How to use the command 'eww' (with examples)

‘Eww’, or ‘ElKoWar’s Wacky Widgets’, is a highly customizable, extensible widget system that allows users to create and manage their own dynamic widgets tailored to any window manager environment. With its flexible configuration, users can enhance their desktop environment with interactive, visually appealing widgets, ranging from simple clocks to complex system monitors. In this article, we’ll explore different use cases of the ’eww’ command to show you how to start the daemon, open and close widgets, reload configurations, kill the daemon, and monitor logs.

Start the daemon

Code:

eww daemon

Motivation:
The daemon is the backbone of the ’eww’ widget system. Starting the daemon is crucial as it initializes the process required to manage eww widgets effectively. Without the daemon running, none of the widgets can function, as the daemon facilitates the communication between the widgets and the source configuration they rely on.

Explanation:
The command eww daemon begins by launching the ’eww’ daemon. The term ‘daemon’ here refers to a background process that runs independently to manage the tasks associated with widget operation. ’eww’ processes the resources and sets up the environment in which the widgets will live.

Example Output:
After executing this command, there might not be any visible output in the terminal. However, you can verify that the daemon is running by checking the process list (ps aux | grep eww) or by observing the functioning widgets on your desktop.

Open a widget

Code:

eww -c path/to/source_code_directory open window_name

Motivation:
Opening a widget is fundamental to interacting with the ’eww’ system. This action visually materializes a widget on your desktop, allowing the user to interact with it. This is essential for applications where real-time monitoring or interaction is required, such as a system monitor or weather information.

Explanation:

• -c: This flag allows you to specify the configuration directory where your widget source files are located. This helps ’eww’ to find the right assets and configurations that define how the widget looks and behaves.
• path/to/source_code_directory: This is the actual path to your eww configuration files. You need to provide the exact location so that ’eww’ can use the correct widget specifications.
• open: This command tells ’eww’ to launch a widget.
• window_name: This argument specifies which widget to open, referring to the configuration in your source files.

Example Output:
Executing this command will display the specified widget on your desktop. If your widget is a clock, you’ll see it ticking real-time wherever it was configured to appear.

Close a widget

Code:

eww -c path/to/source_code_directory close window_name

Motivation:
Closing a widget is necessary when you want to temporarily remove it from your workspace without altering your overall configuration. It’s useful for maintaining a clean desktop or disabling widgets that are not needed constantly.

Explanation:

• -c: As before, this specifies the directory where your configuration is located.
• path/to/source_code_directory: The directory path to your widget’s source files.
• close: This command tells ’eww’ to close a running widget.
• window_name: The specific widget you wish to close, aligned with the configuration.

Example Output:
The widget specified by window_name will disappear from your screen. Consider a widget providing stock updates, closing it might be necessary during off-market hours for less distraction.

Reload the configuration

Code:

eww reload

Motivation:
Reloading the configuration allows any changes made to the widget source files to be applied immediately without having to manually restart the daemon or widgets. This is particularly beneficial during development or when making iterative customizations to widgets.

Explanation:
The command eww reload instructs ’eww’ to refresh its settings and resources from the configuration files. It’s akin to restarting the system without shutting it down, ensuring that the latest changes are visible and active.

Example Output:
Upon execution, any modifications to your widget’s configuration files will reflect immediately in their appearance or behaviour. You might see changes such as a new color scheme on a weather widget.

Kill the daemon

Code:

eww kill

Motivation:
Killing the daemon is a necessary step to completely shut down the ’eww’ system. This could be important when you need to perform system maintenance, conserve resources, or when you simply want to stop all widgets and related processes.

Explanation:
The eww kill command stops the ’eww’ daemon from running. By doing this, all active widgets will cease to function and be removed from the desktop.

Example Output:
All widgets being managed by ’eww’ will disappear, and there will be no ’eww’ related processes running in the background. This is confirmed by running ps aux | grep eww and observing the absence of ’eww’.

Print and watch logs

Code:

eww logs

Motivation:
Logging is crucial for debugging and performance monitoring. By viewing the logs, users and developers can diagnose potential issues, understand widget behavior, and see error messages or performance details.

Explanation:
The eww logs command opens up a real-time stream of log data from the ’eww’ daemon and associated widgets. It includes information on actions processed by the daemon, errors encountered, and other detailed operational data.

Example Output:
The terminal will fill with log entries showing information about widget operations, changes, errors, or status updates. This data can be invaluable when troubleshooting a malfunctioning widget or fine-tuning performance.

Conclusion:

The ’eww’ command is an integral tool for managing customized widgets across your desktop environment. From starting the daemon to fine-tuning with real-time logs, each command serves to provide control and customization over your window manager’s functionality. By mastering these commands you can significantly enhance your productivity and desktop aesthetics, creating a more tailored user experience.