summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/doc/emacs/msdog.texi
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/emacs/msdog.texi')
-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/msdog.texi73
1 files changed, 66 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/doc/emacs/msdog.texi b/doc/emacs/msdog.texi
index 4be67aa31de..d4ee8463e5c 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/msdog.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/msdog.texi
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ However, a few special considerations apply, and they are described
here.
@menu
+* Windows Startup:: How to start Emacs on Windows.
* Text and Binary:: Text files use CRLF to terminate lines.
* Windows Files:: File-name conventions on Windows.
* ls in Lisp:: Emulation of @code{ls} for Dired.
@@ -44,6 +45,68 @@ here.
@end ifnottex
@end menu
+@node Windows Startup
+@section How to Start Emacs on MS-Windows
+@cindex starting Emacs on MS-Windows
+
+ There are several ways of starting Emacs on MS-Windows:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+@pindex runemacs.exe
+@cindex desktop shortcut, MS-Windows
+@cindex start directory, MS-Windows
+@cindex directory where Emacs starts on MS-Windows
+From the desktop shortcut icon: either double-click the left mouse
+button on the icon, or click once, then press @key{RET}. The desktop
+shortcut should specify as its ``Target'' (in the ``Properties'' of
+the shortcut) the full absolute file name of @file{runemacs.exe},
+@emph{not} of @file{emacs.exe}. This is because @file{runemacs.exe}
+hides the console window that would have been created if the target of
+the shortcut were @file{emacs.exe} (which is a console program, as far
+as Windows is concerned). If you use this method, Emacs starts in the
+directory specified by the shortcut. To control where that is,
+right-click on the shortcut, select ``Properties'', and in the
+``Shortcut'' tab modify the ``Start in'' field to your liking.
+
+@item
+From the Command Prompt window, by typing @kbd{emacs @key{RET}} at the
+prompt. The Command Prompt window where you did that will not be
+available for invoking other commands until Emacs exits. In this
+case, Emacs will start in the current directory of the Windows shell.
+
+@item
+From the Command Prompt window, by typing @kbd{runemacs @key{RET}} at
+the prompt. The Command Prompt window where you did that will be
+immediately available for invoking other commands. In this case,
+Emacs will start in the current directory of the Windows shell.
+
+@item
+@cindex invoking Emacs from Windows Explorer
+@pindex emacsclient.exe
+@pindex emacsclientw.exe
+Via the Emacs client program, @file{emacsclient.exe} or
+@file{emacsclientw.exe}. This allows to invoke Emacs from other
+programs, and to reuse a running Emacs process for serving editing
+jobs required by other programs. @xref{Emacs Server}. The difference
+between @file{emacsclient.exe} and @file{emacsclientw.exe} is that the
+former waits for Emacs to signal that the editing job is finished,
+while the latter does not wait. Which one of them to use in each case
+depends on the expectations of the program that needs editing
+services. If the program will use the edited files, it needs to wait
+for Emacs, so you should use @file{emacsclient.exe}. By contrast, if
+the results of editing are not needed by the invoking program, you
+will be better off using @file{emacsclientw.exe}. A notable situation
+where you would want @file{emacsclientw.exe} is when you right-click
+on a file in the Windows Explorer and select ``Open With'' from the
+pop-up menu. Use the @samp{--alternate-editor=} or @samp{-a} options
+if Emacs might not be running (or not running as a server) when
+@command{emacsclient} is invoked---that will always give you an
+editor. When invoked via @command{emacsclient}, Emacs will start in
+the current directory of the program that invoked
+@command{emacsclient}.
+@end enumerate
+
@node Text and Binary
@section Text Files and Binary Files
@cindex text and binary files on MS-DOS/MS-Windows
@@ -342,6 +405,9 @@ Windows 2K/XP and later, and either @file{C:\WINDOWS\Application Data}
or @file{C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\@var{username}\Application Data} on the
older Windows 9X/ME systems.
+ @code{HOME} can also be set in the system registry, for details see
+@ref{MS-Windows Registry}.
+
@cindex init file @file{.emacs} on MS-Windows
The home directory is where your init file @file{.emacs} is stored.
When Emacs starts, it first checks whether the environment variable
@@ -373,13 +439,6 @@ names, the Windows port of Emacs supports an alternative name
@file{_emacs} as a fallback, if such a file exists in the home
directory, whereas @file{.emacs} does not.
-@cindex start directory, MS-Windows
-@cindex directory where Emacs starts on MS-Windows
- If you use a Windows desktop shortcut to start Emacs, it starts in
-the directory specified by the shortcut. To control where that is,
-right-click on the shortcut, select ``Properties'', and in the
-``Shortcut'' tab modify the ``Start in'' field to your liking.
-
@node Windows Keyboard
@section Keyboard Usage on MS-Windows
@cindex keyboard, MS-Windows