Launching when already on the desired workspace

asked Apr 1 '14

KJ44
106 ●3 ●3 ●10

updated Apr 1 '14

I have a script that either launches a program on an explicitly named workspace, or switches to that workspace if the program is already running there as indicated by xdotool.

Suppose I launch Google Chrome; it appears on workspace 'gc'. If I quit the program, and stay on workspace 'gc', then launch the program again, i3 switches to another workspace.

I've hacked a solution as below, I'm just curious as to why i3 chooses another workspace as described. Can anyone explain please?

if [ -z "$W" ]; then
    # Launch the program.                                                                                                                                        
    if [ $# -ge 3 ]; then
        if [ "$3" == 'none' ]; then
        cmd="exec ${@:4}"
        else
            # Changing to the previous workspace ensures that we                                                                                                 
            # launch on the target workspace, when already there.                                                                                                
            cmd="workspace_back_and_forth; workspace $3; exec ${@:4}"
        fi
        i3-msg "$cmd"
fi
else
    # Focus the window.                                                                                                                                          
# Used 'sed' to escape any whitespace to suit 'i3-msg'.                                                                                                      
i3-msg "[$1=$(echo $2 | sed s/\\x20/\\\\x20/g)] focus"
fi

PS Sorry, I haven't quite mastered the insertion of code snippets.