Re: Emacs newbie - Syntax Highlighting and Indentation

[Jiri Pejchal]

David Rasmussen <david.rasmussen@gmx.net> writes:

> I've installed the Windows version of Emacs 21.3.1.
> I have read some tutorials, but I have two questions (for now):
> 
> 1) How do I enable syntax highlighting by default, for any type of
>    file / extension / mode that supports it? I have enabled it in the
>    Options menu, and saved my options. But isn't there a non-menu-way
>    of doing this, so I can get to learn and understand how to
>    configure emacs myself?



Put (global-font-lock-mode 1) in your .emacs (maybe it's _emacs on
Windows) -- that is configuration file for Emacs. (You don't have to do
it if you have saved the options).

Start with Control-h t --> tutorial
Then you can start reading manual: Control-h i Emacs RETURN


> 
> 2) When I edit a java file, the Java major mode i automatically
>    loaded. But when I press TAB at the beginning of a new line, i get
>    an indentation of 4 spaces. How do I alter this to 2 spaces

(setq c-basic-offset 2) 

>    instead? Or any other number of spaces? What if I want to get a tab
>    character instead of spaces, when indenting (I really don't, but I
>    would like to know)?

Everything is possible, just read the manual:-)

--
Jiri Pejchal