NAME¶
w9wm - 8-1/2-like Window Manager for X
SYNOPSIS¶
w9wm [
-grey ] [
-version ] [
-font fname ] [
-nokeys ] [
-nostalgia ] [
-debug ] [
-pass ] [
-term termprog ] [
-virtuals n ] [
exit |
restart ]
DESCRIPTION¶
w9wm is a window manager for X which attempts to emulate the window
management policies of Plan 9's
8-1/2 window manager but adds some
candy stuff like virtual screens and keyboard shortcuts.
The
-grey option makes the background light grey, as does 8-1/2. Use this
option for maximum authenticity.
-font fname sets the font in
w9wm's menu to
fname, overriding the default.
-nokeys
option inhibits keyboard shortcups (Ctrl+Tab and Shift+Ctrl+Tab)
-nostalgia applies some useless modifications to w9wm look & feel
(windows border and cursor appearance)
-debug triggers debug mode
-pass uses click-to-focus-passes-through-click, which means that
clicking on a nonactive window with whatever mouse button activates it and
follows click to this window
-term termprog specifies an
alternative program to run when the
New menu item is selected.
-virtuals n set the number of virtual screens used
-version prints the current version on standard error, then exits.
To make
w9wm exit, you have to run
w9wm exit on the command line.
There is no ``exit'' menu item.
w9wm is click-to-type: it has a notion of the current window, which is
usually on top, and always has its border darkened. Characters typed at the
keyboard go to the current window, and mouse clicks outside the current window
are swallowed up by
w9wm. To make another window the current one, click
on it with button 1 or type Ctrl+Tab (this shortcut is not ``stable'', which
means that I could change it in case it would eventually be annoying). Unlike
other X window managers, w9wm implements `mouse focus': mouse events are sent
only to the current window.
A menu of window operations is available by pressing button 3 outside the
current window. The first of these,
New, attempts to spawn a
9term process (or
xterm if
9term is not available). The
new
9term will request that its outline be swept using button 3 of the
mouse, by changing the cursor. (
xterm defaults to a fixed size, and
thus wants to be dragged; pressing button 3 places it.)
The next four menu items are
Reshape,
Move,
Delete, and
Hide. All of the operations change the cursor into a target, prompting
the user to click button 3 on one of the windows to select it for the
operation. At this stage, clicking button 1 or 2 will abort the operation.
Otherwise, if the operation was
Resize, the user is prompted to sweep
out the new outline with button 3. If it was
Move, the user should keep
the button held down after the initial click that selected the window, and
drag the window to the right place before releasing. In either case, button 1
or 2 will abort the operation.
If the
Delete operation is selected, the window will be deleted when the
button is released. This typically kills the client that owns the window. The
Hide operation just makes the window invisible. While hidden, the
window's name appears on the bottom of the button 3 menu. Selecting that item
brings the window back (unhides it). This operation replaces the iconification
feature provided by other window managers.
A menu is provided to switch from a virtual screen to another. This popup is
triggered by using the button 2, which displays a menu looking like the
previous one but with four entries,
One,
Two,
Three, and
Four. Selecting one of these entries will switch to another virtual
screen.
There is also a menu to run programs using button 1. Hold both "shift"
and "left ctrl" keys and press button 1. w9wm will then display a
menu that allows you to exec programs specified in the
$HOME/.w9wmrc
file. Put each command in one line. w9wm does not yet support args for these
commands, write a one-line shell script if you need this.q
BUGS AND LIMITATIONS¶
Is not completely compatible with 8-1/2.
There is a currently a compiled-in limit of 32 hidden windows.
Also, you cannot put more than 32 commands in your
.w9wmrc file
SEE ALSO¶
9term(1),
9wm(1),
9menu(1),
xterm(1).