d.mon - GRASS manual
Author: GRASS Development Team
Description: d.mon: Controls graphics display monitors from the command line.
Keywords: display, graphics, monitors

## NAME

d.mon - Controls graphics display monitors from the command line.

## KEYWORDS

display, graphics, monitors

## SYNOPSIS

d.mon
d.mon --help
d.mon [-lpcgsrtux] [start=string] [stop=string] [select=string] [width=value] [height=value] [resolution=value] [bgcolor=name] [output=name] [--overwrite] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

### Flags:

-l
  List running monitors and exit
-p
  Print name of currently selected monitor and exit
-c
  Print commands for currently selected monitor and exit
-g
  Print path to support files of currently selected monitor and exit
-s
  Do not automatically select when starting
-r
  Release and stop currently selected monitor and exit
-t
  Disable true colors
-u
  Open output file in update mode
  Requires --overwrite flag
-x
  Launch light-weight wx monitor without toolbars and statusbar
  Requires 'start=wx0-7'
--overwrite
  Allow output files to overwrite existing files
--help
  Print usage summary
--verbose
  Verbose module output
--quiet
  Quiet module output
--ui
  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

start=string
  Name of monitor to start
  Options: wx0, wx1, wx2, wx3, wx4, wx5, wx6, wx7, png, ps, html, cairo
stop=string
  Name of monitor to stop
  Options: wx0, wx1, wx2, wx3, wx4, wx5, wx6, wx7, png, ps, html, cairo
select=string
  Name of monitor to select
  Options: wx0, wx1, wx2, wx3, wx4, wx5, wx6, wx7, png, ps, html, cairo
width=value
  Width for display monitor if not set by GRASS_RENDER_WIDTH
  Default value: 720
height=value
  Height for display monitor if not set by GRASS_RENDER_HEIGHT
  Default value: 480
resolution=value
  Dimensions of display monitor versus current size
  Example: resolution=2 enlarge display monitor twice to 1280x960
bgcolor=name
  Background color
  Either a standard color name, R:G:B triplet, or "none"
  Default: white
output=name
  Name for output file (when starting new monitor)
  Ignored for 'wx' monitors

## DESCRIPTION

d.mon allows the user to start, select, list, release, and stop available graphics monitors.

### Starting a monitor

In order to display on-screen GRASS graphics, the user must start and select a graphics monitor. By default, the start command actually runs two commands, to both start and select whatever monitor is named by the user. The user can get a list of running monitors by setting the -l flag on the command line. Note that some monitor drivers use environment variables or the specific driver documentation.

When a monitor is started, it is therefore also (automatically) selected for output, unless the -s flag is set by the user; the user can also explicitly select a monitor that has been started.

The desired monitor should be started once and need not be restarted unless it is stopped for some reason. A monitor may continue to run for any length of time, even when no GRASS session is being run.

### Stopping a monitor

A graphics monitor has two different types of status: monitor program not running, and monitor running. A monitor that has been started and/or selected will be listed as running; a monitor that has been stopped (or not started) will be listed as not running. The -l flag will list all currently running monitors.

### Selecting a monitor

When the user starts a monitor, it is also (automatically) selected for graphics output unless the user sets the -s flag. In order to use (direct graphics output to) a monitor, the user must select that monitor for use, either by simply starting the monitor without the -s flag or by explicitly selecting the monitor for output. Only running monitors can be selected for graphics output.

The user can run multiple graphics monitors by simply starting each of the graphics monitors the user wishes to direct output to.

### Releasing (unselecting) a monitor

Currently selected a monitor can be released by -r flag.

## NOTES

d.mon is designed for interactive use. If non-interactive use is needed (e.g., in a script) set `GRASS_RENDER_IMMEDIATE=png` (or `=cairo`) and use the related environment variables to control output size etc.

## EXAMPLES

### wx0 monitor

To start the interactive wxGUI map display, run

    d.mon start=wx0

Figure: The initialization of display monitor wx0
All subsequently displayed data will be rendered on monitor `wx0`.

    g.region raster=elevation -p
    d.rast map=elevation

Figure: The display wx0 showing an elevation raster map

### CAIRO file renderer monitor

A CAIRO monitor can be started (and selected) by

    d.mon start=cairo output=out.pdf

From this moment on all displayed data will be rendered into file `output.pdf`.

### List running monitors

To list the currently running monitors, use

    d.mon -l

    List of running monitors:
    wx0
    cairo

### Show currently selected monitor

To identify the currently selected monitor, use

    d.mon -p

    cairo

### Switching between monitors

To switch back to interactive display mode, here to an earlier started and still running wxGUI monitor, use

    d.mon select=wx0

### Stopping a monitor

To close the wxGUI monitor, run

    d.mon stop=wx0

## SEE ALSO

d.erase, d.redraw, d.rast, d.vect, d.frame

See also list of variables for rendering, display drivers

## AUTHOR

Martin Landa, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: d.mon source code (history)

Accessed: Saturday May 09 12:56:14 2026

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