i3 FAQ - Individual question feedhttps://faq.i3wm.org/questions/Frequently asked questions and answers about the i3 window managerenCopyright i3, 2012Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:47:56 +0000Invisible workspaces or scratchpad for entire workspaceshttps://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/I have a number of workspaces that I would like to be disappear when they are no longer the active workspace on a screen. In effect they would disappear just like empty workspaces disappear when you navigate away, though their contents would remain if you revisited them with their dedicated workspace switcher (`bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1`). They would not however be accessible by cycling with `next_on_output`. Ideally these clients would also be invisible on the the i3-status bar, though this is a optional consideration. Another way of framing this is that I want a scratchpad for entire workspaces. I think that this could be achieved with liberal use of i3-py (though I'm not sure it even includes every call I'd need). In any case it is _horrifyingly_ kludgy. on keypress exec if focus not on workspace go to workspace # i have a multi-head setup so focus might just have been on the other output if workspace is empty get client matching instance from scratchpad toggle float mode of client else verify that all clients in workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad # does i3-py let you figure this out? # back_and_forth is the previously focused workspace if back_and_forth is on current output # causes the empty workspace now disappears workspace back_and_forth # i don't want to leave the now empty workspace open on that output else prev_workspace = back_and_forth # causes the empty workspace now disappears navigate to next_on_output # jumps focus back to previous output navigate to prev_workspace # this seems like a particularly terrible idea! with all requests to change workspaces exec temporary_workspaces = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] if workspace in temporary_workspaces is not active workspace on an output verify that all clients in that workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad Please, please, please tell me there is a better way to do that!Mon, 24 Mar 2014 15:37:59 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/Comment by hbaughman for <p>I have a number of workspaces that I would like to be disappear when they are no longer the active workspace on a screen. In effect they would disappear just like empty workspaces disappear when you navigate away, though their contents would remain if you revisited them with their dedicated workspace switcher (<code>bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1</code>). They would not however be accessible by cycling with <code>next_on_output</code>. Ideally these clients would also be invisible on the the i3-status bar, though this is a optional consideration. </p> <p>Another way of framing this is that I want a scratchpad for entire workspaces. </p> <p>I think that this could be achieved with liberal use of i3-py (though I'm not sure it even includes every call I'd need). In any case it is <em>horrifyingly</em> kludgy.</p> <pre><code>on keypress exec if focus not on workspace go to workspace # i have a multi-head setup so focus might just have been on the other output if workspace is empty get client matching instance from scratchpad toggle float mode of client else verify that all clients in workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad # does i3-py let you figure this out? # back_and_forth is the previously focused workspace if back_and_forth is on current output # causes the empty workspace now disappears workspace back_and_forth # i don't want to leave the now empty workspace open on that output else prev_workspace = back_and_forth # causes the empty workspace now disappears navigate to next_on_output # jumps focus back to previous output navigate to prev_workspace # this seems like a particularly terrible idea! with all requests to change workspaces exec temporary_workspaces = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] if workspace in temporary_workspaces is not active workspace on an output verify that all clients in that workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad </code></pre> <p>Please, please, please tell me there is a better way to do that!</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3571#comment-3571@KJ44 Just tried it. Unfortunately it doesn't work if the output is disconnected, but definitely a clever idea. I'll see if I can trick my computer into thinking that VGA-1 is connected. In any case, I like how you think!Tue, 25 Mar 2014 23:53:16 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3571#comment-3571Comment by KJ44 for <p>I have a number of workspaces that I would like to be disappear when they are no longer the active workspace on a screen. In effect they would disappear just like empty workspaces disappear when you navigate away, though their contents would remain if you revisited them with their dedicated workspace switcher (<code>bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1</code>). They would not however be accessible by cycling with <code>next_on_output</code>. Ideally these clients would also be invisible on the the i3-status bar, though this is a optional consideration. </p> <p>Another way of framing this is that I want a scratchpad for entire workspaces. </p> <p>I think that this could be achieved with liberal use of i3-py (though I'm not sure it even includes every call I'd need). In any case it is <em>horrifyingly</em> kludgy.</p> <pre><code>on keypress exec if focus not on workspace go to workspace # i have a multi-head setup so focus might just have been on the other output if workspace is empty get client matching instance from scratchpad toggle float mode of client else verify that all clients in workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad # does i3-py let you figure this out? # back_and_forth is the previously focused workspace if back_and_forth is on current output # causes the empty workspace now disappears workspace back_and_forth # i don't want to leave the now empty workspace open on that output else prev_workspace = back_and_forth # causes the empty workspace now disappears navigate to next_on_output # jumps focus back to previous output navigate to prev_workspace # this seems like a particularly terrible idea! with all requests to change workspaces exec temporary_workspaces = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] if workspace in temporary_workspaces is not active workspace on an output verify that all clients in that workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad </code></pre> <p>Please, please, please tell me there is a better way to do that!</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3576#comment-3576Hardware hack! http://www.mp3car.com/general-hardware-discussion/1763-how-does-a-video-card-detect-vga-monitor-is-present.html. Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:47:56 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3576#comment-3576Comment by KJ44 for <p>I have a number of workspaces that I would like to be disappear when they are no longer the active workspace on a screen. In effect they would disappear just like empty workspaces disappear when you navigate away, though their contents would remain if you revisited them with their dedicated workspace switcher (<code>bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1</code>). They would not however be accessible by cycling with <code>next_on_output</code>. Ideally these clients would also be invisible on the the i3-status bar, though this is a optional consideration. </p> <p>Another way of framing this is that I want a scratchpad for entire workspaces. </p> <p>I think that this could be achieved with liberal use of i3-py (though I'm not sure it even includes every call I'd need). In any case it is <em>horrifyingly</em> kludgy.</p> <pre><code>on keypress exec if focus not on workspace go to workspace # i have a multi-head setup so focus might just have been on the other output if workspace is empty get client matching instance from scratchpad toggle float mode of client else verify that all clients in workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad # does i3-py let you figure this out? # back_and_forth is the previously focused workspace if back_and_forth is on current output # causes the empty workspace now disappears workspace back_and_forth # i don't want to leave the now empty workspace open on that output else prev_workspace = back_and_forth # causes the empty workspace now disappears navigate to next_on_output # jumps focus back to previous output navigate to prev_workspace # this seems like a particularly terrible idea! with all requests to change workspaces exec temporary_workspaces = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] if workspace in temporary_workspaces is not active workspace on an output verify that all clients in that workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad </code></pre> <p>Please, please, please tell me there is a better way to do that!</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3570#comment-3570This suggestion is untried and probably bogus. Maybe you could hide workspaces by moving them to an unused RandR monitor output such as VGA? In the userguide see: http://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html#_moving_containers_workspaces_to_randr_outputsTue, 25 Mar 2014 17:57:18 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?comment=3570#comment-3570Answer by TonyC for <p>I have a number of workspaces that I would like to be disappear when they are no longer the active workspace on a screen. In effect they would disappear just like empty workspaces disappear when you navigate away, though their contents would remain if you revisited them with their dedicated workspace switcher (<code>bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1</code>). They would not however be accessible by cycling with <code>next_on_output</code>. Ideally these clients would also be invisible on the the i3-status bar, though this is a optional consideration. </p> <p>Another way of framing this is that I want a scratchpad for entire workspaces. </p> <p>I think that this could be achieved with liberal use of i3-py (though I'm not sure it even includes every call I'd need). In any case it is <em>horrifyingly</em> kludgy.</p> <pre><code>on keypress exec if focus not on workspace go to workspace # i have a multi-head setup so focus might just have been on the other output if workspace is empty get client matching instance from scratchpad toggle float mode of client else verify that all clients in workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad # does i3-py let you figure this out? # back_and_forth is the previously focused workspace if back_and_forth is on current output # causes the empty workspace now disappears workspace back_and_forth # i don't want to leave the now empty workspace open on that output else prev_workspace = back_and_forth # causes the empty workspace now disappears navigate to next_on_output # jumps focus back to previous output navigate to prev_workspace # this seems like a particularly terrible idea! with all requests to change workspaces exec temporary_workspaces = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] if workspace in temporary_workspaces is not active workspace on an output verify that all clients in that workspace have defined instance store all clients with said instance in scratchpad </code></pre> <p>Please, please, please tell me there is a better way to do that!</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?answer=3572#post-id-3572Here is an example from the new [ipc project](https://github.com/acrisci/i3ipc-glib) (you can find the latest file [here](https://github.com/acrisci/i3ipc-gjs/blob/master/examples/hidden-ws-scratchpad.js)). This uses the [JavaScript](https://github.com/acrisci/i3ipc-gjs) version of the library but the same API is available in many languages. i3-py is not maintained and does not include many new features of i3wm. I like the idea that was brought up in the comments about sending it another output better. Maybe I will work on that later. #!/usr/bin/env gjs /* This example shows how to implement a "hidden workspace" using the scratchpad. The workspace should "disapear" from i3bar when you switch away. Unfortunately, it cannot handle complex workspace layouts, and will make your scratchpad unusable for other things. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/ */ const i3ipc = imports.gi.i3ipc; let conn = new i3ipc.Connection; const HIDDEN_WS = "5"; let scratchpad_len = 0; conn.on('workspace::focus', function(conn, e) { if (e.current.name === HIDDEN_WS) { for (let i = 0; i < scratchpad_len; i += 1) conn.command('scratchpad show, floating disable'); scratchpad_len = 0; } else if (e.old.name === HIDDEN_WS) { e.old.command_children('move scratchpad'); scratchpad_len = e.old.nodes.length; } }); conn.main(); Wed, 26 Mar 2014 04:00:04 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3558/invisible-workspaces-or-scratchpad-for-entire-workspaces/?answer=3572#post-id-3572