Re: can't set both mode-line color and default frame font?

[Jan Djärv]

Richard Stallman skrev:

> Unfortunately, I don't see any way to distinguish settings made
> by the GNOME settings demon from those made by the user.
>
> I know that X stores resources in various places.  Perhaps
> some of these places should have higher priority than others.
>
> The file xrdb.c, which I have never really understood, seems
> to try to merge X resources from various places.  Perhaps
> that points a way to such a solution.
>
> Would someone like to study xrdb.c and report on what is possible?

xrdb.c merges resources from various sources.  They are read in this order 
(which is what X11 recommends):

- builtin
- system application file (.../X11/app-defaults/Emacs)
- user application file (XUSERFILESEARCHPATH is searched)
- user database (RESOURCE_MANAGER property or ~/.Xdefaults, and screen
                 specific property SCREEN_RESOURCES)
- file pointed to by environment variable XENVIRONMENT
- command line (-xrm)

Nowdays the users X resources (~/.Xdefaults) are more often than not merged 
into the RESOURCE_MANAGER property of the root X window (see 
XResourceManagerString).  This is what you see if you do xrdb -query.  The 
Gnome settings daemon also puts stuff here.

That is, resources from the users .Xdefaults/.Xresources and the resources 
from the Gnome settings daemon are not possible to distinguish.

To further complicate matters, system and application files can be set with 
the environment variables XFILESEARCHPATH, XAPPLRESDIR and XUSERFILESEARCHPATH.

So it is practically impossible to know the source for an individual resource, 
except perhaps the command line.

        Jan D.