Thanks Drew ...
After defining f this way
(defun f (file)
  (interactive (list (read-file-name "Filename: " "c:/"))
  (insert file))
when I run f M-x f - it asks for the file name but it does not insert into
the buffer.

I was not able to read about this in C-h-f interactive -
Can you explain what's happening here  - interactive is supposed to take in
a string as its argument -how is it working with a list?

Regards,
Kashyap



On Fri, Mar 22, 2013 at 12:48 PM, Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote:

> >>> (interactive "fEnter script name: ")
> >>> Now, the problem is that  the ineractive "f" seems to
> >>> use the current buffer location as the starting point.
> >>> How can I change that?
> >>
> >> In the `interactive' spec, let-bind `default-directory'
> >> and then read the file name with `read-file-name'.
> >> See the doc for `interactive'.
> >
> > Thanks a lot Drew ... using read-file-name worked for me
> > (defun f ()
> >  (interactive)
> >  (setq fn (read-file-name "Enter filename" "C:/"))
> >  (insert fn))
> >
> > I did not have to do the let-binding of default-directory -
> > actually I do not know how to do it either. It'll be great if
> > you could show me what you meant.
>
> I meant this - read the file name in the `interactive' spec:
>
> (defun f (file)
>   (interactive (list (read-file-name "Filename: " "c:/"))
>   (insert file))
>
> I misled you wrt `default-directory'.  There's no need to let-bind
> `default-directory' around `read-file-name', since you can just pass the
> value
> as the optional second arg, as you did.  I forgot about that.  I was
> thinking of
> this (equivalent, but unnecessary):
>
> (let ((default-directory  "c:/"))
>   (read-file-name "Filename: "))
>
> Sorry for the extra noise.
>
>
>
>
>