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annotate man/files.texi @ 34232:bd3e997f6afc
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author | Jason Rumney <jasonr@gnu.org> |
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date | Tue, 05 Dec 2000 22:54:21 +0000 |
parents | 2d8a69640e7f |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
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2 @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,99, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
4 @node Files, Buffers, Fixit, Top | |
5 @chapter File Handling | |
6 @cindex files | |
7 | |
8 The operating system stores data permanently in named @dfn{files}. So | |
9 most of the text you edit with Emacs comes from a file and is ultimately | |
10 stored in a file. | |
11 | |
12 To edit a file, you must tell Emacs to read the file and prepare a | |
13 buffer containing a copy of the file's text. This is called | |
14 @dfn{visiting} the file. Editing commands apply directly to text in the | |
15 buffer; that is, to the copy inside Emacs. Your changes appear in the | |
16 file itself only when you @dfn{save} the buffer back into the file. | |
17 | |
18 In addition to visiting and saving files, Emacs can delete, copy, | |
19 rename, and append to files, keep multiple versions of them, and operate | |
20 on file directories. | |
21 | |
22 @menu | |
23 * File Names:: How to type and edit file-name arguments. | |
24 * Visiting:: Visiting a file prepares Emacs to edit the file. | |
25 * Saving:: Saving makes your changes permanent. | |
26 * Reverting:: Reverting cancels all the changes not saved. | |
27 * Auto Save:: Auto Save periodically protects against loss of data. | |
28 * File Aliases:: Handling multiple names for one file. | |
29 * Version Control:: Version control systems (RCS, CVS and SCCS). | |
30 * Directories:: Creating, deleting, and listing file directories. | |
31 * Comparing Files:: Finding where two files differ. | |
32 * Misc File Ops:: Other things you can do on files. | |
33 * Compressed Files:: Accessing compressed files. | |
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34 * File Archives:: Operating on tar, zip, jar etc. archive files. |
25829 | 35 * Remote Files:: Accessing files on other sites. |
36 * Quoted File Names:: Quoting special characters in file names. | |
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37 * File Conveniences:: Convenience Features for Finding Files. |
25829 | 38 @end menu |
39 | |
40 @node File Names | |
41 @section File Names | |
42 @cindex file names | |
43 | |
44 Most Emacs commands that operate on a file require you to specify the | |
45 file name. (Saving and reverting are exceptions; the buffer knows which | |
46 file name to use for them.) You enter the file name using the | |
47 minibuffer (@pxref{Minibuffer}). @dfn{Completion} is available, to make | |
48 it easier to specify long file names. @xref{Completion}. | |
49 | |
50 For most operations, there is a @dfn{default file name} which is used | |
51 if you type just @key{RET} to enter an empty argument. Normally the | |
52 default file name is the name of the file visited in the current buffer; | |
53 this makes it easy to operate on that file with any of the Emacs file | |
54 commands. | |
55 | |
56 @vindex default-directory | |
57 Each buffer has a default directory, normally the same as the | |
58 directory of the file visited in that buffer. When you enter a file | |
59 name without a directory, the default directory is used. If you specify | |
60 a directory in a relative fashion, with a name that does not start with | |
61 a slash, it is interpreted with respect to the default directory. The | |
62 default directory is kept in the variable @code{default-directory}, | |
63 which has a separate value in every buffer. | |
64 | |
65 For example, if the default file name is @file{/u/rms/gnu/gnu.tasks} then | |
66 the default directory is @file{/u/rms/gnu/}. If you type just @samp{foo}, | |
67 which does not specify a directory, it is short for @file{/u/rms/gnu/foo}. | |
68 @samp{../.login} would stand for @file{/u/rms/.login}. @samp{new/foo} | |
69 would stand for the file name @file{/u/rms/gnu/new/foo}. | |
70 | |
71 @findex cd | |
72 @findex pwd | |
73 The command @kbd{M-x pwd} prints the current buffer's default | |
74 directory, and the command @kbd{M-x cd} sets it (to a value read using | |
75 the minibuffer). A buffer's default directory changes only when the | |
76 @code{cd} command is used. A file-visiting buffer's default directory | |
77 is initialized to the directory of the file that is visited there. If | |
78 you create a buffer with @kbd{C-x b}, its default directory is copied | |
79 from that of the buffer that was current at the time. | |
80 | |
81 @vindex insert-default-directory | |
82 The default directory actually appears in the minibuffer when the | |
83 minibuffer becomes active to read a file name. This serves two | |
84 purposes: it @emph{shows} you what the default is, so that you can type | |
85 a relative file name and know with certainty what it will mean, and it | |
86 allows you to @emph{edit} the default to specify a different directory. | |
87 This insertion of the default directory is inhibited if the variable | |
88 @code{insert-default-directory} is set to @code{nil}. | |
89 | |
90 Note that it is legitimate to type an absolute file name after you | |
91 enter the minibuffer, ignoring the presence of the default directory | |
92 name as part of the text. The final minibuffer contents may look | |
93 invalid, but that is not so. For example, if the minibuffer starts out | |
94 with @samp{/usr/tmp/} and you add @samp{/x1/rms/foo}, you get | |
95 @samp{/usr/tmp//x1/rms/foo}; but Emacs ignores everything through the | |
96 first slash in the double slash; the result is @samp{/x1/rms/foo}. | |
97 @xref{Minibuffer File}. | |
98 | |
99 @samp{$} in a file name is used to substitute environment variables. | |
100 For example, if you have used the shell command @samp{export | |
29107 | 101 FOO=rms/hacks} to set up an environment variable named @env{FOO}, then |
25829 | 102 you can use @file{/u/$FOO/test.c} or @file{/u/$@{FOO@}/test.c} as an |
103 abbreviation for @file{/u/rms/hacks/test.c}. The environment variable | |
104 name consists of all the alphanumeric characters after the @samp{$}; | |
105 alternatively, it may be enclosed in braces after the @samp{$}. Note | |
106 that shell commands to set environment variables affect Emacs only if | |
107 done before Emacs is started. | |
108 | |
109 To access a file with @samp{$} in its name, type @samp{$$}. This pair | |
110 is converted to a single @samp{$} at the same time as variable | |
111 substitution is performed for single @samp{$}. Alternatively, quote the | |
112 whole file name with @samp{/:} (@pxref{Quoted File Names}). | |
113 | |
114 @findex substitute-in-file-name | |
115 The Lisp function that performs the substitution is called | |
116 @code{substitute-in-file-name}. The substitution is performed only on | |
117 file names read as such using the minibuffer. | |
118 | |
119 You can include non-ASCII characters in file names if you set the | |
120 variable @code{file-name-coding-system} to a non-@code{nil} value. | |
121 @xref{Specify Coding}. | |
122 | |
123 @node Visiting | |
124 @section Visiting Files | |
125 @cindex visiting files | |
126 | |
127 @c WideCommands | |
128 @table @kbd | |
129 @item C-x C-f | |
130 Visit a file (@code{find-file}). | |
131 @item C-x C-r | |
132 Visit a file for viewing, without allowing changes to it | |
133 (@code{find-file-read-only}). | |
134 @item C-x C-v | |
135 Visit a different file instead of the one visited last | |
136 (@code{find-alternate-file}). | |
137 @item C-x 4 f | |
138 Visit a file, in another window (@code{find-file-other-window}). Don't | |
139 alter what is displayed in the selected window. | |
140 @item C-x 5 f | |
141 Visit a file, in a new frame (@code{find-file-other-frame}). Don't | |
142 alter what is displayed in the selected frame. | |
143 @item M-x find-file-literally | |
144 Visit a file with no conversion of the contents. | |
145 @end table | |
146 | |
147 @cindex files, visiting and saving | |
148 @cindex visiting files | |
149 @cindex saving files | |
150 @dfn{Visiting} a file means copying its contents into an Emacs buffer | |
151 so you can edit them. Emacs makes a new buffer for each file that you | |
152 visit. We say that this buffer is visiting the file that it was created | |
153 to hold. Emacs constructs the buffer name from the file name by | |
154 throwing away the directory, keeping just the name proper. For example, | |
155 a file named @file{/usr/rms/emacs.tex} would get a buffer named | |
156 @samp{emacs.tex}. If there is already a buffer with that name, a unique | |
157 name is constructed by appending @samp{<2>}, @samp{<3>}, or so on, using | |
158 the lowest number that makes a name that is not already in use. | |
159 | |
160 Each window's mode line shows the name of the buffer that is being displayed | |
161 in that window, so you can always tell what buffer you are editing. | |
162 | |
163 The changes you make with editing commands are made in the Emacs | |
164 buffer. They do not take effect in the file that you visited, or any | |
165 place permanent, until you @dfn{save} the buffer. Saving the buffer | |
166 means that Emacs writes the current contents of the buffer into its | |
167 visited file. @xref{Saving}. | |
168 | |
169 @cindex modified (buffer) | |
170 If a buffer contains changes that have not been saved, we say the | |
171 buffer is @dfn{modified}. This is important because it implies that | |
172 some changes will be lost if the buffer is not saved. The mode line | |
173 displays two stars near the left margin to indicate that the buffer is | |
174 modified. | |
175 | |
176 @kindex C-x C-f | |
177 @findex find-file | |
178 To visit a file, use the command @kbd{C-x C-f} (@code{find-file}). Follow | |
179 the command with the name of the file you wish to visit, terminated by a | |
180 @key{RET}. | |
181 | |
182 The file name is read using the minibuffer (@pxref{Minibuffer}), with | |
183 defaulting and completion in the standard manner (@pxref{File Names}). | |
184 While in the minibuffer, you can abort @kbd{C-x C-f} by typing @kbd{C-g}. | |
185 | |
186 Your confirmation that @kbd{C-x C-f} has completed successfully is the | |
187 appearance of new text on the screen and a new buffer name in the mode | |
188 line. If the specified file does not exist and could not be created, or | |
189 cannot be read, then you get an error, with an error message displayed | |
190 in the echo area. | |
191 | |
192 If you visit a file that is already in Emacs, @kbd{C-x C-f} does not make | |
193 another copy. It selects the existing buffer containing that file. | |
194 However, before doing so, it checks that the file itself has not changed | |
195 since you visited or saved it last. If the file has changed, a warning | |
196 message is printed. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous Editing}. | |
197 | |
198 @cindex creating files | |
199 What if you want to create a new file? Just visit it. Emacs prints | |
200 @samp{(New File)} in the echo area, but in other respects behaves as if | |
201 you had visited an existing empty file. If you make any changes and | |
202 save them, the file is created. | |
203 | |
204 Emacs recognizes from the contents of a file which convention it uses | |
205 to separate lines---newline (used on GNU/Linux and on Unix), | |
206 carriage-return linefeed (used on Microsoft systems), or just | |
207 carriage-return (used on the Macintosh)---and automatically converts the | |
208 contents to the normal Emacs convention, which is that the newline | |
209 character separates lines. This is a part of the general feature of | |
210 coding system conversion (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and makes it possible | |
211 to edit files imported from various different operating systems with | |
212 equal convenience. If you change the text and save the file, Emacs | |
213 performs the inverse conversion, changing newlines back into | |
214 carriage-return linefeed or just carriage-return if appropriate. | |
215 | |
216 @vindex find-file-run-dired | |
217 If the file you specify is actually a directory, @kbd{C-x C-f} invokes | |
218 Dired, the Emacs directory browser, so that you can ``edit'' the contents | |
219 of the directory (@pxref{Dired}). Dired is a convenient way to delete, | |
220 look at, or operate on the files in the directory. However, if the | |
221 variable @code{find-file-run-dired} is @code{nil}, then it is an error | |
222 to try to visit a directory. | |
223 | |
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224 @cindex wildcard characters in file names |
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225 @vindex find-file-wildcards |
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226 If the file name you specify contains @code{sh}-style wildcard |
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227 characters, Emacs visits all the files that match it. @xref{Quoted File |
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228 Names}, if you want to visit a file whose name actually contains |
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229 wildcard characters. Wildcards comprise @samp{?}, @samp{*} and |
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230 @samp{[@dots{}]} sequences. The wildcard feature can be disabled by |
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231 customizing @code{find-file-wildcards}. |
25829 | 232 |
233 If you visit a file that the operating system won't let you modify, | |
234 Emacs makes the buffer read-only, so that you won't go ahead and make | |
235 changes that you'll have trouble saving afterward. You can make the | |
236 buffer writable with @kbd{C-x C-q} (@code{vc-toggle-read-only}). | |
237 @xref{Misc Buffer}. | |
238 | |
239 @kindex C-x C-r | |
240 @findex find-file-read-only | |
241 Occasionally you might want to visit a file as read-only in order to | |
242 protect yourself from entering changes accidentally; do so by visiting | |
243 the file with the command @kbd{C-x C-r} (@code{find-file-read-only}). | |
244 | |
245 @kindex C-x C-v | |
246 @findex find-alternate-file | |
247 If you visit a nonexistent file unintentionally (because you typed the | |
248 wrong file name), use the @kbd{C-x C-v} command | |
249 (@code{find-alternate-file}) to visit the file you really wanted. | |
250 @kbd{C-x C-v} is similar to @kbd{C-x C-f}, but it kills the current | |
251 buffer (after first offering to save it if it is modified). When it | |
252 reads the file name to visit, it inserts the entire default file name in | |
253 the buffer, with point just after the directory part; this is convenient | |
254 if you made a slight error in typing the name. | |
255 | |
256 If you find a file which exists but cannot be read, @kbd{C-x C-f} | |
257 signals an error. | |
258 | |
259 @kindex C-x 4 f | |
260 @findex find-file-other-window | |
261 @kbd{C-x 4 f} (@code{find-file-other-window}) is like @kbd{C-x C-f} | |
262 except that the buffer containing the specified file is selected in another | |
263 window. The window that was selected before @kbd{C-x 4 f} continues to | |
264 show the same buffer it was already showing. If this command is used when | |
265 only one window is being displayed, that window is split in two, with one | |
266 window showing the same buffer as before, and the other one showing the | |
267 newly requested file. @xref{Windows}. | |
268 | |
269 @kindex C-x 5 f | |
270 @findex find-file-other-frame | |
271 @kbd{C-x 5 f} (@code{find-file-other-frame}) is similar, but opens a | |
272 new frame, or makes visible any existing frame showing the file you | |
273 seek. This feature is available only when you are using a window | |
274 system. @xref{Frames}. | |
275 | |
276 @findex find-file-literally | |
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277 @vindex require-final-newline@r{, and }find-file-literally |
25829 | 278 If you wish to edit a file as a sequence of characters with no special |
279 encoding or conversion, use the @kbd{M-x find-file-literally} command. | |
280 It visits a file, like @kbd{C-x C-f}, but does not do format conversion | |
281 (@pxref{Formatted Text}), character code conversion (@pxref{Coding | |
33559 | 282 Systems}), or automatic uncompression (@pxref{Compressed Files}), and |
283 does not add a final newline because of @code{require-final-newline}. | |
25829 | 284 If you already have visited the same file in the usual (non-literal) |
285 manner, this command asks you whether to visit it literally instead. | |
286 | |
287 @vindex find-file-hooks | |
288 @vindex find-file-not-found-hooks | |
289 Two special hook variables allow extensions to modify the operation of | |
290 visiting files. Visiting a file that does not exist runs the functions | |
291 in the list @code{find-file-not-found-hooks}; this variable holds a list | |
292 of functions, and the functions are called one by one (with no | |
293 arguments) until one of them returns non-@code{nil}. This is not a | |
294 normal hook, and the name ends in @samp{-hooks} rather than @samp{-hook} | |
295 to indicate that fact. | |
296 | |
297 Any visiting of a file, whether extant or not, expects | |
298 @code{find-file-hooks} to contain a list of functions, and calls them | |
299 all, one by one, with no arguments. This variable is really a normal | |
300 hook, but it has an abnormal name for historical compatibility. In the | |
301 case of a nonexistent file, the @code{find-file-not-found-hooks} are run | |
302 first. @xref{Hooks}. | |
303 | |
304 There are several ways to specify automatically the major mode for | |
305 editing the file (@pxref{Choosing Modes}), and to specify local | |
306 variables defined for that file (@pxref{File Variables}). | |
307 | |
308 @node Saving | |
309 @section Saving Files | |
310 | |
311 @dfn{Saving} a buffer in Emacs means writing its contents back into the file | |
312 that was visited in the buffer. | |
313 | |
314 @table @kbd | |
315 @item C-x C-s | |
316 Save the current buffer in its visited file (@code{save-buffer}). | |
317 @item C-x s | |
318 Save any or all buffers in their visited files (@code{save-some-buffers}). | |
319 @item M-~ | |
320 Forget that the current buffer has been changed (@code{not-modified}). | |
29556 | 321 With prefix argument (@kbd{C-u}), mark the current buffer as changed. |
25829 | 322 @item C-x C-w |
323 Save the current buffer in a specified file (@code{write-file}). | |
324 @item M-x set-visited-file-name | |
325 Change file the name under which the current buffer will be saved. | |
326 @end table | |
327 | |
328 @kindex C-x C-s | |
329 @findex save-buffer | |
330 When you wish to save the file and make your changes permanent, type | |
331 @kbd{C-x C-s} (@code{save-buffer}). After saving is finished, @kbd{C-x C-s} | |
332 displays a message like this: | |
333 | |
334 @example | |
335 Wrote /u/rms/gnu/gnu.tasks | |
336 @end example | |
337 | |
338 @noindent | |
339 If the selected buffer is not modified (no changes have been made in it | |
340 since the buffer was created or last saved), saving is not really done, | |
341 because it would have no effect. Instead, @kbd{C-x C-s} displays a message | |
342 like this in the echo area: | |
343 | |
344 @example | |
345 (No changes need to be saved) | |
346 @end example | |
347 | |
348 @kindex C-x s | |
349 @findex save-some-buffers | |
350 The command @kbd{C-x s} (@code{save-some-buffers}) offers to save any | |
351 or all modified buffers. It asks you what to do with each buffer. The | |
352 possible responses are analogous to those of @code{query-replace}: | |
353 | |
354 @table @kbd | |
355 @item y | |
356 Save this buffer and ask about the rest of the buffers. | |
357 @item n | |
358 Don't save this buffer, but ask about the rest of the buffers. | |
359 @item ! | |
360 Save this buffer and all the rest with no more questions. | |
361 @c following generates acceptable underfull hbox | |
362 @item @key{RET} | |
363 Terminate @code{save-some-buffers} without any more saving. | |
364 @item . | |
365 Save this buffer, then exit @code{save-some-buffers} without even asking | |
366 about other buffers. | |
367 @item C-r | |
368 View the buffer that you are currently being asked about. When you exit | |
369 View mode, you get back to @code{save-some-buffers}, which asks the | |
370 question again. | |
371 @item C-h | |
372 Display a help message about these options. | |
373 @end table | |
374 | |
375 @kbd{C-x C-c}, the key sequence to exit Emacs, invokes | |
376 @code{save-some-buffers} and therefore asks the same questions. | |
377 | |
378 @kindex M-~ | |
379 @findex not-modified | |
380 If you have changed a buffer but you do not want to save the changes, | |
381 you should take some action to prevent it. Otherwise, each time you use | |
382 @kbd{C-x s} or @kbd{C-x C-c}, you are liable to save this buffer by | |
383 mistake. One thing you can do is type @kbd{M-~} (@code{not-modified}), | |
384 which clears out the indication that the buffer is modified. If you do | |
385 this, none of the save commands will believe that the buffer needs to be | |
386 saved. (@samp{~} is often used as a mathematical symbol for `not'; thus | |
387 @kbd{M-~} is `not', metafied.) You could also use | |
388 @code{set-visited-file-name} (see below) to mark the buffer as visiting | |
389 a different file name, one which is not in use for anything important. | |
390 Alternatively, you can cancel all the changes made since the file was | |
391 visited or saved, by reading the text from the file again. This is | |
392 called @dfn{reverting}. @xref{Reverting}. You could also undo all the | |
393 changes by repeating the undo command @kbd{C-x u} until you have undone | |
394 all the changes; but reverting is easier. | |
395 | |
396 @findex set-visited-file-name | |
397 @kbd{M-x set-visited-file-name} alters the name of the file that the | |
398 current buffer is visiting. It reads the new file name using the | |
399 minibuffer. Then it specifies the visited file name and changes the | |
400 buffer name correspondingly (as long as the new name is not in use). | |
401 @code{set-visited-file-name} does not save the buffer in the newly | |
402 visited file; it just alters the records inside Emacs in case you do | |
403 save later. It also marks the buffer as ``modified'' so that @kbd{C-x | |
404 C-s} in that buffer @emph{will} save. | |
405 | |
406 @kindex C-x C-w | |
407 @findex write-file | |
408 If you wish to mark the buffer as visiting a different file and save it | |
409 right away, use @kbd{C-x C-w} (@code{write-file}). It is precisely | |
410 equivalent to @code{set-visited-file-name} followed by @kbd{C-x C-s}. | |
411 @kbd{C-x C-s} used on a buffer that is not visiting a file has the | |
412 same effect as @kbd{C-x C-w}; that is, it reads a file name, marks the | |
413 buffer as visiting that file, and saves it there. The default file name in | |
414 a buffer that is not visiting a file is made by combining the buffer name | |
415 with the buffer's default directory. | |
416 | |
417 If the new file name implies a major mode, then @kbd{C-x C-w} switches | |
418 to that major mode, in most cases. The command | |
419 @code{set-visited-file-name} also does this. @xref{Choosing Modes}. | |
420 | |
421 If Emacs is about to save a file and sees that the date of the latest | |
422 version on disk does not match what Emacs last read or wrote, Emacs | |
423 notifies you of this fact, because it probably indicates a problem caused | |
424 by simultaneous editing and requires your immediate attention. | |
425 @xref{Interlocking,, Simultaneous Editing}. | |
426 | |
427 @vindex require-final-newline | |
428 If the variable @code{require-final-newline} is non-@code{nil}, Emacs | |
429 puts a newline at the end of any file that doesn't already end in one, | |
430 every time a file is saved or written. The default is @code{nil}. | |
431 | |
432 @menu | |
433 * Backup:: How Emacs saves the old version of your file. | |
434 * Interlocking:: How Emacs protects against simultaneous editing | |
435 of one file by two users. | |
31076 | 436 * Shadowing: File Shadowing. Copying files to `shadows' automatically. |
25829 | 437 @end menu |
438 | |
439 @node Backup | |
440 @subsection Backup Files | |
441 @cindex backup file | |
442 @vindex make-backup-files | |
443 @vindex vc-make-backup-files | |
444 @vindex backup-enable-predicate | |
445 | |
446 On most operating systems, rewriting a file automatically destroys all | |
447 record of what the file used to contain. Thus, saving a file from Emacs | |
448 throws away the old contents of the file---or it would, except that | |
449 Emacs carefully copies the old contents to another file, called the | |
450 @dfn{backup} file, before actually saving. | |
451 | |
452 For most files, the variable @code{make-backup-files} determines | |
453 whether to make backup files. On most operating systems, its default | |
454 value is @code{t}, so that Emacs does write backup files. | |
455 | |
456 For files managed by a version control system (@pxref{Version | |
457 Control}), the variable @code{vc-make-backup-files} determines whether | |
458 to make backup files. By default, it is @code{nil}, since backup files | |
459 are redundant when you store all the previous versions in a version | |
460 control system. @xref{VC Workfile Handling}. | |
461 | |
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462 @vindex backup-enable-predicate |
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463 @vindex temporary-file-directory |
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464 @vindex small-temporary-file-directory |
25829 | 465 The default value of the @code{backup-enable-predicate} variable |
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466 prevents backup files being written for files in the directories named |
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467 by @code{temporary-file-directory} or @code{small-temporary-file-directory}. |
25829 | 468 |
469 At your option, Emacs can keep either a single backup file or a series of | |
470 numbered backup files for each file that you edit. | |
471 | |
472 Emacs makes a backup for a file only the first time the file is saved | |
473 from one buffer. No matter how many times you save a file, its backup file | |
474 continues to contain the contents from before the file was visited. | |
475 Normally this means that the backup file contains the contents from before | |
476 the current editing session; however, if you kill the buffer and then visit | |
477 the file again, a new backup file will be made by the next save. | |
478 | |
479 You can also explicitly request making another backup file from a | |
480 buffer even though it has already been saved at least once. If you save | |
481 the buffer with @kbd{C-u C-x C-s}, the version thus saved will be made | |
482 into a backup file if you save the buffer again. @kbd{C-u C-u C-x C-s} | |
483 saves the buffer, but first makes the previous file contents into a new | |
484 backup file. @kbd{C-u C-u C-u C-x C-s} does both things: it makes a | |
485 backup from the previous contents, and arranges to make another from the | |
486 newly saved contents, if you save again. | |
487 | |
488 @menu | |
489 * Names: Backup Names. How backup files are named; | |
490 choosing single or numbered backup files. | |
491 * Deletion: Backup Deletion. Emacs deletes excess numbered backups. | |
492 * Copying: Backup Copying. Backups can be made by copying or renaming. | |
493 @end menu | |
494 | |
495 @node Backup Names | |
496 @subsubsection Single or Numbered Backups | |
497 | |
498 If you choose to have a single backup file (this is the default), | |
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499 the backup file's name is normally constructed by appending @samp{~} to the |
25829 | 500 file name being edited; thus, the backup file for @file{eval.c} would |
501 be @file{eval.c~}. | |
502 | |
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503 @vindex make-backup-file-name-function |
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504 @vindex backup-directory-alist |
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505 You can change this behaviour by defining the variable |
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506 @code{make-backup-file-name-function} to a suitable function. |
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507 Alternatively you can customize the variable |
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508 @var{backup-directory-alist} to specify that files matching certain |
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509 patterns should be backed up in specific directories. A typical use is |
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510 to add an element @code{("." . @var{dir})} to make all backups in the |
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511 directory with absolute name @var{dir}; the names will be mangled to |
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512 prevent clashes between files with the same names originating in |
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513 different directories. Alternatively, adding, say, @code{("." ".~")} |
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514 would make backups in the invisible sub-directory @file{.~} of the |
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515 original file's directory. The directories are created if necessary |
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516 when the backup is made. |
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517 |
25829 | 518 If you choose to have a series of numbered backup files, backup file |
31076 | 519 names are made by appending @samp{.~}, the number, and another @samp{~} |
520 to the original file name. Thus, the backup files of @file{eval.c} | |
521 would be called @file{eval.c.~1~}, @file{eval.c.~2~}, and so on, through | |
522 names like @file{eval.c.~259~} and beyond. As for single backups, | |
523 @code{backup-directory-alist} can be used to control the location of | |
524 numbered backups. | |
25829 | 525 |
526 If protection stops you from writing backup files under the usual names, | |
527 the backup file is written as @file{%backup%~} in your home directory. | |
528 Only one such file can exist, so only the most recently made such backup is | |
529 available. | |
530 | |
531 @vindex version-control | |
532 The choice of single backup or numbered backups is controlled by the | |
533 variable @code{version-control}. Its possible values are | |
534 | |
535 @table @code | |
536 @item t | |
537 Make numbered backups. | |
538 @item nil | |
539 Make numbered backups for files that have numbered backups already. | |
540 Otherwise, make single backups. | |
541 @item never | |
542 Do not in any case make numbered backups; always make single backups. | |
543 @end table | |
544 | |
545 @noindent | |
546 You can set @code{version-control} locally in an individual buffer to | |
547 control the making of backups for that buffer's file. For example, | |
548 Rmail mode locally sets @code{version-control} to @code{never} to make sure | |
549 that there is only one backup for an Rmail file. @xref{Locals}. | |
550 | |
29107 | 551 @cindex @env{VERSION_CONTROL} environment variable |
552 If you set the environment variable @env{VERSION_CONTROL}, to tell | |
25829 | 553 various GNU utilities what to do with backup files, Emacs also obeys the |
554 environment variable by setting the Lisp variable @code{version-control} | |
555 accordingly at startup. If the environment variable's value is @samp{t} | |
556 or @samp{numbered}, then @code{version-control} becomes @code{t}; if the | |
557 value is @samp{nil} or @samp{existing}, then @code{version-control} | |
558 becomes @code{nil}; if it is @samp{never} or @samp{simple}, then | |
559 @code{version-control} becomes @code{never}. | |
560 | |
561 @node Backup Deletion | |
562 @subsubsection Automatic Deletion of Backups | |
563 | |
564 To prevent unlimited consumption of disk space, Emacs can delete numbered | |
565 backup versions automatically. Generally Emacs keeps the first few backups | |
566 and the latest few backups, deleting any in between. This happens every | |
567 time a new backup is made. | |
568 | |
569 @vindex kept-old-versions | |
570 @vindex kept-new-versions | |
571 The two variables @code{kept-old-versions} and | |
572 @code{kept-new-versions} control this deletion. Their values are, | |
573 respectively the number of oldest (lowest-numbered) backups to keep and | |
574 the number of newest (highest-numbered) ones to keep, each time a new | |
575 backup is made. Recall that these values are used just after a new | |
576 backup version is made; that newly made backup is included in the count | |
577 in @code{kept-new-versions}. By default, both variables are 2. | |
578 | |
579 @vindex delete-old-versions | |
580 If @code{delete-old-versions} is non-@code{nil}, the excess | |
581 middle versions are deleted without a murmur. If it is @code{nil}, the | |
582 default, then you are asked whether the excess middle versions should | |
583 really be deleted. | |
584 | |
585 Dired's @kbd{.} (Period) command can also be used to delete old versions. | |
586 @xref{Dired Deletion}. | |
587 | |
588 @node Backup Copying | |
589 @subsubsection Copying vs.@: Renaming | |
590 | |
591 Backup files can be made by copying the old file or by renaming it. This | |
592 makes a difference when the old file has multiple names. If the old file | |
593 is renamed into the backup file, then the alternate names become names for | |
594 the backup file. If the old file is copied instead, then the alternate | |
595 names remain names for the file that you are editing, and the contents | |
596 accessed by those names will be the new contents. | |
597 | |
598 The method of making a backup file may also affect the file's owner | |
599 and group. If copying is used, these do not change. If renaming is used, | |
600 you become the file's owner, and the file's group becomes the default | |
601 (different operating systems have different defaults for the group). | |
602 | |
603 Having the owner change is usually a good idea, because then the owner | |
604 always shows who last edited the file. Also, the owners of the backups | |
605 show who produced those versions. Occasionally there is a file whose | |
606 owner should not change; it is a good idea for such files to contain | |
607 local variable lists to set @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} | |
608 locally (@pxref{File Variables}). | |
609 | |
610 @vindex backup-by-copying | |
611 @vindex backup-by-copying-when-linked | |
612 @vindex backup-by-copying-when-mismatch | |
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613 @vindex backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch |
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614 @cindex file ownership, and backup |
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615 @cindex backup, and user's uid |
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616 The choice of renaming or copying is controlled by four variables. |
25829 | 617 Renaming is the default choice. If the variable |
618 @code{backup-by-copying} is non-@code{nil}, copying is used. Otherwise, | |
619 if the variable @code{backup-by-copying-when-linked} is non-@code{nil}, | |
620 then copying is used for files that have multiple names, but renaming | |
621 may still be used when the file being edited has only one name. If the | |
622 variable @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
623 copying is used if renaming would cause the file's owner or group to | |
624 change. @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} is @code{t} by default | |
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625 if you start Emacs as the superuser. The fourth variable, |
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626 @code{backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch}, gives the highest |
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627 numeric user id for which @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} will be |
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628 forced on. This is useful when low-numbered uid's are assigned to |
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629 special system users, such as @code{root}, @code{bin}, @code{daemon}, |
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630 etc., which must maintain ownership of files. |
25829 | 631 |
632 When a file is managed with a version control system (@pxref{Version | |
633 Control}), Emacs does not normally make backups in the usual way for | |
634 that file. But check-in and check-out are similar in some ways to | |
635 making backups. One unfortunate similarity is that these operations | |
636 typically break hard links, disconnecting the file name you visited from | |
637 any alternate names for the same file. This has nothing to do with | |
638 Emacs---the version control system does it. | |
639 | |
640 @node Interlocking | |
641 @subsection Protection against Simultaneous Editing | |
642 | |
643 @cindex file dates | |
644 @cindex simultaneous editing | |
645 Simultaneous editing occurs when two users visit the same file, both | |
646 make changes, and then both save them. If nobody were informed that | |
647 this was happening, whichever user saved first would later find that his | |
648 changes were lost. | |
649 | |
650 On some systems, Emacs notices immediately when the second user starts | |
651 to change the file, and issues an immediate warning. On all systems, | |
652 Emacs checks when you save the file, and warns if you are about to | |
653 overwrite another user's changes. You can prevent loss of the other | |
654 user's work by taking the proper corrective action instead of saving the | |
655 file. | |
656 | |
657 @findex ask-user-about-lock | |
658 @cindex locking files | |
659 When you make the first modification in an Emacs buffer that is | |
660 visiting a file, Emacs records that the file is @dfn{locked} by you. | |
661 (It does this by creating a symbolic link in the same directory with a | |
662 different name.) Emacs removes the lock when you save the changes. The | |
663 idea is that the file is locked whenever an Emacs buffer visiting it has | |
664 unsaved changes. | |
665 | |
666 @cindex collision | |
667 If you begin to modify the buffer while the visited file is locked by | |
668 someone else, this constitutes a @dfn{collision}. When Emacs detects a | |
669 collision, it asks you what to do, by calling the Lisp function | |
670 @code{ask-user-about-lock}. You can redefine this function for the sake | |
671 of customization. The standard definition of this function asks you a | |
672 question and accepts three possible answers: | |
673 | |
674 @table @kbd | |
675 @item s | |
676 Steal the lock. Whoever was already changing the file loses the lock, | |
677 and you gain the lock. | |
678 @item p | |
679 Proceed. Go ahead and edit the file despite its being locked by someone else. | |
680 @item q | |
681 Quit. This causes an error (@code{file-locked}) and the modification you | |
682 were trying to make in the buffer does not actually take place. | |
683 @end table | |
684 | |
685 Note that locking works on the basis of a file name; if a file has | |
686 multiple names, Emacs does not realize that the two names are the same file | |
687 and cannot prevent two users from editing it simultaneously under different | |
688 names. However, basing locking on names means that Emacs can interlock the | |
689 editing of new files that will not really exist until they are saved. | |
690 | |
691 Some systems are not configured to allow Emacs to make locks, and | |
692 there are cases where lock files cannot be written. In these cases, | |
693 Emacs cannot detect trouble in advance, but it still can detect the | |
694 collision when you try to save a file and overwrite someone else's | |
695 changes. | |
696 | |
697 If Emacs or the operating system crashes, this may leave behind lock | |
698 files which are stale. So you may occasionally get warnings about | |
699 spurious collisions. When you determine that the collision is spurious, | |
700 just use @kbd{p} to tell Emacs to go ahead anyway. | |
701 | |
702 Every time Emacs saves a buffer, it first checks the last-modification | |
703 date of the existing file on disk to verify that it has not changed since the | |
704 file was last visited or saved. If the date does not match, it implies | |
705 that changes were made in the file in some other way, and these changes are | |
706 about to be lost if Emacs actually does save. To prevent this, Emacs | |
707 prints a warning message and asks for confirmation before saving. | |
708 Occasionally you will know why the file was changed and know that it does | |
709 not matter; then you can answer @kbd{yes} and proceed. Otherwise, you should | |
710 cancel the save with @kbd{C-g} and investigate the situation. | |
711 | |
712 The first thing you should do when notified that simultaneous editing | |
713 has already taken place is to list the directory with @kbd{C-u C-x C-d} | |
714 (@pxref{Directories}). This shows the file's current author. You | |
715 should attempt to contact him to warn him not to continue editing. | |
716 Often the next step is to save the contents of your Emacs buffer under a | |
717 different name, and use @code{diff} to compare the two files.@refill | |
718 | |
31076 | 719 @node File Shadowing |
720 @subsection Shadowing Files | |
721 @cindex shadow files | |
722 @cindex file shadows | |
723 | |
724 @table @kbd | |
725 @item M-x shadow-initialize | |
726 Set up file shadowing. | |
727 @item M-x shadow-define-cluster @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET} | |
728 Define a shadow file cluster @var{name}. | |
729 @item M-x shadow-define-regexp-group | |
730 Make each of a group of files be shared between hosts. | |
731 @item M-x shadow-define-literal-group | |
732 Declare a single file to be shared between sites. | |
733 @item M-x shadow-copy-files | |
734 Copy all pending shadow files. | |
735 @item M-x shadow-cancel () | |
736 Cancel the instruction to copy some files. | |
737 @end table | |
738 | |
739 You can arrange to keep identical copies of files in more than one | |
740 place---possibly on different machines. When you save a file, Emacs can | |
741 check whether it is on the list of files with @dfn{shadows}, and if so, | |
742 it tries to copy it when you exit Emacs (or use the @kbd{M-x | |
743 shadow-copy-files} command). | |
744 | |
745 A @dfn{cluster} is a group of hosts that share directories, so that | |
746 copying to or from one of them is sufficient to update the file on all | |
747 of them. Clusters are defined by a name, the network address of a | |
748 primary host (the one we copy files to), and a regular expression that | |
749 matches the hostnames of all the sites in the cluster. A @dfn{file | |
750 group} is a set of identically-named files shared between a list of | |
751 sites. | |
752 | |
753 Add clusters (if necessary) and file groups with @kbd{M-x | |
754 shadow-define-cluster}, @kbd{M-x shadow-define-literal-group}, and | |
755 @kbd{M-x shadow-define-regexp-group} (see the documentation for these | |
756 functions for information on how and when to use them). After doing | |
757 this once, everything should be automatic. The lists of clusters and | |
758 shadows are remembered from one emacs session to another. | |
759 | |
760 If you do not want to copy a particular file, you can answer "no" and be | |
761 asked again next time you hit @kbd{C-x 4 s} or exit Emacs. If you do | |
762 not want to be asked again, use @kbd{M-x shadow-cancel}, and you will | |
763 not be asked until you change the file and save it again. | |
764 | |
25829 | 765 @node Reverting |
766 @section Reverting a Buffer | |
767 @findex revert-buffer | |
768 @cindex drastic changes | |
769 | |
770 If you have made extensive changes to a file and then change your mind | |
771 about them, you can get rid of them by reading in the previous version | |
772 of the file. To do this, use @kbd{M-x revert-buffer}, which operates on | |
773 the current buffer. Since reverting a buffer unintentionally could lose | |
774 a lot of work, you must confirm this command with @kbd{yes}. | |
775 | |
776 @code{revert-buffer} keeps point at the same distance (measured in | |
777 characters) from the beginning of the file. If the file was edited only | |
778 slightly, you will be at approximately the same piece of text after | |
779 reverting as before. If you have made drastic changes, the same value of | |
780 point in the old file may address a totally different piece of text. | |
781 | |
782 Reverting marks the buffer as ``not modified'' until another change is | |
783 made. | |
784 | |
785 Some kinds of buffers whose contents reflect data bases other than files, | |
786 such as Dired buffers, can also be reverted. For them, reverting means | |
787 recalculating their contents from the appropriate data base. Buffers | |
788 created explicitly with @kbd{C-x b} cannot be reverted; @code{revert-buffer} | |
789 reports an error when asked to do so. | |
790 | |
791 @vindex revert-without-query | |
792 When you edit a file that changes automatically and frequently---for | |
793 example, a log of output from a process that continues to run---it may be | |
794 useful for Emacs to revert the file without querying you, whenever you | |
795 visit the file again with @kbd{C-x C-f}. | |
796 | |
797 To request this behavior, set the variable @code{revert-without-query} | |
798 to a list of regular expressions. When a file name matches one of these | |
799 regular expressions, @code{find-file} and @code{revert-buffer} will | |
800 revert it automatically if it has changed---provided the buffer itself | |
801 is not modified. (If you have edited the text, it would be wrong to | |
802 discard your changes.) | |
803 | |
804 @node Auto Save | |
805 @section Auto-Saving: Protection Against Disasters | |
806 @cindex Auto Save mode | |
807 @cindex mode, Auto Save | |
808 @cindex crashes | |
809 | |
810 Emacs saves all the visited files from time to time (based on counting | |
811 your keystrokes) without being asked. This is called @dfn{auto-saving}. | |
812 It prevents you from losing more than a limited amount of work if the | |
813 system crashes. | |
814 | |
815 When Emacs determines that it is time for auto-saving, each buffer is | |
816 considered, and is auto-saved if auto-saving is turned on for it and it | |
817 has been changed since the last time it was auto-saved. The message | |
818 @samp{Auto-saving...} is displayed in the echo area during auto-saving, | |
819 if any files are actually auto-saved. Errors occurring during | |
820 auto-saving are caught so that they do not interfere with the execution | |
821 of commands you have been typing. | |
822 | |
823 @menu | |
824 * Files: Auto Save Files. The file where auto-saved changes are | |
825 actually made until you save the file. | |
826 * Control: Auto Save Control. Controlling when and how often to auto-save. | |
827 * Recover:: Recovering text from auto-save files. | |
828 @end menu | |
829 | |
830 @node Auto Save Files | |
831 @subsection Auto-Save Files | |
832 | |
833 Auto-saving does not normally save in the files that you visited, because | |
834 it can be very undesirable to save a program that is in an inconsistent | |
835 state when you have made half of a planned change. Instead, auto-saving | |
836 is done in a different file called the @dfn{auto-save file}, and the | |
837 visited file is changed only when you request saving explicitly (such as | |
838 with @kbd{C-x C-s}). | |
839 | |
840 Normally, the auto-save file name is made by appending @samp{#} to the | |
841 front and rear of the visited file name. Thus, a buffer visiting file | |
842 @file{foo.c} is auto-saved in a file @file{#foo.c#}. Most buffers that | |
843 are not visiting files are auto-saved only if you request it explicitly; | |
844 when they are auto-saved, the auto-save file name is made by appending | |
845 @samp{#%} to the front and @samp{#} to the rear of buffer name. For | |
846 example, the @samp{*mail*} buffer in which you compose messages to be | |
847 sent is auto-saved in a file named @file{#%*mail*#}. Auto-save file | |
848 names are made this way unless you reprogram parts of Emacs to do | |
849 something different (the functions @code{make-auto-save-file-name} and | |
850 @code{auto-save-file-name-p}). The file name to be used for auto-saving | |
851 in a buffer is calculated when auto-saving is turned on in that buffer. | |
852 | |
853 When you delete a substantial part of the text in a large buffer, auto | |
854 save turns off temporarily in that buffer. This is because if you | |
855 deleted the text unintentionally, you might find the auto-save file more | |
856 useful if it contains the deleted text. To reenable auto-saving after | |
857 this happens, save the buffer with @kbd{C-x C-s}, or use @kbd{C-u 1 M-x | |
858 auto-save}. | |
859 | |
860 @vindex auto-save-visited-file-name | |
861 If you want auto-saving to be done in the visited file, set the variable | |
862 @code{auto-save-visited-file-name} to be non-@code{nil}. In this mode, | |
863 there is really no difference between auto-saving and explicit saving. | |
864 | |
865 @vindex delete-auto-save-files | |
866 A buffer's auto-save file is deleted when you save the buffer in its | |
867 visited file. To inhibit this, set the variable @code{delete-auto-save-files} | |
868 to @code{nil}. Changing the visited file name with @kbd{C-x C-w} or | |
869 @code{set-visited-file-name} renames any auto-save file to go with | |
870 the new visited name. | |
871 | |
872 @node Auto Save Control | |
873 @subsection Controlling Auto-Saving | |
874 | |
875 @vindex auto-save-default | |
876 @findex auto-save-mode | |
877 Each time you visit a file, auto-saving is turned on for that file's | |
878 buffer if the variable @code{auto-save-default} is non-@code{nil} (but not | |
879 in batch mode; @pxref{Entering Emacs}). The default for this variable is | |
880 @code{t}, so auto-saving is the usual practice for file-visiting buffers. | |
881 Auto-saving can be turned on or off for any existing buffer with the | |
882 command @kbd{M-x auto-save-mode}. Like other minor mode commands, @kbd{M-x | |
883 auto-save-mode} turns auto-saving on with a positive argument, off with a | |
884 zero or negative argument; with no argument, it toggles. | |
885 | |
886 @vindex auto-save-interval | |
887 Emacs does auto-saving periodically based on counting how many characters | |
888 you have typed since the last time auto-saving was done. The variable | |
889 @code{auto-save-interval} specifies how many characters there are between | |
890 auto-saves. By default, it is 300. | |
891 | |
892 @vindex auto-save-timeout | |
893 Auto-saving also takes place when you stop typing for a while. The | |
894 variable @code{auto-save-timeout} says how many seconds Emacs should | |
895 wait before it does an auto save (and perhaps also a garbage | |
896 collection). (The actual time period is longer if the current buffer is | |
897 long; this is a heuristic which aims to keep out of your way when you | |
898 are editing long buffers, in which auto-save takes an appreciable amount | |
899 of time.) Auto-saving during idle periods accomplishes two things: | |
900 first, it makes sure all your work is saved if you go away from the | |
901 terminal for a while; second, it may avoid some auto-saving while you | |
902 are actually typing. | |
903 | |
904 Emacs also does auto-saving whenever it gets a fatal error. This | |
905 includes killing the Emacs job with a shell command such as @samp{kill | |
906 %emacs}, or disconnecting a phone line or network connection. | |
907 | |
908 @findex do-auto-save | |
909 You can request an auto-save explicitly with the command @kbd{M-x | |
910 do-auto-save}. | |
911 | |
912 @node Recover | |
913 @subsection Recovering Data from Auto-Saves | |
914 | |
915 @findex recover-file | |
916 You can use the contents of an auto-save file to recover from a loss | |
917 of data with the command @kbd{M-x recover-file @key{RET} @var{file} | |
918 @key{RET}}. This visits @var{file} and then (after your confirmation) | |
919 restores the contents from its auto-save file @file{#@var{file}#}. | |
920 You can then save with @kbd{C-x C-s} to put the recovered text into | |
921 @var{file} itself. For example, to recover file @file{foo.c} from its | |
922 auto-save file @file{#foo.c#}, do:@refill | |
923 | |
924 @example | |
925 M-x recover-file @key{RET} foo.c @key{RET} | |
926 yes @key{RET} | |
927 C-x C-s | |
928 @end example | |
929 | |
930 Before asking for confirmation, @kbd{M-x recover-file} displays a | |
931 directory listing describing the specified file and the auto-save file, | |
932 so you can compare their sizes and dates. If the auto-save file | |
933 is older, @kbd{M-x recover-file} does not offer to read it. | |
934 | |
935 @findex recover-session | |
936 If Emacs or the computer crashes, you can recover all the files you | |
937 were editing from their auto save files with the command @kbd{M-x | |
938 recover-session}. This first shows you a list of recorded interrupted | |
939 sessions. Move point to the one you choose, and type @kbd{C-c C-c}. | |
940 | |
941 Then @code{recover-session} asks about each of the files that were | |
942 being edited during that session, asking whether to recover that file. | |
943 If you answer @kbd{y}, it calls @code{recover-file}, which works in its | |
944 normal fashion. It shows the dates of the original file and its | |
945 auto-save file, and asks once again whether to recover that file. | |
946 | |
947 When @code{recover-session} is done, the files you've chosen to | |
948 recover are present in Emacs buffers. You should then save them. Only | |
949 this---saving them---updates the files themselves. | |
950 | |
951 @vindex auto-save-list-file-prefix | |
952 Interrupted sessions are recorded for later recovery in files named | |
31076 | 953 @file{~/.emacs.d/auto-save-list/.saves-@var{pid}-@var{hostname}}. The |
954 @samp{~/.emacs.d/auto-save-list/.saves-} portion of | |
25829 | 955 these names comes from the value of @code{auto-save-list-file-prefix}. |
956 You can arrange to record sessions in a different place by setting that | |
957 variable in your @file{.emacs} file, but you'll have to redefine | |
958 @code{recover-session} as well to make it look in the new place. If you | |
959 set @code{auto-save-list-file-prefix} to @code{nil} in your | |
960 @file{.emacs} file, sessions are not recorded for recovery. | |
961 | |
962 @node File Aliases | |
963 @section File Name Aliases | |
964 | |
965 Symbolic links and hard links both make it possible for several file | |
966 names to refer to the same file. Hard links are alternate names that | |
967 refer directly to the file; all the names are equally valid, and no one | |
968 of them is preferred. By contrast, a symbolic link is a kind of defined | |
969 alias: when @file{foo} is a symbolic link to @file{bar}, you can use | |
970 either name to refer to the file, but @file{bar} is the real name, while | |
971 @file{foo} is just an alias. More complex cases occur when symbolic | |
972 links point to directories. | |
973 | |
974 If you visit two names for the same file, normally Emacs makes | |
975 two different buffers, but it warns you about the situation. | |
976 | |
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977 @vindex find-file-existing-other-name |
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978 Normally, if you visit a file which Emacs is already visiting under a |
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979 different name, Emacs prints a message in the echo area and uses an |
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980 existing buffer, where that file is visited under another name. This |
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981 can happen on systems that support symbolic links, or if you use a long |
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982 file name on a system which truncates long file names. |
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984 If Emacs should use different buffers when visiting the same file |
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985 under different names, set the variable |
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986 @code{find-file-existing-other-name} to @code{nil}. A non-@code{nil} |
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987 value, which is the default, means @code{find-file} uses the existing |
25829 | 988 buffer visiting the file, no matter which of the file's names you |
989 specify. | |
990 | |
991 @vindex find-file-visit-truename | |
992 @cindex truenames of files | |
993 @cindex file truenames | |
994 If the variable @code{find-file-visit-truename} is non-@code{nil}, | |
995 then the file name recorded for a buffer is the file's @dfn{truename} | |
996 (made by replacing all symbolic links with their target names), rather | |
997 than the name you specify. Setting @code{find-file-visit-truename} also | |
998 implies the effect of @code{find-file-existing-other-name}. | |
999 | |
1000 @node Version Control | |
1001 @section Version Control | |
1002 @cindex version control | |
1003 | |
1004 @dfn{Version control systems} are packages that can record multiple | |
1005 versions of a source file, usually storing the unchanged parts of the | |
1006 file just once. Version control systems also record history information | |
1007 such as the creation time of each version, who created it, and a | |
1008 description of what was changed in that version. | |
1009 | |
1010 The Emacs version control interface is called VC. Its commands work | |
1011 with three version control systems---RCS, CVS and SCCS. The GNU project | |
1012 recommends RCS and CVS, which are free software and available from the | |
1013 Free Software Foundation. | |
31076 | 1014 @cindex CSSC |
1015 There is a GNU clone of SCCS called CSSC, but RCS is technically | |
1016 superior. | |
25829 | 1017 |
1018 @menu | |
1019 * Introduction to VC:: How version control works in general. | |
1020 * VC Mode Line:: How the mode line shows version control status. | |
1021 * Basic VC Editing:: How to edit a file under version control. | |
1022 * Old Versions:: Examining and comparing old versions. | |
1023 * Secondary VC Commands:: The commands used a little less frequently. | |
1024 * Branches:: Multiple lines of development. | |
1025 * Snapshots:: Sets of file versions treated as a unit. | |
1026 * Miscellaneous VC:: Various other commands and features of VC. | |
1027 * Customizing VC:: Variables that change VC's behavior. | |
1028 @end menu | |
1029 | |
1030 @node Introduction to VC | |
1031 @subsection Introduction to Version Control | |
1032 | |
1033 VC allows you to use a version control system from within Emacs, | |
1034 integrating the version control operations smoothly with editing. VC | |
1035 provides a uniform interface to version control, so that regardless of | |
1036 which version control system is in use, you can use it the same way. | |
1037 | |
1038 This section provides a general overview of version control, and | |
1039 describes the version control systems that VC supports. You can skip | |
1040 this section if you are already familiar with the version control system | |
1041 you want to use. | |
1042 | |
1043 @menu | |
1044 * Version Systems:: Supported version control back-end systems. | |
1045 * VC Concepts:: Words and concepts related to version control. | |
1046 @end menu | |
1047 | |
1048 @node Version Systems | |
1049 @subsubsection Supported Version Control Systems | |
1050 | |
1051 @cindex RCS | |
1052 @cindex back end (version control) | |
1053 VC currently works with three different version control systems or | |
1054 ``back ends'': RCS, CVS, and SCCS. | |
1055 | |
1056 RCS is a free version control system that is available from the Free | |
1057 Software Foundation. It is perhaps the most mature of the supported | |
1058 back ends, and the VC commands are conceptually closest to RCS. Almost | |
1059 everything you can do with RCS can be done through VC. | |
1060 | |
1061 @cindex CVS | |
1062 CVS is built on top of RCS, and extends the features of RCS, allowing | |
1063 for more sophisticated release management, and concurrent multi-user | |
1064 development. VC supports basic editing operations under CVS, but for | |
1065 some less common tasks you still need to call CVS from the command line. | |
1066 Note also that before using CVS you must set up a repository, which is a | |
1067 subject too complex to treat here. | |
1068 | |
1069 @cindex SCCS | |
1070 SCCS is a proprietary but widely used version control system. In | |
1071 terms of capabilities, it is the weakest of the three that VC | |
1072 supports. VC compensates for certain features missing in SCCS | |
1073 (snapshots, for example) by implementing them itself, but some other VC | |
1074 features, such as multiple branches, are not available with SCCS. You | |
1075 should use SCCS only if for some reason you cannot use RCS. | |
1076 | |
1077 @node VC Concepts | |
1078 @subsubsection Concepts of Version Control | |
1079 | |
1080 @cindex master file | |
1081 @cindex registered file | |
1082 When a file is under version control, we also say that it is | |
1083 @dfn{registered} in the version control system. Each registered file | |
1084 has a corresponding @dfn{master file} which represents the file's | |
1085 present state plus its change history---enough to reconstruct the | |
1086 current version or any earlier version. Usually the master file also | |
1087 records a @dfn{log entry} for each version, describing in words what was | |
1088 changed in that version. | |
1089 | |
1090 @cindex work file | |
1091 @cindex checking out files | |
1092 The file that is maintained under version control is sometimes called | |
1093 the @dfn{work file} corresponding to its master file. You edit the work | |
1094 file and make changes in it, as you would with an ordinary file. (With | |
1095 SCCS and RCS, you must @dfn{lock} the file before you start to edit it.) | |
1096 After you are done with a set of changes, you @dfn{check the file in}, | |
1097 which records the changes in the master file, along with a log entry for | |
1098 them. | |
1099 | |
1100 With CVS, there are usually multiple work files corresponding to a | |
1101 single master file---often each user has his own copy. It is also | |
1102 possible to use RCS in this way, but this is not the usual way to use | |
1103 RCS. | |
1104 | |
1105 @cindex locking and version control | |
1106 A version control system typically has some mechanism to coordinate | |
1107 between users who want to change the same file. One method is | |
1108 @dfn{locking} (analogous to the locking that Emacs uses to detect | |
1109 simultaneous editing of a file, but distinct from it). The other method | |
1110 is to merge your changes with other people's changes when you check them | |
1111 in. | |
1112 | |
1113 With version control locking, work files are normally read-only so | |
1114 that you cannot change them. You ask the version control system to make | |
1115 a work file writable for you by locking it; only one user can do | |
1116 this at any given time. When you check in your changes, that unlocks | |
1117 the file, making the work file read-only again. This allows other users | |
1118 to lock the file to make further changes. SCCS always uses locking, and | |
1119 RCS normally does. | |
1120 | |
1121 The other alternative for RCS is to let each user modify the work file | |
1122 at any time. In this mode, locking is not required, but it is | |
1123 permitted; check-in is still the way to record a new version. | |
1124 | |
1125 CVS normally allows each user to modify his own copy of the work file | |
1126 at any time, but requires merging with changes from other users at | |
1127 check-in time. However, CVS can also be set up to require locking. | |
1128 (@pxref{Backend Options}). | |
1129 | |
1130 @node VC Mode Line | |
1131 @subsection Version Control and the Mode Line | |
1132 | |
1133 When you visit a file that is under version control, Emacs indicates | |
1134 this on the mode line. For example, @samp{RCS-1.3} says that RCS is | |
1135 used for that file, and the current version is 1.3. | |
1136 | |
1137 The character between the back-end name and the version number | |
1138 indicates the version control status of the file. @samp{-} means that | |
1139 the work file is not locked (if locking is in use), or not modified (if | |
1140 locking is not in use). @samp{:} indicates that the file is locked, or | |
1141 that it is modified. If the file is locked by some other user (for | |
1142 instance, @samp{jim}), that is displayed as @samp{RCS:jim:1.3}. | |
1143 | |
1144 @node Basic VC Editing | |
1145 @subsection Basic Editing under Version Control | |
1146 | |
1147 The principal VC command is an all-purpose command that performs | |
1148 either locking or check-in, depending on the situation. | |
1149 | |
1150 @table @kbd | |
1151 @item C-x C-q | |
1152 @itemx C-x v v | |
1153 Perform the next logical version control operation on this file. | |
1154 @end table | |
1155 | |
1156 @findex vc-next-action | |
1157 @findex vc-toggle-read-only | |
1158 @kindex C-x v v | |
1159 @kindex C-x C-q @r{(Version Control)} | |
1160 Strictly speaking, the command for this job is @code{vc-next-action}, | |
1161 bound to @kbd{C-x v v}. However, the normal meaning of @kbd{C-x C-q} is | |
1162 to make a read-only buffer writable, or vice versa; we have extended it | |
1163 to do the same job properly for files managed by version control, by | |
1164 performing the appropriate version control operations. When you type | |
1165 @kbd{C-x C-q} on a registered file, it acts like @kbd{C-x v v}. | |
1166 | |
1167 The precise action of this command depends on the state of the file, | |
1168 and whether the version control system uses locking or not. SCCS and | |
1169 RCS normally use locking; CVS normally does not use locking. | |
1170 | |
1171 @menu | |
1172 * VC with Locking:: RCS in its default mode, SCCS, and optionally CVS. | |
1173 * Without Locking:: Without locking: default mode for CVS. | |
1174 * Log Buffer:: Features available in log entry buffers. | |
1175 @end menu | |
1176 | |
1177 @node VC with Locking | |
1178 @subsubsection Basic Version Control with Locking | |
1179 | |
1180 If locking is used for the file (as with SCCS, and RCS in its default | |
1181 mode), @kbd{C-x C-q} can either lock a file or check it in: | |
1182 | |
1183 @itemize @bullet | |
1184 @item | |
1185 If the file is not locked, @kbd{C-x C-q} locks it, and | |
1186 makes it writable so that you can change it. | |
1187 | |
1188 @item | |
1189 If the file is locked by you, and contains changes, @kbd{C-x C-q} checks | |
1190 in the changes. In order to do this, it first reads the log entry | |
1191 for the new version. @xref{Log Buffer}. | |
1192 | |
1193 @item | |
1194 If the file is locked by you, but you have not changed it since you | |
1195 locked it, @kbd{C-x C-q} releases the lock and makes the file read-only | |
1196 again. | |
1197 | |
1198 @item | |
1199 If the file is locked by some other user, @kbd{C-x C-q} asks you whether | |
1200 you want to ``steal the lock'' from that user. If you say yes, the file | |
1201 becomes locked by you, but a message is sent to the person who had | |
1202 formerly locked the file, to inform him of what has happened. | |
1203 @end itemize | |
1204 | |
1205 These rules also apply when you use CVS in locking mode, except | |
1206 that there is no such thing as stealing a lock. | |
1207 | |
1208 @node Without Locking | |
1209 @subsubsection Basic Version Control without Locking | |
1210 | |
1211 When there is no locking---the default for CVS---work files are always | |
1212 writable; you do not need to do anything before you begin to edit a | |
1213 file. The status indicator on the mode line is @samp{-} if the file is | |
1214 unmodified; it flips to @samp{:} as soon as you save any changes in the | |
1215 work file. | |
1216 | |
1217 Here is what @kbd{C-x C-q} does when using CVS: | |
1218 | |
1219 @itemize @bullet | |
1220 @item | |
1221 If some other user has checked in changes into the master file, | |
1222 Emacs asks you whether you want to merge those changes into your own | |
1223 work file (@pxref{Merging}). You must do this before you can check in | |
1224 your own changes. | |
1225 | |
1226 @item | |
1227 If there are no new changes in the master file, but you have made | |
1228 modifications in your work file, @kbd{C-x C-q} checks in your changes. | |
1229 In order to do this, it first reads the log entry for the new version. | |
1230 @xref{Log Buffer}. | |
1231 | |
1232 @item | |
1233 If the file is not modified, the @kbd{C-x C-q} does nothing. | |
1234 @end itemize | |
1235 | |
1236 These rules also apply when you use RCS in the mode that does not | |
1237 require locking, except that automatic merging of changes from the | |
1238 master file is not implemented. Unfortunately, this means that nothing | |
1239 informs you if another user has checked in changes in the same file | |
1240 since you began editing it, and when this happens, his changes will be | |
1241 effectively removed when you check in your version (though they will | |
1242 remain in the master file, so they will not be entirely lost). You must | |
1243 therefore verify the current version is unchanged, before you check in your | |
1244 changes. We hope to eliminate this risk and provide automatic merging | |
1245 with RCS in a future Emacs version. | |
1246 | |
1247 In addition, locking is possible with RCS even in this mode, although | |
1248 it is not required; @kbd{C-x C-q} with an unmodified file locks the | |
1249 file, just as it does with RCS in its normal (locking) mode. | |
1250 | |
1251 @node Log Buffer | |
1252 @subsubsection Features of the Log Entry Buffer | |
1253 | |
1254 When you check in changes, @kbd{C-x C-q} first reads a log entry. It | |
1255 pops up a buffer called @samp{*VC-Log*} for you to enter the log entry. | |
1256 When you are finished, type @kbd{C-c C-c} in the @samp{*VC-Log*} buffer. | |
1257 That is when check-in really happens. | |
1258 | |
1259 To abort check-in, just @strong{don't} type @kbd{C-c C-c} in that | |
1260 buffer. You can switch buffers and do other editing. As long as you | |
1261 don't try to check in another file, the entry you were editing remains | |
1262 in the @samp{*VC-Log*} buffer, and you can go back to that buffer at any | |
1263 time to complete the check-in. | |
1264 | |
1265 If you change several source files for the same reason, it is often | |
1266 convenient to specify the same log entry for many of the files. To do | |
1267 this, use the history of previous log entries. The commands @kbd{M-n}, | |
1268 @kbd{M-p}, @kbd{M-s} and @kbd{M-r} for doing this work just like the | |
1269 minibuffer history commands (except that these versions are used outside | |
1270 the minibuffer). | |
1271 | |
1272 @vindex vc-log-mode-hook | |
1273 Each time you check in a file, the log entry buffer is put into VC Log | |
1274 mode, which involves running two hooks: @code{text-mode-hook} and | |
1275 @code{vc-log-mode-hook}. @xref{Hooks}. | |
1276 | |
1277 @node Old Versions | |
1278 @subsection Examining And Comparing Old Versions | |
1279 | |
1280 One of the convenient features of version control is the ability | |
1281 to examine any version of a file, or compare two versions. | |
1282 | |
1283 @table @kbd | |
1284 @item C-x v ~ @var{version} @key{RET} | |
1285 Examine version @var{version} of the visited file, in a buffer of its | |
1286 own. | |
1287 | |
1288 @item C-x v = | |
1289 Compare the current buffer contents with the latest checked-in version | |
1290 of the file. | |
1291 | |
1292 @item C-u C-x v = @var{file} @key{RET} @var{oldvers} @key{RET} @var{newvers} @key{RET} | |
1293 Compare the specified two versions of @var{file}. | |
1294 | |
1295 @item C-x v g | |
1296 Display the result of the CVS annotate command using colors. | |
1297 @end table | |
1298 | |
1299 @findex vc-version-other-window | |
1300 @kindex C-x v ~ | |
1301 To examine an old version in toto, visit the file and then type | |
1302 @kbd{C-x v ~ @var{version} @key{RET}} (@code{vc-version-other-window}). | |
1303 This puts the text of version @var{version} in a file named | |
1304 @file{@var{filename}.~@var{version}~}, and visits it in its own buffer | |
1305 in a separate window. (In RCS, you can also select an old version | |
1306 and create a branch from it. @xref{Branches}.) | |
1307 | |
1308 @findex vc-diff | |
1309 @kindex C-x v = | |
1310 But usually it is more convenient to compare two versions of the file, | |
1311 with the command @kbd{C-x v =} (@code{vc-diff}). Plain @kbd{C-x v =} | |
1312 compares the current buffer contents (saving them in the file if | |
1313 necessary) with the last checked-in version of the file. @kbd{C-u C-x v | |
1314 =}, with a numeric argument, reads a file name and two version numbers, | |
1315 then compares those versions of the specified file. | |
1316 | |
1317 If you supply a directory name instead of the name of a registered | |
1318 file, this command compares the two specified versions of all registered | |
1319 files in that directory and its subdirectories. | |
1320 | |
1321 You can specify a checked-in version by its number; an empty input | |
1322 specifies the current contents of the work file (which may be different | |
1323 from all the checked-in versions). You can also specify a snapshot name | |
1324 (@pxref{Snapshots}) instead of one or both version numbers. | |
1325 | |
1326 This command works by running the @code{diff} utility, getting the | |
1327 options from the variable @code{diff-switches}. It displays the output | |
1328 in a special buffer in another window. Unlike the @kbd{M-x diff} | |
1329 command, @kbd{C-x v =} does not try to locate the changes in the old and | |
1330 new versions. This is because normally one or both versions do not | |
1331 exist as files when you compare them; they exist only in the records of | |
1332 the master file. @xref{Comparing Files}, for more information about | |
1333 @kbd{M-x diff}. | |
1334 | |
1335 @findex vc-annotate | |
1336 @kindex C-x v g | |
1337 For CVS-controlled files, you can display the result of the CVS | |
1338 annotate command, using colors to enhance the visual appearance. Use | |
1339 the command @kbd{M-x vc-annotate} to do this. Red means new, blue means | |
1340 old, and intermediate colors indicate intermediate ages. A prefix | |
1341 argument @var{n} specifies a stretch factor for the time scale; it makes | |
1342 each color cover a period @var{n} times as long. | |
1343 | |
1344 @node Secondary VC Commands | |
1345 @subsection The Secondary Commands of VC | |
1346 | |
1347 This section explains the secondary commands of VC; those that you might | |
1348 use once a day. | |
1349 | |
1350 @menu | |
1351 * Registering:: Putting a file under version control. | |
1352 * VC Status:: Viewing the VC status of files. | |
1353 * VC Undo:: Cancelling changes before or after check-in. | |
1354 * VC Dired Mode:: Listing files managed by version control. | |
1355 * VC Dired Commands:: Commands to use in a VC Dired buffer. | |
1356 @end menu | |
1357 | |
1358 @node Registering | |
1359 @subsubsection Registering a File for Version Control | |
1360 | |
1361 @kindex C-x v i | |
1362 @findex vc-register | |
1363 You can put any file under version control by simply visiting it, and | |
1364 then typing @w{@kbd{C-x v i}} (@code{vc-register}). | |
1365 | |
1366 @table @kbd | |
1367 @item C-x v i | |
1368 Register the visited file for version control. | |
1369 @end table | |
1370 | |
1371 @vindex vc-default-back-end | |
1372 To register the file, Emacs must choose which version control system | |
1373 to use for it. You can specify your choice explicitly by setting | |
1374 @code{vc-default-back-end} to @code{RCS}, @code{CVS} or @code{SCCS}. | |
1375 Otherwise, if there is a subdirectory named @file{RCS}, @file{SCCS}, or | |
1376 @file{CVS}, Emacs uses the corresponding version control system. In the | |
1377 absence of any specification, the default choice is RCS if RCS is | |
1378 installed, otherwise SCCS. | |
1379 | |
1380 If locking is in use, @kbd{C-x v i} leaves the file unlocked and | |
1381 read-only. Type @kbd{C-x C-q} if you wish to start editing it. After | |
1382 registering a file with CVS, you must subsequently commit the initial | |
1383 version by typing @kbd{C-x C-q}. | |
1384 | |
1385 @vindex vc-default-init-version | |
1386 The initial version number for a newly registered file is 1.1, by | |
1387 default. You can specify a different default by setting the variable | |
1388 @code{vc-default-init-version}, or you can give @kbd{C-x v i} a numeric | |
1389 argument; then it reads the initial version number for this particular | |
1390 file using the minibuffer. | |
1391 | |
1392 @vindex vc-initial-comment | |
1393 If @code{vc-initial-comment} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{C-x v i} reads an | |
1394 initial comment to describe the purpose of this source file. Reading | |
1395 the initial comment works like reading a log entry (@pxref{Log Buffer}). | |
1396 | |
1397 @node VC Status | |
1398 @subsubsection VC Status Commands | |
1399 | |
1400 @table @kbd | |
1401 @item C-x v l | |
1402 Display version control state and change history. | |
1403 @end table | |
1404 | |
1405 @kindex C-x v l | |
1406 @findex vc-print-log | |
1407 To view the detailed version control status and history of a file, | |
1408 type @kbd{C-x v l} (@code{vc-print-log}). It displays the history of | |
1409 changes to the current file, including the text of the log entries. The | |
1410 output appears in a separate window. | |
1411 | |
1412 @node VC Undo | |
1413 @subsubsection Undoing Version Control Actions | |
1414 | |
1415 @table @kbd | |
1416 @item C-x v u | |
1417 Revert the buffer and the file to the last checked-in version. | |
1418 | |
1419 @item C-x v c | |
1420 Remove the last-entered change from the master for the visited file. | |
1421 This undoes your last check-in. | |
1422 @end table | |
1423 | |
1424 @kindex C-x v u | |
1425 @findex vc-revert-buffer | |
1426 If you want to discard your current set of changes and revert to the | |
1427 last version checked in, use @kbd{C-x v u} (@code{vc-revert-buffer}). | |
1428 This leaves the file unlocked; if locking is in use, you must first lock | |
1429 the file again before you change it again. @kbd{C-x v u} requires | |
1430 confirmation, unless it sees that you haven't made any changes since the | |
1431 last checked-in version. | |
1432 | |
1433 @kbd{C-x v u} is also the command to unlock a file if you lock it and | |
1434 then decide not to change it. | |
1435 | |
1436 @kindex C-x v c | |
1437 @findex vc-cancel-version | |
1438 To cancel a change that you already checked in, use @kbd{C-x v c} | |
1439 (@code{vc-cancel-version}). This command discards all record of the | |
1440 most recent checked-in version. @kbd{C-x v c} also offers to revert | |
1441 your work file and buffer to the previous version (the one that precedes | |
1442 the version that is deleted). | |
1443 | |
1444 If you answer @kbd{no}, VC keeps your changes in the buffer, and locks | |
1445 the file. The no-revert option is useful when you have checked in a | |
1446 change and then discover a trivial error in it; you can cancel the | |
1447 erroneous check-in, fix the error, and check the file in again. | |
1448 | |
1449 When @kbd{C-x v c} does not revert the buffer, it unexpands all | |
1450 version control headers in the buffer instead (@pxref{Version Headers}). | |
1451 This is because the buffer no longer corresponds to any existing | |
1452 version. If you check it in again, the check-in process will expand the | |
1453 headers properly for the new version number. | |
1454 | |
1455 However, it is impossible to unexpand the RCS @samp{@w{$}Log$} header | |
1456 automatically. If you use that header feature, you have to unexpand it | |
1457 by hand---by deleting the entry for the version that you just canceled. | |
1458 | |
1459 Be careful when invoking @kbd{C-x v c}, as it is easy to lose a lot of | |
1460 work with it. To help you be careful, this command always requires | |
1461 confirmation with @kbd{yes}. Note also that this command is disabled | |
1462 under CVS, because canceling versions is very dangerous and discouraged | |
1463 with CVS. | |
1464 | |
1465 @node VC Dired Mode | |
1466 @subsubsection Dired under VC | |
1467 | |
31076 | 1468 @cindex PCL-CVS |
1469 @pindex cvs | |
1470 @cindex CVS Dired Mode | |
1471 The VC Dired Mode described here works with all the VC-supported version | |
1472 control systems. There is a similar facility specialized for use with | |
1473 CVS, called PCL-CVS. @xref{Top, , About PCL-CVS, pcl-cvs, PCL-CVS --- The | |
1474 Emacs Front-End to CVS}. | |
1475 | |
25829 | 1476 @kindex C-x v d |
1477 @findex vc-directory | |
1478 When you are working on a large program, it is often useful to find | |
1479 out which files have changed within an entire directory tree, or to view | |
1480 the status of all files under version control at once, and to perform | |
1481 version control operations on collections of files. You can use the | |
1482 command @kbd{C-x v d} (@code{vc-directory}) to make a directory listing | |
1483 that includes only files relevant for version control. | |
1484 | |
1485 @vindex vc-dired-terse-display | |
1486 @kbd{C-x v d} creates a buffer which uses VC Dired Mode. This looks | |
1487 much like an ordinary Dired buffer (@pxref{Dired}); however, normally it | |
1488 shows only the noteworthy files (those locked or not up-to-date). This | |
1489 is called @dfn{terse display}. If you set the variable | |
1490 @code{vc-dired-terse-display} to @code{nil}, then VC Dired shows all | |
1491 relevant files---those managed under version control, plus all | |
1492 subdirectories (@dfn{full display}). The command @kbd{v t} in a VC | |
1493 Dired buffer toggles between terse display and full display (@pxref{VC | |
1494 Dired Commands}). | |
1495 | |
1496 @vindex vc-dired-recurse | |
1497 By default, VC Dired produces a recursive listing of noteworthy or | |
1498 relevant files at or below the given directory. You can change this by | |
1499 setting the variable @code{vc-dired-recurse} to @code{nil}; then VC | |
1500 Dired shows only the files in the given directory. | |
1501 | |
1502 The line for an individual file shows the version control state in the | |
1503 place of the hard link count, owner, group, and size of the file. If | |
1504 the file is unmodified, in sync with the master file, the version | |
1505 control state shown is blank. Otherwise it consists of text in | |
1506 parentheses. Under RCS and SCCS, the name of the user locking the file | |
1507 is shown; under CVS, an abbreviated version of the @samp{cvs status} | |
1508 output is used. Here is an example using RCS: | |
1509 | |
1510 @smallexample | |
1511 @group | |
1512 /home/jim/project: | |
1513 | |
1514 -rw-r--r-- (jim) Apr 2 23:39 file1 | |
1515 -r--r--r-- Apr 5 20:21 file2 | |
1516 @end group | |
1517 @end smallexample | |
1518 | |
1519 @noindent | |
1520 The files @samp{file1} and @samp{file2} are under version control, | |
1521 @samp{file1} is locked by user jim, and @samp{file2} is unlocked. | |
1522 | |
1523 Here is an example using CVS: | |
1524 | |
1525 @smallexample | |
1526 @group | |
1527 /home/joe/develop: | |
1528 | |
1529 -rw-r--r-- (modified) Aug 2 1997 file1.c | |
1530 -rw-r--r-- Apr 4 20:09 file2.c | |
1531 -rw-r--r-- (merge) Sep 13 1996 file3.c | |
1532 @end group | |
1533 @end smallexample | |
1534 | |
1535 Here @samp{file1.c} is modified with respect to the repository, and | |
1536 @samp{file2.c} is not. @samp{file3.c} is modified, but other changes | |
1537 have also been checked in to the repository---you need to merge them | |
1538 with the work file before you can check it in. | |
1539 | |
1540 @vindex vc-directory-exclusion-list | |
1541 When VC Dired displays subdirectories (in the ``full'' display mode), | |
1542 it omits some that should never contain any files under version control. | |
1543 By default, this includes Version Control subdirectories such as | |
1544 @samp{RCS} and @samp{CVS}; you can customize this by setting the | |
1545 variable @code{vc-directory-exclusion-list}. | |
1546 | |
1547 You can fine-tune VC Dired's format by typing @kbd{C-u C-x v d}---as in | |
1548 ordinary Dired, that allows you to specify additional switches for the | |
1549 @samp{ls} command. | |
1550 | |
1551 @node VC Dired Commands | |
1552 @subsubsection VC Dired Commands | |
1553 | |
1554 All the usual Dired commands work normally in VC Dired mode, except | |
1555 for @kbd{v}, which is redefined as the version control prefix. You can | |
1556 invoke VC commands such as @code{vc-diff} and @code{vc-print-log} by | |
1557 typing @kbd{v =}, or @kbd{v l}, and so on. Most of these commands apply | |
1558 to the file name on the current line. | |
1559 | |
1560 The command @kbd{v v} (@code{vc-next-action}) operates on all the | |
1561 marked files, so that you can lock or check in several files at once. | |
1562 If it operates on more than one file, it handles each file according to | |
1563 its current state; thus, it might lock one file, but check in another | |
1564 file. This could be confusing; it is up to you to avoid confusing | |
1565 behavior by marking a set of files that are in a similar state. | |
1566 | |
1567 If any files call for check-in, @kbd{v v} reads a single log entry, | |
1568 then uses it for all the files being checked in. This is convenient for | |
1569 registering or checking in several files at once, as part of the same | |
1570 change. | |
1571 | |
1572 @findex vc-dired-toggle-terse-mode | |
1573 @findex vc-dired-mark-locked | |
1574 You can toggle between terse display (only locked files, or files not | |
1575 up-to-date) and full display at any time by typing @kbd{v t} | |
1576 @code{vc-dired-toggle-terse-mode}. There is also a special command | |
1577 @kbd{* l} (@code{vc-dired-mark-locked}), which marks all files currently | |
1578 locked (or, with CVS, all files not up-to-date). Thus, typing @kbd{* l | |
1579 t k} is another way to delete from the buffer all files except those | |
1580 currently locked. | |
1581 | |
1582 @node Branches | |
1583 @subsection Multiple Branches of a File | |
1584 @cindex branch (version control) | |
1585 @cindex trunk (version control) | |
1586 | |
1587 One use of version control is to maintain multiple ``current'' | |
1588 versions of a file. For example, you might have different versions of a | |
1589 program in which you are gradually adding various unfinished new | |
1590 features. Each such independent line of development is called a | |
1591 @dfn{branch}. VC allows you to create branches, switch between | |
1592 different branches, and merge changes from one branch to another. | |
1593 Please note, however, that branches are only supported for RCS at the | |
1594 moment. | |
1595 | |
1596 A file's main line of development is usually called the @dfn{trunk}. | |
1597 The versions on the trunk are normally numbered 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc. At | |
1598 any such version, you can start an independent branch. A branch | |
1599 starting at version 1.2 would have version number 1.2.1.1, and consecutive | |
1600 versions on this branch would have numbers 1.2.1.2, 1.2.1.3, 1.2.1.4, | |
1601 and so on. If there is a second branch also starting at version 1.2, it | |
1602 would consist of versions 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.2, 1.2.2.3, etc. | |
1603 | |
1604 @cindex head version | |
1605 If you omit the final component of a version number, that is called a | |
1606 @dfn{branch number}. It refers to the highest existing version on that | |
1607 branch---the @dfn{head version} of that branch. The branches in the | |
1608 example above have branch numbers 1.2.1 and 1.2.2. | |
1609 | |
1610 @menu | |
1611 * Switching Branches:: How to get to another existing branch. | |
1612 * Creating Branches:: How to start a new branch. | |
1613 * Merging:: Transferring changes between branches. | |
1614 * Multi-User Branching:: Multiple users working at multiple branches | |
1615 in parallel. | |
1616 @end menu | |
1617 | |
1618 @node Switching Branches | |
1619 @subsubsection Switching between Branches | |
1620 | |
1621 To switch between branches, type @kbd{C-u C-x C-q} and specify the | |
1622 version number you want to select. This version is then visited | |
1623 @emph{unlocked} (write-protected), so you can examine it before locking | |
1624 it. Switching branches in this way is allowed only when the file is not | |
1625 locked. | |
1626 | |
1627 You can omit the minor version number, thus giving only the branch | |
1628 number; this takes you to the head version on the chosen branch. If you | |
1629 only type @key{RET}, Emacs goes to the highest version on the trunk. | |
1630 | |
1631 After you have switched to any branch (including the main branch), you | |
1632 stay on it for subsequent VC commands, until you explicitly select some | |
1633 other branch. | |
1634 | |
1635 @node Creating Branches | |
1636 @subsubsection Creating New Branches | |
1637 | |
1638 To create a new branch from a head version (one that is the latest in | |
1639 the branch that contains it), first select that version if necessary, | |
1640 lock it with @kbd{C-x C-q}, and make whatever changes you want. Then, | |
1641 when you check in the changes, use @kbd{C-u C-x C-q}. This lets you | |
1642 specify the version number for the new version. You should specify a | |
1643 suitable branch number for a branch starting at the current version. | |
1644 For example, if the current version is 2.5, the branch number should be | |
1645 2.5.1, 2.5.2, and so on, depending on the number of existing branches at | |
1646 that point. | |
1647 | |
1648 To create a new branch at an older version (one that is no longer the | |
1649 head of a branch), first select that version (@pxref{Switching | |
1650 Branches}), then lock it with @kbd{C-x C-q}. You'll be asked to | |
1651 confirm, when you lock the old version, that you really mean to create a | |
1652 new branch---if you say no, you'll be offered a chance to lock the | |
1653 latest version instead. | |
1654 | |
1655 Then make your changes and type @kbd{C-x C-q} again to check in a new | |
1656 version. This automatically creates a new branch starting from the | |
1657 selected version. You need not specially request a new branch, because | |
1658 that's the only way to add a new version at a point that is not the head | |
1659 of a branch. | |
1660 | |
1661 After the branch is created, you ``stay'' on it. That means that | |
1662 subsequent check-ins create new versions on that branch. To leave the | |
1663 branch, you must explicitly select a different version with @kbd{C-u C-x | |
1664 C-q}. To transfer changes from one branch to another, use the merge | |
1665 command, described in the next section. | |
1666 | |
1667 @node Merging | |
1668 @subsubsection Merging Branches | |
1669 | |
1670 @cindex merging changes | |
1671 When you have finished the changes on a certain branch, you will | |
1672 often want to incorporate them into the file's main line of development | |
1673 (the trunk). This is not a trivial operation, because development might | |
1674 also have proceeded on the trunk, so that you must @dfn{merge} the | |
1675 changes into a file that has already been changed otherwise. VC allows | |
1676 you to do this (and other things) with the @code{vc-merge} command. | |
1677 | |
1678 @table @kbd | |
1679 @item C-x v m (vc-merge) | |
1680 Merge changes into the work file. | |
1681 @end table | |
1682 | |
1683 @kindex C-x v m | |
1684 @findex vc-merge | |
1685 @kbd{C-x v m} (@code{vc-merge}) takes a set of changes and merges it | |
1686 into the current version of the work file. It first asks you for a | |
1687 branch number or a pair of version numbers in the minibuffer. Then it | |
1688 finds the changes from that branch, or between the two versions you | |
1689 specified, and merges them into the current version of the current file. | |
1690 | |
1691 As an example, suppose that you have finished a certain feature on | |
1692 branch 1.3.1. In the meantime, development on the trunk has proceeded | |
1693 to version 1.5. To merge the changes from the branch to the trunk, | |
1694 first go to the head version of the trunk, by typing @kbd{C-u C-x C-q | |
1695 RET}. Version 1.5 is now current. If locking is used for the file, | |
1696 type @kbd{C-x C-q} to lock version 1.5 so that you can change it. Next, | |
1697 type @kbd{C-x v m 1.3.1 RET}. This takes the entire set of changes on | |
1698 branch 1.3.1 (relative to version 1.3, where the branch started, up to | |
1699 the last version on the branch) and merges it into the current version | |
1700 of the work file. You can now check in the changed file, thus creating | |
1701 version 1.6 containing the changes from the branch. | |
1702 | |
1703 It is possible to do further editing after merging the branch, before | |
1704 the next check-in. But it is usually wiser to check in the merged | |
1705 version, then lock it and make the further changes. This will keep | |
1706 a better record of the history of changes. | |
1707 | |
1708 @cindex conflicts | |
1709 @cindex resolving conflicts | |
1710 When you merge changes into a file that has itself been modified, the | |
1711 changes might overlap. We call this situation a @dfn{conflict}, and | |
1712 reconciling the conflicting changes is called @dfn{resolving a | |
1713 conflict}. | |
1714 | |
1715 Whenever conflicts occur during merging, VC detects them, tells you | |
1716 about them in the echo area, and asks whether you want help in merging. | |
1717 If you say yes, it starts an Ediff session (@pxref{Top, | |
1718 Ediff, Ediff, ediff, The Ediff Manual}). | |
1719 | |
1720 If you say no, the conflicting changes are both inserted into the | |
1721 file, surrounded by @dfn{conflict markers}. The example below shows how | |
1722 a conflict region looks; the file is called @samp{name} and the current | |
1723 master file version with user B's changes in it is 1.11. | |
1724 | |
1725 @c @w here is so CVS won't think this is a conflict. | |
1726 @smallexample | |
1727 @group | |
1728 @w{<}<<<<<< name | |
1729 @var{User A's version} | |
1730 ======= | |
1731 @var{User B's version} | |
1732 @w{>}>>>>>> 1.11 | |
1733 @end group | |
1734 @end smallexample | |
1735 | |
1736 @cindex vc-resolve-conflicts | |
1737 Then you can resolve the conflicts by editing the file manually. Or | |
1738 you can type @code{M-x vc-resolve-conflicts} after visiting the file. | |
1739 This starts an Ediff session, as described above. | |
1740 | |
1741 @node Multi-User Branching | |
1742 @subsubsection Multi-User Branching | |
1743 | |
1744 It is often useful for multiple developers to work simultaneously on | |
1745 different branches of a file. CVS allows this by default; for RCS, it | |
1746 is possible if you create multiple source directories. Each source | |
1747 directory should have a link named @file{RCS} which points to a common | |
1748 directory of RCS master files. Then each source directory can have its | |
1749 own choice of selected versions, but all share the same common RCS | |
1750 records. | |
1751 | |
1752 This technique works reliably and automatically, provided that the | |
1753 source files contain RCS version headers (@pxref{Version Headers}). The | |
1754 headers enable Emacs to be sure, at all times, which version number is | |
1755 present in the work file. | |
1756 | |
1757 If the files do not have version headers, you must instead tell Emacs | |
1758 explicitly in each session which branch you are working on. To do this, | |
1759 first find the file, then type @kbd{C-u C-x C-q} and specify the correct | |
1760 branch number. This ensures that Emacs knows which branch it is using | |
1761 during this particular editing session. | |
1762 | |
1763 @node Snapshots | |
1764 @subsection Snapshots | |
1765 @cindex snapshots and version control | |
1766 | |
1767 A @dfn{snapshot} is a named set of file versions (one for each | |
1768 registered file) that you can treat as a unit. One important kind of | |
1769 snapshot is a @dfn{release}, a (theoretically) stable version of the | |
1770 system that is ready for distribution to users. | |
1771 | |
1772 @menu | |
1773 * Making Snapshots:: The snapshot facilities. | |
1774 * Snapshot Caveats:: Things to be careful of when using snapshots. | |
1775 @end menu | |
1776 | |
1777 @node Making Snapshots | |
1778 @subsubsection Making and Using Snapshots | |
1779 | |
1780 There are two basic commands for snapshots; one makes a | |
1781 snapshot with a given name, the other retrieves a named snapshot. | |
1782 | |
1783 @table @code | |
1784 @kindex C-x v s | |
1785 @findex vc-create-snapshot | |
1786 @item C-x v s @var{name} @key{RET} | |
1787 Define the last saved versions of every registered file in or under the | |
1788 current directory as a snapshot named @var{name} | |
1789 (@code{vc-create-snapshot}). | |
1790 | |
1791 @kindex C-x v r | |
1792 @findex vc-retrieve-snapshot | |
1793 @item C-x v r @var{name} @key{RET} | |
1794 For all registered files at or below the current directory level, select | |
1795 whatever versions correspond to the snapshot @var{name} | |
1796 (@code{vc-retrieve-snapshot}). | |
1797 | |
1798 This command reports an error if any files are locked at or below the | |
1799 current directory, without changing anything; this is to avoid | |
1800 overwriting work in progress. | |
1801 @end table | |
1802 | |
1803 A snapshot uses a very small amount of resources---just enough to record | |
1804 the list of file names and which version belongs to the snapshot. Thus, | |
1805 you need not hesitate to create snapshots whenever they are useful. | |
1806 | |
1807 You can give a snapshot name as an argument to @kbd{C-x v =} or | |
1808 @kbd{C-x v ~} (@pxref{Old Versions}). Thus, you can use it to compare a | |
1809 snapshot against the current files, or two snapshots against each other, | |
1810 or a snapshot against a named version. | |
1811 | |
1812 @node Snapshot Caveats | |
1813 @subsubsection Snapshot Caveats | |
1814 | |
1815 @cindex named configurations (RCS) | |
1816 VC's snapshot facilities are modeled on RCS's named-configuration | |
1817 support. They use RCS's native facilities for this, so under VC | |
1818 snapshots made using RCS are visible even when you bypass VC. | |
1819 | |
1820 @c worded verbosely to avoid overfull hbox. | |
1821 For SCCS, VC implements snapshots itself. The files it uses contain | |
1822 name/file/version-number triples. These snapshots are visible only | |
1823 through VC. | |
1824 | |
1825 A snapshot is a set of checked-in versions. So make sure that all the | |
1826 files are checked in and not locked when you make a snapshot. | |
1827 | |
1828 File renaming and deletion can create some difficulties with snapshots. | |
1829 This is not a VC-specific problem, but a general design issue in version | |
1830 control systems that no one has solved very well yet. | |
1831 | |
1832 If you rename a registered file, you need to rename its master along | |
1833 with it (the command @code{vc-rename-file} does this automatically). If | |
1834 you are using SCCS, you must also update the records of the snapshot, to | |
1835 mention the file by its new name (@code{vc-rename-file} does this, | |
1836 too). An old snapshot that refers to a master file that no longer | |
1837 exists under the recorded name is invalid; VC can no longer retrieve | |
1838 it. It would be beyond the scope of this manual to explain enough about | |
1839 RCS and SCCS to explain how to update the snapshots by hand. | |
1840 | |
1841 Using @code{vc-rename-file} makes the snapshot remain valid for | |
1842 retrieval, but it does not solve all problems. For example, some of the | |
1843 files in the program probably refer to others by name. At the very | |
1844 least, the makefile probably mentions the file that you renamed. If you | |
1845 retrieve an old snapshot, the renamed file is retrieved under its new | |
1846 name, which is not the name that the makefile expects. So the program | |
1847 won't really work as retrieved. | |
1848 | |
1849 @node Miscellaneous VC | |
1850 @subsection Miscellaneous Commands and Features of VC | |
1851 | |
1852 This section explains the less-frequently-used features of VC. | |
1853 | |
1854 @menu | |
1855 * Change Logs and VC:: Generating a change log file from log entries. | |
1856 * Renaming and VC:: A command to rename both the source and master | |
1857 file correctly. | |
1858 * Version Headers:: Inserting version control headers into working files. | |
1859 @end menu | |
1860 | |
1861 @node Change Logs and VC | |
1862 @subsubsection Change Logs and VC | |
1863 | |
1864 If you use RCS or CVS for a program and also maintain a change log | |
1865 file for it (@pxref{Change Log}), you can generate change log entries | |
1866 automatically from the version control log entries: | |
1867 | |
1868 @table @kbd | |
1869 @item C-x v a | |
1870 @kindex C-x v a | |
1871 @findex vc-update-change-log | |
1872 Visit the current directory's change log file and, for registered files | |
1873 in that directory, create new entries for versions checked in since the | |
1874 most recent entry in the change log file. | |
1875 (@code{vc-update-change-log}). | |
1876 | |
1877 This command works with RCS or CVS only, not with SCCS. | |
1878 | |
1879 @item C-u C-x v a | |
1880 As above, but only find entries for the current buffer's file. | |
1881 | |
1882 @item M-1 C-x v a | |
1883 As above, but find entries for all the currently visited files that are | |
1884 maintained with version control. This works only with RCS, and it puts | |
1885 all entries in the log for the default directory, which may not be | |
1886 appropriate. | |
1887 @end table | |
1888 | |
1889 For example, suppose the first line of @file{ChangeLog} is dated | |
1890 1999-04-10, and that the only check-in since then was by Nathaniel | |
1891 Bowditch to @file{rcs2log} on 1999-05-22 with log text @samp{Ignore log | |
1892 messages that start with `#'.}. Then @kbd{C-x v a} visits | |
1893 @file{ChangeLog} and inserts text like this: | |
1894 | |
1895 @iftex | |
1896 @medbreak | |
1897 @end iftex | |
1898 @smallexample | |
1899 @group | |
1900 1999-05-22 Nathaniel Bowditch <nat@@apn.org> | |
1901 | |
1902 * rcs2log: Ignore log messages that start with `#'. | |
1903 @end group | |
1904 @end smallexample | |
1905 @iftex | |
1906 @medbreak | |
1907 @end iftex | |
1908 | |
1909 @noindent | |
1910 You can then edit the new change log entry further as you wish. | |
1911 | |
1912 Unfortunately, timestamps in ChangeLog files are only dates, so some | |
1913 of the new change log entry may duplicate what's already in ChangeLog. | |
1914 You will have to remove these duplicates by hand. | |
1915 | |
1916 Normally, the log entry for file @file{foo} is displayed as @samp{* | |
1917 foo: @var{text of log entry}}. The @samp{:} after @file{foo} is omitted | |
1918 if the text of the log entry starts with @w{@samp{(@var{functionname}): | |
1919 }}. For example, if the log entry for @file{vc.el} is | |
1920 @samp{(vc-do-command): Check call-process status.}, then the text in | |
1921 @file{ChangeLog} looks like this: | |
1922 | |
1923 @iftex | |
1924 @medbreak | |
1925 @end iftex | |
1926 @smallexample | |
1927 @group | |
1928 1999-05-06 Nathaniel Bowditch <nat@@apn.org> | |
1929 | |
1930 * vc.el (vc-do-command): Check call-process status. | |
1931 @end group | |
1932 @end smallexample | |
1933 @iftex | |
1934 @medbreak | |
1935 @end iftex | |
1936 | |
1937 When @kbd{C-x v a} adds several change log entries at once, it groups | |
1938 related log entries together if they all are checked in by the same | |
1939 author at nearly the same time. If the log entries for several such | |
1940 files all have the same text, it coalesces them into a single entry. | |
1941 For example, suppose the most recent check-ins have the following log | |
1942 entries: | |
1943 | |
1944 @flushleft | |
1945 @bullet{} For @file{vc.texinfo}: @samp{Fix expansion typos.} | |
1946 @bullet{} For @file{vc.el}: @samp{Don't call expand-file-name.} | |
1947 @bullet{} For @file{vc-hooks.el}: @samp{Don't call expand-file-name.} | |
1948 @end flushleft | |
1949 | |
1950 @noindent | |
1951 They appear like this in @file{ChangeLog}: | |
1952 | |
1953 @iftex | |
1954 @medbreak | |
1955 @end iftex | |
1956 @smallexample | |
1957 @group | |
1958 1999-04-01 Nathaniel Bowditch <nat@@apn.org> | |
1959 | |
1960 * vc.texinfo: Fix expansion typos. | |
1961 | |
1962 * vc.el, vc-hooks.el: Don't call expand-file-name. | |
1963 @end group | |
1964 @end smallexample | |
1965 @iftex | |
1966 @medbreak | |
1967 @end iftex | |
1968 | |
1969 Normally, @kbd{C-x v a} separates log entries by a blank line, but you | |
1970 can mark several related log entries to be clumped together (without an | |
1971 intervening blank line) by starting the text of each related log entry | |
1972 with a label of the form @w{@samp{@{@var{clumpname}@} }}. The label | |
1973 itself is not copied to @file{ChangeLog}. For example, suppose the log | |
1974 entries are: | |
1975 | |
1976 @flushleft | |
1977 @bullet{} For @file{vc.texinfo}: @samp{@{expand@} Fix expansion typos.} | |
1978 @bullet{} For @file{vc.el}: @samp{@{expand@} Don't call expand-file-name.} | |
1979 @bullet{} For @file{vc-hooks.el}: @samp{@{expand@} Don't call expand-file-name.} | |
1980 @end flushleft | |
1981 | |
1982 @noindent | |
1983 Then the text in @file{ChangeLog} looks like this: | |
1984 | |
1985 @iftex | |
1986 @medbreak | |
1987 @end iftex | |
1988 @smallexample | |
1989 @group | |
1990 1999-04-01 Nathaniel Bowditch <nat@@apn.org> | |
1991 | |
1992 * vc.texinfo: Fix expansion typos. | |
1993 * vc.el, vc-hooks.el: Don't call expand-file-name. | |
1994 @end group | |
1995 @end smallexample | |
1996 @iftex | |
1997 @medbreak | |
1998 @end iftex | |
1999 | |
2000 A log entry whose text begins with @samp{#} is not copied to | |
2001 @file{ChangeLog}. For example, if you merely fix some misspellings in | |
2002 comments, you can log the change with an entry beginning with @samp{#} | |
2003 to avoid putting such trivia into @file{ChangeLog}. | |
2004 | |
2005 @node Renaming and VC | |
2006 @subsubsection Renaming VC Work Files and Master Files | |
2007 | |
2008 @findex vc-rename-file | |
2009 When you rename a registered file, you must also rename its master | |
2010 file correspondingly to get proper results. Use @code{vc-rename-file} | |
2011 to rename the source file as you specify, and rename its master file | |
2012 accordingly. It also updates any snapshots (@pxref{Snapshots}) that | |
2013 mention the file, so that they use the new name; despite this, the | |
2014 snapshot thus modified may not completely work (@pxref{Snapshot | |
2015 Caveats}). | |
2016 | |
2017 You cannot use @code{vc-rename-file} on a file that is locked by | |
2018 someone else. | |
2019 | |
2020 @node Version Headers | |
2021 @subsubsection Inserting Version Control Headers | |
2022 | |
2023 Sometimes it is convenient to put version identification strings | |
2024 directly into working files. Certain special strings called | |
2025 @dfn{version headers} are replaced in each successive version by the | |
2026 number of that version. | |
2027 | |
2028 If you are using RCS, and version headers are present in your working | |
2029 files, Emacs can use them to determine the current version and the | |
2030 locking state of the files. This is more reliable than referring to the | |
2031 master files, which is done when there are no version headers. Note | |
2032 that in a multi-branch environment, version headers are necessary to | |
2033 make VC behave correctly (@pxref{Multi-User Branching}). | |
2034 | |
2035 Searching for version headers is controlled by the variable | |
2036 @code{vc-consult-headers}. If it is non-@code{nil}, Emacs searches for | |
2037 headers to determine the version number you are editing. Setting it to | |
2038 @code{nil} disables this feature. | |
2039 | |
2040 @kindex C-x v h | |
2041 @findex vc-insert-headers | |
2042 You can use the @kbd{C-x v h} command (@code{vc-insert-headers}) to | |
2043 insert a suitable header string. | |
2044 | |
2045 @table @kbd | |
2046 @item C-x v h | |
2047 Insert headers in a file for use with your version-control system. | |
2048 @end table | |
2049 | |
2050 @vindex vc-header-alist | |
2051 The default header string is @samp{@w{$}Id$} for RCS and | |
2052 @samp{@w{%}W%} for SCCS. You can specify other headers to insert by | |
2053 setting the variable @code{vc-header-alist}. Its value is a list of | |
2054 elements of the form @code{(@var{program} . @var{string})} where | |
2055 @var{program} is @code{RCS} or @code{SCCS} and @var{string} is the | |
2056 string to use. | |
2057 | |
2058 Instead of a single string, you can specify a list of strings; then | |
2059 each string in the list is inserted as a separate header on a line of | |
2060 its own. | |
2061 | |
2062 It is often necessary to use ``superfluous'' backslashes when writing | |
2063 the strings that you put in this variable. This is to prevent the | |
2064 string in the constant from being interpreted as a header itself if the | |
2065 Emacs Lisp file containing it is maintained with version control. | |
2066 | |
2067 @vindex vc-comment-alist | |
2068 Each header is inserted surrounded by tabs, inside comment delimiters, | |
2069 on a new line at point. Normally the ordinary comment | |
2070 start and comment end strings of the current mode are used, but for | |
2071 certain modes, there are special comment delimiters for this purpose; | |
2072 the variable @code{vc-comment-alist} specifies them. Each element of | |
2073 this list has the form @code{(@var{mode} @var{starter} @var{ender})}. | |
2074 | |
2075 @vindex vc-static-header-alist | |
2076 The variable @code{vc-static-header-alist} specifies further strings | |
2077 to add based on the name of the buffer. Its value should be a list of | |
2078 elements of the form @code{(@var{regexp} . @var{format})}. Whenever | |
2079 @var{regexp} matches the buffer name, @var{format} is inserted as part | |
2080 of the header. A header line is inserted for each element that matches | |
2081 the buffer name, and for each string specified by | |
2082 @code{vc-header-alist}. The header line is made by processing the | |
2083 string from @code{vc-header-alist} with the format taken from the | |
2084 element. The default value for @code{vc-static-header-alist} is as follows: | |
2085 | |
2086 @example | |
2087 @group | |
2088 (("\\.c$" . | |
2089 "\n#ifndef lint\nstatic char vcid[] = \"\%s\";\n\ | |
2090 #endif /* lint */\n")) | |
2091 @end group | |
2092 @end example | |
2093 | |
2094 @noindent | |
2095 It specifies insertion of text of this form: | |
2096 | |
2097 @example | |
2098 @group | |
2099 | |
2100 #ifndef lint | |
2101 static char vcid[] = "@var{string}"; | |
2102 #endif /* lint */ | |
2103 @end group | |
2104 @end example | |
2105 | |
2106 @noindent | |
2107 Note that the text above starts with a blank line. | |
2108 | |
2109 If you use more than one version header in a file, put them close | |
2110 together in the file. The mechanism in @code{revert-buffer} that | |
2111 preserves markers may not handle markers positioned between two version | |
2112 headers. | |
2113 | |
2114 @node Customizing VC | |
2115 @subsection Customizing VC | |
2116 | |
2117 There are many ways of customizing VC. The options you can set fall | |
2118 into four categories, described in the following sections. | |
2119 | |
26105 | 2120 @vindex vc-ignore-vc-files |
2121 @cindex Version control, deactivating | |
2122 In addition, it is possible to turn VC on and off generally by setting | |
2123 the variable @code{vc-ignore-vc-files}. Normally VC will notice the | |
2124 presence of version control on a file you visit and automatically invoke | |
2125 the relevant program to check the file's state. Change | |
2126 @code{vc-ignore-vc-files} if this isn't the right thing, for instance, | |
2127 if you edit files under version control but don't have the relevant | |
2128 version control programs available. | |
2129 | |
25829 | 2130 @menu |
2131 * Backend Options:: Customizing the back-end to your needs. | |
2132 * VC Workfile Handling:: Various options concerning working files. | |
2133 * VC Status Retrieval:: How VC finds the version control status of a file, | |
2134 and how to customize this. | |
2135 * VC Command Execution:: Which commands VC should run, and how. | |
2136 @end menu | |
2137 | |
2138 @node Backend Options | |
2139 @subsubsection Options for VC Backends | |
2140 | |
2141 @cindex backend options (VC) | |
2142 @cindex locking under version control | |
2143 You can tell RCS and CVS whether to use locking for a file or not | |
2144 (@pxref{VC Concepts}, for a description of locking). VC automatically | |
2145 recognizes what you have chosen, and behaves accordingly. | |
2146 | |
2147 @cindex non-strict locking (RCS) | |
2148 @cindex locking, non-strict (RCS) | |
2149 For RCS, the default is to use locking, but there is a mode called | |
2150 @dfn{non-strict locking} in which you can check-in changes without | |
2151 locking the file first. Use @samp{rcs -U} to switch to non-strict | |
2152 locking for a particular file, see the @samp{rcs} manpage for details. | |
2153 | |
2154 @cindex locking (CVS) | |
2155 Under CVS, the default is not to use locking; anyone can change a work | |
2156 file at any time. However, there are ways to restrict this, resulting | |
2157 in behavior that resembles locking. | |
2158 | |
2159 @cindex CVSREAD environment variable (CVS) | |
29107 | 2160 For one thing, you can set the @env{CVSREAD} environment variable to |
25829 | 2161 an arbitrary value. If this variable is defined, CVS makes your work |
2162 files read-only by default. In Emacs, you must type @kbd{C-x C-q} to | |
2163 make the file writeable, so that editing works in fact similar as if | |
2164 locking was used. Note however, that no actual locking is performed, so | |
2165 several users can make their files writeable at the same time. When | |
29107 | 2166 setting @env{CVSREAD} for the first time, make sure to check out all |
25829 | 2167 your modules anew, so that the file protections are set correctly. |
2168 | |
2169 @cindex cvs watch feature | |
2170 @cindex watching files (CVS) | |
2171 Another way to achieve something similar to locking is to use the | |
2172 @dfn{watch} feature of CVS. If a file is being watched, CVS makes it | |
2173 read-only by default, and you must also use @kbd{C-x C-q} in Emacs to | |
2174 make it writable. VC calls @code{cvs edit} to make the file writeable, | |
2175 and CVS takes care to notify other developers of the fact that you | |
2176 intend to change the file. See the CVS documentation for details on | |
2177 using the watch feature. | |
2178 | |
2179 @vindex vc-handle-cvs | |
2180 You can turn off use of VC for CVS-managed files by setting the | |
2181 variable @code{vc-handle-cvs} to @code{nil}. If you do this, Emacs | |
2182 treats these files as if they were not registered, and the VC commands | |
2183 are not available for them. You must do all CVS operations manually. | |
2184 | |
2185 @node VC Workfile Handling | |
2186 @subsubsection VC Workfile Handling | |
2187 | |
2188 @vindex vc-make-backup-files | |
2189 Emacs normally does not save backup files for source files that are | |
2190 maintained with version control. If you want to make backup files even | |
2191 for files that use version control, set the variable | |
2192 @code{vc-make-backup-files} to a non-@code{nil} value. | |
2193 | |
2194 @vindex vc-keep-workfiles | |
2195 Normally the work file exists all the time, whether it is locked or | |
2196 not. If you set @code{vc-keep-workfiles} to @code{nil}, then checking | |
2197 in a new version with @kbd{C-x C-q} deletes the work file; but any | |
2198 attempt to visit the file with Emacs creates it again. (With CVS, work | |
2199 files are always kept.) | |
2200 | |
2201 @vindex vc-follow-symlinks | |
2202 Editing a version-controlled file through a symbolic link can be | |
2203 dangerous. It bypasses the version control system---you can edit the | |
2204 file without locking it, and fail to check your changes in. Also, | |
2205 your changes might overwrite those of another user. To protect against | |
2206 this, VC checks each symbolic link that you visit, to see if it points | |
2207 to a file under version control. | |
2208 | |
2209 The variable @code{vc-follow-symlinks} controls what to do when a | |
2210 symbolic link points to a version-controlled file. If it is @code{nil}, | |
2211 VC only displays a warning message. If it is @code{t}, VC automatically | |
2212 follows the link, and visits the real file instead, telling you about | |
2213 this in the echo area. If the value is @code{ask} (the default), VC | |
2214 asks you each time whether to follow the link. | |
2215 | |
2216 @node VC Status Retrieval | |
2217 @subsubsection VC Status Retrieval | |
2218 @c There is no need to tell users about vc-master-templates. | |
2219 | |
2220 When deducing the locked/unlocked state of a file, VC first looks for | |
2221 an RCS version header string in the file (@pxref{Version Headers}). If | |
2222 there is no header string, or if you are using SCCS, VC normally looks | |
2223 at the file permissions of the work file; this is fast. But there might | |
2224 be situations when the file permissions cannot be trusted. In this case | |
2225 the master file has to be consulted, which is rather expensive. Also | |
2226 the master file can only tell you @emph{if} there's any lock on the | |
2227 file, but not whether your work file really contains that locked | |
2228 version. | |
2229 | |
2230 @vindex vc-consult-headers | |
2231 You can tell VC not to use version headers to determine lock status by | |
2232 setting @code{vc-consult-headers} to @code{nil}. VC then always uses | |
2233 the file permissions (if it can trust them), or else checks the master | |
2234 file. | |
2235 | |
2236 @vindex vc-mistrust-permissions | |
2237 You can specify the criterion for whether to trust the file | |
2238 permissions by setting the variable @code{vc-mistrust-permissions}. Its | |
2239 value can be @code{t} (always mistrust the file permissions and check | |
2240 the master file), @code{nil} (always trust the file permissions), or a | |
2241 function of one argument which makes the decision. The argument is the | |
2242 directory name of the @file{RCS}, @file{CVS} or @file{SCCS} | |
2243 subdirectory. A non-@code{nil} value from the function says to mistrust | |
2244 the file permissions. If you find that the file permissions of work | |
2245 files are changed erroneously, set @code{vc-mistrust-permissions} to | |
2246 @code{t}. Then VC always checks the master file to determine the file's | |
2247 status. | |
2248 | |
2249 @node VC Command Execution | |
2250 @subsubsection VC Command Execution | |
2251 | |
2252 @vindex vc-suppress-confirm | |
2253 If @code{vc-suppress-confirm} is non-@code{nil}, then @kbd{C-x C-q} | |
2254 and @kbd{C-x v i} can save the current buffer without asking, and | |
2255 @kbd{C-x v u} also operates without asking for confirmation. (This | |
2256 variable does not affect @kbd{C-x v c}; that operation is so drastic | |
2257 that it should always ask for confirmation.) | |
2258 | |
2259 @vindex vc-command-messages | |
2260 VC mode does much of its work by running the shell commands for RCS, | |
2261 CVS and SCCS. If @code{vc-command-messages} is non-@code{nil}, VC | |
2262 displays messages to indicate which shell commands it runs, and | |
2263 additional messages when the commands finish. | |
2264 | |
2265 @vindex vc-path | |
2266 You can specify additional directories to search for version control | |
2267 programs by setting the variable @code{vc-path}. These directories are | |
2268 searched before the usual search path. But the proper files are usually | |
2269 found automatically. | |
2270 | |
2271 @node Directories | |
2272 @section File Directories | |
2273 | |
2274 @cindex file directory | |
2275 @cindex directory listing | |
2276 The file system groups files into @dfn{directories}. A @dfn{directory | |
2277 listing} is a list of all the files in a directory. Emacs provides | |
2278 commands to create and delete directories, and to make directory | |
2279 listings in brief format (file names only) and verbose format (sizes, | |
2280 dates, and authors included). There is also a directory browser called | |
2281 Dired; see @ref{Dired}. | |
2282 | |
2283 @table @kbd | |
2284 @item C-x C-d @var{dir-or-pattern} @key{RET} | |
2285 Display a brief directory listing (@code{list-directory}). | |
2286 @item C-u C-x C-d @var{dir-or-pattern} @key{RET} | |
2287 Display a verbose directory listing. | |
2288 @item M-x make-directory @key{RET} @var{dirname} @key{RET} | |
2289 Create a new directory named @var{dirname}. | |
2290 @item M-x delete-directory @key{RET} @var{dirname} @key{RET} | |
2291 Delete the directory named @var{dirname}. It must be empty, | |
2292 or you get an error. | |
2293 @end table | |
2294 | |
2295 @findex list-directory | |
2296 @kindex C-x C-d | |
2297 The command to display a directory listing is @kbd{C-x C-d} | |
2298 (@code{list-directory}). It reads using the minibuffer a file name | |
2299 which is either a directory to be listed or a wildcard-containing | |
2300 pattern for the files to be listed. For example, | |
2301 | |
2302 @example | |
2303 C-x C-d /u2/emacs/etc @key{RET} | |
2304 @end example | |
2305 | |
2306 @noindent | |
2307 lists all the files in directory @file{/u2/emacs/etc}. Here is an | |
2308 example of specifying a file name pattern: | |
2309 | |
2310 @example | |
2311 C-x C-d /u2/emacs/src/*.c @key{RET} | |
2312 @end example | |
2313 | |
2314 Normally, @kbd{C-x C-d} prints a brief directory listing containing | |
2315 just file names. A numeric argument (regardless of value) tells it to | |
2316 make a verbose listing including sizes, dates, and authors (like | |
2317 @samp{ls -l}). | |
2318 | |
2319 @vindex list-directory-brief-switches | |
2320 @vindex list-directory-verbose-switches | |
2321 The text of a directory listing is obtained by running @code{ls} in an | |
2322 inferior process. Two Emacs variables control the switches passed to | |
2323 @code{ls}: @code{list-directory-brief-switches} is a string giving the | |
2324 switches to use in brief listings (@code{"-CF"} by default), and | |
2325 @code{list-directory-verbose-switches} is a string giving the switches to | |
2326 use in a verbose listing (@code{"-l"} by default). | |
2327 | |
2328 @node Comparing Files | |
2329 @section Comparing Files | |
2330 @cindex comparing files | |
2331 | |
2332 @findex diff | |
2333 @vindex diff-switches | |
2334 The command @kbd{M-x diff} compares two files, displaying the | |
2335 differences in an Emacs buffer named @samp{*Diff*}. It works by running | |
2336 the @code{diff} program, using options taken from the variable | |
2337 @code{diff-switches}, whose value should be a string. | |
2338 | |
2339 The buffer @samp{*Diff*} has Compilation mode as its major mode, so | |
2340 you can use @kbd{C-x `} to visit successive changed locations in the two | |
2341 source files. You can also move to a particular hunk of changes and | |
2342 type @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c}, or click @kbd{Mouse-2} on it, to move | |
2343 to the corresponding source location. You can also use the other | |
2344 special commands of Compilation mode: @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} for | |
2345 scrolling, and @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} for cursor motion. | |
2346 @xref{Compilation}. | |
2347 | |
2348 @findex diff-backup | |
2349 The command @kbd{M-x diff-backup} compares a specified file with its most | |
2350 recent backup. If you specify the name of a backup file, | |
2351 @code{diff-backup} compares it with the source file that it is a backup | |
2352 of. | |
2353 | |
2354 @findex compare-windows | |
2355 The command @kbd{M-x compare-windows} compares the text in the current | |
2356 window with that in the next window. Comparison starts at point in each | |
2357 window, and each starting position is pushed on the mark ring in its | |
2358 respective buffer. Then point moves forward in each window, a character | |
2359 at a time, until a mismatch between the two windows is reached. Then | |
2360 the command is finished. For more information about windows in Emacs, | |
2361 @ref{Windows}. | |
2362 | |
2363 @vindex compare-ignore-case | |
2364 With a numeric argument, @code{compare-windows} ignores changes in | |
2365 whitespace. If the variable @code{compare-ignore-case} is | |
2366 non-@code{nil}, it ignores differences in case as well. | |
2367 | |
31076 | 2368 @findex diff-mode |
2369 @cindex diffs | |
2370 @cindex patches | |
2371 @cindex Diff mode | |
2372 Differences between versions of files are often distributed as | |
2373 @dfn{patches} output by @command{diff} or a version control system. | |
2374 @kbd{M-x diff-mode} turns on Diff mode, a major mode for viewing and | |
2375 editing patches, either as `unified diffs' or `context diffs'. | |
2376 | |
2377 See also @ref{Emerge} and @ref{Top,,, ediff, The Ediff Manual}, for | |
2378 convenient facilities for merging two similar files. | |
2379 | |
2380 @cindex Smerge mode | |
2381 @findex smerge-mode | |
2382 @cindex failed merges | |
2383 @cindex merges, failed | |
2384 @pindex diff3 | |
2385 Use @kbd{M-x smerge-mode} to turn on Smerge mode, a minor mode for | |
2386 editing output from the @command{diff3} program. This is typically the | |
2387 result of a failed merge from a version control system `update' outside | |
2388 VC, due to conflicting changes to a file. Smerge mode provides commands | |
2389 to resolve conflicts by selecting specific changes. | |
25829 | 2390 |
2391 @node Misc File Ops | |
2392 @section Miscellaneous File Operations | |
2393 | |
2394 Emacs has commands for performing many other operations on files. | |
2395 All operate on one file; they do not accept wildcard file names. | |
2396 | |
2397 @findex view-file | |
2398 @cindex viewing | |
2399 @cindex View mode | |
2400 @cindex mode, View | |
2401 @kbd{M-x view-file} allows you to scan or read a file by sequential | |
2402 screenfuls. It reads a file name argument using the minibuffer. After | |
2403 reading the file into an Emacs buffer, @code{view-file} displays the | |
2404 beginning. You can then type @key{SPC} to scroll forward one windowful, | |
2405 or @key{DEL} to scroll backward. Various other commands are provided | |
2406 for moving around in the file, but none for changing it; type @kbd{?} | |
2407 while viewing for a list of them. They are mostly the same as normal | |
2408 Emacs cursor motion commands. To exit from viewing, type @kbd{q}. | |
2409 The commands for viewing are defined by a special major mode called View | |
2410 mode. | |
2411 | |
2412 A related command, @kbd{M-x view-buffer}, views a buffer already present | |
2413 in Emacs. @xref{Misc Buffer}. | |
2414 | |
2415 @findex insert-file | |
2416 @kbd{M-x insert-file} inserts a copy of the contents of the specified | |
2417 file into the current buffer at point, leaving point unchanged before the | |
2418 contents and the mark after them. | |
2419 | |
2420 @findex write-region | |
2421 @kbd{M-x write-region} is the inverse of @kbd{M-x insert-file}; it | |
2422 copies the contents of the region into the specified file. @kbd{M-x | |
2423 append-to-file} adds the text of the region to the end of the specified | |
2424 file. @xref{Accumulating Text}. | |
2425 | |
2426 @findex delete-file | |
2427 @cindex deletion (of files) | |
2428 @kbd{M-x delete-file} deletes the specified file, like the @code{rm} | |
2429 command in the shell. If you are deleting many files in one directory, it | |
2430 may be more convenient to use Dired (@pxref{Dired}). | |
2431 | |
2432 @findex rename-file | |
2433 @kbd{M-x rename-file} reads two file names @var{old} and @var{new} using | |
2434 the minibuffer, then renames file @var{old} as @var{new}. If a file named | |
2435 @var{new} already exists, you must confirm with @kbd{yes} or renaming is not | |
2436 done; this is because renaming causes the old meaning of the name @var{new} | |
2437 to be lost. If @var{old} and @var{new} are on different file systems, the | |
2438 file @var{old} is copied and deleted. | |
2439 | |
2440 @findex add-name-to-file | |
2441 The similar command @kbd{M-x add-name-to-file} is used to add an | |
2442 additional name to an existing file without removing its old name. | |
2443 The new name must belong on the same file system that the file is on. | |
2444 | |
2445 @findex copy-file | |
2446 @cindex copying files | |
2447 @kbd{M-x copy-file} reads the file @var{old} and writes a new file named | |
2448 @var{new} with the same contents. Confirmation is required if a file named | |
2449 @var{new} already exists, because copying has the consequence of overwriting | |
2450 the old contents of the file @var{new}. | |
2451 | |
2452 @findex make-symbolic-link | |
2453 @kbd{M-x make-symbolic-link} reads two file names @var{target} and | |
2454 @var{linkname}, then creates a symbolic link named @var{linkname} and | |
2455 pointing at @var{target}. The effect is that future attempts to open file | |
2456 @var{linkname} will refer to whatever file is named @var{target} at the | |
2457 time the opening is done, or will get an error if the name @var{target} is | |
2458 not in use at that time. This command does not expand the argument | |
2459 @var{target}, so that it allows you to specify a relative name | |
2460 as the target of the link. | |
2461 | |
2462 Confirmation is required when creating the link if @var{linkname} is | |
2463 in use. Note that not all systems support symbolic links. | |
2464 | |
2465 @node Compressed Files | |
2466 @section Accessing Compressed Files | |
2467 @cindex compression | |
2468 @cindex uncompression | |
2469 @cindex Auto Compression mode | |
2470 @cindex mode, Auto Compression | |
2471 @pindex gzip | |
2472 | |
2473 @findex auto-compression-mode | |
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2474 @vindex auto-compression-mode |
25829 | 2475 Emacs comes with a library that can automatically uncompress |
2476 compressed files when you visit them, and automatically recompress them | |
2477 if you alter them and save them. To enable this feature, type the | |
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2478 command @kbd{M-x auto-compression-mode}. You can enable it permanently |
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2479 by customizing the option @var{auto-compression-mode}. |
25829 | 2480 |
2481 When automatic compression (which implies automatic uncompression as | |
2482 well) is enabled, Emacs recognizes compressed files by their file names. | |
2483 File names ending in @samp{.gz} indicate a file compressed with | |
2484 @code{gzip}. Other endings indicate other compression programs. | |
2485 | |
2486 Automatic uncompression and compression apply to all the operations in | |
2487 which Emacs uses the contents of a file. This includes visiting it, | |
2488 saving it, inserting its contents into a buffer, loading it, and byte | |
2489 compiling it. | |
2490 | |
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2491 @node File Archives |
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2492 @section File Archives |
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2493 @cindex mode, tar |
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2494 @cindex Tar mode |
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2495 @pindex tar |
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2496 |
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2497 If you visit a file with extension @samp{.tar}, it is assumed to be an |
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2498 @dfn{archive} made by the @code{tar} program and it is viewed in a Tar |
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2499 mode buffer. This provides a Dired-like listing of the contents. |
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2500 @xref{Dired}. You can move around the component files as in Dired to |
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2501 visit and manipulate them. |
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2502 |
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2503 The keys @kbd{e}, @kbd{f} and @kbd{RET} all extract a component file |
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2504 into its own buffer. You can edit it there and when you save the buffer |
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2505 the edited version will replace the version in the Tar buffer. @kbd{v} |
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2506 extracts a file into a buffer in View mode. @kbd{o} extracts the file |
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2507 and displays it in another window, so you could edit the file and |
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2508 operate on the archive simultaneously. @kbd{d} marks a file for |
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2509 deletion when you later use @kbd{x}, and @kbd{u} unmarks a file, as in |
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2510 Dired. @kbd{C} copies a file from the archive to disk and @kbd{R} |
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2511 renames a file. @kbd{g} reverts the buffer from the archive on disk. |
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2512 |
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2513 The keys @kbd{M}, @kbd{G}, and @kbd{O} change the file's permission |
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2514 bits, group, and owner, respectively. |
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2515 |
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2516 If your display supports colors and the mouse, moving the mouse |
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2517 pointer across a file name highlights that file name, indicating that |
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2518 you can click on it. Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} on the highlighted file |
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2519 name extracts the file into a buffer and displays that buffer. |
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2520 |
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2521 Saving the Tar buffer writes a new version of the archive to disk with |
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2522 the changes you made to the components. |
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2523 |
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2524 If you enable Auto Compression mode (@pxref{Compressed Files}), then |
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2525 Tar mode will be used also for compressed archives in files with |
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2526 extensions @samp{.tgz}, @code{.tar.Z} and @code{.tar.gz}. |
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2527 |
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2528 It is not necessary to have the @code{tar} program available to use |
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2529 Tar mode or Archive mode---Emacs reads the archives directly. For |
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2530 compressed archives such as @code{.tar.gz}, you need the appropriate |
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2531 uncompress program to be available to Emacs. |
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2532 |
31076 | 2533 It is not necessary to have the @code{tar} program available to use Tar |
2534 mode or Archive mode---Emacs reads the archives directly. | |
2535 | |
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2536 @cindex Archive mode |
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2537 @cindex mode, archive |
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2538 @cindex @code{arc} |
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2539 @cindex @code{jar} |
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2540 @cindex @code{zip} |
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2541 @cindex @code{lzh} |
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2542 @cindex @code{zoo} |
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2543 @pindex arc |
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2544 @pindex jar |
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2545 @pindex zip |
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2546 @pindex lzh |
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2547 @pindex zoo |
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2548 @cindex Java class archives |
29683
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2549 @cindex unzip archives |
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2550 A separate but similar Archive mode is used for archives produced by |
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2551 the programs @code{arc}, @code{zip}, @code{lzh} and @code{zoo} which |
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2552 have extensions corresponding to the program names. These archiving |
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2553 programs are typically used on MS-DOS and MS-Windows systems. Java |
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2554 class archives with extension @samp{.jar} are also recognized. |
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2555 |
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2556 The keybindings in Archive mode are similar to those in Tar mode, with |
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2557 the addition of the @kbd{m} key which marks a file for subsequent |
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2558 operations, and @kbd{M-@key{DEL}} which unmarks all the marked files. |
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2559 Also, the @kbd{a} key toggles the display of file information in those |
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2560 archive types where all of of the info is too long to be displayed on a |
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2561 single line. Operations such as @samp{change mode}, @samp{change owner} |
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2562 and @samp{rename} are supported only for some of the archive formats. |
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2563 |
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2564 Unlike Tar mode, Archive mode runs the appropriate program to unpack |
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2565 and repack archives. Details of the program names and their options can |
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2566 be set in the @samp{Archive} Customize group. However, you don't need |
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2567 these programs to @emph{view} the archive contents, only to extract and |
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2568 delete archived files. |
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2569 |
25829 | 2570 @node Remote Files |
2571 @section Remote Files | |
2572 | |
2573 @cindex FTP | |
2574 @cindex remote file access | |
2575 You can refer to files on other machines using a special file name syntax: | |
2576 | |
2577 @example | |
2578 @group | |
2579 /@var{host}:@var{filename} | |
2580 /@var{user}@@@var{host}:@var{filename} | |
26105 | 2581 /@var{user}@@@var{host}#@var{port}:@var{filename} |
25829 | 2582 @end group |
2583 @end example | |
2584 | |
2585 @noindent | |
2586 When you do this, Emacs uses the FTP program to read and write files on | |
2587 the specified host. It logs in through FTP using your user name or the | |
2588 name @var{user}. It may ask you for a password from time to time; this | |
26105 | 2589 is used for logging in on @var{host}. The form using @var{port} allows |
2590 you to access servers running on a non-default TCP port. | |
25829 | 2591 |
2592 @cindex ange-ftp | |
2593 @vindex ange-ftp-default-user | |
2594 Normally, if you do not specify a user name in a remote file name, | |
2595 that means to use your own user name. But if you set the variable | |
2596 @code{ange-ftp-default-user} to a string, that string is used instead. | |
2597 (The Emacs package that implements FTP file access is called | |
2598 @code{ange-ftp}.) | |
2599 | |
2600 @vindex file-name-handler-alist | |
26105 | 2601 You can entirely turn off the FTP file name feature by removing the |
2602 entries @var{ange-ftp-completion-hook-function} and | |
2603 @var{ange-ftp-hook-function} from the variable | |
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2604 @code{file-name-handler-alist}. You can turn off the feature in |
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2605 individual cases by quoting the file name with @samp{/:} (@pxref{Quoted |
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2606 File Names}). |
25829 | 2607 |
2608 @node Quoted File Names | |
2609 @section Quoted File Names | |
2610 | |
2611 @cindex quoting file names | |
2612 You can @dfn{quote} an absolute file name to prevent special | |
2613 characters and syntax in it from having their special effects. | |
2614 The way to do this is to add @samp{/:} at the beginning. | |
2615 | |
2616 For example, you can quote a local file name which appears remote, to | |
2617 prevent it from being treated as a remote file name. Thus, if you have | |
2618 a directory named @file{/foo:} and a file named @file{bar} in it, you | |
2619 can refer to that file in Emacs as @samp{/:/foo:/bar}. | |
2620 | |
2621 @samp{/:} can also prevent @samp{~} from being treated as a special | |
2622 character for a user's home directory. For example, @file{/:/tmp/~hack} | |
2623 refers to a file whose name is @file{~hack} in directory @file{/tmp}. | |
2624 | |
2625 Likewise, quoting with @samp{/:} is one way to enter in the minibuffer | |
2626 a file name that contains @samp{$}. However, the @samp{/:} must be at | |
2627 the beginning of the buffer in order to quote @samp{$}. | |
2628 | |
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2629 @cindex wildcard characters in file names |
25829 | 2630 You can also quote wildcard characters with @samp{/:}, for visiting. |
2631 For example, @file{/:/tmp/foo*bar} visits the file @file{/tmp/foo*bar}. | |
2632 However, in most cases you can simply type the wildcard characters for | |
2633 themselves. For example, if the only file name in @file{/tmp} that | |
2634 starts with @samp{foo} and ends with @samp{bar} is @file{foo*bar}, then | |
2635 specifying @file{/tmp/foo*bar} will visit just @file{/tmp/foo*bar}. | |
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2636 Another way is to specify @file{/tmp/foo[*]bar}. |
28526
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2637 |
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2638 @node File Conveniences |
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2639 @section Convenience Features for Finding Files |
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2640 |
31076 | 2641 @table @kbd |
2642 @item M-x ff-find-other-file | |
2643 Find the header or source file corresponding to the current buffer's | |
2644 file. | |
2645 @item M-x file-cache-add-directory @key{RET} @var{directory} @key{RET} | |
2646 Add @var{directory} to the file cache. | |
2647 @item M-x locate @key{RET} @var{pattern} @key{RET} | |
2648 Run the program @command{locate} to match @var{pattern} in the database, | |
2649 putting results in a buffer. | |
2650 @item M-x locate-with-filter @key{RET} @var{pattern} @key{RET} @var{filter} @key{RET} | |
2651 Like @code{locate}, but use a @var{filter} on the results. | |
32221 | 2652 @item M-x auto-image-file-mode |
2653 Toggle visiting of image files as images. | |
31076 | 2654 @end table |
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2655 |
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2656 @findex ff-find-other-file |
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2657 @vindex ff-other-file-alist |
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2658 The command @kbd{ff-find-other-file} finds a file related to the one |
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2659 visited by the current buffer, based on customizable patterns. |
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2660 Typically this will be the header file corresponding to a C/C++ source |
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2661 file, or vice versa. The patterns describing the corresponding files |
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2662 are customizable via @code{ff-other-file-alist}. |
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2663 |
28671 | 2664 @cindex filename caching |
2665 @cindex cache of file names | |
2666 @pindex find | |
2667 @pindex locate | |
2668 @vindex file-cache-delete-regexps | |
31076 | 2669 @findex file-cache-add-directory |
2670 You can use a cache to make it easy to locate files by name without | |
2671 having to remember exactly where they are. When typing a filename in | |
2672 the minibuffer you can @kbd{C-tab} will complete it using the filename | |
2673 cache and cycle through possible completions. (The @kbd{C-tab} key | |
2674 can't be distinguished from @kbd{TAB} on all terminals.) The command | |
2675 @kbd{M-x file-cache-add-directory} adds the files in a directory to the | |
2676 cache and @kbd{M-x file-cache-add-directory-list} acts on a list of | |
2677 directories like @code{load-path} or @code{exec-path}. @kbd{M-x | |
2678 file-cache-add-directory-using-find} uses the @command{find} program to | |
2679 add a directory tree to the cache and @kbd{M-x | |
2680 file-cache-add-directory-using-locate} uses the @command{locate} program | |
2681 to add files matching a pattern. Use @kbd{M-x file-cache-clear-cache} | |
2682 to remove all items from the cache; @kbd{M-x file-cache-delete-regexps} | |
2683 and similar functions remove items from it selectively. | |
28671 | 2684 |
2685 @pindex locate | |
2686 @findex locate | |
2687 @findex locate-with-filter | |
2688 @cindex file database (locate) | |
2689 @vindex locate-command | |
2690 @kbd{M-x locate} runs an interface to the @code{locate} program for | |
2691 searching a pre-built database of file names; most Dired commands are | |
31076 | 2692 avilable for use on the result. @xref{, ,Find , find, GNU Findutils}. |
2693 @kbd{M-x locate-with-filter} is similar, but keeps only lines matching a | |
2694 regular expression. Customize the option @code{locate-command} to use | |
2695 another program than the default, GNU @code{locate}. | |
2696 | |
2697 The @kbd{M-x ffap} command generalizes @kbd{M-x find-file}. @xref{FFAP}. | |
2698 Partial Completion mode offers other features extending @kbd{M-x | |
2699 find-file} which can be used with @code{ffap}. @xref{Completion | |
2700 Options}. | |
2701 | |
2702 @findex recentf-mode | |
2703 @vindex recentf-mode | |
2704 @findex recentf-save-list | |
2705 @findex recentf-edit-list | |
2706 The command @kbd{M-x recentf-mode} or the Customize option of the same | |
2707 name adds to the Files menu a submenu containing a list of recently | |
2708 opened files. @kbd{recentf-save-list} saves the current file list to a | |
2709 file and @kbd{recentf-edit-list} edits it. | |
32221 | 2710 |
2711 @findex auto-image-file-mode | |
2712 @findex mode, auto-image-file | |
2713 @cindex images, visiting | |
2714 @cindex visiting image files | |
2715 @vindex image-file-name-regexps | |
2716 @vindex image-file-name-extensions | |
2717 When Auto-image-file minor mode is enabled, image files are displayed as | |
2718 images when they are visited or inserted into buffers if Emacs can | |
2719 display the relevant image type. File names matching | |
2720 @code{image-file-name-extensions} or @code{image-file-name-regexps} are | |
2721 considered to contain images. |