Re: change cursor type

Re: change cursor type

[Lowell Gilbert]

patrol <patrol_boat@hotmail.com> writes:

> Hi,
> I want to change the cursor from box to bar style. Apparently, the
> variable cursor-type is not a "user-option" variable and so doesn't
> respond to M-x set-variable. I'm not clear on this distinction between
> user-option and "non-user-option" variables, and the manual doesn't
> seem to say anything about it (I could be mistaken but I didn't find
> anything). Can anyone tell me how to change the value of cursor-type
> to "bar"? I'd like the change to be global.
> Thanks so much.

Add to .emacs:
(setq-default cursor-type 'bar)

Re: change cursor type

[patrol]

On May 26, 11:15 am, Lowell Gilbert <lguse...@be-well.ilk.org> wrote:

> Add to .emacs:
> (setq-default cursor-type 'bar)

I see. So these variables assignments must be done using Lisp. The
Emacs manual is great, but it doesn't make that point clear. Thanks.

But why can't you just change the value of any variable using the set-
variable command? Why make some variables "user-option" and others
not? What's wrong with allowing:

M-x set-variable RET cursor-type RET "bar"

Re: change cursor type

[patrol]

On May 27, 4:41 pm, Lowell Gilbert <lguse...@be-well.ilk.org> wrote:
> patrol <patrol_b...@hotmail.com> writes:
> > On May 26, 11:15 am, Lowell Gilbert <lguse...@be-well.ilk.org> wrote:
>
> >> Add to .emacs:
> >> (setq-default cursor-type 'bar)
>
> > I see. So these variables assignments must be done using Lisp. The
> > Emacs manual is great, but it doesn't make that point clear. Thanks.
>
> I don't actually know that that is true.  
> There may be more than one way to do it;
> in fact, there often is with emacs.
>
> > But why can't you just change the value of any variable using the set-
> > variable command? Why make some variables "user-option" and others
> > not? What's wrong with allowing:
>
> > M-x set-variable RET cursor-type RET "bar"
>
> This is a special case, because when you do M-x, you are no longer in
> the same buffer.  Because that variable is buffer-local, changing it
> interactively would never set it in the buffer that you actually wanted
> to change it in.
>
> Does that make sense?

I think so. You seem to be saying that, because cursor-type is a
buffer-local variable, setting it in the minibuffer would only change
the cursor in the minibuffer itself, correct? Do you know this for a
fact, or would you say it's more of an "educated guess" on your part.
If you're right, you wouldn't be able to change *any* buffer-local
variable using M-x set-variable.

Re: change cursor type

[mohamedaslam785]

On Tuesday, 25 May 2010 23:34:56 UTC+5:30, patrol  wrote:
> Hi,
> I want to change the cursor from box to bar style. Apparently, the
> variable cursor-type is not a "user-option" variable and so doesn't
> respond to M-x set-variable. I'm not clear on this distinction between
> user-option and "non-user-option" variables, and the manual doesn't
> seem to say anything about it (I could be mistaken but I didn't find
> anything). Can anyone tell me how to change the value of cursor-type
> to "bar"? I'd like the change to be global.
> Thanks so much.

RE: change cursor type

[Drew Adams]

> > I want to change the cursor from box to bar style. Apparently, the
> > variable cursor-type is not a "user-option" variable and so doesn't
> > respond to M-x set-variable. I'm not clear on this distinction between
> > user-option and "non-user-option" variables, and the manual doesn't
> > seem to say anything about it (I could be mistaken but I didn't find
> > anything). Can anyone tell me how to change the value of cursor-type
> > to "bar"? I'd like the change to be global.

A user option is a variable defined using `defcustom', not `defvar'.
A user option is intended to be changed by users.  It can be customized
easily, using `M-x customize-option'.  It can also be set using
`set-variable'.

Any variable can be set by a user, using
`M-: (setq THE-VAR THE-NEW-VALUE)'.  Users can change any variable
they like, but it is not necessarily a good idea to do so.

Some variables that are not user options could be, arguably.
In older versions of Emacs, `cursor-type' was not even a variable;
it was only a frame parameter.  In Emacs 22 (it might have been 21)
`cursor-type' became a variable (it is still a frame-parameter also).
As of Emacs 24.3, `cursor-type' is not an option, but you can change
it without problems.

In Emacs 24.4 (not yet released) `cursor-type' will be a user option.

See the Emacs manual, node `Easy Customization' for information about
options vs other variables.

Re: change cursor type

[Dan Espen]

mohamedaslam785@gmail.com writes:

> On Tuesday, 25 May 2010 23:34:56 UTC+5:30, patrol  wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I want to change the cursor from box to bar style. Apparently, the
>> variable cursor-type is not a "user-option" variable and so doesn't
>> respond to M-x set-variable. I'm not clear on this distinction between
>> user-option and "non-user-option" variables, and the manual doesn't
>> seem to say anything about it (I could be mistaken but I didn't find
>> anything). Can anyone tell me how to change the value of cursor-type
>> to "bar"? I'd like the change to be global.
>> Thanks so much.

Can't tell what this is, except that the original post date is May 2010.

-- 
Dan Espen

Re: change cursor type

[Emanuel Berg]

Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> writes:

>>> I want to change the cursor from box to bar
>>> style. Apparently, the variable cursor-type is not
>>> a "user-option" variable and so doesn't respond to
>>> M-x set-variable. I'm not clear on this distinction
>>> between user-option and "non-user-option"
>>> variables, and the manual doesn't seem to say
>>> anything about it (I could be mistaken but I didn't
>>> find anything). Can anyone tell me how to change
>>> the value of cursor-type to "bar"? I'd like the
>>> change to be global.  Thanks so much.
>
> Can't tell what this is, except that the original
> post date is May 2010.

OK, well, it is interesting nonetheless. Isn't this
something that has to be setup in the terminal
emulator?

In a Linux VT, which is what I use, I get a block
cursor the same color as the face below (which is
great). But if I run 'emacs -nw' in X, in urxvt, and on
top of tmux, I get the underscore.

I know you can disable cursor blink like this:

(blink-cursor-mode -1)

Although it is probably just as good (better) to do
that in the terminal emulator as well, as in

echo 0 > /sys/class/graphics/fbcon/cursor_blink

in /etc/rc.local (on Debian at least) and...

funny, I can't find either getting the block cursor for
the VTs *or* the X terminals, nor the nonblink. But I
remember I did that. Of course, there has been so much
configuration...

-- 
Emanuel Berg, programmer-for-rent. CV, projects, etc at uXu
underground experts united:  http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: change cursor type

[Daniel E. Doherty]

Here is what I have in my init file to change cursor type and color based on
the mode.  This is an org-mode init, so just the SRC blocks.  It's all cribbed
from Dirk-Jan C. Binnema, but the link to Emacs Wiki is broken.

** Cursor Change cursor color according to mode; inspired by
   [[http://www.emacswiki.orgemacs/ChangingCursorDynamically][Wiki Article]].
   Valid values for "cursor type" are explained at
   [[info:emacs#Cursor%20Display][Cursor Display]] in the manual.

#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :tangle yes
  (setq djcb-read-only-color       "red")
  (setq djcb-read-only-cursor-type '(hbar . 5))
  (setq djcb-overwrite-color       "yellow")
  (setq djcb-overwrite-cursor-type 'box)
  (setq djcb-normal-color          "green")
  (setq djcb-normal-cursor-type    '(bar . 5))
  (blink-cursor-mode 1)
#+END_SRC

Define function to change the cursor type according to the current
mode.
#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :tangle yes
  (defun djcb-set-cursor-according-to-mode ()
    "Change cursor color and type according to some minor modes."
    (cond
     (buffer-read-only
      (set-cursor-color djcb-read-only-color)
      (setq cursor-type djcb-read-only-cursor-type))
     (overwrite-mode
      (set-cursor-color djcb-overwrite-color)
      (setq cursor-type djcb-overwrite-cursor-type))
     (t
      (set-cursor-color djcb-normal-color)
      (setq cursor-type djcb-normal-cursor-type))))
#+END_SRC

And call it after each command is run.
#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :tangle yes
  (add-hook 'post-command-hook 'djcb-set-cursor-according-to-mode)
#+END_SRC

-- 
====================================================
Daniel E. Doherty

Re: change cursor type

[Emanuel Berg]

"Daniel E. Doherty" <ded-law@ddoherty.net> writes:

> Here is what I have in my init file to change cursor
> type and color based on the mode.  This is an
> org-mode init, so just the SRC blocks.

What?

None of it works for me. But never mind, I don't want
it. I don't want the cursor to be based on the mode,
because in one mode there could be (should be) many
colors, and the cursor should reflect that (depending
on what is being typed at the moment).

But I can share one interesting thing. I set faces like
this:

(custom-set-faces
 '(default ((t (:foreground "cyan" :background "black" :bold nil))))
 ;; ...

It is a clear way to setup colors, and fast (just
eval-defun, and you'll see the changes) - anyway, to
get a cyan cursor where there is no face, and no text,
that :background "black" does it. Without it, I get a
white cursor in those cases. I don't know why, but it
took me some time before I got it right (by intuition)
so I thought I'd mention it here.

-- 
Emanuel Berg, programmer-for-rent. CV, projects, etc at uXu
underground experts united:  http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573