How do I arrange my windows automatically?

Is there some equivalent of Windows' "Tile Windows" in Ubuntu?

Solution 1:

If you're using compiz, you can enable the "Grid" plugin to use keyboard shortcuts to move windows around the screen in a tiling sort of way.

You'll need to make sure compiz-fusion-plugins-extra is installed (sudo apt-get install compiz-fusion-plugins-extra or use synaptic - probably software center too).

I got the tip from here: http://www.webupd8.org/2009/12/linux-w-compiz-tile-position-and-resize.html

You can do something similar without compiz using this: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/08/python-window-organizer-organize-your-windows-using-the-keyboard

I don't think either of these options have an auto tile feature though. Using a default install, I'm not sure this option is anywhere (not anywhere that I know of anyway). In that case, some of the other answers already posted might be more useful.

Solution 2:

You could use a tiling window manager. There are many options (ion3, scrotwm, dwm, etc, etc). Search google for "tiling window manager", or search for "tiling" in synaptic.

Solution 3:

There is also an unsupported compiz plugin called Tile. It's in the compiz-fusion-plugins-unsupported package which can be obtained e.g. from this PPA (update of compiz from this ppa needed too)

You can watch it in action in this video (starting at 1:44)