Fedora I3 - hpaluch/hpaluch.github.io GitHub Wiki

Fedora i3 Spin

[!CAUTION] Work in progress...

Reading really nice guide on https://blog.wains.be/2019/2019-12-11-my-linux-desktop-environment/ I decided to try minimalist i3 Window Manager.

Downloaded and booted Fedora i3 spin from

Bookmarked official i3 guide:

Running live installer

Had to resorts to guide on

So you have to:

  • press ENTER to generate config
  • now be careful - you have to select, what will be your "Super" (let's say "default modified") key.
    • if you right press ENTER it will be Win key, or you can select Alt key
    • I used default (Win key)
  • you can find all key bindings in ~/.config/i3/config
  • there will be one-line instruction: invoke liveinst to run live installer
  • because installation window is tilled it is small, try better layout using Win+s or Win+e or Win+w
  • you can use Win+j to focus right Windows with installer
  • proceed installation as usual
  • when liveinst finishes simply run sudo reboot

After reboot and GUI login you will have again to press 2 ENTER as in Live CD.

Unlocking screen

If you left your system idle it will lock screen.

How to unlock?

  • press any key - circle should appear
  • press backspace
  • enter your password and press ENTER - there will be still just shown circle until screen is unlocked...

Normal menu

There is standard key Win+D to show command menu - which will basically shows all commands in PATH an you have to refine list typing search term.

However there exists much better menu (including installed Apps) - rofi.

  • simply install rofi with dnf install rofi

  • replace original bind with rofi:

#OLD: bindsym $mod+d exec --no-startup-id "dmenu_run -nf '#BBBBBB' -nb '#222222' -sb '#005577' -sf '#EEEEEE' -fn 'monospace-10'"
bindsym $mod+d exec --no-startup-id rofi -show drun
  • And press Win+Shift+R to restart i3.
  • now when you press Win+D there will shown familiar application menu instead of just all Unix commands

Installing Terminator

Just run dnf install terminator - i3 will automatically run it with Win-ENTER, because it is automatically found by i3-sensible-terminal wrapper.

Setting more bold font:

  • it same as System fixed font for gnome-terminal
  • trying:
$ gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface monospace-font-name # current font

'Source Code Pro 10'

$ pango-list # list of fonts

Here is my sample ~/.config/terminator/config that works:

global_config]
[keybindings]
[profiles]
  [default](/hpaluch/hpaluch.github.io/wiki/default)
    font = Monospace Bold 12
    use_system_font = False
[layouts]
  [default](/hpaluch/hpaluch.github.io/wiki/default)
    [[window0](/hpaluch/hpaluch.github.io/wiki/[window0)]
      type = Window
      parent = ""
    [[child1](/hpaluch/hpaluch.github.io/wiki/[child1)]
      type = Terminal
      parent = window0
[plugins]

You can also change font in GUI:

  • right-click and hold anywhere in terminal area
  • select Preferences...
  • select Profile Default and change settings
  • these settings will be saved to ~/.config/terminator/config

i3bar and i3status

  • bottom (or top) bar consists of 2 components:
  • i3bar - clickable commands
  • i3status - showing status (for example Networks).

Customize i3bar

Customize i3status

The bottom bar is combined from "i3bar" and "i3status".

You can find original "i3status" configuration in /etc/i3status.conf

Example: remove battery status (I have not battery):

mkdir -p ~/.config/i3status
cp /etc/i3status.conf ~/.config/i3status/config
vim ~/.config/i3status/config

Here is what I changed:

diff -u /etc/i3status.conf ~/.config/i3status/config 
--- /etc/i3status.conf	2024-08-19 18:28:44.000000000 +0200
+++ /home/i3user/.config/i3status/config	2024-12-18 08:18:55.507347317 +0100
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 order += "ipv6"
 order += "wireless _first_"
 order += "ethernet _first_"
-order += "battery all"
+#order += "battery all"
 order += "disk /"
 order += "load"
 order += "memory"
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
         format_down = "E: down"
 }
 
-battery all {
-        format = "%status %percentage %remaining"
-}
+#battery all {
+#        format = "%status %percentage %remaining"
+#}
 
 disk "/" {
         format = "%avail"

To apply changes you have to restart i3 with: Win+Shift+R

Example: Remove of WiFi status: I have no WiFi (shown as W: down) so I also commented out:

  • order += "wireless _first_"
  • wireless _first_ { ... }
  • and again pressed Win+Shift+R for reload

Example: remove 'no IPv6'.

  • Simply comment out line: order += "ipv6" in ~/.config/i3status/config and restart i3.

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