Weston - ArchWiki

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Weston is a Wayland compositor designed for correctness, reliability, predictability, and performance.

## Installation

Install the weston package.

## Usage

To launch Weston natively (from a TTY) or to run Weston inside a running X session:

    $ weston

See weston(1) for details and configuration flags.

### Demo applications

Then within Weston, you can run the demos. To launch a terminal emulator:

    $ weston-terminal

To move flowers around the screen:

    $ weston-flower

To display images:

    $ weston-image image1.jpg image2.jpg...

### Shortcuts

Tip: `Super` (windows key) can be changed, see weston.ini

Keyboard Shortcuts
Command | Action
--- | ---
`Ctrl+Alt+Backspace` | Quit Weston
`Super+Scroll` (or `PageUp`/`PageDown`) | Zoom in/out of desktop
`Super+Tab` | Switch windows
`Super+LMB` | Move Window
`Super+MMB` | Rotate Window
`Super+RMB` | Resize Window
`Super+Alt+Scroll` | Change window opacity
`Super+k` | Force Kill Active Window
`Super+Up/Down` | Switch Prev/Next Workspace
`Super+Shift+Up/Down` | Grab Current Window and Switch Workspace
`Super+Fn` | Switch to Workspace n (e.g. F2)
`Super+s` | Take a screenshot
`Super+r` | Record a screencast

## Configuration

Following is an example configuration file. See weston.ini(5) for more.

    ~/.config/weston.ini

    [core]
    # xwayland support
    xwayland=true

    [libinput]
    enable-tap=true

    [shell]
    #background-image=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Aqua.jpg
    background-type=scale-crop
    background-color=0xff000000
    #background-color=0xff002244
    #panel-color=0x90ff0000
    panel-color=0x00ffffff
    panel-position=bottom
    #clock-format=none
    #animation=zoom
    #startup-animation=none
    close-animation=none
    focus-animation=dim-layer
    #binding-modifier=ctrl
    num-workspaces=6
    locking=false
    cursor-theme=Adwaita
    cursor-size=24

    # tablet options
    #lockscreen-icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/actions/lock.png
    #lockscreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Garden.jpg
    #homescreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Blinds.jpg
    #animation=fade

    # for Laptop displays
    [output]
    name=LVDS1
    mode=preferred
    #mode=1680x1050
    #transform=rotate-90

    #[output]
    #name=VGA1
    # The following sets the mode with a modeline, you can get modelines for your preffered resolutions using the cvt utility
    #mode=173.00 1920 2048 2248 2576 1080 1083 1088 1120 -hsync +vsync
    #transform=flipped

    #[output]
    #name=X1
    #mode=1024x768
    #transform=flipped-rotate-270

    # on screen keyboard input method
    #[input-method]
    #path=/usr/lib/weston/weston-keyboard

    [keyboard]
    keymap_rules=evdev
    #keymap_layout=us,de
    #keymap_variant=colemak,
    #keymap_options=grp:shifts_toggle
    #keymap_options=caps:ctrl_modifier,shift:both_capslock_cancel
    repeat-rate=30
    repeat-delay=300

    # keymap_options from /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst
    #numlock-on=true

    [terminal]
    font=monospace
    font-size=18

    [launcher]
    icon=/usr/share/weston/icon_flower.png
    path=/usr/bin/weston-flower

    [launcher]
    icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/32x32/apps/utilities-terminal.png
    path=/usr/bin/weston-terminal --shell=/usr/bin/bash

    #[launcher]
    #icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/32x32/apps/utilities-terminal.png
    #path=/usr/bin/gnome-terminal

    [launcher]
    icon=/usr/share/icons/hicolor/32x32/apps/firefox.png
    path=MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 /usr/bin/firefox

    #[launcher]
    #icon=/usr/share/icons/Adwaita/32x32/apps/multimedia-volume-control.png
    #path=/usr/bin/st alsamixer -c0

Minimal `weston.ini`:

    ~/.config/weston.ini

    [core]
    xwayland=true

    [keyboard]
    keymap_layout=gb

    [output]
    name=LVDS1
    mode=1680x1050
    transform=rotate-90

    [launcher]
    icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/utilities-terminal.png
    path=/usr/bin/weston-terminal

    [launcher]
    icon=/usr/share/icons/hicolor/24x24/apps/firefox.png
    path=/usr/bin/firefox

### Monitors

Weston's outputs differ slightly from those of `xorg.conf` Monitors:

    $ ls /sys/class/drm

    card0
    card0-VGA-1
    card1
    card1-DVI-I-1
    card1-HDMI-A-1
    card1-VGA-2

`card0` is the unused built-in video adapter. The add-on adapter `card1` is cabled to one HDMI and one DVI monitor, so the output names are `HDMI-A-1` and `DVI-I-1`.

### Xwayland

See Wayland#Xwayland for details and an overview of available packages.

Set the following to activate the use of Xwayland:

    ~/.config/weston.ini

    [core]
    xwayland=true

Note: if X is not already configured you may need to configure a keymap: Keyboard configuration in Xorg

### High DPI displays

For Retina or HiDPI displays, use:

    ~/.config/weston.ini

    [output]
    name=...
    scale=2

### Shell font

Weston uses the default sans-serif font for window title bars, clocks, etc. See Font configuration#Set default or fallback fonts for instructions on how to change this font.

## Tips and tricks

### Screencast recording

Weston has built-in screencast recording which can be started and stopped by pressing the `Super`+`r` key combination. Screencasts are saved to the file `capture.wcap` in the current working directory of Weston. The WCAP format is a lossless video format specific to Weston, which only records the difference in frames. To be able to play the recorded screencast, the WCAP file will need to be converted to a format which a media player can understand. First, convert the capture to the YUV pixel format:

    $ wcap-decode --yuv4mpeg2 capture.wcap > capture.y4m

The YUV file can then be transcoded to other formats using FFmpeg or x264 (see `x264 -h` for more).

### Window switching

To switch windows with `Super+Space` instead of `Super+Tab` change `KEY_TAB` to `KEY_SPACE` in `desktop-shell/shell.c` and recompile weston.

## See also

- Official Weston Gitlab Repo

Category:

- Stacking window managers