The XEmacs Editor

XEmacs is the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor. This Info file describes how to edit with Emacs and some of how to customize it, but not how to extend it. It corresponds to XEmacs version 21.0.

This manual is intended as a detailed reference to XEmacs. If you are looking for an introductory manual, see the New User’s Guide.

Indices, nodes containing large menus
GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE		The GNU General Public License gives you permission to redistribute XEmacs on certain terms; and also explains that there is no warranty.
Distribution		How to get XEmacs.
Introduction		An introduction to XEmacs concepts.
Glossary		The glossary.
The GNU Manifesto		What’s GNU? Gnu’s Not Unix!
Key (Character) Index		An item for each standard XEmacs key sequence.
Command and Function Index		An item for each command name.
Variable Index		An item for each documented variable.
Concept Index		An item for each concept.
Important General Concepts
1. The XEmacs Frame		How to interpret what you see on the screen.
2. Keystrokes, Key Sequences, and Key Bindings		Keyboard gestures XEmacs recognizes.
2.4 XEmacs Pull-down Menus		The XEmacs Pull-down Menus available under X.
3. Entering and Exiting Emacs		Starting Emacs from the shell.
3.1 Exiting Emacs		Stopping or killing XEmacs.
3.2 Command Line Switches and Arguments		Hairy startup options.
3.3 How XEmacs finds Directories and Files
22.8 Packages		How XEmacs organizes its high-level functionality.
Fundamental Editing Commands
4. Basic Editing Commands		The most basic editing commands.
5. Undoing Changes		Undoing recently made changes in the text.
6. The Minibuffer		Entering arguments that are prompted for.
7. Running Commands by Name		Invoking commands by their names.
8. Help		Commands for asking XEmacs about its commands.
Important Text-Changing Commands
9. Selecting Text		The mark: how to delimit a “region” of text.
9.2 Selecting Text with the Mouse		Selecting text with the mouse.
9.3 Additional Mouse Operations		Other operations available from the mouse.
9.4 Deletion and Killing		Killing text.
9.5 Yanking		Recovering killed text. Moving text.
9.6 Using X Selections		Using primary selection, cut buffers, and highlighted regions.
9.7 Accumulating Text		Other ways of copying text.
9.8 Rectangles		Operating on the text inside a rectangle on the screen.
10. Registers		Saving a text string or a location in the buffer.
11. Controlling the Display		Controlling what text is displayed.
12. Searching and Replacement		Finding or replacing occurrences of a string.
13. Commands for Fixing Typos		Commands especially useful for fixing typos.
Larger Units of Text
14. File Handling		All about handling files.
15. Using Multiple Buffers		Multiple buffers; editing several files at once.
16. Multiple Windows		Viewing two pieces of text at once.
17. World Scripts Support		Multibyte characters; multiple scripts at once; Unicode.
Advanced Features
18. Major Modes		Text mode vs. Lisp mode vs. C mode ...
19. Indentation		Editing the white space at the beginnings of lines.
20. Commands for Human Languages		Commands and modes for editing English.
21. Editing Programs		Commands and modes for editing programs.
22. Compiling and Testing Programs		Compiling, running and debugging programs.
23. Abbrevs		How to define text abbreviations to reduce the number of characters you must type.
24. Editing Pictures		Editing pictures made up of characters using the quarter-plane screen model.
25. Sending Mail		Sending mail in XEmacs.
26. Reading Mail		Reading mail in XEmacs.
26.1 Calendar Mode and the Diary		A Calendar and diary facility in XEmacs.
26.6 Sorting Text		Sorting lines, paragraphs or pages within XEmacs.
26.7 Running Shell Commands from XEmacs		Executing shell commands from XEmacs.
26.8 Narrowing		Restricting display and editing to a portion of the buffer.
26.9 Hardcopy Output		Printing buffers or regions.
26.10 Recursive Editing Levels		A command can allow you to do editing "within the command". This is called a ‘recursive editing level’.
26.11 Dissociated Press		Dissociating text for fun.
26.12 CONX		A different kind of dissociation.
26.13 Other Amusements		Various games and hacks.
26.14 Emulation		Emulating some other editors with XEmacs.
27. Customization		Modifying the behavior of XEmacs.
Recovery from Problems.
27.13 Quitting and Aborting		Quitting and aborting.
27.14 Dealing With Emacs Trouble		What to do if XEmacs is hung or malfunctioning.
27.15 Reporting Bugs		How and when to report a bug.
Here are some other nodes which are really inferiors of the ones already listed, mentioned here so you can get to them in one step: — The Detailed Node Listing — The Organization of the Frame
1.1 Point		The place in the text where editing commands operate.
1.2 The Echo Area		Short messages appear at the bottom of the frame.
1.3 The Mode Line		Interpreting the mode line.
1.12 Using XEmacs Under the X Window System		Some information on using XEmacs under the X Window System.
Keystrokes
2.1 Keystrokes as Building Blocks of Key Sequences		Keystrokes as building blocks of key sequences.
2.1.1 Representing Keystrokes		Using lists of modifiers and keysyms to represent keystrokes.
2.1.2 Representing Key Sequences		Combine key strokes into key sequences you can bind to commands.
2.1.3 String Key Sequences		Available for upward compatibility.
2.1.4 Assignment of the <META> Key		Using <ESC> to represent <Meta>
2.1.5 Assignment of the <SUPER> and <HYPER> Keys		Adding modifier keys on certain keyboards.
2.2 Representation of Characters		How characters appear in XEmacs buffers.
2.3 Keys and Commands		How commands are bound to key sequences.
Pull-down Menus
2.4.1 The File Menu		Items on the File menu.
2.4.2 The Edit Menu		Items on the Edit menu.
2.4.3 The Apps Menu		Items on the Apps menu.
2.4.4 The Options Menu		Items on the Options menu.
2.4.5 The Buffers Menu		Information about the Buffers menu.
2.4.6 The Tools Menu		Items on the Tools menu.
2.4.7 The Help Menu		Items on the Help menu.
2.4.8 Customizing XEmacs Menus		Adding and removing menu items and related operations.
Packages
22.8 Packages		Introduction to XEmacs Packages.
22.8.1 Package Flavors		Understanding different kinds of packages.
22.8.5 Getting Started		How to install packages.
22.8.8 Prerequisites for Building Source Packages		Building packages from sources.
• Local.rules File		An important part of building packages.
22.8.10 Normal Packages		A brief directory of packaged LISP.
Basic Editing Commands
4.6 Blank Lines		Commands to make or delete blank lines.
4.7 Continuation Lines		Lines too wide for the frame.
4.8 Cursor Position Information		What page, line, row, or column is point on?
4.9 Numeric Arguments		Numeric arguments for repeating a command.
The Minibuffer
6.1 Minibuffers for File Names		Entering file names with the minibuffer.
6.2 Editing in the Minibuffer		How to edit in the minibuffer.
6.3 Completion		An abbreviation facility for minibuffer input.
6.5 Repeating Minibuffer Commands		Re-executing commands that used the minibuffer.
The Mark and the Region
9.1.1 Setting the Mark		Commands to set the mark.
9.1.2 Operating on the Region		Summary of ways to operate on contents of the region.
9.1.3 Commands to Mark Textual Objects		Commands to put region around textual units.
9.1.4 The Mark Ring		Previous mark positions saved so you can go back there.
Yanking
9.5.1 The Kill Ring		Where killed text is stored. Basic yanking.
9.5.2 Appending Kills		Several kills in a row all yank together.
9.5.3 Yanking Earlier Kills		Yanking something killed some time ago.
Using X Selections
9.6.1 The Clipboard Selection		Pasting to the X clipboard.
9.6.2 Miscellaneous X Selection Commands		Other operations on the selection.
9.6.3 X Cut Buffers		X cut buffers are available for compatibility.
9.6.4 Active Regions		Using zmacs-style highlighting of the selected region.
Registers
10.1 Saving Positions in Registers		Saving positions in registers.
10.2 Saving Text in Registers		Saving text in registers.
10.3 Saving Rectangles in Registers		Saving rectangles in registers.
10.4 Saving Window Configurations in Registers		Saving window configurations in registers.
10.6 Keeping File Names in Registers		File names in registers.
10.5 Keeping Numbers in Registers		Numbers in registers.
10.7 Bookmarks		Bookmarks are like registers, but persistent.
Controlling the Display
11.1 Scrolling		Moving text up and down in a window.
11.2 Horizontal Scrolling		Moving text left and right in a window.
11.3 Selective Display		Hiding lines with lots of indentation.
11.4 Variables Controlling Display		Information on variables for customizing display.
Searching and Replacement
12.1 Incremental Search		Search happens as you type the string.
12.2 Non-Incremental Search		Specify entire string and then search.
12.3 Word Search		Search for sequence of words.
12.4 Regular Expression Search		Search for match for a regexp.
12.5 Syntax of Regular Expressions		Syntax of regular expressions.
12.6 Searching and Case		To ignore case while searching, or not.
12.7 Replacement Commands		Search, and replace some or all matches.
12.8 Other Search-and-Loop Commands		Operating on all matches for some regexp.
Replacement Commands
12.7.1 Unconditional Replacement		Replacing all matches for a string.
12.7.2 Regexp Replacement		Replacing all matches for a regexp.
12.7.3 Replace Commands and Case		How replacements preserve case of letters.
12.7.4 Query Replace		How to use querying.
Commands for Fixing Typos
13.1 Killing Your Mistakes		Commands to kill a batch of recently entered text.
13.2 Transposing Text		Exchanging two characters, words, lines, lists...
13.3 Case Conversion		Correcting case of last word entered.
13.4 Checking and Correcting Spelling		Apply spelling checker to a word, or a whole file.
File Handling
14.1 File Names		How to type and edit file name arguments.
14.2 Visiting Files		Visiting a file prepares XEmacs to edit the file.
14.3 Saving Files		Saving makes your changes permanent.
14.4 Reverting a Buffer		Reverting cancels all the changes not saved.
14.5 Auto-Saving: Protection Against Disasters		Auto Save periodically protects against loss of data.
14.6 Version Control		Version control systems (RCS and SCCS).
14.7 Listing a File Directory		Listing the contents of a file directory.
14.8 Comparing Files		Finding where two files differ.
14.9 Dired, the Directory Editor		“Editing” a directory to delete, rename, etc. the files in it.
14.10 Miscellaneous File Operations		Other things you can do on files.
Saving Files
14.3.1 Backup Files		How XEmacs saves the old version of your file.
14.3.2 Protection Against Simultaneous Editing		How XEmacs protects against simultaneous editing of one file by two users.
Backup Files
14.3.1.1 Single or Numbered Backups		How backup files are named; Choosing single or numbered backup files.
14.3.1.2 Automatic Deletion of Backups		XEmacs deletes excess numbered backups.
14.3.1.3 Copying vs. Renaming		Backups can be made by copying or renaming.
Auto-Saving: Protection Against Disasters
14.5.1 Auto-Save Files
14.5.2 Controlling Auto-Saving
14.5.3 Recovering Data from Auto-Saves		Recovering text from auto-save files.
Version Control
14.6.1 Concepts of Version Control		Basic version control information; checking files in and out.
14.6.2 Editing with Version Control		Commands for editing a file maintained with version control.
14.6.3 Variables Affecting Check-in and Check-out		Variables that affect the commands used to check files in or out.
14.6.4 Log Entries		Logging your changes.
14.6.5 Change Logs and VC		Generating a change log file from log entries.
14.6.6 Examining And Comparing Old Versions		Examining and comparing old versions.
14.6.7 VC Status Commands		Commands to view the VC status of files and look at log entries.
14.6.8 Renaming VC Work Files and Master Files		A command to rename both the source and master file correctly.
14.6.9 Snapshots		How to make and use snapshots, a set of file versions that can be treated as a unit.
14.6.10 Inserting Version Control Headers		Inserting version control headers into working files.
Snapshots
14.6.9.1 Making and Using Snapshots		The snapshot facilities.
14.6.9.2 Snapshot Caveats		Things to be careful of when using snapshots.
Dired, the Directory Editor
14.9.1 Entering Dired		How to invoke Dired.
14.9.2 Editing in Dired		Editing the Dired buffer.
14.9.3 Deleting Files With Dired		Deleting files with Dired.
14.9.4 Immediate File Operations in Dired		Other file operations through Dired.
Using Multiple Buffers
15.1 Creating and Selecting Buffers		Creating a new buffer or reselecting an old one.
15.2 Listing Existing Buffers		Getting a list of buffers that exist.
15.3 Miscellaneous Buffer Operations		Renaming; changing read-onliness; copying text.
15.4 Killing Buffers		Killing buffers you no longer need.
15.5 Operating on Several Buffers		How to go through the list of all buffers and operate variously on several of them.
Multiple Windows
16.1 Concepts of Emacs Windows		Introduction to XEmacs windows.
16.2 Splitting Windows		New windows are made by splitting existing windows.
16.3 Using Other Windows		Moving to another window or doing something to it.
16.4 Displaying in Another Window		Finding a file or buffer in another window.
16.5 Deleting and Rearranging Windows		Deleting windows and changing their sizes.
Multiple Scripts and Unicode
17.1 Introduction: The Wide Variety of Scripts and Codings in Use		Basic concepts of multilingual text.
17.2 Language Environments		Setting things up for the language you use.
17.3 Input Methods		Entering text characters not on your keyboard.
17.4 Selecting an Input Method		Specifying your choice of input methods.
17.5 Coding Systems		Character set conversion when you read and write files, and so on.
17.6 Recognizing Coding Systems		How XEmacs figures out which conversion to use.
17.7 Character Set Unification		Integrating overlapping character sets.
17.9 Charsets and Coding Systems		Tables and other reference material.
Major Modes
18.1 Choosing Major Modes		How major modes are specified or chosen.
Indentation
19.1 Indentation Commands and Techniques		Various commands and techniques for indentation.
19.2 Tab Stops		You can set arbitrary "tab stops" and then indent to the next tab stop when you want to.
19.3 Tabs vs. Spaces		You can request indentation using just spaces.
Commands for Human Languages
20.1 Text Mode		The major modes for editing text files.
20.1.1 Nroff Mode		The major mode for editing input to the formatter nroff.
20.1.2 TeX Mode		The major modes for editing input to the formatter TeX.
20.1.3 Outline Mode		The major mode for editing outlines.
20.2 Words		Moving over and killing words.
20.3 Sentences		Moving over and killing sentences.
20.4 Paragraphs		Moving over paragraphs.
20.5 Pages		Moving over pages.
20.6 Filling Text		Filling or justifying text
20.7 Case Conversion Commands		Changing the case of text
TeX Mode
20.1.2.1 TeX Editing Commands		Special commands for editing in TeX mode.
20.1.2.2 TeX Printing Commands		Commands for printing part of a file with TeX.
Outline Mode
20.1.3.1 Format of Outlines		What the text of an outline looks like.
20.1.3.2 Outline Motion Commands		Special commands for moving through outlines.
20.1.3.3 Outline Visibility Commands		Commands to control what is visible.
Filling Text
20.6.1 Auto Fill Mode		Auto Fill mode breaks long lines automatically.
20.6.2 Explicit Fill Commands		Commands to refill paragraphs and center lines.
20.6.3 The Fill Prefix		Filling when every line is indented or in a comment, etc.
Editing Programs
21.1 Major Modes for Programming Languages		Major modes for editing programs.
21.2 Lists and Sexps		Expressions with balanced parentheses. There are editing commands to operate on them.
21.3 Defuns		Each program is made up of separate functions. There are editing commands to operate on them.
21.4 Indentation for Programs		Adjusting indentation to show the nesting.
21.5 Automatic Display of Matching Parentheses		Insertion of a close-delimiter flashes matching open.
21.6 Manipulating Comments		Inserting, filling and aligning comments.
21.7 Editing Without Unbalanced Parentheses		Inserting two matching parentheses at once, etc.
21.8 Completion for Lisp Symbols		Completion on symbol names in Lisp code.
21.9 Documentation Commands		Getting documentation of functions you plan to call.
21.10 Change Logs		Maintaining a change history for your program.
21.11 Tags Tables		Go directly to any function in your program in one command. Tags remembers which file it is in.
21.12 Modes for C, C++, Java and similar languages
21.13 Fortran Mode		Fortran mode and its special features.
21.14 Asm Mode		Asm mode and its special features.
Indentation for Programs
21.4.1 Basic Program Indentation Commands
21.4.2 Indenting Several Lines		Commands to reindent many lines at once.
21.4.3 Customizing Lisp Indentation		Specifying how each Lisp function should be indented.
Tags Tables
21.11.1 Source File Tag Syntax		Tag syntax for various types of code and text files.
21.11.2 Creating Tags Tables		Creating a tags table with `etags`.
21.11.4 Selecting a Tags Table		How to visit a tags table.
21.11.5 Finding a Tag		Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
21.11.6 Searching and Replacing with Tags Tables		Using a tags table for searching and replacing.
21.11.7 Tags Table Inquiries		Listing and finding tags defined in a file.
Fortran Mode
21.13.1 Motion Commands		Moving point by statements or subprograms.
21.13.2 Fortran Indentation		Indentation commands for Fortran.
21.13.3 Comments		Inserting and aligning comments.
21.13.4 Columns		Measuring columns for valid Fortran.
21.13.5 Fortran Keyword Abbrevs		Built-in abbrevs for Fortran keywords.
Fortran Indentation
21.13.2.1 Fortran Indentation Commands		Commands for indenting Fortran.
21.13.2.2 Line Numbers and Continuation		How line numbers auto-indent.
21.13.2.3 Syntactic Conventions		Conventions you must obey to avoid trouble.
21.13.2.4 Variables for Fortran Indentation		Variables controlling Fortran indent style.
Compiling and Testing Programs
22.1 Running “make”, or Compilers Generally		Compiling programs in languages other than Lisp (C, Pascal, etc.)
22.2 Major Modes for Lisp		Various modes for editing Lisp programs, with different facilities for running the Lisp programs.
22.3 Libraries of Lisp Code for Emacs		Creating Lisp programs to run in XEmacs.
22.4 Evaluating Emacs-Lisp Expressions		Executing a single Lisp expression in XEmacs.
22.5 The Emacs-Lisp Debugger		Debugging Lisp programs running in XEmacs.
22.6 Lisp Interaction Buffers		Executing Lisp in an XEmacs buffer.
22.7 Running an External Lisp		Communicating through XEmacs with a separate Lisp.
Lisp Libraries
22.3.1 Loading Libraries		Loading libraries of Lisp code into XEmacs for use.
22.3.2 Compiling Libraries		Compiling a library makes it load and run faster.
Abbrevs
23.1 Defining Abbrevs		Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
23.2 Controlling Abbrev Expansion		Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.
23.3 Examining and Editing Abbrevs		Viewing or editing the entire list of defined abbrevs.
23.4 Saving Abbrevs		Saving the entire list of abbrevs for another session.
23.5 Dynamic Abbrev Expansion		Abbreviations for words already in the buffer.
Editing Pictures
24.1 Basic Editing in Picture Mode		Basic concepts and simple commands of Picture Mode.
24.2 Controlling Motion After Insert		Controlling direction of cursor motion after "self-inserting" characters.
24.3 Picture Mode Tabs		Various features for tab stops and indentation.
24.4 Picture Mode Rectangle Commands		Clearing and superimposing rectangles.
Sending Mail
25.1 The Format of the Mail Buffer		Format of the mail being composed.
25.2 Mail Header Fields		Details of allowed mail header fields.
25.3 Mail Mode		Special commands for editing mail being composed.
Running Shell Commands from XEmacs
26.7.1 Single Shell Commands		How to run one shell command and return.
26.7.2 Interactive Inferior Shell		Permanent shell taking input via XEmacs.
26.7.3 Shell Mode		Special XEmacs commands used with permanent shell.
Customization
27.1 Minor Modes		Each minor mode is one feature you can turn on independently of any others.
27.3 Variables		Many XEmacs commands examine XEmacs variables to decide what to do; by setting variables, you can control their functioning.
27.4 Keyboard Macros		A keyboard macro records a sequence of keystrokes to be replayed with a single command.
27.5 Customizing Key Bindings		The keymaps say what command each key runs. By changing them, you can "redefine keys".
27.6 The Syntax Table		The syntax table controls how words and expressions are parsed.
27.7 The Init File		How to write common customizations in the init file.
27.8 Changing the Bell Sound		Changing how XEmacs sounds the bell.
27.9 Faces		Changing the fonts and colors of a region of text.
27.12 X Resources		X resources controlling various aspects of the behavior of XEmacs.
Variables
27.3.1 Examining and Setting Variables		Examining or setting one variable’s value.
27.3.2 Easy Customization Interface		Convenient and easy customization of variables.
27.3.3 Editing Variable Values		Examining or editing list of all variables’ values.
27.3.4 Local Variables		Per-buffer values of variables.
27.3.5 Local Variables in Files		How files can specify variable values.
Keyboard Macros
27.4.1 Basic Use		Defining and running keyboard macros.
27.4.2 Naming and Saving Keyboard Macros		Giving keyboard macros names; saving them in files.
27.4.3 Executing Macros With Variations		Keyboard macros that do different things each use.
Customizing Key Bindings
27.5.1 Keymaps		Definition of the keymap data structure. Names of XEmacs’s standard keymaps.
27.5.2 Changing Key Bindings		How to redefine one key’s meaning conveniently.
27.5.3 Disabling Commands		Disabling a command means confirmation is required before it can be executed. This is done to protect beginners from surprises.
The Syntax Table
27.6.1 Information About Each Character		What the syntax table records for each character.
27.6.2 Altering Syntax Information		How to change the information.
The Init File
27.7.1 Init File Syntax		Syntax of constants in Emacs Lisp.
27.7.2 Init File Examples		How to do some things with an init file.
27.7.3 Terminal-Specific Initialization		Each terminal type can have an init file.
Faces
27.10 Xft Font Customization		Configuring the next generation of fonts.
Dealing with XEmacs Trouble
27.14.1 Recursive Editing Levels		‘[...]’ in mode line around the parentheses.
27.14.2 Garbage on the Screen		Garbage on the screen.
27.14.3 Garbage in the Text		Garbage in the text.
27.14.4 Spontaneous Entry to Incremental Search		Spontaneous entry to incremental search.
27.14.5 Emergency Escape		Emergency escape— What to do if XEmacs stops responding.
27.14.6 Help for Total Frustration		When you are at your wits’ end.

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