P. Frames and X Windows

When using the X Window System, you can create multiple windows at the X level in a single Emacs session. Each X window that belongs to Emacs displays a frame which can contain one or several Emacs windows. A frame initially contains a single general-purpose Emacs window which you can subdivide vertically or horizontally into smaller windows. A frame normally contains its own echo area and minibuffer, but you can make frames that don't have these--they use the echo area and minibuffer of another frame.

Editing you do in one frame also affects the other frames. For instance, if you put text in the kill ring in one frame, you can yank it in another frame. If you exit Emacs through C-x C-c in one frame, it terminates all the frames. To delete just one frame, use C-x 5 0 (that is zero, not o).

To avoid confusion, we reserve the word "window" for the subdivisions that Emacs implements, and never use it to refer to a frame.

Emacs compiled for MS-DOS emulates some aspects of the window system so that you can use many of the features described in this chapter. See section AH.1 Keyboard and Mouse on MS-DOS, for more information.

Emacs compiled for MS Windows mostly supports the same features as under X. However, images, tool bars, and tooltips are not yet available in Emacs version 21.1 on MS-Windows.

P.1 Mouse Commands for Editing		Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
P.2 Secondary Selection		Cutting without altering point and mark.
P.3 Using the Clipboard		Using the clipboard for selections.
P.4 Following References with the Mouse		Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
P.5 Mouse Clicks for Menus		Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
P.6 Mode Line Mouse Commands		Mouse clicks on the mode line.
P.7 Creating Frames		Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
P.8 Frame Commands		Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
P.9 Making and Using a Speedbar Frame		How to make and use a speedbar frame.
P.10 Multiple Displays		How one Emacs job can talk to several displays.
P.11 Special Buffer Frames		You can make certain buffers have their own frames.
P.12 Setting Frame Parameters		Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
P.13 Scroll Bars		How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
P.14 Scrolling With "Wheeled" Mice		Using mouse wheels for scrolling.
P.15 Menu Bars		Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
P.16 Tool Bars		Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
P.17 Using Dialog Boxes		Controlling use of dialog boxes.
P.18 Tooltips (or "Balloon Help")		Showing "tooltips", AKA "balloon help" for active text.
P.19 Mouse Avoidance		Moving the mouse pointer out of the way.
P.20 Non-Window Terminals		Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
P.21 Using a Mouse in Terminal Emulators		Using the mouse in an XTerm terminal emulator.