(emacs-lisp-intro.info)Find a File


Find a File
===========

   To find a file in Emacs, you use the `C-x C-f' (`find-file')
command.  This command is almost, but not quite right for the lengths
problem.

   Let's look at the source for `find-file' (you can use the `find-tag'
command or `C-h f' (`describe-function') to find the source of a
function):

     (defun find-file (filename)
       "Edit file FILENAME.
     Switch to a buffer visiting file FILENAME,
     creating one if none already exists."
       (interactive "FFind file: ")
       (switch-to-buffer (find-file-noselect filename)))

   The definition possesses short but complete documentation and an
interactive specification that prompts you for a file name when you use
the command interactively.  The body of the definition contains two
functions, `find-file-noselect' and `switch-to-buffer'.

   According to its documentation as shown by `C-h f' (the
`describe-function' command), the `find-file-noselect' function reads
the named file into a buffer and returns the buffer.  However, the
buffer is not selected.  Emacs does not switch its attention (or yours
if you are using `find-file-noselect') to the named buffer.  That is
what `switch-to-buffer' does: it switches the buffer to which Emacs
attention is directed; and it switches the buffer displayed in the
window to the new buffer.  We have discussed buffer switching
elsewhere.  (Note: Switching Buffers.)

   In this histogram project, we do not need to display each file on the
screen as the program determines the length of each definition within
it.  Instead of employing `switch-to-buffer', we can work with
`set-buffer', which redirects the attention of the computer program to
a different buffer but does not redisplay it on the screen.  So instead
of calling on `find-file' to do the job, we must write our own
expression.

   The task is easy: use  `find-file-noselect' and `set-buffer'.


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