diff --git a/core/PApplet.java b/core/PApplet.java
index 440463f10..52153b08c 100644
--- a/core/PApplet.java
+++ b/core/PApplet.java
@@ -5828,7 +5828,9 @@ public class PApplet extends Applet
         applet.setupFrameResizeListener();
 
         // all set for rockin
-        frame.show();
+        if (applet.displayable()) {
+          frame.show();
+        }
       }
 
       //System.out.println("showing frame");
@@ -7073,4 +7075,9 @@ public class PApplet extends Applet
     if (recorder != null) recorder.endRaw();
     g.endRaw();
   }
+
+
+  public boolean displayable() {
+    return g.displayable();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/core/PGraphics.java b/core/PGraphics.java
index fcc087be3..50da04bf4 100644
--- a/core/PGraphics.java
+++ b/core/PGraphics.java
@@ -3578,6 +3578,17 @@ public class PGraphics extends PImage implements PConstants {
   }
 
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if this renderer should be drawn to the screen.
+   * Overridden for subclasses like PDF so that an enormous window
+   * doesn't open up.
+   * showFrame, displayable, isVisible, visible, shouldDisplay,
+   * what to call this?
+   */
+  public boolean displayable() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   //public void beginRaw() {  // ignore
   //beginFrame();
   //}
diff --git a/core/todo.txt b/core/todo.txt
index 7e18bee5c..1e20a2a62 100644
--- a/core/todo.txt
+++ b/core/todo.txt
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 0104 core
+X don't open a window the size of the pdf if in pdf mode
+X   need to have some sort of flag in the gfx context that it's visible or not
+o   handled inside updateSize()?
+X   if it doesn't display to the screen, needs to never show a window
+X   basically if the main gfx context isn't viewable, close the window
+X   since it may have already been opened at 100x100
+X   avoid opening it in the first place?
 
 
 more pdf/recording stuff
 _ figure out what's up with type on osx
-_ don't open a window the size of the pdf if in pdf mode
-_   need to have some sort of flag in the gfx context that it's visible or not
-_   handled inside updateSize()?
-_   if it doesn't display to the screen, needs to never show a window
-_   basically if the main gfx context isn't viewable, close the window
-_   since it may have already been opened at 100x100
-_   avoid opening it in the first place?
+_   sometimes bicubic vs quadratic beziers are mixed up in fonts
+_   not sure if it's limited to osx or what
 _ make dxf writer that'll work with recordRaw()
 _ document how to switch to next page
 _   maybe background() should do this automatically?