Running a .el file when opening emacs - emacs

Question

I downloaded two .el files
One is to highlight current column where cursor is and another one to highlight some specific words.
I followed next steps in the file:
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.xemacs/packages/") //path where I saved .el files
(load "column-marker") //name of file without .el extension
To this step it works fine, I find those when I press M-x column-marker and I can use it.
My problem begins when I want to use it everytime i open emacs and I found that I could use something similar to this:
(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.js\\'" . js2-mode))
Which in my case I am typing:
(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.\\'" . column-marker)) //I want to enable it for all .something files
But... when doing that, there is an error when opening emacs and it starts with default setup.
What am I doing wrong? I have tried many ways and none work.
Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Always post the error message you see. That helps others help you.
C-h f auto-mode-alist tells you that the functions you use in it must implement major modes. column-marker is not a major-mode function. It is not even a function; it is a file.
What you need to do, for each mode where you want some function in file column-marker.el to be invoked, is to put that function on the major-mode hook for that function. For example:
(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode (lambda () (interactive) (column-marker-1 80))
And lo and behold, what does the Commentary in file column-marker.el tell you?
;; Installation: Place this file on your load path, and put this in
;; your init file (`.emacs'):
;;
;; (require 'column-marker)
;;
;; Other init file suggestions (examples):
;;
;; ;; Highlight column 80 in foo mode.
;; (add-hook 'foo-mode-hook (lambda () (interactive) (column-marker-1 80)))
Couldn't be clearer. Provided you actually read it.
Seriously, a minimum of investigation is in order, before you post a question to StackOverflow. You should do a Google search, open README files and read them, and so on --- first. And in the case of Emacs questions, IMHO, you should ask Emacs first (e.g. C-h v auto-mode-alist).
According to the rules of S.O. posting, not doing preliminary simple research is even grounds for closing a question. So do not be surprised if this question gets closed or downvoted.