EMACS 1 "1995 December 7" (original) (raw)
Table of contents
EMACS 1 "1995 December 7"
NAME
emacs - GNU project Emacs
SYNOPSIS
emacs[_command-line_] [_files_]
DESCRIPTION
_GNU_is a version of _Emacs,_written by the author of the original (PDP-10) _Emacs,_Richard Stallman.
The primary documentation of GNU Emacs is in the GNU Emacs Manual, which you can read on line using Info, a subsystem of Emacs. Please look there for complete and up-to-date documentation. This man page is updated only when someone volunteers to do so; the Emacs maintainers' priority goal is to minimize the amount of time this man page takes away from other more useful projects.
The user functionality of GNU Emacs encompasses everything other _Emacs_editors do, and it is easily extensible since its editing commands are written in Lisp.
_Emacs_has an extensive interactive help facility, but the facility assumes that you know how to manipulate_Emacs_windows and buffers. CTRL-h (backspace or CTRL-h) enters the Help facility. Help Tutorial (CTRL-h t) requests an interactive tutorial which can teach beginners the fundamentals of _Emacs_in a few minutes. Help Apropos (CTRL-h a) helps you find a command given its functionality, Help Character (CTRL-h c) describes a given character's effect, and Help Function (CTRL-h f) describes a given Lisp function specified by name.
_Emacs's_Undo can undo several steps of modification to your buffers, so it is easy to recover from editing mistakes.
_GNU_many special packages handle mail reading (RMail) and sending (Mail), outline editing (Outline), compiling (Compile), running subshells within_Emacs_windows (Shell), running a Lisp read-eval-print loop (Lisp-Interaction-Mode), and automated psychotherapy (Doctor).
There is an extensive reference manual, but users of other Emacses should have little trouble adapting even without a copy. Users new to_Emacs_will be able to use basic features fairly rapidly by studying the tutorial and using the self-documentation features.
The following options are of general interest:
file
Edit_file._
\+number
Go to the line specified by_number_(do not insert a space between the "+" sign and the number).
-q
Do not load an init file.
-u user
Load_user's_init file.
-t file
Use specified_file_as the terminal instead of using stdin/stdout. This must be the first argument specified in the command line.
The following options are lisp-oriented (these options are processed in the order encountered):
-f function
Execute the lisp function_function._
-l file
Load the lisp code in the file_file._
The following options are useful when running_Emacs_as a batch editor:
-batch
Edit in batch mode. The editor will send messages to stderr. This option must be the first in the argument list. You must use -l and -f options to specify files to execute and functions to call.
-kill
Exit _Emacs_while in batch mode.
_Emacs_has been tailored to work well with the X window system. If you run_Emacs_from under X windows, it will create its own X window to display in. You will probably want to start the editor as a background process so that you can continue using your original window.
_Emacs_can be started with the following X switches:
-name name
Specifies the name which should be assigned to the initial_Emacs_window. This controls looking up X resources as well as the window title.
-title name
Specifies the title for the initial X window.
-r
Display the_Emacs_window in reverse video.
-i
Use the "kitchen sink" bitmap icon when iconifying the_Emacs_window.
-font font, -fn font
Set the_Emacs_window's font to that specified by_font.You will find the various_X_fonts in the/usr/lib/X11/fonts_directory. Note that_Emacs_will only accept fixed width fonts. Under the X11 Release 4 font-naming conventions, any font with the value "m" or "c" in the eleventh field of the font name is a fixed width font. Furthermore, fonts whose name are of the form_width_x_height_are generally fixed width, as is the font_fixed_. See_xlsfonts_(1) for more information. When you specify a font, be sure to put a space between the switch and the font name.
-b pixels
Set the_Emacs_window's border width to the number of pixels specified by_pixels._Defaults to one pixel on each side of the window.
-ib pixels
Set the window's internal border width to the number of pixels specified by _pixels._Defaults to one pixel of padding on each side of the window.
-geometry geometry
Set the_Emacs_window's width, height, and position as specified. The geometry specification is in the standard X format; see_X_(1) for more information. The width and height are specified in characters; the default is 80 by 24.
-fg color
On color displays, sets the color of the text. See the file_/usr/lib/X11/rgb.txt_for a list of valid color names.
-bg color
On color displays, sets the color of the window's background.
-bd color
On color displays, sets the color of the window's border.
-cr color
On color displays, sets the color of the window's text cursor.
-ms color
On color displays, sets the color of the window's mouse cursor.
-d displayname, -display displayname
Create the_Emacs_window on the display specified by_displayname_. Must be the first option specified in the command line.
-nw
Tells_Emacs_not to use its special interface to X. If you use this switch when invoking_Emacs_from an_xterm_(1) window, display is done in that window. This must be the first option specified in the command line.
You can set_X_default values for your_Emacs_windows in your_\.Xresources_file (see_xrdb_(1)). Use the following format:
emacs.keyword:value
where_value_specifies the default value of_keyword._ _Emacs_lets you set default values for the following keywords:
font
Sets the window's text font.
reverseVideo
If_reverseVideo's_value is set to_on,_the window will be displayed in reverse video.
bitmapIcon
If_bitmapIcon's_value is set to_on,_the window will iconify into the "kitchen sink."
borderWidth
Sets the window's border width in pixels.
internalBorder
Sets the window's internal border width in pixels.
foreground
For color displays, sets the window's text color.
background
For color displays, sets the window's background color.
borderColor
For color displays, sets the color of the window's border.
cursorColor
For color displays, sets the color of the window's text cursor.
pointerColor
For color displays, sets the color of the window's mouse cursor.
geometry
Sets the geometry of the_Emacs_window (as described above).
title
Sets the title of the_Emacs_window.
iconName
Sets the icon name for the_Emacs_window icon.
If you try to set color values while using a black and white display, the window's characteristics will default as follows: the foreground color will be set to black, the background color will be set to white, the border color will be set to grey, and the text and mouse cursors will be set to black.
The following lists the mouse button bindings for the_Emacs_window under X11. MOUSE BUTTON FUNCTION
left Set point.
middle Paste text.
right Cut text into X cut buffer.
SHIFT-middle Cut text into X cut buffer.
SHIFT-right Paste text.
CTRL-middle Cut text into X cut buffer and kill it.
CTRL-right Select this window, then split it into two windows. Same as typing CTRL-x 2.
CTRL-SHIFT-left X buffer menu--hold the buttons and keys down, wait for menu to appear, select buffer, and release. Move mouse out of menu and release to cancel.
CTRL-SHIFT-middle X help menu--pop up index card menu for Emacs help.
CTRL-SHIFT-right Select window with mouse, and delete all other windows. Same as typing CTRL-x 1.
MANUALS
You can order printed copies of the GNU Emacs Manual from the Free Software Foundation, which develops GNU software. See the file ORDERS for ordering information.
Your local Emacs maintainer might also have copies available. As with all software and publications from FSF, everyone is permitted to make and distribute copies of the Emacs manual. The TeX source to the manual is also included in the Emacs source distribution.
FILES
/usr/local/info - files for the Info documentation browser (a subsystem of Emacs) to refer to. Currently not much of Unix is documented here, but the complete text of the Emacs reference manual is included in a convenient tree structured form. /usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/src - C source files and object files /usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/lisp - Lisp source files and compiled files that define most editing commands. Some are preloaded; others are autoloaded from this directory when used. /usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/etc - various programs that are used with GNU Emacs, and some files of information. /usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/etc/DOC.* - contains the documentation strings for the Lisp primitives and preloaded Lisp functions of GNU Emacs. They are stored here to reduce the size of Emacs proper. /usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/etc/OTHER.EMACSES discusses GNU Emacs vs. other versions of Emacs.
/usr/local/share/emacs/$VERSION/etc/SERVICE lists people offering various services to assist users of GNU Emacs, including education, troubleshooting, porting and customization.
These files also have information useful to anyone wishing to write programs in the Emacs Lisp extension language, which has not yet been fully documented. /usr/local/com/emacs/lock - holds lock files that are made for all files being modified in Emacs, to prevent simultaneous modification of one file by two users./usr/lib/X11/rgb.txt - list of valid X color names.
BUGS
There is a mailing list, bug-gnu-emacs@prep.ai.mit.edu on the internet (ucbvax!prep.ai.mit.edu!bug-gnu-emacs on UUCPnet), for reporting Emacs bugs and fixes. But before reporting something as a bug, please try to be sure that it really is a bug, not a misunderstanding or a deliberate feature. We ask you to read the section ``Reporting Emacs Bugs'' near the end of the reference manual (or Info system) for hints on how and when to report bugs. Also, include the version number of the Emacs you are running in every bug report that you send in. Do not expect a personal answer to a bug report. The purpose of reporting bugs is to get them fixed for everyone in the next release, if possible. For personal assistance, look in the SERVICE file (see above) for a list of people who offer it. Please do not send anything but bug reports to this mailing list. Send requests to be added to mailing lists to the special listinfo-gnu-emacs-request@prep.ai.mit.edu (or the corresponding UUCP address). For more information about Emacs mailing lists, see the file /usr/local/emacs/etc/MAILINGLISTS. Bugs tend actually to be fixed if they can be isolated, so it is in your interest to report them in such a way that they can be easily reproduced.
Bugs that I know about are: shell will not work with programs running in Raw mode on some Unix versions.
UNRESTRICTIONS
_Emacs_is free; anyone may redistribute copies of _Emacs_to anyone under the terms stated in the _Emacs_General Public License, a copy of which accompanies each copy of _Emacs_and which also appears in the reference manual.
Copies of_Emacs_may sometimes be received packaged with distributions of Unix systems, but it is never included in the scope of any license covering those systems. Such inclusion violates the terms on which distribution is permitted. In fact, the primary purpose of the General Public License is to prohibit anyone from attaching any other restrictions to redistribution of Emacs.
Richard Stallman encourages you to improve and extend _Emacs,_and urges that you contribute your extensions to the GNU library. Eventually GNU (Gnu's Not Unix) will be a complete replacement for Berkeley Unix. Everyone will be free to use, copy, study and change the GNU system.
SEE ALSO
X(1), xlsfonts(1), xterm(1), xrdb(1)
AUTHORS
_Emacs_was written by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation. Joachim Martillo and Robert Krawitz added the X features.