save and compile automatically

Question

GNU 23.1.1

By clicking the F5 button I can compile my project. However, I want to extend this so that any unsaved work would be saved and then compiled.

Normally I just do C-x-s to save then click F5. But can I add a line that will save without having to ask me do I want to save then it will compile, all done automatically?

; Compile program using <F5>
; Save all unsaved files here, then compile
(global-set-key [f5] 'compile)

Hope you understand me?

Many thanks for any advice,

Answer 1

Put (setq compilation-ask-about-save nil) in your .emacs to automatically save (without asking) before you compile or recompile.

Answer 2

On every Emacs I use (from the 19.34 to 24), compile do ask for saving unsaved buffer before proceeding. I'm very surprise it is not the case for you.

So just M-x compile (f5 for you) will ask to save unsaved buffer.

you can customize compilation-ask-about-save to nil if you want compile to unconditionally save all buffer, or let it to it's default non nil value if you want to be asked.

Answer 3

You can use (save-some-buffers 1) to save all buffers containing changes.

Wrap it up with a function together with compile like so:

(defun save-all-and-compile ()
  (save-some-buffers 1)
  (compile compile-command))

Then set F5 to run this function instead of plain compile.

Use (save-some-buffers) (no argument) if you prefer Emacs to ask you about each buffer to be saved. Also, you might want to make the compilation-command customisable, as it is with compile... I'll leave that to you though.

---

Getting it to work

You also have to add (interactive), see full example below.

(defun save-all-and-compile ()
  (interactive)
  (save-some-buffers 1)
  (compile compile-command))
(global-set-key [f5] 'save-all-and-compile)