Other GNU Emacs tips

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If all you want to do is use GNU Emacs for entering CJK text, to copy/paste into other applications, here is a basic primer on using GNU Emacs for this purpose.

Explanation of GNU Emacs notation:
GNU Emacs info texts generally use the following notation standards: for Control key combinations use C- shorthand, i.e. this

C-x

means you press `Ctrl' and `x', i.e. hold the control key and press `x'. This

C-x C-c

means you hold the control key and press `x', followed by holding the control key and pressing `c'. This

C-x s

means you hold the control key and press `x', followed by letting go of the control key and pressing only `s'. This

C-x S

means you hold the control key and press `x', followed by letting go of the control key and pressing capital `S', i.e. holding the Shift key and pressing `s'.

For the Meta key (sometimes refered to as the Alt key) use M- shorthand, i.e. this

M-x

means you hold the Meta key and press `x'.

`RET' means hitting the Enter key, `TAB' means hitting the Tab key.

If your keyboard doesn't have the Meta key, you can hit `Escape' and release it, instead of using Meta, i.e. to enter

M-x

press `Escape', release it, and then press `x'.
End of GNU Emacs notation explanation

Before first using GNU Emacs, to make sure that GNU Emacs clipboard is integrated with the system clipboard (IMPORTANT), make sure you have an .emacs file in your home directory with the following text:
(set-clipboard-coding-system 'utf-8)
(setq x-select-enable-clipboard t)

$ echo "(set-clipboard-coding-system 'utf-8)" >> ~/.emacs $ echo "(setq x-select-enable-clipboard t)" >> ~/.emacs

You can also start GNU Emacs and edit this file in it:

1. Run GNU Emacs.
2. Create the file:

   C-x C-f .emacs RET

3. Type the text in it.
4. Save the file:

   C-x C-s

5. Exit GNU Emacs:

   C-x C-c

6. Restart GNU Emacs.

To enter CJK text:

1. Start GNU Emacs:

   $ emacs

2. In GNU Emacs, once started, switch to the * scratch* buffer:

   C-x b

   select * scratch*, i.e. type *sc and hit `TAB'.

3. Switch to the input method of your choice, e.g. for Japanese:

   C-x RET C-\ jap TAB TAB

   will give you a list of available Japanese input methods, select one by finishing typing its name and hitting RET.
   For Chinese:

   C-x RET C-\ chinese TAB TAB

   For Korean:

   C-x RET C-\ korean TAB TAB

4. Type the text.
5. Cut the text:

   C-a

   will move you to the beginning of the line. If you've typed more lines, move to the first one, by repeatedly hitting:

   C-p

   Cut the text in one line to place it on the clipboard with:

   C-k

   To cut more lines and place them on the clipboard, hit C-k repeatedly, two times for each line, first C-k cuts the line, the second one cuts the linebreak.
6. The CJK text is in the clipboard now. Switch to the application where you want to enter the CJK text and paste it there.

To exit GNU Emacs when you're finished:

C-x C-c

Video screencast of CJK input in GNU Emacs on the Nokia N900.