# The window manager

The default window manager provided by &kde; is the K Window Manager (&kwin;). Please read "The K Window Manager Handbook" (should be accessible from the &kde; Help Center) for usage information.

Are there keyboard shortcuts for &kwin; operations?

Yes. Please refer to "The K Window Manager Handbook" for the list of shortcuts available.

Can I define my own set of keyboard shortcuts?

Yes. Launch the &kde; Control Center and select Look and Feel Key bindings to configure window manager bindings like maximizing windows, etc.

When I "iconify" a window, it disappears. Where does it go?

With many &X-Windows; &GUI;, the minimize button (a little dot) will erase the window that the program is running in and create, instead, an icon on the desktop. &kde; does not do this. Instead, when a window is iconified it is simply hidden (but the program is still running).

There are a few ways to access "disappeared" windows:

- If you are running the taskbar part of &kicker;, you can choose to have a list of tasks displayed on your desktop. Iconified tasks will have their names surrounded by parentheses.

- If you click the &MMB; on the root window (i.e. the background of the desktop), &kwin; will give you a list of all available tasks (and again, the names of the iconified tasks will be bracketed).

How do I maximize windows only vertically or horizontally?

Provided your window is not already maximized, clicking on the maximize button with the &LMB;/&MMB;/&RMB; will maximize fully/vertically/horizontally respectively.

What is "shading" a window?

By "shading" a window we mean "rolling up" a window leaving just the title bar visible. You can do this by double clicking on the window title bar.

Is it possible to have FVWM2-like shadow frameworks for the placement of windows?

Yes. Run &kde; Control Center and select Look and Feel followed by Window Behavior and finally Advanced. There is a dialog option that allows you to set the placement policy you want.