https://github.com/nonsequitur/smex

A smart M-x enhancement for Emacs.
https://github.com/nonsequitur/smex

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A smart M-x enhancement for Emacs.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/nonsequitur/smex
• Owner: nonsequitur
• Created: 2009-03-10T15:00:11.000Z (over 15 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2021-05-28T21:18:35.000Z (over 3 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-06-15T16:38:14.223Z (3 months ago)
• Language: Emacs Lisp
• Homepage:
• Size: 172 KB
• Stars: 873
• Watchers: 50
• Forks: 87
• Open Issues: 30
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.markdown

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README

        
![Smex](https://sites.google.com/site/cumulatm/home/smex-logo.png)

## Smex

Smex is a M-x enhancement for Emacs. Built on top of Ido, it provides

a convenient interface to your recently and most frequently used

commands. And to all the other commands, too.

![Smex](https://sites.google.com/site/cumulatm/home/SmexScreenshotImage.png)

## [Changelog](#changelog-1)

Jump to [Changelog](#changelog-1).

## Get started

* Get Smex

   * Via [Marmalade](http://marmalade-repo.org/packages/smex) or

     [MELPA](http://melpa.milkbox.net/).

   * Or manually download Smex and set-up your load path.

     [(Find out more.)](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/InstallingPackages)

* To auto-start Smex every time you open Emacs add these lines to your .emacs file:

        (require 'smex) ; Not needed if you use package.el

        (smex-initialize) ; Can be omitted. This might cause a (minimal) delay

                          ; when Smex is auto-initialized on its first run.

* Bind some keys:

        (global-set-key (kbd "M-x") 'smex)

        (global-set-key (kbd "M-X") 'smex-major-mode-commands)

        ;; This is your old M-x.

        (global-set-key (kbd "C-c C-c M-x") 'execute-extended-command)

* Run Smex. (Type M-x, if that's your key binding).

The commands are displayed in an Ido completion buffer, ordered by

relevance.  The 7 most recently executed commands come first, the rest

are sorted by frequency of use, command length and in alphabetical

order.

Ido completion in 10 seconds: Typing selects matching commands:

e.g. 'lnmd' matches 'line-number-mode'. `C-s`/`C-r` switches to the

next/previous match. `Enter` executes the selected command.

## Learn more

### Show only major mode commands

`smex-major-mode-commands` runs Smex, limited to commands that

are relevant to the active major mode. Try it with Dired or Magit.

### Command help

`C-h f`, while Smex is active, runs `describe-function` on the

currently selected command.

`M-.` jumps to the definition of the selected command.

`C-h w` shows the key bindings for the selected command. (Via `where-is`.)

### Accessing new commands

Before accepting user input, Smex checks for new command definitions

and updates its caches accordingly.

You can disable auto-updating and gain some slight speed improvements

on older systems by setting `smex-auto-update` to nil.

To manually update Smex, call it a second time while it is already

running.

Additionally, you can teach Smex to auto-update after Emacs has

been idle for 60 seconds: Call `(smex-auto-update)`; provide an integer

argument for a custom time period in seconds.

### Show unbound commands

`smex-show-unbound-commands` shows frequently used commands that have

no key bindings.

### Persistence

Smex keeps a file to save its state betweens Emacs sessions. The

default path is "~/.smex-items"; you can change it by setting the

variable `smex-save-file`.

### History

Set `smex-history-length` to change the number of recent commands that

Smex keeps track of.

### Prompt

Set `smex-prompt-string` for a custom prompt.

## Changelog

### 3.0

  * Use `execute-extended-command` for running commands.

    This breaks support for Emacs versions older than 24 and

    obviates the user option `smex-key-advice-ignore-menu-bar`.

    (The default Emacs behaviour is to not show menu bar bindings.)

    As a result of this change, the variable `suggest-key-bindings`

    is now honored when executing commands.

  * Save command history in `extended-command-history`, like M-x.

### 2.1

  * Improved tab completion in the Smex minibuffer

  * Add compatibility with command-frequency

### 2.0

  * Remove `smex-detect-legacy-save-file`.

    Only relevant (but a breaking change) when you rely on a long deprecated default

    value of smex-save-file.

  * Ignore smex-save-file when it's empty instead of raising an error.

    Warn on invalid data in smex-save-file. Fixes [issue #23]

    (https://github.com/nonsequitur/smex/issues/23/).

### 1.1.4

  * Allow running `where-is` on the selected command.

  * Fix compatibility with ido-ubiquitous.

### 1.1.3

  * Add auto-initialization.

  * Minor fixes.

## Appendix

Smex is my first venture into Elisp. I'd be glad to receive patches,

comments and your considered criticism.

*Have fun with Smex!*