Emacs Tips and Tricks

Emacs Shortcuts

F10 access menu bar
C-d (d)elete character at cursor
C-spacebar mark text from present cursor position to next position
C-w CUT marked text
C-y PASTE in CUT text
C-x u (u)ndo
C-g escape command mode
C-x C-f load new file
C-x C-w copy existing file to a new name and edit that
C-x 4 C-f load new file into second window
C-x C-s (s)ave file
C-x C-c leave emacs
C-u 47 C-x f set line length to 47 (nothing will happen to existing text)
M-q now changes line length to 47 in paragraph containing cursor
C-s (s)earch
C-x C-b list buffers (other files that have been loaded)(splits screen)
C-x b load buffer by its file name
C-x x r store maked text in register "r"
C-x g r (g)et text stored in register "r"
C-x / r store cursor position in file in register "r"
C-x j r (j)ump cursor to position stored in register "r" cannot store BOTH text and position in same register name
C-x 2 splits window in (2)
C-x 1 returns to (1) window, deleting inactive one
C-c C-b compile in second window
C-c C-f " " "
C-x TAB indents marked lines of text one space
M-x replace-string replace string
M-x replace-regexp replace regular expression
M-x latex-mode changes mode to latex (for example)
M-x auto-fill-mode wraps lines to keep from running off screen
M-x goto-line find line by number
M-x spell-buffer spell check file
M-x shell escape to command line (C-x b RET returns to where you were)
SHIFT M-$ spell check word just written
SHIFT M-% replace string (asks permission each instance)
Shift M-< go to top of file
Shift M-> go to bottom of file