GNU Info

(emacs)Paragraphs

---

Next: Pages Prev: Sentences Up: Text

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Paragraphs
==========

   The Emacs commands for manipulating paragraphs are also Meta keys.

`M-{'
     Move back to previous paragraph beginning (`backward-paragraph').

`M-}'
     Move forward to next paragraph end (`forward-paragraph').

`M-h'
     Put point and mark around this or next paragraph
     (`mark-paragraph').

   `M-{' moves to the beginning of the current or previous paragraph,
while `M-}' moves to the end of the current or next paragraph.  Blank
lines and text-formatter command lines separate paragraphs and are not
considered part of any paragraph.  In Fundamental mode, but not in Text
mode, an indented line also starts a new paragraph.  (If a paragraph is
preceded by a blank line, these commands treat that blank line as the
beginning of the paragraph.)

   In major modes for programs, paragraphs begin and end only at blank
lines.  This makes the paragraph commands continue to be useful even
though there are no paragraphs per se.

   When there is a fill prefix, then paragraphs are delimited by all
lines which don't start with the fill prefix.  Note: Filling.

   When you wish to operate on a paragraph, you can use the command
`M-h' (`mark-paragraph') to set the region around it.  Thus, for
example, `M-h C-w' kills the paragraph around or after point.  The
`M-h' command puts point at the beginning and mark at the end of the
paragraph point was in.  In Transient Mark mode, it activates the mark.
If point is between paragraphs (in a run of blank lines, or at a
boundary), the paragraph following point is surrounded by point and
mark.  If there are blank lines preceding the first line of the
paragraph, one of these blank lines is included in the region.

   The precise definition of a paragraph boundary is controlled by the
variables `paragraph-separate' and `paragraph-start'.  The value of
`paragraph-start' is a regexp that should match any line that either
starts or separates paragraphs.  The value of `paragraph-separate' is
another regexp that should match only lines that separate paragraphs
without being part of any paragraph (for example, blank lines).  Lines
that start a new paragraph and are contained in it must match only
`paragraph-start', not `paragraph-separate'.  For example, in
Fundamental mode, `paragraph-start' is `"[ \t\n\f]"', and
`paragraph-separate' is `"[ \t\f]*$"'.

   Normally it is desirable for page boundaries to separate paragraphs.
The default values of these variables recognize the usual separator for
pages.