[[Narrowing]] shows only part of the [[buffer]] -- a contiguous block of text, hiding the rest.  The part showing can be specified by the [[region]], a `defun, or a [[page]].

When narrowing is in effect, the excluded portions of the buffer are not seen, and some commands ignore them altogether.
When saving, the entire buffer is written.

See Also:

* [[Narrowing]]
* MultipleNarrowings -- Widen to any of the set of past narrowings (or the entire buffer).
* Manual:Narrowing



== Narrowing and Widening Commands ==



The narrowing commands are DisabledCommands because they can confuse
users who are unfamiliar with narrowing.  You can enable them by using command `enable-command' or by putting the following EmacsLisp code in your [[init file]]:

    (put 'narrow-to-defun  'disabled nil)
    (put 'narrow-to-page   'disabled nil)
    (put 'narrow-to-region 'disabled nil)

Each of these narrowing commands is bound to a key with prefix `C-x n'.

When the buffer is narrowed, the [[mode line]] indicates this with the word `Narrow' in the MinorMode portion.

To widen the buffer (cancel the narrowing), click `Narrow' in the mode line with `mouse-2', or invoke command `widen', using `C-x n w'.  Widening always exposes the whole buffer (but see MultipleNarrowings).





== Narrowing Example ==

I often replace a regular expression, but want to limit its effective region:

    (defun replace-regexp-in-region (start end)
      (interactive "*r")
      (save-excursion
        (save-restriction
          (let ((regexp (read-string "Regexp: "))
                (to-string (read-string "Replacement: ")))
            (narrow-to-region start end)
            (goto-char (point-min))
            (while (re-search-forward regexp nil t)
              (replace-match to-string nil nil))))))


== CUA-mode and narrow-to-region ==

In CUA-mode C-x is doing "cut" when the region is highlighted. 
Then obviously C-x n n can't run narrow-to-region.
It is easy to work around the problem: 
Just move the point back and forward one char.
This will dehighlight the region but it is still there.
So now C-x n n will run narrow-to-region.


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CategoryHideStuff