diff options
author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> | 2001-03-14 01:23:52 +0000 |
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committer | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> | 2001-03-14 01:23:52 +0000 |
commit | 9ab48fa65847c40ca0b5c438805c609ceaf347ce (patch) | |
tree | d03f6bafd72db6a7bebca551be4eecc6e18be2ae /man/basic.texi | |
parent | ed3688469091ed89559ba76c29bd6293e22b8739 (diff) | |
download | emacs-9ab48fa65847c40ca0b5c438805c609ceaf347ce.tar.gz |
Simplify the discussion of DEL. Refer to `DEL Gets Help' node
for fixing problems.
Diffstat (limited to 'man/basic.texi')
-rw-r--r-- | man/basic.texi | 19 |
1 files changed, 10 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/man/basic.texi b/man/basic.texi index c64739c6526..3349c918082 100644 --- a/man/basic.texi +++ b/man/basic.texi @@ -46,15 +46,22 @@ still before the @samp{B}. To @dfn{delete} text you have just inserted, use the large key labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE} or @key{DELETE} which is a short distance above the @key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key. This is the key you -normally use for erasing the last character that you typed. -Regardless of the actual name on the key, Emacs always thinks of it as -@key{DEL}, and that's what we call it in the manual. +normally use, outside Emacs, for erasing the last character that you +typed. Regardless of the label on that key, Emacs always thinks of it +as @key{DEL}, and that's what we call it in this manual. The @key{DEL} key deletes the character @emph{before} the cursor. As a consequence, the cursor and all the characters after it move backwards. If you type a printing character and then type @key{DEL}, they cancel out. + On most computers, Emacs recognizes automatically which key ought to +be @key{DEL}, and sets it up that way. But in some cases, especially +with text-only terminals, you will need to tell Emacs which key to use +for that purpose. If the large key not far above the @key{RET} or +@key{ENTER} key doesn't delete backwards, you need to do this. +@xref{DEL Gets Help}. + Many keyboards have both a @key{BACKSPACE} key a short ways above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere. In that case, the @key{BACKSPACE} key is @key{DEL}, and the @key{DELETE} key @@ -62,12 +69,6 @@ does something else---it deletes ``forwards,'' deleting the character after point, the one underneath the cursor, like @kbd{C-d} (see below). - On a text-only terminal, Emacs cannot automatically tell which keys -it has and where they are located. If the convenient key for deletion -is @key{BACKSPACE}, you must type @kbd{M-x -delete-key-deletes-forward-mode @key{RET}} to make that key behave as -@key{DEL}. @xref{Deletion}, for more explanation of this. - @kindex RET @cindex newline To end a line and start typing a new one, type @key{RET}. This |