BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[new2linux]

Does anyone know the (global-set-key) def for utilizingthe backspace to
delete a go back 1 char and 1 word ?

Re: BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 09.02.2005 um 01:07 schrieb new2linux:

> Does anyone know the (global-set-key) def for utilizingthe backspace to
> delete a go back 1 char and 1 word ?

It might happen that your system cannot distinguish between C-d and 
Backspace, so you better first check what that keys is by entering C-h 
k and then pressing the backspace key. Use this name then for:

         (global-set-key [<NAME>]        'delete-backward-char)

Pressing Esc-backspace or M-backspace should automatically delete 
backward a whole word.

Pressing C-h b you'll see the keybindings in an extra *Help* buffer.
--
Greetings

   Pete

"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by" 
(Douglas Adams)

Re: BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[new2linux]

i got it working....how about the arrow keys on the keyboard
(up/down/right/left), do you have any samples ?

i tried this...but no luck:

(global-set-key [up] 'previous-line)
(global-set-key [down] 'next-line)
(global-set-key [right] 'forward-char)
(global-set-key [left] 'backward-char)

Re: BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 09.02.2005 um 22:50 schrieb new2linux:

> how about the arrow keys on the keyboard
> (up/down/right/left), do you have any samples ?

I have no samples, they're all in some Elisp files you can find using 
grep etc.

Before you can do any key bindings determine the symbols of the keys by 
checking them with C-h k! You could check too in which way they are 
changed by pressing modifiers like shift, control, meta, alt, super, 
hyper ...

--
Greetings

   Pete

Re: BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[Stefan Monnier]

> Does anyone know the (global-set-key) def for utilizingthe backspace to
> delete a go back 1 char and 1 word ?

There's some grammar problem in your question, so I'm not sure I understand
it all, but in Emacs the backspace key (normally mapped to DEL aka C-?) is
already bound to delete-backward-char, so it seems like the problem is that
your Emacs does not properly recognize your backspace key.

Is this on a text terminal emulator, or is it in X11 mode, or in W32, ...?

What's the value of normal-erase-is-backspace ?
If it's t rather than nil, try M-x normal-erase-is-backspace-mode RET.

Otherwise, if you hit backspace and then C-h l what are the last elements
output by C-h l ?


        Stefan

Re: BACKSPACE in GNU-EMACS editor

[Stefan Monnier]

> i got it working....how about the arrow keys on the keyboard
> (up/down/right/left), do you have any samples ?

> i tried this...but no luck:

> (global-set-key [up] 'previous-line)
> (global-set-key [down] 'next-line)
> (global-set-key [right] 'forward-char)
> (global-set-key [left] 'backward-char)

Note that both the backspace thingy you asked before and these cursor
motions are already the default behavior.

I.e. in your case the problem is not that Emacs's key bindings do not suit
you, but that for some reason Emacs does not properly recognize the keys
you're using.

In such a case `global-set-key' is not the right answer (although it can
work).  You want to use instead:

        (define-key function-key-map [foo] [bar])

where [foo] is the key-sequence that Emacs thinks he receives and [bar] is
the corrected key sequence.  Try to hit your `right' key and then do C-h
l to see what key-sequence Emacs received when you hit `right'.  If it says
something like ESC [ 0 ~, then try

        (define-key function-key-map "\e[0~" [right])


-- Stefan


PS: One of the differences between changing function-key-map and using
    global-set-key is that the former will also work when you use C-x right.