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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2000-2015 Free Software
3 @c Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5 @iftex
6 @chapter Miscellaneous Commands
7
8 This chapter contains several brief topics that do not fit anywhere
9 else: viewing ``document files'', reading Usenet news, running shell
10 commands and shell subprocesses, using a single shared Emacs for
11 utilities that expect to run an editor as a subprocess, printing
12 hardcopy, sorting text, editing binary files, saving an Emacs session
13 for later resumption, following hyperlinks, emulating other editors,
14 and various diversions and amusements.
15
16 @end iftex
17
18 @ifnottex
19 @raisesections
20 @end ifnottex
21
22 @node Gnus
23 @section Gnus
24 @cindex Gnus
25 @cindex Usenet news
26 @cindex newsreader
27
28 Gnus is an Emacs package primarily designed for reading and posting
29 Usenet news. It can also be used to read and respond to messages from
30 a number of other sources---email, remote directories, digests, and so
31 on. Here we introduce Gnus and describe several basic features.
32 @ifnottex
33 For full details, see @ref{Top, Gnus,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
34 @end ifnottex
35 @iftex
36 For full details on Gnus, type @kbd{C-h i} and then select the Gnus
37 manual.
38 @end iftex
39
40 @menu
41 * Buffers of Gnus:: The group, summary, and article buffers.
42 * Gnus Startup:: What you should know about starting Gnus.
43 * Gnus Group Buffer:: A short description of Gnus group commands.
44 * Gnus Summary Buffer:: A short description of Gnus summary commands.
45 @end menu
46
47 @node Buffers of Gnus
48 @subsection Gnus Buffers
49
50 Gnus uses several buffers to display information and to receive
51 commands. The three most commonly-used Gnus buffers are the
52 @dfn{group buffer}, the @dfn{summary buffer} and the @dfn{article
53 buffer}.
54
55 The @dfn{group buffer} contains a list of article sources (e.g.,
56 newsgroups and email inboxes), which are collectively referred to as
57 @dfn{groups}. This is the first buffer Gnus displays when it starts
58 up. It normally displays only the groups to which you subscribe and
59 that contain unread articles. From this buffer, you can select a
60 group to read.
61
62 The @dfn{summary buffer} lists the articles in a single group,
63 showing one article per line. By default, it displays each article's
64 author, subject, and line
65 @iftex
66 number.
67 @end iftex
68 @ifnottex
69 number, but this is customizable; @xref{Summary Buffer Format,,, gnus,
70 The Gnus Manual}.
71 @end ifnottex
72 The summary buffer is created when you select a group in the group
73 buffer, and is killed when you exit the group.
74
75 From the summary buffer, you can choose an article to view. The
76 article is displayed in the @dfn{article buffer}. In normal Gnus
77 usage, you view this buffer but do not select it---all useful Gnus
78 commands can be invoked from the summary buffer. But you can select
79 the article buffer, and execute Gnus commands from it, if you wish.
80
81 @node Gnus Startup
82 @subsection When Gnus Starts Up
83
84 @findex gnus
85 @cindex @file{.newsrc} file
86 If your system has been set up for reading Usenet news, getting
87 started with Gnus is easy---just type @kbd{M-x gnus}.
88
89 On starting up, Gnus reads your @dfn{news initialization file}: a
90 file named @file{.newsrc} in your home directory which lists your
91 Usenet newsgroups and subscriptions (this file is not unique to Gnus;
92 it is used by many other newsreader programs). It then tries to
93 contact the system's default news server, which is typically specified
94 by the @env{NNTPSERVER} environment variable.
95
96 If your system does not have a default news server, or if you wish
97 to use Gnus for reading email, then before invoking @kbd{M-x gnus} you
98 need to tell Gnus where to get news and/or mail. To do this,
99 customize the variables @code{gnus-select-method} and/or
100 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods}.
101 @iftex
102 See the Gnus manual for details.
103 @end iftex
104 @ifnottex
105 @xref{Finding the News,,, gnus, The Gnus Manual}.
106 @end ifnottex
107
108 Once Gnus has started up, it displays the group buffer. By default,
109 the group buffer shows only a small number of @dfn{subscribed groups}.
110 Groups with other statuses---@dfn{unsubscribed}, @dfn{killed}, or
111 @dfn{zombie}---are hidden. The first time you start Gnus, any group
112 to which you are not subscribed is made into a killed group; any group
113 that subsequently appears on the news server becomes a zombie group.
114
115 To proceed, you must select a group in the group buffer to open the
116 summary buffer for that group; then, select an article in the summary
117 buffer to view its article buffer in a separate window. The following
118 sections explain how to use the group and summary buffers to do this.
119
120 To quit Gnus, type @kbd{q} in the group buffer. This automatically
121 records your group statuses in the files @file{.newsrc} and
122 @file{.newsrc.eld}, so that they take effect in subsequent Gnus
123 sessions.
124
125 @node Gnus Group Buffer
126 @subsection Using the Gnus Group Buffer
127
128 The following commands are available in the Gnus group buffer:
129
130 @table @kbd
131 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
132 @findex gnus-group-read-group
133 @item @key{SPC}
134 Switch to the summary buffer for the group on the current line.
135
136 @kindex l @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
137 @kindex A s @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
138 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
139 @item l
140 @itemx A s
141 In the group buffer, list only the groups to which you subscribe and
142 which contain unread articles (this is the default listing).
143
144 @kindex L @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
145 @kindex A u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
146 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
147 @item L
148 @itemx A u
149 List all subscribed and unsubscribed groups, but not killed or zombie
150 groups.
151
152 @kindex A k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
153 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
154 @item A k
155 List killed groups.
156
157 @kindex A z @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
158 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
159 @item A z
160 List zombie groups.
161
162 @kindex u @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
163 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
164 @cindex subscribe groups
165 @cindex unsubscribe groups
166 @item u
167 Toggle the subscription status of the group on the current line
168 (i.e., turn a subscribed group into an unsubscribed group, or vice
169 versa). Invoking this on a killed or zombie group turns it into an
170 unsubscribed group.
171
172 @kindex C-k @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
173 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
174 @item C-k
175 Kill the group on the current line. Killed groups are not recorded in
176 the @file{.newsrc} file, and they are not shown in the @kbd{l} or
177 @kbd{L} listings.
178
179 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
180 @item @key{DEL}
181 Move point to the previous group containing unread articles.
182
183 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
184 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
185 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
186 @item n
187 Move point to the next unread group.
188
189 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
190 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
191 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
192 @item p
193 Move point to the previous unread group.
194
195 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Group mode)}
196 @findex gnus-group-exit
197 @item q
198 Update your Gnus settings, and quit Gnus.
199 @end table
200
201 @node Gnus Summary Buffer
202 @subsection Using the Gnus Summary Buffer
203
204 The following commands are available in the Gnus summary buffer:
205
206 @table @kbd
207 @kindex SPC @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
208 @findex gnus-group-read-group
209 @item @key{SPC}
210 If there is no article selected, select the article on the current
211 line and display its article buffer. Otherwise, try scrolling the
212 selected article buffer in its window; on reaching the end of the
213 buffer, select the next unread article.
214
215 Thus, you can read through all articles by repeatedly typing
216 @key{SPC}.
217
218 @kindex DEL @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
219 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
220 @item @key{DEL}
221 Scroll the text of the article backwards.
222
223 @kindex n @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
224 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
225 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
226 @item n
227 Select the next unread article.
228
229 @kindex p @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
230 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
231 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
232 @item p
233 Select the previous unread article.
234
235 @kindex s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
236 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
237 @item s
238 Do an incremental search on the selected article buffer, as if you
239 switched to the buffer and typed @kbd{C-s} (@pxref{Incremental
240 Search}).
241
242 @kindex M-s @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
243 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
244 @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
245 Search forward for articles containing a match for @var{regexp}.
246
247 @kindex q @r{(Gnus Summary mode)}
248 @item q
249 Exit the summary buffer and return to the group buffer.
250 @end table
251
252 @node Document View
253 @section Document Viewing
254 @cindex DVI file
255 @cindex PDF file
256 @cindex PS file
257 @cindex PostScript file
258 @cindex OpenDocument file
259 @cindex Microsoft Office file
260 @cindex DocView mode
261 @cindex mode, DocView
262 @cindex document viewer (DocView)
263 @findex doc-view-mode
264
265 DocView mode is a major mode for viewing DVI, PostScript (PS), PDF,
266 OpenDocument, and Microsoft Office documents. It provides features
267 such as slicing, zooming, and searching inside documents. It works by
268 converting the document to a set of images using the @command{gs}
269 (GhostScript) or @command{mudraw}/@command{pdfdraw} (MuPDF) commands
270 and other external tools @footnote{For PostScript files, GhostScript
271 is a hard requirement. For DVI files, @code{dvipdf} or @code{dvipdfm}
272 is needed. For OpenDocument and Microsoft Office documents, the
273 @code{unoconv} tool is needed.}, and displaying those images.
274
275 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
276 @findex doc-view-toggle-display
277 @cindex doc-view-minor-mode
278 When you visit a document file that can be displayed with DocView
279 mode, Emacs automatically uses DocView mode @footnote{The needed
280 external tools for the document type must be available, and Emacs must
281 be running in a graphical frame and have PNG image support. If any of
282 these requirements is not fulfilled, Emacs falls back to another major
283 mode.}. As an exception, when you visit a PostScript file, Emacs
284 switches to PS mode, a major mode for editing PostScript files as
285 text; however, it also enables DocView minor mode, so you can type
286 @kbd{C-c C-c} to view the document with DocView. In either DocView
287 mode or DocView minor mode, repeating @kbd{C-c C-c}
288 (@code{doc-view-toggle-display}) toggles between DocView and the
289 underlying file contents.
290
291 @findex doc-view-open-text
292 When you visit a file which would normally be handled by DocView
293 mode but some requirement is not met (e.g., you operate in a terminal
294 frame or emacs has no PNG support), you are queried if you want to
295 view the document's contents as plain text. If you confirm, the
296 buffer is put in text mode and DocView minor mode is activated. Thus,
297 by typing @kbd{C-c C-c} you switch to the fallback mode. With another
298 @kbd{C-c C-c} you return to DocView mode. The plain text contents can
299 also be displayed from within DocView mode by typing @kbd{C-c C-t}
300 (@code{doc-view-open-text}).
301
302 You can explicitly enable DocView mode with the command @code{M-x
303 doc-view-mode}. You can toggle DocView minor mode with @code{M-x
304 doc-view-minor-mode}.
305
306 When DocView mode starts, it displays a welcome screen and begins
307 formatting the file, page by page. It displays the first page once
308 that has been formatted.
309
310 To kill the DocView buffer, type @kbd{k}
311 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}). To bury it, type @kbd{q}
312 (@code{quit-window}).
313
314 @menu
315 * Navigation: DocView Navigation. Navigating DocView buffers.
316 * Searching: DocView Searching. Searching inside documents.
317 * Slicing: DocView Slicing. Specifying which part of a page is displayed.
318 * Conversion: DocView Conversion. Influencing and triggering conversion.
319 @end menu
320
321 @node DocView Navigation
322 @subsection DocView Navigation
323
324 In DocView mode, you can scroll the current page using the usual
325 Emacs movement keys: @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}, @kbd{C-f}, and
326 the arrow keys.
327
328 @vindex doc-view-continuous
329 By default, the line-motion keys @kbd{C-p} and @kbd{C-n} stop
330 scrolling at the beginning and end of the current page, respectively.
331 However, if you change the variable @code{doc-view-continuous} to a
332 non-@code{nil} value, then @kbd{C-p} displays the previous page if you
333 are already at the beginning of the current page, and @kbd{C-n}
334 displays the next page if you are at the end of the current page.
335
336 @findex doc-view-next-page
337 @findex doc-view-previous-page
338 @kindex n @r{(DocView mode)}
339 @kindex p @r{(DocView mode)}
340 @kindex C-x ] @r{(DocView mode)}
341 @kindex C-x [ @r{(DocView mode)}
342 You can also display the next page by typing @kbd{n}, @key{next} or
343 @kbd{C-x ]} (@code{doc-view-next-page}). To display the previous
344 page, type @kbd{p}, @key{prior} or @kbd{C-x [}
345 (@code{doc-view-previous-page}).
346
347 @findex doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page
348 @findex doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page
349 @kindex SPC @r{(DocView mode)}
350 @kindex DEL @r{(DocView mode)}
351 @key{SPC} (@code{doc-view-scroll-up-or-next-page}) is a convenient
352 way to advance through the document. It scrolls within the current
353 page or advances to the next. @key{DEL} moves backwards in a similar
354 way (@code{doc-view-scroll-down-or-previous-page}).
355
356 @findex doc-view-first-page
357 @findex doc-view-last-page
358 @findex doc-view-goto-page
359 @kindex M-< @r{(DocView mode)}
360 @kindex M-> @r{(DocView mode)}
361 To go to the first page, type @kbd{M-<}
362 (@code{doc-view-first-page}); to go to the last one, type @kbd{M->}
363 (@code{doc-view-last-page}). To jump to a page by its number, type
364 @kbd{M-g M-g} or @kbd{M-g g} (@code{doc-view-goto-page}).
365
366 @findex doc-view-enlarge
367 @findex doc-view-shrink
368 @vindex doc-view-resolution
369 @kindex + @r{(DocView mode)}
370 @kindex - @r{(DocView mode)}
371 You can enlarge or shrink the document with @kbd{+}
372 (@code{doc-view-enlarge}) and @kbd{-} (@code{doc-view-shrink}). These
373 commands work by reconverting the document at the new size. To
374 specify the default size for DocView, customize the variable
375 @code{doc-view-resolution}.
376
377 @node DocView Searching
378 @subsection DocView Searching
379
380 In DocView mode, you can search the file's text for a regular
381 expression (@pxref{Regexps}). The interface for searching is inspired
382 by @code{isearch} (@pxref{Incremental Search}).
383
384 @findex doc-view-search
385 @findex doc-view-search-backward
386 @findex doc-view-show-tooltip
387 To begin a search, type @kbd{C-s} (@code{doc-view-search}) or
388 @kbd{C-r} (@code{doc-view-search-backward}). This reads a regular
389 expression using a minibuffer, then echoes the number of matches found
390 within the document. You can move forward and back among the matches
391 by typing @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r}. DocView mode has no way to show
392 the match inside the page image; instead, it displays a tooltip (at
393 the mouse position) listing all matching lines in the current page.
394 To force display of this tooltip, type @kbd{C-t}
395 (@code{doc-view-show-tooltip}).
396
397 To start a new search, use the search command with a prefix
398 argument; i.e., @kbd{C-u C-s} for a forward search or @kbd{C-u C-r}
399 for a backward search.
400
401 @node DocView Slicing
402 @subsection DocView Slicing
403
404 Documents often have wide margins for printing. They are annoying
405 when reading the document on the screen, because they use up screen
406 space and can cause inconvenient scrolling.
407
408 @findex doc-view-set-slice
409 @findex doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse
410 With DocView you can hide these margins by selecting a @dfn{slice}
411 of pages to display. A slice is a rectangle within the page area;
412 once you specify a slice in DocView, it applies to whichever page you
413 look at.
414
415 To specify the slice numerically, type @kbd{s s}
416 (@code{doc-view-set-slice}); then enter the top left pixel position
417 and the slice's width and height.
418 @c ??? how does this work?
419
420 A more convenient graphical way to specify the slice is with @kbd{s
421 m} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-using-mouse}), where you use the mouse to
422 select the slice. Simply press and hold the left mouse button at the
423 upper-left corner of the region you want to have in the slice, then
424 move the mouse pointer to the lower-right corner and release the
425 button.
426
427 The most convenient way is to set the optimal slice by using
428 BoundingBox information automatically determined from the document by
429 typing @kbd{s b} (@code{doc-view-set-slice-from-bounding-box}).
430
431 @findex doc-view-reset-slice
432 To cancel the selected slice, type @kbd{s r}
433 (@code{doc-view-reset-slice}). Then DocView shows the entire page
434 including its entire margins.
435
436 @node DocView Conversion
437 @subsection DocView Conversion
438
439 @vindex doc-view-cache-directory
440 @findex doc-view-clear-cache
441 For efficiency, DocView caches the images produced by @command{gs}.
442 The name of this directory is given by the variable
443 @code{doc-view-cache-directory}. You can clear the cache directory by
444 typing @code{M-x doc-view-clear-cache}.
445
446 @findex doc-view-kill-proc
447 @findex doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer
448 To force reconversion of the currently viewed document, type @kbd{r}
449 or @kbd{g} (@code{revert-buffer}). To kill the converter process
450 associated with the current buffer, type @kbd{K}
451 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc}). The command @kbd{k}
452 (@code{doc-view-kill-proc-and-buffer}) kills the converter process and
453 the DocView buffer.
454
455 @node EWW
456 @section Web Browsing with EWW
457
458 @findex eww
459 @findex eww-open-file
460 @dfn{EWW}, the Emacs Web Wowser, is a web browser package for Emacs.
461 It allows browsing URLs within an Emacs buffer. The command @kbd{M-x
462 eww} will open a URL or search the web. You can open a file
463 using the command @kbd{M-x eww-open-file}. You can use EWW as the
464 web browser for @code{browse-url}, @pxref{Browse-URL}. For full
465 details, @pxref{Top, EWW,, eww, The Emacs Web Wowser Manual}.
466
467 @node Shell
468 @section Running Shell Commands from Emacs
469 @cindex subshell
470 @cindex shell commands
471
472 Emacs has commands for passing single command lines to shell
473 subprocesses, and for running a shell interactively with input and
474 output to an Emacs buffer, and for running a shell in a terminal
475 emulator window.
476
477 @table @kbd
478 @item M-! @var{cmd} @key{RET}
479 Run the shell command @var{cmd} and display the output
480 (@code{shell-command}).
481 @item M-| @var{cmd} @key{RET}
482 Run the shell command @var{cmd} with region contents as input;
483 optionally replace the region with the output
484 (@code{shell-command-on-region}).
485 @item M-& @var{cmd} @key{RET}
486 Run the shell command @var{cmd} asynchronously, and display the output
487 (@code{async-shell-command}).
488 @item M-x shell
489 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
490 then give commands interactively.
491 @item M-x term
492 Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You can
493 then give commands interactively. Full terminal emulation is
494 available.
495 @end table
496
497 @vindex exec-path
498 Whenever you specify a relative file name for an executable program
499 (either in the @var{cmd} argument to one of the above commands, or in
500 other contexts), Emacs searches for the program in the directories
501 specified by the variable @code{exec-path}. The value of this
502 variable must be a list of directory names; the default value is
503 initialized from the environment variable @env{PATH} when Emacs is
504 started (@pxref{General Variables}).
505
506 @kbd{M-x eshell} invokes a shell implemented entirely in Emacs. It
507 is documented in its own manual.
508 @ifnottex
509 @xref{Top,Eshell,Eshell, eshell, Eshell: The Emacs Shell}.
510 @end ifnottex
511 @iftex
512 See the Eshell Info manual, which is distributed with Emacs.
513 @end iftex
514
515 @menu
516 * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
517 * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via Emacs.
518 * Shell Mode:: Special Emacs commands used with permanent shell.
519 * Shell Prompts:: Two ways to recognize shell prompts.
520 * History: Shell History. Repeating previous commands in a shell buffer.
521 * Directory Tracking:: Keeping track when the subshell changes directory.
522 * Options: Shell Options. Options for customizing Shell mode.
523 * Terminal emulator:: An Emacs window as a terminal emulator.
524 * Term Mode:: Special Emacs commands used in Term mode.
525 * Remote Host:: Connecting to another computer.
526 * Serial Terminal:: Connecting to a serial port.
527 @end menu
528
529 @node Single Shell
530 @subsection Single Shell Commands
531
532 @kindex M-!
533 @findex shell-command
534 @kbd{M-!} (@code{shell-command}) reads a line of text using the
535 minibuffer and executes it as a shell command, in a subshell made just
536 for that command. Standard input for the command comes from the null
537 device. If the shell command produces any output, the output appears
538 either in the echo area (if it is short), or in an Emacs buffer named
539 @file{*Shell Command Output*}, displayed in another window (if the
540 output is long).
541
542 For instance, one way to decompress a file named @file{foo.gz} is to
543 type @kbd{M-! gunzip foo.gz @key{RET}}. That shell command normally
544 creates the file @file{foo} and produces no terminal output.
545
546 A numeric argument to @code{shell-command}, e.g., @kbd{M-1 M-!},
547 causes it to insert terminal output into the current buffer instead of
548 a separate buffer. It puts point before the output, and sets the mark
549 after the output. For instance, @kbd{M-1 M-! gunzip < foo.gz
550 @key{RET}} would insert the uncompressed form of the file
551 @file{foo.gz} into the current buffer.
552
553 Provided the specified shell command does not end with @samp{&}, it
554 runs @dfn{synchronously}, and you must wait for it to exit before
555 continuing to use Emacs. To stop waiting, type @kbd{C-g} to quit;
556 this sends a @code{SIGINT} signal to terminate the shell command (this
557 is the same signal that @kbd{C-c} normally generates in the shell).
558 Emacs then waits until the command actually terminates. If the shell
559 command doesn't stop (because it ignores the @code{SIGINT} signal),
560 type @kbd{C-g} again; this sends the command a @code{SIGKILL} signal,
561 which is impossible to ignore.
562
563 @kindex M-&
564 @findex async-shell-command
565 A shell command that ends in @samp{&} is executed
566 @dfn{asynchronously}, and you can continue to use Emacs as it runs.
567 You can also type @kbd{M-&} (@code{async-shell-command}) to execute a
568 shell command asynchronously; this is exactly like calling @kbd{M-!}
569 with a trailing @samp{&}, except that you do not need the @samp{&}.
570 The default output buffer for asynchronous shell commands is named
571 @samp{*Async Shell Command*}. Emacs inserts the output into this
572 buffer as it comes in, whether or not the buffer is visible in a
573 window.
574
575 @vindex async-shell-command-buffer
576 If you want to run more than one asynchronous shell command at the
577 same time, they could end up competing for the output buffer. The
578 option @code{async-shell-command-buffer} specifies what to do about
579 this; e.g., whether to rename the pre-existing output buffer, or to
580 use a different buffer for the new command. Consult the variable's
581 documentation for more possibilities.
582
583 @kindex M-|
584 @findex shell-command-on-region
585 @kbd{M-|} (@code{shell-command-on-region}) is like @kbd{M-!}, but
586 passes the contents of the region as the standard input to the shell
587 command, instead of no input. With a numeric argument, it deletes the
588 old region and replaces it with the output from the shell command.
589
590 For example, you can use @kbd{M-|} with the @command{gpg} program to
591 see what keys are in the buffer. If the buffer contains a GnuPG key,
592 type @kbd{C-x h M-| gpg @key{RET}} to feed the entire buffer contents
593 to @command{gpg}. This will output the list of keys to the
594 @file{*Shell Command Output*} buffer.
595
596 @vindex shell-file-name
597 The above commands use the shell specified by the variable
598 @code{shell-file-name}. Its default value is determined by the
599 @env{SHELL} environment variable when Emacs is started. If the file
600 name is relative, Emacs searches the directories listed in
601 @code{exec-path} (@pxref{Shell}).
602
603 To specify a coding system for @kbd{M-!} or @kbd{M-|}, use the command
604 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately beforehand. @xref{Communication Coding}.
605
606 @vindex shell-command-default-error-buffer
607 By default, error output is intermixed with the regular output in
608 the output buffer. But if you change the value of the variable
609 @code{shell-command-default-error-buffer} to a string, error output is
610 inserted into a buffer of that name.
611
612 @node Interactive Shell
613 @subsection Interactive Subshell
614
615 @findex shell
616 To run a subshell interactively, type @kbd{M-x shell}. This creates
617 (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*shell*}, and runs a shell subprocess
618 with input coming from and output going to that buffer. That is to
619 say, any terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer,
620 advancing point, and any terminal input for the subshell comes from
621 text in the buffer. To give input to the subshell, go to the end of
622 the buffer and type the input, terminated by @key{RET}.
623
624 While the subshell is waiting or running a command, you can switch
625 windows or buffers and perform other editing in Emacs. Emacs inserts
626 the output from the subshell into the Shell buffer whenever it has
627 time to process it (e.g., while waiting for keyboard input).
628
629 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-input} face
630 @cindex @code{comint-highlight-prompt} face
631 In the Shell buffer, prompts are displayed with the face
632 @code{comint-highlight-prompt}, and submitted input lines are
633 displayed with the face @code{comint-highlight-input}. This makes it
634 easier to distinguish input lines from the shell output.
635 @xref{Faces}.
636
637 To make multiple subshells, invoke @kbd{M-x shell} with a prefix
638 argument (e.g., @kbd{C-u M-x shell}). Then the command will read a
639 buffer name, and create (or reuse) a subshell in that buffer. You can
640 also rename the @file{*shell*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely},
641 then create a new @file{*shell*} buffer using plain @kbd{M-x shell}.
642 Subshells in different buffers run independently and in parallel.
643
644 @vindex explicit-shell-file-name
645 @cindex environment variables for subshells
646 @cindex @env{ESHELL} environment variable
647 @cindex @env{SHELL} environment variable
648 To specify the shell file name used by @kbd{M-x shell}, customize
649 the variable @code{explicit-shell-file-name}. If this is @code{nil}
650 (the default), Emacs uses the environment variable @env{ESHELL} if it
651 exists. Otherwise, it usually uses the variable
652 @code{shell-file-name} (@pxref{Single Shell}); but if the default
653 directory is remote (@pxref{Remote Files}), it prompts you for the
654 shell file name.
655
656 Emacs sends the new shell the contents of the file
657 @file{~/.emacs_@var{shellname}} as input, if it exists, where
658 @var{shellname} is the name of the file that the shell was loaded
659 from. For example, if you use bash, the file sent to it is
660 @file{~/.emacs_bash}. If this file is not found, Emacs tries with
661 @file{~/.emacs.d/init_@var{shellname}.sh}.
662
663 To specify a coding system for the shell, you can use the command
664 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c} immediately before @kbd{M-x shell}. You can
665 also change the coding system for a running subshell by typing
666 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} p} in the shell buffer. @xref{Communication
667 Coding}.
668
669 @cindex @env{INSIDE_EMACS} environment variable
670 @cindex @env{EMACS} environment variable
671 Emacs sets the environment variable @env{INSIDE_EMACS} in the
672 subshell to @samp{@var{version},comint}, where @var{version} is the
673 Emacs version (e.g., @samp{24.1}). Programs can check this variable
674 to determine whether they are running inside an Emacs subshell. (It
675 also sets the @env{EMACS} environment variable to @code{t}, if that
676 environment variable is not already defined. However, this
677 environment variable is deprecated; programs that use it should switch
678 to using @env{INSIDE_EMACS} instead.)
679
680 @node Shell Mode
681 @subsection Shell Mode
682 @cindex Shell mode
683 @cindex mode, Shell
684
685 The major mode for Shell buffers is Shell mode. Many of its special
686 commands are bound to the @kbd{C-c} prefix, and resemble the usual
687 editing and job control characters present in ordinary shells, except
688 that you must type @kbd{C-c} first. Here is a list of Shell mode
689 commands:
690
691 @table @kbd
692 @item @key{RET}
693 @kindex RET @r{(Shell mode)}
694 @findex comint-send-input
695 Send the current line as input to the subshell
696 (@code{comint-send-input}). Any shell prompt at the beginning of the
697 line is omitted (@pxref{Shell Prompts}). If point is at the end of
698 buffer, this is like submitting the command line in an ordinary
699 interactive shell. However, you can also invoke @key{RET} elsewhere
700 in the shell buffer to submit the current line as input.
701
702 @item @key{TAB}
703 @kindex TAB @r{(Shell mode)}
704 @findex completion-at-point
705 @cindex shell completion
706 Complete the command name or file name before point in the shell
707 buffer (@code{completion-at-point}). This uses the usual Emacs
708 completion rules (@pxref{Completion}), with the completion
709 alternatives being file names, environment variable names, the shell
710 command history, and history references (@pxref{History References}).
711 For options controlling the completion, @pxref{Shell Options}.
712
713 @item M-?
714 @kindex M-? @r{(Shell mode)}
715 @findex comint-dynamic-list-filename@dots{}
716 Display temporarily a list of the possible completions of the file
717 name before point (@code{comint-dynamic-list-filename-completions}).
718
719 @item C-d
720 @kindex C-d @r{(Shell mode)}
721 @findex comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof
722 Either delete a character or send @acronym{EOF}
723 (@code{comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof}). Typed at the end of the shell
724 buffer, this sends @acronym{EOF} to the subshell. Typed at any other
725 position in the buffer, this deletes a character as usual.
726
727 @item C-c C-a
728 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Shell mode)}
729 @findex comint-bol-or-process-mark
730 Move to the beginning of the line, but after the prompt if any
731 (@code{comint-bol-or-process-mark}). If you repeat this command twice
732 in a row, the second time it moves back to the process mark, which is
733 the beginning of the input that you have not yet sent to the subshell.
734 (Normally that is the same place---the end of the prompt on this
735 line---but after @kbd{C-c @key{SPC}} the process mark may be in a
736 previous line.)
737
738 @item C-c @key{SPC}
739 Accumulate multiple lines of input, then send them together. This
740 command inserts a newline before point, but does not send the preceding
741 text as input to the subshell---at least, not yet. Both lines, the one
742 before this newline and the one after, will be sent together (along with
743 the newline that separates them), when you type @key{RET}.
744
745 @item C-c C-u
746 @kindex C-c C-u @r{(Shell mode)}
747 @findex comint-kill-input
748 Kill all text pending at end of buffer to be sent as input
749 (@code{comint-kill-input}). If point is not at end of buffer,
750 this only kills the part of this text that precedes point.
751
752 @item C-c C-w
753 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Shell mode)}
754 Kill a word before point (@code{backward-kill-word}).
755
756 @item C-c C-c
757 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Shell mode)}
758 @findex comint-interrupt-subjob
759 Interrupt the shell or its current subjob if any
760 (@code{comint-interrupt-subjob}). This command also kills
761 any shell input pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
762
763 @item C-c C-z
764 @kindex C-c C-z @r{(Shell mode)}
765 @findex comint-stop-subjob
766 Stop the shell or its current subjob if any (@code{comint-stop-subjob}).
767 This command also kills any shell input pending in the shell buffer and
768 not yet sent.
769
770 @item C-c C-\
771 @findex comint-quit-subjob
772 @kindex C-c C-\ @r{(Shell mode)}
773 Send quit signal to the shell or its current subjob if any
774 (@code{comint-quit-subjob}). This command also kills any shell input
775 pending in the shell buffer and not yet sent.
776
777 @item C-c C-o
778 @kindex C-c C-o @r{(Shell mode)}
779 @findex comint-delete-output
780 Delete the last batch of output from a shell command
781 (@code{comint-delete-output}). This is useful if a shell command spews
782 out lots of output that just gets in the way.
783
784 @item C-c C-s
785 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Shell mode)}
786 @findex comint-write-output
787 Write the last batch of output from a shell command to a file
788 (@code{comint-write-output}). With a prefix argument, the file is
789 appended to instead. Any prompt at the end of the output is not
790 written.
791
792 @item C-c C-r
793 @itemx C-M-l
794 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Shell mode)}
795 @kindex C-M-l @r{(Shell mode)}
796 @findex comint-show-output
797 Scroll to display the beginning of the last batch of output at the top
798 of the window; also move the cursor there (@code{comint-show-output}).
799
800 @item C-c C-e
801 @kindex C-c C-e @r{(Shell mode)}
802 @findex comint-show-maximum-output
803 Scroll to put the end of the buffer at the bottom of the window
804 (@code{comint-show-maximum-output}).
805
806 @item C-c C-f
807 @kindex C-c C-f @r{(Shell mode)}
808 @findex shell-forward-command
809 @vindex shell-command-regexp
810 Move forward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
811 (@code{shell-forward-command}). The variable @code{shell-command-regexp}
812 specifies how to recognize the end of a command.
813
814 @item C-c C-b
815 @kindex C-c C-b @r{(Shell mode)}
816 @findex shell-backward-command
817 Move backward across one shell command, but not beyond the current line
818 (@code{shell-backward-command}).
819
820 @item M-x dirs
821 Ask the shell for its working directory, and update the Shell buffer's
822 default directory. @xref{Directory Tracking}.
823
824 @item M-x send-invisible @key{RET} @var{text} @key{RET}
825 @findex send-invisible
826 Send @var{text} as input to the shell, after reading it without
827 echoing. This is useful when a shell command runs a program that asks
828 for a password.
829
830 Please note that Emacs will not echo passwords by default. If you
831 really want them to be echoed, evaluate (@pxref{Lisp Eval}) the
832 following Lisp expression:
833
834 @example
835 (remove-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
836 'comint-watch-for-password-prompt)
837 @end example
838
839 @item M-x comint-continue-subjob
840 @findex comint-continue-subjob
841 Continue the shell process. This is useful if you accidentally suspend
842 the shell process.@footnote{You should not suspend the shell process.
843 Suspending a subjob of the shell is a completely different matter---that
844 is normal practice, but you must use the shell to continue the subjob;
845 this command won't do it.}
846
847 @item M-x comint-strip-ctrl-m
848 @findex comint-strip-ctrl-m
849 Discard all control-M characters from the current group of shell output.
850 The most convenient way to use this command is to make it run
851 automatically when you get output from the subshell. To do that,
852 evaluate this Lisp expression:
853
854 @example
855 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
856 'comint-strip-ctrl-m)
857 @end example
858
859 @item M-x comint-truncate-buffer
860 @findex comint-truncate-buffer
861 This command truncates the shell buffer to a certain maximum number of
862 lines, specified by the variable @code{comint-buffer-maximum-size}.
863 Here's how to do this automatically each time you get output from the
864 subshell:
865
866 @example
867 (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
868 'comint-truncate-buffer)
869 @end example
870 @end table
871
872 @cindex Comint mode
873 @cindex mode, Comint
874 Shell mode is a derivative of Comint mode, a general-purpose mode for
875 communicating with interactive subprocesses. Most of the features of
876 Shell mode actually come from Comint mode, as you can see from the
877 command names listed above. The special features of Shell mode include
878 the directory tracking feature, and a few user commands.
879
880 Other Emacs features that use variants of Comint mode include GUD
881 (@pxref{Debuggers}) and @kbd{M-x run-lisp} (@pxref{External Lisp}).
882
883 @findex comint-run
884 You can use @kbd{M-x comint-run} to execute any program of your choice
885 in a subprocess using unmodified Comint mode---without the
886 specializations of Shell mode.
887
888 @node Shell Prompts
889 @subsection Shell Prompts
890
891 @cindex prompt, shell
892 A prompt is text output by a program to show that it is ready to
893 accept new user input. Normally, Comint mode (and thus Shell mode)
894 automatically figures out part of the buffer is a prompt, based on the
895 output of the subprocess. (Specifically, it assumes that any received
896 output line which doesn't end with a newline is a prompt.)
897
898 Comint mode divides the buffer into two types of @dfn{fields}: input
899 fields (where user input is typed) and output fields (everywhere
900 else). Prompts are part of the output fields. Most Emacs motion
901 commands do not cross field boundaries, unless they move over multiple
902 lines. For instance, when point is in the input field on a shell
903 command line, @kbd{C-a} puts point at the beginning of the input
904 field, after the prompt. Internally, the fields are implemented using
905 the @code{field} text property (@pxref{Text Properties,,, elisp, the
906 Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
907
908 @vindex comint-use-prompt-regexp
909 @vindex shell-prompt-pattern
910 If you change the variable @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} to a
911 non-@code{nil} value, then Comint mode recognize prompts using a
912 regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}). In Shell mode, the regular
913 expression is specified by the variable @code{shell-prompt-pattern}.
914 The default value of @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil},
915 because this method for recognizing prompts is unreliable, but you may
916 want to set it to a non-@code{nil} value in unusual circumstances. In
917 that case, Emacs does not divide the Comint buffer into fields, so the
918 general motion commands behave as they normally do in buffers without
919 special text properties. However, you can use the paragraph motion
920 commands to conveniently navigate the buffer (@pxref{Paragraphs}); in
921 Shell mode, Emacs uses @code{shell-prompt-pattern} as paragraph
922 boundaries.
923
924 @node Shell History
925 @subsection Shell Command History
926
927 Shell buffers support three ways of repeating earlier commands. You
928 can use keys like those used for the minibuffer history; these work
929 much as they do in the minibuffer, inserting text from prior commands
930 while point remains always at the end of the buffer. You can move
931 through the buffer to previous inputs in their original place, then
932 resubmit them or copy them to the end. Or you can use a
933 @samp{!}-style history reference.
934
935 @menu
936 * Ring: Shell Ring. Fetching commands from the history list.
937 * Copy: Shell History Copying. Moving to a command and then copying it.
938 * History References:: Expanding @samp{!}-style history references.
939 @end menu
940
941 @node Shell Ring
942 @subsubsection Shell History Ring
943
944 @table @kbd
945 @findex comint-previous-input
946 @kindex M-p @r{(Shell mode)}
947 @item M-p
948 @itemx C-@key{UP}
949 Fetch the next earlier old shell command.
950
951 @kindex M-n @r{(Shell mode)}
952 @findex comint-next-input
953 @item M-n
954 @itemx C-@key{DOWN}
955 Fetch the next later old shell command.
956
957 @kindex M-r @r{(Shell mode)}
958 @findex comint-history-isearch-backward-regexp
959 @item M-r
960 Begin an incremental regexp search of old shell commands.
961
962 @item C-c C-x
963 @kindex C-c C-x @r{(Shell mode)}
964 @findex comint-get-next-from-history
965 Fetch the next subsequent command from the history.
966
967 @item C-c .
968 @kindex C-c . @r{(Shell mode)}
969 @findex comint-input-previous-argument
970 Fetch one argument from an old shell command.
971
972 @item C-c C-l
973 @kindex C-c C-l @r{(Shell mode)}
974 @findex comint-dynamic-list-input-ring
975 Display the buffer's history of shell commands in another window
976 (@code{comint-dynamic-list-input-ring}).
977 @end table
978
979 Shell buffers provide a history of previously entered shell
980 commands. To reuse shell commands from the history, use the editing
981 commands @kbd{M-p}, @kbd{M-n}, @kbd{M-r} and @kbd{M-s}. These work
982 just like the minibuffer history commands (@pxref{Minibuffer
983 History}), except that they operate within the Shell buffer rather
984 than the minibuffer.
985
986 @kbd{M-p} fetches an earlier shell command to the end of the shell
987 buffer. Successive use of @kbd{M-p} fetches successively earlier
988 shell commands, each replacing any text that was already present as
989 potential shell input. @kbd{M-n} does likewise except that it finds
990 successively more recent shell commands from the buffer.
991 @kbd{C-@key{UP}} works like @kbd{M-p}, and @kbd{C-@key{DOWN}} like
992 @kbd{M-n}.
993
994 The history search command @kbd{M-r} begins an incremental regular
995 expression search of previous shell commands. After typing @kbd{M-r},
996 start typing the desired string or regular expression; the last
997 matching shell command will be displayed in the current line.
998 Incremental search commands have their usual effects---for instance,
999 @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r} search forward and backward for the next match
1000 (@pxref{Incremental Search}). When you find the desired input, type
1001 @key{RET} to terminate the search. This puts the input in the command
1002 line. Any partial input you were composing before navigating the
1003 history list is restored when you go to the beginning or end of the
1004 history ring.
1005
1006 Often it is useful to reexecute several successive shell commands that
1007 were previously executed in sequence. To do this, first find and
1008 reexecute the first command of the sequence. Then type @kbd{C-c C-x};
1009 that will fetch the following command---the one that follows the command
1010 you just repeated. Then type @key{RET} to reexecute this command. You
1011 can reexecute several successive commands by typing @kbd{C-c C-x
1012 @key{RET}} over and over.
1013
1014 The command @kbd{C-c .}@: (@code{comint-input-previous-argument})
1015 copies an individual argument from a previous command, like
1016 @kbd{@key{ESC} .} in Bash. The simplest use copies the last argument from the
1017 previous shell command. With a prefix argument @var{n}, it copies the
1018 @var{n}th argument instead. Repeating @kbd{C-c .} copies from an
1019 earlier shell command instead, always using the same value of @var{n}
1020 (don't give a prefix argument when you repeat the @kbd{C-c .}
1021 command).
1022
1023 These commands get the text of previous shell commands from a special
1024 history list, not from the shell buffer itself. Thus, editing the shell
1025 buffer, or even killing large parts of it, does not affect the history
1026 that these commands access.
1027
1028 @vindex shell-input-ring-file-name
1029 Some shells store their command histories in files so that you can
1030 refer to commands from previous shell sessions. Emacs reads
1031 the command history file for your chosen shell, to initialize its own
1032 command history. The file name is @file{~/.bash_history} for bash,
1033 @file{~/.sh_history} for ksh, and @file{~/.history} for other shells.
1034
1035 @node Shell History Copying
1036 @subsubsection Shell History Copying
1037
1038 @table @kbd
1039 @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Shell mode)}
1040 @findex comint-previous-prompt
1041 @item C-c C-p
1042 Move point to the previous prompt (@code{comint-previous-prompt}).
1043
1044 @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Shell mode)}
1045 @findex comint-next-prompt
1046 @item C-c C-n
1047 Move point to the following prompt (@code{comint-next-prompt}).
1048
1049 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Shell mode)}
1050 @findex comint-copy-old-input
1051 @item C-c @key{RET}
1052 Copy the input command at point, inserting the copy at the end of the
1053 buffer (@code{comint-copy-old-input}). This is useful if you move
1054 point back to a previous command. After you copy the command, you can
1055 submit the copy as input with @key{RET}. If you wish, you can edit
1056 the copy before resubmitting it. If you use this command on an output
1057 line, it copies that line to the end of the buffer.
1058
1059 @item Mouse-2
1060 If @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is @code{nil} (the default), copy
1061 the old input command that you click on, inserting the copy at the end
1062 of the buffer (@code{comint-insert-input}). If
1063 @code{comint-use-prompt-regexp} is non-@code{nil}, or if the click is
1064 not over old input, just yank as usual.
1065 @end table
1066
1067 Moving to a previous input and then copying it with @kbd{C-c
1068 @key{RET}} or @kbd{Mouse-2} produces the same results---the same
1069 buffer contents---that you would get by using @kbd{M-p} enough times
1070 to fetch that previous input from the history list. However, @kbd{C-c
1071 @key{RET}} copies the text from the buffer, which can be different
1072 from what is in the history list if you edit the input text in the
1073 buffer after it has been sent.
1074
1075 @node History References
1076 @subsubsection Shell History References
1077 @cindex history reference
1078
1079 Various shells including csh and bash support @dfn{history
1080 references} that begin with @samp{!} and @samp{^}. Shell mode
1081 recognizes these constructs, and can perform the history substitution
1082 for you.
1083
1084 If you insert a history reference and type @key{TAB}, this searches
1085 the input history for a matching command, performs substitution if
1086 necessary, and places the result in the buffer in place of the history
1087 reference. For example, you can fetch the most recent command
1088 beginning with @samp{mv} with @kbd{! m v @key{TAB}}. You can edit the
1089 command if you wish, and then resubmit the command to the shell by
1090 typing @key{RET}.
1091
1092 @vindex comint-input-autoexpand
1093 @findex comint-magic-space
1094 Shell mode can optionally expand history references in the buffer
1095 when you send them to the shell. To request this, set the variable
1096 @code{comint-input-autoexpand} to @code{input}. You can make
1097 @key{SPC} perform history expansion by binding @key{SPC} to the
1098 command @code{comint-magic-space}.
1099
1100 Shell mode recognizes history references when they follow a prompt.
1101 @xref{Shell Prompts}, for how Shell mode recognizes prompts.
1102
1103 @node Directory Tracking
1104 @subsection Directory Tracking
1105 @cindex directory tracking
1106
1107 @vindex shell-pushd-regexp
1108 @vindex shell-popd-regexp
1109 @vindex shell-cd-regexp
1110 Shell mode keeps track of @samp{cd}, @samp{pushd} and @samp{popd}
1111 commands given to the subshell, in order to keep the Shell buffer's
1112 default directory (@pxref{File Names}) the same as the shell's working
1113 directory. It recognizes these commands by examining lines of input
1114 that you send.
1115
1116 If you use aliases for these commands, you can tell Emacs to
1117 recognize them also, by setting the variables
1118 @code{shell-pushd-regexp}, @code{shell-popd-regexp}, and
1119 @code{shell-cd-regexp} to the appropriate regular expressions
1120 (@pxref{Regexps}). For example, if @code{shell-pushd-regexp} matches
1121 the beginning of a shell command line, that line is regarded as a
1122 @code{pushd} command. These commands are recognized only at the
1123 beginning of a shell command line.
1124
1125 @findex dirs
1126 If Emacs gets confused about changes in the working directory of the
1127 subshell, type @kbd{M-x dirs}. This command asks the shell for its
1128 working directory and updates the default directory accordingly. It
1129 works for shells that support the most common command syntax, but may
1130 not work for unusual shells.
1131
1132 @findex dirtrack-mode
1133 @cindex Dirtrack mode
1134 @cindex mode, Dirtrack
1135 @vindex dirtrack-list
1136 You can also use Dirtrack mode, a buffer-local minor mode that
1137 implements an alternative method of tracking the shell's working
1138 directory. To use this method, your shell prompt must contain the
1139 working directory at all times, and you must supply a regular
1140 expression for recognizing which part of the prompt contains the
1141 working directory; see the documentation of the variable
1142 @code{dirtrack-list} for details. To use Dirtrack mode, type @kbd{M-x
1143 dirtrack-mode} in the Shell buffer, or add @code{dirtrack-mode} to
1144 @code{shell-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}).
1145
1146 @node Shell Options
1147 @subsection Shell Mode Options
1148
1149 @vindex comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input
1150 If the variable @code{comint-scroll-to-bottom-on-input} is
1151 non-@code{nil}, insertion and yank commands scroll the selected window
1152 to the bottom before inserting. The default is @code{nil}.
1153
1154 @vindex comint-scroll-show-maximum-output
1155 If @code{comint-scroll-show-maximum-output} is non-@code{nil}, then
1156 arrival of output when point is at the end tries to scroll the last
1157 line of text to the bottom line of the window, showing as much useful
1158 text as possible. (This mimics the scrolling behavior of most
1159 terminals.) The default is @code{t}.
1160
1161 @vindex comint-move-point-for-output
1162 By setting @code{comint-move-point-for-output}, you can opt for
1163 having point jump to the end of the buffer whenever output arrives---no
1164 matter where in the buffer point was before. If the value is
1165 @code{this}, point jumps in the selected window. If the value is
1166 @code{all}, point jumps in each window that shows the Comint buffer. If
1167 the value is @code{other}, point jumps in all nonselected windows that
1168 show the current buffer. The default value is @code{nil}, which means
1169 point does not jump to the end.
1170
1171 @vindex comint-prompt-read-only
1172 If you set @code{comint-prompt-read-only}, the prompts in the Comint
1173 buffer are read-only.
1174
1175 @vindex comint-input-ignoredups
1176 The variable @code{comint-input-ignoredups} controls whether successive
1177 identical inputs are stored in the input history. A non-@code{nil}
1178 value means to omit an input that is the same as the previous input.
1179 The default is @code{nil}, which means to store each input even if it is
1180 equal to the previous input.
1181
1182 @vindex comint-completion-addsuffix
1183 @vindex comint-completion-recexact
1184 @vindex comint-completion-autolist
1185 Three variables customize file name completion. The variable
1186 @code{comint-completion-addsuffix} controls whether completion inserts a
1187 space or a slash to indicate a fully completed file or directory name
1188 (non-@code{nil} means do insert a space or slash).
1189 @code{comint-completion-recexact}, if non-@code{nil}, directs @key{TAB}
1190 to choose the shortest possible completion if the usual Emacs completion
1191 algorithm cannot add even a single character.
1192 @code{comint-completion-autolist}, if non-@code{nil}, says to list all
1193 the possible completions whenever completion is not exact.
1194
1195 @vindex shell-completion-execonly
1196 Command completion normally considers only executable files.
1197 If you set @code{shell-completion-execonly} to @code{nil},
1198 it considers nonexecutable files as well.
1199
1200 @vindex shell-completion-fignore
1201 @vindex comint-completion-fignore
1202 The variable @code{shell-completion-fignore} specifies a list of file
1203 name extensions to ignore in Shell mode completion. The default
1204 setting is @code{nil}, but some users prefer @code{("~" "#" "%")} to
1205 ignore file names ending in @samp{~}, @samp{#} or @samp{%}. Other
1206 related Comint modes use the variable @code{comint-completion-fignore}
1207 instead.
1208
1209 @findex shell-dynamic-complete-command
1210 Some implementation details of the shell command completion may also be found
1211 in the lisp documentation of the @code{shell-dynamic-complete-command}
1212 function.
1213
1214 @findex shell-pushd-tohome
1215 @findex shell-pushd-dextract
1216 @findex shell-pushd-dunique
1217 You can configure the behavior of @samp{pushd}. Variables control
1218 whether @samp{pushd} behaves like @samp{cd} if no argument is given
1219 (@code{shell-pushd-tohome}), pop rather than rotate with a numeric
1220 argument (@code{shell-pushd-dextract}), and only add directories to the
1221 directory stack if they are not already on it
1222 (@code{shell-pushd-dunique}). The values you choose should match the
1223 underlying shell, of course.
1224
1225 @node Terminal emulator
1226 @subsection Emacs Terminal Emulator
1227 @findex term
1228
1229 To run a subshell in a text terminal emulator, use @kbd{M-x term}.
1230 This creates (or reuses) a buffer named @file{*terminal*}, and runs a
1231 subshell with input coming from your keyboard, and output going to
1232 that buffer.
1233
1234 @cindex line mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1235 @cindex char mode @r{(terminal emulator)}
1236 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1237 @dfn{line mode}, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell
1238 Mode}). In @dfn{char mode}, each character is sent directly to the
1239 subshell, as terminal input; the sole exception is the terminal escape
1240 character, which by default is @kbd{C-c} (@pxref{Term Mode}). Any
1241 echoing of your input is the responsibility of the subshell; any
1242 terminal output from the subshell goes into the buffer, advancing
1243 point.
1244
1245 Some programs (such as Emacs itself) need to control the appearance
1246 of the terminal screen in detail. They do this by emitting special
1247 control codes. Term mode recognizes and handles ANSI-standard
1248 VT100-style escape sequences, which are accepted by most modern
1249 terminals, including @command{xterm}. (Hence, you can actually run
1250 Emacs inside an Emacs Term window.)
1251
1252 The @code{term} face specifies the default appearance of text
1253 in the terminal emulator (the default is the same appearance as the
1254 @code{default} face). When terminal control codes are used to change
1255 the appearance of text, these are represented in the terminal emulator
1256 by the faces @code{term-color-black}, @code{term-color-red},
1257 @code{term-color-green}, @code{term-color-yellow}
1258 @code{term-color-blue}, @code{term-color-magenta},
1259 @code{term-color-cyan}, @code{term-color-white},
1260 @code{term-color-underline}, and @code{term-color-bold}.
1261 @xref{Faces}.
1262
1263 You can also Term mode to communicate with a device connected to a
1264 serial port. @xref{Serial Terminal}.
1265
1266 The file name used to load the subshell is determined the same way
1267 as for Shell mode. To make multiple terminal emulators, rename the
1268 buffer @file{*terminal*} to something different using @kbd{M-x
1269 rename-uniquely}, just as with Shell mode.
1270
1271 Unlike Shell mode, Term mode does not track the current directory by
1272 examining your input. But some shells can tell Term what the current
1273 directory is. This is done automatically by @code{bash} version 1.15
1274 and later.
1275
1276
1277
1278
1279 @node Term Mode
1280 @subsection Term Mode
1281 @cindex Term mode
1282 @cindex mode, Term
1283
1284 The terminal emulator uses Term mode, which has two input modes. In
1285 line mode, Term basically acts like Shell mode (@pxref{Shell Mode}).
1286 In char mode, each character is sent directly to the subshell, except
1287 for the Term escape character, normally @kbd{C-c}.
1288
1289 To switch between line and char mode, use these commands:
1290
1291 @table @kbd
1292 @kindex C-c C-j @r{(Term mode)}
1293 @findex term-line-mode
1294 @item C-c C-j
1295 Switch to line mode (@code{term-line-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1296 line mode.
1297
1298 @kindex C-c C-k @r{(Term mode)}
1299 @findex term-char-mode
1300 @item C-c C-k
1301 Switch to char mode (@code{term-char-mode}). Do nothing if already in
1302 char mode.
1303 @end table
1304
1305 The following commands are only available in char mode:
1306
1307 @table @kbd
1308 @item C-c C-c
1309 Send a literal @key{C-c} to the sub-shell.
1310
1311 @item C-c @var{char}
1312 This is equivalent to @kbd{C-x @var{char}} in normal Emacs. For
1313 example, @kbd{C-c o} invokes the global binding of @kbd{C-x o}, which
1314 is normally @samp{other-window}.
1315 @end table
1316
1317 @cindex paging in Term mode
1318 Term mode has a page-at-a-time feature. When enabled, it makes
1319 output pause at the end of each screenful:
1320
1321 @table @kbd
1322 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Term mode)}
1323 @findex term-pager-toggle
1324 @item C-c C-q
1325 Toggle the page-at-a-time feature. This command works in both line
1326 and char modes. When the feature is enabled, the mode-line displays
1327 the word @samp{page}, and each time Term receives more than a
1328 screenful of output, it pauses and displays @samp{**MORE**} in the
1329 mode-line. Type @key{SPC} to display the next screenful of output, or
1330 @kbd{?} to see your other options. The interface is similar to the
1331 @code{more} program.
1332 @end table
1333
1334 @node Remote Host
1335 @subsection Remote Host Shell
1336 @cindex remote host
1337 @cindex connecting to remote host
1338 @cindex Telnet
1339 @cindex Rlogin
1340
1341 You can login to a remote computer, using whatever commands you
1342 would from a regular terminal (e.g., using the @code{telnet} or
1343 @code{rlogin} commands), from a Term window.
1344
1345 A program that asks you for a password will normally suppress
1346 echoing of the password, so the password will not show up in the
1347 buffer. This will happen just as if you were using a real terminal,
1348 if the buffer is in char mode. If it is in line mode, the password is
1349 temporarily visible, but will be erased when you hit return. (This
1350 happens automatically; there is no special password processing.)
1351
1352 When you log in to a different machine, you need to specify the type
1353 of terminal you're using, by setting the @env{TERM} environment
1354 variable in the environment for the remote login command. (If you use
1355 bash, you do that by writing the variable assignment before the remote
1356 login command, without a separating comma.) Terminal types
1357 @samp{ansi} or @samp{vt100} will work on most systems.
1358
1359 @node Serial Terminal
1360 @subsection Serial Terminal
1361 @cindex terminal, serial
1362 @findex serial-term
1363
1364 If you have a device connected to a serial port of your computer,
1365 you can communicate with it by typing @kbd{M-x serial-term}. This
1366 command asks for a serial port name and speed, and switches to a new
1367 Term mode buffer. Emacs communicates with the serial device through
1368 this buffer just like it does with a terminal in ordinary Term mode.
1369
1370 The speed of the serial port is measured in bits per second. The
1371 most common speed is 9600 bits per second. You can change the speed
1372 interactively by clicking on the mode line.
1373
1374 A serial port can be configured even more by clicking on ``8N1'' in
1375 the mode line. By default, a serial port is configured as ``8N1'',
1376 which means that each byte consists of 8 data bits, No parity check
1377 bit, and 1 stopbit.
1378
1379 If the speed or the configuration is wrong, you cannot communicate
1380 with your device and will probably only see garbage output in the
1381 window.
1382
1383 @node Emacs Server
1384 @section Using Emacs as a Server
1385 @pindex emacsclient
1386 @cindex Emacs as a server
1387 @cindex server, using Emacs as
1388 @cindex @env{EDITOR} environment variable
1389
1390 Various programs can invoke your choice of editor to edit a
1391 particular piece of text. For instance, version control programs
1392 invoke an editor to enter version control logs (@pxref{Version
1393 Control}), and the Unix @command{mail} utility invokes an editor to
1394 enter a message to send. By convention, your choice of editor is
1395 specified by the environment variable @env{EDITOR}. If you set
1396 @env{EDITOR} to @samp{emacs}, Emacs would be invoked, but in an
1397 inconvenient way---by starting a new Emacs process. This is
1398 inconvenient because the new Emacs process doesn't share buffers, a
1399 command history, or other kinds of information with any existing Emacs
1400 process.
1401
1402 You can solve this problem by setting up Emacs as an @dfn{edit
1403 server}, so that it ``listens'' for external edit requests and acts
1404 accordingly. There are two ways to start an Emacs server:
1405
1406 @itemize
1407 @findex server-start
1408 @item
1409 Run the command @code{server-start} in an existing Emacs process:
1410 either type @kbd{M-x server-start}, or put the expression
1411 @code{(server-start)} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}). The
1412 existing Emacs process is the server; when you exit Emacs, the server
1413 dies with the Emacs process.
1414
1415 @cindex daemon, Emacs
1416 @item
1417 Run Emacs as a @dfn{daemon}, using the @samp{--daemon} command-line
1418 option. @xref{Initial Options}. When Emacs is started this way, it
1419 calls @code{server-start} after initialization, and returns control to
1420 the calling terminal instead of opening an initial frame; it then
1421 waits in the background, listening for edit requests.
1422 @end itemize
1423
1424 @cindex @env{TEXEDIT} environment variable
1425 Either way, once an Emacs server is started, you can use a shell
1426 command called @command{emacsclient} to connect to the Emacs process
1427 and tell it to visit a file. You can then set the @env{EDITOR}
1428 environment variable to @samp{emacsclient}, so that external programs
1429 will use the existing Emacs process for editing.@footnote{Some
1430 programs use a different environment variable; for example, to make
1431 @TeX{} use @samp{emacsclient}, set the @env{TEXEDIT} environment
1432 variable to @samp{emacsclient +%d %s}.}
1433
1434 @vindex server-name
1435 You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
1436 each one a unique ``server name'', using the variable
1437 @code{server-name}. For example, @kbd{M-x set-variable @key{RET}
1438 server-name @key{RET} foo @key{RET}} sets the server name to
1439 @samp{foo}. The @code{emacsclient} program can specify a server by
1440 name, using the @samp{-s} option (@pxref{emacsclient Options}).
1441
1442 @findex server-eval-at
1443 If you have defined a server by a unique server name, it is possible
1444 to connect to the server from another Emacs instance and evaluate Lisp
1445 expressions on the server, using the @code{server-eval-at} function.
1446 For instance, @code{(server-eval-at "foo" '(+ 1 2))} evaluates the
1447 expression @code{(+ 1 2)} on the @samp{foo} server, and returns
1448 @code{3}. (If there is no server with that name, an error is
1449 signaled.) Currently, this feature is mainly useful for developers.
1450
1451 @menu
1452 * Invoking emacsclient:: Connecting to the Emacs server.
1453 * emacsclient Options:: Emacs client startup options.
1454 @end menu
1455
1456 @node Invoking emacsclient
1457 @subsection Invoking @code{emacsclient}
1458 @cindex @code{emacsclient} invocation
1459
1460 The simplest way to use the @command{emacsclient} program is to run
1461 the shell command @samp{emacsclient @var{file}}, where @var{file} is a
1462 file name. This connects to an Emacs server, and tells that Emacs
1463 process to visit @var{file} in one of its existing frames---either a
1464 graphical frame, or one in a text terminal (@pxref{Frames}). You
1465 can then select that frame to begin editing.
1466
1467 If there is no Emacs server, the @command{emacsclient} program halts
1468 with an error message. If the Emacs process has no existing
1469 frame---which can happen if it was started as a daemon (@pxref{Emacs
1470 Server})---then Emacs opens a frame on the terminal in which you
1471 called @command{emacsclient}.
1472
1473 You can also force @command{emacsclient} to open a new frame on a
1474 graphical display, or on a text terminal, using the @samp{-c} and
1475 @samp{-t} options. @xref{emacsclient Options}.
1476
1477 If you are running on a single text terminal, you can switch between
1478 @command{emacsclient}'s shell and the Emacs server using one of two
1479 methods: (i) run the Emacs server and @command{emacsclient} on
1480 different virtual terminals, and switch to the Emacs server's virtual
1481 terminal after calling @command{emacsclient}; or (ii) call
1482 @command{emacsclient} from within the Emacs server itself, using Shell
1483 mode (@pxref{Interactive Shell}) or Term mode (@pxref{Term Mode});
1484 @code{emacsclient} blocks only the subshell under Emacs, and you can
1485 still use Emacs to edit the file.
1486
1487 @kindex C-x #
1488 @findex server-edit
1489 When you finish editing @var{file} in the Emacs server, type
1490 @kbd{C-x #} (@code{server-edit}) in its buffer. This saves the file
1491 and sends a message back to the @command{emacsclient} program, telling
1492 it to exit. Programs that use @env{EDITOR} usually wait for the
1493 ``editor''---in this case @command{emacsclient}---to exit before doing
1494 something else.
1495
1496 You can also call @command{emacsclient} with multiple file name
1497 arguments: @samp{emacsclient @var{file1} @var{file2} ...} tells the
1498 Emacs server to visit @var{file1}, @var{file2}, and so forth. Emacs
1499 selects the buffer visiting @var{file1}, and buries the other buffers
1500 at the bottom of the buffer list (@pxref{Buffers}). The
1501 @command{emacsclient} program exits once all the specified files are
1502 finished (i.e., once you have typed @kbd{C-x #} in each server
1503 buffer).
1504
1505 @vindex server-kill-new-buffers
1506 @vindex server-temp-file-regexp
1507 Finishing with a server buffer also kills the buffer, unless it
1508 already existed in the Emacs session before the server was asked to
1509 create it. However, if you set @code{server-kill-new-buffers} to
1510 @code{nil}, then a different criterion is used: finishing with a
1511 server buffer kills it if the file name matches the regular expression
1512 @code{server-temp-file-regexp}. This is set up to distinguish certain
1513 ``temporary'' files.
1514
1515 Each @kbd{C-x #} checks for other pending external requests to edit
1516 various files, and selects the next such file. You can switch to a
1517 server buffer manually if you wish; you don't have to arrive at it
1518 with @kbd{C-x #}. But @kbd{C-x #} is the way to tell
1519 @command{emacsclient} that you are finished.
1520
1521 @vindex server-window
1522 If you set the value of the variable @code{server-window} to a
1523 window or a frame, @kbd{C-x #} always displays the next server buffer
1524 in that window or in that frame.
1525
1526 @node emacsclient Options
1527 @subsection @code{emacsclient} Options
1528 @cindex @code{emacsclient} options
1529
1530 You can pass some optional arguments to the @command{emacsclient}
1531 program, such as:
1532
1533 @example
1534 emacsclient -c +12 @var{file1} +4:3 @var{file2}
1535 @end example
1536
1537 @noindent
1538 The @samp{+@var{line}} or @samp{+@var{line}:@var{column}} arguments
1539 specify line numbers, or line and column numbers, for the next file
1540 argument. These behave like the command line arguments for Emacs
1541 itself. @xref{Action Arguments}.
1542
1543 The other optional arguments recognized by @command{emacsclient} are
1544 listed below:
1545
1546 @table @samp
1547 @item -a @var{command}
1548 @itemx --alternate-editor=@var{command}
1549 Specify a command to run if @code{emacsclient} fails to contact Emacs.
1550 This is useful when running @code{emacsclient} in a script.
1551
1552 As a special exception, if @var{command} is the empty string, then
1553 @code{emacsclient} starts Emacs in daemon mode (as @command{emacs
1554 --daemon}) and then tries connecting again.
1555
1556 @cindex @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} environment variable
1557 The environment variable @env{ALTERNATE_EDITOR} has the same effect as
1558 the @samp{-a} option. If both are present, the latter takes
1559 precedence.
1560
1561 @cindex client frame
1562 @item -c
1563 Create a new graphical @dfn{client frame}, instead of using an
1564 existing Emacs frame. See below for the special behavior of @kbd{C-x
1565 C-c} in a client frame. If Emacs cannot create a new graphical frame
1566 (e.g., if it cannot connect to the X server), it tries to create a
1567 text terminal client frame, as though you had supplied the @samp{-t}
1568 option instead.
1569
1570 On MS-Windows, a single Emacs session cannot display frames on both
1571 graphical and text terminals, nor on multiple text terminals. Thus,
1572 if the Emacs server is running on a text terminal, the @samp{-c}
1573 option, like the @samp{-t} option, creates a new frame in the server's
1574 current text terminal. @xref{Windows Startup}.
1575
1576 If you omit a filename argument while supplying the @samp{-c} option,
1577 the new frame displays the @file{*scratch*} buffer by default. You
1578 can customize this behavior with the variable @code{initial-buffer-choice}
1579 (@pxref{Entering Emacs}).
1580
1581 @item -F @var{alist}
1582 @itemx --frame-parameters=@var{alist}
1583 Set the parameters for a newly-created graphical frame
1584 (@pxref{Frame Parameters}).
1585
1586 @item -d @var{display}
1587 @itemx --display=@var{display}
1588 Tell Emacs to open the given files on the X display @var{display}
1589 (assuming there is more than one X display available).
1590
1591 @item -e
1592 @itemx --eval
1593 Tell Emacs to evaluate some Emacs Lisp code, instead of visiting some
1594 files. When this option is given, the arguments to
1595 @command{emacsclient} are interpreted as a list of expressions to
1596 evaluate, @emph{not} as a list of files to visit.
1597
1598 @item -f @var{server-file}
1599 @itemx --server-file=@var{server-file}
1600 @cindex @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE} environment variable
1601 Specify a @dfn{server file} for connecting to an Emacs server via TCP.
1602
1603 An Emacs server usually uses an operating system feature called a
1604 ``local socket'' to listen for connections. Some operating systems,
1605 such as Microsoft Windows, do not support local sockets; in that case,
1606 the server communicates with @command{emacsclient} via TCP.
1607
1608 @vindex server-auth-dir
1609 @cindex server file
1610 @vindex server-port
1611 When you start a TCP Emacs server, Emacs creates a @dfn{server file}
1612 containing the TCP information to be used by @command{emacsclient} to
1613 connect to the server. The variable @code{server-auth-dir} specifies
1614 the directory containing the server file; by default, this is
1615 @file{~/.emacs.d/server/}. To tell @command{emacsclient} to connect
1616 to the server over TCP with a specific server file, use the @samp{-f}
1617 or @samp{--server-file} option, or set the @env{EMACS_SERVER_FILE}
1618 environment variable.
1619
1620 @item -n
1621 @itemx --no-wait
1622 Let @command{emacsclient} exit immediately, instead of waiting until
1623 all server buffers are finished. You can take as long as you like to
1624 edit the server buffers within Emacs, and they are @emph{not} killed
1625 when you type @kbd{C-x #} in them.
1626
1627 @item --parent-id @var{id}
1628 Open an @command{emacsclient} frame as a client frame in the parent X
1629 window with id @var{id}, via the XEmbed protocol. Currently, this
1630 option is mainly useful for developers.
1631
1632 @item -q
1633 @itemx --quiet
1634 Do not let @command{emacsclient} display messages about waiting for
1635 Emacs or connecting to remote server sockets.
1636
1637 @item -s @var{server-name}
1638 @itemx --socket-name=@var{server-name}
1639 Connect to the Emacs server named @var{server-name}. The server name
1640 is given by the variable @code{server-name} on the Emacs server. If
1641 this option is omitted, @command{emacsclient} connects to the first
1642 server it finds. (This option is not supported on MS-Windows.)
1643
1644 @item -t
1645 @itemx --tty
1646 @itemx -nw
1647 Create a new client frame on the current text terminal, instead of
1648 using an existing Emacs frame. This behaves just like the @samp{-c}
1649 option, described above, except that it creates a text terminal frame
1650 (@pxref{Non-Window Terminals}).
1651
1652 On MS-Windows, @samp{-t} behaves just like @samp{-c} if the Emacs
1653 server is using the graphical display, but if the Emacs server is
1654 running on a text terminal, it creates a new frame in the current text
1655 terminal.
1656 @end table
1657
1658 The new graphical or text terminal frames created by the @samp{-c}
1659 or @samp{-t} options are considered @dfn{client frames}. Any new
1660 frame that you create from a client frame is also considered a client
1661 frame. If you type @kbd{C-x C-c} (@code{save-buffers-kill-terminal})
1662 in a client frame, that command does not kill the Emacs session as it
1663 normally does (@pxref{Exiting}). Instead, Emacs deletes the client
1664 frame; furthermore, if the client frame has an @command{emacsclient}
1665 waiting to regain control (i.e., if you did not supply the @samp{-n}
1666 option), Emacs deletes all other frames of the same client, and marks
1667 the client's server buffers as finished, as though you had typed
1668 @kbd{C-x #} in all of them. If it so happens that there are no
1669 remaining frames after the client frame(s) are deleted, the Emacs
1670 session exits.
1671
1672 As an exception, when Emacs is started as a daemon, all frames are
1673 considered client frames, and @kbd{C-x C-c} never kills Emacs. To
1674 kill a daemon session, type @kbd{M-x kill-emacs}.
1675
1676 Note that the @samp{-t} and @samp{-n} options are contradictory:
1677 @samp{-t} says to take control of the current text terminal to create
1678 a new client frame, while @samp{-n} says not to take control of the
1679 text terminal. If you supply both options, Emacs visits the specified
1680 files(s) in an existing frame rather than a new client frame, negating
1681 the effect of @samp{-t}.
1682
1683 @node Printing
1684 @section Printing Hard Copies
1685 @cindex hardcopy
1686 @cindex printing
1687
1688 Emacs provides commands for printing hardcopies of either an entire
1689 buffer or part of one. You can invoke the printing commands directly,
1690 as detailed below, or using the @samp{File} menu on the menu bar.
1691
1692 @findex htmlfontify-buffer
1693 Aside from the commands described in this section, you can also
1694 print hardcopies from Dired (@pxref{Operating on Files}) and the diary
1695 (@pxref{Displaying the Diary}). You can also ``print'' an Emacs
1696 buffer to HTML with the command @kbd{M-x htmlfontify-buffer}, which
1697 converts the current buffer to a HTML file, replacing Emacs faces with
1698 CSS-based markup. Furthermore, Org mode allows you to ``print'' Org
1699 files to a variety of formats, such as PDF (@pxref{Org Mode}).
1700
1701 @table @kbd
1702 @item M-x print-buffer
1703 Print hardcopy of current buffer with page headings containing the
1704 file name and page number.
1705 @item M-x lpr-buffer
1706 Print hardcopy of current buffer without page headings.
1707 @item M-x print-region
1708 Like @code{print-buffer} but print only the current region.
1709 @item M-x lpr-region
1710 Like @code{lpr-buffer} but print only the current region.
1711 @end table
1712
1713 @findex print-buffer
1714 @findex print-region
1715 @findex lpr-buffer
1716 @findex lpr-region
1717 @vindex lpr-switches
1718 @vindex lpr-commands
1719 On most operating system, the above hardcopy commands submit files
1720 for printing by calling the @command{lpr} program. To change the
1721 printer program, customize the variable @code{lpr-command}. To
1722 specify extra switches to give the printer program, customize the list
1723 variable @code{lpr-switches}. Its value should be a list of option
1724 strings, each of which should start with @samp{-} (e.g., the option
1725 string @code{"-w80"} specifies a line width of 80 columns). The
1726 default is the empty list, @code{nil}.
1727
1728 @vindex printer-name
1729 @vindex lpr-printer-switch
1730 To specify the printer to use, set the variable @code{printer-name}.
1731 The default, @code{nil}, specifies the default printer. If you set it
1732 to a printer name (a string), that name is passed to @command{lpr}
1733 with the @samp{-P} switch; if you are not using @command{lpr}, you
1734 should specify the switch with @code{lpr-printer-switch}.
1735
1736 @vindex lpr-headers-switches
1737 @vindex lpr-add-switches
1738 The variable @code{lpr-headers-switches} similarly specifies the
1739 extra switches to use to make page headers. The variable
1740 @code{lpr-add-switches} controls whether to supply @samp{-T} and
1741 @samp{-J} options (suitable for @command{lpr}) to the printer program:
1742 @code{nil} means don't add them (this should be the value if your
1743 printer program is not compatible with @command{lpr}).
1744
1745 @menu
1746 * PostScript:: Printing buffers or regions as PostScript.
1747 * PostScript Variables:: Customizing the PostScript printing commands.
1748 * Printing Package:: An optional advanced printing interface.
1749 @end menu
1750
1751 @node PostScript
1752 @subsection PostScript Hardcopy
1753
1754 These commands convert buffer contents to PostScript,
1755 either printing it or leaving it in another Emacs buffer.
1756
1757 @table @kbd
1758 @item M-x ps-print-buffer
1759 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form.
1760 @item M-x ps-print-region
1761 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form.
1762 @item M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1763 Print hardcopy of the current buffer in PostScript form, showing the
1764 faces used in the text by means of PostScript features.
1765 @item M-x ps-print-region-with-faces
1766 Print hardcopy of the current region in PostScript form, showing the
1767 faces used in the text.
1768 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer
1769 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer text.
1770 @item M-x ps-spool-region
1771 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region.
1772 @item M-x ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1773 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current buffer, showing the faces used.
1774 @item M-x ps-spool-region-with-faces
1775 Generate and spool a PostScript image for the current region, showing the faces used.
1776 @item M-x ps-despool
1777 Send the spooled PostScript to the printer.
1778 @item M-x handwrite
1779 Generate/print PostScript for the current buffer as if handwritten.
1780 @end table
1781
1782 @findex ps-print-region
1783 @findex ps-print-buffer
1784 @findex ps-print-region-with-faces
1785 @findex ps-print-buffer-with-faces
1786 The @code{ps-print-buffer} and @code{ps-print-region} commands print
1787 buffer contents in PostScript form. One command prints the entire
1788 buffer; the other, just the region. The commands
1789 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} and
1790 @code{ps-print-region-with-faces} behave similarly, but use PostScript
1791 features to show the faces (fonts and colors) of the buffer text.
1792
1793 Interactively, when you use a prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), the command
1794 prompts the user for a file name, and saves the PostScript image in that file
1795 instead of sending it to the printer.
1796
1797 @findex ps-spool-region
1798 @findex ps-spool-buffer
1799 @findex ps-spool-region-with-faces
1800 @findex ps-spool-buffer-with-faces
1801 The commands whose names have @samp{spool} instead of @samp{print},
1802 generate the PostScript output in an Emacs buffer instead of sending
1803 it to the printer.
1804
1805 @findex ps-despool
1806 Use the command @code{ps-despool} to send the spooled images to the
1807 printer. This command sends the PostScript generated by
1808 @samp{-spool-} commands (see commands above) to the printer. With a
1809 prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), it prompts for a file name, and saves the
1810 spooled PostScript image in that file instead of sending it to the
1811 printer.
1812
1813 @findex handwrite
1814 @cindex handwriting
1815 @kbd{M-x handwrite} is more frivolous. It generates a PostScript
1816 rendition of the current buffer as a cursive handwritten document. It
1817 can be customized in group @code{handwrite}. This function only
1818 supports ISO 8859-1 characters.
1819
1820 @node PostScript Variables
1821 @subsection Variables for PostScript Hardcopy
1822
1823 @vindex ps-lpr-command
1824 @vindex ps-lpr-switches
1825 @vindex ps-printer-name
1826 All the PostScript hardcopy commands use the variables
1827 @code{ps-lpr-command} and @code{ps-lpr-switches} to specify how to print
1828 the output. @code{ps-lpr-command} specifies the command name to run,
1829 @code{ps-lpr-switches} specifies command line options to use, and
1830 @code{ps-printer-name} specifies the printer. If you don't set the
1831 first two variables yourself, they take their initial values from
1832 @code{lpr-command} and @code{lpr-switches}. If @code{ps-printer-name}
1833 is @code{nil}, @code{printer-name} is used.
1834
1835 @vindex ps-print-header
1836 The variable @code{ps-print-header} controls whether these commands
1837 add header lines to each page---set it to @code{nil} to turn headers
1838 off.
1839
1840 @cindex color emulation on black-and-white printers
1841 @vindex ps-print-color-p
1842 If your printer doesn't support colors, you should turn off color
1843 processing by setting @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{nil}. By
1844 default, if the display supports colors, Emacs produces hardcopy output
1845 with color information; on black-and-white printers, colors are emulated
1846 with shades of gray. This might produce illegible output, even if your
1847 screen colors only use shades of gray.
1848
1849 Alternatively, you can set @code{ps-print-color-p} to @code{black-white} to
1850 print colors on black/white printers.
1851
1852 @vindex ps-use-face-background
1853 By default, PostScript printing ignores the background colors of the
1854 faces, unless the variable @code{ps-use-face-background} is
1855 non-@code{nil}. This is to avoid unwanted interference with the zebra
1856 stripes and background image/text.
1857
1858 @vindex ps-paper-type
1859 @vindex ps-page-dimensions-database
1860 The variable @code{ps-paper-type} specifies which size of paper to
1861 format for; legitimate values include @code{a4}, @code{a3},
1862 @code{a4small}, @code{b4}, @code{b5}, @code{executive}, @code{ledger},
1863 @code{legal}, @code{letter}, @code{letter-small}, @code{statement},
1864 @code{tabloid}. The default is @code{letter}. You can define
1865 additional paper sizes by changing the variable
1866 @code{ps-page-dimensions-database}.
1867
1868 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
1869 The variable @code{ps-landscape-mode} specifies the orientation of
1870 printing on the page. The default is @code{nil}, which stands for
1871 ``portrait'' mode. Any non-@code{nil} value specifies ``landscape''
1872 mode.
1873
1874 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
1875 The variable @code{ps-number-of-columns} specifies the number of
1876 columns; it takes effect in both landscape and portrait mode. The
1877 default is 1.
1878
1879 @vindex ps-font-family
1880 @vindex ps-font-size
1881 @vindex ps-font-info-database
1882 The variable @code{ps-font-family} specifies which font family to use
1883 for printing ordinary text. Legitimate values include @code{Courier},
1884 @code{Helvetica}, @code{NewCenturySchlbk}, @code{Palatino} and
1885 @code{Times}. The variable @code{ps-font-size} specifies the size of
1886 the font for ordinary text. It defaults to 8.5 points.
1887
1888 @vindex ps-multibyte-buffer
1889 @cindex Intlfonts for PostScript printing
1890 @cindex fonts for PostScript printing
1891 Emacs supports more scripts and characters than a typical PostScript
1892 printer. Thus, some of the characters in your buffer might not be
1893 printable using the fonts built into your printer. You can augment
1894 the fonts supplied with the printer with those from the GNU Intlfonts
1895 package, or you can instruct Emacs to use Intlfonts exclusively. The
1896 variable @code{ps-multibyte-buffer} controls this: the default value,
1897 @code{nil}, is appropriate for printing @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1898 characters; a value of @code{non-latin-printer} is for printers which
1899 have the fonts for @acronym{ASCII}, Latin-1, Japanese, and Korean
1900 characters built into them. A value of @code{bdf-font} arranges for
1901 the BDF fonts from the Intlfonts package to be used for @emph{all}
1902 characters. Finally, a value of @code{bdf-font-except-latin}
1903 instructs the printer to use built-in fonts for @acronym{ASCII} and Latin-1
1904 characters, and Intlfonts BDF fonts for the rest.
1905
1906 @vindex bdf-directory-list
1907 To be able to use the BDF fonts, Emacs needs to know where to find
1908 them. The variable @code{bdf-directory-list} holds the list of
1909 directories where Emacs should look for the fonts; the default value
1910 includes a single directory @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/fonts/bdf}.
1911
1912 Many other customization variables for these commands are defined and
1913 described in the Lisp files @file{ps-print.el} and @file{ps-mule.el}.
1914
1915 @node Printing Package
1916 @subsection Printing Package
1917 @cindex Printing package
1918
1919 The basic Emacs facilities for printing hardcopy can be extended
1920 using the Printing package. This provides an easy-to-use interface
1921 for choosing what to print, previewing PostScript files before
1922 printing, and setting various printing options such as print headers,
1923 landscape or portrait modes, duplex modes, and so forth. On GNU/Linux
1924 or Unix systems, the Printing package relies on the @file{gs} and
1925 @file{gv} utilities, which are distributed as part of the GhostScript
1926 program. On MS-Windows, the @file{gstools} port of Ghostscript can be
1927 used.
1928
1929 @findex pr-interface
1930 To use the Printing package, add @code{(require 'printing)} to your
1931 init file (@pxref{Init File}), followed by @code{(pr-update-menus)}.
1932 This function replaces the usual printing commands in the menu bar
1933 with a @samp{Printing} submenu that contains various printing options.
1934 You can also type @kbd{M-x pr-interface @key{RET}}; this creates a
1935 @file{*Printing Interface*} buffer, similar to a customization buffer,
1936 where you can set the printing options. After selecting what and how
1937 to print, you start the print job using the @samp{Print} button (click
1938 @kbd{Mouse-2} on it, or move point over it and type @key{RET}). For
1939 further information on the various options, use the @samp{Interface
1940 Help} button.
1941
1942 @node Sorting
1943 @section Sorting Text
1944 @cindex sorting
1945
1946 Emacs provides several commands for sorting text in the buffer. All
1947 operate on the contents of the region.
1948 They divide the text of the region into many @dfn{sort records},
1949 identify a @dfn{sort key} for each record, and then reorder the records
1950 into the order determined by the sort keys. The records are ordered so
1951 that their keys are in alphabetical order, or, for numeric sorting, in
1952 numeric order. In alphabetic sorting, all upper-case letters @samp{A}
1953 through @samp{Z} come before lower-case @samp{a}, in accordance with the
1954 @acronym{ASCII} character sequence.
1955
1956 The various sort commands differ in how they divide the text into sort
1957 records and in which part of each record is used as the sort key. Most of
1958 the commands make each line a separate sort record, but some commands use
1959 paragraphs or pages as sort records. Most of the sort commands use each
1960 entire sort record as its own sort key, but some use only a portion of the
1961 record as the sort key.
1962
1963 @findex sort-lines
1964 @findex sort-paragraphs
1965 @findex sort-pages
1966 @findex sort-fields
1967 @findex sort-numeric-fields
1968 @vindex sort-numeric-base
1969 @table @kbd
1970 @item M-x sort-lines
1971 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the entire
1972 text of a line. A numeric argument means sort into descending order.
1973
1974 @item M-x sort-paragraphs
1975 Divide the region into paragraphs, and sort by comparing the entire
1976 text of a paragraph (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1977 argument means sort into descending order.
1978
1979 @item M-x sort-pages
1980 Divide the region into pages, and sort by comparing the entire
1981 text of a page (except for leading blank lines). A numeric
1982 argument means sort into descending order.
1983
1984 @item M-x sort-fields
1985 Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the contents of
1986 one field in each line. Fields are defined as separated by
1987 whitespace, so the first run of consecutive non-whitespace characters
1988 in a line constitutes field 1, the second such run constitutes field
1989 2, etc.
1990
1991 Specify which field to sort by with a numeric argument: 1 to sort by
1992 field 1, etc. A negative argument means count fields from the right
1993 instead of from the left; thus, minus 1 means sort by the last field.
1994 If several lines have identical contents in the field being sorted, they
1995 keep the same relative order that they had in the original buffer.
1996
1997 @item M-x sort-numeric-fields
1998 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except the specified field is converted
1999 to an integer for each line, and the numbers are compared. @samp{10}
2000 comes before @samp{2} when considered as text, but after it when
2001 considered as a number. By default, numbers are interpreted according
2002 to @code{sort-numeric-base}, but numbers beginning with @samp{0x} or
2003 @samp{0} are interpreted as hexadecimal and octal, respectively.
2004
2005 @item M-x sort-columns
2006 Like @kbd{M-x sort-fields} except that the text within each line
2007 used for comparison comes from a fixed range of columns. See below
2008 for an explanation.
2009
2010 @findex reverse-region
2011 @item M-x reverse-region
2012 Reverse the order of the lines in the region. This is useful for
2013 sorting into descending order by fields or columns, since those sort
2014 commands do not have a feature for doing that.
2015 @end table
2016
2017 For example, if the buffer contains this:
2018
2019 @smallexample
2020 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2021 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2022 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2023 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2024 the buffer.
2025 @end smallexample
2026
2027 @noindent
2028 applying @kbd{M-x sort-lines} to the entire buffer produces this:
2029
2030 @smallexample
2031 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2032 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2033 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2034 the buffer.
2035 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2036 @end smallexample
2037
2038 @noindent
2039 where the upper-case @samp{O} sorts before all lower-case letters. If
2040 you use @kbd{C-u 2 M-x sort-fields} instead, you get this:
2041
2042 @smallexample
2043 implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
2044 saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
2045 the buffer.
2046 On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
2047 whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
2048 @end smallexample
2049
2050 @noindent
2051 where the sort keys were @samp{Emacs}, @samp{If}, @samp{buffer},
2052 @samp{systems} and @samp{the}.
2053
2054 @findex sort-columns
2055 @kbd{M-x sort-columns} requires more explanation. You specify the
2056 columns by putting point at one of the columns and the mark at the other
2057 column. Because this means you cannot put point or the mark at the
2058 beginning of the first line of the text you want to sort, this command
2059 uses an unusual definition of ``region'': all of the line point is in is
2060 considered part of the region, and so is all of the line the mark is in,
2061 as well as all the lines in between.
2062
2063 For example, to sort a table by information found in columns 10 to 15,
2064 you could put the mark on column 10 in the first line of the table, and
2065 point on column 15 in the last line of the table, and then run
2066 @code{sort-columns}. Equivalently, you could run it with the mark on
2067 column 15 in the first line and point on column 10 in the last line.
2068
2069 This can be thought of as sorting the rectangle specified by point and
2070 the mark, except that the text on each line to the left or right of the
2071 rectangle moves along with the text inside the rectangle.
2072 @xref{Rectangles}.
2073
2074 @vindex sort-fold-case
2075 Many of the sort commands ignore case differences when comparing, if
2076 @code{sort-fold-case} is non-@code{nil}.
2077
2078 @c Picture Mode documentation
2079 @ifnottex
2080 @include picture-xtra.texi
2081 @end ifnottex
2082
2083
2084 @node Editing Binary Files
2085 @section Editing Binary Files
2086
2087 @cindex Hexl mode
2088 @cindex mode, Hexl
2089 @cindex editing binary files
2090 @cindex hex editing
2091 There is a special major mode for editing binary files: Hexl mode. To
2092 use it, use @kbd{M-x hexl-find-file} instead of @kbd{C-x C-f} to visit
2093 the file. This command converts the file's contents to hexadecimal and
2094 lets you edit the translation. When you save the file, it is converted
2095 automatically back to binary.
2096
2097 You can also use @kbd{M-x hexl-mode} to translate an existing buffer
2098 into hex. This is useful if you visit a file normally and then discover
2099 it is a binary file.
2100
2101 Ordinary text characters overwrite in Hexl mode. This is to reduce
2102 the risk of accidentally spoiling the alignment of data in the file.
2103 There are special commands for insertion. Here is a list of the
2104 commands of Hexl mode:
2105
2106 @c I don't think individual index entries for these commands are useful--RMS.
2107 @table @kbd
2108 @item C-M-d
2109 Insert a byte with a code typed in decimal.
2110
2111 @item C-M-o
2112 Insert a byte with a code typed in octal.
2113
2114 @item C-M-x
2115 Insert a byte with a code typed in hex.
2116
2117 @item C-x [
2118 Move to the beginning of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2119
2120 @item C-x ]
2121 Move to the end of a 1k-byte ``page''.
2122
2123 @item M-g
2124 Move to an address specified in hex.
2125
2126 @item M-j
2127 Move to an address specified in decimal.
2128
2129 @item C-c C-c
2130 Leave Hexl mode, going back to the major mode this buffer had before you
2131 invoked @code{hexl-mode}.
2132 @end table
2133
2134 @noindent
2135 Other Hexl commands let you insert strings (sequences) of binary
2136 bytes, move by @code{short}s or @code{int}s, etc.; type @kbd{C-h a
2137 hexl-@key{RET}} for details.
2138
2139
2140 @node Saving Emacs Sessions
2141 @section Saving Emacs Sessions
2142 @cindex saving sessions
2143 @cindex restore session
2144 @cindex remember editing session
2145 @cindex reload files
2146 @cindex desktop
2147
2148 @vindex desktop-restore-frames
2149 Use the desktop library to save the state of Emacs from one session
2150 to another. Once you save the Emacs @dfn{desktop}---the buffers,
2151 their file names, major modes, buffer positions, and so on---then
2152 subsequent Emacs sessions reload the saved desktop. By default,
2153 the desktop also tries to save the frame and window configuration.
2154 To disable this, set @code{desktop-restore-frames} to @code{nil}.
2155 (See that variable's documentation for some related options
2156 that you can customize to fine-tune this behavior.)
2157
2158 @findex desktop-save
2159 @vindex desktop-save-mode
2160 You can save the desktop manually with the command @kbd{M-x
2161 desktop-save}. You can also enable automatic saving of the desktop
2162 when you exit Emacs, and automatic restoration of the last saved
2163 desktop when Emacs starts: use the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy
2164 Customization}) to set @code{desktop-save-mode} to @code{t} for future
2165 sessions, or add this line in your init file (@pxref{Init File}):
2166
2167 @example
2168 (desktop-save-mode 1)
2169 @end example
2170
2171 @vindex desktop-auto-save-timeout
2172 @noindent
2173 When @code{desktop-save-mode} is active and the desktop file exists,
2174 Emacs auto-saves it every @code{desktop-auto-save-timeout}
2175 seconds, if that is non-@code{nil} and non-zero.
2176
2177 @findex desktop-change-dir
2178 @findex desktop-revert
2179 @vindex desktop-path
2180 If you turn on @code{desktop-save-mode} in your init file, then when
2181 Emacs starts, it looks for a saved desktop in the current directory.
2182 (More precisely, it looks in the directories specified by
2183 @var{desktop-path}, and uses the first desktop it finds.)
2184 Thus, you can have separate saved desktops in different directories,
2185 and the starting directory determines which one Emacs reloads. You
2186 can save the current desktop and reload one saved in another directory
2187 by typing @kbd{M-x desktop-change-dir}. Typing @kbd{M-x
2188 desktop-revert} reverts to the desktop previously reloaded.
2189
2190 Specify the option @samp{--no-desktop} on the command line when you
2191 don't want it to reload any saved desktop. This turns off
2192 @code{desktop-save-mode} for the current session. Starting Emacs with
2193 the @samp{--no-init-file} option also disables desktop reloading,
2194 since it bypasses the init file, where @code{desktop-save-mode} is
2195 usually turned on.
2196
2197 @vindex desktop-restore-eager
2198 By default, all the buffers in the desktop are restored at one go.
2199 However, this may be slow if there are a lot of buffers in the
2200 desktop. You can specify the maximum number of buffers to restore
2201 immediately with the variable @code{desktop-restore-eager}; the
2202 remaining buffers are restored ``lazily'', when Emacs is idle.
2203
2204 @findex desktop-clear
2205 @vindex desktop-globals-to-clear
2206 @vindex desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp
2207 Type @kbd{M-x desktop-clear} to empty the Emacs desktop. This kills
2208 all buffers except for internal ones, and clears the global variables
2209 listed in @code{desktop-globals-to-clear}. If you want this to
2210 preserve certain buffers, customize the variable
2211 @code{desktop-clear-preserve-buffers-regexp}, whose value is a regular
2212 expression matching the names of buffers not to kill.
2213
2214 If you want to save minibuffer history from one session to
2215 another, use the @code{savehist} library.
2216
2217 @node Recursive Edit
2218 @section Recursive Editing Levels
2219 @cindex recursive editing level
2220 @cindex editing level, recursive
2221
2222 A @dfn{recursive edit} is a situation in which you are using Emacs
2223 commands to perform arbitrary editing while in the middle of another
2224 Emacs command. For example, when you type @kbd{C-r} inside of a
2225 @code{query-replace}, you enter a recursive edit in which you can change
2226 the current buffer. On exiting from the recursive edit, you go back to
2227 the @code{query-replace}. @xref{Query Replace}.
2228
2229 @kindex C-M-c
2230 @findex exit-recursive-edit
2231 @cindex exiting recursive edit
2232 @dfn{Exiting} the recursive edit means returning to the unfinished
2233 command, which continues execution. The command to exit is @kbd{C-M-c}
2234 (@code{exit-recursive-edit}).
2235
2236 You can also @dfn{abort} the recursive edit. This is like exiting,
2237 but also quits the unfinished command immediately. Use the command
2238 @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}) to do this. @xref{Quitting}.
2239
2240 The mode line shows you when you are in a recursive edit by displaying
2241 square brackets around the parentheses that always surround the major and
2242 minor mode names. Every window's mode line shows this in the same way,
2243 since being in a recursive edit is true of Emacs as a whole rather than
2244 any particular window or buffer.
2245
2246 It is possible to be in recursive edits within recursive edits. For
2247 example, after typing @kbd{C-r} in a @code{query-replace}, you may type a
2248 command that enters the debugger. This begins a recursive editing level
2249 for the debugger, within the recursive editing level for @kbd{C-r}.
2250 Mode lines display a pair of square brackets for each recursive editing
2251 level currently in progress.
2252
2253 Exiting the inner recursive edit (such as with the debugger @kbd{c}
2254 command) resumes the command running in the next level up. When that
2255 command finishes, you can then use @kbd{C-M-c} to exit another recursive
2256 editing level, and so on. Exiting applies to the innermost level only.
2257 Aborting also gets out of only one level of recursive edit; it returns
2258 immediately to the command level of the previous recursive edit. If you
2259 wish, you can then abort the next recursive editing level.
2260
2261 Alternatively, the command @kbd{M-x top-level} aborts all levels of
2262 recursive edits, returning immediately to the top-level command
2263 reader. It also exits the minibuffer, if it is active.
2264
2265 The text being edited inside the recursive edit need not be the same text
2266 that you were editing at top level. It depends on what the recursive edit
2267 is for. If the command that invokes the recursive edit selects a different
2268 buffer first, that is the buffer you will edit recursively. In any case,
2269 you can switch buffers within the recursive edit in the normal manner (as
2270 long as the buffer-switching keys have not been rebound). You could
2271 probably do all the rest of your editing inside the recursive edit,
2272 visiting files and all. But this could have surprising effects (such as
2273 stack overflow) from time to time. So remember to exit or abort the
2274 recursive edit when you no longer need it.
2275
2276 In general, we try to minimize the use of recursive editing levels in
2277 GNU Emacs. This is because they constrain you to ``go back'' in a
2278 particular order---from the innermost level toward the top level. When
2279 possible, we present different activities in separate buffers so that
2280 you can switch between them as you please. Some commands switch to a
2281 new major mode which provides a command to switch back. These
2282 approaches give you more flexibility to go back to unfinished tasks in
2283 the order you choose.
2284
2285 @ignore
2286 @c Apart from edt and viper, this is all obsolete.
2287 @c (Can't believe we were saying ``most other editors'' into 2014!)
2288 @c There seems no point having a node just for those, which both have
2289 @c their own manuals.
2290 @node Emulation
2291 @section Emulation
2292 @cindex emulating other editors
2293 @cindex other editors
2294 @cindex EDT
2295 @cindex vi
2296 @cindex WordStar
2297
2298 GNU Emacs can be programmed to emulate (more or less) some other
2299 editors. Standard facilities can emulate these:
2300
2301 @table @asis
2302 @item CRiSP/Brief (PC editor)
2303 @findex crisp-mode
2304 @vindex crisp-override-meta-x
2305 @findex scroll-all-mode
2306 @cindex CRiSP mode
2307 @cindex Brief emulation
2308 @cindex emulation of Brief
2309 @cindex mode, CRiSP
2310 @kbd{M-x crisp-mode} enables key bindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief
2311 editor. Note that this rebinds @kbd{M-x} to exit Emacs unless you set
2312 the variable @code{crisp-override-meta-x}. You can also use the
2313 command @kbd{M-x scroll-all-mode} or set the variable
2314 @code{crisp-load-scroll-all} to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
2315 (scrolling all windows together).
2316
2317 @item EDT (DEC VMS editor)
2318 @findex edt-emulation-on
2319 @findex edt-emulation-off
2320 Turn on EDT emulation with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-on}; restore normal
2321 command bindings with @kbd{M-x edt-emulation-off}.
2322
2323 Most of the EDT emulation commands are keypad keys, and most standard
2324 Emacs key bindings are still available. The EDT emulation rebindings
2325 are done in the global keymap, so there is no problem switching
2326 buffers or major modes while in EDT emulation.
2327
2328 @item TPU (DEC VMS editor)
2329 @findex tpu-edt-on
2330 @cindex TPU
2331 @kbd{M-x tpu-edt-on} turns on emulation of the TPU editor emulating EDT.
2332
2333 @item vi (Berkeley editor)
2334 @findex viper-mode
2335 Viper is an emulator for vi. It implements several levels of
2336 emulation; level 1 is closest to vi itself, while level 5 departs
2337 somewhat from strict emulation to take advantage of the capabilities of
2338 Emacs. To invoke Viper, type @kbd{M-x viper-mode}; it will guide you
2339 the rest of the way and ask for the emulation level. @inforef{Top,
2340 Viper, viper}.
2341
2342 @item vi (another emulator)
2343 @findex vi-mode
2344 @kbd{M-x vi-mode} enters a major mode that replaces the previously
2345 established major mode. All of the vi commands that, in real vi, enter
2346 ``input'' mode are programmed instead to return to the previous major
2347 mode. Thus, ordinary Emacs serves as vi's ``input'' mode.
2348
2349 Because vi emulation works through major modes, it does not work
2350 to switch buffers during emulation. Return to normal Emacs first.
2351
2352 If you plan to use vi emulation much, you probably want to bind a key
2353 to the @code{vi-mode} command.
2354
2355 @item vi (alternate emulator)
2356 @findex vip-mode
2357 @kbd{M-x vip-mode} invokes another vi emulator, said to resemble real vi
2358 more thoroughly than @kbd{M-x vi-mode}. ``Input'' mode in this emulator
2359 is changed from ordinary Emacs so you can use @key{ESC} to go back to
2360 emulated vi command mode. To get from emulated vi command mode back to
2361 ordinary Emacs, type @kbd{C-z}.
2362
2363 This emulation does not work through major modes, and it is possible
2364 to switch buffers in various ways within the emulator. It is not
2365 so necessary to assign a key to the command @code{vip-mode} as
2366 it is with @code{vi-mode} because terminating insert mode does
2367 not use it.
2368
2369 @inforef{Top, VIP, vip}, for full information.
2370
2371 @item WordStar (old wordprocessor)
2372 @findex wordstar-mode
2373 @kbd{M-x wordstar-mode} provides a major mode with WordStar-like
2374 key bindings.
2375 @end table
2376 @end ignore
2377
2378
2379 @node Hyperlinking
2380 @section Hyperlinking and Navigation Features
2381
2382 The following subsections describe convenience features for handling
2383 URLs and other types of links occurring in Emacs buffer text.
2384
2385 @menu
2386 * Browse-URL:: Following URLs.
2387 * Goto Address mode:: Activating URLs.
2388 * FFAP:: Finding files etc. at point.
2389 @end menu
2390
2391 @node Browse-URL
2392 @subsection Following URLs
2393 @cindex World Wide Web
2394 @cindex Web
2395 @findex browse-url
2396 @findex browse-url-at-point
2397 @findex browse-url-at-mouse
2398 @cindex Browse-URL
2399 @cindex URLs
2400
2401 @table @kbd
2402 @item M-x browse-url @key{RET} @var{url} @key{RET}
2403 Load a URL into a Web browser.
2404 @end table
2405
2406 The Browse-URL package allows you to easily follow URLs from within
2407 Emacs. Most URLs are followed by invoking a web browser;
2408 @samp{mailto:} URLs are followed by invoking the @code{compose-mail}
2409 Emacs command to send mail to the specified address (@pxref{Sending
2410 Mail}).
2411
2412 The command @kbd{M-x browse-url} prompts for a URL, and follows it.
2413 If point is located near a plausible URL, that URL is offered as the
2414 default. The Browse-URL package also provides other commands which
2415 you might like to bind to keys, such as @code{browse-url-at-point} and
2416 @code{browse-url-at-mouse}.
2417
2418 @vindex browse-url-mailto-function
2419 @vindex browse-url-browser-function
2420 You can customize Browse-URL's behavior via various options in the
2421 @code{browse-url} Customize group. In particular, the option
2422 @code{browse-url-mailto-function} lets you define how to follow
2423 @samp{mailto:} URLs, while @code{browse-url-browser-function} lets you
2424 define how to follow other types of URLs. For more information, view
2425 the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P browse-url @key{RET}}.
2426
2427 @node Goto Address mode
2428 @subsection Activating URLs
2429 @findex goto-address-mode
2430 @cindex mode, Goto Address
2431 @cindex Goto Address mode
2432 @cindex URLs, activating
2433
2434 @table @kbd
2435 @item M-x goto-address-mode
2436 Activate URLs and e-mail addresses in the current buffer.
2437 @end table
2438
2439 @kindex C-c RET @r{(Goto Address mode)}
2440 @findex goto-address-at-point
2441 You can make Emacs mark out URLs specially in the current buffer, by
2442 typing @kbd{M-x goto-address-mode}. When this buffer-local minor mode
2443 is enabled, it finds all the URLs in the buffer, highlights them, and
2444 turns them into clickable buttons. You can follow the URL by typing
2445 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}} (@code{goto-address-at-point}) while point is on
2446 its text; or by clicking with @kbd{Mouse-2}, or by clicking
2447 @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly (@pxref{Mouse References}). Following a URL is
2448 done by calling @code{browse-url} as a subroutine
2449 (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2450
2451 It can be useful to add @code{goto-address-mode} to mode hooks and
2452 hooks for displaying an incoming message
2453 (e.g., @code{rmail-show-message-hook} for Rmail, and
2454 @code{mh-show-mode-hook} for MH-E). This is not needed for Gnus,
2455 which has a similar feature of its own.
2456
2457 @node FFAP
2458 @subsection Finding Files and URLs at Point
2459 @findex find-file-at-point
2460 @findex ffap
2461 @findex dired-at-point
2462 @findex ffap-next
2463 @findex ffap-menu
2464 @cindex finding file at point
2465
2466 The FFAP package replaces certain key bindings for finding files,
2467 such as @kbd{C-x C-f}, with commands that provide more sensitive
2468 defaults. These commands behave like the ordinary ones when given a
2469 prefix argument. Otherwise, they get the default file name or URL
2470 from the text around point. If what is found in the buffer has the
2471 form of a URL rather than a file name, the commands use
2472 @code{browse-url} to view it (@pxref{Browse-URL}).
2473
2474 This feature is useful for following references in mail or news
2475 buffers, @file{README} files, @file{MANIFEST} files, and so on. For
2476 more information, view the package commentary by typing @kbd{C-h P
2477 ffap @key{RET}}.
2478
2479 @cindex FFAP minor mode
2480 @findex ffap-mode
2481 To enable FFAP, type @kbd{M-x ffap-bindings}. This makes the
2482 following key bindings, and also installs hooks for additional FFAP
2483 functionality in Rmail, Gnus and VM article buffers.
2484
2485 @table @kbd
2486 @item C-x C-f @var{filename} @key{RET}
2487 @kindex C-x C-f @r{(FFAP)}
2488 Find @var{filename}, guessing a default from text around point
2489 (@code{find-file-at-point}).
2490 @item C-x C-r
2491 @kindex C-x C-r @r{(FFAP)}
2492 @code{ffap-read-only}, analogous to @code{find-file-read-only}.
2493 @item C-x C-v
2494 @kindex C-x C-v @r{(FFAP)}
2495 @code{ffap-alternate-file}, analogous to @code{find-alternate-file}.
2496 @item C-x d @var{directory} @key{RET}
2497 @kindex C-x d @r{(FFAP)}
2498 Start Dired on @var{directory}, defaulting to the directory name at
2499 point (@code{dired-at-point}).
2500 @item C-x C-d
2501 @code{ffap-list-directory}, analogous to @code{list-directory}.
2502 @item C-x 4 f
2503 @kindex C-x 4 f @r{(FFAP)}
2504 @code{ffap-other-window}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-window}.
2505 @item C-x 4 r
2506 @code{ffap-read-only-other-window}, analogous to
2507 @code{find-file-read-only-other-window}.
2508 @item C-x 4 d
2509 @code{ffap-dired-other-window}, like @code{dired-other-window}.
2510 @item C-x 5 f
2511 @kindex C-x 5 f @r{(FFAP)}
2512 @code{ffap-other-frame}, analogous to @code{find-file-other-frame}.
2513 @item C-x 5 r
2514 @code{ffap-read-only-other-frame}, analogous to
2515 @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
2516 @item C-x 5 d
2517 @code{ffap-dired-other-frame}, analogous to @code{dired-other-frame}.
2518 @item M-x ffap-next
2519 Search buffer for next file name or URL, then find that file or URL.
2520 @item S-Mouse-3
2521 @kindex S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2522 @code{ffap-at-mouse} finds the file guessed from text around the position
2523 of a mouse click.
2524 @item C-S-Mouse-3
2525 @kindex C-S-Mouse-3 @r{(FFAP)}
2526 Display a menu of files and URLs mentioned in current buffer, then
2527 find the one you select (@code{ffap-menu}).
2528 @end table
2529
2530 @node Amusements
2531 @section Other Amusements
2532 @cindex boredom
2533
2534 @findex animate-birthday-present
2535 @cindex animate
2536 The @code{animate} package makes text dance (e.g., @kbd{M-x
2537 animate-birthday-present}).
2538
2539 @findex blackbox
2540 @findex mpuz
2541 @findex 5x5
2542 @cindex puzzles
2543 @kbd{M-x blackbox}, @kbd{M-x mpuz} and @kbd{M-x 5x5} are puzzles.
2544 @code{blackbox} challenges you to determine the location of objects
2545 inside a box by tomography. @code{mpuz} displays a multiplication
2546 puzzle with letters standing for digits in a code that you must
2547 guess---to guess a value, type a letter and then the digit you think it
2548 stands for. The aim of @code{5x5} is to fill in all the squares.
2549
2550 @findex bubbles
2551 @kbd{M-x bubbles} is a game in which the object is to remove as many
2552 bubbles as you can in the smallest number of moves.
2553
2554 @findex decipher
2555 @cindex ciphers
2556 @cindex cryptanalysis
2557 @kbd{M-x decipher} helps you to cryptanalyze a buffer which is
2558 encrypted in a simple monoalphabetic substitution cipher.
2559
2560 @findex dissociated-press
2561 @kbd{M-x dissociated-press} scrambles the text in the current Emacs
2562 buffer, word by word or character by character, writing its output to
2563 a buffer named @file{*Dissociation*}. A positive argument tells it to
2564 operate character by character, and specifies the number of overlap
2565 characters. A negative argument tells it to operate word by word, and
2566 specifies the number of overlap words. Dissociated Press produces
2567 results fairly like those of a Markov chain, but is however, an
2568 independent, ignoriginal invention; it techniquitously copies several
2569 consecutive characters from the sample text between random jumps,
2570 unlike a Markov chain which would jump randomly after each word or
2571 character. Keep dissociwords out of your documentation, if you want
2572 it to be well userenced and properbose.
2573
2574 @findex dunnet
2575 @kbd{M-x dunnet} runs an text-based adventure game.
2576
2577 @findex gomoku
2578 @cindex Go Moku
2579 If you want a little more personal involvement, try @kbd{M-x gomoku},
2580 which plays the game Go Moku with you.
2581
2582 @cindex tower of Hanoi
2583 @findex hanoi
2584 If you are a little bit bored, you can try @kbd{M-x hanoi}. If you are
2585 considerably bored, give it a numeric argument. If you are very, very
2586 bored, try an argument of 9. Sit back and watch.
2587
2588 @findex life
2589 @cindex Life
2590 @kbd{M-x life} runs Conway's ``Life'' cellular automaton.
2591
2592 @findex landmark
2593 @cindex landmark game
2594 @kbd{M-x landmark} runs a relatively non-participatory game in which
2595 a robot attempts to maneuver towards a tree at the center of the
2596 window based on unique olfactory cues from each of the four
2597 directions.
2598
2599 @findex morse-region
2600 @findex unmorse-region
2601 @findex nato-region
2602 @cindex Morse code
2603 @cindex --/---/.-./.../.
2604 @kbd{M-x morse-region} converts the text in the region to Morse
2605 code; @kbd{M-x unmorse-region} converts it back. @kbd{M-x
2606 nato-region} converts the text in the region to NATO phonetic
2607 alphabet; @kbd{M-x denato-region} converts it back.
2608
2609 @findex pong
2610 @cindex Pong game
2611 @findex tetris
2612 @cindex Tetris
2613 @findex snake
2614 @cindex Snake
2615 @kbd{M-x pong}, @kbd{M-x snake} and @kbd{M-x tetris} are
2616 implementations of the well-known Pong, Snake and Tetris games.
2617
2618 @findex solitaire
2619 @cindex solitaire
2620 @kbd{M-x solitaire} plays a game of solitaire in which you jump pegs
2621 across other pegs.
2622
2623 @findex zone
2624 The command @kbd{M-x zone} plays games with the display when Emacs
2625 is idle.
2626
2627 @findex doctor
2628 @cindex Eliza
2629 Finally, if you find yourself frustrated, try describing your
2630 problems to the famous psychotherapist Eliza. Just do @kbd{M-x
2631 doctor}. End each input by typing @key{RET} twice.
2632
2633 @ifnottex
2634 @lowersections
2635 @end ifnottex