@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999
-@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004,
+@c 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
@setfilename ../info/backups
@node Backups and Auto-Saving, Buffers, Files, Top
@end defvar
@defvar backup-directory-alist
-@tindex backup-directory-alist
This variable's value is an alist of filename patterns and backup
directory names. Each element looks like
@smallexample
@end defvar
@defvar make-backup-file-name-function
-@tindex make-backup-file-name-function
This variable's value is a function to use for making backups instead
of the default @code{make-backup-file-name}. A value of @code{nil}
-gives the default @code{make-backup-file-name} behaviour.
+gives the default @code{make-backup-file-name} behavior.
@xref{Backup Names,, Naming Backup Files}.
This could be buffer-local to do something special for specific
copying.
@end defopt
- The following two variables, when non-@code{nil}, cause the second
+ The following three variables, when non-@code{nil}, cause the second
method to be used in certain special cases. They have no effect on the
treatment of files that don't fall into the special cases.
@table @asis
@item @code{nil}
Make numbered backups if the visited file already has numbered backups;
-otherwise, do not.
+otherwise, do not. This is the default.
@item @code{never}
Do not make numbered backups.
@end group
@end example
-The standard definition of this function is as follows:
+Here is a simplified version of the standard definition of this
+function:
@example
@group
saves all buffers for which auto-saving is enabled and that have been
changed since the previous auto-save.
-Normally, if any buffers are auto-saved, a message that says
-@samp{Auto-saving...} is displayed in the echo area while auto-saving is
-going on. However, if @var{no-message} is non-@code{nil}, the message
-is inhibited.
+If any buffers are auto-saved, @code{do-auto-save} normally displays a
+message saying @samp{Auto-saving...} in the echo area while
+auto-saving is going on. However, if @var{no-message} is
+non-@code{nil}, the message is inhibited.
If @var{current-only} is non-@code{nil}, only the current buffer
is auto-saved.
@end defvar
@defvar auto-save-list-file-prefix
-@tindex auto-save-list-file-prefix
After Emacs reads your init file, it initializes
@code{auto-save-list-file-name} (if you have not already set it
non-@code{nil}) based on this prefix, adding the host name and process
Some major modes customize @code{revert-buffer} by making
buffer-local bindings for these variables:
-@anchor{Definition of revert-buffer-function}
@defvar revert-buffer-function
+@anchor{Definition of revert-buffer-function}
The value of this variable is the function to use to revert this
buffer. If non-@code{nil}, it should be a function with two optional
arguments to do the work of reverting. The two optional arguments,