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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999
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4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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6 @setfilename ../info/backups
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7 @node Backups and Auto-Saving, Buffers, Files, Top
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8 @chapter Backups and Auto-Saving
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9
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10 Backup files and auto-save files are two methods by which Emacs tries
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11 to protect the user from the consequences of crashes or of the user's
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12 own errors. Auto-saving preserves the text from earlier in the current
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13 editing session; backup files preserve file contents prior to the
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14 current session.
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15
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16 @menu
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17 * Backup Files:: How backup files are made; how their names are chosen.
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18 * Auto-Saving:: How auto-save files are made; how their names are chosen.
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19 * Reverting:: @code{revert-buffer}, and how to customize what it does.
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20 @end menu
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21
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22 @node Backup Files
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23 @section Backup Files
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24 @cindex backup file
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25
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26 A @dfn{backup file} is a copy of the old contents of a file you are
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27 editing. Emacs makes a backup file the first time you save a buffer
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28 into its visited file. Normally, this means that the backup file
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29 contains the contents of the file as it was before the current editing
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30 session. The contents of the backup file normally remain unchanged once
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31 it exists.
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32
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33 Backups are usually made by renaming the visited file to a new name.
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34 Optionally, you can specify that backup files should be made by copying
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35 the visited file. This choice makes a difference for files with
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36 multiple names; it also can affect whether the edited file remains owned
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37 by the original owner or becomes owned by the user editing it.
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38
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39 By default, Emacs makes a single backup file for each file edited.
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40 You can alternatively request numbered backups; then each new backup
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41 file gets a new name. You can delete old numbered backups when you
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42 don't want them any more, or Emacs can delete them automatically.
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43
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44 @menu
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45 * Making Backups:: How Emacs makes backup files, and when.
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46 * Rename or Copy:: Two alternatives: renaming the old file or copying it.
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47 * Numbered Backups:: Keeping multiple backups for each source file.
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48 * Backup Names:: How backup file names are computed; customization.
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49 @end menu
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50
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51 @node Making Backups
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52 @subsection Making Backup Files
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53
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54 @defun backup-buffer
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55 This function makes a backup of the file visited by the current
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56 buffer, if appropriate. It is called by @code{save-buffer} before
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57 saving the buffer the first time.
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58 @end defun
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59
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60 @defvar buffer-backed-up
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61 This buffer-local variable indicates whether this buffer's file has
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62 been backed up on account of this buffer. If it is non-@code{nil}, then
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63 the backup file has been written. Otherwise, the file should be backed
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64 up when it is next saved (if backups are enabled). This is a
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65 permanent local; @code{kill-all-local-variables} does not alter it.
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66 @end defvar
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67
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68 @defopt make-backup-files
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69 This variable determines whether or not to make backup files. If it
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70 is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs creates a backup of each file when it is
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71 saved for the first time---provided that @code{backup-inhibited}
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72 is @code{nil} (see below).
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73
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74 The following example shows how to change the @code{make-backup-files}
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75 variable only in the Rmail buffers and not elsewhere. Setting it
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76 @code{nil} stops Emacs from making backups of these files, which may
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77 save disk space. (You would put this code in your init file.)
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78
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79 @smallexample
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80 @group
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81 (add-hook 'rmail-mode-hook
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82 (function (lambda ()
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83 (make-local-variable
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84 'make-backup-files)
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85 (setq make-backup-files nil))))
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86 @end group
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87 @end smallexample
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88 @end defopt
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89
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90 @defvar backup-enable-predicate
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91 This variable's value is a function to be called on certain occasions to
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92 decide whether a file should have backup files. The function receives
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93 one argument, a file name to consider. If the function returns
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94 @code{nil}, backups are disabled for that file. Otherwise, the other
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95 variables in this section say whether and how to make backups.
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96
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97 @findex normal-backup-enable-predicate
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98 The default value is @code{normal-backup-enable-predicate}, which checks
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99 for files in @code{temporary-file-directory} and
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100 @code{small-temporary-file-directory}.
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101 @end defvar
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102
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103 @defvar backup-inhibited
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104 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, backups are inhibited. It records
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105 the result of testing @code{backup-enable-predicate} on the visited file
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106 name. It can also coherently be used by other mechanisms that inhibit
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107 backups based on which file is visited. For example, VC sets this
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108 variable non-@code{nil} to prevent making backups for files managed
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109 with a version control system.
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110
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111 This is a permanent local, so that changing the major mode does not lose
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112 its value. Major modes should not set this variable---they should set
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113 @code{make-backup-files} instead.
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114 @end defvar
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115
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116 @defvar backup-directory-alist
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117 @tindex backup-directory-alist
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118 This variable's value is an alist of filename patterns and backup
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119 directory names. Each element looks like
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120 @smallexample
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121 (@var{regexp} . @var{directory})
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122 @end smallexample
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123
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124 @noindent
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125 Backups of files with names matching @var{regexp} will be made in
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126 @var{directory}. @var{directory} may be relative or absolute. If it is
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127 absolute, so that all matching files are backed up into the same
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128 directory, the file names in this directory will be the full name of the
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129 file backed up with all directory separators changed to @samp{!} to
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130 prevent clashes. This will not work correctly if your filesystem
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131 truncates the resulting name.
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132
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133 For the common case of all backups going into one directory, the alist
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134 should contain a single element pairing @samp{"."} with the appropriate
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135 directory name.
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136
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137 If this variable is @code{nil}, or it fails to match a filename, the
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138 backup is made in the original file's directory.
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139
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140 On MS-DOS filesystems without long names this variable is always
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141 ignored.
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142 @end defvar
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143
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144 @defvar make-backup-file-name-function
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145 @tindex make-backup-file-name-function
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146 This variable's value is a function to use for making backups instead of
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147 the default @code{make-backup-file-name}. A value of nil gives the
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148 default @code{make-backup-file-name} behaviour.
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149
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150 This could be buffer-local to do something special for specific
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151 files. If you define it, you may need to change
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152 @code{backup-file-name-p} and @code{file-name-sans-versions} too.
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153 @end defvar
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154
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155
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156 @node Rename or Copy
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157 @subsection Backup by Renaming or by Copying?
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158 @cindex backup files, how to make them
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159
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160 There are two ways that Emacs can make a backup file:
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161
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162 @itemize @bullet
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163 @item
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164 Emacs can rename the original file so that it becomes a backup file, and
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165 then write the buffer being saved into a new file. After this
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166 procedure, any other names (i.e., hard links) of the original file now
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167 refer to the backup file. The new file is owned by the user doing the
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168 editing, and its group is the default for new files written by the user
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169 in that directory.
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170
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171 @item
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172 Emacs can copy the original file into a backup file, and then overwrite
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173 the original file with new contents. After this procedure, any other
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174 names (i.e., hard links) of the original file continue to refer to the
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175 current (updated) version of the file. The file's owner and group will
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176 be unchanged.
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177 @end itemize
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178
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179 The first method, renaming, is the default.
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180
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181 The variable @code{backup-by-copying}, if non-@code{nil}, says to use
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182 the second method, which is to copy the original file and overwrite it
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183 with the new buffer contents. The variable @code{file-precious-flag},
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184 if non-@code{nil}, also has this effect (as a sideline of its main
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185 significance). @xref{Saving Buffers}.
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186
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187 @defvar backup-by-copying
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188 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs always makes backup files by
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189 copying.
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190 @end defvar
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191
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192 The following two variables, when non-@code{nil}, cause the second
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193 method to be used in certain special cases. They have no effect on the
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194 treatment of files that don't fall into the special cases.
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195
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196 @defvar backup-by-copying-when-linked
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197 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying for
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198 files with multiple names (hard links).
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199
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200 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is
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201 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is
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202 non-@code{nil}.
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203 @end defvar
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204
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205 @defvar backup-by-copying-when-mismatch
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206 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying in cases
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207 where renaming would change either the owner or the group of the file.
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208
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209 The value has no effect when renaming would not alter the owner or
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210 group of the file; that is, for files which are owned by the user and
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211 whose group matches the default for a new file created there by the
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212 user.
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213
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214 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is
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215 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is
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216 non-@code{nil}.
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217 @end defvar
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218
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219 @defvar backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch
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220 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the same behavior as
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221 @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch}, but only for certain user-id
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222 values: namely, those less than or equal to a certain number. You set
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223 this variable to that number.
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224
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225 Thus, if you set @code{backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch}
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226 to 0, backup by copying is done for the superuser only,
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227 when necessary to prevent a change in the owner of the file.
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228
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229 The default is 200.
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230 @end defvar
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231
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232 @node Numbered Backups
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233 @subsection Making and Deleting Numbered Backup Files
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234
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235 If a file's name is @file{foo}, the names of its numbered backup
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236 versions are @file{foo.~@var{v}~}, for various integers @var{v}, like
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237 this: @file{foo.~1~}, @file{foo.~2~}, @file{foo.~3~}, @dots{},
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238 @file{foo.~259~}, and so on.
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239
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240 @defopt version-control
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241 This variable controls whether to make a single non-numbered backup
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242 file or multiple numbered backups.
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243
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244 @table @asis
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245 @item @code{nil}
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246 Make numbered backups if the visited file already has numbered backups;
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247 otherwise, do not.
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248
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249 @item @code{never}
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250 Do not make numbered backups.
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251
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252 @item @var{anything else}
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253 Make numbered backups.
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254 @end table
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255 @end defopt
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256
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257 The use of numbered backups ultimately leads to a large number of
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258 backup versions, which must then be deleted. Emacs can do this
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259 automatically or it can ask the user whether to delete them.
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260
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261 @defopt kept-new-versions
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262 The value of this variable is the number of newest versions to keep
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263 when a new numbered backup is made. The newly made backup is included
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264 in the count. The default value is 2.
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265 @end defopt
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266
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267 @defopt kept-old-versions
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268 The value of this variable is the number of oldest versions to keep
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269 when a new numbered backup is made. The default value is 2.
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270 @end defopt
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271
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272 If there are backups numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, and both of these
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273 variables have the value 2, then the backups numbered 1 and 2 are kept
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274 as old versions and those numbered 5 and 7 are kept as new versions;
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275 backup version 3 is excess. The function @code{find-backup-file-name}
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276 (@pxref{Backup Names}) is responsible for determining which backup
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277 versions to delete, but does not delete them itself.
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278
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279 @defopt delete-old-versions
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280 If this variable is @code{t}, then saving a file deletes excess
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281 backup versions silently. If it is @code{nil}, that means
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282 to ask for confirmation before deleting excess backups.
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283 Otherwise, they are not deleted at all.
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284 @end defopt
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285
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286 @defopt dired-kept-versions
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287 This variable specifies how many of the newest backup versions to keep
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288 in the Dired command @kbd{.} (@code{dired-clean-directory}). That's the
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289 same thing @code{kept-new-versions} specifies when you make a new backup
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290 file. The default value is 2.
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291 @end defopt
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292
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293 @node Backup Names
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294 @subsection Naming Backup Files
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295
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296 The functions in this section are documented mainly because you can
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297 customize the naming conventions for backup files by redefining them.
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298 If you change one, you probably need to change the rest.
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299
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300 @defun backup-file-name-p filename
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301 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a
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302 possible name for a backup file. A file with the name @var{filename}
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303 need not exist; the function just checks the name.
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304
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305 @smallexample
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306 @group
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307 (backup-file-name-p "foo")
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308 @result{} nil
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309 @end group
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310 @group
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311 (backup-file-name-p "foo~")
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312 @result{} 3
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313 @end group
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314 @end smallexample
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315
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316 The standard definition of this function is as follows:
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317
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318 @smallexample
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319 @group
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320 (defun backup-file-name-p (file)
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321 "Return non-nil if FILE is a backup file \
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322 name (numeric or not)..."
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323 (string-match "~\\'" file))
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324 @end group
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325 @end smallexample
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326
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327 @noindent
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328 Thus, the function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the file name ends
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329 with a @samp{~}. (We use a backslash to split the documentation
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330 string's first line into two lines in the text, but produce just one
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331 line in the string itself.)
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332
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333 This simple expression is placed in a separate function to make it easy
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334 to redefine for customization.
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335 @end defun
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336
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337 @defun make-backup-file-name filename
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338 This function returns a string that is the name to use for a
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339 non-numbered backup file for file @var{filename}. On Unix, this is just
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340 @var{filename} with a tilde appended.
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341
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342 The standard definition of this function, on most operating systems, is
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343 as follows:
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344
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345 @smallexample
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346 @group
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347 (defun make-backup-file-name (file)
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348 "Create the non-numeric backup file name for FILE..."
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349 (concat file "~"))
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350 @end group
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351 @end smallexample
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352
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353 You can change the backup-file naming convention by redefining this
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354 function. The following example redefines @code{make-backup-file-name}
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355 to prepend a @samp{.} in addition to appending a tilde:
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356
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357 @smallexample
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358 @group
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359 (defun make-backup-file-name (filename)
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360 (expand-file-name
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361 (concat "." (file-name-nondirectory filename) "~")
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362 (file-name-directory filename)))
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363 @end group
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364
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365 @group
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366 (make-backup-file-name "backups.texi")
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367 @result{} ".backups.texi~"
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368 @end group
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369 @end smallexample
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370
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371 Some parts of Emacs, including some Dired commands, assume that backup
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372 file names end with @samp{~}. If you do not follow that convention, it
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373 will not cause serious problems, but these commands may give
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374 less-than-desirable results.
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375 @end defun
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376
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377 @defun find-backup-file-name filename
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378 This function computes the file name for a new backup file for
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379 @var{filename}. It may also propose certain existing backup files for
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380 deletion. @code{find-backup-file-name} returns a list whose @sc{car} is
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381 the name for the new backup file and whose @sc{cdr} is a list of backup
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382 files whose deletion is proposed.
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383
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384 Two variables, @code{kept-old-versions} and @code{kept-new-versions},
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385 determine which backup versions should be kept. This function keeps
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386 those versions by excluding them from the @sc{cdr} of the value.
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387 @xref{Numbered Backups}.
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388
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389 In this example, the value says that @file{~rms/foo.~5~} is the name
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390 to use for the new backup file, and @file{~rms/foo.~3~} is an ``excess''
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391 version that the caller should consider deleting now.
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392
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393 @smallexample
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394 @group
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395 (find-backup-file-name "~rms/foo")
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396 @result{} ("~rms/foo.~5~" "~rms/foo.~3~")
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397 @end group
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398 @end smallexample
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399 @end defun
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400
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401 @c Emacs 19 feature
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402 @defun file-newest-backup filename
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403 This function returns the name of the most recent backup file for
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404 @var{filename}, or @code{nil} if that file has no backup files.
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405
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406 Some file comparison commands use this function so that they can
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407 automatically compare a file with its most recent backup.
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408 @end defun
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409
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410 @node Auto-Saving
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411 @section Auto-Saving
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412 @cindex auto-saving
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413
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414 Emacs periodically saves all files that you are visiting; this is
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415 called @dfn{auto-saving}. Auto-saving prevents you from losing more
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416 than a limited amount of work if the system crashes. By default,
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417 auto-saves happen every 300 keystrokes, or after around 30 seconds of
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418 idle time. @xref{Auto-Save, Auto-Save, Auto-Saving: Protection Against
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419 Disasters, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for information on auto-save
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420 for users. Here we describe the functions used to implement auto-saving
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421 and the variables that control them.
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422
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423 @defvar buffer-auto-save-file-name
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424 This buffer-local variable is the name of the file used for
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425 auto-saving the current buffer. It is @code{nil} if the buffer
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426 should not be auto-saved.
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427
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428 @example
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429 @group
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430 buffer-auto-save-file-name
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431 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
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432 @end group
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433 @end example
|
|
434 @end defvar
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435
|
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436 @deffn Command auto-save-mode arg
|
|
437 When used interactively without an argument, this command is a toggle
|
|
438 switch: it turns on auto-saving of the current buffer if it is off, and
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439 vice versa. With an argument @var{arg}, the command turns auto-saving
|
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440 on if the value of @var{arg} is @code{t}, a nonempty list, or a positive
|
|
441 integer. Otherwise, it turns auto-saving off.
|
|
442 @end deffn
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443
|
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444 @defun auto-save-file-name-p filename
|
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445 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a
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446 string that could be the name of an auto-save file. It assumes
|
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447 the usual naming convention for auto-save files: a name that
|
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448 begins and ends with hash marks (@samp{#}) is a possible auto-save file
|
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449 name. The argument @var{filename} should not contain a directory part.
|
|
450
|
|
451 @example
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452 @group
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453 (make-auto-save-file-name)
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454 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
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455 @end group
|
|
456 @group
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457 (auto-save-file-name-p "#backups.texi#")
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458 @result{} 0
|
|
459 @end group
|
|
460 @group
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461 (auto-save-file-name-p "backups.texi")
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462 @result{} nil
|
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463 @end group
|
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464 @end example
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465
|
|
466 The standard definition of this function is as follows:
|
|
467
|
|
468 @example
|
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469 @group
|
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470 (defun auto-save-file-name-p (filename)
|
|
471 "Return non-nil if FILENAME can be yielded by..."
|
|
472 (string-match "^#.*#$" filename))
|
|
473 @end group
|
|
474 @end example
|
|
475
|
|
476 This function exists so that you can customize it if you wish to
|
|
477 change the naming convention for auto-save files. If you redefine it,
|
|
478 be sure to redefine the function @code{make-auto-save-file-name}
|
|
479 correspondingly.
|
|
480 @end defun
|
|
481
|
|
482 @defun make-auto-save-file-name
|
|
483 This function returns the file name to use for auto-saving the current
|
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484 buffer. This is just the file name with hash marks (@samp{#}) prepended
|
|
485 and appended to it. This function does not look at the variable
|
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486 @code{auto-save-visited-file-name} (described below); callers of this
|
|
487 function should check that variable first.
|
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488
|
|
489 @example
|
|
490 @group
|
|
491 (make-auto-save-file-name)
|
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|
492 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
|
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|
493 @end group
|
|
494 @end example
|
|
495
|
|
496 The standard definition of this function is as follows:
|
|
497
|
|
498 @example
|
|
499 @group
|
|
500 (defun make-auto-save-file-name ()
|
|
501 "Return file name to use for auto-saves \
|
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|
502 of current buffer.."
|
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|
503 (if buffer-file-name
|
|
504 @end group
|
|
505 @group
|
|
506 (concat
|
|
507 (file-name-directory buffer-file-name)
|
|
508 "#"
|
|
509 (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name)
|
|
510 "#")
|
|
511 (expand-file-name
|
|
512 (concat "#%" (buffer-name) "#"))))
|
|
513 @end group
|
|
514 @end example
|
|
515
|
|
516 This exists as a separate function so that you can redefine it to
|
|
517 customize the naming convention for auto-save files. Be sure to
|
|
518 change @code{auto-save-file-name-p} in a corresponding way.
|
|
519 @end defun
|
|
520
|
|
521 @defvar auto-save-visited-file-name
|
|
522 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs auto-saves buffers in
|
|
523 the files they are visiting. That is, the auto-save is done in the same
|
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|
524 file that you are editing. Normally, this variable is @code{nil}, so
|
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|
525 auto-save files have distinct names that are created by
|
|
526 @code{make-auto-save-file-name}.
|
|
527
|
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|
528 When you change the value of this variable, the new value does not take
|
|
529 effect in an existing buffer until the next time auto-save mode is
|
|
530 reenabled in it. If auto-save mode is already enabled, auto-saves
|
|
531 continue to go in the same file name until @code{auto-save-mode} is
|
|
532 called again.
|
6564
|
533 @end defvar
|
|
534
|
|
535 @defun recent-auto-save-p
|
|
536 This function returns @code{t} if the current buffer has been
|
|
537 auto-saved since the last time it was read in or saved.
|
|
538 @end defun
|
|
539
|
|
540 @defun set-buffer-auto-saved
|
|
541 This function marks the current buffer as auto-saved. The buffer will
|
|
542 not be auto-saved again until the buffer text is changed again. The
|
|
543 function returns @code{nil}.
|
|
544 @end defun
|
|
545
|
|
546 @defopt auto-save-interval
|
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|
547 The value of this variable specifies how often to do auto-saving, in
|
|
548 terms of number of input events. Each time this many additional input
|
|
549 events are read, Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is
|
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|
550 enabled.
|
|
551 @end defopt
|
|
552
|
|
553 @defopt auto-save-timeout
|
|
554 The value of this variable is the number of seconds of idle time that
|
|
555 should cause auto-saving. Each time the user pauses for this long,
|
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|
556 Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is enabled. (If
|
|
557 the current buffer is large, the specified timeout is multiplied by a
|
27301
|
558 factor that increases as the size increases; for a million-byte
|
25950
|
559 buffer, the factor is almost 4.)
|
|
560
|
|
561 If the value is zero or nil, then auto-saving is not done as a result
|
|
562 of idleness, only after a certain number of input events
|
|
563 as specified by @code{auto-save-interval}.
|
6564
|
564 @end defopt
|
|
565
|
|
566 @defvar auto-save-hook
|
|
567 This normal hook is run whenever an auto-save is about to happen.
|
|
568 @end defvar
|
|
569
|
|
570 @defopt auto-save-default
|
|
571 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, buffers that are visiting files
|
|
572 have auto-saving enabled by default. Otherwise, they do not.
|
|
573 @end defopt
|
|
574
|
12098
|
575 @deffn Command do-auto-save &optional no-message current-only
|
6564
|
576 This function auto-saves all buffers that need to be auto-saved. It
|
|
577 saves all buffers for which auto-saving is enabled and that have been
|
|
578 changed since the previous auto-save.
|
|
579
|
|
580 Normally, if any buffers are auto-saved, a message that says
|
|
581 @samp{Auto-saving...} is displayed in the echo area while auto-saving is
|
|
582 going on. However, if @var{no-message} is non-@code{nil}, the message
|
|
583 is inhibited.
|
12098
|
584
|
|
585 If @var{current-only} is non-@code{nil}, only the current buffer
|
|
586 is auto-saved.
|
6564
|
587 @end deffn
|
|
588
|
|
589 @defun delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary
|
|
590 This function deletes the current buffer's auto-save file if
|
|
591 @code{delete-auto-save-files} is non-@code{nil}. It is called every
|
|
592 time a buffer is saved.
|
|
593 @end defun
|
|
594
|
|
595 @defvar delete-auto-save-files
|
|
596 This variable is used by the function
|
|
597 @code{delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary}. If it is non-@code{nil},
|
|
598 Emacs deletes auto-save files when a true save is done (in the visited
|
|
599 file). This saves disk space and unclutters your directory.
|
|
600 @end defvar
|
|
601
|
|
602 @defun rename-auto-save-file
|
|
603 This function adjusts the current buffer's auto-save file name if the
|
|
604 visited file name has changed. It also renames an existing auto-save
|
|
605 file. If the visited file name has not changed, this function does
|
|
606 nothing.
|
|
607 @end defun
|
|
608
|
6966
|
609 @defvar buffer-saved-size
|
7336
|
610 The value of this buffer-local variable is the length of the current
|
25751
|
611 buffer, when it was last read in, saved, or auto-saved. This is
|
7336
|
612 used to detect a substantial decrease in size, and turn off auto-saving
|
|
613 in response.
|
6966
|
614
|
25751
|
615 If it is @minus{}1, that means auto-saving is temporarily shut off in
|
|
616 this buffer due to a substantial decrease in size. Explicitly saving
|
|
617 the buffer stores a positive value in this variable, thus reenabling
|
|
618 auto-saving. Turning auto-save mode off or on also updates this
|
|
619 variable, so that the substantial decrease in size is forgotten.
|
6966
|
620 @end defvar
|
|
621
|
11665
|
622 @defvar auto-save-list-file-name
|
|
623 This variable (if non-@code{nil}) specifies a file for recording the
|
|
624 names of all the auto-save files. Each time Emacs does auto-saving, it
|
12098
|
625 writes two lines into this file for each buffer that has auto-saving
|
|
626 enabled. The first line gives the name of the visited file (it's empty
|
|
627 if the buffer has none), and the second gives the name of the auto-save
|
|
628 file.
|
|
629
|
25751
|
630 When Emacs exits normally, it deletes this file; if Emacs crashes, you
|
12098
|
631 can look in the file to find all the auto-save files that might contain
|
|
632 work that was otherwise lost. The @code{recover-session} command uses
|
25751
|
633 this file to find them.
|
11665
|
634
|
25751
|
635 The default name for this file specifies your home directory and starts
|
|
636 with @samp{.saves-}. It also contains the Emacs process @sc{id} and the
|
|
637 host name.
|
11665
|
638 @end defvar
|
|
639
|
25950
|
640 @defvar auto-save-list-file-prefix
|
|
641 @tindex auto-save-list-file-prefix
|
|
642 After Emacs reads your init file, it initializes
|
|
643 @code{auto-save-list-file-name} (if you have not already set it
|
|
644 non-@code{nil}) based on this prefix, adding the host name and process
|
|
645 ID. If you set this to @code{nil} in your init file, then Emacs does
|
|
646 not initialize @code{auto-save-list-file-name}.
|
|
647 @end defvar
|
|
648
|
6966
|
649 @node Reverting
|
6564
|
650 @section Reverting
|
|
651
|
|
652 If you have made extensive changes to a file and then change your mind
|
|
653 about them, you can get rid of them by reading in the previous version
|
|
654 of the file with the @code{revert-buffer} command. @xref{Reverting, ,
|
|
655 Reverting a Buffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
656
|
22252
|
657 @deffn Command revert-buffer &optional ignore-auto noconfirm
|
6564
|
658 This command replaces the buffer text with the text of the visited
|
|
659 file on disk. This action undoes all changes since the file was visited
|
|
660 or saved.
|
|
661
|
22252
|
662 By default, if the latest auto-save file is more recent than the visited
|
25981
|
663 file, and the argument @var{ignore-auto} is @code{nil},
|
25751
|
664 @code{revert-buffer} asks the user whether to use that auto-save
|
|
665 instead. When you invoke this command interactively, @var{ignore-auto}
|
25981
|
666 is @code{t} if there is no numeric prefix argument; thus, the
|
|
667 interactive default is not to check the auto-save file.
|
6564
|
668
|
|
669 Normally, @code{revert-buffer} asks for confirmation before it changes
|
|
670 the buffer; but if the argument @var{noconfirm} is non-@code{nil},
|
|
671 @code{revert-buffer} does not ask for confirmation.
|
|
672
|
|
673 Reverting tries to preserve marker positions in the buffer by using the
|
7336
|
674 replacement feature of @code{insert-file-contents}. If the buffer
|
|
675 contents and the file contents are identical before the revert
|
|
676 operation, reverting preserves all the markers. If they are not
|
25751
|
677 identical, reverting does change the buffer; in that case, it preserves
|
|
678 the markers in the unchanged text (if any) at the beginning and end of
|
|
679 the buffer. Preserving any additional markers would be problematical.
|
6564
|
680 @end deffn
|
|
681
|
7336
|
682 You can customize how @code{revert-buffer} does its work by setting
|
25950
|
683 the variables described in the rest of this section.
|
7336
|
684
|
22252
|
685 @defvar revert-without-query
|
|
686 This variable holds a list of files that should be reverted without
|
25751
|
687 query. The value is a list of regular expressions. If the visited file
|
|
688 name matches one of these regular expressions, and the file has changed
|
|
689 on disk but the buffer is not modified, then @code{revert-buffer}
|
|
690 reverts the file without asking the user for confirmation.
|
22252
|
691 @end defvar
|
|
692
|
25950
|
693 Some major modes customize @code{revert-buffer} by making
|
|
694 buffer-local bindings for these variables:
|
|
695
|
6564
|
696 @defvar revert-buffer-function
|
7336
|
697 The value of this variable is the function to use to revert this buffer.
|
|
698 If non-@code{nil}, it is called as a function with no arguments to do
|
|
699 the work of reverting. If the value is @code{nil}, reverting works the
|
|
700 usual way.
|
|
701
|
|
702 Modes such as Dired mode, in which the text being edited does not
|
|
703 consist of a file's contents but can be regenerated in some other
|
25950
|
704 fashion, can give this variable a buffer-local value that is a function to
|
7336
|
705 regenerate the contents.
|
6564
|
706 @end defvar
|
|
707
|
|
708 @defvar revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function
|
25751
|
709 The value of this variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the function to use to
|
12098
|
710 insert the updated contents when reverting this buffer. The function
|
|
711 receives two arguments: first the file name to use; second, @code{t} if
|
|
712 the user has asked to read the auto-save file.
|
25950
|
713
|
|
714 The reason for a mode to set this variable instead of
|
|
715 @code{revert-buffer-function} is to avoid duplicating or replacing the
|
|
716 rest of what @code{revert-buffer} does: asking for confirmation,
|
|
717 clearing the undo list, deciding the proper major mode, and running the
|
|
718 hooks listed below.
|
6564
|
719 @end defvar
|
|
720
|
|
721 @defvar before-revert-hook
|
25751
|
722 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} before
|
6564
|
723 inserting the modified contents---but only if
|
|
724 @code{revert-buffer-function} is @code{nil}.
|
|
725 @end defvar
|
|
726
|
|
727 @defvar after-revert-hook
|
25751
|
728 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} after inserting
|
6564
|
729 the modified contents---but only if @code{revert-buffer-function} is
|
|
730 @code{nil}.
|
|
731 @end defvar
|