i3 configuration questions

daedalus.mythos · 2014-11-26 14:17:05

I've just switched to i3 and have a few questions about the configuration/customization..
I don't know whether it's ok to just ask them.. sadly I'm too busy (or lazy, you choose) to go trough the whole i3 user doc, just ~10 pages, but here it goes..

How do I set my laptop's media volume buttons to increase/decrease/mute volume (i've done it with alsamixer up to now)
How do I define a background picture for i3lock? (--image didn't work, yes it was a png, no error messages)
Can I modify the i3lock circle (changing the circle or adding a picture there as well)?
How can I define that a certain program opens up on a certain workspace (e.g. firefox always on workspace 4)
How can I name workspaces in the i3bar?
How do I alter boarder color and width?
Can I save a session (what is opened where) when restarting?
Can I minimize a window?
If i split a container (MOD4+H / V) or set to stacking/tabbing mode, how do I undo that? (having one simple container again)
Where do I put any commands (e.g. `feh --bg-scale ~/.picture.png`) that I want started on every restart?

thanks for any hint, answers and sorry in case I cause grumbling..

best regards,
daedalus

Last edited by daedalus.mythos (2014-11-26 14:38:48)

oliver · 2014-11-26 14:37:57

The wiki page has a lot of the answers I think

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/i3

One tip, if you cut and paste, is to make sure you don't add spaces to the end of the lines when dealing with workspace names. That caught me out for a while.

ANOKNUSA · 2014-11-26 14:54:26

Every i3 program has a man page, and i3 has probably the most thorough documentation of any tiler. Read it. Every single one of your questions is answered there, except the issue with images in i3lock.

daedalus.mythos · 2014-11-26 15:03:52

ANOKNUSA wrote:

Every i3 program has a man page, and i3 has probably the most thorough documentation of any tiler. Read it. Every single one of your questions is answered there, except the issue with images in i3lock.

well then I'll have to read trough that on the weekend. thanks for the hint.

Trilby · 2014-11-26 15:31:52

daedalus.mythos wrote:

I don't know whether it's ok to just ask them.. sadly I'm too busy (or lazy, you choose) to go trough the whole i3 user doc

I don't get the impression that it was intended to have this effect which is why I'll explain rather than just dustbinning this thread, but you should know that to many users here this approach is just very rude. You are too lazy to find the answer to your own question where you know it can be found, so instead you ask someone else here to volunteer to read it to you. This is not a strategy that will pay off on these forums - that is not how these forums work.

We want to help you become a constructive member of the community, not just another help vampire. Again, I don't get any indication that this is your intent, so hopefully this can be just a gentle nudge in the right direction. This thread may turn to productive discussions if you have specific questions about the documentation after you read it - that sort of question is valued here. Also the image for screen lock may lead to productive discussion. But please be sure to read the documentation yourself and take responsibility for your own desires - we will help, we will not do everything for you though.

ajbibb · 2014-11-26 15:47:51

There was a suggestion in the primary i3 thread a while back, maybe from Tribly (apologies if I've mis-attributed it) to have a directory for your wallpaper that contains a symlink to the actual wallpaper. Then when you wish to change your background all you need to do is modify the symlink instead of modifying your .config file. I expanded that idea to also contain my i3lock background. Code is:

# set the screen lock PNG file
# set this variable to point to ~/.wallpaper/screenlock which
# should be a symlink to the actual picture
set $screenlock ~/.wallpaper/screenlock

Key bind to start the lock program:

bindsym $mod+F12	exec --no-startup-id i3lock -c 333333 -i $screenlock -t

the -c option provides a clean color should the background not be found

daedalus.mythos · 2014-11-26 15:48:56

Trilby wrote:

daedalus.mythos wrote:
I don't know whether it's ok to just ask them.. sadly I'm too busy (or lazy, you choose) to go trough the whole i3 user doc
I don't get the impression that it was intended to have this effect which is why I'll explain rather than just dustbinning this thread, but you should know that to many users here this approach is just very rude. You are too lazy to find the answer to your own question where you know it can be found, so instead you ask someone else here to volunteer to read it to you. This is not a strategy that will pay off on these forums - that is not how these forums work.
We want to help you become a constructive member of the community, not just another help vampire. Again, I don't get any indication that this is your intent, so hopefully this can be just a gentle nudge in the right direction. This thread may turn to productive discussions if you have specific questions about the documentation after you read it - that sort of question is valued here. Also the image for screen lock may lead to productive discussion. But please be sure to read the documentation yourself and take responsibility for your own desires - we will help, we will not do everything for you though.

thank you very much for the extensive explanation and the productive feedback!
I'll print the documentation and read when commuting..

snakeroot · 2014-11-27 16:13:02

I just started using i3 a few weeks ago, so I understand how daunting the documentation may feel.

Might I suggest that you use the i3 FAQs instead (or really as well)? These aren't really FAQs in the classic sense, but more like StackExchange (i.e., community-driven Q&A). Even if the questions aren't exactly on point, there's often useful background.

The FAQ search page is here:

https://faq.i3wm.org/questions/

Some pages germane to a couple of your particular questions (so you can see what I mean):

daedelus.mythos wrote:

How do I set my laptop's media volume buttons to increase/decrease/mute volume (i've done it with alsamixer up to now)

https://faq.i3wm.org/question/125/how-t … ms-volume/

daedelus.mythos wrote:

How can I define that a certain program opens up on a certain workspace (e.g. firefox always on workspace 4)

https://faq.i3wm.org/question/2155/how- … les-in-i3/
https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3389/star … e-failing/

Good luck and enjoy learning i3!

daedalus.mythos · 2014-12-02 07:39:24

ajbibb wrote:

There was a suggestion in the primary i3 thread a while back, maybe from Tribly (apologies if I've mis-attributed it) to have a directory for your wallpaper that contains a symlink to the actual wallpaper. Then when you wish to change your background all you need to do is modify the symlink instead of modifying your .config file. I expanded that idea to also contain my i3lock background. Code is:
# set the screen lock PNG file
# set this variable to point to ~/.wallpaper/screenlock which
# should be a symlink to the actual picture
set $screenlock ~/.wallpaper/screenlock
Key bind to start the lock program:
bindsym $mod+F12	exec --no-startup-id i3lock -c 333333 -i $screenlock -t
the -c option provides a clean color should the background not be found

thank you very much for the hint!

snakeroot wrote:

I just started using i3 a few weeks ago, so I understand how daunting the documentation may feel.
Might I suggest that you use the i3 FAQs instead (or really as well)? These aren't really FAQs in the classic sense, but more like StackExchange (i.e., community-driven Q&A). Even if the questions aren't exactly on point, there's often useful background.
The FAQ search page is here:
https://faq.i3wm.org/questions/
Some pages germane to a couple of your particular questions (so you can see what I mean):
daedelus.mythos wrote:
How do I set my laptop's media volume buttons to increase/decrease/mute volume (i've done it with alsamixer up to now)
https://faq.i3wm.org/question/125/how-t … ms-volume/
daedelus.mythos wrote:
How can I define that a certain program opens up on a certain workspace (e.g. firefox always on workspace 4)
https://faq.i3wm.org/question/2155/how- … les-in-i3/
https://faq.i3wm.org/question/3389/star … e-failing/
Good luck and enjoy learning i3!

Thanks a lot for the heads up and the links!

tzoi516 · 2014-12-02 12:43:00

I use the volumeicon package for my i3 volume control

daedalus.mythos · 2014-12-02 13:50:40

tzoi516 wrote:

I use the volumeicon package for my i3 volume control

thank you, I'll check that out right away!

tzoi516 · 2014-12-02 14:59:28

Just make sure you have the right device selected in Preferences (right-click volume icon) - I have 3 audio sources to choose from on my laptop.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-11-26 14:17:05

i3 configuration questions

#2 2014-11-26 14:37:57

Re: i3 configuration questions

#3 2014-11-26 14:54:26

Re: i3 configuration questions

#4 2014-11-26 15:03:52

Re: i3 configuration questions

#5 2014-11-26 15:31:52

Re: i3 configuration questions

#6 2014-11-26 15:47:51

Re: i3 configuration questions

#7 2014-11-26 15:48:56

Re: i3 configuration questions

#8 2014-11-27 16:13:02

Re: i3 configuration questions

#9 2014-12-02 07:39:24

Re: i3 configuration questions

#10 2014-12-02 12:43:00

Re: i3 configuration questions

#11 2014-12-02 13:50:40

Re: i3 configuration questions

#12 2014-12-02 14:59:28

Re: i3 configuration questions

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