calc.el (calc-trail-mode,calc-refresh): Use `face' property to italicize headers.

(calc-highlight-selections-with-faces): New variable.
(calc-selected-face, calc-nonselected-face): New faces.

calccomp.el (math-comp-highlight-string): Use
`calc-highlight-selections-with-faces' to determine how to highlight
subformulas.

calc-sel.el (calc-show-selections): Change message to something
appropriate. 

calc.texi (Making Selections, Selecting Subformulas)
(Customizing Calc): Mention how to use faces to emphasize selected
subformulas.

doc/misc/ChangeLog

+2010-08-08  Jay Belanger  <jay.p.belanger@gmail.com>
+
+	* calc.texi (Making Selections, Selecting Subformulas)
+	(Customizing Calc): Mention how to use faces to emphasize selected
+	sub-formulas.
+
 2010-08-05  Michael Albinus  <michael.albinus@gmx.de>
 
 	* tramp.texi (External packages): File attributes cache flushing

doc/misc/calc.texi

@@ -21513,7 +21513,11 @@ to
 
 @noindent
 Every character not part of the sub-formula @samp{b} has been changed
-to a dot.  The @samp{*} next to the line number is to remind you that
+to a dot. (If the customizable variable
+@code{calc-highlight-selections-with-faces} is non-nil, then the characters
+not part of the sub-formula are de-emphasized by using a less
+noticeable face instead of using dots. @pxref{Displaying Selections}.)
+The @samp{*} next to the line number is to remind you that
 the formula has a portion of it selected.  (In this case, it's very
 obvious, but it might not always be.  If Embedded mode is enabled,
 the word @samp{Sel} also appears in the mode line because the stack
@@ -21726,6 +21730,9 @@ of the hierarchy simply by pointing to it with the cursor.
 @noindent
 @kindex j d
 @pindex calc-show-selections
+@vindex calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+@vindex calc-selected-face
+@vindex calc-nonselected-face
 The @kbd{j d} (@code{calc-show-selections}) command controls how
 selected sub-formulas are displayed.  One of the alternatives is
 illustrated in the above examples; if we press @kbd{j d} we switch
@@ -21740,6 +21747,13 @@ by @samp{#} signs:
         . . . .                   2 x + 1
 @end group
 @end smallexample
+If the customizable variable
+@code{calc-highlight-selections-with-faces} is non-nil, then the
+non-selected portion of the formula will be de-emphasized by using a
+less noticeable face (@code{calc-nonselected-face}) instead of dots
+and the selected sub-formula will be highlighted by using a more
+noticeable face (@code{calc-selected-face}) instead of @samp{#}
+signs. (@pxref{Customizing Calc}.)
 
 @node Operating on Selections, Rearranging with Selections, Displaying Selections, Selecting Subformulas
 @subsection Operating on Selections
@@ -34911,7 +34925,7 @@ character of the prefix can simply be typed twice.
 
 Calc is controlled by many variables, most of which can be reset
 from within Calc.  Some variables are less involved with actual
-calculation, and can be set outside of Calc using Emacs's
+calculation and can be set outside of Calc using Emacs's
 customization facilities.  These variables are listed below.
 Typing @kbd{M-x customize-variable RET @var{variable-name} RET}
 will bring up a buffer in which the variable's value can be redefined.
@@ -35197,6 +35211,22 @@ should also be added to @code{calc-embedded-announce-formula-alist}
 and @code{calc-embedded-open-close-plain-alist}.
 @end defvar
 
+@defvar calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+@defvarx calc-selected-face
+@defvarx calc-nonselected-face
+The variable @code{calc-highlight-selections-with-faces} 
+determines how selected sub-formulas are distinguished.
+If @code{calc-highlight-selections-with-faces} is nil, then 
+a selected sub-formula is distinguished either by changing every
+character not part of the sub-formula with a dot or by changing every
+character in the sub-formula with a @samp{#} sign.  
+If @code{calc-highlight-selections-with-faces} is t,
+then a selected sub-formula is distinguished either by displaying the
+non-selected portion of the formula with @code{calc-nonselected-face} 
+or by displaying the selected sub-formula with
+@code{calc-nonselected-face}. (@pxref{Displaying Selections}.)
+@end defvar
+
 @defvar calc-multiplication-has-precedence
 The variable @code{calc-multiplication-has-precedence} determines
 whether multiplication has precedence over division in algebraic

lisp/ChangeLog

+2010-08-08  Jay Belanger  <jay.p.belanger@gmail.com>
+
+	* calc/calc.el (calc-trail-mode,calc-refresh): Use `face' property
+	to italicize headers.
+	(calc-highlight-selections-with-faces): New variable.
+	(calc-selected-face, calc-nonselected-face): New faces.
+
+	* calc/calccomp.el (math-comp-highlight-string): Use
+	`calc-highlight-selections-with-faces' to determine how to highlight
+	sub-formulas.
+
+	* calc/calc-sel.el (calc-show-selections): Change message to when
+	using faces to highlight selections.
+
 2010-08-07  Michael R. Mauger  <mmaug@yahoo.com>
 
 	* progmodes/sql.el (sql-mode-sqlite-font-lock-keywords): Added

lisp/calc/calc-sel.el

@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@
        (setq n (1+ n))))
    (calc-clear-command-flag 'position-point)))
 
+(defvar calc-highlight-selections-with-faces)
+
 (defun calc-show-selections (arg)
   (interactive "P")
   (calc-wrapper
@@ -330,8 +332,12 @@
 		(setcar (nthcdr 2 calc-selection-cache-entry) nil)
 		(calc-change-current-selection sel)))))
    (message (if calc-show-selections
-		"Displaying only selected part of formulas"
-	      "Displaying all but selected part of formulas"))))
+                (if calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+                    "De-emphasizing all but selected part of formulas"
+                  "Displaying only selected part of formulas")
+              (if calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+                  "Emphasizing selected part of formulas"
+                "Displaying all but selected part of formulas")))))
 
 ;; The variables calc-final-point-line and calc-final-point-column
 ;; are declared in calc.el, and are used throughout.

lisp/calc/calc.el

@@ -425,6 +425,27 @@ in normal mode."
   :group 'calc
   :type 'integer)
 
+(defcustom calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+  nil
+  "If non-nil, use a separate face to indicate selected sub-formulas.
+If `calc-show-selections' is non-nil, then selected sub-formulas are shown
+by displaying the rest of the formula in `calc-nonselected-face'.  
+If `calc-show-selections' is nil, then selected sub-formulas are shown
+by displaying the sub-formula in `calc-selected-face'."
+  :group 'calc
+  :type 'boolean)
+
+(defface calc-nonselected-face
+  '((t :inherit shadow       
+       :slant italic))
+  "Face used to show the non-selected portion of a formula."
+  :group 'calc)
+
+(defface calc-selected-face
+  '((t :weight bold))
+  "Face used to show the selected portion of a formula."
+  :group 'calc)
+
 (defvar calc-bug-address "jay.p.belanger@gmail.com"
   "Address of the maintainer of Calc, for use by `report-calc-bug'.")
 
@@ -1385,8 +1406,7 @@ commands given here will actually operate on the *Calculator* stack."
     (set (make-local-variable 'calc-main-buffer) buf))
   (when (= (buffer-size) 0)
     (let ((buffer-read-only nil))
-      (insert (propertize (concat "Emacs Calculator Trail\n")
-			  'font-lock-face 'italic))))
+      (insert (propertize "Emacs Calculator Trail\n" 'face 'italic))))
   (run-mode-hooks 'calc-trail-mode-hook))
 
 (defun calc-create-buffer ()
@@ -1976,7 +1996,7 @@ See calc-keypad for details."
 	 (erase-buffer)
 	 (when calc-show-banner
 	   (insert (propertize "--- Emacs Calculator Mode ---\n"
-			       'font-lock-face 'italic)))
+			       'face 'italic)))
 	 (while thing
 	   (goto-char (point-min))
 	   (when calc-show-banner

lisp/calc/calccomp.el

@@ -1339,12 +1339,15 @@
 
 (defun math-comp-highlight-string (s)
   (setq s (copy-sequence s))
-  (let ((i (length s)))
-    (while (>= (setq i (1- i)) 0)
-      (or (memq (aref s i) '(32 ?\n))
-	  (aset s i (if calc-show-selections ?\. ?\#)))))
-  s)
-
+  (if calc-highlight-selections-with-faces
+      (if (not calc-show-selections)
+          (propertize s 'face 'calc-selected-face)
+        (propertize s 'face 'calc-nonselected-face))
+    (let ((i (length s)))
+      (while (>= (setq i (1- i)) 0)
+        (or (memq (aref s i) '(32 ?\n))
+            (aset s i (if calc-show-selections ?\. ?\#)))))
+    s))
 
 ;; The variable math-comp-sel-tag is local to calc-find-selected-part
 ;; in calc-sel.el, but is used by math-comp-sel-flat-term and