Emacs: Copy/Paste from/to Register 1 🚀

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

Here's a command that lets you copy/paste text to register 1.

put this in your Emacs Init File:

(defun xah-copy-to-register-1 ()
  "Copy current line or selection to register 1.

See also:
`xah-copy-to-register-1'
`xah-append-to-register-1'
`xah-paste-from-register-1'
`xah-clear-register-1'

URL `http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/elisp_copy-paste_register_1.html'
Version: 2012-07-17 2022-10-03 2023-04-07"
  (interactive)
  (let (xp1 xp2)
    (if (region-active-p)
         (setq xp1 (region-beginning) xp2 (region-end))
      (setq xp1 (line-beginning-position) xp2 (line-end-position)))
    (copy-to-register ?1 xp1 xp2)
    (message "Copied to register 1: [%s]." (buffer-substring-no-properties xp1 xp2))))

Here's paste from register 1:

(defun xah-paste-from-register-1 ()
  "Paste text from register 1.

See also:
`xah-copy-to-register-1'
`xah-append-to-register-1'
`xah-paste-from-register-1'
`xah-clear-register-1'

URL `http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/elisp_copy-paste_register_1.html'
Version: 2015-12-08 2023-04-07"
  (interactive)
  (when (region-active-p)
    (delete-region (region-beginning) (region-end)))
  (insert-register ?1 t))

You should give them a easy key, such as Alt + 3 Alt + 4. [see Emacs: How to Define Keybinding]

Why the commands?

When you call {copy-to-register, insert-register}, each time you have to tell it which register to use. Rather annoying. [see Emacs: Copy to Register]

Most of the time all you need is one register.

The single key commands xah-copy-to-register-1 and xah-paste-from-register-1 by-pass the asking and just use register 1.

This saves you 2 key strokes and a brain cycle.

Emacs Copy/Paste