problem with C-x C-f

problem with C-x C-f

[Werner LEMBERG]

I have a plain text file called `errata.z'.  Trying to visit the file
with C-x C-f fails, giving the following message:

  Error while executing "gzip -c -q -d < errata.z"

  gzip: stdin: not in gzip format

This is fine, but actually how do I load this file?  My intuitive try
was C-u C-x C-f, but this doesn't work.  The help text for C-x C-f
doesn't give a hint either.

After checking the info files I found the function
find-file-literally.  While it works, it still gives the above error
message which is irritating IMHO.

My suggestions:

  . Bind C-u C-x C-f to `find-file-literally'.

  . I think find-file should try harder to open a file.  If a file
    exists and uncompressing fails there is a high chance that the
    file isn't compressed at all, so it should handle the file as
    uncompressed.  This status should be remembered for saving the
    file.


    Werner

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Kai Grossjohann]

Werner LEMBERG <wl@gnu.org> writes:

> I have a plain text file called `errata.z'.  Trying to visit the file
> with C-x C-f fails

I think you can do C-x C-f /:/some/dir/errata.z RET.  Note the
leading "/:" bit.

Does this work?

I don't know, however, how to make this more obvious.

Kai

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Werner LEMBERG]

> I think you can do C-x C-f /:/some/dir/errata.z RET.  Note the
> leading "/:" bit.
> 
> Does this work?

No.


    Werner

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Richard Stallman]

    After checking the info files I found the function
    find-file-literally.  While it works, it still gives the above error
    message which is irritating IMHO.

When I try find-file-literally, it does not give me any
error message.  It simply works.

I added a note about find-file-literally to the doc string
of find-file.

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Werner LEMBERG]

>     After checking the info files I found the function
>     find-file-literally.  While it works, it still gives the above
>     error message which is irritating IMHO.
>
> When I try find-file-literally, it does not give me any
> error message.  It simply works.

Thank you for indirectly reminding me to report errors only with
`emacs -q'.  With emacs CVS 2004-05-25, `C-x C-f' actually works to
load my plain text `errata.z' file.  I'll soon do some checks to find
out which part of my .emacs file causes the problem.  Sorry for the
noise.

Interestingly, find-file-literally doesn't work.  I get the following
in the *Messages* buffer after doing `M-x find-file-literally
errata.z', immediately after starting with `emacs -q':

  byte-code: Cannot do file visiting in a non-empty buffer

This seems to be a real bug now.


    Werner

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Luc Teirlinck]

Werner Lemberg wrote:
   
   Interestingly, find-file-literally doesn't work.  I get the following
   in the *Messages* buffer after doing `M-x find-file-literally
   errata.z', immediately after starting with `emacs -q':

     byte-code: Cannot do file visiting in a non-empty buffer

   This seems to be a real bug now.

This has been fixed.  The bug should be gone if you update your CVS.

Sincerely,

Luc.

Re: problem with C-x C-f

[Werner LEMBERG]

> This has been fixed.  The bug should be gone if you update your CVS.

Confirmed, thanks.


    Werner