comparison man/buffers.texi @ 59884:7e4885de870d

(Select Buffer): Doc next-buffer and prev-buffer. (List Buffers): Clarify. (Several Buffers): Doc T command. (Buffer Convenience): Clarify menu.

59883:286359935087

@cindex switch buffers

@table @kbd
@item C-x b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Select or create a buffer named @var{buffer} (@code{switch-to-buffer}).
@item C-x 4 b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Similar, but select @var{buffer} in another window
(@code{switch-to-buffer-other-window}).
@item C-x 5 b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Similar, but select @var{buffer} in a separate frame

@key{RET}}.  This runs the command @code{switch-to-buffer} with argument
@var{bufname}.  You can use completion on an abbreviation for the buffer
name you want (@pxref{Completion}).  An empty argument to @kbd{C-x b}
specifies the buffer that was current most recently among those not
now displayed in any window.

@kindex C-x 4 b
@findex switch-to-buffer-other-window
@vindex even-window-heights
  To select a buffer in a window other than the current one, type

@end table

@cindex listing current buffers
@kindex C-x C-b
@findex list-buffers
  To display a list of all the buffers that exist, type @kbd{C-x C-b}.
Each line in the list shows one buffer's name, major mode and visited
file.  The buffers are listed in the order that they were current; the
buffers that were current most recently come first.

  @samp{*} in the first field of a line indicates the buffer is ``modified.''
If several buffers are modified, it may be time to save some with @kbd{C-x s}
(@pxref{Saving}).  @samp{%} indicates a read-only buffer.  @samp{.} marks the

not visiting any file.  The buffer @code{src} was made by Dired on the
directory @file{~/cvs/emacs/src/}.  You can list only buffers that are
visiting files by giving the command a prefix; for instance, by typing
@kbd{C-u C-x C-b}.

@code{list-buffers} omits buffers whose name begins with a blank,
unless they visit files: such buffers are used internally by Emacs.

@need 2000
@node Misc Buffer
@section Miscellaneous Buffer Operations

@findex buffer-menu-other-window
  The command @code{buffer-menu} writes a list of all Emacs
buffers@footnote{Buffers which don't visit files and whose names begin
with a space are omitted: these are used internally by Emacs.} into the
buffer @samp{*Buffer List*}, and selects that buffer in Buffer Menu
mode.  The list in the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer looks exactly as
described in @ref{List Buffers}.  The buffer is read-only, and can be
changed only through the special commands described in this section.
The usual Emacs cursor motion commands can be used in the @samp{*Buffer
List*} buffer.  The following commands apply to the buffer described on
the current line.

Immediately select this line's buffer, and also display in other windows
any buffers previously marked with the @kbd{m} command.  If you have not
marked any buffers, this command is equivalent to @kbd{1}.
@end table

  All that @code{buffer-menu} does directly is create and switch to a
suitable buffer, and turn on Buffer Menu mode.  Everything else
described above is implemented by the special commands provided in
Buffer Menu mode.  One consequence of this is that you can switch from
the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer to another Emacs buffer, and edit there.
You can reselect the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer later, to perform the
operations already requested, or you can kill it, or pay no further
attention to it.

  The only difference between @code{buffer-menu} and @code{list-buffers}
is that @code{buffer-menu} switches to the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer
in the selected window; @code{list-buffers} displays it in another
window.  If you run @code{list-buffers} (that is, type @kbd{C-x C-b})
and select the buffer list manually, you can use all of the commands
described here.

  Normally, the buffer @samp{*Buffer List*} is not updated automatically when
buffers are created and killed; its contents are just text.  If you have
created, deleted or renamed buffers, the way to update @samp{*Buffer
List*} to show what you have done is to type @kbd{g}

   This section describes several modes and features that make it more
convenient to switch between buffers.

@menu
* Uniquify::               Buffer names can contain directory parts.
* Iswitchb::               Switching between buffers with substrings.
* Buffer Menus::           Configurable buffer menu.
@end menu

@node Uniquify

59884:7e4885de870d

@cindex switch buffers

@table @kbd
@item C-x b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Select or create a buffer named @var{buffer} (@code{switch-to-buffer}).
@item C-x @key{LEFT}
Select the previous buffer in the list of existing buffers.
@item C-x @key{RIGHT}
Select the next buffer in the list of existing buffers.
@item C-x 4 b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Similar, but select @var{buffer} in another window
(@code{switch-to-buffer-other-window}).
@item C-x 5 b @var{buffer} @key{RET}
Similar, but select @var{buffer} in a separate frame

@key{RET}}.  This runs the command @code{switch-to-buffer} with argument
@var{bufname}.  You can use completion on an abbreviation for the buffer
name you want (@pxref{Completion}).  An empty argument to @kbd{C-x b}
specifies the buffer that was current most recently among those not
now displayed in any window.

@kindex C-x @key{LEFT}
@kindex C-x @key{RIGHT}
@findex next-buffer
@findex prev-buffer
  For conveniently switching between a few buffers, use the commands
@kbd{C-x @key{LEFT}} and @kbd{C-x @key{RIGHT}}.  @kbd{C-x @key{RIGHT}}
(@code{prev-buffer}) selects the previous buffer (following the order
of most recent selection), while @kbd{C-x @key{LEFT}}
(@code{next-buffer}) moves through buffers in the reverse direction.

@kindex C-x 4 b
@findex switch-to-buffer-other-window
@vindex even-window-heights
  To select a buffer in a window other than the current one, type

@end table

@cindex listing current buffers
@kindex C-x C-b
@findex list-buffers
  To display a list of existing buffers, type @kbd{C-x C-b}.  Each
line in the list shows one buffer's name, major mode and visited file.
The buffers are listed in the order that they were current; the
buffers that were current most recently come first.

  @samp{*} in the first field of a line indicates the buffer is ``modified.''
If several buffers are modified, it may be time to save some with @kbd{C-x s}
(@pxref{Saving}).  @samp{%} indicates a read-only buffer.  @samp{.} marks the

not visiting any file.  The buffer @code{src} was made by Dired on the
directory @file{~/cvs/emacs/src/}.  You can list only buffers that are
visiting files by giving the command a prefix; for instance, by typing
@kbd{C-u C-x C-b}.

  @code{list-buffers} omits buffers whose names begin with a space,
unless they visit files: such buffers are used internally by Emacs.

@need 2000
@node Misc Buffer
@section Miscellaneous Buffer Operations

@findex buffer-menu-other-window
  The command @code{buffer-menu} writes a list of all Emacs
buffers@footnote{Buffers which don't visit files and whose names begin
with a space are omitted: these are used internally by Emacs.} into the
buffer @samp{*Buffer List*}, and selects that buffer in Buffer Menu
mode.

  The buffer is read-only, and can be
changed only through the special commands described in this section.
The usual Emacs cursor motion commands can be used in the @samp{*Buffer
List*} buffer.  The following commands apply to the buffer described on
the current line.

Immediately select this line's buffer, and also display in other windows
any buffers previously marked with the @kbd{m} command.  If you have not
marked any buffers, this command is equivalent to @kbd{1}.
@end table

  There is also a command that affects the entire buffer list:

@table @kbd
@item T
Delete, or reinsert, lines for non-file buffers.  This command toggles
the inclusion of such buffers in the buffer list.
@end table

  What @code{buffer-menu} actually does is create and switch to a
suitable buffer, and turn on Buffer Menu mode in it.  Everything else
described above is implemented by the special commands provided in
Buffer Menu mode.  One consequence of this is that you can switch from
the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer to another Emacs buffer, and edit
there.  You can reselect the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer later, to
perform the operations already requested, or you can kill it, or pay
no further attention to it.

  The list in the @samp{*Buffer List*} buffer looks exactly like the
buffer list described in @ref{List Buffers}, because they really are
the same.  The only difference between @code{buffer-menu} and
@code{list-buffers} is that @code{buffer-menu} switches to the
@samp{*Buffer List*} buffer in the selected window;
@code{list-buffers} displays the same buffer in another window.  If
you run @code{list-buffers} (that is, type @kbd{C-x C-b}) and select
the buffer list manually, you can use all of the commands described
here.

  Normally, the buffer @samp{*Buffer List*} is not updated automatically when
buffers are created and killed; its contents are just text.  If you have
created, deleted or renamed buffers, the way to update @samp{*Buffer
List*} to show what you have done is to type @kbd{g}

   This section describes several modes and features that make it more
convenient to switch between buffers.

@menu
* Uniquify::               Making buffer names unique with directory parts.
* Iswitchb::               Switching between buffers with substrings.
* Buffer Menus::           Configurable buffer menu.
@end menu

@node Uniquify