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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, 2001, 2002, 2003,
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4 @c 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 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 @cindex backups and auto-saving
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10
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11 Backup files and auto-save files are two methods by which Emacs tries
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12 to protect the user from the consequences of crashes or of the user's
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13 own errors. Auto-saving preserves the text from earlier in the current
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14 editing session; backup files preserve file contents prior to the
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15 current session.
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16
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17 @menu
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18 * Backup Files:: How backup files are made; how their names are chosen.
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19 * Auto-Saving:: How auto-save files are made; how their names are chosen.
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20 * Reverting:: @code{revert-buffer}, and how to customize what it does.
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21 @end menu
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22
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23 @node Backup Files
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24 @section Backup Files
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25 @cindex backup file
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26
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27 A @dfn{backup file} is a copy of the old contents of a file you are
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28 editing. Emacs makes a backup file the first time you save a buffer
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29 into its visited file. Thus, normally, the backup file contains the
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30 contents of the file as it was before the current editing session.
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31 The contents of the backup file normally remain unchanged once it
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32 exists.
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33
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34 Backups are usually made by renaming the visited file to a new name.
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35 Optionally, you can specify that backup files should be made by copying
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36 the visited file. This choice makes a difference for files with
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37 multiple names; it also can affect whether the edited file remains owned
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38 by the original owner or becomes owned by the user editing it.
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39
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40 By default, Emacs makes a single backup file for each file edited.
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41 You can alternatively request numbered backups; then each new backup
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42 file gets a new name. You can delete old numbered backups when you
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43 don't want them any more, or Emacs can delete them automatically.
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44
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45 @menu
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46 * Making Backups:: How Emacs makes backup files, and when.
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47 * Rename or Copy:: Two alternatives: renaming the old file or copying it.
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48 * Numbered Backups:: Keeping multiple backups for each source file.
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49 * Backup Names:: How backup file names are computed; customization.
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50 @end menu
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51
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52 @node Making Backups
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53 @subsection Making Backup Files
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54
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55 @defun backup-buffer
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56 This function makes a backup of the file visited by the current
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57 buffer, if appropriate. It is called by @code{save-buffer} before
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58 saving the buffer the first time.
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59
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60 If a backup was made by renaming, the return value is a cons cell of
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61 the form (@var{modes} . @var{backupname}), where @var{modes} are the
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62 mode bits of the original file, as returned by @code{file-modes}
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63 (@pxref{File Attributes,, Other Information about Files}), and
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64 @var{backupname} is the name of the backup. In all other cases, that
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65 is, if a backup was made by copying or if no backup was made, this
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66 function returns @code{nil}.
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67 @end defun
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68
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69 @defvar buffer-backed-up
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70 This buffer-local variable says whether this buffer's file has
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71 been backed up on account of this buffer. If it is non-@code{nil},
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72 the backup file has been written. Otherwise, the file should be backed
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73 up when it is next saved (if backups are enabled). This is a
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74 permanent local; @code{kill-all-local-variables} does not alter@tie{}it.
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75 @end defvar
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76
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77 @defopt make-backup-files
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78 This variable determines whether or not to make backup files. If it
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79 is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs creates a backup of each file when it is
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80 saved for the first time---provided that @code{backup-inhibited}
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81 is @code{nil} (see below).
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82
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83 The following example shows how to change the @code{make-backup-files}
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84 variable only in the Rmail buffers and not elsewhere. Setting it
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85 @code{nil} stops Emacs from making backups of these files, which may
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86 save disk space. (You would put this code in your init file.)
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87
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88 @smallexample
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89 @group
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90 (add-hook 'rmail-mode-hook
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91 (function (lambda ()
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92 (make-local-variable
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93 'make-backup-files)
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94 (setq make-backup-files nil))))
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95 @end group
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96 @end smallexample
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97 @end defopt
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98
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99 @defvar backup-enable-predicate
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100 This variable's value is a function to be called on certain occasions to
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101 decide whether a file should have backup files. The function receives
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102 one argument, an absolute file name to consider. If the function returns
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103 @code{nil}, backups are disabled for that file. Otherwise, the other
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104 variables in this section say whether and how to make backups.
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105
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106 @findex normal-backup-enable-predicate
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107 The default value is @code{normal-backup-enable-predicate}, which checks
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108 for files in @code{temporary-file-directory} and
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109 @code{small-temporary-file-directory}.
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110 @end defvar
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111
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112 @defvar backup-inhibited
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113 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, backups are inhibited. It records
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114 the result of testing @code{backup-enable-predicate} on the visited file
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115 name. It can also coherently be used by other mechanisms that inhibit
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116 backups based on which file is visited. For example, VC sets this
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117 variable non-@code{nil} to prevent making backups for files managed
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118 with a version control system.
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119
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120 This is a permanent local, so that changing the major mode does not lose
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121 its value. Major modes should not set this variable---they should set
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122 @code{make-backup-files} instead.
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123 @end defvar
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124
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125 @defvar backup-directory-alist
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126 This variable's value is an alist of filename patterns and backup
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127 directory names. Each element looks like
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128 @smallexample
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129 (@var{regexp} . @var{directory})
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130 @end smallexample
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131
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132 @noindent
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133 Backups of files with names matching @var{regexp} will be made in
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134 @var{directory}. @var{directory} may be relative or absolute. If it is
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135 absolute, so that all matching files are backed up into the same
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136 directory, the file names in this directory will be the full name of the
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137 file backed up with all directory separators changed to @samp{!} to
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138 prevent clashes. This will not work correctly if your filesystem
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139 truncates the resulting name.
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140
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141 For the common case of all backups going into one directory, the alist
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142 should contain a single element pairing @samp{"."} with the appropriate
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143 directory name.
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144
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145 If this variable is @code{nil}, or it fails to match a filename, the
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146 backup is made in the original file's directory.
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147
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148 On MS-DOS filesystems without long names this variable is always
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149 ignored.
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150 @end defvar
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151
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152 @defvar make-backup-file-name-function
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153 This variable's value is a function to use for making backups instead
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154 of the default @code{make-backup-file-name}. A value of @code{nil}
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155 gives the default @code{make-backup-file-name} behavior.
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156 @xref{Backup Names,, Naming Backup Files}.
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157
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158 This could be buffer-local to do something special for specific
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159 files. If you define it, you may need to change
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160 @code{backup-file-name-p} and @code{file-name-sans-versions} too.
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161 @end defvar
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162
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163
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164 @node Rename or Copy
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165 @subsection Backup by Renaming or by Copying?
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166 @cindex backup files, rename or copy
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167
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168 There are two ways that Emacs can make a backup file:
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169
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170 @itemize @bullet
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171 @item
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172 Emacs can rename the original file so that it becomes a backup file, and
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173 then write the buffer being saved into a new file. After this
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174 procedure, any other names (i.e., hard links) of the original file now
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175 refer to the backup file. The new file is owned by the user doing the
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176 editing, and its group is the default for new files written by the user
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177 in that directory.
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178
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179 @item
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180 Emacs can copy the original file into a backup file, and then overwrite
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181 the original file with new contents. After this procedure, any other
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182 names (i.e., hard links) of the original file continue to refer to the
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183 current (updated) version of the file. The file's owner and group will
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184 be unchanged.
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185 @end itemize
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186
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187 The first method, renaming, is the default.
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188
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189 The variable @code{backup-by-copying}, if non-@code{nil}, says to use
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190 the second method, which is to copy the original file and overwrite it
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191 with the new buffer contents. The variable @code{file-precious-flag},
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192 if non-@code{nil}, also has this effect (as a sideline of its main
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193 significance). @xref{Saving Buffers}.
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194
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195 @defopt backup-by-copying
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196 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs always makes backup files by
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197 copying.
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198 @end defopt
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199
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200 The following three variables, when non-@code{nil}, cause the second
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201 method to be used in certain special cases. They have no effect on the
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202 treatment of files that don't fall into the special cases.
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203
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204 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-linked
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205 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying for
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206 files with multiple names (hard links).
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207
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208 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is
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209 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is
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210 non-@code{nil}.
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211 @end defopt
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212
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213 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-mismatch
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214 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying in cases
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215 where renaming would change either the owner or the group of the file.
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216
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217 The value has no effect when renaming would not alter the owner or
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218 group of the file; that is, for files which are owned by the user and
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219 whose group matches the default for a new file created there by the
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220 user.
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221
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222 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is
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223 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is
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224 non-@code{nil}.
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225 @end defopt
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226
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227 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch
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228 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the same behavior as
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229 @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch}, but only for certain user-id
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230 values: namely, those less than or equal to a certain number. You set
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231 this variable to that number.
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232
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233 Thus, if you set @code{backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch}
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234 to 0, backup by copying is done for the superuser only,
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235 when necessary to prevent a change in the owner of the file.
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236
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237 The default is 200.
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238 @end defopt
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239
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240 @node Numbered Backups
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241 @subsection Making and Deleting Numbered Backup Files
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242
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243 If a file's name is @file{foo}, the names of its numbered backup
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244 versions are @file{foo.~@var{v}~}, for various integers @var{v}, like
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245 this: @file{foo.~1~}, @file{foo.~2~}, @file{foo.~3~}, @dots{},
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246 @file{foo.~259~}, and so on.
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247
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248 @defopt version-control
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249 This variable controls whether to make a single non-numbered backup
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250 file or multiple numbered backups.
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251
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252 @table @asis
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253 @item @code{nil}
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254 Make numbered backups if the visited file already has numbered backups;
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255 otherwise, do not. This is the default.
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256
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257 @item @code{never}
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258 Do not make numbered backups.
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259
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260 @item @var{anything else}
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261 Make numbered backups.
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262 @end table
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263 @end defopt
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264
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265 The use of numbered backups ultimately leads to a large number of
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266 backup versions, which must then be deleted. Emacs can do this
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267 automatically or it can ask the user whether to delete them.
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268
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269 @defopt kept-new-versions
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270 The value of this variable is the number of newest versions to keep
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271 when a new numbered backup is made. The newly made backup is included
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272 in the count. The default value is@tie{}2.
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273 @end defopt
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274
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275 @defopt kept-old-versions
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276 The value of this variable is the number of oldest versions to keep
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277 when a new numbered backup is made. The default value is@tie{}2.
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278 @end defopt
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279
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280 If there are backups numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, and both of these
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281 variables have the value 2, then the backups numbered 1 and 2 are kept
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282 as old versions and those numbered 5 and 7 are kept as new versions;
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283 backup version 3 is excess. The function @code{find-backup-file-name}
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284 (@pxref{Backup Names}) is responsible for determining which backup
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285 versions to delete, but does not delete them itself.
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286
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287 @defopt delete-old-versions
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288 If this variable is @code{t}, then saving a file deletes excess
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289 backup versions silently. If it is @code{nil}, that means
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290 to ask for confirmation before deleting excess backups.
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291 Otherwise, they are not deleted at all.
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292 @end defopt
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293
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294 @defopt dired-kept-versions
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295 This variable specifies how many of the newest backup versions to keep
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296 in the Dired command @kbd{.} (@code{dired-clean-directory}). That's the
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297 same thing @code{kept-new-versions} specifies when you make a new backup
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298 file. The default is@tie{}2.
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299 @end defopt
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300
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301 @node Backup Names
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302 @subsection Naming Backup Files
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303
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304 The functions in this section are documented mainly because you can
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305 customize the naming conventions for backup files by redefining them.
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306 If you change one, you probably need to change the rest.
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307
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308 @defun backup-file-name-p filename
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309 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a
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310 possible name for a backup file. It just checks the name, not whether
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311 a file with the name @var{filename} exists.
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312
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313 @smallexample
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314 @group
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315 (backup-file-name-p "foo")
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316 @result{} nil
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317 @end group
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318 @group
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319 (backup-file-name-p "foo~")
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320 @result{} 3
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321 @end group
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322 @end smallexample
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323
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324 The standard definition of this function is as follows:
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325
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326 @smallexample
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327 @group
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328 (defun backup-file-name-p (file)
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329 "Return non-nil if FILE is a backup file \
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330 name (numeric or not)..."
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331 (string-match "~\\'" file))
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332 @end group
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333 @end smallexample
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334
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335 @noindent
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336 Thus, the function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the file name ends
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337 with a @samp{~}. (We use a backslash to split the documentation
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338 string's first line into two lines in the text, but produce just one
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339 line in the string itself.)
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340
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341 This simple expression is placed in a separate function to make it easy
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342 to redefine for customization.
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343 @end defun
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344
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345 @defun make-backup-file-name filename
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346 This function returns a string that is the name to use for a
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347 non-numbered backup file for file @var{filename}. On Unix, this is just
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348 @var{filename} with a tilde appended.
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349
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350 The standard definition of this function, on most operating systems, is
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351 as follows:
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352
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353 @smallexample
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354 @group
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355 (defun make-backup-file-name (file)
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356 "Create the non-numeric backup file name for FILE..."
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357 (concat file "~"))
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358 @end group
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359 @end smallexample
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360
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361 You can change the backup-file naming convention by redefining this
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362 function. The following example redefines @code{make-backup-file-name}
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363 to prepend a @samp{.} in addition to appending a tilde:
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364
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365 @smallexample
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366 @group
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367 (defun make-backup-file-name (filename)
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368 (expand-file-name
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369 (concat "." (file-name-nondirectory filename) "~")
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370 (file-name-directory filename)))
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371 @end group
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372
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373 @group
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374 (make-backup-file-name "backups.texi")
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375 @result{} ".backups.texi~"
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376 @end group
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377 @end smallexample
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378
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379 Some parts of Emacs, including some Dired commands, assume that backup
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380 file names end with @samp{~}. If you do not follow that convention, it
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381 will not cause serious problems, but these commands may give
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382 less-than-desirable results.
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383 @end defun
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384
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385 @defun find-backup-file-name filename
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386 This function computes the file name for a new backup file for
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387 @var{filename}. It may also propose certain existing backup files for
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388 deletion. @code{find-backup-file-name} returns a list whose @sc{car} is
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389 the name for the new backup file and whose @sc{cdr} is a list of backup
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390 files whose deletion is proposed. The value can also be @code{nil},
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391 which means not to make a backup.
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392
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393 Two variables, @code{kept-old-versions} and @code{kept-new-versions},
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394 determine which backup versions should be kept. This function keeps
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395 those versions by excluding them from the @sc{cdr} of the value.
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396 @xref{Numbered Backups}.
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397
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398 In this example, the value says that @file{~rms/foo.~5~} is the name
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399 to use for the new backup file, and @file{~rms/foo.~3~} is an ``excess''
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400 version that the caller should consider deleting now.
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401
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402 @smallexample
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403 @group
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404 (find-backup-file-name "~rms/foo")
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405 @result{} ("~rms/foo.~5~" "~rms/foo.~3~")
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406 @end group
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407 @end smallexample
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408 @end defun
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409
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410 @c Emacs 19 feature
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411 @defun file-newest-backup filename
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412 This function returns the name of the most recent backup file for
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413 @var{filename}, or @code{nil} if that file has no backup files.
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414
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415 Some file comparison commands use this function so that they can
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416 automatically compare a file with its most recent backup.
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417 @end defun
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418
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419 @node Auto-Saving
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420 @section Auto-Saving
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421 @c @cindex auto-saving Lots of symbols starting with auto-save here.
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422
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423 Emacs periodically saves all files that you are visiting; this is
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424 called @dfn{auto-saving}. Auto-saving prevents you from losing more
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425 than a limited amount of work if the system crashes. By default,
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426 auto-saves happen every 300 keystrokes, or after around 30 seconds of
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427 idle time. @xref{Auto Save, Auto Save, Auto-Saving: Protection Against
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428 Disasters, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for information on auto-save
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429 for users. Here we describe the functions used to implement auto-saving
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430 and the variables that control them.
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431
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432 @defvar buffer-auto-save-file-name
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433 This buffer-local variable is the name of the file used for
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434 auto-saving the current buffer. It is @code{nil} if the buffer
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435 should not be auto-saved.
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436
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437 @example
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438 @group
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439 buffer-auto-save-file-name
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440 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
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441 @end group
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442 @end example
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443 @end defvar
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444
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445 @deffn Command auto-save-mode arg
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446 When used interactively without an argument, this command is a toggle
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|
447 switch: it turns on auto-saving of the current buffer if it is off, and
|
|
448 vice versa. With an argument @var{arg}, the command turns auto-saving
|
|
449 on if the value of @var{arg} is @code{t}, a nonempty list, or a positive
|
|
450 integer. Otherwise, it turns auto-saving off.
|
|
451 @end deffn
|
|
452
|
|
453 @defun auto-save-file-name-p filename
|
|
454 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a
|
|
455 string that could be the name of an auto-save file. It assumes
|
|
456 the usual naming convention for auto-save files: a name that
|
|
457 begins and ends with hash marks (@samp{#}) is a possible auto-save file
|
|
458 name. The argument @var{filename} should not contain a directory part.
|
|
459
|
|
460 @example
|
|
461 @group
|
|
462 (make-auto-save-file-name)
|
|
463 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
|
|
464 @end group
|
|
465 @group
|
|
466 (auto-save-file-name-p "#backups.texi#")
|
|
467 @result{} 0
|
|
468 @end group
|
|
469 @group
|
|
470 (auto-save-file-name-p "backups.texi")
|
|
471 @result{} nil
|
|
472 @end group
|
|
473 @end example
|
|
474
|
|
475 The standard definition of this function is as follows:
|
|
476
|
|
477 @example
|
|
478 @group
|
|
479 (defun auto-save-file-name-p (filename)
|
|
480 "Return non-nil if FILENAME can be yielded by..."
|
|
481 (string-match "^#.*#$" filename))
|
|
482 @end group
|
|
483 @end example
|
|
484
|
|
485 This function exists so that you can customize it if you wish to
|
|
486 change the naming convention for auto-save files. If you redefine it,
|
|
487 be sure to redefine the function @code{make-auto-save-file-name}
|
|
488 correspondingly.
|
|
489 @end defun
|
|
490
|
|
491 @defun make-auto-save-file-name
|
|
492 This function returns the file name to use for auto-saving the current
|
|
493 buffer. This is just the file name with hash marks (@samp{#}) prepended
|
|
494 and appended to it. This function does not look at the variable
|
|
495 @code{auto-save-visited-file-name} (described below); callers of this
|
|
496 function should check that variable first.
|
|
497
|
|
498 @example
|
|
499 @group
|
|
500 (make-auto-save-file-name)
|
|
501 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#"
|
|
502 @end group
|
|
503 @end example
|
|
504
|
|
505 Here is a simplified version of the standard definition of this
|
|
506 function:
|
|
507
|
|
508 @example
|
|
509 @group
|
|
510 (defun make-auto-save-file-name ()
|
|
511 "Return file name to use for auto-saves \
|
|
512 of current buffer.."
|
|
513 (if buffer-file-name
|
|
514 @end group
|
|
515 @group
|
|
516 (concat
|
|
517 (file-name-directory buffer-file-name)
|
|
518 "#"
|
|
519 (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name)
|
|
520 "#")
|
|
521 (expand-file-name
|
|
522 (concat "#%" (buffer-name) "#"))))
|
|
523 @end group
|
|
524 @end example
|
|
525
|
|
526 This exists as a separate function so that you can redefine it to
|
|
527 customize the naming convention for auto-save files. Be sure to
|
|
528 change @code{auto-save-file-name-p} in a corresponding way.
|
|
529 @end defun
|
|
530
|
|
531 @defopt auto-save-visited-file-name
|
|
532 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs auto-saves buffers in
|
|
533 the files they are visiting. That is, the auto-save is done in the same
|
|
534 file that you are editing. Normally, this variable is @code{nil}, so
|
|
535 auto-save files have distinct names that are created by
|
|
536 @code{make-auto-save-file-name}.
|
|
537
|
|
538 When you change the value of this variable, the new value does not take
|
|
539 effect in an existing buffer until the next time auto-save mode is
|
|
540 reenabled in it. If auto-save mode is already enabled, auto-saves
|
|
541 continue to go in the same file name until @code{auto-save-mode} is
|
|
542 called again.
|
|
543 @end defopt
|
|
544
|
|
545 @defun recent-auto-save-p
|
|
546 This function returns @code{t} if the current buffer has been
|
|
547 auto-saved since the last time it was read in or saved.
|
|
548 @end defun
|
|
549
|
|
550 @defun set-buffer-auto-saved
|
|
551 This function marks the current buffer as auto-saved. The buffer will
|
|
552 not be auto-saved again until the buffer text is changed again. The
|
|
553 function returns @code{nil}.
|
|
554 @end defun
|
|
555
|
|
556 @defopt auto-save-interval
|
|
557 The value of this variable specifies how often to do auto-saving, in
|
|
558 terms of number of input events. Each time this many additional input
|
|
559 events are read, Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is
|
|
560 enabled. Setting this to zero disables autosaving based on the
|
|
561 number of characters typed.
|
|
562 @end defopt
|
|
563
|
|
564 @defopt auto-save-timeout
|
|
565 The value of this variable is the number of seconds of idle time that
|
|
566 should cause auto-saving. Each time the user pauses for this long,
|
|
567 Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is enabled. (If
|
|
568 the current buffer is large, the specified timeout is multiplied by a
|
|
569 factor that increases as the size increases; for a million-byte
|
|
570 buffer, the factor is almost 4.)
|
|
571
|
|
572 If the value is zero or @code{nil}, then auto-saving is not done as a
|
|
573 result of idleness, only after a certain number of input events as
|
|
574 specified by @code{auto-save-interval}.
|
|
575 @end defopt
|
|
576
|
|
577 @defvar auto-save-hook
|
|
578 This normal hook is run whenever an auto-save is about to happen.
|
|
579 @end defvar
|
|
580
|
|
581 @defopt auto-save-default
|
|
582 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, buffers that are visiting files
|
|
583 have auto-saving enabled by default. Otherwise, they do not.
|
|
584 @end defopt
|
|
585
|
|
586 @deffn Command do-auto-save &optional no-message current-only
|
|
587 This function auto-saves all buffers that need to be auto-saved. It
|
|
588 saves all buffers for which auto-saving is enabled and that have been
|
|
589 changed since the previous auto-save.
|
|
590
|
|
591 If any buffers are auto-saved, @code{do-auto-save} normally displays a
|
|
592 message saying @samp{Auto-saving...} in the echo area while
|
|
593 auto-saving is going on. However, if @var{no-message} is
|
|
594 non-@code{nil}, the message is inhibited.
|
|
595
|
|
596 If @var{current-only} is non-@code{nil}, only the current buffer
|
|
597 is auto-saved.
|
|
598 @end deffn
|
|
599
|
|
600 @defun delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary &optional force
|
|
601 This function deletes the current buffer's auto-save file if
|
|
602 @code{delete-auto-save-files} is non-@code{nil}. It is called every
|
|
603 time a buffer is saved.
|
|
604
|
|
605 Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function only deletes the
|
|
606 file if it was written by the current Emacs session since the last
|
|
607 true save.
|
|
608 @end defun
|
|
609
|
|
610 @defopt delete-auto-save-files
|
|
611 This variable is used by the function
|
|
612 @code{delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary}. If it is non-@code{nil},
|
|
613 Emacs deletes auto-save files when a true save is done (in the visited
|
|
614 file). This saves disk space and unclutters your directory.
|
|
615 @end defopt
|
|
616
|
|
617 @defun rename-auto-save-file
|
|
618 This function adjusts the current buffer's auto-save file name if the
|
|
619 visited file name has changed. It also renames an existing auto-save
|
|
620 file, if it was made in the current Emacs session. If the visited
|
|
621 file name has not changed, this function does nothing.
|
|
622 @end defun
|
|
623
|
|
624 @defvar buffer-saved-size
|
|
625 The value of this buffer-local variable is the length of the current
|
|
626 buffer, when it was last read in, saved, or auto-saved. This is
|
|
627 used to detect a substantial decrease in size, and turn off auto-saving
|
|
628 in response.
|
|
629
|
|
630 If it is @minus{}1, that means auto-saving is temporarily shut off in
|
|
631 this buffer due to a substantial decrease in size. Explicitly saving
|
|
632 the buffer stores a positive value in this variable, thus reenabling
|
|
633 auto-saving. Turning auto-save mode off or on also updates this
|
|
634 variable, so that the substantial decrease in size is forgotten.
|
|
635 @end defvar
|
|
636
|
|
637 @defvar auto-save-list-file-name
|
|
638 This variable (if non-@code{nil}) specifies a file for recording the
|
|
639 names of all the auto-save files. Each time Emacs does auto-saving, it
|
|
640 writes two lines into this file for each buffer that has auto-saving
|
|
641 enabled. The first line gives the name of the visited file (it's empty
|
|
642 if the buffer has none), and the second gives the name of the auto-save
|
|
643 file.
|
|
644
|
|
645 When Emacs exits normally, it deletes this file; if Emacs crashes, you
|
|
646 can look in the file to find all the auto-save files that might contain
|
|
647 work that was otherwise lost. The @code{recover-session} command uses
|
|
648 this file to find them.
|
|
649
|
|
650 The default name for this file specifies your home directory and starts
|
|
651 with @samp{.saves-}. It also contains the Emacs process @acronym{ID} and the
|
|
652 host name.
|
|
653 @end defvar
|
|
654
|
|
655 @defvar auto-save-list-file-prefix
|
|
656 After Emacs reads your init file, it initializes
|
|
657 @code{auto-save-list-file-name} (if you have not already set it
|
|
658 non-@code{nil}) based on this prefix, adding the host name and process
|
|
659 ID. If you set this to @code{nil} in your init file, then Emacs does
|
|
660 not initialize @code{auto-save-list-file-name}.
|
|
661 @end defvar
|
|
662
|
|
663 @node Reverting
|
|
664 @section Reverting
|
|
665
|
|
666 If you have made extensive changes to a file and then change your mind
|
|
667 about them, you can get rid of them by reading in the previous version
|
|
668 of the file with the @code{revert-buffer} command. @xref{Reverting, ,
|
|
669 Reverting a Buffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
|
|
670
|
|
671 @deffn Command revert-buffer &optional ignore-auto noconfirm preserve-modes
|
|
672 This command replaces the buffer text with the text of the visited
|
|
673 file on disk. This action undoes all changes since the file was visited
|
|
674 or saved.
|
|
675
|
|
676 By default, if the latest auto-save file is more recent than the visited
|
|
677 file, and the argument @var{ignore-auto} is @code{nil},
|
|
678 @code{revert-buffer} asks the user whether to use that auto-save
|
|
679 instead. When you invoke this command interactively, @var{ignore-auto}
|
|
680 is @code{t} if there is no numeric prefix argument; thus, the
|
|
681 interactive default is not to check the auto-save file.
|
|
682
|
|
683 Normally, @code{revert-buffer} asks for confirmation before it changes
|
|
684 the buffer; but if the argument @var{noconfirm} is non-@code{nil},
|
|
685 @code{revert-buffer} does not ask for confirmation.
|
|
686
|
|
687 Normally, this command reinitializes the buffer's major and minor modes
|
|
688 using @code{normal-mode}. But if @var{preserve-modes} is
|
|
689 non-@code{nil}, the modes remain unchanged.
|
|
690
|
|
691 Reverting tries to preserve marker positions in the buffer by using the
|
|
692 replacement feature of @code{insert-file-contents}. If the buffer
|
|
693 contents and the file contents are identical before the revert
|
|
694 operation, reverting preserves all the markers. If they are not
|
|
695 identical, reverting does change the buffer; in that case, it preserves
|
|
696 the markers in the unchanged text (if any) at the beginning and end of
|
|
697 the buffer. Preserving any additional markers would be problematical.
|
|
698 @end deffn
|
|
699
|
|
700 You can customize how @code{revert-buffer} does its work by setting
|
|
701 the variables described in the rest of this section.
|
|
702
|
|
703 @defopt revert-without-query
|
|
704 This variable holds a list of files that should be reverted without
|
|
705 query. The value is a list of regular expressions. If the visited file
|
|
706 name matches one of these regular expressions, and the file has changed
|
|
707 on disk but the buffer is not modified, then @code{revert-buffer}
|
|
708 reverts the file without asking the user for confirmation.
|
|
709 @end defopt
|
|
710
|
|
711 Some major modes customize @code{revert-buffer} by making
|
|
712 buffer-local bindings for these variables:
|
|
713
|
|
714 @defvar revert-buffer-function
|
|
715 @anchor{Definition of revert-buffer-function}
|
|
716 The value of this variable is the function to use to revert this
|
|
717 buffer. If non-@code{nil}, it should be a function with two optional
|
|
718 arguments to do the work of reverting. The two optional arguments,
|
|
719 @var{ignore-auto} and @var{noconfirm}, are the arguments that
|
|
720 @code{revert-buffer} received. If the value is @code{nil}, reverting
|
|
721 works the usual way.
|
|
722
|
|
723 Modes such as Dired mode, in which the text being edited does not
|
|
724 consist of a file's contents but can be regenerated in some other
|
|
725 fashion, can give this variable a buffer-local value that is a function to
|
|
726 regenerate the contents.
|
|
727 @end defvar
|
|
728
|
|
729 @defvar revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function
|
|
730 The value of this variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the function to use to
|
|
731 insert the updated contents when reverting this buffer. The function
|
|
732 receives two arguments: first the file name to use; second, @code{t} if
|
|
733 the user has asked to read the auto-save file.
|
|
734
|
|
735 The reason for a mode to set this variable instead of
|
|
736 @code{revert-buffer-function} is to avoid duplicating or replacing the
|
|
737 rest of what @code{revert-buffer} does: asking for confirmation,
|
|
738 clearing the undo list, deciding the proper major mode, and running the
|
|
739 hooks listed below.
|
|
740 @end defvar
|
|
741
|
|
742 @defvar before-revert-hook
|
|
743 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} before
|
|
744 inserting the modified contents---but only if
|
|
745 @code{revert-buffer-function} is @code{nil}.
|
|
746 @end defvar
|
|
747
|
|
748 @defvar after-revert-hook
|
|
749 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} after inserting
|
|
750 the modified contents---but only if @code{revert-buffer-function} is
|
|
751 @code{nil}.
|
|
752 @end defvar
|
|
753
|
|
754 @ignore
|
|
755 arch-tag: 295a6321-e5ab-46d5-aef5-0bb4f447a67f
|
|
756 @end ignore
|