Ubuntu – How to determine if window is maximised or minimised from bash script

command linewindow-managerwmctrlxdotoolxprop

I have a bash script that moves my windows from the left screen to right screen in dual-screen setup. Currently the way it works is cycling through the window ids that are given by xdotool search --onlyvisible --maxdepth 2 --class "" and then moves them to the right by the screen width. It already works… unless the window in question is maximises or minimised.

So what is needed is a way to check the current status of the window. I have found an answer that provides the way to add and remove those bits, but where is the way to check if they are set already?

If it is not possible to do via xdotool, it should be possible to reuse the window id provided by the command mentioned above.

Best Answer

Retrieve info on the window state

You can get the info (and a lot more) from the command:

xprop -id <window_id>

To get what you are specifically looking for:

xprop -id 0x04c00010 | grep "_NET_WM_STATE(ATOM)"

The output will look like:

_NET_WM_STATE(ATOM) = _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_HORZ, _NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_VERT, _NET_WM_STATE_HIDDEN

on a window that is maximized (h + v) and minimized at the same time, or just

_NET_WM_STATE(ATOM) =

(or no output at all) if none of those is the case.

More fun

Of course, using various languages, you can use Wnck, like in the python snippet below. (snippet from window-shuffler). The snippet outputs a list, showing the window name + either True or False (minimized).

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import gi
gi.require_version('Wnck', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Wnck


def get_winlist(scr=None, selecttype=None):
    """
    get the window list. possible args: screen, select_type, in case it is
    already fetched elsewhere. select type is optional, to fetch only
    specific window types.
    """
    if not scr:
        scr = Wnck.Screen.get_default()
        scr.force_update()
    windows = scr.get_windows()
    if selecttype:
        windows = [w for w in windows if check_windowtype(w, selecttype)]
    return windows

wlist = get_winlist()
for w in wlist:
    print(w.get_name(), ",", w.is_maximized())

Output looks like:

Wnck.Window - Classes - Wnck 3.0 - Mozilla Firefox , True
Postvak IN - vlijm@planet.nl - Mozilla Thunderbird , True
Showtime , False
settingsexample.vala - Visual Studio Code , False
*Niet-opgeslagen document 1 - gedit , False
desktop_weather , False
Tilix: Standaard , False

N.B.

xprop will handel both hex (as output from e.g. wmctrl) and decimal (as output from e.g. xdotool) id's equally e.g. either use:
```
xprop -id 111371626
```
or
```
xprop -id 0x06a3656a
```
Methods will not work on Wayland!

Note

As you can see, the command exists of:

xdotool search --name "<current_name>" set_window --name "<new_name>"

The <current_name> has to match exactly.

Edit alternatively

From your comment, I understand the command above did not work. I tested it with different applications, and it worked...

But for a reason I do not understand, NOT with Rhytmbox(!! might be a bug)

An alternative is to use wmctrl, which you also would have to install:

sudo apt-get install wmctrl

Then use the command:

xprop -id "$(wmctrl -l | grep 'Rhythmbox' | awk '{ print $1 }')" -set WM_NAME "Music"

I succesfully tested it on Rhythmbox:

enter image description here

Make the changes permanent?

As mentioned, the default window name is defined in the code of the application.

Changing the default window title would need to change the code. That can be done if the code is available, would need recompiling in many cases and depends on the used language, among other things. A general instruction would be quite impossible and beyond (outside) the scope of AU in my opinion.

EDIT 2

Flexibly manage/set custom window names per application from a single file

In your original question, you were wondering if there was some kind of a file to set the title of new windows of a specific application. As explained, that is not the case, however, it can be created.

In the setup below, you can very easily define on a per application base how new windows are named. Simply create a file in ~ (your home directory), named window_names.txt. For each of the applications you want to set a specific windowname for, add a line of, subsequenty, the application and the desired window name:

A textfile, defining window names per application

gnome-terminal Monkey eats
gedit Banana
rhythmbox if he runs out of peanuts

enter image description here

Explanation

The setup exists of a simple background script. The script is very light, so it won't have any noticable effect on the performance whatsoever.

Once the script starts, it reads the file ~/window_names.txt and loads the settings per application. Then it keeps an eye on newly created windows. If a window appears that belongs to one of the applications, definied in the file, it sets the window name accordingly.

How to set up

The script uses both wmctrl and xdotool:

sudo apt-get install wmctrl
sudo apt-get install xdotool

Copy the script into an empty file save it as setwindowname.py
Create the file ~/window_names.txt (exactly named window_names.txt), add your applications in the format:
```
<application> <window_name>
```
e.g.
```
gedit Text editor
```
The window name may include spaces.
Test-run the script from the terminal by the command:
```
python3 /path/to/setwindowname.py
```
If all works as expected, add it to startup applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add

Note that in some cases, a script might break if it starts when the desktop is not fully loaded yet. If that migh be the case, the command to add to startup applications would be:
```
/bin/bash -c "sleep 15&&python3 /path/to/setwindowname.py"
```

The script

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import time
import os

f = os.environ["HOME"]+"/"+"window_names.txt"

change = []
lines = open(f).read().splitlines()
for l in lines:
    try:
        change.append([l.split()[0], (" ").join(l.split()[1:])])
    except IndexError:
        pass

get = lambda cmd: subprocess.check_output(cmd).decode("utf-8").strip()
curr_1 = []

while True:
    try:
        curr_2 = get(["wmctrl", "-lp"]).splitlines()
        new = [w for w in curr_2 if not w in curr_1]
        for item in new:
            line = item.split(); pid = line[2]
            procs = get(["ps", "-e"]).splitlines()
            match = [l for l in procs if pid in l][0]
            for app in [app for app in change if app[0] in match]:
                subprocess.Popen(["xdotool", "set_window", "--name", app[1], line[0]])
        curr_1 = curr_2
        time.sleep(0.3)
    except:
        pass

Notes

If the file ~/window_names.txt is edited, the script needs to be restarted.
It works no matter how an application is started; it also works when applications are run from the terminal / and or with sudo.
It does not interefere with the the right-click option of any application.
The script also "maintains" the window name; if another process changes the window name afterwards (opening tabs, change directories e.g.) the script sees the window as a "new window" and maintains the window name of your choice.