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Tabespe

Member

Registered: 2019-12-04

Posts: 107

[Solved] Window "always on top"

Xfce 4.14.2

When a programme is open for example Featherpad, we have the possibility to choose "always on top".

But when we close Featherpad and open it again, it is again on "same as other windows".

Question: How can I make this permanent? So that I do not have to change this setting always, when I open Featherpad new?

Would appreciate an answer. Thank you.

Last edited by Tabespe (2022-09-04 08:15:57)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,006

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

You can use a tool like devilspie or its successor devilspie2 to automate and control window actions when programs start up.

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Tabespe

Member

Registered: 2019-12-04

Posts: 107

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

Thank you ToZ.

So I guess, that you want to say, that there are no such possibility in Xfce out of the box?
(My hope was, that I can somehow edit the starter command or change any conf-file.)

I guess you mean this devilspie2 function on https://github.com/dsalt/devilspie2:

set_window_above([above])

?

I have not found such a function in devilspie "1".

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,006

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

Sorry, the functionality doesn't exist in xfwm4 out of the box.

For the original devilspie, create an ~/.devilspie/featherpad.ds file with the following content:

(if
    (is (application_name) "FeatherPad")
    (above "TRUE"))

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Tabespe

Member

Registered: 2019-12-04

Posts: 107

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

Thank you.

This works great with "Featherpad".

We have to type in a teminal the command ...
$ devilspie -a
... to test if its working.

And abort with the key-combination Ctrl+c, after we have seen that it works.

In the meantime I have found out, how to find out the "application_name" of a particular programme.

1. Type in a terminal the command:
xdrop
2. Click with the left mouse button on the window of the programme from which you need the "application_name".

Example:
In the output here, you will find the "application_name" on several positions:
[...]
WM_CLASS(STRING) = "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher", "Com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"
WM_ICON_NAME(STRING) = "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"
_NET_WM_ICON_NAME(UTF8_STRING) = "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"
WM_NAME(STRING) = "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"
_NET_WM_NAME(UTF8_STRING) = "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"

-> It's "com.github.rajsolai.textsnatcher"

KBar

Moderator

Registered: 2021-11-05

Posts: 689

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

1. Type in a terminal the command:
xdrop
2. Click with the left mouse button on the window of the programme from which you need the "application_name".

It's actually xprop and you can even specify the property you're looking for (alongside many other interesting things):

xprop _NET_WM_NAME

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Tabespe

Member

Registered: 2019-12-04

Posts: 107

Re: [Solved] Window "always on top"

Thank you.

Good to know, that the property "_NET_WM_NAME(UTF8_STRING)" is the real "application_name".