Re: customize-set-(value|variable) [was: apropos commands forcommands, user options, all functions, all variables]

[Robert J. Chassell]

    An interactive function that provides completion and a degree of
    type checking is much, much handier than using `setq' with `M-:'.

Why would you use M-: (eval-expression) each time you want to evaluate
an expression rather than write it in a .emacs file?  In such a file,
you only need to write it once.  

To check it, I place point after it and run the command eval-last-sexp
(`C-x C-e') which I find easier to evoke than M-:.  (On my keyboard a
colon requires me to press a shift key.)  After I have written the
expression right, I leave it in my .emacs file.

In my .emacs file I have completion with the command
lisp-complete-symbol.

For temporary expressions, like
    (format "%c" ?\x8b8) 
and
    (ascii-display)
I use the *scratch* buffer.  (That is what is in it now.)

-- 
    Robert J. Chassell                          GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8
    address@hidden                         address@hidden
    http://www.rattlesnake.com                  http://www.teak.cc