3.3.1 The help command

Help

Editor Command

Options: See below
Key sequence: Ctrl+H option

Provides on-line help. Depending on what information the user has and the type of information required, one of the following options should be selected after invoking the Help command. In most cases a Help command plus option can also be invoked by an extended editor command.

A brief summary of the help options is given directly below, with more detailed information following.

?

Display a list of help options.

q or n

Quit help.

a string

Display a list of symbols whose names match string, in a Symbol Browser tool.

b

Display a list of key bindings and associated commands.

c key

Display the command to which key is bound.

d command

Describe the editor command.

Ctrl+D command

Bring up the on-line version of this manual for command.

g object

Invoke the appropriate describe object command.

k key

Describe the command to which key is bound.

Ctrl+K key

Bring up the on-line version of this manual for key.

l

describe the last 60 keys typed.

v variable

Describe variable and show its current value.

Ctrl+V variable

Bring up the on-line version of this manual for variable.

w command

Display the key sequence to which command is bound.

Apropos Command

Editor Command

Arguments: string
Key sequence: None

Displays a list of editor commands, variables, and attributes whose names contain string, in a Help window.

Editor command, variable and attribute names tend to follow patterns which becomes apparent as you look through this manual. For example, commands which perform operations on files tend to contain the string file, that is, Find File, Save File, Print File and so forth.

Use this form of help when you know what you would like to do, but do not know a specific command to do it.

What Command

Editor Command

Arguments: key
Key sequence: Ctrl+H C key

Displays the command to which key is bound. For a more detailed description of key use the command Describe Key.

Use this form of help when you know a default binding but want to know the command name.

Note: this command is also available via the menu command Help > Editing > Key to Command.

Describe Command

Editor Command

Arguments: command
Key sequence: Ctrl+H D command

Describes the editor command command. Full documentation of that command is printed in a Help window.

Use this form of help when you know a command name and require full details of that command.

Document Command

Editor Command

Arguments: command
Key sequence: Ctrl+H Ctrl+D command

Brings up the on-line version of this manual at the entry for command .

The documentation in the on-line manual differs from the editor on-line help (as produced by Describe Command), but provides similar information. If you are used to the layout and definitions provided in this manual then use this help command instead of Ctrl+H D.

Generic Describe

Editor Command

Arguments: object
Key sequence: Ctrl+H G object

Describes object, where object may take the value command , key , attribute or variable.

If object is command, key or variable then the command Describe Command, Describe Key or Describe Editor Variable is invoked respectively.

There is no corresponding describe command if the object is attribute. Attributes are things such as word delimiters, Lisp syntax and parse field separators. If you are not sure of the attributes documented remember that you can press Tab to display a completion list.

Describe Key

Editor Command

Arguments: key
Key sequence: Ctrl+H K key

Describes the command to which key is bound. Full documentation of that command is printed in a Help window.

Use this form of help when you know a default binding and require the command name plus full details of that command.

Document Key

Editor Command

Arguments: key
Key sequence: Ctrl+H Ctrl+K key

Brings up the on-line version of this manual at the entry for key .

The documentation in the on-line manual differs slightly from the editor on-line help but usually provides you with the same amount of information. If you are used to the layout and definitions provided in this manual then use this help command instead of Describe Key.

What Lossage

Editor Command

Arguments: None
Key sequence: Ctrl+H L

Displays the last 60 keys typed.

Describe Editor Variable

Editor Command

Arguments: variable
Key sequence: Ctrl+H V variable

Describes variable and prints its current value in a Help window.

Use this form of help when you know a variable name and require a description of that variable and/or its current value.

Document Variable

Editor Command

Arguments: variable
Key sequence: Ctrl+H Ctrl+V variable

Brings up the on-line version of this manual at the entry for variable .

The documentation in the on-line manual differs slightly from the editor on-line help but usually provides you with the same amount of information. If you are used to the layout and definitions provided in this manual then use this help command instead of Describe Editor Variable.

Where Is

Editor Command

Arguments: command
Key sequence: Ctrl+H W command

Displays the key sequence to which command is bound.

Use this form of help if you know a command name and wish to find the bindings for that command. If no binding exists then a message to this effect is returned.

Note: this command is also available via the menu command Help > Editing > Command to Key.

Describe Bindings

Editor Command

Arguments: None
Key sequence: Ctrl+H B

Displays a list of key bindings and associated commands in a Help window. First the minor and major mode bindings for the current buffer are printed, then the global bindings.