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author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 15 Sep 1997 05:08:48 +0000 |
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@c -*-texinfo-*- @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. @setfilename ../info/frames @node Frames, Positions, Windows, Top @chapter Frames @cindex frame A @dfn{frame} is a rectangle on the screen that contains one or more Emacs windows. A frame initially contains a single main window (plus perhaps a minibuffer window), which you can subdivide vertically or horizontally into smaller windows. @cindex terminal frame @cindex X window frame When Emacs runs on a text-only terminal, it starts with one @dfn{terminal frame}. If you create additional ones, Emacs displays one and only one at any given time---on the terminal screen, of course. When Emacs communicates directly with an X server, it does not have a terminal frame; instead, it starts with a single @dfn{X window frame}. It can display multiple X window frames at the same time, each in its own X window. @defun framep object This predicate returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a frame, and @code{nil} otherwise. @end defun @menu * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames. * Multiple Displays:: Creating frames on other X displays. * Frame Parameters:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc. * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles. * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted. * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames. * Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows; display of text always works through windows. * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use. * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame. * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons. * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other X windows; lowering it makes the others hide them. * Frame Configurations:: Saving the state of all frames. * Mouse Tracking:: Getting events that say when the mouse moves. * Mouse Position:: Asking where the mouse is, or moving it. * Pop-Up Menus:: Displaying a menu for the user to select from. * Dialog Boxes:: Displaying a box to ask yes or no. * Pointer Shapes:: Specifying the shape of the mouse pointer. * X Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients. * Color Names:: Getting the definitions of color names. * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server. * Server Data:: Getting info about the X server. @end menu @xref{Display}, for related information. @node Creating Frames @section Creating Frames To create a new frame, call the function @code{make-frame}. @defun make-frame &optional alist This function creates a new frame. If you are using X, it makes an X window frame; otherwise, it makes a terminal frame. The argument is an alist specifying frame parameters. Any parameters not mentioned in @var{alist} default according to the value of the variable @code{default-frame-alist}; parameters not specified even there default from the standard X defaults file and X resources. The set of possible parameters depends in principle on what kind of window system Emacs uses to display its frames. @xref{X Frame Parameters}, for documentation of individual parameters you can specify. @end defun @defvar before-make-frame-hook A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} before it actually creates the frame. @end defvar @defvar after-make-frame-hook A normal hook run by @code{make-frame} after it creates the frame. @end defvar @node Multiple Displays @section Multiple Displays @cindex multiple displays @cindex multiple X terminals @cindex displays, multiple A single Emacs can talk to more than one X Windows display. Initially, Emacs uses just one display---the one chosen with the @code{DISPLAY} environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial Options,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). To connect to another display, use the command @code{make-frame-on-display} or specify the @code{display} frame parameter when you create the frame. Emacs treats each X server as a separate terminal, giving each one its own selected frame and its own minibuffer windows. A few Lisp variables have values local to the current terminal (that is, the terminal corresponding to the currently selected frame): these are @code{default-minibuffer-frame}, @code{defining-kbd-macro}, @code{last-kbd-macro}, and @code{system-key-alist}. These variables are always terminal-local and can never be buffer-local. A single X server can handle more than one screen. A display name @samp{@var{host}.@var{server}.@var{screen}} has three parts; the last part specifies the screen number for a given server. When you use two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows by the similarity in their names that they share a single keyboard, and it treats them as a single terminal. @deffn Command make-frame-on-display display &optional parameters This creates a new frame on display @var{display}, taking the other frame parameters from @var{parameters}. Aside from the @var{display} argument, it is like @code{make-frame} (@pxref{Creating Frames}). @end deffn @defun x-display-list This returns a list that indicates which X displays Emacs has a connection to. The elements of the list are strings, and each one is a display name. @end defun @defun x-open-connection display &optional xrm-string This function opens a connection to the X display @var{display}. It does not create a frame on that display, but it permits you to check that communication can be established with that display. The optional argument @var{resource-string}, if not @code{nil}, is a string of resource names and values, in the same format used in the @file{.Xresources} file. The values you specify override the resource values recorded in the X server itself; they apply to all Emacs frames created on this display. Here's an example of what this string might look like: @example "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n" @end example @xref{Resources}. @end defun @defun x-close-connection display This function closes the connection to display @var{display}. Before you can do this, you must first delete all the frames that were open on that display (@pxref{Deleting Frames}). @end defun @node Frame Parameters @section Frame Parameters A frame has many parameters that control its appearance and behavior. Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it uses. Frame parameters exist for the sake of window systems. A terminal frame has a few parameters, mostly for compatibility's sake; only the height, width and @code{buffer-predicate} parameters really do something. @menu * Parameter Access:: How to change a frame's parameters. * Initial Parameters:: Specifying frame parameters when you make a frame. * X Frame Parameters:: List of frame parameters. * Size and Position:: Changing the size and position of a frame. @end menu @node Parameter Access @subsection Access to Frame Parameters These functions let you read and change the parameter values of a frame. @defun frame-parameters frame The function @code{frame-parameters} returns an alist listing all the parameters of @var{frame} and their values. @end defun @defun modify-frame-parameters frame alist This function alters the parameters of frame @var{frame} based on the elements of @var{alist}. Each element of @var{alist} has the form @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, where @var{parm} is a symbol naming a parameter. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value doesn't change. @end defun @node Initial Parameters @subsection Initial Frame Parameters You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame by setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your @file{.emacs} file. @defvar initial-frame-alist This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating the initial X window frame. You can set this variable to specify the appearance of the initial frame without altering subsequent frames. Each element has the form: @example (@var{parameter} . @var{value}) @end example Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your @file{~/.emacs} file. After reading that file, Emacs checks @code{initial-frame-alist}, and applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already created initial frame. If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll see the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the specified ones. If that bothers you, you can specify the same geometry and appearance with X resources; those do take affect before the frame is created. @xref{Resources X,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. X resource settings typically apply to all frames. If you want to specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame, and you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how to achieve this. Specify parameters in @code{default-frame-alist} to override the X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent these from affecting the initial frame, specify the same parameters in @code{initial-frame-alist} with values that match the X resources. @end defvar If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with @code{(minibuffer . nil)}, and you have not created one, Emacs creates one for you. @defvar minibuffer-frame-alist This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when creating an initial minibuffer-only frame---if such a frame is needed, according to the parameters for the main initial frame. @end defvar @defvar default-frame-alist This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for all Emacs frames---the first frame, and subsequent frames. In many cases, you can get the same results by means of X resources. @end defvar See also @code{special-display-frame-alist}, in @ref{Choosing Window}. If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke Emacs, they take effect by adding elements to @code{default-frame-alist}. One exception is @samp{-geometry}, which adds the specified position to @code{initial-frame-alist} instead. @xref{Command Arguments,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. @node X Frame Parameters @subsection X Window Frame Parameters Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it uses. Here is a table of the parameters of an X window frame; of these, @code{name}, @code{height}, @code{width}, and @code{buffer-predicate} provide meaningful information in non-X frames. @table @code @item name The name of the frame. Most window managers display the frame's name in the frame's border, at the top of the frame. If you don't specify a name, and you have more than one frame, Emacs sets the frame name based on the buffer displayed in the frame's selected window. If you specify the frame name explicitly when you create the frame, the name is also used (instead of the name of the Emacs executable) when looking up X resources for the frame. @item display The display on which to open this frame. It should be a string of the form @code{"@var{host}:@var{dpy}.@var{screen}"}, just like the @code{DISPLAY} environment variable. @item left The screen position of the left edge, in pixels, with respect to the left edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a negative @var{pos} value. A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(- @var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the right edge of the window with respect to the right edge of the screen. A positive value of @var{pos} counts toward the left. If the parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos} then @var{pos} is positive! Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well. @item top The screen position of the top edge, in pixels, with respect to the top edge of the screen. The value may be a positive number @var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(+ @var{pos})} which permits specifying a negative @var{pos} value. A negative number @minus{}@var{pos}, or a list of the form @code{(- @var{pos})}, actually specifies the position of the bottom edge of the window with respect to the bottom edge of the screen. A positive value of @var{pos} counts toward the top. If the parameter is a negative integer @minus{}@var{pos} then @var{pos} is positive! Some window managers ignore program-specified positions. If you want to be sure the position you specify is not ignored, specify a non-@code{nil} value for the @code{user-position} parameter as well. @item icon-left The screen position of the left edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in pixels, counting from the left edge of the screen. This takes effect if and when the frame is iconified. @item icon-top The screen position of the top edge @emph{of the frame's icon}, in pixels, counting from the top edge of the screen. This takes effect if and when the frame is iconified. @item user-position When you create a frame and specify its screen position with the @code{left} and @code{top} parameters, use this parameter to say whether the specified position was user-specified (explicitly requested in some way by a human user) or merely program-specified (chosen by a program). A non-@code{nil} value says the position was user-specified. Window managers generally heed user-specified positions, and some heed program-specified positions too. But many ignore program-specified positions, placing the window in a default fashion or letting the user place it with the mouse. Some window managers, including @code{twm}, let the user specify whether to obey program-specified positions or ignore them. When you call @code{make-frame}, you should specify a non-@code{nil} value for this parameter if the values of the @code{left} and @code{top} parameters represent the user's stated preference; otherwise, use @code{nil}. @item height The height of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-height}; see @ref{Size and Position}.) @item width The width of the frame contents, in characters. (To get the height in pixels, call @code{frame-pixel-width}; see @ref{Size and Position}.) @item window-id The number of the X window for the frame. @item minibuffer Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. The value @code{t} means yes, @code{nil} means no, @code{only} means this frame is just a minibuffer. If the value is a minibuffer window (in some other frame), the new frame uses that minibuffer. @item buffer-predicate The buffer-predicate function for this frame. The function @code{other-buffer} uses this predicate (from the selected frame) to decide which buffers it should consider, if the predicate is not @code{nil}. It calls the predicate with one arg, a buffer, once for each buffer; if the predicate returns a non-@code{nil} value, it considers that buffer. @item font The name of the font for displaying text in the frame. This is a string. @item auto-raise Whether selecting the frame raises it (non-@code{nil} means yes). @item auto-lower Whether deselecting the frame lowers it (non-@code{nil} means yes). @item vertical-scroll-bars Whether the frame has scroll bars for vertical scrolling (non-@code{nil} means yes). @item horizontal-scroll-bars Whether the frame has scroll bars for horizontal scrolling (non-@code{nil} means yes). (Horizontal scroll bars are not currently implemented.) @item scroll-bar-width The width of the vertical scroll bar, in pixels. @item icon-type The type of icon to use for this frame when it is iconified. If the value is a string, that specifies a file containing a bitmap to use. Any other non-@code{nil} value specifies the default bitmap icon (a picture of a gnu); @code{nil} specifies a text icon. @item icon-name The name to use in the icon for this frame, when and if the icon appears. If this is @code{nil}, the frame's title is used. @item foreground-color The color to use for the image of a character. This is a string; the X server defines the meaningful color names. @item background-color The color to use for the background of characters. @item mouse-color The color for the mouse pointer. @item cursor-color The color for the cursor that shows point. @item border-color The color for the border of the frame. @item cursor-type The way to display the cursor. The legitimate values are @code{bar}, @code{box}, and @code{(bar . @var{width})}. The symbol @code{box} specifies an ordinary black box overlaying the character after point; that is the default. The symbol @code{bar} specifies a vertical bar between characters as the cursor. @code{(bar . @var{width})} specifies a bar @var{width} pixels wide. @item border-width The width in pixels of the window border. @item internal-border-width The distance in pixels between text and border. @item unsplittable If non-@code{nil}, this frame's window is never split automatically. @item visibility The state of visibility of the frame. There are three possibilities: @code{nil} for invisible, @code{t} for visible, and @code{icon} for iconified. @xref{Visibility of Frames}. @item menu-bar-lines The number of lines to allocate at the top of the frame for a menu bar. The default is 1. @xref{Menu Bar}. (In Emacs versions that use the X toolkit, there is only one menu bar line; all that matters about the number you specify is whether it is greater than zero.) @item parent-id @c ??? Not yet working. The X window number of the window that should be the parent of this one. Specifying this lets you create an Emacs window inside some other application's window. (It is not certain this will be implemented; try it and see if it works.) @end table @node Size and Position @subsection Frame Size And Position You can read or change the size and position of a frame using the frame parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height}, and @code{width}. Whatever geometry parameters you don't specify are chosen by the window manager in its usual fashion. Here are some special features for working with sizes and positions: @defun set-frame-position frame left top This function sets the position of the top left corner of @var{frame} to @var{left} and @var{top}. These arguments are measured in pixels, and count from the top left corner of the screen. Negative parameter values count up or rightward from the top left corner of the screen. @end defun @defun frame-height &optional frame @defunx frame-width &optional frame These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in characters. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the selected frame. @end defun @defun frame-pixel-height &optional frame @defunx frame-pixel-width &optional frame These functions return the height and width of @var{frame}, measured in pixels. If you don't supply @var{frame}, they use the selected frame. @end defun @defun frame-char-height &optional frame @defunx frame-char-width &optional frame These functions return the height and width of a character in @var{frame}, measured in pixels. The values depend on the choice of font. If you don't supply @var{frame}, these functions use the selected frame. @end defun @defun set-frame-size frame cols rows This function sets the size of @var{frame}, measured in characters; @var{cols} and @var{rows} specify the new width and height. To set the size based on values measured in pixels, use @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} to convert them to units of characters. @end defun The old-fashioned functions @code{set-screen-height} and @code{set-screen-width}, which were used to specify the height and width of the screen in Emacs versions that did not support multiple frames, are still usable. They apply to the selected frame. @xref{Screen Size}. @defun x-parse-geometry geom @cindex geometry specification The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X windows geometry string to an alist that you can use as part of the argument to @code{make-frame}. The alist describes which parameters were specified in @var{geom}, and gives the values specified for them. Each element looks like @code{(@var{parameter} . @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter} values are @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}. For the size parameters, the value must be an integer. The position parameter names @code{left} and @code{top} are not totally accurate, because some values indicate the position of the right or bottom edges instead. These are the @var{value} possibilities for the position parameters: @table @asis @item an integer A positive integer relates the left edge or top edge of the window to the left or top edge of the screen. A negative integer relates the right or bottom edge of the window to the right or bottom edge of the screen. @item @code{(+ @var{position})} This specifies the position of the left or top edge of the window relative to the left or top edge of the screen. The integer @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a position outside the screen. @item @code{(- @var{position})} This specifies the position of the right or bottom edge of the window relative to the right or bottom edge of the screen. The integer @var{position} may be positive or negative; a negative value specifies a position outside the screen. @end table Here is an example: @example (x-parse-geometry "35x70+0-0") @result{} ((width . 35) (height . 70) (left . 0) (top - 0)) @end example @end defun @ignore New functions @code{set-frame-height} and @code{set-frame-width} set the size of a specified frame. The frame is the first argument; the size is the second. @end ignore @node Frame Titles @section Frame Titles Every frame has a title; most window managers display the frame title at the top of the frame. You can specify an explicit title with the @code{name} frame property. But normally you don't specify this explicitly, and Emacs computes the title automatically. Emacs computes the frame title based on a template stored in the variable @code{frame-title-format}. @defvar frame-title-format This variable specifies how to compute a title for a frame when you have not explicitly specified one. The variable's value is actually a mode line construct, just like @code{mode-line-format}. @xref{Mode Line Data}. @end defvar @defvar icon-title-format This variable specifies how to compute the title for an iconified frame, when you have not explicitly specified the frame title. This title appears in the icon itself. @end defvar @defvar multiple-frames This variable is set automatically by Emacs. Its value is @code{t} when there are two or more frames (not counting minibuffer-only frames or invisible frames). The default value of @code{frame-title-format} uses @code{multiple-frames} so as to put the buffer name in the frame title only when there is more than one frame. @end defvar @node Deleting Frames @section Deleting Frames @cindex deletion of frames Frames remain potentially visible until you explicitly @dfn{delete} them. A deleted frame cannot appear on the screen, but continues to exist as a Lisp object until there are no references to it. There is no way to cancel the deletion of a frame aside from restoring a saved frame configuration (@pxref{Frame Configurations}); this is similar to the way windows behave. @deffn Command delete-frame &optional frame This function deletes the frame @var{frame}. By default, @var{frame} is the selected frame. @end deffn @defun frame-live-p frame The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the frame @var{frame} has not been deleted. @end defun Some window managers provide a command to delete a window. These work by sending a special message to the program that operates the window. When Emacs gets one of these commands, it generates a @code{delete-frame} event, whose normal definition is a command that calls the function @code{delete-frame}. @xref{Misc Events}. @node Finding All Frames @section Finding All Frames @defun frame-list The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that have not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list} for buffers. The list that you get is newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect on the internals of Emacs. @end defun @defun visible-frame-list This function returns a list of just the currently visible frames. @xref{Visibility of Frames}. (Terminal frames always count as ``visible'', even though only the selected one is actually displayed.) @end defun @defun next-frame &optional frame minibuf The function @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all the frames from an arbitrary starting point. It returns the ``next'' frame after @var{frame} in the cycle. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, it defaults to the selected frame. The second argument, @var{minibuf}, says which frames to consider: @table @asis @item @code{nil} Exclude minibuffer-only frames. @item @code{visible} Consider all visible frames. @item 0 Consider all visible or iconified frames. @item a window Consider only the frames using that particular window as their minibuffer. @item anything else Consider all frames. @end table @end defun @defun previous-frame &optional frame minibuf Like @code{next-frame}, but cycles through all frames in the opposite direction. @end defun See also @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window}, in @ref{Cyclic Window Ordering}. @node Frames and Windows @section Frames and Windows Each window is part of one and only one frame; you can get the frame with @code{window-frame}. @defun window-frame window This function returns the frame that @var{window} is on. @end defun All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a cyclic order. The order runs from the frame's top window, which is at the upper left corner, down and to the right, until it reaches the window at the lower right corner (always the minibuffer window, if the frame has one), and then it moves back to the top. @defun frame-top-window frame This returns the topmost, leftmost window of frame @var{frame}. @end defun At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the frame}. The significance of this designation is that selecting the frame also selects this window. You can get the frame's current selected window with @code{frame-selected-window}. @defun frame-selected-window frame This function returns the window on @var{frame} that is selected within @var{frame}. @end defun Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also makes that window selected within its frame. @xref{Selecting Windows}. Another function that (usually) returns one of the windows in a frame is @code{minibuffer-window}. @xref{Minibuffer Misc}. @node Minibuffers and Frames @section Minibuffers and Frames Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which is used whenever that frame is selected. If the frame has a minibuffer, you can get it with @code{minibuffer-window} (@pxref{Minibuffer Misc}). However, you can also create a frame with no minibuffer. Such a frame must use the minibuffer window of some other frame. When you create the frame, you can specify explicitly the minibuffer window to use (in some other frame). If you don't, then the minibuffer is found in the frame which is the value of the variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame}. Its value should be a frame that does have a minibuffer. If you use a minibuffer-only frame, you might want that frame to raise when you enter the minibuffer. If so, set the variable @code{minibuffer-auto-raise} to @code{t}. @xref{Raising and Lowering}. @defvar default-minibuffer-frame This variable specifies the frame to use for the minibuffer window, by default. It is always local to the current terminal and cannot be buffer-local. @xref{Multiple Displays}. @end defvar @node Input Focus @section Input Focus @cindex input focus @cindex selected frame At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected window always resides on the selected frame. @defun selected-frame This function returns the selected frame. @end defun The X server normally directs keyboard input to the X window that the mouse is in. Some window managers use mouse clicks or keyboard events to @dfn{shift the focus} to various X windows, overriding the normal behavior of the server. Lisp programs can switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the function @code{select-frame}. This does not override the window manager; rather, it escapes from the window manager's control until that control is somehow reasserted. When using a text-only terminal, there is no window manager; therefore, @code{switch-frame} is the only way to switch frames, and the effect lasts until overridden by a subsequent call to @code{switch-frame}. Only the selected terminal frame is actually displayed on the terminal. Each terminal screen except for the initial one has a number, and the number of the selected frame appears in the mode line after the word @samp{Emacs} (@pxref{Mode Line Variables}). @c ??? This is not yet implemented properly. @defun select-frame frame This function selects frame @var{frame}, temporarily disregarding the focus of the X server if any. The selection of @var{frame} lasts until the next time the user does something to select a different frame, or until the next time this function is called. @end defun Emacs cooperates with the X server and the window managers by arranging to select frames according to what the server and window manager ask for. It does so by generating a special kind of input event, called a @dfn{focus} event. The command loop handles a focus event by calling @code{handle-switch-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}. @deffn Command handle-switch-frame frame This function handles a focus event by selecting frame @var{frame}. Focus events normally do their job by invoking this command. Don't call it for any other reason. @end deffn @defun redirect-frame-focus frame focus-frame This function redirects focus from @var{frame} to @var{focus-frame}. This means that @var{focus-frame} will receive subsequent keystrokes intended for @var{frame}. After such an event, the value of @code{last-event-frame} will be @var{focus-frame}. Also, switch-frame events specifying @var{frame} will instead select @var{focus-frame}. If @var{focus-frame} is @code{nil}, that cancels any existing redirection for @var{frame}, which therefore once again receives its own events. One use of focus redirection is for frames that don't have minibuffers. These frames use minibuffers on other frames. Activating a minibuffer on another frame redirects focus to that frame. This puts the focus on the minibuffer's frame, where it belongs, even though the mouse remains in the frame that activated the minibuffer. Selecting a frame can also change focus redirections. Selecting frame @code{bar}, when @code{foo} had been selected, changes any redirections pointing to @code{foo} so that they point to @code{bar} instead. This allows focus redirection to work properly when the user switches from one frame to another using @code{select-window}. This means that a frame whose focus is redirected to itself is treated differently from a frame whose focus is not redirected. @code{select-frame} affects the former but not the latter. The redirection lasts until @code{redirect-frame-focus} is called to change it. @end defun @node Visibility of Frames @section Visibility of Frames @cindex visible frame @cindex invisible frame @cindex iconified frame @cindex frame visibility An X window frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or @dfn{iconified}. If it is visible, you can see its contents. If it is iconified, the frame's contents do not appear on the screen, but an icon does. If the frame is invisible, it doesn't show on the screen, not even as an icon. Visibility is meaningless for terminal frames, since only the selected one is actually displayed in any case. @deffn Command make-frame-visible &optional frame This function makes frame @var{frame} visible. If you omit @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame visible. @end deffn @deffn Command make-frame-invisible &optional frame This function makes frame @var{frame} invisible. If you omit @var{frame}, it makes the selected frame invisible. @end deffn @deffn Command iconify-frame &optional frame This function iconifies frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, it iconifies the selected frame. @end deffn @defun frame-visible-p frame This returns the visibility status of frame @var{frame}. The value is @code{t} if @var{frame} is visible, @code{nil} if it is invisible, and @code{icon} if it is iconified. @end defun The visibility status of a frame is also available as a frame parameter. You can read or change it as such. @xref{X Frame Parameters}. The user can iconify and deiconify frames with the window manager. This happens below the level at which Emacs can exert any control, but Emacs does provide events that you can use to keep track of such changes. @xref{Misc Events}. @node Raising and Lowering @section Raising and Lowering Frames The X Window System uses a desktop metaphor. Part of this metaphor is the idea that windows are stacked in a notional third dimension perpendicular to the screen surface, and thus ordered from ``highest'' to ``lowest''. Where two windows overlap, the one higher up covers the one underneath. Even a window at the bottom of the stack can be seen if no other window overlaps it. @cindex raising a frame @cindex lowering a frame A window's place in this ordering is not fixed; in fact, users tend to change the order frequently. @dfn{Raising} a window means moving it ``up'', to the top of the stack. @dfn{Lowering} a window means moving it to the bottom of the stack. This motion is in the notional third dimension only, and does not change the position of the window on the screen. You can raise and lower Emacs's X windows with these functions: @deffn Command raise-frame frame This function raises frame @var{frame}. @end deffn @deffn Command lower-frame frame This function lowers frame @var{frame}. @end deffn @defopt minibuffer-auto-raise If this is non-@code{nil}, activation of the minibuffer raises the frame that the minibuffer window is in. @end defopt You can also enable auto-raise (raising automatically when a frame is selected) or auto-lower (lowering automatically when it is deselected) for any frame using frame parameters. @xref{X Frame Parameters}. @node Frame Configurations @section Frame Configurations @cindex frame configuration A @dfn{frame configuration} records the current arrangement of frames, all their properties, and the window configuration of each one. @defun current-frame-configuration This function returns a frame configuration list that describes the current arrangement of frames and their contents. @end defun @defun set-frame-configuration configuration This function restores the state of frames described in @var{configuration}. @end defun @node Mouse Tracking @section Mouse Tracking @cindex mouse tracking @cindex tracking the mouse Sometimes it is useful to @dfn{track} the mouse, which means to display something to indicate where the mouse is and move the indicator as the mouse moves. For efficient mouse tracking, you need a way to wait until the mouse actually moves. The convenient way to track the mouse is to ask for events to represent mouse motion. Then you can wait for motion by waiting for an event. In addition, you can easily handle any other sorts of events that may occur. That is useful, because normally you don't want to track the mouse forever---only until some other event, such as the release of a button. @defspec track-mouse body@dots{} Execute @var{body}, meanwhile generating input events for mouse motion. The code in @var{body} can read these events with @code{read-event} or @code{read-key-sequence}. @xref{Motion Events}, for the format of mouse motion events. The value of @code{track-mouse} is that of the last form in @var{body}. @end defspec The usual purpose of tracking mouse motion is to indicate on the screen the consequences of pushing or releasing a button at the current position. In many cases, you can avoid the need to track the mouse by using the @code{mouse-face} text property (@pxref{Special Properties}). That works at a much lower level and runs more smoothly than Lisp-level mouse tracking. @ignore @c These are not implemented yet. These functions change the screen appearance instantaneously. The effect is transient, only until the next ordinary Emacs redisplay. That is ok for mouse tracking, since it doesn't make sense for mouse tracking to change the text, and the body of @code{track-mouse} normally reads the events itself and does not do redisplay. @defun x-contour-region window beg end This function draws lines to make a box around the text from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. @end defun @defun x-uncontour-region window beg end This function erases the lines that would make a box around the text from @var{beg} to @var{end}, in window @var{window}. Use it to remove a contour that you previously made by calling @code{x-contour-region}. @end defun @defun x-draw-rectangle frame left top right bottom This function draws a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top left corner. It uses the cursor color, the one used for indicating the location of point. @end defun @defun x-erase-rectangle frame left top right bottom This function erases a hollow rectangle on frame @var{frame} with the specified edge coordinates, all measured in pixels from the inside top left corner. Erasure means redrawing the text and background that normally belong in the specified rectangle. @end defun @end ignore @node Mouse Position @section Mouse Position @cindex mouse position @cindex position of mouse The functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position} give access to the current position of the mouse. @defun mouse-position This function returns a description of the position of the mouse. The value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x} and @var{y} are integers giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}. @end defun @defun set-mouse-position frame x y This function @dfn{warps the mouse} to position @var{x}, @var{y} in frame @var{frame}. The arguments @var{x} and @var{y} are integers, giving the position in characters relative to the top left corner of the inside of @var{frame}. @end defun @defun mouse-pixel-position This function is like @code{mouse-position} except that it returns coordinates in units of pixels rather than units of characters. @end defun @defun set-mouse-pixel-position frame x y This function warps the mouse like @code{set-mouse-position} except that @var{x} and @var{y} are in units of pixels rather than units of characters. These coordinates are not required to be within the frame. @end defun @need 3000 @node Pop-Up Menus @section Pop-Up Menus When using X windows, a Lisp program can pop up a menu which the user can choose from with the mouse. @defun x-popup-menu position menu This function displays a pop-up menu and returns an indication of what selection the user makes. The argument @var{position} specifies where on the screen to put the menu. It can be either a mouse button event (which says to put the menu where the user actuated the button) or a list of this form: @example ((@var{xoffset} @var{yoffset}) @var{window}) @end example @noindent where @var{xoffset} and @var{yoffset} are coordinates, measured in pixels, counting from the top left corner of @var{window}'s frame. If @var{position} is @code{t}, it means to use the current mouse position. If @var{position} is @code{nil}, it means to precompute the key binding equivalents for the keymaps specified in @var{menu}, without actually displaying or popping up the menu. The argument @var{menu} says what to display in the menu. It can be a keymap or a list of keymaps (@pxref{Menu Keymaps}). Alternatively, it can have the following form: @example (@var{title} @var{pane1} @var{pane2}...) @end example @noindent where each pane is a list of form @example (@var{title} (@var{line} . @var{item})...) @end example Each @var{line} should be a string, and each @var{item} should be the value to return if that @var{line} is chosen. @end defun @strong{Usage note:} Don't use @code{x-popup-menu} to display a menu if a prefix key with a menu keymap would do the job. If you use a menu keymap to implement a menu, @kbd{C-h c} and @kbd{C-h a} can see the individual items in that menu and provide help for them. If instead you implement the menu by defining a command that calls @code{x-popup-menu}, the help facilities cannot know what happens inside that command, so they cannot give any help for the menu's items. The menu bar mechanism, which lets you switch between submenus by moving the mouse, cannot look within the definition of a command to see that it calls @code{x-popup-menu}. Therefore, if you try to implement a submenu using @code{x-popup-menu}, it cannot work with the menu bar in an integrated fashion. This is why all menu bar submenus are implemented with menu keymaps within the parent menu, and never with @code{x-popup-menu}. @xref{Menu Bar}, If you want a menu bar submenu to have contents that vary, you should still use a menu keymap to implement it. To make the contents vary, add a hook function to @code{menu-bar-update-hook} to update the contents of the menu keymap as necessary. @node Dialog Boxes @section Dialog Boxes @cindex dialog boxes A dialog box is a variant of a pop-up menu. It looks a little different (if Emacs uses an X toolkit), it always appears in the center of a frame, and it has just one level and one pane. The main use of dialog boxes is for asking questions that the user can answer with ``yes'', ``no'', and a few other alternatives. The functions @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{yes-or-no-p} use dialog boxes instead of the keyboard, when called from commands invoked by mouse clicks. @defun x-popup-dialog position contents This function displays a pop-up dialog box and returns an indication of what selection the user makes. The argument @var{contents} specifies the alternatives to offer; it has this format: @example (@var{title} (@var{string} . @var{value})@dots{}) @end example @noindent which looks like the list that specifies a single pane for @code{x-popup-menu}. The return value is @var{value} from the chosen alternative. An element of the list may be just a string instead of a cons cell @code{(@var{string} . @var{value})}. That makes a box that cannot be selected. If @code{nil} appears in the list, it separates the left-hand items from the right-hand items; items that precede the @code{nil} appear on the left, and items that follow the @code{nil} appear on the right. If you don't include a @code{nil} in the list, then approximately half the items appear on each side. Dialog boxes always appear in the center of a frame; the argument @var{position} specifies which frame. The possible values are as in @code{x-popup-menu}, but the precise coordinates don't matter; only the frame matters. If your Emacs executable does not use an X toolkit, then it cannot display a real dialog box; so instead it displays the same items in a pop-up menu in the center of the frame. @end defun @node Pointer Shapes @section Pointer Shapes @cindex pointer shape @cindex mouse pointer shape These variables specify which shape to use for the mouse pointer in various situations: @table @code @item x-pointer-shape @vindex x-pointer-shape This variable specifies the pointer shape to use ordinarily in the Emacs frame. @item x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape @vindex x-sensitive-text-pointer-shape This variable specifies the pointer shape to use when the mouse is over mouse-sensitive text. @end table These variables affect newly created frames. They do not normally affect existing frames; however, if you set the mouse color of a frame, that also updates its pointer shapes based on the current values of these variables. @xref{X Frame Parameters}. The values you can use, to specify either of these pointer shapes, are defined in the file @file{lisp/term/x-win.el}. Use @kbd{M-x apropos @key{RET} x-pointer @key{RET}} to see a list of them. @node X Selections @section X Selections @cindex selection (for X windows) The X server records a set of @dfn{selections} which permit transfer of data between application programs. The various selections are distinguished by @dfn{selection types}, represented in Emacs by symbols. X clients including Emacs can read or set the selection for any given type. @defun x-set-selection type data This function sets a ``selection'' in the X server. It takes two arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to assign to it, @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to clear out the selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a symbol, an integer (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), an overlay, or a cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. An overlay or a pair of markers stands for text in the overlay or between the markers. The data may also be a vector of valid non-vector selection values. Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY} and @code{SECONDARY}; these are symbols with upper-case names, in accord with X Window System conventions. The default is @code{PRIMARY}. @end defun @defun x-get-selection &optional type data-type This function accesses selections set up by Emacs or by other X clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type}, the selection type, is @code{PRIMARY}. The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to use, to convert the raw data obtained from another X client into Lisp data. Meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING}, @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE}, @code{FILE_NAME}, @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, @code{OWNER_OS}, @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, @code{NAME}, @code{ATOM}, and @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with upper-case names in accord with X conventions.) The default for @var{data-type} is @code{STRING}. @end defun @cindex cut buffer The X server also has a set of numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can store text or other data being moved between applications. Cut buffers are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the sake of X clients that still use them. @defun x-get-cut-buffer n This function returns the contents of cut buffer number @var{n}. @end defun @defun x-set-cut-buffer string This function stores @var{string} into the first cut buffer (cut buffer 0), moving the other values down through the series of cut buffers, much like the way successive kills in Emacs move down the kill ring. @end defun @node Color Names @section Color Names @defun x-color-defined-p color &optional frame This function reports whether a color name is meaningful. It returns @code{t} if so; otherwise, @code{nil}. The argument @var{frame} says which frame's display to ask about; if @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the selected frame is used. Note that this does not tell you whether the display you are using really supports that color. You can ask for any defined color on any kind of display, and you will get some result---that is how the X server works. Here's an approximate way to test whether your display supports the color @var{color}: @example (defun x-color-supported-p (color &optional frame) (and (x-color-defined-p color frame) (or (x-display-color-p frame) (member color '("black" "white")) (and (> (x-display-planes frame) 1) (equal color "gray"))))) @end example @end defun @defun x-color-values color &optional frame This function returns a value that describes what @var{color} should ideally look like. If @var{color} is defined, the value is a list of three integers, which give the amount of red, the amount of green, and the amount of blue. Each integer ranges in principle from 0 to 65535, but in practice no value seems to be above 65280. If @var{color} is not defined, the value is @code{nil}. @example (x-color-values "black") @result{} (0 0 0) (x-color-values "white") @result{} (65280 65280 65280) (x-color-values "red") @result{} (65280 0 0) (x-color-values "pink") @result{} (65280 49152 51968) (x-color-values "hungry") @result{} nil @end example The color values are returned for @var{frame}'s display. If @var{frame} is omitted or @code{nil}, the information is return for the selected frame's display. @end defun @node Resources @section X Resources @defun x-get-resource attribute class &optional component subclass The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X Windows defaults database. Resources are indexed by a combination of a @dfn{key} and a @dfn{class}. This function searches using a key of the form @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}} (where @var{instance} is the name under which Emacs was invoked), and using @samp{Emacs.@var{class}} as the class. The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither. If you specify them, the key is @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is @samp{Emacs.@var{class}.@var{subclass}}. @end defun @xref{Resources X,, X Resources, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. @node Server Data @section Data about the X Server This section describes functions you can use to get information about the capabilities and origin of an X display that Emacs is using. Each of these functions lets you specify the display you are interested in: the @var{display} argument can be either a display name, or a frame (meaning use the display that frame is on). If you omit the @var{display} argument, or specify @code{nil}, that means to use the selected frame's display. @defun x-display-screens &optional display This function returns the number of screens associated with the display. @end defun @defun x-server-version &optional display This function returns the list of version numbers of the X server running the display. @end defun @defun x-server-vendor &optional display This function returns the vendor that provided the X server software. @end defun @defun x-display-pixel-height &optional display This function returns the height of the screen in pixels. @end defun @defun x-display-mm-height &optional display This function returns the height of the screen in millimeters. @end defun @defun x-display-pixel-width &optional display This function returns the width of the screen in pixels. @end defun @defun x-display-mm-width &optional display This function returns the width of the screen in millimeters. @end defun @defun x-display-backing-store &optional display This function returns the backing store capability of the screen. Values can be the symbols @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or @code{not-useful}. @end defun @defun x-display-save-under &optional display This function returns non-@code{nil} if the display supports the SaveUnder feature. @end defun @defun x-display-planes &optional display This function returns the number of planes the display supports. @end defun @defun x-display-visual-class &optional display This function returns the visual class for the screen. The value is one of the symbols @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale}, @code{static-color}, @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and @code{direct-color}. @end defun @defun x-display-grayscale-p &optional display This function returns @code{t} if the screen can display shades of gray. @end defun @defun x-display-color-p &optional display This function returns @code{t} if the screen is a color screen. @end defun @defun x-display-color-cells &optional display This function returns the number of color cells the screen supports. @end defun @ignore @defvar x-no-window-manager This variable's value is is @code{t} if no X window manager is in use. @end defvar @end ignore @ignore @item The functions @code{x-pixel-width} and @code{x-pixel-height} return the width and height of an X Window frame, measured in pixels. @end ignore