RE: [External] : Re: Q: Is there a built-in way to read multiple file names?

[Drew Adams]

> This sounds overengineered. What you describe is an equivalent of
> `completing-read' HISTORY argument.

No, there's really no relation to any HISTORY
argument.  Minibuffer history args record only
minibuffer input that you've _entered_ (`RET').

(And yes, you can persist minibuffer history
variables.  They're still unrelated.)

1. `C-x C-f' followed by a pattern to match
one or more files.  Then `TAB' to complete
the pattern. 

2. Mark any of those candidates, or all at
once, to `icicle-saved-completion-candidates'
(or to any other var - that's the default).

3. Reminder: you're still reading file
names with completion.  You haven't yet
hit `RET' or `C-g'.  You're just typing a
pattern, seeing what matches, and maybe
selecting some candidates.

Change your minibuffer pattern - maybe
one for a completely different location
(directory or file system).  Hit `TAB'
again, to see the matches for that new
pattern.

4. Repeat step #2, but this time saving
by _adding_ the matching file names to
the same saved candidate set.

5. Repeat steps #3 and #2 as much as you
like. Each time you're matching different
sets of files - anywhere - using different
patterns.

6. Hit `C-g' to cancel reading file names.

You just interactively explored files
all over the place, picking some to act
on, adding their names to a list stored
in a variable.  You never visiting any of
the files.

You can now (or later) use `C-x C-f' again
and retrieve the saved set of candidates
to visit them all.  Or use any other
command that reads file names and acts on
those files.

Or you can visit them all instead of
hitting `C-g' (step 6): just retrieve all
the saved names and hit `RET'.
___

Even if you match just one file name each
time, the point's the same: quickly pick
up file names from anywhere, matching
different patterns.

Adding files to an existing saved set is
as quick as adding them to an empty set.
The former is `C->', the latter's `C-M->'.

Or for a persistent set, the former is
`C-u C->' and the latter's `C-u C-M->'.

https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Icicles_-_Persistent_Completions#SavingInCacheFiles