one comes earlier in the text; each time you move point, the region
changes.
- When the mark is @dfn{active}, Emacs indicates the extent of the
-region by highlighting the text within it, using the @code{region}
-face (@pxref{Face Customization}). After certain non-motion commands,
+ Setting the mark at a position in the text also @dfn{activates} it.
+When the mark is active, Emacs indicates the extent of the region by
+highlighting the text within it, using the @code{region} face
+(@pxref{Face Customization}). After certain non-motion commands,
including any command that changes the text in the buffer, Emacs
automatically @dfn{deactivates} the mark; this turns off the
highlighting. You can also explicitly deactivate the mark at any
@table @kbd
@item C-@key{SPC}
-Set the mark at point (@code{set-mark-command}).
+Set the mark at point, and activate it (@code{set-mark-command}).
@item C-@@
The same.
@item C-x C-x
@kindex C-@@
@findex set-mark-command
The most common way to set the mark is with @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
-(@code{set-mark-command}), which sets the mark where point
-is@footnote{There is no @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} character in
-@acronym{ASCII}; usually, typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} on a text terminal
-gives the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is also bound to
-@code{set-mark-command}, so unless you are unlucky enough to have an
-text terminal that behaves differently, you might as well think of
-@kbd{C-@@} as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}.}. You can then move point away,
-leaving the mark behind.
+(@code{set-mark-command})@footnote{There is no @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}
+character in @acronym{ASCII}; usually, typing @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} on a
+text terminal gives the character @kbd{C-@@}. This key is also bound
+to @code{set-mark-command}, so unless you are unlucky enough to have
+an text terminal that behaves differently, you might as well think of
+@kbd{C-@@} as @kbd{C-@key{SPC}}.}. This sets the mark where point is,
+and activates it. You can then move point away, leaving the mark
+behind.
For example, suppose you wish to convert part of the buffer to upper
case. To accomplish this, go to the beginning of the desired text,
@findex exchange-point-and-mark
The command @kbd{C-x C-x} (@code{exchange-point-and-mark}) exchanges
the positions of point and the mark, keeping the region unchanged. If
-no mark is active, Emacs first reactivates the mark wherever it was
+the mark is inactive, Emacs first reactivates the mark wherever it was
last set. @kbd{C-x C-x} is useful when you are satisfied with the
position of point but want to move the other end of the region (where
the mark is). Using @kbd{C-x C-x} a second time, if necessary, puts