Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Joe Fineman]

I can bind commands to the following odd combinations using M-x
global-set-key, but I cannot figure out how to express the same
bindings in Elisp for inclusion in .emacs:

C-; ("\C-\;" gives "Invalid modifier in string")
C-<tab> ("\C-\t" gives the same)
M-<left>
M-<up>

What am I missing?
-- 
---  Joe Fineman    joe_f@verizon.net

||:  Vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of taste.  :||

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Katsumi Yamaoka]

>>>>> In <ufylsif3h.fsf@verizon.net> Joe Fineman wrote:

> I can bind commands to the following odd combinations using M-x
> global-set-key, but I cannot figure out how to express the same
> bindings in Elisp for inclusion in .emacs:

> C-; ("\C-\;" gives "Invalid modifier in string")
> C-<tab> ("\C-\t" gives the same)
> M-<left>
> M-<up>

You can use:

(global-set-key [(control ?\;)] 'COMMAND)
(global-set-key [(control tab)] 'COMMAND)
(global-set-key [(meta left)] 'COMMAND)
(global-set-key [(meta up)] 'COMMAND)

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Alan Mackenzie]

Joe Fineman <joe_f@verizon.net> wrote on Thu, 09 Mar 2006 01:25:36 GMT:
> I can bind commands to the following odd combinations using M-x
> global-set-key, but I cannot figure out how to express the same
> bindings in Elisp for inclusion in .emacs:

> C-; ("\C-\;" gives "Invalid modifier in string")
> C-<tab> ("\C-\t" gives the same)
> M-<left>
> M-<up>

> What am I missing?

Probably comprehensive and clear documentation.  However, as a
workaround, do M-x global-set-key, then C-x <esc> <esc>.  This will give
you a working Lisp form to stick into your .emacs.

> ---  Joe Fineman

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)
Email: aacm@muuc.dee; to decode, wherever there is a repeated letter
(like "aa"), remove half of them (leaving, say, "a").

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 09.03.2006 um 01:25 schrieb Joe Fineman:

> What am I missing?

Practise.

Bind your key interactively. Then repeat this last command without  
executing it but writing it into .emacs:

	C-x Esc Esc C-a C-k C-g C-x f ~/.emacs RET C-y RET C-x C-s


Since I know this procedure already by heart: couldn't someone put a  
function 'put-last-interactive-key-binding-into-dot-emacs' into the  
GNU Emacs code?! It could reduce traffic on this list by 1%.

--
Greetings

   Pete

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new  
discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's  
funny..." [Isaac Asimov]

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Kevin Rodgers]

Joe Fineman wrote:
> I can bind commands to the following odd combinations using M-x
> global-set-key, but I cannot figure out how to express the same
> bindings in Elisp for inclusion in .emacs:
> 
> C-; ("\C-\;" gives "Invalid modifier in string")
> C-<tab> ("\C-\t" gives the same)
> M-<left>
> M-<up>
> 
> What am I missing?

The [Customizing] Key Bindings node of the Emacs manual has a subnode
called Init Rebinding (aka Rebinding Keys in Your Init File), which
explains that non-ASCII characters such as `C-;' and `C-TAB' must be
represented using the more general vector (vs. string) notation:
[?\C-;] and [?\C-\t]
[M-left] and [M-up]

Note that since <left> and <up> are function keys, not characters,
M-<left> and M-<right> are modified function keys, not characters.

The Changing Key Bindings node of the Emacs Lisp manual describes an
alternate syntax: '(control ?;) and '(control ?\t) or '(control tab)
'(meta left) and '(meta up)

Finally, there is the kbd function: (kbd "C-;") and (kbd "C-TAB")
(kbd "M-<left>") and (kbd "M-<up>")

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Kevin Rodgers]

My first reply could have been formatted a little more clearly, and as
Katsumi Yamaoka pointed out the semicolon should generally be escaped in
Emacs Lisp:

The [Customizing] Key Bindings node of the Emacs manual has a subnode
called Init Rebinding (aka Rebinding Keys in Your Init File), which
explains that non-ASCII characters such as `C-;' and `C-TAB' must be
represented using the more general vector (vs. string) notation:

[?\C-\;] and [?\C-\t]

Since <left> and <up> are function keys, not characters,
M-<left> and M-<right> are modified function keys (not characters):

[M-left] and [M-up]

The Changing Key Bindings node of the Emacs Lisp manual describes an
alternate syntax:

'(control ?\;) and '(control ?\t) or '(control tab)
'(meta left) and '(meta up)

Finally, there is the kbd function:

(kbd "C-\;") and (kbd "C-TAB")
(kbd "M-<left>") and (kbd "M-<up>")

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: Problems binding odd C- & M-keys in Elisp

[Joe Fineman]

Thanks to all of you who informed me of various solutions.
-- 
---  Joe Fineman    joe_f@verizon.net

||:  Young fool, old foolishness.  :||