* frames.texi (Mouse Commands, Cut/Paste Other App): Rewrite.
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / emacs / frames.texi
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1@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000,
3f548a7c 3@c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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4@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5@node Frames, International, Windows, Top
6@chapter Frames and Graphical Displays
7@cindex frames
8
9 When using a graphical display, you can create multiple windows at
10the system in a single Emacs session. Each system-level window that
11belongs to Emacs displays a @dfn{frame} which can contain one or
12several Emacs windows. A frame initially contains a single
13general-purpose Emacs window which you can subdivide vertically or
14horizontally into smaller windows. A frame normally contains its own
15echo area and minibuffer, but you can make frames that don't have
16these---they use the echo area and minibuffer of another frame.
17
18 To avoid confusion, we reserve the word ``window'' for the
19subdivisions that Emacs implements, and never use it to refer to a
20frame.
21
22 Editing you do in one frame affects the other frames. For
23instance, if you put text in the kill ring in one frame, you can yank it
24in another frame. If you exit Emacs through @kbd{C-x C-c} in one frame,
25it terminates all the frames. To delete just one frame, use @kbd{C-x 5
260} (that is zero, not @kbd{o}).
27
28 Emacs compiled for MS-DOS emulates some windowing functionality,
29so that you can use many of the features described in this chapter.
30@iftex
31@xref{MS-DOS Mouse,,,emacs-xtra,Specialized Emacs Features}.
32@end iftex
33@ifnottex
34@xref{MS-DOS Mouse}.
35@end ifnottex
36
37@menu
38* Cut and Paste:: Mouse commands for cut and paste.
39* Mouse References:: Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
40* Menu Mouse Clicks:: Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
41* Mode Line Mouse:: Mouse clicks on the mode line.
42* Creating Frames:: Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
43* Frame Commands:: Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
44* Speedbar:: How to make and use a speedbar frame.
45* Multiple Displays:: How one Emacs job can talk to several displays.
46* Special Buffer Frames:: You can make certain buffers have their own frames.
47* Frame Parameters:: Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
48* Scroll Bars:: How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
49* Wheeled Mice:: Using mouse wheels for scrolling.
50* Drag and Drop:: Using drag and drop to open files and insert text.
51* Menu Bars:: Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
52* Tool Bars:: Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
53* Dialog Boxes:: Controlling use of dialog boxes.
54* Tooltips:: Displaying information at the current mouse position.
55* Mouse Avoidance:: Moving the mouse pointer out of the way.
56* Non-Window Terminals:: Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
57* Text-Only Mouse:: Using the mouse in text-only terminals.
58@end menu
59
60@node Cut and Paste
61@section Killing and Yanking on Graphical Displays
62
63 This section describes facilities for selecting a region, killing,
64and yanking using the mouse.
65
66@menu
67* Mouse Commands:: Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
68* Cut/Paste Other App:: Transfering text between Emacs and other apps.
69* Word and Line Mouse:: Mouse commands for selecting whole words or lines.
70* Secondary Selection:: Cutting without altering point and mark.
71* Clipboard:: Using the clipboard for selections.
72@end menu
73
74@node Mouse Commands
75@subsection Mouse Commands for Editing
76@cindex mouse buttons (what they do)
77
78 The mouse commands for selecting and copying a region are mostly
79compatible with the @code{xterm} program. You can use the same mouse
80commands for copying between Emacs and other window-based programs.
81Most of these commands also work in Emacs when you run it under an
82@code{xterm} terminal.
83
84@kindex DELETE @r{(and mouse selection)}
85 If you select a region with any of these mouse commands, and then
86immediately afterward type the @key{DELETE} function key, it deletes the
87region that you selected. The @key{BACKSPACE} function key and the
88@acronym{ASCII} character @key{DEL} do not do this; if you type any other key
89in between the mouse command and @key{DELETE}, it does not do this.
90
91@findex mouse-set-region
92@findex mouse-set-point
93@findex mouse-yank-at-click
94@findex mouse-save-then-click
95@kindex Mouse-1
96@kindex Mouse-2
97@kindex Mouse-3
98@table @kbd
99@item Mouse-1
100Move point to where you click (@code{mouse-set-point}).
101This is normally the left button.
102
103@vindex x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position
104Normally, Emacs does not distinguish between ordinary mouse clicks and
105clicks that select a frame. When you click on a frame to select it,
106that also changes the selected window and cursor position according to
107the mouse click position. On the X window system, you can change this
108behavior by setting the variable
109@code{x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position} to @code{t}. Then the
110first click selects the frame, but does not affect the selected window
111or cursor position. If you click again in the same place, since that
112click will be in the selected frame, it will change the window or
113cursor position.
114
115@item Drag-Mouse-1
116Set the region to the text you select by dragging, and copy it to the
117kill ring (@code{mouse-set-region}). You can specify both ends of the
118region with this single command.
119
120@vindex mouse-scroll-min-lines
121If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
122dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
123back into the window. This way, you can select regions that don't fit
124entirely on the screen. The number of lines scrolled per step depends
125on how far away from the window edge the mouse has gone; the variable
126@code{mouse-scroll-min-lines} specifies a minimum step size.
127
128@vindex mouse-drag-copy-region
129If the variable @code{mouse-drag-copy-region} is @code{nil}, this
130mouse command does not copy the selected region into the kill ring.
131
132@item Mouse-2
133Yank the last killed text, where you click (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}).
134This is normally the middle button.
135
136@item Mouse-3
137This command, @code{mouse-save-then-kill}, has several functions
138depending on where you click and the status of the region.
139
140The most basic case is when you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in one place and
141then @kbd{Mouse-3} in another. This selects the text between those two
142positions as the region. It also copies the new region to the kill
143ring, so that you can copy it to someplace else.
144
145If you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in the text, scroll with the scroll bar, and
146then click @kbd{Mouse-3}, it remembers where point was before scrolling
147(where you put it with @kbd{Mouse-1}), and uses that position as the
148other end of the region. This is so that you can select a region that
149doesn't fit entirely on the screen.
150
151More generally, if you do not have a highlighted region, @kbd{Mouse-3}
152selects the text between point and the click position as the region. It
153does this by setting the mark where point was, and moving point to where
154you click.
155
156If you have a highlighted region, or if the region was set just before
157by dragging button 1, @kbd{Mouse-3} adjusts the nearer end of the region
158by moving it to where you click. The adjusted region's text also
159replaces the old region's text in the kill ring.
160
161If you originally specified the region using a double or triple
162@kbd{Mouse-1}, so that the region is defined to consist of entire words
163or lines, then adjusting the region with @kbd{Mouse-3} also proceeds by
164entire words or lines.
165
166If you use @kbd{Mouse-3} a second time consecutively, at the same place,
167that kills the region already selected.
168@end table
169
170 The simplest way to kill text with the mouse is to press @kbd{Mouse-1}
171at one end, then press @kbd{Mouse-3} twice at the other end.
172@xref{Killing}. To copy the text into the kill ring without deleting it
173from the buffer, press @kbd{Mouse-3} just once---or just drag across the
174text with @kbd{Mouse-1}. Then you can copy it elsewhere by yanking it.
175
176@vindex mouse-yank-at-point
177 To yank the killed or copied text somewhere else, move the mouse there
178and press @kbd{Mouse-2}. @xref{Yanking}. However, if
179@code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{Mouse-2} yanks at
180point. Then it does not matter where you click, or even which of the
181frame's windows you click on. The default value is @code{nil}. This
182variable also affects yanking the secondary selection.
183
184@cindex Delete Selection mode
185@cindex mode, Delete Selection
186@findex delete-selection-mode
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187 Many graphical applications follow the convention that insertion
188while text is selected deletes the selected text. You can make Emacs
189behave this way by enabling Delete Selection mode---with @kbd{M-x
8cf51b2c 190delete-selection-mode} or using Custom. Another effect of this mode
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191is that some keys, such as @key{DEL} and @kbd{C-d}, kill the region if
192one exists.
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193
194@node Cut/Paste Other App
195@subsection Cut and Paste with Other Window Applications
196
197@cindex cutting
198@cindex pasting
199@cindex X cutting and pasting
200 To copy text to another windowing application, kill it or save it in
201the kill ring. Then use the ``paste'' or ``yank'' command of the
202other application to insert the text.
203
204 To copy text from another windowing application, use its ``cut'' or
205``copy'' command to select the text you want. Then yank it in Emacs
206with @kbd{C-y} or @kbd{Mouse-2}.
207
208@cindex primary selection
209@cindex cut buffer
210@cindex selection, primary
211@vindex x-cut-buffer-max
212 When Emacs puts text into the kill ring, or rotates text to the
213front of the kill ring, it sets the @dfn{primary selection} in the
214window system. This is how other windowing applications can access
215the text. On the X Window System, emacs also stores the text in the
216cut buffer, but only if the text is short enough (the value of
217@code{x-cut-buffer-max} specifies the maximum number of characters);
218putting long strings in the cut buffer can be slow.
219
220 The commands to yank the first entry in the kill ring actually check
221first for a primary selection in another program; after that, they check
222for text in the cut buffer. If neither of those sources provides text
223to yank, the kill ring contents are used.
224
225 The standard coding system for X Window System selections is
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226@code{compound-text-with-extensions}. You may find that the pasted
227text is not what you expected. In such a case, you can specify
228another coding system for selections by @kbd{C-x @key{RET} x} or
229@kbd{C-x @key{RET} X}, or can request the different data type by
230modifying the variable @code{x-select-request-type}.
231@xref{Communication Coding}.
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232
233@node Word and Line Mouse
234@subsection Mouse Commands for Words and Lines
235
236 These variants of @kbd{Mouse-1} select entire words or lines at a time.
237
238@table @kbd
239@item Double-Mouse-1
240This key sets the region around the word which you click on. If you
241click on a character with ``symbol'' syntax (such as underscore, in C
242mode), it sets the region around the symbol surrounding that character.
243
244If you click on a character with open-parenthesis or close-parenthesis
245syntax, it sets the region around the parenthetical grouping
246which that character starts or ends. If you click on a character with
247string-delimiter syntax (such as a singlequote or doublequote in C), it
248sets the region around the string constant (using heuristics to figure
249out whether that character is the beginning or the end of it).
250
251@item Double-Drag-Mouse-1
252This key selects a region made up of the words you drag across.
253
254@item Triple-Mouse-1
255This key sets the region around the line you click on.
256
257@item Triple-Drag-Mouse-1
258This key selects a region made up of the lines you drag across.
259@end table
260
261@node Secondary Selection
262@subsection Secondary Selection
263@cindex secondary selection
264
265 The @dfn{secondary selection} is another way of selecting text using
266the X Window System. It does not use point or the mark, so you can
267use it to kill text without setting point or the mark.
268
269@table @kbd
270@findex mouse-set-secondary
271@kindex M-Drag-Mouse-1
272@item M-Drag-Mouse-1
273Set the secondary selection, with one end at the place where you press
274down the button, and the other end at the place where you release it
275(@code{mouse-set-secondary}). The highlighting appears and changes as
276you drag. You can control the appearance of the highlighting by
277customizing the @code{secondary-selection} face (@pxref{Face
278Customization}).
279
280If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
281dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
282back into the window. This way, you can mark regions that don't fit
283entirely on the screen.
284
285This way of setting the secondary selection does not alter the kill ring.
286
287@findex mouse-start-secondary
288@kindex M-Mouse-1
289@item M-Mouse-1
290Set one endpoint for the @dfn{secondary selection}
291(@code{mouse-start-secondary}).
292
293@findex mouse-secondary-save-then-kill
294@kindex M-Mouse-3
295@item M-Mouse-3
296Make a secondary selection, using the place specified with @kbd{M-Mouse-1}
297as the other end (@code{mouse-secondary-save-then-kill}). This also
298puts the selected text in the kill ring. A second click at the same
299place kills the secondary selection just made.
300
301@findex mouse-yank-secondary
302@kindex M-Mouse-2
303@item M-Mouse-2
304Insert the secondary selection where you click
305(@code{mouse-yank-secondary}). This places point at the end of the
306yanked text.
307@end table
308
309Double or triple clicking of @kbd{M-Mouse-1} operates on words and
310lines, much like @kbd{Mouse-1}.
311
312If @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{M-Mouse-2} yanks
313at point. Then it does not matter precisely where you click, or even
314which of the frame's windows you click on. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
315
316@node Clipboard
317@subsection Using the Clipboard
318@cindex clipboard
319@vindex x-select-enable-clipboard
320@findex menu-bar-enable-clipboard
321@cindex OpenWindows
322@cindex Gnome
323
324 Apart from the primary and secondary selection types, Emacs can
325handle the @dfn{clipboard} selection type which is used by some
326applications, particularly under OpenWindows and Gnome.
327
328 The command @kbd{M-x menu-bar-enable-clipboard} makes the @code{Cut},
329@code{Paste} and @code{Copy} menu items, as well as the keys of the same
330names, all use the clipboard.
331
332 You can customize the variable @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to make
333the Emacs yank functions consult the clipboard before the primary
334selection, and to make the kill functions to store in the clipboard as
335well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not access the
336clipboard at all. Using the clipboard is the default on MS-Windows and Mac,
337but not on other systems.
338
339@node Mouse References
340@section Following References with the Mouse
341@kindex Mouse-1 @r{(selection)}
342@kindex Mouse-2 @r{(selection)}
343
344 Some read-only Emacs buffers include references you can follow, or
345commands you can activate. These include names of files, of buffers,
346of possible completions, of matches for a pattern, as well as the
347buttons in Help buffers and customization buffers. You can follow the
348reference or activate the command by moving point to it and typing
349@key{RET}. You can also do this with the mouse, using either
350@kbd{Mouse-1} or @kbd{Mouse-2}.
351
352 Since yanking text into a read-only buffer is not allowed, these
353buffers generally define @kbd{Mouse-2} to follow a reference or
354activate a command. For example, if you click @kbd{Mouse-2} on a file
355name in a Dired buffer, you visit that file. If you click
356@kbd{Mouse-2} on an error message in the @samp{*Compilation*} buffer,
357you go to the source code for that error message. If you click
358@kbd{Mouse-2} on a completion in the @samp{*Completions*} buffer, you
359choose that completion.
360
361 However, most applications use @kbd{Mouse-1} to do this sort of
362thing, so Emacs implements this too. If you click @kbd{Mouse-1}
363quickly on a reference or button, it follows or activates. If you
364click slowly, it moves point as usual. Dragging, meaning moving the
365mouse while it is held down, also has its usual behavior of setting
366the region.
367
368@vindex mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows
369 Normally, the @kbd{Mouse-1} click behavior is performed on links in
370any window. The variable @code{mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows}
371controls whether @kbd{Mouse-1} has this behavior even in non-selected
372windows, or only in the selected window.
373
374@vindex mouse-highlight
375 You can usually tell when @kbd{Mouse-1} and @kbd{Mouse-2} have this
376special sort of meaning because the sensitive text highlights when you
377move the mouse over it. The variable @code{mouse-highlight} controls
378whether to do this highlighting always (even when such text appears
379where the mouse already is), never, or only immediately after you move
380the mouse.
381
382@vindex mouse-1-click-follows-link
383 In Emacs versions before 22, only @kbd{Mouse-2} follows links and
384@kbd{Mouse-1} always sets point. If you prefer this older behavior,
385set the variable @code{mouse-1-click-follows-link} to @code{nil}.
386This variable also lets you choose various other alternatives for
387following links with the mouse. Type @kbd{C-h v
388mouse-1-click-follows-link @key{RET}} for more details.
389
390@node Menu Mouse Clicks
391@section Mouse Clicks for Menus
392
393 Several mouse clicks with the @key{CTRL} and @key{SHIFT} modifiers
394bring up menus.
395
396@table @kbd
397@item C-Mouse-1
398@kindex C-Mouse-1
399This menu is for selecting a buffer.
400
401The MSB (``mouse select buffer'') global minor mode makes this
402menu smarter and more customizable. @xref{Buffer Menus}.
403
404@item C-Mouse-2
405@kindex C-Mouse-2
406This menu is for specifying faces and other text properties
407for editing formatted text. @xref{Formatted Text}.
408
409@item C-Mouse-3
410@kindex C-Mouse-3
411This menu is mode-specific. For most modes if Menu-bar mode is on,
412this menu has the same items as all the mode-specific menu-bar menus
413put together. Some modes may specify a different menu for this
414button.@footnote{Some systems use @kbd{Mouse-3} for a mode-specific
415menu. We took a survey of users, and found they preferred to keep
416@kbd{Mouse-3} for selecting and killing regions. Hence the decision
417to use @kbd{C-Mouse-3} for this menu. To use @kbd{Mouse-3} instead,
418do @code{(global-set-key [mouse-3] 'mouse-popup-menubar-stuff)}.} If
419Menu-bar mode is off, this menu contains all the items which would be
420present in the menu bar---not just the mode-specific ones---so that
421you can access them without having to display the menu bar.
422
423@item S-Mouse-1
424This menu is for specifying the frame's default font.
425@end table
426
427@node Mode Line Mouse
428@section Mode Line Mouse Commands
429@cindex mode line, mouse
430@cindex mouse on mode line
431
432 You can use mouse clicks on window mode lines to select and manipulate
433windows.
434
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435 Some areas of the mode line, such as the buffer name, and major and minor
436mode names, have their own special mouse bindings. These areas are
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437highlighted when you hold the mouse over them, and information about
438the special bindings will be displayed (@pxref{Tooltips}). This
439section's commands do not apply in those areas.
440
441@table @kbd
442@item Mouse-1
443@kindex Mouse-1 @r{(mode line)}
444@kbd{Mouse-1} on a mode line selects the window it belongs to. By
445dragging @kbd{Mouse-1} on the mode line, you can move it, thus
446changing the height of the windows above and below. Changing heights
447with the mouse in this way never deletes windows, it just refuses to
448make any window smaller than the minimum height.
449
450@item Mouse-2
451@kindex Mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
452@kbd{Mouse-2} on a mode line expands that window to fill its frame.
453
454@item Mouse-3
455@kindex Mouse-3 @r{(mode line)}
456@kbd{Mouse-3} on a mode line deletes the window it belongs to. If the
457frame has only one window, it buries the current buffer instead, and
458switches to another buffer.
459
460@item C-Mouse-2
461@kindex C-mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
462@kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a mode line splits the window above
463horizontally, above the place in the mode line where you click.
464@end table
465
466@kindex C-Mouse-2 @r{(scroll bar)}
467@kindex Mouse-1 @r{(scroll bar)}
468 Using @kbd{Mouse-1} on the divider between two side-by-side mode
469lines, you can move the vertical boundary left or right. Using
470@kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a scroll bar splits the corresponding window
471vertically. @xref{Split Window}.
472
473@node Creating Frames
474@section Creating Frames
475@cindex creating frames
476
477@kindex C-x 5
478 The prefix key @kbd{C-x 5} is analogous to @kbd{C-x 4}, with parallel
479subcommands. The difference is that @kbd{C-x 5} commands create a new
480frame rather than just a new window in the selected frame (@pxref{Pop
481Up Window}). If an existing visible or iconified frame already displays
482the requested material, these commands use the existing frame, after
483raising or deiconifying as necessary.
484
485 The various @kbd{C-x 5} commands differ in how they find or create the
486buffer to select:
487
488@table @kbd
489@item C-x 5 2
490@kindex C-x 5 2
491@findex make-frame-command
492Create a new frame (@code{make-frame-command}).
493@item C-x 5 b @var{bufname} @key{RET}
494Select buffer @var{bufname} in another frame. This runs
495@code{switch-to-buffer-other-frame}.
496@item C-x 5 f @var{filename} @key{RET}
497Visit file @var{filename} and select its buffer in another frame. This
498runs @code{find-file-other-frame}. @xref{Visiting}.
499@item C-x 5 d @var{directory} @key{RET}
500Select a Dired buffer for directory @var{directory} in another frame.
501This runs @code{dired-other-frame}. @xref{Dired}.
502@item C-x 5 m
503Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
504@code{mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of @kbd{C-x m}.
505@xref{Sending Mail}.
506@item C-x 5 .
507Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
508@code{find-tag-other-frame}, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
509@xref{Tags}.
510@item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
511@kindex C-x 5 r
512@findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
513Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
514frame. This runs @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
515@xref{Visiting}.
516@end table
517
518@cindex default-frame-alist
519@cindex initial-frame-alist
520@cindex face customization, in @file{~/.emacs}
521@cindex color customization, in @file{~/.emacs}
522 You can control the appearance of new frames you create by setting the
523frame parameters in @code{default-frame-alist}. You can use the
524variable @code{initial-frame-alist} to specify parameters that affect
525only the initial frame. @xref{Initial Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs
526Lisp Reference Manual}, for more information.
527
528@cindex font (default)
529 The easiest way to specify the principal font for all your Emacs
530frames is with an X resource (@pxref{Font X}), but you can also do it by
531modifying @code{default-frame-alist} to specify the @code{font}
532parameter, as shown here:
533
534@example
535(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "10x20"))
536@end example
537
538@noindent
539Here's a similar example for specifying a foreground color:
540
541@example
542(add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(foreground-color . "blue"))
543@end example
544
545@noindent
546By putting such customizations in your @file{~/.emacs} init file, you
547can control the appearance of all the frames Emacs creates, including
548the initial one.
549
550@node Frame Commands
551@section Frame Commands
552
553 The following commands let you create, delete and operate on frames:
554
555@table @kbd
556@item C-z
557@kindex C-z @r{(X windows)}
558@findex iconify-or-deiconify-frame
559Iconify the selected Emacs frame (@code{iconify-or-deiconify-frame}).
560When typed on an Emacs frame's icon, deiconify instead.
561
562The normal meaning of @kbd{C-z}, to suspend Emacs, is not useful under
563a graphical display that allows multiple applications to operate
564simultaneously in their own windows, so Emacs gives @kbd{C-z} a
565different binding in that case.
566
567@item C-x 5 0
568@kindex C-x 5 0
569@findex delete-frame
570Delete the selected frame (@code{delete-frame}). This is not allowed if
571there is only one frame.
572
573@item C-x 5 o
574@kindex C-x 5 o
575@findex other-frame
576Select another frame, raise it, and warp the mouse to it so that it
577stays selected. If you repeat this command, it cycles through all the
578frames on your terminal.
579
580@item C-x 5 1
581@kindex C-x 5 1
582@findex delete-other-frames
583Delete all frames except the selected one.
584@end table
585
586@vindex focus-follows-mouse
587 To make the command @kbd{C-x 5 o} work properly, you must tell Emacs
588how the system (or the window manager) generally handles
589focus-switching between windows. There are two possibilities: either
590simply moving the mouse onto a window selects it (gives it focus), or
591you have to click on it in a suitable way to do so. On X, this focus
592policy also affects whether the focus is given to a frame that Emacs
593raises. Unfortunately there is no way Emacs can find out
594automatically which way the system handles this, so you have to
595explicitly say, by setting the variable @code{focus-follows-mouse}.
596If just moving the mouse onto a window selects it, that variable
597should be @code{t}; if a click is necessary, the variable should be
598@code{nil}.
599
600The window manager that is part of MS-Windows always gives focus to a
601frame that raises, so this variable has no effect in the native
602MS-Windows build of Emacs.
603
604@node Speedbar
605@section Speedbar Frames
606@cindex speedbar
607
608@cindex attached frame (of speedbar)
609 The @dfn{speedbar} is a special frame for conveniently navigating in
610or operating on another frame. The speedbar, when it exists, is
611always associated with a specific frame, called its @dfn{attached
612frame}; all speedbar operations act on that frame.
613
614 Type @kbd{M-x speedbar} to create the speedbar and associate it with
615the current frame. To dismiss the speedbar, type @kbd{M-x speedbar}
616again, or select the speedbar and type @kbd{q}. (You can also delete
617the speedbar frame like any other Emacs frame.) If you wish to
618associate the speedbar with a different frame, dismiss it and call
619@kbd{M-x speedbar} from that frame.
620
621 The speedbar can operate in various modes. Its default mode is
622@dfn{File Display} mode, which shows the files in the current
623directory of the selected window of the attached frame, one file per
624line. Clicking on a file name visits that file in the selected window
625of the attached frame, and clicking on a directory name shows that
626directory in the speedbar (@pxref{Mouse References}). Each line also
627has a box, @samp{[+]} or @samp{<+>}, that you can click on to
628@dfn{expand} the contents of that item. Expanding a directory adds
629the contents of that directory to the speedbar display, underneath the
630directory's own line. Expanding an ordinary file adds a list of the
631tags in that file to the speedbar display; you can click on a tag name
632to jump to that tag in the selected window of the attached frame.
633When a file or directory is expanded, the @samp{[+]} changes to
634@samp{[-]}; you can click on that box to @dfn{contract} the item,
635hiding its contents.
636
637 You navigate through the speedbar using the keyboard, too. Typing
638@kbd{RET} while point is on a line in the speedbar is equivalent to
639clicking the item on the current line, and @kbd{SPC} expands or
640contracts the item. @kbd{U} displays the parent directory of the
641current directory. To copy, delete, or rename the file on the current
642line, type @kbd{C}, @kbd{D}, and @kbd{R} respectively. To create a
643new directory, type @kbd{M}.
644
645 Another general-purpose speedbar mode is @dfn{Buffer Display} mode;
646in this mode, the speedbar displays a list of Emacs buffers. To
647switch to this mode, type @kbd{b} in the speedbar. To return to File
648Display mode, type @kbd{f}. You can also change the display mode by
649clicking @kbd{mouse-3} anywhere in the speedbar window (or
650@kbd{mouse-1} on the mode-line) and selecting @samp{Displays} in the
651pop-up menu.
652
653 Some major modes, including Rmail mode, Info, and GUD, have
654specialized ways of putting useful items into the speedbar for you to
655select. For example, in Rmail mode, the speedbar shows a list of Rmail
656files, and lets you move the current message to another Rmail file by
657clicking on its @samp{<M>} box.
658
659 For more details on using and programming the speedbar, @xref{Top,
660Speedbar,,speedbar, Speedbar Manual}.
661
662@node Multiple Displays
663@section Multiple Displays
664@cindex multiple displays
665
666 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display. Initially, Emacs
667uses just one display---the one specified with the @env{DISPLAY}
668environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial
669Options}). To connect to another display, use the command
670@code{make-frame-on-display}:
671
672@findex make-frame-on-display
673@table @kbd
674@item M-x make-frame-on-display @key{RET} @var{display} @key{RET}
675Create a new frame on display @var{display}.
676@end table
677
678 A single X server can handle more than one screen. When you open
679frames on two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows they share a
680single keyboard, and it treats all the commands arriving from these
681screens as a single stream of input.
682
683 When you open frames on different X servers, Emacs makes a separate
684input stream for each server. This way, two users can type
685simultaneously on the two displays, and Emacs will not garble their
686input. Each server also has its own selected frame. The commands you
687enter with a particular X server apply to that server's selected frame.
688
689 Despite these features, people using the same Emacs job from different
690displays can still interfere with each other if they are not careful.
691For example, if any one types @kbd{C-x C-c}, that exits the Emacs job
692for all of them!
693
694@node Special Buffer Frames
695@section Special Buffer Frames
696
697@vindex special-display-buffer-names
698 You can make certain chosen buffers, which Emacs normally displays
699in ``another window,'' appear in special frames of their own. To do
700this, set the variable @code{special-display-buffer-names} to a list
701of buffer names; any buffer whose name is in that list automatically
702gets a special frame, when an Emacs command wants to display it ``in
703another window.''
704
705 For example, if you set the variable this way,
706
707@example
708(setq special-display-buffer-names
709 '("*Completions*" "*grep*" "*tex-shell*"))
710@end example
711
712@noindent
713then completion lists, @code{grep} output and the @TeX{} mode shell
714buffer get individual frames of their own. These frames, and the
715windows in them, are never automatically split or reused for any other
716buffers. They continue to show the buffers they were created for,
717unless you alter them by hand. Killing the special buffer deletes its
718frame automatically.
719
720@vindex special-display-regexps
721 More generally, you can set @code{special-display-regexps} to a list
722of regular expressions; then a buffer gets its own frame if its name
723matches any of those regular expressions. (Once again, this applies only
724to buffers that normally get displayed for you in ``another window.'')
725
726@vindex special-display-frame-alist
727 The variable @code{special-display-frame-alist} specifies the frame
728parameters for these frames. It has a default value, so you don't need
729to set it.
730
731 For those who know Lisp, an element of
732@code{special-display-buffer-names} or @code{special-display-regexps}
733can also be a list. Then the first element is the buffer name or
734regular expression; the rest of the list specifies how to create the
735frame. It can be an association list specifying frame parameter
736values; these values take precedence over parameter values specified
737in @code{special-display-frame-alist}. If you specify the symbol
738@code{same-window} as a ``frame parameter'' in this list, with a
739non-@code{nil} value, that means to use the selected window if
740possible. If you use the symbol @code{same-frame} as a ``frame
741parameter'' in this list, with a non-@code{nil} value, that means to
742use the selected frame if possible.
743
744 Alternatively, the value can have this form:
745
746@example
747(@var{function} @var{args}...)
748@end example
749
750@noindent
751where @var{function} is a symbol. Then the frame is constructed by
752calling @var{function}; its first argument is the buffer, and its
753remaining arguments are @var{args}.
754
755 An analogous feature lets you specify buffers which should be
756displayed in the selected window. @xref{Force Same Window}. The
757same-window feature takes precedence over the special-frame feature;
758therefore, if you add a buffer name to
759@code{special-display-buffer-names} and it has no effect, check to see
760whether that feature is also in use for the same buffer name.
761
762@node Frame Parameters
763@section Setting Frame Parameters
764@cindex Auto-Raise mode
765@cindex Auto-Lower mode
766
767@kindex S-Mouse-1
768 You can specify the font and colors used for text display, and the
769colors for the frame borders, the cursor, and the mouse cursor, by
770customizing the faces @code{default}, @code{border}, @code{cursor} and
771@code{mouse}. @xref{Face Customization}. You can also set a frame's
772default font through a pop-up menu. Press @kbd{S-Mouse-1} to activate
773this menu.
774
775 These commands are available for controlling the window management
776behavior of the selected frame.
777
778@table @kbd
779@findex auto-raise-mode
780@item M-x auto-raise-mode
781Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-raise. Auto-raise
782means that every time you move the mouse onto the frame, it raises the
783frame.
784
785Some window managers also implement auto-raise. If you enable
786auto-raise for Emacs frames in your window manager, it will work, but
787it is beyond Emacs' control, so @code{auto-raise-mode} has no effect
788on it.
789
790@findex auto-lower-mode
791@item M-x auto-lower-mode
792Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-lower.
793Auto-lower means that every time you move the mouse off the frame,
794the frame moves to the bottom of the stack on the screen.
795
796The command @code{auto-lower-mode} has no effect on auto-lower
797implemented by the window manager. To control that, you must use the
798appropriate window manager features.
799@end table
800
801 In Emacs versions that use an X toolkit, the color-setting and
802font-setting functions don't affect menus and the menu bar, since they
803are displayed by their own widget classes. To change the appearance of
804the menus and menu bar, you must use X resources (@pxref{Resources}).
805@xref{Colors}, regarding colors. @xref{Font X}, regarding choice of
806font.
807
808 Colors, fonts, and other attributes of the frame's display can also
809be customized by setting frame parameters in the variable
810@code{default-frame-alist} (@pxref{Creating Frames}). For a detailed
811description of frame parameters and customization, see @ref{Frame
812Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
813
814@node Scroll Bars
815@section Scroll Bars
816@cindex Scroll Bar mode
817@cindex mode, Scroll Bar
818
819 On graphical displays, Emacs normally makes a @dfn{scroll bar} at
820the left of each Emacs window.@footnote{Placing it at the left is
821usually more useful with overlapping frames with text starting at the
822left margin.} The scroll bar runs the height of the window, and shows
823a moving rectangular inner box which represents the portion of the
824buffer currently displayed. The entire height of the scroll bar
825represents the entire length of the buffer.
826
827 You can use @kbd{Mouse-2} (normally, the middle button) in the scroll
828bar to move or drag the inner box up and down. If you move it to the
829top of the scroll bar, you see the top of the buffer. If you move it to
830the bottom of the scroll bar, you see the bottom of the buffer.
831
832 The left and right buttons in the scroll bar scroll by controlled
833increments. @kbd{Mouse-1} (normally, the left button) moves the line at
834the level where you click up to the top of the window. @kbd{Mouse-3}
835(normally, the right button) moves the line at the top of the window
836down to the level where you click. By clicking repeatedly in the same
837place, you can scroll by the same distance over and over.
838
839 You can also click @kbd{C-Mouse-2} in the scroll bar to split a
840window vertically. The split occurs on the line where you click.
841
842@findex scroll-bar-mode
843@vindex scroll-bar-mode
844 You can enable or disable Scroll Bar mode with the command @kbd{M-x
845scroll-bar-mode}. With no argument, it toggles the use of scroll
846bars. With an argument, it turns use of scroll bars on if and only if
847the argument is positive. This command applies to all frames,
848including frames yet to be created. Customize the variable
849@code{scroll-bar-mode} to control the use of scroll bars at startup.
850You can use it to specify that they are placed at the right of windows
851if you prefer that. You have to set this variable through the
852@samp{Customize} interface (@pxref{Easy Customization}), or it will
853not work properly.
854
855 You can also use the X resource @samp{verticalScrollBars} to control
856the initial setting of Scroll Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
857
858@findex toggle-scroll-bar
859 To enable or disable scroll bars for just the selected frame, use the
860command @kbd{M-x toggle-scroll-bar}.
861
862@vindex scroll-bar-width
863@cindex width of the scroll bar
864 You can control the scroll bar width by changing the value of the
865@code{scroll-bar-width} frame parameter.
866
867@node Wheeled Mice
868@section Scrolling With ``Wheeled'' Mice
869
870@cindex mouse wheel
871@cindex wheel, mouse
872@findex mouse-wheel-mode
873@cindex Mouse Wheel minor mode
874@cindex mode, Mouse Wheel
875 Some mice have a ``wheel'' instead of a third button. You can
876usually click the wheel to act as either @kbd{Mouse-2} or
877@kbd{Mouse-3}, depending on the setup. You can also use the wheel to
878scroll windows instead of using the scroll bar or keyboard commands.
879Mouse wheel support only works if the system generates appropriate
880events; whenever possible, it is turned on by default. To toggle this
881feature, use @kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode}.
882
883@vindex mouse-wheel-follow-mouse
884@vindex mouse-wheel-scroll-amount
885@vindex mouse-wheel-progressive-speed
886 The two variables @code{mouse-wheel-follow-mouse} and
887@code{mouse-wheel-scroll-amount} determine where and by how much
888buffers are scrolled. The variable
889@code{mouse-wheel-progressive-speed} determines whether the scroll
890speed is linked to how fast you move the wheel.
891
892@node Drag and Drop
893@section Drag and Drop
894@cindex drag and drop
895
896 Emacs supports @dfn{drag and drop} using the mouse. For instance,
897dropping text onto an Emacs frame inserts the text where it is dropped.
898Dropping a file onto an Emacs frame visits that file. As a special
899case, dropping the file on a Dired buffer moves or copies the file
900(according to the conventions of the application it came from) into the
901directory displayed in that buffer.
902
903@vindex dnd-open-file-other-window
904 Dropping a file normally visits it in the window you drop it on. If
905you prefer to visit the file in a new window in such cases, customize
906the variable @code{dnd-open-file-other-window}.
907
908 The XDND and Motif drag and drop protocols, and the old KDE 1.x
909protocol, are currently supported.
910
911@node Menu Bars
912@section Menu Bars
913@cindex Menu Bar mode
914@cindex mode, Menu Bar
915@findex menu-bar-mode
916@vindex menu-bar-mode
917
918 You can turn display of menu bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
919menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the variable @code{menu-bar-mode}.
920With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a
921minor mode. With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
922argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive. You can use
923the X resource @samp{menuBarLines} to control the initial setting of
924Menu Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
925
926@kindex C-Mouse-3 @r{(when menu bar is disabled)}
927 Expert users often turn off the menu bar, especially on text-only
928terminals, where this makes one additional line available for text.
929If the menu bar is off, you can still pop up a menu of its contents
930with @kbd{C-Mouse-3} on a display which supports pop-up menus.
931@xref{Menu Mouse Clicks}.
932
933 @xref{Menu Bar}, for information on how to invoke commands with the
934menu bar. @xref{X Resources}, for how to customize the menu bar
935menus' visual appearance.
936
937@node Tool Bars
938@section Tool Bars
939@cindex Tool Bar mode
940@cindex mode, Tool Bar
941@cindex icons, toolbar
942
943 The @dfn{tool bar} is a line (or lines) of icons at the top of the
944Emacs window, just below the menu bar. You can click on these icons
945with the mouse to do various jobs.
946
947 The global tool bar contains general commands. Some major modes
948define their own tool bars to replace it. A few ``special'' modes
949that are not designed for ordinary editing remove some items from the
950global tool bar.
951
952 Tool bars work only on a graphical display. The tool bar uses colored
953XPM icons if Emacs was built with XPM support. Otherwise, the tool
954bar uses monochrome icons (PBM or XBM format).
955
956@findex tool-bar-mode
957@vindex tool-bar-mode
958 You can turn display of tool bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
959tool-bar-mode} or by customizing the option @code{tool-bar-mode}.
960
961@node Dialog Boxes
962@section Using Dialog Boxes
963@cindex dialog boxes
964
965@vindex use-dialog-box
966 A dialog box is a special kind of menu for asking you a yes-or-no
967question or some other special question. Many Emacs commands use a
968dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
969invoke the command to begin with.
970
971 You can customize the variable @code{use-dialog-box} to suppress the
972use of dialog boxes. This also controls whether to use file selection
973windows (but those are not supported on all platforms).
974
975@vindex use-file-dialog
976 A file selection window is a special kind of dialog box for asking
977for file names. You can customize the variable @code{use-file-dialog}
978to suppress the use of file selection windows, even if you still want
979other kinds of dialogs. This variable has no effect if you have
980suppressed all dialog boxes with the variable @code{use-dialog-box}.
981
982@vindex x-gtk-show-hidden-files
983 For Gtk+ version 2.4 and newer, Emacs use the Gtk+ file chooser
984dialog. Emacs adds a toggle button that enables and disables showing
985of hidden files (files starting with a dot) in that dialog. The
986variable @code{x-gtk-show-hidden-files} controls whether to show
987hidden files by default.
988
989@vindex x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog
990 For Gtk+ versions 2.4 through 2.10, you can select the old file
991dialog (@code{gtk-file-selector}) by setting the variable
992@code{x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog} to a non-@code{nil} value. If it is
993@code{nil}, Emacs uses @code{gtk-file-chooser}. If Emacs is built
994with a Gtk+ version that has only one file dialog, this variable has
995no effect.
996
997@vindex x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text
998 Emacs adds help text to the Gtk+ file chooser dialog. The variable
999@code{x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text} specifies the text to add; if it is
1000@code{nil}, that disables the added text.
1001
1002@node Tooltips
1003@section Tooltips
1004@cindex tooltips
1005
1006 @dfn{Tooltips} are small windows that display text information at the
1007current mouse position. They activate when there is a pause in mouse
1008movement. There are two types of tooltip: help tooltips and GUD
1009tooltips.
1010
1011 @dfn{Help tooltips} typically display over text---including the mode
1012line---but are also available for other parts of the Emacs frame, such
1013as the tool bar and menu items.
1014
1015@findex tooltip-mode
1016 You can toggle display of help tooltips (Tooltip mode) with the
1017command @kbd{M-x tooltip-mode}. When Tooltip mode is disabled, the
1018help text is displayed in the echo area instead.
1019
1020 @dfn{GUD tooltips} show values of variables. They are useful when
1021you are debugging a program. @xref{Debugger Operation}.
1022
1023@vindex tooltip-delay
1024 The variables @code{tooltip-delay} specifies how long Emacs should
1025wait before displaying a tooltip. For additional customization
1026options for displaying tooltips, use @kbd{M-x customize-group
1027@key{RET} tooltip @key{RET}}. @xref{X Resources}, for information on
1028customizing the windows that display tooltips.
1029
1030@node Mouse Avoidance
1031@section Mouse Avoidance
1032@cindex avoiding mouse in the way of your typing
1033@cindex mouse avoidance
1034
1035@vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
1036Mouse Avoidance mode keeps the mouse pointer away from point, to avoid
1037obscuring text you want to edit. Whenever it moves the mouse, it also
1038raises the frame. To use Mouse Avoidance mode, customize the variable
1039@code{mouse-avoidance-mode}. You can set this to various values to
1040move the mouse in several ways:
1041
1042@table @code
1043@item banish
1044Move the mouse to the upper-right corner on any key-press;
1045@item exile
1046Move the mouse to the corner only if the cursor gets too close,
1047and allow it to return once the cursor is out of the way;
1048@item jump
1049If the cursor gets too close to the mouse, displace the mouse
1050a random distance & direction;
1051@item animate
1052As @code{jump}, but shows steps along the way for illusion of motion;
1053@item cat-and-mouse
1054The same as @code{animate};
1055@item proteus
1056As @code{animate}, but changes the shape of the mouse pointer too.
1057@end table
1058
1059@findex mouse-avoidance-mode
1060You can also use the command @kbd{M-x mouse-avoidance-mode} to enable
1061the mode.
1062
1063@node Non-Window Terminals
1064@section Non-Window Terminals
1065@cindex non-window terminals
1066@cindex single-frame terminals
1067
1068 On a text-only terminal, Emacs can display only one Emacs frame at a
1069time. However, you can still create multiple Emacs frames, and switch
1070between them. Switching frames on these terminals is much like
1071switching between different window configurations.
1072
1073 Use @kbd{C-x 5 2} to create a new frame and switch to it; use @kbd{C-x
10745 o} to cycle through the existing frames; use @kbd{C-x 5 0} to delete
1075the current frame.
1076
1077 Each frame has a number to distinguish it. If your terminal can
1078display only one frame at a time, the selected frame's number @var{n}
1079appears near the beginning of the mode line, in the form
1080@samp{F@var{n}}.
1081
1082@findex set-frame-name
1083@findex select-frame-by-name
1084 @samp{F@var{n}} is in fact the frame's initial name. You can give
1085frames more meaningful names if you wish, and you can select a frame
1086by its name. Use the command @kbd{M-x set-frame-name @key{RET}
1087@var{name} @key{RET}} to specify a new name for the selected frame,
1088and use @kbd{M-x select-frame-by-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}}
1089to select a frame according to its name. The name you specify appears
1090in the mode line when the frame is selected.
1091
1092@node Text-Only Mouse
1093@section Using a Mouse in Terminal Emulators
1094@cindex mouse support
1095@cindex terminal emulators, mouse support
1096
1097Some terminal emulators support mouse clicks in the terminal window.
1098
1099@cindex xterm
1100In a terminal emulator which is compatible with @code{xterm},
1101you can use @kbd{M-x xterm-mouse-mode} to give Emacs control over
1102simple use of the mouse---basically, only non-modified single clicks
1103are supported. The normal @code{xterm} mouse functionality for such
1104clicks is still available by holding down the @kbd{SHIFT} key when you
1105press the mouse button. Xterm Mouse mode is a global minor mode
1106(@pxref{Minor Modes}). Repeating the command turns the mode off
1107again.
1108
1109In the console on GNU/Linux, you can use @kbd{M-x t-mouse-mode}. You
1110need to have the gpm package installed and running on your system in
1111order for this to work.
1112
1113@ignore
1114 arch-tag: 7dcf3a31-a43b-45d4-a900-445b10d77e49
1115@end ignore