problem opening files in dired

problem opening files in dired

[Russ P.]

I am trying to switch from XEmacs to Emacs. When I try to open a file
in dired or a buffer in the buffer menu, I get a message saying
"Buffer is read-only" and it doesn't open. When I run Emacs remotely
from home on the same machine, I do not have this problem. Any clues
about what might be going on? I am using Emacs 23 on Red Hat. Thanks.

Russ P.

Re: problem opening files in dired

[Xah Lee]

On Sep 17, 12:29 pm, "Russ P." <russ.paie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am trying to switch from XEmacs to Emacs. When I try to open a file
> in dired or a buffer in the buffer menu, I get a message saying
> "Buffer is read-only" and it doesn't open. When I run Emacs remotely
> from home on the same machine, I do not have this problem. Any clues
> about what might be going on? I am using Emacs 23 on Red Hat. Thanks.
>
> Russ P.

start emacs with -Q, and see if this still happens. If not, that means
something in your .emacs.

 Xah

Re: problem opening files in dired

[Stefan Monnier]

> (add-hook 'font-lock-mode-hook #'(lambda()(use-local-map nil)))

> It's something I must have added many years ago, when I still had a
> clue what I was doing. I forgot what it does.

Hmmm... no that must come from some time later (or before?),


        Stefan "sorry, couldn't resist; seriously, the above code
                makes no sense"

RE: problem opening files in dired

[Drew Adams]

> > I am trying to switch from XEmacs to Emacs. When I try to 
> > open a file in dired or a buffer in the buffer menu, I get a message
> > saying "Buffer is read-only" and it doesn't open. When I run Emacs remotely
> > from home on the same machine, I do not have this problem. Any clues
> > about what might be going on? I am using Emacs 23 on Red Hat. Thanks.
> 
> start emacs with -Q, and see if this still happens. If not, that means
> something in your .emacs.

And that something tries to modify the current buffer (in this case Dired).
Look, e.g., for something that gets added to `post-command-hook' somewhere.

In any case, Xah's advice is the best way to start.  Once you know the problem
comes from something you're doing (e.g. code you're loading, things you're
activating), bisect your .emacs repeatedly (binary search) until you narrow down
the culprit.