Unity XFCE Window Manager Resize WMCTRL – Set Keybinding to Resize Window to Half Its Size in Chosen Direction

The script below can be used as an additional functionality to the "resize-to-quarter" option in 14.04. It can be run with the arguments: "left", "right", "up", "down", to further cut the quarter in eights.

What it does

If you have your window moved to the quarter of your screen:

the script will cut the window in half, either the left, right, top or bottom half, depending on the argument you run it with (see below).

How to use

• The script uses wmctrl, which is not by default on your system:

  sudo apt-get install wmctrl
  

• Copy the script below into an empty file, save it as organize_w in the directory ~/bin. Make the script executable. Probably you will still have to create the directory ~/bin. It has the advantage that you can run the script just by the script's name:

• Add four commands to custom keyboard shortcuts. Open system settings > "Keyboard" > "Shortcuts" > "Custom Shortcuts". Add four commands to key combinations.
  On my system, I found four extremely fit shortcuts still available: I would suggest adding the commands under these key combinations:

  organize_w left 
  

  Shift+Ctrl+Numpad <

  effect:

  

  organize_w right 
  

  Shift+Ctrl+Numpad >

  effect:

  

  organize_w up 
  

  Shift+Ctrl+Numpad ^

  effect:

  

  organize_w down 
  

  Shift+Ctrl +Numpad v

  effect:

  

  This way, you can arrange windows like below with a few key strokes:

• 

The script:

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import sys

arg = sys.argv[1]
WA_correction = 28

def get(command):
    return subprocess.check_output(["/bin/bash", "-c", command]).decode("utf-8")

def execute(command):
    subprocess.Popen(["/bin/bash", "-c", command])

xprop_data = get("xprop -root").split()
w_id = xprop_data[xprop_data.index("_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW(WINDOW):")+4].replace(",", "")
frontmost = w_id[:2]+"0"+w_id[2:]
w_data = [l for l in get("wmctrl -lG").splitlines() if frontmost in l][0].split()
new_G = w_data[2:6]
new_G[1] = str(int(int(new_G[1])-WA_correction))
xy_corr = lambda x: -10 if int(x) < 100 else 0
if arg == "left":
    new_G[2] = str(int(int(new_G[2])/2 + xy_corr(new_G[0])))
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3]) + xy_corr(new_G[1])))            
elif arg == "right":
    new_G[0] = str(int(int(new_G[0])+int(new_G[2])/2))    
    new_G[2] = str(int(int(new_G[2])/2))
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3]) + xy_corr(new_G[1])))
elif arg == "up":
    new_G[2] = str(int(new_G[2]) + xy_corr(new_G[0]))
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3])/2 + xy_corr(new_G[1])))
elif arg == "down":
    new_G[1] = str(int(int(new_G[1]) + int(new_G[3])/2))
    new_G[2] = str(int(new_G[2]) + xy_corr(new_G[0]))
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3])/2))

execute("wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b remove,maximized_vert,maximized_horz")
execute("wmctrl -ir "+frontmost+" -e 0,"+(",").join(new_G))

edit:

XFCE version

With a few minor changes, the script can also be used to resize wndows into half / quarter or eight on XFCE (tested on 14.04).

Use it exactly like the version for Unity:

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import sys

arg = sys.argv[1]
WA_correction = 48

def get(command):
    return subprocess.check_output(["/bin/bash", "-c", command]).decode("utf-8")

def execute(command):
    subprocess.Popen(["/bin/bash", "-c", command])

xprop_data = get("xprop -root").split()
w_id = xprop_data[xprop_data.index("_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW(WINDOW):")+4].replace(",", "")
frontmost = w_id[:2]+"0"+w_id[2:]
w_data = [l for l in get("wmctrl -lG").splitlines() if frontmost in l][0].split()
new_G = w_data[2:6]
new_G[1] = str(int(int(new_G[1])-WA_correction))
if arg == "left":
    new_G[2] = str(int(int(new_G[2])/2))      
elif arg == "right":
    new_G[0] = str(int(int(new_G[0])+int(new_G[2])/2))    
    new_G[2] = str(int(int(new_G[2])/2))
elif arg == "up":
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3])/2))
elif arg == "down":
    new_G[1] = str(int(int(new_G[1]) + int(new_G[3])/2))
    new_G[3] = str(int(int(new_G[3])/2))

execute("wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b remove,maximized_vert,maximized_horz")
execute("wmctrl -ir "+frontmost+" -e 0,"+(",").join(new_G))

(XFCE version also posted on gist.gisthub)