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(emacs)Saving Abbrevs

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Saving Abbrevs
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   These commands allow you to keep abbrev definitions between editing
sessions.

`M-x write-abbrev-file <RET> FILE <RET>'
     Write a file FILE describing all defined abbrevs.

`M-x read-abbrev-file <RET> FILE <RET>'
     Read the file FILE and define abbrevs as specified therein.

`M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file <RET> FILE <RET>'
     Similar but do not display a message about what is going on.

`M-x define-abbrevs'
     Define abbrevs from definitions in current buffer.

`M-x insert-abbrevs'
     Insert all abbrevs and their expansions into current buffer.

   `M-x write-abbrev-file' reads a file name using the minibuffer and
then writes a description of all current abbrev definitions into that
file.  This is used to save abbrev definitions for use in a later
session.  The text stored in the file is a series of Lisp expressions
that, when executed, define the same abbrevs that you currently have.

   `M-x read-abbrev-file' reads a file name using the minibuffer and
then reads the file, defining abbrevs according to the contents of the
file.  `M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file' is the same except that it does
not display a message in the echo area saying that it is doing its
work; it is actually useful primarily in the `.emacs' file.  If an
empty argument is given to either of these functions, they use the file
name specified in the variable `abbrev-file-name', which is by default
`"~/.abbrev_defs"'.

   Emacs will offer to save abbrevs automatically if you have changed
any of them, whenever it offers to save all files (for `C-x s' or `C-x
C-c').  This feature can be inhibited by setting the variable
`save-abbrevs' to `nil'.

   The commands `M-x insert-abbrevs' and `M-x define-abbrevs' are
similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
`M-x insert-abbrevs' inserts text into the current buffer before point,
describing all current abbrev definitions; `M-x define-abbrevs' parses
the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.