Mercurial > emacs
changeset 13:a436ea70a0cf
Initial revision
| author | Jim Blandy <jimb@redhat.com> |
|---|---|
| date | Thu, 19 May 1988 17:16:58 +0000 |
| parents | 4f420246a4f7 |
| children | d2f6c32ff984 |
| files | etc/TUTORIAL |
| diffstat | 1 files changed, 804 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-) [+] |
line wrap: on
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/etc/TUTORIAL Thu May 19 17:16:58 1988 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,804 @@ +Copyright (c) 1985 Free Software Foundation, Inc; See end for conditions. + +You are looking at the Emacs tutorial. + +Emacs commands generally involve the CONTROL key (sometimes labelled +CTRL or CTL) or the META key (sometimes labelled EDIT). Rather than +write out META or CONTROL each time we want you to prefix a character, +we'll use the following abbreviations: + + C-<chr> means hold the CONTROL key while typing the character <chr> + Thus, C-f would be: hold the CONTROL key and type f. + M-<chr> means hold the META or EDIT key down while typing <chr>. + If there is no META or EDIT key, type <ESC>, release it, + then type the character <chr>. "<ESC>" stands for the + key labelled "ALT" or "ESC". + +Important note: to end the Emacs session, type C-x C-c. (Two characters.) +The characters ">>" at the left margin indicate directions for you to +try using a command. For instance: +<<Blank lines inserted here by startup of help-with-tutorial>> +>> Now type C-v (View next screen) to move to the next screen. + (go ahead, do it by depressing the control key and v together). + From now on, you'll be expected to do this whenever you finish + reading the screen. + +Note that there is an overlap when going from screen to screen; this +provides some continuity when moving through the file. + +The first thing that you need to know is how to move around from +place to place in the file. You already know how to move forward a +screen, with C-v. To move backwards a screen, type M-v (depress the +META key and type v, or type <ESC>v if you don't have a META or EDIT +key). + +>> Try typing M-v and then C-v to move back and forth a few times. + + +SUMMARY +------- + +The following commands are useful for viewing screenfuls: + + C-v Move forward one screenful + M-v Move backward one screenful + C-l Clear screen and redisplay everything + putting the text near the cursor at the center. + (That's control-L, not control-1. + There is no such character as control-1.) + +>> Find the cursor and remember what text is near it. + Then type a C-l. + Find the cursor again and see what text is near it now. + + +BASIC CURSOR CONTROL +-------------------- + +Getting from screenful to screenful is useful, but how do you +reposition yourself within a given screen to a specific place? +There are several ways you can do this. One way (not the best, but +the most basic) is to use the commands previous, backward, forward +and next. As you can imagine these commands (which are given to +Emacs as C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n respectively) move the cursor from +where it currently is to a new place in the given direction. Here, +in a more graphical form are the commands: + + Previous line, C-p + : + : + Backward, C-b .... Current cursor position .... Forward, C-f + : + : + Next line, C-n + +>> Move the cursor to the line in the middle of that diagram + and type C-l to see the whole diagram centered in the screen. + +You'll probably find it easy to think of these by letter. P for +previous, N for next, B for backward and F for forward. These are +the basic cursor positioning commands and you'll be using them ALL +the time so it would be of great benefit if you learn them now. + +>> Do a few C-n's to bring the cursor down to this line. + +>> Move into the line with C-f's and then up with C-p's. + See what C-p does when the cursor is in the middle of the line. + +Lines are separated by Newline characters. For most applications +there should normally be a Newline character at the end of the text, +as well, but it is up to you to make sure of this. A file can +validly exist without a Newline at the end. + +>> Try to C-b at the beginning of a line. Do a few more C-b's. + Then do C-f's back to the end of the line and beyond. + +When you go off the top or bottom of the screen, the text beyond +the edge is shifted onto the screen so that your instructions can +be carried out while keeping the cursor on the screen. + +>> Try to move the cursor off the bottom of the screen with C-n and + see what happens. + +If moving by characters is too slow, you can move by words. M-f +(Meta-f) moves forward a word and M-b moves back a word. + +>> Type a few M-f's and M-b's. Intersperse them with C-f's and C-b's. + +Notice the parallel between C-f and C-b on the one hand, and M-f and +M-b on the other hand. Very often Meta characters are used for +operations related to English text whereas Control characters operate +on the basic textual units that are independent of what you are +editing (characters, lines, etc). There is a similar parallel between +lines and sentences: C-a and C-e move to the beginning or end of a +line, and M-a and M-e move to the beginning or end of a sentence. + +>> Try a couple of C-a's, and then a couple of C-e's. + Try a couple of M-a's, and then a couple of M-e's. + +See how repeated C-a's do nothing, but repeated M-a's keep moving +farther. Do you think that this is right? + +Two other simple cursor motion commands are M-< (Meta Less-than), +which moves to the beginning of the file, and M-> (Meta Greater-than), +which moves to the end of the file. You probably don't need to try +them, since finding this spot again will be boring. On most terminals +the "<" is above the comma and you must use the shift key to type it. +On these terminals you must use the shift key to type M-< also; +without the shift key, you would be typing M-comma. + +The location of the cursor in the text is also called "point". To +paraphrase, the cursor shows on the screen where point is located in +the text. + +Here is a summary of simple moving operations including the word and +sentence moving commands: + + C-f Move forward a character + C-b Move backward a character + + M-f Move forward a word + M-b Move backward a word + + C-n Move to next line + C-p Move to previous line + + C-a Move to beginning of line + C-e Move to end of line + + M-a Move back to beginning of sentence + M-e Move forward to end of sentence + + M-< Go to beginning of file + M-> Go to end of file + +>> Try all of these commands now a few times for practice. + Since the last two will take you away from this screen, + you can come back here with M-v's and C-v's. These are + the most often used commands. + +Like all other commands in Emacs, these commands can be given +arguments which cause them to be executed repeatedly. The way you +give a command a repeat count is by typing C-u and then the digits +before you type the command. If you have a META or EDIT key, you can +omit the C-u if you hold down the META or EDIT key while you type the +digits. This is easier, but we recommend the C-u method because it +works on any terminal. + +For instance, C-u 8 C-f moves forward eight characters. + +>> Try giving a suitable argument to C-n or C-p to come as close + as you can to this line in one jump. + +The only apparent exception to this is the screen moving commands, +C-v and M-v. When given an argument, they scroll the screen up or +down by that many lines, rather than screenfuls. This proves to be +much more useful. + +>> Try typing C-u 8 C-v now. + +Did it scroll the screen up by 8 lines? If you would like to +scroll it down you can give an argument to M-v. + + +WHEN EMACS IS HUNG +----------------- + +If Emacs gets into an infinite (or simply very long) computation which +you don't want to finish, you can stop it safely by typing C-g. +You can also use C-g to discard a numeric argument or the beginning of +a command that you don't want to finish. + +>> Type C-u 100 to make a numeric arg of 100, then type C-g. + Now type C-f. How many characters does it move? + If you have typed an <ESC> by mistake, you can get rid of it + with a C-g. + +If you type <ESC> <ESC>, you get a new window appearing on +the screen, telling you that M-ESC is a "disabled command" +and asking whether you really want to execute it. The command +M-ESC is marked as disabled because you probably don't want to +use it until you know more about Emacs, and we expect it would +confuse you if it were allowed to go ahead and run. If you really +want to try the M-ESC command, you could type a Space in answer +to the question and M-ESC would go ahead. Normally, if you do +not want to execute M-ESC, you would type "n" to answer the question. + +>> Type <ESC> <ESC>, then type n. + + +WINDOWS +------- + +Emacs can have several windows, each displaying its own text. +At this stage it is better not to go into the techniques of +using multiple windows. But you do need to know how to get +rid of extra windows that may appear to display help or +output from certain commands. It is simple: + + C-x 1 One window (i.e., kill all other windows). + +That is Control-x followed by the digit 1. +C-x 1 makes the window which the cursor is in become +the full screen, by getting rid of any other windows. + +>> Move the cursor to this line and type C-u 0 C-l. +>> Type Control-h k Control-f. + See how this window shrinks, while a new one appears + to display documentation on the Control-f command. + +>> Type C-x 1 and see the documentation listing window disappear. + + +INSERTING AND DELETING +---------------------- + +If you want to insert text, just type it. Characters which you can +see, such as A, 7, *, etc. are taken by Emacs as text and inserted +immediately. Type <Return> (the carriage-return key) to insert a +Newline character. + +You can delete the last character you typed by typing <Rubout>. +<Rubout> is a key on the keyboard, which might be labelled "Delete" +instead of "Rubout" on some terminals. More generally, <Rubout> +deletes the character immediately before the current cursor position. + +>> Do this now, type a few characters and then delete them + by typing <Rubout> a few times. Don't worry about this file + being changed; you won't affect the master tutorial. This is just + a copy of it. + +>> Now start typing text until you reach the right margin, and keep + typing. When a line of text gets too big for one line on the + screen, the line of text is "continued" onto a second screen line. + The backslash at the right margin indicates a line which has + been continued. +>> Use <Rubout>s to delete the text until the line fits on one screen + line again. The continuation line goes away. + +>> Move the cursor to the beginning of a line and type <Rubout>. This + deletes the newline before the line and merges the line onto + the previous line. The resulting line may be too long to fit, in + which case it has a continuation line. +>> Type <Return> to reinsert the Newline you deleted. + +Remember that most Emacs commands can be given a repeat count; +this includes characters which insert themselves. + +>> Try that now -- type C-u 8 * and see what happens. + +You've now learned the most basic way of typing something in +Emacs and correcting errors. You can delete by words or lines +as well. Here is a summary of the delete operations: + + <Rubout> delete the character just before the cursor + C-d delete the next character after the cursor + + M-<Rubout> kill the word immediately before the cursor + M-d kill the next word after the cursor + + C-k kill from the cursor position to end of line + M-k kill to the end of the current sentence + +Notice that <Rubout> and C-d vs M-<Rubout> and M-d extend the parallel +started by C-f and M-f (well, <Rubout> isn't really a control +character, but let's not worry about that). C-k and M-k are like C-e +and M-e, sort of, in that lines are opposite sentences. + +Now suppose you kill something, and then you decide that you want to +get it back? Well, whenever you kill something bigger than a +character, Emacs saves it for you. To yank it back, use C-y. You +can kill text in one place, move elsewhere, and then do C-y; this is +a good way to move text around. Note that the difference +between "Killing" and "Deleting" something is that "Killed" things +can be yanked back, and "Deleted" things cannot. Generally, the +commands that can destroy a lot of text save it, while the ones that +attack only one character, or nothing but blank lines and spaces, do +not save. + +For instance, type C-n a couple times to postion the cursor +at some line on this screen. + +>> Do this now, move the cursor and kill that line with C-k. + +Note that a single C-k kills the contents of the line, and a second +C-k kills the line itself, and make all the other lines move up. If +you give C-k a repeat count, it kills that many lines AND their +contents. + +The text that has just disappeared is saved so that you can +retrieve it. To retrieve the last killed text and put it where +the cursor currently is, type C-y. + +>> Try it; type C-y to yank the text back. + +Think of C-y as if you were yanking something back that someone +took away from you. Notice that if you do several C-k's in a row +the text that is killed is all saved together so that one C-y will +yank all of the lines. + +>> Do this now, type C-k several times. + +Now to retrieve that killed text: + +>> Type C-y. Then move the cursor down a few lines and type C-y + again. You now see how to copy some text. + +What do you do if you have some text you want to yank back, and then +you kill something else? C-y would yank the more recent kill. But +the previous text is not lost. You can get back to it using the M-y +command. After you have done C-y to get the most recent kill, typing +M-Y replaces that yanked text with the previous kill. Typing M-y +again and again brings in earlier and earlier kills. When you +have reached the text you are looking for, you can just go away and +leave it there. If you M-y enough times, you come back to the +starting point (the most recent kill). + +>> Kill a line, move around, kill another line. + Then do C-y to get back the second killed line. + Then do M-y and it will be replaced by the first killed line. + Do more M-y's and see what you get. Keep doing them until + the second kill line comes back, and then a few more. + If you like, you can try giving M-y positive and negative + arguments. + + +UNDO +---- + +Any time you make a change to the text and wish you had not done so, +you can undo the change (return the text to its previous state) +with the undo command, C-x u. Normally, C-x u undoes one command's +worth of changes; if you repeat the C-x u several times in a row, +each time undoes one more command. There are two exceptions: +commands that made no change (just moved the cursor) do not count, +and self-inserting characters are often lumped together in groups +of up to 20. This is to reduce the number of C-x u's you have to type. + +>> Kill this line with C-k, then type C-x u and it should reappear. + +C-_ is another command for undoing; it is just the same as C-x u +but easier to type several times in a row. The problem with C-_ is +that on some keyboards it is not obvious how to type it. That is +why C-x u is provided as well. On some DEC terminals, you can type +C-_ by typing / while holding down CTRL. Illogical, but what can +you expect from DEC? + +Giving a numeric argument to C-_ or C-x u is equivalent to repeating +it as many times as the argument says. + + +FILES +----- + +In order to make the text you edit permanent, you must put it in a +file. Otherwise, it will go away when your invocation of Emacs goes +away. You put your editing in a file by "finding" the file. What +finding means is that you see the contents of the file in your Emacs; +and, loosely speaking, what you are editing is the file itself. +However, the changes still don't become permanent until you "save" the +file. This is so you can have control to avoid leaving a half-changed +file around when you don't want to. Even then, Emacs leaves the +original file under a changed name in case your changes turn out +to be a mistake. + +If you look near the bottom of the screen you will see a line that +begins and ends with dashes, and contains the string "Emacs: TUTORIAL". +Your copy of the Emacs tutorial is called "TUTORIAL". Whatever +file you find, that file's name will appear in that precise +spot. + +The commands for finding and saving files are unlike the other +commands you have learned in that they consist of two characters. +They both start with the character Control-x. There is a whole series +of commands that start with Control-x; many of them have to do with +files, buffers, and related things, and all of them consist of +Control-x followed by some other character. + +Another thing about the command for finding a file is that you have +to say what file name you want. We say the command "reads an argument +from the terminal" (in this case, the argument is the name of the +file). After you type the command + + C-x C-f Find a file + +Emacs asks you to type the file name. It echoes on the bottom +line of the screen. You are using the minibuffer now! this is +what the minibuffer is for. When you type <Return> to end the +file name, the minibuffer is no longer needed, so it disappears. + +>> Type C-x C-f, then type C-g. This cancels the minibuffer, + and also cancels the C-x C-f command that was using the + minibuffer. So you do not find any file. + +In a little while the file contents appear on the screen. You can +edit the contents. When you wish to make the changes permanent, +issue the command + + C-x C-s Save the file + +The contents of Emacs are written into the file. The first time you +do this, the original file is renamed to a new name so that it +is not lost. The new name is made by appending "~" to the end +of the original file's name. + +When saving is finished, Emacs prints the name of the file written. +You should save fairly often, so that you will not lose very much +work if the system should crash. + +>> Type C-x C-s, saving your copy of the tutorial. + This should print "Wrote .../TUTORIAL" at the bottom of the screen. + On VMS it will print "Wrote ...[...]TUTORIAL." + +To make a new file, just find it "as if" it already existed. Then +start typing in the text. When you ask to "save" the file, Emacs +will really create the file with the text that you have inserted. +From then on, you can consider yourself to be editing an already +existing file. + + +BUFFERS +------- + +If you find a second file with C-x C-f, the first file remains +inside Emacs. You can switch back to it by finding it again with +C-x C-f. This way you can get quite a number of files inside Emacs. + +The object inside Emacs which holds the text read from one file +is called a "buffer." Finding a file makes a new buffer inside Emacs. +To see a list of the buffers that exist in Emacs, type + + C-x C-b List buffers + +>> Try C-x C-b now. + +See how each buffer has a name, and it may also have a file name +for the file whose contents it holds. Some buffers do not correspond +to files. For example, the buffer named "*Buffer List*" does +not have any file. It is the buffer which contains the buffer +list that was made by C-x C-b. ANY text you see in an Emacs window +has to be in some buffer. + +>> Type C-x 1 to get rid of the buffer list. + +If you make changes to the text of one file, then find another file, +this does not save the first file. Its changes remain inside Emacs, +in that file's buffer. The creation or editing of the second file's +buffer has no effect on the first file's buffer. This is very useful, +but it also means that you need a convenient way to save the first +file's buffer. It would be a nuisance to have to switch back to +it with C-x C-f in order to save it with C-x C-s. So we have + + C-x s Save some buffers + +C-x s goes through the list of all the buffers you have +and finds the ones that contain files you have changed. +For each such buffer, C-x s asks you whether to save it. + + +EXTENDING THE COMMAND SET +------------------------- + +There are many, many more Emacs commands than could possibly be put +on all the control and meta characters. Emacs gets around this with +the X (eXtend) command. This comes in two flavors: + + C-x Character eXtend. Followed by one character. + M-x Named command eXtend. Followed by a long name. + +These are commands that are generally useful but used less than the +commands you have already learned about. You have already seen two +of them: the file commands C-x C-f to Find and C-x C-s to Save. +Another example is the command to tell Emacs that you'd like to stop +editing and get rid of Emacs. The command to do this is C-x C-c. +(Don't worry; it offers to save each changed file before it kills the +Emacs.) + +C-z is the usual way to exit Emacs, because it is always better not to +kill the Emacs if you are going to do any more editing. On systems +which allow it, C-z exits from Emacs to the shell but does not destroy +the Emacs; if you use the C shell, you can resume Emacs with the `fg' +command (or, more generally, with `%emacs', which works even if your +most recent job was some other). On systems where suspending is not +possible, C-z creates a subshell running under Emacs to give you the +chance to run other programs and return to Emacs afterward, but it +does not truly "exit" from Emacs. In this case, the shell command +`exit' is the usual way to get back to Emacs from the subshell. + +You would use C-x C-c if you were about to log out. You would +also use it to exit an Emacs invoked under mail handling programs +and other random utilities, since they may not believe you have +really finished using the Emacs if it continues to exist. + +There are many C-x commands. The ones you know are: + + C-x C-f Find file. + C-x C-s Save file. + C-x C-b List buffers. + C-x C-c Quit Emacs. + C-x u Undo. + +Named eXtended commands are commands which are used even less +frequently, or commands which are used only in certain modes. These +commands are usually called "functions". An example is the function +replace-string, which globally replaces one string with another. When +you type M-x, Emacs prompts you at the bottom of the screen with +M-x and you should type the name of the function you wish to call; in +this case, "replace-string". Just type "repl s<TAB>" and Emacs will +complete the name. End the command name with <Return>. +Then type the two "arguments"--the string to be replaced, and the string +to replace it with--each one ended with a Return. + +>> Move the cursor to the blank line two lines below this one. + Then type M-x repl s<Return>changed<Return>altered<Return>. + + Notice how this line has changed: you've replaced + the word c-h-a-n-g-e-d with "altered" wherever it occured + after the cursor. + + +MODE LINE +--------- + +If Emacs sees that you are typing commands slowly it shows them to you +at the bottom of the screen in an area called the "echo area." The echo +area contains the bottom line of the screen. The line immediately above +it is called the MODE LINE. The mode line says something like + +--**--Emacs: TUTORIAL (Fundamental)----58%------------- + +This is a very useful "information" line. + +You already know what the filename means--it is the file you have +found. What the --NN%-- means is that NN percent of the file is +above the top of the screen. If the top of the file is on the screen, +it will say --TOP-- instead of --00%--. If the bottom of the file is +on the screen, it will say --BOT--. If you are looking at a file so +small it all fits on the screen, it says --ALL--. + +The stars near the front mean that you have made changes to the text. +Right after you visit or save a file, there are no stars, just dashes. + +The part of the mode line inside the parentheses is to tell you what +modes you are in. The default mode is Fundamental which is what you +are in now. It is an example of a "major mode". There are several +major modes in Emacs for editing different languages and text, such as +Lisp mode, Text mode, etc. At any time one and only one major mode is +active, and its name can always be found in the mode line just where +"Fundamental" is now. Each major mode makes a few commands behave +differently. For example, there are commands for creating comments in +a program, and since each programming language has a different idea of +what a comment should look like, each major mode has to insert +comments differently. Each major mode is the name of an extended +command, which is how you get into the mode. For example, +M-X fundamental-mode is how to get into Fundamental mode. + +If you are going to be editing English text, such as this file, you +should probably use Text Mode. +>> Type M-x text-mode<Return>. + +Don't worry, none of the commands you have learned changes Emacs in +any great way. But you can now observe that periods are no longer +part of words when you do M-f or M-b! Major modes are usually like +that: commands don't change into completely unrelated things, but they +work a little bit differently. + +To get documentation on your current major mode, type C-h m. + +>> Use C-u C-v once or more to bring this line near the top of screen. +>> Type C-h m, to see how Text mode differs from Fundamental mode. +>> Type C-x 1 to remove the documentation from the screen. + +Major modes are called major because there are also minor modes. +They are called minor because they aren't alternatives to the major +modes, just minor modifications of them. Each minor mode can be +turned on or off by itself, regardless of what major mode you are in, +and regardless of the other minor modes. So you can use no minor +modes, or one minor mode, or any combination of several minor modes. + +One minor mode which is very useful, especially for editing English +text, is Auto Fill mode. When this mode is on, Emacs breaks the line +in between words automatically whenever the line gets too long. You +can turn this mode on by doing M-x auto-fill-mode<Return>. When the +mode is on, you can turn it off by doing M-x auto-fill-mode<Return>. +If the mode is off, this function turns it on, and if the mode is on, +this function turns it off. This is called "toggling". + +>> Type M-x auto-fill-mode<Return> now. Then insert a line of "asdf " + over again until you see it divide into two lines. You must put in + spaces between them because Auto Fill breaks lines only at spaces. + +The margin is usually set at 70 characters, but you can change it +with the C-x f command. You should give the margin setting you want +as a numeric argument. + +>> Type C-x f with an argument of 20. (C-u 2 0 C-x f). + Then type in some text and see Emacs fill lines of 20 + characters with it. Then set the margin back to 70 using + C-x f again. + +If you makes changes in the middle of a paragraph, Auto Fill mode +does not re-fill it for you. +To re-fill the paragraph, type M-q (Meta-q) with the cursor inside +that paragraph. + +>> Move the cursor into the previous paragraph and type M-q. + +SEARCHING +--------- + +Emacs can do searches for strings (these are groups of contiguous +characters or words) either forward through the file or backward +through it. To search for the string means that you are trying to +locate it somewhere in the file and have Emacs show you where the +occurrences of the string exist. This type of search is somewhat +different from what you may be familiar with. It is a search that is +performed as you type in the thing to search for. The command to +initiate a search is C-s for forward search, and C-r for reverse +search. BUT WAIT! Don't do them now. When you type C-s you'll +notice that the string "I-search" appears as a prompt in the echo +area. This tells you that Emacs is in what is called an incremental +search waiting for you to type the thing that you want to search for. +<ESC> terminates a search. + +>> Now type C-s to start a search. SLOWLY, one letter at a time, + type the word 'cursor', pausing after you type each + character to notice what happens to the cursor. +>> Type C-s to find the next occurrence of "cursor". +>> Now type <Rubout> four times and see how the cursor moves. +>> Type <ESC> to terminate the search. + +Did you see what happened? Emacs, in an incremental search, tries to +go to the occurrence of the string that you've typed out so far. To go +to the next occurrence of 'cursor' just type C-s again. If no such +occurrence exists Emacs beeps and tells you that it is a failing +search. C-g would also terminate the search. + +If you are in the middle of an incremental search and type <Rubout>, +you'll notice that the last character in the search string is erased +and the search backs up to the last place of the search. For +instance, suppose you currently have typed 'cu' and you see that your +cursor is at the first occurrence of 'cu'. If you now type <Rubout>, +the 'u' on the search line is erased and you'll be repositioned in the +text to the occurrence of 'c' where the search took you before you +typed the 'u'. This provides a useful means for backing up while you +are searching. + +If you are in the middle of a search and happen to type a control +character (other than a C-s or C-r, which tell Emacs to search for the +next occurrence of the string), the search is terminated. + +The C-s starts a search that looks for any occurrence of the search +string AFTER the current cursor position. But what if you want to +search for something earlier in the text? To do this, type C-r for +Reverse search. Everything that applies to C-s applies to C-r except +that the direction of the search is reversed. + + +RECURSIVE EDITING LEVELS +------------------------ + +Sometimes you will get into what is called a "recursive editing +level". This is indicated by square brackets in the mode line, +surrounding the parentheses around the major mode name. For +example, you might see [(Fundamental)] instead of (Fundamental). + +To get out of the recursive editing level, type + M-x top-level<Return>. + +>> Try that now; it should display "Back to top level" + at the bottom of the screen. + +In fact, you were ALREADY at top level (not inside a recursive editing +level) if you have obeyed instructions. M-x top-level does not care; +it gets out of any number of recursive editing levels, perhaps zero, +to get back to top level. + +You can't use C-g to get out of a recursive editing level because C-g +is used for discarding numeric arguments and partially typed commands +WITHIN the recursive editing level. + + +GETTING MORE HELP +----------------- + +In this tutorial we have tried to supply just enough information to +get you started using Emacs. There is so much available in Emacs that +it would be impossible to explain it all here. However, you may want +to learn more about Emacs since it has numerous desirable features +that you don't know about yet. Emacs has a great deal of internal +documentation. All of these commands can be accessed through +the character Control-h, which we call "the Help character" +because of the function it serves. + +To use the HELP features, type the C-h character, and then a +character saying what kind of help you want. If you are REALLY lost, +type C-h ? and Emacs will tell you what kinds of help it can give. +If you have typed C-h and decide you don't want any help, just +type C-G to cancel it. + +The most basic HELP feature is C-h c. Type C-h, a c, and a +command character or sequence, and Emacs displays a very brief +description of the command. + +>> Type C-h c Control-p. + The message should be something like + + C-p runs the command previous-line + +This tells you the "name of the function". That is important in +writing Lisp code to extend Emacs; it also is enough to remind +you of what the command does if you have seen it before but did +not remember. + +Multi-character commands such as C-x C-s and (if you have no META or +EDIT key) <ESC>v are also allowed after C-h c. + +To get more information on the command, use C-h k instead of C-h c. + +>> Type C-h k Control-p. + +This displays the documentation of the function, as well as its name, +in an Emacs window. When you are finished reading the output, type +C-x 1 to get rid of the help text. You do not have to do this right +away. You can do some editing based on the help text before you type +C-x 1. + +Here are some other useful C-h options: + + C-h f Describe a function. You type in the name of the + function. + +>> Try typing C-h f previous-line<Return>. + This prints all the information Emacs has about the + function which implements the C-P command. + + C-h a Command Apropos. Type in a keyword and Emacs will list + all the commands whose names contain that keyword. + These commands can all be invoked with Meta-x. + For some commands, Command Apropos will also list a one + or two character sequence which has the same effect. + +>> Type C-h a file<Return>. You will see a list of all M-x commands +with "file" in their names. You will also see commands +like C-x C-f and C-x C-w, listed beside the command names +find-file and write-file. + + +CONCLUSION +---------- + +Remember, to exit Emacs permanently use C-x C-c. To exit to a shell +temporarily, so that you can come back in, use C-z. + +This tutorial is meant to be understandable to all new users, so if +you found something unclear, don't sit and blame yourself - complain! + + +COPYING +------- + +This tutorial descends from a long line of Emacs tutorials +starting with the one written by Stuart Cracraft for the original Emacs. + +This version of the tutorial, like GNU Emacs, is copyrighted, and +comes with permission to distribute copies on certain conditions: + +Copyright (c) 1985 Free Software Foundation + + Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies + of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the + copyright notice and permission notice are preserved, + and that the distributor grants the recipient permission + for further redistribution as permitted by this notice. + + Permission is granted to distribute modified versions + of this document, or of portions of it, + under the above conditions, provided also that they + carry prominent notices stating who last altered them. + +The conditions for copying Emacs itself are slightly different +but in the same spirit. Please read the file COPYING and then +do give copies of GNU Emacs to your friends. +Help stamp out software obstructionism ("ownership") by using, +writing, and sharing free software!