update.

[chise/xemacs-chise.git-] / info / xemacs.info-13

This is ../info/xemacs.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from
xemacs/xemacs.texi.

INFO-DIR-SECTION XEmacs Editor
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* XEmacs: (xemacs).             XEmacs Editor.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY

   This file documents the XEmacs editor.

   Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1988 Richard M. Stallman.  Copyright (C)
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Lucid, Inc.  Copyright (C) 1993, 1994 Sun
Microsystems, Inc.  Copyright (C) 1995 Amdahl Corporation.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto", "Distribution" and "GNU
General Public License" are included exactly as in the original, and
provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the
terms of a permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions, except that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto",
"Distribution" and "GNU General Public License" may be included in a
translation approved by the author instead of in the original English.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Building Packages,  Prev: Using Packages,  Up: Packages

   Source packages are available from the `packages/source-packages'
subdirectory of your favorite XEmacs distribution site.  Alternatively,
they are available via CVS from `cvs.xemacs.org'.  Look at
`http://cvs.xemacs.org' for instructions.

Prerequisites for Building Source Packages
------------------------------------------

   You must have GNU `cp', GNU `install' (or a BSD compatible `install'
program) GNU `make' (3.75 or later preferred), `makeinfo' (1.68 from
`texinfo-3.11' or later required), GNU `tar' and XEmacs 21.0.  The
source packages will untar into a correct directory structure.  At the
top level you must have `XEmacs.rules' and `package-compile.el'.  These
files are available from the XEmacs FTP site from the same place you
obtained your source package distributions.

What You Can Do With Source Packages
------------------------------------

   NB:  A global build operation doesn't exist yet as of 13 January
1998.

   Source packages are most useful for creating XEmacs package tarballs
for installation into your own XEmacs installations or for distributing
to others.

   Supported operations from `make' are:

`clean'
     Remove all built files except `auto-autoloads.el' and
     `custom-load.el'.

`distclean'
     Remove XEmacs backups as well as the files deleted by `make clean'.

`all'
     Bytecompile all files, build and bytecompile byproduct files like
     `auto-autoloads.el' and `custom-load.el'.  Create info version of
     TeXinfo documentation if present.

`srckit'
     Usually aliased to `make srckit-std'.  This does a `make
     distclean' and creates a package source tarball in the staging
     directory.  This is generally only of use for package maintainers.

`binkit'
     May be aliased to `binkit-sourceonly', `binkit-sourceinfo',
     `binkit-sourcedata', or `binkit-sourcedatainfo'. `sourceonly'
     indicates there is nothing to install in a data directory or info
     directory.  `sourceinfo' indicates that source and info files are
     to be installed.  `sourcedata' indicates that source and etc
     (data) files are to be installed.  `sourcedatainfo' indicates
     source, etc (data), and info files are to be installed.  A few
     packages have needs beyond the basic templates so this is not yet
     complete.

`dist'
     Runs the rules `srckit' followed by `binkit'.  This is primarily
     of use by XEmacs maintainers producing files for distribution.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Abbrevs,  Next: Picture,  Prev: Packages,  Up: Top

Abbrevs
*******

   An "abbrev" is a word which "expands" into some different text.
Abbrevs are defined by the user to expand in specific ways.  For
example, you might define `foo' as an abbrev expanding to `find outer
otter'.  With this abbrev defined, you would be able to get `find outer
otter ' into the buffer by typing `f o o <SPC>'.

   Abbrevs expand only when Abbrev mode (a minor mode) is enabled.
Disabling Abbrev mode does not cause abbrev definitions to be discarded,
but they do not expand until Abbrev mode is enabled again.  The command
`M-x abbrev-mode' toggles Abbrev mode; with a numeric argument, it
turns Abbrev mode on if the argument is positive, off otherwise.  *Note
Minor Modes::.  `abbrev-mode' is also a variable; Abbrev mode is on
when the variable is non-`nil'.  The variable `abbrev-mode'
automatically becomes local to the current buffer when it is set.

   Abbrev definitions can be "mode-specific"--active only in one major
mode.  Abbrevs can also have "global" definitions that are active in
all major modes.  The same abbrev can have a global definition and
various mode-specific definitions for different major modes.  A
mode-specific definition for the current major mode overrides a global
definition.

   You can define Abbrevs interactively during an editing session.  You
can also save lists of abbrev definitions in files and reload them in
later sessions.  Some users keep extensive lists of abbrevs that they
load in every session.

   A second kind of abbreviation facility is called the "dynamic
expansion".  Dynamic abbrev expansion happens only when you give an
explicit command and the result of the expansion depends only on the
current contents of the buffer.  *Note Dynamic Abbrevs::.

* Menu:

* Defining Abbrevs::  Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
* Expanding Abbrevs:: Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.
* Editing Abbrevs::   Viewing or editing the entire list of defined abbrevs.
* Saving Abbrevs::    Saving the entire list of abbrevs for another session.
* Dynamic Abbrevs::   Abbreviations for words already in the buffer.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Defining Abbrevs,  Next: Expanding Abbrevs,  Prev: Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Defining Abbrevs
================

`C-x a g'
     Define an abbrev to expand into some text before point
     (`add-global-abbrev').

`C-x a l'
     Similar, but define an abbrev available only in the current major
     mode (`add-mode-abbrev').

`C-x a i g'
     Define a word in the buffer as an abbrev
     (`inverse-add-global-abbrev').

`C-x a i l'
     Define a word in the buffer as a mode-specific abbrev
     (`inverse-add-mode-abbrev').

`M-x kill-all-abbrevs'
     After this command, no abbrev definitions remain in effect.

   The usual way to define an abbrev is to enter the text you want the
abbrev to expand to, position point after it, and type `C-x a g'
(`add-global-abbrev').  This reads the abbrev itself using the
minibuffer, and then defines it as an abbrev for one or more words
before point.  Use a numeric argument to say how many words before point
should be taken as the expansion.  For example, to define the abbrev
`foo' as in the example above, insert the text `find outer otter', then
type
`C-u 3 C-x a g f o o <RET>'.

   An argument of zero to `C-x a g' means to use the contents of the
region as the expansion of the abbrev being defined.

   The command `C-x a l' (`add-mode-abbrev') is similar, but defines a
mode-specific abbrev.  Mode-specific abbrevs are active only in a
particular major mode.  `C-x a l' defines an abbrev for the major mode
in effect at the time `C-x a l' is typed.  The arguments work the same
way they do for `C-x a g'.

   If the text of an abbrev you want is already in the buffer instead of
the expansion, use command `C-x a i g' (`inverse-add-global-abbrev')
instead of `C-x a g', or use `C-x a i l' (`inverse-add-mode-abbrev')
instead of `C-x a l'.  These commands are called "inverse" because they
invert the meaning of the argument found in the buffer and the argument
read using the minibuffer.

   To change the definition of an abbrev, just add the new definition.
You will be asked to confirm if the abbrev has a prior definition.  To
remove an abbrev definition, give a negative argument to `C-x a g' or
`C-x a l'.  You must choose the command to specify whether to kill a
global definition or a mode-specific definition for the current mode,
since those two definitions are independent for one abbrev.

   `M-x kill-all-abbrevs' removes all existing abbrev definitions.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Expanding Abbrevs,  Next: Editing Abbrevs,  Prev: Defining Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Controlling Abbrev Expansion
============================

   An abbrev expands whenever it is in a buffer just before point and
you type a self-inserting punctuation character (<SPC>, comma, etc.).
Most often an abbrev is used by inserting the abbrev followed by
punctuation.

   Abbrev expansion preserves case; thus, `foo' expands into `find
outer otter', `Foo' into `Find outer otter', and `FOO' into `FIND OUTER
OTTER' or `Find Outer Otter' according to the variable
`abbrev-all-caps' (a non-`nil' value chooses the first of the two
expansions).

   Two commands are available to control abbrev expansion:

`M-''
     Separate a prefix from a following abbrev to be expanded
     (`abbrev-prefix-mark').

`C-x a e'
     Expand the abbrev before point (`expand-abbrev').  This is
     effective even when Abbrev mode is not enabled.

`M-x unexpand-abbrev'
     Undo last abbrev expansion.

`M-x expand-region-abbrevs'
     Expand some or all abbrevs found in the region.

   You may wish to expand an abbrev with a prefix attached.  For
example, if `cnst' expands into `construction', you may want to use it
to enter `reconstruction'.  It does not work to type `recnst', because
that is not necessarily a defined abbrev.  Instead, you can use the
command `M-'' (`abbrev-prefix-mark') between the prefix `re' and the
abbrev `cnst'.  First, insert `re'.  Then type `M-''; this inserts a
minus sign in the buffer to indicate that it has done its work.  Then
insert the abbrev `cnst'.  The buffer now contains `re-cnst'.  Now
insert a punctuation character to expand the abbrev `cnst' into
`construction'.  The minus sign is deleted at this point by `M-''.  The
resulting text is the desired `reconstruction'.

   If you actually want the text of the abbrev in the buffer, rather
than its expansion, insert the following punctuation with `C-q'.  Thus,
`foo C-q -' leaves `foo-' in the buffer.

   If you expand an abbrev by mistake, you can undo the expansion
(replace the expansion by the original abbrev text) with `M-x
unexpand-abbrev'.  You can also use `C-_' (`undo') to undo the
expansion; but that will first undo the insertion of the punctuation
character.

   `M-x expand-region-abbrevs' searches through the region for defined
abbrevs, and  offers to replace each one it finds with its expansion.
This command is useful if you have typed text using abbrevs but forgot
to turn on Abbrev mode first.  It may also be useful together with a
special set of abbrev definitions for making several global
replacements at once.  The command is effective even if Abbrev mode is
not enabled.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Editing Abbrevs,  Next: Saving Abbrevs,  Prev: Expanding Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Examining and Editing Abbrevs
=============================

`M-x list-abbrevs'
     Print a list of all abbrev definitions.

`M-x edit-abbrevs'
     Edit a list of abbrevs; you can add, alter, or remove definitions.

   The output from `M-x list-abbrevs' looks like this:

     (lisp-mode-abbrev-table)
     "dk"           0    "define-key"
     (global-abbrev-table)
     "dfn"          0    "definition"

(Some blank lines of no semantic significance, and some other abbrev
tables, have been omitted.)

   A line containing a name in parentheses is the header for abbrevs in
a particular abbrev table; `global-abbrev-table' contains all the global
abbrevs, and the other abbrev tables that are named after major modes
contain the mode-specific abbrevs.

   Within each abbrev table, each non-blank line defines one abbrev.
The word at the beginning is the abbrev.  The number that appears is
the number of times the abbrev has been expanded.  Emacs keeps track of
this to help you see which abbrevs you actually use, in case you want
to eliminate those that you don't use often.  The string at the end of
the line is the expansion.

   `M-x edit-abbrevs' allows you to add, change or kill abbrev
definitions by editing a list of them in an Emacs buffer.  The list has
the format described above.  The buffer of abbrevs is called
`*Abbrevs*', and is in Edit-Abbrevs mode.  This mode redefines the key
`C-c C-c' to install the abbrev definitions as specified in the buffer.
The  `edit-abbrevs-redefine' command does this.  Any abbrevs not
described in the buffer are eliminated when this is done.

   `edit-abbrevs' is actually the same as `list-abbrevs', except that
it selects the buffer `*Abbrevs*' whereas `list-abbrevs' merely
displays it in another window.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Saving Abbrevs,  Next: Dynamic Abbrevs,  Prev: Editing Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Saving Abbrevs
==============

   These commands allow you to keep abbrev definitions between editing
sessions.

`M-x write-abbrev-file'
     Write a file describing all defined abbrevs.

`M-x read-abbrev-file'
     Read such an abbrev file and define abbrevs as specified there.

`M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file'
     Similar, but do not display a message about what is going on.

`M-x define-abbrevs'
     Define abbrevs from buffer.

`M-x insert-abbrevs'
     Insert all abbrevs and their expansions into the buffer.

   Use `M-x write-abbrev-file' to save abbrev definitions for use in a
later session.  The command reads a file name using the minibuffer and
writes a description of all current abbrev definitions into the
specified file.  The text stored in the file looks like the output of
`M-x list-abbrevs'.

   `M-x read-abbrev-file' prompts for a file name using the minibuffer
and reads the specified file, defining abbrevs according to its
contents.  `M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file' is the same but does not
display a message in the echo area; it is actually useful primarily in
the `.emacs' file.  If you give an empty argument to either of these
functions, the file name Emacs uses is the value of the variable
`abbrev-file-name', which is by default `"~/.abbrev_defs"'.

   Emacs offers to save abbrevs automatically if you have changed any of
them, whenever it offers to save all files (for `C-x s' or `C-x C-c').
Set the variable `save-abbrevs' to `nil' to inhibit this feature.

   The commands `M-x insert-abbrevs' and `M-x define-abbrevs' are
similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
`M-x insert-abbrevs' inserts text into the current buffer before point,
describing all current abbrev definitions; `M-x define-abbrevs' parses
the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Dynamic Abbrevs,  Prev: Saving Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Dynamic Abbrev Expansion
========================

   The abbrev facility described above operates automatically as you
insert text, but all abbrevs must be defined explicitly.  By contrast,
"dynamic abbrevs" allow the meanings of abbrevs to be determined
automatically from the contents of the buffer, but dynamic abbrev
expansion happens only when you request it explicitly.

`M-/'
     Expand the word in the buffer before point as a "dynamic abbrev",
     by searching in the buffer for words starting with that
     abbreviation (`dabbrev-expand').

   For example, if the buffer contains `does this follow ' and you type
`f o M-/', the effect is to insert `follow' because that is the last
word in the buffer that starts with `fo'.  A numeric argument to `M-/'
says to take the second, third, etc. distinct expansion found looking
backward from point.  Repeating `M-/' searches for an alternative
expansion by looking farther back.  After the entire buffer before
point has been considered, the buffer after point is searched.

   Dynamic abbrev expansion is completely independent of Abbrev mode;
the expansion of a word with `M-/' is completely independent of whether
it has a definition as an ordinary abbrev.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Picture,  Next: Sending Mail,  Prev: Abbrevs,  Up: Top

Editing Pictures
****************

   If you want to create a picture made out of text characters (for
example, a picture of the division of a register into fields, as a
comment in a program), use the command `edit-picture' to enter Picture
mode.

   In Picture mode, editing is based on the "quarter-plane" model of
text.  In this model, the text characters lie studded on an area that
stretches infinitely far to the right and downward.  The concept of the
end of a line does not exist in this model; the most you can say is
where the last non-blank character on the line is found.

   Of course, Emacs really always considers text as a sequence of
characters, and lines really do have ends.  But in Picture mode most
frequently-used keys are rebound to commands that simulate the
quarter-plane model of text.  They do this by inserting spaces or by
converting tabs to spaces.

   Most of the basic editing commands of Emacs are redefined by Picture
mode to do essentially the same thing but in a quarter-plane way.  In
addition, Picture mode defines various keys starting with the `C-c'
prefix to run special picture editing commands.

   One of these keys, `C-c C-c', is pretty important.  Often a picture
is part of a larger file that is usually edited in some other major
mode.  `M-x edit-picture' records the name of the previous major mode.
You can then use the `C-c C-c' command (`picture-mode-exit') to restore
that mode.  `C-c C-c' also deletes spaces from the ends of lines,
unless you give it a numeric argument.

   The commands used in Picture mode all work in other modes (provided
the `picture' library is loaded), but are only  bound to keys in
Picture mode.  Note that the descriptions below talk of moving "one
column" and so on, but all the picture mode commands handle numeric
arguments as their normal equivalents do.

   Turning on Picture mode calls the value of the variable
`picture-mode-hook' as a function, with no arguments, if that value
exists and is non-`nil'.

* Menu:

* Basic Picture::         Basic concepts and simple commands of Picture Mode.
* Insert in Picture::     Controlling direction of cursor motion
                           after "self-inserting" characters.
* Tabs in Picture::       Various features for tab stops and indentation.
* Rectangles in Picture:: Clearing and superimposing rectangles.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Basic Picture,  Next: Insert in Picture,  Prev: Picture,  Up: Picture

Basic Editing in Picture Mode
=============================

   Most keys do the same thing in Picture mode that they usually do,
but do it in a quarter-plane style.  For example, `C-f' is rebound to
run `picture-forward-column', which moves point one column to the
right, by inserting a space if necessary, so that the actual end of the
line makes no difference.  `C-b' is rebound to run
`picture-backward-column', which always moves point left one column,
converting a tab to multiple spaces if necessary.  `C-n' and `C-p' are
rebound to run `picture-move-down' and `picture-move-up', which can
either insert spaces or convert tabs as necessary to make sure that
point stays in exactly the same column.  `C-e' runs
`picture-end-of-line', which moves to after the last non-blank
character on the line.  There was no need to change `C-a', as the choice
of screen model does not affect beginnings of lines.

   Insertion of text is adapted to the quarter-plane screen model
through the use of Overwrite mode (*note Minor Modes::).
Self-inserting characters replace existing text, column by column,
rather than pushing existing text to the right.  <RET> runs
`picture-newline', which just moves to the beginning of the following
line so that new text will replace that line.

   Text is erased instead of deleted and killed.  <DEL>
(`picture-backward-clear-column') replaces the preceding character with
a space rather than removing it.  `C-d' (`picture-clear-column') does
the same in a forward direction.  `C-k' (`picture-clear-line') really
kills the contents of lines, but never removes the newlines from a
buffer.

   To do actual insertion, you must use special commands.  `C-o'
(`picture-open-line') creates a blank line, but does so after the
current line; it never splits a line.  `C-M-o', `split-line', makes
sense in Picture mode, so it remains unchanged.  <LFD>
(`picture-duplicate-line') inserts another line with the same contents
below the current line.

   To actually delete parts of the picture, use `C-w', or with `C-c
C-d' (which is defined as `delete-char', as `C-d' is in other modes),
or with one of the picture rectangle commands (*note Rectangles in
Picture::).

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Insert in Picture,  Next: Tabs in Picture,  Prev: Basic Picture,  Up: Picture

Controlling Motion After Insert
===============================

   Since "self-inserting" characters just overwrite and move point in
Picture mode, there is no essential restriction on how point should be
moved.  Normally point moves right, but you can specify any of the eight
orthogonal or diagonal directions for motion after a "self-inserting"
character.  This is useful for drawing lines in the buffer.

`C-c <'
     Move left after insertion (`picture-movement-left').

`C-c >'
     Move right after insertion (`picture-movement-right').

`C-c ^'
     Move up after insertion (`picture-movement-up').

`C-c .'
     Move down after insertion (`picture-movement-down').

`C-c `'
     Move up and left ("northwest") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-nw').

`C-c ''
     Move up and right ("northeast") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-ne').

`C-c /'
     Move down and left ("southwest") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-sw').

`C-c \'
     Move down and right ("southeast") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-se').

   Two motion commands move based on the current Picture insertion
direction.  The command `C-c C-f' (`picture-motion') moves in the same
direction as motion after "insertion" currently does, while `C-c C-b'
(`picture-motion-reverse') moves in the opposite direction.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Tabs in Picture,  Next: Rectangles in Picture,  Prev: Insert in Picture,  Up: Picture

Picture Mode Tabs
=================

   Two kinds of tab-like action are provided in Picture mode.
Context-based tabbing is done with `M-<TAB>' (`picture-tab-search').
With no argument, it moves to a point underneath the next "interesting"
character that follows whitespace in the previous non-blank line.
"Next" here means "appearing at a horizontal position greater than the
one point starts out at".  With an argument, as in `C-u M-<TAB>', the
command moves to the next such interesting character in the current
line.  `M-<TAB>' does not change the text; it only moves point.
"Interesting" characters are defined by the variable
`picture-tab-chars', which contains a string of characters considered
interesting.  Its default value is `"!-~"'.

   <TAB> itself runs `picture-tab', which operates based on the current
tab stop settings; it is the Picture mode equivalent of
`tab-to-tab-stop'.  Without arguments it just moves point, but with a
numeric argument it clears the text that it moves over.

   The context-based and tab-stop-based forms of tabbing are brought
together by the command `C-c <TAB>' (`picture-set-tab-stops'.)  This
command sets the tab stops to the positions which `M-<TAB>' would
consider significant in the current line.  If you use this command with
<TAB>, you can get the effect of context-based tabbing.  But `M-<TAB>'
is more convenient in the cases where it is sufficient.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Rectangles in Picture,  Prev: Tabs in Picture,  Up: Picture

Picture Mode Rectangle Commands
===============================

   Picture mode defines commands for working on rectangular pieces of
the text in ways that fit with the quarter-plane model.  The standard
rectangle commands may also be useful (*note Rectangles::).

`C-c C-k'
     Clear out the region-rectangle (`picture-clear-rectangle').  With
     argument, kill it.

`C-c C-w R'
     Similar but save rectangle contents in register R first
     (`picture-clear-rectangle-to-register').

`C-c C-y'
     Copy last killed rectangle into the buffer by overwriting, with
     upper left corner at point (`picture-yank-rectangle').  With
     argument, insert instead.

`C-c C-x R'
     Similar, but use the rectangle in register R
     (`picture-yank-rectangle-from-register').

   The picture rectangle commands `C-c C-k' (`picture-clear-rectangle')
and `C-c C-w' (`picture-clear-rectangle-to-register') differ from the
standard rectangle commands in that they normally clear the rectangle
instead of deleting it; this is analogous with the way `C-d' is changed
in Picture mode.

   However, deletion of rectangles can be useful in Picture mode, so
these commands delete the rectangle if given a numeric argument.

   The Picture mode commands for yanking rectangles differ from the
standard ones in overwriting instead of inserting.  This is the same
way that Picture mode insertion of other text is different from other
modes.  `C-c C-y' (`picture-yank-rectangle') inserts (by overwriting)
the rectangle that was most recently killed, while `C-c C-x'
(`picture-yank-rectangle-from-register') does for the rectangle found
in a specified register.

   Since most region commands in Picture mode operate on rectangles,
when you select a region of text with the mouse in Picture mode, it is
highlighted as a rectangle.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Sending Mail,  Next: Reading Mail,  Prev: Picture,  Up: Top

Sending Mail
************

   To send a message in Emacs, start by typing the command (`C-x m') to
select and initialize the `*mail*' buffer.  You can then edit the text
and headers of the message in the mail buffer, and type the command
(`C-c C-c') to send the message.

`C-x m'
     Begin composing a message to send (`mail').

`C-x 4 m'
     Likewise, but display the message in another window
     (`mail-other-window').

`C-c C-c'
     In Mail mode, send the message and switch to another buffer
     (`mail-send-and-exit').

   The command `C-x m' (`mail') selects a buffer named `*mail*' and
initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing message.  `C-x 4 m'
(`mail-other-window') selects the `*mail*' buffer in a different
window, leaving the previous current buffer visible.

   Because the buffer for mail composition is an ordinary Emacs buffer,
you can switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail,
and switch back later (or never).  If you use the `C-x m' command again
when you have been composing another message but have not sent it, a
new mail buffer will be created; in this way, you can compose multiple
messages at once.  You can switch back to and complete an unsent
message by using the normal buffer selection mechanisms.

   `C-u C-x m' is another way to switch back to a message in progress:
it will search for an existing, unsent mail message buffer and select
it.

* Menu:

* Format: Mail Format.    Format of the mail being composed.
* Headers: Mail Headers.  Details of allowed mail header fields.
* Mode: Mail Mode.        Special commands for editing mail being composed.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Mail Format,  Next: Mail Headers,  Prev: Sending Mail,  Up: Sending Mail

The Format of the Mail Buffer
=============================

   In addition to the "text" or contents, a message has "header
fields", which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on.  Some
header fields, such as the date and sender, are created automatically
after the message is sent.  Others, such as the recipient names, must
be specified by you in order to send the message properly.

   Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header
fields, and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at
times.  You can insert or edit any header fields using ordinary editing
commands.

   The line in the buffer that says:

     --text follows this line--

is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified
from the text.  Whatever follows this line is the text of the message;
the headers precede it.  The delimiter line itself does not appear in
the message actually sent.  The text used for the delimiter line is
controlled by the variable `mail-header-separator'.

   Here is an example of what the headers and text in the `*mail*'
buffer might look like.

     To: rms@mc
     CC: mly@mc, rg@oz
     Subject: The XEmacs User's Manual
     --Text follows this line--
     Please ignore this message.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Mail Headers,  Next: Mail Mode,  Prev: Mail Format,  Up: Sending Mail

Mail Header Fields
==================

   There are several header fields you can use in the `*mail*' buffer.
Each header field starts with a field name at the beginning of a line,
terminated by a colon.  It does not matter whether you use upper or
lower case in the field name.  After the colon and optional whitespace
comes the contents of the field.

`To'
     This field contains the mailing addresses of the message.

`Subject'
     The contents of the `Subject' field should be a piece of text that
     says what the message is about.  Subject fields are useful because
     most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of messages,
     listing the subject of each message but not its text.

`CC'
     This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the
     message to, but whose readers should not regard the message as
     addressed to them.

`BCC'
     This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the
     message to, but which should not appear in the header of the
     message actually sent.

`FCC'
     This field contains the name of one file (in Unix mail file
     format) to which a copy of the message should be appended when the
     message is sent.

`From'
     Use the `From' field to say who you are, when the account you are
     using to send the mail is not your own.  The contents of the
     `From' field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will
     normally go there.

`Reply-To'
     Use the `Reply-To' field to direct replies to a different address,
     not your own. `From' and `Reply-To' have the same effect on where
     replies go, but they convey a different meaning to the person who
     reads the message.

`In-Reply-To'
     This field contains a piece of text describing a message you are
     replying to.  Some mail systems can use the information to
     correlate related pieces of mail.  This field is normally filled
     in by your mail handling package when you are replying to a
     message and you never need to think about it.

The `To', `CC', `BCC' and `FCC' fields can appear any number of times,
to specify many places to send the message.

The `To', `CC', and `BCC', fields can have continuation lines.  All the
lines starting with whitespace, following the line on which the field
starts, are considered part of the field.  For example,

     To: foo@here, this@there,
       me@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281

If you have a `~/.mailrc' file, Emacs scans it for mail aliases the
first time you try to send mail in an Emacs session.  Emacs expands
aliases found in the `To', `CC', and `BCC' fields where appropriate.
You can set the variable `mail-abbrev-mailrc-file' to the name of the
file with mail aliases.  If `nil', `~/.mailrc' is used.

   Your `.mailrc' file ensures that word-abbrevs are defined for each
of your mail aliases when point is in a `To', `CC', `BCC', or `From'
field.  The aliases are defined in your `.mailrc' file or in a file
specified by the MAILRC environment variable if it exists.  Your mail
aliases expand any time you type a word-delimiter at the end of an
abbreviation.

   In this version of Emacs, what you see is what you get: in contrast
to some other versions, no abbreviations are expanded after you have
sent the mail.  This means you don't suffer the annoyance of having the
system do things behind your back--if the system rewrites an address
you typed, you know it immediately, instead of after the mail has been
sent and it's too late to do anything about it.  For example, you will
never again be in trouble because you forgot to delete an old alias
from your `.mailrc' and a new local user is given a userid which
conflicts with one of your aliases.

   Your mail alias abbrevs are in effect only when point is in an
appropriate header field. The mail aliases will not expand in the body
of the message, or in other header fields.  The default mode-specific
abbrev table `mail-mode-abbrev-table' is used instead if defined.  That
means if you have been using mail-mode specific abbrevs, this code will
not adversely affect you.  You can control which header fields the
abbrevs are used in by changing the variable `mail-abbrev-mode-regexp'.

   If auto-fill mode is on, abbrevs wrap at commas instead of at word
boundaries, and header continuation lines will be properly indented.

   You can also insert a mail alias with
`mail-interactive-insert-alias'.  This function, which is bound to `C-c
C-a', prompts you for an alias (with completion) and inserts its
expansion at point.

   In this version of Emacs, it is possible to have lines like the
following in your `.mailrc' file:

          alias someone "John Doe <doe@quux.com>"

   That is, if you want an address to have embedded spaces, simply
surround it with double-quotes.  The quotes are necessary because the
format of the `.mailrc' file uses spaces as address delimiters.

   Aliases in the `.mailrc' file may be nested. For example, assume you
define aliases like:
          alias group1 fred ethel
          alias group2 larry curly moe
          alias everybody group1 group2

   When you now type `everybody' on the `To' line, it will expand to:
          fred, ethyl, larry, curly, moe

   Aliases may contain forward references; the alias of `everybody' in
the example above can precede the aliases of `group1' and `group2'.

   In this version of Emacs, you can use the `source' `.mailrc' command
for reading aliases from some other file as well.

   Aliases may contain hyphens, as in `"alias foo-bar foo@bar"', even
though word-abbrevs normally cannot contain hyphens.

   To read in the contents of another `.mailrc'-type file from Emacs,
use the command `M-x merge-mail-aliases'.  The `rebuild-mail-aliases'
command is similar, but deletes existing aliases first.

   If you want multiple addresses separated by a string other than `,'
(a comma), then set the variable `mail-alias-seperator-string' to it.
This has to be a comma bracketed by whitespace if you want any kind  of
reasonable behavior.

   If the variable `mail-archive-file-name' is non-`nil', it should be
a string naming a file.  Each time you start to edit a message to send,
an `FCC' field is entered for that file.  Unless you remove the `FCC'
field, every message is written into that file when it is sent.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Mail Mode,  Prev: Mail Headers,  Up: Sending Mail

Mail Mode
=========

   The major mode used in the `*mail*' buffer is Mail mode.  Mail mode
is similar to Text mode, but several commands are provided on the `C-c'
prefix.  These commands all deal specifically with editing or sending
the message.

`C-c C-s'
     Send the message, and leave the `*mail*' buffer selected
     (`mail-send').

`C-c C-c'
     Send the message, and select some other buffer
     (`mail-send-and-exit').

`C-c C-f C-t'
     Move to the `To' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-to').

`C-c C-f C-s'
     Move to the `Subject' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-subject').

`C-c C-f C-c'
     Move to the `CC' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-cc').

`C-c C-w'
     Insert the file `~/.signature' at the end of the message text
     (`mail-signature').

`C-c C-y'
     Yank the selected message (`mail-yank-original').

`C-c C-q'
     Fill all paragraphs of yanked old messages, each individually
     (`mail-fill-yanked-message').

`<button3>'
     Pops up a menu of useful mail-mode commands.

   There are two ways to send a message.  `C-c C-c'
(`mail-send-and-exit') is the usual way to send the message.  It sends
the message and then deletes the window (if there is another window) or
switches to another buffer.  It puts the `*mail*' buffer at the lowest
priority for automatic reselection, since you are finished with using
it.  `C-c C-s' (`mail-send') sends the message and marks the `*mail*'
buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can
modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again.

   Mail mode provides some other special commands that are useful for
editing the headers and text of the message before you send it.  There
are three commands defined to move point to particular header fields,
all based on the prefix `C-c C-f' (`C-f' is for "field").  They are
`C-c C-f C-t' (`mail-to') to move to the `To' field, `C-c C-f C-s'
(`mail-subject') for the `Subject' field, and `C-c C-f C-c' (`mail-cc')
for the `CC' field.  These fields have special motion commands because
they are edited most frequently.

   `C-c C-w' (`mail-signature') adds a standard piece of text at the
end of the message to say more about who you are.  The text comes from
the file `.signature' in your home directory.

   When you use an Rmail command to send mail from the Rmail mail
reader, you can use `C-c C-y' `mail-yank-original' inside the `*mail*'
buffer to insert the text of the message you are replying to.  Normally
Rmail indents each line of that message four spaces and eliminates most
header fields.  A numeric argument specifies the number of spaces to
indent.  An argument of just `C-u' says not to indent at all and not to
eliminate anything.  `C-c C-y' always uses the current message from the
`RMAIL' buffer, so you can insert several old messages by selecting one
in `RMAIL', switching to `*mail*' and yanking it, then switching back
to `RMAIL' to select another.

   After using `C-c C-y', you can use the command `C-c C-q'
(`mail-fill-yanked-message') to fill the paragraphs of the yanked old
message or messages.  One use of `C-c C-q' fills all such paragraphs,
each one separately.

   Clicking the right mouse button in a mail buffer pops up a menu of
the above commands, for easy access.

   Turning on Mail mode (which `C-x m' does automatically) calls the
value of `text-mode-hook', if it is not void or `nil', and then calls
the value of `mail-mode-hook' if that is not void or `nil'.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Reading Mail,  Next: Calendar/Diary,  Prev: Sending Mail,  Up: Top

Reading Mail
************

   XEmacs provides three separate mail-reading packages.  Each one
comes with its own manual, which is included standard with the XEmacs
distribution.

   The recommended mail-reading package for new users is VM.  VM works
with standard Unix-mail-format folders and was designed as a replacement
for the older Rmail.

   XEmacs also provides a sophisticated and comfortable front-end to the
MH mail-processing system, called `mh-e'.  Unlike in other mail
programs, folders in MH are stored as file-system directories, with
each message occupying one (numbered) file.  This facilitates working
with mail using shell commands, and many other features of MH are also
designed to integrate well with the shell and with shell scripts.  Keep
in mind, however, that in order to use mh-e you must have the MH
mail-processing system installed on your computer.

   Finally, XEmacs provides the Rmail package.  Rmail is (currently) the
only mail reading package distributed with FSF GNU Emacs, and is
powerful in its own right.  However, it stores mail folders in a special
format called `Babyl', that is incompatible with all other
frequently-used mail programs.  A utility program is provided for
converting Babyl folders to standard Unix-mail format; however, unless
you already have mail in Babyl-format folders, you should consider
using VM or mh-e instead. (If at times you have to use FSF Emacs, it is
not hard to obtain and install VM for that editor.)

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Calendar/Diary,  Next: Sorting,  Prev: Reading Mail,  Up: Top

Calendar Mode and the Diary
===========================

   Emacs provides the functions of a desk calendar, with a diary of
planned or past events.  To enter the calendar, type `M-x calendar';
this displays a three-month calendar centered on the current month, with
point on the current date.  With a numeric argument, as in `C-u M-x
calendar', it prompts you for the month and year to be the center of the
three-month calendar.  The calendar uses its own buffer, whose major
mode is Calendar mode.

   `Button2' in the calendar brings up a menu of operations on a
particular date; `Buttons3' brings up a menu of commonly used calendar
features that are independent of any particular date.  To exit the
calendar, type `q'.  *Note Customizing the Calendar and Diary:
(elisp)Calendar, for customization information about the calendar and
diary.

* Menu:

* Calendar Motion::        Moving through the calendar; selecting a date.
* Scroll Calendar::        Bringing earlier or later months onto the screen.
* Mark and Region::        Remembering dates, the mark ring.
* General Calendar::       Exiting or recomputing the calendar.
* LaTeX Calendar::         Print a calendar using LaTeX.
* Holidays::               Displaying dates of holidays.
* Sunrise/Sunset::         Displaying local times of sunrise and sunset.
* Lunar Phases::           Displaying phases of the moon.
* Other Calendars::        Converting dates to other calendar systems.
* Diary::                  Displaying events from your diary.
* Calendar Customization:: Altering the behavior of the features above.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Calendar Motion,  Next: Scroll Calendar,  Prev: Calendar/Diary,  Up: Calendar/Diary

Movement in the Calendar
------------------------

   Calendar mode lets you move through the calendar in logical units of
time such as days, weeks, months, and years.  If you move outside the
three months originally displayed, the calendar display "scrolls"
automatically through time to make the selected date visible.  Moving to
a date lets you view its holidays or diary entries, or convert it to
other calendars; moving longer time periods is also useful simply to
scroll the calendar.

* Menu:

* Calendar Unit Motion::       Moving by days, weeks, months, and years.
* Move to Beginning or End::   Moving to start/end of weeks, months, and years.
* Specified Dates::            Moving to the current date or another
                               specific date.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Calendar Unit Motion,  Next: Move to Beginning or End,  Prev: Calendar Motion,  Up: Calendar Motion

Motion by Integral Days, Weeks, Months, Years
.............................................

   The commands for movement in the calendar buffer parallel the
commands for movement in text.  You can move forward and backward by
days, weeks, months, and years.

`C-f'
     Move point one day forward (`calendar-forward-day').

`C-b'
     Move point one day backward (`calendar-backward-day').

`C-n'
     Move point one week forward (`calendar-forward-week').

`C-p'
     Move point one week backward (`calendar-backward-week').

`M-}'
     Move point one month forward (`calendar-forward-month').

`M-{'
     Move point one month backward (`calendar-backward-month').

`C-x ]'
     Move point one year forward (`calendar-forward-year').

`C-x ['
     Move point one year backward (`calendar-backward-year').

   The day and week commands are natural analogues of the usual Emacs
commands for moving by characters and by lines.  Just as `C-n' usually
moves to the same column in the following line, in Calendar mode it
moves to the same day in the following week.  And `C-p' moves to the
same day in the previous week.

   The arrow keys are equivalent to `C-f', `C-b', `C-n' and `C-p', just
as they normally are in other modes.

   The commands for motion by months and years work like those for
weeks, but move a larger distance.  The month commands `M-}' and `M-{'
move forward or backward by an entire month's time.  The year commands
`C-x ]' and `C-x [' move forward or backward a whole year.

   The easiest way to remember these commands is to consider months and
years analogous to paragraphs and pages of text, respectively.  But the
commands themselves are not quite analogous.  The ordinary Emacs
paragraph commands move to the beginning or end of a paragraph, whereas
these month and year commands move by an entire month or an entire
year, which usually involves skipping across the end of a month or year.

   All these commands accept a numeric argument as a repeat count.  For
convenience, the digit keys and the minus sign specify numeric
arguments in Calendar mode even without the Meta modifier.  For example,
`100 C-f' moves point 100 days forward from its present location.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Move to Beginning or End,  Next: Specified Dates,  Prev: Calendar Unit Motion,  Up: Calendar Motion

Beginning or End of Week, Month or Year
.......................................

   A week (or month, or year) is not just a quantity of days; we think
of weeks (months, years) as starting on particular dates.  So Calendar
mode provides commands to move to the beginning or end of a week, month
or year:

`C-a'
     Move point to start of week (`calendar-beginning-of-week').

`C-e'
     Move point to end of week (`calendar-end-of-week').

`M-a'
     Move point to start of month (`calendar-beginning-of-month').

`M-e'
     Move point to end of month (`calendar-end-of-month').

`M-<'
     Move point to start of year (`calendar-beginning-of-year').

`M->'
     Move point to end of year (`calendar-end-of-year').

   These commands also take numeric arguments as repeat counts, with the
repeat count indicating how many weeks, months, or years to move
backward or forward.

   By default, weeks begin on Sunday.  To make them begin on Monday
instead, set the variable `calendar-week-start-day' to 1.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Specified Dates,  Prev: Move to Beginning or End,  Up: Calendar Motion

Particular Dates
................

   Calendar mode provides commands for moving to a particular date
specified in various ways.

`g d'
     Move point to specified date (`calendar-goto-date').

`o'
     Center calendar around specified month (`calendar-other-month').

`.'
     Move point to today's date (`calendar-goto-today').

   `g d' (`calendar-goto-date') prompts for a year, a month, and a day
of the month, and then moves to that date.  Because the calendar
includes all dates from the beginning of the current era, you must type
the year in its entirety; that is, type `1990', not `90'.

   `o' (`calendar-other-month') prompts for a month and year, then
centers the three-month calendar around that month.

   You can return to today's date with `.' (`calendar-goto-today').

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Scroll Calendar,  Next: Mark and Region,  Prev: Calendar Motion,  Up: Calendar/Diary

Scrolling the Calendar through Time
-----------------------------------

   The calendar display scrolls automatically through time when you
move out of the visible portion.  You can also scroll it manually.
Imagine that the calendar window contains a long strip of paper with
the months on it.  Scrolling it means moving the strip so that new
months become visible in the window.

`C-x <'
     Scroll calendar one month forward (`scroll-calendar-left').

`C-x >'
     Scroll calendar one month backward (`scroll-calendar-right').

`C-v'
`<NEXT>'
     Scroll calendar three months forward
     (`scroll-calendar-left-three-months').

`M-v'
`<PRIOR>'
     Scroll calendar three months backward
     (`scroll-calendar-right-three-months').

   The most basic calendar scroll commands scroll by one month at a
time.  This means that there are two months of overlap between the
display before the command and the display after.  `C-x <' scrolls the
calendar contents one month to the left; that is, it moves the display
forward in time.  `C-x >' scrolls the contents to the right, which
moves backwards in time.

   The commands `C-v' and `M-v' scroll the calendar by an entire
"screenful"--three months--in analogy with the usual meaning of these
commands.  `C-v' makes later dates visible and `M-v' makes earlier
dates visible.  These commands take a numeric argument as a repeat
count; in particular, since `C-u' multiplies the next command by four,
typing `C-u C-v' scrolls the calendar forward by a year and typing `C-u
M-v' scrolls the calendar backward by a year.

   The function keys <NEXT> and <PRIOR> are equivalent to `C-v' and
`M-v', just as they are in other modes.

\1f
File: xemacs.info,  Node: Mark and Region,  Next: General Calendar,  Prev: Scroll Calendar,  Up: Calendar/Diary

The Mark and the Region
-----------------------

   The concept of the mark applies to the calendar just as to any other
buffer, but it marks a _date_, not a _position_ in the buffer.  The
region consists of the days between the mark and point (including the
starting and stopping dates).

`C-SPC'
     Set the mark to today's date (`calendar-set-mark').

`C-@'
     The same.

`C-x C-x'
     Interchange mark and point (`calendar-exchange-point-and-mark').

`M-='
     Display the number of days in the current region
     (`calendar-count-days-region').

   You set the mark in the calendar, as in any other buffer, by using
`C-@' or `C-SPC' (`calendar-set-mark').  You return to the marked date
with the command `C-x C-x' (`calendar-exchange-point-and-mark') which
puts the mark where point was and point where mark was.  The calendar
is scrolled as necessary, if the marked date was not visible on the
screen.  This does not change the extent of the region.

   To determine the number of days in the region, type `M-='
(`calendar-count-days-region').  The numbers of days printed is
_inclusive_; that is, it includes the days specified by mark and point.

   The main use of the mark in the calendar is to remember dates that
you may want to go back to.  To make this feature more useful, the mark
ring (*note Mark Ring::) operates exactly as in other buffers:  Emacs
remembers 16 previous locations of the mark.  To return to a marked
date, type `C-u C-SPC' (or `C-u C-@'); this is the command
`calendar-set-mark' given a numeric argument.  It moves point to where
the mark was, restores the mark from the ring of former marks, and
stores the previous point at the end of the mark ring.  So, repeated
use of this command moves point through all the old marks on the ring,
one by one.