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This is the same question as Save current file with a slightly different name, but for Helm. (The top answer given for the original question doesn't work in Helm, sadly: M-n (next-history-element) doesn't do quite the same thing as in vanilla Emacs.)

The question is: how can I insert the filename of the current buffer into the minibuffer during write-file. So for example:

C-x C-w (this gets me to a minibuffer prompt with the current directory); in plain Emacs I could type M-n and this would insert the current filename for me to edit to a slightly different name. What can I do instead in Helm?

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2
  • Is M-n bound to next-history-element or is it bound to something else? IOW, is next-history-element refedfined by helm to do something different? And if so, should that not be considered a bug in helm?
    – NickD
    Jan 12, 2021 at 17:43
  • M-n is bound to next-history-element.
    – Reuben Thomas
    Jan 12, 2021 at 21:12

2 Answers 2

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1

There's nothing like it in Helm AFAIK, so I tried to mimic what C-x C-w M-n does with the following command. The difference is you have to press C-j (instead of M-n) to expand the filename.

(defun helm-write-file ()
  (interactive)
  (let ((filename (helm-read-file-name
                   "Write file: "
                   :preselect (when (buffer-file-name)
                                (helm-basename (buffer-file-name))))))
    (write-file filename)))

(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-w") 'helm-write-file)

Alternatively, you can skip the Helm interface with:

(add-to-list 'helm-completing-read-handlers-alist '(write-file . nil))
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9
  • OK, so this works fine with C-x C-f, but not with C-x C-w.
    – Reuben Thomas
    Jan 16, 2021 at 22:59
  • Press C-x C-f C-j, make your changes then RET. It should create a new file in the current directory.
    – jagrg
    Jan 17, 2021 at 19:29
  • I'm baffled, sorry! I don't want to create a new file, I want to write an existing buffer under a new name.
    – Reuben Thomas
    Jan 18, 2021 at 12:32
  • In that case it's C-x C-f M-R C-j. BTW you can also skip the Helm interface with (add-to-list 'helm-completing-read-handlers-alist '(write-file . nil)), in which case C-x C-w M-n should do what it does in vanilla Emacs.
    – jagrg
    Jan 18, 2021 at 16:00
  • C-x C-f M-R C-j renames a file, it does not write a buffer under a new name, which creates a copy. Thanks for the second tip, but I'd rather use Helm.
    – Reuben Thomas
    Jan 18, 2021 at 21:42
0

Bring up helm's file name history buffer with (helm-write-file followed by) C-c h. With a bit of luck, the file name you want is at the top. Select it with F2.

Note: To edit the filename, you need to navigate with C-f and C-b in the minibuffer. Using the arrow keys does not work for me. (The same caveat applies to the other answer.)

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2
  • Thanks for your alternative simpler answer. I think you mean C-b not C-p? I prefer something I can engrave in muscle memory; "With a bit of luck" is not quite that.
    – Reuben Thomas
    Jun 5, 2021 at 15:14
  • Yes, corrected.
    – Communicative Algebra
    Jun 5, 2021 at 15:21

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