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[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,
6ed161e1 4@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 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
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11 In Emacs editing, a @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one
12or more Emacs windows, see @ref{Windows}. It's the kind of object that
13is called a ``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but
14we can't call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a
15different way. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp object
20cb6c9b 16that represents a frame on the screen. @xref{Frame Type}.
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17
18 A frame initially contains a single main window and/or a minibuffer
19window; you can subdivide the main window vertically or horizontally
6a4cfb0c 20into smaller windows. @xref{Splitting Windows}.
b8d4c8d0 21
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22 A @dfn{terminal} is a display device capable of displaying one or
23more Emacs frames. On GNU and Unix systems, Emacs supports any number
24of different terminals in one session, and can mix GUI and text-only
25frames in the same session.
26
27 Emacs represents each terminal on which it displays frames as a
28special @dfn{terminal object} data type, see @ref{Terminal Type}.
29
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30@cindex terminal frame
31 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
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32@dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional frames on the same
33terminal, Emacs displays one and only one at any given time---on that
34terminal screen, of course. You can create additional frames, either
35text-only or GUI, on other terminals from the same Emacs session.
36(This comes in handy when you connect to the same session from several
b4022203 37remote locations.) @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
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38
39@cindex window frame
40 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
41as X, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
42a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
43display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
44
45@defun framep object
46This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
47frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
48kind of display the frame uses:
49
50@table @code
51@item x
52The frame is displayed in an X window.
53@item t
54A terminal frame on a character display.
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55@item w32
56The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
57@item pc
58The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
59@end table
60@end defun
61
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62@defun frame-terminal &optional frame
63This function returns the terminal object (@pxref{Terminal Type}) that
64displays @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil} or unspecified, it
65defaults to the selected frame.
66@end defun
67
68@defun terminal-live-p object
69This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
70terminal that is alive (i.e.@: was not deleted), and @code{nil}
71otherwise. For live terminals, the return value indicates what kind
72of frames are displayed on that terminal; the list of possible values
73is the same as for @code{framep} above.
74@end defun
75
b8d4c8d0 76@menu
b4022203 77* Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
b8d4c8d0 78* Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
20cb6c9b 79* Multiple Terminals:: Displaying on several different devices.
b4022203 80* Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
20cb6c9b 81* Terminal Parameters:: Parameters common for all frames on terminal.
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82* Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
83* Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
84* Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
85* Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
86 display of text always works through windows.
87* Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
88* Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
89* Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
90* Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
91 lowering it makes the others hide it.
92* Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
93* Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
94* Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
95* Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
96* Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
97* Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
98* Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
99* Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
100* Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
101* Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
102* Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
103* Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
104@end menu
105
106 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
107controlling Emacs redisplay.
108
109@node Creating Frames
110@section Creating Frames
111
112To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
113
114@defun make-frame &optional alist
115This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
116buffer. If you are using a supported window system, it makes a window
117frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
118
119The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
120not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
121variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
122default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
123your system.
124
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125After the frame is created, this function applies to it the
126parameters, if any, listed in the value of
127@code{frame-inherited-parameters} (see below) and not present in the
128argument, taking the values from the frame that was selected when
129@code{make-frame} was called.
130
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131The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
132window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
133Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
134
135This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
136@xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
137However, the window system may select the new frame for its own reasons,
138for instance if the frame appears under the mouse pointer and your
139setup is for focus to follow the pointer.
140@end defun
141
142@defvar before-make-frame-hook
143A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
144frame.
145@end defvar
146
147@defvar after-make-frame-functions
148An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
149Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
150frame just created.
151@end defvar
152
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153@defvar frame-inherited-parameters
154This variable specifies the list of frame parameters that a newly
155created frame inherits from the currently selected frame. For each
156parameter (a symbol) that is an element in the list and is not present
157in the argument to @code{make-frame}, the function sets the value of
158that parameter in the created frame to its value in the selected
159frame.
160@end defvar
161
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162@node Multiple Displays
163@section Multiple Displays
164@cindex multiple X displays
165@cindex displays, multiple
166
167 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
168Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
169@code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
170(@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
171another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
172the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
173
174 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
175own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. However, only one of
176those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment, see
177@ref{Input Focus}.
178
179 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
180separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
181is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
182to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
183@code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
184@code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
56353e47 185be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}).
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186
187 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
188@samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
189part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
190screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
191names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
192terminal.
193
194 Note that some graphical terminals can output to more than a one
195monitor (or other output device) at the same time. On these
196``multi-monitor'' setups, a single @var{display} value controls the
197output to all the physical monitors. In this situation, there is
198currently no platform-independent way for Emacs to distinguish between
199the different physical monitors.
200
201@deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
202This creates and returns a new frame on display @var{display}, taking
203the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the
204@var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating
205Frames}).
206@end deffn
207
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208@deffn Command make-frame-on-tty tty type &optional parameters
209This command creates a text-only frame on another text terminal. The
210argument @var{tty} identifies the terminal device by its file name,
211e.g., @file{/dev/ttys2}, and @var{type} gives the device type as a
212string, e.g., @code{"vt100"}, to use for searching the
213termcap/terminfo database for the entry describing capabilities of the
214device. Optional argument @var{parameters} specifies additional
215parameters for the frame.
216@end deffn
217
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218@defun x-display-list
219This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
220connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
221a display name.
222@end defun
223
224@defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
225This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
226does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
227that communication can be established with that display.
228
229The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
230string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
231@file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
232values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
233created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
234look like:
235
236@example
237"*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
238@end example
239
240@xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
241
242If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
243terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
244@end defun
245
246@defun x-close-connection display
247This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
248you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
249that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
250@end defun
251
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252@node Multiple Terminals
253@section Multiple Terminals
254@cindex multiple terminals
255@cindex multi-tty
256
257 Emacs represents each terminal on which it displays frames as a
258special @dfn{terminal object} data type, see @ref{Terminal Type}. The
259terminal object has the following attributes:
260
261@itemize @bullet
262@item
263The name of the device used by the terminal (e.g., @file{/dev/tty}).
264
265@item
266The terminal and keyboard coding systems (@pxref{Terminal I/O
267Encoding}) used on the terminal.
268
269@item
270The kind of frames (@pxref{Frames}) the terminal is displaying.
271
272@item
273A list of the terminal parameters (@pxref{Terminal Parameters}).
274@end itemize
275
276 There's no primitive for creating terminal objects; Emacs creates
277them as needed when you call one of the primitives, such as
278@code{make-frame-on-tty} (@pxref{Multiple Displays}), that start
279displaying on a new terminal.
280
281@defun terminal-list
282This function return the list of all the terminal objects used by
283Emacs to display frames in this session.
284@end defun
285
286@defun delete-terminal &optional terminal force
287This function deletes all frames on @var{terminal} and frees the
288resources used by it. @var{terminal} can be a terminal object, a
289frame (meaning that frame's terminal), or @code{nil} (meaning the
290selected frame's terminal). Normally, the function signals an error
291if you attempt to delete the sole active terminal, but if @var{force}
292is non-@code{nil}, you are allowed to do so. This function runs the
293hook @code{delete-terminal-functions}, passing each function a single
294argument, @var{terminal}.
295@end defun
296
297@defun terminal-name &optional terminal
298This function returns the file name of the device used by
299@var{terminal}. If @var{terminal} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
300defaults to the selected frame's terminal. @var{terminal} can also be
301a frame, meaning that frame's terminal.
302@end defun
303
304@defun get-device-terminal device
305This function is in a sense the opposite of @code{terminal-name}: it
306returns a terminal whose device name is given by @var{device}. If
307@var{device} is a string, it can be either the file name of a terminal
308device or the name of an X display of the form
309@samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} (@pxref{Multiple
310Displays}). If @var{device} is a frame, this function returns that
311frame's terminal; @code{nil} means the selected frame. Finally, if
312@var{device} is a terminal object that represents a live terminal,
313that terminal is returned. The function signals an error if its
314argument is none of the above.
315@end defun
316
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317@node Frame Parameters
318@section Frame Parameters
319@cindex frame parameters
320
321 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
322Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
323uses.
324
325 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
326terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
327only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
328@code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
329parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
330parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
331@code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
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332If the terminal supports frame transparency, the parameter
333@code{alpha} is also meaningful.
b8d4c8d0 334
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335 You can use frame parameters to define frame-local bindings for
336variables. @xref{Frame-Local Variables}.
337
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338@menu
339* Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
340* Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
341* Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
342* Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
343* Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
344@end menu
345
346@node Parameter Access
347@subsection Access to Frame Parameters
348
349These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
350frame.
351
352@defun frame-parameter frame parameter
353This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
354symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
355selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
356@var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
357@end defun
358
359@defun frame-parameters &optional frame
360The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
361parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
362@code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
363@end defun
364
365@defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
366This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
367elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
368@code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
369parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
370doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
371frame.
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372
373You can use this function to define frame-local bindings for
374variables, see @ref{Frame-Local Variables}.
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375@end defun
376
4fb04348 377@defun set-frame-parameter frame parm value
3c1f4619 378This function sets the frame parameter @var{parm} to the specified
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379@var{value}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the
380selected frame.
381@end defun
382
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383@defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
384This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
385according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
386(and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
387parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
388@end defun
389
390@node Initial Parameters
391@subsection Initial Frame Parameters
392
393You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
394by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
395
396@defvar initial-frame-alist
397This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
398the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
399appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
400Each element has the form:
401
402@example
403(@var{parameter} . @var{value})
404@end example
405
406Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
407file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
408and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
409created initial frame.
410
411If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
412the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
413ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
414appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
415created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
416
417X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
418specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
419you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
420this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
421X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
422the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
423@code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
424@end defvar
425
426If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
427@code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
428one for you.
429
430@defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
431This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
432an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
433to the parameters for the main initial frame.
434@end defvar
435
436@defvar default-frame-alist
437This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
438Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
439Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
440in many cases.
441
442Setting this variable does not affect existing frames.
443@end defvar
444
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445Functions that display a buffer in a separate frame can override the
446default parameters by supplying their own parameters. @xref{Definition
447of special-display-frame-alist}.
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448
449If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
450they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
451exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
452@code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Emacs Invocation,, Command
453Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
454
455@node Window Frame Parameters
456@subsection Window Frame Parameters
457
458 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
459it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
460meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
461@code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
462@code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
463frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful @emph{only} in
464terminal frames.
465
466@menu
467* Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
468* Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
469* Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
470* Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
471 enabling or disabling some parts.
472* Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
473* Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
474* Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
475* Color Parameters:: Colors of various parts of the frame.
476@end menu
477
478@node Basic Parameters
479@subsubsection Basic Parameters
480
481 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
482frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
483
484@table @code
485@item display
486The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
487form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
488@code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
489
490@item display-type
491This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
492in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
493@code{mono}.
494
495@item title
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496If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window
497system's title bar at the top of the frame, and also in the mode line
498of windows in that frame if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses
499@samp{%F} (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when
500Emacs is not using a window system, and can only display one frame at
501a time. @xref{Frame Titles}.
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502
503@item name
504The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
505title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
506you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
507(@pxref{Frame Titles}).
508
509If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
510name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
511looking up X resources for the frame.
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512@end table
513
514@node Position Parameters
515@subsubsection Position Parameters
516
517 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
518text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
519
520@table @code
521@item left
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522The position, in pixels, of the left (or right) edge of the frame with
523respect to the left (or right) edge of the screen. The value may be:
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524
525@table @asis
526@item an integer
527A positive integer relates the left edge of the frame to the left edge
528of the screen. A negative integer relates the right frame edge to the
529right screen edge.
530
531@item @code{(+ @var{pos})}
532This specifies the position of the left frame edge relative to the left
533screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
534negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
535
536@item @code{(- @var{pos})}
537This specifies the position of the right frame edge relative to the right
538screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
539negative value specifies a position outside the screen.
540@end table
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541
542Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
543be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
544non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
545
546@item top
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547The screen position of the top (or bottom) edge, in pixels, with respect
548to the top (or bottom) edge of the screen. It works just like
549@code{left}, except vertically instead of horizontally.
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550
551@item icon-left
552The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
553pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
554and when the frame is iconified.
555
556If you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify
557a value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa. The window manager may
558ignore these two parameters.
559
560@item icon-top
561The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
562pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
563and when the frame is iconified.
564
565@item user-position
566When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
567@code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
568the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
569way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
570A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
571
572Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
573program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
574positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
575place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
576let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
577ignore them.
578
579When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
580value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
581parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
582@code{nil}.
583@end table
584
585@node Size Parameters
586@subsubsection Size Parameters
587
588 Size parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
589text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
590
591@table @code
592@item height
593The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
594pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
595
596@item width
101a6cea 597The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the width in
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598pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
599
600@item user-size
601This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
602the @code{user-position} parameter (see above) does for the position
603parameters @code{top} and @code{left}.
604
605@item fullscreen
606Specify that width, height or both shall be set to the size of the screen.
607The value @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be the size of the
608screen. The value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be the
609size of the screen. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the
610width and the height shall be set to the size of the screen.
611@end table
612
613@node Layout Parameters
614@subsubsection Layout Parameters
615
616 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
617frame, or control their sizes.
618
619@table @code
620@item border-width
621The width in pixels of the frame's border.
622
623@item internal-border-width
624The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
625
626@item vertical-scroll-bars
627Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
628of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
629@code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
630
631@ignore
632@item horizontal-scroll-bars
633Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
634(non-@code{nil} means yes). Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
635implemented.
636@end ignore
637
638@item scroll-bar-width
639The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
640use the default width.
641
642@item left-fringe
643@itemx right-fringe
644The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
645frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
646removes the corresponding fringe. A value of @code{nil} stands for
647the standard fringe width, which is the width needed to display the
648fringe bitmaps.
649
650The combined fringe widths must add up to an integral number of
651columns, so the actual default fringe widths for the frame may be
652larger than the specified values. The extra width needed to reach an
653acceptable total is distributed evenly between the left and right
654fringe. However, you can force one fringe or the other to a precise
655width by specifying that width as a negative integer. If both widths are
656negative, only the left fringe gets the specified width.
657
658@item menu-bar-lines
659The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
660bar. The default is 1. A value of @code{nil} means don't display a
661menu bar. @xref{Menu Bar}. (The X toolkit and GTK allow at most one
662menu bar line; they treat larger values as 1.)
663
664@item tool-bar-lines
665The number of lines to use for the tool bar. A value of @code{nil}
666means don't display a tool bar. (GTK allows at most one tool bar line;
667it treats larger values as 1.)
668
669@item line-spacing
670Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
671integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
672@end table
673
674@node Buffer Parameters
675@subsubsection Buffer Parameters
676
677 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
678with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
679
680@table @code
681@item minibuffer
682Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
683yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
684minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
685the new frame uses that minibuffer.
686
687@item buffer-predicate
688The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
689@code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
690decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
691@code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
692each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
693considers that buffer.
694
695@item buffer-list
696A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
697ordered most-recently-selected first.
698
699@item unsplittable
700If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
701@end table
702
703@node Management Parameters
704@subsubsection Window Management Parameters
705@cindex window manager, and frame parameters
706
707 These frame parameters, meaningful only on window system displays,
708interact with the window manager.
709
710@table @code
711@item visibility
712The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
713@code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
714iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
715
716@item auto-raise
717Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
718
719@item auto-lower
720Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
721
722@item icon-type
723The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
724value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
725Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
726picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
727
728@item icon-name
729The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
730appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
731
732@item window-id
733The number of the window-system window used by the frame
734to contain the actual Emacs windows.
735
736@item outer-window-id
737The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
738
739@item wait-for-wm
740If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
741geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
742and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
743prevent hanging with those window managers.
744
745@ignore
746@item parent-id
747@c ??? Not yet working.
748The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
749Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
750application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
751it and see if it works.)
752@end ignore
753@end table
754
755@node Cursor Parameters
756@subsubsection Cursor Parameters
757
758 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
759
760@table @code
761@item cursor-type
762How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
763
764@table @code
765@item box
766Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
767@item hollow
768Display a hollow box.
769@item nil
770Don't display a cursor.
771@item bar
772Display a vertical bar between characters.
773@item (bar . @var{width})
774Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
775@item hbar
776Display a horizontal bar.
777@item (hbar . @var{height})
778Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
779@end table
780@end table
781
782@vindex cursor-type
783The buffer-local variable @code{cursor-type} overrides the value of
784the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter, but if it is @code{t}, that
785means to use the cursor specified for the frame.
786
787@defvar blink-cursor-alist
788This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
789form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
790type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
791corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
792when it blinks ``off.'' Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
793should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
794
795There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
796the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
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797variable do not take effect immediately, only when you specify the
798@code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
799@end defvar
800
801@defvar cursor-in-non-selected-windows
802This variable controls how the cursor looks in a window that is not
803selected. It supports the same values as the @code{cursor-type} frame
804parameter; also, @code{nil} means don't display a cursor in
805nonselected windows, and @code{t} (the default) means use a standard
806modificatoin of the usual cursor type (solid box becomes hollow box,
807and bar becomes a narrower bar).
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808@end defvar
809
810@node Color Parameters
811@subsubsection Color Parameters
812
813 These frame parameters control the use of colors.
814
815@table @code
816@item background-mode
817This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
818to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
819
820@item tty-color-mode
821@cindex standard colors for character terminals
822This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
823system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
824specifies the color mode to use in terminal frames. The value can be
825either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
826to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
827color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
828ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
829off color support.
830
831If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
832the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
833used instead.
834
835@item screen-gamma
836@cindex gamma correction
837If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
838the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
839your display, a floating point number.
840
841Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
842Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
843on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
844@code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
845request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
846your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
847ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
848
849If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
850@code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
851that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
852results for LCD color displays.
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853
854@item alpha
855@cindex opacity, frame
856@cindex transparency, frame
857@vindex frame-alpha-lower-limit
858This parameter specifies the opacity of the frame, on graphical
859displays that support variable opacity. It should be an integer
860between 0 and 100, where 0 means completely transparent and 100 means
861completely opaque. It can also have a @code{nil} value, which tells
862Emacs not to set the frame opacity (leaving it to the window manager).
863
864To prevent the frame from disappearing completely from view, the
865variable @var{frame-alpha-lower-limit} defines a lower opacity limit.
866If the value of the frame parameter is less than the value of this
867variable, Emacs uses the latter. By default,
868@var{frame-alpha-lower-limit} is 20.
869
870The @code{alpha} frame parameter can also be a cons cell
871@code{(@samp{active} . @samp{inactive})}, where @samp{active} is the
872opacity of the frame when it is selected, and @samp{inactive} is the
873opactity when it is not selected.
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874@end table
875
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876The following frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are
877automatically equivalent to particular face attributes of particular
878faces (@pxref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}):
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879
880@table @code
881@item font
882The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
883string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
884fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
885attribute of the @code{default} face.
886
887@item foreground-color
888The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
889the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
890
891@item background-color
892The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
893the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
894
895@item mouse-color
896The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
897attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
898
899@item cursor-color
900The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
901@code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
902
903@item border-color
904The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
905@code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
906
907@item scroll-bar-foreground
908If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
909equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
910@code{scroll-bar} face.
911
912@item scroll-bar-background
913If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
914equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
915@code{scroll-bar} face.
916@end table
917
918@node Size and Position
919@subsection Frame Size And Position
920@cindex size of frame
921@cindex screen size
922@cindex frame size
923@cindex resize frame
924
925 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
926frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
927@code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
928by the window manager in its usual fashion.
929
930 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
931(For the precise meaning of ``selected frame'' used by these functions,
932see @ref{Input Focus}.)
933
934@defun set-frame-position frame left top
935This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
936@var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
937normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
938
939Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
940the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
941the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
942were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
943would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
944but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
945@end defun
946
947@defun frame-height &optional frame
948@defunx frame-width &optional frame
949These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
950lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
951selected frame.
952@end defun
953
954@defun screen-height
955@defunx screen-width
956These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
957@code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
958of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
959@end defun
960
961@defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
962@defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
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963These functions return the height and width of the main display area
964of @var{frame}, measured in pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame},
965they use the selected frame.
966
967These values include the internal borders, and windows' scroll bars
968and fringes (which belong to individual windows, not to the frame
969itself), but do not include menu bars or tool bars (except when using
970X without an X toolkit).
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971@end defun
972
973@defun frame-char-height &optional frame
974@defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
975These functions return the height and width of a character in
976@var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
977font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
978frame.
979@end defun
980
981@defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
982This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
983@var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
984
985To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
986@code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
987them to units of characters.
988@end defun
989
990@defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
991This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
992sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
993fit.
994
995If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
996lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
997actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
998Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
999useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
1000terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
1001height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
1002actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
1003terminal frame.
1004@end defun
1005
1006@defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
1007This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
1008The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
1009@code{set-frame-height}.
1010@end defun
1011
1012@findex set-screen-height
1013@findex set-screen-width
1014 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
1015@code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
1016screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
1017are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
1018
1019@node Geometry
1020@subsection Geometry
1021
1022 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
1023specification:
1024
1025@defun x-parse-geometry geom
1026@cindex geometry specification
1027The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
1028geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
1029@code{make-frame}.
1030
1031The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
1032gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
1033@code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
1034values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
1035
1036For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
1037parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
1038because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
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1039instead. The @var{value} possibilities for the position parameters are:
1040an integer, a list @code{(+ @var{pos})}, or a list @code{(- @var{pos})};
1041as previously described (@pxref{Position Parameters}).
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1042
1043Here is an example:
1044
1045@example
1046(x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
1047 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
1048 (top - 0) (left . 0))
1049@end example
1050@end defun
1051
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1052@node Terminal Parameters
1053@section Terminal Parameters
1054@cindex terminal parameters
1055
1056 This subsection describes how to read and change the parameter
1057values of a terminal.
1058
1059@defun terminal-parameters &optional terminal
1060@end defun
1061
1062@defun terminal-parameter terminal parameter
1063@end defun
1064
1065@defun set-terminal-parameter terminal parameter value
1066@end defun
1067
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1068@node Frame Titles
1069@section Frame Titles
1070@cindex frame title
1071
1072 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
1073for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
1074the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
1075frame property.
1076
1077 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
1078frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
1079@code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
1080frame is redisplayed.
1081
1082@defvar frame-title-format
1083This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
1084not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
1085line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
1086@samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
1087Data}.
1088@end defvar
1089
1090@defvar icon-title-format
1091This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
1092when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
1093appears in the icon itself.
1094@end defvar
1095
1096@defvar multiple-frames
1097This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
1098there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
1099invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
1100@code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
1101only when there is more than one frame.
1102
1103The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
1104while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
1105@code{icon-title-format}.
1106@end defvar
1107
1108@node Deleting Frames
1109@section Deleting Frames
1110@cindex deleting frames
1111
1112Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
1113them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
1114exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it.
1115
1116@deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
1117@vindex delete-frame-functions
1118This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
1119tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
1120function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
1121the selected frame.
1122
1123A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
1124Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
6a4cfb0c 1125but if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
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1126@end deffn
1127
1128@defun frame-live-p frame
1129The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
1130@var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
1131values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
1132@end defun
1133
1134 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
1135by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
1136When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
1137@code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
1138calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
1139
1140@node Finding All Frames
1141@section Finding All Frames
1142@cindex frames, scanning all
1143
1144@defun frame-list
1145The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
1146have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
1147buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get is
1148newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
1149internals of Emacs.
1150@end defun
1151
1152@defun visible-frame-list
1153This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
1154@xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
1155``visible,'' even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
1156@end defun
1157
1158@defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
1159The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
1160the frames on the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It
1161returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If
1162@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame
1163(@pxref{Input Focus}).
1164
1165The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
1166
1167@table @asis
1168@item @code{nil}
1169Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
1170@item @code{visible}
1171Consider all visible frames.
1172@item 0
1173Consider all visible or iconified frames.
1174@item a window
1175Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1176minibuffer.
1177@item anything else
1178Consider all frames.
1179@end table
1180@end defun
1181
1182@defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1183Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1184direction.
1185@end defun
1186
1187 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1188Window Ordering}.
1189
1190@node Frames and Windows
1191@section Frames and Windows
1192
6a4cfb0c 1193 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get that frame
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1194with @code{window-frame}.
1195
1196@defun window-frame window
1197This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
1198@end defun
1199
1200 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
1201order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
1202upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
1203the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
1204one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
1205
1206@defun frame-first-window &optional frame
1207This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
1208If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to the selected frame.
1209@end defun
1210
1211At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
1212frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
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1213frame also selects this window. Conversely, selecting a window for
1214Emacs with @code{select-window} also makes that window selected within
1215its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
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1216
1217@defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
1218This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1219within @var{frame}. If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to
1220the selected frame.
1221@end defun
1222
6a4cfb0c 1223@defun set-frame-selected-window frame window &optional norecord
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1224This sets the selected window of frame @var{frame} to @var{window}.
1225If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it operates on the selected frame. If
1226@var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
1227selected window. This function returns @var{window}.
b8d4c8d0 1228
6a4cfb0c
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1229Optional argument @var{norecord} non-@code{nil} means to neither change
1230the order of recently selected windows nor the buffer list (@pxref{The
1231Buffer List}).
1232@end defun
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1233
1234 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
1235frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Definition of minibuffer-window}.
1236
1237@node Minibuffers and Frames
1238@section Minibuffers and Frames
1239
1240Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1241is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
1242you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1243minibuffer-window}).
1244
1245However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
1246must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
1247frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
1248other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
1249which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
1250value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
1251
1252If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1253when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1254@code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1255
1256@defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1257This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
1258default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1259the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1260Displays}.
1261@end defvar
1262
1263@node Input Focus
1264@section Input Focus
1265@cindex input focus
1266@c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame
1267
1268At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1269window always resides on the selected frame.
1270
1271When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1272Displays}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one of
1273these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs to
1274the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when Emacs
1275runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected frame is
1276the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single command at any
1277given time, it needs to consider only one selected frame at a time; this
1278frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame} in this manual. The
6a4cfb0c 1279display on which the selected frame is shown is the @dfn{selected
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1280frame's display}.
1281
1282@defun selected-frame
1283This function returns the selected frame.
1284@end defun
1285
1286Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1287window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1288commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
1289way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
6a4cfb0c 1290explicitly switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
b8d4c8d0
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1291@code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
1292
1293Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1294function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1295concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1296until that control is somehow reasserted.
1297
1298When using a text-only terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a
1299time on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1300redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
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1301remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame}. Each
1302terminal frame has a number which appears in the mode line before the
1303buffer name (@pxref{Mode Line Variables}).
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1304
1305@defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame
6a4cfb0c
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1306This function selects @var{frame}, raises it (should it happen to be
1307obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X server's focus. On
1308a text-only terminal, the next redisplay displays the new frame on the
1309entire terminal screen. The return value of this function is not
1310significant.
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1311@end defun
1312
1313@c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
6a4cfb0c 1314@defun select-frame frame &optional norecord
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1315This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
1316focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1317the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
1318until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1319window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1320selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
6a4cfb0c
MR
1321have the window system's input focus.)
1322
1323The specified @var{frame} becomes the selected frame, as explained
1324above, and the terminal that @var{frame} is on becomes the selected
1325terminal. The window selected within @var{frame} becomes the selected
1326window. This function returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame}
1327has been deleted.
1328
1329Optional argument @var{norecord} non-@code{nil} means to neither change
1330the order of recently selected windows nor the buffer list. @xref{The
1331Buffer List}.
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1332
1333In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that could
1334switch to a different terminal without switching back when you're done.
1335@end defun
1336
1337Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1338the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1339special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1340appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1341@code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
1342
1343@deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1344This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1345
1346Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1347Don't call it for any other reason.
1348@end deffn
1349
1350@defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
1351This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
1352This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1353events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
1354@code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1355events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1356
1357If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
1358redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1359events.
1360
1361One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1362These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1363on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1364the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
1365in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
1366
1367Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1368@code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1369pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1370allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1371one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1372
1373This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1374differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1375@code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1376
1377The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1378change it.
1379@end defun
1380
1381@defopt focus-follows-mouse
1382This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1383focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1384When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
6a4cfb0c 1385position consistent with the new selected frame.
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1386@end defopt
1387
1388@node Visibility of Frames
1389@section Visibility of Frames
1390@cindex visible frame
1391@cindex invisible frame
1392@cindex iconified frame
1393@cindex frame visibility
1394
1395A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
1396@dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents, unless
1397other windows cover it. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do
1398not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is
1399invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon.
1400
1401Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
1402one is actually displayed in any case.
1403
1404@deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
1405This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1406@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1407the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1408(@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
1409@end deffn
1410
1411@deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
1412This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1413@var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
1414
1415Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1416@var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
1417@end deffn
1418
1419@deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1420This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1421iconifies the selected frame.
1422@end deffn
1423
1424@defun frame-visible-p frame
1425This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
1426@code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
1427@code{icon} if it is iconified.
1428
1429On a text-only terminal, all frames are considered visible, whether
1430they are currently being displayed or not, and this function returns
1431@code{t} for all frames.
1432@end defun
1433
1434 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1435parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
1436Parameters}.
1437
1438 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
1439This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
1440Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
1441changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1442
20cb6c9b
EZ
1443@defun suspend-frame
1444@end defun
1445
1446@c FIXME: xref to suspend-emacs, and xref there.
1447@defun suspend-tty &optional tty
1448@end defun
1449
1450@defun resume-tty &optional tty
1451@end defun
1452
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1453@node Raising and Lowering
1454@section Raising and Lowering Frames
1455
1456 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
1457the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
1458perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
1459to ``lowest.'' Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
1460the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1461seen if no other window overlaps it.
1462
1463@c @cindex raising a frame redundant with raise-frame
1464@cindex lowering a frame
1465 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1466to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
1467it ``up,'' to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
1468moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
1469third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
1470on the screen.
1471
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1472 With Emacs, frames constitute the windows in the metaphor sketched
1473above. You can raise and lower frames using these functions:
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1474
1475@deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1476This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1477If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
1478@end deffn
1479
1480@deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1481This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1482@end deffn
1483
1484@defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1485If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1486that the minibuffer window is in.
1487@end defopt
1488
1489You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1490selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1491for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
1492
1493@node Frame Configurations
1494@section Frame Configurations
1495@cindex frame configuration
1496
1497 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1498all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1499(@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1500
1501@defun current-frame-configuration
1502This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1503the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1504@end defun
1505
1506@defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1507This function restores the state of frames described in
1508@var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1509frames.
1510
1511Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1512@var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1513unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1514@end defun
1515
1516@node Mouse Tracking
1517@section Mouse Tracking
1518@cindex mouse tracking
1519@c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
1520
1521 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1522something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1523mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1524the mouse actually moves.
1525
1526 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1527mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1528addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1529occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1530mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1531button.
1532
1533@defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
1534This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
6a4cfb0c 1535events enabled. Typically, @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
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GM
1536read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1537Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
1538
1539The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
1540You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1541indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1542it is time to stop tracking.
1543@end defspec
1544
1545The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1546the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1547position.
1548
1549In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1550the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1551That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1552Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1553
1554@ignore
1555@c These are not implemented yet.
1556
1557These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1558effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
1559is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
1560to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1561the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1562
1563@defun x-contour-region window beg end
1564This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1565to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1566@end defun
1567
1568@defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1569This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1570from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1571a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1572@end defun
1573
1574@defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1575This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1576specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1577left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1578location of point.
1579@end defun
1580
1581@defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1582This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1583specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1584left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1585normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1586@end defun
1587@end ignore
1588
1589@node Mouse Position
1590@section Mouse Position
1591@cindex mouse position
1592@cindex position of mouse
1593
1594 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1595give access to the current position of the mouse.
1596
1597@defun mouse-position
1598This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1599value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
1600and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1601the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
1602@end defun
1603
1604@defvar mouse-position-function
1605If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
1606@code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
1607function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
1608sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
1609
1610This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
1611@file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
1612@end defvar
1613
1614@defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1615This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1616frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
1617giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
1618inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1619does nothing. The return value is not significant.
1620@end defun
1621
1622@defun mouse-pixel-position
1623This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1624coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1625@end defun
1626
1627@defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1628This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1629@var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1630characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
1631
1632If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1633value is not significant.
1634@end defun
1635
1636@need 3000
1637
1638@node Pop-Up Menus
1639@section Pop-Up Menus
1640
1641 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1642the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
1643
1644@defun x-popup-menu position menu
1645This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1646what selection the user makes.
1647
1648The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
1649top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
1650(which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
1651list of this form:
1652
1653@example
1654((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1655@end example
1656
1657@noindent
1658where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
1659pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
1660may be a window or a frame.
1661
1662If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1663position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1664key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1665without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1666
1667The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
1668keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
1669return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
1670(This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
1671submenu.) Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
1672command bound to that sequence of events.
1673
1674Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
1675
1676@example
1677(@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1678@end example
1679
1680@noindent
1681where each pane is a list of form
1682
1683@example
1684(@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
1685@end example
1686
1687Each item should normally be a cons cell @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
1688where @var{line} is a string, and @var{value} is the value to return if
1689that @var{line} is chosen. An item can also be a string; this makes a
1690non-selectable line in the menu.
1691
1692If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
1693instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
1694keyboard input, then this normally results in a quit and
1695@code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
1696button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
1697mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
1698@end defun
1699
1700 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1701if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1702If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1703a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1704If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1705@code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1706that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
1707
1708 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1709moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1710that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1711submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1712an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1713implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
1714@code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
1715
1716 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1717still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1718a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1719the menu keymap as necessary.
1720
1721@node Dialog Boxes
1722@section Dialog Boxes
1723@cindex dialog boxes
1724
1725 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1726different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
1727one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
1728for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes,'' ``no,''
1729and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
1730force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
1731@code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
1732keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
1733
1734@defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
1735This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1736what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1737the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1738
1739@example
1740(@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
1741@end example
1742
1743@noindent
1744which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1745@code{x-popup-menu}.
1746
1747The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1748
1749As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
1750string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
1751That makes a box that cannot be selected.
1752
1753If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1754the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1755left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1756don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1757items appear on each side.
1758
1759Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1760@var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
1761@code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
1762window don't matter; only the frame matters.
1763
1764If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
1765@samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
1766for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}).
1767
1768In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1769instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1770frame.
1771
1772If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
1773for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
1774@code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
1775@end defun
1776
1777@node Pointer Shape
1778@section Pointer Shape
1779@cindex pointer shape
1780@cindex mouse pointer shape
1781
1782 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
1783images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
1784@code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
1785use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
1786@code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
1787@code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
1788style used over text.
1789
1790 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
1791of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
1792@code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
1793those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
1794
1795@defvar void-text-area-pointer
1796This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
1797These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
1798in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
1799pointer style.
1800@end defvar
1801
3568e767
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1802 When using X, you can specify what the @code{text} pointer style
1803really looks like by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
b8d4c8d0
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1804
1805@defvar x-pointer-shape
1806This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
1807Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
1808@end defvar
1809
1810@defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1811This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1812is over mouse-sensitive text.
1813@end defvar
1814
1815 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
1816affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
1817frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
1818@xref{Color Parameters}.
1819
1820 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
1821defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
1822@key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1823
1824@node Window System Selections
1825@section Window System Selections
1826@cindex selection (for window systems)
1827
1828The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1829data between application programs. The various selections are
1830distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1831symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1832any given type.
1833
1834@deffn Command x-set-selection type data
1835This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1836arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1837@var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1838selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1839(or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1840cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1841of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1842
1843The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1844selection values.
1845
1846Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
1847independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY},
1848@code{SECONDARY} and @code{CLIPBOARD}; these are symbols with upper-case
1849names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If @var{type} is
1850@code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
1851
1852This function returns @var{data}.
1853@end deffn
1854
1855@defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
1856This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1857clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1858@var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1859@code{PRIMARY}.
1860
1861The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1862use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1863data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
1864@code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
1865@code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
1866@code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
1867@code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
1868@code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
1869with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
1870@code{STRING}.
1871@end defun
1872
1873@cindex cut buffer
1874The X server also has a set of eight numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
1875store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1876are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
1877clients that still use them. Cut buffers are numbered from 0 to 7.
1878
1879@defun x-get-cut-buffer &optional n
1880This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
1881If omitted @var{n} defaults to 0.
1882@end defun
1883
1884@defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
1885@anchor{Definition of x-set-cut-buffer}
1886This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
18870). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1888If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1889through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1890Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1891the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1892the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
1893@end defun
1894
1895@defvar selection-coding-system
1896This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
1897writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
1898Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
1899converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
1900@end defvar
1901
1902@cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1903When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1904general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
1905and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1906only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1907clipboard as empty.
1908
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1909@defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1910If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1911clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1912the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1913access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
9e2a2647 1914but @code{t} on MS-Windows.
b8d4c8d0
GM
1915@end defopt
1916
1917@node Drag and Drop
1918@section Drag and Drop
1919
1920@vindex x-dnd-test-function
1921@vindex x-dnd-known-types
1922 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
1923application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
1924dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
1925what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
1926which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
1927@code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
1928@code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
1929on some other criteria.
1930
1931@vindex x-dnd-types-alist
1932 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
1933or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
1934detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
1935drop.
1936
1937@vindex dnd-protocol-alist
1938 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
1939another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
1940@code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL. If
1941there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
1942an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
1943text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
1944you can customize these variables.
1945
1946@node Color Names
1947@section Color Names
1948
1949@cindex color names
1950@cindex specify color
1951@cindex numerical RGB color specification
1952 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
1953Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
1954are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
1955defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
1956as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
1957@var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
1958and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
1959three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
1960number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
1961either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
1962X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
1963colors.)
1964
1965 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
1966valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
1967@dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
1968meaning of the term ``selected frame.''
1969
73b7530a
EZ
1970 To read user input of color names with completion, use
1971@code{read-color} (@pxref{High-Level Completion, read-color}).
1972
b8d4c8d0
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1973@defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
1974This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
1975@code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1976which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1977@code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
1978
1979Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
1980really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1981color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
1982the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1983a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
1984
1985@findex x-color-defined-p
1986This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1987and that name is still supported as an alias.
1988@end defun
1989
1990@defun defined-colors &optional frame
1991This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1992and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1993If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
1994
1995@findex x-defined-colors
1996This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1997and that name is still supported as an alias.
1998@end defun
1999
2000@defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
2001This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
2002@var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
2003omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
2004
2005Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
2006background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
2007asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
2008are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
2009
2010The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
2011@end defun
2012
2013@defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
2014This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
2015@var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
2016question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
2017color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
2018@end defun
2019
2020@defun color-values color &optional frame
2021@cindex rgb value
2022This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
2023ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
2024value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
2025amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
2026principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
2027range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
2028color.
2029
2030If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
2031
2032@example
2033(color-values "black")
2034 @result{} (0 0 0)
2035(color-values "white")
2036 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
2037(color-values "red")
2038 @result{} (65280 0 0)
2039(color-values "pink")
2040 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
2041(color-values "hungry")
2042 @result{} nil
2043@end example
2044
2045The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
2046@var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
2047the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
2048value is @code{nil}.
2049
2050@findex x-color-values
2051This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
2052and that name is still supported as an alias.
2053@end defun
2054
2055@node Text Terminal Colors
2056@section Text Terminal Colors
2057@cindex colors on text-only terminals
2058
2059 Text-only terminals usually support only a small number of colors,
2060and the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
2061This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
2062color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
2063small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
2064the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
2065
2066 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
2067are used by Emacs.
2068
2069 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
2070in @ref{Color Names}.
2071
2072 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
2073terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
2074support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
2075will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
2076selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present, though,
2077the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
2078
2079@defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
2080This function associates the color name @var{name} with
2081color number @var{number} on the terminal.
2082
2083The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
2084of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
2085If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
2086@code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
2087Emacs will not know what it looks like.
2088@end defun
2089
2090@defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
2091This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
2092@end defun
2093
2094@defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
2095This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
2096text-only terminal.
2097
2098Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
2099or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
2100name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
2101If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
2102and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
2103@end defun
2104
2105@defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
2106This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
2107supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
2108@var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
2109@code{tty-color-alist}.
2110@end defun
2111
2112@defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
2113This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
2114colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
2115If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
2116@end defun
2117
2118@node Resources
2119@section X Resources
2120
2121@defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
2122The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
2123Window defaults database.
2124
2125Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
2126This function searches using a key of the form
2127@samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
2128under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
2129the class.
2130
2131The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
2132and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
2133If you specify them, the key is
2134@samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
2135@samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
2136@end defun
2137
2138@defvar x-resource-class
2139This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
2140should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
2141resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
2142variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
2143@end defvar
2144
2145@defvar x-resource-name
2146This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
2147should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
2148or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
2149@end defvar
2150
2151To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
2152
2153@example
2154xterm.vt100.background: yellow
2155@end example
2156
2157@noindent
2158in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
2159or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
2160
2161@example
2162@group
2163(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2164 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
2165 @result{} "yellow"
2166@end group
2167@group
2168(let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2169 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
2170 @result{} "yellow"
2171@end group
2172@end example
2173
2174 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
2175
2176@node Display Feature Testing
2177@section Display Feature Testing
2178@cindex display feature testing
2179
2180 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
2181particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
2182to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
2183a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2184
2185 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2186display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2187(which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
2188refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
2189
2190 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2191obtain information about displays.
2192
2193@defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
2194This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2195@var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
2196the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
2197a mouse.
2198@end defun
2199
2200@defun display-graphic-p &optional display
2201This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2202capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2203once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
2204false for text-only terminals.
2205@end defun
2206
2207@defun display-mouse-p &optional display
2208@cindex mouse, availability
2209This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2210@code{nil} if not.
2211@end defun
2212
2213@defun display-color-p &optional display
2214@findex x-display-color-p
2215This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2216It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2217is still supported as an alias.
2218@end defun
2219
2220@defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
2221This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
2222(All color displays can do this.)
2223@end defun
2224
2225@defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
2226@anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
2227This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2228@var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2229
2230The definition of `supported' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2231means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2232when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2233way that's
2234
2235@enumerate
2236@item
2237different in appearance than the default face, and
2238
2239@item
2240`close in spirit' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2241@end enumerate
2242
2243Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2244satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2245@code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
2246displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
2247the tty display code's automatic substitution of a `dim' face for
2248italic.
2249@end defun
2250
2251@defun display-selections-p &optional display
2252This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2253Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2254supported in some other cases.
2255@end defun
2256
2257@defun display-images-p &optional display
2258This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
2259Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2260systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2261images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
2262@end defun
2263
2264@defun display-screens &optional display
2265This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
2266@end defun
2267
2268@defun display-pixel-height &optional display
2269This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
2270On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
2271
2272For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2273refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2274@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2275@end defun
2276
2277@defun display-pixel-width &optional display
2278This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
2279On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
2280
2281For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2282refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2283@var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2284@end defun
2285
2286@defun display-mm-height &optional display
2287This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2288or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2289@end defun
2290
2291@defun display-mm-width &optional display
2292This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2293or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2294@end defun
2295
2296@defvar display-mm-dimensions-alist
2297This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2298displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2299@code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2300@end defvar
2301
2302@defun display-backing-store &optional display
2303This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2304Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2305windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2306displayed very quickly.
2307
2308Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
2309@code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2310when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
2311@end defun
2312
2313@defun display-save-under &optional display
2314This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
2315SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2316to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2317quickly.
2318@end defun
2319
2320@defun display-planes &optional display
2321This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
2322This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
2323For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
2324@end defun
2325
2326@defun display-visual-class &optional display
2327This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
2328of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
2329@code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
2330@code{direct-color}.
2331@end defun
2332
2333@defun display-color-cells &optional display
2334This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
2335@end defun
2336
2337 These functions obtain additional information specifically
2338about X displays.
2339
2340@defun x-server-version &optional display
2341This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
2342running the display. The value is a list of three integers: the major
2343and minor version numbers of the X protocol, and the
2344distributor-specific release number of the X server software itself.
2345@end defun
2346
2347@defun x-server-vendor &optional display
2348This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the X server
2349software (as a string). Really this means whoever distributes the X
2350server.
2351
2352When the developers of X labelled software distributors as
2353``vendors,'' they showed their false assumption that no system could
2354ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
2355@end defun
2356
2357@ignore
2358@defvar x-no-window-manager
2359This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
2360@end defvar
2361@end ignore
2362
2363@ignore
2364@item
2365The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2366width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
2367@end ignore
2368
b4022203 2369
b8d4c8d0
GM
2370@ignore
2371 arch-tag: 94977df6-3dca-4730-b57b-c6329e9282ba
2372@end ignore