Re: basic question: going back to dired

["Colin S. Miller" <no-spam-thank-you@csmiller.demon.co.uk>]

Ben Aurel wrote:
> hi
> This is my first post here, so I hope this is the right place for asking
> beginner questions.
> 
> My question is simple: When I list some files in dired mode I select one
> file to edit. Now how can I close this file and go back to dired without
> closing emacs?
> 
> thanks
> 
> ben
> 
> 
> 

Ben,

C-x k RET   will close the current file
C-x C-j     will open the dired on the directory containing the current file.
If dired is already open but not visible for that directory, then the dired buffer
is made visible.

This will make emacs swap to dired, but the current file will remain open.
Pressing C-x b <filename> will allow you to swap to it.

In dired 'g' will force dired to reread the directory if it has changed.


Emacs allows you to have multiple files open at once. Unlike most editors
Emacs does not allocate a frame (child window in other editors' terminology).

Instead you create the frames you require and then display the buffers (files)
you wish to view at present in them. The undisplayed buffers will keep their contents
until you explicitly kill (close) them.

HTH,
Colin S. Miller

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