KDE Frequently Asked Questions
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# Chapter 7. The window manager

The default window manager provided by KDE is the K Window Manager (kwm in KDE 1.x and KWin in KDE 2). Please read "The K Window Manager Handbook" (should be accessible from the KDE Help Center) for usage information.

7.1. Are there keyboard shortcuts for kwm (KWin) operations?
7.2. Can I define my own set of keyboard shortcuts?
7.3. When I "iconify" a window, it disappears. Where does it go?
7.4. How do I get a sticky window with no border and focus?
7.5. How do I kill kwmpager?
7.6. How do I maximize windows only vertically or horizontally?
7.7. What is "shading" a window?
7.8. Is it possible to have FVWM2-like shadow frameworks for the placement of windows?

7.1. Are there keyboard shortcuts for kwm (KWin) operations?

Yes. Please refer to "The K Window Manager Handbook" for the list of shortcuts available.

7.2. Can I define my own set of keyboard shortcuts?

Yes, if you are using KDE 1.1 and above. Launch the KDE Control Center and select Look and Feel->Key bindings to configure window manager bindings like maximizing windows, etc. For starting applications, you might need to install KHotKeys, though.

7.3. When I "iconify" a window, it disappears. Where does it go?

With many X Window System™ GUI, the minimize button (a little dot) will erase the window that the program is running in and create, instead, an icon on the desktop. KDE does not do this. Instead, when a window is iconified it is simply hidden (but the program is still running).

There are a few ways to access "disappeared" windows:

- If you are running the taskbar part of kpanel (or Kicker), you can choose to have a list of tasks displayed on your desktop. Iconified tasks will have their names surrounded by parentheses.

- If you click the middle mouse button on the root window (i.e. the background of the desktop), kwm (or KWin) will give you a list of all available tasks (and again, the names of the iconified tasks will be bracketed).

7.4. How do I get a sticky window with no border and focus?

If you have KDE 1.x, you can use kstart. Assuming the application you want to start is xosview, just execute kstart xosview `-window xosview -sticky -decoration none`. Type kstart `--help` for additional help. In addition, you can set these settings in the KDE Control Center under Windows.

In KDE 1.0 you would need to write something like this in `kwmrc`:

       1 [Sticky]
       2 stickyClasses=xosview,
       3 [Focus]
       4 noFocusClasses=xosview,
       5 [Decoration]
       6 noDecorationClasses=xosview,

7.5. How do I kill kwmpager?

Click on the border frame with the right mouse button to bring up a menu that will let you close the pager. By the way, kwmpager is obsolete and has been replaced by kpager.

In addition, if you prefer working through a terminal, type ps ax | grep kwmpager to find it and then kill it using kill `pid`. Or if you dread the idea of using the console, just press Ctrl+Alt+Esc and move the pirate-skull mouse pointer over kwmpager and click to kill it. To abort (not undo!) the kill, just press Ctrl+Alt+Esc again.

7.6. How do I maximize windows only vertically or horizontally?

Provided your window is not already maximized, clicking on the maximize button with the left mouse button/middle mouse button/right mouse button will maximize fully/vertically/horizontally respectively.

7.7. What is "shading" a window?

By "shading" a window we mean "rolling up" a window leaving just the title bar visible. You can do this by double clicking on the window title bar.

7.8. Is it possible to have FVWM2-like shadow frameworks for the placement of windows?

Yes. Run KDE Control Center and select Look and Feel followed by Window Behavior and finally Actions. There is a dialog option that allows you to set the placement policy you want.

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