Learning GNU Emacs, Second Edition

Summary

Now you know the basic commands for starting and stopping Emacs and for working with files. Chapter 2 builds on these commands to give you the skills you need for editing with Emacs. Table 1-3 summarizes the commands we covered in this chapter, including options from the Files and Help menus.

Table 2-3. File-Handling Commands

Keystrokes	Command Name	Action
C-x C-f	find-file	Find file and read it in a new buffer.
Files→Open File
C-x C-v	find-alternate-file	Read an alternate file, replacing the one read with C-x C-f.
C-x i	insert-file	Insert file at cursor position.
Files→Insert File
C-x C-s	save-buffer	Save file.
C-x C-w	write-file	Write buffer contents to file.
Files→Save Buffer As
C-x C-c	save-buffers-kill-emacs	Exit Emacs.
Files→Exit Emacs
C-h	help-command	Enter the online help system.
C-h f	describe-function	Gives online help for a given
Help→Describe Function		command name.
C-h k	describe-key	Gives online help for a given
Help→Describe Key		keystroke sequence.
C-h t	help-with-tutorial	Start the Emacs tutorial.
Help→Emacs Tutorial
C-h i	info-goto-emacs-command-node	Start the Info documentation reader.
Help→Browse Manuals

Problems You May Encounter

• Accidentally ending up in help. You pressed C-h (or a key mapped to C-h), the ASCII control sequence for backspacing. In Emacs, C-h is the help key. Press C-g to get out of help. You may want ...