Re: Rename, delete and move current buffer and file

[Amit Ramon <amit.ramon@riseup.net>]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> [2018-05-09 08:28 -0400]:

>> I do not understand what you have in mind with write-file. This creates a
>> copy, which is natural given the name. Do you envision some changes to it?
>
>Not sure what happened, but my first answer said:
>
>    so maybe we could instead have `C-x C-w` prompt the user
>    "delete the old file (y or n)?"

For me the use case for using C-x C-w is not to move a file, but to
create a copy of a file leaving the original file untouched -- for
example if I want to create a new file but I want to start from an
existing one as a template.

So for this use case C-x C-w works exactly as I would expect, and
adding the option to delete the original file is unnecessary, and
prompting the user would just interrupt.

As for renaming/moving/deleting a file I feel very comfortable with
doing it with Dired. C-x C-j, R <new name> RET, q -- for me it is
convenient and not too long.

Also, there is the point of "having too many commands" -- this would
make Emacs more complex to use, and personally I prefer a simpler
interface, even at the cost of not having a specific command for every
edge case.

--- Amit