[HowTo] use i3 with xfce4

[Phantorm]

1. Open your terminal and paste:
- to change your window manager to i3:

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xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client0_Command -t string -sa xfsettingsd
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client1_Command -t string -sa i3
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client2_Command -t string -sa xfce4-panel 
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client3_Command -t string -s thunar -t string -s --daemon
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client4_Command -t string -sa ""

- to change your window manager to xfwm4:

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xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client0_Command -t string -s xfwm4 -t string -s --replace
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client1_Command -t string -sa xfsettingsd
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client2_Command -t string -sa xfce4-panel 
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client3_Command -t string -s thunar -t string -s --daemon
xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client4_Command -t string -sa "xfdesktop"

2. Remember to delete your saved sessions(Go to Settings Manager > Session and Startup > Saved Sessions > Clear Saved Sessions.
3. Log out and go back.

Tips:
1. Remember to disable XDG autostart .desktop files in your i3 config by replacing:

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# Start XDG autostart .desktop files using dex. See also
# https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XDG_Autostart
exec --no-startup-id dex --autostart --environment i3

to:

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# Start XDG autostart .desktop files using dex. See also
# https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XDG_Autostart
# exec --no-startup-id dex --autostart --environment i3

2. To disable i3bar, replace in your i3 config:

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bar {
        status_command i3status
}

to:

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#bar {
#        status_command i3status
#}

3. If you want icons in your i3 window title bars add

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for_window [all] title_window_icon padding 1px

to your i3 config(~/.config/i3/config).
4. To close windows by pressing the middle mouse button(scroll wheel) on i3 title bars, add it to your i3 config:

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bindsym --release --border button2 kill

5. A workspace switcher plugin for xfce4-panel which can be used for the i3 window manager.
Raw CSS example (default i3 theme):

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.workspace label { padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 2px; }
.workspace { font: monospace 14; min-width: 14px; margin-right: -1px; border: 1px solid #333333; background-color: #222222; color: #888888; border-radius: 0; }
.workspace.visible { background-color: #5f676a; color: white; }
.workspace.focused { border: 1px solid #4C7899; background-color:  #285577; color: white; }
.workspace.urgent { background-color: #900000; color: white; }
.binding-mode { font: monospace 14; background-color: #900000; color: white; }

[Head_on_a_Stick]

This method is very hacky.

Try https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/xfce#U ... ow_manager instead.

[Phantorm]

This method is very hacky.

Try https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/xfce#U ... ow_manager instead.

But with my way you can easily change to default window manager, just uncheck checkbox

[Head_on_a_Stick]

To return to the default WM using the ArchWiki method run

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xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /sessions/Failsafe/Client1_Command -t string -sa xfwm4

Simples.