@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001,
-@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@node Dired, Calendar/Diary, Rmail, Top
@chapter Dired, the Directory Editor
Instead of flagging a file with @samp{D}, you can @dfn{mark} the
file with some other character (usually @samp{*}). Most Dired
commands to operate on files use the files marked with @samp{*}. The
-only command that operates on flagged flies is @kbd{x}, which expunges
+only command that operates on flagged files is @kbd{x}, which expunges
them.
Here are some commands for marking with @samp{*}, for unmarking, and
@item C @var{new} @key{RET}
Copy the specified files (@code{dired-do-copy}). The argument @var{new}
is the directory to copy into, or (if copying a single file) the new
-name.
+name. This is like the shell command @code{cp}.
@vindex dired-copy-preserve-time
If @code{dired-copy-preserve-time} is non-@code{nil}, then copying
with this command preserves the modification time of the old file in
-the copy.
+the copy, like @samp{cp -p}.
@vindex dired-recursive-copies
@cindex recursive copying
The variable @code{dired-recursive-copies} controls whether to copy
-directories recursively. The default is @code{nil}, which means that
-directories cannot be copied.
+directories recursively (like @samp{cp -r}). The default is
+@code{nil}, which means that directories cannot be copied.
@item D
@findex dired-do-delete
@kindex D @r{(Dired)}
-Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). Like the other
-commands in this section, this command operates on the @emph{marked}
-files, or the next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x}
+Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). This is like the
+shell command @code{rm}.
+
+Like the other commands in this section, this command operates on the
+@emph{marked} files, or the next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x}
(@code{dired-do-flagged-delete}) deletes all @dfn{flagged} files.
@findex dired-do-rename
@kindex R @r{(Dired)}
@cindex renaming files (in Dired)
+@cindex moving files (in Dired)
@item R @var{new} @key{RET}
-Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). The argument
-@var{new} is the directory to rename into, or (if renaming a single
-file) the new name.
+Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). If you rename a
+single file, the argument @var{new} is the new name of the file. If
+you rename several files, the argument @var{new} is the directory into
+which to move the files (this is like the shell command @code{mv}).
Dired automatically changes the visited file name of buffers associated
with renamed files so that they refer to the new names.
@kindex H @r{(Dired)}
@cindex hard links (in Dired)
@item H @var{new} @key{RET}
-Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}). The
-argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making
-just one link) the name to give the link.
+Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}).
+This is like the shell command @code{ln}. The argument @var{new} is
+the directory to make the links in, or (if making just one link) the
+name to give the link.
@findex dired-do-symlink
@kindex S @r{(Dired)}
@cindex symbolic links (creation in Dired)
@item S @var{new} @key{RET}
Make symbolic links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-symlink}).
-The argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if
-making just one link) the name to give the link.
+This is like @samp{ln -s}. The argument @var{new} is the directory to
+make the links in, or (if making just one link) the name to give the
+link.
@findex dired-do-chmod
@kindex M @r{(Dired)}
@cindex changing file time (in Dired)
@item T @var{timestamp} @key{RET}
Touch the specified files (@code{dired-do-touch}). This means
-updating their modification times to the present time.
+updating their modification times to the present time. This is like
+the shell command @code{touch}.
@findex dired-do-print
@kindex P @r{(Dired)}