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When using nano in the terminal, to do the "write file append" command, it lists the keystroke "M-A".

I am completely confused what this key command actually means. I read somewhere that it means Alt-A, which didn't work.

What am I supposed to use?

EDIT: I think the problem is because when I hit Alt-A, it opens my Xubuntu terminal windows Menu > Tabs menu item.

So by default the supplied xubuntu / xfce terminal has hotkeys that step on nano's hotkeys? Is this correct or have I modified them and forgot?

M-A means ALT+A. But that does not directly appends the contents to the file selected.

ALT+A toggles the mode of modification of file between "write to file" and "append to file" shown in the images below:

File name to write to

File name to append to

After you toggle to the desired command, press Enter.

This will append the contents to the file.

A test example using the append write file output option.

Starting conditions:

doug@s15:~$ cat cccc

this is file cccc.

doug@s15:~$ cat bbbb

this is file bbbb.

Now, nano cccc, and then Ctrl+O, followed by CTRL+X, followed by Esc then A but change this:

File Name to Append to: cccc

To this:

File Name to Append to: bbbb

And then Enter followed by CTRL+X

See this:

doug@s15:~$ cat bbbb

this is file bbbb.

this is file cccc.

Note: There are other key combinations to achieve the same end result. See the help file within nano, a segment extracted below:

 The notation for shortcuts is as follows: Control-key sequences are

 notated with a caret (^) symbol and can be entered either by using the

 Control (Ctrl) key or pressing the Escape (Esc) key twice.  Escape-key

 sequences are notated with the Meta (M-) symbol and can be entered using

 either the Esc, Alt, or Meta key depending on your keyboard setup.