From 46f16c406ccf363dd416436367f2f172be82002d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ivan Malison <IvanMalison@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 01:41:00 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] Improve Hyprland scratchpads

---
 dotfiles/config/hypr/hyprland.conf            | 34 ++++++++-----
 .../config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh  | 51 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 71 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)
 create mode 100755 dotfiles/config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh

diff --git a/dotfiles/config/hypr/hyprland.conf b/dotfiles/config/hypr/hyprland.conf
index 33a94ffa..7a850c4e 100644
--- a/dotfiles/config/hypr/hyprland.conf
+++ b/dotfiles/config/hypr/hyprland.conf
@@ -196,10 +196,12 @@ windowrulev2 = float, title:^(Save File)$
 windowrulev2 = float, title:^(Confirm)$
 
 # Scratchpad windows - float and size
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:htop silent, class:^(htop-scratch)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(htop-scratch)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(htop-scratch)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(htop-scratch)$
 
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:volume silent, class:^(pavucontrol)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(pavucontrol)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(pavucontrol)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(pavucontrol)$
@@ -209,23 +211,28 @@ windowrulev2 = float, class:^(spotify)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(spotify)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(spotify)$
 
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:element silent, class:^(Element)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(Element)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(Element)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(Element)$
 
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:slack silent, class:^(Slack)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(Slack)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(Slack)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(Slack)$
 
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:transmission silent, class:^(transmission-gtk)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(transmission-gtk)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(transmission-gtk)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(transmission-gtk)$
 
 # Gmail and Messages (Chrome windows)
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:gmail silent, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(.*@gmail.com.*Gmail.*)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(.*@gmail.com.*Gmail.*)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(.*@gmail.com.*Gmail.*)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(.*@gmail.com.*Gmail.*)$
 
+windowrulev2 = workspace special:messages silent, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(Messages.*)$
 windowrulev2 = float, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(Messages.*)$
 windowrulev2 = size 90% 90%, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(Messages.*)$
 windowrulev2 = center, class:^(google-chrome)$,title:^(Messages.*)$
@@ -264,14 +271,14 @@ bind = $modAlt, C, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/raise-or-run.sh google-chrome go
 # SCRATCHPADS (Special Workspaces)
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Toggle scratchpads
-bind = $modAlt, E, togglespecialworkspace, element
-bind = $modAlt, G, togglespecialworkspace, gmail
-bind = $modAlt, H, togglespecialworkspace, htop
-bind = $modAlt, M, togglespecialworkspace, messages
-bind = $modAlt, K, togglespecialworkspace, slack
-bind = $modAlt, S, togglespecialworkspace, spotify
-bind = $modAlt, T, togglespecialworkspace, transmission
-bind = $modAlt, V, togglespecialworkspace, volume
+bind = $modAlt, E, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh element '^Element$' - element-desktop
+bind = $modAlt, G, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh gmail '^google-chrome$' '.*@gmail.com.*Gmail.*' google-chrome-stable --new-window https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox
+bind = $modAlt, H, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh htop '^htop-scratch$' - alacritty --class htop-scratch --title htop -e htop
+bind = $modAlt, M, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh messages '^google-chrome$' '^Messages.*' google-chrome-stable --new-window https://messages.google.com/web/conversations
+bind = $modAlt, K, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh slack '^Slack$' - slack
+bind = $modAlt, S, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh spotify '^spotify$' - spotify
+bind = $modAlt, T, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh transmission '^transmission-gtk$' - transmission-gtk
+bind = $modAlt, V, exec, ~/.config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh volume '^pavucontrol$' - pavucontrol
 
 # Move windows to scratchpads
 bind = $modAlt SHIFT, E, movetoworkspace, special:element
@@ -534,16 +541,15 @@ bind = $mainMod, mouse_up, workspace, e-1
 exec-once = systemctl --user import-environment WAYLAND_DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE
 exec-once = systemctl --user start hyprland-session.target
 
-# Scratchpad applications (start in special workspaces)
-exec-once = [workspace special:element silent] element-desktop
-# Disabled autostarts
+# Scratchpad applications (spawn on demand via keybinds)
+# exec-once = [workspace special:element silent] element-desktop
 # exec-once = [workspace special:gmail silent] google-chrome-stable --new-window https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox
-exec-once = [workspace special:htop silent] alacritty --class htop-scratch --title htop -e htop
+# exec-once = [workspace special:htop silent] alacritty --class htop-scratch --title htop -e htop
 # exec-once = [workspace special:messages silent] google-chrome-stable --new-window https://messages.google.com/web/conversations
-exec-once = [workspace special:slack silent] slack
+# exec-once = [workspace special:slack silent] slack
 # exec-once = [workspace special:spotify silent] spotify
 # exec-once = [workspace special:transmission silent] transmission-gtk
-exec-once = [workspace special:volume silent] pavucontrol
+# exec-once = [workspace special:volume silent] pavucontrol
 
 # Clipboard history daemon
 exec-once = wl-paste --type text --watch cliphist store
diff --git a/dotfiles/config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh b/dotfiles/config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..118c696c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dotfiles/config/hypr/scripts/toggle-scratchpad.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Toggle a named Hyprland scratchpad, spawning it if needed.
+# Usage: toggle-scratchpad.sh <name> <class_regex|-> <title_regex|-> <command...>
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if [ "$#" -lt 4 ]; then
+    echo "usage: $0 <name> <class_regex|-> <title_regex|-> <command...>" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+NAME="$1"
+shift
+CLASS_REGEX="$1"
+shift
+TITLE_REGEX="$1"
+shift
+COMMAND=("$@")
+
+if [ "$CLASS_REGEX" = "-" ]; then
+    CLASS_REGEX=""
+fi
+if [ "$TITLE_REGEX" = "-" ]; then
+    TITLE_REGEX=""
+fi
+
+if [ -z "$CLASS_REGEX" ] && [ -z "$TITLE_REGEX" ]; then
+    echo "toggle-scratchpad: provide a class or title regex" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+MATCHING=$(hyprctl clients -j | jq -r --arg cre "$CLASS_REGEX" --arg tre "$TITLE_REGEX" '
+  .[]
+  | select(
+      (($cre == "") or (.class | test($cre; "i")))
+      and
+      (($tre == "") or (.title | test($tre; "i")))
+    )
+  | .address
+')
+
+if [ -z "$MATCHING" ]; then
+    "${COMMAND[@]}" &
+else
+    while IFS= read -r ADDR; do
+        [ -n "$ADDR" ] || continue
+        hyprctl dispatch movetoworkspacesilent "special:$NAME,address:$ADDR"
+    done <<< "$MATCHING"
+fi
+
+hyprctl dispatch togglespecialworkspace "$NAME"