Re: GNU Emacs on GNU/Debian

[Bill Wohler]

Andrei Maxim <acmax@xnet.ro> writes:

> For starters, I'm quite a newcomer when it comes to Linux and I'm still in
> the process of learning the basics and the tricks of my Debian Woody system.

Good decision.

> What's wrong with Emacs, you say? Well, I use a 800x600 video mode and the
> default Emacs is huge! The fonts are too big and I have to scroll around to
> be able to write a whole line!

A couple of things: Make sure you're using 75 dpi fonts. If you're
using the X Font Server, check that the 75 dpi fonts appear before the
100 dpi fonts in /etc/X11/fs/xfs.options (haven't run xfs in a long
while so I could have remembered the wrong file). If you're not using
the font server, check the order in /etc/X11/XFConfig-4 instead.

The second thing you can do is use a smaller font. You can either use
the command line, as in:

    emacs -fn fixed

or in .Xresources, as in:

    emacs.font:                     *cour*medium-r*100*
    emacs.menu.attributeFont:       *helv*medium-r*100*

> I've tried using the `-nw' switch to run it in a terminal window, but my
> greatest surprize was that the Alt (Meta) key was gone. If I pressed Alt-x I
> got an extra x in the buffer. In X, when I press Alt-`key' all I get is an
> annoying beep.

I can use the Meta key with emacs -nw in my Eterm windows. If you can
use the Meta key in bash, you should be able to use it in Emacs too.
Since Eterm worked out of the box for me, I'm not sure of the details
to get the Meta key to work for you. I would suggest that you look for
something having to do with "passing the 8th bit" in the man pages for
your terminal and possibly stty too. For example, see stty -pass8, the
eightBitInput resource of xterm, etc.

> I really liked the `standard' Emacs and I am wondering if there is a way to
> make mine look like it.

Most certainly ;-).

-- 
Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com>  http://www.newt.com/wohler/  GnuPG ID:610BD9AD
Maintainer of comp.mail.mh FAQ and MH-E. Vote Libertarian!
If you're passed on the right, you're in the wrong lane.