emacs auto-fill-mode doesn't initialise

I want to enable line-wrapping without having to type 'M-x auto-fill-mode' everytime I start emacs. I've tried putting (setq auto-fill开发者_开发问答-mode 1) and (auto-fill-mode 1) in the .emacs file, but neither work. Why is this, and how do I fix it?

Thanks

It is a minor-mode so you need to enable it for the modes where you want it used. So, for example, if you want auto-fill-mode enabled in text mode, you need to add the following to your .emacs file:

(add-hook 'text-mode-hook '(lambda ()
                             (auto-fill-mode 1)))

auto-fill-mode is a minor mode so (setq auto-fill-mode 1) wont start it.

You can add a hook to start auto-fill-mode with the text-mode (with which it is normally used) or any other mode you normally use it with, by doing

(add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill)

Alternatively, if you want the auto-fill-mode on for all the files you edit. You can start it when any type of file is opened with:

(setq auto-mode-alist (cons '("*" . auto-fill-mode) auto-mode-alist))

But having it always on is irritating at times, so its better to bind the starting of the mode to a familiar key sequence

(global-set-key (kbd "C-c q") 'auto-fill-mode)