From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: source liu Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: problem repeat entry for a number Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:13:55 +0800 Message-ID: References: <87pqcp0yec.fsf@mithlond.arda> <874ntzh5zu.fsf@gnuvola.org> <87vcmffp6t.fsf@gnuvola.org> <87mx7mqda4.fsf@gnuvola.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: plane.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Trace: dough.gmane.org 1331608449 6300 80.91.229.3 (13 Mar 2012 03:14:09 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@dough.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:14:09 +0000 (UTC) Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org To: Thien-Thi Nguyen Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Tue Mar 13 04:14:09 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 1S7IBc-0006u3-Pb for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:14:09 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([::1]:39441 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S7IBb-0007RP-QM for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:14:07 -0400 Original-Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:44643) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S7IBV-0007Qo-6s for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:14:02 -0400 Original-Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S7IBT-0006zS-0c for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:14:00 -0400 Original-Received: from mail-pz0-f41.google.com ([209.85.210.41]:64461) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1S7IBS-0006ty-L7 for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:13:58 -0400 Original-Received: by dadv6 with SMTP id v6so159480dad.0 for ; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:13:55 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=wVdf4/7EFoAc0b7cBKFSmsPSSvkBdrRaeIthf/s+e+s=; b=s8NTKhHbcZvKIjOqgHPA4+eW0PQ6CwPQO1TEU+2AJUA5DCg7UAsBQdk9gcynRaaQmi 5HwdZeXsa76TD/Ns8GKa0HSjgHQCbb5A3BAMwgr2fIoTZs+s/UqkKZcVltsTd1ySAZcZ sUYXzMpjL5yMkZ9Kjip7lmnAyN64az+E1JtuGrbwbTIHYXi7ENEDgsNwZnT6QX2q8pxX 92uQcql8acLyihIOyn4jddOvdx1wrdKmj3ld8yW1zlrG/3VJIUAo6Inl4h/YCf7lwkUE 5fMRbVG60WIg86cZJyMZOhj8g+i0eIuXIDDZ1VbmSkDW+R4BwTDB9JrQy8F0My6sUPu0 90aQ== Original-Received: by 10.68.136.134 with SMTP id qa6mr12563648pbb.120.1331608435513; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:13:55 -0700 (PDT) Original-Received: by 10.143.58.4 with HTTP; Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:13:55 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <87mx7mqda4.fsf@gnuvola.org> X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: Genre and OS details not recognized. X-Received-From: 209.85.210.41 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:84018 Archived-At: On Mon, Mar 12, 2012 at 7:17 PM, Thien-Thi Nguyen wrote: > () Thien-Thi Nguyen > () Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:05:33 +0100 > > =A0 =A0 =A0got it, thanks for your patience. > > =A0 =A0 =A0first i tried C - h k C-u, =A0and get help message. > > =A0 =A0 =A0of course it gave out some information, but i'm a little dazzl= ed by > =A0 =A0 =A0the description. > > =A0 =A0 =A0*** =A0part of =A0C -h k C-u =A0***** > =A0 =A0 =A0Repeating C-u without digits or minus sign > =A0 =A0 =A0 multiplies the argument by 4 each time. > =A0 =A0 =A0For some commands, just C-u by itself serves as a flag > =A0 =A0 =A0*** =A0end of =A0C -h k C-u =A0***** > > =A0 =A0 =A0I may treat the flag "C-u" as a *terminating flag* now since i= know > =A0 =A0 =A0C-u can be used this way. but at that time i thought nothing o= f it > =A0 =A0 =A0( even not think of type C -u again) and of course, i've no id= ea about > =A0 =A0 =A0C -q for quote > =A0 =A0 =A0input numbers until i got answer from the mailist. > > Another way to say that C-u can act as "terminating flag" is this sentenc= e: > > =A0C-u following the digits or minus sign ends the argument. > > which follows the previous one: > > =A0Digits or minus sign following C-u make up the numeric argument. > > which in turn follows: > > =A0Begin a numeric argument for the following command. > > Reading those in order, here is what i think and do: > > =A0Begin a numeric argument for =A0 =A0 OK, having typed C-u once, i have > =A0the following command. =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 now "begun a numeric argume= nt"; > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0i am n= ow in a new state of input > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0where = i can express that argument > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0direct= ly to Emacs. > > =A0Digits or minus sign following =A0 Wonderful! =A0In this new state, if > =A0C-u make up the numeric =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0i type digits, they accumul= ate in > =A0argument. =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0the minibuffe= r. =A0I like number 9, > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0so i t= ype 9 because this argument > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0is mea= nt to tell the next command > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0to ins= ert a character that many > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0times.= =A0Yeah! yes, that's the exact layout in emacs help buffer. > =A0C-u following the digits or =A0 =A0 =A0OK, now i want to command Emacs > =A0minus sign ends the argument. =A0 =A0to insert a char. =A0Normally i c= an > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0simply= type the char, thus doing > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0two ac= tions: flagging termination > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0(leavi= ng the special input state) > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0and is= suing another (self-insert) > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0comman= d. =A0I wonder why this other > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0C-u in= vocation is mentioned here. > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0Hmm, i= see that if i type another > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0digit = now, Emacs does NOT do the > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0right = thing (reading my mind). > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0Stupid= Emacs! =A0I suppose i will > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0have t= o separate the actions, and > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0that's= what C-u is for. =A0Perhaps > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0i can = use it for non-digits, too. > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0Anyway= , let's try: i type C-u and > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0see it= in the minibuffer; i type > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A09 and = see "999999999" inserted in > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0the bu= ffer. =A0Good, Emacs may be > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0stupid= but at the very least it > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0is obe= dient. emmm.... that's the way i think so. as i don't exactly know the "flag" means, i want to try it out manually, unfortunately i choose "minus sign" (is that char '-' on keyboard? ), for i think it's equivalent to "C - u" according to the description above. so i type C - u 9 '-' to terminate num args input, but it direct layout --------- (nine '-'s) in buffer. yet i have never tried "C - u" instead of the minus sign '-', what a pity that the fact is only several feet away from me. Thanks so much for the detailed explanation, so grateful and helpful. > 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). > > =A0 =A0 =A0i also tried to use C-h k M - and C-h k C-, > =A0 =A0 =A0but failed to get answer. > > This is because you were moving too quickly, as i did when i > presumed you had read the manual. =A0See, we all rush needlessly > sometimes. > > =A0 =A0 =A0then, i tried to find answers through internet, and find > =A0 =A0 =A0little related information. > > If we converse well, perhaps our exchange here will help someone > else in the future. =A0But, there is no guarantee. > > =A0 =A0 =A0finally, I join the list and made a post, and got the > =A0 =A0 =A0satisfied answers > > Thanks for explaining. That's the point, i always want to run before i can walk. :-D, at least i found i wasn't in the mailist, i though i should have be there. > =A0 =A0 =A0if there is better way (or how should i do the search), plz > =A0 =A0 =A0tell me, it would help a lot. > Well, life is a search, so if you want a better search, live a better life! excellent argument, applause. Regards --=20 Liu An Institution of modern physics, Shanghai, China