Ubuntu Manpage: alttab - the task switcher

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] [-mm N] [-bm N]
       [-t NxM] [-i NxM] [-vp str] [-p str] [-s N] [-theme name] [-bg color] [-fg color] [-frame  color]  [-font
       name] [-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.

-w NUMBER
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. 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. Additionally, 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.

-d NUMBER
resource: alttab.desktops
default: 0

Show windows belonging to desktops (workspaces, groups). NUMBER must be between 0 and 3:

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.

-sc NUMBER
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.

-mk str
resource: alttab.modifier.keysym
default: Alt_L

Keysym of main modifier. String or number accepted. Suitable examples: Control_L, Super_L.

-kk str
resource: alttab.key.keysym
default: Tab

Keysym of main key. For example, grave (aka tilde), Escape.

-bk str
resource: alttab.backscroll.keysym
default: any Shift, according to ShiftMask

Keysym of backward scroll key.

-pk str
resource: alttab.prevkey.keysym
default: no key assigned

Keysym of auxiliary ´previous´ key. For example, Left, H.

-nk str
resource: alttab.nextkey.keysym
default: no key assigned

Keysym of auxiliary ´next´ key. For example, Right, L.

-ck str
resource: alttab.cancelkey.keysym
default: Escape

Keysym of auxiliary ´cancel´ key. For example, Escape.

-mm NUM
resource: alttab.modifier.mask

OBSOLETED, guessed from -mk instead.

-bm NUM
resource: alttab.backscroll.mask

OBSOLETED, guessed from -bk instead.

-t NNxMM
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.

-i NNxMM
resource: alttab.icon.geometry
default: 32x32

Size of icons.

-vp str
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
choosen. 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.

-p str 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.

-s NUMBER
resource: alttab.icon.source
default: 2

Source of icons. NUMBER must be between 0 and 3:

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.

-theme name
resource: alttab.theme
default: hicolor

Desktop theme for application icons. Used when -s is 1, 2 or 3.

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

-bg color
resource: alttab.background
default: black

Tile background color.

-fg color
resource: alttab.foreground
default: grey

Foreground color.

-frame color
resource: alttab.framecolor
default: #a0abab

Color of frame around selected tile.

-font name
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.

-v, -vv
resource: no
default: silent

Verbosity.

-h short help

CAVEATS

       Run alttab after WM, or autodetection will fail.

AUTHOR

       Copyright 2017-2020 Alexander Kulak <sa-dev AT odd POINT systems>.

REPORTING BUGS

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