Configuration Example

Configuration Example

This page contains a fully working example that demonstrates various aspects in the configuration of EXWM.

Configuration of Emacs init file

~/.emacs.d/init.el:

;; Disable menu-bar, tool-bar and scroll-bar to increase the usable space.
(menu-bar-mode -1)
(tool-bar-mode -1)
(scroll-bar-mode -1)
;; Also shrink fringes to 1 pixel.
(fringe-mode 1)

;; Turn on `display-time-mode' if you don't use an external bar.
(setq display-time-default-load-average nil)
(display-time-mode t)

;; You are strongly encouraged to enable something like `icomplete-vertical-mode' to alter
;; the default behavior of 'C-x b', or you will take great pains to switch
;; to or back from a floating frame (remember 'C-x 5 o' if you refuse this
;; proposal however).
(icomplete-vertical-mode 1)

;; Emacs server is not required to run EXWM but it has some interesting uses
;; (see next section).
(server-start)

;;;; Below are configurations for EXWM.

;; Add paths (not required if EXWM is installed from GNU ELPA).
;(add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/xelb/")
;(add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/exwm/")

;; Load EXWM.
(require 'exwm)

;; Set the initial number of workspaces (they can also be created later).
(setq exwm-workspace-number 4)

;; All buffers created in EXWM mode are named "*EXWM*". You may want to
;; change it in `exwm-update-class-hook' and `exwm-update-title-hook', which
;; are run when a new X window class name or title is available.  Here's
;; some advice on this topic:
;; + Always use `exwm-workspace-rename-buffer` to avoid naming conflict.
;; + For applications with multiple windows (e.g. GIMP), the class names of
;    all windows are probably the same.  Using window titles for them makes
;;   more sense.
;; In the following example, we use class names for all windows except for
;; Java applications and GIMP.
(add-hook 'exwm-update-class-hook
          (lambda ()
            (unless (or (string-prefix-p "sun-awt-X11-" exwm-instance-name)
                        (string= "gimp" exwm-instance-name))
              (exwm-workspace-rename-buffer exwm-class-name))))
(add-hook 'exwm-update-title-hook
          (lambda ()
            (when (or (not exwm-instance-name)
                      (string-prefix-p "sun-awt-X11-" exwm-instance-name)
                      (string= "gimp" exwm-instance-name))
              (exwm-workspace-rename-buffer exwm-title))))

;; Global keybindings can be defined with `exwm-input-global-keys'.
;; Here are a few examples:
(setq exwm-input-global-keys
      `(
        ;; Bind "s-r" to exit char-mode and fullscreen mode.
        ([?\s-r] . exwm-reset)
        ;; Bind "s-w" to switch workspace interactively.
        ([?\s-w] . exwm-workspace-switch)
        ;; Bind "s-0" to "s-9" to switch to a workspace by its index.
        ,@(mapcar (lambda (i)
                    `(,(kbd (format "s-%d" i)) .
                      (lambda ()
                        (interactive)
                        (exwm-workspace-switch-create ,i))))
                  (number-sequence 0 9))
        ;; Bind "s-&" to launch applications ('M-&' also works if the output
        ;; buffer does not bother you).
        ([?\s-&] . (lambda (command)
             (interactive (list (read-shell-command "$ ")))
             (start-process-shell-command command nil command)))
        ;; Bind "s-<f2>" to "slock", a simple X display locker.
        ([s-f2] . (lambda ()
            (interactive)
            (start-process "" nil "/usr/bin/slock")))))

;; To add a key binding only available in line-mode, simply define it in
;; `exwm-mode-map'.  The following example shortens 'C-c q' to 'C-q'.
(define-key exwm-mode-map [?\C-q] #'exwm-input-send-next-key)

;; The following example demonstrates how to use simulation keys to mimic
;; the behavior of Emacs.  The value of `exwm-input-simulation-keys` is a
;; list of cons cells (SRC . DEST), where SRC is the key sequence you press
;; and DEST is what EXWM actually sends to application.  Note that both SRC
;; and DEST should be key sequences (vector or string).
(setq exwm-input-simulation-keys
      '(
        ;; movement
        ([?\C-b] . [left])
        ([?\M-b] . [C-left])
        ([?\C-f] . [right])
        ([?\M-f] . [C-right])
        ([?\C-p] . [up])
        ([?\C-n] . [down])
        ([?\C-a] . [home])
        ([?\C-e] . [end])
        ([?\M-v] . [prior])
        ([?\C-v] . [next])
        ([?\C-d] . [delete])
        ([?\C-k] . [S-end delete])
        ;; cut/paste.
        ([?\C-w] . [?\C-x])
        ([?\M-w] . [?\C-c])
        ([?\C-y] . [?\C-v])
        ;; search
        ([?\C-s] . [?\C-f])))

;; You can hide the minibuffer and echo area when they're not used, by
;; uncommenting the following line.
;(setq exwm-workspace-minibuffer-position 'bottom)

;; Do not forget to enable EXWM. It will start by itself when things are
;; ready.  You can put it _anywhere_ in your configuration.
(exwm-enable)

Configuration of X init script

~/.xinitrc (or ~/.xsession if you are using a login manager):

# You may need to comment out the next line to disable access control.
#xhost +SI:localuser:$USER

# Set themes, etc.
gnome-settings-daemon &

# Set fallback cursor.
xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr

# Set keyboard repeat rate.
xset r rate 200 60

# If Emacs is started in server mode, `emacsclient` is a convenient way to
# edit files in place (used by e.g. `git commit`).
export VISUAL=emacsclient
export EDITOR="$VISUAL"

# Finally launch emacs.
exec dbus-launch --exit-with-session emacs

Other configurations

Append the following line to your ~/.profile to start EXWM when you login on tty5:

[ -z "$DISPLAY" -a "$(tty)" = '/dev/tty5' ] && exec xinit -- vt05