Linux X Window Screen margin reservation tool.

screenmargin.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import gtk
import sys
'''
X Window left/right edge margin reservation tool
Other windows cannot overlap the margin area.

Usage: screenmargin.py left|right pixel
    # reserve left side 100 pixel
    screenmargin.py left 100
    # reserve right side 64 pixel
    screenmargin.py right 64

Requirements:
    pygtk

Reference:
  _NET_WM_STRUT, _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL
  http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3859045/preventing-window-overlap-in-gtk
'''
class ScreenMargin:
    ALLOWED_POSITIONS = ['left', 'right']

    def __init__(self, position, width):
        self.width = width
        if position not in ScreenMargin.ALLOWED_POSITIONS:
            raise Exception('Unknown position : ' + self.position)
        self.position = position

    def show(self):
        self.window = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
        self.window.set_default_size(self.width, 1)
        self.window.set_type_hint(gtk.gdk.WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_DOCK)
        self.window.show()
        self.set_position()

    def set_position(self):
        if self.position == 'left':
            self.window.move(0, 0)
            self.window.window.property_change("_NET_WM_STRUT", "CARDINAL", 32,
                gtk.gdk.PROP_MODE_REPLACE, [self.width, 0, 0, 0])
        else:
            self.window.move(gtk.gdk.screen_width() - self.width, 0)
            self.window.window.property_change("_NET_WM_STRUT", "CARDINAL", 32,
                gtk.gdk.PROP_MODE_REPLACE, [0, self.width, 0, 0])


if __name__ == '__main__':
    position = sys.argv[1]
    width = int(sys.argv[2])

    app = ScreenMargin(position, width)
    app.show()
    gtk.main()