2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
5 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
6 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
7 @setfilename ../../info/display
8 @node Display, System Interface, Processes, Top
11 This chapter describes a number of features related to the display
12 that Emacs presents to the user.
15 * Refresh Screen:: Clearing the screen and redrawing everything on it.
16 * Forcing Redisplay:: Forcing redisplay.
17 * Truncation:: Folding or wrapping long text lines.
18 * The Echo Area:: Displaying messages at the bottom of the screen.
19 * Warnings:: Displaying warning messages for the user.
20 * Invisible Text:: Hiding part of the buffer text.
21 * Selective Display:: Hiding part of the buffer text (the old way).
22 * Temporary Displays:: Displays that go away automatically.
23 * Overlays:: Use overlays to highlight parts of the buffer.
24 * Width:: How wide a character or string is on the screen.
25 * Line Height:: Controlling the height of lines.
26 * Faces:: A face defines a graphics style for text characters:
28 * Fringes:: Controlling window fringes.
29 * Scroll Bars:: Controlling vertical scroll bars.
30 * Display Property:: Enabling special display features.
31 * Images:: Displaying images in Emacs buffers.
32 * Buttons:: Adding clickable buttons to Emacs buffers.
33 * Abstract Display:: Emacs' Widget for Object Collections.
34 * Blinking:: How Emacs shows the matching open parenthesis.
35 * Usual Display:: The usual conventions for displaying nonprinting chars.
36 * Display Tables:: How to specify other conventions.
37 * Beeping:: Audible signal to the user.
38 * Window Systems:: Which window system is being used.
42 @section Refreshing the Screen
44 The function @code{redraw-frame} clears and redisplays the entire
45 contents of a given frame (@pxref{Frames}). This is useful if the
49 @defun redraw-frame frame
50 This function clears and redisplays frame @var{frame}.
53 Even more powerful is @code{redraw-display}:
55 @deffn Command redraw-display
56 This function clears and redisplays all visible frames.
59 In Emacs, processing user input takes priority over redisplay. If
60 you call these functions when input is available, they don't redisplay
61 immediately, but the requested redisplay does happen
62 eventually---after all the input has been processed.
64 On text-only terminals, suspending and resuming Emacs normally also
65 refreshes the screen. Some terminal emulators record separate
66 contents for display-oriented programs such as Emacs and for ordinary
67 sequential display. If you are using such a terminal, you might want
68 to inhibit the redisplay on resumption.
70 @defopt no-redraw-on-reenter
71 @cindex suspend (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
72 @cindex resume (cf. @code{no-redraw-on-reenter})
73 This variable controls whether Emacs redraws the entire screen after it
74 has been suspended and resumed. Non-@code{nil} means there is no need
75 to redraw, @code{nil} means redrawing is needed. The default is @code{nil}.
78 @node Forcing Redisplay
79 @section Forcing Redisplay
80 @cindex forcing redisplay
82 Emacs normally tries to redisplay the screen whenever it waits for
83 input. With the following function, you can request an immediate
84 attempt to redisplay, in the middle of Lisp code, without actually
87 @defun redisplay &optional force
88 This function tries immediately to redisplay, provided there are no
91 If the optional argument @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, it does all
92 pending redisplay work even if input is available, with no
95 The function returns @code{t} if it actually tried to redisplay, and
96 @code{nil} otherwise. A value of @code{t} does not mean that
97 redisplay proceeded to completion; it could have been pre-empted by
98 newly arriving terminal input.
101 @code{redisplay} with no argument tries immediately to redisplay,
102 but has no effect on the usual rules for what parts of the screen to
103 redisplay. By contrast, the following function adds certain windows
104 to the pending redisplay work (as if their contents had completely
105 changed), but doesn't immediately try to do any redisplay work.
107 @defun force-window-update &optional object
108 This function forces some or all windows to be updated on next
109 redisplay. If @var{object} is a window, it requires eventual
110 redisplay of that window. If @var{object} is a buffer or buffer name,
111 it requires eventual redisplay of all windows displaying that buffer.
112 If @var{object} is @code{nil} (or omitted), it requires eventual
113 redisplay of all windows.
116 @code{force-window-update} does not do a redisplay immediately.
117 (Emacs will do that when it waits for input.) Rather, its effect is
118 to put more work on the queue to be done by redisplay whenever there
121 Emacs redisplay normally stops if input arrives, and does not happen
122 at all if input is available before it starts. Most of the time, this
123 is exactly what you want. However, you can prevent preemption by
124 binding @code{redisplay-dont-pause} to a non-@code{nil} value.
126 @defvar redisplay-dont-pause
127 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, pending input does not
128 prevent or halt redisplay; redisplay occurs, and finishes,
129 regardless of whether input is available.
132 @defvar redisplay-preemption-period
133 This variable specifies how many seconds Emacs waits between checks
134 for new input during redisplay. (The default is 0.1 seconds.) If
135 input has arrived when Emacs checks, it pre-empts redisplay and
136 processes the available input before trying again to redisplay.
138 If this variable is @code{nil}, Emacs does not check for input during
139 redisplay, and redisplay cannot be preempted by input.
141 This variable is only obeyed on graphical terminals. For
142 text terminals, see @ref{Terminal Output}.
147 @cindex line wrapping
148 @cindex line truncation
149 @cindex continuation lines
150 @cindex @samp{$} in display
151 @cindex @samp{\} in display
153 When a line of text extends beyond the right edge of a window, Emacs
154 can @dfn{continue} the line (make it ``wrap'' to the next screen
155 line), or @dfn{truncate} the line (limit it to one screen line). The
156 additional screen lines used to display a long text line are called
157 @dfn{continuation} lines. Continuation is not the same as filling;
158 continuation happens on the screen only, not in the buffer contents,
159 and it breaks a line precisely at the right margin, not at a word
160 boundary. @xref{Filling}.
162 On a graphical display, tiny arrow images in the window fringes
163 indicate truncated and continued lines (@pxref{Fringes}). On a text
164 terminal, a @samp{$} in the rightmost column of the window indicates
165 truncation; a @samp{\} on the rightmost column indicates a line that
166 ``wraps.'' (The display table can specify alternate characters to use
167 for this; @pxref{Display Tables}).
169 @defopt truncate-lines
170 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, lines that extend
171 beyond the right edge of the window are truncated; otherwise, they are
172 continued. As a special exception, the variable
173 @code{truncate-partial-width-windows} takes precedence in
174 @dfn{partial-width} windows (i.e., windows that do not occupy the
178 @defopt truncate-partial-width-windows
179 This variable controls line truncation in @dfn{partial-width} windows.
180 A partial-width window is one that does not occupy the entire frame
181 width (@pxref{Splitting Windows}). If the value is @code{nil}, line
182 truncation is determined by the variable @code{truncate-lines} (see
183 above). If the value is an integer @var{n}, lines are truncated if
184 the partial-width window has fewer than @var{n} columns, regardless of
185 the value of @code{truncate-lines}; if the partial-width window has
186 @var{n} or more columns, line truncation is determined by
187 @code{truncate-lines}. For any other non-@code{nil} value, lines are
188 truncated in every partial-width window, regardless of the value of
189 @code{truncate-lines}.
192 When horizontal scrolling (@pxref{Horizontal Scrolling}) is in use in
193 a window, that forces truncation.
196 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, it defines a
197 ``prefix'' that is prepended to every continuation line at
198 display-time. (If lines are truncated, the wrap-prefix is never
199 used.) It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph; the value is
200 interpreted in the same way as a @code{display} text property.
201 @xref{Display Property}.
203 A wrap-prefix may also be specified for regions of text, using the
204 @code{wrap-prefix} text or overlay property. This takes precedence
205 over the @code{wrap-prefix} variable. @xref{Special Properties}.
209 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, it defines a
210 ``prefix'' that is prepended to every non-continuation line at
211 display-time. It may be a string, an image, or a stretch-glyph; the
212 value is interpreted in the same way as a @code{display} text
213 property. @xref{Display Property}.
215 A line-prefix may also be specified for regions of text using the
216 @code{line-prefix} text or overlay property. This takes precedence
217 over the @code{line-prefix} variable. @xref{Special Properties}.
220 If your buffer contains @emph{very} long lines, and you use
221 continuation to display them, computing the continuation lines can
222 make Emacs redisplay slow. The column computation and indentation
223 functions also become slow. Then you might find it advisable to set
224 @code{cache-long-line-scans} to @code{t}.
226 @defvar cache-long-line-scans
227 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, various indentation and motion
228 functions, and Emacs redisplay, cache the results of scanning the
229 buffer, and consult the cache to avoid rescanning regions of the buffer
230 unless they are modified.
232 Turning on the cache slows down processing of short lines somewhat.
234 This variable is automatically buffer-local in every buffer.
238 @section The Echo Area
239 @cindex error display
242 The @dfn{echo area} is used for displaying error messages
243 (@pxref{Errors}), for messages made with the @code{message} primitive,
244 and for echoing keystrokes. It is not the same as the minibuffer,
245 despite the fact that the minibuffer appears (when active) in the same
246 place on the screen as the echo area. The @cite{GNU Emacs Manual}
247 specifies the rules for resolving conflicts between the echo area and
248 the minibuffer for use of that screen space (@pxref{Minibuffer,, The
249 Minibuffer, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
251 You can write output in the echo area by using the Lisp printing
252 functions with @code{t} as the stream (@pxref{Output Functions}), or
256 * Displaying Messages:: Explicitly displaying text in the echo area.
257 * Progress:: Informing user about progress of a long operation.
258 * Logging Messages:: Echo area messages are logged for the user.
259 * Echo Area Customization:: Controlling the echo area.
262 @node Displaying Messages
263 @subsection Displaying Messages in the Echo Area
264 @cindex display message in echo area
266 This section describes the functions for explicitly producing echo
267 area messages. Many other Emacs features display messages there, too.
269 @defun message format-string &rest arguments
270 This function displays a message in the echo area. The argument
271 @var{format-string} is similar to a C language @code{printf} format
272 string. See @code{format} in @ref{Formatting Strings}, for the details
273 on the conversion specifications. @code{message} returns the
276 In batch mode, @code{message} prints the message text on the standard
277 error stream, followed by a newline.
279 If @var{format-string}, or strings among the @var{arguments}, have
280 @code{face} text properties, these affect the way the message is displayed.
283 If @var{format-string} is @code{nil} or the empty string,
284 @code{message} clears the echo area; if the echo area has been
285 expanded automatically, this brings it back to its normal size.
286 If the minibuffer is active, this brings the minibuffer contents back
287 onto the screen immediately.
291 (message "Minibuffer depth is %d."
293 @print{} Minibuffer depth is 0.
294 @result{} "Minibuffer depth is 0."
298 ---------- Echo Area ----------
299 Minibuffer depth is 0.
300 ---------- Echo Area ----------
304 To automatically display a message in the echo area or in a pop-buffer,
305 depending on its size, use @code{display-message-or-buffer} (see below).
308 @defmac with-temp-message message &rest body
309 This construct displays a message in the echo area temporarily, during
310 the execution of @var{body}. It displays @var{message}, executes
311 @var{body}, then returns the value of the last body form while restoring
312 the previous echo area contents.
315 @defun message-or-box format-string &rest arguments
316 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but may display it
317 in a dialog box instead of the echo area. If this function is called in
318 a command that was invoked using the mouse---more precisely, if
319 @code{last-nonmenu-event} (@pxref{Command Loop Info}) is either
320 @code{nil} or a list---then it uses a dialog box or pop-up menu to
321 display the message. Otherwise, it uses the echo area. (This is the
322 same criterion that @code{y-or-n-p} uses to make a similar decision; see
323 @ref{Yes-or-No Queries}.)
325 You can force use of the mouse or of the echo area by binding
326 @code{last-nonmenu-event} to a suitable value around the call.
329 @defun message-box format-string &rest arguments
331 This function displays a message like @code{message}, but uses a dialog
332 box (or a pop-up menu) whenever that is possible. If it is impossible
333 to use a dialog box or pop-up menu, because the terminal does not
334 support them, then @code{message-box} uses the echo area, like
338 @defun display-message-or-buffer message &optional buffer-name not-this-window frame
339 This function displays the message @var{message}, which may be either a
340 string or a buffer. If it is shorter than the maximum height of the
341 echo area, as defined by @code{max-mini-window-height}, it is displayed
342 in the echo area, using @code{message}. Otherwise,
343 @code{display-buffer} is used to show it in a pop-up buffer.
345 Returns either the string shown in the echo area, or when a pop-up
346 buffer is used, the window used to display it.
348 If @var{message} is a string, then the optional argument
349 @var{buffer-name} is the name of the buffer used to display it when a
350 pop-up buffer is used, defaulting to @samp{*Message*}. In the case
351 where @var{message} is a string and displayed in the echo area, it is
352 not specified whether the contents are inserted into the buffer anyway.
354 The optional arguments @var{not-this-window} and @var{frame} are as for
355 @code{display-buffer}, and only used if a buffer is displayed.
358 @defun current-message
359 This function returns the message currently being displayed in the
360 echo area, or @code{nil} if there is none.
364 @subsection Reporting Operation Progress
365 @cindex progress reporting
367 When an operation can take a while to finish, you should inform the
368 user about the progress it makes. This way the user can estimate
369 remaining time and clearly see that Emacs is busy working, not hung.
371 Functions listed in this section provide simple and efficient way of
372 reporting operation progress. Here is a working example that does
376 (let ((progress-reporter
377 (make-progress-reporter "Collecting mana for Emacs..."
381 (progress-reporter-update progress-reporter k))
382 (progress-reporter-done progress-reporter))
385 @defun make-progress-reporter message min-value max-value &optional current-value min-change min-time
386 This function creates and returns a @dfn{progress reporter}---an
387 object you will use as an argument for all other functions listed
388 here. The idea is to precompute as much data as possible to make
389 progress reporting very fast.
391 When this progress reporter is subsequently used, it will display
392 @var{message} in the echo area, followed by progress percentage.
393 @var{message} is treated as a simple string. If you need it to depend
394 on a filename, for instance, use @code{format} before calling this
397 @var{min-value} and @var{max-value} arguments stand for starting and
398 final states of your operation. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
399 they should be the results of @code{point-min} and @code{point-max}
400 correspondingly. It is required that @var{max-value} is greater than
401 @var{min-value}. If you create progress reporter when some part of
402 the operation has already been completed, then specify
403 @var{current-value} argument. But normally you should omit it or set
404 it to @code{nil}---it will default to @var{min-value} then.
406 Remaining arguments control the rate of echo area updates. Progress
407 reporter will wait for at least @var{min-change} more percents of the
408 operation to be completed before printing next message.
409 @var{min-time} specifies the minimum time in seconds to pass between
410 successive prints. It can be fractional. Depending on Emacs and
411 system capabilities, progress reporter may or may not respect this
412 last argument or do it with varying precision. Default value for
413 @var{min-change} is 1 (one percent), for @var{min-time}---0.2
416 This function calls @code{progress-reporter-update}, so the first
417 message is printed immediately.
420 @defun progress-reporter-update reporter value
421 This function does the main work of reporting progress of your
422 operation. It displays the message of @var{reporter}, followed by
423 progress percentage determined by @var{value}. If percentage is zero,
424 or close enough according to the @var{min-change} and @var{min-time}
425 arguments, then it is omitted from the output.
427 @var{reporter} must be the result of a call to
428 @code{make-progress-reporter}. @var{value} specifies the current
429 state of your operation and must be between @var{min-value} and
430 @var{max-value} (inclusive) as passed to
431 @code{make-progress-reporter}. For instance, if you scan a buffer,
432 then @var{value} should be the result of a call to @code{point}.
434 This function respects @var{min-change} and @var{min-time} as passed
435 to @code{make-progress-reporter} and so does not output new messages
436 on every invocation. It is thus very fast and normally you should not
437 try to reduce the number of calls to it: resulting overhead will most
438 likely negate your effort.
441 @defun progress-reporter-force-update reporter value &optional new-message
442 This function is similar to @code{progress-reporter-update} except
443 that it prints a message in the echo area unconditionally.
445 The first two arguments have the same meaning as for
446 @code{progress-reporter-update}. Optional @var{new-message} allows
447 you to change the message of the @var{reporter}. Since this functions
448 always updates the echo area, such a change will be immediately
449 presented to the user.
452 @defun progress-reporter-done reporter
453 This function should be called when the operation is finished. It
454 prints the message of @var{reporter} followed by word ``done'' in the
457 You should always call this function and not hope for
458 @code{progress-reporter-update} to print ``100%.'' Firstly, it may
459 never print it, there are many good reasons for this not to happen.
460 Secondly, ``done'' is more explicit.
463 @defmac dotimes-with-progress-reporter (var count [result]) message body@dots{}
464 This is a convenience macro that works the same way as @code{dotimes}
465 does, but also reports loop progress using the functions described
466 above. It allows you to save some typing.
468 You can rewrite the example in the beginning of this node using
472 (dotimes-with-progress-reporter
474 "Collecting some mana for Emacs..."
479 @node Logging Messages
480 @subsection Logging Messages in @samp{*Messages*}
481 @cindex logging echo-area messages
483 Almost all the messages displayed in the echo area are also recorded
484 in the @samp{*Messages*} buffer so that the user can refer back to
485 them. This includes all the messages that are output with
488 @defopt message-log-max
489 This variable specifies how many lines to keep in the @samp{*Messages*}
490 buffer. The value @code{t} means there is no limit on how many lines to
491 keep. The value @code{nil} disables message logging entirely. Here's
492 how to display a message and prevent it from being logged:
495 (let (message-log-max)
500 To make @samp{*Messages*} more convenient for the user, the logging
501 facility combines successive identical messages. It also combines
502 successive related messages for the sake of two cases: question
503 followed by answer, and a series of progress messages.
505 A ``question followed by an answer'' means two messages like the
506 ones produced by @code{y-or-n-p}: the first is @samp{@var{question}},
507 and the second is @samp{@var{question}...@var{answer}}. The first
508 message conveys no additional information beyond what's in the second,
509 so logging the second message discards the first from the log.
511 A ``series of progress messages'' means successive messages like
512 those produced by @code{make-progress-reporter}. They have the form
513 @samp{@var{base}...@var{how-far}}, where @var{base} is the same each
514 time, while @var{how-far} varies. Logging each message in the series
515 discards the previous one, provided they are consecutive.
517 The functions @code{make-progress-reporter} and @code{y-or-n-p}
518 don't have to do anything special to activate the message log
519 combination feature. It operates whenever two consecutive messages
520 are logged that share a common prefix ending in @samp{...}.
522 @node Echo Area Customization
523 @subsection Echo Area Customization
525 These variables control details of how the echo area works.
527 @defvar cursor-in-echo-area
528 This variable controls where the cursor appears when a message is
529 displayed in the echo area. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the cursor
530 appears at the end of the message. Otherwise, the cursor appears at
531 point---not in the echo area at all.
533 The value is normally @code{nil}; Lisp programs bind it to @code{t}
534 for brief periods of time.
537 @defvar echo-area-clear-hook
538 This normal hook is run whenever the echo area is cleared---either by
539 @code{(message nil)} or for any other reason.
542 @defopt echo-keystrokes
543 This variable determines how much time should elapse before command
544 characters echo. Its value must be an integer or floating point number,
546 number of seconds to wait before echoing. If the user types a prefix
547 key (such as @kbd{C-x}) and then delays this many seconds before
548 continuing, the prefix key is echoed in the echo area. (Once echoing
549 begins in a key sequence, all subsequent characters in the same key
550 sequence are echoed immediately.)
552 If the value is zero, then command input is not echoed.
555 @defvar message-truncate-lines
556 Normally, displaying a long message resizes the echo area to display
557 the entire message. But if the variable @code{message-truncate-lines}
558 is non-@code{nil}, the echo area does not resize, and the message is
559 truncated to fit it, as in Emacs 20 and before.
562 The variable @code{max-mini-window-height}, which specifies the
563 maximum height for resizing minibuffer windows, also applies to the
564 echo area (which is really a special use of the minibuffer window.
565 @xref{Minibuffer Misc}.).
568 @section Reporting Warnings
571 @dfn{Warnings} are a facility for a program to inform the user of a
572 possible problem, but continue running.
575 * Warning Basics:: Warnings concepts and functions to report them.
576 * Warning Variables:: Variables programs bind to customize their warnings.
577 * Warning Options:: Variables users set to control display of warnings.
581 @subsection Warning Basics
582 @cindex severity level
584 Every warning has a textual message, which explains the problem for
585 the user, and a @dfn{severity level} which is a symbol. Here are the
586 possible severity levels, in order of decreasing severity, and their
591 A problem that will seriously impair Emacs operation soon
592 if you do not attend to it promptly.
594 A report of data or circumstances that are inherently wrong.
596 A report of data or circumstances that are not inherently wrong, but
597 raise suspicion of a possible problem.
599 A report of information that may be useful if you are debugging.
602 When your program encounters invalid input data, it can either
603 signal a Lisp error by calling @code{error} or @code{signal} or report
604 a warning with severity @code{:error}. Signaling a Lisp error is the
605 easiest thing to do, but it means the program cannot continue
606 processing. If you want to take the trouble to implement a way to
607 continue processing despite the bad data, then reporting a warning of
608 severity @code{:error} is the right way to inform the user of the
609 problem. For instance, the Emacs Lisp byte compiler can report an
610 error that way and continue compiling other functions. (If the
611 program signals a Lisp error and then handles it with
612 @code{condition-case}, the user won't see the error message; it could
613 show the message to the user by reporting it as a warning.)
616 Each warning has a @dfn{warning type} to classify it. The type is a
617 list of symbols. The first symbol should be the custom group that you
618 use for the program's user options. For example, byte compiler
619 warnings use the warning type @code{(bytecomp)}. You can also
620 subcategorize the warnings, if you wish, by using more symbols in the
623 @defun display-warning type message &optional level buffer-name
624 This function reports a warning, using @var{message} as the message
625 and @var{type} as the warning type. @var{level} should be the
626 severity level, with @code{:warning} being the default.
628 @var{buffer-name}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the name of the buffer
629 for logging the warning. By default, it is @samp{*Warnings*}.
632 @defun lwarn type level message &rest args
633 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
634 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message. In other respects it is
635 equivalent to @code{display-warning}.
638 @defun warn message &rest args
639 This function reports a warning using the value of @code{(format
640 @var{message} @var{args}...)} as the message, @code{(emacs)} as the
641 type, and @code{:warning} as the severity level. It exists for
642 compatibility only; we recommend not using it, because you should
643 specify a specific warning type.
646 @node Warning Variables
647 @subsection Warning Variables
649 Programs can customize how their warnings appear by binding
650 the variables described in this section.
652 @defvar warning-levels
653 This list defines the meaning and severity order of the warning
654 severity levels. Each element defines one severity level,
655 and they are arranged in order of decreasing severity.
657 Each element has the form @code{(@var{level} @var{string}
658 @var{function})}, where @var{level} is the severity level it defines.
659 @var{string} specifies the textual description of this level.
660 @var{string} should use @samp{%s} to specify where to put the warning
661 type information, or it can omit the @samp{%s} so as not to include
664 The optional @var{function}, if non-@code{nil}, is a function to call
665 with no arguments, to get the user's attention.
667 Normally you should not change the value of this variable.
670 @defvar warning-prefix-function
671 If non-@code{nil}, the value is a function to generate prefix text for
672 warnings. Programs can bind the variable to a suitable function.
673 @code{display-warning} calls this function with the warnings buffer
674 current, and the function can insert text in it. That text becomes
675 the beginning of the warning message.
677 The function is called with two arguments, the severity level and its
678 entry in @code{warning-levels}. It should return a list to use as the
679 entry (this value need not be an actual member of
680 @code{warning-levels}). By constructing this value, the function can
681 change the severity of the warning, or specify different handling for
682 a given severity level.
684 If the variable's value is @code{nil} then there is no function
688 @defvar warning-series
689 Programs can bind this variable to @code{t} to say that the next
690 warning should begin a series. When several warnings form a series,
691 that means to leave point on the first warning of the series, rather
692 than keep moving it for each warning so that it appears on the last one.
693 The series ends when the local binding is unbound and
694 @code{warning-series} becomes @code{nil} again.
696 The value can also be a symbol with a function definition. That is
697 equivalent to @code{t}, except that the next warning will also call
698 the function with no arguments with the warnings buffer current. The
699 function can insert text which will serve as a header for the series
702 Once a series has begun, the value is a marker which points to the
703 buffer position in the warnings buffer of the start of the series.
705 The variable's normal value is @code{nil}, which means to handle
706 each warning separately.
709 @defvar warning-fill-prefix
710 When this variable is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a fill prefix to
711 use for filling each warning's text.
714 @defvar warning-type-format
715 This variable specifies the format for displaying the warning type
716 in the warning message. The result of formatting the type this way
717 gets included in the message under the control of the string in the
718 entry in @code{warning-levels}. The default value is @code{" (%s)"}.
719 If you bind it to @code{""} then the warning type won't appear at
723 @node Warning Options
724 @subsection Warning Options
726 These variables are used by users to control what happens
727 when a Lisp program reports a warning.
729 @defopt warning-minimum-level
730 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
731 shown immediately to the user. The default is @code{:warning}, which
732 means to immediately display all warnings except @code{:debug}
736 @defopt warning-minimum-log-level
737 This user option specifies the minimum severity level that should be
738 logged in the warnings buffer. The default is @code{:warning}, which
739 means to log all warnings except @code{:debug} warnings.
742 @defopt warning-suppress-types
743 This list specifies which warning types should not be displayed
744 immediately for the user. Each element of the list should be a list
745 of symbols. If its elements match the first elements in a warning
746 type, then that warning is not displayed immediately.
749 @defopt warning-suppress-log-types
750 This list specifies which warning types should not be logged in the
751 warnings buffer. Each element of the list should be a list of
752 symbols. If it matches the first few elements in a warning type, then
753 that warning is not logged.
757 @section Invisible Text
759 @cindex invisible text
760 You can make characters @dfn{invisible}, so that they do not appear on
761 the screen, with the @code{invisible} property. This can be either a
762 text property (@pxref{Text Properties}) or a property of an overlay
763 (@pxref{Overlays}). Cursor motion also partly ignores these
764 characters; if the command loop finds point within them, it moves
765 point to the other side of them.
767 In the simplest case, any non-@code{nil} @code{invisible} property makes
768 a character invisible. This is the default case---if you don't alter
769 the default value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}, this is how the
770 @code{invisible} property works. You should normally use @code{t}
771 as the value of the @code{invisible} property if you don't plan
772 to set @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} yourself.
774 More generally, you can use the variable @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
775 to control which values of the @code{invisible} property make text
776 invisible. This permits you to classify the text into different subsets
777 in advance, by giving them different @code{invisible} values, and
778 subsequently make various subsets visible or invisible by changing the
779 value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}.
781 Controlling visibility with @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is
782 especially useful in a program to display the list of entries in a
783 database. It permits the implementation of convenient filtering
784 commands to view just a part of the entries in the database. Setting
785 this variable is very fast, much faster than scanning all the text in
786 the buffer looking for properties to change.
788 @defvar buffer-invisibility-spec
789 This variable specifies which kinds of @code{invisible} properties
790 actually make a character invisible. Setting this variable makes it
795 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property is
796 non-@code{nil}. This is the default.
799 Each element of the list specifies a criterion for invisibility; if a
800 character's @code{invisible} property fits any one of these criteria,
801 the character is invisible. The list can have two kinds of elements:
805 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value
806 is @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member.
808 @item (@var{atom} . t)
809 A character is invisible if its @code{invisible} property value is
810 @var{atom} or if it is a list with @var{atom} as a member. Moreover,
811 a sequence of such characters displays as an ellipsis.
816 Two functions are specifically provided for adding elements to
817 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and removing elements from it.
819 @defun add-to-invisibility-spec element
820 This function adds the element @var{element} to
821 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. If @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}
822 was @code{t}, it changes to a list, @code{(t)}, so that text whose
823 @code{invisible} property is @code{t} remains invisible.
826 @defun remove-from-invisibility-spec element
827 This removes the element @var{element} from
828 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}. This does nothing if @var{element}
832 A convention for use of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} is that a
833 major mode should use the mode's own name as an element of
834 @code{buffer-invisibility-spec} and as the value of the
835 @code{invisible} property:
838 ;; @r{If you want to display an ellipsis:}
839 (add-to-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
840 ;; @r{If you don't want ellipsis:}
841 (add-to-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
843 (overlay-put (make-overlay beginning end)
844 'invisible 'my-symbol)
846 ;; @r{When done with the overlays:}
847 (remove-from-invisibility-spec '(my-symbol . t))
848 ;; @r{Or respectively:}
849 (remove-from-invisibility-spec 'my-symbol)
852 You can check for invisibility using the following function:
854 @defun invisible-p pos-or-prop
855 If @var{pos-or-prop} is a marker or number, this function returns a
856 non-@code{nil} value if the text at that position is invisible.
858 If @var{pos-or-prop} is any other kind of Lisp object, that is taken
859 to mean a possible value of the @code{invisible} text or overlay
860 property. In that case, this function returns a non-@code{nil} value
861 if that value would cause text to become invisible, based on the
862 current value of @code{buffer-invisibility-spec}.
865 @vindex line-move-ignore-invisible
866 Ordinarily, functions that operate on text or move point do not care
867 whether the text is invisible. The user-level line motion commands
868 ignore invisible newlines if @code{line-move-ignore-invisible} is
869 non-@code{nil} (the default), but only because they are explicitly
872 However, if a command ends with point inside or immediately before
873 invisible text, the main editing loop moves point further forward or
874 further backward (in the same direction that the command already moved
875 it) until that condition is no longer true. Thus, if the command
876 moved point back into an invisible range, Emacs moves point back to
877 the beginning of that range, and then back one more character. If the
878 command moved point forward into an invisible range, Emacs moves point
879 forward up to the first visible character that follows the invisible
882 Incremental search can make invisible overlays visible temporarily
883 and/or permanently when a match includes invisible text. To enable
884 this, the overlay should have a non-@code{nil}
885 @code{isearch-open-invisible} property. The property value should be a
886 function to be called with the overlay as an argument. This function
887 should make the overlay visible permanently; it is used when the match
888 overlaps the overlay on exit from the search.
890 During the search, such overlays are made temporarily visible by
891 temporarily modifying their invisible and intangible properties. If you
892 want this to be done differently for a certain overlay, give it an
893 @code{isearch-open-invisible-temporary} property which is a function.
894 The function is called with two arguments: the first is the overlay, and
895 the second is @code{nil} to make the overlay visible, or @code{t} to
896 make it invisible again.
898 @node Selective Display
899 @section Selective Display
900 @c @cindex selective display Duplicates selective-display
902 @dfn{Selective display} refers to a pair of related features for
903 hiding certain lines on the screen.
905 The first variant, explicit selective display, is designed for use
906 in a Lisp program: it controls which lines are hidden by altering the
907 text. This kind of hiding in some ways resembles the effect of the
908 @code{invisible} property (@pxref{Invisible Text}), but the two
909 features are different and do not work the same way.
911 In the second variant, the choice of lines to hide is made
912 automatically based on indentation. This variant is designed to be a
915 The way you control explicit selective display is by replacing a
916 newline (control-j) with a carriage return (control-m). The text that
917 was formerly a line following that newline is now hidden. Strictly
918 speaking, it is temporarily no longer a line at all, since only
919 newlines can separate lines; it is now part of the previous line.
921 Selective display does not directly affect editing commands. For
922 example, @kbd{C-f} (@code{forward-char}) moves point unhesitatingly
923 into hidden text. However, the replacement of newline characters with
924 carriage return characters affects some editing commands. For
925 example, @code{next-line} skips hidden lines, since it searches only
926 for newlines. Modes that use selective display can also define
927 commands that take account of the newlines, or that control which
928 parts of the text are hidden.
930 When you write a selectively displayed buffer into a file, all the
931 control-m's are output as newlines. This means that when you next read
932 in the file, it looks OK, with nothing hidden. The selective display
933 effect is seen only within Emacs.
935 @defvar selective-display
936 This buffer-local variable enables selective display. This means that
937 lines, or portions of lines, may be made hidden.
941 If the value of @code{selective-display} is @code{t}, then the character
942 control-m marks the start of hidden text; the control-m, and the rest
943 of the line following it, are not displayed. This is explicit selective
947 If the value of @code{selective-display} is a positive integer, then
948 lines that start with more than that many columns of indentation are not
952 When some portion of a buffer is hidden, the vertical movement
953 commands operate as if that portion did not exist, allowing a single
954 @code{next-line} command to skip any number of hidden lines.
955 However, character movement commands (such as @code{forward-char}) do
956 not skip the hidden portion, and it is possible (if tricky) to insert
957 or delete text in an hidden portion.
959 In the examples below, we show the @emph{display appearance} of the
960 buffer @code{foo}, which changes with the value of
961 @code{selective-display}. The @emph{contents} of the buffer do not
966 (setq selective-display nil)
969 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
976 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
980 (setq selective-display 2)
983 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
988 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
993 @defopt selective-display-ellipses
994 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays
995 @samp{@dots{}} at the end of a line that is followed by hidden text.
996 This example is a continuation of the previous one.
1000 (setq selective-display-ellipses t)
1003 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1008 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1012 You can use a display table to substitute other text for the ellipsis
1013 (@samp{@dots{}}). @xref{Display Tables}.
1016 @node Temporary Displays
1017 @section Temporary Displays
1019 Temporary displays are used by Lisp programs to put output into a
1020 buffer and then present it to the user for perusal rather than for
1021 editing. Many help commands use this feature.
1023 @defspec with-output-to-temp-buffer buffer-name forms@dots{}
1024 This function executes @var{forms} while arranging to insert any output
1025 they print into the buffer named @var{buffer-name}, which is first
1026 created if necessary, and put into Help mode. Finally, the buffer is
1027 displayed in some window, but not selected.
1029 If the @var{forms} do not change the major mode in the output buffer,
1030 so that it is still Help mode at the end of their execution, then
1031 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} makes this buffer read-only at the
1032 end, and also scans it for function and variable names to make them
1033 into clickable cross-references. @xref{Docstring hyperlinks, , Tips
1034 for Documentation Strings}, in particular the item on hyperlinks in
1035 documentation strings, for more details.
1037 The string @var{buffer-name} specifies the temporary buffer, which
1038 need not already exist. The argument must be a string, not a buffer.
1039 The buffer is erased initially (with no questions asked), and it is
1040 marked as unmodified after @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} exits.
1042 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} binds @code{standard-output} to the
1043 temporary buffer, then it evaluates the forms in @var{forms}. Output
1044 using the Lisp output functions within @var{forms} goes by default to
1045 that buffer (but screen display and messages in the echo area, although
1046 they are ``output'' in the general sense of the word, are not affected).
1047 @xref{Output Functions}.
1049 Several hooks are available for customizing the behavior
1050 of this construct; they are listed below.
1052 The value of the last form in @var{forms} is returned.
1056 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1057 This is the contents of foo.
1058 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1062 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "foo"
1064 (print standard-output))
1065 @result{} #<buffer foo>
1067 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1072 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1077 @defopt temp-buffer-show-function
1078 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer}
1079 calls it as a function to do the job of displaying a help buffer. The
1080 function gets one argument, which is the buffer it should display.
1082 It is a good idea for this function to run @code{temp-buffer-show-hook}
1083 just as @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} normally would, inside of
1084 @code{save-selected-window} and with the chosen window and buffer
1088 @defvar temp-buffer-setup-hook
1089 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} before
1090 evaluating @var{body}. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer is
1091 current. This hook is normally set up with a function to put the
1092 buffer in Help mode.
1095 @defvar temp-buffer-show-hook
1096 This normal hook is run by @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} after
1097 displaying the temporary buffer. When the hook runs, the temporary buffer
1098 is current, and the window it was displayed in is selected.
1101 @defun momentary-string-display string position &optional char message
1102 This function momentarily displays @var{string} in the current buffer at
1103 @var{position}. It has no effect on the undo list or on the buffer's
1104 modification status.
1106 The momentary display remains until the next input event. If the next
1107 input event is @var{char}, @code{momentary-string-display} ignores it
1108 and returns. Otherwise, that event remains buffered for subsequent use
1109 as input. Thus, typing @var{char} will simply remove the string from
1110 the display, while typing (say) @kbd{C-f} will remove the string from
1111 the display and later (presumably) move point forward. The argument
1112 @var{char} is a space by default.
1114 The return value of @code{momentary-string-display} is not meaningful.
1116 If the string @var{string} does not contain control characters, you can
1117 do the same job in a more general way by creating (and then subsequently
1118 deleting) an overlay with a @code{before-string} property.
1119 @xref{Overlay Properties}.
1121 If @var{message} is non-@code{nil}, it is displayed in the echo area
1122 while @var{string} is displayed in the buffer. If it is @code{nil}, a
1123 default message says to type @var{char} to continue.
1125 In this example, point is initially located at the beginning of the
1130 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1131 This is the contents of foo.
1132 @point{}Second line.
1133 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1137 (momentary-string-display
1138 "**** Important Message! ****"
1140 "Type RET when done reading")
1145 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1146 This is the contents of foo.
1147 **** Important Message! ****Second line.
1148 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
1150 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1151 Type RET when done reading
1152 ---------- Echo Area ----------
1161 You can use @dfn{overlays} to alter the appearance of a buffer's text on
1162 the screen, for the sake of presentation features. An overlay is an
1163 object that belongs to a particular buffer, and has a specified
1164 beginning and end. It also has properties that you can examine and set;
1165 these affect the display of the text within the overlay.
1167 @cindex scalability of overlays
1168 The visual effect of an overlay is the same as of the corresponding
1169 text property (@pxref{Text Properties}). However, due to a different
1170 implementation, overlays generally don't scale well (many operations
1171 take a time that is proportional to the number of overlays in the
1172 buffer). If you need to affect the visual appearance of many portions
1173 in the buffer, we recommend using text properties.
1175 An overlay uses markers to record its beginning and end; thus,
1176 editing the text of the buffer adjusts the beginning and end of each
1177 overlay so that it stays with the text. When you create the overlay,
1178 you can specify whether text inserted at the beginning should be
1179 inside the overlay or outside, and likewise for the end of the overlay.
1182 * Managing Overlays:: Creating and moving overlays.
1183 * Overlay Properties:: How to read and set properties.
1184 What properties do to the screen display.
1185 * Finding Overlays:: Searching for overlays.
1188 @node Managing Overlays
1189 @subsection Managing Overlays
1191 This section describes the functions to create, delete and move
1192 overlays, and to examine their contents. Overlay changes are not
1193 recorded in the buffer's undo list, since the overlays are not
1194 part of the buffer's contents.
1196 @defun overlayp object
1197 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is an overlay.
1200 @defun make-overlay start end &optional buffer front-advance rear-advance
1201 This function creates and returns an overlay that belongs to
1202 @var{buffer} and ranges from @var{start} to @var{end}. Both @var{start}
1203 and @var{end} must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or
1204 markers. If @var{buffer} is omitted, the overlay is created in the
1207 The arguments @var{front-advance} and @var{rear-advance} specify the
1208 marker insertion type for the start of the overlay and for the end of
1209 the overlay, respectively. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}. If they
1210 are both @code{nil}, the default, then the overlay extends to include
1211 any text inserted at the beginning, but not text inserted at the end.
1212 If @var{front-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the
1213 beginning of the overlay is excluded from the overlay. If
1214 @var{rear-advance} is non-@code{nil}, text inserted at the end of the
1215 overlay is included in the overlay.
1218 @defun overlay-start overlay
1219 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} starts,
1223 @defun overlay-end overlay
1224 This function returns the position at which @var{overlay} ends,
1228 @defun overlay-buffer overlay
1229 This function returns the buffer that @var{overlay} belongs to. It
1230 returns @code{nil} if @var{overlay} has been deleted.
1233 @defun delete-overlay overlay
1234 This function deletes @var{overlay}. The overlay continues to exist as
1235 a Lisp object, and its property list is unchanged, but it ceases to be
1236 attached to the buffer it belonged to, and ceases to have any effect on
1239 A deleted overlay is not permanently disconnected. You can give it a
1240 position in a buffer again by calling @code{move-overlay}.
1243 @defun move-overlay overlay start end &optional buffer
1244 This function moves @var{overlay} to @var{buffer}, and places its bounds
1245 at @var{start} and @var{end}. Both arguments @var{start} and @var{end}
1246 must specify buffer positions; they may be integers or markers.
1248 If @var{buffer} is omitted, @var{overlay} stays in the same buffer it
1249 was already associated with; if @var{overlay} was deleted, it goes into
1252 The return value is @var{overlay}.
1254 This is the only valid way to change the endpoints of an overlay. Do
1255 not try modifying the markers in the overlay by hand, as that fails to
1256 update other vital data structures and can cause some overlays to be
1260 @defun remove-overlays &optional start end name value
1261 This function removes all the overlays between @var{start} and
1262 @var{end} whose property @var{name} has the value @var{value}. It can
1263 move the endpoints of the overlays in the region, or split them.
1265 If @var{name} is omitted or @code{nil}, it means to delete all overlays in
1266 the specified region. If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are omitted or
1267 @code{nil}, that means the beginning and end of the buffer respectively.
1268 Therefore, @code{(remove-overlays)} removes all the overlays in the
1272 @defun copy-overlay overlay
1273 This function returns a copy of @var{overlay}. The copy has the same
1274 endpoints and properties as @var{overlay}. However, the marker
1275 insertion type for the start of the overlay and for the end of the
1276 overlay are set to their default values (@pxref{Marker Insertion
1280 Here are some examples:
1283 ;; @r{Create an overlay.}
1284 (setq foo (make-overlay 1 10))
1285 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 10 in display.texi>
1290 (overlay-buffer foo)
1291 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1292 ;; @r{Give it a property we can check later.}
1293 (overlay-put foo 'happy t)
1295 ;; @r{Verify the property is present.}
1296 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1298 ;; @r{Move the overlay.}
1299 (move-overlay foo 5 20)
1300 @result{} #<overlay from 5 to 20 in display.texi>
1305 ;; @r{Delete the overlay.}
1306 (delete-overlay foo)
1308 ;; @r{Verify it is deleted.}
1310 @result{} #<overlay in no buffer>
1311 ;; @r{A deleted overlay has no position.}
1316 (overlay-buffer foo)
1318 ;; @r{Undelete the overlay.}
1319 (move-overlay foo 1 20)
1320 @result{} #<overlay from 1 to 20 in display.texi>
1321 ;; @r{Verify the results.}
1326 (overlay-buffer foo)
1327 @result{} #<buffer display.texi>
1328 ;; @r{Moving and deleting the overlay does not change its properties.}
1329 (overlay-get foo 'happy)
1333 Emacs stores the overlays of each buffer in two lists, divided
1334 around an arbitrary ``center position.'' One list extends backwards
1335 through the buffer from that center position, and the other extends
1336 forwards from that center position. The center position can be anywhere
1339 @defun overlay-recenter pos
1340 This function recenters the overlays of the current buffer around
1341 position @var{pos}. That makes overlay lookup faster for positions
1342 near @var{pos}, but slower for positions far away from @var{pos}.
1345 A loop that scans the buffer forwards, creating overlays, can run
1346 faster if you do @code{(overlay-recenter (point-max))} first.
1348 @node Overlay Properties
1349 @subsection Overlay Properties
1351 Overlay properties are like text properties in that the properties that
1352 alter how a character is displayed can come from either source. But in
1353 most respects they are different. @xref{Text Properties}, for comparison.
1355 Text properties are considered a part of the text; overlays and
1356 their properties are specifically considered not to be part of the
1357 text. Thus, copying text between various buffers and strings
1358 preserves text properties, but does not try to preserve overlays.
1359 Changing a buffer's text properties marks the buffer as modified,
1360 while moving an overlay or changing its properties does not. Unlike
1361 text property changes, overlay property changes are not recorded in
1362 the buffer's undo list.
1364 Since more than one overlay can specify a property value for the
1365 same character, Emacs lets you specify a priority value of each
1366 overlay. You should not make assumptions about which overlay will
1367 prevail when there is a conflict and they have the same priority.
1369 These functions read and set the properties of an overlay:
1371 @defun overlay-get overlay prop
1372 This function returns the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1373 @var{overlay}, if any. If @var{overlay} does not record any value for
1374 that property, but it does have a @code{category} property which is a
1375 symbol, that symbol's @var{prop} property is used. Otherwise, the value
1379 @defun overlay-put overlay prop value
1380 This function sets the value of property @var{prop} recorded in
1381 @var{overlay} to @var{value}. It returns @var{value}.
1384 @defun overlay-properties overlay
1385 This returns a copy of the property list of @var{overlay}.
1388 See also the function @code{get-char-property} which checks both
1389 overlay properties and text properties for a given character.
1390 @xref{Examining Properties}.
1392 Many overlay properties have special meanings; here is a table
1397 @kindex priority @r{(overlay property)}
1398 This property's value (which should be a nonnegative integer number)
1399 determines the priority of the overlay. No priority, or @code{nil},
1402 The priority matters when two or more overlays cover the same
1403 character and both specify the same property; the one whose
1404 @code{priority} value is larger overrides the other. For the
1405 @code{face} property, the higher priority overlay's value does not
1406 completely override the other value; instead, its face attributes
1407 override the face attributes of the lower priority @code{face}
1410 Currently, all overlays take priority over text properties. Please
1411 avoid using negative priority values, as we have not yet decided just
1412 what they should mean.
1415 @kindex window @r{(overlay property)}
1416 If the @code{window} property is non-@code{nil}, then the overlay
1417 applies only on that window.
1420 @kindex category @r{(overlay property)}
1421 If an overlay has a @code{category} property, we call it the
1422 @dfn{category} of the overlay. It should be a symbol. The properties
1423 of the symbol serve as defaults for the properties of the overlay.
1426 @kindex face @r{(overlay property)}
1427 This property controls the way text is displayed---for example, which
1428 font and which colors. @xref{Faces}, for more information.
1430 In the simplest case, the value is a face name. It can also be a list;
1431 then each element can be any of these possibilities:
1435 A face name (a symbol or string).
1438 A property list of face attributes. This has the form (@var{keyword}
1439 @var{value} @dots{}), where each @var{keyword} is a face attribute
1440 name and @var{value} is a meaningful value for that attribute. With
1441 this feature, you do not need to create a face each time you want to
1442 specify a particular attribute for certain text. @xref{Face
1446 A cons cell, either of the form @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} or
1447 @code{(background-color . @var{color-name})}. These elements specify
1448 just the foreground color or just the background color.
1450 @code{(foreground-color . @var{color-name})} has the same effect as
1451 @code{(:foreground @var{color-name})}; likewise for the background.
1455 @kindex mouse-face @r{(overlay property)}
1456 This property is used instead of @code{face} when the mouse is within
1457 the range of the overlay.
1460 @kindex display @r{(overlay property)}
1461 This property activates various features that change the
1462 way text is displayed. For example, it can make text appear taller
1463 or shorter, higher or lower, wider or narrower, or replaced with an image.
1464 @xref{Display Property}.
1467 @kindex help-echo @r{(overlay property)}
1468 If an overlay has a @code{help-echo} property, then when you move the
1469 mouse onto the text in the overlay, Emacs displays a help string in the
1470 echo area, or in the tooltip window. For details see @ref{Text
1473 @item modification-hooks
1474 @kindex modification-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1475 This property's value is a list of functions to be called if any
1476 character within the overlay is changed or if text is inserted strictly
1479 The hook functions are called both before and after each change.
1480 If the functions save the information they receive, and compare notes
1481 between calls, they can determine exactly what change has been made
1484 When called before a change, each function receives four arguments: the
1485 overlay, @code{nil}, and the beginning and end of the text range to be
1488 When called after a change, each function receives five arguments: the
1489 overlay, @code{t}, the beginning and end of the text range just
1490 modified, and the length of the pre-change text replaced by that range.
1491 (For an insertion, the pre-change length is zero; for a deletion, that
1492 length is the number of characters deleted, and the post-change
1493 beginning and end are equal.)
1495 If these functions modify the buffer, they should bind
1496 @code{inhibit-modification-hooks} to @code{t} around doing so, to
1497 avoid confusing the internal mechanism that calls these hooks.
1499 Text properties also support the @code{modification-hooks} property,
1500 but the details are somewhat different (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1502 @item insert-in-front-hooks
1503 @kindex insert-in-front-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1504 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1505 after inserting text right at the beginning of the overlay. The calling
1506 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1508 @item insert-behind-hooks
1509 @kindex insert-behind-hooks @r{(overlay property)}
1510 This property's value is a list of functions to be called before and
1511 after inserting text right at the end of the overlay. The calling
1512 conventions are the same as for the @code{modification-hooks} functions.
1515 @kindex invisible @r{(overlay property)}
1516 The @code{invisible} property can make the text in the overlay
1517 invisible, which means that it does not appear on the screen.
1518 @xref{Invisible Text}, for details.
1521 @kindex intangible @r{(overlay property)}
1522 The @code{intangible} property on an overlay works just like the
1523 @code{intangible} text property. @xref{Special Properties}, for details.
1525 @item isearch-open-invisible
1526 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1527 visible, permanently, if the final match overlaps it. @xref{Invisible
1530 @item isearch-open-invisible-temporary
1531 This property tells incremental search how to make an invisible overlay
1532 visible, temporarily, during the search. @xref{Invisible Text}.
1535 @kindex before-string @r{(overlay property)}
1536 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the beginning
1537 of the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1538 sense---only on the screen.
1541 @kindex after-string @r{(overlay property)}
1542 This property's value is a string to add to the display at the end of
1543 the overlay. The string does not appear in the buffer in any
1544 sense---only on the screen.
1547 This property specifies a display spec to prepend to each
1548 non-continuation line at display-time. @xref{Truncation}.
1551 This property specifies a display spec to prepend to each continuation
1552 line at display-time. @xref{Truncation}.
1555 @kindex evaporate @r{(overlay property)}
1556 If this property is non-@code{nil}, the overlay is deleted automatically
1557 if it becomes empty (i.e., if its length becomes zero). If you give
1558 an empty overlay a non-@code{nil} @code{evaporate} property, that deletes
1562 @cindex keymap of character (and overlays)
1563 @kindex local-map @r{(overlay property)}
1564 If this property is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a keymap for a portion
1565 of the text. The property's value replaces the buffer's local map, when
1566 the character after point is within the overlay. @xref{Active Keymaps}.
1569 @kindex keymap @r{(overlay property)}
1570 The @code{keymap} property is similar to @code{local-map} but overrides the
1571 buffer's local map (and the map specified by the @code{local-map}
1572 property) rather than replacing it.
1575 The @code{local-map} and @code{keymap} properties do not affect a
1576 string displayed by the @code{before-string}, @code{after-string}, or
1577 @code{display} properties. This is only relevant for mouse clicks and
1578 other mouse events that fall on the string, since point is never on
1579 the string. To bind special mouse events for the string, assign it a
1580 @code{local-map} or @code{keymap} text property. @xref{Special
1583 @node Finding Overlays
1584 @subsection Searching for Overlays
1586 @defun overlays-at pos
1587 This function returns a list of all the overlays that cover the
1588 character at position @var{pos} in the current buffer. The list is in
1589 no particular order. An overlay contains position @var{pos} if it
1590 begins at or before @var{pos}, and ends after @var{pos}.
1592 To illustrate usage, here is a Lisp function that returns a list of the
1593 overlays that specify property @var{prop} for the character at point:
1596 (defun find-overlays-specifying (prop)
1597 (let ((overlays (overlays-at (point)))
1600 (let ((overlay (car overlays)))
1601 (if (overlay-get overlay prop)
1602 (setq found (cons overlay found))))
1603 (setq overlays (cdr overlays)))
1608 @defun overlays-in beg end
1609 This function returns a list of the overlays that overlap the region
1610 @var{beg} through @var{end}. ``Overlap'' means that at least one
1611 character is contained within the overlay and also contained within the
1612 specified region; however, empty overlays are included in the result if
1613 they are located at @var{beg}, strictly between @var{beg} and @var{end},
1614 or at @var{end} when @var{end} denotes the position at the end of the
1618 @defun next-overlay-change pos
1619 This function returns the buffer position of the next beginning or end
1620 of an overlay, after @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1624 @defun previous-overlay-change pos
1625 This function returns the buffer position of the previous beginning or
1626 end of an overlay, before @var{pos}. If there is none, it returns
1630 As an example, here's a simplified (and inefficient) version of the
1631 primitive function @code{next-single-char-property-change}
1632 (@pxref{Property Search}). It searches forward from position
1633 @var{pos} for the next position where the value of a given property
1634 @code{prop}, as obtained from either overlays or text properties,
1638 (defun next-single-char-property-change (position prop)
1640 (goto-char position)
1641 (let ((propval (get-char-property (point) prop)))
1642 (while (and (not (eobp))
1643 (eq (get-char-property (point) prop) propval))
1644 (goto-char (min (next-overlay-change (point))
1645 (next-single-property-change (point) prop)))))
1652 Since not all characters have the same width, these functions let you
1653 check the width of a character. @xref{Primitive Indent}, and
1654 @ref{Screen Lines}, for related functions.
1656 @defun char-width char
1657 This function returns the width in columns of the character @var{char},
1658 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1661 @defun string-width string
1662 This function returns the width in columns of the string @var{string},
1663 if it were displayed in the current buffer and the selected window.
1666 @defun truncate-string-to-width string width &optional start-column padding ellipsis
1667 This function returns the part of @var{string} that fits within
1668 @var{width} columns, as a new string.
1670 If @var{string} does not reach @var{width}, then the result ends where
1671 @var{string} ends. If one multi-column character in @var{string}
1672 extends across the column @var{width}, that character is not included in
1673 the result. Thus, the result can fall short of @var{width} but cannot
1676 The optional argument @var{start-column} specifies the starting column.
1677 If this is non-@code{nil}, then the first @var{start-column} columns of
1678 the string are omitted from the value. If one multi-column character in
1679 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}, that
1680 character is not included.
1682 The optional argument @var{padding}, if non-@code{nil}, is a padding
1683 character added at the beginning and end of the result string, to extend
1684 it to exactly @var{width} columns. The padding character is used at the
1685 end of the result if it falls short of @var{width}. It is also used at
1686 the beginning of the result if one multi-column character in
1687 @var{string} extends across the column @var{start-column}.
1689 If @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a string which will
1690 replace the end of @var{str} (including any padding) if it extends
1691 beyond @var{end-column}, unless the display width of @var{str} is
1692 equal to or less than the display width of @var{ellipsis}. If
1693 @var{ellipsis} is non-@code{nil} and not a string, it stands for
1697 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4)
1699 (truncate-string-to-width "\tab\t" 12 4 ?\s)
1705 @section Line Height
1708 The total height of each display line consists of the height of the
1709 contents of the line, plus optional additional vertical line spacing
1710 above or below the display line.
1712 The height of the line contents is the maximum height of any
1713 character or image on that display line, including the final newline
1714 if there is one. (A display line that is continued doesn't include a
1715 final newline.) That is the default line height, if you do nothing to
1716 specify a greater height. (In the most common case, this equals the
1717 height of the default frame font.)
1719 There are several ways to explicitly specify a larger line height,
1720 either by specifying an absolute height for the display line, or by
1721 specifying vertical space. However, no matter what you specify, the
1722 actual line height can never be less than the default.
1724 @kindex line-height @r{(text property)}
1725 A newline can have a @code{line-height} text or overlay property
1726 that controls the total height of the display line ending in that
1729 If the property value is @code{t}, the newline character has no
1730 effect on the displayed height of the line---the visible contents
1731 alone determine the height. This is useful for tiling small images
1732 (or image slices) without adding blank areas between the images.
1734 If the property value is a list of the form @code{(@var{height}
1735 @var{total})}, that adds extra space @emph{below} the display line.
1736 First Emacs uses @var{height} as a height spec to control extra space
1737 @emph{above} the line; then it adds enough space @emph{below} the line
1738 to bring the total line height up to @var{total}. In this case, the
1739 other ways to specify the line spacing are ignored.
1741 Any other kind of property value is a height spec, which translates
1742 into a number---the specified line height. There are several ways to
1743 write a height spec; here's how each of them translates into a number:
1747 If the height spec is a positive integer, the height value is that integer.
1749 If the height spec is a float, @var{float}, the numeric height value
1750 is @var{float} times the frame's default line height.
1751 @item (@var{face} . @var{ratio})
1752 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1753 is @var{ratio} times the height of face @var{face}. @var{ratio} can
1754 be any type of number, or @code{nil} which means a ratio of 1.
1755 If @var{face} is @code{t}, it refers to the current face.
1756 @item (nil . @var{ratio})
1757 If the height spec is a cons of the format shown, the numeric height
1758 is @var{ratio} times the height of the contents of the line.
1761 Thus, any valid height spec determines the height in pixels, one way
1762 or another. If the line contents' height is less than that, Emacs
1763 adds extra vertical space above the line to achieve the specified
1766 If you don't specify the @code{line-height} property, the line's
1767 height consists of the contents' height plus the line spacing.
1768 There are several ways to specify the line spacing for different
1769 parts of Emacs text.
1771 On graphical terminals, you can specify the line spacing for all
1772 lines in a frame, using the @code{line-spacing} frame parameter
1773 (@pxref{Layout Parameters}). However, if the default value of
1774 @code{line-spacing} is non-@code{nil}, it overrides the
1775 frame's @code{line-spacing} parameter. An integer value specifies the
1776 number of pixels put below lines. A floating point number specifies
1777 the spacing relative to the frame's default line height.
1779 @vindex line-spacing
1780 You can specify the line spacing for all lines in a buffer via the
1781 buffer-local @code{line-spacing} variable. An integer value specifies
1782 the number of pixels put below lines. A floating point number
1783 specifies the spacing relative to the default frame line height. This
1784 overrides line spacings specified for the frame.
1786 @kindex line-spacing @r{(text property)}
1787 Finally, a newline can have a @code{line-spacing} text or overlay
1788 property that overrides the default frame line spacing and the buffer
1789 local @code{line-spacing} variable, for the display line ending in
1792 One way or another, these mechanisms specify a Lisp value for the
1793 spacing of each line. The value is a height spec, and it translates
1794 into a Lisp value as described above. However, in this case the
1795 numeric height value specifies the line spacing, rather than the line
1798 On text-only terminals, the line spacing cannot be altered.
1804 A @dfn{face} is a collection of graphical attributes for displaying
1805 text: font family, foreground color, background color, optional
1806 underlining, and so on. Faces control how buffer text is displayed,
1807 and how some parts of the frame, such as the mode-line, are displayed.
1808 @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for the list of
1809 faces Emacs normally comes with.
1812 For most purposes, you refer to a face in Lisp programs using its
1813 @dfn{face name}. This is either a string or (equivalently) a Lisp
1814 symbol whose name is equal to that string.
1817 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a Lisp
1818 symbol or string that names a face. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
1821 Each face name is meaningful for all frames, and by default it has
1822 the same meaning in all frames. But you can arrange to give a
1823 particular face name a special meaning in one frame if you wish.
1826 * Defining Faces:: How to define a face with @code{defface}.
1827 * Face Attributes:: What is in a face?
1828 * Attribute Functions:: Functions to examine and set face attributes.
1829 * Displaying Faces:: How Emacs combines the faces specified for a character.
1830 * Face Remapping:: Remapping faces to alternative definitions.
1831 * Face Functions:: How to define and examine faces.
1832 * Auto Faces:: Hook for automatic face assignment.
1833 * Font Selection:: Finding the best available font for a face.
1834 * Font Lookup:: Looking up the names of available fonts
1835 and information about them.
1836 * Fontsets:: A fontset is a collection of fonts
1837 that handle a range of character sets.
1838 * Low-Level Font:: Lisp representation for character display fonts.
1841 @node Defining Faces
1842 @subsection Defining Faces
1844 The way to define a new face is with @code{defface}. This creates a
1845 kind of customization item (@pxref{Customization}) which the user can
1846 customize using the Customization buffer (@pxref{Easy Customization,,,
1847 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
1849 People are sometimes tempted to create variables whose values specify
1850 which faces to use (for example, Font-Lock does this). In the vast
1851 majority of cases, this is not necessary, and simply using faces
1852 directly is preferable.
1854 @defmac defface face spec doc [keyword value]@dots{}
1855 This declares @var{face} as a customizable face whose default
1856 attributes are given by @var{spec}. You should not quote the symbol
1857 @var{face}, and it should not end in @samp{-face} (that would be
1858 redundant). The argument @var{doc} specifies the face documentation.
1859 The keywords you can use in @code{defface} are the same as in
1860 @code{defgroup} and @code{defcustom} (@pxref{Common Keywords}).
1862 When @code{defface} executes, it defines the face according to
1863 @var{spec}, then uses any customizations that were read from the
1864 init file (@pxref{Init File}) to override that specification.
1866 When you evaluate a @code{defface} form with @kbd{C-M-x} in Emacs
1867 Lisp mode (@code{eval-defun}), a special feature of @code{eval-defun}
1868 overrides any customizations of the face. This way, the face reflects
1869 exactly what the @code{defface} says.
1871 The purpose of @var{spec} is to specify how the face should appear on
1872 different kinds of terminals. It should be an alist whose elements
1873 have the form @code{(@var{display} @var{atts})}. Each element's
1874 @sc{car}, @var{display}, specifies a class of terminals. (The first
1875 element, if its @sc{car} is @code{default}, is special---it specifies
1876 defaults for the remaining elements). The element's @sc{cadr},
1877 @var{atts}, is a list of face attributes and their values; it
1878 specifies what the face should look like on that kind of terminal.
1879 The possible attributes are defined in the value of
1880 @code{custom-face-attributes}.
1882 The @var{display} part of an element of @var{spec} determines which
1883 frames the element matches. If more than one element of @var{spec}
1884 matches a given frame, the first element that matches is the one used
1885 for that frame. There are three possibilities for @var{display}:
1888 @item @code{default}
1889 This element of @var{spec} doesn't match any frames; instead, it
1890 specifies defaults that apply to all frames. This kind of element, if
1891 used, must be the first element of @var{spec}. Each of the following
1892 elements can override any or all of these defaults.
1895 This element of @var{spec} matches all frames. Therefore, any
1896 subsequent elements of @var{spec} are never used. Normally
1897 @code{t} is used in the last (or only) element of @var{spec}.
1900 If @var{display} is a list, each element should have the form
1901 @code{(@var{characteristic} @var{value}@dots{})}. Here
1902 @var{characteristic} specifies a way of classifying frames, and the
1903 @var{value}s are possible classifications which @var{display} should
1904 apply to. Here are the possible values of @var{characteristic}:
1908 The kind of window system the frame uses---either @code{graphic} (any
1909 graphics-capable display), @code{x}, @code{pc} (for the MS-DOS console),
1910 @code{w32} (for MS Windows 9X/NT/2K/XP), or @code{tty}
1911 (a non-graphics-capable display).
1912 @xref{Window Systems, window-system}.
1915 What kinds of colors the frame supports---either @code{color},
1916 @code{grayscale}, or @code{mono}.
1919 The kind of background---either @code{light} or @code{dark}.
1922 An integer that represents the minimum number of colors the frame
1923 should support. This matches a frame if its
1924 @code{display-color-cells} value is at least the specified integer.
1927 Whether or not the frame can display the face attributes given in
1928 @var{value}@dots{} (@pxref{Face Attributes}). @xref{Display Face
1929 Attribute Testing}, for more information on exactly how this testing
1933 If an element of @var{display} specifies more than one @var{value} for a
1934 given @var{characteristic}, any of those values is acceptable. If
1935 @var{display} has more than one element, each element should specify a
1936 different @var{characteristic}; then @emph{each} characteristic of the
1937 frame must match one of the @var{value}s specified for it in
1942 Here's how the standard face @code{region} is defined:
1947 '((((class color) (min-colors 88) (background dark))
1948 :background "blue3")
1950 (((class color) (min-colors 88) (background light))
1951 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1952 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background dark))
1953 :background "blue3")
1954 (((class color) (min-colors 16) (background light))
1955 :background "lightgoldenrod2")
1956 (((class color) (min-colors 8))
1957 :background "blue" :foreground "white")
1958 (((type tty) (class mono))
1960 (t :background "gray"))
1962 "Basic face for highlighting the region."
1963 :group 'basic-faces)
1967 Internally, @code{defface} uses the symbol property
1968 @code{face-defface-spec} to record the specified face attributes. The
1969 attributes saved by the user with the customization buffer are
1970 recorded in the symbol property @code{saved-face}; the attributes
1971 customized by the user for the current session, but not saved, are
1972 recorded in the symbol property @code{customized-face}. The
1973 documentation string is recorded in the symbol property
1974 @code{face-documentation}.
1976 @defopt frame-background-mode
1977 This option, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the background type to use for
1978 interpreting face definitions. If it is @code{dark}, then Emacs treats
1979 all frames as if they had a dark background, regardless of their actual
1980 background colors. If it is @code{light}, then Emacs treats all frames
1981 as if they had a light background.
1984 @node Face Attributes
1985 @subsection Face Attributes
1986 @cindex face attributes
1988 The effect of using a face is determined by a fixed set of @dfn{face
1989 attributes}. This table lists all the face attributes, their possible
1990 values, and their effects. You can specify more than one face for a
1991 given piece of text; Emacs merges the attributes of all the faces to
1992 determine how to display the text. @xref{Displaying Faces}.
1994 In addition to the values given below, each face attribute can also
1995 have the value @code{unspecified}. This special value means the face
1996 doesn't specify that attribute. In face merging, when the first face
1997 fails to specify a particular attribute, the next face gets a chance.
1998 However, the @code{default} face must specify all attributes.
2000 Some of these font attributes are meaningful only on certain kinds
2001 of displays. If your display cannot handle a certain attribute, the
2002 attribute is ignored.
2006 Font family name or fontset name (a string). If you specify a font
2007 family name, the wild-card characters @samp{*} and @samp{?} are
2008 allowed. The function @code{font-family-list}, described below,
2009 returns a list of available family names. @xref{Fontsets}, for
2010 information about fontsets.
2013 The name of the @dfn{font foundry} in which the font family specified
2014 by the @code{:family} attribute is located (a string). The wild-card
2015 characters @samp{*} and @samp{?} are allowed.
2018 Relative proportionate character width, also known as the character
2019 set width. This should be one of the symbols @code{ultra-condensed},
2020 @code{extra-condensed}, @code{condensed}, @code{semi-condensed},
2021 @code{normal}, @code{semi-expanded}, @code{expanded},
2022 @code{extra-expanded}, or @code{ultra-expanded}.
2025 The height of the font. In the simplest case, this is an integer in
2026 units of 1/10 point.
2028 The value can also be a floating point number or a function, which
2029 specifies the height relative to an @dfn{underlying face} (i.e., a
2030 face that has a lower priority in the list described in
2031 @ref{Displaying Faces}). If the value is a floating point number,
2032 that specifies the amount by which to scale the height of the
2033 underlying face. If the value is a function, that function is called
2034 with one argument, the height of the underlying face, and returns the
2035 height of the new face. If the function is passed an integer
2036 argument, it must return an integer.
2038 The height of the default face must be specified using an integer;
2039 floating point and function values are not allowed.
2042 Font weight---one of the symbols (from densest to faintest)
2043 @code{ultra-bold}, @code{extra-bold}, @code{bold}, @code{semi-bold},
2044 @code{normal}, @code{semi-light}, @code{light}, @code{extra-light}, or
2045 @code{ultra-light}. On text-only terminals that support
2046 variable-brightness text, any weight greater than normal is displayed
2047 as extra bright, and any weight less than normal is displayed as
2051 Font slant---one of the symbols @code{italic}, @code{oblique},
2052 @code{normal}, @code{reverse-italic}, or @code{reverse-oblique}. On
2053 text-only terminals that support variable-brightness text, slanted
2054 text is displayed as half-bright.
2057 Foreground color, a string. The value can be a system-defined color
2058 name, or a hexadecimal color specification. @xref{Color Names}. On
2059 black-and-white displays, certain shades of gray are implemented by
2063 Background color, a string. The value can be a system-defined color
2064 name, or a hexadecimal color specification. @xref{Color Names}.
2067 Whether or not characters should be underlined, and in what color. If
2068 the value is @code{t}, underlining uses the foreground color of the
2069 face. If the value is a string, underlining uses that color. The
2070 value @code{nil} means do not underline.
2073 Whether or not characters should be overlined, and in what color.
2074 The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2076 @item :strike-through
2077 Whether or not characters should be strike-through, and in what
2078 color. The value is used like that of @code{:underline}.
2081 Whether or not a box should be drawn around characters, its color, the
2082 width of the box lines, and 3D appearance. Here are the possible
2083 values of the @code{:box} attribute, and what they mean:
2090 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in the foreground color.
2093 Draw a box with lines of width 1, in color @var{color}.
2095 @item @code{(:line-width @var{width} :color @var{color} :style @var{style})}
2096 This way you can explicitly specify all aspects of the box. The value
2097 @var{width} specifies the width of the lines to draw; it defaults to 1.
2099 The value @var{color} specifies the color to draw with. The default is
2100 the foreground color of the face for simple boxes, and the background
2101 color of the face for 3D boxes.
2103 The value @var{style} specifies whether to draw a 3D box. If it is
2104 @code{released-button}, the box looks like a 3D button that is not being
2105 pressed. If it is @code{pressed-button}, the box looks like a 3D button
2106 that is being pressed. If it is @code{nil} or omitted, a plain 2D box
2110 @item :inverse-video
2111 Whether or not characters should be displayed in inverse video. The
2112 value should be @code{t} (yes) or @code{nil} (no).
2115 The background stipple, a bitmap.
2117 The value can be a string; that should be the name of a file containing
2118 external-format X bitmap data. The file is found in the directories
2119 listed in the variable @code{x-bitmap-file-path}.
2121 Alternatively, the value can specify the bitmap directly, with a list
2122 of the form @code{(@var{width} @var{height} @var{data})}. Here,
2123 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the size in pixels, and
2124 @var{data} is a string containing the raw bits of the bitmap, row by
2125 row. Each row occupies @math{(@var{width} + 7) / 8} consecutive bytes
2126 in the string (which should be a unibyte string for best results).
2127 This means that each row always occupies at least one whole byte.
2129 If the value is @code{nil}, that means use no stipple pattern.
2131 Normally you do not need to set the stipple attribute, because it is
2132 used automatically to handle certain shades of gray.
2135 The font used to display the face. Its value should be a font object.
2136 @xref{Font Selection}, for information about font objects.
2138 When specifying this attribute using @code{set-face-attribute}
2139 (@pxref{Attribute Functions}), you may also supply a font spec, a font
2140 entity, or a string. Emacs converts such values to an appropriate
2141 font object, and stores that font object as the actual attribute
2142 value. If you specify a string, the contents of the string should be
2143 a font name (@pxref{Font X,, Font Specification Options, emacs, The
2144 GNU Emacs Manual}); if the font name is an XLFD containing wildcards,
2145 Emacs chooses the first font matching those wildcards. Specifying
2146 this attribute also changes the values of the @code{:family},
2147 @code{:foundry}, @code{:width}, @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and
2148 @code{:slant} attributes.
2151 The name of a face from which to inherit attributes, or a list of face
2152 names. Attributes from inherited faces are merged into the face like
2153 an underlying face would be, with higher priority than underlying
2154 faces (@pxref{Displaying Faces}). If a list of faces is used,
2155 attributes from faces earlier in the list override those from later
2159 For compatibility with Emacs 20, you can also specify values for two
2160 ``fake'' face attributes: @code{:bold} and @code{:italic}. Their
2161 values must be either @code{t} or @code{nil}; a value of
2162 @code{unspecified} is not allowed. Setting @code{:bold} to @code{t}
2163 is equivalent to setting the @code{:weight} attribute to @code{bold},
2164 and setting it to @code{nil} is equivalent to setting @code{:weight}
2165 to @code{normal}. Setting @code{:italic} to @code{t} is equivalent to
2166 setting the @code{:slant} attribute to @code{italic}, and setting it
2167 to @code{nil} is equivalent to setting @code{:slant} to @code{normal}.
2169 @defun font-family-list &optional frame
2170 This function returns a list of available font family names. The
2171 optional argument @var{frame} specifies the frame on which the text is
2172 to be displayed; if it is @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
2175 @defopt underline-minimum-offset
2176 This variable specifies the minimum distance between the baseline and
2177 the underline, in pixels, when displaying underlined text.
2180 @defopt x-bitmap-file-path
2181 This variable specifies a list of directories for searching
2182 for bitmap files, for the @code{:stipple} attribute.
2185 @defun bitmap-spec-p object
2186 This returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a valid bitmap specification,
2187 suitable for use with @code{:stipple} (see above). It returns
2188 @code{nil} otherwise.
2191 @node Attribute Functions
2192 @subsection Face Attribute Functions
2194 This section describes the functions for accessing and modifying the
2195 attributes of an existing face.
2197 @defun set-face-attribute face frame &rest arguments
2198 This function sets one or more attributes of @var{face} for
2199 @var{frame}. The attributes you specify this way override whatever
2200 the @code{defface} says.
2202 The extra arguments @var{arguments} specify the attributes to set, and
2203 the values for them. They should consist of alternating attribute names
2204 (such as @code{:family} or @code{:underline}) and corresponding values.
2208 (set-face-attribute 'foo nil
2215 sets the attributes @code{:width}, @code{:weight} and @code{:underline}
2216 to the corresponding values.
2218 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this function sets the default attributes
2219 for new frames. Default attribute values specified this way override
2220 the @code{defface} for newly created frames.
2222 If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, this function sets the attributes for
2223 all existing frames, and the default for new frames.
2226 @defun face-attribute face attribute &optional frame inherit
2227 This returns the value of the @var{attribute} attribute of @var{face}
2228 on @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, that means the selected
2229 frame (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2231 If @var{frame} is @code{t}, this returns whatever new-frames default
2232 value you previously specified with @code{set-face-attribute} for the
2233 @var{attribute} attribute of @var{face}. If you have not specified
2234 one, it returns @code{nil}.
2236 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only attributes directly defined by
2237 @var{face} are considered, so the return value may be
2238 @code{unspecified}, or a relative value. If @var{inherit} is
2239 non-@code{nil}, @var{face}'s definition of @var{attribute} is merged
2240 with the faces specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute; however the
2241 return value may still be @code{unspecified} or relative. If
2242 @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then the result is further
2243 merged with that face (or faces), until it becomes specified and
2246 To ensure that the return value is always specified and absolute, use
2247 a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}; this will resolve any
2248 unspecified or relative values by merging with the @code{default} face
2249 (which is always completely specified).
2254 (face-attribute 'bold :weight)
2259 @defun face-attribute-relative-p attribute value
2260 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{value}, when used as the
2261 value of the face attribute @var{attribute}, is relative. This means
2262 it would modify, rather than completely override, any value that comes
2263 from a subsequent face in the face list or that is inherited from
2266 @code{unspecified} is a relative value for all attributes. For
2267 @code{:height}, floating point and function values are also relative.
2272 (face-attribute-relative-p :height 2.0)
2277 @defun face-all-attributes face &optional frame
2278 This function returns an alist of attributes of @var{face}. The
2279 elements of the result are name-value pairs of the form
2280 @w{@code{(@var{attr-name} . @var{attr-value})}}. Optional argument
2281 @var{frame} specifies the frame whose definition of @var{face} to
2282 return; if omitted or @code{nil}, the returned value describes the
2283 default attributes of @var{face} for newly created frames.
2286 @defun merge-face-attribute attribute value1 value2
2287 If @var{value1} is a relative value for the face attribute
2288 @var{attribute}, returns it merged with the underlying value
2289 @var{value2}; otherwise, if @var{value1} is an absolute value for the
2290 face attribute @var{attribute}, returns @var{value1} unchanged.
2293 The following functions provide compatibility with Emacs 20 and
2294 below. They work by calling @code{set-face-attribute}. Values of
2295 @code{t} and @code{nil} for their @var{frame} argument are handled
2296 just like @code{set-face-attribute} and @code{face-attribute}.
2298 @defun set-face-foreground face color &optional frame
2299 @defunx set-face-background face color &optional frame
2300 These functions set the @code{:foreground} attribute (or
2301 @code{:background} attribute, respectively) of @var{face} to
2305 @defun set-face-stipple face pattern &optional frame
2306 This function sets the @code{:stipple} attribute of @var{face} to
2310 @defun set-face-font face font &optional frame
2311 This function sets the @code{:font} attribute of @var{face} to
2315 @defun set-face-bold-p face bold-p &optional frame
2316 This function sets the @code{:weight} attribute of @var{face} to
2317 @var{normal} if @var{bold-p} is @code{nil}, and to @var{bold}
2321 @defun set-face-italic-p face italic-p &optional frame
2322 This function sets the @code{:slant} attribute of @var{face} to
2323 @var{normal} if @var{italic-p} is @code{nil}, and to @var{italic}
2327 @defun set-face-underline-p face underline &optional frame
2328 This function sets the @code{:underline} attribute of @var{face} to
2332 @defun set-face-inverse-video-p face inverse-video-p &optional frame
2333 This function sets the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of @var{face}
2334 to @var{inverse-video-p}.
2337 @defun invert-face face &optional frame
2338 This function swaps the foreground and background colors of face
2342 The following functions examine the attributes of a face. If you
2343 don't specify @var{frame}, they refer to the selected frame; @code{t}
2344 refers to the default data for new frames. They return the symbol
2345 @code{unspecified} if the face doesn't define any value for that
2348 @defun face-foreground face &optional frame inherit
2349 @defunx face-background face &optional frame inherit
2350 These functions return the foreground color (or background color,
2351 respectively) of face @var{face}, as a string.
2353 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a color directly defined by the face is
2354 returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces specified by its
2355 @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and if @var{inherit}
2356 is a face or a list of faces, then they are also considered, until a
2357 specified color is found. To ensure that the return value is always
2358 specified, use a value of @code{default} for @var{inherit}.
2361 @defun face-stipple face &optional frame inherit
2362 This function returns the name of the background stipple pattern of face
2363 @var{face}, or @code{nil} if it doesn't have one.
2365 If @var{inherit} is @code{nil}, only a stipple directly defined by the
2366 face is returned. If @var{inherit} is non-@code{nil}, any faces
2367 specified by its @code{:inherit} attribute are considered as well, and
2368 if @var{inherit} is a face or a list of faces, then they are also
2369 considered, until a specified stipple is found. To ensure that the
2370 return value is always specified, use a value of @code{default} for
2374 @defun face-font face &optional frame
2375 This function returns the name of the font of face @var{face}.
2378 @defun face-bold-p face &optional frame
2379 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the @code{:weight}
2380 attribute of @var{face} is bolder than normal (i.e., one of
2381 @code{semi-bold}, @code{bold}, @code{extra-bold}, or
2382 @code{ultra-bold}). Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
2385 @defun face-italic-p face &optional frame
2386 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if the @code{:slant}
2387 attribute of @var{face} is @code{italic} or @code{oblique}, and
2388 @code{nil} otherwise.
2391 @defun face-underline-p face &optional frame
2392 This function returns the @code{:underline} attribute of face @var{face}.
2395 @defun face-inverse-video-p face &optional frame
2396 This function returns the @code{:inverse-video} attribute of face @var{face}.
2399 @node Displaying Faces
2400 @subsection Displaying Faces
2402 Here is how Emacs determines the face to use for displaying any
2403 given piece of text:
2407 If the text consists of a special glyph, the glyph can specify a
2408 particular face. @xref{Glyphs}.
2411 If the text lies within an active region, Emacs highlights it using
2412 the @code{region} face. @xref{Standard Faces,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs
2416 If the text lies within an overlay with a non-@code{nil} @code{face}
2417 property, Emacs applies the face or face attributes specified by that
2418 property. If the overlay has a @code{mouse-face} property and the
2419 mouse is ``near enough'' to the overlay, Emacs applies the face or
2420 face attributes specified by the @code{mouse-face} property instead.
2421 @xref{Overlay Properties}.
2423 When multiple overlays cover one character, an overlay with higher
2424 priority overrides those with lower priority. @xref{Overlays}.
2427 If the text contains a @code{face} or @code{mouse-face} property,
2428 Emacs applies the specified faces and face attributes. @xref{Special
2429 Properties}. (This is how Font Lock mode faces are applied.
2430 @xref{Font Lock Mode}.)
2433 If the text lies within the mode line of the selected window, Emacs
2434 applies the @code{mode-line} face. For the mode line of a
2435 non-selected window, Emacs applies the @code{mode-line-inactive} face.
2436 For a header line, Emacs applies the @code{header-line} face.
2439 If any given attribute has not been specified during the preceding
2440 steps, Emacs applies the attribute of the @code{default} face.
2443 If these various sources together specify more than one face for a
2444 particular character, Emacs merges the attributes of the various faces
2445 specified. For each attribute, Emacs tries using the above order
2446 (i.e., first the face of any special glyph; then the face for region
2447 highlighting, if appropriate; then faces specified by overlays, then
2448 faces specified by text properties, then the @code{mode-line} or
2449 @code{mode-line-inactive} or @code{header-line} face, if appropriate,
2450 and finally the @code{default} face).
2452 @node Face Remapping
2453 @subsection Face Remapping
2455 The variable @code{face-remapping-alist} is used for buffer-local or
2456 global changes in the appearance of a face. For instance, it can be
2457 used to make the @code{default} face a variable-pitch face within a
2460 @defvar face-remapping-alist
2461 An alist whose elements have the form @code{(@var{face}
2462 @var{remapping...})}. This causes Emacs to display text using the
2463 face @var{face} using @var{remapping...} instead of @var{face}'s
2464 ordinary definition. @var{remapping...} may be any face specification
2465 suitable for a @code{face} text property: either a face name, or a
2466 property list of attribute/value pairs. @xref{Special Properties}.
2468 If @code{face-remapping-alist} is buffer-local, its local value takes
2469 effect only within that buffer.
2471 Two points bear emphasizing:
2475 The new definition @var{remapping...} is the complete
2476 specification of how to display @var{face}---it entirely replaces,
2477 rather than augmenting or modifying, the normal definition of that
2481 If @var{remapping...} recursively references the same face name
2482 @var{face}, either directly remapping entry, or via the
2483 @code{:inherit} attribute of some other face in @var{remapping...},
2484 then that reference uses the normal definition of @var{face} in the
2485 selected frame, instead of the ``remapped'' definition.
2487 For instance, if the @code{mode-line} face is remapped using this
2488 entry in @code{face-remapping-alist}:
2490 (mode-line italic mode-line)
2493 then the new definition of the @code{mode-line} face inherits from the
2494 @code{italic} face, and the @emph{normal} (non-remapped) definition of
2495 @code{mode-line} face.
2499 A typical use of the @code{face-remapping-alist} is to change a
2500 buffer's @code{default} face; for example, the following changes a
2501 buffer's @code{default} face to use the @code{variable-pitch} face,
2502 with the height doubled:
2505 (set (make-local-variable 'face-remapping-alist)
2506 '((default variable-pitch :height 2.0)))
2509 The following functions implement a higher-level interface to
2510 @code{face-remapping-alist}, making it easier to use
2511 ``cooperatively''. They are mainly intended for buffer-local use, and
2512 so all make @code{face-remapping-alist} variable buffer-local as a
2513 side-effect. They use entries in @code{face-remapping-alist} which
2514 have the general form:
2517 (@var{face} @var{relative_specs_1} @var{relative_specs_2} @var{...} @var{base_specs})
2520 Everything except @var{face} is a ``face spec'': a list of face names
2521 or face attribute-value pairs. All face specs are merged together,
2522 with earlier values taking precedence.
2524 The @var{relative_specs_}n values are ``relative specs'', and are
2525 added by @code{face-remap-add-relative} (and removed by
2526 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}. These are intended for face
2527 modifications (such as increasing the size). Typical users of these
2528 relative specs would be minor modes.
2530 @var{base_specs} is the lowest-priority value, and by default is just the
2531 face name, which causes the global definition of that face to be used.
2533 A non-default value of @var{base_specs} may also be set using
2534 @code{face-remap-set-base}. Because this @emph{overwrites} the
2535 default base-spec value (which inherits the global face definition),
2536 it is up to the caller of @code{face-remap-set-base} to add such
2537 inheritance if it is desired. A typical use of
2538 @code{face-remap-set-base} would be a major mode adding a face
2539 remappings, e.g., of the default face.
2542 @defun face-remap-add-relative face &rest specs
2543 This functions adds a face remapping entry of @var{face} to @var{specs}
2544 in the current buffer.
2546 It returns a ``cookie'' which can be used to later delete the remapping with
2547 @code{face-remap-remove-relative}.
2549 @var{specs} can be any value suitable for the @code{face} text
2550 property, including a face name, a list of face names, or a
2551 face-attribute property list. The attributes given by @var{specs}
2552 will be merged with any other currently active face remappings of
2553 @var{face}, and with the global definition of @var{face} (by default;
2554 this may be changed using @code{face-remap-set-base}), with the most
2555 recently added relative remapping taking precedence.
2558 @defun face-remap-remove-relative cookie
2559 This function removes a face remapping previously added by
2560 @code{face-remap-add-relative}. @var{cookie} should be a return value
2564 @defun face-remap-set-base face &rest specs
2565 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} in the current
2566 buffer to @var{specs}. If @var{specs} is empty, the default base
2567 remapping is restored, which inherits from the global definition of
2568 @var{face}; note that this is different from @var{specs} containing a
2569 single value @code{nil}, which has the opposite result (the global
2570 definition of @var{face} is ignored).
2573 @defun face-remap-reset-base face
2574 This function sets the ``base remapping'' of @var{face} to its default
2575 value, which inherits from @var{face}'s global definition.
2578 @node Face Functions
2579 @subsection Functions for Working with Faces
2581 Here are additional functions for creating and working with faces.
2583 @defun make-face name
2584 This function defines a new face named @var{name}, initially with all
2585 attributes @code{nil}. It does nothing if there is already a face named
2590 This function returns a list of all defined face names.
2593 @defun copy-face old-face new-name &optional frame new-frame
2594 This function defines a face named @var{new-name} as a copy of the existing
2595 face named @var{old-face}. It creates the face @var{new-name} if that
2596 doesn't already exist.
2598 If the optional argument @var{frame} is given, this function applies
2599 only to that frame. Otherwise it applies to each frame individually,
2600 copying attributes from @var{old-face} in each frame to @var{new-face}
2603 If the optional argument @var{new-frame} is given, then @code{copy-face}
2604 copies the attributes of @var{old-face} in @var{frame} to @var{new-name}
2609 This function returns the @dfn{face number} of face @var{face}. This
2610 is a number that uniquely identifies a face at low levels within
2611 Emacs. It is seldom necessary to refer to a face by its face number.
2614 @defun face-documentation face
2615 This function returns the documentation string of face @var{face}, or
2616 @code{nil} if none was specified for it.
2619 @defun face-equal face1 face2 &optional frame
2620 This returns @code{t} if the faces @var{face1} and @var{face2} have the
2621 same attributes for display.
2624 @defun face-differs-from-default-p face &optional frame
2625 This returns non-@code{nil} if the face @var{face} displays
2626 differently from the default face.
2630 A @dfn{face alias} provides an equivalent name for a face. You can
2631 define a face alias by giving the alias symbol the @code{face-alias}
2632 property, with a value of the target face name. The following example
2633 makes @code{modeline} an alias for the @code{mode-line} face.
2636 (put 'modeline 'face-alias 'mode-line)
2639 @defun define-obsolete-face-alias obsolete-face current-face &optional when
2640 This function defines a face alias and marks it as obsolete, indicating
2641 that it may be removed in future. The optional string @var{when}
2642 indicates when the face was made obsolete (for example, a release number).
2646 @subsection Automatic Face Assignment
2647 @cindex automatic face assignment
2648 @cindex faces, automatic choice
2650 This hook is used for automatically assigning faces to text in the
2651 buffer. It is part of the implementation of Jit-Lock mode, used by
2654 @defvar fontification-functions
2655 This variable holds a list of functions that are called by Emacs
2656 redisplay as needed, just before doing redisplay. They are called even
2657 when Font Lock Mode isn't enabled. When Font Lock Mode is enabled, this
2658 variable usually holds just one function, @code{jit-lock-function}.
2660 The functions are called in the order listed, with one argument, a
2661 buffer position @var{pos}. Collectively they should attempt to assign
2662 faces to the text in the current buffer starting at @var{pos}.
2664 The functions should record the faces they assign by setting the
2665 @code{face} property. They should also add a non-@code{nil}
2666 @code{fontified} property to all the text they have assigned faces to.
2667 That property tells redisplay that faces have been assigned to that text
2670 It is probably a good idea for the functions to do nothing if the
2671 character after @var{pos} already has a non-@code{nil} @code{fontified}
2672 property, but this is not required. If one function overrides the
2673 assignments made by a previous one, the properties after the last
2674 function finishes are the ones that really matter.
2676 For efficiency, we recommend writing these functions so that they
2677 usually assign faces to around 400 to 600 characters at each call.
2680 @node Font Selection
2681 @subsection Font Selection
2683 Before Emacs can draw a character on a particular display, it must
2684 select a @dfn{font} for that character@footnote{In this context, the
2685 term @dfn{font} has nothing to do with Font Lock (@pxref{Font Lock
2686 Mode}).}. Normally, Emacs automatically chooses a font based on the
2687 faces assigned to that character---specifically, the face attributes
2688 @code{:family}, @code{:weight}, @code{:slant}, and @code{:width}
2689 (@pxref{Face Attributes}). The choice of font also depends on the
2690 character to be displayed; some fonts can only display a limited set
2691 of characters. If no available font exactly fits the requirements,
2692 Emacs looks for the @dfn{closest matching font}. The variables in
2693 this section control how Emacs makes this selection.
2695 @defopt face-font-family-alternatives
2696 If a given family is specified but does not exist, this variable
2697 specifies alternative font families to try. Each element should have
2701 (@var{family} @var{alternate-families}@dots{})
2704 If @var{family} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the other
2705 families given in @var{alternate-families}, one by one, until it finds a
2706 family that does exist.
2709 @defopt face-font-selection-order
2710 If there is no font that exactly matches all desired face attributes
2711 (@code{:width}, @code{:height}, @code{:weight}, and @code{:slant}),
2712 this variable specifies the order in which these attributes should be
2713 considered when selecting the closest matching font. The value should
2714 be a list containing those four attribute symbols, in order of
2715 decreasing importance. The default is @code{(:width :height :weight
2718 Font selection first finds the best available matches for the first
2719 attribute in the list; then, among the fonts which are best in that
2720 way, it searches for the best matches in the second attribute, and so
2723 The attributes @code{:weight} and @code{:width} have symbolic values in
2724 a range centered around @code{normal}. Matches that are more extreme
2725 (farther from @code{normal}) are somewhat preferred to matches that are
2726 less extreme (closer to @code{normal}); this is designed to ensure that
2727 non-normal faces contrast with normal ones, whenever possible.
2729 One example of a case where this variable makes a difference is when the
2730 default font has no italic equivalent. With the default ordering, the
2731 @code{italic} face will use a non-italic font that is similar to the
2732 default one. But if you put @code{:slant} before @code{:height}, the
2733 @code{italic} face will use an italic font, even if its height is not
2737 @defopt face-font-registry-alternatives
2738 This variable lets you specify alternative font registries to try, if a
2739 given registry is specified and doesn't exist. Each element should have
2743 (@var{registry} @var{alternate-registries}@dots{})
2746 If @var{registry} is specified but not available, Emacs will try the
2747 other registries given in @var{alternate-registries}, one by one,
2748 until it finds a registry that does exist.
2751 Emacs can make use of scalable fonts, but by default it does not use
2754 @defopt scalable-fonts-allowed
2755 This variable controls which scalable fonts to use. A value of
2756 @code{nil}, the default, means do not use scalable fonts. @code{t}
2757 means to use any scalable font that seems appropriate for the text.
2759 Otherwise, the value must be a list of regular expressions. Then a
2760 scalable font is enabled for use if its name matches any regular
2761 expression in the list. For example,
2764 (setq scalable-fonts-allowed '("muleindian-2$"))
2768 allows the use of scalable fonts with registry @code{muleindian-2}.
2771 @defvar face-font-rescale-alist
2772 This variable specifies scaling for certain faces. Its value should
2773 be a list of elements of the form
2776 (@var{fontname-regexp} . @var{scale-factor})
2779 If @var{fontname-regexp} matches the font name that is about to be
2780 used, this says to choose a larger similar font according to the
2781 factor @var{scale-factor}. You would use this feature to normalize
2782 the font size if certain fonts are bigger or smaller than their
2783 nominal heights and widths would suggest.
2787 @subsection Looking Up Fonts
2789 @defun x-list-fonts name &optional reference-face frame maximum width
2790 This function returns a list of available font names that match
2791 @var{name}. @var{name} should be a string containing a font name in
2792 either the Fontconfig, GTK, or XLFD format (@pxref{Font X,, Font
2793 Specification Options, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). Within an XLFD
2794 string, wildcard characters may be used: the @samp{*} character
2795 matches any substring, and the @samp{?} character matches any single
2796 character. Case is ignored when matching font names.
2798 If the optional arguments @var{reference-face} and @var{frame} are
2799 specified, the returned list includes only fonts that are the same
2800 size as @var{reference-face} (a face name) currently is on the frame
2803 The optional argument @var{maximum} sets a limit on how many fonts to
2804 return. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the return value is truncated
2805 after the first @var{maximum} matching fonts. Specifying a small
2806 value for @var{maximum} can make this function much faster, in cases
2807 where many fonts match the pattern.
2809 The optional argument @var{width} specifies a desired font width. If
2810 it is non-@code{nil}, the function only returns those fonts whose
2811 characters are (on average) @var{width} times as wide as
2812 @var{reference-face}.
2815 @defun x-family-fonts &optional family frame
2816 This function returns a list describing the available fonts for family
2817 @var{family} on @var{frame}. If @var{family} is omitted or @code{nil},
2818 this list applies to all families, and therefore, it contains all
2819 available fonts. Otherwise, @var{family} must be a string; it may
2820 contain the wildcards @samp{?} and @samp{*}.
2822 The list describes the display that @var{frame} is on; if @var{frame} is
2823 omitted or @code{nil}, it applies to the selected frame's display
2824 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
2826 Each element in the list is a vector of the following form:
2829 [@var{family} @var{width} @var{point-size} @var{weight} @var{slant}
2830 @var{fixed-p} @var{full} @var{registry-and-encoding}]
2833 The first five elements correspond to face attributes; if you
2834 specify these attributes for a face, it will use this font.
2836 The last three elements give additional information about the font.
2837 @var{fixed-p} is non-@code{nil} if the font is fixed-pitch.
2838 @var{full} is the full name of the font, and
2839 @var{registry-and-encoding} is a string giving the registry and
2840 encoding of the font.
2843 @defvar font-list-limit
2844 This variable specifies maximum number of fonts to consider in font
2845 matching. The function @code{x-family-fonts} will not return more than
2846 that many fonts, and font selection will consider only that many fonts
2847 when searching a matching font for face attributes. The default is
2852 @subsection Fontsets
2854 A @dfn{fontset} is a list of fonts, each assigned to a range of
2855 character codes. An individual font cannot display the whole range of
2856 characters that Emacs supports, but a fontset can. Fontsets have names,
2857 just as fonts do, and you can use a fontset name in place of a font name
2858 when you specify the ``font'' for a frame or a face. Here is
2859 information about defining a fontset under Lisp program control.
2861 @defun create-fontset-from-fontset-spec fontset-spec &optional style-variant-p noerror
2862 This function defines a new fontset according to the specification
2863 string @var{fontset-spec}. The string should have this format:
2866 @var{fontpattern}, @r{[}@var{charset}:@var{font}@r{]@dots{}}
2870 Whitespace characters before and after the commas are ignored.
2872 The first part of the string, @var{fontpattern}, should have the form of
2873 a standard X font name, except that the last two fields should be
2874 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}.
2876 The new fontset has two names, one long and one short. The long name is
2877 @var{fontpattern} in its entirety. The short name is
2878 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}}. You can refer to the fontset by either
2879 name. If a fontset with the same name already exists, an error is
2880 signaled, unless @var{noerror} is non-@code{nil}, in which case this
2881 function does nothing.
2883 If optional argument @var{style-variant-p} is non-@code{nil}, that says
2884 to create bold, italic and bold-italic variants of the fontset as well.
2885 These variant fontsets do not have a short name, only a long one, which
2886 is made by altering @var{fontpattern} to indicate the bold or italic
2889 The specification string also says which fonts to use in the fontset.
2890 See below for the details.
2893 The construct @samp{@var{charset}:@var{font}} specifies which font to
2894 use (in this fontset) for one particular character set. Here,
2895 @var{charset} is the name of a character set, and @var{font} is the font
2896 to use for that character set. You can use this construct any number of
2897 times in the specification string.
2899 For the remaining character sets, those that you don't specify
2900 explicitly, Emacs chooses a font based on @var{fontpattern}: it replaces
2901 @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} with a value that names one character set.
2902 For the @acronym{ASCII} character set, @samp{fontset-@var{alias}} is replaced
2903 with @samp{ISO8859-1}.
2905 In addition, when several consecutive fields are wildcards, Emacs
2906 collapses them into a single wildcard. This is to prevent use of
2907 auto-scaled fonts. Fonts made by scaling larger fonts are not usable
2908 for editing, and scaling a smaller font is not useful because it is
2909 better to use the smaller font in its own size, which Emacs does.
2911 Thus if @var{fontpattern} is this,
2914 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24
2918 the font specification for @acronym{ASCII} characters would be this:
2921 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-ISO8859-1
2925 and the font specification for Chinese GB2312 characters would be this:
2928 -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2931 You may not have any Chinese font matching the above font
2932 specification. Most X distributions include only Chinese fonts that
2933 have @samp{song ti} or @samp{fangsong ti} in the @var{family} field. In
2934 such a case, @samp{Fontset-@var{n}} can be specified as below:
2937 Emacs.Fontset-0: -*-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-*-*-*-*-fontset-24,\
2938 chinese-gb2312:-*-*-medium-r-normal-*-24-*-gb2312*-*
2942 Then, the font specifications for all but Chinese GB2312 characters have
2943 @samp{fixed} in the @var{family} field, and the font specification for
2944 Chinese GB2312 characters has a wild card @samp{*} in the @var{family}
2947 @defun set-fontset-font name character font-spec &optional frame add
2948 This function modifies the existing fontset @var{name} to use the font
2949 matching with @var{font-spec} for the character @var{character}.
2951 If @var{name} is @code{nil}, this function modifies the fontset of the
2952 selected frame or that of @var{frame} if @var{frame} is not
2955 If @var{name} is @code{t}, this function modifies the default
2956 fontset, whose short name is @samp{fontset-default}.
2958 @var{character} may be a cons; @code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, where
2959 @var{from} and @var{to} are character codepoints. In that case, use
2960 @var{font-spec} for all characters in the range @var{from} and @var{to}
2963 @var{character} may be a charset. In that case, use
2964 @var{font-spec} for all character in the charsets.
2966 @var{character} may be a script name. In that case, use
2967 @var{font-spec} for all character in the charsets.
2969 @var{font-spec} may be a cons; @code{(@var{family} . @var{registry})},
2970 where @var{family} is a family name of a font (possibly including a
2971 foundry name at the head), @var{registry} is a registry name of a font
2972 (possibly including an encoding name at the tail).
2974 @var{font-spec} may be a font name string.
2976 The optional argument @var{add}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies how to
2977 add @var{font-spec} to the font specifications previously set. If it
2978 is @code{prepend}, @var{font-spec} is prepended. If it is
2979 @code{append}, @var{font-spec} is appended. By default,
2980 @var{font-spec} overrides the previous settings.
2982 For instance, this changes the default fontset to use a font of which
2983 family name is @samp{Kochi Gothic} for all characters belonging to
2984 the charset @code{japanese-jisx0208}.
2987 (set-fontset-font t 'japanese-jisx0208
2988 (font-spec :family "Kochi Gothic"))
2992 @defun char-displayable-p char
2993 This function returns @code{t} if Emacs ought to be able to display
2994 @var{char}. More precisely, if the selected frame's fontset has a
2995 font to display the character set that @var{char} belongs to.
2997 Fontsets can specify a font on a per-character basis; when the fontset
2998 does that, this function's value may not be accurate.
3001 @node Low-Level Font
3002 @subsection Low-Level Font Representation
3004 Normally, it is not necessary to manipulate fonts directly. In case
3005 you need to do so, this section explains how.
3007 In Emacs Lisp, fonts are represented using three different Lisp
3008 object types: @dfn{font objects}, @dfn{font specs}, and @dfn{font
3011 @defun fontp object &optional type
3012 Return @code{t} if @var{object} is a font object, font spec, or font
3013 entity. Otherwise, return @code{nil}.
3015 The optional argument @var{type}, if non-@code{nil}, determines the
3016 exact type of Lisp object to check for. In that case, @var{type}
3017 should be one of @code{font-object}, @code{font-spec}, or
3021 A font object is a Lisp object that represents a font that Emacs has
3022 @dfn{opened}. Font objects cannot be modified in Lisp, but they can
3025 @defun font-at position &optional window string
3026 Return the font object that is being used to display the character at
3027 position @var{position} in the window @var{window}. If @var{window}
3028 is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window. If @var{string} is
3029 @code{nil}, @var{position} specifies a position in the current buffer;
3030 otherwise, @var{string} should be a string, and @var{position}
3031 specifies a position in that string.
3034 A font spec is a Lisp object that contains a set of specifications
3035 that can be used to find a font. More than one font may match the
3036 specifications in a font spec.
3038 @defun font-spec &rest arguments
3039 Return a new font spec using the specifications in @var{arguments},
3040 which should come in @code{property}-@code{value} pairs. The possible
3041 specifications are as follows:
3045 The font name (a string), in either XLFD, Fontconfig, or GTK format.
3046 @xref{Font X,, Font Specification Options, emacs, The GNU Emacs
3054 These have the same meanings as the face attributes of the same name.
3055 @xref{Face Attributes}.
3058 The font size---either a non-negative integer that specifies the pixel
3059 size, or a floating point number that specifies the point size.
3062 Additional typographic style information for the font, such as
3063 @samp{sans}. The value should be a string or a symbol.
3066 The charset registry and encoding of the font, such as
3067 @samp{iso8859-1}. The value should be a string or a symbol.
3070 The script that the font must support (a symbol).
3073 The font must be an OpenType font that supports these OpenType
3074 features, provided Emacs is compiled with support for @samp{libotf} (a
3075 library for performing complex text layout in certain scripts). The
3076 value must be a list of the form
3079 @code{(@var{script-tag} @var{langsys-tag} @var{gsub} @var{gpos})}
3082 where @var{script-tag} is the OpenType script tag symbol;
3083 @var{langsys-tag} is the OpenType language system tag symbol, or
3084 @code{nil} to use the default language system; @code{gsub} is a list
3085 of OpenType GSUB feature tag symbols, or @code{nil} if none is
3086 required; and @code{gpos} is a list of OpenType GPOS feature tag
3087 symbols, or @code{nil} if none is required. If @code{gsub} or
3088 @code{gpos} is a list, a @code{nil} element in that list means that
3089 the font must not match any of the remaining tag symbols. The
3090 @code{gpos} element may be omitted.
3094 @defun font-put font-spec property value
3095 Set the font property @var{property} in the font-spec @var{font-spec}
3099 A font entity is a reference to a font that need not be open. Its
3100 properties are intermediate between a font object and a font spec:
3101 like a font object, and unlike a font spec, it refers to a single,
3102 specific font. Unlike a font object, creating a font entity does not
3103 load the contents of that font into computer memory.
3105 @defun find-font font-spec &optional frame
3106 This function returns a font entity that best matches the font spec
3107 @var{font-spec} on frame @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil},
3108 it defaults to the selected frame.
3111 @defun list-fonts font-spec &optional frame num prefer
3112 This function returns a list of all font entities that match the font
3113 spec @var{font-spec}.
3115 The optional argument @var{frame}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the
3116 frame on which the fonts are to be displayed. The optional argument
3117 @var{num}, if non-@code{nil}, should be an integer that specifies the
3118 maximum length of the returned list. The optional argument
3119 @var{prefer}, if non-@code{nil}, should be another font spec, which is
3120 used to control the order of the returned list; the returned font
3121 entities are sorted in order of decreasing ``closeness'' to that font
3125 If you call @code{set-face-attribute} and pass a font spec, font
3126 entity, or font name string as the value of the @code{:font}
3127 attribute, Emacs opens the best ``matching'' font that is available
3128 for display. It then stores the corresponding font object as the
3129 actual value of the @code{:font} attribute for that face.
3131 The following functions can be used to obtain information about a
3132 font. For these functions, the @var{font} argument can be a font
3133 object, a font entity, or a font spec.
3135 @defun font-get font property
3136 This function returns the value of the font property @var{property}
3139 If @var{font} is a font spec and the font spec does not specify
3140 @var{property}, the return value is @code{nil}. If @var{font} is a
3141 font object or font entity, the value for the @var{:script} property
3142 may be a list of scripts supported by the font.
3145 @defun font-face-attributes font &optional frame
3146 This function returns a list of face attributes corresponding to
3147 @var{font}. The optional argument @var{frame} specifies the frame on
3148 which the font is to be displayed. If it is @code{nil}, the selected
3149 frame is used. The return value has the form
3152 (:family @var{family} :height @var{height} :weight @var{weight}
3153 :slant @var{slant} :width @var{width})
3156 where the values of @var{family}, @var{height}, @var{weight},
3157 @var{slant}, and @var{width} are face attribute values. Some of these
3158 key-attribute pairs may be omitted from the list if they are not
3159 specified by @var{font}.
3162 @defun font-xlfd-name font &optional fold-wildcards
3163 This function returns the XLFD (X Logical Font Descriptor), a string,
3164 matching @var{font}. @xref{Font X,, Font Specification Options,
3165 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for information about XLFDs. If the
3166 name is too long for an XLFD (which can contain at most 255
3167 characters), the function returns @code{nil}.
3169 If the optional argument @var{fold-wildcards} is non-@code{nil},
3170 consecutive wildcards in the XLFD are folded into one.
3177 The @dfn{fringes} of a window are thin vertical strips down the
3178 sides that are used for displaying bitmaps that indicate truncation,
3179 continuation, horizontal scrolling, and the overlay arrow.
3182 * Fringe Size/Pos:: Specifying where to put the window fringes.
3183 * Fringe Indicators:: Displaying indicator icons in the window fringes.
3184 * Fringe Cursors:: Displaying cursors in the right fringe.
3185 * Fringe Bitmaps:: Specifying bitmaps for fringe indicators.
3186 * Customizing Bitmaps:: Specifying your own bitmaps to use in the fringes.
3187 * Overlay Arrow:: Display of an arrow to indicate position.
3190 @node Fringe Size/Pos
3191 @subsection Fringe Size and Position
3193 The following buffer-local variables control the position and width
3194 of the window fringes.
3196 @defvar fringes-outside-margins
3197 The fringes normally appear between the display margins and the window
3198 text. If the value is non-@code{nil}, they appear outside the display
3199 margins. @xref{Display Margins}.
3202 @defvar left-fringe-width
3203 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the left
3204 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the left fringe
3205 width from the window's frame.
3208 @defvar right-fringe-width
3209 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the width of the right
3210 fringe in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means to use the right fringe
3211 width from the window's frame.
3214 The values of these variables take effect when you display the
3215 buffer in a window. If you change them while the buffer is visible,
3216 you can call @code{set-window-buffer} to display it once again in the
3217 same window, to make the changes take effect.
3219 @defun set-window-fringes window left &optional right outside-margins
3220 This function sets the fringe widths of window @var{window}.
3221 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3223 The argument @var{left} specifies the width in pixels of the left
3224 fringe, and likewise @var{right} for the right fringe. A value of
3225 @code{nil} for either one stands for the default width. If
3226 @var{outside-margins} is non-@code{nil}, that specifies that fringes
3227 should appear outside of the display margins.
3230 @defun window-fringes &optional window
3231 This function returns information about the fringes of a window
3232 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected
3233 window is used. The value has the form @code{(@var{left-width}
3234 @var{right-width} @var{outside-margins})}.
3238 @node Fringe Indicators
3239 @subsection Fringe Indicators
3240 @cindex fringe indicators
3241 @cindex indicators, fringe
3243 The @dfn{fringe indicators} are tiny icons Emacs displays in the
3244 window fringe (on a graphic display) to indicate truncated or
3245 continued lines, buffer boundaries, overlay arrow, etc.
3247 @defopt indicate-empty-lines
3248 @cindex fringes, and empty line indication
3249 When this is non-@code{nil}, Emacs displays a special glyph in the
3250 fringe of each empty line at the end of the buffer, on graphical
3251 displays. @xref{Fringes}. This variable is automatically
3252 buffer-local in every buffer.
3255 @defopt indicate-buffer-boundaries
3256 This buffer-local variable controls how the buffer boundaries and
3257 window scrolling are indicated in the window fringes.
3259 Emacs can indicate the buffer boundaries---that is, the first and last
3260 line in the buffer---with angle icons when they appear on the screen.
3261 In addition, Emacs can display an up-arrow in the fringe to show
3262 that there is text above the screen, and a down-arrow to show
3263 there is text below the screen.
3265 There are three kinds of basic values:
3269 Don't display any of these fringe icons.
3271 Display the angle icons and arrows in the left fringe.
3273 Display the angle icons and arrows in the right fringe.
3275 Display the angle icons in the left fringe
3276 and don't display the arrows.
3279 Otherwise the value should be an alist that specifies which fringe
3280 indicators to display and where. Each element of the alist should
3281 have the form @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{position})}. Here,
3282 @var{indicator} is one of @code{top}, @code{bottom}, @code{up},
3283 @code{down}, and @code{t} (which covers all the icons not yet
3284 specified), while @var{position} is one of @code{left}, @code{right}
3287 For example, @code{((top . left) (t . right))} places the top angle
3288 bitmap in left fringe, and the bottom angle bitmap as well as both
3289 arrow bitmaps in right fringe. To show the angle bitmaps in the left
3290 fringe, and no arrow bitmaps, use @code{((top . left) (bottom . left))}.
3293 @defvar fringe-indicator-alist
3294 This buffer-local variable specifies the mapping from logical fringe
3295 indicators to the actual bitmaps displayed in the window fringes.
3297 These symbols identify the logical fringe indicators:
3300 @item Truncation and continuation line indicators:
3301 @code{truncation}, @code{continuation}.
3303 @item Buffer position indicators:
3304 @code{up}, @code{down},
3305 @code{top}, @code{bottom},
3308 @item Empty line indicator:
3311 @item Overlay arrow indicator:
3312 @code{overlay-arrow}.
3314 @item Unknown bitmap indicator:
3318 The value is an alist where each element @code{(@var{indicator} . @var{bitmaps})}
3319 specifies the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical
3322 Here, @var{indicator} specifies the logical indicator type, and
3323 @var{bitmaps} is list of symbols @code{(@var{left} @var{right}
3324 [@var{left1} @var{right1}])} which specifies the actual bitmap shown
3325 in the left or right fringe for the logical indicator.
3327 The @var{left} and @var{right} symbols specify the bitmaps shown in
3328 the left and/or right fringe for the specific indicator. The
3329 @var{left1} or @var{right1} bitmaps are used only for the `bottom' and
3330 `top-bottom indicators when the last (only) line in has no final
3331 newline. Alternatively, @var{bitmaps} may be a single symbol which is
3332 used in both left and right fringes.
3334 When @code{fringe-indicator-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there
3335 is no bitmap defined for a logical indicator, or the bitmap is
3336 @code{t}, the corresponding value from the default value of
3337 @code{fringe-indicator-alist} is used.
3339 To completely hide a specific indicator, set the bitmap to @code{nil}.
3342 Standard fringe bitmaps for indicators:
3344 left-arrow right-arrow up-arrow down-arrow
3345 left-curly-arrow right-curly-arrow
3346 left-triangle right-triangle
3347 top-left-angle top-right-angle
3348 bottom-left-angle bottom-right-angle
3349 left-bracket right-bracket
3350 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle
3351 filled-square hollow-square
3352 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3353 empty-line question-mark
3356 @node Fringe Cursors
3357 @subsection Fringe Cursors
3358 @cindex fringe cursors
3359 @cindex cursor, fringe
3361 When a line is exactly as wide as the window, Emacs displays the
3362 cursor in the right fringe instead of using two lines. Different
3363 bitmaps are used to represent the cursor in the fringe depending on
3364 the current buffer's cursor type.
3367 @item Logical cursor types:
3368 @code{box} , @code{hollow}, @code{bar},
3369 @code{hbar}, @code{hollow-small}.
3372 The @code{hollow-small} type is used instead of @code{hollow} when the
3373 normal @code{hollow-rectangle} bitmap is too tall to fit on a specific
3376 @defopt overflow-newline-into-fringe
3377 If this is non-@code{nil}, lines exactly as wide as the window (not
3378 counting the final newline character) are not continued. Instead,
3379 when point is at the end of the line, the cursor appears in the right
3383 @defvar fringe-cursor-alist
3384 This variable specifies the mapping from logical cursor type to the
3385 actual fringe bitmaps displayed in the right fringe. The value is an
3386 alist where each element @code{(@var{cursor} . @var{bitmap})} specifies
3387 the fringe bitmaps used to display a specific logical cursor type in
3388 the fringe. Here, @var{cursor} specifies the logical cursor type and
3389 @var{bitmap} is a symbol specifying the fringe bitmap to be displayed
3390 for that logical cursor type.
3392 When @code{fringe-cursor-alist} has a buffer-local value, and there is
3393 no bitmap defined for a cursor type, the corresponding value from the
3394 default value of @code{fringes-indicator-alist} is used.
3397 Standard bitmaps for displaying the cursor in right fringe:
3399 filled-rectangle hollow-rectangle filled-square hollow-square
3400 vertical-bar horizontal-bar
3404 @node Fringe Bitmaps
3405 @subsection Fringe Bitmaps
3406 @cindex fringe bitmaps
3407 @cindex bitmaps, fringe
3409 The @dfn{fringe bitmaps} are the actual bitmaps which represent the
3410 logical fringe indicators for truncated or continued lines, buffer
3411 boundaries, overlay arrow, etc. Fringe bitmap symbols have their own
3412 name space. The fringe bitmaps are shared by all frames and windows.
3413 You can redefine the built-in fringe bitmaps, and you can define new
3416 The way to display a bitmap in the left or right fringes for a given
3417 line in a window is by specifying the @code{display} property for one
3418 of the characters that appears in it. Use a display specification of
3419 the form @code{(left-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} or
3420 @code{(right-fringe @var{bitmap} [@var{face}])} (@pxref{Display
3421 Property}). Here, @var{bitmap} is a symbol identifying the bitmap you
3422 want, and @var{face} (which is optional) is the name of the face whose
3423 colors should be used for displaying the bitmap, instead of the
3424 default @code{fringe} face. @var{face} is automatically merged with
3425 the @code{fringe} face, so normally @var{face} need only specify the
3426 foreground color for the bitmap.
3428 @defun fringe-bitmaps-at-pos &optional pos window
3429 This function returns the fringe bitmaps of the display line
3430 containing position @var{pos} in window @var{window}. The return
3431 value has the form @code{(@var{left} @var{right} @var{ov})}, where @var{left}
3432 is the symbol for the fringe bitmap in the left fringe (or @code{nil}
3433 if no bitmap), @var{right} is similar for the right fringe, and @var{ov}
3434 is non-@code{nil} if there is an overlay arrow in the left fringe.
3436 The value is @code{nil} if @var{pos} is not visible in @var{window}.
3437 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, that stands for the selected window.
3438 If @var{pos} is @code{nil}, that stands for the value of point in
3442 @node Customizing Bitmaps
3443 @subsection Customizing Fringe Bitmaps
3445 @defun define-fringe-bitmap bitmap bits &optional height width align
3446 This function defines the symbol @var{bitmap} as a new fringe bitmap,
3447 or replaces an existing bitmap with that name.
3449 The argument @var{bits} specifies the image to use. It should be
3450 either a string or a vector of integers, where each element (an
3451 integer) corresponds to one row of the bitmap. Each bit of an integer
3452 corresponds to one pixel of the bitmap, where the low bit corresponds
3453 to the rightmost pixel of the bitmap.
3455 The height is normally the length of @var{bits}. However, you
3456 can specify a different height with non-@code{nil} @var{height}. The width
3457 is normally 8, but you can specify a different width with non-@code{nil}
3458 @var{width}. The width must be an integer between 1 and 16.
3460 The argument @var{align} specifies the positioning of the bitmap
3461 relative to the range of rows where it is used; the default is to
3462 center the bitmap. The allowed values are @code{top}, @code{center},
3465 The @var{align} argument may also be a list @code{(@var{align}
3466 @var{periodic})} where @var{align} is interpreted as described above.
3467 If @var{periodic} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies that the rows in
3468 @code{bits} should be repeated enough times to reach the specified
3472 @defun destroy-fringe-bitmap bitmap
3473 This function destroy the fringe bitmap identified by @var{bitmap}.
3474 If @var{bitmap} identifies a standard fringe bitmap, it actually
3475 restores the standard definition of that bitmap, instead of
3476 eliminating it entirely.
3479 @defun set-fringe-bitmap-face bitmap &optional face
3480 This sets the face for the fringe bitmap @var{bitmap} to @var{face}.
3481 If @var{face} is @code{nil}, it selects the @code{fringe} face. The
3482 bitmap's face controls the color to draw it in.
3484 @var{face} is merged with the @code{fringe} face, so normally
3485 @var{face} should specify only the foreground color.
3489 @subsection The Overlay Arrow
3490 @c @cindex overlay arrow Duplicates variable names
3492 The @dfn{overlay arrow} is useful for directing the user's attention
3493 to a particular line in a buffer. For example, in the modes used for
3494 interface to debuggers, the overlay arrow indicates the line of code
3495 about to be executed. This feature has nothing to do with
3496 @dfn{overlays} (@pxref{Overlays}).
3498 @defvar overlay-arrow-string
3499 This variable holds the string to display to call attention to a
3500 particular line, or @code{nil} if the arrow feature is not in use.
3501 On a graphical display the contents of the string are ignored; instead a
3502 glyph is displayed in the fringe area to the left of the display area.
3505 @defvar overlay-arrow-position
3506 This variable holds a marker that indicates where to display the overlay
3507 arrow. It should point at the beginning of a line. On a non-graphical
3508 display the arrow text
3509 appears at the beginning of that line, overlaying any text that would
3510 otherwise appear. Since the arrow is usually short, and the line
3511 usually begins with indentation, normally nothing significant is
3514 The overlay-arrow string is displayed in any given buffer if the value
3515 of @code{overlay-arrow-position} in that buffer points into that
3516 buffer. Thus, it is possible to display multiple overlay arrow strings
3517 by creating buffer-local bindings of @code{overlay-arrow-position}.
3518 However, it is usually cleaner to use
3519 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list} to achieve this result.
3520 @c !!! overlay-arrow-position: but the overlay string may remain in the display
3521 @c of some other buffer until an update is required. This should be fixed
3525 You can do a similar job by creating an overlay with a
3526 @code{before-string} property. @xref{Overlay Properties}.
3528 You can define multiple overlay arrows via the variable
3529 @code{overlay-arrow-variable-list}.
3531 @defvar overlay-arrow-variable-list
3532 This variable's value is a list of variables, each of which specifies
3533 the position of an overlay arrow. The variable
3534 @code{overlay-arrow-position} has its normal meaning because it is on
3538 Each variable on this list can have properties
3539 @code{overlay-arrow-string} and @code{overlay-arrow-bitmap} that
3540 specify an overlay arrow string (for text-only terminals) or fringe
3541 bitmap (for graphical terminals) to display at the corresponding
3542 overlay arrow position. If either property is not set, the default
3543 @code{overlay-arrow-string} or @code{overlay-arrow} fringe indicator
3547 @section Scroll Bars
3550 Normally the frame parameter @code{vertical-scroll-bars} controls
3551 whether the windows in the frame have vertical scroll bars, and
3552 whether they are on the left or right. The frame parameter
3553 @code{scroll-bar-width} specifies how wide they are (@code{nil}
3554 meaning the default). @xref{Layout Parameters}.
3556 @defun frame-current-scroll-bars &optional frame
3557 This function reports the scroll bar type settings for frame
3558 @var{frame}. The value is a cons cell
3559 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}, where
3560 @var{vertical-type} is either @code{left}, @code{right}, or @code{nil}
3561 (which means no scroll bar.) @var{horizontal-type} is meant to
3562 specify the horizontal scroll bar type, but since they are not
3563 implemented, it is always @code{nil}.
3566 @vindex vertical-scroll-bar
3567 You can enable or disable scroll bars for a particular buffer,
3568 by setting the variable @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. This variable
3569 automatically becomes buffer-local when set. The possible values are
3570 @code{left}, @code{right}, @code{t}, which means to use the
3571 frame's default, and @code{nil} for no scroll bar.
3573 You can also control this for individual windows. Call the function
3574 @code{set-window-scroll-bars} to specify what to do for a specific window:
3576 @defun set-window-scroll-bars window width &optional vertical-type horizontal-type
3577 This function sets the width and type of scroll bars for window
3580 @var{width} specifies the scroll bar width in pixels (@code{nil} means
3581 use the width specified for the frame). @var{vertical-type} specifies
3582 whether to have a vertical scroll bar and, if so, where. The possible
3583 values are @code{left}, @code{right} and @code{nil}, just like the
3584 values of the @code{vertical-scroll-bars} frame parameter.
3586 The argument @var{horizontal-type} is meant to specify whether and
3587 where to have horizontal scroll bars, but since they are not
3588 implemented, it has no effect. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the
3589 selected window is used.
3592 @defun window-scroll-bars &optional window
3593 Report the width and type of scroll bars specified for @var{window}.
3594 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3595 The value is a list of the form @code{(@var{width}
3596 @var{cols} @var{vertical-type} @var{horizontal-type})}. The value
3597 @var{width} is the value that was specified for the width (which may
3598 be @code{nil}); @var{cols} is the number of columns that the scroll
3599 bar actually occupies.
3601 @var{horizontal-type} is not actually meaningful.
3604 If you don't specify these values for a window with
3605 @code{set-window-scroll-bars}, the buffer-local variables
3606 @code{scroll-bar-mode} and @code{scroll-bar-width} in the buffer being
3607 displayed control the window's vertical scroll bars. The function
3608 @code{set-window-buffer} examines these variables. If you change them
3609 in a buffer that is already visible in a window, you can make the
3610 window take note of the new values by calling @code{set-window-buffer}
3611 specifying the same buffer that is already displayed.
3613 @defopt scroll-bar-mode
3614 This variable, always local in all buffers, controls whether and where
3615 to put scroll bars in windows displaying the buffer. The possible values
3616 are @code{nil} for no scroll bar, @code{left} to put a scroll bar on
3617 the left, and @code{right} to put a scroll bar on the right.
3620 @defun window-current-scroll-bars &optional window
3621 This function reports the scroll bar type for window @var{window}.
3622 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
3623 The value is a cons cell
3624 @code{(@var{vertical-type} .@: @var{horizontal-type})}. Unlike
3625 @code{window-scroll-bars}, this reports the scroll bar type actually
3626 used, once frame defaults and @code{scroll-bar-mode} are taken into
3630 @defvar scroll-bar-width
3631 This variable, always local in all buffers, specifies the width of the
3632 buffer's scroll bars, measured in pixels. A value of @code{nil} means
3633 to use the value specified by the frame.
3636 @node Display Property
3637 @section The @code{display} Property
3638 @cindex display specification
3639 @kindex display @r{(text property)}
3641 The @code{display} text property (or overlay property) is used to
3642 insert images into text, and also control other aspects of how text
3643 displays. The value of the @code{display} property should be a
3644 display specification, or a list or vector containing several display
3645 specifications. Display specifications in the same @code{display}
3646 property value generally apply in parallel to the text they cover.
3648 If several sources (overlays and/or a text property) specify values
3649 for the @code{display} property, only one of the values takes effect,
3650 following the rules of @code{get-char-property}. @xref{Examining
3653 The rest of this section describes several kinds of
3654 display specifications and what they mean.
3657 * Replacing Specs:: Display specs that replace the text.
3658 * Specified Space:: Displaying one space with a specified width.
3659 * Pixel Specification:: Specifying space width or height in pixels.
3660 * Other Display Specs:: Displaying an image; magnifying text; moving it
3661 up or down on the page; adjusting the width
3662 of spaces within text.
3663 * Display Margins:: Displaying text or images to the side of the main text.
3666 @node Replacing Specs
3667 @subsection Display Specs That Replace The Text
3669 Some kinds of @code{display} specifications specify something to
3670 display instead of the text that has the property. These are called
3671 @dfn{replacing} display specifications. Emacs does not allow the user
3672 to interactively move point into the middle of buffer text that is
3673 replaced in this way.
3675 If a list of display specifications includes more than one replacing
3676 display specification, the first overrides the rest. Replacing
3677 display specifications make most other display specifications
3678 irrelevant, since those don't apply to the replacement.
3680 For replacing display specifications, ``the text that has the
3681 property'' means all the consecutive characters that have the same
3682 Lisp object as their @code{display} property; these characters are
3683 replaced as a single unit. By contrast, characters that have similar
3684 but distinct Lisp objects as their @code{display} properties are
3685 handled separately. Here's a function that illustrates this point:
3689 (goto-char (point-min))
3691 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3692 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3694 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3699 It gives each of the first ten characters in the buffer string
3700 @code{"A"} as the @code{display} property, but they don't all get the
3701 same string. The first two characters get the same string, so they
3702 together are replaced with one @samp{A}. The next two characters get
3703 a second string, so they together are replaced with one @samp{A}.
3704 Likewise for each following pair of characters. Thus, the ten
3705 characters appear as five A's. This function would have the same
3710 (goto-char (point-min))
3712 (let ((string (concat "A")))
3713 (put-text-property (point) (+ 2 (point)) 'display string)
3714 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) 'display string)
3719 This illustrates that what matters is the property value for
3720 each character. If two consecutive characters have the same
3721 object as the @code{display} property value, it's irrelevant
3722 whether they got this property from a single call to
3723 @code{put-text-property} or from two different calls.
3725 @node Specified Space
3726 @subsection Specified Spaces
3727 @cindex spaces, specified height or width
3728 @cindex variable-width spaces
3730 To display a space of specified width and/or height, use a display
3731 specification of the form @code{(space . @var{props})}, where
3732 @var{props} is a property list (a list of alternating properties and
3733 values). You can put this property on one or more consecutive
3734 characters; a space of the specified height and width is displayed in
3735 place of @emph{all} of those characters. These are the properties you
3736 can use in @var{props} to specify the weight of the space:
3739 @item :width @var{width}
3740 If @var{width} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3741 that the space width should be @var{width} times the normal character
3742 width. @var{width} can also be a @dfn{pixel width} specification
3743 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3745 @item :relative-width @var{factor}
3746 Specifies that the width of the stretch should be computed from the
3747 first character in the group of consecutive characters that have the
3748 same @code{display} property. The space width is the width of that
3749 character, multiplied by @var{factor}.
3751 @item :align-to @var{hpos}
3752 Specifies that the space should be wide enough to reach @var{hpos}.
3753 If @var{hpos} is a number, it is measured in units of the normal
3754 character width. @var{hpos} can also be a @dfn{pixel width}
3755 specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3758 You should use one and only one of the above properties. You can
3759 also specify the height of the space, with these properties:
3762 @item :height @var{height}
3763 Specifies the height of the space.
3764 If @var{height} is an integer or floating point number, it specifies
3765 that the space height should be @var{height} times the normal character
3766 height. The @var{height} may also be a @dfn{pixel height} specification
3767 (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3769 @item :relative-height @var{factor}
3770 Specifies the height of the space, multiplying the ordinary height
3771 of the text having this display specification by @var{factor}.
3773 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
3774 If the value of @var{ascent} is a non-negative number no greater than
3775 100, it specifies that @var{ascent} percent of the height of the space
3776 should be considered as the ascent of the space---that is, the part
3777 above the baseline. The ascent may also be specified in pixel units
3778 with a @dfn{pixel ascent} specification (@pxref{Pixel Specification}).
3782 Don't use both @code{:height} and @code{:relative-height} together.
3784 The @code{:width} and @code{:align-to} properties are supported on
3785 non-graphic terminals, but the other space properties in this section
3788 @node Pixel Specification
3789 @subsection Pixel Specification for Spaces
3790 @cindex spaces, pixel specification
3792 The value of the @code{:width}, @code{:align-to}, @code{:height},
3793 and @code{:ascent} properties can be a special kind of expression that
3794 is evaluated during redisplay. The result of the evaluation is used
3795 as an absolute number of pixels.
3797 The following expressions are supported:
3801 @var{expr} ::= @var{num} | (@var{num}) | @var{unit} | @var{elem} | @var{pos} | @var{image} | @var{form}
3802 @var{num} ::= @var{integer} | @var{float} | @var{symbol}
3803 @var{unit} ::= in | mm | cm | width | height
3806 @var{elem} ::= left-fringe | right-fringe | left-margin | right-margin
3808 @var{pos} ::= left | center | right
3809 @var{form} ::= (@var{num} . @var{expr}) | (@var{op} @var{expr} ...)
3814 The form @var{num} specifies a fraction of the default frame font
3815 height or width. The form @code{(@var{num})} specifies an absolute
3816 number of pixels. If @var{num} is a symbol, @var{symbol}, its
3817 buffer-local variable binding is used.
3819 The @code{in}, @code{mm}, and @code{cm} units specify the number of
3820 pixels per inch, millimeter, and centimeter, respectively. The
3821 @code{width} and @code{height} units correspond to the default width
3822 and height of the current face. An image specification @code{image}
3823 corresponds to the width or height of the image.
3825 The @code{left-fringe}, @code{right-fringe}, @code{left-margin},
3826 @code{right-margin}, @code{scroll-bar}, and @code{text} elements
3827 specify to the width of the corresponding area of the window.
3829 The @code{left}, @code{center}, and @code{right} positions can be
3830 used with @code{:align-to} to specify a position relative to the left
3831 edge, center, or right edge of the text area.
3833 Any of the above window elements (except @code{text}) can also be
3834 used with @code{:align-to} to specify that the position is relative to
3835 the left edge of the given area. Once the base offset for a relative
3836 position has been set (by the first occurrence of one of these
3837 symbols), further occurrences of these symbols are interpreted as the
3838 width of the specified area. For example, to align to the center of
3839 the left-margin, use
3842 :align-to (+ left-margin (0.5 . left-margin))
3845 If no specific base offset is set for alignment, it is always relative
3846 to the left edge of the text area. For example, @samp{:align-to 0} in a
3847 header-line aligns with the first text column in the text area.
3849 A value of the form @code{(@var{num} . @var{expr})} stands for the
3850 product of the values of @var{num} and @var{expr}. For example,
3851 @code{(2 . in)} specifies a width of 2 inches, while @code{(0.5 .
3852 @var{image})} specifies half the width (or height) of the specified
3855 The form @code{(+ @var{expr} ...)} adds up the value of the
3856 expressions. The form @code{(- @var{expr} ...)} negates or subtracts
3857 the value of the expressions.
3859 @node Other Display Specs
3860 @subsection Other Display Specifications
3862 Here are the other sorts of display specifications that you can use
3863 in the @code{display} text property.
3867 Display @var{string} instead of the text that has this property.
3869 Recursive display specifications are not supported---@var{string}'s
3870 @code{display} properties, if any, are not used.
3872 @item (image . @var{image-props})
3873 This kind of display specification is an image descriptor (@pxref{Images}).
3874 When used as a display specification, it means to display the image
3875 instead of the text that has the display specification.
3877 @item (slice @var{x} @var{y} @var{width} @var{height})
3878 This specification together with @code{image} specifies a @dfn{slice}
3879 (a partial area) of the image to display. The elements @var{y} and
3880 @var{x} specify the top left corner of the slice, within the image;
3881 @var{width} and @var{height} specify the width and height of the
3882 slice. Integer values are numbers of pixels. A floating point number
3883 in the range 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height
3884 of the entire image.
3886 @item ((margin nil) @var{string})
3887 A display specification of this form means to display @var{string}
3888 instead of the text that has the display specification, at the same
3889 position as that text. It is equivalent to using just @var{string},
3890 but it is done as a special case of marginal display (@pxref{Display
3893 @item (space-width @var{factor})
3894 This display specification affects all the space characters within the
3895 text that has the specification. It displays all of these spaces
3896 @var{factor} times as wide as normal. The element @var{factor} should
3897 be an integer or float. Characters other than spaces are not affected
3898 at all; in particular, this has no effect on tab characters.
3900 @item (height @var{height})
3901 This display specification makes the text taller or shorter.
3902 Here are the possibilities for @var{height}:
3905 @item @code{(+ @var{n})}
3906 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps larger. A ``step'' is
3907 defined by the set of available fonts---specifically, those that match
3908 what was otherwise specified for this text, in all attributes except
3909 height. Each size for which a suitable font is available counts as
3910 another step. @var{n} should be an integer.
3912 @item @code{(- @var{n})}
3913 This means to use a font that is @var{n} steps smaller.
3915 @item a number, @var{factor}
3916 A number, @var{factor}, means to use a font that is @var{factor} times
3917 as tall as the default font.
3919 @item a symbol, @var{function}
3920 A symbol is a function to compute the height. It is called with the
3921 current height as argument, and should return the new height to use.
3923 @item anything else, @var{form}
3924 If the @var{height} value doesn't fit the previous possibilities, it is
3925 a form. Emacs evaluates it to get the new height, with the symbol
3926 @code{height} bound to the current specified font height.
3929 @item (raise @var{factor})
3930 This kind of display specification raises or lowers the text
3931 it applies to, relative to the baseline of the line.
3933 @var{factor} must be a number, which is interpreted as a multiple of the
3934 height of the affected text. If it is positive, that means to display
3935 the characters raised. If it is negative, that means to display them
3938 If the text also has a @code{height} display specification, that does
3939 not affect the amount of raising or lowering, which is based on the
3940 faces used for the text.
3943 @c We put all the `@code{(when ...)}' on one line to encourage
3944 @c makeinfo's end-of-sentence heuristics to DTRT. Previously, the dot
3945 @c was at eol; the info file ended up w/ two spaces rendered after it.
3946 You can make any display specification conditional. To do that,
3947 package it in another list of the form
3948 @code{(when @var{condition} . @var{spec})}.
3949 Then the specification @var{spec} applies only when
3950 @var{condition} evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value. During the
3951 evaluation, @code{object} is bound to the string or buffer having the
3952 conditional @code{display} property. @code{position} and
3953 @code{buffer-position} are bound to the position within @code{object}
3954 and the buffer position where the @code{display} property was found,
3955 respectively. Both positions can be different when @code{object} is a
3958 @node Display Margins
3959 @subsection Displaying in the Margins
3960 @cindex display margins
3961 @cindex margins, display
3963 A buffer can have blank areas called @dfn{display margins} on the
3964 left and on the right. Ordinary text never appears in these areas,
3965 but you can put things into the display margins using the
3966 @code{display} property. There is currently no way to make text or
3967 images in the margin mouse-sensitive.
3969 The way to display something in the margins is to specify it in a
3970 margin display specification in the @code{display} property of some
3971 text. This is a replacing display specification, meaning that the
3972 text you put it on does not get displayed; the margin display appears,
3973 but that text does not.
3975 A margin display specification looks like @code{((margin
3976 right-margin) @var{spec})} or @code{((margin left-margin) @var{spec})}.
3977 Here, @var{spec} is another display specification that says what to
3978 display in the margin. Typically it is a string of text to display,
3979 or an image descriptor.
3981 To display something in the margin @emph{in association with}
3982 certain buffer text, without altering or preventing the display of
3983 that text, put a @code{before-string} property on the text and put the
3984 margin display specification on the contents of the before-string.
3986 Before the display margins can display anything, you must give
3987 them a nonzero width. The usual way to do that is to set these
3990 @defvar left-margin-width
3991 This variable specifies the width of the left margin.
3992 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
3995 @defvar right-margin-width
3996 This variable specifies the width of the right margin.
3997 It is buffer-local in all buffers.
4000 Setting these variables does not immediately affect the window. These
4001 variables are checked when a new buffer is displayed in the window.
4002 Thus, you can make changes take effect by calling
4003 @code{set-window-buffer}.
4005 You can also set the margin widths immediately.
4007 @defun set-window-margins window left &optional right
4008 This function specifies the margin widths for window @var{window}.
4009 The argument @var{left} controls the left margin and
4010 @var{right} controls the right margin (default @code{0}).
4013 @defun window-margins &optional window
4014 This function returns the left and right margins of @var{window}
4015 as a cons cell of the form @code{(@var{left} . @var{right})}.
4016 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is used.
4021 @cindex images in buffers
4023 To display an image in an Emacs buffer, you must first create an image
4024 descriptor, then use it as a display specifier in the @code{display}
4025 property of text that is displayed (@pxref{Display Property}).
4027 Emacs is usually able to display images when it is run on a
4028 graphical terminal. Images cannot be displayed in a text terminal, on
4029 certain graphical terminals that lack the support for this, or if
4030 Emacs is compiled without image support. You can use the function
4031 @code{display-images-p} to determine if images can in principle be
4032 displayed (@pxref{Display Feature Testing}).
4035 * Image Formats:: Supported image formats.
4036 * Image Descriptors:: How to specify an image for use in @code{:display}.
4037 * XBM Images:: Special features for XBM format.
4038 * XPM Images:: Special features for XPM format.
4039 * GIF Images:: Special features for GIF format.
4040 * TIFF Images:: Special features for TIFF format.
4041 * PostScript Images:: Special features for PostScript format.
4042 * ImageMagick Images:: Special features available through ImageMagick.
4043 * Other Image Types:: Various other formats are supported.
4044 * Defining Images:: Convenient ways to define an image for later use.
4045 * Showing Images:: Convenient ways to display an image once it is defined.
4046 * Image Cache:: Internal mechanisms of image display.
4050 @subsection Image Formats
4051 @cindex image formats
4054 Emacs can display a number of different image formats; some of them
4055 are supported only if particular support libraries are installed on
4056 your machine. In some environments, Emacs can load image
4057 libraries on demand; if so, the variable @code{image-library-alist}
4058 can be used to modify the set of known names for these dynamic
4059 libraries (though it is not possible to add new image formats).
4061 The supported image formats include XBM, XPM (this requires the
4062 libraries @code{libXpm} version 3.4k and @code{libz}), GIF (requiring
4063 @code{libungif} 4.1.0), PostScript, PBM, JPEG (requiring the
4064 @code{libjpeg} library version v6a), TIFF (requiring @code{libtiff}
4065 v3.4), PNG (requiring @code{libpng} 1.0.2), and SVG (requiring
4066 @code{librsvg} 2.0.0).
4068 You specify one of these formats with an image type symbol. The image
4069 type symbols are @code{xbm}, @code{xpm}, @code{gif}, @code{postscript},
4070 @code{pbm}, @code{jpeg}, @code{tiff}, @code{png}, and @code{svg}.
4073 This variable contains a list of those image type symbols that are
4074 potentially supported in the current configuration.
4075 @emph{Potentially} here means that Emacs knows about the image types,
4076 not necessarily that they can be loaded (they could depend on
4077 unavailable dynamic libraries, for example).
4079 To know which image types are really available, use
4080 @code{image-type-available-p}.
4083 @defvar image-library-alist
4084 This in an alist of image types vs external libraries needed to
4087 Each element is a list @code{(@var{image-type} @var{library}...)},
4088 where the car is a supported image format from @code{image-types}, and
4089 the rest are strings giving alternate filenames for the corresponding
4090 external libraries to load.
4092 Emacs tries to load the libraries in the order they appear on the
4093 list; if none is loaded, the running session of Emacs won't support
4094 the image type. @code{pbm} and @code{xbm} don't need to be listed;
4095 they're always supported.
4097 This variable is ignored if the image libraries are statically linked
4101 @defun image-type-available-p type
4102 This function returns non-@code{nil} if image type @var{type} is
4103 available, i.e., if images of this type can be loaded and displayed in
4104 Emacs. @var{type} should be one of the types contained in
4107 For image types whose support libraries are statically linked, this
4108 function always returns @code{t}; for other image types, it returns
4109 @code{t} if the dynamic library could be loaded, @code{nil} otherwise.
4112 @node Image Descriptors
4113 @subsection Image Descriptors
4114 @cindex image descriptor
4116 An image description is a list of the form @code{(image . @var{props})},
4117 where @var{props} is a property list containing alternating keyword
4118 symbols (symbols whose names start with a colon) and their values.
4119 You can use any Lisp object as a property, but the only properties
4120 that have any special meaning are certain symbols, all of them keywords.
4122 Every image descriptor must contain the property @code{:type
4123 @var{type}} to specify the format of the image. The value of @var{type}
4124 should be an image type symbol; for example, @code{xpm} for an image in
4127 Here is a list of other properties that are meaningful for all image
4131 @item :file @var{file}
4132 The @code{:file} property says to load the image from file
4133 @var{file}. If @var{file} is not an absolute file name, it is expanded
4134 in @code{data-directory}.
4136 @item :data @var{data}
4137 The @code{:data} property says the actual contents of the image.
4138 Each image must use either @code{:data} or @code{:file}, but not both.
4139 For most image types, the value of the @code{:data} property should be a
4140 string containing the image data; we recommend using a unibyte string.
4142 Before using @code{:data}, look for further information in the section
4143 below describing the specific image format. For some image types,
4144 @code{:data} may not be supported; for some, it allows other data types;
4145 for some, @code{:data} alone is not enough, so you need to use other
4146 image properties along with @code{:data}.
4148 @item :margin @var{margin}
4149 The @code{:margin} property specifies how many pixels to add as an
4150 extra margin around the image. The value, @var{margin}, must be a
4151 non-negative number, or a pair @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})} of such
4152 numbers. If it is a pair, @var{x} specifies how many pixels to add
4153 horizontally, and @var{y} specifies how many pixels to add vertically.
4154 If @code{:margin} is not specified, the default is zero.
4156 @item :ascent @var{ascent}
4157 The @code{:ascent} property specifies the amount of the image's
4158 height to use for its ascent---that is, the part above the baseline.
4159 The value, @var{ascent}, must be a number in the range 0 to 100, or
4160 the symbol @code{center}.
4162 If @var{ascent} is a number, that percentage of the image's height is
4163 used for its ascent.
4165 If @var{ascent} is @code{center}, the image is vertically centered
4166 around a centerline which would be the vertical centerline of text drawn
4167 at the position of the image, in the manner specified by the text
4168 properties and overlays that apply to the image.
4170 If this property is omitted, it defaults to 50.
4172 @item :relief @var{relief}
4173 The @code{:relief} property, if non-@code{nil}, adds a shadow rectangle
4174 around the image. The value, @var{relief}, specifies the width of the
4175 shadow lines, in pixels. If @var{relief} is negative, shadows are drawn
4176 so that the image appears as a pressed button; otherwise, it appears as
4177 an unpressed button.
4179 @item :conversion @var{algorithm}
4180 The @code{:conversion} property, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a
4181 conversion algorithm that should be applied to the image before it is
4182 displayed; the value, @var{algorithm}, specifies which algorithm.
4187 Specifies the Laplace edge detection algorithm, which blurs out small
4188 differences in color while highlighting larger differences. People
4189 sometimes consider this useful for displaying the image for a
4190 ``disabled'' button.
4192 @item (edge-detection :matrix @var{matrix} :color-adjust @var{adjust})
4193 Specifies a general edge-detection algorithm. @var{matrix} must be
4194 either a nine-element list or a nine-element vector of numbers. A pixel
4195 at position @math{x/y} in the transformed image is computed from
4196 original pixels around that position. @var{matrix} specifies, for each
4197 pixel in the neighborhood of @math{x/y}, a factor with which that pixel
4198 will influence the transformed pixel; element @math{0} specifies the
4199 factor for the pixel at @math{x-1/y-1}, element @math{1} the factor for
4200 the pixel at @math{x/y-1} etc., as shown below:
4203 $$\pmatrix{x-1/y-1 & x/y-1 & x+1/y-1 \cr
4204 x-1/y & x/y & x+1/y \cr
4205 x-1/y+1& x/y+1 & x+1/y+1 \cr}$$
4210 (x-1/y-1 x/y-1 x+1/y-1
4212 x-1/y+1 x/y+1 x+1/y+1)
4216 The resulting pixel is computed from the color intensity of the color
4217 resulting from summing up the RGB values of surrounding pixels,
4218 multiplied by the specified factors, and dividing that sum by the sum
4219 of the factors' absolute values.
4221 Laplace edge-detection currently uses a matrix of
4224 $$\pmatrix{1 & 0 & 0 \cr
4237 Emboss edge-detection uses a matrix of
4240 $$\pmatrix{ 2 & -1 & 0 \cr
4254 Specifies transforming the image so that it looks ``disabled.''
4257 @item :mask @var{mask}
4258 If @var{mask} is @code{heuristic} or @code{(heuristic @var{bg})}, build
4259 a clipping mask for the image, so that the background of a frame is
4260 visible behind the image. If @var{bg} is not specified, or if @var{bg}
4261 is @code{t}, determine the background color of the image by looking at
4262 the four corners of the image, assuming the most frequently occurring
4263 color from the corners is the background color of the image. Otherwise,
4264 @var{bg} must be a list @code{(@var{red} @var{green} @var{blue})}
4265 specifying the color to assume for the background of the image.
4267 If @var{mask} is @code{nil}, remove a mask from the image, if it has
4268 one. Images in some formats include a mask which can be removed by
4269 specifying @code{:mask nil}.
4271 @item :pointer @var{shape}
4272 This specifies the pointer shape when the mouse pointer is over this
4273 image. @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4275 @item :map @var{map}
4276 This associates an image map of @dfn{hot spots} with this image.
4278 An image map is an alist where each element has the format
4279 @code{(@var{area} @var{id} @var{plist})}. An @var{area} is specified
4280 as either a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon.
4282 A rectangle is a cons
4283 @code{(rect . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . (@var{x1} . @var{y1})))}
4284 which specifies the pixel coordinates of the upper left and bottom right
4285 corners of the rectangle area.
4288 @code{(circle . ((@var{x0} . @var{y0}) . @var{r}))}
4289 which specifies the center and the radius of the circle; @var{r} may
4290 be a float or integer.
4293 @code{(poly . [@var{x0} @var{y0} @var{x1} @var{y1} ...])}
4294 where each pair in the vector describes one corner in the polygon.
4296 When the mouse pointer lies on a hot-spot area of an image, the
4297 @var{plist} of that hot-spot is consulted; if it contains a @code{help-echo}
4298 property, that defines a tool-tip for the hot-spot, and if it contains
4299 a @code{pointer} property, that defines the shape of the mouse cursor when
4300 it is on the hot-spot.
4301 @xref{Pointer Shape}, for available pointer shapes.
4303 When you click the mouse when the mouse pointer is over a hot-spot, an
4304 event is composed by combining the @var{id} of the hot-spot with the
4305 mouse event; for instance, @code{[area4 mouse-1]} if the hot-spot's
4306 @var{id} is @code{area4}.
4309 @defun image-mask-p spec &optional frame
4310 This function returns @code{t} if image @var{spec} has a mask bitmap.
4311 @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4312 @var{frame} @code{nil} or omitted means to use the selected frame
4313 (@pxref{Input Focus}).
4317 @subsection XBM Images
4320 To use XBM format, specify @code{xbm} as the image type. This image
4321 format doesn't require an external library, so images of this type are
4324 Additional image properties supported for the @code{xbm} image type are:
4327 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4328 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4329 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4330 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4333 @item :background @var{background}
4334 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4335 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4336 used for each pixel in the XBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4340 If you specify an XBM image using data within Emacs instead of an
4341 external file, use the following three properties:
4344 @item :data @var{data}
4345 The value, @var{data}, specifies the contents of the image.
4346 There are three formats you can use for @var{data}:
4350 A vector of strings or bool-vectors, each specifying one line of the
4351 image. Do specify @code{:height} and @code{:width}.
4354 A string containing the same byte sequence as an XBM file would contain.
4355 You must not specify @code{:height} and @code{:width} in this case,
4356 because omitting them is what indicates the data has the format of an
4357 XBM file. The file contents specify the height and width of the image.
4360 A string or a bool-vector containing the bits of the image (plus perhaps
4361 some extra bits at the end that will not be used). It should contain at
4362 least @var{width} * @code{height} bits. In this case, you must specify
4363 @code{:height} and @code{:width}, both to indicate that the string
4364 contains just the bits rather than a whole XBM file, and to specify the
4368 @item :width @var{width}
4369 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image, in pixels.
4371 @item :height @var{height}
4372 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image, in pixels.
4376 @subsection XPM Images
4379 To use XPM format, specify @code{xpm} as the image type. The
4380 additional image property @code{:color-symbols} is also meaningful with
4381 the @code{xpm} image type:
4384 @item :color-symbols @var{symbols}
4385 The value, @var{symbols}, should be an alist whose elements have the
4386 form @code{(@var{name} . @var{color})}. In each element, @var{name} is
4387 the name of a color as it appears in the image file, and @var{color}
4388 specifies the actual color to use for displaying that name.
4392 @subsection GIF Images
4395 For GIF images, specify image type @code{gif}.
4398 @item :index @var{index}
4399 You can use @code{:index} to specify one image from a GIF file that
4400 contains more than one image. This property specifies use of image
4401 number @var{index} from the file. If the GIF file doesn't contain an
4402 image with index @var{index}, the image displays as a hollow box.
4406 This could be used to implement limited support for animated GIFs.
4407 For example, the following function displays a multi-image GIF file
4408 at point-min in the current buffer, switching between sub-images
4411 (defun show-anim (file max)
4412 "Display multi-image GIF file FILE which contains MAX subimages."
4413 (display-anim (current-buffer) file 0 max t))
4415 (defun display-anim (buffer file idx max first-time)
4418 (let ((img (create-image file nil :image idx)))
4419 (with-current-buffer buffer
4420 (goto-char (point-min))
4421 (unless first-time (delete-char 1))
4423 (run-with-timer 0.1 nil 'display-anim buffer file (1+ idx) max nil)))
4427 @subsection TIFF Images
4430 For TIFF images, specify image type @code{tiff}.
4433 @item :index @var{index}
4434 You can use @code{:index} to specify one image from a TIFF file that
4435 contains more than one image. This property specifies use of image
4436 number @var{index} from the file. If the TIFF file doesn't contain an
4437 image with index @var{index}, the image displays as a hollow box.
4440 @node PostScript Images
4441 @subsection PostScript Images
4442 @cindex postscript images
4444 To use PostScript for an image, specify image type @code{postscript}.
4445 This works only if you have Ghostscript installed. You must always use
4446 these three properties:
4449 @item :pt-width @var{width}
4450 The value, @var{width}, specifies the width of the image measured in
4451 points (1/72 inch). @var{width} must be an integer.
4453 @item :pt-height @var{height}
4454 The value, @var{height}, specifies the height of the image in points
4455 (1/72 inch). @var{height} must be an integer.
4457 @item :bounding-box @var{box}
4458 The value, @var{box}, must be a list or vector of four integers, which
4459 specifying the bounding box of the PostScript image, analogous to the
4460 @samp{BoundingBox} comment found in PostScript files.
4463 %%BoundingBox: 22 171 567 738
4467 @node ImageMagick Images
4468 @subsection ImageMagick Images
4469 The Imagemagick library can be used to load many image formats in Emacs.
4471 The function (imagemagick-types) returns a list of image file
4472 extensions that your installation of imagemagick supports.
4474 The function (imagemagick-register-types) will enable the imagemagick
4475 support for the extensions in imagemagick-types minus the types listed
4476 in imagemagick-types-inhibit.
4478 imagemagick-types-inhibit has the value '(C HTML HTM TXT PDF) by
4479 default. There can be overlap between image loaders in your Emacs
4480 installation. If you never want to use the ImageMagick loader to use
4481 Jpeg files, for instance, add 'JPG to imagemagick-types-inhibit. Which
4482 loader that will be used in practice depends on the priority of the
4485 imagemagick-render-type is a new variable which can be set to choose
4486 between screen render methods for the ImageMagick loader.
4488 - 0 is a conservative metod which works with older ImageMagick
4489 versions. It is a bit slow, but robust.
4491 - 1 utilizes a newer ImageMagick method
4494 Images loaded with imagemagick will support a couple of new display
4495 specification behaviours:
4497 - if the :width and :height keywords are specified, these values are
4498 used for scaling the image. If only one of :width or :height is
4499 specified, the other one will be calculated so as to preserve the
4500 aspect ratio.If both :width and :height are specified, aspect ratio
4501 will not be preserved.
4503 - :rotation specifies a rotation angle in degrees.
4505 - :index specifies which image inside an image bundle file format, such
4506 as TIFF or DJVM, to view.
4508 The image-metadata function can be used to retrieve the total number
4509 of images in an image bundle. This is simmilar to how GIF files work.
4512 @node Other Image Types
4513 @subsection Other Image Types
4516 For PBM images, specify image type @code{pbm}. Color, gray-scale and
4517 monochromatic images are supported. For mono PBM images, two additional
4518 image properties are supported.
4521 @item :foreground @var{foreground}
4522 The value, @var{foreground}, should be a string specifying the image
4523 foreground color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4524 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 1. The default is the frame's
4527 @item :background @var{background}
4528 The value, @var{background}, should be a string specifying the image
4529 background color, or @code{nil} for the default color. This color is
4530 used for each pixel in the PBM that is 0. The default is the frame's
4534 For JPEG images, specify image type @code{jpeg}.
4536 For TIFF images, specify image type @code{tiff}.
4538 For PNG images, specify image type @code{png}.
4540 For SVG images, specify image type @code{svg}.
4542 @node Defining Images
4543 @subsection Defining Images
4545 The functions @code{create-image}, @code{defimage} and
4546 @code{find-image} provide convenient ways to create image descriptors.
4548 @defun create-image file-or-data &optional type data-p &rest props
4549 This function creates and returns an image descriptor which uses the
4550 data in @var{file-or-data}. @var{file-or-data} can be a file name or
4551 a string containing the image data; @var{data-p} should be @code{nil}
4552 for the former case, non-@code{nil} for the latter case.
4554 The optional argument @var{type} is a symbol specifying the image type.
4555 If @var{type} is omitted or @code{nil}, @code{create-image} tries to
4556 determine the image type from the file's first few bytes, or else
4557 from the file's name.
4559 The remaining arguments, @var{props}, specify additional image
4560 properties---for example,
4563 (create-image "foo.xpm" 'xpm nil :heuristic-mask t)
4566 The function returns @code{nil} if images of this type are not
4567 supported. Otherwise it returns an image descriptor.
4570 @defmac defimage symbol specs &optional doc
4571 This macro defines @var{symbol} as an image name. The arguments
4572 @var{specs} is a list which specifies how to display the image.
4573 The third argument, @var{doc}, is an optional documentation string.
4575 Each argument in @var{specs} has the form of a property list, and each
4576 one should specify at least the @code{:type} property and either the
4577 @code{:file} or the @code{:data} property. The value of @code{:type}
4578 should be a symbol specifying the image type, the value of
4579 @code{:file} is the file to load the image from, and the value of
4580 @code{:data} is a string containing the actual image data. Here is an
4584 (defimage test-image
4585 ((:type xpm :file "~/test1.xpm")
4586 (:type xbm :file "~/test1.xbm")))
4589 @code{defimage} tests each argument, one by one, to see if it is
4590 usable---that is, if the type is supported and the file exists. The
4591 first usable argument is used to make an image descriptor which is
4592 stored in @var{symbol}.
4594 If none of the alternatives will work, then @var{symbol} is defined
4598 @defun find-image specs
4599 This function provides a convenient way to find an image satisfying one
4600 of a list of image specifications @var{specs}.
4602 Each specification in @var{specs} is a property list with contents
4603 depending on image type. All specifications must at least contain the
4604 properties @code{:type @var{type}} and either @w{@code{:file @var{file}}}
4605 or @w{@code{:data @var{DATA}}}, where @var{type} is a symbol specifying
4606 the image type, e.g.@: @code{xbm}, @var{file} is the file to load the
4607 image from, and @var{data} is a string containing the actual image data.
4608 The first specification in the list whose @var{type} is supported, and
4609 @var{file} exists, is used to construct the image specification to be
4610 returned. If no specification is satisfied, @code{nil} is returned.
4612 The image is looked for in @code{image-load-path}.
4615 @defvar image-load-path
4616 This variable's value is a list of locations in which to search for
4617 image files. If an element is a string or a variable symbol whose
4618 value is a string, the string is taken to be the name of a directory
4619 to search. If an element is a variable symbol whose value is a list,
4620 that is taken to be a list of directory names to search.
4622 The default is to search in the @file{images} subdirectory of the
4623 directory specified by @code{data-directory}, then the directory
4624 specified by @code{data-directory}, and finally in the directories in
4625 @code{load-path}. Subdirectories are not automatically included in
4626 the search, so if you put an image file in a subdirectory, you have to
4627 supply the subdirectory name explicitly. For example, to find the
4628 image @file{images/foo/bar.xpm} within @code{data-directory}, you
4629 should specify the image as follows:
4632 (defimage foo-image '((:type xpm :file "foo/bar.xpm")))
4636 @defun image-load-path-for-library library image &optional path no-error
4637 This function returns a suitable search path for images used by the
4638 Lisp package @var{library}.
4640 The function searches for @var{image} first using @code{image-load-path},
4641 excluding @file{@code{data-directory}/images}, and then in
4642 @code{load-path}, followed by a path suitable for @var{library}, which
4643 includes @file{../../etc/images} and @file{../etc/images} relative to
4644 the library file itself, and finally in
4645 @file{@code{data-directory}/images}.
4647 Then this function returns a list of directories which contains first
4648 the directory in which @var{image} was found, followed by the value of
4649 @code{load-path}. If @var{path} is given, it is used instead of
4652 If @var{no-error} is non-@code{nil} and a suitable path can't be
4653 found, don't signal an error. Instead, return a list of directories as
4654 before, except that @code{nil} appears in place of the image directory.
4656 Here is an example that uses a common idiom to provide compatibility
4657 with versions of Emacs that lack the variable @code{image-load-path}:
4660 (defvar image-load-path) ; shush compiler
4661 (let* ((load-path (image-load-path-for-library
4662 "mh-e" "mh-logo.xpm"))
4663 (image-load-path (cons (car load-path)
4664 (when (boundp 'image-load-path)
4666 (mh-tool-bar-folder-buttons-init))
4670 @node Showing Images
4671 @subsection Showing Images
4673 You can use an image descriptor by setting up the @code{display}
4674 property yourself, but it is easier to use the functions in this
4677 @defun insert-image image &optional string area slice
4678 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point. The
4679 value @var{image} should be an image descriptor; it could be a value
4680 returned by @code{create-image}, or the value of a symbol defined with
4681 @code{defimage}. The argument @var{string} specifies the text to put
4682 in the buffer to hold the image. If it is omitted or @code{nil},
4683 @code{insert-image} uses @code{" "} by default.
4685 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4686 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4687 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4688 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4691 The argument @var{slice} specifies a slice of the image to insert. If
4692 @var{slice} is @code{nil} or omitted the whole image is inserted.
4693 Otherwise, @var{slice} is a list @code{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{width}
4694 @var{height})} which specifies the @var{x} and @var{y} positions and
4695 @var{width} and @var{height} of the image area to insert. Integer
4696 values are in units of pixels. A floating point number in the range
4697 0.0--1.0 stands for that fraction of the width or height of the entire
4700 Internally, this function inserts @var{string} in the buffer, and gives
4701 it a @code{display} property which specifies @var{image}. @xref{Display
4705 @defun insert-sliced-image image &optional string area rows cols
4706 This function inserts @var{image} in the current buffer at point, like
4707 @code{insert-image}, but splits the image into @var{rows}x@var{cols}
4708 equally sized slices.
4711 @defun put-image image pos &optional string area
4712 This function puts image @var{image} in front of @var{pos} in the
4713 current buffer. The argument @var{pos} should be an integer or a
4714 marker. It specifies the buffer position where the image should appear.
4715 The argument @var{string} specifies the text that should hold the image
4716 as an alternative to the default.
4718 The argument @var{image} must be an image descriptor, perhaps returned
4719 by @code{create-image} or stored by @code{defimage}.
4721 The argument @var{area} specifies whether to put the image in a margin.
4722 If it is @code{left-margin}, the image appears in the left margin;
4723 @code{right-margin} specifies the right margin. If @var{area} is
4724 @code{nil} or omitted, the image is displayed at point within the
4727 Internally, this function creates an overlay, and gives it a
4728 @code{before-string} property containing text that has a @code{display}
4729 property whose value is the image. (Whew!)
4732 @defun remove-images start end &optional buffer
4733 This function removes images in @var{buffer} between positions
4734 @var{start} and @var{end}. If @var{buffer} is omitted or @code{nil},
4735 images are removed from the current buffer.
4737 This removes only images that were put into @var{buffer} the way
4738 @code{put-image} does it, not images that were inserted with
4739 @code{insert-image} or in other ways.
4742 @defun image-size spec &optional pixels frame
4743 This function returns the size of an image as a pair
4744 @w{@code{(@var{width} . @var{height})}}. @var{spec} is an image
4745 specification. @var{pixels} non-@code{nil} means return sizes
4746 measured in pixels, otherwise return sizes measured in canonical
4747 character units (fractions of the width/height of the frame's default
4748 font). @var{frame} is the frame on which the image will be displayed.
4749 @var{frame} null or omitted means use the selected frame (@pxref{Input
4753 @defvar max-image-size
4754 This variable is used to define the maximum size of image that Emacs
4755 will load. Emacs will refuse to load (and display) any image that is
4756 larger than this limit.
4758 If the value is an integer, it directly specifies the maximum
4759 image height and width, measured in pixels. If it is a floating
4760 point number, it specifies the maximum image height and width
4761 as a ratio to the frame height and width. If the value is
4762 non-numeric, there is no explicit limit on the size of images.
4764 The purpose of this variable is to prevent unreasonably large images
4765 from accidentally being loaded into Emacs. It only takes effect the
4766 first time an image is loaded. Once an image is placed in the image
4767 cache, it can always be displayed, even if the value of
4768 @var{max-image-size} is subsequently changed (@pxref{Image Cache}).
4772 @subsection Image Cache
4775 Emacs caches images so that it can display them again more
4776 efficiently. When Emacs displays an image, it searches the image
4777 cache for an existing image specification @code{equal} to the desired
4778 specification. If a match is found, the image is displayed from the
4779 cache. Otherwise, Emacs loads the image normally.
4781 @defun image-flush spec &optional frame
4782 This function removes the image with specification @var{spec} from the
4783 image cache of frame @var{frame}. Image specifications are compared
4784 using @code{equal}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the
4785 selected frame. If @var{frame} is @code{t}, the image is flushed on
4786 all existing frames.
4788 In Emacs' current implementation, each graphical terminal possesses an
4789 image cache, which is shared by all the frames on that terminal
4790 (@pxref{Multiple Terminals}). Thus, refreshing an image in one frame
4791 also refreshes it in all other frames on the same terminal.
4794 One use for @code{image-flush} is to tell Emacs about a change in an
4795 image file. If an image specification contains a @code{:file}
4796 property, the image is cached based on the file's contents when the
4797 image is first displayed. Even if the file subsequently changes,
4798 Emacs continues displaying the old version of the image. Calling
4799 @code{image-flush} flushes the image from the cache, forcing Emacs to
4800 re-read the file the next time it needs to display that image.
4802 Another use for @code{image-flush} is for memory conservation. If
4803 your Lisp program creates a large number of temporary images over a
4804 period much shorter than @code{image-cache-eviction-delay} (see
4805 below), you can opt to flush unused images yourself, instead of
4806 waiting for Emacs to do it automatically.
4808 @defun clear-image-cache &optional filter
4809 This function clears an image cache, removing all the images stored in
4810 it. If @var{filter} is omitted or @code{nil}, it clears the cache for
4811 the selected frame. If @var{filter} is a frame, it clears the cache
4812 for that frame. If @var{filter} is @code{t}, all image caches are
4813 cleared. Otherwise, @var{filter} is taken to be a file name, and all
4814 images associated with that file name are removed from all image
4818 If an image in the image cache has not been displayed for a specified
4819 period of time, Emacs removes it from the cache and frees the
4822 @defvar image-cache-eviction-delay
4823 This variable specifies the number of seconds an image can remain in
4824 the cache without being displayed. When an image is not displayed for
4825 this length of time, Emacs removes it from the image cache.
4827 Under some circumstances, if the number of images in the cache grows
4828 too large, the actual eviction delay may be shorter than this.
4830 If the value is @code{nil}, Emacs does not remove images from the cache
4831 except when you explicitly clear it. This mode can be useful for
4837 @cindex buttons in buffers
4838 @cindex clickable buttons in buffers
4840 The @emph{button} package defines functions for inserting and
4841 manipulating clickable (with the mouse, or via keyboard commands)
4842 buttons in Emacs buffers, such as might be used for help hyper-links,
4843 etc. Emacs uses buttons for the hyper-links in help text and the like.
4845 A button is essentially a set of properties attached (via text
4846 properties or overlays) to a region of text in an Emacs buffer. These
4847 properties are called @dfn{button properties}.
4849 One of these properties (@code{action}) is a function, which will
4850 be called when the user invokes it using the keyboard or the mouse.
4851 The invoked function may then examine the button and use its other
4852 properties as desired.
4854 In some ways the Emacs button package duplicates functionality offered
4855 by the widget package (@pxref{Top, , Introduction, widget, The Emacs
4856 Widget Library}), but the button package has the advantage that it is
4857 much faster, much smaller, and much simpler to use (for elisp
4858 programmers---for users, the result is about the same). The extra
4859 speed and space savings are useful mainly if you need to create many
4860 buttons in a buffer (for instance an @code{*Apropos*} buffer uses
4861 buttons to make entries clickable, and may contain many thousands of
4865 * Button Properties:: Button properties with special meanings.
4866 * Button Types:: Defining common properties for classes of buttons.
4867 * Making Buttons:: Adding buttons to Emacs buffers.
4868 * Manipulating Buttons:: Getting and setting properties of buttons.
4869 * Button Buffer Commands:: Buffer-wide commands and bindings for buttons.
4872 @node Button Properties
4873 @subsection Button Properties
4874 @cindex button properties
4876 Buttons have an associated list of properties defining their
4877 appearance and behavior, and other arbitrary properties may be used
4878 for application specific purposes. Some properties that have special
4879 meaning to the button package include:
4883 @kindex action @r{(button property)}
4884 The function to call when the user invokes the button, which is passed
4885 the single argument @var{button}. By default this is @code{ignore},
4889 @kindex mouse-action @r{(button property)}
4890 This is similar to @code{action}, and when present, will be used
4891 instead of @code{action} for button invocations resulting from
4892 mouse-clicks (instead of the user hitting @key{RET}). If not
4893 present, mouse-clicks use @code{action} instead.
4896 @kindex face @r{(button property)}
4897 This is an Emacs face controlling how buttons of this type are
4898 displayed; by default this is the @code{button} face.
4901 @kindex mouse-face @r{(button property)}
4902 This is an additional face which controls appearance during
4903 mouse-overs (merged with the usual button face); by default this is
4904 the usual Emacs @code{highlight} face.
4907 @kindex keymap @r{(button property)}
4908 The button's keymap, defining bindings active within the button
4909 region. By default this is the usual button region keymap, stored
4910 in the variable @code{button-map}, which defines @key{RET} and
4911 @key{mouse-2} to invoke the button.
4914 @kindex type @r{(button property)}
4915 The button-type of the button. When creating a button, this is
4916 usually specified using the @code{:type} keyword argument.
4917 @xref{Button Types}.
4920 @kindex help-index @r{(button property)}
4921 A string displayed by the Emacs tool-tip help system; by default,
4922 @code{"mouse-2, RET: Push this button"}.
4925 @kindex follow-link @r{(button property)}
4926 The follow-link property, defining how a @key{Mouse-1} click behaves
4927 on this button, @xref{Clickable Text}.
4930 @kindex button @r{(button property)}
4931 All buttons have a non-@code{nil} @code{button} property, which may be useful
4932 in finding regions of text that comprise buttons (which is what the
4933 standard button functions do).
4936 There are other properties defined for the regions of text in a
4937 button, but these are not generally interesting for typical uses.
4940 @subsection Button Types
4941 @cindex button types
4943 Every button has a button @emph{type}, which defines default values
4944 for the button's properties. Button types are arranged in a
4945 hierarchy, with specialized types inheriting from more general types,
4946 so that it's easy to define special-purpose types of buttons for
4949 @defun define-button-type name &rest properties
4950 Define a `button type' called @var{name} (a symbol).
4951 The remaining arguments
4952 form a sequence of @var{property value} pairs, specifying default
4953 property values for buttons with this type (a button's type may be set
4954 by giving it a @code{type} property when creating the button, using
4955 the @code{:type} keyword argument).
4957 In addition, the keyword argument @code{:supertype} may be used to
4958 specify a button-type from which @var{name} inherits its default
4959 property values. Note that this inheritance happens only when
4960 @var{name} is defined; subsequent changes to a supertype are not
4961 reflected in its subtypes.
4964 Using @code{define-button-type} to define default properties for
4965 buttons is not necessary---buttons without any specified type use the
4966 built-in button-type @code{button}---but it is encouraged, since
4967 doing so usually makes the resulting code clearer and more efficient.
4969 @node Making Buttons
4970 @subsection Making Buttons
4971 @cindex making buttons
4973 Buttons are associated with a region of text, using an overlay or
4974 text properties to hold button-specific information, all of which are
4975 initialized from the button's type (which defaults to the built-in
4976 button type @code{button}). Like all Emacs text, the appearance of
4977 the button is governed by the @code{face} property; by default (via
4978 the @code{face} property inherited from the @code{button} button-type)
4979 this is a simple underline, like a typical web-page link.
4981 For convenience, there are two sorts of button-creation functions,
4982 those that add button properties to an existing region of a buffer,
4983 called @code{make-...button}, and those that also insert the button
4984 text, called @code{insert-...button}.
4986 The button-creation functions all take the @code{&rest} argument
4987 @var{properties}, which should be a sequence of @var{property value}
4988 pairs, specifying properties to add to the button; see @ref{Button
4989 Properties}. In addition, the keyword argument @code{:type} may be
4990 used to specify a button-type from which to inherit other properties;
4991 see @ref{Button Types}. Any properties not explicitly specified
4992 during creation will be inherited from the button's type (if the type
4993 defines such a property).
4995 The following functions add a button using an overlay
4996 (@pxref{Overlays}) to hold the button properties:
4998 @defun make-button beg end &rest properties
4999 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the
5000 current buffer, and returns it.
5003 @defun insert-button label &rest properties
5004 This insert a button with the label @var{label} at point,
5008 The following functions are similar, but use Emacs text properties
5009 (@pxref{Text Properties}) to hold the button properties, making the
5010 button actually part of the text instead of being a property of the
5011 buffer. Buttons using text properties do not create markers into the
5012 buffer, which is important for speed when you use extremely large
5013 numbers of buttons. Both functions return the position of the start
5016 @defun make-text-button beg end &rest properties
5017 This makes a button from @var{beg} to @var{end} in the current buffer, using
5021 @defun insert-text-button label &rest properties
5022 This inserts a button with the label @var{label} at point, using text
5026 @node Manipulating Buttons
5027 @subsection Manipulating Buttons
5028 @cindex manipulating buttons
5030 These are functions for getting and setting properties of buttons.
5031 Often these are used by a button's invocation function to determine
5034 Where a @var{button} parameter is specified, it means an object
5035 referring to a specific button, either an overlay (for overlay
5036 buttons), or a buffer-position or marker (for text property buttons).
5037 Such an object is passed as the first argument to a button's
5038 invocation function when it is invoked.
5040 @defun button-start button
5041 Return the position at which @var{button} starts.
5044 @defun button-end button
5045 Return the position at which @var{button} ends.
5048 @defun button-get button prop
5049 Get the property of button @var{button} named @var{prop}.
5052 @defun button-put button prop val
5053 Set @var{button}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
5056 @defun button-activate button &optional use-mouse-action
5057 Call @var{button}'s @code{action} property (i.e., invoke it). If
5058 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, try to invoke the button's
5059 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
5060 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
5063 @defun button-label button
5064 Return @var{button}'s text label.
5067 @defun button-type button
5068 Return @var{button}'s button-type.
5071 @defun button-has-type-p button type
5072 Return @code{t} if @var{button} has button-type @var{type}, or one of
5073 @var{type}'s subtypes.
5076 @defun button-at pos
5077 Return the button at position @var{pos} in the current buffer, or @code{nil}.
5080 @defun button-type-put type prop val
5081 Set the button-type @var{type}'s @var{prop} property to @var{val}.
5084 @defun button-type-get type prop
5085 Get the property of button-type @var{type} named @var{prop}.
5088 @defun button-type-subtype-p type supertype
5089 Return @code{t} if button-type @var{type} is a subtype of @var{supertype}.
5092 @node Button Buffer Commands
5093 @subsection Button Buffer Commands
5094 @cindex button buffer commands
5096 These are commands and functions for locating and operating on
5097 buttons in an Emacs buffer.
5099 @code{push-button} is the command that a user uses to actually `push'
5100 a button, and is bound by default in the button itself to @key{RET}
5101 and to @key{mouse-2} using a region-specific keymap. Commands
5102 that are useful outside the buttons itself, such as
5103 @code{forward-button} and @code{backward-button} are additionally
5104 available in the keymap stored in @code{button-buffer-map}; a mode
5105 which uses buttons may want to use @code{button-buffer-map} as a
5106 parent keymap for its keymap.
5108 If the button has a non-@code{nil} @code{follow-link} property, and
5109 @var{mouse-1-click-follows-link} is set, a quick @key{Mouse-1} click
5110 will also activate the @code{push-button} command.
5111 @xref{Clickable Text}.
5113 @deffn Command push-button &optional pos use-mouse-action
5114 Perform the action specified by a button at location @var{pos}.
5115 @var{pos} may be either a buffer position or a mouse-event. If
5116 @var{use-mouse-action} is non-@code{nil}, or @var{pos} is a
5117 mouse-event (@pxref{Mouse Events}), try to invoke the button's
5118 @code{mouse-action} property instead of @code{action}; if the button
5119 has no @code{mouse-action} property, use @code{action} as normal.
5120 @var{pos} defaults to point, except when @code{push-button} is invoked
5121 interactively as the result of a mouse-event, in which case, the mouse
5122 event's position is used. If there's no button at @var{pos}, do
5123 nothing and return @code{nil}, otherwise return @code{t}.
5126 @deffn Command forward-button n &optional wrap display-message
5127 Move to the @var{n}th next button, or @var{n}th previous button if
5128 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
5129 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
5130 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
5131 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
5132 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
5133 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
5136 @deffn Command backward-button n &optional wrap display-message
5137 Move to the @var{n}th previous button, or @var{n}th next button if
5138 @var{n} is negative. If @var{n} is zero, move to the start of any
5139 button at point. If @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, moving past either
5140 end of the buffer continues from the other end. If
5141 @var{display-message} is non-@code{nil}, the button's help-echo string
5142 is displayed. Any button with a non-@code{nil} @code{skip} property
5143 is skipped over. Returns the button found.
5146 @defun next-button pos &optional count-current
5147 @defunx previous-button pos &optional count-current
5148 Return the next button after (for @code{next-button} or before (for
5149 @code{previous-button}) position @var{pos} in the current buffer. If
5150 @var{count-current} is non-@code{nil}, count any button at @var{pos}
5151 in the search, instead of starting at the next button.
5154 @node Abstract Display
5155 @section Abstract Display
5157 @cindex display, abstract
5158 @cindex display, arbitrary objects
5159 @cindex model/view/controller
5160 @cindex view part, model/view/controller
5162 The Ewoc package constructs buffer text that represents a structure
5163 of Lisp objects, and updates the text to follow changes in that
5164 structure. This is like the ``view'' component in the
5165 ``model/view/controller'' design paradigm.
5167 An @dfn{ewoc} is a structure that organizes information required to
5168 construct buffer text that represents certain Lisp data. The buffer
5169 text of the ewoc has three parts, in order: first, fixed @dfn{header}
5170 text; next, textual descriptions of a series of data elements (Lisp
5171 objects that you specify); and last, fixed @dfn{footer} text.
5172 Specifically, an ewoc contains information on:
5176 The buffer which its text is generated in.
5179 The text's start position in the buffer.
5182 The header and footer strings.
5185 A doubly-linked chain of @dfn{nodes}, each of which contains:
5189 A @dfn{data element}, a single Lisp object.
5192 Links to the preceding and following nodes in the chain.
5196 A @dfn{pretty-printer} function which is responsible for
5197 inserting the textual representation of a data
5198 element value into the current buffer.
5201 Typically, you define an ewoc with @code{ewoc-create}, and then pass
5202 the resulting ewoc structure to other functions in the Ewoc package to
5203 build nodes within it, and display it in the buffer. Once it is
5204 displayed in the buffer, other functions determine the correspondance
5205 between buffer positions and nodes, move point from one node's textual
5206 representation to another, and so forth. @xref{Abstract Display
5209 A node @dfn{encapsulates} a data element much the way a variable
5210 holds a value. Normally, encapsulation occurs as a part of adding a
5211 node to the ewoc. You can retrieve the data element value and place a
5212 new value in its place, like so:
5215 (ewoc-data @var{node})
5218 (ewoc-set-data @var{node} @var{new-value})
5219 @result{} @var{new-value}
5223 You can also use, as the data element value, a Lisp object (list or
5224 vector) that is a container for the ``real'' value, or an index into
5225 some other structure. The example (@pxref{Abstract Display Example})
5226 uses the latter approach.
5228 When the data changes, you will want to update the text in the
5229 buffer. You can update all nodes by calling @code{ewoc-refresh}, or
5230 just specific nodes using @code{ewoc-invalidate}, or all nodes
5231 satisfying a predicate using @code{ewoc-map}. Alternatively, you can
5232 delete invalid nodes using @code{ewoc-delete} or @code{ewoc-filter},
5233 and add new nodes in their place. Deleting a node from an ewoc deletes
5234 its associated textual description from buffer, as well.
5237 * Abstract Display Functions:: Functions in the Ewoc package.
5238 * Abstract Display Example:: Example of using Ewoc.
5241 @node Abstract Display Functions
5242 @subsection Abstract Display Functions
5244 In this subsection, @var{ewoc} and @var{node} stand for the
5245 structures described above (@pxref{Abstract Display}), while
5246 @var{data} stands for an arbitrary Lisp object used as a data element.
5248 @defun ewoc-create pretty-printer &optional header footer nosep
5249 This constructs and returns a new ewoc, with no nodes (and thus no data
5250 elements). @var{pretty-printer} should be a function that takes one
5251 argument, a data element of the sort you plan to use in this ewoc, and
5252 inserts its textual description at point using @code{insert} (and never
5253 @code{insert-before-markers}, because that would interfere with the
5254 Ewoc package's internal mechanisms).
5256 Normally, a newline is automatically inserted after the header,
5257 the footer and every node's textual description. If @var{nosep}
5258 is non-@code{nil}, no newline is inserted. This may be useful for
5259 displaying an entire ewoc on a single line, for example, or for
5260 making nodes ``invisible'' by arranging for @var{pretty-printer}
5261 to do nothing for those nodes.
5263 An ewoc maintains its text in the buffer that is current when
5264 you create it, so switch to the intended buffer before calling
5268 @defun ewoc-buffer ewoc
5269 This returns the buffer where @var{ewoc} maintains its text.
5272 @defun ewoc-get-hf ewoc
5273 This returns a cons cell @code{(@var{header} . @var{footer})}
5274 made from @var{ewoc}'s header and footer.
5277 @defun ewoc-set-hf ewoc header footer
5278 This sets the header and footer of @var{ewoc} to the strings
5279 @var{header} and @var{footer}, respectively.
5282 @defun ewoc-enter-first ewoc data
5283 @defunx ewoc-enter-last ewoc data
5284 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, putting it, respectively,
5285 at the beginning or end of @var{ewoc}'s chain of nodes.
5288 @defun ewoc-enter-before ewoc node data
5289 @defunx ewoc-enter-after ewoc node data
5290 These add a new node encapsulating @var{data}, adding it to
5291 @var{ewoc} before or after @var{node}, respectively.
5294 @defun ewoc-prev ewoc node
5295 @defunx ewoc-next ewoc node
5296 These return, respectively, the previous node and the next node of @var{node}
5300 @defun ewoc-nth ewoc n
5301 This returns the node in @var{ewoc} found at zero-based index @var{n}.
5302 A negative @var{n} means count from the end. @code{ewoc-nth} returns
5303 @code{nil} if @var{n} is out of range.
5306 @defun ewoc-data node
5307 This extracts the data encapsulated by @var{node} and returns it.
5310 @defun ewoc-set-data node data
5311 This sets the data encapsulated by @var{node} to @var{data}.
5314 @defun ewoc-locate ewoc &optional pos guess
5315 This determines the node in @var{ewoc} which contains point (or
5316 @var{pos} if specified), and returns that node. If @var{ewoc} has no
5317 nodes, it returns @code{nil}. If @var{pos} is before the first node,
5318 it returns the first node; if @var{pos} is after the last node, it returns
5319 the last node. The optional third arg @var{guess}
5320 should be a node that is likely to be near @var{pos}; this doesn't
5321 alter the result, but makes the function run faster.
5324 @defun ewoc-location node
5325 This returns the start position of @var{node}.
5328 @defun ewoc-goto-prev ewoc arg
5329 @defunx ewoc-goto-next ewoc arg
5330 These move point to the previous or next, respectively, @var{arg}th node
5331 in @var{ewoc}. @code{ewoc-goto-prev} does not move if it is already at
5332 the first node or if @var{ewoc} is empty, whereas @code{ewoc-goto-next}
5333 moves past the last node, returning @code{nil}. Excepting this special
5334 case, these functions return the node moved to.
5337 @defun ewoc-goto-node ewoc node
5338 This moves point to the start of @var{node} in @var{ewoc}.
5341 @defun ewoc-refresh ewoc
5342 This function regenerates the text of @var{ewoc}. It works by
5343 deleting the text between the header and the footer, i.e., all the
5344 data elements' representations, and then calling the pretty-printer
5345 function for each node, one by one, in order.
5348 @defun ewoc-invalidate ewoc &rest nodes
5349 This is similar to @code{ewoc-refresh}, except that only @var{nodes} in
5350 @var{ewoc} are updated instead of the entire set.
5353 @defun ewoc-delete ewoc &rest nodes
5354 This deletes each node in @var{nodes} from @var{ewoc}.
5357 @defun ewoc-filter ewoc predicate &rest args
5358 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5359 deletes those nodes for which @var{predicate} returns @code{nil}.
5360 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5363 @defun ewoc-collect ewoc predicate &rest args
5364 This calls @var{predicate} for each data element in @var{ewoc}
5365 and returns a list of those elements for which @var{predicate}
5366 returns non-@code{nil}. The elements in the list are ordered
5367 as in the buffer. Any @var{args} are passed to @var{predicate}.
5370 @defun ewoc-map map-function ewoc &rest args
5371 This calls @var{map-function} for each data element in @var{ewoc} and
5372 updates those nodes for which @var{map-function} returns non-@code{nil}.
5373 Any @var{args} are passed to @var{map-function}.
5376 @node Abstract Display Example
5377 @subsection Abstract Display Example
5379 Here is a simple example using functions of the ewoc package to
5380 implement a ``color components display,'' an area in a buffer that
5381 represents a vector of three integers (itself representing a 24-bit RGB
5382 value) in various ways.
5385 (setq colorcomp-ewoc nil
5387 colorcomp-mode-map nil
5388 colorcomp-labels ["Red" "Green" "Blue"])
5390 (defun colorcomp-pp (data)
5392 (let ((comp (aref colorcomp-data data)))
5393 (insert (aref colorcomp-labels data) "\t: #x"
5394 (format "%02X" comp) " "
5395 (make-string (ash comp -2) ?#) "\n"))
5396 (let ((cstr (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5397 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5398 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5399 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5400 (samp " (sample text) "))
5402 (propertize samp 'face `(foreground-color . ,cstr))
5403 (propertize samp 'face `(background-color . ,cstr))
5406 (defun colorcomp (color)
5407 "Allow fiddling with COLOR in a new buffer.
5408 The buffer is in Color Components mode."
5409 (interactive "sColor (name or #RGB or #RRGGBB): ")
5410 (when (string= "" color)
5411 (setq color "green"))
5412 (unless (color-values color)
5413 (error "No such color: %S" color))
5415 (generate-new-buffer (format "originally: %s" color)))
5416 (kill-all-local-variables)
5417 (setq major-mode 'colorcomp-mode
5418 mode-name "Color Components")
5419 (use-local-map colorcomp-mode-map)
5421 (buffer-disable-undo)
5422 (let ((data (apply 'vector (mapcar (lambda (n) (ash n -8))
5423 (color-values color))))
5424 (ewoc (ewoc-create 'colorcomp-pp
5425 "\nColor Components\n\n"
5426 (substitute-command-keys
5427 "\n\\@{colorcomp-mode-map@}"))))
5428 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-data) data)
5429 (set (make-local-variable 'colorcomp-ewoc) ewoc)
5430 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 0)
5431 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 1)
5432 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc 2)
5433 (ewoc-enter-last ewoc nil)))
5436 @cindex controller part, model/view/controller
5437 This example can be extended to be a ``color selection widget'' (in
5438 other words, the controller part of the ``model/view/controller''
5439 design paradigm) by defining commands to modify @code{colorcomp-data}
5440 and to ``finish'' the selection process, and a keymap to tie it all
5441 together conveniently.
5444 (defun colorcomp-mod (index limit delta)
5445 (let ((cur (aref colorcomp-data index)))
5446 (unless (= limit cur)
5447 (aset colorcomp-data index (+ cur delta)))
5450 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc index)
5451 (ewoc-nth colorcomp-ewoc -1))))
5453 (defun colorcomp-R-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 255 1))
5454 (defun colorcomp-G-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 255 1))
5455 (defun colorcomp-B-more () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 255 1))
5456 (defun colorcomp-R-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 0 0 -1))
5457 (defun colorcomp-G-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 1 0 -1))
5458 (defun colorcomp-B-less () (interactive) (colorcomp-mod 2 0 -1))
5460 (defun colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit ()
5461 "Copy the color components into the kill ring and kill the buffer.
5462 The string is formatted #RRGGBB (hash followed by six hex digits)."
5464 (kill-new (format "#%02X%02X%02X"
5465 (aref colorcomp-data 0)
5466 (aref colorcomp-data 1)
5467 (aref colorcomp-data 2)))
5470 (setq colorcomp-mode-map
5471 (let ((m (make-sparse-keymap)))
5473 (define-key m "i" 'colorcomp-R-less)
5474 (define-key m "o" 'colorcomp-R-more)
5475 (define-key m "k" 'colorcomp-G-less)
5476 (define-key m "l" 'colorcomp-G-more)
5477 (define-key m "," 'colorcomp-B-less)
5478 (define-key m "." 'colorcomp-B-more)
5479 (define-key m " " 'colorcomp-copy-as-kill-and-exit)
5483 Note that we never modify the data in each node, which is fixed when the
5484 ewoc is created to be either @code{nil} or an index into the vector
5485 @code{colorcomp-data}, the actual color components.
5488 @section Blinking Parentheses
5489 @cindex parenthesis matching
5490 @cindex blinking parentheses
5491 @cindex balancing parentheses
5493 This section describes the mechanism by which Emacs shows a matching
5494 open parenthesis when the user inserts a close parenthesis.
5496 @defvar blink-paren-function
5497 The value of this variable should be a function (of no arguments) to
5498 be called whenever a character with close parenthesis syntax is inserted.
5499 The value of @code{blink-paren-function} may be @code{nil}, in which
5500 case nothing is done.
5503 @defopt blink-matching-paren
5504 If this variable is @code{nil}, then @code{blink-matching-open} does
5508 @defopt blink-matching-paren-distance
5509 This variable specifies the maximum distance to scan for a matching
5510 parenthesis before giving up.
5513 @defopt blink-matching-delay
5514 This variable specifies the number of seconds for the cursor to remain
5515 at the matching parenthesis. A fraction of a second often gives
5516 good results, but the default is 1, which works on all systems.
5519 @deffn Command blink-matching-open
5520 This function is the default value of @code{blink-paren-function}. It
5521 assumes that point follows a character with close parenthesis syntax and
5522 moves the cursor momentarily to the matching opening character. If that
5523 character is not already on the screen, it displays the character's
5524 context in the echo area. To avoid long delays, this function does not
5525 search farther than @code{blink-matching-paren-distance} characters.
5527 Here is an example of calling this function explicitly.
5531 (defun interactive-blink-matching-open ()
5532 @c Do not break this line! -- rms.
5533 @c The first line of a doc string
5534 @c must stand alone.
5535 "Indicate momentarily the start of sexp before point."
5539 (let ((blink-matching-paren-distance
5541 (blink-matching-paren t))
5542 (blink-matching-open)))
5548 @section Usual Display Conventions
5550 The usual display conventions define how to display each character
5551 code. You can override these conventions by setting up a display table
5552 (@pxref{Display Tables}). Here are the usual display conventions:
5556 Character codes 32 through 126 map to glyph codes 32 through 126.
5557 Normally this means they display as themselves.
5560 Character code 9 is a horizontal tab. It displays as whitespace
5561 up to a position determined by @code{tab-width}.
5564 Character code 10 is a newline.
5567 All other codes in the range 0 through 31, and code 127, display in one
5568 of two ways according to the value of @code{ctl-arrow}. If it is
5569 non-@code{nil}, these codes map to sequences of two glyphs, where the
5570 first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{^}. (A display table can
5571 specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{^}.) Otherwise, these codes map
5572 just like the codes in the range 128 to 255.
5574 On MS-DOS terminals, Emacs arranges by default for the character code
5575 127 to be mapped to the glyph code 127, which normally displays as an
5576 empty polygon. This glyph is used to display non-@acronym{ASCII} characters
5577 that the MS-DOS terminal doesn't support. @xref{MS-DOS and MULE,,,
5578 emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
5581 Character codes 128 through 255 map to sequences of four glyphs, where
5582 the first glyph is the @acronym{ASCII} code for @samp{\}, and the others are
5583 digit characters representing the character code in octal. (A display
5584 table can specify a glyph to use instead of @samp{\}.)
5587 Multibyte character codes above 256 are displayed as themselves, or as a
5588 question mark or empty box if the terminal cannot display that
5592 The usual display conventions apply even when there is a display
5593 table, for any character whose entry in the active display table is
5594 @code{nil}. Thus, when you set up a display table, you need only
5595 specify the characters for which you want special behavior.
5597 These display rules apply to carriage return (character code 13), when
5598 it appears in the buffer. But that character may not appear in the
5599 buffer where you expect it, if it was eliminated as part of end-of-line
5600 conversion (@pxref{Coding System Basics}).
5602 These variables affect the way certain characters are displayed on the
5603 screen. Since they change the number of columns the characters occupy,
5604 they also affect the indentation functions. These variables also affect
5605 how the mode line is displayed; if you want to force redisplay of the
5606 mode line using the new values, call the function
5607 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5610 @cindex control characters in display
5611 This buffer-local variable controls how control characters are
5612 displayed. If it is non-@code{nil}, they are displayed as a caret
5613 followed by the character: @samp{^A}. If it is @code{nil}, they are
5614 displayed as a backslash followed by three octal digits: @samp{\001}.
5618 The value of this buffer-local variable is the spacing between tab
5619 stops used for displaying tab characters in Emacs buffers. The value
5620 is in units of columns, and the default is 8. Note that this feature
5621 is completely independent of the user-settable tab stops used by the
5622 command @code{tab-to-tab-stop}. @xref{Indent Tabs}.
5625 @node Display Tables
5626 @section Display Tables
5628 @cindex display table
5629 You can use the @dfn{display table} feature to control how all possible
5630 character codes display on the screen. This is useful for displaying
5631 European languages that have letters not in the @acronym{ASCII} character
5634 The display table maps each character code into a sequence of
5635 @dfn{glyphs}, each glyph being a graphic that takes up one character
5636 position on the screen. You can also define how to display each glyph
5637 on your terminal, using the @dfn{glyph table}.
5639 Display tables affect how the mode line is displayed; if you want to
5640 force redisplay of the mode line using a new display table, call
5641 @code{force-mode-line-update} (@pxref{Mode Line Format}).
5644 * Display Table Format:: What a display table consists of.
5645 * Active Display Table:: How Emacs selects a display table to use.
5646 * Glyphs:: How to define a glyph, and what glyphs mean.
5649 @node Display Table Format
5650 @subsection Display Table Format
5652 A display table is actually a char-table (@pxref{Char-Tables}) with
5653 @code{display-table} as its subtype.
5655 @defun make-display-table
5656 This creates and returns a display table. The table initially has
5657 @code{nil} in all elements.
5660 The ordinary elements of the display table are indexed by character
5661 codes; the element at index @var{c} says how to display the character
5662 code @var{c}. The value should be @code{nil} or a vector of the
5663 glyphs to be output (@pxref{Glyphs}). @code{nil} says to display the
5664 character @var{c} according to the usual display conventions
5665 (@pxref{Usual Display}).
5667 @strong{Warning:} if you use the display table to change the display
5668 of newline characters, the whole buffer will be displayed as one long
5671 The display table also has six ``extra slots'' which serve special
5672 purposes. Here is a table of their meanings; @code{nil} in any slot
5673 means to use the default for that slot, as stated below.
5677 The glyph for the end of a truncated screen line (the default for this
5678 is @samp{$}). @xref{Glyphs}. On graphical terminals, Emacs uses
5679 arrows in the fringes to indicate truncation, so the display table has
5683 The glyph for the end of a continued line (the default is @samp{\}).
5684 On graphical terminals, Emacs uses curved arrows in the fringes to
5685 indicate continuation, so the display table has no effect.
5688 The glyph for indicating a character displayed as an octal character
5689 code (the default is @samp{\}).
5692 The glyph for indicating a control character (the default is @samp{^}).
5695 A vector of glyphs for indicating the presence of invisible lines (the
5696 default is @samp{...}). @xref{Selective Display}.
5699 The glyph used to draw the border between side-by-side windows (the
5700 default is @samp{|}). @xref{Splitting Windows}. This takes effect only
5701 when there are no scroll bars; if scroll bars are supported and in use,
5702 a scroll bar separates the two windows.
5705 For example, here is how to construct a display table that mimics the
5706 effect of setting @code{ctl-arrow} to a non-@code{nil} value:
5709 (setq disptab (make-display-table))
5712 (or (= i ?\t) (= i ?\n)
5713 (aset disptab i (vector ?^ (+ i 64))))
5715 (aset disptab 127 (vector ?^ ??)))
5718 @defun display-table-slot display-table slot
5719 This function returns the value of the extra slot @var{slot} of
5720 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5721 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5722 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5723 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5726 @defun set-display-table-slot display-table slot value
5727 This function stores @var{value} in the extra slot @var{slot} of
5728 @var{display-table}. The argument @var{slot} may be a number from 0 to
5729 5 inclusive, or a slot name (symbol). Valid symbols are
5730 @code{truncation}, @code{wrap}, @code{escape}, @code{control},
5731 @code{selective-display}, and @code{vertical-border}.
5734 @defun describe-display-table display-table
5735 This function displays a description of the display table
5736 @var{display-table} in a help buffer.
5739 @deffn Command describe-current-display-table
5740 This command displays a description of the current display table in a
5744 @node Active Display Table
5745 @subsection Active Display Table
5746 @cindex active display table
5748 Each window can specify a display table, and so can each buffer. When
5749 a buffer @var{b} is displayed in window @var{w}, display uses the
5750 display table for window @var{w} if it has one; otherwise, the display
5751 table for buffer @var{b} if it has one; otherwise, the standard display
5752 table if any. The display table chosen is called the @dfn{active}
5755 @defun window-display-table &optional window
5756 This function returns @var{window}'s display table, or @code{nil}
5757 if @var{window} does not have an assigned display table. The default
5758 for @var{window} is the selected window.
5761 @defun set-window-display-table window table
5762 This function sets the display table of @var{window} to @var{table}.
5763 The argument @var{table} should be either a display table or
5767 @defvar buffer-display-table
5768 This variable is automatically buffer-local in all buffers; its value in
5769 a particular buffer specifies the display table for that buffer. If it
5770 is @code{nil}, that means the buffer does not have an assigned display
5774 @defvar standard-display-table
5775 This variable's value is the default display table, used whenever a
5776 window has no display table and neither does the buffer displayed in
5777 that window. This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5780 If there is no display table to use for a particular window---that is,
5781 if the window specifies none, its buffer specifies none, and
5782 @code{standard-display-table} is @code{nil}---then Emacs uses the usual
5783 display conventions for all character codes in that window. @xref{Usual
5786 A number of functions for changing the standard display table
5787 are defined in the library @file{disp-table}.
5793 A @dfn{glyph} is a generalization of a character; it stands for an
5794 image that takes up a single character position on the screen. Normally
5795 glyphs come from vectors in the display table (@pxref{Display Tables}).
5797 A glyph is represented in Lisp as a @dfn{glyph code}. A glyph code
5798 can be @dfn{simple} or it can be defined by the @dfn{glyph table}. A
5799 simple glyph code is just a way of specifying a character and a face
5800 to output it in. @xref{Faces}.
5802 The following functions are used to manipulate simple glyph codes:
5804 @defun make-glyph-code char &optional face
5805 This function returns a simple glyph code representing char @var{char}
5806 with face @var{face}.
5809 @defun glyph-char glyph
5810 This function returns the character of simple glyph code @var{glyph}.
5813 @defun glyph-face glyph
5814 This function returns face of simple glyph code @var{glyph}, or
5815 @code{nil} if @var{glyph} has the default face (face-id 0).
5816 @xref{Face Functions}.
5819 On character terminals, you can set up a @dfn{glyph table} to define
5820 the meaning of glyph codes (represented as small integers).
5823 The value of this variable is the current glyph table. It should be
5824 @code{nil} or a vector whose @var{g}th element defines glyph code
5827 If a glyph code is greater than or equal to the length of the glyph
5828 table, that code is automatically simple. If @code{glyph-table} is
5829 @code{nil} then all glyph codes are simple.
5831 The glyph table is used only on character terminals. On graphical
5832 displays, all glyph codes are simple.
5835 Here are the meaningful types of elements in the glyph table:
5839 Send the characters in @var{string} to the terminal to output
5843 Define this glyph code as an alias for glyph code @var{code} created
5844 by @code{make-glyph-code}. You can use such an alias to define a
5845 small-numbered glyph code which specifies a character with a face.
5848 This glyph code is simple.
5851 @defun create-glyph string
5852 This function returns a newly-allocated glyph code which is set up to
5853 display by sending @var{string} to the terminal.
5858 @c @cindex beeping "beep" is adjacent
5861 This section describes how to make Emacs ring the bell (or blink the
5862 screen) to attract the user's attention. Be conservative about how
5863 often you do this; frequent bells can become irritating. Also be
5864 careful not to use just beeping when signaling an error is more
5865 appropriate. (@xref{Errors}.)
5867 @defun ding &optional do-not-terminate
5868 @cindex keyboard macro termination
5869 This function beeps, or flashes the screen (see @code{visible-bell} below).
5870 It also terminates any keyboard macro currently executing unless
5871 @var{do-not-terminate} is non-@code{nil}.
5874 @defun beep &optional do-not-terminate
5875 This is a synonym for @code{ding}.
5878 @defopt visible-bell
5879 This variable determines whether Emacs should flash the screen to
5880 represent a bell. Non-@code{nil} means yes, @code{nil} means no. This
5881 is effective on graphical displays, and on text-only terminals
5882 provided the terminal's Termcap entry defines the visible bell
5883 capability (@samp{vb}).
5886 @defvar ring-bell-function
5887 If this is non-@code{nil}, it specifies how Emacs should ``ring the
5888 bell.'' Its value should be a function of no arguments. If this is
5889 non-@code{nil}, it takes precedence over the @code{visible-bell}
5893 @node Window Systems
5894 @section Window Systems
5896 Emacs works with several window systems, most notably the X Window
5897 System. Both Emacs and X use the term ``window,'' but use it
5898 differently. An Emacs frame is a single window as far as X is
5899 concerned; the individual Emacs windows are not known to X at all.
5901 @defvar window-system
5902 This frame-local variable tells Lisp programs what window system Emacs is using
5903 for displaying the frame. The possible values are
5907 @cindex X Window System
5908 Emacs is displaying the frame using X.
5910 Emacs is displaying the frame using native MS-Windows GUI.
5912 Emacs is displaying the frame using the Nextstep interface (used on
5913 GNUstep and Mac OS X).
5915 Emacs is displaying the frame using MS-DOS direct screen writes.
5917 Emacs is displaying the frame on a character-based terminal.
5921 @defvar initial-window-system
5922 This variable holds the value of @code{window-system} used for the
5923 first frame created by Emacs during startup. (When Emacs is invoked
5924 with the @option{--daemon} option, it does not create any initial
5925 frames, so @code{initial-window-system} is @code{nil}. @xref{Initial
5926 Options, daemon,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.)
5929 @defun window-system &optional frame
5930 This function returns a symbol whose name tells what window system is
5931 used for displaying @var{frame} (which defaults to the currently
5932 selected frame). The list of possible symbols it returns is the same
5933 one documented for the variable @code{window-system} above.
5936 @defvar window-setup-hook
5937 This variable is a normal hook which Emacs runs after handling the
5938 initialization files. Emacs runs this hook after it has completed
5939 loading your init file, the default initialization file (if
5940 any), and the terminal-specific Lisp code, and running the hook
5941 @code{term-setup-hook}.
5943 This hook is used for internal purposes: setting up communication with
5944 the window system, and creating the initial window. Users should not
5949 arch-tag: ffdf5714-7ecf-415b-9023-fbc6b409c2c6