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: February 15 2012 $
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,
65 .Pa ~/.spectrwm.conf .
66 If that file is unavailable,
67 it then tries to open the global configuration file
68 .Pa /etc/spectrwm.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:
80 Launch an application in a specified workspace at start-of-day.
81 Defined in the format ws[<idx>]:application, e.g. ws[2]:xterm launches an
84 External script that populates additional information in the status bar,
87 Place the statusbar at the bottom of each region instead of the top.
88 .It Ic bar_border Ns Bq Ar x
89 Color of the status bar border in screen
91 .It Ic bar_border_width
92 Set status bar border thickness in pixels.
93 Disable border by setting to 0.
94 .It Ic bar_color Ns Bq Ar x
95 Color of the status bar window in screen
98 Update frequency, in seconds, of external script that populates the status bar.
100 Enable or disable status bar.
103 .It Ic bar_font_color Ns Bq Ar x
104 Color of the font in status bar in screen
107 Justify the status bar text. Possible values are
112 .It Ic bind Ns Bq Ar x
113 Bind key combo to action
119 Set window border thickness in pixels.
120 Disable all borders by setting to 0.
122 Enable or disable displaying the clock in the status bar.
123 Disable by setting to 0
124 so a custom clock could be used in the
128 Border color of the currently focussed window.
130 Border color of unfocussed windows.
132 Some applications have dialogue windows that are too small to be useful.
133 This ratio is the screen size to what they will be resized.
134 For example, 0.6 is 60% of the physical screen size.
135 .It Ic disable_border
136 Remove border when bar is disabled and there is only one window on the screen.
140 will make the window manager focus the window
141 under the mouse when switching workspaces and creating windows.
142 .It Ic keyboard_mapping
143 Clear all key bindings and load new key bindings from the specified file.
144 This allows you to load pre-defined key bindings for your keyboard layout.
146 .Sx KEYBOARD MAPPING FILES
147 section below for a list of keyboard mapping files that have been provided
148 for several keyboard layouts.
150 Select layout to use at start-of-day.
151 Defined in the format
152 ws[idx]:master_grow:master_add:stack_inc:layout:always_raise:stack_mode, e.g.
153 ws[2]:-4:0:1:0:horizontal sets worskspace 2 to the horizontal stack mode and
154 shrinks the master area by 4 ticks and adds one window to the stack, while
155 maintaining default floating window behavior.
156 Possible stack_mode values are
171 for more information.
172 Note that the stacking options are complicated and have side-effects.
173 One should familiarize oneself with these commands before experimenting with the
177 This setting is not retained at restart.
180 Mod1 is generally the ALT key and Mod4 is the windows key on a PC.
181 .It Ic program Ns Bq Ar p
182 Define new action to spawn a program
187 .It Ic quirk Ns Bq Ar c:n
188 Add "quirk" for windows with class
196 Allocates a custom region, removing any autodetected regions which occupy the same
198 Defined in the format screen[<idx>]:WIDTHxHEIGHT+X+Y,
199 e.g.\& screen[1]:800x1200+0+0.
201 To make a screen span multiple monitors, create a region big enough to cover
202 them all, e.g. screen[1]:2048x768+0+0 makes the screen span two monitors with
203 1024x768 resolution sitting one next to the other.
205 Enable or disable displaying the current stacking algorithm in the status bar.
207 Set a preferred minimum width for the terminal.
208 If this value is greater than 0,
210 will attempt to adjust the font sizes in the terminal to keep the terminal
211 width above this number as the window is resized.
214 is currently supported.
217 binary must not be setuid or setgid, which it is by default on most systems.
218 Users may need to set program[term] (see the
220 section) to use an alternate copy of the
222 binary without the setgid bit set.
223 .It Ic title_class_enabled
224 Enable or disable displaying the window class in the status bar.
225 Enable by setting to 1.
226 .It Ic title_name_enabled
227 Enable or disable displaying the window title in the status bar.
228 Enable by setting to 1.
229 .It Ic urgent_enabled
230 Enable or disable the urgency hint.
231 Note that many terminal emulators require this to be enabled for it to
233 In xterm, for example, one needs to add the following line
234 .Pa xterm.urgentOnBell: true
237 .It Ic verbose_layout
238 Enable or disable displaying the current master and stack values in the status
240 Enable by setting to 1.
241 .It Ic window_name_enabled
242 Enable or disable displaying the window name in the status bar.
243 Enable by setting to 1.
244 .It Ic workspace_limit
245 Set the total number of workspaces available. Minimum is 1, maximum is 22.
248 Colors need to be specified per the
250 specification and fonts need to be specified per the
254 To list the available fonts in your system see
261 application can help you to show the X Logical Font Description ("XLFD") used
262 as setting in the keyword
266 allows you to define custom actions to launch programs of your choice and then
267 bind them the same as with built-in actions.
272 The default programs are described below:
274 .Bl -tag -width "screenshot_wind" -offset indent -compact
277 .It Cm screenshot_all
279 .It Cm screenshot_wind
286 dmenu_run \-fn $bar_font \-nb $bar_color \-nf $bar_font_color \-sb $bar_border \-sf $bar_color
289 Custom programs in the configuration file are specified as follows:
291 .Dl program[<name>] = <progpath> [<arg> [... <arg>]]
294 is any identifier that does not conflict with a built-in action or keyword,
296 is the desired program, and
298 is zero or more arguments to the program.
300 The following variables represent settable values in
303 .Sx CONFIGURATION FILES
305 and may be used in the
307 fields and will be substituted for values at the time the program is spawned:
309 .Bl -tag -width "$bar_font_color" -offset indent -compact
313 .It Cm $bar_font_color
315 .It Cm $color_unfocus
319 .Bd -literal -offset indent
320 program[ff] = /usr/local/bin/firefox http://spectrwm.org/
321 bind[ff] = Mod+Shift+b # Now Mod+Shift+B launches firefox
324 To undo the previous:
325 .Bd -literal -offset indent
331 provides many functions (or actions) accessed via key or mouse bindings.
333 The current mouse bindings are described below:
335 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
343 Resize window while maintaining it centered
346 The default key bindings are described below:
348 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXXXXX" -offset indent -compact
349 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Return
357 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Space
359 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm \e
361 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Space
375 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Return
384 .Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm TAB
399 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Ar 1-9,0,F1-F12
401 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Ar 1-9,0,F1-F12
402 .Pf mvws_ Ns Aq Ar 1-22
403 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Right
405 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Left
407 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Up
409 .It Cm M- Ns Aq Cm Down
413 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Right
415 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Left
425 .It Cm M-S- Ns Aq Cm Delete
461 The action names and descriptions are listed below:
463 .Bl -tag -width "M-j, M-<TAB>XXXX" -offset indent -compact
483 Swap the master and stacking areas.
491 Add windows to master area.
493 Remove windows from master area.
495 Add columns/rows to stacking area.
497 Remove columns/rows from stacking area.
499 Move current window to master area.
501 Focus next window in workspace.
503 Focus previous window in workspace.
505 Focus on main window in workspace.
507 Swap with next window in workspace.
509 Swap with previous window in workspace.
511 Toggle status bar in all workspaces.
513 Delete current window in workspace.
515 Destroy current window in workspace.
521 is 1 through workspace_limit.
523 Move current window to workspace
527 is 1 through workspace_limit.
529 Switch to next workspace with a window in it.
531 Switch to previous workspace with a window in it.
533 Switch to next workspace.
535 Switch to previous workspace.
537 Switch to last visited workspace.
539 Move pointer to next region.
541 Move pointer to previous region.
542 .It Cm screenshot_all
543 Take screenshot of entire screen (if enabled)
547 .It Cm screenshot_wind
548 Take screenshot of selected window (if enabled)
553 Toggle version in status bar.
555 Toggle focused window between tiled and floating.
562 Reinitialize physical screens
567 Minimize (unmap) currently focused window.
569 Maximize (map) window returned by dmenu selection.
571 When set tiled windows are allowed to obscure floating windows.
573 Fake a middle mouse button click (mouse button 2).
575 Shrink the width of a floating window.
577 Grow the width of a floating window.
579 Shrink the height of a floating window.
581 Grow the height of a floating window.
583 Move a floating window a step to the left.
585 Move a floating window a step to the right.
587 Move a floating window a step upwards.
589 Move a floating window a step downwards.
590 .It Cm name_workspace
591 Name the current workspace.
592 .It Cm search_workspace
593 Search for a workspace.
595 Search the windows in the current workspace.
598 Custom bindings in the configuration file are specified as follows:
600 .Dl bind[<action>] = <keys>
603 is one of the actions listed above (or empty) and
605 is in the form of zero or more modifier keys
606 (MOD, Mod1, Shift, etc.) and one or more normal keys
607 (b, space, etc.), separated by "+".
609 .Bd -literal -offset indent
610 bind[reset] = Mod4+q # bind Windows-key + q to reset
611 bind[] = Mod1+q # unbind Alt + q
614 To use the currently defined
616 specify MOD as the modifier key.
618 Multiple key combinations may be bound to the same action.
619 .Sh KEYBOARD MAPPING FILES
620 Keyboard mapping files for several keyboard layouts are listed
622 These files can be used with the
624 setting to load pre-defined key bindings for the specified
627 .Bl -tag -width "spectrwm_XX.confXXX" -offset indent -compact
628 .It Cm spectrwm_cz.conf
629 Czech Republic keyboard layout
630 .It Cm spectrwm_es.conf
631 Spanish keyboard layout
632 .It Cm spectrwm_fr.conf
633 French keyboard layout
634 .It Cm spectrwm_fr_ch.conf
635 Swiss French keyboard layout
636 .It Cm spectrwm_se.conf
637 Swedish keyboard layout
638 .It Cm spectrwm_us.conf
639 United States keyboard layout
643 provides "quirks" which handle windows that must be treated specially
644 in a tiling window manager, such as some dialogs and fullscreen apps.
646 The default quirks are described below:
648 .Bl -tag -width "OpenOffice.org N.M:VCLSalFrame<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
649 .It Firefox\-bin:firefox\-bin
656 FLOAT + FULLSCREEN + FOCUSPREV
657 .It OpenOffice.org 2.4:VCLSalFrame
659 .It OpenOffice.org 3.1:VCLSalFrame
667 .It xine:xine Video Fullscreen Window
677 The quirks themselves are described below:
679 .Bl -tag -width "XTERM_FONTADJ<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
681 This window should not be tiled, but allowed to float freely.
683 Adjusts size on transient windows that are too small using dialog_ratio
685 .Sx CONFIGURATION FILES ) .
687 Allow window to position itself, uncentered.
689 Adjust xterm fonts when resizing.
691 Remove border to allow window to use full screen size.
693 On exit force focus on previously focused application not previous application
697 Custom quirks in the configuration file are specified as follows:
699 .Dl quirk[<class>:<name>] = <quirk> [ + <quirk> ... ]
704 specify the window to which the quirk(s) apply, and
706 is one of the quirks from the list above.
708 .Bd -literal -offset indent
709 quirk[MPlayer:xv] = FLOAT + FULLSCREEN + FOCUSPREV
710 quirk[pcb:pcb] = NONE # remove existing quirk
719 and then clicking on the desired window.
720 In the following example the main window of Firefox was clicked:
721 .Bd -literal -offset indent
722 $ xprop | grep WM_CLASS
723 WM_CLASS(STRING) = "Navigator", "Firefox"
726 Note that grepping for WM_CLASS flips class and name.
727 In the example above the quirk entry would be:
728 .Bd -literal -offset indent
729 quirk[Firefox:Navigator] = FLOAT
733 also automatically assigns quirks to windows based on the value
734 of the window's _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE property as follows:
736 .Bl -tag -width "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLBAR<TAB>XXX" -offset indent -compact
737 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK
739 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_TOOLBAR
741 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_UTILITY
743 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_SPLASH
745 .It _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DIALOG
749 In all other cases, no automatic quirks are assigned to the window.
750 Quirks specified in the configuration file override the automatic quirks.
753 partially implements the Extended Window Manager Hints (EWMH) specification.
754 This enables controlling windows as well as
756 itself from external scripts and programs.
759 responding to certain ClientMessage events.
760 From the terminal these events
761 can be conveniently sent using tools such as
766 actual format of these ClientMessage events, see the EWMH specification.
768 The id of the currently focused window is stored in the _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW
769 property of the root window.
770 This can be used for example to retrieve the
771 title of the currently active window with
775 .Bd -literal -offset indent
776 $ WINDOWID=`xprop \-root _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW | grep \-o "0x.*"`
777 $ xprop \-id $WINDOWID WM_NAME | grep \-o "\\".*\\""
780 A window can be focused by sending a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW client message
785 (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window to be focused):
786 .Bd -literal -offset indent
787 $ wmctrl \-i \-a 0x4a0000b
790 Windows can be closed by sending a _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW client message
795 (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window to be closed):
796 .Bd -literal -offset indent
797 $ wmctrl \-i \-c 0x4a0000b
800 Windows can be floated and un-floated by adding or removing the
801 _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE atom from the _NET_WM_STATE property of the window.
802 This can be achieved by sending a _NET_WM_STATE client message to the
804 For example, the following toggles the floating state of
807 to send the message (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of the window floated
809 .Bd -literal -offset indent
810 $ wmctrl \-i \-r 0x4a0000b \-b toggle,_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE
813 Floating windows can also be resized and moved by sending a
814 _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW client message to the root window.
818 to send the message (assuming 0x4a0000b is the id of
819 the window to be resize/moved):
820 .Bd -literal -offset indent
821 $ wmctrl \-i \-r 0x4a0000b \-e 0,100,50,640,480
824 This moves the window to (100,50) and resizes it to 640x480.
826 Any _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW events received for stacked windows are ignored.
830 a HUP signal will restart it.
832 .Bl -tag -width "/etc/spectrwm.confXXX" -compact
833 .It Pa ~/.spectrwm.conf
835 user specific settings.
836 .It Pa /etc/spectrwm.conf
842 was inspired by xmonad & dwm.
848 .Bl -tag -width "Ryan Thomas McBride Aq mcbride@countersiege.com " -offset indent -compact
849 .It Cm Marco Peereboom Aq marco@peereboom.us
850 .It Cm Ryan Thomas McBride Aq mcbride@countersiege.com
851 .It Cm Darrin Chandler Aq dwchandler@stilyagin.com
852 .It Cm Pierre-Yves Ritschard Aq pyr@spootnik.org
853 .It Cm Tuukka Kataja Aq stuge@xor.fi
854 .It Cm Jason L. Wright Aq jason@thought.net
855 .It Cm Reginald Kennedy Aq rk@rejii.com
856 .It Cm Lawrence Teo Aq lteo@lteo.net
857 .It Cm Tiago Cunha Aq tcunha@gmx.com