(Display Property): Explain some display specs don't let you move point in.
[bpt/emacs.git] / lispref / frames.texi
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1@c -*-texinfo-*-
2@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
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3@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
4@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6@setfilename ../info/frames
7@node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top
8@chapter Frames
9@cindex frame
10
cdbd53be 11 In Emacs editing, A @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one
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12or more Emacs windows. It's the kind of object that is called a
13``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but we can't
14call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a different
15way.
16
17 A frame initially contains a single main window and/or a minibuffer
18window; you can subdivide the main window vertically or horizontally
19into smaller windows. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp
20object that represents a frame on the screen.
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21
22@cindex terminal frame
22697dac 23 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
eaac2be1 24@dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional ones, Emacs displays
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25one and only one at any given time---on the terminal screen, of course.
26
a9f0a989 27@cindex window frame
969fe9b5 28 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
e294b7f1 29as X, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
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30a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
31display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
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32
33@defun framep object
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34This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
35frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
36kind of display the frame uses:
37
38@table @code
39@item x
40The frame is displayed in an X window.
41@item t
42A terminal frame on a character display.
43@item mac
44The frame is displayed on a Macintosh.
45@item w32
46The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
47@item pc
48The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
49@end table
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50@end defun
51
52@menu
22697dac 53* Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
969fe9b5 54* Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
d25390d0 55* Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
22697dac 56* Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
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57* Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
58* Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
59* Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
60 display of text always works through windows.
61* Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
62* Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
63* Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
969fe9b5 64* Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
0fe59635 65 lowering it makes the others hide it.
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66* Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
67* Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
68* Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
69* Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
70* Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
01358897 71* Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
969fe9b5 72* Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
e29e838a 73* Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
bfe721d1 74* Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
8241495d 75* Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
d25390d0 76* Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
a065c889 77* Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
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78@end menu
79
177c0ea7 80 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
1911e6e5 81controlling Emacs redisplay.
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82
83@node Creating Frames
84@section Creating Frames
85
86To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
87
1a426e9b 88@defun make-frame &optional alist
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89This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
90buffer. If you are using a supported window system, it makes a window
91frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
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92
93The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
94not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
bfe721d1 95variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
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96default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
97your system.
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98
99The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
969fe9b5 100window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
22697dac 101Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
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102
103This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
104@xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
105However, the window system may select the new frame for its own reasons,
106for instance if the frame appears under the mouse pointer and your
107setup is for focus to follow the pointer.
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108@end defun
109
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110@defvar before-make-frame-hook
111A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
112frame.
113@end defvar
114
8241495d 115@defvar after-make-frame-functions
f9f59935 116An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
916a89db 117Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
f9f59935 118frame just created.
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119@end defvar
120
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121@node Multiple Displays
122@section Multiple Displays
1911e6e5 123@cindex multiple X displays
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124@cindex displays, multiple
125
1911e6e5 126 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
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127Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
128@code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
129(@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
130another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
131the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
132
133 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
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134own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. However, only one of
135those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment, see
136@ref{Input Focus}.
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137
138 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
139separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
140is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
141to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
142@code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
143@code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
144be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}) or frame-local.
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145
146 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
1911e6e5 147@samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
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148part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
149screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
150names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
151terminal.
152
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153 Note that some graphical terminals can output to more than a one
154monitor (or other output device) at the same time. On these
155``multi-monitor'' setups, a single @var{display} value controls the
156output to all the physical monitors. In this situation, there is
157currently no platform-independent way for Emacs to distinguish between
158the different physical monitors.
159
22697dac 160@deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
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161This creates and returns a new frame on display @var{display}, taking
162the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the
163@var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating
164Frames}).
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165@end deffn
166
167@defun x-display-list
168This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
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169connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
170a display name.
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171@end defun
172
94886883 173@defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
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174This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
175does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
176that communication can be established with that display.
177
f9f59935 178The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
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179string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
180@file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
181values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
182created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
183look like:
184
185@example
186"*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
187@end example
188
f478a72a 189@xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
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190
191If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
192terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
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193@end defun
194
195@defun x-close-connection display
196This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
197you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
198that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
199@end defun
200
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201@node Frame Parameters
202@section Frame Parameters
5e472eb6 203@cindex frame parameters
d25390d0 204
8241495d 205 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
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206Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
207uses.
208
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209 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
210terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
211only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
212@code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
213parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
214parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
215@code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
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216
217@menu
218* Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
219* Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
969fe9b5 220* Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
fb9b5ab7 221* Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
76d47f0d 222* Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
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223@end menu
224
225@node Parameter Access
226@subsection Access to Frame Parameters
227
228These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
229frame.
230
94886883 231@defun frame-parameter frame parameter
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232This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
233symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
234selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
235@var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
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236@end defun
237
0fe59635 238@defun frame-parameters &optional frame
d25390d0 239The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
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240parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
241@code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
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242@end defun
243
244@defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
245This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
246elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
247@code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
248parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
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249doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
250frame.
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251@end defun
252
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253@defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
254This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
255according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
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256(and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
257parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
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258@end defun
259
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260@node Initial Parameters
261@subsection Initial Frame Parameters
262
263You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
a40d4712 264by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
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265
266@defvar initial-frame-alist
267This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
969fe9b5 268the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
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269appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
270Each element has the form:
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271
272@example
273(@var{parameter} . @var{value})
274@end example
275
a40d4712 276Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
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277file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
278and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
279created initial frame.
280
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281If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
282the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
283ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
8241495d 284appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
61f7e0f5 285created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
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286
287X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
288specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
289you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
290this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
291X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
292the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
293@code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
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294@end defvar
295
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296If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
297@code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
298one for you.
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299
300@defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
301This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
302an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
303to the parameters for the main initial frame.
304@end defvar
305
1e2300d3 306@defvar default-frame-alist
761a9cbf 307This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
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308Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
309Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
310in many cases.
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311
312Setting this variable does not affect existing frames.
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313@end defvar
314
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315See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}. @xref{Definition of
316special-display-frame-alist}.
bfe721d1 317
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318If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
319they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
bfe721d1 320exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
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321@code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Emacs Invocation,, Command
322Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
1e2300d3 323
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324@node Window Frame Parameters
325@subsection Window Frame Parameters
d25390d0 326
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327 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
328it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
329meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
330@code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
331@code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
332frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful @emph{only} in
333terminal frames.
334
335@menu
336* Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
337* Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
338* Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
339* Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
340 enabling or disabling some parts.
341* Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
342* Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
343* Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
344* Color Parameters:: Colors of various parts of the frame.
345@end menu
346
347@node Basic Parameters
348@subsubsection Basic Parameters
349
350 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
351frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
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352
353@table @code
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354@item display
355The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
356form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
357@code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
358
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359@item display-type
360This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
361in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
362@code{mono}.
363
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364@item title
365If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window system's
366border for the frame, and also in the mode line of windows in that frame
367if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses @samp{%F}
368(@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when Emacs is not
369using a window system, and can only display one frame at a time.
370@xref{Frame Titles}.
371
d25390d0 372@item name
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373The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
374title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
375you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
376(@pxref{Frame Titles}).
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377
378If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
379name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
380looking up X resources for the frame.
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381@end table
382
383@node Position Parameters
384@subsubsection Position Parameters
385
386 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
387text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
d25390d0 388
1e2e2829 389@table @code
d25390d0 390@item left
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391The screen position of the left edge, in pixels, with respect to the
392left edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos},
393or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a
394negative @var{pos} value.
395
396A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(-
397@var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the right edge of the
bfe721d1 398window with respect to the right edge of the screen. A positive value
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399of @var{pos} counts toward the left. @strong{Reminder:} if the
400parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos}, then @var{pos} is
401positive.
d25390d0 402
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403Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
404be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
405non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
406
d25390d0 407@item top
22697dac 408The screen position of the top edge, in pixels, with respect to the
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409top edge of the screen. It works just like @code{left}, except vertically
410instead of horizontally.
53c47801 411
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412@item icon-left
413The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
414pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
415and when the frame is iconified.
416
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417If you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify
418a value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa. The window manager may
419ignore these two parameters.
420
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421@item icon-top
422The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
423pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
424and when the frame is iconified.
425
bd998259 426@item user-position
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427When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
428@code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
429the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
430way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
431A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
432
433Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
434program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
435positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
436place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
437let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
438ignore them.
439
440When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
441value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
442parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
443@code{nil}.
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444@end table
445
446@node Size Parameters
447@subsubsection Size Parameters
448
449 Size parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
450text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
d25390d0 451
1e2e2829 452@table @code
d25390d0 453@item height
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454The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
455pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
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456
457@item width
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458The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
459pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
d25390d0 460
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461@item user-size
462This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
463the @code{user-position} parameter (see above) does for the position
464parameters @code{top} and @code{left}.
465
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466@item fullscreen
467Specify that width, height or both shall be set to the size of the screen.
468The value @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be the size of the
469screen. The value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be the
470size of the screen. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the
471width and the height shall be set to the size of the screen.
1e2e2829 472@end table
560e5397 473
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474@node Layout Parameters
475@subsubsection Layout Parameters
b6954afd 476
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477 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
478frame, or control their sizes.
479
480@table @code
481@item border-width
af9328f9 482The width in pixels of the frame's border.
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483
484@item internal-border-width
e29e838a 485The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
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486
487@item vertical-scroll-bars
488Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
489of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
490@code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
491
492@ignore
493@item horizontal-scroll-bars
494Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
495(non-@code{nil} means yes). Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
496implemented.
497@end ignore
498
499@item scroll-bar-width
500The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
501use the default width.
502
503@item left-fringe
504@itemx right-fringe
505The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
506frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
507removes the corresponding fringe. A value of @code{nil} stands for
508the standard fringe width, which is the width needed to display the
509fringe bitmaps.
510
511The combined fringe widths must add up to an integral number of
512columns, so the actual default fringe widths for the frame may be
513larger than the specified values. The extra width needed to reach an
514acceptable total is distributed evenly between the left and right
515fringe. However, you can force one fringe or the other to a precise
516width by specifying that width as a negative integer. If both widths are
517negative, only the left fringe gets the specified width.
518
519@item menu-bar-lines
520The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
521bar. The default is 1. A value of @code{nil} means don't display a
522menu bar. @xref{Menu Bar}. (The X toolkit and GTK allow at most one
523menu bar line; they treat larger values as 1.)
d25390d0 524
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525@item tool-bar-lines
526The number of lines to use for the tool bar. A value of @code{nil}
527means don't display a tool bar. (GTK allows at most one tool bar line;
528it treats larger values as 1.)
529
530@item line-spacing
531Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
76d47f0d 532integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
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533@end table
534
535@node Buffer Parameters
536@subsubsection Buffer Parameters
537
538 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
539with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
540
541@table @code
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542@item minibuffer
543Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
544yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
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545minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
546the new frame uses that minibuffer.
d25390d0 547
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548@item buffer-predicate
549The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
550@code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
551decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
969fe9b5 552@code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
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553each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
554considers that buffer.
555
f9f59935 556@item buffer-list
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557A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
558ordered most-recently-selected first.
f9f59935 559
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560@item unsplittable
561If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
562@end table
563
564@node Management Parameters
565@subsubsection Window Management Parameters
b6a5d601 566@cindex window manager, and frame parameters
13112157 567
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568 These frame parameters, meaningful only on window system displays,
569interact with the window manager.
570
571@table @code
572@item visibility
573The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
574@code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
575iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
576
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577@item auto-raise
578Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
579
580@item auto-lower
581Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
582
d25390d0 583@item icon-type
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584The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
585value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
586Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
587picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
d25390d0 588
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589@item icon-name
590The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
591appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
592
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593@item window-id
594The number of the window-system window used by the frame
595to contain the actual Emacs windows.
1911e6e5 596
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597@item outer-window-id
598The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
7b32356b 599
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600@item wait-for-wm
601If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
602geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
603and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
604prevent hanging with those window managers.
605
606@ignore
607@item parent-id
608@c ??? Not yet working.
609The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
610Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
611application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
612it and see if it works.)
613@end ignore
614@end table
615
616@node Cursor Parameters
617@subsubsection Cursor Parameters
1911e6e5 618
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619 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
620
621@table @code
d25390d0 622@item cursor-type
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623How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
624
625@table @code
626@item box
627Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
628@item hollow
629Display a hollow box.
630@item nil
631Don't display a cursor.
632@item bar
633Display a vertical bar between characters.
634@item (bar . @var{width})
635Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
636@item hbar
637Display a horizontal bar.
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638@item (hbar . @var{height})
639Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
1daccbf4 640@end table
1e2e2829 641@end table
d25390d0 642
caae20c7 643@vindex cursor-type
28932ac1 644The buffer-local variable @code{cursor-type} overrides the value of
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645the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter, but if it is @code{t}, that
646means to use the cursor specified for the frame.
28932ac1 647
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648@defvar blink-cursor-alist
649This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
650form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
651type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
652corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
827b7ee7 653when it blinks ``off.'' Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
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654should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
655
656There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
657the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
658variable do not take effect immediately, because the variable is
659examined only when you specify the @code{cursor-type} parameter.
660@end defvar
d25390d0 661
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662@node Color Parameters
663@subsubsection Color Parameters
d25390d0 664
1e2e2829 665 These frame parameters control the use of colors.
5b2a9a76 666
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667@table @code
668@item background-mode
669This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
670to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
d25390d0 671
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672@item tty-color-mode
673@cindex standard colors for character terminals
674This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
675system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
676specifies the color mode to use in terminal frames. The value can be
677either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
678to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
679color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
680ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
681off color support.
d25390d0 682
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683If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
684the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
685used instead.
d25390d0 686
8241495d 687@item screen-gamma
7d817b83 688@cindex gamma correction
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689If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
690the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
691your display, a floating point number.
692
693Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
694Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
695on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
696@code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
697request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
f478a72a 698your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
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699ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
700
701If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
702@code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
703that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
704results for LCD color displays.
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705@end table
706
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707These frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are automatically
708equivalent to particular face attributes of particular faces.
43ec3b58 709@xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
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710
711@table @code
712@item font
713The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
714string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
715fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
716attribute of the @code{default} face.
717
718@item foreground-color
719The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
720the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
721
722@item background-color
723The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
724the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
725
726@item mouse-color
727The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
728attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
729
730@item cursor-color
731The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
732@code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
733
734@item border-color
735The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
736@code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
737
738@item scroll-bar-foreground
739If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
740equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
741@code{scroll-bar} face.
742
743@item scroll-bar-background
744If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
745equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
746@code{scroll-bar} face.
747@end table
748
fb9b5ab7 749@node Size and Position
d25390d0 750@subsection Frame Size And Position
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751@cindex size of frame
752@cindex screen size
753@cindex frame size
754@cindex resize frame
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755
756 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
61cfa852 757frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
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758@code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
759by the window manager in its usual fashion.
d25390d0 760
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761 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
762(For the precise meaning of ``selected frame'' used by these functions,
763see @ref{Input Focus}.)
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764
765@defun set-frame-position frame left top
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766This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
767@var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
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768normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
769
770Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
771the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
772the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
773were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
774would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
775but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
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776@end defun
777
778@defun frame-height &optional frame
779@defunx frame-width &optional frame
780These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
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781lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
782selected frame.
783@end defun
784
785@defun screen-height
786@defunx screen-width
787These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
788@code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
789of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
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790@end defun
791
792@defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
793@defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
794These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
795pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the selected frame.
796@end defun
797
798@defun frame-char-height &optional frame
799@defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
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800These functions return the height and width of a character in
801@var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
802font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
803frame.
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804@end defun
805
806@defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
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807This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
808@var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
d25390d0 809
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810To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
811@code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
812them to units of characters.
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813@end defun
814
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815@defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
816This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
817sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
818fit.
819
820If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
821lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
822actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
823Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
824useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
825terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
826height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
827actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
828terminal frame.
829@end defun
830
831@defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
832This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
833The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
834@code{set-frame-height}.
835@end defun
836
837@findex set-screen-height
838@findex set-screen-width
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839 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
840@code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
841screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
842are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
d25390d0 843
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844@node Geometry
845@subsection Geometry
846
847 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
848specification:
849
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850@defun x-parse-geometry geom
851@cindex geometry specification
1911e6e5 852The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
61cfa852 853geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
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854@code{make-frame}.
855
856The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
857gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
858@code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
859values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
860
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861For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
862parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
863because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
864instead. These are the @var{value} possibilities for the position
865parameters:
866
867@table @asis
868@item an integer
869A positive integer relates the left edge or top edge of the window to
870the left or top edge of the screen. A negative integer relates the
871right or bottom edge of the window to the right or bottom edge of the
872screen.
873
bfe721d1 874@item @code{(+ @var{position})}
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875This specifies the position of the left or top edge of the window
876relative to the left or top edge of the screen. The integer
877@var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
878position outside the screen.
879
bfe721d1 880@item @code{(- @var{position})}
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881This specifies the position of the right or bottom edge of the window
882relative to the right or bottom edge of the screen. The integer
883@var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
884position outside the screen.
885@end table
886
887Here is an example:
888
bfe721d1 889@example
d25390d0 890(x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
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RS
891 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
892 (top - 0) (left . 0))
bfe721d1 893@end example
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894@end defun
895
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896@node Frame Titles
897@section Frame Titles
c115a463 898@cindex frame title
22697dac 899
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900 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
901for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
902the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
903frame property.
22697dac 904
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905 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
906frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
907@code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
908frame is redisplayed.
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909
910@defvar frame-title-format
969fe9b5
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911This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
912not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
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913line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
914@samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
969fe9b5 915Data}.
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916@end defvar
917
918@defvar icon-title-format
969fe9b5 919This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
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920when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
921appears in the icon itself.
922@end defvar
923
924@defvar multiple-frames
925This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
926there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
927invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
928@code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
929only when there is more than one frame.
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930
931The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
932while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
933@code{icon-title-format}.
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934@end defvar
935
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936@node Deleting Frames
937@section Deleting Frames
77bf576c 938@cindex deleting frames
d25390d0
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939
940Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
941them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
f478a72a 942exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it.
d25390d0 943
94886883 944@deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
5b2a9a76 945@vindex delete-frame-functions
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946This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
947tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
948function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
949the selected frame.
94886883
GM
950
951A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
952Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
953but if the @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
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954@end deffn
955
956@defun frame-live-p frame
957The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
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958@var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
959values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
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960@end defun
961
22697dac 962 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
eaac2be1 963by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
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964When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
965@code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
966calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
967
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968@node Finding All Frames
969@section Finding All Frames
77bf576c 970@cindex frames, scanning all
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971
972@defun frame-list
973The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
974have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
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EZ
975buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get is
976newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
977internals of Emacs.
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978@end defun
979
980@defun visible-frame-list
981This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
22697dac 982@xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
827b7ee7 983``visible,'' even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
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984@end defun
985
986@defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
987The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
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988the frames on the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It
989returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If
990@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame
991(@pxref{Input Focus}).
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992
993The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
994
995@table @asis
996@item @code{nil}
997Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
998@item @code{visible}
999Consider all visible frames.
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1000@item 0
1001Consider all visible or iconified frames.
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1002@item a window
1003Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1004minibuffer.
1005@item anything else
1006Consider all frames.
1007@end table
1008@end defun
1009
1010@defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1011Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1012direction.
1013@end defun
1014
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1015 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1016Window Ordering}.
1017
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1018@node Frames and Windows
1019@section Frames and Windows
1020
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1021 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame
1022with @code{window-frame}.
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1023
1024@defun window-frame window
1025This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
fb9b5ab7
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1026@end defun
1027
1028 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
1029order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
1030upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
1031the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
f9f59935 1032one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
fb9b5ab7 1033
0fe59635 1034@defun frame-first-window &optional frame
fb9b5ab7 1035This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
0fe59635 1036If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to the selected frame.
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1037@end defun
1038
1039At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
1040frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
1041frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current
1042selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}.
1043
0fe59635 1044@defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
f478a72a
LT
1045This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1046within @var{frame}. If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to
1047the selected frame.
0c10c5de
RS
1048@end defun
1049
1050@defun set-frame-selected-window frame window
1051This sets the selected window of frame @var{frame} to @var{window}.
1052If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it operates on the selected frame. If
1053@var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
f478a72a 1054selected window. This function returns @var{window}.
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1055@end defun
1056
969fe9b5 1057 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also
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1058makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
1059
969fe9b5 1060 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
f478a72a 1061frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Definition of minibuffer-window}.
bfe721d1 1062
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1063@node Minibuffers and Frames
1064@section Minibuffers and Frames
1065
1066Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1067is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
f478a72a
LT
1068you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1069minibuffer-window}).
d25390d0
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1070
1071However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
1072must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
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KH
1073frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
1074other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
1075which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
1076value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
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1077
1078If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1079when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1080@code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1081
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1082@defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1083This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
f478a72a
LT
1084default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1085the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1086Displays}.
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KH
1087@end defvar
1088
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1089@node Input Focus
1090@section Input Focus
1091@cindex input focus
77bf576c 1092@c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame
d25390d0
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1093
1094At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1095window always resides on the selected frame.
1096
5df7058c
EZ
1097When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1098Displays}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one of
1099these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs to
1100the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when Emacs
1101runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected frame is
1102the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single command at any
1103given time, it needs to consider only one selected frame at a time; this
1104frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame} in this manual. The
1105display on which the selected frame is displayed is the @dfn{selected
1106frame's display}.
1107
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1108@defun selected-frame
1109This function returns the selected frame.
1110@end defun
1111
969fe9b5
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1112Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1113window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1114commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
59db7d6e 1115way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
d1d70b6e 1116switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
59db7d6e 1117@code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
d25390d0 1118
969fe9b5
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1119Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1120function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1121concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1122until that control is somehow reasserted.
d25390d0 1123
59db7d6e 1124When using a text-only terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a
cb4f1287
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1125time on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1126redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
0b156b78 1127remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame} or
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1128@code{select-frame-set-input-focus}. Each terminal frame has a number
1129which appears in the mode line before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode
1130Line Variables}).
59db7d6e
LT
1131
1132@defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame
1133This function makes @var{frame} the selected frame, raises it (should
1134it happen to be obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X
cb4f1287
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1135server's focus. On a text-only terminal, the next redisplay displays
1136the new frame on the entire terminal screen. The return value of this
1137function is not significant.
59db7d6e 1138@end defun
22697dac 1139
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1140@c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
1141@defun select-frame frame
1142This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
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KH
1143focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1144the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
f478a72a
LT
1145until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1146window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1147selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
1148have the window system's input focus.) The specified @var{frame}
5df7058c 1149becomes the selected frame, as explained above, and the terminal that
cb4f1287
LT
1150@var{frame} is on becomes the selected terminal. This function
1151returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame} has been deleted.
5df7058c
EZ
1152
1153In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that could
1154switch to a different terminal without switching back when you're done.
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1155@end defun
1156
969fe9b5
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1157Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1158the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1159special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1160appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1a426e9b 1161@code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
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1162
1163@deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1164This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1165
1166Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1167Don't call it for any other reason.
1168@end deffn
1169
0fe59635 1170@defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
d25390d0 1171This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
f9f59935
RS
1172This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1173events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
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1174@code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1175events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1176
0fe59635 1177If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
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1178redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1179events.
1180
1181One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1182These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1183on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1184the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
61cfa852 1185in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
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1186
1187Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1188@code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1189pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1190allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1191one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1192
1193This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1194differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1195@code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1196
1197The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1198change it.
1199@end defun
1200
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1201@defopt focus-follows-mouse
1202This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1203focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1204When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
979b4033
EZ
1205position consistent with the new selected frame. (This option has no
1206effect on MS-Windows, where the mouse pointer is always automatically
1207moved by the OS to the selected frame.)
969fe9b5
RS
1208@end defopt
1209
d25390d0
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1210@node Visibility of Frames
1211@section Visibility of Frames
1212@cindex visible frame
1213@cindex invisible frame
1214@cindex iconified frame
1215@cindex frame visibility
1216
969fe9b5 1217A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
04c21c78
RS
1218@dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents, unless
1219other windows cover it. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do
1220not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is
1221invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon.
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1222
1223Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
1224one is actually displayed in any case.
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1225
1226@deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
04c21c78
RS
1227This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1228@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1229the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1230(@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
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RS
1231@end deffn
1232
f478a72a 1233@deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
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1234This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1235@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
f478a72a
LT
1236
1237Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1238@var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
d25390d0
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1239@end deffn
1240
1241@deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1242This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1243iconifies the selected frame.
1244@end deffn
1245
1246@defun frame-visible-p frame
1247This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
1248@code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
1249@code{icon} if it is iconified.
f478a72a
LT
1250
1251On a text-only terminal, all frames are considered visible, whether
1252they are currently being displayed or not, and this function returns
1253@code{t} for all frames.
d25390d0
RS
1254@end defun
1255
1256 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1e2e2829 1257parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
d25390d0
RS
1258Parameters}.
1259
22697dac
KH
1260 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
1261This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
1262Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
1263changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1264
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1265@node Raising and Lowering
1266@section Raising and Lowering Frames
1267
969fe9b5 1268 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
d25390d0
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1269the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
1270perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
827b7ee7 1271to ``lowest.'' Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
969fe9b5
RS
1272the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1273seen if no other window overlaps it.
d25390d0 1274
77bf576c 1275@c @cindex raising a frame redundant with raise-frame
d25390d0 1276@cindex lowering a frame
969fe9b5
RS
1277 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1278to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
827b7ee7 1279it ``up,'' to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
f9f59935 1280moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
969fe9b5 1281third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
f9f59935 1282on the screen.
d25390d0 1283
969fe9b5 1284 You can raise and lower Emacs frame Windows with these functions:
d25390d0 1285
a9f0a989
RS
1286@deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1287This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
f478a72a 1288If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
22697dac 1289@end deffn
d25390d0 1290
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1291@deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1292This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
22697dac 1293@end deffn
d25390d0
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1294
1295@defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1296If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1297that the minibuffer window is in.
1298@end defopt
1299
1300You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1301selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1e2e2829 1302for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
d25390d0
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1303
1304@node Frame Configurations
1305@section Frame Configurations
1306@cindex frame configuration
1307
1308 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1309all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
969fe9b5 1310(@xref{Window Configurations}.)
d25390d0
RS
1311
1312@defun current-frame-configuration
61cfa852 1313This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
d25390d0
RS
1314the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1315@end defun
1316
94886883 1317@defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
d25390d0 1318This function restores the state of frames described in
f478a72a
LT
1319@var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1320frames.
94886883
GM
1321
1322Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1323@var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1324unwanted frames are iconified instead.
d25390d0
RS
1325@end defun
1326
1327@node Mouse Tracking
1328@section Mouse Tracking
1329@cindex mouse tracking
77bf576c 1330@c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
d25390d0 1331
77bf576c 1332 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
d25390d0
RS
1333something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1334mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1335the mouse actually moves.
1336
77bf576c 1337 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
d25390d0
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1338mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1339addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1340occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1341mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1342button.
1343
1344@defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
969fe9b5
RS
1345This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
1346events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
1347read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1348Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
d25390d0
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1349
1350The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
969fe9b5
RS
1351You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1352indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1353it is time to stop tracking.
d25390d0
RS
1354@end defspec
1355
1356The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1357the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1358position.
1359
bfe721d1
KH
1360In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1361the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1362That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1363Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1364
d25390d0
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1365@ignore
1366@c These are not implemented yet.
1367
1368These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1369effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
969fe9b5 1370is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
d25390d0
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1371to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1372the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1373
1374@defun x-contour-region window beg end
1375This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1376to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1377@end defun
1378
1379@defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1380This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1381from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1382a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1383@end defun
1384
1385@defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1386This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1387specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1388left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1389location of point.
1390@end defun
1391
1392@defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1393This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1394specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1395left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1396normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1397@end defun
1398@end ignore
1399
1400@node Mouse Position
1401@section Mouse Position
1402@cindex mouse position
1403@cindex position of mouse
1404
1405 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1406give access to the current position of the mouse.
1407
1408@defun mouse-position
1409This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1410value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
fb9b5ab7
RS
1411and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1412the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
d25390d0
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1413@end defun
1414
28932ac1 1415@defvar mouse-position-function
caae20c7
RS
1416If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
1417@code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
1418function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
1419sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
1420
1421This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
1422@file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
28932ac1
EZ
1423@end defvar
1424
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1425@defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1426This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1427frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
fb9b5ab7 1428giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
a9f0a989
RS
1429inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1430does nothing. The return value is not significant.
fb9b5ab7 1431@end defun
d25390d0 1432
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RS
1433@defun mouse-pixel-position
1434This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1435coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1436@end defun
1437
1438@defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1439This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1440@var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1441characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
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1442
1443If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1444value is not significant.
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1445@end defun
1446
1447@need 3000
1448
1449@node Pop-Up Menus
1450@section Pop-Up Menus
1451
969fe9b5
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1452 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1453the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
22697dac 1454
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1455@defun x-popup-menu position menu
1456This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1457what selection the user makes.
1458
1459The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
40823f2d
LT
1460top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
1461(which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
1462list of this form:
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RS
1463
1464@example
1465((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1466@end example
1467
1468@noindent
fb9b5ab7 1469where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
40823f2d
LT
1470pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
1471may be a window or a frame.
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1472
1473If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1474position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1475key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1476without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1477
1478The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
40823f2d
LT
1479keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
1480return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
1481(This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
1482submenu.) Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
1483command bound to that sequence of events.
1484
1485Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
d25390d0
RS
1486
1487@example
1488(@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1489@end example
1490
1491@noindent
1492where each pane is a list of form
1493
1494@example
40823f2d 1495(@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
d25390d0
RS
1496@end example
1497
40823f2d
LT
1498Each item should normally be a cons cell @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
1499where @var{line} is a string, and @var{value} is the value to return if
1500that @var{line} is chosen. An item can also be a string; this makes a
1501non-selectable line in the menu.
53420faa
LT
1502
1503If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
1504instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
1505keyboard input, then this normally results in a quit and
1506@code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
1507button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
1508mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
d25390d0
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1509@end defun
1510
f9f59935
RS
1511 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1512if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1513If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1514a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1515If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1516@code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1517that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
2368fc6f
RS
1518
1519 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1520moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1521that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1522submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1523an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1524implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
8dc22b86 1525@code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
2368fc6f
RS
1526
1527 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1528still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1529a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1530the menu keymap as necessary.
d25390d0
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1531
1532@node Dialog Boxes
1533@section Dialog Boxes
1534@cindex dialog boxes
1535
969fe9b5
RS
1536 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1537different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
24f8f30b 1538one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
827b7ee7 1539for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes,'' ``no,''
24f8f30b
NR
1540and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
1541force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
1542@code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
1543keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
1544
090c98b4 1545@defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
d25390d0
RS
1546This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1547what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1548the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1549
1550@example
fb9b5ab7 1551(@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
d25390d0
RS
1552@end example
1553
1554@noindent
1555which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1556@code{x-popup-menu}.
1557
fb9b5ab7
RS
1558The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1559
40823f2d
LT
1560As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
1561string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
1562That makes a box that cannot be selected.
fb9b5ab7
RS
1563
1564If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1565the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1566left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1567don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1568items appear on each side.
1569
d25390d0
RS
1570Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1571@var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
40823f2d
LT
1572@code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
1573window don't matter; only the frame matters.
fb9b5ab7 1574
217797bc
RS
1575If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
1576@samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
b9602867 1577for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}).
24f8f30b 1578
969fe9b5
RS
1579In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1580instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1581frame.
53420faa
LT
1582
1583If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
1584for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
1585@code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
d25390d0
RS
1586@end defun
1587
01358897
RS
1588@node Pointer Shape
1589@section Pointer Shape
bd998259
RS
1590@cindex pointer shape
1591@cindex mouse pointer shape
1592
01358897
RS
1593 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
1594images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
1595@code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
1596use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
1597@code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
1598@code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
1599style used over text.
1600
1601 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
1602of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
1603@code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
1604those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
1605
1606@defvar void-text-area-pointer
01358897
RS
1607This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
1608These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
1609in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
1610pointer style.
1611@end defvar
bd998259 1612
01358897
RS
1613 You can specify what the @code{text} pointer style really looks like
1614by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
1615
1616@defvar x-pointer-shape
1617This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
1618Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
1619@end defvar
bd998259 1620
01358897 1621@defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
bd998259
RS
1622This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1623is over mouse-sensitive text.
e835f3c8 1624@end defvar
bd998259
RS
1625
1626 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
01358897
RS
1627affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
1628frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
1629@xref{Color Parameters}.
bd998259
RS
1630
1631 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
477763cd 1632defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
bd998259
RS
1633@key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1634
969fe9b5
RS
1635@node Window System Selections
1636@section Window System Selections
e294b7f1 1637@cindex selection (for window systems)
d25390d0
RS
1638
1639The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1640data between application programs. The various selections are
1641distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1642symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1643any given type.
1644
f478a72a 1645@deffn Command x-set-selection type data
d25390d0
RS
1646This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1647arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1648@var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1649selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1650(or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1651cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1652of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1653
f9f59935
RS
1654The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1655selection values.
d25390d0
RS
1656
1657Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
0fe59635
RS
1658independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY},
1659@code{SECONDARY} and @code{CLIPBOARD}; these are symbols with upper-case
f478a72a
LT
1660names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If @var{type} is
1661@code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
1662
1663This function returns @var{data}.
1664@end deffn
d25390d0 1665
61cfa852 1666@defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
d25390d0
RS
1667This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1668clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1669@var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1670@code{PRIMARY}.
1671
1672The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1673use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1674data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
342fd6cd
RS
1675@code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
1676@code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
1677@code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
1678@code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
1679@code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
1680with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
1681@code{STRING}.
d25390d0
RS
1682@end defun
1683
1684@cindex cut buffer
0fe59635 1685The X server also has a set of eight numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
d25390d0
RS
1686store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1687are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
0fe59635 1688clients that still use them. Cut buffers are numbered from 0 to 7.
d25390d0 1689
0fe59635 1690@defun x-get-cut-buffer &optional n
d25390d0 1691This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
0fe59635 1692If omitted @var{n} defaults to 0.
d25390d0
RS
1693@end defun
1694
94886883 1695@defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
7baeca0c 1696@anchor{Definition of x-set-cut-buffer}
d25390d0 1697This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
94886883
GM
16980). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1699If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1700through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1701Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1702the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1703the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
d25390d0
RS
1704@end defun
1705
ad37b071 1706@defvar selection-coding-system
ad37b071 1707This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
b9660a6f 1708writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
23b7c675
EZ
1709Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
1710converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
ad37b071
RS
1711@end defvar
1712
8241495d
RS
1713@cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1714When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1ecbf4e4 1715general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
8241495d
RS
1716and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1717only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1718clipboard as empty.
1719
279a8f1a
YM
1720@cindex scrap support (for Mac OS)
1721On Mac OS, selection-like data transfer between applications is
1722performed through a mechanism called @dfn{scraps}. The clipboard is a
1723particular scrap named @code{com.apple.scrap.clipboard}. Types of scrap
1724data are called @dfn{scrap flavor types}, which are identified by
1725four-char codes such as @code{TEXT}. Emacs associates a selection with
1726a scrap, and a selection type with a scrap flavor type via
1727@code{mac-scrap-name} and @code{mac-ostype} properties, respectively.
1728
1729@example
1730(get 'CLIPBOARD 'mac-scrap-name)
1731 @result{} "com.apple.scrap.clipboard"
1732(get 'com.apple.traditional-mac-plain-text 'mac-ostype)
1733 @result{} "TEXT"
1734@end example
1735
1736Conventionally, selection types for scrap flavor types on Mac OS have
1737the form of @acronym{UTI, Uniform Type Identifier} such as
1738@code{com.apple.traditional-mac-plain-text},
1739@code{public.utf16-plain-text}, and @code{public.file-url}.
1740
8241495d
RS
1741@defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1742If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1743clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1744the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1745access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
279a8f1a 1746but @code{t} on MS-Windows and Mac.
8241495d 1747@end defopt
a9f0a989 1748
e29e838a
RS
1749@node Drag and Drop
1750@section Drag and Drop
1751
1752@vindex x-dnd-test-function
1753@vindex x-dnd-known-types
1754 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
1755application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
1756dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
1757what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
1758which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
1759@code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
1760@code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
1761on some other criteria.
1762
1763@vindex x-dnd-types-alist
1764 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
1765or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
1766detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
1767drop.
1768
1769@vindex dnd-protocol-alist
1770 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
1771another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
1772@code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL. If
1773there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
1774an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
1775text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
1776you can customize these variables.
e29e838a 1777
bfe721d1
KH
1778@node Color Names
1779@section Color Names
d25390d0 1780
f705df79
EZ
1781@cindex color names
1782@cindex specify color
1783@cindex numerical RGB color specification
8dc22b86
RS
1784 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
1785Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
1786are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
1787defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
1788as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
1789@var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
1790and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
1791three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
1792number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
f705df79
EZ
1793either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
1794X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
1795colors.)
8dc22b86 1796
8241495d 1797 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
5df7058c
EZ
1798valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
1799@dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
827b7ee7 1800meaning of the term ``selected frame.''
8241495d
RS
1801
1802@defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
fed7c77a 1803This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
a3431be8
RS
1804@code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1805which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1806@code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
d25390d0 1807
fed7c77a 1808Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
8241495d
RS
1809really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1810color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
72821190
RS
1811the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1812a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
8241495d 1813
72821190 1814@findex x-color-defined-p
8241495d
RS
1815This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1816and that name is still supported as an alias.
1817@end defun
1818
1819@defun defined-colors &optional frame
8241495d
RS
1820This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1821and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
f478a72a 1822If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
8241495d 1823
72821190 1824@findex x-defined-colors
8241495d
RS
1825This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1826and that name is still supported as an alias.
fed7c77a
RS
1827@end defun
1828
72821190 1829@defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
72821190
RS
1830This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
1831@var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
1832omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
1833
1834Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
1835background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
1836asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
1837are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
1838
1839The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
1840@end defun
1841
1842@defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
72821190
RS
1843This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
1844@var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
f478a72a
LT
1845question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
1846color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
72821190
RS
1847@end defun
1848
8241495d 1849@defun color-values color &optional frame
f705df79 1850@cindex rgb value
fed7c77a 1851This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
f478a72a
LT
1852ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
1853value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
1854amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
1855principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
f705df79
EZ
1856range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
1857color.
8241495d
RS
1858
1859If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
fed7c77a
RS
1860
1861@example
8241495d 1862(color-values "black")
fed7c77a 1863 @result{} (0 0 0)
8241495d 1864(color-values "white")
fed7c77a 1865 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
8241495d 1866(color-values "red")
fed7c77a 1867 @result{} (65280 0 0)
8241495d 1868(color-values "pink")
fed7c77a 1869 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
8241495d 1870(color-values "hungry")
fed7c77a
RS
1871 @result{} nil
1872@end example
a3431be8 1873
8dc22b86
RS
1874The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
1875@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
1876the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
1877value is @code{nil}.
8241495d 1878
72821190 1879@findex x-color-values
8241495d
RS
1880This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
1881and that name is still supported as an alias.
1882@end defun
1883
1884@node Text Terminal Colors
1885@section Text Terminal Colors
1886@cindex colors on text-only terminals
1887
f5d71784
RS
1888 Text-only terminals usually support only a small number of colors,
1889and the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
1890This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
1891color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
1892small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
1893the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
8241495d 1894
8d78fe22
EZ
1895 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
1896are used by Emacs.
1897
f705df79
EZ
1898 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
1899in @ref{Color Names}.
8241495d 1900
75708135
RS
1901 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
1902terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
1903support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
1904will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
5df7058c 1905selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present, though,
8dc22b86 1906the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
72821190 1907
8dc22b86 1908@defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
8241495d
RS
1909This function associates the color name @var{name} with
1910color number @var{number} on the terminal.
1911
8dc22b86 1912The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
45221c9e 1913of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
8dc22b86
RS
1914If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
1915@code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
1916Emacs will not know what it looks like.
8241495d
RS
1917@end defun
1918
8dc22b86 1919@defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
8241495d
RS
1920This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
1921@end defun
1922
8dc22b86 1923@defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
72821190
RS
1924This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
1925text-only terminal.
8241495d
RS
1926
1927Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
1928or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
1929name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
8dc22b86
RS
1930If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
1931and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
72821190 1932@end defun
8241495d 1933
8dc22b86 1934@defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
8dc22b86
RS
1935This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
1936supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
1937@var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
1938@code{tty-color-alist}.
8241495d
RS
1939@end defun
1940
8dc22b86 1941@defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
72821190 1942This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
f478a72a
LT
1943colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
1944If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
d25390d0
RS
1945@end defun
1946
d25390d0
RS
1947@node Resources
1948@section X Resources
1949
bfe721d1 1950@defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
d25390d0 1951The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
0fe59635 1952Window defaults database.
d25390d0
RS
1953
1954Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
1955This function searches using a key of the form
61cfa852 1956@samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
bfe721d1
KH
1957under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
1958the class.
d25390d0
RS
1959
1960The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
1961and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
1962If you specify them, the key is
1963@samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
bfe721d1 1964@samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
d25390d0
RS
1965@end defun
1966
f9f59935
RS
1967@defvar x-resource-class
1968This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
1969should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
1970resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
1971variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
0fe59635
RS
1972@end defvar
1973
1974@defvar x-resource-name
1975This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
1976should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
1977or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
f9f59935
RS
1978@end defvar
1979
f478a72a
LT
1980To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
1981
1982@example
1983xterm.vt100.background: yellow
1984@end example
1985
1986@noindent
45221c9e 1987in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
342fd6cd 1988or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
f478a72a
LT
1989
1990@example
1991@group
1992(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1993 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
1994 @result{} "yellow"
1995@end group
1996@group
1997(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1998 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
1999 @result{} "yellow"
2000@end group
2001@end example
2002
61f7e0f5 2003 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
d25390d0 2004
a065c889
RS
2005@node Display Feature Testing
2006@section Display Feature Testing
2007@cindex display feature testing
2008
2009 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
2010particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
5fe3b9bc 2011to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
a065c889
RS
2012a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2013
2014 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2015display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2016(which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
5df7058c 2017refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
a065c889
RS
2018
2019 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2020obtain information about displays.
2021
2022@defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
a065c889
RS
2023This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2024@var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
2025the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
2026a mouse.
2027@end defun
2028
2029@defun display-graphic-p &optional display
a065c889
RS
2030This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2031capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2032once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
2033false for text-only terminals.
2034@end defun
2035
1dffc5db 2036@defun display-mouse-p &optional display
1dffc5db
RS
2037@cindex mouse, availability
2038This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2039@code{nil} if not.
2040@end defun
2041
12210d03 2042@defun display-color-p &optional display
12210d03
RS
2043@findex x-display-color-p
2044This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2045It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2046is still supported as an alias.
2047@end defun
2048
2049@defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
12210d03 2050This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
1dffc5db 2051(All color displays can do this.)
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2052@end defun
2053
11ef2a3b 2054@defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
7baeca0c 2055@anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
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2056This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2057@var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2058
2059The definition of `supported' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2060means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2061when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2062way that's
2063
2064@enumerate
2065@item
2066different in appearance than the default face, and
2067
2068@item
2069`close in spirit' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2070@end enumerate
2071
2072Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2073satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2074@code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
72459b15 2075displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
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2076the tty display code's automatic substitution of a `dim' face for
2077italic.
2078@end defun
2079
a065c889 2080@defun display-selections-p &optional display
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2081This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2082Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2083supported in some other cases.
2084@end defun
d25390d0 2085
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2086@defun display-images-p &optional display
2087This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
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2088Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2089systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2090images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
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2091@end defun
2092
12210d03 2093@defun display-screens &optional display
22697dac 2094This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
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2095@end defun
2096
12210d03 2097@defun display-pixel-height &optional display
22697dac 2098This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
f478a72a 2099On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
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2100
2101For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2102refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2103@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
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2104@end defun
2105
12210d03 2106@defun display-pixel-width &optional display
22697dac 2107This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
f478a72a 2108On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
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2109
2110For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2111refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2112@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
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2113@end defun
2114
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2115@defun display-mm-height &optional display
2116This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2117or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2118@end defun
2119
12210d03 2120@defun display-mm-width &optional display
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RS
2121This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2122or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
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2123@end defun
2124
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2125@defvar display-mm-dimensions-alist
2126This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2127displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2128@code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2129@end defvar
2130
12210d03 2131@defun display-backing-store &optional display
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2132This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2133Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2134windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2135displayed very quickly.
2136
d25390d0 2137Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
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RS
2138@code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2139when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
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2140@end defun
2141
12210d03 2142@defun display-save-under &optional display
22697dac 2143This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
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RS
2144SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2145to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2146quickly.
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2147@end defun
2148
12210d03 2149@defun display-planes &optional display
22697dac 2150This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
1dffc5db 2151This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
f0cdbdfa 2152For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
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2153@end defun
2154
12210d03 2155@defun display-visual-class &optional display
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KH
2156This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
2157of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
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2158@code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
2159@code{direct-color}.
2160@end defun
2161
12210d03 2162@defun display-color-cells &optional display
12210d03 2163This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
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KH
2164@end defun
2165
12210d03
RS
2166 These functions obtain additional information specifically
2167about X displays.
2168
2169@defun x-server-version &optional display
2170This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
f478a72a 2171running the display. The value is a list of three integers: the major
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RS
2172and minor version numbers of the X protocol, and the
2173distributor-specific release number of the X server software itself.
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2174@end defun
2175
2176@defun x-server-vendor &optional display
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2177This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the X server
2178software (as a string). Really this means whoever distributes the X
2179server.
2180
2181When the developers of X labelled software distributors as
827b7ee7 2182``vendors,'' they showed their false assumption that no system could
60bb4909 2183ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
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2184@end defun
2185
2186@ignore
2187@defvar x-no-window-manager
a9f0a989 2188This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
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RS
2189@end defvar
2190@end ignore
2191
2192@ignore
2193@item
2194The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2195width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
d25390d0 2196@end ignore
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2197
2198@ignore
2199 arch-tag: 94977df6-3dca-4730-b57b-c6329e9282ba
2200@end ignore