prevents problems such as a lack of disk space from resulting in an
invalid file.
-As a side effect, backups must be made by copying.
-@xref{Rename or Copy}.
+As a side effect, backups are necessarily made by copying. @xref{Rename
+or Copy}. Yet, at the same time, saving a precious file always breaks
+all hard links between the file you save and other file names.
Some modes set this variable non-@code{nil} locally in particular
buffers.
@defun insert-file-contents filename &optional visit beg end replace
This function inserts the contents of file @var{filename} into the
-current buffer after point. It returns a list of the absolute file name
+current buffer after point. It returns a list of the absolute file name
and the length of the data inserted. An error is signaled if
@var{filename} is not the name of a file that can be read.
@noindent
@code{add-name-to-file}, @code{copy-file}, @code{delete-directory},
@code{delete-file},@*
+@code{diff-latest-backup-file},
@code{directory-file-name},
-@code{diff-latest-backup-file}, @code{directory-files},
+@code{directory-files},
@code{dired-compress-file}, @code{dired-uncache},
@code{expand-file-name},@*
@code{file-accessible-directory-p},
@code{file-name-directory}, @code{file-name-nondirectory},
@code{file-name-sans-versions}, @code{file-newer-than-file-p},
@code{file-readable-p}, @code{file-regular-p}, @code{file-symlink-p},
-@code{file-truename}, @code{get-file-buffer}, @code{file-writable-p},
+@code{file-truename}, @code{file-writable-p},
+@code{get-file-buffer},
@code{insert-directory},
@code{insert-file-contents}, @code{load}, @code{make-directory},
@code{make-symbolic-link}, @code{rename-file}, @code{set-file-modes},
names.
@end defun
+@defun format-find-file file format
+This command finds the file @var{file}, converting it according to
+format @var{format}. It also makes @var{format} the default if the
+buffer is saved later.
+
+The argument @var{format} is a list of format names. If @var{format} is
+@code{nil}, no conversion takes place. Interactively, typing just
+@key{RET} for @var{format} specifies @code{nil}.
+@end defun
+
+@defun format-insert-file file format %optional beg end
+This command inserts the contents of file @var{file}, converting it
+according to format @var{format}. If @var{beg} and @var{end} are
+non-@code{nil}, they specify which part of the file to read, as in
+@code{insert-file-contents} (@pxref{Reading from Files}).
+
+The return value is like what @code{insert-file-contents} returns: a
+list of the absolute file name and the length of the data inserted
+(after conversion).
+
+The argument @var{format} is a list of format names. If @var{format} is
+@code{nil}, no conversion takes place. Interactively, typing just
+@key{RET} for @var{format} specifies @code{nil}.
+@end defun
+
+@defun format-find-file file format
+This command finds the file @var{file}, converting it according to
+format @var{format}. It also makes @var{format} the default if the
+buffer is saved later.
+
+The argument @var{format} is a list of format names. If @var{format} is
+@code{nil}, no conversion takes place. Interactively, typing just
+@key{RET} for @var{format} specifies @code{nil}.
+@end defun
+
+@defun format-insert-file file format %optional beg end
+This command inserts the contents of file @var{file}, converting it
+according to format @var{format}. If @var{beg} and @var{end} are
+non-@code{nil}, they specify which part of the file to read,
+as in @code{insert-file-contents} (@pxref{Reading from Files}).
+
+The return value is like what @code{insert-file-contents} returns: a
+list of the absolute file name and the length of the data inserted
+(after conversion).
+
+The argument @var{format} is a list of format names. If @var{format} is
+@code{nil}, no conversion takes place. Interactively, typing just
+@key{RET} for @var{format} specifies @code{nil}.
+@end defun
+
@defvar auto-save-file-format
This variable specifies the format to use for auto-saving. Its value is
a list of format names, just like the value of