Table of Contents

# About This is a Emacs configuration file written in `org-mode`. There are a few reasons why I wanted to do this. My `.emacs.d/` was a mess, and needed a proper clean-up. Also I like keeping all my configurations in a single file, using `org-mode` I can keep this file *organized*. I aim to briefly explain all my configurations. # Configurations ## Meta Emacs can only load `.el`-files. We can use `C-c C-v t` to run `org-babel-tangle`, which extracts the code blocks from the current file into a source-specific file (in this case a `.el`-file). To avoid doing this each time a change is made we can add a function to the `after-save-hook` ensuring to always tangle and byte-compile the `org`-document after changes. (defun init-hook () "If the current buffer is 'init.org' the code-blocks are tangled, and the tangled file is compiled." (when (equal (buffer-file-name) (expand-file-name (concat user-emacs-directory "init.org"))) (org-babel-tangle) (byte-compile-file (concat user-emacs-directory "init.el")))) (add-hook 'after-save-hook 'init-hook) ## Package Managing extensions for Emacs is simplified using `package` which is built in to Emacs 24 and newer. To load downloaded packages we need to initialize `package`. (require 'package) (package-initialize) Packages can be fetched from different mirrors, [melpa](http://melpa.milkbox.net/#/) is the largest archive and is well maintained. (add-to-list 'package-archives '("MELPA" . "http://melpa.milkbox.net/packages/") t) We can define a predicate that tells us wither or not the newest version of a package is installed. (defun newest-package-installed-p (package) "Return true if the newest available PACKAGE is installed." (when (package-installed-p package) (let* ((local-pkg-desc (or (assq package package-alist) (assq package package--builtins))) (newest-pkg-desc (assq package package-archive-contents))) (and local-pkg-desc newest-pkg-desc (version-list-= (package-desc-vers (cdr local-pkg-desc)) (package-desc-vers (cdr newest-pkg-desc))))))) Let's write a function to install a package if it is not installed or upgrades it if a new version has been released. Here our predicate comes in handy. (defun upgrade-or-install-package (package) "Unless the newest available version of PACKAGE is installed PACKAGE is installed and the current version is deleted." (unless (newest-package-installed-p package) (let ((pkg-desc (assq package package-alist))) (when pkg-desc (package-delete (symbol-name package) (package-version-join (package-desc-vers (cdr pkg-desc))))) (package-install package)))) The `package-refresh-contents` function downloads archive descriptions, this is a major bottleneck in this configuration. To avoid this we can try to only check for updates once every day or so. Here are three variables. The first specifies how often we should check for updates. The second specifies wither one should update during the initialization. The third is a path to a file where a time-stamp is stored in order to check when packages were updated last. (defvar days-between-updates 1) (defvar do-package-update-on-init t) (defvar package-last-update-file (expand-file-name (concat user-emacs-directory ".package-last-update"))) The tricky part is figuring out when the last time the Emacs was updated! Here is a hacky way of doing it, using [time-stamps](http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Time-Stamps.html). By adding a time-stamp to the a file, we can determine wither or not to do an update. After that we must run the `time-stamp`-function to update the time-stamp. (require 'time-stamp) ;; Open the package-last-update-file (with-temp-file package-last-update-file (if (file-exists-p package-last-update-file) (progn ;; Insert it's original content's. (insert-file-contents package-last-update-file) (let ((start (re-search-forward time-stamp-start nil t)) (end (re-search-forward time-stamp-end nil t))) (when (and start end) ;; Assuming we have found a time-stamp, we check determine if it's ;; time to update. (setq do-package-update-on-init (<= days-between-updates (days-between (current-time-string) (buffer-substring-no-properties start end)))) ;; Remember to update the time-stamp. (when do-package-update-on-init (time-stamp))))) ;; If no such file exists it is created with a time-stamp. (insert "Time-stamp: <>") (time-stamp))) Now we can use the function above to make sure packages are installed and up to date. Here are some packages I find useful (some of these configurations are also dependent on them). (when (and do-package-update-on-init (y-or-n-p "Update all packages?")) (package-refresh-contents) (dolist (package '(ac-geiser ; Auto-complete backend for geiser ac-slime ; An auto-complete source using slime completions ace-jump-mode ; quick cursor location minor mode auto-compile ; automatically compile Emacs Lisp libraries auto-complete ; auto completion elscreen ; window session manager expand-region ; Increase selected region by semantic units flx-ido ; flx integration for ido ido-vertical-mode ; Makes ido-mode display vertically. geiser ; GNU Emacs and Scheme talk to each other haskell-mode ; A Haskell editing mode jedi ; Python auto-completion for Emacs magit ; control Git from Emacs markdown-mode ; Emacs Major mode for Markdown-formatted files. matlab-mode ; MATLAB integration with Emacs. monokai-theme ; A fruity color theme for Emacs. move-text ; Move current line or region with M-up or M-down multiple-cursors ; Multiple cursors for Emacs. org ; Outline-based notes management and organizer paredit ; minor mode for editing parentheses pretty-lambdada ; the word `lambda' as the Greek letter. smex)) ; M-x interface with Ido-style fuzzy matching. (upgrade-or-install-package package))) ## Require Some features are not loaded by default to minimize initialization time, so they have to be required (or loaded, if you will). (dolist (feature '(auto-compile ; auto-compile .el files auto-complete-config ; a configuration for auto-complete-mode jedi ; auto-completion for python matlab ; matlab-mode ob-matlab ; org-babel matlab ox-latex ; the latex-exporter (from org) ox-md ; Markdown exporter (from org) pretty-lambdada ; show 'lambda' as the greek letter. recentf ; recently opened files tex-mode)) ; TeX, LaTeX, and SliTeX mode commands (require feature)) ## Sane defaults These are what *I* consider to be saner defaults. We can set variables to whatever value we'd like using `setq`. (setq initial-scratch-message nil ; Clean scratch buffer. inhibit-startup-message t ; No splash screen please. default-input-method "TeX" ; Use TeX when toggeling input method. ring-bell-function 'ignore ; Quite as a mouse. doc-view-continuous t ; At page edge goto next/previous. echo-keystrokes 0.1) ; Show keystrokes asap. ;; Some mac-bindings interfere with Emacs bindings. (when (boundp 'mac-pass-command-to-system) (setq mac-pass-command-to-system nil)) Some variables are buffer-local, so changing them using `setq` will only change them in a single buffer. Using `setq-default` we change the buffer-local variable's default value. (setq-default fill-column 76 ; Maximum line width. indent-tabs-mode nil ; Use spaces instead of tabs. split-width-threshold 100 ; Split verticly by default. auto-fill-function 'do-auto-fill) ; Auto-fill-mode everywhere. The `load-path` specifies where Emacs should look for `.el`-files (or Emacs lisp files). I have a directory called `site-lisp` where I keep all extensions that have been installed manually (these are mostly my own projects). (let ((default-directory (concat user-emacs-directory "site-lisp/"))) (when (file-exists-p default-directory) (normal-top-level-add-to-load-path '(".")) (normal-top-level-add-subdirs-to-load-path))) Answering *yes* and *no* to each question from Emacs can be tedious, a single *y* or *n* will suffice. (fset 'yes-or-no-p 'y-or-n-p) To avoid file system clutter we put all auto saved files in a single directory. (defvar emacs-autosave-directory (concat user-emacs-directory "autosaves/") "This variable dictates where to put auto saves. It is set to a directory called autosaves located wherever your .emacs.d/ is located.") ;; Sets all files to be backed up and auto saved in a single directory. (setq backup-directory-alist `((".*" . ,emacs-autosave-directory)) auto-save-file-name-transforms `((".*" ,emacs-autosave-directory t))) Set `utf-8` as preferred coding system. (set-language-environment "UTF-8") By default the `narrow-to-region` command is disabled and issues a warning, because it might confuse new users. I find it useful sometimes, and don't want to be warned. (put 'narrow-to-region 'disabled nil) Call `auto-complete` default configuration, which enables `auto-complete` globally. (ac-config-default) Automaticly revert `doc-view`-buffers when the file changes on disk. (add-hook 'doc-view-mode-hook 'auto-revert-mode) ## Modes There are some modes that are enabled by default that I don't find particularly useful. We create a list of these modes, and disable all of these. (dolist (mode '(tool-bar-mode ; No toolbars, more room for text. scroll-bar-mode ; No scroll bars either. blink-cursor-mode)) ; The blinking cursor gets old. (funcall mode 0)) Let's apply the same technique for enabling modes that are disabled by default. (dolist (mode '(abbrev-mode ; E.g. sopl -> System.out.println. auto-compile-on-load-mode ; Compile .el files on load ... auto-compile-on-save-mode ; ... and save. column-number-mode ; Show column number in mode line. delete-selection-mode ; Replace selected text. recentf-mode ; Recently opened files. show-paren-mode)) ; Highlight matching parentheses. (funcall mode 1)) This makes `.md`-files open in `markdown-mode`. (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.md\\'" . markdown-mode)) ## Visual Change the color-theme to `monokai` (downloaded using `package`). (load-theme 'monokai t) Use the [Inconsolata](http://www.levien.com/type/myfonts/inconsolata.html) font if it's installed on the system. (when (member "Inconsolata" (font-family-list)) (set-face-attribute 'default nil :font "Inconsolata-13")) ## Ido Interactive do (or `ido-mode`) changes the way you switch buffers and open files/directories. Instead of writing complete file paths and buffer names you can write a part of it and select one from a list of possibilities. Using `ido-vertical-mode` changes the way possibilities are displayed, and `flx-ido-mode` enables fuzzy matching. (dolist (mode '(ido-mode ; Interactivly do. ido-everywhere ; Use Ido for all buffer/file reading. ido-vertical-mode ; Makes ido-mode display vertically. flx-ido-mode)) ; Toggle flx ido mode. (funcall mode 1)) We can set the order of file selections in `ido`. I prioritize source files along with `org`- and `tex`-files. (setq ido-file-extensions-order '(".el" ".scm" ".lisp" ".java" ".c" ".h" ".org" ".tex")) Sometimes when using `ido-switch-buffer` the `*Messages*` buffer get in the way, so we set it to be ignored (it can be accessed using `C-h e`, so there is really no need for it in the buffer list). (add-to-list 'ido-ignore-buffers "*Messages*") To make `M-x` behave more like `ido-mode` we can use the `smex` package. It needs to be initialized, and we can replace the binding to the standard `execute-extended-command` with `smex`. (smex-initialize) (global-set-key (kbd "M-x") 'smex) ## Calendar Define a function to display week numbers in `calender-mode`. The snippet is from [EmacsWiki](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/CalendarWeekNumbers). (defun calendar-show-week (arg) "Displaying week number in calendar-mode." (interactive "P") (copy-face font-lock-constant-face 'calendar-iso-week-face) (set-face-attribute 'calendar-iso-week-face nil :height 0.7) (setq calendar-intermonth-text (and arg '(propertize (format "%2d" (car (calendar-iso-from-absolute (calendar-absolute-from-gregorian (list month day year))))) 'font-lock-face 'calendar-iso-week-face)))) Evaluate the `calendar-show-week` function. (calendar-show-week t) Set Monday as the first day of the week, and set my location. (setq calendar-week-start-day 1 calendar-latitude 60.0 calendar-longitude 10.7 calendar-location-name "Oslo, Norway") ## Mail I use [mu4e](http://www.djcbsoftware.nl/code/mu/mu4e.html) (which is a part of [mu](http://www.djcbsoftware.nl/code/mu/)) along with [offlineimap](http://docs.offlineimap.org/en/latest/) on one of my computers. Because the mail-setup wont work without these programs installed we bind `load-mail-setup` to `nil`. If the value is changed to a `non-nil` value mail is setup. (defvar load-mail-setup nil) (when load-mail-setup ;; We need mu4e (require 'mu4e) ;; Some basic mu4e settings. (setq mu4e-maildir "~/.ifimail" ; top-level Maildir mu4e-sent-folder "/INBOX.Sent" ; folder for sent messages mu4e-drafts-folder "/INBOX.Drafts" ; unfinished messages mu4e-trash-folder "/INBOX.Trash" ; trashed messages mu4e-refile-folder "/INBOX.Archive" ; saved messages mu4e-get-mail-command "offlineimap" ; offlineimap to fetch mail mu4e-compose-signature "- Lars" ; Sign my name mu4e-update-interval (* 5 60) ; update every 5 min mu4e-confirm-quit nil ; just quit mu4e-view-show-images t ; view images mu4e-html2text-command "html2text -utf8") ; use utf-8 ;; Setup for sending mail. (setq user-full-name "Lars Tveito" ; Your full name user-mail-address "larstvei@ifi.uio.no" ; And email-address smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.uio.no" ; Host to mail-server smtpmail-smtp-service 465 ; Port to mail-server smtpmail-stream-type 'ssl ; Protocol used for sending send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it ; Use smpt to send mail-user-agent 'mu4e-user-agent) ; Use mu4e! ;; Register file types that can be handled by ImageMagick. (when (fboundp 'imagemagick-register-types) (imagemagick-register-types)) (defadvice mu4e (before show-mu4e (arg) activate) "Always show mu4e in fullscreen and remember window configuration." (unless arg (window-configuration-to-register :mu4e-fullscreen) (mu4e-update-mail-and-index t) (delete-other-windows))) (defadvice mu4e-quit (after restore-windows nil activate) "Restore window configuration." (jump-to-register :mu4e-fullscreen)) ;; Overwrite the native 'compose-mail' binding to 'show-mu4e'. (global-set-key (kbd "C-x m") 'mu4e)) ## Flyspell Flyspell offers on-the-fly spell checking. We can enable flyspell for all text-modes with this snippet. (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-flyspell) To use flyspell for programming there is `flyspell-prog-mode`, that only enables spell checking for comments and strings. We can enable it for all programming modes using the `prog-mode-hook`. Flyspell interferes with auto-complete mode, but there is a workaround provided by auto complete. (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'flyspell-prog-mode) (ac-flyspell-workaround) To cycle through dictionary's we can define a variable containing a cyclic list of installed language packs. (defvar ispell-languages '#1=("english" "norsk" . #1#)) Now we only need a small function to change set the language and shift the list. (defun cycle-languages () "Changes the ispell-dictionary to whatever is the next (or cdr) in the LANGUAGES (cyclic) list." (interactive) (ispell-change-dictionary (car (setq ispell-languages (cdr ispell-languages))))) ## Org I use `org-agenda` for appointments and such. (setq org-agenda-start-on-weekday nil ; Show agenda from today. org-agenda-files '("~/Dropbox/life.org") ; A list of agenda files. org-agenda-default-appointment-duration 120) ; 2 hours appointments. When editing org-files with source-blocks, we want the source blocks to be themed as they would in their native mode. (setq org-src-fontify-natively t) ## Interactive functions To search recent files useing `ido-mode` we add this snippet from [EmacsWiki](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/CalendarWeekNumbers). (defun recentf-ido-find-file () "Find a recent file using Ido." (interactive) (let ((f (ido-completing-read "Choose recent file: " recentf-list nil t))) (when f (find-file f)))) `just-one-space` removes all whitespace around a point - giving it a negative argument it removes newlines as well. We wrap a interactive function around it to be able to bind it to a key. (defun remove-whitespace-inbetween () "Removes whitespace before and after the point." (interactive) (just-one-space -1)) This interactive function switches you to a `shell`, and if triggered in the shell it switches back to the previous buffer. (defun switch-to-shell () "Jumps to eshell or back." (interactive) (if (string= (buffer-name) "*shell*") (switch-to-prev-buffer) (shell))) To duplicate either selected text or a line we define this interactive function. (defun duplicate-thing () "Ethier duplicates the line or the region" (interactive) (save-excursion (let ((start (if (region-active-p) (region-beginning) (point-at-bol))) (end (if (region-active-p) (region-end) (point-at-eol)))) (goto-char end) (unless (region-active-p) (newline)) (insert (buffer-substring start end))))) To tidy up a buffer we define this function borrowed from [simenheg](https://github.com/simenheg). (defun tidy () "Ident, untabify and unwhitespacify current buffer, or region if active." (interactive) (let ((beg (if (region-active-p) (region-beginning) (point-min))) (end (if (region-active-p) (region-end) (point-max)))) (indent-region beg end) (whitespace-cleanup) (untabify beg (if (< end (point-max)) end (point-max))))) ## Key bindings Bindings for [expand-region](https://github.com/magnars/expand-region.el). (global-set-key (kbd "C-'") 'er/expand-region) (global-set-key (kbd "C-;") 'er/contract-region) Bindings for [multiple-cursors](https://github.com/magnars/multiple-cursors.el). (global-set-key (kbd "C-c e") 'mc/edit-lines) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c a") 'mc/mark-all-like-this) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c n") 'mc/mark-next-like-this) Bindings for [Magit](http://magit.github.io). (global-set-key (kbd "C-c m") 'magit-status) Bindings for [ace-jump-mode](https://github.com/winterTTr/ace-jump-mode). (global-set-key (kbd "C-c SPC") 'ace-jump-mode) Bindings for `move-text`. (global-set-key (kbd "") 'move-text-up) (global-set-key (kbd "") 'move-text-down) Bind some native Emacs functions. (global-set-key (kbd "C-c s") 'ispell-word) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c t") 'org-agenda-list) (global-set-key (kbd "C-x k") 'kill-this-buffer) (global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-r") 'recentf-ido-find-file) Bind the functions defined above. (global-set-key (kbd "C-c l") 'cycle-languages) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c j") 'remove-whitespace-inbetween) (global-set-key (kbd "C-x t") 'switch-to-shell) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c d") 'duplicate-thing) (global-set-key (kbd "") 'tidy) ## Advice An advice can be given to a function to make it behave differently. This advice makes `eval-last-sexp` (bound to `C-x C-e`) replace the sexp with the value. (defadvice eval-last-sexp (around replace-sexp (arg) activate) "Replace sexp when called with a prefix argument." (if arg (let ((pos (point))) ad-do-it (goto-char pos) (backward-kill-sexp) (forward-sexp)) ad-do-it)) `Flyspell` signals an error if there is no spell-checking tool is installed. We can advice `turn-on=flyspell` and `flyspell-prog-mode` to only try to enable `flyspell` if a spell-checking tool is avalible. (defadvice turn-on-flyspell (around check nil activate) "Turns on flyspell only if a spell-checking tool is installed." (when (executable-find ispell-program-name) ad-do-it)) (defadvice flyspell-prog-mode (around check nil activate) "Turns on flyspell only if a spell-checking tool is installed." (when (executable-find ispell-program-name) ad-do-it)) # Language mode specific ## Lisp `Pretty-lambda` provides a customizable variable `pretty-lambda-auto-modes` that is a list of common lisp modes. Here we can add some extra lisp-modes. We run the `pretty-lambda-for-modes` function to activate `pretty-lambda-mode` in lisp modes. (dolist (mode '(slime-repl-mode geiser-repl-mode)) (add-to-list 'pretty-lambda-auto-modes mode)) (pretty-lambda-for-modes) I use `Paredit` when editing lisp code, we enable this for all lisp-modes in the `pretty-lambda-auto-modes` list. (dolist (mode pretty-lambda-auto-modes) ;; add paredit-mode to all mode-hooks (add-hook (intern (concat (symbol-name mode) "-hook")) 'paredit-mode)) ### Emacs Lisp In `emacs-lisp-mode` we can enable `eldoc-mode` to display information about a function or a variable in the echo area. (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'turn-on-eldoc-mode) (add-hook 'lisp-interaction-mode-hook 'turn-on-eldoc-mode) ### Common lisp I use [Slime](http://www.common-lisp.net/project/slime/) along with `lisp-mode` to edit Common Lisp code. Slime provides code evaluation and other great features, a must have for a Common Lisp developer. [Quicklisp](http://www.quicklisp.org/beta/) is a library manager for Common Lisp, and you can install Slime following the instructions from the site along with this snippet. (when (file-exists-p "~/quicklisp/slime-helper.elc") (load (expand-file-name "~/quicklisp/slime-helper.elc"))) We can specify what Common Lisp program Slime should use (I use SBCL). (setq inferior-lisp-program "sbcl") To improve auto completion for Common Lisp editing we can use `ac-slime` which uses slime completions as a source. (add-hook 'slime-mode-hook 'set-up-slime-ac) (add-hook 'slime-repl-mode-hook 'set-up-slime-ac) (eval-after-load "auto-complete" '(add-to-list 'ac-modes 'slime-repl-mode)) ### Scheme [Geiser](http://www.nongnu.org/geiser/) provides features similar to Slime for Scheme editing. Everything works pretty much out of the box, we only need to add auto completion, and specify which scheme-interpreter we prefer. (add-hook 'geiser-mode-hook 'ac-geiser-setup) (add-hook 'geiser-repl-mode-hook 'ac-geiser-setup) (eval-after-load "auto-complete" '(add-to-list 'ac-modes 'geiser-repl-mode)) (setq geiser-active-implementations '(racket)) ## Java and C The `c-mode-common-hook` is a general hook that work on all C-like languages (C, C++, Java, etc…). I like being able to quickly compile using `C-c C-c` (instead of `M-x compile`), a habit from `latex-mode`. (defun c-setup () (local-set-key (kbd "C-c C-c") 'compile)) (add-hook 'c-mode-common-hook 'c-setup) Some statements in Java appear often, and become tedious to write out. We can use abbrevs to speed this up. (define-abbrev-table 'java-mode-abbrev-table '(("psv" "public static void main(String[] args) {" nil 0) ("sopl" "System.out.println" nil 0) ("sop" "System.out.printf" nil 0))) To be able to use the abbrev table defined above, `abbrev-mode` must be activated. (defun java-setup () (abbrev-mode t) (setq-local compile-command (concat "javac " (buffer-name)))) (add-hook 'java-mode-hook 'java-setup) ## Assembler When writing assembler code I use `#` for comments. By defining `comment-start` we can add comments using `M-;` like in other programming modes. Also in assembler should one be able to compile using `C-c C-c`. (defun asm-setup () (setq comment-start "#") (local-set-key (kbd "C-c C-c") 'compile)) (add-hook 'asm-mode-hook 'asm-setup) ## LaTeX `.tex`-files should be associated with `latex-mode` instead of `tex-mode`. (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.tex\\'" . latex-mode)) I like using the [Minted](https://code.google.com/p/minted/) package for source blocks in LaTeX. To make org use this we add the following snippet. (add-to-list 'org-latex-packages-alist '("" "minted")) (setq org-latex-listings 'minted) Because [Minted](https://code.google.com/p/minted/) uses [Pygments](http://pygments.org) (an external process), we must add the `-shell-escape` option to the `org-latex-pdf-process` commands. The `tex-compile-commands` variable controls the default compile command for Tex- and LaTeX-mode, we can add the flag with a rather dirty statement (if anyone finds a nicer way to do this, please let me know). (setq org-latex-pdf-process (mapcar (lambda (str) (concat "pdflatex -shell-escape " (substring str (string-match "-" str)))) org-latex-pdf-process)) (setcar (cdr (cddaar tex-compile-commands)) " -shell-escape ") ## Python [Jedi](http://tkf.github.io/emacs-jedi/released/) offers very nice auto completion for `python-mode`. Mind that it is dependent on some python programs as well, so make sure you follow the instructions from the site. (setq jedi:server-command (cons "python3" (cdr jedi:server-command)) python-shell-interpreter "python3") (add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'jedi:setup) (setq jedi:complete-on-dot t) (add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'jedi:ac-setup) ## Haskell `haskell-doc-mode` is similar to `eldoc`, it displays documentation in the echo area. Haskell has several indentation modes - I prefer using `haskell-indent`. (add-hook 'haskell-mode-hook 'turn-on-haskell-doc-mode) (add-hook 'haskell-mode-hook 'turn-on-haskell-indent) ## Matlab Matlab is very similar to Octave, which is supported by Emacs. We just need to let `.m`-files be associated with `octave-mode`. (add-to-list 'matlab-shell-command-switches "-nosplash")