Xubuntu Aero Snap Hotkeys?

Solution 1:

Very similar to Jamie's answer, I set up the settings in the same place (Settings Manager → Window Manager → Keyboard) to directly mimic Aero Snap:

  • Tile window to the left: Super+← (Left Arrow)
  • Tile window to the right: Super+→ (Right Arrow)
  • Maximize window: Super+↑ (Up Arrow)

Solution 2:

If you don't want to install Compiz on Xubuntu, you can still gain some useful window manager keyboard shortcuts with Xfce. In Xubuntu 11.10 I have set up keyboard shortcuts for the following actions (you can configure your own keyboard shortcuts by going to "Settings Manager" → "Window Manager" → "Keyboard"):

  • Maximize window horizontally (Super+H)
  • Maximize window vertically (Super+V)
  • Fill window (Super+W)
  • Fill window horizontally (Shift+Super+H)
  • Fill window vertically (Shift+Super+V)

Obviously, none of the above actions will move windows or make them precisely 50% as wide as the "Aero" stuff does, but they're helpful nonetheless. For example, if you want two windows, side by side, at full height, you might:

  1. Snap one window to the upper left corner, and drag to adjust width if needed
  2. Super+V (to maximize vertically)
  3. Resize/drag second window to the right of the first, if needed (just so they're not overlapping)
  4. Super+W (to maximize the second window in the remaining space)

Granted, that's a bit more work than the Unity Aero-like behavior; I still find those window manager shortcuts rather useful.