Emacs - Dired

Introduction

Aside from editing files, including local and remote ones, Emacs can also play the role of a file manager, i.e., manipulating directories and the files by its directory editor, dired.

Enter dired buffer

Dired can be entered in following ways:

Command: M-x dired
Key bindings
- C-x d is equivalent to the command above.
- C-x 4 d open a dired buffer in another window.

View and navigation

Key	Description
`(`	Toggle detail information (`dired-hide-details-mode`).
`^`	Go up one directory (`dired-up-directory`).
`n/C-n`	Move the point down an entry (`dired-next-line`).
`p/C-p`	Move the point up an entry (`dired-previous-line`).
`q`	Quit dired (`quit-window`).

Marking & unmarking

Marking and unmarking enable operations on multiple files or directories.

Key	Description
`m`	Mark the active entry or the selected region (`dired-mark`).
`u`	Unmark the active entry or the selected region (`dired-unmark`).
`U`	Unmark everything (`dired-unmark-all-marks`).
`d`	Flag for deletion (`dired-flag-file-deletion`).
`~`	Mark backup files (`dired-flag-backup-files`).
`* %`	Mark files and directories by regexp (`dired-mark-files-regexp`).
`* c`	Change marks (`dired-change-marks`).
`t`	Toggle existing marking (`dired-toggle-marks`).

Operations

Key	Description
`f/RET`	Visit the file/directory (`dired-find-file`).
`v`	View the file/directory in read-only mode (`dired-view-file`).
`g`	Refresh dired buffer (`revert-buffer`).
`+`	Create a directory (`dired-create-directory`).
`C`	Copy marked files/directories (`dired-do-copy`).
`R`	Rename/move marked files/directories (`dired-do-rename`).
`O`	Perform `chown` on marked files/directories (`dired-do-chown`).
`G`	Perform `chgrp` on marked files/directories (`dired-do-chgrp`).
`M`	Perform `chmod` on marked files/directories (`dired-do-chmod`).
`D`	Delete marked files/directories (`dired-do-delete`).
`x`	Delete flagged (marked by `d`) files/directories (`dired-do-flagged-delete`).

Working across directories

In dired buffer, typing i on a directory will insert it in the same dired buffer as a sub-directory.

By inserting multiple directories into a shared dired buffer, you can not only glance at multiple directories simultaneously but you can also work across them as if they were one large virtual directory.