# emacs

emacs can be run within a terminal or with a graphical interface for xserver. colors and font-rendering may look different. i prefer emacs on the terminal because it seems simpler, can be used in screen sessions, and i would not have to set up xserver forwarding through ssh sessions for example.

# fast startup
start emacs with "emacs --daemon" and open files with "emacsclient -tc" ("t" uses the terminal, "c" creates a new frame). this way emacs is not started anew when you open a file for editing

## short name script
these shell scripts can be put, with the executable bit set, into a path listed in $PATH

### open and edit files on the current terminal

file name: e
~~~
#!/bin/sh

emacsclient -tc
~~~

usage
~~~
e readme.md
~~~

### open files in the background
useful for searching and adding files in one terminal and editing in an open emacs window in another terminal.

file name: ea
~~~
#!/bin/sh

for file in "$@"
do
  emacsclient -e '(find-file "'$file'")'
done
~~~

usage
~~~
ea readme.md
~~~

# modes
* [auto-complete](http://cx4a.org/software/auto-complete) word autocompletion
* [smartparens](https://github.com/Fuco1/smartparens) structural editing of bracket expressions. alternative to paredit
* [web-mode](https://github.com/fxbois/web-mode) handles syntax-highlighting for files with mixed languages like html templates
* [adaptive-wrap](http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/elpa.git/tree/packages/adaptive-wrap/adaptive-wrap.el) long lines start on the next line with indent
* [sph-scheme-mode](http://sph-info.localhost/c/view/i) simple scheme mode

* [corral](https://github.com/nivekuil/corral) quickly surround words with characters in emacs
* [highlight-symbol](https://github.com/nschum/highlight-symbol.el) highlight and rename the current word throughout the buffer

modes i had issues with
* paredit: syntax recognition, integrated auto-format, overriding keybindings, does not work so well with non-s-expression based languages, commands seem more clear and ordered in smartparens-mode
* org-mode: i think it does too much and is therefore too complicated. i find      #(link-c-one ("itpn" "syntax" "note"))  to be a better note taking format than org-modes asterisk syntax

## links
* [the official emacs manual](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/index.html)
* [emacsrocks.com/](http://emacsrocks.com/)
* [gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/index.html](http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/index.html)