Re: I for Interactive Programming? (was: widget_control and group_leader)

[Vapuser <vapuser(at)catspaw.jpl.nasa.gov>]

"Richard G. French" <rfrench@wellesley.edu> writes:

 <snip>

> Finally taking the plunge and trying to learn this system.  I'm
> using a PC with xterm software on it to connect to my unix
> workstation. Trying to figure out how to use the Alt-TAB command
> inside emacs- Alt-TAB is a windows thing that lets you hop between
> running programs. I tried to use ESC-TAB but it does not seem to do
> the right completion. Instead, I get
>
> Use symbol help mode:
> 
> and I am not sure what to do next. I've tried to find a way
> to bind a different key to be my ALT key but I haven't succeeded.
> Any emacs users out there who can help me out here? As should be
> obvious, I have not used emacs before. 
> 
> Thanks,
> Dick

  Let me see if I understand. 'Alt-Tab' is a *windows* command which
  has become disabled when the active window is the xterm window in
  which you're running emacs and you want the windows functionality
  back? Is that the problem? If this is not a correct rephrasing of
  your problem, what are you expecting from the ALT-TAB key sequence?
  That sequence isn't bound to anything in my (20.4.2) version of
  emacs.


  I'm going to proceed on the assumption that what you want is the
  window's functionality back. 

  What happens when you make some other window the active window? Does
  the ALT-TAB functionality return? 


  Which version of emacs? And what xserver software are you
  running. My guess is that it's the xserver software that's
  intercepting the ALT key because that key is significant to many
  xservers (it's how the system menus on many X windows are accessed
  from the keyboard) For instance, on my system, an SGI, alt-F9 will
  minimize the current active window. It's been years since I've run
  any such software, but I remember it allowing you to set the
  function of various control keys as part of a specific connection
  configuration. If I've got your question right, and what you want is
  the Windows functionality back, you really want the Windows GUI to
  intercept the 'Alt-Tab' so that it never gets sent through the
  xserver software to emacs *at all*. Perhaps 'unsetting' it in the
  xserver configuration???

  Be careful what you wish for, however. There might be some serious
  side effects from taking the ALT key away from emacs, not to mention
  the xserver. I've never seen any xserver software on windows (or
  macs, for that matter) that didn't have some
  ... ummm... idiosyncracies. If all you're missing is the ability to
  ALT-TAB your way around the active Win9x windows, I'd consider that
  a fair price.

  But that's just me.

William Daffer
-- 
William Daffer: 818-354-0161: William.Daffer@jpl.nasa.gov