How to use xdotool in i3?

[sirlnx]

I would like to emulate the following arrow keys through xdotool via i3:

bindsym $mod+Tab+h exec xdotool key "Left"
bindsym $mod+Tab+j exec xdotool key "Down"
bindsym $mod+Tab+k exec xdotool key "Up"
bindsym $mod+Tab+l exec xdotool key "Right"

Unfortunately, i3 doesn't seem to recognize the bindsyms. The commands, e.g. xdotool key "Left" does work through the command line.

Edit:
My i3 version:
i3 version 4.11 (2015-09-30, branch "4.11") © 2009 Michael Stapelberg and contributors

[i3bot]

I don’t see a link to logs.i3wm.org. Did you follow http://i3wm.org/docs/debugging.html? (In case you actually provided a link to a logfile, please ignore me.)

[i3bot]

I don’t see a version number. Could you please copy & paste the output of i3 --version into this issue?

[stapelberg]

Use e.g. bindsym --release $mod+Tab+h exec --no-startup-id xdotool key "Left", so that i3 executes that keybinding when the key is released.

[wjdp]

@stapelberg --release only seems to pay attention to when any key in the bind is released. If you release one of the keys before $mod i3 handles it as a the $mod+left bind.

(Currently adding a bind that types today's date, the numbers jump my workspaces around and put dashes in open text editors, solving with a sleep 0.5 for now)