Open Files in Emacs With Power

Emacs has a lot of power to open files.  Once in the program, you can open multiple files with one operation, use environment variables, and other techniques not available in many other editors.

Here’s a list of cool things you can do:

• Use environment variables defined in the invoking shell.  E.g.  ‘$SDK_PATH/include/foo.h’
• Use a glob to open multiple files at once.  E.g.  ‘*_mux.h’  or for more fun ‘board/*/*_mux.h’
• Use Tramp to open files on remote systems.  E.g.  ‘user@host:filename’
• Use gtags to find a file to open.  Gtags searches all file names for a pattern and either opens a “hit” or presents you with a list to choose from.  E.g.  gtags-find-file ‘bar’

Emacs tip #1 – Cursor Movement

Why learn Emacs cursor movement keys?

• Keep your fingers on home row for greater speed and less fatigue.
• Enjoy richer navigation than by using built-in keyboard commands.
• Use the bindings in a lot more places than just Emacs.

Observers may be amazed how the cursor flies around as an accomplished Emacs user is at the keyboard.  Many people aren’t aware they can move the cursor so dramatically with so little hand movement.  Non-programmer types may have no idea they can do things like move the cursor forward or backward a word at a time.