Learning GNU Emacs, Second Edition

Appendix I. Glossary

abbrev mode

A mode in which you define abbreviations that are automatically replaced when you type them. You might define abbreviations for phrases, long words, or common misspellings. Emacs’s abbreviation facility, also found in vi, is similar to, but significantly predates, features like auto-text in Microsoft Word. For more information on abbrev mode, see Chapter 3.

ange-ftp mode

An easy-to-use interface to the file transfer protocol (FTP) written by Andy Norman. You use the find-file command to find files and directories on the Internet or other networks just as if they were on the local system. To specify a remote file, type /user@systemname:/pathtofile/filename. The slash at the beginning and the colon between the system name and path are easy to forget, and ange-ftp mode won’t work without them. If you omit the path and filename, Emacs uses Dired to display the top directory on the remote system. Rather than using FTP commands to retrieve files, you can display them or copy them using Dired commands. Ange-ftp mode, then, is useful for looking at files as well as downloading them. As of Emacs 19.29, ange-ftp mode is included in the Emacs distribution.

auto-fill mode

A minor mode in which Emacs does word wrap. When you reach the end of a line and auto-fill mode is on, you can keep typing and Emacs puts in RETURNs appropriately. Auto-fill mode is off by default.

auto-save file ( #file#)

Emacs periodically saves your buffer in a temporary file called ...