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date Wed, 29 Sep 1999 15:17:24 +0000
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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
78 editing only one, the `selected' buffer, though several can be visible
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
209 `point'. @xref{Basic,Cursor,Basic Editing}.
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
364 into Emacs windows (q.v.). When you are using X windows, all the frames
365 can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}.
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
372 Global means `independent of the current environment; in effect
373 throughout Emacs'. It is the opposite of local (q.v.@:). Particular
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
523 Local means `in effect only in a particular context'; the relevant
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
589 words you can click on with the mouse to bring up menus. The menu bar
590 feature is supported only with X. @xref{Menu Bars}.
591
592 @item Message
593 See `mail'.
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
686 Paragraphs are the medium-size unit of English text. There are
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
702 See `numeric argument'.
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
775 See `regular expression'.
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
791 See `numeric argument'.
792
793 @item Replacement
794 See `global substitution'.
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
819 window. The scroll bar feature is supported only with X. @xref{Scroll
820 Bars}.
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
870 A sexp (short for `s-expression') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp
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
932 @item Top Level
933 Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the
934 text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you
935 are not in a recursive editing level (q.v.@:) or the minibuffer
936 (q.v.@:), and not in the middle of a command. You can get back to top
937 level by aborting (q.v.@:) and quitting (q.v.@:). @xref{Quitting}.
938
939 @item Transposition
940 Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place
941 formerly occupied by the other. There are Emacs commands to transpose
942 two adjacent characters, words, sexps (q.v.@:) or lines
943 (@pxref{Transpose}).
944
945 @item Truncation
946 Truncating text lines in the display means leaving out any text on a
947 line that does not fit within the right margin of the window
948 displaying it. See also `continuation line'.
949 @xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}.
950
951 @item Undoing
952 Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing
953 back the text that existed earlier in the editing session.
954 @xref{Undo}.
955
956 @item User Option
957 A user option is a variable (q.v.@:) that exists so that you can customize
958 Emacs by setting it to a new value. @xref{Variables}.
959
960 @item Variable
961 A variable is an object in Lisp that can store an arbitrary value.
962 Emacs uses some variables for internal purposes, and has others (known
963 as `user options' (q.v.@:)) just so that you can set their values to
964 control the behavior of Emacs. The variables used in Emacs that you
965 are likely to be interested in are listed in the Variables Index in
966 this manual. @xref{Variables}, for information on variables.
967
968 @item Version Control
969 Version control systems keep track of multiple versions of a source file.
970 They provide a more powerful alternative to keeping backup files (q.v.@:).
971 @xref{Version Control}.
972
973 @item Visiting
974 Visiting a file means loading its contents into a buffer (q.v.@:)
975 where they can be edited. @xref{Visiting}.
976
977 @item Whitespace
978 Whitespace is any run of consecutive formatting characters (space,
979 tab, newline, and backspace).
980
981 @item Widening
982 Widening is removing any restriction (q.v.@:) on the current buffer;
983 it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}.
984
985 @item Window
986 Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which
987 can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time.
988 @xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen.
989 @xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows.
990
991 @item Word Abbrev
992 Synonymous with `abbrev'.
993
994 @item Word Search
995 Word search is searching for a sequence of words, considering the
996 punctuation between them as insignificant. @xref{Word Search}.
997
998 @item WYSIWYG
999 WYSIWYG stands for `What you see is what you get.' Emacs generally
1000 provides WYSIWYG editing for files of characters; in Enriched mode
1001 (@pxref{Formatted Text}), it provides WYSIWYG editing for files that
1002 include text formatting information.
1003
1004 @item Yanking
1005 Yanking means reinserting text previously killed. It can be used to
1006 undo a mistaken kill, or for copying or moving text. Some other
1007 systems call this ``pasting.'' @xref{Yanking}.
1008 @end table
1009