Emacs Configuration

1. Introduction
- 1.1. UI Elements
2. Unicode
3. Transparency
4. Scrolling
5. Agenda
6. Publishing
7. Autopair
8. Lyrics
9. Fragtog
10. Snippets
11. Completion
12. Spelling
13. Org Babel
14. Packages

1. Introduction

This is my Vanilla Emacs configuration, made to work with my NixOS configuration. For that reason, you will not see :ensure t inside any use-package declaration, for emacs packages are all compiled natively and reproducibly on the NixOS side. This configuration uses the emacs-lisp language only to configure variables for said packages, for the most part.

1.1. UI Elements

This section contains important UI elements and starting customization variables to make emacs work in a semi-sane way and make it not look ugly:

(pixel-scroll-precision-mode 1)
(setq scroll-conservatively 101)
(display-battery-mode 1)
(setq display-time-24hr-format t)
(display-time-mode 1)
(menu-bar-mode -1)
(scroll-bar-mode -1)
(tool-bar-mode -1)
(load-theme 'catppuccin :no-confirm)
(setq display-line-numbers-type 'relative)
(add-hook 'prog-mode-hook #'display-line-numbers-mode)
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook #'display-line-numbers-mode)
(setq org-confirm-babel-evaluate nil)
(set-face-attribute 'default nil :height 120)
(setq use-short-answers t)
(setq make-backup-files nil)
(setq org-export-with-broken-links t)
(setq org-src-fontify-natively t)
;; (setq org-highlight-latex-and-related '(latex script entities))
(setq warning-minimum-level :emergency)
(add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'visual-line-mode)
(and window-system (server-start))
(setq debug-ignored-errors
      (cons 'remote-file-error debug-ignored-errors))
(set-face-attribute 'default nil :font "Iosevka Nerd Font" :height 140)
(setq org-preview-latex-image-directory "/home/preston/.cache/ltximg/")

(setq-default fill-column 100)
(add-hook 'text-mode-hook #'auto-fill-mode)
(add-hook 'prog-mode-hook #'auto-fill-mode)
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook #'auto-fill-mode)

(setopt display-fill-column-indicator-column 100)
(add-hook 'prog-mode-hook #'display-fill-column-indicator-mode)
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook #'display-fill-column-indicator-mode)

(add-hook 'prog-mode-hook
          (lambda ()
            (setq prettify-symbols-alist
                  '(("lambda" . ?λ)
                    ("->"     . ?→)
                    ("map"    . ?↦)
                    ("/="     . ?≠)
                    ("!="     . ?≠)
                    ("=="     . ?≡)
                    ("<="     . ?≤)
                    (">="     . ?≥)
                    ("&&"     . ?∧)
                    ("||"     . ?∨)
                    ("sqrt"   . ?√)
                    ("..."    . ?…)))
            (prettify-symbols-mode)))

(add-hook 'org-mode-hook (lambda ()
                           (setq prettify-symbols-alist
                                 '(("#+begin_src" . ?)
                                   ("#+BEGIN_SRC" . ?)
                                   ("#+end_src" . ?)
                                   ("#+END_SRC" . ?)
                                   ("#+begin_example" . ?)
                                   ("#+BEGIN_EXAMPLE" . ?)
                                   ("#+end_example" . ?)
                                   ("#+END_EXAMPLE" . ?)
                                   ("#+header:" . ?)
                                   ("#+HEADER:" . ?)
                                   ("#+name:" . ?﮸)
                                   ("#+NAME:" . ?﮸)
                                   ("#+results:" . ?)
                                   ("#+RESULTS:" . ?)
                                   ("#+call:" . ?)
                                   ("#+CALL:" . ?)
                                   (":PROPERTIES:" . ?)
                                   (":properties:" . ?)
                                   ("lambda" . ?λ)
                                   ("->"     . ?→)
                                   ("map"    . ?↦)
                                   ("/="     . ?≠)
                                   ("!="     . ?≠)
                                   ("=="     . ?≡)
                                   ("<="     . ?≤)
                                   (">="     . ?≥)
                                   ("&&"     . ?∧)
                                   ("||"     . ?∨)
                                   ("sqrt"   . ?√)
                                   ("..."    . ?…))))
          (prettify-symbols-mode))
(global-prettify-symbols-mode 1)

2. Unicode

(use-package unicode-fonts
  :init (unicode-fonts-setup))

3. Transparency

My NixOS configuration uses Hyprland to make things transparent:

(set-frame-parameter nil 'alpha-background 90)
(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(alpha-background . 90))

4. Scrolling

Make emacs scroll in a sane way:

(setq mouse-wheel-scroll-amount '(1 ((shift) . 1)))
(setq mouse-wheel-progressive-speed nil)
(setq mouse-wheel-follow-mouse 't)
(setq scroll-step 1)

5. Agenda

Configure org agenda variables:

(require 'org-habit)
(setq org-agenda-files (list "~/org/agenda.org"
                             "~/org/notes.org"))
(setq org-default-notes-file (concat org-directory "/notes.org"))
(setq org-habit-preceding-days 1)

6. Publishing

This is the configuration required to publish my website:

(require 'ox-publish)
(setq org-publish-project-alist
      '(("website-org"
         :base-directory "~/org/website"
         :base-extension "org"
         :publishing-directory "~/website_html"
         :recursive t
         :publishing-function org-html-publish-to-html
         :headline-levels 4
         :html-preamble t
         :html-preamble-format (("en" "<p class=\"preamble\"><a href=\"/index.html\">home</a> | <a href=\"./index.html\">section main page</a></p><hr>")))
        ("website-static"
         :base-directory "~/org/website"
         :base-extension "css\\|js\\|png\\|jpg\\|gif\\|pdf\\|mp3\\|ogg\\|swf\\|ico"
         :publishing-directory "~/website_html/"
         :recursive t
         :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
        ("website" :auto-sitemap t :components ("website-org" "website-static"))))
;; (setq org-export-html-postamble-format '(("en" "<p class=\"preamble\"><a href=\"../index.html\">previous page</a> | <a href=\"/index.html\">home</a></p>")))
(setq org-html-postamble "Copyright © 2024 Preston Pan")

7. Autopair

Use electric-pair to automatically complete pairs of things. We need to change what electric-pair does based on the mode.

(defun electric-pair ()
  "If at end of line, insert character pair without surrounding spaces.
Otherwise, just insert the typed character."
  (interactive)
  (if (eolp) (let (parens-require-spaces) (insert-pair)) (self-insert-command 1)))

(add-hook 'org-mode-hook
            (lambda ()
              (define-key org-mode-map "\"" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key org-mode-map "(" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key org-mode-map "[" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key org-mode-map "{" 'electric-pair)))

(add-hook 'prog-mode-hook
          (lambda ()
              (define-key prog-mode-map "\"" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key prog-mode-map "(" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key prog-mode-map "[" 'electric-pair)
              (define-key prog-mode-map "{" 'electric-pair)))
(electric-pair-mode)

8. Lyrics

(use-package lyrics-fetcher
  :after (emms)
  :config
  (setq lyrics-fetcher-genius-access-token
    (password-store-get "genius_api"))
  (lyrics-fetcher-use-backend 'genius))

9. Fragtog

(use-package org-fragtog :hook (org-mode . org-fragtog-mode))

10. Snippets

(use-package yasnippet
  :config
  (add-to-list 'yas-snippet-dirs "~/org/website/yasnippet/")
  (yas-global-mode 1))
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook
        (lambda () (yas-minor-mode)
            (yas-activate-extra-mode 'latex-mode)))

11. Completion

Company-mode! We need this to do autocomplete stuff.

(eval-after-load "company" '(add-to-list 'company-backends '(company-ispell company-capf company-yasnippet company-files))) (add-hook 'after-init-hook 'global-company-mode)
(use-package ispell
  :init
  (setq ispell-program-name "aspell")
  (setq ispell-silently-savep t)
  (setq ispell-dictionary "en")
  (setq ispell-alternate-dictionary "/home/preston/.local/share/my.dict"))

12. Spelling

(dolist (hook '(text-mode-hook))
  (add-hook hook (lambda () (flyspell-mode 1))))

13. Org Babel

For some reason, org-babel doesn't load these languages by default:

(org-babel-do-load-languages 'org-babel-load-languages
    '(
        (shell . t)
        (python . t)
        (latex . t)
    )
)

14. Packages

First, some small configurations and some evil-mode initilaization because I like vim keybindings:

(require 'org-tempo)
(use-package evil
  :init
  (setq evil-want-keybinding nil)
  :config
  (evil-mode 1)
  (evil-set-undo-system 'undo-redo))

(use-package evil-collection
  :init
  (setq evil-want-keybinding nil)
  :config
  (evil-collection-init))
(with-eval-after-load 'evil-maps
(define-key evil-motion-state-map (kbd "SPC") nil)
(define-key evil-motion-state-map (kbd "RET") nil)
(define-key evil-motion-state-map (kbd "TAB") nil))

(use-package evil-commentary
  :config
  (evil-commentary-mode))

(use-package evil-org
  :after org
  :hook (org-mode . (lambda () evil-org-mode))
  :config
  (require 'evil-org-agenda)
  (evil-org-agenda-set-keys))

(use-package which-key
  :config
  (which-key-mode))

(use-package page-break-lines
  :init
  (page-break-lines-mode))
(evil-set-initial-state 'pdf-view-mode 'normal)

14.1. Journal

I use org-journal to journal about my life, and it's a part of my website:

(use-package org-journal
  :after (org)
  :init
    (setq org-journal-dir "~/org/website/journal/")
    (setq org-journal-date-format "%A, %d %B %Y")

    (defun org-journal-file-header-func (time)
    "Custom function to create journal header."
    (concat
      (pcase org-journal-file-type
        (`daily "#+TITLE: Daily Journal\n#+STARTUP: showeverything\n#+DESCRIPTION: My daily journal entry\n#+AUTHOR: Preston Pan\n#+HTML_HEAD: <link rel=\"stylesheet\" type=\"text/css\" href=\"../style.css\" />\n#+html_head: <script src=\"https://polyfill.io/v3/polyfill.min.js?features=es6\"></script>\n#+html_head: <script id=\"MathJax-script\" async src=\"https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@3/es5/tex-mml-chtml.js\"></script>\n#+options: broken-links:t")
        (`weekly "#+TITLE: Weekly Journal\n#+STARTUP: folded")
        (`monthly "#+TITLE: Monthly Journal\n#+STARTUP: folded")
        (`yearly "#+TITLE: Yearly Journal\n#+STARTUP: folded"))))

  (setq org-journal-file-header 'org-journal-file-header-func)
  (setq org-journal-file-format "%Y%m%d.org")
  (setq org-journal-enable-agenda-integration t)
)

14.2. Doom Modeline

The default modeline is ugly.

(use-package doom-modeline
  :config
  (doom-modeline-mode 1))

14.3. Grammar

I want to write good!

  (use-package writegood-mode)

(dolist (hook '(text-mode-hook))
  (add-hook hook (lambda () (writegood-mode))))

14.4. Make Org Look Better

Org superstar adds those nice looking utf-8 bullets:

(use-package org-superstar
  :after (org)
  :config
  (add-hook 'org-mode-hook (lambda () (org-superstar-mode 1))))

14.5. LSP

We set up eglot, the LSP manager for emacs, now built in:

(use-package eglot 
  :config
  (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'eglot-ensure)
  (add-hook 'prog-mode-hook 'lsp))

14.6. Projectile

Manages projects and shit.

(use-package projectile
  :init
  (setq projectile-project-search-path '("~/org" "~/src"))
  :config
  (projectile-mode +1))

14.7. Dashboard

We want our emacs initialization to be pretty and display useful things.

(use-package dashboard
  :after (projectile)
  :init
  (setq dashboard-banner-logo-title "Welcome, Commander!")
  (setq dashboard-icon-type 'nerd-icons)
  (setq dashboard-vertically-center-content t)
  (setq dashboard-set-init-info t)
  (setq dashboard-week-agenda t)
  (setq dashboard-items '((recents   . 5)
                      (bookmarks . 5)
                      (projects  . 5)
                      (agenda    . 5)
                      (registers . 5)))
  :config
  (dashboard-setup-startup-hook))

14.8. Ivy

Ivy is a pretty cool general program for displaying stuff:

(use-package counsel)
(use-package ivy
  :init
  (setq ivy-use-virtual-buffers t)
  (setq enable-recursive-minibuffers t)
  ;; enable this if you want `swiper' to use it
  ;; (setq search-default-mode #'char-fold-to-regexp)
  (global-set-key "\C-s" 'swiper)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-c C-r") 'ivy-resume)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f6>") 'ivy-resume)
  (global-set-key (kbd "M-x") 'counsel-M-x)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-f") 'counsel-find-file)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> f") 'counsel-describe-function)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> v") 'counsel-describe-variable)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> o") 'counsel-describe-symbol)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f1> l") 'counsel-find-library)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f2> i") 'counsel-info-lookup-symbol)
  (global-set-key (kbd "<f2> u") 'counsel-unicode-char)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-c g") 'counsel-git)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-c j") 'counsel-git-grep)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-c k") 'counsel-ag)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-x l") 'counsel-locate)
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-S-o") 'counsel-rhythmbox)
  :config
  (ivy-mode))
(define-key ivy-minibuffer-map (kbd "C-j") 'ivy-immediate-done)

14.9. Magit

(use-package magit)

14.10. IRC

(setq
 erc-nick "prestonpan"
 erc-user-full-name "Preston Pan")

(defun prestonpan ()
  (interactive)
  (erc-tls :server "nullring.xyz"
           :port   "6697"))

(defun liberachat ()
  (interactive)
  (erc-tls :server "irc.libera.chat"
           :port   "6697"))

14.11. Matrix

(defun matrix-org ()
  (interactive)
  (ement-connect :uri-prefix "http://localhost:8009"))

14.12. Keybindings

(use-package general
  :config
  (general-create-definer leader-key
    :prefix "SPC")
  (leader-key 'normal
    "o a" '(org-agenda :wk "Open agenda")
    "o c" '(org-capture :wk "Capture")
    "n j j" '(org-journal-new-entry :wk "Make new journal entry")
    "n r f" '(org-roam-node-find :wk "Find roam node")
    "n r i" '(org-roam-node-insert :wk "Insert roam node")
    "n r a" '(org-roam-alias-add :wk "Add alias to org roam node")
    "n r g" '(org-roam-graph :wk "Graph roam database")
    "r s s" '(elfeed :wk "rss feed")
    "." '(counsel-find-file :wk "find file")
    "g /" '(magit-dispatch :wk "git commands")
    "g P" '(magit-push :wk "git push")
    "g c" '(magit-commit :wk "git commit")
    "g p" '(magit-pull :wk "Pull from git")
    "g s" '(magit-status :wk "Change status of files")
    "o t" '(vterm :wk "Terminal")
    "o e" '(eshell :wk "Elisp Interpreter")
    "o m" '(mu4e :wk "Email")
    "e w w" '(eww :wk "web browser")
    "e c c" '(ellama-chat :wk "Chat with Ollama")
    "e a b" '(ellama-ask-about :wk "Ask Ollama")
    "e s" '(ellama-summarize :wk "Summarize text with Ollama")
    "e c r" '(ellama-code-review :wk "Review code with Ollama")
    "e c C" '(ellama-code-complete :wk "Complete code with Ollama")
    "e c a" '(ellama-code-add :wk "Add code with Ollama")
    "e c e" '(ellama-code-edit :wk "Edit code with Ollama")
    "e w i" '(ellama-improve-wording :wk "Improve wording with Ollama")
    "e g i" '(ellama-improve-grammar :wk "Improve grammar with Ollama")
    "g s" '(gptel-send :wk "Send to Ollama")
    "g e" '(gptel :wk "Ollama interface")
    "p w" '(ivy-pass :wk "Password manager interface")
    "m P p" '(org-publish :wk "Publish website components")
    "s e" '(sudo-edit :wk "Edit file with sudo")
    "m m" '(emms :wk "Music player")
    "m l" '(lyrics-fetcher-show-lyrics :wk "Music lyrics")
    "o p" '(treemacs :wk "Project Drawer")
    "o P" '(treemacs-projectile :wk "Import Projectile project to treemacs")
    "f f" '(eglot-format :wk "Format code buffer")
    "i p c" '(prestonpan :wk "Connect to my IRC server")
    "i l c" '(liberachat :wk "Connect to libera chat server")
    "h m" '(woman :wk "Manual")
    "h i" '(info :wk "Info")
    "s m" '(proced :wk "System Manager")
    "l p" '(list-processes :wk "List Emacs Processes")
    "m I" '(org-id-get-create :wk "Make org id")
    "y n s" '(yas-new-snippet :wk "Create new snippet")
    "u w" '((lambda () (interactive) (shell-command "rsync -azvP ~/website_html/ root@nullring.xyz:/usr/share/nginx/ret2pop/")) :wk "rsync website update")
    "h r r" '(lambda () (interactive) (org-babel-load-file (expand-file-name "~/org/website/config/emacs.org")))
    ))

14.13. LLM

I use LLMs in order to help me come up with ideas. I use a local LLM so that I can have a competitive LLM that doesn't cost money.

(use-package ellama
  :init
  (setopt ellama-sessions-directory "/home/preston/org/ellama/")
  (require 'llm-ollama)
  (with-eval-after-load 'llm-ollama)
  (setopt ellama-provider (make-llm-ollama
           :host "localhost"
           :chat-model "gemma:7b")))

14.14. RSS Feed

I use really simple syndication (RSS) in order to read news. As a result, I use elfeed to fetch feeds found on my website:

(use-package elfeed
  :init
  (add-hook 'elfeed-search-mode-hook #'elfeed-update)
  (setq elfeed-search-filter "@1-month-ago +unread"))
(use-package elfeed-org
  :init
  (setq rmh-elfeed-org-files '("~/org/website/config/elfeed.org"))
  :config
  (elfeed-org))

14.15. Project Drawer

(use-package treemacs)
(use-package treemacs-evil
  :after (treemacs evil))
(use-package treemacs-projectile
  :after (treemacs projectile))
(use-package treemacs-magit
  :after (treemacs magit))

14.16. Eww

Used only for the purpose of viewing RSS feed items in emacs if I can, only resorting to Chromium if I have to:

(setq search-engines
      '(
        (("google" "g") "https://google.com/search?q=%s")
        (("duckduckgo" "d" "ddg") "https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s")
        (("rfc" "r") "https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc%s.txt")
        (("rfc-kw" "rk") "https://www.rfc-editor.org/search/rfc_search_detail.php?title=%s")))

(setq search-engine-default "google")
(setq eww-search-prefix "https://google.com/search?q=")
(setq browse-url-secondary-browser-function 'browse-url-generic browse-url-generic-program "chromium")
(setq browse-url-browser-function 'eww-browse-url)
(add-hook 'eww-mode-hook
          (lambda () (local-set-key (kbd "y Y") #'eww-copy-page-url)))

14.17. Org Roam

For all my mathematics and programming notes:

  (use-package org-roam
    :init
    (setq org-roam-db-update-on-save t)
    (setq org-roam-graph-viewer "chromium")
    (setq org-roam-directory (file-truename "~/org/website/mindmap"))
    (setq org-roam-capture-templates '(("d" "default" plain "%?"
    :target (file+head "${title}.org"
         "#+title: ${title}\n#+author: Preston Pan\n#+html_head: <link rel=\"stylesheet\" type=\"text/css\" href=\"../style.css\" />\n#+html_head: <script src=\"https://polyfill.io/v3/polyfill.min.js?features=es6\"></script>\n#+html_head: <script id=\"MathJax-script\" async src=\"https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mathjax@3/es5/tex-mml-chtml.js\"></script>\n#+options: broken-links:t")
      :unnarrowed t)))
    :config
    (org-roam-db-autosync-mode))

(use-package org-roam-ui
    :after org-roam
    :hook (after-init . org-roam-ui-mode)
    :config
    (setq org-roam-ui-sync-theme t
          org-roam-ui-follow t
          org-roam-ui-update-on-save t
          org-roam-ui-open-on-start t))

14.18. Pinentry

Set up pinentry so that I can use emacs as my pinentry frontend:

(use-package pinentry
  :init (setq epa-pinentry-mode `loopback)
  :config (pinentry-start))

14.19. LaTeX

Make LaTeX a litle better:

(setq TeX-PDF-mode t)
(setq org-format-latex-options (plist-put org-format-latex-options :scale 1.5))
(setq org-return-follows-link t)
;; (use-package latex-preview-pane
;;   :config
;;   (latex-preview-pane-enable))

14.20. Email

Email in emacs can be done with Mu4e.

  ;; SMTP settings:
(setq user-mail-address "preston@nullring.xyz")
(setq user-full-name "Preston Pan")
(setq sendmail-program "msmtp"
    send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
    message-sendmail-f-is-evil t
    message-sendmail-extra-arguments '("--read-envelope-from")
    message-send-mail-function 'message-send-mail-with-sendmail)

(require 'smtpmail)
(use-package mu4e
  :init
  (setq mu4e-drafts-folder "/Drafts")
  (setq mu4e-sent-folder   "/Sent")
  (setq mu4e-trash-folder  "/Trash")
  (setq mu4e-attachment-dir  "~/Downloads")
  (setq mu4e-view-show-addresses 't)
  (setq mu4e-confirm-quit nil)


  (setq message-kill-buffer-on-exit t)
  (setq mu4e-compose-dont-reply-to-self t)
  (setq mu4e-change-filenames-when-moving t)
  (setq mu4e-get-mail-command "mbsync prestonpan")
  (setq mu4e-compose-reply-ignore-address '("no-?reply" "ret2pop@gmail.com"))
  (setq mu4e-html2text-command "w3m -T text/html" ; how to hanfle html-formatted emails
        mu4e-update-interval 300                  ; seconds between each mail retrieval
        mu4e-headers-auto-update t                ; avoid to type `g' to update
        mu4e-view-show-images t                   ; show images in the view buffer
        mu4e-compose-signature-auto-include nil   ; I don't want a message signature
        mu4e-use-fancy-chars t))

14.21. Password Manager

I use pass in order to manage my passwords on linux, and this is an ivy frontend for it:

(use-package ivy-pass)

14.22. Music

Set up emms in order to play music from my music directory:

(use-package emms
  :init
  (emms-all)
  (setq emms-source-file-default-directory (expand-file-name "~/music/"))
  (setq emms-player-mpd-music-directory (expand-file-name "~/music/"))
  (setq emms-player-mpd-server-name "localhost")
  (setq emms-player-mpd-server-port "6600")
  (setq emms-player-list '(emms-player-mpd))
  (add-to-list 'emms-info-functions 'emms-info-mpd)
  (add-to-list 'emms-player-list 'emms-player-mpd)
:config
  (emms-player-mpd-connect))

14.23. Stem

My own programming language.

(use-package stem-mode)
(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.stem\\'" . stem-mode))

14.24. Server

So that emacsclient can connect.

(server-start)