# HG changeset patch # User Glenn Morris # Date 1189053219 0 # Node ID 058451c26d572a1e8cc386a0dff32f36d8187963 # Parent 87077c7840970586d23c6211753b6fcc1beee773 Move to ../doc/emacs/, misc/ diff -r 87077c784097 -r 058451c26d57 man/arevert-xtra.texi --- a/man/arevert-xtra.texi Thu Sep 06 04:33:34 2007 +0000 +++ /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 @@ -1,191 +0,0 @@ -@c This is part of the Emacs manual. -@c Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. -@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. -@c -@c This file is included either in emacs-xtra.texi (when producing the -@c printed version) or in the main Emacs manual (for the on-line version). -@node Autorevert -@section Auto Reverting non-file Buffers - -Normally Global Auto Revert Mode only reverts file buffers. There are -two ways to auto-revert certain non-file buffers: enabling Auto Revert -Mode in those buffers (using @kbd{M-x auto-revert-mode}) and setting -@code{global-auto-revert-non-file-buffers} to @code{t}. The latter -enables Auto Reverting for all types of buffers for which it is -implemented, that is, for the types of buffers listed in the menu -below. - -Like file buffers, non-file buffers should normally not revert while -you are working on them, or while they contain information that might -get lost after reverting. Therefore, they do not revert if they are -``modified''. This can get tricky, because deciding when a non-file -buffer should be marked modified is usually more difficult than for -file buffers. - -Another tricky detail is that, for efficiency reasons, Auto Revert -often does not try to detect all possible changes in the buffer, only -changes that are ``major'' or easy to detect. Hence, enabling -auto-reverting for a non-file buffer does not always guarantee that -all information in the buffer is up to date and does not necessarily -make manual reverts useless. - -At the other extreme, certain buffers automatically auto-revert every -@code{auto-revert-interval} seconds. (This currently only applies to -the Buffer Menu.) In this case, Auto Revert does not print any -messages while reverting, even when @code{auto-revert-verbose} is -non-@code{nil}. - -The details depend on the particular types of buffers and are -explained in the corresponding sections. - -@menu -* Auto Reverting the Buffer Menu:: -* Auto Reverting Dired:: -* Supporting additional buffers:: -@end menu - -@node Auto Reverting the Buffer Menu -@subsection Auto Reverting the Buffer Menu - -If auto-reverting of non-file buffers is enabled, the Buffer Menu -automatically reverts every @code{auto-revert-interval} seconds, -whether there is a need for it or not. (It would probably take longer -to check whether there is a need than to actually revert.) - -If the Buffer Menu inappropriately gets marked modified, just revert -it manually using @kbd{g} and auto-reverting will resume. However, if -you marked certain buffers to get deleted or to be displayed, you have -to be careful, because reverting erases all marks. The fact that -adding marks sets the buffer's modified flag prevents Auto Revert from -automatically erasing the marks. - -@node Auto Reverting Dired -@subsection Auto Reverting Dired buffers - -Auto-reverting Dired buffers currently works on GNU or Unix style -operating systems. It may not work satisfactorily on some other -systems. - -Dired buffers only auto-revert when the file list of the buffer's main -directory changes. They do not auto-revert when information about a -particular file changes or when inserted subdirectories change. To be -sure that @emph{all} listed information is up to date, you have to -manually revert using @kbd{g}, @emph{even} if auto-reverting is -enabled in the Dired buffer. Sometimes, you might get the impression -that modifying or saving files listed in the main directory actually -does cause auto-reverting. This is because making changes to a file, -or saving it, very often causes changes in the directory itself, for -instance, through backup files or auto-save files. However, this is -not guaranteed. - -If the Dired buffer is marked modified and there are no changes you -want to protect, then most of the time you can make auto-reverting -resume by manually reverting the buffer using @kbd{g}. There is one -exception. If you flag or mark files, you can safely revert the -buffer. This will not erase the flags or marks (unless the marked -file has been deleted, of course). However, the buffer will stay -modified, even after reverting, and auto-reverting will not resume. -This is because, if you flag or mark files, you may be working on the -buffer and you might not want the buffer to change without warning. -If you want auto-reverting to resume in the presence of marks and -flags, mark the buffer non-modified using @kbd{M-~}. However, adding, -deleting or changing marks or flags will mark it modified again. - -Remote Dired buffers are not auto-reverted. Neither are Dired buffers -for which you used shell wildcards or file arguments to list only some -of the files. @samp{*Find*} and @samp{*Locate*} buffers do not -auto-revert either. - -@node Supporting additional buffers -@subsection Adding Support for Auto-Reverting additional Buffers. - -This section is intended for Elisp programmers who would like to add -support for auto-reverting new types of buffers. - -To support auto-reverting the buffer must first of all have a -@code{revert-buffer-function}. @xref{Definition of -revert-buffer-function,, Reverting, elisp, the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. - -In addition, it @emph{must} have a @code{buffer-stale-function}. - -@defvar buffer-stale-function -The value of this variable is a function to check whether a non-file -buffer needs reverting. This should be a function with one optional -argument @var{noconfirm}. The function should return non-@code{nil} -if the buffer should be reverted. The buffer is current when this -function is called. - -While this function is mainly intended for use in auto-reverting, it -could be used for other purposes as well. For instance, if -auto-reverting is not enabled, it could be used to warn the user that -the buffer needs reverting. The idea behind the @var{noconfirm} -argument is that it should be @code{t} if the buffer is going to be -reverted without asking the user and @code{nil} if the function is -just going to be used to warn the user that the buffer is out of date. -In particular, for use in auto-reverting, @var{noconfirm} is @code{t}. -If the function is only going to be used for auto-reverting, you can -ignore the @var{noconfirm} argument. - -If you just want to automatically auto-revert every -@code{auto-revert-interval} seconds, use: - -@example -(set (make-local-variable 'buffer-stale-function) - #'(lambda (&optional noconfirm) 'fast)) -@end example - -@noindent -in the buffer's mode function. - -The special return value @samp{fast} tells the caller that the need -for reverting was not checked, but that reverting the buffer is fast. -It also tells Auto Revert not to print any revert messages, even if -@code{auto-revert-verbose} is non-@code{nil}. This is important, as -getting revert messages every @code{auto-revert-interval} seconds can -be very annoying. The information provided by this return value could -also be useful if the function is consulted for purposes other than -auto-reverting. -@end defvar - -Once the buffer has a @code{revert-buffer-function} and a -@code{buffer-stale-function}, several problems usually remain. - -The buffer will only auto-revert if it is marked unmodified. Hence, -you will have to make sure that various functions mark the buffer -modified if and only if either the buffer contains information that -might be lost by reverting or there is reason to believe that the user -might be inconvenienced by auto-reverting, because he is actively -working on the buffer. The user can always override this by manually -adjusting the modified status of the buffer. To support this, calling -the @code{revert-buffer-function} on a buffer that is marked -unmodified should always keep the buffer marked unmodified. - -It is important to assure that point does not continuously jump around -as a consequence of auto-reverting. Of course, moving point might be -inevitable if the buffer radically changes. - -You should make sure that the @code{revert-buffer-function} does not -print messages that unnecessarily duplicate Auto Revert's own messages -if @code{auto-revert-verbose} is @code{t} and effectively override a -@code{nil} value for @code{auto-revert-verbose}. Hence, adapting a -mode for auto-reverting often involves getting rid of such messages. -This is especially important for buffers that automatically -auto-revert every @code{auto-revert-interval} seconds. - -Also, you may want to update the documentation string of -@code{global-auto-revert-non-file-buffers}. - -@ifinfo -Finally, you should add a node to this chapter's menu. This node -@end ifinfo -@ifnotinfo -Finally, you should add a section to this chapter. This section -@end ifnotinfo -should at the very least make clear whether enabling auto-reverting -for the buffer reliably assures that all information in the buffer is -completely up to date (or will be after @code{auto-revert-interval} -seconds). - -@ignore - arch-tag: 2983e613-a272-45f6-9593-3010ad7f865e -@end ignore