[openbox] Using Mouse To Change Virtual Desktops

Anthony Thyssen A.Thyssen at griffith.edu.au
Sun Jul 1 19:58:12 EDT 2012


On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:25:33 +0200
David Vogt <david.vogt at adfinis-sygroup.ch> wrote:
| On 06/28/2012 08:18 PM, Frank Peters wrote:
| > Hello,
| > 
| > I have been using openbox exclusively for several years and it has
| > proven to be a great window manager.  (I have always had a minimalist
| > approach to computing and I loathe such bloated behemoths as Gnome
| > or KDE.)
| > 
| > However, my single complaint is that with openbox it is not possible
| > to change to the next virtual desktop by using the mouse pointer.
| > After setting up a virtual desktop grid with the setlayout utility,
| > the only quick way to change desktops is by using hotkeys.  The key
| > method is quick and simple, but using the mouse pointer to scroll
| > onto the adjacent desktop would be even quicker and simpler and
| > also more natural.
| 
| You could also try easystroke[1]. It's a program that allows you to
| configure mouse gestures to execute commands, simulate key strokes etc.
| I use it to control the web browsers, and also a couple of window
| management commands (maximize/unmaximize, next/prev desktop, etc.)
| 
| I don't think that it's possible with easystroke to switch desktop when
| at a given position (ie. screen edge), but some other gesture should be
| pretty much as easy as well :)
| 
| 
| [1]: http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/easystroke/
| 

I see two solutions....

Easystoke is one of them. I have it, and even used it for this purpose.
(not any more, I map 'PrintScreen' key to desktop cycle instead.
What I did have was...

  * if I draw a number I go to that numbered desktop
      a '1' has a hook at top and line at the bottom to make it a number
      rather than just a line.

  * If I use a 'half arrow'   That is I draw a half 'head' and a line
    across the screen, I cycle the desktops in that direction.

  I have Easystroke call "wmctrl", "xwit" and "xdotool" to make the changes.
  with scripts reading what desktop I am on, cycling the desktop number and
  jumping to them.


The other solution, is "xdotool"

It has 'edge detect' actions, that can do things when mouse points hit
the edge. An example script has it pop-out a terminal or command line,
but it could just as easilly switch desktops instead.



  Anthony Thyssen ( System Programmer )    <A.Thyssen at griffith.edu.au>
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  "I'm not bad.   I'm just drawn that way!"
                             - Jessica Rabbit -- "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"
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   Anthony's Castle     http://www.ict.griffith.edu.au/anthony/


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