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The emacs documentation uses some terms that it's useful to
understand. This document will use terms like window in the same
way as the emacs documentation does, rather the the way these
terms are usually used.
- Buffers -
-
emacs loads files into internal Buffers; it loads Files
but saves Buffers.
- Frames -
-
One emacs process can produce a number of X windows. Emacs
calls each of these windows a frame.
- Windows -
-
Each frame can be split into sections that emacs calls windows.
- Control Keys -
-
`M-'
means `hold the Extend char key down' (this key is called Meta in the
emacs documentation) and `C-' means `hold the CTRL key down'. In general,
CTRL key functions do standard things while Meta key functions do
something extra. For example, C-f advances by a letter and C-d deletes a
letter whereas the M- equivalents deal with word units. Using CTRL and
Meta together usually calls a more specialised activity.
- point -
-
The point is where the text cursor is.
- regexp -
-
A regexp is a Unix Regular Expression; i.e. a string for pattern
matching. Type man ed for more details on these, or look in
Emacs' own help system.
- Lisp -
-
Emacs is not a self-contained binary.
Many of emacs' commands are written in a language called Lisp. To call one of
these functions by name, type
M-x
function name. The files
containing these functions are in the directory /usr/src/editors/emacs/lisp.
You can write your own lisp functions, but nearly all users
will be able to do what they want without having to do this.
Tim Love
Wed Jul 1 14:08:45 BST 1998