Layouts and repeated setup

Build a tmux layout from F# by creating a window, splitting a pane and selecting a layout. Capture again to inspect the result. The examples use the library APIs directly and give every pane a command that stays alive.

Setup and run¶

Use an empty directory on Linux with Git, tmux 3.2a or newer, and .NET SDK 10.0.302. Save the project files and launcher below, then save any complete program on this page. Each program has its own imports and entry point.

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
    <Example Condition="'$(Example)' == ''">Local</Example>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Compile Include="$(Example).fs" />
    <ProjectReference Include="libtmux-source/src/LibTmux.FSharp/LibTmux.FSharp.fsproj" />
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

The launcher creates two sessions on a private socket: work-one with an editor window, and work-two with a logs window. Each pane runs cat so it stays alive. It stops only this server when the program finishes or fails. If shutdown fails, it reports the retained directory and exits with an error.

#!/bin/sh
set -eu

binary=$(command -v tmux)
mkdir -p /tmp/libtmux-dotnet-dev
directory=$(mktemp -d /tmp/libtmux-dotnet-dev/query.XXXXXX)
socket="$directory/tmux.sock"

cleanup() {
    status=$?
    trap - 0 HUP INT TERM
    if [ -S "$socket" ] && ! "$binary" -S "$socket" kill-server; then
        printf 'Cannot stop tmux; kept %s\n' "$directory" >&2
        exit 1
    fi
    rm -rf "$directory" || exit 1
    exit "$status"
}
trap cleanup 0
trap 'exit 1' HUP INT TERM

unset TMUX TMUX_PANE
export LIBTMUX_SOCKET_PATH="$socket" TMUX_BIN="$binary"
"$binary" -S "$socket" -f /dev/null new-session -d -s work-one -n editor /bin/cat
"$binary" -S "$socket" new-session -d -s work-two -n logs /bin/cat
"$@"
"$binary" -S "$socket" has-session -t '=work-one'

Fetch the library revision used by these examples:

$ git clone https://github.com/libtmux/libtmux-dotnet libtmux-source &&
  git -C libtmux-source checkout 2d99ead5aba8d968e85dcac8c9a9a518452e6ba6

Each run starts from the same two-session fixture. Programs do not depend on another example having run first. Their assertions fail if the observed result differs.

Create a two-pane tools window¶

Create tools in work-one, split its pane to the right, then choose even-horizontal. The final read verifies two panes. The previously captured session does not automatically gain the new window.

open System
open System.Threading
open System.Threading.Tasks
open LibTmux
open LibTmux.FSharp

let run () = task {
    let socket = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LIBTMUX_SOCKET_PATH")
    if String.IsNullOrEmpty(socket) then
        invalidOp "Set LIBTMUX_SOCKET_PATH to an existing socket"
    use timeout = new CancellationTokenSource(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5.0))
    let token = timeout.Token
    let! server = LibTmux.Server.ConnectAsync(
        ServerConnectionOptions(SocketPath = socket), token)
    let! captured = server |> Server.capture token SnapshotDepth.Sessions
    let session = captured.Sessions |> Seq.find (fun s -> s.Name = "work-one")
    let request = NewWindowRequest(Name = "tools", Command = "/bin/cat")
    let! window = session.CreateWindowAsync(request, token)
    let! panes = window.GetPanesAsync(token)
    let split = SplitPaneRequest(Direction = PaneDirection.Right, Command = "/bin/cat")
    let! _ = panes[0] |> Pane.split token split
    let! _ = window.SelectLayoutAsync(SelectLayoutRequest(Layout = "even-horizontal"), token)
    let! refreshed = window.GetPanesAsync(token)
    if refreshed.Count <> 2 then failwith "Expected two panes"
    printfn "tools: 2 panes"
}

[<EntryPoint>]
let main _ =
    try
        run().GetAwaiter().GetResult()
        0
    with error ->
        eprintfn "%O" error
        1

$ dotnet build Query.fsproj --maxcpucount:1 -p:Example=Layout \
  -p:DisableImplicitLibraryPacksFolder=true -p:RestorePackagesPath="$PWD/.packages" &&
  sh run.sh dotnet run --project Query.fsproj --no-build -p:Example=Layout

Expected program output:

tools: 2 panes

Reuse a named window¶

Look for tools before creating it. Two sequential calls return the same window ID, and the session has only editor and tools. This is useful for a setup command you run repeatedly.

open System
open System.Threading
open System.Threading.Tasks
open LibTmux
open LibTmux.FSharp

let run () = task {
    let socket = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LIBTMUX_SOCKET_PATH")
    if String.IsNullOrEmpty(socket) then
        invalidOp "Set LIBTMUX_SOCKET_PATH to an existing socket"
    use timeout = new CancellationTokenSource(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5.0))
    let token = timeout.Token
    let! server = LibTmux.Server.ConnectAsync(
        ServerConnectionOptions(SocketPath = socket), token)
    let ensureTools () = task {
        let! captured = server |> Server.capture token SnapshotDepth.Windows
        let session = captured.Sessions |> Seq.find (fun s -> s.Name = "work-one")
        match session.Windows |> Seq.tryFind (fun window -> window.Name = "tools") with
        | Some window -> return window
        | None ->
            return! session.CreateWindowAsync(
                NewWindowRequest(Name = "tools", Command = "/bin/cat"), token)
    }
    let! first = ensureTools ()
    let! second = ensureTools ()
    if first.Id <> second.Id then failwith "Created duplicate windows"
    let! captured = server |> Server.capture token SnapshotDepth.Windows
    let session = captured.Sessions |> Seq.find (fun s -> s.Name = "work-one")
    if session.Windows.Count <> 2 then failwith "Expected editor and tools windows"
    printfn "one tools window after two calls"
}

[<EntryPoint>]
let main _ =
    try
        run().GetAwaiter().GetResult()
        0
    with error ->
        eprintfn "%O" error
        1

$ dotnet build Query.fsproj --maxcpucount:1 -p:Example=ReuseLayout \
  -p:DisableImplicitLibraryPacksFolder=true -p:RestorePackagesPath="$PWD/.packages" &&
  sh run.sh dotnet run --project Query.fsproj --no-build -p:Example=ReuseLayout

Expected program output:

one tools window after two calls

Decide what repeated setup means¶

The reuse example preserves the existing window and its running processes. It does not reset its pane count, layout or commands. Choose that policy deliberately when building a reusable workspace command.

This check-then-create sequence assumes one writer. Concurrent callers can both observe an absent window and create duplicates. Serialize setup in your application when several callers share a session. A later failure also leaves earlier successful mutations in place; tmux commands are not a transaction.

Use filtering and queries for stricter target selection and captured handles to understand refresh behavior.

Scripting & web

Compiled & native

JVM

.NET

tmux

Layouts and repeated setup

Setup and run¶

Create a two-pane tools window¶

Reuse a named window¶

Decide what repeated setup means¶