Conky Question... Help Please

manyroads · March 9, 2021, 5:56pm

I am trying to get a conkybar to display my active (in Focus) application name (Window_Name). I have written the following, enormous script, and am executing the following complex conky ‘code’. All I get is an error :SPEC VIOILATION: full text is NULL. When I run the script command in terminal it works… I’m in full duh mode.

Bash:

#!/bin/bash

ps -e | grep $(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus -f)) | grep -v grep | awk '{print $4}'

Conky:

conky.text = [[
  [
      {
	"full text": "   ${exec /home/mark/.local/share/scripts/window_name.sh}  ",
	"background": "\#8DBBBA",
      "color": "\#000000X",
      "separator": true,
      "separator_block_width": 0
    },

TIA

Head_on_a_Stick · March 9, 2021, 6:04pm

Is the script executable?

As an aside I think the cat /proc/$(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus))/comm solution is cleaner than your posted pipe stream.

natemaia · March 9, 2021, 6:30pm

Use xprop on the root window and find the active window ID

#!/bin/bash

active="$(xprop -root -f _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW 0x " \$0\\n" _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW | cut -d' ' -f2)"
[[ $active ]] || exit 1
title=$(xprop -id "$active" -f _NET_WM_NAME 0u " \$0\\n" _NET_WM_NAME | cut -d'"' -f2)
if [[ -n $title ]]; then
	title=$(xprop -id "$active" -f WM_NAME 0u " \$0\\n" WM_NAME | cut -d'"' -f2)
	[[ $title ]] || exit 1
fi

echo "$title"

I’m no conky expert but mine looks significantly different to yours, I’ll post it later tonight after work and give yours a try on my system.

manyroads · March 9, 2021, 8:59pm

@natemaia @Head_on_a_Stick
I did have the script as an executable…
I, also, tried @natemaia 's script. I get the same error. I think the problem is somehow involved with the Conky command. And it seems so simple…

Edit: on screen change the error changed and now looks like it is in the code @natemaia provided…

Here’s the error:
Error: Could not parse JSON (lexical error: inside a string, ‘’ occurs before a character which it may not.)

I inserted a " between two ‘’. Now I’m back to the original error.

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 1:01am

Is #000000X an actual color specification, or did you just want black as the test color?

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 1:09am

This is JSON format? What window manager are you using this with?

You may be missing some brackets; this is the JSON code for a conky I use with i3:

conky.text = [[

[

	{ "full_text" : "CPU:  ${cpu}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${cpu}>=50}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${cpu}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec cpu_temp.pl}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "MEM:  ${memperc}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${memperc}>=40}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${memperc}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "BAT0:  ${battery_percent BAT0}%  ", "color" :
	    ${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=15}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "NET:  ${upspeed wlp1s0}    ${downspeed wlp1s0}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "${time %a %e %b  %k:%M}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }

],

]];

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 2:23pm

I am using i3 as well. Oh and yes I wanted the black… I’ll test and see if I can break your code! Thank you.

chroot · March 10, 2021, 2:27pm

"\#000000" is black

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 2:44pm

Here is the entire code then:

conky.config = {
	out_to_console = true,
	out_to_x = false,
	background = false,
	cpu_avg_samples = 2,
	net_avg_samples = 2,
	no_buffers = true,
	out_to_stderr = false,
	update_interval = 3.0,
	uppercase = false,
	use_spacer = 'none',

};

-- # JSON for i3bar #
-- # { "full_text" : "Up:  ${uptime_short}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }, #
-- # { "full_text" : "${loadavg}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }, #
-- # { "full_text" : "${execpi 3 /home/doug/bin/cpu-temp.pl | cut -c1-7}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

conky.text = [[

[

	{ "full_text" : "CPU:  ${cpu}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${cpu}>=50}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${cpu}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec cpu_temp.pl}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "MEM:  ${memperc}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${memperc}>=40}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${memperc}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "BAT0:  ${battery_percent BAT0}%  ", "color" :
	    ${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=15}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "NET:  ${upspeed wlp1s0}    ${downspeed wlp1s0}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "${time %a %e %b  %k:%M}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }

],

]];

script to call the conkyrc - i3conkybar.sh - this is from the i3 site documentation.

################################################
# Pass colors to i3 status bar conky with JSON #
################################################
 
## Create a script in ~/bin and name it i3conkybar.sh.  
 
#!/bin/sh
 
# Send the header so that i3bar knows we want to use JSON:
echo '{ "version": 1 }'
 
# Begin the endless array.
echo '['
 
# We send an empty first array of blocks to make the loop simpler:
echo '[],'
 
# Now send blocks with information forever:
exec conky -c "$HOME/.config/i3/conkyrc"

line for bar section i3 config:

status_command $HOME/.config/i3/i3conkybar.sh

screenshot or it never happened:

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 3:28pm

@PackRat Here is my Conkybar (conkybar.sh); the one I’m trying to get an active ‘window_name’ to show up on… requisite desktop shot included…

--[[
                           
# Based on Erik Dubois' original config (http://erikdubois.be)
# and Addy's work (dots-almighty)
# Add'l Color, functional and branding changes were made by me.
# Mark Rabideau (ManyRoads)
# 

]]

conky.config = {
out_to_x = false,
own_window = false,
out_to_console = true,
background = false,
max_text_width = 0,
update_interval = 4.0,
total_run_times = 0,
short_units = true,
if_up_strictness = "address",
use_spacer = "left",
override_utf8_locale = false,
cpu_avg_samples = 2,
alignment = 'middle_top'
}

conky.text = [[
  [
#    {
#	"full text": "   ${exec 2 /home/mark/.local/share/scripts/window_name.sh}  ",
#	"background": "\#8DBBBA",
#      "color": "\#000000",
#      "separator": true,
#      "separator_block_width": 0
#    },
    {
  "full_text": "   rch i3  ",
  "color": "\#81A1C1",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
   
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "  ${cpu cpu0}%, ${execi 4 sensors|grep 'Core 0'|awk '{print $3}'} ",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "color": "\#BF616A",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "  ${mem}/${memmax} ",
  "color": "\#A3BE8C",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text":"  ${wireless_essid wlan0}${wireless_link_qual_perc wlan0}% ",
  "color": "\#B48EAD",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  #arch linux
  "full_text": "  ${execi 2 amixer get Master | grep % | awk '{print $5}' | sed 's/[^0-9\%]//g' | head -n1} ",
  "color": "\#EBCB8B",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "  ${time %A ~ %d %b. %Y} ",
  "color": "\#81A1C1",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
{
  "full_text": "  ${time %H:%M} ",
  "color": "\#D08770",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
},
 {
  "full_text": "",
  "color": "\#BFBFBF",
  "background": "\#2F343F",
  "separator": true,
  "separator_block_width": 0
}
  ],
]]

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 3:44pm

That conky variable may be wrong. I don’t think exec takes a interval number. You would want “execi 2” or maybe “execpi 2”.

The man page for conky is pretty good; scroll down to the OBJECTS/VARIABLES section and see how exec, execp etc… can be used.

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 4:10pm

I just ran your commend and still nothing works. However, when I run it from terminal as:

conky execi 1 /home/mark/.local/share/scripts/window_name.sh

Conky throws the following error:
conky: MPD error: problems getting a response from "localhost" on port 6600 : Connection refused

I just uninstalled/ reinstalled conky, to no avail. Looks like I broke something. Debugging time is upon me I guess.

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 5:04pm

Instead of your script, run that command that HOAS posted.

${exec cat /proc/$(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus))/comm}

it should run every 4 seconds with the “update_interval = 4.0,” setting.

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 5:52pm

I just made the change and… I still get the SPEC VIOLATION:full text is NULL! error/message. I’m totally 'corn’fused.

PackRat · March 10, 2021, 6:15pm

That might be related to the amixer command you’re using. You running a firewall?

Try without that volume stanza.

chroot · March 10, 2021, 6:40pm

mpd is not running on localhost.

$sudo fuser 6600/tcp

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 6:54pm

I live on the edge…no firewalls for me or safety nets. I have found two posts that indicate I may be encountering an i3 bug. I will try remove amixer and stanza from my gear and try things after my con-call this pm.

manyroads · March 10, 2021, 10:29pm

The mpd issue turned out to be a corrupted .conkyrc file. I deleted the .conkyrc and that error went away. The issue with conky presenting my window_names remains; minus the mpd error.

PackRat · March 11, 2021, 2:55pm

@manyroads , @Head_on_a_Stick , @natemaia -

The commands/scripts provided all work in conky formatted JSON:

Although firefox makes it crash and give a JSON parse error:

need to restart i3 on a desktop without firefox to get it working again.

@manyroads here’s the working conkyrc:

conky.config = {
	out_to_console = true,
	out_to_x = false,
	background = false,
	cpu_avg_samples = 2,
	net_avg_samples = 2,
	no_buffers = true,
	out_to_stderr = false,
	update_interval = 3.0,
	uppercase = false,
	use_spacer = 'none',

};

-- # JSON for i3bar #
-- # { "full_text" : "Up:  ${uptime_short}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }, #
-- # { "full_text" : "${loadavg}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }, #
-- # { "full_text" : "${execpi 3 /home/doug/bin/cpu-temp.pl | cut -c1-7}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },
-- { "full_text" : "NET:  ${upspeed wlp1s0}    ${downspeed wlp1s0}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },
--{ "full_text" : "${time %a %e %b  %k:%M}  " , "color" : "\#CDCDCD" }

conky.text = [[

[

	{ "full_text" : "${exec ps -e | grep $(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus -f)) | grep -v grep | awk '{print $4}'}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec cat /proc/$(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus))/comm}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec ~/.local/bin/activewindow.sh}  ", "color" : "\#33aacc" },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec ~/.local/bin/window001.sh}  ", "background" : "\#ffffff", "color" : "\#33aacc" },

	{ "full_text" : "CPU:  ${cpu}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${cpu}>=50}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${cpu}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "${exec cpu_temp.pl}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },

	{ "full_text" : "MEM:  ${memperc}%  " , "color" :
		${if_match ${memperc}>=40}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${memperc}>=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} },

	{ "full_text" : "BAT0:  ${battery_percent BAT0}%  ", "color" :
	    ${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=15}"\#FF2828"${else}${if_match ${battery_percent BAT0}<=25}"\#D9D921"${else}"\#CDCDCD"${endif}${endif} }

],

]];

@natemaia script is the activewindow.sh line, yours is window001.sh.

manyroads · March 11, 2021, 5:12pm

Thank you! Thank you! @PackRat It works! Just to prove it, here is the required screenshot and functioning conkybar code (for anyone to use).

--[[
                               
# Based on Erik Dubois' original config (http://erikdubois.be)
# and Addy's work (dots-almighty)
# Add'l Color, functional and branding changes were made by 
# Mark Rabideau (ManyRoads)... and everything I broke was fixed 
# and made better by Packrat (many thanks!)
# 

]]

conky.config = {
	out_to_console = true,
	out_to_x = false,
	background = false,
	cpu_avg_samples = 2,
	net_avg_samples = 2,
	no_buffers = true,
	out_to_stderr = false,
	update_interval = 3.0,
	uppercase = false,
	use_spacer = 'none',

};

conky.text = [[

[
    {
    "full_text": "   rch i3  ",
    "color": "\#81A1C1",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    }, 
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
	{ 
	"full_text" : "      ${exec ps -e | grep $(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus -f)) | grep -v grep | awk '{print $4}'}     ", 
	"background": "\#81A1C1",
    "color": "\#000000",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
	},
	{
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
#	{ "full_text" : "${exec cat /proc/$(xdotool getwindowpid $(xdotool getwindowfocus))/comm}  ", "color" : "\#CDCDCD" },
#	{ "full_text" : "${exec ~/.local/bin/activewindow.sh}  ", "color" : "\#33aacc" },
#	{ "full_text" : "${exec ~/.local/bin/window001.sh}  ", "background" : "\#ffffff", "color" : "\#33aacc" },
    {
    "full_text": "  ${cpu cpu0}%, ${execi 4 sensors|grep 'Core 0'|awk '{print $3}'} ",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "color": "\#BF616A",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "  ${mem}/${memmax} ",
    "color": "\#A3BE8C",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text":"  ${wireless_essid wlan0}${wireless_link_qual_perc wlan0}% ",
    "color": "\#B48EAD",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "  ${execi 2 amixer get Master | grep % | awk '{print $5}' | sed 's/[^0-9\%]//g' | head -n1} ",
    "color": "\#EBCB8B",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "  ${time %A ~ %d %b. %Y} ",
    "color": "\#81A1C1",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
    {
    "full_text": "  ${time %H:%M} ",
    "color": "\#D08770",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    },
	{
    "full_text": "",
    "color": "\#BFBFBF",
    "background": "\#2F343F",
    "separator": true,
    "separator_block_width": 0
    }
],

]];