From: Richard M. Stallman Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 00:26:05 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Explain how META may be labeled. X-Git-Tag: emacs-pretest-21.0.103~105 X-Git-Url: http://git.eshelyaron.com/gitweb/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=8e7692a98a927fc62a7e34c8013f12b9edc94c50;p=emacs.git Explain how META may be labeled. Use "key" or "event" instead of "character" where appropriate. Minor clarifications. --- diff --git a/man/commands.texi b/man/commands.texi index 9363392603f..23b383c565b 100644 --- a/man/commands.texi +++ b/man/commands.texi @@ -68,15 +68,17 @@ are mentioned does not matter. @cindex @key{ESC} replacing @key{META} key Some terminals have a @key{META} key, and allow you to type Meta characters by holding this key down. Thus, @kbd{Meta-a} is typed by -holding down @key{META} and pressing @kbd{a}. The @key{META} key works -much like the @key{SHIFT} key. Such a key is not always labeled -@key{META}, however, as this function is often a special option for a key -with some other primary purpose.@refill +holding down @key{META} and pressing @kbd{a}. The @key{META} key +works much like the @key{SHIFT} key. Such a key is not always labeled +@key{META}, however, as this function is often a special option for a +key with some other primary purpose. Sometimes it is labeled +@key{ALT} or @key{EDIT}; on a Sun keyboard, it may have a diamond on +it. If there is no @key{META} key, you can still type Meta characters -using two-character sequences starting with @key{ESC}. Thus, to enter -@kbd{M-a}, you could type @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. To enter @kbd{C-M-a}, you -would type @kbd{@key{ESC} C-a}. @key{ESC} is allowed on terminals with +using two-character sequences starting with @key{ESC}. Thus, you can enter +@kbd{M-a} by typing @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. You can enter @kbd{C-M-a} by +typing @kbd{@key{ESC} C-a}. @key{ESC} is allowed on terminals with @key{META} keys, too, in case you have formed a habit of using it. The X Window System provides several other modifier keys that can be @@ -116,10 +118,11 @@ gets to see them. @cindex key sequence @cindex key A @dfn{key sequence} (@dfn{key}, for short) is a sequence of input -events that are meaningful as a unit---as ``a single command.'' -Some Emacs command sequences are just one character or one event; for -example, just @kbd{C-f} is enough to move forward one character. But -Emacs also has commands that take two or more events to invoke. +events that are meaningful as a unit---as ``a single command.'' Some +Emacs command sequences are just one character or one event; for +example, just @kbd{C-f} is enough to move forward one character in the +buffer. But Emacs also has commands that take two or more events to +invoke. @cindex complete key @cindex prefix key @@ -135,23 +138,23 @@ a complete key or a prefix key. command bindings. A few of them are prefix keys. A prefix key combines with the following input event to make a longer key sequence, which may itself be complete or a prefix. For example, @kbd{C-x} is a prefix key, -so @kbd{C-x} and the next input event combine to make a two-character +so @kbd{C-x} and the next input event combine to make a two-event key sequence. Most of these key sequences are complete keys, including @kbd{C-x C-f} and @kbd{C-x b}. A few, such as @kbd{C-x 4} and @kbd{C-x -r}, are themselves prefix keys that lead to three-character key +r}, are themselves prefix keys that lead to three-event key sequences. There's no limit to the length of a key sequence, but in practice people rarely use sequences longer than four events. By contrast, you can't add more events onto a complete key. For -example, the two-character sequence @kbd{C-f C-k} is not a key, because +example, the two-event sequence @kbd{C-f C-k} is not a key, because the @kbd{C-f} is a complete key in itself. It's impossible to give @kbd{C-f C-k} an independent meaning as a command. @kbd{C-f C-k} is two key sequences, not one.@refill All told, the prefix keys in Emacs are @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-h}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-x @key{RET}}, @kbd{C-x @@}, @kbd{C-x a}, @kbd{C-x n}, @w{@kbd{C-x -r}}, @kbd{C-x v}, @kbd{C-x 4}, @kbd{C-x 5}, @kbd{C-x 6}, @key{ESC}, -@kbd{M-g} and @kbd{M-j}. But this list is not cast in concrete; it is +r}}, @kbd{C-x v}, @kbd{C-x 4}, @kbd{C-x 5}, @kbd{C-x 6}, @key{ESC}, and +@kbd{M-g}. But this list is not cast in concrete; it is just a matter of Emacs's standard key bindings. If you customize Emacs, you can make new prefix keys, or eliminate these. @xref{Key Bindings}. @@ -163,11 +166,11 @@ definition of @kbd{C-x 4}, then @kbd{C-x 4 f} (or @kbd{C-x 4 @var{anything}}) is no longer a key. Typing the help character (@kbd{C-h} or @key{F1}) after a prefix -character displays a list of the commands starting with that prefix. -There are a few prefix characters for which @kbd{C-h} does not +key displays a list of the commands starting with that prefix. +There are a few prefix keys for which @kbd{C-h} does not work---for historical reasons, they have other meanings for @kbd{C-h} which are not easy to change. But @key{F1} should work for all prefix -characters. +keys. @node Commands, Text Characters, Keys, Top @section Keys and Commands