Re: compile perl file, specify current buffer, using help effectively

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 22:04:56 -0400
> From: "David Schneider" <goedelsch@gmail.com>
> 
> More important then the answer, is how do I figure this out from the
> help.

Using the index search of the Emacs manual is one of the most
efficient and powerful ways.  Get to the Emacs manual (by typing
"C-h i" then "m Emacs RET", or select the Emacs manual from the
menu-bar's "Help" menu), then type "i TOPIC RET", where TOPIC is any
word or phrase that seems to be related to what you are looking for,
and Emacs will land you on the place in the manual where that topic is
discussed.

In this case, "i compile RET" lands me in a section where I find this
paragraph:

       The default for the compilation command is normally `make -k', which
    is correct most of the time for nontrivial programs.  (*Note Make:
    (make)Top.)  If you have done `M-x compile' before, the default each
    time is the command you used the previous time.  `compile' stores this
    command in the variable `compile-command', so setting that variable
    specifies the default for the next use of `M-x compile'.  If a file
    specifies a file local value for `compile-command', that provides the
    default when you type `M-x compile' in that file's buffer.  *Note File
    Variables::.

Would this paragraph tell you what you wanted to know?