Emacs, slow startup

chandru.in · 07-18-2005, 04:47 AM

Hi,

I'm using slackware 10.1.

When I start emacs(both console & X), it takes a long time to start. Can anyone tell me how I can make it start faster??

GlowGlow · 07-18-2005, 12:51 PM

Is your hostname resolvable?

chandru.in · 07-19-2005, 12:35 AM

I'm sorry!

I'm a newbie.

Can u explain this to me??

GlowGlow · 07-19-2005, 03:41 AM

Can you ping your hostname (use the 'hostname' command to see your hostname). If not, you have to add your IP plus hostname to /etc/hosts. Some people who have a problem with EMACS loading slowly do not have a resolvable hostname.

chandru.in · 07-19-2005, 05:40 AM

My system is not on a network.

Now I remember changing the contents of my /etc/HOSTNAME file.

Its present content is,

Quote:

Penguin_splendor

Is this what is creating the problem??

If so what would be the ideal content of /etc/HOSTNAME?

GlowGlow · 07-19-2005, 06:02 AM

That is not a legal hostname, hostnames can only consist of 'a-z' and '-' characters (and of course a '.', to make FQDNs like node.example.net). Try changing the hostname to 'penguin-splendor', and adding a line to /etc/hosts that says:

Code:

127.0.0.1          penguin-splendor

You can also use the IP address of an external interface of the machine. After making the changes the hostname should be resolvable, you can test this with

Code:

ping `hostname'

(Be sure to use backticks, this will fill in the output of the hostname command.)

chandru.in · 07-19-2005, 06:33 AM

Y should I give a IP address in /etc/hosts while I'm not on a network??

Also, can I give any number for IP??

egag · 07-19-2005, 07:26 AM

127.0.0.1 is the ip address of your loopback interface.
if you connect to it, you're just connecting to your own pc.

so , adding the line that GlowGlow posted to /etc/hosts
should solve it.

egag

keefaz · 07-19-2005, 08:18 AM

There is a warning commented in /etc/hosts though...

Code:

# By the way, Arnt Gulbrandsen <agulbra@nvg.unit.no> says that 127.0.0.1
# should NEVER be named with the name of the machine.  It causes problems
# for some (stupid) programs, irc and reputedly talk. :^)
#

egag · 07-19-2005, 09:06 AM

that brings the Q. : is emacs using the name in /etc/HOSTNAME or " localhost "

i have for my loopback in /etc/hosts :

127.0.0.1 localhost

i think that should be ok then.

egag

keefaz · 07-19-2005, 09:34 AM

and another Q : is emacs a stupid program ?

Sorry for kidding, but why a text editor would need
to know the hostname in order to work ?...

egag · 07-19-2005, 10:07 AM

well...i could imagine you could give a "host=" option to edit files on another machine,
but i didn't find anything like that.

but maybe you were not kidding, the makers of the doc.'s are...

see:
/usr/share/emacs/21.3/etc/condom.1
/usr/share/emacs/21.3/etc/COOKIES
----maybe more---

egag

chandru.in · 07-20-2005, 12:49 AM

Not did this thread solve my problem. It has also given me a basic understanding of hostname.

Emacs is a really cool editor. In fact I use it even on the windoze systems in my college.