Variable changes in BEMACS

[David Eppstein <Kronj@Sierra>]

    Date: Tuesday, 27 September 1983  15:39-PDT
    From: Goran Fagerstrom <FAGERSTROM at SU-SCORE.ARPA>

    I am running bemacs.  When I start another editing session after having
    changed variables in the 1st one, they have not taken effect. (both
    changes made by edit options and set variable.

(for non-Stanford people: BEMACS is merely EMACS with NOVICE loaded).
No, such changes only apply to one run of the program; if you want
changes to be permanent you should look into having an EMACS.VARS file.
You can find out about these in INFO node (CONV); to use INFO just
type C-X I to EMACS (it will tell you what to do from there).

    Also, what does the command set program bemacs keep start mean, and 
    what happens if you leave start and/or keep out?

It tells the EXEC to keep around your BEMACS program even when you run
some other program.  That way you don't have to take all the time of
starting up a new one, reading in your files again, etc.  Actually,
the recommended command is SET PROGRAM BEMACS KEEP CONTINUE rather than
KEEP START, since it is easier on BEMACS not to restart it all the time.
If you use BEMACS with the EDIT command none if this has any effect -
BEMACS will be automatically kept separately of any KEEP settings.
This command is only useful if you run it by typing BEMACS to the EXEC.

    Any way of getting emacs to remember last file edited when starting new
    session? (The standard editor issues the msg No filespec kept, even when
    starting emacs)

There is no way of keeping files over logging out and logging back in
again.  Keeping BEMACS as described above will do so for one login however.