xSwipe - Universal

xSwipe is multitouch gesture recognizer. This script make your Linux PC able to recognize swipes like a Macbook.

Usage

Before running the script, you must first do some preparations.

1. Install git
2. Download xSwipe
3. Install required packages

NOTE: this guide is designed for Debian derivates and Arch Linux.

1. Install git

Type below code to download git:

Debian

$ sudo apt-get install git

Arch Linux

$ sudo pacman -S git

2. Download xSwipe

Type below code, download xSwipe from github

$ cd YourInstallationFolder
$ git clone https://github.com/intersimone999/xSwipe.git

3. Install required packages

You have to install Ruby and X11::GUITest for Perl. Run the following command:

Debian

$ sudo apt-get install ruby libx11-guitest-perl evemu-tools

Arch Linux

$ yaourt -S ruby perl lib perl-x11-guitest evemu

Run xSwipe

To run xSwipe, type below code on terminal.

$ sudo ruby ~/xSwipe-master/rubySwipe.rb -r

Note that xSwipe requires root privileges in order to use evemu-record.

You can use "swipe" with 3 or 4 fingers, they can call an event. Additionally, some gestures are avilable.

• edge-swipe : swipe with 2 fingers from outside edge.
• long-press : hold pressure for 0.5 seconds with 3 or 4 fingers.
• movement : tap with 5 fingers and release four of them. You can move the window you clicked on. Just release the last finger to stop. You can also use 3 fingers swiping to move the window to another workspace

Option

• -r : RUN run the script. If you don't use this flag, the script won't start. It is useful if you import it in another application or you just want to test it using irb.

Bindable gestures

• 1 finger edge-swipe
• 3/4/5 fingers swipe
• 2/3/4/5 fingers long-press
• 2/3/4 fingers edge-swipe
  • 2fingers edge-swipe: only swipe-left/right from right/left edge
  • 3/4/5fingers edge-swipe: only swipe-down from top egde
• Move gesture
  • Number of fingers: number of fingers needed to start moving a window
  • Move key: the key to be used in order to move a window. See compiz configuration.
  • Swipe actions: how to deal with swipe gestures when moving a window

Default gestures

• 1 Finger
  • Left (edge) -> disabled
  • Right (edge) -> disabled
• 2 Fingers
  • Left (edge) -> Lower volume (Special key)
  • Right (edge) -> Raise volume (Special key)
• 3 Fingers
  • Up -> To lower desktop (Ctrl+Alt+Down)
  • Down -> To upper desktop (Ctrl+Alt+Up)
  • Left -> History forward (Alt+Right)
  • Right -> History back (Alt+Left)
• 4 Fingers
  • Up -> Show all windows on desktop (modified compiz combination: Ctrl+Alt+w)
  • Down -> Show all windows in the system (modified compiz combination: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+w)
  • Left -> Previous song (Special key)
  • Right -> Next song (Special key)
• 5 Fingers
  • All disabled (used to move)
• Move gesture
  • Fingers -> 5
  • Key -> ALT

Configuration file customization

In order to change the action of a gesture, find the gesture in "eventKey.cfgr" and set the corresponding double-quoted string. You can use the following modifiers:

^       CTRL
%       ALT
+       SHIFT
#       META
&       ALTGR
~       ENTER
\n      ENTER
\t      TAB
( and ) MODIFIER GROUPING (eg: "^(c)" is CTRL+C; "^(%(l))" is CTRL+ALT+L)
{ and } QUOTE / ESCAPE CHARACTERS (eg: "{LSK}" is Left "Super" key; {UP} is Up key.)

These are all the special keys:

  Name    Action
-------------------
BAC     BackSpace
BS      BackSpace
BKS     BackSpace
BRE     Break
CAN     Cancel
CAP     Caps_Lock
DEL     Delete
DOWN    Down
END     End
ENT     Return
ESC     Escape
F1      F1
...     ...
F12     F12
HEL     Help
HOM     Home
INS     Insert
LAL     Alt_L
LMA     Meta_L
LCT     Control_L
LEF     Left
LSH     Shift_L
LSK     Super_L
MNU     Menu
NUM     Num_Lock
PGD     Page_Down
PGU     Page_Up
PRT     Print
RAL     Alt_R
RMA     Meta_R
RCT     Control_R
RIG     Right
RSH     Shift_R
RSK     Super_R
SCR     Scroll_Lock
SPA     Space
SPC     Space
TAB     Tab
UP      Up

To find special keys, use xev.

This is an example:

:swipe=>{
  [...]
  3=>{
    [...]
    :left    =>  "%({RIG})", #Triggered if there is a 3-fingers swipe towards left
    [...]
  }
  [...]
:edgeSwipe
  2 =>{
    [...]
    :right	=>   "{LSK}", #Triggered if there is a 2-finger swipe from the left edge towards right
    [...]
  },
  [...]
},