# HG changeset patch # User Glenn Morris # Date 1189053280 0 # Node ID f4695268a6d7024ad1b55863166acdb43b4a159f # Parent 52f27bf159100ece7fb4005afcfa771dd0605f90 Move to ../doc/emacs/, misc/ diff -r 52f27bf15910 -r f4695268a6d7 man/commands.texi --- a/man/commands.texi Thu Sep 06 04:34:35 2007 +0000 +++ /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 @@ -1,294 +0,0 @@ -@c This is part of the Emacs manual. -@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, -@c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. -@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. -@iftex -@chapter Characters, Keys and Commands - - This chapter explains the character sets used by Emacs for input -commands and for the contents of files, and the fundamental concepts of -@dfn{keys} and @dfn{commands}, whereby Emacs interprets your keyboard -and mouse input. -@end iftex - -@ifnottex -@raisesections -@end ifnottex - -@node User Input, Keys, Screen, Top -@section Kinds of User Input -@cindex input with the keyboard -@cindex keyboard input -@cindex character set (keyboard) -@cindex @acronym{ASCII} -@cindex C- -@cindex Control -@cindex control characters - - GNU Emacs is designed for use with keyboard commands because that is -the most efficient way to edit. You can do editing with the mouse, as -in other editors, and you can give commands with the menu bar and tool -bar, and scroll with the scroll bar. But if you keep on editing that -way, you won't get the benefits of Emacs. Therefore, this manual -documents primarily how to edit with the keyboard. You can force -yourself to practice using the keyboard by using the shell command -@samp{emacs -nw} to start Emacs, so that the mouse won't work. - - Emacs uses an extension of the @acronym{ASCII} character set for -keyboard input; it also accepts non-character input events including -function keys and mouse button actions. - - @acronym{ASCII} consists of 128 character codes. Some of these codes are -assigned graphic symbols such as @samp{a} and @samp{=}; the rest are -control characters, such as @kbd{Control-a} (usually written @kbd{C-a} -for short). @kbd{C-a} gets its name from the fact that you type it by -holding down the @key{CTRL} key while pressing @kbd{a}. - - Some @acronym{ASCII} control characters have special names, and most -terminals have special keys you can type them with: for example, -@key{RET}, @key{TAB}, @key{DEL} and @key{ESC}. The space character is -usually known as @key{SPC}, even though strictly speaking it is a -graphic character that is blank. - - Emacs extends the @acronym{ASCII} character set with thousands more printing -characters (@pxref{International}), additional control characters, and a -few more modifiers that can be combined with any character. - - On @acronym{ASCII} terminals, there are only 32 possible control characters. -These are the control variants of letters and @samp{@@[]\^_}. In -addition, the shift key is meaningless with control characters: -@kbd{C-a} and @kbd{C-A} are the same character, and Emacs cannot -distinguish them. - - The Emacs character set has room for control variants of all -printing characters, and distinguishes @kbd{C-A} from @kbd{C-a}. -Graphical terminals make it possible to enter all these characters. -For example, @kbd{C--} (that's Control-Minus) and @kbd{C-5} are -meaningful Emacs commands on a graphical terminal. - - Another Emacs character-set extension is additional modifier bits. -Only one modifier bit is commonly used; it is called Meta. Every -character has a Meta variant; examples include @kbd{Meta-a} (normally -written @kbd{M-a}, for short), @kbd{M-A} (different from @kbd{M-a}, -but they are normally equivalent in Emacs), @kbd{M-@key{RET}}, and -@kbd{M-C-a}. That last means @kbd{a} with both the @key{CTRL} and -@key{META} modifiers. We usually write it as @kbd{C-M-a} rather than -@kbd{M-C-a}, for reasons of tradition. - -@cindex Meta -@cindex M- -@cindex @key{ESC} replacing @key{META} key - Some terminals have a @key{META} key, and allow you to type Meta -characters by holding this key down. Thus, you can type @kbd{Meta-a} -by holding down @key{META} and pressing @kbd{a}. The @key{META} key -works much like the @key{SHIFT} key. In fact, this key is more often -labeled @key{ALT} or @key{EDIT}, instead of @key{META}; on a Sun -keyboard, it may have a diamond on it. - - If there is no @key{META} key, you can still type Meta characters -using two-character sequences starting with @key{ESC}. Thus, you can -enter @kbd{M-a} by typing @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. You can enter -@kbd{C-M-a} by typing @kbd{@key{ESC} C-a}. Unlike @key{META}, which -modifies other characters, @key{ESC} is a separate character. You -don't hold down @key{ESC} while typing the next character; instead, -you press it and release it, then you enter the next character. -@key{ESC} is allowed on terminals with @key{META} keys, too, in case -you have formed a habit of using it. - - Emacs defines several other modifier keys that can be applied to any -input character. These are called @key{SUPER}, @key{HYPER} and -@key{ALT}. We write @samp{s-}, @samp{H-} and @samp{A-} to say that a -character uses these modifiers. Thus, @kbd{s-H-C-x} is short for -@kbd{Super-Hyper-Control-x}. Not all graphical terminals actually -provide keys for these modifier flags---in fact, many terminals have a -key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key. The standard -key bindings of Emacs do not include any characters with these -modifiers. But you can assign them meanings of your own by -customizing Emacs. - - If your keyboard lacks one of these modifier keys, you can enter it -using @kbd{C-x @@}: @kbd{C-x @@ h} adds the ``hyper'' flag to the next -character, @kbd{C-x @@ s} adds the ``super'' flag, and @kbd{C-x @@ a} -adds the ``alt'' flag. For instance, @kbd{C-x @@ h C-a} is a way to -enter @kbd{Hyper-Control-a}. (Unfortunately there is no way to add -two modifiers by using @kbd{C-x @@} twice for the same character, -because the first one goes to work on the @kbd{C-x}.) - - Keyboard input includes keyboard keys that are not characters at -all, such as function keys and arrow keys. Mouse buttons are also not -characters. However, you can modify these events with the modifier -keys @key{CTRL}, @key{META}, @key{SUPER}, @key{HYPER} and @key{ALT}, -just like keyboard characters. - -@cindex input event - Input characters and non-character inputs are collectively called -@dfn{input events}. @xref{Input Events,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp -Reference Manual}, for the full Lisp-level details. If you are not -doing Lisp programming, but simply want to redefine the meaning of -some characters or non-character events, see @ref{Customization}. - - @acronym{ASCII} terminals cannot really send anything to the computer except -@acronym{ASCII} characters. These terminals use a sequence of characters to -represent each function key. But that is invisible to the Emacs user, -because the keyboard input routines catch these special sequences -and convert them to function key events before any other part of Emacs -gets to see them. - -@cindex keys stolen by window manager -@cindex window manager, keys stolen by - On graphical displays, the window manager is likely to block the -character @kbd{Meta-@key{TAB}} before Emacs can see it. It may also -block @kbd{Meta-@key{SPC}}, @kbd{C-M-d} and @kbd{C-M-l}. If you have -these problems, we recommend that you customize your window manager to -turn off those commands, or put them on key combinations that Emacs -does not use. - -@node Keys, Commands, User Input, Top -@section Keys - -@cindex key sequence -@cindex key - A @dfn{key sequence} (@dfn{key}, for short) is a sequence of input -events that is meaningful as a unit---a ``single command.'' Some -Emacs command sequences are invoked by just one character or one -event; for example, just @kbd{C-f} moves forward one character in the -buffer. But Emacs also has commands that take two or more events to -invoke. - -@cindex complete key -@cindex prefix key - If a sequence of events is enough to invoke a command, it is a -@dfn{complete key}. Examples of complete keys include @kbd{C-a}, -@kbd{X}, @key{RET}, @key{NEXT} (a function key), @key{DOWN} (an arrow -key), @kbd{C-x C-f}, and @kbd{C-x 4 C-f}. If it isn't long enough to be -complete, we call it a @dfn{prefix key}. The above examples show that -@kbd{C-x} and @kbd{C-x 4} are prefix keys. Every key sequence is either -a complete key or a prefix key. - - Most single characters constitute complete keys in the standard Emacs -command bindings. A few of them are prefix keys. A prefix key combines -with the following input event to make a longer key sequence, which may -itself be complete or a prefix. For example, @kbd{C-x} is a prefix key, -so @kbd{C-x} and the next input event combine to make a two-event -key sequence. Most of these key sequences are complete keys, including -@kbd{C-x C-f} and @kbd{C-x b}. A few, such as @kbd{C-x 4} and @kbd{C-x -r}, are themselves prefix keys that lead to three-event key -sequences. There's no limit to the length of a key sequence, but in -practice people rarely use sequences longer than four events. - - You can't add input events onto a complete key. For example, the -two-event sequence @kbd{C-f C-k} is not a key, because the @kbd{C-f} -is a complete key in itself. It's impossible to give @kbd{C-f C-k} an -independent meaning as a command. @kbd{C-f C-k} is two key sequences, -not one.@refill - - All told, the prefix keys in Emacs are @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-h}, -@kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-x @key{RET}}, @kbd{C-x @@}, @kbd{C-x a}, @kbd{C-x -n}, @w{@kbd{C-x r}}, @kbd{C-x v}, @kbd{C-x 4}, @kbd{C-x 5}, @kbd{C-x -6}, @key{ESC}, @kbd{M-g}, and @kbd{M-o}. (@key{F1} and @key{F2} are -aliases for @kbd{C-h} and @kbd{C-x 6}.) This list is not cast in stone; -it describes the standard key bindings. If you customize Emacs, you can make -new prefix keys, or eliminate some of the standard ones (not -recommended for most users). @xref{Key Bindings}. - - If you make or eliminate prefix keys, that changes the set of -possible key sequences. For example, if you redefine @kbd{C-f} as a -prefix, @kbd{C-f C-k} automatically becomes a key (complete, unless -you define that too as a prefix). Conversely, if you remove the -prefix definition of @kbd{C-x 4}, then @kbd{C-x 4 f} and @kbd{C-x 4 -@var{anything}} are no longer keys. - - Typing the help character (@kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}) after a prefix key -displays a list of the commands starting with that prefix. There are -a few prefix keys after which @kbd{C-h} does not work---for historical -reasons, they define other meanings for @kbd{C-h} which are painful to -change. @key{F1} works after all prefix keys. - -@node Commands, Text Characters, Keys, Top -@section Keys and Commands - -@cindex binding -@cindex command -@cindex function definition - This manual is full of passages that tell you what particular keys -do. But Emacs does not assign meanings to keys directly. Instead, -Emacs assigns meanings to named @dfn{commands}, and then gives keys -their meanings by @dfn{binding} them to commands. - - Every command has a name chosen by a programmer. The name is -usually made of a few English words separated by dashes; for example, -@code{next-line} or @code{forward-word}. A command also has a -@dfn{function definition} which is a Lisp program; this is how the -command does its work. In Emacs Lisp, a command is a Lisp function with -special options to read arguments and for interactive use. For more -information on commands and functions, see @ref{What Is a Function,, -What Is a Function, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. (The -definition here is simplified slightly.) - - The bindings between keys and commands are recorded in tables called -@dfn{keymaps}. @xref{Keymaps}. - - When we say that ``@kbd{C-n} moves down vertically one line'' we are -glossing over a subtle distinction that is irrelevant in ordinary use, -but vital for Emacs customization. The command @code{next-line} does -a vertical move downward. @kbd{C-n} has this effect @emph{because} it -is bound to @code{next-line}. If you rebind @kbd{C-n} to the command -@code{forward-word}, @kbd{C-n} will move forward one word instead. -Rebinding keys is an important method of customization. - - In the rest of this manual, we usually ignore this distinction to -keep things simple. We will often speak of keys like @kbd{C-n} as -commands, even though strictly speaking the key is bound to a command. -Usually we state the name of the command which really does the work in -parentheses after mentioning the key that runs it. For example, we -will say that ``The command @kbd{C-n} (@code{next-line}) moves point -vertically down,'' meaning that the command @code{next-line} moves -vertically down, and the key @kbd{C-n} is normally bound to it. - - Since we are discussing customization, we should tell you about -@dfn{variables}. Often the description of a command will say, ``To -change this, set the variable @code{mumble-foo}.'' A variable is a -name used to store a value. Most of the variables documented in this -manual are meant for customization: some command or other part of -Emacs examines the variable and behaves differently according to the -value that you set. You can ignore the information about variables -until you are interested in customizing them. Then read the basic -information on variables (@pxref{Variables}) and the information about -specific variables will make sense. - -@node Text Characters, Entering Emacs, Commands, Top -@section Character Set for Text -@cindex characters (in text) - - Text in Emacs buffers is a sequence of characters. In the simplest -case, these are @acronym{ASCII} characters, each stored in one 8-bit -byte. Both @acronym{ASCII} control characters (octal codes 000 -through 037, and 0177) and @acronym{ASCII} printing characters (codes -040 through 0176) are allowed. The other modifier flags used in -keyboard input, such as Meta, are not allowed in buffers. - - Non-@acronym{ASCII} printing characters can also appear in buffers, -when multibyte characters are enabled. They have character codes -starting at 256, octal 0400, and each one is represented as a sequence -of two or more bytes. @xref{International}. Single-byte characters -with codes 128 through 255 can also appear in multibyte buffers. -However, non-@acronym{ASCII} control characters cannot appear in a -buffer. - - Some @acronym{ASCII} control characters serve special purposes in text, and have -special names. For example, the newline character (octal code 012) is -used in the buffer to end a line, and the tab character (octal code 011) -is used for indenting to the next tab stop column (normally every 8 -columns). @xref{Text Display}. - - If you disable multibyte characters, then you can use only one -alphabet of non-@acronym{ASCII} characters, which all fit in one byte. -They use octal codes 0200 through 0377. @xref{Unibyte Mode}. - -@ifnottex -@lowersections -@end ifnottex - -@ignore - arch-tag: 9be43eef-d1f4-4d03-a916-c741ea713a45 -@end ignore