From 4b7271c1a112a5956ddfd0240b27ccaacae5941a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Karl Heuer Date: Fri, 9 Jun 1995 01:00:42 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] (file-precious-flag): Doc clarification. --- lisp/files.el | 8 +++++++- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) 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.") -- 2.39.2