i3wm


i3wm configuration

Based from the auto-generated file created by i3-config-wizard(1).

Please see https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html for a complete reference!

Monitor configuration

At startup, only enable my built-in laptop screen.

#exec xrandr --output eDP-1 --auto --output DP-1 --off --output DP-2 --off

Having correct HiDPI requires ~/.Xresources, see https://dougie.io/linux/hidpi-retina-i3wm/

export GDK_SCALE=2
export GDK_DPI_SCALE=0.5
export QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR=1
export QT_FONT_DPI=140

Button configuration

i3 modifier

Make the Windows/Cmd/Whatever key the i3 modifier.

set $mod Mod4

Make CAPS lock a Ctrl

Make CAPS lock an additional Ctrl key.

exec setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps

Arrow mapping to letters

Use these keys for focus, movement, and resize directions when reaching for the arrows is not convenient.

set $left  h
set $down  j
set $up    k
set $right l

Appearance

Border

I don’t want no borders.

default_border normal 3
hide_edge_borders both

Font

This font is widely installed, provides lots of unicode glyphs, right-to-left text rendering and scalability on retina/hidpi displays (thanks to pango).

font pango:Fira Emacs Retina 8

Default

Make tabbed the default layout:

workspace_layout tabbed

Wallpaper

Set the wallpaper:

exec --no-startup-id feh --bg-fill --geometry -0 --no-fehbg ~/Dropbox/images/wallpaper/homer-on-car.png

Mouse

Drag windows

Use Mouse+$mod to drag floating windows to their wanted position

floating_modifier $mod

Natural scrolling

Enable natural scrolling for the trackpad.

exec xinput set-prop "Synaptics TM3276-022" "libinput Natural Scrolling Enabled" 1

Enable tapping

Enable click on tap.

exec xinput set-prop "Synaptics TM3276-022" "libinput Tapping Enabled" 1

Some bindings

Terminal

Start a terminal.

bindsym $mod+Return exec i3-sensible-terminal

Kill

Kill focused window.

bindsym $mod+Shift+q kill

Launcher

Start dmenu (a program launcher).

bindsym $mod+d exec dmenu_run

There also is the (new) i3-dmenu-desktop which only displays applications shipping a .desktop file. It is a wrapper around dmenu, so you need that installed.

bindsym $mod+d exec --no-startup-id i3-dmenu-desktop

Change focus

Use vim-like keys to change focus to a different window.

bindsym $mod+$left  focus left
bindsym $mod+$down  focus down
bindsym $mod+$up    focus up
bindsym $mod+$right focus right

Alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:

bindsym $mod+Left  focus left
bindsym $mod+Down  focus down
bindsym $mod+Up    focus up
bindsym $mod+Right focus right

Moving windows

Move focused window, with the same keys, combined with Shift.

bindsym $mod+Shift+$left  move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+$down  move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+$up    move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+$right move right

Alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:

bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move right

Splitting containers

Split in horizontal orientation.

bindsym $mod+n split h

Split in vertical orientation.

bindsym $mod+v split v

Fullscreen

Enter fullscreen mode for the focused container

bindsym $mod+f fullscreen toggle

Container layout

Change container layout:

  • Stacked
  • Tabbed
  • Toggle Horizontal <-> Vertical
bindsym $mod+s layout stacking
bindsym $mod+w layout tabbed
bindsym $mod+e layout toggle split

Floating

Toggle between tiling & floating.

bindsym $mod+Shift+space floating toggle

Change focus between tiling / floating windows.

bindsym $mod+space focus mode_toggle

Change focus

Focus the parent container.

bindsym $mod+a focus parent

Focus the child container.

bindsym $mod+d focus child

Workspaces

Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on. We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.

set $ws1 "1"
set $ws2 "2"
set $ws3 "3"
set $ws4 "4"
set $ws5 "5"
set $ws6 "6"
set $ws7 "7"
set $ws8 "8"
set $ws9 "9"
set $ws0 "0"

Switching workspace

Switch to workspace.

bindsym $mod+1 workspace $ws1
bindsym $mod+2 workspace $ws2
bindsym $mod+3 workspace $ws3
bindsym $mod+4 workspace $ws4
bindsym $mod+5 workspace $ws5
bindsym $mod+6 workspace $ws6
bindsym $mod+7 workspace $ws7
bindsym $mod+8 workspace $ws8
bindsym $mod+9 workspace $ws9
bindsym $mod+0 workspace $ws0

Moving containers

Move focused container to workspace.

bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace $ws1
bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace $ws2
bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace $ws3
bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace $ws4
bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace $ws5
bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace $ws6
bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace $ws7
bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace $ws8
bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace $ws9
bindsym $mod+Shift+0 move container to workspace $ws0

Move workspaces between monitors

Source: https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/397270/9358

bindsym $mod+Ctrl+greater move workspace to output right
bindsym $mod+Ctrl+less move workspace to output left

Choose monitor setup

I have 2 external monitors and using a mode to enable/disable them.

set $mode_monitors Monitor setup: (0) laptop only, (1) one external, (2) two external
mode "$mode_monitors" {
  bindsym 0 exec --no-startup-id "xrandr --output DP-1 --off --output DP-2 --off", mode "default"
  #bindsym 1 exec --no-startup-id "xrandr --output eDP-1 --auto --output DP-1 --auto --left-of eDP-1 --output DP-2 --off", mode "default"
  #bindsym 2 exec --no-startup-id "xrandr --output eDP-1 --auto --output DP-1 --auto --left-of eDP-1 --output DP-2 --auto --left-of DP-1", mode "default"
  bindsym 2 exec --no-startup-id "xrandr --output eDP-1 --auto --pos 7680x0 --output DP-1 --scale 1x1 --mode 3840x2160 --pos 3840x0 --output DP-2 --scale 1x1 --mode 3840x2160 --pos 0x0", mode "default"

  # back to normal: Enter or Escape
  bindsym Return mode "default"
  bindsym Escape mode "default"
}
bindsym XF86Display mode "$mode_monitors"

Controlling i3 itself

Reload

Reload the configuration file.

bindsym $mod+Shift+c reload

Restart

Restart i3 inplace. This preserves your layout/session, can be used to upgrade i3.

bindsym $mod+Shift+r restart

Exit

Exit i3. It logs you out of your X session.

bindsym $mod+Shift+e exec "i3-nagbar -t warning -m 'You pressed the exit shortcut. Do you really want to exit i3? This will end your X session.' -b 'Yes, exit i3' 'i3-msg exit'"

Resizing

Resize window. You can also use the mouse for that.

mode "resize" {
  # These bindings trigger as soon as you enter the resize mode

  # Pressing left will shrink the window’s width.
  # Pressing right will grow the window’s width.
  # Pressing up will shrink the window’s height.
  # Pressing down will grow the window’s height.
  bindsym $left       resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym $down       resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym $up         resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym $right      resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

  # same bindings, but for the arrow keys
  bindsym Left        resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym Down        resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym Up          resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
  bindsym Right       resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

  # back to normal: Enter or Escape or Mod1+r
  bindsym Return mode "default"
  bindsym Escape mode "default"
  bindsym $mod+r mode "default"
}

bindsym $mod+r mode "resize"

Shutdown

A mode to select the shutdown/reboot/etc.

From i3wm faq.

set $mode_system System (l) lock, (e) logout, (s) suspend, (h) hibernate, (r) reboot, (Shift+s) shutdown
mode "$mode_system" {
  bindsym l exec --no-startup-id xset s activate, mode "default"
  bindsym e exec --no-startup-id i3-msg exit, mode "default"
  bindsym s exec --no-startup-id "xset s activate; systemctl suspend", mode "default"
  bindsym h exec --no-startup-id "i3lock; systemctl hibernate", mode "default"
  bindsym r exec --no-startup-id systemctl reboot, mode "default"
  bindsym Shift+s exec --no-startup-id systemctl poweroff, mode "default"

  # back to normal: Enter or Escape
  bindsym Return mode "default"
  bindsym Escape mode "default"
}
bindsym $mod+Delete mode "$mode_system"

Brightness

From https://askubuntu.com/a/823691/850746 using light.

bindsym XF86MonBrightnessUp exec light -A 2
bindsym XF86MonBrightnessDown exec light -U 2

Media keys

I’m using to use pactl.

bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id "pactl info | grep 'Default Sink' | cut -d: -f2 | xargs -I{} pactl set-sink-volume {} +5%"
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id "pactl info | grep 'Default Sink' | cut -d: -f2 | xargs -I{} pactl set-sink-volume {} -5%"
bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id "pactl info | grep 'Default Sink' | cut -d: -f2 | xargs -I{} pactl set-sink-mute {} toggle"

This changes the volume in pulseaudio.

I also tried a better way, and to do it in alsa, but it turned out to be less reliable and also does not allow me to go over 100%, which is something desired.

bindsym XF86AudioMute exec amixer sset 'Master' toggle
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec amixer -n sset 'Master' 5%-
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec amixer -n sset 'Master' 5%+

Screenshots

Create screenshots.

About the use of --release, see https://www.reddit.com/r/i3wm/wiki/faq/screenshot_binding

Print
Save screenshot of selected area to file.
Shift + Print
Save screenshot of selected area to clipboard.
Ctrl + Print
Save screenshot of whole screen to file.
bindsym       Print exec "flameshot gui -p ~/Pictures"
bindsym Shift+Print exec "flameshot gui"
bindsym  Ctrl+Print exec "flameshot full"

Status bar

Start i3bar to display a workspace bar (plus the system information i3status finds out, if available).

bar {
  tray_output primary
  status_command bash ~/.config/i3status/wrapper.sh
}

Applets

Network manager

Start network manager applet.

exec --no-startup-id nm-applet

Dropbox

Start dropbox daemon.

exec --no-startup-id exec ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd

Window assignment

Assign some windows to a workspace. Just like I want them.

To get the class and instance, you can use xprop. After clicking on the window, you will see the following output:

WM_CLASS(STRING) = "irssi", "URxvt"
assign [class="Slack"] → $ws1
#assign [class="-terminal$"] → $ws2
assign [class="^emacs"] → $ws3
assign [class="^firefox$"] → $ws4
assign [class="^firefoxdeveloperedition$"] → $ws5

Floating windows

Some windows aren’t properly handled as floating by default.

“zoom”
This window is a little popup shown when someone has become the host of the meeting
for_window [title="^zoom$"] floating enable

Workspace assignment

Also each workspace has its preferred screen. By specifying multiple outputs, the first one available will be used.

workspace $ws1 output primary
workspace $ws2 output primary
workspace $ws3 output DP-1 primary
workspace $ws4 output DP-1 primary
workspace $ws5 output DP-2 DP-1 primary
workspace $ws6 output DP-1 primary
workspace $ws8 output DP-1 primary
workspace $ws9 output DP-2 DP-1 primary

Dim script

Taken from /usr/share/doc/xss-lock/dim-screen.sh.

#!/bin/bash

# Example notifier script -- lowers screen brightness, then waits to be killed
# and restores previous brightness on exit.

## CONFIGURATION ##############################################################

# Brightness will be lowered to this value.
min_brightness=0

# If your video driver works with xbacklight, set -time and -steps for fading
# to $min_brightness here. Setting steps to 1 disables fading.
fade_time=200
fade_steps=20

# If you have a driver without RandR backlight property (e.g. radeon), set this
# to use the sysfs interface and create a .conf file in /etc/tmpfiles.d/
# containing the following line to make the sysfs file writable for group
# "users":
#
#     m /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/brightness 0664 root users - -
#
sysfs_path=/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

# Time to sleep (in seconds) between increments when using sysfs. If unset or
# empty, fading is disabled.
fade_step_time=0.01

###############################################################################

get_brightness() {
    if [[ -z $sysfs_path ]]; then
        xbacklight -get
    else
        cat $sysfs_path
    fi
}

set_brightness() {
    if [[ -z $sysfs_path ]]; then
        xbacklight -steps 1 -set $1
    else
        echo $1 > $sysfs_path
    fi
}

fade_brightness() {
    if [[ -z $sysfs_path ]]; then
        xbacklight -time $fade_time -steps $fade_steps -set $1
    elif [[ -z $fade_step_time ]]; then
        set_brightness $1
    else
        local level
        for level in $(eval echo {$(get_brightness)..$1}); do
            set_brightness $level
            sleep $fade_step_time
        done
    fi
}

trap 'exit 0' TERM INT
trap "set_brightness $(get_brightness); kill %%" EXIT
fade_brightness $min_brightness
sleep 2147483647 &
wait

Lock script

This was inspired by a Reddit comment.

The script is taken from xss-lock/transfer-sleep-lock-i3lock.sh.

## CONFIGURATION ##############################################################

# Options to pass to i3lock
bgcolor="282A36AF"
textcolor="F8F8F2FF"
vercolor="BD93F92F"
wrongcolor="FF5555FF"
ringcolor="BD93F9FF"
keycolor="50FA7BFF"
backcolor="FFB86CFF"
datestr="%a, %b %d" # Use non-breaking spaces, text is cut at normal spaces

i3lock_options="--ignore-empty-password --indicator --clock --composite --line-uses-inside \
                --pass-media-keys --pass-screen-keys --date-str=$datestr \
                --image=/home/toon/Dropbox/images/wallpaper/lego-technic-tiling.jpg --tiling \
                --insidever-color=$bgcolor --insidewrong-color=$bgcolor --inside-color=$bgcolor \
                --ringver-color=$vercolor --ringwrong-color=$wrongcolor --ring-color=$ringcolor \
                --keyhl-color=$keycolor --bshl-color=$backcolor --verif-color=$textcolor \
                --wrong-color=$textcolor --layout-color=$textcolor --time-color=$textcolor --date-color=$textcolor"
#i3lock_options="--color=4c7899 --ignore-empty-password --show-failed-attempts --nofork"

# Run before starting the locker
pre_lock() {
  xset s off dpms 0 30 300
  return
}

# Run after the locker exits
post_lock() {
  xset s 180 120 -dpms
  return
}

###############################################################################

pre_lock

# We set a trap to kill the locker if we get killed, then start the locker and
# wait for it to exit. The waiting is not that straightforward when the locker
# forks, so we use this polling only if we have a sleep lock to deal with.
if [[ -e /dev/fd/${XSS_SLEEP_LOCK_FD:--1} ]]; then
    kill_i3lock() {
        pkill -xu $EUID "$@" i3lock
    }

    trap kill_i3lock TERM INT

    # we have to make sure the locker does not inherit a copy of the lock fd
    i3lock $i3lock_options {XSS_SLEEP_LOCK_FD}<&-

    # now close our fd (only remaining copy) to indicate we're ready to sleep
    exec {XSS_SLEEP_LOCK_FD}<&-

    while kill_i3lock -0; do
        sleep 0.5
    done
else
    trap 'kill %%' TERM INT
    i3lock -n $i3lock_options &
    wait
fi

post_lock

i3status

Configure i3status.

general {
  output_format = "i3bar"
  colors = true
  interval = 1
  color_good = "#33cc33"
  color_degraded = "#cccc33"
  color_bad = "#cc3333"
}

order += "wireless _first_"
order += "ethernet _first_"
order += "path_exists wireguard"
order += "battery all"
order += "load"
order += "memory"
order += "tztime local"

wireless _first_ {
  format_up = "%quality 📡 %essid"
  format_down = ""
  color_good = "#ffffff"
}

ethernet _first_ {
  format_up = "🔗 %speed"
  format_down = ""
}

path_exists wireguard {
  format = "🔒"
  format_down = ""
  path = "/var/run/wireguard/tun0.sock"
}

battery all {
  format = "%percentage %status %remaining"
  format_down = ""
  status_chr = "🔌"
  status_bat = "🔋"
  status_unk = "🧲 "
  status_full = "⚡"
  path = "/sys/class/power_supply/BAT%d/uevent"
  low_threshold = 10
  integer_battery_capacity = true
}

tztime local {
  format = "%Y-%m-%d @@ %H:%M:%S"
}

load {
  format = "📟 %5min"
  format_above_threshold = "🌋 %1min"
}

memory {
  format = "📪 %used"
  threshold_degraded = "10%"
  format_degraded = "📬 %free"
}

disk "/" {
  format = "%free"
}

i3status-wrapper

A wrapper script for i3status. Pipe the ouput of i3status through this script and it will replace @@ with a Unicode clock.

clock_symbol() {
    local c="🕛🕧🕐🕜🕑🕝🕒🕞🕓🕟🕔🕠🕕🕡🕖🕢🕗🕣🕘🕤🕙🕥🕚🕦🕛🕧🕐"
    local h=$(date +%-I)
    local m=$(date +%-M)
    local q=$(($m / 15))
    local i=$((($h * 2) + ($q - $q/2)))
    echo ${c:$i:1}
}

i3status | while :
do
  read line
  clock=$(clock_symbol)
  echo "${line/@@/$clock}" || exit 1
done