Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!clyde!burl!codas!usfvax2!jc3b21!larry From: larry@jc3b21.UUCP (Lawrence F. Strickland) Newsgroups: comp.emacs Subject: uemacs troff manual Message-ID: <212@jc3b21.UUCP> Date: Sat, 5-Dec-87 10:16:09 EST Article-I.D.: jc3b21.212 Posted: Sat Dec 5 10:16:09 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 10-Dec-87 20:58:15 EST Organization: St. Petersburg Jr. College, FL Lines: 1031 Keywords: part 2 of 3 # This is part 2 of the 3. See part 1 for instructions # This is a shell archive. Remove anything before this line, # then unpack it by saving it in a file and typing "sh file". # # Wrapped by larry on Fri Dec 4 18:38:23 EST 1987 # Contents: emacstroff02 echo x - emacstroff02 sed 's/^@//' > "emacstroff02" <<'@//E*O*F emacstroff02//' window into two. Now type \fB^X-^(Shift-6)\fP, \fIgrow-window\fP. Your current window should be the lower one on the screen. Notice that it increases in size upwards by one line. If you are in the upper window, it increases in size in a downward direction. The command \fB^X-^Z\fP, \fIshrink-window\fP correspondingly decreases window size by one line at a time. @.sp EMACS also allows you to resize a window more precisely by entering a numeric argument specifying the size of the window in lines. To resize the window this way, press the META key and enter a numeric argument (remember to keep it smaller than the number of lines on your screen display) then press \fB^X-W\fP \fIresize-window\fP. The current window will be enlarged or shrunk to the number of lines specified in the numeric argument. For example entering: \fBM-8 ^X-W\fP will resize the current window to 8 lines. @.SH "Repositioning within a Window" @.sp The cursor may be centered within a window by entering \fBM-! or M-^L\fP \fIredraw-display\fP. This command is especially useful in allowing you to quickly locate the cursor if you are moving frequently from window to window. You can also use this command to move the line containing the cursor to any position within the current window. This is done by using a numeric argument before the command. Type \fBM- M-^L\fP where is the number of the line within the window that you wish the current line to be displayed. @.sp The \fB^L\fP \fIRefresh-screen\fP command is useful for 'cleaning up' a 'messy' screen that can result of using EMACS on a mainframe system and being interrupted by a system message. @.CS you learned how to manipulate windows and the editing flexibility they offer. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Open-Window ^X-2 Splits current window into two windows if space is available @.sp Close-Windows ^X-1 Closes all windows except current window @.sp Next-Window ^X-O[oh] Moves point into next (i.e. downward) window @.sp Previous-Window ^XP Moves point to previous (i.e. upward) window @.sp Move-Window-Down ^X-^N Scrolls current window down one line @.sp Move-Window-Up ^X-^P Scrolls current window up one line @.sp Redraw-display M ! or Window is moved so line with point M ^L (with cursor) is at center of window @.sp Grow-Window M-X ^ or Current window is enlarged by one M ^L line and nearest window is shrunk by one line @.sp Shrink-Window ^X-^Z Current window is shrunk by one line and nearest window is enlarged by one line @.sp Clear-and-redraw ^L Screen is blanked and redrawn. Keeps screen updates in sync with your commands @.sp Scroll-Next-Up M-^Z Scrolls next window up by one line @.sp Scroll-Next-Down M-^V Scrolls next window down by one line @.sp Delete-Window ^X-0 Deletes current window @.sp Delete-Other-Windows ^X-1 Deletes all but current window @.sp Resize-Window ^X-^W Resizes window to a given numeric argument @.TE @.CH "Buffers" @.sp We have already learned a number of things about buffers. As you will recall, they are the major internal entities in EMACS \(em the place where editing commands are executed. They are characterized by their \fBnames\fP, their \fBmodes\fP, and by the file with which they are associated. Each buffer also "remembers" its \fBmark\fP and \fBpoint\fP. This convenient feature allows you to go to other buffers and return to the original location in the "current" buffer. @.sp Advanced users of EMACS frequently have a number of buffers in the computer's memory simultaneously. In the last chapter, for example, you opened at least two buffers \(em one into the text you were editing, and the other into the EMACS on-line tutorial. If you deal with complex text files \(em say, sectioned chapters of a book, you may have five or six buffers in the computer's memory. You could select different buffers by simply calling up the file with \fB^X-^F\fP \fIfind-file\fP, and let EMACS open or reopen the buffer. However, EMACS offers fast and sophisticated buffering techniques that you will find easy to master and much more convenient to use. @.sp Let's begin by opening three buffers. You can open any three you choose, for example call the following files into memory: \fBfang.txt\fP, \fBpublish.txt\fP, and \fBemacs.tut\fP in the order listed here. When you've finished this process, you'll be looking at a screen showing the EMACS tutorial. Let's assume that you want to move to the fang.txt buffer. Enter: @.sp @.tl ''\fB^X-X\fP \fInext-buffer\fP'' @.sp This command moves you to the \fInext\fP buffer. Because EMACS cycles through the buffer list, which is alphabetized, you will now be in the \fBfang.txt\fP buffer. Using \fB^X-X\fP again places you in the \fBpublish.txt\fP buffer. \fIIf you are on a machine that supports function keys, using \fP\fB^X-X\fP\fI again places you in the \fP\fBFunction Keys\fP\fI buffer\fP. Using \fB^X-X\fP one last time cycles you back to the beginning of the list. @.sp If you have a large number of buffers to deal with, this cycling process may be slow and inconvenient. The command \fB^X-B\fP \fIselect-buffer\fP allows you to specify the buffer you wish to be switched to. When the command is entered, EMACS prompts, "Use buffer:". Simply enter the buffer name (\fBNOT the file name\fP), and that buffer will then become the current buffer. @.sp Multiple buffer manipulation and editing is a complex activity, and you will probably find it very inconvenient to re-save each buffer as you modify it. The command \fB^X-^B\fP \fIlist-buffers\fP creates a new window that gives details about all the buffers currently known to EMACS. Buffers that have been modified are identified by the \&"buffer changed" indicator (an asterisk in the second column). You can thus quickly and easily identify buffers that need to be saved to files before you exit EMACS. The buffer window also provides other information \(em buffer specific modes, buffer size, and buffer name are also listed. To close this window, simply type the close-windows command, \fB^X-1\fP. @.sp To delete any buffer, type \fB^X-K\fP \fIdelete-buffer\fP. EMACS prompts you "Kill buffer:". Enter the buffer name you want to delete. As this is destructive command, EMACS will ask for confirmation if the buffer was changed and not saved. Answer Y(es) or N(o). As usual \fB^G\fP cancels the command. @.CS you learned how to manipulate buffers. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Next-Buffer ^X-^X Switch to the next buffer in the buffer list @.sp Select-Buffer ^X-B Switch to a particular buffer @.sp List-Buffers ^X-^B List all buffers @.sp Delete-Buffer ^X-K delete a particular buffer if it is off-screen @.TE @.CH "Modes" @.P EMACS allows you to change the way it works in order to customized it to the style of editing you are using. It does this by providing a number of different \fBmodes\fP. These modes can effect either a single buffer, or any new buffer that is created. To add a mode to the current buffer, type \fB^X-M\fP \fIadd-mode\fP. EMACS will then prompt you for the name of a mode to add. When you type in a legal mode name, and type a , EMACS will add the mode name to the list of current mode names in the modeline of the current buffer. @.P To remove an existing mode, typing the \fB^X-^M\fP \fIdelete-mode\fP will cause EMACS to prompt you for the name of a mode to delete from the current buffer. This will remove that mode from the mode list on the current modeline. @.P Global modes are the modes which are inherited by any new buffers which are created. For example, if you wish to always do string searching with character case being significant, you would want global mode EXACT to be set so that any new files read in inherent the EXACT mode. Global modes are set with the \fBM-M\fP \fIadd-global-mode\fP command, and unset with the \fBM-^M\fP \fIdelete-global-mode\fP command. Also, the current global modes are displayed in the first line of a \fB^X-^B\fP \fIlist-buffers\fP command. @.P On machines which are capable of displaying colors, the mode commands can also set the background and foreground character colors. Using \fIadd-mode\fP or \fIdelete-mode\fP with a lowercase color will set the background color in the current window. An uppercase color will set the foreground color in the current window. Colors that EMACS knows about are: white, cyan, magenta, yellow, blue, red, green, and black. If the computer you are running on does not have eight colors, EMACS will attempt to make some intelligent guess at what color to use when you ask for one which is not there. @.SH "ASAVE mode" @.P Automatic Save mode tells EMACS to automatically write out the current buffer to its associated file on a regular basis. Normally this will be every 256 characters typed into the file. The environment variable $ACOUNT counts down to the next auto-save, and $ASAVE is the value used to reset $ACOUNT after a save occurs. @.SH "CMODE mode" @.P CMODE is useful to C programmers. When CMODE is active, EMACS will try to assist the user in a number of ways. This mode is set automatically with files that have a .c or .h extension. @.P The key will normally attempt to return the user to the next line at the same level of indentation as the current line, unless the current line ends with a open brace ({) in which case the new line will be further indented by one tab position. @.P A close brace (}) will delete one tab position preceeding itself as it is typed. This should line up the close brace with its matching IF, FOR or WHILE statement. @.P A pound sign (#) with only leading whitespace will delete all the whitespace preceeding itself. This will always bring preprocessor directives flush to the left margin. @.P Whenever any close fence is typed, ie )]>}, if the matching open fence is on screen in the current window, the cursor will briefly flash to it, and then back. This makes balancing expressions, and matching blocks much easier. @.SH "CRYPT mode" @.P When a buffer is in CRYPT mode, it is encrypted whenever it is written to a file, and decrypted when it is read from the file. The encryption key can be specified on the command line with the -k switch, or with the \fBM-E\fP \fIset-encryption-key\fP command. If you attempt to read or write a buffer in crypt mode and now key has not been set, EMACS will execute \fIset-encryption-key\fP automatically, prompting you for the needed key. Whenever EMACS prompts you for a key, it will not echo the key to your screen as you type it (ie make SURE you get it right when you set it originally). @.P The encryption algorithm used changes all characters into normal printing characters, thus the resulting file is suitable for sending via electronic mail. All version of MicroEMACS should be able decrypt the resulting file regardless of what machine encrypted it. Also available with EMACS is the stand alone program, MicroCRYPT, which can en/decrypt the files produced by CRYPT mode in EMACS. @.SH "EXACT mode" @.P All string searches and replacements will take upper/lower case into account. Normally the case of a string during a search or replace is not taken into account. @.SH "MAGIC mode" @.P In the MAGIC mode certain characters gain special meanings when used in a search pattern. Collectively they are know as regular expressions, and a limited number of them are supported in MicroEMACS. They grant greater flexibility when using the search command. However, they do not affect the incremental search command. @.P The symbols that have special meaning in MAGIC mode are \&^, $, ., &, *, [ (and ], used with it), and \\. @.P The characters ^ and $ fix the search pattern to the beginning and end of line, respectively. The ^ character must appear at the beginning of the search string, and the $ must appear at the end, otherwise they loose their meaning and are treated just like any other character. For example, in MAGIC mode, searching for the pattern "t$" would put the cursor at the end of any line that ended with the letter 't'. Note that this is different than searching for "t", that is, 't' followed by a newline character. The character $ (and ^, for that matter) matches a position, not a character, so the cursor remains at the end of the line. But a newline is a character that must be matched, just like any other character, which means that the cursor is placed just after it \(en on the beginning of the next line. @.P The character . has a very simple meaning \(em it matches any single character, except the newline. Thus a search for "bad.er" could match \&"badger", "badder" (slang), or up to the 'r' of "bad error". @.P The character * is known as closure, and means that zero or more of the preceding character will match. If there is no character preceding, \&* has no special meaning, and since it will not match with a newline, * will have no special meaning if preceded by the beginning of line symbol \&^ or the literal newline character . @.P The notion of zero or more characters is important. If, for example, your cursor was on the line @.sp @.tl ''\fIThis line is missing two vowels.\fP'' @.sp and a search was made for "a*", the cursor would not move, because it is guaranteed to match no letter 'a' , which satisfies the search conditions. If you wanted to search for one or more of the letter 'a', you would search for "aa*", which would match the letter a, then zero or more of them. @.P The character [ indicates the beginning of a character class. It is similar to the 'any' character ., but you get to choose which characters you want to match. The character class is ended with the character ]. So, while a search for "ba.e" will match "bane", "bade", "bale", "bate", et cetera, you can limit it to matching "babe" and "bake" by searching for "ba[bk]e". Only one of the characters inside the [ and ] will match a character. If in fact you want to match any character except those in the character class, you can put a ^ as the first character. It must be the first character of the class, or else it has no special meaning. So, a search for [^aeiou] will match any character except a vowel, but a search for [aeiou^] will match any vowel or a ^. @.sp If you have a lot of characters in order that you want to put in the character class, you may use a dash (-) as a range character. So, [a-z] will match any letter (or any lower case letter if EXACT mode is on), and [0-9a-f] will match any digit or any letter 'a' through 'f', which happen to be the characters for hexadecimal numbers. If the dash is at the beginning or end of a character class, it is taken to be just a dash. @.P The character & (ampersand) is a replacement character, and represents the characters which matched the search string. When used in the \fBM-R\fP \fIreplace-string\fP or the \fBM-^R\fP \fIquery-replace-string\fP commands, the & will be substituted for the search string. @.P The escape character \\ is for those times when you want to be in MAGIC mode, but also want to use a regular expression character to be just a character. It turns off the special meaning of the character. So a search for "it\\." will search for a line with "it.", and not "it" followed by any other character. The escape character will also let you put ^, -, or ] inside a character class with no special side effects. @.SH "OVER mode" @.P OVER mode stands for overwrite mode. When in this mode, when characters are typed, instead of simply inserting them into the file, EMACS will attempt to overwrite an existing character past the point. This is very useful for adjusting tables and diagrams. @.SH "WRAP mode" @.P Wrap mode is used when typing in continuous text. Whenever the cursor is past the currently set fill column (72 by default) and the user types a space or a , the last word of the line is brought down to the beginning of the next line. Using this, one just types a continuous stream of words and EMACS automatically inserts s at appropriate places. @.sp @.tl ''\fINOTE to programmers:\fP'' @.QS EMACS actually calls up the function bound to the illegal keystroke M-FNW. This is bound to the function \fP\fBwrap-word\fP\fI by default, but can be re-bound to activate different functions and macros at wrap time. @.QE @.SH "VIEW mode" @.P VIEW mode disables all commands which can change the current buffer. EMACS will display an error message and ring the bell every time you attempt to change a buffer in VIEW mode. @.CS you learned about modes and their effects. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Add-Mode ^X-M Add a mode to the current buffer @.sp Delete-Mode ^X-^M Delete a mode from the current buffer @.sp Add-Global-Mode M-M Add a global mode to the current buffer @.sp Delete-Global-Mode M-^M Delete a global mode from the current buffer @.TE @.CH "Files" @.sp A file is simply a collection of related data. In EMACS we are dealing with text files \(em named collections of text residing on a disk (or some other storage medium). You will recall that the major entities EMACS deals with are buffers. Disk-based versions of files are only active in EMACS when you are reading into or writing out of buffers. As we have already seen, buffers and physical files are linked by associated file names. For example, the buffer "ch7.txt" which is associated with the physical disk file "ch7.txt." You will notice that the file is usually specified by the drive name or (in the case of a hard drive) a path. Thus you can specify full file names in EMACS, @.sp @.tl ''e.g. disk:\\directories\\filename.extension'' @.sp If you do not specify a disk and directories, the default disk is used. @.sp IMPORTANT \(em If you do not explicitly save your buffer to a file, all your edits will be lost when you leave EMACS (although EMACS will prompt you when you are about to lose edits by exiting). In addition, EMACS does not protect your disk-based files from overwriting when it saves files. Thus when you instruct EMACS to save a file to disk, it will create a file if the specified file doesn't exist, or it will overwrite the previously saved version of the file thus replacing it. Your old version is gone forever. @.sp If you are at all unsure about your edits, or if (for any reason) you wish to keep previous versions of a file, you can change the name of the associated file with the command \fB^X-N\fP. When this file is saved to disk, EMACS will create a new physical file under the new name. The earlier disk file will be preserved. @.sp For example, let's load the file \fBfang.txt\fP into EMACS. Now, type \fB^X-N\fP. The EMACS command line prompts "name:". Enter a new name for the file \(em say \fBnew.txt\fP and press . The file will be saved under the new filename, and your disk directory will show both \fBfang.txt\fP and \fBnew.txt\fP. @.sp An alternative method is to write the file directly to disk under a new filename. Let's pull our "publish.txt" file into EMACS. To write this file under another filename, type \fB^X-^W\fP. EMACS will prompt you "write file:". Enter an alternate filename \(em \fBdesktop.txt\fP. Your file will be saved as the physical file "desktop.txt". @.sp Note that in the examples above, although you have changed the names of the related files, the buffer names remain the same. However, when you pull the physical file back into EMACS, you will find that the buffer name now relates to the filename. @.sp For example \(em You are working with a buffer "fang.txt" with the related file "fang.txt". You change the name of the file to "new.txt". EMACS now shows you working with the buffer "fang.txt" and the related file "new.txt". Now pull the file "new.txt" into EMACS. Notice that the buffer name has now changed to "new.txt". @.sp If for any reason a conflict of buffer names occurs, (if you have files of the same name on different drives for example) EMACS will prompt you "use buffer:". Enter an alternative buffer name if you need to. @.sp For a list of file related commands (including some we've already seen), see the summary page. @.CS you learned some of the more advanced concepts of file naming and manipulation. The relationship between files and buffers was discussed in some detail. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Save-file ^X-^S Saves contents of current buffer with associated filename on default disk/ directory (if not specified) @.sp Write-File ^X-^W Current buffer contents will be saved under specified name @.sp Change-File-name ^X-N The associated filename is changed (or associated if not previously specified) as specified @.sp Find-File ^X-^F Reads specified file into buffer and switches you to that buffer, or switches to buffer in which the file has previously been read @.sp Read-File ^X-^R Reads file into buffer thus overwriting buffer contents. If file has already been read into another buffer, you will be switched to it @.sp View-File ^X-^V The same as read-file except the buffer is automatically put into VIEW mode thus preventing any changes from being made @.TE @.CH "Screen Formatting" @.SH "Wrapping Text" @.sp As we learned in the introduction, EMACS is not a word processor, but an editor. Some simple formatting options are available however, although in most cases they will not affect the appearance of the finished text when it is run through the formatter. We have already encountered WRAP mode which wraps lines longer than a certain length (default is 75 characters). You will recall that WRAP is enabled by entering \fB^X-M\fP and responding to the command line prompt with \fBwrap\fP. @.sp You can also set your own wrap margin with the command \fB^X-F\fP \fIset-fill-column\fP. Notice EMACS responds "[Fill column is 1]." Now try typing some text. You'll notice some very strange things happening -- your text wraps at every word!! This effect occurs because the set wrap margin command must be preceeded by a numeric argument or EMACS sets it to the first column. Thus any text you type that extends past the first column will wrap at the most convenient line break. @.sp To reset the wrap column to 72 characters, press the \fB\fP key and enter 72. EMACS will respond "Arg: 72". Now press \fB^X-F\fP. EMACS will respond "[Fill column is 72]". Your text will again wrap at the margin you've been using up to this point. @.SH "Reformatting Paragraphs" @.sp After an intensive editing session, you may find that you have paragraphs containing lines of differing lengths. Although this disparity will not affect the formatted text, aesthetic and technical concerns may make it desirable to have consistent paragraph blocks on the screen. If you are in WRAP mode, you can reformat a paragraph with the command \fBM-Q\fP \fIfill-paragraph\fP. This command 'fills' the current paragraph reformatting it so all the lines are filled and wrap logically. The process is complex, and (especially with longer paragraphs) may take a little time. @.SH "Changing Case" @.sp There may be occasions when you find it necessary to change the case of the text you've entered. EMACS allows you to change the case of even large amounts of text with ease. Let's try and convert a few of the office traditionalists to the joy of word processing. Type in the following text: @.QS Throw away your typewriter and learn to use a word processor. Word processing is relatively easy to learn and will increase your productivity enormously. Enter the Computer Age and find out just how much fun it can be!! @.QE Let's give it a little more impact by capitalizing the first four words. The first step is to define the region of text just as you would if you were doing an extensive deletion. Set the mark at the beginning of the paragraph with \fBM-\fP \fIset-mark\fP and move the cursor to the space beyond "typewriter." Now enter \fB^X-^U\fP \fIcase-region-upper\fP. Your text should now look like this: @.QS THROW AWAY YOUR TYPEWRITER and learn to use a word processor. Word processing is relatively easy to learn and will increase your productivity enormously. Enter the Computer Age and find out just how much fun it can be!! @.QE If you want to change the text back to lower case, type \fB^X-^L\fP \fIcase-region-lower\fP. You can also capitalize individual words. To capitalize the word "fun", position the cursor in front of the word and type \fBM-U\fP \fIcase-word-upper\fP. The word is now capitalized. To change it back to lower case, move the cursor back to the beginning of the word and type \fBM-L\fP \fIcase-word-lower\fP. @.sp You may also capitalize individual letters in EMACS. The command \fBM-C\fP \fIcase-word-capitalize\fP capitalizes the first letter after the point. This command would normally be issued with the cursor positioned in front of the first letter of the word you wish to capitalize. If you issue it in the middle of a word, you can end up with some strAnge looking text. @.SH "Tabs" @.sp Unless your formatter is instructed to take screen text literally (as MicroSCRIBE does in the 'verbatim' environment for example), tabs in EMACS generally affect screen formatting only. @.sp When EMACS is first started, it sets the default tab to every eighth column. As long as you stay with default, every time you press the tab key a tab character, \fB^I\fP is inserted. This character, like other control characters, is invisible \(em but it makes a subtle and significant difference to your file and editing. @.sp For example, in default mode, press the tab key and then type the word \fBTest\fP. "Test" appears at the eighth column. Move your cursor to the beginning of the word and delete the backward character. The word doesn't move back just one character, but flushes to the left margin. The reason for this behavior is easily explained. In tab default, EMACS inserts a 'real' tab character when you press the tab key. This character is inserted at the default position, but NO SPACES are inserted between the tab character and the margin (or previous tab character). As you will recall, EMACS only recognizes characters (such as spaces or letters) and thus when the tab character is removed, the text beyond the tab is flushed back to the margin or previous tab mark. @.sp This situation changes if you alter the default configuration. The default value may be changed by entering a numeric argument before pressing the tab key. As we saw earlier, pressing the \fBMETA\fP key and entering a number allows you to specify how EMACS performs a given action. In this case, let's specify an argument of 10 and hit the tab key. @.sp Now hit the tab key again and type \fBTest\fP. Notice the word now appears at the tenth column. Now move to the beginning of the word and delete the backward character. "Test" moves back by one character. @.sp EMACS behaves differently in these circumstances because the \fB^I\fP \fIhandle-tab\fP function deals with tabbing in two distinct ways. In default conditions, or if the numeric argument of zero is used, \fIhandle-tab\fP inserts a true tab character. If, however, a non-zero numeric argument is specified, \fIhandle-tab\fP inserts the correct number of spaces needed to position the cursor at the next specified tab position. It does NOT insert the single tab character and hence any editing functions should take account of the number of spaces between tabbed columns. @.sp Many times you would like to take a line which has been created using the tab character and change it to use just spaces. The command \fB^X-^D\fP \fIdetab-line\fP changes any tabs from the point to the end of the current line into the right number of spaces so the line does not change. This is very useful for times when the file must be printed or transfered to a machine which does not understand tabs. @.sp Also, the inverse command, \fB^X-^E\fP \fBentab-lines\fP changes multiple spaces to tabs where possible. This is a good way to shrink the size of large documents, especially with data tables. Both of these commands can take a numeric argument which will be interpreted as the number of lines to en/detab. @.CS we introduced some of the formatting features of EMACS. Text-wrap, paragraph reformatting, and tabs were discussed in some detail. The commands in the following table were covered in the chapter. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Add-Mode/WRAP ^X-M[WRAP] Add wrap mode to current buffer @.sp Delete-Mode/WRAP ^X-^M[WRAP] Remove wrap mode from current buffer @.sp Set-Fill-Column ^X-F Set fill column to given numeric argument @.sp Fill-Paragraph M-Q Logically reformats the current paragraph @.sp Case-Word-Upper M-U Text from point to end of the current word is changed to uppercase @.sp Case-Word-Lower M-L Text from point to end of the current word is changed to lowercase @.sp Case-Word-Capitalize M-C First word (or letter) after the point is capitalized @.sp Case-Region-Upper ^X-^U The current region is uppercased @.sp Case-Region-Lower ^X-^L The current region is lowercased @.sp Handle-Tab ^I Tab interval is set to the given numeric argument @.sp Entab-Line ^X-^E Changes multiple spaces to tabs characters where possible @.sp Detab-Line ^X-^D Changes tab characters to the appropriate number of spaces @.TE @.CH "Access to the Outside World" @.P EMACS has the ability to interface to other programs and the environment of the computer outside of itself. It does this through a series of commands that allow it to talk to the computer's \fBcommand processor\fP or \fBshell\fP. Just what this is varies between different computers. Under MSDOS or PCDOS this is the \fBcommand.com\fP command processor. Under UNIX it is the \fBcsh\fP (cshell) shell. On the Atari ST is can be the Mark Williams \fBMSH\fP or the Beckmeyer shell. In each case, it is the part of the computer's operating system that is responsible for determining what programs are executed, and when. @.P The \fB^X-!\fP \fIshell-command\fP command prompts the user for a command line to send out to the shell to execute. This can be very useful for doing file listings and changing the current directory or folder. EMACS gives control to the shell, which executed the command, and then types \fB[END]\fP and waits for the user to type a character before redrawing the screen and resuming editing. If the \fIshell-command\fP command is used from within the macro language, there is no pause. @.P \fB^X-@\fP \fIpipe-command\fP command allows EMACS to execute a shell command, and if the particular computer allows it, send the results into a buffer which is automatically displayed on the screen. The resulting buffer, called "command" can be manipulated just like any other editing buffer. Text can be copied out of it or rearranged as needed. This buffer is originally created in \fBVIEW\fP mode, so remember to \fB^X-^Mview\fP in order to change it. @.P Many computers provide tools which will allow you to \fBfilter\fP text, making some modifications to it along the way. A very common tool is the \fBSORT\fP program which accepts a file, sorts it, and prints the result out. The EMACS command, \fB^X-#\fP \fIfilter-buffer\fP sends the current buffer through such a filter. Therefore, if you wished to sort the current buffer on a system which supplied a sort filter, you would type \fB^X-#sort\fP. You can also create your own filters by writing programs and utilities which read text from the keyboard and display the results. EMACS will use any of these which would normally be available from the current shell. @.P If you would like to execute another program directly, without the overhead of an intervening shell, you can use the \fB^X-$\fP \fIexecute-program\fP command. It will prompt you for an external program and its arguments and attempt to execute it. Like when EMACS looks for command files, EMACS will look first in the HOME directory, then down the execute PATH, and finally in the current directory for the named program. On some systems, it will automatically tack the proper extension on the file name to indicate it is a program. On some systems that don't support this function, \fB^X-$\fP will be equivalent to \fB^X-!\fP \fIshell-command\fP. @.P Sometimes, you would like to get back to the shell and execute other commands, without losing the current contents of EMACS. The \fB^X-C\fP \fIi-shell\fP command shells out of EMACS, leaving EMACS in the computer and executing another command shell. Most systems would allow you to return to EMACS with the "exit" command. @.P \fIOn some systems, mainly advanced versions of UNIX, you can direct EMACS to "go into the background" with the \fP\fB^X-D\fP\fI suspend-emacs command. This places EMACS in the background returning you to the original command shell. EMACS can then be returned to at any time with the "fg" foreground command.\fP @.CS we introduced different ways to access the computers shell or command processor from within EMACS. The commands in the following table were covered in the chapter. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Execute-program ^X-$ Execute an external program directly @.sp Filter-command ^X-# Send the current buffer through a shell filter @.sp I-shell ^X-C Escape to a new shell @.sp Pipe-command ^X-@ Send the results of an external shell command to a buffer @.sp Shell-command ^X-! Execute one shell command @.sp Suspend-emacs ^X-D Place EMACS in the background (some UNIX systems only) @.TE @.CH "Keyboard Macros" @.sp In many applications, it may be necessary to repeat a series of characters or commands frequently. For example, a paper may require the frequent repetition of a complex formula or a long name. You may also have a series of EMACS commands that you invoke frequently. Keyboard macros offer a convenient method of recording and repeating these commands. @.sp Imagine, for example, you are writing a scholarly paper on \fIAsplenium platyneuron\fP, the spleenwort fern. Even the dedicated botanist would probably find it a task bordering on the agonizing to type \fIAsplenium platyneuron\fP frequently throughout the paper. An alternative method is 'record' the name in a keyboard macro. Try it yourself. @.sp The command \fB^X-(\fP \fIbegin-macro\fP starts recording the all the keystrokes and commands you input. After you've typed it, enter \fBAsplenium platyneuron\fP. To stop recording, type \fB^X-)\fP \fIend-macro\fP. EMACS has stored all the keystrokes between the two commands. To repeat the name you've stored, just enter \fB^X-E\fP \fIexecute-macro\fP, and the name "Asplenium platyneuron" appears. You can repeat this action as often as you want, and of course as with any EMACS command, you may precede it with a numerical argument. @.sp Because EMACS records keystrokes, you may freely intermix commands and text. Unfortunately, you can only store one macro at a time. Thus, if you begin to record another macro, the previously defined macro is lost. Be careful to ensure that you've finished with one macro before defining another. If you have a series of commands that you would like to 'record' for future use, use the macro or procedure facilities detailed in chapter 12. @.CS we covered keyboard macros. You learned how to record keystrokes and how to repeat the stored sequence. @.sp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l lfB l. Key Binding Keystroke Effect _ Start-Macro ^X-( Starts recording all keyboard input @.sp End-Macro ^X-) Stops recording keystrokes for macro @.sp Execute-Macro ^X-E Entire sequence of recorded keystrokes is replayed @.TE @.CH "MicroEMACS Macros" @.P Macros are programs that are used to customize the editor and to perform complicated editing tasks. They may be stored in files or buffers and may be executed using an appropriate command, or bound to a particular keystroke. Portions of the standard start-up file are implemented via macros, as well as the example menu system. The \fIexecute-macro-\fP commands cause the macro, numbered from 1 to 40, to be executed. The \fIexecute-file\fP command allows you to execute a macro stored in a disk file, and the \fIexecute-buffer\fP command allows you to execute a macro stored in a buffer. Macros are stored for easy execution by executing files that contain the store-macro command. @.P If you need more than 40 macros, named macroes, called \fBprocedures\fP, can be used. The \fIstore-procedure\fP command takes a string argument which is the name of a procedure to store. These procedures than can be executed with the \fBM-^E\fP \fIexecute-procedure\fP or the \fIrun\fP commands. @.P There are many different aspects to the macro language within MicroEMACS. Editor commands are the various commands that manipulate text, buffers, windows, etc, within the editor. Directives are commands which control what lines get executed within a macro. Also there are various types of variables. Environmental variables both control and report on different aspects of the editor. User variables hold string values which may be changed and inspected. Buffer variables allow text to be placed into variables. Interactive variable allow the program to prompt the user for information. Functions can be used to manipulate all these variables. @.sp @.SH "Constants" @.P All constants and variable contents in EMACS are stored as strings of characters. Numbers are stored digit by digit as characters. This allows EMACS to be "typeless", not having different variables types be legal in different contexts. This has the disadvantage of forcing the user to be more careful about the context of the statements variables are placed in, but in turn gives them more flexibility in where they can place variables. Needless to say, this also allows EMACS's expression evaluator to be both concise and quick. @.P Wherever statements need to have arguments, it is legal to place constants. A constant is a double quote character, followed by a string of characters, and terminated by another double quote character. To represent various special characters within a constant, the tilde (~) character is used. The character following the tilde is interpreted according to the following table: @.bp @.TS center; lfB lfB lfB l l l. Sequence Result _ \&~n ^J linefeed/newline, (EMACS newline character) \&~r ^M carriage return \&~~ ~ tilde character \&~b ^H backspace \&~f ^L formfeed \&~t ^I tab \&~" " double quote character @.TE @.P Any character not in the table which follows a tilde will be passed unmodified. This action is similar to the \fB^Q\fP \fIquote-character\fP command available from the keyboard. @.P The double quotes around constants are not needed if the constant contains no internal whitespace and it also does not happen to meet the rules for any other EMACS commands, directives, variables, or functions. This is reasonable useful for numeric constants. @.SH "Variables" @.P Variables in MicroEMACS can be used to return values within expressions, as repeat counts to editing commands, or as text to be inserted into buffers and messages. The value of these variables is set using the set (\fB^X-A\fP) command. For example, to set the current fill column to 64 characters, the following macro line would be used: @.sp @.in 2i set $fillcol 64 @.sp @.in -2i or to have the contents of \fB%name\fP inserted at the point in the current buffer, the command to use would be: @.sp @.in 2i insert-string %name @.br @.in -2i @.bp @.SS "Environmental Variables" @.sp @.tl ++\fB"What good is a quote if you can't change it?"\fP++ @.P These variables are used to change different aspects of the way the editor works. Also they will return the current settings if used as part of an expression. All environmental variable names begin with a dollar sign ($) and are in lower case. @.sp @.SD \w'$progname\ \ \ 'u @.ND $acount The countdown of inserted characters until the next save-file. @.ND $asave The number of inserted characters between automatic file-saves in ASAVE mode. @.ND $cbufname Name of the current buffer @.ND $cfname File name of the current buffer @.ND $cmode Integer containing the mode of the current buffer. (See Appendix F for values) @.ND $curchar Character currently at the point @.ND $curcol Current column of point in current buffer @.ND $curline Current line of point in current buffer @.ND $curwidth Number of columns used currently @.ND $cwline Current display line in current window @.ND $debug Flag to trigger macro debugging (try it... you'll like it!) @.ND $discmd Flag to disable the echoing of messages on the command line @.ND $disinp Flag to disable the echoing of characters during command line input @.ND $fillcol Current fill column @.ND $flicker Flicker Flag set to TRUE if IBM CGA set to FALSE for most others @.ND $gflags Global flags controlling some EMACS internal functions (See appendix G for details) @.ND $gmode Global mode flags. (See Appendix F for values) @.ND $lastkey [READ ONLY]Last keyboard character typed @.ND $line The current line in the current buffer can be retrieved and set with this environment variable @.ND $lwidth [READ ONLY]Returns the number of characters in the current line @.ND $match [READ ONLY]Last string matched in a magic mode search @.ND $pagelen Number of screen lines used currently @.ND $palette string used to control the palette register settings on graphics versions. The usually form consists of groups of three octal digits setting the red, green, and blue levels. @.ND $pending [READ ONLY]Flag to determine if there are user keystrokes waiting to be processed. @.ND $progname [READ ONLY]Always contains the string "MicroEMACS" for standard MicroEMACS. Could be something else if EMACS is incorporated as part of someone else's program @.ND $replace Current default replace string @.ND $rval This contains the return value from the last subprocess which was invoked from EMACS @.ND $search Current default search string @.ND $seed Integer seed of the random number generator @.ND $sres Current screen resolution (CGA, MONO or EGA on the IBM-PC driver. LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH or DENSE on the Atari ST1040, NORMAL on all others) @.ND $status [READ ONLY]Status of the success of the last command (TRUE or FALSE). This is usually used with !force to check on the success of a search, or a file operation. @.ND $target Current target for line moves (setting this fool's EMACS into believing the last command was a line move) @.ND $tpause Controls the length of the pause to display a matched fence when the current buffer is in CMODE and a close fence has been typed @.ND $version [READ ONLY]Contains the current MicroEMACS version number @.ND $wline Number of display lines in current window @.ED @.P Obviously, many more of these variables will be available in future releases of MicroEMACS. (Yes, send a vote for your favorite new environmental variables today). @.SS "User variables" @.P User variables allow you, the user, to store strings and manipulate them. These strings can be pieces of text, numbers (in text form), or the logical values \fBTRUE\fP and \fBFALSE\fP. These variables can be combined, tested, inserted into buffers, and otherwise used to control the way your macros execute. At the moment, up to 255 user variables may be in use in one editing session. All users variable names must begin with a percent sign (%) and may contain any printing characters. Only the first 10 characters are significant (i.e. differences beyond the tenth character are ignored). Most operators will truncate strings to a length of 128 characters. @.SS "Buffer Variables" @.P Buffer variables are special in that they can only be queried and cannot be set. What buffer variables are is a way to take text from a buffer and place it in a variable. For example, if I have a buffer by the name of RIGEL2, and it contains the text: @.sp @.TS center; l l. @//E*O*F emacstroff02// chmod u=rw,g=r,o=r emacstroff02 echo Inspecting for damage in transit... temp=/tmp/shar$$; dtemp=/tmp/.shar$$ trap "rm -f $temp $dtemp; exit" 0 1 2 3 15 cat > $temp <<\!!! 1000 7302 43834 emacstroff02 !!! wc emacstroff02 | sed 's=[^ ]*/==' | diff -b $temp - >$dtemp if [ -s $dtemp ] then echo "Ouch [diff of wc output]:" ; cat $dtemp else echo "No problems found." fi exit 0 -- +--------------------------------------+-- St. Petersburg Junior College --+ | Lawrence F. Strickland | P.O. Box 13489 | | ...gatech!codas!usfvax2!jc3b21!larry | St. Petersburg, FL 33733 | +-(or) ...gatech!usfvax2!jc3b21!larry -+-- Phone: +1 813 341 4705 ---------+