Tableofcontents
• Introduction ⟨#introduction⟩
• Backgrounds and borders ⟨#backgrounds-and-borders⟩
• Gradients ⟨#gradients⟩
• Panel ⟨#panel⟩
• Launcher ⟨#launcher⟩
• Taskbar/Pager ⟨#taskbar-pager⟩
• Taskbar buttons ⟨#taskbar-buttons⟩
• Mouse actions for taskbar buttons ⟨#mouse-actions-for-taskbar-buttons⟩
• System tray ⟨#system-tray⟩
• Clock ⟨#clock⟩
• Tooltip ⟨#tooltip⟩
• Battery ⟨#battery⟩
• Executor ⟨#executor⟩
• Button ⟨#button⟩
• Separator ⟨#separator⟩
• Example configuration ⟨#example-configuration⟩
Introduction
These are instructions for configuring tint2 directly by editing its config file. You may also use
instead the graphical interface tint2conf.
The first time you run tint2, it will create the config file in $HOME/.config/tint2/tint2rc (This applies
if you have done a clean install. Running tint2 in the source directory without doing 'make install' will
not create the config file.)
You can also specify another file on the command line with the -c option, e.g.: tint2-c$HOME/tint2.conf. This can be used to run multiple instances of tint2 that use different settings.
If you change the config file while tint2 is running, the command killall-SIGUSR1tint2 will force tint2
to reload it.
All the configuration options supported in the config file are listed below. Try to respect as much as
possible the order of the options as given below.
Backgroundsandborders
The tint2 config file starts with the options defining background elements with borders:
• rounded=number_of_pixels : the corner radius
• border_width=integer : the border width in pixels
• border_sides=LRTB : the sides to draw the border on (left, right, top, bottom). If not
specified, all sides are used. (since0.12.12)
• background_color=coloropacity
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque. Note that
for a transparent panel you need to enable a desktop compositor (such as compton or compiz).
• border_color=coloropacity
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque
• background_color_hover=coloropacity (default: same as background_color) (since0.12.3)
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque. Note that
for a transparent panel you need to enable a desktop compositor (such as compton or compiz)
• border_color_hover=coloropacity (default: same as border_color) (since0.12.3)
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque
• background_color_pressed=coloropacity (default: same as background_color_hover) (since0.12.3)
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque. Note that
for a transparent panel you need to enable a desktop compositor (such as compton or compiz)
• border_color_pressed=coloropacity (default: same as border_color_hover) (since0.12.3)
• color is specified in hex RGB, e.g. #ff0000 is red
• opacity varies from (0 to 100), where 0 is fully transparent, 100 is fully opaque
• border_content_tint_weight=integer : Mixes the border color with the content color (for tasks,
this is the average color of the window icon). Values must be between 0 (no mixing) and 100
(fully replaces the color). (since16.0)
• background_content_tint_weight=integer : Mixes the background color with the content color
(for tasks, this is the average color of the window icon). Values must be between 0 (no mixing)
and 100 (fully replaces the color). (since16.0)
You can define as many backgrounds as you want. For example, the following config defines two
backgrounds:
rounded = 1
border_width = 0
background_color = #282828 100
border_color = #000000 0
rounded = 1
border_width = 0
background_color = #f6b655 90
border_color = #cccccc 40
tint2 automatically identifies each background with a number starting from 1 (1, 2, ...). Afterwards,
you can apply a background to objects (panel, taskbar, task, clock, systray) using the background id, for
example:
panel_background_id = 1
taskbar_background_id = 0
task_background_id = 0
task_active_background_id = 2
systray_background_id = 0
clock_background_id = 0
Identifier 0 refers to a special background which is fully transparent, identifier 1 applies the first
background defined in the config file etc.
Gradients
(Available since 0.13.0)
Backgrounds also allow specifying gradient layers that are drawn on top of the solid color background.
First the user must define one or more gradients in the config file, each starting with gradient=TYPE.
These must be added before backgrounds.
Then gradients can be added by index to backgrounds, using the gradient_id=INDEX, gradient_id_hover=INDEX and gradient_id_pressed=INDEX, where INDEX is the gradient index, starting from 1.
Gradienttypes
Gradients vary the color between fixed control points: * vertical gradients: top-to-bottom; * horizontal
gradients: left-to-right; * radial gradients: center-to-corners.
The user must specify the start and end colors, and can optionally add extra color stops in between using
the color_stop option, as explained below.
Verticalgradient,withcolorvaryingfromthetopedgetothebottomedge,twocolors
gradient = vertical
start_color = #rrggbb opacity
end_color = #rrggbb opacity
Horizontalgradient,withcolorvaryingfromtheleftedgetotherightedge,twocolors
gradient = horizontal
start_color = #rrggbb opacity
end_color = #rrggbb opacity
Radialgradient,withcolorvaryingfromthecentertothecorner,twocolors:
gradient = radial
start_color = #rrggbb opacity
end_color = #rrggbb opacity
Addingextracolorstops(0%and100%remainfixed,morecolorsatx%betweenthestartandendcontrolpoints)
color_stop = percentage #rrggbb opacity
Gradientexamples
# Gradient 1: thin film effect
gradient = horizontal
start_color = #111122 30
end_color = #112211 30
color_stop = 60 #221111 30
# Gradient 2: radial glow
gradient = radial
start_color = #ffffff 20
end_color = #ffffff 0
# Gradient 3: elegant black
gradient = vertical
start_color = #444444 100
end_color = #222222 100
# Gradient 4: elegant black
gradient = horizontal
start_color = #111111 100
end_color = #222222 100
# Background 1: Active desktop name
rounded = 2
border_width = 1
border_sides = TBLR
background_color = #555555 10
border_color = #ffffff 60
background_color_hover = #555555 10
border_color_hover = #ffffff 60
background_color_pressed = #555555 10
border_color_pressed = #ffffff 60
gradient_id = 3
gradient_id_hover = 4
gradient_id_pressed = 2
[...]
Panel
• panel_items=LTSBC defines the items tint2 will show and the order of those items. Each letter
refers to an item, defined as:
• L shows the Launcher
• T shows the Taskbar
• S shows the Systray (also called notification area)
• B shows the Battery status
• C shows the Clock
• F adds an extensible spacer (freespace). You can specify more than one. Has no effect if T is
also present. (since0.12)
• E adds an executor plugin. You can specify more than one. (since0.12.4)
• P adds a push button. You can specify more than one. (since0.14)
• : adds a separator. You can specify more than one. (since0.13.0)
For example, panel_items=STC will show the systray, the taskbar and the clock (from left to
right).
• panel_monitor=monitor(allorprimaryor1or2or...) : Which monitor tint2 draws the panel
on
• The first monitor is 1
• Use panel_monitor=all to get a separate panel per monitor
• primary_monitor_first=boolean(0or1) : Place the primary monitor before all the other
monitors in the list. (since0.12.4;removedin1.0,useprimary instead)
[](images/panel_padding.jpg)
• panel_position=vertical_positionhorizontal_positionorientation
• vertical_position is one of: bottom, top, center
• horizontal_position is one of: left, right, center
• orientation is one of: horizontal, vertical
• panel_size=widthheight
• width and height can be specified without units (e.g. 123) as pixels, or followed by % as
percentages of the monitor size (e.g. 50%). Use 100% for full monitor width/height. Example:
• scale_relative_to_dpi=integer : If set to a non-zero value, HiDPI scaling is enabled. Each
panel is visible on a different monitor. Thus each panel has a specific scaling factor. The
scaling factor is computed as the ratio between the monitor DPI (obtained from the dimensions in
pixels and millimeters from RandR) and a configured reference DPI - this is the DPI for which
exising user configs looked normal, for backward compatibility.
• scale_relative_to_screen_height=integer : Similar to scale_relative_to_dpi, except the scaling
factor is computed as the ratio between the monitor height and scale_relative_to_screen_height.
The effect is cumulative with scale_relative_to_dpi, i.e. if both options are present, the
factors are multiplied.
# The panel's width is 94% the size of the monitor, the height is 30 pixels:
panel_size = 94% 30
• panel_shrink=boolean(0or1) : If set to 1, the panel will shrink to a compact size
dynamically. (since0.13)
• panel_margin=horizontal_marginvertical_margin : The margins define the distance between the
panel and the horizontal/vertical monitor edge. Use 0 to obtain a panel with the same size as
the edge of the monitor (no margin).
[](images/panelsizemargin.jpg)
• panel_padding=horizontal_paddingvertical_paddingspacing : Please refer to the image below.
[](images/panel_padding.jpg)
• font_shadow=boolean(0or1)
• panel_background_id=integer : Which background to use for the panel.
• wm_menu=boolean(0or1) : Defines if tint2 forwards unhandled mouse events to your window
manager. Useful for window managers such as openbox, which display the start menu if you right
click on the desktop.
• panel_dock=boolean(0or1) : Defines if tint2 is placed into the window manager's dock. For
the openbox window manager it is advised to also use a modifier for the moveButton option,
otherwise the mouse click is not forwarded to tint2 (in ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml).
• panel_pivot_struts=boolean(0or1) : Defines if tint2 lies to the window manager about its
orientation (horizontal vs vertical) when requesting reserved space with STRUTs (see
strut_policy below). On some window managers, this allows placing a panel in the middle of the
virtual screen, e.g. on the bottom edge of the top monitor in a vertical dual-monitor setup.
• panel_layer=bottom/normal/top : Places tint2 into the bottom/normal/top layer. This is helpful
for specifying if the panel can be covered by other windows or not. The default is the bottom
layer, but with real transparency normal or top layer may be a nice alternative.
• strut_policy=follow_size/minimum/none : STRUTs are used by the window manager to decide the
size of maximized windows. Note: on multi-monitor (Xinerama) setups, the panel generally must be
placed at the edge (not in the middle) of the virtual screen for this to work correctly (though
on some window managers, setting panel_pivot_struts may work around this limitation).
• follow_size means that the maximized windows always resize to have a common edge with tint2.
• minimum means that the maximized windows always expand to have a common edge with the hidden
panel. This is useful if the autohide option is enabled.
• none means that the maximized windows use the full screen size.
• panel_window_name=string : Defines the name of the panel's window. Default: 'tint2'. (since0.12)
• disable_transparency=boolean(0or1) : Whether to disable transparency instead of detecting
if it is supported. Useful on broken graphics stacks. (since0.12)
• mouse_effects=boolean(0or1) : Whether to enable mouse hover effects for clickable items.
(since0.12.3)
• mouse_hover_icon_asb=alpha(0to100)saturation(-100to100)brightness(-100to100) :
Adjusts the icon color and transparency on mouse hover (works only when mouse_effects = 1).`
(since0.12.3)
• mouse_pressed_icon_asb=alpha(0to100)saturation(-100to100)brightness(-100to100) :
Adjusts the icon color and transparency on mouse press (works only when mouse_effects = 1).`
(since0.12.3)
• autohide=boolean(0or1) : Whether to enable panel hiding when the mouse cursor exists the
panel.
• autohide_show_timeout=float : Show timeout in seconds after the mouse cursor enters the panel.
Use '.' as decimal separator.
• autohide_hide_timeout=float : Hide timeout in seconds after the mouse cursor exits the panel.
Use '.' as decimal separator.
• autohide_height=integer : panel height (width for vertical panels) in hidden mode.
Launcher
• launcher_item_app=path_to_application : Each launcher_item_app must be a file path to a
.desktop file following the freedesktop.org specification
⟨http://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html⟩. The paths
may begin with ~, which is expanded to the path of the user's home directory. If only a file
name is specified, the file is search in the standard application directories
($XDG_DATA_HOME/applications, ~/.local/share/applications, $XDG_DATA_DIRS/applications,
/usr/local/share/applications, /usr/share/applications, /opt/share/applications).
• launcher_apps_dir=path_to_directory : Specifies a path to a directory from which the launcher
is loading all .desktop files (all subdirectories are explored recursively). Can be used
multiple times. The path may begin with ~, which is expanded to the path of the user's home
directory. (since0.12)
• launcher_background_id=integer : Defines which background to use.
• launcher_icon_background_id=integer : Defines which background to use for icons.
• launcher_padding=horizontal_paddingvertical_paddingspacing
• launcher_icon_size=integer : The launcher icon size, in pixels.
• launcher_icon_theme=name_of_theme : (Optional) Uses the specified icon theme to display
shortcut icons. Note that tint2 will detect and use the icon theme of your desktop if you have
an XSETTINGS manager running (which you probably do), unless launcher_icon_theme_override=1.
• launcher_icon_theme_override=boolean(0or1) : Whether launcher_icon_theme overrides the
value obtained from the XSETTINGS manager. (since0.12)
• launcher_icon_asb=alpha(0to100)saturation(-100to100)brightness(-100to100) : Adjusts
the icon color and transparency.
• launcher_tooltip=boolean(0or1) : Whether to show tooltips for the launcher icons.
• startup_notifications=boolean(0or1) : Whether to show startup notifications when starting
applications from the launcher. (since0.12)Taskbar/Pager
• taskbar_mode=single_desktop/multi_desktop
• single_desktop : Shows a normal taskbar listing the tasks running on the current virtual
desktop (also known as 'workspace');
• multi_desktop : Pager like capability. Shows multiple taskbars, one per virtual desktop, with
which:
• You can drag-and-drop tasks between virtual desktops;
• You can switch between virtual desktops.
• taskbar_hide_if_empty=boolean(0or1) : If enabled, in multi-desktop mode the taskbars
corresponding to empty desktops different from the current desktop are hidden. (since0.13)
• taskbar_distribute_size=boolean(0or1) : If enabled, in multi-desktop mode distributes
between taskbars the available size proportionally to the number of tasks. Default: disabled.
(since0.12)
• taskbar_padding=horizontal_paddingvertical_paddingspacing
[](images/taskbar_padding.jpg)
• taskbar_background_id=integer : Which background to use
• taskbar_active_background_id=integer : Which background to use for the taskbar of the current
virtual desktop.
• taskbar_hide_inactive_tasks=boolean(0or1) : If enabled, the taskbar shows only the active
task. (since0.12)
• taskbar_hide_different_monitor=boolean(0or1) : If enabled, the taskbar shows only the
tasks from the current monitor. Useful when running different tint2 instances on different
monitors, each one having its own config. (since0.12)
• taskbar_hide_different_desktop=boolean(0or1) : If enabled, the taskbar shows only the
tasks from the current desktop. Useful to make multi-desktop taskbars more compact, but still
allow desktop switching with mouse click. (since1.0)
• taskbar_always_show_all_desktop_tasks=boolean(0or1) : Has effect only if taskbar_mode=multi_desktop. If enabled, tasks that appear on all desktops are shown on all taskbars.
Otherwise, they are shown only on the taskbar of the current desktop. (since0.12.4)
• taskbar_sort_order=none/title/center : Specifies the sort order of the tasks on the taskbar.
(since0.12)
• none : No sorting. New tasks are simply appended at the end of the taskbar when they appear.
• title : Sorts the tasks by title.
• application : Sorts the tasks by application name. (since16.3)
• center : Sorts the tasks by their window centers.
• mru : Shows the most recently used tasks first. (since0.12.4)
• lru : Shows the most recently used tasks last. (since0.12.4)
• task_align=left/center/right : Specifies the alignment of the tasks on the taskbar. Default:
left.
• taskbar_name=boolean(0or1) : Whether to show the virtual desktop name in the taskbar.
• taskbar_name_padding=padding : Padding for the virtual desktop name.
• taskbar_name_background_id=integer : Which background to use for the desktop name.
• taskbar_name_font=[FAMILY-LIST][STYLE-OPTIONS][SIZE] : Font configuration for the desktop
name.
• taskbar_name_font_color=coloropacity(0to100) : Font color for the desktop name.
• taskbar_name_active_background_id=integer : Which background to use for the name of the
current desktop.
• taskbar_name_active_font_color=coloropacity(0to100) : Font color for the name of the
current desktop.
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