Warpspace

Warpspace is a lightweight command-line tool for Linux systems that allows users to move application windows between virtual desktops (workspaces) using a curses-based menu interface. It leverages wmctrl to list and manage top-level windows, making it compatible with EWMH-compliant window managers (e.g., Openbox, i3). The tool is designed to be generic, handling applications like LibreOffice, Firefox, or terminals without application-specific logic.

What It Does

Warpspace enables users to:

1. List Applications by Workspace: Displays all top-level windows (applications) and their current workspaces using wmctrl -l -x.
2. Select an Application: Presents a curses-based menu showing each window’s title, WM_CLASS, and current workspace (e.g., “LibreOffice Calc (libreoffice.libreoffice-calc, Workspace 1)”).
3. Choose a Destination Workspace: Allows users to select a target workspace using a curses-based menu.
4. Move the Application: Moves the selected window to the chosen workspace using wmctrl, ensuring the current desktop doesn’t switch and avoiding sub-window issues (e.g., LibreOffice toolbars).

This approach avoids the complexities of sub-window handling by focusing on top-level windows, making it reliable for complex applications like LibreOffice.

Features

• Menu-Based Interface: Uses a text-based curses menu for selecting applications and workspaces, navigable with arrow keys and Enter.
• Generic Design: Relies on wmctrl and X11 properties (_NET_WM_STATE, _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE) without hardcoding for specific applications.
• Robust Window Movement: Activates windows before moving, removes sticky properties, and verifies moves to ensure reliability.
• Error Handling: Retries failed moves, logs detailed errors to stderr, and avoids unintended workspace switching.

Requirements

• Linux system with an EWMH-compliant window manager (e.g., Openbox, i3).
• libX11 and ncurses development libraries for compilation.
• wmctrl installed for window management (sudo apt install wmctrl on Debian/Ubuntu or equivalent).

Installation

1. Clone the Repository (if hosted on GitHub):

   git clone https://github.com/gilflorida2023/warpspace.git
   cd warpspace
   

clone cd warpspace

Build:

make clean && make

Install (user or root):

Installs to /usr/local/bin/warpspace or ~/projects/bin/warpspace depending on who initiated the install.

make install

Add to PATH (if user install):

echo 'export PATH=$PATH:~/projects/bin' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Usage:

Run:

warpspace

Click a window (right-click to cancel).

Use arrow keys to select a workspace in the ncurses menu, press Enter, or q to quit.

WarpSpace moves the window:

Uses wmctrl -i -r <window_id> -t for listed windows.

Falls back to wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -t for unlisted windows.

Check the target workspace (e.g., Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right).

Terminal shows logs like:

Detected 4 desktops
Selected window: 0x03600007
Moved window 0x03600007 to desktop 0 using wmctrl ID
Verification: Window 0x03600007 is on desktop 0

Troubleshooting:

Check window listing:

wmctrl -l -x | grep <window_id>

Test movement:

wmctrl -i -r <window_id> -t 0
wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -t 0

View properties:

xprop -id <window_id>

Check Mutter:

dpkg -l | grep muffin

License:

MIT License