Comment #4 on issue 347 by loupgaroublond: Feature request: Adding new Topics as you go http://code.google.com/p/xmonad/issues/detail?id=347 'lo, I've worked out a similar solution, let me show you some code: -- Workspaces _spaces = M.fromList $ [ ("schutbord", "~") , ("browsen", "~") , ("praten", "~") , ("muziek", "~/Muziek") , ("berichten", "~/Mail") , ("agenda", "~/Documenten/Day Planner") , ("ldap", "~") , ("flim", "~") , ("terminals", "~") ] _workspaces = [ "schutbord"] _topicConfig = TS.TopicConfig { TS.topicDirs = _spaces , TS.topicActions = _topicActions , TS.defaultTopicAction = (const $ return ()) , TS.defaultTopic = "schutbord" , TS.maxTopicHistory = 10 } _topicActions = M.fromList $ [ ("schutbord", replicateM_ 2 runColourTerminal) , ("terminals", replicateM_ 2 runColourTerminal) , ("browsen", runBrowser) , ("praten", runChat) , ("berichten", runMail) , ("muziek", runMixer >> runMusicPlayer) , ("transmission", runTorrent) , ("agenda", runEditor) , ("flim", runFilm) ] goto :: TS.Topic -> X () goto t = newWorkspace t >> TS.switchTopic _topicConfig t shift = windows . W.shift newWorkspace :: WorkspaceId -> X () newWorkspace w = do exists <- widExist w if (not exists) then DW.addHiddenWorkspace w else return () newWorkspaceDir :: WorkspaceId -> X () newWorkspaceDir w = do exists <- widExist w if (not exists) then do DW.addHiddenWorkspace w goto w WD.changeDir P.defaultXPConfig else return () widExist :: WorkspaceId -> X Bool widExist wid = do xs <- get return $ widExists wid ( windowset xs ) widExists :: WorkspaceId -> W.StackSet WorkspaceId l a s sd -> Bool widExists wid ws = wid `elem` map W.tag (W.workspaces ws) I also have these key bindings (with ezconfig) , ("M-S-n", PI.inputPrompt P.defaultXPConfig "New Workspace:" PI.?+ newWorkspaceDir) , ("M-S-<Backspace>", WithAll.killAll >> DW.removeWorkspace) , ("M-S-r", DW.renameWorkspace P.defaultXPConfig) [ -- Applications ("M-t", goto "terminals") , ("M-S-t", runColourTerminal) , ("M-v M-t", pasteTerminal) , ("M-v M-d", manTerminal) , ("M-i", goto "browsen") , ("M-S-i", runBrowser) , ("M-v M-i", pasteBrowser) , ("M-p", runCmdLine) , ("M-x", WD.changeDir P.defaultXPConfig) , ("M-e", goto "muziek") -- , ("M-o", runMixer) , ("M-h", runFileManager) , ("M-s", goto "praten") , ("M-m", goto "berichten") , ("M-S-m", runMail) , ("M-u", goto "agenda") , ("M-0", goto "schutbord") , ("M-w", goto "flim")