Don't create an empty workspace

[antoyo]

Hi.
I really like this tool, thanks for making it.

I do have a minor annoyance with it though: the monitor that did not have focus will have a new empty workspace created.
For instance, if monitor HDMI-1 had workspaces 1 and 3 and monitor DVI-D-1 has workspace 2 and the focus is on workspace 3 and I unplug HDMI-1 and plug it back, I will end up with a new workspace 10 on DVI-D-1 which is empty.
If the focus was on workspace 2 (or any monitor that stays connected), no new workspace will be created.

Here's my config:

{
    "outputs": [
        {
            "name": "HDMI-1",
            "xrandr": ["--primary"],
            "workspaces": [ "1", "3", "5", "7", "9" ]
        },
        {
            "name": "DVI-D-1",
            "xrandr": ["--right-of", "HDMI-1"],
            "workspaces": [ "2", "4", "6", "8", "10" ]
        }
    ]
}

I had a similar issue before using this tool, so maybe it's not caused by this tool.

Have you noticed this issue?
Is this normal?

Thanks for your help!

[fogine]

Looking at the code now. Its trying to focus the workspace which is lost (workspace 3 in your case) which is not possible so i3wm automatically creates a new workspace instead.. I could focus first existing workspace instead when the focused workspace is lost due to unplugged output..
The fix would not create a new empty workspace. Its not possible to regain focus of previously lost workspace (in your case workspace 3)

[antoyo]

Focusing an existing workspace would be better indeed.
I'm not sure I understand why the workspace is lost, though. What do you mean by "lost workspace"? The workspace still exists.
Thanks!

[fogine]

please try the new 1.0.1 release, it should be fixed.

[fogine]

fyi, I recreated the issue you described. I implemented a fix which makes sure active workspaces dont change on other display outputs on unplug event..

[antoyo]

Thanks for looking into this.
Unfortunately, the problem is worse now:
I get an empty workspace on both monitors.
Plus, this issue now arises whether the focused workspace is on monitor HDMI or DVI.

Just to make sure you understand the issue: it's creating the empty workspace when I plug back the second monitor.

[fogine]

@antoyo could you test whether the issue still persists for the following git branch?
https://github.com/fogine/i3-workscreen/tree/%239-fix-second-take

[antoyo]

I'm still having some issues with that branch.
This version will create an empty workspace when unplugging a monitor (no matter which workspace is focused).
The original version (1.0) would instead create an empty workspace when plugging the monitor.

[fogine]

Hm, thats weird. If you unplug the monitor, you have single active display, right? In that case active workspace should be the same as it was before you unplug the monitor.. Could you post the output of the following commands, before and after you connect/disconnect additional monitor?

xrandr

i3-save-tree --output HDMI-1

i3-save-tree --output DVI-D-1

[antoyo]

There you go:
dvi_after_disconnect.txt
dvi_before_disconnect.txt
hdmi_after_disconnect.txt
hdmi_before_disconnect.txt
xrandr_after_disconnect.txt
xrandr_before_disconnect.txt

I wonder if having the disconnected monitor being the primary one would cause an issue.

[fogine]

I would expect this file dvi_after_disconnect.txt to contain:

{                                                                               
    // workspace with 0 children                                                
    "border": "pixel",                                                          
    "floating": "auto_off",                                                     
    "fullscreen_mode": 1,                                                       
    "layout": "splith",                                                                                                                                         
    "marks": [],                                                                
    "percent": null,                                                            
    "type": "workspace"                                                         
}        

aka. empty workspace (newly created workspace after monitor is disconnected) but I see two workspaces with apps in them... but thats maybe because you switched to some other workspace to run i3-save-tree command and the newly created workspace got removed?

Also whats the behavior you are striving for with your json configuration?
It seems like DVI-D-1 is primary monitor and you connect/disconnect HDMI-1 to it?

With the following configuration:

{
    "outputs": [
        {
            "name": "DVI-D-1",
            "xrandr": ["--right-of", "HDMI-1"],
             "workspaces": [ "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "10" ]

        },
        {
            "name": "HDMI-1",
            "xrandr": ["--primary"],
            "workspaces": [ "1", "3", "5", "7", "9" ]
        }
    ]
}

when only dvi-d-1 is connected all workspaces will be assigned to it and when you connect hdmi-1, hdmi will have "odd" workspaces and dvi-d-1 will have "even" workspaces..

[antoyo]

You're right, I do have the following for DVI after disconnect if I run the command "correctly":

{
    // workspace with 0 children
    "border": "normal",
    "floating": "auto_off",
    "fullscreen_mode": 1,
    "layout": "splith",
    "marks": [],
    "percent": null,
    "type": "workspace"
}

Yeah, I haven't checked that part, but I would like DVI to only become the primary when it's the only monitor connected.

My setup is having a laptop and a desktop both connected to the HDMI monitor.

[fogine]

In the new branch I cannot recreate the behavior you described (no new workspace is created when I unplug one of the two monitors). Could you also post the output of i3-msg -t get_workspaces | python -m json.tool from the new empty workspace when you unplug the HDMI, the output should contain workspace number of the new workspace, I'm curious if the workspace number is always the same or its random, can you try it couple of times?

Yeah, I haven't checked that part, but I would like DVI to only become the primary when it's the only monitor connected.

I dont understand... What do you mean? I think the config I posted would make DVI primary only when its the only monitor connected just like you want..