@kindex a @r{(Dired)}
@findex dired-find-alternate-file
Like @kbd{f}, but replaces the contents of the Dired buffer with
-that of an alternate file or directory.
+that of an alternate file or directory (@code{dired-find-alternate-file}).
@item o
@kindex o @r{(Dired)}
@findex dired-unmark-all-files
Remove all marks that use the character @var{markchar}
(@code{dired-unmark-all-files}). The argument is a single
-character---do not use @key{RET} to terminate it.
+character---do not use @key{RET} to terminate it. See the description
+of the @kbd{* c} command below, which lets you change the character that
+marks files.
With a numeric argument, this command queries about each marked file,
asking whether to remove its mark. You can answer @kbd{y} meaning yes,
become unmarked, and unmarked files are marked with @samp{*}. Files
marked in any other way are not affected.
-@item * c @var{old} @var{new}
+@item * c @var{old-markchar} @var{new-markchar}
@kindex * c @r{(Dired)}
@findex dired-change-marks
-Replace all marks that use the character @var{old} with marks that use
-the character @var{new} (@code{dired-change-marks}). This command is
-the primary way to create or use marks other than @samp{*} or @samp{D}.
-The arguments are single characters---do not use @key{RET} to terminate
-them.
+Replace all marks that use the character @var{old-markchar} with marks
+that use the character @var{new-markchar} (@code{dired-change-marks}).
+This command is the primary way to create or use marks other than
+@samp{*} or @samp{D}. The arguments are single characters---do not use
+@key{RET} to terminate them.
You can use almost any character as a mark character by means of this
-command, to distinguish various classes of files. If @var{old} is a
-space (@samp{ }), then the command operates on all unmarked files; if
-@var{new} is a space, then the command unmarks the files it acts on.
+command, to distinguish various classes of files. If @var{old-markchar}
+is a space (@samp{ }), then the command operates on all unmarked files;
+if @var{new-markchar} is a space, then the command unmarks the files it
+acts on.
To illustrate the power of this command, here is how to put @samp{D}
flags on all the files that have no marks, while unflagging all those
@findex dired-do-shell-command
@kindex ! @r{(Dired)}
-The dired command @kbd{!} (@code{dired-do-shell-command}) reads a shell
+@kindex X @r{(Dired)}
+The Dired command @kbd{!} (@code{dired-do-shell-command}) reads a shell
command string in the minibuffer and runs that shell command on all the
-specified files. You can specify the files to operate on in the usual
-ways for Dired commands (@pxref{Operating on Files}). There are two
-ways of applying a shell command to multiple files:
+specified files. @kbd{X} is a synonym for @kbd{!}. You can specify the
+files to operate on in the usual ways for Dired commands
+(@pxref{Operating on Files}). There are two ways of applying a shell
+command to multiple files:
@itemize @bullet
@item
describing that subdirectory).
Use the @kbd{l} command (@code{dired-do-redisplay}) to update the
-subdirectory's contents. Use @kbd{k} to delete the subdirectory.
-@xref{Dired Updating}.
+subdirectory's contents. Use @kbd{C-u k} on the subdirectory header
+line to delete the subdirectory. @xref{Dired Updating}.
@node Subdirectory Motion
@section Moving Over Subdirectories