Other Root Window Messages

Extended Window Manager Hints
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# 4. Other Root Window Messages

## 4.1. _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW

    _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW

Pagers wanting to close a window MUST send a _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW client message request to the root window:

    _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW
      window = window to close
      message_type = _NET_CLOSE_WINDOW
      format = 32
      data.l[0] = 0 /* may be used later */

The Window Manager MUST then attempt to close the window specified.

Rationale: A Window Manager might be more clever than the usual method (send WM_DELETE message if the protocol is selected, XKillClient otherwise). It might introduce a timeout, for example. Instead of duplicating the code, the Window Manager can easily do the job.

## 4.2. _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW

    _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW
      window = window to be moved or resized
      message_type = _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW
      format = 32
      data.l[0] = gravity and flags
      data.l[1] = x
      data.l[2] = y
      data.l[3] = width
      data.l[4] = height

The low byte of data.l[0] contains the gravity to use; it may contain any value allowed for the WM_SIZE_HINTS.win_gravity property: NorthWest (1), North (2), NorthEast (3), West (4), Center (5), East (6), SouthWest (7), South (8), SouthEast (9) and Static (10). A gravity of 0 indicates that the Window Manager should use the gravity specified in WM_SIZE_HINTS.win_gravity. The bits 8 to 11 indicate the presence of x, y, width and height.

Pagers wanting to move or resize a window may send a _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW client message request to the root window instead of using a ConfigureRequest.

Window Managers should treat a _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW message exactly like a ConfigureRequest (in particular, adhering to the ICCCM rules about synthetic ConfigureNotify events), except that they should use the gravity specified in the message.

Rationale: Using a _NET_MOVERESIZE_WINDOW message with StaticGravity allows Pagers to exactly position and resize a window including its decorations without knowing the size of the decorations.

## 4.3. _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE

    _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE
      window = window to be moved or resized
      message_type = _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE
      format = 32
      data.l[0] = x_root
      data.l[1] = y_root
      data.l[2] = direction
      data.l[3] = button

This message allows Clients to initiate window movement or resizing. They can define their own move and size "grips", whilst letting the Window Manager control the actual operation. This means that all moves/resizes can happen in a consistent manner as defined by the Window Manager.

When sending this message in response to a button press event, button SHOULD indicate the button which was pressed, x_root and y_root MUST indicate the position of the button press with respect to the root window and direction MUST indicate whether this is a move or resize event, and if it is a resize event, which edges of the window the size grip applies to. When sending this message in response to a key event, the direction MUST indicate whether this this is a move or resize event and the other fields are unused.

    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_TOPLEFT      0
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_TOP          1
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_TOPRIGHT     2
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_RIGHT        3
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_BOTTOMRIGHT  4
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_BOTTOM       5
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_BOTTOMLEFT   6
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_LEFT         7
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_MOVE              8   /* movement only */
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_SIZE_KEYBOARD     9   /* size via keyboard */
    #define _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE_MOVE_KEYBOARD    10   /* move via keyboard */

The Client MUST release all grabs prior to sending such message.

The Window Manager can use the button field to determine the events on which it terminates the operation initiated by the _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE message. Since there is a race condition between a client sending the _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE message and the user releasing the button, Window Managers are advised to offer some other means to terminate the operation, e.g. by pressing the ESC key.

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