Changing the menu associated with the window menu button

You can use the window manager windowMenu resource to change the menu that appears when the user clicks on the window menu button. This allows you to display a menu of your choice from the window menu button without having to extensively remodel the default Window menu.

To associate a new menu with the window menu button, create the new menu, as described in ``Adding or modifying window manager menus'', and then perform the following steps.

1. Open the desired resource file for editing.

   • pmwm mode:
     
     /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/Pmwm for system-wide changes

   • mwm mode:
     
     /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/Mwm for system-wide changes

   • both modes:
     
     $HOME/.Xdefaults-hostname for local changes

   
   

2. Add the Window menu resource specification, using the following format:
   
   Pmwm*windowMenu: menu_name

   or

   Mwm*windowMenu: menu_name

3. If desired, you can further customize the Window menu with the following resources:

   • Set the wMenuButtonClick resource so the Window menu stays posted on the screen or closes automatically when you finish clicking on the window menu button:
     
     Pmwm*wMenuButtonClick: boolean_value

     or

     Mwm*wMenuButtonClick: boolean_value

   • Set the wMenuButtonClick2 resource to determine if double-clicking on the window menu button closes the Window menu:
     
     Pmwm*wMenuButtonClick2: boolean_value

     or

     Mwm*wMenuButtonClick2: boolean_value

   When you have finished, save your changes and exit the resource file.

4. Restart the window manager.

Step 1: Editing the resource file

You can change the default Window menu so that all users on your system access the new menu, or you can change the Window menu for an individual user.

The majority of window manager resource settings are defined in the /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/Pmwm (for pmwm mode) or the /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/Mwm (for mwm mode) resource file. The resources in this file are read by the resource manager when the window manager is executed. If you want to define the new windowMenu resource for all users on your system, you should edit this file. You must have root privileges to perform this step.

Individual users can also change the Window menu that is displayed. Individual resource settings are placed in a file called .Xdefaults-hostname, where hostname is the name of the host, or machine, where the window manager is running.

If you create this file for a user from the root account, you must assign the file the correct ownership permissions. Run the chown command to assign the correct owner and the chgrp command to assign the correct group to the .Xdefaults-hostname file. If you created this file yourself, these steps are unnecessary.

When the user invokes a client, it checks to see if an .Xdefaults-hostname file exists in $HOME. If such a file does exist, the resource values specified in the user resource file take precedence over any values assigned to the same resource for the system, or in the resource database.

See also:

• ``Methods for specifying resources'' for a more detailed explanation of resource files

Step 2: Setting the windowMenu resource

Use the window manager windowMenu resource to specify the menu that you would like to use instead of the default Window menu. Note that it is unlikely that this resource is actually defined in any of the window manager resource files on your system. The default value of the windowMenu resource is the name of the built-in Window menu specification, ``DefaultWindowMenu''.

Use the following format to set this resource:

Pmwm*windowMenu: menu_name

or

Mwm*windowMenu: menu_name

menu_name is the name you assigned your menu in the menu definition section of the window manager configuration file (/usr/lib/X11/system.pmwmrc and $HOME/.pmwmrc for pmwm mode or /usr/lib/X11/system.mwmrc and $HOME/.mwmrc for mwm mode).

For example, if you created a menu that you defined as ``MyMenu,'' and you want to use this menu in place of the default Window menu, set the windowMenu resource so it reads:

Pmwm*windowMenu: MyMenu

or

Mwm*windowMenu: MyMenu

Window menus can also be assigned on a client class basis. This means that the menu you specify is used as the Window menu for the designated client(s) only, and the default Window menu is used for all other clients. To do this, use the following format:

Pmwm*client*windowMenu: menu_name

or

Mwm*client*windowMenu: menu_name

client can be specified using either the application's binary or class name. menu_name is the name you assigned the menu in the menu definition section of the window manager configuration file.

For example, suppose you want to configure a particular menu of your own creation, defined as ``EditorMenu'' in the window manager configuration file. To have it function as the Window menu only in a scoedit graphical editor window, specify the following:

Pmwm*ScoEdit*windowMenu: EditorMenu

or

Mwm*ScoEdit*windowMenu: EditorMenu

Step 3: Modifying other Window menu resources

There are two other resources that you can set to customize the Window menu. These resources can be set on their own, or in conjunction with assigning a custom menu to the window menu button.

• The wMenuButtonClick resource controls whether clicking the mouse with the pointer over the window menu button posts (and leaves posted) the Window menu. If this resource has a value of ``true,'' the menu remains displayed. ``True'' is the default value for this resource.

• The wMenuButtonClick2 resource indicates whether double-clicking the mouse on the window menu button activates an f.kill function, thereby terminating the client. The default value, ``true'', causes an f.kill function.

Step 4: Restarting the window manager

After you have specified the new window manager resource values, you must restart the window manager so your changes can take effect. Restart the window manager by selecting the Restart Window Manager option from the Root menu. The Root menu is accessed by pressing and holding mouse button 1 on the Desktop background or, if the Desktop is not running, in the Root window.

Verify that your new menu is now being used as the Window menu.