11. Highlighting

11.1. How can I highlight selections?

Use zmacs mode. This mode allows for what some might call gratuitous highlighting for selected regions (either by setting mark or by using the mouse). To use, add the following line to your `.emacs' file:

(setq zmacs-regions t)

This is the default behavior.

11.2. How do I get a pending-delete type of behavior?

Pending delete is what happens when you select a region (with the mouse or keyboard) and you press a key to replace the selected region by the key you typed. Usually backspace kills the selected region.

To get this behavior, add the following line to your `.emacs' file:

(require 'pending-del)

11.3. I do not like my text highlighted while I am doing isearch as I am not able to see whats underneath. How do I turn it off?

(setq isearch-highlight nil)

Note also that isearch-highlight affects query-replace and ispell. Instead of disabling isearch-highlight you may find that a better solution consists of customizing the 'isearch' face.

11.4. The text gets highlighted when I do C-x C-p (mark-page). Is there a way to turn this feature off?

(setq zmacs-regions nil)