Various window management fixes for the Linux Steam client

DISCLAIMER: Use at your own risk! This is in no way endorsed by VALVE.

These files are mirrored on both GitHub and Gist - use whichever you prefer.

Feature request for these changes to be implemented in Steam: issue #1040

steamwm.cpp

The window management fixes:

• Force borders on non-menu windows.
• Let the WM position non-menu/tooltip windows.
• Group all steam windows. This helps WMs with their focus stealing preventions, and also prevents all Steam windows from being dimmed (by KWin) if any Steam window has focus (is a KWin setting).
• Tell the WM which Steam windows are dialogs. This lets the window manager place them more intelligently. For example, the WM might center dialogs.
• Steam sets error dialogs as unmanaged windows - fix that.

Obsolete fixes (now disabled by default):

• Set _NET_WM_NAME to the WM_NAME value to get better window titles.
• Set fixed size hints for windows with a fixed layout.

Fixes can be individually enabled or disabled - for details see the comments in the source file.

This file compiles to a library that can be LD_PRELOADed into the Steam process. For your convenience it is also its own build and wrapper script.

Requires: g++ with support for x86 targets, Xlib + headers

Use:

$ chmod +x steamwm.cpp
$ ./steamwm.cpp steam

noframe.patch

This is a Steam skin that complements steamwm.cpp: It is exactly the same as the default skin, but with the window borders and controls removed.

To install it use:

$ chmod +x noframe.patch
$ ./noframe.patch

and then select the noframe skin in the Steam settings.