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This section describes commands to update the Dired buffer to reflect outside (non-Dired) changes in the directories and files, and to delete part of the Dired buffer.
revert-buffer
).
dired-do-redisplay
).
dired-do-kill-lines
).
dired-sort-toggle-or-edit
).
dired-listing-switches
.
Type g (revert-buffer
) to update the contents of the
Dired buffer, based on changes in the files and directories listed.
This preserves all marks except for those on files that have vanished.
Hidden subdirectories are updated but remain hidden.
To update only some of the files, type l
(dired-do-redisplay
). Like the Dired file-operating commands,
this command operates on the next n files (or previous
−n files), or on the marked files if any, or on the
current file. Updating the files means reading their current status,
then updating their lines in the buffer to indicate that status.
If you use l on a subdirectory header line, it updates the contents of the corresponding subdirectory.
To delete the specified file lines from the buffer—not
delete the files—type k (dired-do-kill-lines
). Like
the file-operating commands, this command operates on the next n
files, or on the marked files if any; but it does not operate on the
current file as a last resort.
If you use k with a numeric prefix argument to kill the line for a file that is a directory, which you have inserted in the Dired buffer as a subdirectory, then this deletes that subdirectory from the buffer as well. Typing C-u k on the header line for a subdirectory is another way to delete a subdirectory from the Dired buffer.
The g command brings back any individual lines that you have killed in this way, but not subdirectories—you must use i to reinsert a subdirectory.
The files in a Dired buffers are normally listed in alphabetical order
by file names. Alternatively Dired can sort them by date/time. The
Dired command s (dired-sort-toggle-or-edit
) switches
between these two sorting modes. The mode line in a Dired buffer
indicates which way it is currently sorted—by name, or by date.
C-u s switches <RET> lets you specify a new value for
dired-listing-switches
.