prefix+o — Open a window from the app picker and place it on the target monitor

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prefix+o opens the same app picker as prefix+c, then places the chosen app’s window on the target monitor (by default the last monitor; can be overridden per the prefix+m+digit+o sequence described below) at a configurable size, centered. Unlike prefix+c, it does not create or occupy a region — the placed window is not tracked by restore, cycle, focus, or swap operations.

Default chord: o · Config key: open_window · Size setting: [hotkey].open_window_percent (50–100, default 75) · Change chord in Settings → Hotkeys → Region operations

Trigger flow

1. press prefix+o          the app picker overlay appears
2. type to filter           narrow the app list by name
3. press Enter (or click)   the chosen app's window is placed on the target monitor

Window placement

The window is placed on the target display, centered:

  • Default target: the last display (highest display index in the current system geometry).
  • Override: run prefix+m → display digit → o (see prefix+m — Swap displays) to pick a different display and set it as the sticky target. After that, prefix+o opens on the chosen display instead of the last one. The override is cleared on restart, display hot-plug / re-enumeration, or the next prefix+m+digit+o sequence.
  • Size: controlled by [hotkey].open_window_percent (50–100). 100 = fill the entire work area of that monitor; 50 = half the work area.
  • Position: centered on the target monitor’s work area.
  • No region is created. The window does not participate in the layout and is not remembered by binding/region slot memory.

Reuse-then-spawn behavior

Before launching a new instance, the engine looks for a free window of the chosen app — one that is not already placed in the current layout:

App window state What happens
A free (unplaced) window exists That window is moved to the last monitor and sized/centered
No free window; app is running A new instance is launched, then placed
App is not running App is launched, then placed

The engine never closes an existing window to satisfy this action (non-destructive).

What is NOT affected

prefix+o does not interact with layout-aware operations:

  • prefix+r (restore) — does not restore or move the opened window
  • prefix+f (cycle_region) — does not cycle through it
  • prefix+g (focus_region) — does not target it
  • prefix+m (swap_displays) — does not move it
  • Region slot memory — the window is not tracked per region

Re-pressing prefix+o simply reopens the picker; the previously placed window is left as-is.

Difference from prefix+c (split_region)

Both actions open the same app picker. The difference is what happens after you choose an app:

  prefix+o open_window prefix+c split_region
Creates a region No Yes (splits selected region)
Monitor Target monitor (last by default; overridable via prefix+m+digit+o) Selected region’s monitor
Size open_window_percent (50–100 %) Determined by the split layout
Tracked by restore/cycle/focus No Yes
Affects layout No Yes

Rejection conditions

Situation Behavior
Picker dismissed (Esc / no selection) Silent; no window is moved or launched
App definition has no exe and is not running Silent; picker closes normally

Configuration

Add to your config.toml to change the chord or placement size:

[hotkey]
open_window_percent = 80   # 50–100; default 75 (100 = fill work area)

[actions]
open_window = "o"          # default; set to "" to disable

Change in Settings → Hotkeys → Advanced → “Open size” slider.