From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.help
Subject: Re: easy gnuemacs questions
Date: 27 Jul 92 17:56:11 GMT
	<RATINOX.92Jul27083452@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu>
	<1992Jul27.161716.77531@cs.cmu.edu>
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: rudis+@cs.cmu.edu's message of 27 Jul 92 16:17:16 GMT
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>>>>> On 27 Jul 92 16:17:16 GMT, rudis+@cs.cmu.edu (Rujith S DeSilva) said:

CM> 1) Is there a way to specify two or more files when invoking gnuemacs,
CM> with each file ending up in its own window?

>Certainly: emacs file1 file2 file3 ... filen

RSD> This doesn't make each file end up in its own window.

If you mean "put up an emacs process under (whatver) window system for each
file, each with its own separate window," no. That would be horrendous to
deal with visually. If you mean "call split-window-vertically for each file
found," that would also be horrendous to deal with visually, and you'll
rapidly run out of screen lines with a lot of files.

CM> 2) Is there a way to make . refer to the directory where gnuemacs was 
CM> invoked instead of the default directory?

>Normally this behavior is... normal :-). Check your .emacs file and the
>system configuration for a "cd" command. You may want to ask your sysadmin
>if you didn't understand that.

RSD> Useful advice, and probably addresses CM's particular problem.
RSD> However, in emacs, `.'  refers neither to the default directory, nor
RSD> to the directory emacs was invoked in.  Try it and see!

RSD> Both the above would require some hacking to do.

Now you've lost me. Unless you mean making "." equal to "./"... Ah, now I
understand the question better. No, you can't. "." is considered part of a
file name (like ".login"). It's part of the Unix filesystem structure; if
you hacked Emacs to get around this, then you'd never be able to call up a
file like ".login" without typing full pathnames.

CM> 3) What is a simple way to change the default directory?  (This is a
CM> real beginner's question; I know that I have to set the variable
CM> default-directory, but I don't know the syntax for binding this to a
CM> key.)

>M-x cd RET directory RET

RSD> Right.  It doesn't help that `apropos directory' doesn't point to
RSD> `cd', and who would expect the Unix command to work within emacs?

Because "apropos" is "command-appropos" and searches function *names*, not
documentation. So of course apropos won't tag "cd" for a search on
"directory."

--Rat

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