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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
b65d8176 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, |
4e6835db | 3 | @c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 | 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
b4e112e7 RS |
5 | @node Emacs Invocation, X Resources, GNU Free Documentation License, Top |
6 | @appendix Command Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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) | |
2b4938c7 | 12 | @cindex invocation (command line arguments) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
13 | |
14 | GNU Emacs supports command line arguments to request various actions | |
15 | when invoking Emacs. These are for compatibility with other editors and | |
16 | for sophisticated activities. We don't recommend using them for | |
17 | ordinary editing. | |
18 | ||
e93b7ca6 | 19 | Arguments starting with @samp{-} are @dfn{options}, and so is |
d399c309 | 20 | @samp{+@var{linenum}}. All other arguments specify files to visit. |
e93b7ca6 RS |
21 | Emacs visits the specified files while it starts up. The last file |
22 | name on your command line becomes the current buffer; the other files | |
23 | are also visited in other buffers. If there are two files, they are | |
24 | both displayed; otherwise the last file is displayed along with a | |
25 | buffer list that shows what other buffers there are. As with most | |
26 | programs, the special argument @samp{--} says that all subsequent | |
27 | arguments are file names, not options, even if they start with | |
28 | @samp{-}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
29 | |
30 | Emacs command options can specify many things, such as the size and | |
31 | position of the X window Emacs uses, its colors, and so on. A few | |
32 | options support advanced usage, such as running Lisp functions on files | |
33 | in batch mode. The sections of this chapter describe the available | |
34 | options, arranged according to their purpose. | |
35 | ||
36 | There are two ways of writing options: the short forms that start with | |
37 | a single @samp{-}, and the long forms that start with @samp{--}. For | |
38 | example, @samp{-d} is a short form and @samp{--display} is the | |
39 | corresponding long form. | |
40 | ||
41 | The long forms with @samp{--} are easier to remember, but longer to | |
42 | type. However, you don't have to spell out the whole option name; any | |
43 | unambiguous abbreviation is enough. When a long option takes an | |
44 | argument, you can use either a space or an equal sign to separate the | |
45 | option name and the argument. Thus, you can write either | |
46 | @samp{--display sugar-bombs:0.0} or @samp{--display=sugar-bombs:0.0}. | |
47 | We recommend an equal sign because it makes the relationship clearer, | |
48 | and the tables below always show an equal sign. | |
49 | ||
50 | @cindex initial options (command line) | |
51 | @cindex action options (command line) | |
b77b6b5c | 52 | @vindex command-line-args |
6bf7aab6 DL |
53 | Most options specify how to initialize Emacs, or set parameters for |
54 | the Emacs session. We call them @dfn{initial options}. A few options | |
55 | specify things to do: for example, load libraries, call functions, or | |
0ec1f115 | 56 | terminate Emacs. These are called @dfn{action options}. These and file |
6bf7aab6 | 57 | names together are called @dfn{action arguments}. Emacs processes all |
b77b6b5c EZ |
58 | the action arguments in the order they are written. The @file{.emacs} file |
59 | can access the values of the action arguments as the elements of a list in | |
60 | the variable @code{command-line-args}. | |
61 | ||
62 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
63 | |
64 | @menu | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
65 | * Action Arguments:: Arguments to visit files, load libraries, |
66 | and call functions. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
67 | * Initial Options:: Arguments that take effect while starting Emacs. |
68 | * Command Example:: Examples of using command line arguments. | |
b77b6b5c | 69 | * Resume Arguments:: Specifying arguments when you resume a running Emacs. |
6bf7aab6 | 70 | * Environment:: Environment variables that Emacs uses. |
e428626a | 71 | * Display X:: Changing the default display and using remote login. |
b77b6b5c EZ |
72 | * Font X:: Choosing a font for text, under X. |
73 | * Colors:: Choosing display colors. | |
e428626a | 74 | * Window Size X:: Start-up window size, under X. |
b77b6b5c | 75 | * Borders X:: Internal and external borders, under X. |
e428626a RS |
76 | * Title X:: Specifying the initial frame's title. |
77 | * Icons X:: Choosing what sort of icon to use, under X. | |
b77b6b5c | 78 | * Misc X:: Other display options. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
79 | @end menu |
80 | ||
81 | @node Action Arguments | |
82 | @appendixsec Action Arguments | |
83 | ||
84 | Here is a table of the action arguments and options: | |
85 | ||
86 | @table @samp | |
87 | @item @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 88 | @opindex --file |
ec22060b | 89 | @itemx --file=@var{file} |
b77b6b5c EZ |
90 | @opindex --find-file |
91 | @itemx --find-file=@var{file} | |
92 | @opindex --visit | |
93 | @itemx --visit=@var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 94 | @cindex visiting files, command-line argument |
6da55907 | 95 | @vindex inhibit-startup-buffer-menu |
6bf7aab6 | 96 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}. @xref{Visiting}. |
6da55907 RS |
97 | If you visit several files at startup in this way, Emacs |
98 | also displays a Buffer Menu buffer to show you what files it | |
99 | has visited. You can inhibit that by setting @code{inhibit-startup-buffer-menu} to @code{t}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
100 | |
101 | @item +@var{linenum} @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 102 | @opindex +@var{linenum} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
103 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
104 | @var{linenum} in it. | |
105 | ||
660872b6 | 106 | @item +@var{linenum}:@var{columnnum} @var{file} |
660872b6 | 107 | Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number |
0ec1f115 | 108 | @var{linenum} and put point at column number @var{columnnum}. |
660872b6 | 109 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
110 | @need 3000 |
111 | @item -l @var{file} | |
a8575fe5 | 112 | @opindex -l |
6bf7aab6 | 113 | @itemx --load=@var{file} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
114 | @opindex --load |
115 | @cindex loading Lisp libraries, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 | 116 | Load a Lisp library named @var{file} with the function @code{load}. |
e93b7ca6 RS |
117 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, |
118 | the library can be found either in the current directory, or in the | |
119 | Emacs library search path as specified with @env{EMACSLOADPATH} | |
120 | (@pxref{General Variables}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 121 | |
227c36fb RS |
122 | @strong{Warning:} If previous command-line arguments have visited |
123 | files, the current directory is the directory of the last file | |
124 | visited. | |
125 | ||
b77b6b5c EZ |
126 | @item -L @var{dir} |
127 | @opindex -L | |
128 | @itemx --directory=@var{dir} | |
129 | @opindex --directory | |
130 | Add directory @var{dir} to the variable @code{load-path}. | |
131 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 132 | @item -f @var{function} |
a8575fe5 | 133 | @opindex -f |
6bf7aab6 | 134 | @itemx --funcall=@var{function} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
135 | @opindex --funcall |
136 | @cindex call Lisp functions, command-line argument | |
e2f140c8 RS |
137 | Call Lisp function @var{function}. If it is an interactive function |
138 | (a command), it reads the arguments interactively just as if you had | |
139 | called the same function with a key sequence. Otherwise, it calls the | |
140 | function with no arguments. | |
6bf7aab6 | 141 | |
ec22060b | 142 | @item --eval=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 | 143 | @opindex --eval |
ec22060b | 144 | @itemx --execute=@var{expression} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
145 | @opindex --execute |
146 | @cindex evaluate expression, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
147 | Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}. |
148 | ||
149 | @item --insert=@var{file} | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
150 | @opindex --insert |
151 | @cindex insert file contents, command-line argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
152 | Insert the contents of @var{file} into the current buffer. This is like |
153 | what @kbd{M-x insert-file} does. @xref{Misc File Ops}. | |
154 | ||
155 | @item --kill | |
a8575fe5 | 156 | @opindex --kill |
6bf7aab6 | 157 | Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation. |
6bf7aab6 | 158 | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
159 | @item --help |
160 | @opindex --help | |
161 | Print a usage message listing all available options, then exit | |
162 | successfully. | |
163 | ||
164 | @item --version | |
165 | @opindex --version | |
166 | Print Emacs version, then exit successfully. | |
167 | @end table | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
168 | |
169 | @node Initial Options | |
170 | @appendixsec Initial Options | |
171 | ||
172 | The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This | |
173 | section describes the more general initial options; some other options | |
97878c08 EZ |
174 | specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following |
175 | sections. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
176 | |
177 | Some initial options affect the loading of init files. The normal | |
178 | actions of Emacs are to first load @file{site-start.el} if it exists, | |
179 | then your own init file @file{~/.emacs} if it exists, and finally | |
56366094 LK |
180 | @file{default.el} if it exists. @xref{Init File}. Certain options |
181 | prevent loading of some of these files or substitute other files for | |
182 | them. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
183 | |
184 | @table @samp | |
185 | @item -t @var{device} | |
a8575fe5 | 186 | @opindex -t |
6bf7aab6 | 187 | @itemx --terminal=@var{device} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
188 | @opindex --terminal |
189 | @cindex device for Emacs terminal I/O | |
6bf7aab6 | 190 | Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output. |
b77b6b5c | 191 | @samp{--terminal} implies @samp{--no-window-system}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
192 | |
193 | @item -d @var{display} | |
a8575fe5 | 194 | @opindex -d |
6bf7aab6 | 195 | @itemx --display=@var{display} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
196 | @opindex --display |
197 | @cindex display for Emacs frame | |
6bf7aab6 | 198 | Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open |
a8575fe5 | 199 | the initial Emacs frame. @xref{Display X}, for more details. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
200 | |
201 | @item -nw | |
a8575fe5 | 202 | @opindex -nw |
011185fb PJ |
203 | @itemx --no-window-system |
204 | @opindex --no-window-system | |
a8575fe5 | 205 | @cindex disable window system |
54e33bb3 | 206 | Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the |
17e9a80b RS |
207 | @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This means that |
208 | Emacs uses the terminal from which it was launched for all its display | |
209 | and input. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
210 | |
211 | @need 3000 | |
212 | @cindex batch mode | |
213 | @item -batch | |
a8575fe5 | 214 | @opindex --batch |
6bf7aab6 | 215 | @itemx --batch |
4e4b7d76 RS |
216 | Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}. Batch mode is used for running |
217 | programs written in Emacs Lisp from shell scripts, makefiles, and so | |
218 | on. You should also use the @samp{-l} option or @samp{-f} option, to | |
219 | invoke a Lisp program to do batch processing. | |
220 | ||
221 | In batch mode, Emacs does not display the text being edited, and the | |
222 | standard terminal interrupt characters such as @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} | |
223 | continue to have their normal effect. The functions @code{prin1}, | |
224 | @code{princ} and @code{print} output to @code{stdout} instead of the | |
225 | echo area, while @code{message} and error messages output to | |
226 | @code{stderr}. Functions that would normally read from the minibuffer | |
227 | take their input from @code{stdin} instead. | |
6bf7aab6 | 228 | |
e93b7ca6 RS |
229 | @samp{--batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an init file), but |
230 | @file{site-start.el} is loaded nonetheless. It also causes Emacs to | |
231 | exit after processing all the command options. In addition, it | |
232 | disables auto-saving except in buffers for which it has been | |
233 | explicitly requested. | |
6bf7aab6 | 234 | |
0a41ca77 RS |
235 | @item --script @var{file} |
236 | @opindex --script | |
b77b6b5c | 237 | @cindex script mode |
0a41ca77 RS |
238 | Run Emacs in batch mode, like @samp{--batch}, and then read and |
239 | execute the Lisp code in @var{file}. | |
240 | ||
241 | The normal use of this option is in executable script files that run | |
242 | Emacs. They can start with this text on the first line | |
243 | ||
244 | @example | |
245 | #!/usr/bin/emacs --script | |
246 | @end example | |
247 | ||
248 | @noindent | |
249 | which will invoke Emacs with @samp{--script} and supply the name of | |
250 | the script file as @var{file}. Emacs Lisp then treats @samp{#!} as a | |
251 | comment delimiter. | |
252 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 253 | @item -q |
a8575fe5 | 254 | @opindex -q |
6bf7aab6 | 255 | @itemx --no-init-file |
a8575fe5 | 256 | @opindex --no-init-file |
b77b6b5c | 257 | @cindex bypassing init and @file{default.el} file |
a8575fe5 | 258 | @cindex init file, not loading |
3b703ce9 | 259 | @cindex @file{default.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 | 260 | Do not load your Emacs init file @file{~/.emacs}, or @file{default.el} |
b77b6b5c EZ |
261 | either. Regardless of this switch, @file{site-start.el} is still loaded. |
262 | When invoked like this, Emacs does not allow saving options | |
00e50428 EZ |
263 | changed with the @kbd{M-x customize} command and its variants. |
264 | @xref{Easy Customization}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
265 | |
266 | @item --no-site-file | |
a8575fe5 | 267 | @opindex --no-site-file |
3b703ce9 | 268 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading |
6bf7aab6 | 269 | Do not load @file{site-start.el}. The options @samp{-q}, @samp{-u} |
56366094 LK |
270 | and @samp{--batch} have no effect on the loading of this file---this |
271 | option and @samp{-Q} are the only options that block it. | |
6bf7aab6 | 272 | |
c6064be8 KS |
273 | @item -Q |
274 | @opindex -Q | |
5b99c91c RS |
275 | @itemx --quick |
276 | @opindex --quick | |
277 | Start emacs with minimum customizations. This is like using @samp{-q} | |
278 | and @samp{--no-site-file}, but also disables the startup screen. | |
c6064be8 | 279 | |
f6a9d2d8 CW |
280 | @item --no-splash |
281 | @opindex --no-splash | |
908abdfd | 282 | @vindex inhibit-startup-message |
6da55907 RS |
283 | Do not display a splash screen on startup; this is equivalent to |
284 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-startup-message} to non-@code{nil}. | |
908abdfd | 285 | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
286 | @item --no-desktop |
287 | @opindex --no-desktop | |
288 | Do not reload any saved desktop. @xref{Saving Emacs Sessions}. | |
289 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 290 | @item -u @var{user} |
a8575fe5 | 291 | @opindex -u |
6bf7aab6 | 292 | @itemx --user=@var{user} |
a8575fe5 EZ |
293 | @opindex --user |
294 | @cindex load init file of another user | |
6bf7aab6 | 295 | Load @var{user}'s Emacs init file @file{~@var{user}/.emacs} instead of |
78682404 EZ |
296 | your own@footnote{ |
297 | This option has no effect on MS-Windows.}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
298 | |
299 | @item --debug-init | |
a8575fe5 EZ |
300 | @opindex --debug-init |
301 | @cindex errors in init file | |
6bf7aab6 | 302 | Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file. |
48a36003 LK |
303 | @xref{Error Debugging,, Entering the Debugger on an Error, elisp, The |
304 | GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
305 | |
306 | @item --unibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 307 | @opindex --unibyte |
b77b6b5c EZ |
308 | @itemx --no-multibyte |
309 | @opindex --no-multibyte | |
56bfaffd | 310 | @cindex unibyte operation, command-line argument |
1a1b17bc | 311 | Do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. |
6bf7aab6 | 312 | All buffers and strings are unibyte unless you (or a Lisp program) |
4b1ad19a RS |
313 | explicitly ask for a multibyte buffer or string. (Note that Emacs |
314 | always loads Lisp files in multibyte mode, even if @samp{--unibyte} is | |
315 | specified; see @ref{Enabling Multibyte}.) Setting the environment | |
e93b7ca6 RS |
316 | variable @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE} has the same effect |
317 | (@pxref{General Variables}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
318 | |
319 | @item --multibyte | |
a8575fe5 | 320 | @opindex --multibyte |
b77b6b5c EZ |
321 | @itemx --no-unibyte |
322 | @opindex --no-unibyte | |
60a96371 | 323 | Inhibit the effect of @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE}, so that Emacs |
6bf7aab6 DL |
324 | uses multibyte characters by default, as usual. |
325 | @end table | |
326 | ||
327 | @node Command Example | |
328 | @appendixsec Command Argument Example | |
329 | ||
330 | Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It | |
331 | assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when | |
332 | loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected | |
333 | to be a C program. | |
334 | ||
335 | @example | |
e93b7ca6 | 336 | emacs --batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log |
6bf7aab6 DL |
337 | @end example |
338 | ||
339 | @noindent | |
340 | This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes | |
341 | changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that | |
342 | @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and | |
b77b6b5c | 343 | then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{--batch}). @samp{--batch} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
344 | also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to |
345 | @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal | |
346 | to work with. | |
347 | ||
348 | @node Resume Arguments | |
349 | @appendixsec Resuming Emacs with Arguments | |
350 | ||
351 | You can specify action arguments for Emacs when you resume it after | |
352 | a suspension. To prepare for this, put the following code in your | |
353 | @file{.emacs} file (@pxref{Hooks}): | |
354 | ||
515d3b4b | 355 | @c `resume-suspend-hook' is correct. It is the name of a function. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
356 | @example |
357 | (add-hook 'suspend-hook 'resume-suspend-hook) | |
358 | (add-hook 'suspend-resume-hook 'resume-process-args) | |
359 | @end example | |
360 | ||
361 | As further preparation, you must execute the shell script | |
515d3b4b RS |
362 | @file{emacs.csh} (if you use csh as your shell) or @file{emacs.bash} |
363 | (if you use bash as your shell). These scripts define an alias named | |
6bf7aab6 | 364 | @code{edit}, which will resume Emacs giving it new command line |
515d3b4b RS |
365 | arguments such as files to visit. The scripts are found in the |
366 | @file{etc} subdirectory of the Emacs distribution. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
367 | |
368 | Only action arguments work properly when you resume Emacs. Initial | |
369 | arguments are not recognized---it's too late to execute them anyway. | |
370 | ||
371 | Note that resuming Emacs (with or without arguments) must be done from | |
372 | within the shell that is the parent of the Emacs job. This is why | |
373 | @code{edit} is an alias rather than a program or a shell script. It is | |
374 | not possible to implement a resumption command that could be run from | |
1a1b17bc EZ |
375 | other subjobs of the shell; there is no way to define a command that could |
376 | be made the value of @env{EDITOR}, for example. Therefore, this feature | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
377 | does not take the place of the Emacs Server feature (@pxref{Emacs |
378 | Server}). | |
379 | ||
380 | The aliases use the Emacs Server feature if you appear to have a | |
381 | server Emacs running. However, they cannot determine this with complete | |
382 | accuracy. They may think that a server is still running when in | |
383 | actuality you have killed that Emacs, because the file | |
515d3b4b | 384 | @file{/tmp/esrv@dots{}} still exists. If this happens, find that |
6bf7aab6 DL |
385 | file and delete it. |
386 | ||
387 | @node Environment | |
388 | @appendixsec Environment Variables | |
389 | @cindex environment variables | |
390 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
391 | The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it |
392 | consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each | |
393 | variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable | |
394 | names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case | |
395 | letters only. The values are all text strings. | |
6bf7aab6 | 396 | |
4b1ad19a RS |
397 | What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the |
398 | environment automatically from their parent process. This means you | |
399 | can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the | |
400 | programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it. | |
401 | Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version-control | |
402 | software) inherit the environment from Emacs, too. | |
403 | ||
404 | @findex setenv | |
405 | @findex getenv | |
406 | Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} gets the value of an | |
407 | environment variable. @kbd{M-x setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs | |
26f17e6a RS |
408 | environment. (Environment variable substitutions with @samp{$} work |
409 | in the value just as in file names; see @ref{File Names with $}.) | |
410 | ||
411 | The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs depends on the | |
412 | operating system, and especially the shell that you are using. For | |
413 | example, here's how to set the environment variable @env{ORGANIZATION} | |
414 | to @samp{not very much} using Bash: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
415 | |
416 | @example | |
417 | export ORGANIZATION="not very much" | |
418 | @end example | |
419 | ||
420 | @noindent | |
421 | and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh: | |
422 | ||
423 | @example | |
424 | setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much" | |
425 | @end example | |
426 | ||
26f17e6a RS |
427 | When Emacs is using the X Window System, various environment |
428 | variables that control X work for Emacs as well. See the X | |
429 | documentation for more information. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
430 | |
431 | @menu | |
432 | * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use. | |
433 | * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables. | |
afcca90b | 434 | * MS-Windows Registry:: An alternative to the environment on MS-Windows. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
435 | @end menu |
436 | ||
437 | @node General Variables | |
438 | @appendixsubsec General Variables | |
439 | ||
4b1ad19a RS |
440 | Here is an alphabetical list of specific environment variables that |
441 | have special meanings in Emacs, giving the name of each variable and | |
442 | its meaning. Most of these variables are also used by some other | |
443 | programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment variables | |
444 | to be set, but it uses their values if they are set. | |
445 | ||
60a96371 | 446 | @table @env |
f51e949c | 447 | @item CDPATH |
6bf7aab6 DL |
448 | Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify, |
449 | when you specify a relative directory name. | |
6bf7aab6 | 450 | @item EMACS_UNIBYTE |
56bfaffd | 451 | @cindex unibyte operation, environment variable |
4b1ad19a RS |
452 | Defining this environment variable with a nonempty value directs Emacs |
453 | to do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. It is | |
454 | equivalent to using the @samp{--unibyte} command-line option on each | |
455 | invocation. @xref{Initial Options}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 456 | @item EMACSDATA |
4b1ad19a RS |
457 | Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs. |
458 | This is used to initialize the Lisp variable @code{data-directory}. | |
18a349f5 | 459 | @item EMACSDOC |
4b1ad19a RS |
460 | Directory for the documentation string file, |
461 | @file{DOC-@var{emacsversion}}. This is used to initialize the Lisp | |
b389557a | 462 | variable @code{doc-directory}. |
6bf7aab6 | 463 | @item EMACSLOADPATH |
5d9b65e0 | 464 | A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{ |
54102d63 | 465 | Here and below, whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories,'' |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
466 | it pertains to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, |
467 | the directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows | |
468 | file names might include a colon after a drive letter.} | |
469 | to search for Emacs Lisp files---used to initialize @code{load-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 470 | @item EMACSPATH |
4b1ad19a RS |
471 | A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable |
472 | files---used to initialize @code{exec-path}. | |
a502d5f3 EZ |
473 | @item EMAIL |
474 | @vindex user-mail-address@r{, initialization} | |
475 | Your email address; used to initialize the Lisp variable | |
476 | @code{user-mail-address}, which the Emacs mail interface puts into | |
477 | the @samp{From} header of outgoing messages (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 478 | @item ESHELL |
60a96371 | 479 | Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
480 | @item HISTFILE |
481 | The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins. | |
ec22060b EZ |
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. | |
6bf7aab6 | 485 | @item HOME |
d48f09ee | 486 | The location of your files in the directory tree; used for |
0a2c9284 EZ |
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. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
496 | @item HOSTNAME |
497 | The name of the machine that Emacs is running on. | |
177c0ea7 | 498 | @item INCPATH |
6bf7aab6 DL |
499 | A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package |
500 | to search for files. | |
501 | @item INFOPATH | |
b389557a | 502 | A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files. |
fbc164de | 503 | @item LC_ALL |
9c6251b6 | 504 | @itemx LC_COLLATE |
6bf7aab6 | 505 | @itemx LC_CTYPE |
9c6251b6 EZ |
506 | @itemx LC_MESSAGES |
507 | @itemx LC_MONETARY | |
508 | @itemx LC_NUMERIC | |
509 | @itemx LC_TIME | |
fbc164de | 510 | @itemx LANG |
9c6251b6 EZ |
511 | The user's preferred locale. The locale has six categories, specified |
512 | by the environment variables @env{LC_COLLATE} for sorting, | |
513 | @env{LC_CTYPE} for character encoding, @env{LC_MESSAGES} for system | |
514 | messages, @env{LC_MONETARY} for monetary formats, @env{LC_NUMERIC} for | |
515 | numbers, and @env{LC_TIME} for dates and times. If one of these | |
516 | variables is not set, the category defaults to the value of the | |
517 | @env{LANG} environment variable, or to the default @samp{C} locale if | |
518 | @env{LANG} is not set. But if @env{LC_ALL} is specified, it overrides | |
519 | the settings of all the other locale environment variables. | |
520 | ||
afcca90b JR |
521 | On MS-Windows, if @env{LANG} is not already set in the environment |
522 | when Emacs starts, Emacs sets it based on the system-wide default | |
523 | language, which you can set in the @samp{Regional Settings} Control Panel | |
524 | on some versions of MS-Windows. | |
525 | ||
526 | The value of the @env{LC_CTYPE} category is | |
4b1ad19a | 527 | matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names}, |
fbc164de | 528 | @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and |
4b1ad19a RS |
529 | @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language |
530 | environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 531 | @item LOGNAME |
60a96371 | 532 | The user's login name. See also @env{USER}. |
6bf7aab6 | 533 | @item MAIL |
d48f09ee | 534 | The name of your system mail inbox. |
6bf7aab6 | 535 | @item MH |
4b1ad19a | 536 | Name of setup file for the mh system. (The default is @file{~/.mh_profile}.) |
6bf7aab6 | 537 | @item NAME |
d48f09ee | 538 | Your real-world name. |
6bf7aab6 | 539 | @item NNTPSERVER |
5937ea41 | 540 | The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
541 | @item ORGANIZATION |
542 | The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the | |
5937ea41 | 543 | `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 | 544 | @item PATH |
5d9b65e0 EZ |
545 | A colon-separated list of directories in which executables reside. This |
546 | is used to initialize the Emacs Lisp variable @code{exec-path}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
547 | @item PWD |
548 | If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started. | |
549 | @item REPLYTO | |
550 | If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable | |
551 | @code{mail-default-reply-to}. @xref{Mail Headers}. | |
552 | @item SAVEDIR | |
553 | The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default. | |
5937ea41 | 554 | Used by the Gnus package. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
555 | @item SHELL |
556 | The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from | |
557 | inside Emacs. | |
46af94d9 SJ |
558 | @item SMTPSERVER |
559 | The name of the outgoing mail server. Used by the SMTP library | |
c8c1ca7b | 560 | (@pxref{Top,,,smtpmail,Sending mail via SMTP}). |
afcca90b | 561 | @cindex background mode, on @command{xterm} |
6bf7aab6 | 562 | @item TERM |
0ec1f115 | 563 | The type of the terminal that Emacs is using. This variable must be |
6bf7aab6 DL |
564 | set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to |
565 | @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that | |
b370b3b0 | 566 | handles the machine's own display. If the value of @env{TERM} indicates |
afcca90b | 567 | that Emacs runs in non-windowed mode from @command{xterm} or a similar |
b370b3b0 EZ |
568 | terminal emulator, the background mode defaults to @samp{light}, and |
569 | Emacs will choose colors that are appropriate for a light background. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
570 | @item TERMCAP |
571 | The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the | |
60a96371 | 572 | terminal specified by the @env{TERM} variable. This defaults to |
6bf7aab6 DL |
573 | @file{/etc/termcap}. |
574 | @item TMPDIR | |
575 | Used by the Emerge package as a prefix for temporary files. | |
576 | @item TZ | |
94c3309f | 577 | This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight |
afcca90b | 578 | saving time information. On MS-DOS, if @env{TZ} is not set in the |
94c3309f | 579 | environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as |
9c3aede4 | 580 | appropriate for the country code returned by DOS. On MS-Windows, Emacs |
afcca90b | 581 | does not use @env{TZ} at all. |
6bf7aab6 | 582 | @item USER |
60a96371 | 583 | The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this |
6bf7aab6 DL |
584 | defaults to @samp{root}. |
585 | @item VERSION_CONTROL | |
d730dc94 | 586 | Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Numbered Backups}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
587 | @end table |
588 | ||
589 | @node Misc Variables | |
590 | @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables | |
591 | ||
592 | These variables are used only on particular configurations: | |
593 | ||
60a96371 | 594 | @table @env |
6bf7aab6 | 595 | @item COMSPEC |
ec22060b EZ |
596 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the name of the command interpreter to use |
597 | when invoking batch files and commands internal to the shell. On MS-DOS | |
598 | this is also used to make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment | |
599 | variable. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
600 | |
601 | @item NAME | |
60a96371 | 602 | On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
603 | variable. |
604 | ||
605 | @item TEMP | |
606 | @itemx TMP | |
ec22060b EZ |
607 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, these specify the name of the directory for |
608 | storing temporary files in. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
609 | |
610 | @item EMACSTEST | |
611 | On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the | |
612 | internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug | |
613 | reports. | |
614 | ||
615 | @item EMACSCOLORS | |
9c3aede4 RS |
616 | On MS-DOS, this specifies the screen colors. It is useful to set them |
617 | this way, since otherwise Emacs would display the default colors | |
618 | momentarily when it starts up. | |
619 | ||
620 | The value of this variable should be the two-character encoding of the | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
621 | foreground (the first character) and the background (the second |
622 | character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the | |
623 | hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode | |
47d7776c | 624 | display. For example, to get blue text on a light gray background, |
ed50f966 | 625 | specify @samp{EMACSCOLORS=17}, since 1 is the code of the blue color and |
47d7776c | 626 | 7 is the code of the light gray color. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
627 | |
628 | The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However, | |
629 | Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used | |
630 | for the background, so all four bits of the background color are | |
631 | actually used. | |
632 | ||
633 | @item WINDOW_GFX | |
634 | Used when initializing the Sun windows system. | |
afcca90b JR |
635 | |
636 | @item PRELOAD_WINSOCK | |
637 | On MS-Windows, if you set this variable, Emacs will load and initialize | |
638 | the network library at startup, instead of waiting until the first | |
639 | time it is required. | |
640 | ||
641 | @item emacs_dir | |
642 | On MS-Windows, @env{emacs_dir} is a special environment variable, which | |
643 | indicates the full path of the directory in which Emacs is installed. | |
644 | If Emacs is installed in the standard directory structure, it | |
645 | calculates this value automatically. It is not much use setting this | |
646 | variable yourself unless your installation is non-standard, since | |
647 | unlike other environment variables, it will be overridden by Emacs at | |
648 | startup. When setting other environment variables, such as | |
649 | @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, you may find it useful to use @env{emacs_dir} | |
650 | rather than hard-coding an absolute path. This allows multiple | |
651 | versions of Emacs to share the same environment variable settings, and | |
652 | it allows you to move the Emacs installation directory, without | |
653 | changing any environment or registry settings. | |
6bf7aab6 | 654 | @end table |
e428626a | 655 | |
afcca90b JR |
656 | @node MS-Windows Registry |
657 | @appendixsubsec The MS-Windows System Registry | |
658 | @pindex addpm, MS-Windows installation program | |
659 | @cindex registry, setting environment variables and resources on MS-Windows | |
660 | ||
444246ca KB |
661 | Under MS-Windows, the installation program @command{addpm.exe} adds |
662 | values for @env{emacs_dir}, @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, @env{EMACSDATA}, | |
afcca90b JR |
663 | @env{EMACSPATH}, @env{EMACSDOC}, @env{SHELL} and @env{TERM} to the |
664 | @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section of the system registry, under | |
665 | @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}. It does this because there is no standard | |
666 | place to set environment variables across different versions of | |
444246ca KB |
667 | Windows. Running @command{addpm.exe} is no longer strictly necessary |
668 | in recent versions of Emacs, but if you are upgrading from an older | |
669 | version, running @command{addpm.exe} ensures that you do not have | |
afcca90b JR |
670 | older registry entries from a previous installation, which may not be |
671 | compatible with the latest version of Emacs. | |
672 | ||
673 | When Emacs starts, as well as checking the environment, it also checks | |
674 | the System Registry for those variables and for @env{HOME}, @env{LANG} | |
675 | and @env{PRELOAD_WINSOCK}. | |
676 | ||
677 | To determine the value of those variables, Emacs goes through the | |
678 | following procedure. First, the environment is checked. If the | |
679 | variable is not found there, Emacs looks for registry keys by that | |
680 | name under @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}; first in the | |
681 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section of the registry, and if not found | |
682 | there, in the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section. Finally, if Emacs | |
683 | still cannot determine the values, compiled-in defaults are used. | |
684 | ||
685 | In addition to the environment variables above, you can also add many | |
686 | of the settings which on X belong in the @file{.Xdefaults} file | |
687 | (@pxref{X Resources}) to the @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs} registry key. | |
688 | Settings you add to the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section will affect | |
689 | all users of the machine. Settings you add to the | |
690 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section will only affect you, and will | |
691 | override machine wide settings. | |
692 | ||
e428626a | 693 | @node Display X |
177c0ea7 | 694 | @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name |
e428626a RS |
695 | @cindex display name (X Window System) |
696 | @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable | |
697 | ||
698 | The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, including | |
699 | Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set by default | |
700 | in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run jobs | |
701 | locally. Occasionally you may need to specify the display yourself; for | |
702 | example, if you do a remote login and want to run a client program | |
703 | remotely, displaying on your local screen. | |
704 | ||
705 | With Emacs, the main reason people change the default display is to | |
706 | let them log into another system, run Emacs on that system, but have the | |
707 | window displayed at their local terminal. You might need to log in | |
708 | to another system because the files you want to edit are there, or | |
709 | because the Emacs executable file you want to run is there. | |
710 | ||
711 | The syntax of the @env{DISPLAY} environment variable is | |
712 | @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the | |
713 | host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an | |
714 | arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X terminal) | |
715 | from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is a | |
716 | rarely-used field that allows an X server to control multiple terminal | |
717 | screens. The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. If | |
718 | included, @var{screen} is usually zero. | |
719 | ||
720 | For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is | |
721 | the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your | |
722 | @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}. | |
723 | ||
724 | You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either | |
725 | by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d | |
726 | @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example: | |
727 | ||
728 | @smallexample | |
729 | emacs --display=glasperle:0 & | |
730 | @end smallexample | |
731 | ||
732 | You can inhibit the direct use of the window system and GUI with the | |
76dd3692 | 733 | @samp{-nw} option. It tells Emacs to display using ordinary @acronym{ASCII} on |
e428626a RS |
734 | its controlling terminal. This is also an initial option. |
735 | ||
736 | Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system | |
737 | from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs | |
738 | produces messages like this: | |
739 | ||
740 | @smallexample | |
741 | Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server | |
742 | @end smallexample | |
743 | ||
744 | @noindent | |
afcca90b | 745 | You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @command{xhost} |
e428626a RS |
746 | command on the local system to give permission for access from your |
747 | remote machine. | |
748 | ||
749 | @node Font X | |
750 | @appendixsec Font Specification Options | |
751 | @cindex font name (X Window System) | |
752 | ||
31572e29 LT |
753 | By default, Emacs displays text in a twelve point Courier font (when |
754 | using X). You can specify a different font on your command line | |
755 | through the option @samp{-fn @var{name}} (or @samp{--font}, which is | |
756 | an alias for @samp{-fn}). | |
e428626a RS |
757 | |
758 | @table @samp | |
759 | @item -fn @var{name} | |
760 | @opindex -fn | |
761 | @itemx --font=@var{name} | |
762 | @opindex --font | |
763 | @cindex specify default font from the command line | |
764 | Use font @var{name} as the default font. | |
765 | @end table | |
766 | ||
31572e29 LT |
767 | Under X, each font has a long name which consists of fourteen words |
768 | or numbers, separated by dashes. Some fonts also have shorter | |
769 | nicknames. For instance, @samp{9x15} is such a nickname. This font | |
770 | makes each character nine pixels wide and fifteen pixels high. You | |
771 | can use either kind of name. Case is insignificant in both kinds. | |
772 | You can use wildcard patterns for the font name; then Emacs lets X | |
773 | choose one of the fonts that match the pattern. The wildcard | |
774 | character @samp{*} matches any sequence of characters (including none) | |
775 | and @samp{?} matches any single character. However, matching is | |
776 | implementation-dependent, and can be inaccurate when wildcards match | |
777 | dashes in a long name. For reliable results, supply all 14 dashes and | |
778 | use wildcards only within a field. Here is an example, which happens | |
779 | to specify the font whose nickname is @samp{6x13}: | |
e428626a RS |
780 | |
781 | @smallexample | |
eca274b1 RS |
782 | emacs -fn \ |
783 | "-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1" & | |
e428626a RS |
784 | @end smallexample |
785 | ||
786 | @noindent | |
787 | You can also specify the font in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: | |
788 | ||
789 | @smallexample | |
790 | emacs.font: -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1 | |
31572e29 LT |
791 | @end smallexample |
792 | ||
793 | Note that if you use a wildcard pattern on the command line, you | |
794 | need to enclose it in single or double quotes, to prevent the shell | |
795 | from accidentally expanding it into a list of file names. On the | |
796 | other hand, you should not quote the name in the @file{.Xdefaults} | |
797 | file. | |
798 | ||
799 | The default font used by Emacs (under X) is: | |
800 | ||
801 | @smallexample | |
802 | -adobe-courier-medium-r-*-*-*-120-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1 | |
e428626a RS |
803 | @end smallexample |
804 | ||
805 | A long font name has the following form: | |
806 | ||
807 | @smallexample | |
808 | -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{} | |
31572e29 | 809 | @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{registry}-@var{encoding} |
e428626a RS |
810 | @end smallexample |
811 | ||
812 | @table @var | |
813 | @item maker | |
814 | This is the name of the font manufacturer. | |
815 | @item family | |
816 | This is the name of the font family---for example, @samp{courier}. | |
817 | @item weight | |
818 | This is normally @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or @samp{light}. Other | |
819 | words may appear here in some font names. | |
820 | @item slant | |
821 | This is @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic), @samp{o} (oblique), | |
822 | @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other). | |
823 | @item widthtype | |
824 | This is normally @samp{condensed}, @samp{extended}, @samp{semicondensed} | |
825 | or @samp{normal}. Other words may appear here in some font names. | |
826 | @item style | |
827 | This is an optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most | |
828 | long font names have two hyphens in a row at this point. | |
829 | @item pixels | |
830 | This is the font height, in pixels. | |
831 | @item height | |
832 | This is the font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's | |
833 | point---approximately 1/720 of an inch. In other words, it is the point | |
834 | size of the font, times ten. For a given vertical resolution, | |
835 | @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional; therefore, it is common | |
836 | to specify just one of them and use @samp{*} for the other. | |
837 | @item horiz | |
838 | This is the horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
839 | which the font is intended. | |
840 | @item vert | |
841 | This is the vertical resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for | |
842 | which the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on | |
843 | your system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally | |
844 | specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}. | |
845 | @item spacing | |
846 | This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c} | |
847 | (character cell). | |
848 | @item width | |
849 | This is the average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten. | |
31572e29 LT |
850 | @item registry |
851 | @itemx encoding | |
852 | These together make up the X font character set that the font depicts. | |
853 | (X font character sets are not the same as Emacs charsets, but they | |
854 | are solutions for the same problem.) You can use the | |
855 | @command{xfontsel} program to check which choices you have. However, | |
856 | normally you should use @samp{iso8859} for @var{registry} and @samp{1} | |
857 | for @var{encoding}. | |
e428626a RS |
858 | @end table |
859 | ||
860 | @cindex listing system fonts | |
861 | You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is, | |
862 | a font in which all characters have the same width. Any font with | |
863 | @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the long name is a | |
afcca90b | 864 | fixed-width font. Here's how to use the @command{xlsfonts} program to |
e428626a RS |
865 | list all the fixed-width fonts available on your system: |
866 | ||
867 | @example | |
868 | xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+" | |
869 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*' | |
870 | xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*' | |
871 | @end example | |
872 | ||
873 | @noindent | |
afcca90b | 874 | To see what a particular font looks like, use the @command{xfd} command. |
e428626a RS |
875 | For example: |
876 | ||
877 | @example | |
878 | xfd -fn 6x13 | |
879 | @end example | |
880 | ||
881 | @noindent | |
882 | displays the entire font @samp{6x13}. | |
883 | ||
884 | While running Emacs, you can set the font of the current frame | |
885 | (@pxref{Frame Parameters}) or for a specific kind of text | |
886 | (@pxref{Faces}). | |
887 | ||
e15044ea | 888 | @node Colors |
e428626a RS |
889 | @appendixsec Window Color Options |
890 | @cindex color of window | |
891 | @cindex text colors, from command line | |
892 | ||
893 | @findex list-colors-display | |
894 | @cindex available colors | |
895 | On a color display, you can specify which color to use for various | |
896 | parts of the Emacs display. To find out what colors are available on | |
897 | your system, type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}, or press | |
898 | @kbd{C-Mouse-2} and select @samp{Display Colors} from the pop-up menu. | |
75f97d20 EZ |
899 | (A particular window system might support many more colors, but the |
900 | list displayed by @code{list-colors-display} shows their portable | |
901 | subset that can be safely used on any display supported by Emacs.) | |
e428626a RS |
902 | If you do not specify colors, on windowed displays the default for the |
903 | background is white and the default for all other colors is black. On a | |
904 | monochrome display, the foreground is black, the background is white, | |
905 | and the border is gray if the display supports that. On terminals, the | |
906 | background is usually black and the foreground is white. | |
907 | ||
908 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying colors: | |
909 | ||
910 | @table @samp | |
911 | @item -fg @var{color} | |
912 | @opindex -fg | |
913 | @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color} | |
914 | @opindex --foreground-color | |
915 | @cindex foreground color, command-line argument | |
916 | Specify the foreground color. @var{color} should be a standard color | |
917 | name, or a numeric specification of the color's red, green, and blue | |
918 | components as in @samp{#4682B4} or @samp{RGB:46/82/B4}. | |
919 | @item -bg @var{color} | |
920 | @opindex -bg | |
921 | @itemx --background-color=@var{color} | |
922 | @opindex --background-color | |
923 | @cindex background color, command-line argument | |
924 | Specify the background color. | |
925 | @item -bd @var{color} | |
926 | @opindex -bd | |
927 | @itemx --border-color=@var{color} | |
928 | @opindex --border-color | |
929 | @cindex border color, command-line argument | |
930 | Specify the color of the border of the X window. | |
931 | @item -cr @var{color} | |
932 | @opindex -cr | |
933 | @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color} | |
934 | @opindex --cursor-color | |
935 | @cindex cursor color, command-line argument | |
936 | Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is. | |
937 | @item -ms @var{color} | |
938 | @opindex -ms | |
939 | @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color} | |
940 | @opindex --mouse-color | |
941 | @cindex mouse pointer color, command-line argument | |
942 | Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window. | |
943 | @item -r | |
944 | @opindex -r | |
945 | @itemx -rv | |
946 | @opindex -rv | |
947 | @itemx --reverse-video | |
948 | @opindex --reverse-video | |
949 | @cindex reverse video, command-line argument | |
950 | Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors. | |
e15044ea EZ |
951 | @item --color=@var{mode} |
952 | @opindex --color | |
953 | @cindex standard colors on a character terminal | |
3f12e16b EZ |
954 | @cindex override character terminal color support |
955 | For a character terminal only, specify the mode of color support. | |
956 | This option is intended for overriding the number of supported colors | |
957 | that the character terminal advertises in its @code{termcap} or | |
958 | @code{terminfo} database. The parameter @var{mode} can be one of the | |
959 | following: | |
e15044ea EZ |
960 | @table @samp |
961 | @item never | |
962 | @itemx no | |
963 | Don't use colors even if the terminal's capabilities specify color | |
964 | support. | |
965 | @item default | |
966 | @itemx auto | |
967 | Same as when @option{--color} is not used at all: Emacs detects at | |
968 | startup whether the terminal supports colors, and if it does, turns on | |
969 | colored display. | |
970 | @item always | |
971 | @itemx yes | |
972 | @itemx ansi8 | |
973 | Turn on the color support unconditionally, and use color commands | |
974 | specified by the ANSI escape sequences for the 8 standard colors. | |
975 | @item @var{num} | |
976 | Use color mode for @var{num} colors. If @var{num} is -1, turn off | |
977 | color support (equivalent to @samp{never}); if it is 0, use the | |
978 | default color support for this terminal (equivalent to @samp{auto}); | |
75f97d20 EZ |
979 | otherwise use an appropriate standard mode for @var{num} colors. |
980 | Depending on your terminal's capabilities, Emacs might be able to turn | |
981 | on a color mode for 8, 16, 88, or 256 as the value of @var{num}. If | |
e15044ea EZ |
982 | there is no mode that supports @var{num} colors, Emacs acts as if |
983 | @var{num} were 0, i.e.@: it uses the terminal's default color support | |
984 | mode. | |
985 | @end table | |
986 | If @var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to @var{ansi8}. | |
e428626a RS |
987 | @end table |
988 | ||
989 | For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor, | |
990 | enter: | |
991 | ||
992 | @example | |
993 | emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' & | |
994 | @end example | |
995 | ||
996 | You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the | |
997 | @samp{-rv} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}. | |
998 | ||
999 | The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on | |
d48f09ee | 1000 | text-only terminals as well as on graphical displays. |
e428626a RS |
1001 | |
1002 | @node Window Size X | |
d7beb4c9 | 1003 | @appendixsec Options for Window Size and Position |
e428626a RS |
1004 | @cindex geometry of Emacs window |
1005 | @cindex position and size of Emacs frame | |
1006 | @cindex width and height of Emacs frame | |
d7beb4c9 | 1007 | @cindex specifying fullscreen for Emacs frame |
e428626a | 1008 | |
d7beb4c9 | 1009 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying size and |
177c0ea7 | 1010 | position of the initial Emacs frame: |
e428626a RS |
1011 | |
1012 | @table @samp | |
1013 | @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
1014 | @opindex -g | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1015 | @itemx --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} |
1016 | @opindex --geometry | |
1017 | @cindex geometry, command-line argument | |
26f17e6a | 1018 | Specify the size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character |
e428626a | 1019 | columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} |
8bdb96bc EZ |
1020 | (measured in pixels). The @var{width} and @var{height} parameters |
1021 | apply to all frames, whereas @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} only to | |
1022 | the initial frame. | |
e428626a | 1023 | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
1024 | @item -fs |
1025 | @opindex -fs | |
1026 | @itemx --fullscreen | |
1027 | @opindex --fullscreen | |
1028 | @cindex fullscreen, command-line argument | |
1029 | Specify that width and height shall be the size of the screen. | |
1030 | ||
1031 | @item -fh | |
1032 | @opindex -fh | |
1033 | @itemx --fullheight | |
1034 | @opindex --fullheight | |
1035 | @cindex fullheight, command-line argument | |
1036 | Specify that the height shall be the height of the screen. | |
1037 | ||
1038 | @item -fw | |
1039 | @opindex -fw | |
1040 | @itemx --fullwidth | |
1041 | @opindex --fullwidth | |
1042 | @cindex fullwidth, command-line argument | |
1043 | Specify that the width shall be the width of the screen. | |
e428626a RS |
1044 | @end table |
1045 | ||
d7beb4c9 | 1046 | |
e428626a | 1047 | @noindent |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
1048 | In the @samp{--geometry} option, @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus |
1049 | sign or a minus sign. A plus | |
e428626a RS |
1050 | sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of |
1051 | the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus | |
1052 | sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the | |
1053 | screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom. | |
1054 | The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or | |
1055 | negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction. | |
1056 | ||
afcca90b | 1057 | Emacs uses the same units as @command{xterm} does to interpret the geometry. |
e428626a RS |
1058 | The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font |
1059 | creates a larger frame than a small font. (If you specify a proportional | |
1060 | font, Emacs uses its maximum bounds width as the width unit.) The | |
1061 | @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels. | |
1062 | ||
e428626a | 1063 | You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry |
5e24bf12 RS |
1064 | specification. If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the |
1065 | window manager decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by | |
1066 | letting you place it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} | |
1067 | specifies a window 164 columns wide, enough for two ordinary width | |
1068 | windows side by side, and 55 lines tall. | |
e428626a RS |
1069 | |
1070 | The default width for Emacs is 80 characters and the default height is | |
1071 | 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If | |
1072 | you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the | |
1073 | width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs | |
1074 | interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the width; | |
1075 | @samp{x45} specifies just the height. | |
1076 | ||
1077 | If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset, | |
1078 | which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the | |
1079 | @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always | |
1080 | @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the | |
1081 | @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen. | |
1082 | ||
1083 | You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in | |
1084 | @file{.Xdefaults} file, and then override selected fields with a | |
1085 | @samp{--geometry} option. | |
1086 | ||
5e24bf12 RS |
1087 | Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the |
1088 | frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height | |
1089 | specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs, the | |
1090 | menu bar also takes one line of the specified number. But in the X | |
1091 | toolkit version, the menu bar is additional and does not count against | |
1092 | the specified height. The tool bar, if present, is also additional. | |
d7beb4c9 | 1093 | |
5e24bf12 RS |
1094 | Enabling or disabling the menu bar or tool bar alters the amount of |
1095 | space available for ordinary text. Therefore, if Emacs starts up with | |
1096 | a tool bar (which is the default), and handles the geometry | |
1097 | specification assuming there is a tool bar, and then your | |
1098 | @file{~/.emacs} file disables the tool bar, you will end up with a | |
1099 | frame geometry different from what you asked for. To get the intended | |
1100 | size with no tool bar, use an X resource to specify ``no tool bar'' | |
b77b6b5c | 1101 | (@pxref{Table of Resources}); then Emacs will already know there's no |
5e24bf12 RS |
1102 | tool bar when it processes the specified geometry. |
1103 | ||
1104 | When using one of @samp{--fullscreen}, @samp{--fullwidth} or | |
d7beb4c9 EZ |
1105 | @samp{--fullheight} there may be some space around the frame |
1106 | anyway. That is because Emacs rounds the sizes so they are an | |
1107 | even number of character heights and widths. | |
1108 | ||
1109 | Some window managers have options that can make them ignore both | |
1110 | program-specified and user-specified positions (sawfish is one). | |
1111 | If these are set, Emacs fails to position the window correctly. | |
1112 | ||
e428626a RS |
1113 | @node Borders X |
1114 | @appendixsec Internal and External Borders | |
1115 | @cindex borders (X Window System) | |
1116 | ||
1117 | An Emacs frame has an internal border and an external border. The | |
1118 | internal border is an extra strip of the background color around the | |
1119 | text portion of the frame. Emacs itself draws the internal border. | |
1120 | The external border is added by the window manager outside the frame; | |
1121 | depending on the window manager you use, it may contain various boxes | |
1122 | you can click on to move or iconify the window. | |
1123 | ||
1124 | @table @samp | |
1125 | @item -ib @var{width} | |
1126 | @opindex -ib | |
1127 | @itemx --internal-border=@var{width} | |
1128 | @opindex --internal-border | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1129 | @cindex internal border width, command-line argument |
1130 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border (between the text | |
1131 | and the main border), in pixels. | |
e428626a RS |
1132 | |
1133 | @item -bw @var{width} | |
1134 | @opindex -bw | |
1135 | @itemx --border-width=@var{width} | |
1136 | @opindex --border-width | |
b77b6b5c | 1137 | @cindex main border width, command-line argument |
e428626a RS |
1138 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border, in pixels. |
1139 | @end table | |
1140 | ||
1141 | When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the | |
1142 | borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the | |
1143 | external border. | |
1144 | ||
1145 | Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border | |
1146 | @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to | |
1147 | specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may | |
1148 | not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the | |
1149 | external border is 2. | |
1150 | ||
1151 | @node Title X | |
1152 | @appendixsec Frame Titles | |
1153 | ||
1154 | An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame | |
1155 | title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the | |
1156 | name of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the | |
1157 | default title has the form @samp{@var{invocation-name}@@@var{machine}} | |
1158 | (if there is only one frame) or the selected window's buffer name (if | |
1159 | there is more than one frame). | |
1160 | ||
1161 | You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command | |
1162 | line option: | |
1163 | ||
1164 | @table @samp | |
b77b6b5c | 1165 | @item -T @var{title} |
e428626a | 1166 | @opindex -T |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1167 | @itemx --title=@var{title} |
1168 | @opindex --title | |
e428626a RS |
1169 | @cindex frame title, command-line argument |
1170 | Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1171 | @end table | |
1172 | ||
186e9bcc | 1173 | The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources}) also specifies the title |
e428626a RS |
1174 | for the initial Emacs frame. |
1175 | ||
1176 | @node Icons X | |
1177 | @appendixsec Icons | |
1178 | @cindex icons (X Window System) | |
1179 | ||
d48f09ee | 1180 | Most window managers allow you to ``iconify'' a frame, removing |
e428626a RS |
1181 | it from sight, and leaving a small, distinctive ``icon'' window in its |
1182 | place. Clicking on the icon window makes the frame itself appear again. | |
1183 | If you have many clients running at once, you can avoid cluttering up | |
1184 | the screen by iconifying most of the clients. | |
1185 | ||
1186 | @table @samp | |
f9e36a6d JD |
1187 | @item -nbi |
1188 | @opindex -nbi | |
9ea74452 JD |
1189 | @itemx --no-bitmap-icon |
1190 | @opindex --no-bitmap-icon | |
e428626a | 1191 | @cindex Emacs icon, a gnu |
9ea74452 | 1192 | Do not use a picture of a gnu as the Emacs icon. |
e428626a RS |
1193 | |
1194 | @item -iconic | |
1195 | @opindex --iconic | |
1196 | @itemx --iconic | |
1197 | @cindex start iconified, command-line argument | |
1198 | Start Emacs in iconified state. | |
1199 | @end table | |
1200 | ||
9ea74452 | 1201 | By default Emacs uses an icon window containing a picture of the GNU gnu. |
1b3b0b5f | 1202 | The @samp{-nbi} or @samp{--no-bitmap-icon} option tells Emacs to let the |
e428626a RS |
1203 | window manager choose what sort of icon to use---usually just a small |
1204 | rectangle containing the frame's title. | |
1205 | ||
1206 | The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin running as an icon, | |
1207 | rather than showing a frame right away. In this situation, the icon | |
1208 | is the only indication that Emacs has started; the text frame doesn't | |
1209 | appear until you deiconify it. | |
ab5796a9 | 1210 | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1211 | @node Misc X |
1212 | @appendixsec Other Display Options | |
1213 | ||
1214 | @table @samp | |
1215 | @item -hb | |
1216 | @opindex -hb | |
1217 | @itemx --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1218 | @opindex --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
7c195b93 RS |
1219 | @c @cindex horizontal scroll bars, command-line argument |
1220 | Enable horizontal scroll bars. Since horizontal scroll bars | |
1221 | are not yet implemented, this actually does nothing. | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1222 | |
1223 | @item -vb | |
1224 | @opindex -vb | |
1225 | @itemx --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1226 | @opindex --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1227 | @cindex vertical scroll bars, command-line argument | |
1228 | Enable vertical scroll bars. | |
1229 | ||
1230 | @item -lsp @var{pixels} | |
1231 | @opindex -lsp | |
1232 | @itemx --line-spacing=@var{pixels} | |
1233 | @opindex --line-spacing | |
1234 | @cindex line spacing, command-line argument | |
1235 | Specify @var{pixels} as additional space to put between lines, in pixels. | |
2b4938c7 JL |
1236 | |
1237 | @item -nbc | |
1238 | @opindex -nbc | |
1239 | @itemx --no-blinking-cursor | |
1240 | @opindex --no-blinking-cursor | |
1241 | @cindex blinking cursor disable, command-line argument | |
30569f85 | 1242 | Disable the blinking cursor on graphical displays. |
5b99c91c RS |
1243 | |
1244 | @item -D | |
1245 | @opindex -D | |
1246 | @itemx --basic-display | |
1247 | @opindex --basic-display | |
1248 | Disable the menu-bar, the tool-bar, the scroll-bars, and tool tips, | |
1249 | and turn off the blinking cursor. This can be useful for making a | |
1250 | test case that simplifies debugging of display problems. | |
b77b6b5c EZ |
1251 | @end table |
1252 | ||
1253 | The @samp{--xrm} option (@pxref{Resources}) specifies additional | |
1254 | X resource values. | |
1255 | ||
ab5796a9 MB |
1256 | @ignore |
1257 | arch-tag: fffecd9e-7329-4a51-a3cc-dd4a9889340e | |
1258 | @end ignore |