2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990-1995, 1998-1999, 2001-2015 Free Software
5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
9 This chapter describes the functions and variables related to Emacs
10 windows. @xref{Frames}, for how windows are assigned an area of screen
11 available for Emacs to use. @xref{Display}, for information on how text
12 is displayed in windows.
15 * Basic Windows:: Basic information on using windows.
16 * Windows and Frames:: Relating windows to the frame they appear on.
17 * Window Sizes:: Accessing a window's size.
18 * Resizing Windows:: Changing the sizes of windows.
19 * Preserving Window Sizes:: Preserving the size of windows.
20 * Splitting Windows:: Creating a new window.
21 * Deleting Windows:: Removing a window from its frame.
22 * Recombining Windows:: Preserving the frame layout when splitting and
24 * Selecting Windows:: The selected window is the one that you edit in.
25 * Cyclic Window Ordering:: Moving around the existing windows.
26 * Buffers and Windows:: Each window displays the contents of a buffer.
27 * Switching Buffers:: Higher-level functions for switching to a buffer.
28 * Choosing Window:: How to choose a window for displaying a buffer.
29 * Display Action Functions:: Subroutines for @code{display-buffer}.
30 * Choosing Window Options:: Extra options affecting how buffers are displayed.
31 * Window History:: Each window remembers the buffers displayed in it.
32 * Dedicated Windows:: How to avoid displaying another buffer in
34 * Quitting Windows:: How to restore the state prior to displaying a
36 * Window Point:: Each window has its own location of point.
37 * Window Start and End:: Buffer positions indicating which text is
38 on-screen in a window.
39 * Textual Scrolling:: Moving text up and down through the window.
40 * Vertical Scrolling:: Moving the contents up and down on the window.
41 * Horizontal Scrolling:: Moving the contents sideways on the window.
42 * Coordinates and Windows:: Converting coordinates to windows.
43 * Window Configurations:: Saving and restoring the state of the screen.
44 * Window Parameters:: Associating additional information with windows.
45 * Window Hooks:: Hooks for scrolling, window size changes,
46 redisplay going past a certain point,
47 or window configuration changes.
52 @section Basic Concepts of Emacs Windows
55 A @dfn{window} is an area of the screen that is used to display a buffer
56 (@pxref{Buffers}). In Emacs Lisp, windows are represented by a special
59 @cindex multiple windows
60 Windows are grouped into frames (@pxref{Frames}). Each frame
61 contains at least one window; the user can subdivide it into multiple,
62 non-overlapping windows to view several buffers at once. Lisp
63 programs can use multiple windows for a variety of purposes. In
64 Rmail, for example, you can view a summary of message titles in one
65 window, and the contents of the selected message in another window.
67 @cindex terminal screen
68 @cindex screen of terminal
69 Emacs uses the word ``window'' with a different meaning than in
70 graphical desktop environments and window systems, such as the X
71 Window System. When Emacs is run on X, each of its graphical X
72 windows is an Emacs frame (containing one or more Emacs windows).
73 When Emacs is run on a text terminal, the frame fills the entire
77 Unlike X windows, Emacs windows are @dfn{tiled}; they never overlap
78 within the area of the frame. When a window is created, resized, or
79 deleted, the change in window space is taken from or given to the
80 adjacent windows, so that the total area of the frame is unchanged.
83 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a window (whether or
84 not it displays a buffer). Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
88 A @dfn{live window} is one that is actually displaying a buffer in a
91 @defun window-live-p object
92 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a live window and
93 @code{nil} otherwise. A live window is one that displays a buffer.
96 @cindex internal windows
97 The windows in each frame are organized into a @dfn{window tree}.
98 @xref{Windows and Frames}. The leaf nodes of each window tree are live
99 windows---the ones actually displaying buffers. The internal nodes of
100 the window tree are @dfn{internal windows}, which are not live.
102 @cindex valid windows
103 A @dfn{valid window} is one that is either live or internal. A valid
104 window can be @dfn{deleted}, i.e., removed from its frame
105 (@pxref{Deleting Windows}); then it is no longer valid, but the Lisp
106 object representing it might be still referenced from other Lisp
107 objects. A deleted window may be made valid again by restoring a saved
108 window configuration (@pxref{Window Configurations}).
110 You can distinguish valid windows from deleted windows with
111 @code{window-valid-p}.
113 @defun window-valid-p object
114 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a live window, or an
115 internal window in a window tree. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil},
116 including for the case where @var{object} is a deleted window.
119 @cindex selected window
120 @cindex window selected within a frame
121 In each frame, at any time, exactly one Emacs window is designated
122 as @dfn{selected within the frame}. For the selected frame, that
123 window is called the @dfn{selected window}---the one in which most
124 editing takes place, and in which the cursor for selected windows
125 appears (@pxref{Cursor Parameters}). The selected window's buffer is
126 usually also the current buffer, except when @code{set-buffer} has
127 been used (@pxref{Current Buffer}). As for non-selected frames, the
128 window selected within the frame becomes the selected window if the
129 frame is ever selected. @xref{Selecting Windows}.
131 @defun selected-window
132 This function returns the selected window (which is always a live
136 @node Windows and Frames
137 @section Windows and Frames
139 Each window belongs to exactly one frame (@pxref{Frames}).
141 @defun window-frame &optional window
142 This function returns the frame that the window @var{window} belongs
143 to. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
147 @defun window-list &optional frame minibuffer window
148 This function returns a list of live windows belonging to the frame
149 @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
152 The optional argument @var{minibuffer} specifies whether to include
153 the minibuffer window in the returned list. If @var{minibuffer} is
154 @code{t}, the minibuffer window is included. If @var{minibuffer} is
155 @code{nil} or omitted, the minibuffer window is included only if it is
156 active. If @var{minibuffer} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the
157 minibuffer window is never included.
159 The optional argument @var{window}, if non-@code{nil}, should be a live
160 window on the specified frame; then @var{window} will be the first
161 element in the returned list. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil},
162 the window selected within the frame is the first element.
167 Windows in the same frame are organized into a @dfn{window tree},
168 whose leaf nodes are the live windows. The internal nodes of a window
169 tree are not live; they exist for the purpose of organizing the
170 relationships between live windows. The root node of a window tree is
171 called the @dfn{root window}. It can be either a live window (if the
172 frame has just one window), or an internal window.
174 A minibuffer window (@pxref{Minibuffer Windows}) is not part of its
175 frame's window tree unless the frame is a minibuffer-only frame.
176 Nonetheless, most of the functions in this section accept the
177 minibuffer window as an argument. Also, the function
178 @code{window-tree} described at the end of this section lists the
179 minibuffer window alongside the actual window tree.
181 @defun frame-root-window &optional frame-or-window
182 This function returns the root window for @var{frame-or-window}. The
183 argument @var{frame-or-window} should be either a window or a frame;
184 if omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame. If
185 @var{frame-or-window} is a window, the return value is the root window
186 of that window's frame.
189 @cindex parent window
191 @cindex sibling window
192 When a window is split, there are two live windows where previously
193 there was one. One of these is represented by the same Lisp window
194 object as the original window, and the other is represented by a
195 newly-created Lisp window object. Both of these live windows become
196 leaf nodes of the window tree, as @dfn{child windows} of a single
197 internal window. If necessary, Emacs automatically creates this
198 internal window, which is also called the @dfn{parent window}, and
199 assigns it to the appropriate position in the window tree. A set of
200 windows that share the same parent are called @dfn{siblings}.
202 @cindex parent window
203 @defun window-parent &optional window
204 This function returns the parent window of @var{window}. If
205 @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
206 window. The return value is @code{nil} if @var{window} has no parent
207 (i.e., it is a minibuffer window or the root window of its frame).
210 Each internal window always has at least two child windows. If this
211 number falls to one as a result of window deletion, Emacs
212 automatically deletes the internal window, and its sole remaining
213 child window takes its place in the window tree.
215 Each child window can be either a live window, or an internal window
216 (which in turn would have its own child windows). Therefore, each
217 internal window can be thought of as occupying a certain rectangular
218 @dfn{screen area}---the union of the areas occupied by the live
219 windows that are ultimately descended from it.
221 @cindex window combination
222 @cindex vertical combination
223 @cindex horizontal combination
224 For each internal window, the screen areas of the immediate children
225 are arranged either vertically or horizontally (never both). If the
226 child windows are arranged one above the other, they are said to form
227 a @dfn{vertical combination}; if they are arranged side by side, they
228 are said to form a @dfn{horizontal combination}. Consider the
233 ______________________________________
234 | ______ ____________________________ |
235 || || __________________________ ||
239 || |||____________W4____________|||
240 || || __________________________ ||
243 || |||____________W5____________|||
244 ||__W2__||_____________W3_____________ |
245 |__________________W1__________________|
251 The root window of this frame is an internal window, @var{W1}. Its
252 child windows form a horizontal combination, consisting of the live
253 window @var{W2} and the internal window @var{W3}. The child windows
254 of @var{W3} form a vertical combination, consisting of the live
255 windows @var{W4} and @var{W5}. Hence, the live windows in this
256 window tree are @var{W2}, @var{W4}, and @var{W5}.
258 The following functions can be used to retrieve a child window of an
259 internal window, and the siblings of a child window.
261 @defun window-top-child &optional window
262 This function returns the topmost child window of @var{window}, if
263 @var{window} is an internal window whose children form a vertical
264 combination. For any other type of window, the return value is
268 @defun window-left-child &optional window
269 This function returns the leftmost child window of @var{window}, if
270 @var{window} is an internal window whose children form a horizontal
271 combination. For any other type of window, the return value is
275 @defun window-child window
276 This function returns the first child window of the internal window
277 @var{window}---the topmost child window for a vertical combination, or
278 the leftmost child window for a horizontal combination. If
279 @var{window} is a live window, the return value is @code{nil}.
282 @defun window-combined-p &optional window horizontal
283 This function returns a non-@code{nil} value if and only if
284 @var{window} is part of a vertical combination. If @var{window} is
285 omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected one.
287 If the optional argument @var{horizontal} is non-@code{nil}, this
288 means to return non-@code{nil} if and only if @var{window} is part of
289 a horizontal combination.
292 @defun window-next-sibling &optional window
293 This function returns the next sibling of the window @var{window}. If
294 omitted or @code{nil}, @var{window} defaults to the selected window.
295 The return value is @code{nil} if @var{window} is the last child of
299 @defun window-prev-sibling &optional window
300 This function returns the previous sibling of the window @var{window}.
301 If omitted or @code{nil}, @var{window} defaults to the selected
302 window. The return value is @code{nil} if @var{window} is the first
306 The functions @code{window-next-sibling} and
307 @code{window-prev-sibling} should not be confused with the functions
308 @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, which return the next
309 and previous window, respectively, in the cyclic ordering of windows
310 (@pxref{Cyclic Window Ordering}).
312 You can use the following functions to find the first live window on a
313 frame and the window nearest to a given window.
315 @defun frame-first-window &optional frame-or-window
316 This function returns the live window at the upper left corner of the
317 frame specified by @var{frame-or-window}. The argument
318 @var{frame-or-window} must denote a window or a live frame and defaults
319 to the selected frame. If @var{frame-or-window} specifies a window,
320 this function returns the first window on that window's frame. Under
321 the assumption that the frame from our canonical example is selected
322 @code{(frame-first-window)} returns @var{W2}.
325 @cindex window in direction
326 @defun window-in-direction direction &optional window ignore sign wrap mini
327 This function returns the nearest live window in direction
328 @var{direction} as seen from the position of @code{window-point} in
329 window @var{window}. The argument @var{direction} must be one of
330 @code{above}, @code{below}, @code{left} or @code{right}. The optional
331 argument @var{window} must denote a live window and defaults to the
334 This function does not return a window whose @code{no-other-window}
335 parameter is non-@code{nil} (@pxref{Window Parameters}). If the nearest
336 window's @code{no-other-window} parameter is non-@code{nil}, this
337 function tries to find another window in the indicated direction whose
338 @code{no-other-window} parameter is @code{nil}. If the optional
339 argument @var{ignore} is non-@code{nil}, a window may be returned even
340 if its @code{no-other-window} parameter is non-@code{nil}.
342 If the optional argument @var{sign} is a negative number, it means to
343 use the right or bottom edge of @var{window} as reference position
344 instead of @code{window-point}. If @var{sign} is a positive number, it
345 means to use the left or top edge of @var{window} as reference position.
347 If the optional argument @var{wrap} is non-@code{nil}, this means to
348 wrap @var{direction} around frame borders. For example, if @var{window}
349 is at the top of the frame and @var{direction} is @code{above}, then
350 return the minibuffer window provided the frame has one, and a window at
351 the bottom of the frame otherwise.
353 If the optional argument @var{mini} is @code{nil}, this means to return
354 the minibuffer window if and only if it is currently active. If
355 @var{mini} is non-@code{nil}, it returns the minibuffer window even when
356 it's not active. However, if @var{wrap} non-@code{nil}, it always acts
357 as if @var{mini} were @code{nil}.
359 If it doesn't find a suitable window, this function returns @code{nil}.
362 The following function allows to retrieve the entire window tree of a
365 @defun window-tree &optional frame
366 This function returns a list representing the window tree for frame
367 @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
370 The return value is a list of the form @code{(@var{root} @var{mini})},
371 where @var{root} represents the window tree of the frame's root
372 window, and @var{mini} is the frame's minibuffer window.
374 If the root window is live, @var{root} is that window itself.
375 Otherwise, @var{root} is a list @code{(@var{dir} @var{edges} @var{w1}
376 @var{w2} ...)} where @var{dir} is @code{nil} for a horizontal
377 combination and @code{t} for a vertical combination, @var{edges} gives
378 the size and position of the combination, and the remaining elements
379 are the child windows. Each child window may again be a window object
380 (for a live window) or a list with the same format as above (for an
381 internal window). The @var{edges} element is a list @code{(@var{left}
382 @var{top} @var{right} @var{bottom})}, similar to the value returned by
383 @code{window-edges} (@pxref{Coordinates and Windows}).
388 @section Window Sizes
390 @cindex size of window
392 The following schematic shows the structure of a live window:
396 ____________________________________________
397 |______________ Header Line ______________|RD| ^
398 ^ |LS|LM|LF| |RF|RM|RS| | |
399 | | | | | | | | | | |
400 Window | | | | Text Area | | | | | Window
401 Body | | | | | (Window Body) | | | | | Total
402 Height | | | | | | | | | Height
403 | | | | |<- Window Body Width ->| | | | | |
404 v |__|__|__|_______________________|__|__|__| | |
405 |_________ Horizontal Scroll Bar _________| | |
406 |_______________ Mode Line _______________|__| |
407 |_____________ Bottom Divider _______________| v
408 <---------- Window Total Width ------------>
414 @cindex text area of a window
415 @cindex body of a window
416 At the center of the window is the @dfn{text area}, or @dfn{body},
417 where the buffer text is displayed. The text area can be surrounded by
418 a series of optional areas. On the left and right, from innermost to
419 outermost, these are the left and right fringes, denoted by LF and RF
420 (@pxref{Fringes}); the left and right margins, denoted by LM and RM in
421 the schematic (@pxref{Display Margins}); the left or right vertical
422 scroll bar, only one of which is present at any time, denoted by LS and
423 RS (@pxref{Scroll Bars}); and the right divider, denoted by RD
424 (@pxref{Window Dividers}). At the top of the window is the header line
425 (@pxref{Header Lines}). At the bottom of the window are the horizontal
426 scroll bar (@pxref{Scroll Bars}); the mode line (@pxref{Mode Line
427 Format}); and the bottom divider (@pxref{Window Dividers}).
429 Emacs provides miscellaneous functions for finding the height and
430 width of a window. The return value of many of these functions can be
431 specified either in units of pixels or in units of lines and columns.
432 On a graphical display, the latter actually correspond to the height and
433 width of a ``default'' character specified by the frame's default font
434 as returned by @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width}
435 (@pxref{Frame Font}). Thus, if a window is displaying text with a
436 different font or size, the reported line height and column width for
437 that window may differ from the actual number of text lines or columns
440 @cindex window height
441 @cindex height of a window
442 @cindex total height of a window
443 The @dfn{total height} of a window is the number of lines comprising
444 the window's body, the header line, the horizontal scroll bar, the mode
445 line and the bottom divider (if any).
447 @defun window-total-height &optional window round
448 This function returns the total height, in lines, of the window
449 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
450 the selected window. If @var{window} is an internal window, the return
451 value is the total height occupied by its descendant windows.
453 If a window's pixel height is not an integral multiple of its frame's
454 default character height, the number of lines occupied by the window is
455 rounded internally. This is done in a way such that, if the window is a
456 parent window, the sum of the total heights of all its child windows
457 internally equals the total height of their parent. This means that
458 although two windows have the same pixel height, their internal total
459 heights may differ by one line. This means also, that if window is
460 vertically combined and has a next sibling, the topmost row of that
461 sibling can be calculated as the sum of this window's topmost row and
462 total height (@pxref{Coordinates and Windows})
464 If the optional argument @var{round} is @code{ceiling}, this
465 function returns the smallest integer larger than @var{window}'s pixel
466 height divided by the character height of its frame; if it is
467 @code{floor}, it returns the largest integer smaller than said value;
468 with any other @var{round} it returns the internal value of
469 @var{windows}'s total height.
473 @cindex width of a window
474 @cindex total width of a window
475 The @dfn{total width} of a window is the number of lines comprising the
476 window's body, its margins, fringes, scroll bars and a right divider (if
479 @defun window-total-width &optional window round
480 This function returns the total width, in columns, of the window
481 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
482 the selected window. If @var{window} is internal, the return value is
483 the total width occupied by its descendant windows.
485 If a window's pixel width is not an integral multiple of its frame's
486 character width, the number of lines occupied by the window is rounded
487 internally. This is done in a way such that, if the window is a parent
488 window, the sum of the total widths of all its children internally
489 equals the total width of their parent. This means that although two
490 windows have the same pixel width, their internal total widths may
491 differ by one column. This means also, that if this window is
492 horizontally combined and has a next sibling, the leftmost column of
493 that sibling can be calculated as the sum of this window's leftmost
494 column and total width (@pxref{Coordinates and Windows}). The optional
495 argument @var{round} behaves as it does for @code{window-total-height}.
498 @defun window-total-size &optional window horizontal round
499 This function returns either the total height in lines or the total
500 width in columns of the window @var{window}. If @var{horizontal} is
501 omitted or @code{nil}, this is equivalent to calling
502 @code{window-total-height} for @var{window}; otherwise it is equivalent
503 to calling @code{window-total-width} for @var{window}. The optional
504 argument @var{round} behaves as it does for @code{window-total-height}.
507 The following two functions can be used to return the total size of a
508 window in units of pixels.
510 @cindex window pixel height
511 @cindex pixel height of a window
512 @cindex total pixel height of a window
514 @defun window-pixel-height &optional window
515 This function returns the total height of window @var{window} in pixels.
516 @var{window} must be a valid window and defaults to the selected one.
518 The return value includes mode and header line, a horizontal scroll bar
519 and a bottom divider, if any. If @var{window} is an internal window,
520 its pixel height is the pixel height of the screen areas spanned by its
524 @cindex window pixel height
525 @cindex pixel height of a window
526 @cindex total pixel height of a window
528 @defun window-pixel-width &optional Lisp_Object &optional window
529 This function returns the width of window @var{window} in pixels.
530 @var{window} must be a valid window and defaults to the selected one.
532 The return value includes the fringes and margins of @var{window} as
533 well as any vertical dividers or scroll bars belonging to @var{window}.
534 If @var{window} is an internal window, its pixel width is the width of
535 the screen areas spanned by its children.
538 @cindex full-width window
539 @cindex full-height window
540 The following functions can be used to determine whether a given
541 window has any adjacent windows.
543 @defun window-full-height-p &optional window
544 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{window} has no other window
545 above or below it in its frame. More precisely, this means that the
546 total height of @var{window} equals the total height of the root window
547 on that frame. The minibuffer window does not count in this regard. If
548 @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
552 @defun window-full-width-p &optional window
553 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{window} has no other
554 window to the left or right in its frame, i.e., its total width equals
555 that of the root window on that frame. If @var{window} is omitted or
556 @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window.
559 @cindex window body height
560 @cindex body height of a window
561 @cindex window body width
562 The @dfn{body height} of a window is the height of its text area, which
563 does not include a mode or header line, a horizontal scroll bar, or a
566 @defun window-body-height &optional window pixelwise
567 This function returns the height, in lines, of the body of window
568 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
569 the selected window; otherwise it must be a live window.
571 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is non-@code{nil}, this
572 function returns the body height of @var{window} counted in pixels.
574 If @var{pixelwise} is @code{nil}, the return value is rounded down to
575 the nearest integer, if necessary. This means that if a line at the
576 bottom of the text area is only partially visible, that line is not
577 counted. It also means that the height of a window's body can never
578 exceed its total height as returned by @code{window-total-height}.
581 @cindex body width of a window
582 @cindex body size of a window
583 @cindex window body size
584 The @dfn{body width} of a window is the width of its text area, which
585 does not include the scroll bar, fringes, margins or a right divider.
587 @defun window-body-width &optional window pixelwise
588 This function returns the width, in columns, of the body of window
589 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
590 the selected window; otherwise it must be a live window.
592 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is non-@code{nil}, this
593 function returns the body width of @var{window} in units of pixels.
595 If @var{pixelwise} is @code{nil}, the return value is rounded down to
596 the nearest integer, if necessary. This means that if a column on the
597 right of the text area is only partially visible, that column is not
598 counted. It also means that the width of a window's body can never
599 exceed its total width as returned by @code{window-total-width}.
602 @defun window-body-size &optional window horizontal pixelwise
603 This function returns the body height or body width of @var{window}. If
604 @var{horizontal} is omitted or @code{nil}, it is equivalent to calling
605 @code{window-body-height} for @var{window}; otherwise it is equivalent
606 to calling @code{window-body-width}. In either case, the optional
607 argument @var{pixelwise} is passed to the function called.
610 For compatibility with previous versions of Emacs,
611 @code{window-height} is an alias for @code{window-total-height}, and
612 @code{window-width} is an alias for @code{window-body-width}. These
613 aliases are considered obsolete and will be removed in the future.
615 The pixel heights of a window's mode and header line can be retrieved
616 with the functions given below. Their return value is usually accurate
617 unless the window has not been displayed before: In that case, the
618 return value is based on an estimate of the font used for the window's
621 @defun window-mode-line-height &optional window
622 This function returns the height in pixels of @var{window}'s mode line.
623 @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected one. If
624 @var{window} has no mode line, the return value is zero.
627 @defun window-header-line-height &optional window
628 This function returns the height in pixels of @var{window}'s header
629 line. @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected
630 one. If @var{window} has no header line, the return value is zero.
633 Functions for retrieving the height and/or width of window dividers
634 (@pxref{Window Dividers}), fringes (@pxref{Fringes}), scroll bars
635 (@pxref{Scroll Bars}), and display margins (@pxref{Display Margins}) are
636 described in the corresponding sections.
638 @cindex fixed-size window
639 @vindex window-min-height
640 @vindex window-min-width
641 Commands that change the size of windows (@pxref{Resizing Windows}),
642 or split them (@pxref{Splitting Windows}), obey the variables
643 @code{window-min-height} and @code{window-min-width}, which specify the
644 smallest allowable window height and width. They also obey the variable
645 @code{window-size-fixed}, with which a window can be @dfn{fixed} in
648 @defopt window-min-height
649 This option specifies the minimum total height, in lines, of any window.
650 Its value has to accommodate at least one text line as well as a mode
651 and header line, a horizontal scroll bar and a bottom divider, if
655 @defopt window-min-width
656 This option specifies the minimum total width, in columns, of any
657 window. Its value has to accommodate two text columns as well as
658 margins, fringes, a scroll bar and a right divider, if present.
661 The following function tells how small a specific window can get taking
662 into account the sizes of its areas and the values of
663 @code{window-min-height}, @code{window-min-width} and
664 @code{window-size-fixed}.
666 @defun window-min-size &optional window horizontal ignore pixelwise
667 This function returns the minimum size of @var{window}. @var{window}
668 must be a valid window and defaults to the selected one. The optional
669 argument @var{horizontal} non-@code{nil} means to return the minimum
670 number of columns of @var{window}; otherwise return the minimum number
671 of @var{window}'s lines.
673 The return value makes sure that all components of @var{window} remain
674 fully visible if @var{window}'s size were actually set to it. With
675 @var{horizontal} @code{nil} it includes the mode and header line, the
676 horizontal scroll bar and the bottom divider. With @var{horizontal}
677 non-@code{nil} it includes the fringes, a scroll bar, and a right
678 divider, if present. It does not, however, include the space reserved
681 The optional argument @var{ignore}, if non-@code{nil}, means ignore
682 restrictions imposed by fixed size windows, @code{window-min-height} or
683 @code{window-min-width} settings. If @var{ignore} equals @code{safe},
684 live windows may get as small as @code{window-safe-min-height} lines and
685 @code{window-safe-min-width} columns. If @var{ignore} is a window,
686 ignore restrictions for that window only. Any other non-@code{nil}
687 value means ignore all of the above restrictions for all windows.
689 The optional argument @var{pixelwise} non-@code{nil} means to return the
690 minimum size of @var{window} counted in pixels.
693 @node Resizing Windows
694 @section Resizing Windows
695 @cindex window resizing
696 @cindex resize window
697 @cindex changing window size
698 @cindex window size, changing
700 This section describes functions for resizing a window without
701 changing the size of its frame. Because live windows do not overlap,
702 these functions are meaningful only on frames that contain two or more
703 windows: resizing a window also changes the size of a neighboring
704 window. If there is just one window on a frame, its size cannot be
705 changed except by resizing the frame (@pxref{Size and Position}).
707 Except where noted, these functions also accept internal windows as
708 arguments. Resizing an internal window causes its child windows to be
709 resized to fit the same space.
711 @defun window-resizable window delta &optional horizontal ignore pixelwise
712 This function returns @var{delta} if the size of @var{window} can be
713 changed vertically by @var{delta} lines. If the optional argument
714 @var{horizontal} is non-@code{nil}, it instead returns @var{delta} if
715 @var{window} can be resized horizontally by @var{delta} columns. It
716 does not actually change the window size.
718 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window.
720 A positive value of @var{delta} means to check whether the window can be
721 enlarged by that number of lines or columns; a negative value of
722 @var{delta} means to check whether the window can be shrunk by that many
723 lines or columns. If @var{delta} is non-zero, a return value of 0 means
724 that the window cannot be resized.
726 Normally, the variables @code{window-min-height} and
727 @code{window-min-width} specify the smallest allowable window size
728 (@pxref{Window Sizes}). However, if the optional argument @var{ignore}
729 is non-@code{nil}, this function ignores @code{window-min-height} and
730 @code{window-min-width}, as well as @code{window-size-fixed}. Instead,
731 it considers the minimum-height window to be one consisting of a header
732 and a mode line, a horizontal scrollbar and a bottom divider (if any),
733 plus a text area one line tall; and a minimum-width window as one
734 consisting of fringes, margins, a scroll bar and a right divider (if
735 any), plus a text area two columns wide.
737 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is non-@code{nil},
738 @var{delta} is interpreted as pixels.
741 @defun window-resize window delta &optional horizontal ignore pixelwise
742 This function resizes @var{window} by @var{delta} increments. If
743 @var{horizontal} is @code{nil}, it changes the height by @var{delta}
744 lines; otherwise, it changes the width by @var{delta} columns. A
745 positive @var{delta} means to enlarge the window, and a negative
746 @var{delta} means to shrink it.
748 If @var{window} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window. If
749 the window cannot be resized as demanded, an error is signaled.
751 The optional argument @var{ignore} has the same meaning as for the
752 function @code{window-resizable} above.
754 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is non-@code{nil},
755 @var{delta} will be interpreted as pixels.
757 The choice of which window edges this function alters depends on the
758 values of the option @code{window-combination-resize} and the
759 combination limits of the involved windows; in some cases, it may alter
760 both edges. @xref{Recombining Windows}. To resize by moving only the
761 bottom or right edge of a window, use the function
762 @code{adjust-window-trailing-edge}.
765 @c The commands enlarge-window, enlarge-window-horizontally,
766 @c shrink-window, and shrink-window-horizontally are documented in the
767 @c Emacs manual. They are not preferred for calling from Lisp.
769 @defun adjust-window-trailing-edge window delta &optional horizontal pixelwise
770 This function moves @var{window}'s bottom edge by @var{delta} lines.
771 If optional argument @var{horizontal} is non-@code{nil}, it instead
772 moves the right edge by @var{delta} columns. If @var{window} is
773 @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window.
775 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is non-@code{nil},
776 @var{delta} is interpreted as pixels.
778 A positive @var{delta} moves the edge downwards or to the right; a
779 negative @var{delta} moves it upwards or to the left. If the edge
780 cannot be moved as far as specified by @var{delta}, this function
781 moves it as far as possible but does not signal a error.
783 This function tries to resize windows adjacent to the edge that is
784 moved. If this is not possible for some reason (e.g., if that adjacent
785 window is fixed-size), it may resize other windows.
788 @cindex pixelwise, resizing windows
789 @defopt window-resize-pixelwise
790 If the value of this option is non-@code{nil}, Emacs resizes windows in
791 units of pixels. This currently affects functions like
792 @code{split-window} (@pxref{Splitting Windows}), @code{maximize-window},
793 @code{minimize-window}, @code{fit-window-to-buffer},
794 @code{fit-frame-to-buffer} and
795 @code{shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer} (all listed below).
797 Note that when a frame's pixel size is not a multiple of its character
798 size, at least one window may get resized pixelwise even if this
799 option is @code{nil}. The default value is @code{nil}.
802 The following commands resize windows in more specific ways. When
803 called interactively, they act on the selected window.
805 @deffn Command fit-window-to-buffer &optional window max-height min-height max-width min-width preserve-size
806 This command adjusts the height or width of @var{window} to fit the text
807 in it. It returns non-@code{nil} if it was able to resize @var{window},
808 and @code{nil} otherwise. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
809 defaults to the selected window. Otherwise, it should be a live window.
811 If @var{window} is part of a vertical combination, this function adjusts
812 @var{window}'s height. The new height is calculated from the actual
813 height of the accessible portion of its buffer. The optional argument
814 @var{max-height}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the maximum total height
815 that this function can give @var{window}. The optional argument
816 @var{min-height}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies the minimum total height
817 that it can give, which overrides the variable @code{window-min-height}.
818 Both @var{max-height} and @var{min-height} are specified in lines and
819 include mode and header line and a bottom divider, if any.
821 If @var{window} is part of a horizontal combination and the value of the
822 option @code{fit-window-to-buffer-horizontally} (see below) is
823 non-@code{nil}, this function adjusts @var{window}'s height. The new
824 width of @var{window} is calculated from the maximum length of its
825 buffer's lines that follow the current start position of @var{window}.
826 The optional argument @var{max-width} specifies a maximum width and
827 defaults to the width of @var{window}'s frame. The optional argument
828 @var{min-width} specifies a minimum width and defaults to
829 @code{window-min-width}. Both @var{max-width} and @var{min-width} are
830 specified in columns and include fringes, margins and scrollbars, if
833 The optional argument @var{preserve-size}, if non-@code{nil}, will
834 install a parameter to preserve the size of @var{window} during future
835 resize operations (@pxref{Preserving Window Sizes}).
837 If the option @code{fit-frame-to-buffer} (see below) is non-@code{nil},
838 this function will try to resize the frame of @var{window} to fit its
839 contents by calling @code{fit-frame-to-buffer} (see below).
842 @defopt fit-window-to-buffer-horizontally
843 If this is non-@code{nil}, @code{fit-window-to-buffer} can resize
844 windows horizontally. If this is @code{nil} (the default)
845 @code{fit-window-to-buffer} never resizes windows horizontally. If this
846 is @code{only}, it can resize windows horizontally only. Any other
847 value means @code{fit-window-to-buffer} can resize windows in both
851 @defopt fit-frame-to-buffer
852 If this option is non-@code{nil}, @code{fit-window-to-buffer} can fit a
853 frame to its buffer. A frame is fit if and only if its root window is a
854 live window and this option is non-@code{nil}. If this is
855 @code{horizontally}, frames are fit horizontally only. If this is
856 @code{vertically}, frames are fit vertically only. Any other
857 non-@code{nil} value means frames can be resized in both dimensions.
860 If you have a frame that displays only one window, you can fit that
861 frame to its buffer using the command @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
863 @deffn Command fit-frame-to-buffer &optional frame max-height min-height max-width min-width only
864 This command adjusts the size of @var{frame} to display the contents of
865 its buffer exactly. @var{frame} can be any live frame and defaults to
866 the selected one. Fitting is done only if @var{frame}'s root window is
867 live. The arguments @var{max-height}, @var{min-height}, @var{max-width}
868 and @var{min-width} specify bounds on the new total size of
869 @var{frame}'s root window. @var{min-height} and @var{min-width} default
870 to the values of @code{window-min-height} and @code{window-min-width}
873 If the optional argument @var{only} is @code{vertically}, this function
874 may resize the frame vertically only. If @var{only} is
875 @code{horizontally}, it may resize the frame horizontally only.
878 The behavior of @code{fit-frame-to-buffer} can be controlled with the
879 help of the two options listed next.
881 @defopt fit-frame-to-buffer-margins
882 This option can be used to specify margins around frames to be fit by
883 @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}. Such margins can be useful to avoid, for
884 example, that such frames overlap the taskbar.
886 It specifies the numbers of pixels to be left free on the left, above,
887 the right, and below a frame that shall be fit. The default specifies
888 @code{nil} for each which means to use no margins. The value specified
889 here can be overridden for a specific frame by that frame's
890 @code{fit-frame-to-buffer-margins} parameter, if present.
893 @defopt fit-frame-to-buffer-sizes
894 This option specifies size boundaries for @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
895 It specifies the total maximum and minimum lines and maximum and minimum
896 columns of the root window of any frame that shall be fit to its buffer.
897 If any of these values is non-@code{nil}, it overrides the corresponding
898 argument of @code{fit-frame-to-buffer}.
901 @deffn Command shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer &optional window
902 This command attempts to reduce @var{window}'s height as much as
903 possible while still showing its full buffer, but no less than
904 @code{window-min-height} lines. The return value is non-@code{nil} if
905 the window was resized, and @code{nil} otherwise. If @var{window} is
906 omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window. Otherwise,
907 it should be a live window.
909 This command does nothing if the window is already too short to
910 display all of its buffer, or if any of the buffer is scrolled
911 off-screen, or if the window is the only live window in its frame.
913 This command calls @code{fit-window-to-buffer} (see above) to do its
918 @cindex balancing window sizes
919 @deffn Command balance-windows &optional window-or-frame
920 This function balances windows in a way that gives more space to
921 full-width and/or full-height windows. If @var{window-or-frame}
922 specifies a frame, it balances all windows on that frame. If
923 @var{window-or-frame} specifies a window, it balances only that window
924 and its siblings (@pxref{Windows and Frames}).
927 @deffn Command balance-windows-area
928 This function attempts to give all windows on the selected frame
929 approximately the same share of the screen area. Full-width or
930 full-height windows are not given more space than other windows.
933 @cindex maximizing windows
934 @deffn Command maximize-window &optional window
935 This function attempts to make @var{window} as large as possible, in
936 both dimensions, without resizing its frame or deleting other windows.
937 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
941 @cindex minimizing windows
942 @deffn Command minimize-window &optional window
943 This function attempts to make @var{window} as small as possible, in
944 both dimensions, without deleting it or resizing its frame. If
945 @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
950 @node Preserving Window Sizes
951 @section Preserving Window Sizes
952 @cindex preserving window sizes
954 A window can get resized explicitly by using one of the functions from
955 the preceding section or implicitly, for example, when resizing an
956 adjacent window, when splitting or deleting a window (@pxref{Splitting
957 Windows}, @pxref{Deleting Windows}) or when resizing the window's frame
958 (@pxref{Size and Position}).
960 It is possible to avoid implicit resizing of a specific window when
961 there are one or more other resizable windows on the same frame. For
962 this purpose, Emacs must be advised to @dfn{preserve} the size of that
963 window. There are two basic ways to do that.
965 @defvar window-size-fixed
966 If this buffer-local variable is non-@code{nil}, the size of any window
967 displaying the buffer cannot normally be changed. Deleting a window or
968 changing the frame's size may still change the window's size, if there
971 If the value is @code{height}, then only the window's height is fixed;
972 if the value is @code{width}, then only the window's width is fixed.
973 Any other non-@code{nil} value fixes both the width and the height.
975 If this variable is @code{nil}, this does not necessarily mean that any
976 window showing the buffer can be resized in the desired direction. To
977 determine that, use the function @code{window-resizable}.
978 @xref{Resizing Windows}.
981 Often @code{window-size-fixed} is overly aggressive because it inhibits
982 any attempt to explicitly resize or split an affected window as well.
983 This may even happen after the window has been resized implicitly, for
984 example, when deleting an adjacent window or resizing the window's
985 frame. The following function tries hard to never disallow resizing
986 such a window explicitly:
988 @defun window-preserve-size &optional window horizontal preserve
989 This function (un-)marks the height of window @var{window} as preserved
990 for future resize operations. @var{window} must be a live window and
991 defaults to the selected one. If the optional argument @var{horizontal}
992 is non-@code{nil}, it (un-)marks the width of @var{window} as preserved.
994 If the optional argument @var{preserve} is @code{t}, this means to
995 preserve the current height/width of @var{window}'s body. The
996 height/width of @var{window} will change only if Emacs has no better
997 choice. Resizing a window whose height/width is preserved by this
998 function never throws an error.
1000 If @var{preserve} is @code{nil}, this means to stop preserving the
1001 height/width of @var{window}, lifting any respective restraint induced
1002 by a previous call of this function for @var{window}. Calling
1003 @code{enlarge-window}, @code{shrink-window} or
1004 @code{fit-window-to-buffer} with @var{window} as argument may also
1005 remove the respective restraint.
1008 @code{window-preserve-size} is currently invoked by the following
1012 @item fit-window-to-buffer
1013 If the optional argument @var{preserve-size} of that function
1014 (@pxref{Resizing Windows}) is non-@code{nil}, the size established by
1015 that function is preserved.
1017 @item display-buffer
1018 If the @var{alist} argument of that function (@pxref{Choosing Window})
1019 contains a @code{preserve-size} entry, the size of the window produced
1020 by that function is preserved.
1023 @code{window-preserve-size} installs a window parameter (@pxref{Window
1024 Parameters}) called @code{preserved-size} which is consulted by the
1025 window resizing functions. This parameter will not prevent resizing the
1026 window when the window shows another buffer than the one when
1027 @code{window-preserve-size} was invoked or if its size has changed since
1030 The following function can be used to check whether the height of a
1031 particular window is preserved:
1033 @defun window-preserved-size &optional window horizontal
1034 This function returns the preserved height of window @var{window} in
1035 pixels. @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected
1036 one. If the optional argument @var{horizontal} is non-@code{nil}, it
1037 returns the preserved width of @var{window}. It returns @code{nil} if
1038 the size of @var{window} is not preserved.
1042 @node Splitting Windows
1043 @section Splitting Windows
1044 @cindex splitting windows
1045 @cindex window splitting
1047 This section describes functions for creating a new window by
1048 @dfn{splitting} an existing one.
1050 @defun split-window &optional window size side pixelwise
1051 This function creates a new live window next to the window
1052 @var{window}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults
1053 to the selected window. That window is ``split'', and reduced in
1054 size. The space is taken up by the new window, which is returned.
1056 The optional second argument @var{size} determines the sizes of
1057 @var{window} and/or the new window. If it is omitted or @code{nil},
1058 both windows are given equal sizes; if there is an odd line, it is
1059 allocated to the new window. If @var{size} is a positive number,
1060 @var{window} is given @var{size} lines (or columns, depending on the
1061 value of @var{side}). If @var{size} is a negative number, the new
1062 window is given @minus{}@var{size} lines (or columns).
1064 If @var{size} is @code{nil}, this function obeys the variables
1065 @code{window-min-height} and @code{window-min-width} (@pxref{Window
1066 Sizes}). Thus, it signals an error if splitting would result in making
1067 a window smaller than those variables specify. However, a
1068 non-@code{nil} value for @var{size} causes those variables to be
1069 ignored; in that case, the smallest allowable window is considered to be
1070 one that has space for a text area one line tall and/or two columns
1073 Hence, if @var{size} is specified, it's the caller's responsibility to
1074 check whether the emanating windows are large enough to encompass all
1075 areas like a mode line or a scroll bar. The function
1076 @code{window-min-size} (@pxref{Window Sizes}) can be used to determine
1077 the minimum requirements of @var{window} in this regard. Since the new
1078 window usually ``inherits'' areas like the mode line or the scroll bar
1079 from @var{window}, that function is also a good guess for the minimum
1080 size of the new window. The caller should specify a smaller size only
1081 if it correspondingly removes an inherited area before the next
1084 The optional third argument @var{side} determines the position of the
1085 new window relative to @var{window}. If it is @code{nil} or
1086 @code{below}, the new window is placed below @var{window}. If it is
1087 @code{above}, the new window is placed above @var{window}. In both
1088 these cases, @var{size} specifies a total window height, in lines.
1090 If @var{side} is @code{t} or @code{right}, the new window is placed on
1091 the right of @var{window}. If @var{side} is @code{left}, the new
1092 window is placed on the left of @var{window}. In both these cases,
1093 @var{size} specifies a total window width, in columns.
1095 The optional fourth argument @var{pixelwise}, if non-@code{nil}, means
1096 to interpret @var{size} in units of pixels, instead of lines and
1099 If @var{window} is a live window, the new window inherits various
1100 properties from it, including margins and scroll bars. If
1101 @var{window} is an internal window, the new window inherits the
1102 properties of the window selected within @var{window}'s frame.
1104 The behavior of this function may be altered by the window parameters
1105 of @var{window}, so long as the variable
1106 @code{ignore-window-parameters} is @code{nil}. If the value of
1107 the @code{split-window} window parameter is @code{t}, this function
1108 ignores all other window parameters. Otherwise, if the value of the
1109 @code{split-window} window parameter is a function, that function is
1110 called with the arguments @var{window}, @var{size}, and @var{side}, in
1111 lieu of the usual action of @code{split-window}. Otherwise, this
1112 function obeys the @code{window-atom} or @code{window-side} window
1113 parameter, if any. @xref{Window Parameters}.
1116 As an example, here is a sequence of @code{split-window} calls that
1117 yields the window configuration discussed in @ref{Windows and Frames}.
1118 This example demonstrates splitting a live window as well as splitting
1119 an internal window. We begin with a frame containing a single window
1120 (a live root window), which we denote by @var{W4}. Calling
1121 @code{(split-window W4)} yields this window configuration:
1125 ______________________________________
1126 | ____________________________________ |
1130 ||_________________W4_________________||
1131 | ____________________________________ |
1135 ||_________________W5_________________||
1136 |__________________W3__________________|
1142 The @code{split-window} call has created a new live window, denoted by
1143 @var{W5}. It has also created a new internal window, denoted by
1144 @var{W3}, which becomes the root window and the parent of both
1145 @var{W4} and @var{W5}.
1147 Next, we call @code{(split-window W3 nil 'left)}, passing the
1148 internal window @var{W3} as the argument. The result:
1152 ______________________________________
1153 | ______ ____________________________ |
1154 || || __________________________ ||
1158 || |||____________W4____________|||
1159 || || __________________________ ||
1162 || |||____________W5____________|||
1163 ||__W2__||_____________W3_____________ |
1164 |__________________W1__________________|
1169 A new live window @var{W2} is created, to the left of the internal
1170 window @var{W3}. A new internal window @var{W1} is created, becoming
1171 the new root window.
1173 For interactive use, Emacs provides two commands which always split
1174 the selected window. These call @code{split-window} internally.
1176 @deffn Command split-window-right &optional size
1177 This function splits the selected window into two side-by-side
1178 windows, putting the selected window on the left. If @var{size} is
1179 positive, the left window gets @var{size} columns; if @var{size} is
1180 negative, the right window gets @minus{}@var{size} columns.
1183 @deffn Command split-window-below &optional size
1184 This function splits the selected window into two windows, one above
1185 the other, leaving the upper window selected. If @var{size} is
1186 positive, the upper window gets @var{size} lines; if @var{size} is
1187 negative, the lower window gets @minus{}@var{size} lines.
1190 @defopt split-window-keep-point
1191 If the value of this variable is non-@code{nil} (the default),
1192 @code{split-window-below} behaves as described above.
1194 If it is @code{nil}, @code{split-window-below} adjusts point in each
1195 of the two windows to minimize redisplay. (This is useful on slow
1196 terminals.) It selects whichever window contains the screen line that
1197 point was previously on. Note that this only affects
1198 @code{split-window-below}, not the lower-level @code{split-window}
1203 @node Deleting Windows
1204 @section Deleting Windows
1205 @cindex deleting windows
1207 @dfn{Deleting} a window removes it from the frame's window tree. If
1208 the window is a live window, it disappears from the screen. If the
1209 window is an internal window, its child windows are deleted too.
1211 Even after a window is deleted, it continues to exist as a Lisp
1212 object, until there are no more references to it. Window deletion can
1213 be reversed, by restoring a saved window configuration (@pxref{Window
1216 @deffn Command delete-window &optional window
1217 This function removes @var{window} from display and returns
1218 @code{nil}. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
1219 the selected window. If deleting the window would leave no more
1220 windows in the window tree (e.g., if it is the only live window in the
1221 frame), an error is signaled.
1223 By default, the space taken up by @var{window} is given to one of its
1224 adjacent sibling windows, if any. However, if the variable
1225 @code{window-combination-resize} is non-@code{nil}, the space is
1226 proportionally distributed among any remaining windows in the window
1227 combination. @xref{Recombining Windows}.
1229 The behavior of this function may be altered by the window parameters
1230 of @var{window}, so long as the variable
1231 @code{ignore-window-parameters} is @code{nil}. If the value of
1232 the @code{delete-window} window parameter is @code{t}, this function
1233 ignores all other window parameters. Otherwise, if the value of the
1234 @code{delete-window} window parameter is a function, that function is
1235 called with the argument @var{window}, in lieu of the usual action of
1236 @code{delete-window}. Otherwise, this function obeys the
1237 @code{window-atom} or @code{window-side} window parameter, if any.
1238 @xref{Window Parameters}.
1241 @deffn Command delete-other-windows &optional window
1242 This function makes @var{window} fill its frame, by deleting other
1243 windows as necessary. If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
1244 defaults to the selected window. The return value is @code{nil}.
1246 The behavior of this function may be altered by the window parameters
1247 of @var{window}, so long as the variable
1248 @code{ignore-window-parameters} is @code{nil}. If the value of
1249 the @code{delete-other-windows} window parameter is @code{t}, this
1250 function ignores all other window parameters. Otherwise, if the value
1251 of the @code{delete-other-windows} window parameter is a function,
1252 that function is called with the argument @var{window}, in lieu of the
1253 usual action of @code{delete-other-windows}. Otherwise, this function
1254 obeys the @code{window-atom} or @code{window-side} window parameter,
1255 if any. @xref{Window Parameters}.
1258 @deffn Command delete-windows-on &optional buffer-or-name frame
1259 This function deletes all windows showing @var{buffer-or-name}, by
1260 calling @code{delete-window} on those windows. @var{buffer-or-name}
1261 should be a buffer, or the name of a buffer; if omitted or @code{nil},
1262 it defaults to the current buffer. If there are no windows showing
1263 the specified buffer, this function does nothing. If the specified
1264 buffer is a minibuffer, an error is signaled.
1266 If there is a dedicated window showing the buffer, and that window is
1267 the only one on its frame, this function also deletes that frame if it
1268 is not the only frame on the terminal.
1270 The optional argument @var{frame} specifies which frames to operate
1275 means operate on all frames.
1277 means operate on the selected frame.
1278 @item @code{visible}
1279 means operate on all visible frames.
1281 means operate on all visible or iconified frames.
1283 means operate on that frame.
1286 Note that this argument does not have the same meaning as in other
1287 functions which scan all live windows (@pxref{Cyclic Window
1288 Ordering}). Specifically, the meanings of @code{t} and @code{nil} here
1289 are the opposite of what they are in those other functions.
1293 @node Recombining Windows
1294 @section Recombining Windows
1295 @cindex recombining windows
1296 @cindex windows, recombining
1298 When deleting the last sibling of a window @var{W}, its parent window
1299 is deleted too, with @var{W} replacing it in the window tree. This
1300 means that @var{W} must be recombined with its parent's siblings to
1301 form a new window combination (@pxref{Windows and Frames}). In some
1302 occasions, deleting a live window may even entail the deletion of two
1307 ______________________________________
1308 | ______ ____________________________ |
1309 || || __________________________ ||
1310 || ||| ___________ ___________ |||
1312 || ||||____W6_____||_____W7____||||
1313 || |||____________W4____________|||
1314 || || __________________________ ||
1317 || |||____________W5____________|||
1318 ||__W2__||_____________W3_____________ |
1319 |__________________W1__________________|
1325 Deleting @var{W5} in this configuration normally causes the deletion of
1326 @var{W3} and @var{W4}. The remaining live windows @var{W2},
1327 @var{W6} and @var{W7} are recombined to form a new horizontal
1328 combination with parent @var{W1}.
1330 Sometimes, however, it makes sense to not delete a parent window like
1331 @var{W4}. In particular, a parent window should not be removed when it
1332 was used to preserve a combination embedded in a combination of the same
1333 type. Such embeddings make sense to assure that when you split a window
1334 and subsequently delete the new window, Emacs reestablishes the layout
1335 of the associated frame as it existed before the splitting.
1337 Consider a scenario starting with two live windows @var{W2} and
1338 @var{W3} and their parent @var{W1}.
1342 ______________________________________
1343 | ____________________________________ |
1350 ||_________________W2_________________||
1351 | ____________________________________ |
1354 ||_________________W3_________________||
1355 |__________________W1__________________|
1361 Split @var{W2} to make a new window @var{W4} as follows.
1365 ______________________________________
1366 | ____________________________________ |
1369 ||_________________W2_________________||
1370 | ____________________________________ |
1373 ||_________________W4_________________||
1374 | ____________________________________ |
1377 ||_________________W3_________________||
1378 |__________________W1__________________|
1384 Now, when enlarging a window vertically, Emacs tries to obtain the
1385 corresponding space from its lower sibling, provided such a window
1386 exists. In our scenario, enlarging @var{W4} will steal space from
1391 ______________________________________
1392 | ____________________________________ |
1395 ||_________________W2_________________||
1396 | ____________________________________ |
1401 ||_________________W4_________________||
1402 | ____________________________________ |
1403 ||_________________W3_________________||
1404 |__________________W1__________________|
1410 Deleting @var{W4} will now give its entire space to @var{W2},
1411 including the space earlier stolen from @var{W3}.
1415 ______________________________________
1416 | ____________________________________ |
1425 ||_________________W2_________________||
1426 | ____________________________________ |
1427 ||_________________W3_________________||
1428 |__________________W1__________________|
1434 This can be counterintuitive, in particular if @var{W4} were used for
1435 displaying a buffer only temporarily (@pxref{Temporary Displays}), and
1436 you want to continue working with the initial layout.
1438 The behavior can be fixed by making a new parent window when splitting
1439 @var{W2}. The variable described next allows to do that.
1441 @defopt window-combination-limit
1442 This variable controls whether splitting a window shall make a new
1443 parent window. The following values are recognized:
1447 This means that the new live window is allowed to share the existing
1448 parent window, if one exists, provided the split occurs in the same
1449 direction as the existing window combination (otherwise, a new internal
1450 window is created anyway).
1453 In this case @code{display-buffer} makes a new parent window if it is
1454 passed a @code{window-height} or @code{window-width} entry in the
1455 @var{alist} argument (@pxref{Display Action Functions}).
1458 This value causes the creation of a new parent window when a window is
1459 split for showing a temporary buffer (@pxref{Temporary Displays}) only.
1461 @item display-buffer
1462 This means that when @code{display-buffer} (@pxref{Choosing Window})
1463 splits a window it always makes a new parent window.
1466 In this case a new parent window is always created when splitting a
1467 window. Thus, if the value of this variable is at all times @code{t},
1468 then at all times every window tree is a binary tree (a tree where each
1469 window except the root window has exactly one sibling).
1472 The default is @code{nil}. Other values are reserved for future use.
1474 If, as a consequence of this variable's setting, @code{split-window}
1475 makes a new parent window, it also calls
1476 @code{set-window-combination-limit} (see below) on the newly-created
1477 internal window. This affects how the window tree is rearranged when
1478 the child windows are deleted (see below).
1481 If @code{window-combination-limit} is @code{t}, splitting @var{W2} in
1482 the initial configuration of our scenario would have produced this:
1486 ______________________________________
1487 | ____________________________________ |
1488 || __________________________________ ||
1490 |||________________W2________________|||
1491 || __________________________________ ||
1493 |||________________W4________________|||
1494 ||_________________W5_________________||
1495 | ____________________________________ |
1498 ||_________________W3_________________||
1499 |__________________W1__________________|
1505 A new internal window @var{W5} has been created; its children are
1506 @var{W2} and the new live window @var{W4}. Now, @var{W2} is the only
1507 sibling of @var{W4}, so enlarging @var{W4} will try to shrink
1508 @var{W2}, leaving @var{W3} unaffected. Observe that @var{W5}
1509 represents a vertical combination of two windows embedded in the
1510 vertical combination @var{W1}.
1512 @cindex window combination limit
1513 @defun set-window-combination-limit window limit
1514 This function sets the @dfn{combination limit} of the window
1515 @var{window} to @var{limit}. This value can be retrieved via the
1516 function @code{window-combination-limit}. See below for its effects;
1517 note that it is only meaningful for internal windows. The
1518 @code{split-window} function automatically calls this function, passing
1519 it @code{t} as @var{limit}, provided the value of the variable
1520 @code{window-combination-limit} is @code{t} when it is called.
1523 @defun window-combination-limit window
1524 This function returns the combination limit for @var{window}.
1526 The combination limit is meaningful only for an internal window. If it
1527 is @code{nil}, then Emacs is allowed to automatically delete
1528 @var{window}, in response to a window deletion, in order to group the
1529 child windows of @var{window} with its sibling windows to form a new
1530 window combination. If the combination limit is @code{t}, the child
1531 windows of @var{window} are never automatically recombined with its
1534 If, in the configuration shown at the beginning of this section, the
1535 combination limit of @var{W4} (the parent window of @var{W6} and
1536 @var{W7}) is @code{t}, deleting @var{W5} will not implicitly delete
1540 Alternatively, the problems sketched above can be avoided by always
1541 resizing all windows in the same combination whenever one of its windows
1542 is split or deleted. This also permits to split windows that would be
1543 otherwise too small for such an operation.
1545 @defopt window-combination-resize
1546 If this variable is @code{nil}, @code{split-window} can only split a
1547 window (denoted by @var{window}) if @var{window}'s screen area is large
1548 enough to accommodate both itself and the new window.
1550 If this variable is @code{t}, @code{split-window} tries to resize all
1551 windows that are part of the same combination as @var{window}, in order
1552 to accommodate the new window. In particular, this may allow
1553 @code{split-window} to succeed even if @var{window} is a fixed-size
1554 window or too small to ordinarily split. Furthermore, subsequently
1555 resizing or deleting @var{window} may resize all other windows in its
1558 The default is @code{nil}. Other values are reserved for future use.
1559 The value of this variable is ignored when
1560 @code{window-combination-limit} is non-@code{nil}.
1563 To illustrate the effect of @code{window-combination-resize}, consider
1564 the following frame layout.
1568 ______________________________________
1569 | ____________________________________ |
1574 ||_________________W2_________________||
1575 | ____________________________________ |
1580 ||_________________W3_________________||
1581 |__________________W1__________________|
1587 If @code{window-combination-resize} is @code{nil}, splitting window
1588 @var{W3} leaves the size of @var{W2} unchanged:
1592 ______________________________________
1593 | ____________________________________ |
1598 ||_________________W2_________________||
1599 | ____________________________________ |
1601 ||_________________W3_________________||
1602 | ____________________________________ |
1604 ||_________________W4_________________||
1605 |__________________W1__________________|
1611 If @code{window-combination-resize} is @code{t}, splitting @var{W3}
1612 instead leaves all three live windows with approximately the same
1617 ______________________________________
1618 | ____________________________________ |
1621 ||_________________W2_________________||
1622 | ____________________________________ |
1625 ||_________________W3_________________||
1626 | ____________________________________ |
1629 ||_________________W4_________________||
1630 |__________________W1__________________|
1636 Deleting any of the live windows @var{W2}, @var{W3} or @var{W4} will
1637 distribute its space proportionally among the two remaining live
1641 @node Selecting Windows
1642 @section Selecting Windows
1643 @cindex selecting a window
1645 @defun select-window window &optional norecord
1646 This function makes @var{window} the selected window and the window
1647 selected within its frame (@pxref{Basic Windows}) and selects that
1648 frame. It also makes @var{window}'s buffer (@pxref{Buffers and
1649 Windows}) current and sets that buffer's value of @code{point} to the
1650 value of @code{window-point} (@pxref{Window Point}) in @var{window}.
1651 @var{window} must be a live window. The return value is @var{window}.
1653 By default, this function also moves @var{window}'s buffer to the front
1654 of the buffer list (@pxref{Buffer List}), and makes @var{window} the
1655 most recently selected window. However, if the optional argument
1656 @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}, these additional actions are omitted.
1658 This function runs @code{buffer-list-update-hook} (@pxref{Buffer List})
1659 unless @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}. Note that applications and
1660 internal routines often temporarily select a window in order to simplify
1661 coding. As a rule, such selections (including those made by the macros
1662 @code{save-selected-window} and @code{with-selected-window} below) are
1663 not recorded thus avoiding to pollute @code{buffer-list-update-hook}.
1664 Selections that ``really count'' are those causing a visible change in
1665 the next redisplay of @var{window}'s frame and should be always
1666 recorded. This also means that to run a function each time a window
1667 gets selected, putting it on @code{buffer-list-update-hook} should be
1671 @cindex most recently selected windows
1672 The sequence of calls to @code{select-window} with a non-@code{nil}
1673 @var{norecord} argument determines an ordering of windows by their
1674 selection time. The function @code{get-lru-window} can be used to
1675 retrieve the least recently selected live window (@pxref{Cyclic Window
1678 @defmac save-selected-window forms@dots{}
1679 This macro records the selected frame, as well as the selected window
1680 of each frame, executes @var{forms} in sequence, then restores the
1681 earlier selected frame and windows. It also saves and restores the
1682 current buffer. It returns the value of the last form in @var{forms}.
1684 This macro does not save or restore anything about the sizes,
1685 arrangement or contents of windows; therefore, if @var{forms} change
1686 them, the change persists. If the previously selected window of some
1687 frame is no longer live at the time of exit from @var{forms}, that
1688 frame's selected window is left alone. If the previously selected
1689 window is no longer live, then whatever window is selected at the end of
1690 @var{forms} remains selected. The current buffer is restored if and
1691 only if it is still live when exiting @var{forms}.
1693 This macro changes neither the ordering of recently selected windows nor
1697 @defmac with-selected-window window forms@dots{}
1698 This macro selects @var{window}, executes @var{forms} in sequence, then
1699 restores the previously selected window and current buffer. The ordering
1700 of recently selected windows and the buffer list remain unchanged unless
1701 you deliberately change them within @var{forms}; for example, by calling
1702 @code{select-window} with argument @var{norecord} @code{nil}.
1704 This macro does not change the order of recently selected windows or
1708 @defun frame-selected-window &optional frame
1709 This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected
1710 within that frame. @var{frame} should be a live frame; if omitted or
1711 @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame.
1714 @defun set-frame-selected-window frame window &optional norecord
1715 This function makes @var{window} the window selected within the frame
1716 @var{frame}. @var{frame} should be a live frame; if @code{nil}, it
1717 defaults to the selected frame. @var{window} should be a live window;
1718 if @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window.
1720 If @var{frame} is the selected frame, this makes @var{window} the
1723 If the optional argument @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}, this
1724 function does not alter the list of most recently selected windows,
1725 nor the buffer list.
1728 @node Cyclic Window Ordering
1729 @section Cyclic Ordering of Windows
1730 @cindex cyclic ordering of windows
1731 @cindex ordering of windows, cyclic
1732 @cindex window ordering, cyclic
1734 When you use the command @kbd{C-x o} (@code{other-window}) to select
1735 some other window, it moves through live windows in a specific order.
1736 For any given configuration of windows, this order never varies. It
1737 is called the @dfn{cyclic ordering of windows}.
1739 The ordering is determined by a depth-first traversal of the frame's
1740 window tree, retrieving the live windows which are the leaf nodes of
1741 the tree (@pxref{Windows and Frames}). If the minibuffer is active,
1742 the minibuffer window is included too. The ordering is cyclic, so the
1743 last window in the sequence is followed by the first one.
1745 @defun next-window &optional window minibuf all-frames
1746 @cindex minibuffer window, and @code{next-window}
1747 This function returns a live window, the one following @var{window} in
1748 the cyclic ordering of windows. @var{window} should be a live window;
1749 if omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected window.
1751 The optional argument @var{minibuf} specifies whether minibuffer windows
1752 should be included in the cyclic ordering. Normally, when @var{minibuf}
1753 is @code{nil}, a minibuffer window is included only if it is currently
1754 ``active''; this matches the behavior of @kbd{C-x o}. (Note that a
1755 minibuffer window is active as long as its minibuffer is in use; see
1758 If @var{minibuf} is @code{t}, the cyclic ordering includes all
1759 minibuffer windows. If @var{minibuf} is neither @code{t} nor
1760 @code{nil}, minibuffer windows are not included even if they are active.
1762 The optional argument @var{all-frames} specifies which frames to
1767 means to consider windows on @var{window}'s frame. If the minibuffer
1768 window is considered (as specified by the @var{minibuf} argument),
1769 then frames that share the minibuffer window are considered too.
1772 means to consider windows on all existing frames.
1774 @item @code{visible}
1775 means to consider windows on all visible frames.
1778 means to consider windows on all visible or iconified frames.
1781 means to consider windows on that specific frame.
1784 means to consider windows on @var{window}'s frame, and no others.
1787 If more than one frame is considered, the cyclic ordering is obtained
1788 by appending the orderings for those frames, in the same order as the
1789 list of all live frames (@pxref{Finding All Frames}).
1792 @defun previous-window &optional window minibuf all-frames
1793 This function returns a live window, the one preceding @var{window} in
1794 the cyclic ordering of windows. The other arguments are handled like
1795 in @code{next-window}.
1798 @deffn Command other-window count &optional all-frames
1799 This function selects a live window, one @var{count} places from the
1800 selected window in the cyclic ordering of windows. If @var{count} is
1801 a positive number, it skips @var{count} windows forwards; if
1802 @var{count} is negative, it skips @minus{}@var{count} windows
1803 backwards; if @var{count} is zero, that simply re-selects the selected
1804 window. When called interactively, @var{count} is the numeric prefix
1807 The optional argument @var{all-frames} has the same meaning as in
1808 @code{next-window}, like a @code{nil} @var{minibuf} argument to
1811 This function does not select a window that has a non-@code{nil}
1812 @code{no-other-window} window parameter (@pxref{Window Parameters}).
1815 @defun walk-windows fun &optional minibuf all-frames
1816 This function calls the function @var{fun} once for each live window,
1817 with the window as the argument.
1819 It follows the cyclic ordering of windows. The optional arguments
1820 @var{minibuf} and @var{all-frames} specify the set of windows
1821 included; these have the same arguments as in @code{next-window}. If
1822 @var{all-frames} specifies a frame, the first window walked is the
1823 first window on that frame (the one returned by
1824 @code{frame-first-window}), not necessarily the selected window.
1826 If @var{fun} changes the window configuration by splitting or deleting
1827 windows, that does not alter the set of windows walked, which is
1828 determined prior to calling @var{fun} for the first time.
1831 @defun one-window-p &optional no-mini all-frames
1832 This function returns @code{t} if the selected window is the only live
1833 window, and @code{nil} otherwise.
1835 If the minibuffer window is active, it is normally considered (so that
1836 this function returns @code{nil}). However, if the optional argument
1837 @var{no-mini} is non-@code{nil}, the minibuffer window is ignored even
1838 if active. The optional argument @var{all-frames} has the same
1839 meaning as for @code{next-window}.
1842 @cindex finding windows
1843 The following functions return a window which satisfies some
1844 criterion, without selecting it:
1846 @cindex least recently used window
1847 @defun get-lru-window &optional all-frames dedicated not-selected
1848 This function returns a live window which is heuristically the ``least
1849 recently used'' window. The optional argument @var{all-frames} has
1850 the same meaning as in @code{next-window}.
1852 If any full-width windows are present, only those windows are
1853 considered. A minibuffer window is never a candidate. A dedicated
1854 window (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}) is never a candidate unless the
1855 optional argument @var{dedicated} is non-@code{nil}. The selected
1856 window is never returned, unless it is the only candidate. However, if
1857 the optional argument @var{not-selected} is non-@code{nil}, this
1858 function returns @code{nil} in that case.
1861 @cindex most recently used window
1862 @defun get-mru-window &optional all-frames dedicated not-selected
1863 This function is like @code{get-lru-window}, but it returns the ``most
1864 recently used'' window instead. The meaning of the arguments is the
1865 same as described for @code{get-lru-window}.
1868 @cindex largest window
1869 @defun get-largest-window &optional all-frames dedicated not-selected
1870 This function returns the window with the largest area (height times
1871 width). The optional argument @var{all-frames} specifies the windows to
1872 search, and has the same meaning as in @code{next-window}.
1874 A minibuffer window is never a candidate. A dedicated window
1875 (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}) is never a candidate unless the optional
1876 argument @var{dedicated} is non-@code{nil}. The selected window is not
1877 a candidate if the optional argument @var{not-selected} is
1878 non-@code{nil}. If the optional argument @var{not-selected} is
1879 non-@code{nil} and the selected window is the only candidate, this
1880 function returns @code{nil}.
1882 If there are two candidate windows of the same size, this function
1883 prefers the one that comes first in the cyclic ordering of windows,
1884 starting from the selected window.
1887 @cindex window that satisfies a predicate
1888 @cindex conditional selection of windows
1889 @defun get-window-with-predicate predicate &optional minibuf all-frames default
1890 This function calls the function @var{predicate} for each of the
1891 windows in the cyclic order of windows in turn, passing it the window
1892 as an argument. If the predicate returns non-@code{nil} for any
1893 window, this function stops and returns that window. If no such
1894 window is found, the return value is @var{default} (which defaults to
1897 The optional arguments @var{minibuf} and @var{all-frames} specify the
1898 windows to search, and have the same meanings as in
1903 @node Buffers and Windows
1904 @section Buffers and Windows
1905 @cindex examining windows
1906 @cindex windows, controlling precisely
1907 @cindex buffers, controlled in windows
1909 This section describes low-level functions for examining and setting
1910 the contents of windows. @xref{Switching Buffers}, for higher-level
1911 functions for displaying a specific buffer in a window.
1913 @defun window-buffer &optional window
1914 This function returns the buffer that @var{window} is displaying. If
1915 @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil} it defaults to the selected
1916 window. If @var{window} is an internal window, this function returns
1920 @defun set-window-buffer window buffer-or-name &optional keep-margins
1921 This function makes @var{window} display @var{buffer-or-name}.
1922 @var{window} should be a live window; if @code{nil}, it defaults to
1923 the selected window. @var{buffer-or-name} should be a buffer, or the
1924 name of an existing buffer. This function does not change which
1925 window is selected, nor does it directly change which buffer is
1926 current (@pxref{Current Buffer}). Its return value is @code{nil}.
1928 If @var{window} is @dfn{strongly dedicated} to a buffer and
1929 @var{buffer-or-name} does not specify that buffer, this function
1930 signals an error. @xref{Dedicated Windows}.
1932 By default, this function resets @var{window}'s position, display
1933 margins, fringe widths, and scroll bar settings, based on the local
1934 variables in the specified buffer. However, if the optional argument
1935 @var{keep-margins} is non-@code{nil}, it leaves the display margins
1936 and fringe widths unchanged.
1938 When writing an application, you should normally use the higher-level
1939 functions described in @ref{Switching Buffers}, instead of calling
1940 @code{set-window-buffer} directly.
1942 This runs @code{window-scroll-functions}, followed by
1943 @code{window-configuration-change-hook}. @xref{Window Hooks}.
1946 @defvar buffer-display-count
1947 This buffer-local variable records the number of times a buffer has been
1948 displayed in a window. It is incremented each time
1949 @code{set-window-buffer} is called for the buffer.
1952 @defvar buffer-display-time
1953 This buffer-local variable records the time at which a buffer was last
1954 displayed in a window. The value is @code{nil} if the buffer has
1955 never been displayed. It is updated each time
1956 @code{set-window-buffer} is called for the buffer, with the value
1957 returned by @code{current-time} (@pxref{Time of Day}).
1960 @defun get-buffer-window &optional buffer-or-name all-frames
1961 This function returns the first window displaying @var{buffer-or-name}
1962 in the cyclic ordering of windows, starting from the selected window
1963 (@pxref{Cyclic Window Ordering}). If no such window exists, the
1964 return value is @code{nil}.
1966 @var{buffer-or-name} should be a buffer or the name of a buffer; if
1967 omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the current buffer. The
1968 optional argument @var{all-frames} specifies which windows to
1973 @code{t} means consider windows on all existing frames.
1975 @code{visible} means consider windows on all visible frames.
1977 0 means consider windows on all visible or iconified frames.
1979 A frame means consider windows on that frame only.
1981 Any other value means consider windows on the selected frame.
1984 Note that these meanings differ slightly from those of the
1985 @var{all-frames} argument to @code{next-window} (@pxref{Cyclic Window
1986 Ordering}). This function may be changed in a future version of Emacs
1987 to eliminate this discrepancy.
1990 @defun get-buffer-window-list &optional buffer-or-name minibuf all-frames
1991 This function returns a list of all windows currently displaying
1992 @var{buffer-or-name}. @var{buffer-or-name} should be a buffer or the
1993 name of an existing buffer. If omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
1994 the current buffer. If the currently selected window displays
1995 @var{buffer-or-name}, it will be the first in the list returned by
1998 The arguments @var{minibuf} and @var{all-frames} have the same
1999 meanings as in the function @code{next-window} (@pxref{Cyclic Window
2000 Ordering}). Note that the @var{all-frames} argument does @emph{not}
2001 behave exactly like in @code{get-buffer-window}.
2004 @deffn Command replace-buffer-in-windows &optional buffer-or-name
2005 This command replaces @var{buffer-or-name} with some other buffer, in
2006 all windows displaying it. @var{buffer-or-name} should be a buffer, or
2007 the name of an existing buffer; if omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to
2010 The replacement buffer in each window is chosen via
2011 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} (@pxref{Window History}). Any dedicated
2012 window displaying @var{buffer-or-name} is deleted if possible
2013 (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}). If such a window is the only window on its
2014 frame and there are other frames on the same terminal, the frame is
2015 deleted as well. If the dedicated window is the only window on the only
2016 frame on its terminal, the buffer is replaced anyway.
2020 @node Switching Buffers
2021 @section Switching to a Buffer in a Window
2022 @cindex switching to a buffer
2023 @cindex displaying a buffer
2025 This section describes high-level functions for switching to a specified
2026 buffer in some window. In general, ``switching to a buffer'' means to
2027 (1) show the buffer in some window, (2) make that window the selected
2028 window (and its frame the selected frame), and (3) make the buffer the
2031 Do @emph{not} use these functions to make a buffer temporarily
2032 current just so a Lisp program can access or modify it. They have
2033 side-effects, such as changing window histories (@pxref{Window
2034 History}), which will surprise the user if used that way. If you want
2035 to make a buffer current to modify it in Lisp, use
2036 @code{with-current-buffer}, @code{save-current-buffer}, or
2037 @code{set-buffer}. @xref{Current Buffer}.
2039 @deffn Command switch-to-buffer buffer-or-name &optional norecord force-same-window
2040 This command attempts to display @var{buffer-or-name} in the selected
2041 window and make it the current buffer. It is often used interactively
2042 (as the binding of @kbd{C-x b}), as well as in Lisp programs. The
2043 return value is the buffer switched to.
2045 If @var{buffer-or-name} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the buffer
2046 returned by @code{other-buffer} (@pxref{Buffer List}). If
2047 @var{buffer-or-name} is a string that is not the name of any existing
2048 buffer, this function creates a new buffer with that name; the new
2049 buffer's major mode is determined by the variable @code{major-mode}
2050 (@pxref{Major Modes}).
2052 Normally, the specified buffer is put at the front of the buffer
2053 list---both the global buffer list and the selected frame's buffer
2054 list (@pxref{Buffer List}). However, this is not done if the
2055 optional argument @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}.
2057 Sometimes, the selected window may not be suitable for displaying the
2058 buffer. This happens if the selected window is a minibuffer window, or
2059 if the selected window is strongly dedicated to its buffer
2060 (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}). In such cases, the command normally tries
2061 to display the buffer in some other window, by invoking
2062 @code{pop-to-buffer} (see below).
2064 If the optional argument @var{force-same-window} is non-@code{nil} and
2065 the selected window is not suitable for displaying the buffer, this
2066 function always signals an error when called non-interactively. In
2067 interactive use, if the selected window is a minibuffer window, this
2068 function will try to use some other window instead. If the selected
2069 window is strongly dedicated to its buffer, the option
2070 @code{switch-to-buffer-in-dedicated-window} described next can be used
2074 @defopt switch-to-buffer-in-dedicated-window
2075 This option, if non-@code{nil}, allows @code{switch-to-buffer} to
2076 proceed when called interactively and the selected window is strongly
2077 dedicated to its buffer.
2079 The following values are respected:
2083 Disallows switching and signals an error as in non-interactive use.
2086 Prompts the user whether to allow switching.
2089 Invokes @code{pop-to-buffer} to proceed.
2092 Marks the selected window as non-dedicated and proceeds.
2095 When called non-interactively, @code{switch-to-buffer} always signals an
2096 error when the selected window is dedicated to its buffer and
2097 @var{force-same-window} is non-@code{nil}.
2100 By default, @code{switch-to-buffer} shows the buffer at its position of
2101 @code{point}. This behavior can be tuned using the following option.
2103 @defopt switch-to-buffer-preserve-window-point
2104 If this variable is @code{nil}, @code{switch-to-buffer} displays the
2105 buffer specified by @var{buffer-or-name} at the position of that
2106 buffer's @code{point}. If this variable is @code{already-displayed}, it
2107 tries to display the buffer at its previous position in the selected
2108 window, provided the buffer is currently displayed in some other window
2109 on any visible or iconified frame. If this variable is @code{t},
2110 @code{switch-to-buffer} unconditionally tries to display the buffer at
2111 its previous position in the selected window.
2113 This variable is ignored if the buffer is already displayed in the
2114 selected window or never appeared in it before, or if
2115 @code{switch-to-buffer} calls @code{pop-to-buffer} to display the
2119 The next two commands are similar to @code{switch-to-buffer}, except for
2120 the described features.
2122 @deffn Command switch-to-buffer-other-window buffer-or-name &optional norecord
2123 This function displays the buffer specified by @var{buffer-or-name} in
2124 some window other than the selected window. It uses the function
2125 @code{pop-to-buffer} internally (see below).
2127 If the selected window already displays the specified buffer, it
2128 continues to do so, but another window is nonetheless found to display
2131 The @var{buffer-or-name} and @var{norecord} arguments have the same
2132 meanings as in @code{switch-to-buffer}.
2135 @deffn Command switch-to-buffer-other-frame buffer-or-name &optional norecord
2136 This function displays the buffer specified by @var{buffer-or-name} in a
2137 new frame. It uses the function @code{pop-to-buffer} internally (see
2140 If the specified buffer is already displayed in another window, in any
2141 frame on the current terminal, this switches to that window instead of
2142 creating a new frame. However, the selected window is never used for
2145 The @var{buffer-or-name} and @var{norecord} arguments have the same
2146 meanings as in @code{switch-to-buffer}.
2149 The above commands use the function @code{pop-to-buffer}, which
2150 flexibly displays a buffer in some window and selects that window for
2151 editing. In turn, @code{pop-to-buffer} uses @code{display-buffer} for
2152 displaying the buffer. Hence, all the variables affecting
2153 @code{display-buffer} will affect it as well. @xref{Choosing Window},
2154 for the documentation of @code{display-buffer}.
2156 @deffn Command pop-to-buffer buffer-or-name &optional action norecord
2157 This function makes @var{buffer-or-name} the current buffer and
2158 displays it in some window, preferably not the window previously
2159 selected. It then selects the displaying window. If that window is
2160 on a different graphical frame, that frame is given input focus if
2161 possible (@pxref{Input Focus}). The return value is the buffer that
2164 If @var{buffer-or-name} is @code{nil}, it defaults to the buffer
2165 returned by @code{other-buffer} (@pxref{Buffer List}). If
2166 @var{buffer-or-name} is a string that is not the name of any existing
2167 buffer, this function creates a new buffer with that name; the new
2168 buffer's major mode is determined by the variable @code{major-mode}
2169 (@pxref{Major Modes}).
2171 If @var{action} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a display action to
2172 pass to @code{display-buffer} (@pxref{Choosing Window}).
2173 Alternatively, a non-@code{nil}, non-list value means to pop to a
2174 window other than the selected one---even if the buffer is already
2175 displayed in the selected window.
2177 Like @code{switch-to-buffer}, this function updates the buffer list
2178 unless @var{norecord} is non-@code{nil}.
2182 @node Choosing Window
2183 @section Choosing a Window for Display
2185 The command @code{display-buffer} flexibly chooses a window for
2186 display, and displays a specified buffer in that window. It can be
2187 called interactively, via the key binding @kbd{C-x 4 C-o}. It is also
2188 used as a subroutine by many functions and commands, including
2189 @code{switch-to-buffer} and @code{pop-to-buffer} (@pxref{Switching
2192 @cindex display action
2193 @cindex action function, for @code{display-buffer}
2194 @cindex action alist, for @code{display-buffer}
2195 This command performs several complex steps to find a window to
2196 display in. These steps are described by means of @dfn{display
2197 actions}, which have the form @code{(@var{function} . @var{alist})}.
2198 Here, @var{function} is either a function or a list of functions,
2199 which we refer to as @dfn{action functions}; @var{alist} is an
2200 association list, which we refer to as @dfn{action alists}.
2202 An action function accepts two arguments: the buffer to display and
2203 an action alist. It attempts to display the buffer in some window,
2204 picking or creating a window according to its own criteria. If
2205 successful, it returns the window; otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
2206 @xref{Display Action Functions}, for a list of predefined action
2209 @code{display-buffer} works by combining display actions from
2210 several sources, and calling the action functions in turn, until one
2211 of them manages to display the buffer and returns a non-@code{nil}
2214 @deffn Command display-buffer buffer-or-name &optional action frame
2215 This command makes @var{buffer-or-name} appear in some window, without
2216 selecting the window or making the buffer current. The argument
2217 @var{buffer-or-name} must be a buffer or the name of an existing
2218 buffer. The return value is the window chosen to display the buffer.
2220 The optional argument @var{action}, if non-@code{nil}, should normally
2221 be a display action (described above). @code{display-buffer} builds a
2222 list of action functions and an action alist, by consolidating display
2223 actions from the following sources (in order):
2227 The variable @code{display-buffer-overriding-action}.
2230 The user option @code{display-buffer-alist}.
2233 The @var{action} argument.
2236 The user option @code{display-buffer-base-action}.
2239 The constant @code{display-buffer-fallback-action}.
2243 Each action function is called in turn, passing the buffer as the
2244 first argument and the combined action alist as the second argument,
2245 until one of the functions returns non-@code{nil}. The caller can
2246 pass @code{(allow-no-window . t)} as an element of the action alist to
2247 indicate its readiness to handle the case of not displaying the
2250 The argument @var{action} can also have a non-@code{nil}, non-list
2251 value. This has the special meaning that the buffer should be
2252 displayed in a window other than the selected one, even if the
2253 selected window is already displaying it. If called interactively
2254 with a prefix argument, @var{action} is @code{t}.
2256 The optional argument @var{frame}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies which
2257 frames to check when deciding whether the buffer is already displayed.
2258 It is equivalent to adding an element @code{(reusable-frames
2259 . @var{frame})} to the action alist of @var{action}. @xref{Display
2263 @defvar display-buffer-overriding-action
2264 The value of this variable should be a display action, which is
2265 treated with the highest priority by @code{display-buffer}. The
2266 default value is empty, i.e., @code{(nil . nil)}.
2269 @defopt display-buffer-alist
2270 The value of this option is an alist mapping conditions to display
2271 actions. Each condition may be either a regular expression matching a
2272 buffer name or a function that takes two arguments: a buffer name and
2273 the @var{action} argument passed to @code{display-buffer}. If the name
2274 of the buffer passed to @code{display-buffer} either matches a regular
2275 expression in this alist or the function specified by a condition
2276 returns non-@code{nil}, then @code{display-buffer} uses the
2277 corresponding display action to display the buffer.
2280 @defopt display-buffer-base-action
2281 The value of this option should be a display action. This option can
2282 be used to define a ``standard'' display action for calls to
2283 @code{display-buffer}.
2286 @defvr Constant display-buffer-fallback-action
2287 This display action specifies the fallback behavior for
2288 @code{display-buffer} if no other display actions are given.
2292 @node Display Action Functions
2293 @section Action Functions for @code{display-buffer}
2295 The following basic action functions are defined in Emacs. Each of
2296 these functions takes two arguments: @var{buffer}, the buffer to
2297 display, and @var{alist}, an action alist. Each action function
2298 returns the window if it succeeds, and @code{nil} if it fails.
2300 @defun display-buffer-same-window buffer alist
2301 This function tries to display @var{buffer} in the selected window.
2302 It fails if the selected window is a minibuffer window or is dedicated
2303 to another buffer (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}). It also fails if
2304 @var{alist} has a non-@code{nil} @code{inhibit-same-window} entry.
2307 @defun display-buffer-reuse-window buffer alist
2308 This function tries to ``display'' @var{buffer} by finding a window
2309 that is already displaying it.
2311 If @var{alist} has a non-@code{nil} @code{inhibit-same-window} entry,
2312 the selected window is not eligible for reuse. If @var{alist}
2313 contains a @code{reusable-frames} entry, its value determines which
2314 frames to search for a reusable window:
2318 @code{nil} means consider windows on the selected frame.
2319 (Actually, the last non-minibuffer frame.)
2321 @code{t} means consider windows on all frames.
2323 @code{visible} means consider windows on all visible frames.
2325 0 means consider windows on all visible or iconified frames.
2327 A frame means consider windows on that frame only.
2330 Note that these meanings differ slightly from those of the
2331 @var{all-frames} argument to @code{next-window} (@pxref{Cyclic Window
2334 If @var{alist} contains no @code{reusable-frames} entry, this function
2335 normally searches just the selected frame; however, if the variable
2336 @code{pop-up-frames} is non-@code{nil}, it searches all frames on the
2337 current terminal. @xref{Choosing Window Options}.
2339 If this function chooses a window on another frame, it makes that frame
2340 visible and, unless @var{alist} contains an @code{inhibit-switch-frame}
2341 entry (@pxref{Choosing Window Options}), raises that frame if necessary.
2344 @defun display-buffer-pop-up-frame buffer alist
2345 This function creates a new frame, and displays the buffer in that
2346 frame's window. It actually performs the frame creation by calling
2347 the function specified in @code{pop-up-frame-function}
2348 (@pxref{Choosing Window Options}). If @var{alist} contains a
2349 @code{pop-up-frame-parameters} entry, the associated value
2350 is added to the newly created frame's parameters.
2353 @defun display-buffer-use-some-frame buffer alist
2354 This function tries to ``display'' @var{buffer} by trying to find a
2355 frame that meets a predicate (by default any frame other than the
2358 If this function chooses a window on another frame, it makes that frame
2359 visible and, unless @var{alist} contains an @code{inhibit-switch-frame}
2360 entry (@pxref{Choosing Window Options}), raises that frame if necessary.
2362 If @var{alist} has a non-nil @code{frame-predicate} entry, its value is a
2363 function taking one argument (a frame), returning non-nil if the
2364 frame is a candidate; this function replaces the default predicate.
2366 If @var{alist} has a non-@code{nil} @code{inhibit-same-window} entry,
2367 the selected window is used; thus if the selected frame has a single
2368 window, it is not used.
2372 @defun display-buffer-pop-up-window buffer alist
2373 This function tries to display @var{buffer} by splitting the largest
2374 or least recently-used window (typically one on the selected frame).
2375 It actually performs the split by calling the function specified in
2376 @code{split-window-preferred-function} (@pxref{Choosing Window
2379 The size of the new window can be adjusted by supplying
2380 @code{window-height} and @code{window-width} entries in @var{alist}. To
2381 adjust the window's height, use an entry whose @sc{car} is
2382 @code{window-height} and whose @sc{cdr} is one of:
2386 @code{nil} means to leave the height of the new window alone.
2389 A number specifies the desired height of the new window. An integer
2390 specifies the number of lines of the window. A floating-point
2391 number gives the fraction of the window's height with respect to the
2392 height of the frame's root window.
2395 If the @sc{cdr} specifies a function, that function is called with one
2396 argument: the new window. The function is supposed to adjust the
2397 height of the window; its return value is ignored. Suitable functions
2398 are @code{shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer} and
2399 @code{fit-window-to-buffer}, see @ref{Resizing Windows}.
2402 To adjust the window's width, use an entry whose @sc{car} is
2403 @code{window-width} and whose @sc{cdr} is one of:
2407 @code{nil} means to leave the width of the new window alone.
2410 A number specifies the desired width of the new window. An integer
2411 specifies the number of columns of the window. A floating-point
2412 number gives the fraction of the window's width with respect to the
2413 width of the frame's root window.
2416 If the @sc{cdr} specifies a function, that function is called with one
2417 argument: the new window. The function is supposed to adjust the width
2418 of the window; its return value is ignored.
2421 If @var{alist} contains a @code{preserve-size} entry, Emacs will try to
2422 preserve the size of the new window during future resize operations
2423 (@pxref{Preserving Window Sizes}). The @sc{cdr} of that entry must be a
2424 cons cell whose @sc{car}, if non-@code{nil}, means to preserve the width
2425 of the window and whose @sc{cdr}, if non-@code{nil}, means to preserve
2426 the height of the window.
2428 This function can fail if no window splitting can be performed for some
2429 reason (e.g., if the selected frame has an @code{unsplittable} frame
2430 parameter; @pxref{Buffer Parameters}).
2433 @defun display-buffer-below-selected buffer alist
2434 This function tries to display @var{buffer} in a window below the
2435 selected window. This means to either split the selected window or use
2436 the window below the selected one. If it does create a new window, it
2437 will also adjust its size provided @var{alist} contains a suitable
2438 @code{window-height} or @code{window-width} entry, see above.
2441 @defun display-buffer-in-previous-window buffer alist
2442 This function tries to display @var{buffer} in a window previously
2443 showing it. If @var{alist} has a non-@code{nil}
2444 @code{inhibit-same-window} entry, the selected window is not eligible
2445 for reuse. If @var{alist} contains a @code{reusable-frames} entry, its
2446 value determines which frames to search for a suitable window as with
2447 @code{display-buffer-reuse-window}.
2449 If @var{alist} has a @code{previous-window} entry, the window
2450 specified by that entry will override any other window found by the
2451 methods above, even if that window never showed @var{buffer} before.
2454 @defun display-buffer-at-bottom buffer alist
2455 This function tries to display @var{buffer} in a window at the bottom
2456 of the selected frame.
2458 This either splits the window at the bottom of the frame or the
2459 frame's root window, or reuses an existing window at the bottom of the
2463 @defun display-buffer-use-some-window buffer alist
2464 This function tries to display @var{buffer} by choosing an existing
2465 window and displaying the buffer in that window. It can fail if all
2466 windows are dedicated to another buffer (@pxref{Dedicated Windows}).
2469 @defun display-buffer-no-window buffer alist
2470 If @var{alist} has a non-@code{nil} @code{allow-no-window} entry, then
2471 this function does not display @code{buffer}. This allows to override
2472 the default action and avoid displaying the buffer. It is assumed that
2473 when the caller specifies a non-@code{nil} @code{allow-no-window} value
2474 it can handle a @code{nil} value returned from @code{display-buffer} in
2478 To illustrate the use of action functions, consider the following
2484 (get-buffer-create "*foo*")
2485 '((display-buffer-reuse-window
2486 display-buffer-pop-up-window
2487 display-buffer-pop-up-frame)
2488 (reusable-frames . 0)
2489 (window-height . 10) (window-width . 40)))
2494 Evaluating the form above will cause @code{display-buffer} to proceed as
2495 follows: If a buffer called *foo* already appears on a visible or
2496 iconified frame, it will reuse its window. Otherwise, it will try to
2497 pop up a new window or, if that is impossible, a new frame and show the
2498 buffer there. If all these steps fail, it will proceed using whatever
2499 @code{display-buffer-base-action} and
2500 @code{display-buffer-fallback-action} prescribe.
2502 Furthermore, @code{display-buffer} will try to adjust a reused window
2503 (provided *foo* was put by @code{display-buffer} there before) or a
2504 popped-up window as follows: If the window is part of a vertical
2505 combination, it will set its height to ten lines. Note that if, instead
2506 of the number ``10'', we specified the function
2507 @code{fit-window-to-buffer}, @code{display-buffer} would come up with a
2508 one-line window to fit the empty buffer. If the window is part of a
2509 horizontal combination, it sets its width to 40 columns. Whether a new
2510 window is vertically or horizontally combined depends on the shape of
2511 the window split and the values of
2512 @code{split-window-preferred-function}, @code{split-height-threshold}
2513 and @code{split-width-threshold} (@pxref{Choosing Window Options}).
2515 Now suppose we combine this call with a preexisting setup for
2516 @code{display-buffer-alist} as follows.
2520 (let ((display-buffer-alist
2523 (display-buffer-reuse-window display-buffer-below-selected)
2525 (window-height . 5))
2526 display-buffer-alist)))
2528 (get-buffer-create "*foo*")
2529 '((display-buffer-reuse-window
2530 display-buffer-pop-up-window
2531 display-buffer-pop-up-frame)
2532 (reusable-frames . 0)
2533 (window-height . 10) (window-width . 40))))
2538 This form will have @code{display-buffer} first try reusing a window
2539 that shows *foo* on the selected frame. If there's no such window, it
2540 will try to split the selected window or, if that is impossible, use the
2541 window below the selected window.
2543 If there's no window below the selected one, or the window below the
2544 selected one is dedicated to its buffer, @code{display-buffer} will
2545 proceed as described in the previous example. Note, however, that when
2546 it tries to adjust the height of any reused or popped-up window, it will
2547 in any case try to set its number of lines to ``5'' since that value
2548 overrides the corresponding specification in the @var{action} argument
2549 of @code{display-buffer}.
2552 @node Choosing Window Options
2553 @section Additional Options for Displaying Buffers
2555 The behavior of the standard display actions of @code{display-buffer}
2556 (@pxref{Choosing Window}) can be modified by a variety of user
2559 @defopt pop-up-windows
2560 If the value of this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{display-buffer}
2561 is allowed to split an existing window to make a new window for
2562 displaying in. This is the default.
2564 This variable is provided mainly for backward compatibility. It is
2565 obeyed by @code{display-buffer} via a special mechanism in
2566 @code{display-buffer-fallback-action}, which only calls the action
2567 function @code{display-buffer-pop-up-window} (@pxref{Display Action
2568 Functions}) when the value is @code{nil}. It is not consulted by
2569 @code{display-buffer-pop-up-window} itself, which the user may specify
2570 directly in @code{display-buffer-alist} etc.
2573 @defopt split-window-preferred-function
2574 This variable specifies a function for splitting a window, in order to
2575 make a new window for displaying a buffer. It is used by the
2576 @code{display-buffer-pop-up-window} action function to actually split
2577 the window (@pxref{Display Action Functions}).
2579 The default value is @code{split-window-sensibly}, which is documented
2580 below. The value must be a function that takes one argument, a window,
2581 and return either a new window (which will be used to display the
2582 desired buffer) or @code{nil} (which means the splitting failed).
2585 @defun split-window-sensibly window
2586 This function tries to split @var{window}, and return the newly
2587 created window. If @var{window} cannot be split, it returns
2590 This function obeys the usual rules that determine when a window may
2591 be split (@pxref{Splitting Windows}). It first tries to split by
2592 placing the new window below, subject to the restriction imposed by
2593 @code{split-height-threshold} (see below), in addition to any other
2594 restrictions. If that fails, it tries to split by placing the new
2595 window to the right, subject to @code{split-width-threshold} (see
2596 below). If that fails, and the window is the only window on its
2597 frame, this function again tries to split and place the new window
2598 below, disregarding @code{split-height-threshold}. If this fails as
2599 well, this function gives up and returns @code{nil}.
2602 @defopt split-height-threshold
2603 This variable, used by @code{split-window-sensibly}, specifies whether
2604 to split the window placing the new window below. If it is an
2605 integer, that means to split only if the original window has at least
2606 that many lines. If it is @code{nil}, that means not to split this
2610 @defopt split-width-threshold
2611 This variable, used by @code{split-window-sensibly}, specifies whether
2612 to split the window placing the new window to the right. If the value
2613 is an integer, that means to split only if the original window has at
2614 least that many columns. If the value is @code{nil}, that means not
2618 @defopt even-window-sizes
2619 This variable, if non-nil, causes @code{display-buffer} to even window
2620 sizes whenever it reuses an existing window and that window is adjacent
2621 to the selected one.
2623 If its value is @code{width-only}, sizes are evened only if the reused
2624 window is on the left or right of the selected one and the selected
2625 window is wider than the reused one. If its value is @code{height-only}
2626 sizes are evened only if the reused window is above or beneath the
2627 selected window and the selected window is higher than the reused one.
2628 Any other non-@code{nil} value means to even sizes in any of these cases
2629 provided the selected window is larger than the reused one in the sense
2630 of their combination.
2633 @defopt pop-up-frames
2634 If the value of this variable is non-@code{nil}, that means
2635 @code{display-buffer} may display buffers by making new frames. The
2636 default is @code{nil}.
2638 A non-@code{nil} value also means that when @code{display-buffer} is
2639 looking for a window already displaying @var{buffer-or-name}, it can
2640 search any visible or iconified frame, not just the selected frame.
2642 This variable is provided mainly for backward compatibility. It is
2643 obeyed by @code{display-buffer} via a special mechanism in
2644 @code{display-buffer-fallback-action}, which calls the action function
2645 @code{display-buffer-pop-up-frame} (@pxref{Display Action Functions})
2646 if the value is non-@code{nil}. (This is done before attempting to
2647 split a window.) This variable is not consulted by
2648 @code{display-buffer-pop-up-frame} itself, which the user may specify
2649 directly in @code{display-buffer-alist} etc.
2652 @defopt pop-up-frame-function
2653 This variable specifies a function for creating a new frame, in order
2654 to make a new window for displaying a buffer. It is used by the
2655 @code{display-buffer-pop-up-frame} action function (@pxref{Display
2658 The value should be a function that takes no arguments and returns a
2659 frame, or @code{nil} if no frame could be created. The default value
2660 is a function that creates a frame using the parameters specified by
2661 @code{pop-up-frame-alist} (see below).
2664 @defopt pop-up-frame-alist
2665 This variable holds an alist of frame parameters (@pxref{Frame
2666 Parameters}), which is used by the default function in
2667 @code{pop-up-frame-function} to make a new frame. The default is
2671 @defopt same-window-buffer-names
2672 A list of buffer names for buffers that should be displayed in the
2673 selected window. If a buffer's name is in this list,
2674 @code{display-buffer} handles the buffer by showing it in the selected
2678 @defopt same-window-regexps
2679 A list of regular expressions that specify buffers that should be
2680 displayed in the selected window. If the buffer's name matches any of
2681 the regular expressions in this list, @code{display-buffer} handles the
2682 buffer by showing it in the selected window.
2685 @defun same-window-p buffer-name
2686 This function returns @code{t} if displaying a buffer
2687 named @var{buffer-name} with @code{display-buffer} would
2688 put it in the selected window.
2691 @node Window History
2692 @section Window History
2693 @cindex window history
2695 Each window remembers in a list the buffers it has previously displayed,
2696 and the order in which these buffers were removed from it. This history
2697 is used, for example, by @code{replace-buffer-in-windows}
2698 (@pxref{Buffers and Windows}). The list is automatically maintained by
2699 Emacs, but you can use the following functions to explicitly inspect or
2702 @defun window-prev-buffers &optional window
2703 This function returns a list specifying the previous contents of
2704 @var{window}. The optional argument @var{window} should be a live
2705 window and defaults to the selected one.
2707 Each list element has the form @code{(@var{buffer} @var{window-start}
2708 @var{window-pos})}, where @var{buffer} is a buffer previously shown in
2709 the window, @var{window-start} is the window start position
2710 (@pxref{Window Start and End}) when that buffer was last shown, and
2711 @var{window-pos} is the point position (@pxref{Window Point}) when
2712 that buffer was last shown in @var{window}.
2714 The list is ordered so that earlier elements correspond to more
2715 recently-shown buffers, and the first element usually corresponds to the
2716 buffer most recently removed from the window.
2719 @defun set-window-prev-buffers window prev-buffers
2720 This function sets @var{window}'s previous buffers to the value of
2721 @var{prev-buffers}. The argument @var{window} must be a live window
2722 and defaults to the selected one. The argument @var{prev-buffers}
2723 should be a list of the same form as that returned by
2724 @code{window-prev-buffers}.
2727 In addition, each buffer maintains a list of @dfn{next buffers}, which
2728 is a list of buffers re-shown by @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} (see
2729 below). This list is mainly used by @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} and
2730 @code{switch-to-next-buffer} for choosing buffers to switch to.
2732 @defun window-next-buffers &optional window
2733 This function returns the list of buffers recently re-shown in
2734 @var{window} via @code{switch-to-prev-buffer}. The @var{window}
2735 argument must denote a live window or @code{nil} (meaning the selected
2739 @defun set-window-next-buffers window next-buffers
2740 This function sets the next buffer list of @var{window} to
2741 @var{next-buffers}. The @var{window} argument should be a live window
2742 or @code{nil} (meaning the selected window). The argument
2743 @var{next-buffers} should be a list of buffers.
2746 The following commands can be used to cycle through the global buffer
2747 list, much like @code{bury-buffer} and @code{unbury-buffer}. However,
2748 they cycle according to the specified window's history list, rather
2749 than the global buffer list. In addition, they restore
2750 window-specific window start and point positions, and may show a
2751 buffer even if it is already shown in another window. The
2752 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} command, in particular, is used by
2753 @code{replace-buffer-in-windows}, @code{bury-buffer} and
2754 @code{quit-window} to find a replacement buffer for a window.
2756 @deffn Command switch-to-prev-buffer &optional window bury-or-kill
2757 This command displays the previous buffer in @var{window}. The
2758 argument @var{window} should be a live window or @code{nil} (meaning
2759 the selected window). If the optional argument @var{bury-or-kill} is
2760 non-@code{nil}, this means that the buffer currently shown in
2761 @var{window} is about to be buried or killed and consequently should
2762 not be switched to in future invocations of this command.
2764 The previous buffer is usually the buffer shown before the buffer
2765 currently shown in @var{window}. However, a buffer that has been buried
2766 or killed, or has been already shown by a recent invocation of
2767 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer}, does not qualify as previous buffer.
2769 If repeated invocations of this command have already shown all buffers
2770 previously shown in @var{window}, further invocations will show buffers
2771 from the buffer list of the frame @var{window} appears on (@pxref{Buffer
2772 List}), trying to skip buffers that are already shown in another window
2776 @deffn Command switch-to-next-buffer &optional window
2777 This command switches to the next buffer in @var{window}, thus undoing
2778 the effect of the last @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} command in
2779 @var{window}. The argument @var{window} must be a live window and
2780 defaults to the selected one.
2782 If there is no recent invocation of @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} that
2783 can be undone, this function tries to show a buffer from the buffer list
2784 of the frame @var{window} appears on (@pxref{Buffer List}).
2787 By default @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} and @code{switch-to-next-buffer}
2788 can switch to a buffer that is already shown in another window on the
2789 same frame. The following option can be used to override this behavior.
2791 @defopt switch-to-visible-buffer
2792 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} and
2793 @code{switch-to-next-buffer} may switch to a buffer that is already
2794 visible on the same frame, provided the buffer was shown in the
2795 relevant window before. If it is @code{nil},
2796 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} and @code{switch-to-next-buffer} always
2797 try to avoid switching to a buffer that is already visible in another
2798 window on the same frame. The default is @code{t}.
2802 @node Dedicated Windows
2803 @section Dedicated Windows
2804 @cindex dedicated window
2806 Functions for displaying a buffer can be told to not use specific
2807 windows by marking these windows as @dfn{dedicated} to their buffers.
2808 @code{display-buffer} (@pxref{Choosing Window}) never uses a dedicated
2809 window for displaying another buffer in it. @code{get-lru-window} and
2810 @code{get-largest-window} (@pxref{Cyclic Window Ordering}) do not
2811 consider dedicated windows as candidates when their @var{dedicated}
2812 argument is non-@code{nil}. The behavior of @code{set-window-buffer}
2813 (@pxref{Buffers and Windows}) with respect to dedicated windows is
2814 slightly different, see below.
2816 Functions supposed to remove a buffer from a window or a window from
2817 a frame can behave specially when a window they operate on is dedicated.
2818 We will distinguish three basic cases, namely where (1) the window is
2819 not the only window on its frame, (2) the window is the only window on
2820 its frame but there are other frames on the same terminal left, and (3)
2821 the window is the only window on the only frame on the same terminal.
2823 In particular, @code{delete-windows-on} (@pxref{Deleting Windows})
2824 handles case (2) by deleting the associated frame and case (3) by
2825 showing another buffer in that frame's only window. The function
2826 @code{replace-buffer-in-windows} (@pxref{Buffers and Windows}) which is
2827 called when a buffer gets killed, deletes the window in case (1) and
2828 behaves like @code{delete-windows-on} otherwise.
2829 @c FIXME: Does replace-buffer-in-windows _delete_ a window in case (1)?
2831 When @code{bury-buffer} (@pxref{Buffer List}) operates on the
2832 selected window (which shows the buffer that shall be buried), it
2833 handles case (2) by calling @code{frame-auto-hide-function}
2834 (@pxref{Quitting Windows}) to deal with the selected frame. The other
2835 two cases are handled as with @code{replace-buffer-in-windows}.
2837 @defun window-dedicated-p &optional window
2838 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{window} is dedicated to its
2839 buffer and @code{nil} otherwise. More precisely, the return value is
2840 the value assigned by the last call of @code{set-window-dedicated-p} for
2841 @var{window}, or @code{nil} if that function was never called with
2842 @var{window} as its argument. The default for @var{window} is the
2846 @defun set-window-dedicated-p window flag
2847 This function marks @var{window} as dedicated to its buffer if
2848 @var{flag} is non-@code{nil}, and non-dedicated otherwise.
2850 As a special case, if @var{flag} is @code{t}, @var{window} becomes
2851 @dfn{strongly} dedicated to its buffer. @code{set-window-buffer}
2852 signals an error when the window it acts upon is strongly dedicated to
2853 its buffer and does not already display the buffer it is asked to
2854 display. Other functions do not treat @code{t} differently from any
2855 non-@code{nil} value.
2859 @node Quitting Windows
2860 @section Quitting Windows
2862 When you want to get rid of a window used for displaying a buffer, you
2863 can call @code{delete-window} or @code{delete-windows-on}
2864 (@pxref{Deleting Windows}) to remove that window from its frame. If the
2865 buffer is shown on a separate frame, you might want to call
2866 @code{delete-frame} (@pxref{Deleting Frames}) instead. If, on the other
2867 hand, a window has been reused for displaying the buffer, you might
2868 prefer showing the buffer previously shown in that window, by calling the
2869 function @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} (@pxref{Window History}).
2870 Finally, you might want to either bury (@pxref{Buffer List}) or kill
2871 (@pxref{Killing Buffers}) the window's buffer.
2873 The following command uses information on how the window for
2874 displaying the buffer was obtained in the first place, thus attempting
2875 to automate the above decisions for you.
2877 @deffn Command quit-window &optional kill window
2878 This command quits @var{window} and buries its buffer. The argument
2879 @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected one.
2880 With prefix argument @var{kill} non-@code{nil}, it kills the buffer
2881 instead of burying it. It calls the function @code{quit-restore-window}
2882 described next to deal with the window and its buffer.
2885 @defun quit-restore-window &optional window bury-or-kill
2886 This function tries to restore the state of @var{window} that existed
2887 before its buffer was displayed in it. The optional argument
2888 @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected one.
2890 If @var{window} was created specially for displaying its buffer, this
2891 function deletes @var{window} provided its frame contains at least one
2892 other live window. If @var{window} is the only window on its frame and
2893 there are other frames on the frame's terminal, the value of the
2894 optional argument @var{bury-or-kill} determines how to proceed with the
2895 window. If @var{bury-or-kill} equals @code{kill}, the frame is deleted
2896 unconditionally. Otherwise, the fate of the frame is determined by
2897 calling @code{frame-auto-hide-function} (see below) with that frame as
2900 Otherwise, this function tries to redisplay the buffer previously shown
2901 in @var{window}. It also tries to restore the window start
2902 (@pxref{Window Start and End}) and point (@pxref{Window Point})
2903 positions of the previously shown buffer. If, in addition,
2904 @var{window}'s buffer was temporarily resized, this function will also
2905 try to restore the original height of @var{window}.
2907 The cases described so far require that the buffer shown in @var{window}
2908 is still the buffer displayed by the last buffer display function for
2909 this window. If another buffer has been shown in the meantime, or the
2910 buffer previously shown no longer exists, this function calls
2911 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} (@pxref{Window History}) to show some other
2914 The optional argument @var{bury-or-kill} specifies how to deal with
2915 @var{window}'s buffer. The following values are handled:
2919 This means to not deal with the buffer in any particular way. As a
2920 consequence, if @var{window} is not deleted, invoking
2921 @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} will usually show the buffer again.
2924 This means that if @var{window} is not deleted, its buffer is moved to
2925 the end of @var{window}'s list of previous buffers, so it's less likely
2926 that a future invocation of @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} will switch to
2927 it. Also, it moves the buffer to the end of the frame's buffer list.
2930 This means that if @var{window} is not deleted, its buffer is removed
2931 from @var{window}'s list of previous buffers. Also, it moves the buffer
2932 to the end of the frame's buffer list. This value provides the most
2933 reliable remedy to not have @code{switch-to-prev-buffer} switch to this
2934 buffer again without killing the buffer.
2937 This means to kill @var{window}'s buffer.
2940 @code{quit-restore-window} bases its decisions on information stored in
2941 @var{window}'s @code{quit-restore} window parameter (@pxref{Window
2942 Parameters}), and resets that parameter to @code{nil} after it's done.
2945 The following option specifies how to deal with a frame containing just
2946 one window that should be either quit, or whose buffer should be buried.
2948 @defopt frame-auto-hide-function
2949 The function specified by this option is called to automatically hide
2950 frames. This function is called with one argument---a frame.
2952 The function specified here is called by @code{bury-buffer}
2953 (@pxref{Buffer List}) when the selected window is dedicated and shows
2954 the buffer to bury. It is also called by @code{quit-restore-window}
2955 (see above) when the frame of the window to quit has been specially
2956 created for displaying that window's buffer and the buffer is not
2959 The default is to call @code{iconify-frame} (@pxref{Visibility of
2960 Frames}). Alternatively, you may specify either @code{delete-frame}
2961 (@pxref{Deleting Frames}) to remove the frame from its display,
2962 @code{ignore} to leave the frame unchanged, or any other function that
2963 can take a frame as its sole argument.
2965 Note that the function specified by this option is called only if the
2966 specified frame contains just one live window and there is at least one
2967 other frame on the same terminal.
2972 @section Windows and Point
2973 @cindex window position
2974 @cindex window point
2975 @cindex position in window
2976 @cindex point in window
2978 Each window has its own value of point (@pxref{Point}), independent of
2979 the value of point in other windows displaying the same buffer. This
2980 makes it useful to have multiple windows showing one buffer.
2984 The window point is established when a window is first created; it is
2985 initialized from the buffer's point, or from the window point of another
2986 window opened on the buffer if such a window exists.
2989 Selecting a window sets the value of point in its buffer from the
2990 window's value of point. Conversely, deselecting a window sets the
2991 window's value of point from that of the buffer. Thus, when you switch
2992 between windows that display a given buffer, the point value for the
2993 selected window is in effect in the buffer, while the point values for
2994 the other windows are stored in those windows.
2997 As long as the selected window displays the current buffer, the window's
2998 point and the buffer's point always move together; they remain equal.
3002 As far as the user is concerned, point is where the cursor is, and
3003 when the user switches to another buffer, the cursor jumps to the
3004 position of point in that buffer.
3006 @defun window-point &optional window
3007 This function returns the current position of point in @var{window}.
3008 For a nonselected window, this is the value point would have (in that
3009 window's buffer) if that window were selected. The default for
3010 @var{window} is the selected window.
3012 When @var{window} is the selected window, the value returned is the
3013 value of point in that window's buffer. Strictly speaking, it would be
3014 more correct to return the ``top-level'' value of point, outside of any
3015 @code{save-excursion} forms. But that value is hard to find.
3018 @defun set-window-point window position
3019 This function positions point in @var{window} at position
3020 @var{position} in @var{window}'s buffer. It returns @var{position}.
3022 If @var{window} is selected, this simply does @code{goto-char} in
3023 @var{window}'s buffer.
3026 @defvar window-point-insertion-type
3027 This variable specifies the marker insertion type (@pxref{Marker
3028 Insertion Types}) of @code{window-point}. The default is @code{nil},
3029 so @code{window-point} will stay behind text inserted there.
3032 @node Window Start and End
3033 @section The Window Start and End Positions
3034 @cindex window start position
3035 @cindex display-start position
3037 Each window maintains a marker used to keep track of a buffer position
3038 that specifies where in the buffer display should start. This position
3039 is called the @dfn{display-start} position of the window (or just the
3040 @dfn{start}). The character after this position is the one that appears
3041 at the upper left corner of the window. It is usually, but not
3042 inevitably, at the beginning of a text line.
3044 After switching windows or buffers, and in some other cases, if the
3045 window start is in the middle of a line, Emacs adjusts the window
3046 start to the start of a line. This prevents certain operations from
3047 leaving the window start at a meaningless point within a line. This
3048 feature may interfere with testing some Lisp code by executing it
3049 using the commands of Lisp mode, because they trigger this
3050 readjustment. To test such code, put it into a command and bind the
3053 @defun window-start &optional window
3054 @cindex window top line
3055 This function returns the display-start position of window
3056 @var{window}. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is
3059 When you create a window, or display a different buffer in it, the
3060 display-start position is set to a display-start position recently used
3061 for the same buffer, or to @code{point-min} if the buffer doesn't have
3064 Redisplay updates the window-start position (if you have not specified
3065 it explicitly since the previous redisplay)---to make sure point appears
3066 on the screen. Nothing except redisplay automatically changes the
3067 window-start position; if you move point, do not expect the window-start
3068 position to change in response until after the next redisplay.
3071 @cindex window end position
3072 @defun window-end &optional window update
3073 This function returns the position where display of its buffer ends in
3074 @var{window}. The default for @var{window} is the selected window.
3076 Simply changing the buffer text or moving point does not update the
3077 value that @code{window-end} returns. The value is updated only when
3078 Emacs redisplays and redisplay completes without being preempted.
3080 If the last redisplay of @var{window} was preempted, and did not finish,
3081 Emacs does not know the position of the end of display in that window.
3082 In that case, this function returns @code{nil}.
3084 If @var{update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{window-end} always returns an
3085 up-to-date value for where display ends, based on the current
3086 @code{window-start} value. If a previously saved value of that position
3087 is still valid, @code{window-end} returns that value; otherwise it
3088 computes the correct value by scanning the buffer text.
3090 Even if @var{update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{window-end} does not
3091 attempt to scroll the display if point has moved off the screen, the
3092 way real redisplay would do. It does not alter the
3093 @code{window-start} value. In effect, it reports where the displayed
3094 text will end if scrolling is not required.
3097 @defun set-window-start window position &optional noforce
3098 This function sets the display-start position of @var{window} to
3099 @var{position} in @var{window}'s buffer. It returns @var{position}.
3101 The display routines insist that the position of point be visible when a
3102 buffer is displayed. Normally, they change the display-start position
3103 (that is, scroll the window) whenever necessary to make point visible.
3104 However, if you specify the start position with this function using
3105 @code{nil} for @var{noforce}, it means you want display to start at
3106 @var{position} even if that would put the location of point off the
3107 screen. If this does place point off screen, the display routines move
3108 point to the left margin on the middle line in the window.
3110 For example, if point @w{is 1} and you set the start of the window
3111 @w{to 37}, the start of the next line, point will be ``above'' the top
3112 of the window. The display routines will automatically move point if
3113 it is still 1 when redisplay occurs. Here is an example:
3117 ;; @r{Here is what @samp{foo} looks like before executing}
3118 ;; @r{the @code{set-window-start} expression.}
3122 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3123 @point{}This is the contents of buffer foo.
3129 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3143 ;; @r{Here is what @samp{foo} looks like after executing}
3144 ;; @r{the @code{set-window-start} expression.}
3145 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3151 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3155 If @var{noforce} is non-@code{nil}, and @var{position} would place point
3156 off screen at the next redisplay, then redisplay computes a new window-start
3157 position that works well with point, and thus @var{position} is not used.
3160 @defun pos-visible-in-window-p &optional position window partially
3161 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{position} is within the
3162 range of text currently visible on the screen in @var{window}. It
3163 returns @code{nil} if @var{position} is scrolled vertically out of view.
3164 Locations that are partially obscured are not considered visible unless
3165 @var{partially} is non-@code{nil}. The argument @var{position} defaults
3166 to the current position of point in @var{window}; @var{window}, to the
3167 selected window. If @var{position} is @code{t}, that means to check the
3168 last visible position in @var{window}.
3170 This function considers only vertical scrolling. If @var{position} is
3171 out of view only because @var{window} has been scrolled horizontally,
3172 @code{pos-visible-in-window-p} returns non-@code{nil} anyway.
3173 @xref{Horizontal Scrolling}.
3175 If @var{position} is visible, @code{pos-visible-in-window-p} returns
3176 @code{t} if @var{partially} is @code{nil}; if @var{partially} is
3177 non-@code{nil}, and the character following @var{position} is fully
3178 visible, it returns a list of the form @code{(@var{x} @var{y})}, where
3179 @var{x} and @var{y} are the pixel coordinates relative to the top left
3180 corner of the window; otherwise it returns an extended list of the form
3181 @code{(@var{x} @var{y} @var{rtop} @var{rbot} @var{rowh} @var{vpos})},
3182 where @var{rtop} and @var{rbot} specify the number of off-window pixels
3183 at the top and bottom of the row at @var{position}, @var{rowh} specifies
3184 the visible height of that row, and @var{vpos} specifies the vertical
3185 position (zero-based row number) of that row.
3191 ;; @r{If point is off the screen now, recenter it now.}
3192 (or (pos-visible-in-window-p
3193 (point) (selected-window))
3199 @defun window-line-height &optional line window
3200 This function returns the height of text line @var{line} in
3201 @var{window}. If @var{line} is one of @code{header-line} or
3202 @code{mode-line}, @code{window-line-height} returns information about
3203 the corresponding line of the window. Otherwise, @var{line} is a text
3204 line number starting from 0. A negative number counts from the end of
3205 the window. The default for @var{line} is the current line in
3206 @var{window}; the default for @var{window} is the selected window.
3208 If the display is not up to date, @code{window-line-height} returns
3209 @code{nil}. In that case, @code{pos-visible-in-window-p} may be used
3210 to obtain related information.
3212 If there is no line corresponding to the specified @var{line},
3213 @code{window-line-height} returns @code{nil}. Otherwise, it returns
3214 a list @code{(@var{height} @var{vpos} @var{ypos} @var{offbot})},
3215 where @var{height} is the height in pixels of the visible part of the
3216 line, @var{vpos} and @var{ypos} are the vertical position in lines and
3217 pixels of the line relative to the top of the first text line, and
3218 @var{offbot} is the number of off-window pixels at the bottom of the
3219 text line. If there are off-window pixels at the top of the (first)
3220 text line, @var{ypos} is negative.
3223 @node Textual Scrolling
3224 @section Textual Scrolling
3225 @cindex textual scrolling
3226 @cindex scrolling textually
3228 @dfn{Textual scrolling} means moving the text up or down through a
3229 window. It works by changing the window's display-start location. It
3230 may also change the value of @code{window-point} to keep point on the
3231 screen (@pxref{Window Point}).
3233 The basic textual scrolling functions are @code{scroll-up} (which
3234 scrolls forward) and @code{scroll-down} (which scrolls backward). In
3235 these function names, ``up'' and ``down'' refer to the direction of
3236 motion of the buffer text relative to the window. Imagine that the
3237 text is written on a long roll of paper and that the scrolling
3238 commands move the paper up and down. Thus, if you are looking at the
3239 middle of a buffer and repeatedly call @code{scroll-down}, you will
3240 eventually see the beginning of the buffer.
3242 Unfortunately, this sometimes causes confusion, because some people
3243 tend to think in terms of the opposite convention: they
3244 imagine the window moving over text that remains in place, so that
3245 ``down'' commands take you to the end of the buffer. This convention
3246 is consistent with fact that such a command is bound to a key named
3247 @key{PageDown} on modern keyboards.
3249 We have not switched to this convention as that is likely to break
3250 existing Emacs Lisp code.
3253 Textual scrolling functions (aside from @code{scroll-other-window})
3254 have unpredictable results if the current buffer is not the one
3255 displayed in the selected window. @xref{Current Buffer}.
3257 If the window contains a row taller than the height of the window
3258 (for example in the presence of a large image), the scroll functions
3259 will adjust the window's vertical scroll position to scroll the
3260 partially visible row. Lisp callers can disable this feature by
3261 binding the variable @code{auto-window-vscroll} to @code{nil}
3262 (@pxref{Vertical Scrolling}).
3264 @deffn Command scroll-up &optional count
3265 This function scrolls forward by @var{count} lines in the selected
3268 If @var{count} is negative, it scrolls backward instead. If
3269 @var{count} is @code{nil} (or omitted), the distance scrolled is
3270 @code{next-screen-context-lines} lines less than the height of the
3273 If the selected window cannot be scrolled any further, this function
3274 signals an error. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
3277 @deffn Command scroll-down &optional count
3278 This function scrolls backward by @var{count} lines in the selected
3281 If @var{count} is negative, it scrolls forward instead. In other
3282 respects, it behaves the same way as @code{scroll-up} does.
3285 @deffn Command scroll-up-command &optional count
3286 This behaves like @code{scroll-up}, except that if the selected window
3287 cannot be scrolled any further and the value of the variable
3288 @code{scroll-error-top-bottom} is @code{t}, it tries to move to the
3289 end of the buffer instead. If point is already there, it signals an
3293 @deffn Command scroll-down-command &optional count
3294 This behaves like @code{scroll-down}, except that if the selected
3295 window cannot be scrolled any further and the value of the variable
3296 @code{scroll-error-top-bottom} is @code{t}, it tries to move to the
3297 beginning of the buffer instead. If point is already there, it
3301 @deffn Command scroll-other-window &optional count
3302 This function scrolls the text in another window upward @var{count}
3303 lines. Negative values of @var{count}, or @code{nil}, are handled
3304 as in @code{scroll-up}.
3306 You can specify which buffer to scroll by setting the variable
3307 @code{other-window-scroll-buffer} to a buffer. If that buffer isn't
3308 already displayed, @code{scroll-other-window} displays it in some
3311 When the selected window is the minibuffer, the next window is normally
3312 the leftmost one immediately above it. You can specify a different
3313 window to scroll, when the minibuffer is selected, by setting the variable
3314 @code{minibuffer-scroll-window}. This variable has no effect when any
3315 other window is selected. When it is non-@code{nil} and the
3316 minibuffer is selected, it takes precedence over
3317 @code{other-window-scroll-buffer}. @xref{Definition of
3318 minibuffer-scroll-window}.
3320 When the minibuffer is active, it is the next window if the selected
3321 window is the one at the bottom right corner. In this case,
3322 @code{scroll-other-window} attempts to scroll the minibuffer. If the
3323 minibuffer contains just one line, it has nowhere to scroll to, so the
3324 line reappears after the echo area momentarily displays the message
3325 @samp{End of buffer}.
3328 @defvar other-window-scroll-buffer
3329 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it tells @code{scroll-other-window}
3330 which buffer's window to scroll.
3333 @defopt scroll-margin
3334 This option specifies the size of the scroll margin---a minimum number
3335 of lines between point and the top or bottom of a window. Whenever
3336 point gets within this many lines of the top or bottom of the window,
3337 redisplay scrolls the text automatically (if possible) to move point
3338 out of the margin, closer to the center of the window.
3341 @defopt scroll-conservatively
3342 This variable controls how scrolling is done automatically when point
3343 moves off the screen (or into the scroll margin). If the value is a
3344 positive integer @var{n}, then redisplay scrolls the text up to
3345 @var{n} lines in either direction, if that will bring point back into
3346 proper view. This behavior is called @dfn{conservative scrolling}.
3347 Otherwise, scrolling happens in the usual way, under the control of
3348 other variables such as @code{scroll-up-aggressively} and
3349 @code{scroll-down-aggressively}.
3351 The default value is zero, which means that conservative scrolling
3355 @defopt scroll-down-aggressively
3356 The value of this variable should be either @code{nil} or a fraction
3357 @var{f} between 0 and 1. If it is a fraction, that specifies where on
3358 the screen to put point when scrolling down. More precisely, when a
3359 window scrolls down because point is above the window start, the new
3360 start position is chosen to put point @var{f} part of the window
3361 height from the top. The larger @var{f}, the more aggressive the
3364 A value of @code{nil} is equivalent to .5, since its effect is to center
3365 point. This variable automatically becomes buffer-local when set in any
3369 @defopt scroll-up-aggressively
3370 Likewise, for scrolling up. The value, @var{f}, specifies how far
3371 point should be placed from the bottom of the window; thus, as with
3372 @code{scroll-up-aggressively}, a larger value scrolls more aggressively.
3376 This variable is an older variant of @code{scroll-conservatively}.
3377 The difference is that if its value is @var{n}, that permits scrolling
3378 only by precisely @var{n} lines, not a smaller number. This feature
3379 does not work with @code{scroll-margin}. The default value is zero.
3382 @cindex @code{scroll-command} property
3383 @defopt scroll-preserve-screen-position
3384 If this option is @code{t}, whenever a scrolling command moves point
3385 off-window, Emacs tries to adjust point to keep the cursor at its old
3386 vertical position in the window, rather than the window edge.
3388 If the value is non-@code{nil} and not @code{t}, Emacs adjusts point
3389 to keep the cursor at the same vertical position, even if the
3390 scrolling command didn't move point off-window.
3392 This option affects all scroll commands that have a non-@code{nil}
3393 @code{scroll-command} symbol property.
3396 @defopt next-screen-context-lines
3397 The value of this variable is the number of lines of continuity to
3398 retain when scrolling by full screens. For example, @code{scroll-up}
3399 with an argument of @code{nil} scrolls so that this many lines at the
3400 bottom of the window appear instead at the top. The default value is
3404 @defopt scroll-error-top-bottom
3405 If this option is @code{nil} (the default), @code{scroll-up-command}
3406 and @code{scroll-down-command} simply signal an error when no more
3407 scrolling is possible.
3409 If the value is @code{t}, these commands instead move point to the
3410 beginning or end of the buffer (depending on scrolling direction);
3411 only if point is already on that position do they signal an error.
3414 @deffn Command recenter &optional count
3415 @cindex centering point
3416 This function scrolls the text in the selected window so that point is
3417 displayed at a specified vertical position within the window. It does
3418 not ``move point'' with respect to the text.
3420 If @var{count} is a non-negative number, that puts the line containing
3421 point @var{count} lines down from the top of the window. If
3422 @var{count} is a negative number, then it counts upward from the
3423 bottom of the window, so that @minus{}1 stands for the last usable
3426 If @var{count} is @code{nil} (or a non-@code{nil} list),
3427 @code{recenter} puts the line containing point in the middle of the
3428 window. If @var{count} is @code{nil}, this function may redraw the
3429 frame, according to the value of @code{recenter-redisplay}.
3431 When @code{recenter} is called interactively, @var{count} is the raw
3432 prefix argument. Thus, typing @kbd{C-u} as the prefix sets the
3433 @var{count} to a non-@code{nil} list, while typing @kbd{C-u 4} sets
3434 @var{count} to 4, which positions the current line four lines from the
3437 With an argument of zero, @code{recenter} positions the current line at
3438 the top of the window. The command @code{recenter-top-bottom} offers
3439 a more convenient way to achieve this.
3442 @defopt recenter-redisplay
3443 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, calling @code{recenter} with a
3444 @code{nil} argument redraws the frame. The default value is
3445 @code{tty}, which means only redraw the frame if it is a tty frame.
3448 @deffn Command recenter-top-bottom &optional count
3449 This command, which is the default binding for @kbd{C-l}, acts like
3450 @code{recenter}, except if called with no argument. In that case,
3451 successive calls place point according to the cycling order defined
3452 by the variable @code{recenter-positions}.
3455 @defopt recenter-positions
3456 This variable controls how @code{recenter-top-bottom} behaves when
3457 called with no argument. The default value is @code{(middle top
3458 bottom)}, which means that successive calls of
3459 @code{recenter-top-bottom} with no argument cycle between placing
3460 point at the middle, top, and bottom of the window.
3464 @node Vertical Scrolling
3465 @section Vertical Fractional Scrolling
3466 @cindex vertical fractional scrolling
3467 @cindex vertical scroll position
3469 @dfn{Vertical fractional scrolling} means shifting text in a window
3470 up or down by a specified multiple or fraction of a line. Each window
3471 has a @dfn{vertical scroll position}, which is a number, never less than
3472 zero. It specifies how far to raise the contents of the window.
3473 Raising the window contents generally makes all or part of some lines
3474 disappear off the top, and all or part of some other lines appear at the
3475 bottom. The usual value is zero.
3477 The vertical scroll position is measured in units of the normal line
3478 height, which is the height of the default font. Thus, if the value is
3479 .5, that means the window contents are scrolled up half the normal line
3480 height. If it is 3.3, that means the window contents are scrolled up
3481 somewhat over three times the normal line height.
3483 What fraction of a line the vertical scrolling covers, or how many
3484 lines, depends on what the lines contain. A value of .5 could scroll a
3485 line whose height is very short off the screen, while a value of 3.3
3486 could scroll just part of the way through a tall line or an image.
3488 @defun window-vscroll &optional window pixels-p
3489 This function returns the current vertical scroll position of
3490 @var{window}. The default for @var{window} is the selected window.
3491 If @var{pixels-p} is non-@code{nil}, the return value is measured in
3492 pixels, rather than in units of the normal line height.
3502 @defun set-window-vscroll window lines &optional pixels-p
3503 This function sets @var{window}'s vertical scroll position to
3504 @var{lines}. If @var{window} is @code{nil}, the selected window is
3505 used. The argument @var{lines} should be zero or positive; if not, it
3509 The actual vertical scroll position must always correspond
3510 to an integral number of pixels, so the value you specify
3511 is rounded accordingly.
3513 The return value is the result of this rounding.
3517 (set-window-vscroll (selected-window) 1.2)
3522 If @var{pixels-p} is non-@code{nil}, @var{lines} specifies a number of
3523 pixels. In this case, the return value is @var{lines}.
3526 @defvar auto-window-vscroll
3527 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, the @code{line-move},
3528 @code{scroll-up}, and @code{scroll-down} functions will automatically
3529 modify the vertical scroll position to scroll through display rows
3530 that are taller than the height of the window, for example in the
3531 presence of large images.
3534 @node Horizontal Scrolling
3535 @section Horizontal Scrolling
3536 @cindex horizontal scrolling
3538 @dfn{Horizontal scrolling} means shifting the image in the window left
3539 or right by a specified multiple of the normal character width. Each
3540 window has a @dfn{horizontal scroll position}, which is a number, never
3541 less than zero. It specifies how far to shift the contents left.
3542 Shifting the window contents left generally makes all or part of some
3543 characters disappear off the left, and all or part of some other
3544 characters appear at the right. The usual value is zero.
3546 The horizontal scroll position is measured in units of the normal
3547 character width, which is the width of space in the default font. Thus,
3548 if the value is 5, that means the window contents are scrolled left by 5
3549 times the normal character width. How many characters actually
3550 disappear off to the left depends on their width, and could vary from
3553 Because we read from side to side in the ``inner loop'', and from top
3554 to bottom in the ``outer loop'', the effect of horizontal scrolling is
3555 not like that of textual or vertical scrolling. Textual scrolling
3556 involves selection of a portion of text to display, and vertical
3557 scrolling moves the window contents contiguously; but horizontal
3558 scrolling causes part of @emph{each line} to go off screen.
3560 Usually, no horizontal scrolling is in effect; then the leftmost
3561 column is at the left edge of the window. In this state, scrolling to
3562 the right is meaningless, since there is no data to the left of the edge
3563 to be revealed by it; so this is not allowed. Scrolling to the left is
3564 allowed; it scrolls the first columns of text off the edge of the window
3565 and can reveal additional columns on the right that were truncated
3566 before. Once a window has a nonzero amount of leftward horizontal
3567 scrolling, you can scroll it back to the right, but only so far as to
3568 reduce the net horizontal scroll to zero. There is no limit to how far
3569 left you can scroll, but eventually all the text will disappear off the
3572 @vindex auto-hscroll-mode
3573 If @code{auto-hscroll-mode} is set, redisplay automatically alters
3574 the horizontal scrolling of a window as necessary to ensure that point
3575 is always visible. However, you can still set the horizontal
3576 scrolling value explicitly. The value you specify serves as a lower
3577 bound for automatic scrolling, i.e., automatic scrolling will not
3578 scroll a window to a column less than the specified one.
3580 @deffn Command scroll-left &optional count set-minimum
3581 This function scrolls the selected window @var{count} columns to the
3582 left (or to the right if @var{count} is negative). The default
3583 for @var{count} is the window width, minus 2.
3585 The return value is the total amount of leftward horizontal scrolling in
3586 effect after the change---just like the value returned by
3587 @code{window-hscroll} (below).
3589 Once you scroll a window as far right as it can go, back to its normal
3590 position where the total leftward scrolling is zero, attempts to scroll
3591 any farther right have no effect.
3593 If @var{set-minimum} is non-@code{nil}, the new scroll amount becomes
3594 the lower bound for automatic scrolling; that is, automatic scrolling
3595 will not scroll a window to a column less than the value returned by
3596 this function. Interactive calls pass non-@code{nil} for
3600 @deffn Command scroll-right &optional count set-minimum
3601 This function scrolls the selected window @var{count} columns to the
3602 right (or to the left if @var{count} is negative). The default
3603 for @var{count} is the window width, minus 2. Aside from the direction
3604 of scrolling, this works just like @code{scroll-left}.
3607 @defun window-hscroll &optional window
3608 This function returns the total leftward horizontal scrolling of
3609 @var{window}---the number of columns by which the text in @var{window}
3610 is scrolled left past the left margin. The default for
3611 @var{window} is the selected window.
3613 The return value is never negative. It is zero when no horizontal
3614 scrolling has been done in @var{window} (which is usually the case).
3633 @defun set-window-hscroll window columns
3634 This function sets horizontal scrolling of @var{window}. The value of
3635 @var{columns} specifies the amount of scrolling, in terms of columns
3636 from the left margin. The argument @var{columns} should be zero or
3637 positive; if not, it is taken as zero. Fractional values of
3638 @var{columns} are not supported at present.
3640 Note that @code{set-window-hscroll} may appear not to work if you test
3641 it by evaluating a call with @kbd{M-:} in a simple way. What happens
3642 is that the function sets the horizontal scroll value and returns, but
3643 then redisplay adjusts the horizontal scrolling to make point visible,
3644 and this overrides what the function did. You can observe the
3645 function's effect if you call it while point is sufficiently far from
3646 the left margin that it will remain visible.
3648 The value returned is @var{columns}.
3652 (set-window-hscroll (selected-window) 10)
3658 Here is how you can determine whether a given position @var{position}
3659 is off the screen due to horizontal scrolling:
3661 @c FIXME: Maybe hscroll-on-screen-p is a better name?
3664 (defun hscroll-on-screen (window position)
3666 (goto-char position)
3668 (>= (- (current-column) (window-hscroll window)) 0)
3669 (< (- (current-column) (window-hscroll window))
3670 (window-width window)))))
3675 @node Coordinates and Windows
3676 @section Coordinates and Windows
3677 @cindex frame-relative coordinate
3678 @cindex coordinate, relative to frame
3679 @cindex window position
3681 This section describes functions that report the position of a window.
3682 Most of these functions report positions relative to an origin at the
3683 native position of the window's frame (@pxref{Frame Geometry}). Some
3684 functions report positions relative to the origin of the display of the
3685 window's frame. In any case, the origin has the coordinates (0, 0) and
3686 X and Y coordinates increase ``rightward'' and ``downward''
3689 For the following functions, X and Y coordinates are reported in
3690 integer character units, i.e., numbers of lines and columns
3691 respectively. On a graphical display, each ``line'' and ``column''
3692 corresponds to the height and width of a default character specified by
3693 the frame's default font (@pxref{Frame Font}).
3695 @defun window-edges &optional window body absolute pixelwise
3696 This function returns a list of the edge coordinates of @var{window}.
3697 If @var{window} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
3700 The return value has the form @code{(@var{left} @var{top} @var{right}
3701 @var{bottom})}. These list elements are, respectively, the X
3702 coordinate of the leftmost column occupied by the window, the Y
3703 coordinate of the topmost row, the X coordinate one column to the
3704 right of the rightmost column, and the Y coordinate one row down from
3707 Note that these are the actual outer edges of the window, including any
3708 header line, mode line, scroll bar, fringes, window divider and display
3709 margins. On a text terminal, if the window has a neighbor on its right,
3710 its right edge includes the separator line between the window and its
3713 If the optional argument @var{body} is @code{nil}, this means to
3714 return the edges corresponding to the total size of @var{window}.
3715 @var{body} non-@code{nil} means to return the edges of @var{window}'s
3716 body (aka text area). If @var{body} is non-@code{nil}, @var{window}
3717 must specify a live window.
3719 If the optional argument @var{absolute} is @code{nil}, this means to
3720 return edges relative to the native position of @var{window}'s frame.
3721 @var{absolute} non-@code{nil} means to return coordinates relative to
3722 the origin (0, 0) of @var{window}'s display. On non-graphical systems
3723 this argument has no effect.
3725 If the optional argument @var{pixelwise} is @code{nil}, this means to
3726 return the coordinates in terms of the default character width and
3727 height of @var{window}'s frame (@pxref{Frame Font}), rounded if
3728 necessary. @var{pixelwise} non-@code{nil} means to return the
3729 coordinates in pixels. Note that the pixel specified by @var{right} and
3730 @var{bottom} is immediately outside of these edges. If @var{absolute}
3731 is non-@code{nil}, @var{pixelwise} is implicitly non-@code{nil} too.
3734 @defun window-body-edges &optional window
3735 This function returns the edges of @var{window}'s body (@pxref{Window
3736 Sizes}). Calling @code{(window-body-edges window)} is equivalent to
3737 calling @code{(window-edges window t)}, see above.
3740 @comment The following two functions are confusing and hardly used.
3742 @defun window-left-column &optional window
3743 This function returns the leftmost column of @var{window}. This value
3744 equals the @var{left} entry in the list returned by @code{(window-edges
3745 window)} minus the number of columns occupied by the internal border of
3746 @var{window}'s frame.
3749 @defun window-top-line &optional window
3750 This function returns the topmost row of @var{window}. This value is
3751 equal to the @var{top} entry in the list returned by @code{(window-edges
3752 window)} minus the number of lines occupied by the internal border of
3753 @var{window}'s frame.
3757 The following functions can be used to relate a set of
3758 frame-relative coordinates to a window:
3760 @defun window-at x y &optional frame
3761 This function returns the live window at the coordinates @var{x} and
3762 @var{y} given in default character sizes (@pxref{Frame Font}) relative
3763 to the native position of @var{frame} (@pxref{Frame Geometry}).
3765 If there is no window at that position, the return value is @code{nil}.
3766 If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected
3770 @defun coordinates-in-window-p coordinates window
3771 This function checks whether a window @var{window} occupies the frame
3772 relative coordinates @var{coordinates}, and if so, which part of the
3773 window that is. @var{window} should be a live window.
3775 @var{coordinates} should be a cons cell of the form @code{(@var{x}
3776 . @var{y})}, where @var{x} and @var{y} are given in default character
3777 sizes (@pxref{Frame Font}) relative to the native position of
3778 @var{window}'s frame (@pxref{Frame Geometry}).
3780 If there is no window at the specified position, the return value is
3781 @code{nil} . Otherwise, the return value is one of the following:
3784 @item (@var{relx} . @var{rely})
3785 The coordinates are inside @var{window}. The numbers @var{relx} and
3786 @var{rely} are the equivalent window-relative coordinates for the
3787 specified position, counting from 0 at the top left corner of the
3791 The coordinates are in the mode line of @var{window}.
3794 The coordinates are in the header line of @var{window}.
3797 The coordinates are in the divider separating @var{window} from a
3798 window on the right.
3800 @item bottom-divider
3801 The coordinates are in the divider separating @var{window} from a
3805 The coordinates are in the vertical line between @var{window} and its
3806 neighbor to the right. This value occurs only if the window doesn't
3807 have a scroll bar; positions in a scroll bar are considered outside the
3808 window for these purposes.
3812 The coordinates are in the left or right fringe of the window.
3816 The coordinates are in the left or right margin of the window.
3819 The coordinates are not in any part of @var{window}.
3822 The function @code{coordinates-in-window-p} does not require a frame as
3823 argument because it always uses the frame that @var{window} is on.
3826 The following functions return window positions in pixels, rather
3827 than character units. Though mostly useful on graphical displays,
3828 they can also be called on text terminals, where the screen area of
3829 each text character is taken to be ``one pixel''.
3831 @defun window-pixel-edges &optional window
3832 This function returns a list of pixel coordinates for the edges of
3833 @var{window}. Calling @code{(window-pixel-edges window)} is equivalent
3834 to calling @code{(window-edges window nil nil t)}, see above.
3837 @comment The following two functions are confusing and hardly used.
3839 @defun window-pixel-left &optional window
3840 This function returns the left pixel edge of window @var{window}. This
3841 value equals the @var{left} entry in the list returned by
3842 @code{(window-pixel-edges window)} minus the number of pixels occupied
3843 by the internal border of @var{window}'s frame. @var{window} must be a
3844 valid window and defaults to the selected one.
3847 @defun window-pixel-top &optional window
3848 This function returns the top pixel edge of window @var{window}. This
3849 value is equal to the @var{top} entry in the list returned by
3850 @code{(window-pixel-edges window)} minus the number of pixels occupied
3851 by the internal border of @var{window}'s frame. @var{window} must be a
3852 valid window and defaults to the selected one.
3856 @defun window-body-pixel-edges &optional window
3857 This function returns the pixel edges of @var{window}'s body. Calling
3858 @code{(window-body-pixel-edges window)} is equivalent to calling
3859 @code{(window-edges window t nil t)}, see above.
3862 The following functions return window positions in pixels, relative to
3863 the origin of the display screen rather than that of the frame:
3865 @defun window-absolute-pixel-edges &optional window
3866 This function returns the pixel coordinates of @var{WINDOW} relative to
3867 an origin at (0, 0) of the display of @var{window}'s frame. Calling
3868 @code{(window-absolute-pixel-edges)} is equivalent to calling
3869 @code{(window-edges window nil t t)}, see above.
3872 @defun window-absolute-body-pixel-edges &optional window
3873 This function returns the pixel coordinates of @var{WINDOW}'s body
3874 relative to an origin at (0, 0) of the display of @var{window}'s frame.
3875 Calling @code{(window-absolute-body-pixel-edges window)} is equivalent
3876 to calling @code{(window-edges window t t t)}, see above.
3878 Combined with @code{set-mouse-absolute-pixel-position}, this function
3879 can be used to move the mouse pointer to an arbitrary buffer position
3880 visible in some window:
3884 (let ((edges (window-absolute-body-pixel-edges))
3885 (position (pos-visible-in-window-p nil nil t)))
3886 (x-set-mouse-absolute-pixel-position
3887 (+ (nth 0 edges) (nth 0 position))
3888 (+ (nth 1 edges) (nth 1 position))))
3892 On a graphical terminal this form ``warps'' the mouse cursor to the
3893 upper left corner of the glyph at the selected window's point. A
3894 position calculated this way can be also used to show a tooltip window
3898 The following function returns the screen coordinates of a buffer
3899 position visible in a window:
3901 @defun window-absolute-pixel-position &optional position window
3902 If the buffer position @var{position} is visible in window @var{window},
3903 this function returns the display coordinates of the upper/left corner
3904 of the glyph at @var{position}. The return value is a cons of the X-
3905 and Y-coordinates of that corner, relative to an origin at (0, 0) of
3906 @var{window}'s display. It returns @code{nil} if @var{position} is not
3907 visible in @var{window}.
3909 @var{window} must be a live window and defaults to the selected
3910 window. @var{position} defaults to the value of @code{window-point}
3913 This means that in order to move the mouse pointer to the position of
3914 point in the selected window, it's sufficient to write:
3918 (let ((position (window-absolute-pixel-position)))
3919 (set-mouse-absolute-pixel-position
3920 (car position) (cdr position)))
3926 @node Window Configurations
3927 @section Window Configurations
3928 @cindex window configurations
3929 @cindex saving window information
3931 A @dfn{window configuration} records the entire layout of one
3932 frame---all windows, their sizes, which buffers they contain, how those
3933 buffers are scrolled, and their value of point; also their
3934 fringes, margins, and scroll bar settings. It also includes the value
3935 of @code{minibuffer-scroll-window}. As a special exception, the window
3936 configuration does not record the value of point in the selected window
3937 for the current buffer.
3939 You can bring back an entire frame layout by restoring a previously
3940 saved window configuration. If you want to record the layout of all
3941 frames instead of just one, use a frame configuration instead of a
3942 window configuration. @xref{Frame Configurations}.
3944 @defun current-window-configuration &optional frame
3945 This function returns a new object representing @var{frame}'s current
3946 window configuration. The default for @var{frame} is the selected
3947 frame. The variable @code{window-persistent-parameters} specifies
3948 which window parameters (if any) are saved by this function.
3949 @xref{Window Parameters}.
3952 @defun set-window-configuration configuration
3953 This function restores the configuration of windows and buffers as
3954 specified by @var{configuration}, for the frame that @var{configuration}
3957 The argument @var{configuration} must be a value that was previously
3958 returned by @code{current-window-configuration}. The configuration is
3959 restored in the frame from which @var{configuration} was made, whether
3960 that frame is selected or not. This always counts as a window size
3961 change and triggers execution of the @code{window-size-change-functions}
3962 (@pxref{Window Hooks}), because @code{set-window-configuration} doesn't
3963 know how to tell whether the new configuration actually differs from the
3966 If the frame from which @var{configuration} was saved is dead, all this
3967 function does is restore the three variables @code{window-min-height},
3968 @code{window-min-width} and @code{minibuffer-scroll-window}. In this
3969 case, the function returns @code{nil}. Otherwise, it returns @code{t}.
3971 Here is a way of using this function to get the same effect
3972 as @code{save-window-excursion}:
3976 (let ((config (current-window-configuration)))
3978 (progn (split-window-below nil)
3980 (set-window-configuration config)))
3985 @defmac save-window-excursion forms@dots{}
3986 This macro records the window configuration of the selected frame,
3987 executes @var{forms} in sequence, then restores the earlier window
3988 configuration. The return value is the value of the final form in
3991 Most Lisp code should not use this macro; @code{save-selected-window}
3992 is typically sufficient. In particular, this macro cannot reliably
3993 prevent the code in @var{forms} from opening new windows, because new
3994 windows might be opened in other frames (@pxref{Choosing Window}), and
3995 @code{save-window-excursion} only saves and restores the window
3996 configuration on the current frame.
3998 Do not use this macro in @code{window-size-change-functions}; exiting
3999 the macro triggers execution of @code{window-size-change-functions},
4000 leading to an endless loop.
4003 @defun window-configuration-p object
4004 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a window configuration.
4007 @defun compare-window-configurations config1 config2
4008 This function compares two window configurations as regards the
4009 structure of windows, but ignores the values of point and the
4010 saved scrolling positions---it can return @code{t} even if those
4013 The function @code{equal} can also compare two window configurations; it
4014 regards configurations as unequal if they differ in any respect, even a
4018 @defun window-configuration-frame config
4019 This function returns the frame for which the window configuration
4020 @var{config} was made.
4023 Other primitives to look inside of window configurations would make
4024 sense, but are not implemented because we did not need them. See the
4025 file @file{winner.el} for some more operations on windows
4028 The objects returned by @code{current-window-configuration} die
4029 together with the Emacs process. In order to store a window
4030 configuration on disk and read it back in another Emacs session, you
4031 can use the functions described next. These functions are also useful
4032 to clone the state of a frame into an arbitrary live window
4033 (@code{set-window-configuration} effectively clones the windows of a
4034 frame into the root window of that very frame only).
4036 @cindex window state
4037 @defun window-state-get &optional window writable
4038 This function returns the state of @var{window} as a Lisp object. The
4039 argument @var{window} must be a valid window and defaults to the root
4040 window of the selected frame.
4042 If the optional argument @var{writable} is non-@code{nil}, this means to
4043 not use markers for sampling positions like @code{window-point} or
4044 @code{window-start}. This argument should be non-@code{nil} when the
4045 state will be written to disk and read back in another session.
4047 Together, the argument @var{writable} and the variable
4048 @code{window-persistent-parameters} specify which window parameters are
4049 saved by this function. @xref{Window Parameters}.
4052 The value returned by @code{window-state-get} can be used in the same
4053 session to make a clone of a window in another window. It can be also
4054 written to disk and read back in another session. In either case, use
4055 the following function to restore the state of the window.
4057 @defun window-state-put state &optional window ignore
4058 This function puts the window state @var{state} into @var{window}.
4059 The argument @var{state} should be the state of a window returned by
4060 an earlier invocation of @code{window-state-get}, see above. The
4061 optional argument @var{window} can be either a live window or an
4062 internal window (@pxref{Windows and Frames}) and defaults to the
4063 selected one. If @var{window} is not live, it is replaced by a live
4064 window before putting @var{state} into it.
4066 If the optional argument @var{ignore} is non-@code{nil}, it means to ignore
4067 minimum window sizes and fixed-size restrictions. If @var{ignore}
4068 is @code{safe}, this means windows can get as small as one line
4073 @node Window Parameters
4074 @section Window Parameters
4075 @cindex window parameters
4077 This section describes how window parameters can be used to associate
4078 additional information with windows.
4080 @defun window-parameter window parameter
4081 This function returns @var{window}'s value for @var{parameter}. The
4082 default for @var{window} is the selected window. If @var{window} has no
4083 setting for @var{parameter}, this function returns @code{nil}.
4086 @defun window-parameters &optional window
4087 This function returns all parameters of @var{window} and their values.
4088 The default for @var{window} is the selected window. The return value
4089 is either @code{nil}, or an association list whose elements have the form
4090 @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}.
4093 @defun set-window-parameter window parameter value
4094 This function sets @var{window}'s value of @var{parameter} to
4095 @var{value} and returns @var{value}. The default for @var{window}
4096 is the selected window.
4099 By default, the functions that save and restore window configurations or the
4100 states of windows (@pxref{Window Configurations}) do not care about
4101 window parameters. This means that when you change the value of a
4102 parameter within the body of a @code{save-window-excursion}, the
4103 previous value is not restored when that macro exits. It also means
4104 that when you restore via @code{window-state-put} a window state saved
4105 earlier by @code{window-state-get}, all cloned windows have their
4106 parameters reset to @code{nil}. The following variable allows you to
4107 override the standard behavior:
4109 @defvar window-persistent-parameters
4110 This variable is an alist specifying which parameters get saved by
4111 @code{current-window-configuration} and @code{window-state-get}, and
4112 subsequently restored by @code{set-window-configuration} and
4113 @code{window-state-put}. @xref{Window Configurations}.
4115 The @sc{car} of each entry of this alist is a symbol specifying the
4116 parameter. The @sc{cdr} should be one of the following:
4120 This value means the parameter is saved neither by
4121 @code{window-state-get} nor by @code{current-window-configuration}.
4124 This value specifies that the parameter is saved by
4125 @code{current-window-configuration} and (provided its @var{writable}
4126 argument is @code{nil}) by @code{window-state-get}.
4128 @item @code{writable}
4129 This means that the parameter is saved unconditionally by both
4130 @code{current-window-configuration} and @code{window-state-get}. This
4131 value should not be used for parameters whose values do not have a read
4132 syntax. Otherwise, invoking @code{window-state-put} in another session
4133 may fail with an @code{invalid-read-syntax} error.
4137 Some functions (notably @code{delete-window},
4138 @code{delete-other-windows} and @code{split-window}), may behave specially
4139 when their @var{window} argument has a parameter set. You can override
4140 such special behavior by binding the following variable to a
4141 non-@code{nil} value:
4143 @defvar ignore-window-parameters
4144 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some standard functions do not
4145 process window parameters. The functions currently affected by this are
4146 @code{split-window}, @code{delete-window}, @code{delete-other-windows},
4147 and @code{other-window}.
4149 An application can bind this variable to a non-@code{nil} value around
4150 calls to these functions. If it does so, the application is fully
4151 responsible for correctly assigning the parameters of all involved
4152 windows when exiting that function.
4155 The following parameters are currently used by the window management
4159 @item @code{delete-window}
4160 This parameter affects the execution of @code{delete-window}
4161 (@pxref{Deleting Windows}).
4163 @item @code{delete-other-windows}
4164 This parameter affects the execution of @code{delete-other-windows}
4165 (@pxref{Deleting Windows}).
4167 @item @code{split-window}
4168 This parameter affects the execution of @code{split-window}
4169 (@pxref{Splitting Windows}).
4171 @item @code{other-window}
4172 This parameter affects the execution of @code{other-window}
4173 (@pxref{Cyclic Window Ordering}).
4175 @item @code{no-other-window}
4176 This parameter marks the window as not selectable by @code{other-window}
4177 (@pxref{Cyclic Window Ordering}).
4179 @item @code{clone-of}
4180 This parameter specifies the window that this one has been cloned
4181 from. It is installed by @code{window-state-get} (@pxref{Window
4184 @item @code{preserved-size}
4185 This parameter specifies a buffer, a direction where @code{nil} means
4186 vertical and @code{t} horizontal, and a size in pixels. If this window
4187 displays the specified buffer and its size in the indicated direction
4188 equals the size specified by this parameter, then Emacs will try to
4189 preserve the size of this window in the indicated direction. This
4190 parameter is installed and updated by the function
4191 @code{window-preserve-size} (@pxref{Preserving Window Sizes}).
4193 @item @code{quit-restore}
4194 This parameter is installed by the buffer display functions
4195 (@pxref{Choosing Window}) and consulted by @code{quit-restore-window}
4196 (@pxref{Quitting Windows}). It contains four elements:
4198 The first element is one of the symbols @code{window}, meaning that the
4199 window has been specially created by @code{display-buffer}; @code{frame},
4200 a separate frame has been created; @code{same}, the window has
4201 displayed the same buffer before; or @code{other}, the window showed
4202 another buffer before.
4204 The second element is either one of the symbols @code{window} or
4205 @code{frame}, or a list whose elements are the buffer shown in the
4206 window before, that buffer's window start and window point positions,
4207 and the window's height at that time.
4209 The third element is the window selected at the time the parameter was
4210 created. The function @code{quit-restore-window} tries to reselect that
4211 window when it deletes the window passed to it as argument.
4213 The fourth element is the buffer whose display caused the creation of
4214 this parameter. @code{quit-restore-window} deletes the specified window
4215 only if it still shows that buffer.
4218 There are additional parameters @code{window-atom} and @code{window-side};
4219 these are reserved and should not be used by applications.
4223 @section Hooks for Window Scrolling and Changes
4224 @cindex hooks for window operations
4226 This section describes how a Lisp program can take action whenever a
4227 window displays a different part of its buffer or a different buffer.
4228 There are three actions that can change this: scrolling the window,
4229 switching buffers in the window, and changing the size of the window.
4230 The first two actions run @code{window-scroll-functions}; the last runs
4231 @code{window-size-change-functions}.
4233 @defvar window-scroll-functions
4234 This variable holds a list of functions that Emacs should call before
4235 redisplaying a window with scrolling. Displaying a different buffer in
4236 the window also runs these functions.
4238 This variable is not a normal hook, because each function is called with
4239 two arguments: the window, and its new display-start position.
4241 These functions must take care when using @code{window-end}
4242 (@pxref{Window Start and End}); if you need an up-to-date value, you
4243 must use the @var{update} argument to ensure you get it.
4245 @strong{Warning:} don't use this feature to alter the way the window
4246 is scrolled. It's not designed for that, and such use probably won't
4250 @defvar window-size-change-functions
4251 This variable holds a list of functions to be called if the size of any
4252 window changes for any reason. The functions are called just once per
4253 redisplay, and just once for each frame on which size changes have
4256 Each function receives the frame as its sole argument. There is no
4257 direct way to find out which windows on that frame have changed size, or
4258 precisely how. However, if a size-change function records, at each
4259 call, the existing windows and their sizes, it can also compare the
4260 present sizes and the previous sizes.
4262 Creating or deleting windows counts as a size change, and therefore
4263 causes these functions to be called. Changing the frame size also
4264 counts, because it changes the sizes of the existing windows.
4266 You may use @code{save-selected-window} in these functions
4267 (@pxref{Selecting Windows}). However, do not use
4268 @code{save-window-excursion} (@pxref{Window Configurations}); exiting
4269 that macro counts as a size change, which would cause these functions
4270 to be called over and over.
4273 @defvar window-configuration-change-hook
4274 A normal hook that is run every time you change the window configuration
4275 of an existing frame. This includes splitting or deleting windows,
4276 changing the sizes of windows, or displaying a different buffer in a
4279 The buffer-local part of this hook is run once for each window on the
4280 affected frame, with the relevant window selected and its buffer
4281 current. The global part is run once for the modified frame, with that
4285 In addition, you can use @code{jit-lock-register} to register a Font
4286 Lock fontification function, which will be called whenever parts of a
4287 buffer are (re)fontified because a window was scrolled or its size
4288 changed. @xref{Other Font Lock Variables}.