2 :man version: {revnumber}
3 :man manual: Bspwm Manual
11 bspwm - Binary space partitioning window manager
16 *bspwm* [*-h*|*-v*|*-c* 'CONFIG_PATH'|*-s* 'PANEL_FIFO'|*-p* 'PANEL_PREFIX']
18 *bspc* 'COMMAND' ['ARGUMENTS']
23 *bspwm* is a tiling window manager that represents windows as the leaves of a full binary tree.
25 It is controlled and configured via *bspc*.
32 Print the synopsis and exit.
35 Print the version and exit.
38 Use the given configuration file.
41 Write the internal state to the given FIFO.
44 Start every line written to the 'PANEL_FIFO' with the given prefix.
50 *bspwm* has only two sources of informations: the X events it receives and the messages it reads on a dedicated socket.
52 The default configuration file is '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bspwm/bspwmrc'.
54 Keyboard and pointer bindings are defined with https://github.com/baskerville/sxhkd[sxhkd].
56 Example configuration files can be found in the *examples* directory.
61 New windows are inserted in the tree as close as possible to the focused window.
63 There is only two splitting modes: 'automatic' and 'manual'.
65 The default mode is 'automatic'. The 'manual' mode is entered by sending a *preselection* message.
67 Example: insertion of a new node (number 4) into the given tree in 'automatic' mode:
77 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
81 | 3 |------------| --> | 4 |------------|
85 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
88 Same departure, but the mode is 'manual', and a *window --presel up* message was sent beforehand:
97 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
101 | 3 |------------| --> |------------|------------|
105 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
111 Each monitor contains at least one desktop.
113 Each desktop contains at most one tree.
119 DIR := left | right | up | down
120 CYCLE_DIR := next | prev
126 Selectors are used to select a target window, desktop, or monitor. A selector
127 can either describe the target relatively or name it globally.
129 Descriptive (relative) selectors consist of a primary selector and any number
130 of non-conflicting modifiers as follows:
132 PRIMARY_SELECTOR[.MODIFIER]*
134 For obvious reasons, neither desktops nor monitors names may be valid
135 descriptive selectors.
143 WINDOW_SEL := <window_id>
144 | (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|biggest|last|focused|older|newer)[.floating|.tiled][.like|.unlike][.manual][.urgent][.local]
151 Selects the window in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active
155 Selects the window in the given (cyclic) direction.
158 Selects the biggest window on the current desktop.
161 Selects the previously focused window.
164 Selects the currently focused window.
167 Selects the window older than the focused window in the history.
170 Selects the window newer than the focused window in the history.
176 Only consider floating windows.
179 Only consider tiled windows.
182 Only consider windows that have the same class as the current window.
185 Only consider windows that have a different class than the current window.
188 Only consider windows in manual splitting mode (see *--presel*).
191 Only consider windows of the current desktop.
194 Only consider urgent windows.
202 DESKTOP_SEL := <desktop_name>
204 | (CYCLE_DIR|last|focused|older|newer)[.occupied|.free][.urgent][.local]
211 Selects the desktop with the given name.
214 Selects the nth desktop.
217 Selects the desktop in the given direction relative to the active desktop.
220 Selects the previously focused desktop.
223 Selects the currently focused desktop.
226 Selects the desktop older than the focused desktop in the history.
229 Selects the desktop newer than the focused desktop in the history.
235 Only consider occupied desktops.
238 Only consider free desktops.
241 Only consider urgent desktops.
244 Only consider desktops of the current monitor.
252 MONITOR_SEL := <monitor_name>
254 | (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|last|primary|focused|older|newer)[.occupied|.free]
261 Selects the monitor with the given name.
264 Selects the nth monitor.
267 Selects the monitor in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active monitor.
270 Selects the monitor in the given (cyclic) direction relative to the active monitor.
273 Selects the primary monitor.
276 Selects the previously focused monitor.
279 Selects the currently focused monitor.
282 Selects the monitor older than the focused monitor in the history.
285 Selects the monitor newer than the focused monitor in the history.
291 Only consider monitors where the focused desktop is occupied.
294 Only consider monitors where the focused desktop is free.
306 window ['WINDOW_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
310 *-f*, *--focus* ['WINDOW_SEL']::
311 Focus the selected or given window.
313 *-d*, *--to-desktop* 'DESKTOP_SEL'::
314 Send the selected window to the given desktop.
316 *-m*, *--to-monitor* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
317 Send the selected window to the given monitor.
319 *-w*, *--to-window* 'WINDOW_SEL'::
320 Transplant the selected window to the given window.
322 *-s*, *--swap* 'WINDOW_SEL'::
323 Swap the selected window with the given window.
325 *-p*, *--presel* 'DIR'|cancel::
326 Preselect the splitting area of the selected window (or cancel the preselection).
328 *-r*, *--ratio* 'RATIO'::
329 Set the splitting ratio of the selected window (0 < 'RATIO' < 1).
331 *-e*, *--edge* 'DIR' 'RATIO'|pull|push::
332 Set the splitting ratio (or pull, or push) the edge located in the given direction in relation to the selected window.
334 *-R*, *--rotate* 'DIR' '90|270|180'::
335 Rotate the tree holding the edge located in the given direction in relation to the selected window.
337 *-t*, *--toggle* floating|fullscreen|locked|sticky|private[=on|off]::
338 Set or toggle the given state for the selected window.
341 Close the selected window.
344 Kill the selected window.
352 desktop ['DESKTOP_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
356 *-f*, *--focus* ['DESKTOP_SEL']::
357 Focus the selected or given desktop.
359 *-m*, *--to-monitor* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
360 Send the selected desktop to the given monitor.
362 *-l*, *--layout* 'CYCLE_DIR'|monocle|tiled::
363 Set or cycle the layout of the selected desktop.
365 *-n*, *--rename* <new_name>::
366 Rename the selected desktop.
368 *-s*, *--swap* 'DESKTOP_SEL'::
369 Swap the selected desktop with the given desktop.
372 Remove the selected desktop.
374 *-c*, *--cancel-presel*::
375 Cancel the preselection of all the windows of the selected desktop.
377 *-F*, *--flip* 'horizontal|vertical'::
378 Flip the tree of the selected desktop.
380 *-R*, *--rotate* '90|270|180'::
381 Rotate the tree of the selected desktop.
384 Adjust the split ratios of the tree of the selected desktop so that all windows occupy the same area.
386 *-C*, *--circulate* forward|backward::
387 Circulate the leaves of the tree of the selected desktop.
395 monitor ['MONITOR_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
399 *-f*, *--focus* ['MONITOR_SEL']::
400 Focus the selected or given monitor.
402 *-a*, *--add-desktops* <name>...::
403 Create desktops with the given names in the selected monitor.
405 *-r*, *--remove-desktops* <name>...::
406 Remove desktops with the given names.
408 *-n*, *--rename* <new_name>::
409 Rename the selected monitor.
411 *-d*, *--reset-desktops* <name>...::
412 Rename, add or remove desktops depending on whether the number of given names is equal, superior or inferior to the number of existing desktops.
414 *-s*, *--swap* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
415 Swap the selected monitor with the given monitor.
428 List matching windows.
431 List matching desktops.
434 List matching monitors.
437 Print tree rooted at query.
440 Print the history as it relates to the query.
443 Print the window stacking order.
445 [*-m*,*--monitor* ['MONITOR_SEL']] | [*-d*,*--desktop* ['DESKTOP_SEL']] | [*-w*, *--window* ['WINDOW_SEL']]::
446 Constrain matches to the selected monitor, desktop or window.
459 *-T*, *--tree* <file_path>::
460 Load the desktop trees from the given file.
462 *-H*, *--history* <file_path>::
463 Load the focus history from the given file.
465 *-S*, *--stack* <file_path>::
466 Load the window stacking order from the given file.
480 Manage all the unmanaged windows remaining from a previous session.
483 Write the current internal state to the panel FIFO.
485 *--toggle-visibility*::
486 Toggle the visibility of all the windows.
488 *--record-history* on|off::
489 Enable or disable the recording of window focus history.
502 *-g*, *--grab* focus|move|resize_side|resize_corner::
503 Initiate the given pointer action.
505 *-t*, *--track* <x> <y>::
506 Pass the pointer root coordinates for the current pointer action.
509 Terminate the current pointer action.
522 *-a*, *--add* <class_name>|<instance_name> [-d 'DESKTOP_SEL' [--follow]] [--floating] [--fullscreen] [--locked] [--sticky] [--focus] [--frame] [--private] [--unmanage] [--one-shot]::
525 *-r*, *--remove* <name>|^<n>|tail|head...::
526 Remove the rules with the given names or indexes.
528 *-l*, *--list* [<name>]::
537 config [-m 'MONITOR_SEL'|-d 'DESKTOP_SEL'] <key> [<value>]::
538 Get or set the value of <key>.
547 Quit with an optional exit status.
551 Colors are either http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X11_color_names[X color names] or '#RRGGBB', booleans are 'true' or 'false'.
553 All the boolean settings are 'false' by default.
558 'focused_border_color'::
559 Color of the border of a focused window of a focused monitor.
561 'active_border_color'::
562 Color of the border of a focused window of an unfocused monitor.
564 'normal_border_color'::
565 Color of the border of an unfocused window.
567 'presel_border_color'::
568 Color of the *presel* message feedback.
570 'focused_locked_border_color'::
571 Color of the border of a focused locked window of a focused monitor.
573 'active_locked_border_color'::
574 Color of the border of a focused locked window of an unfocused monitor.
576 'normal_locked_border_color'::
577 Color of the border of an unfocused locked window.
579 'focused_sticky_border_color'::
580 Color of the border of a focused sticky window of a focused monitor.
582 'active_sticky_border_color'::
583 Color of the border of a focused sticky window of an unfocused monitor.
585 'normal_sticky_border_color'::
586 Color of the border of an unfocused sticky window.
588 'focused_private_border_color'::
589 Color of the border of a focused private window of a focused monitor.
591 'active_private_border_color'::
592 Color of the border of a focused private window of an unfocused monitor.
594 'normal_private_border_color'::
595 Color of the border of an unfocused private window.
597 'urgent_border_color'::
598 Color of the border of an urgent window.
600 'focused_frame_opacity'::
601 Opacity of a focused frame of a focused monitor.
603 'active_frame_opacity'::
604 Opacity of a focused frame of an unfocused monitor.
606 'normal_frame_opacity'::
607 Opacity of an unfocused frame.
613 Intensity of the growth involved in pulling or pushing an edge.
615 'history_aware_focus'::
616 Give priority to the focus history when focusing nodes.
618 'borderless_monocle'::
619 Remove borders for tiled windows in monocle mode.
622 Remove gaps for tiled windows in monocle mode.
624 'focus_follows_pointer'::
625 Focus the window under the pointer.
627 'pointer_follows_monitor'::
628 When focusing a monitor, put the pointer at its center.
631 Interpret two consecutive identical *use* messages as an *alternate* message.
634 Interpret two consecutive identical *presel* messages as a *cancel* message.
636 'apply_floating_atom'::
637 Set the value of the '_BSPWM_FLOATING_WINDOW' atom of each window according to its floating state.
640 Honor EWMH requests to focus a window.
649 Padding space added at the sides of the monitor.
655 Size of the gap that separates windows.
661 Internal State Format
662 ---------------------
664 If a 'PANEL_FIFO' is specified, *bspwm* will write informations regarding its current state to it.
666 Those informations are composed of items separated by colons.
668 Each item as the form '<type><value>' where '<type>' is the first character of the item.
677 Occupied focused desktop.
680 Occupied unfocused desktop.
683 Free focused desktop.
686 Free unfocused desktop.
689 Urgent focused desktop.
692 Urgent unfocused desktop.
695 Layout of the focused desktop of the focused monitor.
697 Environment Variables
698 ---------------------
701 The path of the socket used for the communication between *bspc* and *bspwm*. If it isn't defined, then the following path is used: '/tmp/bspwm-socket'.
706 * Any EWMH compliant panel (e.g.: 'tint2', 'bmpanel2', etc.).
707 * A custom panel if the '-s' flag is used (have a look at the files in 'examples/panel').
712 * Configured and controlled through messages.
713 * Multiple monitors support (via 'RandR').
714 * EWMH support (*tint2* works).
720 * Steven Allen <steven at stebalien.com>
721 * Thomas Adam <thomas at xteddy.org>
722 * Ivan Kanakarakis <ivan.kanak at gmail.com>
727 Bastien Dejean <nihilhill at gmail.com>
732 bspwm at librelist.com
735 vim: set ft=asciidoc: