@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003,
+@c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@node M-x, Help, Minibuffer, Top
@chapter Running Commands by Name
- Every Emacs command has a name that you can use to run it. Commands
-that are used often, or that must be quick to type, are also bound to
-keys---short sequences of characters---for convenient use. You can
-run them by name if you don't remember the keys. Other Emacs commands
-that do not need to be quick are not bound to keys; the only way to
-run them is by name. @xref{Key Bindings}, for the description of
-how to bind commands to keys.
+ Every Emacs command has a name that you can use to run it. For
+convenience, many commands also have key bindings. You can run those
+commands by typing the keys, or run them by name. Most Emacs commands
+have no key bindings, so the only way to run them is by name.
+(@xref{Key Bindings}, for how to set up key bindings.)
By convention, a command name consists of one or more words,
separated by hyphens; for example, @code{auto-fill-mode} or
-@code{manual-entry}. The use of English words makes the command name
-easier to remember than a key made up of obscure characters, even
-though it is more characters to type.
+@code{manual-entry}. Command names mostly use complete English words
+to make them easier to remember.
@kindex M-x
- The way to run a command by name is to start with @kbd{M-x}, type the
-command name, and finish it with @key{RET}. @kbd{M-x} uses the
-minibuffer to read the command name. @key{RET} exits the minibuffer and
-runs the command. The string @samp{M-x} appears at the beginning of the
-minibuffer as a @dfn{prompt} to remind you to enter the name of a
-command to be run. @xref{Minibuffer}, for full information on the
-features of the minibuffer.
+ To run a command by name, start with @kbd{M-x}, type the command
+name, then terminate it with @key{RET}. @kbd{M-x} uses the minibuffer
+to read the command name. The string @samp{M-x} appears at the
+beginning of the minibuffer as a @dfn{prompt} to remind you to enter a
+command name to be run. @key{RET} exits the minibuffer and runs the
+command. @xref{Minibuffer}, for more information on the minibuffer.
- You can use completion to enter the command name. For example, you
-can invoke the command @code{forward-char} by name by typing either
+ You can use completion to enter the command name. For example,
+to invoke the command @code{forward-char}, you can type
@example
M-x forward-char @key{RET}
@noindent
Note that @code{forward-char} is the same command that you invoke with
-the key @kbd{C-f}. You can run any Emacs command by name using
-@kbd{M-x}, whether or not any keys are bound to it.
+the key @kbd{C-f}. The existence of a key binding does not stop you
+from running the command by name.
- If you type @kbd{C-g} while the command name is being read, you
-cancel the @kbd{M-x} command and get out of the minibuffer, ending up
-at command level.
+ To cancel the @kbd{M-x} and not run a command, type @kbd{C-g} instead
+of entering the command name. This takes you back to command level.
To pass a numeric argument to the command you are invoking with
-@kbd{M-x}, specify the numeric argument before the @kbd{M-x}. @kbd{M-x}
-passes the argument along to the command it runs. The argument value
-appears in the prompt while the command name is being read.
+@kbd{M-x}, specify the numeric argument before @kbd{M-x}. The
+argument value appears in the prompt while the command name is being
+read, and finally @kbd{M-x} passes the argument to that command.
@vindex suggest-key-bindings
- If the command you type has a key binding of its own, Emacs mentions
-this in the echo area. For example, if you type @kbd{M-x
-forward-word}, the message says that you can run the same command more
-easily by typing @kbd{M-f}. You can turn off these messages by
-setting @code{suggest-key-bindings} to @code{nil}.
+ When the command you run with @kbd{M-x} has a key binding, Emacs
+mentions this in the echo area after running the command. For
+example, if you type @kbd{M-x forward-word}, the message says that you
+can run the same command by typing @kbd{M-f}. You can turn off these
+messages by setting the variable @code{suggest-key-bindings} to
+@code{nil}.
- Normally, when describing in this manual a command that is run by
-name, we omit the @key{RET} that is needed to terminate the name. Thus
-we might speak of @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode} rather than @kbd{M-x
-auto-fill-mode @key{RET}}. We mention the @key{RET} only when there is
-a need to emphasize its presence, such as when we show the command
-together with following arguments.
+ In this manual, when we speak of running a command by name, we often
+omit the @key{RET} that terminates the name. Thus we might say
+@kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode} rather than @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode
+@key{RET}}. We mention the @key{RET} only for emphasis, such as when
+the command is followed by arguments.
@findex execute-extended-command
@kbd{M-x} works by running the command