My Windows Emacs configuration

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Dependencies
• How to use the server script
• How to set a taskbar shortcut for the client that occupies only 1 slot
• Adding the client to the gitconfig editor

Dependencies

• Windows Emacs 29+
  • And its bin folder in the PATH
• IBM Plex Mono font
• HOME environment variable to the parent folder of the configuration

Powershell aliases

• Client

  function mx {
      emacsclientw $args
  }
  function mxc {
      emacsclientw -c -n $args
  }
      

• Server

  functoin mxd {
      emacs --daemon $args
  }
  function mxs {
      $emacsScriptPath = "$env:HOME\.config\emacs\scripts\windows\StartEmacsServer.bat"
      Start-Process -FilePath $emacsScriptPath -NoNewWindow
  }
      

How to use the server script

• Automatically start the server on startup
  • Make a symlink of the script
  • Open the startup folder of windows
    • Win+R > shell::startup
  • Place the symlink in the startup folder
  • The state of the startup script if verifiable in the task manager
• If you are having issues creating the server to attach, then try this:
  • Changing the server’s folder author to the current user, instead of the Admin.
    • Select the folder.
    • Go to its properties.
    • Go to the ‘Security’ tab.
    • Click on the ‘Advanced’ button.
    • On the top of the window will have the field ‘Owner’, change it to your user.
• Or try debugging the server to find the error source.
  • emacs –daemon –debug-init

How to set a taskbar shortcut for the client that occupies only 1 slot

• A change in the Windows registry will be required, it will change the Details part of the properties from every file in OS.
  • Create a string value in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile called ‘FullDetails’
  • Set its value to:
    • prop:System.PropGroup.Description;System.ItemTypeText;System.Comment;System.Link.TargetParsingPath;System.AppUserModel.ID;System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;prop:System.PropGroup.FileSystem;System.ItemNameDisplay;System.Size;System.DateCreated;System.DateModified;System.FileAttributes;*System.OfflineAvailability;*System.OfflineStatus;*System.SharedWith;*System.FileOwner;*System.ComputerName
  • Make a shortcut for the emacsclient such as:
    • Target: emacsclientw.exe -c -n
  • Go to the shortcut’s properties.
  • Go to the Details tab.
  • Find a field called ‘AppUserModelId’.
  • Change it to the Emacs executable same ID.
    • Currently it’s ‘GNU.Emacs’.

Adding the client to the gitconfig editor

• Simply add this to the config:
  • editor = emacsclientw -a runemacs

All-the-icons are not showing up

• Clone the repo: https://github.com/domtronn/all-the-icons.el.git
• Install all the fonts in the ‘fonts’ folder

How to set the “Opens With” by file extension

• Open cmd.exe with as an Admin
• Set the file type alias The full path to the .exe is required

  ftype EmacsFileType="emacsclientw.exe" -c -n "%1"
      

• Set the file association ‘X’ is the file extension to add the file association

  assoc .X=EmacsFileType
      

• If that it has no effect, check this link out: https://superuser.com/questions/1370681/assoc-ftype-does-not-work-properly-on-windows-10