xmessage useful options

fonts.md

In case fonts are not being displayed with an error message (Cannot convert string "" to type FontStruct)

Create a font using xfontsel or choose a font from xlsfonts

You don't even need the entire font description.

Ex. if you have the adobe font family just use

$ ls -la | xmessage -file - -center -default okay -font -adobe-*-*-r-*--0-100-*-*-p-*-*-* -center

100 is the font size

Modifying ~/.Xresources

The default font for xmessage can be set in ~/.Xresources or ~/.Xdefaults (whichever is used) add

Xmessage*font: -adobe-*-*-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-p-*-*-*

to ~/.Xresources and run

$ xrdb load ~/.Xresources
$ ls -la | xmessage -file - -center -default okay -font -adobe-*-*-r-*--0-100-*-*-p-*-*-* -center

link: https://tronche.com/wiki/Howto_specify_X_scalable_fonts_from_the_command_line

gxmessage.md

An extension of xmessage - has all features of xmessage and more

ESC by default exits the window

xmessage.md

Useful options in xmessage

1. -default okay

   Hitting enter will directly close the window without having to use the mouse.

2. -font -bitstream-terminal-bold-r-normal--18-140-100-100-c-110-iso8859-1

   NOT in the man page of xmessage

   Changes the font

   Check fonts.md in case of error message

3. -fg blue

4. -bg red

   NOT in the man page of xmessage

   Changes foreground color and background color respectively

5. -file -

   Reads input from command line

   Can be used as ls | xmessage -file -

6. -geometry

   For both size and position

   Use as $ xmessage "Hello" -geometry <height>x<width>+<X>+<Y>

Typical usage is

$ ls -la | xmessage -file - -center -default okay -font -bitstream-terminal-bold-r-normal--18-140-100-100-c-110-iso8859-1 -center