Emacs: Delete Current File 🚀

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

Here's emacs commands that delete the current file.

(defun xah-delete-current-file-make-backup ()
  "Makes a backup~, delete current file, close the buffer.

Backup filename is “‹name›~‹dateTimeStamp›~”.
Overwrite existing file.

If buffer is not a file, copy content to `kill-ring', delete buffer.

If buffer is not a file, the backup file name starts with “xx_”.

Call `xah-open-last-closed' to open the backup file.

URL `http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/elisp_delete-current-file.html'
Version: 2018-05-15 2024-04-21 2024-04-23"
  (interactive)
  (when (eq major-mode 'dired-mode)
    (user-error "%s: In dired. Nothing is done." real-this-command))
  (let ((xfname buffer-file-name)
        (xbuffname (buffer-name)))
    (if xfname
        (let ((xbackupPath (format "%s~%s~" xfname (format-time-string "%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S"))))
          (save-buffer xfname)
          (kill-buffer xbuffname)
          (rename-file xfname xbackupPath t)
          (message "File deleted.
Backup at
%s
Call `xah-open-last-closed' to open." xbackupPath)
          (when (boundp 'xah-recently-closed-buffers)
            (push (cons nil xbackupPath) xah-recently-closed-buffers)))
      (progn
        (widen)
        (kill-new (buffer-string))
        (kill-buffer xbuffname)
        (message "non-file buffer killed. buffer text copied to `kill-ring'."))))
  (when (eq major-mode 'dired-mode) (revert-buffer)))

The following related commands are useful together:

Also, it's useful when using emacs to view images. 〔see Emacs: View Image File〕