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