This is ../info/emacs, produced by makeinfo version 4.0f from
emacs.texi.
This is the Fourteenth edition of the `GNU Emacs Manual', updated
for Emacs version 21.2.
INFO-DIR-SECTION Emacs
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
Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
Copyright (C)
1985,1986,1987,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002
Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being "The GNU Manifesto", "Distribution" and "GNU
GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE", with the Front-Cover texts being "A GNU
Manual," and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation
License."
(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: "You have freedom to copy and
modify this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development."
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, or mbox, 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.
`M-x unrmail' is useful if you can run Emacs on the machine where
the Rmail file resides, or can access the Rmail file remotely (*note
Remote Files::) from a machine where Emacs is installed. If accessing
Rmail files from Emacs is impossible, you can use the `b2m' program
instead. `b2m' is part of the Emacs distribution, it is installed into
the same directory where all the other auxiliary programs (`etags'
etc.) are installed, and its source is available in the Emacs source
distribution, so that you could copy the source to the target machine
and compile it there.
To convert a file `BABYL-FILE' into `MBOX-FILE', invoke `b2m' like
this:
b2m < BABYL-FILE > MBOX-FILE
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;
alternatively, you can specify the POP server host name as part of the
mailbox name using the syntax `po:USERNAME:HOSTNAME'.
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.
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.
The Dired-X package provides various extra features for Dired mode.
*Note Dired-X: (dired-x)Top.
* Menu:
* Enter: Dired Enter. How to invoke Dired.
* Navigation: Dired Navigation. Special motion 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 Navigation, 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 Navigation, Next: Dired Deletion, Prev: Dired Enter, Up: Dired
Navigation in the Dired Buffer
==============================
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.
Some additional navigation commands are available when the Dired
buffer includes several directories. *Note Subdirectory Motion::.
File: emacs, Node: Dired Deletion, Next: Flagging Many Files, Prev: Dired Navigation, Up: Dired
Deleting Files with Dired
=========================
One of the most frequent uses of Dired is to first "flag" files for
deletion, then delete the files that were 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 variable `dired-recursive-deletes' controls whether the delete
command will delete non-empty directories (including their contents).
The default is to delete only empty directories.
The files are flagged for deletion rather than deleted immediately to
reduce the danger of deleting a file accidentally. Until you direct
Dired to delete 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-do-flagged-delete').
(This is also known as "expunging".) 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, `.bak' files, 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, files 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>'
`e'
Equivalent to `f'.
`a'
Like `f', but replaces the contents of the Dired buffer with that
of an alternate file or directory (`dired-find-alternate-file').
`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.
`^'
Visit the parent directory of the current directory
(`dired-up-directory'). This is more convenient than moving to
the parent directory's line and typing `f' there.
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 use the files marked with `*', the exception being `x' which
deletes the flagged files.
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-marks').
`* ? 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. See the description
of the `* c' command below, which lets you replace one mark
character with another.
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-MARKCHAR NEW-MARKCHAR'
Replace all marks that use the character OLD-MARKCHAR with marks
that use the character NEW-MARKCHAR (`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-MARKCHAR is a space (` '), then the command operates on all
unmarked files; if NEW-MARKCHAR 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 were already 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'). _This command does not revert the actual file
operations, nor recover lost files!_ It just undoes changes in
the buffer itself. For example, if used after renaming one or
more files, `dired-undo' restores the original names, which will
get the Dired buffer out of sync with the actual contents of the
directory.
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.
Commands which ask for a destination directory, such as those which
copy and rename files or create links for them, try to guess the default
target directory for the operation. Normally, they suggest the Dired
buffer's default directory, but if the variable `dired-dwim-target' is
non-`nil', and if there is another Dired buffer displayed in the next
window, that other buffer's directory is suggested instead.
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.
The variable `dired-recursive-copies' controls whether directories
are copied recursively. The default is to not copy recursively,
which means that directories cannot be copied.
`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-do-flagged-delete') 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 REGEXP <RET> TO <RET>'
Perform `query-replace-regexp' on each of the specified files,
replacing matches for REGEXP with the string TO
(`dired-do-query-replace-regexp').
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. `X' is a synonym for `!'. 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, with
the file name inserted in the middle? You can use `?' in the command
instead of `*'. The current file name is substituted for `?'. You can
use `?' more than once. For instance, here is how to uuencode each
file, making the output file name by appending `.uu' to the input file
name:
uuencode ? ? > ?.uu
To use the file names in a more complicated fashion, you can use a
shell loop. For example, this shell command is another way to uuencode
each 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
================================
This section describes Dired commands which alter file names in a
systematic way.
Like the basic Dired file-manipulation commands (*note Operating on
Files::), the commands described here operate either on the next N
files, or on all files marked with `*', or on the current file. (To
mark files, use the commands described in *Note Marks vs Flags::.)
All of the commands described in this section work _interactively_:
they ask you to confirm the operation for each candidate file. Thus,
you can select more files than you actually need to operate on (e.g.,
with a regexp that matches many files), and then refine the selection
by typing `y' or `n' when the command prompts for confirmation.
`% 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. (Non-zero argument
specifies the number of files to operate on.)
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. Use `C-<SPC>'
(`set-mark-command') to set the mark at the first file's line
(*note Setting Mark::), since `dired-diff' ignores the files marked
with the Dired's `m' command.
`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 `C-u k' on the subdirectory header line
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 (*note
Pages::).
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.
File: emacs, Node: Dired Updating, Next: Dired and Find, Prev: Hiding Subdirectories, Up: Dired
Updating the Dired Buffer
=========================
This section describes commands to update the Dired buffer to reflect
outside (non-Dired) changes in the directories and files, and to delete
part of the Dired buffer.
`g'
Update the entire contents of the Dired buffer (`revert-buffer').
`l'
Update the specified files (`dired-do-redisplay').
`k'
Delete the specified _file lines_--not the files, just the lines
(`dired-do-kill-lines').
`s'
Toggle between alphabetical order and date/time order
(`dired-sort-toggle-or-edit').
`C-u s SWITCHES <RET>'
Refresh the Dired buffer using SWITCHES as
`dired-listing-switches'.
Type `g' (`revert-buffer') to update the contents of the Dired
buffer, based on changes in the files and directories listed. This
preserves all marks except for those on files that have vanished.
Hidden subdirectories are updated but remain hidden.
To update only some of the files, type `l' (`dired-do-redisplay').
Like the Dired file-operating commands, this command operates on the
next N files (or previous -N files), or on the marked files if any, or
on the current file. Updating the files means reading their current
status, then updating their lines in the buffer to indicate that status.
If you use `l' on a subdirectory header line, it updates the
contents of the corresponding subdirectory.
To delete the specified _file lines_ from the buffer--not delete the
files--type `k' (`dired-do-kill-lines'). Like the file-operating
commands, this command operates on the next N files, or on the marked
files if any; but it does not operate on the current file as a last
resort.
If you kill the line for a file that is a directory, the directory's
contents are also deleted from the buffer. Typing `C-u k' on the
header line for a subdirectory is another way to delete a subdirectory
from the Dired buffer.
The `g' command brings back any individual lines that you have
killed in this way, but not subdirectories--you must use `i' to
reinsert a subdirectory.
The files in a Dired buffers are normally listed in alphabetical
order by file names. Alternatively Dired can sort them by date/time.
The Dired command `s' (`dired-sort-toggle-or-edit') switches between
these two sorting modes. The mode line in a Dired buffer indicates
which way it is currently sorted--by name, or by date.
`C-u s SWITCHES <RET>' lets you specify a new value for
`dired-listing-switches'.
File: emacs, Node: Dired and Find, Prev: Dired Updating, Up: Dired
Dired and `find'
================
You can select a set of files for display in a Dired buffer more
flexibly by using the `find' utility to choose the files.
To search for files with names matching a wildcard pattern use `M-x
find-name-dired'. It reads arguments DIRECTORY and PATTERN, and
chooses all the files in DIRECTORY or its subdirectories whose
individual names match PATTERN.
The files thus chosen are displayed in a Dired buffer in which the
ordinary Dired commands are available.
If you want to test the contents of files, rather than their names,
use `M-x find-grep-dired'. This command reads two minibuffer
arguments, DIRECTORY and REGEXP; it chooses all the files in DIRECTORY
or its subdirectories that contain a match for REGEXP. It works by
running the programs `find' and `grep'. See also `M-x grep-find', in
*Note Compilation::. Remember to write the regular expression for
`grep', not for Emacs. (An alternative method of showing files whose
contents match a given regexp is the `% g REGEXP' command, see *Note
Marks vs Flags::.)
The most general command in this series is `M-x find-dired', which
lets you specify any condition that `find' can test. It takes two
minibuffer arguments, DIRECTORY and FIND-ARGS; it runs `find' in
DIRECTORY, passing FIND-ARGS to tell `find' what condition to test. To
use this command, you need to know how to use `find'.
`M-x locate' provides a similar interface to the `locate' program.
`M-x locate-with-filter' is similar, but keeps only lines matching a
given regular expression.
The format of listing produced by these commands is controlled by the
variable `find-ls-option', whose default value specifies using options
`-ld' for `ls'. If your listings are corrupted, you may need to change
the value of this variable.
File: emacs, Node: Calendar/Diary, Next: Gnus, Prev: Dired, Up: Top
The Calendar and the Diary
**************************
Emacs provides the functions of a desk calendar, with a diary of
planned or past events. It also has facilities for managing your
appointments, and keeping track of how much time you spend working on
certain projects.
To enter the calendar, type `M-x calendar'; this displays a
three-month calendar centered on the current month, with point on the
current date. With a numeric argument, as in `C-u M-x calendar', it
prompts you for the month and year to be the center of the three-month
calendar. The calendar uses its own buffer, whose major mode is
Calendar mode.
`Mouse-2' in the calendar brings up a menu of operations on a
particular date; `C-Mouse-3' brings up a menu of commonly used calendar
features that are independent of any particular date. To exit the
calendar, type `q'. *Note Customizing the Calendar and Diary:
(elisp)Calendar, for customization information about the calendar and
diary.
* Menu:
* Calendar Motion:: Moving through the calendar; selecting a date.
* Scroll Calendar:: Bringing earlier or later months onto the screen.
* Counting Days:: How many days are there between two dates?
* General Calendar:: Exiting or recomputing the calendar.
* LaTeX Calendar:: Print a calendar using LaTeX.
* Holidays:: Displaying dates of holidays.
* Sunrise/Sunset:: Displaying local times of sunrise and sunset.
* Lunar Phases:: Displaying phases of the moon.
* Other Calendars:: Converting dates to other calendar systems.
* Diary:: Displaying events from your diary.
* Appointments:: Reminders when it's time to do something.
* Daylight Savings:: How to specify when daylight savings time is active.
* Time Intervals:: Keeping track of time intervals.
File: emacs, Node: Calendar Motion, Next: Scroll Calendar, Up: Calendar/Diary
Movement in the Calendar
========================
Calendar mode lets you move through the calendar in logical units of
time such as days, weeks, months, and years. If you move outside the
three months originally displayed, the calendar display "scrolls"
automatically through time to make the selected date visible. Moving to
a date lets you view its holidays or diary entries, or convert it to
other calendars; moving longer time periods is also useful simply to
scroll the calendar.
* Menu:
* Calendar Unit Motion:: Moving by days, weeks, months, and years.
* Move to Beginning or End:: Moving to start/end of weeks, months, and years.
* Specified Dates:: Moving to the current date or another
specific date.
File: emacs, Node: Calendar Unit Motion, Next: Move to Beginning or End, Up: Calendar Motion
Motion by Standard Lengths of Time
----------------------------------
The commands for movement in the calendar buffer parallel the
commands for movement in text. You can move forward and backward by
days, weeks, months, and years.
`C-f'
Move point one day forward (`calendar-forward-day').
`C-b'
Move point one day backward (`calendar-backward-day').
`C-n'
Move point one week forward (`calendar-forward-week').
`C-p'
Move point one week backward (`calendar-backward-week').
`M-}'
Move point one month forward (`calendar-forward-month').
`M-{'
Move point one month backward (`calendar-backward-month').
`C-x ]'
Move point one year forward (`calendar-forward-year').
`C-x ['
Move point one year backward (`calendar-backward-year').
The day and week commands are natural analogues of the usual Emacs
commands for moving by characters and by lines. Just as `C-n' usually
moves to the same column in the following line, in Calendar mode it
moves to the same day in the following week. And `C-p' moves to the
same day in the previous week.
The arrow keys are equivalent to `C-f', `C-b', `C-n' and `C-p', just
as they normally are in other modes.
The commands for motion by months and years work like those for
weeks, but move a larger distance. The month commands `M-}' and `M-{'
move forward or backward by an entire month's time. The year commands
`C-x ]' and `C-x [' move forward or backward a whole year.
The easiest way to remember these commands is to consider months and
years analogous to paragraphs and pages of text, respectively. But the
commands themselves are not quite analogous. The ordinary Emacs
paragraph commands move to the beginning or end of a paragraph, whereas
these month and year commands move by an entire month or an entire
year, which usually involves skipping across the end of a month or year.
All these commands accept a numeric argument as a repeat count. For
convenience, the digit keys and the minus sign specify numeric
arguments in Calendar mode even without the Meta modifier. For example,
`100 C-f' moves point 100 days forward from its present location.
File: emacs, Node: Move to Beginning or End, Next: Specified Dates, Prev: Calendar Unit Motion, Up: Calendar Motion
Beginning or End of Week, Month or Year
---------------------------------------
A week (or month, or year) is not just a quantity of days; we think
of weeks (months, years) as starting on particular dates. So Calendar
mode provides commands to move to the beginning or end of a week, month
or year:
`C-a'
Move point to start of week (`calendar-beginning-of-week').
`C-e'
Move point to end of week (`calendar-end-of-week').
`M-a'
Move point to start of month (`calendar-beginning-of-month').
`M-e'
Move point to end of month (`calendar-end-of-month').
`M-<'
Move point to start of year (`calendar-beginning-of-year').
`M->'
Move point to end of year (`calendar-end-of-year').
These commands also take numeric arguments as repeat counts, with the
repeat count indicating how many weeks, months, or years to move
backward or forward.
By default, weeks begin on Sunday. To make them begin on Monday
instead, set the variable `calendar-week-start-day' to 1.
File: emacs, Node: Specified Dates, Prev: Move to Beginning or End, Up: Calendar Motion
Specified Dates
---------------
Calendar mode provides commands for moving to a particular date
specified in various ways.
`g d'
Move point to specified date (`calendar-goto-date').
`o'
Center calendar around specified month (`calendar-other-month').
`.'
Move point to today's date (`calendar-goto-today').
`g d' (`calendar-goto-date') prompts for a year, a month, and a day
of the month, and then moves to that date. Because the calendar
includes all dates from the beginning of the current era, you must type
the year in its entirety; that is, type `1990', not `90'.
`o' (`calendar-other-month') prompts for a month and year, then
centers the three-month calendar around that month.
You can return to today's date with `.' (`calendar-goto-today').
File: emacs, Node: Scroll Calendar, Next: Counting Days, Prev: Calendar Motion, Up: Calendar/Diary
Scrolling in the Calendar
=========================
The calendar display scrolls automatically through time when you
move out of the visible portion. You can also scroll it manually.
Imagine that the calendar window contains a long strip of paper with
the months on it. Scrolling the calendar means moving the strip
horizontally, so that new months become visible in the window.
`C-x <'
Scroll calendar one month forward (`scroll-calendar-left').
`C-x >'
Scroll calendar one month backward (`scroll-calendar-right').
`C-v'
`<NEXT>'
Scroll calendar three months forward
(`scroll-calendar-left-three-months').
`M-v'
`<PRIOR>'
Scroll calendar three months backward
(`scroll-calendar-right-three-months').
The most basic calendar scroll commands scroll by one month at a
time. This means that there are two months of overlap between the
display before the command and the display after. `C-x <' scrolls the
calendar contents one month to the left; that is, it moves the display
forward in time. `C-x >' scrolls the contents to the right, which
moves backwards in time.
The commands `C-v' and `M-v' scroll the calendar by an entire
"screenful"--three months--in analogy with the usual meaning of these
commands. `C-v' makes later dates visible and `M-v' makes earlier
dates visible. These commands take a numeric argument as a repeat
count; in particular, since `C-u' multiplies the next command by four,
typing `C-u C-v' scrolls the calendar forward by a year and typing `C-u
M-v' scrolls the calendar backward by a year.
The function keys <NEXT> and <PRIOR> are equivalent to `C-v' and
`M-v', just as they are in other modes.