i3 FAQ - Individual question feedhttps://faq.i3wm.org/questions/Frequently asked questions and answers about the i3 window managerenCopyright i3, 2012Sat, 09 May 2015 15:33:40 +0000i3status, hide module if downhttps://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/I would like to hide a module if is down (or if not a mount point for disks), for example, if wireless is down I have this: 1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | W: down | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) I can set `format_down` to empty string, but in that case, the output is not so nice: 1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) Ideally I would like to have this 1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) Is it possible?Fri, 08 May 2015 17:52:59 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/Answer by Airblader for <p>I would like to hide a module if is down (or if not a mount point for disks), for example, if wireless is down I have this:</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | W: down | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>I can set <code>format_down</code> to empty string, but in that case, the output is not so nice:</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>Ideally I would like to have this</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>Is it possible?</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?answer=5976#post-id-5976Force the output to be json. It will use a newer protocol version in which empty blocks are ignored. The output format can be set in the general section. Sat, 09 May 2015 00:15:52 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?answer=5976#post-id-5976Comment by i3convert for <p>Force the output to be json. It will use a newer protocol version in which empty blocks are ignored. </p> <p>The output format can be set in the general section. </p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?comment=5978#comment-5978That's a good one!Sat, 09 May 2015 15:33:40 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?comment=5978#comment-5978Answer by i3convert for <p>I would like to hide a module if is down (or if not a mount point for disks), for example, if wireless is down I have this:</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | W: down | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>I can set <code>format_down</code> to empty string, but in that case, the output is not so nice:</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>Ideally I would like to have this</p> <pre><code>1.8 GB Use: 88.1% | E: 192.168.1.5 (1000 Mbit/s) </code></pre> <p>Is it possible?</p> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?answer=5975#post-id-5975The simplest solution is to create a wrapper (say, `/home/your-name/bin/wrapper.sh`) that replaces `| |` with `|`, i.e., removes the unnecessary field: #!/bin/bash i3status | sed 's/| |/|/g' Now in the config file use `wrapper.sh` instead of `i3status`. Fri, 08 May 2015 19:04:13 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/5974/i3status-hide-module-if-down/?answer=5975#post-id-5975