Are you tired of your laptop’s battery draining quickly when you’re working on the go? Do you find yourself constantly closing resource-intensive programs like web browsers to save power? Say goodbye to these battery woes with FFSuspend, a small script designed to optimize your laptop’s battery life by automatically suspending GUI processes that are not visible on your i3 workspace.
Why FFSuspend?
When working on tasks such as reading documentation or referencing libraries, we often keep programs like web browsers open in the background. However, some programs, like Firefox, tend to consume a significant amount of CPU power even when idling. This not only drains your laptop’s battery but also leaves your lap uncomfortably warm. Instead of addressing the root cause, FFSuspend provides a convenient solution by automatically suspending these resource-intensive programs, allowing you to extend your laptop’s battery life while maintaining a comfortable working environment.
How FFSuspend Works
FFSuspend is a lightweight script that monitors processes and i3 events. It uses the SIGSTOP signal to pause GUI processes whose X windows are not on a visible i3 workspace. By suspending these processes, FFSuspend reduces their CPU usage, resulting in improved battery life.
Dependencies and Compatibility
To utilize FFSuspend, you need to have the following utility programs installed on your system:
- i3-msg: Messaging utility for interacting with the i3 window manager.
- killall: Utility for terminating processes by name.
- ps: Command-line tool for displaying information about running processes.
- xdotool: Automation tool for X11.
- xsel: Command-line utility for accessing the X clipboard.
Please note that FFSuspend is designed specifically for i3 window manager environments. Compatibility with other window managers may vary.
Caveats and Disclaimer
While FFSuspend successfully optimizes battery life by suspending GUI processes, it’s important to be aware of some caveats and use the script at your own risk:
-
X Clipboard Protocol: The X clipboard protocol is an IPC protocol that talks to the current owner of the clipboard. When a process is
SIGSTOPed, applications may freeze indefinitely when trying to read the clipboard contents. To mitigate this, FFSuspend includes a feature that monitors clipboard changes and skips one cycle of stopping a process if the clipboard was changed while that process’ window was visible. -
Side Effects:
SIGSTOPing processes may have other side effects. While FFSuspend is designed to minimize any adverse impacts, it’s advised to exercise caution and understand the potential consequences.
License
FFSuspend is licensed under the GPLv3 or later. For more details, please refer to the LICENSE.txt file in the repository.
Conclusion
With FFSuspend, you can now work on your laptop while traveling without worrying about your battery draining quickly. By automatically suspending resource-intensive processes that are not visible on your i3 workspace, FFSuspend optimizes your laptop’s battery life, allowing you to work longer without compromising performance or comfort. Install FFSuspend today and experience the benefits of extended battery life on the go.
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