GNU Info

(emacs)Recover

---

Prev: Auto Save Control Up: Auto Save

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Recovering Data from Auto-Saves
-------------------------------

   You can use the contents of an auto-save file to recover from a loss
of data with the command `M-x recover-file <RET> FILE <RET>'.  This
visits FILE and then (after your confirmation) restores the contents
from its auto-save file `#FILE#'.  You can then save with `C-x C-s' to
put the recovered text into FILE itself.  For example, to recover file
`foo.c' from its auto-save file `#foo.c#', do:

     M-x recover-file <RET> foo.c <RET>
     yes <RET>
     C-x C-s

   Before asking for confirmation, `M-x recover-file' displays a
directory listing describing the specified file and the auto-save file,
so you can compare their sizes and dates.  If the auto-save file is
older, `M-x recover-file' does not offer to read it.

   If Emacs or the computer crashes, you can recover all the files you
were editing from their auto save files with the command `M-x
recover-session'.  This first shows you a list of recorded interrupted
sessions.  Move point to the one you choose, and type `C-c C-c'.

   Then `recover-session' asks about each of the files that were being
edited during that session, asking whether to recover that file.  If
you answer `y', it calls `recover-file', which works in its normal
fashion.  It shows the dates of the original file and its auto-save
file, and asks once again whether to recover that file.

   When `recover-session' is done, the files you've chosen to recover
are present in Emacs buffers.  You should then save them.  Only
this--saving them--updates the files themselves.

   Emacs records interrupted sessions for later recovery in files named
`~/.emacs.d/auto-save-list/.saves-PID-HOSTNAME'.  The
`~/.emacs.d/auto-save-list/.saves-' portion of these names comes from
the value of `auto-save-list-file-prefix'.  You can record sessions in
a different place by customizing that variable.  If you set
`auto-save-list-file-prefix' to `nil' in your `.emacs' file, sessions
are not recorded for recovery.