pertinent to the feature you need. @xref{Library Keywords}.
@end table
+ To find the documentation of a key sequence or a menu item, type
+@kbd{C-h K} and then type that key sequence or select the menu
+item. This looks up the description of the command invoked by the key
+or the menu in the appropriate manual (not necessarily the Emacs
+manual). Likewise, use @kbd{C-h F} for reading documentation of a
+command.
+
@menu
* Help Summary:: Brief list of all Help commands.
* Key Help:: Asking what a key does in Emacs.
* Language Help:: Help relating to international language support.
* Help Mode:: Special features of Help mode and Help buffers.
* Misc Help:: Other help commands.
+* Help Files:: Commands to display pre-written help files.
* Help Echo:: Help on active text and tooltips (`balloon help')
@end menu
@section Help Summary
@end ifinfo
- Here is a summary of the defined help commands.
+ Here is a summary of the Emacs interactive help commands.
+@xref{Help Files}, for other help commands that just display a
+pre-written file of information.
@table @kbd
@item C-h a @var{regexp} @key{RET}
(@code{view-lossage}).
@item C-h m
Display documentation of the current major mode (@code{describe-mode}).
-@item C-h n
-Display documentation of Emacs changes, most recent first
-(@code{view-emacs-news}).
-@item C-h P
-Display info on known problems with Emacs and possible workarounds
-(@code{view-emacs-problems}).
@item C-h p
Find packages by topic keyword (@code{finder-by-keyword}).
@item C-h s
Display information on the character sets, coding systems, and input
methods used for language environment @var{language-env}
(@code{describe-language-environment}).
-@item C-h C-c
-Display the copying conditions for GNU Emacs.
-@item C-h C-d
-Display information about getting new versions of GNU Emacs.
-@item C-h C-f @var{function} @key{RET}
+@item C-h F @var{function} @key{RET}
Enter Info and go to the node documenting the Emacs function @var{function}
(@code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node}).
-@item C-h C-k @var{key}
+@item C-h K @var{key}
Enter Info and go to the node where the key sequence @var{key} is
documented (@code{Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node}).
-@item C-h C-p
-Display information about the GNU Project.
-@item C-h @key{TAB} @var{symbol} @key{RET}
+@item C-h S @var{symbol} @key{RET}
Display the Info documentation on symbol @var{symbol} according to the
programming language you are editing (@code{info-lookup-symbol}).
@end table
@findex describe-key-briefly
The most basic @kbd{C-h} options are @kbd{C-h c}
(@code{describe-key-briefly}) and @w{@kbd{C-h k}} (@code{describe-key}).
-@kbd{C-h c @var{key}} prints in the echo area the name of the command
-that @var{key} is bound to. For example, @kbd{C-h c C-f} prints
+@kbd{C-h c @var{key}} displays in the echo area the name of the command
+that @var{key} is bound to. For example, @kbd{C-h c C-f} displays
@samp{forward-char}. Since command names are chosen to describe what
the commands do, this is a good way to get a very brief description of
what @var{key} does.
@kindex C-h w
@findex where-is
@kbd{C-h w @var{command} @key{RET}} tells you what keys are bound to
-@var{command}. It prints a list of the keys in the echo area. If it
+@var{command}. It displays a list of the keys in the echo area. If it
says the command is not on any key, you must use @kbd{M-x} to run it.
@kbd{C-h w} runs the command @code{where-is}.
need to get to the documentation quickly, and you know the exact name of
the file.
-@kindex C-h C-f
-@kindex C-h C-k
+@kindex C-h F
+@kindex C-h K
@findex Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node
@findex Info-goto-emacs-command-node
- There are two special help commands for accessing Emacs documentation
-through Info. @kbd{C-h C-f @var{function} @key{RET}} enters Info and
-goes straight to the documentation of the Emacs function
-@var{function}. @kbd{C-h C-k @var{key}} enters Info and goes straight
-to the documentation of the key @var{key}. These two keys run the
-commands @code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node} and
-@code{Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node}.
-
- When editing a program, if you have an Info version of the manual for
-the programming language, you can use the command @kbd{C-h C-i} to refer
-to the manual documentation for a symbol (keyword, function or
-variable). The details of how this command works depend on the major
-mode.
+ There are two special help commands for accessing Emacs
+documentation through Info. @kbd{C-h F @var{function} @key{RET}}
+enters Info and goes straight to the documentation of the Emacs
+function @var{function}. @kbd{C-h K @var{key}} enters Info and goes
+straight to the documentation of the key @var{key}. These two keys
+run the commands @code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node} and
+@code{Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node}. You can use @kbd{C-h K} to
+find the documentation of a menu item: just select that menu item when
+@kbd{C-h K} prompts for a key.
+
+ @kbd{C-h F} and @kbd{C-h K} know about commands and keys described
+in manuals other than the Emacs manual. Thus, they make it easier to
+find the documentation of commands and keys when you are not sure
+which manual describes them, like when using some specialized mode.
+
+@kindex C-h S
+@findex info-lookup-symbol
+ When editing a program, if you have an Info version of the manual
+for the programming language, you can use the command @kbd{C-h S}
+(@code{info-lookup-symbol}) to refer to the manual documentation for a
+symbol (keyword, function or variable). The details of how this
+command works depend on the major mode.
@kindex C-h l
@findex view-lossage
If something surprising happens, and you are not sure what commands you
-typed, use @kbd{C-h l} (@code{view-lossage}). @kbd{C-h l} prints the last
+typed, use @kbd{C-h l} (@code{view-lossage}). @kbd{C-h l} displays the last
100 command characters you typed in. If you see commands that you don't
know, you can use @kbd{C-h c} to find out what they do.
+@kindex C-h e
+@findex view-echo-area-messages
+ To review messages that recently appeared in the echo area, use
+@kbd{C-h e} (@code{view-echo-area-messages}). This displays the
+buffer @code{*Messages*}, where those messages are kept.
+
@kindex C-h m
@findex describe-mode
Emacs has numerous major modes, each of which redefines a few keys and
makes a few other changes in how editing works. @kbd{C-h m}
-(@code{describe-mode}) prints documentation on the current major mode,
+(@code{describe-mode}) displays documentation on the current major mode,
which normally describes all the commands that are changed in this
mode.
@kbd{C-h}. One of these is @key{ESC}, because @kbd{@key{ESC} C-h} is
actually @kbd{C-M-h}, which marks a defun.)
-@kindex C-h F
-@findex view-emacs-FAQ
-@kindex C-h n
-@findex view-emacs-news
+@node Help Files
+@section Help Files
+
+ The Emacs help commands described above display the state of data
+bases within Emacs. Emacs has a few other help commands that display
+pre-written help files. These commands all have the form @kbd{C-h
+C-@var{char}}; that is, @kbd{C-h} followed by a control character.
+
@kindex C-h C-c
@findex describe-copying
@kindex C-h C-d
@findex describe-distribution
-@kindex C-h C-w
-@findex describe-no-warranty
+@kindex C-h C-e
+@findex view-emacs-problems
+@kindex C-h C-f
+@findex view-emacs-FAQ
+@kindex C-h C-n
+@findex view-emacs-news
@kindex C-h C-p
@findex describe-project
-@kindex C-h P
-@findex view-emacs-problems
+@kindex C-h C-t
+@findex view-emacs-todo
+@kindex C-h C-w
+@findex describe-no-warranty
The other @kbd{C-h} options display various files containing useful
-information. @kbd{C-h C-w} displays the full details on the complete
-absence of warranty for GNU Emacs. @kbd{C-h n} (@code{view-emacs-news})
-displays the file @file{emacs/etc/NEWS}, which contains documentation on
-Emacs changes arranged chronologically. @kbd{C-h F}
-(@code{view-emacs-FAQ}) displays the Emacs frequently-answered-questions
-list. @kbd{C-h t} (@code{help-with-tutorial}) displays the
-learn-by-doing Emacs tutorial. @kbd{C-h C-c} (@code{describe-copying})
-displays the file @file{emacs/etc/COPYING}, which tells you the
-conditions you must obey in distributing copies of Emacs. @kbd{C-h C-d}
-(@code{describe-distribution}) displays the file
-@file{emacs/etc/DISTRIB}, which tells you how you can order a copy of
-the latest version of Emacs. @kbd{C-h C-p} (@code{describe-project})
-displays general information about the GNU Project. @kbd{C-h P}
-(@code{view-emacs-problems}) displays the file
-@file{emacs/etc/PROBLEMS}, which lists known problems with Emacs in
-various situations with solutions or workarounds in many cases.
+information.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item C-h C-c
+Displays the Emacs copying conditions (@code{describe-copying}).
+These are the rules under which you can copy and redistribute Emacs.
+@item C-h C-d
+Displays information on how to download or order the latest version of
+Emacs and other GNU software (@code{describe-distribution}).
+@item C-h C-e
+Displays the list of known Emacs problems, sometimes with suggested
+workarounds (@code{view-emacs-problems}).
+@item C-h C-f
+Displays the Emacs frequently-answered-questions list (@code{view-emacs-FAQ}).
+@item C-h C-n
+Displays the Emacs ``news'' file, which lists new Emacs features, most
+recent first (@code{view-emacs-news}).
+@item C-h C-p
+Displays general information about the GNU Project
+(@code{describe-project}).
+@item C-h C-t
+Displays the Emacs to-do list (@code{view-todo}).
+@item C-h C-w
+Displays the full details on the complete absence of warranty for GNU
+Emacs (@code{describe-no-warranty}).
+@end table
@node Help Echo
@section Help on Active Text and Tooltips
When a region of text is ``active,'' so that you can select it with
the mouse or a key like @kbd{RET}, it often has associated help text.
Areas of the mode line are examples. This help will normally be
-printed in the echo area when you move point into the active text. In
+shown in the echo area when you move point into the active text. In
a window system you can display the help text as a ``tooltip''
(sometimes known as ``balloon help''). @xref{Tooltips}.