Use a window manager script

Oct 13, 2025 by magicalceylontours.com 52 views

Introduction

In today's digital age, the command line has become an essential tool for many users. Whether you're a power user, a developer, or a system administrator, the command line offers a level of flexibility and control that's hard to match with graphical user interfaces. One common task that users often perform is minimizing windows, but what if you want to do this from the command line? In this article, we'll explore the possibility of minimizing a window from the command line and provide you with the necessary tools and techniques to achieve this.

Understanding Window Management

Before we dive into the command line, let's take a brief look at how window management works. In most window managers, windows are managed by a combination of the window manager itself and the windowing system (e.g., X11 or Wayland). The window manager is responsible for handling window events, such as resizing, moving, and minimizing windows. The windowing system, on the other hand, provides the underlying infrastructure for creating and managing windows.

Command Line Tools for Window Management

There are several command line tools that can help you manage windows. Some of the most popular ones include:

wmctrl: A command line tool for managing windows on X11-based systems. It allows you to list, move, resize, and minimize windows.
xdotool: A command line tool for simulating keyboard and mouse events. It can be used to minimize windows by simulating the keyboard shortcut for minimizing a window.
xprop: A command line tool for displaying properties of windows. It can be used to identify the window ID of a specific window.

Minimizing a Window from the Command Line

Now that we've covered the basics of window management and command line tools, let's see how we can minimize a window from the command line. Here are a few examples:

Using wmctrl

To minimize a window using wmctrl, you can use the following command:

wmctrl -i -c <window_id>

Replace <window_id> with the ID of the window you want to minimize. You can obtain the window ID using the xprop command:

xprop -id <window_id>

This will display the properties of the window, including its ID.

Using xdotool

To minimize a window using xdotool, you can use the following command:

xdotool keydown alt+space keydown n keyup

This will simulate the keyboard shortcut for minimizing a window (Alt+Space+N).

Using xprop

To minimize a window using xprop, you can use the following command:

xprop -id <window_id> _NET_WM_STATE

This will display the current state of the window, including its minimized state. You can then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window:

wmctrl -i -c <window_id>

Choosing an Already-Open Window

One of the challenges of minimizing a window from the command line is choosing the correct window. If you have multiple windows open, it can be difficult to select the correct one. Here are a few techniques to help you choose an already-open window:

Use the window title: You can use the xprop command to display the title of a window, and then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window with that title.
Use the window ID: You can use the xprop command to display the ID of a window, and then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window with that ID.
Use a window manager script: Some window managers, such as i3, provide a script that allows you to select a window from the command line.

Conclusion

Minimizing a window from the command line is possible using a combination of command line tools and techniques. By using tools like wmctrl, xdotool, and xprop, you can manage windows from the command line and choose an already-open window to minimize. While it may take some practice to get the hang of it, minimizing a window from the command line can be a powerful tool for power users and system administrators.

Additional Resources

wmctrl documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/wmctrl/wmctrl.1.en.html
xdotool documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/xdotool/xdotool.1.en.html
xprop documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/libx11-xcb-dev/xprop.1.en.html

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I minimize a window using the command line? A: You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, or the xdotool command to simulate the keyboard shortcut for minimizing a window.
Q: How do I choose an already-open window to minimize? A: You can use the xprop command to display the title or ID of a window, and then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window with that title or ID.
Q: What are some common command line tools for window management? A: Some common command line tools for window management include wmctrl, xdotool, and xprop.

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the possibility of minimizing a window from the command line and provided you with the necessary tools and techniques to achieve this. However, we know that there are many more questions that you may have about minimizing windows from the command line. In this article, we'll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about minimizing windows from the command line.

Q&A

Q: How do I minimize a window using the command line?

A: You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, or the xdotool command to simulate the keyboard shortcut for minimizing a window.

Q: How do I choose an already-open window to minimize?

A: You can use the xprop command to display the title or ID of a window, and then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window with that title or ID.

Q: What are some common command line tools for window management?

A: Some common command line tools for window management include wmctrl, xdotool, and xprop.

Q: Can I minimize a window from the command line if it's not in focus?

A: Yes, you can minimize a window from the command line even if it's not in focus. You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, regardless of whether it's in focus or not.

Q: How do I minimize all windows on my desktop?

A: You can use the wmctrl command to minimize all windows on your desktop by using the -a option followed by the name of the window manager. For example:

wmctrl -a "window_manager_name" -c

Replace "window_manager_name" with the name of your window manager.

Q: Can I minimize a window from the command line if it's already minimized?

A: Yes, you can minimize a window from the command line even if it's already minimized. You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, regardless of whether it's already minimized or not.

Q: How do I restore a minimized window from the command line?

A: You can use the wmctrl command to restore a minimized window by its ID. For example:

wmctrl -i -r <window_id>

Replace <window_id> with the ID of the window you want to restore.

Q: Can I minimize a window from the command line if it's a dialog box?

A: Yes, you can minimize a window from the command line even if it's a dialog box. You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, regardless of whether it's a dialog box or not.

Q: How do I minimize a window from the command line if it's a floating window?

A: You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a floating window by its ID. For example:

wmctrl -i -c <window_id>

Replace <window_id> with the ID of the floating window you want to minimize.

Conclusion

Minimizing a window from the command line is a powerful tool that can save you time and effort. By using the wmctrl, xdotool, and xprop commands, you can manage windows from the command line and choose an already-open window to minimize. We hope that this Q&A article has answered some of the most frequently asked questions about minimizing windows from the command line.

Additional Resources

wmctrl documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/wmctrl/wmctrl.1.en.html
xdotool documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/xdotool/xdotool.1.en.html
xprop documentation: https://manpages.debian.org/buster/libx11-xcb-dev/xprop.1.en.html

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I minimize a window using the command line? A: You can use the wmctrl command to minimize a window by its ID, or the xdotool command to simulate the keyboard shortcut for minimizing a window.
Q: How do I choose an already-open window to minimize? A: You can use the xprop command to display the title or ID of a window, and then use the wmctrl command to minimize the window with that title or ID.
Q: What are some common command line tools for window management? A: Some common command line tools for window management include wmctrl, xdotool, and xprop.