Dired

In a buffer, use C-x C-j to open the current directory in dired.

Once in a dired window (M-x dired), the following keys can be used:

Marking / Unmarking

• d: Mark for deletion
• t: Mark all
• u: Unmark for deletion
• U: Unmark all
• * s: mark all, except for . and ..
• * .: mark all files with a given extension
• * %: mark all files matching a given regexp

Sorting

• s: toggle sorting by name and by date
• C-u s: Edit ls options. Can be used to use different sorting, such as -alS to sort by size.

Actions

• D : Delete
• x: Delete files marked for deletion
• f : Visit file
• o: Visit file in other window
• Q: Query replace on each file marked
• +: Create new directory
• C <name> RET: Copy with a new name
• w: Copy name of file under cursor (or selected) into kill-ring
• 0 w: Copy absolute path of file
• ! cmd RET: Execute command cmd on file.
• M-x find-grep-dired: List in a dired buffer files containing string matching regexp.
• M-x find-dired: Find and list in a dired buffer files matching find command.

The name of the files can also be edited directly in the dired buffer by making the buffer writable with C-x C-q.

Example

To search and replace in a given folder:

• Search for all occurrences in a given folder, using M-x find-grep-dired
• Mark all the buffers by using t in dired.
• Press Q to start query-replace on the marked buffers.
• You can use ! to get all the occurrences in a buffer replaced.
• You can then use C-x s to save all the buffers.