dwmblocks

dwmblocks is a modular and customizable status bar for DWM (Dynamic Window Manager). It provides real-time system information using simple shell scripts. Each block in the status bar is independent, allowing for easy customization and flexibility. With dwmblocks, you can add, remove, or modify blocks to display different information or trigger updates using signals.

This version of dwmblocks is inspired by Luke Smith's dwmblocks, which emphasizes minimalism and efficiency. Most of the scripts I use are directly inspired by, or adapted from, Luke Smith's dotfiles. You can find my customized versions of these scripts in my dotfiles repository under ~/.local/bin/statusbar.

Modifying Blocks

The status bar is composed of individual blocks that output text generated by shell commands or scripts. To add or remove blocks, edit the blocks.def.h file, where each block is defined by the following:

• The command to be executed.
• The interval in seconds at which the block should update.
• A signal number that can be used to update the block on demand.

This approach makes dwmblocks very efficient, as blocks can be updated manually without requiring frequent polling.

Signaling Changes

Unlike many status bars that update all blocks at set intervals, dwmblocks can be signaled to update specific blocks only when needed. This reduces CPU usage by avoiding unnecessary updates. For instance, to update the volume block (which has a signal number of 10), you can run:

pkill -RTMIN+10 dwmblocks

Or use:

kill -44 $(pidof dwmblocks)

This sends signal 44 (signal 10 + 34) to update the volume block instantly. Each block in the status bar can have a unique signal number for targeted updates.

Clickable Modules

The statuscmd patch allows for clickable interactions with the status bar. With this patch, you can assign actions to left, middle, and right mouse clicks on individual blocks. This enhances usability by enabling you to open applications or perform actions directly from the status bar.

For example, left-clicking on the clock block opens a calendar, and right-clicking on the news block syncs your RSS feed with Newsboat. The $BUTTON variable within the scripts detects which mouse button was clicked and responds accordingly.

For clickable functionality to work, the appropriate patch must also be applied to dwm. See statuscmd patch for more details. Credit for these patches goes to Daniel Bylinka.

Compatibility

This version of dwmblocks is also compatible with the status2d patch, which allows for colored status text.

Statusbar Scripts

The following table lists the scripts I use in my status bar, which are located in ~/.local/bin/statusbar in my dotfiles repository. These scripts are mostly inspired by Luke Smith’s dotfiles.

Each script displays specific system information and, in many cases, supports clickable functionality for additional actions.

Statusbar

Script	Display	Left Click	Middle Click	Right Click
sb-clock	Date and time	Notifies Calendar	N/A	Opens Calcurse
sb-music	MPD song title	N/A	N/A	N/A
sb-volume	System volume	N/A	N/A	N/A
sb-record	Recording icon	N/A	N/A	N/A
sb-memory	RAM usage	Lists programs using RAM	N/A	N/A
sb-cpu	CPU usage	Lists programs using CPU	N/A	N/A
sb-disk	Disk usage	Lists drives & partitions	N/A	N/A
sb-news	Number of feeds	Opens newsboat	Sync newsboat	Help notification
sb-mailbox	Number of emails	Opens neomutt	Sync mail	Help notification
sb-updates	Number of updates	Lists packages	Sync updates	Help notification
sb-internet	Local IP address	Shows network info	N/A	Copies public IP
sb-battery	Battery percentage	N/A	N/A	N/A