on-created-empty doesn't seem to work - or output any mesages

[phunni]

I'm experimenting with special workspaces and I've added the following workspace rule (terminal is defined as "alacritty"):

workspace = special:ranger, on-created-empty: $terminal --class Ranger -e ranger

and also this binding:

bind = $mainMod Alt, 0, togglespecialworkspace, ranger

If I then use those keys, it seems to switch to a special workspace, but it's empty.

The only reference I can find in the logs is:

`Toggling special workspace -95 to open`

I expect I'm missing something or have done something stupid, but I really can't see it. All help gratefully received - thanks in advance!

[panchoh]

I use on-created-empty like this:

workspace=1,               on-created-empty:emacs
workspace=2,               on-created-empty:chromium
workspace=3,               on-created-empty:google-chrome-stable
workspace=special:special, on-created-empty:foot
workspace=special:s1,      on-created-empty:telegram-desktop
workspace=special:s2,      on-created-empty:transmission-gtk

and it works ok for me. Note that there is no space between the colon and the executable name, nor there are any parameters to the executable after that.

[aphelei]

spaces doesn't matter and hyprctl -q dispatch exec xxx works

[phunni]

Interestingly, it does seem to work now if I remove all arguments - the spaces don't seem to matter.

I kind of need arguments, though, and I have seen example setups where arguments are used. It'd be a pain if I had to use a custom script for each launch...

[panchoh]

I’ve tried applying your config, and it works ok for me :-? (including $terminal expansion, spaces, and arguments):

 $terminal=foot
 workspace=special:ranger, on-created-empty: $terminal --app-id ranger yazi
 bind=SUPER  ALT,  0,     togglespecialworkspace,         ranger

Have you tried @aphelei’s suggestion of checking with hyprctl clients if there is an invisible window in the workspace?

[phunni]

hyprctl clients lists nothing under the special workspace name or the expected class of the app :-(

I think that part of the problem, is that I can't seem to find any error messages. I've checked using:

cat $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/hypr/$(ls -t $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/hypr/ | head -n 2 | tail -n 1)/hyprland.log

although I think that only refers to the previous session. I've also tried "journalctl | grep hypr" and there is nothing useful in there either...

[panchoh]

Have you tried adding args to $terminal incrementally, in case the ranger process is dying immediately?
(You mentioned that it worked when you passed no arguments to $terminal, so maybe try adding just --print-events and see if that works…)

[aphelei]

which version are you using ?

[panchoh]

0.49.0, but I've been using it like this since at least 0.48.?

[aphelei]

it stopped working ? thats strange it should 100% work

maybe there is an invisible window in the workspace. check hyprctl clients and search if there is a window in the workspace

[panchoh]

it stopped working ? thats strange it should 100% work

maybe there is an invisible window in the workspace. check hyprctl clients and search if there is a window in the workspace

Note that I'm not the OP, I was just trying to help. (It works for me!)

[phunni]

I am the OP and I'm using 0.49.0

[jkblank]

I'm having the same issue, it doesn't matter what workspace or what on-created-empty command I use, it doesn't seem to run. I'm using Version 0.50.1 on Manjaro.