shell

shell is an interactive autoloaded compiled Lisp function in `shell.el'.


(shell &optional BUFFER)

Run an inferior shell, with I/O through BUFFER (which defaults to `*shell*').
Interactively, a prefix arg means to prompt for BUFFER.
If `default-directory' is a remote file name, it is also prompted
to change if called with a prefix arg.

If BUFFER exists but shell process is not running, make new shell.
If BUFFER exists and shell process is running, just switch to BUFFER.
Program used comes from variable `explicit-shell-file-name',
or (if that is nil) from the ESHELL environment variable,
or (if that is nil) from `shell-file-name'.
If a file `~/.emacs_SHELLNAME' exists, or `~/.emacs.d/init_SHELLNAME.sh',
it is given as initial input (but this may be lost, due to a timing
error, if the shell discards input when it starts up).
The buffer is put in Shell mode, giving commands for sending input
and controlling the subjobs of the shell. See `shell-mode'.
See also the variable `shell-prompt-pattern'.

To specify a coding system for converting non-ASCII characters
in the input and output to the shell, use C-x RET c
before M-x shell. You can also specify this with C-x RET p
in the shell buffer, after you start the shell.
The default comes from `process-coding-system-alist' and
`default-process-coding-system'.

The shell file name (sans directories) is used to make a symbol name
such as `explicit-csh-args'. If that symbol is a variable,
its value is used as a list of arguments when invoking the shell.
Otherwise, one argument `-i' is passed to the shell.

(Type C-h m in the shell buffer for a list of commands.)