All Manuals > LispWorks IDE User Guide > 3 Common Features > 3.2 Setting preferences > 3.2.2 Configuring the editor emulation

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3.2.2.2 Specifying a Meta key

Many Emacs commands are accessed via key combinations such as Meta+X , yet the Macintosh keyboard does not have a Meta key. Instead of key combinations with Meta, you can use the Esc key as described in Using the keyboard. If you do not want to use the Esc key, you can specify a key to use as Meta. To specify a Meta key, select the Emulation tab of the Editor Preferences dialog.

To specify Command as the Emacs Meta key, select The Command key acts as the Emacs Meta key .

Note: this setting prevents the Command key from performing most of its normal shortcuts. Commonly-used Macintosh key commands now invoke Emacs commands. For instance, Command+X and Command+C no longer do cut and copy. Emacs cut and copy commands are, of course, available.

To specify Alt as the Emacs Meta key, select The Alt key acts as the Emacs Meta key.

Note that this means some useful Macintosh key commands such as Alt+3 (which enters # on a UK Macintosh keyboard) are not directly available. To use such a system-defined Alt key gesture, invoke the editor command Quoted Insert followed by the gesture. For example, to enter #, type Control+Q Alt+3 . This editor command makes only the next gesture be interpreted in the system-defined way. Thereafter Alt again acts as the Emacs Meta key.


LispWorks IDE User Guide (Macintosh version) - 25 Nov 2011

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