i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

menu in i3wm

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:38:43 +0000

I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by MeanEYE for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 04:20:49 +0000

There are few ways to get what you need: - Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc; - Adapt `dmenu` to suite your needs. #Adapting dmenu When you call `dmenu_run`, it's actually calling `dmenu_path` and piping it to `dmenu` itself. Which means you can pretty much pipe anything to `dmenu`. If you get an empty string (and different exit code) selection was canceled. Otherwise, you get a selected command. You can write a script that would get information you would like to be presented with `dmenu` pipe it and wait for selection. This is a bit more complex than using one of the other launchers but it provides a lot of flexibility and further more I don't think there's anything lighter than `dmenu`. For example, I have this script written: #!/usr/bin/env python import os from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT # dmenu constants DMENU_CACHE = os.path.expanduser('~/.dmenu_cache') DMENU_COMMAND = [ 'dmenu', '-p', 'command:', '-nb', '#151515', '-nf', '#888888', '-l', '10', '-fn', '-misc-fixed-medium-*-normal-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*' ] # our custom commands commands = { 'nautilus': 'nautilus --no-desktop' } # check if local cache exists if not os.path.exists(DMENU_CACHE): os.system('dmenu_path > /dev/null') # load command cache and combine with our commands with open(DMENU_CACHE, 'r') as raw_file: system_commands = raw_file.read() output = commands.keys() output.sort() # create a process process = Popen(DMENU_COMMAND, stdout=PIPE, stdin=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT) selection = process.communicate(input='{0}\n{1}'.format('\n'.join(output), system_commands))[0] # get command based on selection and execute it if selection.strip() != '': command = commands[selection] if commands.has_key(selection) else selection os.system(command) It uses `dmenu` cache generated by `dmenu_path`, but prioritizes items I've placed in `commands` dictionary. Also allows me to add custom commands I need.

Comment by MeanEYE for
There are few ways to get what you need:

Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc;

Adapt `dmenu` to suite your needs.

Adapting dmenu

When you call dmenu_run, it's actually calling dmenu_path and piping it to dmenu itself. Which means you can pretty much pipe anything to dmenu. If you get an empty string (and different exit code) selection was canceled. Otherwise, you get a selected command.

You can write a script that would get information you would like to be presented with dmenu pipe it and wait for selection. This is a bit more complex than using one of the other launchers but it provides a lot of flexibility and further more I don't think there's anything lighter than dmenu.

For example, I have this script written:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os
from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT

# dmenu constants
DMENU_CACHE = os.path.expanduser('~/.dmenu_cache')
DMENU_COMMAND = [
            'dmenu', 
            '-p', 'command:',
            '-nb', '#151515',
            '-nf', '#888888',
            '-l', '10',
            '-fn', '-misc-fixed-medium-*-normal-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*'
        ]

# our custom commands
commands = {
        'nautilus': 'nautilus --no-desktop'
    }

# check if local cache exists
if not os.path.exists(DMENU_CACHE):
    os.system('dmenu_path > /dev/null')

# load command cache and combine with our commands
with open(DMENU_CACHE, 'r') as raw_file:
    system_commands = raw_file.read()

output = commands.keys()
output.sort()

# create a process
process = Popen(DMENU_COMMAND, stdout=PIPE, stdin=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT)
selection = process.communicate(input='{0}\n{1}'.format('\n'.join(output), system_commands))[0]

# get command based on selection and execute it
if selection.strip() != '':
    command = commands[selection] if commands.has_key(selection) else selection
    os.system(command)

It uses dmenu cache generated by dmenu_path, but prioritizes items I've placed in commands dictionary. Also allows me to add custom commands I need.

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 13:55:23 +0000

If you just want to get all installed applications Python's GIO bindings has function called `app_info_get_all`. Calling this will return all applications installed. So making a script should be fairly easy.

Comment by tuna for
There are few ways to get what you need:

Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc;

Adapt `dmenu` to suite your needs.

Adapting dmenu

For example, I have this script written:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os
from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT

# dmenu constants
DMENU_CACHE = os.path.expanduser('~/.dmenu_cache')
DMENU_COMMAND = [
            'dmenu', 
            '-p', 'command:',
            '-nb', '#151515',
            '-nf', '#888888',
            '-l', '10',
            '-fn', '-misc-fixed-medium-*-normal-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*'
        ]

# our custom commands
commands = {
        'nautilus': 'nautilus --no-desktop'
    }

# check if local cache exists
if not os.path.exists(DMENU_CACHE):
    os.system('dmenu_path > /dev/null')

# load command cache and combine with our commands
with open(DMENU_CACHE, 'r') as raw_file:
    system_commands = raw_file.read()

output = commands.keys()
output.sort()

# create a process
process = Popen(DMENU_COMMAND, stdout=PIPE, stdin=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT)
selection = process.communicate(input='{0}\n{1}'.format('\n'.join(output), system_commands))[0]

# get command based on selection and execute it
if selection.strip() != '':
    command = commands[selection] if commands.has_key(selection) else selection
    os.system(command)

It uses dmenu cache generated by dmenu_path, but prioritizes items I've placed in commands dictionary. Also allows me to add custom commands I need.

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:32:51 +0000

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking of the dmenu option as well, as I use dmenu for many things already. Maybe I find some time to write a bash script for generating a file for dmenu, but I hoped such a thing was available

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:32:14 +0000

Thanks for the suggestions. man -k is a cool trick (man man tells me it's equivalent to apropos). I was thinking of the dmenu option as well, as I use dmenu for many things already. Maybe I find some time to write a bash script for generating a file for dmenu, but I hoped such a thing was available already :)

Answer by joepd for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Sat, 06 Jul 2013 23:12:53 +0000

One answer is missing (quoting from `man i3-dmenu-desktop`): > `i3-dmenu-desktop` is a script which > extracts the (localized) name from > application `.desktop` files, offers the > user a choice via `dmenu(1)` and then > starts the chosen application via i3 > (for startup notification support). > The advantage of using .desktop files > instead of `dmenu_run(1)` is that > `dmenu_run` offers _all_ binaries in > your `$PATH`, including non-interactive > utilities like `sed`. Also, `.desktop` > files contain a proper name, > information about whether the > application runs in a terminal and > whether it supports startup > notifications. See also [this question](https://faq.i3wm.org/question/25/how-to-launch-applications-in-i3/).

Comment by bruno.braga for
One answer is missing (quoting from `man i3-dmenu-desktop`):

`i3-dmenu-desktop` is a script which extracts the (localized) name from application `.desktop` files, offers the user a choice via `dmenu(1)` and then starts the chosen application via i3 (for startup notification support). The advantage of using .desktop files instead of `dmenu_run(1)` is that `dmenu_run` offers all binaries in your `$PATH`, including non-interactive utilities like `sed`. Also, `.desktop` files contain a proper name, information about whether the application runs in a terminal and whether it supports startup notifications.

See also this question.

Sun, 07 Jul 2013 02:38:05 +0000

Didn't know about that... awesome!

Answer by matma6 for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:40:44 +0000

You can use adeskmenu, but when it loses focus, it closes. On i3 moving mouse changes focus, so here is my solution: 1. Go to empty workspace. 2. Click on adeskmenu icon in tray. 3. Move mouse into window. 4. Make it floating (Shift+Mod+Space). 5. Window disappears. 6. Now, if you want use it, it will be fullscreen-sized (but floating)

Comment by mschaefer for
You can use adeskmenu, but when it loses focus, it closes. On i3 moving mouse changes focus, so here is my solution:

Go to empty workspace.

Click on adeskmenu icon in tray.

Move mouse into window.

Make it floating (Shift+Mod+Space).

Window disappears.

Now, if you want use it, it will be fullscreen-sized (but floating)

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:43:57 +0000

How exactly does the code tag work in the comment box? MeanEYE three above did it, I didn't get it working...

Comment by mschaefer for
You can use adeskmenu, but when it loses focus, it closes. On i3 moving mouse changes focus, so here is my solution:

Go to empty workspace.

Click on adeskmenu icon in tray.

Move mouse into window.

Make it floating (Shift+Mod+Space).

Window disappears.

Now, if you want use it, it will be fullscreen-sized (but floating)

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:41:47 +0000

Or you could just disable focus change on mouse move via focus\_follows\_mouse no in your config :-)

Comment by MeanEYE for
You can use adeskmenu, but when it loses focus, it closes. On i3 moving mouse changes focus, so here is my solution:

Go to empty workspace.

Click on adeskmenu icon in tray.

Move mouse into window.

Make it floating (Shift+Mod+Space).

Window disappears.

Now, if you want use it, it will be fullscreen-sized (but floating)

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 15:54:44 +0000

@mschaefer Use backquotes `

Comment by matma6 for
You can use adeskmenu, but when it loses focus, it closes. On i3 moving mouse changes focus, so here is my solution:

Go to empty workspace.

Click on adeskmenu icon in tray.

Move mouse into window.

Make it floating (Shift+Mod+Space).

Window disappears.

Now, if you want use it, it will be fullscreen-sized (but floating)

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:23:29 +0000

@mschaefer - but I like this feature

Answer by bruno.braga for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 07:33:25 +0000

I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about... **Synapse** came as a good solution for me.

Comment by Marc for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:54:36 +0000

I had this problem of remembering what programs where for what till I used in terminal: man -k It's a keyword search of man -k so I want to see games I would do: man -k game

Comment by tuna for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:01:14 +0000

Thank you, Bruno. It's an option to use synapse, although it's not exactly what I was looking for. I hoped to get an auto-generated (debian) menu in the bar. Maybe by running dzen2 or fbpanel, but I can't get it right.

Comment by tuna for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:32:57 +0000

man -k is a cool trick (man man tells me it's equivalent to apropos).

Comment by bruno.braga for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 08:53:44 +0000

Yeah. Nice one. Didn't know of that.

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:00:55 +0000

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:01:53 +0000

After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Comment by haobug for
After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Sun, 10 May 2015 01:58:37 +0000

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/gdmenu/

Comment by ithcy for
After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:23:29 +0000

Do you have a link for gdmenu?

Answer by Philippe for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Sat, 06 Jul 2013 20:34:12 +0000

I took adeskbar code to make [rlmenu](https://github.com/blastrock/rlmenu), bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by Philippe for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 21:37:35 +0000

Sorry, just noticed your messages. I had a hard time writing that provided how incomplete the documentation is, I'm not motivated either to port it to gi ^^

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Sat, 13 Jul 2013 21:23:06 +0000

Oomph. Since Arch has bleeding edge stuff all over, nothing barely uses python-gmenu, will need to port to g.i. all the way. If you dare, have a look at: http://searchcode.com/codesearch/raw/19113255 . That's too much for me on a humid hot Saturday night...

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Sat, 13 Jul 2013 19:22:27 +0000

Looks very interesting! Can't get it to work though (Arch Linux, i3 & GNOME installed, i3 session). rlmenu.py gives me an AttributeError, and gmenu.lookup_tree('applications.menu') returns None. Are you running i3 as window manager for GNOME (i.e. with all its services up etc.)?

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Sat, 13 Jul 2013 19:28:14 +0000

In Arch, the menu file is at /etc/xdg/menus/gnome-applications.menu, perhaps you could make this configurable? Anyway, still no dice with the correct filename, still 'None' :-(

i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

menu in i3wm

Answer by MeanEYE for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by MeanEYE for There are few ways to get what you need: Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc; Adapt dmenu to suite your needs.

Adapting dmenu

Comment by tuna for There are few ways to get what you need: Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc; Adapt dmenu to suite your needs.

Adapting dmenu

Answer by tuna for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by joepd for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by matma6 for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by Marc for I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about... Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by tuna for I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about... Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by tuna for I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about... Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by bruno.braga for I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about... Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Answer by tuna for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by tuna for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by haobug for After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Comment by ithcy for After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Answer by Philippe for I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by Philippe for I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Answer by MeanEYE for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by MeanEYE for
There are few ways to get what you need:

Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc;

Adapt `dmenu` to suite your needs.

Comment by tuna for
There are few ways to get what you need:

Use one of the available tools like Kumfer, GMRun, Launchy, etc;

Adapt `dmenu` to suite your needs.

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by joepd for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by matma6 for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by Marc for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by tuna for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by tuna for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Comment by bruno.braga for
I have also looked for similar... especially because some of the applications I don't even remember their name, but I do know what they are about...

Synapse came as a good solution for me.

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Answer by tuna for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by haobug for
After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Comment by ithcy for
After searching a lot I've also found gdmenu which can show the debian menu in a floating window. I'll stick to that for the moment.

Answer by Philippe for
I mostly use dmenu or gmrun to open applications. Sometimes I'm missing the debian menu (or something similar) to view installed applications. For example sgt-puzzles installs a lot of games and I don't know all the names. Is there a way to get an auto-generated menu in i3wm?

Comment by Philippe for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.

Comment by ack006 for
I took adeskbar code to make rlmenu, bind it to a key and a menu similar to the debian menu will pop.