DWM Tweaks (Panel, Desktop & Status)

dwm-screenshot

Revised: 09 Aug 2020

If you are like me, you want information about activities and resources consumed on your PC/ Laptop. As a user (and fan) of dwm, I have had a ‘whale of a time’ making that information available on my “Desktop.”

After much research and ‘trial & error’, I have arrived at a ‘pretty good’ place. I have modified my desktop’s dwm panel (see panel bar at the top of my screenshot) using some code tweaks, xsetroot and one plugin (I had wanted to avoid plugins, and simply haven’t been able to). The top panel now shows the following items (top left to right).

  1. My workspaces (tags) at the top-left are all labeled via config.h using FontAwesome glyphs.
  2. Status information on Total Memory Available and Used along with CPU use (%) is provided via either:
    1. xsetroot (to use this xsetroot commands simply need to be used as per the dotfile below)
    2. slstatus (this is probably the best option), to use this method you need to:
      1.  change the start-dwm.sh file to start slstatus using: slstatus &
      2. install slstatus following the instructions here
      3. use the slstatus config.h download as provided below
  3. The top-right systray with Notifications are provided via a suckless plugin.

To the Right of the screen on the Desktop (bottom layer), you will note a Conky. It appears in every workspace. This conky highlights system information, keybindings, and top CPU processes.

The dotfiles, etc. for creating the above are available ‘for FREE’ and are almost certainly worth every penny.

Remember, like with all of my work, I am able to provide the following assurance(s):
  • It is almost certainly going to work until it breaks; although I have to admit it may never work and that would be sad.
  • When/if it does break, you may keep all of the pieces.
  • If you find my materials helpful, both you & I will be happy, at least for a little while.
  • My advice is worth every penny you paid for it!