Show HN: Cockpit – create tmux panes and windows with ease (opens in new tab)

My use case for building Cockpit was to easily generate scripts for my different layouts. These scripts I use with https://github.com/fitztrev/shuttle so I could load my workspace with a single click. I am not sure if this application is necessary. However, I think everyone can find their own use cases.

I wonder if there is some sort of inverse relationship between having comprehensive features, thereby being self-contained (think Smalltalk), versus having a continuous dialog with the imperfect outside environment (think perl). I'm sure this is implicit in the famous "Worse is Better" essay, if not explicit.

I mean: the author of tmux could have bundled the package with a comprehensive environment. But what really is there, beyond Unix and the browser? If it exists, people haven't heard if it, and even if they had, would just as soon reinvent it. At any rate, the inevitable imperfections and inpedance-mismatch with users' existing workflow / UI would surely invite brutal criticism. (For example, when Plan 9 came up here a few years back, a big chunk of the discussion was about how ugly the GUI seemed to them!)

This doesn't let you persist ad hoc setups, but I have a `~/lib/tmux-code` file that I source from `~/.bash_profile` with entries like this:

    function ins-code {

      env_name=code
      long_name=insurance
      short_name=ins
      tmux_session=${short_name}-${env_name}

      if tmux list-sessions | grep ${tmux_session}; then
        tmux attach-session -t ${tmux_session}

      else
        cd ~/src/${long_name}/backend/app/models && \
        tmux new-session -d -s ${tmux_session} && \
        tmux rename-window -t ${tmux_session}:1 models

        cd ~/src/${long_name}/backend/app/controllers && \
        tmux new-window -t ${tmux_session}:2 -n controllers

        cd ~/src/${long_name}/backend/app/views && \
        tmux new-window -t ${tmux_session}:3 -n views

        cd ~/src/${long_name}/backend/app/assets/stylesheets && \
        tmux new-window -t ${tmux_session}:4 -n css

        tmux select-window -t ${tmux_session}:1 && \
        tmux -2 attach-session -t ${tmux_session}
      fi
    }

Then I can just say `ins-code` and it will either launch a new session or attach if it already exists.

It's already simple to split panes in tmux, but the ability to persist them sounds like a good Hacktoberfest project.

The defaults are a little funky but they’re easy enough to change. I have mine so prefix+s splits horizontally and prefix+v splits vertically. And then prefix+(H,J,K,L) resizes.

+1 The mnemonics that come with tmux are short and intuitive enough such that everything ive needed is just a ctrl+b away. Curious what the use case is for this

Thanks. I'm also constantly resizing and re-adjusting my work space for which I have binded keys in my .tmux.conf. Cockpit helps me get started :)

what are the pros and cons to using tmux as opposed to say multiple instances of a terminal emulator split up using ratpoison?

I really like https://github.com/oxidane/tmuxomatic No easier way to configure tmux layouts. Sadly it is not actively developed.

Thanks. For me, I wanted scripts, didn't want to install the gem as my layouts were relatively simple and similar. Yes, tmuxinator is quite a tool :)

Thanks :)

Here is an image which details all the icons in Tmux. http://cockpit.27ae60.com/img/demo-configure-ii.png

Also updated in http://cockpit.27ae60.com/help.html

Actually, clicking on the round yellow circle is the way to rename the windows. I will improve the experience in upcoming releases.

First result on Google: http://tangledhelix.com/blog/2012/04/28/iterm2-keymaps-for-t...

Thanks. Your point to show the script is duly noted. It is actually a great idea. Let me incorporate the suggestion in upcoming updates.

Thank you. I have a small attachment to the name ‘Cockpit’. Three years ago, me and my friends, we used to spend quite some time in hacking projects or automating our workflow. It was at that time, we created a a tool called ‘Cockpit’ (https://github.com/27AE60/cockpit) for configuring Terminal workspace in Linux. Over the years, I started concentrating on one terminal. And when I shifted to iTerm2 along with Tmux, I wanted to spend less time in configuring workspace and more on my code. Then, I realized, I end up with similar Tmux layouts for most of my prototypes and I wanted to reduce my time in re-loading the projects. I wanted a visual representation of Tmux and flexibility in terms of scripts instead of installing applications. This tool reminded me of my old project and so, I couldn’t think a better name than Cockpit.

It is not possible to create 3 equal sized horizontal panes with Cockpit. What I normally do is, create three horizontal splits in Cockpit and in tmux, I use `leader-key space` which makes tmux cycle through available layouts, and in one of them is equal sized horizontal windows.

Thanks. Good find! I will fix it.

Thanks. I've received a similar comment in this thread regarding 'Cockpit' name conflict. I have explained my reasons in reply to the comment by @recentdarkness

Thanks for the feedback. I have not thought about this tool being used in mobiles as my primary focus was for desktop users.

Thanks.I wanted an easy script creator from my dynamic yet simple layouts, so I thought of building Cockpit. Now, all I do is re-run the script generated from the app.