Provided by: tk8.6-doc_8.6.8-4_all 
NAME
winfo - Return window-related information
SYNOPSIS
winfo option ?arg arg ...?
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DESCRIPTION
The winfo command is used to retrieve information about windows managed by Tk. It can take any of a
number of different forms, depending on the option argument. The legal forms are:
winfo atom ?-displayof window? name
Returns a decimal string giving the integer identifier for the atom whose name is name. If no
atom exists with the name name then a new one is created. If the -displayof option is given then
the atom is looked up on the display of window; otherwise it is looked up on the display of the
application's main window.
winfo atomname ?-displayof window? id
Returns the textual name for the atom whose integer identifier is id. If the -displayof option is
given then the identifier is looked up on the display of window; otherwise it is looked up on the
display of the application's main window. This command is the inverse of the winfo atom command.
It generates an error if no such atom exists.
winfo cells window
Returns a decimal string giving the number of cells in the color map for window.
winfo children window
Returns a list containing the path names of all the children of window. Top-level windows are
returned as children of their logical parents. The list is in stacking order, with the lowest
window first, except for Top-level windows which are not returned in stacking order. Use the wm
stackorder command to query the stacking order of Top-level windows.
winfo class window
Returns the class name for window.
winfo colormapfull window
Returns 1 if the colormap for window is known to be full, 0 otherwise. The colormap for a window
is “known” to be full if the last attempt to allocate a new color on that window failed and this
application has not freed any colors in the colormap since the failed allocation.
winfo containing ?-displayof window? rootX rootY
Returns the path name for the window containing the point given by rootX and rootY. RootX and
rootY are specified in screen units (i.e. any form acceptable to Tk_GetPixels) in the coordinate
system of the root window (if a virtual-root window manager is in use then the coordinate system
of the virtual root window is used). If the -displayof option is given then the coordinates refer
to the screen containing window; otherwise they refer to the screen of the application's main
window. If no window in this application contains the point then an empty string is returned. In
selecting the containing window, children are given higher priority than parents and among
siblings the highest one in the stacking order is chosen.
winfo depth window
Returns a decimal string giving the depth of window (number of bits per pixel).
winfo exists window
Returns 1 if there exists a window named window, 0 if no such window exists.
winfo fpixels window number
Returns a floating-point value giving the number of pixels in window corresponding to the distance
given by number. Number may be specified in any of the forms acceptable to Tk_GetScreenMM, such
as “2.0c” or “1i”. The return value may be fractional; for an integer value, use winfo pixels.
winfo geometry window
Returns the geometry for window, in the form widthxheight+x+y. All dimensions are in pixels.
winfo height window
Returns a decimal string giving window's height in pixels. When a window is first created its
height will be 1 pixel; the height will eventually be changed by a geometry manager to fulfil the
window's needs. If you need the true height immediately after creating a widget, invoke update to
force the geometry manager to arrange it, or use winfo reqheight to get the window's requested
height instead of its actual height.
winfo id window
Returns a hexadecimal string giving a low-level platform-specific identifier for window. On Unix
platforms, this is the X window identifier. Under Windows, this is the Windows HWND. On the
Macintosh the value has no meaning outside Tk.
winfo interps ?-displayof window?
Returns a list whose members are the names of all Tcl interpreters (e.g. all Tk-based
applications) currently registered for a particular display. If the -displayof option is given
then the return value refers to the display of window; otherwise it refers to the display of the
application's main window.
winfo ismapped window
Returns 1 if window is currently mapped, 0 otherwise.
winfo manager window
Returns the name of the geometry manager currently responsible for window, or an empty string if
window is not managed by any geometry manager. The name is usually the name of the Tcl command
for the geometry manager, such as pack or place. If the geometry manager is a widget, such as
canvases or text, the name is the widget's class command, such as canvas.
winfo name window
Returns window's name (i.e. its name within its parent, as opposed to its full path name). The
command winfo name . will return the name of the application.
winfo parent window
Returns the path name of window's parent, or an empty string if window is the main window of the
application.
winfo pathname ?-displayof window? id
Returns the path name of the window whose X identifier is id. Id must be a decimal, hexadecimal,
or octal integer and must correspond to a window in the invoking application. If the -displayof
option is given then the identifier is looked up on the display of window; otherwise it is looked
up on the display of the application's main window.
winfo pixels window number
Returns the number of pixels in window corresponding to the distance given by number. Number may
be specified in any of the forms acceptable to Tk_GetPixels, such as “2.0c” or “1i”. The result
is rounded to the nearest integer value; for a fractional result, use winfo fpixels.
winfo pointerx window
If the mouse pointer is on the same screen as window, returns the pointer's x coordinate, measured
in pixels in the screen's root window. If a virtual root window is in use on the screen, the
position is measured in the virtual root. If the mouse pointer is not on the same screen as
window then -1 is returned.
winfo pointerxy window
If the mouse pointer is on the same screen as window, returns a list with two elements, which are
the pointer's x and y coordinates measured in pixels in the screen's root window. If a virtual
root window is in use on the screen, the position is computed in the virtual root. If the mouse
pointer is not on the same screen as window then both of the returned coordinates are -1.
winfo pointery window
If the mouse pointer is on the same screen as window, returns the pointer's y coordinate, measured
in pixels in the screen's root window. If a virtual root window is in use on the screen, the
position is computed in the virtual root. If the mouse pointer is not on the same screen as
window then -1 is returned.
winfo reqheight window
Returns a decimal string giving window's requested height, in pixels. This is the value used by
window's geometry manager to compute its geometry.
winfo reqwidth window
Returns a decimal string giving window's requested width, in pixels. This is the value used by
window's geometry manager to compute its geometry.
winfo rgb window color
Returns a list containing three decimal values in the range 0 to 65535, which are the red, green,
and blue intensities that correspond to color in the window given by window. Color may be
specified in any of the forms acceptable for a color option.
winfo rootx window
Returns a decimal string giving the x-coordinate, in the root window of the screen, of the upper-
left corner of window's border (or window if it has no border).
winfo rooty window
Returns a decimal string giving the y-coordinate, in the root window of the screen, of the upper-
left corner of window's border (or window if it has no border).
winfo screen window
Returns the name of the screen associated with window, in the form displayName.screenIndex.
winfo screencells window
Returns a decimal string giving the number of cells in the default color map for window's screen.
winfo screendepth window
Returns a decimal string giving the depth of the root window of window's screen (number of bits
per pixel).
winfo screenheight window
Returns a decimal string giving the height of window's screen, in pixels.
winfo screenmmheight window
Returns a decimal string giving the height of window's screen, in millimeters.
winfo screenmmwidth window
Returns a decimal string giving the width of window's screen, in millimeters.
winfo screenvisual window
Returns one of the following strings to indicate the default visual class for window's screen:
directcolor, grayscale, pseudocolor, staticcolor, staticgray, or truecolor.
winfo screenwidth window
Returns a decimal string giving the width of window's screen, in pixels.
winfo server window
Returns a string containing information about the server for window's display. The exact format
of this string may vary from platform to platform. For X servers the string has the form
“XmajorRminor vendor vendorVersion” where major and minor are the version and revision numbers
provided by the server (e.g., X11R5), vendor is the name of the vendor for the server, and
vendorRelease is an integer release number provided by the server.
winfo toplevel window
Returns the path name of the top-of-hierarchy window containing window. In standard Tk this will
always be a toplevel widget, but extensions may create other kinds of top-of-hierarchy widgets.
winfo viewable window
Returns 1 if window and all of its ancestors up through the nearest toplevel window are mapped.
Returns 0 if any of these windows are not mapped.
winfo visual window
Returns one of the following strings to indicate the visual class for window: directcolor,
grayscale, pseudocolor, staticcolor, staticgray, or truecolor.
winfo visualid window
Returns the X identifier for the visual for window.
winfo visualsavailable window ?includeids?
Returns a list whose elements describe the visuals available for window's screen. Each element
consists of a visual class followed by an integer depth. The class has the same form as returned
by winfo visual. The depth gives the number of bits per pixel in the visual. In addition, if the
includeids argument is provided, then the depth is followed by the X identifier for the visual.
winfo vrootheight window
Returns the height of the virtual root window associated with window if there is one; otherwise
returns the height of window's screen.
winfo vrootwidth window
Returns the width of the virtual root window associated with window if there is one; otherwise
returns the width of window's screen.
winfo vrootx window
Returns the x-offset of the virtual root window associated with window, relative to the root
window of its screen. This is normally either zero or negative. Returns 0 if there is no virtual
root window for window.
winfo vrooty window
Returns the y-offset of the virtual root window associated with window, relative to the root
window of its screen. This is normally either zero or negative. Returns 0 if there is no virtual
root window for window.
winfo width window
Returns a decimal string giving window's width in pixels. When a window is first created its
width will be 1 pixel; the width will eventually be changed by a geometry manager to fulfil the
window's needs. If you need the true width immediately after creating a widget, invoke update to
force the geometry manager to arrange it, or use winfo reqwidth to get the window's requested
width instead of its actual width.
winfo x window
Returns a decimal string giving the x-coordinate, in window's parent, of the upper-left corner of
window's border (or window if it has no border).
winfo y window
Returns a decimal string giving the y-coordinate, in window's parent, of the upper-left corner of
window's border (or window if it has no border).
EXAMPLE
Print where the mouse pointer is and what window it is currently over:
lassign [winfo pointerxy .] x y
puts -nonewline "Mouse pointer at ($x,$y) which is "
set win [winfo containing $x $y]
if {$win eq ""} {
puts "over no window"
} else {
puts "over $win"
}
KEYWORDS
atom, children, class, geometry, height, identifier, information, interpreters, mapped, parent, path
name, screen, virtual root, width, window