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milanaleksic
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How to make it possible inside i3wm for Alt command to continue working as it should when in bash terminal?

For example Alt+Backspace should be deleting the word, and Alt+# should be commenting the line, but because i3wm (default config) takes usage of Alt (Mod1) command as prefix for most of the commands how do you go around this? Do people solve this by using a combination of Ctrl+Alt as a basic replacement for Mod1?

I am sure there's a simple solution to this problem I couldn't find :(

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answered 2015-08-22 21:26:14 +0000

Airblader
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i3 will only grab the exact bindings that are configured. So Alt+Backspace should only be grabbed by i3 if there is actually a binding defined for it. Put that binding on something else and it should be available for your terminal again.

However, I'd personally recommend using the Windows key as the modifier for i3. So many applications have shortcuts which typically work on Alt, you'll only run into more problems. Plus it sort of makes sense to have the "windows" key control your window manager. ;)

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OK, so that's the approach :) That said I would expect the nice people behind i3wm to recommend the windows button as the starting value for the action prefix

milanaleksic ( 2015-08-23 08:33:40 +0000 )edit

Alt was chosen as default in order to maximize compatibility, not because of its convenience. Meaning, Alt is actually on every keyboard but the Windows Keys might not be. It is easier to change the modifier key, if you can open any programs (for which you already need the modifier in i3)

Adaephon ( 2015-08-23 20:56:44 +0000 )edit

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Asked: 2015-08-22 16:34:03 +0000

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Last updated: Aug 22

Conflict-safe bash and i3wm interoperability of ALT command

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