Some more work on docs/hacking-howto
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Michael Stapelberg
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d2f663e1a8
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@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ In the case of i3, the tasks (and order of them) are the following:
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. Iterate through all existing windows (if the window manager is not started as the first
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client of X) and manage them (= reparent them, create window decorations)
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. When new windows are created, manage them
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. Handle the client’s _WM_STATE property, but only the _WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN
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. Handle the client’s WM_NAME property
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. Handle the client’s `_WM_STATE` property, but only the `_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN`
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. Handle the client’s `WM_NAME` property
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. Handle the client’s size hints to display them proportionally
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. Handle enter notifications (focus follows mouse)
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. Handle button (as in mouse buttons) presses for focus/raise on click
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@ -78,32 +78,59 @@ src/xinerama.c::
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== Data structures
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See include/data.h for documented data structures.
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See include/data.h for documented data structures. The most important ones are explained
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right here.
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TODO: We need a slick graphic here
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=== Virtual screens
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A virtual screen (type i3Screen) is generated from the connected screens obtained
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A virtual screen (type `i3Screen`) is generated from the connected screens obtained
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through Xinerama. The difference to the raw Xinerama monitors as seen when using xrandr(1)
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is that it falls back to the lowest common resolution of the logical screens.
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For example, if your notebook has 1280x800 and you connect a video projector with
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1024x768, set up in clone mode (xrandr --output VGA --mode 1024x768 --same-as LVDS),
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1024x768, set up in clone mode (xrandr \--output VGA \--mode 1024x768 \--same-as LVDS),
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i3 will have one virtual screen.
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However, if you configure it using xrandr --output VGA --mode 1024x768 --right-of LVDS,
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However, if you configure it using xrandr \--output VGA \--mode 1024x768 \--right-of LVDS,
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i3 will generate two virtual screens. For each virtual screen, a new workspace will be
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assigned. New workspaces are created on the screen you are currently on.
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=== Workspace
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A workspace is identified by its number. Basically, you could think of workspaces
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as different desks in your bureau, if you like the desktop methaphor. They just contain
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different sets of windows and are completely separate of each other. Other window
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managers also call this ``Virtual desktops''.
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=== The layout table
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Each workspace has a table, which is just a two-dimensional dynamic array containing
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Containers (see below). This table grows and shrinks as you need it (by moving windows
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to the right you can create a new column in the table, by moving them to the bottom
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you create a new row).
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=== Container
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A container is the content of a table’s cell. It holds an arbitrary amount of windows
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and has a specific layout (default layout or stack layout). Containers can consume
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multiple table cells by modifying their colspan/rowspan attribute.
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=== Client
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A client is x11-speak for a window.
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== List/queue macros
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i3 makes heavy use of the list macros defined in BSD operating systems. To ensure
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that the operating system on which i3 is compiled has all the awaited features,
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i3 comes with include/queue.h. On BSD systems, you can use man queue(3). On Linux,
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i3 comes with `include/queue.h`. On BSD systems, you can use man `queue(3)`. On Linux,
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you have to use google.
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The lists used are SLISTs (single linked lists) and CIRCLEQ (circular queues).
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Usually, only forward traversal is necessary, so an SLIST works fine. However,
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for the windows inside a container, a CIRCLEQ is necessary to go from the currently
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The lists used are `SLIST` (single linked lists) and `CIRCLEQ` (circular queues).
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Usually, only forward traversal is necessary, so an `SLIST` works fine. However,
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for the windows inside a container, a `CIRCLEQ` is necessary to go from the currently
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selected window to the window above/below.
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== Naming conventions
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@ -111,12 +138,12 @@ selected window to the window above/below.
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There is a row of standard variables used in many events. The following names should be
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chosen for those:
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* "conn" is the xcb_connection_t
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* "event" is the event of the particular type
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* "container" names a container
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* "client" names a client, for example when using a CIRCLEQ_FOREACH
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* ``conn'' is the xcb_connection_t
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* ``event'' is the event of the particular type
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* ``container'' names a container
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* ``client'' names a client, for example when using a `CIRCLEQ_FOREACH`
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== Startup (src/mainx.c)
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== Startup (src/mainx.c, main())
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* Establish the xcb connection
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* Check for XKB extension on the separate X connection
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@ -157,7 +184,7 @@ The bound command is parsed directly in command mode.
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== Manage windows (src/mainx.c, manage_window() and reparent_window())
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manage_window() does some checks to decide whether the window should be managed at all:
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`manage_window()` does some checks to decide whether the window should be managed at all:
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* Windows have to be mapped, that is, visible on screen
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* The override_redirect must not be set. Windows with override_redirect shall not be
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@ -170,23 +197,23 @@ Reparenting means that for each window which is reparented, a new window, slight
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than the original one, is created. The original window is then reparented to the bigger one
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(called "frame").
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After reparenting, the window type (_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE) is checked to see whether this
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window is a dock (_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK), like dzen2 for example. Docks are handled
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After reparenting, the window type (`_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE`) is checked to see whether this
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window is a dock (`_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK`), like dzen2 for example. Docks are handled
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differently, they don’t have decorations and are not assigned to a specific container.
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Instead, they are positioned at the bottom of the screen. To get the height which needsd
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to be reserved for the window, the _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL property is used.
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to be reserved for the window, the `_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL` property is used.
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== What happens when an application is started?
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i3 does not care for applications. All it notices is when new windows are mapped (see
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src/handlers.c, handle_map_notify_event()). The window is then reparented (see section
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`src/handlers.c`, `handle_map_notify_event()`). The window is then reparented (see section
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"Manage windows").
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After reparenting the window, render_layout() is called which renders the internal
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After reparenting the window, `render_layout()` is called which renders the internal
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layout table. The window was placed in the currently focused container and
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therefore the new window and the old windows (if any) need te be moved/resized
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so that the currently active layout (default mode/stacking mode) is rendered
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correctly. To move/resize windows, a window is "configured" in X11-speak.
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correctly. To move/resize windows, a window is ``configured'' in X11-speak.
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Some applications, such as MPlayer obivously assume the window manager is stupid
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and therefore configure their windows by themselves. This generates an event called
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@ -194,7 +221,7 @@ configurenotify. i3 handles these events and pushes the window back to its posit
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== _NET_WM_STATE
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Only the _NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN atom is handled. It calls toggle_fullscreen() for the
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Only the _NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN atom is handled. It calls ``toggle_fullscreen()'' for the
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specific client which just configures the client to use the whole screen on which it
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currently is. Also, it is set as fullscreen_client for the i3Screen.
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@ -205,7 +232,9 @@ is re-rendered.
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== Size hints
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== Rendering
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TODO
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== Rendering (src/layout.c, render_layout() and render_container())
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There are two entry points to rendering: render_layout() and render_container(). The
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former one renders all virtual screens, the currently active workspace of each virtual
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@ -244,6 +273,12 @@ this window is the currently focused one or the last focused one in a not focuse
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or not focused at all) forming the background. Afterwards, two lighter lines are drawn
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and the last step is drawing the window’s title (see WM_NAME) onto it.
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=== Fullscreen windows
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For fullscreen windows, the `rect` (x, y, width, height) is not changed to allow the client
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to easily go back to its previous position. Instead, fullscreen windows are skipped
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when rendering.
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=== Resizing containers
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By clicking and dragging the border of a container, you can resize it freely.
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@ -256,11 +291,11 @@ Like in vim, you can control i3 using commands. They are intended to be a powerf
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alternative to lots of shortcuts, because they can be combined. There are a few special
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commands, which are the following:
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exec::
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Starts the given command by passing it to /bin/sh.
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exec <command>::
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Starts the given command by passing it to `/bin/sh`.
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restart::
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Restarts i3 by executing argv[0] (the path with which you started i3) without forking.
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Restarts i3 by executing `argv[0]` (the path with which you started i3) without forking.
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w::
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"With". This is used to select a bunch of windows. Currently, only selecting the whole
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@ -273,3 +308,9 @@ The other commands are to be combined with a direction. The directions are h, j,
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like in vim (h = left, j = down, k = up, l = right). When you just specify the direction
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keys, i3 will move the focus in that direction. You can provide "m" or "s" before the
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direction to move a window respectively or snap.
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== Gotchas
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* Forgetting to call `xcb_flush(conn);` after sending a request. This usually leads to
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code which looks like it works fine but which does not work under certain conditions.
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