@kindex F1
Emacs provides extensive help features accessible through a single
-character, @kbd{C-h}. @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key that is used for
-commands that display documentation. The characters that you can type after
-@kbd{C-h} are called @dfn{help options}. One help option is @kbd{C-h};
-that is how you ask for help about using @kbd{C-h}. To cancel, type
-@kbd{C-g}. The function key @key{F1} is equivalent to @kbd{C-h}.
+character, @kbd{C-h} (or @key{F1}). @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key that is
+used for commands that display documentation. The characters that you
+can type after @kbd{C-h} are called @dfn{help options}. One help
+option is @kbd{C-h}; that is how you ask for help about using
+@kbd{C-h}. To cancel, type @kbd{C-g}. The function key @key{F1} is
+equivalent to @kbd{C-h}.
@kindex C-h C-h
@findex help-for-help
@kbd{C-h C-h} (@code{help-for-help}) displays a list of the possible
-help options, each with a brief description. Before you type a help
-option, you can use @key{SPC} or @key{DEL} to scroll through the list.
+help options, each with a brief description. You can look at the
+list, using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} to scroll through it, then type
+the help option you want. To cancel, type @kbd{C-g}.
@kbd{C-h} or @key{F1} means ``help'' in various other contexts as
well. After a prefix key, it displays a list of the alternatives that
pertinent to the feature you need. @xref{Library Keywords}.
@end table
- To find the documentation of a key sequence or a menu item, type
-@kbd{C-h K} and then type that key sequence or select the menu
-item. This looks up the description of the command invoked by the key
-or the menu in the appropriate manual (not necessarily the Emacs
-manual). Likewise, use @kbd{C-h F} for reading documentation of a
-command.
-
@menu
* Help Summary:: Brief list of all Help commands.
* Key Help:: Asking what a key does in Emacs.
Here is a summary of the Emacs interactive help commands.
@xref{Help Files}, for other help commands that just display a
-pre-written file of information.
+pre-written file of information. The character that follows
+@kbd{C-h} is a ``help option.''
@table @kbd
@item C-h a @var{topics} @key{RET}
@kindex C-h c
@findex describe-key-briefly
- The most basic @kbd{C-h} options are @kbd{C-h c}
+ The most basic @kbd{C-h} commands are @kbd{C-h c}
(@code{describe-key-briefly}) and @w{@kbd{C-h k}} (@code{describe-key}).
@kbd{C-h c @var{key}} displays in the echo area the name of the command
that @var{key} is bound to. For example, @kbd{C-h c C-f} displays
displays the documentation string of the command as well as its name.
This is too big for the echo area, so a window is used for the display.
- @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h k} work for any sort of key sequences,
-including function keys and mouse events.
+@kindex C-h K
+@findex Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node
+ To find the documentation of a key sequence, type @kbd{C-h K} and
+then enter that key sequence. This looks up the description of the
+command invoked by the key in whichever manual describes it (this need
+not be the Emacs manual). @kbd{C-h K} runs the command
+@code{Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node}.
+
+ @kbd{C-h c}, @kbd{C-h k} and @kbd{C-h K} work for any sort of key
+sequences, including function keys, menus, and mouse events. For
+instance, you can type @kbd{C-h k} and then select a menu item from
+the menu bar, to show the documentation string of the command that
+menu item runs.
@kindex C-h w
@findex where-is
hyperlinks to the definition, if you have the source files installed.
(@xref{Hyperlinking}.) If you know Lisp (or C), this provides the
ultimate documentation. If you don't know Lisp, you should learn it.
-If you are just @emph{using} Emacs, treating Emacs as an object
-(file), then you don't really love it. For true intimacy with your
-editor, you need to read the source code.
+(The Introduction to Emacs Lisp Programming, available from the FSF
+through fsf.org, is a good way to get started.) Emacs won't be happy
+if it feels you are just @emph{using} Emacs, treating it as an object
+program. If you really love Emacs, show that you care by reading the
+source code.
+
+@kindex C-h F
+@findex Info-goto-emacs-command-node
+ To find a specific function's documentation in a manual, use
+@kbd{C-h F} (@code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node}). This knows
+about various manuals, not just the Emacs manual, and finds the
+right one.
@node Apropos
@section Apropos
the support for a specific language environment. @xref{Language
Environments}. This tells you which languages this language
environment is useful for, and lists the character sets, coding
-systems, and input methods that go with it. It also shows some sample
-text to illustrate scripts.
+systems, and input methods that it operates on. It also shows some
+sample text to illustrate scripts.
The command @kbd{C-h h} (@code{view-hello-file}) displays the file
@file{etc/HELLO}, which shows how to say ``hello'' in many languages.
@item @key{SPC}
Scroll forward.
@item @key{DEL}
-@itemx @key{BS}
-Scroll backward. On some keyboards, this key is known as @key{BS} or
-@key{backspace}.
+Scroll backward.
@item @key{RET}
Follow a cross reference at point.
@item @key{TAB}
need to get to the documentation quickly, and you know the exact name
of the file.
-@kindex C-h F
-@kindex C-h K
-@findex Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node
-@findex Info-goto-emacs-command-node
- There are two special help commands for accessing Emacs
-documentation through Info. @kbd{C-h F @var{function} @key{RET}}
-enters Info and goes straight to the documentation of the Emacs
-function @var{function}. @kbd{C-h K @var{key}} enters Info and goes
-straight to the documentation of the key @var{key}. These two keys
-run the commands @code{Info-goto-emacs-command-node} and
-@code{Info-goto-emacs-key-command-node}. You can use @kbd{C-h K} to
-find the documentation of a menu item: just select that menu item when
-@kbd{C-h K} prompts for a key.
-
- @kbd{C-h F} and @kbd{C-h K} know about commands and keys described
-in manuals other than the Emacs manual. Thus, they make it easier to
-find the documentation of commands and keys when you are not sure
-which manual describes them, like when using some specialized mode.
+ The help commands @kbd{C-h F @var{function} @key{RET}} and @kbd{C-h
+K @var{key}}, described above, enter Info and go straight to the
+documentation of @var{function} or @var{key}.
@kindex C-h S
@findex info-lookup-symbol
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