@c This is part of the Emacs manual.@c Copyright (C) 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003,@c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.@node X Resources, Antinews, Emacs Invocation, Top@appendix X Options and Resources You can customize some X-related aspects of Emacs behavior using Xresources, as is usual for programs that use X. On MS-Windows, youcan customize some of the same aspects using the system registry.@xref{MS-Windows Registry}. Likewise, Emacs on MacOS Carbon emulates Xresources using the Preferences system. @xref{Mac Environment Variables}. When Emacs is built using an ``X toolkit,'' such as Lucid orLessTif, you need to use X resources to customize the appearance ofthe widgets, including the menu-bar, scroll-bar, and dialog boxes.This is because the libraries that implement these don't provide forcustomization through Emacs. GTK+ widgets use a separate system of``GTK resources.'' In this chapter we describe the most commonly usedresource specifications. For full documentation, see the onlinemanual.@c Add xref for LessTif/Motif menu resources.@menu* Resources:: Using X resources with Emacs (in general).* Table of Resources:: Table of specific X resources that affect Emacs.* Face Resources:: X resources for customizing faces.* Lucid Resources:: X resources for Lucid menus.* GTK resources:: Resources for GTK widgets.@end menu@node Resources@appendixsec X Resources@cindex resources@cindex X resources@cindex @file{~/.Xdefaults} file@cindex @file{~/.Xresources} file Programs running under the X Window System organize their useroptions under a hierarchy of classes and resources. You can specifydefault values for these options in your X resources file, usuallynamed @file{~/.Xdefaults} or @file{~/.Xresources}.If changes in @file{~/.Xdefaults} do nottake effect, it is because your X server stores its own list ofresources; to update them, use the shell command @command{xrdb}---forinstance, @samp{xrdb ~/.Xdefaults}. Each line in the file specifies a value for one option or for acollection of related options, for one program or for several programs(optionally even for all programs).@cindex Registry (MS-Windows) MS-Windows systems don't support @file{~/.Xdefaults} files, butEmacs compiled for Windows looks for X resources in the WindowsRegistry, under the key @samp{HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\GNU\Emacs}and then under the key @samp{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\GNU\Emacs}.The menu and scrollbars are native widgets on MS-Windows, so they areonly customizable via the system-wide settings in the Display ControlPanel. You can also set resources using the @samp{-xrm} command lineoption (see below.) Applications such as Emacs look for resources with specific namesand their particular meanings. Case distinctions are significant inthese names. Each resource specification in @file{~/.Xdefaults}states the name of the program and the name of the resource. ForEmacs, the program name is @samp{Emacs}. It looks like this:@exampleEmacs.borderWidth: 2@end example The order in which the lines appear in the file does not matter.Also, command-line options always override the X resources file. You can experiment with the effect of different resource settingswith the @code{editres} program. Select @samp{Get Tree} from the@samp{Commands} menu, then click on an Emacs frame. This will displaya tree showing the structure of X toolkit widgets used in an Emacsframe. Select one of them, such as @samp{menubar}, then select@samp{Show Resource Box} from the @samp{Commands} menu. This displaysa list of all the meaningful X resources for that widget, and allowsyou to edit them. Changes take effect when you click on the@samp{Apply} button. (See the @code{editres} man page for moredetails.)@node Table of Resources@appendixsec Table of X Resources for Emacs This table lists the resource names that designate options forEmacs, not counting those for the appearance of the menu bar, eachwith the class that it belongs to:@table @asis@item @code{background} (class @code{Background})Background color name.@item @code{borderColor} (class @code{BorderColor})Color name for the external border.@item @code{cursorColor} (class @code{Foreground})Color name for text cursor (point).@item @code{font} (class @code{Font})Font name (or fontset name, @pxref{Fontsets}) for @code{default} font.@item @code{foreground} (class @code{Foreground})Color name for text.@item @code{geometry} (class @code{Geometry})Window size and position. Be careful not to specify this resource as@samp{emacs*geometry}, because that may affect individual menus as wellas the Emacs frame itself.If this resource specifies a position, that position applies only to theinitial Emacs frame (or, in the case of a resource for a specific framename, only that frame). However, the size, if specified here, applies toall frames.@item @code{iconName} (class @code{Title})Name to display in the icon.@item @code{internalBorder} (class @code{BorderWidth})Width in pixels of the internal border.@item @code{lineSpacing} (class @code{LineSpacing})@cindex line spacing@cindex leadingAdditional space (@dfn{leading}) between lines, in pixels.@item @code{menuBar} (class @code{MenuBar})@cindex menu barGive frames menu bars if @samp{on}; don't have menu bars if@samp{off}. @xref{Lucid Resources}, for how to control the appearanceof the menu bar if you have one.@item @code{pointerColor} (class @code{Foreground})Color of the mouse cursor.@item @code{screenGamma} (class @code{ScreenGamma})@cindex gamma correctionGamma correction for colors, equivalent to the frame parameter@code{screen-gamma}.@item @code{title} (class @code{Title})Name to display in the title bar of the initial Emacs frame.@item @code{toolBar} (class @code{ToolBar})@cindex tool barNumber of lines to reserve for the tool bar. A zero value suppressesthe tool bar. If the value is non-zero and@code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar's sizewill be changed automatically so that all tool bar items are visible.@item @code{useXIM} (class @code{UseXIM})@cindex XIM@cindex X input methods@cindex input methods, XTurn off use of X input methods (XIM) if @samp{false} or @samp{off}.This is only relevant if your Emacs is actually built with XIMsupport. It is potentially useful to turn off XIM for efficiency,especially slow X client/server links.@item @code{verticalScrollBars} (class @code{ScrollBars})Give frames scroll bars if @samp{on}; don't have scroll bars if@samp{off}.@end table@node Face Resources@appendixsec X Resources for Faces You can use resources to customize the appearance of particularfaces (@pxref{Faces}):@table @code@item @var{face}.attributeForegroundForeground color for face @var{face}.@item @var{face}.attributeBackgroundBackground color for face @var{face}.@item @var{face}.attributeUnderlineUnderline flag for face @var{face}. Use @samp{on} or @samp{true} foryes.@item @var{face}.attributeStrikeThrough@itemx @var{face}.attributeOverline@itemx @var{face}.attributeBox@itemx @var{face}.attributeInverseLikewise, for other boolean font attributes.@item @var{face}.attributeStippleThe name of a pixmap data file to use for the stipple pattern, or@code{false} to not use stipple for the face @var{face}.@item @var{face}.attributeBackgroundPixmapThe background pixmap for the face @var{face}. Should be a name of apixmap file or @code{false}.@item @var{face}.attributeFontFont name (full XFD name or valid X abbreviation) for face @var{face}.Instead of this, you can specify the font through separate attributes.@end table Instead of using @code{attributeFont} to specify a font name, you canselect a font through these separate attributes:@table @code@item @var{face}.attributeFamilyFont family for face @var{face}.@item @var{face}.attributeHeightHeight of the font to use for face @var{face}: either an integerspecifying the height in units of 1/10@dmn{pt}, or a floating pointnumber that specifies a scale factor to scale the underlying face'sdefault font, or a function to be called with the default height whichwill return a new height.@item @var{face}.attributeWidth@itemx @var{face}.attributeWeight@itemx @var{face}.attributeSlantEach of these resources corresponds to a like-named font attribute,and you write the resource value the same as the symbol you would usefor the font attribute value.@item @var{face}.attributeBoldBold flag for face @var{face}---instead of @code{attributeWeight}. Use @samp{on} or @samp{true} foryes.@item @var{face}.attributeItalicItalic flag for face @var{face}---instead of @code{attributeSlant}.@end table@node Lucid Resources@appendixsec Lucid Menu X Resources@cindex Menu X Resources (Lucid widgets)@cindex Lucid Widget X Resources If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkitwith the Lucid menu widgets, then the menu bar is a separate widgetand has its own resources. The resource specifications start with@samp{Emacs.pane.menubar}---for instance, to specify the font@samp{8x16} for the menu-bar items, write this:@exampleEmacs.pane.menubar.font: 8x16@end example@noindentResources for @emph{non-menubar} toolkit pop-up menus have@samp{menu*} instead of @samp{pane.menubar}. For example, to specifythe font @samp{8x16} for the pop-up menu items, write this:@exampleEmacs.menu*.font: 8x16@end example@noindentFor dialog boxes, use @samp{dialog*}:@exampleEmacs.dialog*.font: 8x16@end example@noindentThe Lucid menus can display multilingual text in your locale. Formore information about fontsets see the man page for@code{XCreateFontSet}. To enable multilingual menu text you specify a@code{fontSet} resource instead of the font resource. If both@code{font} and @code{fontSet} resources are specified, the@code{fontSet} resource is used. Thus, to specify @samp{-*-helvetica-medium-r-*--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*,*}for both the popup and menu bar menus, write this:@exampleEmacs*menu*fontSet: -*-helvetica-medium-r-*--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*,*@end example@noindentThe @samp{*menu*} as a wildcard matches @samp{pane.menubar} and@samp{menu@dots{}}. Experience shows that on some systems you may need to add@samp{shell.}@: before the @samp{pane.menubar} or @samp{menu*}. Onsome other systems, you must not add @samp{shell.}. The generic wildcardapproach should work on both kinds of systems. Here is a list of the specific resources for menu bars and pop-up menus:@table @code@item fontFont for menu item text.@item fontSetFontset for menu item text.@item foregroundColor of the foreground.@item backgroundColor of the background.@item buttonForegroundIn the menu bar, the color of the foreground for a selected item.@item marginThe margin of the menu bar, in characters. Default is 1.@end table@node GTK resources@appendixsec GTK resources The most common way to customize the GTK widgets Emacs uses (menus, dialogstool bars and scroll bars) is by choosing an appropriate theme, for examplewith the GNOME theme selector. You can also do Emacs specific customizationby inserting GTK style directives in the file @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}. Some GTKthemes ignore customizations in @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc} so not everythingworks with all themes. To customize Emacs font, background, faces, etc., usethe normal X resources (@pxref{Resources}). We will present some examples ofcustomizations here, but for a more detailed description, see the online manual. The first example is just one line. It changes the font on all GTK widgetsto courier with size 12:@smallexamplegtk-font-name = "courier 12"@end smallexample The thing to note is that the font name is not an X font name, like-*-helvetica-medium-r-*--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*, but a Pango font name. A Pangofont name is basically of the format "family style size", where the styleis optional as in the case above. A name with a style could be for example:@smallexamplegtk-font-name = "helvetica bold 10"@end smallexample To customize widgets you first define a style and then apply the style tothe widgets. Here is an example that sets the font for menus, but notfor other widgets:@smallexample# @r{Define the style @samp{menufont}.}style "menufont"@{ font_name = "helvetica bold 14" # This is a Pango font name@}# @r{Specify that widget type @samp{*emacs-menuitem*} uses @samp{menufont}.}widget "*emacs-menuitem*" style "menufont"@end smallexampleThe widget name in this example contains wildcards, so the style will beapplied to all widgets that match "*emacs-menuitem*". The widgets arenamed by the way they are contained, from the outer widget to the inner widget.So to apply the style "my_style" (not shown) with the full, absolute name, forthe menubar and the scroll bar in Emacs we use:@smallexamplewidget "Emacs.pane.menubar" style "my_style"widget "Emacs.pane.emacs.verticalScrollBar" style "my_style"@end smallexampleBut to avoid having to type it all, wildcards are often used. @samp{*}matches zero or more characters and @samp{?} matches one character. So "*"matches all widgets. Each widget has a class (for example GtkMenuItem) and a name (emacs-menuitem).You can assign styles by name or by class. In this example we have used theclass:@smallexamplestyle "menufont"@{ font_name = "helvetica bold 14"@}widget_class "*GtkMenuBar" style "menufont"@end smallexample@noindentThe names and classes for the GTK widgets Emacs uses are:@multitable {@code{verticalScrollbar plus}} {@code{GtkFileSelection} and some}@item @code{emacs-filedialog}@tab @code{GtkFileSelection}@item @code{emacs-dialog}@tab @code{GtkDialog}@item @code{Emacs}@tab @code{GtkWindow}@item @code{pane}@tab @code{GtkVHbox}@item @code{emacs}@tab @code{GtkFixed}@item @code{verticalScrollBar}@tab @code{GtkVScrollbar}@item @code{emacs-toolbar}@tab @code{GtkToolbar}@item @code{menubar}@tab @code{GtkMenuBar}@item @code{emacs-menuitem}@tab anything in menus@end multitable GTK absolute names are quite strange when it comes to menusand dialogs. The names do not start with @samp{Emacs}, as they arefree-standing windows and not contained (in the GTK sense) by theEmacs GtkWindow. To customize the dialogs and menus, use wildcards like this:@smallexamplewidget "*emacs-dialog*" style "my_dialog_style"widget "*emacs-filedialog* style "my_file_style"widget "*emacs-menuitem* style "my_menu_style"@end smallexample If you specify a customization in @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}, then itautomatically applies only to Emacs, since other programs don't readthat file. For example, the drop down menu in the file dialog can notbe customized by any absolute widget name, only by an absolute classname. This is because the widgets in the drop down menu do nothave names and the menu is not contained in the Emacs GtkWindow. Tohave all menus in Emacs look the same, use this in@file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}:@smallexamplewidget_class "*Menu*" style "my_menu_style"@end smallexample Here is a more elaborate example, showing how to change the parts ofthe scroll bar:@smallexamplestyle "scroll"@{ fg[NORMAL] = "red"@ @ @ @ @ # @r{The arrow color.} bg[NORMAL] = "yellow"@ @ # @r{The thumb and background around the arrow.} bg[ACTIVE] = "blue"@ @ @ @ # @r{The trough color.} bg[PRELIGHT] = "white"@ # @r{The thumb color when the mouse is over it.}@}widget "*verticalScrollBar*" style "scroll"@end smallexample@ignore arch-tag: e1856f29-2482-42c0-a990-233cdccd1f21@end ignore