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3.3: Options

This section describes all the available options — an option changes the way AHWM behaves. Each option has a type, which is indicated after the option name. Options may be defined globally, or may be enclosed within a context. Options may be set by the user or application; the application's setting normally overrides the user's setting (except for options set using "is!" which cannot be overridden by any application). Each function below mentions whether or not it can be set by an application using a hint. Each option has a default value, which is the value taken if not specifed in the configuration file. Note that when you start AHWM for the first time, a configuration file is created, which specifies a number of options; therefore, the default values may not apply when you start AHWM for the first time.

3.3.1: AlwaysOnBottom

AlwaysOnBottom (boolean)

If true, this window will remain below all other windows. Default: False. Application-settable.

3.3.2: AlwaysOnTop

AlwaysOnTop (boolean)

If true, this window will remain on top of all other windows. Default: False. Application-settable.

3.3.3: ColorTitlebar

ColorTitlebar (string)

This option determines the background color of the titlebar when the window is not focused.

This value of this option must be a valid X color specification. For the full details of X color specifications, please see the "Color Strings" entry in the Xlib manual (available at http://tronche.com/gui/x/xlib/color/strings/).

Examples of valid color strings:

"red", "darkslategray"

"#FF0000", "#2F4F4F"

"rgb:F/0/0", "rgb:2f/4f/4f"

The default background color of non-focused windows is black. Not application-settable.

3.3.4: ColorTitlebarFocused

ColorTitlebarFocused (string)

This option determines the background color of the titlebar when the window is focused.

This value of this option must be a valid X color specification. See ColorTitlebar for the syntax of X color specifications.

The default background color of focused windows is white. Not application-settable.

3.3.5: ColorTitlebarText

ColorTitlebarText (string)

This option determines the color of the titlebar title text when the window is not focused.

This value of this option must be a valid X color specification. See ColorTitlebar for the syntax of X color specifications.

The default color of the window titles of non-focused windows is white. Not application-settable.

3.3.6: ColorTitlebarTextFocused

ColorTitlebarTextFocused (string)

This option determines the color of the titlebar title text when the window is focused.

This value of this option must be a valid X color specification. See ColorTitlebar for the syntax of X color specifications.

The default color of the window title of focused windows is black. Not application-settable.

3.3.7: CycleBehaviour

CycleBehaviour ({SkipCycle, RaiseImmediately, RaiseOnCycleFinish, DontRaise})

This option determines the behaviour of the CycleNext and CyclePrevious functions.

When a window has CycleBehaviour set to SkipCycle, it will not be included in the cycle list.

With RaiseImmediately, the window will be raised immediately upon cycling. If CycleNext is bound to "Alt | Tab", this means that the window will be raised when you hit "Tab" with "Alt" held down.

With RaiseOnCycleFinish, the window will not be raised when it is cycled; rather, it will be raised if it is the focused window when the cycle action ends. If CycleNext is bound to "Alt | Tab", this means the window will be raised when you let go of "Alt".

With DontRaise, the window will not be raised at all.

See also the section entitled Window Cycling.

The default value of CycleBehaviour is RaiseImmediately. Application-settable: an application may request not to be included on the focus stack.

3.3.8: DefaultWorkspace

DefaultWorkspace (integer)

Specifies the workspace for new windows. Use zero to map windows into the current workspace. See also the section entitled Workspaces. Default: zero. Application-settable.

3.3.9: DisplayTitleBar

DisplayTitleBar (boolean)

Specifies whether the window will have a titlebar. Default: True. Application-settable.

3.3.10: DontBindMouse

DontBindMouse (boolean)

If true, AHWM will not bind mouse actions on the specified window.

Note that you can pass a bound mouse click to an application window using the Quote function.

Default: False. Not application-settable.

3.3.11: DontBindKeys

DontBindKeys (boolean)

If true, AHWM will not bind keystrokes on the specified window.

Note that you can pass a bound keystroke to an application window using the Quote function. Also note that you will not be able to use your keyboard to change the focus or the workspace when a window with DontBindKeys set to True is focused.

The default value of DontBindKeys is false. Not application-settable.

3.3.12: FocusPolicy

FocusPolicy ({ClickToFocus, SloppyFocus, DontFocus})

The focus policy states how a window may be focused using the mouse. The currently focused window is the window which receives keyboard input.

With the SloppyFocus policy, a window is focused if you move the pointer into the window. Note that the focus will only be changed when you move the pointer; the focus will not be changed when a window is unmapped or when a window resizes itself to be under the pointer. This behaviour is somewhat different from the sloppy focus policies of other window managers. The window will be raised according to RaiseDelay.

With the ClickToFocus policy, a window is focused and raised if you click on it. This is what users of propietary non-unix operating systems expect. The focusing click may or may not be passed to the window, depending on the value of PassFocusClick.

With the DontFocus policy, the window is never focused. A window with the focus policy set to DontFocus will be exluded from the focus-cycle list (so this focus policy implies CycleBehaviour is SkipCycle).

See also the section entitled Focus Policies.

The default value of FocusPolicy is ClickToFocus. Application-settable: an application may indicate that it does not accept keyboard input, in which case the application will have a FocusPolicy of DontFocus.

3.3.13: KeepTransientsOnTop

KeepTransientsOnTop (boolean)

When true, AHWM will attempt to keep this window's transient windows on top of it. In practice, this means that AHWM will attempt to keep a application's temporary dialog boxes stacked on top of the application.

The default value of KeepTransientsOnTop is True. Not application-settable.

3.3.14: NumberOfWorkspaces

NumberOfWorkspaces (integer)

This option determines the number of workspaces available.

The number of workspaces cannot be changed once AHWM has started.

NB: this option must be applied globally. If you specify this option in a non-global context, it will be silently ignored.

See also the section entitled Workspaces.

The default value of NumberOfWorkspaces is "7" (seven). Not application-settable.

3.3.15: Omnipresent

Omnipresent (boolean)

If true, the window will be visible on all workspaces. See also the section entitled Workspaces. Default: False. Application-settable.

3.3.16: PassFocusClick

PassFocusClick (boolean)

This option does nothing unless the FocusPolicy is ClickToFocus. If the FocusPolicy is ClickToFocus and PassFocusClick is true, the window will receive the focusing click. See also the section entitled Focus Policies. Default: True. Not application-settable.

3.3.17: RaiseDelay

RaiseDelay (integer)

This option does nothing unless the FocusPolicy is SloppyFocus. If the FocusPolicy is SloppyFocus, RaiseDelay specifies an amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before raising a window when the window is focused using the mouse. Use a value of zero to raise immediately. See also the section entitled Focus Policies. Default: zero. Not application-settable.

3.3.18: Sticky

Sticky (boolean)

When true, the window will not respond to move or resize requests. Default: False. Application-settable.

3.3.19: TitlebarFont

TitlebarFont (string)

This option determines the font to use for titlebars.

NB: this option must be applied globally. If you specify this option in a non-global context, it will be silently ignored.

The height of the titlebar is also determined by this option.

The value of this option must be a valid X font name. For the full syntax of X font names, please see the document "X Logical Font Description Conventions", available in PDF format here: http://www.x-docs.org/XLFD/xlfd.pdf.

You can also find a suitable font name by using the standard X program xfontsel(1).

The default value of TitlebarFont depends on the available fonts. Not application-settable.

3.3.20: TitlePosition

TitlePosition ({DisplayLeft, DisplayRight, DisplayCentered, DontDisplay})

This option determines where on the titlebar the window title will be displayed. For DisplayLeft, DisplayRight, and DislpayCentered, the title will be displayed on the left, right, or center of the titlebar, respectively. For DontDisplay, the window title will not be displayed.

The default value of TitlePosition is DisplayLeft. Not application-settable.


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