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Make the previews live

Browse Source 
Capture sessions stay open and tiles refresh, so the grid shows what the
windows are actually doing rather than a snapshot from when it opened.
--live all|current|none picks how much of that happens, --fps caps it.

Three things keep it cheap:

The protocol is damage-driven. After a session's first frame the
compositor only produces another once the content changes, so a request
left outstanding on an idle window costs nothing. Measured with one
animating window out of ten: 52,52,1,1,1,1,1,1,13,1 frames over 4s — the
static windows delivered their first frame and then nothing.

The overlay's own wl_surface.frame callbacks are the clock, so refreshes
stop when it isn't being presented and no timer or poll loop is needed.
Per-tile throttling on top of that measured 12.1/s at --fps 12.

Each window gets two buffers, since a capture must not write into one the
compositor is reading, and wl_buffer.release says which is free. That
release is the whole contract: with wl_shm the compositor copies the
pixels at commit and hands the buffer straight back, so the slot on
screen is usually free too. Waiting for it to stop being the displayed
slot instead — which is what this first did — deadlocks after two frames,
with both slots stuck busy (687 blocked attempts, 2 frames per tile).

Live mode doubles the shm handed to the compositor (110MB for ten windows
here, against 55MB with --live none); our own RSS is unaffected because
those pages are still never mapped. --verbose now reports frames, ticks,
releases, blocked attempts and pool size, which is what localised the
release bug.
This commit is contained in:
Milad Alizadeh
2026-08-23 10:54:06 +01:00
parent 2cd076699d
commit 33d75222cf
2 changed files with 304 additions and 47 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files
README.md
+38 -11
View File
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
# wlgrid
A window switcher for wlroots compositors: a thumbnail grid overlay that looks
like a rofi theme, and focuses the window you pick.
A window switcher for wlroots compositors: a grid overlay of **live** window
previews that looks like a rofi theme, and focuses the window you pick.
It replaces a `wlthumbs | rofi` pipeline. The difference is that no thumbnails
exist: each window is captured straight into a `wl_shm` buffer that is handed to
its own `wl_subsurface`, and `wp_viewporter` tells the compositor which rectangle
to scale it into. There is no image encoding, no scaler, and no full-resolution
bitmap in this process — which is also why it holds ~9 MB of RSS and appears in
about 60 ms.
bitmap in this process — which is also why it appears in about 60 ms and holds
~18 MB of RSS however many windows are open.
```
sway-tree 0.6ms window list + con_ids over sway IPC
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ nothing in wall clock.
## Status
Working, and usable as a switcher today: a labelled static grid with keyboard
navigation. Filtering and live previews are next — see the roadmap.
Working: a labelled grid of live previews with keyboard navigation. Type-to-filter
is the one thing the rofi version had that this doesn't — see the roadmap.
## Usage
```
wlgrid [--print] [--verbose] [--hide-labels] [--font FAMILY] [--font-size PX]
[--timeout SECS]
[--live all|current|none] [--fps N] [--timeout SECS]
```
- `--print` writes the selected sway `con_id` to stdout instead of focusing it
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ wlgrid [--print] [--verbose] [--hide-labels] [--font FAMILY] [--font-size PX]
- `--hide-labels` draws an icon-only grid
- `--font FAMILY` label font family (default `Berkeley Mono`)
- `--font-size PX` label size in logical px
- `--live all|current|none` which tiles keep updating (default `all`)
- `--fps N` cap on updates per tile per second (default 12)
- `--timeout SECS` exits after a deadline (an escape hatch: the overlay takes an
exclusive keyboard grab)
@@ -64,6 +66,31 @@ Navigation reads raw evdev keycodes, so it is layout-independent — but it also
means virtual-keyboard clients such as `wtype` (which invent their own keymap)
cannot drive it. That goes away with xkb support, which filtering needs anyway.
## Live previews
Capture sessions stay open, so a tile can be refreshed. Three things keep that
from being expensive:
- **It is damage-driven.** After a session's first frame the compositor only
produces another once the window content changes, so a request left
outstanding on an idle window costs nothing. Measured over 4s with one
animating window out of ten: `52,52,1,1,1,1,1,1,13,1` frames — the static
windows delivered exactly their first frame and nothing more.
- **Frame callbacks are the clock.** Re-captures are driven by the overlay's own
`wl_surface.frame` callbacks, so they stop when it isn't being presented, and
`--fps` throttles per tile on top of that (12 fps measured as 12.1).
- **Two buffers per window, alternating.** A capture must not write into a buffer
the compositor is reading, so each window gets two and `wl_buffer.release`
decides which is free. Note that release is the entire contract: with `wl_shm`
the compositor copies the pixels out at commit and hands the buffer straight
back, so the slot on screen is usually free too — waiting for it to stop being
displayed instead deadlocks after two frames.
The cost is memory and bandwidth: two full-resolution buffers per window (110 MB
of shm for ten windows on this display, versus 55 MB with `--live none`) and a
readback per refreshed frame. `--live current` refreshes only the selected tile,
which is much cheaper and still reads as alive.
## Look
Colours, font metrics and grid geometry come from the rofi theme this replaces
@@ -93,10 +120,10 @@ unaffected. It matters more once previews are live.
## Roadmap
- **M3** type-to-filter with fzf-quality fuzzy matching (and xkb keyboard input)
- **M4** live previews: keep the capture sessions open and re-capture on a rate
limit, `--live all|current|none`
- **M5** dmabuf capture, so the pixels never leave the GPU at all
- type-to-filter with fzf-quality fuzzy matching (and the xkb keyboard input it
needs, which would also let virtual-keyboard clients drive the overlay)
- dmabuf capture, so the pixels never leave the GPU at all — and live previews
stop costing a readback per frame
## Building
src/main.rs
+266 -36
View File
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
use wayland_client::globals::{GlobalList, GlobalListContents, registry_queue_init};
use wayland_client::protocol::{
wl_buffer::WlBuffer,
wl_buffer::{self, WlBuffer},
wl_callback,
wl_compositor::WlCompositor,
wl_keyboard::{self, WlKeyboard},
wl_output,
@@ -75,24 +76,49 @@ const KEY_END: u32 = 107;
const KEY_DOWN: u32 = 108;
/// One window: its sway identity, its capture plumbing, and its subsurface.
/// Which tiles keep updating after the first frame.
#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
enum Live {
/// Every tile.
All,
/// Only the selected tile: much cheaper, and still reads as alive.
Current,
/// Nothing: one snapshot each, a picker rather than an expose.
None,
}
/// One capture buffer. `busy` means the compositor still holds it — either it is
/// on screen or a capture is writing into it — so we must not scribble over it.
struct Slot {
buffer: WlBuffer,
busy: bool,
}
#[allow(dead_code)] // `handle` is held to keep the toplevel alive
struct Tile {
win: sway::Win,
handle: Option<ExtForeignToplevelHandleV1>,
session: Option<ExtImageCopyCaptureSessionV1>,
/// A capture in flight, and which slot it is filling.
frame: Option<ExtImageCopyCaptureFrameV1>,
buffer: Option<WlBuffer>,
filling: Option<usize>,
slots: Vec<Slot>,
/// The slot currently attached to the subsurface.
showing: Option<usize>,
formats: Vec<wl_shm::Format>,
format: Option<wl_shm::Format>,
/// Buffer size the session requires: the window's full resolution.
size: (u32, u32),
transform: wl_output::Transform,
offset: usize,
session_done: bool,
ready: bool,
failed: bool,
settled: bool,
/// When the last capture was asked for, for rate limiting, and how many
/// frames this tile has produced.
asked: Option<Instant>,
frames: u32,
surface: Option<WlSurface>,
subsurface: Option<WlSubsurface>,
@@ -106,16 +132,19 @@ impl Tile {
handle: None,
session: None,
frame: None,
buffer: None,
filling: None,
slots: Vec::new(),
showing: None,
formats: Vec::new(),
format: None,
size: (0, 0),
transform: wl_output::Transform::Normal,
offset: 0,
session_done: false,
ready: false,
failed: false,
settled: false,
asked: None,
frames: 0,
surface: None,
subsurface: None,
viewport: None,
@@ -153,6 +182,8 @@ struct App {
theme: Theme,
layout: Layout,
live: Live,
fps: u32,
scale: i32,
sel: usize,
shift: bool,
@@ -165,6 +196,12 @@ struct App {
quit: bool,
activate: Option<i64>,
/// Frame-callback ticks, for diagnosing the live clock.
ticks: u32,
releases: u32,
blocked_nofree: u32,
/// Bytes of shm handed to the compositor for capture buffers.
pool_bytes: usize,
}
impl App {
@@ -173,6 +210,8 @@ impl App {
qh: &QueueHandle<Self>,
wins: Vec<sway::Win>,
theme: Theme,
live: Live,
fps: u32,
scale: i32,
) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
let layout = Layout::new(&theme, wins.len() as i32);
@@ -190,6 +229,8 @@ impl App {
tiles: wins.into_iter().map(Tile::new).collect(),
theme,
layout,
live,
fps,
scale,
sel: 0,
shift: false,
@@ -200,6 +241,10 @@ impl App {
configured: false,
quit: false,
activate: None,
ticks: 0,
releases: 0,
blocked_nofree: 0,
pool_bytes: 0,
};
let _: ExtForeignToplevelListV1 = globals.bind(qh, 1..=1, ())?;
let _: WlSeat = globals.bind(qh, 1..=7, ())?;
@@ -234,13 +279,21 @@ impl App {
}
}
/// Allocate one pool for every capture buffer and put all the frames in
/// Allocate the capture buffers in one pool and put every first frame in
/// flight at once: the compositor is bandwidth-bound reading pixels back, so
/// serialising the captures only adds latency.
///
/// Live mode gets two buffers per window. A capture may not write into the
/// buffer the compositor is currently displaying, so the two alternate:
/// fill B while A is on screen, swap, and wait for A's release before
/// touching it again.
fn start_captures(&mut self, qh: &QueueHandle<Self>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
const PAGE: usize = 4096;
let slots = if self.live == Live::None { 1 } else { 2 };
let mut total = 0usize;
let mut offsets: Vec<Vec<usize>> = Vec::with_capacity(self.tiles.len());
for tile in &mut self.tiles {
offsets.push(Vec::new());
if tile.session.is_none() {
continue;
}
@@ -261,44 +314,131 @@ impl App {
tile.settled = true;
continue;
}
tile.offset = total;
total += tile.bytes().div_ceil(PAGE) * PAGE;
let last = offsets.last_mut().expect("just pushed");
for _ in 0..slots {
last.push(total);
total += tile.bytes().div_ceil(PAGE) * PAGE;
}
}
if total == 0 {
return Ok(());
}
self.pool_bytes = total;
// Note: no mmap. The compositor writes these pages and samples them
// again for display; mapping them here would only cost us the faults.
let file = shm::memfd("wlgrid-capture", total)?;
let pool = self.shm.create_pool(file.as_fd(), total as i32, qh, ());
for i in 0..self.tiles.len() {
let (w, h, format, offset) = {
for (i, slot_offsets) in offsets.iter().enumerate() {
let (w, h, format) = {
let t = &self.tiles[i];
if t.settled || t.session.is_none() || t.format.is_none() {
continue;
}
(
t.size.0 as i32,
t.size.1 as i32,
t.format.unwrap(),
t.offset as i32,
)
(t.size.0 as i32, t.size.1 as i32, t.format.unwrap())
};
let buffer = pool.create_buffer(offset, w, h, w * 4, format, qh, ());
let session = self.tiles[i].session.clone().unwrap();
let frame = session.create_frame(qh, i);
frame.attach_buffer(&buffer);
frame.damage_buffer(0, 0, w, h);
frame.capture();
let t = &mut self.tiles[i];
t.buffer = Some(buffer);
t.frame = Some(frame);
for &offset in slot_offsets {
let slot = self.tiles[i].slots.len();
let buffer = pool.create_buffer(offset as i32, w, h, w * 4, format, qh, (i, slot));
self.tiles[i].slots.push(Slot {
buffer,
busy: false,
});
}
self.request_capture(i, qh);
}
pool.destroy(); // the buffers keep the mapping alive
Ok(())
}
/// Ask the compositor for one frame of window `i`, into a free slot.
///
/// After a session's first frame the compositor only answers once the window
/// content changes, so a request left outstanding on an idle window costs
/// nothing: this is damage-driven, and the rate limit only bites on windows
/// that really are animating.
fn request_capture(&mut self, i: usize, qh: &QueueHandle<Self>) -> bool {
let t = &mut self.tiles[i];
if t.frame.is_some() || t.session.is_none() {
return false; // already waiting on one
}
let Some(slot) = t.slots.iter().position(|s| !s.busy) else {
self.blocked_nofree += 1;
return false; // both buffers still held by the compositor
};
let (w, h) = (t.size.0 as i32, t.size.1 as i32);
let frame = t
.session
.as_ref()
.expect("checked above")
.create_frame(qh, i);
frame.attach_buffer(&t.slots[slot].buffer);
frame.damage_buffer(0, 0, w, h);
frame.capture();
t.frame = Some(frame);
t.filling = Some(slot);
t.asked = Some(Instant::now());
true
}
/// A capture landed: show it, and let go of the slot it replaced.
fn frame_ready(&mut self, i: usize) {
let t = &mut self.tiles[i];
let Some(slot) = t.filling.take() else { return };
t.frames += 1;
t.ready = true;
t.settled = true;
t.slots[slot].busy = true; // the compositor reads it until it releases it
let previous = t.showing.replace(slot);
// Before the overlay is mapped there is nothing to attach to yet;
// place_tiles picks up `showing` instead.
if let Some(surface) = t.surface.clone() {
let (w, h) = (t.size.0 as i32, t.size.1 as i32);
surface.attach(Some(&t.slots[slot].buffer), 0, 0);
surface.damage_buffer(0, 0, w, h);
surface.commit();
} else if let Some(prev) = previous {
// Not on screen yet, so the old slot was never actually read.
t.slots[prev].busy = false;
}
}
/// Ask for the next frame callback. A commit is needed for the compositor to
/// schedule one, and an empty commit is enough.
fn arm_frame_callback(&mut self, qh: &QueueHandle<Self>) {
if self.live == Live::None {
return;
}
if let Some(surface) = self.surface.clone() {
surface.frame(qh, ());
surface.commit();
}
}
/// Re-capture whatever is due. Driven by frame callbacks, so it stops when
/// the overlay is not being presented.
fn tick(&mut self, qh: &QueueHandle<Self>) {
self.ticks += 1;
if self.live == Live::None {
return;
}
let interval = Duration::from_secs_f64(1.0 / self.fps.max(1) as f64);
let now = Instant::now();
for i in 0..self.tiles.len() {
if self.live == Live::Current && i != self.sel {
continue;
}
let t = &self.tiles[i];
if t.slots.is_empty() || t.frame.is_some() {
continue;
}
if t.asked.is_some_and(|a| now.duration_since(a) < interval) {
continue;
}
self.request_capture(i, qh);
}
}
fn captures_settled(&self) -> bool {
self.tiles.iter().all(|t| t.settled)
}
@@ -369,7 +509,8 @@ impl App {
// so it passes straight through and the compositor un-rotates it.
surface.set_buffer_transform(self.tiles[i].transform);
viewport.set_destination(dst.w, dst.h);
surface.attach(self.tiles[i].buffer.as_ref(), 0, 0);
let slot = self.tiles[i].showing.expect("a ready tile has a slot");
surface.attach(Some(&self.tiles[i].slots[slot].buffer), 0, 0);
surface.damage_buffer(0, 0, bw as i32, bh as i32);
surface.commit();
let t = &mut self.tiles[i];
@@ -521,6 +662,8 @@ struct Args {
hide_labels: bool,
font: Option<String>,
font_size: Option<f32>,
live: Live,
fps: u32,
timeout: Option<Duration>,
}
@@ -531,6 +674,8 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, String> {
hide_labels: false,
font: None,
font_size: None,
live: Live::All,
fps: 12,
timeout: None,
};
let mut it = std::env::args().skip(1);
@@ -539,6 +684,18 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, String> {
"--print" => args.print = true,
"-v" | "--verbose" => args.verbose = true,
"--hide-labels" => args.hide_labels = true,
"--live" => {
args.live = match it.next().ok_or("--live needs all|current|none")?.as_str() {
"all" => Live::All,
"current" => Live::Current,
"none" => Live::None,
other => return Err(format!("bad --live: {other}")),
}
}
"--fps" => {
let v = it.next().ok_or("--fps needs a number")?;
args.fps = v.parse().map_err(|_| format!("bad --fps: {v}"))?;
}
"--font" => args.font = Some(it.next().ok_or("--font needs a family name")?),
"--font-size" => {
let v = it.next().ok_or("--font-size needs px")?;
@@ -552,7 +709,8 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, String> {
"-h" | "--help" => {
println!(
"usage: wlgrid [--print] [--verbose] [--hide-labels] \
[--font FAMILY] [--font-size PX] [--timeout SECS]"
[--font FAMILY] [--font-size PX] \
[--live all|current|none] [--fps N] [--timeout SECS]"
);
std::process::exit(0);
}
@@ -584,6 +742,7 @@ fn run() -> Result<ExitCode, Box<dyn Error>> {
});
}
let start = Instant::now();
let mut phases = Phases::new(args.verbose);
let mut sway_conn = swayipc::Connection::new()?;
let wins = sway::windows(&mut sway_conn)?;
@@ -632,7 +791,7 @@ fn run() -> Result<ExitCode, Box<dyn Error>> {
let conn = Connection::connect_to_env()?;
let (globals, mut queue) = registry_queue_init::<App>(&conn)?;
let qh = queue.handle();
let mut app = App::new(&globals, &qh, wins, theme, scale)?;
let mut app = App::new(&globals, &qh, wins, theme, args.live, args.fps, scale)?;
// Two roundtrips: one for the toplevel list, one for each handle's state.
queue.roundtrip(&mut app)?;
@@ -665,24 +824,44 @@ fn run() -> Result<ExitCode, Box<dyn Error>> {
}
eprintln!(
"wlgrid: {} window(s), {matched} matched, {ready} captured; \
grid {}x{}, surface {}x{} logical at scale {}",
grid {}x{}, surface {}x{} logical at scale {}, {} MB of capture buffers",
app.tiles.len(),
app.layout.cols,
app.layout.rows,
app.layout.width,
app.layout.height,
app.scale,
app.pool_bytes >> 20,
);
}
app.show(&qh)?;
pump(&mut queue, &mut app, |a| a.configured)?;
app.paint();
app.place_tiles(&qh);
app.arm_frame_callback(&qh);
conn.flush()?;
phases.mark("mapped");
pump(&mut queue, &mut app, |a| a.quit)?;
if args.verbose {
let frames: u32 = app.tiles.iter().map(|t| t.frames).sum();
let live_for = start.elapsed().as_secs_f64();
eprintln!(
"wlgrid: {frames} frame(s) over {live_for:.1}s = {:.1}/s, {} tick(s), \
{} release(s), {} blocked; per tile: {}",
frames as f64 / live_for,
app.ticks,
app.releases,
app.blocked_nofree,
app.tiles
.iter()
.map(|t| t.frames.to_string())
.collect::<Vec<_>>()
.join(",")
);
}
if let Some(con_id) = app.activate {
if args.print {
println!("{con_id}");
@@ -789,21 +968,27 @@ impl Dispatch<ExtImageCopyCaptureFrameV1, usize> for App {
transform: WEnum::Value(t),
} => tile.transform = t,
ext_image_copy_capture_frame_v1::Event::Ready => {
tile.ready = true;
tile.settled = true;
// The protocol wants the frame destroyed once ready; the buffer
// stays ours to display.
if let Some(frame) = tile.frame.take() {
frame.destroy();
}
app.frame_ready(i);
}
ext_image_copy_capture_frame_v1::Event::Failed { reason } => {
eprintln!(
"wlgrid: capture failed for {:?} ({reason:?})",
tile.win.title
);
tile.failed = true;
// Live mode just retries on the next tick; only a failure with no
// frame yet leaves the tile without a thumbnail.
if tile.frames == 0 {
eprintln!(
"wlgrid: capture failed for {:?} ({reason:?})",
tile.win.title
);
tile.failed = true;
}
tile.settled = true;
if let Some(slot) = tile.filling.take() {
tile.slots[slot].busy = false;
}
if let Some(frame) = tile.frame.take() {
frame.destroy();
}
@@ -888,4 +1073,49 @@ delegate_noop!(App: ExtImageCopyCaptureManagerV1);
delegate_noop!(App: ExtForeignToplevelImageCaptureSourceManagerV1);
delegate_noop!(App: ExtImageCaptureSourceV1);
delegate_noop!(App: ignore WlSurface);
// The chrome's own buffers: two slots alternating on keypresses, so their
// release timing does not matter.
delegate_noop!(App: ignore WlBuffer);
/// A released capture buffer is a slot we may capture into again.
///
/// Release is the whole contract: with wl_shm the compositor copies the pixels
/// out at commit and hands the buffer straight back, so the slot currently on
/// screen is usually free too. (Waiting for it to stop being the displayed slot
/// instead would deadlock — that release never comes twice.)
impl Dispatch<WlBuffer, (usize, usize)> for App {
fn event(
app: &mut Self,
_: &WlBuffer,
event: wl_buffer::Event,
&(tile, slot): &(usize, usize),
_: &Connection,
_: &QueueHandle<Self>,
) {
if let wl_buffer::Event::Release = event {
app.releases += 1;
if let Some(t) = app.tiles.get_mut(tile) {
t.slots[slot].busy = false;
}
}
}
}
/// Frame callbacks are the clock for live updates: they arrive as the compositor
/// presents the overlay, so re-captures stop when it is not being shown.
impl Dispatch<wl_callback::WlCallback, ()> for App {
fn event(
app: &mut Self,
_: &wl_callback::WlCallback,
event: wl_callback::Event,
_: &(),
_: &Connection,
qh: &QueueHandle<Self>,
) {
if let wl_callback::Event::Done { .. } = event {
app.tick(qh);
app.arm_frame_callback(qh);
}
}
}