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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
739a80b3 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,1997,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 | 3 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
21af0bfa | 4 | @node Command Arguments, X Resources, Service, Top |
6bf7aab6 DL |
5 | @appendix Command Line Arguments |
6 | @cindex command line arguments | |
7 | @cindex arguments (command line) | |
8 | @cindex options (command line) | |
9 | @cindex switches (command line) | |
10 | @cindex startup (command line arguments) | |
11 | ||
12 | GNU Emacs supports command line arguments to request various actions | |
13 | when invoking Emacs. These are for compatibility with other editors and | |
14 | for sophisticated activities. We don't recommend using them for | |
15 | ordinary editing. | |
16 | ||
17 | Arguments starting with @samp{-} are @dfn{options}. Other arguments | |
18 | specify files to visit. Emacs visits the specified files while it | |
515d3b4b RS |
19 | starts up. The last file name on your command line becomes the |
20 | current buffer; the other files are also visited in other buffers. If | |
21 | there are two files, they are both displayed; otherwise the last file | |
22 | is displayed along with a buffer list that shows what other buffers | |
23 | there are. As with most programs, the special argument @samp{--} says | |
24 | that all subsequent arguments are file names, not options, even if | |
25 | they start with @samp{-}. | |
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26 | |
27 | Emacs command options can specify many things, such as the size and | |
28 | position of the X window Emacs uses, its colors, and so on. A few | |
29 | options support advanced usage, such as running Lisp functions on files | |
30 | in batch mode. The sections of this chapter describe the available | |
31 | options, arranged according to their purpose. | |
32 | ||
33 | There are two ways of writing options: the short forms that start with | |
34 | a single @samp{-}, and the long forms that start with @samp{--}. For | |
35 | example, @samp{-d} is a short form and @samp{--display} is the | |
36 | corresponding long form. | |
37 | ||
38 | The long forms with @samp{--} are easier to remember, but longer to | |
39 | type. However, you don't have to spell out the whole option name; any | |
40 | unambiguous abbreviation is enough. When a long option takes an | |
41 | argument, you can use either a space or an equal sign to separate the | |
42 | option name and the argument. Thus, you can write either | |
43 | @samp{--display sugar-bombs:0.0} or @samp{--display=sugar-bombs:0.0}. | |
44 | We recommend an equal sign because it makes the relationship clearer, | |
45 | and the tables below always show an equal sign. | |
46 | ||
47 | @cindex initial options (command line) | |
48 | @cindex action options (command line) | |
49 | Most options specify how to initialize Emacs, or set parameters for | |
50 | the Emacs session. We call them @dfn{initial options}. A few options | |
51 | specify things to do: for example, load libraries, call functions, or | |
0ec1f115 | 52 | terminate Emacs. These are called @dfn{action options}. These and file |
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53 | names together are called @dfn{action arguments}. Emacs processes all |
54 | the action arguments in the order they are written. | |
55 | ||
56 | @menu | |
57 | * Action Arguments:: Arguments to visit files, load libraries, | |
58 | and call functions. | |
59 | * Initial Options:: Arguments that take effect while starting Emacs. | |
60 | * Command Example:: Examples of using command line arguments. | |
61 | * Resume Arguments:: Specifying arguments when you resume a running Emacs. | |
62 | * Environment:: Environment variables that Emacs uses. | |
e428626a RS |
63 | * Display X:: Changing the default display and using remote login. |
64 | * Font X:: Choosing a font for text, under X. | |
e15044ea | 65 | * Colors:: Choosing display colors. |
e428626a RS |
66 | * Window Size X:: Start-up window size, under X. |
67 | * Borders X:: Internal and external borders, under X. | |
68 | * Title X:: Specifying the initial frame's title. | |
69 | * Icons X:: Choosing what sort of icon to use, under X. | |
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70 | @end menu |
71 | ||
72 | @node Action Arguments | |
73 | @appendixsec Action Arguments | |
74 | ||
75 | Here is a table of the action arguments and options: | |
76 | ||
77 | @table @samp | |
78 | @item @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 79 | @opindex --visit |
ec22060b | 80 | @itemx --visit=@var{file} |
a8575fe5 | 81 | @opindex --file |
ec22060b | 82 | @itemx --file=@var{file} |
a8575fe5 | 83 | @cindex visiting files, command-line argument |
6bf7aab6 DL |
84 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}. @xref{Visiting}. |
85 | ||
86 | @item +@var{linenum} @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 87 | @opindex +@var{linenum} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
88 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
89 | @var{linenum} in it. | |
90 | ||
660872b6 | 91 | @item +@var{linenum}:@var{columnnum} @var{file} |
660872b6 | 92 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
0ec1f115 | 93 | @var{linenum} and put point at column number @var{columnnum}. |
660872b6 | 94 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
95 | @need 3000 |
96 | @item -l @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 97 | @opindex -l |
6bf7aab6 | 98 | @itemx --load=@var{file} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
99 | @opindex --load |
100 | @cindex loading Lisp libraries, command-line argument | |
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101 | Load a Lisp library named @var{file} with the function @code{load}. |
102 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. The library can be found either in the current | |
103 | directory, or in the Emacs library search path as specified | |
60a96371 | 104 | with @env{EMACSLOADPATH} (@pxref{General Variables}). |
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105 | |
106 | @item -f @var{function} | |
a8575fe5 | 107 | @opindex -f |
6bf7aab6 | 108 | @itemx --funcall=@var{function} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
109 | @opindex --funcall |
110 | @cindex call Lisp functions, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
111 | Call Lisp function @var{function} with no arguments. |
112 | ||
ec22060b | 113 | @item --eval=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 | 114 | @opindex --eval |
ec22060b | 115 | @itemx --execute=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
116 | @opindex --execute |
117 | @cindex evaluate expression, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
118 | Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}. |
119 | ||
120 | @item --insert=@var{file} | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
121 | @opindex --insert |
122 | @cindex insert file contents, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
123 | Insert the contents of @var{file} into the current buffer. This is like |
124 | what @kbd{M-x insert-file} does. @xref{Misc File Ops}. | |
125 | ||
126 | @item --kill | |
a8575fe5 | 127 | @opindex --kill |
6bf7aab6 DL |
128 | Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation. |
129 | @end table | |
130 | ||
131 | @vindex command-line-args | |
132 | The init file can access the values of the action arguments as the | |
133 | elements of a list in the variable @code{command-line-args}. The init | |
134 | file can override the normal processing of the action arguments, or | |
135 | define new ones, by reading and setting this variable. | |
136 | ||
137 | @node Initial Options | |
138 | @appendixsec Initial Options | |
139 | ||
140 | The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This | |
141 | section describes the more general initial options; some other options | |
97878c08 EZ |
142 | specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following |
143 | sections. | |
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144 | |
145 | Some initial options affect the loading of init files. The normal | |
146 | actions of Emacs are to first load @file{site-start.el} if it exists, | |
147 | then your own init file @file{~/.emacs} if it exists, and finally | |
148 | @file{default.el} if it exists; certain options prevent loading of some | |
149 | of these files or substitute other files for them. | |
150 | ||
151 | @table @samp | |
152 | @item -t @var{device} | |
a8575fe5 | 153 | @opindex -t |
6bf7aab6 | 154 | @itemx --terminal=@var{device} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
155 | @opindex --terminal |
156 | @cindex device for Emacs terminal I/O | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
157 | Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output. |
158 | ||
159 | @item -d @var{display} | |
a8575fe5 | 160 | @opindex -d |
6bf7aab6 | 161 | @itemx --display=@var{display} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
162 | @opindex --display |
163 | @cindex display for Emacs frame | |
6bf7aab6 | 164 | Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open |
a8575fe5 | 165 | the initial Emacs frame. @xref{Display X}, for more details. |
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166 | |
167 | @item -nw | |
a8575fe5 | 168 | @opindex -nw |
011185fb PJ |
169 | @itemx --no-window-system |
170 | @opindex --no-window-system | |
a8575fe5 | 171 | @cindex disable window system |
54e33bb3 | 172 | Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the |
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173 | @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This means that |
174 | Emacs uses the terminal from which it was launched for all its display | |
175 | and input. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
176 | |
177 | @need 3000 | |
178 | @cindex batch mode | |
179 | @item -batch | |
a8575fe5 | 180 | @opindex --batch |
6bf7aab6 DL |
181 | @itemx --batch |
182 | Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}, which means that the text being edited is | |
183 | not displayed and the standard terminal interrupt characters such as | |
184 | @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} continue to have their normal effect. Emacs in | |
1ba2ce68 | 185 | batch mode outputs to @code{stderr} only what would normally be displayed |
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186 | in the echo area under program control, and functions which would |
187 | normally read from the minibuffer take their input from @code{stdin}. | |
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188 | |
189 | Batch mode is used for running programs written in Emacs Lisp from | |
190 | shell scripts, makefiles, and so on. Normally the @samp{-l} option | |
191 | or @samp{-f} option will be used as well, to invoke a Lisp program | |
192 | to do the batch processing. | |
193 | ||
0ec1f115 RS |
194 | @samp{-batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an init file). It also |
195 | causes Emacs to exit after processing all the command options. In | |
196 | addition, it disables auto-saving except in buffers for which it has | |
197 | been explicitly requested. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
198 | |
199 | @item -q | |
a8575fe5 | 200 | @opindex -q |
6bf7aab6 | 201 | @itemx --no-init-file |
a8575fe5 EZ |
202 | @opindex --no-init-file |
203 | @cindex bypassing init and site-start file | |
204 | @cindex init file, not loading | |
3b703ce9 | 205 | @cindex @file{default.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 | 206 | Do not load your Emacs init file @file{~/.emacs}, or @file{default.el} |
21742660 | 207 | either. When invoked like this, Emacs does not allow saving options |
00e50428 EZ |
208 | changed with the @kbd{M-x customize} command and its variants. |
209 | @xref{Easy Customization}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
210 | |
211 | @item --no-site-file | |
a8575fe5 | 212 | @opindex --no-site-file |
3b703ce9 | 213 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 DL |
214 | Do not load @file{site-start.el}. The options @samp{-q}, @samp{-u} |
215 | and @samp{-batch} have no effect on the loading of this file---this is | |
216 | the only option that blocks it. | |
217 | ||
f6a9d2d8 CW |
218 | @item --no-splash |
219 | @opindex --no-splash | |
908abdfd CW |
220 | @vindex inhibit-startup-message |
221 | Do not display a splash screen on startup; this is equivlaent to | |
222 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-startup-message} to non-nil. | |
223 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 224 | @item -u @var{user} |
a8575fe5 | 225 | @opindex -u |
6bf7aab6 | 226 | @itemx --user=@var{user} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
227 | @opindex --user |
228 | @cindex load init file of another user | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
229 | Load @var{user}'s Emacs init file @file{~@var{user}/.emacs} instead of |
230 | your own. | |
231 | ||
232 | @item --debug-init | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
233 | @opindex --debug-init |
234 | @cindex errors in init file | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
235 | Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file. |
236 | ||
237 | @item --unibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 238 | @opindex --unibyte |
56bfaffd | 239 | @cindex unibyte operation, command-line argument |
1a1b17bc | 240 | Do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. |
6bf7aab6 | 241 | All buffers and strings are unibyte unless you (or a Lisp program) |
4b1ad19a RS |
242 | explicitly ask for a multibyte buffer or string. (Note that Emacs |
243 | always loads Lisp files in multibyte mode, even if @samp{--unibyte} is | |
244 | specified; see @ref{Enabling Multibyte}.) Setting the environment | |
245 | variable @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE} has the same effect. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
246 | |
247 | @item --multibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 248 | @opindex --multibyte |
60a96371 | 249 | Inhibit the effect of @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE}, so that Emacs |
6bf7aab6 DL |
250 | uses multibyte characters by default, as usual. |
251 | @end table | |
252 | ||
253 | @node Command Example | |
254 | @appendixsec Command Argument Example | |
255 | ||
256 | Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It | |
257 | assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when | |
258 | loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected | |
259 | to be a C program. | |
260 | ||
261 | @example | |
262 | emacs -batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log | |
263 | @end example | |
264 | ||
265 | @noindent | |
266 | This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes | |
267 | changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that | |
268 | @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and | |
269 | then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{-batch}). @samp{-batch} | |
270 | also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to | |
271 | @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal | |
272 | to work with. | |
273 | ||
274 | @node Resume Arguments | |
275 | @appendixsec Resuming Emacs with Arguments | |
276 | ||
277 | You can specify action arguments for Emacs when you resume it after | |
278 | a suspension. To prepare for this, put the following code in your | |
279 | @file{.emacs} file (@pxref{Hooks}): | |
280 | ||
515d3b4b | 281 | @c `resume-suspend-hook' is correct. It is the name of a function. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
282 | @example |
283 | (add-hook 'suspend-hook 'resume-suspend-hook) | |
284 | (add-hook 'suspend-resume-hook 'resume-process-args) | |
285 | @end example | |
286 | ||
287 | As further preparation, you must execute the shell script | |
515d3b4b RS |
288 | @file{emacs.csh} (if you use csh as your shell) or @file{emacs.bash} |
289 | (if you use bash as your shell). These scripts define an alias named | |
6bf7aab6 | 290 | @code{edit}, which will resume Emacs giving it new command line |
515d3b4b RS |
291 | arguments such as files to visit. The scripts are found in the |
292 | @file{etc} subdirectory of the Emacs distribution. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
293 | |
294 | Only action arguments work properly when you resume Emacs. Initial | |
295 | arguments are not recognized---it's too late to execute them anyway. | |
296 | ||
297 | Note that resuming Emacs (with or without arguments) must be done from | |
298 | within the shell that is the parent of the Emacs job. This is why | |
299 | @code{edit} is an alias rather than a program or a shell script. It is | |
300 | not possible to implement a resumption command that could be run from | |
1a1b17bc EZ |
301 | other subjobs of the shell; there is no way to define a command that could |
302 | be made the value of @env{EDITOR}, for example. Therefore, this feature | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
303 | does not take the place of the Emacs Server feature (@pxref{Emacs |
304 | Server}). | |
305 | ||
306 | The aliases use the Emacs Server feature if you appear to have a | |
307 | server Emacs running. However, they cannot determine this with complete | |
308 | accuracy. They may think that a server is still running when in | |
309 | actuality you have killed that Emacs, because the file | |
515d3b4b | 310 | @file{/tmp/esrv@dots{}} still exists. If this happens, find that |
6bf7aab6 DL |
311 | file and delete it. |
312 | ||
313 | @node Environment | |
314 | @appendixsec Environment Variables | |
315 | @cindex environment variables | |
316 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
317 | The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it |
318 | consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each | |
319 | variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable | |
320 | names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case | |
321 | letters only. The values are all text strings. | |
6bf7aab6 | 322 | |
4b1ad19a RS |
323 | What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the |
324 | environment automatically from their parent process. This means you | |
325 | can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the | |
326 | programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it. | |
327 | Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version-control | |
328 | software) inherit the environment from Emacs, too. | |
329 | ||
330 | @findex setenv | |
331 | @findex getenv | |
332 | Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} gets the value of an | |
333 | environment variable. @kbd{M-x setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs | |
334 | environment. The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs | |
335 | depends on the operating system, and especially the shell that you are | |
336 | using. For example, here's how to set the environment variable | |
337 | @env{ORGANIZATION} to @samp{not very much} using Bash: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
338 | |
339 | @example | |
340 | export ORGANIZATION="not very much" | |
341 | @end example | |
342 | ||
343 | @noindent | |
344 | and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh: | |
345 | ||
346 | @example | |
347 | setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much" | |
348 | @end example | |
349 | ||
1a1b17bc | 350 | When Emacs is uses the X Window System, it inherits the use |
4b1ad19a | 351 | of a large number of environment variables from the X libraries. See |
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352 | the X documentation for more information. |
353 | ||
354 | @menu | |
355 | * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use. | |
356 | * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables. | |
357 | @end menu | |
358 | ||
359 | @node General Variables | |
360 | @appendixsubsec General Variables | |
361 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
362 | Here is an alphabetical list of specific environment variables that |
363 | have special meanings in Emacs, giving the name of each variable and | |
364 | its meaning. Most of these variables are also used by some other | |
365 | programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment variables | |
366 | to be set, but it uses their values if they are set. | |
367 | ||
60a96371 | 368 | @table @env |
f51e949c | 369 | @item CDPATH |
6bf7aab6 DL |
370 | Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify, |
371 | when you specify a relative directory name. | |
6bf7aab6 | 372 | @item EMACS_UNIBYTE |
56bfaffd | 373 | @cindex unibyte operation, environment variable |
4b1ad19a RS |
374 | Defining this environment variable with a nonempty value directs Emacs |
375 | to do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. It is | |
376 | equivalent to using the @samp{--unibyte} command-line option on each | |
377 | invocation. @xref{Initial Options}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 378 | @item EMACSDATA |
4b1ad19a RS |
379 | Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs. |
380 | This is used to initialize the Lisp variable @code{data-directory}. | |
18a349f5 | 381 | @item EMACSDOC |
4b1ad19a RS |
382 | Directory for the documentation string file, |
383 | @file{DOC-@var{emacsversion}}. This is used to initialize the Lisp | |
b389557a | 384 | variable @code{doc-directory}. |
6bf7aab6 | 385 | @item EMACSLOADPATH |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
386 | A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{ |
387 | Here and below, whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories'', | |
388 | it pertains to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, | |
389 | the directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows | |
390 | file names might include a colon after a drive letter.} | |
391 | to search for Emacs Lisp files---used to initialize @code{load-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 392 | @item EMACSPATH |
4b1ad19a RS |
393 | A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable |
394 | files---used to initialize @code{exec-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 395 | @item ESHELL |
60a96371 | 396 | Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
397 | @item HISTFILE |
398 | The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins. | |
ec22060b EZ |
399 | This variable defaults to @file{~/.bash_history} if you use Bash, to |
400 | @file{~/.sh_history} if you use ksh, and to @file{~/.history} | |
401 | otherwise. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
402 | @item HOME |
403 | The location of the user's files in the directory tree; used for | |
404 | expansion of file names starting with a tilde (@file{~}). On MS-DOS, it | |
405 | defaults to the directory from which Emacs was started, with @samp{/bin} | |
71d0aa0c EZ |
406 | removed from the end if it was present. On Windows, the default value |
407 | of @code{HOME} is @file{C:/}, the root directory of drive @file{C:}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
408 | @item HOSTNAME |
409 | The name of the machine that Emacs is running on. | |
410 | @item INCPATH | |
411 | A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package | |
412 | to search for files. | |
413 | @item INFOPATH | |
b389557a | 414 | A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files. |
fbc164de | 415 | @item LC_ALL |
9c6251b6 | 416 | @itemx LC_COLLATE |
6bf7aab6 | 417 | @itemx LC_CTYPE |
9c6251b6 EZ |
418 | @itemx LC_MESSAGES |
419 | @itemx LC_MONETARY | |
420 | @itemx LC_NUMERIC | |
421 | @itemx LC_TIME | |
fbc164de | 422 | @itemx LANG |
9c6251b6 EZ |
423 | The user's preferred locale. The locale has six categories, specified |
424 | by the environment variables @env{LC_COLLATE} for sorting, | |
425 | @env{LC_CTYPE} for character encoding, @env{LC_MESSAGES} for system | |
426 | messages, @env{LC_MONETARY} for monetary formats, @env{LC_NUMERIC} for | |
427 | numbers, and @env{LC_TIME} for dates and times. If one of these | |
428 | variables is not set, the category defaults to the value of the | |
429 | @env{LANG} environment variable, or to the default @samp{C} locale if | |
430 | @env{LANG} is not set. But if @env{LC_ALL} is specified, it overrides | |
431 | the settings of all the other locale environment variables. | |
432 | ||
433 | The value of the LC_CTYPE category is | |
4b1ad19a | 434 | matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names}, |
fbc164de | 435 | @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and |
4b1ad19a RS |
436 | @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language |
437 | environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 438 | @item LOGNAME |
60a96371 | 439 | The user's login name. See also @env{USER}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
440 | @item MAIL |
441 | The name of the user's system mail inbox. | |
442 | @item MAILRC | |
4b1ad19a RS |
443 | Name of file containing mail aliases. (The default is |
444 | @file{~/.mailrc}.) | |
6bf7aab6 | 445 | @item MH |
4b1ad19a | 446 | Name of setup file for the mh system. (The default is @file{~/.mh_profile}.) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
447 | @item NAME |
448 | The real-world name of the user. | |
449 | @item NNTPSERVER | |
5937ea41 | 450 | The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
451 | @item ORGANIZATION |
452 | The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the | |
5937ea41 | 453 | `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 | 454 | @item PATH |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
455 | A colon-separated list of directories in which executables reside. This |
456 | is used to initialize the Emacs Lisp variable @code{exec-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
457 | @item PWD |
458 | If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started. | |
459 | @item REPLYTO | |
460 | If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable | |
461 | @code{mail-default-reply-to}. @xref{Mail Headers}. | |
462 | @item SAVEDIR | |
463 | The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default. | |
5937ea41 | 464 | Used by the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
465 | @item SHELL |
466 | The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from | |
467 | inside Emacs. | |
b370b3b0 | 468 | @cindex background mode, on @code{xterm} |
6bf7aab6 | 469 | @item TERM |
0ec1f115 | 470 | The type of the terminal that Emacs is using. This variable must be |
6bf7aab6 DL |
471 | set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to |
472 | @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that | |
b370b3b0 EZ |
473 | handles the machine's own display. If the value of @env{TERM} indicates |
474 | that Emacs runs in non-windowed mode from @code{xterm} or a similar | |
475 | terminal emulator, the background mode defaults to @samp{light}, and | |
476 | Emacs will choose colors that are appropriate for a light background. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
477 | @item TERMCAP |
478 | The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the | |
60a96371 | 479 | terminal specified by the @env{TERM} variable. This defaults to |
6bf7aab6 DL |
480 | @file{/etc/termcap}. |
481 | @item TMPDIR | |
482 | Used by the Emerge package as a prefix for temporary files. | |
483 | @item TZ | |
94c3309f | 484 | This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight |
3e40caf4 | 485 | saving time information. On MS-DOS, if @code{TZ} is not set in the |
94c3309f | 486 | environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as |
9c3aede4 | 487 | appropriate for the country code returned by DOS. On MS-Windows, Emacs |
94c3309f | 488 | does not use @code{TZ} at all. |
6bf7aab6 | 489 | @item USER |
60a96371 | 490 | The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this |
6bf7aab6 DL |
491 | defaults to @samp{root}. |
492 | @item VERSION_CONTROL | |
493 | Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Backup | |
494 | Names}). | |
495 | @end table | |
496 | ||
497 | @node Misc Variables | |
498 | @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables | |
499 | ||
500 | These variables are used only on particular configurations: | |
501 | ||
60a96371 | 502 | @table @env |
6bf7aab6 | 503 | @item COMSPEC |
ec22060b EZ |
504 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the name of the command interpreter to use |
505 | when invoking batch files and commands internal to the shell. On MS-DOS | |
506 | this is also used to make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment | |
507 | variable. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
508 | |
509 | @item NAME | |
60a96371 | 510 | On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
511 | variable. |
512 | ||
513 | @item TEMP | |
514 | @itemx TMP | |
ec22060b EZ |
515 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, these specify the name of the directory for |
516 | storing temporary files in. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
517 | |
518 | @item EMACSTEST | |
519 | On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the | |
520 | internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug | |
521 | reports. | |
522 | ||
523 | @item EMACSCOLORS | |
9c3aede4 RS |
524 | On MS-DOS, this specifies the screen colors. It is useful to set them |
525 | this way, since otherwise Emacs would display the default colors | |
526 | momentarily when it starts up. | |
527 | ||
528 | The value of this variable should be the two-character encoding of the | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
529 | foreground (the first character) and the background (the second |
530 | character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the | |
531 | hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode | |
47d7776c | 532 | display. For example, to get blue text on a light gray background, |
ed50f966 | 533 | specify @samp{EMACSCOLORS=17}, since 1 is the code of the blue color and |
47d7776c | 534 | 7 is the code of the light gray color. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
535 | |
536 | The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However, | |
537 | Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used | |
538 | for the background, so all four bits of the background color are | |
539 | actually used. | |
540 | ||
541 | @item WINDOW_GFX | |
542 | Used when initializing the Sun windows system. | |
543 | @end table | |
e428626a RS |
544 | |
545 | @node Display X | |
546 | @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name | |
547 | @cindex display name (X Window System) | |
548 | @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable | |
549 | ||
550 | The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, including | |
551 | Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set by default | |
552 | in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run jobs | |
553 | locally. Occasionally you may need to specify the display yourself; for | |
554 | example, if you do a remote login and want to run a client program | |
555 | remotely, displaying on your local screen. | |
556 | ||
557 | With Emacs, the main reason people change the default display is to | |
558 | let them log into another system, run Emacs on that system, but have the | |
559 | window displayed at their local terminal. You might need to log in | |
560 | to another system because the files you want to edit are there, or | |
561 | because the Emacs executable file you want to run is there. | |
562 | ||
563 | The syntax of the @env{DISPLAY} environment variable is | |
564 | @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the | |
565 | host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an | |
566 | arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X terminal) | |
567 | from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is a | |
568 | rarely-used field that allows an X server to control multiple terminal | |
569 | screens. The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. If | |
570 | included, @var{screen} is usually zero. | |
571 | ||
572 | For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is | |
573 | the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your | |
574 | @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}. | |
575 | ||
576 | You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either | |
577 | by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d | |
578 | @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example: | |
579 | ||
580 | @smallexample | |
581 | emacs --display=glasperle:0 & | |
582 | @end smallexample | |
583 | ||
584 | You can inhibit the direct use of the window system and GUI with the | |
585 | @samp{-nw} option. It tells Emacs to display using ordinary ASCII on | |
586 | its controlling terminal. This is also an initial option. | |
587 | ||
588 | Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system | |
589 | from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs | |
590 | produces messages like this: | |
591 | ||
592 | @smallexample | |
593 | Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server | |
594 | @end smallexample | |
595 | ||
596 | @noindent | |
597 | You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @code{xhost} | |
598 | command on the local system to give permission for access from your | |
599 | remote machine. | |
600 | ||
601 | @node Font X | |
602 | @appendixsec Font Specification Options | |
603 | @cindex font name (X Window System) | |
604 | ||
605 | By default, Emacs displays text in the font named @samp{9x15}, which | |
606 | makes each character nine pixels wide and fifteen pixels high. You can | |
607 | specify a different font on your command line through the option | |
608 | @samp{-fn @var{name}} (or @samp{--font}, which is an alias for | |
609 | @samp{-fn}). | |
610 | ||
611 | @table @samp | |
612 | @item -fn @var{name} | |
613 | @opindex -fn | |
614 | @itemx --font=@var{name} | |
615 | @opindex --font | |
616 | @cindex specify default font from the command line | |
617 | Use font @var{name} as the default font. | |
618 | @end table | |
619 | ||
620 | Under X, each font has a long name which consists of eleven words or | |
621 | numbers, separated by dashes. Some fonts also have shorter | |
622 | nicknames---@samp{9x15} is such a nickname. You can use either kind of | |
623 | name. You can use wildcard patterns for the font name; then Emacs lets | |
624 | X choose one of the fonts that match the pattern. Here is an example, | |
625 | which happens to specify the font whose nickname is @samp{6x13}: | |
626 | ||
627 | @smallexample | |
eca274b1 RS |
628 | emacs -fn \ |
629 | "-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1" & | |
e428626a RS |
630 | @end smallexample |
631 | ||
632 | @noindent | |
633 | You can also specify the font in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: | |
634 | ||
635 | @smallexample | |
636 | emacs.font: -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1 | |
637 | @end smallexample | |
638 | ||
639 | A long font name has the following form: | |
640 | ||
641 | @smallexample | |
642 | -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{} | |
643 | @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{charset} | |
644 | @end smallexample | |
645 | ||
646 | @table @var | |
647 | @item maker | |
648 | This is the name of the font manufacturer. | |
649 | @item family | |
650 | This is the name of the font family---for example, @samp{courier}. | |
651 | @item weight | |
652 | This is normally @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or @samp{light}. Other | |
653 | words may appear here in some font names. | |
654 | @item slant | |
655 | This is @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic), @samp{o} (oblique), | |
656 | @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other). | |
657 | @item widthtype | |
658 | This is normally @samp{condensed}, @samp{extended}, @samp{semicondensed} | |
659 | or @samp{normal}. Other words may appear here in some font names. | |
660 | @item style | |
661 | This is an optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most | |
662 | long font names have two hyphens in a row at this point. | |
663 | @item pixels | |
664 | This is the font height, in pixels. | |
665 | @item height | |
666 | This is the font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's | |
667 | point---approximately 1/720 of an inch. In other words, it is the point | |
668 | size of the font, times ten. For a given vertical resolution, | |
669 | @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional; therefore, it is common | |
670 | to specify just one of them and use @samp{*} for the other. | |
671 | @item horiz | |
672 | This is the horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
673 | which the font is intended. | |
674 | @item vert | |
675 | This is the vertical resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
676 | which the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on | |
677 | your system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally | |
678 | specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}. | |
679 | @item spacing | |
680 | This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c} | |
681 | (character cell). | |
682 | @item width | |
683 | This is the average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten. | |
684 | @item charset | |
685 | This is the character set that the font depicts. | |
686 | Normally you should use @samp{iso8859-1}. | |
687 | @end table | |
688 | ||
689 | @cindex listing system fonts | |
690 | You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is, | |
691 | a font in which all characters have the same width. Any font with | |
692 | @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the long name is a | |
693 | fixed-width font. Here's how to use the @code{xlsfonts} program to | |
694 | list all the fixed-width fonts available on your system: | |
695 | ||
696 | @example | |
697 | xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+" | |
698 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*' | |
699 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*' | |
700 | @end example | |
701 | ||
702 | @noindent | |
703 | To see what a particular font looks like, use the @code{xfd} command. | |
704 | For example: | |
705 | ||
706 | @example | |
707 | xfd -fn 6x13 | |
708 | @end example | |
709 | ||
710 | @noindent | |
711 | displays the entire font @samp{6x13}. | |
712 | ||
713 | While running Emacs, you can set the font of the current frame | |
714 | (@pxref{Frame Parameters}) or for a specific kind of text | |
715 | (@pxref{Faces}). | |
716 | ||
e15044ea | 717 | @node Colors |
e428626a RS |
718 | @appendixsec Window Color Options |
719 | @cindex color of window | |
720 | @cindex text colors, from command line | |
721 | ||
722 | @findex list-colors-display | |
723 | @cindex available colors | |
724 | On a color display, you can specify which color to use for various | |
725 | parts of the Emacs display. To find out what colors are available on | |
726 | your system, type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}, or press | |
727 | @kbd{C-Mouse-2} and select @samp{Display Colors} from the pop-up menu. | |
728 | If you do not specify colors, on windowed displays the default for the | |
729 | background is white and the default for all other colors is black. On a | |
730 | monochrome display, the foreground is black, the background is white, | |
731 | and the border is gray if the display supports that. On terminals, the | |
732 | background is usually black and the foreground is white. | |
733 | ||
734 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying colors: | |
735 | ||
736 | @table @samp | |
737 | @item -fg @var{color} | |
738 | @opindex -fg | |
739 | @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color} | |
740 | @opindex --foreground-color | |
741 | @cindex foreground color, command-line argument | |
742 | Specify the foreground color. @var{color} should be a standard color | |
743 | name, or a numeric specification of the color's red, green, and blue | |
744 | components as in @samp{#4682B4} or @samp{RGB:46/82/B4}. | |
745 | @item -bg @var{color} | |
746 | @opindex -bg | |
747 | @itemx --background-color=@var{color} | |
748 | @opindex --background-color | |
749 | @cindex background color, command-line argument | |
750 | Specify the background color. | |
751 | @item -bd @var{color} | |
752 | @opindex -bd | |
753 | @itemx --border-color=@var{color} | |
754 | @opindex --border-color | |
755 | @cindex border color, command-line argument | |
756 | Specify the color of the border of the X window. | |
757 | @item -cr @var{color} | |
758 | @opindex -cr | |
759 | @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color} | |
760 | @opindex --cursor-color | |
761 | @cindex cursor color, command-line argument | |
762 | Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is. | |
763 | @item -ms @var{color} | |
764 | @opindex -ms | |
765 | @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color} | |
766 | @opindex --mouse-color | |
767 | @cindex mouse pointer color, command-line argument | |
768 | Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window. | |
769 | @item -r | |
770 | @opindex -r | |
771 | @itemx -rv | |
772 | @opindex -rv | |
773 | @itemx --reverse-video | |
774 | @opindex --reverse-video | |
775 | @cindex reverse video, command-line argument | |
776 | Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors. | |
e15044ea EZ |
777 | @item --color=@var{mode} |
778 | @opindex --color | |
779 | @cindex standard colors on a character terminal | |
780 | For a character terminal only, specify the mode of color support. The | |
781 | parameter @var{mode} can be one of the following: | |
782 | @table @samp | |
783 | @item never | |
784 | @itemx no | |
785 | Don't use colors even if the terminal's capabilities specify color | |
786 | support. | |
787 | @item default | |
788 | @itemx auto | |
789 | Same as when @option{--color} is not used at all: Emacs detects at | |
790 | startup whether the terminal supports colors, and if it does, turns on | |
791 | colored display. | |
792 | @item always | |
793 | @itemx yes | |
794 | @itemx ansi8 | |
795 | Turn on the color support unconditionally, and use color commands | |
796 | specified by the ANSI escape sequences for the 8 standard colors. | |
797 | @item @var{num} | |
798 | Use color mode for @var{num} colors. If @var{num} is -1, turn off | |
799 | color support (equivalent to @samp{never}); if it is 0, use the | |
800 | default color support for this terminal (equivalent to @samp{auto}); | |
801 | otherwise use an appropriate standard mode for @var{num} colors. If | |
802 | there is no mode that supports @var{num} colors, Emacs acts as if | |
803 | @var{num} were 0, i.e.@: it uses the terminal's default color support | |
804 | mode. | |
805 | @end table | |
806 | If @var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to @var{ansi8}. | |
e428626a RS |
807 | @end table |
808 | ||
809 | For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor, | |
810 | enter: | |
811 | ||
812 | @example | |
813 | emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' & | |
814 | @end example | |
815 | ||
816 | You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the | |
817 | @samp{-rv} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}. | |
818 | ||
819 | The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on | |
820 | text-only terminals as well as on window systems. | |
821 | ||
822 | @node Window Size X | |
d7beb4c9 | 823 | @appendixsec Options for Window Size and Position |
e428626a RS |
824 | @cindex geometry of Emacs window |
825 | @cindex position and size of Emacs frame | |
826 | @cindex width and height of Emacs frame | |
d7beb4c9 | 827 | @cindex specifying fullscreen for Emacs frame |
e428626a | 828 | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
829 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying size and |
830 | position of the initial Emacs frame: | |
e428626a RS |
831 | |
832 | @table @samp | |
833 | @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
834 | @opindex -g | |
835 | Specify window size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character | |
836 | columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} | |
837 | (measured in pixels). | |
838 | ||
839 | @item --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
840 | @opindex --geometry | |
841 | This is another way of writing the same thing. | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
842 | |
843 | @item -fs | |
844 | @opindex -fs | |
845 | @itemx --fullscreen | |
846 | @opindex --fullscreen | |
847 | @cindex fullscreen, command-line argument | |
848 | Specify that width and height shall be the size of the screen. | |
849 | ||
850 | @item -fh | |
851 | @opindex -fh | |
852 | @itemx --fullheight | |
853 | @opindex --fullheight | |
854 | @cindex fullheight, command-line argument | |
855 | Specify that the height shall be the height of the screen. | |
856 | ||
857 | @item -fw | |
858 | @opindex -fw | |
859 | @itemx --fullwidth | |
860 | @opindex --fullwidth | |
861 | @cindex fullwidth, command-line argument | |
862 | Specify that the width shall be the width of the screen. | |
e428626a RS |
863 | @end table |
864 | ||
d7beb4c9 | 865 | |
e428626a | 866 | @noindent |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
867 | In the @samp{--geometry} option, @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus |
868 | sign or a minus sign. A plus | |
e428626a RS |
869 | sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of |
870 | the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus | |
871 | sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the | |
872 | screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom. | |
873 | The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or | |
874 | negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction. | |
875 | ||
876 | Emacs uses the same units as @code{xterm} does to interpret the geometry. | |
877 | The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font | |
878 | creates a larger frame than a small font. (If you specify a proportional | |
879 | font, Emacs uses its maximum bounds width as the width unit.) The | |
880 | @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels. | |
881 | ||
882 | Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the | |
883 | frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height | |
884 | specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs, the | |
885 | menu bar also takes one line of the specified number. But in the X | |
886 | toolkit version, the menu bar is additional and does not count against | |
887 | the specified height. The tool bar, if present, is also additional. | |
888 | ||
889 | You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry | |
890 | specification. | |
891 | ||
892 | If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the window manager | |
893 | decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by letting you place | |
894 | it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} specifies a window 164 | |
895 | columns wide, enough for two ordinary width windows side by side, and 55 | |
896 | lines tall. | |
897 | ||
898 | The default width for Emacs is 80 characters and the default height is | |
899 | 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If | |
900 | you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the | |
901 | width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs | |
902 | interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the width; | |
903 | @samp{x45} specifies just the height. | |
904 | ||
905 | If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset, | |
906 | which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the | |
907 | @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always | |
908 | @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the | |
909 | @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen. | |
910 | ||
911 | You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in | |
912 | @file{.Xdefaults} file, and then override selected fields with a | |
913 | @samp{--geometry} option. | |
914 | ||
d7beb4c9 EZ |
915 | |
916 | When using one of @samp{--fullscreen}, @samp{--fullwidth} or | |
917 | @samp{--fullheight} there may be some space around the frame | |
918 | anyway. That is because Emacs rounds the sizes so they are an | |
919 | even number of character heights and widths. | |
920 | ||
921 | Some window managers have options that can make them ignore both | |
922 | program-specified and user-specified positions (sawfish is one). | |
923 | If these are set, Emacs fails to position the window correctly. | |
924 | ||
e428626a RS |
925 | @node Borders X |
926 | @appendixsec Internal and External Borders | |
927 | @cindex borders (X Window System) | |
928 | ||
929 | An Emacs frame has an internal border and an external border. The | |
930 | internal border is an extra strip of the background color around the | |
931 | text portion of the frame. Emacs itself draws the internal border. | |
932 | The external border is added by the window manager outside the frame; | |
933 | depending on the window manager you use, it may contain various boxes | |
934 | you can click on to move or iconify the window. | |
935 | ||
936 | @table @samp | |
937 | @item -ib @var{width} | |
938 | @opindex -ib | |
939 | @itemx --internal-border=@var{width} | |
940 | @opindex --internal-border | |
941 | @cindex border width, command-line argument | |
942 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border, in pixels. | |
943 | ||
944 | @item -bw @var{width} | |
945 | @opindex -bw | |
946 | @itemx --border-width=@var{width} | |
947 | @opindex --border-width | |
948 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border, in pixels. | |
949 | @end table | |
950 | ||
951 | When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the | |
952 | borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the | |
953 | external border. | |
954 | ||
955 | Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border | |
956 | @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to | |
957 | specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may | |
958 | not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the | |
959 | external border is 2. | |
960 | ||
961 | @node Title X | |
962 | @appendixsec Frame Titles | |
963 | ||
964 | An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame | |
965 | title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the | |
966 | name of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the | |
967 | default title has the form @samp{@var{invocation-name}@@@var{machine}} | |
968 | (if there is only one frame) or the selected window's buffer name (if | |
969 | there is more than one frame). | |
970 | ||
971 | You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command | |
972 | line option: | |
973 | ||
974 | @table @samp | |
975 | @item -title @var{title} | |
976 | @opindex --title | |
977 | @itemx --title=@var{title} | |
978 | @itemx -T @var{title} | |
979 | @opindex -T | |
980 | @cindex frame title, command-line argument | |
981 | Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame. | |
982 | @end table | |
983 | ||
186e9bcc | 984 | The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources}) also specifies the title |
e428626a RS |
985 | for the initial Emacs frame. |
986 | ||
987 | @node Icons X | |
988 | @appendixsec Icons | |
989 | @cindex icons (X Window System) | |
990 | ||
991 | Most window managers allow the user to ``iconify'' a frame, removing | |
992 | it from sight, and leaving a small, distinctive ``icon'' window in its | |
993 | place. Clicking on the icon window makes the frame itself appear again. | |
994 | If you have many clients running at once, you can avoid cluttering up | |
995 | the screen by iconifying most of the clients. | |
996 | ||
997 | @table @samp | |
998 | @item -i | |
999 | @opindex -i | |
1000 | @itemx --icon-type | |
1001 | @opindex --icon-type | |
1002 | @cindex Emacs icon, a gnu | |
1003 | Use a picture of a gnu as the Emacs icon. | |
1004 | ||
1005 | @item -iconic | |
1006 | @opindex --iconic | |
1007 | @itemx --iconic | |
1008 | @cindex start iconified, command-line argument | |
1009 | Start Emacs in iconified state. | |
1010 | @end table | |
1011 | ||
1012 | The @samp{-i} or @samp{--icon-type} option tells Emacs to use an icon | |
1013 | window containing a picture of the GNU gnu. If omitted, Emacs lets the | |
1014 | window manager choose what sort of icon to use---usually just a small | |
1015 | rectangle containing the frame's title. | |
1016 | ||
1017 | The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin running as an icon, | |
1018 | rather than showing a frame right away. In this situation, the icon | |
1019 | is the only indication that Emacs has started; the text frame doesn't | |
1020 | appear until you deiconify it. |