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prosseek
Asked: 2011-01-28 21:19:53 +0800 CST

How do I download the command-line emacs instead of the GUI one?

  • 772

I used sudo apt-get install emacs to download emacs. I expected the command-line emacs to start when I ran emacs but instead the GUI emacs started.

How can I download the command-line emacs?

command-line

5 Answers

  1. That would be emacs-nox I believe. This is the meta-package that currently points to emacs24-nox .

    Description: The GNU Emacs editor (without X support)

    So, just as before but with that package:

    sudo apt-get install emacs-nox

    or alternatively

    sudo apt-get install emacs24-nox

    For cases like this, where you wonder what's in what package, try this : 

    apt-cache search ^emacs

    then

     apt-cache show <whateverpackage>
    • 110
  2. Best Answer

    The command-line emacs is installed along with the GUI.
    To run it, use the -nw option. An explanation from man emacs:

    -nw, --no-window-system
    Tell Emacs not to use its special interface to X. If you use
    this switch when invoking Emacs from an xterm(1) window, display
    is done in that window.

    So run the following command to use emacs from the command-line:

    emacs -nw

    enter image description here

    If you don't want to have to type emacs -nw, you could create an alias. Put the following line in your ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_aliases:

    alias emacs="emacs -nw"

    You can add this alias in one line by using I/O Redirection::

    echo alias emacs=\"emacs -nw\" >> ~/.bashrc
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  3. If possible, delete the old version of emacs, then reinstall the version without X. The * on the end of the command is important and will save you from a world of pain.

    apt-get remove emacs*
apt-get install emacs-nox

    You can also specify the version of emacs without X to install, such as emacs23-nox or emacs24.nox rather than installing the alias package.

    Sure, you can mess with bash aliasing or pass in -nw, but when you use sudo, or emacs is summoned by git, you'll see that X window once again.

    • 6

  4. You already have installed it.

    Just run emacs with:

    emacs -nw
    • 1

  5. I think I accidentally downgraded a post without intending to. emacs -nw is the correct option.

    I just get tired of the vi/emacs flame warz. If the original post didn't mention vi, then mentioning vi doesn't help.

    Besides, emacs has a vi mode in it - viper-mode.

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