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(emacs)Init Syntax

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Init File Syntax
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   The `.emacs' file contains one or more Lisp function call
expressions.  Each of these consists of a function name followed by
arguments, all surrounded by parentheses.  For example, `(setq
fill-column 60)' calls the function `setq' to set the variable
`fill-column' (Note: Filling) to 60.

   The second argument to `setq' is an expression for the new value of
the variable.  This can be a constant, a variable, or a function call
expression.  In `.emacs', constants are used most of the time.  They
can be:

Numbers:
     Numbers are written in decimal, with an optional initial minus
     sign.

Strings:
     Lisp string syntax is the same as C string syntax with a few extra
     features.  Use a double-quote character to begin and end a string
     constant.

     In a string, you can include newlines and special characters
     literally.  But often it is cleaner to use backslash sequences for
     them: `\n' for newline, `\b' for backspace, `\r' for carriage
     return, `\t' for tab, `\f' for formfeed (control-L), `\e' for
     escape, `\\' for a backslash, `\"' for a double-quote, or `\OOO'
     for the character whose octal code is OOO.  Backslash and
     double-quote are the only characters for which backslash sequences
     are mandatory.

     `\C-' can be used as a prefix for a control character, as in
     `\C-s' for ASCII control-S, and `\M-' can be used as a prefix for
     a Meta character, as in `\M-a' for `Meta-A' or `\M-\C-a' for
     `Control-Meta-A'.

     If you want to include non-ASCII characters in strings in your init
     file, you should consider putting a `-*-coding: CODING-SYSTEM-*-'
     tag on the first line which states the coding system used to save
     your `.emacs', as explained in Note: Recognize Coding.  This is
     because the defaults for decoding non-ASCII text might not yet be
     set up by the time Emacs reads those parts of your init file which
     use such strings, possibly leading Emacs to decode those strings
     incorrectly.

Characters:
     Lisp character constant syntax consists of a `?' followed by
     either a character or an escape sequence starting with `\'.
     Examples: `?x', `?\n', `?\"', `?\)'.  Note that strings and
     characters are not interchangeable in Lisp; some contexts require
     one and some contexts require the other.

     Note: Non-ASCII Rebinding, for information about binding
     commands to keys which send non-ASCII characters.

True:
     `t' stands for `true'.

False:
     `nil' stands for `false'.

Other Lisp objects:
     Write a single-quote (`'') followed by the Lisp object you want.