path: root/doc/rofi.1.markdown

# ROFI 1 rofi

## NAME

**rofi** - A window switcher, application launcher, ssh dialog, dmenu replacement and more

## SYNOPSIS

**rofi** [ -show *mode* ]|[ -dmenu ]|[ -e *msg* ] [ CONFIGURATION ]


## DESCRIPTION

**rofi** is an X11 pop-up window switcher, run dialog, dmenu replacement, and more. It focuses on
being fast to use and have minimal distraction. It supports keyboard and mouse navigation, type to
filter, tokenized search and more.


## USAGE

**rofi**'s main functionality is to assist in your workflow, allowing you to quickly switch
between windows, start applications or log into a remote machine via `ssh`.
There are different *modi* for different types of actions.

**rofi** can also function as (drop-in) replacement for **dmenu(1)**.

### Running rofi

To launch **rofi** directly in a certain mode, specify a mode with `rofi -show <mode>`.
To show the `run` dialog:

    rofi -show run

### Emulating dmenu

**rofi** can emulate **dmenu(1)** (a dynamic menu for X11) when launched with the `-dmenu` flag.

The website for `dmenu` can be found [here](http://tools.suckless.org/dmenu/).

**rofi** does not aim to be 100% compatible with `dmenu`. There are simply too many different flavors of `dmenu`.
The idea is that the basic usage command-line flags are obeyed, theme-related flags are not.
Besides, **rofi** offers some extended features (like multi-select, highlighting, message bar, extra key bindings).

### Display Error message

**rofi** error dialog can also be called from the command line.

    rofi -e "my message"

Markup support can be enabled, see CONFIGURATION options.

## CONFIGURATION

There are currently three methods of setting configuration options (evaluated in order below):

 * System configuration file  (for example `/etc/rofi.rasi`).
   It first checks XDG\_CONFIG\_DIRS  and then SYSCONFDIR (that is passed at compile time).
   It loads the first config file it finds, it does not merge multiple system configuration files.
 * Rasi theme file: The new *theme* format can be used to set configuration values.
 * Command-line options: Arguments passed to **rofi**.

To get a template config file run: `rofi -dump-config > config.rasi`

This will contain (commented) all current configuration options, modified options are uncommented.

The configuration system supports the following types:

 * string
 * integer (signed and unsigned)
 * char
 * boolean
 * lists

For the syntax of these options see the **rofi-theme(5)** manpage.

For use on the commandline, Boolean options have a non-default command-line
syntax. Example to enable option X:

    -X

To disable option X:

    -no-X

Below is a list of the most important options:

### General

`-help`

The help option shows the full list of command-line options and the current set values.
These include dynamic (run-time generated) options.

`-version`

Show the **rofi** version and exit.

`-dump-config`

Dump the current active configuration, in rasi format, to stdout and exit.
Information about the rasi format can be found in the **rofi-theme(5)** manpage.

`-dump-theme`

Dump the current active theme, in rasi format, to stdout and exit.

`-rasi-validate` *filename*

Try to parse the file and return 0 when succesful, non-zero when failed.

`-threads` *num*

Specify the number of threads **rofi** should use:

  * 0: Autodetect the number of supported hardware threads.
  * 1: Disable threading
  * 2..N: Specify the maximum number of threads to use in the thread pool.

    Default:  Autodetect

`-display` *display*

The X server to contact. Default is `$DISPLAY`.

`-dmenu`

Run **rofi** in dmenu mode. This allows for interactive scripts.
In `dmenu` mode, **rofi** reads from STDIN, and output to STDOUT.
A simple example, displaying three pre-defined options:

    echo -e "Option #1\nOption #2\nOption #3" | rofi -dmenu

Or get the options from a script:

    ~/my_script.sh | rofi -dmenu

`-show` *mode*

Open **rofi** in a certain mode. Available modes are `window`, `run`, `drun`, `ssh`, `combi`.
The special argument `keys` can be used to open a searchable list of supported key bindings
(see *KEY BINDINGS*)

To show the run-dialog:

    rofi -show run

If `-show` is the last option passed to rofi, the first enabled modi is shown.

`-modi` *mode1,mode2*

Specify an ordered, comma-separated list of modes to enable.
Enabled modes can be changed at runtime. Default key is `Ctrl+Tab`.
If no modes are specified, all configured modes will be enabled.
To only show the `run` and `ssh` launcher:

    rofi -modi "run,ssh" -show run

Custom modes can be added using the internal `script` mode. Each such mode has two parameters:

    <name>:<script>

Example: Have a mode called 'Workspaces' using the `i3_switch_workspaces.sh` script:

    rofi -modi "window,run,ssh,Workspaces:i3_switch_workspaces.sh" -show Workspaces

Notes: The i3 window manager does not like commas in the command when specifying an exec command.
For that case '#' can be used as an separator.

**TIP**: The name is allowed to contain spaces:

    rofi -modi "My File Browser:fb.sh" -show "My File Browser"

`-case-sensitive`

Start in case sensitive mode.
This option can be changed at run-time using the `-kb-toggle-case-sensitivity` key binding.

`-cycle`

Cycle through the result list. Default is 'true'.

`-filter` *filter*

Filter the list by setting text in input bar to *filter*

`-config` *filename*

Load an alternative configuration file.

`-cache-dir` *filename*

Directory that is used to place temporary files, like history.

`-scroll-method` *method*

Select the scrolling method. 0: Per page, 1: continuous.

`-normalize-match`

Normalize the string before matching, so o will match ö, and é matches e.
This is not a perfect implementation, but works.
For now it disabled highlighting of the matched part.

`-no-lazy-grab`

Disables lazy grab, this forces the keyboard being grabbed before gui is shown.

`-no-plugins`

Disable plugin loading.

`-plugin-path` *directory*

Specify the directory where **rofi** should look for plugins.

`-show-icons`

Show application icons in `drun` and `window` modes.

`-icon-theme`

Specify icon theme to be used.
If not specified default theme from DE is used, *Adwaita* and *gnome* themes act as
fallback themes.

`-fallback-application-icon`

Specify an icon to be used when the application icon in run/drun are not yet loaded or is not available.

`-markup`

Use Pango markup to format output wherever possible.

`-normal-window`

Make **rofi** react like a normal application window. Useful for scripts like Clerk that are basically an application.

`-[no-]steal-focus`

Make rofi steal focus on launch and restore close to window that held it when launched.

### Matching

`-matching` *method*

Specify the matching algorithm used.
Current the following methods are supported.

* **normal**: match the int string
* **regex**: match a regex input
* **glob**: match a glob pattern
* **fuzzy**: do a fuzzy match
* **prefix**: match prefix

   Default: *normal*

Note: glob matching might be slow for larger lists

`-tokenize`

Tokenize the input.

`-drun-categories` *category1*,*category2*

Only show desktop files that are present in the listed categories.

`-drun-match-fields` *field1*,*field2*,...

When using `drun`, match only with the specified Desktop entry fields.
The different fields are:

* **name**: the application's name
* **generic**: the application's generic name
* **exec**: the application's  executable
* **categories**: the application's categories
* **comment**: the application comment
* **all**: all of the above

    Default: *name,generic,exec,categories,keywords*

`-drun-display-format`

The format string for the `drun` dialog:

* **name**: the application's name
* **generic**: the application's generic name
* **exec**: the application's  executable
* **categories**: the application's categories
* **comment**: the application comment

Pango markup can be used to formatting the output.

    Default: {name} [<span weight='light' size='small'><i>({generic})</i></span>]

Note: Only fields enabled in `-drun-match-fields` can be used in the format string.

`-[no-]drun-show-actions`

Show actions present in the Desktop files.

    Default: false

`-window-match-fields` *field1*,*field2*,...

When using window mode, match only with the specified fields.
The different fields are:

* **title**: window's title
* **class**: window's class
* **role**: window's role
* **name**: window's name
* **desktop**: window's current desktop
* **all**: all of the above

    Default: *all*

`-matching-negate-char` *char*

Set the character used to negate the query (i.e. if it does **not** match the next keyword ).
Set to '\x0' to disable.

    Default: '-'


### Layout and Theming

**IMPORTANT:**
  In newer **rofi** releases, all the theming options have been moved into the new theme format. They are no longer normal
  **rofi** options that can be passed directly on the commandline (there are too many).
  Small snippets can be passed on the commandline: `rofi -theme-str 'window {width: 50%;}'` to override a single
  setting. They are merged into the current theme.
  They can also be appended at the end of the **rofi** config file to override parts of the theme.

Most of the following options are **deprecated** and should not be used. Please use the new theme format to customize
**rofi**. More information about the new format can be found in the **rofi-theme(5)** manpage.

`-location`

Specify where the window should be located. The numbers map to the following locations on screen:

      1 2 3
      8 0 4
      7 6 5

Default: *0*

`-fixed-num-lines`

Keep a fixed number of visible lines (See the `-lines` option.)

`-sidebar-mode`

Open in sidebar-mode. In this mode a list of all enabled modes is shown at the bottom.
(See `-modi` option)
To show sidebar, use:

    rofi -show run -sidebar-mode -lines 0

`-hover-select`

Automatically select the entry the mouse is hovering over. This option is best combined with custom mouse bindings.
To utilize hover-select and accept an entry in a single click, use:

    rofi -show run -hover-select -me-select-entry '' -me-accept-entry MousePrimary

`-eh` *number*

Set row height (in chars)
Default: *1*

`-auto-select`

When one entry is left, automatically select it.

`-m` *num*

`-m` *name*

`-monitor` *num*

`-monitor` *name*

Select monitor to display **rofi** on.
It accepts as input: *primary* (if primary output is set), the *xrandr* output name, or integer number (in order of
detection). Negative numbers are handled differently:

 *  **-1**: the currently focused monitor.
 *  **-2**: the currently focused window (that is, **rofi** will be displayed on top of the focused window).
 *  **-3**: Position at mouse (overrides the location setting to get normal context menu
    behavior.)
 *  **-4**: the monitor with the focused window.
 *  **-5**: the monitor that shows the mouse pointer.

    Default: *-5*

See `rofi -h` output for the detected monitors, the