UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition

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Previous: 7.3 Summary of Commands by KeyChapter 7
The Emacs Editor
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7.4 Summary of Commands by Name

The emacs commands below are presented alphabetically by command name. Use M-x to access the command name. Reminder: C- indicates the Control key; M- indicates the Meta key.

Command Name

Keystrokes

Description

macroname

(none)

Execute a keyboard macro you've saved.

abbrev-mode

(none)

Enter (or exit) word abbreviation mode.

advertised-undo

C-x u

Undo last edit (can be done repeatedly).

apropos

(none)

What functions and variables involve this concept?

back-to-indentation

M-m

Move cursor to first non-blank character on line.

backward-char

C-b

Move backward one character (left).

backward-delete-char

Del

Delete previous character.

backward-kill-paragraph

(none)

Delete previous paragraph.

backward-kill-sentence

C-x Del

Delete previous sentence.

backward-kill-word

C-c C-w

Erase previous word.

backward-kill-word

M-Del

Delete previous word.

backward-page

C-x [

Move backward one page.

backward-paragraph

M-{

Move backward one paragraph.

backward-sentence

M-a

Move backward one sentence.

backward-word

M-b

Move backward one word.

beginning-of-buffer

M-<

Move to beginning of file.

beginning-of-line

C-a

Move to beginning of line.

call-last-kbd-macro

C-x e

Execute last macro defined.

capitalize-region

(none)

Capitalize region.

capitalize-word

M-c

Capitalize first letter of word.

center-line

M-s

Center line that cursor is on.

center-paragraph

(none)

Center paragraph that cursor is on.

center-region

(none)

Center currently defined region.

comint-interrupt-subjob

C-c C-c

Terminate the current job.

comint-kill-input

C-c C-u

Erase current line.

comint-send-eof

C-c C-d

End of file character.

comint-stop-subjob

C-c C-z

Suspend current job.

command-apropos

C-h a

What commands involve this concept?

compare-windows

(none)

Compare two buffers; show first difference.

delete-char

C-d

Delete character under cursor.

delete-indentation

M-^

Join this line to previous one.

delete-other-windows

C-x 1

Delete all windows but this one.

delete-window

C-x 0

Delete current window.

delete-windows-on

(none)

Delete all windows on a given buffer.

describe-bindings

C-h b

What are all the key bindings for in this buffer?

describe-copying

C-h C-c

View the emacs General Public License.

describe-distribution

C-h C-d

View information on ordering emacs from the FSF.

describe-function

C-h f

What does this function do?

describe-key

C-h k

What command does this keystroke sequence run, and what does it do?

describe-key-briefly

C-h c

What command does this keystroke sequence run?

describe-mode

C-h m

Tell me about the mode the current buffer is in.

describe-no-warranty

C-h C-w

View the (non-)warranty for emacs.

describe-syntax

C-h s

What is the syntax table for this buffer?

describe-variable

C-h v

What does this variable mean, and what is its value?

digit-argument and call-last-kbd-macro

M-n C-x e

Execute the last defined macro, n times.

digit-argument

M-n

Repeat next command, n times.

downcase-region

C-x C-l

Lowercase region.

downcase-word

M-l

Lowercase word.

edit-abbrevs

(none)

Edit word abbreviations.

end-kbd-macro

C-x )

End macro definition.

end-of-buffer

M->

Move to end of file.

end-of-line

C-e

Move to end of line.

enlarge-window

C-x ^

Make window taller.

enlarge-window-horizontally

C-x }

Make window wider.

exchange-point-and-mark

C-x C-x

Exchange location of cursor and mark.

exit-recursive-edit

M-C-c

Exit a recursive edit.

fill-individual-paragraphs

(none)

Reformat indented paragraphs, keeping indentation.

fill-paragraph

M-q

Reformat paragraph.

fill-region

(none)

Reformat individual paragraphs within a region.

find-alternate-file

C-x C-v

Read an alternate file, replacing the one read with C-x C-f.

find-file

C-x C-f

Find file and read it.

find-file-other-frame

C-x 5 f

Find a file in a new frame.

find-file-other-window

C-x 4 f

Find a file in the other window.

forward-char

C-f

Move forward one character (right).

forward-page

C-x ]

Move forward one page.

forward-paragraph

M-}

Move forward one paragraph.

forward-sentence

M-e

Move forward one sentence.

forward-word

M-f

Move forward one word.

goto-char

(none)

Go to character n of file.

goto-line

(none)

Go to line n of file.

help-command

C-h

Enter the online help system.

help-with-tutorial

C-h t

Run the emacs tutorial.

indent-region

M-C-\

Indent a region to match first line in region.

indented-text-mode

(none)

Major mode: each tab defines a new indent for subsequent lines.

info

C-h i

Start the Info documentation reader.

insert-file

C-x i

Insert file at cursor position.

insert-keyboard-macro

(none)

Insert the macro you named into a file.

inverse-add-global-abbrev

C-x a i g

Type global abbreviation, then definition.

inverse-add-local-abbrev

C-x a i l

Type local abbreviation, then definition.

isearch-backward

C-r

Start incremental search backward.

isearch-backward-regexp

C-r

Same, but search for regular expression.

isearch-forward

C-s

Start incremental search forward.

isearch-forward-regexp

C-r

Same, but search for regular expression.

kbd-macro-query

C-x q

Insert a query in a macro definition.

keyboard-quit

C-g

Abort current command.

kill-all-abbrevs

(none)

Kill abbreviations for this session.

kill-buffer

C-x k

Delete the buffer specified.

kill-line

C-k

Delete from cursor to end of line.

kill-paragraph

(none)

Delete from cursor to end of paragraph.

kill-region

C-w

Delete a marked region.

kill-sentence

M-k

Delete sentence the cursor is on.

kill-some-buffers

(none)

Ask about deleting each buffer.

kill-word

M-d

Delete word the cursor is on.

list-abbrevs

(none)

View word abbreviations.

list-buffers

C-x C-b

Display buffer list.

load-file

(none)

Load macro files you've saved.

mark-page

C-x C-p

Mark page.

mark-paragraph

M-h

Mark paragraph.

mark-whole-buffer

C-x h

Mark buffer.

name-last-kbd-macro

(none)

Name last macro you created (before saving it).

negative-argument; capitalize-word

M-- M-c

Capitalize previous word.

negative-argument; downcase-word

M-- M-l

Lowercase previous word.

negative-argument; upcase-word

M-- M-u

Uppercase previous word.

next-line

C-n

Move to next line (down).

other-window

C-x o

Move to the other window.

previous-line

C-p

Move to previous line (up).

query-replace-regexp

C-% Meta

Query-replace a regular expression.

recenter

C-l

Redraw screen, with current line in center.

rename-buffer

(none)

Change buffer name to specified name.

replace-regexp

(none)

Replace a regular expression unconditionally.

re-search-backward

(none)

Simple regular expression search backward.

re-search-forward

(none)

Simple regular expression search forward.

revert-buffer

(none)

Restore buffer to the state it was in when the file was last saved (or auto-saved).

save-buffer

C-x C-s

Save file (may hang terminal; use C-q to restart).

save-buffers-kill-emacs

C-x C-c

Exit emacs.

save-some-buffers

C-x s

Ask whether to save each modified buffer.

scroll-down

M-v

Move backward one screen.

scroll-left

C-x <

Scroll the window left.

scroll-other-window

M-C-v

Scroll other window.

scroll-right

C-x >

Scroll the window right.

scroll-up

C-v

Move forward one screen.

set-fill-prefix

C-x .

Use characters from the beginning of the line up to the cursor column as the "fill prefix." This prefix is prepended to each line in the paragraph. Cancel the prefix by typing this command in column 1.

set-mark-command

C-@ or C-Space

Mark the beginning (or end) of a region.

shrink-window

(none)

Make window shorter.

shrink-window-horizontally

C-x {

Make window narrower.

spell-buffer

(none)

Check spelling of current buffer.

spell-region

(none)

Check spelling of current region.

spell-string

(none)

Check spelling of string typed in minibuffer.

spell-word

M-$

Check spelling of word after cursor.

split-line

M-C-o

Split line at cursor; indent to column of cursor.

split-window-vertically

C-x 2

Divide the current window into two, one on top of the other.

split-window-horizontally

C-x 3

Divide the current window into two, side by side.

start-kbd-macro

C-x (

Start macro definition.

suspend-emacs

C-z

Suspend emacs (use exit or fg to restart).

switch-to-buffer

C-x b

Move to the buffer specified.

switch-to-buffer-other-frame

C-x 5 b

Select a buffer in another frame.

switch-to-buffer-other-window

C-x 4 b

Select a buffer in the other window.

text-mode

(none)

Exit indented text mode; return to text mode.

transpose-chars

C-t

Transpose two letters.

transpose-lines

C-x C-t

Transpose two lines.

transpose-paragraphs

(none)

Transpose two paragraphs.

transpose-sentences

(none)

Transpose two sentences.

transpose-words

M-t

Transpose two words.

unexpand-abbrev

(none)

Undo the last word abbreviation.

universal-argument

C-u n

Repeat the next command n times.

universal-argument and start-kbd-macro

C-u C-x (

Execute last macro defined, then add keystrokes to it.

upcase-region

C-x C-u

Uppercase region.

upcase-word

M-u

Uppercase word.

view-emacs-news

C-h n

View news about updates to emacs.

view-lossage

C-h l

What are the last 100 characters I typed?

where-is

C-h w

What is the key binding for this command?

write-abbrev-file

(none)

Write the word abbreviation file.

write-file

C-x C-w

Write buffer contents to file.

yank

C-y

Restore what you've deleted.


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