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(efaq)Emacs ignores X resources

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Why does Emacs ignore my X resources (my .Xdefaults file)?
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   As of version 19, Emacs searches for X resources in the files
specified by the following environment variables:

   * `XFILESEARCHPATH'

   * `XUSERFILESEARCHPATH'

   * `XAPPLRESDIR'


   This emulates the functionality provided by programs written using
the Xt toolkit.

   `XFILESEARCHPATH' and `XUSERFILESEARCHPATH' should be a list of file
names separated by colons.  `XAPPLRESDIR' should be a list of directory
names separated by colons.

   Emacs searches for X resources:

  1. specified on the command line, with the `-xrm RESOURCESTRING'
     option,

  2. then in the value of the `XENVIRONMENT' environment variable,

        - or if that is unset, in the file named
          `~/.Xdefaults-HOSTNAME' if it exists (where HOSTNAME is the
          name of the machine Emacs is running on),


  3. then in the screen-specific and server-wide resource properties
     provided by the server,

        - or if those properties are unset, in the file named
          `~/.Xdefaults' if it exists,


  4. then in the files listed in `XUSERFILESEARCHPATH',

        - or in files named `LANG/Emacs' in directories listed in
          `XAPPLRESDIR' (where LANG is the value of the `LANG'
          environment variable), if the `LANG' environment variable is
          set,

        - or in files named Emacs in the directories listed in
          `XAPPLRESDIR'

        - or in `~/LANG/Emacs' (if the `LANG' environment variable is
          set),

        - or in `~/Emacs',


  5. then in the files listed in  `XFILESEARCHPATH'.