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[bpt/emacs.git] / man / frames.texi
1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000,
3 @c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5 @node Frames, International, Windows, Top
6 @chapter Frames and Graphical Displays
7 @cindex frames
8
9 When using a graphical display, you can create multiple windows at
10 the system in a single Emacs session. Each system-level window that
11 belongs to Emacs displays a @dfn{frame} which can contain one or
12 several Emacs windows. A frame initially contains a single
13 general-purpose Emacs window which you can subdivide vertically or
14 horizontally into smaller windows. A frame normally contains its own
15 echo area and minibuffer, but you can make frames that don't have
16 these---they use the echo area and minibuffer of another frame.
17
18 To avoid confusion, we reserve the word ``window'' for the
19 subdivisions that Emacs implements, and never use it to refer to a
20 frame.
21
22 Editing you do in one frame affects the other frames. For
23 instance, if you put text in the kill ring in one frame, you can yank it
24 in another frame. If you exit Emacs through @kbd{C-x C-c} in one frame,
25 it terminates all the frames. To delete just one frame, use @kbd{C-x 5
26 0} (that is zero, not @kbd{o}).
27
28 Emacs compiled for MS-DOS emulates some windowing functionality,
29 so that you can use many of the features described in this chapter.
30 @iftex
31 @xref{MS-DOS Mouse,,,emacs-xtra,Specialized Emacs Features}.
32 @end iftex
33 @ifnottex
34 @xref{MS-DOS Mouse}.
35 @end ifnottex
36
37 @menu
38 * Cut and Paste:: Mouse commands for cut and paste.
39 * Mouse References:: Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
40 * Menu Mouse Clicks:: Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
41 * Mode Line Mouse:: Mouse clicks on the mode line.
42 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
43 * Frame Commands:: Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
44 * Speedbar:: How to make and use a speedbar frame.
45 * Multiple Displays:: How one Emacs job can talk to several displays.
46 * Special Buffer Frames:: You can make certain buffers have their own frames.
47 * Frame Parameters:: Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
48 * Scroll Bars:: How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
49 * Wheeled Mice:: Using mouse wheels for scrolling.
50 * Drag and Drop:: Using drag and drop to open files and insert text.
51 * Menu Bars:: Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
52 * Tool Bars:: Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
53 * Dialog Boxes:: Controlling use of dialog boxes.
54 * Tooltips:: Displaying information at the current mouse position.
55 * Mouse Avoidance:: Moving the mouse pointer out of the way.
56 * Non-Window Terminals:: Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
57 * Text-Only Mouse:: Using the mouse in text-only terminals.
58 @end menu
59
60 @node Cut and Paste
61 @section Killing and Yanking on Graphical Displays
62
63 This section describes facilities for selecting a region, killing,
64 and yanking using the mouse.
65
66 @menu
67 * Mouse Commands:: Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
68 * Cut/Paste Other App:: Transfering text between Emacs and other apps.
69 * Word and Line Mouse:: Mouse commands for selecting whole words or lines.
70 * Secondary Selection:: Cutting without altering point and mark.
71 * Clipboard:: Using the clipboard for selections.
72 @end menu
73
74 @node Mouse Commands
75 @subsection Mouse Commands for Editing
76 @cindex mouse buttons (what they do)
77
78 The mouse commands for selecting and copying a region are mostly
79 compatible with the @code{xterm} program. You can use the same mouse
80 commands for copying between Emacs and other window-based programs.
81 Most of these commands also work in Emacs when you run it under an
82 @code{xterm} terminal.
83
84 @kindex DELETE @r{(and mouse selection)}
85 If you select a region with any of these mouse commands, and then
86 immediately afterward type the @key{DELETE} function key, it deletes the
87 region that you selected. The @key{BACKSPACE} function key and the
88 @acronym{ASCII} character @key{DEL} do not do this; if you type any other key
89 in between the mouse command and @key{DELETE}, it does not do this.
90
91 @findex mouse-set-region
92 @findex mouse-set-point
93 @findex mouse-yank-at-click
94 @findex mouse-save-then-click
95 @kindex Mouse-1
96 @kindex Mouse-2
97 @kindex Mouse-3
98 @table @kbd
99 @item Mouse-1
100 Move point to where you click (@code{mouse-set-point}).
101 This is normally the left button.
102
103 @vindex x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position
104 Normally, Emacs does not distinguish between ordinary mouse clicks and
105 clicks that select a frame. When you click on a frame to select it,
106 that also changes the selected window and cursor position according to
107 the mouse click position. On the X window system, you can change this
108 behavior by setting the variable
109 @code{x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position} to @code{t}. Then the
110 first click selects the frame, but does not affect the selected window
111 or cursor position. If you click again in the same place, since that
112 click will be in the selected frame, it will change the window or
113 cursor position.
114
115 @item Drag-Mouse-1
116 Set the region to the text you select by dragging, and copy it to the
117 kill ring (@code{mouse-set-region}). You can specify both ends of the
118 region with this single command.
119
120 @vindex mouse-scroll-min-lines
121 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
122 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
123 back into the window. This way, you can select regions that don't fit
124 entirely on the screen. The number of lines scrolled per step depends
125 on how far away from the window edge the mouse has gone; the variable
126 @code{mouse-scroll-min-lines} specifies a minimum step size.
127
128 @vindex mouse-drag-copy-region
129 If the variable @code{mouse-drag-copy-region} is @code{nil}, this
130 mouse command does not copy the selected region into the kill ring.
131
132 @item Mouse-2
133 Yank the last killed text, where you click (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}).
134 This is normally the middle button.
135
136 @item Mouse-3
137 This command, @code{mouse-save-then-kill}, has several functions
138 depending on where you click and the status of the region.
139
140 The most basic case is when you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in one place and
141 then @kbd{Mouse-3} in another. This selects the text between those two
142 positions as the region. It also copies the new region to the kill
143 ring, so that you can copy it to someplace else.
144
145 If you click @kbd{Mouse-1} in the text, scroll with the scroll bar, and
146 then click @kbd{Mouse-3}, it remembers where point was before scrolling
147 (where you put it with @kbd{Mouse-1}), and uses that position as the
148 other end of the region. This is so that you can select a region that
149 doesn't fit entirely on the screen.
150
151 More generally, if you do not have a highlighted region, @kbd{Mouse-3}
152 selects the text between point and the click position as the region. It
153 does this by setting the mark where point was, and moving point to where
154 you click.
155
156 If you have a highlighted region, or if the region was set just before
157 by dragging button 1, @kbd{Mouse-3} adjusts the nearer end of the region
158 by moving it to where you click. The adjusted region's text also
159 replaces the old region's text in the kill ring.
160
161 If you originally specified the region using a double or triple
162 @kbd{Mouse-1}, so that the region is defined to consist of entire words
163 or lines, then adjusting the region with @kbd{Mouse-3} also proceeds by
164 entire words or lines.
165
166 If you use @kbd{Mouse-3} a second time consecutively, at the same place,
167 that kills the region already selected.
168 @end table
169
170 The simplest way to kill text with the mouse is to press @kbd{Mouse-1}
171 at one end, then press @kbd{Mouse-3} twice at the other end.
172 @xref{Killing}. To copy the text into the kill ring without deleting it
173 from the buffer, press @kbd{Mouse-3} just once---or just drag across the
174 text with @kbd{Mouse-1}. Then you can copy it elsewhere by yanking it.
175
176 @vindex mouse-yank-at-point
177 To yank the killed or copied text somewhere else, move the mouse there
178 and press @kbd{Mouse-2}. @xref{Yanking}. However, if
179 @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{Mouse-2} yanks at
180 point. Then it does not matter where you click, or even which of the
181 frame's windows you click on. The default value is @code{nil}. This
182 variable also affects yanking the secondary selection.
183
184 @cindex Delete Selection mode
185 @cindex mode, Delete Selection
186 @findex delete-selection-mode
187 Many graphical applications follow the convention that insertion while text
188 is selected deletes the selected text. You can make Emacs behave this
189 way by enabling Delete Selection mode---with @kbd{M-x
190 delete-selection-mode} or using Custom. Another effect of this mode
191 is that @key{DEL}, @kbd{C-d} and some other keys, when a selection
192 exists, will kill the whole selection. It also enables Transient Mark
193 mode (@pxref{Transient Mark}).
194
195 @node Cut/Paste Other App
196 @subsection Cut and Paste with Other Window Applications
197
198 @cindex cutting
199 @cindex pasting
200 @cindex X cutting and pasting
201 To copy text to another windowing application, kill it or save it in
202 the kill ring. Then use the ``paste'' or ``yank'' command of the
203 other application to insert the text.
204
205 To copy text from another windowing application, use its ``cut'' or
206 ``copy'' command to select the text you want. Then yank it in Emacs
207 with @kbd{C-y} or @kbd{Mouse-2}.
208
209 @cindex primary selection
210 @cindex cut buffer
211 @cindex selection, primary
212 @vindex x-cut-buffer-max
213 When Emacs puts text into the kill ring, or rotates text to the
214 front of the kill ring, it sets the @dfn{primary selection} in the
215 window system. This is how other windowing applications can access
216 the text. On the X Window System, emacs also stores the text in the
217 cut buffer, but only if the text is short enough (the value of
218 @code{x-cut-buffer-max} specifies the maximum number of characters);
219 putting long strings in the cut buffer can be slow.
220
221 The commands to yank the first entry in the kill ring actually check
222 first for a primary selection in another program; after that, they check
223 for text in the cut buffer. If neither of those sources provides text
224 to yank, the kill ring contents are used.
225
226 The standard coding system for X Window System selections is
227 @code{compound-text-with-extensions}. To specify another coding
228 system for selections, use @kbd{C-x @key{RET} x} or @kbd{C-x @key{RET}
229 X}. @xref{Communication Coding}.
230
231 @node Word and Line Mouse
232 @subsection Mouse Commands for Words and Lines
233
234 These variants of @kbd{Mouse-1} select entire words or lines at a time.
235
236 @table @kbd
237 @item Double-Mouse-1
238 This key sets the region around the word which you click on. If you
239 click on a character with ``symbol'' syntax (such as underscore, in C
240 mode), it sets the region around the symbol surrounding that character.
241
242 If you click on a character with open-parenthesis or close-parenthesis
243 syntax, it sets the region around the parenthetical grouping
244 which that character starts or ends. If you click on a character with
245 string-delimiter syntax (such as a singlequote or doublequote in C), it
246 sets the region around the string constant (using heuristics to figure
247 out whether that character is the beginning or the end of it).
248
249 @item Double-Drag-Mouse-1
250 This key selects a region made up of the words you drag across.
251
252 @item Triple-Mouse-1
253 This key sets the region around the line you click on.
254
255 @item Triple-Drag-Mouse-1
256 This key selects a region made up of the lines you drag across.
257 @end table
258
259 @node Secondary Selection
260 @subsection Secondary Selection
261 @cindex secondary selection
262
263 The @dfn{secondary selection} is another way of selecting text using
264 the X Window System. It does not use point or the mark, so you can
265 use it to kill text without setting point or the mark.
266
267 @table @kbd
268 @findex mouse-set-secondary
269 @kindex M-Drag-Mouse-1
270 @item M-Drag-Mouse-1
271 Set the secondary selection, with one end at the place where you press
272 down the button, and the other end at the place where you release it
273 (@code{mouse-set-secondary}). The highlighting appears and changes as
274 you drag. You can control the appearance of the highlighting by
275 customizing the @code{secondary-selection} face (@pxref{Face
276 Customization}).
277
278 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
279 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
280 back into the window. This way, you can mark regions that don't fit
281 entirely on the screen.
282
283 This way of setting the secondary selection does not alter the kill ring.
284
285 @findex mouse-start-secondary
286 @kindex M-Mouse-1
287 @item M-Mouse-1
288 Set one endpoint for the @dfn{secondary selection}
289 (@code{mouse-start-secondary}).
290
291 @findex mouse-secondary-save-then-kill
292 @kindex M-Mouse-3
293 @item M-Mouse-3
294 Make a secondary selection, using the place specified with @kbd{M-Mouse-1}
295 as the other end (@code{mouse-secondary-save-then-kill}). This also
296 puts the selected text in the kill ring. A second click at the same
297 place kills the secondary selection just made.
298
299 @findex mouse-yank-secondary
300 @kindex M-Mouse-2
301 @item M-Mouse-2
302 Insert the secondary selection where you click
303 (@code{mouse-yank-secondary}). This places point at the end of the
304 yanked text.
305 @end table
306
307 Double or triple clicking of @kbd{M-Mouse-1} operates on words and
308 lines, much like @kbd{Mouse-1}.
309
310 If @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{M-Mouse-2}
311 yanks at point. Then it does not matter precisely where you click; all
312 that matters is which window you click on. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
313
314 @node Clipboard
315 @subsection Using the Clipboard
316 @cindex clipboard
317 @vindex x-select-enable-clipboard
318 @findex menu-bar-enable-clipboard
319 @cindex OpenWindows
320 @cindex Gnome
321
322 Apart from the primary and secondary selection types, Emacs can
323 handle the @dfn{clipboard} selection type which is used by some
324 applications, particularly under OpenWindows and Gnome.
325
326 The command @kbd{M-x menu-bar-enable-clipboard} makes the @code{Cut},
327 @code{Paste} and @code{Copy} menu items, as well as the keys of the same
328 names, all use the clipboard.
329
330 You can customize the variable @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to make
331 the Emacs yank functions consult the clipboard before the primary
332 selection, and to make the kill functions to store in the clipboard as
333 well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not access the
334 clipboard at all. Using the clipboard is the default on MS-Windows and Mac,
335 but not on other systems.
336
337 @node Mouse References
338 @section Following References with the Mouse
339 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(selection)}
340 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(selection)}
341
342 Some read-only Emacs buffers include references you can follow, or
343 commands you can activate. These include names of files, of buffers,
344 of possible completions, of matches for a pattern, as well as the
345 buttons in Help buffers and customization buffers. You can follow the
346 reference or activate the command by moving point to it and typing
347 @key{RET}. You can also do this with the mouse, using either
348 @kbd{Mouse-1} or @kbd{Mouse-2}.
349
350 Since yanking text into a read-only buffer is not allowed, these
351 buffers generally define @kbd{Mouse-2} to follow a reference or
352 activate a command. For example, if you click @kbd{Mouse-2} on a file
353 name in a Dired buffer, you visit that file. If you click
354 @kbd{Mouse-2} on an error message in the @samp{*Compilation*} buffer,
355 you go to the source code for that error message. If you click
356 @kbd{Mouse-2} on a completion in the @samp{*Completions*} buffer, you
357 choose that completion.
358
359 However, most applications use @kbd{Mouse-1} to do this sort of
360 thing, so Emacs implements this too. If you click @kbd{Mouse-1}
361 quickly on a reference or button, it follows or activates. If you
362 click slowly, it moves point as usual. Dragging, meaning moving the
363 mouse while it is held down, also has its usual behavior of setting
364 the region.
365
366 @vindex mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows
367 Normally, the @kbd{Mouse-1} click behavior is performed on links in
368 any window. The variable @code{mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows}
369 controls whether @kbd{Mouse-1} has this behavior even in non-selected
370 windows, or only in the selected window.
371
372 @vindex mouse-highlight
373 You can usually tell when @kbd{Mouse-1} and @kbd{Mouse-2} have this
374 special sort of meaning because the sensitive text highlights when you
375 move the mouse over it. The variable @code{mouse-highlight} controls
376 whether to do this highlighting always (even when such text appears
377 where the mouse already is), never, or only immediately after you move
378 the mouse.
379
380 @vindex mouse-1-click-follows-link
381 In Emacs versions before 22, only @kbd{Mouse-2} follows links and
382 @kbd{Mouse-1} always sets point. If you prefer this older behavior,
383 set the variable @code{mouse-1-click-follows-link} to @code{nil}.
384 This variable also lets you choose various other alternatives for
385 following links with the mouse. Type @kbd{C-h v
386 mouse-1-click-follows-link @key{RET}} for more details.
387
388 @node Menu Mouse Clicks
389 @section Mouse Clicks for Menus
390
391 Several mouse clicks with the @key{CTRL} and @key{SHIFT} modifiers
392 bring up menus.
393
394 @table @kbd
395 @item C-Mouse-1
396 @kindex C-Mouse-1
397 This menu is for selecting a buffer.
398
399 The MSB (``mouse select buffer'') global minor mode makes this
400 menu smarter and more customizable. @xref{Buffer Menus}.
401
402 @item C-Mouse-2
403 @kindex C-Mouse-2
404 This menu is for specifying faces and other text properties
405 for editing formatted text. @xref{Formatted Text}.
406
407 @item C-Mouse-3
408 @kindex C-Mouse-3
409 This menu is mode-specific. For most modes if Menu-bar mode is on,
410 this menu has the same items as all the mode-specific menu-bar menus
411 put together. Some modes may specify a different menu for this
412 button.@footnote{Some systems use @kbd{Mouse-3} for a mode-specific
413 menu. We took a survey of users, and found they preferred to keep
414 @kbd{Mouse-3} for selecting and killing regions. Hence the decision
415 to use @kbd{C-Mouse-3} for this menu. To use @kbd{Mouse-3} instead,
416 do @code{(global-set-key [mouse-3] 'mouse-popup-menubar-stuff)}.} If
417 Menu-bar mode is off, this menu contains all the items which would be
418 present in the menu bar---not just the mode-specific ones---so that
419 you can access them without having to display the menu bar.
420
421 @item S-Mouse-1
422 This menu is for specifying the frame's default font.
423 @end table
424
425 @node Mode Line Mouse
426 @section Mode Line Mouse Commands
427 @cindex mode line, mouse
428 @cindex mouse on mode line
429
430 You can use mouse clicks on window mode lines to select and manipulate
431 windows.
432
433 Some areas of the mode line, such as the buffer name and the major
434 mode name, have their own special mouse bindings. These areas are
435 highlighted when you hold the mouse over them, and information about
436 the special bindings will be displayed (@pxref{Tooltips}). This
437 section's commands do not apply in those areas.
438
439 @table @kbd
440 @item Mouse-1
441 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(mode line)}
442 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a mode line selects the window it belongs to. By
443 dragging @kbd{Mouse-1} on the mode line, you can move it, thus
444 changing the height of the windows above and below. Changing heights
445 with the mouse in this way never deletes windows, it just refuses to
446 make any window smaller than the minimum height.
447
448 @item Mouse-2
449 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
450 @kbd{Mouse-2} on a mode line expands that window to fill its frame.
451
452 @item Mouse-3
453 @kindex Mouse-3 @r{(mode line)}
454 @kbd{Mouse-3} on a mode line deletes the window it belongs to. If the
455 frame has only one window, it buries the current buffer instead, and
456 switches to another buffer.
457
458 @item C-Mouse-2
459 @kindex C-mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
460 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a mode line splits the window above
461 horizontally, above the place in the mode line where you click.
462 @end table
463
464 @kindex C-Mouse-2 @r{(scroll bar)}
465 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(scroll bar)}
466 Using @kbd{Mouse-1} on the divider between two side-by-side mode
467 lines, you can move the vertical boundary left or right. Using
468 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a scroll bar splits the corresponding window
469 vertically. @xref{Split Window}.
470
471 @node Creating Frames
472 @section Creating Frames
473 @cindex creating frames
474
475 @kindex C-x 5
476 The prefix key @kbd{C-x 5} is analogous to @kbd{C-x 4}, with parallel
477 subcommands. The difference is that @kbd{C-x 5} commands create a new
478 frame rather than just a new window in the selected frame (@pxref{Pop
479 Up Window}). If an existing visible or iconified frame already displays
480 the requested material, these commands use the existing frame, after
481 raising or deiconifying as necessary.
482
483 The various @kbd{C-x 5} commands differ in how they find or create the
484 buffer to select:
485
486 @table @kbd
487 @item C-x 5 2
488 @kindex C-x 5 2
489 @findex make-frame-command
490 Create a new frame (@code{make-frame-command}).
491 @item C-x 5 b @var{bufname} @key{RET}
492 Select buffer @var{bufname} in another frame. This runs
493 @code{switch-to-buffer-other-frame}.
494 @item C-x 5 f @var{filename} @key{RET}
495 Visit file @var{filename} and select its buffer in another frame. This
496 runs @code{find-file-other-frame}. @xref{Visiting}.
497 @item C-x 5 d @var{directory} @key{RET}
498 Select a Dired buffer for directory @var{directory} in another frame.
499 This runs @code{dired-other-frame}. @xref{Dired}.
500 @item C-x 5 m
501 Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
502 @code{mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of @kbd{C-x m}.
503 @xref{Sending Mail}.
504 @item C-x 5 .
505 Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
506 @code{find-tag-other-frame}, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
507 @xref{Tags}.
508 @item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
509 @kindex C-x 5 r
510 @findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
511 Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
512 frame. This runs @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
513 @xref{Visiting}.
514 @end table
515
516 @cindex default-frame-alist
517 @cindex initial-frame-alist
518 You can control the appearance of new frames you create by setting the
519 frame parameters in @code{default-frame-alist}. You can use the
520 variable @code{initial-frame-alist} to specify parameters that affect
521 only the initial frame. @xref{Initial Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs
522 Lisp Reference Manual}, for more information.
523
524 @cindex font (default)
525 The easiest way to specify the principal font for all your Emacs
526 frames is with an X resource (@pxref{Font X}), but you can also do it by
527 modifying @code{default-frame-alist} to specify the @code{font}
528 parameter, as shown here:
529
530 @example
531 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "10x20"))
532 @end example
533
534 @noindent
535 Here's a similar example for specifying a foreground color:
536
537 @example
538 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(foreground-color . "blue"))
539 @end example
540
541 @node Frame Commands
542 @section Frame Commands
543
544 The following commands let you create, delete and operate on frames:
545
546 @table @kbd
547 @item C-z
548 @kindex C-z @r{(X windows)}
549 @findex iconify-or-deiconify-frame
550 Iconify the selected Emacs frame (@code{iconify-or-deiconify-frame}).
551 When typed on an Emacs frame's icon, deiconify instead.
552
553 The normal meaning of @kbd{C-z}, to suspend Emacs, is not useful under
554 a graphical display that allows multiple applications to operate
555 simultaneously in their own windows, so Emacs gives @kbd{C-z} a
556 different binding in that case.
557
558 @item C-x 5 0
559 @kindex C-x 5 0
560 @findex delete-frame
561 Delete the selected frame (@code{delete-frame}). This is not allowed if
562 there is only one frame.
563
564 @item C-x 5 o
565 @kindex C-x 5 o
566 @findex other-frame
567 Select another frame, raise it, and warp the mouse to it so that it
568 stays selected. If you repeat this command, it cycles through all the
569 frames on your terminal.
570
571 @item C-x 5 1
572 @kindex C-x 5 1
573 @findex delete-other-frames
574 Delete all frames except the selected one.
575 @end table
576
577 @vindex focus-follows-mouse
578 To make the command @kbd{C-x 5 o} work properly, you must tell Emacs
579 how the system (or the window manager) generally handles
580 focus-switching between windows. There are two possibilities: either
581 simply moving the mouse onto a window selects it (gives it focus), or
582 you have to click on it in a suitable way to do so. On X, this focus
583 policy also affects whether the focus is given to a frame that Emacs
584 raises. Unfortunately there is no way Emacs can find out
585 automatically which way the system handles this, so you have to
586 explicitly say, by setting the variable @code{focus-follows-mouse}.
587 If just moving the mouse onto a window selects it, that variable
588 should be @code{t}; if a click is necessary, the variable should be
589 @code{nil}.
590
591 The window manager that is part of MS-Windows always gives focus to a
592 frame that raises, so this variable has no effect in the native
593 MS-Windows build of Emacs.
594
595 @node Speedbar
596 @section Speedbar Frames
597 @cindex speedbar
598
599 @cindex attached frame (of speedbar)
600 The @dfn{speedbar} is a special frame for conveniently navigating in
601 or operating on another frame. The speedbar, when it exists, is
602 always associated with a specific frame, called its @dfn{attached
603 frame}; all speedbar operations act on that frame.
604
605 Type @kbd{M-x speedbar} to create the speedbar and associate it with
606 the current frame. To dismiss the speedbar, type @kbd{M-x speedbar}
607 again, or select the speedbar and type @kbd{q}. (You can also delete
608 the speedbar frame like any other Emacs frame.) If you wish to
609 associate the speedbar with a different frame, dismiss it and call
610 @kbd{M-x speedbar} from that frame.
611
612 The speedbar can operate in various modes. Its default mode is
613 @dfn{File Display} mode, which shows the files in the current
614 directory of the selected window of the attached frame, one file per
615 line. Clicking on a file name visits that file in the selected window
616 of the attached frame, and clicking on a directory name shows that
617 directory in the speedbar (@pxref{Mouse References}). Each line also
618 has a box, @samp{[+]} or @samp{<+>}, that you can click on to
619 @dfn{expand} the contents of that item. Expanding a directory adds
620 the contents of that directory to the speedbar display, underneath the
621 directory's own line. Expanding an ordinary file adds a list of the
622 tags in that file to the speedbar display; you can click on a tag name
623 to jump to that tag in the selected window of the attached frame.
624 When a file or directory is expanded, the @samp{[+]} changes to
625 @samp{[-]}; you can click on that box to @dfn{contract} the item,
626 hiding its contents.
627
628 You navigate through the speedbar using the keyboard, too. Typing
629 @kbd{RET} while point is on a line in the speedbar is equivalent to
630 clicking the item on the current line, and @kbd{SPC} expands or
631 contracts the item. @kbd{U} displays the parent directory of the
632 current directory. To copy, delete, or rename the file on the current
633 line, type @kbd{C}, @kbd{D}, and @kbd{R} respectively. To create a
634 new directory, type @kbd{M}.
635
636 Another general-purpose speedbar mode is @dfn{Buffer Display} mode;
637 in this mode, the speedbar displays a list of Emacs buffers. To
638 switch to this mode, type @kbd{b} in the speedbar. To return to File
639 Display mode, type @kbd{f}. You can also change the display mode by
640 clicking @kbd{mouse-3} anywhere in the speedbar window (or
641 @kbd{mouse-1} on the mode-line) and selecting @samp{Displays} in the
642 pop-up menu.
643
644 Some major modes, including Rmail mode, Info, and GUD, have
645 specialized ways of putting useful items into the speedbar for you to
646 select. For example, in Rmail mode, the speedbar shows a list of Rmail
647 files, and lets you move the current message to another Rmail file by
648 clicking on its @samp{<M>} box.
649
650 For more details on using and programming the speedbar, @xref{Top,
651 Speedbar,,speedbar, Speedbar Manual}.
652
653 @node Multiple Displays
654 @section Multiple Displays
655 @cindex multiple displays
656
657 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display. Initially, Emacs
658 uses just one display---the one specified with the @env{DISPLAY}
659 environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial
660 Options}). To connect to another display, use the command
661 @code{make-frame-on-display}:
662
663 @findex make-frame-on-display
664 @table @kbd
665 @item M-x make-frame-on-display @key{RET} @var{display} @key{RET}
666 Create a new frame on display @var{display}.
667 @end table
668
669 A single X server can handle more than one screen. When you open
670 frames on two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows they share a
671 single keyboard, and it treats all the commands arriving from these
672 screens as a single stream of input.
673
674 When you open frames on different X servers, Emacs makes a separate
675 input stream for each server. This way, two users can type
676 simultaneously on the two displays, and Emacs will not garble their
677 input. Each server also has its own selected frame. The commands you
678 enter with a particular X server apply to that server's selected frame.
679
680 Despite these features, people using the same Emacs job from different
681 displays can still interfere with each other if they are not careful.
682 For example, if any one types @kbd{C-x C-c}, that exits the Emacs job
683 for all of them!
684
685 @node Special Buffer Frames
686 @section Special Buffer Frames
687
688 @vindex special-display-buffer-names
689 You can make certain chosen buffers, which Emacs normally displays
690 in ``another window,'' appear in special frames of their own. To do
691 this, set the variable @code{special-display-buffer-names} to a list
692 of buffer names; any buffer whose name is in that list automatically
693 gets a special frame, when an Emacs command wants to display it ``in
694 another window.''
695
696 For example, if you set the variable this way,
697
698 @example
699 (setq special-display-buffer-names
700 '("*Completions*" "*grep*" "*tex-shell*"))
701 @end example
702
703 @noindent
704 then completion lists, @code{grep} output and the @TeX{} mode shell
705 buffer get individual frames of their own. These frames, and the
706 windows in them, are never automatically split or reused for any other
707 buffers. They continue to show the buffers they were created for,
708 unless you alter them by hand. Killing the special buffer deletes its
709 frame automatically.
710
711 @vindex special-display-regexps
712 More generally, you can set @code{special-display-regexps} to a list
713 of regular expressions; then a buffer gets its own frame if its name
714 matches any of those regular expressions. (Once again, this applies only
715 to buffers that normally get displayed for you in ``another window.'')
716
717 @vindex special-display-frame-alist
718 The variable @code{special-display-frame-alist} specifies the frame
719 parameters for these frames. It has a default value, so you don't need
720 to set it.
721
722 For those who know Lisp, an element of
723 @code{special-display-buffer-names} or @code{special-display-regexps}
724 can also be a list. Then the first element is the buffer name or
725 regular expression; the rest of the list specifies how to create the
726 frame. It can be an association list specifying frame parameter
727 values; these values take precedence over parameter values specified
728 in @code{special-display-frame-alist}. If you specify the symbol
729 @code{same-window} as a ``frame parameter'' in this list, with a
730 non-@code{nil} value, that means to use the selected window if
731 possible. If you use the symbol @code{same-frame} as a ``frame
732 parameter'' in this list, with a non-@code{nil} value, that means to
733 use the selected frame if possible.
734
735 Alternatively, the value can have this form:
736
737 @example
738 (@var{function} @var{args}...)
739 @end example
740
741 @noindent
742 where @var{function} is a symbol. Then the frame is constructed by
743 calling @var{function}; its first argument is the buffer, and its
744 remaining arguments are @var{args}.
745
746 An analogous feature lets you specify buffers which should be
747 displayed in the selected window. @xref{Force Same Window}. The
748 same-window feature takes precedence over the special-frame feature;
749 therefore, if you add a buffer name to
750 @code{special-display-buffer-names} and it has no effect, check to see
751 whether that feature is also in use for the same buffer name.
752
753 @node Frame Parameters
754 @section Setting Frame Parameters
755 @cindex Auto-Raise mode
756 @cindex Auto-Lower mode
757
758 @kindex S-Mouse-1
759 You can specify the font and colors used for text display, and the
760 colors for the frame borders, the cursor, and the mouse cursor, by
761 customizing the faces @code{default}, @code{border}, @code{cursor} and
762 @code{mouse}. @xref{Face Customization}. You can also set a frame's
763 default font through a pop-up menu. Press @kbd{S-Mouse-1} to activate
764 this menu.
765
766 These commands are available for controlling the window management
767 behavior of the selected frame.
768
769 @table @kbd
770 @findex auto-raise-mode
771 @item M-x auto-raise-mode
772 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-raise. Auto-raise
773 means that every time you move the mouse onto the frame, it raises the
774 frame.
775
776 Some window managers also implement auto-raise. If you enable
777 auto-raise for Emacs frames in your window manager, it will work, but
778 it is beyond Emacs' control, so @code{auto-raise-mode} has no effect
779 on it.
780
781 @findex auto-lower-mode
782 @item M-x auto-lower-mode
783 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-lower.
784 Auto-lower means that every time you move the mouse off the frame,
785 the frame moves to the bottom of the stack on the screen.
786
787 The command @code{auto-lower-mode} has no effect on auto-lower
788 implemented by the window manager. To control that, you must use the
789 appropriate window manager features.
790 @end table
791
792 In Emacs versions that use an X toolkit, the color-setting and
793 font-setting functions don't affect menus and the menu bar, since they
794 are displayed by their own widget classes. To change the appearance of
795 the menus and menu bar, you must use X resources (@pxref{Resources}).
796 @xref{Colors}, regarding colors. @xref{Font X}, regarding choice of
797 font.
798
799 Colors, fonts, and other attributes of the frame's display can also
800 be customized by setting frame parameters in the variable
801 @code{default-frame-alist} (@pxref{Creating Frames}). For a detailed
802 description of frame parameters and customization, see @ref{Frame
803 Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
804
805 @node Scroll Bars
806 @section Scroll Bars
807 @cindex Scroll Bar mode
808 @cindex mode, Scroll Bar
809
810 On graphical displays, Emacs normally makes a @dfn{scroll bar} at
811 the left of each Emacs window.@footnote{Placing it at the left is
812 usually more useful with overlapping frames with text starting at the
813 left margin.} The scroll bar runs the height of the window, and shows
814 a moving rectangular inner box which represents the portion of the
815 buffer currently displayed. The entire height of the scroll bar
816 represents the entire length of the buffer.
817
818 You can use @kbd{Mouse-2} (normally, the middle button) in the scroll
819 bar to move or drag the inner box up and down. If you move it to the
820 top of the scroll bar, you see the top of the buffer. If you move it to
821 the bottom of the scroll bar, you see the bottom of the buffer.
822
823 The left and right buttons in the scroll bar scroll by controlled
824 increments. @kbd{Mouse-1} (normally, the left button) moves the line at
825 the level where you click up to the top of the window. @kbd{Mouse-3}
826 (normally, the right button) moves the line at the top of the window
827 down to the level where you click. By clicking repeatedly in the same
828 place, you can scroll by the same distance over and over.
829
830 You can also click @kbd{C-Mouse-2} in the scroll bar to split a
831 window vertically. The split occurs on the line where you click.
832
833 @findex scroll-bar-mode
834 @vindex scroll-bar-mode
835 You can enable or disable Scroll Bar mode with the command @kbd{M-x
836 scroll-bar-mode}. With no argument, it toggles the use of scroll
837 bars. With an argument, it turns use of scroll bars on if and only if
838 the argument is positive. This command applies to all frames,
839 including frames yet to be created. Customize the variable
840 @code{scroll-bar-mode} to control the use of scroll bars at startup.
841 You can use it to specify that they are placed at the right of windows
842 if you prefer that. You have to set this variable through the
843 @samp{Customize} interface (@pxref{Easy Customization}), or it will
844 not work properly.
845
846 You can also use the X resource @samp{verticalScrollBars} to control
847 the initial setting of Scroll Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
848
849 @findex toggle-scroll-bar
850 To enable or disable scroll bars for just the selected frame, use the
851 command @kbd{M-x toggle-scroll-bar}.
852
853 @vindex scroll-bar-width
854 @cindex width of the scroll bar
855 You can control the scroll bar width by changing the value of the
856 @code{scroll-bar-width} frame parameter.
857
858 @node Wheeled Mice
859 @section Scrolling With ``Wheeled'' Mice
860
861 @cindex mouse wheel
862 @cindex wheel, mouse
863 @findex mouse-wheel-mode
864 @cindex Mouse Wheel minor mode
865 @cindex mode, Mouse Wheel
866 Some mice have a ``wheel'' instead of a third button. You can
867 usually click the wheel to act as either @kbd{Mouse-2} or
868 @kbd{Mouse-3}, depending on the setup. You can also use the wheel to
869 scroll windows instead of using the scroll bar or keyboard commands.
870 Mouse wheel support only works if the system generates appropriate
871 events; whenever possible, it is turned on by default. To toggle this
872 feature, use @kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode}.
873
874 @vindex mouse-wheel-follow-mouse
875 @vindex mouse-wheel-scroll-amount
876 @vindex mouse-wheel-progressive-speed
877 The variables @code{mouse-wheel-follow-mouse} and
878 @code{mouse-wheel-scroll-amount} determine where and by how much
879 buffers are scrolled. The variable
880 @code{mouse-wheel-progressive-speed} determines whether the scroll
881 speed is linked to how fast you move the wheel.
882
883 @node Drag and Drop
884 @section Drag and Drop
885 @cindex drag and drop
886
887 Emacs supports @dfn{drag and drop} using the mouse. For instance,
888 dropping text onto an Emacs frame inserts the text where it is dropped.
889 Dropping a file onto an Emacs frame visits that file. As a special
890 case, dropping the file on a Dired buffer moves or copies the file
891 (according to the conventions of the application it came from) into the
892 directory displayed in that buffer.
893
894 @vindex dnd-open-file-other-window
895 Dropping a file normally visits it in the window you drop it on. If
896 you prefer to visit the file in a new window in such cases, customize
897 the variable @code{dnd-open-file-other-window}.
898
899 The XDND and Motif drag and drop protocols, and the old KDE 1.x
900 protocol, are currently supported.
901
902 @node Menu Bars
903 @section Menu Bars
904 @cindex Menu Bar mode
905 @cindex mode, Menu Bar
906 @findex menu-bar-mode
907 @vindex menu-bar-mode
908
909 You can turn display of menu bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
910 menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the variable @code{menu-bar-mode}.
911 With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a
912 minor mode. With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
913 argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive. You can use
914 the X resource @samp{menuBarLines} to control the initial setting of
915 Menu Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
916
917 @kindex C-Mouse-3 @r{(when menu bar is disabled)}
918 Expert users often turn off the menu bar, especially on text-only
919 terminals, where this makes one additional line available for text.
920 If the menu bar is off, you can still pop up a menu of its contents
921 with @kbd{C-Mouse-3} on a display which supports pop-up menus.
922 @xref{Menu Mouse Clicks}.
923
924 @xref{Menu Bar}, for information on how to invoke commands with the
925 menu bar. @xref{X Resources}, for how to customize the menu bar
926 menus' visual appearance.
927
928 @node Tool Bars
929 @section Tool Bars
930 @cindex Tool Bar mode
931 @cindex mode, Tool Bar
932 @cindex icons, toolbar
933
934 The @dfn{tool bar} is a line (or lines) of icons at the top of the
935 Emacs window, just below the menu bar. You can click on these icons
936 with the mouse to do various jobs.
937
938 The global tool bar contains general commands. Some major modes
939 define their own tool bars to replace it. A few ``special'' modes
940 that are not designed for ordinary editing remove some items from the
941 global tool bar.
942
943 Tool bars work only on a graphical display. The tool bar uses colored
944 XPM icons if Emacs was built with XPM support. Otherwise, the tool
945 bar uses monochrome icons (PBM or XBM format).
946
947 @findex tool-bar-mode
948 @vindex tool-bar-mode
949 You can turn display of tool bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
950 tool-bar-mode} or by customizing the option @code{tool-bar-mode}.
951
952 @node Dialog Boxes
953 @section Using Dialog Boxes
954 @cindex dialog boxes
955
956 @vindex use-dialog-box
957 A dialog box is a special kind of menu for asking you a yes-or-no
958 question or some other special question. Many Emacs commands use a
959 dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
960 invoke the command to begin with.
961
962 You can customize the variable @code{use-dialog-box} to suppress the
963 use of dialog boxes. This also controls whether to use file selection
964 windows (but those are not supported on all platforms).
965
966 @vindex use-file-dialog
967 A file selection window is a special kind of dialog box for asking
968 for file names. You can customize the variable @code{use-file-dialog}
969 to suppress the use of file selection windows, even if you still want
970 other kinds of dialogs. This variable has no effect if you have
971 suppressed all dialog boxes with the variable @code{use-dialog-box}.
972
973 @vindex x-gtk-show-hidden-files
974 For Gtk+ version 2.4 and newer, Emacs use the Gtk+ file chooser
975 dialog. Emacs adds a toggle button that enables and disables showing
976 of hidden files (files starting with a dot) in that dialog. The
977 variable @code{x-gtk-show-hidden-files} controls whether to show
978 hidden files by default.
979
980 @vindex x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog
981 For Gtk+ versions 2.4 through 2.10, you can select the old file
982 dialog (@code{gtk-file-selector}) by setting the variable
983 @code{x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog} to a non-@code{nil} value. If it is
984 @code{nil}, Emacs uses @code{gtk-file-chooser}. If Emacs is built
985 with a Gtk+ version that has only one file dialog, this variable has
986 no effect.
987
988 @vindex x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text
989 Emacs adds help text to the Gtk+ file chooser dialog. The variable
990 @code{x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text} specifies the text to add; if it is
991 @code{nil}, that disables the added text.
992
993 @node Tooltips
994 @section Tooltips
995 @cindex tooltips
996
997 @dfn{Tooltips} are small windows that display text information at the
998 current mouse position. They activate when there is a pause in mouse
999 movement. There are two types of tooltip: help tooltips and GUD
1000 tooltips.
1001
1002 @dfn{Help tooltips} typically display over text---including the mode
1003 line---but are also available for other parts of the Emacs frame, such
1004 as the tool bar and menu items.
1005
1006 @findex tooltip-mode
1007 You can toggle display of help tooltips (Tooltip mode) with the
1008 command @kbd{M-x tooltip-mode}. When Tooltip mode is disabled, the
1009 help text is displayed in the echo area instead.
1010
1011 @dfn{GUD tooltips} show values of variables. They are useful when
1012 you are debugging a program. @xref{Debugger Operation}.
1013
1014 @vindex tooltip-delay
1015 The variables @code{tooltip-delay} specifies how long Emacs should
1016 wait before displaying a tooltip. For additional customization
1017 options for displaying tooltips, use @kbd{M-x customize-group
1018 @key{RET} tooltip @key{RET}}. @xref{X Resources}, for information on
1019 customizing the windows that display tooltips.
1020
1021 @node Mouse Avoidance
1022 @section Mouse Avoidance
1023 @cindex avoiding mouse in the way of your typing
1024 @cindex mouse avoidance
1025
1026 @vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
1027 Mouse Avoidance mode keeps the mouse pointer away from point, to avoid
1028 obscuring text you want to edit. Whenever it moves the mouse, it also
1029 raises the frame. To use Mouse Avoidance mode, customize the variable
1030 @code{mouse-avoidance-mode}. You can set this to various values to
1031 move the mouse in several ways:
1032
1033 @table @code
1034 @item banish
1035 Move the mouse to the upper-right corner on any key-press;
1036 @item exile
1037 Move the mouse to the corner only if the cursor gets too close,
1038 and allow it to return once the cursor is out of the way;
1039 @item jump
1040 If the cursor gets too close to the mouse, displace the mouse
1041 a random distance & direction;
1042 @item animate
1043 As @code{jump}, but shows steps along the way for illusion of motion;
1044 @item cat-and-mouse
1045 The same as @code{animate};
1046 @item proteus
1047 As @code{animate}, but changes the shape of the mouse pointer too.
1048 @end table
1049
1050 @findex mouse-avoidance-mode
1051 You can also use the command @kbd{M-x mouse-avoidance-mode} to enable
1052 the mode.
1053
1054 @node Non-Window Terminals
1055 @section Non-Window Terminals
1056 @cindex non-window terminals
1057 @cindex single-frame terminals
1058
1059 On a text-only terminal, Emacs can display only one Emacs frame at a
1060 time. However, you can still create multiple Emacs frames, and switch
1061 between them. Switching frames on these terminals is much like
1062 switching between different window configurations.
1063
1064 Use @kbd{C-x 5 2} to create a new frame and switch to it; use @kbd{C-x
1065 5 o} to cycle through the existing frames; use @kbd{C-x 5 0} to delete
1066 the current frame.
1067
1068 Each frame has a number to distinguish it. If your terminal can
1069 display only one frame at a time, the selected frame's number @var{n}
1070 appears near the beginning of the mode line, in the form
1071 @samp{F@var{n}}.
1072
1073 @findex set-frame-name
1074 @findex select-frame-by-name
1075 @samp{F@var{n}} is in fact the frame's initial name. You can give
1076 frames more meaningful names if you wish, and you can select a frame
1077 by its name. Use the command @kbd{M-x set-frame-name @key{RET}
1078 @var{name} @key{RET}} to specify a new name for the selected frame,
1079 and use @kbd{M-x select-frame-by-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}}
1080 to select a frame according to its name. The name you specify appears
1081 in the mode line when the frame is selected.
1082
1083 @node Text-Only Mouse
1084 @section Using a Mouse in Terminal Emulators
1085 @cindex mouse support
1086 @cindex terminal emulators, mouse support
1087
1088 Some terminal emulators support mouse clicks in the terminal window.
1089
1090 @cindex xterm
1091 In a terminal emulator which is compatible with @code{xterm},
1092 you can use @kbd{M-x xterm-mouse-mode} to give Emacs control over
1093 simple use of the mouse---basically, only non-modified single clicks
1094 are supported. The normal @code{xterm} mouse functionality for such
1095 clicks is still available by holding down the @kbd{SHIFT} key when you
1096 press the mouse button. Xterm Mouse mode is a global minor mode
1097 (@pxref{Minor Modes}). Repeating the command turns the mode off
1098 again.
1099
1100 In the console on GNU/Linux, you can use @kbd{M-x t-mouse-mode}. You
1101 need to have the gpm package installed and running on your system in
1102 order for this to work.
1103
1104 @ignore
1105 arch-tag: 7dcf3a31-a43b-45d4-a900-445b10d77e49
1106 @end ignore