NAME

       9wm - 8-1/2-like Window Manager for X

SYNOPSIS

       9wm [ -grey ] [ -version ] [ -font fname ] [ -term termprog ] [ exit|restart ]

DESCRIPTION

       9wm  is a window manager for X which attempts to emulate the window management policies of Plan 9's 8-1/2
       window manager.

       The -grey option makes  the  background  light  grey,  as  does  8-1/2.   Use  this  option  for  maximum
       authenticity.   -font fname sets the font in 9wm's menu to fname, overriding the default.  -term termprog
       specifies an alternative program to run when the New menu item is selected.  -version prints the  current
       version on standard error, then exits.

       To make 9wm exit, you have to run 9wm exit on the command line.  There is no ``exit'' menu item.

       9wm  is click-to-type: it has a notion of the current window, which is usually on top, and always has its
       border darkened.  Characters typed at the keyboard go to the current window, and mouse clicks outside the
       current  window are swallowed up by 9wm.  To make another window the current one, click on it with button
       1.  Unlike other X window managers, 9wm implements `mouse focus': mouse  events  are  sent  only  to  the
       current window.

       A  menu  of window operations is available by pressing button 3 outside the current window.  The first of
       these, New, attempts to spawn a 9term process (or xterm if 9term is not available).

       The next four menu items are Reshape, Move, Delete, and Hide.  All of the operations  change  the  cursor
       into a target, prompting the user to click button 3 on one of the windows to select it for the operation.
       At this stage, clicking button 1 or 2 will abort the operation.  Otherwise, if the operation was  Resize,
       the  user  is  prompted to sweep out the new outline with button 3.  If it was Move, the user should keep
       the button held down after the initial click that selected the window, and drag the window to  the  right
       place before releasing.  In either case, button 1 or 2 will abort the operation.

       If  the  Delete  operation  is  selected,  the  window will be deleted when the button is released.  This
       typically kills the client that owns the window.  The Hide operation just  makes  the  window  invisible.
       While  hidden,  the window's name appears on the bottom of the button 3 menu.  Selecting that item brings
       the window back (unhides it).  This operation replaces the iconification feature provided by other window
       managers.

BUGS

       Is not completely compatible with 8-1/2.

       There is a currently a compiled-in limit of 32 hidden windows.

SEE ALSO

       9term(1), xterm(1).

                                                                                                          9wm(1)