Wmii
Encyclopedia
wmii is a tiling window manager
for X11
. It supports classic and tiling
window management with extended keyboard
, mouse, and filesystem based remote control. It replaces the workspace paradigm with a new tagging approach.
In its default configuration, wmii's interface is similar to that of the vi
text editor; the windows are controlled with the Alt key
and the HJKL keys (Alt+H,J,K,L) and can be combined with Alt+Shift+H,J,K,L. This enables to build dynamic layouts easily in contrast to other window managers with fixed layouts such as Ion. However, the window manager offers extensive configuration through a virtual filesystem similar to that offered by Plan 9 from Bell Labs
. Every window, tag, and column is represented in the virtual filesystem, and windows are controlled by manipulating their file objects (in fact, the configuration file is just a script interfacing the virtual files). This RPC system allows many different configuration styles, including those provided in the base distribution in plan9port and bourne shell
. The latest release 3.9 also includes configurations in Python
and Ruby
.
In its latest release, wmii supports Xinerama
and ships its own keyboard-based menu program called wimenu, featuring history and programmable completion.
Related software:
Tiling window manager
In computing, a tiling window manager is a window manager with an organization of the screen into mutually non-overlapping frames, as opposed to the more popular approach of coordinate-based stacking of overlapping objects that tries to fully emulate the desktop metaphor.-Xerox PARC:Although the...
for X11
X Window System
The X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers...
. It supports classic and tiling
Tiling window manager
In computing, a tiling window manager is a window manager with an organization of the screen into mutually non-overlapping frames, as opposed to the more popular approach of coordinate-based stacking of overlapping objects that tries to fully emulate the desktop metaphor.-Xerox PARC:Although the...
window management with extended keyboard
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
, mouse, and filesystem based remote control. It replaces the workspace paradigm with a new tagging approach.
In its default configuration, wmii's interface is similar to that of the vi
Vi
vi is a screen-oriented text editor originally created for the Unix operating system. The portable subset of the behavior of vi and programs based on it, and the ex editor language supported within these programs, is described by the Single Unix Specification and POSIX.The original code for vi...
text editor; the windows are controlled with the Alt key
Alt key
The Alt key on a computer keyboard is used to change the function of other pressed keys. Thus, the Alt key is a modifier key, used in a similar fashion to the Shift key. For example, simply pressing "A" will type the letter a, but if you hold down either Alt key while pressing A, the computer...
and the HJKL keys (Alt+H,J,K,L) and can be combined with Alt+Shift+H,J,K,L. This enables to build dynamic layouts easily in contrast to other window managers with fixed layouts such as Ion. However, the window manager offers extensive configuration through a virtual filesystem similar to that offered by Plan 9 from Bell Labs
Plan 9 from Bell Labs
Plan 9 from Bell Labs is a distributed operating system. It was developed primarily for research purposes as the successor to Unix by the Computing Sciences Research Center at Bell Labs between the mid-1980s and 2002...
. Every window, tag, and column is represented in the virtual filesystem, and windows are controlled by manipulating their file objects (in fact, the configuration file is just a script interfacing the virtual files). This RPC system allows many different configuration styles, including those provided in the base distribution in plan9port and bourne shell
Bourne shell
The Bourne shell, or sh, was the default Unix shell of Unix Version 7 and most Unix-like systems continue to have /bin/sh - which will be the Bourne shell, or a symbolic link or hard link to a compatible shell - even when more modern shells are used by most users.Developed by Stephen Bourne at AT&T...
. The latest release 3.9 also includes configurations in Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
and Ruby
Ruby (programming language)
Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general-purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was first developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto...
.
In its latest release, wmii supports Xinerama
Xinerama
Xinerama is an extension to the X Window System which enables multi-headed X applications and window managers to use two or more physical displays as one large virtual display.It was originally developed by Madeline T...
and ships its own keyboard-based menu program called wimenu, featuring history and programmable completion.
See also
Similar window managers:- dwmDwmdwm is a dynamic tiling window manager for X11 exhibiting the principles of minimalism which is known for having influenced the development of other window managers, including xmonad and awesome. It is externally similar to wmii, but internally much simpler. dwm is written purely in C and, for...
- awesomeAwesome (window manager)awesome is a dynamic window manager for the X Window System developed in the C and Lua programming languages. The latter is also used for configuring and extending the window manager. Its development began as a fork of dwm...
- Ion
- ratpoisonRatpoisonRatpoison is a tiling window manager for the X Window System primarily developed by Shawn Betts. Its user interface and much of its functionality are inspired by the GNU Screen terminal multiplexer...
- stumpwm - The successor to ratpoison
- rio - Plan 9 from Bell LabsPlan 9 from Bell LabsPlan 9 from Bell Labs is a distributed operating system. It was developed primarily for research purposes as the successor to Unix by the Computing Sciences Research Center at Bell Labs between the mid-1980s and 2002...
' windowing system - XmonadXmonadxmonad is a tiling window manager for the X Window System, written in the functional programming language Haskell.Begun in March 2007, it is similar to dwm, larswm, StumpWM and other members of the tiling window manager family, in that it arranges windows in a nonoverlapping tiled pattern and...
- A tiling window manager written in Haskell
Related software:
- 9P9P9P is a network protocol developed for the Plan 9 from Bell Labs distributed operating system as the means of connecting the components of a Plan 9 system. Files are key objects in Plan 9. They represent windows, network connections, processes, and almost anything else available in the operating...
- the filesystem protocol used to implement wmii's virtual filesystem - Plan 9 from User SpacePlan 9 from User SpacePlan 9 from User Space is a port of many Plan 9 from Bell Labs libraries and applications to Unix-like operating systems...
(aka plan9port)