Selectors are used to select a target node, desktop, or monitor. A selector
can either describe the target relatively or name it globally.
-Selectors consist of a descriptor and any number of non-conflicting modifiers
-as follows:
+Selectors consist of an optional reference, a descriptor and any number of
+non-conflicting modifiers as follows:
- DESCRIPTOR(.MODIFIER)*
+ [REFERENCE#]DESCRIPTOR(.MODIFIER)*
-An exclamation mark can be prepended to certain modifiers in order to reverse their meaning.
+The relative targets are computed in relation to the given reference (the
+default reference value is *focused*).
+
+An exclamation mark can be prepended to any modifier in order to reverse its
+meaning.
Node
~~~~
Select a node.
----
-NODE_SEL := (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|PATH|last|older|newer|focused|pointed|biggest|<node_id>)[.[!]focused][.[!]automatic][.[!]local][.[!]leaf][.[!]window][.[!]STATE][.[!]FLAG][.[!]LAYER][.[!]same_class]
+NODE_SEL := [NODE_SEL#](DIR|CYCLE_DIR|PATH|last|older|newer|focused|pointed|biggest|<node_id>)[.[!]focused][.[!]automatic][.[!]local][.[!]active][.[!]leaf][.[!]window][.[!]STATE][.[!]FLAG][.[!]LAYER][.[!]same_class][.[!]descendant_of][.[!]ancestor_of]
STATE := tiled|pseudo_tiled|floating|fullscreen
^^^^^^^^^^^
'DIR'::
- Selects the window in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active node.
+ Selects the window in the given (spacial) direction relative to the reference node.
'CYCLE_DIR'::
- Selects the window in the given (cyclic) direction.
+ Selects the window in the given (cyclic) direction relative to the reference node.
'PATH'::
Selects the node at the given path.
last::
- Selects the previously focused node.
+ Selects the previously focused node relative to the reference node.
older::
- Selects the node older than the focused node in the history.
+ Selects the node older than the reference node in the history.
newer::
- Selects the node newer than the focused node in the history.
+ Selects the node newer than the reference node in the history.
focused::
Selects the currently focused node.
Selects the window under the pointer.
biggest::
- Selects the biggest window on the current desktop.
+ Selects the biggest window.
<node_id>::
Selects the node with the given ID.
Path Jumps
^^^^^^^^^^
-The initial node is the focused node (or the root if the path starts with '/') of the focused desktop (or the selected desktop if the path has a 'DESKTOP_SEL' prefix).
+The initial node is the focused node (or the root if the path starts with '/') of the reference desktop (or the selected desktop if the path has a 'DESKTOP_SEL' prefix).
1|first::
Jumps to the first child.
Only consider focused or unfocused nodes.
[!]automatic::
- Only consider nodes in automatic or manual insertion mode.
+ Only consider nodes in automatic or manual insertion mode. See also *--presel-dir* under *Node* in the *DOMAINS* section below.
[!]local::
- Only consider nodes in or not in the current desktop.
+ Only consider nodes in or not in the reference desktop.
+
+[!]active::
+ Only consider nodes in or not in the active desktop of their monitor.
[!]leaf::
Only consider leaves or internal nodes.
Only consider windows in or not in the given state.
[!]same_class::
- Only consider windows that have or don't have the same class as the current window.
+ Only consider windows that have or don't have the same class as the reference window.
+
+[!]descendant_of::
+ Only consider nodes that are or aren't descendants of the reference node.
+
+[!]ancestor_of::
+ Only consider nodes that are or aren't ancestors of the reference node.
[!](hidden|sticky|private|locked|urgent)::
Only consider windows that have or don't have the given flag set.
Select a desktop.
----
-DESKTOP_SEL := (CYCLE_DIR|last|older|newer|[MONITOR_SEL:](focused|^<n>)|<desktop_id>|<desktop_name>)[.[!]occupied][.[!]focused][.[!]urgent][.[!]local]
+DESKTOP_SEL := [DESKTOP_SEL#](CYCLE_DIR|last|older|newer|[MONITOR_SEL:](focused|^<n>)|<desktop_id>|<desktop_name>)[.[!]occupied][.[!]focused][.[!]urgent][.[!]local]
----
Descriptors
^^^^^^^^^^^
'CYCLE_DIR'::
- Selects the desktop in the given direction relative to the active desktop.
+ Selects the desktop in the given direction relative to the reference desktop.
last::
- Selects the previously focused desktop.
+ Selects the previously focused desktop relative to the reference desktop.
older::
- Selects the desktop older than the focused desktop in the history.
+ Selects the desktop older than the reference desktop in the history.
newer::
- Selects the desktop newer than the focused desktop in the history.
+ Selects the desktop newer than the reference desktop in the history.
focused::
Selects the currently focused desktop.
Only consider urgent or non urgent desktops.
[!]local::
- Only consider inside or outside of the current monitor.
+ Only consider desktops inside or outside of the reference monitor.
Monitor
~~~~~~~
Select a monitor.
----
-MONITOR_SEL := (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|last|older|newer|focused|primary|^<n>|<monitor_id>|<monitor_name>)[.[!]occupied][.[!]focused]
+MONITOR_SEL := [MONITOR_SEL#](DIR|CYCLE_DIR|last|older|newer|focused|primary|^<n>|<monitor_id>|<monitor_name>)[.[!]occupied][.[!]focused]
----
Descriptors
^^^^^^^^^^^
'DIR'::
- Selects the monitor in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active monitor.
+ Selects the monitor in the given (spacial) direction relative to the reference monitor.
'CYCLE_DIR'::
- Selects the monitor in the given (cyclic) direction relative to the active monitor.
+ Selects the monitor in the given (cyclic) direction relative to the reference monitor.
last::
- Selects the previously focused monitor.
+ Selects the previously focused monitor relative to the reference monitor.
older::
- Selects the monitor older than the focused monitor in the history.
+ Selects the monitor older than the reference monitor in the history.
newer::
- Selects the monitor newer than the focused monitor in the history.
+ Selects the monitor newer than the reference monitor in the history.
focused::
Selects the currently focused monitor.
node ['NODE_SEL'] 'COMMANDS'
+If 'NODE_SEL' is omitted, *focused* is assumed.
+
Commands
^^^^^^^^
*-f*, *--focus* ['NODE_SEL']::
Swap the selected node with the given node.
*-p*, *--presel-dir* \[~]'DIR'|cancel::
- Preselect the splitting area of the selected node (or cancel the preselection). If *~* is prepended to 'DIR' and the current preselection direction matches 'DIR', then the argument is interpreted as *cancel*.
+ Preselect the splitting area of the selected node (or cancel the preselection). If *~* is prepended to 'DIR' and the current preselection direction matches 'DIR', then the argument is interpreted as *cancel*. A node with a preselected area is said to be in "manual insertion mode".
*-o*, *--presel-ratio* 'RATIO'::
Set the splitting ratio of the preselection area.
*-z*, *--resize* top|left|bottom|right|top_left|top_right|bottom_right|bottom_left 'dx' 'dy'::
Resize the selected window by moving the given handle by 'dx' pixels horizontally and 'dy' pixels vertically.
-*-r*, *--ratio* 'RATIO'|(+|-)'PIXELS'::
+*-r*, *--ratio* 'RATIO'|(+|-)('PIXELS'|'FRACTION')::
Set the splitting ratio of the selected node (0 < 'RATIO' < 1).
*-R*, *--rotate* '90|270|180'::
desktop ['DESKTOP_SEL'] 'COMMANDS'
+If 'DESKTOP_SEL' is omitted, *focused* is assumed.
+
COMMANDS
^^^^^^^^
*-f*, *--focus* ['DESKTOP_SEL']::
monitor ['MONITOR_SEL'] 'COMMANDS'
+If 'MONITOR_SEL' is omitted, *focused* is assumed.
+
Commands
^^^^^^^^
*-f*, *--focus* ['MONITOR_SEL']::
Focus the selected or given monitor.
+*-s*, *--swap* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
+ Swap the selected monitor with the given monitor.
+
*-a*, *--add-desktops* <name>...::
Create desktops with the given names in the selected monitor.
*-n*, *--rename* <new_name>::
Rename the selected monitor.
-*-s*, *--swap* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
- Swap the selected monitor with the given monitor.
-
*-r*, *--remove*::
Remove the selected monitor.
Commands
^^^^^^^^
-*-N*, *--nodes*::
+The optional selectors are references.
+
+*-N*, *--nodes* ['NODE_SEL']::
List the IDs of the matching nodes.
-*-D*, *--desktops*::
- List the IDs of the matching desktops.
+*-D*, *--desktops* ['DESKTOP_SEL']::
+ List the IDs (or names) of the matching desktops.
-*-M*, *--monitors*::
- List the IDs of the matching monitors.
+*-M*, *--monitors* ['MONITOR_SEL']::
+ List the IDs (or names) of the matching monitors.
*-T*, *--tree*::
Print a JSON representation of the matching item.
*-n*, *--node* ['NODE_SEL']::
Constrain matches to the selected monitor, desktop or node. The descriptor can be omitted for '-M', '-D' and '-N'.
+*--names*::
+ Print names instead of IDs.
+
Wm
~~
General Syntax
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-config [-m 'MONITOR_SEL'|-d 'DESKTOP_SEL'|-n 'NODE_SEL'] <key> [<value>]::
- Get or set the value of <key>.
+config [-m 'MONITOR_SEL'|-d 'DESKTOP_SEL'|-n 'NODE_SEL'] <setting> [<value>]::
+ Get or set the value of <setting>.
Subscribe
~~~~~~~~~
Prefix prepended to each of the status lines.
'external_rules_command'::
- External command used to retrieve rule consequences. The command will receive the the ID of the window being processed as its first argument and the class and instance names as second and third arguments. The output of that command must have the following format: *key1=value1 key2=value2 ...* (the valid key/value pairs are given in the description of the 'rule' command).
+ External command used to retrieve rule consequences. The command will receive the following arguments: window ID, class and instance names, monitor, desktop and node selectors. The output of that command must have the following format: *key1=value1 key2=value2 ...* (the valid key/value pairs are given in the description of the 'rule' command).
'initial_polarity'::
On which child should a new window be attached when adding a window on a single window tree in automatic mode. Accept the following values: *first_child*, *second_child*.
-'history_aware_focus'::
- Give priority to the focus history when focusing nodes.
-
-'focus_by_distance'::
- Base focusing on distances between windows.
-
'borderless_monocle'::
Remove borders of tiled windows for the *monocle* desktop layout.
'single_monocle'::
Set the desktop layout to *monocle* if there's only one tiled window in the tree.
+'pointer_motion_interval'::
+ The minimum interval, in milliseconds, between two motion notify events.
+
'pointer_modifier'::
Keyboard modifier used for moving or resizing windows. Accept the following values: *shift*, *control*, *lock*, *mod1*, *mod2*, *mod3*, *mod4*, *mod5*.
'pointer_action1'::
'pointer_action2'::
'pointer_action3'::
- Action performed when pressing 'pointer_modifier' + 'button<n>'. Accept the following values: *move*, *resize_side*, *resize_corner*, *focus*.
+ Action performed when pressing 'pointer_modifier' + 'button<n>'. Accept the following values: *move*, *resize_side*, *resize_corner*, *focus*, *none*.
'click_to_focus'::
Focus a window (or a monitor) by clicking it.
+'swallow_first_click'::
+ Don't replay the click that makes a window focused when 'click_to_focus' is set.
+
'focus_follows_pointer'::
Focus the window under the pointer.
'node_layer <monitor_id> <desktop_id> <node_id> below|normal|above'::
The layer of a window changed.
+'pointer_action <monitor_id> <desktop_id> <node_id> move|resize_corner|resize_side begin|end'::
+ A pointer action occured.
+
Please note that *bspwm* initializes monitors before it reads messages on its socket, therefore the initial monitor events can't be received.
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