1 .\" Copyright (c) 2009 Marco Peereboom <marco@peereboom.us>
2 .\" Copyright (c) 2009 Darrin Chandler <dwchandler@stilyagin.com>
4 .\" Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
5 .\" purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
6 .\" copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
8 .\" THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
9 .\" WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
10 .\" MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
11 .\" ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
12 .\" WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
13 .\" ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
14 .\" OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
16 .Dd $Mdocdate: November 30 2011 $
21 .Nd window manager for X11
26 is a minimalistic window manager that tries to stay out of the way so that
27 valuable screen real estate can be used for much more important stuff.
28 It has sane defaults and does not require one to learn a language to do any
30 It was written by hackers for hackers and it strives to be small, compact and
35 starts up, it reads settings from its configuration file,
38 .Sx CONFIGURATION FILES
41 The following notation is used throughout this page:
43 .Bl -tag -width Ds -offset indent -compact
57 is very simple in its use.
58 Most of the actions are initiated via key or mouse bindings.
61 section below for defaults and customizations.
62 .Sh CONFIGURATION FILES
64 first tries to open the user specific file,
66 If that file is unavailable,
67 it then tries to open the global configuration file
68 .Pa /etc/scrotwm.conf .
70 The format of the file is \*(Ltkeyword\*(Gt = \*(Ltsetting\*(Gt.
75 Enabling or disabling an option is done by using 1 or 0 respectively.
77 The file supports the following keywords:
79 .Bl -tag -width "title_class_enabledXXX" -offset indent -compact
81 Launch an application in a specified workspace at start-of-day.
82 Defined in the format ws[<idx>]:application, e.g. ws[2]:xterm launches an
85 Border color of the currently focussed window.
87 Border color of unfocussed windows.
89 Enable or disable status bar.
90 .It Cm bar_border Ns Bq Ar x
91 Color of the status bar border in screen
93 .It Cm bar_border_width
94 Set status bar border thickness in pixels.
95 Disable border by setting to 0.
96 .It Cm bar_color Ns Bq Ar x
97 Color of the status bar window in screen
99 .It Cm bar_font_color Ns Bq Ar x
100 Color of the font in status bar in screen
105 External script that populates additional information in the status bar,
106 such as battery life.
108 Update frequency, in seconds, of external script that populates the status bar.
110 Place the statusbar at the bottom of each region instead of the top.
112 Justify the status bar text. Possible values are
118 Enable or disable displaying the current stacking algorithm in the status bar.
120 Enable or disable displaying the clock in the status bar.
121 Disable by setting to 0
122 so a custom clock could be used in the
126 Some applications have dialogue windows that are too small to be useful.
127 This ratio is the screen size to what they will be resized.
128 For example, 0.6 is 60% of the physical screen size.
129 .It Cm keyboard_mapping
130 Clear all key bindings and load new key bindings from the specified file.
131 This allows you to load pre-defined key bindings for your keyboard layout.
133 .Sx KEYBOARD MAPPING FILES
134 section below for a list of keyboard mapping files that have been provided
135 for several keyboard layouts.
137 Select layout to use at start-of-day.
138 Defined in the format
139 ws[idx]:master_grow:master_add:stack_inc:layout:always_raise:stack_mode, e.g.
140 ws[2]:-4:0:1:0:horizontal sets worskspace 2 to the horizontal stack mode and
141 shrinks the master area by 4 ticks and adds one window to the stack, while
142 maintaining default floating window behavior.
143 Possible stack_mode values are
158 for more information.
159 Note that the stacking options are complicated and have side-effects.
160 One should familiarize oneself with these commands before experimenting with the
164 This setting is not retained at restart.
166 Allocates a custom region, removing any autodetected regions which occupy the same
168 Defined in the format screen[<idx>]:WIDTHxHEIGHT+X+Y,
169 e.g.\& screen[1]:800x1200+0+0.
171 To make a screen span multiple monitors, create a region big enough to cover
172 them all, e.g. screen[1]:2048x768+0+0 makes the screen span two monitors with
173 1024x768 resolution sitting one next to the other.
175 Set a preferred minimum width for the terminal.
176 If this value is greater than 0,
178 will attempt to adjust the font sizes in the terminal to keep the terminal
179 width above this number as the window is resized.
182 is currently supported.
185 binary must not be setuid or setgid, which it is by default on most systems.
186 Users may need to set program[term] (see the
188 section) to use an alternate copy of the
190 binary without the setgid bit set.
191 .It Cm title_class_enabled
192 Enable or disable displaying the window class in the status bar.
193 Enable by setting to 1.
194 .It Cm title_name_enabled
195 Enable or disable displaying the window title in the status bar.
196 Enable by setting to 1.
197 .It Cm urgent_enabled
198 Enable or disable the urgency hint.
199 Note that many terminal emulators require this to be enabled for it to
201 In xterm, for example, one needs to add the following line
202 .Pa xterm.urgentOnBell: true
205 .It Cm window_name_enabled
206 Enable or disable displaying the window name in the status bar.
207 Enable by setting to 1.
208 .It Cm verbose_layout
209 Enable or disable displaying the current master and stack values in the status
211 Enable by setting to 1.
214 Mod1 is generally the ALT key and Mod4 is the windows key on a PC.
218 will make the window manager focus the window
219 under the mouse when switching workspaces and creating windows.
220 .It Cm disable_border
221 Remove border when bar is disabled and there is only one window on the screen.
223 Set window border thickness in pixels.
224 Disable all borders by setting to 0.
225 .It Cm program Ns Bq Ar p
226 Define new action to spawn a program
231 .It Cm bind Ns Bq Ar x
232 Bind key combo to action
237 .It Cm quirk Ns Bq Ar c:n
238 Add "quirk" for windows with class
247 Colors need to be specified per the
249 specification and fonts need to be specified per the
253 To list the available fonts in your system see
260 application can help you to show the X Logical Font Description ("XLFD") used
261 as setting in the keyword
265 allows you to define custom actions to launch programs of your choice and then
266 bind them the same as with built-in actions.
271 The default programs are described below:
273 .Bl -tag -width "screenshot_wind" -offset indent -compact
276 .It Cm screenshot_all
278 .It Cm screenshot_wind
285 dmenu_run \-fn $bar_font \-nb $bar_color \-nf $bar_font_color \-sb $bar_border \-sf $bar_color
288 Custom programs in the configuration file are specified as follows:
290 .Dl program[<name>] = <progpath> [<arg> [... <arg>]]
293 is any identifier that does not conflict with a built-in action or keyword,
295 is the desired program, and
297 is zero or more arguments to the program.
299 The following variables represent settable values in
302 .Sx CONFIGURATION FILES
304 and may be used in the
306 fields and will be substituted for values at the time the program is spawned:
308 .Bl -tag -width "$bar_font_color" -offset indent -compact
312 .It Cm $bar_font_color
314 .It Cm $color_unfocus
318 .Bd -literal -offset indent
319 program[ff] = /usr/local/bin/firefox http://scrotwm.org/
320 bind[ff] = Mod+Shift+b # Now Mod+Shift+B launches firefox
323 To undo the previous:
324 .Bd -literal -offset indent
330 provides many functions (or actions) accessed via key or mouse bindings.
332 The current mouse bindings are described below:
334 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
342 Resize window while maintaining it centered
345 The default key bindings are described below:
347 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
348 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Return
356 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Space
358 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Space
372 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Return
381 .Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm TAB
398 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Ar n
400 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Right
402 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Left
404 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Up
406 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Down
410 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Right
412 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Left
422 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Delete
458 The action names and descriptions are listed below:
460 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXXX" -offset indent -compact
486 Add windows to master area.
488 Remove windows from master area.
490 Add columns/rows to stacking area.
492 Remove columns/rows from stacking area.
494 Move current window to master area.
496 Focus next window in workspace.
498 Focus previous window in workspace.
500 Focus on main window in workspace.
502 Swap with next window in workspace.
504 Swap with previous window in workspace.
506 Toggle status bar in all workspaces.
508 Delete current window in workspace.
510 Destroy current window in workspace.
518 Move current window to workspace
524 Switch to next workspace with a window in it.
526 Switch to previous workspace with a window in it.
528 Switch to next workspace.
530 Switch to previous workspace.
532 Switch to last visited workspace.
534 Move pointer to next region.
536 Move pointer to previous region.
537 .It Cm screenshot_all
538 Take screenshot of entire screen (if enabled)
542 .It Cm screenshot_wind
543 Take screenshot of selected window (if enabled)
548 Toggle version in status bar.
550 Toggle focused window between tiled and floating.
557 Reinitialize physical screens
562 Minimize (unmap) currently focused window.
564 Maximize (map) window returned by dmenu selection.
566 When set tiled windows are allowed to obscure floating windows.
568 Fake a middle mouse button click (mouse button 2).
570 Shrink the width of a floating window.
572 Grow the width of a floating window.
574 Shrink the height of a floating window.
576 Grow the height of a floating window.
578 Move a floating window a step to the left.
580 Move a floating window a step to the right.
582 Move a floating window a step upwards.
584 Move a floating window a step downwards.
585 .It Cm name_workspace
586 Name the current workspace.
587 .It Cm search_workspace
588 Search for a workspace.
590 Search the windows in the current workspace.
593 Custom bindings in the configuration file are specified as follows:
595 .Dl bind[<action>] = <keys>
598 is one of the actions listed above (or empty) and
600 is in the form of zero or more modifier keys
601 (MOD, Mod1, Shift, etc.) and one or more normal keys
602 (b, space, etc.), separated by "+".
604 .Bd -literal -offset indent
605 bind[reset] = Mod4+q # bind Windows-key + q to reset
606 bind[] = Mod1+q # unbind Alt + q
609 Multiple key combinations may be bound to the same action.
610 .Sh KEYBOARD MAPPING FILES
611 Keyboard mapping files for several keyboard layouts are listed
613 These files can be used with the
615 setting to load pre-defined key bindings for the specified
618 .Bl -tag -width "scrotwm_XX.confXXX" -offset indent -compact
619 .It Cm scrotwm_cz.conf
620 Czech Republic keyboard layout
621 .It Cm scrotwm_es.conf
622 Spanish keyboard layout
623 .It Cm scrotwm_fr.conf
624 French keyboard layout
625 .It Cm scrotwm_fr_ch.conf
626 Swiss French keyboard layout
627 .It Cm scrotwm_us.conf
628 United States keyboard layout
632 provides "quirks" which handle windows that must be treated specially
633 in a tiling window manager, such as some dialogs and fullscreen apps.
635 The default quirks are described below:
637 .Bl -tag -width "OpenOffice.org N.M:VCLSalFrame<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
638 .It Firefox\-bin:firefox\-bin
645 FLOAT + FULLSCREEN + FOCUSPREV
646 .It OpenOffice.org 2.4:VCLSalFrame
648 .It OpenOffice.org 3.1:VCLSalFrame
656 .It xine:xine Video Fullscreen Window
666 The quirks themselves are described below:
668 .Bl -tag -width "XTERM_FONTADJ<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
670 This window should not be tiled, but allowed to float freely.
672 Adjusts size on transient windows that are too small using dialog_ratio
674 .Sx CONFIGURATION FILES ) .
676 Allow window to position itself, uncentered.
678 Adjust xterm fonts when resizing.
680 Remove border to allow window to use full screen size.
682 On exit force focus on previously focused application not previous application
686 Custom quirks in the configuration file are specified as follows:
688 .Dl quirk[<class>:<name>] = <quirk> [ + <quirk> ... ]
693 specify the window to which the quirk(s) apply, and
695 is one of the quirks from the list above.
697 .Bd -literal -offset indent
698 quirk[MPlayer:xv] = FLOAT + FULLSCREEN + FOCUSPREV
699 quirk[pcb:pcb] = NONE # remove existing quirk
706 by running xprop(1) and then clicking on the desired window.
707 In the following example the main window of Firefox was clicked:
708 .Bd -literal -offset indent
709 $ xprop | grep WM_CLASS
710 WM_CLASS(STRING) = "Navigator", "Firefox"
713 Note that grepping for WM_CLASS flips class and name.
714 In the example above the quirk entry would be:
715 .Bd -literal -offset indent
716 quirk[Firefox:Navigator] = FLOAT
720 also automatically assigns quirks to windows based on the value
721 of the window's _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE property as follows:
723 .Bl -tag -width "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLBAR<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
724 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK
726 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLBAR
728 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_UTILITY
730 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_SPLASH
732 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DIALOG
736 In all other cases, no automatic quirks are assigned to the window.
737 Quirks specified in the configuration file override the automatic quirks.
740 partially implements the Extended Window Manager Hints (EWMH) specification.
741 This enables controlling windows as well as
743 itself from external scripts and programs.
746 responding to certain ClientMessage events.
747 From the terminal these events
748 can be conveniently sent using tools such as
753 actual format of these ClientMessage events, see the EWMH specification.
755 The id of the currently focused window is stored in the _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW
756 property of the root window.
757 This can be used for example to retrieve the
758 title of the currently active window with
762 .Bd -literal -offset indent
763 $ WINDOWID=`xprop \-root _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW | grep \-o "0x.*"`
764 $ xprop \-id $WINDOWID WM_NAME | grep \-o "\\".*\\""
767 A window can be focused by sending a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW client message
772 (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window to be focused):
773 .Bd -literal -offset indent
774 $ wmctrl \-i \-a 0x4a0000b
777 Windows can be closed by sending a _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW client message
782 (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window to be closed):
783 .Bd -literal -offset indent
784 $ wmctrl \-i \-c 0x4a0000b
787 Windows can be floated and un-floated by adding or removing the
788 _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE atom from the _NET_WM_STATE property of the window.
789 This can be achieved by sending a _NET_WM_STATE client message to the
791 For example, the following toggles the floating state of
794 to send the message (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window floated
796 .Bd -literal -offset indent
797 $ wmctrl \-i \-r 0x4a0000b \-b toggle,_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE
800 Floating windows can also be resized and moved by sending a
801 _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW client message to the root window.
805 to send the message (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of
806 the window to be resize/moved):
807 .Bd -literal -offset indent
808 $ wmctrl \-i \-r 0x4a0000b \-e 0,100,50,640,480
811 This moves the window to (100,50) and resizes it to 640x480.
813 Any _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW events received for stacked windows are ignored.
817 a HUP signal will restart it.
819 .Bl -tag -width "/etc/scrotwm.confXXX" -compact
820 .It Pa ~/.scrotwm.conf
822 user specific settings.
823 .It Pa /etc/scrotwm.conf
829 was inspired by xmonad & dwm.
835 .Bl -tag -width "Ryan Thomas McBride Aq mcbride@countersiege.com " -offset indent -compact
836 .It Cm Marco Peereboom Aq marco@peereboom.us
837 .It Cm Ryan Thomas McBride Aq mcbride@countersiege.com
838 .It Cm Darrin Chandler Aq dwchandler@stilyagin.com
839 .It Cm Pierre-Yves Ritschard Aq pyr@spootnik.org
840 .It Cm Tuukka Kataja Aq stuge@xor.fi
841 .It Cm Jason L. Wright Aq jason@thought.net
844 Currently the menu, invoked with