@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002,
-@c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@node Mark, Killing, Help, Top
@chapter The Mark and the Region
you set @dfn{the mark} at one end of it, and move point to the other
end. The text between point and the mark is called @dfn{the region}.
- The region always extends between point and the mark, no matter
-which one comes earlier in the text---the region starts from point or
-the mark (whichever comes first), and ends at point or the mark
-(whichever comes last). Every time you move point, the region
-changes. When a region is active, Emacs highlights it using the
-@code{region} face. You can customize the appearance of the
-highlighting by changing this face (@pxref{Face Customization}).
+ If the mark is active, the region always extends between point and
+the mark, no matter which one comes earlier in the text; each time you
+move point, the region changes. Whenever the mark is active, Emacs
+highlights the region. You can customize the appearance of this
+highlighting by changing the @code{region} face (@pxref{Face
+Customization}).
The region persists only until you use it. The mark is
automatically @dfn{deactivated} after certain non-motion commands,
(@pxref{Quitting}).
@vindex highlight-nonselected-windows
- Each Emacs buffer has its own mark, and setting the mark in one
-buffer has no effect on other buffers' marks. When you return to a
-buffer with an active mark, the mark is at the same place as before.
-When multiple windows show the same buffer, they can have different
-values of point, and thus different regions (though they all share one
-common mark position). @xref{Windows}. Ordinarily, only the selected
-window highlights its region, if a region exists; however, if the
-variable @code{highlight-nonselected-windows} is non-@code{nil}, each
-window highlights its own region.
-
- If Delete Selection mode is enabled, some commands delete the region
-when used while the mark is active. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
+ Setting the mark in one buffer has no effect on the marks in other
+buffers. When you return to a buffer with an active mark, the mark is
+at the same place as before. When multiple windows show the same
+buffer, they can have different values of point, and thus different
+regions, but they all share one common mark position. @xref{Windows}.
+Ordinarily, only the selected window highlights its region; however,
+if the variable @code{highlight-nonselected-windows} is
+non-@code{nil}, each window highlights its own region.
@menu
* Setting Mark:: Commands to set the mark.
* Marking Objects:: Commands to put region around textual units.
* Using Region:: Summary of ways to operate on contents of the region.
-* Persistent Mark:: Keeping the mark active all the time.
* Mark Ring:: Previous mark positions saved so you can go back there.
* Global Mark Ring:: Previous mark positions in various buffers.
+* Shift Selection:: Using shifted cursor motion keys.
+* Persistent Mark:: Keeping the mark active all the time.
@end menu
@node Setting Mark
@table @kbd
@item C-@key{SPC}
-Set the mark where point is (@code{set-mark-command}).
+Set the mark at point (@code{set-mark-command}).
@item C-@@
The same.
@item C-x C-x
-Set the mark where point was, and move point where the mark was
+Set the mark at point, and move point where the mark was
(@code{exchange-point-and-mark}).
@item Drag-Mouse-1
Set point and the mark around the text you drag across.
@item Mouse-3
-Set the mark where point is, then move point to where you click
+Set the mark at point, then move point to where you click
(@code{mouse-save-then-kill}).
+@item @samp{Shifted motion keys}
+Set the mark at point if the mark is inactive, then move point.
@end table
@kindex C-SPC
+@kindex C-@@
@findex set-mark-command
The most common way to set the mark is with @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
-(@code{set-mark-command}). This sets the mark where point is. You
-can then move point away, leaving the mark behind.
+(@code{set-mark-command}), which sets the mark where point
+is@footnote{There is no @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} character in
+@acronym{ASCII}; usually, typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} on a text terminal
+gives the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is also bound to
+@code{set-mark-command}, so unless you are unlucky enough to have an
+text terminal that behaves differently, you might as well think of
+@kbd{C-@@} as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}.}. You can then move point away,
+leaving the mark behind.
For example, suppose you wish to convert part of the buffer to upper
-case. To accomplish this, first go to the beginning of the text to be
-capitalized, type @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}, and move point until the desired
-portion of text is highlighted. You can now type @kbd{C-x C-u}
-(@code{upcase-region}), which converts the text in the region to upper
-case. This also automatically deactivates the mark. (Alternatively,
-you could set the mark at the end, move to the beginning, and do
-@kbd{C-x C-u}.)
+case. To accomplish this, go to the beginning of the desired text,
+type @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}, and move point until the desired portion of
+text is highlighted. Now type @kbd{C-x C-u} (@code{upcase-region}).
+This converts the text in the region to upper case, and then
+deactivates the mark.
@kindex C-x C-x
@findex exchange-point-and-mark
- The command @kbd{C-x C-x} (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) puts the
-mark where point was and moves point where the mark was, keeping the
-region unchanged. If no mark is active, Emacs reactivates the mark at
-the position where it was last set. @kbd{C-x C-x} is useful when you
-are satisfied with the position of point but want to move the other
-end of the region (where the mark is); do @kbd{C-x C-x} to put point
-at that end of the region, and then move it. Using @kbd{C-x C-x} a
-second time, if necessary, puts the mark at the new position with
-point back at its original position.
-
- You can also set the mark with the mouse. In fact, there are two
-ways to do this. You can press the left mouse button
-(@kbd{down-mouse-1}) and drag the mouse across a range of text while
-holding down the button; this sets the mark where you first pressed
-the mouse button, and point where you release it. Alternatively, you
-can click the right mouse button (@kbd{mouse-3}), which sets the mark
-at point and then moves point to where you clicked.
-
- Using the mouse to mark a region also copies the region into the
-kill ring (@pxref{Kill Ring}). If you don't want to modify the kill
-ring, you must use keyboard commands to set the mark. @xref{Mouse
-Commands}.
-
-@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} 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}}.
+ The command @kbd{C-x C-x} (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) exchanges
+the positions of point and the mark, keeping the region unchanged. If
+no mark is active, Emacs first reactivates the mark wherever it was
+last set. @kbd{C-x C-x} is useful when you are satisfied with the
+position of point but want to move the other end of the region (where
+the mark is). Using @kbd{C-x C-x} a second time, if necessary, puts
+the mark at the new position with point back at its original position.
+
+ You can also set the mark with the mouse. If you press the left
+mouse button (@kbd{down-mouse-1}) and drag the mouse across a range of
+text while holding down this button, this sets the mark where you
+first pressed the mouse button and puts point where you release it.
+Alternatively, clicking the right mouse button (@kbd{mouse-3}) sets
+the mark at point and then moves point to where you clicked. Using
+the mouse to mark a region also copies the region into the kill ring
+(@pxref{Kill Ring}). @xref{Mouse Commands}, for a more detailed
+description of these mouse commands.
+
+@cindex shift-selection
+ Finally, you can set the mark by holding down the shift key while
+typing certain cursor motion commands (such as @kbd{S-@key{right}},
+@kbd{S-C-f}, @kbd{S-C-n}, etc.) This is referred to as
+@dfn{shift-selection}. This sets the mark at point before moving
+point, but only if there is no active mark set via shift-selection.
+The mark set by mouse commands and by shift-selection behaves slightly
+differently from the usual mark: any subsequent unshifted cursor
+motion command deactivates it automatically. For details, @xref{Shift
+Selection}.
Whenever the mark is active, you can deactivate it by typing
@kbd{C-g} (@pxref{Quitting}). The mark is also automatically
@table @kbd
@item M-@@
-Set mark after end of next word (@code{mark-word}). This command and
-the following one do not move point.
+Set mark after end of next word (@code{mark-word}). This does not
+move point.
@item C-M-@@
-Set mark after end of following balanced expression (@code{mark-sexp}).
+Set mark after end of following balanced expression
+(@code{mark-sexp}). This does not move point.
@item M-h
Move point to the beginning of the current paragraph, and set mark at
the end (@code{mark-paragraph}).
@item C-M-h
Move point to the beginning of the current defun, and set mark at the
end (@code{mark-defun}).
-@item C-x h
-Move point to the beginning of the buffer, and set mark at the end
-(@code{mark-whole-buffer}).
@item C-x C-p
Move point to the beginning of the current page, and set mark at the
end (@code{mark-page}).
+@item C-x h
+Move point to the beginning of the buffer, and set mark at the end
+(@code{mark-whole-buffer}).
@end table
+@findex mark-word
+@findex mark-sexp
@kbd{M-@@} (@code{mark-word}) puts the mark at the end of the next
word, while @kbd{C-M-@@} (@code{mark-sexp}) puts it at the end of the
next balanced expression (@pxref{Expressions}). These commands handle
@kindex C-x h
@findex mark-whole-buffer
- Other commands set both point and mark, to delimit an object in the
-buffer. For example, @kbd{M-h} (@code{mark-paragraph}) moves point to
-the beginning of the paragraph that surrounds or follows point, and
-puts the mark at the end of that paragraph (@pxref{Paragraphs}). It
-prepares the region so you can indent, case-convert, or kill a whole
-paragraph. With a prefix argument, if the argument's value is positive,
-@kbd{M-h} marks that many paragraphs starting with the one surrounding
-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.
-
- @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}). 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.
-
- While the mark is active, repeating the above commands extends the
-region accordingly. For example, you can type either @kbd{C-u 2 M-@@}
-or @kbd{M-@@ M-@@} to mark the next two words. Similarly, repeating
-the @kbd{M-h} command extends the region to subsequent paragraphs.
+ The other commands in the above list set both point and mark, so as
+to delimit an object in the buffer. @kbd{M-h} (@code{mark-paragraph})
+moves point to the beginning of the paragraph that surrounds or
+follows point, and sets the mark at the end of that paragraph
+(@pxref{Paragraphs}). As a special exception, repeated invocations of
+@kbd{M-h} extend the region to subsequent paragraphs. This is
+convenient for indenting, case-converting, or killing entire
+paragraphs.
+
+ The @kbd{M-h} command accepts prefix arguments. If the argument's
+value is positive, @kbd{M-h} marks that many paragraphs starting with
+the one surrounding point; therefore, @kbd{C-u M-h} is equivalent to
+@kbd{M-h M-h M-h M-h}. If the prefix argument is @minus{}@var{n},
+@kbd{M-h} marks @var{n} paragraphs running back from the one
+surrounding point; in this case, point moves forward to the end of
+that paragraph, and the mark goes at the start of the region.
+
+ Similarly, @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{mark-defun}) sets mark and point
+around major top-level definitions (@pxref{Moving by Defuns}), and
+@kbd{C-x C-p} (@code{mark-page}) does the same for pages
+(@pxref{Pages}). These treat repeated invokations and prefix
+arguments similarly to @code{mark-paragraph}.
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
-the end. (In some programs this is called ``select all.'')
+buffer as the region, by putting point at the beginning and the mark
+at the end. (In some programs this is called ``select all.'')
@node Using Region
@section Operating on the Region
Most commands that operate on the text in the region have the word
@code{region} in their names.
+ Some commands have a default behavior when the region is inactive,
+but operate on the text in the region if the region is active. For
+example, @kbd{M-$} (@code{ispell-word}) normally checks the spelling
+of the word at point, but it checks the text in the region if the
+region is active (@pxref{Spelling}). Normally, such commands use
+their default behavior if the region is empty (i.e., if mark and point
+are at the same position). If you want them to operate on the empty
+region, change the variable @code{use-empty-active-region} to
+@code{t}.
+
+@cindex Delete Selection mode
+@cindex mode, Delete Selection
+@findex delete-selection-mode
+ If you enable Delete Selection mode, a minor mode, then inserting
+text while the region is active causes the selected text to be deleted
+first. This also deactivates the mark. Many graphical applications
+follow this convention, but Emacs does not. To toggle Delete
+Selection mode on or off, type @kbd{M-x delete-selection-mode}.
+Another effect of this mode is that some keys, such as @key{DEL} and
+@kbd{C-d}, always kill the region if one exists.
+
+@node Mark Ring
+@section The Mark Ring
+
+@cindex mark ring
+ Aside from delimiting the region, the mark is also useful for
+remembering spots that you may want to go back to. Each buffer
+remembers 16 previous locations of the mark, in the @dfn{mark ring}.
+Commands that set the mark also push the old mark onto this ring.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC}
+Set the mark, pushing it onto the mark ring, without activating it.
+@item C-u C-@key{SPC}
+Move point to where the mark was, and restore the mark from the ring
+of former marks.
+@end table
+
+@kindex C-SPC C-SPC
+ The command C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC} is handy when you want to use
+the mark to remember a position to which you may wish to return. It
+pushes the current point onto the mark ring, without activating the
+mark (which would cause Emacs to highlight the region). This is
+actually two consecutive invocations of @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
+(@code{set-mark-command}); the first @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} sets the mark,
+and the second @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} deactivates it. (When Transient Mark
+mode is off, C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC} instead activates Transient Mark
+mode temporarily. @xref{Persistent Mark}.)
+
+@kindex C-u C-SPC
+ To return to a marked position, use @code{set-mark-command} with a
+prefix argument: @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}}. This moves point to where the
+mark was, and deactivates the mark if it was active. Each subsequent
+@kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} jumps to a prior position stored in the mark
+ring. The 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 immediately after you type @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}}, you can type
+@kbd{C-@key{SPC}} instead of @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} to cycle through
+the mark ring. By default, @code{set-mark-command-repeat-pop} is
+@code{nil}.
+
+ 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 the same buffer.
+
+@vindex mark-ring-max
+ The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies the maximum number of
+entries to keep in the mark ring. If that many entries exist and
+another one is pushed, the earliest one in the list is discarded. Repeating
+@kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} cycles through the positions currently in the
+ring.
+
+@vindex mark-even-if-inactive
+ If the variable @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is @code{nil}, commands
+can only use the mark and the region when it is active. This variable
+is non-@code{nil} by default.
+
+ 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
+in a register for later retrieval (@pxref{RegPos,, Saving Positions in
+Registers}).
+
+@node Global Mark Ring
+@section The Global Mark Ring
+@cindex global mark ring
+
+ In addition to the ordinary mark ring that belongs to each buffer,
+Emacs has a single @dfn{global mark ring}. Each time you set a mark,
+in any buffer, this is recorded in the global mark ring in addition to
+the current buffer's own mark ring.
+
+@kindex C-x C-@key{SPC}
+@findex pop-global-mark
+ The command @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} (@code{pop-global-mark}) jumps to
+the buffer and position of the latest entry in the global ring. It also
+rotates the ring, so that successive uses of @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} take
+you to earlier buffers and mark positions.
+
+@node Shift Selection
+@section Shift Selection
+@cindex shift-selection
+
+ If you hold down the shift key while typing a cursor motion command,
+this sets the mark before moving point, so that the region extends
+from the original position of point to its new position. This
+feature, newly introduced in Emacs 23, is referred to as
+@dfn{shift-selection}. It is similar to the way text is selected in
+other editors.
+
+ The mark set via shift-selection behaves a little differently from
+what we have described above. Firstly, in addition to the usual ways
+of deactivating the mark (such as changing the buffer text or typing
+@kbd{C-g}), the mark is deactivated by any @emph{unshifted} cursor
+motion command. Secondly, any subsequent @emph{shifted} cursor motion
+command avoids setting the mark anew. Therefore, a series of shifted
+cursor motion commands will continuously extend the region.
+
+ Shift-selection only works if the shifted cursor motion key is not
+already bound to a separate command (@pxref{Customization}). For
+example, if you bind @kbd{S-C-f} to another command, typing
+@kbd{S-C-f} runs that command instead of performing a shift-selected
+version of @kbd{C-f} (@code{forward-char}).
+
+ A mark set via mouse commands behaves the same as a mark set via
+shift-selection (@pxref{Setting Mark}). For example, if you specify a
+region by dragging the mouse, you can continue to extend the region
+using shifted cursor motion commands. In either case, any unshifted
+cursor motion command deactivates the mark.
+
+ To turn off shift-selection, set @code{shift-select-mode} to
+@code{nil}. Doing this does not disable setting the mark via mouse
+commands.
+
@node Persistent Mark
@section Persistent Marks
@cindex mode, Transient Mark
@cindex region highlighting
@cindex Zmacs mode
- By default, the region is highlighted whenever it exists, and it
+ By default, the region is highlighted whenever it exists, and
disappears once you use it or explicitly deactivate the mark. This
behavior is called Transient Mark mode@footnote{It is also sometimes
called @dfn{Zmacs mode}, because the Zmacs editor on the MIT Lisp
deactivated, but can be set to different locations using commands such
as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}. After the first time you set the mark in a
buffer, there is always a region in that buffer. Emacs will not
-highlight the region, because that would be a nuisance. As an
+highlight the region, because that would be a nuisance. As a special
exception, the region is temporarily highlighted after it is set with
the mouse.
To turn off Transient Mark mode, type @kbd{M-x transient-mark-mode}.
This command toggles the mode; you can use the same command to turn
-Transient Mark mode on again. You can also toggle Transient Mark mode
-using the menu bar: in the @samp{Options} menu, use the @samp{Active
-Region Highlighting} menu item.
+Transient Mark mode on again. You can also turn off Transient Mark
+mode using the menu bar: in the @samp{Options} menu, toggle the
+@samp{Active Region Highlighting} menu item.
Here are the details of how Emacs behaves when Transient Mark mode
is off:
the region when Transient Mark mode is off. Enabling Transient Mark
mode momentarily gives you a way to use these commands on the region.
-@node Mark Ring
-@section The Mark Ring
-
-@cindex mark ring
- Aside from delimiting the region, the mark is also useful for
-remembering spots that you may want to go back to. Each buffer
-remembers 16 previous locations of the mark, in the @dfn{mark ring}.
-Commands that set the mark also push the old mark onto this ring.
-
-@table @kbd
-@item C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC}
-Set the mark, pushing it onto the mark ring, without activating it.
-@item C-u C-@key{SPC}
-Move point to where the mark was, and restore the mark from the ring
-of former marks.
-@end table
-
-@kindex C-SPC C-SPC
- The command C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC} is handy when you want to use
-the mark to remember a position to which you may want to return. It
-pushes the current point onto the mark ring, without activating the
-mark (which would cause Emacs to highlight the region). This is
-actually two consecutive invocations of @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
-(@code{set-mark-command}); the first @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} sets the mark,
-and the second @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} deactivates it. (When Transient Mark
-mode is off, C-@key{SPC} C-@key{SPC} instead activates Transient Mark
-mode temporarily. @xref{Persistent Mark}.)
-
-@kindex C-u C-SPC
- To return to a marked position, use @code{set-mark-command} with a
-prefix argument: @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}}. This moves point to where the
-mark was, and deactivates the mark if it was active. Each subsequent
-@kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} jumps to a prior position stored in the mark
-ring. The 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 immediately after you type @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}}, you can type
-@kbd{C-@key{SPC}} instead of @kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} to cycle through
-the mark ring. By default, @code{set-mark-command-repeat-pop} is
-@code{nil}.
-
- 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 the same buffer.
-
-@vindex mark-ring-max
- The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies the maximum number of
-entries to keep in the mark ring. If that many entries exist and
-another one is pushed, the earliest one in the list is discarded. Repeating
-@kbd{C-u C-@key{SPC}} cycles through the positions currently in the
-ring.
-
-@vindex mark-even-if-inactive
- If the variable @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is @code{nil}, commands
-can only use the mark and the region when it is active. This variable
-is non-@code{nil} by default.
-
- 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
-in a register for later retrieval (@pxref{RegPos,, Saving Positions in
-Registers}).
-
-@node Global Mark Ring
-@section The Global Mark Ring
-@cindex global mark ring
-
- In addition to the ordinary mark ring that belongs to each buffer,
-Emacs has a single @dfn{global mark ring}. It records a sequence of
-buffers in which you have recently set the mark, so you can go back
-to those buffers.
-
- Setting the mark always makes an entry on the current buffer's mark
-ring. If you have switched buffers since the previous mark setting, the
-new mark position makes an entry on the global mark ring also. The
-result is that the global mark ring records a sequence of buffers that
-you have been in, and, for each buffer, a place where you set the mark.
-
-@kindex C-x C-@key{SPC}
-@findex pop-global-mark
- The command @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} (@code{pop-global-mark}) jumps to
-the buffer and position of the latest entry in the global ring. It also
-rotates the ring, so that successive uses of @kbd{C-x C-@key{SPC}} take
-you to earlier and earlier buffers.
-
@ignore
arch-tag: f35e4d82-911b-4cfc-a3d7-3c87b2abba20
@end ignore