i don't want emacs to start with two panes

I recently started using Linux Mint 20.03, and Emacs starts up with two panes (one above the other). This happens when, e.g., I type: emacs anyfile I have searched the usual places, /etc/emacs, /usr/local/share/emacs, and so on, but can't figure out where this behavior is being set. What is the simplest way to override this behavior, and just get a single pane with a buffer on "anyfile". (I don't want to have to type: control-x-1 each time).

Does running `emacs` with the `--no-splash` argument work? To make that permanent: `M-x customize-set-value RET inhibit-startup-screen RET y` or `(setq inhibit-startup-screen t)` in your init file.

Yes, that seems to stop the split into two panes. So, I am adding (setq inhibit-startup-screen t) to my init file. I still don't understand why that split pane would be connected with the splash screen, since I have been on many systems where the splash screen does not seem to have that effect. Thanks for your help.

https://freethegnu.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/how-to-prevent-emacs-from-showing-the-splash-screen/ This blogpost from 2007 describes your issue, so it isn't new or anything. I'm not sure what's different on the other systems you've tried.

Yes, now that I think back, that was when I used to download the source, and compile, on Solaris, Irix, and Linux.

> I still don't understand why that split pane would be connected with the splash screen, since I have been on many systems where the splash screen does not seem to have that effect. If you are opening a file in Emacs from the command line, and Emacs has the default setting to display a splash screen when it starts, it has to split the window to display two buffers, the one with the splash screen and the one with your file. Thus, it splits the only visible window into two windows, and it is by default a horizontal split, i.e. you get two windows above each other. > I'm not sure what's different on the other systems you've tried. Has nothing to do with the OS. That was normal Emacs behavior since I can remember, and I started using Emacs on Solaris back in 1999. Since then, I have used Emacs on gnu/Linux, Irix, FreeBSD and Windows 98/NT, all with the same behavior. > I used to download the source, and compile Has nothing to do with the compilation from source either, it is just an Emacs pre-made choice, which you can customize away as the above comment describes.

FYI what you're calling a "pane" is a "window" in Emacs terminology. You'll want to be aware of that, or lots of documentation will seem confusing. Each Emacs "frame" can be split into many "windows".

That may be the case now, but not in the time period that I am remembering. How do I know? Because I compiled using makefiles and installed using makefiles and I remember never being confronted with that behavior. I suppose my memory could be wrong, but I don't think so. I should note that I was using emacs before linux existed.

>If you are opening a file in Emacs from the command line, and Emacs has the default setting to display a splash screen when it starts, it has to split the window to display two buffers, the one with the splash screen and the one with your file. It might be useful if the splash screen shows up when launching Emacs with no files as arguments, but doesn't show up (or is buried) if it is launched with files as arguments. Maybe some advice could be written for that. >Thus, it splits the only visible window into two windows, and it is by default a horizontal split, i.e. you get two windows above each other. Or what Emacs calls splitting the window vertically.