Emacs
Most Campus Network systems support GNU Emacs, the full-screen editor from the Free Software Foundation. A versatile assemblage of editing, file management, and programming sup port, GNU Emacs is one of the most widely used programs on UNIX systems.
Initialization file
When Emacs is invoked, it loads an intitialization file
unless a command line switch is used to prevent it. Called
the '.emacs' file, it should reside in your home directory.
If one does not currently exist, you can create one based on
examples in the GNU Emacs Manual.
Emacs command line switches and arguments
You can invoke Emacs in several ways. The program can be
invoked by simply typing 'emacs' at the shell prompt, with
or without the name of a file to edit.
emacs [file]
Emacs can open several files for editing in one command by
using wildcard characters in the filename.
emacs *.c
You can open a file for editing at a specified line with
Emacs by means of the '+' argument.
emacs +linenum file
You can invoke Emacs without the customized features in your
Emacs initialization file, ~/.emacs.
emacs -q [file]
Another user's initialization (~user/.emacs) file can be
used instead of your own.
emacs -u user [file]
You can invoke Emacs with the name of a file containing
boiler-plate text which you wish to insert into another file
or into an unnamed (scratch) buffer.
emacs [file] -i insertfile
Emacs can use a file as the device for terminal input and
output.
emacs -t [file or device]
Emacs works well with the X Window System. The 'd' switch
directs Emacs to use a specified display window as its terminal.
emacs -d displayname
Lastly, Emacs will operate in batch mode (useful for Lisp
programs) with the 'batch' switch.
emacs -batch commandfile
Several switches ( -t -d -batch -q -u) have to be placed at the
beginning of the argument list, and in that order if more than one
of them appears.
References
The GNU Emacs Manual by Richard Stallman is the standard
reference. Reference copies may be available through your system
administrator.
Type <CTRL> h t within Emacs for an brief, interactive tutorial.
Type <CTRL> h i within Emacs to invoke the 'info mode,' the Emacs documentation browser.
Type man emacs at the shell prompt for a command synopsis.
