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} (@code{set-goal-column}). Henceforth, those | |
244 commands always move to this column in each line moved into, or as | |
245 close as possible given the contents of the line. This goal column remains | |
246 in effect until canceled. | |
247 @item C-u C-x C-n | |
248 Cancel the goal column. Henceforth, @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} once | |
249 again try to stick to a fixed horizontal position, as usual. | |
250 @end table | |
251 | |
252 @vindex track-eol | |
253 If you set the variable @code{track-eol} to a non-@code{nil} value, | |
38172 | 254 then @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}, when starting at the end of the line, move |
25829 | 255 to the end of another line. Normally, @code{track-eol} is @code{nil}. |
256 @xref{Variables}, for how to set variables such as @code{track-eol}. | |
257 | |
258 @vindex next-line-add-newlines | |
35923 | 259 @kbd{C-n} normally gets an error when you use it on the last line of |
260 the buffer (just as @kbd{C-p} gets an error on the first line). But | |
261 if you set the variable @code{next-line-add-newlines} to a | |
262 non-@code{nil} value, @kbd{C-n} on the last line of a buffer creates | |
263 an additional line at the end and moves down onto it. | |
25829 | 264 |
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265 @node Erasing |
25829 | 266 @section Erasing Text |
267 | |
268 @table @kbd | |
269 @item @key{DEL} | |
270 Delete the character before point (@code{delete-backward-char}). | |
271 @item C-d | |
272 Delete the character after point (@code{delete-char}). | |
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273 @item @key{DELETE} |
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274 @itemx @key{BACKSPACE} |
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275 One of these keys, whichever is the large key above the @key{RET} or |
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276 @key{ENTER} key, deletes the character before point, like @key{DEL}. |
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277 If that is @key{BACKSPACE}, and your keyboard also has @key{DELETE}, |
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278 then @key{DELETE} deletes forwards, like @kbd{C-d}. |
25829 | 279 @item C-k |
280 Kill to the end of the line (@code{kill-line}). | |
281 @item M-d | |
282 Kill forward to the end of the next word (@code{kill-word}). | |
283 @item M-@key{DEL} | |
284 Kill back to the beginning of the previous word | |
285 (@code{backward-kill-word}). | |
286 @end table | |
287 | |
288 @cindex killing characters and lines | |
289 @cindex deleting characters and lines | |
290 @cindex erasing characters and lines | |
291 You already know about the @key{DEL} key which deletes the character | |
292 before point (that is, before the cursor). Another key, @kbd{Control-d} | |
293 (@kbd{C-d} for short), deletes the character after point (that is, the | |
294 character that the cursor is on). This shifts the rest of the text on | |
295 the line to the left. If you type @kbd{C-d} at the end of a line, it | |
296 joins together that line and the next line. | |
297 | |
298 To erase a larger amount of text, use the @kbd{C-k} key, which kills a | |
299 line at a time. If you type @kbd{C-k} at the beginning or middle of a | |
300 line, it kills all the text up to the end of the line. If you type | |
301 @kbd{C-k} at the end of a line, it joins that line and the next line. | |
302 | |
303 @xref{Killing}, for more flexible ways of killing text. | |
304 | |
305 @node Undo | |
306 @section Undoing Changes | |
307 @cindex undo | |
308 @cindex changes, undoing | |
309 | |
310 You can undo all the recent changes in the buffer text, up to a | |
311 certain point. Each buffer records changes individually, and the undo | |
312 command always applies to the current buffer. Usually each editing | |
313 command makes a separate entry in the undo records, but some commands | |
314 such as @code{query-replace} make many entries, and very simple commands | |
315 such as self-inserting characters are often grouped to make undoing less | |
316 tedious. | |
317 | |
318 @table @kbd | |
319 @item C-x u | |
320 Undo one batch of changes---usually, one command worth (@code{undo}). | |
321 @item C-_ | |
322 The same. | |
323 @item C-u C-x u | |
324 Undo one batch of changes in the region. | |
325 @end table | |
326 | |
327 @kindex C-x u | |
328 @kindex C-_ | |
329 @findex undo | |
330 The command @kbd{C-x u} or @kbd{C-_} is how you undo. The first time | |
331 you give this command, it undoes the last change. Point moves back to | |
332 where it was before the command that made the change. | |
333 | |
334 Consecutive repetitions of @kbd{C-_} or @kbd{C-x u} undo earlier and | |
335 earlier changes, back to the limit of the undo information available. | |
336 If all recorded changes have already been undone, the undo command | |
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337 displays an error message and does nothing. |
25829 | 338 |
339 Any command other than an undo command breaks the sequence of undo | |
340 commands. Starting from that moment, the previous undo commands become | |
341 ordinary changes that you can undo. Thus, to redo changes you have | |
342 undone, type @kbd{C-f} or any other command that will harmlessly break | |
343 the sequence of undoing, then type more undo commands. | |
344 | |
345 @cindex selective undo | |
346 @kindex C-u C-x u | |
347 Ordinary undo applies to all changes made in the current buffer. You | |
348 can also perform @dfn{selective undo}, limited to the current region. | |
349 To do this, specify the region you want, then run the @code{undo} | |
350 command with a prefix argument (the value does not matter): @kbd{C-u C-x | |
351 u} or @kbd{C-u C-_}. This undoes the most recent change in the region. | |
352 To undo further changes in the same region, repeat the @code{undo} | |
353 command (no prefix argument is needed). In Transient Mark mode, any use | |
354 of @code{undo} when there is an active region performs selective undo; | |
355 you do not need a prefix argument. | |
356 | |
357 If you notice that a buffer has been modified accidentally, the | |
358 easiest way to recover is to type @kbd{C-_} repeatedly until the stars | |
359 disappear from the front of the mode line. At this time, all the | |
360 modifications you made have been canceled. Whenever an undo command | |
361 makes the stars disappear from the mode line, it means that the buffer | |
362 contents are the same as they were when the file was last read in or | |
363 saved. | |
364 | |
365 If you do not remember whether you changed the buffer deliberately, | |
366 type @kbd{C-_} once. When you see the last change you made undone, you | |
367 will see whether it was an intentional change. If it was an accident, | |
368 leave it undone. If it was deliberate, redo the change as described | |
369 above. | |
370 | |
371 Not all buffers record undo information. Buffers whose names start with | |
372 spaces don't; these buffers are used internally by Emacs and its extensions | |
373 to hold text that users don't normally look at or edit. | |
374 | |
375 You cannot undo mere cursor motion; only changes in the buffer | |
376 contents save undo information. However, some cursor motion commands | |
377 set the mark, so if you use these commands from time to time, you can | |
378 move back to the neighborhoods you have moved through by popping the | |
379 mark ring (@pxref{Mark Ring}). | |
380 | |
381 @vindex undo-limit | |
382 @vindex undo-strong-limit | |
383 @cindex undo limit | |
384 When the undo information for a buffer becomes too large, Emacs | |
385 discards the oldest undo information from time to time (during garbage | |
386 collection). You can specify how much undo information to keep by | |
387 setting two variables: @code{undo-limit} and @code{undo-strong-limit}. | |
388 Their values are expressed in units of bytes of space. | |
389 | |
390 The variable @code{undo-limit} sets a soft limit: Emacs keeps undo | |
391 data for enough commands to reach this size, and perhaps exceed it, but | |
392 does not keep data for any earlier commands beyond that. Its default | |
393 value is 20000. The variable @code{undo-strong-limit} sets a stricter | |
394 limit: the command which pushes the size past this amount is itself | |
395 forgotten. Its default value is 30000. | |
396 | |
397 Regardless of the values of those variables, the most recent change is | |
398 never discarded, so there is no danger that garbage collection occurring | |
399 right after an unintentional large change might prevent you from undoing | |
400 it. | |
401 | |
402 The reason the @code{undo} command has two keys, @kbd{C-x u} and | |
403 @kbd{C-_}, set up to run it is that it is worthy of a single-character | |
404 key, but on some keyboards it is not obvious how to type @kbd{C-_}. | |
405 @kbd{C-x u} is an alternative you can type straightforwardly on any | |
406 terminal. | |
407 | |
408 @node Basic Files | |
409 @section Files | |
410 | |
411 The commands described above are sufficient for creating and altering | |
412 text in an Emacs buffer; the more advanced Emacs commands just make | |
413 things easier. But to keep any text permanently you must put it in a | |
414 @dfn{file}. Files are named units of text which are stored by the | |
415 operating system for you to retrieve later by name. To look at or use | |
416 the contents of a file in any way, including editing the file with | |
417 Emacs, you must specify the file name. | |
418 | |
419 Consider a file named @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. In Emacs, to begin editing | |
420 this file, type | |
421 | |
422 @example | |
423 C-x C-f /usr/rms/foo.c @key{RET} | |
424 @end example | |
425 | |
426 @noindent | |
427 Here the file name is given as an @dfn{argument} to the command @kbd{C-x | |
428 C-f} (@code{find-file}). That command uses the @dfn{minibuffer} to | |
429 read the argument, and you type @key{RET} to terminate the argument | |
430 (@pxref{Minibuffer}).@refill | |
431 | |
432 Emacs obeys the command by @dfn{visiting} the file: creating a buffer, | |
433 copying the contents of the file into the buffer, and then displaying | |
434 the buffer for you to edit. If you alter the text, you can @dfn{save} | |
435 the new text in the file by typing @kbd{C-x C-s} (@code{save-buffer}). | |
436 This makes the changes permanent by copying the altered buffer contents | |
437 back into the file @file{/usr/rms/foo.c}. Until you save, the changes | |
438 exist only inside Emacs, and the file @file{foo.c} is unaltered. | |
439 | |
440 To create a file, just visit the file with @kbd{C-x C-f} as if it | |
441 already existed. This creates an empty buffer in which you can insert | |
442 the text you want to put in the file. The file is actually created when | |
443 you save this buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}. | |
444 | |
445 Of course, there is a lot more to learn about using files. @xref{Files}. | |
446 | |
447 @node Basic Help | |
448 @section Help | |
449 | |
450 @cindex getting help with keys | |
451 If you forget what a key does, you can find out with the Help | |
452 character, which is @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}, which is an alias for | |
453 @kbd{C-h}). Type @kbd{C-h k} followed by the key you want to know | |
454 about; for example, @kbd{C-h k C-n} tells you all about what @kbd{C-n} | |
455 does. @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key; @kbd{C-h k} is just one of its | |
456 subcommands (the command @code{describe-key}). The other subcommands of | |
457 @kbd{C-h} provide different kinds of help. Type @kbd{C-h} twice to get | |
458 a description of all the help facilities. @xref{Help}.@refill | |
459 | |
460 @node Blank Lines | |
461 @section Blank Lines | |
462 | |
463 @cindex inserting blank lines | |
464 @cindex deleting blank lines | |
465 Here are special commands and techniques for putting in and taking out | |
466 blank lines. | |
467 | |
468 @table @kbd | |
469 @item C-o | |
470 Insert one or more blank lines after the cursor (@code{open-line}). | |
471 @item C-x C-o | |
472 Delete all but one of many consecutive blank lines | |
473 (@code{delete-blank-lines}). | |
474 @end table | |
475 | |
476 @kindex C-o | |
477 @kindex C-x C-o | |
478 @cindex blank lines | |
479 @findex open-line | |
480 @findex delete-blank-lines | |
481 When you want to insert a new line of text before an existing line, you | |
482 can do it by typing the new line of text, followed by @key{RET}. | |
483 However, it may be easier to see what you are doing if you first make a | |
484 blank line and then insert the desired text into it. This is easy to do | |
485 using the key @kbd{C-o} (@code{open-line}), which inserts a newline | |
486 after point but leaves point in front of the newline. After @kbd{C-o}, | |
487 type the text for the new line. @kbd{C-o F O O} has the same effect as | |
488 @w{@kbd{F O O @key{RET}}}, except for the final location of point. | |
489 | |
490 You can make several blank lines by typing @kbd{C-o} several times, or | |
491 by giving it a numeric argument to tell it how many blank lines to make. | |
492 @xref{Arguments}, for how. If you have a fill prefix, then @kbd{C-o} | |
493 command inserts the fill prefix on the new line, when you use it at the | |
494 beginning of a line. @xref{Fill Prefix}. | |
495 | |
496 The easy way to get rid of extra blank lines is with the command | |
497 @kbd{C-x C-o} (@code{delete-blank-lines}). @kbd{C-x C-o} in a run of | |
498 several blank lines deletes all but one of them. @kbd{C-x C-o} on a | |
499 solitary blank line deletes that blank line. When point is on a | |
500 nonblank line, @kbd{C-x C-o} deletes any blank lines following that | |
501 nonblank line. | |
502 | |
503 @node Continuation Lines | |
504 @section Continuation Lines | |
505 | |
506 @cindex continuation line | |
507 @cindex wrapping | |
508 @cindex line wrapping | |
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509 @cindex fringes, and continuation lines |
25829 | 510 If you add too many characters to one line without breaking it with |
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511 @key{RET}, the line grows to occupy two (or more) lines on the screen. |
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512 On graphical displays, Emacs indicates line wrapping with small bent |
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513 arrows in the fringes to the left and right of the window. On |
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514 text-only terminals, Emacs displays a @samp{\} character at the right |
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515 margin of a screen line if it is not the last in its text line. This |
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516 @samp{\} character says that the following screen line is not really a |
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517 distinct line in the text, just a @dfn{continuation} of a line too |
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518 long to fit the screen. Continuation is also called @dfn{line |
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519 wrapping}. |
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520 |
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521 When line wrapping occurs before a character that is wider than one |
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522 column, some columns at the end of the previous screen line may be |
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523 ``empty.'' In this case, Emacs displays additional @samp{\} |
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524 characters in the ``empty'' columns, just before the @samp{\} |
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525 character that indicates continuation. |
25829 | 526 |
527 Sometimes it is nice to have Emacs insert newlines automatically when | |
528 a line gets too long. Continuation on the screen does not do that. Use | |
529 Auto Fill mode (@pxref{Filling}) if that's what you want. | |
530 | |
531 @vindex truncate-lines | |
532 @cindex truncation | |
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533 @cindex line truncation, and fringes |
25829 | 534 As an alternative to continuation, Emacs can display long lines by |
35206 | 535 @dfn{truncation}. This means that all the characters that do not fit |
536 in the width of the screen or window do not appear at all. They | |
537 remain in the buffer, temporarily invisible. On terminals, @samp{$} | |
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538 in the last column informs you that the line has been truncated on the |
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539 display. On window systems, a small straight arrow in the fringe to |
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540 the right of the window indicates a truncated line. |
25829 | 541 |
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542 @findex toggle-truncate-lines |
25829 | 543 Truncation instead of continuation happens whenever horizontal |
544 scrolling is in use, and optionally in all side-by-side windows | |
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545 (@pxref{Windows}). You can enable or disable truncation for a |
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546 particular buffer with the command @kbd{M-x toggle-truncate-lines}. |
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547 |
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548 @xref{Display Custom}, for additional variables that affect how text is |
25829 | 549 displayed. |
550 | |
551 @node Position Info | |
552 @section Cursor Position Information | |
553 | |
554 Here are commands to get information about the size and position of | |
555 parts of the buffer, and to count lines. | |
556 | |
557 @table @kbd | |
558 @item M-x what-page | |
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559 Display the page number of point, and the line number within the page. |
25829 | 560 @item M-x what-line |
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561 Display the line number of point in the buffer. |
25829 | 562 @item M-x line-number-mode |
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563 @itemx M-x column-number-mode |
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564 Toggle automatic display of current line number or column number. |
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565 @xref{Optional Mode Line}. |
25829 | 566 @item M-= |
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567 Display the number of lines in the current region (@code{count-lines-region}). |
25829 | 568 @xref{Mark}, for information about the region. |
569 @item C-x = | |
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570 Display the character code of character after point, character position of |
25829 | 571 point, and column of point (@code{what-cursor-position}). |
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572 @item M-x hl-line-mode |
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573 Enable or disable highlighting of the current line. @xref{Cursor |
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574 Display}. |
25829 | 575 @end table |
576 | |
577 @findex what-page | |
578 @findex what-line | |
579 @cindex line number commands | |
580 @cindex location of point | |
581 @cindex cursor location | |
582 @cindex point location | |
583 There are two commands for working with line numbers. @kbd{M-x | |
584 what-line} computes the current line number and displays it in the echo | |
585 area. To go to a given line by number, use @kbd{M-x goto-line}; it | |
586 prompts you for the number. These line numbers count from one at the | |
587 beginning of the buffer. | |
588 | |
37152 | 589 You can also see the current line number in the mode line; see @ref{Mode |
25829 | 590 Line}. If you narrow the buffer, then the line number in the mode line |
591 is relative to the accessible portion (@pxref{Narrowing}). By contrast, | |
592 @code{what-line} shows both the line number relative to the narrowed | |
593 region and the line number relative to the whole buffer. | |
594 | |
37152 | 595 @kbd{M-x what-page} counts pages from the beginning of the file, and |
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596 counts lines within the page, showing both numbers in the echo area. |
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597 @xref{Pages}. |
25829 | 598 |
599 @kindex M-= | |
600 @findex count-lines-region | |
601 While on this subject, we might as well mention @kbd{M-=} (@code{count-lines-region}), | |
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602 which displays the number of lines in the region (@pxref{Mark}). |
25829 | 603 @xref{Pages}, for the command @kbd{C-x l} which counts the lines in the |
604 current page. | |
605 | |
606 @kindex C-x = | |
607 @findex what-cursor-position | |
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608 The command @kbd{C-x =} (@code{what-cursor-position}) shows what |
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609 column the cursor is in, and other miscellaneous information about |
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610 point and the character after it. It displays a line in the echo area |
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611 that looks like this: |
25829 | 612 |
613 @smallexample | |
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614 Char: c (0143, 99, 0x63) point=21044 of 26883(78%) column 53 |
25829 | 615 @end smallexample |
616 | |
617 @noindent | |
618 (In fact, this is the output produced when point is before the | |
619 @samp{column} in the example.) | |
620 | |
621 The four values after @samp{Char:} describe the character that follows | |
622 point, first by showing it and then by giving its character code in | |
623 octal, decimal and hex. For a non-ASCII multibyte character, these are | |
624 followed by @samp{ext} and the character's representation, in hex, in | |
625 the buffer's coding system, if that coding system encodes the character | |
626 safely and with a single byte (@pxref{Coding Systems}). If the | |
627 character's encoding is longer than one byte, Emacs shows @samp{ext ...}. | |
628 | |
629 @samp{point=} is followed by the position of point expressed as a character | |
630 count. The front of the buffer counts as position 1, one character later | |
631 as 2, and so on. The next, larger, number is the total number of characters | |
632 in the buffer. Afterward in parentheses comes the position expressed as a | |
633 percentage of the total size. | |
634 | |
635 @samp{column} is followed by the horizontal position of point, in | |
636 columns from the left edge of the window. | |
637 | |
638 If the buffer has been narrowed, making some of the text at the | |
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639 beginning and the end temporarily inaccessible, @kbd{C-x =} displays |
25829 | 640 additional text describing the currently accessible range. For example, it |
641 might display this: | |
642 | |
643 @smallexample | |
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644 Char: C (0103, 67, 0x43) point=252 of 889(28%) <231 - 599> column 0 |
25829 | 645 @end smallexample |
646 | |
647 @noindent | |
648 where the two extra numbers give the smallest and largest character | |
649 position that point is allowed to assume. The characters between those | |
650 two positions are the accessible ones. @xref{Narrowing}. | |
651 | |
652 If point is at the end of the buffer (or the end of the accessible | |
653 part), the @w{@kbd{C-x =}} output does not describe a character after | |
654 point. The output might look like this: | |
655 | |
656 @smallexample | |
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657 point=26957 of 26956(100%) column 0 |
25829 | 658 @end smallexample |
659 | |
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660 @cindex character set of character at point |
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661 @cindex font of character at point |
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662 @cindex text properties at point |
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663 @w{@kbd{C-u C-x =}} displays additional information about a |
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664 character, including the character set name and the codes that |
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665 identify the character within that character set; ASCII characters are |
43468 | 666 identified as belonging to the @code{ascii} character set. It also |
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667 shows the character's syntax, categories, and encodings both |
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668 internally in the buffer and externally if you save the file. It also |
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669 shows the character's text properties (@pxref{Text Properties,,, |
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670 elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}), and any overlays containing it |
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671 (@pxref{Overlays,,, elisp, the same manual}). |
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672 |
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673 Here's an example showing the Latin-1 character A with grave accent, |
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674 in a buffer whose coding system is @code{iso-2022-7bit}, whose |
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675 terminal coding system is @code{iso-latin-1} (so the terminal actually |
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676 displays the character as @samp{@`A}), and which has font-lock-mode |
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677 (@pxref{Font Lock}) enabled: |
25829 | 678 |
37152 | 679 @smallexample |
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680 character: @`A (04300, 2240, 0x8c0) |
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681 charset: latin-iso8859-1 |
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682 (Right-Hand Part of Latin Alphabet 1@dots{} |
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683 code point: 64 |
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684 syntax: w which means: word |
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685 category: l:Latin |
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686 buffer code: 0x81 0xC0 |
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687 file code: ESC 2C 41 40 (encoded by coding system iso-2022-7bit) |
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688 terminal code: C0 |
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689 |
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690 Text properties |
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691 font-lock-face: font-lock-variable-name-face |
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692 fontified: t |
37152 | 693 @end smallexample |
25829 | 694 |
695 @node Arguments | |
696 @section Numeric Arguments | |
697 @cindex numeric arguments | |
698 @cindex prefix arguments | |
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699 @cindex arguments to commands |
25829 | 700 |
701 In mathematics and computer usage, the word @dfn{argument} means | |
702 ``data provided to a function or operation.'' You can give any Emacs | |
703 command a @dfn{numeric argument} (also called a @dfn{prefix argument}). | |
704 Some commands interpret the argument as a repetition count. For | |
705 example, @kbd{C-f} with an argument of ten moves forward ten characters | |
706 instead of one. With these commands, no argument is equivalent to an | |
707 argument of one. Negative arguments tell most such commands to move or | |
708 act in the opposite direction. | |
709 | |
710 @kindex M-1 | |
711 @kindex M-@t{-} | |
712 @findex digit-argument | |
713 @findex negative-argument | |
714 If your terminal keyboard has a @key{META} key, the easiest way to | |
715 specify a numeric argument is to type digits and/or a minus sign while | |
716 holding down the @key{META} key. For example, | |
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717 |
25829 | 718 @example |
719 M-5 C-n | |
720 @end example | |
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721 |
25829 | 722 @noindent |
723 would move down five lines. The characters @kbd{Meta-1}, @kbd{Meta-2}, | |
724 and so on, as well as @kbd{Meta--}, do this because they are keys bound | |
725 to commands (@code{digit-argument} and @code{negative-argument}) that | |
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726 are defined to contribute to an argument for the next command. |
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727 @kbd{Meta--} without digits normally means @minus{}1. Digits and |
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728 @kbd{-} modified with Control, or Control and Meta, also specify numeric |
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729 arguments. |
25829 | 730 |
731 @kindex C-u | |
732 @findex universal-argument | |
733 Another way of specifying an argument is to use the @kbd{C-u} | |
734 (@code{universal-argument}) command followed by the digits of the | |
735 argument. With @kbd{C-u}, you can type the argument digits without | |
736 holding down modifier keys; @kbd{C-u} works on all terminals. To type a | |
737 negative argument, type a minus sign after @kbd{C-u}. Just a minus sign | |
738 without digits normally means @minus{}1. | |
739 | |
740 @kbd{C-u} followed by a character which is neither a digit nor a minus | |
741 sign has the special meaning of ``multiply by four.'' It multiplies the | |
742 argument for the next command by four. @kbd{C-u} twice multiplies it by | |
743 sixteen. Thus, @kbd{C-u C-u C-f} moves forward sixteen characters. This | |
744 is a good way to move forward ``fast,'' since it moves about 1/5 of a line | |
745 in the usual size screen. Other useful combinations are @kbd{C-u C-n}, | |
746 @kbd{C-u C-u C-n} (move down a good fraction of a screen), @kbd{C-u C-u | |
747 C-o} (make ``a lot'' of blank lines), and @kbd{C-u C-k} (kill four | |
748 lines).@refill | |
749 | |
750 Some commands care only about whether there is an argument, and not about | |
751 its value. For example, the command @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) with | |
752 no argument fills text; with an argument, it justifies the text as well. | |
753 (@xref{Filling}, for more information on @kbd{M-q}.) Plain @kbd{C-u} is a | |
754 handy way of providing an argument for such commands. | |
755 | |
756 Some commands use the value of the argument as a repeat count, but do | |
757 something peculiar when there is no argument. For example, the command | |
758 @kbd{C-k} (@code{kill-line}) with argument @var{n} kills @var{n} lines, | |
759 including their terminating newlines. But @kbd{C-k} with no argument is | |
760 special: it kills the text up to the next newline, or, if point is right at | |
761 the end of the line, it kills the newline itself. Thus, two @kbd{C-k} | |
762 commands with no arguments can kill a nonblank line, just like @kbd{C-k} | |
763 with an argument of one. (@xref{Killing}, for more information on | |
764 @kbd{C-k}.)@refill | |
765 | |
766 A few commands treat a plain @kbd{C-u} differently from an ordinary | |
767 argument. A few others may treat an argument of just a minus sign | |
768 differently from an argument of @minus{}1. These unusual cases are | |
769 described when they come up; they are always for reasons of convenience | |
770 of use of the individual command. | |
771 | |
772 You can use a numeric argument to insert multiple copies of a | |
773 character. This is straightforward unless the character is a digit; for | |
774 example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 a} inserts 64 copies of the character @samp{a}. | |
775 But this does not work for inserting digits; @kbd{C-u 6 4 1} specifies | |
776 an argument of 641, rather than inserting anything. To separate the | |
777 digit to insert from the argument, type another @kbd{C-u}; for example, | |
778 @kbd{C-u 6 4 C-u 1} does insert 64 copies of the character @samp{1}. | |
779 | |
780 We use the term ``prefix argument'' as well as ``numeric argument'' to | |
781 emphasize that you type the argument before the command, and to | |
782 distinguish these arguments from minibuffer arguments that come after | |
783 the command. | |
784 | |
785 @node Repeating | |
786 @section Repeating a Command | |
787 @cindex repeating a command | |
788 | |
38738 | 789 Many simple commands, such as those invoked with a single key or |
790 with @kbd{M-x @var{command-name} @key{RET}}, can be repeated by | |
791 invoking them with a numeric argument that serves as a repeat count | |
792 (@pxref{Arguments}). However, if the command you want to repeat | |
793 prompts for some input, or uses a numeric argument in another way, | |
794 repetition using a numeric argument might be problematical. | |
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795 |
25829 | 796 @kindex C-x z |
797 @findex repeat | |
798 The command @kbd{C-x z} (@code{repeat}) provides another way to repeat | |
799 an Emacs command many times. This command repeats the previous Emacs | |
800 command, whatever that was. Repeating a command uses the same arguments | |
801 that were used before; it does not read new arguments each time. | |
802 | |
803 To repeat the command more than once, type additional @kbd{z}'s: each | |
804 @kbd{z} repeats the command one more time. Repetition ends when you | |
805 type a character other than @kbd{z}, or press a mouse button. | |
806 | |
807 For example, suppose you type @kbd{C-u 2 0 C-d} to delete 20 | |
808 characters. You can repeat that command (including its argument) three | |
809 additional times, to delete a total of 80 characters, by typing @kbd{C-x | |
810 z z z}. The first @kbd{C-x z} repeats the command once, and each | |
811 subsequent @kbd{z} repeats it once again. | |
812 |