Getting a tiling extension for kwin

I’m very curious about tiling window managers. I was considering trying them out in ArcoLinuxB, but then I found out about kwin.

This guy has a Tiling Extension.

I don’t. What is the correct way to choose and get one?

System:
  Kernel: 5.10.61-1-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.1.0 
  parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.10-x86_64 
  root=UUID=f30fc803-7236-483f-9d05-9216ccceb355 rw quiet apparmor=1 
  security=apparmor resume=UUID=abeb2bd7-6c98-4ca2-9b68-6f5e2cb5f618 
  udev.log_priority=3 
  Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.22.5 tk: Qt 5.15.2 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 1 dm: SDDM 
  Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux 

A forum search helps:

1 Like

Thanks. I’ll be sure to consider this.

I knew about Krohnkite. I see it’s in the AUR. I’m not a huge fan of using AUR.

I did get Zoom from AUR, because a kind forum member pointed out there were over 400 votes. Krohnkite has 18. Maybe I’m wrong to see that as lesser reliability.

EDIT Now I do see the alternative ways to install Krohnkite, but I still want to be careful.

I was hoping there was a tiling extension which wasn’t “third party”. I thought that’s what the Youtube guy had. Something more official (than Krohnkite), which used to be built-in, but isn’t now.

in plasma we have some Shortcuts, for place (only :cry:) active window as tiling
META up : top
META up +(speed) left : for quarter tiling at top left

3 Likes

Thanks, papa. It’s hardly a full TWM experience, but it’s better than nothing.

Using them just made me want a real TWM even more.

Although I like Plasma very much. I’d like to have a TWM with Dolphin, and those funny wobbly windows, for when I decide to move windows manually.

I may switch to Manjaro i3, or, as I’ve already mentioned, Arco, which has more TWMs to choose from.

EDIT I’m quoting from another post of mine. Here is how I’ve adapted KDE Plasma to my workflow. I hope it helps someone.

  • I use the Window list panel widget (right click on Panel → Add Widgets…).
  • I assigned a keyboard shortcut to the Window list (right click on Window list → Configure Window list…).
  • I navigate through the Window list by up and down arrow. I select the window I want by hitting Enter.
  • If I want tiling, I use the existing shortcuts: Meta + left arrow / right arrow / up arrow / down arrow / left then up fast etc. (thanks again, papajoke)
  • I used to have the tooltip delay reduced to one milisecond. Now I increased it, because I find navigating through the Window list much more convenient. The Window list sorts the apps.
  • I use MinimizeAll. I also use the Panel widget Minimize all Windows (NOT Show Desktop).
  • On a side note, some Panel widgets are very cool. I use Memory Usage and Individual Core Usage. The only thing I miss is a temperature widget, but it would be a complicated one.
  • I was complaining about “margins” / padding which showed up in the Panel when I reinstalled. Turns out the margins come from a widget called Margins Separator. Margins Separator can be removed from the Panel, as any other widget.

EDIT 2
I discovered wmctrl and binding custom shortcut to commands. Now I can have all the tiling I need:

  • One shortcut is for tiling to the leftmost third of my screen: wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b remove,maximized_vert,maximized_horz && wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -e 0,0,30,640,1005 .
  • Another shortcut is for tiling to the middle third of my screen: wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b remove,maximized_vert,maximized_horz && wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -e 0,640,30,640,1005 .
  • The last shortcut is for tiling to the rightmost third of the screen: wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b remove,maximized_vert,maximized_horz && wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -e 0,0,1280,640,1005 .