What is emacs prefix argument?
The prefix argument is a pseudo-argument that is automatically available for each Emacs command. When you use a command, its behavior might differ, depending on the value of the prefix argument. You can use ‘C-u’ to set the prefix argument value to use, and thus affect the command’s behavior.
What is the prefix for cover?
We’ll start by uncovering the etymology of the verb cover in its uses of, literally and figuratively, putting something over or against something else in order to protect, hide, or enclose: it originated in early Middle English and is derived from Anglo-French covrir and Latin cooperire, a combination of the prefix co- …
What kind of value is the prefix argument?
The prefix argument can have several kinds of value. It can be a listwith a single integer element, ‘nil’, the symbol ‘-’, or an integer. The prefix argument is also called the raw prefix argument. Whatever the raw value, the prefix argument is also said to have a numeric value that is derived from its raw value.
Why are prefix expressions evaluated faster than infix expressions?
Evaluation of Prefix Expressions. Prefix and Postfix expressions can be evaluated faster than an infix expression. This is because we don’t need to process any brackets or follow operator precedence rule. In postfix and prefix expressions which ever operator comes before will be evaluated first, irrespective of its priority.
How to terminate a prefix argument with more than one digit?
You can use ‘C-u’ to terminate a prefix argument that has more than one digit: ‘C-u 1 0 0 C-u’ sets the prefix argument to 100. See also InfiniteArgument.
How are arguments parsed on the command line?
The following is a list of some ways that arguments are parsed on the command line: The values of named expression and string arguments follow the name on the command line. For example, /name expr or /name str. For named Boolean arguments, the value is true if the name appears on the command line; false otherwise.