-@cindex directory name abbreviation
- Directory name abbreviations are useful for directories that are
-normally accessed through symbolic links. Sometimes the users recognize
-primarily the link's name as ``the name'' of the directory, and find it
-annoying to see the directory's ``real'' name. If you define the link
-name as an abbreviation for the ``real'' name, Emacs shows users the
-abbreviation instead.
-
-@defopt directory-abbrev-alist
-The variable @code{directory-abbrev-alist} contains an alist of
-abbreviations to use for file directories. Each element has the form
-@code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, and says to replace @var{from} with
-@var{to} when it appears in a directory name. The @var{from} string is
-actually a regular expression; it should always start with @samp{\`}.
-The @var{to} string should be an ordinary absolute directory name. Do
-not use @samp{~} to stand for a home directory in that string. The
-function @code{abbreviate-file-name} performs these substitutions.
-
-You can set this variable in @file{site-init.el} to describe the
-abbreviations appropriate for your site.
-
-Here's an example, from a system on which file system @file{/home/fsf}
-and so on are normally accessed through symbolic links named @file{/fsf}
-and so on.
-
-@example
-(("\\`/home/fsf" . "/fsf")
- ("\\`/home/gp" . "/gp")
- ("\\`/home/gd" . "/gd"))
-@end example
-@end defopt
-