Task Management (across Workspaces & across the entire Desktop)

Because I frequently want to know what is active on my current ‘workspace,’ as well as across all my workspaces, I have enabled and use two tools/approaches:

rofi: rofi provides my ‘whole’ desktop activity listing simply via a standard set of rofi commands.  The list/popup created is also active, thus a simple click ‘takes’ me to a desired ‘active task’. In bspwm (in sxhkdrc), I have created the following keybinding.

You will not need bspwm to accomplish your keybinding. You can create this keybinding/command in most any manner supported by your desktop environment or window manager.

# rofi Active Tasks
super + F12
rofi -modi window -show window -show-icons -sidebar-mode

The following image is what the result ‘looks like’.

Rofi task list, showing open tasks on all workspaces.

tint2: tint2 is even easier. The taskbar function within tint2 offers a number of readily selectable options. Check the boxes you like best.  You will need to install and run tint2 on your desktop though. I use right mouse-button on an active task button to close the task, when appropriate.

The tint2 arrangement appears in the following image:

Single workspace tasks shown on tint2 bar (bottom of the photo)

In an effort to minimize desktop real estate consumption by tint2, I have divided functions as noted on this page. I, also, have posted an abbreviated version of this page on reddit (see below).

Active Tasks (by workspace & across the entire user desktop)
by in bspwm