Commit | Line | Data |
---|---|---|
8cf51b2c | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
73b0cd50 GM |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2001-2011 |
3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 | @node Emacs Invocation, X Resources, GNU Free Documentation License, Top | |
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) | |
13 | ||
63961e6a CY |
14 | Emacs supports command line arguments to request various actions |
15 | when invoking Emacs. These are for compatibility with other editors | |
16 | and for sophisticated activities. We don't recommend using them for | |
17 | ordinary editing (@xref{Emacs Server}, for a way to access an existing | |
18 | Emacs job from the command line). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
19 | |
20 | Arguments starting with @samp{-} are @dfn{options}, and so is | |
21 | @samp{+@var{linenum}}. All other arguments specify files to visit. | |
22 | Emacs visits the specified files while it starts up. The last file | |
63961e6a CY |
23 | specified on the command line becomes the current buffer; the other |
24 | files are also visited in other buffers. As with most programs, the | |
25 | special argument @samp{--} says that all subsequent arguments are file | |
26 | names, not options, even if they start with @samp{-}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
27 | |
28 | Emacs command options can specify many things, such as the size and | |
29 | position of the X window Emacs uses, its colors, and so on. A few | |
30 | options support advanced usage, such as running Lisp functions on files | |
31 | in batch mode. The sections of this chapter describe the available | |
32 | options, arranged according to their purpose. | |
33 | ||
34 | There are two ways of writing options: the short forms that start with | |
35 | a single @samp{-}, and the long forms that start with @samp{--}. For | |
36 | example, @samp{-d} is a short form and @samp{--display} is the | |
37 | corresponding long form. | |
38 | ||
39 | The long forms with @samp{--} are easier to remember, but longer to | |
40 | type. However, you don't have to spell out the whole option name; any | |
41 | unambiguous abbreviation is enough. When a long option takes an | |
42 | argument, you can use either a space or an equal sign to separate the | |
43 | option name and the argument. Thus, you can write either | |
44 | @samp{--display sugar-bombs:0.0} or @samp{--display=sugar-bombs:0.0}. | |
45 | We recommend an equal sign because it makes the relationship clearer, | |
46 | and the tables below always show an equal sign. | |
47 | ||
48 | @cindex initial options (command line) | |
49 | @cindex action options (command line) | |
50 | @vindex command-line-args | |
51 | Most options specify how to initialize Emacs, or set parameters for | |
52 | the Emacs session. We call them @dfn{initial options}. A few options | |
63961e6a CY |
53 | specify things to do, such as loading libraries or calling Lisp |
54 | functions. These are called @dfn{action options}. These and file | |
55 | names together are called @dfn{action arguments}. The action | |
56 | arguments are stored as a list of strings in the variable | |
57 | @code{command-line-args}. (Actually, when Emacs starts up, | |
58 | @code{command-line-args} contains all the arguments passed from the | |
59 | command line; during initialization, the initial arguments are removed | |
60 | from this list when they are processed, leaving only the action | |
61 | arguments.) | |
8cf51b2c GM |
62 | |
63 | @menu | |
64 | * Action Arguments:: Arguments to visit files, load libraries, | |
65 | and call functions. | |
66 | * Initial Options:: Arguments that take effect while starting Emacs. | |
67 | * Command Example:: Examples of using command line arguments. | |
68 | * Resume Arguments:: Specifying arguments when you resume a running Emacs. | |
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. | |
72 | * Colors:: Choosing display colors. | |
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: |
8cf51b2c GM |
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}. | |
63961e6a CY |
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}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
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 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
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}. | |
127 | @xref{Lisp Libraries}. If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, | |
128 | the library can be found either in the current directory, or in the | |
129 | Emacs library search path as specified with @env{EMACSLOADPATH} | |
130 | (@pxref{General Variables}). | |
131 | ||
132 | @strong{Warning:} If previous command-line arguments have visited | |
133 | files, the current directory is the directory of the last file | |
134 | visited. | |
135 | ||
136 | @item -L @var{dir} | |
137 | @opindex -L | |
138 | @itemx --directory=@var{dir} | |
139 | @opindex --directory | |
140 | Add directory @var{dir} to the variable @code{load-path}. | |
141 | ||
142 | @item -f @var{function} | |
143 | @opindex -f | |
144 | @itemx --funcall=@var{function} | |
145 | @opindex --funcall | |
146 | @cindex call Lisp functions, command-line argument | |
147 | Call Lisp function @var{function}. If it is an interactive function | |
148 | (a command), it reads the arguments interactively just as if you had | |
149 | called the same function with a key sequence. Otherwise, it calls the | |
150 | function with no arguments. | |
151 | ||
152 | @item --eval=@var{expression} | |
153 | @opindex --eval | |
154 | @itemx --execute=@var{expression} | |
155 | @opindex --execute | |
156 | @cindex evaluate expression, command-line argument | |
157 | Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}. | |
158 | ||
159 | @item --insert=@var{file} | |
160 | @opindex --insert | |
161 | @cindex insert file contents, command-line argument | |
63961e6a CY |
162 | Insert the contents of @var{file} into the @samp{*scratch*} buffer |
163 | (@pxref{Lisp Interaction}). This is like what @kbd{M-x insert-file} | |
164 | does (@pxref{Misc File Ops}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
165 | |
166 | @item --kill | |
167 | @opindex --kill | |
168 | Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation. | |
169 | ||
170 | @item --help | |
171 | @opindex --help | |
172 | Print a usage message listing all available options, then exit | |
173 | successfully. | |
174 | ||
175 | @item --version | |
176 | @opindex --version | |
177 | Print Emacs version, then exit successfully. | |
178 | @end table | |
179 | ||
180 | @node Initial Options | |
181 | @appendixsec Initial Options | |
182 | ||
183 | The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This | |
184 | section describes the more general initial options; some other options | |
185 | specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following | |
186 | sections. | |
187 | ||
63961e6a CY |
188 | Some initial options affect the loading of the initialization file. |
189 | The normal actions of Emacs are to first load @file{site-start.el} if | |
190 | it exists, then your own initialization file @file{~/.emacs} if it | |
191 | exists, and finally @file{default.el} if it exists. @xref{Init File}. | |
192 | Certain options prevent loading of some of these files or substitute | |
193 | other files for them. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
194 | |
195 | @table @samp | |
f63d0028 JD |
196 | @item -chdir @var{directory} |
197 | @opindex -chdir | |
198 | @itemx --chdir=@var{directory} | |
199 | @opindex --chdir | |
200 | @cindex change Emacs directory | |
201 | Change to @var{directory} before doing anything else. This is mainly used | |
202 | by session management in X so that Emacs starts in the same directory as it | |
203 | stopped. This makes desktop saving and restoring easier. | |
204 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
205 | @item -t @var{device} |
206 | @opindex -t | |
207 | @itemx --terminal=@var{device} | |
208 | @opindex --terminal | |
209 | @cindex device for Emacs terminal I/O | |
210 | Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output. | |
211 | @samp{--terminal} implies @samp{--no-window-system}. | |
212 | ||
213 | @item -d @var{display} | |
214 | @opindex -d | |
215 | @itemx --display=@var{display} | |
216 | @opindex --display | |
217 | @cindex display for Emacs frame | |
218 | Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open | |
219 | the initial Emacs frame. @xref{Display X}, for more details. | |
220 | ||
221 | @item -nw | |
222 | @opindex -nw | |
223 | @itemx --no-window-system | |
224 | @opindex --no-window-system | |
225 | @cindex disable window system | |
226 | Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the | |
227 | @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This means that | |
228 | Emacs uses the terminal from which it was launched for all its display | |
229 | and input. | |
230 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
231 | @cindex batch mode |
232 | @item -batch | |
233 | @opindex --batch | |
234 | @itemx --batch | |
235 | Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}. Batch mode is used for running | |
236 | programs written in Emacs Lisp from shell scripts, makefiles, and so | |
63961e6a CY |
237 | on. To invoke a Lisp program, use the @samp{-batch} option in |
238 | conjunction with one or more of @samp{-l}, @samp{-f} or @samp{--eval} | |
239 | (@pxref{Action Arguments}). @xref{Command Example}, for an example. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
240 | |
241 | In batch mode, Emacs does not display the text being edited, and the | |
242 | standard terminal interrupt characters such as @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} | |
63961e6a CY |
243 | have their usual effect. Emacs functions that normally print a |
244 | message in the echo area will print to either the standard output | |
245 | stream (@code{stdout}) or the standard error stream (@code{stderr}) | |
246 | instead. (To be precise, functions like @code{prin1}, @code{princ} | |
247 | and @code{print} print to @code{stdout}, while @code{message} and | |
248 | @code{error} print to @code{stderr}.) Functions that normally read | |
249 | keyboard input from the minibuffer take their input from the | |
250 | terminal's standard input stream (@code{stdin}) instead. | |
251 | ||
252 | @samp{--batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an initialization file), | |
253 | but @file{site-start.el} is loaded nonetheless. It also causes Emacs | |
254 | to exit after processing all the command options. In addition, it | |
8cf51b2c GM |
255 | disables auto-saving except in buffers for which it has been |
256 | explicitly requested. | |
257 | ||
258 | @item --script @var{file} | |
259 | @opindex --script | |
260 | @cindex script mode | |
261 | Run Emacs in batch mode, like @samp{--batch}, and then read and | |
262 | execute the Lisp code in @var{file}. | |
263 | ||
264 | The normal use of this option is in executable script files that run | |
265 | Emacs. They can start with this text on the first line | |
266 | ||
267 | @example | |
268 | #!/usr/bin/emacs --script | |
269 | @end example | |
270 | ||
271 | @noindent | |
272 | which will invoke Emacs with @samp{--script} and supply the name of | |
273 | the script file as @var{file}. Emacs Lisp then treats @samp{#!} as a | |
274 | comment delimiter. | |
275 | ||
276 | @item -q | |
277 | @opindex -q | |
278 | @itemx --no-init-file | |
279 | @opindex --no-init-file | |
280 | @cindex bypassing init and @file{default.el} file | |
281 | @cindex init file, not loading | |
282 | @cindex @file{default.el} file, not loading | |
63961e6a CY |
283 | Do not load your Emacs initialization file, and do not load the file |
284 | @file{default.el} either (@pxref{Init File}). Regardless of this | |
285 | switch, @file{site-start.el} is still loaded. When Emacs is invoked | |
286 | like this, the Customize facility does not allow options to be saved | |
287 | (@pxref{Easy Customization}). | |
8cf51b2c GM |
288 | |
289 | @item --no-site-file | |
290 | @opindex --no-site-file | |
291 | @cindex @file{site-start.el} file, not loading | |
292 | Do not load @file{site-start.el}. The options @samp{-q}, @samp{-u} | |
293 | and @samp{--batch} have no effect on the loading of this file---this | |
294 | option and @samp{-Q} are the only options that block it. | |
295 | ||
63961e6a CY |
296 | @item --no-splash |
297 | @opindex --no-splash | |
298 | @vindex inhibit-startup-screen | |
299 | @cindex splash screen | |
300 | @cindex startup message | |
301 | Do not display a startup screen. You can also achieve this effect by | |
302 | setting the variable @code{inhibit-startup-screen} to non-@code{nil} | |
303 | in your initialization file (@pxref{Entering Emacs}). | |
304 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
305 | @item -Q |
306 | @opindex -Q | |
307 | @itemx --quick | |
308 | @opindex --quick | |
91ed7ea8 CY |
309 | Start emacs with minimum customizations, similar to using @samp{-q}, |
310 | @samp{--no-site-file}, and @samp{--no-splash} together. This also | |
311 | stops Emacs from processing X resources by setting | |
312 | @code{inhibit-x-resources} to @code{t} (@pxref{Resources}). | |
8cf51b2c | 313 | |
eab2ee89 DN |
314 | @item -daemon |
315 | @opindex -daemon | |
316 | @itemx --daemon | |
317 | @opindex --daemon | |
63961e6a CY |
318 | Start Emacs as a daemon---after Emacs starts up, it starts the Emacs |
319 | server and disconnects from the terminal without opening any frames. | |
320 | You can then use the @command{emacsclient} command to connect to Emacs | |
321 | for editing. @xref{Emacs Server}, for information about using Emacs | |
322 | as a daemon. | |
eab2ee89 | 323 | |
4ff029f6 | 324 | @item -daemon=@var{SERVER-NAME} |
63961e6a CY |
325 | Start emacs in background as a daemon, and use @var{SERVER-NAME} as |
326 | the server name. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
327 | |
328 | @item --no-desktop | |
329 | @opindex --no-desktop | |
330 | Do not reload any saved desktop. @xref{Saving Emacs Sessions}. | |
331 | ||
332 | @item -u @var{user} | |
333 | @opindex -u | |
334 | @itemx --user=@var{user} | |
335 | @opindex --user | |
336 | @cindex load init file of another user | |
63961e6a CY |
337 | Load @var{user}'s initialization file instead of your |
338 | own@footnote{This option has no effect on MS-Windows.}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
339 | |
340 | @item --debug-init | |
341 | @opindex --debug-init | |
342 | @cindex errors in init file | |
343 | Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file. | |
344 | @xref{Error Debugging,, Entering the Debugger on an Error, elisp, The | |
345 | GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}. | |
76a87a4d | 346 | @end table |
8cf51b2c | 347 | |
8cf51b2c GM |
348 | @node Command Example |
349 | @appendixsec Command Argument Example | |
350 | ||
351 | Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It | |
352 | assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when | |
353 | loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected | |
354 | to be a C program. | |
355 | ||
356 | @example | |
357 | emacs --batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log | |
358 | @end example | |
359 | ||
360 | @noindent | |
361 | This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes | |
362 | changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that | |
363 | @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and | |
364 | then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{--batch}). @samp{--batch} | |
365 | also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to | |
366 | @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal | |
367 | to work with. | |
368 | ||
369 | @node Resume Arguments | |
370 | @appendixsec Resuming Emacs with Arguments | |
371 | ||
372 | You can specify action arguments for Emacs when you resume it after | |
373 | a suspension. To prepare for this, put the following code in your | |
374 | @file{.emacs} file (@pxref{Hooks}): | |
375 | ||
376 | @c `resume-suspend-hook' is correct. It is the name of a function. | |
377 | @example | |
378 | (add-hook 'suspend-hook 'resume-suspend-hook) | |
379 | (add-hook 'suspend-resume-hook 'resume-process-args) | |
380 | @end example | |
381 | ||
382 | As further preparation, you must execute the shell script | |
383 | @file{emacs.csh} (if you use csh as your shell) or @file{emacs.bash} | |
384 | (if you use bash as your shell). These scripts define an alias named | |
385 | @code{edit}, which will resume Emacs giving it new command line | |
386 | arguments such as files to visit. The scripts are found in the | |
387 | @file{etc} subdirectory of the Emacs distribution. | |
388 | ||
389 | Only action arguments work properly when you resume Emacs. Initial | |
390 | arguments are not recognized---it's too late to execute them anyway. | |
391 | ||
392 | Note that resuming Emacs (with or without arguments) must be done from | |
393 | within the shell that is the parent of the Emacs job. This is why | |
394 | @code{edit} is an alias rather than a program or a shell script. It is | |
395 | not possible to implement a resumption command that could be run from | |
396 | other subjobs of the shell; there is no way to define a command that could | |
397 | be made the value of @env{EDITOR}, for example. Therefore, this feature | |
398 | does not take the place of the Emacs Server feature (@pxref{Emacs | |
399 | Server}). | |
400 | ||
401 | The aliases use the Emacs Server feature if you appear to have a | |
402 | server Emacs running. However, they cannot determine this with complete | |
403 | accuracy. They may think that a server is still running when in | |
404 | actuality you have killed that Emacs, because the file | |
405 | @file{/tmp/esrv@dots{}} still exists. If this happens, find that | |
406 | file and delete it. | |
407 | ||
408 | @node Environment | |
409 | @appendixsec Environment Variables | |
410 | @cindex environment variables | |
411 | ||
412 | The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it | |
413 | consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each | |
414 | variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable | |
415 | names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case | |
416 | letters only. The values are all text strings. | |
417 | ||
418 | What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the | |
419 | environment automatically from their parent process. This means you | |
420 | can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the | |
421 | programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it. | |
422 | Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version-control | |
423 | software) inherit the environment from Emacs, too. | |
424 | ||
425 | @findex setenv | |
426 | @findex getenv | |
63961e6a | 427 | @vindex initial-environment |
8cf51b2c GM |
428 | Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} gets the value of an |
429 | environment variable. @kbd{M-x setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs | |
430 | environment. (Environment variable substitutions with @samp{$} work | |
63961e6a CY |
431 | in the value just as in file names; see @ref{File Names with $}.) The |
432 | variable @code{initial-environment} stores the initial environment | |
433 | inherited by Emacs. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
434 | |
435 | The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs depends on the | |
436 | operating system, and especially the shell that you are using. For | |
437 | example, here's how to set the environment variable @env{ORGANIZATION} | |
438 | to @samp{not very much} using Bash: | |
439 | ||
440 | @example | |
441 | export ORGANIZATION="not very much" | |
442 | @end example | |
443 | ||
444 | @noindent | |
445 | and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh: | |
446 | ||
447 | @example | |
448 | setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much" | |
449 | @end example | |
450 | ||
451 | When Emacs is using the X Window System, various environment | |
452 | variables that control X work for Emacs as well. See the X | |
453 | documentation for more information. | |
454 | ||
455 | @menu | |
456 | * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use. | |
457 | * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables. | |
458 | * MS-Windows Registry:: An alternative to the environment on MS-Windows. | |
459 | @end menu | |
460 | ||
461 | @node General Variables | |
462 | @appendixsubsec General Variables | |
463 | ||
63961e6a CY |
464 | Here is an alphabetical list of environment variables that have |
465 | special meanings in Emacs. Most of these variables are also used by | |
466 | some other programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment | |
467 | variables to be set, but it uses their values if they are set. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
468 | |
469 | @table @env | |
470 | @item CDPATH | |
471 | Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify, | |
472 | when you specify a relative directory name. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
473 | @item EMACSDATA |
474 | Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs. | |
475 | This is used to initialize the Lisp variable @code{data-directory}. | |
476 | @item EMACSDOC | |
ae742cb5 CY |
477 | Directory for the documentation string file, which is used to |
478 | initialize the Lisp variable @code{doc-directory}. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
479 | @item EMACSLOADPATH |
480 | A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{ | |
481 | Here and below, whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories,'' | |
482 | it pertains to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, | |
483 | the directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows | |
484 | file names might include a colon after a drive letter.} | |
485 | to search for Emacs Lisp files---used to initialize @code{load-path}. | |
486 | @item EMACSPATH | |
487 | A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable | |
488 | files---used to initialize @code{exec-path}. | |
489 | @item EMAIL | |
490 | @vindex user-mail-address@r{, initialization} | |
491 | Your email address; used to initialize the Lisp variable | |
492 | @code{user-mail-address}, which the Emacs mail interface puts into | |
493 | the @samp{From} header of outgoing messages (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
494 | @item ESHELL | |
495 | Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable. | |
496 | @item HISTFILE | |
497 | The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins. | |
498 | This variable defaults to @file{~/.bash_history} if you use Bash, to | |
499 | @file{~/.sh_history} if you use ksh, and to @file{~/.history} | |
500 | otherwise. | |
501 | @item HOME | |
502 | The location of your files in the directory tree; used for | |
503 | expansion of file names starting with a tilde (@file{~}). On MS-DOS, | |
504 | it defaults to the directory from which Emacs was started, with | |
505 | @samp{/bin} removed from the end if it was present. On Windows, the | |
506 | default value of @env{HOME} is the @file{Application Data} | |
507 | subdirectory of the user profile directory (normally, this is | |
508 | @file{C:/Documents and Settings/@var{username}/Application Data}, | |
509 | where @var{username} is your user name), though for backwards | |
510 | compatibility @file{C:/} will be used instead if a @file{.emacs} file | |
511 | is found there. | |
512 | @item HOSTNAME | |
513 | The name of the machine that Emacs is running on. | |
514 | @item INCPATH | |
515 | A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package | |
516 | to search for files. | |
517 | @item INFOPATH | |
518 | A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files. | |
519 | @item LC_ALL | |
520 | @itemx LC_COLLATE | |
521 | @itemx LC_CTYPE | |
522 | @itemx LC_MESSAGES | |
523 | @itemx LC_MONETARY | |
524 | @itemx LC_NUMERIC | |
525 | @itemx LC_TIME | |
526 | @itemx LANG | |
527 | The user's preferred locale. The locale has six categories, specified | |
528 | by the environment variables @env{LC_COLLATE} for sorting, | |
529 | @env{LC_CTYPE} for character encoding, @env{LC_MESSAGES} for system | |
530 | messages, @env{LC_MONETARY} for monetary formats, @env{LC_NUMERIC} for | |
531 | numbers, and @env{LC_TIME} for dates and times. If one of these | |
532 | variables is not set, the category defaults to the value of the | |
533 | @env{LANG} environment variable, or to the default @samp{C} locale if | |
534 | @env{LANG} is not set. But if @env{LC_ALL} is specified, it overrides | |
535 | the settings of all the other locale environment variables. | |
536 | ||
537 | On MS-Windows, if @env{LANG} is not already set in the environment | |
538 | when Emacs starts, Emacs sets it based on the system-wide default | |
539 | language, which you can set in the @samp{Regional Settings} Control Panel | |
540 | on some versions of MS-Windows. | |
541 | ||
542 | The value of the @env{LC_CTYPE} category is | |
543 | matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names}, | |
544 | @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and | |
545 | @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language | |
546 | environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}. | |
547 | @item LOGNAME | |
548 | The user's login name. See also @env{USER}. | |
549 | @item MAIL | |
550 | The name of your system mail inbox. | |
551 | @item MH | |
552 | Name of setup file for the mh system. (The default is @file{~/.mh_profile}.) | |
553 | @item NAME | |
554 | Your real-world name. | |
555 | @item NNTPSERVER | |
556 | The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages. | |
557 | @item ORGANIZATION | |
558 | The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the | |
559 | `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package. | |
560 | @item PATH | |
561 | A colon-separated list of directories in which executables reside. This | |
562 | is used to initialize the Emacs Lisp variable @code{exec-path}. | |
563 | @item PWD | |
564 | If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started. | |
565 | @item REPLYTO | |
566 | If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable | |
567 | @code{mail-default-reply-to}. @xref{Mail Headers}. | |
568 | @item SAVEDIR | |
569 | The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default. | |
570 | Used by the Gnus package. | |
571 | @item SHELL | |
572 | The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from | |
573 | inside Emacs. | |
574 | @item SMTPSERVER | |
575 | The name of the outgoing mail server. Used by the SMTP library | |
576 | (@pxref{Top,,,smtpmail,Sending mail via SMTP}). | |
577 | @cindex background mode, on @command{xterm} | |
578 | @item TERM | |
579 | The type of the terminal that Emacs is using. This variable must be | |
580 | set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to | |
581 | @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that | |
582 | handles the machine's own display. If the value of @env{TERM} indicates | |
583 | that Emacs runs in non-windowed mode from @command{xterm} or a similar | |
584 | terminal emulator, the background mode defaults to @samp{light}, and | |
585 | Emacs will choose colors that are appropriate for a light background. | |
586 | @item TERMCAP | |
587 | The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the | |
588 | terminal specified by the @env{TERM} variable. This defaults to | |
589 | @file{/etc/termcap}. | |
590 | @item TMPDIR | |
591 | Used by the Emerge package as a prefix for temporary files. | |
592 | @item TZ | |
593 | This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight | |
594 | saving time information. On MS-DOS, if @env{TZ} is not set in the | |
595 | environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as | |
596 | appropriate for the country code returned by DOS. On MS-Windows, Emacs | |
597 | does not use @env{TZ} at all. | |
598 | @item USER | |
599 | The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this | |
600 | defaults to @samp{root}. | |
601 | @item VERSION_CONTROL | |
9cfd6308 | 602 | Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Backup Names}). |
8cf51b2c GM |
603 | @end table |
604 | ||
605 | @node Misc Variables | |
606 | @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables | |
607 | ||
608 | These variables are used only on particular configurations: | |
609 | ||
610 | @table @env | |
611 | @item COMSPEC | |
612 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, the name of the command interpreter to use | |
613 | when invoking batch files and commands internal to the shell. On MS-DOS | |
614 | this is also used to make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment | |
615 | variable. | |
616 | ||
617 | @item NAME | |
618 | On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER} | |
619 | variable. | |
620 | ||
621 | @item TEMP | |
622 | @itemx TMP | |
623 | On MS-DOS and MS-Windows, these specify the name of the directory for | |
624 | storing temporary files in. | |
625 | ||
626 | @item EMACSTEST | |
627 | On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the | |
628 | internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug | |
629 | reports. | |
630 | ||
631 | @item EMACSCOLORS | |
632 | On MS-DOS, this specifies the screen colors. It is useful to set them | |
633 | this way, since otherwise Emacs would display the default colors | |
634 | momentarily when it starts up. | |
635 | ||
636 | The value of this variable should be the two-character encoding of the | |
637 | foreground (the first character) and the background (the second | |
638 | character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the | |
639 | hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode | |
640 | display. For example, to get blue text on a light gray background, | |
641 | specify @samp{EMACSCOLORS=17}, since 1 is the code of the blue color and | |
642 | 7 is the code of the light gray color. | |
643 | ||
644 | The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However, | |
645 | Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used | |
646 | for the background, so all four bits of the background color are | |
647 | actually used. | |
648 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
649 | @item PRELOAD_WINSOCK |
650 | On MS-Windows, if you set this variable, Emacs will load and initialize | |
651 | the network library at startup, instead of waiting until the first | |
652 | time it is required. | |
653 | ||
654 | @item emacs_dir | |
655 | On MS-Windows, @env{emacs_dir} is a special environment variable, which | |
656 | indicates the full path of the directory in which Emacs is installed. | |
657 | If Emacs is installed in the standard directory structure, it | |
658 | calculates this value automatically. It is not much use setting this | |
659 | variable yourself unless your installation is non-standard, since | |
660 | unlike other environment variables, it will be overridden by Emacs at | |
661 | startup. When setting other environment variables, such as | |
662 | @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, you may find it useful to use @env{emacs_dir} | |
663 | rather than hard-coding an absolute path. This allows multiple | |
664 | versions of Emacs to share the same environment variable settings, and | |
665 | it allows you to move the Emacs installation directory, without | |
666 | changing any environment or registry settings. | |
667 | @end table | |
668 | ||
669 | @node MS-Windows Registry | |
670 | @appendixsubsec The MS-Windows System Registry | |
671 | @pindex addpm, MS-Windows installation program | |
672 | @cindex registry, setting environment variables and resources on MS-Windows | |
673 | ||
674 | Under MS-Windows, the installation program @command{addpm.exe} adds | |
675 | values for @env{emacs_dir}, @env{EMACSLOADPATH}, @env{EMACSDATA}, | |
676 | @env{EMACSPATH}, @env{EMACSDOC}, @env{SHELL} and @env{TERM} to the | |
677 | @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section of the system registry, under | |
678 | @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}. It does this because there is no standard | |
679 | place to set environment variables across different versions of | |
680 | Windows. Running @command{addpm.exe} is no longer strictly necessary | |
681 | in recent versions of Emacs, but if you are upgrading from an older | |
682 | version, running @command{addpm.exe} ensures that you do not have | |
683 | older registry entries from a previous installation, which may not be | |
684 | compatible with the latest version of Emacs. | |
685 | ||
686 | When Emacs starts, as well as checking the environment, it also checks | |
687 | the System Registry for those variables and for @env{HOME}, @env{LANG} | |
688 | and @env{PRELOAD_WINSOCK}. | |
689 | ||
690 | To determine the value of those variables, Emacs goes through the | |
691 | following procedure. First, the environment is checked. If the | |
692 | variable is not found there, Emacs looks for registry keys by that | |
693 | name under @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs}; first in the | |
694 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section of the registry, and if not found | |
695 | there, in the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section. Finally, if Emacs | |
696 | still cannot determine the values, compiled-in defaults are used. | |
697 | ||
698 | In addition to the environment variables above, you can also add many | |
699 | of the settings which on X belong in the @file{.Xdefaults} file | |
700 | (@pxref{X Resources}) to the @file{/Software/GNU/Emacs} registry key. | |
701 | Settings you add to the @file{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE} section will affect | |
702 | all users of the machine. Settings you add to the | |
703 | @file{HKEY_CURRENT_USER} section will only affect you, and will | |
704 | override machine wide settings. | |
705 | ||
706 | @node Display X | |
707 | @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name | |
708 | @cindex display name (X Window System) | |
709 | @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable | |
710 | ||
711 | The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, including | |
712 | Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set by default | |
713 | in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run jobs | |
714 | locally. Occasionally you may need to specify the display yourself; for | |
715 | example, if you do a remote login and want to run a client program | |
716 | remotely, displaying on your local screen. | |
717 | ||
718 | With Emacs, the main reason people change the default display is to | |
719 | let them log into another system, run Emacs on that system, but have the | |
720 | window displayed at their local terminal. You might need to log in | |
721 | to another system because the files you want to edit are there, or | |
722 | because the Emacs executable file you want to run is there. | |
723 | ||
ae742cb5 | 724 | @env{DISPLAY} has the syntax |
8cf51b2c GM |
725 | @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the |
726 | host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an | |
ae742cb5 CY |
727 | arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X |
728 | terminal) from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is | |
729 | a rarely-used field that allows an X server to control multiple | |
730 | terminal screens. The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. | |
731 | If included, @var{screen} is usually zero. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
732 | |
733 | For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is | |
734 | the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your | |
735 | @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}. | |
736 | ||
737 | You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either | |
738 | by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d | |
739 | @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example: | |
740 | ||
741 | @smallexample | |
742 | emacs --display=glasperle:0 & | |
743 | @end smallexample | |
744 | ||
745 | You can inhibit the direct use of the window system and GUI with the | |
746 | @samp{-nw} option. It tells Emacs to display using ordinary @acronym{ASCII} on | |
747 | its controlling terminal. This is also an initial option. | |
748 | ||
749 | Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system | |
750 | from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs | |
751 | produces messages like this: | |
752 | ||
753 | @smallexample | |
754 | Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server | |
755 | @end smallexample | |
756 | ||
757 | @noindent | |
758 | You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @command{xhost} | |
759 | command on the local system to give permission for access from your | |
760 | remote machine. | |
761 | ||
762 | @node Font X | |
763 | @appendixsec Font Specification Options | |
764 | @cindex font name (X Window System) | |
765 | ||
d68eb23c CY |
766 | You can use the command line option @samp{-fn @var{font}} (or |
767 | @samp{--font}, which is an alias for @samp{-fn}) to specify a default | |
768 | font: | |
8cf51b2c GM |
769 | |
770 | @table @samp | |
0e3f4049 | 771 | @item -fn @var{font} |
8cf51b2c | 772 | @opindex -fn |
0e3f4049 | 773 | @itemx --font=@var{font} |
8cf51b2c GM |
774 | @opindex --font |
775 | @cindex specify default font from the command line | |
0e3f4049 | 776 | Use @var{font} as the default font. |
8cf51b2c GM |
777 | @end table |
778 | ||
001b5dc9 CY |
779 | When passing a font specification to Emacs on the command line, you |
780 | may need to ``quote'' it, by enclosing it in quotation marks, if it | |
781 | contains characters that the shell treats specially (e.g. spaces). | |
d68eb23c | 782 | For example: |
001b5dc9 CY |
783 | |
784 | @smallexample | |
785 | emacs -fn "DejaVu Sans Mono-12" | |
786 | @end smallexample | |
787 | ||
d68eb23c CY |
788 | @xref{Fonts}, for other ways to specify the default font and font name |
789 | formats. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
790 | |
791 | @node Colors | |
792 | @appendixsec Window Color Options | |
793 | @cindex color of window, from command line | |
794 | @cindex text colors, from command line | |
795 | ||
796 | @findex list-colors-display | |
797 | @cindex available colors | |
798 | On a color display, you can specify which color to use for various | |
799 | parts of the Emacs display. To find out what colors are available on | |
800 | your system, type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}, or press | |
801 | @kbd{C-Mouse-2} and select @samp{Display Colors} from the pop-up menu. | |
802 | (A particular window system might support many more colors, but the | |
803 | list displayed by @code{list-colors-display} shows their portable | |
804 | subset that can be safely used on any display supported by Emacs.) | |
805 | If you do not specify colors, on windowed displays the default for the | |
806 | background is white and the default for all other colors is black. On a | |
807 | monochrome display, the foreground is black, the background is white, | |
808 | and the border is gray if the display supports that. On terminals, the | |
809 | background is usually black and the foreground is white. | |
810 | ||
811 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying colors: | |
812 | ||
813 | @table @samp | |
814 | @item -fg @var{color} | |
815 | @opindex -fg | |
816 | @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color} | |
817 | @opindex --foreground-color | |
818 | @cindex foreground color, command-line argument | |
819 | Specify the foreground color. @var{color} should be a standard color | |
820 | name, or a numeric specification of the color's red, green, and blue | |
821 | components as in @samp{#4682B4} or @samp{RGB:46/82/B4}. | |
822 | @item -bg @var{color} | |
823 | @opindex -bg | |
824 | @itemx --background-color=@var{color} | |
825 | @opindex --background-color | |
826 | @cindex background color, command-line argument | |
827 | Specify the background color. | |
828 | @item -bd @var{color} | |
829 | @opindex -bd | |
830 | @itemx --border-color=@var{color} | |
831 | @opindex --border-color | |
832 | @cindex border color, command-line argument | |
833 | Specify the color of the border of the X window. | |
834 | @item -cr @var{color} | |
835 | @opindex -cr | |
836 | @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color} | |
837 | @opindex --cursor-color | |
838 | @cindex cursor color, command-line argument | |
839 | Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is. | |
840 | @item -ms @var{color} | |
841 | @opindex -ms | |
842 | @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color} | |
843 | @opindex --mouse-color | |
844 | @cindex mouse pointer color, command-line argument | |
845 | Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window. | |
846 | @item -r | |
847 | @opindex -r | |
848 | @itemx -rv | |
849 | @opindex -rv | |
850 | @itemx --reverse-video | |
851 | @opindex --reverse-video | |
852 | @cindex reverse video, command-line argument | |
853 | Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors. | |
854 | @item --color=@var{mode} | |
855 | @opindex --color | |
856 | @cindex standard colors on a character terminal | |
857 | @cindex override character terminal color support | |
858 | For a character terminal only, specify the mode of color support. | |
859 | This option is intended for overriding the number of supported colors | |
860 | that the character terminal advertises in its @code{termcap} or | |
861 | @code{terminfo} database. The parameter @var{mode} can be one of the | |
862 | following: | |
863 | @table @samp | |
864 | @item never | |
865 | @itemx no | |
866 | Don't use colors even if the terminal's capabilities specify color | |
867 | support. | |
868 | @item default | |
869 | @itemx auto | |
870 | Same as when @option{--color} is not used at all: Emacs detects at | |
871 | startup whether the terminal supports colors, and if it does, turns on | |
872 | colored display. | |
873 | @item always | |
874 | @itemx yes | |
875 | @itemx ansi8 | |
876 | Turn on the color support unconditionally, and use color commands | |
877 | specified by the ANSI escape sequences for the 8 standard colors. | |
878 | @item @var{num} | |
879 | Use color mode for @var{num} colors. If @var{num} is -1, turn off | |
880 | color support (equivalent to @samp{never}); if it is 0, use the | |
881 | default color support for this terminal (equivalent to @samp{auto}); | |
882 | otherwise use an appropriate standard mode for @var{num} colors. | |
883 | Depending on your terminal's capabilities, Emacs might be able to turn | |
884 | on a color mode for 8, 16, 88, or 256 as the value of @var{num}. If | |
885 | there is no mode that supports @var{num} colors, Emacs acts as if | |
886 | @var{num} were 0, i.e.@: it uses the terminal's default color support | |
887 | mode. | |
888 | @end table | |
889 | If @var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to @var{ansi8}. | |
890 | @end table | |
891 | ||
892 | For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor, | |
893 | enter: | |
894 | ||
895 | @example | |
896 | emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' & | |
897 | @end example | |
898 | ||
899 | You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the | |
900 | @samp{-rv} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}. | |
901 | ||
902 | The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on | |
903 | text-only terminals as well as on graphical displays. | |
904 | ||
905 | @node Window Size X | |
906 | @appendixsec Options for Window Size and Position | |
907 | @cindex geometry of Emacs window | |
908 | @cindex position and size of Emacs frame | |
909 | @cindex width and height of Emacs frame | |
910 | @cindex specifying fullscreen for Emacs frame | |
911 | ||
912 | Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying size and | |
913 | position of the initial Emacs frame: | |
914 | ||
915 | @table @samp | |
916 | @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
917 | @opindex -g | |
918 | @itemx --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{[@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}@r{]]} | |
919 | @opindex --geometry | |
920 | @cindex geometry, command-line argument | |
921 | Specify the size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character | |
922 | columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} | |
923 | (measured in pixels). The @var{width} and @var{height} parameters | |
924 | apply to all frames, whereas @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} only to | |
925 | the initial frame. | |
926 | ||
927 | @item -fs | |
928 | @opindex -fs | |
929 | @itemx --fullscreen | |
930 | @opindex --fullscreen | |
931 | @cindex fullscreen, command-line argument | |
3f1c6666 JD |
932 | Specify that width and height shall be the size of the screen. Normally |
933 | no window manager decorations are shown. | |
934 | ||
935 | @item -mm | |
936 | @opindex -mm | |
937 | @itemx --maximized | |
938 | @opindex --maximized | |
939 | @cindex maximized, command-line argument | |
940 | Specify that the Emacs frame shall be maximized. This normally | |
941 | means that the frame has window manager decorations. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
942 | |
943 | @item -fh | |
944 | @opindex -fh | |
945 | @itemx --fullheight | |
946 | @opindex --fullheight | |
947 | @cindex fullheight, command-line argument | |
948 | Specify that the height shall be the height of the screen. | |
949 | ||
950 | @item -fw | |
951 | @opindex -fw | |
952 | @itemx --fullwidth | |
953 | @opindex --fullwidth | |
954 | @cindex fullwidth, command-line argument | |
955 | Specify that the width shall be the width of the screen. | |
956 | @end table | |
957 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
958 | @noindent |
959 | In the @samp{--geometry} option, @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus | |
960 | sign or a minus sign. A plus | |
961 | sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of | |
962 | the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus | |
963 | sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the | |
964 | screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom. | |
965 | The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or | |
966 | negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction. | |
967 | ||
968 | Emacs uses the same units as @command{xterm} does to interpret the geometry. | |
969 | The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font | |
970 | creates a larger frame than a small font. (If you specify a proportional | |
971 | font, Emacs uses its maximum bounds width as the width unit.) The | |
972 | @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels. | |
973 | ||
974 | You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry | |
975 | specification. If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the | |
976 | window manager decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by | |
977 | letting you place it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} | |
978 | specifies a window 164 columns wide, enough for two ordinary width | |
979 | windows side by side, and 55 lines tall. | |
980 | ||
07c75e57 | 981 | The default frame width is 80 characters and the default height is |
8cf51b2c GM |
982 | 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If |
983 | you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the | |
984 | width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs | |
07c75e57 CY |
985 | interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the |
986 | width; @samp{x45} specifies just the height. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
987 | |
988 | If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset, | |
989 | which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the | |
990 | @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always | |
991 | @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the | |
992 | @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen. | |
993 | ||
07c75e57 CY |
994 | You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in your X |
995 | resource file (@pxref{Resources}), and then override selected fields | |
996 | with a @samp{--geometry} option. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
997 | |
998 | Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the | |
999 | frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height | |
1000 | specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs, the | |
1001 | menu bar also takes one line of the specified number. But in the X | |
1002 | toolkit version, the menu bar is additional and does not count against | |
1003 | the specified height. The tool bar, if present, is also additional. | |
1004 | ||
1005 | Enabling or disabling the menu bar or tool bar alters the amount of | |
1006 | space available for ordinary text. Therefore, if Emacs starts up with | |
1007 | a tool bar (which is the default), and handles the geometry | |
1008 | specification assuming there is a tool bar, and then your | |
07c75e57 | 1009 | initialization file disables the tool bar, you will end up with a |
8cf51b2c GM |
1010 | frame geometry different from what you asked for. To get the intended |
1011 | size with no tool bar, use an X resource to specify ``no tool bar'' | |
1012 | (@pxref{Table of Resources}); then Emacs will already know there's no | |
1013 | tool bar when it processes the specified geometry. | |
1014 | ||
3f1c6666 JD |
1015 | When using one of @samp{--fullscreen}, @samp{--maximized}, @samp{--fullwidth} |
1016 | or @samp{--fullheight} there may be some space around the frame | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1017 | anyway. That is because Emacs rounds the sizes so they are an |
1018 | even number of character heights and widths. | |
1019 | ||
1020 | Some window managers have options that can make them ignore both | |
07c75e57 CY |
1021 | program-specified and user-specified positions. If these are set, |
1022 | Emacs fails to position the window correctly. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1023 | |
1024 | @node Borders X | |
1025 | @appendixsec Internal and External Borders | |
1026 | @cindex borders (X Window System) | |
1027 | ||
1028 | An Emacs frame has an internal border and an external border. The | |
1029 | internal border is an extra strip of the background color around the | |
1030 | text portion of the frame. Emacs itself draws the internal border. | |
1031 | The external border is added by the window manager outside the frame; | |
1032 | depending on the window manager you use, it may contain various boxes | |
1033 | you can click on to move or iconify the window. | |
1034 | ||
1035 | @table @samp | |
1036 | @item -ib @var{width} | |
1037 | @opindex -ib | |
1038 | @itemx --internal-border=@var{width} | |
1039 | @opindex --internal-border | |
1040 | @cindex internal border width, command-line argument | |
1041 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border (between the text | |
1042 | and the main border), in pixels. | |
1043 | ||
1044 | @item -bw @var{width} | |
1045 | @opindex -bw | |
1046 | @itemx --border-width=@var{width} | |
1047 | @opindex --border-width | |
1048 | @cindex main border width, command-line argument | |
1049 | Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border, in pixels. | |
1050 | @end table | |
1051 | ||
1052 | When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the | |
1053 | borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the | |
1054 | external border. | |
1055 | ||
1056 | Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border | |
1057 | @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to | |
1058 | specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may | |
1059 | not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the | |
1060 | external border is 2. | |
1061 | ||
1062 | @node Title X | |
1063 | @appendixsec Frame Titles | |
1064 | ||
1065 | An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame | |
1066 | title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the | |
1067 | name of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the | |
1068 | default title has the form @samp{@var{invocation-name}@@@var{machine}} | |
1069 | (if there is only one frame) or the selected window's buffer name (if | |
1070 | there is more than one frame). | |
1071 | ||
1072 | You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command | |
1073 | line option: | |
1074 | ||
1075 | @table @samp | |
1076 | @item -T @var{title} | |
1077 | @opindex -T | |
1078 | @itemx --title=@var{title} | |
1079 | @opindex --title | |
1080 | @cindex frame title, command-line argument | |
1081 | Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1082 | @end table | |
1083 | ||
1084 | The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources}) also specifies the title | |
1085 | for the initial Emacs frame. | |
1086 | ||
1087 | @node Icons X | |
1088 | @appendixsec Icons | |
1089 | @cindex icons (X Window System) | |
07c75e57 | 1090 | @cindex minimizing a frame at startup |
8cf51b2c GM |
1091 | |
1092 | @table @samp | |
07c75e57 CY |
1093 | @item -iconic |
1094 | @opindex --iconic | |
1095 | @itemx --iconic | |
1096 | @cindex start iconified, command-line argument | |
1097 | Start Emacs in an iconified (``minimized'') state. | |
1098 | ||
8cf51b2c GM |
1099 | @item -nbi |
1100 | @opindex -nbi | |
1101 | @itemx --no-bitmap-icon | |
1102 | @opindex --no-bitmap-icon | |
1103 | @cindex Emacs icon, a gnu | |
1104 | Do not use a picture of a gnu as the Emacs icon. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1105 | @end table |
1106 | ||
07c75e57 CY |
1107 | Most window managers allow you to ``iconify'' (or ``minimize'') an |
1108 | Emacs frame, hiding it from sight. Some window managers replace | |
1109 | iconified windows with tiny ``icons'', while others remove them | |
1110 | entirely from sight. The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin | |
1111 | running in an iconified state, rather than showing a frame right away. | |
1112 | The text frame doesn't appear until you deiconify (or ``un-minimize'') | |
1113 | it. | |
8cf51b2c | 1114 | |
07c75e57 CY |
1115 | By default, Emacs uses an icon containing the Emacs logo. On |
1116 | desktop environments such as Gnome, this icon is also displayed on the | |
1117 | ``taskbar''. The @samp{-nbi} or @samp{--no-bitmap-icon} option tells | |
1118 | Emacs to let the window manager choose what sort of icon to | |
1119 | use---usually just a small rectangle containing the frame's title. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1120 | |
1121 | @node Misc X | |
1122 | @appendixsec Other Display Options | |
1123 | ||
1124 | @table @samp | |
07c75e57 CY |
1125 | @c @item -hb |
1126 | @c @opindex -hb | |
1127 | @c @itemx --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1128 | @c @opindex --horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1129 | @c @c @cindex horizontal scroll bars, command-line argument | |
1130 | @c Enable horizontal scroll bars. Since horizontal scroll bars | |
1131 | @c are not yet implemented, this actually does nothing. | |
8cf51b2c GM |
1132 | |
1133 | @item -vb | |
1134 | @opindex -vb | |
1135 | @itemx --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1136 | @opindex --vertical-scroll-bars | |
1137 | @cindex vertical scroll bars, command-line argument | |
1138 | Enable vertical scroll bars. | |
1139 | ||
1140 | @item -lsp @var{pixels} | |
1141 | @opindex -lsp | |
1142 | @itemx --line-spacing=@var{pixels} | |
1143 | @opindex --line-spacing | |
1144 | @cindex line spacing, command-line argument | |
1145 | Specify @var{pixels} as additional space to put between lines, in pixels. | |
1146 | ||
1147 | @item -nbc | |
1148 | @opindex -nbc | |
1149 | @itemx --no-blinking-cursor | |
1150 | @opindex --no-blinking-cursor | |
1151 | @cindex blinking cursor disable, command-line argument | |
1152 | Disable the blinking cursor on graphical displays. | |
1153 | ||
1154 | @item -D | |
1155 | @opindex -D | |
1156 | @itemx --basic-display | |
1157 | @opindex --basic-display | |
1158 | Disable the menu-bar, the tool-bar, the scroll-bars, and tool tips, | |
1159 | and turn off the blinking cursor. This can be useful for making a | |
1160 | test case that simplifies debugging of display problems. | |
1161 | @end table | |
1162 | ||
1163 | The @samp{--xrm} option (@pxref{Resources}) specifies additional | |
1164 | X resource values. |