To recover the file, start up emacs with the same filename as you did before, on the same workstation as before. For example, suppose you were editing resume.tex when your workstation crashed. When the workstation becomes usable again, login and do:
emacs resume.tex &Note that when you start up Emacs, it will say:
Auto save file is newer; consider M-x recover-fileThis is a hint that the file needs to be recovered from the auto-save file. Look at the file you now have in Emacs; if it's blank or it's not the version you wanted, then you need to recover. DO NOT just begin typing, or Emacs will soon make another auto-save file and clobber the old one.
To recover the auto-save file, type:
M-x recover-file RETURN resume.tex RETURNEmacs will then show you the date of the auto-save file, just to be sure, and ask you whether you want to recover it. Type yes to recover, or no if you don't want to.
If Emacs says:
Auto save file /usr/tmp/#4863.@mit@jruser@resume.tex# not currentthen the file does not exist on your workstation (ie: you may have misspelled it).
Now save this file under a different name:
C-x C-w resume.recoverEmacs will not auto-save this recovered file until you type:
M-x auto-save-modeThis is so you can recover from the old auto-save file again, just in case you change your mind.
Now look at the two files, resume.tex and resume.recover, and take the one you like, or parts of both.