\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- @setfilename ../../info/ido.info @settitle Interactive Do @include docstyle.texi @include emacsver.texi @copying This file documents the Ido package for GNU Emacs. Copyright @copyright{} 2013--2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @quotation Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''. (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and modify this GNU manual.'' @end quotation @end copying @dircategory Emacs misc features @direntry * Ido: (ido). Interactively do things with buffers and files. @end direntry @finalout @titlepage @sp 6 @center @titlefont{Interactive Do} @sp 4 @center For GNU Emacs @sp 1 @center as distributed with Emacs @value{EMACSVER} @sp 5 @center Kim F. Storm @center storm@@cua.dk @page @vskip 0pt plus 1filll @insertcopying @end titlepage @contents @ifnottex @node Top @top Interactive Do @insertcopying @end ifnottex @menu * Overview:: Basics, activation. * Matching:: Interactivity, matching, scrolling. * Highlighting:: Highlighting of matching items. * Hidden Buffers and Files:: Hidden buffers, files, and directories. * Customization:: Change the Ido functionality. * Misc:: Various other features. Appendices * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation. Indexes * Function Index:: An entry for each documented function. * Variable Index:: An entry for each documented variable. @detailmenu --- The Detailed Node Listing --- Overview * Activation:: How to use this package. * Working Directories:: Where files have most recently been opened. Matching * Interactive Substring Matching:: Interactivity, matching, scrolling. * Prefix Matching:: Standard completion. * Flexible Matching:: More flexible matching. * Regexp Matching:: Matching using regular expression. Customization * Changing List Order:: Changing the list of files. * Find File At Point:: Make Ido guess the context. * Ignoring:: Ignorance is bliss. * Misc Customization:: Miscellaneous customization for Ido. Miscellaneous * All Matching:: Seeing all the matching buffers or files. * Replacement:: Replacement for @code{read-buffer} and @code{read-file-name}. * Other Packages:: Don't want to depend on @code{ido-everywhere}? @end detailmenu @end menu @node Overview @chapter Overview @cindex overview @noindent This document describes a set of features that can interactively do things with buffers and files. All the features are described here in detail. The @dfn{Ido} package lets you switch between buffers and visit files and directories with a minimum of keystrokes. It is a superset of Iswitchb, the interactive buffer switching package by Stephen Eglen. @cindex author of Ido @cindex Iswitchb This package was originally written by Kim F. Storm, based on the @file{iswitchb.el} package by Stephen Eglen. @menu * Activation:: How to use this package. * Working Directories:: Where files have most recently been opened. @end menu @node Activation @section Activation @cindex activation @cindex installation @noindent This package is distributed with Emacs, so there is no need to install any additional files in order to start using it. To activate, use @kbd{M-x ido-mode}. @noindent You may wish to add the following expressions to your initialization file (@pxref{Init File,,The Emacs Initialization File, emacs, GNU Emacs Manual}), if you make frequent use of features from this package. @example (require 'ido) (ido-mode t) @end example @node Working Directories @section Working Directories @cindex working directories @vindex ido-work-directory-list @noindent @dfn{Working directories} are directories where files have most recently been opened. The current directory is inserted at the front of this @code{ido-work-directory-list} whenever a file is opened with @code{ido-find-file} and other file-related functions. @c @cindex merge @c or maybe a new node for ``merge'' @c @deffn Command ido-merge-work-directories @c @deffn Command ido-prev-work-directory @c @deffn Command ido-next-work-directory @c @deffn Command ido-forget-work-directory @c @defvar ido-use-merged-list @c @defvar ido-try-merged-list @c @defvar ido-pre-merge-state @defopt ido-max-work-directory-list This user option specifies maximum number of working directories to record. @end defopt @c see (info "(elisp) File Name Completion") @findex ido-reread-directory @defopt ido-max-dir-file-cache This user option specifies maximum number of working directories to be cached. This is the size of the cache of @code{file-name-all-completions} results. Each cache entry is time stamped with the modification time of the directory. Some systems, like MS-Windows, have unreliable directory modification times, so you may choose to disable caching on such systems, or explicitly refresh the cache contents using the command @code{ido-reread-directory} (usually @kbd{C-l}) in the minibuffer. @end defopt @node Matching @chapter Matching @cindex matching @noindent This section describes features of this package that have to do with various kinds of @emph{matching}: among buffers, files, and directories. @menu * Interactive Substring Matching:: Interactivity, matching, scrolling. * Prefix Matching:: Standard completion. * Flexible Matching:: More flexible matching. * Regexp Matching:: Matching using regular expression. @end menu @node Interactive Substring Matching @section Interactive Substring Matching @cindex interactive substring matching @cindex substring, interactive matching @cindex matching, using substring @noindent As you type in a substring, the list of buffers or files currently matching the substring is displayed as you type. The list is ordered so that the most recent buffers or files visited come at the start of the list. The buffer or file at the start of the list will be the one visited when you press @key{RET}. By typing more of the substring, the list is narrowed down so that gradually the buffer or file you want will be at the top of the list. Alternatively, you can use @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-r} (or the right and left arrow keys) to rotate buffer or file names in the list until the one you want is at the top of the list. Completion is also available so that you can see what is common to all of the matching buffers or files as you type. For example, if there are two buffers called @file{123456} and @file{123}, with @file{123456} the most recent, when using @code{ido-switch-buffer}, you first of all get presented with the list of all the buffers @example Buffer: @{123456 | 123@} @end example If you then press @kbd{2}: @example Buffer: 2[3]@{123456 | 123@} @end example The items listed in @{...@} are the matching buffers, most recent first (buffers visible in the current frame are put at the end of the list by default). At any time you can select the item at the head of the list by pressing @key{RET}. You can also put the first element at the end of the list by pressing @kbd{C-s} or @key{RIGHT}, or bring the last element to the head of the list by pressing @kbd{C-r} or @key{LEFT}. @findex ido-complete The item in [...] indicates what can be added to your input by pressing @key{TAB} (@code{ido-complete}). In this case, you will get "3" added to your input. So, press @key{TAB}: @example Buffer: 23@{123456 | 123@} @end example At this point, you still have two matching buffers. If you want the first buffer in the list, you can simply press @key{RET}. If you want the second in the list, you can press @kbd{C-s} to move it to the top of the list and then press @key{RET} to select it. However, if you type @kbd{4}, you'll only have one match left: @example Buffer: 234[123456] @end example Since there is only one matching buffer left, it is given in [] and it is shown in the @code{ido-only-match} face (ForestGreen). You can now press @key{TAB} or @key{RET} to go to that buffer. @findex ido-select-text If you want to create a new buffer named @file{234}, you can press @kbd{C-j} (@code{ido-select-text}) instead of @key{TAB} or @key{RET}. If instead, you type @kbd{a}: @example Buffer: 234a [No match] @end example There are no matching buffers. If you press @key{RET} or @key{TAB}, you can be prompted to create a new buffer called @file{234a}. Of course, where this function really comes in handy is when you can specify the buffer using only a few keystrokes. In the above example, the quickest way to get to the @file{123456} file would be just to type @kbd{4} and then @key{RET} (assuming there isn't any newer buffer with @kbd{4} in its name). @findex ido-find-file Likewise, if you use @kbd{C-x C-f} (@code{ido-find-file}), the list of files and directories in the current directory is provided in the same fashion as the buffers above. The files and directories are normally sorted in alphabetical order, but the most recently visited directory is placed first to speed up navigating to directories that you have visited recently. In addition to scrolling through the list using @kbd{} and @kbd{}, you can use @kbd{} and @kbd{} to quickly scroll the list to the next or previous subdirectory. To go down into a subdirectory and continue the file selection on the files in that directory, simply move the directory to the head of the list and hit @key{RET}. To go up to the parent directory, delete any partial file name already specified (e.g., using @key{DEL}) and hit @key{DEL}. @c @deffn Command ido-delete-backward-updir @cindex root directory @cindex home directory To go to the root directory (on the current drive), enter two slashes. On MS-DOS or Windows, to select the root of another drive, enter @samp{X:/} where @samp{X} is the drive letter. To go to the home directory, enter @samp{~/}. To enter Dired for this directory, use @kbd{C-d}. @c TODO: a new node for ftp hosts @cindex ftp hosts You can also visit files on other hosts using the ange-ftp notations @samp{/host:} and @samp{/user@@host:}. @c @defopt ido-record-ftp-work-directories @c @defopt ido-merge-ftp-work-directories @c @defopt ido-cache-ftp-work-directory-time @c @defopt ido-slow-ftp-hosts @c @defopt ido-slow-ftp-host-regexps You can type @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} to change to previous/next directories from the history, @kbd{M-s} to search for a file matching your input, and @kbd{M-k} to remove the current directory from the history. If for some reason you cannot specify the proper file using @code{ido-find-file}, you can press @kbd{C-f} to enter the normal @code{find-file}. You can also press @kbd{C-b} to drop into @code{ido-switch-buffer}. @c @kindex C-x b @c @deffn Command ido-switch-buffer @c This command switch to another buffer interactively. @c @end deffn @c @kindex C-x C-f @c @deffn Command ido-find-file @c Edit file with name obtained via minibuffer. @c @end deffn @c @kindex C-x d @c @findex ido-dired @c @deffn Command ido-dired @c Call Dired the Ido way. @c @end deffn @node Prefix Matching @section Prefix Matching @cindex prefix matching @cindex matching, using prefix @cindex standard way of completion @noindent The standard way of completion with *nix shells and Emacs is to insert a @dfn{prefix} and then hitting @key{TAB} (or another completion key). Because this behavior has become second nature to a lot of Emacs users, Ido offers, in addition to the default substring matching method (see above), also the prefix matching method. The kind of matching is the only difference to the description of the substring matching above. @findex ido-toggle-prefix @cindex toggle prefix matching You can toggle prefix matching with @kbd{C-p} (@code{ido-toggle-prefix}). For example, if you have two buffers @file{123456} and @file{123} then hitting @kbd{2} does not match because @kbd{2} is not a prefix in any of the buffer names. @node Flexible Matching @section Flexible Matching @cindex flexible matching @defopt ido-enable-flex-matching If non-@code{nil}, Ido will do flexible string matching. Flexible matching means that if the entered string does not match any item, any item containing the entered characters in the given sequence will match. @end defopt @noindent If @code{ido-enable-flex-matching} is non-@code{nil}, Ido will do a more flexible matching (unless regexp matching is active) to find possible matches among the available buffer or file names if no matches are found using the normal prefix or substring matching. The flexible matching implies that any item which simply contains all of the entered characters in the specified sequence will match. For example, if you have four files @file{alpha}, @file{beta}, @file{gamma}, and @file{delta}, entering @samp{aa} will match @file{alpha} and @file{gamma}, while @samp{ea} matches @file{beta} and @file{delta}. If prefix matching is also active, @samp{aa} only matches @file{alpha}, while @samp{ea} does not match any files. @node Regexp Matching @section Regular Expression Matching @cindex regexp matching @cindex matching, using regular expression @noindent There is limited provision for regexp matching within Ido, enabled through @code{ido-enable-regexp} (toggle with @kbd{C-t}). This allows you to type @samp{[ch]$} for example and see all file names ending in @samp{c} or @samp{h}. @defopt ido-enable-regexp @findex ido-toggle-regexp If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, Ido will do regexp matching. The value of this user option can be toggled within ido-mode using @code{ido-toggle-regexp}. @end defopt @strong{Please note:} Ido-style completion is inhibited when you enable regexp matching. @node Highlighting @chapter Highlighting @cindex highlighting @noindent @vindex ido-use-faces The highlighting of matching items is controlled via @code{ido-use-faces}. The faces used are @code{ido-first-match}, @code{ido-only-match} and @code{ido-subdir}. Coloring of the matching items was suggested by Carsten Dominik. @node Hidden Buffers and Files @chapter Hidden Buffers and Files @cindex hidden buffers and files Normally, Ido does not include hidden buffers (whose names start with a space) and hidden files and directories (whose names start with @file{.}) in the list of possible completions. However, if the substring you enter does not match any of the visible buffers or files, Ido will automatically look for completions among the hidden buffers or files. @findex ido-toggle-ignore You can toggle the display of hidden buffers and files with @kbd{C-a} (@code{ido-toggle-ignore}). @c @deffn Command ido-toggle-ignore @node Customization @chapter Customization @cindex customization @noindent You can customize the @code{ido} group to change Ido functionality: @example M-x customize-group @key{RET} ido @key{RET} @end example @noindent or customize a certain variable: @example M-x customize-variable @key{RET} ido-xxxxx @key{RET} @end example @vindex ido-setup-hook To modify the key bindings, use the @code{ido-setup-hook}. For example: @example (add-hook 'ido-setup-hook 'ido-my-keys) (defun ido-my-keys () "Add my key bindings for Ido." (define-key ido-completion-map " " 'ido-next-match)) @end example @c @defopt ido-setup-hook @c a new node for Ido hooks? @menu * Changing List Order:: Changing the list of files. * Find File At Point:: Make Ido guess the context. * Ignoring:: Ignorance is bliss. * Misc Customization:: Miscellaneous customization for Ido. @end menu @node Changing List Order @section Changing List Order @cindex changing order of the list @noindent By default, the list of current files is most recent first, oldest last, with the exception that the files visible in the current frame are put at the end of the list. A hook exists to allow other functions to order the list. For example, if you add: @example (add-hook 'ido-make-buffer-list-hook 'ido-summary-buffers-to-end) @end example @noindent then all files matching "Summary" are moved to the end of the list. (I find this handy for keeping the INBOX Summary and so on out of the way.) It also moves files matching @samp{output\*$} to the end of the list (these are created by AUCTeX when compiling.) Other functions could be made available which alter the list of matching files (either deleting or rearranging elements.) @node Find File At Point @section Find File At Point @cindex find file at point @cindex ffap @noindent Find File At Point, also known generally as ``ffap'', is an intelligent system for opening files and URLs. The following expression will make Ido guess the context: @example (setq ido-use-filename-at-point 'guess) @end example @c @defopt ido-use-filename-at-point @c If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, ... @c @end defopt You can disable URL ffap support by toggling @code{ido-use-url-at-point}. @defopt ido-use-url-at-point If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, Ido will look for a URL at point. If found, call @code{find-file-at-point} to visit it. @end defopt @node Ignoring @section Ignoring Buffers and Files @cindex ignoring @cindex regexp, ignore buffers and files @noindent Ido is capable of ignoring buffers, directories, files and extensions using regular expressions. @defopt ido-ignore-buffers This variable takes a list of regular expressions for buffers to ignore in @code{ido-switch-buffer}. @end defopt @defopt ido-ignore-directories This variable takes a list of regular expressions for (sub)directories names to ignore in @code{ido-dired} and @code{ido-find-file}. @end defopt @defopt ido-ignore-files This variable takes a list of regular expressions for files to ignore in @code{ido-find-file}. @end defopt @defopt ido-ignore-unc-host-regexps This variable takes a list of regular expressions matching UNC hosts to ignore. The letter case will be ignored if @code{ido-downcase-unc-hosts} is non-@code{nil}. @end defopt @c FIXME: Where to add this variable? This node or ``working directory''? @c @defopt ido-work-directory-list-ignore-regexps To make Ido use @code{completion-ignored-extensions} you need to enable it: @example (setq ido-ignore-extensions t) @end example @vindex completion-ignored-extensions Now you can customize @code{completion-ignored-extensions} as well. Go ahead and add all the useless object files, backup files, shared library files and other computing flotsam you don't want Ido to show. @strong{Please note:} Ido will still complete the ignored elements if it would otherwise not show any other matches. So if you type out the name of an ignored file, Ido will still let you open it just fine. @node Misc Customization @section Miscellaneous Customization @cindex miscellaneous customization for Ido @c Variables described in this sections may be moved to new nodes in @c the future. @defopt ido-mode This user option determines for which functional group (buffer and files) Ido behavior should be enabled. @end defopt @defopt ido-case-fold If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, searching of buffer and file names should ignore case. @end defopt @defopt ido-show-dot-for-dired If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, always put @samp{.} as the first item in file name lists. This allows the current directory to be opened immediately with Dired @end defopt @defopt ido-enable-dot-prefix If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, Ido will match leading dot as prefix. I.e., hidden files and buffers will match only if you type a dot as first char (even if @code{ido-enable-prefix} is @code{nil}). @end defopt @defopt ido-confirm-unique-completion If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, even a unique completion must be confirmed. This means that @code{ido-complete} (@key{TAB}) must always be followed by @code{ido-exit-minibuffer} (@key{RET}) even when there is only one unique completion. @end defopt @defopt ido-cannot-complete-command When @code{ido-complete} can't complete any more, it will run the command specified by this user option. The most useful values are @code{ido-completion-help}, which pops up a window with completion alternatives, or @code{ido-next-match} or @code{ido-prev-match}, which cycle the buffer list. @end defopt @defopt ido-max-file-prompt-width This user option specifies the upper limit of the prompt string. If its value is an integer, it specifies the number of characters of the string. If its value is a floating point number, it specifies a fraction of the frame width. @end defopt @defopt ido-max-window-height If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, its value will override the variable @code{max-mini-window-height}, which is the maximum height for resizing mini-windows (the minibuffer and the echo area). If it's a floating point number, it specifies a fraction of the mini-window frame's height. If it's an integer, it specifies the number of lines. @end defopt @defopt ido-record-commands If the value of this user option is non-@code{nil}, Ido will record commands in the variable @code{command-history}. Note that non-Ido equivalent is recorded. @end defopt @defopt ido-all-frames This user option will be passed to @code{walk-windows} as its @var{all-frames} argument when Ido is finding buffers. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering, , Cyclic Ordering of Windows, elisp, GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. @end defopt @defopt ido-minibuffer-setup-hook This hook variable contains Ido-specific customization of minibuffer setup. It is run during minibuffer setup if Ido is active, and is intended for use in customizing ido for interoperation with other packages. @end defopt @c @defopt ido-enable-tramp-completion @c cross-reference to tramp.texi @c @cindex UNC host names, completion @c @defopt ido-unc-hosts @c @defopt ido-downcase-unc-hosts @c @defopt ido-cache-unc-host-shares-time @c @defopt ido-enable-last-directory-history @c @defopt ido-max-work-file-list @c @defopt ido-work-directory-match-only @c @defopt ido-auto-merge-work-directories-length @c @defopt ido-auto-merge-delay-time @c @defopt ido-auto-merge-inhibit-characters-regexp @c @defopt ido-merged-indicator @c @defopt ido-max-directory-size @c @defopt ido-rotate-file-list-default @c @defopt ido-enter-matching-directory @c @defopt ido-create-new-buffer @c @defopt ido-separator @c @defopt ido-decorations @c @defopt ido-use-virtual-buffers @c @defopt ido-use-faces @c @defopt ido-make-file-list-hook @c @defopt ido-make-dir-list-hook @c @defopt ido-make-buffer-list-hook @c @defopt ido-rewrite-file-prompt-functions @c @defopt ido-completion-buffer @c @defopt ido-completion-buffer-all-completions @c @defopt ido-save-directory-list-file @c @defopt ido-read-file-name-as-directory-commands @c @defopt ido-read-file-name-non-ido @c @defopt ido-before-fallback-functions @c @defopt ido-buffer-disable-smart-matches @node Misc @chapter Miscellaneous @cindex miscellaneous @noindent After @kbd{C-x b} (@code{ido-switch-buffer}), the buffer at the head of the list can be killed by pressing @kbd{C-k}. If the buffer needs saving, you will be queried before the buffer is killed. @kbd{C-S-b} buries the buffer at the end of the list. Likewise, after @kbd{C-x C-f}, you can delete (i.e., physically remove) the file at the head of the list with @kbd{C-k}. You will always be asked for confirmation before deleting the file. If you enter @kbd{C-x b} to switch to a buffer visiting a given file, and you find that the file you are after is not in any buffer, you can press @kbd{C-f} to immediately drop into @code{ido-find-file}. You can switch back to buffer selection with @kbd{C-b}. @c @deffn Command ido-magic-forward-char @c @deffn Command ido-magic-backward-char You can also use Ido in your Emacs Lisp programs: @example (setq my-pkgs (list "CEDET" "Gnus" "Rcirc" "Tramp" "Org" "all-of-them")) (ido-completing-read "What's your favorite package? " my-pkgs) @end example @menu * All Matching:: Seeing all the matching buffers or files. * Replacement:: Replacement for @code{read-buffer} and @code{read-file-name}. * Other Packages:: Don't want to depend on @code{ido-everywhere}? @end menu @node All Matching @section All Matching @cindex all matching @cindex seeing all the matching buffers or files @noindent If you have many matching files, they may not all fit onto one line of the minibuffer. Normally, the minibuffer window will grow to show you more of the matching files (depending on the value of the variables @code{resize-mini-windows} and @code{max-mini-window-height}). If you want Ido to behave differently from the default minibuffer resizing behavior, set the variable @code{ido-max-window-height}. Also, to improve the responsiveness of Ido, the maximum number of matching items is limited to 12, but you can increase or remove this limit via the @code{ido-max-prospects} user option. @c @defopt ido-max-prospects To see a full list of all matching buffers in a separate buffer, hit @kbd{?} or press @key{TAB} when there are no further completions to the substring. Repeated @key{TAB} presses will scroll you through this separate buffer. @node Replacement @section Replacement @noindent @code{ido-read-buffer} and @code{ido-read-file-name} have been written to be drop-in replacements for the normal buffer and file name reading functions @code{read-buffer} and @code{read-file-name}. To use ido for all buffer and file selections in Emacs, customize the variable @code{ido-everywhere}. @c @deffn Command ido-everywhere @c @defopt ido-everywhere @node Other Packages @section Other Packages @cindex other packages @cindex used by other packages @noindent If you don't want to rely on the @code{ido-everywhere} functionality, @code{ido-read-buffer}, @code{ido-read-file-name}, and @code{ido-read-directory-name} can be used by other packages to read a buffer name, a file name, or a directory name in the @emph{Ido} way. @c @node Cheatsheet @c * History and Acknowledgments:: How Ido came into being @c @node History and Acknowledgments @c @appendix History and Acknowledgments @node GNU Free Documentation License @appendix GNU Free Documentation License @include doclicense.texi @node Function Index @unnumbered Function Index @printindex fn @node Variable Index @unnumbered Variable Index @printindex vr @bye