Help Commands
=============

The `?' key (`calc-help') displays a series of brief help messages.
Some keys (such as `b' and `d') are prefix keys, like Emacs' ESC and
`C-x' prefixes.  You can type `?' after a prefix to see a list of
commands beginning with that prefix.  (If the message includes
`[MORE]', press `?' again to see additional commands for that prefix.)

The `h h' (`calc-full-help') command displays all the `?'  responses
at once.  When printed, this makes a nice, compact (three pages)
summary of Calc keystrokes.

In general, the `h' key prefix introduces various commands that
provide help within Calc.  Many of the `h' key functions are
Calc-specific analogues to the `C-h' functions for Emacs help.

The `h i' (`calc-info') command runs the Emacs Info system to read
this manual on-line.  This is basically the same as typing `C-h i'
(the regular way to run the Info system), then, if Info is not already
in the Calc manual, selecting the beginning of the manual.  The `M-#
i' command is another way to read the Calc manual; it is different
from `h i' in that it works any time, not just inside Calc.  The plain
`i' key is also equivalent to `h i', though this key is obsolete and
may be replaced with a different command in a future version of Calc.

The `h t' (`calc-tutorial') command runs the Info system on the
Tutorial section of the Calc manual.  It is like `h i', except that it
selects the starting node of the tutorial rather than the beginning of
the whole manual.  (It actually selects the node "Interactive
Tutorial" which tells a few things about using the Info system before
going on to the actual tutorial.)  The `M-# t' key is equivalent to `h
t' (but it works at all times).

The `h s' (`calc-info-summary') command runs the Info system on the
Summary node of the Calc manual.  See Summary.  The `M-# s' key is
equivalent to `h s'.

The `h k' (`calc-describe-key') command looks up a key sequence in the
Calc manual.  For example, `h k H a S' looks up the documentation on
the `H a S' (`calc-solve-for') command.  This works by looking up the
textual description of the key(s) in the Key Index of the manual, then
jumping to the node indicated by the index.

Most Calc commands do not have traditional Emacs documentation
strings, since the `h k' command is both more convenient and more
instructive.  This means the regular Emacs `C-h k' (`describe-key')
command will not be useful for Calc keystrokes.

The `h c' (`calc-describe-key-briefly') command reads a key sequence
and displays a brief one-line description of it at the bottom of the
screen.  It looks for the key sequence in the Summary node of the Calc
manual; if it doesn't find the sequence there, it acts just like its
regular Emacs counterpart `C-h c' (`describe-key-briefly').  For
example, `h c H a S' gives the description:

     H a S runs calc-solve-for:  a `H a S' v  => fsolve(a,v)  (?=notes)

which means the command `H a S' or `H M-x calc-solve-for' takes a
value `a' from the stack, prompts for a value `v', then applies the
algebraic function `fsolve' to these values.  The `?=notes' message
means you can now type `?' to see additional notes from the summary
that apply to this command.

The `h f' (`calc-describe-function') command looks up an algebraic
function or a command name in the Calc manual.  The prompt initially
contains `calcFunc-'; follow this with an algebraic function name to
look up that function in the Function Index.  Or, backspace and enter
a command name beginning with `calc-' to look it up in the Command
Index.  This command will also look up operator symbols that can
appear in algebraic formulas, like `%' and `=>'.

The `h v' (`calc-describe-variable') command looks up a variable in
the Calc manual.  The prompt initially contains the `var-' prefix;
just add a variable name like `pi' or `PlotRejects'.

The `h b' (`calc-describe-bindings') command is just like `C-h b',
except that only local (Calc-related) key bindings are listed.

The `h n' or `h C-n' (`calc-view-news') command displays the "news" or
change history of Calc.  This is kept in the file `README', which Calc
looks for in the same directory as the Calc source files.

The `h C-c', `h C-d', and `h C-w' keys display copying, distribution,
and warranty information about Calc.  These work by pulling up the
appropriate parts of the "Copying" or "Reporting Bugs" sections of the
manual.