config: workspace empty behavior

Author: kotarac

book/src/control-center.md

@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ LIBEI_SOCKET
 Workspace Display Order
 : Dropdown to select how workspaces are ordered in the bar
 
+Workspace Empty Behavior
+: Dropdown to select what happens to empty workspaces when they are left or become inactive
+
 Log Level
 : Dropdown to change the active log level at runtime (shown when the logger is available)
 

book/src/workspaces.md

@@ -153,6 +153,51 @@ workspace-display-order = "sorted"
 
 You can also change this at runtime in the control center.
 
+## Empty Workspace Behavior
+
+Jay creates workspaces on demand. When a workspace becomes empty, Jay can
+optionally hide or destroy it automatically so your workspace list does not
+accumulate unused entries.
+
+Configure this with the `workspace-empty-behavior` top-level setting (or at
+runtime in the control center, in the Compositor pane):
+
+```toml
+workspace-empty-behavior = "hide-on-leave"
+```
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> This behavior is evaluated per output.
+>
+> - "leave" means the workspace stops being the active workspace on its output
+>   because you showed another workspace on that same output.
+> - "inactive" means the workspace is currently not the active workspace on its
+>   output.
+
+Supported values:
+
+`preserve`
+: Never destroy or hide empty workspaces automatically.
+
+`destroy-on-leave`
+: Destroy an empty workspace when you leave it (default).
+
+`hide-on-leave`
+: Hide an empty workspace when you leave it.
+
+`destroy`
+: Destroy an empty workspace whenever it is empty and inactive.
+
+`hide`
+: Hide an empty workspace whenever it is empty and inactive.
+
+> [!TIP]
+> Hidden workspaces are omitted from Jay's built-in workspace lists and the bar.
+> Some external workspace tools may still show them as hidden. You can restore
+> them by showing the workspace by name (for example via the `show-workspace`
+> action). When restoring a hidden workspace, Jay prefers the output it was last
+> shown on if that output is still connected.
+
 ## Hot-Plug and Hot-Unplug
 
 Jay handles monitor connections gracefully:

jay-config/src/_private/client.rs

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ use {
             ContentType, MatchedWindow, TileState, Window, WindowCriterion, WindowMatcher,
             WindowType,
         },
-        workspace::WorkspaceDisplayOrder,
+        workspace::{WorkspaceDisplayOrder, WorkspaceEmptyBehavior},
         xwayland::XScalingMode,
     },
     bincode::Options,
@@ -1100,6 +1100,10 @@ impl ConfigClient {
         self.send(&ClientMessage::SetWorkspaceDisplayOrder { order });
     }
 
+    pub fn set_workspace_empty_behavior(&self, behavior: WorkspaceEmptyBehavior) {
+        self.send(&ClientMessage::SetWorkspaceEmptyBehavior { behavior });
+    }
+
     pub fn seat_create_mark(&self, seat: Seat, kc: Option<u32>) {
         self.send(&ClientMessage::SeatCreateMark { seat, kc });
     }

jay-config/src/_private/ipc.rs

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use {
             Transform, VrrMode, connector_type::ConnectorType,
         },
         window::{ContentType, TileState, Window, WindowMatcher, WindowType},
-        workspace::WorkspaceDisplayOrder,
+        workspace::{WorkspaceDisplayOrder, WorkspaceEmptyBehavior},
         xwayland::XScalingMode,
     },
     serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
@@ -893,6 +893,9 @@ pub enum ClientMessage<'a> {
     ShowWorkspace3 {
         v1: WorkspaceShowOpV1,
     },
+    SetWorkspaceEmptyBehavior {
+        behavior: WorkspaceEmptyBehavior,
+    },
 }
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]

jay-config/src/lib.rs

@@ -176,7 +176,9 @@ impl Workspace {
 
     /// Moves this workspace to another output.
     ///
-    /// This has no effect if the workspace is not currently being shown.
+    /// Hidden workspaces remain hidden and are restored on the new output when shown again.
+    ///
+    /// This has no effect if the workspace does not exist or the output is not connected.
     pub fn move_to_output(self, output: Connector) {
         get!().move_to_output(WorkspaceSource::Explicit(self), output);
     }

jay-config/src/workspace.rs

@@ -17,3 +17,25 @@ pub enum WorkspaceDisplayOrder {
 pub fn set_workspace_display_order(order: WorkspaceDisplayOrder) {
     get!().set_workspace_display_order(order);
 }
+
+/// Configures what happens to empty workspaces when they are left or become inactive.
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub enum WorkspaceEmptyBehavior {
+    /// Never destroy or hide empty workspaces automatically.
+    Preserve,
+    /// Destroy an empty workspace when switching away from it.
+    DestroyOnLeave,
+    /// Hide an empty workspace when switching away from it.
+    HideOnLeave,
+    /// Destroy an empty workspace whenever it is empty and inactive.
+    Destroy,
+    /// Hide an empty workspace whenever it is empty and inactive.
+    Hide,
+}
+
+/// Sets what should happen to empty workspaces.
+///
+/// The default is `WorkspaceEmptyBehavior::DestroyOnLeave`.
+pub fn set_workspace_empty_behavior(behavior: WorkspaceEmptyBehavior) {
+    get!().set_workspace_empty_behavior(behavior);
+}

src/compositor.rs

@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ use {
         tracy::enable_profiler,
         tree::{
             DisplayNode, NodeIds, OutputNode, TearingMode, Transform, VrrMode,
-            WorkspaceDisplayOrder, container_layout, container_render_positions,
-            container_render_titles, float_layout, float_titles, output_render_data,
-            placeholder_render_textures,
+            WorkspaceDisplayOrder, WorkspaceEmptyBehavior, container_layout,
+            container_render_positions, container_render_titles, float_layout, float_titles,
+            output_render_data, placeholder_render_textures,
         },
         user_session::import_environment,
         utils::{
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ fn start_compositor2(
         enable_primary_selection: Cell::new(true),
         xdg_surface_configure_events: Default::default(),
         workspace_display_order: Cell::new(WorkspaceDisplayOrder::Manual),
+        workspace_empty_behavior: Cell::new(WorkspaceEmptyBehavior::DestroyOnLeave),
         outputs_without_hc: Default::default(),
         udmabuf: Default::default(),
         gfx_ctx_changed: Default::default(),

src/config/handler.rs

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ use {
             VrrMode as ConfigVrrMode,
         },
         window::{TileState as ConfigTileState, Window, WindowMatcher},
-        workspace::WorkspaceDisplayOrder,
+        workspace::{WorkspaceDisplayOrder, WorkspaceEmptyBehavior},
         xwayland::XScalingMode,
     },
     kbvm::Keycode,
@@ -585,6 +585,9 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
     fn handle_get_workspaces(&self) {
         let mut workspaces = vec![];
         for ws in self.state.workspaces.lock().values() {
+            if ws.hidden.get() {
+                continue;
+            }
             workspaces.push(self.get_workspace_by_name(&ws.name, ws.ty));
         }
         self.respond(Response::GetWorkspaces { workspaces });
@@ -1159,7 +1162,11 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
                 seat,
             }
         };
-        if move_ {
+        let hidden = ws.hidden.get();
+        if move_ && hidden {
+            self.state.show_workspace2(seat.as_ref(), &output, &ws);
+        }
+        if move_ && !hidden {
             move_ws_to_output(
                 &ws,
                 &output,
@@ -1173,7 +1180,8 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
             if let Some(seat) = &seat {
                 ws.do_focus(seat, crate::tree::Direction::Unspecified);
             }
-        } else {
+        }
+        if !move_ {
             self.state.show_workspace2(seat.as_ref(), &output, &ws);
         }
         if let Some(seat) = &seat {
@@ -1193,6 +1201,14 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
                 }
             },
         };
+        if workspace.hidden.get()
+            && self
+                .state
+                .restore_hidden_workspace(&workspace, Some(seat.get_fallback_output()), Some(&seat))
+                .is_none()
+        {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
         seat.set_workspace(&workspace);
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -1209,6 +1225,14 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
                 },
             },
         };
+        if workspace.hidden.get()
+            && self
+                .state
+                .restore_hidden_workspace(&workspace, window.node_output(), None)
+                .is_none()
+        {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
         toplevel_set_workspace(&self.state, window, &workspace);
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -1581,6 +1605,10 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
         self.state.set_workspace_display_order(order.into());
     }
 
+    fn handle_set_workspace_empty_behavior(&self, behavior: WorkspaceEmptyBehavior) {
+        self.state.set_workspace_empty_behavior(behavior.into());
+    }
+
     fn handle_get_seat_float_pinned(&self, seat: Seat) -> Result<(), CphError> {
         let seat = self.get_seat(seat)?;
         self.respond(Response::GetFloatPinned {
@@ -1773,6 +1801,7 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
     fn handle_get_workspace_connector(&self, workspace: Workspace) -> Result<(), CphError> {
         let connector = self
             .get_existing_workspace(workspace)?
+            .filter(|ws| !ws.hidden.get())
             .map(|ws| ws.output.get())
             .filter(|o| !o.is_dummy)
             .map(|o| Connector(o.global.connector.id.raw() as _))
@@ -3597,6 +3626,9 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
             ClientMessage::ShowWorkspace3 { v1 } => {
                 self.handle_show_workspace_3(v1).wrn("show_workspace_3")?
             }
+            ClientMessage::SetWorkspaceEmptyBehavior { behavior } => {
+                self.handle_set_workspace_empty_behavior(behavior)
+            }
         }
         Ok(())
     }

src/control_center/cc_compositor.rs

@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ impl CompositorPane {
                 s.workspace_display_order.get(),
                 |o| s.set_workspace_display_order(o),
             );
+            combo_box(
+                ui,
+                "Workspace Empty Behavior",
+                s.workspace_empty_behavior.get(),
+                |b| s.set_workspace_empty_behavior(b),
+            );
             if let Some(logger) = &s.logger {
                 combo_box(ui, "Log Level", logger.level(), |l| s.set_log_level(l));
                 row(ui, "Log File", |ui| {

src/ifs/jay_compositor.rs

@@ -332,6 +332,9 @@ impl JayCompositorRequestHandler for JayCompositor {
             .workspace_watchers
             .set((self.client.id, req.id), watcher.clone());
         for ws in self.client.state.workspaces.lock().values() {
+            if ws.hidden.get() {
+                continue;
+            }
             watcher.send_workspace(ws)?;
         }
         Ok(())