(dired-x)Multiple Dired Directories

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8 Multiple Dired Directories and Non-Dired Commands
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An Emacs buffer can have but one working directory, stored in the
buffer-local variable `default-directory'.  A Dired buffer may have
several subdirectories inserted, but it still has only one working
directory: that of the top-level Dired directory in that buffer.  For
some commands it is appropriate that they use the current Dired
directory instead of `default-directory', e.g., `find-file' and
`compile'.

   A general mechanism is provided for special handling of the working
directory in special major modes:

`default-directory-alist'
     Default: `((dired-mode . (dired-current-directory)))'

     Alist of major modes and their notion of `default-directory', as a
     lisp expression to evaluate.  A resulting value of `nil' is ignored
     in favor of `default-directory'.

`default-directory'
     Function with usage like variable `default-directory', but knows
     about the special cases in variable `default-directory-alist'.