NAME

emacs − display editor

SYNOPSIS

emacs filename

DESCRIPTION

emacs is a display editor used primarily for typing in and modifying documents, programs, or any other type of text.  emacs uses a display to interact with the user, which provides an accurate representation of the text as it is being changed.  emacs differs from other text editors in that a user of emacs can dynamically change emacs to suit his own needs. 

emacs divides a screen into several areas called windows, thus allowing more than one file to be edited at one time.  At the bottom of the terminal screen is a one-line area used for messages and questions from emacs. 

Each character the user types is normally interpreted by emacs as a command.  Each command has a long name that is bound to a particular key by the user.  For example, forward-character may be bound to the keys CTRL F . 

To get help when using emacs, the user can type the ESC key followed by a ?  (i.e., ESC ?)  causing emacs to prompt the user for a keyword.  All emacs commands (the long names) that pertain to the given keyword will be listed, along with the keys to which they are currently bound.  To get information on a particular command, the user can type the following:

ESC-Xdescribe-command command long name

For example:

ESC-Xdescribe-command forward-character

To create a buffer that lists all the default functions which are bound to the keyboard, the user can type the following:

ESC-Xdescribe-bindings

OPTIONS

emacs recognizes the following command line options:

−t ttynamecauses emacs to do its IO to the named tty.  ttyname is given without “/dev” prefix. 

−e funcnamecauses emacs to execute the named function when it starts up. 

−l filenamecauses emacs to load the named file when it starts up (this is done before the processing for −e). 

−ffast start.  Inhibits loading of all default startup files.  Files explicitly specified with −l switch are still loaded. 

−Rall files are read-only. 

−Lnnnspecify number of screen lines emacs should use.  Useful if you are on a slow dialup. 

−h[n]Turns HalfBaked on (n=1) or off (n=0).  Omitting the number turns it on.  If HalfBaked is on, emacs can potentially use ^S/^Q for flow control if the terminal needs it (see the −x option).  Flow control will actually be used only if the emacs variable xon/xoff-flow-control is turned on in some initialization file, e.g. .emacs_init. 

−x[n]Turns both Halfbaked and xon/xoff-flow-control on (n=1) or off (n=0).  Omitting the number turns them on.  This forces the terminal to use ^S/^Q flow control, unless some initialization file explicitly turns off xon/xoff-flow-control. 

+nnnstart editing at line nnn. 

+/patternlook for string (RE if full emacs). 

Switches and file names can be intermixed on the command line, so to avoid ambiguity there can be no spaces between switches and their arguments. 

SEE ALSO

For detailed information on how to use emacs and for the complete list of available commands, see the following documents:

emacs User’s Guide
emacs Reference Manual

Version 2.4  —  May 08, 1986