Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners

Re:Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners by asgard1024 on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @12:43PM (#6321962)

I don't have problem with Elisp. That's actually lot easier than what IDEs offer as a way of customization (Java?), and that's one reason I am interested in Emacs :-). What I don't like is the transition period where I am not set up properly. It doesn't quite feel like learning, but rather reinventing the wheel.

And I don't have big requirements either - I just need some sort of project management (being able to work with multiple files), grep, diff, syntax highlight, ability to indent/unindent and comment/uncomment block on a hotkey, more sane undo and maybe a little bit of completion and language documentation integration.

I can program in Notepad++ and be happy. So if it would be configured to do what that is doing out of the box, great.

Another problem I have, when I want to rebind a key, how do I figure out what keys are used and in what modes? Is there a way for the system to give me a suggestion for a key?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners by TomDavey on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @01:48PM (#6322442)

Invoking the help system by typing C-h b (the command "describe-bindings") will open a new buffer showing all the keybindings in effect in the current buffer. Picking an unused binding to your liking is a matter of scanning the list.

The Emacs help system is a marvel and an astonishment. It's the second thing to explore after running the built-in tutorial. And it's the first thing to master.

Don't neglect the hyperlinked, highly navigable Info Manuals, which you read right within Emacs. They are among the most literate technical documentation I've ever read.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners by asgard1024 on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @04:20PM (#6323477)

Yes, I am aware of all that. Still, there can be various modes in effect, so it would be nice to have a function that would do a pick (that would work in all modes) instead of me scanning the list all the times.

Also, it would be nice if I could easily remap all keys with the given prefix. Maybe someone wrote library for these things already, I don't know.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners by davexunit on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @02:29PM (#6322739)

C-h b - describe the key bindings for the current binding

C-h f - describe a function

C-h k - describe a key binding

The help system in Emacs is wonderful.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Start Using Emacs – A Thorough Guide for Beginners by __david__ on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @04:47PM (#6323627)

> The help system in Emacs is wonderful.

Agreed. Plus the often maligned GNU info is actually good when you're browsing from within emacs.

More good help:

C-h i - Browse GNU info

C-h m - "describe-mode": Gives keybindings and help for the current major mode and all the active minor modes.

[ Parent | on HN ]