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| author | Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> |
|---|---|
| date | Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:24:06 -0400 |
| parents | 1d1d5d9bd884 |
| children | 0eb10986b8f2 |
| rev | line source |
|---|---|
| 84050 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
| 2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
| 3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, | |
| 106815 | 4 @c 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
| 84050 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
|
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6 @setfilename ../../info/backups |
| 84050 | 7 @node Backups and Auto-Saving, Buffers, Files, Top |
| 8 @chapter Backups and Auto-Saving | |
| 9 @cindex backups and auto-saving | |
| 10 | |
| 11 Backup files and auto-save files are two methods by which Emacs tries | |
| 12 to protect the user from the consequences of crashes or of the user's | |
| 13 own errors. Auto-saving preserves the text from earlier in the current | |
| 14 editing session; backup files preserve file contents prior to the | |
| 15 current session. | |
| 16 | |
| 17 @menu | |
| 18 * Backup Files:: How backup files are made; how their names are chosen. | |
| 19 * Auto-Saving:: How auto-save files are made; how their names are chosen. | |
| 20 * Reverting:: @code{revert-buffer}, and how to customize what it does. | |
| 21 @end menu | |
| 22 | |
| 23 @node Backup Files | |
| 24 @section Backup Files | |
| 25 @cindex backup file | |
| 26 | |
| 27 A @dfn{backup file} is a copy of the old contents of a file you are | |
| 28 editing. Emacs makes a backup file the first time you save a buffer | |
| 29 into its visited file. Thus, normally, the backup file contains the | |
| 30 contents of the file as it was before the current editing session. | |
| 31 The contents of the backup file normally remain unchanged once it | |
| 32 exists. | |
| 33 | |
| 34 Backups are usually made by renaming the visited file to a new name. | |
| 35 Optionally, you can specify that backup files should be made by copying | |
| 36 the visited file. This choice makes a difference for files with | |
| 37 multiple names; it also can affect whether the edited file remains owned | |
| 38 by the original owner or becomes owned by the user editing it. | |
| 39 | |
| 40 By default, Emacs makes a single backup file for each file edited. | |
| 41 You can alternatively request numbered backups; then each new backup | |
| 42 file gets a new name. You can delete old numbered backups when you | |
| 43 don't want them any more, or Emacs can delete them automatically. | |
| 44 | |
| 45 @menu | |
| 46 * Making Backups:: How Emacs makes backup files, and when. | |
| 47 * Rename or Copy:: Two alternatives: renaming the old file or copying it. | |
| 48 * Numbered Backups:: Keeping multiple backups for each source file. | |
| 49 * Backup Names:: How backup file names are computed; customization. | |
| 50 @end menu | |
| 51 | |
| 52 @node Making Backups | |
| 53 @subsection Making Backup Files | |
| 54 | |
| 55 @defun backup-buffer | |
| 56 This function makes a backup of the file visited by the current | |
| 57 buffer, if appropriate. It is called by @code{save-buffer} before | |
| 58 saving the buffer the first time. | |
| 59 | |
| 60 If a backup was made by renaming, the return value is a cons cell of | |
| 61 the form (@var{modes} . @var{backupname}), where @var{modes} are the | |
| 62 mode bits of the original file, as returned by @code{file-modes} | |
| 63 (@pxref{File Attributes,, Other Information about Files}), and | |
| 64 @var{backupname} is the name of the backup. In all other cases, that | |
| 65 is, if a backup was made by copying or if no backup was made, this | |
| 66 function returns @code{nil}. | |
| 67 @end defun | |
| 68 | |
| 69 @defvar buffer-backed-up | |
| 70 This buffer-local variable says whether this buffer's file has | |
| 71 been backed up on account of this buffer. If it is non-@code{nil}, | |
| 72 the backup file has been written. Otherwise, the file should be backed | |
| 73 up when it is next saved (if backups are enabled). This is a | |
| 74 permanent local; @code{kill-all-local-variables} does not alter@tie{}it. | |
| 75 @end defvar | |
| 76 | |
| 77 @defopt make-backup-files | |
| 78 This variable determines whether or not to make backup files. If it | |
| 79 is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs creates a backup of each file when it is | |
| 80 saved for the first time---provided that @code{backup-inhibited} | |
| 81 is @code{nil} (see below). | |
| 82 | |
| 83 The following example shows how to change the @code{make-backup-files} | |
| 84 variable only in the Rmail buffers and not elsewhere. Setting it | |
| 85 @code{nil} stops Emacs from making backups of these files, which may | |
| 86 save disk space. (You would put this code in your init file.) | |
| 87 | |
| 88 @smallexample | |
| 89 @group | |
| 90 (add-hook 'rmail-mode-hook | |
| 91 (function (lambda () | |
| 92 (make-local-variable | |
| 93 'make-backup-files) | |
| 94 (setq make-backup-files nil)))) | |
| 95 @end group | |
| 96 @end smallexample | |
| 97 @end defopt | |
| 98 | |
| 99 @defvar backup-enable-predicate | |
| 100 This variable's value is a function to be called on certain occasions to | |
| 101 decide whether a file should have backup files. The function receives | |
| 102 one argument, an absolute file name to consider. If the function returns | |
| 103 @code{nil}, backups are disabled for that file. Otherwise, the other | |
| 104 variables in this section say whether and how to make backups. | |
| 105 | |
| 106 @findex normal-backup-enable-predicate | |
| 107 The default value is @code{normal-backup-enable-predicate}, which checks | |
| 108 for files in @code{temporary-file-directory} and | |
| 109 @code{small-temporary-file-directory}. | |
| 110 @end defvar | |
| 111 | |
| 112 @defvar backup-inhibited | |
| 113 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, backups are inhibited. It records | |
| 114 the result of testing @code{backup-enable-predicate} on the visited file | |
| 115 name. It can also coherently be used by other mechanisms that inhibit | |
| 116 backups based on which file is visited. For example, VC sets this | |
| 117 variable non-@code{nil} to prevent making backups for files managed | |
| 118 with a version control system. | |
| 119 | |
| 120 This is a permanent local, so that changing the major mode does not lose | |
| 121 its value. Major modes should not set this variable---they should set | |
| 122 @code{make-backup-files} instead. | |
| 123 @end defvar | |
| 124 | |
|
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125 @defopt backup-directory-alist |
| 84050 | 126 This variable's value is an alist of filename patterns and backup |
| 127 directory names. Each element looks like | |
| 128 @smallexample | |
| 129 (@var{regexp} . @var{directory}) | |
| 130 @end smallexample | |
| 131 | |
| 132 @noindent | |
| 133 Backups of files with names matching @var{regexp} will be made in | |
| 134 @var{directory}. @var{directory} may be relative or absolute. If it is | |
| 135 absolute, so that all matching files are backed up into the same | |
| 136 directory, the file names in this directory will be the full name of the | |
| 137 file backed up with all directory separators changed to @samp{!} to | |
| 138 prevent clashes. This will not work correctly if your filesystem | |
| 139 truncates the resulting name. | |
| 140 | |
| 141 For the common case of all backups going into one directory, the alist | |
| 142 should contain a single element pairing @samp{"."} with the appropriate | |
| 143 directory name. | |
| 144 | |
| 145 If this variable is @code{nil}, or it fails to match a filename, the | |
| 146 backup is made in the original file's directory. | |
| 147 | |
| 148 On MS-DOS filesystems without long names this variable is always | |
| 149 ignored. | |
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150 @end defopt |
| 84050 | 151 |
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152 @defopt make-backup-file-name-function |
| 84050 | 153 This variable's value is a function to use for making backups instead |
| 154 of the default @code{make-backup-file-name}. A value of @code{nil} | |
| 155 gives the default @code{make-backup-file-name} behavior. | |
| 156 @xref{Backup Names,, Naming Backup Files}. | |
| 157 | |
| 158 This could be buffer-local to do something special for specific | |
| 159 files. If you define it, you may need to change | |
| 160 @code{backup-file-name-p} and @code{file-name-sans-versions} too. | |
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161 @end defopt |
| 84050 | 162 |
| 163 | |
| 164 @node Rename or Copy | |
| 165 @subsection Backup by Renaming or by Copying? | |
| 166 @cindex backup files, rename or copy | |
| 167 | |
| 168 There are two ways that Emacs can make a backup file: | |
| 169 | |
| 170 @itemize @bullet | |
| 171 @item | |
| 172 Emacs can rename the original file so that it becomes a backup file, and | |
| 173 then write the buffer being saved into a new file. After this | |
| 174 procedure, any other names (i.e., hard links) of the original file now | |
| 175 refer to the backup file. The new file is owned by the user doing the | |
| 176 editing, and its group is the default for new files written by the user | |
| 177 in that directory. | |
| 178 | |
| 179 @item | |
| 180 Emacs can copy the original file into a backup file, and then overwrite | |
| 181 the original file with new contents. After this procedure, any other | |
| 182 names (i.e., hard links) of the original file continue to refer to the | |
| 183 current (updated) version of the file. The file's owner and group will | |
| 184 be unchanged. | |
| 185 @end itemize | |
| 186 | |
| 187 The first method, renaming, is the default. | |
| 188 | |
| 189 The variable @code{backup-by-copying}, if non-@code{nil}, says to use | |
| 190 the second method, which is to copy the original file and overwrite it | |
| 191 with the new buffer contents. The variable @code{file-precious-flag}, | |
| 192 if non-@code{nil}, also has this effect (as a sideline of its main | |
| 193 significance). @xref{Saving Buffers}. | |
| 194 | |
| 195 @defopt backup-by-copying | |
| 196 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs always makes backup files by | |
| 197 copying. | |
| 198 @end defopt | |
| 199 | |
| 200 The following three variables, when non-@code{nil}, cause the second | |
| 201 method to be used in certain special cases. They have no effect on the | |
| 202 treatment of files that don't fall into the special cases. | |
| 203 | |
| 204 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-linked | |
| 205 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying for | |
| 206 files with multiple names (hard links). | |
| 207 | |
| 208 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is | |
| 209 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is | |
| 210 non-@code{nil}. | |
| 211 @end defopt | |
| 212 | |
| 213 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-mismatch | |
| 214 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs makes backups by copying in cases | |
| 215 where renaming would change either the owner or the group of the file. | |
| 216 | |
| 217 The value has no effect when renaming would not alter the owner or | |
| 218 group of the file; that is, for files which are owned by the user and | |
| 219 whose group matches the default for a new file created there by the | |
| 220 user. | |
| 221 | |
| 222 This variable is significant only if @code{backup-by-copying} is | |
| 223 @code{nil}, since copying is always used when that variable is | |
| 224 non-@code{nil}. | |
| 225 @end defopt | |
| 226 | |
| 227 @defopt backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch | |
| 228 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the same behavior as | |
| 229 @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch}, but only for certain user-id | |
| 230 values: namely, those less than or equal to a certain number. You set | |
| 231 this variable to that number. | |
| 232 | |
| 233 Thus, if you set @code{backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch} | |
| 234 to 0, backup by copying is done for the superuser only, | |
| 235 when necessary to prevent a change in the owner of the file. | |
| 236 | |
| 237 The default is 200. | |
| 238 @end defopt | |
| 239 | |
| 240 @node Numbered Backups | |
| 241 @subsection Making and Deleting Numbered Backup Files | |
| 242 | |
| 243 If a file's name is @file{foo}, the names of its numbered backup | |
| 244 versions are @file{foo.~@var{v}~}, for various integers @var{v}, like | |
| 245 this: @file{foo.~1~}, @file{foo.~2~}, @file{foo.~3~}, @dots{}, | |
| 246 @file{foo.~259~}, and so on. | |
| 247 | |
| 248 @defopt version-control | |
| 249 This variable controls whether to make a single non-numbered backup | |
| 250 file or multiple numbered backups. | |
| 251 | |
| 252 @table @asis | |
| 253 @item @code{nil} | |
| 254 Make numbered backups if the visited file already has numbered backups; | |
| 255 otherwise, do not. This is the default. | |
| 256 | |
| 257 @item @code{never} | |
| 258 Do not make numbered backups. | |
| 259 | |
| 260 @item @var{anything else} | |
| 261 Make numbered backups. | |
| 262 @end table | |
| 263 @end defopt | |
| 264 | |
| 265 The use of numbered backups ultimately leads to a large number of | |
| 266 backup versions, which must then be deleted. Emacs can do this | |
| 267 automatically or it can ask the user whether to delete them. | |
| 268 | |
| 269 @defopt kept-new-versions | |
| 270 The value of this variable is the number of newest versions to keep | |
| 271 when a new numbered backup is made. The newly made backup is included | |
| 272 in the count. The default value is@tie{}2. | |
| 273 @end defopt | |
| 274 | |
| 275 @defopt kept-old-versions | |
| 276 The value of this variable is the number of oldest versions to keep | |
| 277 when a new numbered backup is made. The default value is@tie{}2. | |
| 278 @end defopt | |
| 279 | |
| 280 If there are backups numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, and both of these | |
| 281 variables have the value 2, then the backups numbered 1 and 2 are kept | |
| 282 as old versions and those numbered 5 and 7 are kept as new versions; | |
| 283 backup version 3 is excess. The function @code{find-backup-file-name} | |
| 284 (@pxref{Backup Names}) is responsible for determining which backup | |
| 285 versions to delete, but does not delete them itself. | |
| 286 | |
| 287 @defopt delete-old-versions | |
| 288 If this variable is @code{t}, then saving a file deletes excess | |
| 289 backup versions silently. If it is @code{nil}, that means | |
| 290 to ask for confirmation before deleting excess backups. | |
| 291 Otherwise, they are not deleted at all. | |
| 292 @end defopt | |
| 293 | |
| 294 @defopt dired-kept-versions | |
| 295 This variable specifies how many of the newest backup versions to keep | |
| 296 in the Dired command @kbd{.} (@code{dired-clean-directory}). That's the | |
| 297 same thing @code{kept-new-versions} specifies when you make a new backup | |
| 298 file. The default is@tie{}2. | |
| 299 @end defopt | |
| 300 | |
| 301 @node Backup Names | |
| 302 @subsection Naming Backup Files | |
| 303 | |
| 304 The functions in this section are documented mainly because you can | |
| 305 customize the naming conventions for backup files by redefining them. | |
| 306 If you change one, you probably need to change the rest. | |
| 307 | |
| 308 @defun backup-file-name-p filename | |
| 309 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a | |
| 310 possible name for a backup file. It just checks the name, not whether | |
| 311 a file with the name @var{filename} exists. | |
| 312 | |
| 313 @smallexample | |
| 314 @group | |
| 315 (backup-file-name-p "foo") | |
| 316 @result{} nil | |
| 317 @end group | |
| 318 @group | |
| 319 (backup-file-name-p "foo~") | |
| 320 @result{} 3 | |
| 321 @end group | |
| 322 @end smallexample | |
| 323 | |
| 324 The standard definition of this function is as follows: | |
| 325 | |
| 326 @smallexample | |
| 327 @group | |
| 328 (defun backup-file-name-p (file) | |
| 329 "Return non-nil if FILE is a backup file \ | |
| 330 name (numeric or not)..." | |
| 331 (string-match "~\\'" file)) | |
| 332 @end group | |
| 333 @end smallexample | |
| 334 | |
| 335 @noindent | |
| 336 Thus, the function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the file name ends | |
| 337 with a @samp{~}. (We use a backslash to split the documentation | |
| 338 string's first line into two lines in the text, but produce just one | |
| 339 line in the string itself.) | |
| 340 | |
| 341 This simple expression is placed in a separate function to make it easy | |
| 342 to redefine for customization. | |
| 343 @end defun | |
| 344 | |
| 345 @defun make-backup-file-name filename | |
| 346 This function returns a string that is the name to use for a | |
| 347 non-numbered backup file for file @var{filename}. On Unix, this is just | |
| 348 @var{filename} with a tilde appended. | |
| 349 | |
| 350 The standard definition of this function, on most operating systems, is | |
| 351 as follows: | |
| 352 | |
| 353 @smallexample | |
| 354 @group | |
| 355 (defun make-backup-file-name (file) | |
| 356 "Create the non-numeric backup file name for FILE..." | |
| 357 (concat file "~")) | |
| 358 @end group | |
| 359 @end smallexample | |
| 360 | |
| 361 You can change the backup-file naming convention by redefining this | |
| 362 function. The following example redefines @code{make-backup-file-name} | |
| 363 to prepend a @samp{.} in addition to appending a tilde: | |
| 364 | |
| 365 @smallexample | |
| 366 @group | |
| 367 (defun make-backup-file-name (filename) | |
| 368 (expand-file-name | |
| 369 (concat "." (file-name-nondirectory filename) "~") | |
| 370 (file-name-directory filename))) | |
| 371 @end group | |
| 372 | |
| 373 @group | |
| 374 (make-backup-file-name "backups.texi") | |
| 375 @result{} ".backups.texi~" | |
| 376 @end group | |
| 377 @end smallexample | |
| 378 | |
| 379 Some parts of Emacs, including some Dired commands, assume that backup | |
| 380 file names end with @samp{~}. If you do not follow that convention, it | |
| 381 will not cause serious problems, but these commands may give | |
| 382 less-than-desirable results. | |
| 383 @end defun | |
| 384 | |
| 385 @defun find-backup-file-name filename | |
| 386 This function computes the file name for a new backup file for | |
| 387 @var{filename}. It may also propose certain existing backup files for | |
| 388 deletion. @code{find-backup-file-name} returns a list whose @sc{car} is | |
| 389 the name for the new backup file and whose @sc{cdr} is a list of backup | |
| 390 files whose deletion is proposed. The value can also be @code{nil}, | |
| 391 which means not to make a backup. | |
| 392 | |
| 393 Two variables, @code{kept-old-versions} and @code{kept-new-versions}, | |
| 394 determine which backup versions should be kept. This function keeps | |
| 395 those versions by excluding them from the @sc{cdr} of the value. | |
| 396 @xref{Numbered Backups}. | |
| 397 | |
| 398 In this example, the value says that @file{~rms/foo.~5~} is the name | |
| 399 to use for the new backup file, and @file{~rms/foo.~3~} is an ``excess'' | |
| 400 version that the caller should consider deleting now. | |
| 401 | |
| 402 @smallexample | |
| 403 @group | |
| 404 (find-backup-file-name "~rms/foo") | |
| 405 @result{} ("~rms/foo.~5~" "~rms/foo.~3~") | |
| 406 @end group | |
| 407 @end smallexample | |
| 408 @end defun | |
| 409 | |
| 410 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
| 411 @defun file-newest-backup filename | |
| 412 This function returns the name of the most recent backup file for | |
| 413 @var{filename}, or @code{nil} if that file has no backup files. | |
| 414 | |
| 415 Some file comparison commands use this function so that they can | |
| 416 automatically compare a file with its most recent backup. | |
| 417 @end defun | |
| 418 | |
| 419 @node Auto-Saving | |
| 420 @section Auto-Saving | |
| 421 @c @cindex auto-saving Lots of symbols starting with auto-save here. | |
| 422 | |
| 423 Emacs periodically saves all files that you are visiting; this is | |
| 424 called @dfn{auto-saving}. Auto-saving prevents you from losing more | |
| 425 than a limited amount of work if the system crashes. By default, | |
| 426 auto-saves happen every 300 keystrokes, or after around 30 seconds of | |
| 427 idle time. @xref{Auto Save, Auto Save, Auto-Saving: Protection Against | |
| 428 Disasters, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for information on auto-save | |
| 429 for users. Here we describe the functions used to implement auto-saving | |
| 430 and the variables that control them. | |
| 431 | |
| 432 @defvar buffer-auto-save-file-name | |
| 433 This buffer-local variable is the name of the file used for | |
| 434 auto-saving the current buffer. It is @code{nil} if the buffer | |
| 435 should not be auto-saved. | |
| 436 | |
| 437 @example | |
| 438 @group | |
| 439 buffer-auto-save-file-name | |
| 440 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#" | |
| 441 @end group | |
| 442 @end example | |
| 443 @end defvar | |
| 444 | |
| 445 @deffn Command auto-save-mode arg | |
| 446 When used interactively without an argument, this command is a toggle | |
| 447 switch: it turns on auto-saving of the current buffer if it is off, and | |
| 448 vice versa. With an argument @var{arg}, the command turns auto-saving | |
| 449 on if the value of @var{arg} is @code{t}, a nonempty list, or a positive | |
| 450 integer. Otherwise, it turns auto-saving off. | |
| 451 @end deffn | |
| 452 | |
| 453 @defun auto-save-file-name-p filename | |
| 454 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{filename} is a | |
| 455 string that could be the name of an auto-save file. It assumes | |
| 456 the usual naming convention for auto-save files: a name that | |
| 457 begins and ends with hash marks (@samp{#}) is a possible auto-save file | |
| 458 name. The argument @var{filename} should not contain a directory part. | |
| 459 | |
| 460 @example | |
| 461 @group | |
| 462 (make-auto-save-file-name) | |
| 463 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#" | |
| 464 @end group | |
| 465 @group | |
| 466 (auto-save-file-name-p "#backups.texi#") | |
| 467 @result{} 0 | |
| 468 @end group | |
| 469 @group | |
| 470 (auto-save-file-name-p "backups.texi") | |
| 471 @result{} nil | |
| 472 @end group | |
| 473 @end example | |
| 474 | |
| 475 The standard definition of this function is as follows: | |
| 476 | |
| 477 @example | |
| 478 @group | |
| 479 (defun auto-save-file-name-p (filename) | |
| 480 "Return non-nil if FILENAME can be yielded by..." | |
| 481 (string-match "^#.*#$" filename)) | |
| 482 @end group | |
| 483 @end example | |
| 484 | |
| 485 This function exists so that you can customize it if you wish to | |
| 486 change the naming convention for auto-save files. If you redefine it, | |
| 487 be sure to redefine the function @code{make-auto-save-file-name} | |
| 488 correspondingly. | |
| 489 @end defun | |
| 490 | |
| 491 @defun make-auto-save-file-name | |
| 492 This function returns the file name to use for auto-saving the current | |
| 493 buffer. This is just the file name with hash marks (@samp{#}) prepended | |
| 494 and appended to it. This function does not look at the variable | |
| 495 @code{auto-save-visited-file-name} (described below); callers of this | |
| 496 function should check that variable first. | |
| 497 | |
| 498 @example | |
| 499 @group | |
| 500 (make-auto-save-file-name) | |
| 501 @result{} "/xcssun/users/rms/lewis/#backups.texi#" | |
| 502 @end group | |
| 503 @end example | |
| 504 | |
| 505 Here is a simplified version of the standard definition of this | |
| 506 function: | |
| 507 | |
| 508 @example | |
| 509 @group | |
| 510 (defun make-auto-save-file-name () | |
| 511 "Return file name to use for auto-saves \ | |
| 512 of current buffer.." | |
| 513 (if buffer-file-name | |
| 514 @end group | |
| 515 @group | |
| 516 (concat | |
| 517 (file-name-directory buffer-file-name) | |
| 518 "#" | |
| 519 (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name) | |
| 520 "#") | |
| 521 (expand-file-name | |
| 522 (concat "#%" (buffer-name) "#")))) | |
| 523 @end group | |
| 524 @end example | |
| 525 | |
| 526 This exists as a separate function so that you can redefine it to | |
| 527 customize the naming convention for auto-save files. Be sure to | |
| 528 change @code{auto-save-file-name-p} in a corresponding way. | |
| 529 @end defun | |
| 530 | |
| 531 @defopt auto-save-visited-file-name | |
| 532 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs auto-saves buffers in | |
| 533 the files they are visiting. That is, the auto-save is done in the same | |
| 534 file that you are editing. Normally, this variable is @code{nil}, so | |
| 535 auto-save files have distinct names that are created by | |
| 536 @code{make-auto-save-file-name}. | |
| 537 | |
| 538 When you change the value of this variable, the new value does not take | |
| 539 effect in an existing buffer until the next time auto-save mode is | |
| 540 reenabled in it. If auto-save mode is already enabled, auto-saves | |
| 541 continue to go in the same file name until @code{auto-save-mode} is | |
| 542 called again. | |
| 543 @end defopt | |
| 544 | |
| 545 @defun recent-auto-save-p | |
| 546 This function returns @code{t} if the current buffer has been | |
| 547 auto-saved since the last time it was read in or saved. | |
| 548 @end defun | |
| 549 | |
| 550 @defun set-buffer-auto-saved | |
| 551 This function marks the current buffer as auto-saved. The buffer will | |
| 552 not be auto-saved again until the buffer text is changed again. The | |
| 553 function returns @code{nil}. | |
| 554 @end defun | |
| 555 | |
| 556 @defopt auto-save-interval | |
| 557 The value of this variable specifies how often to do auto-saving, in | |
| 558 terms of number of input events. Each time this many additional input | |
| 559 events are read, Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is | |
| 560 enabled. Setting this to zero disables autosaving based on the | |
| 561 number of characters typed. | |
| 562 @end defopt | |
| 563 | |
| 564 @defopt auto-save-timeout | |
| 565 The value of this variable is the number of seconds of idle time that | |
| 566 should cause auto-saving. Each time the user pauses for this long, | |
| 567 Emacs does auto-saving for all buffers in which that is enabled. (If | |
| 568 the current buffer is large, the specified timeout is multiplied by a | |
| 569 factor that increases as the size increases; for a million-byte | |
| 570 buffer, the factor is almost 4.) | |
| 571 | |
| 572 If the value is zero or @code{nil}, then auto-saving is not done as a | |
| 573 result of idleness, only after a certain number of input events as | |
| 574 specified by @code{auto-save-interval}. | |
| 575 @end defopt | |
| 576 | |
| 577 @defvar auto-save-hook | |
| 578 This normal hook is run whenever an auto-save is about to happen. | |
| 579 @end defvar | |
| 580 | |
| 581 @defopt auto-save-default | |
| 582 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, buffers that are visiting files | |
| 583 have auto-saving enabled by default. Otherwise, they do not. | |
| 584 @end defopt | |
| 585 | |
| 586 @deffn Command do-auto-save &optional no-message current-only | |
| 587 This function auto-saves all buffers that need to be auto-saved. It | |
| 588 saves all buffers for which auto-saving is enabled and that have been | |
| 589 changed since the previous auto-save. | |
| 590 | |
| 591 If any buffers are auto-saved, @code{do-auto-save} normally displays a | |
| 592 message saying @samp{Auto-saving...} in the echo area while | |
| 593 auto-saving is going on. However, if @var{no-message} is | |
| 594 non-@code{nil}, the message is inhibited. | |
| 595 | |
| 596 If @var{current-only} is non-@code{nil}, only the current buffer | |
| 597 is auto-saved. | |
| 598 @end deffn | |
| 599 | |
| 600 @defun delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary &optional force | |
| 601 This function deletes the current buffer's auto-save file if | |
| 602 @code{delete-auto-save-files} is non-@code{nil}. It is called every | |
| 603 time a buffer is saved. | |
| 604 | |
| 605 Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function only deletes the | |
| 606 file if it was written by the current Emacs session since the last | |
| 607 true save. | |
| 608 @end defun | |
| 609 | |
| 610 @defopt delete-auto-save-files | |
| 611 This variable is used by the function | |
| 612 @code{delete-auto-save-file-if-necessary}. If it is non-@code{nil}, | |
| 613 Emacs deletes auto-save files when a true save is done (in the visited | |
| 614 file). This saves disk space and unclutters your directory. | |
| 615 @end defopt | |
| 616 | |
| 617 @defun rename-auto-save-file | |
| 618 This function adjusts the current buffer's auto-save file name if the | |
| 619 visited file name has changed. It also renames an existing auto-save | |
| 620 file, if it was made in the current Emacs session. If the visited | |
| 621 file name has not changed, this function does nothing. | |
| 622 @end defun | |
| 623 | |
| 624 @defvar buffer-saved-size | |
| 625 The value of this buffer-local variable is the length of the current | |
| 626 buffer, when it was last read in, saved, or auto-saved. This is | |
| 627 used to detect a substantial decrease in size, and turn off auto-saving | |
| 628 in response. | |
| 629 | |
| 630 If it is @minus{}1, that means auto-saving is temporarily shut off in | |
| 631 this buffer due to a substantial decrease in size. Explicitly saving | |
| 632 the buffer stores a positive value in this variable, thus reenabling | |
| 633 auto-saving. Turning auto-save mode off or on also updates this | |
| 634 variable, so that the substantial decrease in size is forgotten. | |
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635 |
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636 If it is @minus{}2, that means this buffer should disregard changes in |
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637 buffer size; in particular, it should not shut off auto-saving |
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638 temporarily due to changes in buffer size. |
| 84050 | 639 @end defvar |
| 640 | |
| 641 @defvar auto-save-list-file-name | |
| 642 This variable (if non-@code{nil}) specifies a file for recording the | |
| 643 names of all the auto-save files. Each time Emacs does auto-saving, it | |
| 644 writes two lines into this file for each buffer that has auto-saving | |
| 645 enabled. The first line gives the name of the visited file (it's empty | |
| 646 if the buffer has none), and the second gives the name of the auto-save | |
| 647 file. | |
| 648 | |
| 649 When Emacs exits normally, it deletes this file; if Emacs crashes, you | |
| 650 can look in the file to find all the auto-save files that might contain | |
| 651 work that was otherwise lost. The @code{recover-session} command uses | |
| 652 this file to find them. | |
| 653 | |
| 654 The default name for this file specifies your home directory and starts | |
| 655 with @samp{.saves-}. It also contains the Emacs process @acronym{ID} and the | |
| 656 host name. | |
| 657 @end defvar | |
| 658 | |
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659 @defopt auto-save-list-file-prefix |
| 84050 | 660 After Emacs reads your init file, it initializes |
| 661 @code{auto-save-list-file-name} (if you have not already set it | |
| 662 non-@code{nil}) based on this prefix, adding the host name and process | |
| 663 ID. If you set this to @code{nil} in your init file, then Emacs does | |
| 664 not initialize @code{auto-save-list-file-name}. | |
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665 @end defopt |
| 84050 | 666 |
| 667 @node Reverting | |
| 668 @section Reverting | |
| 669 | |
| 670 If you have made extensive changes to a file and then change your mind | |
| 671 about them, you can get rid of them by reading in the previous version | |
| 672 of the file with the @code{revert-buffer} command. @xref{Reverting, , | |
| 673 Reverting a Buffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. | |
| 674 | |
| 675 @deffn Command revert-buffer &optional ignore-auto noconfirm preserve-modes | |
| 676 This command replaces the buffer text with the text of the visited | |
| 677 file on disk. This action undoes all changes since the file was visited | |
| 678 or saved. | |
| 679 | |
| 680 By default, if the latest auto-save file is more recent than the visited | |
| 681 file, and the argument @var{ignore-auto} is @code{nil}, | |
| 682 @code{revert-buffer} asks the user whether to use that auto-save | |
| 683 instead. When you invoke this command interactively, @var{ignore-auto} | |
| 684 is @code{t} if there is no numeric prefix argument; thus, the | |
| 685 interactive default is not to check the auto-save file. | |
| 686 | |
| 687 Normally, @code{revert-buffer} asks for confirmation before it changes | |
| 688 the buffer; but if the argument @var{noconfirm} is non-@code{nil}, | |
| 689 @code{revert-buffer} does not ask for confirmation. | |
| 690 | |
| 691 Normally, this command reinitializes the buffer's major and minor modes | |
| 692 using @code{normal-mode}. But if @var{preserve-modes} is | |
| 693 non-@code{nil}, the modes remain unchanged. | |
| 694 | |
| 695 Reverting tries to preserve marker positions in the buffer by using the | |
| 696 replacement feature of @code{insert-file-contents}. If the buffer | |
| 697 contents and the file contents are identical before the revert | |
| 698 operation, reverting preserves all the markers. If they are not | |
| 699 identical, reverting does change the buffer; in that case, it preserves | |
| 700 the markers in the unchanged text (if any) at the beginning and end of | |
| 701 the buffer. Preserving any additional markers would be problematical. | |
| 702 @end deffn | |
| 703 | |
| 704 You can customize how @code{revert-buffer} does its work by setting | |
| 705 the variables described in the rest of this section. | |
| 706 | |
| 707 @defopt revert-without-query | |
| 708 This variable holds a list of files that should be reverted without | |
| 709 query. The value is a list of regular expressions. If the visited file | |
| 710 name matches one of these regular expressions, and the file has changed | |
| 711 on disk but the buffer is not modified, then @code{revert-buffer} | |
| 712 reverts the file without asking the user for confirmation. | |
| 713 @end defopt | |
| 714 | |
| 715 Some major modes customize @code{revert-buffer} by making | |
| 716 buffer-local bindings for these variables: | |
| 717 | |
| 718 @defvar revert-buffer-function | |
| 719 @anchor{Definition of revert-buffer-function} | |
| 720 The value of this variable is the function to use to revert this | |
| 721 buffer. If non-@code{nil}, it should be a function with two optional | |
| 722 arguments to do the work of reverting. The two optional arguments, | |
| 723 @var{ignore-auto} and @var{noconfirm}, are the arguments that | |
| 724 @code{revert-buffer} received. If the value is @code{nil}, reverting | |
| 725 works the usual way. | |
| 726 | |
| 727 Modes such as Dired mode, in which the text being edited does not | |
| 728 consist of a file's contents but can be regenerated in some other | |
| 729 fashion, can give this variable a buffer-local value that is a function to | |
| 730 regenerate the contents. | |
| 731 @end defvar | |
| 732 | |
| 733 @defvar revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function | |
| 734 The value of this variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the function to use to | |
| 735 insert the updated contents when reverting this buffer. The function | |
| 736 receives two arguments: first the file name to use; second, @code{t} if | |
| 737 the user has asked to read the auto-save file. | |
| 738 | |
| 739 The reason for a mode to set this variable instead of | |
| 740 @code{revert-buffer-function} is to avoid duplicating or replacing the | |
| 741 rest of what @code{revert-buffer} does: asking for confirmation, | |
| 742 clearing the undo list, deciding the proper major mode, and running the | |
| 743 hooks listed below. | |
| 744 @end defvar | |
| 745 | |
| 746 @defvar before-revert-hook | |
| 747 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} before | |
| 748 inserting the modified contents---but only if | |
| 749 @code{revert-buffer-function} is @code{nil}. | |
| 750 @end defvar | |
| 751 | |
| 752 @defvar after-revert-hook | |
| 753 This normal hook is run by @code{revert-buffer} after inserting | |
| 754 the modified contents---but only if @code{revert-buffer-function} is | |
| 755 @code{nil}. | |
| 756 @end defvar | |
| 757 | |
| 758 @ignore | |
| 759 arch-tag: 295a6321-e5ab-46d5-aef5-0bb4f447a67f | |
| 760 @end ignore |
