Xah Emacs Blog Archive 2013-06
New Syntax Coloring in Emacs Tutorial
New, the whole site's emacs lisp syntax coloring is done with Xah ELISP Mode.
See here Emacs Lisp Examples for samples of syntax coloring.
please support the site by Buy Xah Emacs Tutorial or pledge for emacs lisp projects
http://pledgie.com/campaigns/19973
. Thanks.
Emacs: Insert Random Number or String 🚀
ELisp: Read File Content as String
Emacs: Abbrev Mode by Lisp Code (updated)
Emacs: Escape Quotes Command 🚀
How to update packages? See updated: Emacs: Install Package with ELPA/MELPA.
Matthew L Fidler is really taking ErgoEmacs seriously. There are so many fixes and improvements over the past month since i last mentioned it here. Thanks Matthew. Get the latest version on MELPA. Emacs: Install Package with ELPA/MELPA
there's some interest on Reddit about emacs zippy. So, here it is, on its own page. Emacs: Zippy the Pinhead
Emacs: Xah Dired Mode (xah-dired.el) (updated)
ELisp: Chinese Char To Reference Link (updated)
Lisp vs Perl Syntax, the Cult Problem
Search Unicode Character
not emacs, but might be interesting. Unicode Search 🔎 . Pure JavaScript implementation. No JavaScript library used.
You can search Unicode by name in emacs too. See: Emacs: Unicode Tutorial.
Emacs Projects Proposal: Language Aware Modes for Emacs Lisp, HTML5, CSS
remember, am proposing several emacs projects.
the HTML5 mode, and emacs lisp mode, and CSS mode, are going to be semantic unit based editor. That is, any keystroke you type, work on the semantic unit of the language. So, it is IMPOSSIBLE to create invalid syntax when you use the mode.
also, a new idea is that it'll completely eliminate any form of manual formatting. You NEVER need to press Tab or Space or Return for the sake of aligning your code to make it pretty. NEVER. Instead, you press a button, then the current code block is automatically formatted, in a standard convention or in a preference you set up. Another button format the entire buffer, etc.
another “new” idea, is that these modes's coloring are “mostly” keyword based. That means, if it's colored in a particular way, you know for sure it's a particular type or word of the language. If it is not colored, you know for sure it's not a core language keyword, or that you had a typo. In other words, the coloring are tied to semantics of the core language, not in other aspect of “helping you code”. This feature is already done in HTML, CSS, emacs lisp, modes, but need to polish details (such as possibly not coloring inside comment or string).
There will be complete support for keyword or form completion. So, working in a lang, any form or structure of the language are inserted automatically as you type or call a command. I aim for a complete system, and aim to not rely on yasnippet mode or auto-complete-mode.
Your help is appreciated. Please support here:
http://pledgie.com/campaigns/19973
. Vote for the one you want the most. But, if i get funding, it's likely i'll have at least 3 of the projects done reasonably well.
My video presentation isn't well done, as i'm not skilled and well prepared in making video presentation. I hope you support it, and tell it to friends.
My yearly income from 2005 to now is about 2 thousand dollars per year. And, this year, my brother stopped supporting me, so am in a emergency situation for survival. Need to come up with $1500 per month, and job hunting hasn't been smooth. (i sold my car 2 years ago, dried my 401k savings 2 years ago, i live on a $3 food per day, and i haven't seen a doctor for a decade. I'm about as good as the homeless on the street.)
Functional Programing: the Jargon Lambda in Decline
a convenient command, buried in a criticism. Emacs: Letter-Case Commands Usability Problems. Updated article. Thanks to Keith David Bershatsky for comment.
emacs key poll: C-c and C-x
list 10 commands in #emacs you use the most.
- 5 that start with C-c key. (any mode)
- 5 that starts with C-x key.
(or more than 5 if you want. You can just write down the key, but with the mode's name.)
post yours on blogger linked below:
or at https://plus.google.com/113859563190964307534/posts/8EDEwzqZG4F
See also: Emacs's Command Frequency
Emacs: Byte Compile Elisp Files (updated)
Emacs: Organize Init File (updated)
Emacs: M-x customize Tutorial (updated)
Emacs: View Info Page (updated)
ELisp: Create Sitemap (updated)
Emacs cua-mode Keybinding Problems
if you bought my emacs tutorial years ago, you are probably not on the update announcement list. Please email to Xah@XahLee.org with subject “emacs tutorial update”. Thanks.
vi Keybinding vs Emacs Keybinding
Emacs: HTML, Lines to Table 🚀 (updated)
Richard Stallman on Open Source (~2009)
new version of emacs tutorial. If you are a scientist, or other fields but are not a dedicated professional programmer reading lots emacs blogs, then this tutorial just might help you get all the fundamentals of emacs and emacs lisp quickly. Buy Xah Emacs Tutorial. Thank you for support.
in emacs 24.3, the name ucs-insert is now alias to insert-char. A great change.
That command lets you insert Unicode character, or any character. [see Emacs: Unicode Tutorial]
Unicode: Character Representation, ASCII Character Symbols. Note that emacs heavily uses caret notation, and unprintable ASCII chars are heavily used in terminal.
Emacs: Copy Rectangle Region to kill-ring 🚀 (oldish article. Now on a page by itself.)
Emacs: Edit Column Text, Rectangle (updated.)
Emacs: Copy to Register 1 🚀 (old article, updated. A convenient command, and good for elisp beginners. )
Emacs: Copy Paste, kill-ring (old article, revised.)
after using mechanical keyboard for a few months, rubber dome keyboard becomes so hard to press.
http://xahlee.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-effect-of-keyboard-hardware-on-your.html
not emacs related, but my random opinion that touches on lisp. see JavaScript Book by David Flanagan, and Man-made Complexity in Computer Language
for hand health advice, trust professional typists
A professional typist, a court reporter, Joe, replied a article on typing. See:
[http://xahlee.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-myth-qwerty-dvorak-keyboard-layout.html?showComment=1370847889291 accessed on 2013-06-10]
when it comes to typing and hand health, put weight on professional typist's opinions. Because, they actually type a order of magnitude more than programers.
Emacs: Why Does Cursor Move into Prompt by Default?
GNU bug report logs - #988: cursor runs over prompt in minibuffer; suggestion on default At http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=988
Emacs Init: Stop Cursor Going into Minibuffer Prompt
old article. Updated. My Experience of GNU Emacs vs XEmacs (2007)
updated. elisp tutorial. Very useful. ELisp: Multi-Pair String Replacement with Report
Why running shell inside emacs is good. See: Linux: Record a Terminal Session, Logging Shell Output
Got a very nice accolade for ErgoEmacs keybinding from a emacs oldbie, at ErgoEmacs forum. Thank you Paul Michael Reilly. (and thanks to David Capello and Matthew L Fidler for taking it much further than i can.)
The Classic Microsoft Natural Keyboard is Discontinued
The classic Microsoft Natural keyboard is discontinued. Get a few of them while they are still out there.
Chances are, in a year or two, you'll see the price rise to a few hundred. That's usually the case with good but discontinued products.
In my 5 years experience of using this and the Microsoft 4000, i think this is actually better. The 4000 got stiff space bar problem.
some programers, say that the best way to avoid typing injury is not to touch-type. Updated article: Bad Advice on Typing and Keyboard from Programers. What do you think?
If you use emacs in terminal, this is good to know: Linux: Terminal Control Sequence Keys (tty, stty) ⌨
How Many Keystrokes Programers Type a Day?
For Mac users, a new keyboard designed for Mac. Compact, and mechanical keys. Keyboard: Matias Mini Tactile Pro
updated. Linux: Bash Manual in Chapters
updated. Symbols for {Super, Hyper, Meta} keys. Unicode: Keyboard Symbols ⌘ ↵ ⌫. See also: Emacs Keys: Super Hyper.