X-Git-Url: https://code.delx.au/gnu-emacs/blobdiff_plain/41f1d48998f18dacb7a3bc205e640f1294e25bf3..14b6e3bb481f4cb48f397c50ae8116b6fc39c937:/man/m-x.texi diff --git a/man/m-x.texi b/man/m-x.texi index 5a33bab073..a387f87869 100644 --- a/man/m-x.texi +++ b/man/m-x.texi @@ -1,34 +1,31 @@ @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} @@ -43,31 +40,30 @@ M-x forw @key{TAB} c @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