(setq tail (cdr tail)))
alist))
+(defun make-temp-file (prefix &optional dir-flag)
+ "Create a temporary file.
+The returned file name (created by appending some random characters at the end
+of PREFIX, and expanding against `temporary-file-directory' if necessary,
+is guaranteed to point to a newly created empty file.
+You can then use `write-region' to write new data into the file.
+
+If DIR-FLAG is non-nil, create a new empty directory instead of a file."
+ (let (file)
+ (while (condition-case ()
+ (progn
+ (setq file
+ (make-temp-name
+ (expand-file-name prefix temporary-file-directory)))
+ (if dir-flag
+ (make-directory file)
+ (write-region "" nil file nil 'silent nil 'excl))
+ nil)
+ (file-already-exists t))
+ ;; the file was somehow created by someone else between
+ ;; `make-temp-name' and `write-region', let's try again.
+ nil)
+ file))
+
;;; subr.el ends here