i3wm on Ubuntu 19.04

Some notes on the configurations for i3wm to make it play nice with Ubuntu.

Packages installed:

• i3wm
• i3lock
• i3bar
• mc
• links
• xbacklight
• pulseaudio-utils

Config changes below

# Telegram
exec --no-startup-id telegram-desktop

# Dropbox
exec --no-startup-id dropbox start

# Launch gnome settings
exec --no-startup-id /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-xsettings

# i3lock
bindsym $mod+Shift+x exec i3lock -d -c 000000

# Pulse Audio controls
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume 0 +5% #increase sound volume
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume 0 -5% #decrease sound volume
bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute 0 toggle # mute sound

# Screen brightness controls
bindsym XF86MonBrightnessUp exec xbacklight -inc 20 # increase screen brightness
bindsym XF86MonBrightnessDown exec xbacklight -dec 20 # decrease screen brightness

Issues: No touchpad

Added the following file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/90-touchpad.conf

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "touchpad"
        MatchIsTouchpad "on"
        Driver "libinput"
        Option "Tapping" "on"
                Option "TappingButtonMap" "lrm"
        Option "NaturalScrolling" "on"
        Option "ScrollMethod" "twofinger"
EndSection

Issue: Volume key doesnt work

Added the file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/91-backlight.conf

Section "Device"
    Identifier      "Device0"
    Driver          "intel"
    Option          "Backlight"      "intel_backlight"
EndSection

Issue: Bluetooth status

No way to see status on the bar. Juse use bluetoothctl to pair/unpair/see devices/connect/disconnect etc. However that may or may not work at all (depending on your luck). I have had good luck using blueman-manager - although the volume keys configured above dont seem to work :(

Blueman isnt install by default but the following code installs it

# sudo apt install blueman

Wireless

The simplest way is to use nmtui. Its an easy to use, terminal based network manager.

HiDpi screen

Used configs from here

Changed the dpi to 142, GDK_DPI_SCALE to 0.7 - which I find more confortable

Written on July 14, 2019