* display.texi (Temporary Displays): Remove unnecessary comment
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / lispref / display.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, 2000, 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/display
7 @node Display, System Interface, Processes, Top
8 @chapter Emacs Display
9
10 This chapter describes a number of features related to the display
11 that Emacs presents to the user.
12
13 @menu
14 * Refresh Screen:: Clearing the screen and redrawing everything on it.
15 * Forcing Redisplay:: Forcing redisplay.
16 * Truncation:: Folding or wrapping long text lines.
17 * The Echo Area:: Displaying messages at the bottom of the screen.
18 * Warnings:: Displaying warning messages for the user.
19 * Invisible Text:: Hiding part of the buffer text.
20 * Selective Display:: Hiding part of the buffer text (the old way).
21 * Temporary Displays:: Displays that go away automatically.
22 * Overlays:: Use overlays to highlight parts of the buffer.
23 * Width:: How wide a character or string is on the screen.
24 * Line Height:: Controlling the height of lines.
25 * Faces:: A face defines a graphics style for text characters:
26 font, colors, etc.
27 * Fringes:: Controlling window fringes.
28 * Scroll Bars:: Controlling vertical scroll bars.
29 * Display Property:: Enabling special display features.
30 * Images:: Displaying images in Emacs buffers.
31 * Buttons:: Adding clickable buttons to Emacs buffers.
32 * Abstract Display:: Emacs' Widget for Object Collections.
33 * Blinking:: How Emacs shows the matching open parenthesis.
34 * Usual Display:: The usual conventions for displaying nonprinting chars.
35 * Display Tables:: How to specify other conventions.
36 * Beeping:: Audible signal to the user.
37 * Window Systems:: Which window system is being used.
38 @end menu
39
40 @node Refresh Screen
41 @section Refreshing the Screen
42
43 The function @code{redraw-frame} clears and redisplays the entire
44 contents of a given frame (@pxref{Frames}). This is useful if the
45 screen is corrupted.
46
47 @c Emacs 19 feature
48 @defun redraw-frame frame
49 This function clears and redisplays frame @var{frame}.
50 @end defun
51
52 Even more powerful is @code{redraw-display}:
53
54 @deffn Command redraw-display
55 This function clears and redisplays all visible frames.
56 @end deffn
57
58 In Emacs, processing user input takes priority over redisplay. If
59 you call these functions when input is available, they don't redisplay
60 immediately, but the requested redisplay does happen
61 eventually---after all the input has been processed.
62
63 Normally, suspending and resuming Emacs also refreshes the screen.
64 Some terminal emulators record separate contents for display-oriented
65 programs such as Emacs and for ordinary sequential display. If you are
66 using such a terminal, you might want to inhibit the redisplay on
67 resumption.
68
69 @defvar no-redraw-on-reenter
70 @cindex suspend (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
71 @cindex resume (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
72 This variable controls whether Emacs redraws the entire screen after it
73 has been suspended and resumed. Non-@code{nil} means there is no need
74 to redraw, @code{nil} means redrawing is needed. The default is @code{nil}.
75 @end defvar
76
77 @node Forcing Redisplay
78 @section Forcing Redisplay
79 @cindex forcing redisplay
80
81 Emacs normally tries to redisplay the screen whenever it waits for
82 input. With this function you can request an immediate attempt to
83 redisplay, in the middle of Lisp code, without actually waiting for
84 input.
85
86 @defun redisplay &optional force
87 This function tries immediately to redisplay, provided there are no
88 pending input events. It is equivalent to @code{(sit-for 0)}.
89
90 If the optional argument @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, it does all
91 pending redisplay work even if input is available, with no
92 pre-emption.
93
94 The function returns @code{t} if it actually tried to redisplay, and
95 @code{nil} otherwise. A value of @code{t} does not mean that
96 redisplay proceeded to completion; it could have been pre-empted by
97 newly arriving terminal input.
98 @end defun
99
100 @code{redisplay} with no argument tries immediately to redisplay,
101 but has no effect on the usual rules for what parts of the screen to
102 redisplay. By contrast, the following function adds certain windows
103 to the pending redisplay work (as if their contents had completely
104 changed), but doesn't immediately try to do any redisplay work.
105
106 @defun force-window-update &optional object
107 This function forces some or all windows to be updated on next
108 redisplay. If @var{object} is a window, it requires eventual
109 redisplay of that window. If @var{object} is a buffer or buffer name,
110 it requires eventual redisplay of all windows displaying that buffer.
111 If @var{object} is @code{nil} (or omitted), it requires eventual
112 redisplay of all windows.
113 @end defun
114
115 @code{force-window-update} does not do a redisplay immediately.
116 (Emacs will do that when it waits for input.) Rather, its effect is
117 to put more work on the queue to be done by redisplay whenever there
118 is a chance.
119
120 Emacs redisplay normally stops if input arrives, and does not happen
121 at all if input is available before it starts. Most of the time, this
122 is exactly what you want. However, you can prevent preemption by
123 binding @code{redisplay-dont-pause} to a non-@code{nil} value.
124
125 @defvar redisplay-dont-pause
126 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, pending input does not
127 prevent or halt redisplay; redisplay occurs, and finishes,
128 regardless of whether input is available.
129 @end defvar
130
131 @defvar redisplay-preemption-period
132 This variable specifies how many seconds Emacs waits between checks
133 for new input during redisplay. (The default is 0.1 seconds.) If
134 input has arrived when Emacs checks, it pre-empts redisplay and
135 processes the available input before trying again to redisplay.
136
137 If this variable is @code{nil}, Emacs does not check for input during
138 redisplay, and redisplay cannot be preempted by input.
139
140 This variable is only obeyed on graphical terminals. For
141 text terminals, see @ref{Terminal Output}.
142 @end defvar
143
144 @node Truncation
145 @section Truncation
146 @cindex line wrapping
147 @cindex line truncation
148 @cindex continuation lines
149 @cindex @samp{$} in display
150 @cindex @samp{\} in display
151
152 When a line of text extends beyond the right edge of a window, Emacs
153 can @dfn{continue} the line (make it ``wrap'' to the next screen
154 line), or @dfn{truncate} the line (limit it to one screen line). The
155 additional screen lines used to display a long text line are called
156 @dfn{continuation} lines. Continuation is not the same as filling;
157 continuation happens on the screen only, not in the buffer contents,
158 and it breaks a line precisely at the right margin, not at a word
159 boundary. @xref{Filling}.
160
161 On a graphical display, tiny arrow images in the window fringes
162 indicate truncated and continued lines (@pxref{Fringes}). On a text
163 terminal, a @samp{$} in the rightmost column of the window indicates
164 truncation; a @samp{\} on the rightmost column indicates a line that
165 ``wraps.'' (The display table can specify alternate characters to use
166 for this; @pxref{Display Tables}).
167
168 @defopt truncate-lines
169 This buffer-local variable controls how Emacs displays lines that extend
170 beyond the right edge of the window. The default is @code{nil}, which
171 specifies continuation. If the value is non-@code{nil}, then these
172 lines are truncated.
173
174 If the variable @code{truncate-partial-width-windows} is non-@code{nil},
175 then truncation is always used for side-by-side windows (within one
176 frame) regardless of the value of @code{truncate-lines}.
177 @end defopt
178
179 @defopt default-truncate-lines
180 This variable is the default value for @code{truncate-lines}, for
181 buffers that do not have buffer-local values for it.
182 @end defopt
183
184 @defopt truncate-partial-width-windows
185 This variable controls display of lines that extend beyond the right
186 edge of the window, in side-by-side windows (@pxref{Splitting Windows}).
187 If it is non-@code{nil}, these lines are truncated; otherwise,
188 @code{truncate-lines} says what to do with them.
189 @end defopt
190
191 When horizontal scrolling (@pxref{Horizontal Scrolling}) is in use in
192 a window, that forces truncation.
193
194 @defvar wrap-prefix
195 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, the prefix it defines
196 will be added at display-time to the beginning of every continuation
197 line due to text wrapping (so if lines are truncated, the wrap-prefix
198 is never used). It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph such
199 as used by the `display' text-property. @xref{Display Property}.
200
201 A wrap-prefix may also be specified for regions of text using the
202 @code{wrap-prefix} text-property (which takes precedence over the
203 value of the @code{wrap-prefix} variable). @xref{Special Properties}.
204 @end defvar
205
206 @defvar line-prefix
207 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, the prefix it defines
208 will be added at display-time to the beginning of every
209 non-continuation line It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph
210 such as used by the `display' text-property. @xref{Display Property}.
211
212 A line-prefix may also be specified for regions of text using the
213 @code{line-prefix} text-property (which takes precedence over the
214 value of the @code{line-prefix} variable). @xref{Special Properties}.
215 @end defvar
216
217 If your buffer contains @emph{very} long lines, and you use
218 continuation to display them, just thinking about them can make Emacs
219 redisplay slow. The column computation and indentation functions also
220 become slow. Then you might find it advisable to set
221 @code{cache-long-line-scans} to @code{t}.
222
223 @defvar cache-long-line-scans
224 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, various indentation and motion
225 functions, and Emacs redisplay, cache the results of scanning the
226 buffer, and consult the cache to avoid rescanning regions of the buffer
227 unless they are modified.
228
229 Turning on the cache slows down processing of short lines somewhat.
230
231 This variable is automatically buffer-local in every buffer.
232 @end defvar
233
234 @node The Echo Area
235 @section The Echo Area
236 @cindex error display
237 @cindex echo area
238
239 The @dfn{echo area} is used for displaying error messages
240 (@pxref{Errors}), for messages made with the @code{message} primitive,
241 and for echoing keystrokes. It is not the same as the minibuffer,
242 despite the fact that the minibuffer appears (when active) in the same
243 place on the screen as the echo area. The @cite{GNU Emacs Manual}
244 specifies the rules for resolving conflicts between the echo area and
245 the minibuffer for use of that screen space (@pxref{Minibuffer,, The
246 Minibuffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
247
248 You can write output in the echo area by using the Lisp printing
249 functions with @code{t} as the stream (@pxref{Output Functions}), or
250 explicitly.
251
252 @menu
253 * Displaying Messages:: Explicitly displaying text in the echo area.
254 * Progress:: Informing user about progress of a long operation.
255 * Logging Messages:: Echo area messages are logged for the user.
256 * Echo Area Customization:: Controlling the echo area.
257 @end menu
258
259 @node Displaying Messages
260 @subsection Displaying Messages in the Echo Area
261 @cindex display message in echo area
262
263 This section describes the functions for explicitly producing echo
264 area messages. Many other Emacs features display messages there, too.
265
266 @defun message format-string &rest arguments
267 This function displays a message in the echo area. The argument
268 @var{format-string} is similar to a C language @code{printf} format
269 string. See @code{format} in @ref{Formatting Strings}, for the details
270 on the conversion specifications. @code{message} returns the
271 constructed string.
272
273 In batch mode, @code{message} prints the message text on the standard
274 error stream, followed by a newline.
275
276 If @var{format-string}, or strings among the @var{arguments}, have
277 @code{face} text properties, these affect the way the message is displayed.
278
279 @c Emacs 19 feature
280 If @var{format-string} is @code{nil} or the empty string,
281 @code{message} clears the echo area; if the echo area has been
282 expanded automatically, this brings it back to its normal size.
283 If the minibuffer is active, this brings the minibuffer contents back
284 onto the screen immediately.
285
286 @example
287 @group
288 (message "Minibuffer depth is %d."
289 (minibuffer-depth))
290 @print{} Minibuffer depth is 0.
291 @result{} "Minibuffer depth is 0."
292 @end group
293
294 @group
295 ---------- Echo Area ----------
296 Minibuffer depth is 0.
297 ---------- Echo Area ----------
298 @end group
299 @end example
300
301 To automatically display a message in the echo area or in a pop-buffer,
302 depending on its size, use @code{display-message-or-buffer} (see below).
303 @end defun
304
305 @defmac with-temp-message message &rest body
306 This construct displays a message in the echo area temporarily, during
307 the execution of @var{body}. It displays @var{message}, executes
308 @var{body}, then returns the value of the last body form while restoring
309 the previous echo area contents.
310 @end defmac
311
312 @defun message-or-box format-string &rest arguments
313 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but may display it
314 in a dialog box instead of the echo area. If this function is called in
315 a command that was invoked using the mouse---more precisely, if
316 @code{last-nonmenu-event} (@pxref{Command Loop Info}) is either
317 @code{nil} or a list---then it uses a dialog box or pop-up menu to
318 display the message. Otherwise, it uses the echo area. (This is the
319 same criterion that @code{y-or-n-p} uses to make a similar decision; see
320 @ref{Yes-or-No Queries}.)
321
322 You can force use of the mouse or of the echo area by binding
323 @code{last-nonmenu-event} to a suitable value around the call.
324 @end defun
325
326 @defun message-box format-string &rest arguments
327 @anchor{message-box}
328 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but uses a dialog
329 box (or a pop-up menu) whenever that is possible. If it is impossible
330 to use a dialog box or pop-up menu, because the terminal does not
331 support them, then @code{message-box} uses the echo area, like
332 @code{message}.
333 @end defun
334
335 @defun display-message-or-buffer message &optional buffer-name not-this-window frame
336 This function displays the message @var{message}, which may be either a
337 string or a buffer. If it is shorter than the maximum height of the
338 echo area, as defined by @code{max-mini-window-height}, it is displayed
339 in the echo area, using @code{message}. Otherwise,
340 @code{display-buffer} is used to show it in a pop-up buffer.
341
342 Returns either the string shown in the echo area, or when a pop-up
343 buffer is used, the window used to display it.
344
345 If @var{message} is a string, then the optional argument
346 @var{buffer-name} is the name of the buffer used to display it when a
347 pop-up buffer is used, defaulting to @samp{*Message*}. In the case
348 where @var{message} is a string and displayed in the echo area, it is
349 not specified whether the contents are inserted into the buffer anyway.
350
351 The optional arguments @var{not-this-window} and @var{frame} are as for
352 @code{display-buffer}, and only used if a buffer is displayed.
353 @end defun
354
355 @defun current-message
356 This function returns the message currently being displayed in the
357 echo area, or @code{nil} if there is none.
358 @end defun
359
360 @node Progress
361 @subsection Reporting Operation Progress
362 @cindex progress reporting
363
364 When an operation can take a while to finish, you should inform the
365 user about the progress it makes. This way the user can estimate
366 remaining time and clearly see that Emacs is busy working, not hung.
367
368 Functions listed in this section provide simple and efficient way of
369 reporting operation progress. Here is a working example that does
370 nothing useful:
371
372 @smallexample
373 (let ((progress-reporter
374 (make-progress-reporter "Collecting mana for Emacs..."
375 0 500)))
376 (dotimes (k 500)
377 (sit-for 0.01)
378 (progress-reporter-update progress-reporter k))
379 (progress-reporter-done progress-reporter))
380 @end smallexample
381
382 @defun make-progress-reporter message min-value max-value &optional current-value min-change min-time
383 This function creates and returns a @dfn{progress reporter}---an
384 object you will use as an argument for all other functions listed
385 here. The idea is to precompute as much data as possible to make
386 progress reporting very fast.
387
388 When this progress reporter is subsequently used, it will display
389 @var{message} in the echo area, followed by progress percentage.
390 @var{message} is treated as a simple string. If you need it to depend
391 on a filename, for instance, use @code{format} before calling this
392 function.
393
394 @var{min-value} and @var{max-value} arguments stand for starting and
395 final states of your operation. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
396 they should be the results of @code{point-min} and @code{point-max}
397 correspondingly. It is required that @var{max-value} is greater than
398 @var{min-value}. If you create progress reporter when some part of
399 the operation has already been completed, then specify
400 @var{current-value} argument. But normally you should omit it or set
401 it to @code{nil}---it will default to @var{min-value} then.
402
403 Remaining arguments control the rate of echo area updates. Progress
404 reporter will wait for at least @var{min-change} more percents of the
405 operation to be completed before printing next message.
406 @var{min-time} specifies the minimum time in seconds to pass between
407 successive prints. It can be fractional. Depending on Emacs and
408 system capabilities, progress reporter may or may not respect this
409 last argument or do it with varying precision. Default value for
410 @var{min-change} is 1 (one percent), for @var{min-time}---0.2
411 (seconds.)
412
413 This function calls @code{progress-reporter-update}, so the first
414 message is printed immediately.
415 @end defun
416
417 @defun progress-reporter-update reporter value
418 This function does the main work of reporting progress of your
419 operation. It displays the message of @var{reporter}, followed by
420 progress percentage determined by @var{value}. If percentage is zero,
421 or close enough according to the @var{min-change} and @var{min-time}
422 arguments, then it is omitted from the output.
423
424 @var{reporter} must be the result of a call to
425 @code{make-progress-reporter}. @var{value} specifies the current
426 state of your operation and must be between @var{min-value} and
427 @var{max-value} (inclusive) as passed to
428 @code{make-progress-reporter}. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
429 then @var{value} should be the result of a call to @code{point}.
430
431 This function respects @var{min-change} and @var{min-time} as passed
432 to @code{make-progress-reporter} and so does not output new messages
433 on every invocation. It is thus very fast and normally you should not
434 try to reduce the number of calls to it: resulting overhead will most
435 likely negate your effort.
436 @end defun
437
438 @defun progress-reporter-force-update reporter value &optional new-message
439 This function is similar to @code{progress-reporter-update} except
440 that it prints a message in the echo area unconditionally.
441
442 The first two arguments have the same meaning as for
443 @code{progress-reporter-update}. Optional @var{new-message} allows
444 you to change the message of the @var{reporter}. Since this functions
445 always updates the echo area, such a change will be immediately
446 presented to the user.
447 @end defun
448
449 @defun progress-reporter-done reporter
450 This function should be called when the operation is finished. It
451 prints the message of @var{reporter} followed by word ``done'' in the
452 echo area.
453
454 You should always call this function and not hope for
455 @code{progress-reporter-update} to print ``100%.'' Firstly, it may
456 never print it, there are many good reasons for this not to happen.
457 Secondly, ``done'' is more explicit.
458 @end defun
459
460 @defmac dotimes-with-progress-reporter (var count [result]) message body@dots{}
461 This is a convenience macro that works the same way as @code{dotimes}
462 does, but also reports loop progress using the functions described
463 above. It allows you to save some typing.
464
465 You can rewrite the example in the beginning of this node using
466 this macro this way:
467
468 @example
469 (dotimes-with-progress-reporter
470 (k 500)
471 "Collecting some mana for Emacs..."
472 (sit-for 0.01))
473 @end example
474 @end defmac
475
476 @node Logging Messages
477 @subsection Logging Messages in @samp{*Messages*}
478 @cindex logging echo-area messages
479
480 Almost all the messages displayed in the echo area are also recorded
481 in the @samp{*Messages*} buffer so that the user can refer back to
482 them. This includes all the messages that are output with
483 @code{message}.
484
485 @defopt message-log-max
486 This variable specifies how many lines to keep in the @samp{*Messages*}
487 buffer. The value @code{t} means there is no limit on how many lines to
488 keep. The value @code{nil} disables message logging entirely. Here's
489 how to display a message and prevent it from being logged:
490
491 @example
492 (let (message-log-max)
493 (message @dots{}))
494 @end example
495 @end defopt
496
497 To make @samp{*Messages*} more convenient for the user, the logging
498 facility combines successive identical messages. It also combines
499 successive related messages for the sake of two cases: question
500 followed by answer, and a series of progress messages.
501
502 A ``question followed by an answer'' means two messages like the
503 ones produced by @code{y-or-n-p}: the first is @samp{@var{question}},
504 and the second is @samp{@var{question}...@var{answer}}. The first
505 message conveys no additional information beyond what's in the second,
506 so logging the second message discards the first from the log.
507
508 A ``series of progress messages'' means successive messages like
509 those produced by @code{make-progress-reporter}. They have the form
510 @samp{@var{base}...@var{how-far}}, where @var{base} is the same each
511 time, while @var{how-far} varies. Logging each message in the series
512 discards the previous one, provided they are consecutive.
513
514 The functions @code{make-progress-reporter} and @code{y-or-n-p}
515 don't have to do anything special to activate the message log
516 combination feature. It operates whenever two consecutive messages
517 are logged that share a common prefix ending in @samp{...}.
518
519 @node Echo Area Customization
520 @subsection Echo Area Customization
521
522 These variables control details of how the echo area works.
523
524 @defvar cursor-in-echo-area
525 This variable controls where the cursor appears when a message is
526 displayed in the echo area. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the cursor
527 appears at the end of the message. Otherwise, the cursor appears at
528 point---not in the echo area at all.
529
530 The value is normally @code{nil}; Lisp programs bind it to @code{t}
531 for brief periods of time.
532 @end defvar
533
534 @defvar echo-area-clear-hook
535 This normal hook is run whenever the echo area is cleared---either by
536 @code{(message nil)} or for any other reason.
537 @end defvar
538
539 @defvar echo-keystrokes
540 This variable determines how much time should elapse before command
541 characters echo. Its value must be an integer or floating point number,
542 which specifies the
543 number of seconds to wait before echoing. If the user types a prefix
544 key (such as @kbd{C-x}) and then delays this many seconds before
545 continuing, the prefix key is echoed in the echo area. (Once echoing
546 begins in a key sequence, all subsequent characters in the same key
547 sequence are echoed immediately.)
548
549 If the value is zero, then command input is not echoed.
550 @end defvar
551
552 @defvar message-truncate-lines
553 Normally, displaying a long message resizes the echo area to display
554 the entire message. But if the variable @code{message-truncate-lines}
555 is non-@code{nil}, the echo area does not resize, and the message is
556 truncated to fit it, as in Emacs 20 and before.
557 @end defvar
558
559 The variable @code{max-mini-window-height}, which specifies the
560 maximum height for resizing minibuffer windows, also applies to the
561 echo area (which is really a special use of the minibuffer window.
562 @xref{Minibuffer Misc}.
563
564 @node Warnings
565 @section Reporting Warnings
566 @cindex warnings
567
568 @dfn{Warnings} are a facility for a program to inform the user of a
569 possible problem, but continue running.
570
571 @menu
572 * Warning Basics:: Warnings concepts and functions to report them.
573 * Warning Variables:: Variables programs bind to customize their warnings.
574 * Warning Options:: Variables users set to control display of warnings.
575 @end menu
576
577 @node Warning Basics
578 @subsection Warning Basics
579 @cindex severity level
580
581 Every warning has a textual message, which explains the problem for
582 the user, and a @dfn{severity level} which is a symbol. Here are the
583 possible severity levels, in order of decreasing severity, and their
584 meanings:
585
586 @table @code
587 @item :emergency
588 A problem that will seriously impair Emacs operation soon
589 if you do not attend to it promptly.
590 @item :error
591 A report of data or circumstances that are inherently wrong.
592 @item :warning
593 A report of data or circumstances that are not inherently wrong, but
594 raise suspicion of a possible problem.
595 @item :debug
596 A report of information that may be useful if you are debugging.
597 @end table
598
599 When your program encounters invalid input data, it can either
600 signal a Lisp error by calling @code{error} or @code{signal} or report
601 a warning with severity @code{:error}. Signaling a Lisp error is the
602 easiest thing to do, but it means the program cannot continue
603 processing. If you want to take the trouble to implement a way to
604 continue processing despite the bad data, then reporting a warning of
605 severity @code{:error} is the right way to inform the user of the
606 problem. For instance, the Emacs Lisp byte compiler can report an
607 error that way and continue compiling other functions. (If the
608 program signals a Lisp error and then handles it with
609 @code{condition-case}, the user won't see the error message; it could
610 show the message to the user by reporting it as a warning.)
611
612 @cindex warning type
613 Each warning has a @dfn{warning type} to classify it. The type is a
614 list of symbols. The first symbol should be the custom group that you
615 use for the program's user options. For example, byte compiler
616 warnings use the warning type @code{(bytecomp)}. You can also
617 subcategorize the warnings, if you wish, by using more symbols in the
618 list.
619
620 @defun display-warning type message &optional level buffer-name
621 This function reports a warning, using @var{message} as the message
622 and @var{type} as the warning type. @var{level} should be the
623 severity level, with @code{:warning} being the default.
624
625 @var{buffer-name}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the name of the buffer
626 for logging the warning. By default, it is @samp{*Warnings*}.
627 @end defun
628
629 @defun lwarn type level message &rest args
630 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
631 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message. In other respects it is
632 equivalent to @code{display-warning}.
633 @end defun
634
635 @defun warn message &rest args
636 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
637 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message, @code{(emacs)} as the
638 type, and @code{:warning} as the severity level. It exists for
639 compatibility only; we recommend not using it, because you should
640 specify a specific warning type.
641 @end defun
642
643 @node Warning Variables
644 @subsection Warning Variables
645
646 Programs can customize how their warnings appear by binding
647 the variables described in this section.
648
649 @defvar warning-levels
650 This list defines the meaning and severity order of the warning
651 severity levels. Each element defines one severity level,
652 and they are arranged in order of decreasing severity.
653
654 Each element has the form @code{(@var{level} @var{string}
655 @var{function})}, where @var{level} is the severity level it defines.
656 @var{string} specifies the textual description of this level.
657 @var{string} should use @samp{%s} to specify where to put the warning
658 type information, or it can omit the @samp{%s} so as not to include
659 that information.
660
661 The optional @var{function}, if non-@code{nil}, is a function to call
662 with no arguments, to get the user's attention.
663
664 Normally you should not change the value of this variable.
665 @end defvar
666
667 @defvar warning-prefix-function
668 If non-@code{nil}, the value is a function to generate prefix text for
669 warnings. Programs can bind the variable to a suitable function.
670 @code{display-warning} calls this function with the warnings buffer
671 current, and the function can insert text in it. That text becomes
672 the beginning of the warning message.
673
674 The function is called with two arguments, the severity level and its
675 entry in @code{warning-levels}. It should return a list to use as the
676 entry (this value need not be an actual member of
677 @code{warning-levels}). By constructing this value, the function can
678 change the severity of the warning, or specify different handling for
679 a given severity level.
680
681 If the variable's value is @code{nil} then there is no function
682 to call.
683 @end defvar
684
685 @defvar warning-series
686 Programs can bind this variable to @code{t} to say that the next
687 warning should begin a series. When several warnings form a series,
688 that means to leave point on the first warning of the series, rather
689 than keep moving it for each warning so that it appears on the last one.
690 The series ends when the local binding is unbound and
691 @code{warning-series} becomes @code{nil} again.
692
693 The value can also be a symbol with a function definition. That is
694 equivalent to @code{t}, except that the next warning will also call
695 the function with no arguments with the warnings buffer current. The
696 function can insert text which will serve as a header for the series
697 of warnings.
698
699 Once a series has begun, the value is a marker which points to the
700 buffer position in the warnings buffer of the start of the series.
701
702 The variable's normal value is @code{nil}, which means to handle
703 each warning separately.
704 @end defvar
705
706 @defvar warning-fill-prefix
707 When this variable is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a fill prefix to
708 use for filling each warning's text.
709 @end defvar
710
711 @defvar warning-type-format
712 This variable specifies the format for displaying the warning type
713 in the warning message. The result of formatting the type this way
714 gets included in the message under the control of the string in the
715 entry in @code{warning-levels}. The default value is @code{" (%s)"}.
716 If you bind it to @code{""} then the warning type won't appear at
717 all.
718 @end defvar
719
720 @node Warning Options
721 @subsection Warning Options
722
723 These variables are used by users to control what happens
724 when a Lisp program reports a warning.
725
726 @defopt warning-minimum-level
727 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
728 shown immediately to the user. The default is @code{:warning}, which
729 means to immediately display all warnings except @code{:debug}
730 warnings.
731 @end defopt
732
733 @defopt warning-minimum-log-level
734 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
735 logged in the warnings buffer. The default is @code{:warning}, which
736 means to log all warnings except @code{:debug} warnings.
737 @end defopt
738
739 @defopt warning-suppress-types
740 This list specifies which warning types should not be displayed
741 immediately for the user. Each element of the list should be a list
742 of symbols. If its elements match the first elements in a warning
743 type, then that warning is not displayed immediately.
744 @end defopt
745
746 @defopt warning-suppress-log-types
747 This list specifies which warning types should not be logged in the
748 warnings buffer. Each element of the list should be a list of
749 symbols. If it matches the first few elements in a warning type, then
750 that warning is not logged.
751 @end defopt
752
753 @node Invisible Text
754 @section Invisible Text
755
756 @cindex invisible text
757 You can make characters @dfn{invisible}, so that they do not appear on
758 the screen, with the @code{invisible} property. This can be either a
759 text property (@pxref{Text Properties}) or a property of an overlay
760 (@pxref{Overlays}). Cursor motion also partly ignores these
761 characters; if the command loop finds point within them, it moves
762 point to the other side of them.
763
764 In the simplest case, any non-@code{nil} @code{invisible} property makes
765 a character invisible. This is the default case---if you don't alter
766 the default value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}, this is how the
767 @code{invisible} property works. You should normally use @code{t}
768 as the value of the @code{invisible} property if you don't plan
769 to set @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} yourself.
770
771 More generally, you can use the variable @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
772 to control which values of the @code{invisible} property make text
773 invisible. This permits you to classify the text into different subsets
774 in advance, by giving them different @code{invisible} values, and
775 subsequently make various subsets visible or invisible by changing the
776 value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}.
777
778 Controlling visibility with @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is
779 especially useful in a program to display the list of entries in a
780 database. It permits the implementation of convenient filtering
781 commands to view just a part of the entries in the database. Setting
782 this variable is very fast, much faster than scanning all the text in
783 the buffer looking for properties to change.
784
785 @defvar buffer-invisibility-spec
786 This variable specifies which kinds of @code{invisible} properties
787 actually make a character invisible. Setting this variable makes it
788 buffer-local.
789
790 @table @asis
791 @item @code{t}
792 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property is
793 non-@code{nil}. This is the default.
794
795 @item a list
796 Each element of the list specifies a criterion for invisibility; if a
797 character's @code{invisible} property fits any one of these criteria,
798 the character is invisible. The list can have two kinds of elements:
799
800 @table @code
801 @item @var{atom}
802 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value
803 is @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member.
804
805 @item (@var{atom} . t)
806 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value is
807 @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member. Moreover,
808 a sequence of such characters displays as an ellipsis.
809 @end table
810 @end table
811 @end defvar
812
813 Two functions are specifically provided for adding elements to
814 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and removing elements from it.
815
816 @defun add-to-invisibility-spec element
817 This function adds the element @var{element} to
818 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. If @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
819 was @code{t}, it changes to a list, @code{(t)}, so that text whose
820 @code{invisible} property is @code{t} remains invisible.
821 @end defun
822
823 @defun remove-from-invisibility-spec element
824 This removes the element @var{element} from
825 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. This does nothing if @var{element}
826 is not in the list.
827 @end defun
828
829 A convention for use of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is that a
830 major mode should use the mode's own name as an element of
831 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and as the value of the
832 @code{invisible} property:
833
834 @example
835 ;; @r{If you want to display an ellipsis:}
836 (add-to-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
837 ;; @r{If you don't want ellipsis:}
838 (add-to-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
839
840 (overlay-put (make-overlay beginning end)
841 'invisible 'my-symbol)
842
843 ;; @r{When done with the overlays:}
844 (remove-from-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
845 ;; @r{Or respectively:}
846 (remove-from-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
847 @end example
848
849 @vindex line-move-ignore-invisible
850 Ordinarily, functions that operate on text or move point do not care
851 whether the text is invisible. The user-level line motion commands
852 explicitly ignore invisible newlines if
853 @code{line-move-ignore-invisible} is non-@code{nil} (the default), but
854 only because they are explicitly programmed to do so.
855
856 However, if a command ends with point inside or immediately before
857 invisible text, the main editing loop moves point further forward or
858 further backward (in the same direction that the command already moved
859 it) until that condition is no longer true. Thus, if the command
860 moved point back into an invisible range, Emacs moves point back to
861 the beginning of that range, and then back one more character. If the
862 command moved point forward into an invisible range, Emacs moves point
863 forward up to the first visible character that follows the invisible
864 text.
865
866 Incremental search can make invisible overlays visible temporarily
867 and/or permanently when a match includes invisible text. To enable
868 this, the overlay should have a non-@code{nil}
869 @code{isearch-open-invisible} property. The property value should be a
870 function to be called with the overlay as an argument. This function
871 should make the overlay visible permanently; it is used when the match
872 overlaps the overlay on exit from the search.
873
874 During the search, such overlays are made temporarily visible by
875 temporarily modifying their invisible and intangible properties. If you
876 want this to be done differently for a certain overlay, give it an
877 @code{isearch-open-invisible-temporary} property which is a function.
878 The function is called with two arguments: the first is the overlay, and
879 the second is @code{nil} to make the overlay visible, or @code{t} to
880 make it invisible again.
881
882 @node Selective Display
883 @section Selective Display
884 @c @cindex selective display Duplicates selective-display
885
886 @dfn{Selective display} refers to a pair of related features for
887 hiding certain lines on the screen.
888
889 The first variant, explicit selective display, is designed for use
890 in a Lisp program: it controls which lines are hidden by altering the
891 text. This kind of hiding in some ways resembles the effect of the
892 @code{invisible} property (@pxref{Invisible Text}), but the two
893 features are different and do not work the same way.
894
895 In the second variant, the choice of lines to hide is made
896 automatically based on indentation. This variant is designed to be a
897 user-level feature.
898
899 The way you control explicit selective display is by replacing a
900 newline (control-j) with a carriage return (control-m). The text that
901 was formerly a line following that newline is now hidden. Strictly
902 speaking, it is temporarily no longer a line at all, since only
903 newlines can separate lines; it is now part of the previous line.
904
905 Selective display does not directly affect editing commands. For
906 example, @kbd{C-f} (@code{forward-char}) moves point unhesitatingly
907 into hidden text. However, the replacement of newline characters with
908 carriage return characters affects some editing commands. For
909 example, @code{next-line} skips hidden lines, since it searches only
910 for newlines. Modes that use selective display can also define
911 commands that take account of the newlines, or that control which
912 parts of the text are hidden.
913
914 When you write a selectively displayed buffer into a file, all the
915 control-m's are output as newlines. This means that when you next read
916 in the file, it looks OK, with nothing hidden. The selective display
917 effect is seen only within Emacs.
918
919 @defvar selective-display
920 This buffer-local variable enables selective display. This means that
921 lines, or portions of lines, may be made hidden.
922
923 @itemize @bullet
924 @item
925 If the value of @code{selective-display} is @code{t}, then the character
926 control-m marks the start of hidden text; the control-m, and the rest
927 of the line following it, are not displayed. This is explicit selective
928 display.
929
930 @item
931 If the value of @code{selective-display} is a positive integer, then
932 lines that start with more than that many columns of indentation are not
933 displayed.
934 @end itemize
935
936 When some portion of a buffer is hidden, the vertical movement
937 commands operate as if that portion did not exist, allowing a single
938 @code{next-line} command to skip any number of hidden lines.
939 However, character movement commands (such as @code{forward-char}) do
940 not skip the hidden portion, and it is possible (if tricky) to insert
941 or delete text in an hidden portion.
942
943 In the examples below, we show the @emph{display appearance} of the
944 buffer @code{foo}, which changes with the value of
945 @code{selective-display}. The @emph{contents} of the buffer do not
946 change.
947
948 @example
949 @group
950 (setq selective-display nil)
951 @result{} nil
952
953 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
954 1 on this column
955 2on this column
956 3n this column
957 3n this column
958 2on this column
959 1 on this column
960 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
961 @end group
962
963 @group
964 (setq selective-display 2)
965 @result{} 2
966
967 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
968 1 on this column
969 2on this column
970 2on this column
971 1 on this column
972 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
973 @end group
974 @end example
975 @end defvar
976
977 @defvar selective-display-ellipses
978 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays
979 @samp{@dots{}} at the end of a line that is followed by hidden text.
980 This example is a continuation of the previous one.
981
982 @example
983 @group
984 (setq selective-display-ellipses t)
985 @result{} t
986
987 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
988 1 on this column
989 2on this column ...
990 2on this column
991 1 on this column
992 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
993 @end group
994 @end example
995
996 You can use a display table to substitute other text for the ellipsis
997 (@samp{@dots{}}). @xref{Display Tables}.
998 @end defvar
999
1000 @node Temporary Displays
1001 @section Temporary Displays
1002
1003 Temporary displays are used by Lisp programs to put output into a
1004 buffer and then present it to the user for perusal rather than for
1005 editing. Many help commands use this feature.
1006
1007 @defspec with-output-to-temp-buffer buffer-name forms@dots{}
1008 This function executes @var{forms} while arranging to insert any output
1009 they print into the buffer named @var{buffer-name}, which is first
1010 created if necessary, and put into Help mode. Finally, the buffer is
1011 displayed in some window, but not selected.
1012
1013 If the @var{forms} do not change the major mode in the output buffer,
1014 so that it is still Help mode at the end of their execution, then
1015 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} makes this buffer read-only at the
1016 end, and also scans it for function and variable names to make them
1017 into clickable cross-references. @xref{Docstring hyperlinks, , Tips
1018 for Documentation Strings}, in particular the item on hyperlinks in
1019 documentation strings, for more details.
1020
1021 The string @var{buffer-name} specifies the temporary buffer, which
1022 need not already exist. The argument must be a string, not a buffer.
1023 The buffer is erased initially (with no questions asked), and it is
1024 marked as unmodified after @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} exits.
1025
1026 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} binds @code{standard-output} to the
1027 temporary buffer, then it evaluates the forms in @var{forms}. Output
1028 using the Lisp output functions within @var{forms} goes by default to
1029 that buffer (but screen display and messages in the echo area, although
1030 they are ``output'' in the general sense of the word, are not affected).
1031 @xref{Output Functions}.
1032
1033 Several hooks are available for customizing the behavior
1034 of this construct; they are listed below.
1035
1036 The value of the last form in @var{forms} is returned.
1037
1038 @example
1039 @group
1040 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1041 This is the contents of foo.
1042 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1043 @end group
1044
1045 @group
1046 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "foo"
1047 (print 20)
1048 (print standard-output))
1049 @result{} #<buffer foo>
1050
1051 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1052 20
1053
1054 #<buffer foo>
1055
1056 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1057 @end group
1058 @end example
1059 @end defspec
1060
1061 @defvar temp-buffer-show-function
1062 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer}
1063 calls it as a function to do the job of displaying a help buffer. The
1064 function gets one argument, which is the buffer it should display.
1065
1066 It is a good idea for this function to run @code{temp-buffer-show-hook}
1067 just as @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} normally would, inside of
1068 @code{save-selected-window} and with the chosen window and buffer
1069 selected.
1070 @end defvar
1071
1072 @defvar temp-buffer-setup-hook
1073 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} before
1074 evaluating @var{body}. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer is
1075 current. This hook is normally set up with a function to put the
1076 buffer in Help mode.
1077 @end defvar
1078
1079 @defvar temp-buffer-show-hook
1080 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} after
1081 displaying the temporary buffer. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer
1082 is current, and the window it was displayed in is selected. This hook
1083 is normally set up with a function to make the buffer read only, and
1084 find function names and variable names in it, provided the major mode
1085 is Help mode.
1086 @end defvar
1087
1088 @defun momentary-string-display string position &optional char message
1089 This function momentarily displays @var{string} in the current buffer at
1090 @var{position}. It has no effect on the undo list or on the buffer's
1091 modification status.
1092
1093 The momentary display remains until the next input event. If the next
1094 input event is @var{char}, @code{momentary-string-display} ignores it
1095 and returns. Otherwise, that event remains buffered for subsequent use
1096 as input. Thus, typing @var{char} will simply remove the string from
1097 the display, while typing (say) @kbd{C-f} will remove the string from
1098 the display and later (presumably) move point forward. The argument
1099 @var{char} is a space by default.
1100
1101 The return value of @code{momentary-string-display} is not meaningful.
1102
1103 If the string @var{string} does not contain control characters, you can
1104 do the same job in a more general way by creating (and then subsequently
1105 deleting) an overlay with a @code{before-string} property.
1106 @xref{Overlay Properties}.
1107
1108 If @var{message} is non-@code{nil}, it is displayed in the echo area
1109 while @var{string} is displayed in the buffer. If it is @code{nil}, a
1110 default message says to type @var{char} to continue.
1111
1112 In this example, point is initially located at the beginning of the
1113 second line:
1114
1115 @example
1116 @group
1117 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1118 This is the contents of foo.
1119 @point{}Second line.
1120 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1121 @end group
1122
1123 @group
1124 (momentary-string-display
1125 "**** Important Message! ****"
1126 (point) ?\r
1127 "Type RET when done reading")
1128 @result{} t
1129 @end group
1130
1131 @group
1132 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1133 This is the contents of foo.
1134 **** Important Message! ****Second line.
1135 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1136
1137 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1138 Type RET when done reading
1139 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1140 @end group
1141 @end example
1142 @end defun
1143
1144 @node Overlays
1145 @section Overlays
1146 @cindex overlays
1147
1148 You can use @dfn{overlays} to alter the appearance of a buffer's text on
1149 the screen, for the sake of presentation features. An overlay is an
1150 object that belongs to a particular buffer, and has a specified
1151 beginning and end. It also has properties that you can examine and set;
1152 these affect the display of the text within the overlay.
1153
1154 An overlay uses markers to record its beginning and end; thus,
1155 editing the text of the buffer adjusts the beginning and end of each
1156 overlay so that it stays with the text. When you create the overlay,
1157 you can specify whether text inserted at the beginning should be
1158 inside the overlay or outside, and likewise for the end of the overlay.
1159
1160 @menu
1161 * Managing Overlays:: Creating and moving overlays.
1162 * Overlay Properties:: How to read and set properties.
1163 What properties do to the screen display.
1164 * Finding Overlays:: Searching for overlays.
1165 @end menu
1166
1167 @node Managing Overlays
1168 @subsection Managing Overlays
1169
1170 This section describes the functions to create, delete and move
1171 overlays, and to examine their contents. Overlay changes are not
1172 recorded in the buffer's undo list, since the overlays are not
1173 part of the buffer's contents.
1174
1175 @defun overlayp object
1176 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is an overlay.
1177 @end defun
1178
1179 @defun make-overlay start end &optional buffer front-advance rear-advance
1180 This function creates and returns an overlay that belongs to
1181 @var{buffer} and ranges from @var{start} to @var{end}. Both @var{start}
1182 and @var{end} must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or
1183 markers. If @var{buffer} is omitted, the overlay is created in the
1184 current buffer.
1185
1186 The arguments @var{front-advance} and @var{rear-advance} specify the
1187 marker insertion type for the start of the overlay and for the end of
1188 the overlay, respectively. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}. If they
1189 are both @code{nil}, the default, then the overlay extends to include
1190 any text inserted at the beginning, but not text inserted at the end.
1191 If @var{front-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the
1192 beginning of the overlay is excluded from the overlay. If
1193 @var{rear-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the end of the
1194 overlay is included in the overlay.
1195 @end defun
1196
1197 @defun overlay-start overlay
1198 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} starts,
1199 as an integer.
1200 @end defun
1201
1202 @defun overlay-end overlay
1203 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} ends,
1204 as an integer.
1205 @end defun
1206
1207 @defun overlay-buffer overlay
1208 This function returns the buffer that @var{overlay} belongs to. It
1209 returns @code{nil} if @var{overlay} has been deleted.
1210 @end defun
1211
1212 @defun delete-overlay overlay
1213 This function deletes @var{overlay}. The overlay continues to exist as
1214 a Lisp object, and its property list is unchanged, but it ceases to be
1215 attached to the buffer it belonged to, and ceases to have any effect on
1216 display.
1217
1218 A deleted overlay is not permanently disconnected. You can give it a
1219 position in a buffer again by calling @code{move-overlay}.
1220 @end defun
1221
1222 @defun move-overlay overlay start end &optional buffer
1223 This function moves @var{overlay} to @var{buffer}, and places its bounds
1224 at @var{start} and @var{end}. Both arguments @var{start} and @var{end}
1225 must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or markers.
1226
1227 If @var{buffer} is omitted, @var{overlay} stays in the same buffer it
1228 was already associated with; if @var{overlay} was deleted, it goes into
1229 the current buffer.
1230
1231 The return value is @var{overlay}.
1232
1233 This is the only valid way to change the endpoints of an overlay. Do
1234 not try modifying the markers in the overlay by hand, as that fails to
1235 update other vital data structures and can cause some overlays to be
1236 ``lost.''
1237 @end defun
1238
1239 @defun remove-overlays &optional start end name value
1240 This function removes all the overlays between @var{start} and
1241 @var{end} whose property @var{name} has the value @var{value}. It can
1242 move the endpoints of the overlays in the region, or split them.
1243
1244 If @var{name} is omitted or @code{nil}, it means to delete all overlays in
1245 the specified region. If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are omitted or
1246 @code{nil}, that means the beginning and end of the buffer respectively.
1247 Therefore, @code{(remove-overlays)} removes all the overlays in the
1248 current buffer.
1249 @end defun
1250
1251 Here are some examples:
1252
1253 @example
1254 ;; @r{Create an overlay.}
1255 (setq foo (make-overlay 1 10))
1256 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 10 in display.texi>
1257 (overlay-start foo)
1258 @result{} 1
1259 (overlay-end foo)
1260 @result{} 10
1261 (overlay-buffer foo)
1262 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1263 ;; @r{Give it a property we can check later.}
1264 (overlay-put foo 'happy t)
1265 @result{} t
1266 ;; @r{Verify the property is present.}
1267 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1268 @result{} t
1269 ;; @r{Move the overlay.}
1270 (move-overlay foo 5 20)
1271 @result{} #<overlay from 5 to 20 in display.texi>
1272 (overlay-start foo)
1273 @result{} 5
1274 (overlay-end foo)
1275 @result{} 20
1276 ;; @r{Delete the overlay.}
1277 (delete-overlay foo)
1278 @result{} nil
1279 ;; @r{Verify it is deleted.}
1280 foo
1281 @result{} #<overlay in no buffer>
1282 ;; @r{A deleted overlay has no position.}
1283 (overlay-start foo)
1284 @result{} nil
1285 (overlay-end foo)
1286 @result{} nil
1287 (overlay-buffer foo)
1288 @result{} nil
1289 ;; @r{Undelete the overlay.}
1290 (move-overlay foo 1 20)
1291 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 20 in display.texi>
1292 ;; @r{Verify the results.}
1293 (overlay-start foo)
1294 @result{} 1
1295 (overlay-end foo)
1296 @result{} 20
1297 (overlay-buffer foo)
1298 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1299 ;; @r{Moving and deleting the overlay does not change its properties.}
1300 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1301 @result{} t
1302 @end example
1303
1304 Emacs stores the overlays of each buffer in two lists, divided
1305 around an arbitrary ``center position.'' One list extends backwards
1306 through the buffer from that center position, and the other extends
1307 forwards from that center position. The center position can be anywhere
1308 in the buffer.
1309
1310 @defun overlay-recenter pos
1311 This function recenters the overlays of the current buffer around
1312 position @var{pos}. That makes overlay lookup faster for positions
1313 near @var{pos}, but slower for positions far away from @var{pos}.
1314 @end defun
1315
1316 A loop that scans the buffer forwards, creating overlays, can run
1317 faster if you do @code{(overlay-recenter (point-max))} first.
1318
1319 @node Overlay Properties
1320 @subsection Overlay Properties
1321
1322 Overlay properties are like text properties in that the properties that
1323 alter how a character is displayed can come from either source. But in
1324 most respects they are different. @xref{Text Properties}, for comparison.
1325
1326 Text properties are considered a part of the text; overlays and
1327 their properties are specifically considered not to be part of the
1328 text. Thus, copying text between various buffers and strings
1329 preserves text properties, but does not try to preserve overlays.
1330 Changing a buffer's text properties marks the buffer as modified,
1331 while moving an overlay or changing its properties does not. Unlike
1332 text property changes, overlay property changes are not recorded in
1333 the buffer's undo list.
1334
1335 Since more than one overlay can specify a property value for the
1336 same character, Emacs lets you specify a priority value of each
1337 overlay. You should not make assumptions about which overlay will
1338 prevail when there is a conflict and they have the same priority.
1339
1340 These functions read and set the properties of an overlay:
1341
1342 @defun overlay-get overlay prop
1343 This function returns the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1344 @var{overlay}, if any. If @var{overlay} does not record any value for
1345 that property, but it does have a @code{category} property which is a
1346 symbol, that symbol's @var{prop} property is used. Otherwise, the value
1347 is @code{nil}.
1348 @end defun
1349
1350 @defun overlay-put overlay prop value
1351 This function sets the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1352 @var{overlay} to @var{value}. It returns @var{value}.
1353 @end defun
1354
1355 @defun overlay-properties overlay
1356 This returns a copy of the property list of @var{overlay}.
1357 @end defun
1358
1359 See also the function @code{get-char-property} which checks both
1360 overlay properties and text properties for a given character.
1361 @xref{Examining Properties}.
1362
1363 Many overlay properties have special meanings; here is a table
1364 of them:
1365
1366 @table @code
1367 @item priority
1368 @kindex priority @r{(overlay property)}
1369 This property's value (which should be a nonnegative integer number)
1370 determines the priority of the overlay. No priority, or @code{nil},
1371 means zero.
1372
1373 The priority matters when two or more overlays cover the same
1374 character and both specify the same property; the one whose
1375 @code{priority} value is larger overrides the other. For the
1376 @code{face} property, the higher priority overlay's value does not
1377 completely override the other value; instead, its face attributes
1378 override the face attributes of the lower priority @code{face}
1379 property.
1380
1381 Currently, all overlays take priority over text properties. Please
1382 avoid using negative priority values, as we have not yet decided just
1383 what they should mean.
1384
1385 @item window
1386 @kindex window @r{(overlay property)}
1387 If the @code{window} property is non-@code{nil}, then the overlay
1388 applies only on that window.
1389
1390 @item category
1391 @kindex category @r{(overlay property)}
1392 If an overlay has a @code{category} property, we call it the
1393 @dfn{category} of the overlay. It should be a symbol. The properties
1394 of the symbol serve as defaults for the properties of the overlay.
1395
1396 @item face
1397 @kindex face @r{(overlay property)}
1398 This property controls the way text is displayed---for example, which
1399 font and which colors. @xref{Faces}, for more information.
1400
1401 In the simplest case, the value is a face name. It can also be a list;
1402 then each element can be any of these possibilities:
1403
1404 @itemize @bullet
1405 @item
1406 A face name (a symbol or string).
1407
1408 @item
1409 A property list of face attributes. This has the form (@var{keyword}
1410 @var{value} @dots{}), where each @var{keyword} is a face attribute
1411 name and @var{value} is a meaningful value for that attribute. With
1412 this feature, you do not need to create a face each time you want to
1413 specify a particular attribute for certain text. @xref{Face
1414 Attributes}.
1415
1416 @item
1417 A cons cell, either of the form @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} or
1418 @code{(background-color . @var{color-name})}. These elements specify
1419 just the foreground color or just the background color.
1420
1421 @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} has the same effect as
1422 @code{(:foreground @var{color-name})}; likewise for the background.
1423 @end itemize
1424
1425 @item mouse-face
1426 @kindex mouse-face @r{(overlay property)}
1427 This property is used instead of @code{face} when the mouse is within
1428 the range of the overlay.
1429
1430 @item display
1431 @kindex display @r{(overlay property)}
1432 This property activates various features that change the
1433 way text is displayed. For example, it can make text appear taller
1434 or shorter, higher or lower, wider or narrower, or replaced with an image.
1435 @xref{Display Property}.
1436
1437 @item help-echo
1438 @kindex help-echo @r{(overlay property)}
1439 If an overlay has a @code{help-echo} property, then when you move the
1440 mouse onto the text in the overlay, Emacs displays a help string in the
1441 echo area, or in the tooltip window. For details see @ref{Text
1442 help-echo}.
1443
1444 @item modification-hooks
1445 @kindex modification-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1446 This property's value is a list of functions to be called if any
1447 character within the overlay is changed or if text is inserted strictly
1448 within the overlay.
1449
1450 The hook functions are called both before and after each change.
1451 If the functions save the information they receive, and compare notes
1452 between calls, they can determine exactly what change has been made
1453 in the buffer text.
1454
1455 When called before a change, each function receives four arguments: the
1456 overlay, @code{nil}, and the beginning and end of the text range to be
1457 modified.
1458
1459 When called after a change, each function receives five arguments: the
1460 overlay, @code{t}, the beginning and end of the text range just
1461 modified, and the length of the pre-change text replaced by that range.
1462 (For an insertion, the pre-change length is zero; for a deletion, that
1463 length is the number of characters deleted, and the post-change
1464 beginning and end are equal.)
1465
1466 If these functions modify the buffer, they should bind
1467 @code{inhibit-modification-hooks} to @code{t} around doing so, to
1468 avoid confusing the internal mechanism that calls these hooks.
1469
1470 Text properties also support the @code{modification-hooks} property,
1471 but the details are somewhat different (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1472
1473 @item insert-in-front-hooks
1474 @kindex insert-in-front-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1475 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1476 after inserting text right at the beginning of the overlay. The calling
1477 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1478
1479 @item insert-behind-hooks
1480 @kindex insert-behind-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1481 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1482 after inserting text right at the end of the overlay. The calling
1483 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1484
1485 @item invisible
1486 @kindex invisible @r{(overlay property)}
1487 The @code{invisible} property can make the text in the overlay
1488 invisible, which means that it does not appear on the screen.
1489 @xref{Invisible Text}, for details.
1490
1491 @item intangible
1492 @kindex intangible @r{(overlay property)}
1493 The @code{intangible} property on an overlay works just like the
1494 @code{intangible} text property. @xref{Special Properties}, for details.
1495
1496 @item isearch-open-invisible
1497 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1498 visible, permanently, if the final match overlaps it. @xref{Invisible
1499 Text}.
1500
1501 @item isearch-open-invisible-temporary
1502 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1503 visible, temporarily, during the search. @xref{Invisible Text}.
1504
1505 @item before-string
1506 @kindex before-string @r{(overlay property)}
1507 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the beginning
1508 of the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1509 sense---only on the screen.
1510
1511 @item after-string
1512 @kindex after-string @r{(overlay property)}
1513 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the end of
1514 the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1515 sense---only on the screen.
1516
1517 @item evaporate
1518 @kindex evaporate @r{(overlay property)}
1519 If this property is non-@code{nil}, the overlay is deleted automatically
1520 if it becomes empty (i.e., if its length becomes zero). If you give
1521 an empty overlay a non-@code{nil} @code{evaporate} property, that deletes
1522 it immediately.
1523
1524 @item local-map
1525 @cindex keymap of character (and overlays)
1526 @kindex local-map @r{(overlay property)}
1527 If this property is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a keymap for a portion
1528 of the text. The property's value replaces the buffer's local map, when
1529 the character after point is within the overlay. @xref{Active Keymaps}.
1530
1531 @item keymap
1532 @kindex keymap @r{(overlay property)}
1533 The @code{keymap} property is similar to @code{local-map} but overrides the
1534 buffer's local map (and the map specified by the @code{local-map}
1535 property) rather than replacing it.
1536 @end table
1537
1538 The @code{local-map} and @code{keymap} properties do not affect a
1539 string displayed by the @code{before-string}, @code{after-string}, or
1540 @code{display} properties. This is only relevant for mouse clicks and
1541 other mouse events that fall on the string, since point is never on
1542 the string. To bind special mouse events for the string, assign it a
1543 @code{local-map} or @code{keymap} text property. @xref{Special
1544 Properties}.
1545
1546 @node Finding Overlays
1547 @subsection Searching for Overlays
1548
1549 @defun overlays-at pos
1550 This function returns a list of all the overlays that cover the
1551 character at position @var{pos} in the current buffer. The list is in
1552 no particular order. An overlay contains position @var{pos} if it
1553 begins at or before @var{pos}, and ends after @var{pos}.
1554
1555 To illustrate usage, here is a Lisp function that returns a list of the
1556 overlays that specify property @var{prop} for the character at point:
1557
1558 @smallexample
1559 (defun find-overlays-specifying (prop)
1560 (let ((overlays (overlays-at (point)))
1561 found)
1562 (while overlays
1563 (let ((overlay (car overlays)))
1564 (if (overlay-get overlay prop)
1565 (setq found (cons overlay found))))
1566 (setq overlays (cdr overlays)))
1567 found))
1568 @end smallexample
1569 @end defun
1570
1571 @defun overlays-in beg end
1572 This function returns a list of the overlays that overlap the region
1573 @var{beg} through @var{end}. ``Overlap'' means that at least one
1574 character is contained within the overlay and also contained within the
1575 specified region; however, empty overlays are included in the result if
1576 they are located at @var{beg}, strictly between @var{beg} and @var{end},
1577 or at @var{end} when @var{end} denotes the position at the end of the
1578 buffer.
1579 @end defun
1580
1581 @defun next-overlay-change pos
1582 This function returns the buffer position of the next beginning or end
1583 of an overlay, after @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1584 @code{(point-max)}.
1585 @end defun
1586
1587 @defun previous-overlay-change pos
1588 This function returns the buffer position of the previous beginning or
1589 end of an overlay, before @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1590 @code{(point-min)}.
1591 @end defun
1592
1593 As an example, here's a simplified (and inefficient) version of the
1594 primitive function @code{next-single-char-property-change}
1595 (@pxref{Property Search}). It searches forward from position
1596 @var{pos} for the next position where the value of a given property
1597 @code{prop}, as obtained from either overlays or text properties,
1598 changes.
1599
1600 @smallexample
1601 (defun next-single-char-property-change (position prop)
1602 (save-excursion
1603 (goto-char position)
1604 (let ((propval (get-char-property (point) prop)))
1605 (while (and (not (eobp))
1606 (eq (get-char-property (point) prop) propval))
1607 (goto-char (min (next-overlay-change (point))
1608 (next-single-property-change (point) prop)))))
1609 (point)))
1610 @end smallexample
1611
1612 @node Width
1613 @section Width
1614
1615 Since not all characters have the same width, these functions let you
1616 check the width of a character. @xref{Primitive Indent}, and
1617 @ref{Screen Lines}, for related functions.
1618
1619 @defun char-width char
1620 This function returns the width in columns of the character @var{char},
1621 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1622 @end defun
1623
1624 @defun string-width string
1625 This function returns the width in columns of the string @var{string},
1626 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1627 @end defun
1628
1629 @defun truncate-string-to-width string width &optional start-column padding ellipsis
1630 This function returns the part of @var{string} that fits within
1631 @var{width} columns, as a new string.
1632
1633 If @var{string} does not reach @var{width}, then the result ends where
1634 @var{string} ends. If one multi-column character in @var{string}
1635 extends across the column @var{width}, that character is not included in
1636 the result. Thus, the result can fall short of @var{width} but cannot
1637 go beyond it.
1638
1639 The optional argument @var{start-column} specifies the starting column.
1640 If this is non-@code{nil}, then the first @var{start-column} columns of
1641 the string are omitted from the value. If one multi-column character in
1642 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}, that
1643 character is not included.
1644
1645 The optional argument @var{padding}, if non-@code{nil}, is a padding
1646 character added at the beginning and end of the result string, to extend
1647 it to exactly @var{width} columns. The padding character is used at the
1648 end of the result if it falls short of @var{width}. It is also used at
1649 the beginning of the result if one multi-column character in
1650 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}.
1651
1652 If @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a string which will
1653 replace the end of @var{str} (including any padding) if it extends
1654 beyond @var{end-column}, unless the display width of @var{str} is
1655 equal to or less than the display width of @var{ellipsis}. If
1656 @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil} and not a string, it stands for
1657 @code{"..."}.
1658
1659 @example
1660 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4)
1661 @result{} "ab"
1662 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4 ?\s)
1663 @result{} " ab "
1664 @end example
1665 @end defun
1666
1667 @node Line Height
1668 @section Line Height
1669 @cindex line height
1670
1671 The total height of each display line consists of the height of the
1672 contents of the line, plus optional additional vertical line spacing
1673 above or below the display line.
1674
1675 The height of the line contents is the maximum height of any
1676 character or image on that display line, including the final newline
1677 if there is one. (A display line that is continued doesn't include a
1678 final newline.) That is the default line height, if you do nothing to
1679 specify a greater height. (In the most common case, this equals the
1680 height of the default frame font.)
1681
1682 There are several ways to explicitly specify a larger line height,
1683 either by specifying an absolute height for the display line, or by
1684 specifying vertical space. However, no matter what you specify, the
1685 actual line height can never be less than the default.
1686
1687 @kindex line-height @r{(text property)}
1688 A newline can have a @code{line-height} text or overlay property
1689 that controls the total height of the display line ending in that
1690 newline.
1691
1692 If the property value is @code{t}, the newline character has no
1693 effect on the displayed height of the line---the visible contents
1694 alone determine the height. This is useful for tiling small images
1695 (or image slices) without adding blank areas between the images.
1696
1697 If the property value is a list of the form @code{(@var{height}
1698 @var{total})}, that adds extra space @emph{below} the display line.
1699 First Emacs uses @var{height} as a height spec to control extra space
1700 @emph{above} the line; then it adds enough space @emph{below} the line
1701 to bring the total line height up to @var{total}. In this case, the
1702 other ways to specify the line spacing are ignored.
1703
1704 Any other kind of property value is a height spec, which translates
1705 into a number---the specified line height. There are several ways to
1706 write a height spec; here's how each of them translates into a number:
1707
1708 @table @code
1709 @item @var{integer}
1710 If the height spec is a positive integer, the height value is that integer.
1711 @item @var{float}
1712 If the height spec is a float, @var{float}, the numeric height value
1713 is @var{float} times the frame's default line height.
1714 @item (@var{face} . @var{ratio})
1715 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1716 is @var{ratio} times the height of face @var{face}. @var{ratio} can
1717 be any type of number, or @code{nil} which means a ratio of 1.
1718 If @var{face} is @code{t}, it refers to the current face.
1719 @item (nil . @var{ratio})
1720 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1721 is @var{ratio} times the height of the contents of the line.
1722 @end table
1723
1724 Thus, any valid height spec determines the height in pixels, one way
1725 or another. If the line contents' height is less than that, Emacs
1726 adds extra vertical space above the line to achieve the specified
1727 total height.
1728
1729 If you don't specify the @code{line-height} property, the line's
1730 height consists of the contents' height plus the line spacing.
1731 There are several ways to specify the line spacing for different
1732 parts of Emacs text.
1733
1734 @vindex default-line-spacing
1735 You can specify the line spacing for all lines in a frame with the
1736 @code{line-spacing} frame parameter (@pxref{Layout Parameters}).
1737 However, if the variable @code{default-line-spacing} is
1738 non-@code{nil}, it overrides the frame's @code{line-spacing}
1739 parameter. An integer value specifies the number of pixels put below
1740 lines on graphical displays. A floating point number specifies the
1741 spacing relative to the frame's default line height.
1742
1743 @vindex line-spacing
1744 You can specify the line spacing for all lines in a buffer via the
1745 buffer-local @code{line-spacing} variable. An integer value specifies
1746 the number of pixels put below lines on graphical displays. A floating
1747 point number specifies the spacing relative to the default frame line
1748 height. This overrides line spacings specified for the frame.
1749
1750 @kindex line-spacing @r{(text property)}
1751 Finally, a newline can have a @code{line-spacing} text or overlay
1752 property that overrides the default frame line spacing and the buffer
1753 local @code{line-spacing} variable, for the display line ending in
1754 that newline.
1755
1756 One way or another, these mechanisms specify a Lisp value for the
1757 spacing of each line. The value is a height spec, and it translates
1758 into a Lisp value as described above. However, in this case the
1759 numeric height value specifies the line spacing, rather than the line
1760 height.
1761
1762 @node Faces
1763 @section Faces
1764 @cindex faces
1765
1766 A @dfn{face} is a named collection of graphical attributes: font
1767 family, foreground color, background color, optional underlining, and
1768 many others. Faces are used in Emacs to control the style of display of
1769 particular parts of the text or the frame. @xref{Standard Faces,,,
1770 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for the list of faces Emacs normally
1771 comes with.
1772
1773 @cindex face id
1774 Each face has its own @dfn{face number}, which distinguishes faces at
1775 low levels within Emacs. However, for most purposes, you refer to
1776 faces in Lisp programs by the symbols that name them.
1777
1778 @defun facep object
1779 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a face name string
1780 or symbol. It returns @code{nil} otherwise.
1781 @end defun
1782
1783 Each face name is meaningful for all frames, and by default it has the
1784 same meaning in all frames. But you can arrange to give a particular
1785 face name a special meaning in one frame if you wish.
1786
1787 @menu
1788 * Defining Faces:: How to define a face with @code{defface}.
1789 * Face Attributes:: What is in a face?
1790 * Attribute Functions:: Functions to examine and set face attributes.
1791 * Displaying Faces:: How Emacs combines the faces specified for a character.
1792 * Font Selection:: Finding the best available font for a face.
1793 * Face Functions:: How to define and examine faces.
1794 * Auto Faces:: Hook for automatic face assignment.
1795 * Font Lookup:: Looking up the names of available fonts
1796 and information about them.
1797 * Fontsets:: A fontset is a collection of fonts
1798 that handle a range of character sets.
1799 @end menu
1800
1801 @node Defining Faces
1802 @subsection Defining Faces
1803
1804 The way to define a new face is with @code{defface}. This creates a
1805 kind of customization item (@pxref{Customization}) which the user can
1806 customize using the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy Customization,,,
1807 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
1808
1809 @defmac defface face spec doc [keyword value]@dots{}
1810 This declares @var{face} as a customizable face that defaults
1811 according to @var{spec}. You should not quote the symbol @var{face},
1812 and it should not end in @samp{-face} (that would be redundant). The
1813 argument @var{doc} specifies the face documentation. The keywords you
1814 can use in @code{defface} are the same as in @code{defgroup} and
1815 @code{defcustom} (@pxref{Common Keywords}).
1816
1817 When @code{defface} executes, it defines the face according to
1818 @var{spec}, then uses any customizations that were read from the
1819 init file (@pxref{Init File}) to override that specification.
1820
1821 When you evaluate a @code{defface} form with @kbd{C-M-x} in Emacs
1822 Lisp mode (@code{eval-defun}), a special feature of @code{eval-defun}
1823 overrides any customizations of the face. This way, the face reflects
1824 exactly what the @code{defface} says.
1825
1826 The purpose of @var{spec} is to specify how the face should appear on
1827 different kinds of terminals. It should be an alist whose elements
1828 have the form @code{(@var{display} @var{atts})}. Each element's
1829 @sc{car}, @var{display}, specifies a class of terminals. (The first
1830 element, if its @sc{car} is @code{default}, is special---it specifies
1831 defaults for the remaining elements). The element's @sc{cadr},
1832 @var{atts}, is a list of face attributes and their values; it
1833 specifies what the face should look like on that kind of terminal.
1834 The possible attributes are defined in the value of
1835 @code{custom-face-attributes}.
1836
1837 The @var{display} part of an element of @var{spec} determines which
1838 frames the element matches. If more than one element of @var{spec}
1839 matches a given frame, the first element that matches is the one used
1840 for that frame. There are three possibilities for @var{display}:
1841
1842 @table @asis
1843 @item @code{default}
1844 This element of @var{spec} doesn't match any frames; instead, it
1845 specifies defaults that apply to all frames. This kind of element, if
1846 used, must be the first element of @var{spec}. Each of the following
1847 elements can override any or all of these defaults.
1848
1849 @item @code{t}
1850 This element of @var{spec} matches all frames. Therefore, any
1851 subsequent elements of @var{spec} are never used. Normally
1852 @code{t} is used in the last (or only) element of @var{spec}.
1853
1854 @item a list
1855 If @var{display} is a list, each element should have the form
1856 @code{(@var{characteristic} @var{value}@dots{})}. Here
1857 @var{characteristic} specifies a way of classifying frames, and the
1858 @var{value}s are possible classifications which @var{display} should
1859 apply to. Here are the possible values of @var{characteristic}:
1860
1861 @table @code
1862 @item type
1863 The kind of window system the frame uses---either @code{graphic} (any
1864 graphics-capable display), @code{x}, @code{pc} (for the MS-DOS console),
1865 @code{w32} (for MS Windows 9X/NT/2K/XP), or @code{tty}
1866 (a non-graphics-capable display).
1867 @xref{Window Systems, window-system}.
1868
1869 @item class
1870 What kinds of colors the frame supports---either @code{color},
1871 @code{grayscale}, or @code{mono}.
1872
1873 @item background
1874 The kind of background---either @code{light} or @code{dark}.
1875
1876 @item min-colors
1877 An integer that represents the minimum number of colors the frame
1878 should support. This matches a frame if its
1879 @code{display-color-cells} value is at least the specified integer.
1880
1881 @item supports
1882 Whether or not the frame can display the face attributes given in
1883 @var{value}@dots{} (@pxref{Face Attributes}). See the documentation
1884 for the function @code{display-supports-face-attributes-p} for more
1885 information on exactly how this testing is done. @xref{Display Face
1886 Attribute Testing}.
1887 @end table
1888
1889 If an element of @var{display} specifies more than one @var{value} for a
1890 given @var{characteristic}, any of those values is acceptable. If
1891 @var{display} has more than one element, each element should specify a
1892 different @var{characteristic}; then @emph{each} characteristic of the
1893 frame must match one of the @var{value}s specified for it in
1894 @var{display}.
1895 @end table
1896 @end defmac
1897
1898 Here's how the standard face @code{region} is defined:
1899
1900 @example
1901 @group
1902 (defface region
1903 '((((class color) (min-colors 88) (background dark))
1904 :background "blue3")
1905 @end group
1906 (((class color) (min-colors 88) (background light))
1907 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1908 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background dark))
1909 :background "blue3")
1910 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background light))
1911 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1912 (((class color) (min-colors 8))
1913 :background "blue" :foreground "white")
1914 (((type tty) (class mono))
1915 :inverse-video t)
1916 (t :background "gray"))
1917 @group
1918 "Basic face for highlighting the region."
1919 :group 'basic-faces)
1920 @end group
1921 @end example
1922
1923 Internally, @code{defface} uses the symbol property
1924 @code{face-defface-spec} to record the face attributes specified in
1925 @code{defface}, @code{saved-face} for the attributes saved by the user
1926 with the customization buffer, @code{customized-face} for the
1927 attributes customized by the user for the current session, but not
1928 saved, and @code{face-documentation} for the documentation string.
1929
1930 @defopt frame-background-mode
1931 This option, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the background type to use for
1932 interpreting face definitions. If it is @code{dark}, then Emacs treats
1933 all frames as if they had a dark background, regardless of their actual
1934 background colors. If it is @code{light}, then Emacs treats all frames
1935 as if they had a light background.
1936 @end defopt
1937
1938 @node Face Attributes
1939 @subsection Face Attributes
1940 @cindex face attributes
1941
1942 The effect of using a face is determined by a fixed set of @dfn{face
1943 attributes}. This table lists all the face attributes, and what they
1944 mean. You can specify more than one face for a given piece of text;
1945 Emacs merges the attributes of all the faces to determine how to
1946 display the text. @xref{Displaying Faces}.
1947
1948 Any attribute in a face can have the value @code{unspecified}. This
1949 means the face doesn't specify that attribute. In face merging, when
1950 the first face fails to specify a particular attribute, that means the
1951 next face gets a chance. However, the @code{default} face must
1952 specify all attributes.
1953
1954 Some of these font attributes are meaningful only on certain kinds of
1955 displays---if your display cannot handle a certain attribute, the
1956 attribute is ignored. (The attributes @code{:family}, @code{:width},
1957 @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant} correspond to parts of
1958 an X Logical Font Descriptor.)
1959
1960 @table @code
1961 @item :family
1962 Font family name, or fontset name (@pxref{Fontsets}). If you specify a
1963 font family name, the wild-card characters @samp{*} and @samp{?} are
1964 allowed.
1965
1966 @item :width
1967 Relative proportionate width, also known as the character set width or
1968 set width. This should be one of the symbols @code{ultra-condensed},
1969 @code{extra-condensed}, @code{condensed}, @code{semi-condensed},
1970 @code{normal}, @code{semi-expanded}, @code{expanded},
1971 @code{extra-expanded}, or @code{ultra-expanded}.
1972
1973 @item :height
1974 Either the font height, an integer in units of 1/10 point, a floating
1975 point number specifying the amount by which to scale the height of any
1976 underlying face, or a function, which is called with the old height
1977 (from the underlying face), and should return the new height.
1978
1979 @item :weight
1980 Font weight---a symbol from this series (from most dense to most faint):
1981 @code{ultra-bold}, @code{extra-bold}, @code{bold}, @code{semi-bold},
1982 @code{normal}, @code{semi-light}, @code{light}, @code{extra-light},
1983 or @code{ultra-light}.
1984
1985 On a text-only terminal, any weight greater than normal is displayed as
1986 extra bright, and any weight less than normal is displayed as
1987 half-bright (provided the terminal supports the feature).
1988
1989 @item :slant
1990 Font slant---one of the symbols @code{italic}, @code{oblique}, @code{normal},
1991 @code{reverse-italic}, or @code{reverse-oblique}.
1992
1993 On a text-only terminal, slanted text is displayed as half-bright, if
1994 the terminal supports the feature.
1995
1996 @item :foreground
1997 Foreground color, a string. The value can be a system-defined color
1998 name, or a hexadecimal color specification of the form
1999 @samp{#@var{rr}@var{gg}@var{bb}}. (@samp{#000000} is black,
2000 @samp{#ff0000} is red, @samp{#00ff00} is green, @samp{#0000ff} is
2001 blue, and @samp{#ffffff} is white.)
2002
2003 @item :background
2004 Background color, a string, like the foreground color.
2005
2006 @item :inverse-video
2007 Whether or not characters should be displayed in inverse video. The
2008 value should be @code{t} (yes) or @code{nil} (no).
2009
2010 @item :stipple
2011 The background stipple, a bitmap.
2012
2013 The value can be a string; that should be the name of a file containing
2014 external-format X bitmap data. The file is found in the directories
2015 listed in the variable @code{x-bitmap-file-path}.
2016
2017 Alternatively, the value can specify the bitmap directly, with a list
2018 of the form @code{(@var{width} @var{height} @var{data})}. Here,
2019 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the size in pixels, and
2020 @var{data} is a string containing the raw bits of the bitmap, row by
2021 row. Each row occupies @math{(@var{width} + 7) / 8} consecutive bytes
2022 in the string (which should be a unibyte string for best results).
2023 This means that each row always occupies at least one whole byte.
2024
2025 If the value is @code{nil}, that means use no stipple pattern.
2026
2027 Normally you do not need to set the stipple attribute, because it is
2028 used automatically to handle certain shades of gray.
2029
2030 @item :underline
2031 Whether or not characters should be underlined, and in what color. If
2032 the value is @code{t}, underlining uses the foreground color of the
2033 face. If the value is a string, underlining uses that color. The
2034 value @code{nil} means do not underline.
2035
2036 @item :overline
2037 Whether or not characters should be overlined, and in what color.
2038 The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2039
2040 @item :strike-through
2041 Whether or not characters should be strike-through, and in what
2042 color. The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2043
2044 @item :inherit
2045 The name of a face from which to inherit attributes, or a list of face
2046 names. Attributes from inherited faces are merged into the face like an
2047 underlying face would be, with higher priority than underlying faces.
2048 If a list of faces is used, attributes from faces earlier in the list
2049 override those from later faces.
2050
2051 @item :box
2052 Whether or not a box should be drawn around characters, its color, the
2053 width of the box lines, and 3D appearance.
2054 @end table
2055
2056 Here are the possible values of the @code{:box} attribute, and what
2057 they mean:
2058
2059 @table @asis
2060 @item @code{nil}
2061 Don't draw a box.
2062
2063 @item @code{t}
2064 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in the foreground color.
2065
2066 @item @var{color}
2067 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in color @var{color}.
2068
2069 @item @code{(:line-width @var{width} :color @var{color} :style @var{style})}
2070 This way you can explicitly specify all aspects of the box. The value
2071 @var{width} specifies the width of the lines to draw; it defaults to 1.
2072
2073 The value @var{color} specifies the color to draw with. The default is
2074 the foreground color of the face for simple boxes, and the background
2075 color of the face for 3D boxes.
2076
2077 The value @var{style} specifies whether to draw a 3D box. If it is
2078 @code{released-button}, the box looks like a 3D button that is not being
2079 pressed. If it is @code{pressed-button}, the box looks like a 3D button
2080 that is being pressed. If it is @code{nil} or omitted, a plain 2D box
2081 is used.
2082 @end table
2083
2084 In older versions of Emacs, before @code{:family}, @code{:height},
2085 @code{:width}, @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant} existed, these
2086 attributes were used to specify the type face. They are now
2087 semi-obsolete, but they still work:
2088
2089 @table @code
2090 @item :font
2091 This attribute specifies the font name.
2092
2093 @item :bold
2094 A non-@code{nil} value specifies a bold font.
2095
2096 @item :italic
2097 A non-@code{nil} value specifies an italic font.
2098 @end table
2099
2100 For compatibility, you can still set these ``attributes,'' even
2101 though they are not real face attributes. Here is what that does:
2102
2103 @table @code
2104 @item :font
2105 You can specify an X font name as the ``value'' of this ``attribute'';
2106 that sets the @code{:family}, @code{:width}, @code{:height},
2107 @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant} attributes according to the font name.
2108
2109 If the value is a pattern with wildcards, the first font that matches
2110 the pattern is used to set these attributes.
2111
2112 @item :bold
2113 A non-@code{nil} makes the face bold; @code{nil} makes it normal.
2114 This actually works by setting the @code{:weight} attribute.
2115
2116 @item :italic
2117 A non-@code{nil} makes the face italic; @code{nil} makes it normal.
2118 This actually works by setting the @code{:slant} attribute.
2119 @end table
2120
2121 @defvar x-bitmap-file-path
2122 This variable specifies a list of directories for searching
2123 for bitmap files, for the @code{:stipple} attribute.
2124 @end defvar
2125
2126 @defun bitmap-spec-p object
2127 This returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a valid bitmap specification,
2128 suitable for use with @code{:stipple} (see above). It returns
2129 @code{nil} otherwise.
2130 @end defun
2131
2132 @node Attribute Functions
2133 @subsection Face Attribute Functions
2134
2135 This section describes the functions for accessing and modifying the
2136 attributes of an existing face.
2137
2138 @defun set-face-attribute face frame &rest arguments
2139 This function sets one or more attributes of face @var{face} for frame
2140 @var{frame}. The attributes you specify this way override whatever
2141 the @code{defface} says.
2142
2143 The extra arguments @var{arguments} specify the attributes to set, and
2144 the values for them. They should consist of alternating attribute names
2145 (such as @code{:family} or @code{:underline}) and corresponding values.
2146 Thus,
2147
2148 @example
2149 (set-face-attribute 'foo nil
2150 :width 'extended
2151 :weight 'bold
2152 :underline "red")
2153 @end example
2154
2155 @noindent
2156 sets the attributes @code{:width}, @code{:weight} and @code{:underline}
2157 to the corresponding values.
2158
2159 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this function sets the default attributes
2160 for new frames. Default attribute values specified this way override
2161 the @code{defface} for newly created frames.
2162
2163 If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, this function sets the attributes for
2164 all existing frames, and the default for new frames.
2165 @end defun
2166
2167 @defun face-attribute face attribute &optional frame inherit
2168 This returns the value of the @var{attribute} attribute of face
2169 @var{face} on @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil},
2170 that means the selected frame (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2171
2172 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this returns whatever new-frames default
2173 value you previously specified with @code{set-face-attribute} for the
2174 @var{attribute} attribute of @var{face}. If you have not specified
2175 one, it returns @code{nil}.
2176
2177 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only attributes directly defined by
2178 @var{face} are considered, so the return value may be
2179 @code{unspecified}, or a relative value. If @var{inherit} is
2180 non-@code{nil}, @var{face}'s definition of @var{attribute} is merged
2181 with the faces specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute; however the
2182 return value may still be @code{unspecified} or relative. If
2183 @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then the result is further
2184 merged with that face (or faces), until it becomes specified and
2185 absolute.
2186
2187 To ensure that the return value is always specified and absolute, use
2188 a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}; this will resolve any
2189 unspecified or relative values by merging with the @code{default} face
2190 (which is always completely specified).
2191
2192 For example,
2193
2194 @example
2195 (face-attribute 'bold :weight)
2196 @result{} bold
2197 @end example
2198 @end defun
2199
2200 @defun face-attribute-relative-p attribute value
2201 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{value}, when used as the
2202 value of the face attribute @var{attribute}, is relative. This means
2203 it would modify, rather than completely override, any value that comes
2204 from a subsequent face in the face list or that is inherited from
2205 another face.
2206
2207 @code{unspecified} is a relative value for all attributes.
2208 For @code{:height}, floating point values are also relative.
2209
2210 For example:
2211
2212 @example
2213 (face-attribute-relative-p :height 2.0)
2214 @result{} t
2215 @end example
2216 @end defun
2217
2218 @defun merge-face-attribute attribute value1 value2
2219 If @var{value1} is a relative value for the face attribute
2220 @var{attribute}, returns it merged with the underlying value
2221 @var{value2}; otherwise, if @var{value1} is an absolute value for the
2222 face attribute @var{attribute}, returns @var{value1} unchanged.
2223 @end defun
2224
2225 The functions above did not exist before Emacs 21. For compatibility
2226 with older Emacs versions, you can use the following functions to set
2227 and examine the face attributes which existed in those versions.
2228 They use values of @code{t} and @code{nil} for @var{frame}
2229 just like @code{set-face-attribute} and @code{face-attribute}.
2230
2231 @defun set-face-foreground face color &optional frame
2232 @defunx set-face-background face color &optional frame
2233 These functions set the foreground (or background, respectively) color
2234 of face @var{face} to @var{color}. The argument @var{color} should be a
2235 string, the name of a color.
2236
2237 Certain shades of gray are implemented by stipple patterns on
2238 black-and-white screens.
2239 @end defun
2240
2241 @defun set-face-stipple face pattern &optional frame
2242 This function sets the background stipple pattern of face @var{face}
2243 to @var{pattern}. The argument @var{pattern} should be the name of a
2244 stipple pattern defined by the X server, or actual bitmap data
2245 (@pxref{Face Attributes}), or @code{nil} meaning don't use stipple.
2246
2247 Normally there is no need to pay attention to stipple patterns, because
2248 they are used automatically to handle certain shades of gray.
2249 @end defun
2250
2251 @defun set-face-font face font &optional frame
2252 This function sets the font of face @var{face}. This actually sets
2253 the attributes @code{:family}, @code{:width}, @code{:height},
2254 @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant} according to the font name
2255 @var{font}.
2256 @end defun
2257
2258 @defun set-face-bold-p face bold-p &optional frame
2259 This function specifies whether @var{face} should be bold. If
2260 @var{bold-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means yes; @code{nil} means no.
2261 This actually sets the @code{:weight} attribute.
2262 @end defun
2263
2264 @defun set-face-italic-p face italic-p &optional frame
2265 This function specifies whether @var{face} should be italic. If
2266 @var{italic-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means yes; @code{nil} means no.
2267 This actually sets the @code{:slant} attribute.
2268 @end defun
2269
2270 @defun set-face-underline-p face underline &optional frame
2271 This function sets the underline attribute of face @var{face}.
2272 Non-@code{nil} means do underline; @code{nil} means don't.
2273 If @var{underline} is a string, underline with that color.
2274 @end defun
2275
2276 @defun set-face-inverse-video-p face inverse-video-p &optional frame
2277 This function sets the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of face
2278 @var{face}.
2279 @end defun
2280
2281 @defun invert-face face &optional frame
2282 This function swaps the foreground and background colors of face
2283 @var{face}.
2284 @end defun
2285
2286 These functions examine the attributes of a face. If you don't
2287 specify @var{frame}, they refer to the selected frame; @code{t} refers
2288 to the default data for new frames. They return the symbol
2289 @code{unspecified} if the face doesn't define any value for that
2290 attribute.
2291
2292 @defun face-foreground face &optional frame inherit
2293 @defunx face-background face &optional frame inherit
2294 These functions return the foreground color (or background color,
2295 respectively) of face @var{face}, as a string.
2296
2297 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a color directly defined by the face is
2298 returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces specified by its
2299 @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and if @var{inherit}
2300 is a face or a list of faces, then they are also considered, until a
2301 specified color is found. To ensure that the return value is always
2302 specified, use a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}.
2303 @end defun
2304
2305 @defun face-stipple face &optional frame inherit
2306 This function returns the name of the background stipple pattern of face
2307 @var{face}, or @code{nil} if it doesn't have one.
2308
2309 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a stipple directly defined by the
2310 face is returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces
2311 specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and
2312 if @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then they are also
2313 considered, until a specified stipple is found. To ensure that the
2314 return value is always specified, use a value of @code{default} for
2315 @var{inherit}.
2316 @end defun
2317
2318 @defun face-font face &optional frame
2319 This function returns the name of the font of face @var{face}.
2320 @end defun
2321
2322 @defun face-bold-p face &optional frame
2323 This function returns @code{t} if @var{face} is bold---that is, if it is
2324 bolder than normal. It returns @code{nil} otherwise.
2325 @end defun
2326
2327 @defun face-italic-p face &optional frame
2328 This function returns @code{t} if @var{face} is italic or oblique,
2329 @code{nil} otherwise.
2330 @end defun
2331
2332 @defun face-underline-p face &optional frame
2333 This function returns the @code{:underline} attribute of face @var{face}.
2334 @end defun
2335
2336 @defun face-inverse-video-p face &optional frame
2337 This function returns the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of face @var{face}.
2338 @end defun
2339
2340 @node Displaying Faces
2341 @subsection Displaying Faces
2342
2343 Here are the ways to specify which faces to use for display of text:
2344
2345 @itemize @bullet
2346 @item
2347 With defaults. The @code{default} face is used as the ultimate
2348 default for all text. (In Emacs 19 and 20, the @code{default}
2349 face is used only when no other face is specified.)
2350
2351 @item
2352 For a mode line or header line, the face @code{mode-line} or
2353 @code{mode-line-inactive}, or @code{header-line}, is merged in just
2354 before @code{default}.
2355
2356 @item
2357 With text properties. A character can have a @code{face} property; if
2358 so, the faces and face attributes specified there apply. @xref{Special
2359 Properties}.
2360
2361 If the character has a @code{mouse-face} property, that is used instead
2362 of the @code{face} property when the mouse is ``near enough'' to the
2363 character.
2364
2365 @item
2366 With overlays. An overlay can have @code{face} and @code{mouse-face}
2367 properties too; they apply to all the text covered by the overlay.
2368
2369 @item
2370 With a region that is active. In Transient Mark mode, the region is
2371 highlighted with the face @code{region} (@pxref{Standard Faces,,,
2372 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
2373
2374 @item
2375 With special glyphs. Each glyph can specify a particular face
2376 number. @xref{Glyphs}.
2377 @end itemize
2378
2379 If these various sources together specify more than one face for a
2380 particular character, Emacs merges the attributes of the various faces
2381 specified. For each attribute, Emacs tries first the face of any
2382 special glyph; then the face for region highlighting, if appropriate;
2383 then the faces specified by overlays, followed by those specified by
2384 text properties, then the @code{mode-line} or
2385 @code{mode-line-inactive} or @code{header-line} face (if in a mode
2386 line or a header line), and last the @code{default} face.
2387
2388 When multiple overlays cover one character, an overlay with higher
2389 priority overrides those with lower priority. @xref{Overlays}.
2390
2391 @defvar face-remapping-alist
2392 This variable is used for buffer-local or global changes in the
2393 appearance of a face, for instance making the @code{default} face a
2394 variable-pitch face in a particular buffer.
2395
2396 Its value should be an alist, whose elements have the form
2397 @code{(@var{face} @var{remapping...})}. This causes Emacs to display
2398 text using the face @var{face} using @var{remapping...} instead of
2399 @var{face}'s global definition. @var{remapping...} may be any face
2400 specification suitable for a @code{face} text property, usually a face
2401 name, but also perhaps a property list of face attribute/value pairs.
2402 @xref{Special Properties}.
2403
2404 To affect display only in a single buffer,
2405 @code{face-remapping-alist} should be made buffer-local.
2406
2407 Two points bear emphasizing:
2408
2409 @enumerate
2410 @item
2411 The new definition @var{remapping...} is the complete
2412 specification of how to display @var{face}---it entirely replaces,
2413 rather than augmenting or modifying, the normal definition of that
2414 face.
2415
2416 @item
2417 If @var{remapping...} recursively references the same face name
2418 @var{face}, either directly remapping entry, or via the
2419 @code{:inherit} attribute of some other face in
2420 @var{remapping...}, then that reference uses normal frame-wide
2421 definition of @var{face} instead of the ``remapped'' definition.
2422
2423 For instance, if the @code{mode-line} face is remapped using this
2424 entry in @code{face-remapping-alist}:
2425 @example
2426 (mode-line italic mode-line)
2427 @end example
2428 @noindent
2429 then the new definition of the @code{mode-line} face inherits from the
2430 @code{italic} face, and the @emph{normal} (non-remapped) definition of
2431 @code{mode-line} face.
2432 @end enumerate
2433
2434 A typical use of the @code{face-remapping-alist} is to change a
2435 buffer's @code{default} face; for example, the following changes a
2436 buffer's @code{default} face to use the @code{variable-pitch} face,
2437 with the height doubled:
2438
2439 @example
2440 (set (make-local-variable 'face-remapping-alist)
2441 '((default variable-pitch :height 2.0)))
2442 @end example
2443
2444 @end defvar
2445
2446 @noindent
2447 The following functions implement a somewhat higher-level interface to
2448 @code{face-remapping-alist}, making it easier to use
2449 ``cooperatively''. They are mainly intended for buffer-local use, and
2450 so all make @code{face-remapping-alist} variable buffer-local as a
2451 side-effect.
2452
2453 These functions use entries in @code{face-remapping-alist} which have
2454 the general form:
2455
2456 @example
2457 (@var{face} @var{relative_specs_1} @var{relative_specs_2} @var{...} @var{base_specs})
2458 @end example
2459
2460 Everything except the @var{face} is a ``face spec'', a list of face
2461 names or face attribute-value pairs. All face specs are merged
2462 together, with earlier values taking precedence.
2463
2464 The @var{relative_specs_}n values are ``relative specs'', and are
2465 added by @code{face-remap-add-relative} (and removed by
2466 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}. These are intended for face
2467 modifications (such as increasing the size). Typical users of these
2468 relative specs would be minor modes.
2469
2470 @var{base_specs} is the lowest-priority value, and by default is just the
2471 face name, which causes the global definition of that face to be used.
2472
2473 A non-default value of @var{base_specs} may also be set using
2474 @code{face-remap-set-base}. Because this @emph{overwrites} the
2475 default base-spec value (which inherits the global face definition),
2476 it is up to the caller of @code{face-remap-set-base} to add such
2477 inheritance if it is desired. A typical use of
2478 @code{face-remap-set-base} would be a major mode adding a face
2479 remappings, e.g., of the default face.
2480
2481
2482 @defun face-remap-add-relative face &rest specs
2483 This functions adds a face remapping entry of @var{face} to @var{specs}
2484 in the current buffer.
2485
2486 It returns a ``cookie'' which can be used to later delete the remapping with
2487 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}.
2488
2489 @var{specs} can be any value suitable for the @code{face} text
2490 property, including a face name, a list of face names, or a
2491 face-attribute property list. The attributes given by @var{specs}
2492 will be merged with any other currently active face remappings of
2493 @var{face}, and with the global definition of @var{face} (by default;
2494 this may be changed using @code{face-remap-set-base}), with the most
2495 recently added relative remapping taking precedence.
2496 @end defun
2497
2498 @defun face-remap-remove-relative cookie
2499 This function removes a face remapping previously added by
2500 @code{face-remap-add-relative}. @var{cookie} should be a return value
2501 from that function.
2502 @end defun
2503
2504 @defun face-remap-set-base face &rest specs
2505 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} in the current
2506 buffer to @var{specs}. If @var{specs} is empty, the default base
2507 remapping is restored, which inherits from the global definition of
2508 @var{face}; note that this is different from @var{specs} containing a
2509 single value @code{nil}, which has the opposite result (the global
2510 definition of @var{face} is ignored).
2511 @end defun
2512
2513 @defun face-remap-reset-base face
2514 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} to its default
2515 value, which inherits from @var{face}'s global definition.
2516 @end defun
2517
2518 @node Font Selection
2519 @subsection Font Selection
2520
2521 @dfn{Selecting a font} means mapping the specified face attributes for
2522 a character to a font that is available on a particular display. The
2523 face attributes, as determined by face merging, specify most of the
2524 font choice, but not all. Part of the choice depends on what character
2525 it is.
2526
2527 If the face specifies a fontset name, that fontset determines a
2528 pattern for fonts of the given charset. If the face specifies a font
2529 family, a font pattern is constructed.
2530
2531 Emacs tries to find an available font for the given face attributes
2532 and character's registry and encoding. If there is a font that matches
2533 exactly, it is used, of course. The hard case is when no available font
2534 exactly fits the specification. Then Emacs looks for one that is
2535 ``close''---one attribute at a time. You can specify the order to
2536 consider the attributes. In the case where a specified font family is
2537 not available, you can specify a set of mappings for alternatives to
2538 try.
2539
2540 @defvar face-font-selection-order
2541 This variable specifies the order of importance of the face attributes
2542 @code{:width}, @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant}. The
2543 value should be a list containing those four symbols, in order of
2544 decreasing importance.
2545
2546 Font selection first finds the best available matches for the first
2547 attribute listed; then, among the fonts which are best in that way, it
2548 searches for the best matches in the second attribute, and so on.
2549
2550 The attributes @code{:weight} and @code{:width} have symbolic values in
2551 a range centered around @code{normal}. Matches that are more extreme
2552 (farther from @code{normal}) are somewhat preferred to matches that are
2553 less extreme (closer to @code{normal}); this is designed to ensure that
2554 non-normal faces contrast with normal ones, whenever possible.
2555
2556 The default is @code{(:width :height :weight :slant)}, which means first
2557 find the fonts closest to the specified @code{:width}, then---among the
2558 fonts with that width---find a best match for the specified font height,
2559 and so on.
2560
2561 One example of a case where this variable makes a difference is when the
2562 default font has no italic equivalent. With the default ordering, the
2563 @code{italic} face will use a non-italic font that is similar to the
2564 default one. But if you put @code{:slant} before @code{:height}, the
2565 @code{italic} face will use an italic font, even if its height is not
2566 quite right.
2567 @end defvar
2568
2569 @defvar face-font-family-alternatives
2570 This variable lets you specify alternative font families to try, if a
2571 given family is specified and doesn't exist. Each element should have
2572 this form:
2573
2574 @example
2575 (@var{family} @var{alternate-families}@dots{})
2576 @end example
2577
2578 If @var{family} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the other
2579 families given in @var{alternate-families}, one by one, until it finds a
2580 family that does exist.
2581 @end defvar
2582
2583 @defvar face-font-registry-alternatives
2584 This variable lets you specify alternative font registries to try, if a
2585 given registry is specified and doesn't exist. Each element should have
2586 this form:
2587
2588 @example
2589 (@var{registry} @var{alternate-registries}@dots{})
2590 @end example
2591
2592 If @var{registry} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the
2593 other registries given in @var{alternate-registries}, one by one,
2594 until it finds a registry that does exist.
2595 @end defvar
2596
2597 Emacs can make use of scalable fonts, but by default it does not use
2598 them, since the use of too many or too big scalable fonts can crash
2599 XFree86 servers.
2600
2601 @defvar scalable-fonts-allowed
2602 This variable controls which scalable fonts to use. A value of
2603 @code{nil}, the default, means do not use scalable fonts. @code{t}
2604 means to use any scalable font that seems appropriate for the text.
2605
2606 Otherwise, the value must be a list of regular expressions. Then a
2607 scalable font is enabled for use if its name matches any regular
2608 expression in the list. For example,
2609
2610 @example
2611 (setq scalable-fonts-allowed '("muleindian-2$"))
2612 @end example
2613
2614 @noindent
2615 allows the use of scalable fonts with registry @code{muleindian-2}.
2616 @end defvar
2617
2618 @defvar face-font-rescale-alist
2619 This variable specifies scaling for certain faces. Its value should
2620 be a list of elements of the form
2621
2622 @example
2623 (@var{fontname-regexp} . @var{scale-factor})
2624 @end example
2625
2626 If @var{fontname-regexp} matches the font name that is about to be
2627 used, this says to choose a larger similar font according to the
2628 factor @var{scale-factor}. You would use this feature to normalize
2629 the font size if certain fonts are bigger or smaller than their
2630 nominal heights and widths would suggest.
2631 @end defvar
2632
2633 @node Face Functions
2634 @subsection Functions for Working with Faces
2635
2636 Here are additional functions for creating and working with faces.
2637
2638 @defun make-face name
2639 This function defines a new face named @var{name}, initially with all
2640 attributes @code{nil}. It does nothing if there is already a face named
2641 @var{name}.
2642 @end defun
2643
2644 @defun face-list
2645 This function returns a list of all defined face names.
2646 @end defun
2647
2648 @defun copy-face old-face new-name &optional frame new-frame
2649 This function defines a face named @var{new-name} as a copy of the existing
2650 face named @var{old-face}. It creates the face @var{new-name} if that
2651 doesn't already exist.
2652
2653 If the optional argument @var{frame} is given, this function applies
2654 only to that frame. Otherwise it applies to each frame individually,
2655 copying attributes from @var{old-face} in each frame to @var{new-face}
2656 in the same frame.
2657
2658 If the optional argument @var{new-frame} is given, then @code{copy-face}
2659 copies the attributes of @var{old-face} in @var{frame} to @var{new-name}
2660 in @var{new-frame}.
2661 @end defun
2662
2663 @defun face-id face
2664 This function returns the face number of face @var{face}.
2665 @end defun
2666
2667 @defun face-documentation face
2668 This function returns the documentation string of face @var{face}, or
2669 @code{nil} if none was specified for it.
2670 @end defun
2671
2672 @defun face-equal face1 face2 &optional frame
2673 This returns @code{t} if the faces @var{face1} and @var{face2} have the
2674 same attributes for display.
2675 @end defun
2676
2677 @defun face-differs-from-default-p face &optional frame
2678 This returns non-@code{nil} if the face @var{face} displays
2679 differently from the default face.
2680 @end defun
2681
2682 @cindex face alias
2683 A @dfn{face alias} provides an equivalent name for a face. You can
2684 define a face alias by giving the alias symbol the @code{face-alias}
2685 property, with a value of the target face name. The following example
2686 makes @code{modeline} an alias for the @code{mode-line} face.
2687
2688 @example
2689 (put 'modeline 'face-alias 'mode-line)
2690 @end example
2691
2692
2693 @node Auto Faces
2694 @subsection Automatic Face Assignment
2695 @cindex automatic face assignment
2696 @cindex faces, automatic choice
2697
2698 This hook is used for automatically assigning faces to text in the
2699 buffer. It is part of the implementation of Jit-Lock mode, used by
2700 Font-Lock.
2701
2702 @defvar fontification-functions
2703 This variable holds a list of functions that are called by Emacs
2704 redisplay as needed to assign faces automatically to text in the buffer.
2705
2706 The functions are called in the order listed, with one argument, a
2707 buffer position @var{pos}. Each function should attempt to assign faces
2708 to the text in the current buffer starting at @var{pos}.
2709
2710 Each function should record the faces they assign by setting the
2711 @code{face} property. It should also add a non-@code{nil}
2712 @code{fontified} property for all the text it has assigned faces to.
2713 That property tells redisplay that faces have been assigned to that text
2714 already.
2715
2716 It is probably a good idea for each function to do nothing if the
2717 character after @var{pos} already has a non-@code{nil} @code{fontified}
2718 property, but this is not required. If one function overrides the
2719 assignments made by a previous one, the properties as they are
2720 after the last function finishes are the ones that really matter.
2721
2722 For efficiency, we recommend writing these functions so that they
2723 usually assign faces to around 400 to 600 characters at each call.
2724 @end defvar
2725
2726 @node Font Lookup
2727 @subsection Looking Up Fonts
2728
2729 @defun x-list-fonts pattern &optional face frame maximum
2730 This function returns a list of available font names that match
2731 @var{pattern}. If the optional arguments @var{face} and @var{frame} are
2732 specified, then the list is limited to fonts that are the same size as
2733 @var{face} currently is on @var{frame}.
2734
2735 The argument @var{pattern} should be a string, perhaps with wildcard
2736 characters: the @samp{*} character matches any substring, and the
2737 @samp{?} character matches any single character. Pattern matching
2738 of font names ignores case.
2739
2740 If you specify @var{face} and @var{frame}, @var{face} should be a face name
2741 (a symbol) and @var{frame} should be a frame.
2742
2743 The optional argument @var{maximum} sets a limit on how many fonts to
2744 return. If this is non-@code{nil}, then the return value is truncated
2745 after the first @var{maximum} matching fonts. Specifying a small value
2746 for @var{maximum} can make this function much faster, in cases where
2747 many fonts match the pattern.
2748 @end defun
2749
2750 @defun x-family-fonts &optional family frame
2751 This function returns a list describing the available fonts for family
2752 @var{family} on @var{frame}. If @var{family} is omitted or @code{nil},
2753 this list applies to all families, and therefore, it contains all
2754 available fonts. Otherwise, @var{family} must be a string; it may
2755 contain the wildcards @samp{?} and @samp{*}.
2756
2757 The list describes the display that @var{frame} is on; if @var{frame} is
2758 omitted or @code{nil}, it applies to the selected frame's display
2759 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2760
2761 The list contains a vector of the following form for each font:
2762
2763 @example
2764 [@var{family} @var{width} @var{point-size} @var{weight} @var{slant}
2765 @var{fixed-p} @var{full} @var{registry-and-encoding}]
2766 @end example
2767
2768 The first five elements correspond to face attributes; if you
2769 specify these attributes for a face, it will use this font.
2770
2771 The last three elements give additional information about the font.
2772 @var{fixed-p} is non-@code{nil} if the font is fixed-pitch.
2773 @var{full} is the full name of the font, and
2774 @var{registry-and-encoding} is a string giving the registry and
2775 encoding of the font.
2776
2777 The result list is sorted according to the current face font sort order.
2778 @end defun
2779
2780 @defun x-font-family-list &optional frame
2781 This function returns a list of the font families available for
2782 @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
2783 describes the selected frame's display (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2784
2785 The value is a list of elements of this form:
2786
2787 @example
2788 (@var{family} . @var{fixed-p})
2789 @end example
2790
2791 @noindent
2792 Here @var{family} is a font family, and @var{fixed-p} is
2793 non-@code{nil} if fonts of that family are fixed-pitch.
2794 @end defun
2795
2796 @defvar font-list-limit
2797 This variable specifies maximum number of fonts to consider in font
2798 matching. The function @code{x-family-fonts} will not return more than
2799 that many fonts, and font selection will consider only that many fonts
2800 when searching a matching font for face attributes. The default is
2801 currently 100.
2802 @end defvar
2803
2804 @node Fontsets
2805 @subsection Fontsets
2806
2807 A @dfn{fontset} is a list of fonts, each assigned to a range of
2808 character codes. An individual font cannot display the whole range of
2809 characters that Emacs supports, but a fontset can. Fontsets have names,
2810 just as fonts do, and you can use a fontset name in place of a font name
2811 when you specify the ``font'' for a frame or a face. Here is
2812 information about defining a fontset under Lisp program control.
2813
2814 @defun create-fontset-from-fontset-spec fontset-spec &optional style-variant-p noerror
2815 This function defines a new fontset according to the specification
2816 string @var{fontset-spec}. The string should have this format:
2817
2818 @smallexample
2819 @var{fontpattern}, @r{[}@var{charset}:@var{font}@r{]@dots{}}
2820 @end smallexample
2821
2822 @noindent
2823 Whitespace characters before and after the commas are ignored.
2824
2825 The first part of the string, @var{fontpattern}, should have the form of
2826 a standard X font name, except that the last two fields should be
2827 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}.
2828
2829 The new fontset has two names, one long and one short. The long name is
2830 @var{fontpattern} in its entirety. The short name is
2831 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}. You can refer to the fontset by either
2832 name. If a fontset with the same name already exists, an error is
2833 signaled, unless @var{noerror} is non-@code{nil}, in which case this
2834 function does nothing.
2835
2836 If optional argument @var{style-variant-p} is non-@code{nil}, that says
2837 to create bold, italic and bold-italic variants of the fontset as well.
2838 These variant fontsets do not have a short name, only a long one, which
2839 is made by altering @var{fontpattern} to indicate the bold or italic
2840 status.
2841
2842 The specification string also says which fonts to use in the fontset.
2843 See below for the details.
2844 @end defun
2845
2846 The construct @samp{@var{charset}:@var{font}} specifies which font to
2847 use (in this fontset) for one particular character set. Here,
2848 @var{charset} is the name of a character set, and @var{font} is the font
2849 to use for that character set. You can use this construct any number of
2850 times in the specification string.
2851
2852 For the remaining character sets, those that you don't specify
2853 explicitly, Emacs chooses a font based on @var{fontpattern}: it replaces
2854 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} with a value that names one character set.
2855 For the @acronym{ASCII} character set, @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} is replaced
2856 with @samp{ISO8859-1}.
2857
2858 In addition, when several consecutive fields are wildcards, Emacs
2859 collapses them into a single wildcard. This is to prevent use of
2860 auto-scaled fonts. Fonts made by scaling larger fonts are not usable
2861 for editing, and scaling a smaller font is not useful because it is
2862 better to use the smaller font in its own size, which Emacs does.
2863
2864 Thus if @var{fontpattern} is this,
2865
2866 @example
2867 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24
2868 @end example
2869
2870 @noindent
2871 the font specification for @acronym{ASCII} characters would be this:
2872
2873 @example
2874 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-ISO8859-1
2875 @end example
2876
2877 @noindent
2878 and the font specification for Chinese GB2312 characters would be this:
2879
2880 @example
2881 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2882 @end example
2883
2884 You may not have any Chinese font matching the above font
2885 specification. Most X distributions include only Chinese fonts that
2886 have @samp{song ti} or @samp{fangsong ti} in the @var{family} field. In
2887 such a case, @samp{Fontset-@var{n}} can be specified as below:
2888
2889 @smallexample
2890 Emacs.Fontset-0: -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24,\
2891 chinese-gb2312:-*-*-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2892 @end smallexample
2893
2894 @noindent
2895 Then, the font specifications for all but Chinese GB2312 characters have
2896 @samp{fixed} in the @var{family} field, and the font specification for
2897 Chinese GB2312 characters has a wild card @samp{*} in the @var{family}
2898 field.
2899
2900 @defun set-fontset-font name character fontname &optional frame
2901 This function modifies the existing fontset @var{name} to
2902 use the font name @var{fontname} for the character @var{character}.
2903
2904 If @var{name} is @code{nil}, this function modifies the default
2905 fontset, whose short name is @samp{fontset-default}.
2906
2907 @var{character} may be a cons; @code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, where
2908 @var{from} and @var{to} are non-generic characters. In that case, use
2909 @var{fontname} for all characters in the range @var{from} and @var{to}
2910 (inclusive).
2911
2912 @var{character} may be a charset. In that case, use
2913 @var{fontname} for all character in the charsets.
2914
2915 @var{fontname} may be a cons; @code{(@var{family} . @var{registry})},
2916 where @var{family} is a family name of a font (possibly including a
2917 foundry name at the head), @var{registry} is a registry name of a font
2918 (possibly including an encoding name at the tail).
2919
2920 For instance, this changes the default fontset to use a font of which
2921 registry name is @samp{JISX0208.1983} for all characters belonging to
2922 the charset @code{japanese-jisx0208}.
2923
2924 @smallexample
2925 (set-fontset-font nil 'japanese-jisx0208 '(nil . "JISX0208.1983"))
2926 @end smallexample
2927 @end defun
2928
2929 @defun char-displayable-p char
2930 This function returns @code{t} if Emacs ought to be able to display
2931 @var{char}. More precisely, if the selected frame's fontset has a
2932 font to display the character set that @var{char} belongs to.
2933
2934 Fontsets can specify a font on a per-character basis; when the fontset
2935 does that, this function's value may not be accurate.
2936 @end defun
2937
2938 @node Fringes
2939 @section Fringes
2940 @cindex fringes
2941
2942 The @dfn{fringes} of a window are thin vertical strips down the
2943 sides that are used for displaying bitmaps that indicate truncation,
2944 continuation, horizontal scrolling, and the overlay arrow.
2945
2946 @menu
2947 * Fringe Size/Pos:: Specifying where to put the window fringes.
2948 * Fringe Indicators:: Displaying indicator icons in the window fringes.
2949 * Fringe Cursors:: Displaying cursors in the right fringe.
2950 * Fringe Bitmaps:: Specifying bitmaps for fringe indicators.
2951 * Customizing Bitmaps:: Specifying your own bitmaps to use in the fringes.
2952 * Overlay Arrow:: Display of an arrow to indicate position.
2953 @end menu
2954
2955 @node Fringe Size/Pos
2956 @subsection Fringe Size and Position
2957
2958 The following buffer-local variables control the position and width
2959 of the window fringes.
2960
2961 @defvar fringes-outside-margins
2962 The fringes normally appear between the display margins and the window
2963 text. If the value is non-@code{nil}, they appear outside the display
2964 margins. @xref{Display Margins}.
2965 @end defvar
2966
2967 @defvar left-fringe-width
2968 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the left
2969 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the left fringe
2970 width from the window's frame.
2971 @end defvar
2972
2973 @defvar right-fringe-width
2974 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the right
2975 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the right fringe
2976 width from the window's frame.
2977 @end defvar
2978
2979 The values of these variables take effect when you display the
2980 buffer in a window. If you change them while the buffer is visible,
2981 you can call @code{set-window-buffer} to display it once again in the
2982 same window, to make the changes take effect.
2983
2984 @defun set-window-fringes window left &optional right outside-margins
2985 This function sets the fringe widths of window @var{window}.
2986 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
2987
2988 The argument @var{left} specifies the width in pixels of the left
2989 fringe, and likewise @var{right} for the right fringe. A value of
2990 @code{nil} for either one stands for the default width. If
2991 @var{outside-margins} is non-@code{nil}, that specifies that fringes
2992 should appear outside of the display margins.
2993 @end defun
2994
2995 @defun window-fringes &optional window
2996 This function returns information about the fringes of a window
2997 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected
2998 window is used. The value has the form @code{(@var{left-width}
2999 @var{right-width} @var{outside-margins})}.
3000 @end defun
3001
3002
3003 @node Fringe Indicators
3004 @subsection Fringe Indicators
3005 @cindex fringe indicators
3006 @cindex indicators, fringe
3007
3008 The @dfn{fringe indicators} are tiny icons Emacs displays in the
3009 window fringe (on a graphic display) to indicate truncated or
3010 continued lines, buffer boundaries, overlay arrow, etc.
3011
3012 @defopt indicate-empty-lines
3013 @cindex fringes, and empty line indication
3014 When this is non-@code{nil}, Emacs displays a special glyph in the
3015 fringe of each empty line at the end of the buffer, on graphical
3016 displays. @xref{Fringes}. This variable is automatically
3017 buffer-local in every buffer.
3018 @end defopt
3019
3020 @defvar indicate-buffer-boundaries
3021 This buffer-local variable controls how the buffer boundaries and
3022 window scrolling are indicated in the window fringes.
3023
3024 Emacs can indicate the buffer boundaries---that is, the first and last
3025 line in the buffer---with angle icons when they appear on the screen.
3026 In addition, Emacs can display an up-arrow in the fringe to show
3027 that there is text above the screen, and a down-arrow to show
3028 there is text below the screen.
3029
3030 There are three kinds of basic values:
3031
3032 @table @asis
3033 @item @code{nil}
3034 Don't display any of these fringe icons.
3035 @item @code{left}
3036 Display the angle icons and arrows in the left fringe.
3037 @item @code{right}
3038 Display the angle icons and arrows in the right fringe.
3039 @item any non-alist
3040 Display the angle icons in the left fringe
3041 and don't display the arrows.
3042 @end table
3043
3044 Otherwise the value should be an alist that specifies which fringe
3045 indicators to display and where. Each element of the alist should
3046 have the form @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{position})}. Here,
3047 @var{indicator} is one of @code{top}, @code{bottom}, @code{up},
3048 @code{down}, and @code{t} (which covers all the icons not yet
3049 specified), while @var{position} is one of @code{left}, @code{right}
3050 and @code{nil}.
3051
3052 For example, @code{((top . left) (t . right))} places the top angle
3053 bitmap in left fringe, and the bottom angle bitmap as well as both
3054 arrow bitmaps in right fringe. To show the angle bitmaps in the left
3055 fringe, and no arrow bitmaps, use @code{((top . left) (bottom . left))}.
3056 @end defvar
3057
3058 @defvar default-indicate-buffer-boundaries
3059 The value of this variable is the default value for
3060 @code{indicate-buffer-boundaries} in buffers that do not override it.
3061 @end defvar
3062
3063 @defvar fringe-indicator-alist
3064 This buffer-local variable specifies the mapping from logical fringe
3065 indicators to the actual bitmaps displayed in the window fringes.
3066
3067 These symbols identify the logical fringe indicators:
3068
3069 @table @asis
3070 @item Truncation and continuation line indicators:
3071 @code{truncation}, @code{continuation}.
3072
3073 @item Buffer position indicators:
3074 @code{up}, @code{down},
3075 @code{top}, @code{bottom},
3076 @code{top-bottom}.
3077
3078 @item Empty line indicator:
3079 @code{empty-line}.
3080
3081 @item Overlay arrow indicator:
3082 @code{overlay-arrow}.
3083
3084 @item Unknown bitmap indicator:
3085 @code{unknown}.
3086 @end table
3087
3088 The value is an alist where each element @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{bitmaps})}
3089 specifies the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical
3090 fringe indicator.
3091
3092 Here, @var{indicator} specifies the logical indicator type, and
3093 @var{bitmaps} is list of symbols @code{(@var{left} @var{right}
3094 [@var{left1} @var{right1}])} which specifies the actual bitmap shown
3095 in the left or right fringe for the logical indicator.
3096
3097 The @var{left} and @var{right} symbols specify the bitmaps shown in
3098 the left and/or right fringe for the specific indicator. The
3099 @var{left1} or @var{right1} bitmaps are used only for the `bottom' and
3100 `top-bottom indicators when the last (only) line in has no final
3101 newline. Alternatively, @var{bitmaps} may be a single symbol which is
3102 used in both left and right fringes.
3103
3104 When @code{fringe-indicator-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there
3105 is no bitmap defined for a logical indicator, or the bitmap is
3106 @code{t}, the corresponding value from the (non-local)
3107 @code{default-fringe-indicator-alist} is used.
3108
3109 To completely hide a specific indicator, set the bitmap to @code{nil}.
3110 @end defvar
3111
3112 @defvar default-fringe-indicator-alist
3113 The value of this variable is the default value for
3114 @code{fringe-indicator-alist} in buffers that do not override it.
3115 @end defvar
3116
3117 Standard fringe bitmaps for indicators:
3118 @example
3119 left-arrow right-arrow up-arrow down-arrow
3120 left-curly-arrow right-curly-arrow
3121 left-triangle right-triangle
3122 top-left-angle top-right-angle
3123 bottom-left-angle bottom-right-angle
3124 left-bracket right-bracket
3125 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle
3126 filled-square hollow-square
3127 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3128 empty-line question-mark
3129 @end example
3130
3131 @node Fringe Cursors
3132 @subsection Fringe Cursors
3133 @cindex fringe cursors
3134 @cindex cursor, fringe
3135
3136 When a line is exactly as wide as the window, Emacs displays the
3137 cursor in the right fringe instead of using two lines. Different
3138 bitmaps are used to represent the cursor in the fringe depending on
3139 the current buffer's cursor type.
3140
3141 @table @asis
3142 @item Logical cursor types:
3143 @code{box} , @code{hollow}, @code{bar},
3144 @code{hbar}, @code{hollow-small}.
3145 @end table
3146
3147 The @code{hollow-small} type is used instead of @code{hollow} when the
3148 normal @code{hollow-rectangle} bitmap is too tall to fit on a specific
3149 display line.
3150
3151 @defvar overflow-newline-into-fringe
3152 If this is non-@code{nil}, lines exactly as wide as the window (not
3153 counting the final newline character) are not continued. Instead,
3154 when point is at the end of the line, the cursor appears in the right
3155 fringe.
3156 @end defvar
3157
3158 @defvar fringe-cursor-alist
3159 This variable specifies the mapping from logical cursor type to the
3160 actual fringe bitmaps displayed in the right fringe. The value is an
3161 alist where each element @code{(@var{cursor} . @var{bitmap})} specifies
3162 the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical cursor type in
3163 the fringe. Here, @var{cursor} specifies the logical cursor type and
3164 @var{bitmap} is a symbol specifying the fringe bitmap to be displayed
3165 for that logical cursor type.
3166
3167 When @code{fringe-cursor-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there is
3168 no bitmap defined for a cursor type, the corresponding value from the
3169 (non-local) @code{default-fringes-indicator-alist} is used.
3170 @end defvar
3171
3172 @defvar default-fringes-cursor-alist
3173 The value of this variable is the default value for
3174 @code{fringe-cursor-alist} in buffers that do not override it.
3175 @end defvar
3176
3177 Standard bitmaps for displaying the cursor in right fringe:
3178 @example
3179 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle filled-square hollow-square
3180 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3181 @end example
3182
3183
3184 @node Fringe Bitmaps
3185 @subsection Fringe Bitmaps
3186 @cindex fringe bitmaps
3187 @cindex bitmaps, fringe
3188
3189 The @dfn{fringe bitmaps} are the actual bitmaps which represent the
3190 logical fringe indicators for truncated or continued lines, buffer
3191 boundaries, overlay arrow, etc. Fringe bitmap symbols have their own
3192 name space. The fringe bitmaps are shared by all frames and windows.
3193 You can redefine the built-in fringe bitmaps, and you can define new
3194 fringe bitmaps.
3195
3196 The way to display a bitmap in the left or right fringes for a given
3197 line in a window is by specifying the @code{display} property for one
3198 of the characters that appears in it. Use a display specification of
3199 the form @code{(left-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} or
3200 @code{(right-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} (@pxref{Display
3201 Property}). Here, @var{bitmap} is a symbol identifying the bitmap you
3202 want, and @var{face} (which is optional) is the name of the face whose
3203 colors should be used for displaying the bitmap, instead of the
3204 default @code{fringe} face. @var{face} is automatically merged with
3205 the @code{fringe} face, so normally @var{face} need only specify the
3206 foreground color for the bitmap.
3207
3208 @defun fringe-bitmaps-at-pos &optional pos window
3209 This function returns the fringe bitmaps of the display line
3210 containing position @var{pos} in window @var{window}. The return
3211 value has the form @code{(@var{left} @var{right} @var{ov})}, where @var{left}
3212 is the symbol for the fringe bitmap in the left fringe (or @code{nil}
3213 if no bitmap), @var{right} is similar for the right fringe, and @var{ov}
3214 is non-@code{nil} if there is an overlay arrow in the left fringe.
3215
3216 The value is @code{nil} if @var{pos} is not visible in @var{window}.
3217 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, that stands for the selected window.
3218 If @var{pos} is @code{nil}, that stands for the value of point in
3219 @var{window}.
3220 @end defun
3221
3222 @node Customizing Bitmaps
3223 @subsection Customizing Fringe Bitmaps
3224
3225 @defun define-fringe-bitmap bitmap bits &optional height width align
3226 This function defines the symbol @var{bitmap} as a new fringe bitmap,
3227 or replaces an existing bitmap with that name.
3228
3229 The argument @var{bits} specifies the image to use. It should be
3230 either a string or a vector of integers, where each element (an
3231 integer) corresponds to one row of the bitmap. Each bit of an integer
3232 corresponds to one pixel of the bitmap, where the low bit corresponds
3233 to the rightmost pixel of the bitmap.
3234
3235 The height is normally the length of @var{bits}. However, you
3236 can specify a different height with non-@code{nil} @var{height}. The width
3237 is normally 8, but you can specify a different width with non-@code{nil}
3238 @var{width}. The width must be an integer between 1 and 16.
3239
3240 The argument @var{align} specifies the positioning of the bitmap
3241 relative to the range of rows where it is used; the default is to
3242 center the bitmap. The allowed values are @code{top}, @code{center},
3243 or @code{bottom}.
3244
3245 The @var{align} argument may also be a list @code{(@var{align}
3246 @var{periodic})} where @var{align} is interpreted as described above.
3247 If @var{periodic} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies that the rows in
3248 @code{bits} should be repeated enough times to reach the specified
3249 height.
3250 @end defun
3251
3252 @defun destroy-fringe-bitmap bitmap
3253 This function destroy the fringe bitmap identified by @var{bitmap}.
3254 If @var{bitmap} identifies a standard fringe bitmap, it actually
3255 restores the standard definition of that bitmap, instead of
3256 eliminating it entirely.
3257 @end defun
3258
3259 @defun set-fringe-bitmap-face bitmap &optional face
3260 This sets the face for the fringe bitmap @var{bitmap} to @var{face}.
3261 If @var{face} is @code{nil}, it selects the @code{fringe} face. The
3262 bitmap's face controls the color to draw it in.
3263
3264 @var{face} is merged with the @code{fringe} face, so normally
3265 @var{face} should specify only the foreground color.
3266 @end defun
3267
3268 @node Overlay Arrow
3269 @subsection The Overlay Arrow
3270 @c @cindex overlay arrow Duplicates variable names
3271
3272 The @dfn{overlay arrow} is useful for directing the user's attention
3273 to a particular line in a buffer. For example, in the modes used for
3274 interface to debuggers, the overlay arrow indicates the line of code
3275 about to be executed. This feature has nothing to do with
3276 @dfn{overlays} (@pxref{Overlays}).
3277
3278 @defvar overlay-arrow-string
3279 This variable holds the string to display to call attention to a
3280 particular line, or @code{nil} if the arrow feature is not in use.
3281 On a graphical display the contents of the string are ignored; instead a
3282 glyph is displayed in the fringe area to the left of the display area.
3283 @end defvar
3284
3285 @defvar overlay-arrow-position
3286 This variable holds a marker that indicates where to display the overlay
3287 arrow. It should point at the beginning of a line. On a non-graphical
3288 display the arrow text
3289 appears at the beginning of that line, overlaying any text that would
3290 otherwise appear. Since the arrow is usually short, and the line
3291 usually begins with indentation, normally nothing significant is
3292 overwritten.
3293
3294 The overlay-arrow string is displayed in any given buffer if the value
3295 of @code{overlay-arrow-position} in that buffer points into that
3296 buffer. Thus, it is possible to display multiple overlay arrow strings
3297 by creating buffer-local bindings of @code{overlay-arrow-position}.
3298 However, it is usually cleaner to use
3299 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list} to achieve this result.
3300 @c !!! overlay-arrow-position: but the overlay string may remain in the display
3301 @c of some other buffer until an update is required. This should be fixed
3302 @c now. Is it?
3303 @end defvar
3304
3305 You can do a similar job by creating an overlay with a
3306 @code{before-string} property. @xref{Overlay Properties}.
3307
3308 You can define multiple overlay arrows via the variable
3309 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list}.
3310
3311 @defvar overlay-arrow-variable-list
3312 This variable's value is a list of variables, each of which specifies
3313 the position of an overlay arrow. The variable
3314 @code{overlay-arrow-position} has its normal meaning because it is on
3315 this list.
3316 @end defvar
3317
3318 Each variable on this list can have properties
3319 @code{overlay-arrow-string} and @code{overlay-arrow-bitmap} that
3320 specify an overlay arrow string (for text-only terminals) or fringe
3321 bitmap (for graphical terminals) to display at the corresponding
3322 overlay arrow position. If either property is not set, the default
3323 @code{overlay-arrow-string} or @code{overlay-arrow} fringe indicator
3324 is used.
3325
3326 @node Scroll Bars
3327 @section Scroll Bars
3328 @cindex scroll bars
3329
3330 Normally the frame parameter @code{vertical-scroll-bars} controls
3331 whether the windows in the frame have vertical scroll bars, and
3332 whether they are on the left or right. The frame parameter
3333 @code{scroll-bar-width} specifies how wide they are (@code{nil}
3334 meaning the default). @xref{Layout Parameters}.
3335
3336 @defun frame-current-scroll-bars &optional frame
3337 This function reports the scroll bar type settings for frame
3338 @var{frame}. The value is a cons cell
3339 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}, where
3340 @var{vertical-type} is either @code{left}, @code{right}, or @code{nil}
3341 (which means no scroll bar.) @var{horizontal-type} is meant to
3342 specify the horizontal scroll bar type, but since they are not
3343 implemented, it is always @code{nil}.
3344 @end defun
3345
3346 @vindex vertical-scroll-bar
3347 You can enable or disable scroll bars for a particular buffer,
3348 by setting the variable @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. This variable
3349 automatically becomes buffer-local when set. The possible values are
3350 @code{left}, @code{right}, @code{t}, which means to use the
3351 frame's default, and @code{nil} for no scroll bar.
3352
3353 You can also control this for individual windows. Call the function
3354 @code{set-window-scroll-bars} to specify what to do for a specific window:
3355
3356 @defun set-window-scroll-bars window width &optional vertical-type horizontal-type
3357 This function sets the width and type of scroll bars for window
3358 @var{window}.
3359
3360 @var{width} specifies the scroll bar width in pixels (@code{nil} means
3361 use the width specified for the frame). @var{vertical-type} specifies
3362 whether to have a vertical scroll bar and, if so, where. The possible
3363 values are @code{left}, @code{right} and @code{nil}, just like the
3364 values of the @code{vertical-scroll-bars} frame parameter.
3365
3366 The argument @var{horizontal-type} is meant to specify whether and
3367 where to have horizontal scroll bars, but since they are not
3368 implemented, it has no effect. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the
3369 selected window is used.
3370 @end defun
3371
3372 @defun window-scroll-bars &optional window
3373 Report the width and type of scroll bars specified for @var{window}.
3374 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3375 The value is a list of the form @code{(@var{width}
3376 @var{cols} @var{vertical-type} @var{horizontal-type})}. The value
3377 @var{width} is the value that was specified for the width (which may
3378 be @code{nil}); @var{cols} is the number of columns that the scroll
3379 bar actually occupies.
3380
3381 @var{horizontal-type} is not actually meaningful.
3382 @end defun
3383
3384 If you don't specify these values for a window with
3385 @code{set-window-scroll-bars}, the buffer-local variables
3386 @code{scroll-bar-mode} and @code{scroll-bar-width} in the buffer being
3387 displayed control the window's vertical scroll bars. The function
3388 @code{set-window-buffer} examines these variables. If you change them
3389 in a buffer that is already visible in a window, you can make the
3390 window take note of the new values by calling @code{set-window-buffer}
3391 specifying the same buffer that is already displayed.
3392
3393 @defvar scroll-bar-mode
3394 This variable, always local in all buffers, controls whether and where
3395 to put scroll bars in windows displaying the buffer. The possible values
3396 are @code{nil} for no scroll bar, @code{left} to put a scroll bar on
3397 the left, and @code{right} to put a scroll bar on the right.
3398 @end defvar
3399
3400 @defun window-current-scroll-bars &optional window
3401 This function reports the scroll bar type for window @var{window}.
3402 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3403 The value is a cons cell
3404 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}. Unlike
3405 @code{window-scroll-bars}, this reports the scroll bar type actually
3406 used, once frame defaults and @code{scroll-bar-mode} are taken into
3407 account.
3408 @end defun
3409
3410 @defvar scroll-bar-width
3411 This variable, always local in all buffers, specifies the width of the
3412 buffer's scroll bars, measured in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means
3413 to use the value specified by the frame.
3414 @end defvar
3415
3416 @node Display Property
3417 @section The @code{display} Property
3418 @cindex display specification
3419 @kindex display @r{(text property)}
3420
3421 The @code{display} text property (or overlay property) is used to
3422 insert images into text, and also control other aspects of how text
3423 displays. The value of the @code{display} property should be a
3424 display specification, or a list or vector containing several display
3425 specifications. Display specifications in the same @code{display}
3426 property value generally apply in parallel to the text they cover.
3427
3428 If several sources (overlays and/or a text property) specify values
3429 for the @code{display} property, only one of the values takes effect,
3430 following the rules of @code{get-char-property}. @xref{Examining
3431 Properties}.
3432
3433 The rest of this section describes several kinds of
3434 display specifications and what they mean.
3435
3436 @menu
3437 * Replacing Specs:: Display specs that replace the text.
3438 * Specified Space:: Displaying one space with a specified width.
3439 * Pixel Specification:: Specifying space width or height in pixels.
3440 * Other Display Specs:: Displaying an image; magnifying text; moving it
3441 up or down on the page; adjusting the width
3442 of spaces within text.
3443 * Display Margins:: Displaying text or images to the side of the main text.
3444 @end menu
3445
3446 @node Replacing Specs
3447 @subsection Display Specs That Replace The Text
3448
3449 Some kinds of @code{display} specifications specify something to
3450 display instead of the text that has the property. These are called
3451 @dfn{replacing} display specifications. Emacs does not allow the user
3452 to interactively move point into the middle of buffer text that is
3453 replaced in this way.
3454
3455 If a list of display specifications includes more than one replacing
3456 display specification, the first overrides the rest. Replacing
3457 display specifications make most other display specifications
3458 irrelevant, since those don't apply to the replacement.
3459
3460 For replacing display specifications, ``the text that has the
3461 property'' means all the consecutive characters that have the same
3462 Lisp object as their @code{display} property; these characters are
3463 replaced as a single unit. By contrast, characters that have similar
3464 but distinct Lisp objects as their @code{display} properties are
3465 handled separately. Here's a function that illustrates this point:
3466
3467 @smallexample
3468 (defun foo ()
3469 (goto-char (point-min))
3470 (dotimes (i 5)
3471 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3472 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3473 (forward-char 1)
3474 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3475 (forward-char 1))))
3476 @end smallexample
3477
3478 @noindent
3479 It gives each of the first ten characters in the buffer string
3480 @code{"A"} as the @code{display} property, but they don't all get the
3481 same string. The first two characters get the same string, so they
3482 together are replaced with one @samp{A}. The next two characters get
3483 a second string, so they together are replaced with one @samp{A}.
3484 Likewise for each following pair of characters. Thus, the ten
3485 characters appear as five A's. This function would have the same
3486 results:
3487
3488 @smallexample
3489 (defun foo ()
3490 (goto-char (point-min))
3491 (dotimes (i 5)
3492 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3493 (put-text-property (point) (+ 2 (point)) 'display string)
3494 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3495 (forward-char 2))))
3496 @end smallexample
3497
3498 @noindent
3499 This illustrates that what matters is the property value for
3500 each character. If two consecutive characters have the same
3501 object as the @code{display} property value, it's irrelevant
3502 whether they got this property from a single call to
3503 @code{put-text-property} or from two different calls.
3504
3505 @node Specified Space
3506 @subsection Specified Spaces
3507 @cindex spaces, specified height or width
3508 @cindex variable-width spaces
3509
3510 To display a space of specified width and/or height, use a display
3511 specification of the form @code{(space . @var{props})}, where
3512 @var{props} is a property list (a list of alternating properties and
3513 values). You can put this property on one or more consecutive
3514 characters; a space of the specified height and width is displayed in
3515 place of @emph{all} of those characters. These are the properties you
3516 can use in @var{props} to specify the weight of the space:
3517
3518 @table @code
3519 @item :width @var{width}
3520 If @var{width} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3521 that the space width should be @var{width} times the normal character
3522 width. @var{width} can also be a @dfn{pixel width} specification
3523 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3524
3525 @item :relative-width @var{factor}
3526 Specifies that the width of the stretch should be computed from the
3527 first character in the group of consecutive characters that have the
3528 same @code{display} property. The space width is the width of that
3529 character, multiplied by @var{factor}.
3530
3531 @item :align-to @var{hpos}
3532 Specifies that the space should be wide enough to reach @var{hpos}.
3533 If @var{hpos} is a number, it is measured in units of the normal
3534 character width. @var{hpos} can also be a @dfn{pixel width}
3535 specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3536 @end table
3537
3538 You should use one and only one of the above properties. You can
3539 also specify the height of the space, with these properties:
3540
3541 @table @code
3542 @item :height @var{height}
3543 Specifies the height of the space.
3544 If @var{height} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3545 that the space height should be @var{height} times the normal character
3546 height. The @var{height} may also be a @dfn{pixel height} specification
3547 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3548
3549 @item :relative-height @var{factor}
3550 Specifies the height of the space, multiplying the ordinary height
3551 of the text having this display specification by @var{factor}.
3552
3553 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
3554 If the value of @var{ascent} is a non-negative number no greater than
3555 100, it specifies that @var{ascent} percent of the height of the space
3556 should be considered as the ascent of the space---that is, the part
3557 above the baseline. The ascent may also be specified in pixel units
3558 with a @dfn{pixel ascent} specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3559
3560 @end table
3561
3562 Don't use both @code{:height} and @code{:relative-height} together.
3563
3564 The @code{:width} and @code{:align-to} properties are supported on
3565 non-graphic terminals, but the other space properties in this section
3566 are not.
3567
3568 @node Pixel Specification
3569 @subsection Pixel Specification for Spaces
3570 @cindex spaces, pixel specification
3571
3572 The value of the @code{:width}, @code{:align-to}, @code{:height},
3573 and @code{:ascent} properties can be a special kind of expression that
3574 is evaluated during redisplay. The result of the evaluation is used
3575 as an absolute number of pixels.
3576
3577 The following expressions are supported:
3578
3579 @smallexample
3580 @group
3581 @var{expr} ::= @var{num} | (@var{num}) | @var{unit} | @var{elem} | @var{pos} | @var{image} | @var{form}
3582 @var{num} ::= @var{integer} | @var{float} | @var{symbol}
3583 @var{unit} ::= in | mm | cm | width | height
3584 @end group
3585 @group
3586 @var{elem} ::= left-fringe | right-fringe | left-margin | right-margin
3587 | scroll-bar | text
3588 @var{pos} ::= left | center | right
3589 @var{form} ::= (@var{num} . @var{expr}) | (@var{op} @var{expr} ...)
3590 @var{op} ::= + | -
3591 @end group
3592 @end smallexample
3593
3594 The form @var{num} specifies a fraction of the default frame font
3595 height or width. The form @code{(@var{num})} specifies an absolute
3596 number of pixels. If @var{num} is a symbol, @var{symbol}, its
3597 buffer-local variable binding is used.
3598
3599 The @code{in}, @code{mm}, and @code{cm} units specify the number of
3600 pixels per inch, millimeter, and centimeter, respectively. The
3601 @code{width} and @code{height} units correspond to the default width
3602 and height of the current face. An image specification @code{image}
3603 corresponds to the width or height of the image.
3604
3605 The @code{left-fringe}, @code{right-fringe}, @code{left-margin},
3606 @code{right-margin}, @code{scroll-bar}, and @code{text} elements
3607 specify to the width of the corresponding area of the window.
3608
3609 The @code{left}, @code{center}, and @code{right} positions can be
3610 used with @code{:align-to} to specify a position relative to the left
3611 edge, center, or right edge of the text area.
3612
3613 Any of the above window elements (except @code{text}) can also be
3614 used with @code{:align-to} to specify that the position is relative to
3615 the left edge of the given area. Once the base offset for a relative
3616 position has been set (by the first occurrence of one of these
3617 symbols), further occurrences of these symbols are interpreted as the
3618 width of the specified area. For example, to align to the center of
3619 the left-margin, use
3620
3621 @example
3622 :align-to (+ left-margin (0.5 . left-margin))
3623 @end example
3624
3625 If no specific base offset is set for alignment, it is always relative
3626 to the left edge of the text area. For example, @samp{:align-to 0} in a
3627 header-line aligns with the first text column in the text area.
3628
3629 A value of the form @code{(@var{num} . @var{expr})} stands for the
3630 product of the values of @var{num} and @var{expr}. For example,
3631 @code{(2 . in)} specifies a width of 2 inches, while @code{(0.5 .
3632 @var{image})} specifies half the width (or height) of the specified
3633 image.
3634
3635 The form @code{(+ @var{expr} ...)} adds up the value of the
3636 expressions. The form @code{(- @var{expr} ...)} negates or subtracts
3637 the value of the expressions.
3638
3639 @node Other Display Specs
3640 @subsection Other Display Specifications
3641
3642 Here are the other sorts of display specifications that you can use
3643 in the @code{display} text property.
3644
3645 @table @code
3646 @item @var{string}
3647 Display @var{string} instead of the text that has this property.
3648
3649 Recursive display specifications are not supported---@var{string}'s
3650 @code{display} properties, if any, are not used.
3651
3652 @item (image . @var{image-props})
3653 This kind of display specification is an image descriptor (@pxref{Images}).
3654 When used as a display specification, it means to display the image
3655 instead of the text that has the display specification.
3656
3657 @item (slice @var{x} @var{y} @var{width} @var{height})
3658 This specification together with @code{image} specifies a @dfn{slice}
3659 (a partial area) of the image to display. The elements @var{y} and
3660 @var{x} specify the top left corner of the slice, within the image;
3661 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the width and height of the
3662 slice. Integer values are numbers of pixels. A floating point number
3663 in the range 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height
3664 of the entire image.
3665
3666 @item ((margin nil) @var{string})
3667 A display specification of this form means to display @var{string}
3668 instead of the text that has the display specification, at the same
3669 position as that text. It is equivalent to using just @var{string},
3670 but it is done as a special case of marginal display (@pxref{Display
3671 Margins}).
3672
3673 @item (space-width @var{factor})
3674 This display specification affects all the space characters within the
3675 text that has the specification. It displays all of these spaces
3676 @var{factor} times as wide as normal. The element @var{factor} should
3677 be an integer or float. Characters other than spaces are not affected
3678 at all; in particular, this has no effect on tab characters.
3679
3680 @item (height @var{height})
3681 This display specification makes the text taller or shorter.
3682 Here are the possibilities for @var{height}:
3683
3684 @table @asis
3685 @item @code{(+ @var{n})}
3686 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps larger. A ``step'' is
3687 defined by the set of available fonts---specifically, those that match
3688 what was otherwise specified for this text, in all attributes except
3689 height. Each size for which a suitable font is available counts as
3690 another step. @var{n} should be an integer.
3691
3692 @item @code{(- @var{n})}
3693 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps smaller.
3694
3695 @item a number, @var{factor}
3696 A number, @var{factor}, means to use a font that is @var{factor} times
3697 as tall as the default font.
3698
3699 @item a symbol, @var{function}
3700 A symbol is a function to compute the height. It is called with the
3701 current height as argument, and should return the new height to use.
3702
3703 @item anything else, @var{form}
3704 If the @var{height} value doesn't fit the previous possibilities, it is
3705 a form. Emacs evaluates it to get the new height, with the symbol
3706 @code{height} bound to the current specified font height.
3707 @end table
3708
3709 @item (raise @var{factor})
3710 This kind of display specification raises or lowers the text
3711 it applies to, relative to the baseline of the line.
3712
3713 @var{factor} must be a number, which is interpreted as a multiple of the
3714 height of the affected text. If it is positive, that means to display
3715 the characters raised. If it is negative, that means to display them
3716 lower down.
3717
3718 If the text also has a @code{height} display specification, that does
3719 not affect the amount of raising or lowering, which is based on the
3720 faces used for the text.
3721 @end table
3722
3723 @c We put all the `@code{(when ...)}' on one line to encourage
3724 @c makeinfo's end-of-sentence heuristics to DTRT. Previously, the dot
3725 @c was at eol; the info file ended up w/ two spaces rendered after it.
3726 You can make any display specification conditional. To do that,
3727 package it in another list of the form
3728 @code{(when @var{condition} . @var{spec})}.
3729 Then the specification @var{spec} applies only when
3730 @var{condition} evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value. During the
3731 evaluation, @code{object} is bound to the string or buffer having the
3732 conditional @code{display} property. @code{position} and
3733 @code{buffer-position} are bound to the position within @code{object}
3734 and the buffer position where the @code{display} property was found,
3735 respectively. Both positions can be different when @code{object} is a
3736 string.
3737
3738 @node Display Margins
3739 @subsection Displaying in the Margins
3740 @cindex display margins
3741 @cindex margins, display
3742
3743 A buffer can have blank areas called @dfn{display margins} on the
3744 left and on the right. Ordinary text never appears in these areas,
3745 but you can put things into the display margins using the
3746 @code{display} property. There is currently no way to make text or
3747 images in the margin mouse-sensitive.
3748
3749 The way to display something in the margins is to specify it in a
3750 margin display specification in the @code{display} property of some
3751 text. This is a replacing display specification, meaning that the
3752 text you put it on does not get displayed; the margin display appears,
3753 but that text does not.
3754
3755 A margin display specification looks like @code{((margin
3756 right-margin) @var{spec}} or @code{((margin left-margin) @var{spec})}.
3757 Here, @var{spec} is another display specification that says what to
3758 display in the margin. Typically it is a string of text to display,
3759 or an image descriptor.
3760
3761 To display something in the margin @emph{in association with}
3762 certain buffer text, without altering or preventing the display of
3763 that text, put a @code{before-string} property on the text and put the
3764 margin display specification on the contents of the before-string.
3765
3766 Before the display margins can display anything, you must give
3767 them a nonzero width. The usual way to do that is to set these
3768 variables:
3769
3770 @defvar left-margin-width
3771 This variable specifies the width of the left margin.
3772 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
3773 @end defvar
3774
3775 @defvar right-margin-width
3776 This variable specifies the width of the right margin.
3777 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
3778 @end defvar
3779
3780 Setting these variables does not immediately affect the window. These
3781 variables are checked when a new buffer is displayed in the window.
3782 Thus, you can make changes take effect by calling
3783 @code{set-window-buffer}.
3784
3785 You can also set the margin widths immediately.
3786
3787 @defun set-window-margins window left &optional right
3788 This function specifies the margin widths for window @var{window}.
3789 The argument @var{left} controls the left margin and
3790 @var{right} controls the right margin (default @code{0}).
3791 @end defun
3792
3793 @defun window-margins &optional window
3794 This function returns the left and right margins of @var{window}
3795 as a cons cell of the form @code{(@var{left} . @var{right})}.
3796 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3797 @end defun
3798
3799 @node Images
3800 @section Images
3801 @cindex images in buffers
3802
3803 To display an image in an Emacs buffer, you must first create an image
3804 descriptor, then use it as a display specifier in the @code{display}
3805 property of text that is displayed (@pxref{Display Property}).
3806
3807 Emacs is usually able to display images when it is run on a
3808 graphical terminal. Images cannot be displayed in a text terminal, on
3809 certain graphical terminals that lack the support for this, or if
3810 Emacs is compiled without image support. You can use the function
3811 @code{display-images-p} to determine if images can in principle be
3812 displayed (@pxref{Display Feature Testing}).
3813
3814 @menu
3815 * Image Formats:: Supported image formats.
3816 * Image Descriptors:: How to specify an image for use in @code{:display}.
3817 * XBM Images:: Special features for XBM format.
3818 * XPM Images:: Special features for XPM format.
3819 * GIF Images:: Special features for GIF format.
3820 * PostScript Images:: Special features for PostScript format.
3821 * Other Image Types:: Various other formats are supported.
3822 * Defining Images:: Convenient ways to define an image for later use.
3823 * Showing Images:: Convenient ways to display an image once it is defined.
3824 * Image Cache:: Internal mechanisms of image display.
3825 @end menu
3826
3827 @node Image Formats
3828 @subsection Image Formats
3829 @cindex image formats
3830 @cindex image types
3831
3832 Emacs can display a number of different image formats; some of them
3833 are supported only if particular support libraries are installed on
3834 your machine. In some environments, Emacs can load image
3835 libraries on demand; if so, the variable @code{image-library-alist}
3836 can be used to modify the set of known names for these dynamic
3837 libraries (though it is not possible to add new image formats).
3838
3839 The supported image formats include XBM, XPM (this requires the
3840 libraries @code{libXpm} version 3.4k and @code{libz}), GIF (requiring
3841 @code{libungif} 4.1.0), PostScript, PBM, JPEG (requiring the
3842 @code{libjpeg} library version v6a), TIFF (requiring @code{libtiff}
3843 v3.4), PNG (requiring @code{libpng} 1.0.2), and SVG (requiring
3844 @code{librsvg} 2.0.0).
3845
3846 You specify one of these formats with an image type symbol. The image
3847 type symbols are @code{xbm}, @code{xpm}, @code{gif}, @code{postscript},
3848 @code{pbm}, @code{jpeg}, @code{tiff}, @code{png}, and @code{svg}.
3849
3850 @defvar image-types
3851 This variable contains a list of those image type symbols that are
3852 potentially supported in the current configuration.
3853 @emph{Potentially} here means that Emacs knows about the image types,
3854 not necessarily that they can be loaded (they could depend on
3855 unavailable dynamic libraries, for example).
3856
3857 To know which image types are really available, use
3858 @code{image-type-available-p}.
3859 @end defvar
3860
3861 @defvar image-library-alist
3862 This in an alist of image types vs external libraries needed to
3863 display them.
3864
3865 Each element is a list @code{(@var{image-type} @var{library}...)},
3866 where the car is a supported image format from @code{image-types}, and
3867 the rest are strings giving alternate filenames for the corresponding
3868 external libraries to load.
3869
3870 Emacs tries to load the libraries in the order they appear on the
3871 list; if none is loaded, the running session of Emacs won't support
3872 the image type. @code{pbm} and @code{xbm} don't need to be listed;
3873 they're always supported.
3874
3875 This variable is ignored if the image libraries are statically linked
3876 into Emacs.
3877 @end defvar
3878
3879 @defun image-type-available-p type
3880 This function returns non-@code{nil} if image type @var{type} is
3881 available, i.e., if images of this type can be loaded and displayed in
3882 Emacs. @var{type} should be one of the types contained in
3883 @code{image-types}.
3884
3885 For image types whose support libraries are statically linked, this
3886 function always returns @code{t}; for other image types, it returns
3887 @code{t} if the dynamic library could be loaded, @code{nil} otherwise.
3888 @end defun
3889
3890 @node Image Descriptors
3891 @subsection Image Descriptors
3892 @cindex image descriptor
3893
3894 An image description is a list of the form @code{(image . @var{props})},
3895 where @var{props} is a property list containing alternating keyword
3896 symbols (symbols whose names start with a colon) and their values.
3897 You can use any Lisp object as a property, but the only properties
3898 that have any special meaning are certain symbols, all of them keywords.
3899
3900 Every image descriptor must contain the property @code{:type
3901 @var{type}} to specify the format of the image. The value of @var{type}
3902 should be an image type symbol; for example, @code{xpm} for an image in
3903 XPM format.
3904
3905 Here is a list of other properties that are meaningful for all image
3906 types:
3907
3908 @table @code
3909 @item :file @var{file}
3910 The @code{:file} property says to load the image from file
3911 @var{file}. If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, it is expanded
3912 in @code{data-directory}.
3913
3914 @item :data @var{data}
3915 The @code{:data} property says the actual contents of the image.
3916 Each image must use either @code{:data} or @code{:file}, but not both.
3917 For most image types, the value of the @code{:data} property should be a
3918 string containing the image data; we recommend using a unibyte string.
3919
3920 Before using @code{:data}, look for further information in the section
3921 below describing the specific image format. For some image types,
3922 @code{:data} may not be supported; for some, it allows other data types;
3923 for some, @code{:data} alone is not enough, so you need to use other
3924 image properties along with @code{:data}.
3925
3926 @item :margin @var{margin}
3927 The @code{:margin} property specifies how many pixels to add as an
3928 extra margin around the image. The value, @var{margin}, must be a
3929 non-negative number, or a pair @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})} of such
3930 numbers. If it is a pair, @var{x} specifies how many pixels to add
3931 horizontally, and @var{y} specifies how many pixels to add vertically.
3932 If @code{:margin} is not specified, the default is zero.
3933
3934 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
3935 The @code{:ascent} property specifies the amount of the image's
3936 height to use for its ascent---that is, the part above the baseline.
3937 The value, @var{ascent}, must be a number in the range 0 to 100, or
3938 the symbol @code{center}.
3939
3940 If @var{ascent} is a number, that percentage of the image's height is
3941 used for its ascent.
3942
3943 If @var{ascent} is @code{center}, the image is vertically centered
3944 around a centerline which would be the vertical centerline of text drawn
3945 at the position of the image, in the manner specified by the text
3946 properties and overlays that apply to the image.
3947
3948 If this property is omitted, it defaults to 50.
3949
3950 @item :relief @var{relief}
3951 The @code{:relief} property, if non-@code{nil}, adds a shadow rectangle
3952 around the image. The value, @var{relief}, specifies the width of the
3953 shadow lines, in pixels. If @var{relief} is negative, shadows are drawn
3954 so that the image appears as a pressed button; otherwise, it appears as
3955 an unpressed button.
3956
3957 @item :conversion @var{algorithm}
3958 The @code{:conversion} property, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a
3959 conversion algorithm that should be applied to the image before it is
3960 displayed; the value, @var{algorithm}, specifies which algorithm.
3961
3962 @table @code
3963 @item laplace
3964 @itemx emboss
3965 Specifies the Laplace edge detection algorithm, which blurs out small
3966 differences in color while highlighting larger differences. People
3967 sometimes consider this useful for displaying the image for a
3968 ``disabled'' button.
3969
3970 @item (edge-detection :matrix @var{matrix} :color-adjust @var{adjust})
3971 Specifies a general edge-detection algorithm. @var{matrix} must be
3972 either a nine-element list or a nine-element vector of numbers. A pixel
3973 at position @math{x/y} in the transformed image is computed from
3974 original pixels around that position. @var{matrix} specifies, for each
3975 pixel in the neighborhood of @math{x/y}, a factor with which that pixel
3976 will influence the transformed pixel; element @math{0} specifies the
3977 factor for the pixel at @math{x-1/y-1}, element @math{1} the factor for
3978 the pixel at @math{x/y-1} etc., as shown below:
3979 @iftex
3980 @tex
3981 $$\pmatrix{x-1/y-1 & x/y-1 & x+1/y-1 \cr
3982 x-1/y & x/y & x+1/y \cr
3983 x-1/y+1& x/y+1 & x+1/y+1 \cr}$$
3984 @end tex
3985 @end iftex
3986 @ifnottex
3987 @display
3988 (x-1/y-1 x/y-1 x+1/y-1
3989 x-1/y x/y x+1/y
3990 x-1/y+1 x/y+1 x+1/y+1)
3991 @end display
3992 @end ifnottex
3993
3994 The resulting pixel is computed from the color intensity of the color
3995 resulting from summing up the RGB values of surrounding pixels,
3996 multiplied by the specified factors, and dividing that sum by the sum
3997 of the factors' absolute values.
3998
3999 Laplace edge-detection currently uses a matrix of
4000 @iftex
4001 @tex
4002 $$\pmatrix{1 & 0 & 0 \cr
4003 0& 0 & 0 \cr
4004 9 & 9 & -1 \cr}$$
4005 @end tex
4006 @end iftex
4007 @ifnottex
4008 @display
4009 (1 0 0
4010 0 0 0
4011 9 9 -1)
4012 @end display
4013 @end ifnottex
4014
4015 Emboss edge-detection uses a matrix of
4016 @iftex
4017 @tex
4018 $$\pmatrix{ 2 & -1 & 0 \cr
4019 -1 & 0 & 1 \cr
4020 0 & 1 & -2 \cr}$$
4021 @end tex
4022 @end iftex
4023 @ifnottex
4024 @display
4025 ( 2 -1 0
4026 -1 0 1
4027 0 1 -2)
4028 @end display
4029 @end ifnottex
4030
4031 @item disabled
4032 Specifies transforming the image so that it looks ``disabled.''
4033 @end table
4034
4035 @item :mask @var{mask}
4036 If @var{mask} is @code{heuristic} or @code{(heuristic @var{bg})}, build
4037 a clipping mask for the image, so that the background of a frame is
4038 visible behind the image. If @var{bg} is not specified, or if @var{bg}
4039 is @code{t}, determine the background color of the image by looking at
4040 the four corners of the image, assuming the most frequently occurring
4041 color from the corners is the background color of the image. Otherwise,
4042 @var{bg} must be a list @code{(@var{red} @var{green} @var{blue})}
4043 specifying the color to assume for the background of the image.
4044
4045 If @var{mask} is @code{nil}, remove a mask from the image, if it has
4046 one. Images in some formats include a mask which can be removed by
4047 specifying @code{:mask nil}.
4048
4049 @item :pointer @var{shape}
4050 This specifies the pointer shape when the mouse pointer is over this
4051 image. @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4052
4053 @item :map @var{map}
4054 This associates an image map of @dfn{hot spots} with this image.
4055
4056 An image map is an alist where each element has the format
4057 @code{(@var{area} @var{id} @var{plist})}. An @var{area} is specified
4058 as either a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon.
4059
4060 A rectangle is a cons
4061 @code{(rect . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . (@var{x1} . @var{y1})))}
4062 which specifies the pixel coordinates of the upper left and bottom right
4063 corners of the rectangle area.
4064
4065 A circle is a cons
4066 @code{(circle . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . @var{r}))}
4067 which specifies the center and the radius of the circle; @var{r} may
4068 be a float or integer.
4069
4070 A polygon is a cons
4071 @code{(poly . [@var{x0} @var{y0} @var{x1} @var{y1} ...])}
4072 where each pair in the vector describes one corner in the polygon.
4073
4074 When the mouse pointer lies on a hot-spot area of an image, the
4075 @var{plist} of that hot-spot is consulted; if it contains a @code{help-echo}
4076 property, that defines a tool-tip for the hot-spot, and if it contains
4077 a @code{pointer} property, that defines the shape of the mouse cursor when
4078 it is on the hot-spot.
4079 @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4080
4081 When you click the mouse when the mouse pointer is over a hot-spot, an
4082 event is composed by combining the @var{id} of the hot-spot with the
4083 mouse event; for instance, @code{[area4 mouse-1]} if the hot-spot's
4084 @var{id} is @code{area4}.
4085 @end table
4086
4087 @defun image-mask-p spec &optional frame
4088 This function returns @code{t} if image @var{spec} has a mask bitmap.
4089 @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4090 @var{frame} @code{nil} or omitted means to use the selected frame
4091 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
4092 @end defun
4093
4094 @node XBM Images
4095 @subsection XBM Images
4096 @cindex XBM
4097
4098 To use XBM format, specify @code{xbm} as the image type. This image
4099 format doesn't require an external library, so images of this type are
4100 always supported.
4101
4102 Additional image properties supported for the @code{xbm} image type are:
4103
4104 @table @code
4105 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4106 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4107 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4108 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4109 foreground color.
4110
4111 @item :background @var{background}
4112 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4113 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4114 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4115 background color.
4116 @end table
4117
4118 If you specify an XBM image using data within Emacs instead of an
4119 external file, use the following three properties:
4120
4121 @table @code
4122 @item :data @var{data}
4123 The value, @var{data}, specifies the contents of the image.
4124 There are three formats you can use for @var{data}:
4125
4126 @itemize @bullet
4127 @item
4128 A vector of strings or bool-vectors, each specifying one line of the
4129 image. Do specify @code{:height} and @code{:width}.
4130
4131 @item
4132 A string containing the same byte sequence as an XBM file would contain.
4133 You must not specify @code{:height} and @code{:width} in this case,
4134 because omitting them is what indicates the data has the format of an
4135 XBM file. The file contents specify the height and width of the image.
4136
4137 @item
4138 A string or a bool-vector containing the bits of the image (plus perhaps
4139 some extra bits at the end that will not be used). It should contain at
4140 least @var{width} * @code{height} bits. In this case, you must specify
4141 @code{:height} and @code{:width}, both to indicate that the string
4142 contains just the bits rather than a whole XBM file, and to specify the
4143 size of the image.
4144 @end itemize
4145
4146 @item :width @var{width}
4147 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image, in pixels.
4148
4149 @item :height @var{height}
4150 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image, in pixels.
4151 @end table
4152
4153 @node XPM Images
4154 @subsection XPM Images
4155 @cindex XPM
4156
4157 To use XPM format, specify @code{xpm} as the image type. The
4158 additional image property @code{:color-symbols} is also meaningful with
4159 the @code{xpm} image type:
4160
4161 @table @code
4162 @item :color-symbols @var{symbols}
4163 The value, @var{symbols}, should be an alist whose elements have the
4164 form @code{(@var{name} . @var{color})}. In each element, @var{name} is
4165 the name of a color as it appears in the image file, and @var{color}
4166 specifies the actual color to use for displaying that name.
4167 @end table
4168
4169 @node GIF Images
4170 @subsection GIF Images
4171 @cindex GIF
4172
4173 For GIF images, specify image type @code{gif}.
4174
4175 @table @code
4176 @item :index @var{index}
4177 You can use @code{:index} to specify one image from a GIF file that
4178 contains more than one image. This property specifies use of image
4179 number @var{index} from the file. If the GIF file doesn't contain an
4180 image with index @var{index}, the image displays as a hollow box.
4181 @end table
4182
4183 @ignore
4184 This could be used to implement limited support for animated GIFs.
4185 For example, the following function displays a multi-image GIF file
4186 at point-min in the current buffer, switching between sub-images
4187 every 0.1 seconds.
4188
4189 (defun show-anim (file max)
4190 "Display multi-image GIF file FILE which contains MAX subimages."
4191 (display-anim (current-buffer) file 0 max t))
4192
4193 (defun display-anim (buffer file idx max first-time)
4194 (when (= idx max)
4195 (setq idx 0))
4196 (let ((img (create-image file nil :image idx)))
4197 (save-excursion
4198 (set-buffer buffer)
4199 (goto-char (point-min))
4200 (unless first-time (delete-char 1))
4201 (insert-image img))
4202 (run-with-timer 0.1 nil 'display-anim buffer file (1+ idx) max nil)))
4203 @end ignore
4204
4205 @node PostScript Images
4206 @subsection PostScript Images
4207 @cindex postscript images
4208
4209 To use PostScript for an image, specify image type @code{postscript}.
4210 This works only if you have Ghostscript installed. You must always use
4211 these three properties:
4212
4213 @table @code
4214 @item :pt-width @var{width}
4215 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image measured in
4216 points (1/72 inch). @var{width} must be an integer.
4217
4218 @item :pt-height @var{height}
4219 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image in points
4220 (1/72 inch). @var{height} must be an integer.
4221
4222 @item :bounding-box @var{box}
4223 The value, @var{box}, must be a list or vector of four integers, which
4224 specifying the bounding box of the PostScript image, analogous to the
4225 @samp{BoundingBox} comment found in PostScript files.
4226
4227 @example
4228 %%BoundingBox: 22 171 567 738
4229 @end example
4230 @end table
4231
4232 Displaying PostScript images from Lisp data is not currently
4233 implemented, but it may be implemented by the time you read this.
4234 See the @file{etc/NEWS} file to make sure.
4235
4236 @node Other Image Types
4237 @subsection Other Image Types
4238 @cindex PBM
4239
4240 For PBM images, specify image type @code{pbm}. Color, gray-scale and
4241 monochromatic images are supported. For mono PBM images, two additional
4242 image properties are supported.
4243
4244 @table @code
4245 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4246 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4247 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4248 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4249 foreground color.
4250
4251 @item :background @var{background}
4252 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4253 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4254 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4255 background color.
4256 @end table
4257
4258 For JPEG images, specify image type @code{jpeg}.
4259
4260 For TIFF images, specify image type @code{tiff}.
4261
4262 For PNG images, specify image type @code{png}.
4263
4264 For SVG images, specify image type @code{svg}.
4265
4266 @node Defining Images
4267 @subsection Defining Images
4268
4269 The functions @code{create-image}, @code{defimage} and
4270 @code{find-image} provide convenient ways to create image descriptors.
4271
4272 @defun create-image file-or-data &optional type data-p &rest props
4273 This function creates and returns an image descriptor which uses the
4274 data in @var{file-or-data}. @var{file-or-data} can be a file name or
4275 a string containing the image data; @var{data-p} should be @code{nil}
4276 for the former case, non-@code{nil} for the latter case.
4277
4278 The optional argument @var{type} is a symbol specifying the image type.
4279 If @var{type} is omitted or @code{nil}, @code{create-image} tries to
4280 determine the image type from the file's first few bytes, or else
4281 from the file's name.
4282
4283 The remaining arguments, @var{props}, specify additional image
4284 properties---for example,
4285
4286 @example
4287 (create-image "foo.xpm" 'xpm nil :heuristic-mask t)
4288 @end example
4289
4290 The function returns @code{nil} if images of this type are not
4291 supported. Otherwise it returns an image descriptor.
4292 @end defun
4293
4294 @defmac defimage symbol specs &optional doc
4295 This macro defines @var{symbol} as an image name. The arguments
4296 @var{specs} is a list which specifies how to display the image.
4297 The third argument, @var{doc}, is an optional documentation string.
4298
4299 Each argument in @var{specs} has the form of a property list, and each
4300 one should specify at least the @code{:type} property and either the
4301 @code{:file} or the @code{:data} property. The value of @code{:type}
4302 should be a symbol specifying the image type, the value of
4303 @code{:file} is the file to load the image from, and the value of
4304 @code{:data} is a string containing the actual image data. Here is an
4305 example:
4306
4307 @example
4308 (defimage test-image
4309 ((:type xpm :file "~/test1.xpm")
4310 (:type xbm :file "~/test1.xbm")))
4311 @end example
4312
4313 @code{defimage} tests each argument, one by one, to see if it is
4314 usable---that is, if the type is supported and the file exists. The
4315 first usable argument is used to make an image descriptor which is
4316 stored in @var{symbol}.
4317
4318 If none of the alternatives will work, then @var{symbol} is defined
4319 as @code{nil}.
4320 @end defmac
4321
4322 @defun find-image specs
4323 This function provides a convenient way to find an image satisfying one
4324 of a list of image specifications @var{specs}.
4325
4326 Each specification in @var{specs} is a property list with contents
4327 depending on image type. All specifications must at least contain the
4328 properties @code{:type @var{type}} and either @w{@code{:file @var{file}}}
4329 or @w{@code{:data @var{DATA}}}, where @var{type} is a symbol specifying
4330 the image type, e.g.@: @code{xbm}, @var{file} is the file to load the
4331 image from, and @var{data} is a string containing the actual image data.
4332 The first specification in the list whose @var{type} is supported, and
4333 @var{file} exists, is used to construct the image specification to be
4334 returned. If no specification is satisfied, @code{nil} is returned.
4335
4336 The image is looked for in @code{image-load-path}.
4337 @end defun
4338
4339 @defvar image-load-path
4340 This variable's value is a list of locations in which to search for
4341 image files. If an element is a string or a variable symbol whose
4342 value is a string, the string is taken to be the name of a directory
4343 to search. If an element is a variable symbol whose value is a list,
4344 that is taken to be a list of directory names to search.
4345
4346 The default is to search in the @file{images} subdirectory of the
4347 directory specified by @code{data-directory}, then the directory
4348 specified by @code{data-directory}, and finally in the directories in
4349 @code{load-path}. Subdirectories are not automatically included in
4350 the search, so if you put an image file in a subdirectory, you have to
4351 supply the subdirectory name explicitly. For example, to find the
4352 image @file{images/foo/bar.xpm} within @code{data-directory}, you
4353 should specify the image as follows:
4354
4355 @example
4356 (defimage foo-image '((:type xpm :file "foo/bar.xpm")))
4357 @end example
4358 @end defvar
4359
4360 @defun image-load-path-for-library library image &optional path no-error
4361 This function returns a suitable search path for images used by the
4362 Lisp package @var{library}.
4363
4364 The function searches for @var{image} first using @code{image-load-path},
4365 excluding @file{@code{data-directory}/images}, and then in
4366 @code{load-path}, followed by a path suitable for @var{library}, which
4367 includes @file{../../etc/images} and @file{../etc/images} relative to
4368 the library file itself, and finally in
4369 @file{@code{data-directory}/images}.
4370
4371 Then this function returns a list of directories which contains first
4372 the directory in which @var{image} was found, followed by the value of
4373 @code{load-path}. If @var{path} is given, it is used instead of
4374 @code{load-path}.
4375
4376 If @var{no-error} is non-@code{nil} and a suitable path can't be
4377 found, don't signal an error. Instead, return a list of directories as
4378 before, except that @code{nil} appears in place of the image directory.
4379
4380 Here is an example that uses a common idiom to provide compatibility
4381 with versions of Emacs that lack the variable @code{image-load-path}:
4382
4383 @example
4384 (defvar image-load-path) ; shush compiler
4385 (let* ((load-path (image-load-path-for-library
4386 "mh-e" "mh-logo.xpm"))
4387 (image-load-path (cons (car load-path)
4388 (when (boundp 'image-load-path)
4389 image-load-path))))
4390 (mh-tool-bar-folder-buttons-init))
4391 @end example
4392 @end defun
4393
4394 @node Showing Images
4395 @subsection Showing Images
4396
4397 You can use an image descriptor by setting up the @code{display}
4398 property yourself, but it is easier to use the functions in this
4399 section.
4400
4401 @defun insert-image image &optional string area slice
4402 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point. The
4403 value @var{image} should be an image descriptor; it could be a value
4404 returned by @code{create-image}, or the value of a symbol defined with
4405 @code{defimage}. The argument @var{string} specifies the text to put
4406 in the buffer to hold the image. If it is omitted or @code{nil},
4407 @code{insert-image} uses @code{" "} by default.
4408
4409 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4410 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4411 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4412 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4413 buffer's text.
4414
4415 The argument @var{slice} specifies a slice of the image to insert. If
4416 @var{slice} is @code{nil} or omitted the whole image is inserted.
4417 Otherwise, @var{slice} is a list @code{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{width}
4418 @var{height})} which specifies the @var{x} and @var{y} positions and
4419 @var{width} and @var{height} of the image area to insert. Integer
4420 values are in units of pixels. A floating point number in the range
4421 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height of the entire
4422 image.
4423
4424 Internally, this function inserts @var{string} in the buffer, and gives
4425 it a @code{display} property which specifies @var{image}. @xref{Display
4426 Property}.
4427 @end defun
4428
4429 @defun insert-sliced-image image &optional string area rows cols
4430 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point, like
4431 @code{insert-image}, but splits the image into @var{rows}x@var{cols}
4432 equally sized slices.
4433 @end defun
4434
4435 @defun put-image image pos &optional string area
4436 This function puts image @var{image} in front of @var{pos} in the
4437 current buffer. The argument @var{pos} should be an integer or a
4438 marker. It specifies the buffer position where the image should appear.
4439 The argument @var{string} specifies the text that should hold the image
4440 as an alternative to the default.
4441
4442 The argument @var{image} must be an image descriptor, perhaps returned
4443 by @code{create-image} or stored by @code{defimage}.
4444
4445 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4446 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4447 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4448 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4449 buffer's text.
4450
4451 Internally, this function creates an overlay, and gives it a
4452 @code{before-string} property containing text that has a @code{display}
4453 property whose value is the image. (Whew!)
4454 @end defun
4455
4456 @defun remove-images start end &optional buffer
4457 This function removes images in @var{buffer} between positions
4458 @var{start} and @var{end}. If @var{buffer} is omitted or @code{nil},
4459 images are removed from the current buffer.
4460
4461 This removes only images that were put into @var{buffer} the way
4462 @code{put-image} does it, not images that were inserted with
4463 @code{insert-image} or in other ways.
4464 @end defun
4465
4466 @defun image-size spec &optional pixels frame
4467 This function returns the size of an image as a pair
4468 @w{@code{(@var{width} . @var{height})}}. @var{spec} is an image
4469 specification. @var{pixels} non-@code{nil} means return sizes
4470 measured in pixels, otherwise return sizes measured in canonical
4471 character units (fractions of the width/height of the frame's default
4472 font). @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4473 @var{frame} null or omitted means use the selected frame (@pxref{Input
4474 Focus}).
4475 @end defun
4476
4477 @defvar max-image-size
4478 This variable is used to define the maximum size of image that Emacs
4479 will load. Emacs will refuse to load (and display) any image that is
4480 larger than this limit.
4481
4482 If the value is an integer, it directly specifies the maximum
4483 image height and width, measured in pixels. If it is a floating
4484 point number, it specifies the maximum image height and width
4485 as a ratio to the frame height and width. If the value is
4486 non-numeric, there is no explicit limit on the size of images.
4487
4488 The purpose of this variable is to prevent unreasonably large images
4489 from accidentally being loaded into Emacs. It only takes effect the
4490 first time an image is loaded. Once an image is placed in the image
4491 cache, it can always be displayed, even if the value of
4492 @var{max-image-size} is subsequently changed (@pxref{Image Cache}).
4493 @end defvar
4494
4495 @node Image Cache
4496 @subsection Image Cache
4497 @cindex image cache
4498
4499 Emacs stores images in an image cache so that it can display them
4500 again more efficiently. When Emacs displays an image, it searches the
4501 image cache for an existing image specification @code{equal} to the
4502 desired specification. If a match is found, the image is displayed
4503 from the cache; otherwise, Emacs loads the image normally.
4504
4505 Occasionally, you may need to tell Emacs to refresh the images
4506 associated with a given image specification. For example, suppose you
4507 display an image using a specification that contains a @code{:file}
4508 property. The image is loaded from the given file and stored in the
4509 image cache. If you later display the image again, using the same
4510 image specification, the image is displayed from the image cache.
4511 Normally, this is not a problem. However, if the image file has
4512 changed in the meantime, Emacs would be displaying the old version of
4513 the image. In such a situation, it is necessary to ``refresh'' the
4514 image using @code{image-refresh}.
4515
4516 @defun image-refresh spec &optional frame
4517 This function refreshes any images having image specifications
4518 @code{equal} to @var{spec} on frame @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is
4519 @code{nil}, the selected frame is used. If @var{frame} is @code{t},
4520 the refresh is applied to all existing frames.
4521
4522 This works by removing all image with image specifications matching
4523 @var{spec} from the image cache. Thus, the next time the image is
4524 displayed, Emacs will load the image again.
4525 @end defun
4526
4527 @defun clear-image-cache &optional filter
4528 This function clears the image cache. If @var{filter} is
4529 a frame, only the cache for that frame is cleared. If omitted or
4530 @code{nil}, clear the images on the selected frame. If @code{t},
4531 all frames' caches are cleared. Otherwise, @var{filter} is taken as
4532 a file name and only images that reference this file will be flushed.
4533 @end defun
4534
4535 If an image in the image cache has not been displayed for a specified
4536 period of time, Emacs removes it from the cache and frees the
4537 associated memory.
4538
4539 @defvar image-cache-eviction-delay
4540 This variable specifies the number of seconds an image can remain in the
4541 cache without being displayed. When an image is not displayed for this
4542 length of time, Emacs removes it from the image cache.
4543
4544 If the value is @code{nil}, Emacs does not remove images from the cache
4545 except when you explicitly clear it. This mode can be useful for
4546 debugging.
4547 @end defvar
4548
4549 @node Buttons
4550 @section Buttons
4551 @cindex buttons in buffers
4552 @cindex clickable buttons in buffers
4553
4554 The @emph{button} package defines functions for inserting and
4555 manipulating clickable (with the mouse, or via keyboard commands)
4556 buttons in Emacs buffers, such as might be used for help hyper-links,
4557 etc. Emacs uses buttons for the hyper-links in help text and the like.
4558
4559 A button is essentially a set of properties attached (via text
4560 properties or overlays) to a region of text in an Emacs buffer. These
4561 properties are called @dfn{button properties}.
4562
4563 One of these properties (@code{action}) is a function, which will
4564 be called when the user invokes it using the keyboard or the mouse.
4565 The invoked function may then examine the button and use its other
4566 properties as desired.
4567
4568 In some ways the Emacs button package duplicates functionality offered
4569 by the widget package (@pxref{Top, , Introduction, widget, The Emacs
4570 Widget Library}), but the button package has the advantage that it is
4571 much faster, much smaller, and much simpler to use (for elisp
4572 programmers---for users, the result is about the same). The extra
4573 speed and space savings are useful mainly if you need to create many
4574 buttons in a buffer (for instance an @code{*Apropos*} buffer uses
4575 buttons to make entries clickable, and may contain many thousands of
4576 entries).
4577
4578 @menu
4579 * Button Properties:: Button properties with special meanings.
4580 * Button Types:: Defining common properties for classes of buttons.
4581 * Making Buttons:: Adding buttons to Emacs buffers.
4582 * Manipulating Buttons:: Getting and setting properties of buttons.
4583 * Button Buffer Commands:: Buffer-wide commands and bindings for buttons.
4584 @end menu
4585
4586 @node Button Properties
4587 @subsection Button Properties
4588 @cindex button properties
4589
4590 Buttons have an associated list of properties defining their
4591 appearance and behavior, and other arbitrary properties may be used
4592 for application specific purposes. Some properties that have special
4593 meaning to the button package include:
4594
4595 @table @code
4596 @item action
4597 @kindex action @r{(button property)}
4598 The function to call when the user invokes the button, which is passed
4599 the single argument @var{button}. By default this is @code{ignore},
4600 which does nothing.
4601
4602 @item mouse-action
4603 @kindex mouse-action @r{(button property)}
4604 This is similar to @code{action}, and when present, will be used
4605 instead of @code{action} for button invocations resulting from
4606 mouse-clicks (instead of the user hitting @key{RET}). If not
4607 present, mouse-clicks use @code{action} instead.
4608
4609 @item face
4610 @kindex face @r{(button property)}
4611 This is an Emacs face controlling how buttons of this type are
4612 displayed; by default this is the @code{button} face.
4613
4614 @item mouse-face
4615 @kindex mouse-face @r{(button property)}
4616 This is an additional face which controls appearance during
4617 mouse-overs (merged with the usual button face); by default this is
4618 the usual Emacs @code{highlight} face.
4619
4620 @item keymap
4621 @kindex keymap @r{(button property)}
4622 The button's keymap, defining bindings active within the button
4623 region. By default this is the usual button region keymap, stored
4624 in the variable @code{button-map}, which defines @key{RET} and
4625 @key{mouse-2} to invoke the button.
4626
4627 @item type
4628 @kindex type @r{(button property)}
4629 The button-type of the button. When creating a button, this is
4630 usually specified using the @code{:type} keyword argument.
4631 @xref{Button Types}.
4632
4633 @item help-echo
4634 @kindex help-index @r{(button property)}
4635 A string displayed by the Emacs tool-tip help system; by default,
4636 @code{"mouse-2, RET: Push this button"}.
4637
4638 @item follow-link
4639 @kindex follow-link @r{(button property)}
4640 The follow-link property, defining how a @key{Mouse-1} click behaves
4641 on this button, @xref{Links and Mouse-1}.
4642
4643 @item button
4644 @kindex button @r{(button property)}
4645 All buttons have a non-@code{nil} @code{button} property, which may be useful
4646 in finding regions of text that comprise buttons (which is what the
4647 standard button functions do).
4648 @end table
4649
4650 There are other properties defined for the regions of text in a
4651 button, but these are not generally interesting for typical uses.
4652
4653 @node Button Types
4654 @subsection Button Types
4655 @cindex button types
4656
4657 Every button has a button @emph{type}, which defines default values
4658 for the button's properties. Button types are arranged in a
4659 hierarchy, with specialized types inheriting from more general types,
4660 so that it's easy to define special-purpose types of buttons for
4661 specific tasks.
4662
4663 @defun define-button-type name &rest properties
4664 Define a `button type' called @var{name} (a symbol).
4665 The remaining arguments
4666 form a sequence of @var{property value} pairs, specifying default
4667 property values for buttons with this type (a button's type may be set
4668 by giving it a @code{type} property when creating the button, using
4669 the @code{:type} keyword argument).
4670
4671 In addition, the keyword argument @code{:supertype} may be used to
4672 specify a button-type from which @var{name} inherits its default
4673 property values. Note that this inheritance happens only when
4674 @var{name} is defined; subsequent changes to a supertype are not
4675 reflected in its subtypes.
4676 @end defun
4677
4678 Using @code{define-button-type} to define default properties for
4679 buttons is not necessary---buttons without any specified type use the
4680 built-in button-type @code{button}---but it is encouraged, since
4681 doing so usually makes the resulting code clearer and more efficient.
4682
4683 @node Making Buttons
4684 @subsection Making Buttons
4685 @cindex making buttons
4686
4687 Buttons are associated with a region of text, using an overlay or
4688 text properties to hold button-specific information, all of which are
4689 initialized from the button's type (which defaults to the built-in
4690 button type @code{button}). Like all Emacs text, the appearance of
4691 the button is governed by the @code{face} property; by default (via
4692 the @code{face} property inherited from the @code{button} button-type)
4693 this is a simple underline, like a typical web-page link.
4694
4695 For convenience, there are two sorts of button-creation functions,
4696 those that add button properties to an existing region of a buffer,
4697 called @code{make-...button}, and those that also insert the button
4698 text, called @code{insert-...button}.
4699
4700 The button-creation functions all take the @code{&rest} argument
4701 @var{properties}, which should be a sequence of @var{property value}
4702 pairs, specifying properties to add to the button; see @ref{Button
4703 Properties}. In addition, the keyword argument @code{:type} may be
4704 used to specify a button-type from which to inherit other properties;
4705 see @ref{Button Types}. Any properties not explicitly specified
4706 during creation will be inherited from the button's type (if the type
4707 defines such a property).
4708
4709 The following functions add a button using an overlay
4710 (@pxref{Overlays}) to hold the button properties:
4711
4712 @defun make-button beg end &rest properties
4713 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the
4714 current buffer, and returns it.
4715 @end defun
4716
4717 @defun insert-button label &rest properties
4718 This insert a button with the label @var{label} at point,
4719 and returns it.
4720 @end defun
4721
4722 The following functions are similar, but use Emacs text properties
4723 (@pxref{Text Properties}) to hold the button properties, making the
4724 button actually part of the text instead of being a property of the
4725 buffer. Buttons using text properties do not create markers into the
4726 buffer, which is important for speed when you use extremely large
4727 numbers of buttons. Both functions return the position of the start
4728 of the new button:
4729
4730 @defun make-text-button beg end &rest properties
4731 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the current buffer, using
4732 text properties.
4733 @end defun
4734
4735 @defun insert-text-button label &rest properties
4736 This inserts a button with the label @var{label} at point, using text
4737 properties.
4738 @end defun
4739
4740 @node Manipulating Buttons
4741 @subsection Manipulating Buttons
4742 @cindex manipulating buttons
4743
4744 These are functions for getting and setting properties of buttons.
4745 Often these are used by a button's invocation function to determine
4746 what to do.
4747
4748 Where a @var{button} parameter is specified, it means an object
4749 referring to a specific button, either an overlay (for overlay
4750 buttons), or a buffer-position or marker (for text property buttons).
4751 Such an object is passed as the first argument to a button's
4752 invocation function when it is invoked.
4753
4754 @defun button-start button
4755 Return the position at which @var{button} starts.
4756 @end defun
4757
4758 @defun button-end button
4759 Return the position at which @var{button} ends.
4760 @end defun
4761
4762 @defun button-get button prop
4763 Get the property of button @var{button} named @var{prop}.
4764 @end defun
4765
4766 @defun button-put button prop val
4767 Set @var{button}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
4768 @end defun
4769
4770 @defun button-activate button &optional use-mouse-action
4771 Call @var{button}'s @code{action} property (i.e., invoke it). If
4772 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, try to invoke the button's
4773 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
4774 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
4775 @end defun
4776
4777 @defun button-label button
4778 Return @var{button}'s text label.
4779 @end defun
4780
4781 @defun button-type button
4782 Return @var{button}'s button-type.
4783 @end defun
4784
4785 @defun button-has-type-p button type
4786 Return @code{t} if @var{button} has button-type @var{type}, or one of
4787 @var{type}'s subtypes.
4788 @end defun
4789
4790 @defun button-at pos
4791 Return the button at position @var{pos} in the current buffer, or @code{nil}.
4792 @end defun
4793
4794 @defun button-type-put type prop val
4795 Set the button-type @var{type}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
4796 @end defun
4797
4798 @defun button-type-get type prop
4799 Get the property of button-type @var{type} named @var{prop}.
4800 @end defun
4801
4802 @defun button-type-subtype-p type supertype
4803 Return @code{t} if button-type @var{type} is a subtype of @var{supertype}.
4804 @end defun
4805
4806 @node Button Buffer Commands
4807 @subsection Button Buffer Commands
4808 @cindex button buffer commands
4809
4810 These are commands and functions for locating and operating on
4811 buttons in an Emacs buffer.
4812
4813 @code{push-button} is the command that a user uses to actually `push'
4814 a button, and is bound by default in the button itself to @key{RET}
4815 and to @key{mouse-2} using a region-specific keymap. Commands
4816 that are useful outside the buttons itself, such as
4817 @code{forward-button} and @code{backward-button} are additionally
4818 available in the keymap stored in @code{button-buffer-map}; a mode
4819 which uses buttons may want to use @code{button-buffer-map} as a
4820 parent keymap for its keymap.
4821
4822 If the button has a non-@code{nil} @code{follow-link} property, and
4823 @var{mouse-1-click-follows-link} is set, a quick @key{Mouse-1} click
4824 will also activate the @code{push-button} command.
4825 @xref{Links and Mouse-1}.
4826
4827 @deffn Command push-button &optional pos use-mouse-action
4828 Perform the action specified by a button at location @var{pos}.
4829 @var{pos} may be either a buffer position or a mouse-event. If
4830 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, or @var{pos} is a
4831 mouse-event (@pxref{Mouse Events}), try to invoke the button's
4832 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
4833 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
4834 @var{pos} defaults to point, except when @code{push-button} is invoked
4835 interactively as the result of a mouse-event, in which case, the mouse
4836 event's position is used. If there's no button at @var{pos}, do
4837 nothing and return @code{nil}, otherwise return @code{t}.
4838 @end deffn
4839
4840 @deffn Command forward-button n &optional wrap display-message
4841 Move to the @var{n}th next button, or @var{n}th previous button if
4842 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
4843 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
4844 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
4845 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
4846 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
4847 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
4848 @end deffn
4849
4850 @deffn Command backward-button n &optional wrap display-message
4851 Move to the @var{n}th previous button, or @var{n}th next button if
4852 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
4853 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
4854 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
4855 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
4856 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
4857 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
4858 @end deffn
4859
4860 @defun next-button pos &optional count-current
4861 @defunx previous-button pos &optional count-current
4862 Return the next button after (for @code{next-button} or before (for
4863 @code{previous-button}) position @var{pos} in the current buffer. If
4864 @var{count-current} is non-@code{nil}, count any button at @var{pos}
4865 in the search, instead of starting at the next button.
4866 @end defun
4867
4868 @node Abstract Display
4869 @section Abstract Display
4870 @cindex ewoc
4871 @cindex display, abstract
4872 @cindex display, arbitrary objects
4873 @cindex model/view/controller
4874 @cindex view part, model/view/controller
4875
4876 The Ewoc package constructs buffer text that represents a structure
4877 of Lisp objects, and updates the text to follow changes in that
4878 structure. This is like the ``view'' component in the
4879 ``model/view/controller'' design paradigm.
4880
4881 An @dfn{ewoc} is a structure that organizes information required to
4882 construct buffer text that represents certain Lisp data. The buffer
4883 text of the ewoc has three parts, in order: first, fixed @dfn{header}
4884 text; next, textual descriptions of a series of data elements (Lisp
4885 objects that you specify); and last, fixed @dfn{footer} text.
4886 Specifically, an ewoc contains information on:
4887
4888 @itemize @bullet
4889 @item
4890 The buffer which its text is generated in.
4891
4892 @item
4893 The text's start position in the buffer.
4894
4895 @item
4896 The header and footer strings.
4897
4898 @item
4899 A doubly-linked chain of @dfn{nodes}, each of which contains:
4900
4901 @itemize
4902 @item
4903 A @dfn{data element}, a single Lisp object.
4904
4905 @item
4906 Links to the preceding and following nodes in the chain.
4907 @end itemize
4908
4909 @item
4910 A @dfn{pretty-printer} function which is responsible for
4911 inserting the textual representation of a data
4912 element value into the current buffer.
4913 @end itemize
4914
4915 Typically, you define an ewoc with @code{ewoc-create}, and then pass
4916 the resulting ewoc structure to other functions in the Ewoc package to
4917 build nodes within it, and display it in the buffer. Once it is
4918 displayed in the buffer, other functions determine the correspondance
4919 between buffer positions and nodes, move point from one node's textual
4920 representation to another, and so forth. @xref{Abstract Display
4921 Functions}.
4922
4923 A node @dfn{encapsulates} a data element much the way a variable
4924 holds a value. Normally, encapsulation occurs as a part of adding a
4925 node to the ewoc. You can retrieve the data element value and place a
4926 new value in its place, like so:
4927
4928 @lisp
4929 (ewoc-data @var{node})
4930 @result{} value
4931
4932 (ewoc-set-data @var{node} @var{new-value})
4933 @result{} @var{new-value}
4934 @end lisp
4935
4936 @noindent
4937 You can also use, as the data element value, a Lisp object (list or
4938 vector) that is a container for the ``real'' value, or an index into
4939 some other structure. The example (@pxref{Abstract Display Example})
4940 uses the latter approach.
4941
4942 When the data changes, you will want to update the text in the
4943 buffer. You can update all nodes by calling @code{ewoc-refresh}, or
4944 just specific nodes using @code{ewoc-invalidate}, or all nodes
4945 satisfying a predicate using @code{ewoc-map}. Alternatively, you can
4946 delete invalid nodes using @code{ewoc-delete} or @code{ewoc-filter},
4947 and add new nodes in their place. Deleting a node from an ewoc deletes
4948 its associated textual description from buffer, as well.
4949
4950 @menu
4951 * Abstract Display Functions::
4952 * Abstract Display Example::
4953 @end menu
4954
4955 @node Abstract Display Functions
4956 @subsection Abstract Display Functions
4957
4958 In this subsection, @var{ewoc} and @var{node} stand for the
4959 structures described above (@pxref{Abstract Display}), while
4960 @var{data} stands for an arbitrary Lisp object used as a data element.
4961
4962 @defun ewoc-create pretty-printer &optional header footer nosep
4963 This constructs and returns a new ewoc, with no nodes (and thus no data
4964 elements). @var{pretty-printer} should be a function that takes one
4965 argument, a data element of the sort you plan to use in this ewoc, and
4966 inserts its textual description at point using @code{insert} (and never
4967 @code{insert-before-markers}, because that would interfere with the
4968 Ewoc package's internal mechanisms).
4969
4970 Normally, a newline is automatically inserted after the header,
4971 the footer and every node's textual description. If @var{nosep}
4972 is non-@code{nil}, no newline is inserted. This may be useful for
4973 displaying an entire ewoc on a single line, for example, or for
4974 making nodes ``invisible'' by arranging for @var{pretty-printer}
4975 to do nothing for those nodes.
4976
4977 An ewoc maintains its text in the buffer that is current when
4978 you create it, so switch to the intended buffer before calling
4979 @code{ewoc-create}.
4980 @end defun
4981
4982 @defun ewoc-buffer ewoc
4983 This returns the buffer where @var{ewoc} maintains its text.
4984 @end defun
4985
4986 @defun ewoc-get-hf ewoc
4987 This returns a cons cell @code{(@var{header} . @var{footer})}
4988 made from @var{ewoc}'s header and footer.
4989 @end defun
4990
4991 @defun ewoc-set-hf ewoc header footer
4992 This sets the header and footer of @var{ewoc} to the strings
4993 @var{header} and @var{footer}, respectively.
4994 @end defun
4995
4996 @defun ewoc-enter-first ewoc data
4997 @defunx ewoc-enter-last ewoc data
4998 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, putting it, respectively,
4999 at the beginning or end of @var{ewoc}'s chain of nodes.
5000 @end defun
5001
5002 @defun ewoc-enter-before ewoc node data
5003 @defunx ewoc-enter-after ewoc node data
5004 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, adding it to
5005 @var{ewoc} before or after @var{node}, respectively.
5006 @end defun
5007
5008 @defun ewoc-prev ewoc node
5009 @defunx ewoc-next ewoc node
5010 These return, respectively, the previous node and the next node of @var{node}
5011 in @var{ewoc}.
5012 @end defun
5013
5014 @defun ewoc-nth ewoc n
5015 This returns the node in @var{ewoc} found at zero-based index @var{n}.
5016 A negative @var{n} means count from the end. @code{ewoc-nth} returns
5017 @code{nil} if @var{n} is out of range.
5018 @end defun
5019
5020 @defun ewoc-data node
5021 This extracts the data encapsulated by @var{node} and returns it.
5022 @end defun
5023
5024 @defun ewoc-set-data node data
5025 This sets the data encapsulated by @var{node} to @var{data}.
5026 @end defun
5027
5028 @defun ewoc-locate ewoc &optional pos guess
5029 This determines the node in @var{ewoc} which contains point (or
5030 @var{pos} if specified), and returns that node. If @var{ewoc} has no
5031 nodes, it returns @code{nil}. If @var{pos} is before the first node,
5032 it returns the first node; if @var{pos} is after the last node, it returns
5033 the last node. The optional third arg @var{guess}
5034 should be a node that is likely to be near @var{pos}; this doesn't
5035 alter the result, but makes the function run faster.
5036 @end defun
5037
5038 @defun ewoc-location node
5039 This returns the start position of @var{node}.
5040 @end defun
5041
5042 @defun ewoc-goto-prev ewoc arg
5043 @defunx ewoc-goto-next ewoc arg
5044 These move point to the previous or next, respectively, @var{arg}th node
5045 in @var{ewoc}. @code{ewoc-goto-prev} does not move if it is already at
5046 the first node or if @var{ewoc} is empty, whereas @code{ewoc-goto-next}
5047 moves past the last node, returning @code{nil}. Excepting this special
5048 case, these functions return the node moved to.
5049 @end defun
5050
5051 @defun ewoc-goto-node ewoc node
5052 This moves point to the start of @var{node} in @var{ewoc}.
5053 @end defun
5054
5055 @defun ewoc-refresh ewoc
5056 This function regenerates the text of @var{ewoc}. It works by
5057 deleting the text between the header and the footer, i.e., all the
5058 data elements' representations, and then calling the pretty-printer
5059 function for each node, one by one, in order.
5060 @end defun
5061
5062 @defun ewoc-invalidate ewoc &rest nodes
5063 This is similar to @code{ewoc-refresh}, except that only @var{nodes} in
5064 @var{ewoc} are updated instead of the entire set.
5065 @end defun
5066
5067 @defun ewoc-delete ewoc &rest nodes
5068 This deletes each node in @var{nodes} from @var{ewoc}.
5069 @end defun
5070
5071 @defun ewoc-filter ewoc predicate &rest args
5072 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5073 deletes those nodes for which @var{predicate} returns @code{nil}.
5074 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5075 @end defun
5076
5077 @defun ewoc-collect ewoc predicate &rest args
5078 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc}
5079 and returns a list of those elements for which @var{predicate}
5080 returns non-@code{nil}. The elements in the list are ordered
5081 as in the buffer. Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5082 @end defun
5083
5084 @defun ewoc-map map-function ewoc &rest args
5085 This calls @var{map-function} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5086 updates those nodes for which @var{map-function} returns non-@code{nil}.
5087 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{map-function}.
5088 @end defun
5089
5090 @node Abstract Display Example
5091 @subsection Abstract Display Example
5092
5093 Here is a simple example using functions of the ewoc package to
5094 implement a ``color components display,'' an area in a buffer that
5095 represents a vector of three integers (itself representing a 24-bit RGB
5096 value) in various ways.
5097
5098 @example
5099 (setq colorcomp-ewoc nil
5100 colorcomp-data nil
5101 colorcomp-mode-map nil
5102 colorcomp-labels ["Red" "Green" "Blue"])
5103
5104 (defun colorcomp-pp (data)
5105 (if data
5106 (let ((comp (aref colorcomp-data data)))
5107 (insert (aref colorcomp-labels data) "\t: #x"
5108 (format "%02X" comp) " "
5109 (make-string (ash comp -2) ?#) "\n"))
5110 (let ((cstr (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5111 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5112 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5113 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5114 (samp " (sample text) "))
5115 (insert "Color\t: "
5116 (propertize samp 'face `(foreground-color . ,cstr))
5117 (propertize samp 'face `(background-color . ,cstr))
5118 "\n"))))
5119
5120 (defun colorcomp (color)
5121 "Allow fiddling with COLOR in a new buffer.
5122 The buffer is in Color Components mode."
5123 (interactive "sColor (name or #RGB or #RRGGBB): ")
5124 (when (string= "" color)
5125 (setq color "green"))
5126 (unless (color-values color)
5127 (error "No such color: %S" color))
5128 (switch-to-buffer
5129 (generate-new-buffer (format "originally: %s" color)))
5130 (kill-all-local-variables)
5131 (setq major-mode 'colorcomp-mode
5132 mode-name "Color Components")
5133 (use-local-map colorcomp-mode-map)
5134 (erase-buffer)
5135 (buffer-disable-undo)
5136 (let ((data (apply 'vector (mapcar (lambda (n) (ash n -8))
5137 (color-values color))))
5138 (ewoc (ewoc-create 'colorcomp-pp
5139 "\nColor Components\n\n"
5140 (substitute-command-keys
5141 "\n\\@{colorcomp-mode-map@}"))))
5142 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-data) data)
5143 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-ewoc) ewoc)
5144 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 0)
5145 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 1)
5146 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 2)
5147 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc nil)))
5148 @end example
5149
5150 @cindex controller part, model/view/controller
5151 This example can be extended to be a ``color selection widget'' (in
5152 other words, the controller part of the ``model/view/controller''
5153 design paradigm) by defining commands to modify @code{colorcomp-data}
5154 and to ``finish'' the selection process, and a keymap to tie it all
5155 together conveniently.
5156
5157 @smallexample
5158 (defun colorcomp-mod (index limit delta)
5159 (let ((cur (aref colorcomp-data index)))
5160 (unless (= limit cur)
5161 (aset colorcomp-data index (+ cur delta)))
5162 (ewoc-invalidate
5163 colorcomp-ewoc
5164 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc index)
5165 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc -1))))
5166
5167 (defun colorcomp-R-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 255 1))
5168 (defun colorcomp-G-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 255 1))
5169 (defun colorcomp-B-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 255 1))
5170 (defun colorcomp-R-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 0 -1))
5171 (defun colorcomp-G-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 0 -1))
5172 (defun colorcomp-B-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 0 -1))
5173
5174 (defun colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit ()
5175 "Copy the color components into the kill ring and kill the buffer.
5176 The string is formatted #RRGGBB (hash followed by six hex digits)."
5177 (interactive)
5178 (kill-new (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5179 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5180 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5181 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5182 (kill-buffer nil))
5183
5184 (setq colorcomp-mode-map
5185 (let ((m (make-sparse-keymap)))
5186 (suppress-keymap m)
5187 (define-key m "i" 'colorcomp-R-less)
5188 (define-key m "o" 'colorcomp-R-more)
5189 (define-key m "k" 'colorcomp-G-less)
5190 (define-key m "l" 'colorcomp-G-more)
5191 (define-key m "," 'colorcomp-B-less)
5192 (define-key m "." 'colorcomp-B-more)
5193 (define-key m " " 'colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit)
5194 m))
5195 @end smallexample
5196
5197 Note that we never modify the data in each node, which is fixed when the
5198 ewoc is created to be either @code{nil} or an index into the vector
5199 @code{colorcomp-data}, the actual color components.
5200
5201 @node Blinking
5202 @section Blinking Parentheses
5203 @cindex parenthesis matching
5204 @cindex blinking parentheses
5205 @cindex balancing parentheses
5206
5207 This section describes the mechanism by which Emacs shows a matching
5208 open parenthesis when the user inserts a close parenthesis.
5209
5210 @defvar blink-paren-function
5211 The value of this variable should be a function (of no arguments) to
5212 be called whenever a character with close parenthesis syntax is inserted.
5213 The value of @code{blink-paren-function} may be @code{nil}, in which
5214 case nothing is done.
5215 @end defvar
5216
5217 @defopt blink-matching-paren
5218 If this variable is @code{nil}, then @code{blink-matching-open} does
5219 nothing.
5220 @end defopt
5221
5222 @defopt blink-matching-paren-distance
5223 This variable specifies the maximum distance to scan for a matching
5224 parenthesis before giving up.
5225 @end defopt
5226
5227 @defopt blink-matching-delay
5228 This variable specifies the number of seconds for the cursor to remain
5229 at the matching parenthesis. A fraction of a second often gives
5230 good results, but the default is 1, which works on all systems.
5231 @end defopt
5232
5233 @deffn Command blink-matching-open
5234 This function is the default value of @code{blink-paren-function}. It
5235 assumes that point follows a character with close parenthesis syntax and
5236 moves the cursor momentarily to the matching opening character. If that
5237 character is not already on the screen, it displays the character's
5238 context in the echo area. To avoid long delays, this function does not
5239 search farther than @code{blink-matching-paren-distance} characters.
5240
5241 Here is an example of calling this function explicitly.
5242
5243 @smallexample
5244 @group
5245 (defun interactive-blink-matching-open ()
5246 @c Do not break this line! -- rms.
5247 @c The first line of a doc string
5248 @c must stand alone.
5249 "Indicate momentarily the start of sexp before point."
5250 (interactive)
5251 @end group
5252 @group
5253 (let ((blink-matching-paren-distance
5254 (buffer-size))
5255 (blink-matching-paren t))
5256 (blink-matching-open)))
5257 @end group
5258 @end smallexample
5259 @end deffn
5260
5261 @node Usual Display
5262 @section Usual Display Conventions
5263
5264 The usual display conventions define how to display each character
5265 code. You can override these conventions by setting up a display table
5266 (@pxref{Display Tables}). Here are the usual display conventions:
5267
5268 @itemize @bullet
5269 @item
5270 Character codes 32 through 126 map to glyph codes 32 through 126.
5271 Normally this means they display as themselves.
5272
5273 @item
5274 Character code 9 is a horizontal tab. It displays as whitespace
5275 up to a position determined by @code{tab-width}.
5276
5277 @item
5278 Character code 10 is a newline.
5279
5280 @item
5281 All other codes in the range 0 through 31, and code 127, display in one
5282 of two ways according to the value of @code{ctl-arrow}. If it is
5283 non-@code{nil}, these codes map to sequences of two glyphs, where the
5284 first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{^}. (A display table can
5285 specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{^}.) Otherwise, these codes map
5286 just like the codes in the range 128 to 255.
5287
5288 On MS-DOS terminals, Emacs arranges by default for the character code
5289 127 to be mapped to the glyph code 127, which normally displays as an
5290 empty polygon. This glyph is used to display non-@acronym{ASCII} characters
5291 that the MS-DOS terminal doesn't support. @xref{MS-DOS and MULE,,,
5292 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
5293
5294 @item
5295 Character codes 128 through 255 map to sequences of four glyphs, where
5296 the first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{\}, and the others are
5297 digit characters representing the character code in octal. (A display
5298 table can specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{\}.)
5299
5300 @item
5301 Multibyte character codes above 256 are displayed as themselves, or as a
5302 question mark or empty box if the terminal cannot display that
5303 character.
5304 @end itemize
5305
5306 The usual display conventions apply even when there is a display
5307 table, for any character whose entry in the active display table is
5308 @code{nil}. Thus, when you set up a display table, you need only
5309 specify the characters for which you want special behavior.
5310
5311 These display rules apply to carriage return (character code 13), when
5312 it appears in the buffer. But that character may not appear in the
5313 buffer where you expect it, if it was eliminated as part of end-of-line
5314 conversion (@pxref{Coding System Basics}).
5315
5316 These variables affect the way certain characters are displayed on the
5317 screen. Since they change the number of columns the characters occupy,
5318 they also affect the indentation functions. These variables also affect
5319 how the mode line is displayed; if you want to force redisplay of the
5320 mode line using the new values, call the function
5321 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5322
5323 @defopt ctl-arrow
5324 @cindex control characters in display
5325 This buffer-local variable controls how control characters are
5326 displayed. If it is non-@code{nil}, they are displayed as a caret
5327 followed by the character: @samp{^A}. If it is @code{nil}, they are
5328 displayed as a backslash followed by three octal digits: @samp{\001}.
5329 @end defopt
5330
5331 @c Following may have overfull hbox.
5332 @defvar default-ctl-arrow
5333 The value of this variable is the default value for @code{ctl-arrow} in
5334 buffers that do not override it. @xref{Default Value}.
5335 @end defvar
5336
5337 @defopt tab-width
5338 The value of this buffer-local variable is the spacing between tab
5339 stops used for displaying tab characters in Emacs buffers. The value
5340 is in units of columns, and the default is 8. Note that this feature
5341 is completely independent of the user-settable tab stops used by the
5342 command @code{tab-to-tab-stop}. @xref{Indent Tabs}.
5343 @end defopt
5344
5345 @node Display Tables
5346 @section Display Tables
5347
5348 @cindex display table
5349 You can use the @dfn{display table} feature to control how all possible
5350 character codes display on the screen. This is useful for displaying
5351 European languages that have letters not in the @acronym{ASCII} character
5352 set.
5353
5354 The display table maps each character code into a sequence of
5355 @dfn{glyphs}, each glyph being a graphic that takes up one character
5356 position on the screen. You can also define how to display each glyph
5357 on your terminal, using the @dfn{glyph table}.
5358
5359 Display tables affect how the mode line is displayed; if you want to
5360 force redisplay of the mode line using a new display table, call
5361 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5362
5363 @menu
5364 * Display Table Format:: What a display table consists of.
5365 * Active Display Table:: How Emacs selects a display table to use.
5366 * Glyphs:: How to define a glyph, and what glyphs mean.
5367 @end menu
5368
5369 @node Display Table Format
5370 @subsection Display Table Format
5371
5372 A display table is actually a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with
5373 @code{display-table} as its subtype.
5374
5375 @defun make-display-table
5376 This creates and returns a display table. The table initially has
5377 @code{nil} in all elements.
5378 @end defun
5379
5380 The ordinary elements of the display table are indexed by character
5381 codes; the element at index @var{c} says how to display the character
5382 code @var{c}. The value should be @code{nil} or a vector of the
5383 glyphs to be output (@pxref{Glyphs}). @code{nil} says to display the
5384 character @var{c} according to the usual display conventions
5385 (@pxref{Usual Display}).
5386
5387 @strong{Warning:} if you use the display table to change the display
5388 of newline characters, the whole buffer will be displayed as one long
5389 ``line.''
5390
5391 The display table also has six ``extra slots'' which serve special
5392 purposes. Here is a table of their meanings; @code{nil} in any slot
5393 means to use the default for that slot, as stated below.
5394
5395 @table @asis
5396 @item 0
5397 The glyph for the end of a truncated screen line (the default for this
5398 is @samp{$}). @xref{Glyphs}. On graphical terminals, Emacs uses
5399 arrows in the fringes to indicate truncation, so the display table has
5400 no effect.
5401
5402 @item 1
5403 The glyph for the end of a continued line (the default is @samp{\}).
5404 On graphical terminals, Emacs uses curved arrows in the fringes to
5405 indicate continuation, so the display table has no effect.
5406
5407 @item 2
5408 The glyph for indicating a character displayed as an octal character
5409 code (the default is @samp{\}).
5410
5411 @item 3
5412 The glyph for indicating a control character (the default is @samp{^}).
5413
5414 @item 4
5415 A vector of glyphs for indicating the presence of invisible lines (the
5416 default is @samp{...}). @xref{Selective Display}.
5417
5418 @item 5
5419 The glyph used to draw the border between side-by-side windows (the
5420 default is @samp{|}). @xref{Splitting Windows}. This takes effect only
5421 when there are no scroll bars; if scroll bars are supported and in use,
5422 a scroll bar separates the two windows.
5423 @end table
5424
5425 For example, here is how to construct a display table that mimics the
5426 effect of setting @code{ctl-arrow} to a non-@code{nil} value:
5427
5428 @example
5429 (setq disptab (make-display-table))
5430 (let ((i 0))
5431 (while (< i 32)
5432 (or (= i ?\t) (= i ?\n)
5433 (aset disptab i (vector ?^ (+ i 64))))
5434 (setq i (1+ i)))
5435 (aset disptab 127 (vector ?^ ??)))
5436 @end example
5437
5438 @defun display-table-slot display-table slot
5439 This function returns the value of the extra slot @var{slot} of
5440 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5441 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5442 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5443 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5444 @end defun
5445
5446 @defun set-display-table-slot display-table slot value
5447 This function stores @var{value} in the extra slot @var{slot} of
5448 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5449 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5450 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5451 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5452 @end defun
5453
5454 @defun describe-display-table display-table
5455 This function displays a description of the display table
5456 @var{display-table} in a help buffer.
5457 @end defun
5458
5459 @deffn Command describe-current-display-table
5460 This command displays a description of the current display table in a
5461 help buffer.
5462 @end deffn
5463
5464 @node Active Display Table
5465 @subsection Active Display Table
5466 @cindex active display table
5467
5468 Each window can specify a display table, and so can each buffer. When
5469 a buffer @var{b} is displayed in window @var{w}, display uses the
5470 display table for window @var{w} if it has one; otherwise, the display
5471 table for buffer @var{b} if it has one; otherwise, the standard display
5472 table if any. The display table chosen is called the @dfn{active}
5473 display table.
5474
5475 @defun window-display-table &optional window
5476 This function returns @var{window}'s display table, or @code{nil}
5477 if @var{window} does not have an assigned display table. The default
5478 for @var{window} is the selected window.
5479 @end defun
5480
5481 @defun set-window-display-table window table
5482 This function sets the display table of @var{window} to @var{table}.
5483 The argument @var{table} should be either a display table or
5484 @code{nil}.
5485 @end defun
5486
5487 @defvar buffer-display-table
5488 This variable is automatically buffer-local in all buffers; its value in
5489 a particular buffer specifies the display table for that buffer. If it
5490 is @code{nil}, that means the buffer does not have an assigned display
5491 table.
5492 @end defvar
5493
5494 @defvar standard-display-table
5495 This variable's value is the default display table, used whenever a
5496 window has no display table and neither does the buffer displayed in
5497 that window. This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5498 @end defvar
5499
5500 If there is no display table to use for a particular window---that is,
5501 if the window specifies none, its buffer specifies none, and
5502 @code{standard-display-table} is @code{nil}---then Emacs uses the usual
5503 display conventions for all character codes in that window. @xref{Usual
5504 Display}.
5505
5506 A number of functions for changing the standard display table
5507 are defined in the library @file{disp-table}.
5508
5509 @node Glyphs
5510 @subsection Glyphs
5511
5512 @cindex glyph
5513 A @dfn{glyph} is a generalization of a character; it stands for an
5514 image that takes up a single character position on the screen. Normally
5515 glyphs come from vectors in the display table (@pxref{Display Tables}).
5516
5517 A glyph is represented in Lisp as a @dfn{glyph code}. A glyph code
5518 can be @dfn{simple} or it can be defined by the @dfn{glyph table}. A
5519 simple glyph code is just a way of specifying a character and a face
5520 to output it in. @xref{Faces}.
5521
5522 The following functions are used to manipulate simple glyph codes:
5523
5524 @defun make-glyph-code char &optional face
5525 This function returns a simple glyph code representing char @var{char}
5526 with face @var{face}.
5527 @end defun
5528
5529 @defun glyph-char glyph
5530 This function returns the character of simple glyph code @var{glyph}.
5531 @end defun
5532
5533 @defun glyph-face glyph
5534 This function returns face of simple glyph code @var{glyph}, or
5535 @code{nil} if @var{glyph} has the default face (face-id 0).
5536 @end defun
5537
5538 On character terminals, you can set up a @dfn{glyph table} to define
5539 the meaning of glyph codes (represented as small integers).
5540
5541 @defvar glyph-table
5542 The value of this variable is the current glyph table. It should be
5543 @code{nil} or a vector whose @var{g}th element defines glyph code
5544 @var{g}.
5545
5546 If a glyph code is greater than or equal to the length of the glyph
5547 table, that code is automatically simple. If @code{glyph-table} is
5548 @code{nil} then all glyph codes are simple.
5549
5550 The glyph table is used only on character terminals. On graphical
5551 displays, all glyph codes are simple.
5552 @end defvar
5553
5554 Here are the meaningful types of elements in the glyph table:
5555
5556 @table @asis
5557 @item @var{string}
5558 Send the characters in @var{string} to the terminal to output
5559 this glyph code.
5560
5561 @item @var{code}
5562 Define this glyph code as an alias for glyph code @var{code} created
5563 by @code{make-glyph-code}. You can use such an alias to define a
5564 small-numbered glyph code which specifies a character with a face.
5565
5566 @item @code{nil}
5567 This glyph code is simple.
5568 @end table
5569
5570 @defun create-glyph string
5571 This function returns a newly-allocated glyph code which is set up to
5572 display by sending @var{string} to the terminal.
5573 @end defun
5574
5575 @node Beeping
5576 @section Beeping
5577 @c @cindex beeping "beep" is adjacent
5578 @cindex bell
5579
5580 This section describes how to make Emacs ring the bell (or blink the
5581 screen) to attract the user's attention. Be conservative about how
5582 often you do this; frequent bells can become irritating. Also be
5583 careful not to use just beeping when signaling an error is more
5584 appropriate. (@xref{Errors}.)
5585
5586 @defun ding &optional do-not-terminate
5587 @cindex keyboard macro termination
5588 This function beeps, or flashes the screen (see @code{visible-bell} below).
5589 It also terminates any keyboard macro currently executing unless
5590 @var{do-not-terminate} is non-@code{nil}.
5591 @end defun
5592
5593 @defun beep &optional do-not-terminate
5594 This is a synonym for @code{ding}.
5595 @end defun
5596
5597 @defopt visible-bell
5598 This variable determines whether Emacs should flash the screen to
5599 represent a bell. Non-@code{nil} means yes, @code{nil} means no. This
5600 is effective on graphical displays, and on text-only terminals
5601 provided the terminal's Termcap entry defines the visible bell
5602 capability (@samp{vb}).
5603 @end defopt
5604
5605 @defvar ring-bell-function
5606 If this is non-@code{nil}, it specifies how Emacs should ``ring the
5607 bell.'' Its value should be a function of no arguments. If this is
5608 non-@code{nil}, it takes precedence over the @code{visible-bell}
5609 variable.
5610 @end defvar
5611
5612 @node Window Systems
5613 @section Window Systems
5614
5615 Emacs works with several window systems, most notably the X Window
5616 System. Both Emacs and X use the term ``window,'' but use it
5617 differently. An Emacs frame is a single window as far as X is
5618 concerned; the individual Emacs windows are not known to X at all.
5619
5620 @defvar window-system
5621 This variable tells Lisp programs what window system Emacs is running
5622 under. The possible values are
5623
5624 @table @code
5625 @item x
5626 @cindex X Window System
5627 Emacs is displaying using X.
5628 @item pc
5629 Emacs is displaying using MS-DOS.
5630 @item w32
5631 Emacs is displaying using Windows.
5632 @item nil
5633 Emacs is using a character-based terminal.
5634 @end table
5635 @end defvar
5636
5637 @defvar window-setup-hook
5638 This variable is a normal hook which Emacs runs after handling the
5639 initialization files. Emacs runs this hook after it has completed
5640 loading your init file, the default initialization file (if
5641 any), and the terminal-specific Lisp code, and running the hook
5642 @code{term-setup-hook}.
5643
5644 This hook is used for internal purposes: setting up communication with
5645 the window system, and creating the initial window. Users should not
5646 interfere with it.
5647 @end defvar
5648
5649 @ignore
5650 arch-tag: ffdf5714-7ecf-415b-9023-fbc6b409c2c6
5651 @end ignore