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1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001,
3 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
6 @node Microsoft Windows, Manifesto, Mac OS / GNUstep, Top
7 @appendix Emacs and Microsoft Windows/MS-DOS
8 @cindex Microsoft Windows
9 @cindex MS-Windows, Emacs peculiarities
10
11 This section describes peculiarities of using Emacs on Microsoft
12 Windows. Some of these peculiarities are also relevant to Microsoft's
13 older MS-DOS ``operating system'' (also known as ``MS-DOG'').
14 However, Emacs features that are relevant @emph{only} to MS-DOS are
15 described in a separate
16 @iftex
17 manual (@pxref{MS-DOS,,, emacs-xtra, Specialized Emacs Features}).
18 @end iftex
19 @ifnottex
20 section (@pxref{MS-DOS}).
21 @end ifnottex
22
23
24 The behavior of Emacs on MS-Windows is reasonably similar to what is
25 documented in the rest of the manual, including support for long file
26 names, multiple frames, scroll bars, mouse menus, and subprocesses.
27 However, a few special considerations apply, and they are described
28 here.
29
30 @menu
31 * Text and Binary:: Text files use CRLF to terminate lines.
32 * Windows Files:: File-name conventions on Windows.
33 * ls in Lisp:: Emulation of @code{ls} for Dired.
34 * Windows HOME:: Where Emacs looks for your @file{.emacs} and
35 where it starts up.
36 * Windows Keyboard:: Windows-specific keyboard features.
37 * Windows Mouse:: Windows-specific mouse features.
38 * Windows Processes:: Running subprocesses on Windows.
39 * Windows Printing:: How to specify the printer on MS-Windows.
40 * Windows Fonts:: Specifying fonts on MS-Windows.
41 * Windows Misc:: Miscellaneous Windows features.
42 @ifnottex
43 * MS-DOS:: Using Emacs on MS-DOS (otherwise known as @dfn{MS-DOG}).
44 @end ifnottex
45 @end menu
46
47 @node Text and Binary
48 @section Text Files and Binary Files
49 @cindex text and binary files on MS-DOS/MS-Windows
50
51 GNU Emacs uses newline characters to separate text lines. This is the
52 convention used on GNU, Unix, and other Posix-compliant systems.
53
54 @cindex end-of-line conversion on MS-DOS/MS-Windows
55 By contrast, MS-DOS and MS-Windows normally use carriage-return linefeed,
56 a two-character sequence, to separate text lines. (Linefeed is the same
57 character as newline.) Therefore, convenient editing of typical files
58 with Emacs requires conversion of these end-of-line (EOL) sequences.
59 And that is what Emacs normally does: it converts carriage-return
60 linefeed into newline when reading files, and converts newline into
61 carriage-return linefeed when writing files. The same mechanism that
62 handles conversion of international character codes does this conversion
63 also (@pxref{Coding Systems}).
64
65 @cindex cursor location, on MS-DOS
66 @cindex point location, on MS-DOS
67 One consequence of this special format-conversion of most files is
68 that character positions as reported by Emacs (@pxref{Position Info}) do
69 not agree with the file size information known to the operating system.
70
71 In addition, if Emacs recognizes from a file's contents that it uses
72 newline rather than carriage-return linefeed as its line separator, it
73 does not perform EOL conversion when reading or writing that file.
74 Thus, you can read and edit files from GNU and Unix systems on MS-DOS
75 with no special effort, and they will retain their Unix-style
76 end-of-line convention after you edit them.
77
78 The mode line indicates whether end-of-line translation was used for
79 the current buffer. If MS-DOS end-of-line translation is in use for the
80 buffer, the MS-Windows build of Emacs displays a backslash @samp{\} after
81 the coding system mnemonic near the beginning of the mode line
82 (@pxref{Mode Line}). If no EOL translation was performed, the string
83 @samp{(Unix)} is displayed instead of the backslash, to alert you that the
84 file's EOL format is not the usual carriage-return linefeed.
85
86 @cindex DOS-to-Unix conversion of files
87 To visit a file and specify whether it uses DOS-style or Unix-style
88 end-of-line, specify a coding system (@pxref{Text Coding}). For
89 example, @kbd{C-x @key{RET} c unix @key{RET} C-x C-f foobar.txt}
90 visits the file @file{foobar.txt} without converting the EOLs; if some
91 line ends with a carriage-return linefeed pair, Emacs will display
92 @samp{^M} at the end of that line. Similarly, you can direct Emacs to
93 save a buffer in a specified EOL format with the @kbd{C-x @key{RET} f}
94 command. For example, to save a buffer with Unix EOL format, type
95 @kbd{C-x @key{RET} f unix @key{RET} C-x C-s}. If you visit a file
96 with DOS EOL conversion, then save it with Unix EOL format, that
97 effectively converts the file to Unix EOL style, like @code{dos2unix}.
98
99 @cindex untranslated file system
100 @findex add-untranslated-filesystem
101 When you use NFS, Samba, or some other similar method to access file
102 systems that reside on computers using GNU or Unix systems, Emacs
103 should not perform end-of-line translation on any files in these file
104 systems---not even when you create a new file. To request this,
105 designate these file systems as @dfn{untranslated} file systems by
106 calling the function @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}. It takes one
107 argument: the file system name, including a drive letter and
108 optionally a directory. For example,
109
110 @example
111 (add-untranslated-filesystem "Z:")
112 @end example
113
114 @noindent
115 designates drive Z as an untranslated file system, and
116
117 @example
118 (add-untranslated-filesystem "Z:\\foo")
119 @end example
120
121 @noindent
122 designates directory @file{\foo} on drive Z as an untranslated file
123 system.
124
125 Most often you would use @code{add-untranslated-filesystem} in your
126 @file{.emacs} file, or in @file{site-start.el} so that all the users at
127 your site get the benefit of it.
128
129 @findex remove-untranslated-filesystem
130 To countermand the effect of @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}, use
131 the function @code{remove-untranslated-filesystem}. This function takes
132 one argument, which should be a string just like the one that was used
133 previously with @code{add-untranslated-filesystem}.
134
135 Designating a file system as untranslated does not affect character
136 set conversion, only end-of-line conversion. Essentially, it directs
137 Emacs to create new files with the Unix-style convention of using
138 newline at the end of a line. @xref{Coding Systems}.
139
140 @vindex file-name-buffer-file-type-alist
141 @cindex binary files, on MS-DOS/MS-Windows
142 Some kinds of files should not be converted at all, because their
143 contents are not really text. Therefore, Emacs on MS-Windows distinguishes
144 certain files as @dfn{binary files}. (This distinction is not part of
145 MS-Windows; it is made by Emacs only.) Binary files include executable
146 programs, compressed archives, etc. Emacs uses the file name to decide
147 whether to treat a file as binary: the variable
148 @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist} defines the file-name patterns
149 that indicate binary files. If a file name matches one of the patterns
150 for binary files (those whose associations are of the type
151 @code{(@var{pattern} . t)}, Emacs reads and writes that file using the
152 @code{no-conversion} coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}) which turns
153 off @emph{all} coding-system conversions, not only the EOL conversion.
154 @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist} also includes file-name patterns
155 for files which are known to be Windows-style text files with
156 carriage-return linefeed EOL format, such as @file{CONFIG.SYS}; Emacs
157 always writes those files with Windows-style EOLs.
158
159 If a file which belongs to an untranslated file system matches one of
160 the file-name patterns in @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist}, the
161 EOL conversion is determined by @code{file-name-buffer-file-type-alist}.
162
163 @node Windows Files
164 @section File Names on MS-Windows
165 @cindex file names on MS-Windows
166
167 MS-Windows and MS-DOS normally use a backslash, @samp{\}, to
168 separate name units within a file name, instead of the slash used on
169 other systems. Emacs on MS-DOS/MS-Windows permits use of either slash or
170 backslash, and also knows about drive letters in file names.
171
172 @cindex file-name completion, on MS-Windows
173 On MS-DOS/MS-Windows, file names are case-insensitive, so Emacs by
174 default ignores letter-case in file names during completion.
175
176 @vindex w32-get-true-file-attributes
177 The variable @code{w32-get-true-file-attributes} controls whether
178 Emacs should issue additional system calls to determine more
179 accurately file attributes in primitives like @code{file-attributes}
180 and @code{directory-files-and-attributes}. These additional calls are
181 needed to report correct file ownership, link counts and file types
182 for special files such as pipes. Without these system calls, file
183 ownership will be attributed to the current user, link counts will be
184 always reported as 1, and special files will be reported as regular
185 files.
186
187 If the value of this variable is @code{local} (the default), Emacs
188 will issue these additional system calls only for files on local fixed
189 drives. Any other non-@code{nil} value means do this even for
190 removable and remote volumes, where this could potentially slow down
191 Dired and other related features. The value of @code{nil} means never
192 issue those system calls. Non-@code{nil} values are more useful on
193 NTFS volumes, which support hard links and file security, than on FAT,
194 FAT32, and XFAT volumes.
195
196 @node ls in Lisp
197 @section Emulation of @code{ls} on MS-Windows
198 @cindex Dired, and MS-Windows/MS-DOS
199 @cindex @code{ls} emulation
200
201 Dired normally uses the external program @code{ls} (or its close
202 work-alike) to produce the directory listing displayed in Dired
203 buffers (@pxref{Dired}). However, MS-Windows and MS-DOS systems don't
204 come with such a program, although several ports of @sc{gnu} @code{ls}
205 are available. Therefore, Emacs on those systems @emph{emulates}
206 @code{ls} in Lisp, by using the @file{ls-lisp.el} package. While
207 @file{ls-lisp.el} provides a reasonably full emulation of @code{ls},
208 there are some options and features peculiar to that emulation;
209 @iftex
210 for more details, see the documentation of the variables whose names
211 begin with @code{ls-lisp}.
212 @end iftex
213 @ifnottex
214 they are described in this section.
215
216 The @code{ls} emulation supports many of the @code{ls} switches, but
217 it doesn't support all of them. Here's the list of the switches it
218 does support: @option{-A}, @option{-a}, @option{-B}, @option{-C},
219 @option{-c}, @option{-i}, @option{-G}, @option{-g}, @option{-R},
220 @option{-r}, @option{-S}, @option{-s}, @option{-t}, @option{-U},
221 @option{-u}, and @option{-X}. The @option{-F} switch is partially
222 supported (it appends the character that classifies the file, but does
223 not prevent symlink following).
224
225 @vindex ls-lisp-use-insert-directory-program
226 On MS-Windows and MS-DOS, @file{ls-lisp.el} is preloaded when Emacs
227 is built, so the Lisp emulation of @code{ls} is always used on those
228 platforms. If you have a ported @code{ls}, setting
229 @code{ls-lisp-use-insert-directory-program} to a non-@code{nil} value
230 will revert to using an external program named by the variable
231 @code{insert-directory-program}.
232
233 @vindex ls-lisp-ignore-case
234 By default, @file{ls-lisp.el} uses a case-sensitive sort order for
235 the directory listing it produces; this is so the listing looks the
236 same as on other platforms. If you wish that the files be sorted in
237 case-insensitive order, set the variable @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} to
238 a non-@code{nil} value.
239
240 @vindex ls-lisp-dirs-first
241 By default, files and subdirectories are sorted together, to emulate
242 the behavior of @code{ls}. However, native MS-Windows/MS-DOS file
243 managers list the directories before the files; if you want that
244 behavior, customize the option @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to a
245 non-@code{nil} value.
246
247 @vindex ls-lisp-verbosity
248 The variable @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} controls the file attributes
249 that @file{ls-lisp.el} displays. The value should be a list that
250 contains one or more of the symbols @code{links}, @code{uid}, and
251 @code{gid}. @code{links} means display the count of different file
252 names that are associated with (a.k.a.@: @dfn{links to}) the file's
253 data; this is only useful on NTFS volumes. @code{uid} means display
254 the numerical identifier of the user who owns the file. @code{gid}
255 means display the numerical identifier of the file owner's group. The
256 default value is @code{(links uid gid)} i.e.@: all the 3 optional
257 attributes are displayed.
258
259 @vindex ls-lisp-emulation
260 The variable @code{ls-lisp-emulation} controls the flavour of the
261 @code{ls} emulation by setting the defaults for the 3 options
262 described above: @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case},
263 @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity}. The value of
264 this option can be one of the following symbols:
265
266 @table @code
267 @item GNU
268 @itemx nil
269 Emulate @sc{gnu} systems; this is the default. This sets
270 @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} and @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to
271 @code{nil}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{(links uid gid)}.
272 @item UNIX
273 Emulate Unix systems. Like @code{GNU}, but sets
274 @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{(links uid)}.
275 @item MacOS
276 Emulate MacOS. Sets @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} to @code{t}, and
277 @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to @code{nil}.
278 @item MS-Windows
279 Emulate MS-Windows. Sets @code{ls-lisp-ignore-case} and
280 @code{ls-lisp-dirs-first} to @code{t}, and @code{ls-lisp-verbosity} to
281 @code{(links)} on Windows NT/2K/XP/2K3 and to @code{nil} on Windows 9X.
282 Note that the default emulation is @emph{not} @code{MS-Windows}, even
283 on Windows, since many users of Emacs on those platforms prefer the
284 @sc{gnu} defaults.
285 @end table
286
287 @noindent
288 Any other value of @code{ls-lisp-emulation} means the same as @code{GNU}.
289 Customizing this option calls the function @code{ls-lisp-set-options} to
290 update the 3 dependent options as needed. If you change the value of
291 this variable without using customize after @file{ls-lisp.el} is loaded
292 (note that it is preloaded on MS-Windows and MS-DOS), you can call that
293 function manually for the same result.
294
295 @vindex ls-lisp-support-shell-wildcards
296 The variable @code{ls-lisp-support-shell-wildcards} controls how
297 file-name patterns are supported: if it is non-@code{nil} (the
298 default), they are treated as shell-style wildcards; otherwise they
299 are treated as Emacs regular expressions.
300
301 @vindex ls-lisp-format-time-list
302 The variable @code{ls-lisp-format-time-list} defines how to format
303 the date and time of files. @emph{The value of this variable is
304 ignored}, unless Emacs cannot determine the current locale. (However,
305 if the value of @code{ls-lisp-use-localized-time-format} is
306 non-@code{nil}, Emacs obeys @code{ls-lisp-format-time-list} even if
307 the current locale is available; see below.)
308
309 The value of @code{ls-lisp-format-time-list} is a list of 2 strings.
310 The first string is used if the file was modified within the current
311 year, while the second string is used for older files. In each of
312 these two strings you can use @samp{%}-sequences to substitute parts
313 of the time. For example:
314 @lisp
315 ("%b %e %H:%M" "%b %e %Y")
316 @end lisp
317
318 @noindent
319 Note that the strings substituted for these @samp{%}-sequences depend
320 on the current locale. @xref{Time Parsing,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp
321 Reference Manual}, for more about format time specs.
322
323 @vindex ls-lisp-use-localized-time-format
324 Normally, Emacs formats the file time stamps in either traditional
325 or ISO-style time format. However, if the value of the variable
326 @code{ls-lisp-use-localized-time-format} is non-@code{nil}, Emacs
327 formats file time stamps according to what
328 @code{ls-lisp-format-time-list} specifies. The @samp{%}-sequences in
329 @code{ls-lisp-format-time-list} produce locale-dependent month and day
330 names, which might cause misalignment of columns in Dired display.
331 @end ifnottex
332
333 @node Windows HOME
334 @section HOME and Startup Directories on MS-Windows
335 @cindex @code{HOME} directory on MS-Windows
336
337 The Windows equivalent of the @code{HOME} directory is the
338 @dfn{user-specific application data directory}. The actual location
339 depends on your Windows version and system configuration; typical values
340 are @file{C:\Documents and Settings\@var{username}\Application Data} on
341 Windows 2K/XP and later, and either @file{C:\WINDOWS\Application Data}
342 or @file{C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\@var{username}\Application Data} on the
343 older Windows 9X/ME systems.
344
345 @cindex init file @file{.emacs} on MS-Windows
346 The home directory is where your init file @file{.emacs} is stored.
347 When Emacs starts, it first checks whether the environment variable
348 @env{HOME} is set. If it is, it looks for the init file in the
349 directory pointed by @env{HOME}. If @env{HOME} is not defined, Emacs
350 checks for an existing @file{.emacs} file in @file{C:\}, the root
351 directory of drive @file{C:}@footnote{
352 The check in @file{C:\} is for compatibility with older versions of Emacs,
353 which didn't check the application data directory.
354 }. If there's no such file in @file{C:\}, Emacs next uses the Windows
355 system calls to find out the exact location of your application data
356 directory. If that system call fails, Emacs falls back to @file{C:\}.
357
358 Whatever the final place is, Emacs sets the value of the @env{HOME}
359 environment variable to point to it, and it will use that location for
360 other files and directories it normally creates in the user's home
361 directory.
362
363 You can always find out where Emacs thinks is your home directory's
364 location by typing @kbd{C-x d ~/ @key{RET}}. This should present the
365 list of files in the home directory, and show its full name on the
366 first line. Likewise, to visit your init file, type @kbd{C-x C-f
367 ~/.emacs @key{RET}}.
368
369 @cindex @file{_emacs} init file, MS-Windows
370 Because MS-DOS does not allow file names with leading dots, and
371 because older Windows systems made it hard to create files with such
372 names, the Windows port of Emacs supports an alternative name
373 @file{_emacs} as a fallback, if such a file exists in the home
374 directory, whereas @file{.emacs} does not.
375
376 @cindex start directory, MS-Windows
377 @cindex directory where Emacs starts on MS-Windows
378 If you use a Windows desktop shortcut to start Emacs, it starts in
379 the directory specified by the shortcut. To control where that is,
380 right-click on the shortcut, select ``Properties'', and in the
381 ``Shortcut'' tab modify the ``Start in'' field to your liking.
382
383 @node Windows Keyboard
384 @section Keyboard Usage on MS-Windows
385 @cindex keyboard, MS-Windows
386
387 This section describes the Windows-specific features related to
388 keyboard input in Emacs.
389
390 @cindex MS-Windows keyboard shortcuts
391 Many key combinations (known as ``keyboard shortcuts'') that have
392 conventional uses in MS-Windows programs conflict with traditional
393 Emacs key bindings. (These Emacs key bindings were established years
394 before Microsoft was founded.) Examples of conflicts include
395 @kbd{C-c}, @kbd{C-x}, @kbd{C-z}, @kbd{C-a}, and @kbd{W-@key{SPC}}.
396 You can redefine some of them with meanings more like the MS-Windows
397 meanings by enabling CUA Mode (@pxref{CUA Bindings}).
398
399 @kindex F10 @r{(MS-Windows)}
400 @cindex menu bar access using keyboard @r{(MS-Windows)}
401 The @key{F10} key on Windows activates the menu bar in a way that
402 makes it possible to use the menus without a mouse. In this mode, the
403 arrow keys traverse the menus, @key{RET} selects a highlighted menu
404 item, and @key{ESC} closes the menu.
405
406 @iftex
407 @inforef{Windows Keyboard, , emacs}, for information about additional
408 Windows-specific variables in this category.
409 @end iftex
410 @ifnottex
411 @vindex w32-alt-is-meta
412 @cindex @code{Alt} key (MS-Windows)
413 By default, the key labeled @key{Alt} is mapped as the @key{META}
414 key. If you wish it to produce the @code{Alt} modifier instead, set
415 the variable @code{w32-alt-is-meta} to a @code{nil} value.
416
417 @findex w32-register-hot-key
418 @findex w32-unregister-hot-key
419 MS-Windows reserves certain key combinations, such as
420 @kbd{Alt-@key{TAB}}, for its own use. These key combinations are
421 intercepted by the system before Emacs can see them. You can use the
422 @code{w32-register-hot-key} function to allow a key sequence to be
423 seen by Emacs instead of being grabbed by Windows. This functions
424 registers a key sequence as a @dfn{hot key}, overriding the special
425 meaning of that key sequence for Windows. (MS-Windows is told that
426 the key sequence is a hot key only when one of the Emacs windows has
427 focus, so that the special keys still have their usual meaning for
428 other Windows applications.)
429
430 The argument to @code{w32-register-hot-key} must be a single key,
431 with or without modifiers, in vector form that would be acceptable to
432 @code{define-key}. The meta modifier is interpreted as the @key{ALT}
433 key if @code{w32-alt-is-meta} is @code{t} (the default), and the hyper
434 modifier is always interpreted as the Windows key (usually labeled
435 with @key{start} and the Windows logo). If the function succeeds in
436 registering the key sequence, it returns the hotkey ID, a number;
437 otherwise it returns @code{nil}.
438
439 @kindex M-TAB@r{, (MS-Windows)}
440 @cindex @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} vs @kbd{Alt-@key{TAB}} (MS-Windows)
441 @cindex @kbd{Alt-@key{TAB}} vs @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (MS-Windows)
442 For example, @code{(w32-register-hot-key [M-tab])} lets you use
443 @kbd{M-TAB} normally in Emacs, for instance, to complete the word or
444 symbol at point at top level, or to complete the current search string
445 against previously sought strings during incremental search.
446
447 The function @code{w32-unregister-hot-key} reverses the effect of
448 @code{w32-register-hot-key} for its argument key sequence.
449
450 @vindex w32-capslock-is-shiftlock
451 By default, the @key{CapsLock} key only affects normal character
452 keys (it converts lower-case characters to their upper-case
453 variants). However, if you set the variable
454 @code{w32-capslock-is-shiftlock} to a non-@code{nil} value, the
455 @key{CapsLock} key will affect non-character keys as well, as if you
456 pressed the @key{Shift} key while typing the non-character key.
457
458 @vindex w32-enable-caps-lock
459 If the variable @code{w32-enable-caps-lock} is set to a @code{nil}
460 value, the @key{CapsLock} key produces the symbol @code{capslock}
461 instead of the shifted version of they keys. The default value is
462 @code{t}.
463
464 @vindex w32-enable-num-lock
465 @cindex keypad keys (MS-Windows)
466 Similarly, if @code{w32-enable-num-lock} is @code{nil}, the
467 @key{NumLock} key will produce the symbol @code{kp-numlock}. The
468 default is @code{t}, which causes @key{NumLock} to work as expected:
469 toggle the meaning of the keys on the numeric keypad.
470 @end ifnottex
471
472 @vindex w32-apps-modifier
473 The variable @code{w32-apps-modifier} controls the effect of the
474 @key{Apps} key (usually located between the right @key{Alt} and the
475 right @key{Ctrl} keys). Its value can be one of the symbols
476 @code{hyper}, @code{super}, @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{control},
477 or @code{shift} for the respective modifier, or @code{nil} to appear
478 as the key @code{apps}. The default is @code{nil}.
479
480 @vindex w32-lwindow-modifier
481 @vindex w32-rwindow-modifier
482 @vindex w32-scroll-lock-modifier
483 The variable @code{w32-lwindow-modifier} determines the effect of
484 the left Windows key (usually labeled with @key{start} and the Windows
485 logo). If its value is @code{nil} (the default), the key will produce
486 the symbol @code{lwindow}. Setting it to one of the symbols
487 @code{hyper}, @code{super}, @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{control},
488 or @code{shift} will produce the respective modifier. A similar
489 variable @code{w32-rwindow-modifier} controls the effect of the right
490 Windows key, and @code{w32-scroll-lock-modifier} does the same for the
491 @key{ScrLock} key. If these variables are set to @code{nil}, the
492 right Windows key produces the symbol @code{rwindow} and @key{ScrLock}
493 produces the symbol @code{scroll}.
494
495 @vindex w32-pass-alt-to-system
496 @cindex Windows system menu
497 @cindex @code{Alt} key invokes menu (Windows)
498 Emacs compiled as a native Windows application normally turns off
499 the Windows feature that tapping the @key{ALT} key invokes the Windows
500 menu. The reason is that the @key{ALT} serves as @key{META} in Emacs.
501 When using Emacs, users often press the @key{META} key temporarily and
502 then change their minds; if this has the effect of bringing up the
503 Windows menu, it alters the meaning of subsequent commands. Many
504 users find this frustrating.
505
506 You can re-enable Windows' default handling of tapping the @key{ALT}
507 key by setting @code{w32-pass-alt-to-system} to a non-@code{nil}
508 value.
509
510 @ifnottex
511 @vindex w32-pass-lwindow-to-system
512 @vindex w32-pass-rwindow-to-system
513 The variables @code{w32-pass-lwindow-to-system} and
514 @code{w32-pass-rwindow-to-system} determine whether the respective
515 keys are passed to Windows or swallowed by Emacs. If the value is
516 @code{nil}, the respective key is silently swallowed by Emacs,
517 otherwise it is passed to Windows. The default is @code{t} for both
518 of these variables. Passing each of these keys to Windows produces
519 its normal effect: for example, @kbd{@key{Lwindow}} opens the
520 @code{Start} menu, etc.@footnote{
521 Some combinations of the ``Windows'' keys with other keys are caught
522 by Windows at low level in a way that Emacs currently cannot prevent.
523 For example, @kbd{@key{Lwindow} r} always pops up the Windows
524 @samp{Run} dialog. Customizing the value of
525 @code{w32-phantom-key-code} might help in some cases, though.}
526
527 @vindex w32-recognize-altgr
528 @kindex AltGr @r{(MS-Windows)}
529 @cindex AltGr key (MS-Windows)
530 The variable @code{w32-recognize-altgr} controls whether the
531 @key{AltGr} key (if it exists on your keyboard), or its equivalent,
532 the combination of the right @key{Alt} and left @key{Ctrl} keys
533 pressed together, is recognized as the @key{AltGr} key. The default
534 is @code{t}, which means these keys produce @code{AltGr}; setting it
535 to @code{nil} causes @key{AltGr} or the equivalent key combination to
536 be interpreted as the combination of @key{CTRL} and @key{META}
537 modifiers.
538 @end ifnottex
539
540 @node Windows Mouse
541 @section Mouse Usage on MS-Windows
542 @cindex mouse, and MS-Windows
543
544 This section describes the Windows-specific variables related to
545 mouse.
546
547 @vindex w32-mouse-button-tolerance
548 @cindex simulation of middle mouse button
549 The variable @code{w32-mouse-button-tolerance} specifies the
550 time interval, in milliseconds, for faking middle mouse button press
551 on 2-button mice. If both mouse buttons are depressed within this
552 time interval, Emacs generates a middle mouse button click event
553 instead of a double click on one of the buttons.
554
555 @vindex w32-pass-extra-mouse-buttons-to-system
556 If the variable @code{w32-pass-extra-mouse-buttons-to-system} is
557 non-@code{nil}, Emacs passes the fourth and fifth mouse buttons to
558 Windows.
559
560 @vindex w32-swap-mouse-buttons
561 The variable @code{w32-swap-mouse-buttons} controls which of the 3
562 mouse buttons generates the @kbd{mouse-2} events. When it is
563 @code{nil} (the default), the middle button generates @kbd{mouse-2}
564 and the right button generates @kbd{mouse-3} events. If this variable
565 is non-@code{nil}, the roles of these two buttons are reversed.
566
567 @node Windows Processes
568 @section Subprocesses on Windows 9X/ME and Windows NT/2K/XP
569 @cindex subprocesses on MS-Windows
570
571 @cindex DOS applications, running from Emacs
572 Emacs compiled as a native Windows application (as opposed to the DOS
573 version) includes full support for asynchronous subprocesses.
574 In the Windows version, synchronous and asynchronous subprocesses work
575 fine on both
576 Windows 9X/ME and Windows NT/2K/XP as long as you run only 32-bit Windows
577 applications. However, when you run a DOS application in a subprocess,
578 you may encounter problems or be unable to run the application at all;
579 and if you run two DOS applications at the same time in two
580 subprocesses, you may have to reboot your system.
581
582 Since the standard command interpreter (and most command line utilities)
583 on Windows 9X are DOS applications, these problems are significant when
584 using that system. But there's nothing we can do about them; only
585 Microsoft can fix them.
586
587 If you run just one DOS application subprocess, the subprocess should
588 work as expected as long as it is ``well-behaved'' and does not perform
589 direct screen access or other unusual actions. If you have a CPU
590 monitor application, your machine will appear to be 100% busy even when
591 the DOS application is idle, but this is only an artifact of the way CPU
592 monitors measure processor load.
593
594 You must terminate the DOS application before you start any other DOS
595 application in a different subprocess. Emacs is unable to interrupt or
596 terminate a DOS subprocess. The only way you can terminate such a
597 subprocess is by giving it a command that tells its program to exit.
598
599 If you attempt to run two DOS applications at the same time in separate
600 subprocesses, the second one that is started will be suspended until the
601 first one finishes, even if either or both of them are asynchronous.
602
603 @cindex kill DOS application
604 If you can go to the first subprocess, and tell it to exit, the second
605 subprocess should continue normally. However, if the second subprocess
606 is synchronous, Emacs itself will be hung until the first subprocess
607 finishes. If it will not finish without user input, then you have no
608 choice but to reboot if you are running on Windows 9X. If you are
609 running on Windows NT/2K/XP, you can use a process viewer application to kill
610 the appropriate instance of NTVDM instead (this will terminate both DOS
611 subprocesses).
612
613 If you have to reboot Windows 9X in this situation, do not use the
614 @code{Shutdown} command on the @code{Start} menu; that usually hangs the
615 system. Instead, type @kbd{CTL-ALT-@key{DEL}} and then choose
616 @code{Shutdown}. That usually works, although it may take a few minutes
617 to do its job.
618
619 @vindex w32-quote-process-args
620 The variable @code{w32-quote-process-args} controls how Emacs quotes
621 the process arguments. Non-@code{nil} means quote with the @code{"}
622 character. If the value is a character, use that character to escape
623 any quote characters that appear; otherwise chose a suitable escape
624 character based on the type of the program.
625
626 @ifnottex
627 @findex w32-shell-execute
628 The function @code{w32-shell-execute} can be useful for writing
629 customized commands that run MS-Windows applications registered to
630 handle a certain standard Windows operation for a specific type of
631 document or file. This function is a wrapper around the Windows
632 @code{ShellExecute} API. See the MS-Windows API documentation for
633 more details.
634 @end ifnottex
635
636 @node Windows Printing
637 @section Printing and MS-Windows
638
639 Printing commands, such as @code{lpr-buffer} (@pxref{Printing}) and
640 @code{ps-print-buffer} (@pxref{PostScript}) work in MS-DOS and
641 MS-Windows by sending the output to one of the printer ports, if a
642 Posix-style @code{lpr} program is unavailable. The same Emacs
643 variables control printing on all systems, but in some cases they have
644 different default values on MS-DOS and MS-Windows.
645
646 Emacs on Windows automatically determines your default printer and
647 sets the variable @code{printer-name} to that printer's name. But in
648 some rare cases this can fail, or you may wish to use a different
649 printer from within Emacs. The rest of this section explains how to
650 tell Emacs which printer to use.
651
652 @vindex printer-name@r{, (MS-DOS/MS-Windows)}
653 If you want to use your local printer, then set the Lisp variable
654 @code{lpr-command} to @code{""} (its default value on Windows) and
655 @code{printer-name} to the name of the printer port---for example,
656 @code{"PRN"}, the usual local printer port or @code{"LPT2"}, or
657 @code{"COM1"} for a serial printer. You can also set
658 @code{printer-name} to a file name, in which case ``printed'' output
659 is actually appended to that file. If you set @code{printer-name} to
660 @code{"NUL"}, printed output is silently discarded (sent to the system
661 null device).
662
663 You can also use a printer shared by another machine by setting
664 @code{printer-name} to the UNC share name for that printer---for
665 example, @code{"//joes_pc/hp4si"}. (It doesn't matter whether you use
666 forward slashes or backslashes here.) To find out the names of shared
667 printers, run the command @samp{net view} from the command prompt to
668 obtain a list of servers, and @samp{net view @var{server-name}} to see
669 the names of printers (and directories) shared by that server.
670 Alternatively, click the @samp{Network Neighborhood} icon on your
671 desktop, and look for machines which share their printers via the
672 network.
673
674 @cindex @samp{net use}, and printing on MS-Windows
675 @cindex networked printers (MS-Windows)
676 If the printer doesn't appear in the output of @samp{net view}, or
677 if setting @code{printer-name} to the UNC share name doesn't produce a
678 hardcopy on that printer, you can use the @samp{net use} command to
679 connect a local print port such as @code{"LPT2"} to the networked
680 printer. For example, typing @kbd{net use LPT2: \\joes_pc\hp4si}@footnote{
681 Note that the @samp{net use} command requires the UNC share name to be
682 typed with the Windows-style backslashes, while the value of
683 @code{printer-name} can be set with either forward- or backslashes.}
684 causes Windows to @dfn{capture} the @code{LPT2} port and redirect the
685 printed material to the printer connected to the machine @code{joes_pc}.
686 After this command, setting @code{printer-name} to @code{"LPT2"}
687 should produce the hardcopy on the networked printer.
688
689 With some varieties of Windows network software, you can instruct
690 Windows to capture a specific printer port such as @code{"LPT2"}, and
691 redirect it to a networked printer via the @w{@code{Control
692 Panel->Printers}} applet instead of @samp{net use}.
693
694 If you set @code{printer-name} to a file name, it's best to use an
695 absolute file name. Emacs changes the working directory according to
696 the default directory of the current buffer, so if the file name in
697 @code{printer-name} is relative, you will end up with several such
698 files, each one in the directory of the buffer from which the printing
699 was done.
700
701 If the value of @code{printer-name} is correct, but printing does
702 not produce the hardcopy on your printer, it is possible that your
703 printer does not support printing plain text (some cheap printers omit
704 this functionality). In that case, try the PostScript print commands,
705 described below.
706
707 @findex print-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)}
708 @findex print-region @r{(MS-DOS)}
709 @vindex lpr-headers-switches @r{(MS-DOS)}
710 The commands @code{print-buffer} and @code{print-region} call the
711 @code{pr} program, or use special switches to the @code{lpr} program, to
712 produce headers on each printed page. MS-DOS and MS-Windows don't
713 normally have these programs, so by default, the variable
714 @code{lpr-headers-switches} is set so that the requests to print page
715 headers are silently ignored. Thus, @code{print-buffer} and
716 @code{print-region} produce the same output as @code{lpr-buffer} and
717 @code{lpr-region}, respectively. If you do have a suitable @code{pr}
718 program (for example, from GNU Coreutils), set
719 @code{lpr-headers-switches} to @code{nil}; Emacs will then call
720 @code{pr} to produce the page headers, and print the resulting output as
721 specified by @code{printer-name}.
722
723 @vindex print-region-function @r{(MS-DOS)}
724 @cindex lpr usage under MS-DOS
725 @vindex lpr-command @r{(MS-DOS)}
726 @vindex lpr-switches @r{(MS-DOS)}
727 Finally, if you do have an @code{lpr} work-alike, you can set the
728 variable @code{lpr-command} to @code{"lpr"}. Then Emacs will use
729 @code{lpr} for printing, as on other systems. (If the name of the
730 program isn't @code{lpr}, set @code{lpr-command} to specify where to
731 find it.) The variable @code{lpr-switches} has its standard meaning
732 when @code{lpr-command} is not @code{""}. If the variable
733 @code{printer-name} has a string value, it is used as the value for the
734 @code{-P} option to @code{lpr}, as on Unix.
735
736 @findex ps-print-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)}
737 @findex ps-spool-buffer @r{(MS-DOS)}
738 @vindex ps-printer-name @r{(MS-DOS)}
739 @vindex ps-lpr-command @r{(MS-DOS)}
740 @vindex ps-lpr-switches @r{(MS-DOS)}
741 A parallel set of variables, @code{ps-lpr-command},
742 @code{ps-lpr-switches}, and @code{ps-printer-name} (@pxref{PostScript
743 Variables}), defines how PostScript files should be printed. These
744 variables are used in the same way as the corresponding variables
745 described above for non-PostScript printing. Thus, the value of
746 @code{ps-printer-name} is used as the name of the device (or file) to
747 which PostScript output is sent, just as @code{printer-name} is used
748 for non-PostScript printing. (There are two distinct sets of
749 variables in case you have two printers attached to two different
750 ports, and only one of them is a PostScript printer.)
751
752 @cindex Ghostscript, use for PostScript printing
753 The default value of the variable @code{ps-lpr-command} is @code{""},
754 which causes PostScript output to be sent to the printer port specified
755 by @code{ps-printer-name}, but @code{ps-lpr-command} can also be set to
756 the name of a program which will accept PostScript files. Thus, if you
757 have a non-PostScript printer, you can set this variable to the name of
758 a PostScript interpreter program (such as Ghostscript). Any switches
759 that need to be passed to the interpreter program are specified using
760 @code{ps-lpr-switches}. (If the value of @code{ps-printer-name} is a
761 string, it will be added to the list of switches as the value for the
762 @code{-P} option. This is probably only useful if you are using
763 @code{lpr}, so when using an interpreter typically you would set
764 @code{ps-printer-name} to something other than a string so it is
765 ignored.)
766
767 For example, to use Ghostscript for printing on the system's default
768 printer, put this in your @file{.emacs} file:
769
770 @example
771 (setq ps-printer-name t)
772 (setq ps-lpr-command "D:/gs6.01/bin/gswin32c.exe")
773 (setq ps-lpr-switches '("-q" "-dNOPAUSE" "-dBATCH"
774 "-sDEVICE=mswinpr2"
775 "-sPAPERSIZE=a4"))
776 @end example
777
778 @noindent
779 (This assumes that Ghostscript is installed in the
780 @file{D:/gs6.01} directory.)
781
782 @node Windows Fonts
783 @section Specifying Fonts on MS-Windows
784 @cindex font specification (MS Windows)
785
786 Starting with Emacs 23, fonts are specified by their name, size
787 and optional properties. The format for specifying fonts comes from the
788 fontconfig library used in modern Free desktops:
789
790 @example
791 [Family[-PointSize]][:Option1=Value1[:Option2=Value2[...]]]
792 @end example
793
794 The old XLFD based format is also supported for backwards compatibility.
795
796 Emacs 23 supports a number of backends. Currently, the @code{gdi}
797 and @code{uniscribe} font backends are supported on Windows. The
798 @code{gdi} font backend is available on all versions of Windows, and
799 supports all fonts that are natively supported by Windows. The
800 @code{uniscribe} font backend is available on Windows 2000 and later,
801 and supports Truetype and Opentype fonts. Some languages requiring
802 complex layout can only be properly supported by the uniscribe
803 backend. By default, both backends are enabled if supported, with
804 @code{uniscribe} taking priority over @code{gdi}.
805
806 @cindex font properties (MS Windows)
807 @noindent
808 Optional properties common to all font backends on MS-Windows are:
809
810 @table @code
811
812 @vindex font-weight-table @r{(MS-Windows)}
813 @item weight
814 Specifies the weight of the font. Special values @code{light},
815 @code{medium}, @code{demibold}, @code{bold}, and @code{black} can be specified
816 without @code{weight=} (e.g., @kbd{Courier New-12:bold}). Otherwise,
817 the weight should be a numeric value between 100 and 900, or one of the
818 named weights in @code{font-weight-table}. If unspecified, a regular font
819 is assumed.
820
821 @vindex font-slant-table @r{(MS-Windows)}
822 @item slant
823 Specifies whether the font is italic. Special values
824 @code{roman}, @code{italic} and @code{oblique} can be specified
825 without @code{slant=} (e.g., @kbd{Courier New-12:italic}).
826 Otherwise, the slant should be a numeric value, or one of the named
827 slants in @code{font-slant-table}. On Windows, any slant above 150 is
828 treated as italics, and anything below as roman.
829
830 @item family
831 Specifies the font family, but normally this will be specified
832 at the start of the font name.
833
834 @item pixelsize
835 Specifies the font size in pixels. This can be used instead
836 of the point size specified after the family name.
837
838 @item adstyle
839 Specifies additional style information for the font.
840 On MS-Windows, the values @code{mono}, @code{sans}, @code{serif},
841 @code{script} and @code{decorative} are recognized. These are most useful
842 as a fallback with the font family left unspecified.
843
844 @vindex w32-charset-info-alist
845 @item registry
846 Specifies the character set registry that the font is
847 expected to cover. Most Truetype and Opentype fonts will be unicode fonts
848 that cover several national character sets, but you can narrow down the
849 selection of fonts to those that support a particular character set by
850 using a specific registry from @code{w32-charset-info-alist} here.
851
852 @item spacing
853 Specifies how the font is spaced. The @code{p} spacing specifies
854 a proportional font, and @code{m} or @code{c} specify a monospaced font.
855
856 @item foundry
857 Not used on Windows, but for informational purposes and to
858 prevent problems with code that expects it to be set, is set internally to
859 @code{raster} for bitmapped fonts, @code{outline} for scalable fonts,
860 or @code{unknown} if the type cannot be determined as one of those.
861 @end table
862
863 @cindex font properties (MS Windows gdi backend)
864 Options specific to @code{GDI} fonts:
865
866 @table @code
867
868 @cindex font scripts (MS Windows)
869 @cindex font unicode subranges (MS Windows)
870 @item script
871 Specifies a unicode subrange the font should support.
872
873 The following scripts are recognized on Windows: @code{latin}, @code{greek},
874 @code{coptic}, @code{cyrillic}, @code{armenian}, @code{hebrew}, @code{arabic},
875 @code{syriac}, @code{nko}, @code{thaana}, @code{devanagari}, @code{bengali},
876 @code{gurmukhi}, @code{gujarati}, @code{oriya}, @code{tamil}, @code{telugu},
877 @code{kannada}, @code{malayam}, @code{sinhala}, @code{thai}, @code{lao},
878 @code{tibetan}, @code{myanmar}, @code{georgian}, @code{hangul},
879 @code{ethiopic}, @code{cherokee}, @code{canadian-aboriginal}, @code{ogham},
880 @code{runic}, @code{khmer}, @code{mongolian}, @code{symbol}, @code{braille},
881 @code{han}, @code{ideographic-description}, @code{cjk-misc}, @code{kana},
882 @code{bopomofo}, @code{kanbun}, @code{yi}, @code{byzantine-musical-symbol},
883 @code{musical-symbol}, and @code{mathematical}.
884
885 @cindex font antialiasing (MS Windows)
886 @item antialias
887 Specifies the antialiasing to use for the font. The value @code{none}
888 means no antialiasing, @code{standard} means use standard antialiasing,
889 @code{subpixel} means use subpixel antialiasing (known as Cleartype on Windows),
890 and @code{natural} means use subpixel antialiasing with adjusted spacing between
891 letters. If unspecified, the font will use the system default antialiasing.
892 @end table
893
894 @node Windows Misc
895 @section Miscellaneous Windows-specific features
896
897 This section describes miscellaneous Windows-specific features.
898
899 @vindex w32-use-visible-system-caret
900 @cindex screen reader software, MS-Windows
901 The variable @code{w32-use-visible-system-caret} is a flag that
902 determines whether to make the system caret visible. The default when
903 no screen reader software is in use is @code{nil}, which means Emacs
904 draws its own cursor to indicate the position of point. A
905 non-@code{nil} value means Emacs will indicate point location by the
906 system caret; this facilitates use of screen reader software, and is
907 the default when such software is detected when running Emacs.
908 When this variable is non-@code{nil}, other variables affecting the
909 cursor display have no effect.
910
911 @iftex
912 @inforef{Windows Misc, , emacs}, for information about additional
913 Windows-specific variables in this category.
914 @end iftex
915
916 @ifnottex
917 @vindex w32-grab-focus-on-raise
918 @cindex frame focus policy, MS-Windows
919 The variable @code{w32-grab-focus-on-raise}, if set to a
920 non-@code{nil} value causes a frame to grab focus when it is raised.
921 The default is @code{t}, which fits well with the Windows default
922 click-to-focus policy.
923 @end ifnottex
924
925 @ifnottex
926 @include msdog-xtra.texi
927 @end ifnottex
928