Buffers are the in memory storage for all data editing and viewing. Each buffer has a name that appears in the mode line. Buffers generally have a file name that is associated with them. The file name also appears in the mode line. The buffer name and the file name are independent but the buffer name defaults to the file name.
The buffer name is used to refer to a specific buffer. The `change-buffer' (`Ctl-X B') command will prompt you for a buffer name. After you enter a buffer name that buffer will be displayed in the current window. If there is no such buffer, one will be created and displayed (it will be empty).
When BEAV is run with a file name as a command line parameter, the file is read into a new buffer. The buffer name will be made the same as the file name. The file name is only used when the buffer is saved. If the file name is changed using the `buffer-set-file-name' (`Ctl-X Ctl-F') command then when the buffer is saved it will be saved to the new file.
Buffers are dynamically allocated. They grow or shrink as the size of the data they contain changes. The buffer size can be frozen using the `buffer-size-lock' (`Ctl-X Ctl-L') command. This prevents inserting or deleting data from the buffer but data can be modified.
Buffers continue to exist even if they are not being displayed. Buffers are saved in a linked list that can be stepped through using the `change-to-next-buffer' (`Esc +') or `change-to-prev-buffer' (`Esc -') commands. If the `change-to- next-buffer' command is given then the next buffer in the list is displayed in the current window.