comparison lispref/text.texi @ 31372:3004c92de7b0

help-echo stuff

31371:334404109aae

@anchor{Text help-echo}
If text has a string as its @code{help-echo} property, then when you
move the mouse onto that text, Emacs displays that string in the echo
area, or in the tooltip window.

If the value of the @code{help-echo property} is a function, that
function is called with three arguments, @var{window}, @var{object} and
@var{position} and should return a help string or nil for
none.  The first argument, @var{window} is the window in which
the help was found.  The second, @var{object}, is the buffer, overlay or
string which had the @code{help-echo} property.  The @var{position}
argument is as follows:

If @var{object} is an overlay, that overlay has a @code{help-echo}
property, and @var{pos} is the position in the overlay's buffer under
the mouse.
@item
If @var{object} is a string (an overlay string or a string displayed
with the @code{display} property) @var{pos} is the position in that
string under the mouse.
@end itemize

If the value of the @code{help-echo} property is neither a function nor
a string, it is evaluated to obtain a help string.

Variable @code{show-help-function} (@pxref{Help display}) provides a
hook to alter the way help text is displayed.

This feature is used in the mode line and for other active text.  It is
available starting in Emacs 21.

@item local-map

@code{let}.
@end defvar

@defvar show-help-function
@tindex show-help-function
@anchor{Help display}
If this variable is non-@code{nil} it specifies a function called to
display help strings.  These may be @code{help-echo} properties or menu
(@pxref{Simple Menu Items}, @pxref{Extended Menu Items}) or tool bar
(@pxref{Tool Bar}) help strings.  The specified function is called with
one argument, the help string to display.  Tooltip mode
(@pxref{(emacs)Tooltips}) provides an example.
@end defvar

@node Format Properties
@subsection Formatted Text Properties

31372:3004c92de7b0

@anchor{Text help-echo}
If text has a string as its @code{help-echo} property, then when you
move the mouse onto that text, Emacs displays that string in the echo
area, or in the tooltip window.

If the value of the @code{help-echo} property is a function, that
function is called with three arguments, @var{window}, @var{object} and
@var{position} and should return a help string or @var{nil} for
none.  The first argument, @var{window} is the window in which
the help was found.  The second, @var{object}, is the buffer, overlay or
string which had the @code{help-echo} property.  The @var{position}
argument is as follows:

If @var{object} is an overlay, that overlay has a @code{help-echo}
property, and @var{pos} is the position in the overlay's buffer under
the mouse.
@item
If @var{object} is a string (an overlay string or a string displayed
with the @code{display} property), @var{pos} is the position in that
string under the mouse.
@end itemize

If the value of the @code{help-echo} property is neither a function nor
a string, it is evaluated to obtain a help string.

You can alter the way help text is displayed by setting the variable
@code{show-help-function} (@pxref{Help display}).

This feature is used in the mode line and for other active text.  It is
available starting in Emacs 21.

@item local-map

@code{let}.
@end defvar

@defvar show-help-function
@tindex show-help-function
@anchor{Help display} If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it specifies a
function called to display help strings.  These may be @code{help-echo}
properties, menu help strings (@pxref{Simple Menu Items},
@pxref{Extended Menu Items}), or tool bar help strings (@pxref{Tool
Bar}).  The specified function is called with one argument, the help
string to display.  Tooltip mode (@pxref{(emacs)Tooltips}) provides an
example.
@end defvar

@node Format Properties
@subsection Formatted Text Properties