prefix+q — Show region numbers and select one

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prefix+q is the prerequisite step for every “region action” (prefix+f / z / g / c / x / d): it paints the region numbers onto the screen. From there you can either just select a region (type the number, then Enter/pause), or select-and-act in one chord — in either order: number first (q→digit→action key, recommended) or action first (q→action key→digit, the old order, retained).

Default chord: q · Config key: show_regions · Change in Settings → Hotkeys → Region operations

What is a region

Each region of the current layout = one slot of one display (top-left / right half / middle band, etc.). When the OSD appears, every region’s center shows its number in large digits, starting from 0.

If no layout has been triggered yet, prefix+q is silently dropped — there’s nothing to select.

Four usage patterns

Pattern 1: select a region (number first, select only)

press prefix
press q              ← every region on screen shows its number 0 1 2 3 …
press 3              ← type the number (multi-digit OK, e.g. 1 2 = 12)
press Enter          ← lock in the selection (or just pause ~1 s for the input timeout)

Notes:

  • Difference from the old behavior: pressing the number digit no longer takes effect instantly. Press Enter, or pause for the input timeout (input_timeout_ms, default 3000 ms), to lock it in. This is what lets an action key follow the number (see Pattern 2).
  • Multi-digit numbers are typed straight through — no second q needed; each digit resets the input timeout.
  • Once locked in, the selection is recorded as the current binding’s selected_region and is used directly by:
    • prefix+f to cycle through the app’s multiple windows in that region
    • prefix+z to temporarily fullscreen that region
    • prefix+g to jump focus to that region’s window
    • prefix+c to add a new app into that region (split)
    • prefix+x to close that region’s current window
    • prefix+d to reclaim that region (minimize its window, not close)
  • An empty buffer on Enter/timeout = cancel (nothing selected).

If you don’t want the two-step “select first, act later” flow, type the number first, then press the action key — it selects that region and runs the action in one chord:

press prefix
press q              ← every region on screen shows its number
press 3              ← type the number (multi-digit OK)
press z              ← action key; runs the action on region 3 immediately (here z = fullscreen)
  • The action key also terminates the number input — pressing it submits, no Enter needed.
  • The valid action keys are the chords of the six region actions (using their current bound keys, so rebinding carries over): g focus · f cycle windows · z fullscreen · d reclaim · c split · x close.
  • After it runs, the region stays selected, so a subsequent bare prefix+f / z / g / c / x / d keeps acting on it.
  • Multi-digit works the same way: q → 1 → 2 → z fullscreens region 12.

Pattern 3: select-and-act, action first (old order, retained)

You can still use the old order: press the action key first, then the number.

press prefix
press q              ← every region on screen shows its number
press z              ← choose the action to run first (here z = fullscreen)
press 3              ← then the digit; selects region 3 and fullscreens it immediately
  • With the action key first, a single digit fires instantly (no Enter).
  • For numbers ≥ 10: after the action key, press a second q to enter the multi-digit accumulator, then submit with Enter or by pausing for the timeout — prefix → q → z → q → 1 2 → Enter.
  • Esc cancels. If the action key you press is disabled (its hotkey was cleared in Settings), it doesn’t count as an action key — pressing it cancels and passes through.

Pattern 4: cancel

Ways to cancel after prefix+q:

  • Press Esc: cancel; OSD closes.
  • Press a key that isn’t a digit, an action key, q, Enter, or Esc: cancel; OSD closes; the key is passed through to the focused window.
  • Wait for a timeout — two cases:
    • No number typed yet (right after prefix+q, or action-first before the digit): the input timeout (input_timeout_ms, default 3000 ms) cancels.
    • A number already typed: the input timeout (input_timeout_ms, default 3000 ms) applies, and timing out submits the typed number as the selection (see Pattern 1) — it does not cancel.
  • Foreground window switch, display hot-plug, config reload: auto-cancel.

How long the selection sticks

  • Persists across chords: even hours later, prefix+f / z / g / c / x / d still acts on that region.
  • Per-binding: each binding has its own selected_region. Switch to another binding and back, and the original selection is preserved.
  • Cleared by these events:
    • After a config reload (reload), every selection is cleared.
    • When the region’s window is closed, the engine automatically forgets the selection (the next region action falls back to region 0).
    • prefix+r (restore) clears the current binding’s selection.

What if I never selected a region

prefix+f / z / g / c / x / d automatically use region 0 as the target when there is no selected_region. So the most common scenarios are:

  • Single-region or single-fullscreen layouts: just prefix+f to cycle, prefix+z to fullscreen — no prefix+q needed.
  • Multi-region layouts: use prefix+q once to select a region (type the number, then Enter/pause to lock it in), then keep using prefix+f / prefix+z without re-selecting each time.

What if I pick an invalid number

If you press a digit that exceeds the current layout’s region count, or the matching slot isn’t a leaf (live layouts can dynamically merge):

  • The OSD closes.
  • selected_region is not modified (the previous selection is preserved).
  • Subsequent region actions still operate on the prior selection.

Timing parameters

Parameter Default Settings location
Timeout before any number is typed 3000 ms Hotkeys → Advanced → Post-command input timeout (input_timeout_ms)
Number input timeout (reset on each digit; pausing locks in the selection) 3000 ms Hotkeys → Advanced → Post-command input timeout (input_timeout_ms)
OSD internal cleanup tick 1000 ms Hotkeys → Advanced → REGION OSD cleanup interval