* bitmaps/README:
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / lispref / frames.texi
1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @setfilename ../../info/frames
7 @node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top
8 @chapter Frames
9 @cindex frame
10
11 In Emacs editing, A @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one
12 or more Emacs windows. It's the kind of object that is called a
13 ``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but we can't
14 call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a different
15 way.
16
17 A frame initially contains a single main window and/or a minibuffer
18 window; you can subdivide the main window vertically or horizontally
19 into smaller windows. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp
20 object that represents a frame on the screen.
21
22 @cindex terminal frame
23 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
24 @dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional ones, Emacs displays
25 one and only one at any given time---on the terminal screen, of course.
26
27 @cindex window frame
28 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
29 as X, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
30 a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
31 display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
32
33 @defun framep object
34 This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
35 frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
36 kind of display the frame uses:
37
38 @table @code
39 @item x
40 The frame is displayed in an X window.
41 @item t
42 A terminal frame on a character display.
43 @item w32
44 The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
45 @item pc
46 The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
47 @end table
48 @end defun
49
50 @menu
51 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
52 * Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
53 * Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
54 * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
55 * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
56 * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
57 * Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
58 display of text always works through windows.
59 * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
60 * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
61 * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
62 * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
63 lowering it makes the others hide it.
64 * Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
65 * Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
66 * Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
67 * Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
68 * Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
69 * Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
70 * Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
71 * Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
72 * Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
73 * Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
74 * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
75 * Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
76 @end menu
77
78 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
79 controlling Emacs redisplay.
80
81 @node Creating Frames
82 @section Creating Frames
83
84 To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
85
86 @defun make-frame &optional alist
87 This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
88 buffer. If you are using a supported window system, it makes a window
89 frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
90
91 The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
92 not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
93 variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
94 default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
95 your system.
96
97 The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
98 window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
99 Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
100
101 This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
102 @xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
103 However, the window system may select the new frame for its own reasons,
104 for instance if the frame appears under the mouse pointer and your
105 setup is for focus to follow the pointer.
106 @end defun
107
108 @defvar before-make-frame-hook
109 A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
110 frame.
111 @end defvar
112
113 @defvar after-make-frame-functions
114 An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
115 Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
116 frame just created.
117 @end defvar
118
119 @node Multiple Displays
120 @section Multiple Displays
121 @cindex multiple X displays
122 @cindex displays, multiple
123
124 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
125 Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
126 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
127 (@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
128 another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
129 the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
130
131 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
132 own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. However, only one of
133 those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment, see
134 @ref{Input Focus}.
135
136 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
137 separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
138 is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
139 to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
140 @code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
141 @code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
142 be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}).
143
144 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
145 @samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
146 part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
147 screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
148 names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
149 terminal.
150
151 Note that some graphical terminals can output to more than a one
152 monitor (or other output device) at the same time. On these
153 ``multi-monitor'' setups, a single @var{display} value controls the
154 output to all the physical monitors. In this situation, there is
155 currently no platform-independent way for Emacs to distinguish between
156 the different physical monitors.
157
158 @deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
159 This creates and returns a new frame on display @var{display}, taking
160 the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the
161 @var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating
162 Frames}).
163 @end deffn
164
165 @defun x-display-list
166 This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
167 connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
168 a display name.
169 @end defun
170
171 @defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
172 This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
173 does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
174 that communication can be established with that display.
175
176 The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
177 string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
178 @file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
179 values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
180 created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
181 look like:
182
183 @example
184 "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
185 @end example
186
187 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
188
189 If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
190 terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
191 @end defun
192
193 @defun x-close-connection display
194 This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
195 you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
196 that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
197 @end defun
198
199 @node Frame Parameters
200 @section Frame Parameters
201 @cindex frame parameters
202
203 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
204 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
205 uses.
206
207 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
208 terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
209 only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
210 @code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
211 parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
212 parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
213 @code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
214
215 @menu
216 * Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
217 * Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
218 * Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
219 * Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
220 * Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
221 @end menu
222
223 @node Parameter Access
224 @subsection Access to Frame Parameters
225
226 These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
227 frame.
228
229 @defun frame-parameter frame parameter
230 This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
231 symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
232 selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
233 @var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
234 @end defun
235
236 @defun frame-parameters &optional frame
237 The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
238 parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
239 @code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
240 @end defun
241
242 @defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
243 This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
244 elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
245 @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
246 parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
247 doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
248 frame.
249 @end defun
250
251 @defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
252 This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
253 according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
254 (and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
255 parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
256 @end defun
257
258 @node Initial Parameters
259 @subsection Initial Frame Parameters
260
261 You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
262 by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
263
264 @defvar initial-frame-alist
265 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
266 the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
267 appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
268 Each element has the form:
269
270 @example
271 (@var{parameter} . @var{value})
272 @end example
273
274 Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
275 file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
276 and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
277 created initial frame.
278
279 If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
280 the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
281 ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
282 appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
283 created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
284
285 X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
286 specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
287 you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
288 this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
289 X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
290 the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
291 @code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
292 @end defvar
293
294 If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
295 @code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
296 one for you.
297
298 @defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
299 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
300 an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
301 to the parameters for the main initial frame.
302 @end defvar
303
304 @defvar default-frame-alist
305 This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
306 Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
307 Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
308 in many cases.
309
310 Setting this variable does not affect existing frames.
311 @end defvar
312
313 See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}. @xref{Definition of
314 special-display-frame-alist}.
315
316 If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
317 they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
318 exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
319 @code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Emacs Invocation,, Command
320 Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
321
322 @node Window Frame Parameters
323 @subsection Window Frame Parameters
324
325 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
326 it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
327 meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
328 @code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
329 @code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
330 frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful @emph{only} in
331 terminal frames.
332
333 @menu
334 * Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
335 * Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
336 * Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
337 * Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
338 enabling or disabling some parts.
339 * Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
340 * Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
341 * Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
342 * Color Parameters:: Colors of various parts of the frame.
343 @end menu
344
345 @node Basic Parameters
346 @subsubsection Basic Parameters
347
348 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
349 frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
350
351 @table @code
352 @item display
353 The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
354 form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
355 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
356
357 @item display-type
358 This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
359 in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
360 @code{mono}.
361
362 @item title
363 If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window
364 system's title bar at the top of the frame, and also in the mode line
365 of windows in that frame if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses
366 @samp{%F} (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when
367 Emacs is not using a window system, and can only display one frame at
368 a time. @xref{Frame Titles}.
369
370 @item name
371 The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
372 title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
373 you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
374 (@pxref{Frame Titles}).
375
376 If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
377 name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
378 looking up X resources for the frame.
379
380 @item display-environment-variable
381 The value of the @code{DISPLAY} environment variable for the frame. It
382 is passed to child processes.
383
384 @item term-environment-variable
385 The value of the @code{TERM} environment variable for the frame. It
386 is passed to child processes.
387 @end table
388
389 @node Position Parameters
390 @subsubsection Position Parameters
391
392 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
393 text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
394
395 @table @code
396 @item left
397 The position, in pixels, of the left (or right) edge of the frame with
398 respect to the left (or right) edge of the screen. The value may be:
399
400 @table @asis
401 @item an integer
402 A positive integer relates the left edge of the frame to the left edge
403 of the screen. A negative integer relates the right frame edge to the
404 right screen edge.
405
406 @item @code{(+ @var{pos})}
407 This specifies the position of the left frame edge relative to the left
408 screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
409 negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
410
411 @item @code{(- @var{pos})}
412 This specifies the position of the right frame edge relative to the right
413 screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
414 negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
415 @end table
416
417 Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
418 be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
419 non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
420
421 @item top
422 The screen position of the top (or bottom) edge, in pixels, with respect
423 to the top (or bottom) edge of the screen. It works just like
424 @code{left}, except vertically instead of horizontally.
425
426 @item icon-left
427 The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
428 pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
429 and when the frame is iconified.
430
431 If you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify
432 a value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa. The window manager may
433 ignore these two parameters.
434
435 @item icon-top
436 The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
437 pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
438 and when the frame is iconified.
439
440 @item user-position
441 When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
442 @code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
443 the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
444 way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
445 A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
446
447 Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
448 program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
449 positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
450 place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
451 let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
452 ignore them.
453
454 When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
455 value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
456 parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
457 @code{nil}.
458 @end table
459
460 @node Size Parameters
461 @subsubsection Size Parameters
462
463 Size parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
464 text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
465
466 @table @code
467 @item height
468 The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
469 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
470
471 @item width
472 The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the width in
473 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
474
475 @item user-size
476 This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
477 the @code{user-position} parameter (see above) does for the position
478 parameters @code{top} and @code{left}.
479
480 @item fullscreen
481 Specify that width, height or both shall be set to the size of the screen.
482 The value @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be the size of the
483 screen. The value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be the
484 size of the screen. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the
485 width and the height shall be set to the size of the screen.
486 @end table
487
488 @node Layout Parameters
489 @subsubsection Layout Parameters
490
491 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
492 frame, or control their sizes.
493
494 @table @code
495 @item border-width
496 The width in pixels of the frame's border.
497
498 @item internal-border-width
499 The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
500
501 @item vertical-scroll-bars
502 Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
503 of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
504 @code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
505
506 @ignore
507 @item horizontal-scroll-bars
508 Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
509 (non-@code{nil} means yes). Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
510 implemented.
511 @end ignore
512
513 @item scroll-bar-width
514 The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
515 use the default width.
516
517 @item left-fringe
518 @itemx right-fringe
519 The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
520 frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
521 removes the corresponding fringe. A value of @code{nil} stands for
522 the standard fringe width, which is the width needed to display the
523 fringe bitmaps.
524
525 The combined fringe widths must add up to an integral number of
526 columns, so the actual default fringe widths for the frame may be
527 larger than the specified values. The extra width needed to reach an
528 acceptable total is distributed evenly between the left and right
529 fringe. However, you can force one fringe or the other to a precise
530 width by specifying that width as a negative integer. If both widths are
531 negative, only the left fringe gets the specified width.
532
533 @item menu-bar-lines
534 The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
535 bar. The default is 1. A value of @code{nil} means don't display a
536 menu bar. @xref{Menu Bar}. (The X toolkit and GTK allow at most one
537 menu bar line; they treat larger values as 1.)
538
539 @item tool-bar-lines
540 The number of lines to use for the tool bar. A value of @code{nil}
541 means don't display a tool bar. (GTK allows at most one tool bar line;
542 it treats larger values as 1.)
543
544 @item line-spacing
545 Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
546 integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
547 @end table
548
549 @node Buffer Parameters
550 @subsubsection Buffer Parameters
551
552 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
553 with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
554
555 @table @code
556 @item minibuffer
557 Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
558 yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
559 minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
560 the new frame uses that minibuffer.
561
562 @item buffer-predicate
563 The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
564 @code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
565 decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
566 @code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
567 each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
568 considers that buffer.
569
570 @item buffer-list
571 A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
572 ordered most-recently-selected first.
573
574 @item unsplittable
575 If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
576 @end table
577
578 @node Management Parameters
579 @subsubsection Window Management Parameters
580 @cindex window manager, and frame parameters
581
582 These frame parameters, meaningful only on window system displays,
583 interact with the window manager.
584
585 @table @code
586 @item visibility
587 The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
588 @code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
589 iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
590
591 @item auto-raise
592 Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
593
594 @item auto-lower
595 Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
596
597 @item icon-type
598 The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
599 value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
600 Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
601 picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
602
603 @item icon-name
604 The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
605 appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
606
607 @item window-id
608 The number of the window-system window used by the frame
609 to contain the actual Emacs windows.
610
611 @item outer-window-id
612 The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
613
614 @item wait-for-wm
615 If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
616 geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
617 and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
618 prevent hanging with those window managers.
619
620 @ignore
621 @item parent-id
622 @c ??? Not yet working.
623 The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
624 Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
625 application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
626 it and see if it works.)
627 @end ignore
628 @end table
629
630 @node Cursor Parameters
631 @subsubsection Cursor Parameters
632
633 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
634
635 @table @code
636 @item cursor-type
637 How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
638
639 @table @code
640 @item box
641 Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
642 @item hollow
643 Display a hollow box.
644 @item nil
645 Don't display a cursor.
646 @item bar
647 Display a vertical bar between characters.
648 @item (bar . @var{width})
649 Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
650 @item hbar
651 Display a horizontal bar.
652 @item (hbar . @var{height})
653 Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
654 @end table
655 @end table
656
657 @vindex cursor-type
658 The buffer-local variable @code{cursor-type} overrides the value of
659 the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter, but if it is @code{t}, that
660 means to use the cursor specified for the frame.
661
662 @defvar blink-cursor-alist
663 This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
664 form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
665 type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
666 corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
667 when it blinks ``off.'' Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
668 should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
669
670 There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
671 the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
672 variable do not take effect immediately, only when you specify the
673 @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
674 @end defvar
675
676 @defvar cursor-in-non-selected-windows
677 This variable controls how the cursor looks in a window that is not
678 selected. It supports the same values as the @code{cursor-type} frame
679 parameter; also, @code{nil} means don't display a cursor in
680 nonselected windows, and @code{t} (the default) means use a standard
681 modificatoin of the usual cursor type (solid box becomes hollow box,
682 and bar becomes a narrower bar).
683 @end defvar
684
685 @node Color Parameters
686 @subsubsection Color Parameters
687
688 These frame parameters control the use of colors.
689
690 @table @code
691 @item background-mode
692 This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
693 to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
694
695 @item tty-color-mode
696 @cindex standard colors for character terminals
697 This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
698 system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
699 specifies the color mode to use in terminal frames. The value can be
700 either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
701 to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
702 color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
703 ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
704 off color support.
705
706 If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
707 the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
708 used instead.
709
710 @item screen-gamma
711 @cindex gamma correction
712 If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
713 the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
714 your display, a floating point number.
715
716 Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
717 Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
718 on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
719 @code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
720 request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
721 your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
722 ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
723
724 If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
725 @code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
726 that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
727 results for LCD color displays.
728 @end table
729
730 These frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are automatically
731 equivalent to particular face attributes of particular faces.
732 @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
733
734 @table @code
735 @item font
736 The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
737 string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
738 fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
739 attribute of the @code{default} face.
740
741 @item foreground-color
742 The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
743 the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
744
745 @item background-color
746 The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
747 the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
748
749 @item mouse-color
750 The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
751 attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
752
753 @item cursor-color
754 The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
755 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
756
757 @item border-color
758 The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
759 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
760
761 @item scroll-bar-foreground
762 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
763 equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
764 @code{scroll-bar} face.
765
766 @item scroll-bar-background
767 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
768 equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
769 @code{scroll-bar} face.
770 @end table
771
772 @node Size and Position
773 @subsection Frame Size And Position
774 @cindex size of frame
775 @cindex screen size
776 @cindex frame size
777 @cindex resize frame
778
779 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
780 frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
781 @code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
782 by the window manager in its usual fashion.
783
784 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
785 (For the precise meaning of ``selected frame'' used by these functions,
786 see @ref{Input Focus}.)
787
788 @defun set-frame-position frame left top
789 This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
790 @var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
791 normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
792
793 Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
794 the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
795 the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
796 were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
797 would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
798 but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
799 @end defun
800
801 @defun frame-height &optional frame
802 @defunx frame-width &optional frame
803 These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
804 lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
805 selected frame.
806 @end defun
807
808 @defun screen-height
809 @defunx screen-width
810 These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
811 @code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
812 of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
813 @end defun
814
815 @defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
816 @defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
817 These functions return the height and width of the main display area
818 of @var{frame}, measured in pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame},
819 they use the selected frame.
820
821 These values include the internal borders, and windows' scroll bars
822 and fringes (which belong to individual windows, not to the frame
823 itself), but do not include menu bars or tool bars (except when using
824 X without an X toolkit).
825 @end defun
826
827 @defun frame-char-height &optional frame
828 @defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
829 These functions return the height and width of a character in
830 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
831 font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
832 frame.
833 @end defun
834
835 @defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
836 This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
837 @var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
838
839 To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
840 @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
841 them to units of characters.
842 @end defun
843
844 @defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
845 This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
846 sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
847 fit.
848
849 If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
850 lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
851 actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
852 Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
853 useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
854 terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
855 height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
856 actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
857 terminal frame.
858 @end defun
859
860 @defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
861 This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
862 The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
863 @code{set-frame-height}.
864 @end defun
865
866 @findex set-screen-height
867 @findex set-screen-width
868 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
869 @code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
870 screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
871 are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
872
873 @node Geometry
874 @subsection Geometry
875
876 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
877 specification:
878
879 @defun x-parse-geometry geom
880 @cindex geometry specification
881 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
882 geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
883 @code{make-frame}.
884
885 The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
886 gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
887 @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
888 values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
889
890 For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
891 parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
892 because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
893 instead. The @var{value} possibilities for the position parameters are:
894 an integer, a list @code{(+ @var{pos})}, or a list @code{(- @var{pos})};
895 as previously described (@pxref{Position Parameters}).
896
897 Here is an example:
898
899 @example
900 (x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
901 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
902 (top - 0) (left . 0))
903 @end example
904 @end defun
905
906 @node Frame Titles
907 @section Frame Titles
908 @cindex frame title
909
910 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
911 for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
912 the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
913 frame property.
914
915 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
916 frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
917 @code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
918 frame is redisplayed.
919
920 @defvar frame-title-format
921 This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
922 not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
923 line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
924 @samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
925 Data}.
926 @end defvar
927
928 @defvar icon-title-format
929 This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
930 when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
931 appears in the icon itself.
932 @end defvar
933
934 @defvar multiple-frames
935 This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
936 there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
937 invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
938 @code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
939 only when there is more than one frame.
940
941 The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
942 while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
943 @code{icon-title-format}.
944 @end defvar
945
946 @node Deleting Frames
947 @section Deleting Frames
948 @cindex deleting frames
949
950 Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
951 them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
952 exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it.
953
954 @deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
955 @vindex delete-frame-functions
956 This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
957 tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
958 function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
959 the selected frame.
960
961 A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
962 Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
963 but if the @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
964 @end deffn
965
966 @defun frame-live-p frame
967 The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
968 @var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
969 values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
970 @end defun
971
972 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
973 by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
974 When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
975 @code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
976 calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
977
978 @node Finding All Frames
979 @section Finding All Frames
980 @cindex frames, scanning all
981
982 @defun frame-list
983 The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
984 have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
985 buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get is
986 newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
987 internals of Emacs.
988 @end defun
989
990 @defun visible-frame-list
991 This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
992 @xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
993 ``visible,'' even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
994 @end defun
995
996 @defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
997 The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
998 the frames on the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It
999 returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If
1000 @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame
1001 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
1002
1003 The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
1004
1005 @table @asis
1006 @item @code{nil}
1007 Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
1008 @item @code{visible}
1009 Consider all visible frames.
1010 @item 0
1011 Consider all visible or iconified frames.
1012 @item a window
1013 Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1014 minibuffer.
1015 @item anything else
1016 Consider all frames.
1017 @end table
1018 @end defun
1019
1020 @defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1021 Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1022 direction.
1023 @end defun
1024
1025 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1026 Window Ordering}.
1027
1028 @node Frames and Windows
1029 @section Frames and Windows
1030
1031 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame
1032 with @code{window-frame}.
1033
1034 @defun window-frame window
1035 This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
1036 @end defun
1037
1038 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
1039 order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
1040 upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
1041 the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
1042 one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
1043
1044 @defun frame-first-window &optional frame
1045 This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
1046 If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to the selected frame.
1047 @end defun
1048
1049 At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
1050 frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
1051 frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current
1052 selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}.
1053
1054 @defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
1055 This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1056 within @var{frame}. If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to
1057 the selected frame.
1058 @end defun
1059
1060 @defun set-frame-selected-window frame window
1061 This sets the selected window of frame @var{frame} to @var{window}.
1062 If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it operates on the selected frame. If
1063 @var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
1064 selected window. This function returns @var{window}.
1065 @end defun
1066
1067 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also
1068 makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
1069
1070 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
1071 frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Definition of minibuffer-window}.
1072
1073 @node Minibuffers and Frames
1074 @section Minibuffers and Frames
1075
1076 Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1077 is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
1078 you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1079 minibuffer-window}).
1080
1081 However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
1082 must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
1083 frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
1084 other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
1085 which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
1086 value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
1087
1088 If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1089 when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1090 @code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1091
1092 @defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1093 This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
1094 default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1095 the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1096 Displays}.
1097 @end defvar
1098
1099 @node Input Focus
1100 @section Input Focus
1101 @cindex input focus
1102 @c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame
1103
1104 At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1105 window always resides on the selected frame.
1106
1107 When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1108 Displays}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one of
1109 these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs to
1110 the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when Emacs
1111 runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected frame is
1112 the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single command at any
1113 given time, it needs to consider only one selected frame at a time; this
1114 frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame} in this manual. The
1115 display on which the selected frame is displayed is the @dfn{selected
1116 frame's display}.
1117
1118 @defun selected-frame
1119 This function returns the selected frame.
1120 @end defun
1121
1122 Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1123 window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1124 commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
1125 way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
1126 switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
1127 @code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
1128
1129 Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1130 function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1131 concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1132 until that control is somehow reasserted.
1133
1134 When using a text-only terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a
1135 time on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1136 redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
1137 remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame} or
1138 @code{select-frame-set-input-focus}. Each terminal frame has a number
1139 which appears in the mode line before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode
1140 Line Variables}).
1141
1142 @defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame
1143 This function makes @var{frame} the selected frame, raises it (should
1144 it happen to be obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X
1145 server's focus. On a text-only terminal, the next redisplay displays
1146 the new frame on the entire terminal screen. The return value of this
1147 function is not significant.
1148 @end defun
1149
1150 @c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
1151 @defun select-frame frame
1152 This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
1153 focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1154 the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
1155 until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1156 window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1157 selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
1158 have the window system's input focus.) The specified @var{frame}
1159 becomes the selected frame, as explained above, and the terminal that
1160 @var{frame} is on becomes the selected terminal. This function
1161 returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame} has been deleted.
1162
1163 In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that could
1164 switch to a different terminal without switching back when you're done.
1165 @end defun
1166
1167 Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1168 the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1169 special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1170 appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1171 @code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
1172
1173 @deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1174 This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1175
1176 Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1177 Don't call it for any other reason.
1178 @end deffn
1179
1180 @defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
1181 This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
1182 This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1183 events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
1184 @code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1185 events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1186
1187 If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
1188 redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1189 events.
1190
1191 One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1192 These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1193 on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1194 the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
1195 in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
1196
1197 Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1198 @code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1199 pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1200 allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1201 one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1202
1203 This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1204 differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1205 @code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1206
1207 The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1208 change it.
1209 @end defun
1210
1211 @defopt focus-follows-mouse
1212 This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1213 focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1214 When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
1215 position consistent with the new selected frame. (This option has no
1216 effect on MS-Windows, where the mouse pointer is always automatically
1217 moved by the OS to the selected frame.)
1218 @end defopt
1219
1220 @node Visibility of Frames
1221 @section Visibility of Frames
1222 @cindex visible frame
1223 @cindex invisible frame
1224 @cindex iconified frame
1225 @cindex frame visibility
1226
1227 A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
1228 @dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents, unless
1229 other windows cover it. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do
1230 not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is
1231 invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon.
1232
1233 Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
1234 one is actually displayed in any case.
1235
1236 @deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
1237 This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1238 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1239 the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1240 (@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
1241 @end deffn
1242
1243 @deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
1244 This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1245 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
1246
1247 Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1248 @var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
1249 @end deffn
1250
1251 @deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1252 This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1253 iconifies the selected frame.
1254 @end deffn
1255
1256 @defun frame-visible-p frame
1257 This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
1258 @code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
1259 @code{icon} if it is iconified.
1260
1261 On a text-only terminal, all frames are considered visible, whether
1262 they are currently being displayed or not, and this function returns
1263 @code{t} for all frames.
1264 @end defun
1265
1266 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1267 parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
1268 Parameters}.
1269
1270 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
1271 This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
1272 Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
1273 changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1274
1275 @node Raising and Lowering
1276 @section Raising and Lowering Frames
1277
1278 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
1279 the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
1280 perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
1281 to ``lowest.'' Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
1282 the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1283 seen if no other window overlaps it.
1284
1285 @c @cindex raising a frame redundant with raise-frame
1286 @cindex lowering a frame
1287 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1288 to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
1289 it ``up,'' to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
1290 moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
1291 third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
1292 on the screen.
1293
1294 You can raise and lower Emacs frame Windows with these functions:
1295
1296 @deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1297 This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1298 If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
1299 @end deffn
1300
1301 @deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1302 This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1303 @end deffn
1304
1305 @defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1306 If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1307 that the minibuffer window is in.
1308 @end defopt
1309
1310 You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1311 selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1312 for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
1313
1314 @node Frame Configurations
1315 @section Frame Configurations
1316 @cindex frame configuration
1317
1318 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1319 all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1320 (@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1321
1322 @defun current-frame-configuration
1323 This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1324 the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1325 @end defun
1326
1327 @defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1328 This function restores the state of frames described in
1329 @var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1330 frames.
1331
1332 Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1333 @var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1334 unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1335 @end defun
1336
1337 @node Mouse Tracking
1338 @section Mouse Tracking
1339 @cindex mouse tracking
1340 @c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
1341
1342 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1343 something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1344 mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1345 the mouse actually moves.
1346
1347 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1348 mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1349 addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1350 occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1351 mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1352 button.
1353
1354 @defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
1355 This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
1356 events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
1357 read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1358 Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
1359
1360 The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
1361 You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1362 indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1363 it is time to stop tracking.
1364 @end defspec
1365
1366 The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1367 the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1368 position.
1369
1370 In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1371 the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1372 That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1373 Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1374
1375 @ignore
1376 @c These are not implemented yet.
1377
1378 These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1379 effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
1380 is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
1381 to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1382 the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1383
1384 @defun x-contour-region window beg end
1385 This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1386 to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1387 @end defun
1388
1389 @defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1390 This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1391 from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1392 a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1393 @end defun
1394
1395 @defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1396 This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1397 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1398 left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1399 location of point.
1400 @end defun
1401
1402 @defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1403 This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1404 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1405 left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1406 normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1407 @end defun
1408 @end ignore
1409
1410 @node Mouse Position
1411 @section Mouse Position
1412 @cindex mouse position
1413 @cindex position of mouse
1414
1415 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1416 give access to the current position of the mouse.
1417
1418 @defun mouse-position
1419 This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1420 value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
1421 and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1422 the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
1423 @end defun
1424
1425 @defvar mouse-position-function
1426 If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
1427 @code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
1428 function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
1429 sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
1430
1431 This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
1432 @file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
1433 @end defvar
1434
1435 @defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1436 This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1437 frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
1438 giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
1439 inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1440 does nothing. The return value is not significant.
1441 @end defun
1442
1443 @defun mouse-pixel-position
1444 This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1445 coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1446 @end defun
1447
1448 @defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1449 This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1450 @var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1451 characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
1452
1453 If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1454 value is not significant.
1455 @end defun
1456
1457 @need 3000
1458
1459 @node Pop-Up Menus
1460 @section Pop-Up Menus
1461
1462 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1463 the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
1464
1465 @defun x-popup-menu position menu
1466 This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1467 what selection the user makes.
1468
1469 The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
1470 top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
1471 (which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
1472 list of this form:
1473
1474 @example
1475 ((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1476 @end example
1477
1478 @noindent
1479 where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
1480 pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
1481 may be a window or a frame.
1482
1483 If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1484 position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1485 key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1486 without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1487
1488 The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
1489 keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
1490 return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
1491 (This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
1492 submenu.) Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
1493 command bound to that sequence of events.
1494
1495 Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
1496
1497 @example
1498 (@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1499 @end example
1500
1501 @noindent
1502 where each pane is a list of form
1503
1504 @example
1505 (@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
1506 @end example
1507
1508 Each item should normally be a cons cell @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
1509 where @var{line} is a string, and @var{value} is the value to return if
1510 that @var{line} is chosen. An item can also be a string; this makes a
1511 non-selectable line in the menu.
1512
1513 If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
1514 instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
1515 keyboard input, then this normally results in a quit and
1516 @code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
1517 button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
1518 mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
1519 @end defun
1520
1521 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1522 if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1523 If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1524 a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1525 If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1526 @code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1527 that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
1528
1529 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1530 moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1531 that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1532 submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1533 an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1534 implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
1535 @code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
1536
1537 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1538 still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1539 a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1540 the menu keymap as necessary.
1541
1542 @node Dialog Boxes
1543 @section Dialog Boxes
1544 @cindex dialog boxes
1545
1546 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1547 different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
1548 one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
1549 for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes,'' ``no,''
1550 and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
1551 force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
1552 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
1553 keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
1554
1555 @defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
1556 This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1557 what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1558 the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1559
1560 @example
1561 (@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
1562 @end example
1563
1564 @noindent
1565 which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1566 @code{x-popup-menu}.
1567
1568 The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1569
1570 As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
1571 string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
1572 That makes a box that cannot be selected.
1573
1574 If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1575 the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1576 left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1577 don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1578 items appear on each side.
1579
1580 Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1581 @var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
1582 @code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
1583 window don't matter; only the frame matters.
1584
1585 If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
1586 @samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
1587 for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}).
1588
1589 In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1590 instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1591 frame.
1592
1593 If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
1594 for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
1595 @code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
1596 @end defun
1597
1598 @node Pointer Shape
1599 @section Pointer Shape
1600 @cindex pointer shape
1601 @cindex mouse pointer shape
1602
1603 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
1604 images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
1605 @code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
1606 use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
1607 @code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
1608 @code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
1609 style used over text.
1610
1611 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
1612 of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
1613 @code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
1614 those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
1615
1616 @defvar void-text-area-pointer
1617 This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
1618 These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
1619 in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
1620 pointer style.
1621 @end defvar
1622
1623 You can specify what the @code{text} pointer style really looks like
1624 by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
1625
1626 @defvar x-pointer-shape
1627 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
1628 Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
1629 @end defvar
1630
1631 @defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1632 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1633 is over mouse-sensitive text.
1634 @end defvar
1635
1636 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
1637 affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
1638 frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
1639 @xref{Color Parameters}.
1640
1641 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
1642 defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
1643 @key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1644
1645 @node Window System Selections
1646 @section Window System Selections
1647 @cindex selection (for window systems)
1648
1649 The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1650 data between application programs. The various selections are
1651 distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1652 symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1653 any given type.
1654
1655 @deffn Command x-set-selection type data
1656 This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1657 arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1658 @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1659 selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1660 (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1661 cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1662 of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1663
1664 The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1665 selection values.
1666
1667 Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
1668 independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY},
1669 @code{SECONDARY} and @code{CLIPBOARD}; these are symbols with upper-case
1670 names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If @var{type} is
1671 @code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
1672
1673 This function returns @var{data}.
1674 @end deffn
1675
1676 @defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
1677 This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1678 clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1679 @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1680 @code{PRIMARY}.
1681
1682 The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1683 use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1684 data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
1685 @code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
1686 @code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
1687 @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
1688 @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
1689 @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
1690 with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
1691 @code{STRING}.
1692 @end defun
1693
1694 @cindex cut buffer
1695 The X server also has a set of eight numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
1696 store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1697 are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
1698 clients that still use them. Cut buffers are numbered from 0 to 7.
1699
1700 @defun x-get-cut-buffer &optional n
1701 This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
1702 If omitted @var{n} defaults to 0.
1703 @end defun
1704
1705 @defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
1706 @anchor{Definition of x-set-cut-buffer}
1707 This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
1708 0). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1709 If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1710 through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1711 Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1712 the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1713 the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
1714 @end defun
1715
1716 @defvar selection-coding-system
1717 This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
1718 writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
1719 Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
1720 converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
1721 @end defvar
1722
1723 @cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1724 When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1725 general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
1726 and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1727 only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1728 clipboard as empty.
1729
1730 @defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1731 If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1732 clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1733 the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1734 access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
1735 but @code{t} on MS-Windows.
1736 @end defopt
1737
1738 @node Drag and Drop
1739 @section Drag and Drop
1740
1741 @vindex x-dnd-test-function
1742 @vindex x-dnd-known-types
1743 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
1744 application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
1745 dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
1746 what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
1747 which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
1748 @code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
1749 @code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
1750 on some other criteria.
1751
1752 @vindex x-dnd-types-alist
1753 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
1754 or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
1755 detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
1756 drop.
1757
1758 @vindex dnd-protocol-alist
1759 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
1760 another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
1761 @code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL. If
1762 there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
1763 an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
1764 text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
1765 you can customize these variables.
1766
1767 @node Color Names
1768 @section Color Names
1769
1770 @cindex color names
1771 @cindex specify color
1772 @cindex numerical RGB color specification
1773 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
1774 Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
1775 are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
1776 defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
1777 as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
1778 @var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
1779 and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
1780 three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
1781 number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
1782 either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
1783 X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
1784 colors.)
1785
1786 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
1787 valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
1788 @dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
1789 meaning of the term ``selected frame.''
1790
1791 @defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
1792 This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
1793 @code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1794 which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1795 @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
1796
1797 Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
1798 really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1799 color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
1800 the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1801 a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
1802
1803 @findex x-color-defined-p
1804 This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1805 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1806 @end defun
1807
1808 @defun defined-colors &optional frame
1809 This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1810 and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1811 If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
1812
1813 @findex x-defined-colors
1814 This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1815 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1816 @end defun
1817
1818 @defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
1819 This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
1820 @var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
1821 omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
1822
1823 Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
1824 background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
1825 asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
1826 are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
1827
1828 The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
1829 @end defun
1830
1831 @defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
1832 This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
1833 @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
1834 question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
1835 color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
1836 @end defun
1837
1838 @defun color-values color &optional frame
1839 @cindex rgb value
1840 This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
1841 ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
1842 value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
1843 amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
1844 principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
1845 range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
1846 color.
1847
1848 If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1849
1850 @example
1851 (color-values "black")
1852 @result{} (0 0 0)
1853 (color-values "white")
1854 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
1855 (color-values "red")
1856 @result{} (65280 0 0)
1857 (color-values "pink")
1858 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
1859 (color-values "hungry")
1860 @result{} nil
1861 @end example
1862
1863 The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
1864 @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
1865 the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
1866 value is @code{nil}.
1867
1868 @findex x-color-values
1869 This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
1870 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1871 @end defun
1872
1873 @node Text Terminal Colors
1874 @section Text Terminal Colors
1875 @cindex colors on text-only terminals
1876
1877 Text-only terminals usually support only a small number of colors,
1878 and the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
1879 This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
1880 color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
1881 small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
1882 the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
1883
1884 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
1885 are used by Emacs.
1886
1887 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
1888 in @ref{Color Names}.
1889
1890 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
1891 terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
1892 support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
1893 will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
1894 selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present, though,
1895 the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
1896
1897 @defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
1898 This function associates the color name @var{name} with
1899 color number @var{number} on the terminal.
1900
1901 The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
1902 of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
1903 If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
1904 @code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
1905 Emacs will not know what it looks like.
1906 @end defun
1907
1908 @defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
1909 This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
1910 @end defun
1911
1912 @defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
1913 This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
1914 text-only terminal.
1915
1916 Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
1917 or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
1918 name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
1919 If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
1920 and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
1921 @end defun
1922
1923 @defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
1924 This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
1925 supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
1926 @var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
1927 @code{tty-color-alist}.
1928 @end defun
1929
1930 @defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
1931 This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
1932 colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
1933 If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1934 @end defun
1935
1936 @node Resources
1937 @section X Resources
1938
1939 @defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
1940 The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
1941 Window defaults database.
1942
1943 Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
1944 This function searches using a key of the form
1945 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
1946 under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
1947 the class.
1948
1949 The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
1950 and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
1951 If you specify them, the key is
1952 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
1953 @samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
1954 @end defun
1955
1956 @defvar x-resource-class
1957 This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
1958 should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
1959 resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
1960 variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
1961 @end defvar
1962
1963 @defvar x-resource-name
1964 This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
1965 should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
1966 or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
1967 @end defvar
1968
1969 To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
1970
1971 @example
1972 xterm.vt100.background: yellow
1973 @end example
1974
1975 @noindent
1976 in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
1977 or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
1978
1979 @example
1980 @group
1981 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1982 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
1983 @result{} "yellow"
1984 @end group
1985 @group
1986 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1987 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
1988 @result{} "yellow"
1989 @end group
1990 @end example
1991
1992 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
1993
1994 @node Display Feature Testing
1995 @section Display Feature Testing
1996 @cindex display feature testing
1997
1998 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
1999 particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
2000 to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
2001 a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2002
2003 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2004 display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2005 (which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
2006 refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
2007
2008 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2009 obtain information about displays.
2010
2011 @defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
2012 This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2013 @var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
2014 the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
2015 a mouse.
2016 @end defun
2017
2018 @defun display-graphic-p &optional display
2019 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2020 capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2021 once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
2022 false for text-only terminals.
2023 @end defun
2024
2025 @defun display-mouse-p &optional display
2026 @cindex mouse, availability
2027 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2028 @code{nil} if not.
2029 @end defun
2030
2031 @defun display-color-p &optional display
2032 @findex x-display-color-p
2033 This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2034 It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2035 is still supported as an alias.
2036 @end defun
2037
2038 @defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
2039 This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
2040 (All color displays can do this.)
2041 @end defun
2042
2043 @defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
2044 @anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
2045 This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2046 @var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2047
2048 The definition of `supported' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2049 means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2050 when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2051 way that's
2052
2053 @enumerate
2054 @item
2055 different in appearance than the default face, and
2056
2057 @item
2058 `close in spirit' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2059 @end enumerate
2060
2061 Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2062 satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2063 @code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
2064 displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
2065 the tty display code's automatic substitution of a `dim' face for
2066 italic.
2067 @end defun
2068
2069 @defun display-selections-p &optional display
2070 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2071 Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2072 supported in some other cases.
2073 @end defun
2074
2075 @defun display-images-p &optional display
2076 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
2077 Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2078 systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2079 images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
2080 @end defun
2081
2082 @defun display-screens &optional display
2083 This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
2084 @end defun
2085
2086 @defun display-pixel-height &optional display
2087 This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
2088 On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
2089
2090 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2091 refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2092 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2093 @end defun
2094
2095 @defun display-pixel-width &optional display
2096 This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
2097 On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
2098
2099 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2100 refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2101 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2102 @end defun
2103
2104 @defun display-mm-height &optional display
2105 This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2106 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2107 @end defun
2108
2109 @defun display-mm-width &optional display
2110 This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2111 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2112 @end defun
2113
2114 @defvar display-mm-dimensions-alist
2115 This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2116 displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2117 @code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2118 @end defvar
2119
2120 @defun display-backing-store &optional display
2121 This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2122 Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2123 windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2124 displayed very quickly.
2125
2126 Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
2127 @code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2128 when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
2129 @end defun
2130
2131 @defun display-save-under &optional display
2132 This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
2133 SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2134 to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2135 quickly.
2136 @end defun
2137
2138 @defun display-planes &optional display
2139 This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
2140 This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
2141 For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
2142 @end defun
2143
2144 @defun display-visual-class &optional display
2145 This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
2146 of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
2147 @code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
2148 @code{direct-color}.
2149 @end defun
2150
2151 @defun display-color-cells &optional display
2152 This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
2153 @end defun
2154
2155 These functions obtain additional information specifically
2156 about X displays.
2157
2158 @defun x-server-version &optional display
2159 This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
2160 running the display. The value is a list of three integers: the major
2161 and minor version numbers of the X protocol, and the
2162 distributor-specific release number of the X server software itself.
2163 @end defun
2164
2165 @defun x-server-vendor &optional display
2166 This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the X server
2167 software (as a string). Really this means whoever distributes the X
2168 server.
2169
2170 When the developers of X labelled software distributors as
2171 ``vendors,'' they showed their false assumption that no system could
2172 ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
2173 @end defun
2174
2175 @ignore
2176 @defvar x-no-window-manager
2177 This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
2178 @end defvar
2179 @end ignore
2180
2181 @ignore
2182 @item
2183 The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2184 width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
2185 @end ignore
2186
2187 @ignore
2188 arch-tag: 94977df6-3dca-4730-b57b-c6329e9282ba
2189 @end ignore