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