Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Bill Brodie]

In version 21.3 of emacs running under Windows XP, a fresh install
treats Ctrl-h as equivalent to Backspace.  For example, when I
strike M-x help RET k <key>, where <key> is either Ctrl-h or
Backspace, I obtain documentation for the DEL key.  Other Windows
applications can distinguish between these keys.  Is there some
way to configure emacs to recognize the difference?

Re: Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 21.03.2006 um 13:19 schrieb Bill Brodie:

> Is there some way to configure emacs to recognize the difference?

Could be it's: (normal-erase-is-backspace-mode). From its documentation:

	With numeric arg, turn the mode on if and only if ARG is positive.

	On window systems, when this mode is on, Delete is mapped to C-d and
	Backspace is mapped to DEL; when this mode is off, both Delete and
	Backspace are mapped to DEL.  (The remapping goes via
	`function-key-map', so binding Delete or Backspace in the global or
	local keymap will override that.)
	
	In addition, on window systems, the bindings of C-Delete, M-Delete,
	C-M-Delete, C-Backspace, M-Backspace, and C-M-Backspace are changed in
	the global keymap in accordance with the functionality of Delete and
	Backspace.  For example, if Delete is remapped to C-d, which deletes
	forward, C-Delete is bound to `kill-word', but if Delete is remapped
	to DEL, which deletes backward, C-Delete is bound to
	`backward-kill-word'.

F1 should work as Help key anyway.

--
Greetings

   Pete     === -Q
              ==<__/% >>
_____________(_)____@_____________________________

Re: Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Bill Brodie <wbrodie@panix.com>
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:19:24 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> In version 21.3 of emacs running under Windows XP, a fresh install
> treats Ctrl-h as equivalent to Backspace.  For example, when I
> strike M-x help RET k <key>, where <key> is either Ctrl-h or
> Backspace, I obtain documentation for the DEL key.  Other Windows
> applications can distinguish between these keys.  Is there some
> way to configure emacs to recognize the difference?

Emacs should distinguish them by default; it does for me.

Does this happen in "emacs -Q" as well?  If not, your init file(s) are
the culprit.

If "emacs -Q" exhibits the same behavior, type "F1 l" (that's the
letter ell, not the digit one) after hitting Ctrl-h, and tell what you
see in the *Help* buffer that Emacs pops.

Re: Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Kevin Rodgers]

Eli Zaretskii wrote:
>>From: Bill Brodie <wbrodie@panix.com>
>>Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:19:24 +0000 (UTC)
>>
>>In version 21.3 of emacs running under Windows XP, a fresh install
>>treats Ctrl-h as equivalent to Backspace.  For example, when I
>>strike M-x help RET k <key>, where <key> is either Ctrl-h or
>>Backspace, I obtain documentation for the DEL key.  Other Windows
>>applications can distinguish between these keys.  Is there some
>>way to configure emacs to recognize the difference?
> 
> 
> Emacs should distinguish them by default; it does for me.
> 
> Does this happen in "emacs -Q" as well?  If not, your init file(s) are
> the culprit.
> 
> If "emacs -Q" exhibits the same behavior, type "F1 l" (that's the
> letter ell, not the digit one) after hitting Ctrl-h, and tell what you
> see in the *Help* buffer that Emacs pops.

For Emacs 21, run "emacs -q --no-site-file" instead of "emacs -Q".

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Jason Rumney]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Bill Brodie <wbrodie@panix.com>
>> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:19:24 +0000 (UTC)
>> 
>> In version 21.3 of emacs running under Windows XP, a fresh install

> Does this happen in "emacs -Q" as well?  If not, your init file(s) are
> the culprit.

I know it has been in CVS for a while, but the -Q option isn't
recognized by 21.3. Try "emacs -q --no-site-file" instead.

Re: Ctrl-h vs Backspace on Windows

[Bill Brodie]

Kevin Rodgers <ihs_4664@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > 
> > Emacs should distinguish them by default; it does for me.
> > 
> > Does this happen in "emacs -Q" as well?  If not, your init file(s) are
> > the culprit.
> > 

> For Emacs 21, run "emacs -q --no-site-file" instead of "emacs -Q".

Thanks for the helpful responses.  It did turn out to be the init
file, and now works fine.