1wm(n) Tk Built-In Commands wm(n)
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8 wm - Communicate with window manager
9
11 wm option window ?args?
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13
16 The wm command is used to interact with window managers in order to
17 control such things as the title for a window, its geometry, or the
18 increments in terms of which it may be resized. The wm command can
19 take any of a number of different forms, depending on the option argu‐
20 ment. All of the forms expect at least one additional argument, win‐
21 dow, which must be the path name of a top-level window.
22 The legal forms for the wm command are:
24 wm aspect window ?minNumer minDenom maxNumer maxDenom?
26 If minNumer, minDenom, maxNumer, and maxDenom are all specified,
27 then they will be passed to the window manager and the window
28 manager should use them to enforce a range of acceptable aspect
29 ratios for window. The aspect ratio of window (width/length)
30 will be constrained to lie between minNumer/minDenom and maxNu‐
31 mer/maxDenom. If minNumer etc. are all specified as empty
32 strings, then any existing aspect ratio restrictions are
33 removed. If minNumer etc. are specified, then the command
34 returns an empty string. Otherwise, it returns a Tcl list con‐
35 taining four elements, which are the current values of minNumer,
36 minDenom, maxNumer, and maxDenom (if no aspect restrictions are
37 in effect, then an empty string is returned). │
38 wm attributes window │
40 wm attributes window ?option? │
42 wm attributes window ?option value option value...? │
44 This subcommand returns or sets platform specific attributes │
45 associated with a window. The first form returns a list of the │
46 platform specific flags and their values. The second form │
47 returns the value for the specific option. The third form sets │
48 one or more of the values. The values are as follows: │
49 On Windows, -disabled gets or sets whether the window is in a │
51 disabled state. -toolwindow gets or sets the style of the window │
52 to toolwindow (as defined in the MSDN). -topmost gets or sets │
53 whether this is a topmost window (displays above all other win‐ │
54 dows). -alpha sets the alpha transparency level of the │
55 toplevel. It accepts a value from 0.0 (fully transparent) to │
56 1.0 (opaque). Values outside that range will be constrained. │
57 This is supported on Windows 2000/XP+. Where not supported, the │
58 -alpha value remains at 1.0. │
59 On Mac OS X, -modified gets or sets the modification state of │
61 the window (determines whether the window close widget contains │
62 the modification indicator and whether the proxy icon is drag‐ │
63 gable). -titlepath gets or sets the path of the file referenced │
64 as the window proxy icon (which can be dragged and dropped in │
65 lieu of the file's finder icon). -alpha sets the alpha trans‐ │
66 parency level of the window, it accepts a value from 0.0 (fully │
67 transparent) to 1.0 (opaque), values outside that range will be │
68 constrained. │
69 On Unix, there are currently no special attribute values. │
71 wm client window ?name?
73 If name is specified, this command stores name (which should be
74 the name of the host on which the application is executing) in
75 window's WM_CLIENT_MACHINE property for use by the window man‐
76 ager or session manager. The command returns an empty string in
77 this case. If name isn't specified, the command returns the
78 last name set in a wm client command for window. If name is
79 specified as an empty string, the command deletes the
80 WM_CLIENT_MACHINE property from window.
81 wm colormapwindows window ?windowList?
83 This command is used to manipulate the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS prop‐
84 erty, which provides information to the window managers about
85 windows that have private colormaps. If windowList isn't speci‐
86 fied, the command returns a list whose elements are the names of
87 the windows in the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property. If windowList
88 is specified, it consists of a list of window path names; the
89 command overwrites the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property with the
90 given windows and returns an empty string. The WM_COLORMAP_WIN‐
91 DOWS property should normally contain a list of the internal
92 windows within window whose colormaps differ from their parents.
93 The order of the windows in the property indicates a priority
94 order: the window manager will attempt to install as many col‐
95 ormaps as possible from the head of this list when window gets
96 the colormap focus. If window is not included among the windows
97 in windowList, Tk implicitly adds it at the end of the WM_COL‐
98 ORMAP_WINDOWS property, so that its colormap is lowest in prior‐
99 ity. If wm colormapwindows is not invoked, Tk will automati‐
100 cally set the property for each top-level window to all the
101 internal windows whose colormaps differ from their parents, fol‐
102 lowed by the top-level itself; the order of the internal win‐
103 dows is undefined. See the ICCCM documentation for more infor‐
104 mation on the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property.
105 wm command window ?value?
107 If value is specified, this command stores value in window's
108 WM_COMMAND property for use by the window manager or session
109 manager and returns an empty string. Value must have proper
110 list structure; the elements should contain the words of the
111 command used to invoke the application. If value isn't speci‐
112 fied then the command returns the last value set in a wm command
113 command for window. If value is specified as an empty string,
114 the command deletes the WM_COMMAND property from window.
115 wm deiconify window
117 Arrange for window to be displayed in normal (non-iconified)
118 form. This is done by mapping the window. If the window has
119 never been mapped then this command will not map the window, but
120 it will ensure that when the window is first mapped it will be
121 displayed in de-iconified form. On Windows, a deiconified win‐
122 dow will also be raised and be given the focus (made the active
123 window). Returns an empty string.
124 wm focusmodel window ?active|passive?
126 If active or passive is supplied as an optional argument to the
127 command, then it specifies the focus model for window. In this
128 case the command returns an empty string. If no additional
129 argument is supplied, then the command returns the current focus
130 model for window. An active focus model means that window will
131 claim the input focus for itself or its descendants, even at
132 times when the focus is currently in some other application.
133 Passive means that window will never claim the focus for itself:
134 the window manager should give the focus to window at appropri‐
135 ate times. However, once the focus has been given to window or
136 one of its descendants, the application may re-assign the focus
137 among window's descendants. The focus model defaults to pas‐
138 sive, and Tk's focus command assumes a passive model of focus‐
139 ing.
140 wm frame window
142 If window has been reparented by the window manager into a deco‐ │
143 rative frame, the command returns the platform specific window │
144 identifier for the outermost frame that contains window (the │
145 window whose parent is the root or virtual root). If window │
146 hasn't been reparented by the window manager then the command │
147 returns the platform specific window identifier for window.
148 wm geometry window ?newGeometry?
150 If newGeometry is specified, then the geometry of window is
151 changed and an empty string is returned. Otherwise the current
152 geometry for window is returned (this is the most recent geome‐
153 try specified either by manual resizing or in a wm geometry com‐
154 mand). NewGeometry has the form =widthxheight±x±y, where any of
155 =, widthxheight, or ±x±y may be omitted. Width and height are
156 positive integers specifying the desired dimensions of window.
157 If window is gridded (see GRIDDED GEOMETRY MANAGEMENT below)
158 then the dimensions are specified in grid units; otherwise they
159 are specified in pixel units. X and y specify the desired loca‐
160 tion of window on the screen, in pixels. If x is preceded by +,
161 it specifies the number of pixels between the left edge of the
162 screen and the left edge of window's border; if preceded by -
163 then x specifies the number of pixels between the right edge of
164 the screen and the right edge of window's border. If y is pre‐
165 ceded by + then it specifies the number of pixels between the
166 top of the screen and the top of window's border; if y is pre‐
167 ceded by - then it specifies the number of pixels between the
168 bottom of window's border and the bottom of the screen. If new‐
169 Geometry is specified as an empty string then any existing user-
170 specified geometry for window is cancelled, and the window will
171 revert to the size requested internally by its widgets.
172 wm grid window ?baseWidth baseHeight widthInc heightInc?
174 This command indicates that window is to be managed as a gridded
175 window. It also specifies the relationship between grid units
176 and pixel units. BaseWidth and baseHeight specify the number of
177 grid units corresponding to the pixel dimensions requested
178 internally by window using Tk_GeometryRequest. WidthInc and
179 heightInc specify the number of pixels in each horizontal and
180 vertical grid unit. These four values determine a range of
181 acceptable sizes for window, corresponding to grid-based widths
182 and heights that are non-negative integers. Tk will pass this
183 information to the window manager; during manual resizing, the
184 window manager will restrict the window's size to one of these
185 acceptable sizes. Furthermore, during manual resizing the win‐
186 dow manager will display the window's current size in terms of
187 grid units rather than pixels. If baseWidth etc. are all speci‐
188 fied as empty strings, then window will no longer be managed as
189 a gridded window. If baseWidth etc. are specified then the
190 return value is an empty string. Otherwise the return value is
191 a Tcl list containing four elements corresponding to the current
192 baseWidth, baseHeight, widthInc, and heightInc; if window is
193 not currently gridded, then an empty string is returned. Note:
194 this command should not be needed very often, since the Tk_Set‐
195 Grid library procedure and the setGrid option provide easier
196 access to the same functionality.
197 wm group window ?pathName?
199 If pathName is specified, it gives the path name for the leader
200 of a group of related windows. The window manager may use this
201 information, for example, to unmap all of the windows in a group
202 when the group's leader is iconified. PathName may be specified
203 as an empty string to remove window from any group association.
204 If pathName is specified then the command returns an empty
205 string; otherwise it returns the path name of window's current
206 group leader, or an empty string if window isn't part of any
207 group.
208 wm iconbitmap window ?bitmap?
210 If bitmap is specified, then it names a bitmap in the standard
211 forms accepted by Tk (see the Tk_GetBitmap manual entry for
212 details). This bitmap is passed to the window manager to be
213 displayed in window's icon, and the command returns an empty
214 string. If an empty string is specified for bitmap, then any
215 current icon bitmap is cancelled for window. If bitmap is spec‐
216 ified then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it
217 returns the name of the current icon bitmap associated with win‐
218 dow, or an empty string if window has no icon bitmap. On the
219 Windows operating system, an additional flag is supported: wm
220 iconbitmap window ?-default? ?image?. If the -default flag is
221 given, the icon is applied to all toplevel windows (existing and
222 future) to which no other specific icon has yet been applied.
223 In addition to bitmap image types, a full path specification to
224 any file which contains a valid Windows icon is also accepted
225 (usually .ico or .icr files), or any file for which the shell
226 has assigned an icon. Tcl will first test if the file contains
227 an icon, then if it has an assigned icon, and finally, if that
228 fails, test for a bitmap.
229 wm iconify window
231 Arrange for window to be iconified. It window hasn't yet been
232 mapped for the first time, this command will arrange for it to
233 appear in the iconified state when it is eventually mapped.
234 wm iconmask window ?bitmap?
236 If bitmap is specified, then it names a bitmap in the standard
237 forms accepted by Tk (see the Tk_GetBitmap manual entry for
238 details). This bitmap is passed to the window manager to be
239 used as a mask in conjunction with the iconbitmap option: where
240 the mask has zeroes no icon will be displayed; where it has
241 ones, the bits from the icon bitmap will be displayed. If an
242 empty string is specified for bitmap then any current icon mask
243 is cancelled for window (this is equivalent to specifying a bit‐
244 map of all ones). If bitmap is specified then the command
245 returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns the name of the
246 current icon mask associated with window, or an empty string if
247 no mask is in effect.
248 wm iconname window ?newName?
250 If newName is specified, then it is passed to the window man‐
251 ager; the window manager should display newName inside the icon
252 associated with window. In this case an empty string is
253 returned as result. If newName isn't specified then the command
254 returns the current icon name for window, or an empty string if
255 no icon name has been specified (in this case the window manager
256 will normally display the window's title, as specified with the
257 wm title command).
258 wm iconposition window ?x y?
260 If x and y are specified, they are passed to the window manager
261 as a hint about where to position the icon for window. In this
262 case an empty string is returned. If x and y are specified as
263 empty strings then any existing icon position hint is cancelled.
264 If neither x nor y is specified, then the command returns a Tcl
265 list containing two values, which are the current icon position
266 hints (if no hints are in effect then an empty string is
267 returned).
268 wm iconwindow window ?pathName?
270 If pathName is specified, it is the path name for a window to
271 use as icon for window: when window is iconified then pathName
272 will be mapped to serve as icon, and when window is de-iconified
273 then pathName will be unmapped again. If pathName is specified
274 as an empty string then any existing icon window association for
275 window will be cancelled. If the pathName argument is specified
276 then an empty string is returned. Otherwise the command returns
277 the path name of the current icon window for window, or an empty
278 string if there is no icon window currently specified for win‐
279 dow. Button press events are disabled for window as long as it
280 is an icon window; this is needed in order to allow window man‐
281 agers to ``own'' those events. Note: not all window managers
282 support the notion of an icon window.
283 wm maxsize window ?width height?
285 If width and height are specified, they give the maximum permis‐
286 sible dimensions for window. For gridded windows the dimensions
287 are specified in grid units; otherwise they are specified in
288 pixel units. The window manager will restrict the window's
289 dimensions to be less than or equal to width and height. If
290 width and height are specified, then the command returns an
291 empty string. Otherwise it returns a Tcl list with two ele‐
292 ments, which are the maximum width and height currently in
293 effect. The maximum size defaults to the size of the screen.
294 See the sections on geometry management below for more informa‐
295 tion.
296 wm minsize window ?width height?
298 If width and height are specified, they give the minimum permis‐
299 sible dimensions for window. For gridded windows the dimensions
300 are specified in grid units; otherwise they are specified in
301 pixel units. The window manager will restrict the window's
302 dimensions to be greater than or equal to width and height. If
303 width and height are specified, then the command returns an
304 empty string. Otherwise it returns a Tcl list with two ele‐
305 ments, which are the minimum width and height currently in
306 effect. The minimum size defaults to one pixel in each dimen‐
307 sion. See the sections on geometry management below for more
308 information.
309 wm overrideredirect window ?boolean?
311 If boolean is specified, it must have a proper boolean form and
312 the override-redirect flag for window is set to that value. If
313 boolean is not specified then 1 or 0 is returned to indicate
314 whether or not the override-redirect flag is currently set for
315 window. Setting the override-redirect flag for a window causes
316 it to be ignored by the window manager; among other things,
317 this means that the window will not be reparented from the root
318 window into a decorative frame and the user will not be able to
319 manipulate the window using the normal window manager mecha‐
320 nisms.
321 wm positionfrom window ?who?
323 If who is specified, it must be either program or user, or an
324 abbreviation of one of these two. It indicates whether window's
325 current position was requested by the program or by the user.
326 Many window managers ignore program-requested initial positions
327 and ask the user to manually position the window; if user is
328 specified then the window manager should position the window at
329 the given place without asking the user for assistance. If who
330 is specified as an empty string, then the current position
331 source is cancelled. If who is specified, then the command
332 returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns user or program
333 to indicate the source of the window's current position, or an
334 empty string if no source has been specified yet. Most window
335 managers interpret ``no source'' as equivalent to program. Tk
336 will automatically set the position source to user when a wm
337 geometry command is invoked, unless the source has been set
338 explicitly to program.
339 wm protocol window ?name? ?command?
341 This command is used to manage window manager protocols such as
342 WM_DELETE_WINDOW. Name is the name of an atom corresponding to
343 a window manager protocol, such as WM_DELETE_WINDOW or
344 WM_SAVE_YOURSELF or WM_TAKE_FOCUS. If both name and command are
345 specified, then command is associated with the protocol speci‐
346 fied by name. Name will be added to window's WM_PROTOCOLS prop‐
347 erty to tell the window manager that the application has a pro‐
348 tocol handler for name, and command will be invoked in the
349 future whenever the window manager sends a message to the client
350 for that protocol. In this case the command returns an empty
351 string. If name is specified but command isn't, then the cur‐
352 rent command for name is returned, or an empty string if there
353 is no handler defined for name. If command is specified as an
354 empty string then the current handler for name is deleted and it
355 is removed from the WM_PROTOCOLS property on window; an empty
356 string is returned. Lastly, if neither name nor command is
357 specified, the command returns a list of all the protocols for
358 which handlers are currently defined for window.
359 Tk always defines a protocol handler for WM_DELETE_WINDOW, even
361 if you haven't asked for one with wm protocol. If a
362 WM_DELETE_WINDOW message arrives when you haven't defined a han‐
363 dler, then Tk handles the message by destroying the window for
364 which it was received.
365 wm resizable window ?width height?
367 This command controls whether or not the user may interactively
368 resize a top-level window. If width and height are specified,
369 they are boolean values that determine whether the width and
370 height of window may be modified by the user. In this case the
371 command returns an empty string. If width and height are omit‐
372 ted then the command returns a list with two 0/1 elements that
373 indicate whether the width and height of window are currently
374 resizable. By default, windows are resizable in both dimen‐
375 sions. If resizing is disabled, then the window's size will be
376 the size from the most recent interactive resize or wm geometry
377 command. If there has been no such operation then the window's
378 natural size will be used.
379 wm sizefrom window ?who?
381 If who is specified, it must be either program or user, or an
382 abbreviation of one of these two. It indicates whether window's
383 current size was requested by the program or by the user. Some
384 window managers ignore program-requested sizes and ask the user
385 to manually size the window; if user is specified then the win‐
386 dow manager should give the window its specified size without
387 asking the user for assistance. If who is specified as an empty
388 string, then the current size source is cancelled. If who is
389 specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise
390 it returns user or window to indicate the source of the window's
391 current size, or an empty string if no source has been specified
392 yet. Most window managers interpret ``no source'' as equivalent
393 to program.
394 wm stackorder window ?isabove|isbelow window?
396 The stackorder command returns a list of toplevel windows in
397 stacking order, from lowest to highest. When a single toplevel
398 window is passed, the returned list recursively includes all of
399 the window's children that are toplevels. Only those toplevels
400 that are currently mapped to the screen are returned. The
401 stackorder command can also be used to determine if one toplevel
402 is positioned above or below a second toplevel. When two window
403 arguments separated by either isabove or isbelow are passed, a
404 boolean result indicates whether or not the first window is cur‐
405 rently above or below the second window in the stacking order.
406 wm state window ?newstate?
408 If newstate is specified, the window will be set to the new
409 state, otherwise it returns the current state of window: either
410 normal, iconic, withdrawn, icon, or (Windows and Mac OS X only)
411 zoomed. The difference between iconic and icon is that iconic
412 refers to a window that has been iconified (e.g., with the wm
413 iconify command) while icon refers to a window whose only pur‐
414 pose is to serve as the icon for some other window (via the wm
415 iconwindow command). The icon state cannot be set.
416 wm title window ?string?
418 If string is specified, then it will be passed to the window
419 manager for use as the title for window (the window manager
420 should display this string in window's title bar). In this case
421 the command returns an empty string. If string isn't specified
422 then the command returns the current title for the window. The
423 title for a window defaults to its name.
424 wm transient window ?master?
426 If master is specified, then the window manager is informed that
427 window is a transient window (e.g. pull-down menu) working on
428 behalf of master (where master is the path name for a top-level
429 window). If master is specified as an empty string then window
430 is marked as not being a transient window any more. Otherwise
431 the command returns the path name of window's current master, or
432 an empty string if window isn't currently a transient window. A
433 transient window will mirror state changes in the master and
434 inherit the state of the master when initially mapped. It is an
435 error to attempt to make a window a transient of itself.
436 wm withdraw window
438 Arranges for window to be withdrawn from the screen. This
439 causes the window to be unmapped and forgotten about by the win‐
440 dow manager. If the window has never been mapped, then this
441 command causes the window to be mapped in the withdrawn state.
442 Not all window managers appear to know how to handle windows
443 that are mapped in the withdrawn state. Note: it sometimes
444 seems to be necessary to withdraw a window and then re-map it
445 (e.g. with wm deiconify) to get some window managers to pay
446 attention to changes in window attributes such as group.
447
449 By default a top-level window appears on the screen in its natural
450 size, which is the one determined internally by its widgets and geome‐
451 try managers. If the natural size of a top-level window changes, then
452 the window's size changes to match. A top-level window can be given a
453 size other than its natural size in two ways. First, the user can
454 resize the window manually using the facilities of the window manager,
455 such as resize handles. Second, the application can request a particu‐
456 lar size for a top-level window using the wm geometry command. These
457 two cases are handled identically by Tk; in either case, the requested
458 size overrides the natural size. You can return the window to its nat‐
459 ural by invoking wm geometry with an empty geometry string.
460 Normally a top-level window can have any size from one pixel in each
462 dimension up to the size of its screen. However, you can use the wm
463 minsize and wm maxsize commands to limit the range of allowable sizes.
464 The range set by wm minsize and wm maxsize applies to all forms of
465 resizing, including the window's natural size as well as manual resizes
466 and the wm geometry command. You can also use the command wm resizable
467 to completely disable interactive resizing in one or both dimensions.
468
470 Gridded geometry management occurs when one of the widgets of an appli‐
471 cation supports a range of useful sizes. This occurs, for example, in
472 a text editor where the scrollbars, menus, and other adornments are
473 fixed in size but the edit widget can support any number of lines of
474 text or characters per line. In this case, it is usually desirable to
475 let the user specify the number of lines or characters-per-line, either
476 with the wm geometry command or by interactively resizing the window.
477 In the case of text, and in other interesting cases also, only discrete
478 sizes of the window make sense, such as integral numbers of lines and
479 characters-per-line; arbitrary pixel sizes are not useful.
480 Gridded geometry management provides support for this kind of applica‐
482 tion. Tk (and the window manager) assume that there is a grid of some
483 sort within the application and that the application should be resized
484 in terms of grid units rather than pixels. Gridded geometry management
485 is typically invoked by turning on the setGrid option for a widget; it
486 can also be invoked with the wm grid command or by calling Tk_SetGrid.
487 In each of these approaches the particular widget (or sometimes code in
488 the application as a whole) specifies the relationship between integral
489 grid sizes for the window and pixel sizes. To return to non-gridded
490 geometry management, invoke wm grid with empty argument strings.
491 When gridded geometry management is enabled then all the dimensions
493 specified in wm minsize, wm maxsize, and wm geometry commands are
494 treated as grid units rather than pixel units. Interactive resizing is
495 also carried out in even numbers of grid units rather than pixels.
496
498 Most existing window managers appear to have bugs that affect the oper‐
499 ation of the wm command. For example, some changes won't take effect
500 if the window is already active: the window will have to be withdrawn
501 and de-iconified in order to make the change happen.
502
504 A fixed-size window that says that it is fixed-size too:
505 toplevel .fixed
506 wm title .fixed "Fixed-size Window"
507 wm resizable .fixed 0 0
508 A simple dialog-like window, centred on the screen:
510 # Create and arrange the dialog contents.
511 toplevel .msg
512 label .msg.l -text "This is a very simple dialog demo."
513 button .msg.ok -text OK -default active -command {destroy .msg}
514 pack .msg.ok -side bottom -fill x
515 pack .msg.l -expand 1 -fill both
516 # Now set the widget up as a centred dialog.
518 # But first, we need the geometry managers to finish setting
520 # up the interior of the dialog, for which we need to run the
521 # event loop with the widget hidden completely...
522 wm withdraw .msg
523 update
524 set x [expr {([winfo screenwidth .]-[winfo width .msg])/2}]
525 set y [expr {([winfo screenheight .]-[winfo height .msg])/2}]
526 wm geometry .msg +$x+$y
527 wm transient .msg .
528 wm title .msg "Dialog demo"
529 wm deiconify .msg
530
533 toplevel(n), winfo(n)
534
537 aspect ratio, deiconify, focus model, geometry, grid, group, icon,
538 iconify, increments, position, size, title, top-level window, units,
539 window manager
540Tk 8.4 wm(n)