Re: FVWM: fvwm2 and other window managers

From: Erik Steffl <steffl_at_bigfoot.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2002 00:28:11 -0800

Neil Zanella wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> It would be nice if it were possible to start other window
> managers from within fvwm2 in such a way that when the started
> window manager is exited fvwm2 is restored. This makes it possible
> to test applications under different window managers without
> having to exit each window manager individually and reopen
> all the windows that were on the desktop.

  debian works that way, most of the WMs in debian have menu that
enables you to run other WM (WMs, like other apps, are automatically
added to system menu when they are installed).

  this is the relevant menu:

DestroyMenu "/Debian/WindowManagers"
AddToMenu "/Debian/WindowManagers" "WindowManagers" Title Top
+ "&9Wm" Restart 9wm
+ "&AfterStep" Restart /usr/X11R6/bin/afterstep
+ "A&fterstep Classic" Restart /usr/X11R6/bin/asclassic
+ "&Blackbox" Restart /usr/bin/blackbox
+ "&Ctwm" Restart ctwm
+ "&Enlightenment" Restart /usr/bin/enlightenment
+ "&Fvwm" Restart /usr/bin/X11/fvwm2
+ "&Gwm" Restart gwm
+ "&IceWM" Restart /usr/bin/X11/icewm
+ "&KDE" Restart /usr/bin/kde2
+ "&Modules" Popup "/Debian/WindowManagers/Modules"
+ "&Sawfish" Restart sawfish
+ "S&cwm" Restart /usr/bin/X11/scwm
+ "&Twm" Restart twm
+ "&Vtwm" Restart vtwm
+ "&Window Maker" Restart /usr/bin/wmaker
+ "&XFwm/XFce" Restart startxfce
+ "&aewm" Restart /usr/bin/aewm
+ "&lwm" Restart /usr/bin/X11/lwm
+ "&qvwm" Restart /usr/X11R6/bin/qvwm
+ "&uwm" Restart /usr/bin/X11/uwm
+ "&wm2" Restart /usr/bin/X11/wm2

  that's for fvwm, other WMs often have the same ability (not all, they
said kde wm cannot do that...)

> Alternatively is there a way to exit fvwm2 without quitting X
> so as to temporarily obtain undecorated windows.

  that depends on how you start fvwm - if you start it as last command
in .xinitrc (in your home dir or system one or .xsession if you use xdm)
then X considers the exit of fvwm to be the end and quits - you would
need to replace fvwm with something else as last command (any X program
that wouldn't exit - xterm, xeyes, whatever, just remember that when you
quit that program X exits).

  I use xdm so I put the WM in ~/.xsession:

jojda:~...cvs/OpenRaider-0.0.2>cat ~/.xsession
# alternative to system, I just want to start x-window-manager,
# not x-session-manager

x-window-manager

# end

  x-window-manager is link to fvwm (debian alternatives system). if I
would want to use other program as 'anchor' I'd replace x-window-manager
line by something similar to the following lines:

x-window-manager& # starts in background
xterm # when you quit this, X exits

  you can also:

  - start another X server (you can start plain X if you don't want
default window manager)

  - start nested X (never tried it)

  - start vncserver and use x vncviewer to view it within your current X
session (that's how I tested fvwm configuration)

  etc. there are probably other ways...


        erik
--
Visit the official FVWM web page at <URL: http://www.fvwm.org/>.
To unsubscribe from the list, send "unsubscribe fvwm" in the body of a
message to majordomo_at_fvwm.org.
To report problems, send mail to fvwm-owner_at_fvwm.org.
Received on Fri Jan 04 2002 - 02:28:25 GMT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Mon Aug 29 2016 - 19:37:52 BST