Mercurial > emacs

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/doc/emacs/basic.texi	Thu Sep 06 04:44:12 2007 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,776 @@
+@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
+@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001,
+@c   2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
+@node Basic, Minibuffer, Exiting, Top
+@chapter Basic Editing Commands
+
+@kindex C-h t
+@findex help-with-tutorial
+  Here we explain the basics of how to enter text, make corrections,
+and save the text in a file.  If this material is new to you, we
+suggest you first run the Emacs learn-by-doing tutorial, by typing
+@kbd{Control-h t} inside Emacs.  (@code{help-with-tutorial}).
+
+  To clear and redisplay the screen, type @kbd{C-l} (@code{recenter}).
+
+@menu
+
+* Inserting Text::      Inserting text by simply typing it.
+* Moving Point::        Moving the cursor to the place where you want to
+			  change something.
+* Erasing::	        Deleting and killing text.
+* Basic Undo::	        Undoing recent changes in the text.
+* Files: Basic Files.   Visiting, creating, and saving files.
+* Help: Basic Help.     Asking what a character does.
+* Blank Lines::	        Making and deleting blank lines.
+* Continuation Lines::  How Emacs displays lines too wide for the screen.
+* Position Info::       What page, line, row, or column is point on?
+* Arguments::	        Numeric arguments for repeating a command N times.
+* Repeating::           Repeating the previous command quickly.
+@end menu
+
+@node Inserting Text
+@section Inserting Text
+
+@cindex insertion
+@cindex graphic characters
+  Typing printing characters inserts them into the text you are
+editing.  It inserts them into the buffer at the cursor; more
+precisely, it inserts them at @dfn{point}, but the cursor normally
+shows where point is.  @xref{Point}.
+
+  Insertion moves the cursor forward, and the following text moves
+forward with the cursor.  If the text in the buffer is @samp{FOOBAR},
+with the cursor before the @samp{B}, and you type @kbd{XX}, you get
+@samp{FOOXXBAR}, with the cursor still before the @samp{B}.
+
+   To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use the large key
+labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE} or @key{DELETE} which is a short
+distance above the @key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key.  Regardless of the
+label on that key, Emacs thinks of it as @key{DEL}, and that's what we
+call it in this manual.  @key{DEL} is the key you normally use outside
+Emacs to erase the last character that you typed.
+
+  The @key{DEL} key deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor.
+As a consequence, the cursor and all the characters after it move
+backwards.  If you type a printing character and then type @key{DEL},
+they cancel out.
+
+  On most computers, Emacs sets up @key{DEL} automatically.  In some
+cases, especially with text-only terminals, Emacs may guess wrong.  If
+the key that ought to erase the last character doesn't do it in Emacs,
+see @ref{DEL Does Not Delete}.
+
+  Most PC keyboards have both a @key{BACKSPACE} key a little ways
+above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere.  On
+these keyboards, Emacs tries to set up @key{BACKSPACE} as @key{DEL}.
+The @key{DELETE} key deletes ``forwards'' like @kbd{C-d} (see below),
+which means it deletes the character underneath the cursor (after
+point).
+
+@kindex RET
+@cindex newline
+   To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}.  (This
+key may be labeled @key{RETURN} or @key{ENTER}, but in Emacs we call
+it @key{RET}.)  This inserts a newline character in the buffer.  If
+point is at the end of the line, this creates a new blank line after
+it.  If point is in the middle of a line, the effect is to split that
+line.  Typing @key{DEL} when the cursor is at the beginning of a line
+deletes the preceding newline character, thus joining the line with
+the one before it.
+
+  Emacs can split lines automatically when they become too long, if
+you turn on a special minor mode called @dfn{Auto Fill} mode.
+@xref{Filling}, for Auto Fill mode and other methods of @dfn{filling}
+text.
+
+  If you prefer printing characters to replace (overwrite) existing
+text, rather than shove it to the right, you should enable Overwrite
+mode, a minor mode.  @xref{Minor Modes}.
+
+@cindex quoting
+@kindex C-q
+@findex quoted-insert
+  Only printing characters and @key{SPC} insert themselves in Emacs.
+Other characters act as editing commands and do not insert themselves.
+These include control characters, and characters with codes above 200
+octal.  If you need to insert one of these characters in the buffer,
+you must @dfn{quote} it by typing the character @kbd{Control-q}
+(@code{quoted-insert}) first.  (This character's name is normally
+written @kbd{C-q} for short.)  There are two ways to use
+@kbd{C-q}:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+@kbd{C-q} followed by any non-graphic character (even @kbd{C-g})
+inserts that character.
+
+@item
+@kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits inserts the character
+with the specified octal character code.  You can use any number of
+octal digits; any non-digit terminates the sequence.  If the
+terminating character is @key{RET}, it serves only to terminate the
+sequence.  Any other non-digit terminates the sequence and then acts
+as normal input---thus, @kbd{C-q 1 0 1 B} inserts @samp{AB}.
+
+The use of octal sequences is disabled in ordinary non-binary
+Overwrite mode, to give you a convenient way to insert a digit instead
+of overwriting with it.
+@end itemize
+
+@cindex 8-bit character codes
+@noindent
+When multibyte characters are enabled, if you specify a code in the
+range 0200 through 0377 octal, @kbd{C-q} assumes that you intend to
+use some ISO 8859-@var{n} character set, and converts the specified
+code to the corresponding Emacs character code.  @xref{Enabling
+Multibyte}.  You select @emph{which} of the ISO 8859 character sets to
+use through your choice of language environment (@pxref{Language
+Environments}).
+
+@vindex read-quoted-char-radix
+To use decimal or hexadecimal instead of octal, set the variable
+@code{read-quoted-char-radix} to 10 or 16.  If the radix is greater than
+10, some letters starting with @kbd{a} serve as part of a character
+code, just like digits.
+
+A numeric argument tells @kbd{C-q} how many copies of the quoted
+character to insert (@pxref{Arguments}).
+
+@findex newline
+@findex self-insert
+  Customization information: @key{DEL} in most modes runs the command
+@code{delete-backward-char}; @key{RET} runs the command
+@code{newline}, and self-inserting printing characters run the command
+@code{self-insert}, which inserts whatever character you typed.  Some
+major modes rebind @key{DEL} to other commands.
+
+@node Moving Point
+@section Changing the Location of Point
+
+@cindex arrow keys
+@cindex moving point
+@cindex movement
+@cindex cursor motion
+@cindex moving the cursor
+  To do more than insert characters, you have to know how to move point
+(@pxref{Point}).  The simplest way to do this is with arrow keys, or by
+clicking the left mouse button where you want to move to.
+
+  There are also control and meta characters for cursor motion.  Some
+are equivalent to the arrow keys (it is faster to use these control
+keys than move your hand over to the arrow keys).  Others do more
+sophisticated things.
+
+@kindex C-a
+@kindex C-e
+@kindex C-f
+@kindex C-b
+@kindex C-n
+@kindex C-p
+@kindex M->
+@kindex M-<
+@kindex M-r
+@kindex LEFT
+@kindex RIGHT
+@kindex UP
+@kindex DOWN
+@findex move-beginning-of-line
+@findex move-end-of-line
+@findex forward-char
+@findex backward-char
+@findex next-line
+@findex previous-line
+@findex beginning-of-buffer
+@findex end-of-buffer
+@findex goto-char
+@findex goto-line
+@findex move-to-window-line
+@table @kbd
+@item C-a
+Move to the beginning of the line (@code{move-beginning-of-line}).
+@item C-e
+Move to the end of the line (@code{move-end-of-line}).
+@item C-f
+Move forward one character (@code{forward-char}).  The right-arrow key
+does the same thing.
+@item C-b
+Move backward one character (@code{backward-char}).  The left-arrow
+key has the same effect.
+@item M-f
+Move forward one word (@code{forward-word}).
+@item M-b
+Move backward one word (@code{backward-word}).
+@item C-n
+Move down one line vertically (@code{next-line}).  This command
+attempts to keep the horizontal position unchanged, so if you start in
+the middle of one line, you move to the middle of the next.  The
+down-arrow key does the same thing.
+@item C-p
+Move up one line, vertically (@code{previous-line}).  The up-arrow key
+has the same effect.  This command preserves position within the line,
+like @kbd{C-n}.
+@item M-r
+Move point to left margin, vertically centered in the window
+(@code{move-to-window-line}).  Text does not move on the screen.
+A numeric argument says which screen line to place point on, counting
+downward from the top of the window (zero means the top line).  A
+negative argument counts lines up from the bottom (@minus{}1 means the
+bottom line).
+@item M-<
+Move to the top of the buffer (@code{beginning-of-buffer}).  With
+numeric argument @var{n}, move to @var{n}/10 of the way from the top.
+@xref{Arguments}, for more information on numeric arguments.@refill
+@item M->
+Move to the end of the buffer (@code{end-of-buffer}).
+@item C-v
+@itemx @key{PAGEDOWN}
+@itemx @key{PRIOR}
+Scroll the display one screen forward, and move point if necessary to
+put it on the screen (@code{scroll-up}).  This doesn't always move
+point, but it is commonly used to do so.  If your keyboard has a
+@key{PAGEDOWN} or @key{PRIOR} key, it does the same thing.
+
+Scrolling commands are described further in @ref{Scrolling}.
+@item M-v
+@itemx @key{PAGEUP}
+@itemx @key{NEXT}
+Scroll one screen backward, and move point if necessary to put it on
+the screen (@code{scroll-down}).  This doesn't always move point, but
+it is commonly used to do so.  If your keyboard has a @key{PAGEUP} or
+@key{NEXT} key, it does the same thing.
+@item M-x goto-char
+Read a number @var{n} and move point to buffer position @var{n}.
+Position 1 is the beginning of the buffer.
+@item M-g M-g
+@itemx M-g g
+@itemx M-x goto-line
+Read a number @var{n} and move point to the beginning of line number
+@var{n}.  Line 1 is the beginning of the buffer.  If point is on or
+just after a number in the buffer, and you type @key{RET} with the
+minibuffer empty, that number is used for @var{n}.
+@item C-x C-n
+@findex set-goal-column
+@kindex C-x C-n
+Use the current column of point as the @dfn{semipermanent goal column}
+for @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} (@code{set-goal-column}).  When a
+semipermanent goal column is in effect, those commands always try to
+move to this column, or as close as possible to it, after moving
+vertically.  The goal column remains in effect until canceled.
+@item C-u C-x C-n
+Cancel the goal column.  Henceforth, @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} try to
+preserve the horizontal position, as usual.
+@end table
+
+@vindex track-eol
+  If you set the variable @code{track-eol} to a non-@code{nil} value,
+then @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}, when starting at the end of the line, move
+to the end of another line.  Normally, @code{track-eol} is @code{nil}.
+@xref{Variables}, for how to set variables such as @code{track-eol}.
+
+@vindex next-line-add-newlines
+  @kbd{C-n} normally stops at the end of the buffer when you use it on
+the last line of the buffer.  However, if you set the variable
+@code{next-line-add-newlines} to a non-@code{nil} value, @kbd{C-n} on
+the last line of a buffer creates an additional line at the end and
+moves down into it.
+
+@node Erasing
+@section Erasing Text
+
+@table @kbd
+@item @key{DEL}
+Delete the character before point (@code{delete-backward-char}).
+@item C-d
+Delete the character after point (@code{delete-char}).
+@item @key{DELETE}
+@itemx @key{BACKSPACE}
+One of these keys, whichever is the large key above the @key{RET} or
+@key{ENTER} key, deletes the character before point---it is @key{DEL}.
+If @key{BACKSPACE} is @key{DEL}, and your keyboard also has @key{DELETE},
+then @key{DELETE} deletes forwards, like @kbd{C-d}.
+@item C-k
+Kill to the end of the line (@code{kill-line}).
+@item M-d
+Kill forward to the end of the next word (@code{kill-word}).
+@item M-@key{DEL}
+Kill back to the beginning of the previous word
+(@code{backward-kill-word}).
+@end table
+
+@cindex killing characters and lines
+@cindex deleting characters and lines
+@cindex erasing characters and lines
+  You already know about the @key{DEL} key which deletes the character
+before point (that is, before the cursor).  Another key, @kbd{Control-d}
+(@kbd{C-d} for short), deletes the character after point (that is, the
+character that the cursor is on).  This shifts the rest of the text on
+the line to the left.  If you type @kbd{C-d} at the end of a line, it
+joins that line with the following line.
+
+  To erase a larger amount of text, use the @kbd{C-k} key, which
+erases (kills) a line at a time.  If you type @kbd{C-k} at the
+beginning or middle of a line, it kills all the text up to the end of
+the line.  If you type @kbd{C-k} at the end of a line, it joins that
+line with the following line.
+
+  @xref{Killing}, for more flexible ways of killing text.
+
+@node Basic Undo
+@section Undoing Changes
+
+  Emacs records a list of changes made in the buffer text, so you can
+you can undo recent changes, as far as the records go.
+Usually each editing command makes a separate entry in the undo
+records, but sometimes an entry covers just part of a command, and
+very simple commands may be grouped.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item C-x u
+Undo one entry of the undo records---usually, one command worth
+(@code{undo}).
+@item C-_
+@itemx C-/
+The same.
+@end table
+
+  The command @kbd{C-x u} (or @kbd{C-_} or @kbd{C-/}) is how you undo.
+Normally this command undoes the last change, and moves point back to
+where it was before the change.
+
+  If you repeat @kbd{C-x u} (or its aliases), each repetition undoes
+another, earlier change, back to the limit of the undo information
+available.  If all recorded changes have already been undone, the undo
+command displays an error message and does nothing.
+
+  The undo command applies only to changes in the buffer; you can't
+use it to undo mere cursor motion.  However, some cursor motion
+commands set the mark, so if you use these commands from time to time,
+you can move back to the neighborhoods you have moved through by
+popping the mark ring (@pxref{Mark Ring}).
+
+@node Basic Files
+@section Files
+
+  Text that you insert in an Emacs buffer lasts only as long as the
+Emacs session.  To keep any text permanently you must put it in a
+@dfn{file}.  Files are named units of text which are stored by the
+operating system for you to retrieve later by name.  To use the
+contents of a file in any way, you must specify the file name.  That
+includes editing the file with Emacs.
+
+  Suppose there is a file named @file{test.emacs} in your home
+directory.  To begin editing this file in Emacs, type
+
+@example
+C-x C-f test.emacs @key{RET}
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+Here the file name is given as an @dfn{argument} to the command @kbd{C-x
+C-f} (@code{find-file}).  That command uses the @dfn{minibuffer} to
+read the argument, and you type @key{RET} to terminate the argument
+(@pxref{Minibuffer}).
+
+  Emacs obeys this command by @dfn{visiting} the file: it creates a
+buffer, it copies the contents of the file into the buffer, and then
+displays the buffer for editing.  If you alter the text, you can
+@dfn{save} the new text in the file by typing @kbd{C-x C-s}
+(@code{save-buffer}).  This copies the altered buffer contents back
+into the file @file{test.emacs}, making them permanent.  Until you
+save, the changed text exists only inside Emacs, and the file
+@file{test.emacs} is unaltered.
+
+  To create a file, just visit it with @kbd{C-x C-f} as if it already
+existed.  This creates an empty buffer, in which you can insert the
+text you want to put in the file.  Emacs actually creates the file the
+first time you save this buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}.
+
+  To learn more about using files in Emacs, see @ref{Files}.
+
+@node Basic Help
+@section Help
+
+@cindex getting help with keys
+  If you forget what a key does, you can find out with the Help
+character, which is @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}, which is an alias for
+@kbd{C-h}).  Type @kbd{C-h k} followed by the key of interest; for
+example, @kbd{C-h k C-n} tells you what @kbd{C-n} does.  @kbd{C-h} is
+a prefix key; @kbd{C-h k} is just one of its subcommands (the command
+@code{describe-key}).  The other subcommands of @kbd{C-h} provide
+different kinds of help.  Type @kbd{C-h} twice to get a description of
+all the help facilities.  @xref{Help}.
+
+@node Blank Lines
+@section Blank Lines
+
+@cindex inserting blank lines
+@cindex deleting blank lines
+  Here are special commands and techniques for inserting and deleting
+blank lines.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item C-o
+Insert one or more blank lines after the cursor (@code{open-line}).
+@item C-x C-o
+Delete all but one of many consecutive blank lines
+(@code{delete-blank-lines}).
+@end table
+
+@kindex C-o
+@kindex C-x C-o
+@cindex blank lines
+@findex open-line
+@findex delete-blank-lines
+  To insert a new line of text before an existing line,
+type the new line of text, followed by @key{RET}.
+However, it may be easier to see what you are doing if you first make a
+blank line and then insert the desired text into it.  This is easy to do
+using the key @kbd{C-o} (@code{open-line}), which inserts a newline
+after point but leaves point in front of the newline.  After @kbd{C-o},
+type the text for the new line.  @kbd{C-o F O O} has the same effect as
+@w{@kbd{F O O @key{RET}}}, except for the final location of point.
+
+  You can make several blank lines by typing @kbd{C-o} several times, or
+by giving it a numeric argument specifying how many blank lines to make.
+@xref{Arguments}, for how.  If you have a fill prefix, the @kbd{C-o}
+command inserts the fill prefix on the new line, if typed at the
+beginning of a line.  @xref{Fill Prefix}.
+
+  The easy way to get rid of extra blank lines is with the command
+@kbd{C-x C-o} (@code{delete-blank-lines}).  @kbd{C-x C-o} in a run of
+several blank lines deletes all but one of them.  @kbd{C-x C-o} on a
+lone blank line deletes that one.  When point is on a nonblank line,
+@kbd{C-x C-o} deletes all following blank lines (if any).
+
+@node Continuation Lines
+@section Continuation Lines
+
+@cindex continuation line
+@cindex wrapping
+@cindex line wrapping
+@cindex fringes, and continuation lines
+  When a text line is too long to fit in one screen line, Emacs
+displays it on two or more screen lines.  This is called
+@dfn{continuation} or @dfn{line wrapping}.  On graphical displays,
+Emacs indicates line wrapping with small bent arrows in the left and
+right window fringes.  On text-only terminals, Emacs displays a
+@samp{\} character at the right margin of a screen line if it is not
+the last in its text line.  This @samp{\} character says that the
+following screen line is not really a new text line.
+
+  When line wrapping occurs just before a character that is wider than one
+column, some columns at the end of the previous screen line may be
+``empty.''  In this case, Emacs displays additional @samp{\}
+characters in the ``empty'' columns before the @samp{\}
+character that indicates continuation.
+
+  Continued lines can be difficult to read, since lines can break in
+the middle of a word.  If you prefer, you can make Emacs insert a
+newline automatically when a line gets too long, by using Auto Fill
+mode.  Or enable Long Lines mode, which ensures that wrapping only
+occurs between words.  @xref{Filling}.
+
+@cindex truncation
+@cindex line truncation, and fringes
+  Emacs can optionally @dfn{truncate} long lines---this means
+displaying just one screen line worth, and the rest of the long line
+does not appear at all.  @samp{$} in the last column or a small
+straight arrow in the window's right fringe indicates a truncated
+line.
+
+  @xref{Line Truncation}, for more about line truncation,
+and other variables that control how text is displayed.
+
+@node Position Info
+@section Cursor Position Information
+
+  Here are commands to get information about the size and position of
+parts of the buffer, and to count lines.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item M-x what-page
+Display the page number of point, and the line number within that page.
+@item M-x what-line
+Display the line number of point in the whole buffer.
+@item M-x line-number-mode
+@itemx M-x column-number-mode
+Toggle automatic display of the current line number or column number.
+@xref{Optional Mode Line}.
+@item M-=
+Display the number of lines in the current region (@code{count-lines-region}).
+@xref{Mark}, for information about the region.
+@item C-x =
+Display the character code of character after point, character position of
+point, and column of point (@code{what-cursor-position}).
+@item M-x hl-line-mode
+Enable or disable highlighting of the current line.  @xref{Cursor
+Display}.
+@item M-x size-indication-mode
+Toggle automatic display of the size of the buffer.
+@xref{Optional Mode Line}.
+@end table
+
+@findex what-page
+@findex what-line
+@cindex line number commands
+@cindex location of point
+@cindex cursor location
+@cindex point location
+  @kbd{M-x what-line} displays the current line number
+in the echo area.  You can also see the current line number in the
+mode line; see @ref{Mode Line}; but if you narrow the buffer, the
+line number in the mode line is relative to the accessible portion
+(@pxref{Narrowing}).  By contrast, @code{what-line} shows both the
+line number relative to the narrowed region and the line number
+relative to the whole buffer.
+
+  @kbd{M-x what-page} counts pages from the beginning of the file, and
+counts lines within the page, showing both numbers in the echo area.
+@xref{Pages}.
+
+@kindex M-=
+@findex count-lines-region
+  Use @kbd{M-=} (@code{count-lines-region}) to displays the number of
+lines in the region (@pxref{Mark}).  @xref{Pages}, for the command
+@kbd{C-x l} which counts the lines in the current page.
+
+@kindex C-x =
+@findex what-cursor-position
+  The command @kbd{C-x =} (@code{what-cursor-position}) shows what
+cursor's column position, and other information about point and the
+character after it.  It displays a line in the echo area that looks
+like this:
+
+@smallexample
+Char: c (99, #o143, #x63) point=28062 of 36168 (78%) column=53
+@end smallexample
+
+  The four values after @samp{Char:} describe the character that follows
+point, first by showing it and then by giving its character code in
+decimal, octal and hex.  For a non-@acronym{ASCII} multibyte character, these are
+followed by @samp{file} and the character's representation, in hex, in
+the buffer's coding system, if that coding system encodes the character
+safely and with a single byte (@pxref{Coding Systems}).  If the
+character's encoding is longer than one byte, Emacs shows @samp{file ...}.
+
+  However, if the character displayed is in the range 0200 through
+0377 octal, it may actually stand for an invalid UTF-8 byte read from
+a file.  In Emacs, that byte is represented as a sequence of 8-bit
+characters, but all of them together display as the original invalid
+byte, in octal code.  In this case, @kbd{C-x =} shows @samp{part of
+display ...} instead of @samp{file}.
+
+  @samp{point=} is followed by the position of point expressed as a
+character count.  The start of the buffer is position 1, one character
+later is position 2, and so on.  The next, larger, number is the total
+number of characters in the buffer.  Afterward in parentheses comes
+the position expressed as a percentage of the total size.
+
+  @samp{column=} is followed by the horizontal position of point, in
+columns from the left edge of the window.
+
+  If the buffer has been narrowed, making some of the text at the
+beginning and the end temporarily inaccessible, @kbd{C-x =} displays
+additional text describing the currently accessible range.  For example, it
+might display this:
+
+@smallexample
+Char: C (67, #o103, #x43) point=252 of 889 (28%) <231-599> column=0
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where the two extra numbers give the smallest and largest character
+position that point is allowed to assume.  The characters between those
+two positions are the accessible ones.  @xref{Narrowing}.
+
+  If point is at the end of the buffer (or the end of the accessible
+part), the @w{@kbd{C-x =}} output does not describe a character after
+point.  The output might look like this:
+
+@smallexample
+point=36169 of 36168 (EOB) column=0
+@end smallexample
+
+@cindex character set of character at point
+@cindex font of character at point
+@cindex text properties at point
+@cindex face at point
+  @w{@kbd{C-u C-x =}} displays the following additional information about a
+character.
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+The character set name, and the codes that identify the character
+within that character set; @acronym{ASCII} characters are identified
+as belonging to the @code{ascii} character set.
+
+@item
+The character's syntax and categories.
+
+@item
+The character's encodings, both internally in the buffer, and externally
+if you were to save the file.
+
+@item
+What keys to type to input the character in the current input method
+(if it supports the character).
+
+@item
+If you are running Emacs on a graphical display, the font name and
+glyph code for the character.  If you are running Emacs on a text-only
+terminal, the code(s) sent to the terminal.
+
+@item
+The character's text properties (@pxref{Text Properties,,,
+elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}), including any non-default
+faces used to display the character, and any overlays containing it
+(@pxref{Overlays,,, elisp, the same manual}).
+@end itemize
+
+  Here's an example showing the Latin-1 character A with grave accent,
+in a buffer whose coding system is @code{iso-latin-1}, whose
+terminal coding system is @code{iso-latin-1} (so the terminal actually
+displays the character as @samp{@`A}), and which has font-lock-mode
+(@pxref{Font Lock}) enabled:
+
+@smallexample
+  character: @`A (2240, #o4300, #x8c0, U+00C0)
+    charset: latin-iso8859-1
+             (Right-Hand Part of Latin Alphabet 1@dots{}
+ code point: #x40
+     syntax: w 	which means: word
+   category: l:Latin
+   to input: type "`A" with latin-1-prefix
+buffer code: #x81 #xC0
+  file code: #xC0 (encoded by coding system iso-latin-1)
+    display: terminal code #xC0
+
+There are text properties here:
+  fontified            t
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Arguments
+@section Numeric Arguments
+@cindex numeric arguments
+@cindex prefix arguments
+@cindex arguments to commands
+
+  In mathematics and computer usage, @dfn{argument} means
+``data provided to a function or operation.''  You can give any Emacs
+command a @dfn{numeric argument} (also called a @dfn{prefix argument}).
+Some commands interpret the argument as a repetition count.  For
+example, @kbd{C-f} with an argument of ten moves forward ten characters
+instead of one.  With these commands, no argument is equivalent to an
+argument of one.  Negative arguments tell most such commands to move or
+act in the opposite direction.
+
+@kindex M-1
+@kindex M-@t{-}
+@findex digit-argument
+@findex negative-argument
+  If your terminal keyboard has a @key{META} key (labeled @key{ALT} on
+PC keyboards), the easiest way to specify a numeric argument is to
+type digits and/or a minus sign while holding down the @key{META} key.
+For example,
+
+@example
+M-5 C-n
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+moves down five lines.  The characters @kbd{Meta-1}, @kbd{Meta-2},
+and so on, as well as @kbd{Meta--}, do this because they are keys bound
+to commands (@code{digit-argument} and @code{negative-argument}) that
+are defined to set up an argument for the next command.
+@kbd{Meta--} without digits normally means @minus{}1.  Digits and
+@kbd{-} modified with Control, or Control and Meta, also specify numeric
+arguments.
+
+@kindex C-u
+@findex universal-argument
+  You can also specify a numeric argument by typing @kbd{C-u}
+(@code{universal-argument}) followed by the digits.  The advantage of
+@kbd{C-u} is that you can type the digits without modifier keys; thus,
+@kbd{C-u} works on all terminals.  For a negative argument, type a
+minus sign after @kbd{C-u}.  A minus sign without digits normally
+means @minus{}1.
+
+  @kbd{C-u} alone has the special meaning of
+``four times'': it multiplies the argument for the next command by
+four.  @kbd{C-u C-u} multiplies it by sixteen.  Thus, @kbd{C-u C-u
+C-f} moves forward sixteen characters.  This is a good way to move
+forward ``fast,'' since it moves about 1/5 of a line in the usual size
+screen.  Other useful combinations are @kbd{C-u C-n}, @kbd{C-u C-u
+C-n} (move down a good fraction of a screen), @kbd{C-u C-u C-o} (make
+``a lot'' of blank lines), and @kbd{C-u C-k} (kill four lines).
+
+  Some commands care whether there is an argument, but ignore its
+value.  For example, the command @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph})
+fills text; with an argument, it justifies the text as well.
+(@xref{Filling}, for more information on @kbd{M-q}.)  Plain @kbd{C-u}
+is a handy way of providing an argument for such commands.
+
+  Some commands use the value of the argument as a repeat count, but do
+something peculiar when there is no argument.  For example, the command
+@kbd{C-k} (@code{kill-line}) with argument @var{n} kills @var{n} lines,
+including their terminating newlines.  But @kbd{C-k} with no argument is
+special: it kills the text up to the next newline, or, if point is right at
+the end of the line, it kills the newline itself.  Thus, two @kbd{C-k}
+commands with no arguments can kill a nonblank line, just like @kbd{C-k}
+with an argument of one.  (@xref{Killing}, for more information on
+@kbd{C-k}.)
+
+  A few commands treat a plain @kbd{C-u} differently from an ordinary
+argument.  A few others may treat an argument of just a minus sign
+differently from an argument of @minus{}1.  These unusual cases are
+described when they come up; they exist to make an individual command
+more convenient, and they are documented in that command's
+documentation string.
+
+  You can use a numeric argument before a self-inserting character to
+insert multiple copies of it.  This is straightforward when the
+character is not a digit; for example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 a} inserts 64
+copies of the character @samp{a}.  But this does not work for
+inserting digits; @kbd{C-u 6 4 1} specifies an argument of 641.  You
+can separate the argument from the digit to insert with another
+@kbd{C-u}; for example, @kbd{C-u 6 4 C-u 1} does insert 64 copies of
+the character @samp{1}.
+
+  We use the term ``prefix argument'' as well as ``numeric argument,''
+to emphasize that you type these argument before the command, and to
+distinguish them from minibuffer arguments that come after the
+command.
+
+@node Repeating
+@section Repeating a Command
+@cindex repeating a command
+
+  Many simple commands, such as those invoked with a single key or
+with @kbd{M-x @var{command-name} @key{RET}}, can be repeated by
+invoking them with a numeric argument that serves as a repeat count
+(@pxref{Arguments}).  However, if the command you want to repeat
+prompts for input, or uses a numeric argument in another way, that
+method won't work.
+
+@kindex C-x z
+@findex repeat
+  The command @kbd{C-x z} (@code{repeat}) provides another way to repeat
+an Emacs command many times.  This command repeats the previous Emacs
+command, whatever that was.  Repeating a command uses the same arguments
+that were used before; it does not read new arguments each time.
+
+  To repeat the command more than once, type additional @kbd{z}'s: each
+@kbd{z} repeats the command one more time.  Repetition ends when you
+type a character other than @kbd{z}, or press a mouse button.
+
+  For example, suppose you type @kbd{C-u 2 0 C-d} to delete 20
+characters.  You can repeat that command (including its argument) three
+additional times, to delete a total of 80 characters, by typing @kbd{C-x
+z z z}.  The first @kbd{C-x z} repeats the command once, and each
+subsequent @kbd{z} repeats it once again.
+
+@ignore
+   arch-tag: cda8952a-c439-41c1-aecf-4bc0d6482956
+@end ignore