Configuring window manager key bindings

Default key bindings

The key bindings that are provided with your system are referred to as default key bindings. Most default key bindings define the basic functionality of the window manager.

All key bindings are located in the /usr/lib/X11/system.pmwmrc file (for pmwm mode) or the /usr/lib/X11/system.mwmrc file (for mwm mode) in the Keys section type. The default bindings are defined by a set named ``DefaultKeyBindings.'' System administrators can customize the functionality of some button bindings and make system-wide changes by editing this file. Users can customize the functionality of key bindings in their local environment by copying the appropriate system-wide window manager configuration file to either .pmwmrc (for pmwm mode) or .mwmrc (for mwm mode) in their $HOME directory. Customizing default bindings is discussed in more detail in ``Configuring key bindings''.

The entries in the ``DefaultKeyBindings'' section of the system-wide window manager configuration file look similar to these:

   Keys  DefaultKeyBindings
   {
              .                 .                  .
       Shift<Key>Escape  icon|window          f.post_wmenu
       Alt<Key>space     icon|window          f.post_wmenu
              .                 .                  .
              .                 .                  .
   	
   }

Each line represents a key binding. A key binding consists of a key press action (such as Shift<Key>Escape), the window manager context in which the action is valid (such as icon or window), and the function the key press provides (such as f.post_wmenu). Key press actions, contexts, and functions are discussed in more detail later in this chapter.

``Default key bindings'' lists the default key bindings.[1]

Default key bindings

Key action	Context	Function
Shift<Key>Escape	icon\|window	f.post_wmenu
Alt<Key>space	icon\|window	f.post_wmenu
Alt<Key>Tab	root\|icon\|window	f.next_key
Alt Shift<Key>Tab	root\|icon\|window	f.prev_key
Alt<Key>Escape	root\|icon\|window	f.next_key
Alt Shift<Key>Escape	root\|icon\|window	f.prev_key
Alt Ctrl Shift<Key>exclam	root\|icon\|window	f.set_behavior
Alt<Key>F6	window	f.next_key transient
Alt<Key>Left	root\|icon\|window	f.pan_activescreen left 100
Alt<Key>Right	root\|icon\|window	f.pan_activescreen right 100
Alt<Key>Up	root\|icon\|window	f.pan_activescreen up 100
Alt<Key>Down	root\|icon\|window	f.pan_activescreen down 100
Alt<Key>Home	root\|icon\|window	f.set_activescreen home
Alt<Key>End	root\|icon\|window	f.set_activescreen "-0-0"
Alt<Key>minus	root\|icon\|window	f.toggle_autopan
Alt<Key>F2	window	f.identify
Alt<Key>F2	root	f.identify