8.4.2 Completion Commands
Here is a list of the completion commands defined in the minibuffer when completion is allowed.
TAB
Complete the text in the minibuffer as much as possible; if unable to
complete, display a list of possible completions
( minibuffer-complete).
SPC
Complete up to one word from the minibuffer text before point
( minibuffer-complete-word). This command is not available for
arguments that often include spaces, such as file names.
RET
Submit the text in the minibuffer as the argument, possibly completing
first ( minibuffer-complete-and-exit). See Completion Exit.
?
Display a list of completions ( minibuffer-completion-help).
TAB ( minibuffer-complete) is the most fundamental
completion command. It searches for all possible completions that
match the existing minibuffer text, and attempts to complete as much
as it can. See How Completion Alternatives Are Chosen, for how completion alternatives
are chosen.
SPC ( minibuffer-complete-word) completes like
TAB, but only up to the next hyphen or space. If you have
‘ auto-f’ in the minibuffer and type SPC, it finds that the
completion is ‘ auto-fill-mode’, but it only inserts ‘ ill-’,
giving ‘ auto-fill-’. Another SPC at this point completes
all the way to ‘ auto-fill-mode’.
If TAB or SPC is unable to complete, it displays a list
of matching completion alternatives (if there are any) in another
window. You can display the same list with ?
( minibuffer-completion-help). The following commands can be
used with the completion list:
M-v``PageUp``prior
Typing M-v, while in the minibuffer, selects the window showing
the completion list ( switch-to-completions). This paves the
way for using the commands below. PageUp, prior and
M-g M-c does the same. You can also select the window in other
ways (see Multiple Windows).
RET``mouse-1``mouse-2
While in the completion list buffer, this chooses the completion at
point ( choose-completion).
TAB``RIGHT``n
While in the completion list buffer, these keys move point to the
following completion alternative ( next-completion).
S-TAB``LEFT``p
While in the completion list buffer, these keys move point to the
previous completion alternative ( previous-completion).
q
While in the completion list buffer, this quits the window showing it
and selects the window showing the minibuffer ( quit-window).
z
While in the completion list buffer, kill it and delete the window
showing it ( kill-current-buffer).