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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,
4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @setfilename ../info/frames
7 @node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top
8 @chapter Frames
9 @cindex frame
10
11 In Emacs editing, A @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one
12 or more Emacs windows. It's the kind of object that is called a
13 ``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but we can't
14 call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a different
15 way.
16
17 A frame initially contains a single main window and/or a minibuffer
18 window; you can subdivide the main window vertically or horizontally
19 into smaller windows. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp
20 object that represents a frame on the screen.
21
22 @cindex terminal frame
23 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
24 @dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional ones, Emacs displays
25 one and only one at any given time---on the terminal screen, of course.
26
27 @cindex window frame
28 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
29 as X, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
30 a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
31 display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
32
33 @defun framep object
34 This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
35 frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
36 kind of display the frame uses:
37
38 @table @code
39 @item x
40 The frame is displayed in an X window.
41 @item t
42 A terminal frame on a character display.
43 @item mac
44 The frame is displayed on a Macintosh.
45 @item w32
46 The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
47 @item pc
48 The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
49 @end table
50 @end defun
51
52 @menu
53 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
54 * Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
55 * Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
56 * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
57 * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
58 * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
59 * Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
60 display of text always works through windows.
61 * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
62 * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
63 * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
64 * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
65 lowering it makes the others hide it.
66 * Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
67 * Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
68 * Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
69 * Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
70 * Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
71 * Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
72 * Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
73 * Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
74 * Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
75 * Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
76 * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
77 * Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
78 @end menu
79
80 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
81 controlling Emacs redisplay.
82
83 @node Creating Frames
84 @section Creating Frames
85
86 To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
87
88 @defun make-frame &optional alist
89 This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
90 buffer. If you are using a supported window system, it makes a window
91 frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
92
93 The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
94 not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
95 variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
96 default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
97 your system.
98
99 The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
100 window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
101 Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
102
103 This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
104 @xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
105 However, the window system may select the new frame for its own reasons,
106 for instance if the frame appears under the mouse pointer and your
107 setup is for focus to follow the pointer.
108 @end defun
109
110 @defvar before-make-frame-hook
111 A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
112 frame.
113 @end defvar
114
115 @defvar after-make-frame-functions
116 An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
117 Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
118 frame just created.
119 @end defvar
120
121 @node Multiple Displays
122 @section Multiple Displays
123 @cindex multiple X displays
124 @cindex displays, multiple
125
126 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
127 Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
128 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
129 (@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
130 another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
131 the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
132
133 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
134 own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. However, only one of
135 those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment, see
136 @ref{Input Focus}.
137
138 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
139 separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
140 is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
141 to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
142 @code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
143 @code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
144 be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}).
145
146 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
147 @samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
148 part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
149 screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
150 names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
151 terminal.
152
153 Note that some graphical terminals can output to more than a one
154 monitor (or other output device) at the same time. On these
155 ``multi-monitor'' setups, a single @var{display} value controls the
156 output to all the physical monitors. In this situation, there is
157 currently no platform-independent way for Emacs to distinguish between
158 the different physical monitors.
159
160 @deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
161 This creates and returns a new frame on display @var{display}, taking
162 the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the
163 @var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating
164 Frames}).
165 @end deffn
166
167 @defun x-display-list
168 This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
169 connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
170 a display name.
171 @end defun
172
173 @defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
174 This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
175 does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
176 that communication can be established with that display.
177
178 The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
179 string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
180 @file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
181 values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
182 created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
183 look like:
184
185 @example
186 "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
187 @end example
188
189 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
190
191 If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
192 terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
193 @end defun
194
195 @defun x-close-connection display
196 This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
197 you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
198 that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
199 @end defun
200
201 @node Frame Parameters
202 @section Frame Parameters
203 @cindex frame parameters
204
205 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
206 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
207 uses.
208
209 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
210 terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
211 only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
212 @code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
213 parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
214 parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
215 @code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
216
217 @menu
218 * Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
219 * Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
220 * Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
221 * Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
222 * Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
223 @end menu
224
225 @node Parameter Access
226 @subsection Access to Frame Parameters
227
228 These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
229 frame.
230
231 @defun frame-parameter frame parameter
232 This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
233 symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
234 selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
235 @var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
236 @end defun
237
238 @defun frame-parameters &optional frame
239 The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
240 parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
241 @code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
242 @end defun
243
244 @defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
245 This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
246 elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
247 @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
248 parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
249 doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
250 frame.
251 @end defun
252
253 @defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
254 This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
255 according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
256 (and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
257 parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
258 @end defun
259
260 @node Initial Parameters
261 @subsection Initial Frame Parameters
262
263 You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
264 by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
265
266 @defvar initial-frame-alist
267 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
268 the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
269 appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
270 Each element has the form:
271
272 @example
273 (@var{parameter} . @var{value})
274 @end example
275
276 Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
277 file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
278 and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
279 created initial frame.
280
281 If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
282 the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
283 ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
284 appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
285 created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
286
287 X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
288 specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
289 you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
290 this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
291 X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
292 the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
293 @code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
294 @end defvar
295
296 If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
297 @code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
298 one for you.
299
300 @defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
301 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
302 an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
303 to the parameters for the main initial frame.
304 @end defvar
305
306 @defvar default-frame-alist
307 This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
308 Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
309 Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
310 in many cases.
311
312 Setting this variable does not affect existing frames.
313 @end defvar
314
315 See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}. @xref{Definition of
316 special-display-frame-alist}.
317
318 If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
319 they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
320 exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
321 @code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Emacs Invocation,, Command
322 Line Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
323
324 @node Window Frame Parameters
325 @subsection Window Frame Parameters
326
327 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
328 it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
329 meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
330 @code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
331 @code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
332 frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful @emph{only} in
333 terminal frames.
334
335 @menu
336 * Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
337 * Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
338 * Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
339 * Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
340 enabling or disabling some parts.
341 * Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
342 * Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
343 * Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
344 * Color Parameters:: Colors of various parts of the frame.
345 @end menu
346
347 @node Basic Parameters
348 @subsubsection Basic Parameters
349
350 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
351 frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
352
353 @table @code
354 @item display
355 The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
356 form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
357 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
358
359 @item display-type
360 This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
361 in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
362 @code{mono}.
363
364 @item title
365 If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window
366 system's title bar at the top of the frame, and also in the mode line
367 of windows in that frame if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses
368 @samp{%F} (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when
369 Emacs is not using a window system, and can only display one frame at
370 a time. @xref{Frame Titles}.
371
372 @item name
373 The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
374 title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
375 you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
376 (@pxref{Frame Titles}).
377
378 If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
379 name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
380 looking up X resources for the frame.
381 @end table
382
383 @node Position Parameters
384 @subsubsection Position Parameters
385
386 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
387 text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
388
389 @table @code
390 @item left
391 The screen position of the left edge, in pixels, with respect to the
392 left edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos},
393 or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a
394 negative @var{pos} value.
395
396 A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(-
397 @var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the right edge of the
398 window with respect to the right edge of the screen. A positive value
399 of @var{pos} counts toward the left. @strong{Reminder:} if the
400 parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos}, then @var{pos} is
401 positive.
402
403 Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
404 be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
405 non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
406
407 @item top
408 The screen position of the top edge, in pixels, with respect to the
409 top edge of the screen. It works just like @code{left}, except vertically
410 instead of horizontally.
411
412 @item icon-left
413 The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
414 pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
415 and when the frame is iconified.
416
417 If you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify
418 a value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa. The window manager may
419 ignore these two parameters.
420
421 @item icon-top
422 The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
423 pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
424 and when the frame is iconified.
425
426 @item user-position
427 When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
428 @code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
429 the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
430 way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
431 A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
432
433 Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
434 program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
435 positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
436 place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
437 let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
438 ignore them.
439
440 When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
441 value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
442 parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
443 @code{nil}.
444 @end table
445
446 @node Size Parameters
447 @subsubsection Size Parameters
448
449 Size parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
450 text-only terminals they count characters or lines instead.
451
452 @table @code
453 @item height
454 The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
455 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
456
457 @item width
458 The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the width in
459 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
460
461 @item user-size
462 This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
463 the @code{user-position} parameter (see above) does for the position
464 parameters @code{top} and @code{left}.
465
466 @item fullscreen
467 Specify that width, height or both shall be set to the size of the screen.
468 The value @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be the size of the
469 screen. The value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be the
470 size of the screen. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the
471 width and the height shall be set to the size of the screen.
472 @end table
473
474 @node Layout Parameters
475 @subsubsection Layout Parameters
476
477 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
478 frame, or control their sizes.
479
480 @table @code
481 @item border-width
482 The width in pixels of the frame's border.
483
484 @item internal-border-width
485 The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
486
487 @item vertical-scroll-bars
488 Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
489 of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
490 @code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
491
492 @ignore
493 @item horizontal-scroll-bars
494 Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
495 (non-@code{nil} means yes). Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
496 implemented.
497 @end ignore
498
499 @item scroll-bar-width
500 The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
501 use the default width.
502
503 @item left-fringe
504 @itemx right-fringe
505 The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
506 frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
507 removes the corresponding fringe. A value of @code{nil} stands for
508 the standard fringe width, which is the width needed to display the
509 fringe bitmaps.
510
511 The combined fringe widths must add up to an integral number of
512 columns, so the actual default fringe widths for the frame may be
513 larger than the specified values. The extra width needed to reach an
514 acceptable total is distributed evenly between the left and right
515 fringe. However, you can force one fringe or the other to a precise
516 width by specifying that width as a negative integer. If both widths are
517 negative, only the left fringe gets the specified width.
518
519 @item menu-bar-lines
520 The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
521 bar. The default is 1. A value of @code{nil} means don't display a
522 menu bar. @xref{Menu Bar}. (The X toolkit and GTK allow at most one
523 menu bar line; they treat larger values as 1.)
524
525 @item tool-bar-lines
526 The number of lines to use for the tool bar. A value of @code{nil}
527 means don't display a tool bar. (GTK allows at most one tool bar line;
528 it treats larger values as 1.)
529
530 @item line-spacing
531 Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
532 integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
533 @end table
534
535 @node Buffer Parameters
536 @subsubsection Buffer Parameters
537
538 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
539 with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
540
541 @table @code
542 @item minibuffer
543 Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
544 yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
545 minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
546 the new frame uses that minibuffer.
547
548 @item buffer-predicate
549 The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
550 @code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
551 decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
552 @code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
553 each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
554 considers that buffer.
555
556 @item buffer-list
557 A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
558 ordered most-recently-selected first.
559
560 @item unsplittable
561 If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
562 @end table
563
564 @node Management Parameters
565 @subsubsection Window Management Parameters
566 @cindex window manager, and frame parameters
567
568 These frame parameters, meaningful only on window system displays,
569 interact with the window manager.
570
571 @table @code
572 @item visibility
573 The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
574 @code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
575 iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
576
577 @item auto-raise
578 Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
579
580 @item auto-lower
581 Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
582
583 @item icon-type
584 The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
585 value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
586 Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
587 picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
588
589 @item icon-name
590 The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
591 appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
592
593 @item window-id
594 The number of the window-system window used by the frame
595 to contain the actual Emacs windows.
596
597 @item outer-window-id
598 The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
599
600 @item wait-for-wm
601 If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
602 geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
603 and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
604 prevent hanging with those window managers.
605
606 @ignore
607 @item parent-id
608 @c ??? Not yet working.
609 The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
610 Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
611 application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
612 it and see if it works.)
613 @end ignore
614 @end table
615
616 @node Cursor Parameters
617 @subsubsection Cursor Parameters
618
619 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
620
621 @table @code
622 @item cursor-type
623 How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
624
625 @table @code
626 @item box
627 Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
628 @item hollow
629 Display a hollow box.
630 @item nil
631 Don't display a cursor.
632 @item bar
633 Display a vertical bar between characters.
634 @item (bar . @var{width})
635 Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
636 @item hbar
637 Display a horizontal bar.
638 @item (hbar . @var{height})
639 Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
640 @end table
641 @end table
642
643 @vindex cursor-type
644 The buffer-local variable @code{cursor-type} overrides the value of
645 the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter, but if it is @code{t}, that
646 means to use the cursor specified for the frame.
647
648 @defvar blink-cursor-alist
649 This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
650 form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
651 type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
652 corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
653 when it blinks ``off.'' Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
654 should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
655
656 There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
657 the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
658 variable do not take effect immediately, only when you specify the
659 @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
660 @end defvar
661
662 @defvar cursor-in-non-selected-windows
663 This variable controls how the cursor looks in a window that is not
664 selected. It supports the same values as the @code{cursor-type} frame
665 parameter; also, @code{nil} means don't display a cursor in
666 nonselected windows, and @code{t} (the default) means use a standard
667 modificatoin of the usual cursor type (solid box becomes hollow box,
668 and bar becomes a narrower bar).
669 @end defvar
670
671 @node Color Parameters
672 @subsubsection Color Parameters
673
674 These frame parameters control the use of colors.
675
676 @table @code
677 @item background-mode
678 This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
679 to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
680
681 @item tty-color-mode
682 @cindex standard colors for character terminals
683 This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
684 system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
685 specifies the color mode to use in terminal frames. The value can be
686 either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
687 to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
688 color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
689 ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
690 off color support.
691
692 If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
693 the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
694 used instead.
695
696 @item screen-gamma
697 @cindex gamma correction
698 If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
699 the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
700 your display, a floating point number.
701
702 Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
703 Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
704 on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
705 @code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
706 request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
707 your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
708 ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
709
710 If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
711 @code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
712 that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
713 results for LCD color displays.
714 @end table
715
716 These frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are automatically
717 equivalent to particular face attributes of particular faces.
718 @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
719
720 @table @code
721 @item font
722 The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
723 string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
724 fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
725 attribute of the @code{default} face.
726
727 @item foreground-color
728 The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
729 the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
730
731 @item background-color
732 The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
733 the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
734
735 @item mouse-color
736 The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
737 attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
738
739 @item cursor-color
740 The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
741 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
742
743 @item border-color
744 The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
745 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
746
747 @item scroll-bar-foreground
748 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
749 equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
750 @code{scroll-bar} face.
751
752 @item scroll-bar-background
753 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
754 equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
755 @code{scroll-bar} face.
756 @end table
757
758 @node Size and Position
759 @subsection Frame Size And Position
760 @cindex size of frame
761 @cindex screen size
762 @cindex frame size
763 @cindex resize frame
764
765 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
766 frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
767 @code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
768 by the window manager in its usual fashion.
769
770 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
771 (For the precise meaning of ``selected frame'' used by these functions,
772 see @ref{Input Focus}.)
773
774 @defun set-frame-position frame left top
775 This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
776 @var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
777 normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
778
779 Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
780 the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
781 the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
782 were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
783 would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
784 but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
785 @end defun
786
787 @defun frame-height &optional frame
788 @defunx frame-width &optional frame
789 These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
790 lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
791 selected frame.
792 @end defun
793
794 @defun screen-height
795 @defunx screen-width
796 These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
797 @code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
798 of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
799 @end defun
800
801 @defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
802 @defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
803 These functions return the height and width of the main display area
804 of @var{frame}, measured in pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame},
805 they use the selected frame.
806
807 These values include the internal borders, and windows' scroll bars
808 and fringes (which belong to individual windows, not to the frame
809 itself), but do not include menu bars or tool bars (except when using
810 X without an X toolkit).
811 @end defun
812
813 @defun frame-char-height &optional frame
814 @defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
815 These functions return the height and width of a character in
816 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
817 font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
818 frame.
819 @end defun
820
821 @defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
822 This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
823 @var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
824
825 To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
826 @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
827 them to units of characters.
828 @end defun
829
830 @defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
831 This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
832 sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
833 fit.
834
835 If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
836 lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
837 actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
838 Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
839 useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
840 terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
841 height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
842 actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
843 terminal frame.
844 @end defun
845
846 @defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
847 This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
848 The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
849 @code{set-frame-height}.
850 @end defun
851
852 @findex set-screen-height
853 @findex set-screen-width
854 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
855 @code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
856 screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
857 are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
858
859 @node Geometry
860 @subsection Geometry
861
862 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
863 specification:
864
865 @defun x-parse-geometry geom
866 @cindex geometry specification
867 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
868 geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
869 @code{make-frame}.
870
871 The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
872 gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
873 @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
874 values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
875
876 For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
877 parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
878 because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
879 instead. These are the @var{value} possibilities for the position
880 parameters:
881
882 @table @asis
883 @item an integer
884 A positive integer relates the left edge or top edge of the window to
885 the left or top edge of the screen. A negative integer relates the
886 right or bottom edge of the window to the right or bottom edge of the
887 screen.
888
889 @item @code{(+ @var{position})}
890 This specifies the position of the left or top edge of the window
891 relative to the left or top edge of the screen. The integer
892 @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
893 position outside the screen.
894
895 @item @code{(- @var{position})}
896 This specifies the position of the right or bottom edge of the window
897 relative to the right or bottom edge of the screen. The integer
898 @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
899 position outside the screen.
900 @end table
901
902 Here is an example:
903
904 @example
905 (x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
906 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
907 (top - 0) (left . 0))
908 @end example
909 @end defun
910
911 @node Frame Titles
912 @section Frame Titles
913 @cindex frame title
914
915 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
916 for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
917 the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
918 frame property.
919
920 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
921 frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
922 @code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
923 frame is redisplayed.
924
925 @defvar frame-title-format
926 This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
927 not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
928 line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
929 @samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
930 Data}.
931 @end defvar
932
933 @defvar icon-title-format
934 This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
935 when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
936 appears in the icon itself.
937 @end defvar
938
939 @defvar multiple-frames
940 This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
941 there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
942 invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
943 @code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
944 only when there is more than one frame.
945
946 The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
947 while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
948 @code{icon-title-format}.
949 @end defvar
950
951 @node Deleting Frames
952 @section Deleting Frames
953 @cindex deleting frames
954
955 Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
956 them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
957 exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it.
958
959 @deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
960 @vindex delete-frame-functions
961 This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
962 tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
963 function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
964 the selected frame.
965
966 A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
967 Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
968 but if the @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
969 @end deffn
970
971 @defun frame-live-p frame
972 The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
973 @var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
974 values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
975 @end defun
976
977 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
978 by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
979 When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
980 @code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
981 calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
982
983 @node Finding All Frames
984 @section Finding All Frames
985 @cindex frames, scanning all
986
987 @defun frame-list
988 The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
989 have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
990 buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get is
991 newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
992 internals of Emacs.
993 @end defun
994
995 @defun visible-frame-list
996 This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
997 @xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
998 ``visible,'' even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
999 @end defun
1000
1001 @defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
1002 The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
1003 the frames on the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It
1004 returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If
1005 @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame
1006 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
1007
1008 The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
1009
1010 @table @asis
1011 @item @code{nil}
1012 Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
1013 @item @code{visible}
1014 Consider all visible frames.
1015 @item 0
1016 Consider all visible or iconified frames.
1017 @item a window
1018 Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1019 minibuffer.
1020 @item anything else
1021 Consider all frames.
1022 @end table
1023 @end defun
1024
1025 @defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1026 Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1027 direction.
1028 @end defun
1029
1030 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1031 Window Ordering}.
1032
1033 @node Frames and Windows
1034 @section Frames and Windows
1035
1036 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame
1037 with @code{window-frame}.
1038
1039 @defun window-frame window
1040 This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
1041 @end defun
1042
1043 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
1044 order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
1045 upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
1046 the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
1047 one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
1048
1049 @defun frame-first-window &optional frame
1050 This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
1051 If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to the selected frame.
1052 @end defun
1053
1054 At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
1055 frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
1056 frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current
1057 selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}.
1058
1059 @defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
1060 This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1061 within @var{frame}. If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{frame} defaults to
1062 the selected frame.
1063 @end defun
1064
1065 @defun set-frame-selected-window frame window
1066 This sets the selected window of frame @var{frame} to @var{window}.
1067 If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it operates on the selected frame. If
1068 @var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
1069 selected window. This function returns @var{window}.
1070 @end defun
1071
1072 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also
1073 makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
1074
1075 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
1076 frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Definition of minibuffer-window}.
1077
1078 @node Minibuffers and Frames
1079 @section Minibuffers and Frames
1080
1081 Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1082 is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
1083 you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1084 minibuffer-window}).
1085
1086 However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
1087 must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
1088 frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
1089 other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
1090 which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
1091 value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
1092
1093 If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1094 when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1095 @code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1096
1097 @defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1098 This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
1099 default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1100 the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1101 Displays}.
1102 @end defvar
1103
1104 @node Input Focus
1105 @section Input Focus
1106 @cindex input focus
1107 @c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame
1108
1109 At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1110 window always resides on the selected frame.
1111
1112 When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1113 Displays}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one of
1114 these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs to
1115 the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when Emacs
1116 runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected frame is
1117 the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single command at any
1118 given time, it needs to consider only one selected frame at a time; this
1119 frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame} in this manual. The
1120 display on which the selected frame is displayed is the @dfn{selected
1121 frame's display}.
1122
1123 @defun selected-frame
1124 This function returns the selected frame.
1125 @end defun
1126
1127 Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1128 window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1129 commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
1130 way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
1131 switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
1132 @code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
1133
1134 Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1135 function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1136 concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1137 until that control is somehow reasserted.
1138
1139 When using a text-only terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a
1140 time on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1141 redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
1142 remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame} or
1143 @code{select-frame-set-input-focus}. Each terminal frame has a number
1144 which appears in the mode line before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode
1145 Line Variables}).
1146
1147 @defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame
1148 This function makes @var{frame} the selected frame, raises it (should
1149 it happen to be obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X
1150 server's focus. On a text-only terminal, the next redisplay displays
1151 the new frame on the entire terminal screen. The return value of this
1152 function is not significant.
1153 @end defun
1154
1155 @c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
1156 @defun select-frame frame
1157 This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
1158 focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1159 the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
1160 until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1161 window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1162 selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
1163 have the window system's input focus.) The specified @var{frame}
1164 becomes the selected frame, as explained above, and the terminal that
1165 @var{frame} is on becomes the selected terminal. This function
1166 returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame} has been deleted.
1167
1168 In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that could
1169 switch to a different terminal without switching back when you're done.
1170 @end defun
1171
1172 Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1173 the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1174 special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1175 appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1176 @code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
1177
1178 @deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1179 This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1180
1181 Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1182 Don't call it for any other reason.
1183 @end deffn
1184
1185 @defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
1186 This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
1187 This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1188 events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
1189 @code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1190 events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1191
1192 If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
1193 redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1194 events.
1195
1196 One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1197 These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1198 on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1199 the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
1200 in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
1201
1202 Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1203 @code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1204 pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1205 allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1206 one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1207
1208 This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1209 differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1210 @code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1211
1212 The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1213 change it.
1214 @end defun
1215
1216 @defopt focus-follows-mouse
1217 This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1218 focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1219 When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
1220 position consistent with the new selected frame. (This option has no
1221 effect on MS-Windows, where the mouse pointer is always automatically
1222 moved by the OS to the selected frame.)
1223 @end defopt
1224
1225 @node Visibility of Frames
1226 @section Visibility of Frames
1227 @cindex visible frame
1228 @cindex invisible frame
1229 @cindex iconified frame
1230 @cindex frame visibility
1231
1232 A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
1233 @dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents, unless
1234 other windows cover it. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do
1235 not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is
1236 invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon.
1237
1238 Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
1239 one is actually displayed in any case.
1240
1241 @deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
1242 This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1243 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1244 the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1245 (@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
1246 @end deffn
1247
1248 @deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
1249 This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1250 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
1251
1252 Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1253 @var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
1254 @end deffn
1255
1256 @deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1257 This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1258 iconifies the selected frame.
1259 @end deffn
1260
1261 @defun frame-visible-p frame
1262 This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
1263 @code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
1264 @code{icon} if it is iconified.
1265
1266 On a text-only terminal, all frames are considered visible, whether
1267 they are currently being displayed or not, and this function returns
1268 @code{t} for all frames.
1269 @end defun
1270
1271 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1272 parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
1273 Parameters}.
1274
1275 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
1276 This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
1277 Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
1278 changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1279
1280 @node Raising and Lowering
1281 @section Raising and Lowering Frames
1282
1283 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
1284 the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
1285 perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
1286 to ``lowest.'' Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
1287 the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1288 seen if no other window overlaps it.
1289
1290 @c @cindex raising a frame redundant with raise-frame
1291 @cindex lowering a frame
1292 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1293 to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
1294 it ``up,'' to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
1295 moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
1296 third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
1297 on the screen.
1298
1299 You can raise and lower Emacs frame Windows with these functions:
1300
1301 @deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1302 This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1303 If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
1304 @end deffn
1305
1306 @deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1307 This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1308 @end deffn
1309
1310 @defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1311 If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1312 that the minibuffer window is in.
1313 @end defopt
1314
1315 You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1316 selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1317 for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
1318
1319 @node Frame Configurations
1320 @section Frame Configurations
1321 @cindex frame configuration
1322
1323 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1324 all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1325 (@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1326
1327 @defun current-frame-configuration
1328 This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1329 the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1330 @end defun
1331
1332 @defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1333 This function restores the state of frames described in
1334 @var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1335 frames.
1336
1337 Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1338 @var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1339 unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1340 @end defun
1341
1342 @node Mouse Tracking
1343 @section Mouse Tracking
1344 @cindex mouse tracking
1345 @c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
1346
1347 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1348 something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1349 mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1350 the mouse actually moves.
1351
1352 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1353 mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1354 addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1355 occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1356 mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1357 button.
1358
1359 @defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
1360 This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
1361 events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
1362 read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1363 Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
1364
1365 The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
1366 You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1367 indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1368 it is time to stop tracking.
1369 @end defspec
1370
1371 The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1372 the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1373 position.
1374
1375 In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1376 the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1377 That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1378 Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1379
1380 @ignore
1381 @c These are not implemented yet.
1382
1383 These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1384 effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
1385 is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
1386 to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1387 the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1388
1389 @defun x-contour-region window beg end
1390 This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1391 to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1392 @end defun
1393
1394 @defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1395 This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1396 from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1397 a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1398 @end defun
1399
1400 @defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1401 This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1402 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1403 left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1404 location of point.
1405 @end defun
1406
1407 @defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1408 This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1409 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1410 left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1411 normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1412 @end defun
1413 @end ignore
1414
1415 @node Mouse Position
1416 @section Mouse Position
1417 @cindex mouse position
1418 @cindex position of mouse
1419
1420 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1421 give access to the current position of the mouse.
1422
1423 @defun mouse-position
1424 This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1425 value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
1426 and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1427 the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
1428 @end defun
1429
1430 @defvar mouse-position-function
1431 If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
1432 @code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
1433 function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
1434 sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
1435
1436 This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
1437 @file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
1438 @end defvar
1439
1440 @defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1441 This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1442 frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
1443 giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
1444 inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1445 does nothing. The return value is not significant.
1446 @end defun
1447
1448 @defun mouse-pixel-position
1449 This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1450 coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1451 @end defun
1452
1453 @defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1454 This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1455 @var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1456 characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
1457
1458 If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1459 value is not significant.
1460 @end defun
1461
1462 @need 3000
1463
1464 @node Pop-Up Menus
1465 @section Pop-Up Menus
1466
1467 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1468 the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
1469
1470 @defun x-popup-menu position menu
1471 This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1472 what selection the user makes.
1473
1474 The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
1475 top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
1476 (which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
1477 list of this form:
1478
1479 @example
1480 ((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1481 @end example
1482
1483 @noindent
1484 where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
1485 pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
1486 may be a window or a frame.
1487
1488 If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1489 position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1490 key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1491 without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1492
1493 The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
1494 keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
1495 return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
1496 (This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
1497 submenu.) Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
1498 command bound to that sequence of events.
1499
1500 Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
1501
1502 @example
1503 (@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1504 @end example
1505
1506 @noindent
1507 where each pane is a list of form
1508
1509 @example
1510 (@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
1511 @end example
1512
1513 Each item should normally be a cons cell @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
1514 where @var{line} is a string, and @var{value} is the value to return if
1515 that @var{line} is chosen. An item can also be a string; this makes a
1516 non-selectable line in the menu.
1517
1518 If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
1519 instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
1520 keyboard input, then this normally results in a quit and
1521 @code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
1522 button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
1523 mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
1524 @end defun
1525
1526 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1527 if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1528 If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1529 a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1530 If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1531 @code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1532 that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
1533
1534 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1535 moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1536 that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1537 submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1538 an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1539 implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
1540 @code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
1541
1542 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1543 still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1544 a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1545 the menu keymap as necessary.
1546
1547 @node Dialog Boxes
1548 @section Dialog Boxes
1549 @cindex dialog boxes
1550
1551 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1552 different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
1553 one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
1554 for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes,'' ``no,''
1555 and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
1556 force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
1557 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
1558 keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
1559
1560 @defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
1561 This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1562 what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1563 the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1564
1565 @example
1566 (@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
1567 @end example
1568
1569 @noindent
1570 which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1571 @code{x-popup-menu}.
1572
1573 The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1574
1575 As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
1576 string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
1577 That makes a box that cannot be selected.
1578
1579 If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1580 the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1581 left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1582 don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1583 items appear on each side.
1584
1585 Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1586 @var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
1587 @code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
1588 window don't matter; only the frame matters.
1589
1590 If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
1591 @samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
1592 for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}).
1593
1594 In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1595 instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1596 frame.
1597
1598 If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
1599 for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
1600 @code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
1601 @end defun
1602
1603 @node Pointer Shape
1604 @section Pointer Shape
1605 @cindex pointer shape
1606 @cindex mouse pointer shape
1607
1608 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
1609 images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
1610 @code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
1611 use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
1612 @code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
1613 @code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
1614 style used over text.
1615
1616 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
1617 of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
1618 @code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
1619 those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
1620
1621 @defvar void-text-area-pointer
1622 This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
1623 These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
1624 in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
1625 pointer style.
1626 @end defvar
1627
1628 You can specify what the @code{text} pointer style really looks like
1629 by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
1630
1631 @defvar x-pointer-shape
1632 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
1633 Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
1634 @end defvar
1635
1636 @defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1637 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1638 is over mouse-sensitive text.
1639 @end defvar
1640
1641 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
1642 affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
1643 frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
1644 @xref{Color Parameters}.
1645
1646 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
1647 defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
1648 @key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1649
1650 @node Window System Selections
1651 @section Window System Selections
1652 @cindex selection (for window systems)
1653
1654 The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1655 data between application programs. The various selections are
1656 distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1657 symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1658 any given type.
1659
1660 @deffn Command x-set-selection type data
1661 This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1662 arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1663 @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1664 selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1665 (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1666 cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1667 of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1668
1669 The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1670 selection values.
1671
1672 Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
1673 independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY},
1674 @code{SECONDARY} and @code{CLIPBOARD}; these are symbols with upper-case
1675 names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If @var{type} is
1676 @code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
1677
1678 This function returns @var{data}.
1679 @end deffn
1680
1681 @defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
1682 This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1683 clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1684 @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1685 @code{PRIMARY}.
1686
1687 The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1688 use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1689 data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
1690 @code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
1691 @code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
1692 @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
1693 @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
1694 @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
1695 with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
1696 @code{STRING}.
1697 @end defun
1698
1699 @cindex cut buffer
1700 The X server also has a set of eight numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
1701 store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1702 are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
1703 clients that still use them. Cut buffers are numbered from 0 to 7.
1704
1705 @defun x-get-cut-buffer &optional n
1706 This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
1707 If omitted @var{n} defaults to 0.
1708 @end defun
1709
1710 @defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
1711 @anchor{Definition of x-set-cut-buffer}
1712 This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
1713 0). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1714 If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1715 through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1716 Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1717 the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1718 the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
1719 @end defun
1720
1721 @defvar selection-coding-system
1722 This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
1723 writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
1724 Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
1725 converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
1726 @end defvar
1727
1728 @cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1729 When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1730 general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
1731 and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1732 only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1733 clipboard as empty.
1734
1735 @cindex scrap support (for Mac OS)
1736 On Mac OS, selection-like data transfer between applications is
1737 performed through a mechanism called @dfn{scraps}. The clipboard is a
1738 particular scrap named @code{com.apple.scrap.clipboard}. Types of scrap
1739 data are called @dfn{scrap flavor types}, which are identified by
1740 four-char codes such as @code{TEXT}. Emacs associates a selection with
1741 a scrap, and a selection type with a scrap flavor type via
1742 @code{mac-scrap-name} and @code{mac-ostype} properties, respectively.
1743
1744 @example
1745 (get 'CLIPBOARD 'mac-scrap-name)
1746 @result{} "com.apple.scrap.clipboard"
1747 (get 'com.apple.traditional-mac-plain-text 'mac-ostype)
1748 @result{} "TEXT"
1749 @end example
1750
1751 Conventionally, selection types for scrap flavor types on Mac OS have
1752 the form of @acronym{UTI, Uniform Type Identifier} such as
1753 @code{com.apple.traditional-mac-plain-text},
1754 @code{public.utf16-plain-text}, and @code{public.file-url}.
1755
1756 @defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1757 If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1758 clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1759 the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1760 access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
1761 but @code{t} on MS-Windows and Mac.
1762 @end defopt
1763
1764 @node Drag and Drop
1765 @section Drag and Drop
1766
1767 @vindex x-dnd-test-function
1768 @vindex x-dnd-known-types
1769 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
1770 application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
1771 dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
1772 what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
1773 which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
1774 @code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
1775 @code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
1776 on some other criteria.
1777
1778 @vindex x-dnd-types-alist
1779 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
1780 or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
1781 detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
1782 drop.
1783
1784 @vindex dnd-protocol-alist
1785 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
1786 another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
1787 @code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL. If
1788 there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
1789 an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
1790 text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
1791 you can customize these variables.
1792
1793 @node Color Names
1794 @section Color Names
1795
1796 @cindex color names
1797 @cindex specify color
1798 @cindex numerical RGB color specification
1799 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
1800 Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
1801 are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
1802 defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
1803 as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
1804 @var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
1805 and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
1806 three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
1807 number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
1808 either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
1809 X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
1810 colors.)
1811
1812 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
1813 valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
1814 @dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
1815 meaning of the term ``selected frame.''
1816
1817 @defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
1818 This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
1819 @code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1820 which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1821 @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
1822
1823 Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
1824 really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1825 color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
1826 the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1827 a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
1828
1829 @findex x-color-defined-p
1830 This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1831 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1832 @end defun
1833
1834 @defun defined-colors &optional frame
1835 This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1836 and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1837 If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
1838
1839 @findex x-defined-colors
1840 This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1841 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1842 @end defun
1843
1844 @defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
1845 This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
1846 @var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
1847 omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
1848
1849 Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
1850 background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
1851 asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
1852 are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
1853
1854 The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
1855 @end defun
1856
1857 @defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
1858 This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
1859 @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
1860 question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
1861 color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
1862 @end defun
1863
1864 @defun color-values color &optional frame
1865 @cindex rgb value
1866 This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
1867 ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
1868 value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
1869 amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
1870 principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
1871 range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
1872 color.
1873
1874 If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1875
1876 @example
1877 (color-values "black")
1878 @result{} (0 0 0)
1879 (color-values "white")
1880 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
1881 (color-values "red")
1882 @result{} (65280 0 0)
1883 (color-values "pink")
1884 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
1885 (color-values "hungry")
1886 @result{} nil
1887 @end example
1888
1889 The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
1890 @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
1891 the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
1892 value is @code{nil}.
1893
1894 @findex x-color-values
1895 This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
1896 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1897 @end defun
1898
1899 @node Text Terminal Colors
1900 @section Text Terminal Colors
1901 @cindex colors on text-only terminals
1902
1903 Text-only terminals usually support only a small number of colors,
1904 and the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
1905 This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
1906 color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
1907 small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
1908 the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
1909
1910 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
1911 are used by Emacs.
1912
1913 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
1914 in @ref{Color Names}.
1915
1916 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
1917 terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
1918 support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
1919 will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
1920 selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present, though,
1921 the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
1922
1923 @defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
1924 This function associates the color name @var{name} with
1925 color number @var{number} on the terminal.
1926
1927 The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
1928 of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
1929 If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
1930 @code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
1931 Emacs will not know what it looks like.
1932 @end defun
1933
1934 @defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
1935 This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
1936 @end defun
1937
1938 @defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
1939 This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
1940 text-only terminal.
1941
1942 Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
1943 or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
1944 name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
1945 If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
1946 and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
1947 @end defun
1948
1949 @defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
1950 This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
1951 supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
1952 @var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
1953 @code{tty-color-alist}.
1954 @end defun
1955
1956 @defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
1957 This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
1958 colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
1959 If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1960 @end defun
1961
1962 @node Resources
1963 @section X Resources
1964
1965 @defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
1966 The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
1967 Window defaults database.
1968
1969 Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
1970 This function searches using a key of the form
1971 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
1972 under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
1973 the class.
1974
1975 The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
1976 and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
1977 If you specify them, the key is
1978 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
1979 @samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
1980 @end defun
1981
1982 @defvar x-resource-class
1983 This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
1984 should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
1985 resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
1986 variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
1987 @end defvar
1988
1989 @defvar x-resource-name
1990 This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
1991 should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
1992 or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
1993 @end defvar
1994
1995 To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
1996
1997 @example
1998 xterm.vt100.background: yellow
1999 @end example
2000
2001 @noindent
2002 in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
2003 or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
2004
2005 @example
2006 @group
2007 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2008 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
2009 @result{} "yellow"
2010 @end group
2011 @group
2012 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2013 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
2014 @result{} "yellow"
2015 @end group
2016 @end example
2017
2018 @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
2019
2020 @node Display Feature Testing
2021 @section Display Feature Testing
2022 @cindex display feature testing
2023
2024 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
2025 particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
2026 to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
2027 a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2028
2029 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2030 display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2031 (which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
2032 refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
2033
2034 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2035 obtain information about displays.
2036
2037 @defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
2038 This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2039 @var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
2040 the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
2041 a mouse.
2042 @end defun
2043
2044 @defun display-graphic-p &optional display
2045 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2046 capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2047 once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
2048 false for text-only terminals.
2049 @end defun
2050
2051 @defun display-mouse-p &optional display
2052 @cindex mouse, availability
2053 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2054 @code{nil} if not.
2055 @end defun
2056
2057 @defun display-color-p &optional display
2058 @findex x-display-color-p
2059 This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2060 It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2061 is still supported as an alias.
2062 @end defun
2063
2064 @defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
2065 This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
2066 (All color displays can do this.)
2067 @end defun
2068
2069 @defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
2070 @anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
2071 This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2072 @var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2073
2074 The definition of `supported' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2075 means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2076 when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2077 way that's
2078
2079 @enumerate
2080 @item
2081 different in appearance than the default face, and
2082
2083 @item
2084 `close in spirit' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2085 @end enumerate
2086
2087 Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2088 satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2089 @code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
2090 displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
2091 the tty display code's automatic substitution of a `dim' face for
2092 italic.
2093 @end defun
2094
2095 @defun display-selections-p &optional display
2096 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2097 Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2098 supported in some other cases.
2099 @end defun
2100
2101 @defun display-images-p &optional display
2102 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
2103 Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2104 systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2105 images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
2106 @end defun
2107
2108 @defun display-screens &optional display
2109 This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
2110 @end defun
2111
2112 @defun display-pixel-height &optional display
2113 This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
2114 On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
2115
2116 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2117 refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2118 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2119 @end defun
2120
2121 @defun display-pixel-width &optional display
2122 This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
2123 On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
2124
2125 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2126 refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2127 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
2128 @end defun
2129
2130 @defun display-mm-height &optional display
2131 This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2132 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2133 @end defun
2134
2135 @defun display-mm-width &optional display
2136 This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2137 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2138 @end defun
2139
2140 @defvar display-mm-dimensions-alist
2141 This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2142 displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2143 @code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2144 @end defvar
2145
2146 @defun display-backing-store &optional display
2147 This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2148 Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2149 windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2150 displayed very quickly.
2151
2152 Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
2153 @code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2154 when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
2155 @end defun
2156
2157 @defun display-save-under &optional display
2158 This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
2159 SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2160 to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2161 quickly.
2162 @end defun
2163
2164 @defun display-planes &optional display
2165 This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
2166 This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
2167 For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
2168 @end defun
2169
2170 @defun display-visual-class &optional display
2171 This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
2172 of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
2173 @code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
2174 @code{direct-color}.
2175 @end defun
2176
2177 @defun display-color-cells &optional display
2178 This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
2179 @end defun
2180
2181 These functions obtain additional information specifically
2182 about X displays.
2183
2184 @defun x-server-version &optional display
2185 This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
2186 running the display. The value is a list of three integers: the major
2187 and minor version numbers of the X protocol, and the
2188 distributor-specific release number of the X server software itself.
2189 @end defun
2190
2191 @defun x-server-vendor &optional display
2192 This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the X server
2193 software (as a string). Really this means whoever distributes the X
2194 server.
2195
2196 When the developers of X labelled software distributors as
2197 ``vendors,'' they showed their false assumption that no system could
2198 ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
2199 @end defun
2200
2201 @ignore
2202 @defvar x-no-window-manager
2203 This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
2204 @end defvar
2205 @end ignore
2206
2207 @ignore
2208 @item
2209 The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2210 width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
2211 @end ignore
2212
2213 @ignore
2214 arch-tag: 94977df6-3dca-4730-b57b-c6329e9282ba
2215 @end ignore