Page 1 of 2
The Emacs Editor
In Emacs all work is accomplished by calling functions. To call a function, type "ESC x function".
Many function calls are bound to keystrokes. These tables show some keystroke bindings. Bindings in boldace are
commonly used.
Moving the Point
Key Function Description
→ forward-char Move the point forward one character
← backward-char Move the point backward one character
↓ next-line Move the point to the next line
↑ previous-line Move the point to the previous line
C-f forward-char Move the point forward one character
C-b backward-char Move the point backward one character
C-n next-line Move the point to the next line
C-p previous-line Move the point to the previous line
ESC f forward-word Move the point to the next word
ESC b backward-word Move the point to the previous word
C-a beginning-of-line Move the point to beginning of the line
C-e end-of-line Move the point to end of the line
ESC a c-beginning-of-statement Move the point to the beginning of the C statement
ESC e c-end-of-statement Move the point to the end of the C statement
PageDn scroll-up Move the point to the next page (but not with some terminal apps)
PageUp scroll-down Move the point to the previous page (but not with some terminal apps)
C-v scroll-up Move the point to the next page
ESC v scroll-down Move the point to the previous page
ESC < beginning-of-buffer Move the point to the beginning of the buffer
ESC > end-of-buffer Move the point to the end of the buffer
ESC C-a beginning-of-defun Move the point to the beginning of the C function
ESC C-e end-of-defun Move the point to the end of the C function
C-x l line goto-line Move the point to the line whose number is line
Inserting and Deleting
Key Function Description
BSP c-electric-backspace Delete the character before the point
ESC BSP backward-kill-word Delete the characters from the point to the beginning of the word
C-d c-electric-delete-forward Delete the character at the point
C-k kill-line Cut the current line
C-SP set-mark-command Set the mark at the point
C-x C-x exchange-point-and-mark Exchange the mark and the point
C-x h mark-whole-buffer Set the point at the beginning and the mark at the end of the buffer
C-w kill-region Cut the region denoted by the mark and the point
ESC w kill-ring-save Copy the region denoted by the mark and the point
C-y yank Paste the previously cut/copied region at the point
C-c . c-set-style Set the C indentation style to the specified one
TAB c-indent-command Indent the current line of the C program
ESC C-\ indent-region Indent the region of the C program denoted by the mark and the point
C-x p indent-all Indent all lines of the C program (i.e. i ndent the program perfectly)
Villanova University
CSC 2400: Computing Systems I
