comparison man/faq.texi @ 67892:e188efbb47ee

(Using Customize): New node.

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@chapter Common requests
@cindex Common requests

@menu
* Setting up a customization file::
* Debugging a customization file::
* Colors on a TTY::
* Displaying the current line or column::
* Displaying the current file name in the titlebar::
* Turning on abbrevs by default::

* Editing MS-DOS files::
* Filling paragraphs with a single space::
* Escape sequences in shell output::
@end menu

@node Setting up a customization file, Colors on a TTY, Common requests, Common requests
@section How do I set up a @file{.emacs} file properly?
@cindex @file{.emacs} file, setting up
@cindex @file{.emacs} file, locating
@cindex Init file, setting up
@cindex Customization file, setting up

In general, new Emacs users should not have @file{.emacs} files, because
it causes confusing non-standard behavior.  Then they send questions to
@email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} asking why Emacs isn't behaving as
documented.

Beginning with version 20.1, Emacs includes the new Customize facility,
which can be invoked using @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET}}.  This allows
users who are unfamiliar with Emacs Lisp to modify their @file{.emacs}
files in a relatively straightforward way, using menus rather than Lisp
code.  Most packages support Customize as of this writing.

While Customize might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs,
consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your
@file{.emacs} directly.  Simple configuration options are described
rather completely in @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs}, for users

Sometimes users are unsure as to where their @file{.emacs} file should
be found.  Visiting the file as @file{~/.emacs} from Emacs will find
the correct file.

@node Colors on a TTY, Debugging a customization file, Setting up a customization file, Common requests
@section How do I get colors and syntax highlighting on a TTY?
@cindex Colors on a TTY
@cindex Syntax highlighting on a TTY
@cindex Console, colors

67892:e188efbb47ee

@chapter Common requests
@cindex Common requests

@menu
* Setting up a customization file::
* Using Customize::
* Debugging a customization file::
* Colors on a TTY::
* Displaying the current line or column::
* Displaying the current file name in the titlebar::
* Turning on abbrevs by default::

* Editing MS-DOS files::
* Filling paragraphs with a single space::
* Escape sequences in shell output::
@end menu

@node Setting up a customization file, Using Customize, Common requests, Common requests
@section How do I set up a @file{.emacs} file properly?
@cindex @file{.emacs} file, setting up
@cindex @file{.emacs} file, locating
@cindex Init file, setting up
@cindex Customization file, setting up

In general, new Emacs users should not have @file{.emacs} files, because
it causes confusing non-standard behavior.  Then they send questions to
@email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} asking why Emacs isn't behaving as
documented.

Beginning with version 20.1, Emacs includes the new Customize facility
(@pxref{Using Customize}).  This allows users who are unfamiliar with
Emacs Lisp to modify their @file{.emacs} files in a relatively
straightforward way, using menus rather than Lisp code.  Most packages
support Customize as of this writing.

While Customize might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs,
consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your
@file{.emacs} directly.  Simple configuration options are described
rather completely in @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs}, for users

Sometimes users are unsure as to where their @file{.emacs} file should
be found.  Visiting the file as @file{~/.emacs} from Emacs will find
the correct file.

@node Using Customize, Colors on a TTY, Setting up a customization file, Common requests
@section How do I start using Customize?
@cindex Customize groups
@cindex Customizing variables
@cindex Customizing faces

The main Customize entry point is @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET}}.  This
command takes you to a buffer listing all the available Customize
groups.  From there, you can access all customizable options and faces,
change their values, and save your changes to your init file.
@inforef{Easy Customization, Easy Customization, emacs}.

If you know the name of the group in advance (e.g. ``shell''), use
@kbd{M-x customize-group @key{RET}}.

If you wish to customize a single option, use @kbd{M-x customize-option
@key{RET}}.  This command prompts you for the name of the option to
customize, with completion.

@node Colors on a TTY, Debugging a customization file, Using Customize, Common requests
@section How do I get colors and syntax highlighting on a TTY?
@cindex Colors on a TTY
@cindex Syntax highlighting on a TTY
@cindex Console, colors