(write-file): When buffer is not already visiting a file,

don't put buffer name in the minibuffer, just make it the default.
Also handle just directory as arg usefully in that case.

1 files changed, 19 insertions, 13 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index 24249311836..6ea09721367 100644
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -1914,31 +1914,37 @@ the old visited file has been renamed to the new name FILENAME."
 
 (defun write-file (filename &optional confirm)
   "Write current buffer into file FILENAME.
-Makes buffer visit that file, and marks it not modified.
-If the buffer is already visiting a file, you can specify
-a directory name as FILENAME, to write a file of the same
-old name in that directory.
+This makes the buffer visit that file, and marks it as not modified.
 
-If optional second arg CONFIRM is non-nil,
-ask for confirmation for overwriting an existing file.
+If you specify just a directory name as FILENAME, that means to use
+the default file name but in that directory.  You can also yank
+the default file name into the minibuffer to edit it, using M-n.
+
+If the buffer is not already visiting a file, the default file name
+for the output file is the buffer name.
+
+If optional second arg CONFIRM is non-nil, this function
+asks for confirmation before overwriting an existing file.
 Interactively, confirmation is required unless you supply a prefix argument."
 ;;  (interactive "FWrite file: ")
   (interactive
    (list (if buffer-file-name
              (read-file-name "Write file: "
                                  nil nil nil nil)
-           (read-file-name "Write file: "
-                               (cdr (assq 'default-directory
-                                          (buffer-local-variables)))
-                               nil nil (file-name-nondirectory (buffer-name))))
+           (read-file-name "Write file: " default-directory
+                           (expand-file-name
+                            (file-name-nondirectory (buffer-name))
+                            default-directory)
+                           nil nil))
          (not current-prefix-arg)))
   (or (null filename) (string-equal filename "")
       (progn
         ;; If arg is just a directory,
-        ;; use same file name, but in that directory.
-        (if (and (file-directory-p filename) buffer-file-name)
+        ;; use the default file name, but in that directory.
+        (if (file-directory-p filename)
             (setq filename (concat (file-name-as-directory filename)
-                                   (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name))))
+                                   (file-name-nondirectory
+                                    (or buffer-file-name (buffer-name))))))
         (and confirm
              (file-exists-p filename)
              (or (y-or-n-p (format "File `%s' exists; overwrite? " filename))