| FVWMEVENT(1) | Fvwm Modules | FVWMEVENT(1) |
FvwmEvent - the fvwm event module
FvwmEvent is a more versatile replacement for FvwmAudio. It can in general be used to hook any fvwm function or program to any window manager event. E.g: Delete unwanted Netscape Pop ups or application error pop ups as they appear, play sounds, log events to a file and the like. Be creative, you’ll find a use for it.
FvwmEvent is spawned by fvwm, so no command line invocation will work. From within the .fvwm2rc file, FvwmEvent is spawned as follows:
Module FvwmEvent
or from within an fvwm pop-up menu:
DestroyMenu Module-Popup AddToMenu Module-Popup "Modules" Title + "Event" Module FvwmEvent + "Auto" Module FvwmAuto 200 + "Buttons" Module FvwmButtons + "Console" Module FvwmConsole + "Ident" Module FvwmIdent + "Banner" Module FvwmBanner + "Pager" Module FvwmPager 0 3
The FvwmEvent module communicates with the fvwm window manager to bind actions to window manager events. Different actions may be assigned to distinct window manager events.
FvwmEvent can be used to bind sound files to events like FvwmAudio (RiP) did. It can be used for logging event traces to a log file, while debugging fvwm.
The invocation method was shown in the synopsis section. No command line invocation is possible. FvwmEvent must be invoked by the fvwm window manager.
FvwmEvent gets config info from fvwm's module configuration database (see fvwm(1), section MODULE COMMANDS), and looks for certain configuration options:
*FvwmEvent: Cmd command
# execute distinct fvwm functions
*FvwmEvent: Cmd
# execute distinct external programs
*FvwmEvent: Cmd exec
FvwmEvent has support for any other external program. e.g: the rsynth 'say' command:
*FvwmEvent: Cmd "Exec /rsynth/say"
*FvwmEvent: destroy_window "window closed"
You can also use fvwm's builtin Echo command as FvwmEvent: Cmd to obtain debug output for fvwm events quietly. I used this setup to debug FvwmAuto:
*FvwmEvent: Cmd Echo
*FvwmEvent: focus_change "focus change"
*FvwmEvent: raise_window "raise window"
You can even call different shell commands for each event just by setting
*FvwmEvent: Cmd exec
*FvwmEvent: add_window 'killname "APPL ERROR"'
*FvwmEvent: PassId
*FvwmEvent: window-manager-event action-or-filename
The following events are valid:
| Event | Description |
| add_window | Occurs when a new window is mapped and visible |
| config_info | Occurs when a module asks for configuration |
| configure_window | Occurs when a ConfigureNotify event happens |
| default_icon | Occurs when a window’s DefaultIcon changes |
| deiconify | Occurs when a window id deiconified |
| destroy_window | Occurs when a window is destroyed |
| dewindowshade | Occurs when a window is unshaded |
| echo | Occurs when an Echo command is run |
| end_config_info | Occurs when there’s no more module config to send |
| end_windowlist | Occurs when the windowlist has finished sending |
| enter_window | Occurs when a window receives a EnterNotify event |
| error | DEPRECATED |
| focus_change | Occurs when a window gains or loses focus |
| icon_file | DEPRECATED |
| icon_location | DEPRECATED |
| icon_name | DEPRECATED |
| iconify | Occurs when a window is iconified |
| leave_window | Occurs when a window receives a LeaveNotify event |
| lower_window | Occurs when a window is lowered |
| map | Occurs when a window is Mapped |
| mini_icon | Occurs when a window’s mini icon changes |
| monitor_changed | Occurs when a monitor’s resolution changes |
| monitor_disabled | Occurs when a monitor is disabled (via RandR) |
| monitor_enabled | Occurs when a monitor is enabled (via RandR) |
| monitor_focus | Occurs when a monitor gains focus |
| new_desk | Occurs when a new desk is switched to |
| new_page | Occurs when a new page is switched to |
| old_add_window | DEPRECATED |
| old_configure_window | DEPRECATED |
| property_change | Occurs when a window receives a PropertNotify event |
| raise_window | Occurs when a window is raised |
| res_class | Occurs when a window’s Class is set |
| res_name | Occurs when a window’s Resource is set |
| restack | Occurs when windows are restacked |
| sendconfig | Occurs when FvwmEvent asks for its config |
| shutdown | DEPRECATED |
| startup | DEPRECATED |
| string | Occurs when the SendToModule command is used |
| unknown | DEPRECATED |
| visible_icon_name | Occurs when a window’s visible icon name changes |
| visible_name | Occurs when a window’s visible name changes |
| window_name | Occurs when a window’s name (WM_NAME) is set |
| windowshade | Occurs when a window is shaded |
The window related event handlers are executed within a window context. Previously PassId was used for this purpose, but now using PassId is not needed.
The monitor_* events do not operate in a window context (as there isn’t one), but react to when a monitor is plugged in (enabled), unplugged (disabled), focused (focus) or changed (resized/rotated, etc., which will only be true if the monitor is already active).
The echo event is generated whenever Fvwm receives an Echo command.
Note: The enter_window event is generated when the pointer enters a window. With the -passid option, that window’s id is passed to fvwm. An enter_window event is generated too when the pointer leaves a window and moves into the root window. In this case, the id passed is 0.
Note: When the shutdown event arrives, FvwmEvent may be killed before it can trigger the associated action.
*FvwmEvent: Delay 5
*FvwmEvent: StartDelay delay
This module has evolved of FvwmAudio, which in term is heavily based on a similar Fvwm module called FvwmSound by Mark Boyns. FvwmAudio simply took Mark’s original program and extended it to make it generic enough to work with any audio player. Due to different requests to do specific things on specific events, FvwmEvent took this one step further and now calls any fvwm function, or builtin-rplay. If fvwm's Exec function is used, any external program can be called with any parameter.
1994 FvwmSound Mark Boyns (boyns@sdsu.edu) 1994 FvwmAudio Mark Scott (mscott@mcd.mot.com) 1996 FvwmAudio Albrecht Kadlec 1998 FvwmEvent Albrecht Kadlec (albrecht@auto.tuwien.ac.at)
| 2023-01-17 |