comparison man/trouble.texi @ 37498:0b7a984464cf

Clarify when C-? is available as Help. Explain that normal-erase-is-backspace-mode toggles between the two modes. Describe the case where BACKSPACE has been remapped to DELETE in the window system.

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character, it means that key is actually sending the @key{BS}
character.  Emacs ought to be treating @key{BS} as @key{DEL}, but it
isn't.

  In all of those cases, the immediate remedy is the same: use the
command @kbd{M-x normal-erase-is-backspace-mode}.  That should make
the proper key work as @key{DEL}.  On a text-only terminal, if you do
want to ask for help, use @key{F1} or @kbd{C-?}.

@findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode
  To fix the problem automatically for every Emacs session, you can
put one of the following lines into your @file{.emacs} file
(@pxref{Init File}).  For the first case above, where @key{DELETE}
deletes forwards instead of backwards, use this line to make
@key{DELETE} act as @key{DEL}:

@lisp
(normal-erase-is-backspace-mode 0)
@end lisp

  Another way to fix the problem for every Emacs session is to
customize the variable @code{normal-erase-is-backspace}: the value
@code{t} specifies the mode where @key{BS} or @key{BACKSPACE} is
@key{DEL}, and @code{nil} specifies the other mode.  @xref{Easy
Customization}.

@node Stuck Recursive
@subsection Recursive Editing Levels

  Recursive editing levels are important and useful features of Emacs, but

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character, it means that key is actually sending the @key{BS}
character.  Emacs ought to be treating @key{BS} as @key{DEL}, but it
isn't.

  In all of those cases, the immediate remedy is the same: use the
command @kbd{M-x normal-erase-is-backspace-mode}.  This toggles
between the two modes that Emacs supports for handling @key{DEL}, so
if Emacs starts in the wrong mode, it should switch to the right mode.
On a text-only terminal, if you want to ask for help when @key{BS} is
treated as @key{DEL}, use @key{F1}; @kbd{C-?} may also work, if it
sends character code 127.

@findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode
  To fix the problem automatically for every Emacs session, you can
put one of the following lines into your @file{.emacs} file
(@pxref{Init File}).  For the first case above, where @key{DELETE}
deletes forwards instead of backwards, use this line to make
@key{DELETE} act as @key{DEL} (resulting in behavior compatible
with Emacs 20 and previous versions):

@lisp
(normal-erase-is-backspace-mode 0)
@end lisp

  Another way to fix the problem for every Emacs session is to
customize the variable @code{normal-erase-is-backspace}: the value
@code{t} specifies the mode where @key{BS} or @key{BACKSPACE} is
@key{DEL}, and @code{nil} specifies the other mode.  @xref{Easy
Customization}.

  With a window system, it can also happen that the usual erasure key
is labeled @key{BACKSPACE}, there is a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere, and
both keys delete forward.  This probably means that someone has
redefined your @key{BACKSPACE} key as a @key{DELETE} key.  With X,
this is typically done with a command to the @code{xmodmap} program
when you start the server or log in.  The most likely motive for this
customization was to support old versions of Emacs, so we recommend
you simply remove it now.

@node Stuck Recursive
@subsection Recursive Editing Levels

  Recursive editing levels are important and useful features of Emacs, but