Solution to a proposed FAQ, how to maximize emacs quickly (like `emacs --maximize`) for GNU/Linux

[David Hedlund]

Methods to always maximize `emacs` (for example, from Alt+F2 in MATE), without the slightly distracting visual effect when the default frame size is growing to fullscreen. The window will be maximized quickly, like "emacs --maximize".

###########################

Windows - Solved

A while ago I suggested how to expand the Emacs window rapidly for Windows -  https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2023-04/msg00155.html

It has now been added:

"

Alternatively, you can avoid the visual effect of Emacs changing its frame size entirely in your init file (i.e., without using the Registry), like this:

(setq frame-resize-pixelwise t)
(set-frame-position nil 0 0)
(set-frame-size nil (display-pixel-width) (display-pixel-height) t)

" - https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/efaq/Fullscreen-mode-on-MS_002dWindows.html. Here's the old revision: https://web.archive.org/web/20230202024025/https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/efaq/Fullscreen-mode-on-MS_002dWindows.html

###########################

GNU/Linux - proposed new section: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/efaq/Fullscreen-mode-on-GNU-Linux.html

As far as I know, this cannot be done entirely with Emacs LISP for GNU/Linux, but I found a workaround by combining it with devilspie2.

I've successfully used this recipe for Trisquel 11:

* Step 1 to quickly maximize the window[1]: Install, configure, and autostart devilspie2 to nearly maximize emacs[1]. Run this in a terminal or as a script:

# Install devilspie2
sudo apt-get -y install devilspie2

# Configure devilspie2
mkdir -p ~/.config/devilspie2/

width="$(xrandr --current | grep '*' | uniq | awk '{print $1}' | cut -d 'x' -f1)"
height="$(xrandr --current | grep '*' | uniq | awk '{print $1}' | cut -d 'x' -f2)"

tee ~/.config/devilspie2/emacs.lua /dev/null << EOF
if (get_class_instance_name() == "emacs") then

    set_window_geometry(0, 0, $width, $height);

end
EOF

# Autostart devilspie2
mkdir -p "$HOME/.config/autostart/" # The directory does not exist by default
cd "$HOME/.config/autostart/" || exit
file="devilspie-2.desktop"
touch "$file"
desktop-file-edit \
--set-name="Devilspie 2" \
--set-comment="Perform scripted actions on windows as they are created" \
--set-key="Type" --set-value="Application" \
--set-key="Exec" --set-value="devilspie2" \
--set-key="X-MATE-Autostart-Delay" --set-value="0" \
"$file"
desktop-file-validate "$file"

* Step 2 to quickly maximize the window[1]: Add this to ~/.emacs: (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(fullscreen . maximized))
* Log out and then log back into your desktop environment
* Every time you open `emacs`, regardless how you are opening it, it will open the window equally fast as `emacs --maximize`

[1]: Workaround to bug: maximize* commands don't work for Emacs - https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/index.php?63979

The above steps can of course be rewritten and described for general use to make it useful for any GNU/Linux distro.