Select a new input method for the current buffer (@code{set-input-method}).
@item C-x \ @var{method} @key{RET}
-Temporarily enable the selected transient input method, and
-automatically disable it after inserting a single character
+Temporarily enable the selected transient input method ; it will be
+automatically disabled after inserting a single character
(@code{transient-input-method}).
@item C-h I @var{method} @key{RET}
@findex transient-input-method
@kindex C-x \
- To insert only a single character using a transient input method you
-can first select a transient input method by typing @kbd{C-u C-x \}.
-Then typing @kbd{C-x \} (@code{transient-input-method}) will
-temporarily enable the selected transient input method, and disable it
-automatically after using the activated input method to insert
-a single character. This is useful to insert a character from input
-methods with rare Unicode characters.
+ Sometimes it can be convenient to enable an input method
+@dfn{transiently}, for inserting only a single character. Typing
+@kbd{C-x \} (@code{transient-input-method}) will temporarily enable an
+input method, let you insert a single character using the input method
+rules, and then automatically disable the input method. If no
+transient input method was selected yet, @kbd{C-x \} will prompt you
+for an input method; subsequent invocations of this command will
+enable the selected transient input method. To select a different
+transient input method, type @kbd{C-u C-x \}. You can select a
+transient method that is different from the input method which you
+selected using @kbd{C-u C-\}.
@node Coding Systems
@section Coding Systems
** Input methods
+++
-*** 'C-x \' temporarily enables a transient input method.
-'C-u C-x \' can be used to select a transient input method, e.g.
-'C-u C-x \ compose RET' selects the 'compose' input method. Then typing
-'C-x \ 1 2' will insert the character '½', and disable the input method
-afterwards.
+*** Emacs now supports "transient" input methods.
+A transient input method is enabled for inserting a single character,
+and is then automatically disabled. 'C-x \' temporarily enables the
+selected transient input method. Use 'C-u C-x \' to select a
+transient input method (which can be different from the input method
+enabled by 'C-\'). For example, 'C-u C-x \ compose RET' selects the
+'compose' input method; then typing 'C-x \ 1 2' will insert the
+character '½', and disable the 'compose' input method afterwards.
---
*** New input method 'compose' based on X Multi_key sequences.
(defcustom transient-input-method nil
"Default transient input method.
-This is the input method activated automatically by the command
+This is the input method activated by the command
`transient-input-method' (\\[transient-input-method])."
:link '(custom-manual "(emacs)Input Methods")
:group 'mule
:type '(choice (const nil)
mule-input-method-string)
- :set-after '(current-language-environment))
+ :set-after '(current-language-environment)
+ :version "28.1")
(put 'input-method-function 'permanent-local t)
"Non-nil inside `toggle-input-method'.")
(defun transient-input-method (&optional arg interactive)
- "Enable transient input method for the current buffer."
+ "Enable a transient input method for the current buffer.
+If `transient-input-method' was not yet defined, prompt for it."
(interactive "P\np")
(when (or arg (not transient-input-method))
(let* ((default (or (car input-method-history) default-input-method))