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]
       [-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.

       -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. 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.

       -d NUMBER
              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.

       -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 (i.e. Left Alt)

              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.

       -dk str
              resource: alttab.killkey.keysym
              default: k

              Keysym of key for killing X client to which currently selected window belongs.

       -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 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.

       -theme name
              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.

       -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.

       -inact color
              resource: alttab.inactcolor
              default: foreground color

              Color of frame around non-selected tiles.

       -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.

       -e     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.

       -b NUMBER
              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.

       -ns    resource: alttab.noskiptaskbar
              default: no

              Ignore application request of not including a window on a taskbar.

       -v, -vv
              resource: no
              default: silent

              Verbosity.

       -h     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.