Questions tagged [init-file]
for questions about initialization files `.emacs` or `init.el. DO NOT USE this tag if you assume answers require tweaking initialization files because many solutions do not involve directly manipulating initialization files.
762
questions
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Are there any advantages to using ~/.emacs.d/init.el instead of ~/.emacs?
I've normally used ~/.emacs for my config file, but I've noticed others using ~/.emacs.d/init.el. Are there advantages to the init.el location? Any disadvantages?
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votes
4
answers
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Advantages of setting variables with setq instead of custom.el?
I see a lot of people (extension authors and others) give configuration examples with setq:
(setq foo 'bar)
These parameters are often defined with defcustom, making them available for customization ...
- 2,585
74
votes
12
answers
39k
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How to start emacs with a custom user-emacs-directory
I'm working on a custom and small Emacs configuration that I want to share with some friends as a git repository for them to use as a baseline for their own future configurations.
For this I need ...
- 1,241
69
votes
8
answers
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What should/shouldn't I do when keeping .emacs and .emacs.d in version control?
Like many people, I manage a lot of my dotfiles via a version control repository (Mercurial on Bitbucket, private, in my case). This is handy when setting up a new machine or propagating ...
- 833
63
votes
12
answers
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Synchronize packages between different machines
I use emacs in different places and I want to have a similar setup and packages installed everywhere. I guess I can use a version control repository for the setup files. Since I use Prelude, that ...
- 1,581
45
votes
3
answers
5k
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What can I do to speed up my start-up?
What are some basic things I could do to reduce the start-up time?
Is there anything in particular I should pay attention to, for that matter?
Note: Startup time can be mitigated by starting Emacs ...
- 4,016
34
votes
5
answers
47k
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Emacs won't load theme on startup
I've installed the solarized theme package via MELPA. I can select one of the two solarized themes via `customize-theme and it activates it. When I save the theme settings it adds the following to my ...
- 661
34
votes
6
answers
8k
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Running spacemacs alongside regular emacs: how to keep a separate .emacs.d
I would like to try spacemacs. But I don't want to switch from my regular emacs configuration just yet, so I would like the configuration that's currently in my .emacs.d to be in one directory, and ...
- 3,132
29
votes
12
answers
9k
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Organize the content of ~/.emacs.d/init.el and ~/emacs.d?
When we add more and more lines into ~/.emacs.d/init.el for various
purposes (for python-mode, for emacs-eclim, for ...), the file
becomes lengthy and less readable. Is there a way to help organize ...
- 4,907
27
votes
2
answers
4k
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What's the fastest way to reload my .emacs file when I make changes so all my affected buffers will pick up those changes?
I'm aware of C-x C-e which is eval-last-sexp and M-x eval-buffer, but these aren't always sufficient to pick up all changes. Sometimes you need to actually close buffers that are in the modes who have ...
- 1,985
24
votes
1
answer
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How do I troubleshoot Emacs problems?
In a situation where Emacs is not behaving like I want, what can I do to troubleshoot the problem? What steps can I take to find and fix the problem myself?
Or, failing that, how can I gather useful ...
- 21.2k
24
votes
3
answers
6k
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How can I get undo behavior in Evil similar to Vim's?
The default undo behavior in Evil is too coarse-grained because it considers anything taking place between entering insert mode and leaving it as one edit operation. When you enter a whole paragraph ...
- 2,520
23
votes
3
answers
2k
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How to gracefully handle errors in init file
I would like a way to catch errors when running my init file, and then handle them gracefully. A lot of my most important customizations and keybindings show up at the end of my init file to make sure ...
- 8,093
21
votes
6
answers
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How do I set a different location for the dot emacs .emacs file on Windows 7?
I am using a Windows 7 computer and do not have administrator access. Therefore I can not place a dot emacs file in the root directory. Is there a way for me to specify a different location for ...
- 1,314
20
votes
4
answers
9k
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How to setup default windows at startup?
Every time I open up Emacs I tend to set up 3 windows by doing C-x 3 (split-window-right) and then C-x2 (split-window-below). After that I have to switch to each window to open the files I want to ...
- 1,581
18
votes
3
answers
8k
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Why do I have to add each package to load-path? (or Problem with require 'package in my init file)
Each time I install a package from the Package Menu, if I try to require it in my init file I get an error unless I manually add it to the load-path:
(add-to-list 'load-path "/home/nick/.emacs.d/elpa/...
- 4,353
18
votes
2
answers
9k
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When should I use with-eval-after-load in my configuration files?
I went over my configuration files and wanted to do some cleanup.
My understanding of with-eval-after-load was that its body would be evaluated right after the related package is loaded. While ...
- 1,903
17
votes
4
answers
6k
views
How to get the same Emacs environment on a different computer?
I'm a beginner in Emacs (using it for about 2 weeks now and loving it). As I update and expand my ~/.emacs.d/init.el file, the things that I write in there depend on certain packages that I installed ...
- 709
17
votes
3
answers
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Failed to download 'gnu' archive
I tried to install emacs and in an attempt to install MELPA, tried:
(this is my init.el file)
(package-initialize)
(add-to-list 'package-archives '("gnu" . "http://elpa.gnu.org/packages/"))
(add-to-...
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16
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Function to open my init file for editing or return its path
Is there a function I can call that opens my init file for editing or returns its path?
- 1,280
16
votes
2
answers
4k
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Export an org-mode file as a PDF via command line?
What command-line arguments do I use to get Emacs to export an org-mode file to a Beamer PDF? (I want to create a Makefile that produces a PDF when the user runs make.)
I tried following this answer ...
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15
votes
3
answers
13k
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How to place all auto-save files in a directory
I would like to put all of my auto-save files into a directory, say something like
~/.emacs-saves
Based on what's written in the wiki, I came up with this:
(setq backup-by-copying t ; don't ...
- 877
14
votes
6
answers
3k
views
How do I "group" hooks?
There are certain things like the display of trailing whitespace, display of buffer boundaries, rainbow-colored delimiters and many more I'd like to enable in most modes or rather, all programming- ...
- 21.5k
14
votes
2
answers
9k
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How to automate installation of packages with .emacs file?
My ~/.emacs (which you can find on GitHub) file loads several different Emacs packages and I would like them to be automatically installed as soon as Emacs starts up, if they are not already installed....
- 613
14
votes
1
answer
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after-init-hook vs eval-after-load/with-eval-after-load
I've found the rather useful How Packages work in Emacs 24, however, I'd like a definitive answer from an experienced user or a core developer as to which of these is actually preferred in the typical ...
- 275
13
votes
2
answers
8k
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`use-package` with :config to set variables
I'm trying to use use-package to set up my org-mode initialization. I have the following in my ~/.emacs file:
(use-package org-mode
:mode "\\.org$"
:ensure org
:config
(progn
(setq org-...
- 378
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Where should I include a lazy initialization?
I want to add a specific key binding to latex-mode:
(define-key latex-mode-map (kbd "<f6>") 'my-latex-defun)
At the same time I want to set it only when the specific mode is loaded. So I ...
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votes
2
answers
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error: Package `use-package-' is unavailable
I am starting to build up a .emacs file to be used as a development environment within Docker containers. I get this error when starting emacs-nox in a Docker container.
Warning (initialization): An ...
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12
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How to change default minibuffer message?
After the init file has done loading I get this message in the minibuffer:
For information about GNU Emacs and the GNU system, type C-h C-a.
What is it being triggered by and how do I change it?
- 4,016
12
votes
2
answers
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project specific init file
I have some customizations for emacs that I'd like to use for a single project, but not affect emacs globally. Is there any way I can have emacs load a specific init file when launched from a certain ...
- 1,581
12
votes
2
answers
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Elisp: How to exclude sensitive information from an init file? (ie login credentials)
I want to define a log in function in my init script, but I don't want to hardcode my login credentials. I think a good workaround is to have my init script read in my login credentials from a local ...
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votes
2
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Emacs always ask to trust colour theme at startup
My Emacs always prompts me if it should trust selected colour theme or not. I always answer y and y to trust and remember my choice. I'm loading colour theme manually:
(load-theme 'my-favourite-theme)...
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11
votes
1
answer
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Cocoa Emacs 24.5 Font Issues (Inconsolata-dz)
I am trying to set [Inconsolata-dz][1] as my default font to Emacs. Regular Inconsolata works fine, but the dz version is not working properly. Most functions I use keep throwing this error (followed ...
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1
answer
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How to reload .emacs.d/ configuration without restart
When I change any custom configuration file in the .emacs.d/elisp/ directory, I have to quit Emacs and then start it again in order to get my changes applied. Is there any better way?
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1
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How to navigate a JavaScript project?
I'm currently working on a JavaScript project using Backbone.js and I wonder how can I navigate between files, based on method and object definitions.
For example, I keep references to some of my ...
- 4,016
10
votes
3
answers
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How can I find my Emacs init file?
I have read the guide found here:
How Emacs Finds Your Init File
I cannot find any .emacs directory in my home directory. I have show hidden files selected. I also cannot find the init.el file in ...
10
votes
6
answers
15k
views
How do I get my initial frame to be the desired size?
I have the following in my .emacs file:
(when window-system
(set-frame-position (selected-frame) 0 0)
(set-frame-size (selected-frame) 91 63))
The value of 63 is supposed to make my ...
- 1,985
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votes
1
answer
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How do I make auto-complete enabled by default
I'm running GNU Emacs 24.4.1 on a clean install of Debian 8.1. I've installed auto-complete using the package manager. It is installed and if I type M-x auto-complete-mode I get a working auto-...
- 247
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Use several Emacs configurations/versions simultaneously
I want to use several emacs configurations/versions simultaneously so that no configuration disturbs each other, each with their own configuration directory and elpa repository. I heard about the ...
user17303
9
votes
3
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When use setq or set '
I tried to find an answer to this seemingly simple question, but the swamp (internet) is a big place.
In the emacs init file in one case I use: (show-paren-mode t)
In another case I use:
(set '...
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9
votes
1
answer
2k
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Use multiple `:mode` arguments with use-package
I'm trying out use-package - the docs say the argument to the :mode keyword "can be a cons cell, a list, or just a string." However, I'm not sure how to make a cons cell or list work. Here's an ...
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votes
4
answers
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How to debug startup problem, if `--debug-init' has no effect
When I launch Emacs24 (in an Ubuntu machine) I get an error message in the init procedure.
Warning (initialization): An error occurred while loading `/home/nivaca/.emacs':
But when I launch it with ...
- 1,461
9
votes
2
answers
5k
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Splitting windows on startup
How do I split my windows on startup like so:
_____________
| A | B |
|_____|_____|
| C |
|___________|
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votes
1
answer
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views
Automatically identify obsolete variables in init-file
When a new version of Emacs is released it is usually the case that some variables/commands/functions become obsolete. They are usually marked as such in the corresponding documentation:
turn-on-...
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votes
1
answer
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Is it possible to load Dired+ automatically with use-package?
I'm trying to add dired+ to my init.el with use-package but I can't seem to find the name of dired+ on any of the package repositories ( marmalade, melpa or elpa ).
I'd been able to add dired+ after ...
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9
votes
1
answer
620
views
Overriding fill-paragraph in LaTeX mode
I would like to change the behavior of fill-paragraph in certain modes (e.g. LaTeX-mode provided by AucTeX).
I could just rebind the key M-q, but I am also using evil-mode whose implementation of ...
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9
votes
3
answers
1k
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how to get Emacs to locate the error in my init file without relaunching?
When there's an error in one of my init files, I get a vague message like this when I launch Emacs:
Warning (initialization): An error occurred while loading /Users/im/.emacs.d/init.elc:
(wrong-type-...
- 4,060
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votes
1
answer
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Coding System utf-8 on Mac - Which one and why as default?
I want to change my default encoding system from non defined to UTF-8 (I think that would be useful). Now I have seen many different UTF-8 coding systems:
mule-utf-8 mule-utf-8-dos
mule-utf-8-...
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votes
4
answers
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Speed up Emacs start-up time
I have seen this thread but my problem is an order of magnitude larger. Also, a newbie, I did not understand much of what was being discussed there. So, this new question.
I am running Emacs 25.2.2 ...
- 1,832
8
votes
2
answers
3k
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Should I have removed `(shell . t)` to clear an ob-shell initialization error?
First post. I'd like to confirmation whether I sucessfully troubleshooted an install of Emacs, and, if I didn't, direction on where and how to proceed.
My setup:
Emacs 24.5
Macbook Pro Core Duo (mid-...
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