i3-layouts 0.5.1

Dynamics layouts for i3wm

i3-layouts

i3-layouts is a small program that enforces configurable dynamic layout on i3 workspace.

i3-layouts comes with 4 layouts:

• vstack: one main windows with a vertical stack of windows.
• hstack: one main windows with an horizontal stack of windows.
• spiral: each new windows split the previous one, split direction alternates between horizontal and vertical.
• 3columns: one main widows with two vertical stack of windows.

The Layout section details the parameters for each one of these layouts.

Installation

Requirements

Before installing i3-layouts be sure to have the following installed on your system:

• python >= 3.7
• xdotool
• i3wm

Installation with pip

To install, simply use pip

$ pip install --user i3-layouts

Run

To start i3-layouts, simply type i3-layouts in a terminal, or better yet, launch it from the i3 config file:

exec i3-layouts

Configuration

Configuration is done directly in the i3 config file (usually $HOME/.config/i3/config).

i3-layouts reads the entire config file, filter all $i3l variables and keeps the associated values as configuration. If user defined variables are used in $i3l variables value, they will be replaced by their own value.

Assigning a layout to a workspace

Use the name of the layout as value for the $i3l variable, followed by its parameters and then the targeted workspace name.

Note that parameters are optional, but if given, they must respect the order described in the Layouts section.

Syntax:

set $i3l [vstack|hstack|spiral|3columns] <param> ... to workspace [workspace name]

Examples:

set $ws1 1
...
set $i3l vstack to workspace $ws1
set $i3l hstack 0.6 up to workspace $ws2
set $i3l spiral 0.6 to workspace $ws3
set $i3l 3columns 0.66 0.5 2 left to workspace $ws4

Switching layout

It possible to dynamically switch the current workspace layout by sending a send_tick message with i3-msg to i3-layouts. The message must start with i3-layouts followed by one of the layout name or none:

• If a layout name is given, and windows are already present, they will be rearranged to match the selected layout.
• If none is given, i3-layouts will not manage this workspace layout anymore.

Syntax:

i3-msg -t send_tick "i3-layouts [vstack|hstack|spiral|3columns|none] <param> ..."

Examples:

i3-msg -t send_tick "i3-layouts vstack 0.6"

You can also use a keyboard binding in your i3 config file, for example:

bindsym $mod+s exec i3-msg -t send_tick "i3-layouts vstack 0.6"

Layouts

Each layouts accept some specific parameters. These parameters must be given is the order described below.

vstack

Parameters:

• main stack ratio (float between 0 and 1, default 0.5): ratio of screen width used by the main stack
• secondary stack position (right or left, default right): vertical stack position relative to the main stack

hstack

Parameters:

• main stack ratio (float between 0 and 1, default 0.5): ratio of screen height used by the main stack
• secondary stack position (top or bottom, default bottom): horizontal stack position relative to the main stack

spiral

• split ratio (default 0.5): ratio of width or height used by the previous container at each split, the remaining is used by the new container.

3columns

• main stack ratio [two columns] (float between 0 and 1, default 0.5): ratio of screen width used by the main stack when only two columns are present
• main stack ratio [three columns] (float between 0 and 1, default 0.5): ratio of screen width used by the main stack when three columns are present. Width left is distributed equally between the second and third columns
• max number of row in the second columns (int, default 0): the third columns is created only when the second column reach this number of container. If 0 is given new container position alternate between the second and third columns.
• second columns position (right or left, default right): second column position relative to the main stack. Note that the third column will have the opposite position (if the second columns is on the left of the main stack, the third one will be on the right of the main stack)

Limitations

• User actions (split and move): i3-layouts do its best to manage the workspace layout, but if you manually split or move a container (with split vertical|horizontal for example), new container may be misplaced.
• Redraw: when container are closed, or moved between workspace, i3-layouts needs to reposition some if not all containers of a given workspace. Right now, i3-layouts use xdotool to simulate the recreation of these containers, which is not ideal.
• Marks: to keep track of container position, i3-layouts use i3wm marks. More precisely, i3-layouts marks the first and last container of each workspace.