XWININFO(1) XWININFO(1)
NAME
xwininfo - window information utility for X
SYNOPSIS
xwininfo [-help] [-id id] [-root] [-name name] [-int]
[-tree] [-stats]
[-bits] [-events] [-size] [-wm] [-all] [-english]
[-metric]
[-display display]
DESCRIPTION
xwininfo is a utility for displaying information about
windows. Various information is displayed depending on
which options are selected. If no options are chosen,
-stats is assumed.
The user has the option of selecting the target window
with the mouse (by clicking any mouse button in the
desired window) or by specifying its window ID on the
command line with the -id option. Or instead of
specifying the window by its ID number, the -name
option may be used to specify which window is desired
by name. There is also a special -root option to
quickly obtain information on X's root window.
When a reparenting window manager is running, such as
twm(1) or mwm(1), mouse selection of the target window
reports information on the parent of the window manager
instead of the target client window. You can execute
xlswins(1) to determine the window id and name of the
target client window, then use it as the argument to
the -id or -name options, respectively, of xwininfo.
OPTIONS
-help
print out the Usage: command syntax summary.
-id id
allows the user to specify a target window id on
the command line rather than using the mouse to
select the target window. This is useful in
debugging X applications where the target window is
not mapped to the screen, or where the use of the
mouse might be impossible or interfere with the
application.
-name name
allows the user to specify that the window name is
the target window on the command line rather than
using the mouse to select the target window.
-root
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XWININFO(1) XWININFO(1)
specifies that X's root window is the target
window. This is useful in situations where the
root window is completely obscured.
-int
specifies that all X window ids should be displayed
as integer values. The default is to display them
as hexadecimal values.
-tree
causes the root, parent, and children windows' IDs
and names of the selected window to be displayed.
-stats
causes the display of various attributes pertaining
to the location and appearance of the selected
window. Information displayed includes the
location of the window, its width and height, its
depth, border width, class, colormap ID if any, map
state, backing-store hint, and location of the
corners.
-bits
causes the display of various attributes pertaining
to the selected window's raw bits and how the
selected window is to be stored. Displayed
information includes the selected window's bit
gravity, window gravity, backing-store hint,
backing-planes value, backing pixel, and whether or
not the window has save-under set.
-events
causes the selected window's event masks to be
displayed. Both the event mask of events wanted by
some client and the event mask of events not to
propagate are displayed.
-size
causes the selected window's sizing hints to be
displayed. Displayed information includes: for
both the normal size hints and the zoom size hints,
the user supplied location if any; the program
supplied location if any; the user supplied size if
any; the program supplied size if any; the minimum
size if any; the maximum size if any; the resize
increments if any; and the minimum and maximum
aspect ratios if any.
-wm
causes the selected window's window manager hints
to be displayed. Information displayed may include
whether or not the application accepts input, what
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XWININFO(1) XWININFO(1)
the window's icon window # and name is, where the
window's icon should go, and what the window's
initial state should be.
-metric
causes all individual height, width, and x and y
positions to be displayed in millimeters as well as
number of pixels, based on what the server thinks
the resolution is. Geometry specifications that
are in +x+y form are not changed.
-english
causes all individual height, width, and x and y
positions to be displayed in inches (and feet,
yards, and miles if necessary) as well as number of
pixels. -metric and -english may both be enabled at
the same time.
-all
provides a quick way to ask for all information
possible.
-display display
allows you to specify the server to connect to.
EXAMPLE
The following is a sample summary taken with no options
specified:
xwininfo ==> Please select the window about which you
==> would like information by clicking the
==> mouse in that window.
xwininfo ==> Window id: 0x60000f (xterm)
==> Upper left X: 4
==> Upper left Y: 19
==> Width: 726
==> Height: 966
==> Depth: 4
==> Border width: 3
==> Window class: InputOutput
==> Colormap: 0x80065
==> Window Bit Gravity State: NorthWestGravity
==> Window Window Gravity State: NorthWestGravity
==> Window Backing Store State: NotUseful
==> Window Save Under State: no
==> Window Map State: IsViewable
==> Window Override Redirect State: no
==> Corners: +4+19 -640+19 -640-33 +4-33
ENVIRONMENT
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XWININFO(1) XWININFO(1)
DISPLAY
To get the default host and display number.
SEE ALSO
xprop(1)
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Using -stats -bits shows some redundant information.
If a reparenting window manager is running twm or mwm
(the Motif window manager), then the window information
provided does not refer to the client window selected,
but instead refers to the window manager itself, which
is immediately below the root window. If twm is
running, information will be displayed about the frame
window, not the client-created window. Because this
information may not be what is needed, it is preferable
to invoke xwininfo with the -id option.
The -tree option does not display all information about
a window; it includes only the window, its immediate
parent and its immediate children. Children of the
window's children are not shown.
AUTHOR
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena
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