Last edit
Changed:
< hypertext documentation in InfoMode. Users can also query
to
> hypertext documentation in InfoMode. You can also query
Changed:
< Ask Emacs itself about anything you see in it: a command, a key sequence, a menu item, or a term used in documentation.
to
> Ask Emacs itself about anything you see in it: a [[command]], a [[key sequence]], a menu item, or a term used in the documentation.
Changed:
< # The command `C-h k' will give the documentation on a command.
< # For humor, the command repeated twice -- `C-h k C-h k' -- will describe itself!
< # Use `C-h k' to have Emacs tell you about the related help commands `C-h f', `C-h v', `C-h w', `C-h m', `C-h b', `C-h a', and more. That is, type `C-h k', then type a key sequence you want to learn about.
to
> # The key sequence `C-h k' provides help about a command.
> # Use `C-h k' to have Emacs tell you about the related help commands `C-h f', `C-h v', `C-h w', `C-h m', `C-h b', `C-h a', `C-h k', and more. That is, type `C-h k', then type a key sequence you want to learn about.
Changed:
< * <code>C-h a</code> -- look for interactive [[Command]], unless preceded with the `C-u' (`universal-argument'), in which case functions are looked up too
< * <code>C-h i d m Emacs</code> -- this opens the EmacsManual in InfoMode; search the indices using <code>i</code> or search the complete text using <code>s</code> (if you need to do this, that probably indicates a bug in the index -- why not submit a bug report?)
< * <code>C-h k</code> -- followed by a key will tell you precisely what that key accomplishes, in the current context
< * <code>C-h c</code> -- displays in the EchoArea the function or command a given key does
< * <code>M-x apropos-documentation</code> -- search DocStrings of functions and variables -- see AproposMode
< * <code>C-h F</code> -- brings up the Emacs FAQ, search using <code>i</code> and <code>s</code> (see also the online version: OnlineResources)
< * <code>M-x apropos</code> -- searches all function and variable names -- see AproposMode
to
> * <code>C-h a</code> -- look for a [[command]], unless preceded by `C-u' (`universal-argument'), in which case non-interactive functions are looked up too
> * <code>C-h i d m Emacs</code> -- open the EmacsManual in InfoMode; search the indexes using <code>i</code>, or search the complete text using <code>s</code>
> * <code>C-h k</code> -- followed by a [[key]] will tell you what that key accomplishes in the current context
> * <code>C-h c</code> -- shows, in the [[echo area]], the command bound to a given key
> * <code>M-x apropos-documentation</code> -- search the [[doc string]]s of functions and [[variable]]s -- see AproposMode
> * <code>C-h F</code> -- bring up the Emacs FAQ -- search using <code>i</code> and <code>s</code> (see also the online version: OnlineResources)
> * <code>M-x apropos</code> -- search all function and variable names -- see AproposMode
Changed:
< * <code>C-h m</code> -- show the mode-specific help
< Also, if you can remember the key prefix of some command, typing
< <code>C-h</code> after the prefix will show you all commands with this
to
> * <code>C-h m</code> -- show help on the current mode
> If you can remember the key prefix of some command, typing
> <code>C-h</code> after the prefix shows you all commands with this
Changed:
< For instance, if you can remember that `C-x r' is the
< prefix for various [[register]] commands then typing `C-x r C-h' will give you the full list of all commands beginning with
< `C-x r' (which also happens to include some for managing
to
> For instance, if you can remember that <code>C-x r</code> is the
> prefix for various [[register]] commands, then typing <code>C-x r
> C-h</code> will give you the full list of all commands beginning with
> <code>C-x r</code> (which also happens to include some for managing
Emacs is an extensible self-documenting editor. A lot of the knowledge the user can be supplied with comes from documentation strings, or “DocStrings” among the code. Emacs also provides hypertext documentation in InfoMode. You can also query many of Emacs’s primitives and values with AproposMode.
Ask Emacs itself about anything you see in it: a command, a key sequence, a menu item, or a term used in the documentation.
Here’s how you can use Emacs to teach you Emacs.
‘C-h k’ provides help about a command.‘C-h k’ to have Emacs tell you about the related help commands ‘C-h f’, ‘C-h v’, ‘C-h w’, ‘C-h m’, ‘C-h b’, ‘C-h a’, ‘C-h k’, and more. That is, type ‘C-h k’, then type a key sequence you want to learn about.‘C-h f’, ‘C-h v’, ‘C-h a’, and so on to learn about everything Emacsian!You can access nearly all Emacs help through ‘C-h C-h’ (command ‘help-for-help’).
Here are some hints:
C-h a – look for a command, unless preceded by ‘C-u’ (‘universal-argument’), in which case non-interactive functions are looked up tooC-h i d m Emacs – open the EmacsManual in InfoMode; search the indexes using i, or search the complete text using sC-h k – followed by a key will tell you what that key accomplishes in the current contextC-h c – shows, in the echo area, the command bound to a given keyM-x apropos-documentation – search the doc strings of functions and variables – see AproposModeC-h F – bring up the Emacs FAQ – search using i and s (see also the online version: OnlineResources)M-x apropos – search all function and variable names – see AproposModeC-h p – check whether there is an appropriate package to loadC-h m – show help on the current modeIf you can remember the key prefix of some command, typing C-h after the prefix shows you all commands with this prefix (unless the prefix and C-h together is bound to one of the commands).
For instance, if you can remember that C-x r is the prefix for various register commands, then typing C-x r
C-h will give you the full list of all commands beginning with C-x r (which also happens to include some for managing rectangles).
For more information on obtaining help in Emacs, see EmacsNewbie.
A few tricks for extending the self-documentation of new functions and tools are :
‘quoted’ terms in DocStrings to identify related functions. (from CodingStyle)‘C-h m’ (‘describe-mode’) shows the mode’s keymap.