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1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
3 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. | |
4 | @node Dired, Calendar/Diary, Rmail, Top | |
5 | @chapter Dired, the Directory Editor | |
6 | @cindex Dired | |
7 | ||
8 | Dired makes an Emacs buffer containing a listing of a directory, and | |
9 | optionally some of its subdirectories as well. You can use the normal | |
10 | Emacs commands to move around in this buffer, and special Dired commands | |
11 | to operate on the files listed. | |
12 | ||
13 | @menu | |
14 | * Enter: Dired Enter. How to invoke Dired. | |
15 | * Commands: Dired Commands. Commands in the Dired buffer. | |
16 | * Deletion: Dired Deletion. Deleting files with Dired. | |
17 | * Flagging Many Files:: Flagging files based on their names. | |
18 | * Visit: Dired Visiting. Other file operations through Dired. | |
19 | * Marks vs Flags:: Flagging for deletion vs marking. | |
20 | * Operating on Files:: How to copy, rename, print, compress, etc. | |
21 | either one file or several files. | |
22 | * Shell Commands in Dired:: Running a shell command on the marked files. | |
23 | * Transforming File Names:: Using patterns to rename multiple files. | |
24 | * Comparison in Dired:: Running `diff' by way of Dired. | |
25 | * Subdirectories in Dired:: Adding subdirectories to the Dired buffer. | |
26 | * Subdirectory Motion:: Moving across subdirectories, and up and down. | |
27 | * Hiding Subdirectories:: Making subdirectories visible or invisible. | |
28 | * Updating: Dired Updating. Discarding lines for files of no interest. | |
29 | * Find: Dired and Find. Using `find' to choose the files for Dired. | |
30 | @end menu | |
31 | ||
32 | @node Dired Enter | |
33 | @section Entering Dired | |
34 | ||
35 | @findex dired | |
36 | @kindex C-x d | |
37 | @vindex dired-listing-switches | |
38 | To invoke Dired, do @kbd{C-x d} or @kbd{M-x dired}. The command reads | |
39 | a directory name or wildcard file name pattern as a minibuffer argument | |
40 | to specify which files to list. Where @code{dired} differs from | |
41 | @code{list-directory} is in putting the buffer into Dired mode so that | |
42 | the special commands of Dired are available. | |
43 | ||
44 | The variable @code{dired-listing-switches} specifies the options to | |
45 | give to @code{ls} for listing directory; this string @emph{must} contain | |
46 | @samp{-l}. If you use a numeric prefix argument with the @code{dired} | |
47 | command, you can specify the @code{ls} switches with the minibuffer | |
48 | before you enter the directory specification. | |
49 | ||
50 | @findex dired-other-window | |
51 | @kindex C-x 4 d | |
52 | @findex dired-other-frame | |
53 | @kindex C-x 5 d | |
54 | To display the Dired buffer in another window rather than in the | |
55 | selected window, use @kbd{C-x 4 d} (@code{dired-other-window}) instead | |
56 | of @kbd{C-x d}. @kbd{C-x 5 d} (@code{dired-other-frame}) uses a | |
57 | separate frame to display the Dired buffer. | |
58 | ||
59 | @node Dired Commands | |
60 | @section Commands in the Dired Buffer | |
61 | ||
62 | The Dired buffer is ``read-only,'' and inserting text in it is not | |
63 | useful, so ordinary printing characters such as @kbd{d} and @kbd{x} are | |
64 | used for special Dired commands. Some Dired commands @dfn{mark} or | |
65 | @dfn{flag} the @dfn{current file} (that is, the file on the current | |
66 | line); other commands operate on the marked files or on the flagged | |
67 | files. | |
68 | ||
69 | @kindex C-n @r{(Dired)} | |
70 | @kindex C-p @r{(Dired)} | |
71 | All the usual Emacs cursor motion commands are available in Dired | |
72 | buffers. Some special-purpose cursor motion commands are also | |
73 | provided. The keys @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} are redefined to put the | |
74 | cursor at the beginning of the file name on the line, rather than at the | |
75 | beginning of the line. | |
76 | ||
77 | @kindex SPC @r{(Dired)} | |
78 | For extra convenience, @key{SPC} and @kbd{n} in Dired are equivalent | |
79 | to @kbd{C-n}. @kbd{p} is equivalent to @kbd{C-p}. (Moving by lines is | |
80 | so common in Dired that it deserves to be easy to type.) @key{DEL} | |
81 | (move up and unflag) is often useful simply for moving up. | |
82 | ||
83 | @node Dired Deletion | |
84 | @section Deleting Files with Dired | |
85 | @cindex flagging files (in Dired) | |
86 | @cindex deleting files (in Dired) | |
87 | ||
88 | The primary use of Dired is to @dfn{flag} files for deletion and then | |
89 | delete the files previously flagged. | |
90 | ||
91 | @table @kbd | |
92 | @item d | |
93 | Flag this file for deletion. | |
94 | @item u | |
95 | Remove deletion flag on this line. | |
96 | @item @key{DEL} | |
97 | Move point to previous line and remove the deletion flag on that line. | |
98 | @item x | |
99 | Delete the files that are flagged for deletion. | |
100 | @end table | |
101 | ||
102 | @kindex d @r{(Dired)} | |
103 | @findex dired-flag-file-deletion | |
104 | You can flag a file for deletion by moving to the line describing the | |
105 | file and typing @kbd{d} (@code{dired-flag-file-deletion}). The deletion flag is visible as a @samp{D} at | |
106 | the beginning of the line. This command moves point to the next line, | |
107 | so that repeated @kbd{d} commands flag successive files. A numeric | |
108 | argument serves as a repeat count. | |
109 | ||
110 | @kindex u @r{(Dired deletion)} | |
111 | @kindex DEL @r{(Dired)} | |
112 | The files are flagged for deletion rather than deleted immediately to | |
113 | reduce the danger of deleting a file accidentally. Until you direct | |
114 | Dired to expunge the flagged files, you can remove deletion flags using | |
115 | the commands @kbd{u} and @key{DEL}. @kbd{u} (@code{dired-unmark}) works | |
116 | just like @kbd{d}, but removes flags rather than making flags. | |
117 | @key{DEL} (@code{dired-unmark-backward}) moves upward, removing flags; | |
118 | it is like @kbd{u} with argument @minus{}1. | |
119 | ||
120 | @kindex x @r{(Dired)} | |
121 | @findex dired-expunge | |
122 | @cindex expunging (Dired) | |
123 | To delete the flagged files, type @kbd{x} (@code{dired-expunge}). | |
124 | This command first displays a list of all the file names flagged for | |
125 | deletion, and requests confirmation with @kbd{yes}. If you confirm, | |
126 | Dired deletes the flagged files, then deletes their lines from the text | |
127 | of the Dired buffer. The shortened Dired buffer remains selected. | |
128 | ||
129 | If you answer @kbd{no} or quit with @kbd{C-g} when asked to confirm, you | |
130 | return immediately to Dired, with the deletion flags still present in | |
131 | the buffer, and no files actually deleted. | |
132 | ||
133 | @node Flagging Many Files | |
134 | @section Flagging Many Files at Once | |
135 | ||
136 | @table @kbd | |
137 | @item # | |
138 | Flag all auto-save files (files whose names start and end with @samp{#}) | |
139 | for deletion (@pxref{Auto Save}). | |
140 | ||
141 | @item ~ | |
142 | Flag all backup files (files whose names end with @samp{~}) for deletion | |
143 | (@pxref{Backup}). | |
144 | ||
145 | @item & | |
146 | Flag for deletion all files with certain kinds of names, names that | |
147 | suggest you could easily create the files again. | |
148 | ||
149 | @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
150 | Flag excess numeric backup files for deletion. The oldest and newest | |
151 | few backup files of any one file are exempt; the middle ones are | |
152 | flagged. | |
153 | ||
154 | @item % d @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
155 | Flag for deletion all files whose names match the regular expression | |
156 | @var{regexp}. | |
157 | @end table | |
158 | ||
159 | The @kbd{#}, @kbd{~}, @kbd{&}, and @kbd{.} commands flag many files for | |
160 | deletion, based on their file names. These commands are useful | |
161 | precisely because they do not themselves delete any files; you can | |
162 | remove the deletion flags from any flagged files that you really wish to | |
163 | keep.@refill | |
164 | ||
165 | @kindex & @r{(Dired)} | |
166 | @findex dired-flag-garbage-files | |
167 | @vindex dired-garbage-files-regexp | |
168 | @kbd{&} (@code{dired-flag-garbage-files}) flags files whose names | |
169 | match the regular expression specified by the variable | |
170 | @code{dired-garbage-files-regexp}. By default, this matches certain | |
171 | files produced by @TeX{}, and the @samp{.orig} and @samp{.rej} files | |
172 | produced by @code{patch}. | |
173 | ||
174 | @kindex # @r{(Dired)} | |
175 | @kindex ~ @r{(Dired)} | |
176 | @findex dired-flag-auto-save-files | |
177 | @findex dired-flag-backup-files | |
178 | @kbd{#} (@code{dired-flag-auto-save-files}) flags for deletion all | |
179 | files whose names look like auto-save files (@pxref{Auto Save})---that | |
180 | is, files whose names begin and end with @samp{#}. @kbd{~} | |
181 | (@code{dired-flag-backup-files}) flags for deletion all files whose | |
182 | names say they are backup files (@pxref{Backup})---that is, whose names | |
183 | end in @samp{~}. | |
184 | ||
185 | @kindex . @r{(Dired)} | |
186 | @vindex dired-kept-versions | |
187 | @findex dired-clean-directory | |
188 | @kbd{.} (period, @code{dired-clean-directory}) flags just some of the | |
189 | backup files for deletion: all but the oldest few and newest few backups | |
190 | of any one file. Normally @code{dired-kept-versions} (@strong{not} | |
191 | @code{kept-new-versions}; that applies only when saving) specifies the | |
192 | number of newest versions of each file to keep, and | |
193 | @code{kept-old-versions} specifies the number of oldest versions to | |
194 | keep. | |
195 | ||
196 | Period with a positive numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u 3 .}, | |
197 | specifies the number of newest versions to keep, overriding | |
198 | @code{dired-kept-versions}. A negative numeric argument overrides | |
199 | @code{kept-old-versions}, using minus the value of the argument to | |
200 | specify the number of oldest versions of each file to keep. | |
201 | ||
202 | @findex dired-flag-files-regexp | |
203 | @kindex % d @r{(Dired)} | |
204 | The @kbd{% d} command flags all files whose names match a specified | |
205 | regular expression (@code{dired-flag-files-regexp}). Only the | |
206 | non-directory part of the file name is used in matching. You can use | |
207 | @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor matches. You can exclude subdirectories | |
208 | by hiding them (@pxref{Hiding Subdirectories}). | |
209 | ||
210 | @node Dired Visiting | |
211 | @section Visiting Files in Dired | |
212 | ||
213 | There are several Dired commands for visiting or examining the files | |
214 | listed in the Dired buffer. All of them apply to the current line's | |
215 | file; if that file is really a directory, these commands invoke Dired on | |
216 | that subdirectory (making a separate Dired buffer). | |
217 | ||
218 | @table @kbd | |
219 | @item f | |
220 | @kindex f @r{(Dired)} | |
221 | @findex dired-find-file | |
222 | Visit the file described on the current line, like typing @kbd{C-x C-f} | |
223 | and supplying that file name (@code{dired-find-file}). @xref{Visiting}. | |
224 | ||
225 | @item @key{RET} | |
226 | @kindex RET @r{(Dired)} | |
227 | Equivalent to @kbd{f}. | |
228 | ||
229 | @item o | |
230 | @kindex o @r{(Dired)} | |
231 | @findex dired-find-file-other-window | |
232 | Like @kbd{f}, but uses another window to display the file's buffer | |
233 | (@code{dired-find-file-other-window}). The Dired buffer remains visible | |
234 | in the first window. This is like using @kbd{C-x 4 C-f} to visit the | |
235 | file. @xref{Windows}. | |
236 | ||
237 | @item C-o | |
238 | @kindex C-o @r{(Dired)} | |
239 | @findex dired-display-file | |
240 | Visit the file described on the current line, and display the buffer in | |
241 | another window, but do not select that window (@code{dired-display-file}). | |
242 | ||
243 | @item Mouse-2 | |
244 | @findex dired-mouse-find-file-other-window | |
245 | Visit the file named by the line you click on | |
246 | (@code{dired-mouse-find-file-other-window}). This uses another window | |
247 | to display the file, like the @kbd{o} command. | |
248 | ||
249 | @item v | |
250 | @kindex v @r{(Dired)} | |
251 | @findex dired-view-file | |
252 | View the file described on the current line, using @kbd{M-x view-file} | |
253 | (@code{dired-view-file}). | |
254 | ||
255 | Viewing a file is like visiting it, but is slanted toward moving around | |
256 | in the file conveniently and does not allow changing the file. | |
257 | @xref{Misc File Ops,View File}. | |
258 | @end table | |
259 | ||
260 | @node Marks vs Flags | |
261 | @section Dired Marks vs. Flags | |
262 | ||
263 | @cindex marking in Dired | |
264 | Instead of flagging a file with @samp{D}, you can @dfn{mark} the file | |
265 | with some other character (usually @samp{*}). Most Dired commands to | |
266 | operate on files, aside from ``expunge'' (@kbd{x}), look for files | |
267 | marked with @samp{*}. | |
268 | ||
269 | Here are some commands for marking with @samp{*}, or for unmarking or | |
270 | operating on marks. (@xref{Dired Deletion}, for commands to flag and | |
271 | unflag files.) | |
272 | ||
273 | @table @kbd | |
274 | @item m | |
275 | @itemx * m | |
276 | @kindex m @r{(Dired)} | |
277 | @kindex * m @r{(Dired)} | |
278 | @findex dired-mark | |
279 | Mark the current file with @samp{*} (@code{dired-mark}). With a numeric | |
280 | argument @var{n}, mark the next @var{n} files starting with the current | |
281 | file. (If @var{n} is negative, mark the previous @minus{}@var{n} | |
282 | files.) | |
283 | ||
284 | @item * * | |
285 | @kindex * * @r{(Dired)} | |
286 | @findex dired-mark-executables | |
287 | Mark all executable files with @samp{*} | |
288 | (@code{dired-mark-executables}). With a numeric argument, unmark all | |
289 | those files. | |
290 | ||
291 | @item * @@ | |
292 | @kindex * @@ @r{(Dired)} | |
293 | @findex dired-mark-symlinks | |
294 | Mark all symbolic links with @samp{*} (@code{dired-mark-symlinks}). | |
295 | With a numeric argument, unmark all those files. | |
296 | ||
297 | @item * / | |
298 | @kindex * / @r{(Dired)} | |
299 | @findex dired-mark-directories | |
300 | Mark with @samp{*} all files which are actually directories, except for | |
301 | @file{.} and @file{..} (@code{dired-mark-directories}). With a numeric | |
302 | argument, unmark all those files. | |
303 | ||
304 | @item * s | |
305 | @kindex * s @r{(Dired)} | |
306 | @findex dired-mark-subdir-files | |
307 | Mark all the files in the current subdirectory, aside from @file{.} | |
308 | and @file{..} (@code{dired-mark-subdir-files}). | |
309 | ||
310 | @item u | |
311 | @itemx * u | |
312 | @kindex u @r{(Dired)} | |
313 | @kindex * u @r{(Dired)} | |
314 | @findex dired-unmark | |
315 | Remove any mark on this line (@code{dired-unmark}). | |
316 | ||
317 | @item @key{DEL} | |
318 | @itemx * @key{DEL} | |
319 | @kindex * DEL @r{(Dired)} | |
320 | @findex dired-unmark-backward | |
321 | Move point to previous line and remove any mark on that line | |
322 | (@code{dired-unmark-backward}). | |
323 | ||
324 | @item * ! | |
325 | @kindex * ! @r{(Dired)} | |
326 | @findex dired-unmark-all-files-no-query | |
327 | Remove all marks from all the files in this Dired buffer | |
328 | (@code{dired-unmark-all-files-no-query}). | |
329 | ||
330 | @item * ? @var{markchar} | |
331 | @kindex * ? @r{(Dired)} | |
332 | @findex dired-unmark-all-files | |
333 | Remove all marks that use the character @var{markchar} | |
334 | (@code{dired-unmark-all-files}). The argument is a single | |
335 | character---do not use @key{RET} to terminate it. | |
336 | ||
337 | With a numeric argument, this command queries about each marked file, | |
338 | asking whether to remove its mark. You can answer @kbd{y} meaning yes, | |
339 | @kbd{n} meaning no, or @kbd{!} to remove the marks from the remaining | |
340 | files without asking about them. | |
341 | ||
342 | @item * C-n | |
343 | @findex dired-next-marked-file | |
344 | @kindex * C-n @r{(Dired)} | |
345 | Move down to the next marked file (@code{dired-next-marked-file}) | |
346 | A file is ``marked'' if it has any kind of mark. | |
347 | ||
348 | @item * C-p | |
349 | @findex dired-prev-marked-file | |
350 | @kindex * C-p @r{(Dired)} | |
351 | Move up to the previous marked file (@code{dired-prev-marked-file}) | |
352 | ||
353 | @item * t | |
354 | @kindex * t @r{(Dired)} | |
355 | @findex dired-do-toggle | |
356 | Toggle all marks (@code{dired-do-toggle}): files marked with @samp{*} | |
357 | become unmarked, and unmarked files are marked with @samp{*}. Files | |
358 | marked in any other way are not affected. | |
359 | ||
360 | @item * c @var{old} @var{new} | |
361 | @kindex * c @r{(Dired)} | |
362 | @findex dired-change-marks | |
363 | Replace all marks that use the character @var{old} with marks that use | |
364 | the character @var{new} (@code{dired-change-marks}). This command is | |
365 | the primary way to create or use marks other than @samp{*} or @samp{D}. | |
366 | The arguments are single characters---do not use @key{RET} to terminate | |
367 | them. | |
368 | ||
369 | You can use almost any character as a mark character by means of this | |
370 | command, to distinguish various classes of files. If @var{old} is a | |
371 | space (@samp{ }), then the command operates on all unmarked files; if | |
372 | @var{new} is a space, then the command unmarks the files it acts on. | |
373 | ||
374 | To illustrate the power of this command, here is how to put @samp{D} | |
375 | flags on all the files that have no marks, while unflagging all those | |
376 | that already have @samp{D} flags: | |
377 | ||
378 | @example | |
379 | * c D t * c SPC D * c t SPC | |
380 | @end example | |
381 | ||
382 | This assumes that no files are marked with @samp{t}. | |
383 | ||
384 | @item % m @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
385 | @itemx * % @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
386 | @findex dired-mark-files-regexp | |
387 | @kindex % m @r{(Dired)} | |
388 | @kindex * % @r{(Dired)} | |
389 | Mark (with @samp{*}) all files whose names match the regular expression | |
390 | @var{regexp} (@code{dired-mark-files-regexp}). This command is like | |
391 | @kbd{% d}, except that it marks files with @samp{*} instead of flagging | |
392 | with @samp{D}. @xref{Flagging Many Files}. | |
393 | ||
394 | Only the non-directory part of the file name is used in matching. Use | |
395 | @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor matches. Exclude subdirectories by | |
396 | hiding them (@pxref{Hiding Subdirectories}). | |
397 | ||
398 | @item % g @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
399 | @findex dired-mark-files-containing-regexp | |
400 | @kindex % m @r{(Dired)} | |
401 | Mark (with @samp{*}) all files whose @emph{contents} contain a match for | |
402 | the regular expression @var{regexp} | |
403 | (@code{dired-mark-files-containing-regexp}). This command is like | |
404 | @kbd{% m}, except that it searches the file contents instead of the file | |
405 | name. | |
406 | ||
407 | @item C-_ | |
408 | @kindex C-_ @r{(Dired)} | |
409 | @findex dired-undo | |
410 | Undo changes in the Dired buffer, such as adding or removing | |
411 | marks (@code{dired-undo}). | |
412 | @end table | |
413 | ||
414 | @node Operating on Files | |
415 | @section Operating on Files | |
416 | @cindex operating on files in Dired | |
417 | ||
418 | This section describes the basic Dired commands to operate on one file | |
419 | or several files. All of these commands are capital letters; all of | |
420 | them use the minibuffer, either to read an argument or to ask for | |
421 | confirmation, before they act. All of them give you several ways to | |
422 | specify which files to manipulate: | |
423 | ||
424 | @itemize @bullet | |
425 | @item | |
426 | If you give the command a numeric prefix argument @var{n}, it operates | |
427 | on the next @var{n} files, starting with the current file. (If @var{n} | |
428 | is negative, the command operates on the @minus{}@var{n} files preceding | |
429 | the current line.) | |
430 | ||
431 | @item | |
432 | Otherwise, if some files are marked with @samp{*}, the command operates | |
433 | on all those files. | |
434 | ||
435 | @item | |
436 | Otherwise, the command operates on the current file only. | |
437 | @end itemize | |
438 | ||
439 | Here are the file-manipulating commands that operate on files in this | |
440 | way. (Some other Dired commands, such as @kbd{!} and the @samp{%} | |
441 | commands, also use these conventions to decide which files to work on.) | |
442 | ||
443 | @table @kbd | |
444 | @findex dired-do-copy | |
445 | @kindex C @r{(Dired)} | |
446 | @item C @var{new} @key{RET} | |
447 | Copy the specified files (@code{dired-do-copy}). The argument @var{new} | |
448 | is the directory to copy into, or (if copying a single file) the new | |
449 | name. | |
450 | ||
451 | @vindex dired-copy-preserve-time | |
452 | If @code{dired-copy-preserve-time} is non-@code{nil}, then copying with | |
453 | this command sets the modification time of the new file to be the same | |
454 | as that of the old file. | |
455 | ||
456 | @item D | |
457 | @findex dired-do-delete | |
458 | @kindex D @r{(Dired)} | |
459 | Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). Like the other | |
460 | commands in this section, this command operates on the @emph{marked} | |
461 | files, or the next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x} | |
462 | (@code{dired-expunge}) deletes all @dfn{flagged} files. | |
463 | ||
464 | @findex dired-do-rename | |
465 | @kindex R @r{(Dired)} | |
466 | @item R @var{new} @key{RET} | |
467 | Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). The argument | |
468 | @var{new} is the directory to rename into, or (if renaming a single | |
469 | file) the new name. | |
470 | ||
471 | Dired automatically changes the visited file name of buffers associated | |
472 | with renamed files so that they refer to the new names. | |
473 | ||
474 | @findex dired-do-hardlink | |
475 | @kindex H @r{(Dired)} | |
476 | @item H @var{new} @key{RET} | |
477 | Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}). The | |
478 | argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making | |
479 | just one link) the name to give the link. | |
480 | ||
481 | @findex dired-do-symlink | |
482 | @kindex S @r{(Dired)} | |
483 | @item S @var{new} @key{RET} | |
484 | Make symbolic links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-symlink}). | |
485 | The argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if | |
486 | making just one link) the name to give the link. | |
487 | ||
488 | @findex dired-do-chmod | |
489 | @kindex M @r{(Dired)} | |
490 | @item M @var{modespec} @key{RET} | |
491 | Change the mode (also called ``permission bits'') of the specified files | |
492 | (@code{dired-do-chmod}). This uses the @code{chmod} program, so | |
493 | @var{modespec} can be any argument that @code{chmod} can handle. | |
494 | ||
495 | @findex dired-do-chgrp | |
496 | @kindex G @r{(Dired)} | |
497 | @item G @var{newgroup} @key{RET} | |
498 | Change the group of the specified files to @var{newgroup} | |
499 | (@code{dired-do-chgrp}). | |
500 | ||
501 | @findex dired-do-chown | |
502 | @kindex O @r{(Dired)} | |
503 | @item O @var{newowner} @key{RET} | |
504 | Change the owner of the specified files to @var{newowner} | |
505 | (@code{dired-do-chown}). (On most systems, only the superuser can do | |
506 | this.) | |
507 | ||
508 | @vindex dired-chown-program | |
509 | The variable @code{dired-chown-program} specifies the name of the | |
510 | program to use to do the work (different systems put @code{chown} in | |
511 | different places). | |
512 | ||
513 | @findex dired-do-print | |
514 | @kindex P @r{(Dired)} | |
515 | @item P @var{command} @key{RET} | |
516 | Print the specified files (@code{dired-do-print}). You must specify the | |
517 | command to print them with, but the minibuffer starts out with a | |
518 | suitable guess made using the variables @code{lpr-command} and | |
519 | @code{lpr-switches} (the same variables that @code{lpr-buffer} uses; | |
520 | @pxref{Hardcopy}). | |
521 | ||
522 | @findex dired-do-compress | |
523 | @kindex Z @r{(Dired)} | |
524 | @item Z | |
525 | Compress the specified files (@code{dired-do-compress}). If the file | |
526 | appears to be a compressed file already, it is uncompressed instead. | |
527 | ||
528 | @findex dired-do-load | |
529 | @kindex L @r{(Dired)} | |
530 | @item L | |
531 | Load the specified Emacs Lisp files (@code{dired-do-load}). | |
532 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
533 | ||
534 | @findex dired-do-byte-compile | |
535 | @kindex B @r{(Dired)} | |
536 | @item B | |
537 | Byte compile the specified Emacs Lisp files | |
538 | (@code{dired-do-byte-compile}). @xref{Byte Compilation,, Byte | |
539 | Compilation, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
540 | ||
541 | @kindex A @r{(Dired)} | |
542 | @findex dired-do-search | |
543 | @item A @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
544 | Search all the specified files for the regular expression @var{regexp} | |
545 | (@code{dired-do-search}). | |
546 | ||
547 | This command is a variant of @code{tags-search}. The search stops at | |
548 | the first match it finds; use @kbd{M-,} to resume the search and find | |
549 | the next match. @xref{Tags Search}. | |
550 | ||
551 | @kindex Q @r{(Dired)} | |
552 | @findex dired-do-query-replace | |
553 | @item Q @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
554 | Perform @code{query-replace-regexp} on each of the specified files, | |
555 | replacing matches for @var{from} (a regular expression) with the string | |
556 | @var{to} (@code{dired-do-query-replace}). | |
557 | ||
558 | This command is a variant of @code{tags-query-replace}. If you exit the | |
559 | query replace loop, you can use @kbd{M-,} to resume the scan and replace | |
560 | more matches. @xref{Tags Search}. | |
561 | @end table | |
562 | ||
563 | @kindex + @r{(Dired)} | |
564 | @findex dired-create-directory | |
565 | One special file-operation command is @kbd{+} | |
566 | (@code{dired-create-directory}). This command reads a directory name and | |
567 | creates the directory if it does not already exist. | |
568 | ||
569 | @node Shell Commands in Dired | |
570 | @section Shell Commands in Dired | |
571 | @cindex shell commands, Dired | |
572 | ||
573 | @findex dired-do-shell-command | |
574 | @kindex ! @r{(Dired)} | |
575 | The dired command @kbd{!} (@code{dired-do-shell-command}) reads a shell | |
576 | command string in the minibuffer and runs that shell command on all the | |
577 | specified files. You can specify the files to operate on in the usual | |
578 | ways for Dired commands (@pxref{Operating on Files}). There are two | |
579 | ways of applying a shell command to multiple files: | |
580 | ||
581 | @itemize @bullet | |
582 | @item | |
583 | If you use @samp{*} in the shell command, then it runs just once, with | |
584 | the list of file names substituted for the @samp{*}. The order of file | |
585 | names is the order of appearance in the Dired buffer. | |
586 | ||
587 | Thus, @kbd{! tar cf foo.tar * @key{RET}} runs @code{tar} on the entire | |
588 | list of file names, putting them into one tar file @file{foo.tar}. | |
589 | ||
590 | @item | |
591 | If the command string doesn't contain @samp{*}, then it runs once | |
592 | @emph{for each file}, with the file name added at the end. | |
593 | ||
594 | For example, @kbd{! uudecode @key{RET}} runs @code{uudecode} on each | |
595 | file. | |
596 | @end itemize | |
597 | ||
598 | What if you want to run the shell command once for each file but with | |
599 | the file name inserted in the middle? Or if you want to use the file | |
600 | names in a more complicated fashion? Use a shell loop. For example, | |
601 | this shell command would run @code{uuencode} on each of the specified | |
602 | files, writing the output into a corresponding @file{.uu} file: | |
603 | ||
604 | @example | |
605 | for file in *; do uuencode $file $file >$file.uu; done | |
606 | @end example | |
607 | ||
608 | The working directory for the shell command is the top-level directory | |
609 | of the Dired buffer. | |
610 | ||
611 | The @kbd{!} command does not attempt to update the Dired buffer to show | |
612 | new or modified files, because it doesn't really understand shell | |
613 | commands, and does not know what files the shell command changed. Use | |
614 | the @kbd{g} command to update the Dired buffer (@pxref{Dired | |
615 | Updating}). | |
616 | ||
617 | @node Transforming File Names | |
618 | @section Transforming File Names in Dired | |
619 | ||
620 | Here are commands that alter file names in a systematic way: | |
621 | ||
622 | @table @kbd | |
623 | @findex dired-upcase | |
624 | @kindex % u @r{(Dired)} | |
625 | @item % u | |
626 | Rename each of the selected files to an upper-case name | |
627 | (@code{dired-upcase}). If the old file names are @file{Foo} | |
628 | and @file{bar}, the new names are @file{FOO} and @file{BAR}. | |
629 | ||
630 | @item % l | |
631 | @findex dired-downcase | |
632 | @kindex % l @r{(Dired)} | |
633 | Rename each of the selected files to a lower-case name | |
634 | (@code{dired-downcase}). If the old file names are @file{Foo} and | |
635 | @file{bar}, the new names are @file{foo} and @file{bar}. | |
636 | ||
637 | @item % R @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
638 | @kindex % R @r{(Dired)} | |
639 | @findex dired-do-rename-regexp | |
640 | @itemx % C @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
641 | @kindex % C @r{(Dired)} | |
642 | @findex dired-do-copy-regexp | |
643 | @itemx % H @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
644 | @kindex % H @r{(Dired)} | |
645 | @findex dired-do-hardlink-regexp | |
646 | @itemx % S @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
647 | @kindex % S @r{(Dired)} | |
648 | @findex dired-do-symlink-regexp | |
649 | These four commands rename, copy, make hard links and make soft links, | |
650 | in each case computing the new name by regular-expression substitution | |
651 | from the name of the old file. | |
652 | @end table | |
653 | ||
654 | The four regular-expression substitution commands effectively perform | |
655 | a search-and-replace on the selected file names in the Dired buffer. | |
656 | They read two arguments: a regular expression @var{from}, and a | |
657 | substitution pattern @var{to}. | |
658 | ||
659 | The commands match each ``old'' file name against the regular | |
660 | expression @var{from}, and then replace the matching part with @var{to}. | |
661 | You can use @samp{\&} and @samp{\@var{digit}} in @var{to} to refer to | |
662 | all or part of what the pattern matched in the old file name, as in | |
663 | @code{replace-regexp} (@pxref{Regexp Replace}). If the regular expression | |
664 | matches more than once in a file name, only the first match is replaced. | |
665 | ||
666 | For example, @kbd{% R ^.*$ @key{RET} x-\& @key{RET}} renames each | |
667 | selected file by prepending @samp{x-} to its name. The inverse of this, | |
668 | removing @samp{x-} from the front of each file name, is also possible: | |
669 | one method is @kbd{% R ^x-\(.*\)$ @key{RET} \1 @key{RET}}; another is | |
670 | @kbd{% R ^x- @key{RET} @key{RET}}. (Use @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor | |
671 | matches that should span the whole filename.) | |
672 | ||
673 | Normally, the replacement process does not consider the files' | |
674 | directory names; it operates on the file name within the directory. If | |
675 | you specify a numeric argument of zero, then replacement affects the | |
676 | entire absolute file name including directory name. | |
677 | ||
678 | Often you will want to select the set of files to operate on using the | |
679 | same @var{regexp} that you will use to operate on them. To do this, | |
680 | mark those files with @kbd{% m @var{regexp} @key{RET}}, then use the | |
681 | same regular expression in the command to operate on the files. To make | |
682 | this easier, the @kbd{%} commands to operate on files use the last | |
683 | regular expression specified in any @kbd{%} command as a default. | |
684 | ||
685 | @node Comparison in Dired | |
686 | @section File Comparison with Dired | |
687 | ||
688 | Here are two Dired commands that compare specified files using | |
689 | @code{diff}. | |
690 | ||
691 | @table @kbd | |
692 | @item = | |
693 | @findex dired-diff | |
694 | @kindex = @r{(Dired)} | |
695 | Compare the current file (the file at point) with another file (the file | |
696 | at the mark) using the @code{diff} program (@code{dired-diff}). The | |
697 | file at the mark is the first argument of @code{diff}, and the file at | |
698 | point is the second argument. | |
699 | ||
700 | @findex dired-backup-diff | |
701 | @kindex M-= @r{(Dired)} | |
702 | @item M-= | |
703 | Compare the current file with its latest backup file | |
704 | (@code{dired-backup-diff}). If the current file is itself a backup, | |
705 | compare it with the file it is a backup of; this way, you can compare | |
706 | a file with any backup version of your choice. | |
707 | ||
708 | The backup file is the first file given to @code{diff}. | |
709 | @end table | |
710 | ||
711 | @node Subdirectories in Dired | |
712 | @section Subdirectories in Dired | |
713 | @cindex subdirectories in Dired | |
714 | @cindex expanding subdirectories in Dired | |
715 | ||
716 | A Dired buffer displays just one directory in the normal case; | |
717 | but you can optionally include its subdirectories as well. | |
718 | ||
719 | The simplest way to include multiple directories in one Dired buffer is | |
720 | to specify the options @samp{-lR} for running @code{ls}. (If you give a | |
721 | numeric argument when you run Dired, then you can specify these options | |
722 | in the minibuffer.) That produces a recursive directory listing showing | |
723 | all subdirectories at all levels. | |
724 | ||
725 | But usually all the subdirectories are too many; usually you will | |
726 | prefer to include specific subdirectories only. You can do this with | |
727 | the @kbd{i} command: | |
728 | ||
729 | @table @kbd | |
730 | @findex dired-maybe-insert-subdir | |
731 | @kindex i @r{(Dired)} | |
732 | @item i | |
733 | @cindex inserted subdirectory (Dired) | |
734 | @cindex in-situ subdirectory (Dired) | |
735 | Insert the contents of a subdirectory later in the buffer. | |
736 | @end table | |
737 | ||
738 | Use the @kbd{i} (@code{dired-maybe-insert-subdir}) command on a line | |
739 | that describes a file which is a directory. It inserts the contents of | |
740 | that directory into the same Dired buffer, and moves there. Inserted | |
741 | subdirectory contents follow the top-level directory of the Dired | |
742 | buffer, just as they do in @samp{ls -lR} output. | |
743 | ||
744 | If the subdirectory's contents are already present in the buffer, the | |
745 | @kbd{i} command just moves to it. | |
746 | ||
747 | In either case, @kbd{i} sets the Emacs mark before moving, so @kbd{C-u | |
748 | C-@key{SPC}} takes you back to the old position in the buffer (the line | |
749 | describing that subdirectory). | |
750 | ||
751 | Use the @kbd{l} command (@code{dired-do-redisplay}) to update the | |
752 | subdirectory's contents. Use @kbd{k} to delete the subdirectory. | |
753 | @xref{Dired Updating}. | |
754 | ||
755 | @node Subdirectory Motion | |
756 | @section Moving Over Subdirectories | |
757 | ||
758 | When a Dired buffer lists subdirectories, you can use the page motion | |
759 | commands @kbd{C-x [} and @kbd{C-x ]} to move by entire directories. | |
760 | ||
761 | @cindex header line (Dired) | |
762 | @cindex directory header lines | |
763 | The following commands move across, up and down in the tree of | |
764 | directories within one Dired buffer. They move to @dfn{directory header | |
765 | lines}, which are the lines that give a directory's name, at the | |
766 | beginning of the directory's contents. | |
767 | ||
768 | @table @kbd | |
769 | @findex dired-next-subdir | |
770 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Dired)} | |
771 | @item C-M-n | |
772 | Go to next subdirectory header line, regardless of level | |
773 | (@code{dired-next-subdir}). | |
774 | ||
775 | @findex dired-prev-subdir | |
776 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Dired)} | |
777 | @item C-M-p | |
778 | Go to previous subdirectory header line, regardless of level | |
779 | (@code{dired-prev-subdir}). | |
780 | ||
781 | @findex dired-tree-up | |
782 | @kindex C-M-u @r{(Dired)} | |
783 | @item C-M-u | |
784 | Go up to the parent directory's header line (@code{dired-tree-up}). | |
785 | ||
786 | @findex dired-tree-down | |
787 | @kindex C-M-d @r{(Dired)} | |
788 | @item C-M-d | |
789 | Go down in the directory tree, to the first subdirectory's header line | |
790 | (@code{dired-tree-down}). | |
791 | ||
792 | @findex dired-prev-dirline | |
793 | @kindex < @r{(Dired)} | |
794 | @item < | |
795 | Move up to the previous directory-file line (@code{dired-prev-dirline}). | |
796 | These lines are the ones that describe a directory as a file in its | |
797 | parent directory. | |
798 | ||
799 | @findex dired-next-dirline | |
800 | @kindex > @r{(Dired)} | |
801 | @item > | |
802 | Move down to the next directory-file line (@code{dired-prev-dirline}). | |
803 | @end table | |
804 | ||
805 | @node Hiding Subdirectories | |
806 | @section Hiding Subdirectories | |
807 | ||
808 | @cindex hiding in Dired (Dired) | |
809 | @dfn{Hiding} a subdirectory means to make it invisible, except for its | |
810 | header line, via selective display (@pxref{Selective Display}). | |
811 | ||
812 | @table @kbd | |
813 | @item $ | |
814 | @findex dired-hide-subdir | |
815 | @kindex $ @r{(Dired)} | |
816 | Hide or reveal the subdirectory that point is in, and move point to the | |
817 | next subdirectory (@code{dired-hide-subdir}). A numeric argument serves | |
818 | as a repeat count. | |
819 | ||
820 | @item M-$ | |
821 | @findex dired-hide-all | |
822 | @kindex M-$ @r{(Dired)} | |
823 | Hide all subdirectories in this Dired buffer, leaving only their header | |
824 | lines (@code{dired-hide-all}). Or, if any subdirectory is currently | |
825 | hidden, make all subdirectories visible again. You can use this command | |
826 | to get an overview in very deep directory trees or to move quickly to | |
827 | subdirectories far away. | |
828 | @end table | |
829 | ||
830 | Ordinary Dired commands never consider files inside a hidden | |
831 | subdirectory. For example, the commands to operate on marked files | |
832 | ignore files in hidden directories even if they are marked. Thus you | |
833 | can use hiding to temporarily exclude subdirectories from operations | |
834 | without having to remove the markers. | |
835 | ||
836 | The subdirectory hiding commands toggle; that is, they hide what was | |
837 | visible, and show what was hidden. | |
838 | ||
839 | @node Dired Updating | |
840 | @section Updating the Dired Buffer | |
841 | ||
842 | This section describes commands to update the Dired buffer to reflect | |
843 | outside (non-Dired) changes in the directories and files, and to delete | |
844 | part of the Dired buffer. | |
845 | ||
846 | @table @kbd | |
847 | @item g | |
848 | Update the entire contents of the Dired buffer (@code{revert-buffer}). | |
849 | ||
850 | @item l | |
851 | Update the specified files (@code{dired-do-redisplay}). | |
852 | ||
853 | @item k | |
854 | Delete the specified @emph{file lines}---not the files, just the lines | |
855 | (@code{dired-do-kill-lines}). | |
856 | ||
857 | @item s | |
858 | Toggle between alphabetical order and date/time order | |
859 | (@code{dired-sort-toggle-or-edit}). | |
860 | ||
861 | @item C-u s @var{switches} @key{RET} | |
862 | Refresh the Dired buffer using @var{switches} as | |
863 | @code{dired-listing-switches}. | |
864 | @end table | |
865 | ||
866 | @kindex g @r{(Dired)} | |
867 | @findex revert-buffer @r{(Dired)} | |
868 | Type @kbd{g} (@code{revert-buffer}) to update the contents of the | |
869 | Dired buffer, based on changes in the files and directories listed. | |
870 | This preserves all marks except for those on files that have vanished. | |
871 | Hidden subdirectories are updated but remain hidden. | |
872 | ||
873 | @kindex l @r{(Dired)} | |
874 | @findex dired-do-redisplay | |
875 | To update only some of the files, type @kbd{l} | |
876 | (@code{dired-do-redisplay}). This command applies to the next @var{n} | |
877 | files, or to the marked files if any, or to the current file. Updating | |
878 | them means reading their current status from the file system and | |
879 | changing the buffer to reflect it properly. | |
880 | ||
881 | If you use @kbd{l} on a subdirectory header line, it updates the | |
882 | contents of the corresponding subdirectory. | |
883 | ||
884 | @kindex k @r{(Dired)} | |
885 | @findex dired-do-kill-lines | |
886 | To delete the specified @emph{file lines}---not the files, just the | |
887 | lines---type @kbd{k} (@code{dired-do-kill-lines}). With a numeric | |
888 | argument @var{n}, this command applies to the next @var{n} files; | |
889 | otherwise, it applies to the marked files. | |
890 | ||
891 | If you kill the line for a file that is a directory, the directory's | |
892 | contents are also deleted from the buffer. Typing @kbd{C-u k} on the | |
893 | header line for a subdirectory is another way to delete a subdirectory | |
894 | from the Dired buffer. | |
895 | ||
896 | The @kbd{g} command brings back any individual lines that you have | |
897 | killed in this way, but not subdirectories---you must use @kbd{i} to | |
898 | reinsert each subdirectory. | |
899 | ||
900 | @cindex Dired sorting | |
901 | @cindex sorting Dired buffer | |
902 | @kindex s @r{(Dired)} | |
903 | @findex dired-sort-toggle-or-edit | |
904 | The files in a Dired buffers are normally listed in alphabetical order | |
905 | by file names. Alternatively Dired can sort them by date/time. The | |
906 | Dired command @kbd{s} (@code{dired-sort-toggle-or-edit}) switches | |
907 | between these two sorting modes. The mode line in a Dired buffer | |
908 | indicates which way it is currently sorted---by name, or by date. | |
909 | ||
910 | @kbd{C-u s @var{switches} @key{RET}} lets you specify a new value for | |
911 | @code{dired-listing-switches}. | |
912 | ||
913 | @node Dired and Find | |
914 | @section Dired and @code{find} | |
915 | @cindex @code{find} and Dired | |
916 | ||
917 | You can select a set of files for display in a Dired buffer more | |
918 | flexibly by using the @code{find} utility to choose the files. | |
919 | ||
920 | @findex find-name-dired | |
921 | To search for files with names matching a wildcard pattern use | |
922 | @kbd{M-x find-name-dired}. It reads arguments @var{directory} and | |
923 | @var{pattern}, and chooses all the files in @var{directory} or its | |
924 | subdirectories whose individual names match @var{pattern}. | |
925 | ||
926 | The files thus chosen are displayed in a Dired buffer in which the | |
927 | ordinary Dired commands are available. | |
928 | ||
929 | @findex find-grep-dired | |
930 | If you want to test the contents of files, rather than their names, | |
931 | use @kbd{M-x find-grep-dired}. This command reads two minibuffer | |
932 | arguments, @var{directory} and @var{regexp}; it chooses all the files in | |
933 | @var{directory} or its subdirectories that contain a match for | |
934 | @var{regexp}. It works by running the programs @code{find} and | |
935 | @code{grep}. See also @kbd{M-x grep-find}, in @ref{Compilation}. | |
936 | Remember to write the regular expression for @code{grep}, not for Emacs. | |
937 | ||
938 | @findex find-dired | |
939 | The most general command in this series is @kbd{M-x find-dired}, which | |
940 | lets you specify any condition that @code{find} can test. It takes two | |
941 | minibuffer arguments, @var{directory} and @var{find-args}; it runs | |
942 | @code{find} in @var{directory}, passing @var{find-args} to tell | |
943 | @code{find} what condition to test. To use this command, you need to | |
944 | know how to use @code{find}. | |
945 | ||
946 | @vindex find-ls-option | |
947 | The format of listing produced by these commands is controlled by the | |
948 | variable @code{find-ls-option}, whose default value specifies using | |
949 | options @samp{-ld} for @code{ls}. If your listings are corrupted, you | |
950 | may need to change the value of this variable. |