above: Emacs in Mac OS showing the use of menu. Remember, real programers don't fear the mouse. Note that all keyboard shortcuts are shown beside the menu too.
Xah Lee, 2005
If you are a programer, knowing emacs benefits you for life.
If you are running emacs in Microsoft Windows, just use your mouse and pull menus. The basics should be obvious, just like Microsoft's Notepad.
above: Emacs in Mac OS showing the use of menu. Remember, real programers don't fear the mouse. Note that all keyboard shortcuts are shown beside the menu too.
above: Emacs in a Text Terminal. In a text terminal, you can invoke the textual menu by pressing “Alt+`”. (or, pressing the Esc key followed by the backtick ` key.)
The following are some emacs basics for operating emacs without the mouse. They are useful when you work in a text terminal and graphical menu is not available.
Type: “emacs filename”, in your terminal.
Type: “Ctrl+x” then “Ctrl+c”. This means: holding down Contol key, press x, then holding down control key, press c.
To save file, press “Ctrl+x” then “Ctrl+s”.
To quit without saving, just do quit and emacs will ask if you want to save.
Whenever confused in emacs where keystrokes doesn't seems to work, hold down Control then press g, which will cancel the sequence of keys you may have pressed by mistake.
Congratulations! You have obtained the Mastery of Emacs Basics!
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Page created: 2005-10. © 2005 by Xah Lee.
