Linux Foundation

Working with emacs

Key Usage
emacs myfile Start emacs and edit myfile
Ctrl-x i Insert prompted for file at current position
Ctrl-x s Write to the file keeping current name
Ctrl-x Ctrl-w Write to the file giving a new name when prompted
Ctrl-x Ctrl-s Write to all files currently being worked on and exit
Ctrl-x Ctrl-c Exit after being prompted if there any unwritten modified files

Changing Cursor Positions

Key Usage
arrow keys Use the arrow keys for up, down, left and right
Ctrl-n one line down
Ctrl-p one line up
Ctrl-f one character left
Ctrl-b one character right
Ctrl-a move to beginning of line
Ctrl-e move to end of line
E-f move to beginning of next word
E-b move back to beginning of preceding word
E-< move to beginning of file
E-x goto-line n move to line n
E-> move to end of file
Ctrl-v or Page Down move forward one page
E-v or Page Up move backward one page
Ctrl-l refresh and center screen

Searching for Text

Key Usage
Ctrl-s search forward for prompted for pattern, or for next pattern

| Ctrl-r | search backwards for prompted for pattern, or for next pattern | |—|—|

Working with Text

Key Usage
Ctrl-o Insert a blank line.
Ctrl-d Delete character at current position.
Ctrl-k Delete the rest of the current line.
Ctrl-_ Undo the previous operation.
Ctrl- space Mark the beginning of the selected region. The end will be at the cursor position.
Ctrl-w Delete the current marked text and write it to the buffer.
Ctrl-y Insert at current cursor location whatever was most recently deleted