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(elisp)Initial Parameters

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Initial Frame Parameters
------------------------

   You can specify the parameters for the initial startup frame by
setting `initial-frame-alist' in your init file (Note: Init File).

 - Variable: initial-frame-alist
     This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when
     creating the initial window frame.  You can set this variable to
     specify the appearance of the initial frame without altering
     subsequent frames.  Each element has the form:

          (PARAMETER . VALUE)

     Emacs creates the initial frame before it reads your init file.
     After reading that file, Emacs checks `initial-frame-alist', and
     applies the parameter settings in the altered value to the already
     created initial frame.

     If these settings affect the frame geometry and appearance, you'll
     see the frame appear with the wrong ones and then change to the
     specified ones.  If that bothers you, you can specify the same
     geometry and appearance with X resources; those do take effect
     before the frame is created.  Note: X Resources.


     X resource settings typically apply to all frames.  If you want to
     specify some X resources solely for the sake of the initial frame,
     and you don't want them to apply to subsequent frames, here's how
     to achieve this.  Specify parameters in `default-frame-alist' to
     override the X resources for subsequent frames; then, to prevent
     these from affecting the initial frame, specify the same
     parameters in `initial-frame-alist' with values that match the X
     resources.

   If these parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame with
`(minibuffer . nil)', and you have not created one, Emacs creates one
for you.

 - Variable: minibuffer-frame-alist
     This variable's value is an alist of parameter values used when
     creating an initial minibuffer-only frame--if such a frame is
     needed, according to the parameters for the main initial frame.

 - Variable: default-frame-alist
     This is an alist specifying default values of frame parameters for
     all Emacs frames--the first frame, and subsequent frames.  When
     using the X Window System, you can get the same results by means
     of X resources in many cases.

   See also `special-display-frame-alist', in Note: Choosing Window.

   If you use options that specify window appearance when you invoke
Emacs, they take effect by adding elements to `default-frame-alist'.
One exception is `-geometry', which adds the specified position to
`initial-frame-alist' instead.  Note: Command Arguments.