mwmrc
Section: Misc. Reference Manual Pages (special file)
Page Index
NAME
mwmrc --- the
Motif Window Manager Resource Description File
DESCRIPTION
The mwmrc file is a supplementary resource
file that controls much of the behavior of the Motif window manager mwm.
It contains descriptions of resources that cannot easily be
written using standard X Window System, Version 11 resource syntax. The resource
description file contains entries that are referred to by X resources in
defaults files (for example, /usr/share/X11/app-defaults/Mwm)
or in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property on the
root window. For example, the resource description file enables you to specify
different types of window menus; however, an X resource is used to specify
which of these window menus mwm should use for a particular
window.
Location
The window manager searches for one of the following resource description
files, where $LANG is the value of the language environment
on a per-user basis:
$HOME/$LANG/.mwmrc
$HOME/.mwmrc
/etc/X11/mwm/$LANG/system.mwmrc
/etc/X11/mwm/system.mwmrc
The first file found is the first used. If no file is found, a
set of built-in specifications is used. A particular resource description
file can be selected using the configFile
resource. The following shows how a different resource description file can
be specified from the command line:
/usr/bin/mwm -xrm "mwm*configFile: mymwmrc"
Resource Types
The following types of resources can be described in the mwm resource
description file:
- Buttons
-
Window manager functions can be bound (associated) with button events.
- Keys
-
Window manager functions can be bound (associated) with key press
events.
- Menus
-
Menu panes can be used for the window menu and other menus posted with
key bindings and button bindings.
MWM RESOURCE DESCRIPTION FILE SYNTAX
The mwm resource description file is a standard
text file that contains items of information separated by blanks, tabs, and
new lines characters. Blank lines are ignored. Items or characters can be
quoted to avoid special interpretation (for example, the comment character
can be quoted to prevent it from being interpreted as the comment character).
A quoted item can be contained in double quotes (" ").
Single characters can be quoted by preceding them by the back-slash character
(\). If a line ends with a back-slash, the next line is considered
a continuation of that line. All text from an unquoted #
to the end of the line is regarded as a comment and is not interpreted as
part of a resource description. If ! is the first character
in a line, the line is regarded as a comment.
Window Manager Functions
Window manager functions can be accessed with button and key bindings,
and with window manager menus. Functions are indicated as part of the specifications
for button and key binding sets, and menu panes. The function specification
has the following syntax:
function = function_name [function_args]
function_name = window manager function
function_args = {quoted_item | unquoted_item}
The following functions are supported. If a function is specified that
isn't one of the supported functions then it is interpreted by mwm as f.nop.
- f.beep
-
This function causes a beep.
- f.circle_down [ icon | window]
-
This function causes the window or icon that is on the top of the window
stack to be put on the bottom of the window stack (so that it is no longer
obscuring 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 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.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
an icon function argument is specified then
the function applies only to icons. If an window
function argument is specified then the function applies only to windows.
- f.exec command (or ! command)
-
This function causes command to be
executed (using the value of the $MWMSHELL or $SHELL environment variable if set; otherwise, /bin/sh ). 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 done in a root context, then the default colormap (setup by the X Window
System for the screen where mwm is running) is installed
and there is no specific client window colormap focus. This function is treated
as f.nop if colormapFocusPolicy
is not 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 keyboardFocusPolicy is not explicit or the function is executed in a root context.
- f.kill
-
This function is used to close application windows. The actual processing
that occurs depends on the protocols that the application observes. The application
lists the protocols it observes in the WM_PROTOCOLS property
on its top level window. If the application observes the WM_DELETE_WINDOW protocol, it is sent a message that requests the window be deleted.
If the application observes both WM_DELETE_WINDOW and WM_SAVE_YOURSELF, it is sent one message requesting the window
be deleted and another message advising it to save its state. If the application
observes only the WM_SAVE_YOURSELFprotocol , it is sent a message advising it to save its state. After a
delay (specified by the resource quitTimeout), the application's
connection to the X server is terminated. If the application observes neither
of these protocols, its connection to the X server is terminated.
- f.lower [- client | within | freeFamily]
-
This function lowers a primary window to the bottom of the global window
stack (where it obscures no other window) and lowers the secondary window
(transient window or dialog box) within the client family. The arguments to
this function are mutually exclusive. The client
argument indicates the name or class of a client to lower. The name or class
of a client appears in the WM_CLASS property on the
client's top-level window. If the client
argument is not specified, the context that the function was invoked in indicates
the window or icon to lower. Specifying within
lowers the secondary window within the family (staying above the parent) but
does not lower the client family in the global window stack. Specifying freeFamily lowers the window to the bottom of the global windows
stack from its local family stack.
- f.maximize
-
This function causes a client window to be displayed with its maximum
size. Refer to the maximumClientSize, maximumMaximumSize, and limitResize resources in mwm(1).
- f.menu menu_name
-
This function associates a cascading (pull-right) menu with a menu
pane entry or a menu with a button or key binding. The menu_name function argument identifies the menu to be used.
- f.minimize
-
This function causes a client window to be minimized (iconified). When
a window is minimized with no icon box in use, and if the lowerOnIconify resource has the value True (the default), the 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. 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 initiates an interactive move of a client window.
- f.next_cmap
-
This function installs the next colormap in the list of colormaps for
the window with the colormap focus.
- f.next_key [ icon | window | transient]
-
This function sets the keyboard input focus to the next window/icon
in the set of windows/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 keyboardFocusPolicy
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,
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 does nothing.
- f.normalize
-
This function causes a client window to be displayed with 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 causes a client window to be displayed with its normal
size and raised to the top of the window stack. Secondary windows (that is,
transient windows) are placed in their normal state along with their associated
primary window.
- f.pack_icons
-
This function is used to relayout icons (based on the layout policy
being used) on the root window or in the icon box. In general this causes
icons to be "packed" into the icon grid.
- f.pass_keys
-
This function is used to enable/disable (toggle) 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 is used to post the window menu. If a key is used to post
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.
- f.prev_key [ icon | window | transient]
-
This function sets the keyboard input focus to the previous window/icon
in the set of windows/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 keyboardFocusPolicy 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 then the function applies only to icons. If an
window function argument is specified then the function
applies only to windows.
- f.quit_mwm
-
This function terminates mwm (but NOT the X window system).
- f.raise [-client | within | freeFamily]
-
This function raises a primary window to the top of the global window
stack (where it is obscured by no other window) and raises the secondary window
(transient window or dialog box) within the client family. The arguments to
this function are mutually exclusive. The client
argument indicates the name or class of a client to lower. If the client
is not specified, the context that the function
was invoked in indicates the window or icon to lower. Specifying within raises the secondary window within the family but does not
raise the client family in the global window stack. Specifying freeFamily raises the window to the top of its local family stack
and raises the family to the top of the global window stack.
- f.raise_lower [ within | freeFamily]
-
This function raises a primary window to the top of the global window
stack if it is partially obscured by another window; otherwise, it lowers
the window to the bottom of the window stack. The arguments to this function
are mutually exclusive. Specifying within
raises a secondary window within the family (staying above the parent window),
if it is partially obscured by another window in the application's family;
otherwise, it lowers the window to the bottom of the family stack. It has
no effect on the global window stacking order. Specifying freeFamily raises the window to the top of its local family stack, if obscured
by another window, and raises the family to the top of the global window
stack; otherwise, it lowers the window to the bottom of its local family stack
and lowers the family to the bottom of the global window stack.
- f.refresh
-
This function causes all windows to be redrawn.
- f.refresh_win
-
This function causes a client window to be redrawn.
- f.resize
-
This function initiates an interactive resize of a client window.
- f.restore
-
This function restores the previous state of an icon's associated window.
If a maximized window is iconified, then f.restore restores
it to its maximized state. If a normal window is iconified, then f.restore restores it to its normalized state.
- f.restore_and_raise
-
This function restores the previous state of an icon's associated window
and raises the window to the top of the window stack. If a maximized window
is iconified, then f.restore_and_raise restores it to
its maximized state and raises it to the top of the window stack. If a normal
window is iconified, then f.restore_and_raise restores
it to its normalized state and raises it to the top of the window stack.
- f.restart
-
This function causes mwm to be restarted (effectively terminated and
re-executed). Restart is necessary for mwm to incorporate
changes in both the mwmrc file and X resources.
- f.screen [ next | prev | back | screen_number]
-
This function causes the pointer to be warp to a specific screen number
or to the next, previous, or last visited (back)
screen. The arguments to this function are mutually exclusive. The
screen_number argument indicates the screen number
that the pointer is to be warped. Screens are numbered starting from screen
0. Specifying next cause the pointer to warp
to the next managed screen (skipping over any unmanaged screens). Specifying
prev cause the pointer to warp to the previous managed
screen (skipping over any unmanaged screens). Specifying back cause the pointer to warp to the last visited screen.
- f.send_msg message_number
-
This function sends an XClientMessageEvent of type _MOTIF_WM_MESSAGES with
message_type set to message_number.
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 out 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 put in the menu pane at
the specified location (the label is ignored).
- f.set_behavior
-
This function causes the window manager to restart with the default
behavior (if a custom behavior is configured) or a custom behavior (if a
default behavior is configured). By default this is bound to Shift Ctrl Alt <Key>!.
- f.title
-
This function inserts a title in the menu pane at the specified location.
- f.version
-
This function causes the window manager to display its release version
in a dialog box.
Function Constraints
Each function may be constrained as to which resource types can specify
the function (for example, menu pane) and also what context the function
can be used in (for example, the function is done to the selected client window).
Function contexts are:
- root
-
No client window or icon has been selected as an object for the function.
- window
-
A client window has been selected as an object for the function. This
includes the window's title bar and frame. Some functions are applied only
when the window is in its normalized state (for example, f.maximize) or its maximized state (for example, f.normalize).
- icon
-
An icon has been selected as an object for the function.
If a function is specified in a type of resource where it is not supported
or is invoked in a context that does not apply then the function is treated
as f.nop. The following table indicates the resource
types and function contexts in which window manager functions apply.
| Function | Contexts | Resources
|
|
| f.beep | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.circle_down | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.circle_up | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.exec | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.focus_color | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.focus_key | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.kill | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.lower | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.maximize | icon,window(normal) | button,key,menu
|
| f.menu | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.minimize | window | button,key,menu
|
| f.move | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.next_cmap | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.next_key | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.nop | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.normalize | icon,window(maximized) | button,key,menu
|
| f.normalize_and_raise | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.pack_icons | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.pass_keys | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.post_wmenu | root,icon,window | button,key
|
| f.prev_cmap | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.prev_key | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.quit_mwm | root | button,key,menu (root only)
|
| f.raise | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.raise_lower | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.refresh | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.refresh_win | window | button,key,menu
|
| f.resize | window | button,key,menu
|
| f.restart | root | button,key,menu (root only)
|
| f.restore | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.restore_and_raise | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.screen | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.send_msg | icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.separator | root,icon,window | menu
|
| f.set_behavior | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
| f.title | root,icon,window | menu
|
| f.version | root,icon,window | button,key,menu
|
WINDOW MANAGER EVENT SPECIFICATION
Events are indicated as part of the specifications for button and key
binding sets, and menu panes. Button events have the following syntax:
button =~[modifier_list ]<button_event_name >
modifier_list =~modifier_name { modifier_name}
The following table indicates the values that can be used for modifier_name. Note that [Alt] and [Meta] can be used interchangably
on some hardware.
| Modifier | Description
|
|
| Ctrl | Control Key
|
| Shift | Shift Key
|
| Alt | Alt Key
|
| Meta | Meta Key
|
| Mod1 | Modifier1
|
| Mod2 | Modifier2
|
| Mod3 | Modifier3
|
| Mod4 | Modifier4
|
| Mod5 | Modifier5
|
Locking modifiers are ignored when processing button and key bindings.
The following table lists keys that are interpreted as locking modifiers.
The X server may map some of these symbols to the Mod1 - Mod5 modifier keys.
These keys may or may not be available on your hardware: Key Symbol Caps Lock
Shift Lock Kana Lock Num Lock Scroll Lock The following table indicates the
values that can be used for button_event_name.
| Button | Description
|
|
| Btn1Down | Button 1 Press
|
| Btn1Up | Button 1 Release
|
| Btn1Click | Button 1 Press and Release
|
| Btn1Click2 | Button 1 Double Click
|
| Btn2Down | Button 2 Press
|
| Btn2Up | Button 2 Release
|
| Btn2Click | Button 2 Press and Release
|
| Btn2Click2 | Button 2 Double Click
|
| Btn3Down | Button 3 Press
|
| Btn3Up | Button 3 Release
|
| Btn3Click | Button 3 Press and Release
|
| Btn3Click2 | Button 3 Double Click
|
| Btn4Down | Button 4 Press
|
| Btn4Up | Button 4 Release
|
| Btn4Click | Button 4 Press and Release
|
| Btn4Click2 | Button 4 Double Click
|
| Btn5Down | Button 5 Press
|
| Btn5Up | Button 5 Release
|
| Btn5Click | Button 5 Press and Release
|
| Btn5Click2 | Button 5 Double Click
|
Key events that are used by the window manager for menu mnemonics
and for binding to window manager functions are single key presses; key
releases are ignored. Key events have the following syntax:
key =~[modifier_list] <Key>key_name
modifier_list =~modifier_name { modifier_name}
All modifiers specified are interpreted as being exclusive (this means
that only the specified modifiers can be present when the key event occurs).
Modifiers for keys are the same as those that apply to buttons. The key_name is an X11 keysym name. Keysym names can be found in the
keysymdef.h file (remove the XK_
prefix).
BUTTON BINDINGS
The buttonBindings resource value is the name of
a set of button bindings that are used to configure window manager behavior.
A window manager function can be done when a button press occurs with
the pointer over a framed client window, an icon or the root window. The
context for indicating where the button press applies is also the context
for invoking the window manager function when the button press is done
(significant for functions that are context sensitive). The button binding
syntax is
Buttons bindings_set_name
{
button context function
button context function
...
button context function
}
The syntax for the context specification is: context = object[| context] object = root | icon | window | title | frame | border | app The context specification indicates where the pointer must be
for the button binding to be effective. For example, a context of
window indicates that the pointer must be over a
client window or window management frame for the button binding to be effective.
The frame context is for the window management
frame around a client window (including the border and titlebar), the
border context is for the border part of the window
management frame (not including the titlebar), the title context is for the title area of the window management frame,
and the app context is for the application
window (not including the window management frame). If an f.nop function is specified for a button binding, the button binding
is not done.
KEY BINDINGS
The keyBindings resource value is the name of a set
of key bindings that are used to configure window manager behavior. A
window manager function can be done when a particular key is pressed. The
context in which the key binding applies is indicated in the key binding specification.
The valid contexts are the same as those that apply to button bindings. The
key binding syntax is:
Keys bindings_set_name
{
key context function
key context function
...
key context function
}
If an f.nop function is specified for a key binding,
the key binding is not done. If an f.post_wmenu or f.menu function is bound to a key, mwm automatically
uses the same key for removing the menu from the screen after it has been
popped up. The context specification syntax is the same
as for button bindings with one addition. The context ifkey
may be specified for binding keys that may not be available on all displays.
If the key is not available and if ifkey is in the context,
then reporting of the error message to the error log is suppressed. This feature
is useful for networked, heterogeneous environments. For key bindings, the
frame, title,
border, and app
contexts are equivalent to the window context.
The context for a key event is the window or icon that has the keyboard input
focus (root if no window or icon has the
keyboard input focus).
MENU PANES
Menus can be popped up using the f.post_wmenu and f.menu window manager functions. The context for window manager
functions that are done from a menu is root,
icon or window depending
on how the menu was popped up. In the case of the window menu or menus popped up with a key binding, the location of
the keyboard input focus indicates the context. For menus popped up using
a button binding, the context of the button binding is the context of the
menu. The menu pane specification syntax is:
Menu menu_name
{
label [mnemonic] [accelerator ] function
label [mnemonic] [accelerator ] function
...
label [mnemonic] [accelerator ] function
}
Each line in the Menu specification identifies
the label for a menu item and the function to be done if the menu item is
selected. Optionally a menu button mnemonic and a menu button keyboard accelerator
may be specified. Mnemonics are functional only when the menu is posted and
keyboard traversal applies. The label may be a string or
a bitmap file. The label specification has the following syntax:
label = text | bitmap_file
bitmap_file = @file_name
text = quoted_item | unquoted_item
The string encoding for labels must be compatible with the menu font
that is used. Labels are greyed out for menu items that do the f.nop function or an invalid function or a function that doesn't
apply in the current context. A mnemonic specification
has the following syntax:
mnemonic = _ character
The first matching character in the label is underlined.
If there is no matching character in the label, no mnemonic
is registered with the window manager for that label. Although the character must exactly match a character in the label, the mnemonic
does not execute if any modifier (such as Shift) is pressed with the character
key. The accelerator specification is a key event specification
with the same syntax as is used for key bindings to window manager functions.
INCLUDING FILES
You may include other files into your mwmrc file by using the
include construct. For example,
INCLUDE
{
/usr/local/shared/mwm.menus
/home/kmt/personal/my.bindings
}
causes the files named to be read in and interpreted in order as an
additional part of the mwmrc file. Include is a top-level
construct. It cannot be nested inside another construct.
WARNINGS
Errors that occur during the processing of the resource description
file are recorded in: $HOME/.mwm/errorlog. Be sure to
check this file if the appearance or behavior of mwm
is not what you expect.
FILES
$HOME/$LANG/.mwmrc
$HOME/.mwmrc
/etc/X11/mwm/$LANG/system.mwmrc
/etc/X11/mwm/system.mwmrc
RELATED INFORMATION
mwm(1),
X(1).