# autotiling
This script uses the [i3ipc-python library](https://github.com/altdesktop/i3ipc-python)
to switch the layout splith/splitv depending on the currently focused window
dimensions. It works on both sway and i3 window managers.
Inspired by https://github.com/olemartinorg/i3-alternating-layout.
## See on YouTube:
[![Auto-tiling in
action](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UWRZuhn92bQ/0.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWRZuhn92bQ)
## PLEASE DO READ THIS
The script does one thing: it checks the window height / width ratio, and
executes the equivalent of either `swaymsg splitv` or `swaymsg splith`. Nothing
less, nothing more. This may make stack and tabbed layouts behave oddly.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about it – please, do not
submit issues about it –, but there are two workaround that you can try.
One option is, to enable autotiling on certain workspaces only. For instance,
you could configure autotiling to be enabled on odd workspaces, but not on
even ones:
```text
### Autostart
exec_always autotiling -w 1 3 5 7 9
```
Another option you can try, is setting `--limit` and only use stacking or
tabbing on the lowest level. A good place to start would be `--limit 2`. Open
four windows with the third and fourth window in the same container as two. This
might mimic a master-stack layout and you should now be able to switch to
stacking or tabbed. Beware that the decision on how to split is still based on
the height / width ratio.
## Installation
The script has been packaged for the following distributions:
[![Packaging
status](https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/autotiling.svg)](https://repology.org/project/autotiling/versions)
[![PyPI version](https://badge.fury.io/py/autotiling.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/py/autotiling)
Installing manually:
1. Install the `python-i3ipc>=2.0.1` package (or whatever it's called in your Linux
distribution);
2. save the `main.py` file anywhere, rename to `autotiling`, make executable, move to your bin folder;
3. add `exec_always autotiling` to the `~/.config/sway/config` or `exec_always --no-startup-id
autotiling` to the `~/.config/i3/config` file.
## Usage
```text
$ autotiling -h
usage: autotiling [-h] [-d] [-v] [-w [WORKSPACES ...]] [-e [EVENTS ...]]
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-d, --debug print debug messages to stderr
-v, --version display version information
-w [WORKSPACES ...], --workspaces [WORKSPACES ...]
restricts autotiling to certain workspaces; example: autotiling --workspaces 8
9
-l LIMIT, --limit LIMIT
limit how often autotiling will split a container; try "2", if you like
master-stack layouts; default: 0 (no limit)
-e [EVENTS ...], --events [EVENTS ...]
list of events to trigger switching split orientation; default: WINDOW MODE
```
### Events
Changing event subscription has already been the objective of several pull request. To avoid doing this again and again,
starting from v1.6 you may specify them in the `-e` | `--events` argument. If no value given, the script will subscribe
to `Event.WINDOW` and `Event.MODE`, as if it was executed with `autotiling -e WINDOW MODE`. See
[altdesktop/i3ipc-python`](https://github.com/altdesktop/i3ipc-python/blob/a670f24e7e04f509de8161cf760afe929c22ae93/i3ipc/events.py#L12)
for event enumeration.