Shared config for multiple dmenu scripts

answered 2013-01-05 21:27:23 +0000

f8l
86 ●1 ●2 http://f8l.netne.net/

Since i3 uses sh to execute commands, you can use command substitution within commands as a workaround. I have tested it with the following within the i3's configuration file:

1. set $font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-15-140-75-75-c-90-iso10646-1
2. set $dmc $(</tmp/dmenu.conf)
3. exec --no-startup-id echo '-b -fn $font' > /tmp/dmenu.conf
4. bindsym $Mod1+x exec /usr/bin/dmenu_run $dmc
5. bindsym $Mod1+m exec --no-startup-id i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu="/usr/bin/dmenu -i $dmc"

Let me explain the above:

1. Set a variable for a font. I do it to illustrate, that variables can be used in dmenu parameter string.
2. Set a variable (or call it a macro) for inserting dmenu parameter string stored in /tmp/dmenu.conf. If you want to use ENVARIABLE environment variable instead, edit this line to something like set $dmc $(echo $ENVARIABLE) and omit the following line.
3. Save desired dmenu parameter string to a file. Note that previously set variables can be used. Omit this line if you already have the dmenu parameter string saved somewhere (you'll have to modify the previous line). When omitting this line, you can't use variables inside the dmenu parameter string any more.
4. Simple example of using the configuration variable.
5. More complex example. You can add more parameters (-i was added here), as well as use the config as a parameter of another command (just remember to use quotation marks ‹"› – using apostrophes ‹'› would result in executing i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu='/usr/bin/dmenu -i $(</tmp/dmenu.conf)' by the shell and $(</tmp/dmenu.conf) is not a valid dmenu parameter)