(xemacs.info)Init Syntax

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27.6.1 Init File Syntax
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The init file contains one or more Lisp function call expressions.
Each consists of a function name followed by arguments, all surrounded
by parentheses.  For example, `(setq fill-column 60)' represents a call
to the function `setq' which is used to set the variable `fill-column'
(Note: Filling) to 60.

   The second argument to `setq' is an expression for the new value of
the variable.  This can be a constant, a variable, or a function call
expression.  In the init file, constants are used most of the time.
They can be:

Numbers
     Integers are written in decimal, with an optional initial minus
     sign.

     If a sequence of digits is followed by a period and another
     sequence of digits, it is interpreted as a floating point number.

     The number prefixes `#b', `#o', and `#x' are supported to
     represent numbers in binary, octal, and hexadecimal notation (or
     radix).

Strings
     Lisp string syntax is the same as C string syntax with a few extra
     features.  Use a double-quote character to begin and end a string
     constant.

     Newlines and special characters may be present literally in
     strings.  They can also be represented as backslash sequences:
     `\n' for newline, `\b' for backspace, `\r' for return, `\t' for
     tab, `\f' for formfeed (control-l), `\e' for escape, `\\' for a
     backslash, `\"' for a double-quote, or `\OOO' for the character
     whose octal code is OOO.  Backslash and double-quote are the only
     characters for which backslash sequences are mandatory.

     You can use `\C-' as a prefix for a control character, as in
     `\C-s' for ASCII Control-S, and `\M-' as a prefix for a Meta
     character, as in `\M-a' for Meta-A or `\M-\C-a' for Control-Meta-A.

Characters
     Lisp character constant syntax consists of a `?' followed by
     either a character or an escape sequence starting with `\'.
     Examples: `?x', `?\n', `?\"', `?\)'.  Note that strings and
     characters are not interchangeable in Lisp; some contexts require
     one and some contexts require the other.

True
     `t' stands for `true'.

False
     `nil' stands for `false'.

Other Lisp objects
     Write a single-quote (') followed by the Lisp object you want.