[Xmonad] ideas for new layouts and layout modifiers

[David Roundy]

Hi all,

I'm partly just writing this to myself, to make note of the neat ideas I've
had recently for new layout modifiers, and partly so you'll know what I
might be up to soon, and partly in hope that someone else will implement
them first, since I'm not sure when I'll have time to work on this.  If any
of these interest any of you, I'd be glad to explain my idea more fully,
and let you take all the credit!  :) (Or if you want to vote for what I
work on when I've got time, you could do that, too... or suggest better
module names.)

1. WindowNavigator

  A layout modifier that keeps track of the rectangles of visible windows
  and a "cursor" point, to allow keybindings for "shift focus
  up/down/left/right" in a real geometric manner.  It's independent of the
  tiling algorithm used.  A key point is that moving left followed by right
  will always return focus to its original position (except sometimes if
  the layout of the screen changes when you move focus left).

2. StrutLayout

  Automatically arrange screens so that windows won't overlap struts.  This
  should involve changes to core, but may not *need* to involve changes to
  core.

3. Float

  A float layout (distinct from the current "float" layer) drawing title
  bars on the windows, so you can drag them around with one hand.  Maybe
  even close boxes.

4. ToggleLayouts

  Allow for toggling between two layouts.  Useful for allowing toggling of
  full screen mode, as in ion3.  I'd much rather have this than include
  full in a rotating set of layouts.

The easiest are (1) and (4), followed by (3).  (2) would require learning
more x-windows API than I currently do (to identify the struts/status
bars).
-- 
David Roundy
Department of Physics
Oregon State University