This is ../info/emacs, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from emacs.texi.
This is the thirteenth edition of the `GNU Emacs Manual', updated
for Emacs version 20.7.
INFO-DIR-SECTION Editors
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Emacs: (emacs). The extensible self-documenting text editor.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
Published by the Free Software Foundation 59 Temple Place, Suite 330
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Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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versions, except that the sections entitled "The GNU Manifesto",
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File: emacs, Node: Rmail Reply, Next: Rmail Summary, Prev: Rmail Attributes, Up: Rmail
Sending Replies
===============
Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail.
*Note Sending Mail::, for information on using Mail mode, including
certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents
are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the
usual keys for sending mail--`C-x m', `C-x 4 m', and `C-x 5 m'--are
available in Rmail mode and work just as they usually do.
`m'
Send a message (`rmail-mail').
`c'
Continue editing the already started outgoing message
(`rmail-continue').
`r'
Send a reply to the current Rmail message (`rmail-reply').
`f'
Forward the current message to other users (`rmail-forward').
`C-u f'
Resend the current message to other users (`rmail-resend').
`M-m'
Try sending a bounced message a second time
(`rmail-retry-failure').
The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply
to the message you are reading. To do this, type `r' (`rmail-reply').
This displays the `*mail*' buffer in another window, much like `C-x 4
m', but preinitializes the `Subject', `To', `CC' and `In-reply-to'
header fields based on the message you are replying to. The `To' field
starts out as the address of the person who sent the message you
received, and the `CC' field starts out with all the other recipients
of that message.
You can exclude certain recipients from being placed automatically in
the `CC', using the variable `rmail-dont-reply-to-names'. Its value
should be a regular expression (as a string); any recipient that the
regular expression matches, is excluded from the `CC' field. The
default value matches your own name, and any name starting with
`info-'. (Those names are excluded because there is a convention of
using them for large mailing lists to broadcast announcements.)
To omit the `CC' field completely for a particular reply, enter the
reply command with a numeric argument: `C-u r' or `1 r'.
Once the `*mail*' buffer has been initialized, editing and sending
the mail goes as usual (*note Sending Mail::). You can edit the
presupplied header fields if they are not right for you. You can also
use the commands of Mail mode (*note Mail Mode::), including `C-c C-y'
which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can switch to
the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch back, and
yank the new current message.
Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually
send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a "failure message".
The Rmail command `M-m' (`rmail-retry-failure') prepares to send the
same message a second time: it sets up a `*mail*' buffer with the same
text and header fields as before. If you type `C-c C-c' right away,
you send the message again exactly the same as the first time.
Alternatively, you can edit the text or headers and then send it. The
variable `rmail-retry-ignored-headers', in the same format as
`rmail-ignored-headers' (*note Rmail Display::), controls which headers
are stripped from the failed message when retrying it; it defaults to
`nil'.
Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to "forward" the
current message to other users. `f' (`rmail-forward') makes this easy
by preinitializing the `*mail*' buffer with the current message as the
text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All you have to
do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a message,
recipients get a message which is "from" you, and which has the
original message in its contents.
Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It
also modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting `- ' at
the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it
contains something besides ordinary text--for example, program source
code--you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do
this by selecting the forwarded message and typing `M-x
unforward-rmail-message'. This command extracts the original forwarded
message, deleting the inserted `- ' strings, and inserts it into the
Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the current one.
"Resending" is an alternative similar to forwarding; the difference
is that resending sends a message that is "from" the original sender,
just as it reached you--with a few added header fields `Resent-from'
and `Resent-to' to indicate that it came via you. To resend a message
in Rmail, use `C-u f'. (`f' runs `rmail-forward', which is programmed
to invoke `rmail-resend' if you provide a numeric argument.)
The `m' (`rmail-mail') command is used to start editing an outgoing
message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. Its
only difference from `C-x 4 m' is that it makes the Rmail buffer
accessible for `C-c C-y', just as `r' does. Thus, `m' can be used to
reply to or forward a message; it can do anything `r' or `f' can do.
The `c' (`rmail-continue') command resumes editing the `*mail*'
buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were already
composing, or to alter a message you have sent.
If you set the variable `rmail-mail-new-frame' to a non-`nil' value,
then all the Rmail commands to start sending a message create a new
frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when you send the message,
or when you use the `Don't Send' item in the `Mail' menu.
All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition
method that you have chosen (*note Mail Methods::).
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Summary, Next: Rmail Sorting, Prev: Rmail Reply, Up: Rmail
Summaries
=========
A "summary" is a buffer containing one line per message to give you
an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the message
number, the sender, the labels, and the subject. Almost all Rmail
commands are valid in the summary buffer also; these apply to the
message described by the current line of the summary. Moving point in
the summary buffer selects messages as you move to their summary lines.
A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are
editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer.
The summary buffer name is made by appending `-summary' to the Rmail
buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a time.
* Menu:
* Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries.
* Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Make Summary, Next: Rmail Summary Edit, Up: Rmail Summary
Making Summaries
----------------
Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file.
Once the Rmail file has a summary buffer, changes in the Rmail file
(such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail)
automatically update the summary.
`h'
`C-M-h'
Summarize all messages (`rmail-summary').
`l LABELS <RET>'
`C-M-l LABELS <RET>'
Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels
(`rmail-summary-by-labels').
`C-M-r RCPTS <RET>'
Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified
recipients (`rmail-summary-by-recipients').
`C-M-t TOPIC <RET>'
Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp
TOPIC in their subjects (`rmail-summary-by-topic').
The `h' or `C-M-h' (`rmail-summary') command fills the summary buffer
for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the
file. It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another
window.
`C-M-l LABELS <RET>' (`rmail-summary-by-labels') makes a partial
summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the
labels LABELS. LABELS should contain label names separated by commas.
`C-M-r RCPTS <RET>' (`rmail-summary-by-recipients') makes a partial
summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the
recipients RCPTS. RCPTS should contain mailing addresses separated by
commas.
`C-M-t TOPIC <RET>' (`rmail-summary-by-topic') makes a partial
summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have a match for
the regular expression TOPIC.
Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file;
making one kind of summary discards any previously made summary.
The variable `rmail-summary-window-size' says how many lines to use
for the summary window. The variable `rmail-summary-line-count-flag'
controls whether the summary line for a message should include the line
count of the message.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Summary Edit, Prev: Rmail Make Summary, Up: Rmail Summary
Editing in Summaries
--------------------
You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do
in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer,
there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer.
You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from
the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to
different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move
point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that
message is selected in the Rmail buffer.
Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in
the Rmail buffer. Thus, `d' in the summary buffer deletes the current
message, `u' undeletes, and `x' expunges. `o' and `C-o' output the
current message to a file; `r' starts a reply to it. You can scroll
the current message while remaining in the summary buffer using <SPC>
and <DEL>.
The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary
buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included
in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen
(unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail
buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears).
Here is a list of these commands:
`n'
Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its
message.
`p'
Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select
its message.
`M-n'
Move to next line and select its message.
`M-p'
Move to previous line and select its message.
`>'
Move to the last line, and select its message.
`<'
Move to the first line, and select its message.
`M-s PATTERN <RET>'
Search through messages for PATTERN starting with the current
message; select the message found, and move point in the summary
buffer to that message's line.
Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a
different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the
Rmail buffer. If the variable `rmail-redisplay-summary' is non-`nil',
these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto the screen.
When you are finished using the summary, type `Q'
(`rmail-summary-wipe') to delete the summary buffer's window. You can
also exit Rmail while in the summary: `q' (`rmail-summary-quit')
deletes the summary window, then exits from Rmail by saving the Rmail
file and switching to another buffer.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Sorting, Next: Rmail Display, Prev: Rmail Summary, Up: Rmail
Sorting the Rmail File
======================
`M-x rmail-sort-by-date'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by date.
`M-x rmail-sort-by-subject'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject.
`M-x rmail-sort-by-author'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name.
`M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names.
`M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other
correspondent.
`M-x rmail-sort-by-lines'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines).
`M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords <RET> LABELS <RET>'
Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument
LABELS should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of
these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the
first label come first, messages with the second label come
second, and so on. Messages which have none of these labels come
last.
The Rmail sort commands perform a _stable sort_: if there is no
reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains
unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For
example, if you use `rmail-sort-by-date' and then
`rmail-sort-by-author', messages from the same author appear in order
by date.
With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of
comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from
biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Display, Next: Rmail Editing, Prev: Rmail Sorting, Up: Rmail
Display of Messages
===================
Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for
the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to
reduce clutter. You can use the `t' command to show the entire header
or to repeat the header reformatting operation.
`t'
Toggle display of complete header (`rmail-toggle-header').
Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the
grounds that they are not interesting. The variable
`rmail-ignored-headers' holds a regular expression that specifies which
header fields to hide in this way--if it matches the beginning of a
header field, that whole field is hidden.
Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see
it, use the `t' command (`rmail-toggle-header'). This discards the
reformatted headers of the current message and displays it with the
original header. Repeating `t' reformats the message again. Selecting
the message again also reformats.
One consequence of this is that if you edit the reformatted header
(using `e'; *note Rmail Editing::), subsequent use of `t' will discard
your edits. On the other hand, if you use `e' after `t', to edit the
original (unreformatted) header, those changes are permanent.
When the `t' command has a prefix argument, a positive argument
means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument
means to show the full header.
When used with a window system that supports multiple fonts, Rmail
highlights certain header fields that are especially interesting--by
default, the `From' and `Subject' fields. The variable
`rmail-highlighted-headers' holds a regular expression that specifies
the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning of a header
field, that whole field is highlighted.
If you specify unusual colors for your text foreground and
background, the colors used for highlighting may not go well with them.
If so, specify different colors for the `highlight' face. That is
worth doing because the `highlight' face is used for other kinds of
highlighting as well. *Note Faces::, for how to do this.
To turn off highlighting entirely in Rmail, set
`rmail-highlighted-headers' to `nil'.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Editing, Next: Rmail Digest, Prev: Rmail Display, Up: Rmail
Editing Within a Message
========================
Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though
a few, such as `C-M-n' and `C-M-h', are redefined by Rmail for other
purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and most of
the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to edit the
text of a message, you must use the Rmail command `e'.
`e'
Edit the current message as ordinary text.
The `e' command (`rmail-edit-current-message') switches from Rmail
mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the same
as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change.
In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail
commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message
and are ready to go back to Rmail, type `C-c C-c', which switches back
to Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel
all the editing that you have done, by typing `C-c C-]'.
Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook `text-mode-hook'; then it
runs the hook `rmail-edit-mode-hook' (*note Hooks::). It adds the
attribute `edited' to the message. It also displays the full headers
of the message, so that you can edit the headers as well as the body of
the message, and your changes in the the headers will be permanent.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Digest, Next: Out of Rmail, Prev: Rmail Editing, Up: Rmail
Digest Messages
===============
A "digest message" is a message which exists to contain and carry
several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing
lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time
such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the
subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer
time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total
size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail
transmission is considerable.
When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read
it is to "undigestify" it: to turn it back into many individual
messages. Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it
suits you.
To do this, select the digest message and type the command `M-x
undigestify-rmail-message'. This extracts the submessages as separate
Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest
message itself is flagged as deleted.
File: emacs, Node: Out of Rmail, Next: Rmail Rot13, Prev: Rmail Digest, Up: Rmail
Converting an Rmail File to Inbox Format
========================================
The command `M-x unrmail' converts a file in Rmail format to inbox
format (also known as the system mailbox format), so that you can use it
with other mail-editing tools. You must specify two arguments, the name
of the Rmail file and the name to use for the converted file. `M-x
unrmail' does not alter the Rmail file itself.
File: emacs, Node: Rmail Rot13, Next: Movemail, Prev: Out of Rmail, Up: Rmail
Reading Rot13 Messages
======================
Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes
encoded in a simple code called "rot13"--so named because it rotates
the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it
provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid
ever seeing the real text of the message.
To view a buffer using the rot13 code, use the command `M-x
rot13-other-window'. This displays the current buffer in another window
which applies the code when displaying the text.
File: emacs, Node: Movemail, Prev: Rmail Rot13, Up: Rmail
`movemail' and POP
==================
When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox
file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it truncates
the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail
between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail. If
`rmail-preserve-inbox' is non-`nil', then Rmail will copy new mail from
the inbox file to the Rmail file without truncating the inbox file.
You may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you use
to check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will
remain on the server and you can save it later on your workstation.
In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file
indirectly. First it runs the `movemail' program to move the mail from
the inbox to an intermediate file called `~/.newmail-INBOXNAME'. Then
Rmail merges the new mail from that file, saves the Rmail file, and
only then deletes the intermediate file. If there is a crash at the
wrong time, this file continues to exist, and Rmail will use it again
the next time it gets new mail from that inbox.
If Rmail is unable to convert the data in `~/.newmail-INBOXNAME'
into Babyl format, it renames the file to `~/RMAILOSE.N' (N is an
integer chosen to make the name unique) so that Rmail will not have
trouble with the data again. You should look at the file, find
whatever message confuses Rmail (probably one that includes the
control-underscore character, octal code 037), and delete it. Then you
can use `1 g' to get new mail from the corrected file.
Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data
instead of storing the data in inbox files. `movemail' can work with
POP if you compile it with the macro `MAIL_USE_POP' defined. (You can
achieve that by specifying `--with-pop' when you run `configure' during
the installation of Emacs.) `movemail' only works with POP3, not with
older versions of POP.
Assuming you have compiled and installed `movemail' appropriately,
you can specify a POP inbox by using a "file name" of the form
`po:USERNAME', in the inbox list of an Rmail file. `movemail' handles
such a name by opening a connection to the POP server. The `MAILHOST'
environment variable specifies the machine to look for the server on.
Accessing mail via POP may require a password. If the variable
`rmail-pop-password' is non-`nil', it specifies the password to use for
POP. Alternatively, if `rmail-pop-password-required' is non-`nil',
then Rmail asks you for the password to use.
If you need to pass additional command-line flags to `movemail', set
the variable `rmail-movemail-flags' a list of the flags you wish to
use. Do not use this variable to pass the `-p' flag to preserve your
inbox contents; use `rmail-preserve-inbox' instead.
The `movemail' program installed at your site may support Kerberos
authentication. If it is supported, it is used by default whenever you
attempt to retrieve POP mail when `rmail-pop-password' and
`rmail-pop-password-required' are unset.
Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server
does this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it
was received, you can tell `movemail' to reverse the order of
downloaded messages by adding the `-r' flag to `rmail-movemail-flags'.
File: emacs, Node: Dired, Next: Calendar/Diary, Prev: Rmail, Up: Top
Dired, the Directory Editor
***************************
Dired makes an Emacs buffer containing a listing of a directory, and
optionally some of its subdirectories as well. You can use the normal
Emacs commands to move around in this buffer, and special Dired commands
to operate on the files listed.
* Menu:
* Enter: Dired Enter. How to invoke Dired.
* Commands: Dired Commands. Commands in the Dired buffer.
* Deletion: Dired Deletion. Deleting files with Dired.
* Flagging Many Files:: Flagging files based on their names.
* Visit: Dired Visiting. Other file operations through Dired.
* Marks vs Flags:: Flagging for deletion vs marking.
* Operating on Files:: How to copy, rename, print, compress, etc.
either one file or several files.
* Shell Commands in Dired:: Running a shell command on the marked files.
* Transforming File Names:: Using patterns to rename multiple files.
* Comparison in Dired:: Running `diff' by way of Dired.
* Subdirectories in Dired:: Adding subdirectories to the Dired buffer.
* Subdirectory Motion:: Moving across subdirectories, and up and down.
* Hiding Subdirectories:: Making subdirectories visible or invisible.
* Updating: Dired Updating. Discarding lines for files of no interest.
* Find: Dired and Find. Using `find' to choose the files for Dired.
File: emacs, Node: Dired Enter, Next: Dired Commands, Up: Dired
Entering Dired
==============
To invoke Dired, do `C-x d' or `M-x dired'. The command reads a
directory name or wildcard file name pattern as a minibuffer argument
to specify which files to list. Where `dired' differs from
`list-directory' is in putting the buffer into Dired mode so that the
special commands of Dired are available.
The variable `dired-listing-switches' specifies the options to give
to `ls' for listing directory; this string _must_ contain `-l'. If you
use a numeric prefix argument with the `dired' command, you can specify
the `ls' switches with the minibuffer before you enter the directory
specification.
To display the Dired buffer in another window rather than in the
selected window, use `C-x 4 d' (`dired-other-window') instead of `C-x
d'. `C-x 5 d' (`dired-other-frame') uses a separate frame to display
the Dired buffer.
File: emacs, Node: Dired Commands, Next: Dired Deletion, Prev: Dired Enter, Up: Dired
Commands in the Dired Buffer
============================
The Dired buffer is "read-only," and inserting text in it is not
useful, so ordinary printing characters such as `d' and `x' are used
for special Dired commands. Some Dired commands "mark" or "flag" the
"current file" (that is, the file on the current line); other commands
operate on the marked files or on the flagged files.
All the usual Emacs cursor motion commands are available in Dired
buffers. Some special-purpose cursor motion commands are also
provided. The keys `C-n' and `C-p' are redefined to put the cursor at
the beginning of the file name on the line, rather than at the
beginning of the line.
For extra convenience, <SPC> and `n' in Dired are equivalent to
`C-n'. `p' is equivalent to `C-p'. (Moving by lines is so common in
Dired that it deserves to be easy to type.) <DEL> (move up and unflag)
is often useful simply for moving up.
File: emacs, Node: Dired Deletion, Next: Flagging Many Files, Prev: Dired Commands, Up: Dired
Deleting Files with Dired
=========================
The primary use of Dired is to "flag" files for deletion and then
delete the files previously flagged.
`d'
Flag this file for deletion.
`u'
Remove deletion flag on this line.
`<DEL>'
Move point to previous line and remove the deletion flag on that
line.
`x'
Delete the files that are flagged for deletion.
You can flag a file for deletion by moving to the line describing the
file and typing `d' (`dired-flag-file-deletion'). The deletion flag is
visible as a `D' at the beginning of the line. This command moves
point to the next line, so that repeated `d' commands flag successive
files. A numeric argument serves as a repeat count.
The files are flagged for deletion rather than deleted immediately to
reduce the danger of deleting a file accidentally. Until you direct
Dired to expunge the flagged files, you can remove deletion flags using
the commands `u' and <DEL>. `u' (`dired-unmark') works just like `d',
but removes flags rather than making flags. <DEL>
(`dired-unmark-backward') moves upward, removing flags; it is like `u'
with argument -1.
To delete the flagged files, type `x' (`dired-expunge'). This
command first displays a list of all the file names flagged for
deletion, and requests confirmation with `yes'. If you confirm, Dired
deletes the flagged files, then deletes their lines from the text of
the Dired buffer. The shortened Dired buffer remains selected.
If you answer `no' or quit with `C-g' when asked to confirm, you
return immediately to Dired, with the deletion flags still present in
the buffer, and no files actually deleted.
File: emacs, Node: Flagging Many Files, Next: Dired Visiting, Prev: Dired Deletion, Up: Dired
Flagging Many Files at Once
===========================
`#'
Flag all auto-save files (files whose names start and end with `#')
for deletion (*note Auto Save::).
`~'
Flag all backup files (files whose names end with `~') for deletion
(*note Backup::).
`&'
Flag for deletion all files with certain kinds of names, names that
suggest you could easily create the files again.
`. (Period)'
Flag excess numeric backup files for deletion. The oldest and
newest few backup files of any one file are exempt; the middle
ones are flagged.
`% d REGEXP <RET>'
Flag for deletion all files whose names match the regular
expression REGEXP.
The `#', `~', `&', and `.' commands flag many files for deletion,
based on their file names. These commands are useful precisely because
they do not themselves delete any files; you can remove the deletion
flags from any flagged files that you really wish to keep.
`&' (`dired-flag-garbage-files') flags files whose names match the
regular expression specified by the variable
`dired-garbage-files-regexp'. By default, this matches certain files
produced by TeX, and the `.orig' and `.rej' files produced by `patch'.
`#' (`dired-flag-auto-save-files') flags for deletion all files
whose names look like auto-save files (*note Auto Save::)--that is,
files whose names begin and end with `#'. `~'
(`dired-flag-backup-files') flags for deletion all files whose names
say they are backup files (*note Backup::)--that is, whose names end in
`~'.
`.' (period, `dired-clean-directory') flags just some of the backup
files for deletion: all but the oldest few and newest few backups of
any one file. Normally `dired-kept-versions' (*not*
`kept-new-versions'; that applies only when saving) specifies the
number of newest versions of each file to keep, and `kept-old-versions'
specifies the number of oldest versions to keep.
Period with a positive numeric argument, as in `C-u 3 .', specifies
the number of newest versions to keep, overriding
`dired-kept-versions'. A negative numeric argument overrides
`kept-old-versions', using minus the value of the argument to specify
the number of oldest versions of each file to keep.
The `% d' command flags all files whose names match a specified
regular expression (`dired-flag-files-regexp'). Only the non-directory
part of the file name is used in matching. You can use `^' and `$' to
anchor matches. You can exclude subdirectories by hiding them (*note
Hiding Subdirectories::).
File: emacs, Node: Dired Visiting, Next: Marks vs Flags, Prev: Flagging Many Files, Up: Dired
Visiting Files in Dired
=======================
There are several Dired commands for visiting or examining the files
listed in the Dired buffer. All of them apply to the current line's
file; if that file is really a directory, these commands invoke Dired on
that subdirectory (making a separate Dired buffer).
`f'
Visit the file described on the current line, like typing `C-x C-f'
and supplying that file name (`dired-find-file'). *Note
Visiting::.
`<RET>'
Equivalent to `f'.
`o'
Like `f', but uses another window to display the file's buffer
(`dired-find-file-other-window'). The Dired buffer remains visible
in the first window. This is like using `C-x 4 C-f' to visit the
file. *Note Windows::.
`C-o'
Visit the file described on the current line, and display the
buffer in another window, but do not select that window
(`dired-display-file').
`Mouse-2'
Visit the file named by the line you click on
(`dired-mouse-find-file-other-window'). This uses another window
to display the file, like the `o' command.
`v'
View the file described on the current line, using `M-x view-file'
(`dired-view-file').
Viewing a file is like visiting it, but is slanted toward moving
around in the file conveniently and does not allow changing the
file. *Note View File: Misc File Ops.
File: emacs, Node: Marks vs Flags, Next: Operating on Files, Prev: Dired Visiting, Up: Dired
Dired Marks vs. Flags
=====================
Instead of flagging a file with `D', you can "mark" the file with
some other character (usually `*'). Most Dired commands to operate on
files, aside from "expunge" (`x'), look for files marked with `*'.
Here are some commands for marking with `*', or for unmarking or
operating on marks. (*Note Dired Deletion::, for commands to flag and
unflag files.)
`m'
`* m'
Mark the current file with `*' (`dired-mark'). With a numeric
argument N, mark the next N files starting with the current file.
(If N is negative, mark the previous -N files.)
`* *'
Mark all executable files with `*' (`dired-mark-executables').
With a numeric argument, unmark all those files.
`* @'
Mark all symbolic links with `*' (`dired-mark-symlinks'). With a
numeric argument, unmark all those files.
`* /'
Mark with `*' all files which are actually directories, except for
`.' and `..' (`dired-mark-directories'). With a numeric argument,
unmark all those files.
`* s'
Mark all the files in the current subdirectory, aside from `.' and
`..' (`dired-mark-subdir-files').
`u'
`* u'
Remove any mark on this line (`dired-unmark').
`<DEL>'
`* <DEL>'
Move point to previous line and remove any mark on that line
(`dired-unmark-backward').
`* !'
Remove all marks from all the files in this Dired buffer
(`dired-unmark-all-files-no-query').
`* ? MARKCHAR'
Remove all marks that use the character MARKCHAR
(`dired-unmark-all-files'). The argument is a single
character--do not use <RET> to terminate it.
With a numeric argument, this command queries about each marked
file, asking whether to remove its mark. You can answer `y'
meaning yes, `n' meaning no, or `!' to remove the marks from the
remaining files without asking about them.
`* C-n'
Move down to the next marked file (`dired-next-marked-file') A
file is "marked" if it has any kind of mark.
`* C-p'
Move up to the previous marked file (`dired-prev-marked-file')
`* t'
Toggle all marks (`dired-do-toggle'): files marked with `*' become
unmarked, and unmarked files are marked with `*'. Files marked in
any other way are not affected.
`* c OLD NEW'
Replace all marks that use the character OLD with marks that use
the character NEW (`dired-change-marks'). This command is the
primary way to create or use marks other than `*' or `D'. The
arguments are single characters--do not use <RET> to terminate
them.
You can use almost any character as a mark character by means of
this command, to distinguish various classes of files. If OLD is a
space (` '), then the command operates on all unmarked files; if
NEW is a space, then the command unmarks the files it acts on.
To illustrate the power of this command, here is how to put `D'
flags on all the files that have no marks, while unflagging all
those that already have `D' flags:
* c D t * c SPC D * c t SPC
This assumes that no files are marked with `t'.
`% m REGEXP <RET>'
`* % REGEXP <RET>'
Mark (with `*') all files whose names match the regular expression
REGEXP (`dired-mark-files-regexp'). This command is like `% d',
except that it marks files with `*' instead of flagging with `D'.
*Note Flagging Many Files::.
Only the non-directory part of the file name is used in matching.
Use `^' and `$' to anchor matches. Exclude subdirectories by
hiding them (*note Hiding Subdirectories::).
`% g REGEXP <RET>'
Mark (with `*') all files whose _contents_ contain a match for the
regular expression REGEXP (`dired-mark-files-containing-regexp').
This command is like `% m', except that it searches the file
contents instead of the file name.
`C-_'
Undo changes in the Dired buffer, such as adding or removing marks
(`dired-undo').
File: emacs, Node: Operating on Files, Next: Shell Commands in Dired, Prev: Marks vs Flags, Up: Dired
Operating on Files
==================
This section describes the basic Dired commands to operate on one
file or several files. All of these commands are capital letters; all
of them use the minibuffer, either to read an argument or to ask for
confirmation, before they act. All of them give you several ways to
specify which files to manipulate:
* If you give the command a numeric prefix argument N, it operates
on the next N files, starting with the current file. (If N is
negative, the command operates on the -N files preceding the
current line.)
* Otherwise, if some files are marked with `*', the command operates
on all those files.
* Otherwise, the command operates on the current file only.
Here are the file-manipulating commands that operate on files in this
way. (Some other Dired commands, such as `!' and the `%' commands,
also use these conventions to decide which files to work on.)
`C NEW <RET>'
Copy the specified files (`dired-do-copy'). The argument NEW is
the directory to copy into, or (if copying a single file) the new
name.
If `dired-copy-preserve-time' is non-`nil', then copying with this
command sets the modification time of the new file to be the same
as that of the old file.
`D'
Delete the specified files (`dired-do-delete'). Like the other
commands in this section, this command operates on the _marked_
files, or the next N files. By contrast, `x' (`dired-expunge')
deletes all "flagged" files.
`R NEW <RET>'
Rename the specified files (`dired-do-rename'). The argument NEW
is the directory to rename into, or (if renaming a single file)
the new name.
Dired automatically changes the visited file name of buffers
associated with renamed files so that they refer to the new names.
`H NEW <RET>'
Make hard links to the specified files (`dired-do-hardlink'). The
argument NEW is the directory to make the links in, or (if making
just one link) the name to give the link.
`S NEW <RET>'
Make symbolic links to the specified files (`dired-do-symlink').
The argument NEW is the directory to make the links in, or (if
making just one link) the name to give the link.
`M MODESPEC <RET>'
Change the mode (also called "permission bits") of the specified
files (`dired-do-chmod'). This uses the `chmod' program, so
MODESPEC can be any argument that `chmod' can handle.
`G NEWGROUP <RET>'
Change the group of the specified files to NEWGROUP
(`dired-do-chgrp').
`O NEWOWNER <RET>'
Change the owner of the specified files to NEWOWNER
(`dired-do-chown'). (On most systems, only the superuser can do
this.)
The variable `dired-chown-program' specifies the name of the
program to use to do the work (different systems put `chown' in
different places).
`P COMMAND <RET>'
Print the specified files (`dired-do-print'). You must specify the
command to print them with, but the minibuffer starts out with a
suitable guess made using the variables `lpr-command' and
`lpr-switches' (the same variables that `lpr-buffer' uses; *note
Hardcopy::).
`Z'
Compress the specified files (`dired-do-compress'). If the file
appears to be a compressed file already, it is uncompressed
instead.
`L'
Load the specified Emacs Lisp files (`dired-do-load'). *Note Lisp
Libraries::.
`B'
Byte compile the specified Emacs Lisp files
(`dired-do-byte-compile'). *Note Byte Compilation: (elisp)Byte
Compilation.
`A REGEXP <RET>'
Search all the specified files for the regular expression REGEXP
(`dired-do-search').
This command is a variant of `tags-search'. The search stops at
the first match it finds; use `M-,' to resume the search and find
the next match. *Note Tags Search::.
`Q FROM <RET> TO <RET>'
Perform `query-replace-regexp' on each of the specified files,
replacing matches for FROM (a regular expression) with the string
TO (`dired-do-query-replace').
This command is a variant of `tags-query-replace'. If you exit the
query replace loop, you can use `M-,' to resume the scan and
replace more matches. *Note Tags Search::.
One special file-operation command is `+'
(`dired-create-directory'). This command reads a directory name and
creates the directory if it does not already exist.
File: emacs, Node: Shell Commands in Dired, Next: Transforming File Names, Prev: Operating on Files, Up: Dired
Shell Commands in Dired
=======================
The dired command `!' (`dired-do-shell-command') reads a shell
command string in the minibuffer and runs that shell command on all the
specified files. You can specify the files to operate on in the usual
ways for Dired commands (*note Operating on Files::). There are two
ways of applying a shell command to multiple files:
* If you use `*' in the shell command, then it runs just once, with
the list of file names substituted for the `*'. The order of file
names is the order of appearance in the Dired buffer.
Thus, `! tar cf foo.tar * <RET>' runs `tar' on the entire list of
file names, putting them into one tar file `foo.tar'.
* If the command string doesn't contain `*', then it runs once _for
each file_, with the file name added at the end.
For example, `! uudecode <RET>' runs `uudecode' on each file.
What if you want to run the shell command once for each file but with
the file name inserted in the middle? Or if you want to use the file
names in a more complicated fashion? Use a shell loop. For example,
this shell command would run `uuencode' on each of the specified files,
writing the output into a corresponding `.uu' file:
for file in *; do uuencode $file $file >$file.uu; done
The working directory for the shell command is the top-level
directory of the Dired buffer.
The `!' command does not attempt to update the Dired buffer to show
new or modified files, because it doesn't really understand shell
commands, and does not know what files the shell command changed. Use
the `g' command to update the Dired buffer (*note Dired Updating::).
File: emacs, Node: Transforming File Names, Next: Comparison in Dired, Prev: Shell Commands in Dired, Up: Dired
Transforming File Names in Dired
================================
Here are commands that alter file names in a systematic way:
`% u'
Rename each of the selected files to an upper-case name
(`dired-upcase'). If the old file names are `Foo' and `bar', the
new names are `FOO' and `BAR'.
`% l'
Rename each of the selected files to a lower-case name
(`dired-downcase'). If the old file names are `Foo' and `bar',
the new names are `foo' and `bar'.
`% R FROM <RET> TO <RET>'
`% C FROM <RET> TO <RET>'
`% H FROM <RET> TO <RET>'
`% S FROM <RET> TO <RET>'
These four commands rename, copy, make hard links and make soft
links, in each case computing the new name by regular-expression
substitution from the name of the old file.
The four regular-expression substitution commands effectively perform
a search-and-replace on the selected file names in the Dired buffer.
They read two arguments: a regular expression FROM, and a substitution
pattern TO.
The commands match each "old" file name against the regular
expression FROM, and then replace the matching part with TO. You can
use `\&' and `\DIGIT' in TO to refer to all or part of what the pattern
matched in the old file name, as in `replace-regexp' (*note Regexp
Replace::). If the regular expression matches more than once in a file
name, only the first match is replaced.
For example, `% R ^.*$ <RET> x-\& <RET>' renames each selected file
by prepending `x-' to its name. The inverse of this, removing `x-'
from the front of each file name, is also possible: one method is `% R
^x-\(.*\)$ <RET> \1 <RET>'; another is `% R ^x- <RET> <RET>'. (Use `^'
and `$' to anchor matches that should span the whole filename.)
Normally, the replacement process does not consider the files'
directory names; it operates on the file name within the directory. If
you specify a numeric argument of zero, then replacement affects the
entire absolute file name including directory name.
Often you will want to select the set of files to operate on using
the same REGEXP that you will use to operate on them. To do this, mark
those files with `% m REGEXP <RET>', then use the same regular
expression in the command to operate on the files. To make this
easier, the `%' commands to operate on files use the last regular
expression specified in any `%' command as a default.
File: emacs, Node: Comparison in Dired, Next: Subdirectories in Dired, Prev: Transforming File Names, Up: Dired
File Comparison with Dired
==========================
Here are two Dired commands that compare specified files using
`diff'.
`='
Compare the current file (the file at point) with another file
(the file at the mark) using the `diff' program (`dired-diff').
The file at the mark is the first argument of `diff', and the file
at point is the second argument.
`M-='
Compare the current file with its latest backup file
(`dired-backup-diff'). If the current file is itself a backup,
compare it with the file it is a backup of; this way, you can
compare a file with any backup version of your choice.
The backup file is the first file given to `diff'.
File: emacs, Node: Subdirectories in Dired, Next: Subdirectory Motion, Prev: Comparison in Dired, Up: Dired
Subdirectories in Dired
=======================
A Dired buffer displays just one directory in the normal case; but
you can optionally include its subdirectories as well.
The simplest way to include multiple directories in one Dired buffer
is to specify the options `-lR' for running `ls'. (If you give a
numeric argument when you run Dired, then you can specify these options
in the minibuffer.) That produces a recursive directory listing showing
all subdirectories at all levels.
But usually all the subdirectories are too many; usually you will
prefer to include specific subdirectories only. You can do this with
the `i' command:
`i'
Insert the contents of a subdirectory later in the buffer.
Use the `i' (`dired-maybe-insert-subdir') command on a line that
describes a file which is a directory. It inserts the contents of that
directory into the same Dired buffer, and moves there. Inserted
subdirectory contents follow the top-level directory of the Dired
buffer, just as they do in `ls -lR' output.
If the subdirectory's contents are already present in the buffer, the
`i' command just moves to it.
In either case, `i' sets the Emacs mark before moving, so `C-u
C-<SPC>' takes you back to the old position in the buffer (the line
describing that subdirectory).
Use the `l' command (`dired-do-redisplay') to update the
subdirectory's contents. Use `k' to delete the subdirectory. *Note
Dired Updating::.
File: emacs, Node: Subdirectory Motion, Next: Hiding Subdirectories, Prev: Subdirectories in Dired, Up: Dired
Moving Over Subdirectories
==========================
When a Dired buffer lists subdirectories, you can use the page motion
commands `C-x [' and `C-x ]' to move by entire directories.
The following commands move across, up and down in the tree of
directories within one Dired buffer. They move to "directory header
lines", which are the lines that give a directory's name, at the
beginning of the directory's contents.
`C-M-n'
Go to next subdirectory header line, regardless of level
(`dired-next-subdir').
`C-M-p'
Go to previous subdirectory header line, regardless of level
(`dired-prev-subdir').
`C-M-u'
Go up to the parent directory's header line (`dired-tree-up').
`C-M-d'
Go down in the directory tree, to the first subdirectory's header
line (`dired-tree-down').
`<'
Move up to the previous directory-file line (`dired-prev-dirline').
These lines are the ones that describe a directory as a file in its
parent directory.
`>'
Move down to the next directory-file line (`dired-prev-dirline').
File: emacs, Node: Hiding Subdirectories, Next: Dired Updating, Prev: Subdirectory Motion, Up: Dired
Hiding Subdirectories
=====================
"Hiding" a subdirectory means to make it invisible, except for its
header line, via selective display (*note Selective Display::).
`$'
Hide or reveal the subdirectory that point is in, and move point
to the next subdirectory (`dired-hide-subdir'). A numeric
argument serves as a repeat count.
`M-$'
Hide all subdirectories in this Dired buffer, leaving only their
header lines (`dired-hide-all'). Or, if any subdirectory is
currently hidden, make all subdirectories visible again. You can
use this command to get an overview in very deep directory trees
or to move quickly to subdirectories far away.
Ordinary Dired commands never consider files inside a hidden
subdirectory. For example, the commands to operate on marked files
ignore files in hidden directories even if they are marked. Thus you
can use hiding to temporarily exclude subdirectories from operations
without having to remove the markers.
The subdirectory hiding commands toggle; that is, they hide what was
visible, and show what was hidden.