Re: When NOT filling in text mode...

["B. T. Raven" <nihil@nihilo.net>]

Amy Templeton wrote:
> Hey all,
> 
> So a pretty random question...occasionally I have the need to edit
> text files in which lines are NOT filled automatically.
> Specifically, I occasionally need to edit web forms (using either
> the MozEx extension, allowing me to outsource text boxes from
> Iceweasel to emacsclient, or else w3m's text box editor mode), and
> if the lines are filled so that they look nice in my emacs (just
> under 70 characters/line), they look very silly when they show up
> on the internet. Anyway, is there a way to edit these in which I
> could move within a wrapped, very long line with C-n and C-p as
> though it were actually several shorter lines? If so, that would be
> quite useful and I'd be much obliged if someone could tell me about
> it.
> 
> Thanks,
> Amy
> 

I normally use text mode without filled lines and I navigate with C-s and 
C-r. Once you get used to this, you will find that it takes less time and 
fewer keystrokes than if Emacs had the functionality you are looking for. 
The only thing that is hard to get used to is setting point exactly where 
you want it by breaking out of the incremental search with a cursor movement 
keychord (C-f or C-b normally). For example, I use C-s x y (last letter of 
word, space, first letter of next word)then C-b to position cursor at the 
beginning of word starting with y. If by chance this same string occurs 
before the instance you wish to move to, then just press C-s again.

Ed