comparison man/trouble.texi @ 37126:6a2d75e45a87

Add concept of "usual erasure key" to explain about DEL.

37125:fe3c5a341a4d

@node DEL Gets Help
@subsection If @key{DEL} Fails to Delete
@cindex @key{DEL} vs @key{BACKSPACE}
@cindex @key{BACKSPACE} vs @key{DEL}

  Every keyboard has a large key, a little ways above the @key{RET}
or @key{ENTER} key, which you normally use outside Emacs to erase
the last character that you typed.  We call this key @key{DEL}.

  When Emacs starts up using a window system, it determines
automatically which key should be @key{DEL}.  In some unusual cases
Emacs gets the wrong information from the system.  If the @key{DEL}
key deletes forwards instead of backwards, that is probably what
happened---Emacs ought to be treating the @key{DELETE} key as
@key{DEL}, but it isn't.

  With a window system, if the @key{DEL} key says @key{BACKSPACE} and
there is a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere, but the @key{DELETE} key
deletes backward instead of forward, that too suggests Emacs got the
wrong information---but in the opposite sense.  It ought to be
treating the @key{BACKSPACE} key as @key{DEL}, but it isn't.

  On a text-only terminal, if you find the @key{DEL} key prompts for a
Help command like @kbd{Control-h}, instead of deleting a 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{DEL} key work.  On a text-only terminal, if you do
want to ask for help, use @key{F1} or @kbd{C-?}.

37126:6a2d75e45a87

@node DEL Gets Help
@subsection If @key{DEL} Fails to Delete
@cindex @key{DEL} vs @key{BACKSPACE}
@cindex @key{BACKSPACE} vs @key{DEL}
@cindex usual erasure key

  Every keyboard has a large key, a little ways above the @key{RET} or
@key{ENTER} key, which you normally use outside Emacs to erase the
last character that you typed.  We call this key @dfn{the usual
erasure key}.  In Emacs, it is supposed to be equivalent to @key{DEL}.

  When Emacs starts up using a window system, it determines
automatically which key should be @key{DEL}.  In some unusual cases
Emacs gets the wrong information from the system.  If the usual
erasure key deletes forwards instead of backwards, that is probably
what happened---Emacs ought to be treating the @key{DELETE} key as
@key{DEL}, but it isn't.

  With a window system, if the usual erasure key is labeled
@key{BACKSPACE} and there is a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere, but the
@key{DELETE} key deletes backward instead of forward, that too
suggests Emacs got the wrong information---but in the opposite sense.
It ought to be treating the @key{BACKSPACE} key as @key{DEL}, but it
isn't.

  On a text-only terminal, if you find the usual erasure key prompts
for a Help command, like @kbd{Control-h}, instead of deleting a
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{DEL} key work.  On a text-only terminal, if you do
want to ask for help, use @key{F1} or @kbd{C-?}.