Full Screen Text Editor Reference Manual - Preliminary Version
Version 3.12 April 22, 1993
(C)Copyright 1988 - 1993 by Daniel M. Lawrence Reference Manual (C)opyright 1988 - 1993 by Brian Straight and Daniel M. Lawrence All Rights Reserved
(C)Copyright 1988 - 1993 by Daniel M. Lawrence
MicroEMACS 3.12 can be copied and distributed freely for any
non-commercial purposes. Commercial users may use MicroEMACS
3.12 inhouse. Shareware distributors may redistribute
MicroEMACS 3.12 for media costs only. MicroEMACS 3.12 can only
be incorporated into commercial software or resold with the
permission of the current author.
Introduction
MicroEMACS is a tool for creating and changing documents, programs, and other text files. It is both relatively easy for the novice to use, but also very powerful in the hands of an expert. MicroEMACS can be extensively customized for the needs of the individual user.
MicroEMACS allows several files to be edited at the same time. The screen can be split into different windows and screens, and text may be moved freely from one window on any screen to the next. Depending on the type of file being edited, MicroEMACS can change how it behaves to make editing simple. Editing standard text files, program files and word processing documents are all possible at the same time.
There are extensive capabilities to make word processing and editing easier. These include commands for string searching and replacing, paragraph reformatting and deleting, automatic word wrapping, word move and deletes, easy case controlling, and automatic word counts.
For complex and repetitive editing tasks editing macroes can be written. These macroes allow the user a great degree of flexibility in determining how MicroEMACS behaves. Also, any and all the commands can be used by any keystroke by changing, or rebinding, what commands various keys invoke.
Special features are also available to perform a diverse set of operations such as file encryption, automatic backup file generation, entabbing and detabbing lines, executing operating system commands and filtering of text through other programs (like SORT to allow sorting text).
History
EMACS was originally a text editor written by Richard Stallman at MIT in the early 1970s for Digital Equipment computers. Various versions, rewrites and clones have made an appearance since.
This version of MicroEMACS is derived from code written by Dave G. Conroy in 1985. Later modifications were performed by Steve Wilhite and George Jones. In December of 1985 Daniel Lawrence picked up the then current source (version 2.0) and made extensive modifications and additions to it over the course of the next eight years. Updates and support for the current version are still available. Commercial support and usage and resale licences are also available. The current program author can be contacted by writing to:
USMAIL: Daniel Lawrence 617 New York St Lafayette, IN 47901UUCP: pur-ee!mdbs!dan ARPA: mdbs!dan@ee.ecn.purdue.edu
Support is provided through:
The Programmer's Room Opus 201/10 300/1200/2400 and 9600 (Hayes V series only) (317) 742-5533 no parity 8 databits no stop bits
Many people have been involved in creating this software and we wish to credit some of them here. Dave Conroy, of course, wrote the very first version of MicroEMACS, and it is a credit to his clean coding that so much work was able to be done to expand it. John Gamble is responsible for writing the MAGIC mode search routines, and for maintaining all the search code. Jeff Lomicka wrote the appendix on DEC VMS and has supplied a lot of code to support VMS and the ATARI 1040ST versions. Curtis Smith wrote the original VMS code and help support the Commodore AMIGA. Also Lance Jones has done a lot of work on the AMIGA code. Professor Suresh Konda at Carnegie Mellon University has put a lot of effort into writing complex macroes and finding all the bugs in the macro language before anyone else does.
A special thanks to Dana Hoggatt who has provided an almost daily sounding board for ideas, algorythms and code. He is responsible for the encryption code directly and has prodded me into adding many features with simple but poignant questions (Dan? How do we move the upper left corner of the screen? . . . which forced me to write the text windowing system).
Pierre Perrot dealt with my restrictive path to a generalized windowing version, and produced an excellent version for MicroSoft Windows. He continues to assist with this environment, forcing me to keep pace with him, making all the version more interesting.
As to people sending source code and text translations over computer networks like USENET and ARPA net, there are simply more than can be listed here. [The comments in the edit history in the history.c file mention each and the piece they contributed]. All these people should be thanked for the hard work they have put into MicroEMACS.
The current version of MicroEMACS is 3.12 (Third major re-write, twelveth public release), and for the rest of this document, we shall simply refer to this version as "EMACS". Any modifications for later versions will be in the file README on the MicroEMACS distribution disk.
Many times throughout this manual we will be talking about (special keys) commands and the keys on the keyboard needed to use them. There are a number of "special" keys which can be used and are listed here:
^
The control key can be used before any alphabetic character and some
symbols. For example, ^C means to hold down the
^X The CONTROL-X key is used at the beginning of many different (control-x) commands.
META or M-
This is a special EMACS key used to begin many commands.
(meta key)This key is pressed and then released before
typing the next character. On most systems, this is the
Whenever a command is described, the manual will list the actual keystrokes needed to execute it in boldface using the above conventions, and also the name of the command in italics.
In order to use EMACS, you must call it up from your system or
computer's command prompt. On UNIX and MSDOS machines, just type "emacs"
from the command prompt and follow it with the
The screen is divided into a number of areas or windows. On some systems the top window contains a function list of unshifted and (windows) shifted function keys. We will discuss these keys later. (mode line) Below them is an EMACS mode line which, as we will see, informs you of the present mode of operation of the editor--for example "(WRAP)" if you set EMACS to wrap at the end of each line. (text window) Under the mode line is the text window where text appears and is manipulated. Since each window has its own mode line, below the text window is it's mode line. The last line of the screen is the command line where EMACS takes commands and reports on what it is doing.
=============================================================================== f1 search-> f2 <-search | MicroEMACS: Text Editor f3 hunt-> f4 <-hunt | f5 fkeys f6 help | Available function key Pages include: f7 nxt wind f8 pg[ ] | WORD BOX EMACS PASCAL C cObal Lisp f9 save f10 exit | [use the f8 key to load Pages] =============================================================================== MicroEMACS 3.12 () Function Keys ============================================================================================================================================================== ---- MicroEMACS 3.12 () -- Main ----------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== Fig 1: EMACS screen on an IBM-PC
Entering text in EMACS is simple. Type the following sentence fragment:
"Fang Rock lighthouse, center of a series of mysterious and"
"terrifying events at the turn of the century"
Notice that some of your text has dissapeared off the left side of the
screen. Don't panic--your text is safe!!! You've just discovered that
EMACS doesn't "wrap" text to the next line like most word processors
unless you hit
Now let's type a longer insert. Hit
"Fang Rock lighthouse, center of a series of mysterious and terrifying events at the turn of the century, is built on a rocky island a few miles of the Channel coast. So small is the island that wherever you stand its rocks are wet with sea spray.
The lighthouse tower is in the center of the island. A steep flight of steps leads to the heavy door in its base. Winding stairs lead up to the crew room."
BASIC CURSOR MOVEMENT
Now let's practice moving around in this text. To move the cursor back to the word "Winding," enter M-B previous-word (previous-word). This command moves the cursor backwards by one word at a time. Note you have to press the key combination every time the cursor steps back by one word. Continuously pressing META and toggling B produces an error message. To move forward to the word "stairs" enter M-F next-word(next-word), which moves the cursor forward by one word at a time.
Notice that EMACS commands are usually mnemonic--F for forward, B for backward, for example.
To move the cursor up one line, enter ^P previous-line (previous-line), down one line ^N next-line (next-line). Practice this movement by moving the cursor to the word "terrifying" in the second line.
The cursor may also be moved forward or backward in smaller increments. To move forward by one character, enter ^F forward-character (forward-character), to move backward, ^B backward-character (backward-character). EMACS also allows you to specify a number which is normally used to tell a command to execute many times. To repeat most commands, press META and then the number before you enter the command. Thus, the command META 5 ^F (M-5^F) will move the cursor forward by five characters. Try moving around in the text by using these commands. For extra practice, see how close you can come to the word "small" in the first paragraph by giving an argument to the commands listed here.
Two other simple cursor commands that are useful to help us move around in the text are M-N next-paragraph (next-paragraph) which moves the cursor to the second paragraph, and M-P previous-paragraph (previous-paragraph) which moves it back to the previous paragraph. The cursor may also be moved rapidly from one end of the line to the other. Move the cursor to the word "few" in the second line. Press ^A beginning-of-line (beginning-of-line). Notice the cursor moves to the word "events" at the beginning of the line. Pressing ^E end-of-line (end-of-line) moves the cursor to the end of the line.
Finally, the cursor may be moved from any point in the file to the end or beginning of the file. Entering M-> end-of-file (end-of-file) moves the cursor to the end of the buffer, M-< beginning-of-file (beginning-of-file) to the first character of the file.
On the IBM-PC, the ATARI ST and many other machines, the cursor keys (cursor keys can also be used to move the cursor.)
Practice moving the cursor in the text until you are comfortable with the commands we've explored in this chapter.
When you've finished practicing cursor movement, save your file. Your (buffer) file currently resides in a BUFFER. The buffer is a temporary storage area for your text, and is lost when the computer is turned off. You can save the buffer to a file by entering ^X^S save-file (save-file). Notice that EMACS informs you that your file has no name and will not let you save it.
To save your buffer to a file with a different name than it's current one (which is empty), press ^X^W write-file (write-file). EMACS will prompt you for the filename you wish to write. Enter the name fang.txt and press return. On a micro, the drive light will come on, and EMACS will inform you it is writing the file. When it finishes, it will inform you of the number of lines it has written to the disk.
Congratulations!! You've just saved your first EMACS file!
In chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effectabort-command ^G aborts current command
add-mode ^XM allows addition of EMACS mode such as WRAP
backward-character ^B moves cursor left one character
beginning-of-file M-< moves cursor to beginning of file
beginning-of-line ^A moves cursor to beginning of line
end-of-file M-> moves cursor to end of file
end-of-line ^E moves cursor to end of line
forward-character ^F moves cursor right one character
next-line ^N moves cursor to next line
next-paragraph M-N moves cursor to next paragraph
next-word M-F moves cursor forward one word
previous-line ^P moves cursor backward by one line
previous-paragraph M-P moves cursor to previous paragraph
previous-word M-B moves cursor backward by one word
save-file ^X^S saves current buffer to a file
write-file ^X^W save current buffer under a new name
A WORD ABOUT WINDOWS, BUFFERS, SCREENS, AND MODES
In the first chapter, you learned how to create and save a file in EMACS. Let's do some more editing on this file. Call up emacs by typing in the following command.
emacs fang.txt
On icon oriented systems, double click on the uEMACS icon, usually a file dialog box of some sort will appear. Choose FANG.TXT from the appropriate folder.
Shortly after you invoke EMACS, the text should appear on the screen ready for you to edit. The text you are looking at currently resides in a buffer. A buffer is a temporary area of computer memory which is (buffer) the primary unit internal to EMACS -- this is the place where EMACS goes to work. The mode line at the bottom of the screen lists the buffer name, FANG.TXT and the name of the file with which this buffer is associated, FANG.TXT
The computer talks to you through the use of its screen. This (screen) screen usually has an area of 24 lines each of 80 characters across. You can use EMACS to subdivide the screen into several separate work areas, or windows, each of which can be (window) 'looking into' different files or sections of text. Using windows, you can work on several related texts at one time, copying and moving blocks of text between windows with ease. To keep track of what you are editing, each window is identified by a mode line on the (mode line) @index(buffer) last line of the window which lists the name of the buffer which it is looking into, the file from which the text was read, and how the text is being edited.
An EMACS mode tells EMACS how to deal with user input. As we have already seen, the mode 'WRAP' controls how EMACS deals with long lines (lines with over 79 characters) while the user is typing them in. The 'VIEW' mode, allows you to read a file without modifying it. Modes are associated with buffers and not with files; hence, a mode needs to be explicitly set or removed every time you edit a file. A new file read into a buffer with a previously specified mode will be edited under this mode. If you use specific modes frequently, EMACS allows you to set the modes which are used by all new buffers, called global modes.
INSERTIONS
Your previously-saved text should look like this:
"Fang Rock lighthouse, center of a series of mysterious and terrifying events at the turn of the century, is built on a rocky island a few miles of the Channel coast. So small is the island that wherever you stand its rocks are wet with sea spray.
The lighthouse tower is in the center of the island. A steep flight of steps leads to the heavy door in its base. Winding stairs lead up to the crew room."
Let's assume you want to add a sentence in the second paragraph after the word "base." Move the cursor until it is on the "W" of "Winding". Now type the following:
"This gives entry to the lower floor where the big steam generator throbs steadily away, providing power for the electric lantern."
If the line fails to wrap and you end up with a '$' sign in the right margin, just enter M-Q fill-paragraph (fill-paragraph) to reformat the paragraph. This new command attempts to fill out a paragraph. Long lines are divided up, and words are shuffled around to make the paragraph look nicer.
Notice that all visible EMACS characters are self-inserting -- all you had to do was type the characters to insert and the existing text made space for it. With a few exceptions discussed later, all non-printing characters (such as control or escape sequences) are commands. To insert spaces, simply use the space bar. Now move to the first line of the file and type ^O open-line (open-line) (Oh, not zero). You've just learned how to insert a blank line in your text.
DELETIONS
EMACS offers a number of deletion options. For example, move the cursor until it's under the period at the end of the insertion you just did. Press the backspace key. Notice the "n" on "lantern" disappeared. The backspace implemented on EMACS is called a destructive backspace--it removes text immediately before the current cursor position from the buffer. Now type ^H delete-previous-character (delete-previous-character). Notice that the cursor moves back and obliterates the "r"--either command will backspace the cursor.
Type in the two letters you erased to restore your text and move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer M-> beginning-of-file (beginning-of-file). Move the cursor down one line to the beginning of the first paragraph.
To delete the forward character, type ^D delete-next-character
(delete-next-character). The "F" of "Fang" disappears. Continue
to type ^D until the whole word is erased EMACS also permits the
deletion of larger elements of text. Move the cursor to the word
"center" in the first line of text. Pressing M-
Notice that the commands are very similar to the control commands you used to delete individual letters. As a general rule in EMACS, control sequences affect small areas of text, META sequences larger areas. The word forward of the cursor position can therefore be deleted by typing M-D delete-next-word (delete-next-word). Now let's take out the remainder of the first line by typing ^K kill-to-end-of-line (kill-to-end-of-line). You now have a blank line at the top of your screen. Typing ^K again or ^X^O delete-blank-lines (delete-blank-lines) deletes the blank line and flushes the second line to the top of the text. Now exit EMACS by typing ^X^C exit-emacs (exit-emacs). Notice EMACS reminds you that you have not saved your buffer. Ignore the warning and exit. This way you can exit EMACS without saving any of the changes you just made.
In Chapter
Key binding Keystroke Effect delete-previous-character ^H deletes character immediately before the current cursor positiondelete-next-character ^D deletes character immediately after current cursor position
delete-previous-word M-^H deletes word immediately before current cursor position
delete-next-word M-D deletes word immediately after current cursor position
kill-to-end-of-line ^K deletes from current cursor position to end of line
insert-space ^C inserts a space to right of cursor
open-line ^O inserts blank line
delete-blank-lines ^X^O removes blank line
exit-emacs ^X^C exits emacs
At this point its time to familiarize ourselves with two more EMACS terms--the point and the mark. The point is located directly (point) @index(mark) behind the current cursor position. The mark (as we shall see shortly) is user defined. These two elements together are called the current region and limit the region of text on which EMACS performs many of its editing functions.
Let's begin by entering some new text. Don't forget to add wrap mode if its not set on this buffer. Start EMACS and open a file called PUBLISH.TXT. Type in the following text:
One of the largest growth areas in personal computing is
electronic publishing. There are packages available for practically
every machine from elegantly simple programs for the humble Commodore 64
to sophisticated professional packages for PC and Macintosh computers.
Electronic publishing is as revolutionary in its way as the Gutenburg press. Whereas the printing press allowed the mass production and distribution of the written word, electronic publishing puts the means of production in the hands of nearly every individual. From the class magazine to the corporate report, electronic publishing is changing the way we produce and disseminate information.
Personal publishing greatly increases the utility of practically every computer. Thousands of people who joined the computer revolution of this decade only to hide their machines unused in closets have discovered a new use for them as dedicated publishing workstations.
Now let's do some editing. The last paragraph seems a little out of
place. To see what the document looks like without it we can cut it
from the text by moving the cursor to the beginning of the paragraph.
Enter M-
On further consideration, however, perhaps the paragraph we cut wasn't so bad after all. The problem may have been one of placement. If we could tack it on to the end of the first paragraph it might work quite well to support and strengthen the argument. Move the cursor to the end of the first paragraph and enter ^Y yank (yank). Your text should now look like this:
One of the largest growth areas in personal computing is
electronic publishing. There are packages available for practically
every machine from elegantly simple programs for the humble Commodore 64
to sophisticated professional packages for PC and Macintosh computers.
Personal publishing greatly increases the utility of practically every
computer. Thousands of people who joined the computer revolution of
this decade only to hide their machines unused in closets have
discovered a new use for them as dedicated publishing workstations.
Electronic publishing is as revolutionary in its way as the Gutenburg press. Whereas the printing press allowed the mass production and distribution of the written word, electronic publishing puts the means of production in the hands of nearly every individual. From the class magazine to the corporate report, electronic publishing is changing the way we produce and disseminate information.
The text you cut initially didn't simply just disappear, it was cut into a buffer that retains the 'killed' text appropriately called the kill buffer. ^Y "yanks" the text back from this buffer into the current buffer. If you have a long line (indicated, remember, by the "$" sign), simply hit M-Q to reformat the paragraph.
There are other uses to which the kill buffer can be put. Using the (kill buffer) method we've already learned, define the last paragraph as a region. Now type M-W copy-region (copy-region). Nothing seems to have happened; the cursor stays blinking at the point. But things have changed, even though you may not be able to see any alteration.
To see what has happened to the contents of the kill buffer, move the cursor down a couple of lines and "yank" the contents of the kill buffer back with ^Y. Notice the last paragraph is now repeated. The region you defined is "tacked on" to the end of your file because M-W copies a region to the kill buffer while leaving the original text in your working buffer. Some caution is needed however, because the contents of the kill buffer are updated when you delete any regions, lines or words. If you are moving large quantities of text, complete the operation before you do any more deletions or you could find that the text you want to move has been replaced by the most recent deletion. Remember--a buffer is a temporary area of computer memory that is lost when the machine is powered down or switched off. In order to make your changes permanent, they must be saved to a file before you leave EMACS. Let's delete the section of text we just added and save the file to disk.
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effect
set-mark M-
Marks the beginning of a region delete-region ^W Deletes region between point and mark and places it in KILL buffer
copy-region M-W Copies text between point and mark into KILL buffer
yank-text ^Y Inserts a copy of the KILL buffer into current buffer at point
group
FORWARD SEARCH
Load EMACS and bring in the file you just saved. Your file should look like the one below.
One of the largest growth areas in personal computing is electronic
publishing. There are packages available for practically every machine
from elegantly simple programs for the humble Commodore 64 to
sophisticated professional packages for PC and Macintosh computers.
Personal publishing greatly increases the utility of practically every
computer. Thousands of people who joined the computer revolution of
this decade only to hide their machines unused in closets have
discovered a new use for them as dedicated publishing workstations.
Electronic publishing is as revolutionary in its way as the Gutenburg press. Whereas the printing press allowed the mass production and distribution of the written word, electronic publishing puts the means of production in the hands of nearly every individual. From the class magazine to the corporate report, electronic publishing is changing the way we produce and disseminate information.
Let's use EMACS to search for the word "revolutionary" in the second paragraph. Because EMACS searches from the current cursor position toward the end of buffers, and we intend to search forward, move the cursor to the beginning of the text. Enter ^S search-forward (search-forward). Note that the command line now reads
"Search [] :"
EMACS is prompting you to enter the search string -- the text you want to find. Enter the word revolutionary and hit the META key. The cursor moves to the end of the word "revolutionary."
Notice that you must enter the key to start the search. If you
(
In our sample text for example, the word "and" occurs a number of times, but only once at the end of a line. To search for this particular occurrence of the word, move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer and type ^S. Notice that EMACS stores the last specified (default string) search string as the default string. If you press now, EMACS will search for the default string, in this case, "revolutionary."
To change this string so we can search for our specified "and" simply
enter the word and followed by
"search [and
Press and the cursor moves to "and" at the end of the second last line.
EXACT SEARCHES
If the mode EXACT is active in the current buffer, EMACS searches on a case sensitive basis. Thus, for example you could search for Publishing as distinct from publishing.
BACKWARD SEARCH
Backward searching is very similar to forward searching except that it is implemented in the reverse direction. To implement a reverse search, type ^R search-reverse (search-reverse). Because EMACS makes no distinction between forward and backward stored search strings, the last search item you entered appears as the default string. Try searching back for any word that lies between the cursor and the beginning of the buffer. Notice that when the item is found, the point moves to the beginning of the found string (i.e., the cursor appears under the first letter of the search item).
Practice searching for other words in your text.
SEARCHING AND REPLACING
Searching and replacing is a powerful and quick way of making changes to your text. Our sample text is about electronic publishing, but the correct term is 'desktop' publishing. To make the necessary changes we need to replace all occurrences of the word "electronic" with "desktop." First, move the cursor to the top of the current buffer with the M-< command. Then type M-R replace-string (replace-string). The command line responds:
"Replace []:"
where the square brackets enclose the default string. Type the word electronic and hit . The command line responds:
"with []"
type desktop. EMACS replaces all instances of the original word with your revision. Of course, you will have to capitalize the first letter of "desktop" where it occurs at the beginning of a sentence.
You have just completed an unconditional replace. In this operation, EMACS replaces every instance of the found string with the replacement string. QUERY-REPLACE
You may also replace text on a case by case basis. The M-^R query-replace-string (query-replace-string) command causes EMACS to pause at each instance of the found string.
For example, assume we want to replace some instances of the word "desktop" with the word "personal." Go back to the beginning of the current buffer and enter the M-^R query-replace (query-replace) command. The procedure is very similar to that which you followed in the unconditional search/replace option. When the search begins however, you will notice that EMACS pauses at each instance of "publishing" and asks whether you wish to replace it with the replacement string. You have a number of options available for response:
Response Effect Y(es) Make the current replacement and skip to the next occurrence of the search stringN(o) Do not make this replacement but continue
! Do the rest of the replacements with no more queries
U(ndo) Undo just the last replacement and query for it again (This can only go back ONE time)
^G Abort the replacement command (This action does not undo previously-authorized replacements
. Same effect as ^G, but cursor returns to the point at which the replacement command was given
? This lists help for the query replacement command
Practice searching and searching and replacing until you feel comfortable with the commands and their effects.
In this chapter, you learned how to search for specified strings of text in EMACS. The chapter also dealt with searching for and replacing elements within a buffer.
Key Binding Keystroke Effectsearch-forward ^S Searches from point to end of buffer. Point is moved from current location to the end of the found string
search-backward ^R Searches from point to beginning of buffer. Point is moved from current location to beginning of found string
replace M-R Replace ALL occurrences of search string with specified (null) string from point to the end of the current buffer
query-replace M-^R As above, but pause at each found string and query for action
CREATING WINDOWS(Windows, Creating)
We have already met windows in an earlier chapter. In this chapter, we will explore one of EMACS' more powerful features -- text manipulation through multiple windowing. Windows offer you a powerful and easy way to edit text. By manipulating a number of windows and buffers on the screen simultaneously, you can perform complete edits and revisions on the computer screen while having your draft text or original data available for reference in another window.
You will recall that windows are areas of buffer text that you can see (windows) on the screen. Because EMACS can support several screen windows simultaneously you can use them to look into different places in the same buffer. You can also use them to look at text in different buffers. In effect, you can edit several files at the same time.
Let's invoke EMACS and pull back our file on desktop publishing by typing
"emacs publish.txt"
When the text appears, type the ^X2 split-current-window (split-current-window) command. The window splits into two windows. The window where the cursor resides is called the current window -- in this case the bottom window. Notice that each window has a text area and a mode line. The command line (command line) is however, common to all windows on the screen.
The two windows on your screen are virtually mirror images of each other because the new window is opened into the same buffer as the one you are in when you issue the open-window command (open-window). All commands issued to EMACS are executed on the current buffer in the current window.
To move the cursor to the upper window (i.e., to make that window the current window, type ^XP previous-window (previous-window). Notice the cursor moves to the upper or previous window. Entering ^XO next-window moves to the next window. Practice moving between windows. You will notice that you can also move into the Function Key menu by entering these commands.
Now move to the upper window. Let's open a new file. On the EMACS disk is a tutorial file. Let's call it into the upper window by typing:
"^X^F"
and press return.
Enter the filename emacs.tut.
In a short time, the tutorial file will appear in the window. We now have two windows on the screen, each looking into different buffers. We have just used the ^X^F find-file (find-file) command to find a file and bring it into our current window.
You can scroll any window up and down with the cursor keys, or with the commands we've learned so far. However, because the area of visible text in each window is relatively small, you can scroll the current window a line at a time.
Type ^X^N move-window-down(move-window-down)
The current window scrolls down by one line -- the top line of text scrolls out of view, and the bottom line moves towards the top of the screen. You can imagine, if you like, the whole window slowly moving down to the end of the buffer in increments of one line. The command ^X^P move-window-up(move-window-up) scrolls the window in the opposite direction.
As we have seen, EMACS editing commands are executed in the current window, but the program does support a useful feature that allows you to scroll the next window. M-^Z scroll-next-up (scroll-next-up) scrolls the next window up, M-^V scroll-next-down(scroll-next-down) scrolls it downward. From the tutorial window, practice scrolling the window with the desktop publishing text in it up and down.
When you're finished, exit EMACS without saving any changes in your files.
Experiment with splitting the windows on your screen. Open windows into different buffers and experiment with any other files you may have. Try editing the text in each window, but don't forget to save any changes you want to keep -- you still have to save each buffer separately.
If you have a number of windows open, you can delete all but the current window by entering ^X1 delete-other-windows.
During complex editing tasks, you will probably find it convenient to have a number of windows on the screen simultaneously. However this situation may present inconveniences because the more windows you have on the screen the smaller they are; in some cases, a window may show only a couple of lines of text. To increase the flexibility and utility of the window environment, EMACS allows you to resize the window you are working in (called, as you will recall, the current window) to a convenient size for easier editing, and then shrink it when you no longer need it to be so large.
Let's try an example. Load in any EMACS text file and split the current window into two. Now type ^X^(Shift-6), grow-window(grow-window). 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 ^X^Z, shrink-window(shrink-window) correspondingly decreases window size by one line at a time.
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 ^XW resize-window(resize-window). The current window will be enlarged or shrunk to the number of lines specified in the numeric argument. For example entering:
M-8 ^XW
will resize the current window to 8 lines.
The cursor may be centered within a window by entering M-! or M-^L
redraw-display (redraw-display). 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 M-
The ^L clear-and-redraw (clear-and-redraw) 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.
Chapter
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effectopen-window ^X2 Splits current window into two windows if space available
close-windows ^X1 Closes all windows except current window
next-window ^XO[oh] Moves point into next (i.e. downward) window
previous-window ^XP Moves point to previous (i.e. upward) window
move-window-down ^X^N Scrolls current window down one line
move-window-up ^X^P Scrolls current window up one line
redraw-display M ! or Window is moved so line with point M ^L (with cursor) is at center of window
grow-window M-X ^ Current window is enlarged by one line and nearest window is shrunk by one line
shrink-window ^X^Z Current window is shrunk by one line and nearest window is enlarged by one line
clear-and-redraw ^L Screen is blanked and redrawn. Keeps screen updates in sync with your commands
scroll-next-up M-^Z Scrolls next window up by one line
scroll-next-down M-^V Scrolls next window down by one line
delete-window ^X0 Deletes current window
delete-other-windows ^X1 Deletes all but current window
resize-window ^X^W Resizes window to a given numeric argument
On computers equipped with a mouse(mouse), the mouse can usually be used to make editing easier. If your computer has a mouse, let's try using it. Start MicroEMACS by typing:
emacs publish.txt
This brings EMACS up and allows it to edit the file from the last chapter. If the function key window is visible on the screen, press the F5 key to cause it to disappear. Now use the ^X2 split-current-window command to split the screen into two windows. Next use the ^X^F find-file command to read in the fang.txt file. Now your screen should have two windows looking into two different files.
Grab the mouse and move it around. On the screen an arrow, or block of color appears. This is called the mouse cursor @index(mouse cursor) and can be positioned on any character on the screen. On some computers, positioning the mouse cursor in the extreme upper right or left corner may bring down menus which allow you to access that computers utilities, sometimes called Desk Accessories @index(desk accessories).
Using the mouse button (or the left button if the mouse has more than one), position the mouse over some character in the current window. Click the mouse button once. The point will move to where the mouse cursor is. If you place the mouse cursor past the end of a line, the point will move to the end of that line.
Move the mouse cursor into the other window and click on one of the characters there. MicroEMACS will automatically make this window the current window (notice that the mode line changes) and position the point to the mouse cursor. This makes it very easy to use the mouse to switch to a different window quickly.
Besides just using the mouse to move around on the screen, you can use the same button to move text. Move the mouse cursor to a character in one of the windows, and click down... but don't let the button up yet! The point will move to where the mouse cursor is. Now move the mouse cursor up or down on the screen, and release the button. The point will again move to where the mouse cursor is, but this time it will bring the text under it along for the ride. This is called dragging(dragging), and is how you can make the text appear just where you want it to. If you try to drag text out of the current window, EMACS will ignore your attempt and leave the point where you first clicked down. (vertical scrolling)
Now, click down on a word in one of the windows, and drag it directly to the left. Release the button and watch as the entire window slides, or scrolls (horizontal scrolling) to the left. The missing text has not been deleted, it is simply not visible, off the left hand side of the screen. Notice the mode line has changed and now looks like:
The number insided the brackets [] shows that the screen is now scrolled 12 characters from the left margin.
Now grab the same text again, and drag it to the right, pulling the rest of the text back into the current window. The [<] field will disappear, meaning that the window is no longer scrolled to the left. This feature is very useful for looking at wide charts and tables. Remember, MicroEMACS will only scroll the text in the current window sideways if you drag it straight to the side, otherwise it will drag the text vertically.
Now, place the mouse cursor over a character on the upper mode line, click down, move the mouse cursor up or down a few lines and let go of the button. The mode line moves to where you dragged it, changing the size of the windows above and below it. If you try to make a window with less than one line, EMACS will not let you. Dragging the mode lines can make it very fast and easy for you to rearrange the windows as you would like.
If you have a number of different windows visible on the screen, positioning the mouse over the mode line of one window and clicking the right mouse button will cause that window to be deleted.
If your mouse has two buttons, then you can use the right
button to do some other things as well. Earlier, we learned how to
define a region(region) by using the M-
If you now click the right mouse button, without moving the mouse, the region you defined dissapear, being cut(cut) from the current buffer. This works just like the ^W kill-region command.
If you move the mouse away from where you cut the text, and click the right mouse button down and up without moving the mouse, the text in the KILL buffer gets inserted, or pasted(paste) into the current buffer at the point.
MicroEMACS can use more than one screen(screen) at once. Each screen is a collection of windows along with a mode line. These screens usually fill the terminal or computer screen on text based systems, but can also be held in different windows on graphically based systems like MicroSoft Windows, OS/2, the Macintosh Finder and X-Windows. Don't be confused by the two different uses of the term "window". Inside EMACS style editors, a window lets you view part of a buffer. Under graphical operating systems, a window holds a "virtual terminal", allowing you to manipulate more than one job, editing session or program at once. Within MicroEMACS, these operating system windows are called screens. All these screens are displayed on your current desktop(desktop).
You can change the size of a screen. Move the mouse to the last position of the command line. Press the left mouse button down. Holding it, move the mouse to the place you want the new lower right corner. Release the mouse. The desktop redraws, with your newly resized screen. MicroEMACS will ignore size changes that can not be done, like attempting to pull the lower left corner above the upper right corner of the current screen.
To change where on the desktop a screen is placed, move the mouse to the upper right corner of the screen, press the left mouse button down, move the mouse and release it where you want the screen displayed. Again, MicroEMACS will ignore placements that can not be done.
Creating a new screen is just like moving a screen, but using the right button. Move to the upper right of an existing screen, press the right mouse button down, and move the mouse, releasing the button where the new screen should appear. A new screen will have a single window, containing the contents of the current window in the copied screen, and will have that window's colors. The new screen will have the copied screen's size.
This is simple. Any mouse command can be done in any screen by placing the mouse on a visible part of the screen and clicking. The last screen the mouse is used on comes to front and is the current screen. Also, the A-C cycle-screens(cycle-screens) command brings the rearmost screen to front.
Place the mouse on the command line of the screen you want to delete. Click the right mouse button, the screen will disapear. If you delete the only remaining screen on the desktop, MicroEMACS will exit.
In Chapter
Action Mouse Directions
Move Cursor position mouse cursor over desired location click down and up with left button
Drag Text position mouse cursor over desired text click left button down move to new screen location for text release mouse button
Resize Windows position mouse cursor over mode line to move click left button down move to new location for mode line release mouse button
Delete Window position mouse cursor over mode line of window to delete click right mouse button
Activate Screen Move mouse over existing screen click left button down and up
Resize Screen position mouse cursor over last character on message line click left button down move to new lower right corner of screen release mouse button
Copy Region position mouse at beginning of region click right button down move to end of region release mouse button
Cut Region position mouse at beginning of region click right button down move to end of region release mouse button click right button down and up
Paste Region position mouse at place to paste click right button down and up
Create Screen position mouse at upper left corner of existing screen click right button down move to position of new screen release mouse button
Resize Screen position mouse at lower right corner of screen click left button down move to new lower left corner release mouse button
Move Screen position mouse at upper right corner of screen click left button down move to new screen position release mouse button
Delete Screen position to command line of existing screen click right button down release mouse button
group
(buffer)We have already learned a number of things about buffers. As you will recall, they are the major internal entities in EMACS -- the place where editing commands are executed. They are characterized by their names, their modes, and by the file with which they are associated. Each buffer also "remembers" its mark and point. This convenient feature allows you to go to other buffers and return to the original location in the "current" buffer.
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 -- one into the text you were editing, and the other into the EMACS on-line tutorial. If you deal with complex text files -- 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 ^X^F find-file (find-file), 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.
Let's begin by opening three buffers. You can open any three you choose, for example call the following files into memory: fang.txt, publish.txt, and emacs.tut 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:
^XX next-buffer (next-buffer)
This command moves you to the next buffer. Because EMACS cycles through the buffer list, which is alphabetized, you will now be in the fang.txt buffer. Using ^XX again places you in the publish.txt buffer. If you are on a machine that supports function keys, using ^XX again places you in the Function Keys buffer. Using ^XX one last time cycles you back to the beginning of the list.
If you have a large number of buffers to deal with, this cycling process
may be slow and inconvenient. The command ^XB select-buffer
(select-buffer) 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 (NOT the file name), and that buffer will
then become the current buffer. If you type in part of the file name
and press the space bar, EMACS will attempt to complete the name from
the list of current buffers. If it succeeds, it will print the rest of
the name and you can hit
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 ^X^B list-buffers (list-buffers) 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 -- buffer specific modes, buffer size, and buffer name are also listed. To close this window, simply type the close-windows command, ^X1.
To delete any buffer, type ^XK delete-buffer (delete-buffer). 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 ^G cancels the command.
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effect next-buffer ^X^X Switch to the next buffer in the buffer listselect-buffer ^XB Switch to a particular buffer
list-buffers ^X^B List all buffers
delete-buffer ^XK Delete a particular buffer if it is off-screen
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 modes (modes). These modes
can effect either a single buffer, or any new buffer that is created.
To add a mode to the current buffer, type ^XM add-mode
(add-mode). EMACS will then prompt you for the name of a mode to
add. When you type in a legal mode name, and type a
To remove an existing mode, typing the ^X^M delete-mode (delete-mode) 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 mode line.
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 M-M add-global-mode (add-global-mode) command, and unset with the M-^M delete-global-mode (delete-global-mode) command. Also, the current global modes are displayed in the first line of a ^X^B list-buffers (list-buffers) command.
On machines which are capable of displaying colors, (color) the mode commands can also set the background and foreground character colors. Using add-mode or delete-mode 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.
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.
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.
The
A close brace (}) will search for the corresponding open brace and line up with it.
A pound sign (#) with only leading white space will delete all the white space preceding itself. This will always bring preprocessor directives flush to the left margin.
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.
When a buffer is in CRYPT mode, @index(encryption
) 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 M-E set-encryption-key (set-encryption-key) command. If you attempt to read or write a buffer in crypt mode and now key has not been set, EMACS will execute set-encryption-key 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).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.
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.
In the MAGIC mode certain characters gain special meanings when used in a search pattern. Collectively they are know as @index(regular expressions) regular expressions, and a limited number of them are supported in MicroEmacs. They grant greater flexibility when using the search command. They have no affect on the incremental search command.
The symbols that have special meaning in MAGIC mode are ^, $, ., &, ?, *, +, [ (and ], used with it), and \.
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
lose 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
The character . has a very simple meaning -- 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".
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 ^.
If you have many 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.
The ? character indicates that the preceding character is optional. The character may or may not appear in the matched string. For example, a search for "bea?st" would match both "beast" and "best". If there is no preceding charcter for ? to modify, it is treated as a normal question mark character.
The * character is known as closure, and means that zero or more of the preceding character will match. If there is no preceding character, * has no special meaning and is treated as a normal asterisk. The closure symbol will also have no special meaning if it is preceded by the beginning of line symbol ^, since it represents a position, not a character.
The notion of zero or more characters is important. If, for example, your cursor was on the line
This line is missing two vowels.
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 could search for "aa*", which would match the letter a, then zero or more of them. A better way, however, is to use the + character.
The + character behaves in every respect like the * character, with the exception that its minimum match range is one, not zero. Thus the pattern "a+" is identical to "aa*".
Under older versions of MicroEMACS, the closure symbols would not operate on newlines. The current versions no longer have this restriction.
The \ is the escape character. With the exception of groups, which are explained below, the \ is used at those times when you want to be in MAGIC mode, but also want 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. Or, a search for "TEST\*+" would match the word TEST followed by one or more asterisks. The escape character will also let you put ^, -, or ] inside a character class with no special side effects.
The character pair \( represent the start of a group in a search string. A group is ended by the character pair \). All characters matched within the \( and \) are part of a numbered group, and may be referenced with the &GROUP function, or with a \ followed by the group number in the replacement string of replace-string (replace-string) or the query-replace-string (query-replace-string) commands. For example, a search for "INDEX\([0-9]+\)", to be replaced by "getind(\1)" would change
indptr := INDEX42
to indptr := getind(42
).
There may be up to nine groups. Groups may be nested.
The character & (ampersand) is a replacement character, and represents all the characters which were matched by the search string. When used in the M-R replace-string (replace-string) or the M-^R query-replace-string (query-replace-string) commands, the & will be substituted for the search string.
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.
Wrap mode is used when typing in continuous text. Whenever the
cursor is past the currently set fill column (fill column) (72 by
default) and the user types a space or a
The EMACS variable $wraphook contains the name of the
function which executes when EMACS detects it is time to wrap. This is
set to the function wrap-word (wrap-word) by default, but can
be changed to activate different functions and macroes at wrap time.
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.
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effect add-mode ^XM Add a mode to the current bufferdelete-mode ^X^M Delete a mode from the current buffer
add-global-mode M-M Add a global mode to the current buffer
delete-global-mode M-^M Delete a global mode from the current buffer
A file is simply a collection of related data. In EMACS we are dealing with text files -- 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,
e.g. disk:\directories\filename.extension
If you do not specify a disk and directories, the default disk and the current directory is used.
IMPORTANT -- 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.
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 ^XN change-file-name(change-file-name). 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.
For example, let's load the file fang.txt into EMACS. Now, type
^XN. The EMACS command line prompts "Name:". Enter a new name
for the file -- say new.txt and press
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 ^X^W write-file(writefile). EMACS will prompt you "write file:". Enter an alternate filename -- desktop.txt. Your file will be saved as the physical file "desktop.txt".
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.
For example -- 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".
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.
For a list of file related commands (including some we`ve already seen), see the summary page.
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effectsave-file ^X^S Saves contents of current buffer with associated filename on default disk/ directory (if not specified)
write-file ^X^W Current buffer contents will be saved under specified name
change-file-name ^XN The associated filename is changed (or associated if not previously specified) as specified
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
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
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
WRAPPING TEXT
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 (wrapping 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 ^XM and responding to the command line prompt with wrap.
You can also set your own wrap margin with the command ^XF set-fill-column (set-fill-column). 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 preceded 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.
To reset the wrap column to 72 characters, press the key and enter 72. EMACS will respond "Arg: 72". Now press ^XF. EMACS will respond "[Fill column is 72]". Your text will again wrap at the margin you've been using up to this point.
REFORMATTING PARAGRAPHS
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 M-Q fill-paragraph (fill-paragraph). This command 'fills' the current paragraph reformatting it so all the lines are filled and wrap logically.
CHANGING CASE
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:
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!!
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 M-
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!!
If you want to change the text back to lower case, type ^X^L case-region-lower (case-region-lower). You can also capitalize individual words. To capitalize the word "fun", position the cursor in front of the word and type M-U case-word-upper (case-word-upper). The word is now capitalized. To change it ck to lower case, move the cursor back to the beginning of the word and type M-L case-word-lower (case-word-lower).
You may also capitalize individual letters in EMACS. The command M-C case-word-capitalize (case-word-capitalize) 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.
TABS
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.
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, ^I is inserted. This character, like other control characters, is invisible -- but it makes a subtle and significant difference to your file and editing.
For example, in default mode, press the tab key and then type the word Test. "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.
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 META 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.
Now hit the tab key again and type Test. 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.
EMACS behaves differently in these circumstances because the ^I (tab handling) handle-tab @index(handle-tab) function deals with tabbing in two distinct ways. In default conditions, or if the numeric argument of zero is used, handle-tab inserts a true tab character. If, however, a non-zero numeric argument is specified, handle-tab 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.
The distance which a true tab character moves the cursor can be modified by changing the value of the $hardtab environment variable. Initially set to 8, this will determine how far each tab stop is placed from the previous one. (Use the ^XA set(set) command to set the value of an environment variable).
Many times you would like to take text which has been created using the tab character and change it to use just spaces. The command ^X^D detab-region (detab-region) changes any tabs in the currently selected region into the right number of spaces so the text does not change. This is very useful for times when the file must be printed or transferred to a machine which does not understand tabs.
Also, the inverse command, ^X^E entab-region (entab-region) 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.
Another function, related to those above is provided for by the ^X^T trim-region(trim-region) when invoked will delete any trailing white space in the selected region. A preceding numeric argument will do this for that number of lines.
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effect add-mode/WRAP ^XM[WRAP] Add wrap mode to current buffer
delete-mode/WRAP ^X^M[WRAP] Remove wrap mode from current buffer
set-fill-column ^XF Set fill column to given numeric argument
fill-paragraph M-Q Logically reformats the current paragraph
case-word-upper M-U Text from point to end of the current word is changed to uppercase
case-word-lower M-L Text from point to end of the current word is changed to lowercase
case-word-capitalize M-C First word (or letter) after the point is capitalized
case-region-upper ^X^U The current region is uppercased
case-region-lower ^X^L The current region is lowercased
handle-tab ^I Tab interval is set to the given numeric argument
entab-region ^X^E Changes multiple spaces to tabs characters where possible
detab-region ^X^D Changes tab characters to the appropriate number of spaces
trim-region ^X^T Trims white space from the end of the lines in the current region
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 command processor (command processor) or shell @index(shell). Just what this is varies between different computers. Under MSDOS or PCDOS this is the command.com (command.com) command processor. Under UNIX it is the csh (cshell) shell. On the Atari ST is can be the Mark Williams MSH 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.
The ^X! shell-command (shell-command) 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 [END] and waits for the user to type a character before redrawing the screen and resuming editing. If the shell-command command is used from within the macro language, there is no pause.
^X@ pipe-command (pipe-command) 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 VIEW mode,
so remember to ^X^Mview
Many computers provide tools which will allow you to filter
(filter) text, making some modifications to it along the way. A
very common tool is the SORT program which accepts a file, sorts
it, and prints the result out. The EMACS command, ^X#
filter-buffer(filter-buffer) 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 ^X#sort
If you would like to execute another program directly, without the overhead of an intervening shell, you can use the ^X$ execute-program (execute-program) 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, ^X$ will be equivalent to ^X! shell-command.
Sometimes, you would like to get back to the shell and execute other commands, without losing the current contents of EMACS. The ^XC i-shell (i-shell) 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.
On some systems, mainly advanced versions of UNIX, you can direct EMACS to "go into the background" with the ^XD suspend-emacs @index(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.)
In Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effect execute-program ^X$ Execute an external program directly
filter-command ^X# Send the current buffer through a shell filter
i-shell ^XC Escape to a new shell
pipe-command ^X@ Send the results of an external shell command to a buffer
shell-command ^X! Execute one shell command
suspend-emacs ^XD Place EMACS in the background (some UNIX systems only)
In many applications, you may need 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 macroes offer a convenient method of recording and repeating these commands.
Imagine, for example, you are writing a scholarly paper on Asplenium platyneuron, the spleenwort fern. Even the dedicated botanist would probably find it a task bordering on the agonizing to type Asplenium platyneuron frequently throughout the paper. An alternative method is 'record' the name in a keyboard macro. Try it yourself.
The command ^X( begin-macro (begin-macro) starts recording the all the keystrokes and commands you input. After you've typed it, enter Asplenium platyneuron. To stop recording, type ^X) end-macro (end-macro). EMACS has stored all the keystrokes between the two commands. To repeat the name you've stored, just enter ^XE execute-macro (execute-macro), 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 to repeat it many times.
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 procedure facilities detailed in chapter macroes.
Chapter
Key Binding Keystroke Effectstart-macro ^X( Starts recording all keyboard input
end-macro ^X) Stops recording keystrokes for macro
execute-macro ^XE Entire sequence of recorded keystrokes is replayed
In a command file, the store-procedure (store-procedure) command takes a string argument which is the name of a procedure to store. These procedures than can be executed with the M-^E run (run) command. Also, giving the name of a stored procedure within another procedure will executed that named procedure as if it had been called up with the run command.
Some fairly length examples of MicroEMACS procedures can be seen by examining the standard files that come with EMACS. The emacs.rc (.emacsrc)) under UNIX">emacs.rc) file (called .emacsrc(.emacsrc)) under UNIX) is the MicroEMACS command file which is executed when EMACS is normally run. It contains a number of different stored procedures along with the lines to setup and display the Function key window @index(function key window) and to call up other procedures and command files using function keys.
There are many different aspects to the language within MicroEMACS. Editor commands are the various commands that manipulate text, buffers, windows, et cetera, 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.
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.
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 (~) (tilde, special use) character is used. The character following the tilde is interpreted according to the following table:
Sequence Result ~n EMACS newline character (breaks lines) ~r ^M carriage return ~l ^J linefeed ~~ ~ tilde ~b ^H backspace ~f ^L formfeed ~t ^I tab ~" " quote
Any character not in the table which follows a tilde will be passed unmodified. This action is similar to the ^Q quote-character command available from the keyboard.
EMACS may use different characters for line terminators on different computers. The ~n combination will always get the proper line terminating sequence for the current system.
The double quotes around constants are not needed if the constant contains no internal white space 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.
Variables in MicroEMACS procedures 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 ^XA command. For example, to set the current fill column to 64 characters, the following macro line would be used:
set $fillcol 64
or to have the contents of %name inserted at the point in the current buffer, the command to use would be:
insert-string %name
"What good is a quote if you can't change it?"
These variables are used to change different aspects of the way the editor works. Also they will return the current settings if used as part of an expression. All environmental variable names begin with a dollar sign ($) and are in lower case.
($acount) $acount The countdown of inserted characters until the next save-file.
($asave) $asave The number of inserted characters between automatic file-saves in ASAVE mode.
($bufhook) $bufhook The function named in this variable is run when a buffer is entered. It can be used to implement modes which are specific to a paricular file or file type.
($cbflags) $cbflags Current buffer attribute flags (See appendix G for details).
($cbufname) $cbufname Name of the current buffer.
($cfname) $cfname File name of the current buffer.
($cmdhook) $cmdhook Name of function to run before accepting a command. This is by default set to nop.
($cmode) $cmode Integer containing the mode of the current buffer. (See Appendix F for values).
($curchar) $curchar Ascii value of the character currently at the point.
($curcol) $curcol Current column of point in current buffer.
($curline) $curline Current line of point in current buffer.
($curwidth) $curwidth Number of columns used currently.
($curwind) $curwind Current window number.
($cwline) $cwline Current display line in current window.
($debug) $debug Flag to trigger macro debugging.
($deskcolor) $deskcolor Color to use for current desktop, default to BLACK.
($diagflag) $diagflag If set to TRUE, diagonal dragging of text and mode lines is enabled. If FALSE, text and modelines can only be dragged horizontally or vertically at one time.
($discmd) $discmd Controls the echoing of command prompts. Default is TRUE.
($disinp) $disinp Controls the echoing of input at the command prompts. Default is TRUE.
($disphigh) $disphigh If set to TRUE, high-bit characters (single byte characters that are greater than 127 in value) will be displayed in a pseudo-control format. The characters "^!" will lead off the sequence, followed by the character stripped of its high bit. Default is FALSE.
($exbhook) $exbhook This variable holds the name of a function or macro which is run whenever you are switching out of a buffer.
($fcol) $fcol The current line position being displayed in the first column of the current window.
($fillcol) $fillcol Current fill column.
($flicker) $flicker Flicker Flag set to TRUE if IBM CGA set to FALSE for most others.
($fmtlead) $fmtlead lists all formatter command leadin characters. Lines beginning with these characters will be considered the beginning of paragraphs.
($gflags) $gflags Global flags controlling some EMACS internal functions (See appendix G for details).
($gmode) $gmode Global mode flags. (See Appendix F for values).
($hardtab) $hardtab Number of spaces between hard tab stops. Normally 8, this can be used to change indentation only within the editor.(tabs)
@index($hjump) $hjump The number in here tells EMACS how many columns to scroll the screen horizontally when a horizontal scroll is required.
($hscroll) $hscroll This flag determines if EMACS will scroll the entire current window horizontally, or just the current line. The default value, TRUE, results in the entire current window being shifted left and right when the cursor goes off the edge of the screen.
($kill) $kill This contains the first 127 characters currently in the kill buffer and can be used to set the contents of the kill buffer.
($language) $language [READ ONLY]Contains the name of the language which the current EMACS's message will display. (Currently EMACS is available in English, French, Spanish, Latin, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and Pig Latin).
($lastkey) $lastkey [READ ONLY]Last keyboard character typed.
($lastmesg) $lastmesg [READ ONLY]Contains the text of the last message which emacs wrote on the command line.
($line) $line The current line in the current buffer can be retrieved and set with this environment variable.
($lterm) $lterm Character(s) to write as a line terminator when writing a file to disk. Default is null, which causes a '\n' character to be written. Not all operating systems support this.
($lwidth) $lwidth [READ ONLY]Returns the number of characters in the current line.
($match) $match [READ ONLY]Last string matched in a search.
($modeflag) $modeflag Determines if mode lines are currently displayed.
($msflag) $msflag If TRUE, the mouse (if present) is active. If FALSE, no mouse cursor is displayed, and no mouse actions are taken.(mouse)
@index($numwind) $numwind The number of windows displayed.
($oldcrypt) $oldcrypt Use the old method of encryption (which had a bug in it). Default is FALSE. This variable was dropped from EMACS with version 3.12.
($orgrow) $orgrow The desktop row position of current screen.
($orgcol) $orgcol The desktop column position of current screen.
($pagelen) $pagelen The number of screen lines used currently.
($palette) $palette A string used to control the palette register settings on graphics versions. The usual form consists of groups of three octal digits setting the red, green, and blue levels.(color pallette)
@index($paralead) $paralead A string containing all paragraph start characters.
($pending) $pending [READ ONLY]A flag used to determine if there are user keystrokes waiting to be processed.
($popflag) $popflag Use pop-up windows. Default is TRUE.
($posflag) $posflag Display the line and column position on the modeline. Default is FALSE.
($progname) $progname [READ ONLY]Always contains the string "MicroEMACS" for standard MicroEMACS. Could be something else if EMACS is incorporated as part of someone else's program.
($ram) $ram The amount of remaining memory if MicroEMACS was compiled with RAMSIZE set. A debugging tool.
($readhook) $readhook This variable holds the name of a function to execute whenever a file is read into EMACS. Normally, using the standard emacs.rc file, this is bound to a function which places EMACS into CMODE if the extension of the file read is .c or .h.
($region) $region Contains the string of the current region. It will truncate at the stringsize limit, 255.
($replace) $replace The current replace pattern used in replace commands.
($rval) $rval This contains the return value from the last subprocess which was invoked from EMACS.
($scrname) $scrname The current screen name.
($search) $search The current search pattern used in search and replace commands.
($searchpnt) $searchpnt Set the placement of the of the cursor on a successful search match. $searchpnt = 0 (the default), causes the cursor to be placed at the end of the matched text on forward searches, and at the beginning of the text on reverse searches. $searchpnt = 1 causes the cursor to be placed at the the beginning of the matched text regardless of the search direction, while $searchpnt = 2 causes the cursor to be placed at the end.
($seed) $seed Integer seed of the random number generator.
($softtab) $softtab Number of spaces inserted by EMACS when the handle-tab command (which is normally bound to the TAB key) is invoked.(tabs)
@index($sres) $sres Current screen resolution (CGA, MONO, EGA or VGA on the IBM-PC driver. LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH or DENSE on the Atari ST1040, NORMAL on most others).(screen resolution)
@index($ssave) $ssave A variable which flags EMACS's method of saving files. If set to TRUE, EMACS will write all files out to a temporary file, delete the original, then rename the temporary to the old file name. The default value of this is TRUE.
($sscroll) $sscroll When set to TRUE, EMACS will smoothly scroll windows one line at a time when cursoring off the ends of the current window. Default is FALSE.
($status) $status [READ ONLY]Status of the success of the last command (TRUE or FALSE). This is usually used with !force to check on the success of a search, or a file operation.
($sterm) $sterm This is the character used to terminate search string inputs. The default for this is the last key bound to meta-prefix.
($target) $target Current target for line moves (setting this fools EMACS into believing the last command was a line move).
($time) $time [READ ONLY]Contains a string corresponding to the current date and time. Usually this is in a form similar to "Mon May 09 10:10:58 1988". Not all operating systems will support this.
($timeflag) $timeflag Flag to determine if the time of day is displayed on the modeline. Default is FALSE. The time is updated only after a keystroke.
($tpause) $tpause Controls the length of the pause to display a matched fence when the current buffer is in CMODE and a close fence has been typed.
($version) $version [READ ONLY]Contains the current MicroEMACS version number.
($wchars) $wchars When set, MicroEMACS uses the characters listed in it to determine if it is in a word or not. If it is not set (the default), the characters it uses are the upper and lower case letters, and the underscore.
($wline) $wline Number of display lines in current window.
($wraphook) $wraphook This variable contains the name of an EMACS function which is executed when a buffer is in WRAP mode and it is time to wrap. By default this is bound to wrap-word.
($writehook) $writehook This variable contains the name of an EMACS function or macro which is invoked whenever EMACS attempts to write a file out to disk. This is executed before the file is written, allowing you to process a file on the way out.
($xpos) $xpos The column the mouse was at the last mouse button press.
($yankflag) $yankflag Controls the placement of the cursor after a yank command or an insert. When $yankflag is FALSE (the default), the cursor is placed at the end of the yanked or inserted text. When it is TRUE, the cursor remains at the start of the text.
($ypos)
$ypos
The line which the mouse was on during the last mouse button press.
User variables allow you to store strings and manipulate them. These strings can be pieces of text, numbers (in text form), or the logical values TRUE and FALSE. These variables can be combined, tested, inserted into buffers, and otherwise used to control the way your macroes execute. At the moment, up to 512 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 (IE differences beyond the tenth character are ignored). Most operators will truncate strings to a length of 128 characters.
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:
Richmond Lafayette <*>Bloomington (where <*> is the current point) Indianapolis Gary =* MicroEMACS 3.12 (WRAP) == rigel2 == File: /data/rigel2.txt =====
group
and within a command I reference #rigel2, like:
insert-string #rigel2
MicroEMACS would start at the current point in the RIGEL2 buffer and grab all the text up to the end of that line and pass that back. Then it would advance the point to the beginning of the next line. Thus, after our last command executes, the string "Bloomington" gets inserted into the current buffer, and the buffer RIGEL2 now looks like this:
Richmond Lafayette Bloomington <*>Indianapolis (where <*> is the current point) Gary =* MicroEMACS 3.12 (WRAP) == rigel2 == File: /data/rigel2.txt =====
group
as you have probably noticed, a buffer variable consists of the buffer name, preceded by a pound sign (#).
Interactive variables are actually a method to prompt the user for a string. This is done by using an at sign (@) followed either with a quoted string, or a variable containing a string. The string is the placed on the bottom line, and the editor waits for the user to type in a string. Then the string typed in by the users is returned as the value of the interactive variable. For example:
set %quest "What file? " find-file @%quest
will ask the user for a file name, and then attempt to find it. Note also that complex expressions can be built up with these operators, such as:
which prompts the user with the string:
File to decode[file1]:
Functions can be used to act on variables in various ways. Functions can have one, two, or three arguments. These arguments will always be placed after the function on the current command line. For example, if we wanted to increase the current fill column by two, using emacs's set (^XA) command, we would write:
set $fillcol &add $fillcol 2 \ \ \ \ \____second operand \ \ \ \_________first operand \ \ \_______________function to execute \ \_____________________variable to set \___________________________set (^XA) command
Function names always begin with the ampersand (&) character, and are only significant to the first three characters after the ampersand. Functions will normal expect one of three types of arguments, and will automatically convert types when needed. Different argument types include:
A list of the currently available functions follows. Functions are always used in lower case, the uppercase letters in the function table are the short form of the function (IE &div for ÷).
Numeric Functions: (returns) &ADD
Add two numbers &SUB Subtract the second number from the first &TIMes Multiply two numbers &DIVide Divide the first number by the second giving an integer result &MOD Return the reminder of dividing the first number by the second &NEGate Multiply the arg by -1 &LENgth Returns length of string &SINdex Finds the position of within . Returns zero if not found. &ASCii Return the ascii code of the first character in &RND Returns a random integer between 1 and &ABS Returns the absolute value of &BANd Bitwise AND function &BOR Bitwise OR function &BXOr Bitwise XOR function &BNOt Bitwise NOT function String manipulation functions: (returns
) &CAT
Concatenate the two strings to form one &LEFt return the leftmost characters from &RIGht return the rightmost characters from &MID Starting from position in , return characters. &REVerse return a string with reversed-ordered characters &UPPer Uppercase &LOWer Lowercase &CHR return a string with the character represented by ascii code >C returns a string of characters containing a EMACS command input from the user >K return a string containing a single keystroke from the user &ENV If the operating system is capable, this returns the environment string associated with &BIND return the function name bound to the keystroke &XLATE &FINd Find the named file along the path and return its full file specification or an empty string if none exists &TRIM Trim the trailing whitespace from a string Logical Testing functions: (returns
) &NOT
Return the opposite logical value &AND Returns TRUE if BOTH logical arguments are TRUE &OR Returns TRUE if either argument is TRUE &EQUal If and are numerically equal, return TRUE &LESs If is less than , return TRUE. &GREater If is greater than , return TRUE. &SEQual If the two strings are the same, return TRUE. &SLEss If is less alphabetically than , return TRUE. &SGReater If is alphabetically greater than or equal to , return TRUE. &EXIst Does the named file exist? &ISNum
Is the given argument a legitimate number? Special Functions:
&GROup
Return group as set by a MAGIC mode search. &SUPper
Translate the first char in to the first char in when uppercasing. &SLOwer
Translate the first char in to the first char in when lowercasing. &INDirect
Evaluate as a variable.
This last function deserves more explanation. The &IND function evaluates its argument, takes the resulting string, and then uses it as a variable name. For example, given the following code sequence:
; set up reference tableset %one "elephant" set %two "giraffe" set %three "donkey"
set %index "%two" insert-string &ind %index
the string "giraffe" would have been inserted at the point in the current buffer. This indirection can be safely nested up to about 10 levels.
Directives are commands which only operate within an executing procedure, IE they do not make sense as a single command. As such, they cannot be called up singly or bound to keystroke. Used within command files, they control what lines are executed and in what order.
Directives always start with the exclamation mark (!) character and must be the first non-white space placed on a line. Directives executed interactively (via the execute-command-line command) will be ignored.
This directive is used to terminate a procedure or macro being stored. For example, if a file is being executed contains the text:
; Read in a file in view mode, and make the window redstore-procedure get-red-viewed-file find-file @"File to view: " add-mode "view" add-mode "red" !endm
print "[Consult procedure has been loaded]"
only the lines between the store-macro command and the !ENDM directive are stored in procedure get-red-viewd-file. Both named procedures and numbered macroes (via the store-macro command) should be terminated with this directive.
When MicroEMACS executes a procedure, if any command fails, the procedure is terminated at that point. If a line is preceded by a !FORCE directive, execution continues whether the command succeeds or not. For example:
; Merge the top two windowsOften this is used together with the $status environment variable to test if a command succeeded. For example:save-window ;remember what window we are at 1 next-window ;go to the top window delete-window ;merge it with the second window !force restore-window ;This will continue regardless add-mode "red"
set %seekstring @"String to Find: " !force search-forward %seekstring !if &seq $status TRUE print "Your string is Found" !else print "No such STRING!" !endif
This directive allows statements only to be executed if a condition specified in the directive is met. Every line following the !IF directive, until the first !ELSE or !ENDIF directive, is only executed if the expression following the !IF directive evaluates to a TRUE value. For example, the following commands creates the portion of a text file automatically. (yes believe me, this will be easier to understand then that last explanation....)
!if &sequal %curplace "timespace vortex" insert-string "First, rematerialize~n" !endif !if &sequal %planet "earth" ;If we have landed on earth... !if &sequal %time "late 20th century" ;and we are then write-message "Contact U.N.I.T." !else insert-string "Investigate the situation....~n" insert-string "(SAY 'stay here Sara')~n" !endif !else set %conditions @"Atmosphere conditions outside? " !if &sequal %conditions "safe" insert-string &cat "Go outside......" "~n" insert-string "lock the door~n" !else insert-string "Dematerialize..try somewhen else" newline !endif !endif
Flow can be controlled within a MicroEMACS procedure using the !GOTO directive. It takes as an argument a label. A label consists of a line starting with an asterisk (*) and then an alphanumeric label. Only labels in the currently executing procedure can be jumped to, and trying to jump to a non-existing label terminates execution of a procedure. For example:
;Create a block of DATA statements for a BASIC programinsert-string "1000 DATA " set %linenum 1000
*nxtin update-screen ;make sure we see the changes set %data @"Next number: " !if &equal %data 0 !goto finish !endif
!if &greater $curcol 60 2 delete-previous-character newline set %linenum &add %linenum 10 insert-string &cat %linenum " DATA " !endif
insert-string &cat %data ", " !goto nxtin
*finish
2 delete-previous-character newline
This directive allows you to set up repetitive tasks easily and efficiently. If a group of statements need to be executed while a certain condition is true, enclose them with a while loop. For example,
!while &less $curcol 70 insert-string &cat &cat "[" #stuff "]" !endwhile
places items from buffer "item" in the current line until the cursor is at or past column 70. While loops may be nested and can contain and be the targets of !GOTOs with no ill effects. Using a while loop to enclose a repeated task will run much faster than the corresponding construct using !IFs.
This lets you abort out of the most executing currently inner while loop, regardless of the condition. It is often used to abort processing for error conditions. For example:
; Read in files and substitute "begining" with "beginning"set %filename #list !while ¬ &seq %filename "
" !force find-file %filename !if &seq $status FALSE write-message "[File read error]" !break !endif beginning-of-file replace-string "begining" "beginning" save-file set %filename #list !endwhile
This while loop will process files until the list is exhausted or there is an error while reading a file.
The !RETURN Directive causes the current procedure to exit, either returning to the caller (if any) or to interactive mode. For example:
; Check the monitor type and set %mtyp!if &sres "CGA" set %mtyp 1 !return !else set %mtyp 2 !endif
insert-string "You are on a MONOCHROME machine!~n"
(debugging)@index($debug)When developing new procedures, it is very convenient to be able to trace their execution to discover errors. The $debug environment variable enables procedure debugging. While this variable is TRUE, emacs will stop at each line it intends to execute and allow you to view it, and issue a number of different commands to help determine how the procedure is executing.
For example, we will step through the procedure which toggles the function key window off. The first thing to do, is to set $debug, using the ^XA set command. Type ^XA and emacs will prompt you on the command line with "Variable to set: ". Type in "$debug" and press the enter key. Emacs will then ask "Value: ". Type in "TRUE" (in capital letters) and press the enter key.
While macro debugging is enabled (as it is now) emacs will report each time a variable is assigned a value, by displaying the variable and its value on the command line. Right now,
appears on the command line to tell you that $debug now has been assigned the value of TRUE. Press the space bar to continue.
Now, lets try to debug a macro. Press function key 5 which normally toggles the function key window. The first thing that appears is:
At this point, emacs is waiting for a command. It is prepared to see if the user variable %rcfkeys is TRUE, and execute some lines if they are. Suppose we want to see the value of this variable, type the letter "e" to evaluate an expression. Emacs will prompt with "EXP: ". Type "%rcfkeys" followed by the enter key. Emacs should then respond with "TRUE" to indicate that the function key window is currently on screen.
Press the space bar to allow the !if directive to execute. Emacs will decide that it is TRUE, and then display the next command to execute.
Notice emacs tells us what procedure we are currently executing (in this case, the macro bound to execute-macro-1). Press the space bar again to execute the !goto directive.
Emacs is saving the position of the current window so that it can attempt to return to it after it has brought up the function key window.
[...THIS CHAPTER IS NOT FINISHED...]
One of the features which makes MicroEMACS very adaptable is its ability to use different keystrokes to execute different commands. The process of changing the particular command a key invokes is called rebinding(rebinding). This allows us to make the editor look like other popular editors and programs.
Each command in MicroEMACS has a name which is used for binding
purposes. For example, the command to move the cursor down one page is
called next-line and is normally bound to the ^N key. If you
decided that you also wanted to use the ^D key to move the cursor down
one line, you would use the M-K bind-to-key(bind-to-key)
command. EMACS would respond with ": bind-to-key " on the command line
and allow you to type in a command name. Then type in the name of the
command you want to change, in this case next-line,
followed by the
To find out the name of a command, consult the list of valid EMACS commands in Appendix B. Also, you can use the ^X? describe-key(describe-key) command to look up the name of a command. Type ^X? and then the key to use that command, and EMACS will show you the name of the command.
After you have experimented with changing your key bindings, you may decide that you want to change some bindings permanently. To have EMACS rebind keys to your pleasure each time you start EMACS, you can add statements to the end of your startup file (emacs.rc or .emacsrc depending on the system). For example,
bind-to-key next-line ^D
Notice, that control D character in the startup file is represented visibly as an uparrow key followed by a capital D. To know how to represent any keys you want to bind, use the describe-key command on the key, and use the sequence that is displayed.
bind-to-key split-current-window FN1
This example would make function key 1 activate the command that splits the current window in two.
EMACS will let you define a large number of keys, but will report "Binding table FULL!" when it runs out of space to bind keys. Normally EMACS will allow up to 512 key bindings (including approx. 300 originally bound keys).
If you want to get a current listing of all the commands and the keys bound to them, use the describe-bindings (describe-bindings) command. Notice, that this command is not bound to any keys!
There are some (key bindings, declined) key bindings that cannot be made without special precautions. Alternative bindings for ^X, META, ^G, and ^U (which bind respectively to ctlx-prefix, meta-prefix, abort-command, and universal-argument) must be made before re-binding ^X, META, ^G, or ^U. The reason is to protect the innocent user from losing the prefix and other commands inadvertantly.
(startup files) When EMACS first executes, it always searches for a file, called .emacsrc under most UNIX systems or emacs.rc on most other systems (emacs.rc) @index(.emacsrc) which it will execute as EMACS macroes before it reads in the named source files. This file normally contains EMACS macroes to bind the function keys to useful functions and load various useful macroes. The contents of this file will probably vary from system to system and can be modified by the user as desired.
When searching for this file, EMACS looks for it in this order. First, it attempts to find a definition for "HOME" in the environment. It will look in that directory first. Then it searches all the directories listed in the "PATH" environment variable. Then it looks through a list of predefined standard directories which vary from system to system. Finally, failing all of these, it looks in the current directory. This is also the same method EMACS uses to look up any files to execute, and to find it's help file EMACS.HLP. (PATH environment variable) @index(HOME environment variable) (Help File)
@index(command line) (switches) On computers that call up EMACS via a command line process, such as MSDOS and UNIX, there are different things that can be added to the command line to control the way EMACS operates. These can be switches, which are a dash ('-') followed by a letter, and possible other parameters, or a startup file specifier, which is an at sign '@' followed by a file name.
@
-C The following source files on the command line can be changed (as opposed to being in VIEW mode). This is mainly used to cancel the effects of the -v switch used previously in the same command line.
-E This flag causes emacs to automatically run the startup file "error.cmd" instead of emacs.rc. This is used by various C compilers for error processing (for example, Mark Williams C). (error parsing)
-G
-I
-K
-R This places EMACS in "restricted mode"(restricted mode) (BBS) where any commands allowing the user to read or write any files other than the ones listed on the command line are disabled. Also all commands allowing the user access to the operating system are disabled. This makes EMACS very useful as a "safe" environment for use within other applications and especially used as a remote editor for a BBS or electronic bulletin board system.
-S
-V
This tells EMACS that all the following sources files on the command
line should be in VIEW mode to prevent any changes being made to them.
Some versions of MicroEMACS will allow you to abbrieviate buffer names, command names and file names as you enter them. To use this, type in the first few characters of the name you wish, and then hit either the space bar, the META key or the TAB key. MicroEMACS will then attempt to look at the list of all the availible names and if there is only one which will fit, it will choose that name. If there are several names that quailify, as many characters as are common to ALL of them will be entered. If there are no possible matches, the bell will ring to indicate MicroEMACS can not complete the command.
For example, if you have several files in your current directory with the following names:
prog1.c prog1.obj prog1.exe prog1.doc program.one project.one test.c tes
and you enter the ^X^F find-file command, if you type 'p' and then hit the space bar, EMACS will respond by typing the 'r' that is common to all the above file names begining with 'p'. If you then type 'ogr' and hit the tab key, EMACS will respond with 'am.one' and automatically hit the enter key for you.
If you were to instead type an 'a' and hit the space bar, EMACS will beep, informing you that there is no possible match.
If you type a 'te' and hit the space bar, EMACS will then type the following 's', but it will not automatically enter it because it is possible you mean to get to the test.c file.
Buffer name, and command name completion is available in all
versions of MicroEMACS. File name completion is available on UNIX
BSD4.3, the Atari ST, the AMIGA and under MSDOS.
Below is a complete list of the commands in EMACS, the keys normally used to do the command, and what the command does. Remember, on some computers there may also be additional ways of using a command (cursor keys and special function keys for example).
Command Binding Meaning abort-command ^G This allows the user to abort out of any command that is waiting for inputadd-mode ^XM Add a mode to the current buffer
add-global-mode M-M Add a global mode for all new buffers
append-file ^X^A Write a buffer to the end of a file
apropos M-A List out commands whose name contains the string specified
backward-character ^B Move one character to the left
begin-macro ^X( Begin recording a keyboard macro
beginning-of-file M-< Move to the beginning of the file in the current buffer
beginning-of-line ^A Move to the beginning of the current line
bind-to-key M-K Bind a key to a function
buffer-position ^X= List the position of the cursor in the current window on the command line
case-region-lower ^X^L Make a marked region all lower case
case-region-upper ^X^U Make a marked region all upper case
case-word-capitalize M-C Capitalize the following word
case-word-lower M-L Lower case the following word
case-word-upper M-U Upper case the following word
change-file-name ^XN Change the name of the file in the current buffer
change-screen-size (none) Change the number of lines of the screen currently being used
change-screen-width (none) Change the number of columns of the screen currently being used
clear-and-redraw ^L Clear the physical screen and redraw it
clear-message-line (none) Clear the command line
copy-region M-W Copy the currently marked region into the kill buffer
count-words M-^C Count how many words, lines and characters are in the current marked region
ctlx-prefix ^X Change the key used as the ^X prefix
cycle-screens A-C Bring the rearmost screen to front
delete-blank-lines ^X^O Delete all blank lines around the cursor
delete-buffer ^XK Delete a buffer which is not being currently displayed in a window
delete-mode ^X^M Turn off a mode in the current buffer
delete-global-mode M-^M Turn off a global mode
delete-next-character ^D Delete the character following the cursor
delete-next-word M-D Delete the word following the cursor
delete-other-windows ^X1 Make the current window cover the entire screen
delete-previous-character^H Delete the character to the left of the cursor
delete-previous-word M-^H Delete the word to the left of the cursor
delete-screen A-D Delete a screen
delete-window ^X0 Remove the current window from the screen
describe-bindings (none) Make a list of all legal commands
describe-functions (none) Make a list of all legal functions
describe-variables (none) Make a list of all environment and user variables
describe-key ^X? Describe what command is bound to a keystroke sequence
detab-region ^X^D Change all tabs in a region to the equivalent spaces
display ^XG Prompts the user for a variable and displays its current value
dump-variables none Places into a buffer the current values of all environment and user variables
end-macro ^X) stop recording a keyboard macro
end-of-file M-> Move cursor to the end of the current buffer
end-of-line ^E Move to the end of the current line
end-of-word (none) Move the point just past the end of the current word
entab-region ^X^E Change multiple spaces to tabs where possible
exchange-point-and-mark ^X^X Move cursor to the last marked spot, make the original position be marked
execute-buffer (none) Execute a buffer as a macro
execute-command-line (none) Execute a line typed on the command line as a macro command
execute-file (none) Execute a file as a macro
execute-macro ^XE Execute the keyboard macro (play back the recorded keystrokes) execute-macro-
(none) Execute numbered macro where is an integer from 1 to 40 execute-named-command M-X Execute a command by name
execute-procedure M-^E Execute a procedure by name
execute-program ^X$ Execute a program directly (not through an intervening shell)
exit-emacs ^X^C Exit EMACS. If there are unwritten, changed buffers EMACS will ask to confirm
fill-paragraph M-Q Fill the current paragraph
filter-buffer ^X# Filter the current buffer through an external filter
find-file ^X^F Find a file to edit in the current window
find-screen A-F Bring the named screen to front, creating it if needed
forward-character ^F Move cursor one character to the right
goto-line M-G Goto a numbered line
goto-mark M-^G Goto a numbered mark
goto-matching-fence M-^F Goto the matching fence
grow-window ^X^ Make the current window larger
handle-tab ^I Insert a tab or set tab stops
hunt-forward A-S Hunt for the next match of the last search string
hunt-backward A-R Hunt for the last match of the last search string
help M-? Read EMACS.HLP into a buffer and display it
i-shell ^XC Shell up to a new command processor
incremental-search ^XS Search for a string, incrementally
indent-region M-( Indent the current region one tab
insert-file ^X^I insert a file at the cursor in the current file
insert-space ^C Insert a space to the right of the cursor
insert-string (none) Insert a string at the cursor
kill-paragraph M-^W Delete the current paragraph
kill-region ^W Delete the current marked region, moving it to the kill buffer
kill-to-end-of-line ^K Delete the rest of the current line
label-function-key (none) Set the text on a function key label (HP150 only)
list-buffers ^X^B List all existing buffers
list-screens A-B List all existing screens
macro-to-key M-^K Bind a key to a macro
meta-prefix
Key used to precede all META commands mouse-move-down MSa
mouse-move-up MSb
mouse-resize-screen MS1
mouse-region-down MSe
mouse-region-up MSf
move-window-down ^X^N Move all the lines in the current window down
move-window-up ^X^P Move all the lines in the current window up
name-buffer M-^N Change the name of the current buffer
narrow-to-region ^X< hides all text not in the current region
newline ^M Insert a
at the cursor newline-and-indent ^J Insert a
at the cursor and indent the new line the same as the preceding line next-buffer ^XX Bring the next buffer in the list into the current window
next-line ^N Move the cursor down one line
next-page ^V Move the cursor down one page
next-paragraph M-N Move cursor to the next paragraph
next-window ^XO Move cursor to the next window
next-word M-F Move cursor to the beginning of the next word
nop (none) Does nothing
open-line ^O Open a line at the cursor
overwrite-string (none) Overwrite a string at the cursor
pipe-command ^X@ Execute an external command and place its output in a buffer
pop-buffer (none) Display a buffer temporarily, paging
previous-line ^P Move cursor up one line
previous-page ^Z Move cursor up one page
previous-paragraph M-P Move back one paragraph
previous-window ^XP Move the cursor to the last window
previous-word M-B Move the cursor to the beginning of the word to the left of the cursor
print (none) Display a string on the command line (a synonim to write-message)
query-replace-string M-^R Replace all of one string with another string, interactively querying the user
quick-exit M-Z Exit EMACS, writing out all changed buffers
quote-character ^Q Insert the next character literally
read-file ^X^R Read a file into the current buffer
redraw-display M-^L Redraw the display, centering the current line
remove-mark (none) Remove a numbered mark
resize-window ^XW Change the number of lines in the current window
restore-window (none) Move cursor to the last saved window
replace-string M-R Replace all occurrences of one string with another string from the cursor to the end of the buffer
reverse-incremental-search^XR Search backwards, incrementally
run M-^E Execute a named procedure
save-file ^X^S Save the current buffer if it is changed
save-window (none) Remember current window (to restore later)
scroll-next-up M-^Z Scroll the next window up
scroll-next-down M-^V Scroll the next window down
search-forward ^S Search for a string
search-reverse ^R Search backwards for a string
select-buffer ^XB Select a buffer to display in the current window
set ^XA Set a variable to a value
set-encryption-key M-E Set the encryption key of the current buffer
set-fill-column ^XF Set the current fill column
set-mark Set the mark
shell-command ^X! Causes an external shell to execute a command
show-files (none) Pop up a list of files from the specified directory
shrink-window ^X^Z Make the current window smaller
source (none) Execute a file as a macro
split-current-window ^X2 Split the current window in two
store-macro (none) Store the following macro lines to a numbered macro
store-procedure (none) Store the following macro lines to a named procedure
transpose-characters ^T Transpose the character at the cursor with the character to the left
trim-region ^X^T Trim any trailing white space from a region
unbind-key M-^K Unbind a key from a function
undent-region M-) Remove a leading indent from a region
universal-argument ^U Execute the following command 4 times
unmark-buffer M-~ Unmark the current buffer (so it is no longer changed)
update-screen (none) Force a screen update during macro execution view-file ^X^V Find a file,and put it in view mode widen-from-region ^X> restores hidden text (see narrow-to-region)
wrap-word (none) Wrap the current word, this is an internal function write-file ^X^W Write the current buffer under a new file name
write-message (none) Display a string on the command line
yank ^Y yank the kill buffer into the current buffer at the cursor
Below is a complete list of the key bindings used in MicroEMACS. This can be used as a wall chart reference for MicroEMACS commands.
Default Key Bindings for MicroEmacs 3.12 ^A Move to start of line ESC A Apropos (list some commands) ^B Move backward by characters ESC B Backup by words ^C Insert space ESC C Initial capitalize word ^D Forward delete ESC D Delete forward word ^E Goto end of line ESC E Reset Encryption Key ^F Move forward by characters ESC F Advance by words ^G Abort out of things ESC G Go to a line ^H Backward delete ^I Insert tab/Set tab stops ^J Insert
, then indent ^K Kill forward ESC K Bind Key to function ^L Refresh the screen ESC L Lower case word ^M Insert ESC M Add global mode ^N Move forward by lines ESC N Goto End paragraph ^O Open up a blank line ^P Move backward by lines ESC P Goto Begining of paragraph ^Q Insert literal ESC Q Fill current paragraph ^R Search backwards ESC R Search and replace ^S Search forward ESC S Suspend (BSD only) ^T Transpose characters ^U Repeat command four times ESC U Upper case word ^V Move forward by pages ESC V Move backward by pages ^W Kill region ESC W Copy region to kill buffer ^Y Yank back from killbuffer ESC X Execute named command ^Z Move backward by pages ESC Z Save all buffers and exit ESC ^C Count words in region ESC ~ Unmark current buffer ESC ^E Execute named procedure ESC ^F Goto matching fence ESC ! Reposition window ESC ^H Delete backward word ESC < Move to start of buffer ESC ^K Unbind Key from function ESC > Move to end of buffer ESC ^L Reposition window ESC . Set mark ESC ^M Delete global mode ESC space Set mark ESC ^N Rename current buffer ESC rubout Delete backward word ESC ^R Search & replace w/query rubout Backward delete ESC ^S Source command file ESC ^V Scroll next window down ESC ^W Delete Paragraph ESC ^X Execute command line ESC ^Z Scroll next window up
^X < Narrow-to-region ^X ? Describe a key ^X > Widen-from-region ^X ! Run 1 command in a shell ^X = Show the cursor position ^X @ Pipe shell command to buffer ^X ^ Enlarge display window ^X # Filter buffer thru shell filter ^X 0 Delete current window ^X $ Execute an external program ^X 1 Delete other windows ^X ( Begin macro ^X 2 Split current window ^X ) End macro ^X A Set variable value ^X ^B Display buffer list ^X B Switch a window to a buffer ^X ^C Exit MicroEMACS ^X C Start a new command processor ^X ^D Detab line ^X D Suspend MicroEMACS (BSD4.2 only) ^X ^E Entab line ^X E Execute macro ^X ^F Find file ^X F Set fill column ^X ^I Insert file ^X K Delete buffer ^X ^L Lower case region ^X ^M Delete Mode ^X M Add a mode ^X ^N Move window down ^X N Rename current filename ^X ^O Delete blank lines ^X O Move to the next window ^X ^P Move window up ^X P Move to the previous window ^X ^R Get a file from disk ^X R Incremental reverse search ^X ^S Save current file ^X S Incremental forward search ^X ^T Trim line (Incremental search ^X ^U Upper case region not always available) ^X ^V View file ^X ^W Write a file to disk ^X W resize Window ^X ^X Swap "." and mark ^X X Use next buffer ^X ^Z Shrink window ^X Z Enlarge display window
Usable Modes WRAP Lines going past right margin "wrap" to a new line VIEW Read-Only mode where no modifications are allowed CMODE Change behavior of some commands to work better with C EXACT Exact case matching on search strings OVER Overwrite typed characters instead of inserting them CRYPT Current buffer will be encrypted on write, decrypted on read MAGIC Use regular expression matching in searches ASAVE Save the file every 256 inserted characters SPELL Invoke MicroSPELL to check for spelling errors REP Similar to OVER, handles double-byte characters and tabs differently
WHITE/CYAN/MAGENTA/YELLOW/BLUE/RED/GREEN/BLACK/GREY/GRAY/LRED/LGREEN/LYELLO/LBLUE/LMAGENTA/LCYAN Sets foreground color white/cyan/magenta/yellow/blue/red/green/black/grey/gray/lred/lgreen/lyello/lblue/lmagenta/lcyan Sets background color
In general, preceding a MicroEMACS command with a numeric argument n causes the command to be executed n times. However, there are a great many commands for which this has no effect, simply because it would make no sense for the command to be executed more than once. There are also commands that take advantage of the numeric arguments to alter their behavior subtly or unsubtly. The following is a list of these commands. Commands that are not affected at all by numeric arguments are listed afterwards.
(backward-character) backward-character A negative argument invokes forward-character.
(change-screen-size) change-screen-size With no arguments, the number of rows defaults to the largest. Otherwise, set the screen size to n.
(change-screen-width) change-screen-width With no arguments, the number of columns defaults to the largest. Otherwise, set the screen width to n.
(clear-and-redraw) clear-and-redraw With an argument, centers the window around the current cursor position.
(delete-next-character) delete-next-character A negative argument invokes delete-previous-character.
(delete-next-word) delete-next-word With an argument of 0, will not delete the whitespace trailing the deleted word. A negative argument will cause nothing to happen.
(delete-previous-character) delete-previous-character A negative argument invokes delete-next-character.
(delete-previous-word) delete-previous-word An negative or zero argument will cause nothing to happen.
(detab-region) detab-region Without an argument, detab-region changes hard tabs to spaces in the lines between the mark and the cursor. With an argument n, the commands detab n lines - forward if n is positive, backwards if not.
(end-of-word) end-of-word A negative argument invokes next-word.
(entab-region) entab-region Without an argument, entab-region changes spaces to hard tabs in the lines between the mark and the cursor. With an argument n, the commands entab n lines - forward if n is positive, backwards if not.
(exchange-point-and-mark) exchange-point-and-mark Swap the current cursor position and mark number n. Without an argument, n defaults to 0.
(exit-emacs) exit-emacs Providing a numeric argument n causes two things to happen. First, no checking for modified buffers will occur. Second, MicroEMACS exits with a status of n.
(forward-character) forward-character A negative argument invokes backward-character.
(goto-line) goto-line An argument n will be taken as the line number to go to. Without an argument, you will be asked for a line number. In either case, the line number must be 1 or greater.
(goto-mark) goto-mark Go to mark number n. Without an argument, n defaults to 0.
(grow-window) grow-window A negative argument invokes shrink-window. An argument of 0 causes no action.
(handle-tab) handle-tab Without an argument, handle-tab deals with the tab character, whether it should be a single "hard" tab, or expanded as spaces. With an argument n, $softtab is set to n.
(hunt-backward) hunt-backward The command will hunt n times. The command will report failure if it cannot find its pattern the nth time, even if has found an occurrence of the pattern before number n. A negative argument invokes hunt-forward.
(hunt-forward) hunt-forward The command will hunt n times. The command will report failure if it cannot find its pattern the nth time, even if has found an occurrence of the pattern before number n. A negative argument invokes hunt-backward.
(kill-to-end-of-line) kill-to-end-of-line With no argument n, the command deletes all characters to the end of the line. If it is already at the end of the line, it will delete the newline. With a positive n as an argument, the command will delete n complete lines, newline character and all, starting from the cursor. With n equal to zero, the command deletes all text from the cursor to the beginning of the line, but will not delete past the newline character. A negative n is illegal.
(list-buffers) list-buffers With a numeric argument, INVISIBLE buffers are also listed.
(move-window-down) move-window-down With a negative argument, invokes move-window-up.
(move-window-up) move-window-up With a negative argument, invokes move-window-down.
(next-buffer) next-buffer With an argument n, the nth buffer after the current one is selected, and read in if necessary. Any buffers in between the current buffer and the target buffer that have not yet been read in are read.
(next-line) next-line A negative argument invokes previous-line.
(next-page) next-page Without an argument, the window is scrolled forward by a full page. With an argument n, the window is scrolled forwards by n lines. The cursor is placed on the upper left hand corner. Negative arguments invoke previous-page.
(next-paragraph) next-paragraph A negative argument invokes previous-paragraph.
(next-window) next-window With a positive argument n, the nth window from the top becomes the working window. With a negative argument, the nth window from the bottom becomes the working window.
(next-word) next-word A negative argument invokes previous-word.
(pop-buffer) pop-buffer Without an argument, the buffer is simply displayed in its pop-up screen. With an argument, the buffer is not only displayed, but also given the attribute INVISIBLE.
(previous-line) previous-line A negative argument invokes next-line.
(previous-page) previous-page Without an argument, the window is scrolled backward by a full page. With an argument n, the window is scrolled backwards by n lines. The cursor is placed on the upper left hand corner. Negative arguments invoke next-page.
(previous-paragraph) previous-paragraph A negative argument invokes next-paragraph.
(previous-window) previous-window With a positive argument n, the nth window from the bottom becomes the working window. With a negative argument, the nth window from the top becomes the working window.
(previous-word) previous-word A negative argument invokes next-word.
(query-replace-string) query-replace-string With a numeric argument, n occurrences of the search string may be replaced, depending upon the user's response. The count is based on the number of occurrences found, not the number of positive responses from the user.
(quick-exit) quick-exit Saves all modifed buffers, and exits with a status of n.
(redraw-display) redraw-display With no argument, or when n is 0, the window is adjusted so that the cursor is in the center. When n is positive, the window is adjusted so that the cursor is on the nth line of the screen. When n is negative, the window is adjusted so that the cursor is on the last line of the window, regardless of the magnitude of n.
(remove-mark) remove-mark Remove mark number n. Without an argument, n defaults to 0.
(replace-string) replace-string Will replace n occurrences of the search string with the replacement string. Otherwise, with no argument, all occurrences from the cursor position to the end of file are replaced.
(resize-window) resize-window Requires an argument which must be positive.
(scroll-next-down) scroll-next-down A negative argument invokes scroll-next-up.
(scroll-next-up) scroll-next-up A negative argument invokes scroll-next-down.
(search-forward) search-forward The command will search n times. The command will report failure if it cannot find its pattern the nth time, even if it has found an occurrence of the pattern before number n. A negative argument invokes search-reverse.
(search-reverse) search-reverse The command will search n times. The command will report failure if it cannot find its pattern the nth time, even if has found an occurrence of the pattern before number n. A negative argument invokes search-forward.
(select-buffer) select-buffer Without an argument, the buffer is simply displayed in the window. With an argument, the buffer is not only displayed, but also given the attribute INVISIBLE.
(set) set If using the set command interactively, preceding the command with a numeric argument then makes it unecessary for the command to ask for the variable's value (it will still ask for the variable's name). If used in a command line, then the command
set
is identical to
set
(set-fill-column) set-fill-column With an argument, the fill column is set to n. The default argument is 1.
(set-mark) set-mark Set mark number n. Without an argument, n defaults to 0.
(shrink-window) shrink-window A negative argument invokes grow-window. An argument of 0 causes no action.
(split-current-window) split-current-window With n = 1, the new upper window becomes the current window. Any other numeric argument makes the new lower window the current window. With no argument, the current window becomes the new upper or lower window depending upon whether the cursor was in the upper or lower half of the old window.
(store-macro) store-macro Since macroes are numbered, a numeric argument must be provided. These numbered macroes are being phased out in preference for named macroes.
(store-procedure) store-procedure If the command is provided a numeric argument, it will assume that store-macro is actually being called.
(trim-region)
trim-region
Without an argument, trim-region removes spaces and
tabs from the end of the lines between the mark and the cursor. With an
argument n, the commands trim n lines - forward if n is
positive, backwards if not.
abort-command
add-global-mode
add-mode
append-file
apropos
back-from-tag-word
begin-macro
beginning-of-file
beginning-of-line
bind-to-key
buffer-position
case-region-lower
case-region-upper
change-file-name
clear-message-line
copy-region
count-words
cycle-screens
delete-blank-lines
delete-buffer
delete-global-mode
delete-mode
delete-other-windows
delete-screen
delete-window
describe-bindings
describe-functions
describe-key
describe-variables
display
end-macro
end-of-file
end-of-line
execute-command-line
execute-program
fill-paragraph
filter-buffer
find-file
find-screen
goto-matching-fence
help
i-shell
incremental-search
insert-file
kill-region
macro-to-key
mouse-move-down
mouse-move-up
mouse-region-down
mouse-region-up
mouse-resize-screen
name-buffer
narrow-to-region
nop
pipe-command
print
re-tag-word
read-file
restore-window
reverse-incremental-search
save-file
save-window
set-encryption-key
shell-command
suspend-emacs
tag-word
transpose-characters
unbind-key
unmark-buffer
update-screen
view-file
widen-from-region
wrap-word
write-file
write-message
The following table lists all the hardware/compilers for which I currently support MicroEMACS. This is not exclusive of all machines which MicroEMACS will run on, but I have either run it myself, or had a first hand report of it running.
Hardware OS Compiler Comments VAX 780 UNIX V5 native UNIX V7 native BSD 4.2 native job control supported VMS native SMG & ANSI supportSUN SUNOS 3 & 4 native gcc
NCR Tower UNIX V5 native
IBM-RT PC BSD 4.3 native AIX native
HP9000 UNIX V5 native
Fortune 32:16 UNIX V7 native
IBM-PC MSDOS LATTICE 3 Large CODE/Large DATA 2.0 & 3.2 AZTEC 3.4e Large CODE/Large DATA TURBO C 2.0 LARGE memory model MSC 6.0 *MWC 86 SCO XENIX native
HP150 MSDOS Lattice 2.15 Function key labels Turbo C 2.0 for the touch screen
HP110 MSDOS Lattice 2.15 Aztec 3.4e Turbo C 2.0
*Data General 10 MSDOS Lattice 2.1 Texas Instruments Professional MSDOS Lattice 2.15
Amiga Intuition Lattice 3.03 Aztec 3.6
ST520 TOS Mark Williams C Spawns under MSH Lattice 3.1 (no shell commands)
Fujitsu FMR MSDOS MSC 6.0 series
NEC 9800 MSDOS Turbo 2.0 Function key support series MSC 6.0
HP3000 series MPE native
Systems to be supported (IE some code is already written:) Macintosh System 7 Lightspeed C
*means that I do not own or have access to the listed compiler and/or machine and must rely upon others to help support it.
All environments now support a set of machine independant bindings for function keys. Below is a list of these bindings (not all of these are supported on all systems).
Function keys in MicroEmacsfunction Function ^function Alt-function f1) FN1 S-FN1 FN^1 A-FN1 f2) FN2 S-FN2 FN^2 A-FN2 f3) FN3 S-FN3 FN^3 A-FN3 f4) FN4 S-FN4 FN^4 A-FN4 f5) FN5 S-FN5 FN^5 A-FN5 f6) FN6 S-FN6 FN^6 A-FN6 f7) FN7 S-FN7 FN^7 A-FN7 f8) FN8 S-FN8 FN^8 A-FN8 f9) FN9 S-FN9 FN^9 A-FN9 f10) FN0 S-FN0 FN^0 A-FN0
home) FN< FN^< CsUp) FNP FN^P PgUp) FNZ FN^Z CsLf) FNB FN^B 5 ) CsRt) FNF FN^F End) FN> FN^> CsDn) FNN FN^N PgDn) FNV FN^V Ins) FNC FN^C Del) FND FN^D
This appendix lists some notes specific to individual implementations of MicroEMACS. Every attempt has been made to allow EMACS to be identical on all machines, but we have also tried to take advantage of function keys, cursor keys, mice, and special screen modes where possible.
The IBM-PC family of computers is supported with a variety of different display adapters. EMACS will attempt to discover what adapter is connected and use the proper driver for it. Below is a list of the currently supported video adapters:
Adapter $sres Original mode used Monochrome Graphics Adapter MONO MONO Color Graphics Adapter CGA CGA CGA40 CGA40 Enhanced Graphics Adapter EGA CGA Video Graphics Adapter VGA CGA VGA12
If a driver for a Microsoft compatable mouse is installed on the system, EMACS will use the mouse in text mode and allow the user all the standard mouse functions. The mouse cursor will appear to be a block of color in the color opposite of it's background.
EMACS also takes advantage of various function keys and the keys on the keypad on an IBM-PC. The function keys are initially not bound to any particular functions (except by the emacs.rc startup file), but the keypad keys do default to the following:
Keypad key Function Home beginning-of-file CSRS UP previous-line Pg Up previous-page CSRS LEFT backward-character CSRS RIGHT forward-character End end-of-file CSRS DOWN next-line Pg Dn Next-page
All these special keys are indicated in EMACS macroes by use of the FN prefix. Below is a list of many of the keys and the codes used to specify them. Also the codes may be gotten by using the describe-key (^X ?) command on the suspect key.
To compile MicroEMACS under TURBO C, set the TURBO integrated environment with the following options:
Memory model LARGE Floating point NONE Default char type UNSIGNED Data alignment BYTE Merge duplicate strings ON Standard stack frame off Test stack overflow off
Optimize for SIZE Use register optimization ON Register optimization ON Jump optimization ON
Initialize segments OFF Stack warnings OFF
Names: Code names
Segment name *
This machine from Hewlett Packard is very unusual for an MSDOS machine. It has a touch screen and is very function key oriented. An additional command, label-function-key(label-function-key) allows you to place labels on the on screen function key labels. A numeric argument indicates which function key to label (one through eight) and then the program prompts for a 16 character label, which will be used as two lines of eight characters. To label function key three with "save file" from a macro, you would use:
Notice the 4 spaces after "save". This forces "file" to begin on
the second line of the label.
The ATARI ST family of computers have a dual personality. They may use either a monochrome or a color screen. EMACS supports two screen resolutions on each monitor.
When you set MicroEMACS up on your system, please remember to
install it on the desktop as a GEM application. If you have EMACS set
as a TOS application, the mouse will not function properly, and EMACS
will alert you to this problem by beeping the bell.
Monitor $sres size #color $palette format Color LOW 40x25 16 000111222333444555666777 MEDIUM 80x25 4 000111222333 Mono HIGH 80x25 2 000 DENSE 80x50 2 000
The $palette environment variable can be used to change what color is associated with each color name. With a color monitor, each group of three digits indicates an octal number specifying the RED, GREEN and BLUE levels of that color. Each color digit can vary from 0 to 7. For example, the initial setting of $palette in LOW resolution is:
000700070770007707077777which broken up is:
000 700 070 770 007 707 077 777
which means:
000 Black 700 Red 070 Green 770 Yellow 007 Blue 707 Magenta 077 Cyan 777 White
Also the mouse buttons are bound to mouse functions as described in the chapter about mice. The cursor keys and the function keys are bound similarly to IBM-PC.
Files generated by EMACS on the ATARI ST have a single return character at the end of each line, unlike the desktop files which want to have two returns. This makes it display files strangely from GEM's [SHOW] option, but makes the files port to other computers much nicer. When compiling MicroEMACS, the ADDCR symbol in estruct.h will cause emacs to generate line ending sequences compatible with GEM.
Currently, when operating under the Mark Williams MSH program,
EMACS can shell out and perform external commands. This capability will
be added later for the Beckmeyer shell and under GEMDOS.
The Commodore AMIGA 1000 version of MicroEMACS does fully support the mouse, window resizing and the close gadget. It runs in medium resolution, using the colors defined for the workbench.
If you are compiling the sources on the AMIGA to produce an
executable image, and you are using the Lattice compiler, be sure to
give the CLI command 'STACK 40000' before compiling to make sure the
compiler has sufficient stack space to successfully complete
compilation.
MicroEMACS under UNIX utilizes the TERMCAP (termcap) library to provide machine independent screen functions. Make sure that termcap is available and properly set on your account before attempting to use MicroEMACS.
Under systems which support job control, you can use the ^XD suspend-emacs (suspend-emacs) command to place EMACS into the background. This carries a much smaller overhead than bringing up a new shell under EMACS. EMACS will properly redraw the screen when you bring it back to the foreground.
If the symbol VT100 has been set to 1 in the estruct.h
options file, EMACS will recognize the key sequence
With the addition of some very machine/operating system specific code, EMACS can prevent two or more people from modifying the same file at the same time. (file locking) The upper level of a set of functions to provide file locking exist in the source file LOCK.C. It requires two machine specific functions written and linked into EMACS for it to operate properly.
char *dolock(fname)char *fname;
dolock() locks a file, preventing others from modifying it. If it succeeds, it returns NULL, otherwise it returns a pointer to a string in the form "LOCK ERROR: explanation".
char *undolock(fname)
char *fname;
undolock() unlocks a file, allowing others to modifying it. If it succeeds, it returns NULL, otherwise it returns a pointer to a string in the form "LOCK ERROR: explanation".
Depending upon the options set in ESTRUCT.H, MicroEMACS uses either the capabilities of VMS SMG, working with any terminal that is defined in SMGTERMS.TXT or TERMTABLE.TXT (see your SMG manual for more information), or the ANSI escape sequences. Full keyboard support, including function keys, is provided for VT100 and VT200 series compatible terminals. Mouse support is provided under the ANSI version only at this time. Mouse support is provided for the VSII workstation's VT220 terminal emulator, and other terminal emulators that use the same escape sequences for mouse control. (There is some partial support for the BBN BitGraph mouse sequences in the sources, but this is not yet complete). Terminals may have up to 100 lines and 160 columns.
The maximum terminal size is 256 columns and 72 rows. If you run MicroEMACS on a terminal that is larger than this, MicroEMACS will reduce it to these limits while you are editing.
$ SET TERM/HOSTSYNC/TTSYNC
before entering MicroEMACS. If you are on a VSII emulated workstation terminal, are using the SSU multi-session protocol (VT330 and VT340 with SSU enabled), or are certain that your terminal does not require XON/XOFF flow control, you should
$ SET TERM /HOSTSYNC/NOTTSYNC
This will allow you to use ^S and ^Q for MicroEMACS commands. Note that if you are using a VSII with VWS V3.2 or later, you must leave the /HOSTSYNC enabled in order for the cross/session cut and paste capability to work properly.
The VMS version understands the LK201 functions of VT200 series, vt300 series, and compatible terminals and terminal emulators, and allows you to bind to them as function keys. In addition, the VT100 numeric keypad, in application mode, is available as function keys. MicroEMACS will only put the keypad into application mode for you if the KEYPAD option is set in ESTRUCT.H. In this situation, MicroEmacs will detect your kepad's state, and restore it to that state upon exiting. If MicroEMACS has not been compiled with this option, you may still put the keypad into application mode by issuing the command "SET TERM /APPLICATION" before entering MicroEMACS.
VT200 keysNote that F1 through F5 are local function keys on DEC terminals.
F6 = FN6 FIND = FNS FN7 = FN7 INSERT = FNC F8 = FN8 REMOVE = FND F9 = FN9 SELECT = FN@ F10 = FN0 PREV = FNZ F11 = S-FN1 NEXT = FNV F12 = S-FN2 Arrow Up = FNP F13 = S-FN3 Arrow Down = FNN F14 = S-FN4 Arrow Right = FNF HELP (F15) = S-FN5 Arrow Left = FNB DO (F16) = S-FN6 F17 = S-FN7 F18 = S-FN8 F19 = S-FN9 F20 = S-FN0
VT100 and VT200 numeric keypad in application mode
PF1 = FN^1 PF2 = FN^2 PF3 = FN^3 PF4 = FN^4 7 = A-7 8 = A-8 9 = A-9 - = A-- 4 = A-4 5 = A-5 6 = A-6 , = A-, 1 = A-1 2 = A-2 3 = A-3 ENTER = A-E 0 = A-0 . = A-.
The VMS version contains code for interpreting function keys
that are sent as Ansi sequences that begin with the ESC character.
Because of this, MicroEMACS cannot process an incoming ESC until it
knows what character follows it. This can cause problems with
terminating search and replace strings. If you use ESC as the
meta-prefix character (which is the default) you must type one
additional keystroke following ESC before emacs will recognize that you
have edited the search command prompt, and are continuing. (The
additional character is processed normally be MicroEMACS, it is NOT
discarded.)
MicroEMACS must wait long enough for the network delay that might be involved between seeing the ESC and seeing the characters that follow it. If holding down one of the arrow keys causes characters to drop into your file, then you may want to alter the delay yourself. The logical variable MICROEMACS$SHORTWAIT may be set to vary that delay. The default delay is 400ms (4 tenths of a second). The equivalent value in MICROEMACS$SHORTWAIT is 4000000.
If you are using the BBN BitGraph, execute the following commands before entering MicroEMACS, and you will get mouse support:
$ esc[0,8] = 27 $ microemacs$mouse_enable == esc+":5;6;L"+esc+":0;63;;;;;;;;;9;16;c" $ microemacs$mouse_disable == esc+":5;1;L"+esc+":0;0c" $ exit
Do NOT do this for any other terminals.
VMS MicroEMACS will first search logical name MICROEMACS$LIB:, then SYS$LOGIN:, then the current directory, and finally "sys$sysdevice:[vmstools]" when looking for startup files or help files.
Please use MICROEMACS$LIB:, and allow the secondary search of [vmstools] to become archaic. If desired, MICROEMACS$LIB may be defined to be a VMS search list that first searches a user directory, and then a system directory.
Generally, you should create a private directory where you keep all your .CMD files, and in your LOGIN.COM $DEFINE a logical name to point to this area.
In addition to whatever commands you have in your EMACS.RC file, one command you should certainly include is "set $ssave FALSE". The "safe save" mechanism, which writes a buffer to a temporary file, deletes the old version of a file, and then moves the temporary file to its permanent name, works wonderfully on most systems, but makes no sense on VMS, which maintains older versions of a file.
1. MicroEMACS contains two images. ME.EXE is a small program for
starting and stopping the Emacs subprocess. The source for ME.
is in ME.C, and should not be linked into MESHR.EXE. MESHR.EXE
is the actual MicroEMACS image. The name "MESHR" is required for
MAIL/NOTES support, see next section for details.2. Make sure that the SYS$SHARE search list includes MESHR.EXE. If you
don't have the privilages to move MESHR.EXE into SYS$SHARE, you
can $ DEFINE the MESHR logical name to be the full name and location of
the MESHR.EXE program. For example, you could store all of these
programs in the MICROEMACS$LIB: search list, and say:
$ DEFINE MESHR microemacs$lib:meshr.exe
3. Put ME.EXE in MICROEMACS$LIB and the following line in your LOGIN.COM:
$ me :== $microemacs$lib:me
4. Put a line in your EMACS.RC that will
bind-to-key suspend-emacs ^C ; use your usual exit-emacs key
Now, use the "$ ME" command to invoke microemacs. Subseqeuent invocations in the same job will re-use the existing subprocess. You can use the full capabilty of the microemacs command line in the first and in all subsequent invocations of ME.
WARNING:
MicroEMACS will ALWAYS read in new copies of any files you specify on the command line, even if you are already editing it. If you edit a file a second time with the same MicroEMACS, you will get a NEW buffer with ANOTHER copy of the file. The old buffer is still there also. It is easy, in this situation, to accidently edit in a WRONG BUFFER, and if you write out an obsolete buffer, you will lose earlier edits!
This is considered a bug and may be fixed in a later version of MicroEMACS. To avoid this situation, do not specify a file on the command line if MicroEMACS already has that file in a buffer. Use the "find-file" MicroEMACS command instead.
Using MICROEMACS with MAIL and NOTES:
With VMS V5 and later versions, the MAIL interface to Microemacs is much simplified. With VMS V5, the MESHR.EXE image does NOT have to be installed as a known image to be used as a callable editor from MAIL. Therefore, to use MicroEMACS as your VMS MAIL editor, simply add the following lines to your LOGIN.COM:
$ DEFINE MAIL$EDIT CALLABLE_ME $ MAIL :== MAIL/EDIT
and make sure that the SYS$SHARE search list includes MESHR.EXE. If you don't have privs or permission to move MESHR.EXE into SYS$SHARE, you can $ DEFINE the MESHR logical name to be the full name and location of the MESHR.EXE program. For example, you could store all of these programs in the MICROEMACS$LIB: search list, and say:
$ DEFINE MESHR microemacs$lib:meshr.exe
Note that this is the same location as is required for using kept MicroEMACS.
To abort sending a message, exit MicroEMACS without writing out the mail message file.
To use MicroEMACS as your VAX NOTES editor, issue the following command to VAX NOTES:
NOTES> SET PROFILE/EDIT=(ME,CALL)
Note, if you are still in the dark ages of VMS V4, you will have to either install MESHR as a known image, or following the original "Second way" instructions given in the existing appendix F.6 of the older MicroEMACS manual (previous to version 3.10).
In the event that you cannot get your system manager to INSTALL MicroEMACS as known image, you can use the following technique:
1. In MICROEMACS$LIB:MEMAIL.COM, put the following command file:$! Use on VAX/VMS as MAIL$EDIT for using MicroEMACS as mail editor. $ if "''P1'" .NES. "_NL:" then if "''P1'" .NES. "" then copy 'P1' 'P2' $ define/user sys$input sys$output $ me 'P2' $ exit
This file may have come with your MicroEMACS kit.
2. In your LOGIN.COM, put the following lines:
$ me :== $MICROEMACS$LIB:MESHR.EXE ! Assumes meshr.exe is there $ define mail$edit microemacs$lib:me_edit.com
3. In NOTES, give the command
NOTES> SET PROFILE/EDIT=(@MicroEMACS$lib:me_edit.com,SPAWN)
System messages and EMACS MicroEMACS will intercept system broadcast messages and display them on the message line after any input from the user. These message are stored in an INVISIBLE buffer named [-messages-]. To view these at your convenience, use the following procedure:; ; Show any system messages MicroEMACS may have intercepted. ; The numeric prefix of pop-buffer ensures its invisibility. ; store-procedure "Show_messages" 1 pop-buffer "[-messages-]" !endm
Building MicroEMACS for VMS The configuration options are set in file estruct.h:
- Under the category of "Machine/OS definitions", set VMS to "1" and all others to "0".
- Under "Compiler definitions", set all selections to "0". Selecting VMS implies that you are using VAXC.
- Under "Special keyboard definitions", be sure "VT100" is set to "0". This option is not required for the VMS version, it is for other systems using ANSI terminal support. VMS in combination with SMG or ANSI already handles the special characteristics of Ansi keyboards.
- Under "Terminal Output definitions", set either ANSI or SMG to "1" and all others to "0". As stated previously, only ANSI supports the mouse at this time.
- Under "Configuration options", you may select as you wish, with the following notes:
- COLOR support does not exist for VMS, even when using color workstations. - MOUSE support should be enabled if you have any VSII workstations. Only supported under the ANSI driver. - KEYPAD support recognises whether your keypad is already in application mode or not, and puts your keypad in its correct state on exit. - XNONOFF automatically allows you to use control-S or control-Q in MicroEMACS, by disabling the TTSYNC characteristic. This option should not be set if MicroEMACS might be used on DecStations or VT100s. It also should not be used with slow terminals or terminal emulators connected to fast terminal lines. - RMSIO support should absolutely be used. This option allows the writing and reading of files in VMS's variable-length format, as opposed to STREAM-LF, and cuts down on file writing and reading time by approximately two thirds. - OPTMEM support may be used on VMS versions 5.0 and higher. It substitutes the C library's memory allocation calls for the native VAX calls, and gives a speed improvement.
If you have MMS, you can use the supplied DESCRIP.MMS to build MicroEMACS. Otherwise, the command file MEMAKE.COM has been provided. These files assume that you are using SMG as your terminal driver. If you are using ANSI, then you must replace SMG with ANSI in the command and opt files. If you do not have MMS or are missing MEMAKE.COM, simply compile each module with "CC", and link with the command:
$ LINK MESHR/OPTION/SHARE
Note that the executable filename must end in "SHR" in order for MicroEMACS to be used as a callable editor from MAIL or NOTES. (Method 1 above.)
If you edit any of the Emacs sources, note that any global or
external data must be declared as "noshare" in order for the VMS
callable editor support to work properly. This applies to all global
data used in the VMS version, but not to routines or to "static "data.
The "noshare" declaration is #define'd away on non-VMS systems. If you
fail to do this, VMS will not allow you to INSTALL MicroEMACS as a
sharable library.
The two environment variables, $cmode and $gmode, contain a number the corresponds to the modes set for the current buffer and the editor as a whole. These are encoded as the sum of the following numbers for each of the possible modes:
WRAP 1 Word wrap CMODE 2 C indentation and fence match SPELL 4 Interactive spell checking (Not Implemented Yet) EXACT 8 Exact matching for searches VIEW 16 Read-only buffer OVER 32 Overwrite mode MAGIC 64 Regular expressions in search CRYPT 128 Encryption mode active ASAVE 256 Auto-save mode
So, if you wished to set the current buffer to have CMODE, EXACT, and MAGIC on, and all the others off, you would add up the values for those three, CMODE 2 + EXACT 8 + MAGIC 64 = 74, and use a statement like:
set $cmode 74
or, use the binary or operator to combine the different modes:
set $cmode &bor &bor 2 8 64
Internal Flags
Some of the ways EMACS controls its internal functions can be modified by the value in the $gflags($gflags) environment variable. Each bit in this variable will be used to control a different function.
GFFLAG 1 If this bit is set to zero, EMACS will not automatically switch to the buffer of the first file after executing the startup macroes. GFSDRAW 2 If this bit is set to one, supress redraw events.
Current buffer flags
The $cbflags($cbflags) environment variable allows the user to modify some of the characteristics of the current buffer. The various characteristics are encoded as the sum of the following numbers:
BFINVS 1 Internal invisible buffer BFCHG 2 Changed since last write BFTRUNC 4 buffer was truncated when read BFNAROW 8 buffer has been narrowed
Only the invisible and changed flags can be modified by setting the $cbflags variable. The truncated file and narrowed flags are read only.