How do you make volume keys and mute key work in Xmonad

I am new to Xmonad (just installed it yesterday), and since I have never used haskell before, I found configuration a little bit confusing for me. I got somewhat made xmobar and trayer work, but I have no idea how might I make multimedia keys to adjust volume. Can anyone help with that?

Additional question: How do you manage your volume in xmonad. Do you use tray icon, or other things like that?

Here is my xmonad configuration:

import XMonad
import XMonad.Hooks.DynamicLog
import XMonad.Hooks.ManageDocks
import XMonad.Util.EZConfig(additionalKeys)
import System.IO

main = xmonad =<< statusBar myBar myPP toggleStrutKey myConfig

-- Command to launch the bar
myBar = "xmobar"

-- Custom PP, it determines what is written to the bar
myPP = xmobarPP { ppCurrent = xmobarColor "#429942" "" . wrap "<" ">" }

-- Key bindings to toggle the gap for the bar
toggleStrutKey XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modMask} = (modMask, xK_b)

myConfig = defaultConfig {
    manageHook = manageDocks <+> manageHook defaultConfig,
    layoutHook = avoidStruts $ layoutHook defaultConfig,
    modMask = mod4Mask -- Rebind Mod to windows key
    } `additionalKeys`
    [ ((mod4Mask .|. shiftMask, xK_z), spawn "xscreensaver-command -lock")
    ]

Solution 1:

Use 'xev' and tap the multimedia keys to discover their names. One might be 'XF86XK_AudioMute'. Then look at the contents of '/usr/include/X11/XF86keysym.h' and look for the name. On my system, 'XF86XK_AudioMute' is '0x1008FF12'.

Drop that where you would put a key in your config file. It might look like this:

import XMonad
import XMonad.Hooks.DynamicLog
import XMonad.Hooks.ManageDocks
import XMonad.Util.EZConfig(additionalKeys)
import System.IO

-CUT-

 } `additionalKeys`
    [ ((mod4Mask .|. shiftMask, xK_z), spawn "xscreensaver-command -lock"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF11), spawn "amixer -q sset Master 2%-"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF13), spawn "amixer -q sset Master 2%+"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF12), spawn "amixer set Master toggle")
    ]

'amixer' will set your volume. The '0' replacing mod4Mask allows you to tap the multimedia key without holding your mod key.

Solution 2:

See this Graphics.X11.ExtraTypes.XF86 for keys you want and add to your config file:

import Graphics.X11.ExtraTypes.XF86
myKeys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modm}) = M.fromList $
[ ...
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioLowerVolume   ), spawn "amixer set Master 2-")
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioRaiseVolume   ), spawn "amixer set Master 2+")
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioMute          ), spawn "amixer set Master toggle")
...]

Solution 3:

If you're using pulseaudio, pactl also should work.

, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioRaiseVolume), spawn "pactl set-sink-volume 0 +1.5%")
, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioLowerVolume), spawn "pactl set-sink-volume 0 -- -1.5%")
, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioMute), spawn "pactl set-sink-mute 0 toggle")
]

0 is sink id. pactl list short sinks will show sink list.

pactl stat|grep 'Default Sink' | cut -f2 -d':'

will show current default sink. You can use sink name instead numeric id.

Doulble dash -- tells 'this is not option(like -h), just value' to pactl.

Solution 4:

If amixer set Master 2- does not work. Try amixer -D pulse set Master 2- instead. Also 2%- and 2%+ will change the volume by 2 percent, which may be easier to use. You can test these commands in the terminal to adjust them to your liking before you put them in you xmonad config file.