From LILUG

Handy Emacs Tidbits

Assembled by Matt Surico, LILUG

Getting Help

C-h t	Starts the tutorial
C-h a regexp	Gives "apropos" help
C-h i	Runs "info"
C-h f function	gives help on the function
C-h k	Gives help on a key
C-h C-h	Shows all the subsystems in help (including t,a,i,f,k above)

File Basics

C-x C-f filename	Opens filename for editing
C-x C-r filename	Opens filename read-only
C-x C-s	saves a buffer to the file in the buffer
C-x C-w filename	saves the buffer to filename

Moving Around

C-a	Go to beginning of line
M-a	Go to beginning of sentence
C-e	Go to end of line
M-e	Go to end of sentence
C-f	Go forward one character
M-f	Go forward one word
C-b	Go backwards one character
M-b	Go backwards one word
C-n	Go down one line
C-p	Go up one line
M-r	Go to middle of window
M-<	Go to beginning of buffer
M->	Go to end of buffer
C-v	Move down one window's worth of buffer
M-v	Move up one window's worth of buffer
M-{	Go to beginning of paragraph
M-}	Go to end of paragraph

Working in the Minibuffer

M-x	command runs command
C-g	quits the command

Using Numerical Arguments to Commands

M-number key-sequence	Runs key-sequence that number of times
C-u number key-sequence	Does the same thing
C-u key-sequence	Uses 4 as the default
C-u's can be strung together (e.g., C-u C-u C-n moves down 16 lines)

Generally Important Stuff

C-x u	Undo
C-x C-s	Save
C-d	Erase one character (the one after point)
M-d	Kill one word (from after point to the end of the word)
C-k	Kill from after point to the end of the line
C-x C-c	Quit Emacs
C-z	Suspend Emacs (character mode)
C-z C-z	Suspend Emacs (X Window System mode)
C-t	transpose characters on either side of point
M-t	transpose words on either side of point

Regions

A region is an area of the buffer which you can define and then run commands against. Defining a region is usually done by setting the mark and then moving point.

C-< SPC >	sets the mark
C-@	also sets the mark
C-x C-x	exchanges mark and point
C-w	kill the region (which removes it)
M-w	place the region into the kill ring without removing it
C-x C-u	convert the region to upper-case
C-x C-l	convert the region to lower-case

The Kill Ring

Each string of characters "killed" is added to the bottom of the kill ring.

C-y	yanks back last killed text
M-y	yanks the text killed prior to the last killed text

Searching/Replacing

C-s	performs a search forward
C-r	performs a search backwards
< DEL >	corrects mistakes while typing in a search string
C-s	(after a previous C-s) re-runs the search
M-p	moves backwards one on the search ring (similar to the kill ring)
M-n	moves forwards one on the search ring
M-x replace-string < RET > string < RET >
M-x replace-regexp < RET > regexp < RET >

Spell Checking (ispell)

M-$	ispell word
M-x	ispell-buffer
M-x	ispell-region

Version Control

M-x version-control never	(default) keeps one original ~ copy of your file
M-x version-control t	keeps numbered copies of your file changes

Buffers

C-x b buffer	change to default buffer
C-x C-b	lists all buffers
C-x k buffer	kills buffer buffer
M-x edit-tab-stops

Multiple Windows

C-x 2	splits the Emacs frame into 2 windows
C-x 3	splits the Emacs frame into 3 windows
C-x o	switch to other window
M-x compare-windows
C-x 1	make this window the only visible window
C-x 0	make the other window the only visible window

Keyboard Macros

C-x (	begins a keyboard macro editing session
C-x )	ends a keyboard macro editing session
C-x e	runs the keyboard macro you last defined
C-x C-k	edits last defined keyboard macro

Dired

C-x d	opens dired
flagging:
d	flags a file for deletion
u	removes the flag
x	actually deletes a flagged file
~	flag all Emacs ~ backups for deletion
.	flag "excess" numbered Emacs backups for deletion
f	visit the file under the cursor
o	visit the file under the cursor in another window
v	view the file under the cursor
marking:
m	marks a file
*	marks all executables
@	marks all symbolic links
/	marks all directories
%u	changes all marked files to upper-case
%l	changes all marked files to lower-case
%R from-name to-name	renames marked file
%C from-name to-name	copies marked file
=	runs diff on the file at point and the file marked

The Calendar

M-x calendar	opens the calendar
C-f	move forward one day
C-b	move backward one day
C-n	move forward one week
C-p	move backward one week
M-}	move forward one month
M-{	move backward one month
C-x ]	move forward one year
C-x [	move backward one year
C-a	move to beginning of week
C-e	move to end of week
M-a	move to beginning of the month
M-e	move to end of the month
g d	go to date (which is typed in via prompts)
.	go to today
M-=	display number of days in the current region
p d	display day in the year (i.e. date n out of 365/6)
M	displays three months of moon phases
q	quits the calendar