(Creating Buffer-Local): Add an xref to "Setting Hooks" for the effect
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / lispref / frames.texi
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1@c -*-texinfo-*-
2@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
57ebf0be 4@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
b8d4c8d0 5@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6336d8c3 6@setfilename ../../info/frames
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7@node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top
8@chapter Frames
9@cindex frame
10
11 In Emacs editing, A @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one
12or more Emacs windows. It's the kind of object that is called a
13``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but we can't
14call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a different
15way.
16
17 A frame initially contains a single main window and/or a minibuffer
18window; you can subdivide the main window vertically or horizontally
19into smaller windows. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp
20object that represents a frame on the screen.
21
22@cindex terminal frame
23 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
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24@dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional frames on the same
25terminal, Emacs displays one and only one at any given time---on that
26terminal screen, of course. You can create additional frames, either
27text-only or GUI, on other terminals from the same Emacs session.
28(This comes in handy when you connect to the same session from several
29remote locations.) @c FIXME: Add an xref to multi-tty doc.
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30
31@cindex window frame
32 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
33as X, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
34a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
35display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
36
37@defun framep object
38This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
39frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
40kind of display the frame uses:
41
42@table @code
43@item x
44The frame is displayed in an X window.
45@item t
46A terminal frame on a character display.
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47@item w32
48The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
49@item pc
50The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
51@end table
52@end defun
53
54@menu
55* Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
56* Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
57* Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
58* Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
59* Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
60* Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
61* Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
62 display of text always works through windows.
63* Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
64* Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
65* Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
66* Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
67 lowering it makes the others hide it.
68* Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
69* Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
70* Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
71* Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
72* Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
73* Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
74* Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
75* Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
76* Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
77* Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
78* Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
79* Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
80@end menu
81
82 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
83controlling Emacs redisplay.
84
85@node Creating Frames
86@section Creating Frames
87
88To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
89
90@defun make-frame &optional alist
91This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
92buffer. If you are using a supported window system, it makes a window
93frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
94
95The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
96not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
97variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
98default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
99your system.
100
101The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
102window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
103Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
104
105This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
106@xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
107However, the window system may select the new frame for its own reasons,
108for instance if the frame appears under the mouse pointer and your
109setup is for focus to follow the pointer.
110@end defun
111
112@defvar before-make-frame-hook
113A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
114frame.
115@end defvar
116
117@defvar after-make-frame-functions
118An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
119Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
120frame just created.
121@end defvar
122
123@node Multiple Displays
124@section Multiple Displays
125@cindex multiple X displays
126@cindex displays, multiple
127
128 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
129Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
130@code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
131(@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
132another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
133the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
134
135 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
136own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. However, only one of
137those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment, see
138@ref{Input Focus}.
139
140 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
141separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
142is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
143to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
144@code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
145@code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
56353e47 146be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}).
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147
148 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
149@samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
150part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
151screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
152names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
153terminal.
154
155 Note that some graphical terminals can output to more than a one
156monitor (or other output device) at the same time. On these
157``multi-monitor'' setups, a single @var{display} value controls the
158output to all the physical monitors. In this situation, there is
159currently no platform-independent way for Emacs to distinguish between
160the different physical monitors.
161
162@deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
163This creates and returns a new frame on display @var{display}, taking
164the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the
165@var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating
166Frames}).
167@end deffn
168
169@defun x-display-list
170This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
171connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
172a display name.
173@end defun
174
175@defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
176This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
177does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
178that communication can be established with that display.
179
180The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
181string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
182@file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
183values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
184created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
185look like:
186
187@example
188"*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
189@end example
190
191@xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
192
193If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
194terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
195@end defun
196
197@defun x-close-connection display
198This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
199you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
200that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
201@end defun
202
203@node Frame Parameters
204@section Frame Parameters
205@cindex frame parameters
206
207 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
208Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
209uses.
210
211 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
212terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
213only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
214@code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
215parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
216parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
217@code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
218
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219 You can use frame parameters to define frame-local bindings for
220variables. @xref{Frame-Local Variables}.
221
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222@menu
223* Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
224* Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
225* Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
226* Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
227* Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
228@end menu
229
230@node Parameter Access
231@subsection Access to Frame Parameters
232
233These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
234frame.
235
236@defun frame-parameter frame parameter
237This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
238symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
239selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
240@var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
241@end defun
242
243@defun frame-parameters &optional frame
244The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
245parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
246@code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
247@end defun
248
249@defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
250This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
251elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
252@code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
253parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
254doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
255frame.
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256
257You can use this function to define frame-local bindings for
258variables, see @ref{Frame-Local Variables}.
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259@end defun
260
261@defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
262This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
263according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
264(and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
265parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
266@end defun
267
268@node Initial Parameters
269@subsection Initial Frame Parameters
270
271You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
272by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
273
274@defvar initial-frame-alist
275This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
276the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
277appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
278Each element has the form:
279
280@example
281(@var{parameter} . @var{value})
282@end example
283
284Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
285file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
286and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
287created initial frame.
288
289If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
290the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
291ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
292appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
293created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
294
295X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
296specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
297you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
298this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
299X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
300the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
301@code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
302@end defvar
303
304If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
305@code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
306one for you.
307
308@defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
309This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
310an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
311to the parameters for the main initial frame.
312@end defvar
313
314@defvar default-frame-alist
315This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
316Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
317Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
318in many cases.
319
320Setting this variable does not affect existing frames.
321@end defvar
322
323See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}. @xref{Definition of
324special-display-frame-alist}.
325
326If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
327they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
328exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
329@code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Emacs Invocation,, Command
330Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
331
332@node Window Frame Parameters
333@subsection Window Frame Parameters
334
335 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
336it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
337meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
338@code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
339@code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
340frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful @emph{only} in
341terminal frames.
342
343@menu
344* Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
345* Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
346* Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
347* Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
348 enabling or disabling some parts.
349* Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
350* Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
351* Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
352* Color Parameters:: Colors of various parts of the frame.
353@end menu
354
355@node Basic Parameters
356@subsubsection Basic Parameters
357
358 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
359frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
360
361@table @code
362@item display
363The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
364form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
365@code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
366
367@item display-type
368This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
369in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
370@code{mono}.
371
372@item title
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373If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window
374system's title bar at the top of the frame, and also in the mode line
375of windows in that frame if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses
376@samp{%F} (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when
377Emacs is not using a window system, and can only display one frame at
378a time. @xref{Frame Titles}.
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379
380@item name
381The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
382title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
383you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
384(@pxref{Frame Titles}).
385
386If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
387name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
388looking up X resources for the frame.
389
390@item display-environment-variable
391The value of the @code{DISPLAY} environment variable for the frame. It
392is passed to child processes.
393
394@item term-environment-variable
395The value of the @code{TERM} environment variable for the frame. It
396is passed to child processes.
397@end table
398
399@node Position Parameters
400@subsubsection Position Parameters
401
402 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
403text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
404
405@table @code
406@item left
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407The position, in pixels, of the left (or right) edge of the frame with
408respect to the left (or right) edge of the screen. The value may be:
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409
410@table @asis
411@item an integer
412A positive integer relates the left edge of the frame to the left edge
413of the screen. A negative integer relates the right frame edge to the
414right screen edge.
415
416@item @code{(+ @var{pos})}
417This specifies the position of the left frame edge relative to the left
418screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
419negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
420
421@item @code{(- @var{pos})}
422This specifies the position of the right frame edge relative to the right
423screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
424negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
425@end table
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426
427Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
428be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
429non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
430
431@item top
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432The screen position of the top (or bottom) edge, in pixels, with respect
433to the top (or bottom) edge of the screen. It works just like
434@code{left}, except vertically instead of horizontally.
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435
436@item icon-left
437The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
438pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
439and when the frame is iconified.
440
441If you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify
442a value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa. The window manager may
443ignore these two parameters.
444
445@item icon-top
446The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
447pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
448and when the frame is iconified.
449
450@item user-position
451When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
452@code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
453the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
454way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
455A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
456
457Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
458program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
459positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
460place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
461let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
462ignore them.
463
464When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
465value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
466parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
467@code{nil}.
468@end table
469
470@node Size Parameters
471@subsubsection Size Parameters
472
473 Size parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
474text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
475
476@table @code
477@item height
478The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
479pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
480
481@item width
101a6cea 482The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the width in
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483pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
484
485@item user-size
486This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
487the @code{user-position} parameter (see above) does for the position
488parameters @code{top} and @code{left}.
489
490@item fullscreen
491Specify that width, height or both shall be set to the size of the screen.
492The value @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be the size of the
493screen. The value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be the
494size of the screen. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the
495width and the height shall be set to the size of the screen.
496@end table
497
498@node Layout Parameters
499@subsubsection Layout Parameters
500
501 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
502frame, or control their sizes.
503
504@table @code
505@item border-width
506The width in pixels of the frame's border.
507
508@item internal-border-width
509The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
510
511@item vertical-scroll-bars
512Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
513of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
514@code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
515
516@ignore
517@item horizontal-scroll-bars
518Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
519(non-@code{nil} means yes). Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
520implemented.
521@end ignore
522
523@item scroll-bar-width
524The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
525use the default width.
526
527@item left-fringe
528@itemx right-fringe
529The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
530frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
531removes the corresponding fringe. A value of @code{nil} stands for
532the standard fringe width, which is the width needed to display the
533fringe bitmaps.
534
535The combined fringe widths must add up to an integral number of
536columns, so the actual default fringe widths for the frame may be
537larger than the specified values. The extra width needed to reach an
538acceptable total is distributed evenly between the left and right
539fringe. However, you can force one fringe or the other to a precise
540width by specifying that width as a negative integer. If both widths are
541negative, only the left fringe gets the specified width.
542
543@item menu-bar-lines
544The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
545bar. The default is 1. A value of @code{nil} means don't display a
546menu bar. @xref{Menu Bar}. (The X toolkit and GTK allow at most one
547menu bar line; they treat larger values as 1.)
548
549@item tool-bar-lines
550The number of lines to use for the tool bar. A value of @code{nil}
551means don't display a tool bar. (GTK allows at most one tool bar line;
552it treats larger values as 1.)
553
554@item line-spacing
555Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
556integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
557@end table
558
559@node Buffer Parameters
560@subsubsection Buffer Parameters
561
562 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
563with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
564
565@table @code
566@item minibuffer
567Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
568yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
569minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
570the new frame uses that minibuffer.
571
572@item buffer-predicate
573The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
574@code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
575decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
576@code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
577each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
578considers that buffer.
579
580@item buffer-list
581A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
582ordered most-recently-selected first.
583
584@item unsplittable
585If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
586@end table
587
588@node Management Parameters
589@subsubsection Window Management Parameters
590@cindex window manager, and frame parameters
591
592 These frame parameters, meaningful only on window system displays,
593interact with the window manager.
594
595@table @code
596@item visibility
597The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
598@code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
599iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
600
601@item auto-raise
602Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
603
604@item auto-lower
605Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
606
607@item icon-type
608The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
609value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
610Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
611picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
612
613@item icon-name
614The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
615appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
616
617@item window-id
618The number of the window-system window used by the frame
619to contain the actual Emacs windows.
620
621@item outer-window-id
622The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
623
624@item wait-for-wm
625If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
626geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
627and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
628prevent hanging with those window managers.
629
630@ignore
631@item parent-id
632@c ??? Not yet working.
633The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
634Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
635application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
636it and see if it works.)
637@end ignore
638@end table
639
640@node Cursor Parameters
641@subsubsection Cursor Parameters
642
643 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
644
645@table @code
646@item cursor-type
647How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
648
649@table @code
650@item box
651Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
652@item hollow
653Display a hollow box.
654@item nil
655Don't display a cursor.
656@item bar
657Display a vertical bar between characters.
658@item (bar . @var{width})
659Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
660@item hbar
661Display a horizontal bar.
662@item (hbar . @var{height})
663Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
664@end table
665@end table
666
667@vindex cursor-type
668The buffer-local variable @code{cursor-type} overrides the value of
669the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter, but if it is @code{t}, that
670means to use the cursor specified for the frame.
671
672@defvar blink-cursor-alist
673This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
674form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
675type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
676corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
677when it blinks ``off.'' Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
678should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
679
680There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
681the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
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682variable do not take effect immediately, only when you specify the
683@code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
684@end defvar
685
686@defvar cursor-in-non-selected-windows
687This variable controls how the cursor looks in a window that is not
688selected. It supports the same values as the @code{cursor-type} frame
689parameter; also, @code{nil} means don't display a cursor in
690nonselected windows, and @code{t} (the default) means use a standard
691modificatoin of the usual cursor type (solid box becomes hollow box,
692and bar becomes a narrower bar).
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693@end defvar
694
695@node Color Parameters
696@subsubsection Color Parameters
697
698 These frame parameters control the use of colors.
699
700@table @code
701@item background-mode
702This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
703to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
704
705@item tty-color-mode
706@cindex standard colors for character terminals
707This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
708system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
709specifies the color mode to use in terminal frames. The value can be
710either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
711to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
712color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
713ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
714off color support.
715
716If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
717the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
718used instead.
719
720@item screen-gamma
721@cindex gamma correction
722If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
723the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
724your display, a floating point number.
725
726Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
727Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
728on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
729@code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
730request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
731your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
732ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
733
734If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
735@code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
736that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
737results for LCD color displays.
738@end table
739
740These frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are automatically
741equivalent to particular face attributes of particular faces.
742@xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
743
744@table @code
745@item font
746The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
747string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
748fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
749attribute of the @code{default} face.
750
751@item foreground-color
752The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
753the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
754
755@item background-color
756The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
757the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
758
759@item mouse-color
760The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
761attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
762
763@item cursor-color
764The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
765@code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
766
767@item border-color
768The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
769@code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
770
771@item scroll-bar-foreground
772If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
773equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
774@code{scroll-bar} face.
775
776@item scroll-bar-background
777If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
778equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
779@code{scroll-bar} face.
780@end table
781
782@node Size and Position
783@subsection Frame Size And Position
784@cindex size of frame
785@cindex screen size
786@cindex frame size
787@cindex resize frame
788
789 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
790frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
791@code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
792by the window manager in its usual fashion.
793
794 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
795(For the precise meaning of ``selected frame'' used by these functions,
796see @ref{Input Focus}.)
797
798@defun set-frame-position frame left top
799This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
800@var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
801normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
802
803Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
804the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
805the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
806were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
807would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
808but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
809@end defun
810
811@defun frame-height &optional frame
812@defunx frame-width &optional frame
813These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
814lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
815selected frame.
816@end defun
817
818@defun screen-height
819@defunx screen-width
820These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
821@code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
822of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
823@end defun
824
825@defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
826@defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
041817a4
RS
827These functions return the height and width of the main display area
828of @var{frame}, measured in pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame},
829they use the selected frame.
830
831These values include the internal borders, and windows' scroll bars
832and fringes (which belong to individual windows, not to the frame
833itself), but do not include menu bars or tool bars (except when using
834X without an X toolkit).
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835@end defun
836
837@defun frame-char-height &optional frame
838@defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
839These functions return the height and width of a character in
840@var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
841font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
842frame.
843@end defun
844
845@defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
846This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
847@var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
848
849To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
850@code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
851them to units of characters.
852@end defun
853
854@defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
855This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
856sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
857fit.
858
859If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
860lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
861actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
862Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
863useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
864terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
865height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
866actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
867terminal frame.
868@end defun
869
870@defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
871This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
872The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
873@code{set-frame-height}.
874@end defun
875
876@findex set-screen-height
877@findex set-screen-width
878 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
879@code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
880screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
881are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
882
883@node Geometry
884@subsection Geometry
885
886 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
887specification:
888
889@defun x-parse-geometry geom
890@cindex geometry specification
891The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
892geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
893@code{make-frame}.
894
895The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
896gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
897@code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
898values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
899
900For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
901parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
902because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
875fc30c
GM
903instead. The @var{value} possibilities for the position parameters are:
904an integer, a list @code{(+ @var{pos})}, or a list @code{(- @var{pos})};
905as previously described (@pxref{Position Parameters}).
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906
907Here is an example:
908
909@example
910(x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
911 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
912 (top - 0) (left . 0))
913@end example
914@end defun
915
916@node Frame Titles
917@section Frame Titles
918@cindex frame title
919
920 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
921for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
922the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
923frame property.
924
925 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
926frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
927@code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
928frame is redisplayed.
929
930@defvar frame-title-format
931This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
932not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
933line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
934@samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
935Data}.
936@end defvar
937
938@defvar icon-title-format
939This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
940when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
941appears in the icon itself.
942@end defvar
943
944@defvar multiple-frames
945This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
946there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
947invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
948@code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
949only when there is more than one frame.
950
951The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
952while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
953@code{icon-title-format}.
954@end defvar
955
956@node Deleting Frames
957@section Deleting Frames
958@cindex deleting frames
959
960Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
961them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
962exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it.
963
964@deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
965@vindex delete-frame-functions
966This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
967tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
968function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
969the selected frame.
970
971A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
972Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
973but if the @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
974@end deffn
975
976@defun frame-live-p frame
977The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
978@var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
979values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
980@end defun
981
982 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
983by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
984When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
985@code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
986calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
987
988@node Finding All Frames
989@section Finding All Frames
990@cindex frames, scanning all
991
992@defun frame-list
993The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
994have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
995buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get is
996newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
997internals of Emacs.
998@end defun
999
1000@defun visible-frame-list
1001This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
1002@xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
1003``visible,'' even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
1004@end defun
1005
1006@defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
1007The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
1008the frames on the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It
1009returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If
1010@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame
1011(@pxref{Input Focus}).
1012
1013The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
1014
1015@table @asis
1016@item @code{nil}
1017Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
1018@item @code{visible}
1019Consider all visible frames.
1020@item 0
1021Consider all visible or iconified frames.
1022@item a window
1023Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1024minibuffer.
1025@item anything else
1026Consider all frames.
1027@end table
1028@end defun
1029
1030@defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1031Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1032direction.
1033@end defun
1034
1035 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1036Window Ordering}.
1037
1038@node Frames and Windows
1039@section Frames and Windows
1040
1041 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame
1042with @code{window-frame}.
1043
1044@defun window-frame window
1045This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
1046@end defun
1047
1048 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
1049order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
1050upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
1051the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
1052one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
1053
1054@defun frame-first-window &optional frame
1055This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
1056If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to the selected frame.
1057@end defun
1058
1059At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
1060frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
1061frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current
1062selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}.
1063
1064@defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
1065This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1066within @var{frame}. If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to
1067the selected frame.
1068@end defun
1069
1070@defun set-frame-selected-window frame window
1071This sets the selected window of frame @var{frame} to @var{window}.
1072If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it operates on the selected frame. If
1073@var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
1074selected window. This function returns @var{window}.
1075@end defun
1076
1077 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also
1078makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
1079
1080 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
1081frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Definition of minibuffer-window}.
1082
1083@node Minibuffers and Frames
1084@section Minibuffers and Frames
1085
1086Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1087is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
1088you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1089minibuffer-window}).
1090
1091However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
1092must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
1093frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
1094other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
1095which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
1096value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
1097
1098If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1099when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1100@code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1101
1102@defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1103This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
1104default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1105the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1106Displays}.
1107@end defvar
1108
1109@node Input Focus
1110@section Input Focus
1111@cindex input focus
1112@c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame
1113
1114At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1115window always resides on the selected frame.
1116
1117When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1118Displays}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one of
1119these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs to
1120the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when Emacs
1121runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected frame is
1122the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single command at any
1123given time, it needs to consider only one selected frame at a time; this
1124frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame} in this manual. The
1125display on which the selected frame is displayed is the @dfn{selected
1126frame's display}.
1127
1128@defun selected-frame
1129This function returns the selected frame.
1130@end defun
1131
1132Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1133window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1134commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
1135way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
1136switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
1137@code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
1138
1139Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1140function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1141concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1142until that control is somehow reasserted.
1143
1144When using a text-only terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a
1145time on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1146redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
1147remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame} or
1148@code{select-frame-set-input-focus}. Each terminal frame has a number
1149which appears in the mode line before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode
1150Line Variables}).
1151
1152@defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame
1153This function makes @var{frame} the selected frame, raises it (should
1154it happen to be obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X
1155server's focus. On a text-only terminal, the next redisplay displays
1156the new frame on the entire terminal screen. The return value of this
1157function is not significant.
1158@end defun
1159
1160@c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
1161@defun select-frame frame
1162This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
1163focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1164the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
1165until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1166window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1167selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
1168have the window system's input focus.) The specified @var{frame}
1169becomes the selected frame, as explained above, and the terminal that
1170@var{frame} is on becomes the selected terminal. This function
1171returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame} has been deleted.
1172
1173In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that could
1174switch to a different terminal without switching back when you're done.
1175@end defun
1176
1177Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1178the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1179special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1180appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1181@code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
1182
1183@deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1184This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1185
1186Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1187Don't call it for any other reason.
1188@end deffn
1189
1190@defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
1191This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
1192This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1193events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
1194@code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1195events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1196
1197If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
1198redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1199events.
1200
1201One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1202These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1203on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1204the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
1205in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
1206
1207Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1208@code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1209pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1210allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1211one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1212
1213This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1214differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1215@code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1216
1217The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1218change it.
1219@end defun
1220
1221@defopt focus-follows-mouse
1222This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1223focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1224When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
1225position consistent with the new selected frame. (This option has no
1226effect on MS-Windows, where the mouse pointer is always automatically
1227moved by the OS to the selected frame.)
1228@end defopt
1229
1230@node Visibility of Frames
1231@section Visibility of Frames
1232@cindex visible frame
1233@cindex invisible frame
1234@cindex iconified frame
1235@cindex frame visibility
1236
1237A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
1238@dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents, unless
1239other windows cover it. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do
1240not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is
1241invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon.
1242
1243Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
1244one is actually displayed in any case.
1245
1246@deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
1247This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1248@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1249the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1250(@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
1251@end deffn
1252
1253@deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
1254This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1255@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
1256
1257Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1258@var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
1259@end deffn
1260
1261@deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1262This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1263iconifies the selected frame.
1264@end deffn
1265
1266@defun frame-visible-p frame
1267This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
1268@code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
1269@code{icon} if it is iconified.
1270
1271On a text-only terminal, all frames are considered visible, whether
1272they are currently being displayed or not, and this function returns
1273@code{t} for all frames.
1274@end defun
1275
1276 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1277parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
1278Parameters}.
1279
1280 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
1281This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
1282Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
1283changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1284
1285@node Raising and Lowering
1286@section Raising and Lowering Frames
1287
1288 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
1289the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
1290perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
1291to ``lowest.'' Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
1292the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1293seen if no other window overlaps it.
1294
1295@c @cindex raising a frame redundant with raise-frame
1296@cindex lowering a frame
1297 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1298to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
1299it ``up,'' to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
1300moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
1301third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
1302on the screen.
1303
1304 You can raise and lower Emacs frame Windows with these functions:
1305
1306@deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1307This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1308If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
1309@end deffn
1310
1311@deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1312This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1313@end deffn
1314
1315@defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1316If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1317that the minibuffer window is in.
1318@end defopt
1319
1320You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1321selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1322for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
1323
1324@node Frame Configurations
1325@section Frame Configurations
1326@cindex frame configuration
1327
1328 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1329all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1330(@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1331
1332@defun current-frame-configuration
1333This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1334the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1335@end defun
1336
1337@defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1338This function restores the state of frames described in
1339@var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1340frames.
1341
1342Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1343@var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1344unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1345@end defun
1346
1347@node Mouse Tracking
1348@section Mouse Tracking
1349@cindex mouse tracking
1350@c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
1351
1352 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1353something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1354mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1355the mouse actually moves.
1356
1357 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1358mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1359addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1360occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1361mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1362button.
1363
1364@defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
1365This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
1366events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
1367read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1368Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
1369
1370The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
1371You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1372indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1373it is time to stop tracking.
1374@end defspec
1375
1376The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1377the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1378position.
1379
1380In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1381the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1382That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1383Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1384
1385@ignore
1386@c These are not implemented yet.
1387
1388These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1389effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
1390is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
1391to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1392the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1393
1394@defun x-contour-region window beg end
1395This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1396to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1397@end defun
1398
1399@defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1400This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1401from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1402a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1403@end defun
1404
1405@defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1406This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1407specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1408left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1409location of point.
1410@end defun
1411
1412@defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1413This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1414specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1415left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1416normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1417@end defun
1418@end ignore
1419
1420@node Mouse Position
1421@section Mouse Position
1422@cindex mouse position
1423@cindex position of mouse
1424
1425 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1426give access to the current position of the mouse.
1427
1428@defun mouse-position
1429This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1430value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
1431and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1432the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
1433@end defun
1434
1435@defvar mouse-position-function
1436If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
1437@code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
1438function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
1439sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
1440
1441This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
1442@file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
1443@end defvar
1444
1445@defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1446This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1447frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
1448giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
1449inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1450does nothing. The return value is not significant.
1451@end defun
1452
1453@defun mouse-pixel-position
1454This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1455coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1456@end defun
1457
1458@defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1459This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1460@var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1461characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
1462
1463If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1464value is not significant.
1465@end defun
1466
1467@need 3000
1468
1469@node Pop-Up Menus
1470@section Pop-Up Menus
1471
1472 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1473the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
1474
1475@defun x-popup-menu position menu
1476This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1477what selection the user makes.
1478
1479The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
1480top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
1481(which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
1482list of this form:
1483
1484@example
1485((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1486@end example
1487
1488@noindent
1489where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
1490pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
1491may be a window or a frame.
1492
1493If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1494position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1495key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1496without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1497
1498The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
1499keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
1500return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
1501(This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
1502submenu.) Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
1503command bound to that sequence of events.
1504
1505Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
1506
1507@example
1508(@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1509@end example
1510
1511@noindent
1512where each pane is a list of form
1513
1514@example
1515(@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
1516@end example
1517
1518Each item should normally be a cons cell @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
1519where @var{line} is a string, and @var{value} is the value to return if
1520that @var{line} is chosen. An item can also be a string; this makes a
1521non-selectable line in the menu.
1522
1523If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
1524instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
1525keyboard input, then this normally results in a quit and
1526@code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
1527button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
1528mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
1529@end defun
1530
1531 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1532if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1533If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1534a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1535If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1536@code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1537that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
1538
1539 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1540moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1541that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1542submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1543an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1544implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
1545@code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
1546
1547 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1548still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1549a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1550the menu keymap as necessary.
1551
1552@node Dialog Boxes
1553@section Dialog Boxes
1554@cindex dialog boxes
1555
1556 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1557different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
1558one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
1559for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes,'' ``no,''
1560and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
1561force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
1562@code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
1563keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
1564
1565@defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
1566This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1567what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1568the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1569
1570@example
1571(@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
1572@end example
1573
1574@noindent
1575which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1576@code{x-popup-menu}.
1577
1578The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1579
1580As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
1581string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
1582That makes a box that cannot be selected.
1583
1584If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1585the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1586left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1587don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1588items appear on each side.
1589
1590Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1591@var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
1592@code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
1593window don't matter; only the frame matters.
1594
1595If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
1596@samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
1597for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}).
1598
1599In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1600instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1601frame.
1602
1603If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
1604for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
1605@code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
1606@end defun
1607
1608@node Pointer Shape
1609@section Pointer Shape
1610@cindex pointer shape
1611@cindex mouse pointer shape
1612
1613 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
1614images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
1615@code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
1616use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
1617@code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
1618@code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
1619style used over text.
1620
1621 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
1622of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
1623@code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
1624those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
1625
1626@defvar void-text-area-pointer
1627This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
1628These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
1629in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
1630pointer style.
1631@end defvar
1632
1633 You can specify what the @code{text} pointer style really looks like
1634by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
1635
1636@defvar x-pointer-shape
1637This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
1638Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
1639@end defvar
1640
1641@defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1642This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1643is over mouse-sensitive text.
1644@end defvar
1645
1646 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
1647affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
1648frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
1649@xref{Color Parameters}.
1650
1651 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
1652defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
1653@key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1654
1655@node Window System Selections
1656@section Window System Selections
1657@cindex selection (for window systems)
1658
1659The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1660data between application programs. The various selections are
1661distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1662symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1663any given type.
1664
1665@deffn Command x-set-selection type data
1666This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1667arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1668@var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1669selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1670(or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1671cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1672of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1673
1674The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1675selection values.
1676
1677Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
1678independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY},
1679@code{SECONDARY} and @code{CLIPBOARD}; these are symbols with upper-case
1680names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If @var{type} is
1681@code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
1682
1683This function returns @var{data}.
1684@end deffn
1685
1686@defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
1687This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1688clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1689@var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1690@code{PRIMARY}.
1691
1692The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1693use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1694data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
1695@code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
1696@code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
1697@code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
1698@code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
1699@code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
1700with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
1701@code{STRING}.
1702@end defun
1703
1704@cindex cut buffer
1705The X server also has a set of eight numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
1706store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1707are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
1708clients that still use them. Cut buffers are numbered from 0 to 7.
1709
1710@defun x-get-cut-buffer &optional n
1711This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
1712If omitted @var{n} defaults to 0.
1713@end defun
1714
1715@defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
1716@anchor{Definition of x-set-cut-buffer}
1717This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
17180). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1719If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1720through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1721Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1722the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1723the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
1724@end defun
1725
1726@defvar selection-coding-system
1727This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
1728writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
1729Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
1730converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
1731@end defvar
1732
1733@cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1734When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1735general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
1736and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1737only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1738clipboard as empty.
1739
b8d4c8d0
GM
1740@defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1741If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1742clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1743the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1744access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
9e2a2647 1745but @code{t} on MS-Windows.
b8d4c8d0
GM
1746@end defopt
1747
1748@node Drag and Drop
1749@section Drag and Drop
1750
1751@vindex x-dnd-test-function
1752@vindex x-dnd-known-types
1753 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
1754application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
1755dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
1756what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
1757which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
1758@code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
1759@code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
1760on some other criteria.
1761
1762@vindex x-dnd-types-alist
1763 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
1764or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
1765detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
1766drop.
1767
1768@vindex dnd-protocol-alist
1769 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
1770another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
1771@code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL. If
1772there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
1773an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
1774text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
1775you can customize these variables.
1776
1777@node Color Names
1778@section Color Names
1779
1780@cindex color names
1781@cindex specify color
1782@cindex numerical RGB color specification
1783 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
1784Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
1785are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
1786defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
1787as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
1788@var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
1789and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
1790three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
1791number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
1792either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
1793X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
1794colors.)
1795
1796 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
1797valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
1798@dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
1799meaning of the term ``selected frame.''
1800
1801@defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
1802This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
1803@code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1804which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1805@code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
1806
1807Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
1808really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1809color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
1810the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1811a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
1812
1813@findex x-color-defined-p
1814This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1815and that name is still supported as an alias.
1816@end defun
1817
1818@defun defined-colors &optional frame
1819This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1820and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1821If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
1822
1823@findex x-defined-colors
1824This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1825and that name is still supported as an alias.
1826@end defun
1827
1828@defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
1829This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
1830@var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
1831omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
1832
1833Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
1834background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
1835asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
1836are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
1837
1838The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
1839@end defun
1840
1841@defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
1842This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
1843@var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
1844question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
1845color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
1846@end defun
1847
1848@defun color-values color &optional frame
1849@cindex rgb value
1850This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
1851ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
1852value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
1853amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
1854principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
1855range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
1856color.
1857
1858If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1859
1860@example
1861(color-values "black")
1862 @result{} (0 0 0)
1863(color-values "white")
1864 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
1865(color-values "red")
1866 @result{} (65280 0 0)
1867(color-values "pink")
1868 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
1869(color-values "hungry")
1870 @result{} nil
1871@end example
1872
1873The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
1874@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
1875the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
1876value is @code{nil}.
1877
1878@findex x-color-values
1879This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
1880and that name is still supported as an alias.
1881@end defun
1882
1883@node Text Terminal Colors
1884@section Text Terminal Colors
1885@cindex colors on text-only terminals
1886
1887 Text-only terminals usually support only a small number of colors,
1888and the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
1889This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
1890color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
1891small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
1892the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
1893
1894 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
1895are used by Emacs.
1896
1897 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
1898in @ref{Color Names}.
1899
1900 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
1901terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
1902support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
1903will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
1904selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present, though,
1905the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
1906
1907@defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
1908This function associates the color name @var{name} with
1909color number @var{number} on the terminal.
1910
1911The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
1912of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
1913If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
1914@code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
1915Emacs will not know what it looks like.
1916@end defun
1917
1918@defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
1919This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
1920@end defun
1921
1922@defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
1923This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
1924text-only terminal.
1925
1926Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
1927or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
1928name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
1929If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
1930and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
1931@end defun
1932
1933@defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
1934This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
1935supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
1936@var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
1937@code{tty-color-alist}.
1938@end defun
1939
1940@defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
1941This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
1942colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
1943If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1944@end defun
1945
1946@node Resources
1947@section X Resources
1948
1949@defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
1950The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
1951Window defaults database.
1952
1953Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
1954This function searches using a key of the form
1955@samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
1956under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
1957the class.
1958
1959The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
1960and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
1961If you specify them, the key is
1962@samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
1963@samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
1964@end defun
1965
1966@defvar x-resource-class
1967This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
1968should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
1969resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
1970variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
1971@end defvar
1972
1973@defvar x-resource-name
1974This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
1975should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
1976or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
1977@end defvar
1978
1979To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
1980
1981@example
1982xterm.vt100.background: yellow
1983@end example
1984
1985@noindent
1986in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
1987or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
1988
1989@example
1990@group
1991(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1992 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
1993 @result{} "yellow"
1994@end group
1995@group
1996(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
1997 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
1998 @result{} "yellow"
1999@end group
2000@end example
2001
2002 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
2003
2004@node Display Feature Testing
2005@section Display Feature Testing
2006@cindex display feature testing
2007
2008 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
2009particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
2010to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
2011a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2012
2013 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2014display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2015(which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
2016refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
2017
2018 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2019obtain information about displays.
2020
2021@defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
2022This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2023@var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
2024the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
2025a mouse.
2026@end defun
2027
2028@defun display-graphic-p &optional display
2029This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2030capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2031once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
2032false for text-only terminals.
2033@end defun
2034
2035@defun display-mouse-p &optional display
2036@cindex mouse, availability
2037This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2038@code{nil} if not.
2039@end defun
2040
2041@defun display-color-p &optional display
2042@findex x-display-color-p
2043This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2044It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2045is still supported as an alias.
2046@end defun
2047
2048@defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
2049This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
2050(All color displays can do this.)
2051@end defun
2052
2053@defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
2054@anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
2055This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2056@var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2057
2058The definition of `supported' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2059means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2060when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2061way that's
2062
2063@enumerate
2064@item
2065different in appearance than the default face, and
2066
2067@item
2068`close in spirit' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2069@end enumerate
2070
2071Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2072satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2073@code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
2074displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
2075the tty display code's automatic substitution of a `dim' face for
2076italic.
2077@end defun
2078
2079@defun display-selections-p &optional display
2080This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2081Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2082supported in some other cases.
2083@end defun
2084
2085@defun display-images-p &optional display
2086This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
2087Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2088systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2089images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
2090@end defun
2091
2092@defun display-screens &optional display
2093This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
2094@end defun
2095
2096@defun display-pixel-height &optional display
2097This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
2098On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
2099
2100For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2101refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2102@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2103@end defun
2104
2105@defun display-pixel-width &optional display
2106This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
2107On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
2108
2109For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2110refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2111@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2112@end defun
2113
2114@defun display-mm-height &optional display
2115This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2116or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2117@end defun
2118
2119@defun display-mm-width &optional display
2120This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2121or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2122@end defun
2123
2124@defvar display-mm-dimensions-alist
2125This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2126displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2127@code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2128@end defvar
2129
2130@defun display-backing-store &optional display
2131This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2132Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2133windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2134displayed very quickly.
2135
2136Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
2137@code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2138when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
2139@end defun
2140
2141@defun display-save-under &optional display
2142This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
2143SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2144to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2145quickly.
2146@end defun
2147
2148@defun display-planes &optional display
2149This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
2150This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
2151For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
2152@end defun
2153
2154@defun display-visual-class &optional display
2155This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
2156of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
2157@code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
2158@code{direct-color}.
2159@end defun
2160
2161@defun display-color-cells &optional display
2162This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
2163@end defun
2164
2165 These functions obtain additional information specifically
2166about X displays.
2167
2168@defun x-server-version &optional display
2169This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
2170running the display. The value is a list of three integers: the major
2171and minor version numbers of the X protocol, and the
2172distributor-specific release number of the X server software itself.
2173@end defun
2174
2175@defun x-server-vendor &optional display
2176This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the X server
2177software (as a string). Really this means whoever distributes the X
2178server.
2179
2180When the developers of X labelled software distributors as
2181``vendors,'' they showed their false assumption that no system could
2182ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
2183@end defun
2184
2185@ignore
2186@defvar x-no-window-manager
2187This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
2188@end defvar
2189@end ignore
2190
2191@ignore
2192@item
2193The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2194width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
2195@end ignore
2196
2197@ignore
2198 arch-tag: 94977df6-3dca-4730-b57b-c6329e9282ba
2199@end ignore