1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
4 @node Command Arguments, Antinews, Service, Top
5 @appendix Command Line Arguments
6 @cindex command line arguments
7 @cindex arguments (command line)
8 @cindex options (command line)
9 @cindex switches (command line)
10 @cindex startup (command line arguments)
12 GNU Emacs supports command line arguments to request various actions
13 when invoking Emacs. These are for compatibility with other editors and
14 for sophisticated activities. We don't recommend using them for
17 Arguments starting with @samp{-} are @dfn{options}. Other arguments
18 specify files to visit. Emacs visits the specified files while it
19 starts up. The last file name on your command line becomes the current
20 buffer; the other files are also present in other buffers. As usual,
21 the special argument @samp{--} says that all subsequent arguments
22 are file names, not options, even if they start with @samp{-}.
24 Emacs command options can specify many things, such as the size and
25 position of the X window Emacs uses, its colors, and so on. A few
26 options support advanced usage, such as running Lisp functions on files
27 in batch mode. The sections of this chapter describe the available
28 options, arranged according to their purpose.
30 There are two ways of writing options: the short forms that start with
31 a single @samp{-}, and the long forms that start with @samp{--}. For
32 example, @samp{-d} is a short form and @samp{--display} is the
33 corresponding long form.
35 The long forms with @samp{--} are easier to remember, but longer to
36 type. However, you don't have to spell out the whole option name; any
37 unambiguous abbreviation is enough. When a long option takes an
38 argument, you can use either a space or an equal sign to separate the
39 option name and the argument. Thus, you can write either
40 @samp{--display sugar-bombs:0.0} or @samp{--display=sugar-bombs:0.0}.
41 We recommend an equal sign because it makes the relationship clearer,
42 and the tables below always show an equal sign.
44 @cindex initial options (command line)
45 @cindex action options (command line)
46 Most options specify how to initialize Emacs, or set parameters for
47 the Emacs session. We call them @dfn{initial options}. A few options
48 specify things to do: for example, load libraries, call functions, or
49 exit Emacs. These are called @dfn{action options}. These and file
50 names together are called @dfn{action arguments}. Emacs processes all
51 the action arguments in the order they are written.
54 * Action Arguments:: Arguments to visit files, load libraries,
56 * Initial Options:: Arguments that take effect while starting Emacs.
57 * Command Example:: Examples of using command line arguments.
58 * Resume Arguments:: Specifying arguments when you resume a running Emacs.
59 * Environment:: Environment variables that Emacs uses.
61 * Display X:: Changing the default display and using remote login.
62 * Font X:: Choosing a font for text, under X.
63 * Colors X:: Choosing colors, under X.
64 * Window Size X:: Start-up window size, under X.
65 * Borders X:: Internal and external borders, under X.
66 * Title X:: Specifying the initial frame's title.
67 * Icons X:: Choosing what sort of icon to use, under X.
68 * Resources X:: Advanced use of classes and resources, under X.
69 * Lucid Resources:: X resources for Lucid menus.
70 * Motif Resources:: X resources for Motif menus.
73 @node Action Arguments
74 @appendixsec Action Arguments
76 Here is a table of the action arguments and options:
80 @itemx --visit @var{file}
81 @itemx --file @var{file}
82 Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}. @xref{Visiting}.
84 @item +@var{linenum} @var{file}
85 Visit @var{file} using @code{find-file}, then go to line number
90 @itemx --load=@var{file}
91 Load a Lisp library named @var{file} with the function @code{load}.
92 @xref{Lisp Libraries}. The library can be found either in the current
93 directory, or in the Emacs library search path as specified
94 with @env{EMACSLOADPATH} (@pxref{General Variables}).
96 @item -f @var{function}
97 @itemx --funcall=@var{function}
98 Call Lisp function @var{function} with no arguments.
100 @item --eval @var{expression}
101 @itemx --execute @var{expression}
102 Evaluate Lisp expression @var{expression}.
104 @item --insert=@var{file}
105 Insert the contents of @var{file} into the current buffer. This is like
106 what @kbd{M-x insert-file} does. @xref{Misc File Ops}.
109 Exit from Emacs without asking for confirmation.
112 @vindex command-line-args
113 The init file can access the values of the action arguments as the
114 elements of a list in the variable @code{command-line-args}. The init
115 file can override the normal processing of the action arguments, or
116 define new ones, by reading and setting this variable.
118 @node Initial Options
119 @appendixsec Initial Options
121 The initial options specify parameters for the Emacs session. This
122 section describes the more general initial options; some other options
123 specifically related to the X Window System appear in the following
126 Some initial options affect the loading of init files. The normal
127 actions of Emacs are to first load @file{site-start.el} if it exists,
128 then your own init file @file{~/.emacs} if it exists, and finally
129 @file{default.el} if it exists; certain options prevent loading of some
130 of these files or substitute other files for them.
133 @item -t @var{device}
134 @itemx --terminal=@var{device}
135 Use @var{device} as the device for terminal input and output.
137 @item -d @var{display}
138 @itemx --display=@var{display}
139 Use the X Window System and use the display named @var{display} to open
140 the initial Emacs frame.
144 Don't communicate directly with the window system, disregarding the
145 @env{DISPLAY} environment variable even if it is set. This forces Emacs
146 to run as if the display were a character terminal.
152 Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}, which means that the text being edited is
153 not displayed and the standard terminal interrupt characters such as
154 @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} continue to have their normal effect. Emacs in
155 batch mode outputs to @code{stderr} only what would normally be printed
156 in the echo area under program control.
158 Batch mode is used for running programs written in Emacs Lisp from
159 shell scripts, makefiles, and so on. Normally the @samp{-l} option
160 or @samp{-f} option will be used as well, to invoke a Lisp program
161 to do the batch processing.
163 @samp{-batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an init file). It also causes
164 Emacs to kill itself after all command options have been processed. In
165 addition, auto-saving is not done except in buffers for which it has been
166 explicitly requested.
169 @itemx --no-init-file
170 Do not load your Emacs init file @file{~/.emacs}, or @file{default.el}
174 Do not load @file{site-start.el}. The options @samp{-q}, @samp{-u}
175 and @samp{-batch} have no effect on the loading of this file---this is
176 the only option that blocks it.
179 @itemx --user=@var{user}
180 Load @var{user}'s Emacs init file @file{~@var{user}/.emacs} instead of
184 Enable the Emacs Lisp debugger for errors in the init file.
187 @cindex unibyte operation, command-line argument
188 Set up to do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings.
189 All buffers and strings are unibyte unless you (or a Lisp program)
190 explicitly ask for a multibyte buffer or string. (Note that Emacs
191 always loads Lisp files in multibyte mode, even if @samp{--unibyte} is
192 specified; see @ref{Enabling Multibyte}.) Setting the environment
193 variable @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE} has the same effect.
196 Inhibit the effect of @env{EMACS_UNIBYTE}, so that Emacs
197 uses multibyte characters by default, as usual.
200 @node Command Example
201 @appendixsec Command Argument Example
203 Here is an example of using Emacs with arguments and options. It
204 assumes you have a Lisp program file called @file{hack-c.el} which, when
205 loaded, performs some useful operation on the current buffer, expected
209 emacs -batch foo.c -l hack-c -f save-buffer >& log
213 This says to visit @file{foo.c}, load @file{hack-c.el} (which makes
214 changes in the visited file), save @file{foo.c} (note that
215 @code{save-buffer} is the function that @kbd{C-x C-s} is bound to), and
216 then exit back to the shell (because of @samp{-batch}). @samp{-batch}
217 also guarantees there will be no problem redirecting output to
218 @file{log}, because Emacs will not assume that it has a display terminal
221 @node Resume Arguments
222 @appendixsec Resuming Emacs with Arguments
224 You can specify action arguments for Emacs when you resume it after
225 a suspension. To prepare for this, put the following code in your
226 @file{.emacs} file (@pxref{Hooks}):
229 (add-hook 'suspend-hook 'resume-suspend-hook)
230 (add-hook 'suspend-resume-hook 'resume-process-args)
233 As further preparation, you must execute the shell script
234 @file{emacs.csh} (if you use csh as your shell) or @file{emacs.bash} (if
235 you use bash as your shell). These scripts define an alias named
236 @code{edit}, which will resume Emacs giving it new command line
237 arguments such as files to visit.
239 Only action arguments work properly when you resume Emacs. Initial
240 arguments are not recognized---it's too late to execute them anyway.
242 Note that resuming Emacs (with or without arguments) must be done from
243 within the shell that is the parent of the Emacs job. This is why
244 @code{edit} is an alias rather than a program or a shell script. It is
245 not possible to implement a resumption command that could be run from
246 other subjobs of the shell; no way to define a command that could be
247 made the value of @env{EDITOR}, for example. Therefore, this feature
248 does not take the place of the Emacs Server feature (@pxref{Emacs
251 The aliases use the Emacs Server feature if you appear to have a
252 server Emacs running. However, they cannot determine this with complete
253 accuracy. They may think that a server is still running when in
254 actuality you have killed that Emacs, because the file
255 @file{/tmp/.esrv@dots{}} still exists. If this happens, find that
259 @appendixsec Environment Variables
260 @cindex environment variables
262 The @dfn{environment} is a feature of the operating system; it
263 consists of a collection of variables with names and values. Each
264 variable is called an @dfn{environment variable}; environment variable
265 names are case-sensitive, and it is conventional to use upper case
266 letters only. The values are all text strings.
268 What makes the environment useful is that subprocesses inherit the
269 environment automatically from their parent process. This means you
270 can set up an environment variable in your login shell, and all the
271 programs you run (including Emacs) will automatically see it.
272 Subprocesses of Emacs (such as shells, compilers, and version-control
273 software) inherit the environment from Emacs, too.
277 Inside Emacs, the command @kbd{M-x getenv} gets the value of an
278 environment variable. @kbd{M-x setenv} sets a variable in the Emacs
279 environment. The way to set environment variables outside of Emacs
280 depends on the operating system, and especially the shell that you are
281 using. For example, here's how to set the environment variable
282 @env{ORGANIZATION} to @samp{not very much} using Bash:
285 export ORGANIZATION="not very much"
289 and here's how to do it in csh or tcsh:
292 setenv ORGANIZATION "not very much"
295 When Emacs is set-up to use the X Window System, it inherits the use
296 of a large number of environment variables from the X libraries. See
297 the X documentation for more information.
300 * General Variables:: Environment variables that all versions of Emacs use.
301 * Misc Variables:: Certain system-specific variables.
304 @node General Variables
305 @appendixsubsec General Variables
307 Here is an alphabetical list of specific environment variables that
308 have special meanings in Emacs, giving the name of each variable and
309 its meaning. Most of these variables are also used by some other
310 programs. Emacs does not require any of these environment variables
311 to be set, but it uses their values if they are set.
315 Used by the @code{cd} command to search for the directory you specify,
316 when you specify a relative directory name.
318 The name of the Internet domain that the machine running Emacs is
319 located in. Used by the Gnus package.
321 @cindex unibyte operation, environment variable
322 Defining this environment variable with a nonempty value directs Emacs
323 to do almost everything with single-byte buffers and strings. It is
324 equivalent to using the @samp{--unibyte} command-line option on each
325 invocation. @xref{Initial Options}.
327 Directory for the architecture-independent files that come with Emacs.
328 This is used to initialize the Lisp variable @code{data-directory}.
330 Directory for the documentation string file,
331 @file{DOC-@var{emacsversion}}. This is used to initialize the Lisp
332 variable @code{doc-directory}.
334 A colon-separated list of directories@footnote{
335 Here and below, whenever we say ``colon-separated list of directories'',
336 it pertains to Unix and GNU/Linux systems. On MS-DOS and MS-Windows,
337 the directories are separated by semi-colons instead, since DOS/Windows
338 file names might include a colon after a drive letter.}
339 to search for Emacs Lisp files---used to initialize @code{load-path}.
341 A colon-separated list of directories to search for executable
342 files---used to initialize @code{exec-path}.
344 Used for shell-mode to override the @env{SHELL} environment variable.
346 The name of the file that shell commands are saved in between logins.
347 This variable defaults to @file{~/.history} if you use (t)csh as shell,
348 to @file{~/.bash_history} if you use bash, to @file{~/.sh_history} if
349 you use ksh, and to @file{~/.history} otherwise.
351 The location of the user's files in the directory tree; used for
352 expansion of file names starting with a tilde (@file{~}). On MS-DOS, it
353 defaults to the directory from which Emacs was started, with @samp{/bin}
354 removed from the end if it was present. On Windows, the default value
355 of @code{HOME} is @file{C:/}, the root directory of drive @file{C:}.
357 The name of the machine that Emacs is running on.
359 A colon-separated list of directories. Used by the @code{complete} package
362 A colon-separated list of directories in which to search for Info files.
366 The user's preferred locale. (The first of these environment
367 variables with a nonempty value specifies the locale.) A locale name
368 which contains @samp{8859-@var{n}}, @samp{8859_@var{n}} or
369 @samp{8859@var{n}}, where @var{n} is between 1 and 4, automatically
370 specifies the @samp{Latin-@var{n}} language environment when Emacs
371 starts up. There are a few extensions: if @var{n} is 9, that specifies
372 @samp{Latin-5}, and if @var{n} is 14 or 15, that specifies
373 @samp{Latin-8} and @samp{Latin-9}, respectively.
375 The locale value you specify with one of these three variables is
376 matched against entries in @code{locale-language-names},
377 @code{locale-charset-language-names}, and
378 @code{locale-preferred-coding-systems}, to select a default language
379 environment and coding system. @xref{Language Environments}.
381 The user's login name. See also @env{USER}.
383 The name of the user's system mail inbox.
385 Name of file containing mail aliases. (The default is
388 Name of setup file for the mh system. (The default is @file{~/.mh_profile}.)
390 The real-world name of the user.
392 The name of the news server. Used by the mh and Gnus packages.
394 The name of the organization to which you belong. Used for setting the
395 `Organization:' header in your posts from the Gnus package.
397 A colon-separated list of directories in which executables reside. This
398 is used to initialize the Emacs Lisp variable @code{exec-path}.
400 If set, this should be the default directory when Emacs was started.
402 If set, this specifies an initial value for the variable
403 @code{mail-default-reply-to}. @xref{Mail Headers}.
405 The name of a directory in which news articles are saved by default.
406 Used by the Gnus package.
408 The name of an interpreter used to parse and execute programs run from
410 @cindex background mode, on @code{xterm}
412 The name of the terminal that Emacs is running on. The variable must be
413 set unless Emacs is run in batch mode. On MS-DOS, it defaults to
414 @samp{internal}, which specifies a built-in terminal emulation that
415 handles the machine's own display. If the value of @env{TERM} indicates
416 that Emacs runs in non-windowed mode from @code{xterm} or a similar
417 terminal emulator, the background mode defaults to @samp{light}, and
418 Emacs will choose colors that are appropriate for a light background.
420 The name of the termcap library file describing how to program the
421 terminal specified by the @env{TERM} variable. This defaults to
424 Used by the Emerge package as a prefix for temporary files.
426 This specifies the current time zone and possibly also daylight
427 savings information. On MS-DOS, if @code{TZ} is not set in the
428 environment when Emacs starts, Emacs defines a default value as
429 appropriate for the country code returned by DOS. MS Windows
430 does not use @code{TZ} at all.
432 The user's login name. See also @env{LOGNAME}. On MS-DOS, this
433 defaults to @samp{root}.
434 @item VERSION_CONTROL
435 Used to initialize the @code{version-control} variable (@pxref{Backup
440 @appendixsubsec Miscellaneous Variables
442 These variables are used only on particular configurations:
446 On MS-DOS, the name of the command interpreter to use. This is used to
447 make a default value for the @env{SHELL} environment variable.
450 On MS-DOS, this variable defaults to the value of the @env{USER}
455 On MS-DOS, these specify the name of the directory for storing temporary
459 On MS-DOS, this specifies a file to use to log the operation of the
460 internal terminal emulator. This feature is useful for submitting bug
464 Used on MS-DOS systems to set screen colors early, so that the screen
465 won't momentarily flash the default colors when Emacs starts up. The
466 value of this variable should be two-character encoding of the
467 foreground (the first character) and the background (the second
468 character) colors of the default face. Each character should be the
469 hexadecimal code for the desired color on a standard PC text-mode
472 The PC display usually supports only eight background colors. However,
473 Emacs switches the DOS display to a mode where all 16 colors can be used
474 for the background, so all four bits of the background color are
478 Used when initializing the Sun windows system.
482 @appendixsec Specifying the Display Name
483 @cindex display name (X Window System)
484 @cindex @env{DISPLAY} environment variable
486 The environment variable @env{DISPLAY} tells all X clients, including
487 Emacs, where to display their windows. Its value is set up by default
488 in ordinary circumstances, when you start an X server and run jobs
489 locally. Occasionally you may need to specify the display yourself; for
490 example, if you do a remote login and want to run a client program
491 remotely, displaying on your local screen.
493 With Emacs, the main reason people change the default display is to
494 let them log into another system, run Emacs on that system, but have the
495 window displayed at their local terminal. You might need to use login
496 to another system because the files you want to edit are there, or
497 because the Emacs executable file you want to run is there.
499 The syntax of the @env{DISPLAY} environment variable is
500 @samp{@var{host}:@var{display}.@var{screen}}, where @var{host} is the
501 host name of the X Window System server machine, @var{display} is an
502 arbitrarily-assigned number that distinguishes your server (X terminal)
503 from other servers on the same machine, and @var{screen} is a
504 rarely-used field that allows an X server to control multiple terminal
505 screens. The period and the @var{screen} field are optional. If
506 included, @var{screen} is usually zero.
508 For example, if your host is named @samp{glasperle} and your server is
509 the first (or perhaps the only) server listed in the configuration, your
510 @env{DISPLAY} is @samp{glasperle:0.0}.
512 You can specify the display name explicitly when you run Emacs, either
513 by changing the @env{DISPLAY} variable, or with the option @samp{-d
514 @var{display}} or @samp{--display=@var{display}}. Here is an example:
517 emacs --display=glasperle:0 &
520 You can inhibit the direct use of X with the @samp{-nw} option. This
521 is also an initial option. It tells Emacs to display using ordinary
522 ASCII on its controlling terminal.
524 Sometimes, security arrangements prevent a program on a remote system
525 from displaying on your local system. In this case, trying to run Emacs
526 produces messages like this:
529 Xlib: connection to "glasperle:0.0" refused by server
533 You might be able to overcome this problem by using the @code{xhost}
534 command on the local system to give permission for access from your
538 @appendixsec Font Specification Options
539 @cindex font name (X Window System)
541 By default, Emacs displays text in the font named @samp{9x15}, which
542 makes each character nine pixels wide and fifteen pixels high. You can
543 specify a different font on your command line through the option
544 @samp{-fn @var{name}}.
548 Use font @var{name} as the default font.
550 @item --font=@var{name}
551 @samp{--font} is an alias for @samp{-fn}.
554 Under X, each font has a long name which consists of eleven words or
555 numbers, separated by dashes. Some fonts also have shorter
556 nicknames---@samp{9x15} is such a nickname. You can use either kind of
557 name. You can use wildcard patterns for the font name; then Emacs lets
558 X choose one of the fonts that match the pattern. Here is an example,
559 which happens to specify the font whose nickname is @samp{6x13}:
562 emacs -fn "-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1" &
566 You can also specify the font in your @file{.Xdefaults} file:
569 emacs.font: -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1
572 A long font name has the following form:
575 -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{}
576 @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{charset}
581 This is the name of the font manufacturer.
583 This is the name of the font family---for example, @samp{courier}.
585 This is normally @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or @samp{light}. Other
586 words may appear here in some font names.
588 This is @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic), @samp{o} (oblique),
589 @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other).
591 This is normally @samp{condensed}, @samp{extended}, @samp{semicondensed}
592 or @samp{normal}. Other words may appear here in some font names.
594 This is an optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most
595 long font names have two hyphens in a row at this point.
597 This is the font height, in pixels.
599 This is the font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's
600 point---approximately 1/720 of an inch. In other words, it is the point
601 size of the font, times ten. For a given vertical resolution,
602 @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional; therefore, it is common
603 to specify just one of them and use @samp{*} for the other.
605 This is the horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for
606 which the font is intended.
608 This is the vertical resolution, in dots per inch, of the screen for
609 which the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on
610 your system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally
611 specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}.
613 This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c}
616 This is the average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten.
618 This is the character set that the font depicts.
619 Normally you should use @samp{iso8859-1}.
622 You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is,
623 a font in which all characters have the same width. Any font with
624 @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the long name is a
625 fixed-width font. Here's how to use the @code{xlsfonts} program to
626 list all the fixed-width fonts available on your system:
629 xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+"
630 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*'
631 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*'
635 To see what a particular font looks like, use the @code{xfd} command.
643 displays the entire font @samp{6x13}.
645 While running Emacs, you can set the font of the current frame
646 (@pxref{Frame Parameters}) or for a specific kind of text
650 @appendixsec Window Color Options
651 @cindex color of window (X Window System)
652 @cindex text colors, from command line
654 @findex list-colors-display
655 @cindex available colors
656 On a color display, you can specify which color to use for various
657 parts of the Emacs display. To find out what colors are available on
658 your system, type @kbd{M-x list-colors-display}, or press
659 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} and select @samp{Display Colors} from the pop-up menu.
660 If you do not specify colors, on windowed displays the default for the
661 background is white and the default for all other colors is black. On a
662 monochrome display, the foreground is black, the background is white,
663 and the border is gray if the display supports that. On terminals, the
664 background is usually black and the foreground is white.
666 Here is a list of the command-line options for specifying colors:
669 @item -fg @var{color}
670 @itemx --foreground-color=@var{color}
671 Specify the foreground color.
672 @item -bg @var{color}
673 @itemx --background-color=@var{color}
674 Specify the background color.
675 @item -bd @var{color}
676 @itemx --border-color=@var{color}
677 Specify the color of the border of the X window.
678 @item -cr @var{color}
679 @itemx --cursor-color=@var{color}
680 Specify the color of the Emacs cursor which indicates where point is.
681 @item -ms @var{color}
682 @itemx --mouse-color=@var{color}
683 Specify the color for the mouse cursor when the mouse is in the Emacs window.
685 @itemx --reverse-video
686 Reverse video---swap the foreground and background colors.
689 For example, to use a coral mouse cursor and a slate blue text cursor,
693 emacs -ms coral -cr 'slate blue' &
696 You can reverse the foreground and background colors through the
697 @samp{-r} option or with the X resource @samp{reverseVideo}.
699 The @samp{-fg}, @samp{-bg}, and @samp{-rv} options function on
700 character terminals as well as on window systems.
703 @appendixsec Options for Window Geometry
704 @cindex geometry (X Window System)
706 The @samp{-geometry} option controls the size and position of the
707 initial Emacs frame. Here is the format for specifying the window
711 @item -g @var{width}x@var{height}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}
712 Specify window size @var{width} and @var{height} (measured in character
713 columns and lines), and positions @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}
714 (measured in pixels).
716 @item --geometry=@var{width}x@var{height}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{xoffset}@r{@{}+-@r{@}}@var{yoffset}
717 This is another way of writing the same thing.
721 @code{@r{@{}+-@r{@}}} means either a plus sign or a minus sign. A plus
722 sign before @var{xoffset} means it is the distance from the left side of
723 the screen; a minus sign means it counts from the right side. A plus
724 sign before @var{yoffset} means it is the distance from the top of the
725 screen, and a minus sign there indicates the distance from the bottom.
726 The values @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} may themselves be positive or
727 negative, but that doesn't change their meaning, only their direction.
729 Emacs uses the same units as @code{xterm} does to interpret the geometry.
730 The @var{width} and @var{height} are measured in characters, so a large font
731 creates a larger frame than a small font. The @var{xoffset} and
732 @var{yoffset} are measured in pixels.
734 Since the mode line and the echo area occupy the last 2 lines of the
735 frame, the height of the initial text window is 2 less than the height
736 specified in your geometry. In non-X-toolkit versions of Emacs,
737 the menu bar also takes one line of the specified number.
739 You do not have to specify all of the fields in the geometry
742 If you omit both @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset}, the window manager
743 decides where to put the Emacs frame, possibly by letting you place
744 it with the mouse. For example, @samp{164x55} specifies a window 164
745 columns wide, enough for two ordinary width windows side by side, and 55
748 The default width for Emacs is 80 characters and the default height is
749 40 lines. You can omit either the width or the height or both. If
750 you start the geometry with an integer, Emacs interprets it as the
751 width. If you start with an @samp{x} followed by an integer, Emacs
752 interprets it as the height. Thus, @samp{81} specifies just the width;
753 @samp{x45} specifies just the height.
755 If you start with @samp{+} or @samp{-}, that introduces an offset,
756 which means both sizes are omitted. Thus, @samp{-3} specifies the
757 @var{xoffset} only. (If you give just one offset, it is always
758 @var{xoffset}.) @samp{+3-3} specifies both the @var{xoffset} and the
759 @var{yoffset}, placing the frame near the bottom left of the screen.
761 You can specify a default for any or all of the fields in
762 @file{.Xdefaults} file, and then override selected fields with a
763 @samp{--geometry} option.
766 @appendixsec Internal and External Borders
767 @cindex borders (X Window System)
769 An Emacs frame has an internal border and an external border. The
770 internal border is an extra strip of the background color around all
771 four edges of the frame. Emacs itself adds the internal border. The
772 external border is added by the window manager outside the internal
773 border; it may contain various boxes you can click on to move or iconify
777 @item -ib @var{width}
778 @itemx --internal-border=@var{width}
779 Specify @var{width} as the width of the internal border.
781 @item -bw @var{width}
782 @itemx --border-width=@var{width}
783 Specify @var{width} as the width of the main border.
786 When you specify the size of the frame, that does not count the
787 borders. The frame's position is measured from the outside edge of the
790 Use the @samp{-ib @var{n}} option to specify an internal border
791 @var{n} pixels wide. The default is 1. Use @samp{-bw @var{n}} to
792 specify the width of the external border (though the window manager may
793 not pay attention to what you specify). The default width of the
794 external border is 2.
797 @appendixsec Frame Titles
799 An Emacs frame may or may not have a specified title. The frame
800 title, if specified, appears in window decorations and icons as the name
801 of the frame. If an Emacs frame has no specified title, the default
802 title is the name of the executable program (if there is only one frame)
803 or the selected window's buffer name (if there is more than one frame).
805 You can specify a title for the initial Emacs frame with a command
809 @item -title @var{title}
810 @itemx --title=@var{title}
811 @itemx -T @var{title}
812 Specify @var{title} as the title for the initial Emacs frame.
815 The @samp{--name} option (@pxref{Resources X}) also specifies the title
816 for the initial Emacs frame.
820 @cindex icons (X Window System)
822 Most window managers allow the user to ``iconify'' a frame, removing
823 it from sight, and leaving a small, distinctive ``icon'' window in its
824 place. Clicking on the icon window makes the frame itself appear again.
825 If you have many clients running at once, you can avoid cluttering up
826 the screen by iconifying most of the clients.
831 Use a picture of a gnu as the Emacs icon.
835 Start Emacs in iconified state.
838 The @samp{-i} or @samp{--icon-type} option tells Emacs to use an icon
839 window containing a picture of the GNU gnu. If omitted, Emacs lets the
840 window manager choose what sort of icon to use---usually just a small
841 rectangle containing the frame's title.
843 The @samp{-iconic} option tells Emacs to begin running as an icon,
844 rather than opening a frame right away. In this situation, the icon
845 window provides only indication that Emacs has started; the usual text
846 frame doesn't appear until you deiconify it.
849 @appendixsec X Resources
852 Programs running under the X Window System organize their user options
853 under a hierarchy of classes and resources. You can specify default
854 values for these options in your X resources file, usually named
857 Each line in the file specifies a value for one option or for a
858 collection of related options, for one program or for several programs
859 (optionally even for all programs).
861 Programs define named resources with particular meanings. They also
862 define how to group resources into named classes. For instance, in
863 Emacs, the @samp{internalBorder} resource controls the width of the
864 internal border, and the @samp{borderWidth} resource controls the width
865 of the external border. Both of these resources are part of the
866 @samp{BorderWidth} class. Case distinctions are significant in these
869 In @file{~/.Xdefaults}, you can specify a value for a single resource
870 on one line, like this:
877 Or you can use a class name to specify the same value for all resources
878 in that class. Here's an example:
884 If you specify a value for a class, it becomes the default for all
885 resources in that class. You can specify values for individual
886 resources as well; these override the class value, for those particular
887 resources. Thus, this example specifies 2 as the default width for all
888 borders, but overrides this value with 4 for the external border:
895 The order in which the lines appear in the file does not matter.
896 Also, command-line options always override the X resources file.
898 The string @samp{emacs} in the examples above is also a resource
899 name. It actually represents the name of the executable file that you
900 invoke to run Emacs. If Emacs is installed under a different name, it
901 looks for resources under that name instead of @samp{emacs}.
904 @item -name @var{name}
905 @itemx --name=@var{name}
906 Use @var{name} as the resource name (and the title) for the initial
907 Emacs frame. This option does not affect subsequent frames, but Lisp
908 programs can specify frame names when they create frames.
910 If you don't specify this option, the default is to use the Emacs
911 executable's name as the resource name.
913 @item -xrm @var{resource-values}
914 @itemx --xrm=@var{resource-values}
915 Specify X resource values for this Emacs job (see below).
918 For consistency, @samp{-name} also specifies the name to use for
919 other resource values that do not belong to any particular frame.
921 The resources that name Emacs invocations also belong to a class; its
922 name is @samp{Emacs}. If you write @samp{Emacs} instead of
923 @samp{emacs}, the resource applies to all frames in all Emacs jobs,
924 regardless of frame titles and regardless of the name of the executable
925 file. Here is an example:
932 You can specify a string of additional resource values for Emacs to
933 use with the command line option @samp{-xrm @var{resources}}. The text
934 @var{resources} should have the same format that you would use inside a file
935 of X resources. To include multiple resource specifications in
936 @var{data}, put a newline between them, just as you would in a file.
937 You can also use @samp{#include "@var{filename}"} to include a file full
938 of resource specifications. Resource values specified with @samp{-xrm}
939 take precedence over all other resource specifications.
941 The following table lists the resource names that designate options
942 for Emacs, each with the class that it belongs to:
945 @item @code{background} (class @code{Background})
946 Background color name.
948 @item @code{bitmapIcon} (class @code{BitmapIcon})
949 Use a bitmap icon (a picture of a gnu) if @samp{on}, let the window
950 manager choose an icon if @samp{off}.
952 @item @code{borderColor} (class @code{BorderColor})
953 Color name for the external border.
955 @item @code{borderWidth} (class @code{BorderWidth})
956 Width in pixels of the external border.
958 @item @code{cursorColor} (class @code{Foreground})
959 Color name for text cursor (point).
961 @item @code{font} (class @code{Font})
962 Font name for text (or fontset name, @pxref{Fontsets}).
964 @item @code{foreground} (class @code{Foreground})
967 @item @code{geometry} (class @code{Geometry})
968 Window size and position. Be careful not to specify this resource as
969 @samp{emacs*geometry}, because that may affect individual menus as well
970 as the Emacs frame itself.
972 If this resource specifies a position, that position applies only to the
973 initial Emacs frame (or, in the case of a resource for a specific frame
974 name, only that frame). However, the size if specified here applies to
977 @item @code{iconName} (class @code{Title})
978 Name to display in the icon.
980 @item @code{internalBorder} (class @code{BorderWidth})
981 Width in pixels of the internal border.
983 @item @code{lineSpacing} (class LineSpacing)
986 Additional space (@dfn{leading}) between lines in pixels.
988 @item @code{menuBar} (class @code{MenuBar})
989 Give frames menu bars if @samp{on}; don't have menu bars if @samp{off}.
991 @item @code{toolBar} (class @code{ToolBar})
992 Number of lines to reserve for the tool bar. A zero value suppresses
993 the tool bar. If the value is non-zero and
994 @code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar's size
995 will be changed automatically so that all tool bar items are visible.
997 @item @code{minibuffer} (class @code{Minibuffer})
998 If @samp{none}, don't make a minibuffer in this frame.
999 It will use a separate minibuffer frame instead.
1001 @item @code{paneFont} (class @code{Font})
1002 Font name for menu pane titles, in non-toolkit versions of Emacs.
1004 @item @code{pointerColor} (class @code{Foreground})
1005 Color of the mouse cursor.
1008 @item @code{privateColormap} (class @code{PrivateColormap})
1009 If @samp{on}, use a private colormap, in the case where the ``default
1010 visual'' of class PseudoColor and Emacs is using it.
1013 @item @code{reverseVideo} (class @code{ReverseVideo})
1014 Switch foreground and background default colors if @samp{on}, use colors as
1015 specified if @samp{off}.
1017 @item @code{screenGamma} (class @code{ScreenGamma})
1018 @cindex gamma correction
1019 Gamma correction for colors, equivalent to the frame parameter
1020 @code{screen-gamma}.
1022 @item @code{selectionFont} (class @code{Font})
1023 Font name for pop-up menu items, in non-toolkit versions of Emacs. (For
1024 toolkit versions, see @ref{Lucid Resources}, also see @ref{Motif
1027 @item @code{synchronous} (class @code{Synchronous})
1028 Run Emacs in synchronous mode if @samp{on}. Synchronous mode is
1029 useful for debugging X problems.
1031 @item @code{title} (class @code{Title})
1032 Name to display in the title bar of the initial Emacs frame.
1034 @item @code{verticalScrollBars} (class @code{ScrollBars})
1035 Give frames scroll bars if @samp{on}; don't have scroll bars if
1039 Here are resources for controlling the appearance of particular faces
1043 @item @var{face}.attributeFont
1044 Font for face @var{face}.
1045 @item @var{face}.attributeForeground
1046 Foreground color for face @var{face}.
1047 @item @var{face}.attributeBackground
1048 Background color for face @var{face}.
1049 @item @var{face}.attributeUnderline
1050 Underline flag for face @var{face}. Use @samp{on} or @samp{true} for
1054 @node Lucid Resources
1055 @section Lucid Menu X Resources
1056 @cindex Menu X Resources (Lucid widgets)
1057 @cindex Lucid Widget X Resources
1059 If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkit
1060 with the Lucid menu widgets, then the menu bar is a separate widget and
1061 has its own resources. The resource names contain @samp{pane.menubar}
1062 (following, as always, the name of the Emacs invocation or @samp{Emacs}
1063 which stands for all Emacs invocations). Specify them like this:
1066 Emacs.pane.menubar.@var{resource}: @var{value}
1070 For example, to specify the font @samp{8x16} for the menu-bar items,
1074 Emacs.pane.menubar.font: 8x16
1078 Resources for @emph{non-menubar} toolkit pop-up menus have
1079 @samp{menu*}, in like fashion. For example, to specify the font
1080 @samp{8x16} for the pop-up menu items, write this:
1083 Emacs.menu*.font: 8x16
1087 For dialog boxes, use @samp{dialog} instead of @samp{menu}:
1090 Emacs.dialog*.font: 8x16
1094 Experience shows that on some systems you may need to add
1095 @samp{shell.}@: before the @samp{pane.menubar} or @samp{menu*}. On
1096 some other systems, you must not add @samp{shell.}.
1098 Here is a list of the specific resources for menu bars and pop-up menus:
1102 Font for menu item text.
1104 Color of the foreground.
1106 Color of the background.
1107 @item buttonForeground
1108 In the menu bar, the color of the foreground for a selected item.
1109 @item horizontalSpacing
1110 Horizontal spacing in pixels between items. Default is 3.
1111 @item verticalSpacing
1112 Vertical spacing in pixels between items. Default is 1.
1114 Horizontal spacing between the arrow (which indicates a submenu) and
1115 the associated text. Default is 10.
1116 @item shadowThickness
1117 Thickness of shadow line around the widget.
1119 The margin of the menu bar, in characters. The default of 4 makes the
1120 menu bar appear like the LessTif/Motif one.
1123 @node Motif Resources
1124 @section Motif Menu X Resources
1125 @cindex Menu X Resources (Motif widgets)
1126 @cindex Motif Widget X Resources
1128 If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkit
1129 with the Motif widgets, then the menu bar is a separate widget and has
1130 its own resources. The resource names contain @samp{pane.menubar}
1131 (following, as always, the name of the Emacs invocation or @samp{Emacs}
1132 which stands for all Emacs invocations). Specify them like this:
1135 Emacs.pane.menubar.@var{subwidget}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
1138 Each individual string in the menu bar is a subwidget; the subwidget's
1139 name is the same as the menu item string. For example, the word
1140 @samp{Files} in the menu bar is part of a subwidget named
1141 @samp{emacs.pane.menubar.Files}. Most likely, you want to specify the
1142 same resources for the whole menu bar. To do this, use @samp{*} instead
1143 of a specific subwidget name. For example, to specify the font
1144 @samp{8x16} for the menu-bar items, write this:
1147 Emacs.pane.menubar.*.fontList: 8x16
1151 This also specifies the resource value for submenus.
1153 Each item in a submenu in the menu bar also has its own name for X
1154 resources; for example, the @samp{Files} submenu has an item named
1155 @samp{Save Buffer}. A resource specification for a submenu item looks
1159 Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.@var{menu}.@var{item}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
1163 For example, here's how to specify the font for the @samp{Save Buffer}
1167 Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.Files.Save Buffer.fontList: 8x16
1171 For an item in a second-level submenu, such as @samp{Check Message}
1172 under @samp{Spell} under @samp{Edit}, the resource fits this template:
1175 Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.popup_*.@var{menu}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
1182 Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.popup_*.Spell.Check Message: @var{value}
1185 It's impossible to specify a resource for all the menu-bar items
1186 without also specifying it for the submenus as well. So if you want the
1187 submenu items to look different from the menu bar itself, you must ask
1188 for that in two steps. First, specify the resource for all of them;
1189 then, override the value for submenus alone. Here is an example:
1192 Emacs.pane.menubar.*.fontList: 8x16
1193 Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.fontList: 8x16
1197 For toolkit pop-up menus, use @samp{menu*} instead of
1198 @samp{pane.menubar}. For example, to specify the font @samp{8x16} for
1199 the pop-up menu items, write this:
1202 Emacs.menu*.fontList: 8x16
1208 Here is a list of the specific resources for menu bars and pop-up menus:
1212 The color to show in an armed button.
1221 Amount of space to leave around the item, within the border.
1223 The width of border around the menu item, on all sides.
1224 @item shadowThickness
1225 The width of the border shadow.
1226 @item bottomShadowColor
1227 The color for the border shadow, on the bottom and the right.
1228 @item topShadowColor
1229 The color for the border shadow, on the top and the left.