How do I arrange my windows automatically?

Question

Is there some equivalent of Windows' "Tile Windows" in Ubuntu?

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The answer to this question is XMonad. It really really is and XMonad rocks, just look at the screenshots: http://xmonad.org/ — Robert Massaioli, Oct 17 '10 at 00:21
You raise an interesting question. I have to wonder why this feature wasn't part of the XWindows framework as a keystroke sequence or something, from several years ago. Like duh, right? And not everyone is going to have Compiz or a WM that supports this feature. Luckily my graphics card supports Compiz effects. — Volomike, Oct 17 '10 at 07:00
@RobertMassaioli xmonad looks hard to install. And maybe if I start it I lose the windows I have open? — isomorphismes, Sep 28 '14 at 03:46
@isomorphismes Of course, you will need to install a different window manager...but then you just open the windows up again. At any rate, if you are worried about that then maybe XMonad is not for you, stick with the default Gnome windows because they will provide a very familiar experience. But they will not solve the problem asked in this question. — Robert Massaioli, Sep 28 '14 at 22:19
@RobertMassaioli I see your point. But Compiz does seem to have some tiling options too. Also it looks like xmonad is not just a tiling window manager, but the hardest of the tiling window managers. (Maybe.) I used awesome for a while and found it relatively easy to configure (and this is a selling point of it above xmonad). Anyway, I'm not sure xmonad is the best answer to this question: that seems to only be true for those with a high tolerance for yak-shaving (which is not indicated in the question). — isomorphismes, Sep 29 '14 at 00:11

score 12 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 22 '20 at 12:09

If you're using compiz, you can enable the "Grid" plugin to use keyboard shortcuts to move windows around the screen in a tiling sort of way.

You'll need to make sure compiz-fusion-plugins-extra is installed (sudo apt-get install compiz-fusion-plugins-extra or use synaptic - probably software center too).

I got the tip from here: http://www.webupd8.org/2009/12/linux-w-compiz-tile-position-and-resize.html

You can do something similar without compiz using this: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/08/python-window-organizer-organize-your-windows-using-the-keyboard

I don't think either of these options have an auto tile feature though. Using a default install, I'm not sure this option is anywhere (not anywhere that I know of anyway). In that case, some of the other answers already posted might be more useful.

KP refers to the "keypad" or the number pad usually found on the right side of a standard keyboard (however, many laptops lack a number pad). KP2 refers to the "2" on the number pad. Not sure about "Primary" though. — gregghz, Sep 29 '14 at 15:52

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 16 '10 at 21:08

6

You could use a tiling window manager. There are many options (ion3, scrotwm, dwm, etc, etc). Search google for "tiling window manager", or search for "tiling" in synaptic.

answered Oct 16 '10 at 21:08

kanaka

283

5

This answer on AskUbuntu is a review of available tiling WMs in Ubuntu. – Riccardo Murri Oct 16 '10 at 23:04

Lincoln · Answer 3 · 2010-10-17T00:21:56.350

5

There is also an unsupported compiz plugin called Tile. It's in the compiz-fusion-plugins-unsupported package which can be obtained e.g. from this PPA (update of compiz from this ppa needed too)

You can watch it in action in this video (starting at 1:44)

edited Oct 17 '10 at 00:21

answered Oct 16 '10 at 23:01

Lincoln

3,513

does that ppa introduce a new version of compiz as well? – gregghz Oct 16 '10 at 23:18
Yes, but you could choose to just install the plugin and then disable the source – Lincoln Oct 16 '10 at 23:35
good idea, so the plugin doesn't require the newer version of compiz as a dependency? Sorry to keep bugging you, it's just a very interesting and possibly good solution, but upgrading compiz could be dangerous. Do you know if it's a testing ppa or if it's just latest stable version? – gregghz Oct 17 '10 at 00:00
1

Hmm...just did a quick test and got this message on lucid: compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'core' has ABI version '20090619', expected ABI version '20091102'. So I guess you need the newer compiz version from the ppa...But this ppa is from the official compiz guys and the last update was on 2010-04-28. So I'd say it's safe to use it. – Lincoln Oct 17 '10 at 00:06
awesome, good to know. and yeah, a stable version is probably fine :) – gregghz Oct 17 '10 at 01:34
I just tried this and now I can't start compiz. In fact no window manager will start. I also removed the ppa and tried to reinstall the previous version of compiz, but it also is not working. Not sure if this is common, but anyone attempting this should be careful. YMMV. – gregghz Oct 17 '10 at 02:06
Tried it myself now too. I'm on lucid and had no problems. After updating compiz from there the plugin worked. Looks like you had some strange uncommon problems...especially that you couldn't start any WM at all can't have to do with this ppa imho. – Lincoln Oct 17 '10 at 08:55

score 2 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 19 '20 at 03:26

X Tile

X-tile is an application that allows you to select a number of windows and tile them in different ways.

X-tile works on any X desktop (gnome, kde, xfce, lxde…).

The main features are: many tiling geometries, undo tiling, invert tiling order, optional system tray docking and menu, filter to avoid listing some windows, filter to check some windows by default, command line interface.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 08 '22 at 10:37

Having looked at all the answers above, the answer (without either completely dumping your existing Window Manager) seems to be "You can't".

xMonad is a completely different Window Manager to the one you're probably using
the compiz plugins all seem to be out of date
as are most of the other answers

The only sensible option seems to be https://help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-help/shell-windows-tiled.html which isn't quite automatic but seems to be as good as it gets.

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 13 '10 at 04:18

0

How-to: Set up XMonad & XMobar on Ubuntu

http://www.huntlycameron.co.uk/2010/11/how-to-set-up-xmonad-xmobar-ubuntu/

answered Dec 13 '10 at 04:18

punkmexic

317

URL is now http://www.huntlycameron.co.uk/wordpress/2010/11/16/how-to-set-up-xmonad-xmobar-ubuntu/ – Stephen Paulger Feb 28 '11 at 13:54
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URL is dead, but wayback machine got it: https://web.archive.org/web/20150509174313/http://www.huntlycameron.co.uk/2010/11/how-to-set-up-xmonad-xmobar-ubuntu – endorama Jul 10 '19 at 09:22

score -1 · Answer 7 · edited Nov 22 '13 at 19:54

-1

You can use Super(Win)+W with lastest Ubuntu. Press and hold Super button, you will see the hotkey tutorial

edited Nov 22 '13 at 19:54

Braiam

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answered Nov 22 '13 at 19:41

maoanz

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For the record, I didn't down vote you; but please put some more research into this answer. Super+W shows the spread. It's a very useful feature, but it's not at all the same as tiling the windows. Also, Super+W doesn't seem to appear in the list of shortcuts shown when you hold Super. And, that list doesn't popup for every users: the screen has to be a certain size. I don't remember the cutoff, but it won't show for 10.1 inch netbooks. – chaskes Nov 22 '13 at 22:45

score -2 · Answer 8 · answered Oct 16 '10 at 20:57

-2

I think you can use wmtile for your case: http://ostatic.com/wmtile/home/1

answered Oct 16 '10 at 20:57

User

4,526

How do I arrange my windows automatically?

8 Answers8

X Tile

Linked