@defun make-temp-file prefix &optional dir-flag suffix
@tindex make-temp-file
-This function creates a temporary file and returns its name.
-The name starts with @var{prefix}; it also contains a number that is
-different in each Emacs job. If @var{prefix} is a relative file name,
-it is expanded against @code{temporary-file-directory}.
+This function creates a temporary file and returns its name. Emacs
+creates the temporary file's name by adding to @var{prefix} some
+random characters that are different in each Emacs job. The result is
+guaranteed to be a newly created empty file. On MS-DOS, this function
+can truncate the @var{string} prefix to fit into the 8+3 file-name
+limits. If @var{prefix} is a relative file name, it is expanded
+against @code{temporary-file-directory}.
@example
@group
@end example
@defun make-temp-name string
-This function generates a string that can be used as a unique file name.
-The name starts with @var{string}, and contains a number that is
-different in each Emacs job. It is like @code{make-temp-file} except
-that it just constructs a name, and does not create a file. Another
-difference is that @var{string} should be an absolute file name. On
-MS-DOS, this function can truncate the @var{string} prefix to fit into
-the 8+3 file-name limits.
+This function generates a string that can be used as a unique file
+name. The name starts with @var{string}, and has several random
+characters appended to it, which are different in each Emacs job. It
+is like @code{make-temp-file} except that it just constructs a name,
+and does not create a file. Another difference is that @var{string}
+should be an absolute file name. On MS-DOS, this function can
+truncate the @var{string} prefix to fit into the 8+3 file-name limits.
@end defun
@defvar temporary-file-directory