1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @setfilename sxemacs.info
3 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
7 @dircategory SXEmacs Editor
9 * SXEmacs: (sxemacs). SXEmacs Editor.
12 This file documents the SXEmacs editor.
14 Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1988 Richard M. Stallman.
15 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Lucid, Inc.
16 Copyright @copyright{} 1993, 1994 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
17 Copyright @copyright{} 1995 Amdahl Corporation.
18 Copyright @copyright{} 2004 - 2012 Steve Youngs.
20 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
21 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
22 are preserved on all copies.
25 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
26 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
27 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
28 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
31 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified
32 versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying,
33 provided also that the sections entitled ``Distribution'' and ``GNU
34 General Public License'' are included exactly as in the original, and
35 provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under
36 the terms of a permission notice identical to this one.
38 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
39 manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
40 versions, except that the sections entitled ``Distribution'' and ``GNU
41 General Public License'' may be included in a translation approved by
42 the author instead of in the original English.
45 @setchapternewpage odd
46 @settitle SXEmacs User's Manual
50 @center @titlefont{SXEmacs User's Manual}
55 @center (General Public License upgraded, January 1991)
57 @center Richard Stallman
65 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
66 Copyright @copyright{} 1985, 1986, 1988 Richard M. Stallman.
68 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Lucid, Inc.
70 Copyright @copyright{} 1993, 1994 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
72 Copyright @copyright{} 1995 Amdahl Corporation.
74 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
75 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
76 are preserved on all copies.
78 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
79 this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
80 that the sections entitled ``Distribution'' and ``GNU General Public
81 License'' are included exactly as in the original, and provided that
82 the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
83 permission notice identical to this one.
85 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
86 manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
87 versions, except that the sections entitled ``Distribution'' and ``GNU
88 General Public License'' may be included in a translation approved by
89 the author instead of in the original English.
93 @node Top, License,, (dir)
94 @top The SXEmacs Editor
97 SXEmacs is the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time
98 display editor. This Info file describes how to edit with Emacs
99 and some of how to customize it, but not how to extend it. It
100 corresponds to: v22.1.16
102 Although, it hasn't had a complete rewrite for quite some time.
104 This manual is intended as a detailed reference to SXEmacs. If
105 you are looking for an introductory manual, see the New User's
110 * License:: The GNU General Public License gives you permission
111 to redistribute SXEmacs on certain terms; and also
112 explains that there is no warranty.
113 * Distrib:: How to get SXEmacs.
114 * Intro:: An introduction to SXEmacs concepts.
115 * Glossary:: The glossary.
117 Indices, nodes containing large menus
118 * Key Index:: An item for each standard SXEmacs key sequence.
119 * Command Index:: An item for each command name.
120 * Variable Index:: An item for each documented variable.
121 * Concept Index:: An item for each concept.
123 Important General Concepts
124 * Frame:: How to interpret what you see on the screen.
125 * Keystrokes:: Keyboard gestures SXEmacs recognizes.
127 The SXEmacs Pull-down Menus available under X.
129 Starting Emacs from the shell.
130 * Exiting:: Stopping or killing SXEmacs.
132 Hairy startup options.
134 How SXEmacs finds Directories and Files.
135 * Packages:: How SXEmacs organizes its high-level functionality.
137 Fundamental Editing Commands
138 * Basic:: The most basic editing commands.
139 * Undo:: Undoing recently made changes in the text.
140 * Minibuffer:: Entering arguments that are prompted for.
141 * M-x:: Invoking commands by their names.
142 * Help:: Commands for asking SXEmacs about its commands.
144 Important Text-Changing Commands
145 * Mark:: The mark: how to delimit a ``region'' of text.
147 Selecting text with the mouse.
148 * Additional Mouse Operations::
149 Other operations available from the mouse.
150 * Killing:: Killing text.
151 * Yanking:: Recovering killed text. Moving text.
152 * Using X Selections::
153 Using primary selection, cut buffers, and highlighted regions.
154 * Accumulating Text::
155 Other ways of copying text.
156 * Rectangles:: Operating on the text inside a rectangle on the screen.
157 * Registers:: Saving a text string or a location in the buffer.
158 * Display:: Controlling what text is displayed.
159 * Search:: Finding or replacing occurrences of a string.
160 * Fixit:: Commands especially useful for fixing typos.
163 * Files:: All about handling files.
164 * Buffers:: Multiple buffers; editing several files at once.
165 * Windows:: Viewing two pieces of text at once.
166 * Mule:: Using world scripts.
169 * Major Modes:: Text mode vs. Lisp mode vs. C mode ...
170 * Indentation:: Editing the white space at the beginnings of lines.
171 * Text:: Commands and modes for editing English.
172 * Programs:: Commands and modes for editing programs.
173 * Running:: Compiling, running and debugging programs.
174 * Abbrevs:: How to define text abbreviations to reduce
175 the number of characters you must type.
176 * Picture:: Editing pictures made up of characters
177 using the quarter-plane screen model.
178 * Sending Mail:: Sending mail in SXEmacs.
179 * Reading Mail:: Reading mail in SXEmacs.
180 * Calendar/Diary:: A Calendar and diary facility in SXEmacs.
181 * Sorting:: Sorting lines, paragraphs or pages within SXEmacs.
182 * Shell:: Executing shell commands from SXEmacs.
183 * Narrowing:: Restricting display and editing to a portion
185 * Hardcopy:: Printing buffers or regions.
187 A command can allow you to do editing
188 "within the command". This is called a
189 `recursive editing level'.
190 * Dissociated Press:: Dissociating text for fun.
191 * CONX:: A different kind of dissociation.
192 * Amusements:: Various games and hacks.
193 * Emulation:: Emulating some other editors with SXEmacs.
194 * Customization:: Modifying the behavior of SXEmacs.
196 Recovery from Problems.
197 * Quitting:: Quitting and aborting.
198 * Lossage:: What to do if SXEmacs is hung or malfunctioning.
199 * Bugs:: How and when to report a bug.
201 Here are some other nodes which are really inferiors of the ones
202 already listed, mentioned here so you can get to them in one step:
204 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
206 The Organization of the Frame
208 * Point:: The place in the text where editing commands operate.
209 * Echo Area:: Short messages appear at the bottom of the frame.
210 * Mode Line:: Interpreting the mode line.
211 * SXEmacs under X:: Some information on using SXEmacs under the X
216 * Intro to Keystrokes:: Keystrokes as building blocks of key sequences.
217 * Representing Keystrokes:: Using lists of modifiers and keysyms to
218 represent keystrokes.
219 * Key Sequences:: Combine key strokes into key sequences you can
221 * String Key Sequences:: Available for upward compatibility.
222 * Meta Key:: Using @key{ESC} to represent @key{Meta}
223 * Super and Hyper Keys:: Adding modifier keys on certain keyboards.
224 * Character Representation:: How characters appear in SXEmacs buffers.
225 * Commands:: How commands are bound to key sequences.
229 * File Menu:: Items on the File menu.
230 * Edit Menu:: Items on the Edit menu.
231 * Apps Menu:: Items on the Apps menu.
232 * Options Menu:: Items on the Options menu.
233 * Buffers Menu:: Information about the Buffers menu.
234 * Tools Menu:: Items on the Tools menu.
235 * Help Menu:: Items on the Help menu.
236 * Menu Customization:: Adding and removing menu items and related
241 * Packages:: Introduction to SXEmacs Packages.
242 * Package Terminology:: Understanding different kinds of packages.
243 * Installing Packages:: How to install packages.
244 * Building Packages:: Building packages from sources.
245 * Local.rules File:: An important part of building packages.
246 * Available Packages:: A brief directory of packaged LISP.
248 Basic Editing Commands
250 * Blank Lines:: Commands to make or delete blank lines.
251 * Continuation Lines:: Lines too wide for the frame.
252 * Position Info:: What page, line, row, or column is point on?
253 * Arguments:: Numeric arguments for repeating a command.
257 * File: Minibuffer File. Entering file names with the minibuffer.
258 * Edit: Minibuffer Edit. How to edit in the minibuffer.
259 * Completion:: An abbreviation facility for minibuffer input.
260 * Repetition:: Re-executing commands that used the minibuffer.
262 The Mark and the Region
264 * Setting Mark:: Commands to set the mark.
265 * Using Region:: Summary of ways to operate on contents of the region.
266 * Marking Objects:: Commands to put region around textual units.
267 * Mark Ring:: Previous mark positions saved so you can go back there.
271 * Kill Ring:: Where killed text is stored. Basic yanking.
272 * Appending Kills:: Several kills in a row all yank together.
273 * Earlier Kills:: Yanking something killed some time ago.
277 * X Clipboard Selection:: Pasting to the X clipboard.
278 * X Selection Commands:: Other operations on the selection.
279 * X Cut Buffers:: X cut buffers are available for compatibility.
280 * Active Regions:: Using zmacs-style highlighting of the
285 * Position: RegPos. Saving positions in registers.
286 * Text: RegText. Saving text in registers.
287 * Rectangle: RegRect. Saving rectangles in registers.
288 * Configurations: RegConfig. Saving window configurations in registers.
289 * Files: RegFiles. File names in registers.
290 * Numbers: RegNumbers. Numbers in registers.
291 * Bookmarks:: Bookmarks are like registers, but persistent.
293 Controlling the Display
295 * Scrolling:: Moving text up and down in a window.
296 * Horizontal Scrolling:: Moving text left and right in a window.
297 * Selective Display:: Hiding lines with lots of indentation.
298 * Display Vars:: Information on variables for customizing display.
300 Searching and Replacement
302 * Incremental Search:: Search happens as you type the string.
303 * Non-Incremental Search:: Specify entire string and then search.
304 * Word Search:: Search for sequence of words.
305 * Regexp Search:: Search for match for a regexp.
306 * Regexps:: Syntax of regular expressions.
307 * Search Case:: To ignore case while searching, or not.
308 * Replace:: Search, and replace some or all matches.
309 * Other Repeating Search:: Operating on all matches for some regexp.
313 * Unconditional Replace:: Replacing all matches for a string.
314 * Regexp Replace:: Replacing all matches for a regexp.
315 * Replacement and Case:: How replacements preserve case of letters.
316 * Query Replace:: How to use querying.
318 Commands for Fixing Typos
320 * Kill Errors:: Commands to kill a batch of recently entered text.
321 * Transpose:: Exchanging two characters, words, lines, lists...
322 * Fixing Case:: Correcting case of last word entered.
323 * Spelling:: Apply spelling checker to a word, or a whole file.
327 * File Names:: How to type and edit file name arguments.
328 * Visiting:: Visiting a file prepares SXEmacs to edit the file.
329 * Saving:: Saving makes your changes permanent.
330 * Reverting:: Reverting cancels all the changes not saved.
331 * Auto Save:: Auto Save periodically protects against loss of data.
332 * Version Control:: Version control systems (RCS and SCCS).
333 * ListDir:: Listing the contents of a file directory.
334 * Comparing Files:: Finding where two files differ.
335 * Dired:: ``Editing'' a directory to delete, rename, etc.
337 * Misc File Ops:: Other things you can do on files.
341 * Backup:: How SXEmacs saves the old version of your file.
342 * Interlocking:: How SXEmacs protects against simultaneous editing
343 of one file by two users.
347 * Names: Backup Names. How backup files are named;
348 Choosing single or numbered backup files.
349 * Deletion: Backup Deletion. SXEmacs deletes excess numbered backups.
350 * Copying: Backup Copying. Backups can be made by copying or renaming.
352 Auto-Saving: Protection Against Disasters
354 * Files: Auto Save Files.
355 * Control: Auto Save Control.
356 * Recover:: Recovering text from auto-save files.
360 * Concepts of VC:: Basic version control information;
361 checking files in and out.
362 * Editing with VC:: Commands for editing a file maintained
363 with version control.
364 * Variables for Check-in/out:: Variables that affect the commands used
365 to check files in or out.
366 * Log Entries:: Logging your changes.
367 * Change Logs and VC:: Generating a change log file from log
369 * Old Versions:: Examining and comparing old versions.
370 * VC Status:: Commands to view the VC status of files and
372 * Renaming and VC:: A command to rename both the source and
373 master file correctly.
374 * Snapshots:: How to make and use snapshots, a set of
375 file versions that can be treated as a unit.
376 * Version Headers:: Inserting version control headers into
381 * Making Snapshots:: The snapshot facilities.
382 * Snapshot Caveats:: Things to be careful of when using snapshots.
384 Dired, the Directory Editor
386 * Enter: Dired Enter. How to invoke Dired.
387 * Edit: Dired Edit. Editing the Dired buffer.
388 * Deletion: Dired Deletion. Deleting files with Dired.
389 * Immed: Dired Immed. Other file operations through Dired.
391 Using Multiple Buffers
393 * Select Buffer:: Creating a new buffer or reselecting an old one.
394 * List Buffers:: Getting a list of buffers that exist.
395 * Misc Buffer:: Renaming; changing read-onliness; copying text.
396 * Kill Buffer:: Killing buffers you no longer need.
397 * Several Buffers:: How to go through the list of all buffers
398 and operate variously on several of them.
402 * Basic Window:: Introduction to SXEmacs windows.
403 * Split Window:: New windows are made by splitting existing windows.
404 * Other Window:: Moving to another window or doing something to it.
405 * Pop Up Window:: Finding a file or buffer in another window.
406 * Change Window:: Deleting windows and changing their sizes.
410 * Choosing Modes:: How major modes are specified or chosen.
414 * Indentation Commands:: Various commands and techniques for indentation.
415 * Tab Stops:: You can set arbitrary "tab stops" and then
416 indent to the next tab stop when you want to.
417 * Just Spaces:: You can request indentation using just spaces.
419 Commands for Human Languages
421 * Text Mode:: The major modes for editing text files.
422 * Nroff Mode:: The major mode for editing input to the formatter nroff.
423 * TeX Mode:: The major modes for editing input to the formatter TeX.
424 * Outline Mode:: The major mode for editing outlines.
425 * Words:: Moving over and killing words.
426 * Sentences:: Moving over and killing sentences.
427 * Paragraphs:: Moving over paragraphs.
428 * Pages:: Moving over pages.
429 * Filling:: Filling or justifying text
430 * Case:: Changing the case of text
434 * Editing: TeX Editing. Special commands for editing in TeX mode.
435 * Printing: TeX Print. Commands for printing part of a file with TeX.
439 * Format: Outline Format. What the text of an outline looks like.
440 * Motion: Outline Motion. Special commands for moving through outlines.
441 * Visibility: Outline Visibility. Commands to control what is visible.
445 * Auto Fill:: Auto Fill mode breaks long lines automatically.
446 * Fill Commands:: Commands to refill paragraphs and center lines.
447 * Fill Prefix:: Filling when every line is indented or in a comment, etc.
451 * Program Modes:: Major modes for editing programs.
452 * Lists:: Expressions with balanced parentheses.
453 There are editing commands to operate on them.
454 * Defuns:: Each program is made up of separate functions.
455 There are editing commands to operate on them.
456 * Grinding:: Adjusting indentation to show the nesting.
457 * Matching:: Insertion of a close-delimiter flashes matching open.
458 * Comments:: Inserting, filling and aligning comments.
459 * Balanced Editing:: Inserting two matching parentheses at once, etc.
460 * Lisp Completion:: Completion on symbol names in Lisp code.
461 * Documentation:: Getting documentation of functions you plan to call.
462 * Change Log:: Maintaining a change history for your program.
463 * Tags:: Go directly to any function in your program in one
464 command. Tags remembers which file it is in.
465 * CC Mode:: Modes for C, C++, Java and similar languages
466 * Fortran:: Fortran mode and its special features.
467 * Asm Mode:: Asm mode and its special features.
469 Indentation for Programs
472 * Multi-line Indent:: Commands to reindent many lines at once.
473 * Lisp Indent:: Specifying how each Lisp function should be indented.
477 * Tag Syntax:: Tag syntax for various types of code and text files.
478 * Create Tags Table:: Creating a tags table with @code{etags}.
479 * Select Tags Table:: How to visit a tags table.
480 * Find Tag:: Commands to find the definition of a specific tag.
481 * Tags Search:: Using a tags table for searching and replacing.
482 * List Tags:: Listing and finding tags defined in a file.
486 * Motion: Fortran Motion. Moving point by statements or subprograms.
487 * Indent: Fortran Indent. Indentation commands for Fortran.
488 * Comments: Fortran Comments. Inserting and aligning comments.
489 * Columns: Fortran Columns. Measuring columns for valid Fortran.
490 * Abbrev: Fortran Abbrev. Built-in abbrevs for Fortran keywords.
494 * Commands: ForIndent Commands. Commands for indenting Fortran.
495 * Numbers: ForIndent Num. How line numbers auto-indent.
496 * Conv: ForIndent Conv. Conventions you must obey to avoid trouble.
497 * Vars: ForIndent Vars. Variables controlling Fortran indent style.
499 Compiling and Testing Programs
501 * Compilation:: Compiling programs in languages other than Lisp
503 * Modes: Lisp Modes. Various modes for editing Lisp programs, with
504 different facilities for running the Lisp programs.
505 * Libraries: Lisp Libraries. Creating Lisp programs to run in SXEmacs.
506 * Eval: Lisp Eval. Executing a single Lisp expression in SXEmacs.
507 * Debug: Lisp Debug. Debugging Lisp programs running in SXEmacs.
508 * Interaction: Lisp Interaction. Executing Lisp in an SXEmacs buffer.
509 * External Lisp:: Communicating through SXEmacs with a separate Lisp.
513 * Loading:: Loading libraries of Lisp code into SXEmacs for use.
514 * Compiling Libraries:: Compiling a library makes it load and run faster.
515 * Mocklisp:: Converting Mocklisp to Lisp so SXEmacs can run it.
519 * Defining Abbrevs:: Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
520 * Expanding Abbrevs:: Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.
521 * Editing Abbrevs:: Viewing or editing the entire list of defined abbrevs.
522 * Saving Abbrevs:: Saving the entire list of abbrevs for another session.
523 * Dynamic Abbrevs:: Abbreviations for words already in the buffer.
527 * Basic Picture:: Basic concepts and simple commands of Picture Mode.
528 * Insert in Picture:: Controlling direction of cursor motion
529 after "self-inserting" characters.
530 * Tabs in Picture:: Various features for tab stops and indentation.
531 * Rectangles in Picture:: Clearing and superimposing rectangles.
535 * Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed.
536 * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of allowed mail header fields.
537 * Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed.
539 Running Shell Commands from SXEmacs
541 * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
542 * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via SXEmacs.
543 * Shell Mode:: Special SXEmacs commands used with permanent shell.
547 * Minor Modes:: Each minor mode is one feature you can turn on
548 independently of any others.
549 * Variables:: Many SXEmacs commands examine SXEmacs variables
550 to decide what to do; by setting variables,
551 you can control their functioning.
552 * Keyboard Macros:: A keyboard macro records a sequence of keystrokes
553 to be replayed with a single command.
554 * Key Bindings:: The keymaps say what command each key runs.
555 By changing them, you can "redefine keys".
556 * Syntax:: The syntax table controls how words and expressions
558 * Init File:: How to write common customizations in the init file.
559 * Audible Bell:: Changing how SXEmacs sounds the bell.
560 * Faces:: Changing the fonts and colors of a region of text.
561 * X Resources:: X resources controlling various aspects of the
566 * Examining:: Examining or setting one variable's value.
567 * Easy Customization:: Convenient and easy customization of variables.
568 * Edit Options:: Examining or editing list of all variables' values.
569 * Locals:: Per-buffer values of variables.
570 * File Variables:: How files can specify variable values.
574 * Basic Kbd Macro:: Defining and running keyboard macros.
575 * Save Kbd Macro:: Giving keyboard macros names; saving them in files.
576 * Kbd Macro Query:: Keyboard macros that do different things each use.
578 Customizing Key Bindings
580 * Keymaps:: Definition of the keymap data structure.
581 Names of SXEmacs's standard keymaps.
582 * Rebinding:: How to redefine one key's meaning conveniently.
583 * Disabling:: Disabling a command means confirmation is required
584 before it can be executed. This is done to protect
585 beginners from surprises.
589 * Entry: Syntax Entry. What the syntax table records for each character.
590 * Change: Syntax Change. How to change the information.
594 * Init Syntax:: Syntax of constants in Emacs Lisp.
595 * Init Examples:: How to do some things with an init file.
596 * Terminal Init:: Each terminal type can have an init file.
598 Dealing with SXEmacs Trouble
600 * Stuck Recursive:: `[...]' in mode line around the parentheses.
601 * Screen Garbled:: Garbage on the screen.
602 * Text Garbled:: Garbage in the text.
603 * Unasked-for Search:: Spontaneous entry to incremental search.
604 * Emergency Escape:: Emergency escape---
605 What to do if SXEmacs stops responding.
606 * Total Frustration:: When you are at your wits' end.
613 This manual documents the use and simple customization of the SXEmacs
614 editor. The reader is not expected to be a programmer to use this
615 editor, and simple customizations do not require programming skills either.
616 Users who are not interested in customizing SXEmacs can ignore the scattered
619 This document is primarily a reference manual, but it can also be used as a
620 primer. However, if you are new to SXEmacs, consider using the on-line,
621 learn-by-doing tutorial, which you get by running SXEmacs and typing
622 @kbd{C-h t}. With it, you learn SXEmacs by using SXEmacs on a specially
623 designed file which describes commands, tells you when to try them,
624 and then explains the results you see. Using the tutorial gives a more vivid
625 introduction than the printed manual. Also consider reading the SXEmacs
626 New User's Guide, which is intended specifically as an introductory
627 manual rather than as a reference guide.
629 On first reading, just skim chapters one and two, which describe the
630 notational conventions of the manual and the general appearance of the
631 SXEmacs display frame. Note which questions are answered in these chapters,
632 so you can refer back later. After reading chapter four you should
633 practice the commands there. The next few chapters describe fundamental
634 techniques and concepts that are used constantly. You need to understand
635 them thoroughly, experimenting with them if necessary.
637 To find the documentation on a particular command, look in the index.
638 Keys (character commands) and command names have separate indexes. There
639 is also a glossary, with a cross reference for each term.
642 If you know vaguely what the command
643 does, look in the command summary. The command summary contains a line or
644 two about each command, and a cross reference to the section of the
645 manual that describes the command in more detail; related commands
646 are grouped together.
649 This manual comes in two forms: the published form and the Info form.
650 The Info form is for on-line perusal with the INFO program; it is
651 distributed along with SXEmacs. Both forms contain substantially the
652 same text and are generated from a common source file, which is also
653 distributed along with SXEmacs.
655 SXEmacs is a member of the Emacs editor family. There are many Emacs
656 editors, all sharing common principles of organization. For information on
657 the underlying philosophy of Emacs and the lessons learned from its
658 development, write for a copy of AI memo 519a, ``Emacs, the Extensible,
659 Customizable Self-Documenting Display Editor'', to Publications Department,
660 Artificial Intelligence Lab, 545 Tech Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. At
661 last report they charge $2.25 per copy. Another useful publication is LCS
662 TM-165, ``A Cookbook for an Emacs'', by Craig Finseth, available from
663 Publications Department, Laboratory for Computer Science, 545 Tech Square,
664 Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. The price today is $3.
666 This manual is for SXEmacs installed on UNIX systems.
669 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
670 @node License, Distrib, Top, Top
672 @node Distrib, Intro, License, Top
673 @unnumbered Distribution
675 SXEmacs is @dfn{free}; this means that everyone is free to use it and
676 free to redistribute it on a free basis. SXEmacs is not in the public
677 domain; it is copyrighted and there are restrictions on its
678 distribution, but these restrictions are designed to permit everything
679 that a good cooperating citizen would want to do. What is not allowed
680 is to try to prevent others from further sharing any version of SXEmacs
681 that they might get from you. The precise conditions are found in
682 the GNU General Public License that comes with SXEmacs and also appears
683 following this section.
685 The easiest way to get a copy of SXEmacs is from someone else who has it.
686 You need not ask for permission to do so, or tell any one else; just copy
689 If you have access to the Internet, you can get the latest version of
690 SXEmacs from our download site at @uref{http://downloads.sxemacs.org}.
693 @unnumberedsec Getting Other Versions of Emacs
695 The Free Software Foundation's version of Emacs (called @dfn{FSF Emacs}
696 in this manual and often referred to as @dfn{GNU Emacs}) is available
697 by anonymous FTP from @file{prep.ai.mit.edu}.
699 @node Intro, Glossary, Distrib, Top
700 @unnumbered Introduction
702 You are reading about SXEmacs, an incarnation of the advanced,
703 self-documenting, customizable, extensible real-time display editor
704 Emacs. SXEmacs provides many powerful display and user-interface
705 capabilities not found in other Emacsen and is mostly upwardly
706 compatible with GNU Emacs from the Free Software Foundation
707 (referred to as @dfn{FSF Emacs} in this manual). SXEmacs also
708 comes standard with a great number of useful packages.
710 We say that SXEmacs is a @dfn{display} editor because normally the text
711 being edited is visible on the screen and is updated automatically as you
712 type. @xref{Frame,Display}.
714 We call SXEmacs a @dfn{real-time} editor because the display is updated very
715 frequently, usually after each character or pair of characters you
716 type. This minimizes the amount of information you must keep in your
717 head as you edit. @xref{Basic,Real-time,Basic Editing}.
719 We call SXEmacs advanced because it provides facilities that go beyond
720 simple insertion and deletion: filling of text; automatic indentation of
721 programs; viewing two or more files at once; and dealing in terms of
722 characters, words, lines, sentences, paragraphs, and pages, as well as
723 expressions and comments in several different programming languages. It is
724 much easier to type one command meaning ``go to the end of the paragraph''
725 than to find that spot with simple cursor keys.
727 @dfn{Self-documenting} means that at any time you can type a special
728 character, @kbd{Control-h}, to find out what your options are. You can
729 also use @kbd{C-h} to find out what a command does, or to find all the
730 commands relevant to a topic. @xref{Help}.
732 @dfn{Customizable} means you can change the definitions of SXEmacs
733 commands. For example, if you use a programming language in
734 which comments start with @samp{<**} and end with @samp{**>}, you can tell
735 the SXEmacs comment manipulation commands to use those strings
736 (@pxref{Comments}). Another sort of customization is rearrangement of the
737 command set. For example, you can set up the four basic cursor motion
738 commands (up, down, left and right) on keys in a diamond pattern on the
739 keyboard if you prefer. @xref{Customization}.
741 @dfn{Extensible} means you can go beyond simple customization and
742 write entirely new commands, programs in the Lisp language to be run by
743 SXEmacs' own Lisp interpreter. SXEmacs is an ``on-line extensible''
744 system: it is divided into many functions that call each other. You can
745 redefine any function in the middle of an editing session and replace
746 any part of SXEmacs without making a separate copy of all of SXEmacs. Most
747 of the editing commands of SXEmacs are written in Lisp; the few
748 exceptions could have been written in Lisp but are written in C for
749 efficiency. Only a programmer can write an extension to SXEmacs, but anybody
750 can use it afterward.
753 @include keystrokes.texi
755 @include entering.texi
756 @include cmdargs.texi
757 @include startup.texi
765 @include killing.texi
767 @include display.texi
771 @include buffers.texi
772 @include windows.texi
777 @include programs.texi
778 @include building.texi
779 @include packages.texi
780 @include abbrevs.texi
781 @include picture.texi
782 @include sending.texi
783 @include reading.texi
784 @include calendar.texi
787 @include trouble.texi
790 @include glossary.texi
792 @node Key Index, Command Index,, Top
793 @unnumbered Key (Character) Index
796 @node Command Index, Variable Index, Key Index, Top
797 @unnumbered Command and Function Index
800 @node Variable Index, Concept Index, Command Index, Top
801 @unnumbered Variable Index
804 @node Concept Index, Frame, Variable Index, Top
805 @unnumbered Concept Index
813 @c Remember to delete these lines before creating the info file.
816 @bindingoffset = 0.5in
projects / sxemacs / blob