layout-machi

A manual layout for Awesome with a rapid interactive editor.

Why?

TL;DR --- I want the control of my layout.

1. Dynamic tiling is an overkill, since tiling is only useful for persistent windows, and people extensively use hibernate/sleep these days.
2. I don't want to have all windows moving around whenever a new window shows up.
3. I want to have a flexible layout such that I can quickly adjust to whatever I need.

Use the layout

Use layout_machi.layout.create_layout([LAYOUT_NAME}, [DEFAULT_REGIONS]) to instantiate the layout. For example:

layout_machi.layout.create_layout("default", {})

Creates a layout with no regions

Use the editor

Call layout_machi.editor.start_editor(data) to enter the editor for the current layout (given it is a machi instance). data is am object for storing the history of the editing, initially {}. The editor starts with the open area of the entire workarea, taking command to split the current area into multiple sub-areas, then editing each of them. The editor is keyboard driven, accepting a number of command keys. Before each command, you can optionally provide at most 2 digits for parameters (A, B) of the command. Undefined parameters are (mostly) treated as 1.

1. Up/Down: restore to the history command sequence
2. h/v: split the current region horizontally/vertically into 2 regions. The split will respect the ratio A:B.
3. w: Take two parameters (A, B), and split the current region equally into A columns and B rows. If no parameter is defined, behave the same as Space without parameters.
4. s: shift the current editing region with other open regions. If A is defined, shift for A times.
5. Space or -: Without parameters, close the current region and move to the next open region. With parameters, set the maximum depth of splitting (default is 2).
6. Enter/.: close all open regions. When all regions are closed, press Enter will save the layout and exit the editor.
7. Backspace: undo the last command.
8. Escape: exit the editor without saving the layout.

Demos:

I used Super + / for the editor and Super + Tab for fitting the windows.

h-v

11 22
11 22
11 
11 33
11 33

hvv (or 22w)

11 33
11 33

22 44
22 44

3-13h2v--2h-12v

Details:

• 3-: set the maximum editing depth to 3
• 13h: horizontally split the initial region (entire desktop) to the ratio of 1:3
• For the left part:
  • 2v: vertically split the region to the ratio of 2:1
  • --: ignore further editing the splitted regions
• For the right part:
  • 2h: horizontally split the region to the ratio of 2:1
  • -: ignore the left part of the splitted regions
  • 12v: split the right part vertically to the ratio of 1:2

Tada!

11 3333 44
11 3333 44
11 3333
11 3333 55
   3333 55
22 3333 55
22 3333 55

history

Persistent history

You need to specify the path of the history file in the editor data, then restore the persistent history by layout_machi.editor.restore_data. For example,

machi_layout_data = layout_machi.editor.restore_data({ history_file = ".machi-layout", history_save_max = 10 })

Then start the editor with the restored data. The last history_save_max commands are persisted.

Other goodies

• Moving a window using the mouse will move it across regions

Other functions

layout_machi.editor.cycle_region(c) will fit a floating client into the closest region, then cycle through all regions.

TODO

• Tabs on regions?

License

Apache 2.0 --- See LICENSE