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(emacs)Remote Files

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Remote Files
============

   You can refer to files on other machines using a special file name
syntax:

     /HOST:FILENAME
     /USER@HOST:FILENAME
     /USER@HOST#PORT:FILENAME

When you do this, Emacs uses the FTP program to read and write files on
the specified host.  It logs in through FTP using your user name or the
name USER.  It may ask you for a password from time to time; this is
used for logging in on HOST.  The form using PORT allows you to access
servers running on a non-default TCP port.

   If you want to disable backups for remote files, set the variable
`ange-ftp-make-backup-files' to `nil'.

   Normally, if you do not specify a user name in a remote file name,
that means to use your own user name.  But if you set the variable
`ange-ftp-default-user' to a string, that string is used instead.  (The
Emacs package that implements FTP file access is called `ange-ftp'.)

   To visit files accessible by anonymous FTP, you use special user
names `anonymous' or `ftp'.  Passwords for these user names are handled
specially.  The variable `ange-ftp-generate-anonymous-password'
controls what happens: if the value of this variable is a string, then
that string is used as the password; if non-`nil' (the default), then
the value of `user-mail-address' is used; if `nil', the user is prompted
for a password as normal.

   Sometimes you may be unable to access files on a remote machine
because a "firewall" in between blocks the connection for security
reasons.  If you can log in on a "gateway" machine from which the
target files _are_ accessible, and whose FTP server supports gatewaying
features, you can still use remote file names; all you have to do is
specify the name of the gateway machine by setting the variable
`ange-ftp-gateway-host', and set `ange-ftp-smart-gateway' to `t'.
Otherwise you may be able to make remote file names work, but the
procedure is complex.  You can read the instructions by typing `M-x
finder-commentary <RET> ange-ftp <RET>'.

   You can entirely turn off the FTP file name feature by removing the
entries `ange-ftp-completion-hook-function' and
`ange-ftp-hook-function' from the variable `file-name-handler-alist'.
You can turn off the feature in individual cases by quoting the file
name with `/:' (Note: Quoted File Names).