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Customizing the window manager

Function descriptions

The following list describes all of the window manager functions and includes the valid arguments for functions that accept arguments.

f.beep
This function causes a beep.

f.circle_down [icon | window]
This function places the window or icon that is on the top of the window stack to the bottom of the window stack (so that it no longer obscures any other window or icon). This function affects only those windows and icons that are obscuring other windows and icons, or that are obscured by other windows and icons. Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are restacked with their associated ``primary window.'' Secondary windows always stay on top of the associated primary window, and there can be no other primary windows between the secondary windows and their primary window.

If the function argument is ``icon,'' the function applies only to icons. If the function argument is ``window,'' the function applies only to windows.

f.circle_up [icon | window]
This function raises the window or icon on the bottom of the window stack (so that it is not obscured by any other windows). This function affects only those windows and icons that are obscuring other windows and icons, or that are obscured by other windows and icons. Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are restacked with their associated primary window.

If the function argument is ``icon,'' the function applies only to icons. If the function argument is ``window,'' the function applies only to windows.

f.exec or !
This function causes a command to be executed (using the value of the $SHELL environment variable if it is set, otherwise /bin/sh is used). This allows you to execute any shell command from a keystroke, button press, or menu item. The ! notation can be used in place of the f.exec function name.

f.focus_color
This function sets the colormap focus to a client window. If this function is executed in the Root window context, then the default colormap (set up by the X server for the screen where the window manager is running) is installed, and there is no specific client window colormap focus. This function is treated as f.nop if the colormapFocusPolicy resource is not set to ``explicit''.

f.focus_key
This function sets the keyboard input focus to a client window or icon. This function is treated as f.nop if the keyboardFocusPolicy resource is not explicit or the function is executed in the Root window context.

f.hide_iconbox
This function unmaps the icon box, if mapped. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.hide_panner
This function unmaps the panner window, if mapped. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.identify
This function pops up a dialog box that provides useful information about the window from which the dialog box was initiated. If on the Root window, information about the operating system and the compile environment is displayed. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.kill
If the WM_DELETE_WINDOW protocol is set up, the client is sent a client message event indicating that the client window should be deleted. If the WM_SAVE_YOURSELF protocol is set up and the WM_DELETE_WINDOW protocol is not set up, the client is sent a client message event indicating that the client should prepare to be terminated. If the client does not have either the WM_DELETE_WINDOW or WM_SAVE_YOURSELF protocol set up, this function causes a client's X connection to be terminated (usually resulting in termination of the client). Refer to the description of the quitTimeout resource and the WM_PROTOCOLS property in the mwm(XC) manual page.

f.lower [-client]
This function lowers a client window to the bottom of the window stack (where it obscures no other window). Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are restacked with their associated primary window.

The -client argument indicates the name or class of a client to lower. If the -client argument is not specified, the context in which the function was invoked indicates the window or icon to lower.

f.maximize
This function displays a client window at its full size. This is also know as maximizing a window.

f.menu menu_name
This function associates a submenu (or ``cascading'' menu) with a menu entry or associates a menu with a button or key binding.

The menu_name argument identifies the menu to be used; this argument is not optional.

f.minimize
This function minimizes (iconifies) a client window. A window is minimized when no icon box is used, and its icon is placed on the bottom of the window stack (such that it obscures no other window). If an icon box is used, then the client's icon changes to its iconified form inside the icon box and the normal window is removed from the screen. Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are minimized with their associated primary window. There is only one icon for a primary window and all its secondary windows.

f.move
This function provides for interactive movement of a client window.

f.move_screen_to_client [-client]
This function moves the active screen to a work area displaying the named client or the activated icon. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.nail
This function provides the behavior for the Toggle Nail option on the Window menu. It acts as a toggle for either nailing or unnailing the current window. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.next_cmap
This function installs the next colormap in the list of colormaps for the window with the colormap focus. A client can install multiple colormaps. (See the books listed in ``For further reading'' for more information.) The f.next_cmap function provides a mechanism that enables you to shuffle through the colormaps.

f.next_key [icon | window | transient]
This function sets the keyboard input focus to the next window or icon in the set of windows or icons managed by the window manager (the ordering of this set is based on the stacking of windows on the screen). This function is treated as f.nop if the keyboardFocusPolicy resource is not set to ``explicit''. The keyboard input focus is only moved to windows that do not have an associated secondary window that is application modal.

If the ``transient'' argument is specified, then transient (secondary) windows are traversed. Otherwise, if only ``window'' is specified, traversal is done only to the last focused window in a transient group.) If an ``icon'' function argument is specified, then the function applies only to icons. If a ``window'' function argument is specified, then the function applies only to windows.

f.nop
This function is a null function; no action is performed. When you want to include a command line that temporarily causes no action, you can use f.nop to satisfy the syntax requirement that a function of some type be named.

f.normalize
This function displays a client window in its normal size. Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are placed in their normal state along with their associated primary window.

f.normalize_and_raise
This function displays a window in normal size and raises it to the top of the stack.

f.pack_icons
This function redraws icons on the Root window or in the icon box, based on the layout policy in use. In general, this causes icons to be ``packed'' into the icon grid.

f.pan_activescreen ±x±y-percent
This function moves the active work area across the workspace in the direction specified by a percentage of the screen. As an example, ±x±y-percent could be specified as ``+50-50''. This would move the active workarea half a screen (50 percent) to the right and half a screen (50 percent) up the workspace. The following values can also be used:

+0+100 up
+0-100 down
-100+0 left
+100-0 right

(This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.pass_keys
This function enables or disables (toggles) the processing of key bindings for window manager functions. When it disables key binding processing, all keys are passed on to the window with the keyboard input focus, and no window manager functions are invoked. If the f.pass_keys function is invoked with a key binding to disable key binding processing, the same key binding can be used to enable key binding processing.

f.post_wmenu
This function posts the Window menu that is defined by the windowMenu resource (see ``Customizing window manager menus'' for more details). If a key posts the Window menu and a window menu button is present, the Window menu is automatically placed with its top-left corner at the bottom-left corner of the window menu button for the client window. If no window menu button is present, the Window menu is placed at the top-left corner of the client window.

f.prev_cmap
This function installs the previous colormap in the list of colormaps for the window with the colormap focus. See f.next_cmap for more information.

f.prev_key [icon | window | transient]
This function sets the keyboard input focus to the previous window or icon in the set of windows or icons managed by the window manager (the ordering of this set is based on the stacking of windows on the screen). This function is treated as f.nop if the keyboardFocusPolicy resource is not explicit. The keyboard input focus is only moved to windows that do not have an associated secondary window that is application modal.

If the ``transient'' argument is specified, then transient (secondary) windows are traversed. Otherwise, if only ``window'' is specified, traversal is done only to the last focused window in a transient group. If an ``icon'' function argument is specified, the function applies only to icons. If a ``window'' function argument is specified, the function applies only to windows.

f.quit_mwm
This function terminates the window manager but not necessarily the X server.

f.raise [-client]
This function raises a client window to the top of the window stack (where it is obscured by no other window). Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are restacked with their associated primary window.

The -client argument indicates the name or class of a client to raise. If the -client argument is not specified, the context in which the function was invoked indicates the window or icon to raise.

In pmwm mode only, this function also moves the current view area to the work area in which the client window is visible.

f.raise_lower
This function raises a client window to the top of the window stack if it is partially obscured by another window; otherwise, it lowers the window to the bottom of the window stack. Secondary windows (that is, transient windows) are restacked with their associated primary window.

f.refresh
This function redraws all windows on the display.

f.refresh_win
This function redraws a client window.

f.resize
This function allows interactive resizing of a client window.

f.restart
This function restarts the window manager, effectively terminating and re-executing pmwm or mwm.

f.send_msg message_number
This function sends a client message of the type _MOTIF_WM_MESSAGES, with the message_number function argument that indicates the type of message. The client message is sent only if message_number is included in the client's _MOTIF_WM_MESSAGES property. A menu item label is grayed if the menu item is used to do f.send_msg of a message that is not included in the client's _MOTIF_WM_MESSAGES property.

f.separator
This function causes a menu separator to be placed in a menu, at the specified location. You should use the ``no-label'' value for the label clause when you use this function.

f.set_activescreen ±x±y | home
This function sets the active screen to ±x±y geometry coordinates. ``home'' specifies the ±0±0 coordinates. Negative x and y coordinates are relative to the opposite side of the workspace. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.set_behavior
This function causes the window manager to restart with the default OSF behavior (if a custom behavior has been configured) or with a custom behavior (if an OSF default behavior has been configured). The default behavior is the internal appearance and behavior of the window manager, including the contents of the Root and Window menus. A custom behavior encompasses any resources that have been specified by a user, or user customizations to the window manager menus. You can toggle between these two behaviors by pressing <Shift><Ctrl><Alt>!.

f.show_iconbox
This functions remaps the icon box. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.show_panner
This function remaps the panner window. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.snap
This function snaps the active screen to the closest specified grid position. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.sort_icons [icontitle | name | clienttitle | disable]
This function sorts and displays the icons on the sort criteria specifies. If no values are given, defaults to the value of the iconSortOrder resource. (This function does not apply in mwm mode.)

f.title
This function inserts a title in a menu, at the specified location.

f.toggle_autopan [on | off]
This function turns the autopan functionality on or off, temporarily.


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