Configuring Oroborus

Configuration File Syntax
Configuration File Value Types

Configuration File Syntax

Oroborus reads it's settings from two ascii text files, the first is located in the Oroborus data directory (usually /usr/share/oroborus) called oroborusrc and the second is called .oroborusrc, which it looks for in your home directory. The oroborusrc file is created automatically during installation and contains the system default settings, but you need to manually create the .oroborusrc file yourself. Oroborus periodically checks the .oroborusrc file's time stamp and reloads the configuration if the file has been updated.

Both configuration files follow the same syntax consisting of a list of option/value pairs separated by an equals sign. Each option/value pair must be on a line of it's own and have no leading white space or any white space either side of the equals sign. All invalid lines are simply ignored. You do not need to set every value in the .oroborusrc file, just the ones that you want to change.

Valid options and expected values are:

theme=directory
Sets the directory where the pixmaps for the border decorations and the themerc file can be found.

font=font
Sets the font used for the window title text.

active_text_color=color
inactive_text_color=color
Sets the active and inactive colors for the window title text.

text_alignment=alignment
Sets the window title alignment.

active_color_1=color
active_shadow_1=color
active_hilight_1=color
inactive_color_1=color
inactive_shadow_1=color
inactive_hilight_1=color
active_color_2=color
active_shadow_2=color
active_hilight_2=color
inactive_color_2=color
inactive_shadow_2=color
inactive_hilight_2=color
Color settings used for recolorable xpm files. These are the same names as the color symbols that need to be defined in the xpm files.

focus_style=focus_style
Sets the focus style.

raise_on_focus=boolean
Specifies whether to raise on focus or not. Only useful when used in conjunction with sloppy focus.

focus_new=boolean
Specifies whether new windows get focus or not.

continuous_resize=boolean
Specifies whether to continuously update windows when resizing or not.

window_placement=placement
Sets the window placement policy.

left_margin=integer
right_margin=integer
top_margin=integer
bottom_margin=integer
Set the amount of blank space to leave at the edge of the screen when maximizing.

workspace_count=integer
Sets the initial number of virtual workspaces.

update_interval=integer
Sets the time period in seconds between time stamp checks on the configuration file. Useful if Oroborus is used on a network to cut down network traffic.

key_next_window=key
Sets the focus next window key binding.

key_prev_window=key
Sets the focus previous window key binding.

key_maximize=key
Sets the toggle maximized window key binding

key_shade=key
Sets the toggle shaded window key binding.

key_sticky=key
Sets the toggle sticky window key binding

key_hide=key
Sets the hide window key binding.

key_close=key
Sets the close window key binding.

key_move_up=key
key_move_down=key
key_move_left=key
key_move_right=key
Set the window movement key bindings.

key_resize_up=key
key_resize_down=key
key_resize_left=key
key_resize_right=key
Set the resize window key bindings.

key_raise_layer=key
key_lower_layer=key
Set the raise/lower desktop layer key bindings.

key_add_ws=key
key_del_ws=key
Set the add/delete workspace key bindings.

key_next_ws=key
key_prev_ws=key
Set the switch to next/previous workspace key bindings.

key_ws_1=key
key_ws_2=key
key_ws_3=key
key_ws_4=key
key_ws_5=key
key_ws_6=key
key_ws_7=key
key_ws_8=key
key_ws_9=key
Set the switch to numbered workspace key bindings.

key_move_next_ws=key
key_move_prev_ws=key
Set the move window to next/previous workspace key bindings.

key_move_ws_1=key
key_move_ws_2=key
key_move_ws_3=key
key_move_ws_4=key
key_move_ws_5=key
key_move_ws_6=key
key_move_ws_7=key
key_move_ws_8=key
key_move_ws_9=key
Set the move window to numbered workspace key bindings.

Configuration File Value Types

The following is an explaination of the different value types expected by the options in the configuration files.

directory
A valid absolute directory path.

font
A valid X font.

color
A valid X color or entry from the color database.

integer
A whole number.

boolean
Either true or false.

alignment
Either left, right or middle.

focus_style
Either click or sloppy.

placement
Either center_mouse or center_root.

key
A key is defined by a key mask and a key symbol. The first three characters of the key represent the state of the Shift, Ctrl and Alt key respectivley, with a period representing off and an asterisk representing pressed. The key symbol is any valid X key symbol as defined in X11/keysymdef.h without the XK_ prefix. An example valid key value would be:

.**Delete

Which represents Ctrl+Alt+Delete, a familiar key combination to users of Windows.

Another valid value for a key if off which means that Oroborus doesn't grab a key for that particular option