Auctex key-bindings for easy saving, compilation and viewing.

Question

I am new to Auctex and Emacs. Previously I have been using vim-latex in which the key bindings are easy. For example, I was using Ctrl-Space in Vim to to save the tex file, compile the document and view the document and comeback to my tex file again where I left the cursor. Currently the command for Auctex for compiling and previewing is C-c C-a. After entering this command, Emacs asks me to save the file ( I need to enter 'yes'). So this makes a little bit time.

So my question is: How to define Crtrl-Space in Emacs so that it will ease the Auctex to compile,save and view the document?

Answer 1

So, perhaps you have already found the answer, if so I hope that you were planning to give it here and mark it ;). If not: the proces with which I would approach such a task is: find out in which keymap the bindings are which are already close to what you want; in this case: C-c C-a. Simply ask about them with C-h k C-c C-a You'll see it's in LaTeX-mode-map.

So now you can do this:

(define-key LaTeX-mode-map (kbd "C-SPC")
  (lambda ()
    "Save the buffer and run `TeX-command-run-all`."
    (interactive)
    (save-buffer)
    (TeX-command-run-all nil)))

Thanks by the way, I'm an evil user and I hadn't bothered, since the shortcut I had bound as an alternative for C-c C-a was pretty convenient already. However not having to bother with pressing y RET is definitely an improvement! ;)

[edit]

Tobias' comment below, provides the possibility to also save other documents/files that are part of the Tex master file. If that is what you prefer, use the following binding. There save-buffer is replaced by TeX-save-document. With the let-binding of TeX-save-query it saves modified buffers silently if they are part of the master document. If you want to be asked whether these files should be saved or not remove the let-binding of TeX-save-query.

(define-key LaTeX-mode-map (kbd "C-SPC")
  (lambda ()
    "Save the buffer and run `TeX-command-run-all`."
    (interactive)
    (let (TeX-save-query) (TeX-save-document (TeX-master-file)))
    (TeX-command-run-all nil)))