=== modified file 'lisp/bindings.el'
--- lisp/bindings.el	2010-10-19 19:20:33 +0000
+++ lisp/bindings.el	2010-11-19 11:27:06 +0000
@@ -336,8 +336,7 @@
 	 'mode-line-modes
 	 `(which-func-mode ("" which-func-format ,spaces))
 	 `(global-mode-string ("" global-mode-string ,spaces))
-	 `(:eval (unless (display-graphic-p)
-		   ,(propertize "-%-" 'help-echo help-echo)))))
+	 `(:eval ,(propertize "%-" 'help-echo help-echo))))
        (standard-mode-line-modes
 	(list
 	 (propertize "%[" 'help-echo recursive-edit-help-echo)

=== modified file 'lisp/cus-start.el'
--- lisp/cus-start.el	2010-10-31 22:47:12 +0000
+++ lisp/cus-start.el	2010-11-20 19:52:54 +0000
@@ -397,6 +397,15 @@
 	     (truncate-partial-width-windows display boolean "23.1")
 	     (mode-line-inverse-video mode-line boolean)
 	     (mode-line-in-non-selected-windows mode-line boolean "22.1")
+	     (mode-line-filler mode-line
+			       (choice
+				(character :tag "Character")
+				(integer :tag "Integer char value"
+					 ;; :validate ruler-mode-character-validate
+					 ))
+			       "24.1"
+			       :standard (if (display-graphic-p) ?  ?-)
+			       :initialize custom-initialize-delay)
 	     (line-number-display-limit display
 					(choice integer
 						(const :tag "No limit" nil)))

=== modified file 'src/xdisp.c'
--- src/xdisp.c	2010-11-09 20:07:10 +0000
+++ src/xdisp.c	2010-11-19 22:13:02 +0000
@@ -667,6 +667,11 @@
 
 int cursor_type_changed;
 
+/* Filler character used by the "%-" mode line spec.  Defaults to ' '
+   on a graphical display and to '-' on a tty.  */
+
+EMACS_INT mode_line_filler;
+ 
 /* Nonzero after display_mode_line if %l was used and it displayed a
    line number.  */
 
@@ -19382,8 +19387,6 @@
    Note we operate on the current buffer for most purposes,
    the exception being w->base_line_pos.  */
 
-static char lots_of_dashes[] = "--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------";
-
 static const char *
 decode_mode_spec (struct window *w, register int c, int field_width,
 		  int precision, Lisp_Object *string)
@@ -19453,21 +19456,21 @@
     case '-':
       {
 	register int i;
-
-	/* Let lots_of_dashes be a string of infinite length.  */
-	if (mode_line_target == MODE_LINE_NOPROP ||
-	    mode_line_target == MODE_LINE_STRING)
-	  return "--";
-	if (field_width <= 0
-	    || field_width > sizeof (lots_of_dashes))
-	  {
-	    for (i = 0; i < FRAME_MESSAGE_BUF_SIZE (f) - 1; ++i)
-	      decode_mode_spec_buf[i] = '-';
-	    decode_mode_spec_buf[i] = '\0';
-	    return decode_mode_spec_buf;
-	  }
-	else
-	  return lots_of_dashes;
+	int fill_len;
+	int lots_of_filler = 140;
+  
+	/* Make a string of mode_line_filler characters.  */
+	fill_len = 
+	  (mode_line_target == MODE_LINE_NOPROP
+	   || mode_line_target == MODE_LINE_STRING) 
+	  ? 2
+	  : ((field_width <= 0 || field_width > lots_of_filler)
+	     ? FRAME_MESSAGE_BUF_SIZE (f) - 1 
+	     : lots_of_filler);
+	for (i = 0; i < fill_len; ++i)
+	  decode_mode_spec_buf[i] = mode_line_filler;
+	decode_mode_spec_buf[i] = '\0';
+	return decode_mode_spec_buf;
       }
 
     case 'b':
@@ -26654,6 +26657,10 @@
     doc: /* String (or mode line construct) included (normally) in `mode-line-format'.  */);
   Vglobal_mode_string = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_INT ("mode-line-filler", &mode_line_filler,
+    doc: /* Filler character used by the "%-" mode line spec.
+Defaults to ' ' on a graphical display and to '-' on a tty.  */);
+
   DEFVAR_LISP ("overlay-arrow-position", &Voverlay_arrow_position,
     doc: /* Marker for where to display an arrow on top of the buffer text.
 This must be the beginning of a line in order to work.