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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
739a80b3 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,2000,2001 |
6ca0edfe | 3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 | @node Dired, Calendar/Diary, Rmail, Top | |
6 | @chapter Dired, the Directory Editor | |
7 | @cindex Dired | |
a33b10b5 | 8 | @cindex file management |
6bf7aab6 DL |
9 | |
10 | Dired makes an Emacs buffer containing a listing of a directory, and | |
11 | optionally some of its subdirectories as well. You can use the normal | |
12 | Emacs commands to move around in this buffer, and special Dired commands | |
13 | to operate on the files listed. | |
14 | ||
c3149267 EZ |
15 | The Dired buffer is ``read-only,'' and inserting text in it is not |
16 | useful, so ordinary printing characters such as @kbd{d} and @kbd{x} are | |
17 | used for special Dired commands. Some Dired commands @dfn{mark} or | |
18 | @dfn{flag} the @dfn{current file} (that is, the file on the current | |
19 | line); other commands operate on the marked files or on the flagged | |
20 | files. | |
21 | ||
a8ef67ae | 22 | The Dired-X package provides various extra features for Dired mode. |
390a5b3c | 23 | @xref{Top, Dired-X,,dired-x, Dired Extra Version 2 User's Manual}. |
a8ef67ae | 24 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
25 | @menu |
26 | * Enter: Dired Enter. How to invoke Dired. | |
0ec1f115 | 27 | * Navigation: Dired Navigation. Special motion commands in the Dired buffer. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
28 | * Deletion: Dired Deletion. Deleting files with Dired. |
29 | * Flagging Many Files:: Flagging files based on their names. | |
30 | * Visit: Dired Visiting. Other file operations through Dired. | |
31 | * Marks vs Flags:: Flagging for deletion vs marking. | |
32 | * Operating on Files:: How to copy, rename, print, compress, etc. | |
33 | either one file or several files. | |
34 | * Shell Commands in Dired:: Running a shell command on the marked files. | |
35 | * Transforming File Names:: Using patterns to rename multiple files. | |
36 | * Comparison in Dired:: Running `diff' by way of Dired. | |
37 | * Subdirectories in Dired:: Adding subdirectories to the Dired buffer. | |
38 | * Subdirectory Motion:: Moving across subdirectories, and up and down. | |
39 | * Hiding Subdirectories:: Making subdirectories visible or invisible. | |
40 | * Updating: Dired Updating. Discarding lines for files of no interest. | |
41 | * Find: Dired and Find. Using `find' to choose the files for Dired. | |
42 | @end menu | |
43 | ||
44 | @node Dired Enter | |
45 | @section Entering Dired | |
46 | ||
47 | @findex dired | |
48 | @kindex C-x d | |
49 | @vindex dired-listing-switches | |
50 | To invoke Dired, do @kbd{C-x d} or @kbd{M-x dired}. The command reads | |
51 | a directory name or wildcard file name pattern as a minibuffer argument | |
52 | to specify which files to list. Where @code{dired} differs from | |
53 | @code{list-directory} is in putting the buffer into Dired mode so that | |
54 | the special commands of Dired are available. | |
55 | ||
56 | The variable @code{dired-listing-switches} specifies the options to | |
57 | give to @code{ls} for listing directory; this string @emph{must} contain | |
58 | @samp{-l}. If you use a numeric prefix argument with the @code{dired} | |
59 | command, you can specify the @code{ls} switches with the minibuffer | |
60 | before you enter the directory specification. | |
61 | ||
62 | @findex dired-other-window | |
63 | @kindex C-x 4 d | |
64 | @findex dired-other-frame | |
65 | @kindex C-x 5 d | |
66 | To display the Dired buffer in another window rather than in the | |
67 | selected window, use @kbd{C-x 4 d} (@code{dired-other-window}) instead | |
68 | of @kbd{C-x d}. @kbd{C-x 5 d} (@code{dired-other-frame}) uses a | |
69 | separate frame to display the Dired buffer. | |
70 | ||
c3149267 EZ |
71 | @node Dired Navigation |
72 | @section Navigation in the Dired Buffer | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
73 | |
74 | @kindex C-n @r{(Dired)} | |
75 | @kindex C-p @r{(Dired)} | |
76 | All the usual Emacs cursor motion commands are available in Dired | |
77 | buffers. Some special-purpose cursor motion commands are also | |
78 | provided. The keys @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} are redefined to put the | |
79 | cursor at the beginning of the file name on the line, rather than at the | |
80 | beginning of the line. | |
81 | ||
82 | @kindex SPC @r{(Dired)} | |
83 | For extra convenience, @key{SPC} and @kbd{n} in Dired are equivalent | |
84 | to @kbd{C-n}. @kbd{p} is equivalent to @kbd{C-p}. (Moving by lines is | |
85 | so common in Dired that it deserves to be easy to type.) @key{DEL} | |
86 | (move up and unflag) is often useful simply for moving up. | |
87 | ||
c3149267 EZ |
88 | Some additional navigation commands are available when the Dired |
89 | buffer includes several directories. @xref{Subdirectory Motion}. | |
90 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
91 | @node Dired Deletion |
92 | @section Deleting Files with Dired | |
93 | @cindex flagging files (in Dired) | |
94 | @cindex deleting files (in Dired) | |
95 | ||
0ec1f115 RS |
96 | One of the most frequent uses of Dired is to first @dfn{flag} files for |
97 | deletion, then delete the files that were flagged. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
98 | |
99 | @table @kbd | |
100 | @item d | |
101 | Flag this file for deletion. | |
102 | @item u | |
103 | Remove deletion flag on this line. | |
104 | @item @key{DEL} | |
105 | Move point to previous line and remove the deletion flag on that line. | |
106 | @item x | |
107 | Delete the files that are flagged for deletion. | |
108 | @end table | |
109 | ||
110 | @kindex d @r{(Dired)} | |
111 | @findex dired-flag-file-deletion | |
112 | You can flag a file for deletion by moving to the line describing the | |
113 | file and typing @kbd{d} (@code{dired-flag-file-deletion}). The deletion flag is visible as a @samp{D} at | |
114 | the beginning of the line. This command moves point to the next line, | |
115 | so that repeated @kbd{d} commands flag successive files. A numeric | |
116 | argument serves as a repeat count. | |
a8ef67ae | 117 | |
db1433e5 | 118 | @cindex recursive deletion |
4bce911c | 119 | @vindex dired-recursive-deletes |
a8ef67ae RS |
120 | The variable @code{dired-recursive-deletes} controls whether the |
121 | delete command will delete non-empty directories (including their | |
122 | contents). The default is to delete only empty directories. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
123 | |
124 | @kindex u @r{(Dired deletion)} | |
125 | @kindex DEL @r{(Dired)} | |
126 | The files are flagged for deletion rather than deleted immediately to | |
127 | reduce the danger of deleting a file accidentally. Until you direct | |
5942fb80 | 128 | Dired to delete the flagged files, you can remove deletion flags using |
6bf7aab6 DL |
129 | the commands @kbd{u} and @key{DEL}. @kbd{u} (@code{dired-unmark}) works |
130 | just like @kbd{d}, but removes flags rather than making flags. | |
131 | @key{DEL} (@code{dired-unmark-backward}) moves upward, removing flags; | |
132 | it is like @kbd{u} with argument @minus{}1. | |
133 | ||
134 | @kindex x @r{(Dired)} | |
5942fb80 | 135 | @findex dired-do-flagged-delete |
6bf7aab6 | 136 | @cindex expunging (Dired) |
5942fb80 RS |
137 | To delete the flagged files, type @kbd{x} (@code{dired-do-flagged-delete}). |
138 | (This is also known as @dfn{expunging}.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
139 | This command first displays a list of all the file names flagged for |
140 | deletion, and requests confirmation with @kbd{yes}. If you confirm, | |
141 | Dired deletes the flagged files, then deletes their lines from the text | |
142 | of the Dired buffer. The shortened Dired buffer remains selected. | |
143 | ||
144 | If you answer @kbd{no} or quit with @kbd{C-g} when asked to confirm, you | |
145 | return immediately to Dired, with the deletion flags still present in | |
146 | the buffer, and no files actually deleted. | |
147 | ||
148 | @node Flagging Many Files | |
149 | @section Flagging Many Files at Once | |
a33b10b5 | 150 | @cindex flagging many files for deletion (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
151 | |
152 | @table @kbd | |
153 | @item # | |
154 | Flag all auto-save files (files whose names start and end with @samp{#}) | |
155 | for deletion (@pxref{Auto Save}). | |
156 | ||
157 | @item ~ | |
158 | Flag all backup files (files whose names end with @samp{~}) for deletion | |
159 | (@pxref{Backup}). | |
160 | ||
161 | @item & | |
162 | Flag for deletion all files with certain kinds of names, names that | |
163 | suggest you could easily create the files again. | |
164 | ||
165 | @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
166 | Flag excess numeric backup files for deletion. The oldest and newest | |
167 | few backup files of any one file are exempt; the middle ones are | |
168 | flagged. | |
169 | ||
170 | @item % d @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
171 | Flag for deletion all files whose names match the regular expression | |
172 | @var{regexp}. | |
173 | @end table | |
174 | ||
175 | The @kbd{#}, @kbd{~}, @kbd{&}, and @kbd{.} commands flag many files for | |
176 | deletion, based on their file names. These commands are useful | |
177 | precisely because they do not themselves delete any files; you can | |
178 | remove the deletion flags from any flagged files that you really wish to | |
179 | keep.@refill | |
180 | ||
181 | @kindex & @r{(Dired)} | |
182 | @findex dired-flag-garbage-files | |
183 | @vindex dired-garbage-files-regexp | |
a33b10b5 | 184 | @cindex deleting some backup files |
6bf7aab6 DL |
185 | @kbd{&} (@code{dired-flag-garbage-files}) flags files whose names |
186 | match the regular expression specified by the variable | |
187 | @code{dired-garbage-files-regexp}. By default, this matches certain | |
5942fb80 RS |
188 | files produced by @TeX{}, @samp{.bak} files, and the @samp{.orig} and |
189 | @samp{.rej} files produced by @code{patch}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
190 | |
191 | @kindex # @r{(Dired)} | |
6bf7aab6 | 192 | @findex dired-flag-auto-save-files |
a33b10b5 | 193 | @cindex deleting auto-save files |
6bf7aab6 DL |
194 | @kbd{#} (@code{dired-flag-auto-save-files}) flags for deletion all |
195 | files whose names look like auto-save files (@pxref{Auto Save})---that | |
3a2aa1dc EZ |
196 | is, files whose names begin and end with @samp{#}. |
197 | ||
198 | @kindex ~ @r{(Dired)} | |
199 | @findex dired-flag-backup-files | |
200 | @kbd{~} (@code{dired-flag-backup-files}) flags for deletion all files | |
0ec1f115 RS |
201 | whose names say they are backup files (@pxref{Backup})---that is, files |
202 | whose names end in @samp{~}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
203 | |
204 | @kindex . @r{(Dired)} | |
205 | @vindex dired-kept-versions | |
206 | @findex dired-clean-directory | |
207 | @kbd{.} (period, @code{dired-clean-directory}) flags just some of the | |
208 | backup files for deletion: all but the oldest few and newest few backups | |
209 | of any one file. Normally @code{dired-kept-versions} (@strong{not} | |
210 | @code{kept-new-versions}; that applies only when saving) specifies the | |
211 | number of newest versions of each file to keep, and | |
212 | @code{kept-old-versions} specifies the number of oldest versions to | |
213 | keep. | |
214 | ||
215 | Period with a positive numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u 3 .}, | |
216 | specifies the number of newest versions to keep, overriding | |
217 | @code{dired-kept-versions}. A negative numeric argument overrides | |
218 | @code{kept-old-versions}, using minus the value of the argument to | |
219 | specify the number of oldest versions of each file to keep. | |
220 | ||
221 | @findex dired-flag-files-regexp | |
222 | @kindex % d @r{(Dired)} | |
223 | The @kbd{% d} command flags all files whose names match a specified | |
224 | regular expression (@code{dired-flag-files-regexp}). Only the | |
225 | non-directory part of the file name is used in matching. You can use | |
226 | @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor matches. You can exclude subdirectories | |
227 | by hiding them (@pxref{Hiding Subdirectories}). | |
228 | ||
229 | @node Dired Visiting | |
230 | @section Visiting Files in Dired | |
231 | ||
232 | There are several Dired commands for visiting or examining the files | |
233 | listed in the Dired buffer. All of them apply to the current line's | |
234 | file; if that file is really a directory, these commands invoke Dired on | |
235 | that subdirectory (making a separate Dired buffer). | |
236 | ||
237 | @table @kbd | |
238 | @item f | |
239 | @kindex f @r{(Dired)} | |
240 | @findex dired-find-file | |
241 | Visit the file described on the current line, like typing @kbd{C-x C-f} | |
242 | and supplying that file name (@code{dired-find-file}). @xref{Visiting}. | |
243 | ||
244 | @item @key{RET} | |
c3149267 | 245 | @itemx e |
6bf7aab6 | 246 | @kindex RET @r{(Dired)} |
c3149267 | 247 | @kindex e @r{(Dired)} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
248 | Equivalent to @kbd{f}. |
249 | ||
f8a12fe7 GM |
250 | @item a |
251 | @kindex a @r{(Dired)} | |
252 | @findex dired-find-alternate-file | |
253 | Like @kbd{f}, but replaces the contents of the Dired buffer with | |
38458147 | 254 | that of an alternate file or directory (@code{dired-find-alternate-file}). |
f8a12fe7 | 255 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
256 | @item o |
257 | @kindex o @r{(Dired)} | |
258 | @findex dired-find-file-other-window | |
259 | Like @kbd{f}, but uses another window to display the file's buffer | |
260 | (@code{dired-find-file-other-window}). The Dired buffer remains visible | |
261 | in the first window. This is like using @kbd{C-x 4 C-f} to visit the | |
262 | file. @xref{Windows}. | |
263 | ||
264 | @item C-o | |
265 | @kindex C-o @r{(Dired)} | |
266 | @findex dired-display-file | |
267 | Visit the file described on the current line, and display the buffer in | |
268 | another window, but do not select that window (@code{dired-display-file}). | |
269 | ||
270 | @item Mouse-2 | |
271 | @findex dired-mouse-find-file-other-window | |
272 | Visit the file named by the line you click on | |
273 | (@code{dired-mouse-find-file-other-window}). This uses another window | |
274 | to display the file, like the @kbd{o} command. | |
275 | ||
276 | @item v | |
277 | @kindex v @r{(Dired)} | |
278 | @findex dired-view-file | |
eb18d007 RS |
279 | View the file described on the current line, using either an external |
280 | viewing program or @kbd{M-x view-file} (@code{dired-view-file}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 281 | |
eb18d007 RS |
282 | @vindex dired-view-command-alist |
283 | External viewers are used for certain file types under the control of | |
284 | @code{dired-view-command-alist}. Viewing a file with @code{view-file} | |
285 | is like visiting it, but is slanted toward moving around in the file | |
286 | conveniently and does not allow changing the file. @xref{Misc File | |
287 | Ops,View File, Miscellaneous File Operations}. | |
c3149267 EZ |
288 | |
289 | @item ^ | |
290 | @kindex ^ @r{(Dired)} | |
291 | @findex dired-up-directory | |
292 | Visit the parent directory of the current directory | |
293 | (@code{dired-up-directory}). This is more convenient than moving to | |
294 | the parent directory's line and typing @kbd{f} there. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
295 | @end table |
296 | ||
297 | @node Marks vs Flags | |
298 | @section Dired Marks vs. Flags | |
299 | ||
a33b10b5 | 300 | @cindex marking many files (in Dired) |
5942fb80 RS |
301 | Instead of flagging a file with @samp{D}, you can @dfn{mark} the |
302 | file with some other character (usually @samp{*}). Most Dired | |
303 | commands to operate on files use the files marked with @samp{*}, the | |
304 | exception being @kbd{x} which deletes the flagged files. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
305 | |
306 | Here are some commands for marking with @samp{*}, or for unmarking or | |
307 | operating on marks. (@xref{Dired Deletion}, for commands to flag and | |
308 | unflag files.) | |
309 | ||
310 | @table @kbd | |
311 | @item m | |
312 | @itemx * m | |
313 | @kindex m @r{(Dired)} | |
314 | @kindex * m @r{(Dired)} | |
315 | @findex dired-mark | |
316 | Mark the current file with @samp{*} (@code{dired-mark}). With a numeric | |
317 | argument @var{n}, mark the next @var{n} files starting with the current | |
318 | file. (If @var{n} is negative, mark the previous @minus{}@var{n} | |
319 | files.) | |
320 | ||
321 | @item * * | |
322 | @kindex * * @r{(Dired)} | |
323 | @findex dired-mark-executables | |
a33b10b5 | 324 | @cindex marking executable files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
325 | Mark all executable files with @samp{*} |
326 | (@code{dired-mark-executables}). With a numeric argument, unmark all | |
327 | those files. | |
328 | ||
329 | @item * @@ | |
330 | @kindex * @@ @r{(Dired)} | |
331 | @findex dired-mark-symlinks | |
a33b10b5 | 332 | @cindex marking symlinks (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
333 | Mark all symbolic links with @samp{*} (@code{dired-mark-symlinks}). |
334 | With a numeric argument, unmark all those files. | |
335 | ||
336 | @item * / | |
337 | @kindex * / @r{(Dired)} | |
338 | @findex dired-mark-directories | |
a33b10b5 | 339 | @cindex marking subdirectories (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
340 | Mark with @samp{*} all files which are actually directories, except for |
341 | @file{.} and @file{..} (@code{dired-mark-directories}). With a numeric | |
342 | argument, unmark all those files. | |
343 | ||
344 | @item * s | |
345 | @kindex * s @r{(Dired)} | |
346 | @findex dired-mark-subdir-files | |
347 | Mark all the files in the current subdirectory, aside from @file{.} | |
348 | and @file{..} (@code{dired-mark-subdir-files}). | |
349 | ||
350 | @item u | |
351 | @itemx * u | |
352 | @kindex u @r{(Dired)} | |
353 | @kindex * u @r{(Dired)} | |
354 | @findex dired-unmark | |
355 | Remove any mark on this line (@code{dired-unmark}). | |
356 | ||
357 | @item @key{DEL} | |
358 | @itemx * @key{DEL} | |
359 | @kindex * DEL @r{(Dired)} | |
360 | @findex dired-unmark-backward | |
a33b10b5 | 361 | @cindex unmarking files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
362 | Move point to previous line and remove any mark on that line |
363 | (@code{dired-unmark-backward}). | |
364 | ||
365 | @item * ! | |
366 | @kindex * ! @r{(Dired)} | |
5942fb80 | 367 | @findex dired-unmark-all-marks |
6bf7aab6 | 368 | Remove all marks from all the files in this Dired buffer |
5942fb80 | 369 | (@code{dired-unmark-all-marks}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
370 | |
371 | @item * ? @var{markchar} | |
372 | @kindex * ? @r{(Dired)} | |
373 | @findex dired-unmark-all-files | |
374 | Remove all marks that use the character @var{markchar} | |
375 | (@code{dired-unmark-all-files}). The argument is a single | |
38458147 | 376 | character---do not use @key{RET} to terminate it. See the description |
91dc757e RS |
377 | of the @kbd{* c} command below, which lets you replace one mark |
378 | character with another. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
379 | |
380 | With a numeric argument, this command queries about each marked file, | |
381 | asking whether to remove its mark. You can answer @kbd{y} meaning yes, | |
382 | @kbd{n} meaning no, or @kbd{!} to remove the marks from the remaining | |
383 | files without asking about them. | |
384 | ||
385 | @item * C-n | |
386 | @findex dired-next-marked-file | |
387 | @kindex * C-n @r{(Dired)} | |
388 | Move down to the next marked file (@code{dired-next-marked-file}) | |
389 | A file is ``marked'' if it has any kind of mark. | |
390 | ||
391 | @item * C-p | |
392 | @findex dired-prev-marked-file | |
393 | @kindex * C-p @r{(Dired)} | |
394 | Move up to the previous marked file (@code{dired-prev-marked-file}) | |
395 | ||
396 | @item * t | |
397 | @kindex * t @r{(Dired)} | |
db6b2ec6 | 398 | @findex dired-toggle-marks |
a33b10b5 | 399 | @cindex toggling marks (in Dired) |
db6b2ec6 | 400 | Toggle all marks (@code{dired-toggle-marks}): files marked with @samp{*} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
401 | become unmarked, and unmarked files are marked with @samp{*}. Files |
402 | marked in any other way are not affected. | |
403 | ||
38458147 | 404 | @item * c @var{old-markchar} @var{new-markchar} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
405 | @kindex * c @r{(Dired)} |
406 | @findex dired-change-marks | |
38458147 EZ |
407 | Replace all marks that use the character @var{old-markchar} with marks |
408 | that use the character @var{new-markchar} (@code{dired-change-marks}). | |
409 | This command is the primary way to create or use marks other than | |
410 | @samp{*} or @samp{D}. The arguments are single characters---do not use | |
411 | @key{RET} to terminate them. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
412 | |
413 | You can use almost any character as a mark character by means of this | |
38458147 EZ |
414 | command, to distinguish various classes of files. If @var{old-markchar} |
415 | is a space (@samp{ }), then the command operates on all unmarked files; | |
416 | if @var{new-markchar} is a space, then the command unmarks the files it | |
417 | acts on. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
418 | |
419 | To illustrate the power of this command, here is how to put @samp{D} | |
420 | flags on all the files that have no marks, while unflagging all those | |
421 | that already have @samp{D} flags: | |
422 | ||
423 | @example | |
424 | * c D t * c SPC D * c t SPC | |
425 | @end example | |
426 | ||
91dc757e | 427 | This assumes that no files were already marked with @samp{t}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
428 | |
429 | @item % m @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
430 | @itemx * % @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
431 | @findex dired-mark-files-regexp | |
432 | @kindex % m @r{(Dired)} | |
433 | @kindex * % @r{(Dired)} | |
434 | Mark (with @samp{*}) all files whose names match the regular expression | |
435 | @var{regexp} (@code{dired-mark-files-regexp}). This command is like | |
436 | @kbd{% d}, except that it marks files with @samp{*} instead of flagging | |
437 | with @samp{D}. @xref{Flagging Many Files}. | |
438 | ||
439 | Only the non-directory part of the file name is used in matching. Use | |
440 | @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor matches. Exclude subdirectories by | |
441 | hiding them (@pxref{Hiding Subdirectories}). | |
442 | ||
443 | @item % g @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
444 | @findex dired-mark-files-containing-regexp | |
a33b10b5 EZ |
445 | @kindex % g @r{(Dired)} |
446 | @cindex finding files containing regexp matches (in Dired) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
447 | Mark (with @samp{*}) all files whose @emph{contents} contain a match for |
448 | the regular expression @var{regexp} | |
449 | (@code{dired-mark-files-containing-regexp}). This command is like | |
450 | @kbd{% m}, except that it searches the file contents instead of the file | |
451 | name. | |
452 | ||
453 | @item C-_ | |
454 | @kindex C-_ @r{(Dired)} | |
455 | @findex dired-undo | |
456 | Undo changes in the Dired buffer, such as adding or removing | |
4691d21e | 457 | marks (@code{dired-undo}). @emph{This command does not revert the |
3a2aa1dc | 458 | actual file operations, nor recover lost files!} It just undoes |
4691d21e EZ |
459 | changes in the buffer itself. For example, if used after renaming one |
460 | or more files, @code{dired-undo} restores the original names, which | |
461 | will get the Dired buffer out of sync with the actual contents of the | |
462 | directory. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
463 | @end table |
464 | ||
465 | @node Operating on Files | |
466 | @section Operating on Files | |
467 | @cindex operating on files in Dired | |
468 | ||
469 | This section describes the basic Dired commands to operate on one file | |
470 | or several files. All of these commands are capital letters; all of | |
471 | them use the minibuffer, either to read an argument or to ask for | |
472 | confirmation, before they act. All of them give you several ways to | |
473 | specify which files to manipulate: | |
474 | ||
475 | @itemize @bullet | |
476 | @item | |
477 | If you give the command a numeric prefix argument @var{n}, it operates | |
478 | on the next @var{n} files, starting with the current file. (If @var{n} | |
479 | is negative, the command operates on the @minus{}@var{n} files preceding | |
480 | the current line.) | |
481 | ||
482 | @item | |
483 | Otherwise, if some files are marked with @samp{*}, the command operates | |
484 | on all those files. | |
485 | ||
486 | @item | |
487 | Otherwise, the command operates on the current file only. | |
488 | @end itemize | |
489 | ||
b792ae36 EZ |
490 | @vindex dired-dwim-target |
491 | @cindex two directories (in Dired) | |
492 | Commands which ask for a destination directory, such as those which | |
493 | copy and rename files or create links for them, try to guess the default | |
494 | target directory for the operation. Normally, they suggest the Dired | |
495 | buffer's default directory, but if the variable @code{dired-dwim-target} | |
496 | is non-@code{nil}, and if there is another Dired buffer displayed in the | |
497 | next window, that other buffer's directory is suggested instead. | |
498 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
499 | Here are the file-manipulating commands that operate on files in this |
500 | way. (Some other Dired commands, such as @kbd{!} and the @samp{%} | |
501 | commands, also use these conventions to decide which files to work on.) | |
502 | ||
503 | @table @kbd | |
504 | @findex dired-do-copy | |
505 | @kindex C @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 506 | @cindex copying files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
507 | @item C @var{new} @key{RET} |
508 | Copy the specified files (@code{dired-do-copy}). The argument @var{new} | |
509 | is the directory to copy into, or (if copying a single file) the new | |
510 | name. | |
511 | ||
512 | @vindex dired-copy-preserve-time | |
513 | If @code{dired-copy-preserve-time} is non-@code{nil}, then copying with | |
514 | this command sets the modification time of the new file to be the same | |
515 | as that of the old file. | |
516 | ||
a8ef67ae | 517 | @vindex dired-recursive-copies |
db1433e5 | 518 | @cindex recursive copying |
a8ef67ae RS |
519 | The variable @code{dired-recursive-copies} controls whether |
520 | directories are copied recursively. The default is to not copy | |
521 | recursively, which means that directories cannot be copied. | |
522 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
523 | @item D |
524 | @findex dired-do-delete | |
525 | @kindex D @r{(Dired)} | |
526 | Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). Like the other | |
527 | commands in this section, this command operates on the @emph{marked} | |
528 | files, or the next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x} | |
5942fb80 | 529 | (@code{dired-do-flagged-delete}) deletes all @dfn{flagged} files. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
530 | |
531 | @findex dired-do-rename | |
532 | @kindex R @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 533 | @cindex renaming files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
534 | @item R @var{new} @key{RET} |
535 | Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). The argument | |
536 | @var{new} is the directory to rename into, or (if renaming a single | |
537 | file) the new name. | |
538 | ||
539 | Dired automatically changes the visited file name of buffers associated | |
540 | with renamed files so that they refer to the new names. | |
541 | ||
542 | @findex dired-do-hardlink | |
543 | @kindex H @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 544 | @cindex hard links (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
545 | @item H @var{new} @key{RET} |
546 | Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}). The | |
547 | argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making | |
548 | just one link) the name to give the link. | |
549 | ||
550 | @findex dired-do-symlink | |
551 | @kindex S @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 552 | @cindex symlinks (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
553 | @item S @var{new} @key{RET} |
554 | Make symbolic links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-symlink}). | |
555 | The argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if | |
556 | making just one link) the name to give the link. | |
557 | ||
558 | @findex dired-do-chmod | |
559 | @kindex M @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 560 | @cindex changing file permissions (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
561 | @item M @var{modespec} @key{RET} |
562 | Change the mode (also called ``permission bits'') of the specified files | |
563 | (@code{dired-do-chmod}). This uses the @code{chmod} program, so | |
564 | @var{modespec} can be any argument that @code{chmod} can handle. | |
565 | ||
566 | @findex dired-do-chgrp | |
567 | @kindex G @r{(Dired)} | |
4946337d | 568 | @cindex changing file group (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
569 | @item G @var{newgroup} @key{RET} |
570 | Change the group of the specified files to @var{newgroup} | |
571 | (@code{dired-do-chgrp}). | |
572 | ||
573 | @findex dired-do-chown | |
574 | @kindex O @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 575 | @cindex changing file owner (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
576 | @item O @var{newowner} @key{RET} |
577 | Change the owner of the specified files to @var{newowner} | |
578 | (@code{dired-do-chown}). (On most systems, only the superuser can do | |
579 | this.) | |
580 | ||
581 | @vindex dired-chown-program | |
582 | The variable @code{dired-chown-program} specifies the name of the | |
583 | program to use to do the work (different systems put @code{chown} in | |
584 | different places). | |
585 | ||
586 | @findex dired-do-print | |
587 | @kindex P @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 588 | @cindex printing files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
589 | @item P @var{command} @key{RET} |
590 | Print the specified files (@code{dired-do-print}). You must specify the | |
591 | command to print them with, but the minibuffer starts out with a | |
592 | suitable guess made using the variables @code{lpr-command} and | |
593 | @code{lpr-switches} (the same variables that @code{lpr-buffer} uses; | |
594 | @pxref{Hardcopy}). | |
595 | ||
596 | @findex dired-do-compress | |
597 | @kindex Z @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 598 | @cindex compressing files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
599 | @item Z |
600 | Compress the specified files (@code{dired-do-compress}). If the file | |
601 | appears to be a compressed file already, it is uncompressed instead. | |
602 | ||
603 | @findex dired-do-load | |
604 | @kindex L @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 605 | @cindex loading several files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
606 | @item L |
607 | Load the specified Emacs Lisp files (@code{dired-do-load}). | |
608 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. | |
609 | ||
610 | @findex dired-do-byte-compile | |
611 | @kindex B @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 612 | @cindex byte-compiling several files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
613 | @item B |
614 | Byte compile the specified Emacs Lisp files | |
615 | (@code{dired-do-byte-compile}). @xref{Byte Compilation,, Byte | |
616 | Compilation, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
617 | ||
618 | @kindex A @r{(Dired)} | |
619 | @findex dired-do-search | |
a33b10b5 | 620 | @cindex search multiple files (in Dired) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
621 | @item A @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
622 | Search all the specified files for the regular expression @var{regexp} | |
623 | (@code{dired-do-search}). | |
624 | ||
625 | This command is a variant of @code{tags-search}. The search stops at | |
626 | the first match it finds; use @kbd{M-,} to resume the search and find | |
627 | the next match. @xref{Tags Search}. | |
628 | ||
629 | @kindex Q @r{(Dired)} | |
5942fb80 | 630 | @findex dired-do-query-replace-regexp |
a33b10b5 | 631 | @cindex search and replace in multiple files (in Dired) |
5942fb80 | 632 | @item Q @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} |
6bf7aab6 | 633 | Perform @code{query-replace-regexp} on each of the specified files, |
5942fb80 RS |
634 | replacing matches for @var{regexp} with the string |
635 | @var{to} (@code{dired-do-query-replace-regexp}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
636 | |
637 | This command is a variant of @code{tags-query-replace}. If you exit the | |
638 | query replace loop, you can use @kbd{M-,} to resume the scan and replace | |
639 | more matches. @xref{Tags Search}. | |
640 | @end table | |
641 | ||
642 | @kindex + @r{(Dired)} | |
643 | @findex dired-create-directory | |
644 | One special file-operation command is @kbd{+} | |
645 | (@code{dired-create-directory}). This command reads a directory name and | |
646 | creates the directory if it does not already exist. | |
647 | ||
648 | @node Shell Commands in Dired | |
649 | @section Shell Commands in Dired | |
650 | @cindex shell commands, Dired | |
651 | ||
652 | @findex dired-do-shell-command | |
653 | @kindex ! @r{(Dired)} | |
38458147 EZ |
654 | @kindex X @r{(Dired)} |
655 | The Dired command @kbd{!} (@code{dired-do-shell-command}) reads a shell | |
6bf7aab6 | 656 | command string in the minibuffer and runs that shell command on all the |
38458147 EZ |
657 | specified files. @kbd{X} is a synonym for @kbd{!}. You can specify the |
658 | files to operate on in the usual ways for Dired commands | |
659 | (@pxref{Operating on Files}). There are two ways of applying a shell | |
660 | command to multiple files: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
661 | |
662 | @itemize @bullet | |
663 | @item | |
eb18d007 RS |
664 | If you use @samp{*} surrounded by whitespace in the shell command, |
665 | then the command runs just once, with the list of file names | |
666 | substituted for the @samp{*}. The order of file names is the order of | |
667 | appearance in the Dired buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
668 | |
669 | Thus, @kbd{! tar cf foo.tar * @key{RET}} runs @code{tar} on the entire | |
670 | list of file names, putting them into one tar file @file{foo.tar}. | |
671 | ||
eb18d007 RS |
672 | If you want to use @samp{*} as a shell wildcard with whitespace around |
673 | it, write @samp{*""}. In the shell, this is equivalent to @samp{*}; | |
674 | but since the @samp{*} is not surrounded by whitespace, Dired does | |
675 | not treat it specially. | |
676 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 677 | @item |
eb18d007 RS |
678 | If the command string doesn't contain @samp{*} surrounded by |
679 | whitespace, then it runs once @emph{for each file}. Normally the file | |
680 | name is added at the end. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
681 | |
682 | For example, @kbd{! uudecode @key{RET}} runs @code{uudecode} on each | |
683 | file. | |
6bf7aab6 | 684 | |
eb18d007 RS |
685 | @item |
686 | If the command string contains @samp{?} surrounded by whitespace, the | |
687 | current file name is substituted for @samp{?}. You can use @samp{?} | |
688 | this way more than once in the command, and each occurrence is | |
689 | replaced. For instance, here is how to uuencode each file, making the | |
690 | output file name by appending @samp{.uu} to the input file name: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
691 | |
692 | @example | |
a8ef67ae | 693 | uuencode ? ? > ?.uu |
6bf7aab6 | 694 | @end example |
eb18d007 | 695 | @end itemize |
6bf7aab6 | 696 | |
eb18d007 RS |
697 | To iterate over the file names in a more complicated fashion, use an |
698 | explicit shell loop. For example, this shell command is another way | |
699 | to uuencode each file: | |
a8ef67ae RS |
700 | |
701 | @example | |
eb18d007 | 702 | for file in * ; do uuencode "$file" "$file" >"$file".uu; done |
a8ef67ae | 703 | @end example |
4bce911c | 704 | |
eb18d007 RS |
705 | @noindent |
706 | This simple example doesn't require a shell loop (you can do it | |
707 | with @samp{?}, but it illustrates the technique. | |
708 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
709 | The working directory for the shell command is the top-level directory |
710 | of the Dired buffer. | |
711 | ||
712 | The @kbd{!} command does not attempt to update the Dired buffer to show | |
713 | new or modified files, because it doesn't really understand shell | |
714 | commands, and does not know what files the shell command changed. Use | |
715 | the @kbd{g} command to update the Dired buffer (@pxref{Dired | |
716 | Updating}). | |
717 | ||
718 | @node Transforming File Names | |
719 | @section Transforming File Names in Dired | |
720 | ||
4691d21e EZ |
721 | This section describes Dired commands which alter file names in a |
722 | systematic way. | |
723 | ||
724 | Like the basic Dired file-manipulation commands (@pxref{Operating on | |
725 | Files}), the commands described here operate either on the next | |
726 | @var{n} files, or on all files marked with @samp{*}, or on the current | |
727 | file. (To mark files, use the commands described in @ref{Marks vs | |
728 | Flags}.) | |
729 | ||
730 | All of the commands described in this section work | |
731 | @emph{interactively}: they ask you to confirm the operation for each | |
732 | candidate file. Thus, you can select more files than you actually | |
733 | need to operate on (e.g., with a regexp that matches many files), and | |
734 | then refine the selection by typing @kbd{y} or @kbd{n} when the | |
735 | command prompts for confirmation. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
736 | |
737 | @table @kbd | |
738 | @findex dired-upcase | |
739 | @kindex % u @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 740 | @cindex upcase file names |
6bf7aab6 DL |
741 | @item % u |
742 | Rename each of the selected files to an upper-case name | |
743 | (@code{dired-upcase}). If the old file names are @file{Foo} | |
744 | and @file{bar}, the new names are @file{FOO} and @file{BAR}. | |
745 | ||
746 | @item % l | |
747 | @findex dired-downcase | |
748 | @kindex % l @r{(Dired)} | |
a33b10b5 | 749 | @cindex downcase file names |
6bf7aab6 DL |
750 | Rename each of the selected files to a lower-case name |
751 | (@code{dired-downcase}). If the old file names are @file{Foo} and | |
752 | @file{bar}, the new names are @file{foo} and @file{bar}. | |
753 | ||
754 | @item % R @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
755 | @kindex % R @r{(Dired)} | |
756 | @findex dired-do-rename-regexp | |
757 | @itemx % C @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
758 | @kindex % C @r{(Dired)} | |
759 | @findex dired-do-copy-regexp | |
760 | @itemx % H @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
761 | @kindex % H @r{(Dired)} | |
762 | @findex dired-do-hardlink-regexp | |
763 | @itemx % S @var{from} @key{RET} @var{to} @key{RET} | |
764 | @kindex % S @r{(Dired)} | |
765 | @findex dired-do-symlink-regexp | |
766 | These four commands rename, copy, make hard links and make soft links, | |
767 | in each case computing the new name by regular-expression substitution | |
768 | from the name of the old file. | |
769 | @end table | |
770 | ||
771 | The four regular-expression substitution commands effectively perform | |
772 | a search-and-replace on the selected file names in the Dired buffer. | |
773 | They read two arguments: a regular expression @var{from}, and a | |
774 | substitution pattern @var{to}. | |
775 | ||
776 | The commands match each ``old'' file name against the regular | |
777 | expression @var{from}, and then replace the matching part with @var{to}. | |
778 | You can use @samp{\&} and @samp{\@var{digit}} in @var{to} to refer to | |
779 | all or part of what the pattern matched in the old file name, as in | |
780 | @code{replace-regexp} (@pxref{Regexp Replace}). If the regular expression | |
781 | matches more than once in a file name, only the first match is replaced. | |
782 | ||
783 | For example, @kbd{% R ^.*$ @key{RET} x-\& @key{RET}} renames each | |
784 | selected file by prepending @samp{x-} to its name. The inverse of this, | |
785 | removing @samp{x-} from the front of each file name, is also possible: | |
786 | one method is @kbd{% R ^x-\(.*\)$ @key{RET} \1 @key{RET}}; another is | |
787 | @kbd{% R ^x- @key{RET} @key{RET}}. (Use @samp{^} and @samp{$} to anchor | |
788 | matches that should span the whole filename.) | |
789 | ||
790 | Normally, the replacement process does not consider the files' | |
791 | directory names; it operates on the file name within the directory. If | |
792 | you specify a numeric argument of zero, then replacement affects the | |
4691d21e EZ |
793 | entire absolute file name including directory name. (Non-zero |
794 | argument specifies the number of files to operate on.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
795 | |
796 | Often you will want to select the set of files to operate on using the | |
797 | same @var{regexp} that you will use to operate on them. To do this, | |
798 | mark those files with @kbd{% m @var{regexp} @key{RET}}, then use the | |
799 | same regular expression in the command to operate on the files. To make | |
800 | this easier, the @kbd{%} commands to operate on files use the last | |
801 | regular expression specified in any @kbd{%} command as a default. | |
802 | ||
803 | @node Comparison in Dired | |
804 | @section File Comparison with Dired | |
a33b10b5 EZ |
805 | @cindex file comparison (in Dired) |
806 | @cindex compare files (in Dired) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
807 | |
808 | Here are two Dired commands that compare specified files using | |
809 | @code{diff}. | |
810 | ||
811 | @table @kbd | |
812 | @item = | |
813 | @findex dired-diff | |
814 | @kindex = @r{(Dired)} | |
815 | Compare the current file (the file at point) with another file (the file | |
816 | at the mark) using the @code{diff} program (@code{dired-diff}). The | |
817 | file at the mark is the first argument of @code{diff}, and the file at | |
7198b459 EZ |
818 | point is the second argument. Use @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} |
819 | (@code{set-mark-command}) to set the mark at the first file's line | |
820 | (@pxref{Setting Mark}), since @code{dired-diff} ignores the files marked | |
821 | with the Dired's @kbd{m} command. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
822 | |
823 | @findex dired-backup-diff | |
824 | @kindex M-= @r{(Dired)} | |
825 | @item M-= | |
826 | Compare the current file with its latest backup file | |
827 | (@code{dired-backup-diff}). If the current file is itself a backup, | |
828 | compare it with the file it is a backup of; this way, you can compare | |
829 | a file with any backup version of your choice. | |
830 | ||
831 | The backup file is the first file given to @code{diff}. | |
832 | @end table | |
833 | ||
834 | @node Subdirectories in Dired | |
835 | @section Subdirectories in Dired | |
836 | @cindex subdirectories in Dired | |
837 | @cindex expanding subdirectories in Dired | |
838 | ||
839 | A Dired buffer displays just one directory in the normal case; | |
840 | but you can optionally include its subdirectories as well. | |
841 | ||
842 | The simplest way to include multiple directories in one Dired buffer is | |
843 | to specify the options @samp{-lR} for running @code{ls}. (If you give a | |
844 | numeric argument when you run Dired, then you can specify these options | |
845 | in the minibuffer.) That produces a recursive directory listing showing | |
846 | all subdirectories at all levels. | |
847 | ||
848 | But usually all the subdirectories are too many; usually you will | |
849 | prefer to include specific subdirectories only. You can do this with | |
850 | the @kbd{i} command: | |
851 | ||
852 | @table @kbd | |
853 | @findex dired-maybe-insert-subdir | |
854 | @kindex i @r{(Dired)} | |
855 | @item i | |
856 | @cindex inserted subdirectory (Dired) | |
857 | @cindex in-situ subdirectory (Dired) | |
858 | Insert the contents of a subdirectory later in the buffer. | |
859 | @end table | |
860 | ||
861 | Use the @kbd{i} (@code{dired-maybe-insert-subdir}) command on a line | |
862 | that describes a file which is a directory. It inserts the contents of | |
863 | that directory into the same Dired buffer, and moves there. Inserted | |
864 | subdirectory contents follow the top-level directory of the Dired | |
865 | buffer, just as they do in @samp{ls -lR} output. | |
866 | ||
867 | If the subdirectory's contents are already present in the buffer, the | |
868 | @kbd{i} command just moves to it. | |
869 | ||
870 | In either case, @kbd{i} sets the Emacs mark before moving, so @kbd{C-u | |
871 | C-@key{SPC}} takes you back to the old position in the buffer (the line | |
872 | describing that subdirectory). | |
873 | ||
874 | Use the @kbd{l} command (@code{dired-do-redisplay}) to update the | |
38458147 EZ |
875 | subdirectory's contents. Use @kbd{C-u k} on the subdirectory header |
876 | line to delete the subdirectory. @xref{Dired Updating}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
877 | |
878 | @node Subdirectory Motion | |
879 | @section Moving Over Subdirectories | |
880 | ||
881 | When a Dired buffer lists subdirectories, you can use the page motion | |
5942fb80 RS |
882 | commands @kbd{C-x [} and @kbd{C-x ]} to move by entire directories |
883 | (@pxref{Pages}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
884 | |
885 | @cindex header line (Dired) | |
886 | @cindex directory header lines | |
887 | The following commands move across, up and down in the tree of | |
888 | directories within one Dired buffer. They move to @dfn{directory header | |
889 | lines}, which are the lines that give a directory's name, at the | |
890 | beginning of the directory's contents. | |
891 | ||
892 | @table @kbd | |
893 | @findex dired-next-subdir | |
894 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Dired)} | |
895 | @item C-M-n | |
896 | Go to next subdirectory header line, regardless of level | |
897 | (@code{dired-next-subdir}). | |
898 | ||
899 | @findex dired-prev-subdir | |
900 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Dired)} | |
901 | @item C-M-p | |
902 | Go to previous subdirectory header line, regardless of level | |
903 | (@code{dired-prev-subdir}). | |
904 | ||
905 | @findex dired-tree-up | |
906 | @kindex C-M-u @r{(Dired)} | |
907 | @item C-M-u | |
908 | Go up to the parent directory's header line (@code{dired-tree-up}). | |
909 | ||
910 | @findex dired-tree-down | |
911 | @kindex C-M-d @r{(Dired)} | |
912 | @item C-M-d | |
913 | Go down in the directory tree, to the first subdirectory's header line | |
914 | (@code{dired-tree-down}). | |
915 | ||
916 | @findex dired-prev-dirline | |
917 | @kindex < @r{(Dired)} | |
918 | @item < | |
919 | Move up to the previous directory-file line (@code{dired-prev-dirline}). | |
920 | These lines are the ones that describe a directory as a file in its | |
921 | parent directory. | |
922 | ||
923 | @findex dired-next-dirline | |
924 | @kindex > @r{(Dired)} | |
925 | @item > | |
926 | Move down to the next directory-file line (@code{dired-prev-dirline}). | |
927 | @end table | |
928 | ||
929 | @node Hiding Subdirectories | |
930 | @section Hiding Subdirectories | |
931 | ||
932 | @cindex hiding in Dired (Dired) | |
933 | @dfn{Hiding} a subdirectory means to make it invisible, except for its | |
934 | header line, via selective display (@pxref{Selective Display}). | |
935 | ||
936 | @table @kbd | |
937 | @item $ | |
938 | @findex dired-hide-subdir | |
939 | @kindex $ @r{(Dired)} | |
940 | Hide or reveal the subdirectory that point is in, and move point to the | |
941 | next subdirectory (@code{dired-hide-subdir}). A numeric argument serves | |
942 | as a repeat count. | |
943 | ||
944 | @item M-$ | |
945 | @findex dired-hide-all | |
946 | @kindex M-$ @r{(Dired)} | |
947 | Hide all subdirectories in this Dired buffer, leaving only their header | |
948 | lines (@code{dired-hide-all}). Or, if any subdirectory is currently | |
949 | hidden, make all subdirectories visible again. You can use this command | |
950 | to get an overview in very deep directory trees or to move quickly to | |
951 | subdirectories far away. | |
952 | @end table | |
953 | ||
954 | Ordinary Dired commands never consider files inside a hidden | |
955 | subdirectory. For example, the commands to operate on marked files | |
956 | ignore files in hidden directories even if they are marked. Thus you | |
957 | can use hiding to temporarily exclude subdirectories from operations | |
958 | without having to remove the markers. | |
959 | ||
960 | The subdirectory hiding commands toggle; that is, they hide what was | |
961 | visible, and show what was hidden. | |
962 | ||
963 | @node Dired Updating | |
964 | @section Updating the Dired Buffer | |
a33b10b5 EZ |
965 | @cindex updating Dired buffer |
966 | @cindex refreshing displayed files | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
967 | |
968 | This section describes commands to update the Dired buffer to reflect | |
969 | outside (non-Dired) changes in the directories and files, and to delete | |
970 | part of the Dired buffer. | |
971 | ||
972 | @table @kbd | |
973 | @item g | |
974 | Update the entire contents of the Dired buffer (@code{revert-buffer}). | |
975 | ||
976 | @item l | |
977 | Update the specified files (@code{dired-do-redisplay}). | |
978 | ||
979 | @item k | |
980 | Delete the specified @emph{file lines}---not the files, just the lines | |
981 | (@code{dired-do-kill-lines}). | |
982 | ||
983 | @item s | |
984 | Toggle between alphabetical order and date/time order | |
985 | (@code{dired-sort-toggle-or-edit}). | |
986 | ||
987 | @item C-u s @var{switches} @key{RET} | |
988 | Refresh the Dired buffer using @var{switches} as | |
989 | @code{dired-listing-switches}. | |
990 | @end table | |
991 | ||
992 | @kindex g @r{(Dired)} | |
993 | @findex revert-buffer @r{(Dired)} | |
994 | Type @kbd{g} (@code{revert-buffer}) to update the contents of the | |
995 | Dired buffer, based on changes in the files and directories listed. | |
996 | This preserves all marks except for those on files that have vanished. | |
997 | Hidden subdirectories are updated but remain hidden. | |
998 | ||
999 | @kindex l @r{(Dired)} | |
1000 | @findex dired-do-redisplay | |
1001 | To update only some of the files, type @kbd{l} | |
5942fb80 RS |
1002 | (@code{dired-do-redisplay}). Like the Dired file-operating commands, |
1003 | this command operates on the next @var{n} files (or previous | |
1004 | @minus{}@var{n} files), or on the marked files if any, or on the | |
1005 | current file. Updating the files means reading their current status, | |
1006 | then updating their lines in the buffer to indicate that status. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1007 | |
1008 | If you use @kbd{l} on a subdirectory header line, it updates the | |
1009 | contents of the corresponding subdirectory. | |
1010 | ||
1011 | @kindex k @r{(Dired)} | |
1012 | @findex dired-do-kill-lines | |
5942fb80 RS |
1013 | To delete the specified @emph{file lines} from the buffer---not |
1014 | delete the files---type @kbd{k} (@code{dired-do-kill-lines}). Like | |
1015 | the file-operating commands, this command operates on the next @var{n} | |
1016 | files, or on the marked files if any; but it does not operate on the | |
1017 | current file as a last resort. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1018 | |
1019 | If you kill the line for a file that is a directory, the directory's | |
1020 | contents are also deleted from the buffer. Typing @kbd{C-u k} on the | |
1021 | header line for a subdirectory is another way to delete a subdirectory | |
1022 | from the Dired buffer. | |
1023 | ||
1024 | The @kbd{g} command brings back any individual lines that you have | |
1025 | killed in this way, but not subdirectories---you must use @kbd{i} to | |
5942fb80 | 1026 | reinsert a subdirectory. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1027 | |
1028 | @cindex Dired sorting | |
1029 | @cindex sorting Dired buffer | |
1030 | @kindex s @r{(Dired)} | |
1031 | @findex dired-sort-toggle-or-edit | |
1032 | The files in a Dired buffers are normally listed in alphabetical order | |
1033 | by file names. Alternatively Dired can sort them by date/time. The | |
1034 | Dired command @kbd{s} (@code{dired-sort-toggle-or-edit}) switches | |
1035 | between these two sorting modes. The mode line in a Dired buffer | |
1036 | indicates which way it is currently sorted---by name, or by date. | |
1037 | ||
1038 | @kbd{C-u s @var{switches} @key{RET}} lets you specify a new value for | |
1039 | @code{dired-listing-switches}. | |
1040 | ||
1041 | @node Dired and Find | |
1042 | @section Dired and @code{find} | |
1043 | @cindex @code{find} and Dired | |
1044 | ||
1045 | You can select a set of files for display in a Dired buffer more | |
1046 | flexibly by using the @code{find} utility to choose the files. | |
1047 | ||
1048 | @findex find-name-dired | |
1049 | To search for files with names matching a wildcard pattern use | |
1050 | @kbd{M-x find-name-dired}. It reads arguments @var{directory} and | |
1051 | @var{pattern}, and chooses all the files in @var{directory} or its | |
1052 | subdirectories whose individual names match @var{pattern}. | |
1053 | ||
1054 | The files thus chosen are displayed in a Dired buffer in which the | |
1055 | ordinary Dired commands are available. | |
1056 | ||
1057 | @findex find-grep-dired | |
1058 | If you want to test the contents of files, rather than their names, | |
1059 | use @kbd{M-x find-grep-dired}. This command reads two minibuffer | |
1060 | arguments, @var{directory} and @var{regexp}; it chooses all the files in | |
1061 | @var{directory} or its subdirectories that contain a match for | |
1062 | @var{regexp}. It works by running the programs @code{find} and | |
1063 | @code{grep}. See also @kbd{M-x grep-find}, in @ref{Compilation}. | |
1064 | Remember to write the regular expression for @code{grep}, not for Emacs. | |
a33b10b5 EZ |
1065 | (An alternative method of showing files whose contents match a given |
1066 | regexp is the @kbd{% g @var{regexp}} command, see @ref{Marks vs Flags}.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1067 | |
1068 | @findex find-dired | |
1069 | The most general command in this series is @kbd{M-x find-dired}, which | |
1070 | lets you specify any condition that @code{find} can test. It takes two | |
1071 | minibuffer arguments, @var{directory} and @var{find-args}; it runs | |
1072 | @code{find} in @var{directory}, passing @var{find-args} to tell | |
1073 | @code{find} what condition to test. To use this command, you need to | |
1074 | know how to use @code{find}. | |
1075 | ||
a8ef67ae RS |
1076 | @findex locate |
1077 | @findex locate-with-filter | |
1078 | @cindex file database (locate) | |
1079 | @vindex locate-command | |
3a2aa1dc | 1080 | @kbd{M-x locate} provides a similar interface to the @code{locate} |
bb124d48 | 1081 | program. @kbd{M-x locate-with-filter} is similar, but keeps only lines |
3a2aa1dc | 1082 | matching a given regular expression. |
a8ef67ae | 1083 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1084 | @vindex find-ls-option |
1085 | The format of listing produced by these commands is controlled by the | |
1086 | variable @code{find-ls-option}, whose default value specifies using | |
1087 | options @samp{-ld} for @code{ls}. If your listings are corrupted, you | |
1088 | may need to change the value of this variable. | |
ab5796a9 MB |
1089 | |
1090 | @ignore | |
1091 | arch-tag: d105f9b9-fc1b-4c5f-a949-9b2cf3ca2fc1 | |
1092 | @end ignore |