Frequently asked questions about XEmacs: Table of Contents

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[Contents]

[Index]

[ ? ]

1 Introduction, Policy, Credits

1.0: Introduction

Q1.0.1: What is XEmacs?

Q1.0.2: What is the current version of XEmacs?

Q1.0.3: Where can I find it?

Q1.0.4: Why Another Version of Emacs?

Q1.0.5: Why Haven't XEmacs and GNU Emacs Merged?

Q1.0.6: Where can I get help?

Q1.0.7: Where are the mailing lists archived?

Q1.0.8: How do you pronounce XEmacs?

Q1.0.9: What does XEmacs look like?

Q1.0.10: Is there a port of XEmacs to Microsoft ('95 or NT)?

Q1.0.11: Is there a port of XEmacs to the Macintosh?

Q1.0.12: Is there a port of XEmacs to NextStep?

Q1.0.13: Is there a port of XEmacs to OS/2?

Q1.0.14: Where can I obtain a printed copy of the XEmacs User's Manual?

1.1: Policies

Q1.1.1: What is the FAQ editorial policy?

Q1.1.2: How do I become a Beta Tester?

Q1.1.3: How do I contribute to XEmacs itself?

1.2: Credits

Q1.2.1: Who wrote XEmacs?

Q1.2.2: Who contributed to this version of the FAQ?

Q1.2.3: Who contributed to the FAQ in the past?

1.3: Internationalization

Q1.3.1: What is the status of internationalization support aka MULE (including Asian language support?

Q1.3.2: How can I help with internationalization?

Q1.3.3: How do I type non-ASCII characters?

Q1.3.4: Can XEmacs messages come out in a different language?

Q1.3.5: Please explain the various input methods in MULE/XEmacs

Q1.3.6: How do I portably code for MULE/XEmacs?

Q1.3.7: How about Cyrillic Modes?

Q1.3.8: Does XEmacs support Unicode?

Q1.3.9: How does XEmacs display Unicode?

1.4: Getting Started, Backing up & Recovery

Q1.4.1: What is an `init.el' or `.emacs' and is there a sample one?

Q1.4.2: Can I use the same `init.el'/`.emacs' with the other Emacs?

Q1.4.3: Any good tutorials around?

Q1.4.4: May I see an example of a useful XEmacs Lisp function?

Q1.4.5: And how do I bind it to a key?

Q1.4.6: What's the difference between a macro and a function?

2 Installation and Trouble Shooting

2.0: Installation

Q2.0.1: Running XEmacs without installing

Q2.0.2: XEmacs is too big

Q2.0.3: Compiling XEmacs with Netaudio.

Q2.0.4: Problems with Linux and ncurses.

Q2.0.5: Do I need X11 to run XEmacs?

Q2.0.6: I'm having strange crashes. What do I do?

Q2.0.7: Libraries in non-standard locations

Q2.0.8: can't resolve symbol _h_errno

Q2.0.9: Where do I find external libraries?

Q2.0.10: After I run configure I find a core dump, is something wrong?

Q2.0.11: XEmacs doesn't resolve hostnames.

Q2.0.12: Why can't I strip XEmacs?

Q2.0.13: I don't need no steenkin' packages. Do I?

Q2.0.14: How do I figure out which packages to install?

Q2.0.15: EFS fails with "500 AUTH not understood" (NEW)

Q2.0.16: Cygwin XEmacs won't start: cygXpm-noX4.dll was not found (NEW)

2.1: Trouble Shooting

Q2.1.1: Help! XEmacs just crashed on me!

Q2.1.2: Cryptic Minibuffer messages.

Q2.1.3: Translation Table Syntax messages at Startup

Q2.1.4: Startup warnings about deducing proper fonts?

Q2.1.5: XEmacs cannot connect to my X Terminal!

Q2.1.6: XEmacs just locked up my Linux X server!

Q2.1.7: HP Alt key as Meta.

Q2.1.8: got (wrong-type-argument color-instance-p nil)

Q2.1.9: XEmacs causes my OpenWindows 3.0 server to crash.

Q2.1.10: Warnings from incorrect key modifiers.

Q2.1.11: `Can't instantiate image error...' in toolbar

Q2.1.12: Problems with Regular Expressions on DEC OSF1.

Q2.1.13: HP/UX 10.10 and create_process failure.

Q2.1.14: C-g doesn't work for me. Is it broken?

Q2.1.15: How to debug an XEmacs problem with a debugger

Q2.1.16: XEmacs crashes in strcat on HP/UX 10

Q2.1.17: `Marker does not point anywhere'

Q2.1.18: XEmacs is outputting lots of X errors.

Q2.1.19: XEmacs does not follow the local timezone.

Q2.1.20: `Symbol's function definition is void: hkey-help-show.'

Q2.1.21: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q2.1.22: XEmacs seems to take a really long time to do some things

Q2.1.23: Movemail on Linux does not work for XEmacs 19.15 and later.

Q2.1.24: XEmacs won't start without network.

Q2.1.25:: After upgrading, XEmacs won't do `foo' any more!

3 Customization and Options

3.0: Customization -- Emacs Lisp and `init.el'/`.emacs'

Q3.0.1: What version of Emacs am I running?

Q3.0.2: How can I evaluate Emacs-Lisp expressions?

Q3.0.3: (setq tab-width 6) behaves oddly.

Q3.0.4: How can I add directories to the load-path?

Q3.0.5: How to check if a lisp function is defined?

Q3.0.6: Can I force the output of (face-list) to a buffer?

Q3.0.7: Font selections in don't get saved after Save Options.

Q3.0.8: How do I get a single minibuffer frame?

Q3.0.9: What is Customize?

3.1: X Window System & Resources

Q3.1.1: Where is a list of X resources?

Q3.1.2: How can I detect a color display?

Q3.1.3: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q3.1.4: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q3.1.5: How can I get the icon to just say `XEmacs'?

Q3.1.6: How can I have the window title area display the full path?

Q3.1.7: `xemacs -name junk' doesn't work?

Q3.1.8: `-iconic' doesn't work.

3.2: Textual Fonts & Colors

Q3.2.1: How can I set color options from `init.el'/`.emacs'?

Q3.2.2: How do I set the text, menu and modeline fonts?

Q3.2.3: How can I set the colors when highlighting a region?

Q3.2.4: How can I limit color map usage?

Q3.2.5: My tty supports color, but XEmacs doesn't use them.

Q3.2.6: Can I have pixmap backgrounds in XEmacs?

Q3.2.7: How do I display non-ASCII characters?

3.3: The Modeline

Q3.3.1: How can I make the modeline go away?

Q3.3.2: How do you have XEmacs display the line number in the modeline?

Q3.3.3: How do I get XEmacs to put the time of day on the modeline?

Q3.3.4: How do I turn off current chapter from AUC TeX modeline?

Q3.3.5: How can one change the modeline color based on the mode used?

3.4: Multiple Device Support

Q3.4.1: How do I open a frame on another screen of my multi-headed display?

Q3.4.2: Can I really connect to a running XEmacs after calling up over a modem? How?

3.5: The Keyboard

Q3.5.1: How can I bind complex functions (or macros) to keys?

Q3.5.2: How can I stop down-arrow from adding empty lines to the bottom of my buffers?

Q3.5.3: How do I bind C-. and C-; to scroll one line up and down?

Q3.5.4: Globally binding Delete?

Q3.5.5: Scrolling one line at a time.

Q3.5.6: How to map Help key alone on Sun type4 keyboard?

Q3.5.7: How can you type in special characters in XEmacs?

Q3.5.8: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q3.5.9: How do I make the Delete key delete forward?

Q3.5.10: Can I turn on sticky modifier keys?

Q3.5.11: How do I map the arrow keys?

3.6: The Cursor

Q3.6.1: Is there a way to make the bar cursor thicker?

Q3.6.2: Is there a way to get back the block cursor?

Q3.6.3: Can I make the cursor blink?

3.7: The Mouse and Highlighting

Q3.7.1: How can I turn off Mouse pasting?

Q3.7.2: How do I set control/meta/etc modifiers on mouse buttons?

Q3.7.3: Clicking the left button does not do anything in buffer list.

Q3.7.4: How can I get a list of buffers when I hit mouse button 3?

Q3.7.5: Why does cut-and-paste not work between XEmacs and a cmdtool?

Q3.7.6: How I can set XEmacs up so that it pastes where the text cursor is?

Q3.7.7: How do I select a rectangular region?

Q3.7.8: Why does M-w take so long?

3.8: The Menubar and Toolbar

Q3.8.1: How do I get rid of the menu (or menubar)?

Q3.8.2: Can I customize the basic menubar?

Q3.8.3: How do I control how many buffers are listed in the menu Buffers List?

Q3.8.4: Resources like Emacs*menubar*font are not working?

Q3.8.5: How can I bind a key to a function to toggle the toolbar?

3.9: Scrollbars

Q3.9.1: How can I disable the scrollbar?

Q3.9.2: How can one use resources to change scrollbar colors?

Q3.9.3: Moving the scrollbar can move the point; can I disable this?

Q3.9.4: How can I turn off automatic horizontal scrolling in specific modes?

3.10: Text Selections

Q3.10.1: How can I turn off or change highlighted selections?

Q3.10.2: How do I get that typing on an active region removes it?

Q3.10.3: Can I turn off the highlight during isearch?

Q3.10.4: How do I turn off highlighting after C-x C-p (mark-page)?

Q3.10.5: The region disappears when I hit the end of buffer while scrolling.

Q3.10.6: Why is killing so slow?

4 Major Subsystems

4.0: Reading Mail with VM

Q4.0.1: How do I set up VM to retrieve mail from a remote site using POP?

Q4.0.2: How do I get VM to filter mail for me?

Q4.0.3: How can I get VM to automatically check for new mail?

Q4.0.4: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q4.0.5: How do I get my outgoing mail archived?

Q4.0.6: I have various addresses at which I receive mail. How can I tell VM to ignore them when doing a "reply-all"?

Q4.0.7: Is there a mailing list or FAQ for VM?

Q4.0.8: Remote mail reading with VM.

Q4.0.9: rmail or VM gets an error incorporating new mail.

Q4.0.10: How do I make VM stay in a single frame?

Q4.0.11: How do I make VM or mh-e display graphical smilies?

Q4.0.12: Customization of VM not covered in the manual, or here.

4.1: Web browsing with W3

Q4.1.1: What is W3?

Q4.1.2: How do I run W3 from behind a firewall?

Q4.1.3: Is it true that W3 supports style sheets and tables?

4.2: Reading Netnews and Mail with Gnus

Q4.2.1: GNUS, (ding) Gnus, Gnus 5, September Gnus, Red Gnus, Quassia Gnus, argh!

Q4.2.2: This question intentionally left blank.

Q4.2.3: How do I make Gnus stay within a single frame?

Q4.2.4: How do I customize the From: line?

4.3: Other Mail & News

Q4.3.1: How can I read and/or compose MIME messages?

Q4.3.2: What is TM and where do I get it?

Q4.3.3: Why isn't this movemail program working?

Q4.3.4: Movemail is also distributed by Netscape? Can that cause problems?

Q4.3.5: Where do I find pstogif (required by tm)?

4.4: Sparcworks, EOS, and WorkShop

Q4.4.1: What is SPARCworks, EOS, and WorkShop?

Q4.4.2: How do I start the Sun Workshop support in XEmacs 21?

4.5: Energize

Q4.5.1: What is/was Energize?

4.6: Infodock

Q4.6.1: What is Infodock?

4.7: Other Unbundled Packages

Q4.7.1: What is AUC TeX? Where do you get it?

Q4.7.2: Are there any Emacs Lisp Spreadsheets?

Q4.7.3: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q4.7.4: Problems installing AUC TeX.

Q4.7.5: Is there a reason for an Emacs package not to be included in XEmacs?

Q4.7.5: Is there a MatLab mode?

Q4.7.7: Can I edit files on other hosts?

5 The Miscellaneous Stuff

5.0: Major & Minor Modes

Q5.0.1: How can I do source code highlighting using font-lock?

Q5.0.2: I do not like cc-mode. How do I use the old c-mode?

Q5.0.3: How do I get `More' Syntax Highlighting on by default?

Q5.0.4: How can I enable auto-indent and/or Filladapt?

Q5.0.5: How can I get XEmacs to come up in text/auto-fill mode by default?

Q5.0.6: How do I start up a second shell buffer?

Q5.0.7: Telnet from shell filters too much

Q5.0.8: Why does edt emulation not work?

Q5.0.9: How can I emulate VI and use it as my default mode?

Q5.0.10: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q5.0.11: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q5.0.12: How do I disable gnuserv from opening a new frame?

Q5.0.13: How do I start gnuserv so that each subsequent XEmacs is a client?

Q5.0.14: Strange things are happening in Shell Mode.

Q5.0.15: Where do I get the latest CC Mode?

Q5.0.16: I find auto-show-mode disconcerting. How do I turn it off?

Q5.0.17: How can I get two instances of info?

Q5.0.18: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q5.0.19: Is there something better than LaTeX mode?

Q5.0.20: Is there a way to start a new XEmacs if there's no gnuserv running, and otherwise use gnuclient?

5.1: Emacs Lisp Programming Techniques

Q5.1.1: What is the difference in key sequences between XEmacs and GNU Emacs?

Q5.1.2: Can I generate "fake" keyboard events?

Q5.1.3: Could you explain read-kbd-macro in more detail?

Q5.1.4: What is the performance hit of let?

Q5.1.5: What is the recommended use of setq?

Q5.1.6: What is the typical misuse of setq ?

Q5.1.7: I like the do form of cl, does it slow things down?

Q5.1.8: I like recursion, does it slow things down?

Q5.1.9: How do I put a glyph as annotation in a buffer?

Q5.1.10: map-extents won't traverse all of my extents!

Q5.1.11: My elisp program is horribly slow. Is there

Q5.2.1: How do I turn off the sound?

Q5.2.2: How do I get funky sounds instead of a boring beep?

Q5.2.3: What's NAS, how do I get it?

Q5.2.4: Sunsite sounds don't play.

5.3: Miscellaneous

Q5.3.1: How do you make XEmacs indent CL if-clauses correctly?

Q5.3.2: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q5.3.3: How can I print WYSIWYG a font-locked buffer?

Q5.3.4: Getting M-x lpr to work with postscript printer.

Q5.3.5: How do I specify the paths that XEmacs uses for finding files?

Q5.3.6: [This question intentionally left blank]

Q5.3.7: Can I have the end of the buffer delimited in some way?

Q5.3.8: How do I insert today's date into a buffer?

Q5.3.9: Are only certain syntactic character classes available for abbrevs?

Q5.3.10: How can I get those oh-so-neat X-Face lines?

Q5.3.11: How do I add new Info directories?

Q5.3.12: What do I need to change to make printing work?

6 XEmacs on MS Windows

6.0: General Info

Q6.0.1: What is the status of the XEmacs port to Windows?

Q6.0.2: What flavors of MS Windows are supported? The list name implies NT only.

Q6.0.3: Are binaries available?

Q6.0.4: Can I build XEmacs on MS Windows with X support? Do I need to?

Q6.0.5: I'd like to help out. What do I do?

Q6.0.6: What are Cygwin and MinGW, and do I need them to run XEmacs?

Q6.0.7: What exactly are all the different ways to build XEmacs under Windows?

6.1: Building XEmacs on MS Windows

Q6.1.1: What compiler/libraries do I need to compile XEmacs?

Q6.1.2: How do I compile the native port?

Q6.1.3: What do I need for Cygwin?

Q6.1.4: How do I compile under Cygwin?

Q6.1.5: How do I compile using MinGW (aka `the -mno-cygwin flag to gcc')?

Q6.1.6: I decided to run with X. Where do I get an X server?

Q6.1.7: How do I compile with X support?

6.2: Customization and User Interface

Q6.2.1: How does the port cope with differences in the Windows user interface?

Q6.2.2: How do I change fonts in XEmacs on MS Windows?

Q6.2.3: Where do I put my `init.el'/`.emacs' file?

Q6.2.4: How do I get Windows Explorer to associate a file type with XEmacs?

Associating a new file type with XEmacs.

Associating an existing file type with XEmacs.

Q6.2.5: Is it possible to print from XEmacs?

6.3: Miscellaneous

Q6.3.1: Does XEmacs rename all the `win32-*' symbols to `w32-*'?

Q6.3.2: What are the differences between the various MS Windows emacsen?

Q6.3.3: XEmacs 21.1 on Windows used to spawn an ugly console window on every startup. Has that been fixed?

Q6.3.4: What is the porting team doing at the moment?

6.3: Troubleshooting

Q6.4.1 XEmacs won't start on Windows.

Q6.4.2 Why do I get a blank toolbar on Windows 95?

Q6.4.3 XEmacs complains "No such file or directory, diff"

7 What the Future Holds

7.0: Changes

Q7.0.1: What new features will be in XEmacs soon?

Q7.0.2: What's new in XEmacs 21.4?

User-visible changes in XEmacs 21.4

Lisp and internal changes in XEmacs 21.4

Q7.0.3: What's new in XEmacs 21.1?

User-visible changes in XEmacs 21.1

Lisp and internal changes in XEmacs 21.1

Q7.0.4: What's new in XEmacs 20.4?

Q7.0.5: What's new in XEmacs 20.3?

Q7.0.6: What's new in XEmacs 20.2?

8 New information about old XEmacsen

Q8.0.1: Gnus 5.10 won't display smileys in XEmacs 21.1.

This document was generated by Randy Kobes on April, 10 2004 using texi2html