(x_setup_relief_colors): Don't compute an image's
[bpt/emacs.git] / man / frames.texi
1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 97, 99, 2000, 2001
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5 @node Frames, International, Windows, Top
6 @chapter Frames and X Windows
7 @cindex frames
8
9 When using the X Window System, you can create multiple windows at the
10 X level in a single Emacs session. Each X window that belongs to Emacs
11 displays a @dfn{frame} which can contain one or several Emacs windows.
12 A frame initially contains a single general-purpose Emacs window which
13 you can subdivide vertically or horizontally into smaller windows. A
14 frame normally contains its own echo area and minibuffer, but you can
15 make frames that don't have these---they use the echo area and
16 minibuffer of another frame.
17
18 Editing you do in one frame also affects the other frames. For
19 instance, if you put text in the kill ring in one frame, you can yank it
20 in another frame. If you exit Emacs through @kbd{C-x C-c} in one frame,
21 it terminates all the frames. To delete just one frame, use @kbd{C-x 5
22 0} (that is zero, not @kbd{o}).
23
24 To avoid confusion, we reserve the word ``window'' for the
25 subdivisions that Emacs implements, and never use it to refer to a
26 frame.
27
28 Emacs compiled for MS-DOS emulates some aspects of the window system
29 so that you can use many of the features described in this chapter.
30 @xref{MS-DOS Input}, for more information.
31
32 @cindex MS Windows
33 Emacs compiled for MS Windows mostly supports the same features as
34 under X. However, images and tool bars are not yet available in Emacs
35 version 21.3 on MS-Windows.
36
37 @menu
38 * Mouse Commands:: Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
39 * Secondary Selection:: Cutting without altering point and mark.
40 * Clipboard:: Using the clipboard for selections.
41 * Mouse References:: Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
42 * Menu Mouse Clicks:: Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
43 * Mode Line Mouse:: Mouse clicks on the mode line.
44 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
45 * Frame Commands:: Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
46 * Speedbar:: How to make and use a speedbar frame.
47 * Multiple Displays:: How one Emacs job can talk to several displays.
48 * Special Buffer Frames:: You can make certain buffers have their own frames.
49 * Frame Parameters:: Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
50 * Scroll Bars:: How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
51 * Wheeled Mice:: Using mouse wheels for scrolling.
52 * Menu Bars:: Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
53 * Tool Bars:: Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
54 * Dialog Boxes:: Controlling use of dialog boxes.
55 * Tooltips:: Showing "tooltips", AKA "balloon help" for active text.
56 * Mouse Avoidance:: Moving the mouse pointer out of the way.
57 * Non-Window Terminals:: Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
58 * XTerm Mouse:: Using the mouse in an XTerm terminal emulator.
59 @end menu
60
61 @node Mouse Commands
62 @section Mouse Commands for Editing
63 @cindex mouse buttons (what they do)
64
65 The mouse commands for selecting and copying a region are mostly
66 compatible with the @code{xterm} program. You can use the same mouse
67 commands for copying between Emacs and other X client programs.
68
69 @kindex DELETE @r{(and mouse selection)}
70 If you select a region with any of these mouse commands, and then
71 immediately afterward type the @key{DELETE} function key, it deletes the
72 region that you selected. The @key{BACKSPACE} function key and the
73 ASCII character @key{DEL} do not do this; if you type any other key
74 in between the mouse command and @key{DELETE}, it does not do this.
75
76 @findex mouse-set-region
77 @findex mouse-set-point
78 @findex mouse-yank-at-click
79 @findex mouse-save-then-click
80 @kindex Mouse-1
81 @kindex Mouse-2
82 @kindex Mouse-3
83 @table @kbd
84 @item Mouse-1
85 Move point to where you click (@code{mouse-set-point}).
86 This is normally the left button.
87
88 @item Drag-Mouse-1
89 Set the region to the text you select by dragging, and copy it to the
90 kill ring (@code{mouse-set-region}). You can specify both ends of the
91 region with this single command.
92
93 @vindex mouse-scroll-min-lines
94 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
95 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
96 back into the window. This way, you can select regions that don't fit
97 entirely on the screen. The number of lines scrolled per step depends
98 on how far away from the window edge the mouse has gone; the variable
99 @code{mouse-scroll-min-lines} specifies a minimum step size.
100
101 @item Mouse-2
102 Yank the last killed text, where you click (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}).
103 This is normally the middle button.
104
105 @item Mouse-3
106 This command, @code{mouse-save-then-kill}, has several functions
107 depending on where you click and the status of the region.
108
109 The most basic case is when you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in one place and
110 then @kbd{Mouse-3} in another. This selects the text between those two
111 positions as the region. It also copies the new region to the kill
112 ring, so that you can copy it to someplace else.
113
114 If you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in the text, scroll with the scroll bar, and
115 then click @kbd{Mouse-3}, it remembers where point was before scrolling
116 (where you put it with @kbd{Mouse-1}), and uses that position as the
117 other end of the region. This is so that you can select a region that
118 doesn't fit entirely on the screen.
119
120 More generally, if you do not have a highlighted region, @kbd{Mouse-3}
121 selects the text between point and the click position as the region. It
122 does this by setting the mark where point was, and moving point to where
123 you click.
124
125 If you have a highlighted region, or if the region was set just before
126 by dragging button 1, @kbd{Mouse-3} adjusts the nearer end of the region
127 by moving it to where you click. The adjusted region's text also
128 replaces the old region's text in the kill ring.
129
130 If you originally specified the region using a double or triple
131 @kbd{Mouse-1}, so that the region is defined to consist of entire words
132 or lines, then adjusting the region with @kbd{Mouse-3} also proceeds by
133 entire words or lines.
134
135 If you use @kbd{Mouse-3} a second time consecutively, at the same place,
136 that kills the region already selected.
137
138 @item Double-Mouse-1
139 This key sets the region around the word which you click on. If you
140 click on a character with ``symbol'' syntax (such as underscore, in C
141 mode), it sets the region around the symbol surrounding that character.
142
143 If you click on a character with open-parenthesis or close-parenthesis
144 syntax, it sets the region around the parenthetical grouping
145 which that character starts or ends. If you click on a character with
146 string-delimiter syntax (such as a singlequote or doublequote in C), it
147 sets the region around the string constant (using heuristics to figure
148 out whether that character is the beginning or the end of it).
149
150 @item Double-Drag-Mouse-1
151 This key selects a region made up of the words you drag across.
152
153 @item Triple-Mouse-1
154 This key sets the region around the line you click on.
155
156 @item Triple-Drag-Mouse-1
157 This key selects a region made up of the lines you drag across.
158 @end table
159
160 The simplest way to kill text with the mouse is to press @kbd{Mouse-1}
161 at one end, then press @kbd{Mouse-3} twice at the other end.
162 @xref{Killing}. To copy the text into the kill ring without deleting it
163 from the buffer, press @kbd{Mouse-3} just once---or just drag across the
164 text with @kbd{Mouse-1}. Then you can copy it elsewhere by yanking it.
165
166 @vindex mouse-yank-at-point
167 To yank the killed or copied text somewhere else, move the mouse there
168 and press @kbd{Mouse-2}. @xref{Yanking}. However, if
169 @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{Mouse-2} yanks at
170 point. Then it does not matter where you click, or even which of the
171 frame's windows you click on. The default value is @code{nil}. This
172 variable also affects yanking the secondary selection.
173
174 @cindex cutting and X
175 @cindex pasting and X
176 @cindex X cutting and pasting
177 To copy text to another X window, kill it or save it in the kill ring.
178 Under X, this also sets the @dfn{primary selection}. Then use the
179 ``paste'' or ``yank'' command of the program operating the other window
180 to insert the text from the selection.
181
182 To copy text from another X window, use the ``cut'' or ``copy''
183 command of the program operating the other window, to select the text
184 you want. Then yank it in Emacs with @kbd{C-y} or @kbd{Mouse-2}.
185
186 The standard coding system for X selections is @code{compound-text}.
187 To specify another coding system for X selections, use @kbd{C-x
188 @key{RET} x} or @kbd{C-x @key{RET} X}. @xref{Specify Coding}.
189
190 These cutting and pasting commands also work on MS-Windows.
191
192 @cindex primary selection
193 @cindex cut buffer
194 @cindex selection, primary
195 @vindex x-cut-buffer-max
196 When Emacs puts text into the kill ring, or rotates text to the front
197 of the kill ring, it sets the @dfn{primary selection} in the X server.
198 This is how other X clients can access the text. Emacs also stores the
199 text in the cut buffer, but only if the text is short enough
200 (the value of @code{x-cut-buffer-max} specifies the maximum number of
201 characters); putting long strings in the cut buffer can be slow.
202
203 The commands to yank the first entry in the kill ring actually check
204 first for a primary selection in another program; after that, they check
205 for text in the cut buffer. If neither of those sources provides text
206 to yank, the kill ring contents are used.
207
208 @node Secondary Selection
209 @section Secondary Selection
210 @cindex secondary selection
211
212 The @dfn{secondary selection} is another way of selecting text using
213 X. It does not use point or the mark, so you can use it to kill text
214 without setting point or the mark.
215
216 @table @kbd
217 @findex mouse-set-secondary
218 @kindex M-Drag-Mouse-1
219 @item M-Drag-Mouse-1
220 Set the secondary selection, with one end at the place where you press
221 down the button, and the other end at the place where you release it
222 (@code{mouse-set-secondary}). The highlighting appears and changes as
223 you drag. You can control the appearance of the highlighting by
224 customizing the @code{secondary-selection} face (@pxref{Face
225 Customization}).
226
227 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
228 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
229 back into the window. This way, you can mark regions that don't fit
230 entirely on the screen.
231
232 @findex mouse-start-secondary
233 @kindex M-Mouse-1
234 @item M-Mouse-1
235 Set one endpoint for the @dfn{secondary selection}
236 (@code{mouse-start-secondary}).
237
238 @findex mouse-secondary-save-then-kill
239 @kindex M-Mouse-3
240 @item M-Mouse-3
241 Make a secondary selection, using the place specified with @kbd{M-Mouse-1}
242 as the other end (@code{mouse-secondary-save-then-kill}). A second click
243 at the same place kills the secondary selection just made.
244
245 @findex mouse-yank-secondary
246 @kindex M-Mouse-2
247 @item M-Mouse-2
248 Insert the secondary selection where you click
249 (@code{mouse-yank-secondary}). This places point at the end of the
250 yanked text.
251 @end table
252
253 Double or triple clicking of @kbd{M-Mouse-1} operates on words and
254 lines, much like @kbd{Mouse-1}.
255
256 If @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{M-Mouse-2}
257 yanks at point. Then it does not matter precisely where you click; all
258 that matters is which window you click on. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
259
260 @node Clipboard
261 @section Using the Clipboard
262 @cindex X clipboard
263 @cindex clipboard
264 @vindex x-select-enable-clipboard
265 @findex menu-bar-enable-clipboard
266 @cindex OpenWindows
267 @cindex Gnome
268
269 As well as the primary and secondary selection types, X supports a
270 @dfn{clipboard} selection type which is used by some applications,
271 particularly under OpenWindows and Gnome.
272
273 The command @kbd{M-x menu-bar-enable-clipboard} makes the @code{Cut},
274 @code{Paste} and @code{Copy} menu items, as well as the keys of the same
275 names, all use the clipboard.
276
277 You can customize the option @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to make
278 the Emacs yank functions consult the clipboard before the primary
279 selection, and to make the kill functions to store in the clipboard as
280 well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not access the
281 clipboard at all. Using the clipboard is the default on MS-Windows,
282 unlike most systems.
283
284 @node Mouse References
285 @section Following References with the Mouse
286 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(selection)}
287
288 Some Emacs buffers display lists of various sorts. These include
289 lists of files, of buffers, of possible completions, of matches for
290 a pattern, and so on.
291
292 Since yanking text into these buffers is not very useful, most of them
293 define @kbd{Mouse-2} specially, as a command to use or view the item you
294 click on.
295
296 For example, if you click @kbd{Mouse-2} on a file name in a Dired
297 buffer, you visit that file. If you click @kbd{Mouse-2} on an error
298 message in the @samp{*Compilation*} buffer, you go to the source code
299 for that error message. If you click @kbd{Mouse-2} on a completion in
300 the @samp{*Completions*} buffer, you choose that completion.
301
302 You can usually tell when @kbd{Mouse-2} has this special sort of
303 meaning because the sensitive text highlights when you move the mouse
304 over it.
305
306 @node Menu Mouse Clicks
307 @section Mouse Clicks for Menus
308
309 Mouse clicks modified with the @key{CTRL} and @key{SHIFT} keys
310 bring up menus.
311
312 @table @kbd
313 @item C-Mouse-1
314 @kindex C-Mouse-1
315 This menu is for selecting a buffer.
316
317 The MSB (``mouse select buffer'') global minor mode makes this
318 menu smarter and more customizable. @xref{Buffer Menus}.
319
320 @item C-Mouse-2
321 @kindex C-Mouse-2
322 This menu is for specifying faces and other text properties
323 for editing formatted text. @xref{Formatted Text}.
324
325 @item C-Mouse-3
326 @kindex C-Mouse-3
327 This menu is mode-specific. For most modes if Menu-bar mode is on, this
328 menu has the same items as all the mode-specific menu-bar menus put
329 together. Some modes may specify a different menu for this
330 button.@footnote{Some systems use @kbd{Mouse-3} for a mode-specific
331 menu. We took a survey of users, and found they preferred to keep
332 @kbd{Mouse-3} for selecting and killing regions. Hence the decision to
333 use @kbd{C-Mouse-3} for this menu.} If Menu-bar mode is off, this menu
334 contains all the items which would be present in the menu bar---not just
335 the mode-specific ones---so that you can access them without having to
336 display the menu bar.
337
338 @item S-Mouse-1
339 This menu is for specifying the frame's principal font.
340 @end table
341
342 @node Mode Line Mouse
343 @section Mode Line Mouse Commands
344 @cindex mode line, mouse
345 @cindex mouse on mode line
346
347 You can use mouse clicks on window mode lines to select and manipulate
348 windows.
349
350 @table @kbd
351 @item Mouse-1
352 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(mode line)}
353 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a mode line selects the window above. By dragging
354 @kbd{Mouse-1} on the mode line, you can move it, thus changing the
355 height of the windows above and below.
356
357 @item Mouse-2
358 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
359 @kbd{Mouse-2} on a mode line expands that window to fill its frame.
360
361 @item Mouse-3
362 @kindex Mouse-3 @r{(mode line)}
363 @kbd{Mouse-3} on a mode line deletes the window above. If the frame has
364 only one window, it buries the current buffer instead and switches to
365 another buffer.
366
367 @item C-Mouse-2
368 @kindex C-mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
369 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a mode line splits the window above
370 horizontally, above the place in the mode line where you click.
371 @end table
372
373 @kindex C-Mouse-2 @r{(scroll bar)}
374 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a scroll bar splits the corresponding window
375 vertically, unless you are using an X toolkit's implementation of
376 scroll bars. @xref{Split Window}.
377
378 The commands above apply to areas of the mode line which do not have
379 special mouse bindings of their own. Some areas, such as the buffer
380 name and the major mode name, have their own special mouse bindings.
381 Emacs displays information about these bindings when you hold the
382 mouse over such a place (@pxref{Tooltips}).
383
384 @node Creating Frames
385 @section Creating Frames
386 @cindex creating frames
387
388 @kindex C-x 5
389 The prefix key @kbd{C-x 5} is analogous to @kbd{C-x 4}, with parallel
390 subcommands. The difference is that @kbd{C-x 5} commands create a new
391 frame rather than just a new window in the selected frame (@pxref{Pop
392 Up Window}). If an existing visible or iconified frame already displays
393 the requested material, these commands use the existing frame, after
394 raising or deiconifying as necessary.
395
396 The various @kbd{C-x 5} commands differ in how they find or create the
397 buffer to select:
398
399 @table @kbd
400 @item C-x 5 2
401 @kindex C-x 5 2
402 @findex make-frame-command
403 Create a new frame (@code{make-frame-command}).
404 @item C-x 5 b @var{bufname} @key{RET}
405 Select buffer @var{bufname} in another frame. This runs
406 @code{switch-to-buffer-other-frame}.
407 @item C-x 5 f @var{filename} @key{RET}
408 Visit file @var{filename} and select its buffer in another frame. This
409 runs @code{find-file-other-frame}. @xref{Visiting}.
410 @item C-x 5 d @var{directory} @key{RET}
411 Select a Dired buffer for directory @var{directory} in another frame.
412 This runs @code{dired-other-frame}. @xref{Dired}.
413 @item C-x 5 m
414 Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
415 @code{mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of @kbd{C-x m}.
416 @xref{Sending Mail}.
417 @item C-x 5 .
418 Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
419 @code{find-tag-other-frame}, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
420 @xref{Tags}.
421 @item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
422 @kindex C-x 5 r
423 @findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
424 Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
425 frame. This runs @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
426 @xref{Visiting}.
427 @end table
428
429 @cindex default-frame-alist
430 @cindex initial-frame-alist
431 You can control the appearance of new frames you create by setting the
432 frame parameters in @code{default-frame-alist}. You can use the
433 variable @code{initial-frame-alist} to specify parameters that affect
434 only the initial frame. @xref{Initial Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs
435 Lisp Reference Manual}, for more information.
436
437 @cindex font (default)
438 The easiest way to specify the principal font for all your Emacs
439 frames is with an X resource (@pxref{Font X}), but you can also do it by
440 modifying @code{default-frame-alist} to specify the @code{font}
441 parameter, as shown here:
442
443 @example
444 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "10x20"))
445 @end example
446
447 @noindent
448 Here's a similar example for specifying a foreground color:
449
450 @example
451 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(background-color . "blue"))
452 @end example
453
454
455 @node Frame Commands
456 @section Frame Commands
457
458 The following commands let you create, delete and operate on frames:
459
460 @table @kbd
461 @item C-z
462 @kindex C-z @r{(X windows)}
463 @findex iconify-or-deiconify-frame
464 Iconify the selected Emacs frame (@code{iconify-or-deiconify-frame}).
465 The normal meaning of @kbd{C-z}, to suspend Emacs, is not useful under a
466 window system, so it has a different binding in that case.
467
468 If you type this command on an Emacs frame's icon, it deiconifies the frame.
469
470 @item C-x 5 0
471 @kindex C-x 5 0
472 @findex delete-frame
473 Delete the selected frame (@code{delete-frame}). This is not allowed if
474 there is only one frame.
475
476 @item C-x 5 o
477 @kindex C-x 5 o
478 @findex other-frame
479 Select another frame, raise it, and warp the mouse to it so that it
480 stays selected. If you repeat this command, it cycles through all the
481 frames on your terminal.
482
483 @item C-x 5 1
484 @kindex C-x 5 1
485 @findex delete-other-frames
486 Delete all frames except the selected one.
487 @end table
488
489 @node Speedbar
490 @section Making and Using a Speedbar Frame
491 @cindex speedbar
492
493 An Emacs frame can have a @dfn{speedbar}, which is a vertical window
494 that serves as a scrollable menu of files you could visit and tags
495 within those files. To create a speedbar, type @kbd{M-x speedbar}; this
496 creates a speedbar window for the selected frame. From then on, you can
497 click on a file name in the speedbar to visit that file in the
498 corresponding Emacs frame, or click on a tag name to jump to that tag in
499 the Emacs frame.
500
501 Initially the speedbar lists the immediate contents of the current
502 directory, one file per line. Each line also has a box, @samp{[+]} or
503 @samp{<+>}, that you can click on with @kbd{Mouse-2} to ``open up'' the
504 contents of that item. If the line names a directory, opening it adds
505 the contents of that directory to the speedbar display, underneath the
506 directory's own line. If the line lists an ordinary file, opening it up
507 adds a list of the tags in that file to the speedbar display. When a
508 file is opened up, the @samp{[+]} changes to @samp{[-]}; you can click
509 on that box to ``close up'' that file (hide its contents).
510
511 Some major modes, including Rmail mode, Info, and GUD, have
512 specialized ways of putting useful items into the speedbar for you to
513 select. For example, in Rmail mode, the speedbar shows a list of Rmail
514 files, and lets you move the current message to another Rmail file by
515 clicking on its @samp{<M>} box.
516
517 A speedbar belongs to one Emacs frame, and always operates on that
518 frame. If you use multiple frames, you can make a speedbar for some or
519 all of the frames; type @kbd{M-x speedbar} in any given frame to make a
520 speedbar for it.
521
522 @node Multiple Displays
523 @section Multiple Displays
524 @cindex multiple displays
525
526 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display. Initially, Emacs
527 uses just one display---the one specified with the @env{DISPLAY}
528 environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial
529 Options}). To connect to another display, use the command
530 @code{make-frame-on-display}:
531
532 @findex make-frame-on-display
533 @table @kbd
534 @item M-x make-frame-on-display @key{RET} @var{display} @key{RET}
535 Create a new frame on display @var{display}.
536 @end table
537
538 A single X server can handle more than one screen. When you open
539 frames on two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows they share a
540 single keyboard, and it treats all the commands arriving from these
541 screens as a single stream of input.
542
543 When you open frames on different X servers, Emacs makes a separate
544 input stream for each server. This way, two users can type
545 simultaneously on the two displays, and Emacs will not garble their
546 input. Each server also has its own selected frame. The commands you
547 enter with a particular X server apply to that server's selected frame.
548
549 Despite these features, people using the same Emacs job from different
550 displays can still interfere with each other if they are not careful.
551 For example, if any one types @kbd{C-x C-c}, that exits the Emacs job
552 for all of them!
553
554 @node Special Buffer Frames
555 @section Special Buffer Frames
556
557 @vindex special-display-buffer-names
558 You can make certain chosen buffers, for which Emacs normally creates
559 a second window when you have just one window, appear in special frames
560 of their own. To do this, set the variable
561 @code{special-display-buffer-names} to a list of buffer names; any
562 buffer whose name is in that list automatically gets a special frame,
563 when an Emacs command wants to display it ``in another window.''
564
565 For example, if you set the variable this way,
566
567 @example
568 (setq special-display-buffer-names
569 '("*Completions*" "*grep*" "*tex-shell*"))
570 @end example
571
572 @noindent
573 then completion lists, @code{grep} output and the @TeX{} mode shell
574 buffer get individual frames of their own. These frames, and the
575 windows in them, are never automatically split or reused for any other
576 buffers. They continue to show the buffers they were created for,
577 unless you alter them by hand. Killing the special buffer deletes its
578 frame automatically.
579
580 @vindex special-display-regexps
581 More generally, you can set @code{special-display-regexps} to a list
582 of regular expressions; then a buffer gets its own frame if its name
583 matches any of those regular expressions. (Once again, this applies only
584 to buffers that normally get displayed for you in a separate window.)
585
586 @vindex special-display-frame-alist
587 The variable @code{special-display-frame-alist} specifies the frame
588 parameters for these frames. It has a default value, so you don't need
589 to set it.
590
591 For those who know Lisp, an element of
592 @code{special-display-buffer-names} or @code{special-display-regexps}
593 can also be a list. Then the first element is the buffer name or
594 regular expression; the rest of the list specifies how to create the
595 frame. It can be an association list specifying frame parameter values;
596 these values take precedence over parameter values specified in
597 @code{special-display-frame-alist}. Alternatively, it can have this
598 form:
599
600 @example
601 (@var{function} @var{args}...)
602 @end example
603
604 @noindent
605 where @var{function} is a symbol. Then the frame is constructed by
606 calling @var{function}; its first argument is the buffer, and its
607 remaining arguments are @var{args}.
608
609 An analogous feature lets you specify buffers which should be
610 displayed in the selected window. @xref{Force Same Window}. The
611 same-window feature takes precedence over the special-frame feature;
612 therefore, if you add a buffer name to
613 @code{special-display-buffer-names} and it has no effect, check to see
614 whether that feature is also in use for the same buffer name.
615
616 @node Frame Parameters
617 @section Setting Frame Parameters
618 @cindex colors
619 @cindex Auto-Raise mode
620 @cindex Auto-Lower mode
621
622 This section describes commands for altering the display style and
623 window management behavior of the selected frame.
624
625 @findex set-foreground-color
626 @findex set-background-color
627 @findex set-cursor-color
628 @findex set-mouse-color
629 @findex set-border-color
630 @findex auto-raise-mode
631 @findex auto-lower-mode
632 @table @kbd
633 @item M-x set-foreground-color @key{RET} @var{color} @key{RET}
634 Specify color @var{color} for the foreground of the selected frame.
635 (This also changes the foreground color of the default face.)
636
637 @item M-x set-background-color @key{RET} @var{color} @key{RET}
638 Specify color @var{color} for the background of the selected frame.
639 (This also changes the background color of the default face.)
640
641 @item M-x set-cursor-color @key{RET} @var{color} @key{RET}
642 Specify color @var{color} for the cursor of the selected frame.
643
644 @item M-x set-mouse-color @key{RET} @var{color} @key{RET}
645 Specify color @var{color} for the mouse cursor when it is over the
646 selected frame.
647
648 @item M-x set-border-color @key{RET} @var{color} @key{RET}
649 Specify color @var{color} for the border of the selected frame.
650
651 @item M-x list-colors-display
652 Display the defined color names and show what the colors look like.
653 This command is somewhat slow.
654
655 @item M-x auto-raise-mode
656 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-raise. Auto-raise
657 means that every time you move the mouse onto the frame, it raises the
658 frame.
659
660 Note that this auto-raise feature is implemented by Emacs itself. Some
661 window managers also implement auto-raise. If you enable auto-raise for
662 Emacs frames in your X window manager, it should work, but it is beyond
663 Emacs's control and therefore @code{auto-raise-mode} has no effect on
664 it.
665
666 @item M-x auto-lower-mode
667 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-lower.
668 Auto-lower means that every time you move the mouse off the frame,
669 the frame moves to the bottom of the stack of X windows.
670
671 The command @code{auto-lower-mode} has no effect on auto-lower
672 implemented by the X window manager. To control that, you must use
673 the appropriate window manager features.
674
675 @findex set-frame-font
676 @item M-x set-frame-font @key{RET} @var{font} @key{RET}
677 @cindex font (principal)
678 Specify font @var{font} as the principal font for the selected frame.
679 The principal font controls several face attributes of the
680 @code{default} face (@pxref{Faces}). For example, if the principal font
681 has a height of 12 pt, all text will be drawn in 12 pt fonts, unless you
682 use another face that specifies a different height. @xref{Font X}, for
683 ways to list the available fonts on your system.
684
685 @kindex S-Mouse-1
686 You can also set a frame's principal font through a pop-up menu.
687 Press @kbd{S-Mouse-1} to activate this menu.
688 @end table
689
690 In Emacs versions that use an X toolkit, the color-setting and
691 font-setting functions don't affect menus and the menu bar, since they
692 are displayed by their own widget classes. To change the appearance of
693 the menus and menu bar, you must use X resources (@pxref{Resources}).
694 @xref{Colors X}, regarding colors. @xref{Font X}, regarding choice of
695 font.
696
697 Colors, fonts, and other attributes of the frame's display can also
698 be customized by setting frame parameters in the variable
699 @code{default-frame-alist} (@pxref{Creating Frames}). For a detailed
700 description of frame parameters and customization, see @ref{Frame
701 Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
702
703 @node Scroll Bars
704 @section Scroll Bars
705 @cindex Scroll Bar mode
706 @cindex mode, Scroll Bar
707
708 When using X, Emacs normally makes a @dfn{scroll bar} at the left of
709 each Emacs window.@footnote{Placing it at the left is usually more
710 useful with overlapping frames with text starting at the left margin.}
711 The scroll bar runs the height of the window, and shows a moving
712 rectangular inner box which represents the portion of the buffer
713 currently displayed. The entire height of the scroll bar represents the
714 entire length of the buffer.
715
716 You can use @kbd{Mouse-2} (normally, the middle button) in the scroll
717 bar to move or drag the inner box up and down. If you move it to the
718 top of the scroll bar, you see the top of the buffer. If you move it to
719 the bottom of the scroll bar, you see the bottom of the buffer.
720
721 The left and right buttons in the scroll bar scroll by controlled
722 increments. @kbd{Mouse-1} (normally, the left button) moves the line at
723 the level where you click up to the top of the window. @kbd{Mouse-3}
724 (normally, the right button) moves the line at the top of the window
725 down to the level where you click. By clicking repeatedly in the same
726 place, you can scroll by the same distance over and over.
727
728 If you are using Emacs's own implementation of scroll bars, as opposed
729 to scroll bars from an X toolkit, you can also click @kbd{C-Mouse-2} in
730 the scroll bar to split a window vertically. The split occurs on the
731 line where you click.
732
733 @findex scroll-bar-mode
734 @vindex scroll-bar-mode
735 You can enable or disable Scroll Bar mode with the command @kbd{M-x
736 scroll-bar-mode}. With no argument, it toggles the use of scroll bars.
737 With an argument, it turns use of scroll bars on if and only if the
738 argument is positive. This command applies to all frames, including
739 frames yet to be created. Customize the option @code{scroll-bar-mode}
740 to control the use of scroll bars at startup. You can use it to specify
741 that they are placed at the right of windows if you prefer that. You
742 can use the X resource @samp{verticalScrollBars} to control the initial
743 setting of Scroll Bar mode similarly. @xref{Resources}.
744
745 @findex toggle-scroll-bar
746 To enable or disable scroll bars for just the selected frame, use the
747 @kbd{M-x toggle-scroll-bar} command.
748
749 @vindex scroll-bar-width
750 @cindex width of the scroll bar
751 You can control the scroll bar width by changing the value of the
752 @code{scroll-bar-width} frame parameter.
753
754 @node Wheeled Mice
755 @section Scrolling With ``Wheeled'' Mice
756
757 @cindex mouse wheel
758 @cindex wheel, mouse
759 @findex mouse-wheel-mode
760 @cindex Mouse Wheel minor mode
761 @cindex mode, Mouse Wheel
762 Some mice have a ``wheel'' instead of a third button. You can
763 usually click the wheel to act as either @kbd{Mouse-2} or
764 @kbd{Mouse-3}, depending on the setup. You can also use the wheel to
765 scroll windows instead of using the scroll bar or keyboard commands.
766 To do so, turn on Mouse Wheel global minor mode with the command
767 @kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode} or by customizing the option
768 @code{mouse-wheel-mode}. Support for the wheel depends on the system
769 generating appropriate events for Emacs.
770
771 @vindex mouse-wheel-follow-mouse
772 @vindex mouse-wheel-scroll-amount
773 The variables @code{mouse-wheel-follow-mouse} and
774 @code{mouse-wheel-scroll-amount} determine where and by how much
775 buffers are scrolled.
776
777 @node Menu Bars
778 @section Menu Bars
779 @cindex Menu Bar mode
780 @cindex mode, Menu Bar
781
782 You can turn display of menu bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
783 menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the option @code{menu-bar-mode}.
784 With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a
785 minor mode. With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
786 argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive. You can use
787 the X resource @samp{menuBarLines} to control the initial setting of
788 Menu Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
789
790 @kindex C-Mouse-3 @r{(when menu bar is disabled)}
791 Expert users often turn off the menu bar, especially on text-only
792 terminals, where this makes one additional line available for text.
793 If the menu bar is off, you can still pop up a menu of its contents
794 with @kbd{C-Mouse-3} on a display which supports pop-up menus.
795 @xref{Menu Mouse Clicks}.
796
797 @xref{Menu Bar}, for information on how to invoke commands with the
798 menu bar. @xref{X Resources}, for how to customize the menu bar
799 menus.
800
801 @node Tool Bars
802 @section Tool Bars
803 @cindex Tool Bar mode
804 @cindex mode, Tool Bar
805 @cindex icons, tool bar
806
807 The @dfn{tool bar} is a line (or multiple lines) of icons at the top
808 of the Emacs window. You can click on these icons with the mouse
809 to do various jobs.
810
811 The global tool bar contains general commands. Some major modes
812 define their own tool bars to replace it. A few ``special'' modes
813 that are not designed for ordinary editing remove some items from the
814 global tool bar.
815
816 Tool bars work only on a graphical display. The tool bar uses colored
817 XPM icons if Emacs was built with XPM support. Otherwise, the tool
818 bar uses monochrome icons (PBM or XBM format).
819
820 You can turn display of tool bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
821 tool-bar-mode}.
822
823 @node Dialog Boxes
824 @section Using Dialog Boxes
825 @cindex dialog boxes
826
827 @vindex use-dialog-box
828 A dialog box is a special kind of menu for asking you a yes-or-no
829 question or some other special question. Many Emacs commands use a
830 dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
831 invoke the command to begin with.
832
833 You can customize the option @code{use-dialog-box} to suppress the
834 use of dialog boxes. This also controls whether to use file selection
835 windows (but those are not supported on all platforms).
836
837 @node Tooltips
838 @section Tooltips (or ``Balloon Help'')
839
840 @cindex balloon help
841 Tooltips are small X windows displaying a help string at the current
842 mouse position, typically over text---including the mode line---which
843 can be activated with the mouse or other keys. (This facility is
844 sometimes known as @dfn{balloon help}.) Help text may be available for
845 menu items too.
846
847 @findex tooltip-mode
848 To use tooltips, enable Tooltip mode with the command @kbd{M-x
849 tooltip-mode}. The customization group @code{tooltip} controls
850 various aspects of how tooltips work. When Tooltip mode is disabled,
851 the help text is displayed in the echo area instead.
852
853 @xref{X Resources}, for information on customizing the windows
854 that display tooltips.
855
856 @node Mouse Avoidance
857 @section Mouse Avoidance
858 @cindex avoiding mouse in the way of your typing
859 @cindex mouse avoidance
860
861 @vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
862 Mouse Avoidance mode keeps the window system mouse pointer away from
863 point, to avoid obscuring text. Whenever it moves the mouse, it also
864 raises the frame. To use Mouse Avoidance mode, customize the option
865 @code{mouse-avoidance-mode}. You can set this to various values to
866 move the mouse in several ways:
867
868 @table @code
869 @item banish
870 Move the mouse to the upper-right corner on any key-press;
871 @item exile
872 Move the mouse to the corner only if the cursor gets too close,
873 and allow it to return once the cursor is out of the way;
874 @item jump
875 If the cursor gets too close to the mouse, displace the mouse
876 a random distance & direction;
877 @item animate
878 As @code{jump}, but shows steps along the way for illusion of motion;
879 @item cat-and-mouse
880 The same as @code{animate};
881 @item proteus
882 As @code{animate}, but changes the shape of the mouse pointer too.
883 @end table
884
885 @findex mouse-avoidance-mode
886 You can also use the command @kbd{M-x mouse-avoidance-mode} to enable
887 the mode.
888
889 @node Non-Window Terminals
890 @section Non-Window Terminals
891 @cindex non-window terminals
892 @cindex single-frame terminals
893
894 If your terminal does not have a window system that Emacs supports,
895 then it can display only one Emacs frame at a time. However, you can
896 still create multiple Emacs frames, and switch between them. Switching
897 frames on these terminals is much like switching between different
898 window configurations.
899
900 Use @kbd{C-x 5 2} to create a new frame and switch to it; use @kbd{C-x
901 5 o} to cycle through the existing frames; use @kbd{C-x 5 0} to delete
902 the current frame.
903
904 Each frame has a number to distinguish it. If your terminal can
905 display only one frame at a time, the selected frame's number @var{n}
906 appears near the beginning of the mode line, in the form
907 @samp{F@var{n}}.
908
909 @findex set-frame-name
910 @findex select-frame-by-name
911 @samp{F@var{n}} is actually the frame's name. You can also specify a
912 different name if you wish, and you can select a frame by its name. Use
913 the command @kbd{M-x set-frame-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}} to
914 specify a new name for the selected frame, and use @kbd{M-x
915 select-frame-by-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}} to select a frame
916 according to its name. The name you specify appears in the mode line
917 when the frame is selected.
918
919 @node XTerm Mouse
920 @section Using a Mouse in Terminal Emulators
921 @cindex xterm, mouse support
922 @cindex terminal emulators, mouse support
923
924 Some terminal emulators under X support mouse clicks in the terminal
925 window. In a terminal emulator which is compatible with @code{xterm},
926 you can use @kbd{M-x xterm-mouse-mode} to enable simple use of the
927 mouse---only single clicks are supported. The normal @code{xterm} mouse
928 functionality is still available by holding down the @kbd{SHIFT} key
929 when you press the mouse button. The Linux console supports this
930 mode if it has support for the mouse enabled, e.g.@: using the
931 @command{gpm} daemon.