1991.
Version 4.5.0 1
XAllocWMHints(3X11) XLIB FUNCTIONS XAllocWMHints(3X11)
NAME
XAllocWMHints, XSetWMHints, XGetWMHints, XWMHints - allocate
window manager hints structure and set or read a window's
WM_HINTS property
SYNTAX
XWMHints *XAllocWMHints(void);
int XSetWMHints(Display *display, Window w, XWMHints
*wmhints);
XWMHints *XGetWMHints(Display *display, Window w);
ARGUMENTS
display Specifies the connection to the X server.
w Specifies the window.
wmhints Specifies the XWMHints structure to be used.
DESCRIPTION
The XAllocWMHints function allocates and returns a pointer
to a XWMHints structure. Note that all fields in the
XWMHints structure are initially set to zero. If insuffi-
cient memory is available, XAllocWMHints returns NULL. To
free the memory allocated to this structure, use XFree.
The XSetWMHints function sets the window manager hints that
include icon information and location, the initial state of
the window, and whether the application relies on the window
manager to get keyboard input.
XSetWMHints can generate BadAlloc and BadWindow errors.
The XGetWMHints function reads the window manager hints and
returns NULL if no WM_HINTS property was set on the window
or returns a pointer to a XWMHints structure if it succeeds.
When finished with the data, free the space used for it by
calling XFree.
XGetWMHints can generate a BadWindow error.
PROPERTIES
WM_HINTS Additional hints set by the client for use by the
window manager. The C type of this property is
XWMHints.
STRUCTURES
The XWMHints structure contains:
/* Window manager hints mask bits */
XFree86 Version 4.5.0 2
XAllocWMHints(3X11) XLIB FUNCTIONS XAllocWMHints(3X11)
#define InputHint (1L << 0);
#define StateHint (1L << 1);
#define IconPixmapHint (1L << 2);
#define IconWindowHint (1L << 3);
#define IconPositionHint (1L << 4);
#define IconMaskHint (1L << 5);
#define WindowGroupHint (1L << 6);
#define UrgencyHint (1L << 8);
#define AllHints (InputHint|StateHint|IconPixmapHint|
IconWindowHint|IconPositionHint|
IconMaskHint|WindowGroupHint);
/* Values */
typedef struct {
long flags; /* marks which fields in this structure are defined */
Bool input; /* does this application rely on the window manager to
get keyboard input? */
int initial_state; /* see below */
Pixmap icon_pixmap; /* pixmap to be used as icon */
Window icon_window; /* window to be used as icon */
int icon_x, icon_y; /* initial position of icon */
Pixmap icon_mask; /* pixmap to be used as mask for icon_pixmap */
XID window_group; /* id of related window group */
/* this structure may be extended in the future */
} XWMHints;
The input member is used to communicate to the window
manager the input focus model used by the application.
Applications that expect input but never explicitly set
focus to any of their subwindows (that is, use the push
model of focus management), such as X Version 10 style
applications that use real-estate driven focus, should set
this member to True. Similarly, applications that set input
focus to their subwindows only when it is given to their
top-level window by a window manager should also set this
member to True. Applications that manage their own input
focus by explicitly setting focus to one of their subwindows
whenever they want keyboard input (that is, use the pull
model of focus management) should set this member to False.
Applications that never expect any keyboard input also
should set this member to False.
Pull model window managers should make it possible for push
model applications to get input by setting input focus to
the top-level windows of applications whose input member is
True. Push model window managers should make sure that pull
model applications do not break them by resetting input
focus to PointerRoot when it is appropriate (for example,
whenever an application whose input member is False sets
input focus to one of its subwindows).
XFree86 Version 4.5.0 3
XAllocWMHints(3X11) XLIB FUNCTIONS XAllocWMHints(3X11)
The definitions for the initial_state flag are:
#define WithdrawnState 0
#define NormalState 1 /* most applications start
this way */
#define IconicState 3 /* application wants to
start as an icon */
The icon_mask specifies which pixels of the icon_pixmap
should be used as the icon. This allows for nonrectangular
icons. Both icon_pixmap and icon_mask must be bitmaps. The
icon_window lets an application provide a window for use as
an icon for window managers that support such use. The
window_group lets you specify that this window belongs to a
group of other windows. For example, if a single application
manipulates multiple top-level windows, this allows you to
provide enough information that a window manager can iconify
all of the windows rather than just the one window.
The UrgencyHint flag, if set in the flags field, indicates
that the client deems the window contents to be urgent,
requiring the timely response of the user. The window
manager will make some effort to draw the user's attention
to this window while this flag is set. The client must pro-
vide some means by which the user can cause the urgency flag
to be cleared (either mitigating the condition that made the
window urgent or merely shutting off the alarm); or the win-
dow to be withdrawn.
DIAGNOSTICS
BadAlloc The server failed to allocate the requested
resource or server memory.
BadWindow A value for a Window argument does not name a
defined Window.
SEE ALSO
XAllocClassHint(3X11), XAllocIconSize(3X11),
XAllocSizeHints(3X11), XFree(3X11), XSetCommand(3X11),
XSetTransientForHint(3X11), XSetTextProperty(3X11),
XSetWMClientMachine(3X11), XSetWMColormapWindows(3X11),
XSetWMIconName(3X11), XSetWMName(3X11),
XSetWMProperties(3X11), XSetWMProtocols(3X11),
XStringListToTextProperty(3X11)
Xlib - C Language X Interface, O'Reilly and Associates,
Sebastopol,
XFree86 Version 4.5.0 4