RIOW(1) RIOW(1)
NAME
riow - keyboard-controller for rio(1)
SYNOPSIS
riow [ -s label ]
DESCRIPTION
Riow provides keyboard controlling for rio(1) in the manner
of i3, sway and ratpoison. It does so by working with
/dev/kbdtap (see rio(4)) and /dev/wsys. Riow outputs the
current desktop number onto fd 3, which can be used by pro-
grams like bar(1).
Running
A minimal example of running riow with status output to
bar(1):
#!/bin/rc
</dev/kbdtap riow >/dev/kbdtap |[3] bar
Example of running riow with other programs handling input:
#!/bin/rc
</dev/kbdtap ktrans -G |
reform/shortcuts |
riow >/dev/kbdtap |[3] bar
Both examples assume putting the rc pipeline into a script
and executing it with window(1) if they are required to
start using riostart script.
Keyboard shortcuts
Kmod4+0…9
Switches to the specified virtual desktops. There are
ten in total.
Kmod4+Shift+0…9
Moves the current window to the specified virtual desk-
top.
Kmod4+f
Toggle between fullscreen and normal mode for the cur-
rent window.
Kmod4+s
Toggle "sticky" mode for the current window. In this
mode the window is staying while the user is switching
between desktops. By default, programs like winwatch,
catclock, kbmap, etc are in sticky mode. Additional
programs can be added to that list on startup by speci-
fying their labels with -s option.
Kmod4+enter
Spawn a new window(1).
Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 7/3/25)
RIOW(1) RIOW(1)
Kmod4+shift+q
Delete the current window.
Kmod4+h/j/k/l
Focus left/down/up/right.
Kmod4+arrows
Move the current window in the specified direction.
Kmod4+control+arrows
Same, but in bigger steps.
Kmod4+shift+arrows
Resize the current window.
Kmod4+shift+control+arrows
Same, but in bigger steps.
SOURCE
/sys/src/cmd/riow.c
SEE ALSO
bar(1), rio(4), ktrans(1)
HISTORY
Riow first appeared in 9front (September, 2022).
BUGS
Yes.
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 7/3/25)