Feature Request: Option to alternate layouts when opening windows

[paulodiovani]

I want to be able to alternate layouts (vertical, horizontal, vertical...) when opening new windows, similar to what this i1 plugin do: https://github.com/olemartinorg/i3-alternating-layout

Is there a way to achieve this today?
If not, can we add as a feature request?

[nikitabobko]

Is there a way to achieve this today?

No, it's not possible yet

If not, can we add as a feature request?

Once the on-focus-changed callback is introduced #230 and the command to query the tree is introduced #16, it should be possible to implement a similar alternate layouts script

[paulodiovani]

Another (even better) option would be to have a layout that prioritize a single window, always giving it the biggest piece of the screen.

Similar to Hyperland master layout or Amethyst tall layout

[cornz]

This would be a great addition as I'm also very used to have a layout like this on my second monitor on all workspaces:

This works flawlessly by default on yabai and would be great to have on aerospace, too

[nikitabobko]

I'm closing this issue in favor of two others:

• AeroSpace already supports on-focus-changed. Once tree command is supported Support tree CLI command to return the whole tree #16, I think the "alternate" layouts can be hacked by external plugins (like i3 does it)
• A better alternative is to explore the idea of declarative normalizations Feature proposal: More sophisticated per-workspace normalizations to replicate dynamic twm #260

[paulodiovani]

Hi again,
I got close to make this work with a keybinding.

I'm using exec-and-forget to count how many windows are opened to decide which if join-with should be called with up or left.

[mode.main.binding]
cmd-shift-h = 'join-with up'
cmd-shift-v = 'join-with left'
cmd-shift-e = '''exec-and-forget if [ $(expr $(aerospace list-windows --workspace focused | wc -l) % 2) -eq 0 ]; then
  aerospace join-with up;
else
  aerospace join-with left;
fi
'''

Of course, rely on window count is a terrible solution and will break if there are floating windows around, but I plan to rewrite this using tree when #16 is available.

I wanted to use with on-window-detected callback, but it does not accept exec-and-forget.