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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, 2000, 2001,
4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @setfilename ../../info/display
7 @node Display, System Interface, Processes, Top
8 @chapter Emacs Display
9
10 This chapter describes a number of features related to the display
11 that Emacs presents to the user.
12
13 @menu
14 * Refresh Screen:: Clearing the screen and redrawing everything on it.
15 * Forcing Redisplay:: Forcing redisplay.
16 * Truncation:: Folding or wrapping long text lines.
17 * The Echo Area:: Displaying messages at the bottom of the screen.
18 * Warnings:: Displaying warning messages for the user.
19 * Invisible Text:: Hiding part of the buffer text.
20 * Selective Display:: Hiding part of the buffer text (the old way).
21 * Temporary Displays:: Displays that go away automatically.
22 * Overlays:: Use overlays to highlight parts of the buffer.
23 * Width:: How wide a character or string is on the screen.
24 * Line Height:: Controlling the height of lines.
25 * Faces:: A face defines a graphics style for text characters:
26 font, colors, etc.
27 * Fringes:: Controlling window fringes.
28 * Scroll Bars:: Controlling vertical scroll bars.
29 * Display Property:: Enabling special display features.
30 * Images:: Displaying images in Emacs buffers.
31 * Buttons:: Adding clickable buttons to Emacs buffers.
32 * Abstract Display:: Emacs' Widget for Object Collections.
33 * Blinking:: How Emacs shows the matching open parenthesis.
34 * Usual Display:: The usual conventions for displaying nonprinting chars.
35 * Display Tables:: How to specify other conventions.
36 * Beeping:: Audible signal to the user.
37 * Window Systems:: Which window system is being used.
38 @end menu
39
40 @node Refresh Screen
41 @section Refreshing the Screen
42
43 The function @code{redraw-frame} clears and redisplays the entire
44 contents of a given frame (@pxref{Frames}). This is useful if the
45 screen is corrupted.
46
47 @c Emacs 19 feature
48 @defun redraw-frame frame
49 This function clears and redisplays frame @var{frame}.
50 @end defun
51
52 Even more powerful is @code{redraw-display}:
53
54 @deffn Command redraw-display
55 This function clears and redisplays all visible frames.
56 @end deffn
57
58 In Emacs, processing user input takes priority over redisplay. If
59 you call these functions when input is available, they don't redisplay
60 immediately, but the requested redisplay does happen
61 eventually---after all the input has been processed.
62
63 On text-only terminals, suspending and resuming Emacs normally also
64 refreshes the screen. Some terminal emulators record separate
65 contents for display-oriented programs such as Emacs and for ordinary
66 sequential display. If you are using such a terminal, you might want
67 to inhibit the redisplay on resumption.
68
69 @defopt no-redraw-on-reenter
70 @cindex suspend (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
71 @cindex resume (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
72 This variable controls whether Emacs redraws the entire screen after it
73 has been suspended and resumed. Non-@code{nil} means there is no need
74 to redraw, @code{nil} means redrawing is needed. The default is @code{nil}.
75 @end defopt
76
77 @node Forcing Redisplay
78 @section Forcing Redisplay
79 @cindex forcing redisplay
80
81 Emacs normally tries to redisplay the screen whenever it waits for
82 input. With the following function, you can request an immediate
83 attempt to redisplay, in the middle of Lisp code, without actually
84 waiting for input.
85
86 @defun redisplay &optional force
87 This function tries immediately to redisplay, provided there are no
88 pending input events.
89
90 If the optional argument @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, it does all
91 pending redisplay work even if input is available, with no
92 pre-emption.
93
94 The function returns @code{t} if it actually tried to redisplay, and
95 @code{nil} otherwise. A value of @code{t} does not mean that
96 redisplay proceeded to completion; it could have been pre-empted by
97 newly arriving terminal input.
98 @end defun
99
100 @code{redisplay} with no argument tries immediately to redisplay,
101 but has no effect on the usual rules for what parts of the screen to
102 redisplay. By contrast, the following function adds certain windows
103 to the pending redisplay work (as if their contents had completely
104 changed), but doesn't immediately try to do any redisplay work.
105
106 @defun force-window-update &optional object
107 This function forces some or all windows to be updated on next
108 redisplay. If @var{object} is a window, it requires eventual
109 redisplay of that window. If @var{object} is a buffer or buffer name,
110 it requires eventual redisplay of all windows displaying that buffer.
111 If @var{object} is @code{nil} (or omitted), it requires eventual
112 redisplay of all windows.
113 @end defun
114
115 @code{force-window-update} does not do a redisplay immediately.
116 (Emacs will do that when it waits for input.) Rather, its effect is
117 to put more work on the queue to be done by redisplay whenever there
118 is a chance.
119
120 Emacs redisplay normally stops if input arrives, and does not happen
121 at all if input is available before it starts. Most of the time, this
122 is exactly what you want. However, you can prevent preemption by
123 binding @code{redisplay-dont-pause} to a non-@code{nil} value.
124
125 @defvar redisplay-dont-pause
126 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, pending input does not
127 prevent or halt redisplay; redisplay occurs, and finishes,
128 regardless of whether input is available.
129 @end defvar
130
131 @defvar redisplay-preemption-period
132 This variable specifies how many seconds Emacs waits between checks
133 for new input during redisplay. (The default is 0.1 seconds.) If
134 input has arrived when Emacs checks, it pre-empts redisplay and
135 processes the available input before trying again to redisplay.
136
137 If this variable is @code{nil}, Emacs does not check for input during
138 redisplay, and redisplay cannot be preempted by input.
139
140 This variable is only obeyed on graphical terminals. For
141 text terminals, see @ref{Terminal Output}.
142 @end defvar
143
144 @node Truncation
145 @section Truncation
146 @cindex line wrapping
147 @cindex line truncation
148 @cindex continuation lines
149 @cindex @samp{$} in display
150 @cindex @samp{\} in display
151
152 When a line of text extends beyond the right edge of a window, Emacs
153 can @dfn{continue} the line (make it ``wrap'' to the next screen
154 line), or @dfn{truncate} the line (limit it to one screen line). The
155 additional screen lines used to display a long text line are called
156 @dfn{continuation} lines. Continuation is not the same as filling;
157 continuation happens on the screen only, not in the buffer contents,
158 and it breaks a line precisely at the right margin, not at a word
159 boundary. @xref{Filling}.
160
161 On a graphical display, tiny arrow images in the window fringes
162 indicate truncated and continued lines (@pxref{Fringes}). On a text
163 terminal, a @samp{$} in the rightmost column of the window indicates
164 truncation; a @samp{\} on the rightmost column indicates a line that
165 ``wraps.'' (The display table can specify alternate characters to use
166 for this; @pxref{Display Tables}).
167
168 @defopt truncate-lines
169 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, lines that extend
170 beyond the right edge of the window are truncated; otherwise, they are
171 continued. As a special exception, the variable
172 @code{truncate-partial-width-windows} takes precedence in
173 @dfn{partial-width} windows (i.e., windows that do not occupy the
174 entire frame width).
175 @end defopt
176
177 @defopt default-truncate-lines
178 This variable is the default value for @code{truncate-lines}, for
179 buffers that do not have buffer-local values for it.
180 @end defopt
181
182 @defopt truncate-partial-width-windows
183 This variable controls line truncation in @dfn{partial-width} windows.
184 A partial-width window is one that does not occupy the entire frame
185 width (@pxref{Splitting Windows}). If the value is @code{nil}, line
186 truncation is determined by the variable @code{truncate-lines} (see
187 above). If the value is an integer @var{n}, lines are truncated if
188 the partial-width window has fewer than @var{n} columns, regardless of
189 the value of @code{truncate-lines}; if the partial-width window has
190 @var{n} or more columns, line truncation is determined by
191 @code{truncate-lines}. For any other non-@code{nil} value, lines are
192 truncated in every partial-width window, regardless of the value of
193 @code{truncate-lines}.
194 @end defopt
195
196 When horizontal scrolling (@pxref{Horizontal Scrolling}) is in use in
197 a window, that forces truncation.
198
199 @defvar wrap-prefix
200 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, it defines a
201 ``prefix'' that is prepended to every continuation line at
202 display-time. (If lines are truncated, the wrap-prefix is never
203 used.) It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph; the value is
204 interpreted in the same way as a @code{display} text property.
205 @xref{Display Property}.
206
207 A wrap-prefix may also be specified for regions of text, using the
208 @code{wrap-prefix} text or overlay property. This takes precedence
209 over the @code{wrap-prefix} variable. @xref{Special Properties}.
210 @end defvar
211
212 @defvar line-prefix
213 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, it defines a
214 ``prefix'' that is prepended to every non-continuation line at
215 display-time. It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph; the
216 value is interpreted in the same way as a @code{display} text
217 property. @xref{Display Property}.
218
219 A line-prefix may also be specified for regions of text using the
220 @code{line-prefix} text or overlay property. This takes precedence
221 over the @code{line-prefix} variable. @xref{Special Properties}.
222 @end defvar
223
224 If your buffer contains @emph{very} long lines, and you use
225 continuation to display them, computing the continuation lines can
226 make Emacs redisplay slow. The column computation and indentation
227 functions also become slow. Then you might find it advisable to set
228 @code{cache-long-line-scans} to @code{t}.
229
230 @defvar cache-long-line-scans
231 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, various indentation and motion
232 functions, and Emacs redisplay, cache the results of scanning the
233 buffer, and consult the cache to avoid rescanning regions of the buffer
234 unless they are modified.
235
236 Turning on the cache slows down processing of short lines somewhat.
237
238 This variable is automatically buffer-local in every buffer.
239 @end defvar
240
241 @node The Echo Area
242 @section The Echo Area
243 @cindex error display
244 @cindex echo area
245
246 The @dfn{echo area} is used for displaying error messages
247 (@pxref{Errors}), for messages made with the @code{message} primitive,
248 and for echoing keystrokes. It is not the same as the minibuffer,
249 despite the fact that the minibuffer appears (when active) in the same
250 place on the screen as the echo area. The @cite{GNU Emacs Manual}
251 specifies the rules for resolving conflicts between the echo area and
252 the minibuffer for use of that screen space (@pxref{Minibuffer,, The
253 Minibuffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
254
255 You can write output in the echo area by using the Lisp printing
256 functions with @code{t} as the stream (@pxref{Output Functions}), or
257 explicitly.
258
259 @menu
260 * Displaying Messages:: Explicitly displaying text in the echo area.
261 * Progress:: Informing user about progress of a long operation.
262 * Logging Messages:: Echo area messages are logged for the user.
263 * Echo Area Customization:: Controlling the echo area.
264 @end menu
265
266 @node Displaying Messages
267 @subsection Displaying Messages in the Echo Area
268 @cindex display message in echo area
269
270 This section describes the functions for explicitly producing echo
271 area messages. Many other Emacs features display messages there, too.
272
273 @defun message format-string &rest arguments
274 This function displays a message in the echo area. The argument
275 @var{format-string} is similar to a C language @code{printf} format
276 string. See @code{format} in @ref{Formatting Strings}, for the details
277 on the conversion specifications. @code{message} returns the
278 constructed string.
279
280 In batch mode, @code{message} prints the message text on the standard
281 error stream, followed by a newline.
282
283 If @var{format-string}, or strings among the @var{arguments}, have
284 @code{face} text properties, these affect the way the message is displayed.
285
286 @c Emacs 19 feature
287 If @var{format-string} is @code{nil} or the empty string,
288 @code{message} clears the echo area; if the echo area has been
289 expanded automatically, this brings it back to its normal size.
290 If the minibuffer is active, this brings the minibuffer contents back
291 onto the screen immediately.
292
293 @example
294 @group
295 (message "Minibuffer depth is %d."
296 (minibuffer-depth))
297 @print{} Minibuffer depth is 0.
298 @result{} "Minibuffer depth is 0."
299 @end group
300
301 @group
302 ---------- Echo Area ----------
303 Minibuffer depth is 0.
304 ---------- Echo Area ----------
305 @end group
306 @end example
307
308 To automatically display a message in the echo area or in a pop-buffer,
309 depending on its size, use @code{display-message-or-buffer} (see below).
310 @end defun
311
312 @defmac with-temp-message message &rest body
313 This construct displays a message in the echo area temporarily, during
314 the execution of @var{body}. It displays @var{message}, executes
315 @var{body}, then returns the value of the last body form while restoring
316 the previous echo area contents.
317 @end defmac
318
319 @defun message-or-box format-string &rest arguments
320 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but may display it
321 in a dialog box instead of the echo area. If this function is called in
322 a command that was invoked using the mouse---more precisely, if
323 @code{last-nonmenu-event} (@pxref{Command Loop Info}) is either
324 @code{nil} or a list---then it uses a dialog box or pop-up menu to
325 display the message. Otherwise, it uses the echo area. (This is the
326 same criterion that @code{y-or-n-p} uses to make a similar decision; see
327 @ref{Yes-or-No Queries}.)
328
329 You can force use of the mouse or of the echo area by binding
330 @code{last-nonmenu-event} to a suitable value around the call.
331 @end defun
332
333 @defun message-box format-string &rest arguments
334 @anchor{message-box}
335 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but uses a dialog
336 box (or a pop-up menu) whenever that is possible. If it is impossible
337 to use a dialog box or pop-up menu, because the terminal does not
338 support them, then @code{message-box} uses the echo area, like
339 @code{message}.
340 @end defun
341
342 @defun display-message-or-buffer message &optional buffer-name not-this-window frame
343 This function displays the message @var{message}, which may be either a
344 string or a buffer. If it is shorter than the maximum height of the
345 echo area, as defined by @code{max-mini-window-height}, it is displayed
346 in the echo area, using @code{message}. Otherwise,
347 @code{display-buffer} is used to show it in a pop-up buffer.
348
349 Returns either the string shown in the echo area, or when a pop-up
350 buffer is used, the window used to display it.
351
352 If @var{message} is a string, then the optional argument
353 @var{buffer-name} is the name of the buffer used to display it when a
354 pop-up buffer is used, defaulting to @samp{*Message*}. In the case
355 where @var{message} is a string and displayed in the echo area, it is
356 not specified whether the contents are inserted into the buffer anyway.
357
358 The optional arguments @var{not-this-window} and @var{frame} are as for
359 @code{display-buffer}, and only used if a buffer is displayed.
360 @end defun
361
362 @defun current-message
363 This function returns the message currently being displayed in the
364 echo area, or @code{nil} if there is none.
365 @end defun
366
367 @node Progress
368 @subsection Reporting Operation Progress
369 @cindex progress reporting
370
371 When an operation can take a while to finish, you should inform the
372 user about the progress it makes. This way the user can estimate
373 remaining time and clearly see that Emacs is busy working, not hung.
374
375 Functions listed in this section provide simple and efficient way of
376 reporting operation progress. Here is a working example that does
377 nothing useful:
378
379 @smallexample
380 (let ((progress-reporter
381 (make-progress-reporter "Collecting mana for Emacs..."
382 0 500)))
383 (dotimes (k 500)
384 (sit-for 0.01)
385 (progress-reporter-update progress-reporter k))
386 (progress-reporter-done progress-reporter))
387 @end smallexample
388
389 @defun make-progress-reporter message min-value max-value &optional current-value min-change min-time
390 This function creates and returns a @dfn{progress reporter}---an
391 object you will use as an argument for all other functions listed
392 here. The idea is to precompute as much data as possible to make
393 progress reporting very fast.
394
395 When this progress reporter is subsequently used, it will display
396 @var{message} in the echo area, followed by progress percentage.
397 @var{message} is treated as a simple string. If you need it to depend
398 on a filename, for instance, use @code{format} before calling this
399 function.
400
401 @var{min-value} and @var{max-value} arguments stand for starting and
402 final states of your operation. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
403 they should be the results of @code{point-min} and @code{point-max}
404 correspondingly. It is required that @var{max-value} is greater than
405 @var{min-value}. If you create progress reporter when some part of
406 the operation has already been completed, then specify
407 @var{current-value} argument. But normally you should omit it or set
408 it to @code{nil}---it will default to @var{min-value} then.
409
410 Remaining arguments control the rate of echo area updates. Progress
411 reporter will wait for at least @var{min-change} more percents of the
412 operation to be completed before printing next message.
413 @var{min-time} specifies the minimum time in seconds to pass between
414 successive prints. It can be fractional. Depending on Emacs and
415 system capabilities, progress reporter may or may not respect this
416 last argument or do it with varying precision. Default value for
417 @var{min-change} is 1 (one percent), for @var{min-time}---0.2
418 (seconds.)
419
420 This function calls @code{progress-reporter-update}, so the first
421 message is printed immediately.
422 @end defun
423
424 @defun progress-reporter-update reporter value
425 This function does the main work of reporting progress of your
426 operation. It displays the message of @var{reporter}, followed by
427 progress percentage determined by @var{value}. If percentage is zero,
428 or close enough according to the @var{min-change} and @var{min-time}
429 arguments, then it is omitted from the output.
430
431 @var{reporter} must be the result of a call to
432 @code{make-progress-reporter}. @var{value} specifies the current
433 state of your operation and must be between @var{min-value} and
434 @var{max-value} (inclusive) as passed to
435 @code{make-progress-reporter}. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
436 then @var{value} should be the result of a call to @code{point}.
437
438 This function respects @var{min-change} and @var{min-time} as passed
439 to @code{make-progress-reporter} and so does not output new messages
440 on every invocation. It is thus very fast and normally you should not
441 try to reduce the number of calls to it: resulting overhead will most
442 likely negate your effort.
443 @end defun
444
445 @defun progress-reporter-force-update reporter value &optional new-message
446 This function is similar to @code{progress-reporter-update} except
447 that it prints a message in the echo area unconditionally.
448
449 The first two arguments have the same meaning as for
450 @code{progress-reporter-update}. Optional @var{new-message} allows
451 you to change the message of the @var{reporter}. Since this functions
452 always updates the echo area, such a change will be immediately
453 presented to the user.
454 @end defun
455
456 @defun progress-reporter-done reporter
457 This function should be called when the operation is finished. It
458 prints the message of @var{reporter} followed by word ``done'' in the
459 echo area.
460
461 You should always call this function and not hope for
462 @code{progress-reporter-update} to print ``100%.'' Firstly, it may
463 never print it, there are many good reasons for this not to happen.
464 Secondly, ``done'' is more explicit.
465 @end defun
466
467 @defmac dotimes-with-progress-reporter (var count [result]) message body@dots{}
468 This is a convenience macro that works the same way as @code{dotimes}
469 does, but also reports loop progress using the functions described
470 above. It allows you to save some typing.
471
472 You can rewrite the example in the beginning of this node using
473 this macro this way:
474
475 @example
476 (dotimes-with-progress-reporter
477 (k 500)
478 "Collecting some mana for Emacs..."
479 (sit-for 0.01))
480 @end example
481 @end defmac
482
483 @node Logging Messages
484 @subsection Logging Messages in @samp{*Messages*}
485 @cindex logging echo-area messages
486
487 Almost all the messages displayed in the echo area are also recorded
488 in the @samp{*Messages*} buffer so that the user can refer back to
489 them. This includes all the messages that are output with
490 @code{message}.
491
492 @defopt message-log-max
493 This variable specifies how many lines to keep in the @samp{*Messages*}
494 buffer. The value @code{t} means there is no limit on how many lines to
495 keep. The value @code{nil} disables message logging entirely. Here's
496 how to display a message and prevent it from being logged:
497
498 @example
499 (let (message-log-max)
500 (message @dots{}))
501 @end example
502 @end defopt
503
504 To make @samp{*Messages*} more convenient for the user, the logging
505 facility combines successive identical messages. It also combines
506 successive related messages for the sake of two cases: question
507 followed by answer, and a series of progress messages.
508
509 A ``question followed by an answer'' means two messages like the
510 ones produced by @code{y-or-n-p}: the first is @samp{@var{question}},
511 and the second is @samp{@var{question}...@var{answer}}. The first
512 message conveys no additional information beyond what's in the second,
513 so logging the second message discards the first from the log.
514
515 A ``series of progress messages'' means successive messages like
516 those produced by @code{make-progress-reporter}. They have the form
517 @samp{@var{base}...@var{how-far}}, where @var{base} is the same each
518 time, while @var{how-far} varies. Logging each message in the series
519 discards the previous one, provided they are consecutive.
520
521 The functions @code{make-progress-reporter} and @code{y-or-n-p}
522 don't have to do anything special to activate the message log
523 combination feature. It operates whenever two consecutive messages
524 are logged that share a common prefix ending in @samp{...}.
525
526 @node Echo Area Customization
527 @subsection Echo Area Customization
528
529 These variables control details of how the echo area works.
530
531 @defvar cursor-in-echo-area
532 This variable controls where the cursor appears when a message is
533 displayed in the echo area. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the cursor
534 appears at the end of the message. Otherwise, the cursor appears at
535 point---not in the echo area at all.
536
537 The value is normally @code{nil}; Lisp programs bind it to @code{t}
538 for brief periods of time.
539 @end defvar
540
541 @defvar echo-area-clear-hook
542 This normal hook is run whenever the echo area is cleared---either by
543 @code{(message nil)} or for any other reason.
544 @end defvar
545
546 @defopt echo-keystrokes
547 This variable determines how much time should elapse before command
548 characters echo. Its value must be an integer or floating point number,
549 which specifies the
550 number of seconds to wait before echoing. If the user types a prefix
551 key (such as @kbd{C-x}) and then delays this many seconds before
552 continuing, the prefix key is echoed in the echo area. (Once echoing
553 begins in a key sequence, all subsequent characters in the same key
554 sequence are echoed immediately.)
555
556 If the value is zero, then command input is not echoed.
557 @end defopt
558
559 @defvar message-truncate-lines
560 Normally, displaying a long message resizes the echo area to display
561 the entire message. But if the variable @code{message-truncate-lines}
562 is non-@code{nil}, the echo area does not resize, and the message is
563 truncated to fit it, as in Emacs 20 and before.
564 @end defvar
565
566 The variable @code{max-mini-window-height}, which specifies the
567 maximum height for resizing minibuffer windows, also applies to the
568 echo area (which is really a special use of the minibuffer window.
569 @xref{Minibuffer Misc}.).
570
571 @node Warnings
572 @section Reporting Warnings
573 @cindex warnings
574
575 @dfn{Warnings} are a facility for a program to inform the user of a
576 possible problem, but continue running.
577
578 @menu
579 * Warning Basics:: Warnings concepts and functions to report them.
580 * Warning Variables:: Variables programs bind to customize their warnings.
581 * Warning Options:: Variables users set to control display of warnings.
582 @end menu
583
584 @node Warning Basics
585 @subsection Warning Basics
586 @cindex severity level
587
588 Every warning has a textual message, which explains the problem for
589 the user, and a @dfn{severity level} which is a symbol. Here are the
590 possible severity levels, in order of decreasing severity, and their
591 meanings:
592
593 @table @code
594 @item :emergency
595 A problem that will seriously impair Emacs operation soon
596 if you do not attend to it promptly.
597 @item :error
598 A report of data or circumstances that are inherently wrong.
599 @item :warning
600 A report of data or circumstances that are not inherently wrong, but
601 raise suspicion of a possible problem.
602 @item :debug
603 A report of information that may be useful if you are debugging.
604 @end table
605
606 When your program encounters invalid input data, it can either
607 signal a Lisp error by calling @code{error} or @code{signal} or report
608 a warning with severity @code{:error}. Signaling a Lisp error is the
609 easiest thing to do, but it means the program cannot continue
610 processing. If you want to take the trouble to implement a way to
611 continue processing despite the bad data, then reporting a warning of
612 severity @code{:error} is the right way to inform the user of the
613 problem. For instance, the Emacs Lisp byte compiler can report an
614 error that way and continue compiling other functions. (If the
615 program signals a Lisp error and then handles it with
616 @code{condition-case}, the user won't see the error message; it could
617 show the message to the user by reporting it as a warning.)
618
619 @cindex warning type
620 Each warning has a @dfn{warning type} to classify it. The type is a
621 list of symbols. The first symbol should be the custom group that you
622 use for the program's user options. For example, byte compiler
623 warnings use the warning type @code{(bytecomp)}. You can also
624 subcategorize the warnings, if you wish, by using more symbols in the
625 list.
626
627 @defun display-warning type message &optional level buffer-name
628 This function reports a warning, using @var{message} as the message
629 and @var{type} as the warning type. @var{level} should be the
630 severity level, with @code{:warning} being the default.
631
632 @var{buffer-name}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the name of the buffer
633 for logging the warning. By default, it is @samp{*Warnings*}.
634 @end defun
635
636 @defun lwarn type level message &rest args
637 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
638 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message. In other respects it is
639 equivalent to @code{display-warning}.
640 @end defun
641
642 @defun warn message &rest args
643 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
644 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message, @code{(emacs)} as the
645 type, and @code{:warning} as the severity level. It exists for
646 compatibility only; we recommend not using it, because you should
647 specify a specific warning type.
648 @end defun
649
650 @node Warning Variables
651 @subsection Warning Variables
652
653 Programs can customize how their warnings appear by binding
654 the variables described in this section.
655
656 @defvar warning-levels
657 This list defines the meaning and severity order of the warning
658 severity levels. Each element defines one severity level,
659 and they are arranged in order of decreasing severity.
660
661 Each element has the form @code{(@var{level} @var{string}
662 @var{function})}, where @var{level} is the severity level it defines.
663 @var{string} specifies the textual description of this level.
664 @var{string} should use @samp{%s} to specify where to put the warning
665 type information, or it can omit the @samp{%s} so as not to include
666 that information.
667
668 The optional @var{function}, if non-@code{nil}, is a function to call
669 with no arguments, to get the user's attention.
670
671 Normally you should not change the value of this variable.
672 @end defvar
673
674 @defvar warning-prefix-function
675 If non-@code{nil}, the value is a function to generate prefix text for
676 warnings. Programs can bind the variable to a suitable function.
677 @code{display-warning} calls this function with the warnings buffer
678 current, and the function can insert text in it. That text becomes
679 the beginning of the warning message.
680
681 The function is called with two arguments, the severity level and its
682 entry in @code{warning-levels}. It should return a list to use as the
683 entry (this value need not be an actual member of
684 @code{warning-levels}). By constructing this value, the function can
685 change the severity of the warning, or specify different handling for
686 a given severity level.
687
688 If the variable's value is @code{nil} then there is no function
689 to call.
690 @end defvar
691
692 @defvar warning-series
693 Programs can bind this variable to @code{t} to say that the next
694 warning should begin a series. When several warnings form a series,
695 that means to leave point on the first warning of the series, rather
696 than keep moving it for each warning so that it appears on the last one.
697 The series ends when the local binding is unbound and
698 @code{warning-series} becomes @code{nil} again.
699
700 The value can also be a symbol with a function definition. That is
701 equivalent to @code{t}, except that the next warning will also call
702 the function with no arguments with the warnings buffer current. The
703 function can insert text which will serve as a header for the series
704 of warnings.
705
706 Once a series has begun, the value is a marker which points to the
707 buffer position in the warnings buffer of the start of the series.
708
709 The variable's normal value is @code{nil}, which means to handle
710 each warning separately.
711 @end defvar
712
713 @defvar warning-fill-prefix
714 When this variable is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a fill prefix to
715 use for filling each warning's text.
716 @end defvar
717
718 @defvar warning-type-format
719 This variable specifies the format for displaying the warning type
720 in the warning message. The result of formatting the type this way
721 gets included in the message under the control of the string in the
722 entry in @code{warning-levels}. The default value is @code{" (%s)"}.
723 If you bind it to @code{""} then the warning type won't appear at
724 all.
725 @end defvar
726
727 @node Warning Options
728 @subsection Warning Options
729
730 These variables are used by users to control what happens
731 when a Lisp program reports a warning.
732
733 @defopt warning-minimum-level
734 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
735 shown immediately to the user. The default is @code{:warning}, which
736 means to immediately display all warnings except @code{:debug}
737 warnings.
738 @end defopt
739
740 @defopt warning-minimum-log-level
741 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
742 logged in the warnings buffer. The default is @code{:warning}, which
743 means to log all warnings except @code{:debug} warnings.
744 @end defopt
745
746 @defopt warning-suppress-types
747 This list specifies which warning types should not be displayed
748 immediately for the user. Each element of the list should be a list
749 of symbols. If its elements match the first elements in a warning
750 type, then that warning is not displayed immediately.
751 @end defopt
752
753 @defopt warning-suppress-log-types
754 This list specifies which warning types should not be logged in the
755 warnings buffer. Each element of the list should be a list of
756 symbols. If it matches the first few elements in a warning type, then
757 that warning is not logged.
758 @end defopt
759
760 @node Invisible Text
761 @section Invisible Text
762
763 @cindex invisible text
764 You can make characters @dfn{invisible}, so that they do not appear on
765 the screen, with the @code{invisible} property. This can be either a
766 text property (@pxref{Text Properties}) or a property of an overlay
767 (@pxref{Overlays}). Cursor motion also partly ignores these
768 characters; if the command loop finds point within them, it moves
769 point to the other side of them.
770
771 In the simplest case, any non-@code{nil} @code{invisible} property makes
772 a character invisible. This is the default case---if you don't alter
773 the default value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}, this is how the
774 @code{invisible} property works. You should normally use @code{t}
775 as the value of the @code{invisible} property if you don't plan
776 to set @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} yourself.
777
778 More generally, you can use the variable @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
779 to control which values of the @code{invisible} property make text
780 invisible. This permits you to classify the text into different subsets
781 in advance, by giving them different @code{invisible} values, and
782 subsequently make various subsets visible or invisible by changing the
783 value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}.
784
785 Controlling visibility with @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is
786 especially useful in a program to display the list of entries in a
787 database. It permits the implementation of convenient filtering
788 commands to view just a part of the entries in the database. Setting
789 this variable is very fast, much faster than scanning all the text in
790 the buffer looking for properties to change.
791
792 @defvar buffer-invisibility-spec
793 This variable specifies which kinds of @code{invisible} properties
794 actually make a character invisible. Setting this variable makes it
795 buffer-local.
796
797 @table @asis
798 @item @code{t}
799 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property is
800 non-@code{nil}. This is the default.
801
802 @item a list
803 Each element of the list specifies a criterion for invisibility; if a
804 character's @code{invisible} property fits any one of these criteria,
805 the character is invisible. The list can have two kinds of elements:
806
807 @table @code
808 @item @var{atom}
809 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value
810 is @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member.
811
812 @item (@var{atom} . t)
813 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value is
814 @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member. Moreover,
815 a sequence of such characters displays as an ellipsis.
816 @end table
817 @end table
818 @end defvar
819
820 Two functions are specifically provided for adding elements to
821 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and removing elements from it.
822
823 @defun add-to-invisibility-spec element
824 This function adds the element @var{element} to
825 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. If @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
826 was @code{t}, it changes to a list, @code{(t)}, so that text whose
827 @code{invisible} property is @code{t} remains invisible.
828 @end defun
829
830 @defun remove-from-invisibility-spec element
831 This removes the element @var{element} from
832 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. This does nothing if @var{element}
833 is not in the list.
834 @end defun
835
836 A convention for use of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is that a
837 major mode should use the mode's own name as an element of
838 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and as the value of the
839 @code{invisible} property:
840
841 @example
842 ;; @r{If you want to display an ellipsis:}
843 (add-to-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
844 ;; @r{If you don't want ellipsis:}
845 (add-to-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
846
847 (overlay-put (make-overlay beginning end)
848 'invisible 'my-symbol)
849
850 ;; @r{When done with the overlays:}
851 (remove-from-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
852 ;; @r{Or respectively:}
853 (remove-from-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
854 @end example
855
856 You can check for invisibility using the following function:
857
858 @defun invisible-p pos-or-prop
859 If @var{pos-or-prop} is a marker or number, this function returns a
860 non-@code{nil} value if the text at that position is invisible.
861
862 If @var{pos-or-prop} is any other kind of Lisp object, that is taken
863 to mean a possible value of the @code{invisible} text or overlay
864 property. In that case, this function returns a non-@code{nil} value
865 if that value would cause text to become invisible, based on the
866 current value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}.
867 @end defun
868
869 @vindex line-move-ignore-invisible
870 Ordinarily, functions that operate on text or move point do not care
871 whether the text is invisible. The user-level line motion commands
872 ignore invisible newlines if @code{line-move-ignore-invisible} is
873 non-@code{nil} (the default), but only because they are explicitly
874 programmed to do so.
875
876 However, if a command ends with point inside or immediately before
877 invisible text, the main editing loop moves point further forward or
878 further backward (in the same direction that the command already moved
879 it) until that condition is no longer true. Thus, if the command
880 moved point back into an invisible range, Emacs moves point back to
881 the beginning of that range, and then back one more character. If the
882 command moved point forward into an invisible range, Emacs moves point
883 forward up to the first visible character that follows the invisible
884 text.
885
886 Incremental search can make invisible overlays visible temporarily
887 and/or permanently when a match includes invisible text. To enable
888 this, the overlay should have a non-@code{nil}
889 @code{isearch-open-invisible} property. The property value should be a
890 function to be called with the overlay as an argument. This function
891 should make the overlay visible permanently; it is used when the match
892 overlaps the overlay on exit from the search.
893
894 During the search, such overlays are made temporarily visible by
895 temporarily modifying their invisible and intangible properties. If you
896 want this to be done differently for a certain overlay, give it an
897 @code{isearch-open-invisible-temporary} property which is a function.
898 The function is called with two arguments: the first is the overlay, and
899 the second is @code{nil} to make the overlay visible, or @code{t} to
900 make it invisible again.
901
902 @node Selective Display
903 @section Selective Display
904 @c @cindex selective display Duplicates selective-display
905
906 @dfn{Selective display} refers to a pair of related features for
907 hiding certain lines on the screen.
908
909 The first variant, explicit selective display, is designed for use
910 in a Lisp program: it controls which lines are hidden by altering the
911 text. This kind of hiding in some ways resembles the effect of the
912 @code{invisible} property (@pxref{Invisible Text}), but the two
913 features are different and do not work the same way.
914
915 In the second variant, the choice of lines to hide is made
916 automatically based on indentation. This variant is designed to be a
917 user-level feature.
918
919 The way you control explicit selective display is by replacing a
920 newline (control-j) with a carriage return (control-m). The text that
921 was formerly a line following that newline is now hidden. Strictly
922 speaking, it is temporarily no longer a line at all, since only
923 newlines can separate lines; it is now part of the previous line.
924
925 Selective display does not directly affect editing commands. For
926 example, @kbd{C-f} (@code{forward-char}) moves point unhesitatingly
927 into hidden text. However, the replacement of newline characters with
928 carriage return characters affects some editing commands. For
929 example, @code{next-line} skips hidden lines, since it searches only
930 for newlines. Modes that use selective display can also define
931 commands that take account of the newlines, or that control which
932 parts of the text are hidden.
933
934 When you write a selectively displayed buffer into a file, all the
935 control-m's are output as newlines. This means that when you next read
936 in the file, it looks OK, with nothing hidden. The selective display
937 effect is seen only within Emacs.
938
939 @defvar selective-display
940 This buffer-local variable enables selective display. This means that
941 lines, or portions of lines, may be made hidden.
942
943 @itemize @bullet
944 @item
945 If the value of @code{selective-display} is @code{t}, then the character
946 control-m marks the start of hidden text; the control-m, and the rest
947 of the line following it, are not displayed. This is explicit selective
948 display.
949
950 @item
951 If the value of @code{selective-display} is a positive integer, then
952 lines that start with more than that many columns of indentation are not
953 displayed.
954 @end itemize
955
956 When some portion of a buffer is hidden, the vertical movement
957 commands operate as if that portion did not exist, allowing a single
958 @code{next-line} command to skip any number of hidden lines.
959 However, character movement commands (such as @code{forward-char}) do
960 not skip the hidden portion, and it is possible (if tricky) to insert
961 or delete text in an hidden portion.
962
963 In the examples below, we show the @emph{display appearance} of the
964 buffer @code{foo}, which changes with the value of
965 @code{selective-display}. The @emph{contents} of the buffer do not
966 change.
967
968 @example
969 @group
970 (setq selective-display nil)
971 @result{} nil
972
973 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
974 1 on this column
975 2on this column
976 3n this column
977 3n this column
978 2on this column
979 1 on this column
980 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
981 @end group
982
983 @group
984 (setq selective-display 2)
985 @result{} 2
986
987 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
988 1 on this column
989 2on this column
990 2on this column
991 1 on this column
992 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
993 @end group
994 @end example
995 @end defvar
996
997 @defopt selective-display-ellipses
998 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays
999 @samp{@dots{}} at the end of a line that is followed by hidden text.
1000 This example is a continuation of the previous one.
1001
1002 @example
1003 @group
1004 (setq selective-display-ellipses t)
1005 @result{} t
1006
1007 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1008 1 on this column
1009 2on this column ...
1010 2on this column
1011 1 on this column
1012 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1013 @end group
1014 @end example
1015
1016 You can use a display table to substitute other text for the ellipsis
1017 (@samp{@dots{}}). @xref{Display Tables}.
1018 @end defopt
1019
1020 @node Temporary Displays
1021 @section Temporary Displays
1022
1023 Temporary displays are used by Lisp programs to put output into a
1024 buffer and then present it to the user for perusal rather than for
1025 editing. Many help commands use this feature.
1026
1027 @defspec with-output-to-temp-buffer buffer-name forms@dots{}
1028 This function executes @var{forms} while arranging to insert any output
1029 they print into the buffer named @var{buffer-name}, which is first
1030 created if necessary, and put into Help mode. Finally, the buffer is
1031 displayed in some window, but not selected.
1032
1033 If the @var{forms} do not change the major mode in the output buffer,
1034 so that it is still Help mode at the end of their execution, then
1035 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} makes this buffer read-only at the
1036 end, and also scans it for function and variable names to make them
1037 into clickable cross-references. @xref{Docstring hyperlinks, , Tips
1038 for Documentation Strings}, in particular the item on hyperlinks in
1039 documentation strings, for more details.
1040
1041 The string @var{buffer-name} specifies the temporary buffer, which
1042 need not already exist. The argument must be a string, not a buffer.
1043 The buffer is erased initially (with no questions asked), and it is
1044 marked as unmodified after @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} exits.
1045
1046 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} binds @code{standard-output} to the
1047 temporary buffer, then it evaluates the forms in @var{forms}. Output
1048 using the Lisp output functions within @var{forms} goes by default to
1049 that buffer (but screen display and messages in the echo area, although
1050 they are ``output'' in the general sense of the word, are not affected).
1051 @xref{Output Functions}.
1052
1053 Several hooks are available for customizing the behavior
1054 of this construct; they are listed below.
1055
1056 The value of the last form in @var{forms} is returned.
1057
1058 @example
1059 @group
1060 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1061 This is the contents of foo.
1062 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1063 @end group
1064
1065 @group
1066 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "foo"
1067 (print 20)
1068 (print standard-output))
1069 @result{} #<buffer foo>
1070
1071 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1072 20
1073
1074 #<buffer foo>
1075
1076 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1077 @end group
1078 @end example
1079 @end defspec
1080
1081 @defopt temp-buffer-show-function
1082 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer}
1083 calls it as a function to do the job of displaying a help buffer. The
1084 function gets one argument, which is the buffer it should display.
1085
1086 It is a good idea for this function to run @code{temp-buffer-show-hook}
1087 just as @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} normally would, inside of
1088 @code{save-selected-window} and with the chosen window and buffer
1089 selected.
1090 @end defopt
1091
1092 @defvar temp-buffer-setup-hook
1093 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} before
1094 evaluating @var{body}. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer is
1095 current. This hook is normally set up with a function to put the
1096 buffer in Help mode.
1097 @end defvar
1098
1099 @defvar temp-buffer-show-hook
1100 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} after
1101 displaying the temporary buffer. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer
1102 is current, and the window it was displayed in is selected.
1103 @end defvar
1104
1105 @defun momentary-string-display string position &optional char message
1106 This function momentarily displays @var{string} in the current buffer at
1107 @var{position}. It has no effect on the undo list or on the buffer's
1108 modification status.
1109
1110 The momentary display remains until the next input event. If the next
1111 input event is @var{char}, @code{momentary-string-display} ignores it
1112 and returns. Otherwise, that event remains buffered for subsequent use
1113 as input. Thus, typing @var{char} will simply remove the string from
1114 the display, while typing (say) @kbd{C-f} will remove the string from
1115 the display and later (presumably) move point forward. The argument
1116 @var{char} is a space by default.
1117
1118 The return value of @code{momentary-string-display} is not meaningful.
1119
1120 If the string @var{string} does not contain control characters, you can
1121 do the same job in a more general way by creating (and then subsequently
1122 deleting) an overlay with a @code{before-string} property.
1123 @xref{Overlay Properties}.
1124
1125 If @var{message} is non-@code{nil}, it is displayed in the echo area
1126 while @var{string} is displayed in the buffer. If it is @code{nil}, a
1127 default message says to type @var{char} to continue.
1128
1129 In this example, point is initially located at the beginning of the
1130 second line:
1131
1132 @example
1133 @group
1134 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1135 This is the contents of foo.
1136 @point{}Second line.
1137 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1138 @end group
1139
1140 @group
1141 (momentary-string-display
1142 "**** Important Message! ****"
1143 (point) ?\r
1144 "Type RET when done reading")
1145 @result{} t
1146 @end group
1147
1148 @group
1149 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1150 This is the contents of foo.
1151 **** Important Message! ****Second line.
1152 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1153
1154 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1155 Type RET when done reading
1156 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1157 @end group
1158 @end example
1159 @end defun
1160
1161 @node Overlays
1162 @section Overlays
1163 @cindex overlays
1164
1165 You can use @dfn{overlays} to alter the appearance of a buffer's text on
1166 the screen, for the sake of presentation features. An overlay is an
1167 object that belongs to a particular buffer, and has a specified
1168 beginning and end. It also has properties that you can examine and set;
1169 these affect the display of the text within the overlay.
1170
1171 @cindex scalability of overlays
1172 The visual effect of an overlay is the same as of the corresponding
1173 text property (@pxref{Text Properties}). However, due to a different
1174 implementation, overlays generally don't scale well (many operations
1175 take a time that is proportional to the number of overlays in the
1176 buffer). If you need to affect the visual appearance of many portions
1177 in the buffer, we recommend using text properties.
1178
1179 An overlay uses markers to record its beginning and end; thus,
1180 editing the text of the buffer adjusts the beginning and end of each
1181 overlay so that it stays with the text. When you create the overlay,
1182 you can specify whether text inserted at the beginning should be
1183 inside the overlay or outside, and likewise for the end of the overlay.
1184
1185 @menu
1186 * Managing Overlays:: Creating and moving overlays.
1187 * Overlay Properties:: How to read and set properties.
1188 What properties do to the screen display.
1189 * Finding Overlays:: Searching for overlays.
1190 @end menu
1191
1192 @node Managing Overlays
1193 @subsection Managing Overlays
1194
1195 This section describes the functions to create, delete and move
1196 overlays, and to examine their contents. Overlay changes are not
1197 recorded in the buffer's undo list, since the overlays are not
1198 part of the buffer's contents.
1199
1200 @defun overlayp object
1201 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is an overlay.
1202 @end defun
1203
1204 @defun make-overlay start end &optional buffer front-advance rear-advance
1205 This function creates and returns an overlay that belongs to
1206 @var{buffer} and ranges from @var{start} to @var{end}. Both @var{start}
1207 and @var{end} must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or
1208 markers. If @var{buffer} is omitted, the overlay is created in the
1209 current buffer.
1210
1211 The arguments @var{front-advance} and @var{rear-advance} specify the
1212 marker insertion type for the start of the overlay and for the end of
1213 the overlay, respectively. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}. If they
1214 are both @code{nil}, the default, then the overlay extends to include
1215 any text inserted at the beginning, but not text inserted at the end.
1216 If @var{front-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the
1217 beginning of the overlay is excluded from the overlay. If
1218 @var{rear-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the end of the
1219 overlay is included in the overlay.
1220 @end defun
1221
1222 @defun overlay-start overlay
1223 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} starts,
1224 as an integer.
1225 @end defun
1226
1227 @defun overlay-end overlay
1228 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} ends,
1229 as an integer.
1230 @end defun
1231
1232 @defun overlay-buffer overlay
1233 This function returns the buffer that @var{overlay} belongs to. It
1234 returns @code{nil} if @var{overlay} has been deleted.
1235 @end defun
1236
1237 @defun delete-overlay overlay
1238 This function deletes @var{overlay}. The overlay continues to exist as
1239 a Lisp object, and its property list is unchanged, but it ceases to be
1240 attached to the buffer it belonged to, and ceases to have any effect on
1241 display.
1242
1243 A deleted overlay is not permanently disconnected. You can give it a
1244 position in a buffer again by calling @code{move-overlay}.
1245 @end defun
1246
1247 @defun move-overlay overlay start end &optional buffer
1248 This function moves @var{overlay} to @var{buffer}, and places its bounds
1249 at @var{start} and @var{end}. Both arguments @var{start} and @var{end}
1250 must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or markers.
1251
1252 If @var{buffer} is omitted, @var{overlay} stays in the same buffer it
1253 was already associated with; if @var{overlay} was deleted, it goes into
1254 the current buffer.
1255
1256 The return value is @var{overlay}.
1257
1258 This is the only valid way to change the endpoints of an overlay. Do
1259 not try modifying the markers in the overlay by hand, as that fails to
1260 update other vital data structures and can cause some overlays to be
1261 ``lost.''
1262 @end defun
1263
1264 @defun remove-overlays &optional start end name value
1265 This function removes all the overlays between @var{start} and
1266 @var{end} whose property @var{name} has the value @var{value}. It can
1267 move the endpoints of the overlays in the region, or split them.
1268
1269 If @var{name} is omitted or @code{nil}, it means to delete all overlays in
1270 the specified region. If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are omitted or
1271 @code{nil}, that means the beginning and end of the buffer respectively.
1272 Therefore, @code{(remove-overlays)} removes all the overlays in the
1273 current buffer.
1274 @end defun
1275
1276 Here are some examples:
1277
1278 @example
1279 ;; @r{Create an overlay.}
1280 (setq foo (make-overlay 1 10))
1281 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 10 in display.texi>
1282 (overlay-start foo)
1283 @result{} 1
1284 (overlay-end foo)
1285 @result{} 10
1286 (overlay-buffer foo)
1287 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1288 ;; @r{Give it a property we can check later.}
1289 (overlay-put foo 'happy t)
1290 @result{} t
1291 ;; @r{Verify the property is present.}
1292 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1293 @result{} t
1294 ;; @r{Move the overlay.}
1295 (move-overlay foo 5 20)
1296 @result{} #<overlay from 5 to 20 in display.texi>
1297 (overlay-start foo)
1298 @result{} 5
1299 (overlay-end foo)
1300 @result{} 20
1301 ;; @r{Delete the overlay.}
1302 (delete-overlay foo)
1303 @result{} nil
1304 ;; @r{Verify it is deleted.}
1305 foo
1306 @result{} #<overlay in no buffer>
1307 ;; @r{A deleted overlay has no position.}
1308 (overlay-start foo)
1309 @result{} nil
1310 (overlay-end foo)
1311 @result{} nil
1312 (overlay-buffer foo)
1313 @result{} nil
1314 ;; @r{Undelete the overlay.}
1315 (move-overlay foo 1 20)
1316 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 20 in display.texi>
1317 ;; @r{Verify the results.}
1318 (overlay-start foo)
1319 @result{} 1
1320 (overlay-end foo)
1321 @result{} 20
1322 (overlay-buffer foo)
1323 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1324 ;; @r{Moving and deleting the overlay does not change its properties.}
1325 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1326 @result{} t
1327 @end example
1328
1329 Emacs stores the overlays of each buffer in two lists, divided
1330 around an arbitrary ``center position.'' One list extends backwards
1331 through the buffer from that center position, and the other extends
1332 forwards from that center position. The center position can be anywhere
1333 in the buffer.
1334
1335 @defun overlay-recenter pos
1336 This function recenters the overlays of the current buffer around
1337 position @var{pos}. That makes overlay lookup faster for positions
1338 near @var{pos}, but slower for positions far away from @var{pos}.
1339 @end defun
1340
1341 A loop that scans the buffer forwards, creating overlays, can run
1342 faster if you do @code{(overlay-recenter (point-max))} first.
1343
1344 @node Overlay Properties
1345 @subsection Overlay Properties
1346
1347 Overlay properties are like text properties in that the properties that
1348 alter how a character is displayed can come from either source. But in
1349 most respects they are different. @xref{Text Properties}, for comparison.
1350
1351 Text properties are considered a part of the text; overlays and
1352 their properties are specifically considered not to be part of the
1353 text. Thus, copying text between various buffers and strings
1354 preserves text properties, but does not try to preserve overlays.
1355 Changing a buffer's text properties marks the buffer as modified,
1356 while moving an overlay or changing its properties does not. Unlike
1357 text property changes, overlay property changes are not recorded in
1358 the buffer's undo list.
1359
1360 Since more than one overlay can specify a property value for the
1361 same character, Emacs lets you specify a priority value of each
1362 overlay. You should not make assumptions about which overlay will
1363 prevail when there is a conflict and they have the same priority.
1364
1365 These functions read and set the properties of an overlay:
1366
1367 @defun overlay-get overlay prop
1368 This function returns the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1369 @var{overlay}, if any. If @var{overlay} does not record any value for
1370 that property, but it does have a @code{category} property which is a
1371 symbol, that symbol's @var{prop} property is used. Otherwise, the value
1372 is @code{nil}.
1373 @end defun
1374
1375 @defun overlay-put overlay prop value
1376 This function sets the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1377 @var{overlay} to @var{value}. It returns @var{value}.
1378 @end defun
1379
1380 @defun overlay-properties overlay
1381 This returns a copy of the property list of @var{overlay}.
1382 @end defun
1383
1384 See also the function @code{get-char-property} which checks both
1385 overlay properties and text properties for a given character.
1386 @xref{Examining Properties}.
1387
1388 Many overlay properties have special meanings; here is a table
1389 of them:
1390
1391 @table @code
1392 @item priority
1393 @kindex priority @r{(overlay property)}
1394 This property's value (which should be a nonnegative integer number)
1395 determines the priority of the overlay. No priority, or @code{nil},
1396 means zero.
1397
1398 The priority matters when two or more overlays cover the same
1399 character and both specify the same property; the one whose
1400 @code{priority} value is larger overrides the other. For the
1401 @code{face} property, the higher priority overlay's value does not
1402 completely override the other value; instead, its face attributes
1403 override the face attributes of the lower priority @code{face}
1404 property.
1405
1406 Currently, all overlays take priority over text properties. Please
1407 avoid using negative priority values, as we have not yet decided just
1408 what they should mean.
1409
1410 @item window
1411 @kindex window @r{(overlay property)}
1412 If the @code{window} property is non-@code{nil}, then the overlay
1413 applies only on that window.
1414
1415 @item category
1416 @kindex category @r{(overlay property)}
1417 If an overlay has a @code{category} property, we call it the
1418 @dfn{category} of the overlay. It should be a symbol. The properties
1419 of the symbol serve as defaults for the properties of the overlay.
1420
1421 @item face
1422 @kindex face @r{(overlay property)}
1423 This property controls the way text is displayed---for example, which
1424 font and which colors. @xref{Faces}, for more information.
1425
1426 In the simplest case, the value is a face name. It can also be a list;
1427 then each element can be any of these possibilities:
1428
1429 @itemize @bullet
1430 @item
1431 A face name (a symbol or string).
1432
1433 @item
1434 A property list of face attributes. This has the form (@var{keyword}
1435 @var{value} @dots{}), where each @var{keyword} is a face attribute
1436 name and @var{value} is a meaningful value for that attribute. With
1437 this feature, you do not need to create a face each time you want to
1438 specify a particular attribute for certain text. @xref{Face
1439 Attributes}.
1440
1441 @item
1442 A cons cell, either of the form @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} or
1443 @code{(background-color . @var{color-name})}. These elements specify
1444 just the foreground color or just the background color.
1445
1446 @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} has the same effect as
1447 @code{(:foreground @var{color-name})}; likewise for the background.
1448 @end itemize
1449
1450 @item mouse-face
1451 @kindex mouse-face @r{(overlay property)}
1452 This property is used instead of @code{face} when the mouse is within
1453 the range of the overlay.
1454
1455 @item display
1456 @kindex display @r{(overlay property)}
1457 This property activates various features that change the
1458 way text is displayed. For example, it can make text appear taller
1459 or shorter, higher or lower, wider or narrower, or replaced with an image.
1460 @xref{Display Property}.
1461
1462 @item help-echo
1463 @kindex help-echo @r{(overlay property)}
1464 If an overlay has a @code{help-echo} property, then when you move the
1465 mouse onto the text in the overlay, Emacs displays a help string in the
1466 echo area, or in the tooltip window. For details see @ref{Text
1467 help-echo}.
1468
1469 @item modification-hooks
1470 @kindex modification-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1471 This property's value is a list of functions to be called if any
1472 character within the overlay is changed or if text is inserted strictly
1473 within the overlay.
1474
1475 The hook functions are called both before and after each change.
1476 If the functions save the information they receive, and compare notes
1477 between calls, they can determine exactly what change has been made
1478 in the buffer text.
1479
1480 When called before a change, each function receives four arguments: the
1481 overlay, @code{nil}, and the beginning and end of the text range to be
1482 modified.
1483
1484 When called after a change, each function receives five arguments: the
1485 overlay, @code{t}, the beginning and end of the text range just
1486 modified, and the length of the pre-change text replaced by that range.
1487 (For an insertion, the pre-change length is zero; for a deletion, that
1488 length is the number of characters deleted, and the post-change
1489 beginning and end are equal.)
1490
1491 If these functions modify the buffer, they should bind
1492 @code{inhibit-modification-hooks} to @code{t} around doing so, to
1493 avoid confusing the internal mechanism that calls these hooks.
1494
1495 Text properties also support the @code{modification-hooks} property,
1496 but the details are somewhat different (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1497
1498 @item insert-in-front-hooks
1499 @kindex insert-in-front-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1500 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1501 after inserting text right at the beginning of the overlay. The calling
1502 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1503
1504 @item insert-behind-hooks
1505 @kindex insert-behind-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1506 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1507 after inserting text right at the end of the overlay. The calling
1508 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1509
1510 @item invisible
1511 @kindex invisible @r{(overlay property)}
1512 The @code{invisible} property can make the text in the overlay
1513 invisible, which means that it does not appear on the screen.
1514 @xref{Invisible Text}, for details.
1515
1516 @item intangible
1517 @kindex intangible @r{(overlay property)}
1518 The @code{intangible} property on an overlay works just like the
1519 @code{intangible} text property. @xref{Special Properties}, for details.
1520
1521 @item isearch-open-invisible
1522 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1523 visible, permanently, if the final match overlaps it. @xref{Invisible
1524 Text}.
1525
1526 @item isearch-open-invisible-temporary
1527 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1528 visible, temporarily, during the search. @xref{Invisible Text}.
1529
1530 @item before-string
1531 @kindex before-string @r{(overlay property)}
1532 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the beginning
1533 of the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1534 sense---only on the screen.
1535
1536 @item after-string
1537 @kindex after-string @r{(overlay property)}
1538 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the end of
1539 the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1540 sense---only on the screen.
1541
1542 @item line-prefix
1543 This property specifies a display spec to prepend to each
1544 non-continuation line at display-time. @xref{Truncation}.
1545
1546 @itemx wrap-prefix
1547 This property specifies a display spec to prepend to each continuation
1548 line at display-time. @xref{Truncation}.
1549
1550 @item evaporate
1551 @kindex evaporate @r{(overlay property)}
1552 If this property is non-@code{nil}, the overlay is deleted automatically
1553 if it becomes empty (i.e., if its length becomes zero). If you give
1554 an empty overlay a non-@code{nil} @code{evaporate} property, that deletes
1555 it immediately.
1556
1557 @item local-map
1558 @cindex keymap of character (and overlays)
1559 @kindex local-map @r{(overlay property)}
1560 If this property is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a keymap for a portion
1561 of the text. The property's value replaces the buffer's local map, when
1562 the character after point is within the overlay. @xref{Active Keymaps}.
1563
1564 @item keymap
1565 @kindex keymap @r{(overlay property)}
1566 The @code{keymap} property is similar to @code{local-map} but overrides the
1567 buffer's local map (and the map specified by the @code{local-map}
1568 property) rather than replacing it.
1569 @end table
1570
1571 The @code{local-map} and @code{keymap} properties do not affect a
1572 string displayed by the @code{before-string}, @code{after-string}, or
1573 @code{display} properties. This is only relevant for mouse clicks and
1574 other mouse events that fall on the string, since point is never on
1575 the string. To bind special mouse events for the string, assign it a
1576 @code{local-map} or @code{keymap} text property. @xref{Special
1577 Properties}.
1578
1579 @node Finding Overlays
1580 @subsection Searching for Overlays
1581
1582 @defun overlays-at pos
1583 This function returns a list of all the overlays that cover the
1584 character at position @var{pos} in the current buffer. The list is in
1585 no particular order. An overlay contains position @var{pos} if it
1586 begins at or before @var{pos}, and ends after @var{pos}.
1587
1588 To illustrate usage, here is a Lisp function that returns a list of the
1589 overlays that specify property @var{prop} for the character at point:
1590
1591 @smallexample
1592 (defun find-overlays-specifying (prop)
1593 (let ((overlays (overlays-at (point)))
1594 found)
1595 (while overlays
1596 (let ((overlay (car overlays)))
1597 (if (overlay-get overlay prop)
1598 (setq found (cons overlay found))))
1599 (setq overlays (cdr overlays)))
1600 found))
1601 @end smallexample
1602 @end defun
1603
1604 @defun overlays-in beg end
1605 This function returns a list of the overlays that overlap the region
1606 @var{beg} through @var{end}. ``Overlap'' means that at least one
1607 character is contained within the overlay and also contained within the
1608 specified region; however, empty overlays are included in the result if
1609 they are located at @var{beg}, strictly between @var{beg} and @var{end},
1610 or at @var{end} when @var{end} denotes the position at the end of the
1611 buffer.
1612 @end defun
1613
1614 @defun next-overlay-change pos
1615 This function returns the buffer position of the next beginning or end
1616 of an overlay, after @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1617 @code{(point-max)}.
1618 @end defun
1619
1620 @defun previous-overlay-change pos
1621 This function returns the buffer position of the previous beginning or
1622 end of an overlay, before @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1623 @code{(point-min)}.
1624 @end defun
1625
1626 As an example, here's a simplified (and inefficient) version of the
1627 primitive function @code{next-single-char-property-change}
1628 (@pxref{Property Search}). It searches forward from position
1629 @var{pos} for the next position where the value of a given property
1630 @code{prop}, as obtained from either overlays or text properties,
1631 changes.
1632
1633 @smallexample
1634 (defun next-single-char-property-change (position prop)
1635 (save-excursion
1636 (goto-char position)
1637 (let ((propval (get-char-property (point) prop)))
1638 (while (and (not (eobp))
1639 (eq (get-char-property (point) prop) propval))
1640 (goto-char (min (next-overlay-change (point))
1641 (next-single-property-change (point) prop)))))
1642 (point)))
1643 @end smallexample
1644
1645 @node Width
1646 @section Width
1647
1648 Since not all characters have the same width, these functions let you
1649 check the width of a character. @xref{Primitive Indent}, and
1650 @ref{Screen Lines}, for related functions.
1651
1652 @defun char-width char
1653 This function returns the width in columns of the character @var{char},
1654 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1655 @end defun
1656
1657 @defun string-width string
1658 This function returns the width in columns of the string @var{string},
1659 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1660 @end defun
1661
1662 @defun truncate-string-to-width string width &optional start-column padding ellipsis
1663 This function returns the part of @var{string} that fits within
1664 @var{width} columns, as a new string.
1665
1666 If @var{string} does not reach @var{width}, then the result ends where
1667 @var{string} ends. If one multi-column character in @var{string}
1668 extends across the column @var{width}, that character is not included in
1669 the result. Thus, the result can fall short of @var{width} but cannot
1670 go beyond it.
1671
1672 The optional argument @var{start-column} specifies the starting column.
1673 If this is non-@code{nil}, then the first @var{start-column} columns of
1674 the string are omitted from the value. If one multi-column character in
1675 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}, that
1676 character is not included.
1677
1678 The optional argument @var{padding}, if non-@code{nil}, is a padding
1679 character added at the beginning and end of the result string, to extend
1680 it to exactly @var{width} columns. The padding character is used at the
1681 end of the result if it falls short of @var{width}. It is also used at
1682 the beginning of the result if one multi-column character in
1683 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}.
1684
1685 If @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a string which will
1686 replace the end of @var{str} (including any padding) if it extends
1687 beyond @var{end-column}, unless the display width of @var{str} is
1688 equal to or less than the display width of @var{ellipsis}. If
1689 @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil} and not a string, it stands for
1690 @code{"..."}.
1691
1692 @example
1693 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4)
1694 @result{} "ab"
1695 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4 ?\s)
1696 @result{} " ab "
1697 @end example
1698 @end defun
1699
1700 @node Line Height
1701 @section Line Height
1702 @cindex line height
1703
1704 The total height of each display line consists of the height of the
1705 contents of the line, plus optional additional vertical line spacing
1706 above or below the display line.
1707
1708 The height of the line contents is the maximum height of any
1709 character or image on that display line, including the final newline
1710 if there is one. (A display line that is continued doesn't include a
1711 final newline.) That is the default line height, if you do nothing to
1712 specify a greater height. (In the most common case, this equals the
1713 height of the default frame font.)
1714
1715 There are several ways to explicitly specify a larger line height,
1716 either by specifying an absolute height for the display line, or by
1717 specifying vertical space. However, no matter what you specify, the
1718 actual line height can never be less than the default.
1719
1720 @kindex line-height @r{(text property)}
1721 A newline can have a @code{line-height} text or overlay property
1722 that controls the total height of the display line ending in that
1723 newline.
1724
1725 If the property value is @code{t}, the newline character has no
1726 effect on the displayed height of the line---the visible contents
1727 alone determine the height. This is useful for tiling small images
1728 (or image slices) without adding blank areas between the images.
1729
1730 If the property value is a list of the form @code{(@var{height}
1731 @var{total})}, that adds extra space @emph{below} the display line.
1732 First Emacs uses @var{height} as a height spec to control extra space
1733 @emph{above} the line; then it adds enough space @emph{below} the line
1734 to bring the total line height up to @var{total}. In this case, the
1735 other ways to specify the line spacing are ignored.
1736
1737 Any other kind of property value is a height spec, which translates
1738 into a number---the specified line height. There are several ways to
1739 write a height spec; here's how each of them translates into a number:
1740
1741 @table @code
1742 @item @var{integer}
1743 If the height spec is a positive integer, the height value is that integer.
1744 @item @var{float}
1745 If the height spec is a float, @var{float}, the numeric height value
1746 is @var{float} times the frame's default line height.
1747 @item (@var{face} . @var{ratio})
1748 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1749 is @var{ratio} times the height of face @var{face}. @var{ratio} can
1750 be any type of number, or @code{nil} which means a ratio of 1.
1751 If @var{face} is @code{t}, it refers to the current face.
1752 @item (nil . @var{ratio})
1753 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1754 is @var{ratio} times the height of the contents of the line.
1755 @end table
1756
1757 Thus, any valid height spec determines the height in pixels, one way
1758 or another. If the line contents' height is less than that, Emacs
1759 adds extra vertical space above the line to achieve the specified
1760 total height.
1761
1762 If you don't specify the @code{line-height} property, the line's
1763 height consists of the contents' height plus the line spacing.
1764 There are several ways to specify the line spacing for different
1765 parts of Emacs text.
1766
1767 @vindex default-line-spacing
1768 On graphical terminals, you can specify the line spacing for all
1769 lines in a frame, using the @code{line-spacing} frame parameter
1770 (@pxref{Layout Parameters}). However, if the variable
1771 @code{default-line-spacing} is non-@code{nil}, it overrides the
1772 frame's @code{line-spacing} parameter. An integer value specifies the
1773 number of pixels put below lines. A floating point number specifies
1774 the spacing relative to the frame's default line height.
1775
1776 @vindex line-spacing
1777 You can specify the line spacing for all lines in a buffer via the
1778 buffer-local @code{line-spacing} variable. An integer value specifies
1779 the number of pixels put below lines. A floating point number
1780 specifies the spacing relative to the default frame line height. This
1781 overrides line spacings specified for the frame.
1782
1783 @kindex line-spacing @r{(text property)}
1784 Finally, a newline can have a @code{line-spacing} text or overlay
1785 property that overrides the default frame line spacing and the buffer
1786 local @code{line-spacing} variable, for the display line ending in
1787 that newline.
1788
1789 One way or another, these mechanisms specify a Lisp value for the
1790 spacing of each line. The value is a height spec, and it translates
1791 into a Lisp value as described above. However, in this case the
1792 numeric height value specifies the line spacing, rather than the line
1793 height.
1794
1795 On text-only terminals, the line spacing cannot be altered.
1796
1797 @node Faces
1798 @section Faces
1799 @cindex faces
1800
1801 A @dfn{face} is a collection of graphical attributes for displaying
1802 text: font family, foreground color, background color, optional
1803 underlining, and so on. Faces control how buffer text is displayed,
1804 and how some parts of the frame, such as the mode-line, are displayed.
1805 @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for the list of
1806 faces Emacs normally comes with.
1807
1808 @cindex face id
1809 For most purposes, you refer to a face in Lisp programs using its
1810 @dfn{face name}. This is either a string or (equivalently) a Lisp
1811 symbol whose name is equal to that string.
1812
1813 @defun facep object
1814 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a Lisp
1815 symbol or string that names a face. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
1816 @end defun
1817
1818 Each face name is meaningful for all frames, and by default it has
1819 the same meaning in all frames. But you can arrange to give a
1820 particular face name a special meaning in one frame if you wish.
1821
1822 @menu
1823 * Defining Faces:: How to define a face with @code{defface}.
1824 * Face Attributes:: What is in a face?
1825 * Attribute Functions:: Functions to examine and set face attributes.
1826 * Displaying Faces:: How Emacs combines the faces specified for a character.
1827 * Face Remapping:: Remapping faces to alternative definitions.
1828 * Face Functions:: How to define and examine faces.
1829 * Auto Faces:: Hook for automatic face assignment.
1830 * Font Selection:: Finding the best available font for a face.
1831 * Font Lookup:: Looking up the names of available fonts
1832 and information about them.
1833 * Fontsets:: A fontset is a collection of fonts
1834 that handle a range of character sets.
1835 * Low-Level Font:: Lisp representation for character display fonts.
1836 @end menu
1837
1838 @node Defining Faces
1839 @subsection Defining Faces
1840
1841 The way to define a new face is with @code{defface}. This creates a
1842 kind of customization item (@pxref{Customization}) which the user can
1843 customize using the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy Customization,,,
1844 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
1845
1846 People are sometimes tempted to create variables whose values specify
1847 which faces to use (for example, Font-Lock does this). In the vast
1848 majority of cases, this is not necessary, and simply using faces
1849 directly is preferable.
1850
1851 @defmac defface face spec doc [keyword value]@dots{}
1852 This declares @var{face} as a customizable face whose default
1853 attributes are given by @var{spec}. You should not quote the symbol
1854 @var{face}, and it should not end in @samp{-face} (that would be
1855 redundant). The argument @var{doc} specifies the face documentation.
1856 The keywords you can use in @code{defface} are the same as in
1857 @code{defgroup} and @code{defcustom} (@pxref{Common Keywords}).
1858
1859 When @code{defface} executes, it defines the face according to
1860 @var{spec}, then uses any customizations that were read from the
1861 init file (@pxref{Init File}) to override that specification.
1862
1863 When you evaluate a @code{defface} form with @kbd{C-M-x} in Emacs
1864 Lisp mode (@code{eval-defun}), a special feature of @code{eval-defun}
1865 overrides any customizations of the face. This way, the face reflects
1866 exactly what the @code{defface} says.
1867
1868 The purpose of @var{spec} is to specify how the face should appear on
1869 different kinds of terminals. It should be an alist whose elements
1870 have the form @code{(@var{display} @var{atts})}. Each element's
1871 @sc{car}, @var{display}, specifies a class of terminals. (The first
1872 element, if its @sc{car} is @code{default}, is special---it specifies
1873 defaults for the remaining elements). The element's @sc{cadr},
1874 @var{atts}, is a list of face attributes and their values; it
1875 specifies what the face should look like on that kind of terminal.
1876 The possible attributes are defined in the value of
1877 @code{custom-face-attributes}.
1878
1879 The @var{display} part of an element of @var{spec} determines which
1880 frames the element matches. If more than one element of @var{spec}
1881 matches a given frame, the first element that matches is the one used
1882 for that frame. There are three possibilities for @var{display}:
1883
1884 @table @asis
1885 @item @code{default}
1886 This element of @var{spec} doesn't match any frames; instead, it
1887 specifies defaults that apply to all frames. This kind of element, if
1888 used, must be the first element of @var{spec}. Each of the following
1889 elements can override any or all of these defaults.
1890
1891 @item @code{t}
1892 This element of @var{spec} matches all frames. Therefore, any
1893 subsequent elements of @var{spec} are never used. Normally
1894 @code{t} is used in the last (or only) element of @var{spec}.
1895
1896 @item a list
1897 If @var{display} is a list, each element should have the form
1898 @code{(@var{characteristic} @var{value}@dots{})}. Here
1899 @var{characteristic} specifies a way of classifying frames, and the
1900 @var{value}s are possible classifications which @var{display} should
1901 apply to. Here are the possible values of @var{characteristic}:
1902
1903 @table @code
1904 @item type
1905 The kind of window system the frame uses---either @code{graphic} (any
1906 graphics-capable display), @code{x}, @code{pc} (for the MS-DOS console),
1907 @code{w32} (for MS Windows 9X/NT/2K/XP), or @code{tty}
1908 (a non-graphics-capable display).
1909 @xref{Window Systems, window-system}.
1910
1911 @item class
1912 What kinds of colors the frame supports---either @code{color},
1913 @code{grayscale}, or @code{mono}.
1914
1915 @item background
1916 The kind of background---either @code{light} or @code{dark}.
1917
1918 @item min-colors
1919 An integer that represents the minimum number of colors the frame
1920 should support. This matches a frame if its
1921 @code{display-color-cells} value is at least the specified integer.
1922
1923 @item supports
1924 Whether or not the frame can display the face attributes given in
1925 @var{value}@dots{} (@pxref{Face Attributes}). @xref{Display Face
1926 Attribute Testing}, for more information on exactly how this testing
1927 is done.
1928 @end table
1929
1930 If an element of @var{display} specifies more than one @var{value} for a
1931 given @var{characteristic}, any of those values is acceptable. If
1932 @var{display} has more than one element, each element should specify a
1933 different @var{characteristic}; then @emph{each} characteristic of the
1934 frame must match one of the @var{value}s specified for it in
1935 @var{display}.
1936 @end table
1937 @end defmac
1938
1939 Here's how the standard face @code{region} is defined:
1940
1941 @example
1942 @group
1943 (defface region
1944 '((((class color) (min-colors 88) (background dark))
1945 :background "blue3")
1946 @end group
1947 (((class color) (min-colors 88) (background light))
1948 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1949 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background dark))
1950 :background "blue3")
1951 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background light))
1952 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1953 (((class color) (min-colors 8))
1954 :background "blue" :foreground "white")
1955 (((type tty) (class mono))
1956 :inverse-video t)
1957 (t :background "gray"))
1958 @group
1959 "Basic face for highlighting the region."
1960 :group 'basic-faces)
1961 @end group
1962 @end example
1963
1964 Internally, @code{defface} uses the symbol property
1965 @code{face-defface-spec} to record the specified face attributes. The
1966 attributes saved by the user with the customization buffer are
1967 recorded in the symbol property @code{saved-face}; the attributes
1968 customized by the user for the current session, but not saved, are
1969 recorded in the symbol property @code{customized-face}. The
1970 documentation string is recorded in the symbol property
1971 @code{face-documentation}.
1972
1973 @defopt frame-background-mode
1974 This option, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the background type to use for
1975 interpreting face definitions. If it is @code{dark}, then Emacs treats
1976 all frames as if they had a dark background, regardless of their actual
1977 background colors. If it is @code{light}, then Emacs treats all frames
1978 as if they had a light background.
1979 @end defopt
1980
1981 @node Face Attributes
1982 @subsection Face Attributes
1983 @cindex face attributes
1984
1985 The effect of using a face is determined by a fixed set of @dfn{face
1986 attributes}. This table lists all the face attributes, their possible
1987 values, and their effects. You can specify more than one face for a
1988 given piece of text; Emacs merges the attributes of all the faces to
1989 determine how to display the text. @xref{Displaying Faces}.
1990
1991 In addition to the values given below, each face attribute can also
1992 have the value @code{unspecified}. This special value means the face
1993 doesn't specify that attribute. In face merging, when the first face
1994 fails to specify a particular attribute, the next face gets a chance.
1995 However, the @code{default} face must specify all attributes.
1996
1997 Some of these font attributes are meaningful only on certain kinds
1998 of displays. If your display cannot handle a certain attribute, the
1999 attribute is ignored.
2000
2001 @table @code
2002 @item :family
2003 Font family name or fontset name (a string). If you specify a font
2004 family name, the wild-card characters @samp{*} and @samp{?} are
2005 allowed. The function @code{font-family-list}, described below,
2006 returns a list of available family names. @xref{Fontsets}, for
2007 information about fontsets.
2008
2009 @item :foundry
2010 The name of the @dfn{font foundry} in which the font family specified
2011 by the @code{:family} attribute is located (a string). The wild-card
2012 characters @samp{*} and @samp{?} are allowed.
2013
2014 @item :width
2015 Relative proportionate character width, also known as the character
2016 set width. This should be one of the symbols @code{ultra-condensed},
2017 @code{extra-condensed}, @code{condensed}, @code{semi-condensed},
2018 @code{normal}, @code{semi-expanded}, @code{expanded},
2019 @code{extra-expanded}, or @code{ultra-expanded}.
2020
2021 @item :height
2022 Font height---either an integer in units of 1/10 point, or a floating
2023 point number specifying the amount by which to scale the height of any
2024 underlying face, or a function that is called with one argument (the
2025 height of the underlying face) and returns the height of the new face.
2026 If the function is passed an integer argument, it must return an
2027 integer.
2028
2029 The height of the default face must be specified using an integer;
2030 floating point and function values are not allowed.
2031
2032 @item :weight
2033 Font weight---one of the symbols (from densest to faintest)
2034 @code{ultra-bold}, @code{extra-bold}, @code{bold}, @code{semi-bold},
2035 @code{normal}, @code{semi-light}, @code{light}, @code{extra-light}, or
2036 @code{ultra-light}. On text-only terminals that support
2037 variable-brightness text, any weight greater than normal is displayed
2038 as extra bright, and any weight less than normal is displayed as
2039 half-bright.
2040
2041 @item :slant
2042 Font slant---one of the symbols @code{italic}, @code{oblique},
2043 @code{normal}, @code{reverse-italic}, or @code{reverse-oblique}. On
2044 text-only terminals that support variable-brightness text, slanted
2045 text is displayed as half-bright.
2046
2047 @item :foreground
2048 Foreground color, a string. The value can be a system-defined color
2049 name, or a hexadecimal color specification. @xref{Color Names}. On
2050 black-and-white displays, certain shades of gray are implemented by
2051 stipple patterns.
2052
2053 @item :background
2054 Background color, a string. The value can be a system-defined color
2055 name, or a hexadecimal color specification. @xref{Color Names}.
2056
2057 @item :underline
2058 Whether or not characters should be underlined, and in what color. If
2059 the value is @code{t}, underlining uses the foreground color of the
2060 face. If the value is a string, underlining uses that color. The
2061 value @code{nil} means do not underline.
2062
2063 @item :overline
2064 Whether or not characters should be overlined, and in what color.
2065 The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2066
2067 @item :strike-through
2068 Whether or not characters should be strike-through, and in what
2069 color. The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2070
2071 @item :box
2072 Whether or not a box should be drawn around characters, its color, the
2073 width of the box lines, and 3D appearance. Here are the possible
2074 values of the @code{:box} attribute, and what they mean:
2075
2076 @table @asis
2077 @item @code{nil}
2078 Don't draw a box.
2079
2080 @item @code{t}
2081 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in the foreground color.
2082
2083 @item @var{color}
2084 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in color @var{color}.
2085
2086 @item @code{(:line-width @var{width} :color @var{color} :style @var{style})}
2087 This way you can explicitly specify all aspects of the box. The value
2088 @var{width} specifies the width of the lines to draw; it defaults to 1.
2089
2090 The value @var{color} specifies the color to draw with. The default is
2091 the foreground color of the face for simple boxes, and the background
2092 color of the face for 3D boxes.
2093
2094 The value @var{style} specifies whether to draw a 3D box. If it is
2095 @code{released-button}, the box looks like a 3D button that is not being
2096 pressed. If it is @code{pressed-button}, the box looks like a 3D button
2097 that is being pressed. If it is @code{nil} or omitted, a plain 2D box
2098 is used.
2099 @end table
2100
2101 @item :inverse-video
2102 Whether or not characters should be displayed in inverse video. The
2103 value should be @code{t} (yes) or @code{nil} (no).
2104
2105 @item :stipple
2106 The background stipple, a bitmap.
2107
2108 The value can be a string; that should be the name of a file containing
2109 external-format X bitmap data. The file is found in the directories
2110 listed in the variable @code{x-bitmap-file-path}.
2111
2112 Alternatively, the value can specify the bitmap directly, with a list
2113 of the form @code{(@var{width} @var{height} @var{data})}. Here,
2114 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the size in pixels, and
2115 @var{data} is a string containing the raw bits of the bitmap, row by
2116 row. Each row occupies @math{(@var{width} + 7) / 8} consecutive bytes
2117 in the string (which should be a unibyte string for best results).
2118 This means that each row always occupies at least one whole byte.
2119
2120 If the value is @code{nil}, that means use no stipple pattern.
2121
2122 Normally you do not need to set the stipple attribute, because it is
2123 used automatically to handle certain shades of gray.
2124
2125 @item :font
2126 The font used to display the face. Its value should be a font object.
2127 @xref{Font Selection}, for information about font objects.
2128
2129 When specifying this attribute using @code{set-face-attribute}
2130 (@pxref{Attribute Functions}), you may also supply a font spec, a font
2131 entity, or a string. Emacs converts such values to an appropriate
2132 font object, and stores that font object as the actual attribute
2133 value. If you specify a string, the contents of the string should be
2134 a font name (@pxref{Font X,, Font Specification Options, emacs, The
2135 GNU Emacs Manual}); if the font name is an XLFD containing wildcards,
2136 Emacs chooses the first font matching those wildcards. Specifying
2137 this attribute also changes the values of the @code{:family},
2138 @code{:foundry}, @code{:width}, @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and
2139 @code{:slant} attributes.
2140
2141 @item :inherit
2142 The name of a face from which to inherit attributes, or a list of face
2143 names. Attributes from inherited faces are merged into the face like
2144 an underlying face would be, with higher priority than underlying
2145 faces. If a list of faces is used, attributes from faces earlier in
2146 the list override those from later faces.
2147 @end table
2148
2149 For compatibility with Emacs 20, you can also specify values for two
2150 ``fake'' face attributes: @code{:bold} and @code{:italic}. Their
2151 values must be either @code{t} or @code{nil}; a value of
2152 @code{unspecified} is not allowed. Setting @code{:bold} to @code{t}
2153 is equivalent to setting the @code{:weight} attribute to @code{bold},
2154 and setting it to @code{nil} is equivalent to setting @code{:weight}
2155 to @code{normal}. Setting @code{:italic} to @code{t} is equivalent to
2156 setting the @code{:slant} attribute to @code{italic}, and setting it
2157 to @code{nil} is equivalent to setting @code{:slant} to @code{normal}.
2158
2159 @defun font-family-list &optional frame
2160 This function returns a list of available font family names. The
2161 optional argument @var{frame} specifies the frame on which the text is
2162 to be displayed; if it is @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
2163 @end defun
2164
2165 @defopt underline-minimum-offset
2166 This variable specifies the minimum distance between the baseline and
2167 the underline, in pixels, when displaying underlined text.
2168 @end defopt
2169
2170 @defopt x-bitmap-file-path
2171 This variable specifies a list of directories for searching
2172 for bitmap files, for the @code{:stipple} attribute.
2173 @end defopt
2174
2175 @defun bitmap-spec-p object
2176 This returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a valid bitmap specification,
2177 suitable for use with @code{:stipple} (see above). It returns
2178 @code{nil} otherwise.
2179 @end defun
2180
2181 @node Attribute Functions
2182 @subsection Face Attribute Functions
2183
2184 This section describes the functions for accessing and modifying the
2185 attributes of an existing face.
2186
2187 @defun set-face-attribute face frame &rest arguments
2188 This function sets one or more attributes of @var{face} for
2189 @var{frame}. The attributes you specify this way override whatever
2190 the @code{defface} says.
2191
2192 The extra arguments @var{arguments} specify the attributes to set, and
2193 the values for them. They should consist of alternating attribute names
2194 (such as @code{:family} or @code{:underline}) and corresponding values.
2195 Thus,
2196
2197 @example
2198 (set-face-attribute 'foo nil
2199 :width 'extended
2200 :weight 'bold
2201 :underline "red")
2202 @end example
2203
2204 @noindent
2205 sets the attributes @code{:width}, @code{:weight} and @code{:underline}
2206 to the corresponding values.
2207
2208 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this function sets the default attributes
2209 for new frames. Default attribute values specified this way override
2210 the @code{defface} for newly created frames.
2211
2212 If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, this function sets the attributes for
2213 all existing frames, and the default for new frames.
2214 @end defun
2215
2216 @defun face-attribute face attribute &optional frame inherit
2217 This returns the value of the @var{attribute} attribute of @var{face}
2218 on @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, that means the selected
2219 frame (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2220
2221 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this returns whatever new-frames default
2222 value you previously specified with @code{set-face-attribute} for the
2223 @var{attribute} attribute of @var{face}. If you have not specified
2224 one, it returns @code{nil}.
2225
2226 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only attributes directly defined by
2227 @var{face} are considered, so the return value may be
2228 @code{unspecified}, or a relative value. If @var{inherit} is
2229 non-@code{nil}, @var{face}'s definition of @var{attribute} is merged
2230 with the faces specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute; however the
2231 return value may still be @code{unspecified} or relative. If
2232 @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then the result is further
2233 merged with that face (or faces), until it becomes specified and
2234 absolute.
2235
2236 To ensure that the return value is always specified and absolute, use
2237 a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}; this will resolve any
2238 unspecified or relative values by merging with the @code{default} face
2239 (which is always completely specified).
2240
2241 For example,
2242
2243 @example
2244 (face-attribute 'bold :weight)
2245 @result{} bold
2246 @end example
2247 @end defun
2248
2249 @defun face-attribute-relative-p attribute value
2250 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{value}, when used as the
2251 value of the face attribute @var{attribute}, is relative. This means
2252 it would modify, rather than completely override, any value that comes
2253 from a subsequent face in the face list or that is inherited from
2254 another face.
2255
2256 @code{unspecified} is a relative value for all attributes. For
2257 @code{:height}, floating point and function values are also relative.
2258
2259 For example:
2260
2261 @example
2262 (face-attribute-relative-p :height 2.0)
2263 @result{} t
2264 @end example
2265 @end defun
2266
2267 @defun face-all-attributes face &optional frame
2268 This function returns an alist of attributes of @var{face}. The
2269 elements of the result are name-value pairs of the form
2270 @w{@code{(@var{attr-name} . @var{attr-value})}}. Optional argument
2271 @var{frame} specifies the frame whose definition of @var{face} to
2272 return; if omitted or @code{nil}, the returned value describes the
2273 default attributes of @var{face} for newly created frames.
2274 @end defun
2275
2276 @defun merge-face-attribute attribute value1 value2
2277 If @var{value1} is a relative value for the face attribute
2278 @var{attribute}, returns it merged with the underlying value
2279 @var{value2}; otherwise, if @var{value1} is an absolute value for the
2280 face attribute @var{attribute}, returns @var{value1} unchanged.
2281 @end defun
2282
2283 The following functions provide compatibility with Emacs 20 and
2284 below. They work by calling @code{set-face-attribute}. Values of
2285 @code{t} and @code{nil} for their @var{frame} argument are handled
2286 just like @code{set-face-attribute} and @code{face-attribute}.
2287
2288 @defun set-face-foreground face color &optional frame
2289 @defunx set-face-background face color &optional frame
2290 These functions set the @code{:foreground} attribute (or
2291 @code{:background} attribute, respectively) of @var{face} to
2292 @var{color}.
2293 @end defun
2294
2295 @defun set-face-stipple face pattern &optional frame
2296 This function sets the @code{:stipple} attribute of @var{face} to
2297 @var{pattern}.
2298 @end defun
2299
2300 @defun set-face-font face font &optional frame
2301 This function sets the @code{:font} attribute of @var{face} to
2302 @var{font}.
2303 @end defun
2304
2305 @defun set-face-bold-p face bold-p &optional frame
2306 This function sets the @code{:weight} attribute of @var{face} to
2307 @var{normal} if @var{bold-p} is @code{nil}, and to @var{bold}
2308 otherwise.
2309 @end defun
2310
2311 @defun set-face-italic-p face italic-p &optional frame
2312 This function sets the @code{:slant} attribute of @var{face} to
2313 @var{normal} if @var{italic-p} is @code{nil}, and to @var{italic}
2314 otherwise.
2315 @end defun
2316
2317 @defun set-face-underline-p face underline &optional frame
2318 This function sets the @code{:underline} attribute of @var{face} to
2319 @var{underline}.
2320 @end defun
2321
2322 @defun set-face-inverse-video-p face inverse-video-p &optional frame
2323 This function sets the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of @var{face}
2324 to @var{inverse-video-p}.
2325 @end defun
2326
2327 @defun invert-face face &optional frame
2328 This function swaps the foreground and background colors of face
2329 @var{face}.
2330 @end defun
2331
2332 The following functions examine the attributes of a face. If you
2333 don't specify @var{frame}, they refer to the selected frame; @code{t}
2334 refers to the default data for new frames. They return the symbol
2335 @code{unspecified} if the face doesn't define any value for that
2336 attribute.
2337
2338 @defun face-foreground face &optional frame inherit
2339 @defunx face-background face &optional frame inherit
2340 These functions return the foreground color (or background color,
2341 respectively) of face @var{face}, as a string.
2342
2343 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a color directly defined by the face is
2344 returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces specified by its
2345 @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and if @var{inherit}
2346 is a face or a list of faces, then they are also considered, until a
2347 specified color is found. To ensure that the return value is always
2348 specified, use a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}.
2349 @end defun
2350
2351 @defun face-stipple face &optional frame inherit
2352 This function returns the name of the background stipple pattern of face
2353 @var{face}, or @code{nil} if it doesn't have one.
2354
2355 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a stipple directly defined by the
2356 face is returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces
2357 specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and
2358 if @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then they are also
2359 considered, until a specified stipple is found. To ensure that the
2360 return value is always specified, use a value of @code{default} for
2361 @var{inherit}.
2362 @end defun
2363
2364 @defun face-font face &optional frame
2365 This function returns the name of the font of face @var{face}.
2366 @end defun
2367
2368 @defun face-bold-p face &optional frame
2369 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the @code{:weight}
2370 attribute of @var{face} is bolder than normal (i.e., one of
2371 @code{semi-bold}, @code{bold}, @code{extra-bold}, or
2372 @code{ultra-bold}). Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
2373 @end defun
2374
2375 @defun face-italic-p face &optional frame
2376 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the @code{:slant}
2377 attribute of @var{face} is @code{italic} or @code{oblique}, and
2378 @code{nil} otherwise.
2379 @end defun
2380
2381 @defun face-underline-p face &optional frame
2382 This function returns the @code{:underline} attribute of face @var{face}.
2383 @end defun
2384
2385 @defun face-inverse-video-p face &optional frame
2386 This function returns the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of face @var{face}.
2387 @end defun
2388
2389 @node Displaying Faces
2390 @subsection Displaying Faces
2391
2392 Here is how Emacs determines the face to use for displaying any
2393 given piece of text:
2394
2395 @itemize @bullet
2396 @item
2397 If the text consists of a special glyph, the glyph can specify a
2398 particular face. @xref{Glyphs}.
2399
2400 @item
2401 If the text lies within an active region, Emacs highlights it using
2402 the @code{region} face. @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs
2403 Manual}.
2404
2405 @item
2406 If the text lies within an overlay with a non-@code{nil} @code{face}
2407 property, Emacs applies the face or face attributes specified by that
2408 property. If the overlay has a @code{mouse-face} property and the
2409 mouse is ``near enough'' to the overlay, Emacs applies the face or
2410 face attributes specified by the @code{mouse-face} property instead.
2411 @xref{Overlay Properties}.
2412
2413 When multiple overlays cover one character, an overlay with higher
2414 priority overrides those with lower priority. @xref{Overlays}.
2415
2416 @item
2417 If the text contains a @code{face} or @code{mouse-face} property,
2418 Emacs applies the specified faces and face attributes. @xref{Special
2419 Properties}. (This is how Font Lock mode faces are applied.
2420 @xref{Font Lock Mode}.)
2421
2422 @item
2423 If the text lies within the mode line of the selected window, Emacs
2424 applies the @code{mode-line} face. For the mode line of a
2425 non-selected window, Emacs applies the @code{mode-line-inactive} face.
2426 For a header line, Emacs applies the @code{header-line} face.
2427
2428 @item
2429 If any given attribute has not been specified during the preceding
2430 steps, Emacs applies the attribute of the @code{default} face.
2431 @end itemize
2432
2433 If these various sources together specify more than one face for a
2434 particular character, Emacs merges the attributes of the various faces
2435 specified. For each attribute, Emacs tries using the above order
2436 (i.e., first the face of any special glyph; then the face for region
2437 highlighting, if appropriate; then faces specified by overlays, then
2438 faces specified by text properties, then the @code{mode-line} or
2439 @code{mode-line-inactive} or @code{header-line} face, if appropriate,
2440 and finally the @code{default} face).
2441
2442 @node Face Remapping
2443 @subsection Face Remapping
2444
2445 The variable @code{face-remapping-alist} is used for buffer-local or
2446 global changes in the appearance of a face. For instance, it can be
2447 used to make the @code{default} face a variable-pitch face within a
2448 particular buffer.
2449
2450 @defvar face-remapping-alist
2451 An alist whose elements have the form @code{(@var{face}
2452 @var{remapping...})}. This causes Emacs to display text using the
2453 face @var{face} using @var{remapping...} instead of @var{face}'s
2454 ordinary definition. @var{remapping...} may be any face specification
2455 suitable for a @code{face} text property: either a face name, or a
2456 property list of attribute/value pairs. @xref{Special Properties}.
2457
2458 If @code{face-remapping-alist} is buffer-local, its local value takes
2459 effect only within that buffer.
2460
2461 Two points bear emphasizing:
2462
2463 @enumerate
2464 @item
2465 The new definition @var{remapping...} is the complete
2466 specification of how to display @var{face}---it entirely replaces,
2467 rather than augmenting or modifying, the normal definition of that
2468 face.
2469
2470 @item
2471 If @var{remapping...} recursively references the same face name
2472 @var{face}, either directly remapping entry, or via the
2473 @code{:inherit} attribute of some other face in @var{remapping...},
2474 then that reference uses the normal definition of @var{face} in the
2475 selected frame, instead of the ``remapped'' definition.
2476
2477 For instance, if the @code{mode-line} face is remapped using this
2478 entry in @code{face-remapping-alist}:
2479 @example
2480 (mode-line italic mode-line)
2481 @end example
2482 @noindent
2483 then the new definition of the @code{mode-line} face inherits from the
2484 @code{italic} face, and the @emph{normal} (non-remapped) definition of
2485 @code{mode-line} face.
2486 @end enumerate
2487 @end defvar
2488
2489 A typical use of the @code{face-remapping-alist} is to change a
2490 buffer's @code{default} face; for example, the following changes a
2491 buffer's @code{default} face to use the @code{variable-pitch} face,
2492 with the height doubled:
2493
2494 @example
2495 (set (make-local-variable 'face-remapping-alist)
2496 '((default variable-pitch :height 2.0)))
2497 @end example
2498
2499 The following functions implement a higher-level interface to
2500 @code{face-remapping-alist}, making it easier to use
2501 ``cooperatively''. They are mainly intended for buffer-local use, and
2502 so all make @code{face-remapping-alist} variable buffer-local as a
2503 side-effect. They use entries in @code{face-remapping-alist} which
2504 have the general form:
2505
2506 @example
2507 (@var{face} @var{relative_specs_1} @var{relative_specs_2} @var{...} @var{base_specs})
2508 @end example
2509
2510 Everything except @var{face} is a ``face spec'': a list of face names
2511 or face attribute-value pairs. All face specs are merged together,
2512 with earlier values taking precedence.
2513
2514 The @var{relative_specs_}n values are ``relative specs'', and are
2515 added by @code{face-remap-add-relative} (and removed by
2516 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}. These are intended for face
2517 modifications (such as increasing the size). Typical users of these
2518 relative specs would be minor modes.
2519
2520 @var{base_specs} is the lowest-priority value, and by default is just the
2521 face name, which causes the global definition of that face to be used.
2522
2523 A non-default value of @var{base_specs} may also be set using
2524 @code{face-remap-set-base}. Because this @emph{overwrites} the
2525 default base-spec value (which inherits the global face definition),
2526 it is up to the caller of @code{face-remap-set-base} to add such
2527 inheritance if it is desired. A typical use of
2528 @code{face-remap-set-base} would be a major mode adding a face
2529 remappings, e.g., of the default face.
2530
2531
2532 @defun face-remap-add-relative face &rest specs
2533 This functions adds a face remapping entry of @var{face} to @var{specs}
2534 in the current buffer.
2535
2536 It returns a ``cookie'' which can be used to later delete the remapping with
2537 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}.
2538
2539 @var{specs} can be any value suitable for the @code{face} text
2540 property, including a face name, a list of face names, or a
2541 face-attribute property list. The attributes given by @var{specs}
2542 will be merged with any other currently active face remappings of
2543 @var{face}, and with the global definition of @var{face} (by default;
2544 this may be changed using @code{face-remap-set-base}), with the most
2545 recently added relative remapping taking precedence.
2546 @end defun
2547
2548 @defun face-remap-remove-relative cookie
2549 This function removes a face remapping previously added by
2550 @code{face-remap-add-relative}. @var{cookie} should be a return value
2551 from that function.
2552 @end defun
2553
2554 @defun face-remap-set-base face &rest specs
2555 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} in the current
2556 buffer to @var{specs}. If @var{specs} is empty, the default base
2557 remapping is restored, which inherits from the global definition of
2558 @var{face}; note that this is different from @var{specs} containing a
2559 single value @code{nil}, which has the opposite result (the global
2560 definition of @var{face} is ignored).
2561 @end defun
2562
2563 @defun face-remap-reset-base face
2564 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} to its default
2565 value, which inherits from @var{face}'s global definition.
2566 @end defun
2567
2568 @node Face Functions
2569 @subsection Functions for Working with Faces
2570
2571 Here are additional functions for creating and working with faces.
2572
2573 @defun make-face name
2574 This function defines a new face named @var{name}, initially with all
2575 attributes @code{nil}. It does nothing if there is already a face named
2576 @var{name}.
2577 @end defun
2578
2579 @defun face-list
2580 This function returns a list of all defined face names.
2581 @end defun
2582
2583 @defun copy-face old-face new-name &optional frame new-frame
2584 This function defines a face named @var{new-name} as a copy of the existing
2585 face named @var{old-face}. It creates the face @var{new-name} if that
2586 doesn't already exist.
2587
2588 If the optional argument @var{frame} is given, this function applies
2589 only to that frame. Otherwise it applies to each frame individually,
2590 copying attributes from @var{old-face} in each frame to @var{new-face}
2591 in the same frame.
2592
2593 If the optional argument @var{new-frame} is given, then @code{copy-face}
2594 copies the attributes of @var{old-face} in @var{frame} to @var{new-name}
2595 in @var{new-frame}.
2596 @end defun
2597
2598 @defun face-id face
2599 This function returns the @dfn{face number} of face @var{face}. This
2600 is a number that uniquely identifies a face at low levels within
2601 Emacs. It is seldom necessary to refer to a face by its face number.
2602 @end defun
2603
2604 @defun face-documentation face
2605 This function returns the documentation string of face @var{face}, or
2606 @code{nil} if none was specified for it.
2607 @end defun
2608
2609 @defun face-equal face1 face2 &optional frame
2610 This returns @code{t} if the faces @var{face1} and @var{face2} have the
2611 same attributes for display.
2612 @end defun
2613
2614 @defun face-differs-from-default-p face &optional frame
2615 This returns non-@code{nil} if the face @var{face} displays
2616 differently from the default face.
2617 @end defun
2618
2619 @cindex face alias
2620 A @dfn{face alias} provides an equivalent name for a face. You can
2621 define a face alias by giving the alias symbol the @code{face-alias}
2622 property, with a value of the target face name. The following example
2623 makes @code{modeline} an alias for the @code{mode-line} face.
2624
2625 @example
2626 (put 'modeline 'face-alias 'mode-line)
2627 @end example
2628
2629 @node Auto Faces
2630 @subsection Automatic Face Assignment
2631 @cindex automatic face assignment
2632 @cindex faces, automatic choice
2633
2634 This hook is used for automatically assigning faces to text in the
2635 buffer. It is part of the implementation of Jit-Lock mode, used by
2636 Font-Lock.
2637
2638 @defvar fontification-functions
2639 This variable holds a list of functions that are called by Emacs
2640 redisplay as needed to assign faces automatically to text in the buffer.
2641
2642 The functions are called in the order listed, with one argument, a
2643 buffer position @var{pos}. Each function should attempt to assign faces
2644 to the text in the current buffer starting at @var{pos}.
2645
2646 Each function should record the faces they assign by setting the
2647 @code{face} property. It should also add a non-@code{nil}
2648 @code{fontified} property for all the text it has assigned faces to.
2649 That property tells redisplay that faces have been assigned to that text
2650 already.
2651
2652 It is probably a good idea for each function to do nothing if the
2653 character after @var{pos} already has a non-@code{nil} @code{fontified}
2654 property, but this is not required. If one function overrides the
2655 assignments made by a previous one, the properties as they are
2656 after the last function finishes are the ones that really matter.
2657
2658 For efficiency, we recommend writing these functions so that they
2659 usually assign faces to around 400 to 600 characters at each call.
2660 @end defvar
2661
2662 @node Font Selection
2663 @subsection Font Selection
2664
2665 Before Emacs can draw a character on a particular display, it must
2666 select a @dfn{font} for that character@footnote{In this context, the
2667 term @dfn{font} has nothing to do with Font Lock (@pxref{Font Lock
2668 Mode}).}. Normally, Emacs automatically chooses a font based on the
2669 faces assigned to that character---specifically, the face attributes
2670 @code{:family}, @code{:weight}, @code{:slant}, and @code{:width}
2671 (@pxref{Face Attributes}). The choice of font also depends on the
2672 character to be displayed; some fonts can only display a limited set
2673 of characters. If no available font exactly fits the requirements,
2674 Emacs looks for the @dfn{closest matching font}. The variables in
2675 this section control how Emacs makes this selection.
2676
2677 @defopt face-font-family-alternatives
2678 If a given family is specified but does not exist, this variable
2679 specifies alternative font families to try. Each element should have
2680 this form:
2681
2682 @example
2683 (@var{family} @var{alternate-families}@dots{})
2684 @end example
2685
2686 If @var{family} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the other
2687 families given in @var{alternate-families}, one by one, until it finds a
2688 family that does exist.
2689 @end defopt
2690
2691 @defopt face-font-selection-order
2692 If there is no font that exactly matches all desired face attributes
2693 (@code{:width}, @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant}),
2694 this variable specifies the order in which these attributes should be
2695 considered when selecting the closest matching font. The value should
2696 be a list containing those four attribute symbols, in order of
2697 decreasing importance. The default is @code{(:width :height :weight
2698 :slant)}.
2699
2700 Font selection first finds the best available matches for the first
2701 attribute in the list; then, among the fonts which are best in that
2702 way, it searches for the best matches in the second attribute, and so
2703 on.
2704
2705 The attributes @code{:weight} and @code{:width} have symbolic values in
2706 a range centered around @code{normal}. Matches that are more extreme
2707 (farther from @code{normal}) are somewhat preferred to matches that are
2708 less extreme (closer to @code{normal}); this is designed to ensure that
2709 non-normal faces contrast with normal ones, whenever possible.
2710
2711 One example of a case where this variable makes a difference is when the
2712 default font has no italic equivalent. With the default ordering, the
2713 @code{italic} face will use a non-italic font that is similar to the
2714 default one. But if you put @code{:slant} before @code{:height}, the
2715 @code{italic} face will use an italic font, even if its height is not
2716 quite right.
2717 @end defopt
2718
2719 @defopt face-font-registry-alternatives
2720 This variable lets you specify alternative font registries to try, if a
2721 given registry is specified and doesn't exist. Each element should have
2722 this form:
2723
2724 @example
2725 (@var{registry} @var{alternate-registries}@dots{})
2726 @end example
2727
2728 If @var{registry} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the
2729 other registries given in @var{alternate-registries}, one by one,
2730 until it finds a registry that does exist.
2731 @end defopt
2732
2733 Emacs can make use of scalable fonts, but by default it does not use
2734 them.
2735
2736 @defopt scalable-fonts-allowed
2737 This variable controls which scalable fonts to use. A value of
2738 @code{nil}, the default, means do not use scalable fonts. @code{t}
2739 means to use any scalable font that seems appropriate for the text.
2740
2741 Otherwise, the value must be a list of regular expressions. Then a
2742 scalable font is enabled for use if its name matches any regular
2743 expression in the list. For example,
2744
2745 @example
2746 (setq scalable-fonts-allowed '("muleindian-2$"))
2747 @end example
2748
2749 @noindent
2750 allows the use of scalable fonts with registry @code{muleindian-2}.
2751 @end defopt
2752
2753 @defvar face-font-rescale-alist
2754 This variable specifies scaling for certain faces. Its value should
2755 be a list of elements of the form
2756
2757 @example
2758 (@var{fontname-regexp} . @var{scale-factor})
2759 @end example
2760
2761 If @var{fontname-regexp} matches the font name that is about to be
2762 used, this says to choose a larger similar font according to the
2763 factor @var{scale-factor}. You would use this feature to normalize
2764 the font size if certain fonts are bigger or smaller than their
2765 nominal heights and widths would suggest.
2766 @end defvar
2767
2768 @node Font Lookup
2769 @subsection Looking Up Fonts
2770
2771 @defun x-list-fonts name &optional reference-face frame maximum width
2772 This function returns a list of available font names that match
2773 @var{name}. @var{name} should be a string containing a font name in
2774 either the Fontconfig, GTK, or XLFD format (@pxref{Font X,, Font
2775 Specification Options, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). Within an XLFD
2776 string, wildcard characters may be used: the @samp{*} character
2777 matches any substring, and the @samp{?} character matches any single
2778 character. Case is ignored when matching font names.
2779
2780 If the optional arguments @var{reference-face} and @var{frame} are
2781 specified, the returned list includes only fonts that are the same
2782 size as @var{reference-face} (a face name) currently is on the frame
2783 @var{frame}.
2784
2785 The optional argument @var{maximum} sets a limit on how many fonts to
2786 return. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the return value is truncated
2787 after the first @var{maximum} matching fonts. Specifying a small
2788 value for @var{maximum} can make this function much faster, in cases
2789 where many fonts match the pattern.
2790
2791 The optional argument @var{width} specifies a desired font width. If
2792 it is non-@code{nil}, the function only returns those fonts whose
2793 characters are (on average) @var{width} times as wide as
2794 @var{reference-face}.
2795 @end defun
2796
2797 @defun x-family-fonts &optional family frame
2798 This function returns a list describing the available fonts for family
2799 @var{family} on @var{frame}. If @var{family} is omitted or @code{nil},
2800 this list applies to all families, and therefore, it contains all
2801 available fonts. Otherwise, @var{family} must be a string; it may
2802 contain the wildcards @samp{?} and @samp{*}.
2803
2804 The list describes the display that @var{frame} is on; if @var{frame} is
2805 omitted or @code{nil}, it applies to the selected frame's display
2806 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2807
2808 Each element in the list is a vector of the following form:
2809
2810 @example
2811 [@var{family} @var{width} @var{point-size} @var{weight} @var{slant}
2812 @var{fixed-p} @var{full} @var{registry-and-encoding}]
2813 @end example
2814
2815 The first five elements correspond to face attributes; if you
2816 specify these attributes for a face, it will use this font.
2817
2818 The last three elements give additional information about the font.
2819 @var{fixed-p} is non-@code{nil} if the font is fixed-pitch.
2820 @var{full} is the full name of the font, and
2821 @var{registry-and-encoding} is a string giving the registry and
2822 encoding of the font.
2823 @end defun
2824
2825 @defvar font-list-limit
2826 This variable specifies maximum number of fonts to consider in font
2827 matching. The function @code{x-family-fonts} will not return more than
2828 that many fonts, and font selection will consider only that many fonts
2829 when searching a matching font for face attributes. The default is
2830 currently 100.
2831 @end defvar
2832
2833 @node Fontsets
2834 @subsection Fontsets
2835
2836 A @dfn{fontset} is a list of fonts, each assigned to a range of
2837 character codes. An individual font cannot display the whole range of
2838 characters that Emacs supports, but a fontset can. Fontsets have names,
2839 just as fonts do, and you can use a fontset name in place of a font name
2840 when you specify the ``font'' for a frame or a face. Here is
2841 information about defining a fontset under Lisp program control.
2842
2843 @defun create-fontset-from-fontset-spec fontset-spec &optional style-variant-p noerror
2844 This function defines a new fontset according to the specification
2845 string @var{fontset-spec}. The string should have this format:
2846
2847 @smallexample
2848 @var{fontpattern}, @r{[}@var{charset}:@var{font}@r{]@dots{}}
2849 @end smallexample
2850
2851 @noindent
2852 Whitespace characters before and after the commas are ignored.
2853
2854 The first part of the string, @var{fontpattern}, should have the form of
2855 a standard X font name, except that the last two fields should be
2856 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}.
2857
2858 The new fontset has two names, one long and one short. The long name is
2859 @var{fontpattern} in its entirety. The short name is
2860 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}. You can refer to the fontset by either
2861 name. If a fontset with the same name already exists, an error is
2862 signaled, unless @var{noerror} is non-@code{nil}, in which case this
2863 function does nothing.
2864
2865 If optional argument @var{style-variant-p} is non-@code{nil}, that says
2866 to create bold, italic and bold-italic variants of the fontset as well.
2867 These variant fontsets do not have a short name, only a long one, which
2868 is made by altering @var{fontpattern} to indicate the bold or italic
2869 status.
2870
2871 The specification string also says which fonts to use in the fontset.
2872 See below for the details.
2873 @end defun
2874
2875 The construct @samp{@var{charset}:@var{font}} specifies which font to
2876 use (in this fontset) for one particular character set. Here,
2877 @var{charset} is the name of a character set, and @var{font} is the font
2878 to use for that character set. You can use this construct any number of
2879 times in the specification string.
2880
2881 For the remaining character sets, those that you don't specify
2882 explicitly, Emacs chooses a font based on @var{fontpattern}: it replaces
2883 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} with a value that names one character set.
2884 For the @acronym{ASCII} character set, @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} is replaced
2885 with @samp{ISO8859-1}.
2886
2887 In addition, when several consecutive fields are wildcards, Emacs
2888 collapses them into a single wildcard. This is to prevent use of
2889 auto-scaled fonts. Fonts made by scaling larger fonts are not usable
2890 for editing, and scaling a smaller font is not useful because it is
2891 better to use the smaller font in its own size, which Emacs does.
2892
2893 Thus if @var{fontpattern} is this,
2894
2895 @example
2896 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24
2897 @end example
2898
2899 @noindent
2900 the font specification for @acronym{ASCII} characters would be this:
2901
2902 @example
2903 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-ISO8859-1
2904 @end example
2905
2906 @noindent
2907 and the font specification for Chinese GB2312 characters would be this:
2908
2909 @example
2910 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2911 @end example
2912
2913 You may not have any Chinese font matching the above font
2914 specification. Most X distributions include only Chinese fonts that
2915 have @samp{song ti} or @samp{fangsong ti} in the @var{family} field. In
2916 such a case, @samp{Fontset-@var{n}} can be specified as below:
2917
2918 @smallexample
2919 Emacs.Fontset-0: -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24,\
2920 chinese-gb2312:-*-*-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2921 @end smallexample
2922
2923 @noindent
2924 Then, the font specifications for all but Chinese GB2312 characters have
2925 @samp{fixed} in the @var{family} field, and the font specification for
2926 Chinese GB2312 characters has a wild card @samp{*} in the @var{family}
2927 field.
2928
2929 @defun set-fontset-font name character font-spec &optional frame add
2930 This function modifies the existing fontset @var{name} to use the font
2931 matching with @var{font-spec} for the character @var{character}.
2932
2933 If @var{name} is @code{nil}, this function modifies the fontset of the
2934 selected frame or that of @var{frame} if @var{frame} is not
2935 @code{nil}.
2936
2937 If @var{name} is @code{t}, this function modifies the default
2938 fontset, whose short name is @samp{fontset-default}.
2939
2940 @var{character} may be a cons; @code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, where
2941 @var{from} and @var{to} are character codepoints. In that case, use
2942 @var{font-spec} for all characters in the range @var{from} and @var{to}
2943 (inclusive).
2944
2945 @var{character} may be a charset. In that case, use
2946 @var{font-spec} for all character in the charsets.
2947
2948 @var{character} may be a script anme. In that case, use
2949 @var{font-spec} for all character in the charsets.
2950
2951 @var{font-spec} may be a cons; @code{(@var{family} . @var{registry})},
2952 where @var{family} is a family name of a font (possibly including a
2953 foundry name at the head), @var{registry} is a registry name of a font
2954 (possibly including an encoding name at the tail).
2955
2956 @var{font-spec} may be a font name string.
2957
2958 The optional argument @var{add}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies how to
2959 add @var{font-spec} to the font specifications previously set. If it
2960 is @code{prepend}, @var{font-spec} is prepended. If it is
2961 @code{append}, @var{font-spec} is appended. By default,
2962 @var{font-spec} overrides the previous settings.
2963
2964 For instance, this changes the default fontset to use a font of which
2965 family name is @samp{Kochi Gothic} for all characters belonging to
2966 the charset @code{japanese-jisx0208}.
2967
2968 @smallexample
2969 (set-fontset-font t 'japanese-jisx0208
2970 (font-spec :family "Kochi Gothic"))
2971 @end smallexample
2972 @end defun
2973
2974 @defun char-displayable-p char
2975 This function returns @code{t} if Emacs ought to be able to display
2976 @var{char}. More precisely, if the selected frame's fontset has a
2977 font to display the character set that @var{char} belongs to.
2978
2979 Fontsets can specify a font on a per-character basis; when the fontset
2980 does that, this function's value may not be accurate.
2981 @end defun
2982
2983 @node Low-Level Font
2984 @subsection Low-Level Font Representation
2985
2986 Normally, it is not necessary to manipulate fonts directly. In case
2987 you need to do so, this section explains how.
2988
2989 In Emacs Lisp, fonts are represented using three different Lisp
2990 object types: @dfn{font objects}, @dfn{font specs}, and @dfn{font
2991 entities}.
2992
2993 @defun fontp object &optional type
2994 Return @code{t} if @var{object} is a font object, font spec, or font
2995 entity. Otherwise, return @code{nil}.
2996
2997 The optional argument @var{type}, if non-@code{nil}, determines the
2998 exact type of Lisp object to check for. In that case, @var{type}
2999 should be one of @code{font-object}, @code{font-spec}, or
3000 @code{font-entity}.
3001 @end defun
3002
3003 A font object is a Lisp object that represents a font that Emacs has
3004 @dfn{opened}. Font objects cannot be modified in Lisp, but they can
3005 be inspected.
3006
3007 @defun font-at position &optional window string
3008 Return the font object that is being used to display the character at
3009 position @var{position} in the window @var{window}. If @var{window}
3010 is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window. If @var{string} is
3011 @code{nil}, @var{position} specifies a position in the current buffer;
3012 otherwise, @var{string} should be a string, and @var{position}
3013 specifies a position in that string.
3014 @end defun
3015
3016 A font spec is a Lisp object that contains a set of specifications
3017 that can be used to find a font. More than one font may match the
3018 specifications in a font spec.
3019
3020 @defun font-spec &rest arguments
3021 Return a new font spec using the specifications in @var{arguments},
3022 which should come in @code{property}-@code{value} pairs. The possible
3023 specifications are as follows:
3024
3025 @table @code
3026 @item :name
3027 The font name (a string), in either XLFD, Fontconfig, or GTK format.
3028 @xref{Font X,, Font Specification Options, emacs, The GNU Emacs
3029 Manual}.
3030
3031 @item :family
3032 @itemx :foundry
3033 @itemx :weight
3034 @itemx :slant
3035 @itemx :width
3036 These have the same meanings as the face attributes of the same name.
3037 @xref{Face Attributes}.
3038
3039 @item :size
3040 The font size---either a non-negative integer that specifies the pixel
3041 size, or a floating point number that specifies the point size.
3042
3043 @item :adstyle
3044 Additional typographic style information for the font, such as
3045 @samp{sans}. The value should be a string or a symbol.
3046
3047 @item :registry
3048 The charset registry and encoding of the font, such as
3049 @samp{iso8859-1}. The value should be a string or a symbol.
3050
3051 @item :script
3052 The script that the font must support (a symbol).
3053 @end table
3054 @end defun
3055
3056 @defun font-put font-spec property value
3057 Set the font property @var{property} in the font-spec @var{font-spec}
3058 to @var{value}.
3059 @end defun
3060
3061 A font entity is a reference to a font that need not be open. Its
3062 properties are intermediate between a font object and a font spec:
3063 like a font object, and unlike a font spec, it refers to a single,
3064 specific font. Unlike a font object, creating a font entity does not
3065 load the contents of that font into computer memory.
3066
3067 @defun find-font font-spec &optional frame
3068 This function returns a font entity that best matches the font spec
3069 @var{font-spec} on frame @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil},
3070 it defaults to the selected frame.
3071 @end defun
3072
3073 @defun list-fonts font-spec &optional frame num prefer
3074 This function returns a list of all font entities that match the font
3075 spec @var{font-spec}.
3076
3077 The optional argument @var{frame}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the
3078 frame on which the fonts are to be displayed. The optional argument
3079 @var{num}, if non-@code{nil}, should be an integer that specifies the
3080 maximum length of the returned list. The optional argument
3081 @var{prefer}, if non-@code{nil}, should be another font spec, which is
3082 used to control the order of the returned list; the returned font
3083 entities are sorted in order of decreasing ``closeness'' to that font
3084 spec.
3085 @end defun
3086
3087 If you call @code{set-face-attribute} and pass a font spec, font
3088 entity, or font name string as the value of the @code{:font}
3089 attribute, Emacs opens the best ``matching'' font that is available
3090 for display. It then stores the corresponding font object as the
3091 actual value of the @code{:font} attribute for that face.
3092
3093 The following functions can be used to obtain information about a
3094 font. For these functions, the @var{font} argument can be a font
3095 object, a font entity, or a font spec.
3096
3097 @defun font-get font property
3098 This function returns the value of the font property @var{property}
3099 for @var{font}.
3100
3101 If @var{font} is a font spec and the font spec does not specify
3102 @var{property}, the return value is @code{nil}. If @var{font} is a
3103 font object or font entity, the value for the @var{:script} property
3104 may be a list of scripts supported by the font.
3105 @end defun
3106
3107 @defun font-face-attributes font &optional frame
3108 This function returns a list of face attributes corresponding to
3109 @var{font}. The optional argument @var{frame} specifies the frame on
3110 which the font is to be displayed. If it is @code{nil}, the selected
3111 frame is used. The return value has the form
3112
3113 @smallexample
3114 (:family @var{family} :height @var{height} :weight @var{weight}
3115 :slant @var{slant} :width @var{width})
3116 @end smallexample
3117
3118 where the values of @var{family}, @var{height}, @var{weight},
3119 @var{slant}, and @var{width} are face attribute values. Some of these
3120 key-attribute pairs may be omitted from the list if they are not
3121 specified by @var{font}.
3122 @end defun
3123
3124 @defun font-xlfd-name font &optional fold-wildcards
3125 This function returns the XLFD (X Logical Font Descriptor), a string,
3126 matching @var{font}. @xref{Font X,, Font Specification Options,
3127 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for information about XLFDs. If the
3128 name is too long for an XLFD (which can contain at most 255
3129 characters), the function returns @code{nil}.
3130
3131 If the optional argument @var{fold-wildcards} is non-@code{nil},
3132 consecutive wildcards in the XLFD are folded into one.
3133 @end defun
3134
3135 @node Fringes
3136 @section Fringes
3137 @cindex fringes
3138
3139 The @dfn{fringes} of a window are thin vertical strips down the
3140 sides that are used for displaying bitmaps that indicate truncation,
3141 continuation, horizontal scrolling, and the overlay arrow.
3142
3143 @menu
3144 * Fringe Size/Pos:: Specifying where to put the window fringes.
3145 * Fringe Indicators:: Displaying indicator icons in the window fringes.
3146 * Fringe Cursors:: Displaying cursors in the right fringe.
3147 * Fringe Bitmaps:: Specifying bitmaps for fringe indicators.
3148 * Customizing Bitmaps:: Specifying your own bitmaps to use in the fringes.
3149 * Overlay Arrow:: Display of an arrow to indicate position.
3150 @end menu
3151
3152 @node Fringe Size/Pos
3153 @subsection Fringe Size and Position
3154
3155 The following buffer-local variables control the position and width
3156 of the window fringes.
3157
3158 @defvar fringes-outside-margins
3159 The fringes normally appear between the display margins and the window
3160 text. If the value is non-@code{nil}, they appear outside the display
3161 margins. @xref{Display Margins}.
3162 @end defvar
3163
3164 @defvar left-fringe-width
3165 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the left
3166 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the left fringe
3167 width from the window's frame.
3168 @end defvar
3169
3170 @defvar right-fringe-width
3171 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the right
3172 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the right fringe
3173 width from the window's frame.
3174 @end defvar
3175
3176 The values of these variables take effect when you display the
3177 buffer in a window. If you change them while the buffer is visible,
3178 you can call @code{set-window-buffer} to display it once again in the
3179 same window, to make the changes take effect.
3180
3181 @defun set-window-fringes window left &optional right outside-margins
3182 This function sets the fringe widths of window @var{window}.
3183 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3184
3185 The argument @var{left} specifies the width in pixels of the left
3186 fringe, and likewise @var{right} for the right fringe. A value of
3187 @code{nil} for either one stands for the default width. If
3188 @var{outside-margins} is non-@code{nil}, that specifies that fringes
3189 should appear outside of the display margins.
3190 @end defun
3191
3192 @defun window-fringes &optional window
3193 This function returns information about the fringes of a window
3194 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected
3195 window is used. The value has the form @code{(@var{left-width}
3196 @var{right-width} @var{outside-margins})}.
3197 @end defun
3198
3199
3200 @node Fringe Indicators
3201 @subsection Fringe Indicators
3202 @cindex fringe indicators
3203 @cindex indicators, fringe
3204
3205 The @dfn{fringe indicators} are tiny icons Emacs displays in the
3206 window fringe (on a graphic display) to indicate truncated or
3207 continued lines, buffer boundaries, overlay arrow, etc.
3208
3209 @defopt indicate-empty-lines
3210 @cindex fringes, and empty line indication
3211 When this is non-@code{nil}, Emacs displays a special glyph in the
3212 fringe of each empty line at the end of the buffer, on graphical
3213 displays. @xref{Fringes}. This variable is automatically
3214 buffer-local in every buffer.
3215 @end defopt
3216
3217 @defopt indicate-buffer-boundaries
3218 This buffer-local variable controls how the buffer boundaries and
3219 window scrolling are indicated in the window fringes.
3220
3221 Emacs can indicate the buffer boundaries---that is, the first and last
3222 line in the buffer---with angle icons when they appear on the screen.
3223 In addition, Emacs can display an up-arrow in the fringe to show
3224 that there is text above the screen, and a down-arrow to show
3225 there is text below the screen.
3226
3227 There are three kinds of basic values:
3228
3229 @table @asis
3230 @item @code{nil}
3231 Don't display any of these fringe icons.
3232 @item @code{left}
3233 Display the angle icons and arrows in the left fringe.
3234 @item @code{right}
3235 Display the angle icons and arrows in the right fringe.
3236 @item any non-alist
3237 Display the angle icons in the left fringe
3238 and don't display the arrows.
3239 @end table
3240
3241 Otherwise the value should be an alist that specifies which fringe
3242 indicators to display and where. Each element of the alist should
3243 have the form @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{position})}. Here,
3244 @var{indicator} is one of @code{top}, @code{bottom}, @code{up},
3245 @code{down}, and @code{t} (which covers all the icons not yet
3246 specified), while @var{position} is one of @code{left}, @code{right}
3247 and @code{nil}.
3248
3249 For example, @code{((top . left) (t . right))} places the top angle
3250 bitmap in left fringe, and the bottom angle bitmap as well as both
3251 arrow bitmaps in right fringe. To show the angle bitmaps in the left
3252 fringe, and no arrow bitmaps, use @code{((top . left) (bottom . left))}.
3253 @end defopt
3254
3255 @defvar default-indicate-buffer-boundaries
3256 The value of this variable is the default value for
3257 @code{indicate-buffer-boundaries} in buffers that do not override it.
3258 @end defvar
3259
3260 @defvar fringe-indicator-alist
3261 This buffer-local variable specifies the mapping from logical fringe
3262 indicators to the actual bitmaps displayed in the window fringes.
3263
3264 These symbols identify the logical fringe indicators:
3265
3266 @table @asis
3267 @item Truncation and continuation line indicators:
3268 @code{truncation}, @code{continuation}.
3269
3270 @item Buffer position indicators:
3271 @code{up}, @code{down},
3272 @code{top}, @code{bottom},
3273 @code{top-bottom}.
3274
3275 @item Empty line indicator:
3276 @code{empty-line}.
3277
3278 @item Overlay arrow indicator:
3279 @code{overlay-arrow}.
3280
3281 @item Unknown bitmap indicator:
3282 @code{unknown}.
3283 @end table
3284
3285 The value is an alist where each element @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{bitmaps})}
3286 specifies the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical
3287 fringe indicator.
3288
3289 Here, @var{indicator} specifies the logical indicator type, and
3290 @var{bitmaps} is list of symbols @code{(@var{left} @var{right}
3291 [@var{left1} @var{right1}])} which specifies the actual bitmap shown
3292 in the left or right fringe for the logical indicator.
3293
3294 The @var{left} and @var{right} symbols specify the bitmaps shown in
3295 the left and/or right fringe for the specific indicator. The
3296 @var{left1} or @var{right1} bitmaps are used only for the `bottom' and
3297 `top-bottom indicators when the last (only) line in has no final
3298 newline. Alternatively, @var{bitmaps} may be a single symbol which is
3299 used in both left and right fringes.
3300
3301 When @code{fringe-indicator-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there
3302 is no bitmap defined for a logical indicator, or the bitmap is
3303 @code{t}, the corresponding value from the (non-local)
3304 @code{default-fringe-indicator-alist} is used.
3305
3306 To completely hide a specific indicator, set the bitmap to @code{nil}.
3307 @end defvar
3308
3309 @defvar default-fringe-indicator-alist
3310 The value of this variable is the default value for
3311 @code{fringe-indicator-alist} in buffers that do not override it.
3312 @end defvar
3313
3314 Standard fringe bitmaps for indicators:
3315 @example
3316 left-arrow right-arrow up-arrow down-arrow
3317 left-curly-arrow right-curly-arrow
3318 left-triangle right-triangle
3319 top-left-angle top-right-angle
3320 bottom-left-angle bottom-right-angle
3321 left-bracket right-bracket
3322 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle
3323 filled-square hollow-square
3324 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3325 empty-line question-mark
3326 @end example
3327
3328 @node Fringe Cursors
3329 @subsection Fringe Cursors
3330 @cindex fringe cursors
3331 @cindex cursor, fringe
3332
3333 When a line is exactly as wide as the window, Emacs displays the
3334 cursor in the right fringe instead of using two lines. Different
3335 bitmaps are used to represent the cursor in the fringe depending on
3336 the current buffer's cursor type.
3337
3338 @table @asis
3339 @item Logical cursor types:
3340 @code{box} , @code{hollow}, @code{bar},
3341 @code{hbar}, @code{hollow-small}.
3342 @end table
3343
3344 The @code{hollow-small} type is used instead of @code{hollow} when the
3345 normal @code{hollow-rectangle} bitmap is too tall to fit on a specific
3346 display line.
3347
3348 @defopt overflow-newline-into-fringe
3349 If this is non-@code{nil}, lines exactly as wide as the window (not
3350 counting the final newline character) are not continued. Instead,
3351 when point is at the end of the line, the cursor appears in the right
3352 fringe.
3353 @end defopt
3354
3355 @defvar fringe-cursor-alist
3356 This variable specifies the mapping from logical cursor type to the
3357 actual fringe bitmaps displayed in the right fringe. The value is an
3358 alist where each element @code{(@var{cursor} . @var{bitmap})} specifies
3359 the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical cursor type in
3360 the fringe. Here, @var{cursor} specifies the logical cursor type and
3361 @var{bitmap} is a symbol specifying the fringe bitmap to be displayed
3362 for that logical cursor type.
3363
3364 When @code{fringe-cursor-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there is
3365 no bitmap defined for a cursor type, the corresponding value from the
3366 (non-local) @code{default-fringes-indicator-alist} is used.
3367 @end defvar
3368
3369 @defvar default-fringes-cursor-alist
3370 The value of this variable is the default value for
3371 @code{fringe-cursor-alist} in buffers that do not override it.
3372 @end defvar
3373
3374 Standard bitmaps for displaying the cursor in right fringe:
3375 @example
3376 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle filled-square hollow-square
3377 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3378 @end example
3379
3380
3381 @node Fringe Bitmaps
3382 @subsection Fringe Bitmaps
3383 @cindex fringe bitmaps
3384 @cindex bitmaps, fringe
3385
3386 The @dfn{fringe bitmaps} are the actual bitmaps which represent the
3387 logical fringe indicators for truncated or continued lines, buffer
3388 boundaries, overlay arrow, etc. Fringe bitmap symbols have their own
3389 name space. The fringe bitmaps are shared by all frames and windows.
3390 You can redefine the built-in fringe bitmaps, and you can define new
3391 fringe bitmaps.
3392
3393 The way to display a bitmap in the left or right fringes for a given
3394 line in a window is by specifying the @code{display} property for one
3395 of the characters that appears in it. Use a display specification of
3396 the form @code{(left-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} or
3397 @code{(right-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} (@pxref{Display
3398 Property}). Here, @var{bitmap} is a symbol identifying the bitmap you
3399 want, and @var{face} (which is optional) is the name of the face whose
3400 colors should be used for displaying the bitmap, instead of the
3401 default @code{fringe} face. @var{face} is automatically merged with
3402 the @code{fringe} face, so normally @var{face} need only specify the
3403 foreground color for the bitmap.
3404
3405 @defun fringe-bitmaps-at-pos &optional pos window
3406 This function returns the fringe bitmaps of the display line
3407 containing position @var{pos} in window @var{window}. The return
3408 value has the form @code{(@var{left} @var{right} @var{ov})}, where @var{left}
3409 is the symbol for the fringe bitmap in the left fringe (or @code{nil}
3410 if no bitmap), @var{right} is similar for the right fringe, and @var{ov}
3411 is non-@code{nil} if there is an overlay arrow in the left fringe.
3412
3413 The value is @code{nil} if @var{pos} is not visible in @var{window}.
3414 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, that stands for the selected window.
3415 If @var{pos} is @code{nil}, that stands for the value of point in
3416 @var{window}.
3417 @end defun
3418
3419 @node Customizing Bitmaps
3420 @subsection Customizing Fringe Bitmaps
3421
3422 @defun define-fringe-bitmap bitmap bits &optional height width align
3423 This function defines the symbol @var{bitmap} as a new fringe bitmap,
3424 or replaces an existing bitmap with that name.
3425
3426 The argument @var{bits} specifies the image to use. It should be
3427 either a string or a vector of integers, where each element (an
3428 integer) corresponds to one row of the bitmap. Each bit of an integer
3429 corresponds to one pixel of the bitmap, where the low bit corresponds
3430 to the rightmost pixel of the bitmap.
3431
3432 The height is normally the length of @var{bits}. However, you
3433 can specify a different height with non-@code{nil} @var{height}. The width
3434 is normally 8, but you can specify a different width with non-@code{nil}
3435 @var{width}. The width must be an integer between 1 and 16.
3436
3437 The argument @var{align} specifies the positioning of the bitmap
3438 relative to the range of rows where it is used; the default is to
3439 center the bitmap. The allowed values are @code{top}, @code{center},
3440 or @code{bottom}.
3441
3442 The @var{align} argument may also be a list @code{(@var{align}
3443 @var{periodic})} where @var{align} is interpreted as described above.
3444 If @var{periodic} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies that the rows in
3445 @code{bits} should be repeated enough times to reach the specified
3446 height.
3447 @end defun
3448
3449 @defun destroy-fringe-bitmap bitmap
3450 This function destroy the fringe bitmap identified by @var{bitmap}.
3451 If @var{bitmap} identifies a standard fringe bitmap, it actually
3452 restores the standard definition of that bitmap, instead of
3453 eliminating it entirely.
3454 @end defun
3455
3456 @defun set-fringe-bitmap-face bitmap &optional face
3457 This sets the face for the fringe bitmap @var{bitmap} to @var{face}.
3458 If @var{face} is @code{nil}, it selects the @code{fringe} face. The
3459 bitmap's face controls the color to draw it in.
3460
3461 @var{face} is merged with the @code{fringe} face, so normally
3462 @var{face} should specify only the foreground color.
3463 @end defun
3464
3465 @node Overlay Arrow
3466 @subsection The Overlay Arrow
3467 @c @cindex overlay arrow Duplicates variable names
3468
3469 The @dfn{overlay arrow} is useful for directing the user's attention
3470 to a particular line in a buffer. For example, in the modes used for
3471 interface to debuggers, the overlay arrow indicates the line of code
3472 about to be executed. This feature has nothing to do with
3473 @dfn{overlays} (@pxref{Overlays}).
3474
3475 @defvar overlay-arrow-string
3476 This variable holds the string to display to call attention to a
3477 particular line, or @code{nil} if the arrow feature is not in use.
3478 On a graphical display the contents of the string are ignored; instead a
3479 glyph is displayed in the fringe area to the left of the display area.
3480 @end defvar
3481
3482 @defvar overlay-arrow-position
3483 This variable holds a marker that indicates where to display the overlay
3484 arrow. It should point at the beginning of a line. On a non-graphical
3485 display the arrow text
3486 appears at the beginning of that line, overlaying any text that would
3487 otherwise appear. Since the arrow is usually short, and the line
3488 usually begins with indentation, normally nothing significant is
3489 overwritten.
3490
3491 The overlay-arrow string is displayed in any given buffer if the value
3492 of @code{overlay-arrow-position} in that buffer points into that
3493 buffer. Thus, it is possible to display multiple overlay arrow strings
3494 by creating buffer-local bindings of @code{overlay-arrow-position}.
3495 However, it is usually cleaner to use
3496 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list} to achieve this result.
3497 @c !!! overlay-arrow-position: but the overlay string may remain in the display
3498 @c of some other buffer until an update is required. This should be fixed
3499 @c now. Is it?
3500 @end defvar
3501
3502 You can do a similar job by creating an overlay with a
3503 @code{before-string} property. @xref{Overlay Properties}.
3504
3505 You can define multiple overlay arrows via the variable
3506 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list}.
3507
3508 @defvar overlay-arrow-variable-list
3509 This variable's value is a list of variables, each of which specifies
3510 the position of an overlay arrow. The variable
3511 @code{overlay-arrow-position} has its normal meaning because it is on
3512 this list.
3513 @end defvar
3514
3515 Each variable on this list can have properties
3516 @code{overlay-arrow-string} and @code{overlay-arrow-bitmap} that
3517 specify an overlay arrow string (for text-only terminals) or fringe
3518 bitmap (for graphical terminals) to display at the corresponding
3519 overlay arrow position. If either property is not set, the default
3520 @code{overlay-arrow-string} or @code{overlay-arrow} fringe indicator
3521 is used.
3522
3523 @node Scroll Bars
3524 @section Scroll Bars
3525 @cindex scroll bars
3526
3527 Normally the frame parameter @code{vertical-scroll-bars} controls
3528 whether the windows in the frame have vertical scroll bars, and
3529 whether they are on the left or right. The frame parameter
3530 @code{scroll-bar-width} specifies how wide they are (@code{nil}
3531 meaning the default). @xref{Layout Parameters}.
3532
3533 @defun frame-current-scroll-bars &optional frame
3534 This function reports the scroll bar type settings for frame
3535 @var{frame}. The value is a cons cell
3536 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}, where
3537 @var{vertical-type} is either @code{left}, @code{right}, or @code{nil}
3538 (which means no scroll bar.) @var{horizontal-type} is meant to
3539 specify the horizontal scroll bar type, but since they are not
3540 implemented, it is always @code{nil}.
3541 @end defun
3542
3543 @vindex vertical-scroll-bar
3544 You can enable or disable scroll bars for a particular buffer,
3545 by setting the variable @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. This variable
3546 automatically becomes buffer-local when set. The possible values are
3547 @code{left}, @code{right}, @code{t}, which means to use the
3548 frame's default, and @code{nil} for no scroll bar.
3549
3550 You can also control this for individual windows. Call the function
3551 @code{set-window-scroll-bars} to specify what to do for a specific window:
3552
3553 @defun set-window-scroll-bars window width &optional vertical-type horizontal-type
3554 This function sets the width and type of scroll bars for window
3555 @var{window}.
3556
3557 @var{width} specifies the scroll bar width in pixels (@code{nil} means
3558 use the width specified for the frame). @var{vertical-type} specifies
3559 whether to have a vertical scroll bar and, if so, where. The possible
3560 values are @code{left}, @code{right} and @code{nil}, just like the
3561 values of the @code{vertical-scroll-bars} frame parameter.
3562
3563 The argument @var{horizontal-type} is meant to specify whether and
3564 where to have horizontal scroll bars, but since they are not
3565 implemented, it has no effect. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the
3566 selected window is used.
3567 @end defun
3568
3569 @defun window-scroll-bars &optional window
3570 Report the width and type of scroll bars specified for @var{window}.
3571 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3572 The value is a list of the form @code{(@var{width}
3573 @var{cols} @var{vertical-type} @var{horizontal-type})}. The value
3574 @var{width} is the value that was specified for the width (which may
3575 be @code{nil}); @var{cols} is the number of columns that the scroll
3576 bar actually occupies.
3577
3578 @var{horizontal-type} is not actually meaningful.
3579 @end defun
3580
3581 If you don't specify these values for a window with
3582 @code{set-window-scroll-bars}, the buffer-local variables
3583 @code{scroll-bar-mode} and @code{scroll-bar-width} in the buffer being
3584 displayed control the window's vertical scroll bars. The function
3585 @code{set-window-buffer} examines these variables. If you change them
3586 in a buffer that is already visible in a window, you can make the
3587 window take note of the new values by calling @code{set-window-buffer}
3588 specifying the same buffer that is already displayed.
3589
3590 @defopt scroll-bar-mode
3591 This variable, always local in all buffers, controls whether and where
3592 to put scroll bars in windows displaying the buffer. The possible values
3593 are @code{nil} for no scroll bar, @code{left} to put a scroll bar on
3594 the left, and @code{right} to put a scroll bar on the right.
3595 @end defopt
3596
3597 @defun window-current-scroll-bars &optional window
3598 This function reports the scroll bar type for window @var{window}.
3599 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3600 The value is a cons cell
3601 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}. Unlike
3602 @code{window-scroll-bars}, this reports the scroll bar type actually
3603 used, once frame defaults and @code{scroll-bar-mode} are taken into
3604 account.
3605 @end defun
3606
3607 @defvar scroll-bar-width
3608 This variable, always local in all buffers, specifies the width of the
3609 buffer's scroll bars, measured in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means
3610 to use the value specified by the frame.
3611 @end defvar
3612
3613 @node Display Property
3614 @section The @code{display} Property
3615 @cindex display specification
3616 @kindex display @r{(text property)}
3617
3618 The @code{display} text property (or overlay property) is used to
3619 insert images into text, and also control other aspects of how text
3620 displays. The value of the @code{display} property should be a
3621 display specification, or a list or vector containing several display
3622 specifications. Display specifications in the same @code{display}
3623 property value generally apply in parallel to the text they cover.
3624
3625 If several sources (overlays and/or a text property) specify values
3626 for the @code{display} property, only one of the values takes effect,
3627 following the rules of @code{get-char-property}. @xref{Examining
3628 Properties}.
3629
3630 The rest of this section describes several kinds of
3631 display specifications and what they mean.
3632
3633 @menu
3634 * Replacing Specs:: Display specs that replace the text.
3635 * Specified Space:: Displaying one space with a specified width.
3636 * Pixel Specification:: Specifying space width or height in pixels.
3637 * Other Display Specs:: Displaying an image; magnifying text; moving it
3638 up or down on the page; adjusting the width
3639 of spaces within text.
3640 * Display Margins:: Displaying text or images to the side of the main text.
3641 @end menu
3642
3643 @node Replacing Specs
3644 @subsection Display Specs That Replace The Text
3645
3646 Some kinds of @code{display} specifications specify something to
3647 display instead of the text that has the property. These are called
3648 @dfn{replacing} display specifications. Emacs does not allow the user
3649 to interactively move point into the middle of buffer text that is
3650 replaced in this way.
3651
3652 If a list of display specifications includes more than one replacing
3653 display specification, the first overrides the rest. Replacing
3654 display specifications make most other display specifications
3655 irrelevant, since those don't apply to the replacement.
3656
3657 For replacing display specifications, ``the text that has the
3658 property'' means all the consecutive characters that have the same
3659 Lisp object as their @code{display} property; these characters are
3660 replaced as a single unit. By contrast, characters that have similar
3661 but distinct Lisp objects as their @code{display} properties are
3662 handled separately. Here's a function that illustrates this point:
3663
3664 @smallexample
3665 (defun foo ()
3666 (goto-char (point-min))
3667 (dotimes (i 5)
3668 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3669 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3670 (forward-char 1)
3671 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3672 (forward-char 1))))
3673 @end smallexample
3674
3675 @noindent
3676 It gives each of the first ten characters in the buffer string
3677 @code{"A"} as the @code{display} property, but they don't all get the
3678 same string. The first two characters get the same string, so they
3679 together are replaced with one @samp{A}. The next two characters get
3680 a second string, so they together are replaced with one @samp{A}.
3681 Likewise for each following pair of characters. Thus, the ten
3682 characters appear as five A's. This function would have the same
3683 results:
3684
3685 @smallexample
3686 (defun foo ()
3687 (goto-char (point-min))
3688 (dotimes (i 5)
3689 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3690 (put-text-property (point) (+ 2 (point)) 'display string)
3691 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3692 (forward-char 2))))
3693 @end smallexample
3694
3695 @noindent
3696 This illustrates that what matters is the property value for
3697 each character. If two consecutive characters have the same
3698 object as the @code{display} property value, it's irrelevant
3699 whether they got this property from a single call to
3700 @code{put-text-property} or from two different calls.
3701
3702 @node Specified Space
3703 @subsection Specified Spaces
3704 @cindex spaces, specified height or width
3705 @cindex variable-width spaces
3706
3707 To display a space of specified width and/or height, use a display
3708 specification of the form @code{(space . @var{props})}, where
3709 @var{props} is a property list (a list of alternating properties and
3710 values). You can put this property on one or more consecutive
3711 characters; a space of the specified height and width is displayed in
3712 place of @emph{all} of those characters. These are the properties you
3713 can use in @var{props} to specify the weight of the space:
3714
3715 @table @code
3716 @item :width @var{width}
3717 If @var{width} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3718 that the space width should be @var{width} times the normal character
3719 width. @var{width} can also be a @dfn{pixel width} specification
3720 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3721
3722 @item :relative-width @var{factor}
3723 Specifies that the width of the stretch should be computed from the
3724 first character in the group of consecutive characters that have the
3725 same @code{display} property. The space width is the width of that
3726 character, multiplied by @var{factor}.
3727
3728 @item :align-to @var{hpos}
3729 Specifies that the space should be wide enough to reach @var{hpos}.
3730 If @var{hpos} is a number, it is measured in units of the normal
3731 character width. @var{hpos} can also be a @dfn{pixel width}
3732 specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3733 @end table
3734
3735 You should use one and only one of the above properties. You can
3736 also specify the height of the space, with these properties:
3737
3738 @table @code
3739 @item :height @var{height}
3740 Specifies the height of the space.
3741 If @var{height} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3742 that the space height should be @var{height} times the normal character
3743 height. The @var{height} may also be a @dfn{pixel height} specification
3744 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3745
3746 @item :relative-height @var{factor}
3747 Specifies the height of the space, multiplying the ordinary height
3748 of the text having this display specification by @var{factor}.
3749
3750 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
3751 If the value of @var{ascent} is a non-negative number no greater than
3752 100, it specifies that @var{ascent} percent of the height of the space
3753 should be considered as the ascent of the space---that is, the part
3754 above the baseline. The ascent may also be specified in pixel units
3755 with a @dfn{pixel ascent} specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3756
3757 @end table
3758
3759 Don't use both @code{:height} and @code{:relative-height} together.
3760
3761 The @code{:width} and @code{:align-to} properties are supported on
3762 non-graphic terminals, but the other space properties in this section
3763 are not.
3764
3765 @node Pixel Specification
3766 @subsection Pixel Specification for Spaces
3767 @cindex spaces, pixel specification
3768
3769 The value of the @code{:width}, @code{:align-to}, @code{:height},
3770 and @code{:ascent} properties can be a special kind of expression that
3771 is evaluated during redisplay. The result of the evaluation is used
3772 as an absolute number of pixels.
3773
3774 The following expressions are supported:
3775
3776 @smallexample
3777 @group
3778 @var{expr} ::= @var{num} | (@var{num}) | @var{unit} | @var{elem} | @var{pos} | @var{image} | @var{form}
3779 @var{num} ::= @var{integer} | @var{float} | @var{symbol}
3780 @var{unit} ::= in | mm | cm | width | height
3781 @end group
3782 @group
3783 @var{elem} ::= left-fringe | right-fringe | left-margin | right-margin
3784 | scroll-bar | text
3785 @var{pos} ::= left | center | right
3786 @var{form} ::= (@var{num} . @var{expr}) | (@var{op} @var{expr} ...)
3787 @var{op} ::= + | -
3788 @end group
3789 @end smallexample
3790
3791 The form @var{num} specifies a fraction of the default frame font
3792 height or width. The form @code{(@var{num})} specifies an absolute
3793 number of pixels. If @var{num} is a symbol, @var{symbol}, its
3794 buffer-local variable binding is used.
3795
3796 The @code{in}, @code{mm}, and @code{cm} units specify the number of
3797 pixels per inch, millimeter, and centimeter, respectively. The
3798 @code{width} and @code{height} units correspond to the default width
3799 and height of the current face. An image specification @code{image}
3800 corresponds to the width or height of the image.
3801
3802 The @code{left-fringe}, @code{right-fringe}, @code{left-margin},
3803 @code{right-margin}, @code{scroll-bar}, and @code{text} elements
3804 specify to the width of the corresponding area of the window.
3805
3806 The @code{left}, @code{center}, and @code{right} positions can be
3807 used with @code{:align-to} to specify a position relative to the left
3808 edge, center, or right edge of the text area.
3809
3810 Any of the above window elements (except @code{text}) can also be
3811 used with @code{:align-to} to specify that the position is relative to
3812 the left edge of the given area. Once the base offset for a relative
3813 position has been set (by the first occurrence of one of these
3814 symbols), further occurrences of these symbols are interpreted as the
3815 width of the specified area. For example, to align to the center of
3816 the left-margin, use
3817
3818 @example
3819 :align-to (+ left-margin (0.5 . left-margin))
3820 @end example
3821
3822 If no specific base offset is set for alignment, it is always relative
3823 to the left edge of the text area. For example, @samp{:align-to 0} in a
3824 header-line aligns with the first text column in the text area.
3825
3826 A value of the form @code{(@var{num} . @var{expr})} stands for the
3827 product of the values of @var{num} and @var{expr}. For example,
3828 @code{(2 . in)} specifies a width of 2 inches, while @code{(0.5 .
3829 @var{image})} specifies half the width (or height) of the specified
3830 image.
3831
3832 The form @code{(+ @var{expr} ...)} adds up the value of the
3833 expressions. The form @code{(- @var{expr} ...)} negates or subtracts
3834 the value of the expressions.
3835
3836 @node Other Display Specs
3837 @subsection Other Display Specifications
3838
3839 Here are the other sorts of display specifications that you can use
3840 in the @code{display} text property.
3841
3842 @table @code
3843 @item @var{string}
3844 Display @var{string} instead of the text that has this property.
3845
3846 Recursive display specifications are not supported---@var{string}'s
3847 @code{display} properties, if any, are not used.
3848
3849 @item (image . @var{image-props})
3850 This kind of display specification is an image descriptor (@pxref{Images}).
3851 When used as a display specification, it means to display the image
3852 instead of the text that has the display specification.
3853
3854 @item (slice @var{x} @var{y} @var{width} @var{height})
3855 This specification together with @code{image} specifies a @dfn{slice}
3856 (a partial area) of the image to display. The elements @var{y} and
3857 @var{x} specify the top left corner of the slice, within the image;
3858 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the width and height of the
3859 slice. Integer values are numbers of pixels. A floating point number
3860 in the range 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height
3861 of the entire image.
3862
3863 @item ((margin nil) @var{string})
3864 A display specification of this form means to display @var{string}
3865 instead of the text that has the display specification, at the same
3866 position as that text. It is equivalent to using just @var{string},
3867 but it is done as a special case of marginal display (@pxref{Display
3868 Margins}).
3869
3870 @item (space-width @var{factor})
3871 This display specification affects all the space characters within the
3872 text that has the specification. It displays all of these spaces
3873 @var{factor} times as wide as normal. The element @var{factor} should
3874 be an integer or float. Characters other than spaces are not affected
3875 at all; in particular, this has no effect on tab characters.
3876
3877 @item (height @var{height})
3878 This display specification makes the text taller or shorter.
3879 Here are the possibilities for @var{height}:
3880
3881 @table @asis
3882 @item @code{(+ @var{n})}
3883 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps larger. A ``step'' is
3884 defined by the set of available fonts---specifically, those that match
3885 what was otherwise specified for this text, in all attributes except
3886 height. Each size for which a suitable font is available counts as
3887 another step. @var{n} should be an integer.
3888
3889 @item @code{(- @var{n})}
3890 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps smaller.
3891
3892 @item a number, @var{factor}
3893 A number, @var{factor}, means to use a font that is @var{factor} times
3894 as tall as the default font.
3895
3896 @item a symbol, @var{function}
3897 A symbol is a function to compute the height. It is called with the
3898 current height as argument, and should return the new height to use.
3899
3900 @item anything else, @var{form}
3901 If the @var{height} value doesn't fit the previous possibilities, it is
3902 a form. Emacs evaluates it to get the new height, with the symbol
3903 @code{height} bound to the current specified font height.
3904 @end table
3905
3906 @item (raise @var{factor})
3907 This kind of display specification raises or lowers the text
3908 it applies to, relative to the baseline of the line.
3909
3910 @var{factor} must be a number, which is interpreted as a multiple of the
3911 height of the affected text. If it is positive, that means to display
3912 the characters raised. If it is negative, that means to display them
3913 lower down.
3914
3915 If the text also has a @code{height} display specification, that does
3916 not affect the amount of raising or lowering, which is based on the
3917 faces used for the text.
3918 @end table
3919
3920 @c We put all the `@code{(when ...)}' on one line to encourage
3921 @c makeinfo's end-of-sentence heuristics to DTRT. Previously, the dot
3922 @c was at eol; the info file ended up w/ two spaces rendered after it.
3923 You can make any display specification conditional. To do that,
3924 package it in another list of the form
3925 @code{(when @var{condition} . @var{spec})}.
3926 Then the specification @var{spec} applies only when
3927 @var{condition} evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value. During the
3928 evaluation, @code{object} is bound to the string or buffer having the
3929 conditional @code{display} property. @code{position} and
3930 @code{buffer-position} are bound to the position within @code{object}
3931 and the buffer position where the @code{display} property was found,
3932 respectively. Both positions can be different when @code{object} is a
3933 string.
3934
3935 @node Display Margins
3936 @subsection Displaying in the Margins
3937 @cindex display margins
3938 @cindex margins, display
3939
3940 A buffer can have blank areas called @dfn{display margins} on the
3941 left and on the right. Ordinary text never appears in these areas,
3942 but you can put things into the display margins using the
3943 @code{display} property. There is currently no way to make text or
3944 images in the margin mouse-sensitive.
3945
3946 The way to display something in the margins is to specify it in a
3947 margin display specification in the @code{display} property of some
3948 text. This is a replacing display specification, meaning that the
3949 text you put it on does not get displayed; the margin display appears,
3950 but that text does not.
3951
3952 A margin display specification looks like @code{((margin
3953 right-margin) @var{spec})} or @code{((margin left-margin) @var{spec})}.
3954 Here, @var{spec} is another display specification that says what to
3955 display in the margin. Typically it is a string of text to display,
3956 or an image descriptor.
3957
3958 To display something in the margin @emph{in association with}
3959 certain buffer text, without altering or preventing the display of
3960 that text, put a @code{before-string} property on the text and put the
3961 margin display specification on the contents of the before-string.
3962
3963 Before the display margins can display anything, you must give
3964 them a nonzero width. The usual way to do that is to set these
3965 variables:
3966
3967 @defvar left-margin-width
3968 This variable specifies the width of the left margin.
3969 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
3970 @end defvar
3971
3972 @defvar right-margin-width
3973 This variable specifies the width of the right margin.
3974 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
3975 @end defvar
3976
3977 Setting these variables does not immediately affect the window. These
3978 variables are checked when a new buffer is displayed in the window.
3979 Thus, you can make changes take effect by calling
3980 @code{set-window-buffer}.
3981
3982 You can also set the margin widths immediately.
3983
3984 @defun set-window-margins window left &optional right
3985 This function specifies the margin widths for window @var{window}.
3986 The argument @var{left} controls the left margin and
3987 @var{right} controls the right margin (default @code{0}).
3988 @end defun
3989
3990 @defun window-margins &optional window
3991 This function returns the left and right margins of @var{window}
3992 as a cons cell of the form @code{(@var{left} . @var{right})}.
3993 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3994 @end defun
3995
3996 @node Images
3997 @section Images
3998 @cindex images in buffers
3999
4000 To display an image in an Emacs buffer, you must first create an image
4001 descriptor, then use it as a display specifier in the @code{display}
4002 property of text that is displayed (@pxref{Display Property}).
4003
4004 Emacs is usually able to display images when it is run on a
4005 graphical terminal. Images cannot be displayed in a text terminal, on
4006 certain graphical terminals that lack the support for this, or if
4007 Emacs is compiled without image support. You can use the function
4008 @code{display-images-p} to determine if images can in principle be
4009 displayed (@pxref{Display Feature Testing}).
4010
4011 @menu
4012 * Image Formats:: Supported image formats.
4013 * Image Descriptors:: How to specify an image for use in @code{:display}.
4014 * XBM Images:: Special features for XBM format.
4015 * XPM Images:: Special features for XPM format.
4016 * GIF Images:: Special features for GIF format.
4017 * TIFF Images:: Special features for TIFF format.
4018 * PostScript Images:: Special features for PostScript format.
4019 * Other Image Types:: Various other formats are supported.
4020 * Defining Images:: Convenient ways to define an image for later use.
4021 * Showing Images:: Convenient ways to display an image once it is defined.
4022 * Image Cache:: Internal mechanisms of image display.
4023 @end menu
4024
4025 @node Image Formats
4026 @subsection Image Formats
4027 @cindex image formats
4028 @cindex image types
4029
4030 Emacs can display a number of different image formats; some of them
4031 are supported only if particular support libraries are installed on
4032 your machine. In some environments, Emacs can load image
4033 libraries on demand; if so, the variable @code{image-library-alist}
4034 can be used to modify the set of known names for these dynamic
4035 libraries (though it is not possible to add new image formats).
4036
4037 The supported image formats include XBM, XPM (this requires the
4038 libraries @code{libXpm} version 3.4k and @code{libz}), GIF (requiring
4039 @code{libungif} 4.1.0), PostScript, PBM, JPEG (requiring the
4040 @code{libjpeg} library version v6a), TIFF (requiring @code{libtiff}
4041 v3.4), PNG (requiring @code{libpng} 1.0.2), and SVG (requiring
4042 @code{librsvg} 2.0.0).
4043
4044 You specify one of these formats with an image type symbol. The image
4045 type symbols are @code{xbm}, @code{xpm}, @code{gif}, @code{postscript},
4046 @code{pbm}, @code{jpeg}, @code{tiff}, @code{png}, and @code{svg}.
4047
4048 @defvar image-types
4049 This variable contains a list of those image type symbols that are
4050 potentially supported in the current configuration.
4051 @emph{Potentially} here means that Emacs knows about the image types,
4052 not necessarily that they can be loaded (they could depend on
4053 unavailable dynamic libraries, for example).
4054
4055 To know which image types are really available, use
4056 @code{image-type-available-p}.
4057 @end defvar
4058
4059 @defvar image-library-alist
4060 This in an alist of image types vs external libraries needed to
4061 display them.
4062
4063 Each element is a list @code{(@var{image-type} @var{library}...)},
4064 where the car is a supported image format from @code{image-types}, and
4065 the rest are strings giving alternate filenames for the corresponding
4066 external libraries to load.
4067
4068 Emacs tries to load the libraries in the order they appear on the
4069 list; if none is loaded, the running session of Emacs won't support
4070 the image type. @code{pbm} and @code{xbm} don't need to be listed;
4071 they're always supported.
4072
4073 This variable is ignored if the image libraries are statically linked
4074 into Emacs.
4075 @end defvar
4076
4077 @defun image-type-available-p type
4078 This function returns non-@code{nil} if image type @var{type} is
4079 available, i.e., if images of this type can be loaded and displayed in
4080 Emacs. @var{type} should be one of the types contained in
4081 @code{image-types}.
4082
4083 For image types whose support libraries are statically linked, this
4084 function always returns @code{t}; for other image types, it returns
4085 @code{t} if the dynamic library could be loaded, @code{nil} otherwise.
4086 @end defun
4087
4088 @node Image Descriptors
4089 @subsection Image Descriptors
4090 @cindex image descriptor
4091
4092 An image description is a list of the form @code{(image . @var{props})},
4093 where @var{props} is a property list containing alternating keyword
4094 symbols (symbols whose names start with a colon) and their values.
4095 You can use any Lisp object as a property, but the only properties
4096 that have any special meaning are certain symbols, all of them keywords.
4097
4098 Every image descriptor must contain the property @code{:type
4099 @var{type}} to specify the format of the image. The value of @var{type}
4100 should be an image type symbol; for example, @code{xpm} for an image in
4101 XPM format.
4102
4103 Here is a list of other properties that are meaningful for all image
4104 types:
4105
4106 @table @code
4107 @item :file @var{file}
4108 The @code{:file} property says to load the image from file
4109 @var{file}. If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, it is expanded
4110 in @code{data-directory}.
4111
4112 @item :data @var{data}
4113 The @code{:data} property says the actual contents of the image.
4114 Each image must use either @code{:data} or @code{:file}, but not both.
4115 For most image types, the value of the @code{:data} property should be a
4116 string containing the image data; we recommend using a unibyte string.
4117
4118 Before using @code{:data}, look for further information in the section
4119 below describing the specific image format. For some image types,
4120 @code{:data} may not be supported; for some, it allows other data types;
4121 for some, @code{:data} alone is not enough, so you need to use other
4122 image properties along with @code{:data}.
4123
4124 @item :margin @var{margin}
4125 The @code{:margin} property specifies how many pixels to add as an
4126 extra margin around the image. The value, @var{margin}, must be a
4127 non-negative number, or a pair @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})} of such
4128 numbers. If it is a pair, @var{x} specifies how many pixels to add
4129 horizontally, and @var{y} specifies how many pixels to add vertically.
4130 If @code{:margin} is not specified, the default is zero.
4131
4132 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
4133 The @code{:ascent} property specifies the amount of the image's
4134 height to use for its ascent---that is, the part above the baseline.
4135 The value, @var{ascent}, must be a number in the range 0 to 100, or
4136 the symbol @code{center}.
4137
4138 If @var{ascent} is a number, that percentage of the image's height is
4139 used for its ascent.
4140
4141 If @var{ascent} is @code{center}, the image is vertically centered
4142 around a centerline which would be the vertical centerline of text drawn
4143 at the position of the image, in the manner specified by the text
4144 properties and overlays that apply to the image.
4145
4146 If this property is omitted, it defaults to 50.
4147
4148 @item :relief @var{relief}
4149 The @code{:relief} property, if non-@code{nil}, adds a shadow rectangle
4150 around the image. The value, @var{relief}, specifies the width of the
4151 shadow lines, in pixels. If @var{relief} is negative, shadows are drawn
4152 so that the image appears as a pressed button; otherwise, it appears as
4153 an unpressed button.
4154
4155 @item :conversion @var{algorithm}
4156 The @code{:conversion} property, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a
4157 conversion algorithm that should be applied to the image before it is
4158 displayed; the value, @var{algorithm}, specifies which algorithm.
4159
4160 @table @code
4161 @item laplace
4162 @itemx emboss
4163 Specifies the Laplace edge detection algorithm, which blurs out small
4164 differences in color while highlighting larger differences. People
4165 sometimes consider this useful for displaying the image for a
4166 ``disabled'' button.
4167
4168 @item (edge-detection :matrix @var{matrix} :color-adjust @var{adjust})
4169 Specifies a general edge-detection algorithm. @var{matrix} must be
4170 either a nine-element list or a nine-element vector of numbers. A pixel
4171 at position @math{x/y} in the transformed image is computed from
4172 original pixels around that position. @var{matrix} specifies, for each
4173 pixel in the neighborhood of @math{x/y}, a factor with which that pixel
4174 will influence the transformed pixel; element @math{0} specifies the
4175 factor for the pixel at @math{x-1/y-1}, element @math{1} the factor for
4176 the pixel at @math{x/y-1} etc., as shown below:
4177 @iftex
4178 @tex
4179 $$\pmatrix{x-1/y-1 & x/y-1 & x+1/y-1 \cr
4180 x-1/y & x/y & x+1/y \cr
4181 x-1/y+1& x/y+1 & x+1/y+1 \cr}$$
4182 @end tex
4183 @end iftex
4184 @ifnottex
4185 @display
4186 (x-1/y-1 x/y-1 x+1/y-1
4187 x-1/y x/y x+1/y
4188 x-1/y+1 x/y+1 x+1/y+1)
4189 @end display
4190 @end ifnottex
4191
4192 The resulting pixel is computed from the color intensity of the color
4193 resulting from summing up the RGB values of surrounding pixels,
4194 multiplied by the specified factors, and dividing that sum by the sum
4195 of the factors' absolute values.
4196
4197 Laplace edge-detection currently uses a matrix of
4198 @iftex
4199 @tex
4200 $$\pmatrix{1 & 0 & 0 \cr
4201 0& 0 & 0 \cr
4202 9 & 9 & -1 \cr}$$
4203 @end tex
4204 @end iftex
4205 @ifnottex
4206 @display
4207 (1 0 0
4208 0 0 0
4209 9 9 -1)
4210 @end display
4211 @end ifnottex
4212
4213 Emboss edge-detection uses a matrix of
4214 @iftex
4215 @tex
4216 $$\pmatrix{ 2 & -1 & 0 \cr
4217 -1 & 0 & 1 \cr
4218 0 & 1 & -2 \cr}$$
4219 @end tex
4220 @end iftex
4221 @ifnottex
4222 @display
4223 ( 2 -1 0
4224 -1 0 1
4225 0 1 -2)
4226 @end display
4227 @end ifnottex
4228
4229 @item disabled
4230 Specifies transforming the image so that it looks ``disabled.''
4231 @end table
4232
4233 @item :mask @var{mask}
4234 If @var{mask} is @code{heuristic} or @code{(heuristic @var{bg})}, build
4235 a clipping mask for the image, so that the background of a frame is
4236 visible behind the image. If @var{bg} is not specified, or if @var{bg}
4237 is @code{t}, determine the background color of the image by looking at
4238 the four corners of the image, assuming the most frequently occurring
4239 color from the corners is the background color of the image. Otherwise,
4240 @var{bg} must be a list @code{(@var{red} @var{green} @var{blue})}
4241 specifying the color to assume for the background of the image.
4242
4243 If @var{mask} is @code{nil}, remove a mask from the image, if it has
4244 one. Images in some formats include a mask which can be removed by
4245 specifying @code{:mask nil}.
4246
4247 @item :pointer @var{shape}
4248 This specifies the pointer shape when the mouse pointer is over this
4249 image. @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4250
4251 @item :map @var{map}
4252 This associates an image map of @dfn{hot spots} with this image.
4253
4254 An image map is an alist where each element has the format
4255 @code{(@var{area} @var{id} @var{plist})}. An @var{area} is specified
4256 as either a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon.
4257
4258 A rectangle is a cons
4259 @code{(rect . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . (@var{x1} . @var{y1})))}
4260 which specifies the pixel coordinates of the upper left and bottom right
4261 corners of the rectangle area.
4262
4263 A circle is a cons
4264 @code{(circle . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . @var{r}))}
4265 which specifies the center and the radius of the circle; @var{r} may
4266 be a float or integer.
4267
4268 A polygon is a cons
4269 @code{(poly . [@var{x0} @var{y0} @var{x1} @var{y1} ...])}
4270 where each pair in the vector describes one corner in the polygon.
4271
4272 When the mouse pointer lies on a hot-spot area of an image, the
4273 @var{plist} of that hot-spot is consulted; if it contains a @code{help-echo}
4274 property, that defines a tool-tip for the hot-spot, and if it contains
4275 a @code{pointer} property, that defines the shape of the mouse cursor when
4276 it is on the hot-spot.
4277 @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4278
4279 When you click the mouse when the mouse pointer is over a hot-spot, an
4280 event is composed by combining the @var{id} of the hot-spot with the
4281 mouse event; for instance, @code{[area4 mouse-1]} if the hot-spot's
4282 @var{id} is @code{area4}.
4283 @end table
4284
4285 @defun image-mask-p spec &optional frame
4286 This function returns @code{t} if image @var{spec} has a mask bitmap.
4287 @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4288 @var{frame} @code{nil} or omitted means to use the selected frame
4289 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
4290 @end defun
4291
4292 @node XBM Images
4293 @subsection XBM Images
4294 @cindex XBM
4295
4296 To use XBM format, specify @code{xbm} as the image type. This image
4297 format doesn't require an external library, so images of this type are
4298 always supported.
4299
4300 Additional image properties supported for the @code{xbm} image type are:
4301
4302 @table @code
4303 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4304 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4305 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4306 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4307 foreground color.
4308
4309 @item :background @var{background}
4310 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4311 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4312 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4313 background color.
4314 @end table
4315
4316 If you specify an XBM image using data within Emacs instead of an
4317 external file, use the following three properties:
4318
4319 @table @code
4320 @item :data @var{data}
4321 The value, @var{data}, specifies the contents of the image.
4322 There are three formats you can use for @var{data}:
4323
4324 @itemize @bullet
4325 @item
4326 A vector of strings or bool-vectors, each specifying one line of the
4327 image. Do specify @code{:height} and @code{:width}.
4328
4329 @item
4330 A string containing the same byte sequence as an XBM file would contain.
4331 You must not specify @code{:height} and @code{:width} in this case,
4332 because omitting them is what indicates the data has the format of an
4333 XBM file. The file contents specify the height and width of the image.
4334
4335 @item
4336 A string or a bool-vector containing the bits of the image (plus perhaps
4337 some extra bits at the end that will not be used). It should contain at
4338 least @var{width} * @code{height} bits. In this case, you must specify
4339 @code{:height} and @code{:width}, both to indicate that the string
4340 contains just the bits rather than a whole XBM file, and to specify the
4341 size of the image.
4342 @end itemize
4343
4344 @item :width @var{width}
4345 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image, in pixels.
4346
4347 @item :height @var{height}
4348 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image, in pixels.
4349 @end table
4350
4351 @node XPM Images
4352 @subsection XPM Images
4353 @cindex XPM
4354
4355 To use XPM format, specify @code{xpm} as the image type. The
4356 additional image property @code{:color-symbols} is also meaningful with
4357 the @code{xpm} image type:
4358
4359 @table @code
4360 @item :color-symbols @var{symbols}
4361 The value, @var{symbols}, should be an alist whose elements have the
4362 form @code{(@var{name} . @var{color})}. In each element, @var{name} is
4363 the name of a color as it appears in the image file, and @var{color}
4364 specifies the actual color to use for displaying that name.
4365 @end table
4366
4367 @node GIF Images
4368 @subsection GIF Images
4369 @cindex GIF
4370
4371 For GIF images, specify image type @code{gif}.
4372
4373 @table @code
4374 @item :index @var{index}
4375 You can use @code{:index} to specify one image from a GIF file that
4376 contains more than one image. This property specifies use of image
4377 number @var{index} from the file. If the GIF file doesn't contain an
4378 image with index @var{index}, the image displays as a hollow box.
4379 @end table
4380
4381 @ignore
4382 This could be used to implement limited support for animated GIFs.
4383 For example, the following function displays a multi-image GIF file
4384 at point-min in the current buffer, switching between sub-images
4385 every 0.1 seconds.
4386
4387 (defun show-anim (file max)
4388 "Display multi-image GIF file FILE which contains MAX subimages."
4389 (display-anim (current-buffer) file 0 max t))
4390
4391 (defun display-anim (buffer file idx max first-time)
4392 (when (= idx max)
4393 (setq idx 0))
4394 (let ((img (create-image file nil :image idx)))
4395 (save-excursion
4396 (set-buffer buffer)
4397 (goto-char (point-min))
4398 (unless first-time (delete-char 1))
4399 (insert-image img))
4400 (run-with-timer 0.1 nil 'display-anim buffer file (1+ idx) max nil)))
4401 @end ignore
4402
4403 @node TIFF Images
4404 @subsection TIFF Images
4405 @cindex TIFF
4406
4407 For TIFF images, specify image type @code{tiff}.
4408
4409 @table @code
4410 @item :index @var{index}
4411 You can use @code{:index} to specify one image from a TIFF file that
4412 contains more than one image. This property specifies use of image
4413 number @var{index} from the file. If the TIFF file doesn't contain an
4414 image with index @var{index}, the image displays as a hollow box.
4415 @end table
4416
4417 @node PostScript Images
4418 @subsection PostScript Images
4419 @cindex postscript images
4420
4421 To use PostScript for an image, specify image type @code{postscript}.
4422 This works only if you have Ghostscript installed. You must always use
4423 these three properties:
4424
4425 @table @code
4426 @item :pt-width @var{width}
4427 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image measured in
4428 points (1/72 inch). @var{width} must be an integer.
4429
4430 @item :pt-height @var{height}
4431 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image in points
4432 (1/72 inch). @var{height} must be an integer.
4433
4434 @item :bounding-box @var{box}
4435 The value, @var{box}, must be a list or vector of four integers, which
4436 specifying the bounding box of the PostScript image, analogous to the
4437 @samp{BoundingBox} comment found in PostScript files.
4438
4439 @example
4440 %%BoundingBox: 22 171 567 738
4441 @end example
4442 @end table
4443
4444 @node Other Image Types
4445 @subsection Other Image Types
4446 @cindex PBM
4447
4448 For PBM images, specify image type @code{pbm}. Color, gray-scale and
4449 monochromatic images are supported. For mono PBM images, two additional
4450 image properties are supported.
4451
4452 @table @code
4453 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4454 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4455 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4456 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4457 foreground color.
4458
4459 @item :background @var{background}
4460 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4461 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4462 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4463 background color.
4464 @end table
4465
4466 For JPEG images, specify image type @code{jpeg}.
4467
4468 For TIFF images, specify image type @code{tiff}.
4469
4470 For PNG images, specify image type @code{png}.
4471
4472 For SVG images, specify image type @code{svg}.
4473
4474 @node Defining Images
4475 @subsection Defining Images
4476
4477 The functions @code{create-image}, @code{defimage} and
4478 @code{find-image} provide convenient ways to create image descriptors.
4479
4480 @defun create-image file-or-data &optional type data-p &rest props
4481 This function creates and returns an image descriptor which uses the
4482 data in @var{file-or-data}. @var{file-or-data} can be a file name or
4483 a string containing the image data; @var{data-p} should be @code{nil}
4484 for the former case, non-@code{nil} for the latter case.
4485
4486 The optional argument @var{type} is a symbol specifying the image type.
4487 If @var{type} is omitted or @code{nil}, @code{create-image} tries to
4488 determine the image type from the file's first few bytes, or else
4489 from the file's name.
4490
4491 The remaining arguments, @var{props}, specify additional image
4492 properties---for example,
4493
4494 @example
4495 (create-image "foo.xpm" 'xpm nil :heuristic-mask t)
4496 @end example
4497
4498 The function returns @code{nil} if images of this type are not
4499 supported. Otherwise it returns an image descriptor.
4500 @end defun
4501
4502 @defmac defimage symbol specs &optional doc
4503 This macro defines @var{symbol} as an image name. The arguments
4504 @var{specs} is a list which specifies how to display the image.
4505 The third argument, @var{doc}, is an optional documentation string.
4506
4507 Each argument in @var{specs} has the form of a property list, and each
4508 one should specify at least the @code{:type} property and either the
4509 @code{:file} or the @code{:data} property. The value of @code{:type}
4510 should be a symbol specifying the image type, the value of
4511 @code{:file} is the file to load the image from, and the value of
4512 @code{:data} is a string containing the actual image data. Here is an
4513 example:
4514
4515 @example
4516 (defimage test-image
4517 ((:type xpm :file "~/test1.xpm")
4518 (:type xbm :file "~/test1.xbm")))
4519 @end example
4520
4521 @code{defimage} tests each argument, one by one, to see if it is
4522 usable---that is, if the type is supported and the file exists. The
4523 first usable argument is used to make an image descriptor which is
4524 stored in @var{symbol}.
4525
4526 If none of the alternatives will work, then @var{symbol} is defined
4527 as @code{nil}.
4528 @end defmac
4529
4530 @defun find-image specs
4531 This function provides a convenient way to find an image satisfying one
4532 of a list of image specifications @var{specs}.
4533
4534 Each specification in @var{specs} is a property list with contents
4535 depending on image type. All specifications must at least contain the
4536 properties @code{:type @var{type}} and either @w{@code{:file @var{file}}}
4537 or @w{@code{:data @var{DATA}}}, where @var{type} is a symbol specifying
4538 the image type, e.g.@: @code{xbm}, @var{file} is the file to load the
4539 image from, and @var{data} is a string containing the actual image data.
4540 The first specification in the list whose @var{type} is supported, and
4541 @var{file} exists, is used to construct the image specification to be
4542 returned. If no specification is satisfied, @code{nil} is returned.
4543
4544 The image is looked for in @code{image-load-path}.
4545 @end defun
4546
4547 @defvar image-load-path
4548 This variable's value is a list of locations in which to search for
4549 image files. If an element is a string or a variable symbol whose
4550 value is a string, the string is taken to be the name of a directory
4551 to search. If an element is a variable symbol whose value is a list,
4552 that is taken to be a list of directory names to search.
4553
4554 The default is to search in the @file{images} subdirectory of the
4555 directory specified by @code{data-directory}, then the directory
4556 specified by @code{data-directory}, and finally in the directories in
4557 @code{load-path}. Subdirectories are not automatically included in
4558 the search, so if you put an image file in a subdirectory, you have to
4559 supply the subdirectory name explicitly. For example, to find the
4560 image @file{images/foo/bar.xpm} within @code{data-directory}, you
4561 should specify the image as follows:
4562
4563 @example
4564 (defimage foo-image '((:type xpm :file "foo/bar.xpm")))
4565 @end example
4566 @end defvar
4567
4568 @defun image-load-path-for-library library image &optional path no-error
4569 This function returns a suitable search path for images used by the
4570 Lisp package @var{library}.
4571
4572 The function searches for @var{image} first using @code{image-load-path},
4573 excluding @file{@code{data-directory}/images}, and then in
4574 @code{load-path}, followed by a path suitable for @var{library}, which
4575 includes @file{../../etc/images} and @file{../etc/images} relative to
4576 the library file itself, and finally in
4577 @file{@code{data-directory}/images}.
4578
4579 Then this function returns a list of directories which contains first
4580 the directory in which @var{image} was found, followed by the value of
4581 @code{load-path}. If @var{path} is given, it is used instead of
4582 @code{load-path}.
4583
4584 If @var{no-error} is non-@code{nil} and a suitable path can't be
4585 found, don't signal an error. Instead, return a list of directories as
4586 before, except that @code{nil} appears in place of the image directory.
4587
4588 Here is an example that uses a common idiom to provide compatibility
4589 with versions of Emacs that lack the variable @code{image-load-path}:
4590
4591 @example
4592 (defvar image-load-path) ; shush compiler
4593 (let* ((load-path (image-load-path-for-library
4594 "mh-e" "mh-logo.xpm"))
4595 (image-load-path (cons (car load-path)
4596 (when (boundp 'image-load-path)
4597 image-load-path))))
4598 (mh-tool-bar-folder-buttons-init))
4599 @end example
4600 @end defun
4601
4602 @node Showing Images
4603 @subsection Showing Images
4604
4605 You can use an image descriptor by setting up the @code{display}
4606 property yourself, but it is easier to use the functions in this
4607 section.
4608
4609 @defun insert-image image &optional string area slice
4610 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point. The
4611 value @var{image} should be an image descriptor; it could be a value
4612 returned by @code{create-image}, or the value of a symbol defined with
4613 @code{defimage}. The argument @var{string} specifies the text to put
4614 in the buffer to hold the image. If it is omitted or @code{nil},
4615 @code{insert-image} uses @code{" "} by default.
4616
4617 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4618 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4619 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4620 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4621 buffer's text.
4622
4623 The argument @var{slice} specifies a slice of the image to insert. If
4624 @var{slice} is @code{nil} or omitted the whole image is inserted.
4625 Otherwise, @var{slice} is a list @code{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{width}
4626 @var{height})} which specifies the @var{x} and @var{y} positions and
4627 @var{width} and @var{height} of the image area to insert. Integer
4628 values are in units of pixels. A floating point number in the range
4629 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height of the entire
4630 image.
4631
4632 Internally, this function inserts @var{string} in the buffer, and gives
4633 it a @code{display} property which specifies @var{image}. @xref{Display
4634 Property}.
4635 @end defun
4636
4637 @defun insert-sliced-image image &optional string area rows cols
4638 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point, like
4639 @code{insert-image}, but splits the image into @var{rows}x@var{cols}
4640 equally sized slices.
4641 @end defun
4642
4643 @defun put-image image pos &optional string area
4644 This function puts image @var{image} in front of @var{pos} in the
4645 current buffer. The argument @var{pos} should be an integer or a
4646 marker. It specifies the buffer position where the image should appear.
4647 The argument @var{string} specifies the text that should hold the image
4648 as an alternative to the default.
4649
4650 The argument @var{image} must be an image descriptor, perhaps returned
4651 by @code{create-image} or stored by @code{defimage}.
4652
4653 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4654 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4655 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4656 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4657 buffer's text.
4658
4659 Internally, this function creates an overlay, and gives it a
4660 @code{before-string} property containing text that has a @code{display}
4661 property whose value is the image. (Whew!)
4662 @end defun
4663
4664 @defun remove-images start end &optional buffer
4665 This function removes images in @var{buffer} between positions
4666 @var{start} and @var{end}. If @var{buffer} is omitted or @code{nil},
4667 images are removed from the current buffer.
4668
4669 This removes only images that were put into @var{buffer} the way
4670 @code{put-image} does it, not images that were inserted with
4671 @code{insert-image} or in other ways.
4672 @end defun
4673
4674 @defun image-size spec &optional pixels frame
4675 This function returns the size of an image as a pair
4676 @w{@code{(@var{width} . @var{height})}}. @var{spec} is an image
4677 specification. @var{pixels} non-@code{nil} means return sizes
4678 measured in pixels, otherwise return sizes measured in canonical
4679 character units (fractions of the width/height of the frame's default
4680 font). @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4681 @var{frame} null or omitted means use the selected frame (@pxref{Input
4682 Focus}).
4683 @end defun
4684
4685 @defvar max-image-size
4686 This variable is used to define the maximum size of image that Emacs
4687 will load. Emacs will refuse to load (and display) any image that is
4688 larger than this limit.
4689
4690 If the value is an integer, it directly specifies the maximum
4691 image height and width, measured in pixels. If it is a floating
4692 point number, it specifies the maximum image height and width
4693 as a ratio to the frame height and width. If the value is
4694 non-numeric, there is no explicit limit on the size of images.
4695
4696 The purpose of this variable is to prevent unreasonably large images
4697 from accidentally being loaded into Emacs. It only takes effect the
4698 first time an image is loaded. Once an image is placed in the image
4699 cache, it can always be displayed, even if the value of
4700 @var{max-image-size} is subsequently changed (@pxref{Image Cache}).
4701 @end defvar
4702
4703 @node Image Cache
4704 @subsection Image Cache
4705 @cindex image cache
4706
4707 Emacs caches images so that it can display them again more
4708 efficiently. When Emacs displays an image, it searches the image
4709 cache for an existing image specification @code{equal} to the desired
4710 specification. If a match is found, the image is displayed from the
4711 cache; otherwise, Emacs loads the image normally.
4712
4713 Occasionally, you may need to tell Emacs to refresh the images
4714 associated with a given image specification. For example, suppose you
4715 display an image using a specification that contains a @code{:file}
4716 property. The image is automatically cached, and subsequent displays
4717 of that image, with the same image specification, will use the image
4718 cache. If the image file changes in the meantime, Emacs would be
4719 displaying the old version of the image. In such a situation, you can
4720 ``refresh'' the image by calling @code{image-refresh}.
4721
4722 In Emacs' current implementation, each graphical terminal possesses
4723 an image cache, which is shared by all the frames on that terminal
4724 (@pxref{Multiple Terminals}). Thus, refreshing an image in one frame
4725 also refreshes it in all other frames on the same terminal.
4726
4727 @defun image-refresh spec &optional frame
4728 This function refreshes any images with image specifications
4729 @code{equal} to @var{spec} on frame @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is
4730 @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame. If @var{frame} is
4731 @code{t}, the refresh is applied to all existing frames.
4732 @end defun
4733
4734 @defun clear-image-cache &optional filter
4735 This function clears an image cache, removing all the images stored in
4736 it. If @var{filter} is omitted or @code{nil}, it clears the cache for
4737 the selected frame. If @var{filter} is a frame, it clears the cache
4738 for that frame. If @var{filter} is @code{t}, all image caches are
4739 cleared. Otherwise, @var{filter} is taken to be a file name, and all
4740 images associated with that file name are removed from all image
4741 caches.
4742 @end defun
4743
4744 If an image in the image cache has not been displayed for a specified
4745 period of time, Emacs removes it from the cache and frees the
4746 associated memory.
4747
4748 @defvar image-cache-eviction-delay
4749 This variable specifies the number of seconds an image can remain in the
4750 cache without being displayed. When an image is not displayed for this
4751 length of time, Emacs removes it from the image cache.
4752
4753 If the value is @code{nil}, Emacs does not remove images from the cache
4754 except when you explicitly clear it. This mode can be useful for
4755 debugging.
4756 @end defvar
4757
4758 @node Buttons
4759 @section Buttons
4760 @cindex buttons in buffers
4761 @cindex clickable buttons in buffers
4762
4763 The @emph{button} package defines functions for inserting and
4764 manipulating clickable (with the mouse, or via keyboard commands)
4765 buttons in Emacs buffers, such as might be used for help hyper-links,
4766 etc. Emacs uses buttons for the hyper-links in help text and the like.
4767
4768 A button is essentially a set of properties attached (via text
4769 properties or overlays) to a region of text in an Emacs buffer. These
4770 properties are called @dfn{button properties}.
4771
4772 One of these properties (@code{action}) is a function, which will
4773 be called when the user invokes it using the keyboard or the mouse.
4774 The invoked function may then examine the button and use its other
4775 properties as desired.
4776
4777 In some ways the Emacs button package duplicates functionality offered
4778 by the widget package (@pxref{Top, , Introduction, widget, The Emacs
4779 Widget Library}), but the button package has the advantage that it is
4780 much faster, much smaller, and much simpler to use (for elisp
4781 programmers---for users, the result is about the same). The extra
4782 speed and space savings are useful mainly if you need to create many
4783 buttons in a buffer (for instance an @code{*Apropos*} buffer uses
4784 buttons to make entries clickable, and may contain many thousands of
4785 entries).
4786
4787 @menu
4788 * Button Properties:: Button properties with special meanings.
4789 * Button Types:: Defining common properties for classes of buttons.
4790 * Making Buttons:: Adding buttons to Emacs buffers.
4791 * Manipulating Buttons:: Getting and setting properties of buttons.
4792 * Button Buffer Commands:: Buffer-wide commands and bindings for buttons.
4793 @end menu
4794
4795 @node Button Properties
4796 @subsection Button Properties
4797 @cindex button properties
4798
4799 Buttons have an associated list of properties defining their
4800 appearance and behavior, and other arbitrary properties may be used
4801 for application specific purposes. Some properties that have special
4802 meaning to the button package include:
4803
4804 @table @code
4805 @item action
4806 @kindex action @r{(button property)}
4807 The function to call when the user invokes the button, which is passed
4808 the single argument @var{button}. By default this is @code{ignore},
4809 which does nothing.
4810
4811 @item mouse-action
4812 @kindex mouse-action @r{(button property)}
4813 This is similar to @code{action}, and when present, will be used
4814 instead of @code{action} for button invocations resulting from
4815 mouse-clicks (instead of the user hitting @key{RET}). If not
4816 present, mouse-clicks use @code{action} instead.
4817
4818 @item face
4819 @kindex face @r{(button property)}
4820 This is an Emacs face controlling how buttons of this type are
4821 displayed; by default this is the @code{button} face.
4822
4823 @item mouse-face
4824 @kindex mouse-face @r{(button property)}
4825 This is an additional face which controls appearance during
4826 mouse-overs (merged with the usual button face); by default this is
4827 the usual Emacs @code{highlight} face.
4828
4829 @item keymap
4830 @kindex keymap @r{(button property)}
4831 The button's keymap, defining bindings active within the button
4832 region. By default this is the usual button region keymap, stored
4833 in the variable @code{button-map}, which defines @key{RET} and
4834 @key{mouse-2} to invoke the button.
4835
4836 @item type
4837 @kindex type @r{(button property)}
4838 The button-type of the button. When creating a button, this is
4839 usually specified using the @code{:type} keyword argument.
4840 @xref{Button Types}.
4841
4842 @item help-echo
4843 @kindex help-index @r{(button property)}
4844 A string displayed by the Emacs tool-tip help system; by default,
4845 @code{"mouse-2, RET: Push this button"}.
4846
4847 @item follow-link
4848 @kindex follow-link @r{(button property)}
4849 The follow-link property, defining how a @key{Mouse-1} click behaves
4850 on this button, @xref{Clickable Text}.
4851
4852 @item button
4853 @kindex button @r{(button property)}
4854 All buttons have a non-@code{nil} @code{button} property, which may be useful
4855 in finding regions of text that comprise buttons (which is what the
4856 standard button functions do).
4857 @end table
4858
4859 There are other properties defined for the regions of text in a
4860 button, but these are not generally interesting for typical uses.
4861
4862 @node Button Types
4863 @subsection Button Types
4864 @cindex button types
4865
4866 Every button has a button @emph{type}, which defines default values
4867 for the button's properties. Button types are arranged in a
4868 hierarchy, with specialized types inheriting from more general types,
4869 so that it's easy to define special-purpose types of buttons for
4870 specific tasks.
4871
4872 @defun define-button-type name &rest properties
4873 Define a `button type' called @var{name} (a symbol).
4874 The remaining arguments
4875 form a sequence of @var{property value} pairs, specifying default
4876 property values for buttons with this type (a button's type may be set
4877 by giving it a @code{type} property when creating the button, using
4878 the @code{:type} keyword argument).
4879
4880 In addition, the keyword argument @code{:supertype} may be used to
4881 specify a button-type from which @var{name} inherits its default
4882 property values. Note that this inheritance happens only when
4883 @var{name} is defined; subsequent changes to a supertype are not
4884 reflected in its subtypes.
4885 @end defun
4886
4887 Using @code{define-button-type} to define default properties for
4888 buttons is not necessary---buttons without any specified type use the
4889 built-in button-type @code{button}---but it is encouraged, since
4890 doing so usually makes the resulting code clearer and more efficient.
4891
4892 @node Making Buttons
4893 @subsection Making Buttons
4894 @cindex making buttons
4895
4896 Buttons are associated with a region of text, using an overlay or
4897 text properties to hold button-specific information, all of which are
4898 initialized from the button's type (which defaults to the built-in
4899 button type @code{button}). Like all Emacs text, the appearance of
4900 the button is governed by the @code{face} property; by default (via
4901 the @code{face} property inherited from the @code{button} button-type)
4902 this is a simple underline, like a typical web-page link.
4903
4904 For convenience, there are two sorts of button-creation functions,
4905 those that add button properties to an existing region of a buffer,
4906 called @code{make-...button}, and those that also insert the button
4907 text, called @code{insert-...button}.
4908
4909 The button-creation functions all take the @code{&rest} argument
4910 @var{properties}, which should be a sequence of @var{property value}
4911 pairs, specifying properties to add to the button; see @ref{Button
4912 Properties}. In addition, the keyword argument @code{:type} may be
4913 used to specify a button-type from which to inherit other properties;
4914 see @ref{Button Types}. Any properties not explicitly specified
4915 during creation will be inherited from the button's type (if the type
4916 defines such a property).
4917
4918 The following functions add a button using an overlay
4919 (@pxref{Overlays}) to hold the button properties:
4920
4921 @defun make-button beg end &rest properties
4922 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the
4923 current buffer, and returns it.
4924 @end defun
4925
4926 @defun insert-button label &rest properties
4927 This insert a button with the label @var{label} at point,
4928 and returns it.
4929 @end defun
4930
4931 The following functions are similar, but use Emacs text properties
4932 (@pxref{Text Properties}) to hold the button properties, making the
4933 button actually part of the text instead of being a property of the
4934 buffer. Buttons using text properties do not create markers into the
4935 buffer, which is important for speed when you use extremely large
4936 numbers of buttons. Both functions return the position of the start
4937 of the new button:
4938
4939 @defun make-text-button beg end &rest properties
4940 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the current buffer, using
4941 text properties.
4942 @end defun
4943
4944 @defun insert-text-button label &rest properties
4945 This inserts a button with the label @var{label} at point, using text
4946 properties.
4947 @end defun
4948
4949 @node Manipulating Buttons
4950 @subsection Manipulating Buttons
4951 @cindex manipulating buttons
4952
4953 These are functions for getting and setting properties of buttons.
4954 Often these are used by a button's invocation function to determine
4955 what to do.
4956
4957 Where a @var{button} parameter is specified, it means an object
4958 referring to a specific button, either an overlay (for overlay
4959 buttons), or a buffer-position or marker (for text property buttons).
4960 Such an object is passed as the first argument to a button's
4961 invocation function when it is invoked.
4962
4963 @defun button-start button
4964 Return the position at which @var{button} starts.
4965 @end defun
4966
4967 @defun button-end button
4968 Return the position at which @var{button} ends.
4969 @end defun
4970
4971 @defun button-get button prop
4972 Get the property of button @var{button} named @var{prop}.
4973 @end defun
4974
4975 @defun button-put button prop val
4976 Set @var{button}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
4977 @end defun
4978
4979 @defun button-activate button &optional use-mouse-action
4980 Call @var{button}'s @code{action} property (i.e., invoke it). If
4981 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, try to invoke the button's
4982 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
4983 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
4984 @end defun
4985
4986 @defun button-label button
4987 Return @var{button}'s text label.
4988 @end defun
4989
4990 @defun button-type button
4991 Return @var{button}'s button-type.
4992 @end defun
4993
4994 @defun button-has-type-p button type
4995 Return @code{t} if @var{button} has button-type @var{type}, or one of
4996 @var{type}'s subtypes.
4997 @end defun
4998
4999 @defun button-at pos
5000 Return the button at position @var{pos} in the current buffer, or @code{nil}.
5001 @end defun
5002
5003 @defun button-type-put type prop val
5004 Set the button-type @var{type}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
5005 @end defun
5006
5007 @defun button-type-get type prop
5008 Get the property of button-type @var{type} named @var{prop}.
5009 @end defun
5010
5011 @defun button-type-subtype-p type supertype
5012 Return @code{t} if button-type @var{type} is a subtype of @var{supertype}.
5013 @end defun
5014
5015 @node Button Buffer Commands
5016 @subsection Button Buffer Commands
5017 @cindex button buffer commands
5018
5019 These are commands and functions for locating and operating on
5020 buttons in an Emacs buffer.
5021
5022 @code{push-button} is the command that a user uses to actually `push'
5023 a button, and is bound by default in the button itself to @key{RET}
5024 and to @key{mouse-2} using a region-specific keymap. Commands
5025 that are useful outside the buttons itself, such as
5026 @code{forward-button} and @code{backward-button} are additionally
5027 available in the keymap stored in @code{button-buffer-map}; a mode
5028 which uses buttons may want to use @code{button-buffer-map} as a
5029 parent keymap for its keymap.
5030
5031 If the button has a non-@code{nil} @code{follow-link} property, and
5032 @var{mouse-1-click-follows-link} is set, a quick @key{Mouse-1} click
5033 will also activate the @code{push-button} command.
5034 @xref{Clickable Text}.
5035
5036 @deffn Command push-button &optional pos use-mouse-action
5037 Perform the action specified by a button at location @var{pos}.
5038 @var{pos} may be either a buffer position or a mouse-event. If
5039 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, or @var{pos} is a
5040 mouse-event (@pxref{Mouse Events}), try to invoke the button's
5041 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
5042 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
5043 @var{pos} defaults to point, except when @code{push-button} is invoked
5044 interactively as the result of a mouse-event, in which case, the mouse
5045 event's position is used. If there's no button at @var{pos}, do
5046 nothing and return @code{nil}, otherwise return @code{t}.
5047 @end deffn
5048
5049 @deffn Command forward-button n &optional wrap display-message
5050 Move to the @var{n}th next button, or @var{n}th previous button if
5051 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
5052 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
5053 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
5054 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
5055 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
5056 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
5057 @end deffn
5058
5059 @deffn Command backward-button n &optional wrap display-message
5060 Move to the @var{n}th previous button, or @var{n}th next button if
5061 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
5062 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
5063 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
5064 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
5065 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
5066 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
5067 @end deffn
5068
5069 @defun next-button pos &optional count-current
5070 @defunx previous-button pos &optional count-current
5071 Return the next button after (for @code{next-button} or before (for
5072 @code{previous-button}) position @var{pos} in the current buffer. If
5073 @var{count-current} is non-@code{nil}, count any button at @var{pos}
5074 in the search, instead of starting at the next button.
5075 @end defun
5076
5077 @node Abstract Display
5078 @section Abstract Display
5079 @cindex ewoc
5080 @cindex display, abstract
5081 @cindex display, arbitrary objects
5082 @cindex model/view/controller
5083 @cindex view part, model/view/controller
5084
5085 The Ewoc package constructs buffer text that represents a structure
5086 of Lisp objects, and updates the text to follow changes in that
5087 structure. This is like the ``view'' component in the
5088 ``model/view/controller'' design paradigm.
5089
5090 An @dfn{ewoc} is a structure that organizes information required to
5091 construct buffer text that represents certain Lisp data. The buffer
5092 text of the ewoc has three parts, in order: first, fixed @dfn{header}
5093 text; next, textual descriptions of a series of data elements (Lisp
5094 objects that you specify); and last, fixed @dfn{footer} text.
5095 Specifically, an ewoc contains information on:
5096
5097 @itemize @bullet
5098 @item
5099 The buffer which its text is generated in.
5100
5101 @item
5102 The text's start position in the buffer.
5103
5104 @item
5105 The header and footer strings.
5106
5107 @item
5108 A doubly-linked chain of @dfn{nodes}, each of which contains:
5109
5110 @itemize
5111 @item
5112 A @dfn{data element}, a single Lisp object.
5113
5114 @item
5115 Links to the preceding and following nodes in the chain.
5116 @end itemize
5117
5118 @item
5119 A @dfn{pretty-printer} function which is responsible for
5120 inserting the textual representation of a data
5121 element value into the current buffer.
5122 @end itemize
5123
5124 Typically, you define an ewoc with @code{ewoc-create}, and then pass
5125 the resulting ewoc structure to other functions in the Ewoc package to
5126 build nodes within it, and display it in the buffer. Once it is
5127 displayed in the buffer, other functions determine the correspondance
5128 between buffer positions and nodes, move point from one node's textual
5129 representation to another, and so forth. @xref{Abstract Display
5130 Functions}.
5131
5132 A node @dfn{encapsulates} a data element much the way a variable
5133 holds a value. Normally, encapsulation occurs as a part of adding a
5134 node to the ewoc. You can retrieve the data element value and place a
5135 new value in its place, like so:
5136
5137 @lisp
5138 (ewoc-data @var{node})
5139 @result{} value
5140
5141 (ewoc-set-data @var{node} @var{new-value})
5142 @result{} @var{new-value}
5143 @end lisp
5144
5145 @noindent
5146 You can also use, as the data element value, a Lisp object (list or
5147 vector) that is a container for the ``real'' value, or an index into
5148 some other structure. The example (@pxref{Abstract Display Example})
5149 uses the latter approach.
5150
5151 When the data changes, you will want to update the text in the
5152 buffer. You can update all nodes by calling @code{ewoc-refresh}, or
5153 just specific nodes using @code{ewoc-invalidate}, or all nodes
5154 satisfying a predicate using @code{ewoc-map}. Alternatively, you can
5155 delete invalid nodes using @code{ewoc-delete} or @code{ewoc-filter},
5156 and add new nodes in their place. Deleting a node from an ewoc deletes
5157 its associated textual description from buffer, as well.
5158
5159 @menu
5160 * Abstract Display Functions::
5161 * Abstract Display Example::
5162 @end menu
5163
5164 @node Abstract Display Functions
5165 @subsection Abstract Display Functions
5166
5167 In this subsection, @var{ewoc} and @var{node} stand for the
5168 structures described above (@pxref{Abstract Display}), while
5169 @var{data} stands for an arbitrary Lisp object used as a data element.
5170
5171 @defun ewoc-create pretty-printer &optional header footer nosep
5172 This constructs and returns a new ewoc, with no nodes (and thus no data
5173 elements). @var{pretty-printer} should be a function that takes one
5174 argument, a data element of the sort you plan to use in this ewoc, and
5175 inserts its textual description at point using @code{insert} (and never
5176 @code{insert-before-markers}, because that would interfere with the
5177 Ewoc package's internal mechanisms).
5178
5179 Normally, a newline is automatically inserted after the header,
5180 the footer and every node's textual description. If @var{nosep}
5181 is non-@code{nil}, no newline is inserted. This may be useful for
5182 displaying an entire ewoc on a single line, for example, or for
5183 making nodes ``invisible'' by arranging for @var{pretty-printer}
5184 to do nothing for those nodes.
5185
5186 An ewoc maintains its text in the buffer that is current when
5187 you create it, so switch to the intended buffer before calling
5188 @code{ewoc-create}.
5189 @end defun
5190
5191 @defun ewoc-buffer ewoc
5192 This returns the buffer where @var{ewoc} maintains its text.
5193 @end defun
5194
5195 @defun ewoc-get-hf ewoc
5196 This returns a cons cell @code{(@var{header} . @var{footer})}
5197 made from @var{ewoc}'s header and footer.
5198 @end defun
5199
5200 @defun ewoc-set-hf ewoc header footer
5201 This sets the header and footer of @var{ewoc} to the strings
5202 @var{header} and @var{footer}, respectively.
5203 @end defun
5204
5205 @defun ewoc-enter-first ewoc data
5206 @defunx ewoc-enter-last ewoc data
5207 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, putting it, respectively,
5208 at the beginning or end of @var{ewoc}'s chain of nodes.
5209 @end defun
5210
5211 @defun ewoc-enter-before ewoc node data
5212 @defunx ewoc-enter-after ewoc node data
5213 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, adding it to
5214 @var{ewoc} before or after @var{node}, respectively.
5215 @end defun
5216
5217 @defun ewoc-prev ewoc node
5218 @defunx ewoc-next ewoc node
5219 These return, respectively, the previous node and the next node of @var{node}
5220 in @var{ewoc}.
5221 @end defun
5222
5223 @defun ewoc-nth ewoc n
5224 This returns the node in @var{ewoc} found at zero-based index @var{n}.
5225 A negative @var{n} means count from the end. @code{ewoc-nth} returns
5226 @code{nil} if @var{n} is out of range.
5227 @end defun
5228
5229 @defun ewoc-data node
5230 This extracts the data encapsulated by @var{node} and returns it.
5231 @end defun
5232
5233 @defun ewoc-set-data node data
5234 This sets the data encapsulated by @var{node} to @var{data}.
5235 @end defun
5236
5237 @defun ewoc-locate ewoc &optional pos guess
5238 This determines the node in @var{ewoc} which contains point (or
5239 @var{pos} if specified), and returns that node. If @var{ewoc} has no
5240 nodes, it returns @code{nil}. If @var{pos} is before the first node,
5241 it returns the first node; if @var{pos} is after the last node, it returns
5242 the last node. The optional third arg @var{guess}
5243 should be a node that is likely to be near @var{pos}; this doesn't
5244 alter the result, but makes the function run faster.
5245 @end defun
5246
5247 @defun ewoc-location node
5248 This returns the start position of @var{node}.
5249 @end defun
5250
5251 @defun ewoc-goto-prev ewoc arg
5252 @defunx ewoc-goto-next ewoc arg
5253 These move point to the previous or next, respectively, @var{arg}th node
5254 in @var{ewoc}. @code{ewoc-goto-prev} does not move if it is already at
5255 the first node or if @var{ewoc} is empty, whereas @code{ewoc-goto-next}
5256 moves past the last node, returning @code{nil}. Excepting this special
5257 case, these functions return the node moved to.
5258 @end defun
5259
5260 @defun ewoc-goto-node ewoc node
5261 This moves point to the start of @var{node} in @var{ewoc}.
5262 @end defun
5263
5264 @defun ewoc-refresh ewoc
5265 This function regenerates the text of @var{ewoc}. It works by
5266 deleting the text between the header and the footer, i.e., all the
5267 data elements' representations, and then calling the pretty-printer
5268 function for each node, one by one, in order.
5269 @end defun
5270
5271 @defun ewoc-invalidate ewoc &rest nodes
5272 This is similar to @code{ewoc-refresh}, except that only @var{nodes} in
5273 @var{ewoc} are updated instead of the entire set.
5274 @end defun
5275
5276 @defun ewoc-delete ewoc &rest nodes
5277 This deletes each node in @var{nodes} from @var{ewoc}.
5278 @end defun
5279
5280 @defun ewoc-filter ewoc predicate &rest args
5281 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5282 deletes those nodes for which @var{predicate} returns @code{nil}.
5283 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5284 @end defun
5285
5286 @defun ewoc-collect ewoc predicate &rest args
5287 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc}
5288 and returns a list of those elements for which @var{predicate}
5289 returns non-@code{nil}. The elements in the list are ordered
5290 as in the buffer. Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5291 @end defun
5292
5293 @defun ewoc-map map-function ewoc &rest args
5294 This calls @var{map-function} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5295 updates those nodes for which @var{map-function} returns non-@code{nil}.
5296 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{map-function}.
5297 @end defun
5298
5299 @node Abstract Display Example
5300 @subsection Abstract Display Example
5301
5302 Here is a simple example using functions of the ewoc package to
5303 implement a ``color components display,'' an area in a buffer that
5304 represents a vector of three integers (itself representing a 24-bit RGB
5305 value) in various ways.
5306
5307 @example
5308 (setq colorcomp-ewoc nil
5309 colorcomp-data nil
5310 colorcomp-mode-map nil
5311 colorcomp-labels ["Red" "Green" "Blue"])
5312
5313 (defun colorcomp-pp (data)
5314 (if data
5315 (let ((comp (aref colorcomp-data data)))
5316 (insert (aref colorcomp-labels data) "\t: #x"
5317 (format "%02X" comp) " "
5318 (make-string (ash comp -2) ?#) "\n"))
5319 (let ((cstr (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5320 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5321 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5322 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5323 (samp " (sample text) "))
5324 (insert "Color\t: "
5325 (propertize samp 'face `(foreground-color . ,cstr))
5326 (propertize samp 'face `(background-color . ,cstr))
5327 "\n"))))
5328
5329 (defun colorcomp (color)
5330 "Allow fiddling with COLOR in a new buffer.
5331 The buffer is in Color Components mode."
5332 (interactive "sColor (name or #RGB or #RRGGBB): ")
5333 (when (string= "" color)
5334 (setq color "green"))
5335 (unless (color-values color)
5336 (error "No such color: %S" color))
5337 (switch-to-buffer
5338 (generate-new-buffer (format "originally: %s" color)))
5339 (kill-all-local-variables)
5340 (setq major-mode 'colorcomp-mode
5341 mode-name "Color Components")
5342 (use-local-map colorcomp-mode-map)
5343 (erase-buffer)
5344 (buffer-disable-undo)
5345 (let ((data (apply 'vector (mapcar (lambda (n) (ash n -8))
5346 (color-values color))))
5347 (ewoc (ewoc-create 'colorcomp-pp
5348 "\nColor Components\n\n"
5349 (substitute-command-keys
5350 "\n\\@{colorcomp-mode-map@}"))))
5351 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-data) data)
5352 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-ewoc) ewoc)
5353 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 0)
5354 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 1)
5355 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 2)
5356 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc nil)))
5357 @end example
5358
5359 @cindex controller part, model/view/controller
5360 This example can be extended to be a ``color selection widget'' (in
5361 other words, the controller part of the ``model/view/controller''
5362 design paradigm) by defining commands to modify @code{colorcomp-data}
5363 and to ``finish'' the selection process, and a keymap to tie it all
5364 together conveniently.
5365
5366 @smallexample
5367 (defun colorcomp-mod (index limit delta)
5368 (let ((cur (aref colorcomp-data index)))
5369 (unless (= limit cur)
5370 (aset colorcomp-data index (+ cur delta)))
5371 (ewoc-invalidate
5372 colorcomp-ewoc
5373 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc index)
5374 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc -1))))
5375
5376 (defun colorcomp-R-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 255 1))
5377 (defun colorcomp-G-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 255 1))
5378 (defun colorcomp-B-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 255 1))
5379 (defun colorcomp-R-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 0 -1))
5380 (defun colorcomp-G-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 0 -1))
5381 (defun colorcomp-B-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 0 -1))
5382
5383 (defun colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit ()
5384 "Copy the color components into the kill ring and kill the buffer.
5385 The string is formatted #RRGGBB (hash followed by six hex digits)."
5386 (interactive)
5387 (kill-new (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5388 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5389 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5390 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5391 (kill-buffer nil))
5392
5393 (setq colorcomp-mode-map
5394 (let ((m (make-sparse-keymap)))
5395 (suppress-keymap m)
5396 (define-key m "i" 'colorcomp-R-less)
5397 (define-key m "o" 'colorcomp-R-more)
5398 (define-key m "k" 'colorcomp-G-less)
5399 (define-key m "l" 'colorcomp-G-more)
5400 (define-key m "," 'colorcomp-B-less)
5401 (define-key m "." 'colorcomp-B-more)
5402 (define-key m " " 'colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit)
5403 m))
5404 @end smallexample
5405
5406 Note that we never modify the data in each node, which is fixed when the
5407 ewoc is created to be either @code{nil} or an index into the vector
5408 @code{colorcomp-data}, the actual color components.
5409
5410 @node Blinking
5411 @section Blinking Parentheses
5412 @cindex parenthesis matching
5413 @cindex blinking parentheses
5414 @cindex balancing parentheses
5415
5416 This section describes the mechanism by which Emacs shows a matching
5417 open parenthesis when the user inserts a close parenthesis.
5418
5419 @defvar blink-paren-function
5420 The value of this variable should be a function (of no arguments) to
5421 be called whenever a character with close parenthesis syntax is inserted.
5422 The value of @code{blink-paren-function} may be @code{nil}, in which
5423 case nothing is done.
5424 @end defvar
5425
5426 @defopt blink-matching-paren
5427 If this variable is @code{nil}, then @code{blink-matching-open} does
5428 nothing.
5429 @end defopt
5430
5431 @defopt blink-matching-paren-distance
5432 This variable specifies the maximum distance to scan for a matching
5433 parenthesis before giving up.
5434 @end defopt
5435
5436 @defopt blink-matching-delay
5437 This variable specifies the number of seconds for the cursor to remain
5438 at the matching parenthesis. A fraction of a second often gives
5439 good results, but the default is 1, which works on all systems.
5440 @end defopt
5441
5442 @deffn Command blink-matching-open
5443 This function is the default value of @code{blink-paren-function}. It
5444 assumes that point follows a character with close parenthesis syntax and
5445 moves the cursor momentarily to the matching opening character. If that
5446 character is not already on the screen, it displays the character's
5447 context in the echo area. To avoid long delays, this function does not
5448 search farther than @code{blink-matching-paren-distance} characters.
5449
5450 Here is an example of calling this function explicitly.
5451
5452 @smallexample
5453 @group
5454 (defun interactive-blink-matching-open ()
5455 @c Do not break this line! -- rms.
5456 @c The first line of a doc string
5457 @c must stand alone.
5458 "Indicate momentarily the start of sexp before point."
5459 (interactive)
5460 @end group
5461 @group
5462 (let ((blink-matching-paren-distance
5463 (buffer-size))
5464 (blink-matching-paren t))
5465 (blink-matching-open)))
5466 @end group
5467 @end smallexample
5468 @end deffn
5469
5470 @node Usual Display
5471 @section Usual Display Conventions
5472
5473 The usual display conventions define how to display each character
5474 code. You can override these conventions by setting up a display table
5475 (@pxref{Display Tables}). Here are the usual display conventions:
5476
5477 @itemize @bullet
5478 @item
5479 Character codes 32 through 126 map to glyph codes 32 through 126.
5480 Normally this means they display as themselves.
5481
5482 @item
5483 Character code 9 is a horizontal tab. It displays as whitespace
5484 up to a position determined by @code{tab-width}.
5485
5486 @item
5487 Character code 10 is a newline.
5488
5489 @item
5490 All other codes in the range 0 through 31, and code 127, display in one
5491 of two ways according to the value of @code{ctl-arrow}. If it is
5492 non-@code{nil}, these codes map to sequences of two glyphs, where the
5493 first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{^}. (A display table can
5494 specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{^}.) Otherwise, these codes map
5495 just like the codes in the range 128 to 255.
5496
5497 On MS-DOS terminals, Emacs arranges by default for the character code
5498 127 to be mapped to the glyph code 127, which normally displays as an
5499 empty polygon. This glyph is used to display non-@acronym{ASCII} characters
5500 that the MS-DOS terminal doesn't support. @xref{MS-DOS and MULE,,,
5501 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
5502
5503 @item
5504 Character codes 128 through 255 map to sequences of four glyphs, where
5505 the first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{\}, and the others are
5506 digit characters representing the character code in octal. (A display
5507 table can specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{\}.)
5508
5509 @item
5510 Multibyte character codes above 256 are displayed as themselves, or as a
5511 question mark or empty box if the terminal cannot display that
5512 character.
5513 @end itemize
5514
5515 The usual display conventions apply even when there is a display
5516 table, for any character whose entry in the active display table is
5517 @code{nil}. Thus, when you set up a display table, you need only
5518 specify the characters for which you want special behavior.
5519
5520 These display rules apply to carriage return (character code 13), when
5521 it appears in the buffer. But that character may not appear in the
5522 buffer where you expect it, if it was eliminated as part of end-of-line
5523 conversion (@pxref{Coding System Basics}).
5524
5525 These variables affect the way certain characters are displayed on the
5526 screen. Since they change the number of columns the characters occupy,
5527 they also affect the indentation functions. These variables also affect
5528 how the mode line is displayed; if you want to force redisplay of the
5529 mode line using the new values, call the function
5530 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5531
5532 @defopt ctl-arrow
5533 @cindex control characters in display
5534 This buffer-local variable controls how control characters are
5535 displayed. If it is non-@code{nil}, they are displayed as a caret
5536 followed by the character: @samp{^A}. If it is @code{nil}, they are
5537 displayed as a backslash followed by three octal digits: @samp{\001}.
5538 @end defopt
5539
5540 @c Following may have overfull hbox.
5541 @defvar default-ctl-arrow
5542 The value of this variable is the default value for @code{ctl-arrow} in
5543 buffers that do not override it. @xref{Default Value}.
5544 @end defvar
5545
5546 @defopt tab-width
5547 The value of this buffer-local variable is the spacing between tab
5548 stops used for displaying tab characters in Emacs buffers. The value
5549 is in units of columns, and the default is 8. Note that this feature
5550 is completely independent of the user-settable tab stops used by the
5551 command @code{tab-to-tab-stop}. @xref{Indent Tabs}.
5552 @end defopt
5553
5554 @node Display Tables
5555 @section Display Tables
5556
5557 @cindex display table
5558 You can use the @dfn{display table} feature to control how all possible
5559 character codes display on the screen. This is useful for displaying
5560 European languages that have letters not in the @acronym{ASCII} character
5561 set.
5562
5563 The display table maps each character code into a sequence of
5564 @dfn{glyphs}, each glyph being a graphic that takes up one character
5565 position on the screen. You can also define how to display each glyph
5566 on your terminal, using the @dfn{glyph table}.
5567
5568 Display tables affect how the mode line is displayed; if you want to
5569 force redisplay of the mode line using a new display table, call
5570 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5571
5572 @menu
5573 * Display Table Format:: What a display table consists of.
5574 * Active Display Table:: How Emacs selects a display table to use.
5575 * Glyphs:: How to define a glyph, and what glyphs mean.
5576 @end menu
5577
5578 @node Display Table Format
5579 @subsection Display Table Format
5580
5581 A display table is actually a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with
5582 @code{display-table} as its subtype.
5583
5584 @defun make-display-table
5585 This creates and returns a display table. The table initially has
5586 @code{nil} in all elements.
5587 @end defun
5588
5589 The ordinary elements of the display table are indexed by character
5590 codes; the element at index @var{c} says how to display the character
5591 code @var{c}. The value should be @code{nil} or a vector of the
5592 glyphs to be output (@pxref{Glyphs}). @code{nil} says to display the
5593 character @var{c} according to the usual display conventions
5594 (@pxref{Usual Display}).
5595
5596 @strong{Warning:} if you use the display table to change the display
5597 of newline characters, the whole buffer will be displayed as one long
5598 ``line.''
5599
5600 The display table also has six ``extra slots'' which serve special
5601 purposes. Here is a table of their meanings; @code{nil} in any slot
5602 means to use the default for that slot, as stated below.
5603
5604 @table @asis
5605 @item 0
5606 The glyph for the end of a truncated screen line (the default for this
5607 is @samp{$}). @xref{Glyphs}. On graphical terminals, Emacs uses
5608 arrows in the fringes to indicate truncation, so the display table has
5609 no effect.
5610
5611 @item 1
5612 The glyph for the end of a continued line (the default is @samp{\}).
5613 On graphical terminals, Emacs uses curved arrows in the fringes to
5614 indicate continuation, so the display table has no effect.
5615
5616 @item 2
5617 The glyph for indicating a character displayed as an octal character
5618 code (the default is @samp{\}).
5619
5620 @item 3
5621 The glyph for indicating a control character (the default is @samp{^}).
5622
5623 @item 4
5624 A vector of glyphs for indicating the presence of invisible lines (the
5625 default is @samp{...}). @xref{Selective Display}.
5626
5627 @item 5
5628 The glyph used to draw the border between side-by-side windows (the
5629 default is @samp{|}). @xref{Splitting Windows}. This takes effect only
5630 when there are no scroll bars; if scroll bars are supported and in use,
5631 a scroll bar separates the two windows.
5632 @end table
5633
5634 For example, here is how to construct a display table that mimics the
5635 effect of setting @code{ctl-arrow} to a non-@code{nil} value:
5636
5637 @example
5638 (setq disptab (make-display-table))
5639 (let ((i 0))
5640 (while (< i 32)
5641 (or (= i ?\t) (= i ?\n)
5642 (aset disptab i (vector ?^ (+ i 64))))
5643 (setq i (1+ i)))
5644 (aset disptab 127 (vector ?^ ??)))
5645 @end example
5646
5647 @defun display-table-slot display-table slot
5648 This function returns the value of the extra slot @var{slot} of
5649 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5650 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5651 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5652 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5653 @end defun
5654
5655 @defun set-display-table-slot display-table slot value
5656 This function stores @var{value} in the extra slot @var{slot} of
5657 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5658 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5659 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5660 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5661 @end defun
5662
5663 @defun describe-display-table display-table
5664 This function displays a description of the display table
5665 @var{display-table} in a help buffer.
5666 @end defun
5667
5668 @deffn Command describe-current-display-table
5669 This command displays a description of the current display table in a
5670 help buffer.
5671 @end deffn
5672
5673 @node Active Display Table
5674 @subsection Active Display Table
5675 @cindex active display table
5676
5677 Each window can specify a display table, and so can each buffer. When
5678 a buffer @var{b} is displayed in window @var{w}, display uses the
5679 display table for window @var{w} if it has one; otherwise, the display
5680 table for buffer @var{b} if it has one; otherwise, the standard display
5681 table if any. The display table chosen is called the @dfn{active}
5682 display table.
5683
5684 @defun window-display-table &optional window
5685 This function returns @var{window}'s display table, or @code{nil}
5686 if @var{window} does not have an assigned display table. The default
5687 for @var{window} is the selected window.
5688 @end defun
5689
5690 @defun set-window-display-table window table
5691 This function sets the display table of @var{window} to @var{table}.
5692 The argument @var{table} should be either a display table or
5693 @code{nil}.
5694 @end defun
5695
5696 @defvar buffer-display-table
5697 This variable is automatically buffer-local in all buffers; its value in
5698 a particular buffer specifies the display table for that buffer. If it
5699 is @code{nil}, that means the buffer does not have an assigned display
5700 table.
5701 @end defvar
5702
5703 @defvar standard-display-table
5704 This variable's value is the default display table, used whenever a
5705 window has no display table and neither does the buffer displayed in
5706 that window. This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5707 @end defvar
5708
5709 If there is no display table to use for a particular window---that is,
5710 if the window specifies none, its buffer specifies none, and
5711 @code{standard-display-table} is @code{nil}---then Emacs uses the usual
5712 display conventions for all character codes in that window. @xref{Usual
5713 Display}.
5714
5715 A number of functions for changing the standard display table
5716 are defined in the library @file{disp-table}.
5717
5718 @node Glyphs
5719 @subsection Glyphs
5720
5721 @cindex glyph
5722 A @dfn{glyph} is a generalization of a character; it stands for an
5723 image that takes up a single character position on the screen. Normally
5724 glyphs come from vectors in the display table (@pxref{Display Tables}).
5725
5726 A glyph is represented in Lisp as a @dfn{glyph code}. A glyph code
5727 can be @dfn{simple} or it can be defined by the @dfn{glyph table}. A
5728 simple glyph code is just a way of specifying a character and a face
5729 to output it in. @xref{Faces}.
5730
5731 The following functions are used to manipulate simple glyph codes:
5732
5733 @defun make-glyph-code char &optional face
5734 This function returns a simple glyph code representing char @var{char}
5735 with face @var{face}.
5736 @end defun
5737
5738 @defun glyph-char glyph
5739 This function returns the character of simple glyph code @var{glyph}.
5740 @end defun
5741
5742 @defun glyph-face glyph
5743 This function returns face of simple glyph code @var{glyph}, or
5744 @code{nil} if @var{glyph} has the default face (face-id 0).
5745 @xref{Face Functions}.
5746 @end defun
5747
5748 On character terminals, you can set up a @dfn{glyph table} to define
5749 the meaning of glyph codes (represented as small integers).
5750
5751 @defvar glyph-table
5752 The value of this variable is the current glyph table. It should be
5753 @code{nil} or a vector whose @var{g}th element defines glyph code
5754 @var{g}.
5755
5756 If a glyph code is greater than or equal to the length of the glyph
5757 table, that code is automatically simple. If @code{glyph-table} is
5758 @code{nil} then all glyph codes are simple.
5759
5760 The glyph table is used only on character terminals. On graphical
5761 displays, all glyph codes are simple.
5762 @end defvar
5763
5764 Here are the meaningful types of elements in the glyph table:
5765
5766 @table @asis
5767 @item @var{string}
5768 Send the characters in @var{string} to the terminal to output
5769 this glyph code.
5770
5771 @item @var{code}
5772 Define this glyph code as an alias for glyph code @var{code} created
5773 by @code{make-glyph-code}. You can use such an alias to define a
5774 small-numbered glyph code which specifies a character with a face.
5775
5776 @item @code{nil}
5777 This glyph code is simple.
5778 @end table
5779
5780 @defun create-glyph string
5781 This function returns a newly-allocated glyph code which is set up to
5782 display by sending @var{string} to the terminal.
5783 @end defun
5784
5785 @node Beeping
5786 @section Beeping
5787 @c @cindex beeping "beep" is adjacent
5788 @cindex bell
5789
5790 This section describes how to make Emacs ring the bell (or blink the
5791 screen) to attract the user's attention. Be conservative about how
5792 often you do this; frequent bells can become irritating. Also be
5793 careful not to use just beeping when signaling an error is more
5794 appropriate. (@xref{Errors}.)
5795
5796 @defun ding &optional do-not-terminate
5797 @cindex keyboard macro termination
5798 This function beeps, or flashes the screen (see @code{visible-bell} below).
5799 It also terminates any keyboard macro currently executing unless
5800 @var{do-not-terminate} is non-@code{nil}.
5801 @end defun
5802
5803 @defun beep &optional do-not-terminate
5804 This is a synonym for @code{ding}.
5805 @end defun
5806
5807 @defopt visible-bell
5808 This variable determines whether Emacs should flash the screen to
5809 represent a bell. Non-@code{nil} means yes, @code{nil} means no. This
5810 is effective on graphical displays, and on text-only terminals
5811 provided the terminal's Termcap entry defines the visible bell
5812 capability (@samp{vb}).
5813 @end defopt
5814
5815 @defvar ring-bell-function
5816 If this is non-@code{nil}, it specifies how Emacs should ``ring the
5817 bell.'' Its value should be a function of no arguments. If this is
5818 non-@code{nil}, it takes precedence over the @code{visible-bell}
5819 variable.
5820 @end defvar
5821
5822 @node Window Systems
5823 @section Window Systems
5824
5825 Emacs works with several window systems, most notably the X Window
5826 System. Both Emacs and X use the term ``window,'' but use it
5827 differently. An Emacs frame is a single window as far as X is
5828 concerned; the individual Emacs windows are not known to X at all.
5829
5830 @defvar window-system
5831 This frame-local variable tells Lisp programs what window system Emacs is using
5832 for displaying the frame. The possible values are
5833
5834 @table @code
5835 @item x
5836 @cindex X Window System
5837 Emacs is displaying the frame using X.
5838 @item w32
5839 Emacs is displaying the frame using native MS-Windows GUI.
5840 @item pc
5841 Emacs is displaying the frame using MS-DOS direct screen writes.
5842 @item nil
5843 Emacs is displaying the frame on a character-based terminal.
5844 @end table
5845 @end defvar
5846
5847 @defvar initial-window-system
5848 This variable holds the value of @code{window-system} used for the
5849 first frame created by Emacs during startup. (When Emacs is invoked
5850 with the @option{--daemon} option, it does not create any initial
5851 frames, so @code{initial-window-system} is @code{nil}. @xref{Initial
5852 Options, daemon,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.)
5853 @end defvar
5854
5855 @defun window-system &optional frame
5856 This function returns a symbol whose name tells what window system is
5857 used for displaying @var{frame} (which defaults to the currently
5858 selected frame). The list of possible symbols it returns is the same
5859 one documented for the variable @code{window-system} above.
5860 @end defun
5861
5862 @defvar window-setup-hook
5863 This variable is a normal hook which Emacs runs after handling the
5864 initialization files. Emacs runs this hook after it has completed
5865 loading your init file, the default initialization file (if
5866 any), and the terminal-specific Lisp code, and running the hook
5867 @code{term-setup-hook}.
5868
5869 This hook is used for internal purposes: setting up communication with
5870 the window system, and creating the initial window. Users should not
5871 interfere with it.
5872 @end defvar
5873
5874 @ignore
5875 arch-tag: ffdf5714-7ecf-415b-9023-fbc6b409c2c6
5876 @end ignore