1 \input texinfo.tex @c -*-texinfo-*-
3 @setfilename ../info/xemacs-faq.info
4 @settitle Frequently asked questions about XEmacs
10 @subtitle Frequently asked questions about XEmacs @* Last Modified: $Date: 2000/01/27 17:11:28 $
12 @author Tony Rossini <rossini@@biostat.washington.edu>
13 @author Ben Wing <ben@@xemacs.org>
14 @author Chuck Thompson <cthomp@@xemacs.org>
15 @author Steve Baur <steve@@xemacs.org>
16 @author Andreas Kaempf <andreas@@sccon.com>
17 @author Christian Nyb@o{} <chr@@mediascience.no>
18 @author Sandra Wambold <wambold@@xemacs.org>
23 @dircategory XEmacs Editor
25 * FAQ: (xemacs-faq). XEmacs FAQ.
29 @node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)
31 @unnumbered Introduction
33 This is the guide to the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list---a
34 compendium of questions and answers pertaining to one of the finest
35 programs ever written. It is much more than just a Text Editor.
37 This FAQ is freely redistributable. I take no liability for the
38 correctness and safety of any procedures or advice given here. This
39 FAQ is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
40 WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
41 FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
43 If you have a Web browser, the official hypertext version is at
47 @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/faq/xemacs-faq.html}.
49 This version is somewhat nicer than the unofficial hypertext versions
50 that are archived at Utrecht, Oxford, Smart Pages, and other FAQ
55 This document is available in several different formats:
58 @uref{xemacs-faq.txt, As a single ASCII file}, produced by
59 @code{makeinfo --no-headers}
61 @uref{xemacs-faq.dvi, As a .dvi file}, as used with
62 @uref{http://www.tug.org, TeX.}
64 As a PostScript file @uref{xemacs-faq-a4.ps, in A4 format},
65 as well as in @uref{xemacs-faq-letter.ps, letter format}
67 In html format, @uref{xemacs-faq_1.html, split by chapter}, or in
68 @uref{xemacs-faq.html, one monolithic} document.
70 The canonical version of the FAQ is the texinfo document
71 @uref{xemacs-faq.texi, man/xemacs-faq.texi}.
73 If you do not have makeinfo installed, you may @uref{xemacs-faq.info,
74 download the faq} in info format, and install it in @file{<XEmacs
75 library directory>/info/}. For example in
76 @file{/usr/local/lib/xemacs-20.4/info/}.
84 @c end ifset points to CANONICAL
87 * Introduction:: Introduction, Policy, Credits.
88 * Installation:: Installation and Trouble Shooting.
89 * Customization:: Customization and Options.
90 * Subsystems:: Major Subsystems.
91 * Miscellaneous:: The Miscellaneous Stuff.
92 * MS Windows:: XEmacs on Microsoft Windows.
93 * Current Events:: What the Future Holds.
97 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
99 Introduction, Policy, Credits
101 * Q1.0.1:: What is XEmacs?
102 * Q1.0.2:: What is the current version of XEmacs?
103 * Q1.0.3:: Where can I find it?
104 * Q1.0.4:: Why Another Version of Emacs?
105 * Q1.0.5:: Why Haven't XEmacs and GNU Emacs Merged?
106 * Q1.0.6:: Where can I get help?
107 * Q1.0.7:: Where is the mailing list archived?
108 * Q1.0.8:: How do you pronounce XEmacs?
109 * Q1.0.9:: What does XEmacs look like?
110 * Q1.0.10:: Is there a port of XEmacs to Microsoft ('95 or NT)?
111 * Q1.0.11:: Is there a port of XEmacs to the Macintosh?
112 * Q1.0.12:: Is there a port of XEmacs to NextStep?
113 * Q1.0.13:: Is there a port of XEmacs to OS/2?
114 * Q1.0.14:: Where can I get a printed copy of the XEmacs users manual?
117 * Q1.1.1:: What is the FAQ editorial policy?
118 * Q1.1.2:: How do I become a Beta Tester?
119 * Q1.1.3:: How do I contribute to XEmacs itself?
122 * Q1.2.1:: Who wrote XEmacs?
123 * Q1.2.2:: Who contributed to this version of the FAQ?
124 * Q1.2.3:: Who contributed to the FAQ in the past?
126 Internationalization:
127 * Q1.3.1:: What is the status of XEmacs v20?
128 * Q1.3.2:: What is the status of Asian-language support, aka @var{mule}?
129 * Q1.3.3:: How do I type non-ASCII characters?
130 * Q1.3.4:: Can XEmacs messages come out in a different language?
131 * Q1.3.5:: Please explain the various input methods in MULE/XEmacs 20.0
132 * Q1.3.6:: How do I portably code for MULE/XEmacs 20.0?
133 * Q1.3.7:: How about Cyrillic Modes?
136 * Q1.4.1:: What is a @file{.emacs} and is there a sample one?
137 * Q1.4.2:: Can I use the same @file{.emacs} with the other Emacs?
138 * Q1.4.3:: Any good XEmacs tutorials around?
139 * Q1.4.4:: May I see an example of a useful XEmacs Lisp function?
140 * Q1.4.5:: And how do I bind it to a key?
141 * Q1.4.6:: What's the difference between a macro and a function?
143 Installation and Trouble Shooting
145 * Q2.0.1:: Running XEmacs without installing.
146 * Q2.0.2:: XEmacs is too big.
147 * Q2.0.3:: Compiling XEmacs with Netaudio.
148 * Q2.0.4:: Problems with Linux and ncurses.
149 * Q2.0.5:: Do I need X11 to run XEmacs?
150 * Q2.0.6:: I'm having strange crashes. What do I do?
151 * Q2.0.7:: Libraries in non-standard locations.
152 * Q2.0.8:: can't resolve symbol _h_errno
153 * Q2.0.9:: Where do I find external libraries?
154 * Q2.0.10:: After I run configure I find a coredump, is something wrong?
155 * Q2.0.11:: XEmacs can't resolve host names.
156 * Q2.0.12:: Why can't I strip XEmacs?
159 * Q2.1.1:: XEmacs just crashed on me!
160 * Q2.1.2:: Cryptic Minibuffer messages.
161 * Q2.1.3:: Translation Table Syntax messages at Startup.
162 * Q2.1.4:: Startup warnings about deducing proper fonts?
163 * Q2.1.5:: XEmacs cannot connect to my X Terminal.
164 * Q2.1.6:: XEmacs just locked up my Linux X server.
165 * Q2.1.7:: HP Alt key as Meta.
166 * Q2.1.8:: got (wrong-type-argument color-instance-p nil)!
167 * Q2.1.9:: XEmacs causes my OpenWindows 3.0 server to crash.
168 * Q2.1.10:: Warnings from incorrect key modifiers.
169 * Q2.1.11:: Can't instantiate image error... in toolbar
170 * Q2.1.12:: Regular Expression Problems on DEC OSF1.
171 * Q2.1.13:: HP/UX 10.10 and @code{create_process} failure
172 * Q2.1.14:: @kbd{C-g} doesn't work for me. Is it broken?
173 * Q2.1.15:: How to debug an XEmacs problem with a debugger.
174 * Q2.1.16:: XEmacs crashes in @code{strcat} on HP/UX 10.
175 * Q2.1.17:: @samp{Marker does not point anywhere}.
176 * Q2.1.18:: [This question intentionally left blank]
177 * Q2.1.19:: XEmacs does not follow the local timezone.
178 * Q2.1.20:: @samp{Symbol's function definition is void: hkey-help-show.}
179 * Q2.1.21:: [This question intentionally left blank]
180 * Q2.1.22:: XEmacs seems to take a really long time to do some things.
181 * Q2.1.23:: Movemail on Linux does not work for XEmacs 19.15 and later.
182 * Q2.1.24:: XEmacs won't start without network. (NEW)
184 Customization and Options
186 * Q3.0.1:: What version of Emacs am I running?
187 * Q3.0.2:: How do I evaluate Elisp expressions?
188 * Q3.0.3:: @code{(setq tab-width 6)} behaves oddly.
189 * Q3.0.4:: How can I add directories to the @code{load-path}?
190 * Q3.0.5:: How to check if a lisp function is defined?
191 * Q3.0.6:: Can I force the output of @code{(face-list)} to a buffer?
192 * Q3.0.7:: Font selections don't get saved after @code{Save Options}.
193 * Q3.0.8:: How do I make a single minibuffer frame?
194 * Q3.0.9:: What is @code{Customize}?
196 X Window System & Resources:
197 * Q3.1.1:: Where is a list of X resources?
198 * Q3.1.2:: How can I detect a color display?
199 * Q3.1.3:: [This question intentionally left blank]
200 * Q3.1.4:: [This question intentionally left blank]
201 * Q3.1.5:: How can I get the icon to just say @samp{XEmacs}?
202 * Q3.1.6:: How can I have the window title area display the full path?
203 * Q3.1.7:: @samp{xemacs -name junk} doesn't work?
204 * Q3.1.8:: @samp{-iconic} doesn't work.
206 Textual Fonts & Colors:
207 * Q3.2.1:: How can I set color options from @file{.emacs}?
208 * Q3.2.2:: How do I set the text, menu and modeline fonts?
209 * Q3.2.3:: How can I set the colors when highlighting a region?
210 * Q3.2.4:: How can I limit color map usage?
211 * Q3.2.5:: My tty supports color, but XEmacs doesn't use them.
212 * Q3.2.6:: Can I have pixmap backgrounds in XEmacs?
215 * Q3.3.1:: How can I make the modeline go away?
216 * Q3.3.2:: How do you have XEmacs display the line number in the modeline?
217 * Q3.3.3:: How do I get XEmacs to put the time of day on the modeline?
218 * Q3.3.4:: How do I turn off current chapter from AUC TeX modeline?
219 * Q3.3.5:: How can one change the modeline color based on the mode used?
221 Multiple Device Support:
222 * Q3.4.1:: How do I open a frame on another screen of my multi-headed display?
223 * Q3.4.2:: Can I really connect to a running XEmacs after calling up over a modem? How?
226 * Q3.5.1:: How can I bind complex functions (or macros) to keys?
227 * Q3.5.2:: How can I stop down-arrow from adding empty lines to the bottom of my buffers?
228 * Q3.5.3:: How do I bind C-. and C-; to scroll one line up and down?
229 * Q3.5.4:: Globally binding @kbd{Delete}?
230 * Q3.5.5:: Scrolling one line at a time.
231 * Q3.5.6:: How to map @kbd{Help} key alone on Sun type4 keyboard?
232 * Q3.5.7:: How can you type in special characters in XEmacs?
233 * Q3.5.8:: Why does @code{(global-set-key [delete-forward] 'delete-char)} complain?
234 * Q3.5.9:: How do I make the Delete key delete forward?
235 * Q3.5.10:: Can I turn on @dfn{sticky} modifier keys?
236 * Q3.5.11:: How do I map the arrow keys?
239 * Q3.6.1:: Is there a way to make the bar cursor thicker?
240 * Q3.6.2:: Is there a way to get back the old block cursor where the cursor covers the character in front of the point?
241 * Q3.6.3:: Can I make the cursor blink?
243 The Mouse and Highlighting:
244 * Q3.7.1:: How can I turn off Mouse pasting?
245 * Q3.7.2:: How do I set control/meta/etc modifiers on mouse buttons?
246 * Q3.7.3:: Clicking the left button does not do anything in buffer list.
247 * Q3.7.4:: How can I get a list of buffers when I hit mouse button 3?
248 * Q3.7.5:: Why does cut-and-paste not work between XEmacs and a cmdtool?
249 * Q3.7.6:: How I can set XEmacs up so that it pastes where the text cursor is?
250 * Q3.7.7:: How do I select a rectangular region?
251 * Q3.7.8:: Why does @kbd{M-w} take so long?
253 The Menubar and Toolbar:
254 * Q3.8.1:: How do I get rid of the menu (or menubar)?
255 * Q3.8.2:: Can I customize the basic menubar?
256 * Q3.8.3:: How do I control how many buffers are listed in the menu @code{Buffers} list?
257 * Q3.8.4:: Resources like @code{Emacs*menubar*font} are not working?
258 * Q3.8.5:: How can I bind a key to a function to toggle the toolbar?
261 * Q3.9.1:: How can I disable the scrollbar?
262 * Q3.9.2:: How can one use resources to change scrollbar colors?
263 * Q3.9.3:: Moving the scrollbar can move the point; can I disable this?
264 * Q3.9.4:: How can I get automatic horizontal scrolling?
267 * Q3.10.1:: How can I turn off or change highlighted selections?
268 * Q3.10.2:: How do I get that typing on an active region removes it?
269 * Q3.10.3:: Can I turn off the highlight during isearch?
270 * Q3.10.4:: How do I turn off highlighting after @kbd{C-x C-p} (mark-page)?
271 * Q3.10.5:: The region disappears when I hit the end of buffer while scrolling.
275 * Q4.0.1:: How do I set up VM to retrieve remote mail using POP?
276 * Q4.0.2:: How do I get VM to filter mail for me?
277 * Q4.0.3:: How can I get VM to automatically check for new mail?
278 * Q4.0.4:: [This question intentionally left blank]
279 * Q4.0.5:: How do I get my outgoing mail archived?
280 * Q4.0.6:: I have various addresses at which I receive mail. How can I tell VM to ignore them when doing a "reply-all"?
281 * Q4.0.7:: Is there a mailing list or FAQ for VM?
282 * Q4.0.8:: Remote mail reading with VM.
283 * Q4.0.9:: rmail or VM gets an error incorporating new mail.
284 * Q4.0.10:: How do I make VM stay in a single frame?
285 * Q4.0.11:: How do I make VM or mh-e display graphical smilies?
286 * Q4.0.12:: Customization of VM not covered in the manual or here.
288 Web browsing with W3:
289 * Q4.1.1:: What is W3?
290 * Q4.1.2:: How do I run W3 from behind a firewall?
291 * Q4.1.3:: Is it true that W3 supports style sheets and tables?
293 Reading Netnews and Mail with Gnus:
294 * Q4.2.1:: GNUS, (ding) Gnus, Gnus 5, September Gnus, Red Gnus, Quassia Gnus, argh!
295 * Q4.2.2:: [This question intentionally left blank]
296 * Q4.2.3:: How do I make Gnus stay within a single frame?
297 * Q4.2.4:: How do I customize the From: line?
300 * Q4.3.1:: How can I read and/or compose MIME messages?
301 * Q4.3.2:: What is TM and where do I get it?
302 * Q4.3.3:: Why isn't this @code{movemail} program working?
303 * Q4.3.4:: Movemail is also distributed by Netscape? Can that cause problems?
304 * Q4.3.5:: Where do I find pstogif (required by tm)?
306 Sparcworks, EOS, and WorkShop:
307 * Q4.4.1:: What is SPARCworks, EOS, and WorkShop
308 * Q4.4.2:: How do I start the Sun Workshop support in XEmacs 21?
311 * Q4.5.1:: What is/was Energize?
314 * Q4.6.1:: What is Infodock?
316 Other Unbundled Packages:
317 * Q4.7.1:: What is AUC TeX? Where do you get it?
318 * Q4.7.2:: Are there any Emacs Lisp Spreadsheets?
319 * Q4.7.3:: [This question intentionally left blank]
320 * Q4.7.4:: Problems installing AUC TeX
321 * Q4.7.5:: Is there a reason for an Emacs package not to be included in XEmacs?
322 * Q4.7.6:: Is there a MatLab mode?
324 The Miscellaneous Stuff
326 * Q5.0.1:: How can I do source code highlighting using font-lock?
327 * Q5.0.2:: I do not like cc-mode. How do I use the old c-mode?
328 * Q5.0.3:: How do I get @samp{More} Syntax Highlighting on by default?
329 * Q5.0.4:: How can I enable auto-indent?
330 * Q5.0.5:: How can I get XEmacs to come up in text/auto-fill mode by default?
331 * Q5.0.6:: How do I start up a second shell buffer?
332 * Q5.0.7:: Telnet from shell filters too much.
333 * Q5.0.8:: Why does edt emulation not work?
334 * Q5.0.9:: How can I emulate VI and use it as my default mode?
335 * Q5.0.10:: [This question intentionally left blank]
336 * Q5.0.11:: How do I turn on filladapt for all buffers?
337 * Q5.0.12:: How do I disable gnuserv from opening a new frame?
338 * Q5.0.13:: How do I start gnuserv so that each subsequent XEmacs is a client?
339 * Q5.0.14:: Strange things are happening in Shell Mode.
340 * Q5.0.15:: Where do I get the latest CC Mode?
341 * Q5.0.16:: I find auto-show-mode disconcerting. How do I turn it off?
342 * Q5.0.17:: How can I get two instances of info?
343 * Q5.0.18:: [This question intentionally left blank]
344 * Q5.0.19:: Is there something better than LaTeX mode?
345 * Q5.0.20:: Is there a way to start a new XEmacs if there's no gnuserv running, and otherwise use gnuclient?
347 Emacs Lisp Programming Techniques:
348 * Q5.1.1:: The difference in key sequences between XEmacs and GNU Emacs?
349 * Q5.1.2:: Can I generate "fake" keyboard events?
350 * Q5.1.3:: Could you explain @code{read-kbd-macro} in more detail?
351 * Q5.1.4:: What is the performance hit of @code{let}?
352 * Q5.1.5:: What is the recommended use of @code{setq}?
353 * Q5.1.6:: What is the typical misuse of @code{setq} ?
354 * Q5.1.7:: I like the the @code{do} form of cl, does it slow things down?
355 * Q5.1.8:: I like recursion, does it slow things down?
356 * Q5.1.9:: How do I put a glyph as annotation in a buffer?
357 * Q5.1.10:: @code{map-extents} won't traverse all of my extents!
358 * Q5.1.11:: My elisp program is horribly slow. Is there an easy way to find out where it spends time?
361 * Q5.2.1:: How do I turn off the sound?
362 * Q5.2.2:: How do I get funky sounds instead of a boring beep?
363 * Q5.2.3:: What's NAS, how do I get it?
364 * Q5.2.4:: Sunsite sounds don't play.
367 * Q5.3.1:: How do you make XEmacs indent CL if-clauses correctly?
368 * Q5.3.2:: Fontifying hangs when editing a postscript file.
369 * Q5.3.3:: How can I print WYSIWYG a font-locked buffer?
370 * Q5.3.4:: Getting @kbd{M-x lpr} to work with postscript printer.
371 * Q5.3.5:: How do I specify the paths that XEmacs uses for finding files?
372 * Q5.3.6:: [This question intentionally left blank]
373 * Q5.3.7:: Can I have the end of the buffer delimited in some way?
374 * Q5.3.8:: How do I insert today's date into a buffer?
375 * Q5.3.9:: Are only certain syntactic character classes available for abbrevs?
376 * Q5.3.10:: How can I get those oh-so-neat X-Face lines?
377 * Q5.3.11:: How do I add new Info directories?
378 * Q5.3.12:: What do I need to change to make printing work?
383 * Q6.0.1:: What is the status of the XEmacs port to Windows?
384 * Q6.0.2:: What flavors of MS Windows are supported?
385 * Q6.0.3:: Are binary kits available?
386 * Q6.0.4:: Does XEmacs on MS Windows require an X server to run?
388 Building XEmacs on MS Windows:
389 * Q6.1.1:: I decided to run with X. Where do I get an X server?
390 * Q6.1.2:: What compiler do I need to compile XEmacs?
391 * Q6.1.3:: How do I compile for the native port?
392 * Q6.1.4:: How do I compile for the X port?
393 * Q6.1.5:: How do I compile for Cygnus' Cygwin?
394 * Q6.1.6:: What do I need for Cygwin?
396 Customization and User Interface:
397 * Q6.2.1:: How will the port cope with differences in the Windows user interface?
398 * Q6.2.2:: How do I change fonts in XEmacs on MS Windows?
399 * Q6.2.3:: Where do I put my @file{.emacs} file?
402 * Q6.3.1:: Will XEmacs rename all the win32-* symbols to w32-*?
403 * Q6.3.2:: What are the differences between the various MS Windows emacsen?
404 * Q6.3.3:: What is the porting team doing at the moment?
408 * Q7.0.1:: What is new in 20.2?
409 * Q7.0.2:: What is new in 20.3?
410 * Q7.0.3:: What is new in 20.4?
411 * Q7.0.4:: Procedural changes in XEmacs development.
415 @node Introduction, Installation, Top, Top
416 @unnumbered 1 Introduction, Policy, Credits
418 Learning XEmacs is a lifelong activity. Even people who have used Emacs
419 for years keep discovering new features. Therefore this document cannot
420 be complete. Instead it is aimed at the person who is either
421 considering XEmacs for their own use, or has just obtained it and is
422 wondering what to do next. It is also useful as a reference to
425 The previous maintainer of the FAQ was @email{rossini@@biostat.washington.edu,
426 Anthony Rossini}, who started it, after getting tired of hearing JWZ
427 complain about repeatedly having to answer questions.
428 @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing} and @email{cthomp@@xemacs.org, Chuck
429 Thompson}, the principal authors of XEmacs, then took over and Ben did
430 a massive update reorganizing the whole thing. At which point Anthony
431 took back over, but then had to give it up again. Some of the other
432 contributors to this FAQ are listed later in this document.
434 The previous version was converted to hypertext format, and edited by
435 @email{steve@@xemacs.org, Steven L. Baur}. It was converted back to
436 texinfo by @email{hniksic@@xemacs.org, Hrvoje Niksic}. The FAQ was then
437 maintained by @email{andreas@@sccon.com, Andreas Kaempf}, who passed it
438 on to ChristianNyb@o{}.
440 If you notice any errors or items which should be added or amended to
441 this FAQ please send email to @email{faq@@xemacs.org, Sandra
442 Wambold}. Include @samp{XEmacs FAQ} on the Subject: line.
446 * Q1.0.1:: What is XEmacs?
447 * Q1.0.2:: What is the current version of XEmacs?
448 * Q1.0.3:: Where can I find it?
449 * Q1.0.4:: Why Another Version of Emacs?
450 * Q1.0.5:: Why Haven't XEmacs and GNU Emacs Merged?
451 * Q1.0.6:: Where can I get help?
452 * Q1.0.7:: Where is the mailing list archived?
453 * Q1.0.8:: How do you pronounce XEmacs?
454 * Q1.0.9:: What does XEmacs look like?
455 * Q1.0.10:: Is there a port of XEmacs to Microsoft ('95 or NT)?
456 * Q1.0.11:: Is there a port of XEmacs to the Macintosh?
457 * Q1.0.12:: Is there a port of XEmacs to NextStep?
458 * Q1.0.13:: Is there a port of XEmacs to OS/2?
459 * Q1.0.14:: Where can I get a printed copy of the XEmacs users manual?
462 * Q1.1.1:: What is the FAQ editorial policy?
463 * Q1.1.2:: How do I become a Beta Tester?
464 * Q1.1.3:: How do I contribute to XEmacs itself?
467 * Q1.2.1:: Who wrote XEmacs?
468 * Q1.2.2:: Who contributed to this version of the FAQ?
469 * Q1.2.3:: Who contributed to the FAQ in the past?
471 Internationalization:
472 * Q1.3.1:: What is the status of XEmacs v20?
473 * Q1.3.2:: What is the status of Asian-language support, aka @var{mule}?
474 * Q1.3.3:: How do I type non-ASCII characters?
475 * Q1.3.4:: Can XEmacs messages come out in a different language?
476 * Q1.3.5:: Please explain the various input methods in MULE/XEmacs 20.0
477 * Q1.3.6:: How do I portably code for MULE/XEmacs 20.0?
478 * Q1.3.7:: How about Cyrillic Modes?
481 * Q1.4.1:: What is a @file{.emacs} and is there a sample one?
482 * Q1.4.2:: Can I use the same @file{.emacs} with the other Emacs?
483 * Q1.4.3:: Any good XEmacs tutorials around?
484 * Q1.4.4:: May I see an example of a useful XEmacs Lisp function?
485 * Q1.4.5:: And how do I bind it to a key?
486 * Q1.4.6:: What's the difference between a macro and a function?
489 @node Q1.0.1, Q1.0.2, Introduction, Introduction
490 @unnumberedsec 1.0: Introduction
491 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.1: What is XEmacs?
494 An alternative to GNU Emacs, originally based on an early alpha version
495 of FSF's version 19, and has diverged quite a bit since then. XEmacs
496 was known as Lucid Emacs through version 19.10. Almost all features of
497 GNU Emacs are supported in XEmacs. The maintainers of XEmacs actively
498 track changes to GNU Emacs while also working to add new features.
500 @node Q1.0.2, Q1.0.3, Q1.0.1, Introduction
501 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.2: What is the current version of XEmacs?
503 XEmacs 21.1.8 is the current stable version of XEmacs.
505 XEmacs 20.4 is a minor upgrade from 20.3, containing many bugfixes. It
506 was released in February 1998.
508 XEmacs 19.16 was the last release of v19, released in November, 1997,
509 which was also the last version without international language support.
511 @node Q1.0.3, Q1.0.4, Q1.0.2, Introduction
512 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.3: Where can I find it?
514 The canonical source and binaries can be found via anonymous FTP at:
517 @uref{ftp://ftp.xemacs.org/pub/xemacs/}
520 @node Q1.0.4, Q1.0.5, Q1.0.3, Introduction
521 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.4: Why Another Version of Emacs?
523 For a detailed description of the differences between GNU Emacs and
524 XEmacs and a detailed history of XEmacs, check out the
526 @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/About/XEmacsVsGNUemacs.html, NEWS file}
529 However, here is a list of some of the reasons why we think you might
537 The XEmacs maintainers are generally more receptive to suggestions than
538 the GNU Emacs maintainers.
541 Many more bundled packages than GNU Emacs
544 Binaries are available for many common operating systems.
547 Face support on TTY's.
553 Better Motif compliance.
556 Some internationalization support (including full MULE support, if
560 Variable-width fonts.
563 Variable-height lines.
566 Marginal annotations.
572 XEmacs can be used as an Xt widget, and can be embedded within another
576 Horizontal and vertical scrollbars (using real toolkit scrollbars).
579 Better APIs (and performance) for attaching fonts, colors, and other
583 The ability to embed arbitrary graphics in a buffer.
586 Completely compatible (at the C level) with the Xt-based toolkits.
589 First production Web Browser supporting Style Sheets.
592 @node Q1.0.5, Q1.0.6, Q1.0.4, Introduction
593 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.5: Why Haven't XEmacs and GNU Emacs Merged?
595 There are currently irreconcilable differences in the views about
596 technical, programming, design and organizational matters between RMS
597 and the XEmacs development team which provide little hope for a merge to
598 take place in the short-term future.
600 If you have a comment to add regarding the merge, it is a good idea to
601 avoid posting to the newsgroups, because of the very heated flamewars
602 that often result. Mail your questions to @email{xemacs-beta@@xemacs.org} and
603 @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@prep.ai.mit.edu}.
605 @node Q1.0.6, Q1.0.7, Q1.0.5, Introduction
606 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.6: Where can I get help?
608 Probably the easiest way, if everything is installed, is to use Info, by
609 pressing @kbd{C-h i}, or selecting @code{Manuals->Info} from the
610 Help Menu. @kbd{M-x apropos} can be used to look for particular commands.
612 For items not found in the manual, try reading this FAQ
613 @comment , examining the regular GNU Emacs FAQ (which can be
614 @comment found with the Emacs 19 distribution) as well as at
615 @comment @uref{http://www.eecs.nwu.edu/emacs/faq/}
616 and reading the Usenet group comp.emacs.xemacs.
618 If you choose to post to a newsgroup, @strong{please use
619 comp.emacs.xemacs}. Please do not post XEmacs related questions to
622 If you cannot post or read Usenet news, there is a corresponding mailing
623 list which is available. It can be subscribed to by sending a message
624 to @email{xemacs-request@@xemacs.org} with @samp{subscribe} in the
625 body of the message. Send to the list at @email{xemacs@@xemacs.org}.
626 list. To cancel a subscription, you @strong{must} use the
627 xemacs-request address. Send a message with a subject of
628 @samp{unsubscribe} to be removed.
630 @node Q1.0.7, Q1.0.8, Q1.0.6, Introduction
631 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.7: Where is the mailing list archived?
633 The archives can be found at @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/Lists/Archive}
635 @node Q1.0.8, Q1.0.9, Q1.0.7, Introduction
636 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.8: How do you pronounce XEmacs?
638 The most common pronounciation is @samp{Eks eemax}.
640 @node Q1.0.9, Q1.0.10, Q1.0.8, Introduction
641 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.9: What does XEmacs look like?
643 Screen snapshots are available in the WWW version of the FAQ.
645 @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/faq/xemacs-faq.html}
648 @node Q1.0.10, Q1.0.11, Q1.0.9, Introduction
649 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.10: Is there a port of XEmacs to Microsoft ('95 or NT)?
651 Yes, @xref{MS Windows}.
653 @comment Thanks to efforts of many people, coordinated by
654 @comment @email{davidh@@wr.com.au, David Hobley} and @email{marcpa@@cam.org, Marc
655 @comment Paquette}, beta versions of XEmacs now run on 32-bit Windows platforms
656 @comment (NT and 95). The current betas require having an X server to run
657 @comment XEmacs; however, a native NT/95 port is in alpha, thanks to
658 @comment @email{jhar@@tardis.ed.ac.uk, Jonathan Harris}.
660 @comment Although some features are still unimplemented, XEmacs 21.0 will support
663 @comment The NT development is now coordinated by a mailing list at
664 @comment @email{xemacs-nt@@xemacs.org}.
666 @comment If you are willing to contribute or want to follow the progress, mail to
670 @comment @email{xemacs-nt-request@@xemacs.org} to subscribe.
672 @comment Furthermore, Altrasoft is seeking corporate and government sponsors to
673 @comment help fund a fully native port of XEmacs to Windows 95 and NT using
674 @comment full-time, senior-level staff working under a professionally managed
675 @comment project structure. See @uref{http://www.altrasoft.com/, the Altrasoft
676 @comment web site} for more details
677 @comment or contact Altrasoft directly at 1-888-ALTSOFT.
680 @comment The closest existing port is @dfn{Win-Emacs}, which is based on Lucid
681 @comment Emacs 19.6. Available from @uref{http://www.pearlsoft.com/}.
683 @comment There's a port of GNU Emacs (not XEmacs) at
685 @comment @uref{http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/voelker/ntemacs.html}.
686 @comment @end example
688 @node Q1.0.11, Q1.0.12, Q1.0.10, Introduction
689 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.11: Is there a port of XEmacs to the Macintosh?
692 @c There has been a port to the MachTen environment of XEmacs 19.13, but no
693 @c patches have been submitted to the maintainers to get this in the
694 @c mainstream distribution.
696 @c For the MacOS, there is a port of
697 @c @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.cornell.edu/pub/parmet/, Emacs 18.59}.
699 Yes, there is a port of XEmacs 19.14, tested on MacOS 7.6.1 and MacOS
700 8.5.1 by @uref{pjarvis@@ispchannel.com,Pitts Jarvis}. It's available
701 at @uref{http://my.ispchannel.com/~pjarvis/xemacs.html,
702 http://my.ispchannel.com/~pjarvis/xemacs.html}.
704 @node Q1.0.12, Q1.0.13, Q1.0.11, Introduction
705 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.12: Is there a port of XEmacs to NextStep?
707 Carl Edman, apparently no longer at @email{cedman@@princeton.edu}, did
708 the port of GNU Emacs to NeXTstep and expressed interest in doing the
709 XEmacs port, but never went any farther.
711 @node Q1.0.13, Q1.0.14, Q1.0.12, Introduction
712 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.13: Is there a port of XEmacs to OS/2?
714 No, but Alexander Nikolaev <avn_1251@@mail.ru> is working on it.
716 @node Q1.0.14, Q1.1.1, Q1.0.13, Introduction
717 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.0.14: Where can I obtain a printed copy of the XEmacs users manual?
719 Pre-printed manuals are not available. If you are familiar with
720 TeX, you can generate your own manual from the XEmacs sources.
722 HTML and Postscript versions of XEmacs manuals may be available from the
723 XEmacs web site in the future.
726 @node Q1.1.1, Q1.1.2, Q1.0.14, Introduction
727 @unnumberedsec 1.1: Policies
728 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.1.1: What is the FAQ editorial policy?
730 The FAQ is actively maintained and modified regularly. All links should
731 be up to date. Unfortunately, some of the information is out of date --
732 a situation which the FAQ maintainer is working on. All submissions are
733 welcome, please e-mail submissions to @email{faq@@xemacs.org, XEmacs FAQ
736 Please make sure that @samp{XEmacs FAQ} appears on the Subject: line.
737 If you think you have a better way of answering a question, or think a
738 question should be included, we'd like to hear about it. Questions and
739 answers included into the FAQ will be edited for spelling and grammar,
740 and will be attributed. Answers appearing without attribution are
741 either from versions of the FAQ dated before May 1996, or are from one
742 of the four people listed at the top of this document. Answers quoted
743 from Usenet news articles will always be attributed, regardless of the
746 @node Q1.1.2, Q1.1.3, Q1.1.1, Introduction
747 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.1.2: How do I become a Beta Tester?
749 Send an email message to @email{xemacs-beta-request@@xemacs.org} with
750 the line @samp{subscribe} in the body of the message.
752 Be prepared to get your hands dirty, as beta testers are expected to
753 identify problems as best they can.
755 @node Q1.1.3, Q1.2.1, Q1.1.2, Introduction
756 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.1.3: How do I contribute to XEmacs itself?
758 Ben Wing @email{ben@@xemacs.org} writes:
761 BTW if you have a wish list of things that you want added, you have to
762 speak up about it! More specifically, you can do the following if you
763 want a feature added (in increasing order of usefulness):
767 Make a posting about a feature you want added.
770 Become a beta tester and make more postings about those same features.
773 Convince us that you're going to use the features in some cool and
777 Come up with a clear and well-thought-out API concerning the features.
780 Write the code to implement a feature and send us a patch.
783 (not that we're necessarily requiring you to write the code, but we can
787 @node Q1.2.1, Q1.2.2, Q1.1.3, Introduction
788 @unnumberedsec 1.2: Credits
789 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.2.1: Who wrote XEmacs?
791 XEmacs is the result of the time and effort of many people. The
792 developers responsible for the 19.16/20.x releases are:
795 @item @email{martin@@xemacs.org, Martin Buchholz}
797 <br><img src="mrb.jpeg" alt="Portrait of Martin Buchholz"><br>
801 @item @email{steve@@xemacs.org, Steve Baur}
804 <br><img src="steve.gif" alt="Portrait of Steve Baur"><br>
808 @item @email{hniksic@@xemacs.org, Hrvoje Niksic}
811 <br><img src="hniksic.jpeg" alt="Portrait of Hrvoje Niksic"><br>
816 The developers responsible for the 19.14 release are:
819 @item @email{cthomp@@xemacs.org, Chuck Thompson}
821 <br><img src="cthomp.jpeg" alt="Portrait of Chuck Thompson"><br>
824 Chuck was Mr. XEmacs from 19.11 through 19.14, and is responsible
825 for XEmacs becoming a widely distributed program over the Internet.
827 @item @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing}
829 <br><img src="wing.gif" alt="Portrait of Ben Wing"><br>
836 @item @email{jwz@@jwz.org, Jamie Zawinski}
838 <br><img src="jwz.gif" alt="Portrait of Jamie Zawinski"><br>
841 Jamie Zawinski was Mr. Lucid Emacs from 19.0 through 19.10, the last
842 release actually named Lucid Emacs. Richard Mlynarik was crucial to
843 most of those releases.
845 @item @email{mly@@adoc.xerox.com, Richard Mlynarik}
848 Along with many other contributors, partially enumerated in the
849 @samp{About XEmacs} option in the Help menu.
851 @node Q1.2.2, Q1.2.3, Q1.2.1, Introduction
852 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.2.2: Who contributed to this version of the FAQ?
854 The following people contributed valuable suggestions to building this
855 version of the FAQ (listed in alphabetical order):
858 @item @email{steve@@xemacs.org, SL Baur}
860 @item @email{hniksic@@xemacs.org, Hrvoje Niksic}
862 @item @email{Aki.Vehtari@@hut.fi, Aki Vehtari}
866 @node Q1.2.3, Q1.3.1, Q1.2.2, Introduction
867 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.2.3: Who contributed to the FAQ in the past?
869 This is only a partial list, as many names were lost in a hard disk
873 @item @email{binge@@aloft.att.com, Curtis.N.Bingham}
875 @item @email{bruncott@@dormeur.inria.fr, Georges Brun-Cottan}
877 @item @email{rjc@@cogsci.ed.ac.uk, Richard Caley}
879 @item @email{cognot@@ensg.u-nancy.fr, Richard Cognot}
881 @item @email{daku@@nortel.ca, Mark Daku}
883 @item @email{wgd@@martigny.ai.mit.edu, William G. Dubuque}
885 @item @email{eeide@@cs.utah.edu, Eric Eide}
887 @item @email{af@@biomath.jussieu.fr, Alain Fauconnet}
889 @item @email{cflatter@@nrao.edu, Chris Flatters}
891 @item @email{ginsparg@@adra.com, Evelyn Ginsparg}
893 @item @email{hall@@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu, Marty Hall}
895 @item @email{dkindred@@cmu.edu, Darrell Kindred}
897 @item @email{dmoore@@ucsd.edu, David Moore}
899 @item @email{arup+@@cmu.edu, Arup Mukherjee}
901 @item @email{nickel@@prz.tu-berlin.de, Juergen Nickelsen}
903 @item @email{powell@@csl.ncsa.uiuc.edu, Kevin R. Powell}
905 @item @email{dworkin@@ccs.neu.edu, Justin Sheehy}
907 @item @email{stig@@hackvan.com, Stig}
909 @item @email{Aki.Vehtari@@hut.fi, Aki Vehtari}
912 @node Q1.3.1, Q1.3.2, Q1.2.3, Introduction
913 @unnumberedsec 1.3: Internationalization
914 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.1: What is the status of XEmacs v20?
916 XEmacs v20 is the version of XEmacs that includes MULE (Asian-language)
917 support. XEmacs 20.0 was released in February 1997, followed by XEmacs
918 20.2 in May, XEmacs 20.3 in November and XEmacs 20.4 in February 1998. When compiled without MULE
919 support, 20.4 is approximately as stable as 19.16, and probably faster
920 (due to additional optimization work.)
922 As of XEmacs 20.3, version 20 is @emph{the} supported version of
923 XEmacs. This means that 19.16 will optionally receive stability fixes
924 (if any), but that all the real development work will be done on the v20
927 The incompatible changes in XEmacs 20 include the additional byte-codes,
928 new primitive data types (@code{character}, @code{char-table}, and
929 @code{range-table}). This means that the character-integer equivalence
930 inherent to all the previous Emacs and XEmacs releases no longer
933 However, to avoid breaking old code, many functions that should normally
934 accept characters work with integers, and vice versa. For more
935 information, see the Lisp reference manual. Here is a relevant excerpt,
936 for your convenience.
939 In XEmacs version 19, and in all versions of FSF GNU Emacs, a
940 @dfn{character} in XEmacs Lisp is nothing more than an integer.
941 This is yet another holdover from XEmacs Lisp's derivation from
942 vintage-1980 Lisps; modern versions of Lisp consider this equivalence
943 a bad idea, and have separate character types. In XEmacs version 20,
944 the modern convention is followed, and characters are their own
945 primitive types. (This change was necessary in order for @sc{mule},
946 i.e. Asian-language, support to be correctly implemented.)
948 Even in XEmacs version 20, remnants of the equivalence between
949 characters and integers still exist; this is termed the @dfn{char-int
950 confoundance disease}. In particular, many functions such as @code{eq},
951 @code{equal}, and @code{memq} have equivalent functions (@code{old-eq},
952 @code{old-equal}, @code{old-memq}, etc.) that pretend like characters
953 are integers are the same. Byte code compiled under any version 19
954 Emacs will have all such functions mapped to their @code{old-} equivalents
955 when the byte code is read into XEmacs 20. This is to preserve
956 compatibility---Emacs 19 converts all constant characters to the equivalent
957 integer during byte-compilation, and thus there is no other way to preserve
958 byte-code compatibility even if the code has specifically been written
959 with the distinction between characters and integers in mind.
961 Every character has an equivalent integer, called the @dfn{character
962 code}. For example, the character @kbd{A} is represented as the
963 @w{integer 65}, following the standard @sc{ascii} representation of
964 characters. If XEmacs was not compiled with @sc{mule} support, the
965 range of this integer will always be 0 to 255---eight bits, or one
966 byte. (Integers outside this range are accepted but silently truncated;
967 however, you should most decidedly @emph{not} rely on this, because it
968 will not work under XEmacs with @sc{mule} support.) When @sc{mule}
969 support is present, the range of character codes is much
970 larger. (Currently, 19 bits are used.)
972 FSF GNU Emacs uses kludgy character codes above 255 to represent
973 keyboard input of @sc{ascii} characters in combination with certain
974 modifiers. XEmacs does not use this (a more general mechanism is
975 used that does not distinguish between @sc{ascii} keys and other
976 keys), so you will never find character codes above 255 in a
977 non-@sc{mule} XEmacs.
979 Individual characters are not often used in programs. It is far more
980 common to work with @emph{strings}, which are sequences composed of
984 @node Q1.3.2, Q1.3.3, Q1.3.1, Introduction
985 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.2: What is the status of Asian-language support, aka MULE?
987 MULE support is now available for UNIX versions of XEmacs.
989 If you would like to help, you may want to join the
990 @email{xemacs-mule@@xemacs.org} mailing list. Especially needed are
991 people who speak/write languages other than English, who are willing to
992 use XEmacs/MULE regularly, and have some experience with Elisp.
996 @node Q1.3.3, Q1.3.4, Q1.3.2, Introduction
997 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.3: How do I type non-ASCII characters?
999 See question 3.5.7 (@pxref{Q3.5.7}) in part 3 of this FAQ.
1001 @node Q1.3.4, Q1.3.5, Q1.3.3, Introduction
1002 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.4: Can XEmacs messages come out in a different language?
1004 The message-catalog support has mostly been written but doesn't
1005 currently work. The first release of XEmacs 20 will @emph{not} support
1006 it. However, menubar localization @emph{does} work, even in 19.14. To
1007 enable it, add to your @file{Emacs} file entries like this:
1010 Emacs*XlwMenu.resourceLabels: True
1011 Emacs*XlwMenu.file.labelString: Fichier
1012 Emacs*XlwMenu.openInOtherWindow.labelString: In anderem Fenster offnen
1015 The name of the resource is derived from the non-localized entry by
1016 removing punctuation and capitalizing as above.
1018 @node Q1.3.5, Q1.3.6, Q1.3.4, Introduction
1019 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.5: Please explain the various input methods in MULE/XEmacs 20.0
1021 @email{morioka@@jaist.ac.jp, MORIOKA Tomohiko} writes:
1024 Original Mule supports the following input methods: Wnn4, Wnn6, Canna, SJ3
1025 and XIM. Interfaces for Wnn and SJ3 uses the @code{egg} user
1026 interface. Interface for Canna does not use @samp{egg}. I don't know
1027 about XIM. It is to support ATOK, of course, it may work for another
1030 Wnn supports Japanese, Chinese and Korean. It is made by OMRON and Kyôto
1031 university. It is a powerful and complex system. Wnn4 is free and Wnn6
1034 Canna supports only Japanese. It is made by NEC. It is a simple and
1035 powerful system. Canna uses only grammar (Wnn uses grammar and
1036 probability between words), so I think Wnn is cleverer than Canna,
1037 however Canna users made a good grammar and dictionary. So for standard
1038 modern Japanese, Canna seems cleverer than Wnn4. In addition, the UNIX
1039 version of Canna is free (now there is a Microsoft Windows version).
1041 SJ3 supports only Japanese. It is made by Sony. XIM supports was made
1042 to use ATOK (a major input method in personal computer world). XIM is
1043 the standard for accessing input methods bundled in Japanese versions of
1044 Solaris. (XEmacs 20 will support XIM input).
1046 Egg consists of following parts:
1050 Input character Translation System (ITS) layer.
1051 It translates ASCII inputs to Kana/PinYin/Hangul characters.
1054 Kana/PinYin/Hangul to Kanji transfer layer.
1055 It is interface layer for network Kana-Kanji server (Wnn and Sj3).
1058 These input methods are modal, namely there are mode, alphabet mode and
1059 Kana-Kanji transfer mode. However there are mode-less input methods for
1060 Egg and Canna. @samp{Boiled-egg} is a mode-less input method running on
1061 Egg. For Canna, @samp{canna.el} has a tiny boiled-egg like command,
1062 @code{(canna-boil)}, and there are some boiled-egg like utilities. In
1063 addition, it was planned to make an abstraction for all transfer type
1064 input methods. However authors of input methods are busy, so maybe this
1065 plan is stopped. Perhaps after Mule merged GNU Emacs will be released,
1066 it will be continued.
1069 @node Q1.3.6, Q1.3.7, Q1.3.5, Introduction
1070 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.6: How do I portably code for MULE/XEmacs 20?
1072 @email{morioka@@jaist.ac.jp, MORIOKA Tomohiko} writes:
1075 MULE and XEmacs are quite different. So the application
1076 implementor must write separate code for these mule variants.
1078 MULE and the next version of Emacs are similar but the symbols are very
1079 different---requiring separate code as well.
1081 Namely we must support 3 kinds of mule variants and 4 or 5 or 6 kinds of
1082 emacs variants... (;_;) I'm shocked, so I wrote a wrapper package called
1083 @code{emu} to provide a common interface.
1085 I have the following suggestions about dealing with mule variants:
1089 @code{(featurep 'mule)} @code{t} on all mule variants
1092 @code{(boundp 'MULE)} is @code{t} on only MULE. Maybe the next version
1093 of Emacs will not have this symbol.
1096 MULE has a variable @code{mule-version}. Perhaps the next version of
1097 Emacs will have this variable as well.
1100 Following is a sample to distinguish mule variants:
1103 (if (featurep 'mule)
1104 (cond ((boundp 'MULE)
1105 ;; for original Mule
1107 ((string-match "XEmacs" emacs-version)
1108 ;; for XEmacs with Mule
1111 ;; for next version of Emacs
1113 ;; for old emacs variants
1118 @node Q1.3.7, Q1.4.1, Q1.3.6, Introduction
1119 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.3.7: How about Cyrillic Modes?
1121 @email{ilya@@math.ohio-state.edu, Ilya Zakharevich} writes:
1124 There is a cyrillic mode in the file @file{mysetup.zip} in
1128 @uref{ftp://ftp.math.ohio-state.edu/pub/users/ilya/emacs/}. This is a
1129 modification to @email{ava@@math.jhu.ed, Valery Alexeev's} @file{russian.el}
1130 which can be obtained from
1133 @uref{http://ftpsearch.ntnu.no/?query=russian.el.Z}.
1136 @email{d.barsky@@ee.surrey.ac.uk, Dima Barsky} writes:
1139 There is another cyrillic mode for both GNU Emacs and XEmacs by
1140 @email{manin@@camelot.mssm.edu, Dmitrii
1145 @uref{http://kulichki-lat.rambler.ru/centrolit/manin/cyr.el}.
1146 @c Link above, <URL:http://camelot.mssm.edu/~manin/cyr.el> was dead.
1147 @c Changed to russian host instead
1150 @email{rebecca.ore@@op.net, Rebecca Ore} writes:
1153 The fullest resource I found on Russian language use (in and out of
1154 XEmacs) is @uref{http://sunsite.oit.unc.edu/sergei/Software/Software.html}
1157 @node Q1.4.1, Q1.4.2, Q1.3.7, Introduction
1158 @unnumberedsec 1.4: Getting Started, Backing up & Recovery
1159 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.1: What is a @file{.emacs} and is there a sample one?
1161 The @file{.emacs} file is used to customize XEmacs to your tastes. No
1162 two are alike, nor are they expected to be alike, but that's the point.
1163 The XEmacs distribution contains an excellent starter example in the etc
1164 directory called @file{sample.emacs}. Copy this file from there to your
1165 home directory and rename it @file{.emacs}. Then edit it to suit.
1167 Starting with 19.14, you may bring the @file{sample.emacs} into an
1168 XEmacs buffer by selecting @samp{Help->Sample .emacs} from the menubar.
1169 To determine the location of the @file{etc} directory type the command
1170 @kbd{C-h v data-directory @key{RET}}.
1172 @node Q1.4.2, Q1.4.3, Q1.4.1, Introduction
1173 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.2: Can I use the same @file{.emacs} with the other Emacs?
1175 Yes. The sample @file{.emacs} included in the XEmacs distribution will
1176 show you how to handle different versions and flavors of Emacs.
1178 @node Q1.4.3, Q1.4.4, Q1.4.2, Introduction
1179 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.3: Any good tutorials around?
1181 There's the XEmacs tutorial available from the Help Menu under
1182 @samp{Basics->Tutorials}, or by typing @kbd{C-h t}. To check whether
1183 it's available in a non-english language, type @kbd{C-u C-h t TAB}, type
1184 the first letters of your preferred language, then type @key{RET}.
1186 @comment There's an Emacs Lisp tutorial at
1189 @comment @uref{ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/emacs-lisp-intro-1.04.tar.gz}.
1190 @comment @end example
1192 @comment @email{erik@@petaxp.rug.ac.be, Erik Sundermann} has made a tutorial web
1197 @comment @uref{http://petaxp.rug.ac.be/~erik/xemacs/}.
1199 @node Q1.4.4, Q1.4.5, Q1.4.3, Introduction
1200 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.4: May I see an example of a useful XEmacs Lisp function?
1202 The following function does a little bit of everything useful. It does
1203 something with the prefix argument, it examines the text around the
1204 cursor, and it's interactive so it may be bound to a key. It inserts
1205 copies of the current word the cursor is sitting on at the cursor. If
1206 you give it a prefix argument: @kbd{C-u 3 M-x double-word} then it will
1210 (defun double-word (count)
1211 "Insert a copy of the current word underneath the cursor"
1213 (let (here there string)
1218 (setq there (point))
1219 (setq string (buffer-substring here there)))
1225 The best way to see what is going on here is to let XEmacs tell you.
1226 Put the code into an XEmacs buffer, and do a @kbd{C-h f} with the cursor
1227 sitting just to the right of the function you want explained. Eg. move
1228 the cursor to the SPACE between @code{interactive} and @samp{"*p"} and
1229 hit @kbd{C-h f} to see what the function @code{interactive} does. Doing
1230 this will tell you that the @code{*} requires a writable buffer, and
1231 @code{p} converts the prefix argument to a number, and
1232 @code{interactive} allows you to execute the command with @kbd{M-x}.
1234 @node Q1.4.5, Q1.4.6, Q1.4.4, Introduction
1235 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.5: And how do I bind it to a key?
1237 To bind to a key do:
1240 (global-set-key "\C-cd" 'double-word)
1243 Or interactively, @kbd{M-x global-set-key} and follow the prompts.
1245 @node Q1.4.6, , Q1.4.5, Introduction
1246 @unnumberedsubsec Q1.4.6: What's the difference between a macro and a function?
1248 Quoting from the Lisp Reference (a.k.a @dfn{Lispref}) Manual:
1250 @dfn{Macros} enable you to define new control constructs and other
1251 language features. A macro is defined much like a function, but instead
1252 of telling how to compute a value, it tells how to compute another Lisp
1253 expression which will in turn compute the value. We call this
1254 expression the @dfn{expansion} of the macro.
1256 Macros can do this because they operate on the unevaluated expressions
1257 for the arguments, not on the argument values as functions do. They can
1258 therefore construct an expansion containing these argument expressions
1261 Do not confuse the two terms with @dfn{keyboard macros}, which are
1262 another matter, entirely. A keyboard macro is a key bound to several
1263 other keys. Refer to manual for details.
1265 @node Installation, Customization, Introduction, Top
1266 @unnumbered 2 Installation and Trouble Shooting
1268 This is part 2 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list. This
1269 section is devoted to Installation, Maintenance and Trouble Shooting.
1273 * Q2.0.1:: Running XEmacs without installing.
1274 * Q2.0.2:: XEmacs is too big.
1275 * Q2.0.3:: Compiling XEmacs with Netaudio.
1276 * Q2.0.4:: Problems with Linux and ncurses.
1277 * Q2.0.5:: Do I need X11 to run XEmacs?
1278 * Q2.0.6:: I'm having strange crashes. What do I do?
1279 * Q2.0.7:: Libraries in non-standard locations.
1280 * Q2.0.8:: can't resolve symbol _h_errno
1281 * Q2.0.9:: Where do I find external libraries?
1282 * Q2.0.10:: After I run configure I find a coredump, is something wrong?
1283 * Q2.0.11:: XEmacs can't resolve host names.
1284 * Q2.0.12:: Why can't I strip XEmacs?
1287 * Q2.1.1:: XEmacs just crashed on me!
1288 * Q2.1.2:: Cryptic Minibuffer messages.
1289 * Q2.1.3:: Translation Table Syntax messages at Startup.
1290 * Q2.1.4:: Startup warnings about deducing proper fonts?
1291 * Q2.1.5:: XEmacs cannot connect to my X Terminal.
1292 * Q2.1.6:: XEmacs just locked up my Linux X server.
1293 * Q2.1.7:: HP Alt key as Meta.
1294 * Q2.1.8:: got (wrong-type-argument color-instance-p nil)!
1295 * Q2.1.9:: XEmacs causes my OpenWindows 3.0 server to crash.
1296 * Q2.1.10:: Warnings from incorrect key modifiers.
1297 * Q2.1.11:: Can't instantiate image error... in toolbar
1298 * Q2.1.12:: Regular Expression Problems on DEC OSF1.
1299 * Q2.1.13:: HP/UX 10.10 and @code{create_process} failure
1300 * Q2.1.14:: @kbd{C-g} doesn't work for me. Is it broken?
1301 * Q2.1.15:: How to debug an XEmacs problem with a debugger.
1302 * Q2.1.16:: XEmacs crashes in @code{strcat} on HP/UX 10.
1303 * Q2.1.17:: @samp{Marker does not point anywhere}.
1304 * Q2.1.18:: [This question intentionally left blank]
1305 * Q2.1.19:: XEmacs does not follow the local timezone.
1306 * Q2.1.20:: @samp{Symbol's function definition is void: hkey-help-show.}
1307 * Q2.1.21:: [This question intentionally left blank]
1308 * Q2.1.22:: XEmacs seems to take a really long time to do some things.
1309 * Q2.1.23:: Movemail on Linux does not work for XEmacs 19.15 and later.
1310 * Q2.1.24:: XEmacs won't start without network. (NEW)
1313 @node Q2.0.1, Q2.0.2, Installation, Installation
1314 @unnumberedsec 2.0: Installation
1315 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.1: Running XEmacs without installing
1316 The @file{INSTALL} file says that up to 108 MB of space is needed
1317 temporarily during installation! How can I just try it out?
1319 XEmacs will run in place without requiring installation and copying of
1320 the Lisp directories, and without having to specify a special build-time
1321 flag. It's the copying of the Lisp directories that requires so much
1322 space. XEmacs is largely written in Lisp.
1324 A good method is to make a shell alias for xemacs:
1327 alias xemacs=/i/xemacs-20.2/src/xemacs
1330 (You will obviously use whatever directory you downloaded the source
1331 tree to instead of @file{/i/xemacs-20.2}).
1333 This will let you run XEmacs without massive copying.
1335 @node Q2.0.2, Q2.0.3, Q2.0.1, Installation
1336 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.2: XEmacs is too big
1338 Although this entry has been written for XEmacs 19.13, most of it still
1341 @email{steve@@xemacs.org, Steve Baur} writes:
1344 The 45MB of space required by the installation directories can be
1345 reduced dramatically if desired. Gzip all the .el files. Remove all
1346 the packages you'll never want to use (or even ones you do like the two
1347 obsolete mailcrypts and Gnus 4 in 19.13). Remove the TexInfo manuals.
1348 Remove the Info (and use just hardcopy versions of the manual). Remove
1349 most of the stuff in etc. Remove or gzip all the source code. Gzip or
1350 remove the C source code. Configure it so that copies are not made of
1351 the support lisp. I'm not advocating any of these things, just pointing
1352 out ways to reduce the disk requirements if desired.
1354 Now examine the space used by directory:
1357 0 /usr/local/bin/xemacs
1358 2048 /usr/local/bin/xemacs-19.13
1360 1546 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/i486-miranova-sco3.2v4.2
1361 1158 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/i486-unknown-linux1.2.13
1364 You need to keep these. XEmacs isn't stripped by default in
1365 installation, you should consider stripping. That will save you about
1369 207 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/w3
1370 122 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/sounds
1371 18 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/sparcworks
1372 159 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/vm
1373 6 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/e
1374 21 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/eos
1375 172 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/toolbar
1376 61 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/ns
1377 43 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc/gnus
1380 These are support directories for various packages. In general they
1381 match a directory under ./xemacs-19.13/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/. If you
1382 do not require the package, you may delete or gzip the support too.
1385 1959 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/etc
1386 175 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/bytecomp
1387 340 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/calendar
1388 342 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/comint
1389 517 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/dired
1390 42 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/electric
1391 212 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/emulators
1392 238 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/energize
1393 289 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/gnus
1394 457 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/ilisp
1395 1439 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/modes
1396 2276 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/packages
1397 1040 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/prim
1398 176 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/pcl-cvs
1399 154 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/rmail
1400 3 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/epoch
1401 45 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/term
1402 860 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/utils
1403 851 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/vm
1404 13 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/vms
1405 157 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/x11
1406 19 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/tooltalk
1407 14 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/sunpro
1408 291 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/games
1409 198 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/edebug
1410 619 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/w3
1411 229 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/eos
1412 55 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/iso
1413 59 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/mailcrypt
1414 187 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/eterm
1415 356 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/ediff
1416 408 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/hyperbole/kotl
1417 1262 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/hyperbole
1418 247 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/hm--html-menus
1419 161 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/mh-e
1420 299 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/viper
1421 53 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-x
1422 4 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-nx/English.lproj/DocWindow.nib
1423 3 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-nx/English.lproj/InfoPanel.nib
1424 3 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-nx/English.lproj/TreeView.nib
1425 11 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-nx/English.lproj
1426 53 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr/tree-nx
1427 466 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp/oobr
1428 14142 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp
1431 These are all Emacs Lisp source code and bytecompiled object code. You
1432 may safely gzip everything named *.el here. You may remove any package
1433 you don't use. @emph{Nothing bad will happen if you delete a package
1434 that you do not use}. You must be sure you do not use it though, so be
1435 conservative at first.
1437 Possible candidates for deletion include w3 (newer versions exist, or
1438 you may just use Lynx or Netscape for web browsing), games, hyperbole,
1439 mh-e, hm--html-menus (better packages exist), vm, viper, oobr, gnus (new
1440 versions exist), etc. Ask yourself, @emph{Do I ever want to use this
1441 package?} If the answer is no, then it is a candidate for removal.
1443 First, gzip all the .el files. Then go about package by package and
1444 start gzipping the .elc files. Then run XEmacs and do whatever it is
1445 you normally do. If nothing bad happens, then delete the directory. Be
1446 conservative about deleting directories, and it would be handy to have a
1447 backup tape around in case you get too zealous.
1449 @file{prim}, @file{modes}, @file{packages}, and @file{utils} are four
1450 directories you definitely do @strong{not} want to delete, although
1451 certain packages can be removed from them if you do not use them.
1454 1972 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/info
1457 These are online texinfo sources. You may either gzip them or remove
1458 them. In either case, @kbd{C-h i} (info mode) will no longer work.
1461 20778 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13
1464 The 20MB achieved is less than half of what the full distribution takes up,
1465 @strong{and} can be achieved without deleting a single file.
1468 @email{boffi@@hp735.stru.polimi.it, Giacomo Boffi} provides this procedure:
1471 Substitute @file{/usr/local/lib/} with the path where the xemacs tree is
1472 rooted, then use this script:
1477 r=/usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.13/lisp
1479 cd $r ; rm -f cmpr ; touch cmpr
1484 if test -d $d ; then
1487 # compress (remove) only (ONLY) the sources that have a
1488 # corresponding compiled file --- do not (DO NOT)
1489 # touch other sources
1490 if test -f $@{f@}c ; then gzip -v9 $f >> $r/cmpr ; fi
1499 A step beyond would be substituting @samp{rm -f} for @samp{gzip -v9},
1500 but you have to be desperate for removing the sources (remember that
1501 emacs can access compressed files transparently).
1503 Also, a good megabyte could easily be trimmed from the $r/../etc
1504 directory, e.g., the termcap files, some O+NEWS, others that I don't
1509 XEmacs 21.0 will unbundle the lisp hierarchy and allow the installer
1510 to choose exactly how much support code gets installed.
1513 @node Q2.0.3, Q2.0.4, Q2.0.2, Installation
1514 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.3: Compiling XEmacs with Netaudio.
1516 What is the best way to compile XEmacs with the netaudio system, since I
1517 have got the netaudio system compiled but installed at a weird place, I
1518 am not root. Also in the READMEs it does not say anything about
1519 compiling with the audioserver?
1521 You should only need to add some stuff to the configure command line.
1522 To tell it to compile in netaudio support: @samp{--with-sound=both}, or
1523 @samp{--with-sound=nas} if you don't want native sound support for some
1524 reason.) To tell it where to find the netaudio includes and libraries:
1527 --site-libraries=WHATEVER
1528 --site-includes=WHATEVER
1531 Then (fingers crossed) it should compile and it will use netaudio if you
1532 have a server running corresponding to the X server. The netaudio server
1533 has to be there when XEmacs starts. If the netaudio server goes away and
1534 another is run, XEmacs should cope (fingers crossed, error handling in
1535 netaudio isn't perfect).
1537 BTW, netaudio has been renamed as it has a name clash with something
1538 else, so if you see references to NAS or Network Audio System, it's the
1539 same thing. It also might be found at
1540 @uref{ftp://ftp.x.org/contrib/audio/nas/}.
1542 @node Q2.0.4, Q2.0.5, Q2.0.3, Installation
1543 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.4: Problems with Linux and ncurses.
1545 On Linux 1.3.98 with termcap 2.0.8 and the ncurses that came with libc
1546 5.2.18, XEmacs 20.0b20 is unable to open a tty device:
1550 Initialization error:
1554 Terminal type `xterm' undefined (or can't access database?)
1557 @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing} writes:
1560 Your ncurses configuration is messed up. Your /usr/lib/terminfo is a
1561 bad pointer, perhaps to a CD-ROM that is not inserted.
1564 @node Q2.0.5, Q2.0.6, Q2.0.4, Installation
1565 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.5: Do I need X11 to run XEmacs?
1567 No. The name @dfn{XEmacs} is unfortunate in the sense that it is
1568 @strong{not} an X Window System-only version of Emacs. Starting with
1569 19.14 XEmacs has full color support on a color-capable character
1572 @node Q2.0.6, Q2.0.7, Q2.0.5, Installation
1573 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.6: I'm having strange crashes. What do I do?
1575 There have been a variety of reports of crashes due to compilers with
1576 buggy optimizers. Please see the @file{PROBLEMS} file that comes with
1577 XEmacs to read what it says about your platform.
1579 @node Q2.0.7, Q2.0.8, Q2.0.6, Installation
1580 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.7: Libraries in non-standard locations
1582 I have x-faces, jpeg, xpm etc. all in different places. I've tried
1583 space-separated, comma-separated, several --site-libraries, all to no
1587 --site-libraries='/path/one /path/two /path/etc'
1590 @node Q2.0.8, Q2.0.9, Q2.0.7, Installation
1591 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.8: can't resolve symbol _h_errno
1593 You are using the Linux/ELF distribution of XEmacs 19.14, and your ELF
1594 libraries are out of date. You have the following options:
1598 Upgrade your libc to at least 5.2.16 (better is 5.2.18, 5.3.12, or
1602 Patch the XEmacs binary by replacing all occurrences of
1603 @samp{_h_errno^@@} with
1607 @samp{h_errno^@@^@@}. Any version of Emacs will
1608 suffice. If you don't understand how to do this, don't do it.
1611 Rebuild XEmacs yourself---any working ELF version of libc should be
1615 @email{hniksic@@xemacs.org, Hrvoje Niksic} writes:
1618 Why not use a Perl one-liner for No. 2?
1621 perl -pi -e 's/_h_errno\0/h_errno\0\0/g' \
1622 /usr/local/bin/xemacs-19.14
1625 NB: You @emph{must} patch @file{/usr/local/bin/xemacs-19.14}, and not
1626 @file{xemacs} because @file{xemacs} is a link to @file{xemacs-19.14};
1627 the Perl @samp{-i} option will cause unwanted side-effects if applied to
1631 @email{steve@@xemacs.org, SL Baur} writes:
1634 If you build against a recent libc-5.4 (late enough to have caused
1635 problems earlier in the beta cycle) and then run with an earlier version
1640 xemacs: can't resolve symbol '__malloc_hook'
1641 zsh: 7942 segmentation fault (core dumped) xemacs
1644 (Example binary compiled against libc-5.4.23 and run with libc-5.4.16).
1646 The solution is to upgrade to at least libc-5.4.23. Sigh. Drat.
1649 @node Q2.0.9, Q2.0.10, Q2.0.8, Installation
1650 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.9: Where do I find external libraries?
1652 All external libraries used by XEmacs can be found at the XEmacs FTP
1657 @uref{ftp://ftp.xemacs.org/pub/xemacs/aux/}.
1659 @c Changed June Link above, <URL:ftp://ftp.xemacs.org/pub/aux/> was dead.
1660 @c This list is a pain in the you-know-what to keep in synch with the
1662 The canonical locations (at the time of this writing) are as follows:
1666 @uref{ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg/}. Version 6a is current.
1667 @c Check from host with legal IP address
1669 @uref{ftp://ftp.x.org/contrib/libraries/}. Version 3.4j is current.
1670 Older versions of this package are known to cause XEmacs crashes.
1673 @uref{ftp://ftp.sgi.com/graphics/tiff/}. v3.4 is current. The latest
1674 beta is v3.4b035. There is a HOWTO here.
1677 @uref{ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/png/}. 0.89c is current. XEmacs
1678 requires a fairly recent version to avoid using temporary files.
1679 @c Check from host with legal IP address
1681 @uref{ftp://swrinde.nde.swri.edu/pub/png/src/}
1684 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu/pub/faces/compface/}. This library has
1685 been frozen for about 6 years, and is distributed without version
1686 numbers. @emph{It should be compiled with the same options that X11 was
1687 compiled with on your system}. The version of this library at
1688 XEmacs.org includes the @file{xbm2xface.pl} script, written by
1689 @email{stig@@hackvan.com}, which may be useful when generating your own xface.
1692 @uref{ftp://ftp.x.org/contrib/audio/nas/}.
1693 Version 1.2p5 is current. There is a FAQ here.
1696 @node Q2.0.10, Q2.0.11, Q2.0.9, Installation
1697 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.10: After I run configure I find a core dump, is something wrong?
1699 Not necessarily. If you have GNU sed 3.0 you should downgrade it to
1700 2.05. From the @file{README} at prep.ai.mit.edu:
1703 sed 3.0 has been withdrawn from distribution. It has major revisions,
1704 which mostly seem to be improvements; but it turns out to have bugs too
1705 which cause trouble in some common cases.
1707 Tom Lord won't be able to work fixing the bugs until May. So in the
1708 mean time, we've decided to withdraw sed 3.0 from distribution and make
1709 version 2.05 once again the recommended version.
1712 It has also been observed that the vfork test on Solaris will leave a
1715 @node Q2.0.11, Q2.0.12, Q2.0.10, Installation
1716 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.11: XEmacs doesn't resolve hostnames.
1718 This is the result of a long-standing problem with SunOS and the fact
1719 that stock SunOS systems do not ship with DNS resolver code in libc.
1721 @email{ckd@@loiosh.kei.com, Christopher Davis} writes:
1724 That's correct [The SunOS 4.1.3 precompiled binaries don't do name
1725 lookup]. Since Sun figured that everyone used NIS to do name lookups
1726 (that DNS thing was apparently only a passing fad, right?), the stock
1727 SunOS 4.x systems don't have DNS-based name lookups in libc.
1729 This is also why Netscape ships two binaries for SunOS 4.1.x.
1731 The best solution is to compile it yourself; the configure script will
1732 check to see if you've put DNS in the shared libc and will then proceed
1733 to link against the DNS resolver library code.
1736 @node Q2.0.12, Q2.1.1, Q2.0.11, Installation
1737 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.0.12: Why can't I strip XEmacs?
1739 @email{cognot@@fronsac.ensg.u-nancy.fr, Richard Cognot} writes:
1742 Because of the way XEmacs (and every other Emacsen, AFAIK) is built. The
1743 link gives you a bare-boned emacs (called temacs). temacs is then run,
1744 preloading some of the lisp files. The result is then dumped into a new
1745 executable, named xemacs, which will contain all of the preloaded lisp
1748 Now, during the dump itself, the executable (code+data+symbols) is
1749 written on disk using a special unexec() function. This function is
1750 obviously heavily system dependent. And on some systems, it leads to an
1751 executable which, although valid, cannot be stripped without damage. If
1752 memory serves, this is especially the case for AIX binaries. On other
1753 architecture it might work OK.
1755 The Right Way to strip the emacs binary is to strip temacs prior to
1756 dumping xemacs. This will always work, although you can do that only if
1757 you install from sources (as temacs is @file{not} part of the binary
1761 @email{nat@@nataa.fr.eu.org, Nat Makarevitch} writes:
1768 [ ./configure; make ]
1780 cp src/xemacs /usr/local/bin/xemacs
1783 cp lib-src/DOC-19.16-XEmacs
1787 /usr/local/lib/xemacs-19.16/i586-unknown-linuxaout
1791 @node Q2.1.1, Q2.1.2, Q2.0.12, Installation
1792 @unnumberedsec 2.1: Trouble Shooting
1793 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.1: Help! XEmacs just crashed on me!
1795 First of all, don't panic. Whenever XEmacs crashes, it tries extremely
1796 hard to auto-save all of your files before dying. (The main time that
1797 this will not happen is if the machine physically lost power or if you
1798 killed the XEmacs process using @code{kill -9}). The next time you try
1799 to edit those files, you will be informed that a more recent auto-save
1800 file exists. You can use @kbd{M-x recover-file} to retrieve the
1801 auto-saved version of the file.
1803 Starting with 19.14, you may use the command @kbd{M-x recover-session}
1804 after a crash to pick up where you left off.
1806 Now, XEmacs is not perfect, and there may occasionally be times, or
1807 particular sequences of actions, that cause it to crash. If you can
1808 come up with a reproducible way of doing this (or even if you have a
1809 pretty good memory of exactly what you were doing at the time), the
1810 maintainers would be very interested in knowing about it. Post a
1811 message to comp.emacs.xemacs or send mail to @email{crashes@@xemacs.org}.
1812 Please note that the @samp{crashes} address is exclusively for crash
1815 If at all possible, include a stack backtrace of the core dump that was
1816 produced. This shows where exactly things went wrong, and makes it much
1817 easier to diagnose problems. To do this, you need to locate the core
1818 file (it's called @file{core}, and is usually sitting in the directory
1819 that you started XEmacs from, or your home directory if that other
1820 directory was not writable). Then, go to that directory and execute a
1824 gdb `which xemacs` core
1827 and then issue the command @samp{where} to get the stack backtrace. You
1828 might have to use @code{dbx} or some similar debugger in place of
1829 @code{gdb}. If you don't have any such debugger available, complain to
1830 your system administrator.
1832 It's possible that a core file didn't get produced, in which case you're
1833 out of luck. Go complain to your system administrator and tell him not
1834 to disable core files by default. Also @xref{Q2.1.15}, for tips and
1835 techniques for dealing with a debugger.
1837 When making a problem report make sure that:
1841 Report @strong{all} of the information output by XEmacs during the
1845 You mention what O/S & Hardware you are running XEmacs on.
1848 What version of XEmacs you are running.
1851 What build options you are using.
1854 If the problem is related to graphics, we will also need to know what
1855 version of the X Window System you are running, and what window manager
1859 If the problem happened on a tty, please include the terminal type.
1862 @node Q2.1.2, Q2.1.3, Q2.1.1, Installation
1863 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.2: Cryptic Minibuffer messages.
1865 When I try to use some particular option of some particular package, I
1866 get a cryptic error in the minibuffer.
1868 If you can't figure out what's going on, select Options/General
1869 Options/Debug on Error from the Menubar and then try and make the error
1870 happen again. This will give you a backtrace that may be enlightening.
1871 If not, try reading through this FAQ; if that fails, you could try
1872 posting to comp.emacs.xemacs (making sure to include the backtrace) and
1873 someone may be able to help. If you can identify which Emacs lisp
1874 source file the error is coming from you can get a more detailed stack
1875 backtrace by doing the following:
1879 Visit the .el file in an XEmacs buffer.
1882 Issue the command @kbd{M-x eval-current-buffer}.
1885 Reproduce the error.
1888 Depending on the version of XEmacs, you may either select Edit->Show
1889 Messages (19.13 and earlier) or Help->Recent Keystrokes/Messages (19.14
1890 and later) from the menubar to see the most recent messages. This
1891 command is bound to @kbd{C-h l} by default.
1893 @node Q2.1.3, Q2.1.4, Q2.1.2, Installation
1894 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.3: Translation Table Syntax messages at Startup
1896 I get tons of translation table syntax error messages during startup.
1897 How do I get rid of them?
1899 There are two causes of this problem. The first usually only strikes
1900 people using the prebuilt binaries. The culprit in both cases is the
1901 file @file{XKeysymDB}.
1905 The binary cannot find the @file{XKeysymDB} file. The location is
1906 hardcoded at compile time so if the system the binary was built on puts
1907 it a different place than your system does, you have problems. To fix,
1908 set the environment variable @var{XKEYSYMDB} to the location of the
1909 @file{XKeysymDB} file on your system or to the location of the one
1910 included with XEmacs which should be at
1914 @file{<xemacs_root_directory>/lib/xemacs-19.16/etc/XKeysymDB}.
1917 The binary is finding the XKeysymDB but it is out-of-date on your system
1918 and does not contain the necessary lines. Either ask your system
1919 administrator to replace it with the one which comes with XEmacs (which
1920 is the stock R6 version and is backwards compatible) or set your
1921 @var{XKEYSYMDB} variable to the location of XEmacs's described above.
1924 @node Q2.1.4, Q2.1.5, Q2.1.3, Installation
1925 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.4: Startup warnings about deducing proper fonts?
1927 How can I avoid the startup warnings about deducing proper fonts?
1929 This is highly dependent on your installation, but try with the
1930 following font as your base font for XEmacs and see what it does:
1933 -adobe-courier-medium-r-*-*-*-120-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1
1936 More precisely, do the following in your resource file:
1939 Emacs.default.attributeFont: \
1940 -adobe-courier-medium-r-*-*-*-120-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1
1943 If you just don't want to see the @samp{*Warnings*} buffer at startup
1944 time, you can set this:
1947 (setq display-warning-minimum-level 'error)
1950 The buffer still exists; it just isn't in your face.
1952 @node Q2.1.5, Q2.1.6, Q2.1.4, Installation
1953 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.5: XEmacs cannot connect to my X Terminal!
1955 Help! I can not get XEmacs to display on my Envizex X-terminal!
1957 Try setting the @var{DISPLAY} variable using the numeric IP address of
1958 the host you are running XEmacs from.
1960 @node Q2.1.6, Q2.1.7, Q2.1.5, Installation
1961 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.6: XEmacs just locked up my Linux X server!
1963 There have been several reports of the X server locking up under Linux.
1964 In all reported cases removing speedo and scaled fonts from the font
1965 path corrected the problem. This can be done with the command
1968 It is possible that using a font server may also solve the problem.
1970 @node Q2.1.7, Q2.1.8, Q2.1.6, Installation
1971 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.7: HP Alt key as Meta.
1973 How can I make XEmacs recognize the Alt key of my HP workstation as a
1976 Put the following line into a file and load it with xmodmap(1) before
1980 remove Mod1 = Mode_switch
1983 @node Q2.1.8, Q2.1.9, Q2.1.7, Installation
1984 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.8: got (wrong-type-argument color-instance-p nil)
1986 @email{nataliek@@rd.scitec.com.au, Natalie Kershaw} writes:
1989 I am trying to run xemacs 19.13 under X11R4. Whenever I move the mouse I
1990 get the following error. Has anyone seen anything like this? This
1991 doesn't occur on X11R5.
1995 (error "got (wrong-type-argument color-instance-p nil)
1996 and I don't know why!")
2000 @email{map01kd@@gold.ac.uk, dinos} writes:
2003 I think this is due to undefined resources; You need to define color
2004 backgrounds and foregrounds into your @file{.../app-defaults/Emacs}
2008 *Foreground: Black ;everything will be of black on grey95,
2009 *Background: Grey95 ;unless otherwise specified.
2010 *cursorColor: Red3 ;red3 cursor with grey95 border.
2011 *pointerColor: Red3 ;red3 pointer with grey95 border.
2015 Natalie Kershaw adds:
2018 What fixed the problem was adding some more colors to the X color
2019 database (copying the X11R5 colors over), and also defining the
2020 following resources:
2023 xemacs*cursorColor: black
2024 xemacs*pointerColor: black
2027 With the new colors installed the problem still occurs if the above
2028 resources are not defined.
2030 If the new colors are not present then an additional error occurs on
2031 XEmacs startup, which says @samp{Color Red3} not defined.
2034 @node Q2.1.9, Q2.1.10, Q2.1.8, Installation
2035 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.9: XEmacs causes my OpenWindows 3.0 server to crash.
2037 The OpenWindows 3.0 server is incredibly buggy. Your best bet is to
2038 replace it with one from the generic MIT X11 release. You might also
2039 try disabling parts of your @file{.emacs}, like enabling background
2042 @node Q2.1.10, Q2.1.11, Q2.1.9, Installation
2043 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.10: Warnings from incorrect key modifiers.
2045 The following information comes from the @file{PROBLEMS} file that comes
2048 If you're having troubles with HP/UX it is because HP/UX defines the
2049 modifiers wrong in X. Here is a shell script to fix the problem; be
2050 sure that it is run after VUE configures the X server.
2054 xmodmap 2> /dev/null - << EOF
2055 keysym Alt_L = Meta_L
2056 keysym Alt_R = Meta_R
2061 keysym Mode_switch = NoSymbol
2063 keysym Meta_R = Mode_switch
2064 add mod2 = Mode_switch
2068 @node Q2.1.11, Q2.1.12, Q2.1.10, Installation
2069 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.11: @samp{Can't instantiate image error...} in toolbar
2072 @email{expt@@alanine.ram.org, Dr. Ram Samudrala} writes:
2074 I just installed the XEmacs (20.4-2) RPMS that I downloaded from
2075 @uref{http://www.xemacs.org/}. Everything works fine, except that when
2076 I place my mouse over the toolbar, it beeps and gives me this message:
2079 Can't instantiate image (probably cached):
2080 [xbm :mask-file "/usr/include/X11/bitmaps/leftptrmsk :mask-data
2081 (16 16 <strange control characters> ...
2084 @email{kyle_jones@@wonderworks.com, Kyle Jones} writes:
2086 This is problem specific to some Chips and Technologies video
2087 chips, when running XFree86. Putting
2089 @code{Option "sw_cursor"}
2091 in @file{XF86Config} gets rid of the problem.
2094 @node Q2.1.12, Q2.1.13, Q2.1.11, Installation
2095 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.12: Problems with Regular Expressions on DEC OSF1.
2097 I have xemacs 19.13 running on an alpha running OSF1 V3.2 148 and ispell
2098 would not run because it claimed the version number was incorrect
2099 although it was indeed OK. I traced the problem to the regular
2102 @email{douglask@@dstc.edu.au, Douglas Kosovic} writes:
2105 Actually it's a DEC cc optimization bug that screws up the regexp
2108 Rebuilding using the @samp{-migrate} switch for DEC cc (which uses a
2109 different sort of optimization) works fine.
2112 See @file{xemacs-19_13-dunix-3_2c.patch} at the following URL on how to
2113 build with the @samp{-migrate} flag:
2116 @uref{http://www-digital.cern.ch/carney/emacs/emacs.html}
2117 @c Link above, <URL:http://www-digital.cern.ch/carney/emacs/emacs.html> is
2118 @c dead. And the directory `carney' is empty.
2124 NOTE: There have been a variety of other problems reported that are
2125 fixed in this fashion.
2127 @node Q2.1.13, Q2.1.14, Q2.1.12, Installation
2128 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.13: HP/UX 10.10 and @code{create_process} failure.
2130 @email{Dave.Carrigan@@ipl.ca, Dave Carrigan} writes:
2133 With XEmacs 19.13 and HP/UX 10.10, anything that relies on the
2134 @code{create_process} function fails. This breaks a lot of things
2135 (shell-mode, compile, ange-ftp, to name a few).
2138 @email{johnson@@dtc.hp.com, Phil Johnson} writes:
2141 This is a problem specific to HP-UX 10.10. It only occurs when XEmacs
2142 is compiled for shared libraries (the default), so you can work around
2143 it by compiling a statically-linked binary (run configure with
2144 @samp{--dynamic=no}).
2146 I'm not sure whether the problem is with a particular shared library or
2147 if it's a kernel problem which crept into 10.10.
2150 @email{cognot@@ensg.u-nancy.fr, Richard Cognot} writes:
2153 I had a few problems with 10.10. Apparently, some of them were solved by
2154 forcing a static link of libc (manually).
2157 @node Q2.1.14, Q2.1.15, Q2.1.13, Installation
2158 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.14: @kbd{C-g} doesn't work for me. Is it broken?
2160 @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing} writes:
2163 @kbd{C-g} does work for most people in most circumstances. If it
2164 doesn't, there are only two explanations:
2168 The code is wrapped with a binding of @code{inhibit-quit} to
2169 @code{t}. @kbd{Ctrl-Shift-G} should still work, I think.
2172 SIGIO is broken on your system, but BROKEN_SIGIO isn't defined.
2175 To test #2, try executing @code{(while t)} from the @samp{*scratch*}
2176 buffer. If @kbd{C-g} doesn't interrupt, then you're seeing #2.
2179 @email{terra@@diku.dk, Morten Welinder} writes:
2182 On some (but @emph{not} all) machines a hung XEmacs can be revived by
2183 @code{kill -FPE <pid>}. This is a hack, of course, not a solution.
2184 This technique works on a Sun4 running 4.1.3_U1. To see if it works for
2185 you, start another XEmacs and test with that first. If you get a core
2186 dump the method doesn't work and if you get @samp{Arithmetic error} then
2190 @node Q2.1.15, Q2.1.16, Q2.1.14, Installation
2191 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.15: How to Debug an XEmacs problem with a debugger
2193 If XEmacs does crash on you, one of the most productive things you can
2194 do to help get the bug fixed is to poke around a bit with the debugger.
2195 Here are some hints:
2199 First of all, if the crash is at all reproducible, consider very
2200 strongly recompiling your XEmacs with debugging symbols, with no
2201 optimization, and with the configure options @samp{--debug=yes} and
2202 @samp{--error-checking=all}. This will make your XEmacs run somewhat
2203 slower but make it a lot more likely to catch the problem earlier
2204 (closer to its source), and a lot easier to determine what's going on
2208 If you're able to run XEmacs under a debugger and reproduce the crash
2209 (if it's inconvenient to do this because XEmacs is already running or is
2210 running in batch mode as part of a bunch of scripts, consider attaching
2211 to the existing process with your debugger; most debuggers let you do
2212 this by substituting the process ID for the core file when you invoke
2213 the debugger from the command line, or by using the @code{attach}
2214 command or something similar), here are some things you can do:
2217 If XEmacs is hitting an assertion failure, put a breakpoint on
2218 @code{assert_failed()}.
2221 If XEmacs is hitting some weird Lisp error that's causing it to crash
2222 (e.g. during startup), put a breakpoint on @code{signal_1()}---this is
2223 declared static in eval.c.
2226 Internally, you will probably see lots of variables that hold objects of
2227 type @code{Lisp_Object}. These are exactly what they appear to be,
2228 i.e. references to Lisp objects. Printing them out with the debugger
2229 probably won't be too useful---you'll likely just see a number. To
2230 decode them, do this:
2233 call debug_print (OBJECT)
2236 where @var{OBJECT} is whatever you want to decode (it can be a variable,
2237 a function call, etc.). This will print out a readable representation
2238 on the TTY from which the xemacs process was invoked.
2241 If you want to get a Lisp backtrace showing the Lisp call
2245 call debug_backtrace ()
2249 Using @code{debug_print} and @code{debug_backtrace} has two
2250 disadvantages - it can only be used with a running xemacs process, and
2251 it cannot display the internal C structure of a Lisp Object. Even if
2252 all you've got is a core dump, all is not lost.
2254 If you're using GDB, there are some macros in the file
2255 @file{src/.gdbinit} in the XEmacs source distribution that should make
2256 it easier for you to decode Lisp objects. This file is automatically
2257 read by gdb if gdb is run in the directory where xemacs was built, and
2258 contains these useful macros to inspect the state of xemacs:
2262 Usage: pobj lisp_object @*
2263 Print the internal C representation of a lisp object.
2266 Usage: xtype lisp_object @*
2267 Print the Lisp type of a lisp object.
2271 Print the current Lisp stack trace.
2272 Requires a running xemacs process.
2275 Usage: ldp lisp_object @*
2276 Print a Lisp Object value using the Lisp printer.
2277 Requires a running xemacs process.
2280 Usage: run-temacs @*
2281 Run temacs interactively, like xemacs.
2282 Use this with debugging tools (like purify) that cannot deal with dumping,
2283 or when temacs builds successfully, but xemacs does not.
2286 Usage: dump-temacs @*
2287 Run the dumping part of the build procedure.
2288 Use when debugging temacs, not xemacs!
2289 Use this when temacs builds successfully, but xemacs does not.
2292 Usage: check-xemacs @*
2293 Run the test suite. Equivalent to 'make check'.
2296 Usage: check-temacs @*
2297 Run the test suite on temacs. Equivalent to 'make check-temacs'.
2298 Use this with debugging tools (like purify) that cannot deal with dumping,
2299 or when temacs builds successfully, but xemacs does not.
2302 If you are using Sun's @file{dbx} debugger, there is an equivalent file
2303 @file{src/.dbxrc}, which defines the same commands for dbx.
2306 If you're using a debugger to get a C stack backtrace and you're seeing
2307 stack traces with some of the innermost frames mangled, it may be due to
2308 dynamic linking. (This happens especially under Linux.) Consider
2309 reconfiguring with @samp{--dynamic=no}. Also, sometimes (again under
2310 Linux), stack backtraces of core dumps will have the frame where the
2311 fatal signal occurred mangled; if you can obtain a stack trace while
2312 running the XEmacs process under a debugger, the stack trace should be
2315 @email{1CMC3466@@ibm.mtsac.edu, Curtiss} suggests upgrading to ld.so version 1.8
2316 if dynamic linking and debugging is a problem on Linux.
2319 If you're using a debugger to get a C stack backtrace and you're
2320 getting a completely mangled and bogus stack trace, it's probably due to
2321 one of the following:
2325 Your executable has been stripped. Bad news. Tell your sysadmin not to
2326 do this---it doesn't accomplish anything except to save a bit of disk
2327 space, and makes debugging much much harder.
2330 Your stack is getting trashed. Debugging this is hard; you have to do a
2331 binary-search type of narrowing down where the crash occurs, until you
2332 figure out exactly which line is causing the problem. Of course, this
2333 only works if the bug is highly reproducible.
2336 If your stack trace has exactly one frame in it, with address 0x0, this
2337 could simply mean that XEmacs attempted to execute code at that address,
2338 e.g. through jumping to a null function pointer. Unfortunately, under
2339 those circumstances, GDB under Linux doesn't know how to get a stack
2340 trace. (Yes, this is the third Linux-related problem I've mentioned. I
2341 have no idea why GDB under Linux is so bogus. Complain to the GDB
2342 authors, or to comp.os.linux.development.system). Again, you'll have to
2343 use the narrowing-down process described above.
2346 If you compiled 19.14 with @samp{--debug} (or by default in later
2347 versions), you will get a Lisp backtrace output when XEmacs crashes, so
2348 you'll have something useful.
2353 If you compile with the newer gcc variants gcc-2.8 or egcs, you will
2354 also need gdb 4.17 or above. Earlier releases of gdb can't handle the
2355 debug information generated by the newer compilers.
2358 In versions of XEmacs before 21.2.27, @file{src/.gdbinit} was named
2359 @file{src/gdbinit}. This had the disadvantage of not being sourced
2360 automatically by gdb, so you had to set that up yourself.
2364 @node Q2.1.16, Q2.1.17, Q2.1.15, Installation
2365 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.16: XEmacs crashes in @code{strcat} on HP/UX 10
2367 From the problems database (through
2368 the former address http://support.mayfield.hp.com/):
2371 Problem Report: 5003302299
2374 System/Model: 9000/700
2375 Product Name: HPUX S800 10.0X
2376 Product Vers: 9245XB.10.00
2378 Description: strcat(3C) may read beyond
2379 end of source string, can cause SIGSEGV
2382 *** PROBLEM TEXT ***
2383 strcat(3C) may read beyond the source string onto an unmapped page,
2384 causing a segmentation violation.
2387 @node Q2.1.17, Q2.1.18, Q2.1.16, Installation
2388 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.17: @samp{Marker does not point anywhere}
2390 As with other errors, set @code{debug-on-error} to @code{t} to get the
2391 backtrace when the error occurs. Specifically, two problems have been
2392 reported (and fixed).
2396 A problem with line-number-mode in XEmacs 19.14 affected a large number
2397 of other packages. If you see this error message, turn off
2401 A problem with some early versions of Gnus 5.4 caused this error.
2405 @node Q2.1.18, Q2.1.19, Q2.1.17, Installation
2406 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.18: removed
2408 @node Q2.1.19, Q2.1.20, Q2.1.18, Installation
2409 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.19: XEmacs does not follow the local timezone.
2411 When using one of the prebuilt binaries many users have observed that
2412 XEmacs uses the timezone under which it was built, but not the timezone
2413 under which it is running. The solution is to add:
2416 (set-time-zone-rule "MET")
2419 to your @file{.emacs} or the @file{site-start.el} file if you can.
2420 Replace @code{MET} with your local timezone.
2422 @node Q2.1.20, Q2.1.21, Q2.1.19, Installation
2423 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.20: @samp{Symbol's function definition is void: hkey-help-show.}
2425 This is a problem with a partially loaded hyperbole. Try adding:
2428 (require 'hmouse-drv)
2431 where you load hyperbole and the problem should go away.
2433 @node Q2.1.21, Q2.1.22, Q2.1.20, Installation
2434 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.21: [This question intentionally left blank]
2436 @node Q2.1.22, Q2.1.23, Q2.1.21, Installation
2437 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.22: XEmacs seems to take a really long time to do some things
2439 @email{dmoore@@ucsd.edu, David Moore} writes:
2442 Two things you can do:
2446 When you see it going mad like this, you might want to use gdb from an
2447 'xterm' to attach to the running process and get a stack trace. To do
2451 gdb /path/to/xemacs/xemacs ####
2454 Where @code{####} is the process id of your xemacs, instead of
2455 specifying the core. When gdb attaches, the xemacs will stop [1] and
2456 you can type `where' in gdb to get a stack trace as usual. To get
2457 things moving again, you can just type `quit' in gdb. It'll tell you
2458 the program is running and ask if you want to quit anyways. Say 'y' and
2459 it'll quit and have your emacs continue from where it was at.
2463 Turn on debug-on-quit early on. When you think things are going slow
2464 hit C-g and it may pop you in the debugger so you can see what routine
2465 is running. Press `c' to get going again.
2467 debug-on-quit doesn't work if something's turned on inhibit-quit or in
2468 some other strange cases.
2471 @node Q2.1.23, Q2.1.24, Q2.1.22, Installation
2472 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.23: Movemail on Linux does not work for XEmacs 19.15 and later.
2474 Movemail used to work fine in 19.14 but has stopped working in 19.15
2475 and 20.x. I am using Linux.
2477 @email{steve@@xemacs.org, SL Baur} writes:
2480 Movemail on Linux used to default to using flock file locking. With
2481 19.15 and later versions it now defaults to using @code{.lock} file
2482 locking. If this is not appropriate for your system, edit src/s/linux.h
2483 and uncomment the line that reads:
2486 #define MAIL_USE_FLOCK
2490 @node Q2.1.24, , Q2.1.23, Installation
2491 @unnumberedsubsec Q2.1.24: XEmacs won't start without network. (NEW)
2492 Q2.1.23: Movemail on Linux does not work for XEmacs 19.15 and later.
2494 If XEmacs starts when you're on the network, but fails when you're not
2495 on the network, you may be missing a "localhost" entry in your
2496 @file{/etc/hosts} file. The file should contain an entry like:
2502 Add that line, and XEmacs will be happy.
2504 @node Customization, Subsystems, Installation, Top
2505 @unnumbered 3 Customization and Options
2507 This is part 3 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list. This
2508 section is devoted to Customization and screen settings.
2511 Customization---Emacs Lisp and @file{.emacs}:
2512 * Q3.0.1:: What version of Emacs am I running?
2513 * Q3.0.2:: How do I evaluate Elisp expressions?
2514 * Q3.0.3:: @code{(setq tab-width 6)} behaves oddly.
2515 * Q3.0.4:: How can I add directories to the @code{load-path}?
2516 * Q3.0.5:: How to check if a lisp function is defined?
2517 * Q3.0.6:: Can I force the output of @code{(face-list)} to a buffer?
2518 * Q3.0.7:: Font selections don't get saved after @code{Save Options}.
2519 * Q3.0.8:: How do I make a single minibuffer frame?
2520 * Q3.0.9:: What is @code{Customize}?
2522 X Window System & Resources:
2523 * Q3.1.1:: Where is a list of X resources?
2524 * Q3.1.2:: How can I detect a color display?
2525 * Q3.1.3:: [This question intentionally left blank]
2526 * Q3.1.4:: [This question intentionally left blank]
2527 * Q3.1.5:: How can I get the icon to just say @samp{XEmacs}?
2528 * Q3.1.6:: How can I have the window title area display the full path?
2529 * Q3.1.7:: @samp{xemacs -name junk} doesn't work?
2530 * Q3.1.8:: @samp{-iconic} doesn't work.
2532 Textual Fonts & Colors:
2533 * Q3.2.1:: How can I set color options from @file{.emacs}?
2534 * Q3.2.2:: How do I set the text, menu and modeline fonts?
2535 * Q3.2.3:: How can I set the colors when highlighting a region?
2536 * Q3.2.4:: How can I limit color map usage?
2537 * Q3.2.5:: My tty supports color, but XEmacs doesn't use them.
2538 * Q3.2.6:: Can I have pixmap backgrounds in XEmacs?
2541 * Q3.3.1:: How can I make the modeline go away?
2542 * Q3.3.2:: How do you have XEmacs display the line number in the modeline?
2543 * Q3.3.3:: How do I get XEmacs to put the time of day on the modeline?
2544 * Q3.3.4:: How do I turn off current chapter from AUC TeX modeline?
2545 * Q3.3.5:: How can one change the modeline color based on the mode used?
2547 3.4 Multiple Device Support:
2548 * Q3.4.1:: How do I open a frame on another screen of my multi-headed display?
2549 * Q3.4.2:: Can I really connect to a running XEmacs after calling up over a modem? How?
2552 * Q3.5.1:: How can I bind complex functions (or macros) to keys?
2553 * Q3.5.2:: How can I stop down-arrow from adding empty lines to the bottom of my buffers?
2554 * Q3.5.3:: How do I bind C-. and C-; to scroll one line up and down?
2555 * Q3.5.4:: Globally binding @kbd{Delete}?
2556 * Q3.5.5:: Scrolling one line at a time.
2557 * Q3.5.6:: How to map @kbd{Help} key alone on Sun type4 keyboard?
2558 * Q3.5.7:: How can you type in special characters in XEmacs?
2559 * Q3.5.8:: Why does @code{(global-set-key [delete-forward] 'delete-char)} complain?
2560 * Q3.5.9:: How do I make the Delete key delete forward?
2561 * Q3.5.10:: Can I turn on @dfn{sticky} modifier keys?
2562 * Q3.5.11:: How do I map the arrow keys?
2565 * Q3.6.1:: Is there a way to make the bar cursor thicker?
2566 * Q3.6.2:: Is there a way to get back the old block cursor where the cursor covers the character in front of the point?
2567 * Q3.6.3:: Can I make the cursor blink?
2569 The Mouse and Highlighting:
2570 * Q3.7.1:: How can I turn off Mouse pasting?
2571 * Q3.7.2:: How do I set control/meta/etc modifiers on mouse buttons?
2572 * Q3.7.3:: Clicking the left button does not do anything in buffer list.
2573 * Q3.7.4:: How can I get a list of buffers when I hit mouse button 3?
2574 * Q3.7.5:: Why does cut-and-paste not work between XEmacs and a cmdtool?
2575 * Q3.7.6:: How I can set XEmacs up so that it pastes where the text cursor is?
2576 * Q3.7.7:: How do I select a rectangular region?
2577 * Q3.7.8:: Why does @kbd{M-w} take so long?
2579 The Menubar and Toolbar:
2580 * Q3.8.1:: How do I get rid of the menu (or menubar)?
2581 * Q3.8.2:: Can I customize the basic menubar?
2582 * Q3.8.3:: How do I control how many buffers are listed in the menu @code{Buffers} list?
2583 * Q3.8.4:: Resources like @code{Emacs*menubar*font} are not working?
2584 * Q3.8.5:: How can I bind a key to a function to toggle the toolbar?
2587 * Q3.9.1:: How can I disable the scrollbar?
2588 * Q3.9.2:: How can one use resources to change scrollbar colors?
2589 * Q3.9.3:: Moving the scrollbar can move the point; can I disable this?
2590 * Q3.9.4:: How can I get automatic horizontal scrolling?
2593 * Q3.10.1:: How can I turn off or change highlighted selections?
2594 * Q3.10.2:: How do I get that typing on an active region removes it?
2595 * Q3.10.3:: Can I turn off the highlight during isearch?
2596 * Q3.10.4:: How do I turn off highlighting after @kbd{C-x C-p} (mark-page)?
2597 * Q3.10.5:: The region disappears when I hit the end of buffer while scrolling.
2600 @node Q3.0.1, Q3.0.2, Customization, Customization
2601 @unnumberedsec 3.0: Customization -- Emacs Lisp and .emacs
2602 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.1: What version of Emacs am I running?
2604 How can @file{.emacs} determine which of the family of Emacsen I am
2607 To determine if you are currently running GNU Emacs 18, GNU Emacs 19,
2608 XEmacs 19, XEmacs 20, or Epoch, and use appropriate code, check out the
2609 example given in @file{etc/sample.emacs}. There are other nifty things
2612 For all new code, all you really need to do is:
2615 (defvar running-xemacs (string-match "XEmacs\\|Lucid" emacs-version))
2618 @node Q3.0.2, Q3.0.3, Q3.0.1, Customization
2619 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.2: How can I evaluate Emacs-Lisp expressions?
2621 I know I can evaluate Elisp expressions from @code{*scratch*} buffer
2622 with @kbd{C-j} after the expression. How do I do it from another
2625 Press @kbd{M-:} (the default binding of @code{eval-expression}), and
2626 enter the expression to the minibuffer. In XEmacs prior to 19.15
2627 @code{eval-expression} used to be a disabled command by default. If
2628 this is the case, upgrade your XEmacs.
2630 @node Q3.0.3, Q3.0.4, Q3.0.2, Customization
2631 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.3: @code{(setq tab-width 6)} behaves oddly.
2633 If you put @code{(setq tab-width 6)} in your @file{.emacs} file it does
2634 not work! Is there a reason for this? If you do it at the EVAL prompt
2635 it works fine!! How strange.
2637 Use @code{setq-default} instead, since @code{tab-width} is
2640 @node Q3.0.4, Q3.0.5, Q3.0.3, Customization
2641 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.4: How can I add directories to the @code{load-path}?
2643 Here are two ways to do that, one that puts your directories at the
2644 front of the load-path, the other at the end:
2647 ;;; Add things at the beginning of the load-path, do not add
2648 ;;; duplicate directories:
2649 (pushnew "bar" load-path :test 'equal)
2651 (pushnew "foo" load-path :test 'equal)
2653 ;;; Add things at the end, unconditionally
2654 (setq load-path (nconc load-path '("foo" "bar")))
2657 @email{keithh@@nortel.ca, keith (k.p.) hanlan} writes:
2660 To add directories using Unix shell metacharacters use
2661 @file{expand-file-name} like this:
2664 (push (expand-file-name "~keithh/.emacsdir") load-path)
2668 @node Q3.0.5, Q3.0.6, Q3.0.4, Customization
2669 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.5: How to check if a lisp function is defined?
2671 Use the following elisp:
2677 It's almost always a mistake to test @code{emacs-version} or any similar
2680 Instead, use feature-tests, such as @code{featurep}, @code{boundp},
2681 @code{fboundp}, or even simple behavioral tests, eg.:
2684 (defvar foo-old-losing-code-p
2685 (condition-case nil (progn (losing-code t) nil)
2686 (wrong-number-of-arguments t)))
2689 There is an incredible amount of broken code out there which could work
2690 much better more often in more places if it did the above instead of
2691 trying to divine its environment from the value of one variable.
2693 @node Q3.0.6, Q3.0.7, Q3.0.5, Customization
2694 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.6: Can I force the output of @code{(face-list)} to a buffer?
2696 It would be good having it in a buffer, as the output of
2697 @code{(face-list)} is too wide to fit to a minibuffer.
2699 Evaluate the expression in the @samp{*scratch*} buffer with point after
2700 the rightmost paren and typing @kbd{C-j}.
2702 If the minibuffer smallness is the only problem you encounter, you can
2703 simply press @kbd{C-h l} to get the former minibuffer contents in a
2706 @node Q3.0.7, Q3.0.8, Q3.0.6, Customization
2707 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.7: Font selections in don't get saved after @code{Save Options}.
2709 For XEmacs 19.14 and previous:
2711 @email{mannj@@ll.mit.edu, John Mann} writes:
2714 You have to go to Options->Frame Appearance and unselect
2715 @samp{Frame-Local Font Menu}. If this option is selected, font changes
2716 are only applied to the @emph{current} frame and do @emph{not} get saved
2717 when you save options.
2720 For XEmacs 19.15 and later:
2722 Implement the above as well as set the following in your @file{.emacs}
2725 (setq options-save-faces t)
2728 @node Q3.0.8, Q3.0.9, Q3.0.7, Customization
2729 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.8: How do I get a single minibuffer frame?
2731 @email{acs@@acm.org, Vin Shelton} writes:
2734 (setq initial-frame-plist '(minibuffer nil))
2735 (setq default-frame-plist '(minibuffer nil))
2736 (setq default-minibuffer-frame
2741 menubar-visible-p nil
2742 default-toolbar-visible-p nil
2746 has-modeline-p nil)))
2747 (frame-notice-user-settings)
2750 @strong{Please note:} The single minibuffer frame may not be to everyone's
2751 taste, and there any number of other XEmacs options settings that may
2752 make it difficult or inconvenient to use.
2754 @node Q3.0.9, Q3.1.1, Q3.0.8, Customization
2755 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.0.9: What is @code{Customize}?
2757 Starting with XEmacs 20.2 there is new system 'Customize' for customizing
2760 You can access @code{Customize} from the @code{Options} menu
2761 or invoking one of customize commands by typing eg.
2762 @kbd{M-x customize}, @kbd{M-x customize-face},
2763 @kbd{M-x customize-variable} or @kbd{M-x customize-apropos}.
2765 Starting with XEmacs 20.3 there is also new `browser' mode for Customize.
2766 Try it out with @kbd{M-x customize-browse}
2768 @node Q3.1.1, Q3.1.2, Q3.0.9, Customization
2769 @unnumberedsec 3.1: X Window System & Resources
2770 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.1: Where is a list of X resources?
2772 Search through the @file{NEWS} file for @samp{X Resources}. A fairly
2773 comprehensive list is given after it.
2775 In addition, an @file{app-defaults} file is supplied,
2776 @file{etc/Emacs.ad} listing the defaults. The file
2777 @file{etc/sample.Xdefaults} gives a set of defaults that you might
2778 consider. It is essentially the same as @file{etc/Emacs.ad} but some
2779 entries are slightly altered. Be careful about installing the contents
2780 of this file into your @file{.Xdefaults} or @file{.Xresources} file if
2781 you use GNU Emacs under X11 as well.
2783 @node Q3.1.2, Q3.1.3, Q3.1.1, Customization
2784 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.2: How can I detect a color display?
2786 You can test the return value of the function @code{(device-class)}, as
2790 (when (eq (device-class) 'color)
2791 (set-face-foreground 'font-lock-comment-face "Grey")
2792 (set-face-foreground 'font-lock-string-face "Red")
2797 @node Q3.1.3, Q3.1.4, Q3.1.2, Customization
2798 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.3: [This question intentionally left blank]
2800 @node Q3.1.4, Q3.1.5, Q3.1.3, Customization
2801 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.4: [This question intentionally left blank]
2803 @node Q3.1.5, Q3.1.6, Q3.1.4, Customization
2804 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.5: How can I get the icon to just say @samp{XEmacs}?
2806 I'd like the icon to just say @samp{XEmacs}, and not include the name of
2807 the current file in it.
2809 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs}:
2812 (setq frame-icon-title-format "XEmacs")
2815 @node Q3.1.6, Q3.1.7, Q3.1.5, Customization
2816 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.6: How can I have the window title area display the full path?
2818 I'd like to have the window title area display the full directory/name
2819 of the current buffer file and not just the name.
2821 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs}:
2824 (setq frame-title-format "%S: %f")
2827 A more sophisticated title might be:
2830 (setq frame-title-format
2831 '("%S: " (buffer-file-name "%f"
2832 (dired-directory dired-directory "%b"))))
2835 That is, use the file name, or the dired-directory, or the buffer name.
2837 @node Q3.1.7, Q3.1.8, Q3.1.6, Customization
2838 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.7: @samp{xemacs -name junk} doesn't work?
2840 When I run @samp{xterm -name junk}, I get an xterm whose class name
2841 according to xprop, is @samp{junk}. This is the way it's supposed to
2842 work, I think. When I run @samp{xemacs -name junk} the class name is
2843 not set to @samp{junk}. It's still @samp{emacs}. What does
2844 @samp{xemacs -name} really do? The reason I ask is that my window
2845 manager (fvwm) will make a window sticky and I use XEmacs to read my
2846 mail. I want that XEmacs window to be sticky, without having to use the
2847 window manager's function to set the window sticky. What gives?
2849 @samp{xemacs -name} sets the application name for the program (that is,
2850 the thing which normally comes from @samp{argv[0]}). Using @samp{-name}
2851 is the same as making a copy of the executable with that new name. The
2852 @code{WM_CLASS} property on each frame is set to the frame-name, and the
2853 application-class. So, if you did @samp{xemacs -name FOO} and then
2854 created a frame named @var{BAR}, you'd get an X window with WM_CLASS =
2855 @code{( "BAR", "Emacs")}. However, the resource hierarchy for this
2859 Name: FOO .shell .container .BAR
2860 Class: Emacs .TopLevelEmacsShell.EmacsManager.EmacsFrame
2863 instead of the default
2866 Name: xemacs.shell .container .emacs
2867 Class: Emacs .TopLevelEmacsShell.EmacsManager.EmacsFrame
2871 It is arguable that the first element of WM_CLASS should be set to the
2872 application-name instead of the frame-name, but I think that's less
2873 flexible, since it does not give you the ability to have multiple frames
2874 with different WM_CLASS properties. Another possibility would be for
2875 the default frame name to come from the application name instead of
2876 simply being @samp{emacs}. However, at this point, making that change
2877 would be troublesome: it would mean that many users would have to make
2878 yet another change to their resource files (since the default frame name
2879 would suddenly change from @samp{emacs} to @samp{xemacs}, or whatever
2880 the executable happened to be named), so we'd rather avoid it.
2882 To make a frame with a particular name use:
2885 (make-frame '((name . "the-name")))
2888 @node Q3.1.8, Q3.2.1, Q3.1.7, Customization
2889 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.1.8: @samp{-iconic} doesn't work.
2891 When I start up XEmacs using @samp{-iconic} it doesn't work right.
2892 Using @samp{-unmapped} on the command line, and setting the
2893 @code{initiallyUnmapped} X Resource don't seem to help much either...
2895 @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing} writes:
2898 Ugh, this stuff is such an incredible mess that I've about given up
2899 getting it to work. The principal problem is numerous window-manager
2903 @node Q3.2.1, Q3.2.2, Q3.1.8, Customization
2904 @unnumberedsec 3.2: Textual Fonts & Colors
2905 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.1: How can I set color options from @file{.emacs}?
2907 How can I set the most commonly used color options from my @file{.emacs}
2908 instead of from my @file{.Xdefaults}?
2913 (set-face-background 'default "bisque") ; frame background
2914 (set-face-foreground 'default "black") ; normal text
2915 (set-face-background 'zmacs-region "red") ; When selecting w/
2917 (set-face-foreground 'zmacs-region "yellow")
2918 (set-face-font 'default "*courier-bold-r*120-100-100*")
2919 (set-face-background 'highlight "blue") ; Ie when selecting
2921 (set-face-foreground 'highlight "yellow")
2922 (set-face-background 'modeline "blue") ; Line at bottom
2924 (set-face-foreground 'modeline "white")
2925 (set-face-font 'modeline "*bold-r-normal*140-100-100*")
2926 (set-face-background 'isearch "yellow") ; When highlighting
2928 (set-face-foreground 'isearch "red")
2929 (setq x-pointer-foreground-color "black") ; Adds to bg color,
2931 (setq x-pointer-background-color "blue") ; This is color
2936 @node Q3.2.2, Q3.2.3, Q3.2.1, Customization
2937 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.2: How do I set the text, menu and modeline fonts?
2939 Note that you should use @samp{Emacs.} and not @samp{Emacs*} when
2940 setting face values.
2942 In @file{.Xdefaults}:
2945 Emacs.default.attributeFont: -*-*-medium-r-*-*-*-120-*-*-m-*-*-*
2946 Emacs*menubar*font: fixed
2947 Emacs.modeline.attributeFont: fixed
2950 This is confusing because modeline is a face, and can be found listed
2951 with all faces in the current mode by using @kbd{M-x set-face-font
2952 (enter) ?}. It uses the face specification of @code{attributeFont},
2953 while menubar is a normal X thing that uses the specification
2954 @code{font}. With Motif it may be necessary to use @code{fontList}
2955 instead of @code{font}.
2957 @node Q3.2.3, Q3.2.4, Q3.2.2, Customization
2958 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.3: How can I set the colors when highlighting a region?
2960 How can I set the background/foreground colors when highlighting a
2963 You can change the face @code{zmacs-region} either in your
2967 Emacs.zmacs-region.attributeForeground: firebrick
2968 Emacs.zmacs-region.attributeBackground: lightseagreen
2971 or in your @file{.emacs}:
2974 (set-face-background 'zmacs-region "red")
2975 (set-face-foreground 'zmacs-region "yellow")
2978 @node Q3.2.4, Q3.2.5, Q3.2.3, Customization
2979 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.4: How can I limit color map usage?
2981 I'm using Netscape (or another color grabber like XEmacs);
2982 is there anyway to limit the number of available colors in the color map?
2984 XEmacs 19.13 didn't have such a mechanism (unlike netscape, or other
2985 color-hogs). One solution is to start XEmacs prior to netscape, since
2986 this will prevent Netscape from grabbing all colors (but Netscape will
2987 complain). You can use the flags for Netscape, like -mono, -ncols <#>
2988 or -install (for mono, limiting to <#> colors, or for using a private
2989 color map). Since Netscape will take the entire colormap and never
2990 release it, the only reasonable way to run it is with @samp{-install}.
2992 If you have the money, another solution would be to use a truecolor or
2995 Starting with XEmacs 19.14, XEmacs uses the closest available color if
2996 the colormap is full, so it's O.K. now to start Netscape first.
2998 @node Q3.2.5, Q3.2.6, Q3.2.4, Customization
2999 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.5: My tty supports color, but XEmacs doesn't use them.
3001 XEmacs tries to automatically determine whether your tty supports color,
3002 but sometimes guesses wrong. In that case, you can make XEmacs Do The
3003 Right Thing using this Lisp code:
3006 (if (eq 'tty (device-type))
3007 (set-device-class nil 'color))
3010 @node Q3.2.6, Q3.3.1, Q3.2.5, Customization
3011 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.2.6: Can I have pixmap backgrounds in XEmacs?
3013 @email{jvillaci@@wahnsinnig.extreme.indiana.edu, Juan Villacis} writes:
3016 There are several ways to do it. For example, you could specify a
3017 default pixmap image to use in your @file{~/.Xresources}, e.g.,
3021 Emacs*EmacsFrame.default.attributeBackgroundPixmap: /path/to/image.xpm
3025 and then reload ~/.Xresources and restart XEmacs. Alternatively,
3026 since each face can have its own pixmap background, a better way
3027 would be to set a face's pixmap within your XEmacs init file, e.g.,
3030 (set-face-background-pixmap 'default "/path/to/image.xpm")
3031 (set-face-background-pixmap 'bold "/path/to/another_image.xpm")
3034 and so on. You can also do this interactively via @kbd{M-x edit-faces}.
3038 @unnumberedsec 3.3: The Modeline
3039 @node Q3.3.1, Q3.3.2, Q3.2.6, Customization
3040 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.3.1: How can I make the modeline go away?
3043 (set-specifier has-modeline-p nil)
3046 Starting with XEmacs 19.14 the modeline responds to mouse clicks, so if
3047 you haven't liked or used the modeline in the past, you might want to
3048 try the new version out.
3050 @node Q3.3.2, Q3.3.3, Q3.3.1, Customization
3051 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.3.2: How do you have XEmacs display the line number in the modeline?
3053 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs} file to display the
3057 (line-number-mode 1)
3060 Use the following to display the column number:
3063 (column-number-mode 1)
3066 Or select from the @code{Options} menu
3070 @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Basics->Line Number Mode}
3075 @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Basics->Column Number Mode}
3077 Or type @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} editing-basics @key{RET}}.
3079 @node Q3.3.3, Q3.3.4, Q3.3.2, Customization
3080 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.3.3: How do I get XEmacs to put the time of day on the modeline?
3082 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs} file to display the
3089 See @code{Customize} from the @code{Options} menu for customization.
3091 @node Q3.3.4, Q3.3.5, Q3.3.3, Customization
3092 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.3.4: How do I turn off current chapter from AUC TeX modeline?
3094 With AUC TeX, fast typing is hard because the current chapter, section
3095 etc. are given in the modeline. How can I turn this off?
3097 It's not AUC TeX, it comes from @code{func-menu} in @file{func-menu.el}.
3098 Add this code to your @file{.emacs} to turn it off:
3101 (setq fume-display-in-modeline-p nil)
3104 Or just add a hook to @code{TeX-mode-hook} to turn it off only for TeX
3108 (add-hook 'TeX-mode-hook
3109 '(lambda () (setq fume-display-in-modeline-p nil)))
3112 @email{dhughes@@origin-at.co.uk, David Hughes} writes:
3115 If you have 19.14 or later, try this instead; you'll still get the
3116 function name displayed in the modeline, but it won't attempt to keep
3117 track when you modify the file. To refresh when it gets out of synch,
3118 you simply need click on the @samp{Rescan Buffer} option in the
3122 (setq-default fume-auto-rescan-buffer-p nil)
3126 @node Q3.3.5, Q3.4.1, Q3.3.4, Customization
3127 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.3.5: How can one change the modeline color based on the mode used?
3129 You can use something like the following:
3132 (add-hook 'lisp-mode-hook
3134 (set-face-background 'modeline "red" (current-buffer))))
3137 Then, when editing a Lisp file (i.e. when in Lisp mode), the modeline
3138 colors change from the default set in your @file{.emacs}. The change
3139 will only be made in the buffer you just entered (which contains the
3140 Lisp file you are editing) and will not affect the modeline colors
3148 The hook is the mode name plus @code{-hook}. eg. c-mode-hook,
3149 c++-mode-hook, emacs-lisp-mode-hook (used for your @file{.emacs} or a
3150 @file{xx.el} file), lisp-interaction-mode-hook (the @samp{*scratch*}
3151 buffer), text-mode-hook, etc.
3154 Be sure to use @code{add-hook}, not @code{(setq c-mode-hook xxxx)},
3155 otherwise you will erase anything that anybody has already put on the
3159 You can also do @code{(set-face-font 'modeline @var{font})},
3160 eg. @code{(set-face-font 'modeline "*bold-r-normal*140-100-100*"
3161 (current-buffer))} if you wish the modeline font to vary based on the
3165 This works in 19.15 as well, but there are additional modeline faces,
3166 @code{modeline-buffer-id}, @code{modeline-mousable}, and
3167 @code{modeline-mousable-minor-mode}, which you may want to customize.
3169 @node Q3.4.1, Q3.4.2, Q3.3.5, Customization
3170 @unnumberedsec 3.4: Multiple Device Support
3171 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.4.1: How do I open a frame on another screen of my multi-headed display?
3173 The support for this was revamped for 19.14. Use the command
3174 @kbd{M-x make-frame-on-display}. This command is also on the File menu
3177 XEmacs 19.14 and later also have the command @code{make-frame-on-tty}
3178 which will establish a connection to any tty-like device. Opening the
3179 TTY devices should be left to @code{gnuclient}, though.
3181 @node Q3.4.2, Q3.5.1, Q3.4.1, Customization
3182 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.4.2: Can I really connect to a running XEmacs after calling up over a modem? How?
3184 If you're not running at least XEmacs 19.14, you can't. Otherwise check
3185 out the @code{gnuattach} program supplied with XEmacs. Starting with
3186 XEmacs 20.3, @code{gnuattach} and @code{gnudoit} functionality is
3187 provided by @code{gnuclient}.
3189 Also @xref{Q5.0.12}.
3191 @node Q3.5.1, Q3.5.2, Q3.4.2, Customization
3192 @unnumberedsec 3.5: The Keyboard
3193 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.1: How can I bind complex functions (or macros) to keys?
3195 As an example, say you want the @kbd{paste} key on a Sun keyboard to
3196 insert the current Primary X selection at point. You can accomplish this
3200 (define-key global-map [f18] 'x-insert-selection)
3203 However, this only works if there is a current X selection (the
3204 selection will be highlighted). The functionality I like is for the
3205 @kbd{paste} key to insert the current X selection if there is one,
3206 otherwise insert the contents of the clipboard. To do this you need to
3207 pass arguments to @code{x-insert-selection}. This is done by wrapping
3208 the call in a 'lambda form:
3211 (global-set-key [f18]
3212 (lambda () (interactive) (x-insert-selection t nil)))
3215 This binds the f18 key to a @dfn{generic} functional object. The
3216 interactive spec is required because only interactive functions can be
3219 For the FAQ example you could use:
3222 (global-set-key [(control ?.)]
3223 (lambda () (interactive) (scroll-up 1)))
3224 (global-set-key [(control ?;)]
3225 (lambda () (interactive) (scroll-up -1)))
3228 This is fine if you only need a few functions within the lambda body.
3229 If you're doing more it's cleaner to define a separate function as in
3230 question 3.5.3 (@pxref{Q3.5.3}).
3232 @node Q3.5.2, Q3.5.3, Q3.5.1, Customization
3233 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.2: How can I stop down-arrow from adding empty lines to the bottom of my buffers?
3235 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs} file:
3238 (setq next-line-add-newlines nil)
3241 This has been the default setting in XEmacs for some time.
3243 @node Q3.5.3, Q3.5.4, Q3.5.2, Customization
3244 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.3: How do I bind C-. and C-; to scroll one line up and down?
3246 Add the following (Thanks to @email{mly@@adoc.xerox.com, Richard Mlynarik} and
3247 @email{wayne@@zen.cac.stratus.com, Wayne Newberry}) to @file{.emacs}:
3250 (defun scroll-up-one-line ()
3254 (defun scroll-down-one-line ()
3258 (global-set-key [(control ?.)] 'scroll-up-one-line) ; C-.
3259 (global-set-key [(control ?;)] 'scroll-down-one-line) ; C-;
3262 The key point is that you can only bind simple functions to keys; you
3263 can not bind a key to a function that you're also passing arguments to.
3264 (@pxref{Q3.5.1} for a better answer).
3266 @node Q3.5.4, Q3.5.5, Q3.5.3, Customization
3267 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.4: Globally binding @kbd{Delete}?
3269 I cannot manage to globally bind my @kbd{Delete} key to something other
3270 than the default. How does one do this?
3275 (message "You hit DELETE"))
3277 (global-set-key 'delete 'foo)
3280 However, some modes explicitly bind @kbd{Delete}, so you would need to
3281 add a hook that does @code{local-set-key} for them. If what you want to
3282 do is make the Backspace and Delete keys work more PC/Motif-like, then
3283 take a look at the @file{delbs.el} package.
3285 New in XEmacs 19.14 is a variable called @code{key-translation-map}
3286 which makes it easier to bind @kbd{Delete}. @file{delbs.el} is a
3287 good example of how to do this correctly.
3289 Also @xref{Q3.5.10}.
3291 @node Q3.5.5, Q3.5.6, Q3.5.4, Customization
3292 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.5: Scrolling one line at a time.
3294 Can the cursor keys scroll the screen a line at a time, rather than the
3295 default half page jump? I tend it to find it disorienting.
3300 (defun scroll-one-line-up (&optional arg)
3301 "Scroll the selected window up (forward in the text) one line (or N lines)."
3303 (scroll-up (or arg 1)))
3305 (defun scroll-one-line-down (&optional arg)
3306 "Scroll the selected window down (backward in the text) one line (or N)."
3308 (scroll-down (or arg 1)))
3310 (global-set-key [up] 'scroll-one-line-up)
3311 (global-set-key [down] 'scroll-one-line-down)
3314 The following will also work but will affect more than just the cursor
3315 keys (i.e. @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}):
3318 (setq scroll-step 1)
3321 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 you can also change this with Customize.
3322 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3323 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Windows->Scroll Step...} or type
3324 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} windows @key{RET}}.
3326 @node Q3.5.6, Q3.5.7, Q3.5.5, Customization
3327 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.6: How to map @kbd{Help} key alone on Sun type4 keyboard?
3329 The following works in GNU Emacs 19:
3332 (global-set-key [help] 'help-command);; Help
3335 The following works in XEmacs 19.15 with the addition of shift:
3338 (global-set-key [(shift help)] 'help-command);; Help
3341 But it doesn't work alone. This is in the file @file{PROBLEMS} which
3342 should have come with your XEmacs installation: @emph{Emacs ignores the
3343 @kbd{help} key when running OLWM}.
3345 OLWM grabs the @kbd{help} key, and retransmits it to the appropriate
3350 @code{XSendEvent}. Allowing Emacs to react to synthetic
3351 events is a security hole, so this is turned off by default. You can
3352 enable it by setting the variable @code{x-allow-sendevents} to t. You
3353 can also cause fix this by telling OLWM to not grab the help key, with
3354 the null binding @code{OpenWindows.KeyboardCommand.Help:}.
3356 @node Q3.5.7, Q3.5.8, Q3.5.6, Customization
3357 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.7: How can you type in special characters in XEmacs?
3359 One way is to use the package @code{x-compose}. Then you can use
3360 sequences like @kbd{Compose " a} to get ä, etc.
3362 Another way is to use the @code{iso-insert} package, provided in XEmacs
3363 19.15 and later. Then you can use sequences like @kbd{C-x 8 " a} to get
3366 @email{glynn@@sensei.co.uk, Glynn Clements} writes:
3369 It depends upon your X server.
3371 Generally, the simplest way is to define a key as Multi_key with
3373 @c hey, show some respect, willya -- there's xkeycaps, isn't there? --
3376 xmodmap -e 'keycode 0xff20 = Multi_key'
3379 You will need to pick an appropriate keycode. Use xev to find out the
3380 keycodes for each key.
3382 [NB: On a `Windows' keyboard, recent versions of XFree86 automatically
3383 define the right `Windows' key as Multi_key'.]
3385 Once you have Multi_key defined, you can use e.g.
3394 Also, recent versions of XFree86 define various AltGr-<key>
3395 combinations as dead keys, i.e.
3397 AltGr [ => dead_diaeresis
3398 AltGr ] => dead_tilde
3399 AltGr ; => dead_acute
3403 Running @samp{xmodmap -pk} will list all of the defined keysyms.
3406 @node Q3.5.8, Q3.5.9, Q3.5.7, Customization
3407 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.8: Why does @code{(global-set-key [delete-forward] 'delete-char)} complain?
3409 Why does @code{(define-key global-map [ delete-forward ] 'delete-char)}
3410 complain of not being able to bind an unknown key?
3415 (define-key global-map [delete_forward] 'delete-char)
3420 What you are seeing above is a bug due to code that is trying to check
3421 for GNU Emacs syntax like:
3423 (define-key global-map [C-M-a] 'delete-char)
3425 which otherwise would cause no errors but would not result in the
3428 This bug has been fixed in 19.14.
3430 @node Q3.5.9, Q3.5.10, Q3.5.8, Customization
3431 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.9: How do I make the Delete key delete forward?
3433 With XEmacs-20.2 use the @code{delbs} package:
3439 This will give you the functions @code{delbs-enable-delete-forward} to
3440 set things up, and @code{delbs-disable-delete-forward} to revert to
3441 ``normal'' behavior. Note that @code{delbackspace} package is obsolete.
3443 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 better solution is to set variable
3444 @code{delete-key-deletes-forward} to t. You can also change this with
3445 Customize. Select from the @code{Options} menu
3446 @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Basics->Delete Key Deletes Forward} or
3447 type @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} editing-basics @key{RET}}.
3451 @node Q3.5.10, Q3.5.11, Q3.5.9, Customization
3452 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.10: Can I turn on @dfn{sticky} modifier keys?
3454 Yes, with @code{(setq modifier-keys-are-sticky t)}. This will give the
3455 effect of being able to press and release Shift and have the next
3456 character typed come out in upper case. This will affect all the other
3457 modifier keys like Control and Meta as well.
3459 @email{ben@@xemacs.org, Ben Wing} writes:
3462 One thing about the sticky modifiers is that if you move the mouse out
3463 of the frame and back in, it cancels all currently ``stuck'' modifiers.
3466 @node Q3.5.11, Q3.6.1, Q3.5.10, Customization
3467 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.5.11: How do I map the arrow keys?
3469 Say you want to map @kbd{C-@key{right}} to forward-word:
3471 @email{sds@@usa.net, Sam Steingold} writes:
3475 ; both XEmacs and Emacs
3476 (define-key global-map [(control right)] 'forward-word)
3481 (define-key global-map [C-right] 'forward-word)
3486 (define-key global-map (kbd "C-<right>") 'forward-word)
3492 @node Q3.6.1, Q3.6.2, Q3.5.11, Customization
3493 @unnumberedsec 3.6: The Cursor
3494 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.6.1: Is there a way to make the bar cursor thicker?
3496 I'd like to have the bar cursor a little thicker, as I tend to "lose" it
3499 For a 1 pixel bar cursor, use:
3505 For a 2 pixel bar cursor, use:
3508 (setq bar-cursor 'anything-else)
3511 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 you can also change these with Customize.
3512 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3513 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Display->Bar Cursor...} or type
3514 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} display @key{RET}}.
3516 You can use a color to make it stand out better:
3519 Emacs*cursorColor: Red
3522 @node Q3.6.2, Q3.6.3, Q3.6.1, Customization
3523 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.6.2: Is there a way to get back the block cursor?
3526 (setq bar-cursor nil)
3529 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 you can also change this with Customize.
3530 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3531 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Display->Bar Cursor...} or type
3532 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} display @key{RET}}.
3534 @node Q3.6.3, Q3.7.1, Q3.6.2, Customization
3535 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.6.3: Can I make the cursor blink?
3537 If you are running a version of XEmacs older than 19.14, no. Otherwise
3538 you can do the following:
3544 This function toggles between a steady cursor and a blinking cursor.
3545 You may also set this mode from the menu bar by selecting @samp{Options
3546 => Frame Appearance => Blinking Cursor}. Remember to save options.
3548 @node Q3.7.1, Q3.7.2, Q3.6.3, Customization
3549 @unnumberedsec 3.7: The Mouse and Highlighting
3550 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.1: How can I turn off Mouse pasting?
3552 I keep hitting the middle mouse button by accident and getting stuff
3553 pasted into my buffer so how can I turn this off?
3555 Here is an alternative binding, whereby the middle mouse button selects
3556 (but does not cut) the expression under the mouse. Clicking middle on a
3557 left or right paren will select to the matching one. Note that you can
3558 use @code{define-key} or @code{global-set-key}.
3561 (defun mouse-set-point-and-select (event)
3562 "Sets the point at the mouse location, then marks following form"
3564 (mouse-set-point event)
3566 (define-key global-map [button2] 'mouse-set-point-and-select)
3569 @node Q3.7.2, Q3.7.3, Q3.7.1, Customization
3570 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.2: How do I set control/meta/etc modifiers on mouse buttons?
3572 Use, for instance, @code{[(meta button1)]}. For example, here is a common
3573 setting for Common Lisp programmers who use the bundled @code{ilisp}
3574 package, whereby meta-button1 on a function name will find the file where
3575 the function name was defined, and put you at that location in the source
3578 [Inside a function that gets called by the lisp-mode-hook and
3582 (local-set-key [(meta button1)] 'edit-definitions-lisp)
3585 @node Q3.7.3, Q3.7.4, Q3.7.2, Customization
3586 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.3: Clicking the left button does not do anything in buffer list.
3588 I do @kbd{C-x C-b} to get a list of buffers and the entries get
3589 highlighted when I move the mouse over them but clicking the left mouse
3590 does not do anything.
3592 Use the middle mouse button.
3594 @node Q3.7.4, Q3.7.5, Q3.7.3, Customization
3595 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.4: How can I get a list of buffers when I hit mouse button 3?
3597 The following code will replace the default popup on button3:
3600 (global-set-key [button3] 'popup-buffer-menu)
3603 @node Q3.7.5, Q3.7.6, Q3.7.4, Customization
3604 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.5: Why does cut-and-paste not work between XEmacs and a cmdtool?
3606 We don't know. It's a bug. There does seem to be a work-around,
3607 however. Try running xclipboard first. It appears to fix the problem
3608 even if you exit it. (This should be mostly fixed in 19.13, but we
3609 haven't yet verified that).
3611 @node Q3.7.6, Q3.7.7, Q3.7.5, Customization
3612 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.6: How I can set XEmacs up so that it pastes where the text cursor is?
3614 By default XEmacs pastes X selections where the mouse pointer is. How
3617 Examine the function @code{mouse-yank}, by typing @kbd{C-h f mouse-yank
3620 To get XEmacs to paste at the text cursor, add this your @file{.emacs}:
3623 (setq mouse-yank-at-point t)
3626 Starting with XEmacs-20.2 you can also change this with Customize.
3627 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3628 @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Mouse->Yank At Point...} or type
3629 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} mouse @key{RET}}.
3631 @node Q3.7.7, Q3.7.8, Q3.7.6, Customization
3632 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.7: How do I select a rectangular region?
3634 Just select the region normally, then use the rectangle commands (e.g.
3635 @code{kill-rectangle} on it. The region does not highlight as a
3636 rectangle, but the commands work just fine.
3638 To actually sweep out rectangular regions with the mouse you can use
3639 @code{mouse-track-do-rectangle} which is assigned to @kbd{M-button1}.
3640 Then use rectangle commands.
3642 You can also do the following to change default behavior to sweep out
3643 rectangular regions:
3646 (setq mouse-track-rectangle-p t)
3649 Starting with XEmacs-20.2 you can also change this with Customize.
3650 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3651 @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Mouse->Track Rectangle...} or type
3652 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} mouse @key{RET}}.
3656 mouse-track-do-rectangle: (event)
3657 -- an interactive compiled Lisp function.
3658 Like `mouse-track' but selects rectangles instead of regions.
3661 @node Q3.7.8, Q3.8.1, Q3.7.7, Customization
3662 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.7.8: Why does @kbd{M-w} take so long?
3664 It actually doesn't. It leaves the region visible for a second so that
3665 you can see what area is being yanked. If you start working, though, it
3666 will immediately complete its operation. In other words, it will only
3667 delay for a second if you let it.
3669 @node Q3.8.1, Q3.8.2, Q3.7.8, Customization
3670 @unnumberedsec 3.8: The Menubar and Toolbar
3671 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.8.1: How do I get rid of the menu (or menubar)?
3673 If you are running XEmacs 19.13 and earlier, add this command to your
3680 Starting with XEmacs 19.14 the preferred method is:
3683 (set-specifier menubar-visible-p nil)
3686 @node Q3.8.2, Q3.8.3, Q3.8.1, Customization
3687 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.8.2: Can I customize the basic menubar?
3689 For an extensive menubar, add this line to your @file{.emacs}:
3692 (load "big-menubar")
3695 If you'd like to write your own, this file provides as good a set of
3696 examples as any to start from. The file is located in
3697 @file{lisp/packages/big-menubar.el} in the XEmacs installation
3700 @node Q3.8.3, Q3.8.4, Q3.8.2, Customization
3701 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.8.3: How do I control how many buffers are listed in the menu @code{Buffers List}?
3703 Add the following to your @file{.emacs} (suit to fit):
3706 (setq buffers-menu-max-size 20)
3709 For no limit, use an argument of @samp{nil}.
3711 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 you can also change this with Customize.
3712 Select from the @code{Options} menu
3713 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Menu->Buffers Menu->Max Size...} or
3714 type @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} buffers-menu @key{RET}}.
3716 @node Q3.8.4, Q3.8.5, Q3.8.3, Customization
3717 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.8.4: Resources like @code{Emacs*menubar*font} are not working?
3719 I am trying to use a resource like @code{Emacs*menubar*font} to set the
3720 font of the menubar but it's not working.
3722 If you are using the real Motif menubar, this resource is not
3723 recognized; you have to say:
3726 Emacs*menubar*fontList: FONT
3729 If you are using the Lucid menubar, the former resource will be
3730 recognized only if the latter resource is unset. This means that the
3740 Emacs*menubar*font: FONT
3743 even though the latter is more specific.
3745 @node Q3.8.5, Q3.9.1, Q3.8.4, Customization
3746 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.8.5: How can I bind a key to a function to toggle the toolbar?
3751 (defun my-toggle-toolbar ()
3753 (set-specifier default-toolbar-visible-p
3754 (not (specifier-instance default-toolbar-visible-p))))
3755 (global-set-key "\C-xT" 'my-toggle-toolbar)
3758 There are redisplay bugs in 19.14 that may make the preceding result in
3759 a messed-up display, especially for frames with multiple windows. You
3760 may need to resize the frame before XEmacs completely realizes the
3761 toolbar is really gone.
3763 Thanks to @email{martin@@xemacs.org, Martin Buchholz} for the correct
3766 @node Q3.9.1, Q3.9.2, Q3.8.5, Customization
3767 @unnumberedsec 3.9: Scrollbars
3768 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.9.1: How can I disable the scrollbar?
3770 To disable them for all frames, add the following line to
3771 your @file{.Xdefaults}:
3774 Emacs.scrollBarWidth: 0
3777 Or select from the @code{Options} menu @code{Frame Appearance->Scrollbars}.
3778 Remember to save options.
3780 To turn the scrollbar off on a per-frame basis, use the following
3784 (set-specifier scrollbar-width 0 (selected-frame))
3787 You can actually turn the scrollbars on at any level you want by
3788 substituting for (selected-frame) in the above command. For example, to
3789 turn the scrollbars off only in a single buffer:
3792 (set-specifier scrollbar-width 0 (current-buffer))
3795 In XEmacs versions prior to 19.14, you had to use the hairier construct:
3798 (set-specifier scrollbar-width (cons (selected-frame) 0))
3801 @node Q3.9.2, Q3.9.3, Q3.9.1, Customization
3802 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.9.2: How can one use resources to change scrollbar colors?
3804 Here's a recap of how to use resources to change your scrollbar colors:
3809 Emacs*XmScrollBar.Background: skyblue
3810 Emacs*XmScrollBar.troughColor: lightgray
3814 Emacs*Scrollbar.Foreground: skyblue
3815 Emacs*Scrollbar.Background: lightgray
3818 Note the capitalization of @code{Scrollbar} for the Athena widget.
3820 @node Q3.9.3, Q3.9.4, Q3.9.2, Customization
3821 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.9.3: Moving the scrollbar can move the point; can I disable this?
3823 When I move the scrollbar in an XEmacs window, it moves the point as
3824 well, which should not be the default behavior. Is this a bug or a
3825 feature? Can I disable it?
3827 The current behavior is a feature, not a bug. Point remains at the same
3828 buffer position as long as that position does not scroll off the screen.
3829 In that event, point will end up in either the upper-left or lower-left
3832 This cannot be changed.
3834 @node Q3.9.4, Q3.10.1, Q3.9.3, Customization
3835 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.9.4: How can I get automatic horizontal scrolling?
3837 By the same token, how can I turn it off in specific modes?
3839 To do this, add to your @file{.emacs} file:
3842 (require 'auto-show)
3845 Then do @code{(setq truncate-lines t)} in the mode-hooks for any modes
3846 in which you want lines truncated.
3848 More precisely: If @code{truncate-lines} is nil, horizontal scrollbars
3849 will never appear. Otherwise, they will appear only if the value of
3850 @code{scrollbar-height} for that buffer/window/etc. is non-zero. If you
3854 (set-specifier scrollbar-height 0)
3857 then horizontal scrollbars will not appear in truncated buffers unless
3858 the package specifically asked for them.
3860 Automatic horizontal scrolling is now standard, starting with 19.14.
3862 @node Q3.10.1, Q3.10.2, Q3.9.4, Customization
3863 @unnumberedsec 3.10: Text Selections
3864 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.10.1: How can I turn off or change highlighted selections?
3866 The @code{zmacs} mode allows for what some might call gratuitous
3867 highlighting for selected regions (either by setting mark or by using
3868 the mouse). This is the default behavior. To turn off, add the
3869 following line to your @file{.emacs} file:
3872 (setq zmacs-regions nil)
3875 Starting with XEmacs-20.2 you can also change this with Customize. Select
3876 from the @code{Options} menu @code{Customize->Emacs->Editing->Basics->Zmacs
3877 Regions} or type @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} editing-basics @key{RET}}.
3879 To change the face for selection, look at @code{Options->Customize} on
3882 @node Q3.10.2, Q3.10.3, Q3.10.1, Customization
3883 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.10.2: How do I get that typing on an active region removes it?
3885 I want to change things so that if I select some text and start typing,
3886 the typed text replaces the selected text, similar to Motif.
3888 You want to use something called @dfn{pending delete}. Pending delete
3889 is what happens when you select a region (with the mouse or keyboard)
3890 and you press a key to replace the selected region by the key you typed.
3891 Usually backspace kills the selected region.
3893 To get this behavior, add the following lines to your @file{.emacs}:
3897 ((fboundp 'turn-on-pending-delete)
3898 (turn-on-pending-delete))
3899 ((fboundp 'pending-delete-on)
3900 (pending-delete-on t)))
3903 Note that this will work with both Backspace and Delete. This code is a
3904 tad more complicated than it has to be for XEmacs in order to make it
3907 @node Q3.10.3, Q3.10.4, Q3.10.2, Customization
3908 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.10.3: Can I turn off the highlight during isearch?
3910 I do not like my text highlighted while I am doing isearch as I am not
3911 able to see what's underneath. How do I turn it off?
3913 Put the following in your @file{.emacs}:
3916 (setq isearch-highlight nil)
3919 Starting with XEmacs-20.2 you can also change this with Customize. Type
3920 @kbd{M-x customize-variable @key{RET} isearch-highlight @key{RET}}.
3922 Note also that isearch-highlight affects query-replace and ispell.
3923 Instead of disabling isearch-highlight you may find that a better
3924 solution consists of customizing the @code{isearch} face.
3926 @node Q3.10.4, Q3.10.5, Q3.10.3, Customization
3927 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.10.4: How do I turn off highlighting after @kbd{C-x C-p} (mark-page)?
3929 Put this in your @code{.emacs}:
3932 (setq zmacs-regions nil)
3935 @strong{Warning: This command turns off all region highlighting.}
3937 Also @xref{Q3.10.1}.
3939 @node Q3.10.5, , Q3.10.4, Customization
3940 @unnumberedsubsec Q3.10.5: The region disappears when I hit the end of buffer while scrolling.
3942 This has been fixed by default starting with XEmacs-20.3.
3944 With older versions you can turn this feature (if it indeed is a feature)
3948 (defadvice scroll-up (around scroll-up freeze)
3950 (let ((zmacs-region-stays t))
3954 (end-of-buffer (goto-char (point-max))))
3957 (defadvice scroll-down (around scroll-down freeze)
3959 (let ((zmacs-region-stays t))
3963 (beginning-of-buffer (goto-char (point-min))))
3967 Thanks to @email{raman@@adobe.com, T. V. Raman} for assistance in deriving this
3970 @node Subsystems, Miscellaneous, Customization, Top
3971 @unnumbered 4 Major Subsystems
3973 This is part 4 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list. This
3974 section is devoted to major XEmacs subsystems.
3977 Reading Mail with VM:
3978 * Q4.0.1:: How do I set up VM to retrieve remote mail using POP?
3979 * Q4.0.2:: How do I get VM to filter mail for me?
3980 * Q4.0.3:: How can I get VM to automatically check for new mail?
3981 * Q4.0.4:: [This question intentionally left blank]
3982 * Q4.0.5:: How do I get my outgoing mail archived?
3983 * Q4.0.6:: I have various addresses at which I receive mail. How can I tell VM to ignore them when doing a "reply-all"?
3984 * Q4.0.7:: Is there a mailing list or FAQ for VM?
3985 * Q4.0.8:: Remote mail reading with VM.
3986 * Q4.0.9:: rmail or VM gets an error incorporating new mail.
3987 * Q4.0.10:: How do I make VM stay in a single frame?
3988 * Q4.0.11:: How do I make VM or mh-e display graphical smilies?
3989 * Q4.0.12:: Customization of VM not covered in the manual or here.
3991 Web browsing with W3:
3992 * Q4.1.1:: What is W3?
3993 * Q4.1.2:: How do I run W3 from behind a firewall?
3994 * Q4.1.3:: Is it true that W3 supports style sheets and tables?
3996 Reading Netnews and Mail with Gnus:
3997 * Q4.2.1:: GNUS, (ding) Gnus, Gnus 5, September Gnus, Red Gnus,argh!
3998 * Q4.2.2:: [This question intentionally left blank]
3999 * Q4.2.3:: How do I make Gnus stay within a single frame?
4000 * Q4.2.4:: How do I customize the From: line?
4003 * Q4.3.1:: How can I read and/or compose MIME messages?
4004 * Q4.3.2:: What is TM and where do I get it?
4005 * Q4.3.3:: Why isn't this @code{movemail} program working?
4006 * Q4.3.4:: Movemail is also distributed by Netscape? Can that cause problems?
4007 * Q4.3.5:: Where do I find pstogif (required by tm)?
4009 Sparcworks, EOS, and WorkShop:
4010 * Q4.4.1:: What is SPARCworks, EOS, and WorkShop
4011 * Q4.4.2:: How do I start the Sun Workshop support in XEmacs 21?
4014 * Q4.5.1:: What is/was Energize?
4017 * Q4.6.1:: What is Infodock?
4019 Other Unbundled Packages:
4020 * Q4.7.1:: What is AUC TeX? Where do you get it?
4021 * Q4.7.2:: Are there any Emacs Lisp Spreadsheets?
4022 * Q4.7.3:: [This question intentionally left blank]
4023 * Q4.7.4:: Problems installing AUC TeX
4024 * Q4.7.5:: Is there a reason for an Emacs package not to be included in XEmacs?
4025 * Q4.7.6:: Is there a MatLab mode?
4028 @node Q4.0.1, Q4.0.2, Subsystems, Subsystems
4029 @unnumberedsec 4.0: Reading Mail with VM
4030 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.1: How do I set up VM to retrieve mail from a remote site using POP?
4032 Use @code{vm-spool-files}, like this for example:
4035 (setq vm-spool-files '("/var/spool/mail/wing"
4036 "netcom23.netcom.com:110:pass:wing:MYPASS"))
4039 Of course substitute your actual password for MYPASS.
4041 @node Q4.0.2, Q4.0.3, Q4.0.1, Subsystems
4042 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.2: How do I get VM to filter mail for me?
4044 One possibility is to use procmail to split your mail before it gets to
4045 VM. I prefer this personally, since there are many strange and
4046 wonderful things one can do with procmail. Procmail may be found at
4047 @uref{ftp://ftp.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/pub/packages/procmail/}.
4049 Also see the Mail Filtering FAQ at:
4053 @uref{ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/mail/filtering-faq}.
4055 @c <URL:http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/mail/filtering-faq/faq.html>
4058 @node Q4.0.3, Q4.0.4, Q4.0.2, Subsystems
4059 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.3: How can I get VM to automatically check for new mail?
4061 @email{turner@@lanl.gov, John Turner} writes:
4067 (setq vm-auto-get-new-mail 60)
4071 @node Q4.0.4, Q4.0.5, Q4.0.3, Subsystems
4072 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.4: [This question intentionally left blank]
4074 Obsolete question, left blank to avoid renumbering.
4076 @node Q4.0.5, Q4.0.6, Q4.0.4, Subsystems
4077 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.5: How do I get my outgoing mail archived?
4080 (setq mail-archive-file-name "~/outbox")
4083 @node Q4.0.6, Q4.0.7, Q4.0.5, Subsystems
4084 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.6: I have various addresses at which I receive mail. How can I tell VM to ignore them when doing a "reply-all"?
4086 Set @code{vm-reply-ignored-addresses} to a list, like
4089 (setq vm-reply-ignored-addresses
4090 '("wing@@nuspl@@nvwls.cc.purdue.edu,netcom[0-9]*.netcom.com"
4091 "wing@@netcom.com" "wing@@xemacs.org"))
4094 Note that each string is a regular expression.
4096 @node Q4.0.7, Q4.0.8, Q4.0.6, Subsystems
4097 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.7: Is there a mailing list or FAQ for VM?
4099 A FAQ for VM exists at @uref{http://www.cyberpass.net/~gorkab/vmfaq.htm}.
4101 VM has its own newsgroups gnu.emacs.vm.info and gnu.emacs.vm.bug.
4103 @node Q4.0.8, Q4.0.9, Q4.0.7, Subsystems
4104 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.8: Remote mail reading with VM.
4106 My mailbox lives at the office on a big honkin server. My regular INBOX
4107 lives on my honkin desktop machine. I now can PPP to the office from
4108 home which is far from honking... I'd like to be able to read mail at
4109 home without storing it here and I'd like to use xemacs and VM at
4110 home... Is there a recommended setup?
4112 @email{nuspl@@nvwls.cc.purdue.edu, Joseph J. Nuspl Jr.} writes:
4115 There are several ways to do this.
4119 Set your display to your home machine and run dxpc or one of the other X
4123 NFS mount your desktop machine on your home machine and modify your pop
4124 command on your home machine to rsh to your desktop machine and actually
4128 Run a POP server on your desktop machine as well and do a sort of two
4133 @email{wmperry@@monolith.spry.com, William Perry} adds:
4136 Or you could run a pop script periodically on your desktop machine, and
4137 just use ange-ftp or NFS to get to your mailbox. I used to do this all
4138 the time back at IU.
4141 @node Q4.0.9, Q4.0.10, Q4.0.8, Subsystems
4142 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.9: rmail or VM gets an error incorporating new mail.
4144 Quoting the XEmacs PROBLEMS file:
4147 rmail and VM get new mail from @file{/usr/spool/mail/$USER} using a
4148 program called @code{movemail}. This program interlocks with
4149 @code{/bin/mail} using the protocol defined by @code{/bin/mail}.
4151 There are two different protocols in general use. One of them uses the
4152 @code{flock} system call. The other involves creating a lock file;
4153 @code{movemail} must be able to write in @file{/usr/spool/mail} in order
4154 to do this. You control which one is used by defining, or not defining,
4155 the macro @code{MAIL_USE_FLOCK} in @file{config.h} or the m- or s- file
4158 @strong{IF YOU DON'T USE THE FORM OF INTERLOCKING THAT IS NORMAL ON YOUR
4159 SYSTEM, YOU CAN LOSE MAIL!}
4161 If your system uses the lock file protocol, and fascist restrictions
4162 prevent ordinary users from writing the lock files in
4163 @file{/usr/spool/mail}, you may need to make @code{movemail} setgid to a
4164 suitable group such as @samp{mail}. You can use these commands (as
4172 If your system uses the lock file protocol, and fascist restrictions
4173 prevent ordinary users from writing the lock files in
4174 @file{/usr/spool/mail}, you may need to make @code{movemail} setgid to a
4175 suitable group such as @code{mail}. To do this, use the following
4176 commands (as root) after doing the make install.
4183 Installation normally copies movemail from the build directory to an
4184 installation directory which is usually under @file{/usr/local/lib}.
4185 The installed copy of @code{movemail} is usually in the directory
4186 @file{/usr/local/lib/emacs/VERSION/TARGET}. You must change the group
4187 and mode of the installed copy; changing the group and mode of the build
4188 directory copy is ineffective.
4191 @node Q4.0.10, Q4.0.11, Q4.0.9, Subsystems
4192 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.10: How do I make VM stay in a single frame?
4194 John.@email{Cooper@@Eng.Sun.COM, John S Cooper} writes:
4198 ; Don't use multiple frames
4199 (setq vm-frame-per-composition nil)
4200 (setq vm-frame-per-folder nil)
4201 (setq vm-frame-per-edit nil)
4202 (setq vm-frame-per-summary nil)
4206 @node Q4.0.11, Q4.0.12, Q4.0.10, Subsystems
4207 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.11: How do I make VM or mh-e display graphical smilies?
4209 For mh-e use the following:
4212 (add-hook 'mh-show-mode-hook '(lambda ()
4213 (smiley-region (point-min)
4217 @email{bill@@carpenter.ORG, WJCarpenter} writes:
4218 For VM use the following:
4220 (autoload 'smiley-region "smiley" nil t)
4221 (add-hook 'vm-select-message-hook
4223 (smiley-region (point-min)
4227 For tm use the following:
4229 (autoload 'smiley-buffer "smiley" nil t)
4230 (add-hook 'mime-viewer/plain-text-preview-hook 'smiley-buffer)
4233 @node Q4.0.12, Q4.1.1, Q4.0.11, Subsystems
4234 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.0.12: Customization of VM not covered in the manual, or here.
4236 @email{boffi@@hp735.stru.polimi.it, giacomo boffi} writes:
4239 The meta-answer is to look into the file @file{vm-vars.el}, in the vm
4240 directory of the lisp library.
4242 @file{vm-vars.el} contains, initializes and carefully describes, with
4243 examples of usage, the plethora of user options that @emph{fully}
4244 control VM's behavior.
4246 Enter vm-vars, @code{forward-search} for toolbar, find the variables
4247 that control the toolbar placement, appearance, existence, copy to your
4248 @file{.emacs} or @file{.vm} and modify according to the detailed
4251 The above also applies to all the various features of VM: search for
4252 some keywords, maybe the first you conjure isn't appropriate, find the
4253 appropriate variables, copy and experiment.
4256 @node Q4.1.1, Q4.1.2, Q4.0.12, Subsystems
4257 @unnumberedsec 4.1: Web browsing with W3
4258 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.1.1: What is W3?
4260 W3 is an advanced graphical browser written in Emacs lisp that runs on
4261 XEmacs. It has full support for cascaded style sheets, and more...
4263 It has a home web page at
4264 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/elisp/w3/docs.html}.
4266 @node Q4.1.2, Q4.1.3, Q4.1.1, Subsystems
4267 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.1.2: How do I run W3 from behind a firewall?
4269 There is a long, well-written, detailed section in the W3 manual that
4270 describes how to do this. Look in the section entitled "Firewalls".
4272 @node Q4.1.3, Q4.2.1, Q4.1.2, Subsystems
4273 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.1.3: Is it true that W3 supports style sheets and tables?
4275 Yes, and much more. W3, as distributed with the latest XEmacs is a
4276 full-featured web browser.
4278 @node Q4.2.1, Q4.2.2, Q4.1.3, Subsystems
4279 @unnumberedsec 4.2: Reading Netnews and Mail with Gnus
4280 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.2.1: GNUS, (ding) Gnus, Gnus 5, September Gnus, Red Gnus, Quassia Gnus, argh!
4282 The Gnus numbering issues are not meant for mere mortals to know them.
4283 If you feel you @emph{must} enter the muddy waters of Gnus, visit the
4284 excellent FAQ, maintained by Justin Sheehy, at:
4287 @uref{http://www.ccs.neu.edu/software/contrib/gnus/}
4290 See also Gnus home page
4292 @uref{http://www.gnus.org/}
4295 @node Q4.2.2, Q4.2.3, Q4.2.1, Subsystems
4296 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.2.2: This question intentionally left blank.
4298 Obsolete question, left blank to avoid renumbering.
4300 @node Q4.2.3, Q4.2.4, Q4.2.2, Subsystems
4301 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.2.3: How do I make Gnus stay within a single frame?
4303 The toolbar code to start Gnus opens the new frame---and it's a feature
4304 rather than a bug. If you don't like it, but would still like to click
4305 on the seemly icon, use the following code:
4308 (defun toolbar-news ()
4312 It will redefine the callback function of the icon to just call
4313 @code{gnus}, without all the fancy frame stuff.
4315 @node Q4.2.4, Q4.3.1, Q4.2.3, Subsystems
4316 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.2.4: How do I customize the From: line?
4318 How do I change the @code{From:} line? I have set gnus-user-from-line
4321 Gail Gurman <gail.gurman@@sybase.com>
4323 @noindent , but XEmacs Gnus doesn't use
4326 Gail Mara Gurman @email{gailg@@deall}
4328 @noindent and then complains
4329 that it's incorrect. Also, as you perhaps can see, my Message-ID is
4330 screwy. How can I change that?
4332 @email{larsi@@ifi.uio.no, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen} writes:
4335 Set @code{user-mail-address} to @samp{gail.gurman@@sybase.com} or
4336 @code{mail-host-address} to @samp{sybase.com}.
4339 @node Q4.3.1, Q4.3.2, Q4.2.4, Subsystems
4340 @unnumberedsec 4.3: Other Mail & News
4341 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.3.1: How can I read and/or compose MIME messages?
4344 VM supports MIME natively.
4346 You probably want to use the Tools for MIME (tm). @xref{Q4.3.2}, for
4349 @email{trey@@cs.berkeley.edu, Trey Jackson} has an Emacs & MIME web page at
4353 @uref{http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/~trey/emacs/mime.html}.
4356 Another possibility is RMIME. You may find RMIME at
4360 @uref{http://www.cinti.net/~rmoody/rmime/index.html}.
4363 @node Q4.3.2, Q4.3.3, Q4.3.1, Subsystems
4364 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.3.2: What is TM and where do I get it?
4366 TM stands for @dfn{Tools for MIME} and not Tiny MIME. TM integrates
4367 with all major XEmacs packages like Gnus (all flavors), VM, MH-E, and
4368 mailcrypt. It provides totally transparent and trouble-free MIME
4369 support. When appropriate a message will be decoded in place in an
4372 TM now comes as a package with XEmacs 19.16 and XEmacs 20.2.
4374 TM was written by @email{morioka@@jaist.ac.jp, MORIOKA Tomohiko} and
4375 @email{shuhei-k@@jaist.ac.jp, KOBAYASHI
4378 It is based on the work of @email{umerin@@mse.kyutech.ac.jp, UMEDA
4379 Masanobu}, the original writer of GNUS.
4381 The following information is from the @file{README}:
4383 @dfn{tm} is a MIME package for GNU Emacs.
4384 tm has following functions:
4387 @item MIME style multilingual header.
4388 @item MIME message viewer (mime/viewer-mode).
4389 @item MIME message composer (mime/editor-mode).
4390 @item MIME extenders for mh-e, GNUS, RMAIL and VM.
4393 tm is available from following anonymous ftp sites:
4395 @comment @item @uref{ftp://ftp.jaist.ac.jp/pub/GNU/elisp/mime/} (Japan).
4396 @comment @item @uref{ftp://ftp.nis.co.jp/pub/gnu/emacs-lisp/tm/} (Japan).
4397 @comment @c The host above is unknown.
4398 @comment @item @uref{ftp://ftp.nisiq.net/pub/gnu/emacs-lisp/tm/} (US).
4399 @comment @item @uref{ftp://ftp.miranova.com/pub/gnus/jaist.ac.jp/} (US).
4400 @item @uref{ftp://ftp.unicamp.br/pub/mail/mime/tm/} (Brasil).
4401 @item @uref{ftp://ftp.th-darmstadt.de/pub/editors/GNU-Emacs/lisp/mime/} (Germany).
4402 @item @uref{ftp://ftp.tnt.uni-hannover.de/pub/editors/xemacs/contrib/} (Germany).
4405 Don't let the installation procedure & instructions stop you from trying
4406 this package out---it's much simpler than it looks, and once installed,
4409 @node Q4.3.3, Q4.3.4, Q4.3.2, Subsystems
4410 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.3.3: Why isn't this @code{movemail} program working?
4412 Ben Wing @email{ben@@xemacs.org} writes:
4415 It wasn't chown'ed/chmod'd correctly.
4418 @node Q4.3.4, Q4.3.5, Q4.3.3, Subsystems
4419 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.3.4: Movemail is also distributed by Netscape? Can that cause problems?
4421 @email{steve@@xemacs.org, Steve Baur} writes:
4424 Yes. Always use the movemail installed with your XEmacs. Failure to do
4425 so can result in lost mail.
4428 Please refer to @email{jwz@@jwz.org, Jamie Zawinski's} notes at
4432 @uref{http://home.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/2.0/relnotes/demo/movemail.html}.
4433 In particular, this document will show you how to make Netscape use the
4434 version of movemail configured for your system by the person who built
4437 @node Q4.3.5, Q4.4.1, Q4.3.4, Subsystems
4438 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.3.5: Where do I find pstogif (required by tm)?
4440 pstogif is part of the latex2html package.
4442 @email{vroonhof@@math.ethz.ch, Jan Vroonhof} writes:
4444 latex2html is best found at the CTAN hosts and their mirrors
4449 @file{tex-archive/support/latex2html}.
4454 @item @uref{ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/support/latex2html/}.
4455 @item @uref{ftp://ftp.dante.de/tex-archive/support/latex2html/}.
4458 There is a good mirror at ftp.cdrom.com;
4462 @uref{ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/tex/ctan/support/latex2html/}.
4464 @node Q4.4.1, Q4.4.2, Q4.3.5, Subsystems
4465 @unnumberedsec 4.4: Sparcworks, EOS, and WorkShop
4466 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.4.1: What is SPARCworks, EOS, and WorkShop?
4468 @email{turner@@lanl.gov, John Turner} writes:
4471 SPARCworks is SunSoft's development environment, comprising compilers
4472 (C, C++, FORTRAN 77, Fortran 90, Ada, and Pascal), a debugger, and other
4473 tools such as TeamWare (for configuration management), MakeTool, etc.
4476 See @uref{http://www.sun.com/software/Developer-products/}
4479 EOS stands for "Era on SPARCworks", but I don't know what Era stands
4482 EOS is the integration of XEmacs with the SPARCworks debugger. It
4483 allows one to use an XEmacs frame to view code (complete with
4484 fontification, etc.), set breakpoints, print variables, etc., while
4485 using the SPARCworks debugger. It works very well and I use it all the
4488 @email{cthomp@@xemacs.org, Chuck Thompson} writes:
4491 Era stood for "Emacs Rewritten Again". It was what we were calling the
4492 modified version of Lucid Emacs for Sun when I was dragged, er, allowed
4493 to work on this wonderful editor.
4496 @email{martin@@xemacs.org, Martin Buchholz} writes:
4499 EOS is being replaced with a new graphical development environment
4500 called Sun WorkShop, which is currently (07/96) in Alpha Test. For more
4505 @uref{http://www.sun.com/software/Products/Developer-products}.
4508 @node Q4.4.2, Q4.5.1, Q4.4.1, Subsystems
4509 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.4.2: How do I start the Sun Workshop support in XEmacs 21?
4511 Add the switch ---with-workshop to the configure command when building
4512 XEmacs and put the following in one of your startup files
4513 (e.g. site-start.el or .emacs):
4516 (when (featurep 'tooltalk)
4517 (load "tooltalk-macros")
4518 (load "tooltalk-util")
4519 (load "tooltalk-init"))
4520 (when (featurep 'sparcworks)
4521 (load "sunpro-init")
4524 (load "annotations")
4528 If you are not using the latest Workshop (5.0) you have to apply the
4532 --- /opt/SUNWspro/lib/eserve.el.ORIG Fri May 14 15:23:26 1999
4533 +++ /opt/SUNWspro/lib/eserve.el Fri May 14 15:24:54 1999
4534 @@@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@@@
4535 (defvar running-xemacs nil "t if we're running XEmacs")
4536 (defvar running-emacs nil "t if we're running GNU Emacs 19")
4538 -(if (string-match "^\\(19\\|20\\)\..*\\(XEmacs\\|Lucid\\)" emacs-version)
4539 +(if (string-match "\\(XEmacs\\|Lucid\\)" emacs-version)
4540 (setq running-xemacs t)
4541 (setq running-emacs t))
4546 @node Q4.5.1, Q4.6.1, Q4.4.2, Subsystems
4547 @unnumberedsec 4.5: Energize
4548 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.5.1: What is/was Energize?
4550 @email{gray@@meteor.harlequin.com, David N Gray} writes:
4552 The files in @file{lisp/energize} are to enable Emacs to interface with
4553 the "Energize Programming System", a C and C++ development environment,
4554 which was a product of Lucid, Inc. Tragically, Lucid went out of
4555 business in 1994, so although Energize is still a great system, if you
4556 don't already have it, there isn't any way to get it now. (Unless you
4557 happen to be in Japan; INS Engineering may still be selling it there.
4558 Tartan bought the rights to sell it in the rest of the world, but never
4562 @node Q4.6.1, Q4.7.1, Q4.5.1, Subsystems
4563 @unnumberedsec 4.6: Infodock
4564 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.6.1: What is Infodock?
4566 InfoDock is an integrated productivity toolset, mainly aimed at
4567 technical people. It is developed and supported by InfoDock
4568 Associates, a firm that offers custom support and development
4569 for InfoDock, XEmacs and GNU Emacs. ( @uref{http://www.infodock.com},
4570 @email{info@@infodock.com}, +1 408 243 3300).
4572 InfoDock is built atop the XEmacs variant of GNU Emacs and so has all of
4573 the power of Emacs, but with an easier to use and more comprehensive
4574 menu-based user interface. The bottom portion of this text describes
4575 how it differs from XEmacs and GNU Emacs from the Free Software
4578 InfoDock is aimed at people who want a free, turn-key productivity
4579 environment. Although InfoDock is customizable, it is not intended for
4580 people who like basic versions of Emacs which need to be customized
4581 extensively for local use; standard Emacs distributions are better for
4582 such uses. InfoDock is for those people who want a complete,
4583 pre-customized environment in one package, which they need not touch
4584 more than once or twice a year to update to new revisions.
4586 InfoDock is pre-built for SPARC SunOS/Solaris systems, PA-RISC HP-UX,
4587 and Intel Linux systems. It is intended for use on a color display,
4588 although most features will work on monochrome monitors. Simply unpack
4589 InfoDock according to the instructions in the ID-INSTALL file and you
4592 The InfoDock Manual is concise, yet sufficient as a user guide for users
4593 who have never used an Emacs-type editor before. For users who are
4594 already familiar with Emacs, it supplements the information in the GNU
4597 InfoDock menus are much more extensive and more mature than standard
4598 Emacs menus. Each menu offers a @samp{Manual} item which displays
4599 documentation associated with the menu's functions.
4602 Four types of menubars are provided:
4605 An extensive menubar providing access to global InfoDock commands.
4607 Mode-specific menubars tailored to the current major mode.
4609 A simple menubar for basic editing to help novices get started with InfoDock.
4611 The standard XEmacs menubar.
4614 Most modes also include mode-specific popup menus. Additionally, region and
4615 rectangle popup menus are included.
4617 @samp{Hyperbole}, the everyday information manager, is a core part of
4618 InfoDock. This provides context-sensitive mouse keys, a rolodex-type
4619 contact manager, programmable hypertext buttons, and an autonumbered
4620 outliner with embedded hyperlink anchors.
4622 The @samp{OO-Browser}, a multi-language object-oriented code browser, is a
4623 standard part of InfoDock.
4625 InfoDock saves a more extensive set of user options than other Emacs
4628 InfoDock inserts a useful file header in many file types, showing the
4629 author, summary, and last modification time of each file. A summary
4630 program can then be used to summarize all of the files in a directory,
4631 for easy MANIFEST file creation.
4633 Your working set of buffers is automatically saved and restored (if you
4634 answer yes to a prompt) between InfoDock sessions.
4636 Refined color choices for code highlighting are provided for both dark and
4637 light background display frames.
4639 The @kbd{C-z} key prefix performs frame-based commands which parallel the
4640 @kbd{C-x} key prefix for window-based commands.
4642 The Smart Menu system is included for producing command menus on dumb
4645 Lisp libraries are better categorized according to function.
4647 Extensions and improvements to many areas of Emacs are included, such as:
4648 paragraph filling, mail reading with Rmail, shell handling, outlining, code
4649 highlighting and browsing, and man page browsing.
4651 InfoDock questions, answers and discussion should go to the mail list
4655 @email{infodock@@infodock.com}. Use
4656 @email{infodock-request@@infodock.com} to be added or removed from the
4657 list. Always include your InfoDock version number when sending help
4660 InfoDock is available across the Internet via anonymous FTP. To get
4661 it, first move to a directory into which you want the InfoDock archive
4662 files placed. We will call this <DIST-DIR>.
4668 Ftp to ftp.xemacs.org (Internet Host ID = 128.174.252.16):
4671 prompt> ftp ftp.xemacs.org
4674 Login as @samp{anonymous} with your own <user-id>@@<site-name> as a password.
4677 Name (ftp.xemacs.org): anonymous
4678 331 Guest login ok, send your complete e-mail address as password.
4679 Password: -<your-user-id>@@<your-domain>
4680 230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
4683 Move to the location of the InfoDock archives:
4686 ftp> cd pub/infodock
4689 Set your transfer mode to binary:
4700 Interactive mode off.
4703 Retrieve the InfoDock archives that you want, either by using a
4704 @samp{get <file>} for each file you want or by using the following to
4705 get a complete distribution, including all binaries:
4708 ftp> mget ID-INSTALL
4712 Close the FTP connection:
4719 Read the @file{ID-INSTALL} file which you just retrieved for
4720 step-by-step installation instructions.
4722 @node Q4.7.1, Q4.7.2, Q4.6.1, Subsystems
4723 @unnumberedsec 4.7: Other Unbundled Packages
4724 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.1: What is AUC TeX? Where do you get it?
4726 AUC TeX is a package written by @email{abraham@@dina.kvl.dk, Per Abrahamsen}.
4727 Starting with XEmacs 19.16, AUC TeX is bundled with XEmacs. The
4728 following information is from the @file{README} and website.
4730 AUC TeX is an extensible package that supports writing and formatting
4731 TeX files for most variants of GNU Emacs. Many different macro packages
4732 are supported, including AMS TeX, LaTeX, and TeXinfo.
4734 The most recent version is always available by ftp at
4738 @uref{ftp://sunsite.auc.dk/packages/auctex/auctex.tar.gz}.
4740 In case you don't have access to anonymous ftp, you can get it by an
4741 email request to @email{ftpmail@@decwrl.dec.com}.
4743 WWW users may want to check out the AUC TeX page at
4747 @uref{http://sunsite.auc.dk/auctex/}.
4749 @node Q4.7.2, Q4.7.3, Q4.7.1, Subsystems
4750 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.2: Are there any Emacs Lisp Spreadsheets?
4752 Yes. Check out @dfn{dismal} (which stands for Dis' Mode Ain't Lotus) at
4756 @uref{ftp://cs.nyu.edu/pub/local/fox/dismal/}.
4758 @node Q4.7.3, Q4.7.4, Q4.7.2, Subsystems
4759 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.3: [This question intentionally left blank]
4761 @node Q4.7.4, Q4.7.5, Q4.7.3, Subsystems
4762 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.4: Problems installing AUC TeX.
4764 @email{vroonhof@@math.ethz.ch, Jan Vroonhof} writes:
4767 AUC TeX works fine on both stock Emacs and XEmacs has been doing so for
4768 a very very long time. This is mostly due to the work of
4769 @email{abraham@@dina.kvl.dk, Per Abrahamsen} (clap clap) in particular his @file{easymenu}
4770 package. Which leads to what is probably the problem...
4773 Most problems with AUC TeX are one of two things:
4777 The TeX-lisp-directory in @file{tex-site.el} and the makefile don't
4780 Fix: make sure you configure AUC TeX properly @strong{before} installing.
4783 You have an old version of easymenu.el in your path.
4785 Fix: use @code{locate-library} and remove old versions to make sure it
4786 @strong{only} finds the one that came with XEmacs.
4790 @node Q4.7.5, Q4.7.6, Q4.7.4, Subsystems
4791 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.5: Is there a reason for an Emacs package not to be included in XEmacs?
4793 The reason for an Emacs package not to be included in XEmacs is
4794 usually one or more of the following:
4798 The package has not been ported to XEmacs. This will typically happen
4799 when it uses GNU-Emacs-specific features, which make it fail under
4802 Porting a package to XEmacs can range from a trivial amount of change to
4803 a partial or full rewrite. Fortunately, the authors of modern packages
4804 usually choose to support both Emacsen themselves.
4807 The package has been decided not to be appropriate for XEmacs. It may
4808 have an equivalent or better replacement within XEmacs, in which case
4809 the developers may choose not to burden themselves with supporting an
4812 Each package bundled with XEmacs means more work for the maintainers,
4813 whether they want it or not. If you are ready to take over the
4814 maintenance responsibilities for the package you port, be sure to say
4815 so---we will more likely include it.
4818 The package simply hasn't been noted by the XEmacs development. If
4819 that's the case, the messages like yours are very useful for attracting
4823 The package was noted by the developers, but they simply haven't yet
4824 gotten around to including/porting it. Wait for the next release or,
4825 even better, offer your help. It will be gladly accepted and
4829 @node Q4.7.6, , Q4.7.5, Subsystems
4830 @unnumberedsubsec Q4.7.5: Is there a MatLab mode?
4832 Yes, a matlab mode and other items are available at the
4833 @uref{ftp://ftp.mathworks.com/pub/contrib/emacs_add_ons,
4834 MathWorks' emacs_add_ons ftp directory}.
4836 @node Miscellaneous, MS Windows, Subsystems, Top
4837 @unnumbered 5 The Miscellaneous Stuff
4839 This is part 5 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list. This
4840 section is devoted to anything that doesn't fit neatly into the other
4844 Major & Minor Modes:
4845 * Q5.0.1:: How can I do source code highlighting using font-lock?
4846 * Q5.0.2:: I do not like cc-mode. How do I use the old c-mode?
4847 * Q5.0.3:: How do I get @samp{More} Syntax Highlighting on by default?
4848 * Q5.0.4:: How can I enable auto-indent?
4849 * Q5.0.5:: How can I get XEmacs to come up in text/auto-fill mode by default?
4850 * Q5.0.6:: How do I start up a second shell buffer?
4851 * Q5.0.7:: Telnet from shell filters too much.
4852 * Q5.0.8:: Why does edt emulation not work?
4853 * Q5.0.9:: How can I emulate VI and use it as my default mode?
4854 * Q5.0.10:: [This question intentionally left blank]
4855 * Q5.0.11:: How do I turn on filladapt for all buffers?
4856 * Q5.0.12:: How do I disable gnuserv from opening a new frame?
4857 * Q5.0.13:: How do I start gnuserv so that each subsequent XEmacs is a client?
4858 * Q5.0.14:: Strange things are happening in Shell Mode.
4859 * Q5.0.15:: Where do I get the latest CC Mode?
4860 * Q5.0.16:: I find auto-show-mode disconcerting. How do I turn it off?
4861 * Q5.0.17:: How can I get two instances of info?
4862 * Q5.0.18:: [This question intentionally left blank]
4863 * Q5.0.19:: Is there something better than LaTeX mode?
4864 * Q5.0.20:: Is there a way to start a new XEmacs if there's no gnuserv running, and otherwise use gnuclient?
4866 Emacs Lisp Programming Techniques:
4867 * Q5.1.1:: The difference in key sequences between XEmacs and GNU Emacs?
4868 * Q5.1.2:: Can I generate "fake" keyboard events?
4869 * Q5.1.3:: Could you explain @code{read-kbd-macro} in more detail?
4870 * Q5.1.4:: What is the performance hit of @code{let}?
4871 * Q5.1.5:: What is the recommended use of @code{setq}?
4872 * Q5.1.6:: What is the typical misuse of @code{setq}?
4873 * Q5.1.7:: I like the the @code{do} form of cl, does it slow things down?
4874 * Q5.1.8:: I like recursion, does it slow things down?
4875 * Q5.1.9:: How do I put a glyph as annotation in a buffer?
4876 * Q5.1.10:: @code{map-extents} won't traverse all of my extents!
4877 * Q5.1.11:: My elisp program is horribly slow. Is there an easy way to find out where it spends time?
4880 * Q5.2.1:: How do I turn off the sound?
4881 * Q5.2.2:: How do I get funky sounds instead of a boring beep?
4882 * Q5.2.3:: What's NAS, how do I get it?
4883 * Q5.2.4:: Sunsite sounds don't play.
4886 * Q5.3.1:: How do you make XEmacs indent CL if-clauses correctly?
4887 * Q5.3.2:: Fontifying hangs when editing a postscript file.
4888 * Q5.3.3:: How can I print WYSIWYG a font-locked buffer?
4889 * Q5.3.4:: Getting @kbd{M-x lpr} to work with postscript printer.
4890 * Q5.3.5:: How do I specify the paths that XEmacs uses for finding files?
4891 * Q5.3.6:: [This question intentionally left blank]
4892 * Q5.3.7:: Can I have the end of the buffer delimited in some way?
4893 * Q5.3.8:: How do I insert today's date into a buffer?
4894 * Q5.3.9:: Are only certain syntactic character classes available for abbrevs?
4895 * Q5.3.10:: How can I get those oh-so-neat X-Face lines?
4896 * Q5.3.11:: How do I add new Info directories?
4897 * Q5.3.12:: What do I need to change to make printing work?
4900 @node Q5.0.1, Q5.0.2, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous
4901 @unnumberedsec 5.0: Major & Minor Modes
4902 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.1: How can I do source code highlighting using font-lock?
4904 For most modes, font-lock is already set up and just needs to be turned
4905 on. This can be done by @kbd{M-x font-lock-mode}, or by having XEmacs
4906 automatically start it by adding lines like:
4909 (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)
4910 (add-hook 'dired-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)
4913 to your @file{.emacs}. See the file @file{etc/sample.emacs} for more
4916 See also @code{Syntax Highlighting} from the @code{Options} menu.
4917 Remember to save options.
4919 @node Q5.0.2, Q5.0.3, Q5.0.1, Miscellaneous
4920 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.2: I do not like cc-mode. How do I use the old c-mode?
4922 Well, first off, consider if you really want to do this. cc-mode is
4923 much more powerful than the old c-mode. If you're having trouble
4924 getting your old offsets to work, try using @code{c-set-offset} instead.
4925 You might also consider using the package @code{cc-compat}.
4927 But, if you still insist, add the following lines to your @file{.emacs}:
4930 (fmakunbound 'c-mode)
4931 (makunbound 'c-mode-map)
4932 (fmakunbound 'c++-mode)
4933 (makunbound 'c++-mode-map)
4934 (makunbound 'c-style-alist)
4935 (load-library "old-c-mode")
4936 (load-library "old-c++-mode")
4939 This must be done before any other reference is made to either c-mode or
4942 @node Q5.0.3, Q5.0.4, Q5.0.2, Miscellaneous
4943 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.3: How do I get @samp{More} Syntax Highlighting on by default?
4945 Use the following code in your @file{.emacs}:
4948 (setq-default font-lock-maximum-decoration t)
4951 In versions of XEmacs prior to 19.14, you had to use a kludgy solution
4955 (setq c-font-lock-keywords c-font-lock-keywords-2
4956 c++-font-lock-keywords c++-font-lock-keywords-2
4957 lisp-font-lock-keywords lisp-font-lock-keywords-2)
4960 It will work for C, C++ and Lisp.
4962 See also @code{Syntax Highlighting} from the @code{Options} menu.
4963 Remember to save options.
4965 @node Q5.0.4, Q5.0.5, Q5.0.3, Miscellaneous
4966 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.4: How can I enable auto-indent?
4968 Put the following line in your @file{.emacs}:
4971 (setq indent-line-function 'indent-relative-maybe)
4974 If you want to get fancy, try the @code{filladapt} package available
4975 standard with XEmacs. Put this into your @file{.emacs}:
4978 (require 'filladapt)
4979 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-filladapt-mode)
4983 You can customize filling and adaptive filling with Customize.
4984 Select from the @code{Options} menu
4985 @code{Customize->Emacs->->Editing->Fill->Fill...}
4986 or type @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} fill @key{RET}}.
4988 Note that well-behaving text-lookalike modes will run
4989 @code{text-mode-hook} by default (e.g. that's what Message does). For
4990 the nasty ones, you'll have to provide the @code{add-hook}s yourself.
4992 Please note that the @code{fa-extras} package is no longer useful.
4994 @node Q5.0.5, Q5.0.6, Q5.0.4, Miscellaneous
4995 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.5: How can I get XEmacs to come up in text/auto-fill mode by default?
4997 Try the following lisp in your @file{.emacs}:
5000 (setq default-major-mode 'text-mode)
5001 (setq text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill)
5004 @strong{WARNING}: note that changing the value of
5005 @code{default-major-mode} from @code{fundamental-mode} can break a large
5006 amount of built-in code that expects newly created buffers to be in
5007 @code{fundamental-mode}. (Changing from @code{fundamental-mode} to
5008 @code{text-mode} might not wreak too much havoc, but changing to
5009 something more exotic like a lisp-mode would break many Emacs packages).
5011 Note that Emacs by default starts up in buffer @code{*scratch*} in
5012 @code{initial-major-mode}, which defaults to
5013 @code{lisp-interaction-mode}. Thus adding the following form to your
5014 Emacs init file will cause the initial @code{*scratch*} buffer to be put
5015 into auto-fill'ed @code{text-mode}:
5018 (setq initial-major-mode
5021 (turn-on-auto-fill)))
5024 Note that after your init file is loaded, if
5025 @code{inhibit-startup-message} is @code{nil} (the default) and the
5026 startup buffer is @code{*scratch*} then the startup message will be
5027 inserted into @code{*scratch*}; it will be removed after a timeout by
5028 erasing the entire @code{*scratch*} buffer. Keep in mind this default
5029 usage of @code{*scratch*} if you desire any prior manipulation of
5030 @code{*scratch*} from within your Emacs init file. In particular,
5031 anything you insert into @code{*scratch*} from your init file will be
5032 later erased. Also, if you change the mode of the @code{*scratch*}
5033 buffer, be sure that this will not interfere with possible later
5034 insertion of the startup message (e.g. if you put @code{*scratch*} into
5035 a nonstandard mode that has automatic font lock rules, then the startup
5036 message might get fontified in a strange foreign manner, e.g. as code in
5037 some programming language).
5039 @node Q5.0.6, Q5.0.7, Q5.0.5, Miscellaneous
5040 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.6: How do I start up a second shell buffer?
5042 In the @code{*shell*} buffer:
5045 M-x rename-buffer @key{RET} *shell-1* @key{RET}
5049 This will then start a second shell. The key is that no buffer named
5050 @samp{*shell*} can exist. It might be preferable to use @kbd{M-x
5051 rename-uniquely} to rename the @code{*shell*} buffer instead of @kbd{M-x
5054 Alternately, you can set the variable @code{shell-multiple-shells}.
5055 If the value of this variable is non-nil, each time shell mode is invoked,
5058 @node Q5.0.7, Q5.0.8, Q5.0.6, Miscellaneous
5059 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.7: Telnet from shell filters too much
5061 I'm using the Emacs @kbd{M-x shell} function, and I would like to invoke
5062 and use a telnet session within it. Everything works fine except that
5063 now all @samp{^M}'s are filtered out by Emacs. Fixes?
5065 Use @kbd{M-x rsh} or @kbd{M-x telnet} to open remote sessions rather
5066 than doing rsh or telnet within the local shell buffer. Starting with
5067 XEmacs-20.3 you can also use @kbd{M-x ssh} to open secure remote session
5068 if you have @code{ssh} installed.
5070 @node Q5.0.8, Q5.0.9, Q5.0.7, Miscellaneous
5071 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.8: Why does edt emulation not work?
5073 We don't know, but you can use tpu-edt emulation instead, which works
5074 fine and is a little fancier than the standard edt emulation. To do
5075 this, add the following line to your @file{.emacs}:
5081 If you don't want it to replace @kbd{C-h} with an edt-style help menu
5085 (global-set-key [(control h)] 'help-for-help)
5088 @node Q5.0.9, Q5.0.10, Q5.0.8, Miscellaneous
5089 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.9: How can I emulate VI and use it as my default mode?
5091 Our recommended VI emulator is viper. To make viper-mode the default,
5092 add this to your @file{.emacs}:
5098 @email{kifer@@CS.SunySB.EDU, Michael Kifer} writes:
5101 This should be added as close to the top of @file{.emacs} as you can get
5102 it, otherwise some minor modes may not get viper-ized.
5105 @node Q5.0.10, Q5.0.11, Q5.0.9, Miscellaneous
5106 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.10: [This question intentionally left blank]
5108 Obsolete question, left blank to avoid renumbering
5110 @node Q5.0.11, Q5.0.12, Q5.0.10, Miscellaneous
5111 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.11: How do I turn on filladapt for all buffers?
5113 Filladapt is a minor mode and minor modes are traditionally off by
5114 default. The following added to your @file{.emacs} will turn it on for
5118 (setq-default filladapt-mode t)
5121 Use @code{turn-on-filladapt-mode} to turn Filladapt on in particular
5122 major modes, like this:
5125 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-filladapt-mode)
5128 @node Q5.0.12, Q5.0.13, Q5.0.11, Miscellaneous
5129 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.12: How do I disable gnuserv from opening a new frame?
5131 If you set the @code{gnuserv-frame} variable to the frame that should be
5132 used to display buffers that are pulled up, a new frame will not be
5133 created. For example, you could put
5136 (setq gnuserv-frame (selected-frame))
5139 early on in your @file{.emacs}, to ensure that the first frame created
5140 is the one used for your gnuserv buffers.
5142 Starting in 19.15, there is an option to set the gnuserv target to
5143 the current frame. See
5144 @code{Options->"Other Window" Location->Make current frame gnuserv target}
5146 Starting with XEmacs-20.3 you can also change this with Customize.
5147 Select from the @code{Options} menu
5148 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Gnuserv->Gnuserv Frame...} or type
5149 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} gnuserv @key{RET}}.
5152 @node Q5.0.13, Q5.0.14, Q5.0.12, Miscellaneous
5153 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.13: How do I start gnuserv so that each subsequent XEmacs is a client?
5155 Put the following in your @file{.emacs} file to start the server:
5161 Start your first XEmacs as usual. After that, you can do:
5164 gnuclient randomfilename
5167 from the command line to get your existing XEmacs process to open a new
5168 frame and visit randomfilename in that window. When you're done editing
5169 randomfilename, hit @kbd{C-x #} to kill the buffer and get rid of the
5172 See also man page of gnuclient.
5174 @node Q5.0.14, Q5.0.15, Q5.0.13, Miscellaneous
5175 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.14: Strange things are happening in Shell Mode.
5177 Sometimes (i.e. it's not repeatable, and I can't work out why it
5178 happens) when I'm typing into shell mode, I hit return and only a
5179 portion of the command is given to the shell, and a blank prompt is
5180 returned. If I hit return again, the rest of the previous command is
5183 @email{martin@@xemacs.org, Martin Buchholz} writes:
5186 There is a known problem with interaction between @code{csh} and the
5187 @code{filec} option and XEmacs. You should add the following to your
5191 if ( "$TERM" == emacs || "$TERM" == unknown ) unset filec
5195 @node Q5.0.15, Q5.0.16, Q5.0.14, Miscellaneous
5196 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.15: Where do I get the latest CC Mode?
5198 @email{bwarsaw@@cnri.reston.va.us, Barry A. Warsaw} writes:
5201 This can be had from @uref{http://www.python.org/emacs/}.
5204 @node Q5.0.16, Q5.0.17, Q5.0.15, Miscellaneous
5205 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.16: I find auto-show-mode disconcerting. How do I turn it off?
5207 @code{auto-show-mode} controls whether or not a horizontal scrollbar
5208 magically appears when a line is too long to be displayed. This is
5209 enabled by default. To turn it off, put the following in your
5213 (setq auto-show-mode nil)
5214 (setq-default auto-show-mode nil)
5217 @node Q5.0.17, Q5.0.18, Q5.0.16, Miscellaneous
5218 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.17: How can I get two instances of info?
5220 You can't. The @code{info} package does not provide for multiple info buffers.
5222 @node Q5.0.18, Q5.0.19, Q5.0.17, Miscellaneous
5223 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.18: [This question intentionally left blank]
5225 @node Q5.0.19, Q5.0.20, Q5.0.18, Miscellaneous
5226 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.19: Is there something better than LaTeX mode?
5228 @email{dak@@fsnif.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de, David Kastrup} writes:
5231 The standard TeX modes leave much to be desired, and are somewhat
5232 leniently maintained. Serious TeX users use AUC TeX (@pxref{Q4.7.1}).
5235 @node Q5.0.20, Q5.1.1, Q5.0.19, Miscellaneous
5236 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.0.20: Is there a way to start a new XEmacs if there's no gnuserv running, and otherwise use gnuclient?
5238 @email{vroonhof@@math.ethz.ch, Jan Vroonhof} writes:
5240 Here is one of the solutions, we have this in a script called
5241 @file{etc/editclient.sh}.
5244 if gnuclient -batch -eval t >/dev/null 2>&1
5246 exec gnuclient $@{1+"$@@"@}
5248 xemacs -unmapped -f gnuserv-start &
5249 until gnuclient -batch -eval t >/dev/null 2>&1
5253 exec gnuclient $@{1+"$@@"@}
5257 Note that there is a known problem when running XEmacs and 'gnuclient
5258 -nw' on the same TTY.
5261 @node Q5.1.1, Q5.1.2, Q5.0.20, Miscellaneous
5262 @unnumberedsec 5.1: Emacs Lisp Programming Techniques
5263 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.1: What is the difference in key sequences between XEmacs and GNU Emacs?
5265 @email{clerik@@naggum.no, Erik Naggum} writes;
5268 Emacs has a legacy of keyboards that produced characters with modifier
5269 bits, and therefore map a variety of input systems into this scheme even
5270 today. XEmacs is instead optimized for X events. This causes an
5271 incompatibility in the way key sequences are specified, but both Emacs
5272 and XEmacs will accept a key sequence as a vector of lists of modifiers
5273 that ends with a key, e.g., to bind @kbd{M-C-a}, you would say
5274 @code{[(meta control a)]} in both Emacsen. XEmacs has an abbreviated
5275 form for a single key, just (meta control a). Emacs has an abbreviated
5276 form for the Control and the Meta modifiers to string-characters (the
5277 ASCII characters), as in @samp{\M-\C-a}. XEmacs users need to be aware
5278 that the abbreviated form works only for one-character key sequences,
5279 while Emacs users need to be aware that the string-character is rather
5280 limited. Specifically, the string-character can accommodate only 256
5281 different values, 128 of which have the Meta modifier and 128 of which
5282 have not. In each of these blocks, only 32 characters have the Control
5283 modifier. Whereas @code{[(meta control A)]} differs from @code{[(meta
5284 control a)]} because the case differs, @samp{\M-\C-a} and @samp{\M-\C-A}
5285 do not. Programmers are advised to use the full common form, both
5286 because it is more readable and less error-prone, and because it is
5287 supported by both Emacsen.
5290 Another (even safer) way to be sure of the key-sequences is to use the
5291 @code{read-kbd-macro} function, which takes a string like @samp{C-c
5292 <up>}, and converts it to the internal key representation of the Emacs
5293 you use. The function is available both on XEmacs and GNU Emacs.
5295 @node Q5.1.2, Q5.1.3, Q5.1.1, Miscellaneous
5296 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.2: Can I generate "fake" keyboard events?
5298 I wonder if there is an interactive function that can generate
5299 @dfn{fake} keyboard events. This way, I could simply map them inside
5305 (defun cg--generate-char-event (ch)
5306 "Generate an event, as if ch has been typed"
5307 (dispatch-event (character-to-event ch)))
5309 ;; Backspace and Delete stuff
5310 (global-set-key [backspace]
5311 (lambda () (interactive) (cg--generate-char-event 127)))
5312 (global-set-key [unknown_keysym_0x4]
5313 (lambda () (interactive) (cg--generate-char-event 4)))
5316 @node Q5.1.3, Q5.1.4, Q5.1.2, Miscellaneous
5317 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.3: Could you explain @code{read-kbd-macro} in more detail?
5319 The @code{read-kbd-macro} function returns the internal Emacs
5320 representation of a human-readable string (which is its argument).
5324 (read-kbd-macro "C-c C-a")
5325 @result{} [(control ?c) (control ?a)]
5327 (read-kbd-macro "C-c C-. <up>")
5328 @result{} [(control ?c) (control ?.) up]
5331 In GNU Emacs the same forms will be evaluated to what GNU Emacs
5332 understands internally---the sequences @code{"\C-x\C-c"} and @code{[3
5333 67108910 up]}, respectively.
5335 The exact @dfn{human-readable} syntax is defined in the docstring of
5336 @code{edmacro-mode}. I'll repeat it here, for completeness.
5339 Format of keyboard macros during editing:
5341 Text is divided into @dfn{words} separated by whitespace. Except for
5342 the words described below, the characters of each word go directly as
5343 characters of the macro. The whitespace that separates words is
5344 ignored. Whitespace in the macro must be written explicitly, as in
5345 @kbd{foo @key{SPC} bar @key{RET}}.
5349 The special words @kbd{RET}, @kbd{SPC}, @kbd{TAB}, @kbd{DEL}, @kbd{LFD},
5350 @kbd{ESC}, and @kbd{NUL} represent special control characters. The
5351 words must be written in uppercase.
5354 A word in angle brackets, e.g., @code{<return>}, @code{<down>}, or
5355 @code{<f1>}, represents a function key. (Note that in the standard
5356 configuration, the function key @code{<return>} and the control key
5357 @key{RET} are synonymous.) You can use angle brackets on the words
5358 @key{RET}, @key{SPC}, etc., but they are not required there.
5361 Keys can be written by their @sc{ascii} code, using a backslash followed
5362 by up to six octal digits. This is the only way to represent keys with
5366 One or more prefixes @kbd{M-} (meta), @kbd{C-} (control), @kbd{S-}
5367 (shift), @kbd{A-} (alt), @kbd{H-} (hyper), and @kbd{s-} (super) may
5368 precede a character or key notation. For function keys, the prefixes
5369 may go inside or outside of the brackets: @code{C-<down>} @equiv{}
5370 @code{<C-down>}. The prefixes may be written in any order: @kbd{M-C-x}
5371 @equiv{} @kbd{C-M-x}.
5373 Prefixes are not allowed on multi-key words, e.g., @kbd{C-abc}, except
5374 that the Meta prefix is allowed on a sequence of digits and optional
5375 minus sign: @kbd{M--123} @equiv{} @kbd{M-- M-1 M-2 M-3}.
5378 The @code{^} notation for control characters also works: @kbd{^M}
5382 Double angle brackets enclose command names: @code{<<next-line>>} is
5383 shorthand for @kbd{M-x next-line @key{RET}}.
5386 Finally, @code{REM} or @code{;;} causes the rest of the line to be
5387 ignored as a comment.
5390 Any word may be prefixed by a multiplier in the form of a decimal number
5391 and @code{*}: @code{3*<right>} @equiv{} @code{<right> <right> <right>},
5392 and @code{10*foo} @equiv{}
5396 @code{foofoofoofoofoofoofoofoofoofoo}.
5398 Multiple text keys can normally be strung together to form a word, but
5399 you may need to add whitespace if the word would look like one of the
5400 above notations: @code{; ; ;} is a keyboard macro with three semicolons,
5401 but @code{;;;} is a comment. Likewise, @code{\ 1 2 3} is four keys but
5402 @code{\123} is a single key written in octal, and @code{< right >} is
5403 seven keys but @code{<right>} is a single function key. When in doubt,
5407 @node Q5.1.4, Q5.1.5, Q5.1.3, Miscellaneous
5408 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.4: What is the performance hit of @code{let}?
5410 In most cases, not noticeable. Besides, there's no avoiding
5411 @code{let}---you have to bind your local variables, after all. Some
5412 pose a question whether to nest @code{let}s, or use one @code{let} per
5413 function. I think because of clarity and maintenance (and possible
5414 future implementation), @code{let}-s should be used (nested) in a way to
5415 provide the clearest code.
5417 @node Q5.1.5, Q5.1.6, Q5.1.4, Miscellaneous
5418 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.5: What is the recommended use of @code{setq}?
5421 @item Global variables
5423 You will typically @code{defvar} your global variable to a default
5424 value, and use @code{setq} to set it later.
5426 It is never a good practice to @code{setq} user variables (like
5427 @code{case-fold-search}, etc.), as it ignores the user's choice
5428 unconditionally. Note that @code{defvar} doesn't change the value of a
5429 variable if it was bound previously. If you wish to change a
5430 user-variable temporarily, use @code{let}:
5433 (let ((case-fold-search nil))
5434 ... ; code with searches that must be case-sensitive
5438 You will notice the user-variables by their docstrings beginning with an
5439 asterisk (a convention).
5441 @item Local variables
5443 Bind them with @code{let}, which will unbind them (or restore their
5444 previous value, if they were bound) after exiting from the @code{let}
5445 form. Change the value of local variables with @code{setq} or whatever
5446 you like (e.g. @code{incf}, @code{setf} and such). The @code{let} form
5447 can even return one of its local variables.
5452 ;; iterate through the elements of the list returned by
5453 ;; `hairy-function-that-returns-list'
5454 (let ((l (hairy-function-that-returns-list)))
5456 ... do something with (car l) ...
5460 Another typical usage includes building a value simply to work with it.
5463 ;; Build the mode keymap out of the key-translation-alist
5464 (let ((inbox (file-truename (expand-file-name box)))
5466 ... code dealing with inbox ...
5470 This piece of code uses the local variable @code{inbox}, which becomes
5471 unbound (or regains old value) after exiting the form. The form also
5472 returns the value of @code{inbox}, which can be reused, for instance:
5475 (setq foo-processed-inbox
5480 @node Q5.1.6, Q5.1.7, Q5.1.5, Miscellaneous
5481 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.6: What is the typical misuse of @code{setq} ?
5483 A typical misuse is probably @code{setq}ing a variable that was meant to
5484 be local. Such a variable will remain bound forever, never to be
5485 garbage-collected. For example, the code doing:
5488 (defun my-function (whatever)
5490 ... build a large list ...
5494 does a bad thing, as @code{a} will keep consuming memory, never to be
5495 unbound. The correct thing is to do it like this:
5498 (defun my-function (whatever)
5499 (let (a) ; default initialization is to nil
5500 ... build a large list ...
5501 ... and exit, unbinding `a' in the process ...)
5504 Not only is this prettier syntactically, but it makes it possible for
5505 Emacs to garbage-collect the objects which @code{a} used to reference.
5507 Note that even global variables should not be @code{setq}ed without
5508 @code{defvar}ing them first, because the byte-compiler issues warnings.
5509 The reason for the warning is the following:
5512 (defun flurgoze nil) ; ok, global internal variable
5515 (setq flurghoze t) ; ops! a typo, but semantically correct.
5516 ; however, the byte-compiler warns.
5518 While compiling toplevel forms:
5519 ** assignment to free variable flurghoze
5522 @node Q5.1.7, Q5.1.8, Q5.1.6, Miscellaneous
5523 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.7: I like the the @code{do} form of cl, does it slow things down?
5525 It shouldn't. Here is what Dave Gillespie has to say about cl.el
5529 Many of the advanced features of this package, such as @code{defun*},
5530 @code{loop}, and @code{setf}, are implemented as Lisp macros. In
5531 byte-compiled code, these complex notations will be expanded into
5532 equivalent Lisp code which is simple and efficient. For example, the
5540 are expanded at compile-time to the Lisp forms
5544 (setcar p (cons x (car p)))
5547 which are the most efficient ways of doing these respective operations
5548 in Lisp. Thus, there is no performance penalty for using the more
5549 readable @code{incf} and @code{push} forms in your compiled code.
5551 @emph{Interpreted} code, on the other hand, must expand these macros
5552 every time they are executed. For this reason it is strongly
5553 recommended that code making heavy use of macros be compiled. (The
5554 features labelled @dfn{Special Form} instead of @dfn{Function} in this
5555 manual are macros.) A loop using @code{incf} a hundred times will
5556 execute considerably faster if compiled, and will also garbage-collect
5557 less because the macro expansion will not have to be generated, used,
5558 and thrown away a hundred times.
5560 You can find out how a macro expands by using the @code{cl-prettyexpand}
5564 @node Q5.1.8, Q5.1.9, Q5.1.7, Miscellaneous
5565 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.8: I like recursion, does it slow things down?
5567 Yes. Emacs byte-compiler cannot do much to optimize recursion. But
5568 think well whether this is a real concern in Emacs. Much of the Emacs
5569 slowness comes from internal mechanisms such as redisplay, or from the
5570 fact that it is an interpreter.
5572 Please try not to make your code much uglier to gain a very small speed
5573 gain. It's not usually worth it.
5575 @node Q5.1.9, Q5.1.10, Q5.1.8, Miscellaneous
5576 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.9: How do I put a glyph as annotation in a buffer?
5578 Here is a solution that will insert the glyph annotation at the
5579 beginning of buffer:
5582 (make-annotation (make-glyph '([FORMAT :file FILE]
5583 [string :data "fallback-text"]))
5589 Replace @samp{FORMAT} with an unquoted symbol representing the format of
5590 the image (e.g. @code{xpm}, @code{xbm}, @code{gif}, @code{jpeg}, etc.)
5591 Instead of @samp{FILE}, use the image file name
5596 @file{/usr/local/lib/xemacs-20.2/etc/recycle.xpm}).
5598 You can turn this to a function (that optionally prompts you for a file
5599 name), and inserts the glyph at @code{(point)} instead of
5602 @node Q5.1.10, Q5.1.11, Q5.1.9, Miscellaneous
5603 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.10: @code{map-extents} won't traverse all of my extents!
5605 I tried to use @code{map-extents} to do an operation on all the extents
5606 in a region. However, it seems to quit after processing a random number
5607 of extents. Is it buggy?
5609 No. The documentation of @code{map-extents} states that it will iterate
5610 across the extents as long as @var{function} returns @code{nil}.
5611 Unexperienced programmers often forget to return @code{nil} explicitly,
5612 which results in buggy code. For instance, the following code is
5613 supposed to delete all the extents in a buffer, and issue as many
5614 @samp{fubar!} messages.
5617 (map-extents (lambda (ext ignore)
5619 (message "fubar!")))
5622 Instead, it will delete only the first extent, and stop right there --
5623 because @code{message} will return a non-nil value. The correct code
5627 (map-extents (lambda (ext ignore)
5633 @node Q5.1.11, Q5.2.1, Q5.1.10, Miscellaneous
5634 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.1.11: My elisp program is horribly slow. Is there
5635 an easy way to find out where it spends time?
5638 z@email{hniksic@@xemacs.org, Hrvoje Niksic} writes:
5640 Under XEmacs 20.4 and later you can use @kbd{M-x profile-key-sequence}, press a key
5641 (say @key{RET} in the Gnus Group buffer), and get the results using
5642 @kbd{M-x profile-results}. It should give you an idea of where the time
5646 @node Q5.2.1, Q5.2.2, Q5.1.11, Miscellaneous
5647 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.2.1: How do I turn off the sound?
5649 Add the following line to your @file{.emacs}:
5652 (setq bell-volume 0)
5653 (setq sound-alist nil)
5656 That will make your XEmacs totally silent---even the default ding sound
5657 (TTY beep on TTY-s) will be gone.
5659 Starting with XEmacs-20.2 you can also change these with Customize.
5660 Select from the @code{Options} menu
5661 @code{Customize->Emacs->Environment->Sound->Sound...} or type
5662 @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET} sound @key{RET}}.
5665 @node Q5.2.2, Q5.2.3, Q5.2.1, Miscellaneous
5666 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.2.2: How do I get funky sounds instead of a boring beep?
5668 Make sure your XEmacs was compiled with sound support, and then put this
5669 in your @file{.emacs}:
5672 (load-default-sounds)
5675 The sound support in XEmacs 19.14 was greatly improved over previous
5678 @node Q5.2.3, Q5.2.4, Q5.2.2, Miscellaneous
5679 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.2.3: What's NAS, how do I get it?
5681 @xref{Q2.0.3}, for an explanation of the @dfn{Network Audio System}.
5683 @node Q5.2.4, Q5.3.1, Q5.2.3, Miscellaneous
5684 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.2.4: Sunsite sounds don't play.
5686 I'm having some trouble with sounds I've downloaded from sunsite. They
5687 play when I run them through @code{showaudio} or cat them directly to
5688 @file{/dev/audio}, but XEmacs refuses to play them.
5690 @email{gutschk@@uni-muenster.de, Markus Gutschke} writes:
5693 [Many of] These files have an (erroneous) 24byte header that tells about
5694 the format that they have been recorded in. If you cat them to
5695 @file{/dev/audio}, the header will be ignored and the default behavior
5696 for /dev/audio will be used. This happens to be 8kHz uLaw. It is
5697 probably possible to fix the header by piping through @code{sox} and
5698 passing explicit parameters for specifying the sampling format; you then
5699 need to perform a 'null' conversion from SunAudio to SunAudio.
5702 @node Q5.3.1, Q5.3.2, Q5.2.4, Miscellaneous
5703 @unnumberedsec 5.3: Miscellaneous
5704 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.1: How do you make XEmacs indent CL if-clauses correctly?
5706 I'd like XEmacs to indent all the clauses of a Common Lisp @code{if} the
5707 same amount instead of indenting the 3rd clause differently from the
5710 One way is to add, to @file{.emacs}:
5713 (put 'if 'lisp-indent-function nil)
5716 However, note that the package @code{cl-indent} that comes with
5717 XEmacs sets up this kind of indentation by default. @code{cl-indent}
5718 also knows about many other CL-specific forms. To use @code{cl-indent},
5723 (setq lisp-indent-function (function common-lisp-indent-function))
5726 One can also customize @file{cl-indent.el} so it mimics the default
5727 @code{if} indentation @code{then} indented more than the @code{else}.
5731 (put 'if 'common-lisp-indent-function '(nil nil &body))
5734 Also, a new version (1.2) of @file{cl-indent.el} was posted to
5735 comp.emacs.xemacs on 12/9/94. This version includes more documentation
5736 than previous versions. This may prove useful if you need to customize
5737 any indent-functions.
5739 @node Q5.3.2, Q5.3.3, Q5.3.1, Miscellaneous
5740 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.2: Fontifying hang when editing a postscript file.
5742 When I try to edit a postscript file it gets stuck saying:
5743 @samp{fontifying 'filename' (regexps....)} and it just sits there. If I
5744 press @kbd{C-c} in the window where XEmacs was started, it suddenly
5745 becomes alive again.
5747 This was caused by a bug in the Postscript font-lock regular
5748 expressions. It was fixed in 19.13. For earlier versions of XEmacs,
5749 have a look at your @file{.emacs} file. You will probably have a line
5753 (add-hook 'postscript-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)
5756 Take it out, restart XEmacs, and it won't try to fontify your postscript
5759 @node Q5.3.3, Q5.3.4, Q5.3.2, Miscellaneous
5760 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.3: How can I print WYSIWYG a font-locked buffer?
5762 Font-lock looks nice. How can I print (WYSIWYG) the highlighted
5765 The package @code{ps-print}, which is now included with XEmacs, provides
5766 the ability to do this. The source code contains complete instructions
5767 on its use, in @file{<xemacs_src_root>/lisp/packages/ps-print.el}.
5769 @node Q5.3.4, Q5.3.5, Q5.3.3, Miscellaneous
5770 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.4: Getting @kbd{M-x lpr} to work with postscript printer.
5772 My printer is a Postscript printer and @code{lpr} only works for
5773 Postscript files, so how do I get @kbd{M-x lpr-region} and @kbd{M-x
5774 lpr-buffer} to work?
5776 Put something like this in your @file{.emacs}:
5779 (setq lpr-command "a2ps")
5780 (setq lpr-switches '("-p" "-1"))
5783 If you don't use a2ps to convert ASCII to postscript (why not, it's
5784 free?), replace with the command you do use. Note also that some
5785 versions of a2ps require a @samp{-Pprinter} to ensure spooling.
5787 @node Q5.3.5, Q5.3.6, Q5.3.4, Miscellaneous
5788 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.5: How do I specify the paths that XEmacs uses for finding files?
5790 You can specify what paths to use by using a number of different flags
5791 when running configure. See the section MAKE VARIABLES in the top-level
5792 file INSTALL in the XEmacs distribution for a listing of those flags.
5794 Most of the time, however, the simplest fix is: @strong{do not} specify
5795 paths as you might for GNU Emacs. XEmacs can generally determine the
5796 necessary paths dynamically at run time. The only path that generally
5797 needs to be specified is the root directory to install into. That can
5798 be specified by passing the @code{--prefix} flag to configure. For a
5799 description of the XEmacs install tree, please consult the @file{NEWS}
5802 @node Q5.3.6, Q5.3.7, Q5.3.5, Miscellaneous
5803 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.6: [This question intentionally left blank]
5805 Obsolete question, left blank to avoid renumbering.
5807 @node Q5.3.7, Q5.3.8, Q5.3.6, Miscellaneous
5808 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.7: Can I have the end of the buffer delimited in some way?
5810 Say, with: @samp{[END]}?
5815 (let ((ext (make-extent (point-min) (point-max))))
5816 (set-extent-property ext 'start-closed t)
5817 (set-extent-property ext 'end-closed t)
5818 (set-extent-property ext 'detachable nil)
5819 (set-extent-end-glyph ext (make-glyph [string :data "[END]"])))
5822 Since this is XEmacs, you can specify an icon to be shown on
5823 window-system devices. To do so, change the @code{make-glyph} call to
5824 something like this:
5827 (make-glyph '([xpm :file "~/something.xpm"]
5828 [string :data "[END]"]))
5831 You can inline the @sc{xpm} definition yourself by specifying
5832 @code{:data} instead of @code{:file}. Here is such a full-featured
5833 version that works on both X and TTY devices:
5836 (let ((ext (make-extent (point-min) (point-max))))
5837 (set-extent-property ext 'start-closed t)
5838 (set-extent-property ext 'end-closed t)
5839 (set-extent-property ext 'detachable nil)
5840 (set-extent-end-glyph ext (make-glyph '([xpm :data "\
5842 static char* eye = @{
5851 \"___________`_`_`___b_b_b_b_________`____\",
5852 \"_________`_`_`___b_c_c_c_b_b____________\",
5853 \"_____`_`_`_e___b_b_c_c_c___b___b_______`\",
5854 \"___`_`_e_a___b_b_d___b___b___b___b______\",
5855 \"_`_`_e_a_e___b_b_d_b___b___b___b___b____\",
5856 \"_`_`_a_e_a___b_b_d___b___b___b___b___b__\",
5857 \"_`_`_e_a_e___b_b_d_b___b___b___b___b_b__\",
5858 \"___`_`_e_a___b_b_b_d_c___b___b___d_b____\",
5859 \"_____`_`_e_e___b_b_b_d_c___b_b_d_b______\",
5860 \"_`_____`_`_`_`___b_b_b_d_d_d_d_b________\",
5861 \"___`_____`_`_`_`___b_b_b_b_b_b__________\",
5863 [string :data "[END]"]))))
5866 Note that you might want to make this a function, and put it to a hook.
5867 We leave that as an exercise for the reader.
5869 @node Q5.3.8, Q5.3.9, Q5.3.7, Miscellaneous
5870 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.8: How do I insert today's date into a buffer?
5875 (insert (current-time-string))
5878 @node Q5.3.9, Q5.3.10, Q5.3.8, Miscellaneous
5879 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.9: Are only certain syntactic character classes available for abbrevs?
5881 @email{gutschk@@uni-muenster.de, Markus Gutschke} writes:
5884 Yes, abbrevs only expands word-syntax strings. While XEmacs does not
5885 prevent you from defining (e.g. with @kbd{C-x a g} or @kbd{C-x a l})
5886 abbrevs that contain special characters, it will refuse to expand
5887 them. So you need to ensure, that the abbreviation contains letters and
5888 digits only. This means that @samp{xd}, @samp{d5}, and @samp{5d} are
5889 valid abbrevs, but @samp{&d}, and @samp{x d} are not.
5891 If this sounds confusing to you, (re-)read the online documentation for
5892 abbrevs (@kbd{C-h i m XEmacs @key{RET} m Abbrevs @key{RET}}), and then come back and
5893 read this question/answer again.
5896 Starting with XEmacs 20.3 this restriction has been lifted.
5898 @node Q5.3.10, Q5.3.11, Q5.3.9, Miscellaneous
5899 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.10: How can I get those oh-so-neat X-Face lines?
5901 Firstly there is an ftp site which describes X-faces and has the
5902 associated tools mentioned below, at
5903 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu:/pub/faces/}.
5909 Create 48x48x1 bitmap with your favorite tool
5912 Convert to "icon" format using one of xbm2ikon, pbmtoicon, etc.,
5913 and then compile the face.
5917 cat file.xbm | xbm2ikon |compface > file.face
5921 Then be sure to quote things that are necessary for emacs strings:
5924 cat ./file.face | sed 's/\\/\\\\/g'
5928 | sed 's/\"/\\\"/g' > ./file.face.quoted
5932 Then set up emacs to include the file as a mail header - there were a
5933 couple of suggestions here---either something like:
5936 (setq mail-default-headers
5937 "X-Face: @email{Ugly looking text string here}")
5940 Or, alternatively, as:
5943 (defun mail-insert-x-face ()
5945 (goto-char (point-min))
5946 (search-forward mail-header-separator)
5949 (insert-file-contents "~/.face")))
5951 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'mail-insert-x-face)
5955 However, 2 things might be wrong:
5957 Some versions of pbmtoicon produces some header lines that is not
5958 expected by the version of compface that I grabbed. So I found I had to
5959 include a @code{tail +3} in the pipeline like this:
5962 cat file.xbm | xbm2ikon | tail +3 |compface > file.face
5965 Some people have also found that if one uses the @code{(insert-file)}
5966 method, one should NOT quote the face string using the sed script .
5968 It might also be helpful to use @email{stig@@hackvan.com, Stig's} script
5969 (included in the compface distribution at XEmacs.org) to do the
5971 @comment For convenience xbm2xface is available for anonymous FTP at
5972 @comment @uref{ftp://ftp.miranova.com/pub/xemacs/xbm2xface.pl}.
5974 Contributors for this item:
5985 @node Q5.3.11, Q5.3.12, Q5.3.10, Miscellaneous
5986 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.11: How do I add new Info directories?
5988 You use something like:
5991 (setq Info-directory-list (cons
5992 (expand-file-name "~/info")
5993 Info-default-directory-list))
5996 @email{davidm@@prism.kla.com, David Masterson} writes:
5999 Emacs Info and XEmacs Info do many things differently. If you're trying to
6000 support a number of versions of Emacs, here are some notes to remember:
6004 Emacs Info scans @code{Info-directory-list} from right-to-left while
6005 XEmacs Info reads it from left-to-right, so append to the @emph{correct}
6009 Use @code{Info-default-directory-list} to initialize
6010 @code{Info-directory-list} @emph{if} it is available at startup, but not
6011 all Emacsen define it.
6014 Emacs Info looks for a standard @file{dir} file in each of the
6015 directories scanned from #1 and magically concatenates them together.
6018 XEmacs Info looks for a @file{localdir} file (which consists of just the
6019 menu entries from a @file{dir} file) in each of the directories scanned
6020 from #1 (except the first), does a simple concatenation of them, and
6021 magically attaches the resulting list to the end of the menu in the
6022 @file{dir} file in the first directory.
6025 Another alternative is to convert the documentation to HTML with
6026 texi2html and read it from a web browser like Lynx or W3.
6029 @node Q5.3.12, , Q5.3.11, Miscellaneous
6030 @unnumberedsubsec Q5.3.12: What do I need to change to make printing work?
6032 For regular printing there are two variables that can be customized.
6036 This should be set to a command that takes standard input and sends
6037 it to a printer. Something like:
6040 (setq lpr-command "lp")
6044 This should be set to a list that contains whatever the print command
6045 requires to do its job. Something like:
6048 (setq lpr-switches '("-depson"))
6052 For postscript printing there are three analogous variables to
6056 @item ps-lpr-command
6057 This should be set to a command that takes postscript on standard input
6058 and directs it to a postscript printer.
6060 @item ps-lpr-switches
6061 This should be set to a list of switches required for
6062 @code{ps-lpr-command} to do its job.
6064 @item ps-print-color-p
6065 This boolean variable should be set @code{t} if printing will be done in
6066 color, otherwise it should be set to @code{nil}.
6069 NOTE: It is an undocumented limitation in XEmacs that postscript
6070 printing (the @code{Pretty Print Buffer} menu item) @strong{requires} a
6071 window system environment. It cannot be used outside of X11.
6073 @node MS Windows, Current Events, Miscellaneous, Top
6074 @unnumbered 6 XEmacs on MS Windows
6076 This is part 6 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list, written by
6077 Hrvoje Niksic and others. This section is devoted to the MS Windows
6083 * Q6.0.1:: What is the status of the XEmacs port to Windows?
6084 * Q6.0.2:: What flavors of MS Windows are supported?
6085 * Q6.0.3:: Where are the XEmacs on MS Windows binaries?
6086 * Q6.0.4:: Does XEmacs on MS Windows require an X server to run?
6088 Building XEmacs on MS Windows
6089 * Q6.1.1:: I decided to run with X. Where do I get an X server?
6090 * Q6.1.2:: What compiler do I need to compile XEmacs?
6091 * Q6.1.3:: How do I compile for the native port?
6092 * Q6.1.4:: How do I compile for the X port?
6093 * Q6.1.5:: How do I compile for Cygnus' Cygwin?
6094 * Q6.1.6:: What do I need for Cygwin?
6096 Customization and User Interface
6097 * Q6.2.1:: How will the port cope with differences in the Windows user interface?
6098 * Q6.2.2:: How do I change fonts in XEmacs on MS Windows?
6099 * Q6.2.3:: Where do I put my @file{.emacs} file?
6102 * Q6.3.1:: Will XEmacs rename all the win32-* symbols to w32-*?
6103 * Q6.3.2:: What are the differences between the various MS Windows emacsen?
6104 * Q6.3.3:: What is the porting team doing at the moment?
6108 @node Q6.0.1, Q6.0.2, MS Windows, MS Windows
6109 @unnumberedsec 6.0: General Info
6110 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.0.1: What is the status of the XEmacs port to Windows?
6112 Is XEmacs really getting ported to MS Windows? What is the status of the port?
6114 Yes, a group of volunteers actively works on making XEmacs code base
6115 cleanly compile and run on MS Windows operating systems. The mailing
6116 list at @email{xemacs-nt@@xemacs.org} is dedicated to that effort (please use
6117 the -request address to subscribe).
6119 At this time, XEmacs on MS Windows is usable, but lacks some of the
6120 features of XEmacs on UNIX and UNIX-like systems. Notably,
6121 internationalization does not work.
6123 @node Q6.0.2, Q6.0.3, Q6.0.1, MS Windows
6124 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.0.2: What flavors of MS Windows are supported? The list name implies NT only.
6126 The list name is misleading, as XEmacs will support both Windows 95,
6127 Windows 98 and Windows NT. The MS Windows-specific code is based on
6128 Microsoft Win32 API, and will not work on MS Windows 3.x or on MS-DOS.
6131 @node Q6.0.3, Q6.0.4, Q6.0.2, MS Windows
6132 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.0.3: Are binary kits available?
6134 Binary kits are available at
6135 @uref{ftp://ftp.xemacs.org/pub/xemacs/binary-kits/win32/} for the
6136 "plain" MS Windows version.
6138 @node Q6.0.4, Q6.1.1, Q6.0.3, MS Windows
6139 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.0.4: Does XEmacs on MS Windows require an X server to run?
6143 Long answer: XEmacs can be built in several ways in the MS Windows
6144 environment, some of them requiring an X server and some not.
6146 One is what we call the "X" port---it requires X libraries to build
6147 and an X server to run. Internally it uses the Xt event loop and
6148 makes use of X toolkits. Its look is quite un-Windowsy, but it works
6149 reliably and supports all of the graphical features of Unix XEmacs.
6151 The other is what we call the "native" port. It uses the Win32 API
6152 and does not require X libraries to build, nor does it require an X to
6153 run. In fact, it has no connection with X whatsoever. At this time,
6154 the native port obsoletes the X port, providing almost all of its
6155 features, including support for menus, scrollbars, toolbars, embedded
6156 images and background pixmaps, frame pointers, etc. Most of the
6157 future work will be based on the native port.
6159 There is also a third special case, the Cygwin port. It takes
6160 advantage of Cygnus emulation library under Win32, which enables it to
6161 reuse much of the Unix XEmacs code base, such as processes and network
6162 support, or internal select() mechanisms.
6164 Cygwin port supports all display types---TTY, X & MS gui, and can be
6165 built with support for all three. If you build with ms gui support
6166 then the Cygwin version uses the majority of the msw code, which is
6167 mostly related to display. If you want to build with X support you
6168 need X libraries. If you want to build with tty support you need
6169 ncurses. MS gui requires no additional libraries.
6171 Some of the advantages of the Cygwin version are that it:
6175 @item integrates well with Cygwin environment for existing Cygwin users;
6176 @item uses configure so building with different features is very easy;
6177 @item has process support in X & tty.
6181 The disadvantage is that it requires several Unix utilities and the
6182 whole Cygwin environment, whereas the native port requires only a
6183 suitable MS Windows compiler. Also, it follows the Unix filesystem and
6184 process model very closely (some will undoubtedly view this as an
6187 @node Q6.1.1, Q6.1.2, Q6.0.4, MS Windows
6188 @unnumberedsec 6.1: Building XEmacs on MS Windows
6189 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.1: I decided to run with X. Where do I get an X server?
6191 Pointers to X servers can be found at
6195 @uref{http://dao.gsfc.nasa.gov/software/grads/win32/X11R6.3/};
6197 look for "Where to get an X server". Also note that, although the above
6198 page talks about Cygnus gnu-win32 (Cygwin), the information on X servers
6199 is Cygwin-independent. You don't have to be running/using Cygwin to use
6200 these X servers, and you don't have to compile XEmacs under Cygwin to
6201 use XEmacs with these X servers. An "X port" XEmacs compiled under
6202 Visual C++ will work with these X servers (as will XEmacs running on a
6203 Unix box, redirected to the server running on your PC).
6206 @node Q6.1.2, Q6.1.3, Q6.1.1, MS Windows
6207 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.2: What compiler do I need to compile XEmacs?
6209 You need Visual C++ 4.2 or 5.0, with the exception of the Cygwin port,
6213 @node Q6.1.3, Q6.1.4, Q6.1.2, MS Windows
6214 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.3: How do I compile for the native port?
6216 Please read the file @file{nt/README} in the XEmacs distribution, which
6217 contains the full description.
6220 @node Q6.1.4, Q6.1.5, Q6.1.3, MS Windows
6221 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.4: How do I compile for the X port?
6223 Again, it is described in @file{nt/README} in some detail. Basically, you
6224 need to get X11 libraries from ftp.x.org, and compile them. If the
6225 precompiled versions are available somewhere, I don't know of it.
6228 @node Q6.1.5, Q6.1.6, Q6.1.4, MS Windows
6229 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.5: How do I compile for Cygnus' Cygwin?
6231 Similar as on Unix; use the usual `configure' and `make' process.
6232 Some problems to watch out for:
6236 make sure HOME is set. This controls where you @file{.emacs} file comes
6240 CYGWIN32 needs to be set to tty for process support
6241 work. e.g. CYGWIN32=tty;
6244 picking up some other grep or other unix like tools can kill configure;
6247 static heap too small, adjust src/sheap-adjust.h to a more positive
6251 The Cygwin version doesn't understand @file{//machine/path} type paths so you
6252 will need to manually mount a directory of this form under a unix style
6253 directory for a build to work on the directory.
6257 @node Q6.1.6, Q6.2.1, Q6.1.5, MS Windows
6258 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.1.6: What do I need for Cygwin?
6260 You can find the Cygwin tools and compiler at:
6262 @uref{http://sourceware.cygnus.com/cygwin/}
6264 You will need version b19 or later.
6266 You will also need the X libraries. There are libraries at
6270 @uref{http://dao.gsfc.nasa.gov/software/grads/win32/X11R6.3/}, but
6271 these are not b19 compatible. You can get b19 X11R6.3 binaries, as
6272 well as pre-built ncurses and graphic libraries, from:
6274 @uref{ftp://ftp.parallax.co.uk/pub/andyp/}.
6277 @node Q6.2.1, Q6.2.2, Q6.1.6, MS Windows
6278 @unnumberedsec 6.2: Customization and User Interface
6279 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.2.1: How will the port cope with differences in the Windows user interface?
6281 XEmacs (and Emacs in general) UI is pretty
6282 different from what is expected of a typical MS Windows program. How will
6283 the MS Windows port cope with it?
6285 Fortunately, Emacs is also one of the most configurable editor beasts
6286 in the world. The MS Windows "look and feel" (mark via shift-arrow,
6287 self-inserting deletes region, etc.) can be easily configured via
6288 various packages distributed with XEmacs. The `pending-delete'
6289 package is an example of such a utility.
6291 In future versions, some of these packages might be turned on by
6292 default in the MS Windows environment.
6295 @node Q6.2.2, Q6.2.3, Q6.2.1, MS Windows
6296 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.2.2: How do I change fonts in XEmacs on MS Windows?
6298 In 21.2.*, use the font menu. In 21.1.*, you can change font
6299 manually. For example:
6302 (set-face-font 'default "Lucida Console:Regular:10")
6303 (set-face-font 'modeline "MS Sans Serif:Regular:10")
6307 @node Q6.2.3, Q6.3.1, Q6.2.2, MS Windows
6308 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.2.3: Where do I put my @file{.emacs} file?
6310 If the HOME environment variable is set, @file{.emacs} will be looked for
6311 there. Else the directory defaults to `c:\'.
6313 @node Q6.3.1, Q6.3.2, Q6.2.3, MS Windows
6314 @unnumberedsec 6.3: Miscellaneous
6315 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.3.1: Will XEmacs rename all the win32-* symbols to w32-*?
6317 In his flavor of Emacs 20, Richard Stallman has renamed all the win32-*
6318 symbols to w32-*. Will XEmacs do the same?
6320 We consider such a move counter-productive, thus we will not use the
6321 `w32' prefix. However, we do recognize that Win32 name is little more
6322 than a marketing buzzword (will it be Win64 in the next release?), so
6323 we decided not to use it. Using `windows-' would be wrong because the
6324 term is too generic, which is why we settled on a compromise
6327 Thus all the XEmacs variables and functions directly related to Win32
6328 are prefixed `mswindows-'. The user-variables shared with NT Emacs
6329 will be provided as compatibility aliases.
6331 Architectural note: We believe that there should be a very small
6332 number of window-systems-specific variables, and will try to provide
6333 generic interfaces whenever possible.
6336 @node Q6.3.2, Q6.3.3, Q6.3.1, MS Windows
6337 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.3.2: What are the differences between the various MS Windows emacsen?
6339 XEmacs, Win-Emacs, DOS Emacs, NT Emacs, this is all very confusing.
6340 Could you briefly explain the differences between them?
6342 Here is a recount of various Emacs versions running on MS Windows:
6352 Win-Emacs is a port of Lucid Emacs 19.6 to MS Windows using X
6353 compatibility libraries. Win-Emacs has been written by Ben Wing. The
6354 MS Windows code has not made it back to Lucid Emacs, which left Win-Emacs
6355 pretty much dead for our purposes. Win-Emacs used to be available at
6356 Pearlsoft, but not anymore, since Pearlsoft went out of business.
6365 GNU Emacs features support for MS-DOS and DJGPP (D.J. Delorie's DOS
6366 port of Gcc). Such an Emacs is heavily underfeatured, because it does
6367 not supports long file names, lacks proper subprocesses support, and
6368 is far too big compared to typical DOS editors.
6372 GNU Emacs compiled with Win32
6377 Starting with version 19.30, it has been possible to compile GNU Emacs
6378 under MS Windows using the DJGPP compiler and X libraries. The result
6379 is is very similar to GNU Emacs compiled under MS DOS, only it
6380 supports longer file names, etc. This "port" is similar to the "X"
6381 flavor of XEmacs on MS Windows.
6390 NT Emacs is a version of GNU Emacs modified to compile and run under
6391 MS MS Windows 95 and NT using the native Win32 API. As such, it is close
6392 in spirit to the XEmacs "native" port.
6395 NT Emacs has been written by Geoff Voelker, and more information can be
6400 @uref{http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/voelker/ntemacs.html}.
6410 Beginning with XEmacs 19.12, XEmacs' architecture has been redesigned
6411 in such a way to allow clean support of multiple window systems. At
6412 this time the TTY support was added, making X and TTY the first two
6413 "window systems" XEmacs supported. The 19.12 design is the basis for
6414 the current native MS Windows code.
6417 Some time during 1997, David Hobley (soon joined by Marc Paquette)
6418 imported some of the NT-specific portions of GNU Emacs, making XEmacs
6419 with X support compile under Windows NT, and creating the "X" port.
6422 Several months later, Jonathan Harris sent out initial patches to use
6423 the Win32 API, thus creating the native port. Since then, various
6424 people have contributed, including Kirill M. Katsnelson (contributed
6425 support for menubars, subprocesses and network, as well as loads of
6426 other code), Andy Piper (ported XEmacs to Cygwin environment,
6427 contributed Windows unexec, Windows-specific glyphs and toolbars code,
6428 and more), Jeff Sparkes (contributed scrollbars support) and many
6436 @node Q6.3.3, , Q6.3.2, MS Windows
6437 @unnumberedsubsec Q6.3.3: What is the porting team doing at the moment?
6439 The porting team is continuing work on the MS Windows-specific code.
6442 @node Current Events, , MS Windows, Top
6443 @unnumbered 7 What the Future Holds
6445 This is part 7 of the XEmacs Frequently Asked Questions list. This
6446 section will change monthly, and contains any interesting items that have
6447 transpired over the previous month. If you are reading this from the
6448 XEmacs distribution, please see the version on the Web or archived at the
6449 various FAQ FTP sites, as this file is surely out of date.
6452 * Q7.0.1:: What is new in 20.2?
6453 * Q7.0.2:: What is new in 20.3?
6454 * Q7.0.3:: What is new in 20.4?
6455 * Q7.0.4:: Procedural changes in XEmacs development.
6458 @node Q7.0.1, Q7.0.2, Current Events, Current Events
6459 @unnumberedsec 7.0: Changes
6460 @unnumberedsubsec Q7.0.1: What is new in 20.2?
6462 The biggest changes in 20.2 include integration of EFS (the next
6463 generation of ange-ftp) and AUC Tex (the Emacs subsystem that includes a
6464 major mode for editing Tex and LaTeX, and a lot of other stuff). Many
6465 bugs from 20.0 have been fixed for this release. 20.2 also contains a
6466 new system for customizing XEmacs options, invoked via @kbd{M-x
6469 XEmacs 20.2 is the development release (20.0 was beta), and is no longer
6470 considered unstable.
6472 @node Q7.0.2, Q7.0.3, Q7.0.1, Current Events
6473 @unnumberedsubsec Q7.0.2: What is new in 20.3?
6475 XEmacs 20.3 was released in November 1997. It contains many bugfixes,
6476 and a number of new features, including Autoconf 2 based configuration,
6477 additional support for Mule (Multi-language extensions to Emacs), many
6478 more customizations, multiple frames on TTY-s, support for multiple info
6479 directories, an enhanced gnuclient, improvements to regexp matching,
6480 increased MIME support, and many, many synches with GNU Emacs 20.
6482 The XEmacs/Mule support has been only seriously tested in a Japanese
6483 locale, and no doubt many problems still remain. The support for
6484 ISO-Latin-1 and Japanese is fairly strong. MULE support comes at a
6485 price---about a 30% slowdown from 19.16. We're making progress on
6486 improving performance and XEmacs 20.3 compiled without Mule (which is
6487 the default) is definitely faster than XEmacs 19.16.
6489 XEmacs 20.3 is the first non-beta v20 release, and will be the
6490 basis for all further development.
6492 @node Q7.0.3, Q7.0.4, Q7.0.2, Current Events
6493 @unnumberedsubsec Q7.0.3: What's new in XEmacs 20.4?
6495 XEmacs 20.4 is a bugfix release with no user-visible changes.
6496 @c Filled in from NEWS file of 20.5-b33
6499 @node Q7.0.4, , Q7.0.3, Current Events
6500 @unnumberedsubsec Q7.0.4: Procedural changes in XEmacs development.
6504 Discussion about the development of XEmacs occurs on the xemacs-beta
6505 mailing list. Subscriptions to this list will now be fully automated
6506 instead of being handled by hand. Send a mail message to
6507 @email{xemacs-beta-request@@xemacs.org} with @samp{subscribe} as the
6508 BODY of the message to join the list. Please note this is a developers
6509 mailing list for people who have an active interest in the development
6512 The discussion of NT XEmacs development is taking place on a separate
6513 mailing list. Send mail to
6517 @email{xemacs-nt-request@@xemacs.org} to
6521 Due to the long development cycle in between releases, it has been
6522 decided that intermediate versions will be made available in source only
6523 form for the truly interested.
6525 XEmacs 19.16 was the last 19 release, basically consisting of 19.15 plus
6526 the collected bugfixes.
6529 As of December 1996, @email{steve@@xemacs.org, Steve Baur} has become
6530 the lead maintainer of XEmacs.