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8cf51b2c | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
ba318903 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2001-2014 Free Software |
ab422c4d | 3 | @c Foundation, Inc. |
8cf51b2c | 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
abb9615e | 5 | @node Emacs Invocation |
8cf51b2c GM |
6 | @appendix Command Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation |
7 | @cindex command line arguments | |
8 | @cindex arguments (command line) | |
9 | @cindex options (command line) | |
10 | @cindex switches (command line) | |
11 | @cindex startup (command line arguments) | |
12 | @cindex invocation (command line arguments) | |
4ae3802f | 13 | @c FIXME: Document `--smid'? --xfq |
8cf51b2c | 14 | |
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15 | Emacs supports command line arguments to request various actions |
16 | when invoking Emacs. These are for compatibility with other editors | |
17 | and for sophisticated activities. We don't recommend using them for | |
18 | ordinary editing (@xref{Emacs Server}, for a way to access an existing | |
19 | Emacs job from the command line). | |
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20 | |
21 | Arguments starting with @samp{-} are @dfn{options}, and so is | |
22 | @samp{+@var{linenum}}. All other arguments specify files to visit. | |
23 | Emacs visits the specified files while it starts up. The last file | |
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24 | specified on the command line becomes the current buffer; the other |
25 | files are also visited in other buffers. As with most programs, the | |
26 | special argument @samp{--} says that all subsequent arguments are file | |
27 | names, not options, even if they start with @samp{-}. | |
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28 | |
29 | Emacs command options can specify many things, such as the size and | |
30 | position of the X window Emacs uses, its colors, and so on. A few | |
31 | options support advanced usage, such as running Lisp functions on files | |
32 | in batch mode. The sections of this chapter describe the available | |
33 | options, arranged according to their purpose. | |
34 | ||
35 | There are two ways of writing options: the short forms that start with | |
36 | a single @samp{-}, and the long forms that start with @samp{--}. For | |
37 | example, @samp{-d} is a short form and @samp{--display} is the | |
38 | corresponding long form. | |
39 | ||
40 | The long forms with @samp{--} are easier to remember, but longer to | |
41 | type. However, you don't have to spell out the whole option name; any | |
42 | unambiguous abbreviation is enough. When a long option takes an | |
43 | argument, you can use either a space or an equal sign to separate the | |
44 | option name and the argument. Thus, you can write either | |
45 | @samp{--display sugar-bombs:0.0} or @samp{--display=sugar-bombs:0.0}. | |
46 | We recommend an equal sign because it makes the relationship clearer, | |
47 | and the tables below always show an equal sign. | |
48 | ||
49 | @cindex initial options (command line) | |
50 | @cindex action options (command line) | |
51 | @vindex command-line-args | |
52 | Most options specify how to initialize Emacs, or set parameters for | |
53 | the Emacs session. We call them @dfn{initial options}. A few options | |
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54 | specify things to do, such as loading libraries or calling Lisp |
55 | functions. These are called @dfn{action options}. These and file | |
56 | names together are called @dfn{action arguments}. The action | |
57 | arguments are stored as a list of strings in the variable | |
58 | @code{command-line-args}. (Actually, when Emacs starts up, | |
59 | @code{command-line-args} contains all the arguments passed from the | |
60 | command line; during initialization, the initial arguments are removed | |
61 | from this list when they are processed, leaving only the action | |
62 | arguments.) | |
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63 | |
64 | @menu | |
65 | * Action Arguments:: Arguments to visit files, load libraries, | |
66 | and call functions. | |
67 | * Initial Options:: Arguments that take effect while starting Emacs. | |
68 | * Command Example:: Examples of using command line arguments. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
69 | * Environment:: Environment variables that Emacs uses. |
70 | * Display X:: Changing the default display and using remote login. | |
71 | * Font X:: Choosing a font for text, under X. | |
8863a584 | 72 | * Colors X:: Choosing display colors. |
8cf51b2c GM |
73 | * Window Size X:: Start-up window size, under X. |
74 | * Borders X:: Internal and external borders, under X. | |
75 | * Title X:: Specifying the initial frame's title. | |
76 | * Icons X:: Choosing what sort of icon to use, under X. | |
77 | * Misc X:: Other display options. | |
78 | @end menu | |
79 | ||
80 | @node Action Arguments | |
81 | @appendixsec Action Arguments | |
82 | ||
63961e6a | 83 | Here is a table of action arguments: |
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84 | |
85 | @table @samp | |
86 | @item @var{file} | |
87 | @opindex --file | |
88 | @itemx --file=@var{file} | |
89 | @opindex --find-file | |
90 | @itemx --find-file=@var{file} | |
91 | @opindex --visit | |
92 | @itemx --visit=@var{file} | |
93 | @cindex visiting files, command-line argument | |
94 | @vindex inhibit-startup-buffer-menu | |
95 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}. @xref{Visiting}. | |
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96 | |
97 | When Emacs starts up, it displays the startup buffer in one window, | |
98 | and the buffer visiting @var{file} in another window | |
99 | (@pxref{Windows}). If you supply more than one file argument, the | |
100 | displayed file is the last one specified on the command line; the | |
101 | other files are visited but their buffers are not shown. | |
102 | ||
103 | If the startup buffer is disabled (@pxref{Entering Emacs}), then | |
104 | @var{file} is visited in a single window if one file argument was | |
105 | supplied; with two file arguments, Emacs displays the files in two | |
106 | different windows; with more than two file argument, Emacs displays | |
107 | the last file specified in one window, plus a Buffer Menu in a | |
108 | different window (@pxref{Several Buffers}). To inhibit using the | |
109 | Buffer Menu for this, change the variable | |
110 | @code{inhibit-startup-buffer-menu} to @code{t}. | |
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111 | |
112 | @item +@var{linenum} @var{file} | |
113 | @opindex +@var{linenum} | |
114 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number | |
115 | @var{linenum} in it. | |
116 | ||
117 | @item +@var{linenum}:@var{columnnum} @var{file} | |
118 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number | |
119 | @var{linenum} and put point at column number @var{columnnum}. | |
120 | ||
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121 | @item -l @var{file} |
122 | @opindex -l | |
123 | @itemx --load=@var{file} | |
124 | @opindex --load | |
125 | @cindex loading Lisp libraries, command-line argument | |
126 | Load a Lisp library named @var{file} with the function @code{load}. | |
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127 | If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, Emacs first looks for it |
128 | in the current directory, then in the directories listed in | |
129 | @code{load-path} (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}). | |
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130 | |
131 | @strong{Warning:} If previous command-line arguments have visited | |
132 | files, the current directory is the directory of the last file | |
133 | visited. | |
134 | ||
135 | @item -L @var{dir} | |
136 | @opindex -L | |
137 | @itemx --directory=@var{dir} | |
138 | @opindex --directory | |
1ba6984e | 139 | Prepend directory @var{dir} to the variable @code{load-path}. |
881db7e0 GM |
140 | If you specify multiple @samp{-L} options, Emacs preserves the |
141 | relative order; i.e., using @samp{-L /foo -L /bar} results in | |
142 | a @code{load-path} of the form @code{("/foo" "/bar" @dots{})}. | |
a0833f62 GM |
143 | If @var{dir} begins with @samp{:}, Emacs removes the @samp{:} and |
144 | appends (rather than prepends) the remainder to @code{load-path}. | |
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145 | (On MS Windows, use @samp{;} instead of @samp{:}; i.e., use |
146 | the value of @code{path-separator}.) | |
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147 | |
148 | @item -f @var{function} | |
149 | @opindex -f | |
150 | @itemx --funcall=@var{function} | |
151 | @opindex --funcall | |
152 | @cindex call Lisp functions, command-line argument | |
153 | Call Lisp function @var{function}. If it is an interactive function | |
154 | (a command), it reads the arguments interactively just as if you had | |
155 | called the same function with a key sequence. Otherwise, it calls the | |
156 | function with no arguments. | |
157 | ||
158 | @item --eval=@var{expression} | |
159 | @opindex --eval | |
160 | @itemx --execute=@var{expression} | |
161 | @opindex --execute | |
162 | @cindex evaluate expression, command-line argument | |
163 | Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}. | |
164 | ||
165 | @item --insert=@var{file} | |
166 | @opindex --insert | |
167 | @cindex insert file contents, command-line argument | |
1c64e6ed | 168 | Insert the contents of @var{file} into the @file{*scratch*} buffer |
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169 | (@pxref{Lisp Interaction}). This is like what @kbd{M-x insert-file} |
170 | does (@pxref{Misc File Ops}). | |
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171 | |
172 | @item --kill | |
173 | @opindex --kill | |
174 | Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation. | |
175 | ||
176 | @item --help | |
177 | @opindex --help | |
178 | Print a usage message listing all available options, then exit | |
179 | successfully. | |
180 | ||
181 | @item --version | |
182 | @opindex --version | |
183 | Print Emacs version, then exit successfully. | |
184 | @end table | |
185 | ||
186 | @node Initial Options | |
187 | @appendixsec Initial Options | |
188 | ||
189 | The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This | |
190 | section describes the more general initial options; some other options | |
191 | specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following | |
192 | sections. | |
193 | ||
63961e6a | 194 | Some initial options affect the loading of the initialization file. |
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195 | Normally, Emacs first loads @file{site-start.el} if it exists, then |
196 | your own initialization file if it exists, and finally the default | |
197 | initialization file @file{default.el} if it exists (@pxref{Init | |
198 | File}). Certain options prevent loading of some of these files or | |
199 | substitute other files for them. | |
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200 | |
201 | @table @samp | |
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202 | @item -chdir @var{directory} |
203 | @opindex -chdir | |
204 | @itemx --chdir=@var{directory} | |
205 | @opindex --chdir | |
206 | @cindex change Emacs directory | |
207 | Change to @var{directory} before doing anything else. This is mainly used | |
208 | by session management in X so that Emacs starts in the same directory as it | |
209 | stopped. This makes desktop saving and restoring easier. | |
210 | ||
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211 | @item -t @var{device} |
212 | @opindex -t | |
213 | @itemx --terminal=@var{device} | |
214 | @opindex --terminal | |
215 | @cindex device for Emacs terminal I/O | |
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216 | Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output. This |
217 | option implies @samp{--no-window-system}. | |
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218 | |
219 | @item -d @var{display} | |
220 | @opindex -d | |
221 | @itemx --display=@var{display} | |
222 | @opindex --display | |
223 | @cindex display for Emacs frame | |
224 | Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open | |
225 | the initial Emacs frame. @xref{Display X}, for more details. | |
226 | ||
227 | @item -nw | |
228 | @opindex -nw | |
229 | @itemx --no-window-system | |
230 | @opindex --no-window-system | |
231 | @cindex disable window system | |
232 | Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the | |
233 | @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This means that | |
234 | Emacs uses the terminal from which it was launched for all its display | |
235 | and input. | |
236 | ||
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237 | @cindex batch mode |
238 | @item -batch | |
239 | @opindex --batch | |
240 | @itemx --batch | |
241 | Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}. Batch mode is used for running | |
242 | programs written in Emacs Lisp from shell scripts, makefiles, and so | |
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243 | on. To invoke a Lisp program, use the @samp{-batch} option in |
244 | conjunction with one or more of @samp{-l}, @samp{-f} or @samp{--eval} | |
245 | (@pxref{Action Arguments}). @xref{Command Example}, for an example. | |
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246 | |
247 | In batch mode, Emacs does not display the text being edited, and the | |
248 | standard terminal interrupt characters such as @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} | |
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249 | have their usual effect. Emacs functions that normally print a |
250 | message in the echo area will print to either the standard output | |
251 | stream (@code{stdout}) or the standard error stream (@code{stderr}) | |
252 | instead. (To be precise, functions like @code{prin1}, @code{princ} | |
253 | and @code{print} print to @code{stdout}, while @code{message} and | |
254 | @code{error} print to @code{stderr}.) Functions that normally read | |
255 | keyboard input from the minibuffer take their input from the | |
256 | terminal's standard input stream (@code{stdin}) instead. | |
257 | ||
258 | @samp{--batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an initialization file), | |
259 | but @file{site-start.el} is loaded nonetheless. It also causes Emacs | |
260 | to exit after processing all the command options. In addition, it | |
a73a3461 | 261 | disables auto-saving except in buffers for which auto-saving is |
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262 | explicitly requested, and when saving files it omits the @code{fsync} |
263 | system call unless otherwise requested. | |
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264 | |
265 | @item --script @var{file} | |
266 | @opindex --script | |
267 | @cindex script mode | |
268 | Run Emacs in batch mode, like @samp{--batch}, and then read and | |
269 | execute the Lisp code in @var{file}. | |
270 | ||
271 | The normal use of this option is in executable script files that run | |
272 | Emacs. They can start with this text on the first line | |
273 | ||
274 | @example | |
275 | #!/usr/bin/emacs --script | |
276 | @end example | |
277 | ||
278 | @noindent | |
279 | which will invoke Emacs with @samp{--script} and supply the name of | |
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280 | the script file as @var{file}. Emacs Lisp then treats the @samp{#!} |
281 | on this first line as a comment delimiter. | |
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282 | |
283 | @item -q | |
284 | @opindex -q | |
285 | @itemx --no-init-file | |
286 | @opindex --no-init-file | |
287 | @cindex bypassing init and @file{default.el} file | |
288 | @cindex init file, not loading | |
289 | @cindex @file{default.el} file, not loading | |
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290 | Do not load any initialization file (@pxref{Init File}). When Emacs |
291 | is invoked with this option, the Customize facility does not allow | |
292 | options to be saved (@pxref{Easy Customization}). This option does | |
293 | not disable loading @file{site-start.el}. | |
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294 | |
295 | @item --no-site-file | |
296 | @opindex --no-site-file | |
297 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading | |
fdeb32ec CY |
298 | Do not load @file{site-start.el} (@pxref{Init File}). The @samp{-Q} |
299 | option does this too, but other options like @samp{-q} do not. | |
300 | ||
301 | @item --no-site-lisp | |
302 | @opindex --no-site-lisp | |
303 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading | |
304 | Do not include the @file{site-lisp} directories in @code{load-path} | |
305 | (@pxref{Init File}). The @samp{-Q} option does this too. | |
8cf51b2c | 306 | |
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307 | @item --no-splash |
308 | @opindex --no-splash | |
309 | @vindex inhibit-startup-screen | |
310 | @cindex splash screen | |
311 | @cindex startup message | |
312 | Do not display a startup screen. You can also achieve this effect by | |
313 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-startup-screen} to non-@code{nil} | |
314 | in your initialization file (@pxref{Entering Emacs}). | |
315 | ||
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316 | @item -Q |
317 | @opindex -Q | |
318 | @itemx --quick | |
319 | @opindex --quick | |
9eb25ee8 | 320 | Start emacs with minimum customizations. This is similar to using @samp{-q}, |
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321 | @samp{--no-site-file}, @samp{--no-site-lisp}, and @samp{--no-splash} |
322 | together. This also stops Emacs from processing X resources by | |
323 | setting @code{inhibit-x-resources} to @code{t} (@pxref{Resources}). | |
8cf51b2c | 324 | |
eab2ee89 DN |
325 | @item -daemon |
326 | @opindex -daemon | |
327 | @itemx --daemon | |
328 | @opindex --daemon | |
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329 | Start Emacs as a daemon---after Emacs starts up, it starts the Emacs |
330 | server and disconnects from the terminal without opening any frames. | |
331 | You can then use the @command{emacsclient} command to connect to Emacs | |
332 | for editing. @xref{Emacs Server}, for information about using Emacs | |
333 | as a daemon. | |
eab2ee89 | 334 | |
4ff029f6 | 335 | @item -daemon=@var{SERVER-NAME} |
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336 | Start emacs in background as a daemon, and use @var{SERVER-NAME} as |
337 | the server name. | |
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338 | |
339 | @item --no-desktop | |
340 | @opindex --no-desktop | |
341 | Do not reload any saved desktop. @xref{Saving Emacs Sessions}. | |
342 | ||
343 | @item -u @var{user} | |
344 | @opindex -u | |
345 | @itemx --user=@var{user} | |
346 | @opindex --user | |
347 | @cindex load init file of another user | |
63961e6a CY |
348 | Load @var{user}'s initialization file instead of your |
349 | own@footnote{This option has no effect on MS-Windows.}. | |
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350 | |
351 | @item --debug-init | |
352 | @opindex --debug-init | |
353 | @cindex errors in init file | |
354 | Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file. | |
355 | @xref{Error Debugging,, Entering the Debugger on an Error, elisp, The | |
356 | GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
76a87a4d | 357 | @end table |
8cf51b2c | 358 | |
8cf51b2c GM |
359 | @node Command Example |
360 | @appendixsec Command Argument Example | |
361 | ||
362 | Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It | |
363 | assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when | |
364 | loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected | |
365 | to be a C program. | |
366 | ||
367 | @example | |
368 | emacs --batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log | |
369 | @end example | |
370 | ||
371 | @noindent | |
372 | This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes | |
373 | changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that | |
374 | @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and | |
375 | then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{--batch}). @samp{--batch} | |
376 | also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to | |
377 | @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal | |
378 | to work with. | |
379 | ||
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380 | @node Environment |
381 | @appendixsec Environment Variables | |
382 | @cindex environment variables | |
383 | ||
384 | The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it | |
385 | consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each | |
386 | variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable | |
387 | names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case | |
388 | letters only. The values are all text strings. | |
389 | ||
390 | What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the | |
391 | environment automatically from their parent process. This means you | |
392 | can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the | |
393 | programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it. | |
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394 | Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version control |
395 | programs) inherit the environment from Emacs, too. | |
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396 | |
397 | @findex setenv | |
398 | @findex getenv | |
63961e6a | 399 | @vindex initial-environment |
a73a3461 CY |
400 | Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} reads the name of an |
401 | environment variable, and prints its value in the echo area. @kbd{M-x | |
402 | setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs environment, and @kbd{C-u M-x | |
403 | setenv} removes a variable. (Environment variable substitutions with | |
404 | @samp{$} work in the value just as in file names; see @ref{File Names | |
405 | with $}.) The variable @code{initial-environment} stores the initial | |
406 | environment inherited by Emacs. | |
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407 | |
408 | The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs depends on the | |
409 | operating system, and especially the shell that you are using. For | |
410 | example, here's how to set the environment variable @env{ORGANIZATION} | |
411 | to @samp{not very much} using Bash: | |
412 | ||
413 | @example | |
414 | export ORGANIZATION="not very much" | |
415 | @end example | |
416 | ||
417 | @noindent | |
418 | and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh: | |
419 | ||
420 | @example | |
421 | setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much" | |
422 | @end example | |
423 | ||
424 | When Emacs is using the X Window System, various environment | |
425 | variables that control X work for Emacs as well. See the X | |
426 | documentation for more information. | |
427 | ||
428 | @menu | |
429 | * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use. | |
430 | * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables. | |
431 | * MS-Windows Registry:: An alternative to the environment on MS-Windows. | |
432 | @end menu | |
433 | ||
434 | @node General Variables | |
435 | @appendixsubsec General Variables | |
436 | ||
63961e6a CY |
437 | Here is an alphabetical list of environment variables that have |
438 | special meanings in Emacs. Most of these variables are also used by | |
439 | some other programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment | |
440 | variables to be set, but it uses their values if they are set. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
441 | |
442 | @table @env | |
443 | @item CDPATH | |
444 | Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify, | |
445 | when you specify a relative directory name. | |
aa0ecd94 MA |
446 | @item DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS |
447 | Used by D-Bus when Emacs is compiled with it. Usually, there is no | |
448 | need to change it. Setting it to a dummy address, like | |
2041ae1f MA |
449 | @samp{unix:path=/dev/null}, suppresses connections to the D-Bus session |
450 | bus as well as autolaunching the D-Bus session bus if not running yet. | |
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451 | @item EMACSDATA |
452 | Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs. | |
166bc0c8 | 453 | This is used to initialize the variable @code{data-directory}. |
8cf51b2c | 454 | @item EMACSDOC |
ae742cb5 CY |
455 | Directory for the documentation string file, which is used to |
456 | initialize the Lisp variable @code{doc-directory}. | |
8cf51b2c | 457 | @item EMACSLOADPATH |
17e0445b | 458 | A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{Here and below, |
16152b76 | 459 | whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories'', it pertains |
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460 | to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the |
461 | directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows | |
17e0445b GM |
462 | file names might include a colon after a drive letter.} to search for |
463 | Emacs Lisp files. If set, it modifies the usual initial value of the | |
464 | @code{load-path} variable (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}). An empty element | |
465 | stands for the default value of @code{load-path}; e.g., using | |
466 | @samp{EMACSLOADPATH="/tmp:"} adds @file{/tmp} to the front of | |
467 | the default @code{load-path}. | |
8cf51b2c | 468 | @item EMACSPATH |
a73a3461 CY |
469 | A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable files. |
470 | If set, Emacs uses this in addition to @env{PATH} (see below) when | |
471 | initializing the variable @code{exec-path} (@pxref{Shell}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
472 | @item EMAIL |
473 | @vindex user-mail-address@r{, initialization} | |
474 | Your email address; used to initialize the Lisp variable | |
a73a3461 CY |
475 | @code{user-mail-address}, which the Emacs mail interface puts into the |
476 | @samp{From} header of outgoing messages (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
8cf51b2c | 477 | @item ESHELL |
a73a3461 CY |
478 | Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable |
479 | (@pxref{Interactive Shell}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
480 | @item HISTFILE |
481 | The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins. | |
482 | This variable defaults to @file{~/.bash_history} if you use Bash, to | |
483 | @file{~/.sh_history} if you use ksh, and to @file{~/.history} | |
484 | otherwise. | |
485 | @item HOME | |
486 | The location of your files in the directory tree; used for | |
487 | expansion of file names starting with a tilde (@file{~}). On MS-DOS, | |
488 | it defaults to the directory from which Emacs was started, with | |
489 | @samp{/bin} removed from the end if it was present. On Windows, the | |
490 | default value of @env{HOME} is the @file{Application Data} | |
491 | subdirectory of the user profile directory (normally, this is | |
492 | @file{C:/Documents and Settings/@var{username}/Application Data}, | |
493 | where @var{username} is your user name), though for backwards | |
494 | compatibility @file{C:/} will be used instead if a @file{.emacs} file | |
495 | is found there. | |
496 | @item HOSTNAME | |
497 | The name of the machine that Emacs is running on. | |
46e3f6b5 GM |
498 | @c complete.el is obsolete since 24.1. |
499 | @ignore | |
8cf51b2c GM |
500 | @item INCPATH |
501 | A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package | |
502 | to search for files. | |
46e3f6b5 | 503 | @end ignore |
8cf51b2c GM |
504 | @item INFOPATH |
505 | A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files. | |
506 | @item LC_ALL | |
507 | @itemx LC_COLLATE | |
508 | @itemx LC_CTYPE | |
509 | @itemx LC_MESSAGES | |
510 | @itemx LC_MONETARY | |
511 | @itemx LC_NUMERIC | |
512 | @itemx LC_TIME | |
513 | @itemx LANG | |
514 | The user's preferred locale. The locale has six categories, specified | |
515 | by the environment variables @env{LC_COLLATE} for sorting, | |
516 | @env{LC_CTYPE} for character encoding, @env{LC_MESSAGES} for system | |
517 | messages, @env{LC_MONETARY} for monetary formats, @env{LC_NUMERIC} for | |
518 | numbers, and @env{LC_TIME} for dates and times. If one of these | |
519 | variables is not set, the category defaults to the value of the | |
520 | @env{LANG} environment variable, or to the default @samp{C} locale if | |
521 | @env{LANG} is not set. But if @env{LC_ALL} is specified, it overrides | |
522 | the settings of all the other locale environment variables. | |
523 | ||
524 | On MS-Windows, if @env{LANG} is not already set in the environment | |
525 | when Emacs starts, Emacs sets it based on the system-wide default | |
526 | language, which you can set in the @samp{Regional Settings} Control Panel | |
527 | on some versions of MS-Windows. | |
528 | ||
529 | The value of the @env{LC_CTYPE} category is | |
530 | matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names}, | |
531 | @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and | |
532 | @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language | |
533 | environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}. | |
534 | @item LOGNAME | |
535 | The user's login name. See also @env{USER}. | |
536 | @item MAIL | |
537 | The name of your system mail inbox. | |
a73a3461 | 538 | @ifnottex |
8cf51b2c | 539 | @item MH |
a73a3461 CY |
540 | Name of setup file for the mh system. @xref{Top,,MH-E,mh-e, The Emacs |
541 | Interface to MH}. | |
542 | @end ifnottex | |
8cf51b2c | 543 | @item NAME |
a73a3461 CY |
544 | Your real-world name. This is used to initialize the variable |
545 | @code{user-full-name} (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
546 | @item NNTPSERVER |
547 | The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages. | |
548 | @item ORGANIZATION | |
549 | The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the | |
550 | `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package. | |
551 | @item PATH | |
a73a3461 CY |
552 | A colon-separated list of directories containing executable files. |
553 | This is used to initialize the variable @code{exec-path} | |
554 | (@pxref{Shell}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
555 | @item PWD |
556 | If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started. | |
557 | @item REPLYTO | |
558 | If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable | |
a73a3461 | 559 | @code{mail-default-reply-to} (@pxref{Mail Headers}). |
8cf51b2c GM |
560 | @item SAVEDIR |
561 | The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default. | |
562 | Used by the Gnus package. | |
563 | @item SHELL | |
564 | The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from | |
565 | inside Emacs. | |
566 | @item SMTPSERVER | |
a73a3461 CY |
567 | The name of the outgoing mail server. This is used to initialize the |
568 | variable @code{smtpmail-smtp-server} (@pxref{Mail Sending}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
569 | @cindex background mode, on @command{xterm} |
570 | @item TERM | |
571 | The type of the terminal that Emacs is using. This variable must be | |
572 | set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to | |
573 | @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that | |
a73a3461 | 574 | handles the machine's own display. |
8cf51b2c GM |
575 | @item TERMCAP |
576 | The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the | |
a73a3461 | 577 | terminal specified by @env{TERM}. This defaults to |
8cf51b2c GM |
578 | @file{/etc/termcap}. |
579 | @item TMPDIR | |
a73a3461 CY |
580 | @itemx TMP |
581 | @itemx TEMP | |
582 | These environment variables are used to initialize the variable | |
583 | @code{temporary-file-directory}, which specifies a directory in which | |
584 | to put temporary files (@pxref{Backup}). Emacs tries to use | |
a683d06b PE |
585 | @env{TMPDIR} first. If that is unset, Emacs normally falls back on |
586 | @file{/tmp}, but on MS-Windows and MS-DOS it instead falls back on | |
587 | @env{TMP}, then @env{TEMP}, and finally @file{c:/temp}. | |
a73a3461 | 588 | |
8cf51b2c GM |
589 | @item TZ |
590 | This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight | |
591 | saving time information. On MS-DOS, if @env{TZ} is not set in the | |
592 | environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as | |
1df7defd | 593 | appropriate for the country code returned by DOS@. On MS-Windows, Emacs |
8cf51b2c GM |
594 | does not use @env{TZ} at all. |
595 | @item USER | |
596 | The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this | |
597 | defaults to @samp{root}. | |
598 | @item VERSION_CONTROL | |
84f4a531 CY |
599 | Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Backup |
600 | Names}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
601 | @end table |
602 | ||
603 | @node Misc Variables | |
604 | @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables | |
605 | ||
606 | These variables are used only on particular configurations: | |
607 | ||
608 | @table @env | |
609 | @item COMSPEC | |
610 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the name of the command interpreter to use | |
611 | when invoking batch files and commands internal to the shell. On MS-DOS | |
612 | this is also used to make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment | |
613 | variable. | |
614 | ||
615 | @item NAME | |
616 | On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER} | |
617 | variable. | |
618 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
619 | @item EMACSTEST |
620 | On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the | |
621 | internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug | |
622 | reports. | |
623 | ||
624 | @item EMACSCOLORS | |
625 | On MS-DOS, this specifies the screen colors. It is useful to set them | |
626 | this way, since otherwise Emacs would display the default colors | |
627 | momentarily when it starts up. | |
628 | ||
629 | The value of this variable should be the two-character encoding of the | |
630 | foreground (the first character) and the background (the second | |
631 | character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the | |
632 | hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode | |
633 | display. For example, to get blue text on a light gray background, | |
634 | specify @samp{EMACSCOLORS=17}, since 1 is the code of the blue color and | |
635 | 7 is the code of the light gray color. | |
636 | ||
637 | The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However, | |
638 | Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used | |
639 | for the background, so all four bits of the background color are | |
640 | actually used. | |
641 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
642 | @item PRELOAD_WINSOCK |
643 | On MS-Windows, if you set this variable, Emacs will load and initialize | |
644 | the network library at startup, instead of waiting until the first | |
645 | time it is required. | |
646 | ||
647 | @item emacs_dir | |
648 | On MS-Windows, @env{emacs_dir} is a special environment variable, which | |
649 | indicates the full path of the directory in which Emacs is installed. | |
650 | If Emacs is installed in the standard directory structure, it | |
651 | calculates this value automatically. It is not much use setting this | |
652 | variable yourself unless your installation is non-standard, since | |
653 | unlike other environment variables, it will be overridden by Emacs at | |
654 | startup. When setting other environment variables, such as | |
655 | @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, you may find it useful to use @env{emacs_dir} | |
656 | rather than hard-coding an absolute path. This allows multiple | |
657 | versions of Emacs to share the same environment variable settings, and | |
658 | it allows you to move the Emacs installation directory, without | |
659 | changing any environment or registry settings. | |
660 | @end table | |
661 | ||
662 | @node MS-Windows Registry | |
663 | @appendixsubsec The MS-Windows System Registry | |
664 | @pindex addpm, MS-Windows installation program | |
8034735f | 665 | @cindex registry, setting environment variables (MS-Windows) |
8cf51b2c | 666 | |
8034735f | 667 | On MS-Windows, the installation program @command{addpm.exe} adds |
8cf51b2c GM |
668 | values for @env{emacs_dir}, @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, @env{EMACSDATA}, |
669 | @env{EMACSPATH}, @env{EMACSDOC}, @env{SHELL} and @env{TERM} to the | |
670 | @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section of the system registry, under | |
671 | @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}. It does this because there is no standard | |
672 | place to set environment variables across different versions of | |
673 | Windows. Running @command{addpm.exe} is no longer strictly necessary | |
674 | in recent versions of Emacs, but if you are upgrading from an older | |
675 | version, running @command{addpm.exe} ensures that you do not have | |
676 | older registry entries from a previous installation, which may not be | |
677 | compatible with the latest version of Emacs. | |
678 | ||
679 | When Emacs starts, as well as checking the environment, it also checks | |
680 | the System Registry for those variables and for @env{HOME}, @env{LANG} | |
681 | and @env{PRELOAD_WINSOCK}. | |
682 | ||
683 | To determine the value of those variables, Emacs goes through the | |
684 | following procedure. First, the environment is checked. If the | |
685 | variable is not found there, Emacs looks for registry keys by that | |
686 | name under @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}; first in the | |
687 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section of the registry, and if not found | |
688 | there, in the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section. Finally, if Emacs | |
689 | still cannot determine the values, compiled-in defaults are used. | |
690 | ||
691 | In addition to the environment variables above, you can also add many | |
692 | of the settings which on X belong in the @file{.Xdefaults} file | |
693 | (@pxref{X Resources}) to the @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs} registry key. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
694 | |
695 | @node Display X | |
696 | @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name | |
697 | @cindex display name (X Window System) | |
698 | @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable | |
699 | ||
a73a3461 CY |
700 | The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, |
701 | including Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set by | |
702 | default in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run | |
703 | jobs locally. You can specify the display yourself; one reason to do | |
704 | this is if you want to log into another system and run Emacs there, | |
705 | and have the window displayed at your local terminal. | |
8cf51b2c | 706 | |
ae742cb5 | 707 | @env{DISPLAY} has the syntax |
8cf51b2c GM |
708 | @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the |
709 | host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an | |
ae742cb5 CY |
710 | arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X |
711 | terminal) from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is | |
a73a3461 CY |
712 | a field that allows an X server to control multiple terminal screens. |
713 | The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. If included, | |
714 | @var{screen} is usually zero. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
715 | |
716 | For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is | |
717 | the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your | |
718 | @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}. | |
719 | ||
720 | You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either | |
721 | by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d | |
722 | @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example: | |
723 | ||
724 | @smallexample | |
725 | emacs --display=glasperle:0 & | |
726 | @end smallexample | |
727 | ||
a73a3461 CY |
728 | You can inhibit the use of the X window system with the @samp{-nw} |
729 | option. Then Emacs uses its controlling text terminal for display. | |
730 | @xref{Initial Options}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
731 | |
732 | Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system | |
733 | from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs | |
734 | produces messages like this: | |
735 | ||
736 | @smallexample | |
737 | Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server | |
738 | @end smallexample | |
739 | ||
740 | @noindent | |
741 | You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @command{xhost} | |
742 | command on the local system to give permission for access from your | |
743 | remote machine. | |
744 | ||
745 | @node Font X | |
746 | @appendixsec Font Specification Options | |
747 | @cindex font name (X Window System) | |
748 | ||
d68eb23c CY |
749 | You can use the command line option @samp{-fn @var{font}} (or |
750 | @samp{--font}, which is an alias for @samp{-fn}) to specify a default | |
751 | font: | |
8cf51b2c GM |
752 | |
753 | @table @samp | |
0e3f4049 | 754 | @item -fn @var{font} |
8cf51b2c | 755 | @opindex -fn |
0e3f4049 | 756 | @itemx --font=@var{font} |
8cf51b2c GM |
757 | @opindex --font |
758 | @cindex specify default font from the command line | |
0e3f4049 | 759 | Use @var{font} as the default font. |
8cf51b2c GM |
760 | @end table |
761 | ||
a73a3461 CY |
762 | When passing a font name to Emacs on the command line, you may need to |
763 | ``quote'' it, by enclosing it in quotation marks, if it contains | |
1df7defd | 764 | characters that the shell treats specially (e.g., spaces). For |
a73a3461 | 765 | example: |
001b5dc9 CY |
766 | |
767 | @smallexample | |
768 | emacs -fn "DejaVu Sans Mono-12" | |
769 | @end smallexample | |
770 | ||
a73a3461 CY |
771 | @xref{Fonts}, for details about font names and other ways to specify |
772 | the default font. | |
8cf51b2c | 773 | |
8863a584 | 774 | @node Colors X |
8cf51b2c GM |
775 | @appendixsec Window Color Options |
776 | @cindex color of window, from command line | |
777 | @cindex text colors, from command line | |
778 | ||
8863a584 CY |
779 | You can use the following command-line options to specify the colors |
780 | to use for various parts of the Emacs display. Colors may be | |
781 | specified using either color names or RGB triplets (@pxref{Colors}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
782 | |
783 | @table @samp | |
784 | @item -fg @var{color} | |
785 | @opindex -fg | |
786 | @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color} | |
787 | @opindex --foreground-color | |
788 | @cindex foreground color, command-line argument | |
8863a584 CY |
789 | Specify the foreground color, overriding the color specified by the |
790 | @code{default} face (@pxref{Faces}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
791 | @item -bg @var{color} |
792 | @opindex -bg | |
793 | @itemx --background-color=@var{color} | |
794 | @opindex --background-color | |
795 | @cindex background color, command-line argument | |
8863a584 CY |
796 | Specify the background color, overriding the color specified by the |
797 | @code{default} face. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
798 | @item -bd @var{color} |
799 | @opindex -bd | |
800 | @itemx --border-color=@var{color} | |
801 | @opindex --border-color | |
802 | @cindex border color, command-line argument | |
a73a3461 CY |
803 | Specify the color of the border of the X window. This has no effect |
804 | if Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
805 | @item -cr @var{color} |
806 | @opindex -cr | |
807 | @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color} | |
808 | @opindex --cursor-color | |
809 | @cindex cursor color, command-line argument | |
810 | Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is. | |
811 | @item -ms @var{color} | |
812 | @opindex -ms | |
813 | @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color} | |
814 | @opindex --mouse-color | |
815 | @cindex mouse pointer color, command-line argument | |
816 | Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window. | |
817 | @item -r | |
818 | @opindex -r | |
819 | @itemx -rv | |
820 | @opindex -rv | |
821 | @itemx --reverse-video | |
822 | @opindex --reverse-video | |
823 | @cindex reverse video, command-line argument | |
824 | Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors. | |
825 | @item --color=@var{mode} | |
826 | @opindex --color | |
827 | @cindex standard colors on a character terminal | |
828 | @cindex override character terminal color support | |
a73a3461 CY |
829 | Set the @dfn{color support mode} when Emacs is run on a text terminal. |
830 | This option overrides the number of supported colors that the | |
831 | character terminal advertises in its @code{termcap} or @code{terminfo} | |
832 | database. The parameter @var{mode} can be one of the following: | |
8cf51b2c GM |
833 | @table @samp |
834 | @item never | |
835 | @itemx no | |
836 | Don't use colors even if the terminal's capabilities specify color | |
837 | support. | |
838 | @item default | |
839 | @itemx auto | |
840 | Same as when @option{--color} is not used at all: Emacs detects at | |
841 | startup whether the terminal supports colors, and if it does, turns on | |
842 | colored display. | |
843 | @item always | |
844 | @itemx yes | |
845 | @itemx ansi8 | |
846 | Turn on the color support unconditionally, and use color commands | |
847 | specified by the ANSI escape sequences for the 8 standard colors. | |
848 | @item @var{num} | |
849 | Use color mode for @var{num} colors. If @var{num} is -1, turn off | |
850 | color support (equivalent to @samp{never}); if it is 0, use the | |
851 | default color support for this terminal (equivalent to @samp{auto}); | |
852 | otherwise use an appropriate standard mode for @var{num} colors. | |
853 | Depending on your terminal's capabilities, Emacs might be able to turn | |
854 | on a color mode for 8, 16, 88, or 256 as the value of @var{num}. If | |
855 | there is no mode that supports @var{num} colors, Emacs acts as if | |
1df7defd | 856 | @var{num} were 0, i.e., it uses the terminal's default color support |
8cf51b2c GM |
857 | mode. |
858 | @end table | |
859 | If @var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to @var{ansi8}. | |
860 | @end table | |
861 | ||
862 | For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor, | |
863 | enter: | |
864 | ||
865 | @example | |
866 | emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' & | |
867 | @end example | |
868 | ||
869 | You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the | |
870 | @samp{-rv} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}. | |
871 | ||
0be641c0 CY |
872 | The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on text |
873 | terminals as well as on graphical displays. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
874 | |
875 | @node Window Size X | |
876 | @appendixsec Options for Window Size and Position | |
877 | @cindex geometry of Emacs window | |
878 | @cindex position and size of Emacs frame | |
879 | @cindex width and height of Emacs frame | |
880 | @cindex specifying fullscreen for Emacs frame | |
881 | ||
882 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying size and | |
883 | position of the initial Emacs frame: | |
884 | ||
885 | @table @samp | |
886 | @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
887 | @opindex -g | |
888 | @itemx --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
889 | @opindex --geometry | |
890 | @cindex geometry, command-line argument | |
891 | Specify the size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character | |
892 | columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} | |
893 | (measured in pixels). The @var{width} and @var{height} parameters | |
894 | apply to all frames, whereas @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} only to | |
895 | the initial frame. | |
896 | ||
897 | @item -fs | |
898 | @opindex -fs | |
899 | @itemx --fullscreen | |
900 | @opindex --fullscreen | |
901 | @cindex fullscreen, command-line argument | |
3f1c6666 JD |
902 | Specify that width and height shall be the size of the screen. Normally |
903 | no window manager decorations are shown. | |
904 | ||
905 | @item -mm | |
906 | @opindex -mm | |
907 | @itemx --maximized | |
908 | @opindex --maximized | |
909 | @cindex maximized, command-line argument | |
910 | Specify that the Emacs frame shall be maximized. This normally | |
911 | means that the frame has window manager decorations. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
912 | |
913 | @item -fh | |
914 | @opindex -fh | |
915 | @itemx --fullheight | |
916 | @opindex --fullheight | |
917 | @cindex fullheight, command-line argument | |
918 | Specify that the height shall be the height of the screen. | |
919 | ||
920 | @item -fw | |
921 | @opindex -fw | |
922 | @itemx --fullwidth | |
923 | @opindex --fullwidth | |
924 | @cindex fullwidth, command-line argument | |
925 | Specify that the width shall be the width of the screen. | |
926 | @end table | |
927 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
928 | @noindent |
929 | In the @samp{--geometry} option, @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus | |
930 | sign or a minus sign. A plus | |
931 | sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of | |
932 | the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus | |
933 | sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the | |
934 | screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom. | |
935 | The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or | |
936 | negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction. | |
937 | ||
938 | Emacs uses the same units as @command{xterm} does to interpret the geometry. | |
939 | The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font | |
940 | creates a larger frame than a small font. (If you specify a proportional | |
941 | font, Emacs uses its maximum bounds width as the width unit.) The | |
942 | @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels. | |
943 | ||
944 | You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry | |
945 | specification. If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the | |
946 | window manager decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by | |
947 | letting you place it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} | |
948 | specifies a window 164 columns wide, enough for two ordinary width | |
949 | windows side by side, and 55 lines tall. | |
950 | ||
07c75e57 | 951 | The default frame width is 80 characters and the default height is |
8cf51b2c GM |
952 | 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If |
953 | you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the | |
954 | width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs | |
07c75e57 CY |
955 | interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the |
956 | width; @samp{x45} specifies just the height. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
957 | |
958 | If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset, | |
959 | which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the | |
960 | @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always | |
961 | @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the | |
962 | @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen. | |
963 | ||
07c75e57 CY |
964 | You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in your X |
965 | resource file (@pxref{Resources}), and then override selected fields | |
966 | with a @samp{--geometry} option. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
967 | |
968 | Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the | |
969 | frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height | |
970 | specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs, the | |
971 | menu bar also takes one line of the specified number. But in the X | |
972 | toolkit version, the menu bar is additional and does not count against | |
973 | the specified height. The tool bar, if present, is also additional. | |
974 | ||
975 | Enabling or disabling the menu bar or tool bar alters the amount of | |
976 | space available for ordinary text. Therefore, if Emacs starts up with | |
977 | a tool bar (which is the default), and handles the geometry | |
978 | specification assuming there is a tool bar, and then your | |
07c75e57 | 979 | initialization file disables the tool bar, you will end up with a |
8cf51b2c GM |
980 | frame geometry different from what you asked for. To get the intended |
981 | size with no tool bar, use an X resource to specify ``no tool bar'' | |
982 | (@pxref{Table of Resources}); then Emacs will already know there's no | |
983 | tool bar when it processes the specified geometry. | |
984 | ||
3f1c6666 JD |
985 | When using one of @samp{--fullscreen}, @samp{--maximized}, @samp{--fullwidth} |
986 | or @samp{--fullheight} there may be some space around the frame | |
8cf51b2c GM |
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 | |
07c75e57 CY |
991 | program-specified and user-specified positions. If these are set, |
992 | Emacs fails to position the window correctly. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
993 | |
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 internal border width, command-line argument | |
1011 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border (between the text | |
1012 | and the main border), in pixels. | |
1013 | ||
1014 | @item -bw @var{width} | |
1015 | @opindex -bw | |
1016 | @itemx --border-width=@var{width} | |
1017 | @opindex --border-width | |
1018 | @cindex main border width, command-line argument | |
1019 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border, in pixels. | |
1020 | @end table | |
1021 | ||
1022 | When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the | |
1023 | borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the | |
1024 | external border. | |
1025 | ||
1026 | Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border | |
1027 | @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to | |
1028 | specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may | |
1029 | not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the | |
1030 | external border is 2. | |
1031 | ||
1032 | @node Title X | |
1033 | @appendixsec Frame Titles | |
1034 | ||
1035 | An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame | |
1036 | title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the | |
1037 | name of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the | |
1038 | default title has the form @samp{@var{invocation-name}@@@var{machine}} | |
1039 | (if there is only one frame) or the selected window's buffer name (if | |
1040 | there is more than one frame). | |
1041 | ||
1042 | You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command | |
1043 | line option: | |
1044 | ||
1045 | @table @samp | |
1046 | @item -T @var{title} | |
1047 | @opindex -T | |
1048 | @itemx --title=@var{title} | |
1049 | @opindex --title | |
1050 | @cindex frame title, command-line argument | |
1051 | Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1052 | @end table | |
1053 | ||
1054 | The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources}) also specifies the title | |
1055 | for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1056 | ||
1057 | @node Icons X | |
1058 | @appendixsec Icons | |
1059 | @cindex icons (X Window System) | |
07c75e57 | 1060 | @cindex minimizing a frame at startup |
8cf51b2c GM |
1061 | |
1062 | @table @samp | |
07c75e57 CY |
1063 | @item -iconic |
1064 | @opindex --iconic | |
1065 | @itemx --iconic | |
1066 | @cindex start iconified, command-line argument | |
1067 | Start Emacs in an iconified (``minimized'') state. | |
1068 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1069 | @item -nbi |
1070 | @opindex -nbi | |
1071 | @itemx --no-bitmap-icon | |
1072 | @opindex --no-bitmap-icon | |
1073 | @cindex Emacs icon, a gnu | |
a73a3461 | 1074 | Disable the use of the Emacs icon. |
8cf51b2c GM |
1075 | @end table |
1076 | ||
07c75e57 CY |
1077 | Most window managers allow you to ``iconify'' (or ``minimize'') an |
1078 | Emacs frame, hiding it from sight. Some window managers replace | |
1079 | iconified windows with tiny ``icons'', while others remove them | |
1080 | entirely from sight. The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin | |
1081 | running in an iconified state, rather than showing a frame right away. | |
1082 | The text frame doesn't appear until you deiconify (or ``un-minimize'') | |
1083 | it. | |
8cf51b2c | 1084 | |
07c75e57 | 1085 | By default, Emacs uses an icon containing the Emacs logo. On |
a73a3461 | 1086 | desktop environments such as Gnome, this icon is also displayed in |
1df7defd | 1087 | other contexts, e.g., when switching into an Emacs frame. The |
a73a3461 CY |
1088 | @samp{-nbi} or @samp{--no-bitmap-icon} option tells Emacs to let the |
1089 | window manager choose what sort of icon to use---usually just a small | |
1090 | rectangle containing the frame's title. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1091 | |
1092 | @node Misc X | |
1093 | @appendixsec Other Display Options | |
1094 | ||
1095 | @table @samp | |
07c75e57 CY |
1096 | @c @item -hb |
1097 | @c @opindex -hb | |
1098 | @c @itemx --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1099 | @c @opindex --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1100 | @c @c @cindex horizontal scroll bars, command-line argument | |
1101 | @c Enable horizontal scroll bars. Since horizontal scroll bars | |
1102 | @c are not yet implemented, this actually does nothing. | |
8cf51b2c | 1103 | |
fdeb32ec CY |
1104 | @item --parent-id @var{ID} |
1105 | Open Emacs as a client X window via the XEmbed protocol, with @var{ID} | |
1106 | as the parent X window id. Currently, this option is mainly useful | |
1107 | for developers. | |
1108 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1109 | @item -vb |
1110 | @opindex -vb | |
1111 | @itemx --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1112 | @opindex --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1113 | @cindex vertical scroll bars, command-line argument | |
1114 | Enable vertical scroll bars. | |
1115 | ||
1116 | @item -lsp @var{pixels} | |
1117 | @opindex -lsp | |
1118 | @itemx --line-spacing=@var{pixels} | |
1119 | @opindex --line-spacing | |
1120 | @cindex line spacing, command-line argument | |
1121 | Specify @var{pixels} as additional space to put between lines, in pixels. | |
1122 | ||
1123 | @item -nbc | |
1124 | @opindex -nbc | |
1125 | @itemx --no-blinking-cursor | |
1126 | @opindex --no-blinking-cursor | |
1127 | @cindex blinking cursor disable, command-line argument | |
1128 | Disable the blinking cursor on graphical displays. | |
1129 | ||
1130 | @item -D | |
1131 | @opindex -D | |
1132 | @itemx --basic-display | |
1133 | @opindex --basic-display | |
1134 | Disable the menu-bar, the tool-bar, the scroll-bars, and tool tips, | |
1135 | and turn off the blinking cursor. This can be useful for making a | |
1136 | test case that simplifies debugging of display problems. | |
1137 | @end table | |
1138 | ||
1139 | The @samp{--xrm} option (@pxref{Resources}) specifies additional | |
1140 | X resource values. |