We use the excellent EXWM module as the basis for our Emacs Desktop Environment. The EXWM Wiki is a great place to find tips about how to configure everything!
NOTE: Make sure you’ve installed nm-applet, pasystray and blueman for the system tray apps to work!
(defun efs/run-in-background (command)
(let ((command-parts (split-string command "[ ]+")))
(apply #'call-process `(,(car command-parts) nil 0 nil ,@(cdr command-parts)))))
(defun efs/set-wallpaper ()
(interactive)
;; NOTE: You will need to update this to a valid background path!
(start-process-shell-command
"feh" nil "feh --bg-scale /usr/share/backgrounds/matt-mcnulty-nyc-2nd-ave.jpg"))
(defun efs/exwm-init-hook ()
;; Make workspace 1 be the one where we land at startup
(exwm-workspace-switch-create 1)
;; Open eshell by default
;;(eshell)
;; Show battery status in the mode line
(display-battery-mode 1)
;; Show the time and date in modeline
(setq display-time-day-and-date t)
(display-time-mode 1)
;; Also take a look at display-time-format and format-time-string
;; Launch apps that will run in the background
(efs/run-in-background "nm-applet")
(efs/run-in-background "pasystray")
(efs/run-in-background "blueman-applet"))
(defun efs/exwm-update-class ()
(exwm-workspace-rename-buffer exwm-class-name))
(use-package exwm
:config
;; Set the default number of workspaces
(setq exwm-workspace-number 5)
;; When window "class" updates, use it to set the buffer name
(add-hook 'exwm-update-class-hook #'efs/exwm-update-class)
;; When EXWM starts up, do some extra confifuration
(add-hook 'exwm-init-hook #'efs/exwm-init-hook)
;; Rebind CapsLock to Ctrl
(start-process-shell-command "xmodmap" nil "xmodmap ~/.emacs.d/exwm/Xmodmap")
;; Set the screen resolution (update this to be the correct resolution for your screen!)
(require 'exwm-randr)
(exwm-randr-enable)
(start-process-shell-command "xrandr" nil "xrandr --output Virtual-1 --primary --mode 2048x1152 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal")
;; Set the wallpaper after changing the resolution
(efs/set-wallpaper)
;; Load the system tray before exwm-init
(require 'exwm-systemtray)
(setq exwm-systemtray-height 32)
(exwm-systemtray-enable)
;; These keys should always pass through to Emacs
(setq exwm-input-prefix-keys
'(?\C-x
?\C-u
?\C-h
?\M-x
?\M-`
?\M-&
?\M-:
?\C-\M-j ;; Buffer list
?\C-\ )) ;; Ctrl+Space
;; Ctrl+Q will enable the next key to be sent directly
(define-key exwm-mode-map [?\C-q] 'exwm-input-send-next-key)
;; Set up global key bindings. These always work, no matter the input state!
;; Keep in mind that changing this list after EXWM initializes has no effect.
(setq exwm-input-global-keys
`(
;; Reset to line-mode (C-c C-k switches to char-mode via exwm-input-release-keyboard)
([?\s-r] . exwm-reset)
;; Move between windows
([s-left] . windmove-left)
([s-right] . windmove-right)
([s-up] . windmove-up)
([s-down] . windmove-down)
;; Launch applications via shell command
([?\s-&] . (lambda (command)
(interactive (list (read-shell-command "$ ")))
(start-process-shell-command command nil command)))
;; Switch workspace
([?\s-w] . exwm-workspace-switch)
([?\s-`] . (lambda () (interactive) (exwm-workspace-switch-create 0)))
;; 's-N': Switch to certain workspace with Super (Win) plus a number key (0 - 9)
,@(mapcar (lambda (i)
`(,(kbd (format "s-%d" i)) .
(lambda ()
(interactive)
(exwm-workspace-switch-create ,i))))
(number-sequence 0 9))))
(exwm-input-set-key (kbd "s-SPC") 'counsel-linux-app)
(exwm-enable))
We use the desktop-environment package to automatically bind to well-known programs for controlling the volume, screen brightness, media playback, and doing other things like locking the screen and taking screenshots. Make sure that you install the necessary programs to make this functionality work! Check the default programs list to know what you need to install.
(use-package desktop-environment
:after exwm
:config (desktop-environment-mode)
:custom
(desktop-environment-brightness-small-increment "2%+")
(desktop-environment-brightness-small-decrement "2%-")
(desktop-environment-brightness-normal-increment "5%+")
(desktop-environment-brightness-normal-decrement "5%-"))
This file is used by your “login manager” (GDM, LightDM, etc) to display EXWM as a desktop environment option when you log in.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you create a symbolic link for this file into /usr/share/xsessions:
sudo ln -f ~/.emacs.d/exwm/EXWM.desktop /usr/share/xsessions/EXWM.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Name=EXWM
Comment=Emacs Window Manager
Exec=sh /home/daviwil/.emacs.d/exwm/start-exwm.sh
TryExec=sh
Type=Application
X-LightDM-DesktopName=exwm
DesktopNames=exwm
This launcher script is invoked by EXWM.desktop to start Emacs and load our desktop environment configuration. We also start up some other helpful applications to configure the desktop experience.
# Set the screen DPI (uncomment this if needed!)
# xrdb ~/.emacs.d/exwm/Xresources
# Run the screen compositor
compton &
# Enable screen locking on suspend
xss-lock -- slock &
# Fire it up
exec dbus-launch --exit-with-session emacs -mm --debug-init -l ~/.emacs.d/desktop.el
The Xmodmap file will be used with the xmodmap program to remap CapsLock to Ctrl inside of our desktop environment:
clear lock
clear control
keycode 66 = Control_L
add control = Control_L
add Lock = Control_R
The Xresources file will be used with xrdb in start-exwm.sh to set our screen DPI:
Xft.dpi: 100 # Set this to your desired DPI! Larger number means bigger text and UI