Re: XEmacs default background color.

Floyd Davidson wrote:
> "Dave Hafner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > I am moving over from VI to XEmacs
<snip>
> > I have
> > found and tried just about every customization switch on the menus but
> > somehow just don't see the buffer background item.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Dave
>
>
> Well regardless of which colors you use, there are some pitfalls
> to using different configuration schemes.  For example, setting
> the defaults in your ~/.emacs init file (by whatever name it
> goes on you system), will have strange results.
>
> I wrote a long answer to this a few months back for someone who
> asked in a linux newsgroup.  And rather than re-write it, I'm
> going to cut and paste (and I added emphasis to one paragraph)
> from that message.  His question was specifically about a white
> foreground and ablack background, so you'll forgive the
> continued emphasis on that (though you should try it to see).
>
>
>
> There are several things interacting, and sorting them out might
> be a problem.
>
> You can (but don't do this, because you don't want to) set the
> default foreground color either by using the "help" menu item
> for "customize" and then selecting on "Specific font..."  and
> then either specifying "default" or just hit return to see them
> all and then search for default.  (If you've never used the XEmacs
> face customizing menu before, it might be hard to figure out.
> But if you intend on changing the defaults you'll *definitely*
> want to learn it!  Just change things slowly, one at a time.)
>
> Anyway, what that does is put a line in your ~/.emacs file that
> looks like this:
>
>  '(default ((t (:foreground "white"))))
>
> Actually, it looks more like,
>
>  (custom-set-faces
>    '(default ((t (:foreground "white"))))
>    '(gnus-header-subject-face ((((class color) (background dark)) (:foreground 
> "white"))))
>    '(gnus-group-mail-2-face ((((class color) (background dark)) (:foreground 
> "yellow2"))))
>    ...
>  )
If you do something like this in your ~/.xemacs/customise.el file

(custom-set-faces
 '(default ((t (:foreground "grey" :background "black"))) t)
 '(font-lock-string-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground "green2"))))
 '(font-lock-reference-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground 
"yellow"))))
 '(font-lock-preprocessor-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground 
"red"))))
 '(font-lock-variable-name-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground 
"magenta3"))))
 '(hyper-apropos-hyperlink ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground "cyan"))))
 '(font-lock-keyword-face ((((class color) (background light) (type mswindows)) (:foreground 
"blue1"))))
 '(hyper-apropos-documentation ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground 
"yellow"))))
 '(font-lock-comment-face ((((class color) (background light) (type mswindows)) (:foreground 
"green" :italic t))))
 '(cvs-header-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground "blue1" :bold 
t))))
 '(font-lock-function-name-face ((((class color) (background light) (type mswindows)) 
(:foreground "white"))))
 '(cvs-filename-face ((((class color) (background light)) (:foreground "blue1"))))
)

Note the 'default :background line,  this sets the default background for all documents
Thus, you can get desired coluors without using the -bg commandline option, or the 
XResources.

As Steve said, its alot easier to go through the customise menu than manually editing
your customisation file.

If you want, you can replace each of the colours with "#RRGGBB" where RR is a 2 digit 
hex value for red,
GG for green and BB for blue; this will let you get the colours exactly tuned to your 
tastes.

The only problems with a black background is that it shows reflected glare more, 
unless you have an anti-glare filter.
It also tends to show fingerprints on the screen more.


HTH,
Colin S. Miller

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