Questions tagged [prefix-argument]
The prefix-argument tag has no usage guidance.
52
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Composing Prefix Commands
There are several commands in Emacs that work as prefixes to other commands, changing the behavior of the next command in some way.
The most well-known example is the commands that set up the "...
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6
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2
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375
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Insert multiple minus ('-') characters using the universal argument (C-u)
I was manually creating a table in my source code's multiline comments
and inserting horizontal separators using - and =. E.g. C-u C-u C-u = as expected and inserts 64 =s at the point. But - is used ...
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1
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24
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How to pass the prefix argument using a list in the `interactive` clause of a command definition?
How can I use prefix argument with list in the interactive clause? It is the more general way instead of Code Characters.
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Getting prefix as argument
With this function, I get the error
test: Wrong type argument: stringp, 2
Is it good to pass prefix this way? Thought that the argument prefix would be filled up with the prefix value.
(defun test (...
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340
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Using current prefix argument value
I am doing a test with the current prefix argument to perform different tasks depending on the value of the current prefix argument.
I have a few questions.
Does (interactive "P") require ...
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274
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Can there be two prefix arguments?
I am very confused by the definitions of define-skeleton and skeleton-proxy-new in skeleton.el in the emacs source (version 28.1).
The command generated by the define-skeleton macro has the ...
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120
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How can I get the name of the file on the current Dired line?
I'm running emacs on WSL.
The following function launches the binary file marked in dired:
(defun wsl/execute ()
"execute file at point in dired"
(interactive)
(dired-do-shell-command
...
- 145
2
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1
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81
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How to define key-combinations involving multiple `C-u`s
I wanted to define a short key combination for preview all latex fragments in a org file. Per this answer:
To preview all latex fragments in the buffer pass C-u twice before
calling org-latex-preview....
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4
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2
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405
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What is the difference between `C-u C-c C-l` and `C-c C-l`?
C-c C-l points to org-insert-link. In the minibuffer I am ask for a link type, link url and description.
But C-u C-c C-l shows me dired-like folder structure in the minibuffer and I can navigate to an ...
- 709
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211
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Are the Control & Meta "digit argument" bindings duplicates?
As far as I can tell the Meta and Control digit-argument bindings (C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2, M-3) are duplicates.
There are so few single-modifier, single-key bindings available, it seems like a ...
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How to define absolute directory paths and use them as file prefixes in org files
I need to represent absolute paths to several directories by some constant names to use them as prefixes in org mode for a number of files contained in each of these directories.
For instance they ...
4
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answer
45
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Using a number in register as prefix argument
How can I use a number in a register after C-u ?
For example my register looks like 1: 24, and I want to do C-u 24 x.
- 41
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202
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How can I pass an expression to a prefix argument?
Sometimes it would be useful to be able to pass an expression to a prefix argument, for example
c-u 3*4 c-n
If I try the command above though it will print three asterisks followed by the '4' ...
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Behavior of universal-argument (C-u) changed between org 9.1.9 and org 9.4?
Running org version 9.1.9, when invoking C-u C-c C-t (org-agenda-todo) I get a completion list of my status values that I can select from.
In org version 9.4 the same call no longer allows me to ...
- 115
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919
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How to specify prefix argument in key binding
The description of C-x C-e mentions:
...Interactively, with a non '-' prefix argument, print output into current buffer.
I understand this to mean this logic is triggered when I issue C-u C-x C-e, ...
- 536
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283
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Assign a function with universal argument to a key (org-timer-start)
I would like to assing the function org-timer-start with a univeral argument (Ctrl-u) to its own key.
I read here, that one should look into the source code of a function to find out how to pass a ...
6
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1
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278
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How to rebind "special meaning" of C-u to a different key?
Excerpt from GNU Emacs manual:
C-u alone has the special meaning of “four times”:
it multiplies the argument for the next command by four.
C-u C-u multiplies it by sixteen.
Thus, C-u C-u C-f moves ...
- 267
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38
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Treat initial numbers as argument to functions in minor mode
Is it possible to treat typed numbers similar to universal argument C-u 10 C-n, but make it so that there is no need to type C-u in a minor mode? So only 10 C-n would be needed to move 10 lines down ...
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3
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608
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Use cases for M-0 & C-0?
The purpose of digit-argument and how to use them is described in Emacs manual.
Also read a question that asks how to disable them.
Even though have not disabled them, I have changed M-1, M-2, M-3 '...
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85
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How to write a command which uses the prefix argument AND some strings
I want to write a command which uses a prefix argument and reads some strings.
I know both parts individually:
(defun xtest(arg)
(interactive "P")
...
reads the prefix arg.
(defun xtest(t1 ...
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4
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1
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279
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How to bind 'C-u M-x shell' to 'C-c s'? [duplicate]
I would like to define the keybinding C-c s which should start a new shell in the current directory (so C-c s should behave like C-u M-x shell). I know how to define a keybinding based on a function (...
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58
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Given a keyboard command, how do you find the interactive function? [duplicate]
I have a key sequence for C-u C-c . How would I find the function that's bound to it. I thought it was describe-key but that doesn't seem to work.
Cheers
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862
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What does C-u mean in sequence "C-u M-x"
I learnt that C-u default is to repeat 4 times.
For example:
C-u t is input tttt
However, when I type C-u M-x, it prompts a function list
What does invoking C-u mean here?
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1
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381
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how to implement a numeric prefix argument in emacs
When I press "d", this loop runs 52 times.
How can I adjust this elisp so that, I can specify a number
instead of harcoding 52.
I guess I'm trying to do something like " C-u -1 C-x ^" mentioned at ...
- 3,853
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1
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341
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Find out about arguments passed to functions
When I press C-h k C-SPC, Emacs shows me:
C-SPC runs the command set-mark-command (found in global-map), which
is an interactive compiled Lisp function.
It is bound to C-@, C-SPC.
(set-...
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1
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302
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"C-3" vs "C-u 3-" in spacemacs
I'am using spacemacs and I was reading this 5.2.1 TODO keywords as workflow in the org manual and it says that to set a specific state right way the sequence of keys C-3 C-c C-t can be used.
If I ...
- 347
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41
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key binding for disabling column-marker
In my .emacs I have the following:
(progn ;
(defvar my-keys-minor-mode-map
(let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
; other bindings ..
(define-key map (kbd "C-c c" ) 'column-marker-3)
...
3
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110
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What's the difference between C-u C-u C-u <Command> and C-u 64 <Command>?
In org-mode, C-u C-u C-u Tab expands all trees. When I wanted to check what it's bound to, I wasn't able to do that using C-h k as it quickly told me what C-u is bound to. From experiments, I know ...
- 915
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63
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What function are associated with these expression evaluation commands in buffers?
What are the function names for these two bindings?
C-o C-x C-e - evaluate expression before cursur and display limited length result in echo area
C-u 0 C-x C-e - evaluate expression before cursor ...
- 1,371
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157
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how does optional argument `ALLOW-EXTEND` in `mark-word` work?
I am switching from VIM to Emacs for just a couple weeks and trying to write some Elisp. Having difficulties to adapt, I am exploring different options to do marking and reached this function.
(defun ...
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126
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Replace formula by computed value
I'd like to select a simple formula like 17+5 and replace that by the computed result, 22 in this case. And I need this to work during keyboard macro execution, to quickly process large portions of my ...
- 131
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2
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245
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Finding possible prefix arguments
Emacs is aweseome but sometimes it feels it's too smart for its own good. You may feel you learned everything there's to know about a function and then someone tells you to try a prefix argument and ...
- 1,233
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449
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How to describe a key sequence that starts with `C-u`?
I am trying to use C-h k to describe the function to which a key is bound. But when I use it with a key chord like C-u C-e C-x it retrieves the documentation for C-u before I can finish typing the ...
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108
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Differentiating between raw prefix arguments
Is there a way to differentiate between different numbers of raw prefix arguments (e.g. C-u vs. C-u C-u) aside from checking whether the argument is (4), (16), etc.?
This seems to be what packages ...
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13
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1
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2k
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How to apply `call-interactively` to an interactive command that accepts the universal argument?
I've read the documentation on how to make interactive calls from within Elisp, but I still can't figure out how to pass the universal argument when using call-interactively on a command that ...
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2
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620
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Compile from parent directory in Emacs
I'm trying to map F5 to compile from a parent directory of the current buffer.
Emacs compile-command find makefile in superior directory
provides an excellent answer to achieve this:
(defun compile-...
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1
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631
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How to pass a prefix argument to helm-m-x?
I have read the prefix has to be added after running helm-m-x, but I don't know how to do it.
For example I want to pass an argument to shell. When I run helm-m-x and then C-u I see in the mode-line [...
- 4,056
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2
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504
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How to initiate a prompt for user input based on the prefix argument?
The below dummy foo describes how I need the prefix variable setting to work.
I'd like the read-number prompt to show up only if the user entered C-u as prefix. In all other cases, the prefix will be ...
- 25.4k
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Distinguish C-u <key> from C-u 4 <key>
I know that C-u sends the prefix 4. Is there any way to make C-u <key> a special case of a command, while still allowing C-u 4 <key>?
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181
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Getting latest command from function, but function exceeds "max-lisp-eval-depth"
This defines the Helm-source for Emacs commands history.
(defvar helm-source-emacs-commands-history
(helm-build-sync-source "Emacs commands history"
:candidates (lambda ()
...
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2
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129
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Obtain the raw prefix arg and its numeric value, and pass them to different commands
As I'm running out of easy key bindings I'm trying to overload C-SPC to either call set-mark-command or er/expand-region depending on if I have moved since I set the mark. However the two functions ...
- 4,626
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3
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What is a raw prefix argument? (capital P in interactive)
And what can they be used for?
(interactive "p") takes a numerical argument from the universal argument right? And the universal argument is just an int either way, so what does capital (interactive "...
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3
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757
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How to find out which function is bound to C-u C-SPC?
C-u C-SPC is used to
Move point to where the mark was, and restore the mark from the ring
of former marks.
When trying to get the function bound to C-u C-SPC with describe-key it just stops ...
- 808
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263
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Swap default behavior of command with C-u behavior
Many Emacs commands alter their behavior when called with one or more C-u prefixes. In some cases the default behavior of a command is less useful to me than the behavior I get when prefixing it with ...
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How to insert inactive [timestamp] via function?
C-u C-c ! generates a time stamp like [2015-05-04 Mon 17:13]
I would like to assign a shortcut (e.g F1) to this action.
So far I have:
(defun my/timenow (&optional arg)
(interactive)
(let (...
- 4,528
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1
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284
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how to assign a list or string to current-prefix-arg?
current-prefix-arg's
help doc says, the variable can contain a list (or) number (or) minus symbol. I mostly set a number as the prefix-arg by keypress, C-[1-9].
But how can i assign a list or ...
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305
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universal argument can not work in this function?
I made a function in Windows Emacs like:
(defun explorer (&optional tex)
(interactive)
(let* ((current-path (file-name-directory (buffer-file-name)))
(file-path-at-point
(...
- 2,440
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How to use a numeric prefix to repeat insertion of a digit?
Suppose I want to type '222222' in emacs, how do I use the numeric prefix idiom to achieve this? A naive guess would be 'C-u 6 2' but emacs interprets this as a numeric prefix of 62 and waits for the ...
- 153
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1k
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post-command-hook and prefix argument
I have a non-interactive function F to do post processing after each command. F is buffer locally hooked to post-command-hook.
Whenever F is hooked the prefix argument is eaten and the next command ...
- 2,095
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How to interactivelly pass a `listp arg` to `yank`
Is it possible to interactively pass an argument that matches listp to the function yank so that current-kill receives an argument of 0? If so, how please can that be achieved?
Background:
I am ...
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