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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990-1995, 1998-1999, 2001-2015 Free Software
4 @c Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @node Frames
7 @chapter Frames
8 @cindex frame
9
10 A @dfn{frame} is a screen object that contains one or more Emacs
11 windows (@pxref{Windows}). It is the kind of object called a
12 ``window'' in the terminology of graphical environments; but we can't
13 call it a ``window'' here, because Emacs uses that word in a different
14 way. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{frame object} is a Lisp object that
15 represents a frame on the screen. @xref{Frame Type}.
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. @xref{Splitting Windows}.
20
21 @cindex terminal
22 A @dfn{terminal} is a display device capable of displaying one or
23 more Emacs frames. In Emacs Lisp, a @dfn{terminal object} is a Lisp
24 object that represents a terminal. @xref{Terminal Type}.
25
26 @cindex text terminal
27 @cindex graphical terminal
28 @cindex graphical display
29 There are two classes of terminals: @dfn{text terminals} and
30 @dfn{graphical terminals}. Text terminals are non-graphics-capable
31 displays, including @command{xterm} and other terminal emulators. On
32 a text terminal, each Emacs frame occupies the terminal's entire
33 screen; although you can create additional frames and switch between
34 them, the terminal only shows one frame at a time. Graphical
35 terminals, on the other hand, are managed by graphical display systems
36 such as the X Window System, which allow Emacs to show multiple frames
37 simultaneously on the same display.
38
39 On GNU and Unix systems, you can create additional frames on any
40 available terminal, within a single Emacs session, regardless of
41 whether Emacs was started on a text or graphical terminal. Emacs can
42 display on both graphical and text terminals simultaneously. This
43 comes in handy, for instance, when you connect to the same session
44 from several remote locations. @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
45
46 @defun framep object
47 This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
48 frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
49 kind of display the frame uses:
50
51 @table @code
52 @item t
53 The frame is displayed on a text terminal.
54 @item x
55 The frame is displayed on an X graphical terminal.
56 @item w32
57 The frame is displayed on a MS-Windows graphical terminal.
58 @item ns
59 The frame is displayed on a GNUstep or Macintosh Cocoa graphical
60 terminal.
61 @item pc
62 The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
63 @end table
64 @end defun
65
66 @defun frame-terminal &optional frame
67 This function returns the terminal object that displays @var{frame}.
68 If @var{frame} is @code{nil} or unspecified, it defaults to the
69 selected frame.
70 @end defun
71
72 @defun terminal-live-p object
73 This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
74 terminal that is live (i.e., not deleted), and @code{nil} otherwise.
75 For live terminals, the return value indicates what kind of frames are
76 displayed on that terminal; the list of possible values is the same as
77 for @code{framep} above.
78 @end defun
79
80 @menu
81 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
82 * Multiple Terminals:: Displaying on several different devices.
83 * Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
84 * Terminal Parameters:: Parameters common for all frames on terminal.
85 * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
86 * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
87 * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
88 * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
89 * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
90 * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
91 * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
92 lowering it makes the others hide it.
93 * Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
94 * Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
95 * Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
96 * Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
97 * Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
98 * Pointer Shape:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
99 * Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
100 * Drag and Drop:: Internals of Drag-and-Drop implementation.
101 * Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
102 * Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text terminals.
103 * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
104 * Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
105 @end menu
106
107 @node Creating Frames
108 @section Creating Frames
109 @cindex frame creation
110
111 To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
112
113 @deffn Command make-frame &optional alist
114 This function creates and returns a new frame, displaying the current
115 buffer.
116
117 The @var{alist} argument is an alist that specifies frame parameters
118 for the new frame. @xref{Frame Parameters}. If you specify the
119 @code{terminal} parameter in @var{alist}, the new frame is created on
120 that terminal. Otherwise, if you specify the @code{window-system}
121 frame parameter in @var{alist}, that determines whether the frame
122 should be displayed on a text terminal or a graphical terminal.
123 @xref{Window Systems}. If neither is specified, the new frame is
124 created in the same terminal as the selected frame.
125
126 Any parameters not mentioned in @var{alist} default to the values in
127 the alist @code{default-frame-alist} (@pxref{Initial Parameters});
128 parameters not specified there default from the X resources or its
129 equivalent on your operating system (@pxref{X Resources,, X Resources,
130 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). After the frame is created, Emacs
131 applies any parameters listed in @code{frame-inherited-parameters}
132 (see below) and not present in the argument, taking the values from
133 the frame that was selected when @code{make-frame} was called.
134
135 Note that on multi-monitor displays (@pxref{Multiple Terminals}), the
136 window manager might position the frame differently than specified by
137 the positional parameters in @var{alist} (@pxref{Position
138 Parameters}). For example, some window managers have a policy of
139 displaying the frame on the monitor that contains the largest part of
140 the window (a.k.a.@: the @dfn{dominating} monitor).
141
142 This function itself does not make the new frame the selected frame.
143 @xref{Input Focus}. The previously selected frame remains selected.
144 On graphical terminals, however, the windowing system may select the
145 new frame for its own reasons.
146 @end deffn
147
148 @defvar before-make-frame-hook
149 A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it creates the frame.
150 @end defvar
151
152 @defvar after-make-frame-functions
153 An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
154 Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
155 frame just created.
156 @end defvar
157
158 @defvar frame-inherited-parameters
159 This variable specifies the list of frame parameters that a newly
160 created frame inherits from the currently selected frame. For each
161 parameter (a symbol) that is an element in the list and is not present
162 in the argument to @code{make-frame}, the function sets the value of
163 that parameter in the created frame to its value in the selected
164 frame.
165 @end defvar
166
167 @node Multiple Terminals
168 @section Multiple Terminals
169 @cindex multiple terminals
170 @cindex multi-tty
171 @cindex multiple X displays
172 @cindex displays, multiple
173
174 Emacs represents each terminal as a @dfn{terminal object} data type
175 (@pxref{Terminal Type}). On GNU and Unix systems, Emacs can use
176 multiple terminals simultaneously in each session. On other systems,
177 it can only use a single terminal. Each terminal object has the
178 following attributes:
179
180 @itemize @bullet
181 @item
182 The name of the device used by the terminal (e.g., @samp{:0.0} or
183 @file{/dev/tty}).
184
185 @item
186 The terminal and keyboard coding systems used on the terminal.
187 @xref{Terminal I/O Encoding}.
188
189 @item
190 The kind of display associated with the terminal. This is the symbol
191 returned by the function @code{terminal-live-p} (i.e., @code{x},
192 @code{t}, @code{w32}, @code{ns}, or @code{pc}). @xref{Frames}.
193
194 @item
195 A list of terminal parameters. @xref{Terminal Parameters}.
196 @end itemize
197
198 There is no primitive for creating terminal objects. Emacs creates
199 them as needed, such as when you call @code{make-frame-on-display}
200 (described below).
201
202 @defun terminal-name &optional terminal
203 This function returns the file name of the device used by
204 @var{terminal}. If @var{terminal} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
205 defaults to the selected frame's terminal. @var{terminal} can also be
206 a frame, meaning that frame's terminal.
207 @end defun
208
209 @defun terminal-list
210 This function returns a list of all live terminal objects.
211 @end defun
212
213 @defun get-device-terminal device
214 This function returns a terminal whose device name is given by
215 @var{device}. If @var{device} is a string, it can be either the file
216 name of a terminal device, or the name of an X display of the form
217 @samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}}. If @var{device} is a
218 frame, this function returns that frame's terminal; @code{nil} means
219 the selected frame. Finally, if @var{device} is a terminal object
220 that represents a live terminal, that terminal is returned. The
221 function signals an error if its argument is none of the above.
222 @end defun
223
224 @defun delete-terminal &optional terminal force
225 This function deletes all frames on @var{terminal} and frees the
226 resources used by it. It runs the abnormal hook
227 @code{delete-terminal-functions}, passing @var{terminal} as the
228 argument to each function.
229
230 If @var{terminal} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the
231 selected frame's terminal. @var{terminal} can also be a frame,
232 meaning that frame's terminal.
233
234 Normally, this function signals an error if you attempt to delete the
235 sole active terminal, but if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, you are
236 allowed to do so. Emacs automatically calls this function when the
237 last frame on a terminal is deleted (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
238 @end defun
239
240 @defvar delete-terminal-functions
241 An abnormal hook run by @code{delete-terminal}. Each function
242 receives one argument, the @var{terminal} argument passed to
243 @code{delete-terminal}. Due to technical details, the functions may
244 be called either just before the terminal is deleted, or just
245 afterwards.
246 @end defvar
247
248 @cindex terminal-local variables
249 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
250 separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
251 is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
252 to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
253 @code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
254 @code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can
255 never be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}).
256
257 On GNU and Unix systems, each X display is a separate graphical
258 terminal. When Emacs is started from within the X window system, it
259 uses the X display specified by the @env{DISPLAY} environment
260 variable, or by the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial Options,,,
261 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). Emacs can connect to other X displays
262 via the command @code{make-frame-on-display}. Each X display has its
263 own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows; however, only one
264 of those frames is ``@emph{the} selected frame'' at any given moment
265 (@pxref{Input Focus}). Emacs can even connect to other text
266 terminals, by interacting with the @command{emacsclient} program.
267 @xref{Emacs Server,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
268
269 @cindex X display names
270 @cindex display name on X
271 A single X server can handle more than one display. Each X display
272 has a three-part name,
273 @samp{@var{hostname}:@var{displaynumber}.@var{screennumber}}. The
274 first part, @var{hostname}, specifies the name of the machine to which
275 the display is physically connected. The second part,
276 @var{displaynumber}, is a zero-based number that identifies one or
277 more monitors connected to that machine that share a common keyboard
278 and pointing device (mouse, tablet, etc.). The third part,
279 @var{screennumber}, identifies a zero-based screen number (a separate
280 monitor) that is part of a single monitor collection on that X server.
281 When you use two or more screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows
282 by the similarity in their names that they share a single keyboard.
283
284 Systems that don't use the X window system, such as MS-Windows,
285 don't support the notion of X displays, and have only one display on
286 each host. The display name on these systems doesn't follow the above
287 3-part format; for example, the display name on MS-Windows systems is
288 a constant string @samp{w32}, and exists for compatibility, so that
289 you could pass it to functions that expect a display name.
290
291 @deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
292 This function creates and returns a new frame on @var{display}, taking
293 the other frame parameters from the alist @var{parameters}.
294 @var{display} should be the name of an X display (a string).
295
296 Before creating the frame, this function ensures that Emacs is ``set
297 up'' to display graphics. For instance, if Emacs has not processed X
298 resources (e.g., if it was started on a text terminal), it does so at
299 this time. In all other respects, this function behaves like
300 @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating Frames}).
301 @end deffn
302
303 @defun x-display-list
304 This function returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has
305 a connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one
306 is a display name.
307 @end defun
308
309 @defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
310 This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display},
311 without creating a frame on that display. Normally, Emacs Lisp
312 programs need not call this function, as @code{make-frame-on-display}
313 calls it automatically. The only reason for calling it is to check
314 whether communication can be established with a given X display.
315
316 The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a string
317 of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
318 @file{.Xresources} file. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The
319 GNU Emacs Manual}. These values apply to all Emacs frames created on
320 this display, overriding the resource values recorded in the X server.
321 Here's an example of what this string might look like:
322
323 @example
324 "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
325 @end example
326
327 If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
328 terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
329 @end defun
330
331 @defun x-close-connection display
332 This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
333 you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open
334 on that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
335 @end defun
336
337 @cindex multi-monitor
338 On some ``multi-monitor'' setups, a single X display outputs to more
339 than one physical monitor. You can use the functions
340 @code{display-monitor-attributes-list} and @code{frame-monitor-attributes}
341 to obtain information about such setups.
342
343 @defun display-monitor-attributes-list &optional display
344 This function returns a list of physical monitor attributes on
345 @var{display}, which can be a display name (a string), a terminal, or
346 a frame; if omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame's
347 display. Each element of the list is an association list,
348 representing the attributes of a physical monitor. The first element
349 corresponds to the primary monitor. The attribute keys and values
350 are:
351
352 @table @samp
353 @item geometry
354 Position of the top-left corner of the monitor's screen and its size,
355 in pixels, as @samp{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{width} @var{height})}. Note
356 that, if the monitor is not the primary monitor, some of the
357 coordinates might be negative.
358
359 @item workarea
360 Position of the top-left corner and size of the work area (``usable''
361 space) in pixels as @samp{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{width} @var{height})}.
362 This may be different from @samp{geometry} in that space occupied by
363 various window manager features (docks, taskbars, etc.)@: may be
364 excluded from the work area. Whether or not such features actually
365 subtract from the work area depends on the platform and environment.
366 Again, if the monitor is not the primary monitor, some of the
367 coordinates might be negative.
368
369 @item mm-size
370 Width and height in millimeters as @samp{(@var{width} @var{height})}
371
372 @item frames
373 List of frames that this physical monitor dominates (see below).
374
375 @item name
376 Name of the physical monitor as @var{string}.
377
378 @item source
379 Source of the multi-monitor information as @var{string};
380 e.g., @samp{XRandr} or @samp{Xinerama}.
381 @end table
382
383 @var{x}, @var{y}, @var{width}, and @var{height} are integers.
384 @samp{name} and @samp{source} may be absent.
385
386 A frame is @dfn{dominated} by a physical monitor when either the
387 largest area of the frame resides in that monitor, or (if the frame
388 does not intersect any physical monitors) that monitor is the closest
389 to the frame. Every (non-tooltip) frame (whether visible or not) in a
390 graphical display is dominated by exactly one physical monitor at a
391 time, though the frame can span multiple (or no) physical monitors.
392
393 Here's an example of the data produced by this function on a 2-monitor
394 display:
395
396 @lisp
397 (display-monitor-attributes-list)
398 @result{}
399 (((geometry 0 0 1920 1080) ;; @r{Left-hand, primary monitor}
400 (workarea 0 0 1920 1050) ;; @r{A taskbar occupies some of the height}
401 (mm-size 677 381)
402 (name . "DISPLAY1")
403 (frames #<frame emacs@@host *Messages* 0x11578c0>
404 #<frame emacs@@host *scratch* 0x114b838>))
405 ((geometry 1920 0 1680 1050) ;; @r{Right-hand monitor}
406 (workarea 1920 0 1680 1050) ;; @r{Whole screen can be used}
407 (mm-size 593 370)
408 (name . "DISPLAY2")
409 (frames)))
410 @end lisp
411
412 @end defun
413
414 @defun frame-monitor-attributes &optional frame
415 This function returns the attributes of the physical monitor
416 dominating (see above) @var{frame}, which defaults to the selected frame.
417 @end defun
418
419 @node Frame Parameters
420 @section Frame Parameters
421 @cindex frame parameters
422
423 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
424 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
425 uses.
426
427 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of graphical displays.
428 Most frame parameters have no effect when applied to a frame on a text
429 terminal; only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name},
430 @code{title}, @code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and
431 @code{buffer-predicate} parameters do something special. If the
432 terminal supports colors, the parameters @code{foreground-color},
433 @code{background-color}, @code{background-mode} and
434 @code{display-type} are also meaningful. If the terminal supports
435 frame transparency, the parameter @code{alpha} is also meaningful.
436
437 @menu
438 * Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
439 * Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
440 * Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
441 * Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
442 * Geometry:: Parsing geometry specifications.
443 @end menu
444
445 @node Parameter Access
446 @subsection Access to Frame Parameters
447
448 These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
449 frame.
450
451 @defun frame-parameter frame parameter
452 This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
453 symbol) of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
454 selected frame's parameter. If @var{frame} has no setting for
455 @var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
456 @end defun
457
458 @defun frame-parameters &optional frame
459 The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
460 parameters of @var{frame} and their values. If @var{frame} is
461 @code{nil} or omitted, this returns the selected frame's parameters
462 @end defun
463
464 @defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
465 This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
466 elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
467 @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
468 parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
469 doesn't change. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
470 frame.
471 @end defun
472
473 @defun set-frame-parameter frame parm value
474 This function sets the frame parameter @var{parm} to the specified
475 @var{value}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the
476 selected frame.
477 @end defun
478
479 @defun modify-all-frames-parameters alist
480 This function alters the frame parameters of all existing frames
481 according to @var{alist}, then modifies @code{default-frame-alist}
482 (and, if necessary, @code{initial-frame-alist}) to apply the same
483 parameter values to frames that will be created henceforth.
484 @end defun
485
486 @node Initial Parameters
487 @subsection Initial Frame Parameters
488 @cindex parameters of initial frame
489
490 You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame by
491 setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init
492 File}).
493
494 @defopt initial-frame-alist
495 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when
496 creating the initial frame. You can set this variable to specify the
497 appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
498 Each element has the form:
499
500 @example
501 (@var{parameter} . @var{value})
502 @end example
503
504 Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
505 file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
506 and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
507 created initial frame.
508
509 If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
510 the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
511 ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
512 appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
513 created. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
514
515 X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
516 specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
517 you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
518 this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
519 X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
520 the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
521 @code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
522 @end defopt
523
524 @cindex minibuffer-only frame
525 If these parameters include @code{(minibuffer . nil)}, that indicates
526 that the initial frame should have no minibuffer. In this case, Emacs
527 creates a separate @dfn{minibuffer-only frame} as well.
528
529 @defopt minibuffer-frame-alist
530 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when
531 creating an initial minibuffer-only frame (i.e., the minibuffer-only
532 frame that Emacs creates if @code{initial-frame-alist} specifies a
533 frame with no minibuffer).
534 @end defopt
535
536 @defopt default-frame-alist
537 This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
538 Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
539 Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
540 in many cases.
541
542 Setting this variable does not affect existing frames. Furthermore,
543 functions that display a buffer in a separate frame may override the
544 default parameters by supplying their own parameters.
545 @end defopt
546
547 If you invoke Emacs with command-line options that specify frame
548 appearance, those options take effect by adding elements to either
549 @code{initial-frame-alist} or @code{default-frame-alist}. Options
550 which affect just the initial frame, such as @samp{--geometry} and
551 @samp{--maximized}, add to @code{initial-frame-alist}; the others add
552 to @code{default-frame-alist}. @pxref{Emacs Invocation,, Command Line
553 Arguments for Emacs Invocation, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
554
555 @node Window Frame Parameters
556 @subsection Window Frame Parameters
557 @cindex frame parameters for windowed displays
558
559 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism
560 it uses. This section describes the parameters that have special
561 meanings on some or all kinds of terminals. Of these, @code{name},
562 @code{title}, @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and
563 @code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in terminal
564 frames, and @code{tty-color-mode} is meaningful only for frames on
565 text terminals.
566
567 @menu
568 * Basic Parameters:: Parameters that are fundamental.
569 * Position Parameters:: The position of the frame on the screen.
570 * Size Parameters:: Frame's size.
571 * Layout Parameters:: Size of parts of the frame, and
572 enabling or disabling some parts.
573 * Buffer Parameters:: Which buffers have been or should be shown.
574 * Management Parameters:: Communicating with the window manager.
575 * Cursor Parameters:: Controlling the cursor appearance.
576 * Font and Color Parameters:: Fonts and colors for the frame text.
577 @end menu
578
579 @node Basic Parameters
580 @subsubsection Basic Parameters
581
582 These frame parameters give the most basic information about the
583 frame. @code{title} and @code{name} are meaningful on all terminals.
584
585 @table @code
586 @vindex display, a frame parameter
587 @item display
588 The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
589 form @samp{@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}}, just like the
590 @env{DISPLAY} environment variable. @xref{Multiple Terminals}, for
591 more details about display names.
592
593 @vindex display-type, a frame parameter
594 @item display-type
595 This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
596 in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
597 @code{mono}.
598
599 @vindex title, a frame parameter
600 @item title
601 If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window
602 system's title bar at the top of the frame, and also in the mode line
603 of windows in that frame if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses
604 @samp{%F} (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when
605 Emacs is not using a window system, and can only display one frame at
606 a time. @xref{Frame Titles}.
607
608 @vindex name, a frame parameter
609 @item name
610 The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
611 title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
612 you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
613 (@pxref{Frame Titles}).
614
615 If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
616 name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
617 looking up X resources for the frame.
618
619 @item explicit-name
620 If the frame name was specified explicitly when the frame was created,
621 this parameter will be that name. If the frame wasn't explicitly
622 named, this parameter will be @code{nil}.
623 @end table
624
625 @node Position Parameters
626 @subsubsection Position Parameters
627 @cindex window position on display
628 @cindex frame position
629
630 Position parameters' values are normally measured in pixels, but on
631 text terminals they count characters or lines instead.
632
633 @table @code
634 @vindex left, a frame parameter
635 @item left
636 The position, in pixels, of the left (or right) edge of the frame with
637 respect to the left (or right) edge of the screen. The value may be:
638
639 @table @asis
640 @item an integer
641 A positive integer relates the left edge of the frame to the left edge
642 of the screen. A negative integer relates the right frame edge to the
643 right screen edge.
644
645 @item @code{(+ @var{pos})}
646 This specifies the position of the left frame edge relative to the left
647 screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
648 negative value specifies a position outside the screen or on a monitor
649 other than the primary one (for multi-monitor displays).
650
651 @item @code{(- @var{pos})}
652 This specifies the position of the right frame edge relative to the right
653 screen edge. The integer @var{pos} may be positive or negative; a
654 negative value specifies a position outside the screen or on a monitor
655 other than the primary one (for multi-monitor displays).
656 @end table
657
658 Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
659 be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
660 non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
661
662 @vindex top, a frame parameter
663 @item top
664 The screen position of the top (or bottom) edge, in pixels, with respect
665 to the top (or bottom) edge of the screen. It works just like
666 @code{left}, except vertically instead of horizontally.
667
668 @vindex icon-left, a frame parameter
669 @item icon-left
670 The screen position of the left edge of the frame's icon, in pixels,
671 counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect when the
672 frame is iconified, if the window manager supports this feature. If
673 you specify a value for this parameter, then you must also specify a
674 value for @code{icon-top} and vice versa.
675
676 @vindex icon-top, a frame parameter
677 @item icon-top
678 The screen position of the top edge of the frame's icon, in pixels,
679 counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect when the
680 frame is iconified, if the window manager supports this feature.
681
682 @vindex user-position, a frame parameter
683 @item user-position
684 When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
685 @code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
686 the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
687 way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
688 A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
689
690 @cindex window positions and window managers
691 Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
692 program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
693 positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
694 place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
695 let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
696 ignore them.
697
698 When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
699 value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
700 parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
701 @code{nil}.
702 @end table
703
704
705 @node Size Parameters
706 @subsubsection Size Parameters
707 @cindex window size on display
708
709 Frame parameters specify frame sizes in character units. On
710 graphical displays, the @code{default} face determines the actual
711 pixel sizes of these character units (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
712
713 @table @code
714 @vindex height, a frame parameter
715 @item height
716 The height of the frame's text area (@pxref{Size and Position}), in
717 characters.
718
719 @vindex width, a frame parameter
720 @item width
721 The width of the frame's text area (@pxref{Size and Position}), in
722 characters.
723
724 @vindex user-size, a frame parameter
725 @item user-size
726 This does for the size parameters @code{height} and @code{width} what
727 the @code{user-position} parameter (@pxref{Position Parameters,
728 user-position}) does for the position parameters @code{top} and
729 @code{left}.
730
731 @cindex full-screen frames
732 @vindex fullscreen, a frame parameter
733 @item fullscreen
734 Specify that width, height or both shall be maximized. The value
735 @code{fullwidth} specifies that width shall be as wide as possible. The
736 value @code{fullheight} specifies that height shall be as tall as
737 possible. The value @code{fullboth} specifies that both the width and
738 the height shall be set to the size of the screen. The value
739 @code{maximized} specifies that the frame shall be maximized.
740
741 The difference between @code{maximized} and @code{fullboth} is that a
742 maximized frame usually keeps its title bar and the buttons for resizing
743 and closing the frame. Also, maximized frames typically avoid hiding
744 any task bar or panels displayed on the desktop. ``Fullboth'' frames,
745 on the other hand, usually omit the title bar and occupy the entire
746 available screen space.
747
748 ``Fullheight'' and ``fullwidth'' frames are more similar to maximized
749 frames in this regard. However, these typically display an external
750 border which might be absent with maximized frames. Hence the heights
751 of maximized and fullheight frames and the widths of maximized and
752 fullwidth frames often differ by a few pixels.
753
754 With some window managers you may have to customize the variable
755 @code{frame-resize-pixelwise} (@pxref{Size and Position}) in order to
756 make a frame truly appear ``maximized'' or ``fullscreen''. Moreover,
757 some window managers might not support smooth transition between the
758 various fullscreen or maximization states. Customizing the variable
759 @code{x-frame-normalize-before-maximize} can help to overcome that.
760
761 @vindex fullscreen-restore, a frame parameter
762 @item fullscreen-restore
763 This parameter specifies the desired ``fullscreen'' state of the frame
764 after invoking the @code{toggle-frame-fullscreen} command (@pxref{Frame
765 Commands,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}) in the ``fullboth'' state.
766 Normally this parameter is installed automatically by that command when
767 toggling the state to fullboth. If, however, you start Emacs in the
768 fullboth state, you have to specify the desired behavior in your initial
769 file as, for example
770
771 @example
772 (setq default-frame-alist
773 '((fullscreen . fullboth) (fullscreen-restore . fullheight)))
774 @end example
775
776 This will give a new frame full height after typing in it @key{F11} for
777 the first time.
778 @end table
779
780
781 @node Layout Parameters
782 @subsubsection Layout Parameters
783 @cindex layout parameters of frames
784 @cindex frame layout parameters
785
786 These frame parameters enable or disable various parts of the
787 frame, or control their sizes.
788
789 @table @code
790 @vindex border-width, a frame parameter
791 @item border-width
792 The width in pixels of the frame's border.
793
794 @vindex internal-border-width, a frame parameter
795 @item internal-border-width
796 The distance in pixels between text (or fringe) and the frame's border.
797
798 @vindex vertical-scroll-bars, a frame parameter
799 @item vertical-scroll-bars
800 Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
801 of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
802 @code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
803
804 @vindex horizontal-scroll-bars, a frame parameter
805 @item horizontal-scroll-bars
806 Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling (@code{t} and
807 @code{bottom} mean yes, @code{nil} means no).
808
809 @vindex scroll-bar-width, a frame parameter
810 @item scroll-bar-width
811 The width of vertical scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning to
812 use the default width.
813
814 @vindex scroll-bar-height, a frame parameter
815 @item scroll-bar-height
816 The height of horizontal scroll bars, in pixels, or @code{nil} meaning
817 to use the default height.
818
819 @vindex left-fringe, a frame parameter
820 @vindex right-fringe, a frame parameter
821 @item left-fringe
822 @itemx right-fringe
823 The default width of the left and right fringes of windows in this
824 frame (@pxref{Fringes}). If either of these is zero, that effectively
825 removes the corresponding fringe.
826
827 When you use @code{frame-parameter} to query the value of either of
828 these two frame parameters, the return value is always an integer.
829 When using @code{set-frame-parameter}, passing a @code{nil} value
830 imposes an actual default value of 8 pixels.
831
832 @vindex right-divider-width, a frame parameter
833 @item right-divider-width
834 The width (thickness) reserved for the right divider (@pxref{Window
835 Dividers}) of any window on the frame, in pixels. A value of zero means
836 to not draw right dividers.
837
838 @vindex bottom-divider-width, a frame parameter
839 @item bottom-divider-width
840 The width (thickness) reserved for the bottom divider (@pxref{Window
841 Dividers}) of any window on the frame, in pixels. A value of zero means
842 to not draw bottom dividers.
843
844 @vindex menu-bar-lines frame parameter
845 @item menu-bar-lines
846 The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu
847 bar. The default is 1 if Menu Bar mode is enabled, and 0 otherwise.
848 @xref{Menu Bars,,,emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
849
850 @vindex tool-bar-lines frame parameter
851 @item tool-bar-lines
852 The number of lines to use for the tool bar. The default is 1 if Tool
853 Bar mode is enabled, and 0 otherwise. @xref{Tool Bars,,,emacs, The
854 GNU Emacs Manual}.
855
856 @vindex tool-bar-position frame parameter
857 @item tool-bar-position
858 The position of the tool bar. Currently only for the GTK tool bar.
859 Value can be one of @code{top}, @code{bottom} @code{left}, @code{right}.
860 The default is @code{top}.
861
862 @vindex line-spacing, a frame parameter
863 @item line-spacing
864 Additional space to leave below each text line, in pixels (a positive
865 integer). @xref{Line Height}, for more information.
866 @end table
867
868 @node Buffer Parameters
869 @subsubsection Buffer Parameters
870 @cindex frame, which buffers to display
871 @cindex buffers to display on frame
872
873 These frame parameters, meaningful on all kinds of terminals, deal
874 with which buffers have been, or should, be displayed in the frame.
875
876 @table @code
877 @vindex minibuffer, a frame parameter
878 @item minibuffer
879 Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
880 yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
881 minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other
882 frame), the frame uses that minibuffer.
883
884 This frame parameter takes effect when the frame is created, and can
885 not be changed afterwards.
886
887 @vindex buffer-predicate, a frame parameter
888 @item buffer-predicate
889 The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
890 @code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
891 decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
892 @code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
893 each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
894 considers that buffer.
895
896 @vindex buffer-list, a frame parameter
897 @item buffer-list
898 A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame, ordered
899 most-recently-selected first.
900
901 @vindex unsplittable, a frame parameter
902 @item unsplittable
903 If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
904 @end table
905
906 @node Management Parameters
907 @subsubsection Window Management Parameters
908 @cindex window manager interaction, and frame parameters
909
910 The following frame parameters control various aspects of the
911 frame's interaction with the window manager. They have no effect on
912 text terminals.
913
914 @table @code
915 @vindex visibility, a frame parameter
916 @item visibility
917 The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
918 @code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
919 iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
920
921 @vindex auto-raise, a frame parameter
922 @item auto-raise
923 If non-@code{nil}, Emacs automatically raises the frame when it is
924 selected. Some window managers do not allow this.
925
926 @vindex auto-lower, a frame parameter
927 @item auto-lower
928 If non-@code{nil}, Emacs automatically lowers the frame when it is
929 deselected. Some window managers do not allow this.
930
931 @vindex icon-type, a frame parameter
932 @item icon-type
933 The type of icon to use for this frame. If the value is a string,
934 that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use; @code{nil} specifies
935 no icon (in which case the window manager decides what to show); any
936 other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default Emacs icon.
937
938 @vindex icon-name, a frame parameter
939 @item icon-name
940 The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
941 appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
942
943 @vindex window-id, a frame parameter
944 @item window-id
945 The ID number which the graphical display uses for this frame. Emacs
946 assigns this parameter when the frame is created; changing the
947 parameter has no effect on the actual ID number.
948
949 @vindex outer-window-id, a frame parameter
950 @item outer-window-id
951 The ID number of the outermost window-system window in which the frame
952 exists. As with @code{window-id}, changing this parameter has no
953 actual effect.
954
955 @vindex wait-for-wm, a frame parameter
956 @item wait-for-wm
957 If non-@code{nil}, tell Xt to wait for the window manager to confirm
958 geometry changes. Some window managers, including versions of Fvwm2
959 and KDE, fail to confirm, so Xt hangs. Set this to @code{nil} to
960 prevent hanging with those window managers.
961
962 @vindex sticky, a frame parameter
963 @item sticky
964 If non-@code{nil}, the frame is visible on all virtual desktops on systems
965 with virtual desktops.
966
967 @ignore
968 @vindex parent-id, a frame parameter
969 @item parent-id
970 @c ??? Not yet working.
971 The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
972 Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
973 application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
974 it and see if it works.)
975 @end ignore
976 @end table
977
978 @node Cursor Parameters
979 @subsubsection Cursor Parameters
980 @cindex cursor, and frame parameters
981
982 This frame parameter controls the way the cursor looks.
983
984 @table @code
985 @vindex cursor-type, a frame parameter
986 @item cursor-type
987 How to display the cursor. Legitimate values are:
988
989 @table @code
990 @item box
991 Display a filled box. (This is the default.)
992 @item hollow
993 Display a hollow box.
994 @item nil
995 Don't display a cursor.
996 @item bar
997 Display a vertical bar between characters.
998 @item (bar . @var{width})
999 Display a vertical bar @var{width} pixels wide between characters.
1000 @item hbar
1001 Display a horizontal bar.
1002 @item (hbar . @var{height})
1003 Display a horizontal bar @var{height} pixels high.
1004 @end table
1005 @end table
1006
1007 @vindex cursor-type
1008 The @code{cursor-type} frame parameter may be overridden by the
1009 variables @code{cursor-type} and
1010 @code{cursor-in-non-selected-windows}:
1011
1012 @defvar cursor-type
1013 This buffer-local variable controls how the cursor looks in a selected
1014 window showing the buffer. If its value is @code{t}, that means to
1015 use the cursor specified by the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
1016 Otherwise, the value should be one of the cursor types listed above,
1017 and it overrides the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
1018 @end defvar
1019
1020 @defopt cursor-in-non-selected-windows
1021 This buffer-local variable controls how the cursor looks in a window
1022 that is not selected. It supports the same values as the
1023 @code{cursor-type} frame parameter; also, @code{nil} means don't
1024 display a cursor in nonselected windows, and @code{t} (the default)
1025 means use a standard modification of the usual cursor type (solid box
1026 becomes hollow box, and bar becomes a narrower bar).
1027 @end defopt
1028
1029 @defopt blink-cursor-alist
1030 This variable specifies how to blink the cursor. Each element has the
1031 form @code{(@var{on-state} . @var{off-state})}. Whenever the cursor
1032 type equals @var{on-state} (comparing using @code{equal}), the
1033 corresponding @var{off-state} specifies what the cursor looks like
1034 when it blinks ``off''. Both @var{on-state} and @var{off-state}
1035 should be suitable values for the @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
1036
1037 There are various defaults for how to blink each type of cursor, if
1038 the type is not mentioned as an @var{on-state} here. Changes in this
1039 variable do not take effect immediately, only when you specify the
1040 @code{cursor-type} frame parameter.
1041 @end defopt
1042
1043 @node Font and Color Parameters
1044 @subsubsection Font and Color Parameters
1045 @cindex font and color, frame parameters
1046
1047 These frame parameters control the use of fonts and colors.
1048
1049 @table @code
1050 @vindex font-backend, a frame parameter
1051 @item font-backend
1052 A list of symbols, specifying the @dfn{font backends} to use for
1053 drawing fonts in the frame, in order of priority. On X, there are
1054 currently two available font backends: @code{x} (the X core font
1055 driver) and @code{xft} (the Xft font driver). On MS-Windows, there are
1056 currently two available font backends: @code{gdi} and
1057 @code{uniscribe} (@pxref{Windows Fonts,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs
1058 Manual}). On other systems, there is only one available font backend,
1059 so it does not make sense to modify this frame parameter.
1060
1061 @vindex background-mode, a frame parameter
1062 @item background-mode
1063 This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
1064 to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
1065
1066 @vindex tty-color-mode, a frame parameter
1067 @item tty-color-mode
1068 @cindex standard colors for character terminals
1069 This parameter overrides the terminal's color support as given by the
1070 system's terminal capabilities database in that this parameter's value
1071 specifies the color mode to use on a text terminal. The value can be
1072 either a symbol or a number. A number specifies the number of colors
1073 to use (and, indirectly, what commands to issue to produce each
1074 color). For example, @code{(tty-color-mode . 8)} specifies use of the
1075 ANSI escape sequences for 8 standard text colors. A value of -1 turns
1076 off color support.
1077
1078 If the parameter's value is a symbol, it specifies a number through
1079 the value of @code{tty-color-mode-alist}, and the associated number is
1080 used instead.
1081
1082 @vindex screen-gamma, a frame parameter
1083 @item screen-gamma
1084 @cindex gamma correction
1085 If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' which adjusts
1086 the brightness of all colors. The value should be the screen gamma of
1087 your display.
1088
1089 Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so color values in
1090 Emacs, and in X windows generally, are calibrated to display properly
1091 on a monitor with that gamma value. If you specify 2.2 for
1092 @code{screen-gamma}, that means no correction is needed. Other values
1093 request correction, designed to make the corrected colors appear on
1094 your screen the way they would have appeared without correction on an
1095 ordinary monitor with a gamma value of 2.2.
1096
1097 If your monitor displays colors too light, you should specify a
1098 @code{screen-gamma} value smaller than 2.2. This requests correction
1099 that makes colors darker. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good
1100 results for LCD color displays.
1101
1102 @vindex alpha, a frame parameter
1103 @item alpha
1104 @cindex opacity, frame
1105 @cindex transparency, frame
1106 @vindex frame-alpha-lower-limit
1107 This parameter specifies the opacity of the frame, on graphical
1108 displays that support variable opacity. It should be an integer
1109 between 0 and 100, where 0 means completely transparent and 100 means
1110 completely opaque. It can also have a @code{nil} value, which tells
1111 Emacs not to set the frame opacity (leaving it to the window manager).
1112
1113 To prevent the frame from disappearing completely from view, the
1114 variable @code{frame-alpha-lower-limit} defines a lower opacity limit.
1115 If the value of the frame parameter is less than the value of this
1116 variable, Emacs uses the latter. By default,
1117 @code{frame-alpha-lower-limit} is 20.
1118
1119 The @code{alpha} frame parameter can also be a cons cell
1120 @code{(@samp{active} . @samp{inactive})}, where @samp{active} is the
1121 opacity of the frame when it is selected, and @samp{inactive} is the
1122 opacity when it is not selected.
1123 @end table
1124
1125 The following frame parameters are semi-obsolete in that they are
1126 automatically equivalent to particular face attributes of particular
1127 faces (@pxref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}):
1128
1129 @table @code
1130 @vindex font, a frame parameter
1131 @item font
1132 The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
1133 string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
1134 fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). It is equivalent to the @code{font}
1135 attribute of the @code{default} face.
1136
1137 @vindex foreground-color, a frame parameter
1138 @item foreground-color
1139 The color to use for the image of a character. It is equivalent to
1140 the @code{:foreground} attribute of the @code{default} face.
1141
1142 @vindex background-color, a frame parameter
1143 @item background-color
1144 The color to use for the background of characters. It is equivalent to
1145 the @code{:background} attribute of the @code{default} face.
1146
1147 @vindex mouse-color, a frame parameter
1148 @item mouse-color
1149 The color for the mouse pointer. It is equivalent to the @code{:background}
1150 attribute of the @code{mouse} face.
1151
1152 @vindex cursor-color, a frame parameter
1153 @item cursor-color
1154 The color for the cursor that shows point. It is equivalent to the
1155 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{cursor} face.
1156
1157 @vindex border-color, a frame parameter
1158 @item border-color
1159 The color for the border of the frame. It is equivalent to the
1160 @code{:background} attribute of the @code{border} face.
1161
1162 @vindex scroll-bar-foreground, a frame parameter
1163 @item scroll-bar-foreground
1164 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars. It is
1165 equivalent to the @code{:foreground} attribute of the
1166 @code{scroll-bar} face.
1167
1168 @vindex scroll-bar-background, a frame parameter
1169 @item scroll-bar-background
1170 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars. It is
1171 equivalent to the @code{:background} attribute of the
1172 @code{scroll-bar} face.
1173 @end table
1174
1175
1176 @node Size and Position
1177 @subsection Frame Size and Position
1178 @cindex size of frame
1179 @cindex screen size
1180 @cindex frame size
1181 @cindex resize frame
1182
1183 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the frame
1184 parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and @code{width}.
1185 Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen by the window
1186 manager in its usual fashion.
1187
1188 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions.
1189 Most of the functions described below use a @var{frame} argument which
1190 has to specify a live frame. If omitted or @code{nil}, it specifies the
1191 selected frame, see @ref{Input Focus}.
1192
1193 @defun set-frame-position frame left top
1194 This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
1195 @var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
1196 normally count from the top left corner of the screen to the top left
1197 corner of the rectangle allotted to the frame by the window manager.
1198
1199 Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of that rectangle up
1200 from the bottom edge of the screen, or the right rectangle edge to the
1201 left of the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if
1202 the values were always counted from the left and top, so that negative
1203 arguments would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of
1204 the screen, but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
1205 @end defun
1206
1207 @cindex frame default font
1208 @cindex default font of a frame
1209 Each frame has a @dfn{default font} which specifies the canonical height
1210 and width of a character on that frame. The default font is used when
1211 retrieving or changing the size of a frame in terms of columns or lines.
1212 It is also used when resizing (@pxref{Window Sizes}) or splitting
1213 (@pxref{Splitting Windows}) windows.
1214
1215 @defun frame-char-height &optional frame
1216 @defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
1217 These functions return the canonical height and width of a character in
1218 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. Together, these values establish the
1219 size of the default font on @var{frame}. The values depend on the
1220 choice of font for @var{frame}, see @ref{Font and Color Parameters}.
1221 @end defun
1222
1223 The default font can be also set directly with the following function:
1224
1225 @deffn Command set-frame-font font &optional keep-size frames
1226 This sets the default font to @var{font}. When called interactively, it
1227 prompts for the name of a font, and uses that font on the selected
1228 frame. When called from Lisp, @var{font} should be a font name (a
1229 string), a font object, font entity, or a font spec.
1230
1231 If the optional argument @var{keep-size} is @code{nil}, this keeps the
1232 number of frame lines and columns fixed. (If non-@code{nil}, the option
1233 @code{frame-inhibit-implied-resize} described below will override this.)
1234 If @var{keep-size} is non-@code{nil} (or with a prefix argument), it
1235 tries to keep the size of the display area of the current frame fixed by
1236 adjusting the number of lines and columns.
1237
1238 If the optional argument @var{frames} is @code{nil}, this applies the
1239 font to the selected frame only. If @var{frames} is non-@code{nil}, it
1240 should be a list of frames to act upon, or @code{t} meaning all existing
1241 graphical frames.
1242 @end deffn
1243
1244 @cindex frame display area
1245 @cindex display area of a frame
1246 The @dfn{display area} of a frame is a rectangular area within the area
1247 allotted to the frame by the window manager. The display area neither
1248 includes the title bar (@pxref{Frame Titles}) nor any other decorations
1249 provided by the window manager (like an external border used for
1250 resizing frames via mouse dragging).
1251
1252 The actual height of the display area depends on the window-system
1253 and toolkit in use. With GTK+, the display area does not include any
1254 tool bar or menu bar. With the Motif or Lucid toolkits and with
1255 Windows, the display area includes the tool bar but not the menu bar.
1256 In a graphical version with no toolkit, it includes both the tool bar
1257 and menu bar. On a text terminal, the display area includes the menu
1258 bar.
1259
1260 @defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
1261 @defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
1262 These functions return the height and width of the display area of
1263 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. For a text terminal, the results are
1264 in characters rather than pixels.
1265 @end defun
1266
1267 @cindex frame text area
1268 @cindex text area of a frame
1269 The @dfn{text area} of a frame is a concept implicitly used by all
1270 functions that change a frame's height or width. It is a rectangle
1271 located within the display area. Its size is obtained from that of the
1272 display area by subtracting the sizes of any tool or menu bars that are
1273 part of the display area, any internal borders, one vertical and one
1274 horizontal scroll bar, and one left and one right fringe as specified
1275 for this frame, see @ref{Layout Parameters}.
1276
1277 @defun frame-text-height &optional frame
1278 @defunx frame-text-width &optional frame
1279 These functions return the height and width of the text area of
1280 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. For a text terminal, the results are
1281 in characters rather than pixels.
1282
1283 The value returned by @code{frame-text-height} differs from that
1284 returned by @code{frame-pixel-height} by not including the heights of
1285 any tool bar or menu bar, the height of one horizontal scroll bar and
1286 the widths of the internal border.
1287
1288 The value returned by @code{frame-text-width} differs from that returned
1289 by @code{frame-pixel-width} by not including the width of one vertical
1290 scroll bar, the widths of one left and one right fringe and the widths
1291 of the internal border.
1292 @end defun
1293
1294 @defun frame-height &optional frame
1295 @defunx frame-width &optional frame
1296 These functions return the height and width of the text area of
1297 @var{frame}, measured in units of the default font height and width of
1298 @var{frame}. These functions are plain shorthands for writing
1299 @code{(frame-parameter frame 'height)} and @code{(frame-parameter frame
1300 'width)}.
1301
1302 If the text area of @var{frame} measured in pixles is not a multiple of
1303 its default font size, the values returned by this functions are rounded
1304 down to the number of characters of the default font that fully fit into
1305 the text area.
1306 @end defun
1307
1308 @defopt frame-resize-pixelwise
1309 If this option is @code{nil}, a frame's size is usually rounded to a
1310 multiple of the current values of that frame's @code{frame-char-height}
1311 and @code{frame-char-width}. If this is non-@code{nil}, no rounding
1312 occurs, hence frame sizes can increase/decrease by one pixel.
1313
1314 Setting this causes the next resize operation to pass the corresponding
1315 size hints to the window manager. This means that this variable should
1316 be set only in a user's initial file; applications should never bind it
1317 temporarily.
1318
1319 The precise meaning of a value of @code{nil} for this option depends
1320 on the toolkit used. Dragging the frame border with the mouse is usually
1321 done character-wise. Calling @code{set-frame-size} (see below)
1322 with arguments that do not specify the frame size as an integer multiple
1323 of its character size, however, may: be ignored, cause a
1324 rounding (GTK+), or be accepted (Lucid, Motif, MS-Windows).
1325
1326 With some window managers you may have to set this to non-@code{nil} in
1327 order to make a frame appear truly ``maximized'' or ``fullscreen''.
1328 @end defopt
1329
1330 @defun set-frame-size frame width height pixelwise
1331 This function sets the size of the text area of @var{frame}, measured in
1332 characters; @var{width} and @var{height} specify the new width in
1333 columns and the new height in lines.
1334
1335 The optional argument @var{pixelwise} non-@code{nil} means to measure
1336 the new width and height in units of pixels instead. Note that if
1337 @code{frame-resize-pixelwise} is @code{nil}, some toolkits may refuse to
1338 fully honor the request if it does not increase/decrease the frame size
1339 to a multiple of its character size.
1340 @end defun
1341
1342 @defun set-frame-height frame height &optional pretend pixelwise
1343 This function resizes the text area of @var{frame} to a height of
1344 @var{height} lines. The sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are
1345 altered proportionally to fit.
1346
1347 If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{height}
1348 lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
1349 actual height of the frame. This is only useful on text terminals.
1350 Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
1351 useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
1352 terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
1353 height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
1354 actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on
1355 text terminals.
1356
1357 The optional fourth argument @var{pixelwise} non-@code{nil} means that
1358 @var{frame} should be @var{height} pixels high. Note that if
1359 @code{frame-resize-pixelwise} is @code{nil}, some toolkits may refuse to
1360 fully honor the request if it does not increase/decrease the frame
1361 height to a multiple of its character height.
1362 @end defun
1363
1364 @defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend pixelwise
1365 This function sets the width of the text area of @var{frame}, measured
1366 in characters. The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
1367 @code{set-frame-height}.
1368
1369 The optional fourth argument @var{pixelwise} non-@code{nil} means that
1370 @var{frame} should be @var{width} pixels wide. Note that if
1371 @code{frame-resize-pixelwise} is @code{nil}, some toolkits may refuse to
1372 fully honor the request if it does not increase/decrease the frame width
1373 to a multiple of its character width.
1374 @end defun
1375
1376 None of these three functions will make a frame smaller than needed to
1377 display all of its windows together with their scroll bars, fringes,
1378 margins, dividers, mode and header lines. This contrasts with requests
1379 by the window manager triggered, for example, by dragging the external
1380 border of a frame with the mouse. Such requests are always honored by
1381 clipping, if necessary, portions that cannot be displayed at the right,
1382 bottom corner of the frame.
1383
1384 By default, Emacs tries to keep the number of lines and columns of a
1385 frame's text area unaltered when, for example, adding or removing a menu
1386 bar, changing the default font or setting the width of the frame's
1387 scroll bars. This means, however, that in such case Emacs must ask the
1388 window manager to resize the display area of the frame in order to
1389 accommodate the size change. Note that wrapping a menu or tool bar
1390 usually does not resize the frame's display area, hence this will alter
1391 the number of displayed lines.
1392
1393 Occasionally, such implied resizing of the display area may be
1394 unwanted, for example, when the frame is maximized or made fullscreen
1395 where it's turned off by default. In other cases you can disable
1396 implied resizing with the following option:
1397
1398 @defopt frame-inhibit-implied-resize
1399 If this option is @code{nil}, changing font, menu bar, tool bar,
1400 internal borders, fringes or scroll bars of a specific frame may
1401 implicitly resize the frame's display area in order to preserve the
1402 number of columns or lines the frame displays. If this option is
1403 non-@code{nil}, no implied resizing is done.
1404
1405 The value of this option can be also be a list of frame parameters. In
1406 that case, implied resizing is inhibited when changing a parameter that
1407 appears in this list. The frame parameters currently handled by this
1408 option are: @code{font}, @code{font-backend},
1409 @code{internal-border-width}, @code{menu-bar-lines} and
1410 @code{tool-bar-lines}.
1411
1412 Changing any of the @code{scroll-bar-width}, @code{scroll-bar-height},
1413 @code{vertical-scroll-bars}, @code{horizontal-scroll-bars},
1414 @code{left-fringe} and @code{right-fringe} frame parameters is handled
1415 as if the frame contained just one live window. This means, for
1416 example, that removing vertical scroll bars on a frame containing
1417 several side by side windows will shrink the frame width by the width of
1418 one scroll bar provided this option is @code{nil} and keep it unchanged
1419 if this option is either @code{t} or a list containing
1420 @code{vertical-scroll-bars}.
1421
1422 The default value is @code{'(tool-bar-lines)} for Lucid, Motif and
1423 Windows (which means that adding/removing a tool bar there does not
1424 change the frame height), @code{nil} on all other window systems
1425 including GTK+ (which means that changing any of the parameters listed
1426 above may change the size of the frame), and @code{t} otherwise (which
1427 means the frame size never changes implicitly when there's no window
1428 system support).
1429
1430 Note that when a frame is not large enough to accommodate a change of
1431 any of the parameters listed above, Emacs may try to enlarge the frame
1432 even if this option is non-@code{nil}.
1433 @end defopt
1434
1435 @c FIXME? Belongs more in Emacs manual than here?
1436 @c But, e.g., fit-window-to-buffer is in this manual.
1437 If you have a frame that displays only one window, you can fit that
1438 frame to its buffer using the command @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
1439
1440 @deffn Command fit-frame-to-buffer &optional frame max-height min-height max-width min-width only
1441 This command adjusts the size of @var{frame} to display the contents of
1442 its buffer exactly. @var{frame} can be any live frame and defaults to
1443 the selected one. Fitting is done only if @var{frame}'s root window is
1444 live. The arguments @var{max-height}, @var{min-height}, @var{max-width}
1445 and @var{min-width} specify bounds on the new total size of
1446 @var{frame}'s root window. @var{min-height} and @var{min-width} default
1447 to the values of @code{window-min-height} and @code{window-min-width}
1448 respectively.
1449
1450 If the optional argument @var{only} is @code{vertically}, this function
1451 may resize the frame vertically only. If @var{only} is
1452 @code{horizontally}, it may resize the frame horizontally only.
1453 @end deffn
1454
1455 The behavior of @code{fit-frame-to-buffer} can be controlled with the
1456 help of the two options listed next.
1457
1458 @defopt fit-frame-to-buffer-margins
1459 This option can be used to specify margins around frames to be fit by
1460 @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}. Such margins can be useful to avoid, for
1461 example, that such frames overlap the taskbar.
1462
1463 It specifies the numbers of pixels to be left free on the left, above,
1464 the right, and below a frame that shall be fit. The default specifies
1465 @code{nil} for each which means to use no margins. The value specified
1466 here can be overridden for a specific frame by that frame's
1467 @code{fit-frame-to-buffer-margins} parameter, if present.
1468 @end defopt
1469
1470 @defopt fit-frame-to-buffer-sizes
1471 This option specifies size boundaries for @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
1472 It specifies the total maximum and minimum lines and maximum and minimum
1473 columns of the root window of any frame that shall be fit to its buffer.
1474 If any of these values is non-@code{nil}, it overrides the corresponding
1475 argument of @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
1476 @end defopt
1477
1478
1479 @node Geometry
1480 @subsection Geometry
1481
1482 Here's how to examine the data in an X-style window geometry
1483 specification:
1484
1485 @defun x-parse-geometry geom
1486 @cindex geometry specification
1487 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
1488 geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
1489 @code{make-frame}.
1490
1491 The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
1492 gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
1493 @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
1494 values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
1495
1496 For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
1497 parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
1498 because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
1499 instead. The @var{value} possibilities for the position parameters are:
1500 an integer, a list @code{(+ @var{pos})}, or a list @code{(- @var{pos})};
1501 as previously described (@pxref{Position Parameters}).
1502
1503 Here is an example:
1504
1505 @example
1506 (x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
1507 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
1508 (top - 0) (left . 0))
1509 @end example
1510 @end defun
1511
1512 @node Terminal Parameters
1513 @section Terminal Parameters
1514 @cindex terminal parameters
1515
1516 Each terminal has a list of associated parameters. These
1517 @dfn{terminal parameters} are mostly a convenient way of storage for
1518 terminal-local variables, but some terminal parameters have a special
1519 meaning.
1520
1521 This section describes functions to read and change the parameter values
1522 of a terminal. They all accept as their argument either a terminal or
1523 a frame; the latter means use that frame's terminal. An argument of
1524 @code{nil} means the selected frame's terminal.
1525
1526 @defun terminal-parameters &optional terminal
1527 This function returns an alist listing all the parameters of
1528 @var{terminal} and their values.
1529 @end defun
1530
1531 @defun terminal-parameter terminal parameter
1532 This function returns the value of the parameter @var{parameter} (a
1533 symbol) of @var{terminal}. If @var{terminal} has no setting for
1534 @var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
1535 @end defun
1536
1537 @defun set-terminal-parameter terminal parameter value
1538 This function sets the parameter @var{parm} of @var{terminal} to the
1539 specified @var{value}, and returns the previous value of that
1540 parameter.
1541 @end defun
1542
1543 Here's a list of a few terminal parameters that have a special
1544 meaning:
1545
1546 @table @code
1547 @item background-mode
1548 The classification of the terminal's background color, either
1549 @code{light} or @code{dark}.
1550 @item normal-erase-is-backspace
1551 Value is either 1 or 0, depending on whether
1552 @code{normal-erase-is-backspace-mode} is turned on or off on this
1553 terminal. @xref{DEL Does Not Delete,,, emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
1554 @item terminal-initted
1555 After the terminal is initialized, this is set to the
1556 terminal-specific initialization function.
1557 @item tty-mode-set-strings
1558 When present, a list of strings containing escape sequences that Emacs
1559 will output while configuring a tty for rendering. Emacs emits these
1560 strings only when configuring a terminal: if you want to enable a mode
1561 on a terminal that is already active (for example, while in
1562 @code{tty-setup-hook}), explicitly output the necessary escape
1563 sequence using @code{send-string-to-terminal} in addition to adding
1564 the sequence to @code{tty-mode-set-strings}.
1565 @item tty-mode-reset-strings
1566 When present, a list of strings that undo the effects of the strings
1567 in @code{tty-mode-set-strings}. Emacs emits these strings when
1568 exiting, deleting a terminal, or suspending itself.
1569 @end table
1570
1571 @node Frame Titles
1572 @section Frame Titles
1573 @cindex frame title
1574
1575 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
1576 for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
1577 the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
1578 frame property.
1579
1580 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
1581 frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
1582 @code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
1583 frame is redisplayed.
1584
1585 @defvar frame-title-format
1586 This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
1587 not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
1588 line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}, except that the
1589 @samp{%c} and @samp{%l} constructs are ignored. @xref{Mode Line
1590 Data}.
1591 @end defvar
1592
1593 @defvar icon-title-format
1594 This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
1595 when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
1596 appears in the icon itself.
1597 @end defvar
1598
1599 @defvar multiple-frames
1600 This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
1601 there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
1602 invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
1603 @code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
1604 only when there is more than one frame.
1605
1606 The value of this variable is not guaranteed to be accurate except
1607 while processing @code{frame-title-format} or
1608 @code{icon-title-format}.
1609 @end defvar
1610
1611 @node Deleting Frames
1612 @section Deleting Frames
1613 @cindex deleting frames
1614
1615 A @dfn{live frame} is one that has not been deleted. When a frame
1616 is deleted, it is removed from its terminal display, although it may
1617 continue to exist as a Lisp object until there are no more references
1618 to it.
1619
1620 @deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
1621 @vindex delete-frame-functions
1622 This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. Unless @var{frame} is a
1623 tooltip, it first runs the hook @code{delete-frame-functions} (each
1624 function gets one argument, @var{frame}). By default, @var{frame} is
1625 the selected frame.
1626
1627 A frame cannot be deleted as long as its minibuffer serves as surrogate
1628 minibuffer for another frame (@pxref{Minibuffers and Frames}).
1629 Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
1630 but if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
1631 @end deffn
1632
1633 @defun frame-live-p frame
1634 The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
1635 @var{frame} has not been deleted. The possible non-@code{nil} return
1636 values are like those of @code{framep}. @xref{Frames}.
1637 @end defun
1638
1639 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
1640 by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
1641 When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
1642 @code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
1643 calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
1644
1645 @node Finding All Frames
1646 @section Finding All Frames
1647 @cindex frames, scanning all
1648
1649 @defun frame-list
1650 This function returns a list of all the live frames, i.e., those that
1651 have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
1652 buffers, and includes frames on all terminals. The list that you get
1653 is newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the
1654 internals of Emacs.
1655 @end defun
1656
1657 @defun visible-frame-list
1658 This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
1659 @xref{Visibility of Frames}. Frames on text terminals always count as
1660 ``visible'', even though only the selected one is actually displayed.
1661 @end defun
1662
1663 @defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
1664 This function lets you cycle conveniently through all the frames on
1665 the current display from an arbitrary starting point. It returns the
1666 ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If @var{frame} is
1667 omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame (@pxref{Input
1668 Focus}).
1669
1670 The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
1671
1672 @table @asis
1673 @item @code{nil}
1674 Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
1675 @item @code{visible}
1676 Consider all visible frames.
1677 @item 0
1678 Consider all visible or iconified frames.
1679 @item a window
1680 Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
1681 minibuffer.
1682 @item anything else
1683 Consider all frames.
1684 @end table
1685 @end defun
1686
1687 @defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
1688 Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
1689 direction.
1690 @end defun
1691
1692 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
1693 Window Ordering}.
1694
1695 @node Minibuffers and Frames
1696 @section Minibuffers and Frames
1697
1698 Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
1699 is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
1700 you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Definition of
1701 minibuffer-window}).
1702
1703 @cindex frame without a minibuffer
1704 @cindex surrogate minibuffer frame
1705 However, you can also create a frame without a minibuffer. Such a frame
1706 must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. That other frame
1707 will serve as @dfn{surrogate minibuffer frame} for this frame and cannot
1708 be deleted via @code{delete-frame} (@pxref{Deleting Frames}) as long as
1709 this frame is live.
1710
1711 When you create the frame, you can explicitly specify the minibuffer
1712 window to use (in some other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer
1713 is found in the frame which is the value of the variable
1714 @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its value should be a frame that does
1715 have a minibuffer.
1716
1717 If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
1718 when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
1719 @code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1720
1721 @defvar default-minibuffer-frame
1722 This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
1723 default. It does not affect existing frames. It is always local to
1724 the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple
1725 Terminals}.
1726 @end defvar
1727
1728 @node Input Focus
1729 @section Input Focus
1730 @cindex input focus
1731 @c @cindex selected frame Duplicates selected-frame, same for selected-window.
1732
1733 At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
1734 window always resides on the selected frame.
1735
1736 When Emacs displays its frames on several terminals (@pxref{Multiple
1737 Terminals}), each terminal has its own selected frame. But only one
1738 of these is ``@emph{the} selected frame'': it's the frame that belongs
1739 to the terminal from which the most recent input came. That is, when
1740 Emacs runs a command that came from a certain terminal, the selected
1741 frame is the one of that terminal. Since Emacs runs only a single
1742 command at any given time, it needs to consider only one selected
1743 frame at a time; this frame is what we call @dfn{the selected frame}
1744 in this manual. The display on which the selected frame is shown is
1745 the @dfn{selected frame's display}.
1746
1747 @defun selected-frame
1748 This function returns the selected frame.
1749 @end defun
1750
1751 Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
1752 window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
1753 commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
1754 way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus. To
1755 explicitly switch to a different frame from a Lisp function, call
1756 @code{select-frame-set-input-focus}.
1757
1758 Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
1759 function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
1760 concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
1761 until that control is somehow reasserted.
1762
1763 When using a text terminal, only one frame can be displayed at a time
1764 on the terminal, so after a call to @code{select-frame}, the next
1765 redisplay actually displays the newly selected frame. This frame
1766 remains selected until a subsequent call to @code{select-frame}. Each
1767 frame on a text terminal has a number which appears in the mode line
1768 before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode Line Variables}).
1769
1770 @defun select-frame-set-input-focus frame &optional norecord
1771 This function selects @var{frame}, raises it (should it happen to be
1772 obscured by other frames) and tries to give it the X server's focus.
1773 On a text terminal, the next redisplay displays the new frame on the
1774 entire terminal screen. The optional argument @var{norecord} has the
1775 same meaning as for @code{select-frame} (see below). The return value
1776 of this function is not significant.
1777 @end defun
1778
1779 @deffn Command select-frame frame &optional norecord
1780 This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
1781 focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
1782 the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
1783 until the next time this function is called. (If you are using a
1784 window system, the previously selected frame may be restored as the
1785 selected frame after return to the command loop, because it still may
1786 have the window system's input focus.)
1787
1788 The specified @var{frame} becomes the selected frame, and its terminal
1789 becomes the selected terminal. This function then calls
1790 @code{select-window} as a subroutine, passing the window selected
1791 within @var{frame} as its first argument and @var{norecord} as its
1792 second argument (hence, if @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}, this
1793 avoids changing the order of recently selected windows nor the buffer
1794 list). @xref{Selecting Windows}.
1795
1796 This function returns @var{frame}, or @code{nil} if @var{frame} has
1797 been deleted.
1798
1799 In general, you should never use @code{select-frame} in a way that
1800 could switch to a different terminal without switching back when
1801 you're done.
1802 @end deffn
1803
1804 Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
1805 the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
1806 special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
1807 appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
1808 @code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
1809
1810 @deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
1811 This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
1812
1813 Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
1814 Don't call it for any other reason.
1815 @end deffn
1816
1817 @defun redirect-frame-focus frame &optional focus-frame
1818 This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
1819 This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
1820 events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
1821 @code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
1822 events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
1823
1824 If @var{focus-frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
1825 redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
1826 events.
1827
1828 One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
1829 These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
1830 on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
1831 the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
1832 in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
1833
1834 Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
1835 @code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
1836 pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
1837 allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
1838 one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
1839
1840 This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
1841 differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
1842 @code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
1843
1844 The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
1845 change it.
1846 @end defun
1847
1848 @defvar focus-in-hook
1849 This is a normal hook run when an Emacs frame gains input focus.
1850 @end defvar
1851
1852 @defvar focus-out-hook
1853 This is a normal hook run when an Emacs frame loses input focus.
1854 @end defvar
1855
1856 @defopt focus-follows-mouse
1857 This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
1858 focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
1859 When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
1860 position consistent with the new selected frame.
1861 @end defopt
1862
1863 @node Visibility of Frames
1864 @section Visibility of Frames
1865 @cindex visible frame
1866 @cindex invisible frame
1867 @cindex iconified frame
1868 @cindex minimized frame
1869 @cindex frame visibility
1870
1871 A frame on a graphical display may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible},
1872 or @dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, its contents are displayed in
1873 the usual manner. If it is iconified, its contents are not displayed,
1874 but there is a little icon somewhere to bring the frame back into view
1875 (some window managers refer to this state as @dfn{minimized} rather
1876 than @dfn{iconified}, but from Emacs' point of view they are the same
1877 thing). If a frame is invisible, it is not displayed at all.
1878
1879 Visibility is meaningless on text terminals, since only the selected
1880 one is actually displayed in any case.
1881
1882 @defun frame-visible-p frame
1883 This function returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The
1884 value is @code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is
1885 invisible, and @code{icon} if it is iconified.
1886
1887 On a text terminal, all frames are considered ``visible'' for the
1888 purposes of this function, even though only one frame is displayed.
1889 @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
1890 @end defun
1891
1892 @deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
1893 This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
1894 iconifies the selected frame.
1895 @end deffn
1896
1897 @deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
1898 This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit
1899 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. This does not raise
1900 the frame, but you can do that with @code{raise-frame} if you wish
1901 (@pxref{Raising and Lowering}).
1902 @end deffn
1903
1904 @deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame force
1905 This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
1906 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
1907
1908 Unless @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, this function refuses to make
1909 @var{frame} invisible if all other frames are invisible..
1910 @end deffn
1911
1912 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
1913 parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Management
1914 Parameters}. The user can also iconify and deiconify frames with the
1915 window manager. This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert
1916 any control, but Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep
1917 track of such changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
1918
1919 @node Raising and Lowering
1920 @section Raising and Lowering Frames
1921
1922 @cindex raising a frame
1923 @cindex lowering a frame
1924 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor
1925 is the idea that system-level windows (e.g., Emacs frames) are
1926 stacked in a notional third dimension perpendicular to the screen
1927 surface. Where two overlap, the one higher up covers the one
1928 underneath. You can @dfn{raise} or @dfn{lower} a frame using the
1929 functions @code{raise-frame} and @code{lower-frame}.
1930
1931 @deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1932 This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1933 If @var{frame} is invisible or iconified, this makes it visible.
1934 @end deffn
1935
1936 @deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1937 This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1938 @end deffn
1939
1940 @defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1941 If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1942 that the minibuffer window is in.
1943 @end defopt
1944
1945 On window systems, you can also enable auto-raising (on frame
1946 selection) or auto-lowering (on frame deselection) using frame
1947 parameters. @xref{Management Parameters}.
1948
1949 @cindex top frame
1950 The concept of raising and lowering frames also applies to text
1951 terminal frames. On each text terminal, only the top frame is
1952 displayed at any one time.
1953
1954 @defun tty-top-frame terminal
1955 This function returns the top frame on @var{terminal}. @var{terminal}
1956 should be a terminal object, a frame (meaning that frame's terminal),
1957 or @code{nil} (meaning the selected frame's terminal). If it does not
1958 refer to a text terminal, the return value is @code{nil}.
1959 @end defun
1960
1961 @node Frame Configurations
1962 @section Frame Configurations
1963 @cindex frame configuration
1964
1965 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1966 all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1967 (@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1968
1969 @defun current-frame-configuration
1970 This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1971 the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1972 @end defun
1973
1974 @defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1975 This function restores the state of frames described in
1976 @var{configuration}. However, this function does not restore deleted
1977 frames.
1978
1979 Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1980 @var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1981 unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1982 @end defun
1983
1984 @node Mouse Tracking
1985 @section Mouse Tracking
1986 @cindex mouse tracking
1987 @c @cindex tracking the mouse Duplicates track-mouse
1988
1989 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1990 something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1991 mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1992 the mouse actually moves.
1993
1994 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1995 mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1996 addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1997 occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1998 mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1999 button.
2000
2001 @defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
2002 This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
2003 events enabled. Typically, @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
2004 read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
2005 Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
2006
2007 The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
2008 You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
2009 indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
2010 it is time to stop tracking.
2011 @end defspec
2012
2013 The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
2014 the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
2015 position.
2016
2017 In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
2018 the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
2019 That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
2020 Lisp-level mouse tracking.
2021
2022 @ignore
2023 @c These are not implemented yet.
2024
2025 These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
2026 effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
2027 is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
2028 to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
2029 the events itself and does not do redisplay.
2030
2031 @defun x-contour-region window beg end
2032 This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
2033 to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
2034 @end defun
2035
2036 @defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
2037 This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
2038 from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
2039 a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
2040 @end defun
2041
2042 @defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
2043 This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
2044 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
2045 left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
2046 location of point.
2047 @end defun
2048
2049 @defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
2050 This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
2051 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
2052 left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
2053 normally belong in the specified rectangle.
2054 @end defun
2055 @end ignore
2056
2057 @node Mouse Position
2058 @section Mouse Position
2059 @cindex mouse position
2060 @cindex position of mouse
2061
2062 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
2063 give access to the current position of the mouse.
2064
2065 @defun mouse-position
2066 This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
2067 value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
2068 and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
2069 the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
2070 @end defun
2071
2072 @defvar mouse-position-function
2073 If non-@code{nil}, the value of this variable is a function for
2074 @code{mouse-position} to call. @code{mouse-position} calls this
2075 function just before returning, with its normal return value as the
2076 sole argument, and it returns whatever this function returns to it.
2077
2078 This abnormal hook exists for the benefit of packages like
2079 @file{xt-mouse.el} that need to do mouse handling at the Lisp level.
2080 @end defvar
2081
2082 @defun set-mouse-position frame x y
2083 This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
2084 frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
2085 giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
2086 inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
2087 does nothing. The return value is not significant.
2088 @end defun
2089
2090 @defun mouse-pixel-position
2091 This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
2092 coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
2093 @end defun
2094
2095 @defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
2096 This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
2097 @var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
2098 characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
2099
2100 If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
2101 value is not significant.
2102 @end defun
2103
2104 @defun frame-pointer-visible-p &optional frame
2105 This predicate function returns non-@code{nil} if the mouse pointer
2106 displayed on @var{frame} is visible; otherwise it returns @code{nil}.
2107 @var{frame} omitted or @code{nil} means the selected frame. This is
2108 useful when @code{make-pointer-invisible} is set to @code{t}: it
2109 allows to know if the pointer has been hidden.
2110 @xref{Mouse Avoidance,,,emacs, The Emacs Manual}.
2111 @end defun
2112
2113 @need 3000
2114
2115 @node Pop-Up Menus
2116 @section Pop-Up Menus
2117 @cindex menus, popup
2118
2119 A Lisp program can pop up a menu so that the user can choose an
2120 alternative with the mouse. On a text terminal, if the mouse is not
2121 available, the user can choose an alternative using the keyboard
2122 motion keys---@kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-p}, or up- and down-arrow keys.
2123
2124 @defun x-popup-menu position menu
2125 This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
2126 what selection the user makes.
2127
2128 The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
2129 top left corner of the menu. It can be either a mouse button event
2130 (which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a
2131 list of this form:
2132
2133 @example
2134 ((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
2135 @end example
2136
2137 @noindent
2138 where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
2139 pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}. @var{window}
2140 may be a window or a frame.
2141
2142 If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
2143 position (or the top-left corner of the frame if the mouse is not
2144 available on a text terminal). If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it
2145 means to precompute the key binding equivalents for the keymaps
2146 specified in @var{menu}, without actually displaying or popping up the
2147 menu.
2148
2149 The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
2150 keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). In this case, the
2151 return value is the list of events corresponding to the user's choice.
2152 This list has more than one element if the choice occurred in a
2153 submenu. (Note that @code{x-popup-menu} does not actually execute the
2154 command bound to that sequence of events.) On text terminals and
2155 toolkits that support menu titles, the title is taken from the prompt
2156 string of @var{menu} if @var{menu} is a keymap, or from the prompt
2157 string of the first keymap in @var{menu} if it is a list of keymaps
2158 (@pxref{Defining Menus}).
2159
2160 Alternatively, @var{menu} can have the following form:
2161
2162 @example
2163 (@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
2164 @end example
2165
2166 @noindent
2167 where each pane is a list of form
2168
2169 @example
2170 (@var{title} @var{item1} @var{item2}...)
2171 @end example
2172
2173 Each @var{item} should be a cons cell, @code{(@var{line} . @var{value})},
2174 where @var{line} is a string and @var{value} is the value to return if
2175 that @var{line} is chosen. Unlike in a menu keymap, a @code{nil}
2176 @var{value} does not make the menu item non-selectable.
2177 Alternatively, each @var{item} can be a string rather than a cons
2178 cell; this makes a non-selectable menu item.
2179
2180 If the user gets rid of the menu without making a valid choice, for
2181 instance by clicking the mouse away from a valid choice or by typing
2182 @kbd{C-g}, then this normally results in a quit and
2183 @code{x-popup-menu} does not return. But if @var{position} is a mouse
2184 button event (indicating that the user invoked the menu with the
2185 mouse) then no quit occurs and @code{x-popup-menu} returns @code{nil}.
2186 @end defun
2187
2188 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
2189 if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
2190 If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
2191 a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
2192 If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
2193 @code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
2194 that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
2195
2196 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
2197 moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
2198 that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
2199 submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
2200 an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
2201 implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
2202 @code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}.
2203
2204 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
2205 still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
2206 a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
2207 the menu keymap as necessary.
2208
2209 @node Dialog Boxes
2210 @section Dialog Boxes
2211 @cindex dialog boxes
2212
2213 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
2214 different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
2215 one level and one or more buttons. The main use of dialog boxes is
2216 for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes'', ``no'',
2217 and a few other alternatives. With a single button, they can also
2218 force the user to acknowledge important information. The functions
2219 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the
2220 keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks.
2221
2222 @defun x-popup-dialog position contents &optional header
2223 This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
2224 what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
2225 the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
2226
2227 @example
2228 (@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
2229 @end example
2230
2231 @noindent
2232 which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
2233 @code{x-popup-menu}.
2234
2235 The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
2236
2237 As for @code{x-popup-menu}, an element of the list may be just a
2238 string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}.
2239 That makes a box that cannot be selected.
2240
2241 If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
2242 the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
2243 left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
2244 don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
2245 items appear on each side.
2246
2247 Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
2248 @var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
2249 @code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates or the individual
2250 window don't matter; only the frame matters.
2251
2252 If @var{header} is non-@code{nil}, the frame title for the box is
2253 @samp{Information}, otherwise it is @samp{Question}. The former is used
2254 for @code{message-box} (@pxref{message-box}). (On text terminals, the
2255 box title is not displayed.)
2256
2257 In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
2258 instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
2259 frame.
2260
2261 If the user gets rid of the dialog box without making a valid choice,
2262 for instance using the window manager, then this produces a quit and
2263 @code{x-popup-dialog} does not return.
2264 @end defun
2265
2266 @node Pointer Shape
2267 @section Pointer Shape
2268 @cindex pointer shape
2269 @cindex mouse pointer shape
2270
2271 You can specify the mouse pointer style for particular text or
2272 images using the @code{pointer} text property, and for images with the
2273 @code{:pointer} and @code{:map} image properties. The values you can
2274 use in these properties are @code{text} (or @code{nil}), @code{arrow},
2275 @code{hand}, @code{vdrag}, @code{hdrag}, @code{modeline}, and
2276 @code{hourglass}. @code{text} stands for the usual mouse pointer
2277 style used over text.
2278
2279 Over void parts of the window (parts that do not correspond to any
2280 of the buffer contents), the mouse pointer usually uses the
2281 @code{arrow} style, but you can specify a different style (one of
2282 those above) by setting @code{void-text-area-pointer}.
2283
2284 @defopt void-text-area-pointer
2285 This variable specifies the mouse pointer style for void text areas.
2286 These include the areas after the end of a line or below the last line
2287 in the buffer. The default is to use the @code{arrow} (non-text)
2288 pointer style.
2289 @end defopt
2290
2291 When using X, you can specify what the @code{text} pointer style
2292 really looks like by setting the variable @code{x-pointer-shape}.
2293
2294 @defvar x-pointer-shape
2295 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the
2296 Emacs frame, for the @code{text} pointer style.
2297 @end defvar
2298
2299 @defvar x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
2300 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
2301 is over mouse-sensitive text.
2302 @end defvar
2303
2304 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
2305 affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a
2306 frame, that also installs the current value of those two variables.
2307 @xref{Font and Color Parameters}.
2308
2309 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
2310 defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
2311 @key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
2312
2313 @node Window System Selections
2314 @section Window System Selections
2315 @cindex selection (for window systems)
2316 @cindex clipboard
2317 @cindex primary selection
2318 @cindex secondary selection
2319
2320 In the X window system, data can be transferred between different
2321 applications by means of @dfn{selections}. X defines an arbitrary
2322 number of @dfn{selection types}, each of which can store its own data;
2323 however, only three are commonly used: the @dfn{clipboard},
2324 @dfn{primary selection}, and @dfn{secondary selection}. @xref{Cut and
2325 Paste,, Cut and Paste, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for Emacs
2326 commands that make use of these selections. This section documents
2327 the low-level functions for reading and setting X selections.
2328
2329 @deffn Command x-set-selection type data
2330 This function sets an X selection. It takes two arguments: a
2331 selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it, @var{data}.
2332
2333 @var{type} should be a symbol; it is usually one of @code{PRIMARY},
2334 @code{SECONDARY} or @code{CLIPBOARD}. These are symbols with
2335 upper-case names, in accord with X Window System conventions. If
2336 @var{type} is @code{nil}, that stands for @code{PRIMARY}.
2337
2338 If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the selection.
2339 Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer (or a cons
2340 of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a cons of two
2341 markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair of markers
2342 stands for text in the overlay or between the markers. The argument
2343 @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector selection values.
2344
2345 This function returns @var{data}.
2346 @end deffn
2347
2348 @defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
2349 This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
2350 clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
2351 @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
2352 @code{PRIMARY}.
2353
2354 The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
2355 use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
2356 data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
2357 @code{UTF8_STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE},
2358 @code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{NAME},
2359 @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS},
2360 @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{ATOM}, and
2361 @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord
2362 with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is
2363 @code{STRING}.
2364 @end defun
2365
2366 @defopt selection-coding-system
2367 This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
2368 writing selections or the clipboard. @xref{Coding
2369 Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text-with-extensions}, which
2370 converts to the text representation that X11 normally uses.
2371 @end defopt
2372
2373 @cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
2374 When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
2375 general, but it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
2376 and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
2377 only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
2378 clipboard as empty.
2379
2380 @node Drag and Drop
2381 @section Drag and Drop
2382 @cindex drag and drop
2383
2384 @vindex x-dnd-test-function
2385 @vindex x-dnd-known-types
2386 When a user drags something from another application over Emacs, that other
2387 application expects Emacs to tell it if Emacs can handle the data that is
2388 dragged. The variable @code{x-dnd-test-function} is used by Emacs to determine
2389 what to reply. The default value is @code{x-dnd-default-test-function}
2390 which accepts drops if the type of the data to be dropped is present in
2391 @code{x-dnd-known-types}. You can customize @code{x-dnd-test-function} and/or
2392 @code{x-dnd-known-types} if you want Emacs to accept or reject drops based
2393 on some other criteria.
2394
2395 @vindex x-dnd-types-alist
2396 If you want to change the way Emacs handles drop of different types
2397 or add a new type, customize @code{x-dnd-types-alist}. This requires
2398 detailed knowledge of what types other applications use for drag and
2399 drop.
2400
2401 @vindex dnd-protocol-alist
2402 When an URL is dropped on Emacs it may be a file, but it may also be
2403 another URL type (ftp, http, etc.). Emacs first checks
2404 @code{dnd-protocol-alist} to determine what to do with the URL@. If
2405 there is no match there and if @code{browse-url-browser-function} is
2406 an alist, Emacs looks for a match there. If no match is found the
2407 text for the URL is inserted. If you want to alter Emacs behavior,
2408 you can customize these variables.
2409
2410 @node Color Names
2411 @section Color Names
2412
2413 @cindex color names
2414 @cindex specify color
2415 @cindex numerical RGB color specification
2416 A color name is text (usually in a string) that specifies a color.
2417 Symbolic names such as @samp{black}, @samp{white}, @samp{red}, etc.,
2418 are allowed; use @kbd{M-x list-colors-display} to see a list of
2419 defined names. You can also specify colors numerically in forms such
2420 as @samp{#@var{rgb}} and @samp{RGB:@var{r}/@var{g}/@var{b}}, where
2421 @var{r} specifies the red level, @var{g} specifies the green level,
2422 and @var{b} specifies the blue level. You can use either one, two,
2423 three, or four hex digits for @var{r}; then you must use the same
2424 number of hex digits for all @var{g} and @var{b} as well, making
2425 either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hex digits in all. (See the documentation of the
2426 X Window System for more details about numerical RGB specification of
2427 colors.)
2428
2429 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
2430 valid, and what they look like. In some cases, the value depends on the
2431 @dfn{selected frame}, as described below; see @ref{Input Focus}, for the
2432 meaning of the term ``selected frame''.
2433
2434 To read user input of color names with completion, use
2435 @code{read-color} (@pxref{High-Level Completion, read-color}).
2436
2437 @defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
2438 This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
2439 @code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
2440 which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
2441 @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
2442
2443 Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
2444 really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
2445 color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
2446 the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
2447 a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
2448
2449 @findex x-color-defined-p
2450 This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
2451 and that name is still supported as an alias.
2452 @end defun
2453
2454 @defun defined-colors &optional frame
2455 This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
2456 and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
2457 If @var{frame} does not support colors, the value is @code{nil}.
2458
2459 @findex x-defined-colors
2460 This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
2461 and that name is still supported as an alias.
2462 @end defun
2463
2464 @defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
2465 This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
2466 @var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
2467 omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
2468
2469 Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
2470 background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
2471 asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
2472 are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
2473
2474 The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
2475 @end defun
2476
2477 @defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
2478 This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
2479 @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
2480 question applies to the selected frame. If @var{color} is not a valid
2481 color name, this function returns @code{nil}.
2482 @end defun
2483
2484 @defun color-values color &optional frame
2485 @cindex rgb value
2486 This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
2487 ideally look like on @var{frame}. If @var{color} is defined, the
2488 value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
2489 amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
2490 principle from 0 to 65535, but some displays may not use the full
2491 range. This three-element list is called the @dfn{rgb values} of the
2492 color.
2493
2494 If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
2495
2496 @example
2497 (color-values "black")
2498 @result{} (0 0 0)
2499 (color-values "white")
2500 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
2501 (color-values "red")
2502 @result{} (65280 0 0)
2503 (color-values "pink")
2504 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
2505 (color-values "hungry")
2506 @result{} nil
2507 @end example
2508
2509 The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If
2510 @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for
2511 the selected frame's display. If the frame cannot display colors, the
2512 value is @code{nil}.
2513
2514 @findex x-color-values
2515 This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
2516 and that name is still supported as an alias.
2517 @end defun
2518
2519 @node Text Terminal Colors
2520 @section Text Terminal Colors
2521 @cindex colors on text terminals
2522
2523 Text terminals usually support only a small number of colors, and
2524 the computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal.
2525 This means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected
2526 color looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which
2527 small integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know
2528 the standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
2529
2530 The functions described in this section control how terminal colors
2531 are used by Emacs.
2532
2533 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}, described
2534 in @ref{Color Names}.
2535
2536 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
2537 terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make
2538 Emacs support different colors on different text terminals; then this
2539 argument will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being
2540 the selected frame's terminal; @pxref{Input Focus}). At present,
2541 though, the @var{frame} argument has no effect.
2542
2543 @defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb frame
2544 This function associates the color name @var{name} with
2545 color number @var{number} on the terminal.
2546
2547 The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value, a list
2548 of three numbers that specify what the color actually looks like.
2549 If you do not specify @var{rgb}, then this color cannot be used by
2550 @code{tty-color-approximate} to approximate other colors, because
2551 Emacs will not know what it looks like.
2552 @end defun
2553
2554 @defun tty-color-clear &optional frame
2555 This function clears the table of defined colors for a text terminal.
2556 @end defun
2557
2558 @defun tty-color-alist &optional frame
2559 This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by
2560 a text terminal.
2561
2562 Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
2563 or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
2564 name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
2565 If present, @var{rgb} is a list of three color values (for red, green,
2566 and blue) that says what the color actually looks like.
2567 @end defun
2568
2569 @defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional frame
2570 This function finds the closest color, among the known colors
2571 supported for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value
2572 @var{rgb} (a list of color values). The return value is an element of
2573 @code{tty-color-alist}.
2574 @end defun
2575
2576 @defun tty-color-translate color &optional frame
2577 This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
2578 colors supported for @var{display} and returns its index (an integer).
2579 If the name @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
2580 @end defun
2581
2582 @node Resources
2583 @section X Resources
2584
2585 This section describes some of the functions and variables for
2586 querying and using X resources, or their equivalent on your operating
2587 system. @xref{X Resources,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs
2588 Manual}, for more information about X resources.
2589
2590 @defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
2591 The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
2592 Window defaults database.
2593
2594 Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
2595 This function searches using a key of the form
2596 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
2597 under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
2598 the class.
2599
2600 The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
2601 and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
2602 If you specify them, the key is
2603 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
2604 @samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
2605 @end defun
2606
2607 @defvar x-resource-class
2608 This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
2609 should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
2610 resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
2611 variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
2612 @end defvar
2613
2614 @defvar x-resource-name
2615 This variable specifies the instance name that @code{x-get-resource}
2616 should look up. The default value is the name Emacs was invoked with,
2617 or the value specified with the @samp{-name} or @samp{-rn} switches.
2618 @end defvar
2619
2620 To illustrate some of the above, suppose that you have the line:
2621
2622 @example
2623 xterm.vt100.background: yellow
2624 @end example
2625
2626 @noindent
2627 in your X resources file (whose name is usually @file{~/.Xdefaults}
2628 or @file{~/.Xresources}). Then:
2629
2630 @example
2631 @group
2632 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2633 (x-get-resource "vt100.background" "VT100.Background"))
2634 @result{} "yellow"
2635 @end group
2636 @group
2637 (let ((x-resource-class "XTerm") (x-resource-name "xterm"))
2638 (x-get-resource "background" "VT100" "vt100" "Background"))
2639 @result{} "yellow"
2640 @end group
2641 @end example
2642
2643 @defvar inhibit-x-resources
2644 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs does not look up X
2645 resources, and X resources do not have any effect when creating new
2646 frames.
2647 @end defvar
2648
2649 @node Display Feature Testing
2650 @section Display Feature Testing
2651 @cindex display feature testing
2652
2653 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
2654 particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
2655 to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarily uses
2656 a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
2657
2658 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
2659 display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
2660 (which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
2661 refers to the selected frame's display, @pxref{Input Focus}).
2662
2663 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
2664 obtain information about displays.
2665
2666 @defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
2667 This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
2668 @var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires
2669 that the mouse be available, since the menu is popped up by clicking
2670 the mouse on some portion of the Emacs display.
2671 @end defun
2672
2673 @defun display-graphic-p &optional display
2674 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
2675 capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
2676 once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X,
2677 and false for text terminals.
2678 @end defun
2679
2680 @defun display-mouse-p &optional display
2681 @cindex mouse, availability
2682 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
2683 @code{nil} if not.
2684 @end defun
2685
2686 @defun display-color-p &optional display
2687 @findex x-display-color-p
2688 This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
2689 It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
2690 is still supported as an alias.
2691 @end defun
2692
2693 @defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
2694 This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
2695 (All color displays can do this.)
2696 @end defun
2697
2698 @defun display-supports-face-attributes-p attributes &optional display
2699 @anchor{Display Face Attribute Testing}
2700 This function returns non-@code{nil} if all the face attributes in
2701 @var{attributes} are supported (@pxref{Face Attributes}).
2702
2703 The definition of ``supported'' is somewhat heuristic, but basically
2704 means that a face containing all the attributes in @var{attributes},
2705 when merged with the default face for display, can be represented in a
2706 way that's
2707
2708 @enumerate
2709 @item
2710 different in appearance than the default face, and
2711
2712 @item
2713 ``close in spirit'' to what the attributes specify, if not exact.
2714 @end enumerate
2715
2716 Point (2) implies that a @code{:weight black} attribute will be
2717 satisfied by any display that can display bold, as will
2718 @code{:foreground "yellow"} as long as some yellowish color can be
2719 displayed, but @code{:slant italic} will @emph{not} be satisfied by
2720 the tty display code's automatic substitution of a ``dim'' face for
2721 italic.
2722 @end defun
2723
2724 @defun display-selections-p &optional display
2725 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
2726 Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
2727 supported in some other cases.
2728 @end defun
2729
2730 @defun display-images-p &optional display
2731 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} can display images.
2732 Windowed displays ought in principle to handle images, but some
2733 systems lack the support for that. On a display that does not support
2734 images, Emacs cannot display a tool bar.
2735 @end defun
2736
2737 @defun display-screens &optional display
2738 This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
2739 @end defun
2740
2741 @defun display-pixel-height &optional display
2742 This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
2743 On a character terminal, it gives the height in characters.
2744
2745 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2746 refers to the pixel height for all physical monitors associated with
2747 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
2748 @end defun
2749
2750 @defun display-pixel-width &optional display
2751 This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
2752 On a character terminal, it gives the width in characters.
2753
2754 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2755 refers to the pixel width for all physical monitors associated with
2756 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
2757 @end defun
2758
2759 @defun display-mm-height &optional display
2760 This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
2761 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2762
2763 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2764 refers to the height for all physical monitors associated with
2765 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
2766 @end defun
2767
2768 @defun display-mm-width &optional display
2769 This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
2770 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
2771
2772 For graphical terminals, note that on ``multi-monitor'' setups this
2773 refers to the width for all physical monitors associated with
2774 @var{display}. @xref{Multiple Terminals}.
2775 @end defun
2776
2777 @defopt display-mm-dimensions-alist
2778 This variable allows the user to specify the dimensions of graphical
2779 displays returned by @code{display-mm-height} and
2780 @code{display-mm-width} in case the system provides incorrect values.
2781 @end defopt
2782
2783 @cindex backing store
2784 @defun display-backing-store &optional display
2785 This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
2786 Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
2787 windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
2788 displayed very quickly.
2789
2790 Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
2791 @code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
2792 when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
2793 @end defun
2794
2795 @cindex SaveUnder feature
2796 @defun display-save-under &optional display
2797 This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
2798 SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
2799 to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
2800 quickly.
2801 @end defun
2802
2803 @defun display-planes &optional display
2804 This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
2805 This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
2806 For a tty display, it is log to base two of the number of colors supported.
2807 @end defun
2808
2809 @defun display-visual-class &optional display
2810 This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is
2811 one of the symbols @code{static-gray} (a limited, unchangeable number
2812 of grays), @code{gray-scale} (a full range of grays),
2813 @code{static-color} (a limited, unchangeable number of colors),
2814 @code{pseudo-color} (a limited number of colors), @code{true-color} (a
2815 full range of colors), and @code{direct-color} (a full range of
2816 colors).
2817 @end defun
2818
2819 @defun display-color-cells &optional display
2820 This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
2821 @end defun
2822
2823 These functions obtain additional information about the window
2824 system in use where Emacs shows the specified @var{display}. (Their
2825 names begin with @code{x-} for historical reasons.)
2826
2827 @defun x-server-version &optional display
2828 This function returns the list of version numbers of the GUI window
2829 system running on @var{display}, such as the X server on GNU and Unix
2830 systems. The value is a list of three integers: the major and minor
2831 version numbers of the protocol, and the distributor-specific release
2832 number of the window system software itself. On GNU and Unix systems,
2833 these are normally the version of the X protocol and the
2834 distributor-specific release number of the X server software. On
2835 MS-Windows, this is the version of the Windows OS.
2836 @end defun
2837
2838 @defun x-server-vendor &optional display
2839 This function returns the ``vendor'' that provided the window system
2840 software (as a string). On GNU and Unix systems this really means
2841 whoever distributes the X server. On MS-Windows this is the vendor ID
2842 string of the Windows OS (Microsoft).
2843
2844 When the developers of X labeled software distributors as
2845 ``vendors'', they showed their false assumption that no system could
2846 ever be developed and distributed noncommercially.
2847 @end defun
2848
2849 @ignore
2850 @defvar x-no-window-manager
2851 This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
2852 @end defvar
2853 @end ignore
2854
2855 @ignore
2856 @item
2857 The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
2858 width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.
2859 @end ignore