Emulation
=========
GNU Emacs can be programmed to emulate (more or less) most other
editors. Standard facilities can emulate these:
CRiSP/Brief (PC editor)
You can turn on key bindings to emulate the CRiSP/Brief editor with
`M-x crisp-mode'. Note that this rebinds `M-x' to exit Emacs
unless you change the user option `crisp-override-meta-x'. You can
also use the command `M-x scroll-all-mode' or set the user option
`crisp-load-scroll-all' to emulate CRiSP's scroll-all feature
(scrolling all windows together).
EDT (DEC VMS editor)
Turn on EDT emulation with `M-x edt-emulation-on'. `M-x
edt-emulation-off' restores normal Emacs command bindings.
Most of the EDT emulation commands are keypad keys, and most
standard Emacs key bindings are still available. The EDT
emulation rebindings are done in the global keymap, so there is no
problem switching buffers or major modes while in EDT emulation.
"PC" bindings
The command `M-x pc-bindings-mode' sets up certain key bindings
for "PC compatibility"--what people are often used to on PCs--as
follows: `Delete' and its variants delete forward instead of
backward, `C-Backspace' kills backward a word (as `C-Delete'
normally would), `M-Backspace' does undo, `Home' and `End' move to
beginning and end of line, `C-Home' and `C-End' move to beginning
and end of buffer and `C-Escape' does `list-buffers'.
PC Selection mode
The command `M-x pc-selection-mode' enables a global minor mode
that emulates the mark, copy, cut and paste commands of various
other systems--an interface known as CUA. It establishes the key
bindings of PC mode, and also modifies the bindings of the cursor
keys and the `next', `prior', `home' and `end' keys. It does not
provide the full set of CUA key bindings--the fundamental Emacs
keys `C-c', `C-v' and `C-x' are not changed.
The standard keys for moving around (`right', `left', `up',
`down', `home', `end', `prior', `next', called "move-keys")
deactivate the mark in PC selection mode. However, using `Shift'
together with the "move keys" activates the region over which they
move. The copy, cut and paste functions are available on
`C-insert', `S-delete' and `S-insert' respectively.
The `s-region' package provides similar, but less complete,
facilities.
TPU (DEC VMS editor)
`M-x tpu-edt-on' turns on emulation of the TPU editor emulating
EDT.
vi (Berkeley editor)
Viper is the newest emulator for vi. It implements several levels
of emulation; level 1 is closest to vi itself, while level 5
departs somewhat from strict emulation to take advantage of the
capabilities of Emacs. To invoke Viper, type `M-x viper-mode'; it
will guide you the rest of the way and ask for the emulation
level. Note:Viper.
vi (another emulator)
`M-x vi-mode' enters a major mode that replaces the previously
established major mode. All of the vi commands that, in real vi,
enter "input" mode are programmed instead to return to the
previous major mode. Thus, ordinary Emacs serves as vi's "input"
mode.
Because vi emulation works through major modes, it does not work
to switch buffers during emulation. Return to normal Emacs first.
If you plan to use vi emulation much, you probably want to bind a
key to the `vi-mode' command.
vi (alternate emulator)
`M-x vip-mode' invokes another vi emulator, said to resemble real
vi more thoroughly than `M-x vi-mode'. "Input" mode in this
emulator is changed from ordinary Emacs so you can use <ESC> to go
back to emulated vi command mode. To get from emulated vi command
mode back to ordinary Emacs, type `C-z'.
This emulation does not work through major modes, and it is
possible to switch buffers in various ways within the emulator.
It is not so necessary to assign a key to the command `vip-mode' as
it is with `vi-mode' because terminating insert mode does not use
it.
Note:VIP, for full information.
WordStar (old wordprocessor)
`M-x wordstar-mode' provides a major mode with WordStar-like key
bindings.