Binding C-a to select all

Binding C-a to select all

[Davin Pearson]

I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices and
therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
Windows application.

I have downloaded cua.el to implement certain windows keybindings but
cua.el doesn't bind C-a to select all, a feature which I would like.

Could someone present me with some Elisp code that provides this
feature?

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[B. T. Raven]

Davin Pearson wrote:
> I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices and
> therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
> Windows application.
> 
> I have downloaded cua.el to implement certain windows keybindings but
> cua.el doesn't bind C-a to select all, a feature which I would like.
> 
> Could someone present me with some Elisp code that provides this
> feature?

Evaluate this form with C-x C-e or put it in .emacs:

(define-key global-map [(control a)] 'mark-whole-buffer)

But I advise against it. C-a C-e M-a and M-e work together mnemonically 
if you think of a and e as Anfang and Ende (German beginning and end). 
Making the change you suggest disturbs this symmetry among related 
commands. Using Dvorak layout and Keytweak on w2000 I have needed to 
change only about half a dozen Emacs bindings (4 of them for single 
character cursor movement via keys close to home row and so as to avoid 
the arrow keys). This layout enables me to type ALL commands as easily 
as I can type a shifted number key.

Ed

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Davin Pearson]

On Jun 25, 3:19 pm, "B. T. Raven" <ni...@nihilo.net> wrote:
> (define-key global-map [(control a)] 'mark-whole-buffer)

Thank you for your help but there is problem with the above code in
that it doesn't highlight the region in the face "region" or "primary-
selection".  Please advise me how I can go about getting this
functionality online.

> But I advise against it. C-a C-e M-a and M-e work together mnemonically
> if you think of a and e as Anfang and Ende (German beginning and end).
> Making the change you suggest disturbs this symmetry among related
> commands. Using Dvorak layout and Keytweak on w2000 I have needed to
> change only about half a dozen Emacs bindings (4 of them for single
> character cursor movement via keys close to home row and so as to avoid
> the arrow keys). This layout enables me to type ALL commands as easily
> as I can type a shifted number key.

You might barf but a long time ago I rebound keys like

C-f to find-file,
C-e to call-last-kbd-macro

and I have never looked back!  To me this seems sensible because a PC
keyboard already has cursor keys and home/end keys so I believe that
there is no need for the those standard Emacs keybindings.

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Jordan Greenberg]

Davin Pearson wrote:
> On Jun 25, 3:19 pm, "B. T. Raven" <ni...@nihilo.net> wrote:
>> (define-key global-map [(control a)] 'mark-whole-buffer)
> 
> Thank you for your help but there is problem with the above code in
> that it doesn't highlight the region in the face "region" or "primary-
> selection".  Please advise me how I can go about getting this
> functionality online.

You probably want to add (transient-mark-mode 1) to your .emacs.
-Jordan

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Joost Kremers]

Davin Pearson wrote:
> and I have never looked back!  To me this seems sensible because a PC
> keyboard already has cursor keys and home/end keys so I believe that
> there is no need for the those standard Emacs keybindings.

the reason for using control key combos for cursor movement rather than the
cursor keys is that you don't need to take your hands off the keyboard to
move the cursor. that way you can move around the text a lot faster,
especially if you're a touch-typist.


-- 
Joost Kremers                                      joostkremers@yahoo.com
Selbst in die Unterwelt dringt durch Spalten Licht
EN:SiS(9)

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Lennart Borgman (gmail)]

Davin Pearson wrote:
> On Jun 25, 3:19 pm, "B. T. Raven" <ni...@nihilo.net> wrote:
>> (define-key global-map [(control a)] 'mark-whole-buffer)
> 
> Thank you for your help but there is problem with the above code in
> that it doesn't highlight the region in the face "region" or "primary-
> selection".  Please advise me how I can go about getting this
> functionality online.


Since you use the arrow keys you might want cua-mode or cua-selection-mode.

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Davin Pearson]

2008/6/25 Lennart Borgman (gmail) <lennart.borgman@gmail.com>:
> Since you use the arrow keys you might want cua-mode or cua-selection-mode.

It works... thanks

-- 
Sincerely and kindest regards, Davin.
Davin Pearson http://www.davinpearson.com

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Joel J. Adamson]

Davin Pearson <davin.pearson@gmail.com> writes:

> I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices 

They'll continue being novices unless forced out of their comfort
zones.  

What I mean is that if you get them to learn the Emacs way, suddenly
they'll be advanced computer users ;)

> and therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
> Windows application.

I disagree that you need to: at least some of the people in your class
will find Emacs keybindings (and the rest of the interface) more
comfortable and logical, and they'll see why they've been so frustrated
with "standard Windows" applications.

Joel
-- 
Joel J. Adamson
(303) 880-3109
Public key: http://pgp.mit.edu
http://www.unc.edu/~adamsonj
http://trashbird1240.blogspot.com

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Xah]

On Jun 24, 6:55 pm, Davin Pearson <davin.pear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices and
> therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
> Windows application.
>
> I have downloaded cua.el to implement certain windows keybindings but
> cua.el doesn't bind C-a to select all, a feature which I would like.
>
> Could someone present me with some Elisp code that provides this
> feature?

Please see:

How To Make Emacs Use Modern User Interface
http://xahlee.org/emacs/emacs_make_modern.html

which include several tips and elisp code to make emacs conform to
modern UI standards. Comments welcome.

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Miles Bader]

Xah <xahlee@gmail.com> writes:
> which include several tips and elisp code to make emacs conform to
> modern UI standards. Comments welcome.

"Modern" is not a synonym for "good".

-Miles

-- 
Is it true that nothing can be known?  If so how do we know this?  -Woody Allen

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Joel J. Adamson]

Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> writes:

> Xah <xahlee@gmail.com> writes:
>> which include several tips and elisp code to make emacs conform to
>> modern UI standards. Comments welcome.
>
> "Modern" is not a synonym for "good".

Nor is "like every dumb application written by programmers with no
respect for their users" a synonym for "good."  Emacs treats me like I'm
smart enough to use it.

Joel

-- 
Joel J. Adamson
(303) 880-3109
Public key: http://pgp.mit.edu
http://www.unc.edu/~adamsonj
http://trashbird1240.blogspot.com

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Xah]

On Jun 25, 11:36 am, adams...@email.unc.edu (Joel J. Adamson) wrote:
> Davin Pearson <davin.pear...@gmail.com> writes:
> > I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices
>
> They'll continue being novices unless forced out of their comfort
> zones.
>
> What I mean is that if you get them to learn the Emacs way, suddenly
> they'll be advanced computer users ;)
>
> > and therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
> > Windows application.
>
> I disagree that you need to: at least some of the people in your class
> will find Emacs keybindings (and the rest of the interface) more
> comfortable and logical, and they'll see why they've been so frustrated
> with "standard Windows" applications.

Emacs keybindings actually has very little technical merit.

See
http://xahlee.org/emacs/emacs_kb_shortcuts_pain.html
http://xahlee.org/emacs/ergonomic_emacs_keybinding.html

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄

Re: Binding C-a to select all

[Joel J. Adamson]

Xah <xahlee@gmail.com> writes:

> On Jun 25, 11:36 am, adams...@email.unc.edu (Joel J. Adamson) wrote:
>> Davin Pearson <davin.pear...@gmail.com> writes:
>> > I am using Emacs to teach computer programming to computer novices
>>
>> They'll continue being novices unless forced out of their comfort
>> zones.
>>
>> What I mean is that if you get them to learn the Emacs way, suddenly
>> they'll be advanced computer users ;)
>>
>> > and therefore I need to modify Emacs to make it more like a standard
>> > Windows application.
>>
>> I disagree that you need to: at least some of the people in your class
>> will find Emacs keybindings (and the rest of the interface) more
>> comfortable and logical, and they'll see why they've been so frustrated
>> with "standard Windows" applications.
>
> Emacs keybindings actually has very little technical merit.

Your objections to Emacs keybindings have very little technical merit.

See
http://xahlee.org/emacs/emacs_kb_shortcuts_pain.html
http://xahlee.org/emacs/ergonomic_emacs_keybinding.html

Joel

-- 
Joel J. Adamson
(303) 880-3109
Public key: http://pgp.mit.edu
http://www.unc.edu/~adamsonj
http://trashbird1240.blogspot.com