From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Thien-Thi Nguyen Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: problem repeat entry for a number Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:17:23 +0100 Message-ID: <87mx7mqda4.fsf@gnuvola.org> References: <87pqcp0yec.fsf@mithlond.arda> <874ntzh5zu.fsf@gnuvola.org> <87vcmffp6t.fsf@gnuvola.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: plane.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-Trace: dough.gmane.org 1331551149 24675 80.91.229.3 (12 Mar 2012 11:19:09 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@dough.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:19:09 +0000 (UTC) Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org To: source liu Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Mon Mar 12 12:19:09 2012 Return-path: Envelope-to: geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([208.118.235.17]) by plane.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1S73HQ-0002oN-A6 for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:19:08 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([::1]:36677 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S73HP-0005fS-Ct for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:19:07 -0400 Original-Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:34151) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S73HK-0005eS-29 for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:19:03 -0400 Original-Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S73HH-0003E1-Mx for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:19:01 -0400 Original-Received: from smtp208.alice.it ([82.57.200.104]:50834) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S73HH-0002zy-CD for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:18:59 -0400 Original-Received: from ambire (87.13.1.130) by smtp208.alice.it (8.6.023.02) id 4F056E85079EFBCF; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:18:40 +0100 Original-Received: from ttn by ambire with local (Exim 4.72) (envelope-from ) id 1S73Fk-0006v2-0K; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:17:24 +0100 In-Reply-To: Thien-Thi Nguyen's message of "Fri\, 09 Mar 2012 09\:05\:33 +0100" User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.0.92 (gnu/linux) X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: Genre and OS details not recognized. X-Received-From: 82.57.200.104 X-BeenThere: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list List-Id: Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Original-Sender: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.help:84016 Archived-At: () Thien-Thi Nguyen () Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:05:33 +0100 got it, thanks for your patience. first i tried C - h k C-u, and get help message. of course it gave out some information, but i'm a little dazzled by the description. *** part of C -h k C-u ***** Repeating C-u without digits or minus sign multiplies the argument by 4 each time. For some commands, just C-u by itself serves as a flag *** end of C -h k C-u ***** I may treat the flag "C-u" as a *terminating flag* now since i know C-u can be used this way. but at that time i thought nothing of it ( even not think of type C -u again) and of course, i've no idea about C -q for quote input numbers until i got answer from the mailist. Another way to say that C-u can act as "terminating flag" is this sentence: C-u following the digits or minus sign ends the argument. which follows the previous one: Digits or minus sign following C-u make up the numeric argument. which in turn follows: Begin a numeric argument for the following command. Reading those in order, here is what i think and do: Begin a numeric argument for OK, having typed C-u once, i have the following command. now "begun a numeric argument"; i am now in a new state of input where i can express that argument directly to Emacs. Digits or minus sign following Wonderful! In this new state, if C-u make up the numeric i type digits, they accumulate in argument. the minibuffer. I like number 9, so i type 9 because this argument is meant to tell the next command to insert a character that many times. Yeah! C-u following the digits or OK, now i want to command Emacs minus sign ends the argument. to insert a char. Normally i can simply type the char, thus doing two actions: flagging termination (leaving the special input state) and issuing another (self-insert) command. I wonder why this other C-u invocation is mentioned here. Hmm, i see that if i type another digit now, Emacs does NOT do the right thing (reading my mind). Stupid Emacs! I suppose i will have to separate the actions, and that's what C-u is for. Perhaps i can use it for non-digits, too. Anyway, let's try: i type C-u and see it in the minibuffer; i type 9 and see "999999999" inserted in the buffer. Good, Emacs may be stupid but at the very least it is obedient. So, one suggestion to avoid being dazzled is to take it easy and read the help text slowly, exercizing immediately what you understand (or misunderstand) to keep your feet on the ground. This is easy because Emacs is interactive, can undo mistakes, and is obedient (usually :-D). i also tried to use C-h k M - and C-h k C-, but failed to get answer. This is because you were moving too quickly, as i did when i presumed you had read the manual. See, we all rush needlessly sometimes. then, i tried to find answers through internet, and find little related information. If we converse well, perhaps our exchange here will help someone else in the future. But, there is no guarantee. finally, I join the list and made a post, and got the satisfied answers Thanks for explaining. if there is better way (or how should i do the search), plz tell me, it would help a lot. Well, life is a search, so if you want a better search, live a better life!