Configuring i3 for my setup

I later moved to bspwm, maybe you might want to look at that as well --> bspwm

Well, in this article, I will follow step by step procedure of setting up i3. My dotfiles

First of all, install i3, i3lock & i3status. Generally, installing i3 will pull these as dependencies.

Edit your .xinitrc to launch i3.

  exec i3

  # If you wish to log to a file
  exec i3 -V >> ~/.i3/i3log 2>&1

During the first run, i3 will ask for your default keybinding. Some help on keyboard layout is here.
Now, lets start editing the configuration files. The main config file is present at ~/.i3/config. First, one would prefer to have named workspaces. So the following has to be done for number of named workspaces you want. Check here.
```
  # Name the workspaces
  set $tag1 "1: www"

  # switch to workspace
  bindsym $mod+1 workspace $tag1

  # move focused container to workspace
  bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace $tag1
```

Wow, so now we have named workspaces (for which you have to login again) let us change some settings for i3bar in ~/.i3/config. Colors can be set here along with some position settings. Check for bar in config file as there are some defaults present. Help on these settings is available here.

  # Start i3bar to display a workspace bar (plus the system information i3status
  # finds out, if available)
  bar {
          colors {
                  # Whole color settings
                  background #000000
                  statusline #ffffff
                  separator  #666666

                  # Type             border  background font
                  focused_workspace  #008fff #007fff #ffffff
                  active_workspace   #333333 #5f676a #ffffff
                  inactive_workspace #333333 #222222 #888888
                  urgent_workspace   #aa0000 #990000 #ffffff
          }
          # i3bar position
          position top
          # Using custom i3status.conf
          status_command i3status -c ~/.i3/i3status.conf
  }

Edit the i3status config file if you want to tweak it. Don't forget to copy it to your home directory. Check out my i3status config. Official wiki is here.
```
  cp /etc/i3status.conf ~/.i3/i3status.conf
```
Some applications have to launched at startup, like setting wallpaper, network manager applet etc.. This can be done from config file. Official wiki here.
```
  # Startup programs
  exec --no-startup-id nm-applet
  exec --no-startup-id feh --bg-fill ~/Pictures/Dark-pattern.jpg
```
Next, we have to set up our screenlock, for which I use i3lock. I have a small shell script which does some magic. After that, some keybindings have to be done. Official wiki here.
```
  # Custom KeyBinds
  bindsym Control+mod1+l exec sh ~/.i3/i3lock.sh
  bindsym Print exec scrot '%Y-%m-%d-%T_$wx$h_scrot.png' -e 'mv $f ~/Pictures/screenshots/'
```
Now, we have a screen looking something like this (Don't forget to get some cool wallpaper):

Beautification

So, now let us transform our ugly looking setup :P, fonts first. Use a good font and change the setting in ~/.i3/config.
```
  font pango: Monospace 8
```

Next up are out ugliest component. GTK Apps :P. Instead of editing configuration files and saving them, I highly recommend lxappearance, which has absolutely no dependencies! Use it set your GTK, Icon & Cursor theme. GTK themes are picked from ~/.themes & remaining from ~/.icons. My generated ~/.config/gtk-3.0/settings.ini looked like this

  [Settings]
  gtk-theme-name=Zukitwo
  gtk-icon-theme-name=Faenza-Dark
  gtk-font-name=Ubuntu 10
  gtk-cursor-theme-name=Ecliz
  gtk-cursor-theme-size=0
  gtk-toolbar-style=GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS
  gtk-toolbar-icon-size=GTK_ICON_SIZE_LARGE_TOOLBAR
  gtk-button-images=0
  gtk-menu-images=1
  gtk-enable-event-sounds=1
  gtk-enable-input-feedback-sounds=1
  gtk-xft-antialias=1
  gtk-xft-hinting=1
  gtk-xft-hintstyle=hintfull
  gtk-xft-rgba=rgb

Use some cool theme and even now, if the buttons are ugly make sure that you have the required gtk-engine installed. For instance, I use Zukwito, so I need gtk-engine-murrine. Now, your gtk apps must be cool as in any other DE.

Screenshots

Other Apps

A list of applications that I use

   Type                | : Application
  ---------------------|------------
   **Window Manager**  | : i3
   **Editor**          | : GVim
   **Terminal**        | : Terminator
   **IRC Client**      | : Weechat
   **GTK Theme**       | : Zukwito
   **Icon Theme**      | : Faenza
   **Cursor Theme**    | : Ecliz
   **Music Player**    | : Cmus
   **Video Player**    | : Mplayer

My .vimrc along with molokai colorscheme is present here.
WeeChat configuration:
- Install and enable autoload of some plugins ( beep.pl , buffers.pl etc..).
- Make sure, your terminal emulator responds to urgent bell. In terminator, set Terminal bell to Window List Flash. To simulate bell
```
  echo -ne '\e'

  # Sleep & change workspace to see the effect
  sleep 5; echo -ne '\e'
```

PS: Don't forget to push your dotfiles to github so that anyone else can use those.

2014-05-12 :: {linux}