@subsection Finding the keymap and its entry to use

After translation of the input events (@pxref{Translating Input})
Emacs looks in the active keymaps.  As soon as a match is found
(@pxref{Key Lookup}) and the keymap entry is a function the search is
over.  However if the keymap entry is a variable symbol or a string
then Emacs replaces the input key sequences with the variable symbol
value or the string and restarts searching in the active keymaps.

Here is a pseudo-Lisp description of the order in which the active
keymaps are searched:

@lisp
(or (if overriding-terminal-local-map
        (@var{find-in} overriding-terminal-local-map)
      (if overriding-local-map
          (@var{find-in} overriding-local-map)
        (or (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'keymap))
            (@var{find-in-any} emulation-mode-map-alists)
            (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-overriding-map-alist)
            (@var{find-in-any} minor-mode-map-alist)
            (@var{find-in} (get-text-property (point) 'local-map))
            (@var{find-in} (current-local-map)))))
    (@var{find-in} (current-global-map)))
@end lisp

@noindent
The @var{find-in} and @var{find-in-any} are pseudo functions that
searches in one keymap respectively an alist of keymaps.

@noindent
@strong{Remark 1:} The finally found function may be remapped
(@pxref{Remapping Commands}).

@noindent
@strong{Remark 2:} Characters that are bound to
@code{self-insert-command} are translated according to
@code{translation-table-for-input} before insertion.

@noindent
@strong{Remark 3:} @code{current-active-maps} returns a list of the
currently active keymaps at (point).