RE: html browser preview help

["Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>]

> Thanks for your reply.
> (I am trying to preview a local .html file in my Internet 
> Explorer browser)
> I do not understand this > 'M-: < command you give?
> When I try this (& combinations of) in the minibuffer I get 'no-match'
> 
> Is that really the command? (I did an internet search for it 
> & couldn't find it).Anyway I have not been able to try this yet as
> I cannot enter the command:
> `M-: (w32-shell-execute nil "c:/my/file.htm")'
> 
> Can you please explain/clarify this for me? 

The key sequence `M-:' is bound to command `eval-expression'. You use it by
pressing and holding the Meta key (probably ALT on your keyboard) and while
holding it hitting the `:' key. Alternatively, you can hit the `ESC' (Escape)
and then hit the `:' key (don't hold `ESC' down like ALT).

All that command does is prompt you for a Lisp expression (sexp) to evaluate. In
this case, you would type (w32-shell-execute nil
"c:/whatever/hmtl/file/you/want.htm") at the prompt, then hit RET (Enter key).

Another way to evaluate such a Lisp sexp is to type it into buffer *scratch*,
then hit RET after it.

Another way to evaluate it is to type it into an Emacs-Lisp buffer (open a new
file called something.el, using `C-x C-f something.el'), then put the cursor
just after the closing parenthesis, and hit `C-x C-e' (Control-x followed by
Control-e).

But it sounds like you already solved your problem. HTH anyway.