33.3.2 Submodes of Emerge
You can choose between two modes for giving merge commands: Fast mode
and Edit mode. In Fast mode, basic merge commands are single
characters, but ordinary Emacs commands are disabled. This is
convenient if you use only merge commands. In Edit mode, all merge
commands start with the prefix key C-c C-c, and the normal Emacs
commands are also available. This allows editing the merge buffer, but
slows down Emerge operations.
Use e to switch to Edit mode, and C-c C-c f to switch to
Fast mode. The mode line indicates Edit and Fast modes with ‘E’
and ‘F’.
Emerge has two additional submodes that affect how particular merge
commands work: Auto Advance mode and Skip Prefers mode.
If Auto Advance mode is in effect, the a and b commands
advance to the next difference. This lets you go through the merge
faster as long as you simply choose one of the alternatives from the
input. The mode line indicates Auto Advance mode with ‘A’.
If Skip Prefers mode is in effect, the n and p commands
skip over differences in states prefer-A and prefer-B (see State of Difference). Thus you see only differences for which neither version
is presumed “correct.” The mode line indicates Skip Prefers mode with
‘S’.
Use the command s a (emerge-auto-advance-mode
) to set or
clear Auto Advance mode. Use s s
(emerge-skip-prefers-mode
) to set or clear Skip Prefers mode.
These commands turn on the mode with a positive argument, turns it off
with a negative or zero argument, and toggle the mode with no argument.