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Mouse focus example🔗

The following is an example rc.xml (which would be placed in ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml) for people who use focus-follows-mouse. The default configuration is geared towards a click-to-focus model. If you use focus-follows-mouse, this example may be helpful fo setting up your bindings, or you could use it as a template and edit it to your liking.

Note that it removes the Raise action when clicking in the Client context, and moves the Raise action from the Alt-Click Press to Click context, so that windows can be moved without being raised.

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!-- Do not edit this file, it will be overwritten on install.
     Copy the file to $HOME/.config/openbox/ instead. -->

<openbox_config ns="http://openbox.org/3.4/rc">

<resistance>
  <strength>10</strength>
  <screen_edge_strength>20</screen_edge_strength>
</resistance>

<focus>
  <focusNew>yes</focusNew>
  <!-- always try to focus new windows when they appear. other rules do
        apply -->
  <followMouse>yes</followMouse>
  <!-- move focus to a window when you move the mouse into it -->
  <focusLast>no</focusLast>
  <!-- focus the last used window when changing desktops, instead of the one
        under the mouse pointer. when followMouse is enabled -->
  <underMouse>yes</underMouse>
  <!-- move focus under the mouse, even when the mouse is not moving -->
  <focusDelay>200</focusDelay>
  <!-- when followMouse is enabled, the mouse must be inside the window for
        this many milliseconds (1000 = 1 sec) before moving focus to it -->
  <raiseOnFocus>no</raiseOnFocus>
  <!-- when followMouse is enabled, and a window is given focus by moving the
        mouse into it, also raise the window -->
</focus>

<placement>
  <policy>Smart</policy>
  <!-- 'Smart' or 'UnderMouse' -->
</placement>

<theme>
  <name>Clearlooks</name>
  <titleLayout>NLIMC</titleLayout>
  <!--
      avaible characters are NDSLIMC, each can occur at most once.
      N: window icon
      L: window label (AKA title).
      I: iconify
      M: maximize
      C: close
      S: shade (roll up/down)
      D: omnipresent (on all desktops).
  -->
  <keepBorder>yes</keepBorder>
  <animateIconify>yes</animateIconify>
  <font place="ActiveWindow">
    <name>sans</name>
    <size>8</size>
    <!-- font size in points -->
    <weight>bold</weight>
    <!-- 'bold' or 'normal' -->
    <slant>normal</slant>
    <!-- 'italic' or 'normal' -->
  </font>
  <font place="InactiveWindow">
    <name>sans</name>
    <size>8</size>
    <!-- font size in points -->
    <weight>bold</weight>
    <!-- 'bold' or 'normal' -->
    <slant>normal</slant>
    <!-- 'italic' or 'normal' -->
  </font>
  <font place="MenuHeader">
    <name>sans</name>
    <size>9</size>
    <!-- font size in points -->
    <weight>normal</weight>
    <!-- 'bold' or 'normal' -->
    <slant>normal</slant>
    <!-- 'italic' or 'normal' -->
  </font>
  <font place="MenuItem">
    <name>sans</name>
    <size>9</size>
    <!-- font size in points -->
    <weight>normal</weight>
    <!-- 'bold' or 'normal' -->
    <slant>normal</slant>
    <!-- 'italic' or 'normal' -->
  </font>
  <font place="OnScreenDisplay">
    <name>sans</name>
    <size>9</size>
    <!-- font size in points -->
    <weight>bold</weight>
    <!-- 'bold' or 'normal' -->
    <slant>normal</slant>
    <!-- 'italic' or 'normal' -->
  </font>
</theme>

<desktops>
  <!-- this stuff is only used at startup, pagers allow you to change them
        during a session

        these are default values to use when other ones are not already set
        by other applications, or saved in your session

        use obconf if you want to change these without having to log out
        and back in -->
  <number>4</number>
  <firstdesk>1</firstdesk>
  <names>
    <!-- set names up here if you want to, like this:
    <name>desktop 1</name>
    <name>desktop 2</name>
    -->
  </names>
</desktops>

<resize>
  <drawContents>yes</drawContents>
  <popupShow>Nonpixel</popupShow>
  <!-- 'Always', 'Never', or 'Nonpixel' (xterms and such) -->
  <popupPosition>Center</popupPosition>
  <!-- 'Center' or 'Top' -->
</resize>

<dock>
  <position>TopLeft</position>
  <!-- (Top|Bottom)(Left|Right|)|Top|Bottom|Left|Right|Floating -->
  <floatingX>0</floatingX>
  <floatingY>0</floatingY>
  <noStrut>no</noStrut>
  <stacking>Above</stacking>
  <!-- 'Above', 'Normal', or 'Below' -->
  <direction>Vertical</direction>
  <!-- 'Vertical' or 'Horizontal' -->
  <autoHide>no</autoHide>
  <hideDelay>300</hideDelay>
  <!-- in milliseconds (1000 = 1 second) -->
  <showDelay>300</showDelay>
  <!-- in milliseconds (1000 = 1 second) -->
  <moveButton>Middle</moveButton>
  <!-- 'Left', 'Middle', 'Right' -->
</dock>

<keyboard>
  <chainQuitKey>C-g</chainQuitKey>

  <!-- Keybindings for desktop switching -->
  <keybind key="C-A-Left">
    <action name="DesktopLeft"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="C-A-Right">
    <action name="DesktopRight"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="C-A-Up">
    <action name="DesktopUp"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="C-A-Down">
    <action name="DesktopDown"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="S-A-Left">
    <action name="SendToDesktopLeft"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="S-A-Right">
    <action name="SendToDesktopRight"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="S-A-Up">
    <action name="SendToDesktopUp"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="S-A-Down">
    <action name="SendToDesktopDown"><wrap>no</wrap></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="W-F1">
    <action name="Desktop"><desktop>1</desktop></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="W-F2">
    <action name="Desktop"><desktop>2</desktop></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="W-F3">
    <action name="Desktop"><desktop>3</desktop></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="W-F4">
    <action name="Desktop"><desktop>4</desktop></action>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="W-d">
    <action name="ToggleShowDesktop"/>
  </keybind>

  <!-- Keybindings for windows -->
  <keybind key="A-F4">
    <action name="Close"/>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="A-Escape">
    <action name="Lower"/>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="A-space">
    <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action>
  </keybind>

  <!-- Keybindings for window switching -->
  <keybind key="A-Tab">
    <action name="NextWindow"/>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="A-S-Tab">
    <action name="PreviousWindow"/>
  </keybind>
  <keybind key="C-A-Tab">
    <action name="NextWindow">
      <panels>yes</panels><desktop>yes</desktop>
    </action>
  </keybind>

  <!-- Keybindings for running applications -->
  <keybind key="W-e">
    <action name="Execute">
      <startupnotify>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
        <name>Konqueror</name>
      </startupnotify>
      <command>kfmclient openProfile filemanagement</command>
    </action>
  </keybind>
</keyboard>

<mouse>
  <dragThreshold>8</dragThreshold>
  <!-- number of pixels the mouse must move before a drag begins -->
  <doubleClickTime>200</doubleClickTime>
  <!-- in milliseconds (1000 = 1 second) -->

  <context name="Frame">
    <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Move"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="A-Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Right" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Right" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="A-Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="Lower"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Click">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Click">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="C-A-Up" action="Click">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="C-A-Down" action="Click">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-S-Up" action="Click">
      <action name="SendToDesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-S-Down" action="Click">
      <action name="SendToDesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Titlebar">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Move"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="DoubleClick">
      <action name="ToggleMaximizeFull"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="Lower"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Up" action="Click">
      <action name="Shade"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Down" action="Click">
      <action name="Unshade"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Top">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"><edge>top</edge></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Left">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"><edge>left</edge></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Right">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"><edge>right</edge></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Handle">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"><edge>bottom</edge></action>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="Lower"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="BLCorner">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="BRCorner">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="TLCorner">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="TRCorner">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Raise"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
      <action name="Resize"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Client">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Icon">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="AllDesktops">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="ToggleOmnipresent"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Shade">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="ToggleShade"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Iconify">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Iconify"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Maximize">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="ToggleMaximizeFull"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Click">
      <action name="ToggleMaximizeVert"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Click">
      <action name="ToggleMaximizeHorz"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Close">
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
      <action name="Close"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Desktop">
    <mousebind button="Up" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Down" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="C-A-Up" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="C-A-Down" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>

    <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="Focus"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="Root">
    <!-- Menus -->
    <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-list-combined-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
      <action name="ShowMenu"><menu>root-menu</menu></action>
    </mousebind>
  </context>

  <context name="MoveResize">
    <mousebind button="Up" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="Down" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
    </mousebind>
    <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Press">
      <action name="DesktopNext"/>
    </mousebind>
  </context>
</mouse>

<menu>
  <!-- You can specify more than one menu file in here and they are all loaded,
        just don't make menu ids clash or, well, it'll be kind of pointless -->

  <!-- default menu file (or custom one in $HOME/.config/openbox/) -->
  <file>menu.xml</file>
  <hideDelay>200</hideDelay>
  <middle>no</middle>
  <submenuShowDelay>100</submenuShowDelay>
  <applicationIcons>yes</applicationIcons>
</menu>

<applications>
<!--
  # this is an example with comments through out. use these to make your
  # own rules, but without the comments of course.

  <application name="first element of window's WM_CLASS property (see xprop)"
              class="second element of window's WM_CLASS property (see xprop)"
                role="the window's WM_WINDOW_ROLE property (see xprop)">
  # the name or the class can be set, or both. this is used to match
  # windows when they appear. role can optionally be set as well, to
  # further restrict your matches.

  # the name, class, and role use simple wildcard matching such as those
  # used by a shell. you can use * to match any characters and ? to match
  # any single character.

  # when multiple rules match a window, they will all be applied, in the
  # order that they appear in this list


    # each element can be left out or set to 'default' to specify to not
    # change that attribute of the window

    <decor>yes</decor>
    # enable or disable window decorations

    <shade>no</shade>
    # make the window shaded when it appears, or not

    <position>
      # the position is only used if both an x and y coordinate are provided
      # (and not set to 'default')
      <x>center</x>
      # a number like 50, or 'center' to center on screen
      <y>200</y>
      # a number like 50, or 'center' to center on screen
      <monitor>1</monitor>
      # specifies the monitor in a xinerama setup.
      # 1 is the first head, or 'mouse' for wherever the mouse is
    </position>

    <focus>yes</focus>
    # if the window should try be given focus when it appears. if this is set
    # to yes it doesn't guarantee the window will be given focus. some
    # restrictions may apply, but Openbox will try to

    <desktop>1</desktop>
    # 1 is the first desktop, 'all' for all desktops

    <layer>normal</layer>
    # 'above', 'normal', or 'below'

    <iconic>no</iconic>
    # make the window iconified when it appears, or not

    <skip_pager>no</skip_pager>
    # asks to not be shown in pagers

    <skip_taskbar>no</skip_taskbar>
    # asks to not be shown in taskbars. window cycling actions will also
    # skip past such windows

    <fullscreen>yes</fullscreen>
    # make the window in fullscreen mode when it appears

    <maximized>true</maximized>
    # 'Horizontal', 'Vertical' or boolean (yes/no)
  </application>

  # end of the example
-->
</applications>

</openbox_config>