Useful Packages

Some Emacs packages are mentioned here as an aid to the new VIP user, to indicate what VIP is capable of. These are Emacs packages that I use. A vast number exists on the net and on the archives.

I also mention some Emacs features I think a new user should know about. The details for these will be found in the GNU Emacs Manual.

The features first. For details, look up the Emacs Manual.

`Make'

Makes and Compiles can be done from the editor. Error messages will be parsed and you can move to the error lines.

`Shell'

You can talk to Shells from inside the editor. Your entire shell session can be treated as a file.

`Mail'

Mail can be read from and sent within the editor. Several sophisticated packages exist. I use my own 300 line interface to Berkeley Mail.

`Language Sensitive Editing'

Editing modes are written for most languages in existence. By controlling indentation, they catch punctuation errors.

The packages:

`Transparent FTP'

ange-ftp.el can ftp from the editor to files on other machines transparent to the user.

`RCS Interfaces'

rcs-cks.el for doing RCS commands from inside the editor

`Directory Editor'

dired.el for editing contents of directories.

`Navigator - Director Tree Manager'

navigator.el - Navigate a directory tree, pop up shells on directories etc. Like Norton Commander or PCTools for the IBM PC. Do not ever use absolute long paths again!!!.

Emacs lisp code archives exist on `archive.cis.ohio-state.edu (128.146.8.52)'
and `wuarchive.wustl.edu (128.252.135.4)'

And finally, until Emacs 19 arrives, there is Epoch, which can have multiple X-windows for editing. The next version of VIP will support Epoch, in that the :e file will bring the file up in a new X-window etc.

VIP supports Epoch. If you are running epoch, :e will bring up files in a new screen, and :q will kill the buffer and screen.