You can use this module with the following in your xmonad.hs:

import XMonad
import XMonad.Hooks.DynamicLog

If you just want a quick-and-dirty status bar with zero effort, try the xmobar or dzen functions:

main = xmonad =<< xmobar myConfig

myConfig = def { ... }

There is also statusBar if you'd like to use another status bar, or would like to use different formatting options. The xmobar, dzen, and statusBar functions are preferred over the other options listed below, as they take care of all the necessary plumbing -- no shell scripting required!

Alternatively, you can choose among several default status bar formats (dynamicLog or dynamicLogXinerama) by simply setting your logHook to the appropriate function, for instance:

main = xmonad $ def {
   ...
   logHook = dynamicLog
   ...
 }

For more flexibility, you can also use dynamicLogWithPP and supply your own pretty-printing format (by either defining one from scratch, or customizing one of the provided examples). For example:

   -- use sjanssen's pretty-printer format, but with the sections
   -- in reverse
   logHook = dynamicLogWithPP $ sjanssenPP { ppOrder = reverse }

Note that setting the logHook only sets up xmonad's output; you are responsible for starting your own status bar program (e.g. dzen or xmobar) and making sure xmonad's output is piped into it appropriately, either by putting it in your .xsession or similar file, or by using spawnPipe in your main function, for example:

import XMonad.Util.Run   -- for spawnPipe and hPutStrLn

main = do
    h <- spawnPipe "xmobar -options -foo -bar"
    xmonad $ def {
      ...
      logHook = dynamicLogWithPP $ def { ppOutput = hPutStrLn h }

If you use spawnPipe, be sure to redefine the ppOutput field of your pretty-printer as in the example above; by default the status will be printed to stdout rather than the pipe you create.

Even if you don't use a statusbar, you can still use dynamicLogString to show on-screen notifications in response to some events. For example, to show the current layout when it changes, you could make a keybinding to cycle the layout and display the current status:

   , ((mod1Mask, xK_a     ), sendMessage NextLayout >> (dynamicLogString myPP >>= xmessage))

xmobarProp Source #

main = xmonad $ xmobarProp myConfig

myConfig = def { ... }

statusBar Source #

Like statusBarProp, but uses pipes instead of property-based logging. Only use this function if your status bar does not support reading from a property of the root window.

dzen Source #

main = xmonad =<< dzen myConfig

myConfig = def { ... }

dzenWithFlags Source #

main = xmonad =<< dzenWithFlags flags myConfig

myConfig = def { ... }

flags = "-e onstart lower -w 800 -h 24 -ta l -fg #a8a3f7 -bg #3f3c6d"

dynamicLog :: X () Source #

1 2 [3] 4 7 : full : title

dynamicLogXinerama :: X () Source #

[1 9 3] 2 7

def { ppCurrent = dzenColor "red" "#efebe7"
    , ppVisible = wrap "[" "]"
    , ppSort    = getSortByXineramaRule
    }

xmonadPropLog' Source #

Write a string to a property on the root window. This property is of type UTF8_STRING.

dynamicLogWithPP :: PP -> X () Source #

Format the current status using the supplied pretty-printing format, and write it to stdout.

dynamicLogString :: PP -> X String Source #

The same as dynamicLogWithPP, except it simply returns the status as a formatted string without actually printing it to stdout, to allow for further processing, or use in some application other than a status bar.

data PP Source #

The PP type allows the user to customize the formatting of status information.

1 2 [3] 4 7 : full : title

def :: Default a => a #

The default value for this type.

byorgeyPP :: PP Source #

The options that byorgey likes to use with dzen, as another example.

wrap Source #

Wrap a string in delimiters, unless it is empty.

xmobarColor Source #

Use xmobar escape codes to output a string with given foreground and background colors.

xmobarAction Source #

Encapsulate text with an action. The text will be displayed, and the action executed when the displayed text is clicked. Illegal input is not filtered, allowing xmobar to display any parse errors. Uses xmobar's new syntax wherein the command is surrounded by backticks.

xmobarBorder Source #

Use xmobar box to add a border to an arbitrary string.

xmobarRaw :: String -> String Source #

Encapsulate arbitrary text for display only, i.e. untrusted content if wrapped (perhaps from window titles) will be displayed only, with all tags ignored. Introduced in xmobar 0.21; see their documentation. Be careful not to shorten the result.

dzenColor Source #

Use dzen escape codes to output a string with given foreground and background colors.

filterOutWsPP :: [WorkspaceId] -> PP -> PP Source #

logHook = dynamicLogWithPP . filterOutWsPP [scratchpadWorkspaceTag] $ def

logHook = let log screen handle = dynamicLogWithPP . filterOutWsPP [scratchpadWorkspaceTag] . marshallPP screen . pp $ handle
          in log 0 hLeft >> log 1 hRight