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1.1 root 1: This is Info file ../info/emacs, produced by Makeinfo-1.49 from the
2: input file emacs.texi.
3:
4: This file documents the GNU Emacs editor.
5:
6: Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1988, 1992 Richard M. Stallman.
7:
8: Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
9: manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
10: preserved on all copies.
11:
12: Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
13: this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
14: that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto", "Distribution" and "GNU
15: General Public License" are included exactly as in the original, and
16: provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the
17: terms of a permission notice identical to this one.
18:
19: Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
20: manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
21: versions, except that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto",
22: "Distribution" and "GNU General Public License" may be included in a
23: translation approved by the author instead of in the original English.
24:
25:
26: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Motion, Next: Rmail Deletion, Prev: Rmail Scrolling, Up: Rmail
27:
28: Moving Among Messages
29: =====================
30:
31: The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to
32: do this in Rmail is to make the message current. You can make any
33: message current given its message number using the `j' command, but the
34: usual thing to do is to move sequentially through the file, since this
35: is the order of receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are
36: positioned at the first new message (new messages are those received
37: since the previous use of Rmail), or at the last message if there are
38: no new messages this time. Move forward to see the other new messages;
39: move backward to reexamine old messages.
40:
41: `n'
42: Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening
43: deleted messages (`rmail-next-undeleted-message').
44:
45: `p'
46: Move to the previous nondeleted message
47: (`rmail-previous-undeleted-message').
48:
49: `M-n'
50: Move to the next message, including deleted messages
51: (`rmail-next-message').
52:
53: `M-p'
54: Move to the previous message, including deleted messages
55: (`rmail-previous-message').
56:
57: `j'
58: Move to the first message. With argument N, move to message
59: number N (`rmail-show-message').
60:
61: `>'
62: Move to the last message (`rmail-last-message').
63:
64: `M-s REGEXP RET'
65: Move to the next message containing a match for REGEXP
66: (`rmail-search'). If REGEXP is empty, the last regexp used is
67: used again.
68:
69: `- M-s REGEXP RET'
70: Move to the previous message containing a match for REGEXP. If
71: REGEXP is empty, the last regexp used is used again.
72:
73: `n' and `p' are the usual way of moving among messages in Rmail.
74: They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over deleted
75: messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command
76: definitions are named `rmail-next-undeleted-message' and
77: `rmail-previous-undeleted-message'. If you do not want to skip deleted
78: messages--for example, if you want to move to a message to undelete
79: it--use the variants `M-n' and `M-p' (`rmail-next-message' and
80: `rmail-previous-message'). A numeric argument to any of these commands
81: serves as a repeat count.
82:
83: In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing the digits.
84: It is not necessary to type `C-u' first.
85:
86: The `M-s' (`rmail-search') command is Rmail's version of search. The
87: usual incremental search command `C-s' works in Rmail, but it searches
88: only within the current message. The purpose of `M-s' is to search for
89: another message. It reads a regular expression (*note Regexps::.)
90: nonincrementally, then searches starting at the beginning of the
91: following message for a match. The message containing the match is
92: selected.
93:
94: To search backward in the file for another message, give `M-s' a
95: negative argument. In Rmail this can be done with `- M-s'.
96:
97: It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. *Note
98: Rmail Labels::.
99:
100: To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use `j'
101: (`rmail-show-message') with the message number as argument. With no
102: argument, `j' selects the first message. `>' (`rmail-last-message')
103: selects the last message.
104:
105: Each time Rmail selects a message, it calls (with no arguments) the
106: value of the variable `rmail-show-message-hook', if that is non-`nil'.
107:
108:
109: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Deletion, Next: Rmail Inbox, Prev: Rmail Motion, Up: Rmail
110:
111: Deleting Messages
112: =================
113:
114: When you no longer need to keep a message, you can "delete" it. This
115: flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands will pretend it is no
116: longer present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still
117: has its message number.
118:
119: "Expunging" the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages.
120: The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the
121: only action that changes the message number of any message, except for
122: undigestifying (*note Rmail Digest::.).
123:
124: `d'
125: Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message
126: (`rmail-delete-forward').
127:
128: `C-d'
129: Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted
130: message (`rmail-delete-backward').
131:
132: `u'
133: Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and
134: undelete it (`rmail-undelete-previous-message').
135:
136: `x'
137: `e'
138: Expunge the Rmail file (`rmail-expunge'). These two commands are
139: synonyms.
140:
141: There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the
142: current message and select another message. `d'
143: (`rmail-delete-forward') moves to the following message, skipping
144: messages already deleted, while `C-d' (`rmail-delete-backward') moves
145: to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted message
146: to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just
147: deleted remains current.
148:
149: To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file,
150: type `e' (`rmail-expunge'). Until you do this, you can still "undelete"
151: the deleted messages.
152:
153: To undelete, type `u' (`rmail-undelete-previous-message'), which is
154: designed to cancel the effect of a `d' command (usually). It undeletes
155: the current message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it
156: moves backward to previous messages until a deleted message is found,
157: and undeletes that message.
158:
159: You can usually undo a `d' with a `u' because the `u' moves back to
160: and undeletes the message that the `d' deleted. But this does not work
161: when the `d' skips a few already-deleted messages that follow the
162: message being deleted; then the `u' command will undelete the last of
163: the messages that were skipped. There is no clean way to avoid this
164: problem. However, by repeating the `u' command, you can eventually get
165: back to the message that you intended to undelete. You can also reach
166: that message with `M-p' commands and then type `u'.
167:
168: A deleted message has the `deleted' attribute, and as a result
169: `deleted' appears in the mode line when the current message is deleted.
170: In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than adding
171: or removing this attribute. *Note Rmail Labels::.
172:
173:
174: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Inbox, Next: Rmail Files, Prev: Rmail Deletion, Up: Rmail
175:
176: Rmail Files and Inboxes
177: =======================
178:
179: Unix places incoming mail for you in a file that we call your
180: "inbox". When you start up Rmail, it copies the new messages from your
181: inbox into your primary mail file, an Rmail file, which also contains
182: other messages saved from previous Rmail sessions. It is in this file
183: that you actually read the mail with Rmail. This operation is called
184: "getting new mail". It can be repeated at any time using the `g' key in
185: Rmail. The inbox file name is `/usr/spool/mail/USERNAME' in Berkeley
186: Unix, `/usr/mail/USERNAME' in System V.
187:
188: There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes.
189:
190: 1. The format in which Unix delivers the mail in the inbox is not
191: adequate for Rmail mail storage. It has no way to record
192: attributes (such as `deleted') or user-specified labels; it has no
193: way to record old headers and reformatted headers; it has no way
194: to record cached summary line information.
195:
196: 2. It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of
197: losing mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail
198: delivery. Moreover, different Unix systems use different
199: interlocking techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the
200: inbox once and for all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need
201: for interlocking in all the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail
202: operates on the Rmail file.
203:
204: When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox
205: file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it deletes
206: the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail
207: between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail.
208:
209: Copying mail from an inbox in the system's mailer directory actually
210: puts it in an intermediate file `~/.newmail'. This is because the
211: interlocking is done by a C program that copies to another file.
212: `~/.newmail' is deleted after mail merging is successful. If there is
213: a crash at the wrong time, this file will continue to exist and will be
214: used as an inbox the next time you get new mail.
215:
216:
217: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Files, Next: Rmail Output, Prev: Rmail Inbox, Up: Rmail
218:
219: Multiple Mail Files
220: ===================
221:
222: Rmail operates by default on your "primary mail file", which is named
223: `~/RMAIL' and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file.
224: But you can also have other mail files and edit them with Rmail. These
225: files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move
226: messages into them by explicit command in Rmail (*note Rmail Output::.).
227:
228: `i FILE RET'
229: Read FILE into Emacs and run Rmail on it (`rmail-input').
230:
231: `M-x set-rmail-inbox-list RET FILES RET'
232: Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from.
233:
234: `g'
235: Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes
236: (`rmail-get-new-mail').
237:
238: `C-u g FILE'
239: Merge new mail from inbox file FILE.
240:
241: To run Rmail on a file other than your primary mail file, you may
242: use the `i' (`rmail-input') command in Rmail. This visits the file,
243: puts it in Rmail mode, and then gets new mail from the file's inboxes
244: if any. You can also use `M-x rmail-input' even when not in Rmail.
245:
246: The file you read with `i' does not have to be in Rmail file format.
247: It could also be Unix mail format, or `mmdf' format; or it could be a
248: mixture of all three, as long as each message belongs to one of the
249: three formats. Rmail recognizes all three and converts all the
250: messages to proper Rmail format before showing you the file.
251:
252: Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can
253: specify this list with `M-x set-rmail-inbox-list RET FILES RET'. The
254: argument can contain any number of file names, separated by commas. It
255: can also be empty, which specifies that this file should have no
256: inboxes. Once a list of inboxes is specified, the Rmail file remembers
257: it permanently until it is explicitly changed.
258:
259: If an Rmail file has inboxes, new mail is merged in from the inboxes
260: when the Rmail file is brought into Rmail, and when the `g'
261: (`rmail-get-new-mail') command is used. If the Rmail file specifies no
262: inboxes, then no new mail is merged in at these times. A special
263: exception is made for your primary mail file in using the standard
264: system inbox for it if it does not specify any.
265:
266: To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the `g'
267: key a numeric argument, as in `C-u g'. Then it reads a file name and
268: merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or changed in
269: any way when `g' with an argument is used. This is, therefore, a
270: general way of merging one file of messages into another.
271:
272:
273: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Output, Next: Rmail Labels, Prev: Rmail Files, Up: Rmail
274:
275: Copying Messages Out to Files
276: =============================
277:
278: `o FILE RET'
279: Append a copy of the current message to the file FILE, writing it
280: in Rmail file format (`rmail-output-to-rmail-file').
281:
282: `C-o FILE RET'
283: Append a copy of the current message to the file FILE, writing it
284: in Unix mail file format (`rmail-output').
285:
286: If an Rmail file has no inboxes, how does it get anything in it? By
287: explicit `o' commands.
288:
289: `o' (`rmail-output-to-rmail-file') appends the current message in
290: Rmail format to the end of the specified file. This is the best command
291: to use to move messages between Rmail files. If the other Rmail file is
292: currently visited, the copying is done into the other file's Emacs
293: buffer instead. You should eventually save it on disk.
294:
295: The `C-o' (`rmail-output') command in Rmail appends a copy of the
296: current message to a specified file, in Unix mail file format. This is
297: useful for moving messages into files to be read by other mail
298: processors that do not understand Rmail format.
299:
300: Copying a message with `o' or `C-o' gives the original copy of the
301: message the `filed' attribute, so that `filed' appears in the mode line
302: when such a message is current.
303:
304: Normally you should use only `o' to output messages to other Rmail
305: files, never `C-o'. But it is also safe if you always use `C-o', never
306: `o'. When a file is visited in Rmail, the last message is checked, and
307: if it is in Unix format, the entire file is scanned and all Unix-format
308: messages are converted to Rmail format. (The reason for checking the
309: last message is that scanning the file is slow and most Rmail files
310: have only Rmail format messages.) If you use `C-o' consistently, the
311: last message is sure to be in Unix format, so Rmail will convert all
312: messages properly.
313:
314: The case where you might want to use `C-o' always, instead of `o'
315: always, is when you or other users want to append mail to the same file
316: from other mail processors. Other mail processors probably do not know
317: Rmail format but do know Unix format.
318:
319: In any case, always use `o' to add to an Rmail file that is being
320: visited in Rmail. Adding messages with `C-o' to the actual disk file
321: will trigger a "simultaneous editing" warning when you ask to save the
322: Emacs buffer, and will be lost if you do save.
323:
324:
325: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Labels, Next: Rmail Summary, Prev: Rmail Output, Up: Rmail
326:
327: Labels
328: ======
329:
330: Each message can have various "labels" assigned to it as a means of
331: classification. A label has a name; different names mean different
332: labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular
333: message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to
334: messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels
335: are called "attributes". All other labels are assigned by the user.
336:
337: `a LABEL RET'
338: Assign the label LABEL to the current message (`rmail-add-label').
339:
340: `k LABEL RET'
341: Remove the label LABEL from the current message
342: (`rmail-kill-label').
343:
344: `C-M-n LABELS RET'
345: Move to the next message that has one of the labels LABELS
346: (`rmail-next-labeled-message').
347:
348: `C-M-p LABELS RET'
349: Move to the previous message that has one of the labels LABELS
350: (`rmail-previous-labeled-message').
351:
352: `C-M-l LABELS RET'
353: Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels LABELS
354: (`rmail-summary-by-labels').
355:
356: Specifying an empty string for one these commands means to use the last
357: label specified for any of these commands.
358:
359: The `a' (`rmail-add-label') and `k' (`rmail-kill-label') commands
360: allow you to assign or remove any label on the current message. If the
361: LABEL argument is empty, it means to assign or remove the same label
362: most recently assigned or removed.
363:
364: Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish,
365: there are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries.
366:
367: The command `C-M-n LABELS RET' (`rmail-next-labeled-message') moves
368: to the next message that has one of the labels LABELS. LABELS is one
369: or more label names, separated by commas. `C-M-p'
370: (`rmail-previous-labeled-message') is similar, but moves backwards to
371: previous messages. A preceding numeric argument to either one serves
372: as a repeat count.
373:
374: The command `C-M-l LABELS RET' (`rmail-summary-by-labels') displays
375: a summary containing only the messages that have at least one of a
376: specified set of messages. The argument LABELS is one or more label
377: names, separated by commas. *Note Rmail Summary::, for information on
378: summaries.
379:
380: If the LABELS argument to `C-M-n', `C-M-p' or `C-M-l' is empty, it
381: means to use the last set of labels specified for any of these commands.
382:
383: Some labels such as `deleted' and `filed' have built-in meanings and
384: are assigned to or removed from messages automatically at appropriate
385: times; these labels are called "attributes". Here is a list of Rmail
386: attributes:
387:
388: `unseen'
389: Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages
390: when they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is
391: made current.
392:
393: `deleted'
394: Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and
395: removed by undeletion commands (*note Rmail Deletion::.).
396:
397: `filed'
398: Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by
399: the file output commands (*note Rmail Files::.).
400:
401: `answered'
402: Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the
403: `r' command (`rmail-reply'). *Note Rmail Reply::.
404:
405: `forwarded'
406: Means you have forwarded the message to other users. Assigned by
407: the `f' command (`rmail-forward'). *Note Rmail Reply::.
408:
409: `edited'
410: Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. *Note
411: Rmail Editing::.
412:
413: All other labels are assigned or removed only by the user, and it is
414: up to the user to decide what they mean.
415:
416:
417: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Summary, Next: Rmail Reply, Prev: Rmail Labels, Up: Rmail
418:
419: Summaries
420: =========
421:
422: A "summary" is a buffer containing one line per message that Rmail
423: can make and display to give you an overview of the mail in an Rmail
424: file. Each line shows the message number, the sender, the labels, and
425: the subject. When the summary buffer is selected, various commands can
426: be used to select messages by moving in the summary buffer, or delete
427: or undelete messages.
428:
429: A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are
430: editing multiple Rmail files, they have separate summary buffers. The
431: summary buffer name is made by appending `-summary' to the Rmail
432: buffer's name. Only one summary buffer will be displayed at a time
433: unless you make several windows and select the summary buffers by hand.
434:
435: * Menu:
436:
437: * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries.
438: * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary.
439:
440:
441: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Make Summary, Next: Rmail Summary Edit, Prev: Rmail Summary, Up: Rmail Summary
442:
443: Making Summaries
444: ----------------
445:
446: Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file.
447: Summaries do not update automatically; to make an updated summary, you
448: must use one of these commands again.
449:
450: `h'
451: `C-M-h'
452: Summarize all messages (`rmail-summary').
453:
454: `l LABELS RET'
455: `C-M-l LABELS RET'
456: Summarize message that have one or more of the specified labels
457: (`rmail-summary-by-labels').
458:
459: `C-M-r RCPTS RET'
460: Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified
461: recipients (`rmail-summary-by-recipients').
462:
463: The `h' or `C-M-h' (`rmail-summary') command fills the summary buffer
464: for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the
465: file. It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window.
466:
467: `C-M-l LABELS RET' (`rmail-summary-by-labels') makes a partial
468: summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the
469: labels LABELS. LABELS should contain label names separated by commas.
470:
471: `C-M-r RCPTS RET' (`rmail-summary-by-recipients') makes a partial
472: summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the
473: recipients RCPTS. RCPTS should contain mailing addresses separated by
474: commas.
475:
476: Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file;
477: making one kind of summary discards any previously made summary.
478:
479:
480: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Summary Edit, Prev: Rmail Make Summary, Up: Rmail Summary
481:
482: Editing in Summaries
483: --------------------
484:
485: Summary buffers are given the major mode Rmail Summary mode, which
486: provides the following special commands:
487:
488: `j'
489: Select the message described by the line that point is on
490: (`rmail-summary-goto-msg').
491:
492: `C-n'
493: Move to next line and select its message in Rmail
494: (`rmail-summary-next-all').
495:
496: `C-p'
497: Move to previous line and select its message
498: (`rmail-summary-previous-all').
499:
500: `n'
501: Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its
502: message (`rmail-summary-next-msg').
503:
504: `p'
505: Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select
506: its message (`rmail-summary-previous-msg').
507:
508: `d'
509: Delete the current line's message, then do like `n'
510: (`rmail-summary-delete-forward').
511:
512: `u'
513: Undelete and select this message or the previous deleted message in
514: the summary (`rmail-summary-undelete').
515:
516: `SPC'
517: Scroll the other window (presumably Rmail) forward
518: (`rmail-summary-scroll-msg-up').
519:
520: `DEL'
521: Scroll the other window backward (`rmail-summary-scroll-msg-down').
522:
523: `x'
524: Kill the summary window (`rmail-summary-exit').
525:
526: `q'
527: Exit Rmail (`rmail-summary-quit').
528:
529: The keys `C-n' and `C-p' are modified in Rmail Summary mode so that
530: in addition to moving point in the summary buffer they also cause the
531: line's message to become current in the associated Rmail buffer. That
532: buffer is also made visible in another window if it is not already so.
533:
534: `n' and `p' are similar to `C-n' and `C-p', but skip lines that say
535: `message deleted'. They are like the `n' and `p' keys of Rmail itself.
536: Note, however, that in a partial summary these commands move only
537: among the message listed in the summary.
538:
539: The other Emacs cursor motion commands are not changed in Rmail
540: Summary mode, so it is easy to get the point on a line whose message is
541: not selected in Rmail. This can also happen if you switch to the Rmail
542: window and switch messages there. To get the Rmail buffer back in sync
543: with the summary, use the `j' (`rmail-summary-goto-msg') command, which
544: selects in Rmail the message of the current summary line.
545:
546: Deletion and undeletion can also be done from the summary buffer.
547: They always work based on where point is located in the summary buffer,
548: ignoring which message is selected in Rmail. `d'
549: (`rmail-summary-delete-forward') deletes the current line's message,
550: then moves to the next line whose message is not deleted and selects
551: that message. The inverse of this is `u' (`rmail-summary-undelete'),
552: which moves back (if necessary) to a line whose message is deleted,
553: undeletes that message, and selects it in Rmail.
554:
555: When moving through messages with the summary buffer, it is
556: convenient to be able to scroll the message while remaining in the
557: summary window. The commands SPC (`rmail-summary-scroll-msg-up') and DEL
558: (`rmail-summary-scroll-msg-down') do this. They scroll the message just
559: as those same keys do when the Rmail buffer is selected.
560:
561: When you are finished using the summary, type `x'
562: (`rmail-summary-exit') to kill the summary buffer's window.
563:
564: You can also exit Rmail while in the summary. `q'
565: (`rmail-summary-quit') kills the summary window, then saves the Rmail
566: file and switches to another buffer.
567:
568:
569: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Reply, Next: Rmail Editing, Prev: Rmail Summary, Up: Rmail
570:
571: Sending Replies
572: ===============
573:
574: Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail.
575: *Note Sending Mail::, for information on using Mail mode. What are
576: documented here are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail
577: mode. Note that the usual keys for sending mail, `C-x m' and `C-x 4 m',
578: are available in Rmail mode and work just as they usually do.
579:
580: `m'
581: Send a message (`rmail-mail').
582:
583: `c'
584: Continue editing already started outgoing message
585: (`rmail-continue').
586:
587: `r'
588: Send a reply to the current Rmail message (`rmail-reply').
589:
590: `f'
591: Forward current message to other users (`rmail-forward').
592:
593: The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply
594: to the message you are reading. To do this, type `r' (`rmail-reply').
595: This displays the `*mail*' buffer in another window, much like `C-x 4
596: m', but preinitializes the `Subject', `To', `CC' and `In-reply-to'
597: header fields based on the message being replied to. The `To' field is
598: given the sender of that message, and the `CC' gets all the recipients
599: of that message (but recipients that match elements of the list
600: `rmail-dont-reply-to' are omitted; by default, this list contains your
601: own mailing address).
602:
603: If you don't want to include the other recipients in the `cc' field,
604: you can use a prefix argument to the `r' command. In Rmail, you can do
605: this with `1 r'.
606:
607: Once you have initialized the `*mail*' buffer this way, sending the
608: mail goes as usual (*note Sending Mail::.). You can edit the
609: presupplied header fields if they are not right for you.
610:
611: One additional Mail mode command is available when mailing is invoked
612: from Rmail: `C-c C-y' (`mail-yank-original') inserts into the outgoing
613: message a copy of the current Rmail message; normally this is the
614: message you are replying to, but you can also switch to the Rmail
615: buffer, select a different message, switch back, and yank new current
616: message. Normally the yanked message is indented four spaces and has
617: most header fields deleted from it; an argument to `C-c C-y' specifies
618: the amount to indent, and `C-u C-c C-y' does not indent at all and does
619: not delete any header fields.
620:
621: Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to forward the
622: current message to other users. `f' (`rmail-forward') makes this easy
623: by preinitializing the `*mail*' buffer with the current message as the
624: text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All you have to
625: do is fill in the recipients and send.
626:
627: The `m' (`rmail-mail') command is used to start editing an outgoing
628: message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. Its
629: only difference from `C-x 4 m' is that it makes the Rmail buffer
630: accessible for `C-c y', just as `r' does. Thus, `m' can be used to
631: reply to or forward a message; it can do anything `r' or `f' can do.
632:
633: The `c' (`rmail-continue') command resumes editing the `*mail*'
634: buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were already
635: composing, or to alter a message you have sent.
636:
637:
638: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Editing, Next: Rmail Digest, Prev: Rmail Reply, Up: Rmail
639:
640: Editing Within a Message
641: ========================
642:
643: Rmail mode provides a few special commands for moving within and
644: editing the current message. In addition, the usual Emacs commands are
645: available (except for a few, such as `C-M-n' and `C-M-h', that are
646: redefined by Rmail for other purposes). However, the Rmail buffer is
647: normally read-only, and to alter it you must use the Rmail command `w'
648: described below.
649:
650: `t'
651: Toggle display of original headers (`rmail-toggle-headers').
652:
653: `w'
654: Edit current message (`rmail-edit-current-message').
655:
656: Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it.
657: Normally this involves deleting most header fields, on the grounds that
658: they are not interesting. The variable `rmail-ignored-headers' should
659: contain a regexp that matches the header fields to discard in this way.
660: The original headers are saved permanently, and to see what they look
661: like, use the `t' (`rmail-toggle-headers') command. This discards the
662: reformatted headers of the current message and displays it with the
663: original headers. Repeating `t' reformats the message again. Selecting
664: the message again also reformats.
665:
666: The Rmail buffer is normally read-only, and most of the characters
667: you would type to modify it (including most letters) are redefined as
668: Rmail commands. This is usually not a problem since it is rare to want
669: to change the text of a message. When you do want to do this, the way
670: is to type `w' (`rmail-edit-current-message'), which changes from Rmail
671: mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the same
672: as Text mode. The mode line illustrates this change.
673:
674: In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail
675: commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message
676: and are ready to go back to Rmail, type `C-c C-c', which switches back
677: to Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel
678: all the editing that you have done by typing `C-c C-]'.
679:
680: Entering Rmail Edit mode calls with no arguments the value of the
681: variable `text-mode-hook', if that value exists and is not `nil'; then
682: it does the same with the variable `rmail-edit-mode-hook'. It adds the
683: attribute `edited' to the message.
684:
685:
686: File: emacs, Node: Rmail Digest, Prev: Rmail Editing, Up: Rmail
687:
688: Digest Messages
689: ===============
690:
691: A "digest message" is a message which exists to contain and carry
692: several other messages. Digests are used on moderated mailing lists;
693: all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time such
694: as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the
695: subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer
696: time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total
697: size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail
698: transmission is considerable.
699:
700: When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read
701: it is to "undigestify" it: to turn it back into many individual
702: messages. Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it
703: suits you.
704:
705: To undigestify a message, select it and then type `M-x
706: undigestify-rmail-message'. This copies each submessage as a separate
707: Rmail message and inserts them all following the digest. The digest
708: message itself is flagged as deleted.
709:
710:
711: File: emacs, Node: Recursive Edit, Next: Narrowing, Prev: Rmail, Up: Top
712:
713: Recursive Editing Levels
714: ========================
715:
716: A "recursive edit" is a situation in which you are using Emacs
717: commands to perform arbitrary editing while in the middle of another
718: Emacs command. For example, when you type `C-r' inside of a
719: `query-replace', you enter a recursive edit in which you can change the
720: current buffer. On exiting from the recursive edit, you go back to the
721: `query-replace'.
722:
723: "Exiting" the recursive edit means returning to the unfinished
724: command, which continues execution. For example, exiting the recursive
725: edit requested by `C-r' in `query-replace' causes query replacing to
726: resume. Exiting is done with `C-M-c' (`exit-recursive-edit').
727:
728: You can also "abort" the recursive edit. This is like exiting, but
729: also quits the unfinished command immediately. Use the command `C-]'
730: (`abort-recursive-edit') for this. *Note Quitting::.
731:
732: The mode line shows you when you are in a recursive edit by
733: displaying square brackets around the parentheses that always surround
734: the major and minor mode names. Every window's mode line shows this,
735: in the same way, since being in a recursive edit is true of Emacs as a
736: whole rather than any particular buffer.
737:
738: It is possible to be in recursive edits within recursive edits. For
739: example, after typing `C-r' in a `query-replace', you might type a
740: command that entered the debugger. In such circumstances, two or more
741: sets of square brackets appear in the mode line. Exiting the inner
742: recursive edit (such as, with the debugger `c' command) would resume
743: the command where it called the debugger. After the end of this
744: command, you would be able to exit the first recursive edit. Aborting
745: also gets out of only one level of recursive edit; it returns
746: immediately to the command level of the previous recursive edit. So
747: you could immediately abort that one too.
748:
749: Alternatively, the command `M-x top-level' aborts all levels of
750: recursive edits, returning immediately to the top level command reader.
751:
752: The text being edited inside the recursive edit need not be the same
753: text that you were editing at top level. It depends on what the
754: recursive edit is for. If the command that invokes the recursive edit
755: selects a different buffer first, that is the buffer you will edit
756: recursively. In any case, you can switch buffers within the recursive
757: edit in the normal manner (as long as the buffer-switching keys have
758: not been rebound). You could probably do all the rest of your editing
759: inside the recursive edit, visiting files and all. But this could have
760: surprising effects (such as stack overflow) from time to time. So
761: remember to exit or abort the recursive edit when you no longer need it.
762:
763: In general, GNU Emacs tries to avoid using recursive edits. It is
764: usually preferable to allow the user to switch among the possible
765: editing modes in any order he likes. With recursive edits, the only
766: way to get to another state is to go "back" to the state that the
767: recursive edit was invoked from.
768:
769:
770: File: emacs, Node: Narrowing, Next: Sorting, Prev: Recursive Edit, Up: Top
771:
772: Narrowing
773: =========
774:
775: "Narrowing" means focusing in on some portion of the buffer, making
776: the rest temporarily invisible and inaccessible. Cancelling the
777: narrowing, and making the entire buffer once again visible, is called
778: "widening". The amount of narrowing in effect in a buffer at any time
779: is called the buffer's "restriction".
780:
781: `C-x n'
782: Narrow down to between point and mark (`narrow-to-region').
783:
784: `C-x w'
785: Widen to make the entire buffer visible again (`widen').
786:
787: When you have narrowed down to a part of the buffer, that part
788: appears to be all there is. You can't see the rest, you can't move
789: into it (motion commands won't go outside the visible part), you can't
790: change it in any way. However, it is not gone, and if you save the
791: file all the invisible text will be saved. In addition to sometimes
792: making it easier to concentrate on a single subroutine or paragraph by
793: eliminating clutter, narrowing can be used to restrict the range of
794: operation of a replace command or repeating keyboard macro. The word
795: `Narrow' appears in the mode line whenever narrowing is in effect.
796:
797: The primary narrowing command is `C-x n' (`narrow-to-region'). It
798: sets the current buffer's restrictions so that the text in the current
799: region remains visible but all text before the region or after the
800: region is invisible. Point and mark do not change.
801:
802: Because narrowing can easily confuse users who do not understand it,
803: `narrow-to-region' is normally a disabled command. Attempting to use
804: this command asks for confirmation and gives you the option of enabling
805: it; once you enable the command, confirmation will no longer be
806: required for it. *Note Disabling::.
807:
808: The way to undo narrowing is to widen with `C-x w' (`widen'). This
809: makes all text in the buffer accessible again.
810:
811: You can get information on what part of the buffer you are narrowed
812: down to using the `C-x =' command. *Note Position Info::.
813:
814:
815: File: emacs, Node: Sorting, Next: Shell, Prev: Narrowing, Up: Top
816:
817: Sorting Text
818: ============
819:
820: Emacs provides several commands for sorting text in the buffer. All
821: operate on the contents of the region (the text between point and the
822: mark). They divide the text of the region into many "sort records",
823: identify a "sort key" for each record, and then reorder the records
824: into the order determined by the sort keys. The records are ordered so
825: that their keys are in alphabetical order, or, for numeric sorting, in
826: numeric order. In alphabetic sorting, all upper case letters `A'
827: through `Z' come before lower case `a', in accord with the ASCII
828: character sequence.
829:
830: The various sort commands differ in how they divide the text into
831: sort records and in which part of each record is used as the sort key.
832: Most of the commands make each line a separate sort record, but some
833: commands use paragraphs or pages as sort records. Most of the sort
834: commands use each entire sort record as its own sort key, but some use
835: only a portion of the record as the sort key.
836:
837: `M-x sort-lines'
838: Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the entire
839: text of a line. A prefix argument means sort into descending
840: order.
841:
842: `M-x sort-paragraphs'
843: Divide the region into paragraphs, and sort by comparing the entire
844: text of a paragraph (except for leading blank lines). A prefix
845: argument means sort into descending order.
846:
847: `M-x sort-pages'
848: Divide the region into pages, and sort by comparing the entire
849: text of a page (except for leading blank lines). A prefix
850: argument means sort into descending order.
851:
852: `M-x sort-fields'
853: Divide the region into lines, and sort by comparing the contents of
854: one field in each line. Fields are defined as separated by
855: whitespace, so the first run of consecutive non-whitespace
856: characters in a line constitutes field 1, the second such run
857: constitutes field 2, etc.
858:
859: You specify which field to sort by with a numeric argument: 1 to
860: sort by field 1, etc. A negative argument means sort into
861: descending order. Thus, minus 2 means sort by field 2 in
862: reverse-alphabetical order.
863:
864: If two lines are equal in the field being compared, their relative
865: order in the text is not changed. This enables you to sort by
866: multiple keys: sort first by the least significant key, then by
867: the next-to-least key, and so on, ending with the most important
868: key.
869:
870: `M-x sort-numeric-fields'
871: Like `M-x sort-fields' except the specified field is converted to
872: a number for each line, and the numbers are compared. `10' comes
873: before `2' when considered as text, but after it when considered
874: as a number.
875:
876: `M-x sort-columns'
877: Like `M-x sort-fields' except that the text within each line used
878: for comparison comes from a fixed range of columns. See below for
879: an explanation.
880:
881: For example, if the buffer contains
882:
883: On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
884: implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
885: whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
886: saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
887: the buffer.
888:
889: then if you apply `M-x sort-lines' to the entire buffer you get
890:
891: On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
892: implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
893: saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
894: the buffer.
895: whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
896:
897: where the upper case `O' comes before all lower case letters. If you
898: apply instead `C-u 2 M-x sort-fields' you get
899:
900: implemented, Emacs also checks the first time you modify a buffer
901: saved. If it has, you are asked to confirm that you want to change
902: the buffer.
903: On systems where clash detection (locking of files being edited) is
904: whether the file has changed on disk since it was last visited or
905:
906: where the sort keys were `Emacs', `If', `buffer', `systems' and `the'.
907:
908: `M-x sort-columns' requires more explanation. You specify the
909: columns by putting point at one of the columns and the mark at the other
910: column. Because this means you cannot put point or the mark at the
911: beginning of the first line to sort, this command uses an unusual
912: definition of `region': all of the line point is in is considered part
913: of the region, and so is all of the line the mark is in.
914:
915: For example, to sort a table by information found in columns 10 to
916: 15, you could put the mark on column 10 in the first line of the table,
917: and point on column 15 in the last line of the table, and then use this
918: command. Or you could put the mark on column 15 in the first line and
919: point on column 10 in the last line.
920:
921: This can be thought of as sorting the rectangle specified by point
922: and the mark, except that the text on each line to the left or right of
923: the rectangle moves along with the text inside the rectangle. *Note
924: Rectangles::.
925:
926:
927: File: emacs, Node: Shell, Next: Hardcopy, Prev: Sorting, Up: Top
928:
929: Running Shell Commands from Emacs
930: =================================
931:
932: Emacs has commands for passing single command lines to inferior shell
933: processes; it can also run a shell interactively with input and output
934: to an Emacs buffer `*shell*'.
935:
936: `M-!'
937: Run a specified shell command line and display the output
938: (`shell-command').
939:
940: `M-|'
941: Run a specified shell command line with region contents as input;
942: optionally replace the region with the output
943: (`shell-command-on-region').
944:
945: `M-x shell'
946: Run a subshell with input and output through an Emacs buffer. You
947: can then give commands interactively.
948:
949: * Menu:
950:
951: * Single Shell:: How to run one shell command and return.
952: * Interactive Shell:: Permanent shell taking input via Emacs.
953: * Shell Mode:: Special Emacs commands used with permanent shell.
954:
955:
956: File: emacs, Node: Single Shell, Next: Interactive Shell, Prev: Shell, Up: Shell
957:
958: Single Shell Commands
959: ---------------------
960:
961: `M-!' (`shell-command') reads a line of text using the minibuffer
962: and creates an inferior shell to execute the line as a command.
963: Standard input from the command comes from the null device. If the
964: shell command produces any output, the output goes into an Emacs buffer
965: named `*Shell Command Output*', which is displayed in another window
966: but not selected. A numeric argument, as in `M-1 M-!', directs this
967: command to insert any output into the current buffer. In that case,
968: point is left before the output and the mark is set after the output.
969:
970: `M-|' (`shell-command-on-region') is like `M-!' but passes the
971: contents of the region as input to the shell command, instead of no
972: input. If a numeric argument is used, meaning insert output in the
973: current buffer, then the old region is deleted first and the output
974: replaces it as the contents of the region.
975:
976: Both `M-!' and `M-|' use `shell-file-name' to specify the shell to
977: use. This variable is initialized based on your `SHELL' environment
978: variable when Emacs is started. If the file name does not specify a
979: directory, the directories in the list `exec-path' are searched; this
980: list is initialized based on the environment variable `PATH' when Emacs
981: is started. Your `.emacs' file can override either or both of these
982: default initializations.
983:
984: With `M-!' and `M-|', Emacs has to wait until the shell command
985: completes. You can quit with `C-g'; that terminates the shell command.
986:
987:
988: File: emacs, Node: Interactive Shell, Next: Shell Mode, Prev: Single Shell, Up: Shell
989:
990: Interactive Inferior Shell
991: --------------------------
992:
993: To run a subshell interactively, putting its typescript in an Emacs
994: buffer, use `M-x shell'. This creates (or reuses) a buffer named
995: `*shell*' and runs a subshell with input coming from and output going
996: to that buffer. That is to say, any "terminal output" from the subshell
997: will go into the buffer, advancing point, and any "terminal input" for
998: the subshell comes from text in the buffer. To give input to the
999: subshell, go to the end of the buffer and type the input, terminated by
1000: RET.
1001:
1002: Emacs does not wait for the subshell to do anything. You can switch
1003: windows or buffers and edit them while the shell is waiting, or while
1004: it is running a command. Output from the subshell waits until Emacs
1005: has time to process it; this happens whenever Emacs is waiting for
1006: keyboard input or for time to elapse.
1007:
1008: If you would like multiple subshells, change the name of buffer
1009: `*shell*' to something different by using `M-x rename-buffer'. The
1010: next use of `M-x shell' will create a new buffer `*shell*' with its own
1011: subshell. By renaming this buffer as well you can create a third one,
1012: and so on. All the subshells run independently and in parallel.
1013:
1014: The file name used to load the subshell is the value of the variable
1015: `explicit-shell-file-name', if that is non-`nil'. Otherwise, the
1016: environment variable `ESHELL' is used, or the environment variable
1017: `SHELL' if there is no `ESHELL'. If the file name specified is
1018: relative, the directories in the list `exec-path' are searched (*note
1019: Single Shell Commands: Single Shell.).
1020:
1021: As soon as the subshell is started, it is sent as input the contents
1022: of the file `~/.emacs_SHELLNAME', if that file exists, where SHELLNAME
1023: is the name of the file that the shell was loaded from. For example,
1024: if you use `csh', the file sent to it is `~/.emacs_csh'; if you use the
1025: Bourne-Again shell, the file sent to it is `~/.emacs_bash'.
1026:
1027: `cd', `pushd' and `popd' commands given to the inferior shell are
1028: watched by Emacs so it can keep the `*shell*' buffer's default
1029: directory the same as the shell's working directory. These commands
1030: are recognized syntactically by examining lines of input that are sent.
1031: If you use aliases for these commands, you can tell Emacs to recognize
1032: them also. For example, if the value of the variable
1033: `shell-pushd-regexp' matches the beginning of a shell command line,
1034: that line is regarded as a `pushd' command. Change this variable when
1035: you add aliases for `pushd'. Likewise, `shell-popd-regexp' and
1036: `shell-cd-regexp' are used to recognize commands with the meaning of
1037: `popd' and `cd'. These commands are recognized only at the beginning
1038: of a shell command line.
1039:
1040: If Emacs gets an error while trying to handle what it believes is a
1041: `cd', `pushd' or `popd' command, and the value of
1042: `shell-set-directory-error-hook' is non-`nil', that value is called as
1043: a function with no arguments.
1044:
1045:
1046: File: emacs, Node: Shell Mode, Prev: Interactive Shell, Up: Shell
1047:
1048: Shell Mode
1049: ----------
1050:
1051: The shell buffer uses Shell mode, which defines several special keys
1052: attached to the `C-c' prefix. They are chosen to resemble the usual
1053: editing and job control characters present in shells that are not under
1054: Emacs, except that you must type `C-c' first. Here is a complete list
1055: of the special key bindings of Shell mode:
1056:
1057: `RET'
1058: At end of buffer, send line as input; otherwise, copy current line
1059: to end of buffer and send it (`send-shell-input'). When a line is
1060: copied, any text at the beginning of the line that matches the
1061: variable `shell-prompt-pattern' is left out; this variable's value
1062: should be a regexp string that matches the prompts that you use in
1063: your subshell.
1064:
1065: `C-c C-d'
1066: Send end-of-file as input, probably causing the shell or its
1067: current subjob to finish (`shell-send-eof').
1068:
1069: `C-c C-u'
1070: Kill all text that has yet to be sent as input
1071: (`kill-shell-input').
1072:
1073: `C-c C-w'
1074: Kill a word before point (`backward-kill-word').
1075:
1076: `C-c C-c'
1077: Interrupt the shell or its current subjob if any
1078: (`interrupt-shell-subjob').
1079:
1080: `C-c C-z'
1081: Stop the shell or its current subjob if any (`stop-shell-subjob').
1082:
1083: `C-c C-\'
1084: Send quit signal to the shell or its current subjob if any
1085: (`quit-shell-subjob').
1086:
1087: `C-c C-o'
1088: Delete last batch of output from shell (`kill-output-from-shell').
1089:
1090: `C-c C-r'
1091: Scroll top of last batch of output to top of window
1092: (`show-output-from-shell').
1093:
1094: `C-c C-y'
1095: Copy the previous bunch of shell input, and insert it into the
1096: buffer before point (`copy-last-shell-input'). No final newline
1097: is inserted, and the input copied is not resubmitted until you type
1098: RET.
1099:
1100:
1101: File: emacs, Node: Hardcopy, Next: Dissociated Press, Prev: Shell, Up: Top
1102:
1103: Hardcopy Output
1104: ===============
1105:
1106: The Emacs commands for making hardcopy derive their names from the
1107: Unix commands `print' and `lpr'.
1108:
1109: `M-x print-buffer'
1110: Print hardcopy of current buffer using Unix command `print' (`lpr
1111: -p'). This makes page headings containing the file name and page
1112: number.
1113:
1114: `M-x lpr-buffer'
1115: Print hardcopy of current buffer using Unix command `lpr'. This
1116: makes no page headings.
1117:
1118: `M-x print-region'
1119: Like `print-buffer' but prints only the current region.
1120:
1121: `M-x lpr-region'
1122: Like `lpr-buffer' but prints only the current region.
1123:
1124: All the hardcopy commands pass extra switches to the `lpr' program
1125: based on the value of the variable `lpr-switches'. Its value should be
1126: a list of strings, each string a switch starting with `-'. For
1127: example, the value could be `("-Pfoo")' to print on printer `foo'. You
1128: can specify an alternative command to run instead of `lpr' by setting
1129: the variable `lpr-command'.
1130:
1131:
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