i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

i3 FAQ - Individual question feedhttps://faq.i3wm.org/questions/Frequently asked questions and answers about the i3 window managerenCopyright i3, 2012Mon, 17 Nov 2014 16:03:29 +0000assign some workspaces to specific screen, clone others to all screenshttps://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/Imagine a teacher running i3 on his notebook and a projector connected. Is this setup possible? * Workspace (1-4): Notebook screen * Workspace (5-8): projector * Workspace (9-10): Both, notebook screen and projector On workspace 1-4 one could work without seeing the others what you are doing (e.g. reading the sample solution), on workspace 5-8 you can place your presentation etc. and on workspace 9 and 10 you could do live coding or something else. I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output), but is it possible to get it at the same time?Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:00:58 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/Answer by ANOKNUSA for Imagine a teacher running i3 on his notebook and a projector connected. Is this setup possible? <ul> <li>Workspace (1-4): Notebook screen</li> <li>Workspace (5-8): projector</li> <li>Workspace (9-10): Both, notebook screen and projector</li> </ul> On workspace 1-4 one could work without seeing the others what you are doing (e.g. reading the sample solution), on workspace 5-8 you can place your presentation etc. and on workspace 9 and 10 you could do live coding or something else. I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output), but is it possible to get it at the same time? https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?answer=4944#post-id-4944> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... Workspace assignment is not what can *possibly* be done, it is what *must* be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination [switch two workspaces at once](https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048). In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager *per se*.Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:10:56 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?answer=4944#post-id-4944Comment by Adaephon for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4952#comment-4952@foo Xorg. Assigning a workspace to two displays (when not just cloning) would really mean that the same window has to be drawn on two separate displays, which is not possible with Xorg. A window can only have one set of coordinates at a time.Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:47:32 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4952#comment-4952Comment by foo for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4948#comment-4948Well, not really satisfying... Is this going to be possible with Wayland? Thu, 13 Nov 2014 17:08:57 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4948#comment-4948Comment by foo for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4949#comment-4949> A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display Where does this limitation come from? i3, Xorg,..?Thu, 13 Nov 2014 17:09:56 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4949#comment-4949Comment by foo for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4965#comment-4965Seems like I have to live without this feature. Thanks for your answers!Mon, 17 Nov 2014 16:03:29 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4965#comment-4965Comment by Adaephon for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4945#comment-4945The OP only informed us that he is aware of the possibility to assign workspaces, probably to preempt answers that concentrate on that aspect only. And - you even said so yourself - workspace assignment is nothing that "*must* be done", i3 works just as well without, it all depends on your workflow.Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:03:05 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4945#comment-4945Comment by ANOKNUSA for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4947#comment-4947If you don't assign a workspace, then i3 automatically assigns it to the currently focused display. The OP wants the same workspace on more than one screen; that isn't possible. I explained why not in more detail for posterity. No WM does what the OP wants. WMs and Xorg are different levels.Thu, 13 Nov 2014 16:53:50 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4947#comment-4947Comment by ANOKNUSA for <blockquote> I know that these setups are possible on their own (workspace assignment, clone output)... </blockquote> Workspace assignment is not what can possibly be done, it is what must be done. A workspace is unique; it must be assigned to a single display. If you don't explicitly assign a workspace to a display in the configuration file, i3 just assigns it to whatever display currently has focus. A workspace only exists so long as it is focused and/or has open windows assigned to it. A possible work-around is to either a) write a script to quickly switch between cloning an X output and having two separate virtual screens, or b) pair workspaces together by having a key combination <a href="https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4047/how-can-i-define-workspace-numbers-for-specific-monitors/#4048">switch two workspaces at once</a>. In the latter case each workspace would still be distinct, however. EDIT: For live coding, you can use Tmux with console Vim or Emacs. But then again, that wouldn't have anything to do with the window manager per se. https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4959#comment-4959@foo Even if it were, Wayland is entirely different. WMs written for X can't work under Wayland without a compatibility layer. i3 would need to be completely rewritten. FWIW, what you're asking for is a major corner case. Even Win and Mac can't clone windows across distinct displays and workspaces.Fri, 14 Nov 2014 22:37:09 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4942/assign-some-workspaces-to-specific-screen-clone-others-to-all-screens/?comment=4959#comment-4959