Creating Custom Keybindings

Oct 13, 2025 by thesweetdesigns.com 56 views

Keybindings are Unable to Use Number Keys: A Solution for Nirix Users

As a Nirix user, you may have encountered an issue where keybindings are unable to use number keys. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to customize your workflow. In this article, we'll explore the issue and provide a solution to help you use number keys in your keybindings.

The issue you're facing is likely due to the way Nirix handles keybindings. Nirix uses a syntax for keybindings that is similar to other window managers, but it has some unique features. One of these features is that it doesn't allow the use of number keys in keybindings.

Why Can't I Use Number Keys?

The reason you can't use number keys in your keybindings is that Nirix treats them as special keys. When you press a number key, Nirix sends a special event to the application, which is not the same as sending a key press event. This means that your keybinding is not being triggered when you press a number key.

A Workaround: Using Mod+Shift+B

As you mentioned, you were able to use the keybinding Mod+Shift+B to trigger the move-window-to-workspace command. This is because the B key is not a number key, and Nirix allows the use of non-number keys in keybindings.

Creating Custom Keybindings

To create custom keybindings that use number keys, you can use the following syntax:

Mod+Shift+B {move-window-to-workspace 1;}
Mod+Shift+C {move-window-to-workspace 2;}
...
Mod+Shift+9 {move-window-to-workspace 9;}

However, as you've discovered, this syntax is not valid in Nirix. To get around this issue, you can use a different approach.

Using a Script to Trigger Keybindings

One solution is to use a script to trigger your keybindings. You can create a script that listens for key presses and triggers the move-window-to-workspace command when a number key is pressed.

Here's an example script that you can use:

#!/bin/bash

# Listen for key presses
while true; do
  # Get the key press event
  read -n 1 key

  # Check if the key is a number key
  if [[ $key =~ [0-9] ]]; then
    # Trigger the move-window-to-workspace command
    nirix -c "move-window-to-workspace $key"
  fi
done

You can save this script to a file (e.g. keybindings.sh) and make it executable with the following command:

chmod +x keybindings.sh

Then, you can run the script in the background with the following command:

./keybindings.sh &

This will start the script, which will listen for key presses and trigger the move-window-to-workspace command when a number key is pressed.

In conclusion, the issue you're facing with keybindings not working with number keys is due to the way Nirix handles keybindings. However, by using a script to trigger keybindings, you can work around this issue and create custom keybindings that use number keys.

Nirix Version: Nirix stable v25.02
Distro: Arch

Make sure to save your script to a file and make it executable before running it.
You can customize the script to trigger different commands based on the key press event.
You can also use other scripting languages (e.g. Python, Bash) to create a script that triggers keybindings.

If you're having trouble getting the script to work, make sure that you've saved it to a file and made it executable.
Check the Nirix documentation for more information on how to create custom keybindings.
If you're still having trouble, try searching online for more information on how to create custom keybindings in Nirix.
Keybindings are Unable to Use Number Keys: A Q&A Article

In our previous article, we explored the issue of keybindings not working with number keys in Nirix. We also provided a solution using a script to trigger keybindings. In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions about this issue and provide additional tips and troubleshooting steps.

Q: Why can't I use number keys in my keybindings?

A: The reason you can't use number keys in your keybindings is that Nirix treats them as special keys. When you press a number key, Nirix sends a special event to the application, which is not the same as sending a key press event. This means that your keybinding is not being triggered when you press a number key.

Q: Is there a way to use number keys in my keybindings?

A: Yes, there is a way to use number keys in your keybindings. You can use a script to trigger your keybindings, as we described in our previous article. This will allow you to use number keys in your keybindings.

Q: How do I create a script to trigger keybindings?

A: To create a script to trigger keybindings, you can use a scripting language such as Bash or Python. You'll need to write a script that listens for key presses and triggers the move-window-to-workspace command when a number key is pressed.

Here's an example script that you can use:

#!/bin/bash

# Listen for key presses
while true; do
  # Get the key press event
  read -n 1 key

  # Check if the key is a number key
  if [[ $key =~ [0-9] ]]; then
    # Trigger the move-window-to-workspace command
    nirix -c "move-window-to-workspace $key"
  fi
done

Q: How do I make my script executable?

A: To make your script executable, you'll need to give it execute permissions. You can do this by running the following command:

chmod +x script.sh

Q: How do I run my script in the background?

A: To run your script in the background, you can use the following command:

./script.sh &

Q: What if I'm still having trouble getting my script to work?

A: If you're still having trouble getting your script to work, there are a few things you can try:

Make sure that you've saved your script to a file and made it executable.
Check the Nirix documentation for more information on how to create custom keybindings.
Try searching online for more information on how to create custom keybindings in Nirix.

Q: Can I use other scripting languages to create a script to trigger keybindings?

A: Yes, you can use other scripting languages to create a script to trigger keybindings. Some popular options include Python and Bash.

Q: How do I customize my script to trigger different commands based on the key press event?

A: To customize your script to trigger different commands based on the key press event, you can use a conditional statement to check the key press event and trigger the corresponding command.

Here's an example:

#!/bin/bash

# Listen for key presses
while true; do
  # Get the key press event
  read -n 1 key

  # Check if the key is a number key
  if [[ $key =~ [0-9] ]]; then
    # Trigger the move-window-to-workspace command
    nirix -c "move-window-to-workspace $key"
  elif [[ $key == "q" ]]; then
    # Trigger the quit command
    nirix -c "quit"
  fi
done

In conclusion, using number keys in keybindings can be a bit tricky in Nirix, but with a script to trigger keybindings, you can work around this issue and create custom keybindings that use number keys. We hope this Q&A article has been helpful in answering your questions and providing additional tips and troubleshooting steps.