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@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003,
@c   2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@node M-x, Help, Minibuffer, Top
@chapter Running Commands by Name

  Every Emacs command has a name that you can use to run it.  Commands
that are used often, or that must be quick to type, are also bound to
keys---short sequences of characters---for convenient use.  You can
run them by typing the keys, or run them by name if you don't remember
the keys.  Other Emacs commands that do not need to be quick are not
bound to keys; the only way to run them is by name.  @xref{Key
Bindings}, for the description of how to bind commands to keys.

  By convention, a command name consists of one or more words,
separated by hyphens; for example, @code{auto-fill-mode} or
@code{manual-entry}.  The use of English words makes the command name
easier to remember than a key made up of obscure characters, even
though it is more characters to type.

@kindex M-x
  The way to run a command by name is to start with @kbd{M-x}, type the
command name, and finish it with @key{RET}.  @kbd{M-x} uses the
minibuffer to read the command name.  @key{RET} exits the minibuffer and
runs the command.  The string @samp{M-x} appears at the beginning of the
minibuffer as a @dfn{prompt} to remind you to enter the name of a
command to be run.  @xref{Minibuffer}, for full information on the
features of the minibuffer.

  You can use completion to enter the command name.  For example, you
can invoke the command @code{forward-char} by name by typing either

@example
M-x forward-char @key{RET}
@end example

@noindent
or

@example
M-x forw @key{TAB} c @key{RET}
@end example

@noindent
Note that @code{forward-char} is the same command that you invoke with
the key @kbd{C-f}.  You can run any Emacs command by name using
@kbd{M-x}, whether or not any keys are bound to it.

  If you type @kbd{C-g} while the command name is being read, that
cancels the @kbd{M-x} command and exits the minibuffer, so you end up
back at command level.

  To pass a numeric argument to the command you are invoking with
@kbd{M-x}, specify the numeric argument before the @kbd{M-x}.  @kbd{M-x}
passes the argument along to the command it runs.  The argument value
appears in the prompt while the command name is being read.

@vindex suggest-key-bindings
  If the command you type has a key binding of its own, Emacs mentions
this in the echo area after running the command.  For example, if you
type @kbd{M-x forward-word}, the message says that you can run the
same command more easily by typing @kbd{M-f}.  You can turn off these
messages by setting the variable @code{suggest-key-bindings} to
@code{nil}.

  Normally, when describing in this manual a command that is run by
name, we omit the @key{RET} that is needed to terminate the name.  Thus
we might speak of @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode} rather than @kbd{M-x
auto-fill-mode @key{RET}}.  We mention the @key{RET} only when there is
a need to emphasize its presence, such as when we show the command
together with following arguments.

@findex execute-extended-command
  @kbd{M-x} works by running the command
@code{execute-extended-command}, which is responsible for reading the
name of another command and invoking it.

@ignore
   arch-tag: b67bff53-9628-4666-b94e-eda972a7ba56
@end ignore