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Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

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Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#51

I moved from MacOS to Linux for my desktop machine and still use a Macbook with MacOS on the go. I've tried chunkwm, Spectacle, and a few odd ones on GitHub. But none really come anywhere close to something like i3 on Linux if you're looking for a good window manager. MacOS is just too limited if you really want to have a predefined setup of (work)spaces and window regions.

Have you tried Amethyst[0]? It's a dynamic, automatic tiling WM for macOS; I enjoy it very much.

[0]: https://ianyh.com/amethyst/

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#53

I spent quite a bit of time writing my configuration for Phoenix, if you're thinking about writing your own I think you might find starting from mine useful. It's easy to customize, there are gifs in the readme, and it comes packed with features, I hope you'll like it: https://github.com/fabiospampinato/phoenix

I like the idea of space switcher. Is there any other way of switching spaces than alfred?

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#54

I spent quite a bit of time writing my configuration for Phoenix, if you're thinking about writing your own I think you might find starting from mine useful. It's easy to customize, there are gifs in the readme, and it comes packed with features, I hope you'll like it: https://github.com/fabiospampinato/phoenix

I like the idea of space switcher. Is there any other way of switching spaces than alfred?

One could take a similar approach to mine, but use the list of spaces in an application other than Alfred, or just use the shortcuts macOS provides. I'm not aware of any already available alternative.

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#55
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a hammerspoon user, probably not if that's all you're using it for. Hammerspoon does add a bunch of extra features mosaic doesn't add—but if you don't need them and you've already invested in software to solve your problem: not likely.

If you don't mind, what are the use cases that makes hammerspoon very useful for you?

My use case is to split the screen in two, editor on one side and terminal on the other. I specifically want the terminal to be 80 characters wide (inside that window I use tmux), and the editor to take up the rest of the space.

I've tried most of the simpler, GUI-based window managers for macOS but I haven't found one that let's me set window sizes explicitly in pixels yet. With hammerspoon I figure out the width of the terminal app I want, and adjust the windows accordingly.

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#57
I've been using Phoenix for 2 years straight and it's been pretty smooth sailings. Kasper has done an excellent job maintaining and implementing new features every once in a while, thanks Kasper!

My personal configuration is written in TypeScript and I maintain typings for Phoenix as well. I try to find ways to improve my every-day and implement them in Phoenix, things like: moving/resizing windows, coffee timer, monitor brightness, terminal hotkey, etc. In the past I've used it to track what applications I spend my time in or to automatically switch Karabiner-Element profiles based on which monitor is connected. If you're looking for inspiration, feel free to have a look:

https://github.com/mafredri/phoenix-config

https://github.com/mafredri/phoenix-typings

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#58
Just a quick question for current Phoenix users — how is the multiple monitor performance? By that I mean a situation where I'm going from just the MacBook screen to three monitors on one desk to four monitors on another desk. Will it automatically detect how many monitors are present, without having to resort to hardware-specific configurations? This is a killer feature for me on Hammerspoon, but I much rather script with JS than Lua, out of familiarity.

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#59

Just a quick question for current Phoenix users — how is the multiple monitor performance? By that I mean a situation where I'm going from just the MacBook screen to three monitors on one desk to four monitors on another desk. Will it automatically detect how many monitors are present, without having to resort to hardware-specific configurations? This is a killer feature for me on Hammerspoon, but I much rather scrip…

I'm not entirely sure what you mean with performance, macOS is pretty sluggish at reacting to new monitors anyway.

That said, Phoenix has an event for when the screens change, you can use it to react, enumerate the new screens, etc. Something like:

Event.on('screensDidChange', () => { const sizes = Screen.all().map(s => s.flippedVisibleFrame()); })

Hope that helps!

Re: Show HN: Phoenix 2.6 – a macOS window and app manager scriptable with JavaScript

#60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve tried tiling WM (well, MacOS’ Amethyst, before that used kwm for a while, used fluxbox a long time ago on arch which can be used with tiling) but still can’t get the “why”, they don’t help my process and mostly stand on my way. Anything I’m missing? What do you find so changing?

What I find valuable in a tiling window manager is what it doesn't have. Usually, I want a window full screen. Ocassionally, I want two windows side by side. I can't think of a time I want a window halfway transparent with its upper left corner at (0,32) that's partially occulding another window. It's just so much faster when all the things I don't want to do aren't possible.

My issue is that 90% of the time I just need all my windows full screen (and it's always at least 3 of them), and in the rare occasions I don't, I don't mind setting up something ad-hoc. But then, tiling gets in the way by trying to maximise or reposition everything when I open anything new, or I need to add more virtual desktops/screens
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