is the blank line at the very bottom of an Emacs frame. Emacs by default reserves that screen space for echoing keystrokes, error messages, complier messages, messages from background processes, and alerts. Since the `echo-area` is a special case of the `minibuffer` window, it uses the same functions for customizing its size and display attributes.
Questions tagged [echo-area]
77 questions
12
votes
2 answers
Is it possible to make the echo area next to cursor?
The problem: I found it's tiredsome to move my eyeballs up and down from where my cursor is to the bottom echo area.
The question: is it possible to make the echo area dynamically allocated close to my cursor, like tooltips? I searched for packages…
wangii
- 223
- 1
- 3
12
votes
1 answer
decrease time until "C-x-" shows in echo area after pressing the keys
When I try enter commands via C-x, it takes 1-2 seconds until the echo area shows this prefix key, as C-x-. I'm quite new to Emacs, so this often confuses me, and I get lost.
The ESC key acts similar to this, so when I try to escape out of some…
kai-dj
- 427
- 2
- 15
12
votes
2 answers
How to display a message in echo-area only
Is it possible to display a message in the echo area without logging it in buffer *Messages*?
syl20bnr
- 2,095
- 11
- 21
11
votes
3 answers
Make use of an empty echo area to display information
The echo area is empty most of the time, which makes me think that I could use it to display some information. For example, org-clock displays the current task, the remaining time and the total elapsed time on the modeline. This information is not…
T. Verron
- 4,233
- 1
- 22
- 55
11
votes
2 answers
How to copy minibuffer contents?
To post this question and this question, I had to copy the contents of minibuffer.
I tried to copy from minibuffer but it didn't worked.
I came across this discussion and checked *Messages* buffer also. But minibuffer contents won't be there…
Chillar Anand
- 4,042
- 1
- 23
- 52
10
votes
3 answers
Send process output to *Messages* buffer, but bypass the echo area
Is it possible to send the output from a process-filter to the *Messages* buffer and suppress that message output from appearing in the echo area, such that I am able to simultaneously use interactive commands without having the minibuffer-prompt…
lawlist
- 18,826
- 5
- 37
- 118
10
votes
2 answers
What minor mode prints opening paren in the echo area?
This is a really nice feature, but it only displays when inserting a paren, not when changing to a cursor position. Is there an interactive command that I can call to display this? Can I configure it to show up on cursor move?
wdkrnls
- 3,657
- 2
- 27
- 46
10
votes
1 answer
How to get keystrokes displayed in the echo area immediately?
How do I get keystrokes displayed in the echo area immediately?
For example: when I enter the key sequence C-u j, it will not display in the echo area immediately, but then I press key k, and I discover that I was making a typo beforehand. So, I…
jimmy
- 103
- 5
10
votes
1 answer
Can I show a clock in the echo area?
Most of the time my echo area sits empty while the modeline of each of my windows displays plenty of redundant redundant information (current time, system load, and various other buffer-independent pieces of information).
Can I display the current…
Clément
- 3,924
- 1
- 22
- 37
9
votes
2 answers
Is there a way to disable the "buffer is read-only" warning?
I don't find this warning particularly helpful and pretty distracting because it hides the current text in the echo area for a brief moment. Is also seems unnecessary, because I will notice anyway that I cannot write in read-only areas. Is there a…
Lenar Hoyt
- 1,163
- 7
- 25
9
votes
4 answers
Print message in echo area with no "quotes"?
Q: how do I print a message in the echo area without surrounding quotes?
Here's a simple command:
(defun test-fn ()
(interactive)
(message "Test message"))
When I call it as an interactive command via M-x test-fn, it prints Test message in the…
Dan
- 32,584
- 6
- 98
- 168
8
votes
1 answer
How can I set face for echo-area message
When I print messages using (message (propertize "text" 'face 'some-face)) properties get printed as text:
#("text" 0 4 (face some-face))
How can I have faces displayed properly?
Łukasz Gruner
- 1,008
- 8
- 16
7
votes
1 answer
Echo Area font face?
Is there any way to set a custom face for the echo area (and, by extension, the Isearch input text)?
So far my searching hasn't turned up anything, except that it seems like there isn't a way to modify this. Is that correct?
user3014097
- 253
- 1
- 4
7
votes
4 answers
Suppress message in minibuffer when a buffer is saved?
Whenever a buffer is saved, a message is displayed in minibuffer.
Wrote foo.bar
I use real-auto-save to save modified buffers every 5 seconds. Due to this minibuffer is getting spammed. Sometimes, when I am looking at useful info(like signature, …
Chillar Anand
- 4,042
- 1
- 23
- 52
6
votes
1 answer
How can I suppress certain messages from being echoed in the echo-area?
Is there a way to filter out certain messages from being echoed in the echo-area while still being logged in to the Messages buffer ?
Use case scenario being an aggressive backward delete in the minibuffer yields a Text is read-only message when…
Vamsi
- 3,916
- 22
- 35