new contrib module to launch apps with command line parameters

XMonad/Actions/AppLauncher.hs

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+{- |
+ Module      :  XMonad.Actions.AppLauncher
+ Copyright   :  (C) 2008 Luis Cabellos
+ License     :  None; public domain
+
+ Maintainer  :  <zhen.sydow@gmail.com>
+ Stability   :  unstable
+ Portability :  unportable
+
+ A module for launch applicationes that receive parameters in the command line.
+ The launcher call a prompt to get the parameters.
+-}
+module XMonad.Actions.AppLauncher ( -- * Usage
+                                    -- $usage
+                                    launchApp
+                                   
+                                  -- * Use case: launching gimp with file
+                                  -- $tip
+                                  ) where
+
+import XMonad (X(),MonadIO)
+import XMonad.Core (spawn)
+import XMonad.Prompt (XPrompt(showXPrompt), mkXPrompt, XPConfig())
+import XMonad.Prompt.Shell (getShellCompl)
+
+{- $usage
+   This module is intended to allow the launch of the same application
+   but changing the parameters using the user response. For example, when
+   you want to open a image in gimp program, you can open gimp and then use
+   the File Menu to open the image or you can use this module to select
+   the image in the command line.
+   
+   We use Prompt to get the user command line. This also allow to autoexpand
+   the names of the files when we are writing the command line.
+ -}
+
+{- $tip
+
+First, you need to import necessary modules. Prompt is used to get the promp
+configuration and the AppLauncher module itself.
+
+> import XMonad.Prompt
+> import XMonad.Actions.AppLauncher as AL
+
+Then you can add the bindings to the applications.
+
+> ...
+> , ((modm, xK_g), AL.launchApp defaultXPConfig "gimp" )
+> , ((modm, xK_g), AL.launchApp defaultXPConfig "evince" )
+> ...
+
+ -}
+
+-- A customized prompt
+data AppPrompt = AppPrompt String
+instance XPrompt AppPrompt where
+    showXPrompt (AppPrompt n) = n ++ " "
+
+type Application = String
+type Parameters = String
+
+{- | Given an application and its parameters, launch the application. -}
+launch :: MonadIO m => Application -> Parameters -> m ()
+launch app params = spawn ( app ++ " " ++ params )
+
+
+{- | Get the user's response to a prompt an launch an application using the
+   input as command parameters of the application.-}
+launchApp :: XPConfig -> Application -> X ()
+launchApp config app = mkXPrompt (AppPrompt app) config (getShellCompl []) $ launch app

xmonad-contrib.cabal

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ library
                         XMonad.Doc.Configuring
                         XMonad.Doc.Extending
                         XMonad.Doc.Developing
+                        XMonad.Actions.AppLauncher
                         XMonad.Actions.Commands
                         XMonad.Actions.ConstrainedResize
                         XMonad.Actions.CopyWindow