Cannot switch certain workspaces by hotkeys

shodan · December 9, 2020, 2:11am

I have default installation settings using i3

tried it with an external keyboard as well

I’m unable select workspaces 1 or 5,6.7.8.9.0 with MOD + Numberkey

for example I can select workspace 2 with MOD + 2 and thens switch to 3

but when I try to switch to workspace 1 with hotkeys - it doesn’t switch to workspace 1

if I’m in terminal and try MOD + 1 then the number 1 inputs to the terminal

I can switch to workspace 1,5,6,7,8,9,0 with terminal - i3 workspace x

with hotkeys I can only select 2,3,4

Has anyone else had this issue?

flyingcakes · December 9, 2020, 3:04am

Could you please post your i3 config?

Complete config please. It usually doesn’t have personal information so posting complete config would be fine.

fbodymechanic · December 9, 2020, 3:49am

You need to restart the config if you haven’t logged out and back in. I don’t know the endeavor config but I believe it’s super shift r.

If that didn’t help, I’m not sure.

shodan · December 9, 2020, 4:02am

# i3 config file (v4)
#
# Please see https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html for a complete reference!
#
# This config file uses keycodes (bindsym) and was written for the QWERTY
# layout.
#
# To get a config file with the same key positions, but for your current
# layout, use the i3-config-wizard
#

# Font for window titles. Will also be used by the bar unless a different font
# is used in the bar {} block below.
font pango:monospace 8

# This font is widely installed, provides lots of unicode glyphs, right-to-left
# text rendering and scalability on retina/hidpi displays (thanks to pango).
#font pango:DejaVu Sans Mono 8

# The combination of xss-lock, nm-applet and pactl is a popular choice, so
# they are included here as an example. Modify as you see fit.

# xss-lock grabs a logind suspend inhibit lock and will use i3lock to lock the
# screen before suspend. Use loginctl lock-session to lock your screen.
exec --no-startup-id xss-lock --transfer-sleep-lock -- i3lock --nofork

# NetworkManager is the most popular way to manage wireless networks on Linux,
# and nm-applet is a desktop environment-independent system tray GUI for it.
exec --no-startup-id nm-applet

# Use pactl to adjust volume in PulseAudio.
set $refresh_i3status killall -SIGUSR1 i3status
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +10% && $refresh_i3status
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -10% && $refresh_i3status
bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle && $refresh_i3status
bindsym XF86AudioMicMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle && $refresh_i3status

# use these keys for focus, movement, and resize directions when reaching for
# the arrows is not convenient
set $up l
set $down k
set $left j
set $right semicolon

# use Mouse+Mod1 to drag floating windows to their wanted position
floating_modifier Mod1

# start a terminal
bindsym Mod1+Return exec i3-sensible-terminal

# kill focused window
bindsym Mod1+Shift+q kill

# start dmenu (a program launcher)
bindsym Mod1+d exec --no-startup-id dmenu_run
# A more modern dmenu replacement is rofi:
# bindsym Mod1+d exec rofi -modi drun,run -show drun
# There also is i3-dmenu-desktop which only displays applications shipping a
# .desktop file. It is a wrapper around dmenu, so you need that installed.
# bindsym Mod1+d exec --no-startup-id i3-dmenu-desktop

# change focus
bindsym Mod1+$left focus left
bindsym Mod1+$down focus down
bindsym Mod1+$up focus up
bindsym Mod1+$right focus right

# alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym Mod1+Left focus left
bindsym Mod1+Down focus down
bindsym Mod1+Up focus up
bindsym Mod1+Right focus right

# move focused window
bindsym Mod1+Shift+$left move left
bindsym Mod1+Shift+$down move down
bindsym Mod1+Shift+$up move up
bindsym Mod1+Shift+$right move right

# alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym Mod1+Shift+Left move left
bindsym Mod1+Shift+Down move down
bindsym Mod1+Shift+Up move up
bindsym Mod1+Shift+Right move right

# split in horizontal orientation
bindsym Mod1+h split h

# split in vertical orientation
bindsym Mod1+v split v

# enter fullscreen mode for the focused container
bindsym Mod1+f fullscreen toggle

# change container layout (stacked, tabbed, toggle split)
bindsym Mod1+s layout stacking
bindsym Mod1+w layout tabbed
bindsym Mod1+e layout toggle split

# toggle tiling / floating
bindsym Mod1+Shift+space floating toggle

# change focus between tiling / floating windows
bindsym Mod1+space focus mode_toggle

# focus the parent container
bindsym Mod1+a focus parent

# focus the child container
#bindsym Mod1+d focus child

# move the currently focused window to the scratchpad
bindsym Mod1+Shift+minus move scratchpad

# Show the next scratchpad window or hide the focused scratchpad window.
# If there are multiple scratchpad windows, this command cycles through them.
bindsym Mod1+minus scratchpad show

# Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on.
# We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.
set $ws1 "1"
set $ws2 "2"
set $ws3 "3"
set $ws4 "4"
set $ws5 "5"
set $ws6 "6"
set $ws7 "7"
set $ws8 "8"
set $ws9 "9"
set $ws10 "10"

# switch to workspace
bindsym Mod1+1 workspace number $ws1
bindsym Mod1+2 workspace number $ws2
bindsym Mod1+3 workspace number $ws3
bindsym Mod1+4 workspace number $ws4
bindsym Mod1+5 workspace number $ws5
bindsym Mod1+6 workspace number $ws6
bindsym Mod1+7 workspace number $ws7
bindsym Mod1+8 workspace number $ws8
bindsym Mod1+9 workspace number $ws9
bindsym Mod1+0 workspace number $ws10

# move focused container to workspace
bindsym Mod1+Shift+1 move container to workspace number $ws1
bindsym Mod1+Shift+2 move container to workspace number $ws2
bindsym Mod1+Shift+3 move container to workspace number $ws3
bindsym Mod1+Shift+4 move container to workspace number $ws4
bindsym Mod1+Shift+5 move container to workspace number $ws5
bindsym Mod1+Shift+6 move container to workspace number $ws6
bindsym Mod1+Shift+7 move container to workspace number $ws7
bindsym Mod1+Shift+8 move container to workspace number $ws8
bindsym Mod1+Shift+9 move container to workspace number $ws9
bindsym Mod1+Shift+0 move container to workspace number $ws10

# reload the configuration file
bindsym Mod1+Shift+c reload
# restart i3 inplace (preserves your layout/session, can be used to upgrade i3)
bindsym Mod1+Shift+r restart
# exit i3 (logs you out of your X session)
bindsym Mod1+Shift+e exec "i3-nagbar -t warning -m 'You pressed the exit shortcut. Do you really want to exit i3? This will end your X session.' -B 'Yes, exit i3' 'i3-msg exit'"

# resize window (you can also use the mouse for that)
mode "resize" {
        # These bindings trigger as soon as you enter the resize mode

        # Pressing left will shrink the window’s width.
        # Pressing right will grow the window’s width.
        # Pressing up will shrink the window’s height.
        # Pressing down will grow the window’s height.
        bindsym $left       resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym $down       resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym $up         resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym $right      resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

        # same bindings, but for the arrow keys
        bindsym Left        resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym Down        resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym Up          resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
        bindsym Right       resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

        # back to normal: Enter or Escape or Mod1+r
        bindsym Return mode "default"
        bindsym Escape mode "default"
        bindsym Mod1+r mode "default"
}

bindsym Mod1+r mode "resize"

# Start i3bar to display a workspace bar (plus the system information i3status
# finds out, if available)
bar {
        status_command i3status
}

#######################################################################
# automatically start i3-config-wizard to offer the user to create a
# keysym-based config which used their favorite modifier (alt or windows)
#
# i3-config-wizard will not launch if there already is a config file
# in ~/.config/i3/config (or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config if set) or
# ~/.i3/config.
#
# Please remove the following exec line:
#######################################################################
exec i3-config-wizard
[shodan@desktop48jfnv i3]$

flyingcakes · December 9, 2020, 4:16am

Could not reproduce the problem.

The mod key is ‘Alt’
I can press Alt+number to switch to workspace. Working for all workspaces.

flyingcakes · December 9, 2020, 4:45am

@shodan
Alt key is used for keyboard shortcuts in other applications also.

I suggest you to use Super key as mod and see if the problem persists.

Super key is Mod4

cipolla · December 9, 2020, 9:11am

this is what I’m using to change workspace:

set $mod Mod4

# Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on.
# We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.
set $ws1 “1”
set $ws2 “2”
set $ws3 “3”
set $ws4 “4”
set $ws5 “5”
set $ws6 “6”
set $ws7 “7”
set $ws8 “8”
set $ws9 “9”
set $ws10 “10”

# switch to workspace
bindsym $mod+1 workspace number $ws1
bindsym $mod+2 workspace number $ws2
bindsym $mod+3 workspace number $ws3
bindsym $mod+4 workspace number $ws4
bindsym $mod+5 workspace number $ws5
bindsym $mod+6 workspace number $ws6
bindsym $mod+7 workspace number $ws7
bindsym $mod+8 workspace number $ws8
bindsym $mod+9 workspace number $ws9
bindsym $mod+0 workspace number $ws10

# move focused container to workspace
bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace number $ws1
bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace number $ws2
bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace number $ws3
bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace number $ws4
bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace number $ws5
bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace number $ws6
bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace number $ws7
bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace number $ws8
bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace number $ws9
bindsym $mod+Shift+0 move container to workspace number $ws10

cipolla · December 9, 2020, 9:14am

I’m also using ALT+TAB to switch workspace:

bindsym Mod1+Tab workspace next
bindsym Mod1+Shift+Tab workspace prev

but I’m using Swaywm, I do not remember anymore it this bindsym is also working on i3 or just in sway

flyingcakes · December 9, 2020, 9:47am

The OP is also using a similar config.

But they are using Alt as their Mod key, which (I suppose) may be interfering with some application shortcut.

joekamprad · December 9, 2020, 10:13am

config look like the default one from i3 shipped from archrepo, it is not a completely full functional one it needs adding some features…

shodan · December 9, 2020, 4:25pm

I resolved the issue by

deleting /home/username/.config/i3/config

and then running i3-config-wizard

I now have stock i3 config

I should’ve renamed the config instead because now I’m using xterm as default and missing all the goodies from EndeavourOS config

is there a github or a link for the i3 EndevaourOS config? I want to copy to modify it to match. What terminal does EndeavourOS use as default?

if someone can copy there whole config that would also be good

BONK · December 9, 2020, 4:36pm

The default terminal is xfce4-terminal. You can get the config here:

# This file a modified version based by default i3-config-wizard config
# source is available here:
# https://raw.githubusercontent.com/endeavouros-team/i3-EndeavourOS/master/.config/i3/config
# Maintainer: joekamprad [joekamprad@endeavouros.com]
# https://endeavouros.com
#
# --> to update this run the following command:
# wget --backups=1 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/endeavouros-team/i3-EndeavourOS/master/.config/i3/config -P ~/.config/i3/
 
#get latest configs from GitHub:
#exec --no-startup-id git clone https://github.com/endeavouros-team/i3-EndeavourOS.git ~/.config/i3/original/

shodan · December 9, 2020, 4:45pm

I used EndevourOS online installer with i3 option

now it’s like my stock Fedora build of i3

I’m able to select all workspaces

in the EndeavourOS’ i3 stock config there missing workspaces

Would like to see EndeavourOS’ i3 config to go over it

BONK · December 9, 2020, 4:47pm

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/endeavouros-team/i3-EndeavourOS/master/.config/i3/config

shodan · December 9, 2020, 4:52pm

thanks

I’ll go over and tweak my default since there was cool tweaks

my early post outputted the config from /etc/i3/conf but it wasn’t using that nor ~/.i3/ conf

when I ran the i3 wizard it told me the correct directory

If anyone else has the same issue I would have them check the path that i3 wizard outputs

BONK · December 9, 2020, 4:56pm

The proper directory is in ~/config/i3/.config for your user. It is also where the various other configs are located. dunst,i3blocks, and all the scripts. It is not a default i3 config but rather one @joekamprad made to make it easier for people to transition from desktop environments to a tiling window manager.