@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003,
@c 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 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 X
resources, as is usual for programs that use X. On MS-Windows, you
can customize some of the same aspects using the system registry.
@xref{MS-Windows Registry}. Likewise, Emacs on MacOS Carbon emulates X
resources using the Preferences system. @xref{Mac Environment Variables}.
When Emacs is built using an ``X toolkit'', such as Lucid or
LessTif, you need to use X resources to customize the appearance of
the widgets, including the menu-bar, scroll-bar, and dialog boxes.
This is because the libraries that implement these don't provide for
customization through Emacs. GTK+ widgets use a separate system of
@ifnottex
``GTK resources'', which we will also describe.
@end ifnottex
@iftex
``GTK resources.'' In this chapter we describe the most commonly used
resource specifications. For full documentation, see the online
manual.
@c Add xref for LessTif/Motif menu resources.
@end iftex
@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.
* LessTif Resources:: X resources for LessTif and Motif 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 user
options under a hierarchy of classes and resources. You can specify
default values for these options in your X resources file, usually
named @file{~/.Xdefaults} or @file{~/.Xresources}.
If changes in @file{~/.Xdefaults} do not
take effect, it is because your X server stores its own list of
resources; to update them, use the shell command @command{xrdb}---for
instance, @samp{xrdb ~/.Xdefaults}.
Each line in the file specifies a value for one option or for a
collection of related options, for one program or for several programs
(optionally even for all programs).
@cindex Registry (MS-Windows)
MS-Windows systems do not support @file{~/.Xdefaults} files, so
instead Emacs compiled for Windows looks for X resources in the
Windows Registry, first 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 scroll
bars are native widgets on MS-Windows, so they are only customizable
via the system-wide settings in the Display Control Panel. You can
also set resources using the @samp{-xrm} command line option (see
below.)
@iftex
Applications such as Emacs look for resources with specific names
and their particular meanings. Case distinctions are significant in
these names. Each resource specification in @file{~/.Xdefaults}
states the name of the program and the name of the resource. For
Emacs, the program name is @samp{Emacs}. It looks like this:
@example
Emacs.borderWidth: 2
@end example
@end iftex
@ifnottex
Programs define named resources with particular meanings. They also
define how to group resources into named classes. For instance, in
Emacs, the @samp{internalBorder} resource controls the width of the
internal border, and the @samp{borderWidth} resource controls the width
of the external border. Both of these resources are part of the
@samp{BorderWidth} class. Case distinctions are significant in these
names.
Every resource definition is associated with a specific program
name---the name of the executable file that you ran. For Emacs, that
is normally @samp{emacs}. To specify a definition for all instances
of Emacs, regardless of their names, use @samp{Emacs}.
In @file{~/.Xdefaults}, you can specify a value for a single resource
on one line, like this:
@example
emacs.borderWidth: 2
@end example
@noindent
Or you can use a class name to specify the same value for all resources
in that class. Here's an example:
@example
emacs.BorderWidth: 2
@end example
If you specify a value for a class, it becomes the default for all
resources in that class. You can specify values for individual
resources as well; these override the class value, for those particular
resources. Thus, this example specifies 2 as the default width for all
borders, but overrides this value with 4 for the external border:
@example
emacs.BorderWidth: 2
emacs.borderWidth: 4
@end example
@end ifnottex
The order in which the lines appear in the file does not matter.
Also, command-line options always override the X resources file.
@ifnottex
Here is a list of X command-line options and their corresponding
resource names.
@table @samp
@item -name @var{name}
@opindex --name
@itemx --name=@var{name}
@cindex resource name, command-line argument
Use @var{name} as the resource name (and the title) for the initial
Emacs frame. This option does not affect subsequent frames, but Lisp
programs can specify frame names when they create frames.
If you don't specify this option, the default is to use the Emacs
executable's name as the resource name.
@item -xrm @var{resource-values}
@opindex --xrm
@itemx --xrm=@var{resource-values}
@cindex resource values, command-line argument
Specify X resource values for this Emacs job (see below).
@end table
For consistency, @samp{-name} also specifies the name to use for
other resource values that do not belong to any particular frame.
The resources that name Emacs invocations also belong to a class; its
name is @samp{Emacs}. If you write @samp{Emacs} instead of
@samp{emacs}, the resource applies to all frames in all Emacs jobs,
regardless of frame titles and regardless of the name of the executable
file. Here is an example:
@example
Emacs.BorderWidth: 2
Emacs.borderWidth: 4
@end example
You can specify a string of additional resource values for Emacs to
use with the command line option @samp{-xrm @var{resources}}. The text
@var{resources} should have the same format that you would use inside a file
of X resources. To include multiple resource specifications in
@var{resources}, put a newline between them, just as you would in a file.
You can also use @samp{#include "@var{filename}"} to include a file full
of resource specifications. Resource values specified with @samp{-xrm}
take precedence over all other resource specifications.
One way to experiment with the effect of different resource settings
is to use the @code{editres} program. Select @samp{Get Tree} from the
@end ifnottex
@iftex
You can experiment with the effect of different resource settings
with the @code{editres} program. Select @samp{Get Tree} from the
@end iftex
@samp{Commands} menu, then click on an Emacs frame. This will display
a tree showing the structure of X toolkit widgets used in an Emacs
frame. Select one of them, such as @samp{menubar}, then select
@samp{Show Resource Box} from the @samp{Commands} menu. This displays
a list of all the meaningful X resources for that widget, and allows
you to edit them. Changes take effect when you click on the
@samp{Apply} button. (See the @code{editres} man page for more
details.)
@node Table of Resources
@appendixsec Table of X Resources for Emacs
This table lists the resource names that designate options for
Emacs, not counting those for the appearance of the menu bar, each
with the class that it belongs to:
@table @asis
@item @code{background} (class @code{Background})
Background color name.
@ifnottex
@item @code{bitmapIcon} (class @code{BitmapIcon})
Use a bitmap icon (a picture of a gnu) if @samp{on}, let the window
manager choose an icon if @samp{off}.
@end ifnottex
@item @code{borderColor} (class @code{BorderColor})
Color name for the external border.
@ifnottex
@item @code{borderWidth} (class @code{BorderWidth})
Width in pixels of the external border.
@end ifnottex
@item @code{cursorColor} (class @code{Foreground})
Color name for text cursor (point).
@ifnottex
@item @code{cursorBlink} (class @code{CursorBlink})
Specifies whether to make the cursor blink. The default is @samp{on}. Use
@samp{off} or @samp{false} to turn cursor blinking off.
@end ifnottex
@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 well
as the Emacs frame itself.
If this resource specifies a position, that position applies only to the
initial Emacs frame (or, in the case of a resource for a specific frame
name, only that frame). However, the size, if specified here, applies to
all frames.
@ifnottex
@item @code{fullscreen} (class @code{Fullscreen})
The desired fullscreen size. The value can be one of @code{fullboth},
@code{fullwidth} or @code{fullheight}, which correspond to
the command-line options @samp{-fs}, @samp{-fw}, and @samp{-fh}
(@pxref{Window Size X}).
Note that this applies to the initial frame only.
@end ifnottex
@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 leading
Additional space (@dfn{leading}) between lines, in pixels.
@item @code{menuBar} (class @code{MenuBar})
@cindex menu bar
Give frames menu bars if @samp{on}; don't have menu bars if @samp{off}.
@ifnottex
@xref{Lucid Resources}, and @ref{LessTif Resources},
@end ifnottex
@iftex
@xref{Lucid Resources},
@end iftex
for how to control the appearance of the menu bar if you have one.
@ifnottex
@item @code{minibuffer} (class @code{Minibuffer})
If @samp{none}, don't make a minibuffer in this frame.
It will use a separate minibuffer frame instead.
@item @code{paneFont} (class @code{Font})
@cindex font for menus
Font name for menu pane titles, in non-toolkit versions of Emacs.
@end ifnottex
@item @code{pointerColor} (class @code{Foreground})
Color of the mouse cursor.
@ifnottex
@item @code{privateColormap} (class @code{PrivateColormap})
If @samp{on}, use a private color map, in the case where the ``default
visual'' of class PseudoColor and Emacs is using it.
@item @code{reverseVideo} (class @code{ReverseVideo})
Switch foreground and background default colors if @samp{on}, use colors as
specified if @samp{off}.
@end ifnottex
@item @code{screenGamma} (class @code{ScreenGamma})
@cindex gamma correction
Gamma correction for colors, equivalent to the frame parameter
@code{screen-gamma}.
@item @code{scrollBarWidth} (class @code{ScrollBarWidth})
@cindex scrollbar width
The scroll bar width in pixels, equivalent to the frame parameter
@code{scroll-bar-width}.
@ifnottex
@item @code{selectionFont} (class @code{SelectionFont})
Font name for pop-up menu items, in non-toolkit versions of Emacs. (For
toolkit versions, see @ref{Lucid Resources}, also see @ref{LessTif
Resources}.)
@item @code{selectionTimeout} (class @code{SelectionTimeout})
Number of milliseconds to wait for a selection reply.
If the selection owner doesn't reply in this time, we give up.
A value of 0 means wait as long as necessary.
@item @code{synchronous} (class @code{Synchronous})
@cindex debugging X problems
@cindex synchronous X mode
Run Emacs in synchronous mode if @samp{on}. Synchronous mode is
useful for debugging X problems.
@end ifnottex
@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 bar
Number of lines to reserve for the tool bar. A zero value suppresses
the tool bar. If the value is non-zero and
@code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is non-@code{nil}, the tool bar's size
will be changed automatically so that all tool bar items are visible.
If the value of @code{auto-resize-tool-bars} is @code{grow-only},
the tool bar expands automatically, but does not contract automatically.
To contract the tool bar, you must redraw the frame by entering @kbd{C-l}.
@item @code{useXIM} (class @code{UseXIM})
@cindex XIM
@cindex X input methods
@cindex input methods, X
Turn off use of X input methods (XIM) if @samp{false} or @samp{off}.
This is only relevant if your Emacs is actually built with XIM
support. 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}.
@ifnottex
@item @code{visualClass} (class @code{VisualClass})
Specify the ``visual'' that X should use. This tells X how to handle
colors.
The value should start with one of @samp{TrueColor},
@samp{PseudoColor}, @samp{DirectColor}, @samp{StaticColor},
@samp{GrayScale}, and @samp{StaticGray}, followed by
@samp{-@var{depth}}, where @var{depth} is the number of color planes.
Most terminals only allow a few ``visuals,'' and the @samp{dpyinfo}
program outputs information saying which ones.
@end ifnottex
@end table
@node Face Resources
@appendixsec X Resources for Faces
You can use resources to customize the appearance of particular
faces (@pxref{Faces}):
@table @code
@item @var{face}.attributeForeground
Foreground color for face @var{face}.
@item @var{face}.attributeBackground
Background color for face @var{face}.
@item @var{face}.attributeUnderline
Underline flag for face @var{face}. Use @samp{on} or @samp{true} for
yes.
@item @var{face}.attributeStrikeThrough
@itemx @var{face}.attributeOverline
@itemx @var{face}.attributeBox
@itemx @var{face}.attributeInverse
Likewise, for other boolean font attributes.
@item @var{face}.attributeStipple
The 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}.attributeBackgroundPixmap
The background pixmap for the face @var{face}. Should be a name of a
pixmap file or @code{false}.
@item @var{face}.attributeFont
Font 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 can
select a font through these separate attributes:
@table @code
@item @var{face}.attributeFamily
Font family for face @var{face}.
@item @var{face}.attributeHeight
Height of the font to use for face @var{face}: either an integer
specifying the height in units of 1/10@dmn{pt}, or a floating point
number that specifies a scale factor to scale the underlying face's
default font, or a function to be called with the default height which
will return a new height.
@item @var{face}.attributeWidth
@itemx @var{face}.attributeWeight
@itemx @var{face}.attributeSlant
Each of these resources corresponds to a like-named font attribute,
and you write the resource value the same as the symbol you would use
for the font attribute value.
@item @var{face}.attributeBold
Bold flag for face @var{face}---instead of @code{attributeWeight}. Use @samp{on} or @samp{true} for
yes.
@item @var{face}.attributeItalic
Italic 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
@ifnottex
If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkit
with the Lucid menu widgets, then the menu bar is a separate widget and
has its own resources. The resource names contain @samp{pane.menubar}
(following, as always, the name of the Emacs invocation, or @samp{Emacs},
which stands for all Emacs invocations). Specify them like this:
@example
Emacs.pane.menubar.@var{resource}: @var{value}
@end example
@noindent
For example, to specify the font @samp{8x16} for the menu-bar items,
write this:
@end ifnottex
@iftex
If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkit
with the Lucid menu widgets, then the menu bar is a separate widget
and 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:
@end iftex
@example
Emacs.pane.menubar.font: 8x16
@end example
@noindent
Resources for @emph{non-menubar} toolkit pop-up menus have
@samp{menu*} instead of @samp{pane.menubar}. For example, to specify
the font @samp{8x16} for the pop-up menu items, write this:
@example
Emacs.menu*.font: 8x16
@end example
@noindent
For dialog boxes, use @samp{dialog*}:
@example
Emacs.dialog*.font: 8x16
@end example
@noindent
The Lucid menus can display multilingual text in your locale. For
more 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:
@example
Emacs*menu*fontSet: -*-helvetica-medium-r-*--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*,*
@end example
@noindent
The @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*}. On
some other systems, you must not add @samp{shell.}. The generic wildcard
approach 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 font
Font for menu item text.
@item fontSet
Fontset for menu item text.
@item foreground
Color of the foreground.
@item background
Color of the background.
@item buttonForeground
In the menu bar, the color of the foreground for a selected item.
@ifnottex
@item horizontalSpacing
Horizontal spacing in pixels between items. Default is 3.
@item verticalSpacing
Vertical spacing in pixels between items. Default is 2.
@item arrowSpacing
Horizontal spacing between the arrow (which indicates a submenu) and
the associated text. Default is 10.
@item shadowThickness
Thickness of shadow line around the widget. Default is 1.
Also determines the thickness of shadow lines around other objects,
for instance 3D buttons and arrows. If you have the impression that
the arrows in the menus do not stand out clearly enough or that the
difference between ``in'' and ``out'' buttons is difficult to see, set
this to 2. If you have no problems with visibility, the default
probably looks better. The background color may also have some effect
on the contrast.
@end ifnottex
@item margin
The margin of the menu bar, in characters. Default is 1.
@end table
@ifnottex
@node LessTif Resources
@appendixsec LessTif Menu X Resources
@cindex Menu X Resources (LessTif widgets)
@cindex LessTif Widget X Resources
If the Emacs installed at your site was built to use the X toolkit
with the LessTif or Motif widgets, then the menu bar, the dialog
boxes, the pop-up menus, and the file-selection box are separate
widgets and have their own resources.
The resource names for the menu bar contain @samp{pane.menubar}
(following, as always, the name of the Emacs invocation, or
@samp{Emacs}, which stands for all Emacs invocations). Specify them
like this:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.@var{subwidget}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
@end smallexample
Each individual string in the menu bar is a subwidget; the subwidget's
name is the same as the menu item string. For example, the word
@samp{File} in the menu bar is part of a subwidget named
@samp{emacs.pane.menubar.File}. Most likely, you want to specify the
same resources for the whole menu bar. To do this, use @samp{*} instead
of a specific subwidget name. For example, to specify the font
@samp{8x16} for the menu-bar items, write this:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.*.fontList: 8x16
@end smallexample
@noindent
This also specifies the resource value for submenus.
Each item in a submenu in the menu bar also has its own name for X
resources; for example, the @samp{File} submenu has an item named
@samp{Save (current buffer)}. A resource specification for a submenu
item looks like this:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.@var{menu}.@var{item}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
@end smallexample
@noindent
For example, here's how to specify the font for the @samp{Save (current
buffer)} item:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.File.Save (current buffer).fontList: 8x16
@end smallexample
@noindent
For an item in a second-level submenu, such as @samp{Complete Word}
under @samp{Spell Checking} under @samp{Tools}, the resource fits this
template:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.popup_*.@var{menu}.@var{resource}: @var{value}
@end smallexample
@noindent
For example,
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.popup_*.Spell Checking.Complete Word: @var{value}
@end smallexample
@noindent
(This should be one long line.)
It's impossible to specify a resource for all the menu-bar items
without also specifying it for the submenus as well. So if you want the
submenu items to look different from the menu bar itself, you must ask
for that in two steps. First, specify the resource for all of them;
then, override the value for submenus alone. Here is an example:
@smallexample
Emacs.pane.menubar.*.fontList: 8x16
Emacs.pane.menubar.popup_*.fontList: 8x16
@end smallexample
@noindent
For LessTif pop-up menus, use @samp{menu*} instead of
@samp{pane.menubar}. For example, to specify the font @samp{8x16} for
the pop-up menu items, write this:
@smallexample
Emacs.menu*.fontList: 8x16
@end smallexample
@noindent
For LessTif dialog boxes, use @samp{dialog} instead of @samp{menu}:
@example
Emacs.dialog*.fontList: 8x16
Emacs.dialog*.foreground: hotpink
@end example
To specify resources for the LessTif file-selection box, use
@samp{fsb*}, like this:
@example
Emacs.fsb*.fontList: 8x16
@end example
@iftex
@medbreak
@end iftex
Here is a list of the specific resources for LessTif menu bars and
pop-up menus:
@table @code
@item armColor
The color to show in an armed button.
@item fontList
The font to use.
@item marginBottom
@itemx marginHeight
@itemx marginLeft
@itemx marginRight
@itemx marginTop
@itemx marginWidth
Amount of space to leave around the item, within the border.
@item borderWidth
The width of the border around the menu item, on all sides.
@item shadowThickness
The width of the border shadow.
@item bottomShadowColor
The color for the border shadow, on the bottom and the right.
@item topShadowColor
The color for the border shadow, on the top and the left.
@end table
@end ifnottex
@node GTK resources
@appendixsec GTK resources
@iftex
The most common way to customize the GTK widgets Emacs uses (menus, dialogs
tool bars and scroll bars) is by choosing an appropriate theme, for example
with the GNOME theme selector. You can also do Emacs specific customization
by inserting GTK style directives in the file @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}. Some GTK
themes ignore customizations in @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc} so not everything
works with all themes. To customize Emacs font, background, faces, etc., use
the normal X resources (@pxref{Resources}). We will present some examples of
customizations 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 widgets
to courier with size 12:
@smallexample
gtk-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 Pango
font name is basically of the format "family style size", where the style
is optional as in the case above. A name with a style could be for example:
@smallexample
gtk-font-name = "helvetica bold 10"
@end smallexample
To customize widgets you first define a style and then apply the style to
the widgets. Here is an example that sets the font for menus, but not
for 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 smallexample
The widget name in this example contains wildcards, so the style will be
applied to all widgets that match "*emacs-menuitem*". The widgets are
named 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, for
the menubar and the scroll bar in Emacs we use:
@smallexample
widget "Emacs.pane.menubar" style "my_style"
widget "Emacs.pane.emacs.verticalScrollBar" style "my_style"
@end smallexample
But 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 the
class:
@smallexample
style "menufont"
@{
font_name = "helvetica bold 14"
@}
widget_class "*GtkMenuBar" style "menufont"
@end smallexample
@noindent
The 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 menus
and dialogs. The names do not start with @samp{Emacs}, as they are
free-standing windows and not contained (in the GTK sense) by the
Emacs GtkWindow. To customize the dialogs and menus, use wildcards like this:
@smallexample
widget "*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 it
automatically applies only to Emacs, since other programs don't read
that file. For example, the drop down menu in the file dialog can not
be customized by any absolute widget name, only by an absolute class
name. This is because the widgets in the drop down menu do not
have names and the menu is not contained in the Emacs GtkWindow. To
have all menus in Emacs look the same, use this in
@file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}:
@smallexample
widget_class "*Menu*" style "my_menu_style"
@end smallexample
Here is a more elaborate example, showing how to change the parts of
the scroll bar:
@smallexample
style "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
@end iftex
@ifnottex
@cindex GTK resources and customization
@cindex resource files for GTK
@cindex @file{~/.gtkrc-2.0} file
@cindex @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc} file
If Emacs was built to use the GTK widget set, then the menu bar, tool bar,
scroll bar and the dialogs are customized with the standard GTK
customization file, @file{~/.gtkrc-2.0}, or with the Emacs specific
file @file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}. We recommend that you use
@file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc} for customizations, since @file{~/.gtkrc-2.0}
seems to be ignored when running GConf with GNOME. These files apply
only to GTK widget features. To customize Emacs font, background,
faces, etc., use the normal X resources (@pxref{Resources}).
Some GTK themes override these mechanisms, which means that using
these mechanisms will not work to customize them.
In these files you first define a style and say what it means; then
you specify to apply the style to various widget types (@pxref{GTK
widget names}). Here is an example of how to change the font for
Emacs menus:
@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 smallexample
Here is a more elaborate example, showing how to change the parts of
the scroll bar:
@smallexample
style "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
There are also parameters that affect GTK as a whole. For example,
the property @code{gtk-font-name} sets the default font for GTK. You
must use Pango font names (@pxref{GTK styles}). A GTK resources file
that just sets a default font looks like this:
@smallexample
gtk-font-name = "courier 12"
@end smallexample
The GTK resources file is fully described in the GTK API document.
This can be found in
@file{@var{prefix}/share/gtk-doc/html/gtk/gtk-resource-files.html},
where @file{prefix} is the directory in which the GTK libraries were
installed (usually @file{/usr} or @file{/usr/local}). You can also
find the document online, at
@uref{http://developer.gnome.org/doc/API/2.0/gtk/gtk-Resource-Files.html}.
@menu
* GTK widget names:: How widgets in GTK are named in general.
* GTK Names in Emacs:: GTK widget names in Emacs.
* GTK styles:: What can be customized in a GTK widget.
@end menu
@node GTK widget names
@appendixsubsec GTK widget names
@cindex GTK widget names
A GTK widget is specified by its @dfn{widget class} and
@dfn{widget name}. The widget class is the type of the widget: for
example, @code{GtkMenuBar}. The widget name is the name given to a
specific widget. A widget always has a class, but need not have a
name.
@dfn{Absolute names} are sequences of widget names or widget
classes, corresponding to hierarchies of widgets embedded within
other widgets. For example, if a @code{GtkWindow} named @code{top}
contains a @code{GtkVBox} named @code{box}, which in turn contains
a @code{GtkMenuBar} called @code{menubar}, the absolute class name
of the menu-bar widget is @code{GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkMenuBar}, and
its absolute widget name is @code{top.box.menubar}.
When assigning a style to a widget, you can use the absolute class
name or the absolute widget name.
There are two commands to specify changes for widgets:
@table @asis
@item @code{widget_class}
specifies a style for widgets based on the absolute class name.
@item @code{widget}
specifies a style for widgets based on the absolute class name,
or just the class.
@end table
@noindent
You must specify the class and the style in double-quotes, and put
these commands at the top level in the GTK customization file, like
this:
@smallexample
style "menufont"
@{
font_name = "helvetica bold 14"
@}
widget "top.box.menubar" style "menufont"
widget_class "GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkMenuBar" style "menufont"
@end smallexample
Matching of absolute names uses shell wildcard syntax: @samp{*}
matches zero or more characters and @samp{?} matches one character.
This example assigns @code{base_style} to all widgets:
@smallexample
widget "*" style "base_style"
@end smallexample
Given the absolute class name @code{GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkMenuBar}
and the corresponding absolute widget name @code{top.box.menubar}, all
these examples specify @code{my_style} for the menu bar:
@smallexample
widget_class "GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkMenuBar" style "my_style"
widget_class "GtkWindow.*.GtkMenuBar" style "my_style"
widget_class "*GtkMenuBar" style "my_style"
widget "top.box.menubar" style "my_style"
widget "*box*menubar" style "my_style"
widget "*menubar" style "my_style"
widget "*menu*" style "my_style"
@end smallexample
@node GTK Names in Emacs
@appendixsubsec GTK Widget Names in Emacs
@cindex GTK widget names
@cindex GTK widget classes
In Emacs, the top level widget for a frame is a @code{GtkWindow}
that contains a @code{GtkVBox}. The @code{GtkVBox} contains the
@code{GtkMenuBar} and a @code{GtkFixed} widget. The vertical scroll
bars, @code{GtkVScrollbar}, are contained in the @code{GtkFixed}
widget. The text you write in Emacs is drawn in the @code{GtkFixed}
widget.
Dialogs in Emacs are @code{GtkDialog} widgets. The file dialog is a
@code{GtkFileSelection} widget.
@noindent
To set a style for the menu bar using the absolute class name, use:
@smallexample
widget_class "GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkMenuBar" style "my_style"
@end smallexample
@noindent
For the scroll bar, the absolute class name is:
@smallexample
widget_class
"GtkWindow.GtkVBox.GtkFixed.GtkVScrollbar"
style "my_style"
@end smallexample
@noindent
The names for the emacs widgets, and their classes, 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
@noindent
Thus, for Emacs you can write the two examples above as:
@smallexample
widget "Emacs.pane.menubar" style "my_style"
widget "Emacs.pane.emacs.verticalScrollBar" style "my_style"
@end smallexample
GTK absolute names are quite strange when it comes to menus
and dialogs. The names do not start with @samp{Emacs}, as they are
free-standing windows and not contained (in the GTK sense) by the
Emacs GtkWindow. To customize the dialogs and menus, use wildcards like this:
@smallexample
widget "*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 it
automatically applies only to Emacs, since other programs don't read
that file. For example, the drop down menu in the file dialog can not
be customized by any absolute widget name, only by an absolute class
name. This is because the widgets in the drop down menu do not
have names and the menu is not contained in the Emacs GtkWindow. To
have all menus in Emacs look the same, use this in
@file{~/.emacs.d/gtkrc}:
@smallexample
widget_class "*Menu*" style "my_menu_style"
@end smallexample
@node GTK styles
@appendixsubsec GTK styles
@cindex GTK styles
In a GTK style you specify the appearance widgets shall have. You
can specify foreground and background color, background pixmap and
font. The edit widget (where you edit the text) in Emacs is a GTK
widget, but trying to specify a style for the edit widget will have no
effect. This is so that Emacs compiled for GTK is compatible with
Emacs compiled for other X toolkits. The settings for foreground,
background and font for the edit widget is taken from the X resources;
@pxref{Resources}. Here is an example of two style declarations,
@samp{default} and @samp{ruler}:
@smallexample
pixmap_path "/usr/share/pixmaps:/usr/include/X11/pixmaps"
style "default"
@{
font_name = "helvetica 12"
bg[NORMAL] = @{ 0.83, 0.80, 0.73 @}
bg[SELECTED] = @{ 0.0, 0.55, 0.55 @}
bg[INSENSITIVE] = @{ 0.77, 0.77, 0.66 @}
bg[ACTIVE] = @{ 0.0, 0.55, 0.55 @}
bg[PRELIGHT] = @{ 0.0, 0.55, 0.55 @}
fg[NORMAL] = "black"
fg[SELECTED] = @{ 0.9, 0.9, 0.9 @}
fg[ACTIVE] = "black"
fg[PRELIGHT] = @{ 0.9, 0.9, 0.9 @}
base[INSENSITIVE] = "#777766"
text[INSENSITIVE] = @{ 0.60, 0.65, 0.57 @}
bg_pixmap[NORMAL] = "background.xpm"
bg_pixmap[INSENSITIVE] = "background.xpm"
bg_pixmap[ACTIVE] = "background.xpm"
bg_pixmap[PRELIGHT] = "<none>"
@}
style "ruler" = "default"
@{
font_name = "helvetica 8"
@}
@end smallexample
The style @samp{ruler} inherits from @samp{default}. This way you can build
on existing styles. The syntax for fonts and colors is described below.
As this example shows, it is possible to specify several values for
foreground and background depending on the widget's @dfn{state}. The
possible states are:
@table @code
@item NORMAL
This is the default state for widgets.
@item ACTIVE
This is the state for a widget that is ready to do something. It is
also for the trough of a scroll bar, i.e. @code{bg[ACTIVE] = "red"}
sets the scroll bar trough to red. Buttons that have been pressed but
not released yet (``armed'') are in this state.
@item PRELIGHT
This is the state for a widget that can be manipulated, when the mouse
pointer is over it---for example when the mouse is over the thumb in
the scroll bar or over a menu item. When the mouse is over a button
that is not pressed, the button is in this state.
@item SELECTED
This is the state for data that has been selected by the user. It can
be selected text or items selected in a list. This state is not used
in Emacs.
@item INSENSITIVE
This is the state for widgets that are visible, but they can not be
manipulated in the usual way---for example, buttons that can't be
pressed, and disabled menu items. To display disabled menu items in
yellow, use @code{fg[INSENSITIVE] = "yellow"}.
@end table
Here are the things that can go in a style declaration:
@table @code
@item bg[@var{state}] = @var{color}
This specifies the background color for the widget. Note that
editable text doesn't use @code{bg}; it uses @code{base} instead.
@item base[@var{state}] = @var{color}
This specifies the background color for editable text. In Emacs, this
color is used for the background of the text fields in the file
dialog.
@item bg_pixmap[@var{state}] = "@var{pixmap}"
This specifies an image background (instead of a background color).
@var{pixmap} should be the image file name. GTK can use a number of
image file formats, including XPM, XBM, GIF, JPEG and PNG. If you
want a widget to use the same image as its parent, use
@samp{<parent>}. If you don't want any image, use @samp{<none>}.
@samp{<none>} is the way to cancel a background image inherited from a
parent style.
You can't specify the file by its absolute file name. GTK looks for
the pixmap file in directories specified in @code{pixmap_path}.
@code{pixmap_path} is a colon-separated list of directories within
double quotes, specified at the top level in a @file{gtkrc} file
(i.e. not inside a style definition; see example above):
@smallexample
pixmap_path "/usr/share/pixmaps:/usr/include/X11/pixmaps"
@end smallexample
@item fg[@var{state}] = @var{color}
This specifies the foreground color for widgets to use. It is the
color of text in menus and buttons, and the color for the arrows in
the scroll bar. For editable text, use @code{text}.
@item text[@var{state}] = @var{color}
This is the color for editable text. In Emacs, this color is used for the
text fields in the file dialog.
@item font_name = "@var{font}"
This specifies the font for text in the widget. @var{font} is a
Pango font name, for example @samp{Sans Italic 10}, @samp{Helvetica
Bold 12}, @samp{Courier 14}, @samp{Times 18}. See below for exact
syntax. The names are case insensitive.
@end table
There are three ways to specify a color: by name, in hexadecimal
form, and with an RGB triplet.
@noindent
A color name is written within double quotes, for example @code{"red"}.
@noindent
Hexadecimal form is the same as in X:
@code{#@var{rrrr}@var{gggg}@var{bbbb}}, where all three color specs
must have the same number of hex digits (1, 2, 3 or 4).
@noindent
An RGB triplet looks like @code{@{ @var{r}, @var{g}, @var{b} @}},
where @var{r}, @var{g} and @var{b} are either integers in the range
0-65535 or floats in the range 0.0-1.0.
Pango font names have the form ``@var{family-list} @var{style-options}
@var{size}.''
@cindex Pango font name
@noindent
@var{family-list} is a comma separated list of font families optionally
terminated by a comma. This way you can specify several families and the
first one found will be used. @var{family} corresponds to the second part in
an X font name, for example in
@smallexample
-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--12-120-75-75-p-64-iso10646-1
@end smallexample
@noindent
the family name is @samp{times}.
@noindent
@var{style-options} is a whitespace separated list of words where each word
is a style, variant, weight, or stretch. The default value for all of
these is @code{normal}.
@noindent
A `style' corresponds to the fourth part of an X font name. In X font
names it is the character @samp{r}, @samp{i} or @samp{o}; in Pango
font names the corresponding values are @code{normal}, @code{italic},
or @code{oblique}.
@noindent
A `variant' is either @code{normal} or @code{small-caps}.
Small caps is a font with the lower case characters replaced by
smaller variants of the capital characters.
@noindent
Weight describes the ``boldness'' of a font. It corresponds to the third
part of an X font name. It is one of @code{ultra-light}, @code{light},
@code{normal}, @code{bold}, @code{ultra-bold}, or @code{heavy}.
@noindent
Stretch gives the width of the font relative to other designs within a
family. It corresponds to the fifth part of an X font name. It is one of
@code{ultra-condensed}, @code{extra-condensed}, @code{condensed},
@code{semi-condensed}, @code{normal}, @code{semi-expanded},
@code{expanded}, @code{extra-expanded}, or @code{ultra-expanded}.
@noindent
@var{size} is a decimal number that describes the font size in points.
@end ifnottex
@ignore
arch-tag: 9b6ff773-48b6-41f6-b2f9-f114b8bdd97f
@end ignore