Smart window auto-tiling for a faster, more efficient Linux Mint experience.

AutoTile is a lightweight Python script that adds simple tiling window management to Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon/X11).
It arranges visible, normal windows into a neat grid using wmctrl + xprop. Zero learning curve, no switch to i3/bspwm.

• Auto-grid layout (defaults to √n columns).
• Skips minimized/hidden windows.
• Respects Cinnamon panels (tiles within the work area).
• Adjustable gap between windows.
• Optional fixed number of columns (e.g., always 2).
• Ignore specific apps by class/title:
• Bind to a hotkey for instant tiling.

• Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon) on X11
• Python 3.6+ (preinstalled on Mint)
• wmctrl, xprop (x11-utils), x11-xserver-utils

Install on Mint:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wmctrl x11-utils x11-xserver-utils

Clone and run the installer:

git clone https://github.com/gusinfosec/autotile-mint.git
cd autotile-mint
chmod +x setup.sh
./setup.sh

This will:

• install dependencies (APT) if missing,
• place the script at ~/.local/bin/autotile,
• create a menu launcher (~/.local/share/applications/autotile.desktop).

Run it:

autotile

Bind to a hotkey:

• System Settings → Keyboard → Shortcuts → Custom Shortcuts
• Command: autotile
• Suggested key: Super+T

AutoTile enumerates windows with wmctrl -l, filters only normal, visible windows on the current workspace using xprop, computes a grid (√n by default), and moves/resizes them with wmctrl -e.
It uses the work area from wmctrl -d so Cinnamon panels aren’t covered.

Open autotile.py and tweak the values at the top:

GAP = 10          # pixels between windows
FORCE_COLS = 0    # set >0 to force a fixed column count, 0 = auto
IGNORE_APPS = ["Spotify", "Calculator"]  # match WM_CLASS or title (case-insensitive)

Examples:

• Force two columns always: FORCE_COLS = 2
• Wider spacing: GAP = 16
• Ignore more apps: add names to IGNORE_APPS

• 2 windows open → side-by-side split.
• 3–4 windows → 2×2 grid.
• 5–6 windows → 3×2 grid.
• Minimizing a window → excluded from tiling.
• Sticky windows (on all desktops) → included.

• Nothing moves?

  • Ensure you’re on X11 (Wayland isn’t supported by wmctrl).
  • Check wmctrl -l outputs windows.

• Panels get covered?

  • Make sure Cinnamon panels are enabled; AutoTile reads the work area from wmctrl -d.

• A window keeps getting tiled but you don’t want it to:

  • Add part of its WM_CLASS or title to IGNORE_APPS.
  • Find classes/titles with:

    xprop | grep -E 'WM_CLASS|WM_NAME'

    (Click the window after running xprop.)

autotile-mint/
├─ autotile.py       # main script
├─ setup.sh          # installer to ~/.local/bin and .desktop
├─ README.md
├─ LICENSE           # MIT (recommended)
└─ .gitignore

Suggested local convention:

• ~/projects/ → polished repos you push to GitHub
• ~/devs/ → experiments/WIP you don’t publish yet

Issues and PRs welcome:

• feature requests (column presets, per-workspace configs),
• bug reports (DE/driver quirks),
• Wayland alternatives (PRs with sway/hyprland helpers).

MIT. See LICENSE for details.