@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,1997,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002,
+@c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@node Mark, Killing, Help, Top
@chapter The Mark and the Region
button one across a range of text; that puts point where you release the
mouse button, and sets the mark at the other end of that range. Or you
can click mouse button three, which sets the mark at point (like
-@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) and then moves point (like @kbd{Mouse-1}). Both of
-these methods copy the region into the kill ring in addition to setting
-the mark; that gives behavior consistent with other window-driven
-applications, but if you don't want to modify the kill ring, you must
-use keyboard commands to set the mark. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
+@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) and then moves point where you clicked (like
+@kbd{Mouse-1}).
+
+ Using the mouse to mark a region copies the region into the kill
+ring in addition to setting the mark; that gives behavior consistent
+with other window-driven applications. If you don't want to modify
+the kill ring, you must use keyboard commands to set the mark.
+@xref{Mouse Commands}.
@kindex C-x C-x
@findex exchange-point-and-mark
- Ordinary terminals have only one cursor, so there is no way for Emacs
-to show you where the mark is located. You have to remember. The usual
-solution to this problem is to set the mark and then use it soon, before
-you forget where it is. Alternatively, you can see where the mark is
-with the command @kbd{C-x C-x} (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) which
-puts the mark where point was and point where the mark was. The extent
-of the region is unchanged, but the cursor and point are now at the
-previous position of the mark. In Transient Mark mode, this command
-also reactivates the mark.
+ When Emacs was developed, terminals had only one cursor, so Emacs
+does not show where the mark is located--you have to remember. If you
+enable Transient Mark mode (see below), then the region is highlighted
+when it is active; you can tell mark is at the other end of the
+highlighted region. But this only applies when the mark is active.
+
+ The usual solution to this problem is to set the mark and then use
+it soon, before you forget where it is. Alternatively, you can see
+where the mark is with the command @kbd{C-x C-x}
+(@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) which puts the mark where point was
+and point where the mark was. The extent of the region is unchanged,
+but the cursor and point are now at the previous position of the mark.
+In Transient Mark mode, this command also reactivates the mark.
@kbd{C-x C-x} is also useful when you are satisfied with the position
of point but want to move the other end of the region (where the mark
@ref{Mark Ring}.
@kindex C-@@
- There is no such character as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} in @acronym{ASCII}; when you
-type @key{SPC} while holding down @key{CTRL}, what you get on most
-ordinary terminals is the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is actually
-bound to @code{set-mark-command}. But unless you are unlucky enough to
-have a terminal where typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} does not produce
+ There is no such character as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} in @acronym{ASCII};
+when you type @key{SPC} while holding down @key{CTRL} on a text
+terminal, what you get is the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is also
+bound to @code{set-mark-command}--so unless you are unlucky enough to
+have a text terminal where typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} does not produce
@kbd{C-@@}, you might as well think of this character as
-@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}. Under X, @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} is actually a distinct
-character, but its binding is still @code{set-mark-command}.
+@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}.
@node Transient Mark
@section Transient Mark Mode
on a region will get an error and refuse to operate. You can make the
region active again by typing @kbd{C-x C-x}.
+@item
+If Delete Selection mode is also enabled, some commands delete the
+region when used while the mark is active. @xref{Graphical Kill}.
+
@item
Quitting with @kbd{C-g} deactivates the mark.
(@code{exchange-point-and-mark}).
@item
-@kbd{C-s} when the mark is active does not alter the mark.
+Commands that normally set the mark before moving long distances (like
+@kbd{M-<} and @kbd{C-s}) do not alter the mark in Transient Mark mode
+when the mark is active.
@item
Some commands operate on the region if a region is active. For
@item
Fill it as text with @kbd{M-x fill-region} (@pxref{Filling}).
@item
-Print hardcopy with @kbd{M-x print-region} (@pxref{Hardcopy}).
+Print hardcopy with @kbd{M-x print-region} (@pxref{Printing}).
@item
Evaluate it as Lisp code with @kbd{M-x eval-region} (@pxref{Lisp Eval}).
+@item
+Undo changes within it using @kbd{C-u C-x u} (@pxref{Undo}).
@end itemize
Most commands that operate on the text in the region have the word
word, while @kbd{C-M-@@} (@code{mark-sexp}) puts it at the end of the
next balanced expression (@pxref{Expressions}). These commands handle
arguments just like @kbd{M-f} and @kbd{C-M-f}. If you repeat these
-commands, the region is extended. For example, you can type either
-@kbd{C-u 2 M-@@} or @kbd{M-@@ M-@@} to mark the next two words.
-The region is also extended when the mark is active in Transient Mark
-mode, regardless of the last command.
+commands, that extends the region. For example, you can type either
+@kbd{C-u 2 M-@@} or @kbd{M-@@ M-@@} to mark the next two words. This
+command also extends the region when the mark is active in Transient
+Mark mode, regardless of the last command.
@kindex C-x h
@findex mark-whole-buffer
point. If the prefix argument is @minus{}@var{n}, @kbd{M-h} also
marks @var{n} paragraphs, running back form the one surrounding point.
In that last case, point moves forward to the end of that paragraph,
-and the mark goes at the start of the region. The @kbd{M-h} command
-also supports the extension of the region, similar to @kbd{M-@@} and
-@kbd{C-M-@@}.
+and the mark goes at the start of the region. Repeating the @kbd{M-h}
+command extends the region to subsequent paragraphs.
@kbd{C-M-h} (@code{mark-defun}) similarly puts point before, and the
mark after, the current (or following) major top-level definition, or
-defun (@pxref{Moving by Defuns}). (Currently it only marks one defun,
-but repeating it marks more defuns, like for @kbd{M-@@}.) @kbd{C-x
-C-p} (@code{mark-page}) puts point before the current page, and mark
-at the end (@pxref{Pages}). The mark goes after the terminating page
-delimiter (to include it in the region), while point goes after the
-preceding page delimiter (to exclude it). A numeric argument
-specifies a later page (if positive) or an earlier page (if negative)
-instead of the current page.
+defun (@pxref{Moving by Defuns}). Repeating @kbd{C-M-h} extends
+the region to subsequent defuns.
+
+ @kbd{C-x C-p} (@code{mark-page}) puts point before the current page,
+and mark at the end (@pxref{Pages}). The mark goes after the
+terminating page delimiter (to include it in the region), while point
+goes after the preceding page delimiter (to exclude it). A numeric
+argument specifies a later page (if positive) or an earlier page (if
+negative) instead of the current page.
Finally, @kbd{C-x h} (@code{mark-whole-buffer}) sets up the entire
buffer as the region, by putting point at the beginning and the mark at
where the mark was, and restores the mark from the ring of former
marks.
- If you repeat the character @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}, after typing @kbd{C-u
-C-@key{SPC}}, each repetition moves point to a previous mark position
-from the ring. The mark positions you move through in this way are
-not lost; they go to the end of the ring.
+@vindex set-mark-command-repeat-pop
+ If you set @code{set-mark-command-repeat-pop} to non-@code{nil},
+then when you repeat the character @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} after typing
+@kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}}, each repetition moves point to a previous mark
+position from the ring. The mark positions you move through in this
+way are not lost; they go to the end of the ring.
Each buffer has its own mark ring. All editing commands use the current
buffer's mark ring. In particular, @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} always stays in
Many commands that can move long distances, such as @kbd{M-<}
(@code{beginning-of-buffer}), start by setting the mark and saving the
old mark on the mark ring. This is to make it easier for you to move
-back later. Searches set the mark if they move point. You can tell
-when a command sets the mark because it displays @samp{Mark set} in the
-echo area.
+back later. Searches set the mark if they move point. However, in
+Transient Mark mode, these commands do not set the mark when the mark
+is already active. You can tell when a command sets the mark because
+it displays @samp{Mark set} in the echo area.
If you want to move back to the same place over and over, the mark
ring may not be convenient enough. If so, you can record the position