global-set-key in text-mode

global-set-key in text-mode

[educkworth]

I have the following key binding in my .emacs file

(global-set-key "\M-s" 'save-buffer)

and it works in most major modes, but not in text-mode.  Can anyone
explain to me why this is and/or teach me how to make it work there.

Thanks,


Ethan

Re: global-set-key in text-mode

[Joel J. Adamson]

educkworth@loyola.edu writes:

> I have the following key binding in my .emacs file
>
> (global-set-key "\M-s" 'save-buffer)

Notice the word "global" at the beginning of the function
`global-set-key'.  This means that it gets overridden by special modes.
The mode is buffer-local, meaning that if you switch to another major
mode, the binding is still there.  What you want to do is redefine it
for text mode: there's a great explanation of how to fix keybindings
that inadvertently get reset by major modes in Chapter 11, section
"Customizing Existing Modes" of _Learning GNU Emacs_ from O'Reilly.

Here's a summary:

(add-hook 'text-mode-hook
          '(lambda ()
                   (define-key text-mode-map "\M-s" 'save-buffer)))


Try "M-x describe-mode" for a listing of keybindings.  "\M-x where-is"
also tells you the keybinding of any command.

HTH,
Joel
-- 
Joel J. Adamson
Biostatistician
Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Unit
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA  02114
(617) 643-1432
(303) 880-3109

Re: global-set-key in text-mode

[educkworth]

>
> (add-hook 'text-mode-hook
>           '(lambda ()
>                    (define-key text-mode-map "\M-s" 'save-buffer)))
>

Thanks, but this doesn't work for me.  M-s, in text-mode, is still
bound to center line.

I'll browse the manuals a little more about keymaps, define-key, etc.

Ethan

Re: global-set-key in text-mode

[educkworth]

I've gotten it to work through dumb trial and error.  I didn't use the
add-hook command, just a straight

(define-key text-mode-map "\M-s" 'save-buffer)

in my .emacs.

Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

Ethan

Re: global-set-key in text-mode

[Dave Benjamin]

educkworth@loyola.edu wrote:
> I've gotten it to work through dumb trial and error.  I didn't use the
> add-hook command, just a straight
> 
> (define-key text-mode-map "\M-s" 'save-buffer)
> 
> in my .emacs.
> 
> Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

FWIW, I have the following in my .emacs:

;; keep text-mode from stealing M-s key binding
(define-key text-mode-map "\es" nil)
(define-key text-mode-map "\eS" nil)

This way, my global binding works as intended.

Dave