How to change the frame title from `emacs@host` to visited file name

Question

I am using Emacs 24.5.1 on OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, with Gnome 3.16, and the title of the GTK window with Emacs in it is always emacs@hostname. How can I change it to the name of the current file I'm editing?

Why do you need this? I'm curious for your use case. The file name is already shown in the mode line, isn't it? — Dieter.Wilhelm, Sep 22 '15 at 21:25
Gnome in Overview mode has the window title in big text below the window thumbnail, the one in the mode line is too small to see. — Sean, Sep 23 '15 at 13:32
Just a side remark: If you have several frames open - for example if you open a file in another frame with `C-x 5 f` - then each frame will show the buffer name as title. It's only when you have just a single frame that you see "emacs@hostname". — pst, Aug 24 '20 at 10:55
@Dieter.Wilhelm The title bar can show the buffer name and mode of the minibuffer, which the mode line doesn't display. — Arch Stanton, Jan 30 '21 at 11:50

score 38 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 22 '23 at 14:36

38

The file name as frame name

    (setq-default frame-title-format '("%f"))

The file name and the major mode as frame name (my conf)

    (setq-default frame-title-format '("%f [" mode-name "]"))

See

edited Feb 22 '23 at 14:36

Arch Stanton

1,525
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answered Sep 22 '15 at 12:17

djangoliv

3,169
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11

Use `%b` to get the filename without the path – Adversus Jun 12 '17 at 07:24
4

'%b' is also better for unsaved buffers, like "*scratch*" – teroi May 16 '18 at 08:29
Does somebody know how to set it in `custom-set-variables`? – yPhil Jan 06 '21 at 22:50
@yPhil ```(custom-set-variables '(setq-default frame-title-format '("%f [%m]")))``` ? – djangoliv Jan 07 '21 at 14:08
`%m` is now deprecated in favor of the variable `mode-name`. See [%-Constructs in the Mode Line](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/_0025_002dConstructs.html) – Arch Stanton Feb 21 '23 at 15:35

Adobe · Answer 2 · 2020-08-23T10:52:01.453

Make emacs' window title show path of the current file:

(setq-default frame-title-format
              '(:eval
                (format "%s@%s: %s %s"
                        (or (file-remote-p default-directory 'user)
                            user-real-login-name)
                        (or (file-remote-p default-directory 'host)
                            system-name)
                        (buffer-name)
                        (cond
                         (buffer-file-truename
                          (concat "(" buffer-file-truename ")"))
                         (dired-directory
                          (concat "{" dired-directory "}"))
                         (t
                          "[no file]")))))

How to change the frame title from `emacs@host` to visited file name

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