1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2011
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
5 @node Frames, International, Windows, Top
6 @chapter Frames and Graphical Displays
9 When using a graphical display, you can create multiple system-level
10 ``windows'' in a single Emacs session. We refer to these system-level
11 windows as @dfn{frames}. A frame initially contains a single Emacs
12 window; however, you can subdivide this Emacs window into smaller
13 windows, all fitting into the same frame. Each frame normally
14 contains its own echo area and minibuffer.
16 To avoid confusion, we reserve the word ``window'' for the
17 subdivisions that Emacs implements, and never use it to refer to a
20 Any editing you do in one frame affects the other frames. For
21 instance, if you put text in the kill ring in one frame, you can yank
22 it in another frame. If you exit Emacs through @kbd{C-x C-c} in one
23 frame, it terminates all the frames. To delete just one frame, use
24 @kbd{C-x 5 0} (that is zero, not @kbd{o}).
26 Emacs compiled for MS-DOS emulates some windowing functionality,
27 so that you can use many of the features described in this chapter.
29 @xref{MS-DOS Mouse,,,emacs-xtra,Specialized Emacs Features}.
36 * Cut and Paste:: Mouse commands for cut and paste.
37 * Mouse References:: Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
38 * Menu Mouse Clicks:: Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
39 * Mode Line Mouse:: Mouse clicks on the mode line.
40 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
41 * Frame Commands:: Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
42 * Fonts:: Changing the frame font.
43 * Speedbar:: How to make and use a speedbar frame.
44 * Multiple Displays:: How one Emacs job can talk to several displays.
45 * Special Buffer Frames:: You can make certain buffers have their own frames.
46 * Frame Parameters:: Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
47 * Scroll Bars:: How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
48 * Wheeled Mice:: Using mouse wheels for scrolling.
49 * Drag and Drop:: Using drag and drop to open files and insert text.
50 * Menu Bars:: Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
51 * Tool Bars:: Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
52 * Dialog Boxes:: Controlling use of dialog boxes.
53 * Tooltips:: Displaying information at the current mouse position.
54 * Mouse Avoidance:: Preventing the mouse pointer from obscuring text.
55 * Non-Window Terminals:: Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
56 * Text-Only Mouse:: Using the mouse in text-only terminals.
60 @section Cutting and Pasting on Graphical Displays
62 This section describes commands for selecting a region, cutting, and
63 pasting using the mouse.
66 * Mouse Commands:: Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
67 * Word and Line Mouse:: Mouse commands for selecting whole words or lines.
68 * Cut/Paste Other App:: Transfering text between Emacs and other apps.
69 * Secondary Selection:: Cutting without altering point and mark.
70 * Clipboard:: Using the clipboard for selections.
74 @subsection Mouse Commands for Editing
75 @cindex mouse buttons (what they do)
82 Move point to where you click (@code{mouse-set-point}).
85 Activate the region around the text selected by dragging, and copy it
86 to the kill ring (@code{mouse-set-region}).
89 Yank the last killed text at the click position
90 (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}).
93 If the region is active, move the nearer end of the region to the
94 click position; otherwise, set mark at the current value of point and
95 point at the click position. Save the resulting region in the kill
96 ring; on a second click, kill it (@code{mouse-save-then-kill}).
99 @findex mouse-set-point
100 The most basic mouse command is @code{mouse-set-point}, which is
101 called by clicking with the left mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-1}, in the
102 text area of a window. This moves point to the position where you
105 @vindex x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position
106 Normally, Emacs does not distinguish between ordinary mouse clicks
107 and clicks that select a frame. When you click on a frame to select
108 it, that also changes the selected window and cursor position
109 according to the mouse click position. On the X window system, you
110 can change this behavior by setting the variable
111 @code{x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position} to @code{t}. Then the
112 first click selects the frame, but does not affect the selected window
113 or cursor position. If you click again in the same place, that click
114 will be in the selected frame, so it will change the window or cursor
117 @findex mouse-set-region
118 @vindex mouse-drag-copy-region
119 Holding down @kbd{Mouse-1} and ``dragging'' the mouse over a stretch
120 of text activates the region around that text
121 (@code{mouse-set-region}). @xref{Mark}. Emacs places the mark where
122 you started holding down the mouse button, and point where you release
123 it. In addition, the region is copied into the kill ring (@pxref{Kill
124 Ring}). If you don't want Emacs to copy the region, change the
125 variable @code{mouse-drag-copy-region} to @code{nil}.
127 @vindex mouse-scroll-min-lines
128 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
129 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
130 back into the window. This way, you can select regions that don't fit
131 entirely on the screen. The number of lines scrolled per step depends
132 on how far away from the window edge the mouse has gone; the variable
133 @code{mouse-scroll-min-lines} specifies a minimum step size.
135 @findex mouse-yank-at-click
136 @vindex mouse-yank-at-point
137 Clicking with the middle mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-2}, moves point to
138 the position where you clicked and performs a yank
139 (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}). @xref{Yanking}. If you change the
140 variable @code{mouse-yank-at-point} to a non-@code{nil} value,
141 @kbd{Mouse-2} does not move point. Then it does not matter where you
142 click, or even which of the frame's windows you click on; the yank
143 occurs at the existing point. This variable also affects yanking the
144 primary and secondary selections (@pxref{Cut/Paste Other App}).
146 @findex mouse-save-then-kill
147 Clicking with the right mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-3}, runs the
148 command @code{mouse-save-then-kill}. This performs several actions
149 depending on where you click and the status of the region:
153 If no region is active, clicking @kbd{Mouse-3} activates the region,
154 placing the mark where point was and point at the clicked position.
155 In addition, the text in the region is copied to the kill ring.
158 If a region is active, clicking @kbd{Mouse-3} adjusts the nearer end
159 of the region by moving it to the clicked position. The adjusted
160 region's text is copied to the kill ring; if the text in the original
161 region was already on the kill ring, it replaces it there.
164 If you originally specified the region using a double or triple
165 @kbd{Mouse-1}, so that the region is defined to consist of entire
166 words or lines, then adjusting the region with @kbd{Mouse-3} also
167 proceeds by entire words or lines.
170 If you use @kbd{Mouse-3} a second time consecutively, at the same
171 place, that kills the region already selected. Thus, the simplest way
172 to kill text with the mouse is to click @kbd{Mouse-1} at one end, then
173 click @kbd{Mouse-3} twice at the other end. To copy the text into the
174 kill ring without deleting it from the buffer, press @kbd{Mouse-3}
175 just once---or just drag across the text with @kbd{Mouse-1}. Then you
176 can copy it elsewhere by yanking it.
179 Whenever you set the region using any of the mouse commands
180 described above, the mark will be deactivated by any subsequent
181 unshifted cursor motion command, in addition to the usual ways of
182 deactivating the mark. @xref{Shift Selection}. While the region
183 remains active, typing @key{Backspace} or @key{Delete} deletes the
184 text in that region and deactivates the mark; this behavior follows a
185 convention established by other graphical programs, and it does
186 @emph{not} apply when you set the region any other way, including
187 shift-selection (@pxref{Shift Selection}).
189 @cindex Delete Selection mode
190 @cindex mode, Delete Selection
191 @findex delete-selection-mode
192 Many graphical applications also follow the convention that
193 insertion while text is selected deletes the selected text. You can
194 make Emacs behave this way by enabling Delete Selection mode.
197 @node Word and Line Mouse
198 @subsection Mouse Commands for Words and Lines
200 These variants of @kbd{Mouse-1} select entire words or lines at a
201 time. Emacs activates the region around the selected text, which is
202 also copied to the kill ring.
206 Select the text around the word which you click on.
208 Double-clicking on a character with ``symbol'' syntax (such as
209 underscore, in C mode) selects the symbol surrounding that character.
210 Double-clicking on a character with open- or close-parenthesis syntax
211 selects the parenthetical grouping which that character starts or
212 ends. Double-clicking on a character with string-delimiter syntax
213 (such as a singlequote or doublequote in C) selects the string
214 constant (Emacs uses heuristics to figure out whether that character
215 is the beginning or the end of it).
217 @item Double-Drag-Mouse-1
218 Select the text you drag across, in the form of whole words.
221 Select the line you click on.
223 @item Triple-Drag-Mouse-1
224 Select the text you drag across, in the form of whole lines.
227 @node Cut/Paste Other App
228 @subsection Cut and Paste with Other Window Applications
230 @cindex X cutting and pasting
232 @cindex primary selection
233 @cindex selection, primary
234 When running Emacs under the X window system, you can easily
235 transfer text between Emacs and other X applications using the
236 @dfn{primary selection} (also called the @dfn{X selection}). This is
237 @emph{not} the same thing as the @dfn{clipboard}, which is a separate
238 facility used on desktop environments such as Gnome, and on operating
239 systems such as Microsoft Windows (@pxref{Clipboard}).
241 Under X, whenever you select some text in Emacs by dragging or
242 clicking the mouse (@pxref{Mouse Commands}), it is also saved in the
243 primary selection. You can then @dfn{paste} that text into any other
244 X application, usually by clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} in that application.
245 Unlike the Emacs kill ring (@pxref{Kill Ring}), the primary selection
246 has no ``memory'': each time you save something in the primary
247 selection, either in Emacs or in another X application, the previous
248 contents of the primary selection are lost.
250 @cindex MS-Windows, and primary selection
251 MS-Windows provides no primary selection, but Emacs emulates it
252 within a single Emacs session, by storing the selected text
253 internally. Therefore, all the features and commands related to the
254 primary selection work on Windows as they do on X, for cutting and
255 pasting within the same session, but not across Emacs sessions or with
258 Whenever you kill some text using a command such as @kbd{C-w}
259 (@code{kill-region}), or copy it into the kill ring using a command
260 such as @kbd{M-w} (@code{kill-ring-save}), that text is also saved in
261 the primary selection. @xref{Killing}.
263 @vindex select-active-regions
264 If you set the region using the keyboard---for instance, by typing
265 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} and moving point away from the mark---the text in
266 the region is not normally saved to the primary selection. However,
267 if you change the variable @code{select-active-regions} to @code{t},
268 the region is saved to the primary selection whenever you activate the
269 mark. Each change to the region also updates the primary selection.
271 @vindex yank-pop-change-selection
272 If you change @code{yank-pop-change-selection} to @code{t}, rotating
273 the kill ring with @kbd{M-y} (@code{yank-pop}) also saves the new yank
274 to the primary selection (@pxref{Yanking}).
276 @vindex save-interprogram-paste-before-kill
277 If you change @code{save-interprogram-paste-before-kill} to
278 @code{t}, each kill command first saves the existing selection onto
279 the kill ring. This prevents you from losing the existing selection,
280 at the risk of large memory consumption if other applications generate
283 You can yank the primary selection into Emacs using the usual yank
284 commands, such as @kbd{C-y} (@code{yank}) and @kbd{Mouse-2}
285 (@code{mouse-yank-at-click}). These commands actually check the
286 primary selection before referring to the kill ring; if no primary
287 selection is available, the kill ring contents are used. To prevent
288 yank commands from accessing the primary selection, set the variable
289 @code{x-select-enable-primary} to @code{nil}.
291 The standard coding system for the primary selection is
292 @code{compound-text-with-extensions}. You may find that the pasted
293 text is not what you expected. In such a case, you can specify
294 another coding system for the selection by typing @kbd{C-x @key{RET}
295 x} or @kbd{C-x @key{RET} X}. Alternatively, you can request a
296 different data type by modifying the variable
297 @code{x-select-request-type}. @xref{Communication Coding}.
299 @node Secondary Selection
300 @subsection Secondary Selection
301 @cindex secondary selection
303 In addition to the primary selection, the X Window System provides a
304 second similar facility known as the @dfn{secondary selection}.
305 Nowadays, few X applications make use of the secondary selection, but
306 you can access it using the following Emacs commands:
309 @findex mouse-set-secondary
310 @kindex M-Drag-Mouse-1
312 Set the secondary selection, with one end at the place where you press
313 down the button, and the other end at the place where you release it
314 (@code{mouse-set-secondary}). The selected text is highlighted, using
315 the @code{secondary-selection} face, as you drag. The window scrolls
316 automatically if you drag the mouse off the top or bottom of the
317 window, just like @code{mouse-set-region} (@pxref{Mouse Commands}).
319 This command does not alter the kill ring.
321 @findex mouse-start-secondary
324 Set one endpoint for the @dfn{secondary selection}
325 (@code{mouse-start-secondary}).
327 @findex mouse-secondary-save-then-kill
330 Set the secondary selection, with one end at the position clicked and
331 the other at the position specified with @kbd{M-Mouse-1}
332 (@code{mouse-secondary-save-then-kill}). This also puts the selected
333 text in the kill ring. A second @kbd{M-Mouse-3} at the same place
334 kills the secondary selection just made.
336 @findex mouse-yank-secondary
339 Insert the secondary selection where you click, placing point at the
340 end of the yanked text (@code{mouse-yank-secondary}).
343 Double or triple clicking of @kbd{M-Mouse-1} operates on words and
344 lines, much like @kbd{Mouse-1}.
346 If @code{mouse-yank-at-point} is non-@code{nil}, @kbd{M-Mouse-2} yanks
347 at point. Then it does not matter precisely where you click, or even
348 which of the frame's windows you click on. @xref{Mouse Commands}.
351 @subsection Using the Clipboard
354 In desktop environments such as Gnome, and operating systems such as
355 Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, you can transfer data (usually text)
356 between different applications using the @dfn{clipboard}. The
357 clipboard is distinct from the primary selection and secondary
358 selection discussed earlier. You can access the clipboard through the
359 @samp{Edit} menu of the menu bar (@pxref{Menu Bar}).
362 @findex clipboard-kill-region
363 The command @code{clipboard-kill-region}, which is bound to the
364 @code{Cut} menu item, kills the region and saves it in the clipboard.
367 @findex clipboard-kill-ring-save
368 The command @code{clipboard-kill-ring-save}, which is bound to the
369 @code{Copy} menu item, copies the region to the kill ring and saves it
372 @findex clipboard-yank
374 The @code{Paste} menu item in the Edit menu yanks the contents of
375 the clipboard at point (@code{clipboard-yank}).
377 @vindex x-select-enable-clipboard
378 You can customize the variable @code{x-select-enable-clipboard} to
379 make the Emacs yank functions consult the clipboard before the primary
380 selection, and to make the kill functions to store in the clipboard as
381 well as the primary selection. Otherwise, these commands do not
382 access the clipboard at all. Using the clipboard is the default on
383 MS-Windows and Mac OS, but not on other systems.
385 @node Mouse References
386 @section Following References with the Mouse
387 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(selection)}
388 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(selection)}
390 @vindex mouse-highlight
391 Some Emacs buffers include @dfn{buttons}. A button is a piece of
392 text that performs some action when you activate it, such as following
393 a reference. Usually, a button's text is visually highlighted: it is
394 underlined, or a box is drawn around it. If you move the mouse over a
395 button, the shape of the mouse cursor changes and the button lights up
396 (if you change the variable @code{mouse-highlight} to @code{nil},
397 Emacs disables this highlighting).
399 You can activate a button by moving point to it and typing
400 @key{RET}, or by clicking either @kbd{Mouse-1} or @kbd{Mouse-2} on the
401 button. For example, typing @key{RET} or clicking on a file name in a
402 Dired buffer visits that file (@pxref{Dired}). Doing it on an error
403 message in the @samp{*Compilation*} buffer goes to the source code for
404 that error message (@pxref{Compilation}). Doing it on a completion in
405 the @samp{*Completions*} buffer chooses that completion
406 (@pxref{Completion}).
408 Although clicking @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button usually activates that
409 button, if you hold the mouse button down for a short period of time
410 before releasing it (specifically, for more than 450 milliseconds),
411 then Emacs moves point where you clicked instead. This behavior
412 allows you to use the mouse to move point over a button without
413 following it. Dragging---moving the mouse while it is held down---has
414 its usual behavior of setting the region, even if you drag from or
417 @vindex mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows
418 Normally, clicking @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button activates the button
419 even if it is in a nonselected window. If you change the variable
420 @code{mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows} to @code{nil}, clicking
421 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button in an un-selected window moves point to the
422 clicked position and selects that window, without activating the
425 @vindex mouse-1-click-follows-link
426 In Emacs versions before 22, only @kbd{Mouse-2} activates buttons
427 and @kbd{Mouse-1} always sets point. If you prefer this older
428 behavior, set the variable @code{mouse-1-click-follows-link} to
429 @code{nil}. This variable also lets you choose various other
430 alternatives for following links with the mouse. Type @kbd{C-h v
431 mouse-1-click-follows-link @key{RET}} for more details.
433 @node Menu Mouse Clicks
434 @section Mouse Clicks for Menus
436 Several mouse clicks with the @key{CTRL} and @key{SHIFT} modifiers
442 This menu is for selecting a buffer.
444 The MSB (``mouse select buffer'') global minor mode makes this
445 menu smarter and more customizable. @xref{Buffer Menus}.
449 This menu is for specifying faces and other text properties
450 for editing formatted text. @xref{Formatted Text}.
454 This menu is mode-specific. For most modes if Menu-bar mode is on,
455 this menu has the same items as all the mode-specific menu-bar menus
456 put together. Some modes may specify a different menu for this
457 button.@footnote{Some systems use @kbd{Mouse-3} for a mode-specific
458 menu. We took a survey of users, and found they preferred to keep
459 @kbd{Mouse-3} for selecting and killing regions. Hence the decision
460 to use @kbd{C-Mouse-3} for this menu. To use @kbd{Mouse-3} instead,
461 do @code{(global-set-key [mouse-3] 'mouse-popup-menubar-stuff)}.} If
462 Menu-bar mode is off, this menu contains all the items which would be
463 present in the menu bar---not just the mode-specific ones---so that
464 you can access them without having to display the menu bar.
467 This menu is for changing the default face within the window's buffer.
468 @xref{Temporary Face Changes}.
471 @node Mode Line Mouse
472 @section Mode Line Mouse Commands
473 @cindex mode line, mouse
474 @cindex mouse on mode line
476 You can use mouse clicks on window mode lines to select and manipulate
479 Some areas of the mode line, such as the buffer name, and major and minor
480 mode names, have their own special mouse bindings. These areas are
481 highlighted when you hold the mouse over them, and information about
482 the special bindings will be displayed (@pxref{Tooltips}). This
483 section's commands do not apply in those areas.
487 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(mode line)}
488 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a mode line selects the window it belongs to. By
489 dragging @kbd{Mouse-1} on the mode line, you can move it, thus
490 changing the height of the windows above and below. Changing heights
491 with the mouse in this way never deletes windows, it just refuses to
492 make any window smaller than the minimum height.
495 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
496 @kbd{Mouse-2} on a mode line expands that window to fill its frame.
499 @kindex Mouse-3 @r{(mode line)}
500 @kbd{Mouse-3} on a mode line deletes the window it belongs to. If the
501 frame has only one window, it buries the current buffer instead, and
502 switches to another buffer.
505 @kindex C-mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
506 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a mode line splits the window above
507 horizontally, above the place in the mode line where you click.
510 @kindex C-Mouse-2 @r{(scroll bar)}
511 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(scroll bar)}
512 Using @kbd{Mouse-1} on the divider between two side-by-side mode
513 lines, you can move the vertical boundary left or right. Using
514 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a scroll bar splits the corresponding window
515 vertically. @xref{Split Window}.
517 @node Creating Frames
518 @section Creating Frames
519 @cindex creating frames
522 The prefix key @kbd{C-x 5} is analogous to @kbd{C-x 4}, with
523 parallel subcommands. The difference is that @kbd{C-x 5} commands
524 create a new frame rather than just a new window in the selected frame
525 (@pxref{Pop Up Window}). If an existing visible or iconified
526 (``minimized'') frame already displays the requested material, these
527 commands use the existing frame, after raising or deiconifying
528 (``un-minimizing'') as necessary.
530 The various @kbd{C-x 5} commands differ in how they find or create the
536 @findex make-frame-command
537 Create a new frame (@code{make-frame-command}).
538 @item C-x 5 b @var{bufname} @key{RET}
539 Select buffer @var{bufname} in another frame. This runs
540 @code{switch-to-buffer-other-frame}.
541 @item C-x 5 f @var{filename} @key{RET}
542 Visit file @var{filename} and select its buffer in another frame. This
543 runs @code{find-file-other-frame}. @xref{Visiting}.
544 @item C-x 5 d @var{directory} @key{RET}
545 Select a Dired buffer for directory @var{directory} in another frame.
546 This runs @code{dired-other-frame}. @xref{Dired}.
548 Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
549 @code{mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of @kbd{C-x m}.
552 Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
553 @code{find-tag-other-frame}, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
555 @item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
557 @findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
558 Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
559 frame. This runs @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
563 @cindex default-frame-alist
564 @cindex initial-frame-alist
565 @cindex face customization, in init file
566 @cindex color customization, in init file
567 You can control the appearance of new frames you create by setting the
568 frame parameters in @code{default-frame-alist}. You can use the
569 variable @code{initial-frame-alist} to specify parameters that affect
570 only the initial frame. @xref{Initial Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs
571 Lisp Reference Manual}, for more information.
573 @cindex font (default)
574 Here is an example of using @code{default-frame-alist} to specify
575 the default foreground color and font:
578 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "10x20"))
579 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist
580 '(foreground-color . "blue"))
584 By putting such customizations in your init file, you can control the
585 appearance of all the frames Emacs creates, including the initial one
586 (@pxref{Init File}). @xref{Fonts}, for other ways to set the default
590 @section Frame Commands
592 The following commands let you create, delete and operate on frames:
596 @kindex C-z @r{(X windows)}
597 @findex suspend-frame
598 Minimize (or ``iconify) the selected Emacs frame
599 (@code{suspend-frame}). @xref{Exiting}.
604 Delete the selected frame (@code{delete-frame}). This is not allowed
605 if there is only one frame.
610 Select another frame, raise it, and warp the mouse to it. If you
611 repeat this command, it cycles through all the frames on your
616 @findex delete-other-frames
617 Delete all frames except the selected one.
620 The @kbd{C-x 5 0} (@code{delete-frame}) command will never delete
621 the last frame, to prevent you from losing the ability to interact
622 with the Emacs process. Note that when Emacs is run as a daemon
623 (@pxref{Emacs Server}), there is always a ``virtual frame'' that
624 remains after all the ordinary, interactive frames are deleted. In
625 this case, @kbd{C-x 5 0} can delete the last interactive frame; you
626 can use @command{emacsclient} to reconnect to the Emacs session.
628 @vindex focus-follows-mouse
629 On X, you may have to tell Emacs how the system (or the window
630 manager) handles focus-switching between windows, in order for the
631 command @kbd{C-x 5 o} (@code{other-frame}) to work properly.
632 Unfortunately, there is no way for Emacs to detect this automatically,
633 so you should set the variable @code{focus-follows-mouse}. If simply
634 moving the mouse onto a window selects it and gives it focus, the
635 variable should be @code{t}; if you have to click on the window to
636 select it, the variable should be @code{nil}. The default is
639 The window manager that is part of MS-Windows always gives focus to
640 a frame that raises, so this variable has no effect in the native
641 MS-Windows build of Emacs.
647 By default, Emacs displays text in X using a 12-point monospace
648 font. There are several different ways to specify a different font:
652 Click on @samp{Set Default Font} in the @samp{Options} menu. To save
653 this for future sessions, click on @samp{Save Options} in the
657 Add a line to your init file (@pxref{Init File}), modifying the
658 variable @code{default-frame-alist} to specify the @code{font}
659 parameter (@pxref{Creating Frames}), like this:
662 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "DejaVu Sans Mono-12"))
665 @cindex X defaults file
666 @cindex X resources file
668 Add an @samp{emacs.font} X resource setting to your X resource file,
672 emacs.font: DejaVu Sans Mono-12
676 You must restart X, or use the @command{xrdb} command, for the X
677 resources file to take effect. @xref{Resources}. When specifying a
678 font in your X resources file, you should not quote it.
681 If you are running Emacs on the GNOME desktop, you can tell Emacs to
682 use the default system font by setting the variable
683 @code{font-use-system-font} to @code{t} (the default is @code{nil}).
684 For this to work, Emacs must be compiled with Gconf support; this is
685 done automatically if the libraries are present at compile time.
688 Use the command line option @samp{-fn} (or @samp{--font}). @xref{Font
693 On X, there are four different ways to express a ``font name''. The
694 first is to use a @dfn{Fontconfig pattern}. Fontconfig patterns have
698 @var{fontname}[-@var{fontsize}][:@var{name1}=@var{values1}][:@var{name2}=@var{values2}]...
702 Within this format, any of the elements in braces may be omitted.
703 Here, @var{fontname} is the @dfn{family name} of the font, such as
704 @samp{Monospace} or @samp{DejaVu Serif}; @var{fontsize} is the
705 @dfn{point size} of the font (one @dfn{printer's point} is about 1/72
706 of an inch); and the @samp{@var{name}=@var{values}} entries specify
707 settings such as the slant and weight of the font. Each @var{values}
708 may be a single value, or a list of values separated by commas. In
709 addition, some property values are valid with only one kind of
710 property name, in which case the @samp{@var{name}=} part may be
713 Here is a list of common font properties:
717 One of @samp{italic}, @samp{oblique} or @samp{roman}.
720 One of @samp{light}, @samp{medium}, @samp{demibold}, @samp{bold} or
724 Some fonts define special styles which are a combination of slant and
725 weight. For instance, @samp{Dejavu Sans} defines the @samp{book}
726 style, which overrides the slant and weight properties.
729 One of @samp{condensed}, @samp{normal}, or @samp{expanded}.
732 One of @samp{monospace}, @samp{proportional}, @samp{dual-width}, or
737 Here are some examples of Fontconfig patterns:
743 DejaVu Sans Mono:bold:italic
744 Monospace-12:weight=bold:slant=italic
747 For a more detailed description of Fontconfig patterns, see the
748 Fontconfig manual, which is distributed with Fontconfig and available
749 online at @url{http://fontconfig.org/fontconfig-user.html}.
751 The second way to specify a font is to use a @dfn{GTK font
752 description}. These have the syntax
755 @var{fontname} [@var{properties}] [@var{fontsize}]
759 where @var{fontname} is the family name, @var{properties} is a list of
760 property values separated by spaces, and @var{fontsize} is the point
761 size. The properties that you may specify are as follows:
765 One of @samp{roman}, @samp{italic} or @samp{oblique}. If omitted, the
766 @samp{roman} style is used.
768 One of @samp{medium}, @samp{ultra-light}, @samp{light},
769 @samp{semi-bold}, or @samp{bold}. If omitted, @samp{medium} weight is
774 Here are some examples of GTK font descriptions:
778 Monospace Bold Italic 12
782 @cindex X Logical Font Description
783 The third way to specify a font is to use an @dfn{XLFD} (@dfn{X
784 Logical Font Description}). This is the traditional method for
785 specifying fonts under X. Each XLFD consists of fourteen words or
786 numbers, separated by dashes, like this:
789 -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1
793 A wildcard character (@samp{*}) in an XLFD matches any sequence of
794 characters (including none), and @samp{?} matches any single
795 character. However, matching is implementation-dependent, and can be
796 inaccurate when wildcards match dashes in a long name. For reliable
797 results, supply all 14 dashes and use wildcards only within a field.
798 Case is insignificant in an XLFD. The syntax for an XLFD is as
802 -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{}
803 @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{registry}-@var{encoding}
807 The entries have the following meanings:
811 The name of the font manufacturer.
813 The name of the font family (e.g. @samp{courier}).
815 The font weight---normally either @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or
816 @samp{light}. Some font names support other values.
818 The font slant---normally @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic),
819 @samp{o} (oblique), @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other).
820 Some font names support other values.
822 The font width---normally @samp{normal}, @samp{condensed},
823 @samp{extended}, or @samp{semicondensed} (some font names support
826 An optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most long
827 font names have two hyphens in a row at this point.
829 The font height, in pixels.
831 The font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's
832 point. This is the point size of the font, times ten. For a given
833 vertical resolution, @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional;
834 therefore, it is common to specify just one of them and use @samp{*}
837 The horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for which
838 the font is intended.
840 The vertical resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for which
841 the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on your
842 system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally
843 specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}.
845 This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c}
848 The average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten.
851 The X font character set that the font depicts. (X font character
852 sets are not the same as Emacs character sets, but they are similar.)
853 You can use the @command{xfontsel} program to check which choices you
854 have. Normally you should use @samp{iso8859} for @var{registry} and
855 @samp{1} for @var{encoding}.
858 The fourth and final method of specifying a font is to use a ``font
859 nickname''. Certain fonts have shorter nicknames, which you can use
860 instead of a normal font specification. For instance, @samp{6x13} is
864 -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1
867 @cindex client-side fonts
868 @cindex server-side fonts
869 On X, Emacs recognizes two types of fonts: @dfn{client-side} fonts,
870 which are provided by the Xft and Fontconfig libraries, and
871 @dfn{server-side} fonts, which are provided by the X server itself.
872 Most client-side fonts support advanced font features such as
873 antialiasing and subpixel hinting, while server-side fonts do not.
874 Fontconfig and GTK patterns match only client-side fonts.
876 @cindex listing system fonts
877 You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is,
878 a font in which all characters have the same width. For Xft and
879 Fontconfig fonts, you can use the @command{fc-list} command to list
880 the available fixed-width fonts, like this:
883 fc-list :spacing=mono fc-list :spacing=charcell
887 For server-side X fonts, you can use the @command{xlsfonts} program to
888 list the available fixed-width fonts, like this:
891 xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+"
892 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*'
893 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*'
897 Any font with @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the
898 XLFD is a fixed-width font. To see what a particular font looks like,
899 use the @command{xfd} command. For example:
906 displays the entire font @samp{6x13}.
908 While running Emacs, you can also set the font of a specific kind of
909 text (@pxref{Faces}), or a particular frame (@pxref{Frame
913 @section Speedbar Frames
916 @cindex attached frame (of speedbar)
917 The @dfn{speedbar} is a special frame for conveniently navigating in
918 or operating on another frame. The speedbar, when it exists, is
919 always associated with a specific frame, called its @dfn{attached
920 frame}; all speedbar operations act on that frame.
922 Type @kbd{M-x speedbar} to create the speedbar and associate it with
923 the current frame. To dismiss the speedbar, type @kbd{M-x speedbar}
924 again, or select the speedbar and type @kbd{q}. (You can also delete
925 the speedbar frame like any other Emacs frame.) If you wish to
926 associate the speedbar with a different frame, dismiss it and call
927 @kbd{M-x speedbar} from that frame.
929 The speedbar can operate in various modes. Its default mode is
930 @dfn{File Display} mode, which shows the files in the current
931 directory of the selected window of the attached frame, one file per
932 line. Clicking on a file name visits that file in the selected window
933 of the attached frame, and clicking on a directory name shows that
934 directory in the speedbar (@pxref{Mouse References}). Each line also
935 has a box, @samp{[+]} or @samp{<+>}, that you can click on to
936 @dfn{expand} the contents of that item. Expanding a directory adds
937 the contents of that directory to the speedbar display, underneath the
938 directory's own line. Expanding an ordinary file adds a list of the
939 tags in that file to the speedbar display; you can click on a tag name
940 to jump to that tag in the selected window of the attached frame.
941 When a file or directory is expanded, the @samp{[+]} changes to
942 @samp{[-]}; you can click on that box to @dfn{contract} the item,
945 You navigate through the speedbar using the keyboard, too. Typing
946 @kbd{RET} while point is on a line in the speedbar is equivalent to
947 clicking the item on the current line, and @kbd{SPC} expands or
948 contracts the item. @kbd{U} displays the parent directory of the
949 current directory. To copy, delete, or rename the file on the current
950 line, type @kbd{C}, @kbd{D}, and @kbd{R} respectively. To create a
951 new directory, type @kbd{M}.
953 Another general-purpose speedbar mode is @dfn{Buffer Display} mode;
954 in this mode, the speedbar displays a list of Emacs buffers. To
955 switch to this mode, type @kbd{b} in the speedbar. To return to File
956 Display mode, type @kbd{f}. You can also change the display mode by
957 clicking @kbd{mouse-3} anywhere in the speedbar window (or
958 @kbd{mouse-1} on the mode-line) and selecting @samp{Displays} in the
961 Some major modes, including Rmail mode, Info, and GUD, have
962 specialized ways of putting useful items into the speedbar for you to
963 select. For example, in Rmail mode, the speedbar shows a list of Rmail
964 files, and lets you move the current message to another Rmail file by
965 clicking on its @samp{<M>} box.
967 For more details on using and programming the speedbar, @xref{Top,
968 Speedbar,,speedbar, Speedbar Manual}.
970 @node Multiple Displays
971 @section Multiple Displays
972 @cindex multiple displays
974 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display. Initially, Emacs
975 uses just one display---the one specified with the @env{DISPLAY}
976 environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial
977 Options}). To connect to another display, use the command
978 @code{make-frame-on-display}:
980 @findex make-frame-on-display
982 @item M-x make-frame-on-display @key{RET} @var{display} @key{RET}
983 Create a new frame on display @var{display}.
986 A single X server can handle more than one screen. When you open
987 frames on two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows they share a
988 single keyboard, and it treats all the commands arriving from these
989 screens as a single stream of input.
991 When you open frames on different X servers, Emacs makes a separate
992 input stream for each server. Each server also has its own selected
993 frame. The commands you enter with a particular X server apply to
994 that server's selected frame.
996 It is even possible to use this feature to let two or more users
997 type simultaneously on the two displays, within the same Emacs job.
998 In practice, however, the different users can easily interfere with
999 each others' edits if they are not careful.
1001 @node Special Buffer Frames
1002 @section Special Buffer Frames
1004 @vindex special-display-buffer-names
1005 You can make certain chosen buffers, which Emacs normally displays
1006 in ``another window,'' appear in special frames of their own. To do
1007 this, set the variable @code{special-display-buffer-names} to a list
1008 of buffer names; any buffer whose name is in that list automatically
1009 gets a special frame, when an Emacs command wants to display it ``in
1012 For example, if you set the variable this way,
1015 (setq special-display-buffer-names
1016 '("*Completions*" "*grep*" "*tex-shell*"))
1020 then completion lists, @code{grep} output and the @TeX{} mode shell
1021 buffer get individual frames of their own. These frames, and the
1022 windows in them, are never automatically split or reused for any other
1023 buffers. They continue to show the buffers they were created for,
1024 unless you alter them by hand. Killing the special buffer deletes its
1025 frame automatically.
1027 @vindex special-display-regexps
1028 More generally, you can set @code{special-display-regexps} to a list
1029 of regular expressions; then a buffer gets its own frame if its name
1030 matches any of those regular expressions. (Once again, this applies only
1031 to buffers that normally get displayed for you in ``another window.'')
1033 @vindex special-display-frame-alist
1034 The variable @code{special-display-frame-alist} specifies the frame
1035 parameters for these frames. It has a default value, so you don't need
1038 For those who know Lisp, an element of
1039 @code{special-display-buffer-names} or @code{special-display-regexps}
1040 can also be a list. Then the first element is the buffer name or
1041 regular expression; the rest of the list specifies how to create the
1042 frame. It can be an association list specifying frame parameter
1043 values; these values take precedence over parameter values specified
1044 in @code{special-display-frame-alist}. If you specify the symbol
1045 @code{same-window} as a ``frame parameter'' in this list, with a
1046 non-@code{nil} value, that means to use the selected window if
1047 possible. If you use the symbol @code{same-frame} as a ``frame
1048 parameter'' in this list, with a non-@code{nil} value, that means to
1049 use the selected frame if possible.
1051 Alternatively, the value can have this form:
1054 (@var{function} @var{args}...)
1058 where @var{function} is a symbol. Then the frame is constructed by
1059 calling @var{function}; its first argument is the buffer, and its
1060 remaining arguments are @var{args}.
1062 An analogous feature lets you specify buffers which should be
1063 displayed in the selected window. @xref{Force Same Window}. The
1064 same-window feature takes precedence over the special-frame feature;
1065 therefore, if you add a buffer name to
1066 @code{special-display-buffer-names} and it has no effect, check to see
1067 whether that feature is also in use for the same buffer name.
1069 @node Frame Parameters
1070 @section Setting Frame Parameters
1071 @cindex Auto-Raise mode
1072 @cindex Auto-Lower mode
1074 These commands are available for controlling the window management
1075 behavior of the selected frame:
1078 @findex auto-raise-mode
1079 @item M-x auto-raise-mode
1080 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-raise. Auto-raise
1081 means that every time you move the mouse onto the frame, it raises the
1084 Some window managers also implement auto-raise. If you enable
1085 auto-raise for Emacs frames in your window manager, it will work, but
1086 it is beyond Emacs' control, so @code{auto-raise-mode} has no effect
1089 @findex auto-lower-mode
1090 @item M-x auto-lower-mode
1091 Toggle whether or not the selected frame should auto-lower.
1092 Auto-lower means that every time you move the mouse off the frame,
1093 the frame moves to the bottom of the stack on the screen.
1095 The command @code{auto-lower-mode} has no effect on auto-lower
1096 implemented by the window manager. To control that, you must use the
1097 appropriate window manager features.
1100 In Emacs versions that use an X toolkit, the color-setting and
1101 font-setting functions don't affect menus and the menu bar, since they
1102 are displayed by their own widget classes. To change the appearance of
1103 the menus and menu bar, you must use X resources (@pxref{Resources}).
1104 @xref{Colors}, regarding colors. @xref{Font X}, regarding choice of
1107 Colors, fonts, and other attributes of the frame's display can also
1108 be customized by setting frame parameters in the variable
1109 @code{default-frame-alist} (@pxref{Creating Frames}). For a detailed
1110 description of frame parameters and customization, see @ref{Frame
1111 Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1114 @section Scroll Bars
1115 @cindex Scroll Bar mode
1116 @cindex mode, Scroll Bar
1118 On graphical displays, Emacs normally makes a @dfn{scroll bar} at
1119 the left of each Emacs window, running the height of the
1120 window.@footnote{Placing it at the left is usually more useful with
1121 overlapping frames with text starting at the left margin.}
1123 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support on the X window system, or
1124 in operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or Mac OS, you can use
1125 the scroll bar as you do in other graphical applications. If you
1126 click @kbd{Mouse-1} on the scroll bar's up and down buttons, that
1127 scrolls the window by one line at a time. Clicking @kbd{Mouse-1}
1128 above or below the scroll bar's inner box scrolls the window by nearly
1129 the entire height of the window, like @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{C-v}
1130 respectively (@pxref{Moving Point}). Dragging the inner box with
1131 @kbd{Mouse-1} scrolls the window continuously.
1133 If Emacs is compiled without GTK+ support on the X window system,
1134 the scroll bar behaves differently. The scroll bar's inner box is
1135 drawn to represent the portion of the buffer currently displayed, with
1136 the entire height of the scroll bar representing the entire length of
1137 the buffer. @kbd{Mouse-1} anywhere on the scroll bar scrolls forward
1138 like @kbd{C-v}, and @kbd{Mouse-3} scrolls backward like @kbd{M-v}.
1139 Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} in the scroll bar lets you move or drag the
1140 inner box up and down.
1142 You can also click @kbd{C-Mouse-2} in the scroll bar to split a
1143 window vertically. The split occurs on the line where you click.
1145 @findex scroll-bar-mode
1146 @vindex scroll-bar-mode
1147 You can toggle the use of the scroll bar with the command @kbd{M-x
1148 scroll-bar-mode}. With a prefix argument, this command turns use of
1149 scroll bars on if and only if the argument is positive. This command
1150 applies to all frames, including frames yet to be created. Customize
1151 the variable @code{scroll-bar-mode} to control the use of scroll bars
1152 at startup. You can use it to specify that they are placed at the
1153 right of windows if you prefer that. You have to set this variable
1154 through the @samp{Customize} interface (@pxref{Easy Customization}),
1155 or it will not work properly. You can also use the X resource
1156 @samp{verticalScrollBars} to control the initial setting of Scroll Bar
1157 mode. @xref{Resources}.
1159 @findex toggle-scroll-bar
1160 To enable or disable scroll bars for just the selected frame, use the
1161 command @kbd{M-x toggle-scroll-bar}.
1163 @vindex scroll-bar-width
1164 @cindex width of the scroll bar
1165 You can control the scroll bar width by changing the value of the
1166 @code{scroll-bar-width} frame parameter.
1169 @section Scrolling With ``Wheeled'' Mice
1172 @cindex wheel, mouse
1173 @findex mouse-wheel-mode
1174 @cindex Mouse Wheel minor mode
1175 @cindex mode, Mouse Wheel
1176 Some mice have a ``wheel'' instead of a third button. You can
1177 usually click the wheel to act as either @kbd{Mouse-2} or
1178 @kbd{Mouse-3}, depending on the setup. You can also use the wheel to
1179 scroll windows instead of using the scroll bar or keyboard commands.
1180 Mouse wheel support only works if the system generates appropriate
1181 events; whenever possible, it is turned on by default. To toggle this
1182 feature, use @kbd{M-x mouse-wheel-mode}.
1184 @vindex mouse-wheel-follow-mouse
1185 @vindex mouse-wheel-scroll-amount
1186 @vindex mouse-wheel-progressive-speed
1187 The two variables @code{mouse-wheel-follow-mouse} and
1188 @code{mouse-wheel-scroll-amount} determine where and by how much
1189 buffers are scrolled. The variable
1190 @code{mouse-wheel-progressive-speed} determines whether the scroll
1191 speed is linked to how fast you move the wheel.
1194 @section Drag and Drop
1195 @cindex drag and drop
1197 Emacs supports @dfn{drag and drop} using the mouse. For instance,
1198 dropping text onto an Emacs frame inserts the text where it is dropped.
1199 Dropping a file onto an Emacs frame visits that file. As a special
1200 case, dropping the file on a Dired buffer moves or copies the file
1201 (according to the conventions of the application it came from) into the
1202 directory displayed in that buffer.
1204 @vindex dnd-open-file-other-window
1205 Dropping a file normally visits it in the window you drop it on. If
1206 you prefer to visit the file in a new window in such cases, customize
1207 the variable @code{dnd-open-file-other-window}.
1209 The XDND and Motif drag and drop protocols, and the old KDE 1.x
1210 protocol, are currently supported.
1214 @cindex Menu Bar mode
1215 @cindex mode, Menu Bar
1216 @findex menu-bar-mode
1217 @vindex menu-bar-mode
1219 You can turn display of menu bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
1220 menu-bar-mode} or by customizing the variable @code{menu-bar-mode}.
1221 With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a
1222 minor mode. With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
1223 argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive. You can use
1224 the X resource @samp{menuBar} to control the initial setting of
1225 Menu Bar mode. @xref{Resources}.
1227 @kindex C-Mouse-3 @r{(when menu bar is disabled)}
1228 Expert users often turn off the menu bar, especially on text-only
1229 terminals, where this makes one additional line available for text.
1230 If the menu bar is off, you can still pop up a menu of its contents
1231 with @kbd{C-Mouse-3} on a display which supports pop-up menus.
1232 @xref{Menu Mouse Clicks}.
1234 @xref{Menu Bar}, for information on how to invoke commands with the
1235 menu bar. @xref{X Resources}, for how to customize the menu bar
1236 menus' visual appearance.
1240 @cindex Tool Bar mode
1241 @cindex mode, Tool Bar
1242 @cindex icons, toolbar
1244 The @dfn{tool bar} is a line (or lines) of icons at the top of the
1245 Emacs window, just below the menu bar. You can click on these icons
1246 with the mouse to do various jobs.
1248 The global tool bar contains general commands. Some major modes
1249 define their own tool bars to replace it. A few ``special'' modes
1250 that are not designed for ordinary editing remove some items from the
1253 Tool bars work only on a graphical display. The tool bar uses colored
1254 XPM icons if Emacs was built with XPM support. Otherwise, the tool
1255 bar uses monochrome icons (PBM or XBM format).
1257 @findex tool-bar-mode
1258 @vindex tool-bar-mode
1259 You can turn display of tool bars on or off with @kbd{M-x
1260 tool-bar-mode} or by customizing the option @code{tool-bar-mode}.
1262 @vindex tool-bar-style
1263 @cindex Tool Bar style
1264 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support, tool bars can have text and images.
1265 Customize @code{tool-bar-style} to select style. The default style is
1266 the same as for the desktop in the Gnome case. If no default is found,
1267 the tool bar uses just images.
1269 @cindex Tool Bar position
1270 You can also control the placement of the tool bar for the GTK+ tool bar
1271 with the frame parameter @code{tool-bar-position}.
1272 For a detailed description of frame parameters and customization,
1273 see @ref{Frame Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1276 @section Using Dialog Boxes
1277 @cindex dialog boxes
1279 @vindex use-dialog-box
1280 A dialog box is a special kind of menu for asking you a yes-or-no
1281 question or some other special question. Many Emacs commands use a
1282 dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
1283 invoke the command that led to the question.
1285 To disable the use of dialog boxes, change the variable
1286 @code{use-dialog-box} to @code{nil}. In that case, Emacs always
1287 performs yes-or-no prompts using the echo area and keyboard input.
1288 This variable also controls whether to use file selection windows (but
1289 those are not supported on all platforms).
1291 @vindex use-file-dialog
1292 @cindex file selection dialog, how to disable
1293 A file selection window is a special kind of dialog box for asking
1294 for file names. You can customize the variable @code{use-file-dialog}
1295 to suppress the use of file selection windows, even if you still want
1296 other kinds of dialogs. This variable has no effect if you have
1297 suppressed all dialog boxes with the variable @code{use-dialog-box}.
1299 @vindex x-gtk-show-hidden-files
1300 @vindex x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text
1301 @cindex hidden files, in GTK+ file chooser
1302 @cindex help text, in GTK+ file chooser
1303 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support, it uses the GTK+ ``file
1304 chooser'' dialog. Emacs adds an additional toggle button to this
1305 dialog, which you can use to enable or disable the display of hidden
1306 files (files starting with a dot) in that dialog. If you want this
1307 toggle to be activated by default, change the variable
1308 @code{x-gtk-show-hidden-files} to @code{t}. In addition, Emacs adds
1309 help text to the GTK+ file chooser dialog; to disable this help text,
1310 change the variable @code{x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text} to @code{nil}.
1312 @vindex x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog
1313 In GTK+ versions 2.4 through 2.10, you can choose to use an older
1314 version of the GTK+ file dialog by setting the variable
1315 @code{x-gtk-use-old-file-dialog} to a non-@code{nil} value. If Emacs
1316 is built with a GTK+ version that has only one file dialog, this
1317 variable has no effect.
1323 @dfn{Tooltips} are small windows that display text information at the
1324 current mouse position. They activate when there is a pause in mouse
1325 movement. There are two types of tooltip: help tooltips and GUD
1328 @dfn{Help tooltips} typically display over text---including the mode
1329 line---but are also available for other parts of the Emacs frame, such
1330 as the tool bar and menu items.
1332 @findex tooltip-mode
1333 You can toggle display of help tooltips (Tooltip mode) with the
1334 command @kbd{M-x tooltip-mode}. When Tooltip mode is disabled, the
1335 help text is displayed in the echo area instead.
1337 @dfn{GUD tooltips} show values of variables. They are useful when
1338 you are debugging a program. @xref{Debugger Operation}.
1340 @vindex tooltip-delay
1341 The variables @code{tooltip-delay} specifies how long Emacs should
1342 wait before displaying a tooltip. For additional customization
1343 options for displaying tooltips, use @kbd{M-x customize-group
1344 @key{RET} tooltip @key{RET}}. @xref{X Resources}, for information on
1345 customizing the windows that display tooltips.
1347 @node Mouse Avoidance
1348 @section Mouse Avoidance
1349 @cindex avoiding mouse in the way of your typing
1350 @cindex mouse avoidance
1352 On graphical terminals, the mouse pointer may obscure the text in
1353 the Emacs frame. Emacs provides two methods to avoid this problem.
1355 @vindex make-pointer-invisible
1356 Firstly, Emacs hides the mouse pointer each time you type a
1357 self-inserting character, if the pointer lies inside an Emacs frame;
1358 moving the mouse pointer makes it visible again. To disable this
1359 feature, set the variable @code{make-pointer-invisible} to @code{nil}.
1361 @vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
1362 Secondly, you can use Mouse Avoidance mode, a minor mode, to keep
1363 the mouse pointer away from point. To use Mouse Avoidance mode,
1364 customize the variable @code{mouse-avoidance-mode}. You can set this
1365 to various values to move the mouse in several ways:
1369 Move the mouse to the upper-right corner on any key-press;
1371 Move the mouse to the corner only if the cursor gets too close,
1372 and allow it to return once the cursor is out of the way;
1374 If the cursor gets too close to the mouse, displace the mouse
1375 a random distance & direction;
1377 As @code{jump}, but shows steps along the way for illusion of motion;
1379 The same as @code{animate};
1381 As @code{animate}, but changes the shape of the mouse pointer too.
1384 @findex mouse-avoidance-mode
1385 You can also use the command @kbd{M-x mouse-avoidance-mode} to enable
1386 the mode. Whenever Mouse Avoidance mode moves the mouse, it also
1389 @node Non-Window Terminals
1390 @section Non-Window Terminals
1391 @cindex non-window terminals
1392 @cindex single-frame terminals
1394 On a text-only terminal, Emacs can display only one Emacs frame at a
1395 time. However, you can still create multiple Emacs frames, and switch
1396 between them. Switching frames on these terminals is much like
1397 switching between different window configurations.
1399 Use @kbd{C-x 5 2} to create a new frame and switch to it; use @kbd{C-x
1400 5 o} to cycle through the existing frames; use @kbd{C-x 5 0} to delete
1403 Each frame has a number to distinguish it. If your terminal can
1404 display only one frame at a time, the selected frame's number @var{n}
1405 appears near the beginning of the mode line, in the form
1408 @findex set-frame-name
1409 @findex select-frame-by-name
1410 @samp{F@var{n}} is in fact the frame's initial name. You can give
1411 frames more meaningful names if you wish, and you can select a frame
1412 by its name. Use the command @kbd{M-x set-frame-name @key{RET}
1413 @var{name} @key{RET}} to specify a new name for the selected frame,
1414 and use @kbd{M-x select-frame-by-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}}
1415 to select a frame according to its name. The name you specify appears
1416 in the mode line when the frame is selected.
1418 @node Text-Only Mouse
1419 @section Using a Mouse in Terminal Emulators
1420 @cindex mouse support
1421 @cindex terminal emulators, mouse support
1423 Some text-only terminals support mouse clicks in the terminal window.
1426 In a terminal emulator which is compatible with @code{xterm},
1427 you can use @kbd{M-x xterm-mouse-mode} to give Emacs control over
1428 simple use of the mouse---basically, only non-modified single clicks
1429 are supported. The normal @code{xterm} mouse functionality for such
1430 clicks is still available by holding down the @kbd{SHIFT} key when you
1431 press the mouse button. Xterm Mouse mode is a global minor mode
1432 (@pxref{Minor Modes}). Repeating the command turns the mode off
1435 @findex gpm-mouse-mode
1436 In the console on GNU/Linux, you can use @kbd{M-x gpm-mouse-mode} to
1437 enable terminal mouse support. You must have the gpm package
1438 installed and running on your system in order for this to work.