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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{-}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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 |
6da55907 | 84 | @vindex inhibit-startup-buffer-menu |
6bf7aab6 | 85 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}. @xref{Visiting}. |
6da55907 RS |
86 | If you visit several files at startup in this way, Emacs |
87 | also displays a Buffer Menu buffer to show you what files it | |
88 | has visited. You can inhibit that by setting @code{inhibit-startup-buffer-menu} to @code{t}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
89 | |
90 | @item +@var{linenum} @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 91 | @opindex +@var{linenum} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
92 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
93 | @var{linenum} in it. | |
94 | ||
660872b6 | 95 | @item +@var{linenum}:@var{columnnum} @var{file} |
660872b6 | 96 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
0ec1f115 | 97 | @var{linenum} and put point at column number @var{columnnum}. |
660872b6 | 98 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
99 | @need 3000 |
100 | @item -l @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 101 | @opindex -l |
6bf7aab6 | 102 | @itemx --load=@var{file} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
103 | @opindex --load |
104 | @cindex loading Lisp libraries, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
105 | Load a Lisp library named @var{file} with the function @code{load}. |
106 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. The library can be found either in the current | |
107 | directory, or in the Emacs library search path as specified | |
60a96371 | 108 | with @env{EMACSLOADPATH} (@pxref{General Variables}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
109 | |
110 | @item -f @var{function} | |
a8575fe5 | 111 | @opindex -f |
6bf7aab6 | 112 | @itemx --funcall=@var{function} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
113 | @opindex --funcall |
114 | @cindex call Lisp functions, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
115 | Call Lisp function @var{function} with no arguments. |
116 | ||
ec22060b | 117 | @item --eval=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 | 118 | @opindex --eval |
ec22060b | 119 | @itemx --execute=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
120 | @opindex --execute |
121 | @cindex evaluate expression, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
122 | Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}. |
123 | ||
124 | @item --insert=@var{file} | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
125 | @opindex --insert |
126 | @cindex insert file contents, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
127 | Insert the contents of @var{file} into the current buffer. This is like |
128 | what @kbd{M-x insert-file} does. @xref{Misc File Ops}. | |
129 | ||
130 | @item --kill | |
a8575fe5 | 131 | @opindex --kill |
6bf7aab6 DL |
132 | Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation. |
133 | @end table | |
134 | ||
135 | @vindex command-line-args | |
136 | The init file can access the values of the action arguments as the | |
137 | elements of a list in the variable @code{command-line-args}. The init | |
138 | file can override the normal processing of the action arguments, or | |
139 | define new ones, by reading and setting this variable. | |
140 | ||
141 | @node Initial Options | |
142 | @appendixsec Initial Options | |
143 | ||
144 | The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This | |
145 | section describes the more general initial options; some other options | |
97878c08 EZ |
146 | specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following |
147 | sections. | |
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148 | |
149 | Some initial options affect the loading of init files. The normal | |
150 | actions of Emacs are to first load @file{site-start.el} if it exists, | |
151 | then your own init file @file{~/.emacs} if it exists, and finally | |
152 | @file{default.el} if it exists; certain options prevent loading of some | |
153 | of these files or substitute other files for them. | |
154 | ||
155 | @table @samp | |
156 | @item -t @var{device} | |
a8575fe5 | 157 | @opindex -t |
6bf7aab6 | 158 | @itemx --terminal=@var{device} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
159 | @opindex --terminal |
160 | @cindex device for Emacs terminal I/O | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
161 | Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output. |
162 | ||
163 | @item -d @var{display} | |
a8575fe5 | 164 | @opindex -d |
6bf7aab6 | 165 | @itemx --display=@var{display} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
166 | @opindex --display |
167 | @cindex display for Emacs frame | |
6bf7aab6 | 168 | Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open |
a8575fe5 | 169 | the initial Emacs frame. @xref{Display X}, for more details. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
170 | |
171 | @item -nw | |
a8575fe5 | 172 | @opindex -nw |
011185fb PJ |
173 | @itemx --no-window-system |
174 | @opindex --no-window-system | |
a8575fe5 | 175 | @cindex disable window system |
54e33bb3 | 176 | Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the |
17e9a80b RS |
177 | @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This means that |
178 | Emacs uses the terminal from which it was launched for all its display | |
179 | and input. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
180 | |
181 | @need 3000 | |
182 | @cindex batch mode | |
183 | @item -batch | |
a8575fe5 | 184 | @opindex --batch |
6bf7aab6 DL |
185 | @itemx --batch |
186 | Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}, which means that the text being edited is | |
187 | not displayed and the standard terminal interrupt characters such as | |
188 | @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} continue to have their normal effect. Emacs in | |
1ba2ce68 | 189 | batch mode outputs to @code{stderr} only what would normally be displayed |
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190 | in the echo area under program control, and functions which would |
191 | normally read from the minibuffer take their input from @code{stdin}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
192 | |
193 | Batch mode is used for running programs written in Emacs Lisp from | |
194 | shell scripts, makefiles, and so on. Normally the @samp{-l} option | |
195 | or @samp{-f} option will be used as well, to invoke a Lisp program | |
196 | to do the batch processing. | |
197 | ||
0ec1f115 RS |
198 | @samp{-batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an init file). It also |
199 | causes Emacs to exit after processing all the command options. In | |
200 | addition, it disables auto-saving except in buffers for which it has | |
201 | been explicitly requested. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
202 | |
203 | @item -q | |
a8575fe5 | 204 | @opindex -q |
6bf7aab6 | 205 | @itemx --no-init-file |
a8575fe5 EZ |
206 | @opindex --no-init-file |
207 | @cindex bypassing init and site-start file | |
208 | @cindex init file, not loading | |
3b703ce9 | 209 | @cindex @file{default.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 | 210 | Do not load your Emacs init file @file{~/.emacs}, or @file{default.el} |
21742660 | 211 | either. When invoked like this, Emacs does not allow saving options |
00e50428 EZ |
212 | changed with the @kbd{M-x customize} command and its variants. |
213 | @xref{Easy Customization}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
214 | |
215 | @item --no-site-file | |
a8575fe5 | 216 | @opindex --no-site-file |
3b703ce9 | 217 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 DL |
218 | Do not load @file{site-start.el}. The options @samp{-q}, @samp{-u} |
219 | and @samp{-batch} have no effect on the loading of this file---this is | |
220 | the only option that blocks it. | |
221 | ||
f6a9d2d8 CW |
222 | @item --no-splash |
223 | @opindex --no-splash | |
908abdfd | 224 | @vindex inhibit-startup-message |
6da55907 RS |
225 | Do not display a splash screen on startup; this is equivalent to |
226 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-startup-message} to non-@code{nil}. | |
908abdfd | 227 | |
6bf7aab6 | 228 | @item -u @var{user} |
a8575fe5 | 229 | @opindex -u |
6bf7aab6 | 230 | @itemx --user=@var{user} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
231 | @opindex --user |
232 | @cindex load init file of another user | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
233 | Load @var{user}'s Emacs init file @file{~@var{user}/.emacs} instead of |
234 | your own. | |
235 | ||
236 | @item --debug-init | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
237 | @opindex --debug-init |
238 | @cindex errors in init file | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
239 | Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file. |
240 | ||
241 | @item --unibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 242 | @opindex --unibyte |
56bfaffd | 243 | @cindex unibyte operation, command-line argument |
1a1b17bc | 244 | Do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. |
6bf7aab6 | 245 | All buffers and strings are unibyte unless you (or a Lisp program) |
4b1ad19a RS |
246 | explicitly ask for a multibyte buffer or string. (Note that Emacs |
247 | always loads Lisp files in multibyte mode, even if @samp{--unibyte} is | |
248 | specified; see @ref{Enabling Multibyte}.) Setting the environment | |
249 | variable @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE} has the same effect. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
250 | |
251 | @item --multibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 252 | @opindex --multibyte |
60a96371 | 253 | Inhibit the effect of @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE}, so that Emacs |
6bf7aab6 DL |
254 | uses multibyte characters by default, as usual. |
255 | @end table | |
256 | ||
257 | @node Command Example | |
258 | @appendixsec Command Argument Example | |
259 | ||
260 | Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It | |
261 | assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when | |
262 | loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected | |
263 | to be a C program. | |
264 | ||
265 | @example | |
266 | emacs -batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log | |
267 | @end example | |
268 | ||
269 | @noindent | |
270 | This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes | |
271 | changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that | |
272 | @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and | |
273 | then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{-batch}). @samp{-batch} | |
274 | also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to | |
275 | @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal | |
276 | to work with. | |
277 | ||
278 | @node Resume Arguments | |
279 | @appendixsec Resuming Emacs with Arguments | |
280 | ||
281 | You can specify action arguments for Emacs when you resume it after | |
282 | a suspension. To prepare for this, put the following code in your | |
283 | @file{.emacs} file (@pxref{Hooks}): | |
284 | ||
515d3b4b | 285 | @c `resume-suspend-hook' is correct. It is the name of a function. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
286 | @example |
287 | (add-hook 'suspend-hook 'resume-suspend-hook) | |
288 | (add-hook 'suspend-resume-hook 'resume-process-args) | |
289 | @end example | |
290 | ||
291 | As further preparation, you must execute the shell script | |
515d3b4b RS |
292 | @file{emacs.csh} (if you use csh as your shell) or @file{emacs.bash} |
293 | (if you use bash as your shell). These scripts define an alias named | |
6bf7aab6 | 294 | @code{edit}, which will resume Emacs giving it new command line |
515d3b4b RS |
295 | arguments such as files to visit. The scripts are found in the |
296 | @file{etc} subdirectory of the Emacs distribution. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
297 | |
298 | Only action arguments work properly when you resume Emacs. Initial | |
299 | arguments are not recognized---it's too late to execute them anyway. | |
300 | ||
301 | Note that resuming Emacs (with or without arguments) must be done from | |
302 | within the shell that is the parent of the Emacs job. This is why | |
303 | @code{edit} is an alias rather than a program or a shell script. It is | |
304 | not possible to implement a resumption command that could be run from | |
1a1b17bc EZ |
305 | other subjobs of the shell; there is no way to define a command that could |
306 | be made the value of @env{EDITOR}, for example. Therefore, this feature | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
307 | does not take the place of the Emacs Server feature (@pxref{Emacs |
308 | Server}). | |
309 | ||
310 | The aliases use the Emacs Server feature if you appear to have a | |
311 | server Emacs running. However, they cannot determine this with complete | |
312 | accuracy. They may think that a server is still running when in | |
313 | actuality you have killed that Emacs, because the file | |
515d3b4b | 314 | @file{/tmp/esrv@dots{}} still exists. If this happens, find that |
6bf7aab6 DL |
315 | file and delete it. |
316 | ||
317 | @node Environment | |
318 | @appendixsec Environment Variables | |
319 | @cindex environment variables | |
320 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
321 | The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it |
322 | consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each | |
323 | variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable | |
324 | names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case | |
325 | letters only. The values are all text strings. | |
6bf7aab6 | 326 | |
4b1ad19a RS |
327 | What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the |
328 | environment automatically from their parent process. This means you | |
329 | can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the | |
330 | programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it. | |
331 | Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version-control | |
332 | software) inherit the environment from Emacs, too. | |
333 | ||
334 | @findex setenv | |
335 | @findex getenv | |
336 | Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} gets the value of an | |
337 | environment variable. @kbd{M-x setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs | |
26f17e6a RS |
338 | environment. (Environment variable substitutions with @samp{$} work |
339 | in the value just as in file names; see @ref{File Names with $}.) | |
340 | ||
341 | The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs depends on the | |
342 | operating system, and especially the shell that you are using. For | |
343 | example, here's how to set the environment variable @env{ORGANIZATION} | |
344 | to @samp{not very much} using Bash: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
345 | |
346 | @example | |
347 | export ORGANIZATION="not very much" | |
348 | @end example | |
349 | ||
350 | @noindent | |
351 | and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh: | |
352 | ||
353 | @example | |
354 | setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much" | |
355 | @end example | |
356 | ||
26f17e6a RS |
357 | When Emacs is using the X Window System, various environment |
358 | variables that control X work for Emacs as well. See the X | |
359 | documentation for more information. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
360 | |
361 | @menu | |
362 | * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use. | |
363 | * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables. | |
afcca90b | 364 | * MS-Windows Registry:: An alternative to the environment on MS-Windows. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
365 | @end menu |
366 | ||
367 | @node General Variables | |
368 | @appendixsubsec General Variables | |
369 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
370 | Here is an alphabetical list of specific environment variables that |
371 | have special meanings in Emacs, giving the name of each variable and | |
372 | its meaning. Most of these variables are also used by some other | |
373 | programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment variables | |
374 | to be set, but it uses their values if they are set. | |
375 | ||
60a96371 | 376 | @table @env |
f51e949c | 377 | @item CDPATH |
6bf7aab6 DL |
378 | Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify, |
379 | when you specify a relative directory name. | |
6bf7aab6 | 380 | @item EMACS_UNIBYTE |
56bfaffd | 381 | @cindex unibyte operation, environment variable |
4b1ad19a RS |
382 | Defining this environment variable with a nonempty value directs Emacs |
383 | to do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. It is | |
384 | equivalent to using the @samp{--unibyte} command-line option on each | |
385 | invocation. @xref{Initial Options}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 386 | @item EMACSDATA |
4b1ad19a RS |
387 | Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs. |
388 | This is used to initialize the Lisp variable @code{data-directory}. | |
18a349f5 | 389 | @item EMACSDOC |
4b1ad19a RS |
390 | Directory for the documentation string file, |
391 | @file{DOC-@var{emacsversion}}. This is used to initialize the Lisp | |
b389557a | 392 | variable @code{doc-directory}. |
6bf7aab6 | 393 | @item EMACSLOADPATH |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
394 | A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{ |
395 | Here and below, whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories'', | |
396 | it pertains to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, | |
397 | the directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows | |
398 | file names might include a colon after a drive letter.} | |
399 | to search for Emacs Lisp files---used to initialize @code{load-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 400 | @item EMACSPATH |
4b1ad19a RS |
401 | A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable |
402 | files---used to initialize @code{exec-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 403 | @item ESHELL |
60a96371 | 404 | Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
405 | @item HISTFILE |
406 | The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins. | |
ec22060b EZ |
407 | This variable defaults to @file{~/.bash_history} if you use Bash, to |
408 | @file{~/.sh_history} if you use ksh, and to @file{~/.history} | |
409 | otherwise. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
410 | @item HOME |
411 | The location of the user's files in the directory tree; used for | |
412 | expansion of file names starting with a tilde (@file{~}). On MS-DOS, it | |
413 | defaults to the directory from which Emacs was started, with @samp{/bin} | |
71d0aa0c | 414 | removed from the end if it was present. On Windows, the default value |
afcca90b | 415 | of @env{HOME} is @file{C:/}, the root directory of drive @file{C:}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
416 | @item HOSTNAME |
417 | The name of the machine that Emacs is running on. | |
418 | @item INCPATH | |
419 | A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package | |
420 | to search for files. | |
421 | @item INFOPATH | |
b389557a | 422 | A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files. |
fbc164de | 423 | @item LC_ALL |
9c6251b6 | 424 | @itemx LC_COLLATE |
6bf7aab6 | 425 | @itemx LC_CTYPE |
9c6251b6 EZ |
426 | @itemx LC_MESSAGES |
427 | @itemx LC_MONETARY | |
428 | @itemx LC_NUMERIC | |
429 | @itemx LC_TIME | |
fbc164de | 430 | @itemx LANG |
9c6251b6 EZ |
431 | The user's preferred locale. The locale has six categories, specified |
432 | by the environment variables @env{LC_COLLATE} for sorting, | |
433 | @env{LC_CTYPE} for character encoding, @env{LC_MESSAGES} for system | |
434 | messages, @env{LC_MONETARY} for monetary formats, @env{LC_NUMERIC} for | |
435 | numbers, and @env{LC_TIME} for dates and times. If one of these | |
436 | variables is not set, the category defaults to the value of the | |
437 | @env{LANG} environment variable, or to the default @samp{C} locale if | |
438 | @env{LANG} is not set. But if @env{LC_ALL} is specified, it overrides | |
439 | the settings of all the other locale environment variables. | |
440 | ||
afcca90b JR |
441 | On MS-Windows, if @env{LANG} is not already set in the environment |
442 | when Emacs starts, Emacs sets it based on the system-wide default | |
443 | language, which you can set in the @samp{Regional Settings} Control Panel | |
444 | on some versions of MS-Windows. | |
445 | ||
446 | The value of the @env{LC_CTYPE} category is | |
4b1ad19a | 447 | matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names}, |
fbc164de | 448 | @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and |
4b1ad19a RS |
449 | @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language |
450 | environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 451 | @item LOGNAME |
60a96371 | 452 | The user's login name. See also @env{USER}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
453 | @item MAIL |
454 | The name of the user's system mail inbox. | |
455 | @item MAILRC | |
4b1ad19a RS |
456 | Name of file containing mail aliases. (The default is |
457 | @file{~/.mailrc}.) | |
6bf7aab6 | 458 | @item MH |
4b1ad19a | 459 | Name of setup file for the mh system. (The default is @file{~/.mh_profile}.) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
460 | @item NAME |
461 | The real-world name of the user. | |
462 | @item NNTPSERVER | |
5937ea41 | 463 | The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
464 | @item ORGANIZATION |
465 | The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the | |
5937ea41 | 466 | `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 | 467 | @item PATH |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
468 | A colon-separated list of directories in which executables reside. This |
469 | is used to initialize the Emacs Lisp variable @code{exec-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
470 | @item PWD |
471 | If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started. | |
472 | @item REPLYTO | |
473 | If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable | |
474 | @code{mail-default-reply-to}. @xref{Mail Headers}. | |
475 | @item SAVEDIR | |
476 | The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default. | |
5937ea41 | 477 | Used by the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
478 | @item SHELL |
479 | The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from | |
480 | inside Emacs. | |
afcca90b | 481 | @cindex background mode, on @command{xterm} |
6bf7aab6 | 482 | @item TERM |
0ec1f115 | 483 | The type of the terminal that Emacs is using. This variable must be |
6bf7aab6 DL |
484 | set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to |
485 | @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that | |
b370b3b0 | 486 | handles the machine's own display. If the value of @env{TERM} indicates |
afcca90b | 487 | that Emacs runs in non-windowed mode from @command{xterm} or a similar |
b370b3b0 EZ |
488 | terminal emulator, the background mode defaults to @samp{light}, and |
489 | Emacs will choose colors that are appropriate for a light background. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
490 | @item TERMCAP |
491 | The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the | |
60a96371 | 492 | terminal specified by the @env{TERM} variable. This defaults to |
6bf7aab6 DL |
493 | @file{/etc/termcap}. |
494 | @item TMPDIR | |
495 | Used by the Emerge package as a prefix for temporary files. | |
496 | @item TZ | |
94c3309f | 497 | This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight |
afcca90b | 498 | saving time information. On MS-DOS, if @env{TZ} is not set in the |
94c3309f | 499 | environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as |
9c3aede4 | 500 | appropriate for the country code returned by DOS. On MS-Windows, Emacs |
afcca90b | 501 | does not use @env{TZ} at all. |
6bf7aab6 | 502 | @item USER |
60a96371 | 503 | The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this |
6bf7aab6 DL |
504 | defaults to @samp{root}. |
505 | @item VERSION_CONTROL | |
506 | Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Backup | |
507 | Names}). | |
508 | @end table | |
509 | ||
510 | @node Misc Variables | |
511 | @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables | |
512 | ||
513 | These variables are used only on particular configurations: | |
514 | ||
60a96371 | 515 | @table @env |
6bf7aab6 | 516 | @item COMSPEC |
ec22060b EZ |
517 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the name of the command interpreter to use |
518 | when invoking batch files and commands internal to the shell. On MS-DOS | |
519 | this is also used to make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment | |
520 | variable. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
521 | |
522 | @item NAME | |
60a96371 | 523 | On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
524 | variable. |
525 | ||
526 | @item TEMP | |
527 | @itemx TMP | |
ec22060b EZ |
528 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, these specify the name of the directory for |
529 | storing temporary files in. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
530 | |
531 | @item EMACSTEST | |
532 | On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the | |
533 | internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug | |
534 | reports. | |
535 | ||
536 | @item EMACSCOLORS | |
9c3aede4 RS |
537 | On MS-DOS, this specifies the screen colors. It is useful to set them |
538 | this way, since otherwise Emacs would display the default colors | |
539 | momentarily when it starts up. | |
540 | ||
541 | The value of this variable should be the two-character encoding of the | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
542 | foreground (the first character) and the background (the second |
543 | character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the | |
544 | hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode | |
47d7776c | 545 | display. For example, to get blue text on a light gray background, |
ed50f966 | 546 | specify @samp{EMACSCOLORS=17}, since 1 is the code of the blue color and |
47d7776c | 547 | 7 is the code of the light gray color. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
548 | |
549 | The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However, | |
550 | Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used | |
551 | for the background, so all four bits of the background color are | |
552 | actually used. | |
553 | ||
554 | @item WINDOW_GFX | |
555 | Used when initializing the Sun windows system. | |
afcca90b JR |
556 | |
557 | @item PRELOAD_WINSOCK | |
558 | On MS-Windows, if you set this variable, Emacs will load and initialize | |
559 | the network library at startup, instead of waiting until the first | |
560 | time it is required. | |
561 | ||
562 | @item emacs_dir | |
563 | On MS-Windows, @env{emacs_dir} is a special environment variable, which | |
564 | indicates the full path of the directory in which Emacs is installed. | |
565 | If Emacs is installed in the standard directory structure, it | |
566 | calculates this value automatically. It is not much use setting this | |
567 | variable yourself unless your installation is non-standard, since | |
568 | unlike other environment variables, it will be overridden by Emacs at | |
569 | startup. When setting other environment variables, such as | |
570 | @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, you may find it useful to use @env{emacs_dir} | |
571 | rather than hard-coding an absolute path. This allows multiple | |
572 | versions of Emacs to share the same environment variable settings, and | |
573 | it allows you to move the Emacs installation directory, without | |
574 | changing any environment or registry settings. | |
6bf7aab6 | 575 | @end table |
e428626a | 576 | |
afcca90b JR |
577 | @node MS-Windows Registry |
578 | @appendixsubsec The MS-Windows System Registry | |
579 | @pindex addpm, MS-Windows installation program | |
580 | @cindex registry, setting environment variables and resources on MS-Windows | |
581 | ||
582 | On MS-Windows, the installation program @command{addpm.exe} adds values | |
583 | for @env{emacs_dir}, @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, @env{EMACSDATA}, | |
584 | @env{EMACSPATH}, @env{EMACSDOC}, @env{SHELL} and @env{TERM} to the | |
585 | @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section of the system registry, under | |
586 | @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}. It does this because there is no standard | |
587 | place to set environment variables across different versions of | |
588 | Windows. Running @command{addpm.exe} is no longer strictly | |
589 | necessary in recent versions of Emacs, but if you are upgrading from | |
590 | an older version, running @command{addpm.exe} ensures that you do not have | |
591 | older registry entries from a previous installation, which may not be | |
592 | compatible with the latest version of Emacs. | |
593 | ||
594 | When Emacs starts, as well as checking the environment, it also checks | |
595 | the System Registry for those variables and for @env{HOME}, @env{LANG} | |
596 | and @env{PRELOAD_WINSOCK}. | |
597 | ||
598 | To determine the value of those variables, Emacs goes through the | |
599 | following procedure. First, the environment is checked. If the | |
600 | variable is not found there, Emacs looks for registry keys by that | |
601 | name under @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}; first in the | |
602 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section of the registry, and if not found | |
603 | there, in the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section. Finally, if Emacs | |
604 | still cannot determine the values, compiled-in defaults are used. | |
605 | ||
606 | In addition to the environment variables above, you can also add many | |
607 | of the settings which on X belong in the @file{.Xdefaults} file | |
608 | (@pxref{X Resources}) to the @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs} registry key. | |
609 | Settings you add to the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section will affect | |
610 | all users of the machine. Settings you add to the | |
611 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section will only affect you, and will | |
612 | override machine wide settings. | |
613 | ||
e428626a RS |
614 | @node Display X |
615 | @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name | |
616 | @cindex display name (X Window System) | |
617 | @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable | |
618 | ||
619 | The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, including | |
620 | Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set by default | |
621 | in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run jobs | |
622 | locally. Occasionally you may need to specify the display yourself; for | |
623 | example, if you do a remote login and want to run a client program | |
624 | remotely, displaying on your local screen. | |
625 | ||
626 | With Emacs, the main reason people change the default display is to | |
627 | let them log into another system, run Emacs on that system, but have the | |
628 | window displayed at their local terminal. You might need to log in | |
629 | to another system because the files you want to edit are there, or | |
630 | because the Emacs executable file you want to run is there. | |
631 | ||
632 | The syntax of the @env{DISPLAY} environment variable is | |
633 | @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the | |
634 | host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an | |
635 | arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X terminal) | |
636 | from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is a | |
637 | rarely-used field that allows an X server to control multiple terminal | |
638 | screens. The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. If | |
639 | included, @var{screen} is usually zero. | |
640 | ||
641 | For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is | |
642 | the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your | |
643 | @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}. | |
644 | ||
645 | You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either | |
646 | by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d | |
647 | @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example: | |
648 | ||
649 | @smallexample | |
650 | emacs --display=glasperle:0 & | |
651 | @end smallexample | |
652 | ||
653 | You can inhibit the direct use of the window system and GUI with the | |
654 | @samp{-nw} option. It tells Emacs to display using ordinary ASCII on | |
655 | its controlling terminal. This is also an initial option. | |
656 | ||
657 | Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system | |
658 | from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs | |
659 | produces messages like this: | |
660 | ||
661 | @smallexample | |
662 | Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server | |
663 | @end smallexample | |
664 | ||
665 | @noindent | |
afcca90b | 666 | You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @command{xhost} |
e428626a RS |
667 | command on the local system to give permission for access from your |
668 | remote machine. | |
669 | ||
670 | @node Font X | |
671 | @appendixsec Font Specification Options | |
672 | @cindex font name (X Window System) | |
673 | ||
674 | By default, Emacs displays text in the font named @samp{9x15}, which | |
675 | makes each character nine pixels wide and fifteen pixels high. You can | |
676 | specify a different font on your command line through the option | |
677 | @samp{-fn @var{name}} (or @samp{--font}, which is an alias for | |
678 | @samp{-fn}). | |
679 | ||
680 | @table @samp | |
681 | @item -fn @var{name} | |
682 | @opindex -fn | |
683 | @itemx --font=@var{name} | |
684 | @opindex --font | |
685 | @cindex specify default font from the command line | |
686 | Use font @var{name} as the default font. | |
687 | @end table | |
688 | ||
689 | Under X, each font has a long name which consists of eleven words or | |
690 | numbers, separated by dashes. Some fonts also have shorter | |
691 | nicknames---@samp{9x15} is such a nickname. You can use either kind of | |
692 | name. You can use wildcard patterns for the font name; then Emacs lets | |
693 | X choose one of the fonts that match the pattern. Here is an example, | |
694 | which happens to specify the font whose nickname is @samp{6x13}: | |
695 | ||
696 | @smallexample | |
eca274b1 RS |
697 | emacs -fn \ |
698 | "-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1" & | |
e428626a RS |
699 | @end smallexample |
700 | ||
701 | @noindent | |
702 | You can also specify the font in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: | |
703 | ||
704 | @smallexample | |
705 | emacs.font: -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1 | |
706 | @end smallexample | |
707 | ||
708 | A long font name has the following form: | |
709 | ||
710 | @smallexample | |
711 | -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{} | |
712 | @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{charset} | |
713 | @end smallexample | |
714 | ||
715 | @table @var | |
716 | @item maker | |
717 | This is the name of the font manufacturer. | |
718 | @item family | |
719 | This is the name of the font family---for example, @samp{courier}. | |
720 | @item weight | |
721 | This is normally @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or @samp{light}. Other | |
722 | words may appear here in some font names. | |
723 | @item slant | |
724 | This is @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic), @samp{o} (oblique), | |
725 | @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other). | |
726 | @item widthtype | |
727 | This is normally @samp{condensed}, @samp{extended}, @samp{semicondensed} | |
728 | or @samp{normal}. Other words may appear here in some font names. | |
729 | @item style | |
730 | This is an optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most | |
731 | long font names have two hyphens in a row at this point. | |
732 | @item pixels | |
733 | This is the font height, in pixels. | |
734 | @item height | |
735 | This is the font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's | |
736 | point---approximately 1/720 of an inch. In other words, it is the point | |
737 | size of the font, times ten. For a given vertical resolution, | |
738 | @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional; therefore, it is common | |
739 | to specify just one of them and use @samp{*} for the other. | |
740 | @item horiz | |
741 | This is the horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
742 | which the font is intended. | |
743 | @item vert | |
744 | This is the vertical resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
745 | which the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on | |
746 | your system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally | |
747 | specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}. | |
748 | @item spacing | |
749 | This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c} | |
750 | (character cell). | |
751 | @item width | |
752 | This is the average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten. | |
753 | @item charset | |
754 | This is the character set that the font depicts. | |
755 | Normally you should use @samp{iso8859-1}. | |
756 | @end table | |
757 | ||
758 | @cindex listing system fonts | |
759 | You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is, | |
760 | a font in which all characters have the same width. Any font with | |
761 | @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the long name is a | |
afcca90b | 762 | fixed-width font. Here's how to use the @command{xlsfonts} program to |
e428626a RS |
763 | list all the fixed-width fonts available on your system: |
764 | ||
765 | @example | |
766 | xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+" | |
767 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*' | |
768 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*' | |
769 | @end example | |
770 | ||
771 | @noindent | |
afcca90b | 772 | To see what a particular font looks like, use the @command{xfd} command. |
e428626a RS |
773 | For example: |
774 | ||
775 | @example | |
776 | xfd -fn 6x13 | |
777 | @end example | |
778 | ||
779 | @noindent | |
780 | displays the entire font @samp{6x13}. | |
781 | ||
782 | While running Emacs, you can set the font of the current frame | |
783 | (@pxref{Frame Parameters}) or for a specific kind of text | |
784 | (@pxref{Faces}). | |
785 | ||
e15044ea | 786 | @node Colors |
e428626a RS |
787 | @appendixsec Window Color Options |
788 | @cindex color of window | |
789 | @cindex text colors, from command line | |
790 | ||
791 | @findex list-colors-display | |
792 | @cindex available colors | |
793 | On a color display, you can specify which color to use for various | |
794 | parts of the Emacs display. To find out what colors are available on | |
795 | your system, type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}, or press | |
796 | @kbd{C-Mouse-2} and select @samp{Display Colors} from the pop-up menu. | |
797 | If you do not specify colors, on windowed displays the default for the | |
798 | background is white and the default for all other colors is black. On a | |
799 | monochrome display, the foreground is black, the background is white, | |
800 | and the border is gray if the display supports that. On terminals, the | |
801 | background is usually black and the foreground is white. | |
802 | ||
803 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying colors: | |
804 | ||
805 | @table @samp | |
806 | @item -fg @var{color} | |
807 | @opindex -fg | |
808 | @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color} | |
809 | @opindex --foreground-color | |
810 | @cindex foreground color, command-line argument | |
811 | Specify the foreground color. @var{color} should be a standard color | |
812 | name, or a numeric specification of the color's red, green, and blue | |
813 | components as in @samp{#4682B4} or @samp{RGB:46/82/B4}. | |
814 | @item -bg @var{color} | |
815 | @opindex -bg | |
816 | @itemx --background-color=@var{color} | |
817 | @opindex --background-color | |
818 | @cindex background color, command-line argument | |
819 | Specify the background color. | |
820 | @item -bd @var{color} | |
821 | @opindex -bd | |
822 | @itemx --border-color=@var{color} | |
823 | @opindex --border-color | |
824 | @cindex border color, command-line argument | |
825 | Specify the color of the border of the X window. | |
826 | @item -cr @var{color} | |
827 | @opindex -cr | |
828 | @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color} | |
829 | @opindex --cursor-color | |
830 | @cindex cursor color, command-line argument | |
831 | Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is. | |
832 | @item -ms @var{color} | |
833 | @opindex -ms | |
834 | @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color} | |
835 | @opindex --mouse-color | |
836 | @cindex mouse pointer color, command-line argument | |
837 | Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window. | |
838 | @item -r | |
839 | @opindex -r | |
840 | @itemx -rv | |
841 | @opindex -rv | |
842 | @itemx --reverse-video | |
843 | @opindex --reverse-video | |
844 | @cindex reverse video, command-line argument | |
845 | Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors. | |
e15044ea EZ |
846 | @item --color=@var{mode} |
847 | @opindex --color | |
848 | @cindex standard colors on a character terminal | |
849 | For a character terminal only, specify the mode of color support. The | |
850 | parameter @var{mode} can be one of the following: | |
851 | @table @samp | |
852 | @item never | |
853 | @itemx no | |
854 | Don't use colors even if the terminal's capabilities specify color | |
855 | support. | |
856 | @item default | |
857 | @itemx auto | |
858 | Same as when @option{--color} is not used at all: Emacs detects at | |
859 | startup whether the terminal supports colors, and if it does, turns on | |
860 | colored display. | |
861 | @item always | |
862 | @itemx yes | |
863 | @itemx ansi8 | |
864 | Turn on the color support unconditionally, and use color commands | |
865 | specified by the ANSI escape sequences for the 8 standard colors. | |
866 | @item @var{num} | |
867 | Use color mode for @var{num} colors. If @var{num} is -1, turn off | |
868 | color support (equivalent to @samp{never}); if it is 0, use the | |
869 | default color support for this terminal (equivalent to @samp{auto}); | |
870 | otherwise use an appropriate standard mode for @var{num} colors. If | |
871 | there is no mode that supports @var{num} colors, Emacs acts as if | |
872 | @var{num} were 0, i.e.@: it uses the terminal's default color support | |
873 | mode. | |
874 | @end table | |
875 | If @var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to @var{ansi8}. | |
e428626a RS |
876 | @end table |
877 | ||
878 | For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor, | |
879 | enter: | |
880 | ||
881 | @example | |
882 | emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' & | |
883 | @end example | |
884 | ||
885 | You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the | |
886 | @samp{-rv} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}. | |
887 | ||
888 | The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on | |
889 | text-only terminals as well as on window systems. | |
890 | ||
891 | @node Window Size X | |
d7beb4c9 | 892 | @appendixsec Options for Window Size and Position |
e428626a RS |
893 | @cindex geometry of Emacs window |
894 | @cindex position and size of Emacs frame | |
895 | @cindex width and height of Emacs frame | |
d7beb4c9 | 896 | @cindex specifying fullscreen for Emacs frame |
e428626a | 897 | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
898 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying size and |
899 | position of the initial Emacs frame: | |
e428626a RS |
900 | |
901 | @table @samp | |
902 | @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
903 | @opindex -g | |
26f17e6a | 904 | Specify the size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character |
e428626a | 905 | columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} |
26f17e6a | 906 | (measured in pixels). This applies to all frames. |
e428626a RS |
907 | |
908 | @item --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
909 | @opindex --geometry | |
910 | This is another way of writing the same thing. | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
911 | |
912 | @item -fs | |
913 | @opindex -fs | |
914 | @itemx --fullscreen | |
915 | @opindex --fullscreen | |
916 | @cindex fullscreen, command-line argument | |
917 | Specify that width and height shall be the size of the screen. | |
918 | ||
919 | @item -fh | |
920 | @opindex -fh | |
921 | @itemx --fullheight | |
922 | @opindex --fullheight | |
923 | @cindex fullheight, command-line argument | |
924 | Specify that the height shall be the height of the screen. | |
925 | ||
926 | @item -fw | |
927 | @opindex -fw | |
928 | @itemx --fullwidth | |
929 | @opindex --fullwidth | |
930 | @cindex fullwidth, command-line argument | |
931 | Specify that the width shall be the width of the screen. | |
e428626a RS |
932 | @end table |
933 | ||
d7beb4c9 | 934 | |
e428626a | 935 | @noindent |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
936 | In the @samp{--geometry} option, @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus |
937 | sign or a minus sign. A plus | |
e428626a RS |
938 | sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of |
939 | the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus | |
940 | sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the | |
941 | screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom. | |
942 | The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or | |
943 | negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction. | |
944 | ||
afcca90b | 945 | Emacs uses the same units as @command{xterm} does to interpret the geometry. |
e428626a RS |
946 | The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font |
947 | creates a larger frame than a small font. (If you specify a proportional | |
948 | font, Emacs uses its maximum bounds width as the width unit.) The | |
949 | @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels. | |
950 | ||
951 | Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the | |
952 | frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height | |
953 | specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs, the | |
954 | menu bar also takes one line of the specified number. But in the X | |
955 | toolkit version, the menu bar is additional and does not count against | |
956 | the specified height. The tool bar, if present, is also additional. | |
957 | ||
958 | You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry | |
959 | specification. | |
960 | ||
961 | If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the window manager | |
962 | decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by letting you place | |
963 | it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} specifies a window 164 | |
964 | columns wide, enough for two ordinary width windows side by side, and 55 | |
965 | lines tall. | |
966 | ||
967 | The default width for Emacs is 80 characters and the default height is | |
968 | 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If | |
969 | you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the | |
970 | width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs | |
971 | interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the width; | |
972 | @samp{x45} specifies just the height. | |
973 | ||
974 | If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset, | |
975 | which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the | |
976 | @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always | |
977 | @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the | |
978 | @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen. | |
979 | ||
980 | You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in | |
981 | @file{.Xdefaults} file, and then override selected fields with a | |
982 | @samp{--geometry} option. | |
983 | ||
d7beb4c9 EZ |
984 | |
985 | When using one of @samp{--fullscreen}, @samp{--fullwidth} or | |
986 | @samp{--fullheight} there may be some space around the frame | |
987 | anyway. That is because Emacs rounds the sizes so they are an | |
988 | even number of character heights and widths. | |
989 | ||
990 | Some window managers have options that can make them ignore both | |
991 | program-specified and user-specified positions (sawfish is one). | |
992 | If these are set, Emacs fails to position the window correctly. | |
993 | ||
e428626a RS |
994 | @node Borders X |
995 | @appendixsec Internal and External Borders | |
996 | @cindex borders (X Window System) | |
997 | ||
998 | An Emacs frame has an internal border and an external border. The | |
999 | internal border is an extra strip of the background color around the | |
1000 | text portion of the frame. Emacs itself draws the internal border. | |
1001 | The external border is added by the window manager outside the frame; | |
1002 | depending on the window manager you use, it may contain various boxes | |
1003 | you can click on to move or iconify the window. | |
1004 | ||
1005 | @table @samp | |
1006 | @item -ib @var{width} | |
1007 | @opindex -ib | |
1008 | @itemx --internal-border=@var{width} | |
1009 | @opindex --internal-border | |
1010 | @cindex border width, command-line argument | |
1011 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border, in pixels. | |
1012 | ||
1013 | @item -bw @var{width} | |
1014 | @opindex -bw | |
1015 | @itemx --border-width=@var{width} | |
1016 | @opindex --border-width | |
1017 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border, in pixels. | |
1018 | @end table | |
1019 | ||
1020 | When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the | |
1021 | borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the | |
1022 | external border. | |
1023 | ||
1024 | Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border | |
1025 | @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to | |
1026 | specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may | |
1027 | not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the | |
1028 | external border is 2. | |
1029 | ||
1030 | @node Title X | |
1031 | @appendixsec Frame Titles | |
1032 | ||
1033 | An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame | |
1034 | title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the | |
1035 | name of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the | |
1036 | default title has the form @samp{@var{invocation-name}@@@var{machine}} | |
1037 | (if there is only one frame) or the selected window's buffer name (if | |
1038 | there is more than one frame). | |
1039 | ||
1040 | You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command | |
1041 | line option: | |
1042 | ||
1043 | @table @samp | |
1044 | @item -title @var{title} | |
1045 | @opindex --title | |
1046 | @itemx --title=@var{title} | |
1047 | @itemx -T @var{title} | |
1048 | @opindex -T | |
1049 | @cindex frame title, command-line argument | |
1050 | Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1051 | @end table | |
1052 | ||
186e9bcc | 1053 | The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources}) also specifies the title |
e428626a RS |
1054 | for the initial Emacs frame. |
1055 | ||
1056 | @node Icons X | |
1057 | @appendixsec Icons | |
1058 | @cindex icons (X Window System) | |
1059 | ||
1060 | Most window managers allow the user to ``iconify'' a frame, removing | |
1061 | it from sight, and leaving a small, distinctive ``icon'' window in its | |
1062 | place. Clicking on the icon window makes the frame itself appear again. | |
1063 | If you have many clients running at once, you can avoid cluttering up | |
1064 | the screen by iconifying most of the clients. | |
1065 | ||
1066 | @table @samp | |
1067 | @item -i | |
1068 | @opindex -i | |
1069 | @itemx --icon-type | |
1070 | @opindex --icon-type | |
1071 | @cindex Emacs icon, a gnu | |
1072 | Use a picture of a gnu as the Emacs icon. | |
1073 | ||
1074 | @item -iconic | |
1075 | @opindex --iconic | |
1076 | @itemx --iconic | |
1077 | @cindex start iconified, command-line argument | |
1078 | Start Emacs in iconified state. | |
1079 | @end table | |
1080 | ||
1081 | The @samp{-i} or @samp{--icon-type} option tells Emacs to use an icon | |
1082 | window containing a picture of the GNU gnu. If omitted, Emacs lets the | |
1083 | window manager choose what sort of icon to use---usually just a small | |
1084 | rectangle containing the frame's title. | |
1085 | ||
1086 | The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin running as an icon, | |
1087 | rather than showing a frame right away. In this situation, the icon | |
1088 | is the only indication that Emacs has started; the text frame doesn't | |
1089 | appear until you deiconify it. |