I would like to run some actions specifically after I rename a file, for example via C-x C-w in Emacs, but I am not aware of some hook (function) that will be called specifically when file is renamed. It is not hard to add something similar to a hook, so rename-file-actions is my personal solution that introduces a (sort of) hook that runs when the file is renamed. The motivation behind is that I use some auto-insert templates that insert file names in text, and I would like to update those when I rename a file. However, it could be anything, for example delete the old file, or whatever.

Copy rename-file-actions.el somewhere in your load-path so Emacs can find it. Alternatively clone to your hard drive and install via M-x package-install-file, or use package-vc-install.

To enable “rename file hooks”, enable the rename-file-actions mode. For example in init file:

(rename-file-actions +1)

Add a pair ‘(major-mode . hook) to the rename-file-mode-alist.

The hook function should take &rest list as the argument. The hook vill run in the original buffer, just before the buffer is saved. Args list will contain the name of the target file to which the content is saved.

As an example, there is a simple function in on-rename-elisp-library.el, I use to update my Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp files, for which I use very similar auto-insert template:

(add-to-list 'rename-file-mode-alist '(emacs-lisp-mode . on-rename-elisp-library))

The function changes text inserted by auto-insert, in which are by default two occurences of the file name itself, and a feature name which is by default the same token as the library name.

It is currently just a prototype in alfa state. If anyone would like to test it and experience problems let me know. I have tested it only with Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp in my own Emacs.