3.3 Help

3.3.1 The help command

Help

Editor Command

Options: See below
Key sequence: Ctrl+Hoption

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 theHelp command. In most cases aHelp 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 orn

Quit help.

a string

Display a list of commands whose names contain string.

ckey

Display the command to which key is bound.

dcommand

Describe the editor command.

Ctrl+Dcommand

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

gobject

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

Editor Command

: Arguments: string
Key sequence:Ctrl+H Astring
: 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 stringfile, 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 commandDescribe Key.
: Use this form of help when you know a default binding but want to know the command name.

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+Dcommand
: 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 byDescribe Command), but provides similar information. If you are used to the layout and definitions provided in this manual then use this help command instead ofCtrl+H D.

Generic Describe

Editor Command

: Arguments: object
Key sequence:Ctrl+H Gobject
: Describes object, where object may take the value command, key, attribute or variable.
: If object is command, key or variable then the commandDescribe 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 thatTab can be used to provide a completion list.

Describe Key

Editor Command

: Arguments: key
Key sequence:Ctrl+H Kkey
: 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 ofDescribe 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+Vvariable
: 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 ofDescribe 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.