Is it possible to have windows automatically tile only within a specific region of a screen for a specific workspace but also allow floating windows outside that region?

[nickjj]

In the docs I saw there's the idea of a reserved area but I don't think that will work for this use case alone.

The primary use case is doing screen recording where you want to record a region of your screen but also have notes off to the side but you don't want to record the notes or even indicate to viewers that this is happening. Ideally the recorded region would operate as the bounding box of usable space so when you launch apps they conform to this region.

I know OBS can record regions of the screen, this is how I do things on Windows. OBS records a 1920x1080 area of my screen and then I use Sizer (a tool) to auto-size and position windows to that region. Basically all I have to do is focus a window and hit a hotkey and it snaps into the recording zone. Then I have notes off to the side of there in a floating notepad. It's not perfect but it works and is manageable.

I can then optionally press another Windows hotkey which changes the OBS scene to record my whole 4k display and then I simply use Windows as normal for the times where I do want to record my whole screen (I don't always have notes).

I'm trying to get this type of behavior (or better) set up with Hyprland if it's possible.

Using wishful thinking, a perfect scenario would be:

• Dedicated recording zone (specific size and position) that can be toggled on and off with a keybind
• Hyprland tiles windows into the zone automatically, when toggled off everything resizes to fit the screen as normal
• This zone can be configured to only be enabled in a specific workspace
  • This may simplify being able to bounce between recording your whole display or the zone
• It allows for manually floating windows outside of that zone when enabled

[fufexan]

You can somewhat achieve this by resizing two tiled windows, with one being your recording area and another the notes area. Then whenever you're focusing one of those windows, new windows will automatically tile within the existing window's area. If you use multiple workspaces while recording, a script could automate opening windows in the specific region.

[nickjj]

Thanks, I see what you mean.

There's a lot of nuance to the use case. Oftentimes I wouldn't want to tile a window on video because when zoomed in the area is too small so I stack them on top of each other (let's say a terminal and browser), then flip between them with hotkeys in Windows.

Other note worthy things:

• Usually I have a number of notes placed around the recording zone based on what I'm recording, sometimes there's no notes, but sometimes there's a notepad to the left, right and below the recording area
• Usually I resize the notes windows so the text in the notepad is as close as possible to the edges of the recording screen so I don't have to move my eyes as much (I have a 32" 4k screen), in Windows this was easy by resizing and floating them next to the zone manually

Basically a bunch of optimizations based on the last 10 years of doing 500+ screencast recordings.

Based on the above, do you know of anything in Hyprland that would help achieve that type of thing in a painless way? I'm drawing blanks on what's available to achieve this. I'm comfortable writing as many scripts or configuration necessary to do it, but I'm not sure which pieces or commands would help achieve it.

[fufexan]

For the stacking part you can group windows and navigate using hotkeys. See https://wiki.hypr.land/Configuring/Variables/#group.

Usually I have a number of notes placed around the recording zone based on what I'm recording, sometimes there's no notes, but sometimes there's a notepad to the left, right and below the recording area

This is tough, I thought you were splitting the screen in two, but this makes sense in order to keep the aspect ratio of the recording.

Based on what you already noted, a simple plugin that defines the tiling area would be the way to go. Alternatively you can use pseudotile and a script to set the window size in that pseudotile. No guarantee that new notepad windows won't open right in the recording area though.

[nickjj]

This is tough, I thought you were splitting the screen in two, but this makes sense in order to keep the aspect ratio of the recording.

Yep, I defined a 1920x1080 area in an optimal spot for recording which is centered near the top so my eyes look very close into the webcam. Then everything outside of that area is a free for all to have anything helpful for recording (notes, etc.).

Thanks, I think writing a plugin is off limits since I'm not a C++ developer and the developer docs mentions that's a necessity.

I have enabled pseudotile on day 1 but unless I'm misunderstanding something it didn't allow for the workflow I'm desiring. Ideally I would want everything to be opened and sized into the recording area except for certain apps. I could then find some simple notes program to be exempt from that so I can move them anywhere.