RE: indentation, setting variables, commands, and M-x

[Drew Adams]

    > In this case, you want to search the manual for "indent" or
    > "indentation".
    > Looking through the explanation of Info mode (from `C-h m'),
    > you'll see that
    > `i' looks up a topic in the index, and `s' searches the
    > manual for a term.

    Ok, I hit C-h m,and it waits for me to give a menu name. How do I get
    to a place where I can hit 'i' to look up a topic in the "index"?
    I see that 's' asks me for a regex to search for, and it searches
    down the page, from the current cursor location to find it.
    Is there a separate index page for each node? Or maybe only some nodes?

I probably wasn't clear enough.

C-h i            -- enters Info
Click Emacs link -- enter Emacs manual
C-h m            -- get help on Info mode

Read the Info mode help; it describes key bindings in Info mode, including
these bindings (you may have to scroll down the *Help* window a bit (use C-x
o to switch windows):

i       Look up a topic in this file's Index and move to that node.
s       Search through this Info file for specified regexp,
          and select the node in which the next occurrence is found.

In buffer (window) *info*, use `C-x 1' to get rid of the *Help* window.

It is in Info mode (buffer *info*) that you can use the Info-mode key
bindings such as `i' and `s'.

My guess is that you used simply `m' in Info mode, not `C-h m'. `m' asks for
a menu item to visit.

`s' and `i' are totally separate. `s' simply searches; `i' looks up a term
in the manual's index.

`s' searches for a regexp, but that can be as simple as a word. You can use
`s' again, hitting just `RET' (Return key) to reuse the last input (e.g.
word). So, for example, `s indentation RET' finds the first occurrence in
the manual of "indentation". Then, `s RET' finds the next occurrence of
"indentation". Repeat `s RET' as needed. As I mentioned, when appropriate,
`i' is much quicker; in this case it takes you directly to the manual
section on indentation.

HTH.