auto-indent

[Mark Newby]

I'm finding it extremely difficult to set up new line auto indentation.  All
the modes I use don't even seem to recognise the tab key or if they do, they
don't bother indenting to last line (even after mode set to the prog lang).

I've read #47 of faq (many times over), aimed precisely at this, but, w/ all
due respect, can't really understand it.  It says using Text mode and
Paragraph Indent Text mode makes this automatic, but all it seems to do on
mine (emacs 20.7.1) is make the tab key work, but doesn't auto-indent...
anyway, I don't want to write in text mode, I want to write in html, perl,
etc.

Why is such a simple thing so difficult?  :-(  I was hoping that I could
learn the basics in a linux editor w/out having to study another O'Reily
book, but please tell me if this assumption was too optimistic...


Mark (emacs newbie)
(Red Hat 7)