DJ Mode: tmux Status Line Integration
Display the currently playing track in your tmux status bar.
Overview
The voicemode dj status --line command outputs a compact, single-line format designed for tmux status bars. It includes:
- Track/chapter title (truncated to 40 chars)
- Current position
- Remaining time with color warnings
- Play/pause indicator (♪ or ⏸)
Example output:
Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated.. 12:34 (-3:21) ♪
Color Coding
The remaining time changes color as the track nears its end:
| Condition | Color |
|---|---|
| > 30 seconds remaining | Default |
| 10-30 seconds remaining | Yellow |
| < 10 seconds remaining | Red (bold) |
This gives you a visual warning before the music stops.
tmux Configuration
Add this to your ~/.tmux.conf:
# DJ status in right status bar (updates every 5 seconds)
set -g status-right '#(voicemode dj status --line 2>/dev/null)'
set -g status-interval 5
With Existing Status Right
If you already have content in your status-right, append the DJ status:
set -g status-right '#(voicemode dj status --line 2>/dev/null) | %H:%M'
Conditional Display
Only show when music is playing (shows nothing when stopped):
set -g status-right '#(voicemode dj status --line 2>/dev/null)#(date +%%H:%%M)'
The command outputs nothing when no music is playing, so it won't leave blank space.
Reload Configuration
After editing ~/.tmux.conf, reload it:
tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf
Or from within tmux, press prefix then : and type:
source-file ~/.tmux.conf
Troubleshooting
Status not updating
Decrease the interval for more frequent updates:
set -g status-interval 1 # Update every second
Note: More frequent updates increase CPU usage slightly.
Command not found
Ensure voicemode is in your PATH. You may need to use the full path:
set -g status-right '#(~/.local/bin/voicemode dj status --line 2>/dev/null)'
Or if installed with uv:
set -g status-right '#(uv run voicemode dj status --line 2>/dev/null)'
Colors not showing
Ensure your terminal supports 256 colors and tmux is configured for it:
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
See Also
- DJ Commands - Full command reference
- Installation - Setup mpv and dependencies