background pixmaps again

[Miles Bader <miles@lsi.nec.co.jp>]

Hi,

I've recently resurrected my `background image tiling' patch, made it
work with current emacs (Kim's display engine cleanups definitely made
this harder, but the code seems a bit cleaner as a result, so that's all
good), fixed a bunch of bugs, made display-relative tiles work, etc.

However there are certainly glitches left, and I'm wondering if anyone else
is interested in working on this.  If so, you can check it out from my arch
archive as:

   Version:  miles@gnu.org--gnu-2003/emacs--tiling--0
   Location: sftp://fencepost.gnu.org/home/m/miles/arch/miles@gnu.org--gnu-2003

or send me email if you want a tar file.


For those that don't remember, `background image tiling' basically means
the ability to specify an image `tile' as the background for any face,
including the default face.  The image is displayed relative to an
`origin,' and if this is 'display, and you use the same image as the X root
window*, voila, `transparent' emacs!

* Currently you must specify the image file; I intend to add a new image
  type that automagically tracks the actual X root window's pixmap, as
  defined by the X property Gnome &c use.


I think this is one of the three `eye candy' features Emacs needs (well
doesn't really need, but there are quite a few people that will get all hot
and bothered if they're supported):

  (1) GTK support               [done]
  (2) Font anti-aliasing        [being worked on by Chris Gray]
  (3) Background image support  [this patch]

There seem to be a fair number of people that run emacs in an xterm to get
(2) and (3)!

Thanks,

-Miles
-- 
Is it true that nothing can be known?  If so how do we know this?  -Woody Allen