Info Node: (efaq)Finding a package with particular functionality
(efaq)Finding a package with particular functionality
How do I find a Emacs Lisp package that does XXX?
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First of all, you should check to make sure that the package isn't
already available. For example, typing `M-x apropos <RET> wordstar
<RET>' lists all functions and variables containing the string
`wordstar'.
It is also possible that the package is on your system, but has not
been loaded. To see which packages are available for loading, look
through your computer's lisp directory (Note:File-name conventions).
The Lisp source to most packages contains a short description of how
they should be loaded, invoked, and configured--so before you use or
modify a Lisp package, see if the author has provided any hints in the
source code.
If a package does not come with Emacs, check the Lisp Code Directory.
The LCD was originally maintained by Dave Brennan <brennan@hal.com>,
but was recently taken over by toby knudsen <toby@world.std.com>, who
maintains `http://www.emacs.org'. The LCD is currently being
reorganized and updated, but you can meanwhile find many packages at
`ftp://ftp.emacs.org/pub'.
For now, you can search through the LCD with `lispdir.el', which is
in the process of being updated. Download it from the LCD, in the
`emacs-lisp-attic/misc' directory, and then evaluate the following Lisp
form (Note:Evaluating Emacs Lisp code):
(setq lisp-code-directory
"/anonymous@ftp.emacs.org:pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/LCD-datafile.gz"
elisp-archive-host "ftp.emacs.org"
elisp-archive-directory "/pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/")
Once you have installed `lispdir.el', you can use `M-x
lisp-dir-apropos' to search the listing. For example, `M-x
lisp-dir-apropos <RET> ange-ftp <RET>' produces this output:
GNU Emacs Lisp Code Directory Apropos --- "ange-ftp"
"~/" refers to archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/elisp-archive/
ange-ftp (4.18) 15-Jul-1992
Andy Norman, <ange@hplb.hpl.hp.com>
~/packages/ange-ftp.tar.Z
transparent FTP Support for GNU Emacs
auto-save (1.19) 01-May-1992
Sebastian Kremer, <sk@thp.uni-koeln.de>
~/misc/auto-save.el.Z
Safer autosaving with support for ange-ftp and /tmp
ftp-quik (1.0) 28-Jul-1993
Terrence Brannon, <tb06@pl122f.eecs.lehigh.edu>
~/modes/ftp-quik.el.Z
Quik access to dired'ing of ange-ftp and normal paths