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(emacs)Initial Options

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Initial Options
===============

   The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session.  This
section describes the more general initial options; some other options
specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following
sections.

   Some initial options affect the loading of init files.  The normal
actions of Emacs are to first load `site-start.el' if it exists, then
your own init file `~/.emacs' if it exists, and finally `default.el' if
it exists; certain options prevent loading of some of these files or
substitute other files for them.

`-t DEVICE'
`--terminal=DEVICE'
     Use DEVICE as the device for terminal input and output.

`-d DISPLAY'
`--display=DISPLAY'
     Use the X Window System and use the display named DISPLAY to open
     the initial Emacs frame.  Note: Display X, for more details.

`-nw'
`--no-windows'
     Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the
     `DISPLAY' environment variable even if it is set.  This forces
     Emacs to run as if the display were a text-only terminal.

`-batch'
`--batch'
     Run Emacs in "batch mode", which means that the text being edited
     is not displayed and the standard terminal interrupt characters
     such as `C-z' and `C-c' continue to have their normal effect.
     Emacs in batch mode outputs to `stderr' only what would normally
     be displayed in the echo area under program control, and functions
     which would normally read from the minibuffer take their input
     from `stdin'.

     Batch mode is used for running programs written in Emacs Lisp from
     shell scripts, makefiles, and so on.  Normally the `-l' option or
     `-f' option will be used as well, to invoke a Lisp program to do
     the batch processing.

     `-batch' implies `-q' (do not load an init file).  It also causes
     Emacs to exit after processing all the command options.  In
     addition, it disables auto-saving except in buffers for which it
     has been explicitly requested.

`-q'
`--no-init-file'
     Do not load your Emacs init file `~/.emacs', or `default.el'
     either.  When invoked like this, Emacs does not allow saving
     options changed with the `M-x customize' command and its variants.
     Note: Easy Customization.

`--no-site-file'
     Do not load `site-start.el'.  The options `-q', `-u' and `-batch'
     have no effect on the loading of this file--this is the only
     option that blocks it.

`-u USER'
`--user=USER'
     Load USER's Emacs init file `~USER/.emacs' instead of your own.

`--debug-init'
     Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file.

`--unibyte'
     Do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings.  All
     buffers and strings are unibyte unless you (or a Lisp program)
     explicitly ask for a multibyte buffer or string.  (Note that Emacs
     always loads Lisp files in multibyte mode, even if `--unibyte' is
     specified; see Note: Enabling Multibyte.)  Setting the
     environment variable `EMACS_UNIBYTE' has the same effect.

`--multibyte'
     Inhibit the effect of `EMACS_UNIBYTE', so that Emacs uses
     multibyte characters by default, as usual.