From: Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 1995 01:00:42 +0000 (+0000)
Subject: (file-precious-flag): Doc clarification.
X-Git-Tag: emacs-19.34~3714
X-Git-Url: http://git.eshelyaron.com/gitweb/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=4b7271c1a112a5956ddfd0240b27ccaacae5941a;p=emacs.git

(file-precious-flag): Doc clarification.
---

diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index 634d54b09bf..a9bf39ef6fb 100644
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -131,7 +131,13 @@ If the buffer is visiting a new file, the value is nil.")
 (defconst file-precious-flag nil
   "*Non-nil means protect against I/O errors while saving files.
 Some modes set this non-nil in particular buffers.
-Note that this forces backups to be made by copying.
+
+This feature works by writing the new contents into a temporary file
+and then renaming the temporary file to replace the original.
+In this way, any I/O error in writing leaves the original untouched,
+and there is never any instant where the file is nonexistent.
+
+Note that this feature forces backups to be made by copying.
 Yet, at the same time, saving a precious file
 breaks any hard links between it and other files.")