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ALTTAB(1) General Commands Manual ALTTAB(1)

NAME

alttab - the task switcher

SYNOPSIS

alttab [-w N] [-d N] [-sc N] [-mk str] [-kk str] [-bk str] [-pk str] [-nk str] [-ck str] [-dk str] [-mm N] [-bm N] [-t NxM] [-i NxM] [-vp str] [-p str] [-s N] [-theme name] [-bg color] [-fg color] [-frame color] [-inact color] [-bc color] [-bw N] [-font name] [-vertical] [-e] [-b N] [-ns] [-v|-vv]

DESCRIPTION

The task switcher designed for minimalistic window managers or standalone X11 session.

Unlike task switchers integrated in most simple WMs, alttab features visual interface and convenient tactile behaviour, switching windows on releasing Alt key.

Being lightweight and depending only on core X11 libs, it still features customizable look and behaviour.

OPTIONS

Most command line options have corresponding X resource, see doc/alttab.ad for example.

resource: alttab.windowmanager
default: autodetect, fallback to 3
Control how to obtain window list and set focus. NUMBER must be between 0 and 3:
0: No WM, raw X.
Set this value manually, as it's not autodetected. Only top-level viewable children of root window are listed. Running -w 0 under WM is discouraged: hidden windows or windows on another desktops will not be listed; instead, some strange windows may be included.
1: EWMH compatible.
Compatible WM list is in [SEE ALSO] below. alttab functions in xmonad (EWMH must be allowed, details in doc/wm-setup.md), i3, evilwm, xfwm4, metacity, jwm, openbox, fluxbox, icewm, enlightenment, blackbox, aewm, fvwm, sawfish, bspwm. The following WMs support EWMH partially but work in -w 1 mode too: dwm (issue #9), matchbox (issue #34), windowmaker (issue #9), xpra (issue #37), cwm (issue #35), ctwm (issue #39), lwm (issue #40), awesome (issue #41).
2: Ratpoison.
Alttab uses ratpoison own remote control capability. Also, alttab registers itself in its "unmanaged list" automatically.
3: Ancient WM.
Fallback, worse than 0. Search for application windows at random nodes of window tree (WM is probably reparenting) and select only those with a name, including non-viewable (WM is probably iconifying). May cause lag. Tested in twm, flwm, wm2.
resource: alttab.desktops
default: 0
Show windows belonging to desktops (workspaces, groups). NUMBER must be between 0 and 4:
0: Current desktop.
This is default, although in non EWMH-compatible WM, except ratpoison, it's effectively the same as 1.
1: All desktops.
2: All desktops, excluding special (-1) one.
In various EWMH WM this desktop may be designed hidden or containing sticky windows. In i3, it's "scratchpad".
3: All desktops, excluding current and special.
4: Special (-1) desktop only.
resource: alttab.screens
default: 1
Show windows belonging to xrandr/xinerama screens. NUMBER must be 0 or 1:
0: Current screen.
As defined according to -vp pointer or -vp focus.
1: All screens.
This is default.
resource: alttab.modifier.keysym
default: Alt_L (i.e. Left Alt)
Keysym of main modifier. String or number accepted. Suitable examples: Control_L, Super_L.
resource: alttab.key.keysym
default: Tab
Keysym of main key. For example, grave (aka tilde), Escape.
resource: alttab.backscroll.keysym
default: any Shift, according to ShiftMask
Keysym of backward scroll key.
resource: alttab.prevkey.keysym
default: no key assigned
Keysym of auxiliary 'previous' key. For example, Left, H.
resource: alttab.nextkey.keysym
default: no key assigned
Keysym of auxiliary 'next' key. For example, Right, L.
resource: alttab.cancelkey.keysym
default: Escape
Keysym of auxiliary 'cancel' key.
resource: alttab.killkey.keysym
default: k
Keysym of key for killing X client to which currently selected window belongs.
resource: alttab.modifier.mask
OBSOLETED, guessed from -mk instead.
resource: alttab.backscroll.mask
OBSOLETED, guessed from -bk instead.
resource: alttab.tile.geometry
default: 112x128
Size of a single tile (mini-window). If switcher doesn't fit the viewport (-vp), tile may be thinner.
resource: alttab.icon.geometry
default: 32x32
Size of icons.
resource: alttab.viewport
default: focus
Limit viewport for the switcher. The switcher always has variable size and position, but tries to never break out of -vp container, while -p specifies position relative to this container. Together these options allow for WM-independent multi-monitor support. Possible values for -vp:
focus: in multihead configuration: the monitor which shows largest part of currently focused window. If this part is shared with other monitors, then the smallest of these monitors is chosen. In single head configuration: the geometry of default root window.
pointer: the monitor which has mouse pointer, otherwise the same as focus.
The "multihead" above means more than one active XRANDR output. They are detected at runtime, so hopefully monitors may be attached/detached without restarting alttab.
total: the geometry of default root window.
If you specify this in tiling multihead configuration, then the switcher will be drawn relative to the entire combined screen, crossing monitors' borders.
WxH+X+Y: Specific position relative to default root window.
This allows for static manual bounding if XRANDR detection fails. Suppose X root window spans over two 2560х1440 monitors, resulting in combined screen of 5120x1440 size. Then the switcher may be positioned at the center of the right monitor with -vp 2560x1440+2560+0 -p center.
resource: alttab.position
default: center
Position of switcher: "center", "none" or specific position relative to upper left corner of viewport, in the form +X+Y.
resource: alttab.icon.source
default: 2
Source of icons. NUMBER must be between 0 and 4:
0: Use icons from X11 window attributes only.
1: Load icon from file if not found in window attributes.
Alttab searches for PNG and XPM icons in $XDG_DATA_DIRS and also under:
/usr/share/icons
/usr/local/share/icons
~/.icons
~/.local/share/icons
Directory structure should obey freedesktop standard, but desktop files are ignored, instead file name is expected to be equal to application class. That is, if alttab doesn't recognize an icon for window of class foo, as obtained by 'xprop WM_CLASS', then just drop a 32x32 icon into /usr/local/share/icons/hicolor/32x32/apps/foo.png.
Also, alttab scans for icons in legacy directories without freedesktop directory structure:
/usr/share/pixmaps
~/.local/share/pixmaps
2: Prefer icon from file when it matches requested size better (see -i option).
3: Use icons from files only.
4: Don't draw icons.
resource: alttab.theme
default: hicolor
Desktop theme for application icons. Used when -s is 1, 2 or 3.

The following five options accept color names or #rrggbb. Special value _rnd_low or _rnd_high produce random color from lower or upper RGB space respectively.

resource: alttab.background
default: black
Tile background color.
resource: alttab.foreground
default: grey
Foreground color.
resource: alttab.framecolor
default: #a0abab
Color of frame around selected tile.
resource: alttab.inactcolor
default: foreground color
Color of frame around non-selected tiles.
resource: alttab.bordercolor
default: black
Color of extra border around the entire switcher. This border may look redundant. Do not confuse with -frame.
resource: alttab.borderwidth
default: 0 (no extra border)
Width of extra border above.
resource: alttab.font
default: xft:sans-10
Label font name in format: xft:fontconfig_pattern, like in emacs and rxvt. See [SEE ALSO] for fontconfig pattern. It's neither GTK font pattern nor legacy XLFD.

Your Xresources database probably already has *background, *foreground or *font wildcard definitions, which alttab will obey. Precedence order (preferred first):

alttab.font resource,
-font option,
wildcard resource like *font in xfd: format.

resource: alttab.vertical
default: no
Vertical layout.
resource: alttab.keep
default: no
On release of Alt, don't switch, keep showing the switcher. This allows for external call: xdotool key alt+Tab . See doc/mobile.md for possible usage.
resource: alttab.bottomline
default: 0 in single-desktop mode, 1 otherwise
Content of auxiliary line at the bottom of each tile. NUMBER must be between 0 and 2:
0: Empty.
1: Desktop to which the window belongs.
2: User name. Requires _NET_WM_PID freedesktop property and /proc file system.
resource: alttab.noskiptaskbar
default: no
Ignore application request of not including a window on a taskbar.
resource: no
default: silent
Verbosity.
short help

CAVEATS

Run alttab after WM, or autodetection will fail.

AUTHOR

Copyright 2017-2023 Alexander Kulak <sa-dev AT odd POINT systems>.

REPORTING BUGS

Please report issues on github https://github.com/sagb/alttab/issues.

SEE ALSO

EWMH compatible WM list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Window_Manager_Hints#List_of_window_managers_that_support_Extended_Window_Manager_Hints.

Description of fontconfig pattern https://www.freedesktop.org/software/fontconfig/fontconfig-user.html.

March 2023