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

-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 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.

-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.

-bc color
resource: alttab.bordercolor
default: black

Color of extra border around the entire switcher. This border may look redundant.
Do not confuse with -frame.

-bw N resource: alttab.borderwidth
default: 0 (no extra border)

Width of extra border above.

-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.

-vertical
resource: alttab.vertical
default: no

Vertical layout (experimental).

-v, -vv
resource: no
default: silent

Verbosity.

-h short help

CAVEATS

       Run alttab after WM, or autodetection will fail.

AUTHOR

       Copyright 2017-2021 Alexander Kulak <sa-dev AT odd POINT systems>.

REPORTING BUGS

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