2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
6 @setfilename ../info/frames
7 @node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top
11 A @dfn{frame} is a rectangle on the screen that contains one or more
12 Emacs windows. A frame initially contains a single main window (plus
13 perhaps a minibuffer window), which you can subdivide vertically or
14 horizontally into smaller windows.
16 @cindex terminal frame
17 When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one
18 @dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional ones, Emacs displays
19 one and only one at any given time---on the terminal screen, of course.
22 When Emacs communicates directly with a supported window system, such
23 as X Windows, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with
24 a single @dfn{window frame}, but you can create more, and Emacs can
25 display several such frames at once as is usual for window systems.
28 This predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value if @var{object} is a
29 frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. For a frame, the value indicates which
30 kind of display the frame uses:
34 The frame is displayed in an X window.
36 A terminal frame on a character display.
38 The frame is displayed on a Macintosh.
40 The frame is displayed on MS-Windows 9X/NT.
42 The frame is displayed on an MS-DOS terminal.
47 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
48 * Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other displays.
49 * Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
50 * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
51 * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
52 * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
53 * Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
54 display of text always works through windows.
55 * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
56 * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
57 * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
58 * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other windows;
59 lowering it makes the others hide them.
60 * Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames.
61 * Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves.
62 * Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it.
63 * Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from.
64 * Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no.
65 * Pointer Shapes:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer.
66 * Window System Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
67 * Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names.
68 * Text Terminal Colors:: Defining colors for text-only terminals.
69 * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
70 * Display Feature Testing:: Determining the features of a terminal.
73 @xref{Display}, for information about the related topic of
74 controlling Emacs redisplay.
77 @section Creating Frames
79 To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}.
81 @defun make-frame &optional alist
82 This function creates a new frame. If you are using a supported window
83 system, it makes a window frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame.
85 The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters
86 not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the
87 variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there
88 default from the standard X resources or whatever is used instead on
91 The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of
92 window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{Window Frame
93 Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify.
96 @defvar before-make-frame-hook
97 A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the
101 @defvar after-make-frame-functions
102 @tindex after-make-frame-functions
103 An abnormal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame.
104 Each function in @code{after-make-frame-functions} receives one argument, the
108 @node Multiple Displays
109 @section Multiple Displays
110 @cindex multiple X displays
111 @cindex displays, multiple
113 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display.
114 Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the
115 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option
116 (@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to
117 another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify
118 the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame.
120 Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its
121 own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows.
123 A few Lisp variables are @dfn{terminal-local}; that is, they have a
124 separate binding for each terminal. The binding in effect at any time
125 is the one for the terminal that the currently selected frame belongs
126 to. These variables include @code{default-minibuffer-frame},
127 @code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and
128 @code{system-key-alist}. They are always terminal-local, and can never
129 be buffer-local (@pxref{Buffer-Local Variables}) or frame-local.
131 A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name
132 @samp{@var{host}:@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last
133 part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two
134 screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their
135 names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single
138 @deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters
139 This creates a new frame on display @var{display}, taking the other
140 frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the @var{display}
141 argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating Frames}).
144 @defun x-display-list
145 This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a
146 connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is
150 @defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string must-succeed
151 This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It
152 does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check
153 that communication can be established with that display.
155 The optional argument @var{xrm-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a
156 string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the
157 @file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource
158 values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames
159 created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might
163 "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n"
168 If @var{must-succeed} is non-@code{nil}, failure to open the connection
169 terminates Emacs. Otherwise, it is an ordinary Lisp error.
172 @defun x-close-connection display
173 This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before
174 you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on
175 that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}).
178 @node Frame Parameters
179 @section Frame Parameters
181 A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior.
182 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
185 Frame parameters exist mostly for the sake of window systems. A
186 terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake;
187 only the @code{height}, @code{width}, @code{name}, @code{title},
188 @code{menu-bar-lines}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate}
189 parameters do something special. If the terminal supports colors, the
190 parameters @code{foreground-color}, @code{background-color},
191 @code{background-mode} and @code{display-type} are also meaningful.
194 * Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters.
195 * Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame.
196 * Window Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters for window systems.
197 * Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame.
200 @node Parameter Access
201 @subsection Access to Frame Parameters
203 These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a
206 @defun frame-parameter frame parameter
207 @tindex frame-parameter
208 This function returns the value of the parameter named @var{parameter}
209 of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is @code{nil}, it returns the
210 selected frame's parameter.
213 @defun frame-parameters frame
214 The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the
215 parameters of @var{frame} and their values.
218 @defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist
219 This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the
220 elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form
221 @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a
222 parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value
226 @node Initial Parameters
227 @subsection Initial Frame Parameters
229 You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame
230 by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your init file (@pxref{Init File}).
232 @defvar initial-frame-alist
233 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
234 the initial window frame. You can set this variable to specify the
235 appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames.
236 Each element has the form:
239 (@var{parameter} . @var{value})
242 Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init
243 file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist},
244 and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
245 created initial frame.
247 If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see
248 the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified
249 ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and
250 appearance with X resources; those do take effect before the frame is
251 created. @xref{Resources X,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
253 X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to
254 specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and
255 you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve
256 this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the
257 X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting
258 the initial frame, specify the same parameters in
259 @code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources.
262 If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
263 @code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates
266 @defvar minibuffer-frame-alist
267 This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating
268 an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according
269 to the parameters for the main initial frame.
272 @defvar default-frame-alist
273 This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all
274 Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. When using the X
275 Window System, you can get the same results by means of X resources
279 See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}, in @ref{Choosing Window}.
281 If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs,
282 they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One
283 exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to
284 @code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Command Arguments,,, emacs,
285 The GNU Emacs Manual}.
287 @node Window Frame Parameters
288 @subsection Window Frame Parameters
290 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it
291 uses. Here is a table of the parameters that have special meanings in a
292 window frame; of these, @code{name}, @code{title}, @code{height},
293 @code{width}, @code{buffer-list} and @code{buffer-predicate} provide
294 meaningful information in terminal frames.
298 The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the
299 form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the
300 @code{DISPLAY} environment variable.
303 If a frame has a non-@code{nil} title, it appears in the window system's
304 border for the frame, and also in the mode line of windows in that frame
305 if @code{mode-line-frame-identification} uses @samp{%F}
306 (@pxref{%-Constructs}). This is normally the case when Emacs is not
307 using a window system, and can only display one frame at a time.
311 The name of the frame. The frame name serves as a default for the frame
312 title, if the @code{title} parameter is unspecified or @code{nil}. If
313 you don't specify a name, Emacs sets the frame name automatically
314 (@pxref{Frame Titles}).
316 If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the
317 name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when
318 looking up X resources for the frame.
321 The screen position of the left edge, in pixels, with respect to the
322 left edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos},
323 or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a
324 negative @var{pos} value.
326 A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(-
327 @var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the right edge of the
328 window with respect to the right edge of the screen. A positive value
329 of @var{pos} counts toward the left. @strong{Reminder:} if the
330 parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos}, then @var{pos} is
333 Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
334 be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
335 non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
338 The screen position of the top edge, in pixels, with respect to the
339 top edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos},
340 or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a
341 negative @var{pos} value.
343 A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(-
344 @var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the bottom edge of the
345 window with respect to the bottom edge of the screen. A positive value
346 of @var{pos} counts toward the top. @strong{Reminder:} if the
347 parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos}, then @var{pos} is
350 Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to
351 be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a
352 non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well.
355 The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
356 pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if
357 and when the frame is iconified.
360 The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in
361 pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if
362 and when the frame is iconified.
365 When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the
366 @code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether
367 the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some
368 way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program).
369 A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified.
371 Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed
372 program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified
373 positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user
374 place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm},
375 let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or
378 When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil}
379 value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top}
380 parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use
384 The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
385 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
388 The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in
389 pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.)
392 The number of the window-system window used by the frame
393 to contain the actual Emacs windows.
395 @item outer-window-id
396 The number of the outermost window-system window used for the whole frame.
399 Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means
400 yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a
401 minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame),
402 the new frame uses that minibuffer.
404 @item buffer-predicate
405 The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function
406 @code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to
407 decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not
408 @code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one argument, a buffer, once for
409 each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it
410 considers that buffer.
413 A list of buffers that have been selected in this frame,
414 ordered most-recently-selected first.
417 The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a
418 string, either a valid font name for your system or the name of an Emacs
419 fontset (@pxref{Fontsets}). Changing this frame parameter on a frame
420 also changes the font-related attributes of the default face on that
424 Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
427 Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes).
429 @item vertical-scroll-bars
430 Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling, and which side
431 of the frame they should be on. The possible values are @code{left},
432 @code{right}, and @code{nil} for no scroll bars.
434 @item horizontal-scroll-bars
435 Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling
436 (non-@code{nil} means yes). (Horizontal scroll bars are not currently
439 @item scroll-bar-width
440 The width of the vertical scroll bar, in pixels.
443 The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the
444 value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use.
445 Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a
446 picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon.
449 The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon
450 appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used.
452 @item foreground-color
453 The color to use for the image of a character. This is a string; the
454 window system defines the meaningful color names. Changing this
455 parameter is equivalent to changing the foreground color of the face
456 @code{default} on the frame in question.
458 @item background-color
459 The color to use for the background of characters. Changing this
460 parameter is equivalent to changing the foreground color of the face
461 @code{default} on the frame in question.
463 @item background-mode
464 This parameter is either @code{dark} or @code{light}, according
465 to whether the background color is a light one or a dark one.
468 The color for the mouse pointer. Changing this parameter is equivalent
469 to changing the background color of face @code{mouse}.
472 The color for the cursor that shows point. Changing this parameter is
473 equivalent to changing the background color of face @code{cursor}.
476 The color for the border of the frame. Changing this parameter is
477 equivalent to changing the background color of face @code{border}.
479 @item scroll-bar-foreground
480 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the foreground of scroll bars.
481 Changing this parameter is equivalent to setting the foreground color of
482 face @code{scroll-bar}.
484 @item scroll-bar-background
485 If non-@code{nil}, the color for the background of scroll bars.
486 Changing this parameter is equivalent to setting the foreground color of
487 face @code{scroll-bar}.
490 This parameter describes the range of possible colors that can be used
491 in this frame. Its value is @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
495 The way to display the cursor. The legitimate values are @code{bar},
496 @code{box}, and @code{(bar . @var{width})}. The symbol @code{box}
497 specifies an ordinary black box overlaying the character after point;
498 that is the default. The symbol @code{bar} specifies a vertical bar
499 between characters as the cursor. @code{(bar . @var{width})} specifies
500 a bar @var{width} pixels wide.
503 The width in pixels of the window border.
505 @item internal-border-width
506 The distance in pixels between text and border.
509 If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically.
512 The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities:
513 @code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for
514 iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}.
517 The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu bar.
518 The default is 1. @xref{Menu Bar}. (In Emacs versions that use the X
519 toolkit, there is only one menu bar line; all that matters about the
520 number you specify is whether it is greater than zero.)
523 @cindex gamma correction
524 If this is a number, Emacs performs ``gamma correction'' on colors. The
525 value should be the screen gamma of your display, a floating point
526 number. Usual PC monitors have a screen gamma of 2.2, so the default is
527 to display for that gamma value. Specifying a smaller value results in
528 darker colors, which is desirable for a monitor that tends to display
529 colors too light. A screen gamma value of 1.5 may give good results for
533 The number of lines to use for the toolbar. A value of @code{nil} means
534 don't display a tool bar.
537 Additional space put below text lines in pixels (a positive integer).
541 @c ??? Not yet working.
542 The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one.
543 Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other
544 application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try
545 it and see if it works.)
549 @node Size and Position
550 @subsection Frame Size And Position
551 @cindex size of frame
556 You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the
557 frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and
558 @code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen
559 by the window manager in its usual fashion.
561 Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions:
563 @defun set-frame-position frame left top
564 This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to
565 @var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and
566 normally count from the top left corner of the screen.
568 Negative parameter values position the bottom edge of the window up from
569 the bottom edge of the screen, or the right window edge to the left of
570 the right edge of the screen. It would probably be better if the values
571 were always counted from the left and top, so that negative arguments
572 would position the frame partly off the top or left edge of the screen,
573 but it seems inadvisable to change that now.
576 @defun frame-height &optional frame
577 @defunx frame-width &optional frame
578 These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
579 lines and columns. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the
585 These functions are old aliases for @code{frame-height} and
586 @code{frame-width}. When you are using a non-window terminal, the size
587 of the frame is normally the same as the size of the terminal screen.
590 @defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame
591 @defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame
592 These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in
593 pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the selected frame.
596 @defun frame-char-height &optional frame
597 @defunx frame-char-width &optional frame
598 These functions return the height and width of a character in
599 @var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of
600 font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected
604 @defun set-frame-size frame cols rows
605 This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters;
606 @var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height.
608 To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use
609 @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert
610 them to units of characters.
613 @defun set-frame-height frame lines &optional pretend
614 This function resizes @var{frame} to a height of @var{lines} lines. The
615 sizes of existing windows in @var{frame} are altered proportionally to
618 If @var{pretend} is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs displays @var{lines}
619 lines of output in @var{frame}, but does not change its value for the
620 actual height of the frame. This is only useful for a terminal frame.
621 Using a smaller height than the terminal actually implements may be
622 useful to reproduce behavior observed on a smaller screen, or if the
623 terminal malfunctions when using its whole screen. Setting the frame
624 height ``for real'' does not always work, because knowing the correct
625 actual size may be necessary for correct cursor positioning on a
629 @defun set-frame-width frame width &optional pretend
630 This function sets the width of @var{frame}, measured in characters.
631 The argument @var{pretend} has the same meaning as in
632 @code{set-frame-height}.
635 @findex set-screen-height
636 @findex set-screen-width
637 The older functions @code{set-screen-height} and
638 @code{set-screen-width} were used to specify the height and width of the
639 screen, in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames. They
640 are semi-obsolete, but still work; they apply to the selected frame.
642 @defun x-parse-geometry geom
643 @cindex geometry specification
644 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X window
645 geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to
648 The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and
649 gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like
650 @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter}
651 values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}.
653 For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position
654 parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate,
655 because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges
656 instead. These are the @var{value} possibilities for the position
661 A positive integer relates the left edge or top edge of the window to
662 the left or top edge of the screen. A negative integer relates the
663 right or bottom edge of the window to the right or bottom edge of the
666 @item @code{(+ @var{position})}
667 This specifies the position of the left or top edge of the window
668 relative to the left or top edge of the screen. The integer
669 @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
670 position outside the screen.
672 @item @code{(- @var{position})}
673 This specifies the position of the right or bottom edge of the window
674 relative to the right or bottom edge of the screen. The integer
675 @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a
676 position outside the screen.
682 (x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0")
683 @result{} ((height . 70) (width . 35)
684 (top - 0) (left . 0))
689 @section Frame Titles
691 Every frame has a @code{name} parameter; this serves as the default
692 for the frame title which window systems typically display at the top of
693 the frame. You can specify a name explicitly by setting the @code{name}
696 Normally you don't specify the name explicitly, and Emacs computes the
697 frame name automatically based on a template stored in the variable
698 @code{frame-title-format}. Emacs recomputes the name each time the
699 frame is redisplayed.
701 @defvar frame-title-format
702 This variable specifies how to compute a name for a frame when you have
703 not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode
704 line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}. @xref{Mode Line
708 @defvar icon-title-format
709 This variable specifies how to compute the name for an iconified frame,
710 when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title
711 appears in the icon itself.
714 @defvar multiple-frames
715 This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when
716 there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or
717 invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses
718 @code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title
719 only when there is more than one frame.
722 @node Deleting Frames
723 @section Deleting Frames
724 @cindex deletion of frames
726 Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete}
727 them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to
728 exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it. There is no
729 way to cancel the deletion of a frame aside from restoring a saved frame
730 configuration (@pxref{Frame Configurations}); this is similar to the
733 @deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame force
734 This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. By default, @var{frame} is
737 A frame cannot be deleted if its minibuffer is used by other frames.
738 Normally, you cannot delete a frame if all other frames are invisible,
739 but if the @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then you are allowed to do so.
742 @defun frame-live-p frame
743 The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame
744 @var{frame} has not been deleted.
747 Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work
748 by sending a special message to the program that operates the window.
749 When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a
750 @code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that
751 calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}.
753 @node Finding All Frames
754 @section Finding All Frames
757 The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that
758 have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for
759 buffers. The list that you get is newly created, so modifying the list
760 doesn't have any effect on the internals of Emacs.
763 @defun visible-frame-list
764 This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames.
765 @xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as
766 ``visible'', even though only the selected one is actually displayed.)
769 @defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf
770 The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all
771 the frames from an arbitrary starting point. It returns the ``next''
772 frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If @var{frame} is omitted or
773 @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame.
775 The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider:
779 Exclude minibuffer-only frames.
781 Consider all visible frames.
783 Consider all visible or iconified frames.
785 Consider only the frames using that particular window as their
792 @defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf
793 Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite
797 See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic
800 @node Frames and Windows
801 @section Frames and Windows
803 Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame
804 with @code{window-frame}.
806 @defun window-frame window
807 This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on.
810 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic
811 order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the
812 upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at
813 the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has
814 one), and then it moves back to the top. @xref{Cyclic Window Ordering}.
816 @defun frame-first-window frame
817 This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}.
820 At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the
821 frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the
822 frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current
823 selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}.
825 @defun frame-selected-window frame
826 This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected within
830 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also
831 makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
833 Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a given
834 frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Minibuffer Misc}.
836 @node Minibuffers and Frames
837 @section Minibuffers and Frames
839 Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which
840 is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer,
841 you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Minibuffer Misc}).
843 However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame
844 must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the
845 frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some
846 other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame
847 which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its
848 value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer.
850 If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise
851 when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable
852 @code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}.
854 @defvar default-minibuffer-frame
855 This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by
856 default. It is always local to the current terminal and cannot be
857 buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Displays}.
863 @cindex selected frame
865 At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected
866 window always resides on the selected frame.
868 @defun selected-frame
869 This function returns the selected frame.
872 Some window systems and window managers direct keyboard input to the
873 window object that the mouse is in; others require explicit clicks or
874 commands to @dfn{shift the focus} to various window objects. Either
875 way, Emacs automatically keeps track of which frame has the focus.
877 Lisp programs can also switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the
878 function @code{select-frame}. This does not alter the window system's
879 concept of focus; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control
880 until that control is somehow reasserted.
882 When using a text-only terminal, only the selected terminal frame is
883 actually displayed on the terminal. @code{switch-frame} is the only way
884 to switch frames, and the change lasts until overridden by a subsequent
885 call to @code{switch-frame}. Each terminal screen except for the
886 initial one has a number, and the number of the selected frame appears
887 in the mode line before the buffer name (@pxref{Mode Line Variables}).
889 @c ??? This is not yet implemented properly.
890 @defun select-frame frame
891 This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the
892 focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until
893 the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or
894 until the next time this function is called.
897 Emacs cooperates with the window system by arranging to select frames as
898 the server and window manager request. It does so by generating a
899 special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event, when
900 appropriate. The command loop handles a focus event by calling
901 @code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}.
903 @deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame
904 This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}.
906 Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command.
907 Don't call it for any other reason.
910 @defun redirect-frame-focus frame focus-frame
911 This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}.
912 This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes and
913 events intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of
914 @code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame
915 events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}.
917 If @var{focus-frame} is @code{nil}, that cancels any existing
918 redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own
921 One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers.
922 These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer
923 on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on
924 the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains
925 in the frame that activated the minibuffer.
927 Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame
928 @code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections
929 pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This
930 allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from
931 one frame to another using @code{select-window}.
933 This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated
934 differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected.
935 @code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter.
937 The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to
941 @defopt focus-follows-mouse
942 This option is how you inform Emacs whether the window manager transfers
943 focus when the user moves the mouse. Non-@code{nil} says that it does.
944 When this is so, the command @code{other-frame} moves the mouse to a
945 position consistent with the new selected frame.
948 @node Visibility of Frames
949 @section Visibility of Frames
950 @cindex visible frame
951 @cindex invisible frame
952 @cindex iconified frame
953 @cindex frame visibility
955 A window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or
956 @dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents. If it is
957 iconified, the frame's contents do not appear on the screen, but an icon
958 does. If the frame is invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not
961 Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected
962 one is actually displayed in any case.
964 @deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame
965 This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit @var{frame},
966 it makes the selected frame visible.
969 @deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame
970 This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit
971 @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible.
974 @deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame
975 This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it
976 iconifies the selected frame.
979 @defun frame-visible-p frame
980 This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is
981 @code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and
982 @code{icon} if it is iconified.
985 The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame
986 parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{Window Frame
989 The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager.
990 This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but
991 Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such
992 changes. @xref{Misc Events}.
994 @node Raising and Lowering
995 @section Raising and Lowering Frames
997 Most window systems use a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is
998 the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension
999 perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest''
1000 to ``lowest''. Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers
1001 the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be
1002 seen if no other window overlaps it.
1004 @cindex raising a frame
1005 @cindex lowering a frame
1006 A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend
1007 to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving
1008 it ``up'', to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means
1009 moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional
1010 third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window
1013 You can raise and lower Emacs frame Windows with these functions:
1015 @deffn Command raise-frame &optional frame
1016 This function raises frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1019 @deffn Command lower-frame &optional frame
1020 This function lowers frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1023 @defopt minibuffer-auto-raise
1024 If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame
1025 that the minibuffer window is in.
1028 You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is
1029 selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected)
1030 for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{Window Frame Parameters}.
1032 @node Frame Configurations
1033 @section Frame Configurations
1034 @cindex frame configuration
1036 A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames,
1037 all their properties, and the window configuration of each one.
1038 (@xref{Window Configurations}.)
1040 @defun current-frame-configuration
1041 This function returns a frame configuration list that describes
1042 the current arrangement of frames and their contents.
1045 @defun set-frame-configuration configuration &optional nodelete
1046 This function restores the state of frames described in
1047 @var{configuration}.
1049 Ordinarily, this function deletes all existing frames not listed in
1050 @var{configuration}. But if @var{nodelete} is non-@code{nil}, the
1051 unwanted frames are iconified instead.
1054 @node Mouse Tracking
1055 @section Mouse Tracking
1056 @cindex mouse tracking
1057 @cindex tracking the mouse
1059 Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display
1060 something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the
1061 mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until
1062 the mouse actually moves.
1064 The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent
1065 mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In
1066 addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may
1067 occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the
1068 mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a
1071 @defspec track-mouse body@dots{}
1072 This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion
1073 events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} to
1074 read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. @xref{Motion
1075 Events}, for the format of mouse motion events.
1077 The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}.
1078 You should design @var{body} to return when it sees the up-event that
1079 indicates the release of the button, or whatever kind of event means
1080 it is time to stop tracking.
1083 The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen
1084 the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current
1087 In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using
1088 the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}).
1089 That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than
1090 Lisp-level mouse tracking.
1093 @c These are not implemented yet.
1095 These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The
1096 effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That
1097 is OK for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking
1098 to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads
1099 the events itself and does not do redisplay.
1101 @defun x-contour-region window beg end
1102 This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg}
1103 to @var{end}, in window @var{window}.
1106 @defun x-uncontour-region window beg end
1107 This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text
1108 from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove
1109 a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}.
1112 @defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1113 This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1114 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1115 left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the
1119 @defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom
1120 This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the
1121 specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top
1122 left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that
1123 normally belong in the specified rectangle.
1127 @node Mouse Position
1128 @section Mouse Position
1129 @cindex mouse position
1130 @cindex position of mouse
1132 The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position}
1133 give access to the current position of the mouse.
1135 @defun mouse-position
1136 This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The
1137 value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x}
1138 and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to
1139 the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}.
1142 @defun set-mouse-position frame x y
1143 This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in
1144 frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers,
1145 giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the
1146 inside of @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not visible, this function
1147 does nothing. The return value is not significant.
1150 @defun mouse-pixel-position
1151 This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns
1152 coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters.
1155 @defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y
1156 This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that
1157 @var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of
1158 characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame.
1160 If @var{frame} is not visible, this function does nothing. The return
1161 value is not significant.
1167 @section Pop-Up Menus
1169 When using a window system, a Lisp program can pop up a menu so that
1170 the user can choose an alternative with the mouse.
1172 @defun x-popup-menu position menu
1173 This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of
1174 what selection the user makes.
1176 The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the
1177 menu. It can be either a mouse button event (which says to put the menu
1178 where the user actuated the button) or a list of this form:
1181 ((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window})
1185 where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in
1186 pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}'s frame.
1188 If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse
1189 position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the
1190 key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu},
1191 without actually displaying or popping up the menu.
1193 The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a
1194 keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). Alternatively, it
1195 can have the following form:
1198 (@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...)
1202 where each pane is a list of form
1205 (@var{title} (@var{line} . @var{item})...)
1208 Each @var{line} should be a string, and each @var{item} should be the
1209 value to return if that @var{line} is chosen.
1212 @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu
1213 if you could do the job with a prefix key defined with a menu keymap.
1214 If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h
1215 a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them.
1216 If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls
1217 @code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside
1218 that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items.
1220 The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by
1221 moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see
1222 that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a
1223 submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in
1224 an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are
1225 implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with
1226 @code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar},
1228 If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should
1229 still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add
1230 a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of
1231 the menu keymap as necessary.
1234 @section Dialog Boxes
1235 @cindex dialog boxes
1237 A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu---it looks a little
1238 different, it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just
1239 one level and one pane. The main use of dialog boxes is for asking
1240 questions that the user can answer with ``yes'', ``no'', and a few other
1241 alternatives. The functions @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use
1242 dialog boxes instead of the keyboard, when called from commands invoked
1245 @defun x-popup-dialog position contents
1246 This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of
1247 what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies
1248 the alternatives to offer; it has this format:
1251 (@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{})
1255 which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for
1256 @code{x-popup-menu}.
1258 The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative.
1260 An element of the list may be just a string instead of a cons cell
1261 @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}. That makes a box that cannot
1264 If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from
1265 the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the
1266 left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you
1267 don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the
1268 items appear on each side.
1270 Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument
1271 @var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in
1272 @code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates don't matter; only the
1275 In some configurations, Emacs cannot display a real dialog box; so
1276 instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the
1280 @node Pointer Shapes
1281 @section Pointer Shapes
1282 @cindex pointer shape
1283 @cindex mouse pointer shape
1285 These variables specify which shape to use for the mouse pointer in
1286 various situations, when using the X Window System:
1289 @item x-pointer-shape
1290 @vindex x-pointer-shape
1291 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the Emacs
1294 @item x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1295 @vindex x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape
1296 This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse
1297 is over mouse-sensitive text.
1300 These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally
1301 affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a frame,
1302 that also updates its pointer shapes based on the current values of
1303 these variables. @xref{Window Frame Parameters}.
1305 The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are
1306 defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos
1307 @key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them.
1309 @node Window System Selections
1310 @section Window System Selections
1311 @cindex selection (for X windows)
1313 The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of
1314 data between application programs. The various selections are
1315 distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by
1316 symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for
1319 @defun x-set-selection type data
1320 This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two
1321 arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it,
1322 @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the
1323 selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer
1324 (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a
1325 cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair
1326 of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers.
1328 The argument @var{data} may also be a vector of valid non-vector
1331 Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes
1332 independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY} and
1333 @code{SECONDARY}; these are symbols with upper-case names, in accord
1334 with X Window System conventions. The default is @code{PRIMARY}.
1337 @defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type
1338 This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X
1339 clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and
1340 @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is
1343 The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to
1344 use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp
1345 data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING},
1346 @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE}, @code{FILE_NAME},
1347 @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER},
1348 @code{OWNER_OS}, @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS},
1349 @code{NAME}, @code{ATOM}, and @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with
1350 upper-case names in accord with X conventions.) The default for
1351 @var{data-type} is @code{STRING}.
1355 The X server also has a set of numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can
1356 store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers
1357 are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X
1358 clients that still use them.
1360 @defun x-get-cut-buffer n
1361 This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}.
1364 @defun x-set-cut-buffer string &optional push
1365 This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer
1366 0). If @var{push} is @code{nil}, only the first cut buffer is changed.
1367 If @var{push} is non-@code{nil}, that says to move the values down
1368 through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in
1369 Emacs move down the kill ring. In other words, the previous value of
1370 the first cut buffer moves into the second cut buffer, and the second to
1371 the third, and so on through all eight cut buffers.
1374 @defvar selection-coding-system
1375 This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading and
1376 writing selections, the clipboard, or a cut buffer. @xref{Coding
1377 Systems}. The default is @code{compound-text}, which converts to
1378 the text representation that X11 normally uses.
1381 @cindex clipboard support (for MS-Windows)
1382 When Emacs runs on MS-Windows, it does not implement X selections in
1383 general, but it it does support the clipboard. @code{x-get-selection}
1384 and @code{x-set-selection} on MS-Windows support the text data type
1385 only; if the clipboard holds other types of data, Emacs treats the
1388 @defopt x-select-enable-clipboard
1389 If this is non-@code{nil}, the Emacs yank functions consult the
1390 clipboard before the primary selection, and the kill functions store in
1391 the clipboard as well as the primary selection. Otherwise they do not
1392 access the clipboard at all. The default is @code{nil} on most systems,
1393 but @code{t} on MS-Windows.
1397 @section Color Names
1399 These functions provide a way to determine which color names are
1400 valid, and what they look like.
1402 @defun color-defined-p color &optional frame
1403 @tindex color-defined-p
1404 This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns
1405 @code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says
1406 which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or
1407 @code{nil}, the selected frame is used.
1409 Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using
1410 really supports that color. When using X, you can ask for any defined
1411 color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---typically,
1412 the closest it can do. To determine whether a frame can really display
1413 a certain color, use @code{color-supported-p} (see below).
1415 @findex x-color-defined-p
1416 This function used to be called @code{x-color-defined-p},
1417 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1420 @defun defined-colors &optional frame
1421 @tindex defined-colors
1422 This function returns a list of the color names that are defined
1423 and supported on frame @var{frame} (default, the selected frame).
1425 @findex x-defined-colors
1426 This function used to be called @code{x-defined-colors},
1427 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1430 @defun color-supported-p color &optional frame background-p
1431 @tindex color-supported-p
1432 This returns @code{t} if @var{frame} can really display the color
1433 @var{color} (or at least something close to it). If @var{frame} is
1434 omitted or @code{nil}, the question applies to the selected frame.
1436 Some terminals support a different set of colors for foreground and
1437 background. If @var{background-p} is non-@code{nil}, that means you are
1438 asking whether @var{color} can be used as a background; otherwise you
1439 are asking whether it can be used as a foreground.
1441 The argument @var{color} must be a valid color name.
1444 @defun color-gray-p color &optional frame
1445 @tindex color-gray-p
1446 This returns @code{t} if @var{color} is a shade of gray, as defined on
1447 @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the
1448 question applies to the selected frame. The argument @var{color} must
1449 be a valid color name.
1452 @defun color-values color &optional frame
1453 @tindex color-values
1454 This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should
1455 ideally look like. If @var{color} is defined, the value is a list of
1456 three integers, which give the amount of red, the amount of green, and
1457 the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in principle from 0 to 65535,
1458 but in practice no value seems to be above 65280. This kind
1459 of three-element list is called an @dfn{rgb value}.
1461 If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1464 (color-values "black")
1466 (color-values "white")
1467 @result{} (65280 65280 65280)
1468 (color-values "red")
1469 @result{} (65280 0 0)
1470 (color-values "pink")
1471 @result{} (65280 49152 51968)
1472 (color-values "hungry")
1476 The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame}
1477 is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is returned for the selected
1480 @findex x-color-values
1481 This function used to be called @code{x-color-values},
1482 and that name is still supported as an alias.
1485 @node Text Terminal Colors
1486 @section Text Terminal Colors
1487 @cindex colors on text-only terminals
1489 Emacs can display color on text-only terminals, starting with version
1490 21. These terminals support only a small number of colors, and the
1491 computer uses small integers to select colors on the terminal. This
1492 means that the computer cannot reliably tell what the selected color
1493 looks like; instead, you have to inform your application which small
1494 integers correspond to which colors. However, Emacs does know the
1495 standard set of colors and will try to use them automatically.
1498 Several of these functions use or return @dfn{rgb values}. An rgb
1499 value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the
1500 amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in
1501 principle from 0 to 65535, but in practice the largest value used is
1504 These functions accept a display (either a frame or the name of a
1505 terminal) as an optional argument. We hope in the future to make Emacs
1506 support more than one text-only terminal at one time; then this argument
1507 will specify which terminal to operate on (the default being the
1508 selected frame's terminal). At present, though, the @var{display}
1509 argument has no effect.
1511 @defun tty-color-define name number &optional rgb display
1512 @tindex tty-color-define
1513 This function associates the color name @var{name} with
1514 color number @var{number} on the terminal.
1516 The optional argument @var{rgb}, if specified, is an rgb value; it says
1517 what the color actually looks like. If you do not specify @var{rgb},
1518 then this color cannot be used by @code{tty-color-approximate} to
1519 approximate other colors, because Emacs does not know what it looks
1523 @defun tty-color-clear &optional display
1524 @tindex tty-color-clear
1525 This function clears the table of defined colors for a text-only terminal.
1528 @defun tty-color-alist &optional display
1529 @tindex tty-color-alist
1530 This function returns an alist recording the known colors supported by a
1533 Each element has the form @code{(@var{name} @var{number} . @var{rgb})}
1534 or @code{(@var{name} @var{number})}. Here, @var{name} is the color
1535 name, @var{number} is the number used to specify it to the terminal.
1536 If present, @var{rgb} is an rgb value that says what the color
1537 actually looks like.
1540 @defun tty-color-approximate rgb &optional display
1541 @tindex tty-color-approximate
1542 This function finds the closest color, among the known colors supported
1543 for @var{display}, to that described by the rgb value @var{rgb}.
1546 @defun tty-color-translate color &optional display
1547 @tindex tty-color-translate
1548 This function finds the closest color to @var{color} among the known
1549 colors supported for @var{display}. If the name @var{color} is not
1550 defined, the value is @code{nil}.
1552 @var{color} can be an X-style @code{"#@var{xxxyyyzzz}"} specification
1553 instead of an actual name. The format
1554 @code{"RGB:@var{xx}/@var{yy}/@var{zz}"} is also supported.
1558 @section X Resources
1560 @defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass
1561 The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X
1562 Windows defaults database.
1564 Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}.
1565 This function searches using a key of the form
1566 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name
1567 under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as
1570 The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key
1571 and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither.
1572 If you specify them, the key is
1573 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is
1574 @samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}.
1577 @defvar x-resource-class
1578 This variable specifies the application name that @code{x-get-resource}
1579 should look up. The default value is @code{"Emacs"}. You can examine X
1580 resources for application names other than ``Emacs'' by binding this
1581 variable to some other string, around a call to @code{x-get-resource}.
1584 @xref{Resources X,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
1586 @node Display Feature Testing
1587 @section Display Feature Testing
1588 @cindex display feature testing
1590 The functions in this section describe the basic capabilities of a
1591 particular display. Lisp programs can use them to adapt their behavior
1592 to what the display can do. For example, a program that ordinarly uses
1593 a popup menu could use the minibuffer if popup menus are not supported.
1595 The optional argument @var{display} in these functions specifies which
1596 display to ask the question about. It can be a display name, a frame
1597 (which designates the display that frame is on), or @code{nil} (which
1598 refers to the selected frame's display).
1600 @xref{Color Names}, @ref{Text Terminal Colors}, for other functions to
1601 obtain information about displays.
1603 @defun display-popup-menus-p &optional display
1604 @tindex display-popup-menus-p
1605 This function returns @code{t} if popup menus are supported on
1606 @var{display}, @code{nil} if not. Support for popup menus requires that
1607 the mouse be available, since the user cannot choose menu items without
1611 @defun display-graphic-p &optional display
1612 @tindex display-graphic-p
1613 @cindex frames, more than one on display
1614 @cindex fonts, more than one on display
1615 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} is a graphic display
1616 capable of displaying several frames and several different fonts at
1617 once. This is true for displays that use a window system such as X, and
1618 false for text-only terminals.
1621 @defun display-mouse-p &optional display
1622 @tindex display-mouse-p
1623 @cindex mouse, availability
1624 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} has a mouse available,
1628 @defun display-color-p &optional display
1629 @tindex display-color-p
1630 @findex x-display-color-p
1631 This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen.
1632 It used to be called @code{x-display-color-p}, and that name
1633 is still supported as an alias.
1636 @defun display-grayscale-p &optional display
1637 @tindex display-grayscale-p
1638 This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray.
1639 (All color displays can do this.)
1642 @defun display-selections-p &optional display
1643 @tindex display-selections-p
1644 This function returns @code{t} if @var{display} supports selections.
1645 Windowed displays normally support selections, but they may also be
1646 supported in some other cases.
1649 @defun display-screens &optional display
1650 @tindex display-screens
1651 This function returns the number of screens associated with the display.
1654 @defun display-pixel-height &optional display
1655 @tindex display-pixel-height
1656 This function returns the height of the screen in pixels.
1659 @defun display-mm-height &optional display
1660 @tindex display-mm-height
1661 This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters,
1662 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
1665 @defun display-pixel-width &optional display
1666 @tindex display-pixel-width
1667 This function returns the width of the screen in pixels.
1670 @defun display-mm-width &optional display
1671 @tindex display-mm-width
1672 This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters,
1673 or @code{nil} if Emacs cannot get that information.
1676 @defun display-backing-store &optional display
1677 @tindex display-backing-store
1678 This function returns the backing store capability of the display.
1679 Backing store means recording the pixels of windows (and parts of
1680 windows) that are not exposed, so that when exposed they can be
1681 displayed very quickly.
1683 Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or
1684 @code{not-useful}. The function can also return @code{nil}
1685 when the question is inapplicable to a certain kind of display.
1688 @defun display-save-under &optional display
1689 @tindex display-save-under
1690 This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the
1691 SaveUnder feature. That feature is used by pop-up windows
1692 to save the pixels they obscure, so that they can pop down
1696 @defun display-planes &optional display
1697 @tindex display-planes
1698 This function returns the number of planes the display supports.
1699 This is typically the number of bits per pixel.
1702 @defun display-visual-class &optional display
1703 @tindex display-visual-class
1704 This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one
1705 of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale},
1706 @code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and
1707 @code{direct-color}.
1710 @defun display-color-cells &optional display
1711 @tindex display-color-cells
1712 This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports.
1715 These functions obtain additional information specifically
1718 @defun x-server-version &optional display
1719 This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server
1720 running the display.
1723 @defun x-server-vendor &optional display
1724 This function returns the vendor that provided the X server software.
1728 @defvar x-no-window-manager
1729 This variable's value is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use.
1735 The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the
1736 width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels.