New user - keybinding issues

New user - keybinding issues

[kaldrenon]

Hi all,

I just downloaded and installed GNU Emacs 21.3 on my WinXP box at work
( using the guide found at http://math.claremontmckenna.edu/ALee/emacs/emacs.html
), and I've started the gradual process of learning it, because I've
been doing a bunch of reading lately and emacs sounds like a tool I
want to develop proficiency using. vi* programs sound like they have
their merits, but emacs sounds more my style.

Anyway, I'm still very new, so I'm sorry if this comes as a really
dumb question, but: C-h is supposed to be help-command, but when I
type C-h, it instead kills the character before the cursor. Am I right
about what C-h is supposed to do? If so, why might it be behaving
differently and how can I fix it? (note: I did look through the .emacs
file for any instances of global-set-key and found none)

Many thanks in advance,
Andrew Fallows

Re: New user - keybinding issues

[Jason Rumney]

On 19 Jun, 17:53, kaldrenon <kaldre...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just downloaded and installed GNU Emacs 21.3 on my WinXP box at work

Firstly, Emacs 22.1 has been released recently, so it might be better
to start from there.

> Anyway, I'm still very new, so I'm sorry if this comes as a really
> dumb question, but: C-h is supposed to be help-command, but when I
> type C-h, it instead kills the character before the cursor.

Did you copy a .emacs file from somewhere? There is a variable to set
to get this behaviour, since some old terminals send C-h characters
for the backspace or delete key. But the Windows port of Emacs always
gets its keyboard messages unfiltered, so you shouldn't set that.

In general, your .emacs file should contain your personal preferences,
copying someone else's is not a good idea.

Re: New user - keybinding issues

[kaldrenon]

On Jun 20, 3:16 am, Jason Rumney <jasonrum...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Firstly, Emacs 22.1 has been released recently, so it might be better
> to start from there.

That's what I was told earlier. I'm doing that.


> Did you copy a .emacs file from somewhere?

Yes, I did. I installed 21.3 through a tutorial (the URL is in the
original post) and it told me to copy their .emacs file. And, not
knowing the behavior or purpose of the .emacs file at that point, I
simply did. After I understood what the file was for, though, I
dropped theirs and have my own (which currently does almost
nothing ;-)).


Thanks.