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ca2565b0 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
b65d8176 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, |
4e6835db | 3 | @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
ca2565b0 | 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
53c1041b | 5 | @node Microsoft Windows, Manifesto, Mac OS, Top |
5798efc8 | 6 | @appendix Emacs and Microsoft Windows/MS-DOS |
c6b30bd2 | 7 | @cindex Microsoft Windows |
270c6692 | 8 | @cindex MS-Windows, Emacs peculiarities |
ca2565b0 | 9 | |
e691d082 | 10 | This section describes peculiarities of using Emacs on Microsoft |
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11 | Windows. Some of these peculiarities are also relevant to Microsoft's |
12 | older MS-DOS ``operating system'' (also known as ``MS-DOG''). | |
13 | However, Emacs features that are relevant @emph{only} to MS-DOS are | |
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14 | described in a separate |
15 | @iftex | |
9dc999d3 | 16 | manual (@pxref{MS-DOS,,, emacs-xtra, Specialized Emacs Features}). |
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17 | @end iftex |
18 | @ifnottex | |
19 | section (@pxref{MS-DOS}). | |
20 | @end ifnottex | |
21 | ||
ca2565b0 | 22 | |
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23 | The behavior of Emacs on MS-Windows is reasonably similar to what is |
24 | documented in the rest of the manual, including support for long file | |
25 | names, multiple frames, scroll bars, mouse menus, and subprocesses. | |
26 | However, a few special considerations apply, and they are described | |
27 | here. | |
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28 | |
29 | @menu | |
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30 | * Text and Binary:: Text files use CRLF to terminate lines. |
31 | * Windows Files:: File-name conventions on Windows. | |
9974630f | 32 | * ls in Lisp:: Emulation of @code{ls} for Dired. |
5798efc8 | 33 | * Windows HOME:: Where Emacs looks for your @file{.emacs}. |
5a3e3201 | 34 | * Windows Keyboard:: Windows-specific keyboard features. |
37a75312 | 35 | * Windows Mouse:: Windows-specific mouse features. |
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36 | * Windows Processes:: Running subprocesses on Windows. |
37 | * Windows Printing:: How to specify the printer on MS-Windows. | |
37a75312 | 38 | * Windows Misc:: Miscellaneous Windows features. |
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39 | @ifnottex |
40 | * MS-DOS:: Using Emacs on MS-DOS (otherwise known as @dfn{MS-DOG}). | |
41 | @end ifnottex | |
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42 | @end menu |
43 | ||
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44 | @node Text and Binary |
45 | @section Text Files and Binary Files | |
46 | @cindex text and binary files on MS-DOS/MS-Windows | |
47 | ||
48 | GNU Emacs uses newline characters to separate text lines. This is the | |
270c6692 | 49 | convention used on GNU, Unix, and other Posix-compliant systems. |
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50 | |
51 | @cindex end-of-line conversion on MS-DOS/MS-Windows | |
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52 | By contrast, MS-DOS and MS-Windows normally use carriage-return linefeed, |
53 | a two-character sequence, to separate text lines. (Linefeed is the same | |
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54 | character as newline.) Therefore, convenient editing of typical files |
55 | with Emacs requires conversion of these end-of-line (EOL) sequences. | |
56 | And that is what Emacs normally does: it converts carriage-return | |
57 | linefeed into newline when reading files, and converts newline into | |
58 | carriage-return linefeed when writing files. The same mechanism that | |
59 | handles conversion of international character codes does this conversion | |
60 | also (@pxref{Coding Systems}). | |
61 | ||
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62 | @cindex cursor location, on MS-DOS |
63 | @cindex point location, on MS-DOS | |
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64 | One consequence of this special format-conversion of most files is |
65 | that character positions as reported by Emacs (@pxref{Position Info}) do | |
66 | not agree with the file size information known to the operating system. | |
67 | ||
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68 | In addition, if Emacs recognizes from a file's contents that it uses |
69 | newline rather than carriage-return linefeed as its line separator, it | |
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70 | does not perform EOL conversion when reading or writing that file. |
71 | Thus, you can read and edit files from GNU and Unix systems on MS-DOS | |
72 | with no special effort, and they will retain their Unix-style | |
73 | end-of-line convention after you edit them. | |
ca2565b0 | 74 | |
ca2565b0 | 75 | The mode line indicates whether end-of-line translation was used for |
1ca54e68 | 76 | the current buffer. If MS-DOS end-of-line translation is in use for the |
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77 | buffer, the MS-Windows build of Emacs displays a backslash @samp{\} after |
78 | the coding system mnemonic near the beginning of the mode line | |
79 | (@pxref{Mode Line}). If no EOL translation was performed, the string | |
80 | @samp{(Unix)} is displayed instead of the backslash, to alert you that the | |
81 | file's EOL format is not the usual carriage-return linefeed. | |
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82 | |
83 | @cindex DOS-to-Unix conversion of files | |
8e375db2 | 84 | To visit a file and specify whether it uses DOS-style or Unix-style |
fef4d6a6 | 85 | end-of-line, specify a coding system (@pxref{Text Coding}). For |
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86 | example, @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c unix @key{RET} C-x C-f foobar.txt} |
87 | visits the file @file{foobar.txt} without converting the EOLs; if some | |
88 | line ends with a carriage-return linefeed pair, Emacs will display | |
89 | @samp{^M} at the end of that line. Similarly, you can direct Emacs to | |
90 | save a buffer in a specified EOL format with the @kbd{C-x @key{RET} f} | |
91 | command. For example, to save a buffer with Unix EOL format, type | |
92 | @kbd{C-x @key{RET} f unix @key{RET} C-x C-s}. If you visit a file | |
93 | with DOS EOL conversion, then save it with Unix EOL format, that | |
94 | effectively converts the file to Unix EOL style, like @code{dos2unix}. | |
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95 | |
96 | @cindex untranslated file system | |
97 | @findex add-untranslated-filesystem | |
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98 | When you use NFS, Samba, or some other similar method to access file |
99 | systems that reside on computers using GNU or Unix systems, Emacs | |
100 | should not perform end-of-line translation on any files in these file | |
101 | systems---not even when you create a new file. To request this, | |
102 | designate these file systems as @dfn{untranslated} file systems by | |
103 | calling the function @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}. It takes one | |
104 | argument: the file system name, including a drive letter and | |
105 | optionally a directory. For example, | |
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106 | |
107 | @example | |
108 | (add-untranslated-filesystem "Z:") | |
109 | @end example | |
110 | ||
111 | @noindent | |
112 | designates drive Z as an untranslated file system, and | |
113 | ||
114 | @example | |
115 | (add-untranslated-filesystem "Z:\\foo") | |
116 | @end example | |
117 | ||
118 | @noindent | |
119 | designates directory @file{\foo} on drive Z as an untranslated file | |
120 | system. | |
121 | ||
122 | Most often you would use @code{add-untranslated-filesystem} in your | |
270c6692 | 123 | @file{.emacs} file, or in @file{site-start.el} so that all the users at |
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124 | your site get the benefit of it. |
125 | ||
126 | @findex remove-untranslated-filesystem | |
127 | To countermand the effect of @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}, use | |
128 | the function @code{remove-untranslated-filesystem}. This function takes | |
129 | one argument, which should be a string just like the one that was used | |
130 | previously with @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}. | |
131 | ||
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132 | Designating a file system as untranslated does not affect character |
133 | set conversion, only end-of-line conversion. Essentially, it directs | |
134 | Emacs to create new files with the Unix-style convention of using | |
135 | newline at the end of a line. @xref{Coding Systems}. | |
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136 | |
137 | @vindex file-name-buffer-file-type-alist | |
138 | @cindex binary files, on MS-DOS/MS-Windows | |
139 | Some kinds of files should not be converted at all, because their | |
270c6692 | 140 | contents are not really text. Therefore, Emacs on MS-Windows distinguishes |
1ca54e68 | 141 | certain files as @dfn{binary files}. (This distinction is not part of |
270c6692 | 142 | MS-Windows; it is made by Emacs only.) Binary files include executable |
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143 | programs, compressed archives, etc. Emacs uses the file name to decide |
144 | whether to treat a file as binary: the variable | |
145 | @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist} defines the file-name patterns | |
146 | that indicate binary files. If a file name matches one of the patterns | |
147 | for binary files (those whose associations are of the type | |
148 | @code{(@var{pattern} . t)}, Emacs reads and writes that file using the | |
149 | @code{no-conversion} coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}) which turns | |
150 | off @emph{all} coding-system conversions, not only the EOL conversion. | |
151 | @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist} also includes file-name patterns | |
270c6692 | 152 | for files which are known to be Windows-style text files with |
1ca54e68 | 153 | carriage-return linefeed EOL format, such as @file{CONFIG.SYS}; Emacs |
270c6692 | 154 | always writes those files with Windows-style EOLs. |
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155 | |
156 | If a file which belongs to an untranslated file system matches one of | |
157 | the file-name patterns in @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist}, the | |
158 | EOL conversion is determined by @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist}. | |
159 | ||
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160 | @node Windows Files |
161 | @section File Names on MS-Windows | |
162 | @cindex file names on MS-Windows | |
163 | ||
164 | MS-Windows and MS-DOS normally use a backslash, @samp{\}, to | |
165 | separate name units within a file name, instead of the slash used on | |
166 | other systems. Emacs on MS-DOS/MS-Windows permits use of either slash or | |
167 | backslash, and also knows about drive letters in file names. | |
168 | ||
169 | @cindex file-name completion, on MS-Windows | |
170 | On MS-DOS/MS-Windows, file names are case-insensitive, so Emacs by | |
171 | default ignores letter-case in file names during completion. | |
172 | ||
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173 | @vindex w32-get-true-file-attributes |
174 | If the variable @code{w32-get-true-file-attributes} is | |
175 | non-@code{nil} (the default), Emacs tries to determine the accurate | |
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176 | link counts for files. This option is only useful on NTFS volumes, |
177 | and it considerably slows down Dired and other features, so use it | |
178 | only on fast machines. | |
37a75312 | 179 | |
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180 | @node ls in Lisp |
181 | @section Emulation of @code{ls} on MS-Windows | |
182 | @cindex Dired, and MS-Windows/MS-DOS | |
183 | @cindex @code{ls} emulation | |
184 | ||
185 | Dired normally uses the external program @code{ls} (or its close | |
186 | work-alike) to produce the directory listing displayed in Dired | |
187 | buffers (@pxref{Dired}). However, MS-Windows and MS-DOS systems don't | |
188 | come with such a program, although several ports of @sc{gnu} @code{ls} | |
189 | are available. Therefore, Emacs on those systems @emph{emulates} | |
190 | @code{ls} in Lisp, by using the @file{ls-lisp.el} package. While | |
191 | @file{ls-lisp.el} provides a reasonably full emulation of @code{ls}, | |
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192 | there are some options and features peculiar to that emulation; |
193 | @iftex | |
194 | for more details, see the documentation of the variables whose names | |
195 | begin with @code{ls-lisp}. | |
196 | @end iftex | |
197 | @ifnottex | |
198 | they are described in this section. | |
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199 | |
200 | The @code{ls} emulation supports many of the @code{ls} switches, but | |
201 | it doesn't support all of them. Here's the list of the switches it | |
202 | does support: @option{-A}, @option{-a}, @option{-B}, @option{-C}, | |
203 | @option{-c}, @option{-i}, @option{-G}, @option{-g}, @option{-R}, | |
204 | @option{-r}, @option{-S}, @option{-s}, @option{-t}, @option{-U}, | |
205 | @option{-u}, and @option{-X}. The @option{-F} switch is partially | |
206 | supported (it appends the character that classifies the file, but does | |
207 | not prevent symlink following). | |
208 | ||
209 | @vindex ls-lisp-use-insert-directory-program | |
210 | On MS-Windows and MS-DOS, @file{ls-lisp.el} is preloaded when Emacs | |
211 | is built, so the Lisp emulation of @code{ls} is always used on those | |
212 | platforms. If you have a ported @code{ls}, setting | |
213 | @code{ls-lisp-use-insert-directory-program} to a non-@code{nil} value | |
214 | will revert to using an external program named by the variable | |
215 | @code{insert-directory-program}. | |
216 | ||
217 | @vindex ls-lisp-ignore-case | |
218 | By default, @file{ls-lisp.el} uses a case-sensitive sort order for | |
219 | the directory listing it produces; this is so the listing looks the | |
220 | same as on other platforms. If you wish that the files be sorted in | |
221 | case-insensitive order, set the variable @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} to | |
222 | a non-@code{nil} value. | |
223 | ||
224 | @vindex ls-lisp-dirs-first | |
225 | By default, files and subdirectories are sorted together, to emulate | |
226 | the behavior of @code{ls}. However, native MS-Windows/MS-DOS file | |
227 | managers list the directories before the files; if you want that | |
228 | behavior, customize the option @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to a | |
229 | non-@code{nil} value. | |
230 | ||
231 | @vindex ls-lisp-verbosity | |
232 | The variable @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} controls the file attributes | |
233 | that @file{ls-lisp.el} displays. The value should be a list that | |
234 | contains one or more of the symbols @code{links}, @code{uid}, and | |
235 | @code{gid}. @code{links} means display the count of different file | |
236 | names that are associated with (a.k.a.@: @dfn{links to}) the file's | |
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237 | data; this is only useful on NTFS volumes. @code{uid} means display |
238 | the numerical identifier of the user who owns the file. @code{gid} | |
239 | means display the numerical identifier of the file owner's group. The | |
240 | default value is @code{(links uid gid)} i.e.@: all the 3 optional | |
241 | attributes are displayed. | |
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242 | |
243 | @vindex ls-lisp-emulation | |
244 | The variable @code{ls-lisp-emulation} controls the flavour of the | |
245 | @code{ls} emulation by setting the defaults for the 3 options | |
246 | described above: @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case}, | |
247 | @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity}. The value of | |
248 | this option can be one of the following symbols: | |
249 | ||
250 | @table @code | |
251 | @item GNU | |
252 | @itemx nil | |
253 | Emulate @sc{gnu} systems; this is the default. This sets | |
254 | @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} and @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to | |
255 | @code{nil}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{(links uid gid)}. | |
256 | @item UNIX | |
257 | Emulate Unix systems. Like @code{GNU}, but sets | |
258 | @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{(links uid)}. | |
259 | @item MacOS | |
260 | Emulate MacOS. Sets @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} to @code{t}, and | |
261 | @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{nil}. | |
262 | @item MS-Windows | |
263 | Emulate MS-Windows. Sets @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} and | |
264 | @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to @code{t}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to | |
265 | @code{(links)} on Windows NT/2K/XP/2K3 and to @code{nil} on Windows 9X. | |
266 | Note that the default emulation is @emph{not} @code{MS-Windows}, even | |
267 | on Windows, since many users of Emacs on those platforms prefer the | |
268 | @sc{gnu} defaults. | |
269 | @end table | |
270 | ||
271 | @noindent | |
272 | Any other value of @code{ls-lisp-emulation} means the same as | |
273 | @code{GNU}. Note that this option needs to be set @emph{before} | |
274 | @file{ls-lisp.el} is loaded, which means that on MS-Windows and MS-DOS | |
275 | you will have to set the value from your @file{.emacs} file and then | |
276 | restart Emacs, since @file{ls-lisp.el} is preloaded. | |
277 | ||
278 | @vindex ls-lisp-support-shell-wildcards | |
279 | The variable @code{ls-lisp-support-shell-wildcards} controls how | |
280 | file-name patterns are supported: if it is non-@code{nil} (the | |
281 | default), they are treated as shell-style wildcards; otherwise they | |
282 | are treated as Emacs regular expressions. | |
7d0a2d30 | 283 | @end ifnottex |
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285 | @node Windows HOME |
286 | @section HOME Directory on MS-Windows | |
287 | @cindex @code{HOME} directory on MS-Windows | |
288 | ||
444246ca | 289 | The Windows equivalent of the @code{HOME} directory is the |
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290 | @dfn{user-specific application data directory}. The actual location |
291 | depends on your Windows version and system configuration; typical values | |
292 | are @file{C:\Documents and Settings\@var{username}\Application Data} on | |
293 | Windows 2K/XP and later, and either @file{C:\WINDOWS\Application Data} | |
294 | or @file{C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\@var{username}\Application Data} on the | |
295 | older Windows 9X/ME systems. | |
296 | ||
297 | @cindex init file @file{.emacs} on MS-Windows | |
298 | The home directory is where your init file @file{.emacs} is stored. | |
299 | When Emacs starts, it first checks whether the environment variable | |
300 | @env{HOME} is set. If it is, it looks for the init file in the | |
301 | directory pointed by @env{HOME}. If @env{HOME} is not defined, Emacs | |
302 | checks for an existing @file{.emacs} file in @file{C:\}, the root | |
303 | directory of drive @file{C:}@footnote{ | |
304 | The check in @file{C:\} is in preference to the application data | |
305 | directory for compatibility with older versions of Emacs, which didn't | |
306 | check the application data directory. | |
307 | }. If there's no such file in @file{C:\}, Emacs next uses the Windows | |
308 | system calls to find out the exact location of your application data | |
309 | directory. If that fails as well, Emacs falls back to @file{C:\}. | |
310 | ||
311 | Whatever the final place is, Emacs sets the value of the @env{HOME} | |
312 | environment variable to point to it, and it will use that location for | |
313 | other files and directories it normally creates in the user's home | |
314 | directory. | |
315 | ||
316 | You can always find out where Emacs thinks is your home directory's | |
317 | location by typing @kbd{C-x d ~/ @key{RET}}. This should present the | |
318 | list of files in the home directory, and show its full name on the | |
319 | first line. Likewise, to visit your init file, type @kbd{C-x C-f | |
320 | ~/.emacs @key{RET}}. | |
321 | ||
322 | @cindex @file{_emacs} init file, MS-Windows | |
323 | Because MS-DOS does not allow file names with leading dots, and | |
324 | because older Windows systems made it hard to create files with such | |
325 | names, the Windows port of Emacs supports an alternative name | |
326 | @file{_emacs} as a fallback, if such a file exists in the home | |
327 | directory, whereas @file{.emacs} does not. | |
328 | ||
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329 | @node Windows Keyboard |
330 | @section Keyboard Usage on MS-Windows | |
331 | @cindex keyboard, MS-Windows | |
332 | ||
333 | This section describes the Windows-specific features related to | |
334 | keyboard input in Emacs. | |
335 | ||
e7379492 | 336 | @cindex MS-Windows keyboard shortcuts |
668ef058 RS |
337 | Many key combinations (known as ``keyboard shortcuts'') that have |
338 | conventional uses in MS-Windows programs conflict with traditional | |
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339 | Emacs key bindings. (These Emacs key bindings were established years |
340 | before Microsoft was founded.) Examples of conflicts include | |
341 | @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-z}, @kbd{C-a}, and @kbd{W-@key{SPC}}. | |
342 | You can redefine some of them with meanings more like the MS-Windows | |
343 | meanings by enabling CUA Mode (@pxref{CUA Bindings}). | |
e7379492 | 344 | |
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345 | @kindex F10 @r{(MS-Windows)} |
346 | @cindex menu bar access using keyboard @r{(MS-Windows)} | |
347 | The @key{F10} key on Windows activates the menu bar in a way that | |
348 | makes it possible to use the menus without a mouse. In this mode, the | |
349 | arrow keys traverse the menus, @key{RET} selects a highlighted menu | |
350 | item, and @key{ESC} closes the menu. | |
351 | ||
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352 | @iftex |
353 | @inforef{Windows Keyboard, , emacs}, for information about additional | |
354 | Windows-specific variables in this category. | |
355 | @end iftex | |
7d0a2d30 | 356 | @ifnottex |
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357 | @vindex w32-alt-is-meta |
358 | @cindex @code{Alt} key (MS-Windows) | |
359 | By default, the key labeled @key{Alt} is mapped as the @key{META} | |
360 | key. If you wish it to produce the @code{Alt} modifier instead, set | |
361 | the variable @code{w32-alt-is-meta} to a @code{nil} value. | |
362 | ||
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363 | @vindex w32-capslock-is-shiftlock |
364 | By default, the @key{CapsLock} key only affects normal character | |
365 | keys (it converts lower-case characters to their upper-case | |
366 | variants). However, if you set the variable | |
367 | @code{w32-capslock-is-shiftlock} to a non-@code{nil} value, the | |
368 | @key{CapsLock} key will affect non-character keys as well, as if you | |
369 | pressed the @key{Shift} key while typing the non-character key. | |
370 | ||
371 | @vindex w32-enable-caps-lock | |
372 | If the variable @code{w32-enable-caps-lock} is set to a @code{nil} | |
373 | value, the @key{CapsLock} key produces the symbol @code{capslock} | |
374 | instead of the shifted version of they keys. The default value is | |
375 | @code{t}. | |
376 | ||
377 | @vindex w32-enable-num-lock | |
378 | @cindex keypad keys (MS-Windows) | |
379 | Similarly, if @code{w32-enable-num-lock} is @code{nil}, the | |
380 | @key{NumLock} key will produce the symbol @code{kp-numlock}. The | |
381 | default is @code{t}, which causes @key{NumLock} to work as expected: | |
382 | toggle the meaning of the keys on the numeric keypad. | |
7d0a2d30 | 383 | @end ifnottex |
5a3e3201 | 384 | |
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385 | @vindex w32-apps-modifier |
386 | The variable @code{w32-apps-modifier} controls the effect of the | |
387 | @key{Apps} key (usually located between the right @key{Alt} and the | |
388 | right @key{Ctrl} keys). Its value can be one of the symbols | |
389 | @code{hyper}, @code{super}, @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{control}, | |
390 | or @code{shift} for the respective modifier, or @code{nil} to appear | |
391 | as the key @code{apps}. The default is @code{nil}. | |
392 | ||
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393 | @vindex w32-lwindow-modifier |
394 | @vindex w32-rwindow-modifier | |
395 | @vindex w32-scroll-lock-modifier | |
396 | The variable @code{w32-lwindow-modifier} determines the effect of | |
397 | the left Windows key (usually labeled with @key{start} and the Windows | |
398 | logo). If its value is @code{nil} (the default), the key will produce | |
399 | the symbol @code{lwindow}. Setting it to one of the symbols | |
400 | @code{hyper}, @code{super}, @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{control}, | |
401 | or @code{shift} will produce the respective modifier. A similar | |
402 | variable @code{w32-rwindow-modifier} controls the effect of the right | |
403 | Windows key, and @code{w32-scroll-lock-modifier} does the same for the | |
404 | @key{ScrLock} key. If these variables are set to @code{nil}, the | |
405 | right Windows key produces the symbol @code{rwindow} and @key{ScrLock} | |
406 | produces the symbol @code{scroll}. | |
407 | ||
408 | @vindex w32-pass-alt-to-system | |
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409 | @cindex Windows system menu |
410 | @cindex @code{Alt} key invokes menu (Windows) | |
411 | Emacs compiled as a native Windows application normally turns off | |
412 | the Windows feature that tapping the @key{ALT} key invokes the Windows | |
413 | menu. The reason is that the @key{ALT} serves as @key{META} in Emacs. | |
414 | When using Emacs, users often press the @key{META} key temporarily and | |
415 | then change their minds; if this has the effect of bringing up the | |
416 | Windows menu, it alters the meaning of subsequent commands. Many | |
417 | users find this frustrating. | |
418 | ||
419 | You can re-enable Windows' default handling of tapping the @key{ALT} | |
420 | key by setting @code{w32-pass-alt-to-system} to a non-@code{nil} | |
421 | value. | |
422 | ||
7d0a2d30 | 423 | @ifnottex |
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424 | @vindex w32-pass-lwindow-to-system |
425 | @vindex w32-pass-rwindow-to-system | |
37a75312 | 426 | The variables @code{w32-pass-lwindow-to-system} and |
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427 | @code{w32-pass-rwindow-to-system} determine whether the respective |
428 | keys are passed to Windows or swallowed by Emacs. If the value is | |
429 | @code{nil}, the respective key is silently swallowed by Emacs, | |
37a75312 EZ |
430 | otherwise it is passed to Windows. The default is @code{t} for both |
431 | of these variables. Passing each of these keys to Windows produces | |
432 | its normal effect: for example, @kbd{@key{Lwindow}} opens the | |
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433 | @code{Start} menu, etc.@footnote{ |
434 | Some combinations of the ``Windows'' keys with other keys are caught | |
435 | by Windows at low level in a way that Emacs currently cannot prevent. | |
436 | For example, @kbd{@key{Lwindow} r} always pops up the Windows | |
437 | @samp{Run} dialog. Customizing the value of | |
438 | @code{w32-phantom-key-code} might help in some cases, though.} | |
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439 | |
440 | @vindex w32-recognize-altgr | |
441 | @kindex AltGr @r{(MS-Windows)} | |
442 | @cindex AltGr key (MS-Windows) | |
6041f4e1 | 443 | The variable @code{w32-recognize-altgr} controls whether the |
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444 | @key{AltGr} key (if it exists on your keyboard), or its equivalent, |
445 | the combination of the right @key{Alt} and left @key{Ctrl} keys | |
446 | pressed together, is recognized as the @key{AltGr} key. The default | |
447 | is @code{t}, which means these keys produce @code{AltGr}; setting it | |
448 | to @code{nil} causes @key{AltGr} or the equivalent key combination to | |
449 | be interpreted as the combination of @key{CTRL} and @key{META} | |
450 | modifiers. | |
7d0a2d30 | 451 | @end ifnottex |
5a3e3201 | 452 | |
37a75312 EZ |
453 | @node Windows Mouse |
454 | @section Mouse Usage on MS-Windows | |
455 | @cindex mouse, and MS-Windows | |
456 | ||
457 | This section describes the Windows-specific variables related to | |
458 | mouse. | |
459 | ||
460 | @vindex w32-mouse-button-tolerance | |
461 | @cindex simulation of middle mouse button | |
462 | The variable @code{w32-mouse-button-tolerance} specifies the | |
463 | time interval, in milliseconds, for faking middle mouse button press | |
464 | on 2-button mice. If both mouse buttons are depressed within this | |
465 | time interval, Emacs generates a middle mouse button click event | |
466 | instead of a double click on one of the buttons. | |
467 | ||
468 | @vindex w32-pass-extra-mouse-buttons-to-system | |
469 | If the variable @code{w32-pass-extra-mouse-buttons-to-system} is | |
470 | non-@code{nil}, Emacs passes the fourth and fifth mouse buttons to | |
471 | Windows. | |
472 | ||
473 | @vindex w32-swap-mouse-buttons | |
474 | The variable @code{w32-swap-mouse-buttons} controls which of the 3 | |
475 | mouse buttons generates the @kbd{mouse-2} events. When it is | |
476 | @code{nil} (the default), the middle button generates @kbd{mouse-2} | |
477 | and the right button generates @kbd{mouse-3} events. If this variable | |
478 | is non-@code{nil}, the roles of these two buttons are reversed. | |
5a3e3201 | 479 | |
ca2565b0 | 480 | @node Windows Processes |
270c6692 EZ |
481 | @section Subprocesses on Windows 9X/ME and Windows NT/2K/XP |
482 | @cindex subprocesses on MS-Windows | |
ca2565b0 | 483 | |
270c6692 | 484 | @cindex DOS applications, running from Emacs |
049224f6 | 485 | Emacs compiled as a native Windows application (as opposed to the DOS |
ca2565b0 AI |
486 | version) includes full support for asynchronous subprocesses. |
487 | In the Windows version, synchronous and asynchronous subprocesses work | |
488 | fine on both | |
270c6692 | 489 | Windows 9X/ME and Windows NT/2K/XP as long as you run only 32-bit Windows |
ca2565b0 AI |
490 | applications. However, when you run a DOS application in a subprocess, |
491 | you may encounter problems or be unable to run the application at all; | |
492 | and if you run two DOS applications at the same time in two | |
493 | subprocesses, you may have to reboot your system. | |
494 | ||
495 | Since the standard command interpreter (and most command line utilities) | |
270c6692 | 496 | on Windows 9X are DOS applications, these problems are significant when |
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497 | using that system. But there's nothing we can do about them; only |
498 | Microsoft can fix them. | |
499 | ||
500 | If you run just one DOS application subprocess, the subprocess should | |
501 | work as expected as long as it is ``well-behaved'' and does not perform | |
502 | direct screen access or other unusual actions. If you have a CPU | |
503 | monitor application, your machine will appear to be 100% busy even when | |
504 | the DOS application is idle, but this is only an artifact of the way CPU | |
505 | monitors measure processor load. | |
506 | ||
507 | You must terminate the DOS application before you start any other DOS | |
508 | application in a different subprocess. Emacs is unable to interrupt or | |
509 | terminate a DOS subprocess. The only way you can terminate such a | |
510 | subprocess is by giving it a command that tells its program to exit. | |
511 | ||
512 | If you attempt to run two DOS applications at the same time in separate | |
513 | subprocesses, the second one that is started will be suspended until the | |
514 | first one finishes, even if either or both of them are asynchronous. | |
515 | ||
270c6692 | 516 | @cindex kill DOS application |
ca2565b0 AI |
517 | If you can go to the first subprocess, and tell it to exit, the second |
518 | subprocess should continue normally. However, if the second subprocess | |
519 | is synchronous, Emacs itself will be hung until the first subprocess | |
520 | finishes. If it will not finish without user input, then you have no | |
ff43a665 | 521 | choice but to reboot if you are running on Windows 9X. If you are |
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522 | running on Windows NT/2K/XP, you can use a process viewer application to kill |
523 | the appropriate instance of NTVDM instead (this will terminate both DOS | |
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524 | subprocesses). |
525 | ||
ff43a665 | 526 | If you have to reboot Windows 9X in this situation, do not use the |
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527 | @code{Shutdown} command on the @code{Start} menu; that usually hangs the |
528 | system. Instead, type @kbd{CTL-ALT-@key{DEL}} and then choose | |
529 | @code{Shutdown}. That usually works, although it may take a few minutes | |
530 | to do its job. | |
531 | ||
37a75312 | 532 | @vindex w32-quote-process-args |
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533 | The variable @code{w32-quote-process-args} controls how Emacs quotes |
534 | the process arguments. Non-@code{nil} means quote with the @code{"} | |
535 | character. If the value is a character, use that character to escape | |
536 | any quote characters that appear; otherwise chose a suitable escape | |
537 | character based on the type of the program. | |
37a75312 | 538 | |
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539 | @ifnottex |
540 | @findex w32-shell-execute | |
541 | The function @code{w32-shell-execute} can be useful for writing | |
542 | customized commands that run MS-Windows applications registered to | |
543 | handle a certain standard Windows operation for a specific type of | |
544 | document or file. This function is a wrapper around the Windows | |
545 | @code{ShellExecute} API. See the MS-Windows API documentation for | |
546 | more details. | |
547 | @end ifnottex | |
548 | ||
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549 | @node Windows Printing |
550 | @section Printing and MS-Windows | |
551 | ||
552 | Printing commands, such as @code{lpr-buffer} (@pxref{Printing}) and | |
553 | @code{ps-print-buffer} (@pxref{PostScript}) work in MS-DOS and | |
554 | MS-Windows by sending the output to one of the printer ports, if a | |
555 | Posix-style @code{lpr} program is unavailable. The same Emacs | |
556 | variables control printing on all systems, but in some cases they have | |
557 | different default values on MS-DOS and MS-Windows. | |
558 | ||
559 | Emacs on Windows automatically determines your default printer and | |
560 | sets the variable @var{printer-name} to that printer's name. But in | |
561 | some rare cases this can fail, or you may wish to use a different | |
562 | printer from within Emacs. The rest of this section explains how to | |
563 | tell Emacs which printer to use. | |
564 | ||
565 | @vindex printer-name@r{, (MS-DOS/MW-Windows)} | |
566 | If you want to use your local printer, then set the Lisp variable | |
567 | @code{lpr-command} to @code{""} (its default value on Windows) and | |
568 | @code{printer-name} to the name of the printer port---for example, | |
569 | @code{"PRN"}, the usual local printer port or @code{"LPT2"}, or | |
570 | @code{"COM1"} for a serial printer. You can also set | |
571 | @code{printer-name} to a file name, in which case ``printed'' output | |
572 | is actually appended to that file. If you set @code{printer-name} to | |
573 | @code{"NUL"}, printed output is silently discarded (sent to the system | |
574 | null device). | |
575 | ||
576 | You can also use a printer shared by another machine by setting | |
577 | @code{printer-name} to the UNC share name for that printer---for | |
578 | example, @code{"//joes_pc/hp4si"}. (It doesn't matter whether you use | |
579 | forward slashes or backslashes here.) To find out the names of shared | |
580 | printers, run the command @samp{net view} from the command prompt to | |
581 | obtain a list of servers, and @samp{net view @var{server-name}} to see | |
582 | the names of printers (and directories) shared by that server. | |
583 | Alternatively, click the @samp{Network Neighborhood} icon on your | |
584 | desktop, and look for machines which share their printers via the | |
585 | network. | |
586 | ||
587 | @cindex @samp{net use}, and printing on MS-Windows | |
588 | @cindex networked printers (MS-Windows) | |
589 | If the printer doesn't appear in the output of @samp{net view}, or | |
590 | if setting @code{printer-name} to the UNC share name doesn't produce a | |
591 | hardcopy on that printer, you can use the @samp{net use} command to | |
592 | connect a local print port such as @code{"LPT2"} to the networked | |
593 | printer. For example, typing @kbd{net use LPT2: \\joes_pc\hp4si}@footnote{ | |
594 | Note that the @samp{net use} command requires the UNC share name to be | |
595 | typed with the Windows-style backslashes, while the value of | |
596 | @code{printer-name} can be set with either forward- or backslashes.} | |
597 | causes Windows to @dfn{capture} the @code{LPT2} port and redirect the | |
598 | printed material to the printer connected to the machine @code{joes_pc}. | |
599 | After this command, setting @code{printer-name} to @code{"LPT2"} | |
600 | should produce the hardcopy on the networked printer. | |
601 | ||
602 | With some varieties of Windows network software, you can instruct | |
603 | Windows to capture a specific printer port such as @code{"LPT2"}, and | |
604 | redirect it to a networked printer via the @w{@code{Control | |
605 | Panel->Printers}} applet instead of @samp{net use}. | |
606 | ||
607 | If you set @code{printer-name} to a file name, it's best to use an | |
608 | absolute file name. Emacs changes the working directory according to | |
609 | the default directory of the current buffer, so if the file name in | |
610 | @code{printer-name} is relative, you will end up with several such | |
611 | files, each one in the directory of the buffer from which the printing | |
612 | was done. | |
613 | ||
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614 | If the value of @code{printer-name} is correct, but printing does |
615 | not produce the hardcopy on your printer, it is possible that your | |
616 | printer does not support printing plain text (some cheap printers omit | |
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617 | this functionality). In that case, try the PostScript print commands, |
618 | described below. | |
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620 | @findex print-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)} |
621 | @findex print-region @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
622 | @vindex lpr-headers-switches @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
623 | The commands @code{print-buffer} and @code{print-region} call the | |
624 | @code{pr} program, or use special switches to the @code{lpr} program, to | |
625 | produce headers on each printed page. MS-DOS and MS-Windows don't | |
626 | normally have these programs, so by default, the variable | |
627 | @code{lpr-headers-switches} is set so that the requests to print page | |
628 | headers are silently ignored. Thus, @code{print-buffer} and | |
629 | @code{print-region} produce the same output as @code{lpr-buffer} and | |
630 | @code{lpr-region}, respectively. If you do have a suitable @code{pr} | |
631 | program (for example, from GNU Coreutils), set | |
632 | @code{lpr-headers-switches} to @code{nil}; Emacs will then call | |
633 | @code{pr} to produce the page headers, and print the resulting output as | |
634 | specified by @code{printer-name}. | |
635 | ||
636 | @vindex print-region-function @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
637 | @cindex lpr usage under MS-DOS | |
638 | @vindex lpr-command @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
639 | @vindex lpr-switches @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
640 | Finally, if you do have an @code{lpr} work-alike, you can set the | |
641 | variable @code{lpr-command} to @code{"lpr"}. Then Emacs will use | |
642 | @code{lpr} for printing, as on other systems. (If the name of the | |
643 | program isn't @code{lpr}, set @code{lpr-command} to specify where to | |
644 | find it.) The variable @code{lpr-switches} has its standard meaning | |
645 | when @code{lpr-command} is not @code{""}. If the variable | |
646 | @code{printer-name} has a string value, it is used as the value for the | |
647 | @code{-P} option to @code{lpr}, as on Unix. | |
648 | ||
649 | @findex ps-print-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
650 | @findex ps-spool-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
651 | @vindex ps-printer-name @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
652 | @vindex ps-lpr-command @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
653 | @vindex ps-lpr-switches @r{(MS-DOS)} | |
654 | A parallel set of variables, @code{ps-lpr-command}, | |
655 | @code{ps-lpr-switches}, and @code{ps-printer-name} (@pxref{PostScript | |
656 | Variables}), defines how PostScript files should be printed. These | |
657 | variables are used in the same way as the corresponding variables | |
658 | described above for non-PostScript printing. Thus, the value of | |
659 | @code{ps-printer-name} is used as the name of the device (or file) to | |
660 | which PostScript output is sent, just as @code{printer-name} is used | |
661 | for non-PostScript printing. (There are two distinct sets of | |
662 | variables in case you have two printers attached to two different | |
663 | ports, and only one of them is a PostScript printer.) | |
664 | ||
665 | The default value of the variable @code{ps-lpr-command} is @code{""}, | |
666 | which causes PostScript output to be sent to the printer port specified | |
667 | by @code{ps-printer-name}, but @code{ps-lpr-command} can also be set to | |
668 | the name of a program which will accept PostScript files. Thus, if you | |
669 | have a non-PostScript printer, you can set this variable to the name of | |
670 | a PostScript interpreter program (such as Ghostscript). Any switches | |
671 | that need to be passed to the interpreter program are specified using | |
672 | @code{ps-lpr-switches}. (If the value of @code{ps-printer-name} is a | |
673 | string, it will be added to the list of switches as the value for the | |
674 | @code{-P} option. This is probably only useful if you are using | |
675 | @code{lpr}, so when using an interpreter typically you would set | |
676 | @code{ps-printer-name} to something other than a string so it is | |
677 | ignored.) | |
678 | ||
679 | For example, to use Ghostscript for printing on the system's default | |
680 | printer, put this in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
681 | ||
682 | @example | |
683 | (setq ps-printer-name t) | |
684 | (setq ps-lpr-command "D:/gs6.01/bin/gswin32c.exe") | |
685 | (setq ps-lpr-switches '("-q" "-dNOPAUSE" "-dBATCH" | |
686 | "-sDEVICE=mswinpr2" | |
687 | "-sPAPERSIZE=a4")) | |
688 | @end example | |
689 | ||
690 | @noindent | |
691 | (This assumes that Ghostscript is installed in the | |
692 | @file{D:/gs6.01} directory.) | |
693 | ||
37a75312 EZ |
694 | @node Windows Misc |
695 | @section Miscellaneous Windows-specific features | |
696 | ||
697 | This section describes miscellaneous Windows-specific features. | |
698 | ||
a210f8e6 EZ |
699 | @vindex w32-use-visible-system-caret |
700 | @cindex screen reader software, MS-Windows | |
701 | The variable @code{w32-use-visible-system-caret} is a flag that | |
702 | determines whether to make the system caret visible. The default is | |
703 | @code{nil}, which means Emacs draws its own cursor to indicate the | |
704 | position of point. A non-@code{nil} value means Emacs will indicate | |
705 | point location by the system caret; this facilitates use of screen | |
706 | reader software. When this variable is non-@code{nil}, other | |
707 | variables affecting the cursor display have no effect. | |
708 | ||
709 | @iftex | |
710 | @inforef{Windows Misc, , emacs}, for information about additional | |
711 | Windows-specific variables in this category. | |
712 | @end iftex | |
713 | ||
7d0a2d30 | 714 | @ifnottex |
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715 | @vindex w32-grab-focus-on-raise |
716 | @cindex frame focus policy, MS-Windows | |
717 | The variable @code{w32-grab-focus-on-raise}, if set to a | |
718 | non-@code{nil} value causes a frame to grab focus when it is raised. | |
719 | The default is @code{t}, which fits well with the Windows default | |
720 | click-to-focus policy. | |
721 | ||
722 | @vindex w32-list-proportional-fonts | |
723 | The variable @code{w32-list-proportional-fonts} controls whether | |
724 | proportional fonts are included in the font selection dialog. If its | |
725 | value is non-@code{nil}, these fonts will be included. The default is | |
726 | @code{nil}. | |
7d0a2d30 | 727 | @end ifnottex |
37a75312 | 728 | |
5798efc8 EZ |
729 | @ifnottex |
730 | @include msdog-xtra.texi | |
731 | @end ifnottex | |
732 | ||
ab5796a9 MB |
733 | @ignore |
734 | arch-tag: f39d2590-5dcc-4318-88d9-0eb73ca10fa2 | |
735 | @end ignore |