Installing Emacs

Table of Contents:

• Download the Emacs for Windows.
• Installing Emacs
• Setting the environmental variables

Download Emacs for Windows.

1. Go to https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/windows/emacs/
2. Choose whatever version you want and download the file with the extension "installer.exe" Save it to the desktop or a place that's easy to find.
3. Double click to install!

Note: the instructions below are really old (at least 15 years old), so they aren't really relevent any more. I can't verify that the instructions will even work. For sentimental reasons, I'm leaving them up.

Installing Emacs

1. Double-click on the file that was downloaded above. You should see something similar to that below. Click Next.
   
2. Click on "I accept the agreement". Click Next.
   
3. Read the Information if you want. The important thing to understant is that this is installing the latest Gnu Emacs version (the one in CVS) compiled for windows. It is not an official GNU release, but it does have the latest features for windows. Click on Next.
   
4. The default is sufficient. Click Next.
   
5. Do a full installation for the good stuff.... Click Next.
   
6. The installer asks if you want to install for all users or just yourself. Choose whatever you want...
   
7. I would not suggest that you change file associations. You may regret it later if you do... Click "Thank you, I will skip this section", and then click on Next.
   
8. The default should be fine. Click Next.
   
9. We're ready to go!!!! Click Next.
   
10. Now we wait...
    
11. It's Done. You can click on Start Emacs with Emacsw32 Options page to set some additional settings to Emacs to make it more like your experience with other windows editors. You're done now with the installing!
    

Setting the environmental variables

This step depends on your system. Follow the steps for your system below:

Windows 95/98/ME

1. Open up the file c:\autoexec.bat in notepad. Double-click does not edit the file, but rather execute the file. The easiest way to do is to first run notepad, then open the file. Add the following line (or edit the line):

        set HOME=C:\
	

2. Note that some systems do not like long filenames. If you determine that yours does not, then replace "program files" with "progra~1".

Windows 2000/XP

1. Right click on the "My Compter" icon, and select Properties. Click on the Advanced tab.
   
2. Click on Environmental variables. You should see:
   
3. You should create (or edit) the following user variable:
   • Create the HOME variable with the value c:\
4. Installation of Emacs is now complete. Now you can proceed to Integrating Emacs and R.

Windows Vista

1. Windows Vista has a problem installing the .emacs (or _emacs) file to the root directory (C:\) (It doesn't let you edit it once it is there). Choose a different directory as the home directory. One suggestion would be "C:\Users"
2. Follow the directions for Windows XP above and create the HOME variable with the value c:\Users\
3. Installation of Emacs is now complete. Now you can proceed to Integrating Emacs and R