Extend move-column-to-workspace-up possibility (move a window above the current first workspace)

[idoric]

In overview mode, I can move a window with the mouse (or the touchpad) above the first workspace, and by releasing it, create a new workspace above it (and which becomes the new first workspace). But I can't do it with the keyboard: I can move a window to a workspace below or above if that workspace already exists, but not to this workspace above the first which doesn’t yet exist.

The keyboard/touchpad context switches are quite inexpensive for me on my laptop, but the same is not the case on my desktop computer to switch from my Ferris to my trackball, and vice versa. That’s why I would appreciate it if this action could also be performed from the keyboard, so as not to have to leave it if I am using it. It's a small detail, but all small improvements are good to take, , aren't they?

[neunato]

It will work if you enable empty-workspace-above-first

[idoric]

I thought that this parameter was active, since it worked with the mouse, but indeed it wasn’t, and it allows to do it also on the keyboard.

That being said, I now systematically find myself with an empty workspace at the beginning of my top bar, even though I could already do it with the mouse without that workspace being present beforehand. I would prefer to be able to do with the mouse and keyboard without that empty workspace, but it works, thank you.

[neunato]

You might be able to hide empty workspaces in your bar, for what it's worth

[idoric]

Maybe with another one, but not with the one I use.

[heyoeyo]

If I understand correctly, this could be done using the IPC. It's a bit awkward, but you can take the last empty workspace, move it to index 0 and then move your window/column into that. Kinda breaks workspace indexing, but maybe it makes sense for some setups?

Here's a bash script for doing it for a single window. Moving a whole column should be mostly the same (but without the need to check the row index I think) except using the move-column commands instead of move-window:

#!/bin/bash

# Only make new workspace & move if we're on workspace index 1, row 1
CURR_WS_IDX=$(niri msg -j workspaces | jq '.[] | select(.is_focused == true)' | jq .idx)
if [ "$CURR_WS_IDX" -ne 1 ]; then
  # Here we're not on workspace 1, so just move up normally
  niri msg action move-window-up-or-to-workspace-up
else
  WIN_ROW_IDX=$(niri msg -j focused-window | jq .layout | jq .pos_in_scrolling_layout | jq '.[1]')
  if [ "$WIN_ROW_IDX" -eq 1 ]; then
    # Here we're on workspace 1, row 1, so make an empty workspace above to move into
	NUM_WS=$(niri msg -j workspaces | jq 'length')
	niri msg action set-workspace-name _tempws --workspace $NUM_WS
	niri msg action move-workspace-to-index 1 --reference _tempws 
	niri msg action move-window-to-workspace _tempws
	niri msg action unset-workspace-name _tempws
  else
    # Here we're on workspace 1, but not row 1, so just move up the column
    niri msg action move-window-up
  fi
fi

You'd just need to save this to a file and then call it with your 'move up' keybind.

[idoric]

Wonderful, it does exactly what I wanted. Thank you very much!

My small contribution, for those who might be interested, the same script in Nushell :

#!/usr/bin/env nu

# Only make new workspace & move if we're on workspace index 1, row 1
let CURR_WS_IDX = niri msg -j workspaces | from json | where is_focused == true | get idx | first
if $CURR_WS_IDX != 1 {
    # Here we're not on workspace 1, so just move up normally
    niri msg action move-window-up-or-to-workspace-up
} else {
    let WIN_ROW_IDX = niri msg -j focused-window | from json | get layout | get pos_in_scrolling_layout | get 1
    if $WIN_ROW_IDX == 1 {
        # Here we're on workspace 1, row 1, so make an empty workspace above to move into
        let NUM_WS = niri msg -j workspaces | from json | length
        niri msg action set-workspace-name _tempws --workspace $NUM_WS
        niri msg action move-workspace-to-index 1 --reference _tempws 
        niri msg action move-window-to-workspace _tempws
        niri msg action unset-workspace-name _tempws
    } else {
        # Here we're on workspace 1, but not row 1, so just move up the column
        niri msg action move-window-up
    }
}