1998-03-23 05:41:58 +01:00
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\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
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@comment %**start of header
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@setfilename info-stnd.info
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@settitle GNU Info
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@set InfoProgVer 2.11
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@paragraphindent none
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@footnotestyle end
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@synindex vr cp
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@synindex fn cp
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@synindex ky cp
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@comment %**end of header
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1998-03-24 19:08:49 +01:00
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@comment $Id: info-stnd.texi,v 1.2 1998/03/24 18:05:36 law Exp $
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1998-03-23 05:41:58 +01:00
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@dircategory Texinfo documentation system
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@direntry
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* info program: (info-stnd). Standalone Info-reading program.
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@end direntry
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@ifinfo
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This file documents GNU Info, a program for viewing the on-line formatted
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versions of Texinfo files. This documentation is different from the
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documentation for the Info reader that is part of GNU Emacs. If you do
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not know how to use Info, but have a working Info reader, you should
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read that documentation first.
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Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 93, 96, 97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
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manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
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preserved on all copies.
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@ignore
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Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
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results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
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notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
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(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
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@end ignore
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
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sections entitled ``Copying'' and ``GNU General Public License'' are
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included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire
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resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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notice identical to this one.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation
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approved by the Free Software Foundation.
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@end ifinfo
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@titlepage
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@title GNU Info User's Guide
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@subtitle For GNU Info version @value{InfoProgVer}
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@author Brian J. Fox (bfox@@ai.mit.edu)
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@page
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@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1997 Free Software Foundation
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Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
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manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
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preserved on all copies.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
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sections entitled ``Copying'' and ``GNU General Public License'' are
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included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire
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resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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notice identical to this one.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation
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approved by the Free Software Foundation.
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@end titlepage
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@ifinfo
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@node Top, What is Info, , (dir)
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@top The GNU Info Program
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This file documents GNU Info, a program for viewing the on-line
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formatted versions of Texinfo files, version @value{InfoProgVer}. This
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documentation is different from the documentation for the Info reader
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that is part of GNU Emacs.
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@end ifinfo
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@menu
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* What is Info::
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* Options:: Options you can pass on the command line.
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* Cursor Commands:: Commands which move the cursor within a node.
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* Scrolling Commands:: Commands for moving the node around
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in a window.
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* Node Commands:: Commands for selecting a new node.
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* Searching Commands:: Commands for searching an Info file.
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* Xref Commands:: Commands for selecting cross references.
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* Window Commands:: Commands which manipulate multiple windows.
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* Printing Nodes:: How to print out the contents of a node.
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* Miscellaneous Commands:: A few commands that defy categories.
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* Variables:: How to change the default behavior of Info.
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* GNU Info Global Index:: Global index containing keystrokes,
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command names, variable names,
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and general concepts.
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@end menu
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@node What is Info, Options, Top, Top
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@chapter What is Info?
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@iftex
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This file documents GNU Info, a program for viewing the on-line formatted
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versions of Texinfo files, version @value{InfoProgVer}.
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@end iftex
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@dfn{Info} is a program which is used to view Info files on an ASCII
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terminal. @dfn{Info files} are the result of processing Texinfo files
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with the program @code{makeinfo} or with one of the Emacs commands, such
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as @code{M-x texinfo-format-buffer}. Texinfo itself is a documentation
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system that uses a single source file to produce both on-line
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information and printed output. You can typeset and print the
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files that you read in Info.@refill
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@node Options, Cursor Commands, What is Info, Top
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@chapter Command Line Options
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@cindex command line options
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@cindex arguments, command line
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GNU Info accepts several options to control the initial node being
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viewed, and to specify which directories to search for Info files. Here
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is a template showing an invocation of GNU Info from the shell:
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@example
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info [--@var{option-name} @var{option-value}] @var{menu-item}@dots{}
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@end example
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The following @var{option-names} are available when invoking Info from
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the shell:
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@table @code
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@cindex directory path
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@item --directory @var{directory-path}
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@itemx -d @var{directory-path}
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Add @var{directory-path} to the list of directory paths searched when
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Info needs to find a file. You may issue @code{--directory} multiple
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times; once for each directory which contains Info files.
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Alternatively, you may specify a value for the environment variable
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@code{INFOPATH}; if @code{--directory} is not given, the value of
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@code{INFOPATH} is used. The value of @code{INFOPATH} is a colon
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separated list of directory names. If you do not supply @code{INFOPATH}
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or @code{--directory-path}, Info uses a default path.
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@item --file @var{filename}
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@itemx -f @var{filename}
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@cindex Info file, selecting
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Specify a particular Info file to visit. By default, Info visits
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the file @code{dir}; if you use this option, Info will start with
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@code{(@var{filename})Top} as the first file and node.
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@item --index-search @var{string}
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@cindex index search, selecting
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@cindex online help, using Info as
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Go to the index entry @var{string} in the Info file specified with
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@samp{--file}. If no such entry, print @samp{no entries found} and exit
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with nonzero status. This can used from another program as a way to
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provide online help.
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@item --node @var{nodename}
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@itemx -n @var{nodename}
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@cindex node, selecting
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Specify a particular node to visit in the initial file that Info
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loads. This is especially useful in conjunction with
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@code{--file}@footnote{Of course, you can specify both the file and node
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in a @code{--node} command; but don't forget to escape the open and
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close parentheses from the shell as in: @code{info --node
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"(emacs)Buffers"}}. You may specify @code{--node} multiple times; for
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an interactive Info, each @var{nodename} is visited in its own window,
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for a non-interactive Info (such as when @code{--output} is given) each
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@var{nodename} is processed sequentially.
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@item --output @var{filename}
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@itemx -o @var{filename}
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@cindex file, outputting to
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@cindex outputting to a file
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Specify @var{filename} as the name of a file to which to direct output.
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Each node that Info visits will be output to @var{filename} instead of
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interactively viewed. A value of @code{-} for @var{filename} specifies
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the standard output.
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@item --subnodes
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@cindex @code{--subnodes}, command line option
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This option only has meaning when given in conjunction with
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@code{--output}. It means to recursively output the nodes appearing in
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the menus of each node being output. Menu items which resolve to
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external Info files are not output, and neither are menu items which are
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members of an index. Each node is only output once.
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@item --help
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@itemx -h
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Produces a relatively brief description of the available Info options.
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@item --version
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@cindex version information
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Prints the version information of Info and exits.
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@item @var{menu-item}
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@cindex menu, following
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Info treats its remaining arguments as the names of menu items. The
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first argument is a menu item in the initial node visited, while
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the second argument is a menu item in the first argument's node.
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You can easily move to the node of your choice by specifying the menu
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names which describe the path to that node. For example,
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@example
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info emacs buffers
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@end example
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@noindent
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first selects the menu item @samp{Emacs} in the node @samp{(dir)Top},
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and then selects the menu item @samp{Buffers} in the node
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@samp{(emacs)Top}.
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@end table
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@node Cursor Commands, Scrolling Commands, Options, Top
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@chapter Moving the Cursor
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@cindex cursor, moving
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Many people find that reading screens of text page by page is made
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easier when one is able to indicate particular pieces of text with some
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kind of pointing device. Since this is the case, GNU Info (both the
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Emacs and standalone versions) have several commands which allow you to
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move the cursor about the screen. The notation used in this manual to
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describe keystrokes is identical to the notation used within the Emacs
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manual, and the GNU Readline manual. @xref{Characters, , Character
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Conventions, emacs, the GNU Emacs Manual}, if you are unfamiliar with the
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notation.
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The following table lists the basic cursor movement commands in Info.
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Each entry consists of the key sequence you should type to execute the
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cursor movement, the @code{M-x}@footnote{@code{M-x} is also a command; it
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invokes @code{execute-extended-command}. @xref{M-x, , Executing an
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extended command, emacs, the GNU Emacs Manual}, for more detailed
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information.} command name (displayed in parentheses), and a short
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description of what the command does. All of the cursor motion commands
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can take an @dfn{numeric} argument (@pxref{Miscellaneous Commands,
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@code{universal-argument}}), to find out how to supply them. With a
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numeric argument, the motion commands are simply executed that
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many times; for example, a numeric argument of 4 given to
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@code{next-line} causes the cursor to move down 4 lines. With a
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negative numeric argument, the motion is reversed; an argument of -4
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given to the @code{next-line} command would cause the cursor to move
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@emph{up} 4 lines.
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@table @asis
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@item @code{C-n} (@code{next-line})
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@kindex C-n
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@findex next-line
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Move the cursor down to the next line.
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@item @code{C-p} (@code{prev-line})
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@kindex C-p
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@findex prev-line
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Move the cursor up to the previous line.
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@item @code{C-a} (@code{beginning-of-line})
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@kindex C-a, in Info windows
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@findex beginning-of-line
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Move the cursor to the start of the current line.
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@item @code{C-e} (@code{end-of-line})
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@kindex C-e, in Info windows
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@findex end-of-line
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Move the cursor to the end of the current line.
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@item @code{C-f} (@code{forward-char})
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@kindex C-f, in Info windows
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@findex forward-char
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Move the cursor forward a character.
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@item @code{C-b} (@code{backward-char})
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@kindex C-b, in Info windows
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@findex backward-char
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Move the cursor backward a character.
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@item @code{M-f} (@code{forward-word})
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@kindex M-f, in Info windows
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@findex forward-word
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Move the cursor forward a word.
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@item @code{M-b} (@code{backward-word})
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@kindex M-b, in Info windows
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@findex backward-word
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Move the cursor backward a word.
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@item @code{M-<} (@code{beginning-of-node})
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@itemx @code{b}
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@kindex b, in Info windows
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@kindex M-<
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@findex beginning-of-node
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Move the cursor to the start of the current node.
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@item @code{M->} (@code{end-of-node})
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@kindex M->
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@findex end-of-node
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Move the cursor to the end of the current node.
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@item @code{M-r} (@code{move-to-window-line})
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@kindex M-r
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@findex move-to-window-line
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Move the cursor to a specific line of the window. Without a numeric
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argument, @code{M-r} moves the cursor to the start of the line in the
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center of the window. With a numeric argument of @var{n}, @code{M-r}
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moves the cursor to the start of the @var{n}th line in the window.
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@end table
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@node Scrolling Commands, Node Commands, Cursor Commands, Top
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@chapter Moving Text Within a Window
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@cindex scrolling
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Sometimes you are looking at a screenful of text, and only part of the
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current paragraph you are reading is visible on the screen. The
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commands detailed in this section are used to shift which part of the
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current node is visible on the screen.
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@table @asis
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@item @code{SPC} (@code{scroll-forward})
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@itemx @code{C-v}
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@kindex SPC, in Info windows
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@kindex C-v
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@findex scroll-forward
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Shift the text in this window up. That is, show more of the node which
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is currently below the bottom of the window. With a numeric argument,
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show that many more lines at the bottom of the window; a numeric
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argument of 4 would shift all of the text in the window up 4 lines
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(discarding the top 4 lines), and show you four new lines at the bottom
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of the window. Without a numeric argument, @key{SPC} takes the bottom
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two lines of the window and places them at the top of the window,
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redisplaying almost a completely new screenful of lines.
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@item @code{DEL} (@code{scroll-backward})
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@itemx @code{M-v}
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@kindex DEL, in Info windows
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@kindex M-v
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@findex scroll-backward
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Shift the text in this window down. The inverse of
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@code{scroll-forward}.
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@end table
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@cindex scrolling through node structure
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The @code{scroll-forward} and @code{scroll-backward} commands can also
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move forward and backward through the node structure of the file. If
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you press @key{SPC} while viewing the end of a node, or @key{DEL} while
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viewing the beginning of a node, what happens is controlled by the
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|
|
variable @code{scroll-behavior}. @xref{Variables,
|
|
|
|
@code{scroll-behavior}}, for more information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-l} (@code{redraw-display})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-l
|
|
|
|
@findex redraw-display
|
|
|
|
Redraw the display from scratch, or shift the line containing the cursor
|
|
|
|
to a specified location. With no numeric argument, @samp{C-l} clears
|
|
|
|
the screen, and then redraws its entire contents. Given a numeric
|
|
|
|
argument of @var{n}, the line containing the cursor is shifted so that
|
|
|
|
it is on the @var{n}th line of the window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x w} (@code{toggle-wrap})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-w
|
|
|
|
@findex toggle-wrap
|
|
|
|
Toggles the state of line wrapping in the current window. Normally,
|
|
|
|
lines which are longer than the screen width @dfn{wrap}, i.e., they are
|
|
|
|
continued on the next line. Lines which wrap have a @samp{\} appearing
|
|
|
|
in the rightmost column of the screen. You can cause such lines to be
|
|
|
|
terminated at the rightmost column by changing the state of line
|
|
|
|
wrapping in the window with @code{C-x w}. When a line which needs more
|
|
|
|
space than one screen width to display is displayed, a @samp{$} appears
|
|
|
|
in the rightmost column of the screen, and the remainder of the line is
|
|
|
|
invisible.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Node Commands, Searching Commands, Scrolling Commands, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Selecting a New Node
|
|
|
|
@cindex nodes, selection of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This section details the numerous Info commands which select a new node
|
|
|
|
to view in the current window.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The most basic node commands are @samp{n}, @samp{p}, @samp{u}, and
|
|
|
|
@samp{l}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you are viewing a node, the top line of the node contains some Info
|
|
|
|
@dfn{pointers} which describe where the next, previous, and up nodes
|
|
|
|
are. Info uses this line to move about the node structure of the file
|
|
|
|
when you use the following commands:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{n} (@code{next-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex n
|
|
|
|
@findex next-node
|
|
|
|
Select the `Next' node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{p} (@code{prev-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex p
|
|
|
|
@findex prev-node
|
|
|
|
Select the `Prev' node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{u} (@code{up-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex u
|
|
|
|
@findex up-node
|
|
|
|
Select the `Up' node.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can easily select a node that you have already viewed in this window
|
|
|
|
by using the @samp{l} command -- this name stands for "last", and
|
|
|
|
actually moves through the list of already visited nodes for this
|
|
|
|
window. @samp{l} with a negative numeric argument moves forward through
|
|
|
|
the history of nodes for this window, so you can quickly step between
|
|
|
|
two adjacent (in viewing history) nodes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{l} (@code{history-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex l
|
|
|
|
@findex history-node
|
|
|
|
Select the most recently selected node in this window.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Two additional commands make it easy to select the most commonly
|
|
|
|
selected nodes; they are @samp{t} and @samp{d}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{t} (@code{top-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex t
|
|
|
|
@findex top-node
|
|
|
|
Select the node @samp{Top} in the current Info file.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{d} (@code{dir-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex d
|
|
|
|
@findex dir-node
|
|
|
|
Select the directory node (i.e., the node @samp{(dir)}).
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here are some other commands which immediately result in the selection
|
|
|
|
of a different node in the current window:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{<} (@code{first-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex <
|
|
|
|
@findex first-node
|
|
|
|
Selects the first node which appears in this file. This node is most
|
|
|
|
often @samp{Top}, but it does not have to be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{>} (@code{last-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex >
|
|
|
|
@findex last-node
|
|
|
|
Select the last node which appears in this file.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{]} (@code{global-next-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ]
|
|
|
|
@findex global-next-node
|
|
|
|
Move forward or down through node structure. If the node that you are
|
|
|
|
currently viewing has a @samp{Next} pointer, that node is selected.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise, if this node has a menu, the first menu item is selected. If
|
|
|
|
there is no @samp{Next} and no menu, the same process is tried with the
|
|
|
|
@samp{Up} node of this node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{[} (@code{global-prev-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex [
|
|
|
|
@findex global-prev-node
|
|
|
|
Move backward or up through node structure. If the node that you are
|
|
|
|
currently viewing has a @samp{Prev} pointer, that node is selected.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise, if the node has an @samp{Up} pointer, that node is selected,
|
|
|
|
and if it has a menu, the last item in the menu is selected.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can get the same behavior as @code{global-next-node} and
|
|
|
|
@code{global-prev-node} while simply scrolling through the file with
|
|
|
|
@key{SPC} and @key{DEL}; @xref{Variables, @code{scroll-behavior}}, for
|
|
|
|
more information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{g} (@code{goto-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex g
|
|
|
|
@findex goto-node
|
|
|
|
Read the name of a node and select it. No completion is done while
|
|
|
|
reading the node name, since the desired node may reside in a separate
|
|
|
|
file. The node must be typed exactly as it appears in the Info file. A
|
|
|
|
file name may be included as with any node specification, for example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@code{g(emacs)Buffers}
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
finds the node @samp{Buffers} in the Info file @file{emacs}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x k} (@code{kill-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x k
|
|
|
|
@findex kill-node
|
|
|
|
Kill a node. The node name is prompted for in the echo area, with a
|
|
|
|
default of the current node. @dfn{Killing} a node means that Info tries
|
|
|
|
hard to forget about it, removing it from the list of history nodes kept
|
|
|
|
for the window where that node is found. Another node is selected in
|
|
|
|
the window which contained the killed node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x C-f} (@code{view-file})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x C-f
|
|
|
|
@findex view-file
|
|
|
|
Read the name of a file and selects the entire file. The command
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@code{C-x C-f @var{filename}}
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
is equivalent to typing
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@code{g(@var{filename})*}
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x C-b} (@code{list-visited-nodes})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x C-b
|
|
|
|
@findex list-visited-nodes
|
|
|
|
Make a window containing a menu of all of the currently visited nodes.
|
|
|
|
This window becomes the selected window, and you may use the standard
|
|
|
|
Info commands within it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x b} (@code{select-visited-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x b
|
|
|
|
@findex select-visited-node
|
|
|
|
Select a node which has been previously visited in a visible window.
|
|
|
|
This is similar to @samp{C-x C-b} followed by @samp{m}, but no window is
|
|
|
|
created.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Searching Commands, Xref Commands, Node Commands, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Searching an Info File
|
|
|
|
@cindex searching
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GNU Info allows you to search for a sequence of characters throughout an
|
|
|
|
entire Info file, search through the indices of an Info file, or find
|
|
|
|
areas within an Info file which discuss a particular topic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{s} (@code{search})
|
|
|
|
@kindex s
|
|
|
|
@findex search
|
|
|
|
Read a string in the echo area and search for it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-s} (@code{isearch-forward})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-s
|
|
|
|
@findex isearch-forward
|
|
|
|
Interactively search forward through the Info file for a string as you
|
|
|
|
type it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-r} (@code{isearch-backward})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-r
|
|
|
|
@findex isearch-backward
|
|
|
|
Interactively search backward through the Info file for a string as
|
|
|
|
you type it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{i} (@code{index-search})
|
|
|
|
@kindex i
|
|
|
|
@findex index-search
|
|
|
|
Look up a string in the indices for this Info file, and select a node
|
|
|
|
where the found index entry points to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{,} (@code{next-index-match})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ,
|
|
|
|
@findex next-index-match
|
|
|
|
Move to the node containing the next matching index item from the last
|
|
|
|
@samp{i} command.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The most basic searching command is @samp{s} (@code{search}). The
|
|
|
|
@samp{s} command prompts you for a string in the echo area, and then
|
|
|
|
searches the remainder of the Info file for an occurrence of that string.
|
|
|
|
If the string is found, the node containing it is selected, and the
|
|
|
|
cursor is left positioned at the start of the found string. Subsequent
|
|
|
|
@samp{s} commands show you the default search string within @samp{[} and
|
|
|
|
@samp{]}; pressing @key{RET} instead of typing a new string will use the
|
|
|
|
default search string.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@dfn{Incremental searching} is similar to basic searching, but the
|
|
|
|
string is looked up while you are typing it, instead of waiting until
|
|
|
|
the entire search string has been specified.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Xref Commands, Window Commands, Searching Commands, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Selecting Cross References
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have already discussed the @samp{Next}, @samp{Prev}, and @samp{Up}
|
|
|
|
pointers which appear at the top of a node. In addition to these
|
|
|
|
pointers, a node may contain other pointers which refer you to a
|
|
|
|
different node, perhaps in another Info file. Such pointers are called
|
|
|
|
@dfn{cross references}, or @dfn{xrefs} for short.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
|
|
* Parts of an Xref:: What a cross reference is made of.
|
|
|
|
* Selecting Xrefs:: Commands for selecting menu or note items.
|
|
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Parts of an Xref, Selecting Xrefs, , Xref Commands
|
|
|
|
@section Parts of an Xref
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cross references have two major parts: the first part is called the
|
|
|
|
@dfn{label}; it is the name that you can use to refer to the cross
|
|
|
|
reference, and the second is the @dfn{target}; it is the full name of
|
|
|
|
the node that the cross reference points to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The target is separated from the label by a colon @samp{:}; first the
|
|
|
|
label appears, and then the target. For example, in the sample menu
|
|
|
|
cross reference below, the single colon separates the label from the
|
|
|
|
target.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
* Foo Label: Foo Target. More information about Foo.
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note the @samp{.} which ends the name of the target. The @samp{.} is
|
|
|
|
not part of the target; it serves only to let Info know where the target
|
|
|
|
name ends.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A shorthand way of specifying references allows two adjacent colons to
|
|
|
|
stand for a target name which is the same as the label name:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
* Foo Commands:: Commands pertaining to Foo.
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the above example, the name of the target is the same as the name of
|
|
|
|
the label, in this case @code{Foo Commands}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You will normally see two types of cross reference while viewing nodes:
|
|
|
|
@dfn{menu} references, and @dfn{note} references. Menu references
|
|
|
|
appear within a node's menu; they begin with a @samp{*} at the beginning
|
|
|
|
of a line, and continue with a label, a target, and a comment which
|
|
|
|
describes what the contents of the node pointed to contains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note references appear within the body of the node text; they begin with
|
|
|
|
@code{*Note}, and continue with a label and a target.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like @samp{Next}, @samp{Prev}, and @samp{Up} pointers, cross references
|
|
|
|
can point to any valid node. They are used to refer you to a place
|
|
|
|
where more detailed information can be found on a particular subject.
|
|
|
|
Here is a cross reference which points to a node within the Texinfo
|
|
|
|
documentation: @xref{xref, , Writing an Xref, texinfo, the Texinfo
|
|
|
|
Manual}, for more information on creating your own texinfo cross
|
|
|
|
references.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Selecting Xrefs, , Parts of an Xref, Xref Commands
|
|
|
|
@section Selecting Xrefs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following table lists the Info commands which operate on menu items.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{1} (@code{menu-digit})
|
|
|
|
@itemx @code{2} @dots{} @code{9}
|
|
|
|
@cindex 1 @dots{} 9, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@kindex 1 @dots{} 9, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex menu-digit
|
|
|
|
Within an Info window, pressing a single digit, (such as @samp{1}),
|
|
|
|
selects that menu item, and places its node in the current window.
|
|
|
|
For convenience, there is one exception; pressing @samp{0} selects the
|
|
|
|
@emph{last} item in the node's menu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{0} (@code{last-menu-item})
|
|
|
|
@kindex 0, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex last-menu-item
|
|
|
|
Select the last item in the current node's menu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{m} (@code{menu-item})
|
|
|
|
@kindex m
|
|
|
|
@findex menu-item
|
|
|
|
Reads the name of a menu item in the echo area and selects its node.
|
|
|
|
Completion is available while reading the menu label.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x find-menu}
|
|
|
|
@findex find-menu
|
|
|
|
Move the cursor to the start of this node's menu.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This table lists the Info commands which operate on note cross references.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{f} (@code{xref-item})
|
|
|
|
@itemx @code{r}
|
|
|
|
@kindex f
|
|
|
|
@kindex r
|
|
|
|
@findex xref-item
|
|
|
|
Reads the name of a note cross reference in the echo area and selects
|
|
|
|
its node. Completion is available while reading the cross reference
|
|
|
|
label.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally, the next few commands operate on menu or note references alike:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{TAB} (@code{move-to-next-xref})
|
|
|
|
@kindex TAB, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex move-to-next-xref
|
|
|
|
Move the cursor to the start of the next nearest menu item or note
|
|
|
|
reference in this node. You can then use @key{RET}
|
|
|
|
(@code{select-reference-this-line}) to select the menu or note reference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-TAB} (@code{move-to-prev-xref})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-TAB, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex move-to-prev-xref
|
|
|
|
Move the cursor the start of the nearest previous menu item or note
|
|
|
|
reference in this node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{RET} (@code{select-reference-this-line})
|
|
|
|
@kindex RET, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex select-reference-this-line
|
|
|
|
Select the menu item or note reference appearing on this line.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
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@node Window Commands, Printing Nodes, Xref Commands, Top
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@chapter Manipulating Multiple Windows
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|
@cindex windows, manipulating
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|
A @dfn{window} is a place to show the text of a node. Windows have a
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|
|
view area where the text of the node is displayed, and an associated
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|
|
@dfn{mode line}, which briefly describes the node being viewed.
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|
|
GNU Info supports multiple windows appearing in a single screen; each
|
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|
|
window is separated from the next by its modeline. At any time, there
|
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|
|
is only one @dfn{active} window, that is, the window in which the cursor
|
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|
|
appears. There are commands available for creating windows, changing
|
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|
|
the size of windows, selecting which window is active, and for deleting
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|
|
windows.
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|
@menu
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|
|
* The Mode Line:: What appears in the mode line?
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|
* Basic Windows:: Manipulating windows in Info.
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|
|
* The Echo Area:: Used for displaying errors and reading input.
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|
|
@end menu
|
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|
|
@node The Mode Line, Basic Windows, , Window Commands
|
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|
|
@section The Mode Line
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|
|
A @dfn{mode line} is a line of inverse video which appears at the bottom
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|
|
of an Info window. It describes the contents of the window just above
|
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|
|
it; this information includes the name of the file and node appearing in
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|
|
that window, the number of screen lines it takes to display the node,
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|
|
and the percentage of text that is above the top of the window. It can
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|
|
also tell you if the indirect tags table for this Info file needs to be
|
|
|
|
updated, and whether or not the Info file was compressed when stored on
|
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|
|
disk.
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|
|
Here is a sample mode line for a window containing an uncompressed file
|
|
|
|
named @file{dir}, showing the node @samp{Top}.
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|
@example
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|
|
@group
|
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|
|
-----Info: (dir)Top, 40 lines --Top---------------------------------------
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|
|
^^ ^ ^^^ ^^
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|
|
(file)Node #lines where
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|
|
@end group
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|
|
@end example
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|
When a node comes from a file which is compressed on disk, this is
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|
|
indicated in the mode line with two small @samp{z}'s. In addition, if
|
|
|
|
the Info file containing the node has been split into subfiles, the name
|
|
|
|
of the subfile containing the node appears in the modeline as well:
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|
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|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
--zz-Info: (emacs)Top, 291 lines --Top-- Subfile: emacs-1.Z---------------
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When Info makes a node internally, such that there is no corresponding
|
|
|
|
info file on disk, the name of the node is surrounded by asterisks
|
|
|
|
(@samp{*}). The name itself tells you what the contents of the window
|
|
|
|
are; the sample mode line below shows an internally constructed node
|
|
|
|
showing possible completions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
-----Info: *Completions*, 7 lines --All-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Basic Windows, The Echo Area, The Mode Line, Window Commands
|
|
|
|
@section Window Commands
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It can be convenient to view more than one node at a time. To allow
|
|
|
|
this, Info can display more than one @dfn{window}. Each window has its
|
|
|
|
own mode line (@pxref{The Mode Line}) and history of nodes viewed in that
|
|
|
|
window (@pxref{Node Commands, , @code{history-node}}).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x o} (@code{next-window})
|
|
|
|
@cindex windows, selecting
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x o
|
|
|
|
@findex next-window
|
|
|
|
Select the next window on the screen. Note that the echo area can only be
|
|
|
|
selected if it is already in use, and you have left it temporarily.
|
|
|
|
Normally, @samp{C-x o} simply moves the cursor into the next window on
|
|
|
|
the screen, or if you are already within the last window, into the first
|
|
|
|
window on the screen. Given a numeric argument, @samp{C-x o} moves over
|
|
|
|
that many windows. A negative argument causes @samp{C-x o} to select
|
|
|
|
the previous window on the screen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x prev-window}
|
|
|
|
@findex prev-window
|
|
|
|
Select the previous window on the screen. This is identical to
|
|
|
|
@samp{C-x o} with a negative argument.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x 2} (@code{split-window})
|
|
|
|
@cindex windows, creating
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x 2
|
|
|
|
@findex split-window
|
|
|
|
Split the current window into two windows, both showing the same node.
|
|
|
|
Each window is one half the size of the original window, and the cursor
|
|
|
|
remains in the original window. The variable @code{automatic-tiling}
|
|
|
|
can cause all of the windows on the screen to be resized for you
|
|
|
|
automatically, please @pxref{Variables, , automatic-tiling} for more
|
|
|
|
information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x 0} (@code{delete-window})
|
|
|
|
@cindex windows, deleting
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x 0
|
|
|
|
@findex delete-window
|
|
|
|
Delete the current window from the screen. If you have made too many
|
|
|
|
windows and your screen appears cluttered, this is the way to get rid of
|
|
|
|
some of them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x 1} (@code{keep-one-window})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x 1
|
|
|
|
@findex keep-one-window
|
|
|
|
Delete all of the windows excepting the current one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{ESC C-v} (@code{scroll-other-window})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ESC C-v, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex scroll-other-window
|
|
|
|
Scroll the other window, in the same fashion that @samp{C-v} might
|
|
|
|
scroll the current window. Given a negative argument, scroll the
|
|
|
|
"other" window backward.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x ^} (@code{grow-window})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x ^
|
|
|
|
@findex grow-window
|
|
|
|
Grow (or shrink) the current window. Given a numeric argument, grow
|
|
|
|
the current window that many lines; with a negative numeric argument,
|
|
|
|
shrink the window instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x t} (@code{tile-windows})
|
|
|
|
@cindex tiling
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x t
|
|
|
|
@findex tile-windows
|
|
|
|
Divide the available screen space among all of the visible windows.
|
|
|
|
Each window is given an equal portion of the screen in which to display
|
|
|
|
its contents. The variable @code{automatic-tiling} can cause
|
|
|
|
@code{tile-windows} to be called when a window is created or deleted.
|
|
|
|
@xref{Variables, , @code{automatic-tiling}}.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node The Echo Area, , Basic Windows, Window Commands
|
|
|
|
@section The Echo Area
|
|
|
|
@cindex echo area
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The @dfn{echo area} is a one line window which appears at the bottom of
|
|
|
|
the screen. It is used to display informative or error messages, and to
|
|
|
|
read lines of input from you when that is necessary. Almost all of the
|
|
|
|
commands available in the echo area are identical to their Emacs
|
|
|
|
counterparts, so please refer to that documentation for greater depth of
|
|
|
|
discussion on the concepts of editing a line of text. The following
|
|
|
|
table briefly lists the commands that are available while input is being
|
|
|
|
read in the echo area:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-f} (@code{echo-area-forward})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-f, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-forward
|
|
|
|
Move forward a character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-b} (@code{echo-area-backward})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-b, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-backward
|
|
|
|
Move backward a character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-a} (@code{echo-area-beg-of-line})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-a, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-beg-of-line
|
|
|
|
Move to the start of the input line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-e} (@code{echo-area-end-of-line})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-e, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-end-of-line
|
|
|
|
Move to the end of the input line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-f} (@code{echo-area-forward-word})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-f, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-forward-word
|
|
|
|
Move forward a word.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-b} (@code{echo-area-backward-word})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-b, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-backward-word
|
|
|
|
Move backward a word.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-d} (@code{echo-area-delete})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-d, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-delete
|
|
|
|
Delete the character under the cursor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{DEL} (@code{echo-area-rubout})
|
|
|
|
@kindex DEL, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-rubout
|
|
|
|
Delete the character behind the cursor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-g} (@code{echo-area-abort})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-g, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-abort
|
|
|
|
Cancel or quit the current operation. If completion is being read,
|
|
|
|
@samp{C-g} discards the text of the input line which does not match any
|
|
|
|
completion. If the input line is empty, @samp{C-g} aborts the calling
|
|
|
|
function.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{RET} (@code{echo-area-newline})
|
|
|
|
@kindex RET, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-newline
|
|
|
|
Accept (or forces completion of) the current input line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-q} (@code{echo-area-quoted-insert})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-q, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-quoted-insert
|
|
|
|
Insert the next character verbatim. This is how you can insert control
|
|
|
|
characters into a search string, for example.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @var{printing character} (@code{echo-area-insert})
|
|
|
|
@kindex printing characters, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-insert
|
|
|
|
Insert the character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-TAB} (@code{echo-area-tab-insert})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-TAB, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-tab-insert
|
|
|
|
Insert a TAB character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-t} (@code{echo-area-transpose-chars})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-t, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-transpose-chars
|
|
|
|
Transpose the characters at the cursor.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The next group of commands deal with @dfn{killing}, and @dfn{yanking}
|
|
|
|
text. For an in depth discussion of killing and yanking,
|
|
|
|
@pxref{Killing, , Killing and Deleting, emacs, the GNU Emacs Manual}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-d} (@code{echo-area-kill-word})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-d, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-kill-word
|
|
|
|
Kill the word following the cursor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-DEL} (@code{echo-area-backward-kill-word})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-DEL, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-backward-kill-word
|
|
|
|
Kill the word preceding the cursor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-k} (@code{echo-area-kill-line})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-k, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-kill-line
|
|
|
|
Kill the text from the cursor to the end of the line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-x DEL} (@code{echo-area-backward-kill-line})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-x DEL, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-backward-kill-line
|
|
|
|
Kill the text from the cursor to the beginning of the line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-y} (@code{echo-area-yank})
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-y, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-yank
|
|
|
|
Yank back the contents of the last kill.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-y} (@code{echo-area-yank-pop})
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-y, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-yank-pop
|
|
|
|
Yank back a previous kill, removing the last yanked text first.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes when reading input in the echo area, the command that needed
|
|
|
|
input will only accept one of a list of several choices. The choices
|
|
|
|
represent the @dfn{possible completions}, and you must respond with one
|
|
|
|
of them. Since there are a limited number of responses you can make,
|
|
|
|
Info allows you to abbreviate what you type, only typing as much of the
|
|
|
|
response as is necessary to uniquely identify it. In addition, you can
|
|
|
|
request Info to fill in as much of the response as is possible; this
|
|
|
|
is called @dfn{completion}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following commands are available when completing in the echo area:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{TAB} (@code{echo-area-complete})
|
|
|
|
@itemx @code{SPC}
|
|
|
|
@kindex TAB, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@kindex SPC, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-complete
|
|
|
|
Insert as much of a completion as is possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{?} (@code{echo-area-possible-completions})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ?, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-possible-completions
|
|
|
|
Display a window containing a list of the possible completions of what
|
|
|
|
you have typed so far. For example, if the available choices are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@group
|
|
|
|
bar
|
|
|
|
foliate
|
|
|
|
food
|
|
|
|
forget
|
|
|
|
@end group
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
and you have typed an @samp{f}, followed by @samp{?}, the possible
|
|
|
|
completions would contain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@group
|
|
|
|
foliate
|
|
|
|
food
|
|
|
|
forget
|
|
|
|
@end group
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
i.e., all of the choices which begin with @samp{f}. Pressing @key{SPC}
|
|
|
|
or @key{TAB} would result in @samp{fo} appearing in the echo area, since
|
|
|
|
all of the choices which begin with @samp{f} continue with @samp{o}.
|
|
|
|
Now, typing @samp{l} followed by @samp{TAB} results in @samp{foliate}
|
|
|
|
appearing in the echo area, since that is the only choice which begins
|
|
|
|
with @samp{fol}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{ESC C-v} (@code{echo-area-scroll-completions-window})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ESC C-v, in the echo area
|
|
|
|
@findex echo-area-scroll-completions-window
|
|
|
|
Scroll the completions window, if that is visible, or the "other"
|
|
|
|
window if not.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Printing Nodes, Miscellaneous Commands, Window Commands, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Printing Out Nodes
|
|
|
|
@cindex printing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You may wish to print out the contents of a node as a quick reference
|
|
|
|
document for later use. Info provides you with a command for doing
|
|
|
|
this. In general, we recommend that you use @TeX{} to format the
|
|
|
|
document and print sections of it, by running @code{tex} on the Texinfo
|
|
|
|
source file.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x print-node}
|
|
|
|
@findex print-node
|
|
|
|
@cindex INFO_PRINT_COMMAND, environment variable
|
|
|
|
Pipe the contents of the current node through the command in the
|
|
|
|
environment variable @code{INFO_PRINT_COMMAND}. If the variable does not
|
|
|
|
exist, the node is simply piped to @code{lpr}.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Miscellaneous Commands, Variables, Printing Nodes, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Miscellaneous Commands
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GNU Info contains several commands which self-document GNU Info:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x describe-command}
|
|
|
|
@cindex functions, describing
|
|
|
|
@cindex commands, describing
|
|
|
|
@findex describe-command
|
|
|
|
Read the name of an Info command in the echo area and then display a
|
|
|
|
brief description of what that command does.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x describe-key}
|
|
|
|
@cindex keys, describing
|
|
|
|
@findex describe-key
|
|
|
|
Read a key sequence in the echo area, and then display the name and
|
|
|
|
documentation of the Info command that the key sequence invokes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x describe-variable}
|
|
|
|
Read the name of a variable in the echo area and then display a brief
|
|
|
|
description of what the variable affects.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x where-is}
|
|
|
|
@findex where-is
|
|
|
|
Read the name of an Info command in the echo area, and then display
|
|
|
|
a key sequence which can be typed in order to invoke that command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-h} (@code{get-help-window})
|
|
|
|
@itemx @code{?}
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-h
|
|
|
|
@kindex ?, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex get-help-window
|
|
|
|
Create (or Move into) the window displaying @code{*Help*}, and place
|
|
|
|
a node containing a quick reference card into it. This window displays
|
|
|
|
the most concise information about GNU Info available.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{h} (@code{get-info-help-node})
|
|
|
|
@kindex h
|
|
|
|
@findex get-info-help-node
|
|
|
|
Try hard to visit the node @code{(info)Help}. The Info file
|
|
|
|
@file{info.texi} distributed with GNU Info contains this node. Of
|
|
|
|
course, the file must first be processed with @code{makeinfo}, and then
|
|
|
|
placed into the location of your Info directory.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here are the commands for creating a numeric argument:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-u} (@code{universal-argument})
|
|
|
|
@cindex numeric arguments
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-u
|
|
|
|
@findex universal-argument
|
|
|
|
Start (or multiply by 4) the current numeric argument. @samp{C-u} is
|
|
|
|
a good way to give a small numeric argument to cursor movement or
|
|
|
|
scrolling commands; @samp{C-u C-v} scrolls the screen 4 lines, while
|
|
|
|
@samp{C-u C-u C-n} moves the cursor down 16 lines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-1} (@code{add-digit-to-numeric-arg})
|
|
|
|
@itemx @code{M-2} @dots{} @code{M-9}
|
|
|
|
@kindex M-1 @dots{} M-9
|
|
|
|
@findex add-digit-to-numeric-arg
|
|
|
|
Add the digit value of the invoking key to the current numeric
|
|
|
|
argument. Once Info is reading a numeric argument, you may just type
|
|
|
|
the digits of the argument, without the Meta prefix. For example, you
|
|
|
|
might give @samp{C-l} a numeric argument of 32 by typing:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@kbd{C-u 3 2 C-l}
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-3 2 C-l}
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@samp{C-g} is used to abort the reading of a multi-character key
|
|
|
|
sequence, to cancel lengthy operations (such as multi-file searches) and
|
|
|
|
to cancel reading input in the echo area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{C-g} (@code{abort-key})
|
|
|
|
@cindex cancelling typeahead
|
|
|
|
@cindex cancelling the current operation
|
|
|
|
@kindex C-g, in Info windows
|
|
|
|
@findex abort-key
|
|
|
|
Cancel current operation.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The @samp{q} command of Info simply quits running Info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{q} (@code{quit})
|
|
|
|
@cindex quitting
|
|
|
|
@kindex q
|
|
|
|
@findex quit
|
|
|
|
Exit GNU Info.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If the operating system tells GNU Info that the screen is 60 lines tall,
|
|
|
|
and it is actually only 40 lines tall, here is a way to tell Info that
|
|
|
|
the operating system is correct.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x set-screen-height}
|
|
|
|
@findex set-screen-height
|
|
|
|
@cindex screen, changing the height of
|
|
|
|
Read a height value in the echo area and set the height of the
|
|
|
|
displayed screen to that value.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally, Info provides a convenient way to display footnotes which might
|
|
|
|
be associated with the current node that you are viewing:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{ESC C-f} (@code{show-footnotes})
|
|
|
|
@kindex ESC C-f
|
|
|
|
@findex show-footnotes
|
|
|
|
@cindex footnotes, displaying
|
|
|
|
Show the footnotes (if any) associated with the current node in another
|
|
|
|
window. You can have Info automatically display the footnotes
|
|
|
|
associated with a node when the node is selected by setting the variable
|
|
|
|
@code{automatic-footnotes}. @xref{Variables, , @code{automatic-footnotes}}.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Variables, GNU Info Global Index, Miscellaneous Commands, Top
|
|
|
|
@chapter Manipulating Variables
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GNU Info contains several @dfn{variables} whose values are looked at by
|
|
|
|
various Info commands. You can change the values of these variables,
|
|
|
|
and thus change the behavior of Info to more closely match your
|
|
|
|
environment and Info file reading manner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @asis
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x set-variable}
|
|
|
|
@cindex variables, setting
|
|
|
|
@findex set-variable
|
|
|
|
Read the name of a variable, and the value for it, in the echo area and
|
|
|
|
then set the variable to that value. Completion is available when
|
|
|
|
reading the variable name; often, completion is available when reading
|
|
|
|
the value to give to the variable, but that depends on the variable
|
|
|
|
itself. If a variable does @emph{not} supply multiple choices to
|
|
|
|
complete over, it expects a numeric value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item @code{M-x describe-variable}
|
|
|
|
@cindex variables, describing
|
|
|
|
@findex describe-variable
|
|
|
|
Read the name of a variable in the echo area and then display a brief
|
|
|
|
description of what the variable affects.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is a list of the variables that you can set in Info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
|
|
@item automatic-footnotes
|
|
|
|
@vindex automatic-footnotes
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, footnotes appear and disappear automatically.
|
|
|
|
This variable is @code{On} by default. When a node is selected, a
|
|
|
|
window containing the footnotes which appear in that node is created,
|
|
|
|
and the footnotes are displayed within the new window. The window that
|
|
|
|
Info creates to contain the footnotes is called @samp{*Footnotes*}. If
|
|
|
|
a node is selected which contains no footnotes, and a @samp{*Footnotes*}
|
|
|
|
window is on the screen, the @samp{*Footnotes*} window is deleted.
|
|
|
|
Footnote windows created in this fashion are not automatically tiled so
|
|
|
|
that they can use as little of the display as is possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item automatic-tiling
|
|
|
|
@vindex automatic-tiling
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, creating or deleting a window resizes other
|
|
|
|
windows. This variable is @code{Off} by default. Normally, typing
|
|
|
|
@samp{C-x 2} divides the current window into two equal parts. When
|
|
|
|
@code{automatic-tiling} is set to @code{On}, all of the windows are
|
|
|
|
resized automatically, keeping an equal number of lines visible in each
|
|
|
|
window. There are exceptions to the automatic tiling; specifically, the
|
|
|
|
windows @samp{*Completions*} and @samp{*Footnotes*} are @emph{not}
|
|
|
|
resized through automatic tiling; they remain their original size.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item visible-bell
|
|
|
|
@vindex visible-bell
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, GNU Info attempts to flash the screen instead of
|
|
|
|
ringing the bell. This variable is @code{Off} by default. Of course,
|
|
|
|
Info can only flash the screen if the terminal allows it; in the case
|
|
|
|
that the terminal does not allow it, the setting of this variable has no
|
|
|
|
effect. However, you can make Info perform quietly by setting the
|
|
|
|
@code{errors-ring-bell} variable to @code{Off}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item errors-ring-bell
|
|
|
|
@vindex errors-ring-bell
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, errors cause the bell to ring. The default
|
|
|
|
setting of this variable is @code{On}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item gc-compressed-files
|
|
|
|
@vindex gc-compressed-files
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, Info garbage collects files which had to be
|
|
|
|
uncompressed. The default value of this variable is @code{Off}.
|
|
|
|
Whenever a node is visited in Info, the Info file containing that node
|
|
|
|
is read into core, and Info reads information about the tags and nodes
|
|
|
|
contained in that file. Once the tags information is read by Info, it
|
|
|
|
is never forgotten. However, the actual text of the nodes does not need
|
|
|
|
to remain in core unless a particular Info window needs it. For
|
|
|
|
non-compressed files, the text of the nodes does not remain in core when
|
|
|
|
it is no longer in use. But de-compressing a file can be a time
|
|
|
|
consuming operation, and so Info tries hard not to do it twice.
|
|
|
|
@code{gc-compressed-files} tells Info it is okay to garbage collect the
|
|
|
|
text of the nodes of a file which was compressed on disk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item show-index-match
|
|
|
|
@vindex show-index-match
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, the portion of the matched search string is
|
|
|
|
highlighted in the message which explains where the matched search
|
|
|
|
string was found. The default value of this variable is @code{On}.
|
|
|
|
When Info displays the location where an index match was found,
|
|
|
|
(@pxref{Searching Commands, , @code{next-index-match}}), the portion of the
|
|
|
|
string that you had typed is highlighted by displaying it in the inverse
|
|
|
|
case from its surrounding characters.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item scroll-behavior
|
|
|
|
@vindex scroll-behavior
|
|
|
|
Control what happens when forward scrolling is requested at the end of
|
|
|
|
a node, or when backward scrolling is requested at the beginning of a
|
|
|
|
node. The default value for this variable is @code{Continuous}. There
|
|
|
|
are three possible values for this variable:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
|
|
@item Continuous
|
|
|
|
Try to get the first item in this node's menu, or failing that, the
|
|
|
|
@samp{Next} node, or failing that, the @samp{Next} of the @samp{Up}.
|
|
|
|
This behavior is identical to using the @samp{]}
|
|
|
|
(@code{global-next-node}) and @samp{[} (@code{global-prev-node})
|
|
|
|
commands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item Next Only
|
|
|
|
Only try to get the @samp{Next} node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item Page Only
|
|
|
|
Simply give up, changing nothing. If @code{scroll-behavior} is
|
|
|
|
@code{Page Only}, no scrolling command can change the node that is being
|
|
|
|
viewed.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item scroll-step
|
|
|
|
@vindex scroll-step
|
|
|
|
The number of lines to scroll when the cursor moves out of the window.
|
|
|
|
Scrolling happens automatically if the cursor has moved out of the
|
|
|
|
visible portion of the node text when it is time to display. Usually
|
|
|
|
the scrolling is done so as to put the cursor on the center line of the
|
|
|
|
current window. However, if the variable @code{scroll-step} has a
|
|
|
|
nonzero value, Info attempts to scroll the node text by that many lines;
|
|
|
|
if that is enough to bring the cursor back into the window, that is what
|
|
|
|
is done. The default value of this variable is 0, thus placing the
|
|
|
|
cursor (and the text it is attached to) in the center of the window.
|
|
|
|
Setting this variable to 1 causes a kind of "smooth scrolling" which
|
|
|
|
some people prefer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item ISO-Latin
|
|
|
|
@cindex ISO Latin characters
|
|
|
|
@vindex ISO-Latin
|
|
|
|
When set to @code{On}, Info accepts and displays ISO Latin characters.
|
|
|
|
By default, Info assumes an ASCII character set. @code{ISO-Latin} tells
|
|
|
|
Info that it is running in an environment where the European standard
|
|
|
|
character set is in use, and allows you to input such characters to
|
|
|
|
Info, as well as display them.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c the following is incomplete
|
|
|
|
@ignore
|
|
|
|
@c node Info for Sys Admins
|
|
|
|
@c chapter Info for System Administrators
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This text describes some common ways of setting up an Info hierarchy
|
|
|
|
from scratch, and details the various options that are available when
|
|
|
|
installing Info. This text is designed for the person who is installing
|
|
|
|
GNU Info on the system; although users may find the information present
|
|
|
|
in this section interesting, none of it is vital to understanding how to
|
|
|
|
use GNU Info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
|
|
* Setting the INFOPATH:: Where are my Info files kept?
|
|
|
|
* Editing the DIR node:: What goes in `DIR', and why?
|
|
|
|
* Storing Info files:: Alternate formats allow flexibility in setups.
|
|
|
|
* Using `localdir':: Building DIR on the fly.
|
|
|
|
* Example setups:: Some common ways to organize Info files.
|
|
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c node Setting the INFOPATH
|
|
|
|
@c section Setting the INFOPATH
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where are my Info files kept?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c node Editing the DIR node
|
|
|
|
@c section Editing the DIR node
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What goes in `DIR', and why?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c node Storing Info files
|
|
|
|
@c section Storing Info files
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alternate formats allow flexibility in setups.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c node Using `localdir'
|
|
|
|
@c section Using `localdir'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Building DIR on the fly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c node Example setups
|
|
|
|
@c section Example setups
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some common ways to organize Info files.
|
|
|
|
@end ignore
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node GNU Info Global Index, , Variables, Top
|
|
|
|
@appendix Global Index
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@printindex cp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@contents
|
|
|
|
@bye
|