Awesome

Table of Contents generated with DocToc

• [awesome Window Manager configuration](#awesome-window-managerawesome-configuration)
  • intro
  • setup
    • install on Linux
    • dependencies
    • miscellaneous
  • usage
    • universal argument
    • window management
      • restart/quit/info
      • layout
      • multiple screens/multi-head/RANDR
      • misc
    • persistent dynamic tagging
      • tag persistence
      • add/delete/rename
      • view
      • move
    • client management
      • operation
      • change focus
      • swap order/select master
      • move/copy to tag
      • change space allocation in tile layout
      • misc
    • app bindings
      • admin
      • everyday
      • the rest
    • tag list
    • task list
    • root window/"the desktop"
    • window/task/client title bar
  • customization
  • todo

awesome Window Manager configuration

intro

awesome is awesome. I use it on all Arch Linux desktop/laptop machines that I have control over (admittedly, it is not designed for handheld smartphones/tablets).

Me using it to demo Figurehead.

Search YouTube for "awesome wm" to see awesome in action.

Among my favorites features:

• keyboard driven workflow (again, see this in action on YouTube).
• customizable through the Lua programming language.
• one-key-combo switching between tiling and stacking window management styles.
• the ability to do dynamic tagging (meaning it is not enabled by the default configuration---at least up to v3.5.4 (Brown Paper Bag) released on 2 April 2014).

This repo holds my personal take of awesome's configuration. Hightlights:

• persistent dynamic tagging across (both regular and randr-induced) restarts.
  • dynamic tagging means tags can be created/moved/renamed/deleted on the fly without touching the configuration.
  • persistent means tags and the clients/programs associated with each tag is preserved across awesome restart.
    • apparently, I am not the only one who desire this
  • this is the feature I have desired for that is lacking in current default configuration.
• Emacs-inspired universal argument: Specify a numeric argument for, e.g., repetition or precise resizing. Idea/prototype credit: @AnthonyAaronHughWong in #3.
• confirmation before quit/restart to minimize data loss accidents.
  • you have to type "yes" (case insensitive) before quitting/restarting.
  • this minimizes the chance that you lose your work by accidents.
• keybindings for tuning transparency (using xcompmgr), stay-on-top, sticky.
  • these features combined, along with tiling and floating layouts, allow you to type in one window while seeing the content of others.
• keybindings to my preferred applications.
• only cycle through the most sensible (IMHO) layouts.
• keybinding optimized for Arch Linux over Thinkpad W530 (my current workhorse).

setup

install on Linux

• Install awesome with your preferred package manager. Example: sudo pacman -S awesome --needed --noconfirm on Arch Linux.
• Clone this repo to $HOME/.config/awesome.

cd $HOME/.config && git clone https://github.com/pw4ever/awesome-wm-config.git awesome

• Setup .xinitrc or Display Manager accordingly.

dependencies

These dependencies are mostly derived from the application keybindings. Some are needed to enable basic features like theming (feh), Desktop Entry Specification-style autostart (dex), audio setup (alsa-utils), backlight (xorg-xbacklight), Webcam (cheese), music player (mpd and mpc), screen lock (xscreensaver), network management (network-manager-applet), terminal (sakura), task manager (lxtask), and screen setup (arandr), etc..

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm feh dex xdg-utils screenfetch scrot xcompmgr kdeaccessibility wmname
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm alsa-utils gnome-alsamixer xorg-xbacklight xf86-input-synaptics cheese mpd mpc workrave
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm xscreensaver networkmanager network-manager-applet mate-power-manager arandr xfce4-appfinder xfce4-screenshooter gnome-control-center lxtask
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm pcmanfm gvfs udisks udiskie lxsession lxappearance xarchiver 
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm sakura terminator conky gksu launchy
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm gvim emacs firefox chromium putty remmina synergy
sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm fcitx-im fcitx-googlepinyin fcitx-configtool

miscellaneous

• populate your $HOME/.config/autostart with Desktop Entry Specification-style autostart files (optionally with OnlyShowIn=awesome if you only want them to auto-start in awesome).
• my autostart setup can be found here.

usage

Take a look at the "rc.lua" configuration file ($HOME/.config/awesome/rc.lua; perhaps by pressing the keybinding <kbd>Modkey</kbd><kbd>c</kbd> which will open rc.lua with the primary editor---for me, Vim).

Most keybindings are prefixed with the <kbd>Modkey</kbd>. This config associates <kbd>Modkey</kbd> to X Window's <kbd>Mod4</kbd>. On many machines, this associates the <kbd>Super_L</kbd> (tip: use xmodmap in terminal emulator to verify/change this), which usually translate to the (intuitively) <kbd>Windows</kbd> key.

Some keybinding requires further input (e.g., rename a tag), which will grab the key focus from your application. The <kbd>Esc</kbd> key is used to cancel partial input.

universal argument

Universal Argument (UniArg), inspired by the namesake Emacs feature, supplies a positive numeric argument to the following command. Depending on the context, it may supply a number of repetitions (search for uniarg:key_repeat in rc.lua) or a numeric argument (search for uniarg:key_numarg in rc.lua) such as percentage of volume adjustment or pixels to resize the client window. For example, with the UniArg being 3, "open terminal" operation (<kbd>Modkey</kbd><kbd>Enter</kbd> by default) will open 3 terminals.

Universal argument is activated when inputing a great-than-1 integer, and is deactivated when inputing a less-than-2 integer or a non-number. When universal argument is deactivated, the default behavior kicks in, which follows some heuristics to do sensible things such as the "extend client by 1/7 of the margin" and "shrink client by 1/11 of client width and leave client width at least 50 pixels" behavior for client window side expansion/shrinking documented below.

There are two modes of universal argument: Regular and persistent. Regular universal argument only applies to the next operation, while persistent universal argument applies to all following operations until changed or deactivated.

window management

restart/quit/info

layout

only the following layouts are enabled

in the floating mode, the following mouse actions on client window are enabled

multiple screens/multi-head/RANDR

misc

persistent dynamic tagging

tag persistence

add/delete/rename

view

move

client management

operation

change focus

swap order/select master

move/copy to tag

all these keys work on the single currently focused client

change space allocation in tile layout

misc

app bindings

shortcut keys are bound for most common apps; the keybinding is designed to be balanced between the left (pressing the <kbd>Modkey</kbd>) and the right hand (an additional easy to reach key).

admin

everyday

the rest

• currently optimized for Thinkpad W530 keyboard layout
• take a look at the config for details.

tag list

task list

root window/"the desktop"

window/task/client title bar

the five buttons on the upper right corner

customization

The items can be changed with awesome-client. Example:

customization.option.wallpaper_change_p=true -- enable random wallpaper choosing
customization.timer.change_wallpaper.timeout=7.5 -- choose a wallpaper every 7.5 seconds

todo

• improve persistent dynamic tagging: preserve tag configuration (e.g., layout style and client positions)