As I recently changed my hardware, I got a new portable with a HUGE touchpad (at least for me). Thus, when I type with my keyboard, it gets in the way.
So a new need came up, Shell/Stumpwm power to the rescue:
- I want to be able to disable/enable my touchpad DONE!
- When switching to emacs or a terminal, I want it to be disabled!
- When switching back to the browsers or other mouse-needed software, I want to enable it back.
As I recently posted on how to activate/deactivate the touchpad from the shell command, in this post, I will use those bricks to improve my condition using stumpwm.
Manually
Why?
There will be times or I will need to toggle on/off the touchpad manually.
I'm aware that there already exists a native binding (fn F9 on my keyboard) but it breaks my hands positions.
So a more natural binding would be for example C-t T.
code
Helper function:
(defun run-shl (&rest cmd) "A simpler command to run-shell-command with multiple params" (run-shell-command (apply #'concatenate 'string cmd)))
The main code whose only concern is to:
- reuse the script toggle-touchpad.sh described here:
- banish the mouse from the screen (the mouse is positionned at the bottom right of the screen)
(defcommand toggle-touchpad-auto () () "Activate/Deactivate automatically the touchpad depending on the current status." (run-shl "~/bin/touchpad/toggle-touchpad.sh") (stumpwm::banish))
Then the binding:
(define-key *root-map* (kbd "T") "toggle-touchpad-auto")
Automatic
Definition
The main subject was how to to make the switch automatic regarding the software.
As we have already the hand on the command to call, we have to modify the call.
I declared common-lisp macros roraise-and-touchpad-on, roraise-and-touchpad-off that takes the :
- command shell to run or raise (if the instance does not run, we start it, else we raise it, that is we give it the main focus)
- and class they belong to.
(defmacro roraise-and-touchpad-off (command class) "Wrap a call to the run-or-raise command but before toggle off the touchpad." `(progn (toggle-touchpad-manual "0") (run-or-raise ,command '(:class ,class))))
Example off
Then for example, the defcommand (which is a macro) emacs, in its definition, instead of calling directly run-or-raise, calls roraise-and-touchpad-off.
This way, we pass from this:
(defcommand myemacs () () "Run an xterm instance or if already running, switch to it." ;; raise emacs (run-or-raise "emacsclient -c" "Emacs24"))
#+endsrc
to this:
(defcommand myemacs () () "Run an xterm instance or if already running, switch to it." ;; raise emacs (roraise-and-touchpad-off "emacsclient -c" "Emacs24"))
The binding does not change:
(define-key *root-map* (kbd "e") "myemacs")
Example on
Here we want to reactivate the touchpad when switching back to the browser.
(defcommand chromium-browser () () "Run a chromium instance or if already running, switch to it." (roraise-and-touchpad-on "chromium-browser" "Chromium-browser"))
The binding has always does not change.
(define-key *root-map* (kbd "b") "chromium-browser")
Setup
As usual, here is a snapshot of my actual setup.
;; -*- stumpwm -*- ;; ========================== Loading dependency libraries (load "~/quicklisp/setup.lisp") ;; ========================== Debugging properties (uncomment first) ;; (ql:quickload :swank) ;; (ql:quickload :clx) ;; (ql:quickload :clx-truetype) ;; (ql:quickload :cl-ppcre) ;; (ql:quickload :cl-xembed) ;; (ql:quickload :stumpwm) ;; (defun swank () ;; (setf *top-level-error-action* :break) ;; (swank:create-server :port 4005 ;; :style swank:*communication-style* ;; :dont-close t) ;; (echo-string (current-screen) ;; "Starting swank. M-x slime-connect RET RET, then (in-package stumpwm).")) ;;(swank) ;; ========================== Beginning setup of stumpwm (in-package :stumpwm) (use-package :ql-clj) (load "~/.stumpwm-functions.lisp") (set-prefix-key (kbd "C-;")) (setf *contrib-dir* "~/repo/perso/stumpwm/contrib/") ;; load a few modules ;; (mapcar #'load-module '("cpu" ;; "mem" ;; "battery-portable" ;; "net" ;; "wifi" ;; "disk")) ;; up the debug level (see ~/.xsession-errors) ;; (setf stumpwm::*debug-level* 0) ;; set the font for the message bar and input bar ;; (set-font "-*-FreeMono-medium-r-*-*-6*") ;; (set-font "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--1*") ;; (set-font "-xos4-terminus-medium-r-normal--14-140-72-72-c-80-iso8859-7") ;; (set-font "-xos4-terminus-medium-r-normal--0-0-72-72-c-0-iso8859-7") ;; (set-font "-*-dina-medium-r-normal-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*") ;; (set-font "-lispm-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-13-*-*-*-*-*-*-*") ;; (set-font "-artwiz-smoothansi-medium-r-normal--13-130-75-75-m-60-iso8859-1") (set-font "-unknown-DejaVu Sans Mono-normal-normal-normal-*-16-*-*-*-m-0-iso10646-1") (set-normal-gravity :bottom) (setf *message-window-gravity* :bottom-left) (setf *input-window-gravity* :bottom-left) (setf *frame-number-map* "abcdefghijklmnopqrst") (setf *window-format* "%m%n%s nm=%50t cl=%c id=%i") ;;; Window Appearance ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of regular windows. (setf *normal-border-width* 0) ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of windows with maxsize or ratio hints. (setf *maxsize-border-width* 0) ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of transient or pop-up windows. (setf *transient-border-width* 0) ;;(run-commands "restore-from-file ~/.stumpwm.screendump") ;;Set the mouse focus policy to ignore the mouse (setf *mouse-focus-policy* :click) ;; :click, :ignore, :sloppy (defun key-seq-msg (key key-seq cmd) "Show a message with current incomplete key sequence." (declare (ignore key)) (or (eq *top-map* *resize-map*) (stringp cmd) (let ((*message-window-gravity* :bottom-right)) (message "~A" (print-key-seq (reverse key-seq)))))) (add-hook *key-press-hook* 'key-seq-msg) ;; ========================== setup ;; xenity - shell command with output inside a zenity popup window (zenity-category ((ssh-add-list "List the keys the user-agent holds" "ssh-add -l" "K") (cat-etc-environment "Display the content of /etc/environment" "cat /etc/environment" "E") (cat-etc-hosts "Display the content of /etc/hosts" "cat /etc/hosts" "H") (sbin-ifconfig "/sbin/ifconfig" "/sbin/ifconfig" "I") (acpi-cmd "Display battery" "/usr/bin/acpi -b" "B"))) ;; run-or-raise application based on the class name of the window + deactivating the touchpad (ror-tpd-off-category ((terminal "terminal" "gnome-terminal --hide-menubar -x tmux -2" "Gnome-terminal" "x") (myemacs "emacs" "~/bin/emacs/emacs.sh" "Emacs" "e") (conkeror "conkeror" "conkeror" "Conkeror" "c"))) ;; run-or-raise application based on the class name of the window + activating the touchpad (ror-tpd-on-category ((firefox "firefox" "firefox" "Firefox" "f") ;;(gnome-control-center "gnome-control-center" "gnome-control-center" "Gnome-Control-Center" ",") ;;(control-center "cinnamon-control-center" "cinnamon-control-center" "Cinnamon-control-Center" ",") (settings "cinnamon-settings" "cinnamon-settings" "Cinnamon-settings.py" ",") (video-player "totem" "totem" "Totem" ".") (evince "evince" "evince" "Evince" "C-e") (eog "eog" "eog" "Eog" "C-i") (pinta "pinta" "pinta" "Pinta" "d") (gimp "gimp" "gimp" "Gimp" "I") (audacious "audacious" "/usr/bin/audacious" "Audacious" "C-a") (jconsole "jconsole" "/usr/bin/jconsole" "sun-tools-jconsole-JConsole" "C-j") (jvisualvm "visualvm" "~/applications/visualvm/bin/visualvm" "java-lang-Thread" "j") (arduino "arduino ide" "arduino" "processing-appBase" "C-c") ;;(intellij-idea "intellij-idea" "~/bin/ide/idea.sh" "jetbrains-idea-ce" "j") ;;(eclipse "eclipse ide" "~/bin/ide/eclipse.sh" "Eclipse" "i") )) ;; run-or-raise application based on the instance of the window + activating the touchpad (ror-id-tpd-on-category ((xephyr-gnome "xephyr - gnome" "~/bin/xephyr/xephyr.sh gnome" "Xephyr" "C-x") (xephyr-xmonad "xephyr - xmonad" "~/bin/xephyr/xephyr.sh xmonad" "Xephyr" "C-X") (wireshark "wireshark" "gksudo wireshark" "wireshark" "C-w") ;; (nautilus "nautilus" "nautilus" "nautilus" "n") (nemo "nemo" "nemo" "nemo" "n") (thunar "thunar" "thunar" "thunar" "N") (yEd "yed" "~/bin/app/yed.sh" "sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer" "y") (filezilla "filezilla" "/usr/bin/filezilla" "filezilla" "C-f") (virtualbox "virtualbox" "virtualbox" "Qt-subapplication" "C-v") (unetbootin "unetbootin" "unetbootin" "unetbootin" "u") (transmission "transmission-gtk" "/usr/bin/transmission-gtk" "transmission-gtk" "/") (gparted "gparted" "gksudo /usr/sbin/gparted" "gpartedbin" "G") (file-progress "file progress" "" "file_progress" "F") (xosview "xosview" "xosview" "xosview" "X") (baobab "baobab" "baobab" "baobab" "b") (gitk "gitk" "gitk" "gitk" "z") (fbreader "fbreader" "fbreader" "fbreader" "C-f") (lighttable "LightTable" "~/applications/LightTable/LightTable" "ltbin" "C") (tux-guitar "TuxGuitar" "/usr/bin/tuxguitar" "TuxGuitar" "M-t") (skype "skype" "/usr/bin/skype" "skype" "C-c"))) ;; run shell command - Simply execute shell command (run-shell-command-category ((suspend "Suspend" "gksudo pm-suspend" "C-S") (hibernate "Hibernate" "gksudo pm-hibernate" "C-H") (ssh-add-identities "Load ssh identities in ssh-agent" "~/bin/ssh/ssh-add.sh" "A") (switch-to-proxy "Switch to proxy." "gksudo ~/bin/proxy/proxy.sh on && ~/bin/wifi/nm-applet.sh stop" "p") (switch-to-no-proxy "Switch to no proxy." "gksudo ~/bin/proxy/proxy.sh off && ~/bin/wifi/nm-applet.sh stop" "P") (dec-brightness "Brightness decrement" "~/bin/brightness/dec-brightness.sh 5" "C-b") (inc-brightness "Brightness increment" "~/bin/brightness/inc-brightness.sh 5" "C-f") (min-brightness "Minimum screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/min-brightness.sh" "m") (half-brightness "Half screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/half-brightness.sh" "C-M") (max-brightness "Maximum screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/max-brightness.sh" "M") (inc-sound "Increase sound" "exec amixer set Master 5%+" "M-f") (dec-sound "Decrease sound" "exec amixer set Master 5%-" "M-b") (toggle-sound "Toggle sound" "exec amixer set Master toggle" "M-m") (wifi-off "wifi off" "~/bin/wifi/wifi-off.sh" "C-o") (wifi-on "wifi on" "~/bin/wifi/wifi-on.sh" "O") (lock-session "Lock the session" "~/bin/session/lock.sh" "C-M-l") (evince-haskell-prog "read functional approach in haskell" "evince ~/books/haskell/algorithms-a-functional-programming-haskell-approach.pdf" "'"))) ;; shell command - Simply execute shell command and possibly output the result in the screen (shell-command-category ((top "Display a single 'top' frame." "top -b -n 1 -c -d 1" "^") (screenshot "Take a screenshot for the current window." "/usr/bin/scrot -u $HOME/Pictures/screenshot_$(date +%F_%H-%M-%S).png" "C-s") (screenshot-mouse "Take a screenshot with mouse selection." "~/bin/touchpad/toggle-touchpad-manual.sh 1; /usr/bin/scrot -s $HOME/Pictures/screenshot_$(date +%F_%H-%M-%S).png" "M-s"))) ;; ========================== simple binding (define-key *root-map* (kbd "o") "fselect") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-r") "exec") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "Q") "loadrc") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-q") "quit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-u") "move-window up") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-r") "move-window right") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-d") "move-window down") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-l") "move-window left") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "-") "vsplit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "|") "hsplit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-x") "colon") (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-h") 'input-delete-backward-char) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-M-h") 'input-backward-kill-word) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-j") 'input-submit) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-m") 'input-submit) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-i") 'input-complete-forward) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "M-p") 'input-history-back) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "M-n") 'input-history-forward) (defcommand scroll-forward-browser () () "Scroll forward in firefox" (play-commands "firefox" (kbd "C-v") "myemacs")) (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-M-]") "scroll-forward-browser") (defcommand scroll-backward-browser () () "Scroll backward in firefox" (play-commands "firefox" (kbd "M-v") "myemacs")) (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-M-[") "scroll-backward-browser") ;; ========================== Help (setf *help-map* (let ((m (make-sparse-keymap))) (define-key m (kbd "m") "man") (define-key m (kbd "i") "info") (define-key m (kbd "v") "describe-variable") (define-key m (kbd "f") "describe-function") (define-key m (kbd "k") "describe-key") (define-key m (kbd "w") "where-is") m)) ;; gimp (define-frame-preference "gimp" (1 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role nil) (0 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-toolbox") (2 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-dock") (1 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-image-window")) ;; courtesy of Peter Seibel ;; (defmacro with-gensyms ((&rest names) &body body) ;; `(let ,(loop for n in names collect `(,n (gensym))) ;; ,@body)) ;; (defmacro program-with-layout (name &key (command (string-downcase (string name))) ;; (props `'(:class ,(string-capitalize command)))) ;; (with-gensyms (s w h files-path layout rules) ;; `(defcommand ,name () () ;; (let* ((,s (current-screen)) ;; (,w (prin1-to-string (screen-width ,s))) ;; (,h (prin1-to-string (screen-height ,s))) ;; (,files-path "/home/tony/.gimp") ;; (,layout (concat ,files-path ,command "-layout-" ,w "x" ,h)) ;; (,rules (concat ,files-path ,command "-rules"))) ;; (gnew ,command) ;; (restore-from-file ,layout) ;; (restore-window-placement-rules ,rules) ;; (run-or-raise ,command ,props) ;; (place-existing-windows))))) ;; (program-with-layout gimp) (defun hostname () (run-shell-command "/bin/hostname" t)) ;; ========================== cursor - https://github.com/stumpwm/stumpwm/wiki/GrabbedPointer (setf *grab-pointer-foreground* (xlib:make-color :red 0.1 :green 0.25 :blue 0.5)) (setf *grab-pointer-background* (lookup-color (current-screen) "DeepSkyBlue")) (setf *grab-pointer-character* 88) (setf *grab-pointer-character-mask* 88) (setf *grab-pointer-font* "fixed")
Conclusion
A great way to know if a tool is a good tool or not is to know if it is extendable or not. To sum up, good tools provides you the means to extend them.
In this way, Stumpwm rocks at least as much as emacs! Indeed, much like emacs, you do not have to get used to it, you shape it along the route according to your needs!