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author | Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 17 Jan 2000 09:29:10 +0000 |
parents | ac7e9e5e2ccb |
children | ca2ae794785e |
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@c This is part of the Emacs manual. @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. @node M-x, Help, Minibuffer, Top @chapter Running Commands by Name The Emacs commands that are used often or that must be quick to type are bound to keys---short sequences of characters---for convenient use. Other Emacs commands that do not need to be brief are not bound to keys; to run them, you must refer to them by name. A command name is, by convention, made up 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, the command @code{forward-char} can be invoked by name by typing @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, you cancel the @kbd{M-x} command and get out of the minibuffer, ending up at top 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, two seconds after the command finishes (if you don't type anything else first). 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 @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.