jlgerber / emacs_configs

emacs configuration files

Readme

Run emacs in Terminal Mode

emacs -nw

File Tree

You can add a file tree to the left hand side using a community package. However there are better ways of dealing with this

Buffer

• an object in emacs that holds text and information
• it may or may not be displayed in a window
• There are a number of special buffers
  • scratch - like a blank sheet of paper
  • Messages
  • Warnings

You can have a tab per buffer

global-tab-line-mode

Buffers

Switching Buffers

You can switch between buffers

C-x b

Killing buffers

C-x k

You can kill multiples with

M-x kill-some-buffers

Window and Frames

Window

• A window is like a "pane". It always displays a buffer. It may be split.
• A window displays a buffer

Creating Multiple windows

• To split vertically

C-x 2

Moving between windows

• move to the "other" window

C-x o

• to find a file in another window

C-x 4 f

Deleting Windows

• to delete the window that you are in

C-x 0

• to delete all other windows

C-x 1

Frame

Frames each have their own toolbars and menus. Most folks dont use multiple frames. You will probably used multiple window

Key Bindings

You will of ten see people write out keybindings in a very specific format. You have some sort of special key followed by a dash followed by a character. Eg C-s or M-x

Special Characters

• C - Ctrl
• M - Alt (meta in emacs lingo)
• S - Shift
• s - Super (windows key)

Main key prefixes

• C-x - This is a prefix for of Emacs' primary key bindings
• C-c - this is considered to be a combination of bindings created by active major and minor modes or by the user

Open and Save

• C-x C-f - find file command
• C-x C-s - save the current buffer
• C-x C-w - save buffer to a different file (save as)

Switching Buffers

• C-x b - switch buffer
• C-x C-b - open a buffer list in its own window
• C-x <- - cycle previous buffer
• C-x -> - cycle to next buffer

Cutting and Copying Text

In emacs to "kill" text means to "cut" it.

• C-w - copy selection to kill ring and delete text
• C-y - yank (paste) the most recent item in the kill ring

CUA Mode

if you must have the old C-c, C-x C-v copy cut paste behavior, you can turn it on . If you go to the options menu in emacs, you can click the use CUA keys. Or you can use M-x cua-mode

$ Undo and Redo

• C-_ or C-/
• in evil mode redo is C-M-_ (C-M-S--) ie control alt shift dash

Cancel an operation

• C-g quits (esc the way I have evil mode set up)

Learning more Key Bindings

• RUn commmand describe-bindings
• Run the command describe-key (C-h k)

The Help System

• The whole emacs manual is built in to emacs and you can find help on anything.
• If you go to the help menu, you have access to everything

Configuring Emacs

• Customization UI
  • shows you options for emacs plus any installed packages M-x customize