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[Have been using Emacs for at least 40 years, but still ...] What to put in .emacs so that Emacs opens in text mode?

I have tried:

(setq initial-major-mode #'text-mode)
(setq default-major-mode #'text-mode)
(setq-default major-mode #'text-mode)
(setq major-mode #'text-mode)

I use: GNU Emacs 22.2.1 GNU Emacs 25.1.1

They open always with Lisp Interaction mode. No need to tell me that I can use: M-x text-mode. And opening a file with a .txt extension. So?

| improve this question | |
  • Say what you mean by open in ___ mode. By default, the *scratch* buffer is in Lisp Interaction Mode. Is that what you're asking about - how to have that buffer use some other mode? "Emacs" doesn't start in a mode. A minor mode can be global, so I suppose you could say that Emacs is in such a mode, if it's turned on. But major modes are for buffers. – Drew Jul 21 at 22:45
  • So far, your question is not very clear. Try providing a step-by-step recipe to repro the problem, saying just what you see at each step and what you want to see instead. – Drew Jul 21 at 22:46
  • Phew. I do not want to type meta-x text-mode to obtain text-mode. Now clear? – DdC Jul 21 at 22:52
  • The mode you get when you open Emacs without specifying any file is unrelated to the mode you get after opening a .txt file. Typing M-x foo-mode just before you open a file has no effect on the mode you get for that file. By default after you open a .txt file, you should be in text-mode. If that's not the case for you, then there's something funny going on (e.g. in your ~/.emacs). – Stefan Jul 22 at 13:41
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Put this at the end of your configuration file:

(setq initial-major-mode 'text-mode)

I see that you have tried putting it in your .emacs but it could be the case that it is somewhat dependent on where you put it. I tried putting this at either end of my .emacs and both worked. The *scratch* buffer is in text-mode. If you continue to have problems, try using the customisation system to change the value of initial-major-mode. Easy way to get there is C-h v initial-major-mode then take the option to customise this variable.

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  • Thanks a LOT for the advice. No success when putting that line at the end of .emacs. Regarding the approach to customize with: C-h v initial-major-mode: No idea how that works. I suspect that 'M-x text-mode' triggers something like: (foo 'text-mode) If so, what is foo? – DdC Jul 22 at 1:09
  • Yes, I get the scratch buffer. The major mode is (Lisp Interaction) - assuming that is what you ask. Still no idea what is your "C-h v initial-major-mode", especially "C-h". Moreover I want to put something in .emacs so that I do not have to type "M-x text-mode' when the scratch buffer has ALWAYS (Lisp Interaction). – DdC Jul 22 at 1:47
  • Thanks again!! Per your advice I made a .emacs file with only: "(setq initial-major-mode 'text-mode)" This produced a buffer with (Emacs-Lisp). Downloaded emacs 26.3. This produced a buffer with (Fundamental). It does read .emacs because it also accepts (display-time). This is all happening on window 7 & 8 and ALSO on my ubuntu box. Baffled now. – DdC Jul 22 at 16:45
  • Problem SOLVED. I was changing the file _emacs instead of .emacs. [Somehow one had to use _emacs in a deep past.] OK now on XP, W7, W8 & ubuntu - with YOUR line. Thanks a LOT. – DdC Jul 22 at 17:48

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