The wm command is used to interact with window managers in order to control such things as the title for a window, its geometry, or the increments in terms of which it may be resized. The wm command can take any of a number of different forms, depending on the option argument. All of the forms expect at least one additional argument, window, which must be the path name of a top-level window.

The legal forms for the wm command are:

wm aspect window ?minNumer minDenom maxNumer maxDenom?

If minNumer, minDenom, maxNumer, and maxDenom are all specified, then they will be passed to the window manager and the window manager should use them to enforce a range of acceptable aspect ratios for window. The aspect ratio of window (width/length) will be constrained to lie between minNumer/minDenom and maxNumer/maxDenom. If minNumer etc. are all specified as empty strings, then any existing aspect ratio restrictions are removed. If minNumer etc. are specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise, it returns a Tcl list containing four elements, which are the current values of minNumer, minDenom, maxNumer, and maxDenom (if no aspect restrictions are in effect, then an empty string is returned).

wm attributes window

wm attributes window ?option?

wm attributes window ?option value option value...?

This subcommand returns or sets platform specific attributes associated with a window. The first form returns a list of the platform specific flags and their values. The second form returns the value for the specific option. The third form sets one or more of the values. The values are as follows:

All platforms support the following attributes (though X11 users should see the notes below):

-alpha: Specifies the alpha transparency level of the toplevel. It accepts a value from 0.0 (fully transparent) to 1.0 (opaque). Values outside that range will be constrained. Where not supported, the -alpha value remains at 1.0.
-fullscreen: Places the window in a mode that takes up the entire screen, has no borders, and covers the general use area (i.e. Start menu and taskbar on Windows, dock and menubar on OSX, general window decorations on X11).
-topmost: Specifies whether this is a topmost window (displays above all other windows).

On Windows, the following attributes may be set.

-disabled: Specifies whether the window is in a disabled state.
-toolwindow: Specifies a toolwindow style window (as defined in the MSDN).
-transparentcolor: Specifies the transparent color index of the toplevel. It takes any color value accepted by Tk_GetColor. If the empty string is specified (default), no transparent color is used. This is supported on Windows 2000/XP+. Where not supported, the -transparentcolor value remains at {}.

On Mac OS X, the following attributes may be set.

-modified: Specifies the modification state of the window (determines whether the window close widget contains the modification indicator and whether the proxy icon is draggable).
-notify: Specifies process notification state (bouncing of the application dock icon).
-titlepath: Specifies the path of the file referenced as the window proxy icon (which can be dragged and dropped in lieu of the file's finder icon).
-transparent: Makes the window content area transparent and turns off the window shadow. For the transparency to be effective, the toplevel background needs to be set to a color with some alpha, e.g. “systemTransparent”.

On X11, the following attributes may be set. These are not supported by all window managers, and will have no effect under older WMs.

-type

Requests that the window should be interpreted by the window manager as being of the specified type(s). This may cause the window to be decorated in a different way or otherwise managed differently, though exactly what happens is entirely up to the window manager. A list of types may be used, in order of preference. The following values are mapped to constants defined in the EWMH specification (using others is possible, but not advised):

desktop: indicates a desktop feature,
dock: indicates a dock/panel feature,
toolbar: indicates a toolbar window that should be acting on behalf of another window, as indicated with wm transient,
menu: indicates a torn-off menu that should be acting on behalf of another window, as indicated with wm transient,
utility: indicates a utility window (e.g., palette or toolbox) that should be acting on behalf of another window, as indicated with wm transient,
splash: indicates a splash screen, displayed during application start up,
dialog: indicates a general dialog window, that should be acting on behalf of another window, as indicated with wm transient,
dropdown_menu: indicates a menu summoned from a menu bar, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
popup_menu: indicates a popup menu, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
tooltip: indicates a tooltip window, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
notification: indicates a window that provides a background notification of some event, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
combo: indicates the drop-down list of a combobox widget, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
dnd: indicates a window that represents something being dragged, which should usually also be set to be override-redirected (with wm overrideredirect),
normal: indicates a window that has no special interpretation.

-zoomed

Requests that the window should be maximized. This is the same as wm state zoomed on Windows and Mac OS X.

On X11, changes to window attributes are performed asynchronously. Querying the value of an attribute returns the current state, which will not be the same as the value most recently set if the window manager has not yet processed the request or if it does not support the attribute.

wm client window ?name?

If name is specified, this command stores name (which should be the name of the host on which the application is executing) in window's WM_CLIENT_MACHINE property for use by the window manager or session manager. The command returns an empty string in this case. If name is not specified, the command returns the last name set in a wm client command for window. If name is specified as an empty string, the command deletes the WM_CLIENT_MACHINE property from window.

wm colormapwindows window ?windowList?

This command is used to manipulate the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property, which provides information to the window managers about windows that have private colormaps.

If windowList is not specified, the command returns a list whose elements are the names of the windows in the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property. If windowList is specified, it consists of a list of window path names; the command overwrites the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property with the given windows and returns an empty string. The WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property should normally contain a list of the internal windows within window whose colormaps differ from their parents.

The order of the windows in the property indicates a priority order: the window manager will attempt to install as many colormaps as possible from the head of this list when window gets the colormap focus. If window is not included among the windows in windowList, Tk implicitly adds it at the end of the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property, so that its colormap is lowest in priority. If wm colormapwindows is not invoked, Tk will automatically set the property for each top-level window to all the internal windows whose colormaps differ from their parents, followed by the top-level itself; the order of the internal windows is undefined. See the ICCCM documentation for more information on the WM_COLORMAP_WINDOWS property.

wm command window ?value?

If value is specified, this command stores value in window's WM_COMMAND property for use by the window manager or session manager and returns an empty string. Value must have proper list structure; the elements should contain the words of the command used to invoke the application. If value is not specified then the command returns the last value set in a wm command command for window. If value is specified as an empty string, the command deletes the WM_COMMAND property from window.

wm deiconify window

Arrange for window to be displayed in normal (non-iconified) form. This is done by mapping the window. If the window has never been mapped then this command will not map the window, but it will ensure that when the window is first mapped it will be displayed in de-iconified form. On Windows, a deiconified window will also be raised and be given the focus (made the active window). Returns an empty string.

wm focusmodel window ?active|passive?

If active or passive is supplied as an optional argument to the command, then it specifies the focus model for window. In this case the command returns an empty string. If no additional argument is supplied, then the command returns the current focus model for window.

An active focus model means that window will claim the input focus for itself or its descendants, even at times when the focus is currently in some other application. Passive means that window will never claim the focus for itself: the window manager should give the focus to window at appropriate times. However, once the focus has been given to window or one of its descendants, the application may re-assign the focus among window's descendants. The focus model defaults to passive, and Tk's focus command assumes a passive model of focusing.

wm forget window

The window will be unmapped from the screen and will no longer be managed by wm. Windows created with the toplevel command will be treated like frame windows once they are no longer managed by wm, however, the -menu configuration will be remembered and the menus will return once the widget is managed again.

wm frame window

If window has been reparented by the window manager into a decorative frame, the command returns the platform specific window identifier for the outermost frame that contains window (the window whose parent is the root or virtual root). If window has not been reparented by the window manager then the command returns the platform specific window identifier for window.

wm geometry window ?newGeometry?

If newGeometry is specified, then the geometry of window is changed and an empty string is returned. Otherwise the current geometry for window is returned (this is the most recent geometry specified either by manual resizing or in a wm geometry command). NewGeometry has the form =widthxheight±x±y, where any of =, widthxheight, or ±x±y may be omitted. Width and height are positive integers specifying the desired dimensions of window. If window is gridded (see GRIDDED GEOMETRY MANAGEMENT below) then the dimensions are specified in grid units; otherwise they are specified in pixel units.

X and y specify the desired location of window on the screen, in pixels. If x is preceded by +, it specifies the number of pixels between the left edge of the screen and the left edge of window's border; if preceded by - then x specifies the number of pixels between the right edge of the screen and the right edge of window's border. If y is preceded by + then it specifies the number of pixels between the top of the screen and the top of window's border; if y is preceded by - then it specifies the number of pixels between the bottom of window's border and the bottom of the screen.

If newGeometry is specified as an empty string then any existing user-specified geometry for window is cancelled, and the window will revert to the size requested internally by its widgets.

Note that this is related to winfo geometry, but not the same. That can only query the geometry, and always reflects Tk's current understanding of the actual size and location of window, whereas wm geometry allows both setting and querying of the window manager's understanding of the size and location of the window. This can vary significantly, for example to reflect the addition of decorative elements to window such as title bars, and window managers are not required to precisely follow the requests made through this command.

wm grid window ?baseWidth baseHeight widthInc heightInc?

This command indicates that window is to be managed as a gridded window. It also specifies the relationship between grid units and pixel units. BaseWidth and baseHeight specify the number of grid units corresponding to the pixel dimensions requested internally by window using Tk_GeometryRequest. WidthInc and heightInc specify the number of pixels in each horizontal and vertical grid unit. These four values determine a range of acceptable sizes for window, corresponding to grid-based widths and heights that are non-negative integers. Tk will pass this information to the window manager; during manual resizing, the window manager will restrict the window's size to one of these acceptable sizes.

Furthermore, during manual resizing the window manager will display the window's current size in terms of grid units rather than pixels. If baseWidth etc. are all specified as empty strings, then window will no longer be managed as a gridded window. If baseWidth etc. are specified then the return value is an empty string.

Otherwise the return value is a Tcl list containing four elements corresponding to the current baseWidth, baseHeight, widthInc, and heightInc; if window is not currently gridded, then an empty string is returned.

Note: this command should not be needed very often, since the Tk_SetGrid library procedure and the setGrid option provide easier access to the same functionality.

wm group window ?pathName?

If pathName is specified, it gives the path name for the leader of a group of related windows. The window manager may use this information, for example, to unmap all of the windows in a group when the group's leader is iconified. PathName may be specified as an empty string to remove window from any group association. If pathName is specified then the command returns an empty string; otherwise it returns the path name of window's current group leader, or an empty string if window is not part of any group.

wm iconbitmap window ?bitmap?

If bitmap is specified, then it names a bitmap in the standard forms accepted by Tk (see the Tk_GetBitmap manual entry for details). This bitmap is passed to the window manager to be displayed in window's icon, and the command returns an empty string. If an empty string is specified for bitmap, then any current icon bitmap is cancelled for window. If bitmap is specified then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns the name of the current icon bitmap associated with window, or an empty string if window has no icon bitmap. On the Windows operating system, an additional flag is supported:

wm iconbitmap window ?-default? ?image?: If the -default flag is given, the icon is applied to all toplevel windows (existing and future) to which no other specific icon has yet been applied. In addition to bitmap image types, a full path specification to any file which contains a valid Windows icon is also accepted (usually .ico or .icr files), or any file for which the shell has assigned an icon. Tcl will first test if the file contains an icon, then if it has an assigned icon, and finally, if that fails, test for a bitmap.

wm iconify window

Arrange for window to be iconified. It window has not yet been mapped for the first time, this command will arrange for it to appear in the iconified state when it is eventually mapped.

wm iconmask window ?bitmap?

If bitmap is specified, then it names a bitmap in the standard forms accepted by Tk (see the Tk_GetBitmap manual entry for details). This bitmap is passed to the window manager to be used as a mask in conjunction with the iconbitmap option: where the mask has zeroes no icon will be displayed; where it has ones, the bits from the icon bitmap will be displayed. If an empty string is specified for bitmap then any current icon mask is cancelled for window (this is equivalent to specifying a bitmap of all ones). If bitmap is specified then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns the name of the current icon mask associated with window, or an empty string if no mask is in effect.

wm iconname window ?newName?

If newName is specified, then it is passed to the window manager; the window manager should display newName inside the icon associated with window. In this case an empty string is returned as result. If newName is not specified then the command returns the current icon name for window, or an empty string if no icon name has been specified (in this case the window manager will normally display the window's title, as specified with the wm title command).

wm iconphoto window ?-default? image1 ?image2 ...?

Sets the titlebar icon for window based on the named photo images. If -default is specified, this is applied to all future created toplevels as well. The data in the images is taken as a snapshot at the time of invocation. If the images are later changed, this is not reflected to the titlebar icons. Multiple images are accepted to allow different images sizes (e.g., 16x16 and 32x32) to be provided. The window manager may scale provided icons to an appropriate size.

On Windows, the images are packed into a Windows icon structure. This will override an ico specified to wm iconbitmap, and vice versa.

On X, the images are arranged into the _NET_WM_ICON X property, which most modern window managers support. A wm iconbitmap may exist simultaneously. It is recommended to use not more than 2 icons, placing the larger icon first.

On Macintosh, this currently does nothing.

wm iconposition window ?x y?

If x and y are specified, they are passed to the window manager as a hint about where to position the icon for window. In this case an empty string is returned. If x and y are specified as empty strings then any existing icon position hint is cancelled. If neither x nor y is specified, then the command returns a Tcl list containing two values, which are the current icon position hints (if no hints are in effect then an empty string is returned).

wm iconwindow window ?pathName?

If pathName is specified, it is the path name for a window to use as icon for window: when window is iconified then pathName will be mapped to serve as icon, and when window is de-iconified then pathName will be unmapped again. If pathName is specified as an empty string then any existing icon window association for window will be cancelled. If the pathName argument is specified then an empty string is returned. Otherwise the command returns the path name of the current icon window for window, or an empty string if there is no icon window currently specified for window. Button press events are disabled for window as long as it is an icon window; this is needed in order to allow window managers to “own” those events. Note: not all window managers support the notion of an icon window.

wm manage widget

The widget specified will become a stand alone top-level window. The window will be decorated with the window managers title bar, etc. Only frame, labelframe and toplevel widgets can be used with this command. Attempting to pass any other widget type will raise an error. Attempting to manage a toplevel widget is benign and achieves nothing. See also GEOMETRY MANAGEMENT.

wm maxsize window ?width height?

If width and height are specified, they give the maximum permissible dimensions for window. For gridded windows the dimensions are specified in grid units; otherwise they are specified in pixel units. The window manager will restrict the window's dimensions to be less than or equal to width and height. If width and height are specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns a Tcl list with two elements, which are the maximum width and height currently in effect. The maximum size defaults to the size of the screen. See the sections on geometry management below for more information.

wm minsize window ?width height?

If width and height are specified, they give the minimum permissible dimensions for window. For gridded windows the dimensions are specified in grid units; otherwise they are specified in pixel units. The window manager will restrict the window's dimensions to be greater than or equal to width and height. If width and height are specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns a Tcl list with two elements, which are the minimum width and height currently in effect. The minimum size defaults to one pixel in each dimension. See the sections on geometry management below for more information.

wm overrideredirect window ?boolean?

If boolean is specified, it must have a proper boolean form and the override-redirect flag for window is set to that value. If boolean is not specified then 1 or 0 is returned to indicate whether or not the override-redirect flag is currently set for window. Setting the override-redirect flag for a window causes it to be ignored by the window manager; among other things, this means that the window will not be reparented from the root window into a decorative frame and the user will not be able to manipulate the window using the normal window manager mechanisms.

Note that the override-redirect flag is only guaranteed to be taken notice of when the window is first mapped or when mapped after the state is changed from withdrawn to normal. Some, but not all, platforms will take notice at additional times.

wm positionfrom window ?who?

If who is specified, it must be either program or user, or an abbreviation of one of these two. It indicates whether window's current position was requested by the program or by the user. Many window managers ignore program-requested initial positions and ask the user to manually position the window; if user is specified then the window manager should position the window at the given place without asking the user for assistance. If who is specified as an empty string, then the current position source is cancelled. If who is specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns user or program to indicate the source of the window's current position, or an empty string if no source has been specified yet. Most window managers interpret “no source” as equivalent to program. Tk will automatically set the position source to user when a wm geometry command is invoked, unless the source has been set explicitly to program.

wm protocol window ?name? ?command?

This command is used to manage window manager protocols such as WM_DELETE_WINDOW. Name is the name of an atom corresponding to a window manager protocol, such as WM_DELETE_WINDOW or WM_SAVE_YOURSELF or WM_TAKE_FOCUS. If both name and command are specified, then command is associated with the protocol specified by name. Name will be added to window's WM_PROTOCOLS property to tell the window manager that the application has a protocol handler for name, and command will be invoked in the future whenever the window manager sends a message to the client for that protocol. In this case the command returns an empty string. If name is specified but command is not, then the current command for name is returned, or an empty string if there is no handler defined for name. If command is specified as an empty string then the current handler for name is deleted and it is removed from the WM_PROTOCOLS property on window; an empty string is returned. Lastly, if neither name nor command is specified, the command returns a list of all the protocols for which handlers are currently defined for window.

Tk always defines a protocol handler for WM_DELETE_WINDOW, even if you have not asked for one with wm protocol. If a WM_DELETE_WINDOW message arrives when you have not defined a handler, then Tk handles the message by destroying the window for which it was received.

wm resizable window ?width height?

This command controls whether or not the user may interactively resize a top-level window. If width and height are specified, they are boolean values that determine whether the width and height of window may be modified by the user. In this case the command returns an empty string. If width and height are omitted then the command returns a list with two 0/1 elements that indicate whether the width and height of window are currently resizable. By default, windows are resizable in both dimensions. If resizing is disabled, then the window's size will be the size from the most recent interactive resize or wm geometry command. If there has been no such operation then the window's natural size will be used.

wm sizefrom window ?who?

If who is specified, it must be either program or user, or an abbreviation of one of these two. It indicates whether window's current size was requested by the program or by the user. Some window managers ignore program-requested sizes and ask the user to manually size the window; if user is specified then the window manager should give the window its specified size without asking the user for assistance. If who is specified as an empty string, then the current size source is cancelled. If who is specified, then the command returns an empty string. Otherwise it returns user or window to indicate the source of the window's current size, or an empty string if no source has been specified yet. Most window managers interpret “no source” as equivalent to program.

wm stackorder window ?isabove|isbelow window?

The stackorder command returns a list of toplevel windows in stacking order, from lowest to highest. When a single toplevel window is passed, the returned list recursively includes all of the window's children that are toplevels. Only those toplevels that are currently mapped to the screen are returned. The stackorder command can also be used to determine if one toplevel is positioned above or below a second toplevel. When two window arguments separated by either isabove or isbelow are passed, a boolean result indicates whether or not the first window is currently above or below the second window in the stacking order.

wm state window ?newstate?

If newstate is specified, the window will be set to the new state, otherwise it returns the current state of window: either normal, iconic, withdrawn, icon, or (Windows and Mac OS X only) zoomed. The difference between iconic and icon is that iconic refers to a window that has been iconified (e.g., with the wm iconify command) while icon refers to a window whose only purpose is to serve as the icon for some other window (via the wm iconwindow command). The icon state cannot be set.

wm title window ?string?

If string is specified, then it will be passed to the window manager for use as the title for window (the window manager should display this string in window's title bar). In this case the command returns an empty string. If string is not specified then the command returns the current title for the window. The title for a window defaults to its name.

wm transient window ?master?

If master is specified, then the window manager is informed that window is a transient window (e.g. pull-down menu) working on behalf of master (where master is the path name for a top-level window). If master is specified as an empty string then window is marked as not being a transient window any more. Otherwise the command returns the path name of window's current master, or an empty string if window is not currently a transient window. A transient window will mirror state changes in the master and inherit the state of the master when initially mapped. It is an error to attempt to make a window a transient of itself. The window manager may also decorate a transient window differently, removing some features normally present (e.g., minimize and maximize buttons) though this is entirely at the discretion of the window manager.

wm withdraw window

Arranges for window to be withdrawn from the screen. This causes the window to be unmapped and forgotten about by the window manager. If the window has never been mapped, then this command causes the window to be mapped in the withdrawn state. Not all window managers appear to know how to handle windows that are mapped in the withdrawn state. Note: it sometimes seems to be necessary to withdraw a window and then re-map it (e.g. with wm deiconify) to get some window managers to pay attention to changes in window attributes such as group.

Geometry management

By default a top-level window appears on the screen in its natural size, which is the one determined internally by its widgets and geometry managers. If the natural size of a top-level window changes, then the window's size changes to match. A top-level window can be given a size other than its natural size in two ways. First, the user can resize the window manually using the facilities of the window manager, such as resize handles. Second, the application can request a particular size for a top-level window using the wm geometry command. These two cases are handled identically by Tk; in either case, the requested size overrides the natural size. You can return the window to its natural by invoking wm geometry with an empty geometry string.

Normally a top-level window can have any size from one pixel in each dimension up to the size of its screen. However, you can use the wm minsize and wm maxsize commands to limit the range of allowable sizes. The range set by wm minsize and wm maxsize applies to all forms of resizing, including the window's natural size as well as manual resizes and the wm geometry command. You can also use the command wm resizable to completely disable interactive resizing in one or both dimensions.

The wm manage and wm forget commands may be used to perform undocking and docking of windows. After a widget is managed by wm manage command, all other wm subcommands may be used with the widget. Only widgets created using the toplevel command may have an attached menu via the -menu configure option. A toplevel widget may be used as a frame and managed with any of the other geometry managers after using the wm forget command. Any menu associated with a toplevel widget will be hidden when managed by another geometry managers. The menus will reappear once the window is managed by wm. All custom bindtags for widgets in a subtree that have their top-level widget changed via a wm manage or wm forget command, must be redone to adjust any top-level widget path in the bindtags. Bindtags that have not been customized do not have to be redone.

Gridded geometry management

Gridded geometry management occurs when one of the widgets of an application supports a range of useful sizes. This occurs, for example, in a text editor where the scrollbars, menus, and other adornments are fixed in size but the edit widget can support any number of lines of text or characters per line. In this case, it is usually desirable to let the user specify the number of lines or characters-per-line, either with the wm geometry command or by interactively resizing the window. In the case of text, and in other interesting cases also, only discrete sizes of the window make sense, such as integral numbers of lines and characters-per-line; arbitrary pixel sizes are not useful.

Gridded geometry management provides support for this kind of application. Tk (and the window manager) assume that there is a grid of some sort within the application and that the application should be resized in terms of grid units rather than pixels. Gridded geometry management is typically invoked by turning on the setGrid option for a widget; it can also be invoked with the wm grid command or by calling Tk_SetGrid. In each of these approaches the particular widget (or sometimes code in the application as a whole) specifies the relationship between integral grid sizes for the window and pixel sizes. To return to non-gridded geometry management, invoke wm grid with empty argument strings.

When gridded geometry management is enabled then all the dimensions specified in wm minsize, wm maxsize, and wm geometry commands are treated as grid units rather than pixel units. Interactive resizing is also carried out in even numbers of grid units rather than pixels.

Bugs

Most existing window managers appear to have bugs that affect the operation of the wm command. For example, some changes will not take effect if the window is already active: the window will have to be withdrawn and de-iconified in order to make the change happen.

Examples

A fixed-size window that says that it is fixed-size too:

toplevel .fixed
wm title     .fixed "Fixed-size Window"
wm resizable .fixed 0 0

A simple dialog-like window, centred on the screen:

# Create and arrange the dialog contents.
toplevel .msg
label  .msg.l  -text "This is a very simple dialog demo."
button .msg.ok -text OK -default active -command {destroy .msg}
pack .msg.ok -side bottom -fill x
pack .msg.l  -expand 1    -fill both

# Now set the widget up as a centred dialog.

# But first, we need the geometry managers to finish setting
# up the interior of the dialog, for which we need to run the
# event loop with the widget hidden completely...
wm withdraw .msg
update
set x [expr {([winfo screenwidth .]-[winfo width .msg])/2}]
set y [expr {([winfo screenheight .]-[winfo height .msg])/2}]
wm geometry  .msg +$x+$y
wm transient .msg .
wm title     .msg "Dialog demo"
wm deiconify .msg