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docs/wsbar: update (we have i3bar now, i3-wsbar is just an example)

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fixes #735
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Michael Stapelberg 2013-04-07 10:23:49 +02:00
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@ -1,23 +1,18 @@
External workspace bars External workspace bars
======================= =======================
Michael Stapelberg <michael+i3@stapelberg.de> Michael Stapelberg <michael@i3wm.org>
May 2010 April 2013
This document describes why the internal workspace bar is minimal and how an i3 comes with i3bar by default, a simple bar that is sufficient for most users.
external workspace bar can be used. It explains the concepts using +i3-wsbar+ In case you are unhappy with it, this document explains how to use a different,
as the reference implementation. external workspace bar. Note that we do not provide support for external
programs.
== Internal and external bars == Internal and external bars
The internal workspace bar of i3 is meant to be a reasonable default so that The internal workspace bar of i3 is meant to be a reasonable default so that
you can use i3 without having too much hassle when setting it up. It is quite you can use i3 without having too much hassle when setting it up. It is quite
simple and intended to stay this way. So, there is no way to display your own simple and intended to stay this way.
information in this bar (unlike dwm, wmii, awesome, …).
We chose not to implement such a mechanism because that would be duplicating
already existing functionality of tools such as dzen2, xmobar and similar.
Instead, you should disable the internal bar and use an external workspace bar
(which communicates with i3 through its IPC interface).
== dock mode == dock mode
@ -25,10 +20,10 @@ You typically want to see the same workspace bar on every workspace on a
specific screen. Also, you don’t want to place the workspace bar somewhere specific screen. Also, you don’t want to place the workspace bar somewhere
in your layout by hand. This is where dock mode comes in: When a program sets in your layout by hand. This is where dock mode comes in: When a program sets
the appropriate hint (_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK), it will be managed in dock the appropriate hint (_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK), it will be managed in dock
mode by i3. That means it will be placed at the bottom of the screen (while mode by i3. That means it will be placed at the bottom or top of the screen
other edges of the screen are possible in the NetWM standard, this is not yet (while other edges of the screen are possible in the NetWM standard, this is
implemented in i3), it will not overlap any other window and it will be on not yet implemented in i3), it will not overlap any other window and it will be
every workspace for the specific screen it was placed on initially. on every workspace for the specific screen it was placed on initially.
== The IPC interface == The IPC interface
@ -37,8 +32,8 @@ provide the bar program with the current workspaces and output (as in VGA-1,
LVDS-1, …) configuration. In the other direction, the program has to be able LVDS-1, …) configuration. In the other direction, the program has to be able
to switch to specific workspaces. to switch to specific workspaces.
By default, the IPC interface is enabled and places its UNIX socket in By default, the IPC interface is enabled and you can get the path to the socket
+~/.i3/ipc.sock+. by calling +i3 --get-socketpath+.
To learn more about the protocol which is used for IPC, see +docs/ipc+. To learn more about the protocol which is used for IPC, see +docs/ipc+.
@ -49,17 +44,17 @@ external workspace bar implementation needs to make sure that when you change
the resolution of any of your screens (or enable/disable an output), the bars the resolution of any of your screens (or enable/disable an output), the bars
will be adjusted properly. will be adjusted properly.
== i3-wsbar, the reference implementation == i3-wsbar, an example implementation
Please keep in mind that +i3-wsbar+ is just a reference implementation. It is +i3-wsbar+ used to be the reference implementation before we had +i3bar+.
shipped with i3 to have a reasonable default. Thus, +i3-wsbar+ is designed to Nowadays, it is not shipped with release tarballs, but you can still get it at
work well with dzen2 and there are no plans to make it more generic. http://code.stapelberg.de/git/i3/tree/contrib/i3-wsbar
=== The big picture === The big picture
The most common reason to use an external workspace bar is to integrate system The most common reason to use an external workspace bar is to integrate system
information such as what +i3status+ provides into the workspace bar (to save information such as what +i3status+ or +conky+ provide into the workspace bar.
screen space). So, we have +i3status+ or a similar program, which only provides So, we have +i3status+ or a similar program, which only provides
text output (formatted in some way). To display this text nicely on the screen, text output (formatted in some way). To display this text nicely on the screen,
there are programs such as dzen2, xmobar and similar. We will stick to dzen2 there are programs such as dzen2, xmobar and similar. We will stick to dzen2
from here on. So, we have the output of i3status, which needs to go into dzen2 from here on. So, we have the output of i3status, which needs to go into dzen2
@ -89,6 +84,3 @@ To actually get a benefit, you want to give +i3-wsbar+ some input:
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
i3status | i3-wsbar -c "dzen2 -x %x -dock" i3status | i3-wsbar -c "dzen2 -x %x -dock"
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
It is recommended to place the above command in your i3 configuration file
to start it automatically with i3.